Happy Eid Mubarak 1438

Happy Eid Mubarak greetings to all muslims on this auspicious day of Eid al-Fitri.  As we say in Southeast Asia, “Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Fitri” or “Selamat Hari Lebaran.”  May all our deeds this passed Ramadhan are well received by the Al-Mighty and all our sins erased so that we may return back to our ‘Fitrah’ state. I would like to add in my lingo, “Maaf Lahir dan Bathin (forgive my overt and covert wrongdoing if any) to all that know this yours truly.”

The Malays have tons of Hari Raya songs (Eid songs), just check it out on Youtube. I have three of them linked here. The level of the Malay language used in some of these Eid songs is high that sometimes I can only barely managed to grasp the meaning.

 

SALAM DUNIA – Peace to the world

Chorus;

Salam dunia, Salam semua  –  Peace to the world, Peace to all

Salam Hari Raya, Bersinar akhirnya  –  Peace to this Hari Raya (Eid), Shining at last

 

ANUGERAH AIDILFITRI – Awards of Eid Al-Fitri

Mankind is a forgetful lot, denying and/or forgetting the favours blessed upon them by their Lord.

Heart wrenching chorus;

Mari puji-memuji kepada tuhan  –  Come let’s praise The Lord

Titis kasihNya melimpah seluruh alam  –  Bead of His Love overflows all over the realm/universe

Mari puji-memuji tuhan yang esa  –  Come praise The One and Only (unique) Lord

Insafi nikmat diberi di Hari Raya  –  Be repented for favours granted this Hari Raya

 

NAZAM LEBARAN – Poem of Eid

Chorus;

Berdendang mari berdendang, Berdendang di seluruh alam  –  Hum, come lets hum, Hum all over the realm (Universe)

Bergema suara bergema, Nazam lebaran  –  Resonate the voice resonate, Poem of Eid

Bertingkah rentak bertingkah – Bertingkah paluan rebana  –  Behave, the beat behave – Behave, the beating of rebana*

Berkisah alunan berkisah, Nazam lebaran  –  Telling, melody telling story, Poem of Eid

* Tambourine like but bigger and with cowhide – see vid.

Ku Teringat

Sesuatu yang telah lama terpendam di dalam jiwa ini yang tidak aku ketahui akan keberadaannya hanya merasakan sesuatu tanpa kuhiraukan.  Kini beberapa hari sebelum menjelangnya bulan Ramadhan yang mulia ini, aku telah disadari akan keberadaannya, sesuatu yang menenangkan jiwa ini bilamana aku ingatkannya.  Inilah dia yang aku maksudkan, yang mengingatkan aku kepada yang dicintai;

 

HASBUNALLAH WANI’MAL WAKIL

 

Dan ini penjelasan lanjut bagi yang dicintai;

 

Tidak sempurna cinta itu kalau tidak mencintai sesuatu yang dicintai oleh yang kita cintai;

Marhaban Ya Ramadhan 1438

Kepada sekalian muslimin dan muslimat saya ucapkan,

“Selamat menjalankan ibadah puasa Ramadhan, semoga ibadah puasanya dan lain-lain ibadah yang dikerjakan sepanjang bulan yang mulia ini diterima Allah s.w.t.”.

Bersungguh-sungguhlah dan hayatilah menjalan ibadah ini kerana dengan keadaan dunia masakini yang semakin lama semakin meresahkan, diharapkan ianya dapat memperteguhkan diri dan jiwa buat menghadapi masa-masa yang mendatang.  Amin, Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

Semoga kembali Fitrah.

Tabung Pembangunan Masjid & Amal Jariah Johor

Tabung ini telah dirasmikan pada tahun 2010 oleh Menteri Besar Johor ketika itu YAB Datok Haji Abdul Ghani Othman.  Sudah agak lama, akan  tetapi maklumat yang penting berkaitan tabung ini amat sukar mendapatkannya atas talian.  Yang saya mahukan ialah nombor akaun bank untuk saya menyalurkan matawang yang saya mahu salurkan.  Tiada saya menjumpainya.  Mungkin juga di Facebook, tetapi maaf, tidak pula saya menggunakannya jika diperlukan loggin-in.  Sebenarnya saya ada menyimpan nombor akaunnya di komputer peribadi saya, tapi entah di mana.  Saya ambil jalan mudah, cari atas talian.  Rupa-rupanya ia tidak mudah dan senang.  Akibatnya mahu tidak mahu terpaksalah saya cari nombor akaun itu di komputer peribadi saya.

Alhamdulillah telah pun saya mendapatinya.  Di sini, ingin saya catatkan nombor akaun Tabung Pembangunan Masjid Dan Amal Jariah Johor bagi diri saya sendiri dan sesiapa yang ingin mengetahuinya.

