An example of Maulud the Sufi way

While copying some files to an external hard-drive for back-up, I came across 2 old video recordings made at a function attended last year. This makes me want to share it here. It was a Maulud function, celebration of Prophet Muhammad SAW's excellent being done by members of the Naqshabandi-Haqqani Tariqat or Islamic spiritual path. Here it is...

From Kuala Besut on to Tok Bali...

Continued from Merdeka Day celebration in Kuala Besut!

The next day, Monday we had a quick tour of Kuala Besut...

The river Besut and its estuary (kuala in Malay) is what gives Kuala Besut its name...

Then I asked the kids to pose in front of its main mosque, the Masjid Jamhuriah...

Now it's time to leave quaint Kuala Besut...

Our next destination is Tok Bali which is already in Kelantan, 12 km or so from Kuala Besut, Terengganu's northermost town.

Like Kuala Besut, Tok Bali also has a wide river...

Too bad I don't know the name of the river. Tok Bali is located at the river's mouth...

A unique thing about Tok Bali is the bridge which goes up to some 20 metres high. I think...

It also has a nice beach and I find the tranquility almost unparalled compared to any other beach in Kelantan...

Merdeka Day celebration in Kuala Besut!

Continued from The mysterious looking Bukit Kluang in Besut ...

After we're done at Bukit Kluang, we went on to Kuala Besut and got a cheap motel room. As it turned out there were people converging at the main square just 200 metres away from motel...

That's when we realised it was Merdeka Day night...

When the clock struck 12, it would be 31 August 2009 marking 52 years of independence of Malaysia from colonial rule...


Here is how it was celebrated at this small town...

The fireworks made it all much better. Not bad! :]

The mysterious-looking Bukit Kluang in Kuala Besut, Terengganu

Continued from To Masjid Abidin, the white mosque with the kids...

After visiting a few more places in Kuala Terengganu we then head to Kuala Besut using the coastal route. That's when I felt like having a look again at Bukit Kluang, a rather mysterious looking hill en-route to Kuala Besut, about 100 km or so north of KT...

Since we left KT after 5 pm, we could only arrive here at dusk...

This is much better than the first time me and wife got here in January. Then, we arrived at 8 pm, also after visiting a number of places in KT but without spending the night there. The rather spooky atmosphere made my wife scared as she continously urged me to turn back. Furthermore parts of the road were inundated with water. It was actually flooding at some parts of Terengganu and Kelantan.

Still I pressed on out of wonder also curiosity. I only turned back at the end of the road of which I couldn't properly see because of the darkness. In this visit only I could make out what lies ahead... at this juncture a lot of sand and this river...

The river opens into the sea as we lie near the estuary. Another hill looms on the other side to complete the picture...

There's a rather pleasant beach with a good view of a major island off Terengganu, albeit the existence of strong tingling feeling that we were being watched by some invisible beings!

I decided to walk further up the beach...

It seems Bukit Kluang is built of limestones...

The hill stretches a few kilometres up north. Afterwards we went to the other end by turning back into the connecting road. That's when I saw seaside caves which made the hill more mysterious... and I had a long deja vu, having seen exactly what has transpired in the same low lighting after dusk. But that I would only feature in my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU . Have a look there later...

To Masjid Abidin, the white mosque with the kids...

Enter the 404th article in this blogspot. I hope there won't be any 404 error... you know the one that happens when connection with the server fails. Continued from the article Back to Pulau Duyong and more views from the island...

So we have been to Pulau Duyong and back. In fact we've been to and fro so many places in and around Kuala Terengganu on that day alone, Saturday that when I checked using Google Earth it covers a whole distance of 85 km!

The next day only, Sunday, the day we wanted to head north back towards Kelantan, we decided to visit the nearby Masjid Abidin. While it is only 300 metres away from the hotel we stayed at in KT, I thought it's better to save this visit for the last...

So here is Masjid Abidin, also popularly known as Masjid Putih or the white mosque. If I'm not mistaken it was originally built as a palace before Sultan Zainal Abidin II who ruled Terengganu 1793-1808 turned it into a mosque. It has been renovated by later Sultans as the original wooden building was transformed into a large masonry work. That's how it became the beautiful mosque it is today...

Me and wife brought the kids to make them appreciate its art and beauty...


Just look at the call to prayer tower which has 7 levels...



Other parts of the mosque also contributed to the overall excellence...

Then there's the area within the compound which contains the Terengganu royal burial area...

Back to Pulau Duyong and more views from the island...

Continued from Up Bukit Puteri through the newly completed shopping complex at its foot...

