Pink Reverie

I wish you a marvellous day. Some days we are on cloud nine, and some other days we just hit the ground. That’s how life is, so buckle up and enjoy the ride! If we are prepared for the ups and downs, surely we will survive and feel content whatever happens. Talking about ups and downs, I remember someone who underwent the up and down only in one day.

One fine day, a little boy walked out of his classroom carrying wide smile on his face. It was the end of the semester, and all his efforts were paid. He aced in class, and achieved the highest marks among the others. Proud and grateful, his father bought him a present. A really sophisticated toy, which the boy had been craving for. The toy needed to be manually assembled, but that didn’t matter for him. He couldn’t wait to get the toy to function. Along with the package, there was a manual book. However, the boy thought he didn’t need that manual to get his toy work properly. It was piece of cake to assemble the parts. After hours, he successfully joined the parts, and the shape looked exactly like the picture. However, when he tried to run the toy, it didn’t work as it should. The latest features and the advanced technology it had only went to waste. The toy couldn’t work optimally, because the boy didn’t follow the guide. Poor him, he couldn’t play with the sophisticated toy.

Let’s stop pitying the boy, and try to take a lesson from the story. The toy was designed to have certain features. It was completed with a manual to make it work to its best performance. However, the boy didn’t follow the instruction from the creator, so the toy failed to work. What can we say? This can be used as an analogy to human and Al Qur’an, don’t you think?

As humans, we are created by One Source, Allah. Just like the toy, we are also aided with a manual from our Creator. Our manual book is Al Qur’an. The complete manual guide on how to be the best of ourselves is written there. Simply like the boy’s case, if we don’t follow the Al Qur’an, we will not work properly as humans. We will be defective, and won’t reach our best feature. The Al Qur’an has all answers to our insecurities and our problems, if only we read it. Don’t be arrogant as the boy was, that we take a notion we don’t need any manual book in our life, or else we will be lost.

Al Qur’an is our guidance in life, our fix. Whenever you suffer from sadness, look for the cure in Al Qur’an. When you feel angry, take comfort in Al Qur’an. Whenever you feel broken, look up the way to fix yourself in the Al Qur’an. Instead of taking temporary fix, why don’t you take the permanent one, that is Al Qur’an? Really, guys, Al Qur’an is the greatest miracle Allah has given to us. It doesn’t only guide us in our life, but also will guide and save us later in the afterlife. So, let’s read Al Qur’an! If you cannot read it well, learn. If you can read, but rarely read it, read more often. If you have read Al Qur’an more often than reading your social media, keep it up!

Tonight, the night of Ramadan the 17th, we commemorate the Nuzulul Qur’an, the moment when Al Qur’an was descended in full content. It’s a magical night, can you feel it? I want to invite you to celebrate this night by reading Al Qur’an and learning the content. There’s no harm in doing so, on the contrary, tons of advantages you will get. Read and learn the Qur’an, and you will unlock the best features of yourself! Be your best self! May the light of Al Qur’an shine our path always :)

Procrastinating is a common ‘disease’ among us. I do it a lot, unfortunately. Is it your habit too? Do you think you never procrastinate? Just look back for a while, see how you did your assignments, homework, or other duties. Does it ring a bell? If you are not a procrastinator, then congratulations, you are a special person! As I said, procrastinating has been very common. It means, you are one of a kind if you are not a procrastinator. Of course, it’s a good thing. While if you are, like myself, let’s try not to be anymore.

We often do something in the last minute. We might not mean to do that way, but it happens. Some of us might think that is fine as long as our duties done on time. However, have you ever thought that it’s actually a disturbance in our life? Does a second guess like: it’s actually the devils’ whisper, come across your mind? I’ve been thinking about it, and I think, yes, the devils (syaithan) are involved in our procrastinating.

The relax time in advance offered by procrastinating is very tempting, isn’t it? We enjoy our relax time, so we are reluctant to do something. We always say something like, “I’ll do it later, no need to rush. The deadline is still tomorrow anyway” on and on. You might end up doing nothing. Even if you do it eventually, you’ll be in hurry, and things will be messed up. I procrastinate almost every time. Shame on me. However, I do it in a measured and well-managed time. I usually work on my assignment close to the due date, but not really in the last minute. As a result, I do procrastinate, but I’m still able to do my works carefully, and without any pressure. It works, and I’m fine. Yet, it’s still not good. I have to change to be better.

With this, I invite you to quit being a procrastinator from now on. Let’s try together. Remember, everything needs process. We might move as slow as a snail, but we will surely hit the goal eventually. Slowly but sure, let’s stop procrastinating. To think about procrastinating, there’s no good in it. On the contrary, leaving it behind will give us many advantages.

Don’t do what the devils told you to do! We are the best creature, so we shouldn’t be the devils’ slaves who do whatever they order you. Just picture the devils around you laugh at you for their success in making you do what they say, whenever you’re lazy. Hey, don’t let them trick you! Don’t let them laugh at you! Devils’ whisper might sound tempting, but it will only lead us to destruction. The true happiness waits in the eternity, guys, be patient. Let’s remind each other not to be a procrastinator!

