Superboy

The real identity of Superman @ Superboy is no more a secret. He is from a known place on earth called Ayaj Gnilatep. He is now 21 earth years old. His true power as Superboy was when he wore his underwear on the outside. His super powers grew year after year. And the most famous of his special power is his power to sleep. He then discovered his flying power by jumping out of his Supersister's baby cot. And his true identity is Mameh Al-Banana.

أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَكَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا

Fatir 35:44 Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the End of those before them,- though they were superior to them in strength? Nor is Allah to be frustrated by anything whatever in the heavens or on earth: for He is All-Knowing. All-Powerful.

Unity In Diversity

Many years ago we were at the airport sending a member of the family off. Our kids were toddlers then. Mameh and his cousin, Amin, both looked very much like little Chinese boys running and playing catch. Then came around another Chinese-looking boy joining in the fun. You can't really differentiate their races. If Bubba was old enough to join them then there would be 4 Chinese-looking little boys. It is truly unity in diversity and diversity in unity.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْعَالِمِينَ

Ar-Rum 30:22 And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colours: verily in that are Signs for those who know.

Thunder And Lightning

I was blinded by a bright flash of lightning and deafened by its thunder. For a few moments, which felt like hours, my entire senses were knocked out. When I came around I could hardly see. Imagine being exposed to a giant camera flash. Due to the thunder my whole world was silent. On the floor were pieces of glass from a shattered lamp. Wiring came off the walls at a few places. I surveyed the rest of the house to check the extent of damage. Our washing machine was destroyed with its wiring shredded into small pieces. The lightning struck a nearby tree and entered the house through the earthing and it had caused havoc. It took a while to get back my full senses and years to overcome my fear of lightning.

مِنْ آيَاتِهِ يُرِيكُمُ الْبَرْقَ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّمَاء مَاء فَيُحْيِي بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ

Ar-Rum 30:24 And among His Signs, He shows you the lightning, by way both of fear and of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: verily in that are Signs for those who are wise.

High Fashion

At 3 years old an underwear hat was the high fashion. Cluster of ponytails tied with multicoloured rubberbands was the next spectacular high fashion as a young teenager. Bubba continued with his love for hair fashion. He has a huge collection of hats covering a wide spectrum of songkok, caps, kopiah, etc. It's a myriad of colours textile and shape. One of his favorite caps was a Nike cap. He used to wear it all the time, til he lost it on a flight from Miri. Even now he would feel underdressed without a hat on his head.

أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهِمُ الْأَنْهَارُ يُحَلَّوْنَ فِيهَا مِنْ أَسَاوِرَ مِن ذَهَبٍ وَيَلْبَسُونَ ثِيَابًا خُضْرًا مِّن سُندُسٍ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٍ مُّتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ نِعْمَ الثَّوَابُ وَحَسُنَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا

Al-Kahf 18:31 For them will be Gardens of Eternity; beneath them rivers will flow; they will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and they will wear green garments of fine silk and heavy brocade: They will recline therein on raised thrones. How good the recompense! How beautiful a couch to recline on!

Fear No Pain

Dik Yan having two brothers led a very athletic life. Climbing, running and somersaulting was part of that life. One day she climbed on top of Bubba's shoulders and stood up like a professional acrobat. Uh-oh uh-oh.. she lost her balance and fell down hitting her chin on the edge of the rattan coffee table. She was bleeding but she didn't cry. She came out of the clinic with a tiny bandage on her chin. The attending nurse said she didn't even cry when the doctor stitched her up although without anesthetic. Ten years on the same nurse will still tell us about how brave Dik Yan was.

لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَـكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَالْمَلآئِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُواْ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاء والضَّرَّاء وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ أُولَـئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ

Al-Baqara 2:177 It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards east or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfil the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah fearing.

