Top Model

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

One day I went to the gym. My work-out routine. At the moment, there was a show on TV - American's Next Top Model. And I happened to see a contestant who, in my point of view, is very beautiful but her face didn’t look quite Western to me. And when she introduced herself, I got the answer. Her name is Maryam, 18 years old girl from Iran.

In an interview, she said this:
"I’ve been in a country where I didn’t have the freedom to think about it … there are models but they wear scarves.” “I want to represent all the exotic beauty of women that (are) in the Middle Eastern countries that nobody sees."

She, who admires models like Coco Rocha and Heidi Klum for their strong character, feels so grateful to finally have an opportunity to pursue modeling. She believes people are born with the potential to be model and feels like she's had something inside of her since she's been a little girl.


Iran. A country like no other. Ruled by such a-down-to-earth President, Mr. Ahmadinejad who tried to make Iran as Islamic as possible, starting from himself. I've seen the country's contingent to 2010's Asia Games in Guangzhou. The female athletes wowed me. They wore complete set of aurat-covering attires. And they seem happy with it.




And about the fashion world in Iran. Yes. Like Maryam stated above, the models in Iran wore scarves during the fashion show. But does that hinder their exotic, wonderful beauty that Allah granted them? No. They look fabulous still.



I don’t know whether Maryam is a Muslim or not. But in my humble opinion as a Muslim, I think the exotic beauty of women that are in Middle Eastern countries (read=Muslim women) that nobody sees, does not need to be represented. We believe Allah cares not whether you are beautiful or ugly for He created all of us equal.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace and blessing be upon him) as saying: "Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart and to your deeds." (Sahih Muslim : Book 32, Number 6221)

The beauty that we have belongs to Him only and the hidden ornament that we kept is for the one who is or will be 'halal' for us one day, as well as our 'mahram'.

So, my fellow muslimah. Don’t let the world and her games ridicule you. Let's strive for Allah's love. InsyaAllah. :)

Cry Baby

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

I don’t know why. But it's easier for me to break down when talking to my eldest brother than any of my siblings. Including my closest elder sister. It happened quite often, during my first and second Eid in India and in another occasion last night (which made me went to class the morning after with blotchy eyes...). I can maintain cheerful when talking to my parents (except on several matters) on Eid but not when it comes to my brother's turn. I don’t know. It just happened; my voice started to tremble, shaky, and then stopped. You've experienced it sometimes, right? Like…choking. And you have to swallow the words. Hurm, I guess I was just being a cry baby who never grown up.

Cetusan Rasa

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

2011 ini, diri terasa terpanggil untuk menelusuri kembali ruang-ruang sejarah silam. Yang walaupun telah terkunci di lipatan masa, tetap perlu untuk dibuka dan ditatap kembali. Mereka yang melupai sejarah akan mengulanginya lagi. Itu hukum karma. Sunnatullah yang telah ditetapkan.

1511, atau lebih tepat pada 10 Ogos 1511, Melaka jatuh ke tangan penjajah pertamanya. Siapa? Portugis. Pernah anda terfikir bagaimana kerajaan Melaka yang gah dan tersohor itu boleh alah, dalam masa tak sampai pun sepurnama? Melaka, yang menjadi lambang ketuanan Melayu suatu masa dahulu, menguasai jalan ekonomi dan perdagangan, menjadi syurga rempah-ratus dan segala kekayaan bumi - emas, perak dan batu permata. Sebutlah apa sahaja. Dari segi kedudukannya, Melaka berada di kedudukan yang strategik, terlindung dari badai kerana adanya Sumatera sebagai benteng. Selat Melaka pula cetek airnya, memudahkan Orang Laut mengawasi keluar masuk kapal. Ada pula panglima terbilang. Nah, jadi mengapa Melaka tersungkur akhirnya?

500 tahun. Satu jangka masa yang panjang, bukan? Setelah lima abad berselang, ternyata dalang yang menjatuhkan peradaban bangsa dan agama kita suatu masa dahulu kini kembali bermaharajalela. Tahukah anda, Melaka dilanda kebejatan moral yang cukup parah pada zaman itu? Muda-mudinya berpesta siang malam, pembesarnya makan suap, rajanya asyik berhibur bersukaria. Lantas, apa bezanya dengan sekarang? Masalah sosial semakin melarat, seks bebas sudah dijadikan adat, anak-anak luar nikah dibuang merata tempat, hubungan sejenis mula dipandang tepat. Untuk menjadi hebat ilmu tidak lagi diangkat, sebaliknya korupsi yang menjadi syarat. Adakah ini semua hanya perlu untuk dilihat? Atau sebenarnya ia perlu segera diubat? Anda jawab. Generasi muda adalah pemacu nusa. Pemuda harapan bangsa, pemudi tiang negara. Merekalah pewaris yang akan menentukan letak duduk Malaysia di peta dunia. Tapi, mampukah? Dengan nilai akhlak yang kita lihat hari ini?

Justeru, sejarah telah mengajar kita. Jatuhnya Melaka kerana luluhnya akidah, kurangnya ibadah dan rendahnya akhlak. Adakah kita ingin dijajah lagi secara fizikal? Keracunan minda yang sekian lama mendarah daging pun belum berjaya kita detoksifikasi. Marilah. Kita sama-sama sedarkan diri. Membina peribadi mulia. Moga Allah redha dengan kita. Moga Muslim Melayu di Malaysia khususnya dan seluruh dunia amnya dapat bangkit kembali. Bak Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih, laksana Salahuddin Al-Ayubi, setanding Tariq bin Ziyad. Mari. Kita mampu jika kita mahu. InsyaAllah.