Real issues that should make the news instead of petty issues that dominate our local headlines

As much of a cliche as it may be - Children ARE our future - whether born from us or taken on by us through choice, situation or the will of God, whatever your religion. So surely if you believe in God, you know that he protects the meek, the weak, the defenseless, the innocent and the vulnerable and who more than fits those criteria than children? It's about time we addressed and updated some of our archaic laws and systems.

I know this looks like a long post but we do have a voice and a responsibility to our children (even if you have none of your own, you may have nieces, nephews, cousins etc) so please commit a little time to read the following letter.

We would love to get it published but I'm pretty darn sure it won't be... so we do what we can to spread the word around and 'educate' people. To educate is to empower.

Who needs to get things 'published' anymore with this wonderful virtual world we have at our finger-tips called the world wide web - please do your part to make this letter viral.

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Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

My mummy wanted to write this letter and use expletives and cite laws to fight on behalf of children like me in Malaysia, but I told her it would sound better if it came from me and you might listen? Mummy tends to yell a little too loud and she's such a drama queen sometimes!

So here goes...

Dear Prime Minister,

My name is Zara Hana Abdullah. I know this is my name because this is what Mummy says it is and everyone who knows me and loves me says this is my name. My Aunty Shireen named me Zara and my Aunty Sian named me Hana and told me what the 2 names mean- Zara is 'Princess' and Hana means Grace...so i'm actually Princess Grace, which makes my Oma very happy because she loves all those Grace Kelly movies.

But according to Malaysian law, I do not exist legally because I have no birth certificate. Every child is entitled to a birth certificate, so that we know they have a name and some information about them. Mummy says the reason why I don't have one is because in the application form for a birth certificate, there is a box that says," if you don't have proof of the child's birth, then there must be 2 witnesses who was there at the time of birth. I don't have 2 witnesses since Mummy found me at 2 and a half months old.So now, she cannot fill out the birth certificate. Welfare officers say they'll help Mummy fill out the application, but that was last year. I know the Welfare Department cannot do everything, so Mummy nags them once a week and now she tells me they run when they see her or do not pick up the phone. But I know Mummy will catch them and make them file the application for me.

I know I'm 3 years old because that it is what the Aunty told my mummy- the one who gave me to Mummy? I also know I'm 3 years old because Mummy took me to the doctor and the doctor said that's most probably how old I am. And Aunty said, I was born on the 18th of February so that's when I celebrate my birthday!

When I get my birth certificate, Mummy says that my name cannot be Zara Hana Abdullah because I'm Muslim and I don't know who my real daddy is so my name must be Zara Hana Binte Abdullah to show that I am the daughter (Binte) of Abdullah ( God- one of 99 names for Allah) which also means that I am a child 'born out of wedlock'

Because Mummy and I had to go to court, to finalize my adoption, my birth certificate will be exchanged for a certificate of adoption, which looks like a birth cert except for a clause that says I'm adopted. I'm okay with that as my legal paper. But there may be problems when I apply for a passport, open a bank statement , apply to university, try to get a visa abroad...is this true, Mr, Prime Minister?

Mummy says too that I am not Malaysian. That I have no citizenship- I am stateless, which means I don't belong to any country and Malaysia does not want me if Mummy doesn't fight for me or you don't pass the law to say it's okay for Mummy to give me her citizenship?

May I please belong to a country?

Without a country, I cannot go to school, I cannot get a passport, I cannot go to university, leave the country, travel , get married, or really know what i"ll be able to be when I grow up because I have no future! No future like my brother or my cousins?

Mummy says that under Muslim law, she is just my Guardian, not my adopted parent and it will be more difficult for her to apply for me to get citizenship. Is this true? if it's possible, can you please tell me how long it will take? In days please? I can't count months and years yet!

Mummy was very angry yesterday after her meeting because she said some grown up officer said that I am one of 'those' children- a foreigner that does not deserve the same rights and protection as a Malaysian. How does she know I'm not Malaysian and not a foreigner? If you're not sure, wouldn't you assume that I just am so I have a brighter future?

Another grown up said that I am a threat to national security because there are so many of us. I'm quite sure if someone gave me away and it's now been 3 years, no one is going to come back and claim me! So, I'm really no threat! Just give me PR status please, till you investigate more but let me go to school with my brother and cousins.

****

Okay, it's me now...took the laptop back from Zara, who's gone to kindergarten...someone was nice enough to let me send her to kindergarten with no papers because they know me and her brother!

The fact is that the Adoption law has been in existence since 1952 and we have different laws for Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. There has been one revision made in 1984. There are different adoption laws and regulations for Muslim children and non Muslim children.

