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.

Malioboro & Surroundings

This is Malioboro

Many tourists come to stay in Jogjakarta to visit Prambanan temple and Borobudur.  Malioboro is a street name in central area of Jogjakarta, next to Tugu train station and is a kind of melting pot where domestic and foreign tourists come to sample the place and do some shopping.  One of the popular items on sale here are T-shirts.  The words Jogja (short for Jogjakarta) and, or Malioboro are found in many of the artwork.  Not surprisingly, the surrounding areas are packed with tourist class and budget hotels.

Shop selling T-shirts

Train passing

It is called Dokar in Jogjakarta

Mobile stall selling slippers and beads

Rest while waiting

Motorised becak, not as stylish as the ones in Makassar

Probably the most photographed road name in all Indonesia if not the world, endless

No pick-up? No van? No problem!

Becaks parked in a line waiting for customers

Lone tourist walking along Malioboro

There are many

Feeding time

Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Fitri 1436

Dengan berakhirnya bulan Ramadhan yang penuh dengan barkah ini, dan menjelangnya Syawal, muga-muga puasa yang telah kita tunaikan diterima oleh Allah s.w.t., dan dengan RahmatNya yang Maha Melimpah-ruah, diberiNya senantiasa kepada kita sekalian, kesejahteraan, kebahagiaan, keselamatan di dunia dan di akhirat. Amin.

Sangatlah baik jika kita teruskan dengan berada dalam keadaan tidak terlalu kenyang. Telah didapati dalam satu kajian di Russia, ia itu orang yang boleh tahan lapar boleh bertahan dengan kehidupan pada waktu kesusahan kerana ia perlukan hanya sedikit makanan sahaja. Tetapi sebaliknya jika sekiranya ia makan berlebihan, dia akan cepat menjadi gemuk kerana makanan yang tidak diperlukan oleh badan akan disimpan menjadi lemak. Kesimpulan ini hasil dari siasatan para saintis Russia yang membuat penyelidikan terhadap mereka-mereka yang selamat setelah kota mereka dikepung oleh tentera Jerman lebih dari setahun semasa perang dunia kedua. Mereka hidup dengan apa yang ada pada ketika itu. Di dalam satu hadith, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. bersabda, “Kami daripada gulungan yang tidak makan melainkan kami lapar, dan apabila kami makan, tidak sampai kenyang.” Muga-muga kita termasuk dalam gulungan itu. Amin.

Latihan berpuasa ini sangat berguna, lebih-lebih lagi kepada mereka yang berada di dalam gulungan yang tidak tahan lama dengan keadaan perut yang kosong. Jika dilaksanakan pasti mereka akan boleh tahan berlapar sebagaimana perpatah melayu ada mengatakan, “Alah bisa tegal biasa.” Semoga kita bertambah sihat wal afiat seterusnya senantiasa. Amin

Saya ingin mengambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan kepada sekalian muslimin dan muslimat,

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

Bagi yang mengenali diri ini, ku susun sepuluh jari mohon keampunan dan kemaafan atas segala silap dan salah.
Terima kasih.

Dieng

It is said to be Abode of The Gods, Dieng is in Central Java, Indonesia. A piece of land 2093 metres above the sea level, in a word, it is a plateau. Actually it is a caldera, home to a few volcanic craters and lakes. Being high up in the sky and practically you can see the clouds below, it is cold. Cold enough that for the months of July and August, there can be morning frost that makes the local farmers worried as it has detrimental effect on their crops.

Recently I spent 3 days and 2 nights in Dieng observing its culture and spent some times photographing its landscapes and activities. There are so many interesting sites in Dieng, besides craters and lakes there are also ancient temples and caves. I did not cover them all, I was just scratching the surface. You need more time if you want to record all of it in pixels.

There are a few factors to consider in landscape photography and two of them are timing and patience. This recent trip, I did not had the luxury of timing nor do I had the patience to stay a long while. So, I took it as it was presented when I arrived at the site, or, when I saw an opportunity. Opportunity such as back lighting on farmers as they till the land or harvesting the fruits of their labour. Hopefully next time, if ever, I’m at least better informed and more aware, know what to do and what to expect, so as to maximise the time spent and be much more at ease when I’m there again mingling with the gods.