Unfortunate Gecko

Ayah Teh really enjoyed lying on the floor when watching TV while the rest of us would be on the sofas. I would often join him. While we were engrossed watching one of our favorite shows, a house lizard fell from the ceiling. The gecko landed very close to us. I jumped and ran away. Ayah Teh, being the macho man, just tapped his foot on the floor hoping to scare the gecko away. Indeed it was frightened but instead of running away, it ran right into Ayah Teh's tight jeans. He was contorting and wriggling himself this way and that trying to get the gecko out of his jeans. The gecko with its sticky feet just did not know how to let go. Ayah Teh had to take off his jeans.

Goat Phobia

Roast lamb, lamb bukhara, mutton curry, and the likes send alert messages to my nostrils and then to my brain. I'm not so much concerned about things that relate to health such as high blood pressure, it is purely the smell of it. I have goat phobia. Whenever I see this type of food or hear someone mention there was mutton or lamb being served instantaneously I would smell it in my mind. Normally Jamil Al-Banana will be my food taster, though not that good at it since his smelling ability is rather dull. I suffer from this phobia since my goat herding days. I was assigned to clean the the goat shed regularly. The smell that greeted me as I walked up to the shed was so overpowering. I could not block the smell out of my mind. It has stayed with me forever.

وَفِي خَلْقِكُمْ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِن دَابَّةٍ آيَاتٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ

Al-Jathiya 45:4 And in the creation of yourselves and the fact that animals are scattered (through the earth), are Signs for those of assured Faith.

Swallow Or Not To Swallow

Mameh, Bubba and Dik Yan were perhaps 6 years, 4 years and 2 years old. One day during a fasting month the kids were extremely quiet. I searched the entire house but they could not be found. As I searched outside, there were the 3 kids sitting next to the drain at the front of the house each with a pear in their hands. They heard my booming voice "Spit the fruit out!"

Mameh already had a bite in his mouth. Bubba was about to take another bite. Dik Yan was playing with her fruit. They froze. I could see on Mameh's face whether to swallow or not to swallow. Eventually he spit the fruit out. They were told they could have the fruit after breaking of fast.

Later after breaking fast with all sorts of foods they totally forgot about their pears. As for Dik Yan the day was still just as wonderful as she could still eat as long as it's not in front of Mameh and Bubba.

The children were trained young in fasting.

أَيَّامًا مَّعْدُودَاتٍ فَمَن كَانَ مِنكُم مَّرِيضًا أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ فَعِدَّةٌ مِّنْ أَيَّامٍ أُخَرَ وَعَلَى الَّذِينَ يُطِيقُونَهُ فِدْيَةٌ طَعَامُ مِسْكِينٍ فَمَن تَطَوَّعَ خَيْرًا فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُ وَأَن تَصُومُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

Al-Baqara 2:184 (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.

Fruit Seller

Whenever I'm in Bangsar for breakfast I would look out for Abang Buah; the fruit seller who sells only one type of fruit each time. He is such an amazing person because he sells his fruits right out of the box on a trolley. He would stack his fruits on a few plastic plates and sell each stack at a bargain. He would often generously dish out additional fruits. Since they are sold at a bargain you would have to expect that some of the fruits are not 100%. But then almost always we would get great fruits and anyway he would always toss in a few extra.

وَإِلَى مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ اعْبُدُواْ اللّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـهٍ غَيْرُهُ قَدْ جَاءتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ فَأَوْفُواْ الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ وَلاَ تَبْخَسُواْ النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءهُمْ وَلاَ تُفْسِدُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلاَحِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ

Al-A'raf 7:85 To the Madyan people We sent Shu'aib, one of their own brethren: he said: "O my people! worship Allah. Ye have no other god but Him. Now hath come unto you a clear (Sign) from your Lord! Give just measure and weight, nor withhold from the people the things that are their due; and do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order: that will be best for you, if ye have Faith.

