Tariq Ramadan's In the Footstep of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad

Have you read the Tariq Ramadan's In the Footstep of the Prophet? This book is a must-read to all of you, highly recommended. And it is definitely the best book to read during this holy month of Ramadan.



I bought it last year and it's my favourite until now. it's really an eye opener and it makes you realized how amazingly good a person, a husband and a leader the prophet Muhammad pbuh was. I've read it several times and still feel like reading it again.

It is a biography of our beloved prophet pbuh telling how he beautifully, wisely handled lots of difficulty he encountered throughout his life. And all those examples shown by him that every Muslim should takes note and follow. There are so many lessons we can learn.

I don't think this book is only suitable for Muslims. To non-Muslims I think this book is best book that introduces the true teachings of Islam.

I passed the book to my girlfriend. She has read it, she said the book was so nice that she's thinking of buying it for his father as a present.

Malaysia-Indonesia

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The previous tensions have not even fully subsided yet, but now it seems to be heated up again. There was a demonstration by an extreme group calling themselves as bendera, in which human faeces being thrown to the Malaysian embassy. I’m honestly sad with the news. They also said that Malaysian companies here in Indonesia will be their target, to ask them to “pack up their business and go home”. What scared me the most is that they threatened to detain Malaysians on the streets and shave their heads before sending them back.

But I know they do not represent the whole mostly peace-loving Indonesians. I’ve been studying here for 4 years. They are many Indonesians that treated us Malaysian here nicely, putting aside all those tiffs between these two countries.

But of course there are people who hate Malaysian so much that it is obvious. But I honestly don’t blame them. Media here loves playing with the issue and sensationalizing it. Just like how they did to the celebrities. Most of the info they aired were merely baseless allegations and they played it again and again as it were something need to be planted deep in the brain. Hatred been planted.

Please people! Be you Malaysian or Indonesian, please handle with whatever crisis wisely. As in this latest case of sea-border trespassing or whatever, solve it accordingly, sit down and talk, show proofs to support your allegations. Most of us are Muslim. And a Muslim is brother to one another, right? And we are not allowed to prolong fight with each other more than 3 days.

And ironically it happens in the sacred month of Ramadan!

P/s: if somebody throws faeces at you, you give him flower instead. Or else you are just like him. don't' you think.

Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns

I have just done reading the Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns just now. I'm speechless. I'm satisfied. the beautiful, sad novel is really worth reading. I would really recommend it to everyone to read it. and to enjoy it as much as I do.



The story revolves around two women (or girls), Mariam and Laila from Afghanistan and the hardships they encounter in life due to political strife, religion, and abusive men. the story gets more and more intense, shocking and abusive with lots of actions (sound like I'm commenting on a movie haha) towards the end.

This is the second book by Khaled Hosseini, his debut novel, which is also my favourite, the kite runner. have you guys read it. if haven't read it yet, go and find the book at the book store near you =p I promise it will not let you down.



it was because of this first book that made me without even thinking much, grabbed the second book at The Times book shop in Medan when I saw it on the shelf.

the kite runner is a very heart-breaking novel telling a story about friendship, and guilt and more. also took place in Afghanistan.

Prayers answered

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Honestly all this is unexpected.

I still remember when I was single, how I reacted when my closest friends asked me when will I find my life companion/girlfriend. I told them that I would only be concentrating on my study and that I was in no rush of finding one yet. If they insisted I told them not to worry because I’ll be seriously involved in serious relationship when I’m 29 years old. That was my plan.

But love is something mysterious and unexpected. And I seriously don’t know how to describe it when you like somebody and all of sudden your life purpose changed, which is to make that somebody, happy.

I read back my previous posts in this blog which I wrote about her. I couldn’t help but to smile. And embarrassed of how silly I was. Started with post title ‘kinda’ then followed by other posts. (title: I am crazy. Am I not?, ah perfect, she’s my girlfriend now!, and the best birthday present ever)



Now it is almost two years since we started to get to know each other. How we started chatting on IM. I still remember the time when I was asking her phone number for the first time. My heart beating so fast that it almost out ran my body’s ability to contain it. And she looked surprised and hesitated to give it haha.

Thinking about this I know exactly who I should be thanking to. It is Allah swt. One and the only God. The Creator of everything that we can see and that we can’t. And the One who plans and make it happens. Thanks to God.

Then I realised, since I was young, I always ended my 5-time prayers with a dua asking God to give me a wife he pleases one day. Just didn’t expect to be this fast. Ermm..Not too fast actually right. Just perfect. Perfect timing. God know best.

learning to live life

Man! I missed my blog so much. The last time I posted something here was on March when I was just started my clinical rotation at the hospital for a month.

Now I’m rotating at the psychiatric department. Currently in week two. I’ve done my rotations at dermatology and venereology, radiology, pulmunology and also paediatrics. Unfortunately I failed at dermatology and venereology haha. I’ve got to repeat my rotation at the department later.

Time passes so quickly. Now it’s august already! I can say there are times when I was happy, sad, a bit depressed, ups and downs. But that’s okay!! I’ve learned a lot about life. And how to live life. My journey is still long. There were times I’m so disappointed with my self. But I was able to cope with it and tried to be better despite all those negative hindrances that kept coming (especially from me myself haha).

I wanted to write about my girlfriend actually. But I’ll write about it later. It’s kinda late already. I have to hit the bed now. And since it is Ramadhan, I want to wish all muslims wherever you are a very happy and blessed ramadhan. Happy fasting!

first week of internship

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It’s Sunday and my first week of placement at cardiology department Adam Malik Hospital Medan has just ended. I’m so glad that I got no on-call today and that I can simply wake up close to noon and just staying home, surfing the internet and eat all day long.

The internship was really tiring, exciting, sad, and boring at the same time haha.

Tiring that I have to wake up so early and be at the hospital before 7 o’clock everyday. And there are on-calls, be it the evening shift or night shift till next morning and be in the hospital for so long hour!

And I’m always hungry cause m not sure when to eat and the fact that I cannot leave the department for too long. Plus the food at the hospital is not really nice haha. And quite expensive for me.

And it is exciting because I have learned a lot of things. It is really easier to learn it hands-on and to see how it’s being applied right away. And all the doctors are really helpful. And the chance to come close to patients is really a good thing and I love it.

And it’s really sad sometimes to see all the sufferings. Sometimes I think I'm quite depressed but I’ll learn to handle it. And I’m so happy if some is okay and leaving the ward to go home.

At certain time, it is kind of boring to stand at the hallway at the ward to wait for visits by the specialist to the ward. Normally I’ll be reading something but I’m just too tired.

And the best thing to do at home is to sleep! But all those faces of patients admitted to the hospital keep staying in my mind and I’ll always be praying that they will be okay soon.