Are Mono & Diglycerides Halal?

Here's something to share to all Muslim's friends in the world.  


An extract from what I posted on my facebook yesterday...




I was browsing the ingredients found in "Hershey's Syrup Genuine Chocolate Flavor" & found out abt this.. 

Jadi kalau tak pasti makanan 2 halal, jangan la main sebat je beli... Bace dulu sebelum beli ok...

Are Mono & Diglycerides Halal?

www.isaiowa.org

Islamic Services of America - Halal certification, information, procedures, and practices for consumers and businesses.

 ·  · Share · Yesterday at 5:58pm

"I was browsing the ingredients found in "Hershey's Syrup Genuine Chocolate Flavor"  found out abt this.." 

Below is the website where I get the info. I've also include the extract from the article below.

http://www.isaiowa.org/News/20110614/7/Are-Mono-Diglycerides-Halal.aspx

Are Mono & Diglycerides Halal?

June 14, 2011

Food Scientists at ISA analyze additives, flavors, colors, and ingredients in common consumables to ensure Halal Compliance.

What are Mono & Diglycerides and are they Halal?

This is one of the many questions that we are frequently asked to provide clarification and explanation on, so we thought we’d share some information in print on this subject.

 If you haven’t noticed, it just so happens that you can find mono & diglycerides just about everywhere and in just about any food product from peanut butter to ice cream to bakery products. All you have to do is look at the ingredient list on any store shelf and you’ll find mono & diglycerides in their list.

What are mono & diglycerides?

Mono & diglycerides are fatty acids usually derived from triglycerides or phospholipids which are both hydrophilic - attracted to water, and hydrophobic - repelled by water. Triglycerides are an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids. It is the main constituent of animal fats and vegetable oils.

What are mono & diglycerides used for?

Mono & diglycerides are used as emulsifier in many foods. Emulsifiers are a substance that stabilizes an emulsion by increasing its kinetic stability. The simplest way of explaining this is by referring to the phrase “Oil and water don’t mix”, or at least if they do, they will soon separate. However, through the use of emulsifier, the emulsion will not separate, because mono & diglycerides are both hydrophilic and hydrophobic, so they are soluble in both water and fat and are used to keep oils from separating in products. Mono & diglycerides will also increase the shelf life of products.

What is their source?

Mono & diglycerides are most commonly derived from the skin and bones of animals. The most common source is swine, but they can also be derived from the hides or bones of bovine (beef) sources as well. In addition to animal sources of origin, mono & diglycerides can also be derived from vegetable sources such as canola or soy. 

Mono & diglycerides derived from vegetable sources are more expensive. Likewise when food producers go to the extra expense of using mono & diglycerides of vegetable origin they are generally doing so to meet the dietary needs of various consumers who cannot consume animal derivatives. These consumers can be restricted by religious dietary requirements, personal choice not to consume animal products, health concerns, allergies, or other variables that restrict consumption of animal products.  Likewise if the mono & diglycerides are not noted as being sourced from soy or vegetable origin it is likely and safe to assume that they are derived from an animal source of origin.

Conclusion; Halal (Permissable) or Haram (Forbidden)?

Because too often there are no specific indicators pertaining to the source of origin for mono & diglycerides, one must assume that their primary source of origin is from swine due to industry preference for its properties and lower cost. Needless to say, it is very likely that the product with mono & diglycerides that you find in the store is Haram.

If the mono & diglycerides were of bovine origin, they would only be considered Halal if the animal that they were derived from was subject to a Halal slaughter and the processing of skin and bone was consistent with international Halal standards and Shariah.

If the source of origin for mono & diglycerides was derived from a vegetable such as soy or canola, it would be deemed Halal.

❤ ♥ My Lappy Turns 1 ♥ ❤

This month marks 1 year since the day I bought my laptop a.k.a. "lappy". My lappy turns 1! For the past one year, blogging is done using my very own laptop.

This has been my personal laptop for the past one year. It has do me a lot of favor. From surfing the net through writing & archiving photos and videos. I've done quite a few of video editing through the windows live movie editor provided & still learning on it.

