Braving the storm

Weird weather we've been having lately, in particular the storms that have been wrecking havoc in the city.

Speaking of storms, it is heartening to know that true friends will brave the storm together and will not abandon you. I am fortunate and privileged to have known "really true friends" in my time of need.

At the same time, I am also trying to be a "true friend" to someone who is going through some difficult times.

Let us pray that all these tests put by Allah SWT will be faced with patience and perseverence, and that in time, the storm will make way for the sun, insya-Allah.

One of those weeks

I've been pretty quiet this past few days. Not so much because of busy, but rather not in the mood to blog. I am online almost daily, but just couldn't find anything to write on.

It's one of those weeks, I suppose. At least, I know that I've something else to do outside blogging.

Mystery of Zul-Qarnain

This Monday morning started with a YM chat with Izza Aripin. She was telling me that she watched two movies over the weekend, one on King Arthur and another on Alexander the Great. I will not touch on King Arthur in today's blog entry (I'll let Izza do that in her blog entry). Rather I'll touch on the other king, Alexander the Great.

Many people have often asked who was this Alexander the Great? Was he Iskandar Zul-Qarnain, the king mentioned in the Quran?

Some people believe that Alexander and Iskandar were one and the same, i.e. the king who was known in many cultures as "Iskandar Zul-Qarnain" or "Iskandar Kumara" or "Alexander the Great." This king was known as "Zul-Qarnain" because he wore a head piece with two horns. "Zul-Qarnain" means "two horns." Those who agree that Alexander was Iskandar make a linkage to their names. Iskandar is actually al-Sikandar in Arabic, which is equivalent to Alexander in Greek. There are also some arguments that are put forward to show that Iskandar Zul-Qarnain was the cousin of Nabi Khidir a.s.

Now, there are also those who believe that Alexander and Iskandar were two different people. They note that the characters attributed to Alexander and Iskandar were very different. They also note that the conquest led by Alexander was from the West to the East, while Iskandar was from the East to the West. Those who hold to this view say that Iskandar Zul-Qarnain in actuality was the Persian Emperor, Cyrus.

Something of interest: Even the Indians have a legend on Iskandar Zul-Qarnain. The legend depicts a Hindu God with two horns called "Skanda." You can read more about this here but read it with a pinch of salt.

Trying to figure out whether Alexander was the same person as Iskandar is an interesting topic for discussion, and an endless one at that. I will not go into this, but I'd like to share with everyone that it is the verses in the Quran on Iskandar Zul-Qarnain that piqued my interest to look at Islam and science.

They said: "O Zul-Qarnain! The Gog and Magog (people) do great mischief on earth: Shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them?" He said: "(The power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than tribute): Help me therefore with strength (and labour): I will erect a strong barrier between you and them. Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, he said, "Blow (with your bellows)." Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.

[Surah al-Kahfi (18): 94-97]

There have been discussions as to where the barrier that blocked the movement of Gog and Magog (Ya'juj and Ma'juj) is located. This is what got me interested in Islam and science. I studied chemistry, and one of the things that I learnt is that if you combine two metal elements, you will get an alloy. An alloy's characteristic is stronger compared to a metal element.

That is essentially what Iskandar Zul-Qarnain did. He combined liquified iron with molten lead. Iron and lead are both metal elements. When combined, these two metal elements would form an alloy. I realised this about 10 years ago. It is then I knew that there are many more secrets in the Quran waiting for us to discover, and that is why I looked into the issue of Islam and science.

Anyway, coming back to Iskandar Zul-Qarnain, if you're looking for the barrier that blocked Ya'juj and Ma'juj, go look for an alloy barrier.

It's not the end

Three days ago, my wife and I received letters from Universiti Malaya informing us of the dates of our respective convocation ceremony. My wife will be receiving her Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Science Education on the 8th of August, while I'll be receiving my Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Philosophy of Science on the next day.

These master degrees that both of us are getting are our third. My wife already has her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Chemistry as well as her Diploma of Education (Dip.Ed.) in Science Education from the same university, while I have my B.Sc. in Chemistry and Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Glasgow.

