who wants change and who wants to change?

"Sweden introduces six-hour work day. Employers across the country including retirement homes, hospitals and car centres are implementing the change."

"Malaysia work 2 jobs to cover rising cost of living."

Minggu lepas masa perjalanan pulang dari kerja isteri aku Fazliyana Mohd Ali buka cerita tentang dia dan rakan sekerjanya berkongsi meja dengan ekspatriat Sweden ketika makan tengah hari.

Biasalah, bila dah berkongsi meja masa makan mesti kau akan bersembang sikit. Dan topik yang menjadi pilihan bila kita berborak dengan orang Sweden selain dari Ikea pastilah tentang waktu kerja mereka yang dikhabarkan hanya sebanyak 6 jam sehari.

Kata isteri aku, mamat Sweden itu tak rasa hebat mana pun negara dia amalkan kerja 6 jam sehari. Tapi dia rasa pelik kenapa rakyat Malaysia tahu dan suka sangat tentang hal kerja 6 jam sehari. Bagi dia, tak kisahlah kerja berapa jam sehari tapi yang paling penting ialah kadar produktiviti dan siap atau tidak kerja itu.

“Orang Malaysia kerja lebih dari 8 jam sehari, ada yang over time sampai malam tapi produktiviti entah ke mana, kerja tak siap juga,” katanya.

Bila disebut bahawa Malaysia juga hendak jadi seperti Sweden, negara maju dan kerja 6 jam sehari tetapi tidak dapat kerana kerajaan tidak sanggup mengubah polisi, mamat Sweden itu jawab kembali,

“The government don’t have to change, but you must change first.”

Bila habis isteri aku bercerita, aku pun terfikir ada betulnya juga cakap mamat Sweden itu.

Kita rakyat Malaysia rata-rata sibuk berangan nak jadi macam Sweden. Rumah penuh perabut minimalis Ikea, pakai kereta Volvo yang paling selamat, sarung baju H&M paling hip dan paling kita suka kalau boleh kerja 6 jam sehari.

Tapi Sweden itu berada pada tahap negara maju dan boleh kerja 6 jam sehari kerana perubahan yang bermula dari rakyat ke atas. Produktiviti 6 jam mereka mungkin lebih dari 60 jam kita bekerja. Macam kata mamat Sweden tu, orang Malaysia kerja sampai malam tapi tak siap juga kerjanya. Sebenarnya pilihan memang ada pada kita, untuk buat kerja atau buat-buat ada kerja selama 8 jam sehari yang diperuntukkan.

Dan yang paling menusuk kalbu, ialah ayat dia bahawa kerajaan tak perlu berubah tapi kita (rakyat) yang perlu berubah dulu. Masalah kita di Malaysia ialah bila kita bising kerajaan korup, kita sendiri tidak sedar dalam kehidupan seharian pun kita korup juga.

Di Sweden sana kerana langsung tidak ada tolak ansur dalam korupsi di kalangan rakyat yang menjadikan kerajaan mereka bebas rasuah. Dan idea bagaimana bermulanya kerja 6 jam sehari juga datang dari rakyat Sweden sendiri yang produktif hingga menjadikan kerja 8 jam sehari tidak relevan untuk diamalkan lagi.

Senang cakap, kalau kita berubah dulu, kerajaan juga akan berubah. Mungkin dengan kerajaan insaf dan sedar sendiri, atau mungkin melalui peti undi.

Kesimpulannya, jauh lagi sebenarnya kita hendak menjadi seperti Sweden.

Janganlah bercakap tentang seronoknya kerja 6 jam sehari kalau pergi makan di Ikea atau restorang layan diri kita masih tak reti untuk kemas meja dan pulangkan tray, atau bila membelok dan bertukar lorong kita masih tak reti nak bagi isyarat, atau masih lagi belum mengamalkan kitar semula dan pengasingan sisa buangan secara teliti. Benda asas ini kita kena ubah dulu sebelum boleh bersembang nak kerja 6 jam sehari macam Sweden.

Ini tidak, bila kerajaan cadang buat dua kerja untuk tampung kos sara hidup kita mengamuk bercakap pasal Sweden negara maju kerja 6 jam sehari.

— Lucius Maximus.

recyling bin's game.

I once saw a high school teacher lead a simple, powerful exercise to teach his class about privilege and social mobility. He started by giving each student a scrap piece of paper and asked them to crumple it up.

Then he moved the recycling bin to the front of the room.

He said, “The game is simple — you all represent the country’s population. And everyone in the country has a chance to become wealthy and move into the upper class.”