I love my laptop. It may not have the sophisticated or up-to-date functions but I'm thankful for what it can do for me. Upgrading need to be done in order for it to function better. But for now, this is all I can afford. I'll only spent within my budget.

Once again, Happy Birthday to my dearest "lappy"... May you do me "justice" & stay faithful with me in years to come. I dislike changing or getting a new laptop once in a few years. I'm hoping that this laptop will last me for a decade or even longer. All my memories is archived in here. Pls be good to me...

I'll end my post for now. Till the next time. Cherio peeps! :)


♥♥♥♥ I'm so gonna ♥♥♥♥ it

Quiet & Empty Streets

I went out on the eve of Chinese New Year. Upon returning back home at night, I realised the streets were quiet & empty. 10:40pm I'm walking home. Where did I go? Somewhere near but not too far.

I left the house after 2pm. The weather is quite hot at first but soon, rain began to pour in accompanied by a loud thunder. I was stunned. I had a sudden of a scary feelings deep down inside. I observed the surroundings. During the day time, there's a swam of busy shoppers. They are busy doing a "last minute" shopping in preparation for the new year.

I'm happy that I managed to purchased my favourite DONUTS from J.CO!

Shop till I drop... Not really. Just going around grabbing some snacks & munching on "fast foods". I'm totally enjoying the new year. Eat to my heart content... Will need to work out on losing that extra pounds gain during the period of the festive. Be it my festive that I celebrate(Hari Raya) or simply enjoying the festive seasons by others, I still "celebrate" every occasion of the festive seasons.

 I'll definitely enjoy some good food later. Can't wait for that. Wondering what will the menu be for tomorrow? Let's wait and see.

The day before the eve, I went shopping at the supermarket at night. What I observed is that many products on the shelves seems to be sold out especially when it came to food items. Groceries were the main targets. Many shelves were empty. The checkout counter - such a long queue.... Pheww...

I'll end my entry for now. Till the next time. Cherio peeps! :)

May I take this opportunity to wish all chinese a Happy Lunar New Year, Gong Xi Fa Cai! May this year of the dragon brings in happiness, success, prosperity & good health to everyone. Enjoy the long holidays :)

Manhattan Fish Market

10 January 2012. I hang out with my old buddy for a dinner. I let her decide on the venue for dinner. She choose Manhattan Fish Market at Dhoby Ghaut. We met after work.

Time check. it was nearly 07:00 pm as reflected on my watch. We met outside the station. Took the lift all the way to level 6 where the "Manhattan Fish Market" was located. It's almost crowded but we still managed to make our way in as there's still empty seats around.

I'm not going to elaborate much on the place or food. I'll post some pics to do all the elaboration.














I'll end my post for now. Till the next time. Cherio peeps! :)

I'm so gonna ♥ it ;)

World Orchid Conference 2011

I began this entry on 26 November 2011 but only managed to publish it today, 16 Jan 2012. There's a huge delay in my attempt to complete this entry. I was busy lately & only had the time to update today. Perhaps the issue of uploading photos that are taking forever is the main cause why this update is postponed up to nearly 2 months. I only realized uploading pics by other ways such as using "Photobucket". I'm not up-to-date regarding web or I.T matters. Without further ado, here it is my update on W.O.C. 2011. Pictures tells a thousand words. I'm not good in elaborating more about the event. So I chose to upload photos to do all the explaining. Picture quality is not good as I'm using mobile camera. Please excuse the quality of it.

  

Saturday 19 November 2011: On this date, I went to Marina Bay for the event of World Orchid Conference.

There's a free shuttle bus service provided from Marina Bay station to Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands Singapore. It's my first time being there. It's a total new experience for me. Entry to the Garden of Bay requires ticket for entry. But the garden park outside Garden of Bay, it's a free admission.

                                                                                                            

The ticket cost $18 after a rebate discount. If possible, I'll include the tickets image below.  



Some pics that was captured during the visit:

"Entrance of Prove" that reads "Gardens By The Bay"

Below is some of the snapshot taken. There's a few more photo's left to be uploaded. I'm trying to upload the image of the tickets purchased. All is uploaded except the tickets.