Bank: Maybank

Nama: Tabung Pemb Masjid

Nombor Akaun: 551016202271

Sangat-sangatlah diharapkan agar pihak yang bertanggung jawab atas urusan tabung ini memastikan yang nombor akaun tabung ini mudah diperolehi atas talian kerana nombor talipon tidak boleh digunakan ketika luar waktu pejabat.  Ribuan terima kasih diucapkan.

Update: 22 Feb 2017

Entah kenapa ketika mencari dahulu tidak didapati, akan tetapi sekarang sudah boleh dengan senangnya.  Klik di sini untuk ke laman sesawang Tabung Pembagunan Masjid dan Amal Jariah Negeri Johor.

 

Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Adha 1437

Keadaan semasa di Mina dekat Jamrah dan kelihatan di belakang Masjid Khif

Saya ucapkan kepada sekalian muslimin dan muslimat, “Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Adha.”

Dua ucapan yang lain yang biasa juga kita gunakan ialah “Selamat Hari Raya Haji” dan “Selamat Hari Raya Korban.”  Ini kerana ibadah Haji dan Korban yang dilaksanakan ketika ini.

Singkatan dari pelajaran yang boleh didapati dari sejarah perayaan ini ialah kalau kita dengan iklas melakukan ibadah/perintah Allah Ta’ala walaupun berat, pasti akan diberi jalan keluar serta mendapat RahmatNya, Tuhan yang Maha Esa yang senantiasa Maha Mengasihani dan sangat Maha Mengasihani.

Semoga ibadah-ibadah Haji dan Korban yang dilakukan diterima Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.  Amin, ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

Going Distance On The Cyclo-Cross

I decided to test the cyclo-cross and build up my strength and stamina cycling a slightly longer distance last Sunday to the town of Pontian Kechil shortcutting the  main road by going through palm oil plantations which have a mixed of paved and dirt/gravel roads.  It was a leisurely ride as I didn’t  have the required fitness yet and obviously there were lots of stoppages in parts due to rains, photography, tiredness and lastly as I expected, saddle sore.  All in all, it took me four and half hours to reach Pontian Kechil.  On reaching Pontian Kechil the bike became slightly heavy  which I found caused by the brake pad touching the rotor.  Without the necessary tools, I was unable to readjust it.  The only tool that I brought along was the air pump.  Tired, sore butt plus if I were to cycle home, part of the journey will be in the night and if I were to go by the main roads, the distance will be longer, I decided to get a taxi home.

Two lessons learned from this trip, one is that I need to set aside a generous amount of time for the trip and rest if I’m not spending the night and bring along tools to do repair/adjustment.  For longer distances, spare tube is a must.  The other, cycling on dirt/gravel road is more tiring due to lack of traction and rolling.  It is akin to running on a beach, nevertheless, it helps build up strength and stamina.

Actually three lessons learned…I read how to avoid saddle sore.

This is where the journey began

Through palm oil plantations

The kampung road lined with oil lamps in celebration of Eid

Trying to get a sharp foreground and a streaking background, guess lens is too wide and/or speed is too slow or need to angle down

First rest due to rain

This non-flying bird killed on a very low traffic road

This is part of the reasons for cyclo-cross

Pontian besar river, there’s quite a large monitor lizard at the bend

It started to rain again

Old palm trees are killed and replace

One of the signs of countryside

It’s a long long dirt/gravel road

These are bird’s nests, I don’t know if it’s genuine or fake (yup, it’s genuine alright, there are many others around and belong to the Weaver Birds, a protected species in Malaysia including its nests)

Parit Sikom, from here onwards the roads are paved

Saddle sore made me stop here, Pontian Kechil is not far away

Pontian Kechil waterfront and the Straits of Malacca

Covered roughly 50 Km

Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Fitri 1437

Genap sebulan sudah kita menjalankan ibadah puasa Ramadhan dan kini Syawal menjelang pula.  Setelah menghayati bulan Ramadhan selama 30 hari sudah tentu sedikit-sebanyak kita akan merasa terharu dengan pemergiannya, semoga ibadah puasa kita diterima Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.  Saya mengambil kesempatan ini mengucapkan kepada sekalian muslimin dan muslimat,

“Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Fitri, Semoga Kembali Fitrah.”

Bagi yang mengenal diri ini, mohon maaf zahir dan bathin.

Adalah diharapkan setelah berlapar-laparan selama sebulan ianya dapat diteruskan dengan tidak makan terlalu banyak atau terlalu kenyang kerana Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. bersabda, “Kami daripada gulungan yang tidak makan melainkan kami lapar, dan apabila kami makan tidak sampai kenyang.”

Kepada nabi yang merasa susah apabila kita susah dan menginginkan kita mendapat kebahagian, nabi yang menyimpan doa khusus kenabiannya untuk umatnya (semua para nabi-nabi diberi satu doa khusus yang Allah Ta’ala tidak akan menolaknya, semua para nabi-nabi telah menggunakannya hanya nabi Muhammad sahaja yang belum menggunakannya), nabi yang mana Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala dan para malaikat-malaikat berselawat ke atasnya dan orang-orang beriman diseru berselawat keatasnya yang mana setiap satu selawat ke atas Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. dibalas Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala dengan sepuluh selawat ke atas yang berselawat, ucapan selawat dan salam keatasnya.

