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This blogspot is a medium to share my thoughts and adventures apart from promoting my books. Below are the books which have been written or authored and published by myself.


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Mencari Diri dan Erti".

ISBN 983-42031-0-1, Jun 2006


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Membela Syiar yang Asal"

ISBN 983-42031-1-x, May 2007


"Berpetualang ke Aceh: Sirih Pulang ke Gagang?"

ISBN 978-983-42031-2-2, November 2007


It is interesting to note that while these books were written in Malay it has gained enough attention to merit being part of the collections of the American Library of Congress and National Library of Australia. Look here and here.


While the first three books were published by my own company, the fourth titled "Rumah Azan" was published in April 2009 by a company called Karnadya with the help of the Malaysian national literary body Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka. It features beautiful pictures along with stories behind selected mosques which could be related to the history of Islam and the Malays alongside the formation of the Malaysian nation. Look at the article A collaboration of old collegemates - the book "Rumah Azan".


My fifth book "Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and Malay Sultanates", an English translation and adaptation of the Malay book "Ahlul Bait (Keluarga) Rasulullah SAW dan Kesultanan Melayu" authored by Hj Muzaffar Mohamad and Tun Suzana Othman was published early 2010. Look here... My 5th book is out! Ahlul Bait (Family) of Rasulullah SAW and the Malay Sultanates... . For more information check out my Malay blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU.



Like my fourth book "Rumah Azan", the sixth book "Kereta Api Menuju Destinasi" is also a coffee-table book which is published by the company Karnadya with the cooperation of Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (the main Malay literary body in Malaysia). Coming out January 2011 it features pictures and stories on the adventure travelling by train to all of Peninsular Malaysia along with the interesting places which could be reached this way.


My seventh book "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" in turn is a coffee-table book which is written, editted, designed and has pictures taken by me. Coming out of the factory October 2011, this book which combines family history with history of places such as Singapura, Johor, Batu Pahat, Muar and in fact the history of the island of Java and England has been reviewed with me interviewed live in the program Selamat Pagi Malaysia at RTM1. Look at the article Siaran langsung ulasan buku "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah" dan temu ramah di Selamat Pagi Malaysia. Some selected contents have been featured in Sneak peek "Jejak keluarga Yakin : Satu sketsa sejarah".


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The "Berpetualang ke Aceh" series of novels could be obtained in e-book form. Enter http://www.e-sentral.com/, click general novel and go to page 4. You can also type the word "Aceh" at the search box. Or click straight Book 1, Book 2 and Book 3.


Friday, November 13, 2009

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! :]



Wednesday, November 11, 2009

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...


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

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").