♥♥♥♥ I'm so gonna ♥♥♥♥ it

It's Time To Leave

It's hard to say goodbye. But every beginning will come to an end. It's about time I make my leave. Though I somehow felt attached to that place but I'm left with no choice but to leave. The sooner the better. I did not make this decision of leaving in a day or two but I have think it over than a day, weeks & months.

The day have finally came for me to submit my decision. It took me a month to think over this matter. Perhaps it's all that I can endure. I had enough of it. I have to leave sooner or later. I have to make a solid decision. It's about time, I need to inform my decision to the required "party". The conclusion is I'm leaving the organisation for good. I simply can't stay any longer.

I enjoyed my time down there. I had my reason to leave. But I'm not going to explain what is the main reason that forced me to leave. Some things are best kept as secret. I am not fond of pint pointing on whose at fault or what's the main issue etc... Let the truth remains in my heart. For sure, some may have already known the reason behind it but I chose not to explain when the manager asked the reason for me quitting? What I answered is a spontaneous "boring" but for sure that's not the main reason.

The environment is awesome! What would be great than having an office place near a shopping mall? It was a great experience for me. Imagine if we're bored and stressed out, we can drop by the shopping mall for a while. Take a look at the beautiful scenery.

The place might be great but I'm not feeling happy to stay.

View from a distance away from my former office

Below is my "farewell gift" given by my manager & colleague.



But unfortunately, the chocolate on the right given by the manager contains "rum", "champagne", & "brandy", all those "non-halal" items. I did consume a few pieces as it's stated that it's a "non-alcohol". Upon reading the ingredients list thoroughly, I had to discard it off.

That's all for now. Till the next time. Got to go to settle on other matters. Cherio peeps!

Happy New Year 2012!

Hello 2012! I know I'm 6 days late but Happy New Year readers... May our new year resolutions come true!

Celebration?

I went for the countdown. Yup for the first time in my life, I attended the countdown. The countdown party was open to public. It was held at Punggol East, "Harmony Square" at Rivervale Crescent. That's 3 stops away from my house bus stop.

I left my house at around 10:30pm. Took a bus to get there. Arrived at the venue around 10:50pm. I was too early but not quite. There's already a huge crowd forming at the open space. Watched some singing by the winner of the 2010 singing contest organised by the CC (Community Club). It was a powerful performance by that woman. Her vocal rocks! Couldn't quite remember the song she sang but I only remembered she covered the final song by Adele - Rolling In The Deep. She rock the stage. Applaud by the residents and people around.

The moment that we've been waiting for have finally arrived. It's time for countdown! Excited for it! But of course the reason for me being there is to catch my idol singing live. I'm waiting for Taufik to perform on stage. But he only performed after the countdown. He took the stage with Hady Mirza for a duet singing "Freedom". He continued with the next song , a medley song from his various album: MYBG, Sombong, Sesuatu Janji & Addicted. He end the performance with a final song, "One Last" taken from his first album entitled "Blessings".

Sadly, I did not managed to capture the moments in my camera bcos everything seems unclear. the lighting wasn't that good. Furthermore I'm using my camera phone to capture & the focus was not good so everything is blur. So, it's no point for me to continue snapping pictures. I spent the time watching him singing rather than busy snapping & capturing videos.






I stand right next to the speaker & it was a total blast for my ear drum. But I can watched his performance clearly from where I stand. There's no one standing in front of me bcos it's where the speaker is being placed with the stand. There was a "gate" align to it. So it was somehow covered up by the "gate".

I really love the fireworks after the countdown. I took several pics but then again it was not quite clear. So I took a video of the fireworks & uploaded it to my facebook. I knew uploading video to blogger will take forever. I'll try to think of a way to upload them without any hassle. Perhaps Youtube. Shall see how it goes later.


Finally managed to upload the fireworks video I captured during the event. Some random shot on the fireworks. Recorded towards the end of the fireworks using my camera phone, HTC 7 Trophy. Blurry & shaky images expected.

As for now, Have a great New Year readers! Enjoy... A new year, a new ME... Till the next time. Cherio peeps!