Tempting Apple And Banana

Fasting at a tender age requires one to overcome extreme challenges, hunger, thirst and have a powerful sense of control. As an incentive for me to fast Tok gave me an apple and a banana only to be eaten at the breaking of fast. Imagine over 40 years ago having an apple was a big deal. It was a long and torturous day. All throughout I kept staring at the apple, polishing it until it glistened, smelling it, playing with it, and treating it like a doll. The entire day felt so long. I imagined biting into it, tasting it, making different plans on how to eat it. I even had my afternoon nap with the fruits next to me. The banana looked great but the apple was incredible. Came breaking of fast I ate so much until I could hardly breathe. I could no longer look at the apple and banana, what more eating them. The fruits were kept til the next day. Oh wow. What another day! This time I made sure I ate them after breaking fast.

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ

Al-Baqara 2:183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint.

Chocoholic

I remembered buying from the TMC supermarket a gigantic bar of Cadbury chocolate. Did I leave it behind at the payment counter? It wasn't in the refridgerator. These toughts kept nagging at me for weeks. While cleaning up the boys' room, there it was; what was left of the bar of chocolate was its wrapper neatly pressed under Mameh's kapok mattress. I thought I was a chocoholic. I guess Mameh was worse.

مَثَلُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ فِيهَا أَنْهَارٌ مِّن مَّاء غَيْرِ آسِنٍ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِن لَّبَنٍ لَّمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ طَعْمُهُ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّنْ خَمْرٍ لَّذَّةٍ لِّلشَّارِبِينَ وَأَنْهَارٌ مِّنْ عَسَلٍ مُّصَفًّى وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ كَمَنْ هُوَ خَالِدٌ فِي النَّارِ وَسُقُوا مَاء حَمِيمًا فَقَطَّعَ أَمْعَاءهُمْ

Muhammad 47:15 (Here is) a Parable of the Garden which the righteous are promised: in it are rivers of water incorruptible; rivers of milk of which the taste never changes; rivers of wine, a joy to those who drink; and rivers of honey pure and clear. In it there are for them all kinds of fruits; and Grace from their Lord. (Can those in such Bliss) be compared to such as shall dwell for ever in the Fire, and be given, to drink, boiling water, so that it cuts up their bowels (to pieces)?

Faithful Standpipe

How lucky we are nowadays with the invention of the washing machine. When I was young I had to hand wash all our clothes. The main bulk of washing were during the weekends. Early in the morning the clothes would be soaked in big colourful plastic tubs. The most difficult to do would be the towels and bed-sheets. I could not wring them dry with my small hands because they were too big for me. My faithful standpipe would be the place to wring the clothes dry. To give me the extra energy I would imagine the standpipe and me to opponents in a martial arts fight twisting the clothes in opposite directions.

ارْكُضْ بِرِجْلِكَ هَذَا مُغْتَسَلٌ بَارِدٌ وَشَرَابٌ

Suad 38:42 (The command was given:) "Strike with thy foot: here is (water) wherein to wash, cool and refreshing, and (water) to drink."

Flying Snake

Once we lived deep within the jungles of Kuala Lumpur. When we were at home we were truly in touch with nature. Trees of more than 10 meters high, and multitudes of creatures roaming around. In the compound you could easily find giant iguanas sunbathing for hours on end. Beautiful birds and some with long tails calling out "wanita.. wanita.." which means "ladies.. ladies". Groups of monkeys took turns visiting our home. Different types of snakes slithered around. One day after returning home from shopping Ayah saw a black snake in front of the main entrance door. The kids and I were asked to stay in the car while Ayah arranged to remove the snake with a broom and a spade. Being curious I stood next to the car door. The snake was brushed onto the spade and Ayah swung it wholeheartedly away. Instead of going to its intended direction the snaky projectile flew over the car and over my head. Everybody screamed. The snake landed gracefully and slithered away into the brushes.

وَأَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَلَمَّا رَآهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّى مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ يَا مُوسَى لَا تَخَفْ إِنِّي لَا يَخَافُ لَدَيَّ الْمُرْسَلُونَ

An-Naml 27:10 "Now do thou throw thy rod!" But when he saw it moving (of its own accord)as if it had been a snake, he turned back in retreat, and retraced not his steps: "O Moses!" (it was said), "Fear not: truly, in My presence, those called as apostles have no fear.