My Pet Bird, Polly the Parrot

I have a beautiful pet bird, named polly the parrot. Her feathers are bright red, lined with purple,blue and touch of sea green. She is my loyal companion when I am alone at home when the children are away. I really appreciate her presence during such lonely times. Now, She has been with me for the last 3 years. The story of how I came to own her is rather amazing; One night three years ago I was feeling lonely and depressed. Some misfortunes had befallen me that I was wondering whether Allah still loves me. At that time, the bigger children were away, the younger ones were asleep and my husband was sleeping in our bedroom. I was alone watching tv not really watching any programme in particular. Then I saw a programme about a person who had trained her beautiful african grey parrot to do some clever antics. I was very impressed and told my husband that I wanted him to buy me such a pet. As my husband was sleeping he just mumbled something like "mmmm..ok ! ". However for the next 3 days he did not make any attempt to present me with a parrot. On the third day something amazing happened. Out of nowhere a beautiful parrot flew into our garden and and perched on a low branch. When we saw it we were surprised and were gawking at its beauty. My husband quickly and carefully caught it by hand and called me to take an empty bird cage in the store. while he was holding the captured bird, it's sharp beak caught hold of his thumb and ngawed it till it bled. As quickly as possible the bird was put into a small old bird's cage. We were so surprised and elated at the present sent to me by the Most Gracious and All knowing who had listen and answered my doubts! I had interpreted the incident as Allah has always loved me and I shouldn't have any doubt about that no matter what has befallen me as He loves all His servants. I then realized that Allah had given me so much that even my wish for a parrot has been granted. Alhamdulillah! I must not forget that and should always give thanks to Him. The next day my husband and I went to KL to buy Polly a big beautiful golden cage. She has been in the cage for the last three years until 2 months ago Yanna who was on holiday from cairo, managed to tame her and brought her out of the cage. She really had a way with the bird, and 'manja' the bird until Polly could sleep in her lap or in the nooks of her arm. So when Yanna left for Cairo 2 weeks ago Polly was like a crazy bird wanting to come out of her cage but she would snap our fingers if we try to touch her. So Polly nowadays will only be let out occassionally when my husband dont mind risking her sharp beak! Oh yes, Polly calls me "Aaaaak!" (Mak)with her piercing "voice" whenever she sees me or when she wants my attention. She can also call Zed with this sound mimicking others, "aa aaag Aaaat" (abang Jat)and calls my husband "aaa aaak" (bapak). Amazingly Polly would be quite when we perform our prayers the solat but she'll murmur a soft 'ameen' when we say our doa after the solat! Amazing isn't it?

Hari Raya Puasa Enam

Alhamdulillah hari ini kami dan pelajar-pelajar sekolah kami merayakan Hari Raya Puasa Enam. Maka tamatlah enam hari mereka berpuasa sunat dibulan syawal ini setelah kembali keasrama selepas pulang dari cuti berhari raya. Nampaknya pelajar-pelajar kami amatlah tabah dan suka berpuasa. Sepatutnya mereka selesai berpuasa enam padahari ahad kerana kami telah mula puasa hari selasa iaitu hari ketiga mereka belajar semula. Alkisah ada orang telah menjemput kami makan kenduri pada hari sabtu, jadi kamipun taklah berpuasa hari itu. Jadi hari inilah baru kami beraya. Pelajar-pelajar diberi makanan agak istemewa sewaktu rehat jam 10.30 pagi tadi iaitu kek, ice-cream, coklat dan bihun bersama minuman teh tarik istimewa. Pelajar-pelajar kami telah diberi tahu keistimewaan puasa enam iaitu Sesiapa yang berpuasa sebulan bulan ramadhan ditambah pula dengan berpuasa sunat 6 hari dibulan syawal akan mendapat ganjaran pahala seolah-olah telah berpuasa setahun. Oleh itu sewajarnya lah Hari Raya puasa Enam ini mereka diraikan seadanya. Segala amalan sunat seperti berpuasa sunat, bersolat tarawih, bertadarus serta majlis khatam al-Quran, bersolat jamaah subuh hari jumaat di masjid Negeri untuk sujud sajaddah, bersolat sunat yang pelbagai, adalah amalan warga sekolah kami sepanjang masa. Untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut mengenai sekolah kami sila layari www.mtaqsa.com. Terima Kasih.

Our Hari Raya

For our family, this year Hari Raya is very calm and peaceful, one of the most beautiful hari raya we ever had. We did not have to go through the hassle of packing and doing the mad rush back to kampung. Actually this is the 7th year we have spent our Hari Raya here. Finally, 7 years ago our family had matured and we have accepted the fact that our kampung now is here in shah alam. When my family was young, I had dreaded the coming of Hari Raya as well looked forward to going back to my kampung. As a young couple my husband and I both had insisted that the first day of Hari Raya be spent in each parents house. After the usual, much painful and tearful discussion (arguements??) we ended up each of us with our own mother on the first day of hari raya. On the second day of Hari Raya we would get together to visit the in laws. Now after all these years my husband and I thought that was not a very good idea. We should have taken turn to be with one of the parents and then the other. Actually we were immature and there was nobody to guide us. We were torn between the love of our own family and the new family extension we have created (we both have a large close knit family). Now its all done, my mother in law had passed away many years since and my mother is old. She understand our situation does not insist that we go back to her on the hari raya days. We can take our time to do so on other days of the year. So with our experience we will advice our children when they get married, to take turn coming back to our house one hari raya and going back to thier in laws for the next one. That is one wisdom we have acquired! May you all the young couples out there be wiser than us in handling the Hari Raya balik kampung situation!Good Luck!

Hello again and Selamat Hari Raya!

Hello everybody! Selamat Hari Raya! Mak Teh is trying hard to make this entry because I have lost touch in using this computer and the blogging ways. Actually I do miss doing the blog but many things have kept me away. To update my situation, I had spent my ramadhan and raya days in shah alam. Lia has gone back to Jordan after a week of ramadan with the family. That one week of ramadhan was the most wonderful ramadhan for our family because everybody is back home. It had been years since we were together for ramadan. This Raya is also wonderful, except for Lia we are all here celebrating the raya. Alhamdulillah, Lia has reported that she is recovering well post operation. Yana will be going back to Cairo soon. Alhamdulillah my health has improved lately. I am trying to resume my writing again which I had neglected for quite sometime. At the moment my husband and I are busy with our school (see Majallah Anis September pg 30) We are getting good respond for 2008 intake. The interview for the new intake is on. If you are interested to know more about our school log on to www.mtaqsa.com. InsyAllah, more entries will follow this. Cherio!