♥♥♥♥ I'm so gonna ♥♥♥♥ it

Moments Before 2012 - Goodbye 2011

Countdown to 2012 in less than 8 hours away. New years eve; countdown party everywhere!

2011 brought about many memories in my life. Happiness, sad, anger, frustrating & disappointing moments. All of that feelings happened within this year.

I have never went to any countdown party. Hopefully later I can visit any countdown party nearby. Hopefully if everything goes well. We shall see how it goes later.

Last week I fall sick with a temperature of 39.7°C. The seasons of flue have just began. But I'm thankful that I have recovered from the flu. I was advice to complete the whole course of medicine for antibiotic as prescribed by the doctor. Since I'm the stubborn type, I did not fully complete the entire medication. I stop taking medicine after I'm feeling much better.  After a week, I'm feeling much better than before.


My resolution in 2012: to be a better person than before. Most importantly to secure a job in the industry. I hope for nothing but only the best in life. More happiness in time to come. I really want to achieve something in my life. As I'll grow a year older in a few months from now(since I belong to the Taurus horoscope), there's so many things that I wanna achieve before my birthday..

I'm ending my final entry for this year. GOODBYE 2011! ♥♥ I'm definitely goina miss it.

Till the next time peeps! Cherio ♥

11.12.11

11.12.11? Even I have no answer why I chose this as the title. I'm writing this entry at the middle of the night. Time check on the monitor is 1:42am at the point I'm typing this.

What should I begin with? Hmmm... Ok. Since it's already the 11 day of December, that means 2o more days to go before new year, 2012. Let's do the countdown... Hehe : D

What I did recently? I don't know is this madness? But i spent the few days hunting for chocolates. Whatever sales on chocolates, I'll definitely make an attempt to pass by and have a look. Not even that, I even purchased quite a few of them. As some may already knew, I have a "weakness" for chocolates. Among my favourite one shall be Kinder Bueono, Ferrero Rocher & the list goes on.... I spent a lot on chocolates these few days.

In this year, my "big spender" award shall go to perfumes oil. I realised that I've spent over $100 over dollars & still counting on fragrance products alone. But I can't help it. Perfumes is one of the most important part in my daily life. I must make sure that I doesn't smell "unpleasant". Proper choosing of fragrance can make me feels relax. If we smell good, we will feel good.


I won't leave the house without applying any form of fragrance product. Roll on deodorant is a must have to apply for me daily. Not only that, I'll make sure that I carry with me a bottle of perfume where ever I go. I'll remind myself to carry a perfume inside my bag before leaving the house. Just in case when I'm in a rush that I forgotten to apply perfume, I'll have my "savior" inside my bag. You'll never know when you need it.

I'm not someone who is a "brand conscious" but I'll simply purchase anything that I like. I'll try to spend within my budget. I'm not a "high maintenance" girl but sometimes there is a time when I think I need to pamper myself. Like many other girls who like to pamper themselves with shopping & relaxing by doing facial treatment, the same thing goes with me. But I'm more into "window shopping" rather than a big spender type.

It's nothing wrong to spend as long as we can afford it but at times like now when the economy is not stable, it's best to not overspent. Spend wisely. Buy only the things we need most rather than "want". If we totally follow our heart desires, that is equivalent to driving ourselves to "bankruptcy". That is so true.

This year I spent a lot on fragrance products & makeup collections. Purchasing more beauty products & experimenting more with makeup collections. But again, I only spent within my budget. I don't go about spending until I'm left with penniless. Don't shop until you drop! Ahah! One thing for sure, my makeup collections is adding up & changing. But I still stick on to the brand that I like & trusted. Though at times, I'll still change. Experimenting with different colours is definitely the most enjoying & interesting part for me.

Time check on the monitor digital clock, it's 2:16am. I think it's about time for me to end this entry & go to bed. I need my "beauty sleep" to stay fresh the next day. Till the next time, Cherio peeps! Remember a smile is all it takes to cheer up the day. Keep smiling :) ♥

Quick Preview of WOC

Will upload the rest of the pics taken during the event if everything goes well. I'm still trying to upload the rest of the pics. But Flickr failed. I give up & shall upload the rest via other means of uploader. Till the next update. Cherio peeps!