Looking forward to the convocation. Whatever it is, this convocation does not mark the end to one's pursuit of knowledge. After all, as the Prophet SAW reminded us, learning is a life-long process. It doesn't stop when you graduate.

Trust and friendship

A lot can be written about trust and friendship. A lot has been said on this matter. I used to tell a friend way back in 1993 that there are many levels to friendship.

First is acquaintance. This is somebody whom you know but not well enough. You may know this person's name but not his personality. This is perhaps the most basic level of friendship.

Second in the friendship hierarchy is company. This is somebody whom you know quite well and you may enjoy this person's company from time to time. Yet, you still don't trust this person well enough to share your secrets.

Third is friend. This is a person whom you'd share your secrets with. In other words, a friend is somebody whom you trust.

Finally, is the highest level of friendship. I can't find the word for it in English, but I'll use the Arabic word which has been adapted in Malay - sahabat. A sahabat is somebody whom you'd trust your life with. A sahabat is also a person who weathers the storm with you, through thick and thin.

If you find a sahabat, take care of him/her. A good sahabat is few and far between.

The beautiful game

It was Pele who coined the phrase "the beautiful game" referring to football or soccer (or 'sowcah' to the Americans). I didn't watch a single game of the World Cup this time around because the timing is not right. I'm not a fanatic when it comes to football. Sure, I enjoy the game, but I don't make it my life's aim to make sure that I watch every game available on tv.

Even when I was in the UK, I've never went to see a live football match. I have been to the Ibrox Stadium (Glasgow Rangers' home stadium) as well as the Old Trafford (you-know-who's home turf), but never when a game is on. Even if I watch a game on tv, I don't shout or show my emotions. I may be the Spock of soccer.

Now that the World Cup is over, I hope that everyone will return to the reality of life. Football is a sport to be enjoyed, but I think too much football can lead to addiction. Sometimes I wonder how people can get up at 3 a.m. to watch a game, and yet find it extremely hard to get up at the same time for qiamulail.

Oh, well. Till the World Cup in South Africa in 2010...

I'd probably watch the games when Malaysia plays in the World Cup.

Kuching Kuching hot lah weiii

Sorry, just couldn't resist the title. Never was a fan of Hindi movies, but just couldn't pass on that one. If you miss what I'm referring to, the title of this entry is a play on the Hindi movie "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai."

Anyway, on with the posting...

I was in Kuching to give a talk on organ donation in a programme organised by Hospital Umum Sarawak. At 7.20 a.m. on Saturday, I already arrived at KL Sentral to check in. At the counter, I was told that the flight was going to be late by 40 minutes. So, that'd mean that my flight is estimated to depart at 10.50 a.m. Oh, well, what to do, since the delay was beyond anybody's control.

So, I went and bought a return ticket for the KLIA Express, and boarded the 7.30 train. I arrived at KLIA and had breakfast. Then slowly walked to the gate, even though it was still early. Sat at the gate and nearly fell asleep. Then I took my laptop out and started doing some work. Before I realised it, it was already time to embark on the plane.

The flight was good, the weather was good... even the person sitting next to me is friendly. It turned out both of us have a common friend. What a small world.

I noticed that there were a lot of foreigners on the plane. Then I realised that the Sarawak's annual Rainforest Festival is on. That explains the full plane.

I arrived at Kuching International Airport at 12.50 p.m. and by the time I got to the hotel it was already 1.30 p.m. I checked in at the hotel, performed my Zuhur and Asar prayers, then rushed down to the hall where the talk was held. My session began at 2.00 p.m. and I got there just in time.

I gave my talk to about 175 medical personnel from all over Sarawak. The participants consisted of medical doctors, specialists and nurses. I gave it my best. The talk itself was an hour. I anticipated some questions, but there was none. Suddenly, a gentleman got up and introduced himself as a doctor, and he asked, "May I know, are you a medical doctor? The reason I asked is that you seem very comfortable and well versed with medical terms and conditions." I was surprised to say the least by the question, but I was pleased nonetheless, because at least I know that what I presented to the doctors, specialists and nurses was appreciated.

