BERPETUALANG KE ACEH

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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.

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Lipis river at Batu Malim

Peace be upon you dear readers. Five days ago I've started a new series on my main blogspot CATATAN SI MERAH SILU. It is about a big bike journey I've made towards the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan. So now it is time to put some supporting articles here.

The journey was started from my house in Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang 11 August 2012 or 22nd Ramadhan 1433 of the Islamic calender. From there I climbed up to Fraser's Hill before heading for Raub where I slept at my deceased grandma's house. The story here starts from the following day, Sunday 12 August. From the house I headed north through a road known as the Cheroh road. Upon passing the village of Batu Malim I felt like making a stop.

You see there's this bridge crossing the Lipis river. The river here just looked too scenic to be ignored. Here's a look towards the upriver... a look too of my trusty big bike... :]

For the record the Lipis river is one of the main rivers of Pahang.

A look downriver.

Many many miles after it flows into the Jelai river which in turn forms the Pahang river. Look at the old article The mouth of the Lipis river... the place where Kuala Lipis began.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Second raya when the extended family gathered

Continued from Johan's first Hari Raya.

Monday 20th September, second day of Raya. Me and wife brought the kids to visit the grave of their uncle, my youngest brother at Bakri Batu Enam, Muar.

There, we also visited the graves of my mum's father and mother. Then we went to town and found to our delight that our favourite Mee Bandung shop, a very famous delicacy of Muar was opened.

We felt lucky upon finding out that the Mee Bandung shop was closed during the whole fasting month of Ramadhan and was only reopened that day! Next we brought the kids to the recreation area of Tanjung Emas to play with monkeys.

This was followed by a stop at our favourite coffee hang-out, Kopi 434.

Ah. Muhammad Al-Aminul Rasyid who is going to be 3 in less than 2 months just can't stop making faces...

At night we went to our late grandma's house for a traditional family event.

It is when the extended family, my mum's siblings, their children and grandchildren get to converge and then display their performing talents, at least by singing.

For many years we have set the event starting in the evening or night of second Hari Raya. This year's was originally set to start at 4 but many family members who came for many parts of Malaysia got caught up in traffic jams.

We ended up converging after 8 pm. Even then we can't start the performance yet...

You see a relative invited us for a function starting around 9 or so. At the same time some family members had to leave early.

So we decided to take pictures first.

Mind you this is only about half of the family. There we some overseas while others had to spend second Raya at their respective in-laws'.

The function at the relative's...

It was a qeqah function, a Muslim celebration for newborn/s.

In the centre is master of the house, my second cousin who was the local wakil rakyat (people's representative) at Johor state assembly and an executive council member.

He was asking our grand-uncle Tok Yahya, the oldest man in Kampung Temiang and its surroundings to bless his grandchildren.

Then it's makan (eat, dinner) time.

My wife with baby Johan and a nephew posing with Tok Yahya.

We only get to start our performance session after 11. This time I didn't take much pictures as I was just too tired and decided to catch some winks.

Johan's first Hari Raya

Peace be upon you all. As all Muslims and those who have studied a bit about the Muslims should know we are still in the festive month of Syawal. Today is the 11th day of the month and it should not be too late to share a story or some pictures on 1st Syawal.

After fasting from dawn till sundown everyday during the month of Ramadhan Muslims get to finally celebrate the festive month of Syawal. The 1st day of Syawal, at least in Malaysia fell on Sunday, 19th September and it is customary for Muslims especially males to do the special recommended (but not obligatory) morning prayer on that day.

The festives days in Malaysia are fondly known as Hari (day of) Raya (festival, celebration), the prayers called Solat or Sembahyang Raya. I did mine at a mosque near my parents home in Kampung Temiang, Muar. Upon returning home I found my baby Muhammad Alauddin Johan already dressed for the celebrations but fast asleep in bed.

Soon he was woken up. Johan has just turned six months old 2 days earlier. His mum is wearing the same colour.

That's my mum and dad, both 70 this year.

This is the first decent family picture taken for Raya. Guess which one is me and my two brothers. We had another brother, the youngest but he passed away 10 years ago.

I must say I looked very tired then. You see on Thursday I've just completed a 6 days solo big bike trip covering 1,400 km in the states of Pahang, Perak and Selangor. On Friday I had to run some errands in Kuala Lumpur taking a whole day. In the darkness of very early Saturday I had to drive my family to Muar for the Raya. Apart from tiredness I got sunburn showing up on my face...

Later my sister, our youngest sibling arrived from Johor Bahru with her husband and kids.

In the middle is the sister, a medical doctor playing with baby Johan.

But she could only stay for a few hours as the following day she and family have to fly to Australia.

Here we took a more complete family picture. Basically everyone in the family were around minus the brother who had passed away. His place in pix was taken by an uncle far right...

Then the kids could have their own time...

Kids nowadays... they just had to have tablet PCs...

Later came and old relative, my mum's uncle, her father's youngest brother. They had like 10 siblings or more but he is the only one left, going 90.

From the complete picture shown earlier I cropped up this section and enhanced the colours. I guess you could say this is our family potrait for this Raya, the very first one which has the latest addition to the family, Johan in it. :]

Saturday, August 18, 2012

The island of Jawa round trip article collection

Saturday, August 11, 2012

"Nuqtah" khat exhibition at Chandan art gallery, Damansara Heights

On to something very recent.

Just a few hours ago me and family went to this place in Bukit Damansara or Damansara Heights.

The place is called Galeri Chandan, the Chandan art gallery.

We came for a function invited by a friend.

Notice the Arabic writings? The one on the right spelt the word "Nuqtah".

Also (and more popularly) spelt as Noktah, it literarily refers to the full stop.

"Nuqtah" here refers to a currently running art exhibition. While the word still refers to the full stop, as title to the exhibition it carries a richer philosophical meaning. The organisers waxed lyrical about how from a full stop written or drawn as a point it can be extended to become a line and many other things.

"Nuqtah" the exhibition features works of khat (excuse the pun... :]), Islamic caligraphy by six Malaysian artistes well-versed in the field...

Seen to the left are some of the artistes.

My wife (in blue) posing with some friends.

An artiste showing his work (not part of the exhibition) on a giant sea shell.

The girls posing with artistes (all male) and another visitor.

OK. This exhibition was started two weeks ago and is scheduled to end in another two days...

We were invited to the launching on 27th April but could not make it due to other commitments.

Yesterday they organised a buka puasa or breaking fast function alongside the exhibition and this time we could make it.

There, people waiting for time to break fast.

For the record it was the 21st day of the Ramadhan, the time when every Muslim is obligated to fast for the whole month from before dawn till sundown.