04 December @4am

It's 4th of December & at 4am, I'm updating my blog via mobile web. Blogging via mobile is indeed very challenging & difficult but I'll still try to update. As mentioned in my earlier previous 2 post, I plan to do a write up on my day out é last 2 weeks ago. But sadly I can't update bcos uploading pics is taking forever. But when I had é time, I'll definitely update. I'll need to reduce é photoe size in order to facilitate uploading. Reducing photos will require more time. But no worries, I'll get it done a.s.a.p. I'll t pictures to do all é talking. I seems to be running out of ideas to further elaborate on my previous visit to "a place"...  Battery running low. Nitez peeps




 ♥ I'm so gonna ♥♥♥♥ it

It's a Total Hectic

Yesterday , I spent the day out somewhere around the country. I ended up getting surprised as I realised that by the time I reached home, it was past midnight. Yup... "Cinderella in the house!" Ahahaha... Why it's a total hectic? Despite getting home very late past midnight, I still need to wake up early in the morning to get the "necessary task" done.

Imagine I couldn't get to sleep despite the clock is pointing towards 4am in the morning. What causes me to stay wide awake despite all the hectic walking around the whole day. Surprisingly, I'm like a "zombie" when I forced myself to wake up despite the drowsy feelings. I need to prevent procrastination from accumulating through my body cells. What crap am I talking? Does it makes sense?

Anyway, my eyes are getting heavier as my fingers are typing right at this moment. I shall continue with my next update if I manage to get my hands on this "lappy" of mine.

p.s: This shall be my "quick update" for the day. Didn't manage to plan a proper update.

Till the next time. Cherio readers! A smile is all it takes to cheer up the day. So remember, keep smiling :)

 ♥♥♥♥ I'm so gonna ♥♥♥♥ it

Life In Secondary School

Let's get started. I did not have a smooth life throughout my 4 years in secondary school. What I could say is that it's not a pleasant experience while I'm still in the 10 years of basic education in Singapore. From the age of 7 to 16 years old, I'm not that "happy" being a student. I admit I'm not a bright student either. I know where I stand among the rest. But that's not the reason why I don't really "enjoy" my days in school.

Definitely there's another reason which leads to my "unhappiness". Being the "quiet" type or nature kind of girl, I'm often being picked upon by others(classmates) on many other things or issues that occurred. I'm often being picked as the "bully victim" in school. Not to the extend of "physically" bullied but more into "verbally" bullied.

Until at one point of a time, I felt  that I no longer wanna turn up for school. In my heart I was shouting "I don't want to go to school. I hate those bullies. Both boys & few girls". In my heart I know that I must stand up & fight for myself but I just can't. I don't like to fight or "quarrel" with anyone.  I'm just not the type who enjoy to "fight back". I often just "let go" of everything that happened. Perhaps at that time, I was too young to fight things out.

Enough is enough!

How was I like in Secondary school? Obviously I'm the "quiet type". Not only that, I'm a "well behaved student" too. I never give trouble to any teachers. They never need to take any disciplinary actions against me. I'm a "good girl" you see. Hehe... Even if my parents need to be called up to school during the "meet the parent session", teachers never complain about my behaviour. They only discussed regarding my academic performance. 

Memories Throughout 4 Years:

Let me recalled during this point of time, my teachers are the following:

Sec 1: Class 1G

Form teacher: Mdm Xuan Xuan

Co-form teacher: Mr Lim Sen Yuan.

Subject teachers(if I can still remembered)

English language: Miss Poon Wai Mun

Elementary Mathematics: Mrs Kathleen Wong(temporary) & Miss Wat Lai Lian

History: Mdm Fauziah Hassan

Geography: Mr Lim Choon Heng

Science: Miss Louisa Ng

Home Economics: Miss Lum Yit Yau

Design & Technology: Mr Ng(Can't remember his full name) almost retired teacher if I not mistaken

Art & Design: Miss Loo Puay Ling

PCCG(Pastoral Care Career Guidance):Mr Ten Liew Jaw(temporary) & Miss Serene Koh

Malay Language: Mr Saat(temporary in replacing for Mdm Rohaida maternity leave at the beginning of the year)

