Day 9 #RamadanTazkirah: How to love the things you hate II

I just realized that I miss out on one very important question regarding this topic.

"Why love the thing you hate?"

Well, the thing is with us human is that we vary with ideas and opinions. Some might like this while others hate it and vice versa. So the definition of what are the things to hate and love varies too. Most of us tend to incline towards the things that we love more, obviously.

But what about the things we hate?

I read in an article that doing things that you love is easy, the real challenge is doing the things you hate. And I was like, wow, right. I never thought of it that way before. Usually I will avoid doing things I hate like ironing and waiting. Yes, I hate ironing clothes. Too much of a hassle.

And another reason for doing things that you hate is because the things that you hate is good for you. Like for example, sports. I hate sports, no doubt. I am more of an indoor person. But of course, sports is good for me and at times I force myself to enter sports competition.

My friend forced me to enter a running competition once. We had to run around IIUM and it's like 7km. I for one thing hate running. Yes, H-A-T-E. Not a strong dislike but hate. Haha. Because I always came in last and I will get tired half way. But when she asked me to join, I accept because I thought, "hey, who knows, maybe this is the starting point of me liking running, huh?"

And I came in 5th. 5th last out of around 200 participants. Haha. I end up walking all the way but what surprised me is that I did it. I walked/run 7km and I did came to the finishing line without giving up. That is an improvement.

Though I still hate it, but at least a small part of me would be thinking of joining again. At least I have the experience of doing it instead of shutting it out totally.

Another example is to cover your aurah. I know that Islam is not a religion of force. So we can't force others to cover their aurah properly. But at the very least, force yourself to cover your aurah properly. Alhamdulillah, I have been brought up in a hijab-wearing family but being quite a liberate person, my choice of clothes is a bit disappointing. I used to drown myself with the latest fashion regardless if it's really syariah compliance or not.

But when I woke up from that lifestyle, I forced myself to wear a better garment. It was hard, never said it was easy. I have to like throw away my dresses and jeans and short scarves. Well, I didn't exactly throw, just that I put it elsewhere and wallahi, when I look at them I would smile sadly and brace myself to be a better me.

I used to hate skirts, but now I love it. I hate kurung and well, I still won't wear it but I don't really hate it anymore. And quite surprisingly, wearing the Niqab helps a lot. Because when you wear a niqab, obviously you will observe other parts of your attire to make sure it will not look 'out of place'.

So, here I am, loving my loose jubah more and more each day. Simply comfortable and I don't even need the preference of the latest fashion to be my guideline.

Girls and guys out there, if you know the thing is good for you but you kind of hate doing it like waking in the morning or wear better clothes or listen to Islamic Scholars talk and such, try to force yourself because if it is good for you by nature then you will, insyaAllah, love it.

Just try. InsyaAllah.

Day 8 #RamadhanTazkirah: How to love the things you hate.

Sometimes in life you come across the things you hate first before you meet the things you love.
You meet a person whom you hate before you meet the person you love. 
You have to face what you hate to love what you love. 

That's life. No one said anything about it being easy and uncomplicated. 

But coming in terms of what you hate does not gives you any reason to run away, to escape it. 

One thing that I learn about this life is to never, ever run away from it. Of course, I've tried but it keeps on coming back but than I found the courage to face it. Face all those muds and dirts. 

I used to hate early marriage, or marriage altogether. I know, I know, it's wrong but I was in that rebellious stage and well, I have a bad terms with guys at such an early age so I mainly disagree with marriage. Once I even asked my dad if it's okay not to get married at all. 

He said it's okay BUT you wouldn't get any rewards for it. I was around 11 at that time so rewards was not as tempting at that time so I settled with the decision of not being married at all. Haha. But that stage last till I was 16 or 17. 

Even when I was 16, I wrote in my diary (still have that diary and entry. Lol. Going to show it to my future husband) that marriage is a hassle. I disagree strongly with the fact that a woman have to listen to her husband. I hated that. I hated the fact that I have to listen to that gender. I used to hate men too, still have that tiny piece of dislike inside of me though, but I am learning. 

When I was 17, I still do not want to get married or at least even if I have to get married, it will be reallllllly late. I was still in that thought that marriage is a bad thing for me. I mean only for me because I used to be a ego-maniac, arrogant, stubborn girl towards the opposite gender. 

But then I fall in love.   

No, I still on that firm believe that I want to get married late. But that thought of marriage did cross my mind. And I was young. And I chose the wrong path. But I did not know. And Alhamdulillah, Allah protected me. Nothing happened. That guy had a girlfriend. Haha.  And I know for a fact that that was not true love, was not pure. 

[P.s, Future husband, whoever you are, wherever you are, if you are reading this, know for a fact that I love you forever and foremost and yes, I was a fool but I was young and I hope you forgive me for letting my pure heart be tainted even if by the time you are reading this, we are already married with I don't know, 3 kids? Know for a fact that I am human and know for a fact that my love towards you will suppress this foolish moment of weakness. And yes, I'm poetic, deal with it.]

Anyway, that awakens a part of me that makes me realized that marriage is slightly important and well, as years passed by, I met a friend and she taught me to love a lot of new stuff and one of those is marriage and early marriage. 