From Bukit Puteri we went around the market area of Pasir Payang before taking the boat back to Pulau Duyong...

You see, we must get back to Pulau Duyong because we left our car there!

Still the boat was worth another ride. For the record the same one and only boat serves the route to and fro Pulau Duyong and Kuala Terengganu...

This is because there are not that many people commuting between the two places, unlike that between Seberang Takir and Kuala Terengganu which has at least 3 boats playing the route, one at every 20 minutes interval or so...



We soon arrived back at Pulau Duyong. For the record we had to wait more than an hour for the boat, after missing a previous ride by just a minute or two. Since we are back on the island, might as well go around some more to savour the view. This is one from another part of the island, with the famous Masjid Kristal or Crystal Mosque in the background.

If I remember correctly this mosque was built starting 2006 or so before it was opened last year...

It was built on the same island, Pulau Wan Man which also has a theme park built in-conjuction, called Taman Tamadun Islam, the Islamic Civilisational Park...

The park features downscaled replicas of some 20 famous mosque all around the world. It is a good place to bring kids to and that is what I intend to do later. Watch for a story about it in my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU later... maybe tomorrow God willing.

Up Bukit Puteri through the newly completed shopping complex at its foot...

Continued from A boat ride across the river Terengganu from Pulau Duyong.

The jetty near Pasang Payang brings us straight to these spanking new shopping complex...

I have been to Kuala Terengganu many many times and have seen this premise being built over the last 2 years if I remember correctly. This is the first time I arrived after it was completed and opened to the public. While this is the first time my wife and kids stepped foot anywhere here ever...

The complex itself offers a superb view of the river Terengganu...

The new escalators help to cut the trip up Bukit Puteri, a popular hill picnic spot short...

Otherwise one would have to climb double, even thrice the amount of steps...

A view over the complex on to Pulau Duyong and Seberang Takir.

This part marks the first of a number of items which makes Bukit Puteri popular to the locals...

The kids forced to pose on the cannons. Yes, they might be tired from all the walking done so far, after all they were fasting and it was a very hot day. Never mind. I'd like them to appreciate the history behind Bukit Puteri. For here lies the main fort which protects Kuala Terengganu from outside invasions...

The command centre lies on top these steps...

One could see almost all of Kuala Terengganu city centre as one climbs up the steps...

Here we are entering the comand centre of the fort...

A look from one of the walls with an opening for setting up cannons...

Me and wife posing at the seat of command...

There's also this tower which should offer a much wider vista. Too bad the way up is closed and locked...

Anyway the view from the command centre, the highest point up Bukit Puteri should suffice. Soon it's time to head back across the waters...

A boat ride across the river Terengganu from Pulau Duyong

Continued from the article Views from Pulau Duyong, Kuala Terengganu ...

So here we are ready for a boat ride...

Inside with part of yatch club complex in the background.



A view of the shipyard along with the actual yatch club as we went on...

A view south and parts of the city of Kuala Terengganu...

As we cleared Pulau Duyong from sight, we could see Seberang Takir in the north...

And here is where we would be landing, at the jetty near Kuala Terengganu's market area of Pasar Payang.

Almost there. Let's continue in another article... cheers! :]

Views from Pulau Duyong, Kuala Terengganu

Continued from Tomb of Tok Raja Ri at Kuala Berang...

After Kuala Berang, I went to Pulau Manis before calling it a day in Kuala Terengganu. The next day a whole new round of travel/sightseeing starts. After making a few stops near town, I brought the wife and kids across the Terengganu river on to the island of Duyong, or Pulau Duyong (pulau is island in Malay)...

The island used to be a centre for traditional boat-building. In fact I understand they still make such woodens boats good enough for deep-sea fishing. However since recent years, this has largely given way to modern ships. Now they are making big modern fishing ships made from steel which should be proud enough to berth at any respectable harbour...

A major catalyst to the modern ship-building industry is the existence of a world-class yatch club...


The club was made to host the annual international Monsoon Cup yatch race which features top sailors (is this word applicable for yatch racers? Never mind...) from all over the world!

As for me, I came to the yatch club to have a good view of the surroundings. Seen here is the estuary of river Terengganu along with parts of the Kuala Terengganu city...

A look towards the north would show another part of the estuary, and the small tapering part of mainland called Seberang Takir...

We next head for this small jetty...

The views from the nearby jetty makes us wish we could take a boat ride next... which was what we actually did. Anyway this is the 400th posting in this blogspot.

Tomb of Tok Raja Ri at Kuala Berang...

Continued from Enter Tasik Kenyir, the largest man-made lake in Malaysia!

