Missing my student days

Well, I have not been really busy over the past few days. It was simply a case of prioritisation that made me left this blog for a while.

To be honest, I am really missing my student days, and UK. It was not about the whether or the lifestyle. Neither the amount of time I have. What I miss most the opportunity to create impact on the society in general.

When I was in the UK, I began to realise how much impact students can create, had they been fully committing themselves in communal activities. Therefore, I began to get involved in Islamic Society and Conservation group. I tried to get involved in Labour student as well, although later I saw that labour students would hardly change anything in actual labour party (some of you may disagree to this).

When I came home, and began working, I just realised that I was turning myself into one selfish creature. Giving lesser and lesser to the community, and began thinking more and more about personal interest. After overcoming the week of despising everything in the corporate world, I have come to the week of acceptance. Whether I leave, or just get on with live, and I chose the latter.

Well, I am trying to re-grow the habit of 'giving back to the community'. I am trying to do this and that, but I am almost certain that nothing is going to be like my life when I was a student. Whatever I did, I would see a direct impact to the community. Even in islamic work, I could see people satisfaction, and that was enough to make me happy.

I believe that everyone has a role to play, and my 'role' as a student is over. It is the responsibility of the new students to fill in the void which I left in Bristol. Now that I have another role to play, I have to make sure that I will remain my true self, and that is myself that I would be happy to think of in years to come.

-Cometh the hour, cometh the man-

Life is beautiful

Peace be upon all,

Sorry for the delay, it has been quite a while since I last actually posted something rather personal here.

Well, I am beginning to understand the 'real world' after spending quite a number of weeks here. School of life can never be underestimated.

Once working, I begun to see all kind of characters. The bodeks, the ampus, the step-on-other-people-to-get-highers, the opportunists, those who only do jobs which the boss could see and simply push other jobs with less publicity to other people..

and of course, not to mention, the ikhlas one.. the majority, but not power seeking, hence not standing out.

Somebody told me, there are only 2 categories of people who stay here for long. One is the familymen, who put the family first, and simply keep everything to themselves, so that the family can enjoy the benefit. The other is those who are aggressive and are willing to step on other people's toes and backs to simply get higher and higher.

The rest simply comes and goes.. So, which one am I going to choose? Hopefully the third..

Audit: One forgotten concept

Audit: One forgotten concept

Comes the HSE MS Audit week, everyone seems to be taking extra care of how things are being conducted. All of the sudden the yellow book becomes our bible; the RAM card becomes a compulsory accessory. Not to mention, a special course was conducted to help us answer the relevant questions that may cross our path. In some departments, meeting sessions were held to help us have a synchronised answer, in a way that we don’t contradict each other.

Well, even after being given the exact date for the audit week, we still could not help ourselves from hitting the panic button. The urgent list simply gets longer and longer, and more things seem unsettled than expected.

But, have we ever thought of the concept thoroughly? For sure, auditing is not a new concept. At least not for the last 1400 years. Let’s go back to the 7th century.

When the Prophet PBUH was given the message of Islam, he was told to warn his family and relatives. Unfortunately, many took his warning for granted.

All he had wanted to say can be simplified into, with life comes decision. And with every single decision that you make, you will be audited. As to when you will be audited, it is very specific, in the hereafter. Good equates paradise, and bad leads you to the hellfire.

There are many verses in the Quran that explain this audit process. One of them is:
64:9 The Day that He assembles you (all) for a Day of Assembly,- that will be a Day of mutual loss and gain (among you), and those who believe in Allah and work righteousness,- He will remove from them their ills, and He will admit them to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever: that will be the Supreme Achievement.
64:10 But those who reject Faith and treat Our Signs as falsehoods, they will be Companions of the Fire, to dwell therein for aye: and evil is that Goal.

He taught us the concept, which everyone will have to go through. Everyone will be scrutinized, and the fate will be sealed accordingly. To have a good ending (Husnul Khatimah), one has to be prepared during one’s lifetime.

Worst is that, the time is very uncertain. It can be few seconds from now, and can also be decades away. The question is, how do we prepare for this?

Here, the Prophet PBUH again taught us the concept of internal audit and external audit. While the external one is always highlighted between ourselves, not many of us remember the other one, the one that is commonly known as muhasabah (Reflection). As human beings, we simply cannot run from making mistakes. Reflection is a powerful tool to help us note our mistakes through out the day, and ask for repentance during the night, or at least before we go to bed. This is highly recommended by our scholars.

There’s a story of a companion, whom was promised paradise by the prophet PBUH. He hardly woke up at night to pray. All he did was every night, before going to bed; he would forgive everyone, yes, everyone that ever done any harm to him. And because of the constant, he was promised paradise.

Every living soul will definitely die one day. Well, it is simply a matter of time, isn’t it? During my second week of working here, I received a shocking news: My uncle passed away in India. Well, I would say that it is a place that he himself had never thought of dying…

And after death, the external audit shall begin. Two angels will come to ask us few questions, and that will determine our ending. Worse (or better) that is only the beginning…

Well, enough said. Writing this piece of advice serves me as a muhasabah and reflection, as how well I am comes the later audit session. What’s the purpose of hitting the panic button, when one has no option left?It is one issue to get unsatisfactory for this HSE MS audit, but are we prepared for the bigger audit? Are we taking things for granted?

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O Allah, grant us Paradise in the company of those on whom is the Grace of Allah,- of the prophets (who teach), the sincere (lovers of Truth), the witnesses (who testify), and the Righteous (who do good): Ah! what a beautiful fellowship!


P/s: Any comment, please forward to OME3X. Thank you for your time

FIRST TASTE OF STANDING BY

Sorry everyone for not updating my blog regularly anymore.

Initially I was planning of going home this weekends. However, due to one reason or another, I could not. I was appointed by the Inspection Head to stay as inspection 'co-ordinator' throughout the CoB shutdown.

Later, there's another 'emergency', and again, I was told to stay as long as I am needed. So, here I am, enjoying myself, not sure what is going on, and what actions will be taken.

to be continued...