Monthly Archives: February 2020

My first thought upon reading the latest political development in Malaysia is: Come on people, are you serious? Not again!

Whatever the outcome of this sorry episode is, I would like to say thank you to the few ministers who, in my humble opinion (feel free to disagree!), have discharged their duties honourably, namely Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Dr Maszlee Malik, Hannah Yeoh, Anthony Loke Siew Fook, and Yeo Bee Yin.

Ultimately, politics will always be politics. And politicians will always do whatever is necessary to cling to power. But a nation is more than just its quarrelsome politicians. The worth of a nation is determined by the quality of its people and institutions. We can have the best politicians in the world, but if people are selfish, uneducated and not civic-minded, nothing good will come of it.

That’s why I’m urging you to ALSO look elsewhere and consider other avenues when thinking about ways to help society. Becoming a politician is NOT the only way to lead the country. In fact, I would argue that as far as truly helping other people is concerned, you can achieve more by being leaders in other fields. We need better teachers, doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, scientists etc.

So whatever it is you’re doing at the moment, do it better. Aim higher!

And to put my money where my mouth is, here’s my offer: if you’re interested in pursuing a career as a doctor, lecturer, and/or scientist (the areas I know more about, don’t ask me about entrepreneurship!), feel free to contact me and we can discuss how to approach this endeavour. Chances are you won’t get to be on TV or in newspapers soon, but as long as you’re helping other people, I guarantee you it’s well worth the effort.

Update: I am grateful to my friend Dr Khor Swee Kheng for mentioning this post in his article in The Star (see below):

Politicians: A new threat to public health?

Back in KL, I used to dread having to spend a couple of hours stuck in a traffic jam to go home. But ever since I started listening to lectures while driving, I began to tolerate, if not enjoy, the commute as it gave me a chance to relax and learn new things at the same time.

Here I would like to share with you some lectures I have particularly enjoyed by Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, Dean of the Cambridge Muslim College. The one I would definitely recommend is this lecture series on the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):

Sira: A Journey of Transformation – Experience the life of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) through the Qur’an, poetry, and early sources. For only $39, you get access to 12 lectures in all. Well worth the money, in my opinion.

And once you’ve completed the series above, here are some YouTube lectures on the Khulafa-al-Rashidun:

• The Khilafa of Abu Bakr: A Time of Challenge
• The Khilafa of Umar: Days of Glory
• The Khilafa of Uthman: The Wisdom and the Agony
• The Khilafa of Ali: The Mortal Choice

As well as the Four Great Imams:

• Imam Malik: Sage of the City of Light
• Imam al-Shafi’i: The Worshipping Saint
• Imam Abu Hanifa: Baghdad’s Auspicious Fortune
• Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: Victor Over Tribulation

May Allah SWT increase our knowledge and grant us his Mercy in this world and the next.

Since coming to Oxford in April 2019, I have relied on my trusty bicycle to get me anywhere and everywhere. This in turn has led to a few observations on what it’s like being a cyclist:

1. Cycling is very therapeutic, especially when passing through relatively peaceful areas like the Marston Cyclepath or Jack Straw’s Lane here in Oxford.
2. People are far more considerate towards cyclists here in the UK. Cycling is possibly a suicidal activity back in Malaysia given how ‘courteous’ our drivers are.
3. Cycling in windy conditions should be its own form of cardio.
4. After a while you become quite good at spotting tiny pieces of glass on the road. Unfortunately, there is often quite a lot of broken glass on the road especially after the weekend.
5. A bit of maintenance goes a long way towards making your ride a smooth one. Don’t be a fool like me and neglect to pump air into the tyres for months!

I’m often guilty of forgetting how luxurious it is to own a car. But after many journeys on the bicycle in freezing rain, I hope my future self will be more thankful for whatever blessing, no matter how big or small, I have in life inshaAllah.