I noticed that it was very hot in Kuching. The temperature was lingering at around 33-34 degrees Celcius. Despite the heat, later that afternoon after my talk, an old friend from Glasgow who is now working in Kuching, Ismahalil, came and picked me up for a spin in Kuching. I'm no stranger to Kuching, as I've been there several times before, but it has been 3 years since my last trip. Anyway, I asked Isma to take me to Pasar Satok, because I wanted to buy some ikan terubuk masin. After that, Isma took me to Petrajaya, and we stopped at a roadside stall to have tea and chatted a bit. The last time I met Isma was 3 years ago when I was in Kuching, so it was good to be able to catch up with him after all this time.

I came back to the hotel around 7.15 p.m. just in time to join a dinner arrangement made by the host of the programme. We were taken to a place called "Rooftop" and we had seafood dinner there. I particularly enjoyed the fried soft shell crabs dipped in sambal.

I got back to the hotel around 9.30 p.m., and was already exhausted. My return flight on Sunday was scheduled at 11.05 a.m. It was not difficult to sleep that night. I got up on Sunday, had my breakfast, and by 10.00 a.m., I was already at the airport.

While it was a short trip to Kuching, it was quite an enjoyable one. It was sweltering hot, but I will cherish the memories of, perhaps, one of the cleanest cities in the country.

Interviews

I used to dread interviews. The kind of interviews I dread is no doubt job interviews. But alhamdulillah, all the interviews I went to had been successful.

My first job interview was with an IT solution provider firm. I attended the interview way back in 1996 shortly after returning home from the UK. I got the job but I turned it down.

My second job interview was in the same year with my sponsor, Petronas. Again, I got a job offer for a position in a chemical lab in Kerteh. You guessed it, I turned that down as well.

My third job interview was with a think tank known as MSRC, also in 1996. I got the job, and this time I took it.

My fourth interview was with IKIM in 1998. Again, I got the job, and I left MSRC for IKIM.

My fifth interview was an internal interview for a promotion at IKIM in 2000. Yes, I got the promotion.

Shortly after my promotion, a local corporate giant called me for an interview, though I didn't apply for the job. Again, I got an offer, but I turned it down.

My seventh interview was with USM. This happened in 2004, shortly before my second promotion at IKIM. I got the job, but decided to pass.

So 7 out of 7 is a good record, I'd say.

Nonetheless, there are interviews that I don't dread. These are what we refer to as temu bual or wawancara in Malay. This week alone, I have 2 such interviews.

On Monday, I was interviewed by a Reader's Digest reporter on the issue of organ donation. I forgot to ask when it'd be published, but I'll find out.

Then, on Tuesday, I was interviewed by AkademiDebat.com which can be seen in full here.

Instead of...

Come one, come all.

Let's try to figure out the translation for this word (look at my previous post on this).

I have my thoughts on what the translation should be without changing the sentence structure, but I'd like to hear from all of you first.

Let's hear some suggestions.

Random thoughts

Random thought #1: Civil competition

Went to buy the newspaper today, but the newspaper I was looking for was not there. The owner of the shop then asked me to check the store next door. How nice it is to see such a gesture though the two shops may be competitors.

My thoughts: Who says Malaysians can't be civilised?

Random thought #2: CD peddlers

Somewhat got a surprise and shock last Friday as I was going to the mosque for the Friday prayers. Two youths in a car parked at the corner in front of the mosque were whispering and calling passers-by to buy their CDs (pirated no less). It's no surprise to see people selling stuffs like food, clothings, traditional medicine and jewellery outside mosques on Friday, but selling pirated CDs? Buying pirated CDs is akin to stealing. And then you go to the mosque for prayers.

My thoughts: Talk about paradox - steal then kneel before God.

