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Hebron and Bethlehem

We visited al-Haram al-Ibrahimi, also known as The Cave of the Patriarchs (Christians), and the Cave of Machpelah (Jews). Located in al-Khalil, aka Hebron.

Very rich in history. My mind just couldn’t absorb it all. And with doubts lingering especially when the guide goes…”The Jews believed…”. I mean we were not supposed to consult the Jews as informed in Al-Kahfi.

Anyway, this has to be the closest encounter with the IDF. With high fence, barbed wires, metal detectors, turnstiles, concertina wire and loaded rifles pointing at us, the IDF here are ready to engage. I can even sense the guy in in View Tower reporting back about each and single one of us back to central command.

Nevertheless, we took wudhu and proceeded into the masjid; the House of Allah. And we forgot about the IDFs.

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Tel-Aviv

We landed in Tel-Aviv after a stopover in Istanbul.

The immigration officer, flipped through our passports. Raised the eyebrow and asked, “You visited Saudia Arabia. When? How long were you there? Please go over there. We waited for like close to 2 hours.

We proceeded quickly to the Old Town of Jaffa for a very very late lunch.

Trail of the Prophets - Day 02 - 026http://The%20grilled%20fish

Our first hummus. And many more delicious ones to come on this trip.
Trail of the Prophets - Day 02 - 011http://Humus

By the time we finished, it was just enough time to do our Jama Takhir of Dzuhr and Asr. We stayed for Maghrib. It was a nice beautiful quaint masjid called the Masjid Al-Bahr (the Sea Mosque), named because it was overlooking the harbour. It was built in the 16th Century during the Ottoman.

We then took a stroll at the seaside area. Noticed the people here in Tel Aviv are on the edgy side towards us.

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What was sad, when I reviewed the pictures, the dark background could have possibly been Gaza. And the fish that we were served.

Just DOA it

​Me…?

I have a few doas.

Bits and pieces.

Here and there.

It’s true they say humans will never be satisfied.

Look at what you have today.

Does it look like your DOA you made years ago.

It’s hard to remember, I know.

But, it could have just been a tiny whisper in your heart which Allah answered.
So, make that doa, we will be in the highest place in Jannah with our Rasul and families and friends that we loved.
Hopefully, we can look back to our life on Earth with no regrets. That life on Earth was indeed  short and may our doas, the deeds and Allah’s infinte mercy saved us from the hellfire.

Free WiFi for tourists in Japan

NTT East now provides WiFi for tourists. NTT East operates in eastern part of Japan. Example: Tokyo, Hokkaido and Yokohama. Remember those days when we rent handphones in Japan? No more!

Where are the hotspots? You will see the stickers pasted on shop from.
Alternatively, you can also check the hotspots here before you go.

Two methods:
1)Using iOS or Android app. Download the app “NAVITIME for Japan Travel” app, provided by NAVITIME JAPAN and obtain the WiFi ID and  password. http://flets.com/freewifi/step.html#app

2) Free WifiCards with WiFi ID and password from various location. Passport required. http://www.flets.com/freewifi/spot.html

The other cities do provide WiFi for touriset, but not by NTT East.

Osaka  Kyoto
Kobe Fukuoka
Nagoya Hiroshima

One final note though, do remember that you are on vacation, put that phone away.
It is Japan. Time to appreciate the lovely people, culture and surroundings and the loved ones with you.

Organizing our LIFE

That man can have nothing but what he strives for; that the fruit of his striving will soon come in sight” Qur’an (53:39-40)

Although LIFE organization should be common sense, there are times when we found ourselves in the fast pace of LIFE, and get swept by it. Although, we have our regular daily prayers, a minimum of 5 a day, which helps to instil discipline and time management, the rest of the time needs to be occupied wisely.

Putting our nafs and whispers of syaitan (like moveis, music aside), there are daily things that could take our valuable time away. One which I find, not just a time waster but also a mood spoiler with huge implications is messy house and losing items in the house.

Stop accumulating rubbish. May refer and not limited to:
1) Those items we thought we may need someday
2) Negative people who weigh you down
Take note: Most often than not. We are the lost souls. Not the item or subject.
They are just somewhere. We are nowhere.

Reaching for the panic button doesn’t help.
It’s like rummaging through to find your lost keys; when it should be searched systematically. Rummaging around everywhere is tempting though. Remember to stay calm, get comfortable and have confidence, it will be found.

Whitish Pink

The #pinkdot and #wearwhite movement is heating up. 

Like many, I have been observing, the LBGT movement too. I came from a boys mission school. Supposedly religious, but there is this thing about “alternative lifestyle”.

Probably, it did open up my eyes and I generally avoid gyms and pools and locker rooms till today.
There is a certain aura around them which makes me uncomfortable to be with them in these locations specifically.
And also outside those area generally, when possible. Not carrying a holier than thou attitude but there is this callous attitude around them that “Hey! I am different! My lifestyle is different! I’m stylish!”.
I wouldn’t care with the above attitudes, but what concerns me is the “Come, give me more right! Give me more space. Give me chance to tell u how lovely it is. Come, join me! Come, I show your kids!”

Our dearest Prime Minister did mention about keep it as status quo. Something likes a “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” policy.
Agree with him on this, which I rarely do.

Anyway saw an interesting scientific research article published in 2003.
Titled, “This is the Way, God made me.” A Scientific Examination of Homosexuality and the “Gay Gene” by Brad Harrub, Ph.D. and Bert Thompson, Ph.D. and Dave Miller, Ph.D. They provided real statistics, discussed whether homosexuality is genetic, studied other findings and even provided an interesting twins study. Read it here.

To me, the best part is the conclusion. Reproduction is biologically impossible for same sex partners. So, if a “gay gene” exists, it would have been wiped out altogether. So parents, cool down and do not get into insulting tirades with the pink movement. They are human too and have feelings. Uphold the family values, a good fatherly manly figure will not sway our boys easily.