Sec 2: 2EC

Form Teacher: Miss Wat Lai Lian

English Language: Miss Wat Lai Lain

Elementary Mathematics: Miss Wat Lai Lian

Science: Miss Louisa Ng

History: Mdm Fauziah Hassan

Geography: Miss Poon Wai Mun

Home Economics: Miss Lum Yit Yau

Design & Technology: Mrs Peggy Ng

Art & Design: Miss Loo Puay Ling

Malay Language: Mdm Rohaida Ismail

Sec 3: 3EC

Form Teacher: Miss Lo Yen Nie

1: English Language: Miss Lo Yen Nie

2: Malay Language (2nd Language): Mdm Rohaida Ismail

3: Elementary Mathematics: Mrs Tan Heng Meng  but previously it was Miss Phua Yen Ling Iris (Mrs Lee) but she prefered to be addressed as Miss Phua (switched teacher during her early pregnancy stage)

4: Pure Geography/Core Geography: Mr Lim Choon Heng

5: Combined Humanities:

Ø  History: Mdm Serene Koh

Ø  Social Studies: Mr Tan?( Forgotten his full name)

6: Combined Science:

Ø  Physics: Mdm Tan Bee Yong

Ø  Biology: Miss Jessica Lim Lay Keng

7: Art & Design: Miss Loo Puay Ling

Sec 4: 4EC

Form Teacher: Miss Lo Yen Nie

1: English Language: Miss Lo Yen Nie

2: Malay Language (2nd Language): Mr Bathiar Kassim

3: Elementary Mathematics: Mrs Tan Heng Meng

4: Pure Geography/Core Geography: Mr Lim Choon Heng/Mdm Hosea Leow(towards the beginning of term 4)

5: Combined Humanities:

1) History: Miss Lo Yen Nie

2) Social Studies: Mrs Frances Ess

6: Combined Science:

1) Physics: Mdm Tan Bee Yong/ Miss Phua Yen Ling(towards the end of year as Mrs Tan is in her early pregnancy stage)

2) Biology: Miss Jessica Lim Lay Keng

7: Art & Design: Miss Loo Puay Ling

In Sec 1, I met a new friend & glad to say that our friendship last till now. Yup I'm glad that we are still keeping in touch with one another even after we left secondary school for more than half a decade ago. A friend that makes a difference in my life.  A friend whose there whenever I need someone to talk too. Someone who give me words of encouragement & motivation whenever I'm feeling down. Even if it is just a "sms" away instead of a phone call. As we are now busy with our own commitments, we are not able to meet as often as usual but glad we can still squeeze in some time for a meet up though it's like twice a year. It's just a sms away you see. I'm not the type who can hang up on the phone for a long time. I'm a more to an sms person rather than "a phone call away" type. Hahah....

Who else did I make friends with? While in secondary school? Let me think... Hmm... I knew the friend I mentioned above from a friend of friend though we are both classmates. I knew Meileng from Yi Ju a.k.a. Yi Ru. From there I knew(let me mention a few) Clara Chew, (Wing Yin, Jeralyn, non-classmates)

Towards upper sec, I'm sitting together with these classmates: Fadzillah, Sok Wah, Vivian, Hidayah, Anusha. Among all those mentioned names, I don't think any of them still remembers me now though some of them is already on my friend list in facebook.   

What I could say is that "my worst years" is when I'm in sec 4. At that time I just want the years to past quickly. I wanna leave the school once & for all. I'm glad that the "torturous" moment have past. Almost daily, there is definitely something that I will be pick up upon. Teasing is the most common thing that I get every single day. Something that goes wrong, I'll get blame, again I'm being the victim of being pick upon. Arghhh.... All this is common. Kinda have to get used to it during that time.

At the age of 16, I don't really have a temper. Even when I'm angry, no one can tell. It's different as compared to my current temper now. As I grow up, my temper is starting to show up but pretty much in control.       

I remember the time when I hang out with group of friends for cycling after school. They are Zi Yun, Yi Ru, Meileng & Hanisah. We went to downtown Pasir Ris to cycle. Imagine bringing home clothes to change after school. But for the sake of hanging out, we endure all that. It's fun spending time together. I wish I can turn back time. If only I could...