“To move into the upper class, all you must do is throw your wadded-up paper into the bin while sitting in your seat.”

The students in the back of the room immediately piped up, “This is unfair!” They could see the rows of students in front of them had a much better chance.

Everyone took their shots, and — as expected — most of the students in the front made it (but not all) and only a few students in the back of the room made it.

He concluded by saying, “The closer you were to the recycling bin, the better your odds. This is what privilege looks like. Did you notice how the only ones who complained about fairness were in the back of the room?”

"By contrast, people in the front of the room were less likely to be aware of the privilege they were born into. All they can see is 10 feet between them and their goal.”

"Your job — as students who are receiving an education — is to be aware of your privilege. And use this particular privilege called “education” to do your best to achieve great things, all the while advocating for those in the rows behind you.”

— Nathan W. Pyle

#ourthreeboys.

This week, two of my cousins and a friend were murdered execution style in Fort Wayne Indiana. Since then, I’ve read comments saying they deserved to die because they were muslim, because they were black, because they were probably in a gang, because they were probably on drugs, etc.

They were murdered execution style, with multiple shots fired. They were murdered execution style in this country. We don’t know why. There’s no possible reason why. But even if they weren’t killed because of their faith or skin or nationality, the reaction to their deaths is a direct result of these factors.

Do you know what it takes to run from war? Do you know what it means to flee from one war zone only to land in another? Do you know what it means to flee to “safety" and have it swallow you whole? Do you know what it means to feel unsafe in your own country in your own city in your own skin?

They were good boys. They were Sudanese Americans. They were citizens of this country. They were good boys.

I should not have to state that for you to see them as human. I should not have to state that at all.

Their faces are trending on social media. Do you know how triggering it is to see strangers drag your blood through the mud? They were murdered on Wednesday and again every day since then. They were killed on Wednesday and those who try to tarnish their names are killing us too.

They were good boys and people are saying their skin makes them thugs and their faith makes their deaths worth celebrating.

They were good boys, but what the hell kind of people only mourn deaths if lives were lived according to their standard? What the hell kind of people only mourn people if they look and live and pray like them?

This whole thing has taught me a few things.

Although their funerals were on Saturday, they’ll be buried every day since.

Apparently lives are only worth mourning when they look a certain way. Apparently lives are only worth mourning when they live a certain way. Apparently lives are only worth mourning when they pray a certain direction. Apparently some lives aren’t worth mourning at all.

I won’t sit silently and watch this happen.
If you have somethings to say about these boys, say them to me.
If you have questions, ask me.
Please let them rest.
Please look at how their family mourns them, and tell me again how they’re not human.

They were good boys.

Rest in peace Taha, Muhannad, and Adam.

إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

— Afaq Mahmoud

foods from non-muslim: would you eat?

If you receive food from your non-Muslim neighbour, and they say there is no pork in it, would you eat, for example?

Shaykh Yusuf Qaradawi wrote in a fatwa, portions of which may be found in al-Halal wa al-Haram fi al-Islam, "It is not required of the Muslim to inquire about what he has not witnessed, such as how was the animal killed, did the manner of slaughter meet the Islamic conditions, or was the name of Allah mentioned while slaughtering or not? If the animal was slaughtered by a Muslim, even if he is ignorant or sinful, or by someone from among the People of the Book, eating it is halal for us."

According to a hadits, the companions asked the Prophet (s.a.w.), "People bring us meat and we do not know whether they have mentioned the name of Allah over it or not. Shall we eat it or not?”

And the Prophet (s.a.w.) replied, “Mention the name of Allah over it and eat.”

That food is rizqi. It is bad adab for a Muslim to interrogate someone about the food when it is Given and bad adab before Allah (s.w.t.) since He is the Provider of rizqi. So the religion is simple, but Muslims, in their ignorance, make it difficult.

— Faizal Gentlenerd.

do you really boycotting?

Assalamualaikum,

As a father, nothing is more painful than seeing our muslim children around the world suffering. We see the Syrians, Palestinians, Iraqi, Afghani - slaughtered and their blood streaming into rivers.

However, as I sat watching, listening and reading the many condemnations of the Israeli atrocities against our brother in Palestine, on websites, in the masjid, on youtube, news agencies around the world - after seeing all the appeals, petitions, marches, protests and please for help from many orgaizations and people, this is the thought that came to mind:

Why would Allah(swt) hurt His own people who worship Him?

Then I thought - Allah loves his people 70 times more than a mother loves her children. Then why is Allah allowing this to happen?