The structure known locally as Gapura marks the entrance to Dieng

Entertainment has been mankind tradition for a long long time. Here a funfair in the midst of the crops

Arjuna Temple Complex

A relief on one of the monuments in Arjuna Temple Complex

Places for bed, food and rental of motorcycle in Dieng

A farmer tilling the land

Part view of Telaga Cebong

Farmer checking for residual potatoes after it had been harvested. I sat and observed that there were quite a few

Sacks of potatoes being carried

View of Telaga Warna from Batu Pandang hill

Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Fitri 1434

Dengan menjelangnya 1 Syawal 1434 dan setelah berpuasa sepanjang Ramadhan, saya ucapkan kepada sekalian muslimin dan muslimat, “Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Fitri, Semoga Kembali Fitrah.”  Diharapkan juga agar diteruskan amalan berlapar-lapar dengan makan apa yang perlu sahaja tidak selalu dalam keadaan kekenyang-kenyangan.  Ada satu hadits yang lebih kurang bunyinya begini, “Kami dari gulungan yang tidak makan melainkan kami lapar.  Dan apabila kami makan tidak sampai kenyang.”  Muga-muga kita termasuk dalam gulungan itu. Amin.

Saya Ketemu Sandii

Tidak, tidak, saya tidak bersemuka dengan Sandii.  Akan tetapi ketika mendengarkan lagu Cinta Hampa di Youtube oleh penyanyi-penyanyi yang berlainan dengan gaya masing-masing saya telah mendapati Sandii yang mana uploadernya saya fikir bukan dari nusantara.  Setelah menyelidiki, Sandii atau nama sebenarnya Sandra O’Neale adalah kacukan Jepun, Sepanyol dan Amerika dan sekarang ini menetap di Jepun.  Dia telah menyayikan lagu-lagu berbahasa Melayu termasuk yang berirama dangdut dengan tutur yang sangat baik tiada pelat, syabas saya ucapkan kepadanya.  Lagu Cinta Hampa yang dinyanyikan olehnya telah menggunakan lirik dari lagu asal nyanyian Hasnah Tahar yang mana tajuk lagunya ialah Di Suatu Masa.

Suara dan lengoknya ada mirip-mirip Iyeth Bustami.  Selamat mendengar.

Tiada Paksaan Dalam Islam

Kita sebagai umat Islam apabila berdakwah kepada orang-orang yang bukan islam, ketahuilah bahawa tiada paksaan dalam Islam.  Mereka tidak boleh dipaksa untuk memeluki ugama Islam.  Tugas kita hanya menyampaikan sahaja dan terserahlah kepada diri mereka untuk menentukan.  Jika mereka jujur dan ikhlas, nescaya Allah Ta’ala akan membukakan jalan bagi mereka.  Jika sebaliknya maka tiada lah nur penerang masuk meresapi hati mereka. Akan tetapi sesama umat islam sendiri kita disuruh mengajak kepada membuat kebajikan, mengajak kepada membuat pekerjaan-pekerjaan yang baik-baik dan bukannya mengatakan tiada paksaan dalam islam, iaitu mereka boleh memilih untuk kekal dalam islam atau keluar dari ajaran islam dan menganut ugama yang lain.  Boleh dikatakan tiada sifat keprihatinan terhadap sesama islam yang lain.  Ini aniaya namanya.  Kerana, jika seseorang itu tidak islam maka di akhirat kelak nerakalah tempatnya dan kekal di situ buat selama-lamanya.  Dijauhkan Allah, aku berlindung denganNya dari yang sedemikian.

Islam perlu dihayati untuk merasakan kemanisannya. Sememangnya kita tiada daya dan upaya tetapi sekurang-kurangnya kita boleh berdoa untuk meminta petunjuk dan bimbingan daripada Allah Ta’ala serta mohon kekuatan untuk menjalankannya dengan sempurna.  Sesungguhnya Dia Maha Pemberi.

Saya akhiri dengan video dari Youtube yang menunjukkan beribu-beribu orang di negara Jerman memeluk Islam.