I apparantly, am Zaid's adopted mother but Zara's guardian till she's 18? I'm just absolutely confused by this difference and apparantly this affects the process for citizenship and her basic rights.

The process of adoption is apparantly subjective as is the criteria. There is no standardization, it's more difficult for poor people to adopt legally and the laws and responsibilities by the different agencies are so archaic and convoluted!

Immigration says, JKM, JKM says JPN and so on and so forth! AG's Chamber just says, " saya yang menurut perintah'

In the meantime, I'm pulling my hair out, running from one agency to another, trying to placate hysterical parents on how they can get travel passes for their children - it's Immigration again guys who issue travel passes and no, no JKM letter to help, Syariah law..who knows what, JKM looks at guardianship of children but JPN decides on adopted children?

I need to go back and study the law and find ways and volunteers to help me dissect all these different laws and ways to protect our children in the meantime.

We need to say that yes, 'Prime Minister, we understand you have a country to protect and laws to uphold, but get with the times and look at how these old laws are hurting children. Children who would love this country and serve this country well and be productive, committed citizens.

We do this- delay,review, take our time, we continue to ensure that the poor stay poor, that marginalized children stay marginalized and children stay invisible!And they don't exist!

I know my daughter exists! And she's 3 and her name is Zara Hana Abdullah and she deserves to be Malaysian! And she deserves a better life than what the laws, if they remain the same, will condemn her too!

*source

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Please try not to be one of those people who always thinks "this is someone else's problem", for as long as this exists in our country, it is OUR problem.

What is Eid Mubarak / Hari Raya Aidilfitri?

As the end of Ramadhan is literally around the corner, this marks the Muslim holiday known as Eid. I thought it would be useful to explain to my non Muslim readers (as succinctly as possible) the significance of this festival to all followers of Islam throughout the world, regardless of race.

It signifies the personal achievement of a month of abstinence (practised during Ramadhan) symbolising renewal and purification,

The common greeting during this period is Eid Mubarak (Arabic for Happy/Blessed Eid) or Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Malay)


The common practice is on the first day following morning prayers, Muslims visit the burial grounds of lost relatives to pay their respects. It is a time of forgiveness. The next month is spent visiting the homes of family and friends, eating together, strengthening ties and celebrating the worship of God and Islam. The normal dress-code is one's traditional best.

The date of Eid is defined by the position of the new Moon and therefore varies from year to year.

" The ketupat is traditional Hari Raya fare and is often served with beef rendang (beef cooked with spices and coconut milk) and/or satay (grilled meat on a skewer). Other festive delicacies include lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo tubes), serunding (dessicated coconut fried with chilli) and curry chicken. "

[Source]

The foundation of Muslim life is defined by what is known as the Five Pillars of Islam. I have taken this excerpt from a website I found to be concisely informative :

The 'Five Pillars' of Islam are the foundation of Muslim life:

• Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophethood of Muhammad;
• Establishment of the daily prayers;
• Concern for and almsgiving to the needy;
• Self-purification through fasting; and
• The pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.

IMAM / FAITH "There is none worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is the messenger of God." This declaration of faith is called the Shahadah, a simple formula that all the faithful pronounce. The significance of this declaration is the belief that the only purpose of life is to serve and obey God, and this is achieved through the teachings and practices of the Last Prophet, Muhammad. SALAH / PRAYER Salah is the name for the obligatory prayers that are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam and there are no priests. Prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Qur'an and is generally chosen by the congregation.

Prayers are said at dawn, mid-day, late-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. These five prescribed prayers contain verses from the Qur'an, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation. Personal supplications, however, can be offered in one's own language and at any time.

Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Oftentimes visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.

A translation of the Adan or Call to Prayer is:

God is Great. God is Great. God is Great. God is Great. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except God. I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God. I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God. Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Come to success! Come to success! God is Great! God is Great! There is none worthy of worship except God. ZAKAH / FINANCIAL OBLIGATION An important principle of Islam is that everything belongs to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakah means both "purification" and "growth." Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need and for the society in general. Like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.

Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakah individually. This involves the annual payment of a fortieth of one's capital, excluding such items as primary residence, car and professional tools.

An individual may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa-h, and does so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as "voluntary charity" it has a wider meaning. The Prophet said, "Even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is an act of charity." The Prophet also said: "Charity is a necessity for every Muslim." He was asked: "What if a person has nothing?" The Prophet replied: "He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity." The Companions of the Prophet asked: "What if he is not able to work?" The Prophet said: "He should help the poor and needy." The Companions further asked: "What if he cannot do even that?" The Prophet said: "He should urge others to do good." The Companions said: "What if he lacks that also?" The Prophet said: "He should check himself from doing evil. That is also an act of charity." SAWM / FASTING

Every year in the month of Ramada-n, all Muslims fast from dawn until sundown--abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations with their spouses.

Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are menstruating, pregnant or nursing, are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year if they are healthy and able. Children begin to fast (and to observe prayers) from puberty, although many start earlier.

Although fasting is beneficial to health, it is mainly a method of self-purification and self-restraint. By cutting oneself from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person focuses on his or her purpose in life by constantly being aware of the presence of God. God states in the Qur'an: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed to those before you that you may learn self-restraint." (Qur'an 2:183)

HAJJ / PILGRIMAGE

The pilgrimage to Makkah (the hajj) is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to do so. Nevertheless, over two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another.

The annual hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that hajj and Ramada-n fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments that strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.

The rites of the hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include going around the Ka'bah seven times, and going seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar (Hajir, Abraham's wife) during her search for water. The pilgrims later stand together on the wide plains of 'Arafat (a large expanse of desert outside Makkah) and join in prayer for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought as a preview of the Day of Judgment.

The close of the hajj is marked by a festival, the 'Id al Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This and the 'Id al Fitr, a festive day celebrating the end of Ramada-n, are the two holidays of the Islamic calendar.

[Source]

This is a very short summary of what is probably the key festivities in the Islamic calendar for all Muslims. To those of you who are well versed, please forgive me if I have missed out anything important :)
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all Muslims around the globe a Magnificent Eid Mubarak and Selamat Hari Raya to all Malaysians. Please travel safely.

*Happy Holidays*

{excuse the rather old Raya picture of me and Mika}

It is our God given gift - our voice - so SPEAK UP... Read and be inspired...

I, like many others, men and women alike, of all colour, race and creed - were nothing less than OUTRAGED by the front page news in the papers the other day regarding the opinions of a certain organised, ice-age minded group of M.E.N.... yes.... Yoga is to be banned - as it could lead muslims 'astray'

WHAT???

yes

WHAT???

yes

RIDICULOUS?

yes

LAUGHABLE??

definitely

A BIG LOAD OF CODSWALLOP - that's my 2 pennies' worth

This was the topic of conversation at my sunday lunch with a friend and my parents as well as at my weekly work meeting this morning.

So you can imagine my relief when I came home tonite to read this email:

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A respected muslim woman comments on yoga fatwa

By dinobeano 9 Comments
Categories: Democracy
posted by din merican in Alor Setar, Kedah—november 23, 2008

I am shocked, aghast and dismayed at the fatwa on Yoga and the dressing of not so feminine clothes. What will they think of next? It seems to me these people have nothing better to do. Their posts are redundant and they have to do something to attract attention. Unfortunately the attention they attract is very negative and further destroys the liberal image of Islam Hadhari which the Prime Minister had tried to portray.

I have been practicing yoga since I was young and have never become a "lesbian" or joined the Hindu religion as alleged by these ignoramus! What an insult to Muslims and particularly women. Insulting women and belittling them seems to be the main target of these men! Stop it before people start calling you MORONS!

There are more important issues to focus and worry about such as the killing of innocent civilians, women and children under the false guise of 'jihad' The killing of innocent women who have been raped. Instead of punishing the rapists, the poor innocent victim is put to death for the 'shame'.

This is not ISLAMIC! Islam stopped the killing of innocent female infants! Read the Quran and know its meaning properly. Study what is the SUNNAH – THE WAY OF LIFE OF THE PROPHET ad follow it! Any level thinking person will know that they are way off track. No wonder the International media too has been has such a negative view of ISLAM by headlines such as 'Muslim terrorists' and the like. How is that we never see headlines like 'Christian terrorists'? As such they blame every negative incident on Islam whereas it is these ignorant and not so well informed people who are further enhancing the true meaning and purpose of Islam.

Stop it now before it is too late! JAKIM should be shut down immediately and safe good public funds which could be put to better use to assist the poor and needy. There are enough 'Muslim' organizations already looking after the Muslim interests without them messing it up and making more Muslims particularly women angrier. When the women march there will be no stopping them!

Hajjah Marina Yusoff
A Muslim Malay woman who loves her religion

Note: I personally like to know what the NGO, Sisters in Islam, has to say on this issue. Will all the so-called liberated and intelligent Muslim women in Kuala Lumpur speak up on this issue. Well, I think this fatwa is politically motivated and damaging to the image of our country. —Din Merican

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Thank YOU Auntie Marina for publishing ur thoughts and opinions - I am more then definitely sure you've inspired other women, men, people to express their feelings and thoughts on the matter...

You inspired me to do so right here...

You have a voice.

USE IT