After opening the Quran and reading numerous Hadith, the answer was clear. When Allahs anger is in full force, when His obedience is lost, when His beloved messenger is mocked, when His people forget His message and His prophetic way - He, Allah(swt) will send reminders.

War, blood, pain, killing and the loss of our innocent children - the only reminder we understand.

With over 50 years of Palestinian conflict, years of debate, our eyes, hearts are sealed with the real problem. Syrian massacre infront of us - a country shredded with no end of war in sight. Iraq millions butchered. Afghanistan shelled for decades, and all the other muslim nations similar and screaming for help. The cause?

The cause is not the Jews, Zionists, Munafiqs, Freemasons, Bilderbergs! They are not the reason! But only a means; a tool Allah has used to wake up this ummah!

But 99% are still asleep?! Our minds our engrossed in this world, love of the competition of success, glory, glamour, status and power and forgetfullness of death. Our race is for the biggest house, a collection of cars, fancy number plates, a glamourous lifestyle, a parade of shops, a huge bank balance, a wardribe of designer clothes, shoes, phones, holidays, watches. The list is eternal..

Until and unless, the collective ummah, does not stop the copycat lifestyle of the disbelievers(kafir/the kuffar) - behaving like a kuffar and supporting the kuffar activities, blending our belief! Allah azza wa jall will withhold HIS support. He will turn the mercy off until you submit to Him 100%. You can appeal in millions on every street, in every country, but it will be a grain of sand in weight. Millions marched to stop the invasion of Iraq and still the bombing pounded every city and rubbled masjids. Millions marched in Egypt - the country destroyed. Millions march and cry... but how many do tawba, repent and change and submit to Allah and follow a real Islam??

It is no use criticizing the jews if we have not changed our appearance, our entertainment and our culture to that of our beloved Muhammad salalllahu alayhi wa sallam. We cannot persist in supporting them through watching their filth on tv, hollywood trends, dancing to music, wearing their haraam clothing and eating doubtful foods and then cry foul when they eat us alive! The change that is needed is not in Washington, Tel Aviv or London. It is in the homes, lounges, kitchens and workplace - of every single reciter of the kalimah.

I challenge every one of you my brothers & sisters, throw out that evil box that damages our thinking, self morals and our imaan! Then we will see the help of Allah descend. If we behave like Muslims, then Allah has promised, 

'wa kaana haqqan alaynaa nasrul mi'mineen' 

'it is a right upon us to help the believers'

Making propaganda and insulting Jews is not helping, they are only one nation who Allah is using and now its Edl, Bnp, Britain first - in the UK. Who and why were they created? Why would Allah allow groups to terrorize the Muslims and insult His Prophet(saw)?

...the truth is we are the Insult - the Muslims of 2014.

In each every home is a Salman Rushdie, Tommy Robinson, they are kufaar - but you the muslim today say that Islam is too difficult, let's blend the east and west, let's integrate our wifes, our children. You don't need to practise the sunnah, it's an option! "I can't pray at work my boss will get upset" "I can't grow my beard or my wife will curse me" "My mum will throw me out, I can't get a job" so on, so on and etc.

The question is 'who are we? - what type of Muslim are we?'

If you want to make a difference by 'Boycotting' then:

Boycott Interest

Boycott Usary

Boycott Alcohol

Boycott Tobacco

Boycott Drugs

Boycott Mortgages

Boycott Loans

Boycott Insurance

Boycott All haraam earnings

Boycott All doubtful/haraam food

Boycott Extravagant weddings

Boycott Extravagant holidays

Boycott Zina of the eyes

Boycott Zina of  the tongue

Boycott Zina of the ears

Boycott Haraam relationships

Boycott Extravagant lifestyles

Boycott Lagha music

Boycott Gheebat

Boycott Slander

Boycott Adultery

Boycott Fornication(zina)

Boycott Clubbing

Boycott Going out without hijaab

Boycott Intermingling of genders

Boycott EVER MISSING A SALAH

Boycott Disobedience of parents

Boycott Disrespecting husband's

Boycott Ill treating wives

Boycott Wasting hrs on Whatsapp

Boycott Wasting hrs on Twitter

Boycott Wasting hrs on Facebook

Boycott Spending hrs on PS3/xbox

Boycott Nationalism

Boycott Leaving the sunnah

Boycott Leaving the shariah

Boycott All forms of haraam

In shaa Allah!!

Change yourself my brothers & sisters. Make your deen like a strong pillar, a fortress, of imaan.

May Allah give us the true understanding and grant us the tawfeeq to practice and guide us on the true path till our final abode(Jannah) in Akhirah. Aamiin.

— a UK Muslim brother.