After Tasik Kenyir, I decided to head to Kuala Berang... to visit a number of places especially old tombs there...

However for this blogspot and at this particular time, let me just feature this particular tomb on top a small hill just outside Kuala Berang.

It is known as the tomb of Tok Raja Ri...

I don't know who is this Tok Raja Ri. The tombstone which is of Aceh type signifies him as a person of significance, normally either a royalty, a nobleman or a religious master...

There. A view of my car from the tomb to show its location in relation to the roadside. Have a look also at the article Makam (tomb of) Tok Raja Ri made in the blogspot SENI LAMA MELAYU (MALAY OLDEN ART) April last year. Just note that this is the 399th article here...

Enter Tasik Kenyir, the largest man-made lake in Malaysia!

Continued from The road to Tasik Kenyir

This is part of a dam which makes up Tasik Kenyir.

If I'm not mistaken, 9 dams were built over 9 rivers to create this lake. The related catchment area off upland Terengganu was soon fully inundated with water and this became Tasik Kenyir...

While the lake was made primarily for generating hydro-electric power, it soon became a big tourist attraction. Luckily we came on Friday morning, hardly a time for tourists to flock in...

Soon it's time to go to the jetty...

Ah. Our boat has arrived...

As we left the jetty, my wife and kids can't help posing...

The waters look very calming...

For Haziq it was a chance to show he has become a grown-up boy (almost) by sitting without fear in front...

Erin also likes to pose...

The vast body of waters beckon for more exploration...

Too bad due to time constraint apart from the cost, our foray was limited to certain parts of the lake only...

Nevertheless it was comprehensive enough to show the origins of the lake - once a vast tract of virgin forest now submerged under water with most of the trees already harvested for timber...

I remember my first trip to this lake in 1997. Then, you could still see many timber trees (or whatever's left of it) rising up above the water surface...

Now the surface of the lake is mostly clear while resort buildings have sprouted at many parts of the coastline @ hillsides...

Here's a video clip we took towards the end of this little trip.

Time to return to the jetty...

Here's one for the road... with a shaggy-looking me in the picture...


OK. So you now have some idea of how Tasik Kenyir looks like. Some might say the waters do look vast, others might question is that it? Is that really the largest man-made lake in Malaysia? Is that the lake which is bigger that the island state of Singapura? Well let me add. I've just learned that Tasik Kenyir is also the biggest man-made lake in South-East Asia. To get some idea of its actual size look at this satellite picture made in a 40 km x 40 km box or so. And the area we covered on the boat trip could be fitted into the small red circle seen in the picture! In fact after a closer check the trip didn't even cover half the circle... get the idea?

The road to Tasik Kenyir

Continued from the article Foray to idyllic Kuala Medang in Pahang...

And so the journey to the East Coast was continued. Me and wife arrived at Kota Bahru, Kelantan around midnight. Later we rest at the old mosque of Kampung Laut which has been relocated to Nilam Puri some 15 km south-west of Kota Bahru. When morning arrived we went to the house of a relative to take our kids who have been staying in Kelantan the last one year or so. Details are told in the article Perjalanan ke Pantai Timur bulan Ramadhan - Sungai Jelai di Kuala Medang dan Masjid Kampung Laut di Kelantan... at the Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU .

For the record the school holidays have just started. We wanted to take the kids for a trip in Terengganu. On the way to Kuala Terengganu through the inland route we saw the junction to a certain place called Tasik Kenyir. Immediately I felt like taking them there...

Neither the wife nor kids have been to Tasik Kenyir. If fact the kids have never been to Terengganu ever while the wife has only been to the state once her whole life, during our previous trip to the East Coast earlier this year. As for me, I have been to Terengganu many many times but vaguely remember going to Tasik Kenyir at night sometime in 2004. Whatever the first time I got to this particular place was during a solo riding trip all over Peninsular Malaysia in 1997. That was when I had a good look at it and found out what the hoo-haa was all about...

The road to Tasik Kenyir passes through a number of kampungs, Malay traditional villages...

So what is so great about Tasuk Kenyir? We'll get to that later...

Another 30 km to go...

Far along the way only that I realised that the petrol on our car was running low... it was already in reserve and there was no petrol station to be seen along this rural route...

Luckily after a few kilometres or so fearing if we could make the distance with what little was still available, we came across a small kampung shop selling petrol in bottles...

Otherwise we have to take the road to the left heading to Kuala Terengganu for some 15 km before we could find a proper petrol station. This would be a complete waste of time as Tasik Kenyir is on the opposite direction at about the same distance. Besides at this point there is no guarantee we could even go that far on what was left...