Ucapan kesejahteraan daripada Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala itu pasti, berapa banyakkah di antara kita yang memperbanyakkan atau melazimkannya? Dengan keadaan dunia masakini perbanyakkanlah berselawat keatas nabi Muhammad s.a.w. agar kita mendapat kesejahteraan, kebahagian dan keselamatan bukan sahaja di dunia malah di akhirat juga dengan RahmatNya, tuhan yang Maha Esa lagi Maha Agung, yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Mengasihani.  Amin, Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

Sallu Alaih.

 

DIY: Making Tool To Unlink Bicycle Chain Connector Easily

I had a hard time to unlink the new bicycle chain.  It was tight. I needed a tool to unlink it effortlessly. It happened that I had a broken tip long nose pliers bought at a RM 2.00 shop, it was just the right material for it.  Since it was a cheap pliers, the metal is soft making it easy to file it to the desired shape which I did with just a small round and a triangle files.  Once done and tested to work great, it was heated with butane torch then dipped into used engine oil to blacken and hardened it and later on tempering in the oven for an hour.

Since I’m at it, also did blackening, hardening & tempering of this still in good shape pliers

DIY: Converting Mountain Bike Into Hybrid Bike

The cyclo-cross is a hybrid bike. Basically it is just a road bike with wider tyres for off-road cycling and is limited in its adventure off-road due to the drop handlebar.  The next class of bicycle, a notch up from cyclo-cross for a more adventurous off-road cycling, is known as hybrid bike and instead of the drop handlebar it is fitted with flat or riser bar. This is the generally accepted classification but there are statements that say a hybrid bike is anything in-between a road bike and a mountain bike. So, It is just a matter of how close the bike is to either the road bike or the mountain bike.

That said, I have just completed converting a 29er Mongoose Hogan Pro brand mountain bike into a hybrid bike. It has a nice frame size which is just right for me. This hybrid bike is still capable of a good sprint on road but the cyclo-cross is better and of course for off-road cycling, the hybrid is better suited than the cyclo-cross.  As with the cyclo-cross built just recently, all bearings excluding pedal bearings but including the jockey pulleys on the rear derailleur are sealed bearing only that I have yet to receive delivery of the jockey pulleys meant for the hybrid bike.  Also, both bike fitted with composite aluminium/carbon fork.

The base bike is similar to this mountain bike except for its colour (Picture from mudah.my). I only retain the frame, seatpost, seatpost clip, saddle, rear & front derailleurs, bike stand, disc brake calipers & rotors and front white reflector mount.  Could use the straight bar & stem but I prefer a riser bar and the stem diameter is just too big for the riser bar. Replace the 8 speed freewheel with a 10 speed cassette and a bigger 3 speed crankset

Here’s the reflector mount converted to hold the headlight

Riser bar, 80mm stem, 2/3 x 10 speed shifters and non-premium brake levers

Advice on lacing followed strictly, not only the valve is in clear space, it is also facing the logo on the alloy hub. Wheels fitted with 700x38C tyres

Cut away 3/4 of the hollow iron rod, had a hollow aluminium rod inserted held by a small bolt to make it lighter and adjustable

Here’s the previous cyclo-cross now sporting a bigger crankset (53/39T) and bigger wheels. Fitted with 700x28C tyres for now. The front fork should be able to accommodate up to 700x32C comfortably

 

Note:

Once a bike mechanic told me that a 10 speed cassette needs a 10 speed dérailleur. No matter how you adjust it, it will just not work. I took the advice and kept it in mind. This hybrid bike sports a 11-36T 10 speed cassette and 3 speed 50-39-30T crankset operated by a Shimano SLX 2/3 x 10 speed shifters. I intentionally put a 7 speed rear dérailleur on it (the original dérailleur that’s on the mountain bike) . Even though the dérailleur covers the whole range of the cassette sprockets, it skips sprockets twice on the lower (smaller) end. I replace the dérailleur with a Shimano RD-M610 10 speed rear dérailleur, it works just fine. On a closer look at the two dérailleurs, the 10 speed has a less incline angle inwards and tighter spring. I guess that are what made it work. Perhaps if the spring of the 7 speed dérailleur made tighter, it too might work.

Marhaban Ya Ramadhan 1437

Dengan kedatangan bulan yang mulia dan penuh dengan keberkahan ini, saya ucapkan kepada sekalian muslimin dan muslimat,

“Selamat menjalankan ibadah puasa pada bulan Ramadhan ini semoga bertambah kesihatannya, bertambah imannya, cukup segala keperluannya serta mendapat kesejahteraan, keselamatan dan kebahagiaan di dunia dan di akhirat.”

Amin, Ya Rabbal ‘Alamin.

Sabda Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.,”Puasalah semoga kamu sihat.”