Do you feel intact with your life so far? I’m glad for you if you do. Wait, you don’t? Well, it’s humane to feel unsatisfied of anything. When you are not happy about something, do you grumble? Grumbling is also humane, it’s one of human nature. Allah has stated in Surah Al Ma’arij (70:19-21): Indeed, mankind was created anxious: when evil touches him, impatient, and when good touches him, withholding [of it]. Therefore, you’re normal for complaining things. However, you have to know that it’s kind of ‘disease’ of your heart, and disease is, of course, not good for us.

Grumbling is something we don’t realize sometimes. We might feel as though we don’t complain, but we actually do out of it. For instance, you walk from your dorm to campus under the fierce sunlight, and you say,”Oh, I’m tired.” Isn’t that called grumbling? Think of other circumstances you might have done. You’ve done plenty, haven’t you? Then, beg forgiveness to Allah now. Astaghfirullah. This is as the mirror for me too, as a means to see my reflection. I mean, I do grumble too, so what I’m writing here is also addressed to myself. I’m trying to invite you to be better people together.

Pals, let’s be careful in saying things from now on. If you frequently grumble about little things unconsciously, you’ll need to definitely bear this in mind. Let’s try to sort out our words. Better be quiet than saying wrong. Nevertheless, don’t grumble in your mind instead. Keeping grumbling in your mind is still grumbling. The difference is only that it’s not said orally. I know it’s difficult. For now, when you realize you’ve thought about complaint or other bad things, quickly say astaghfirullahal’adzim. Next, you have to try to be satisfied in everything Allah has given to you.

Now, how to feel intact of everything Allah has given to us, so that we don’t grumble?
The key is always to be grateful. You got good things then thank Allah. Do it too when you got calamities. As you know, everything happens in this world is only by Allah’s willing. Nothing happens without Allah’s permission. Therefore, there must be something great behind the calamities. We just need to find it out, then we can be grateful even in the darkest time.

Let’s say you are a good-looking person, but one day Allah tested you by giving pimples on your face. Any method you’ve done, but they kept embellishing your face for years. Your confidence dropped, and your effort is about to run out. There, you might start wondering what sins you have done, and you beg forgiveness. However, your face is still as mess. You would have been so down by then. Hey, don’t be so down, be positive. Allah has given you such a test to protect you from a big sin related to romantic interest. What could’ve happened if you weren’t acne prone? Only God knows. Then, if you got someone who loved or even proposed you, that person must love you for you, for what’s inside of you, not just because of your cover. You’d be very grateful to realize it. So, try to see the positive beyond the calamities.

The point is, let’s stop grumbling, and always be thankful. Remember that God’s test is another name of God’s blessing. Calamities do happen to anyone.
Do the people think that they will be left to say,”We believe” and they will not be tried? But we have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. [Surah Al Ankaboot 29:2-3]

Hope this is helpful! :)

There have been terrible crimes occurring around my living place lately. Theft, deception, and even gashing were uttered to be incessant. Maybe to say it's incessant is overrated, but it describes how common these things are nowadays around me. I've been kind of insecure since then. Such terrible crimes had never happened this often before. At least in my hometown, and in this city where I'm staying now, which is only an hour riding from my hometown.

It's even more dreadful when I heard that two friends of mine had lost their bags along with money, gadgets, and important letters. Ironically, it happened when my friends were praying in a masjid. Masjid is supposed to be a sacred place, where ones beg for God's forgiveness on everything they've done wrong. I know, criminals are criminals regardless of where they commit crimes, but stealing in a masjid is just too ironic. They've completely gone round the bend and seem to be ready for hell.

I felt sorry for my friends and for the thief. My friends suffered loss, moreover with the missing of their SKHUN (a letter states student's national final exam score, given at graduation. It's usually needed as an attachment in registering to higher school, educational programs, and seeking job). I also pitied the criminal, as they had gone wrong (moreover, in a sacred place). There must be a reason why they stole, either they was forced to fulfill their needs or something else. However, stealing is never considered right. Ever.

Another crime happened to my friends is deception. My friend almost became one of the victims. One day, she got a text message from someone claimed to be a senior who asked her to send her classmates' phone number. Without any suspicion, she did it. Just then, her classmates got a strange text message claimed to be another classmate of theirs. Luckily, some of them spotted the oddity of the message, so they crosschecked with the real classmate whose name was claimed by the criminal. Eventually, they all knew they had been tricked and they were pulled away from being victims. Once they believed the sender, they would be asked to send some amount of communication charge (usually hundred thousand to million rupiah in amount).

The most inhumane crime occurred is gashing. Can you imagine, you are riding back home from campus at night, and suddenly get gashed by unknown people who then rob you? The robbery might not be something new, but gashing first? The gang has been haunting everyone in this city. Sometimes, the gang just gashed someone without taking anything from him or her. It seemed like they enjoyed gashing people. Sounds like psychopath. Or maybe they are actually GTA maniacs who want to bring the game to life? Ridiculous. It's not San Andreas, it's a peaceful city in Indonesia.

There's no safe place in this world, is there? All those occurring remind me to be even closer to the God almighty, Allah SWT. Indeed, there's no safe place, but I have Allah who is always there for me. As long as I'm under His shade, Insha’Allah, I'll be all right. Whatever happens to you, let you come to Allah as the first to ask for help.