In school, we used to hang out outside the library area during recess time. My favourite place to hang out during recess time is the bench near the stairs. The stairs is the direct link pathway to the classroom.

Before I forget, at 2005, the school starts to implement a "home room system".  The system is very tedious. It's a waste of time honestly. For every subject, we need to move to a different classroom. Different teachers have their own classroom. For english & history lesson, we are lucky that we need not move to the other designated classrooms because the same teacher is teaching both subjects.

At the same year, new principal came in after the previous one retire.

I hate it during recess time. Half an hour is never enough. 3 levels came down at the same time. Imagine it's totally crowded. I never get a chance to have a proper meal at the canteen. I only ended up eating biscuit during recess time. No wonder I'm always underweight throughout the years. I never gain weight.

Other than that, it's been a most memorable years. There's happiness, sadness, frustration, etc... But that's life. Full of ups and down. With all that experience, it have made me a much better person & preferably much wiser. Growing up requires process & I can never change to be a better person within a day.  

With that, I'm ending my entry for now. I'm trying to recall back as much as I could but these is the only ones that I remembered.  Till the the next time. Cherio peeps! Have a great day ahead. 

♥Remember a smile is all it takes to cheer up the day. Keep smiling :) ♥

A Week In November

It's 2nd day of Eid-ul-adha & hopefully it's not to wish all muslim a happy "Eid-Ul-Adha" or it's locally known as Salam Aidiladha or Selamat Hari Raya Haji..

(Below is an extract from Wikipedia)

Definition :

Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) tosacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma'il) as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a sheep— to sacrifice instead.

Eid al-Adha is the latter of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from Sura 2 (Al-Baqara) Ayah 196 in the Qur'an. Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha begins with a Sunnah prayer of two Raka'ah (units) followed by a sermon (khuṭbah).

The word "Eid" appears in Sura al-Mai'da ("The Table Spread," Chapter 5) of the Qur'an, meaning 'solemn festival'.

Eid al-Adha is celebrated annually on the 10th day of the 12th and the last Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. Eid al-Adha celebrations start after the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. The date is approximately 70 days (2 Months & 10 days) after the end of the month of Ramadan, i.e. Eid-ul-Fitr. Ritual observance of the holiday lasts until sunset of the 13th day of Dhu al-Hijjah

The Sunnah of Eid al-Adha

In keeping with the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, Muslims are encouraged to prepare themselves for the occasion of Eid. Below is a list of things Muslims are recommended to do in preparation for the Eid al-Adha festival:

1. Make wudu (ablution) and offer Salat al-Fajr (the pre-sunrise prayer).
2. Prepare for personal cleanliness - take care of details of clothing, etc.
3. Dress up, putting on new or best clothes available.

Salat al-Eid (Eid prayer)

Salat al-Eid is a Wajib, not a fard kafaya. Fard kafaya meaning that if performed by some, the obligation falls from the rest congregational prayer. Eid prayer must be offered in congregation. It consists of two Raka'ah (units) with seven Takbirs in the first Raka'ah and five Takbirs in the second Raka'ah. For Sunni Muslims, Salat al-Eid differs from the five daily canonical prayers in that no adhan (Call to Prayer) or iqama (call) is pronounced for the two Eid prayers. However, Shi'ite Muslims may begin Salat al-Eid with adhan (Call to Prayer)—with a third repetition of the line "Hayya ala salah" ("Come to prayer")—and iqama (call). The Salaat (prayer) is then followed by the Khutbah, or sermon, by the Imam.

At the conclusion of the prayers and sermon, the Muslims embrace and exchange greetings with one other (Eid Mubarak), give gifts (Eidi) to children, and visit one another. Many Muslims also take this opportunity to invite their non-Muslims friends, neighbours, co-workers and classmates to their Eid festivities to better acquaint them about Islam and Muslim culture.

