God-inspired

I saw a post comment which sounded like a half-joke, but it's something to truly ponder about.

It was something to the effect of "how did people suddenly know that some 'rotten' (fermented) food are good and can be used, like yoghurt, vinegar - did they all suddenly want to taste food turned bad?"

Good question.

I thought about it, and remembered a comment about man's knowledge, in a book about Science and Islam.  As mentioned in the Quran, all knowledge comes from God.  When a man is suddenly 'inspired' or 'has an idea' or 'is moved to try something' - it came from God.    And this is no surprise and not something without clear example from Nature. 

Just like, who suddenly taught the bees to build hives that can contain honey?  Who taught the birds to pick twigs and make some amazing nests?  Who taught the trees to make it's own food out of sunlight and water source? And the list endlessly goes on.    The answer is only one - God. 

"Glorify the name of your Lord, Most High;

Who created and shaped/fashioned all;

and Who ordained precisely and inspired accordingly"

(87:1-3)

Celebrating strength

There is a novel by a Korean author, which tells the story of a woman, who went through some rough patches in her life and ended up developing a mental illness.   It is said that the book is popular, because the events or challenges in the novel are always backed by the source of the related statistics or the source of a newspaper article about the matter that was being mentioned.

So, I thought I'd give it a read, since my daughter had bought the book. 

The basic idea of the book is that, females are normally not held at high esteem like the males.   Males always get the better of everything - in that society.  And I must say, it is quite common in most societies, in this twisted mindset world. 

I was expecting, something traumatic had happened to the character.  However, the things she mentioned of, were the common woes we hear, like favoritism in a family, and guys normally having more chances of being a leader in a school organisation, and difficulties in getting a job as a female in Korea.  Then, there is the expectations of a mother in law wanting a grandchild, and the challenges of a working mother.  She quit her job to look after her child full time.  However, these are all unacceptable to the character.   When a stranger at the park commented on her 'easy life, being a mother and living off her husband's income' she broke.

People are celebrating this book, and I find it scary.   Because I truly believe most of us are stronger than that.  CAN be stronger than that - especially us Muslims.  We have tools to tackle stress and life issues.   One of them is when we put our trust in God.  Also, acknowledging everyday little things we should be grateful for.  

In the book itself, she spoke of how she went to school, her parents - thanks to her mother -  were able to start a food business which did well.  She attended and completed university, she got married a to good man, and she did get a job in the end, but she quit to look after the child, and her husband is okay with it.   

Why, why did she not look at all the good things that did happen in her life?  

I know it's just a novel - but my concern is how people seem to look up to that story and agree that yes, it is normal and okay to be that weak, our life MUST be better or we cannot survive.

The reality is, life IS going to be full of challenges.  This is one fact we cannot escape from.  We need stories that motivates us to be strong, and resilient.  

Honestly, I have been through worse than what happened to that character, but alhamdulillaah, I'm OKAY.  I'm stronger and hopefully wiser than before, by Allaah's will.  I survived and will survive insyaaAllaah.   

So I do hope that people reading this book do not think that that kind of weakness is normal.  We are stronger than that.  With Allah's help, WE WILL BE FINE.

"... and endure patiently whatever befalls you. Surely this is a resolve to aspire to."  31:17

Simple Egg Fried Rice

*Note : This recipe for my own reference, as such the unplugged text, in case anyone is reading for ideas.

2 full cups rice (enough for 5 pax for this household).   cook and let cool.

 3-4 eggs  fried, scrambled put aside.

2-3 tbsp olive oil, generous.

1 medium onion cubed

4 chilli padi chopped

Carrot cubed and whatever vegetables la.. long beans, peas etc.

Chicken cubed mixed with white pepper powder and sesame oil (optional if available) 

1 cube chicken stock

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp kicap manis (Malay sweet soy sauce)

sauté onion till soft in that olive oil, then add chilli padi, mix mix mix

add the chicken cubes, mix  mix mix.. 5 mins or till chicken cooked

add the veges.  add light soy sauce and chicken stock.  mix until chicken stock well mixed.

put in the rice, mix well,

and then put in the scrambled egg.. mix well and add the kicap manis as desired.   

mix well and serve

An employee in an MNC

 I guess this is how it is in every MNCs

Because everyone there is just an employee

Management competing with each other

To earn even more money and borrowed power.

To control others under their eye

Waste productivity for their KPIs

Doesn't matter if it's of no real value

Just as long as they get their due.

The real performers are kept at bay

So that the superiors can claim that name

of achievements under his 'supervision'

Plagiarising contributions of individual persons

So, work, if you need the money, just be aware

Do your best during work hours, but don't ignore self care 

You're not contracted to work twenty four by seven

The company will still run without your presence.

May God guide and support you.

Is eating vegetarian 'pork' permissable?

Impossible, first came out with the impossible burger meat, which tasted much like meat, even though it is purely vegetarian.  Apparently, what gives the meat the smell and taste of real meat, is the molecule heme, which can be found in hemoglobin, which exists in living plants and animals - according to their website. 

Now they are coming up with a new product which is the vegetarian 'pork'.   

So in Singapore, the Muslims have asked advice from the Islamic authority if it's permissable to eat the vegetarian 'pork'.   The answer, simplified by me here, is - if the materials are truly plant based, it is technically permissable.  However, Muslims are advised to abstain from it. 

I would agree fully with the authorities.   

Why I believe we should abstain from it are two. 

1. It is to remove the possibilities of earning God's displeasure without you realising.   

 Because according to the concept that might be familiar to most Muslims, the reward of a deed  depends on your intention. (Hadith Sahih, Bukhari)

You and your friend might both be eating it, but one of you may be earning God's displeasure and the other is not.  The one that is not, if perhaps, having it, because they primarily assume it to be vegetable based product, regardless of what you call it.    While the other person, is eating it, because they want to know how it feels like to eat like the non-Muslims.    We want to avoid the possibility of being considered as 'one of them'

2. To avoid possibilities of confusion. 

If you become familiar with eating the 'impossible' pork,  you may more likely to be confused or not know when you're actually eating real pork in some ignorant situations.  Eg. if another company sells actual pork, and calls them impossible, and you assume them to be the 'vegetarian' one.     Whereas the person who in the first place, abstains from all those, will not fall into this possibility at all. 

Alhamdulillaah, there is an abundance of food variety in Singapore and around the world that are clearly halal, delicious and good too.    So, one should abstain from unnecessary confusions and imitating non-Muslims diet, as such. 

May God guide us all.