So the journey to Tasik Kenyir was continued...

Ah... we are appoaching the last junction to Tasik Kenyir...

Here it is... just another 3 km to go...

The area is located within a mountainous part of Terengganu...

Here we are Tasik Kenyir. Beginning to get the picture? You'll get a better one with the next article. For the record Tasik Kenyir is the biggest man-made lake in Malaysia! Covering an area bigger than the island state of Singapura (I prefer the Malay-term than the Anglicised Singapore), what you see here is barely one per cent of the body of water available. To be continued...

Europe hitchiking trip of 1995 compilation of stories...

Me posing as a classical composer in Vienna, Austria...

Today an old friend which I haven't heard from since my boarding school days in the 1980s contacted me on Facebook and asked when am I going to write about my experiences sleeping with the homeless people in the United Kingdom and Europe. I was about to reply that I have written on the Europe experience when I realised I haven't properly compiled it in one article/posting to make it easily accesible for him and anyone who haven't been following my blogspots. So here's one for the road. For the record this European trip was made in 1995 while the stories were written sometime in 1997 while I was still a journalist with The New Straits Times.

Trouble in Amsterdam...

East-West contrast in Germany

The ugly side of Prague...

Playing the fool in Bratislava...

Getting classical (and Merdeka too) in Austria!

Alpine frolicking in Switzerland

Gangsters of Genoa...

Locked-up in Lyon!

Walking 50km in Paris before closing the trip in Brussels...

Foray to idyllic Kuala Medang in Pahang...

Peace be upon you all. Today I want to start making new articles in my blogspots regarding a trip to the East Coast made in the recent fasting month of Ramadhan. Come! :]

There are two main routes to get to the East Coast from the Klang Valley. Both pass through the Karak Highway but starts to fork near Bentong, Pahang. That's where some traffic went straight east to the coastal town of Kuantan before heading northwards to the state of Terengganu. Those heading for Kelantan would take a north-east route which passes through Raub. That's the route I took before deciding to make a diversion to an idyllic place called Kuala Medang...

From Raub one could take the usual busy route pass Kuala Lipis to Gua Musang, the nearest Kelantan town. An alternative route passes throuh Batu Talam on to Sungai Koyan where a right turn would bring one back to the Kuala Lipis-Gua Musang main road. In happened that the second route passes near my late grandma's house. After reaching Sungai Koyan, instead to turning right I felt like going to Kuala Medang as it is only another 10 km or so up north...

The last time I was in Kuala Medang was perhaps some 2 years earlier or more. Being almost 60 km north or Raub on a quite route which leads to a dead end off the mountains, it is not really a destination of choice for most people. But I am not most people. I love to go off the beaten path. So what is available there? The bridge ahead should give a clue...

Look... the locals like to hang out here...

For beneath the bridge lies the river Jelai, one of the most important river in Pahang!

Likewise we also made a stop. Oh, I forgot to tell, my wife was also around. And in tow was our baby who was then still in mummy's tummy, almost 8 months old inside that is...

A look to the east shows the river bending north-east. For the record it goes all the way to Kuala Lipis before joining the mightier Pahang river off Jerantut, the longest river in Peninsular Malaysia. A check using Google Earth shows the Jelai river weaving in an out the landscape for some 40 km to reach Kuala Lipis and another 50 km before reaching the area of Kuala Tembeling where the Tembeling river flows into it. For the record, the Tembeling river is the main riverine route to the National Park where lies 7,000-feet-plus-high Mount Tahan, the tallest peak in the Peninsular.

OK. Perhaps I need to correct my statement here. It seems that the Jelai river did not flow into another river... in fact after Kuala Tembeling, it simply becomes the Pahang river! Or is it the Tembeling which becomes the Pahang river while the Jelai flows into it? Just look at the satelitte picture yourselves and see what I mean...

Anyway here's a look at the village of Kuala Medang from the highest point off the bridge across the river Jelai...

Another look to the west. For the record upstream river Jelai is made of a number of rivers originating from the main mountain range of Banjaran Titiwangsa. In fact it weaves up for more than 70 km to the resort area of Cameron Highlands. I understand the waters at the famous Robinson Falls at Tanah Rata, Cameron Highlands pour on into this river...

A look at the river and bridge from the village area. Soon it's time to continue the trip to the East Coast... so will continue the story-telling in another article. That's all... for the moment ya! :]

Recent views of Tanjung Malim and around

Earlier during the day I went for a drive to Tanjung Malim, Perak...

But first I have to pass through Hulu Bernam where I decided to visit a certain favourite old mosque, the mosque of Sheikh Ismail...