Even if I have yet to get married now, I know for a fact that I am really looking forward to that day and I want it to arrive as fast as possible. It's funny, huh? I still can't believe I used to hate marriage.

The point in all those being, you do not know what you love until you endure what you hate.

It might be that job or that course or that person that you are stuck with. Of course, some people would say, do things that you are passionate about. That only applies to people who have other choices but if you don't try to endure it. 

BUT! 

Endure it with an open mind. Well, I wouldn't used the word endure. Too negative. Embrace would be better. Embrace it. Find the hikmah behind it. Try to keep that open mind that one day you will love it and one day, who knows, it might lead to a better you, a better situation. 

Besides, who says the thing you love will be perfect? Will came our easy? Will be all fairytale and sunshine? No one said anything about it being easier and better for you.

Allah never test his servant beyond what they can. He knows us and He knows what is best for us. Pray and ask for His guidance. InsyaAllah, zettai (definitely), there is a Hikmah. 

So if you are in that situation that you have a strong dislike on, try. Try your very hardest. And look at it from a different view. A different perspective. Maybe this is a trial for you, maybe this is a way Allah wants you to get our of that comfort zone of yours. 

Who knows? 

It may not been easy, I know. I used to hate a lot of things. But then I try, no, I force myself to love it. And yes, I fell in love with the things that I hate once upon a time. And it felt good. Really good. To have lesser things to hate in this life. 

Day 7 #RamadhanTazkirah: Ganbatte!

I think I am being too formal in this Ramadhan Tazkirah post and well, I don't think I get the message across cuz I'm being too rigid. Lol. So I'm back to writing like the old Maryam. I don't know which old Maryam but the Maryam that I am comfortable of being. In Malay we call it 'sempoi'. Some people may like it formal, some people don't. 

I simply like writing it like how I usually writes my diary. Yes, I still own a diary. Not digital, and not virtual. A real life, paper diary. Haha. 

I don't really know what to share today. I went through some of my old emails and messages and blogpost and when I said old, I really mean like it was dated back during 2008 and below. OLD. Ancient archive.

Then I realized something, I had went through a lot of changes but they are not all at once. They are phases. You know, those phase that you go through your life as a human being, well, that's how it is with changes. I believe it is not just me, but a lot of you. 

And I believe those phases is what makes us wiser. 

Between those who arrived at the peak of the mountain with a plane or those who climb it, who do you think gain more experience and appreciate the peak? Obviously those who climb.

Between cooking instant Mee Goreng and the real Mee Goreng (Yeah, I'm referring to myself here), which one taste better? I think most will say real Mee Goreng but yeah, Mi Sedap is nice too even though I don't eat instant noodle. I still can tolerate Mi Sedap goreng.    

Anyway, like Miley Cyrus sang in her song The Climb:

"Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb"

Remember, Allah sees our effort, not our endings. So if you think you are tired of all the phases, think again. Allah is slowly shaping you into a becoming a better person for yourself, your family and insyaAllah, for the Ummah. 

No sweat about the fall. Everyone falls. Everyone stumble on their way to Jannah. The most important thing is to climb back up, to stand back and face the world. Be a better person, step by step.

InsyaAllah, it will be worth the whole journey. =)
So, Ganbatte! (It means Good Luck in Japanese)

Day 3 #RamadhanTazkirah: Frozen Heart or Concrete Heart?

The heart exist as a representative of our whole inner self. Call me old-fashioned but I believe that the heart is fragile and once tainted, it can never be pure anymore. Most of our hearts has been tainted with sins and mistakes and dumb decision. That is normal because we are humans. We fall, stumble and stain ourself. 

Remember when the Angels came down and washed Prophet Muhammad's heart? Because only he deserve a pure heart. Most of ours are tainted. Some of us taint more than the others and that stain is what determine how we react to situations and life challenge and how we submit ourselves to the Almighty. 

But even when we have tainted hearts, Allah is the most Forgiving and most Merciful. He did not say that we can not enter Jannah, that He won't look at us. Of course He will, of course Allah will still accept us because He loves us. 

The only different is what kind of heart do we have? 

+A Frozen Heart?
or
+A Concrete Heart?

What is the different between the two? Isnt it the same? 

Well, for one thing, when something is frozen, it can be thawed with the warmness. If you have a frozen heart, at times the light or the warmness of the Deen can penetrate that icy heart of yours and in the end, you will have a warm heart. 

But if you have a concrete heart, well, the harder you tried to mould it, it will not be soft instead it will break. Those with a concrete heart is the ignorant, those who purposedly turn away from the truth because of their arrogance and egoness. Nauzubillah.

In my opinion, you should never, ever turn away from Allah's Hidayah. His light. Because the Light is a gift, a precious gift from your master and when you turn it down, do you think he will give it to you again? The chances is low, friends.

So if one day you woke up and feel like wanting to learn more about your Deen or to stop smoking or to wear the hijab, do not ever let it go. Try and try. Even though people will mock you and look at you differently, stand up and be proud to show them that you have received the Light from Allah. 

That your heart is slowly being thawed by Allah's Mercy and love.