They say the true measure of a person is in the company he or she keeps. Who we surround ourselves with indicates not only what kind of person we are at present, but what we aspire to be and potentially will be.
This reminds me a of a hadith from Prophet Muhammad SAW (Peace be upon him), on the value of a good friend.
As related by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, the Prophet said: ‘A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume seller and a blacksmith: The perfume seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance.
‘As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.’ [Bukhari, Muslim]
It is not a statement to demean the hard work of blacksmiths, but more of a comparison on what you get from friendships that you have built.
This reminds me a of a hadith from Prophet Muhammad SAW (Peace be upon him), on the value of a good friend.
As related by Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, the Prophet said: ‘A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume seller and a blacksmith: The perfume seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance.
‘As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.’ [Bukhari, Muslim]
It is not a statement to demean the hard work of blacksmiths, but more of a comparison on what you get from friendships that you have built.
Constant association with friends will affect your person and influence your life.
As a Muslim, I submit to takdir (fate) as ordained by Allah, Who knows all and ordered all things as they were, is and will be, since the beginning of creation.
But as in the principle of Qada' and Qadar (destiny and predetermination), which all Muslims believe as a tenet of faith, there are choices we make, forks in the road we are destined to walk, which we take freely, to whatever outcome He has determined.
Who we choose to befriend, I believe, is one of them.
And true enough, I awoke today 'smelling like a rose', as the fragrance of the 'perfume-selling' rakyat wafted to me from all sides; as my Twitter, Facebook and online senses basked in the 'smell' of stalwart friendship, unity and the collective hope for a better Malaysia, not in mere slogans but with heartfelt intentions.
As tributes to friends, to Malaysia and to one another continue to pour in from my brothers and sisters, from Malaysians all across this blessed land, and even beyond our borders.
A
ll in response to another thoughtless provocation, from the powers that be and their running dogs, as they take another dig at trying to divide and rule over us.
But here we are, still united and more committed to each other, in the face of such shameless tactics.
Keep the flame alive
I am never more proud to call myself Malaysian, never more touched with such profound sentiment and never felt more blessed in the company that I keep.
For as I see it today, the road to reforming our country, reviving the Frankenstein that our hybrid system of governance had become, is all the more clearer, all the more possible and worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears, we have and will continue to shed on the way.
As a Muslim, I submit to takdir (fate) as ordained by Allah, Who knows all and ordered all things as they were, is and will be, since the beginning of creation.
But as in the principle of Qada' and Qadar (destiny and predetermination), which all Muslims believe as a tenet of faith, there are choices we make, forks in the road we are destined to walk, which we take freely, to whatever outcome He has determined.
Who we choose to befriend, I believe, is one of them.
And true enough, I awoke today 'smelling like a rose', as the fragrance of the 'perfume-selling' rakyat wafted to me from all sides; as my Twitter, Facebook and online senses basked in the 'smell' of stalwart friendship, unity and the collective hope for a better Malaysia, not in mere slogans but with heartfelt intentions.
As tributes to friends, to Malaysia and to one another continue to pour in from my brothers and sisters, from Malaysians all across this blessed land, and even beyond our borders.
A
ll in response to another thoughtless provocation, from the powers that be and their running dogs, as they take another dig at trying to divide and rule over us.But here we are, still united and more committed to each other, in the face of such shameless tactics.
Keep the flame alive
I am never more proud to call myself Malaysian, never more touched with such profound sentiment and never felt more blessed in the company that I keep.
For as I see it today, the road to reforming our country, reviving the Frankenstein that our hybrid system of governance had become, is all the more clearer, all the more possible and worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears, we have and will continue to shed on the way.
To those who believe not in Divine Providence, I bid you Carpe Diem, seize this day to make your meaningful mark upon the earth, as your practical duty of self-determination.
For those whose way of life is Islam, I bid you remember our jihad or great struggle, it is the duty of Muslims to always work to hijrah, or change ourselves for the better, first of all internally and secondly to struggle for the cause of justice, in whatever way we can.
For those who believe in other faiths, divine power and whatever higher power, I am sure that the call for justice resounds across beliefs, a crusade that transcend all divisions.
To those who do, pray; to those who can, hope’ to those on the front lines, keep up the good work; and to all who believe, endure.
Keep the flame alive and contribute to the change, dear friends. May we help each other build and become a better Malaysia.
May Allah bless you all, May Allah bless Malaysia.
For those whose way of life is Islam, I bid you remember our jihad or great struggle, it is the duty of Muslims to always work to hijrah, or change ourselves for the better, first of all internally and secondly to struggle for the cause of justice, in whatever way we can.
For those who believe in other faiths, divine power and whatever higher power, I am sure that the call for justice resounds across beliefs, a crusade that transcend all divisions.To those who do, pray; to those who can, hope’ to those on the front lines, keep up the good work; and to all who believe, endure.
Keep the flame alive and contribute to the change, dear friends. May we help each other build and become a better Malaysia.
May Allah bless you all, May Allah bless Malaysia.
HAZLAN ZAKARIA is a member of the Malaysiakini team.
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