The mosque is just about 200 metres to this bridge...

The bridge passes through the river Bernam which is the natural border between the states of Selangor and Perak...

And so we went to Perak where lies the town of Tanjung Malim. For the record, my wife and our one-month old baby were in tow...

While the route taken passes through town I decided to take this certain highway out...

Why? First, a look south for a view of the town of Tanjung Malim from the highway albeit not so clear...

A view to the east shows the main mountain range of Banjaran Titiwangsa in the background.

A view to the north should answer the question why I took this highway. For the record this highway is actually a flyover or an overpass over the railway tracks...

One has to use the flyover to get to this part of Tanjung Malim, the eastern section that is. Seen in the picture is the town's main mosque...

You see, the road in the previous picture used to connect the eastern section to the western part of town. That is until a few years ago when the railway double-tracking project cuts the town into half, connectable by car only through the highway/flyover shown before or another flyover further out of town...

Now its time to re-enter the western section. Just for fun I made a detour towards an urban fringe area called Proton City before returning to take the flyover near town...

And here we are in the western section where lies the town centre...

You see the bus station ahead in this picture. Sorry if it's not so clear. I took it from inside the car as it was raining...

Soon it's time to leave Tanjung Malim, through the same bridge crossing the Bernam river. That's all...

Siti Fatimah and her family

Found on the Net, picture of a piece of clothing said to belong to Siti Fatimah, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad SAW...

Let the 393rd article in this blogspot be another translation from the website http://www.shiar-islam.com/...

Getting to know the Ahlul-Bait, family of Rasulullah SAW:

Siti Fatimah and her family

By Ustaz Syed Hasan Alatas

Translation by Radzi Sapiee

BISMILLAHIRRAHMANIRRAHIM. In the name of Allah, the most Gracious the most Merciful.

Siti Fatimah Azzahra AS is the most beloved daughter of Rasulullah SAW. Siti Fatimah Azzahra is a woman of fine example. Her unquestioning loyalty and faith towards her father and mother is something to be followed by women all over the world. Siti Fatimah Azzahra has sacrified her whole life for the concern of Islam and its followers. Full of love and obedience, Siti Fatimah stayed at the side of her husband, the Amirul Mukminin (commander of the faithfuls) Ali bin Abi Thalib in both good and bad times. She succeeded in educating her two sons Hassan and Hussain with exemplarary good behaviour. Siti Fatimah always strive to help the poor and those in need.

Siti Fatimah Azzahra was raised by her father Rasulullah SAW and received his direct education. The love the Prophet has towards Siti Fatimah Azzahra was also amplified by the fact that her behaviour and habits resembled very much that of her father. Living a simple life full of worship towards God is among the traits of Fatimah Azzahra. Her relationship with Allah Almighty is sincere untainted by any material wants nor the need to feel or be important in the eyes of men.

Asma binti Umais related her exemplary behaviour thus: “One day I was in the house of Siti Fatimah Azzahra. Suddenly Rasulullah SAW arrived at her house. Siti Fatimah was wearing a gold necklace given by her husband Imam Ali bin Abi Thalib KW (May Allah bless his countenance). When Rasulullah SAW saw the necklace he said: ‘O my daughter, are you proud the be called the daughter of Muhammad when you yourself wear jaababirah ? (ornaments worn by proud women of nobility).’”

Immediately Siti Fatimah took off the necklace and sold it. She used the proceeds from the necklace to buy a slave and then set him free. When Rasulullah SAW heard the news he was so happy. The prophet then uttered a prayer for Siti Fatimah and her whole family.

In another incident, Thuban related: “When Rasulullah SAW returned from a battle, as usual he would stop and the house of her daughter Siti Fatimah That was when the Prophet SAW saw both his grandsons wearing silver bracelets.” He cancelled his stop and returned straight to his house. Siti Fatimah came to know what had happened and realised it was because of the ornaments worns by the grandsons. Without hesitating, she opened the bracelets and crushed it to pieces. This made the still very young Saidina Hassan and Hussain cried. Although the pieces were then recovered and handed back to the two, there were still upset as they didn’t know anything.

The two continued to cry and went to their grandfather the Prophet SAW. He took the pieces and asked Thuban to buy replacements, for Siti Fatimah a necklace made from ashab (a type of specially woven thread) and two bracelets made from ivory for his grandchildren. At the same time the Prophet SAW said this:

“They are my Ahlul Bait, I don’t want them to lose benificence just because of these worldly matters.”

(The story from Thuban is recorded by At-Thabbarry in his book "Siratul Mustafa").