Random thought #3: Saying farewell

One of the people closest to me when I was studying in Glasgow is now in Switzerland for his new posting with his company. Congratulations, Azhan... you certainly deserve this opportunity. I was a bit disappointed for not being able to say good-bye to him personally. We planned to meet up before he departed for Switzerland, but unfortunately, both our schedules were at odds with one another. I could only speak to him over the phone. In any case, all the best, Azhan.

My thoughts: Thank goodness for ICT. At least, we can still communicate in spite of our locations and time difference.

Random thought #4: Time, energy and rest

These are the three things in my life that I find lacking. I know everyone has 24 hours and it all depends on how you manage your time. I also know that one has to lead a healthy life so that one will have enough energy to do the things that need to be done. I am also fully aware that rest is something that cannot be taken for granted. Alas, I know but yet I do not practice. I'm cramming a lot of things into my life, and it feels like I don't have enough time, which leads to me feeling exhausted. Because of the many things that need to be taken care of, more often than not, I neglect my rest.

My thoughts: I know what the problem is, but I don't seem to try hard enough to solve it. Sigh.

Random thought #5: Instead of...

This was asked of me by the novelist, Izza Aripin. What Malay word can be used to translate "instead of" without changing the sentence structure when translating? For example, try translating "Instead of going to work, I went to see Superman Returns." [Of course, this didn't happen]. You cannot translate it into "Saya tidak pergi ke kerja, sebaliknya saya pergi menonton Lelaki Perkasa Kembali." Hehehe... kidding on the "Lelaki Perkasa" bit. But seriously, try translating the sentence by having the translation for "instead of" at the beginning and not in the middle.

My thoughts: Dumbfounded.

Coming soon

My next book (my third for 2006), Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Biosafety: An Islamic Perspective, is coming out soon. This book is jointly published by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) and the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC) in co-operation with Yayasan Ilmuwan. There are 5 chapters and 1 panel discussion. Insya-Allah, if everything goes on schedule, this book should be ready by the first week of August latest. In the meantime, feast your eyes on the cover (front and back).

Enrolment blues

Firstly, allow me to apologise for not updating this blog in quite a while. No, it's not because of the World Cup. I haven't watched a single game since the competition began, and not really planning to do so. Instead, I have "stayed away" from my laptop for the last few days, because of the other stuff that needed to be taken care of. Also, for the first time in many weeks, I actually went to bed early these past few nights.

Anyhow, yesterday I sent my sister for her enrolment at the Matriculation Centre of IIUM in Petaling Jaya. We got there quite early - which was good - because otherwise we wouldn't have been able to park inside. The process of registration didn't take long and went rather smoothly. By 9.30 she was already in her dorm. She seems to be coping rather well considering this is her first time on her own away from family.

Some people brought a lot of stuff - and I mean, A LOT OF STUFF - as if they're moving house when they enrol to the university, including teddy bears, bolsters (bantal peluk), bantal busyuk (errr... smelly pillow?), their whole wardrobe closet, etc. Oh, well... as long as they can study, I suppose it's okay to do so.

One thing that touched me was how family members especially parents went the extra mile to make sure that their children are comfortable. Some even stayed until the evening just to keep their children happy. You could see the pride and joy (and of course, sadness for having to part with their children) in the eyes of the parents. Some brought packed lunches and sat down with their children for lunch. It almost felt like a picnic area in IIUM yesterday. It goes to show that the love of the parents knows no limits.

Personally, I miss this kind of experience. Of course, people will say that I am lucky to be able to further my studies overseas. That I do not deny, but the difference is, you don't get to go through the experience of enrolling and eventually graduating with the presence of your parents and family members. You have to go through it all on your own. It makes you stronger and better no doubt, but alas, it's not the same without your family.

I suppose there are some pros and contras when it comes to furthering your studies. For those who do so locally, the perks include having your family close by. I hope that those who study in our local universities realise how precious it is to have your family around, and not take this lightly.

Take it from someone who was on his own in the land of the Scots for nearly half a decade.