Marhaban Ya Rasul

Hari ulangtahun keputeraan Nabi junjungan Saiyidina Muhammad Ibnu Abdullah jatuh pada Ahad 5 Februari 2012. Selawat dan salam keatasnya. Mempunyai akhlak yang mulia, sebaik-baik contoh dan yang membawa ugama yang lebih tinggi dan mulia dari yang lain. Barangsiapa yang berpegang kepada peningalannya (Quran dan Sunnahnya) nescaya tidak akan sesat buat selama-lamanya.

Sallu alaih.

Riau Archipelago, Republic of Indonesia

Riau Islands. The dots on the horizon are fish traps with huts

Riau archipelago is situated just south of Singapore and is part of Riau Islands Province of Indonesia which also includes islands in the South China Sea between East and West Malaysia. There are 3200 islands in the province and mostly uninhabited. Tanjung Pinang in Pulau Bintan is the capital city and the administrative office for the province but the hive of economic activities are in Pulau Batam just next to Pulau Bintan. Suffice to say that the island of Pulau Batam is where the bulk of the population resides accounting for 2/3 of it. The rest are scattered in other major islands of the province and on smaller islands in the vicinity of these major islands.

Many are uninhabited (pardon the pincushion oops barrel)

There is only one International Ferry Terminal in Pulau Bintan, at least five in Pulau Batam and one in Pulau Karimun. These ferry terminals cater for ferries that go to and from Singapore and Malaysia. They also serve as international entry points to Indonesia.

Travelling between the major islands in the Riau Archipelago are by ferries, each of which can accommodate more than a hundred passengers. The travelling time can be as long as five hours for the outlying islands like Pulau Lingga or Pulau Singkep from Pulau Bintan or Pulau Batam. Time that is worth  spent on the roof deck if the weather permits. There are also fast boat services to intermediate islands that can accommodate about thirty passengers, they are called Speed by the locals. These boats are powered by three or four high-powered huge outboard motors.

Main mode of transport between major islands

If weather permits, best to be on roof deck

Speeds at Sekupang Domestic Ferry Terminal, Batam. The one on the left have five engines. Speeds with three engines are either smaller in size or have bigger engine capacity

In this age of Internet, communication is not a problem. At the least there is one Internet Café in every major islands if not many. If one happens to be in a secluded island spot, cell phone coverage should suffice. Radio signals travel further over water than over land because land is ground, it absorbs the signals more. As for entertainment, the usual applies, local television that is. Besides the terrestrial  television coverage, there is also satellite coverage for the outlying areas in all of Indonesia.

Communication is not a problem

Entertainment

Only a handful of islands have mountains, the rest are mainly hilly and while others are just pieces of flat lands. The inhabitants on these scattered outlying islands mostly live by the sea in houses built on stilts. They were mostly fishermen. A few of them were boat builders, masters boat builders, they are very skilled in their craft. They travel within their vicinity by their personal sampans or small boats and if the economics is strong there are ferry services by small boats called Pompong. Life is very simple. If a kampung have a jetty or pier, the ferry will berth at it for passengers to board and alight but if there isn’t any, then they will be ferried over to and from the ferry by small boat. The manoeuvre to board and alight the ferry requires skill if not courage on the passenger part plus the ability to swim or at least to stay afloat.

Few islands with mountains

The rest are mainly hilly

Just a piece of flat land, a candidate for personal island

Colony with quite a number of inhabitants

Typical colony houses

Colony houses (secluded)

Fish traps and huts

Boats being built

Pompong

Pier in a populous kampung

The need of a boat for colony with no jetty

boarding the ferry sometimes can be hazardous

If you are going for seaside resort, Pulau Batam and Pulau Bintan have lots of it. But if you are the adventurous types, then the outlying islands beckon you. No frills, just basic.

Rainbow

Selamat Hari Raya ‘Idil Fitri

Colok Raya

Setelah sebulan berpuasa kita menyambut tibanya 1 Syawal. Semoga ibadah puasa kita diterima Allah s.w.t.. Dengan limpah kurnia RahmatNya yang tiada terkira mudah-mudahan kita kembali fitrah, dimasukkanNya kedalam gulungan mereka-mereka yang berjaya yang mendapat petunjuk dan bimbinganNya, berbahagia dan selamat di dunia dan di akhirat. Amin.