The Takbir and other rituals

The Takbir is recited from the dawn of the tenth of Dhu al-Hijjah to the thirteenth, and consists of:

Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar	الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
lā ilāha illā Allāh	لا إله إلا الله
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar	الله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illāhil-hamd	ولله الحمد

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,

There is no deity but Allah

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest

and to Allah goes all praise

Variation

Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar	الله أكبر الله أكبر
lā ilāha illā Allāh	لا إله إلا الله
wa Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar	والله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illāhil-ḥamd	ولله الحمد
Alḥamdulillāh `alā mā hadānā, wa lahul-shukru `ala mā awlānā	الحمد لله على ما هدانا و له الشكر على ما اولانا

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,

There is no deity but Allah

and Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest

and to Allah goes all praise, (We) sing the praises of Allah because He has shown us the Right Path. (We) gratefully thank Him because He takes care of us and looks after our interests.

Variation:

Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar	الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر
lā ilāha illā Allāh	لا إله إلا الله
Allāhu akbar, Allāhu akbar	الله أكبر الله أكبر
wa li-illāhil-ḥamd	ولله الحمد
Allāhu akbar kabīra, wal ḥamdu lillāhi kathīra, wa subḥāna Allāhi bukratan wa aṣīlā	الله أكبر كبيرا والحمد لله كثيرا وسبحان الله بكرة وأصيلا
lā ilāha illā Allāh waḥdah(i)	لا اله إلا الله وحده
Ṣadaqa wa`dah, wa naṣara abdah, wa 'a`azza jundahu wa ḥazama al-aḥzaba waḥdah	صدق وعده ونصر عبده وأعز جنده وهزم الأحزاب وحده
lā ilāha illā Allāh	لا إله إلا الله
walā na`budu illā iyyāh	ولا نعبد إلا إياه
Mukhliṣīn lahu ud-dīn wa law kariha al kāfirūn	مخلصين له الدين ولو كره الكافرون
Allāhumma ṣallī `alā Sayyidinā Muḥammad, wa `alā āla Sayyidinā Muḥammad, wa `alā aṣḥabi Sayyidinā Muḥammad, wa `alā anṣāri Sayyidinā Muḥammad, wa `alā azwāji Sayyidinā Muḥammad, wa `alā ḏurriyyati Sayyidinā Muḥammadin wa sallim taslīman kathīra	اللهم صل على سيدنا محمد وعلى آل سيدنا محمد وعلى أصحاب سيدنا محمد وعلى أنصار سيدنا محمد وعلى أزواج سيدنا محمد وعلى ذرية سيدنا محمد وسلم تسليما كثيرا

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,

There is no deity but Allah

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest

and to Allah goes all praise

Allah is the Greatest, all Praise is due to Him, And Glory to Allah, eventide and in the morning

There is no god, but Allah the Unique

He has fulfilled His Promise, and made Victorious His worshipper, and made Mighty His soldiers and defeated the confederates

There is no deity but Allah

He alone we worship

With sincere and exclusive devotion, even though the infidels hate it

O Allah, have Mercy on our Prophet Muhammad, and on the family of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the Companions of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the Helpers of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the wives of our Prophet Muhammad, and on the offspring of our Prophet Muhammad, and bestow upon them much peace.

Eid Prayer is Wajib, not a fard kafaya.

Traditions and practices

 women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to performEid prayer (ṣalātu l-`Īdi) in a large congregation is an open waqf field called Eidgah ormosque. Those Muslims who can afford, i.e Malik-e-Nisaab; sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually a cow, but can also be a camel, goat, sheep or ram depending on the region) as a symbol of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son. The sacrificed animals, called Uḍhiyyah (Arabic: أضحية‎, also known by its Persian term, "al-Qurbāni"), have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. This tradition accounts for more than 100 million slaughtering of animals in only 2 days of Eid. In Pakistan alone nearly 10 million animals are slaughtered on Eid days costing over US$ 3 billion.

The meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three parts. The family retains one third of the share; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the other third is given to the poor and needy. The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by concerted efforts to see that no impoverished person is left without an opportunity to partake in the sacrificial meal during these days.

During Eid al-Adha, distributing meat amongst the people, chanting the Takbir out loud before the Eid prayer on the first day and after prayers throughout the three days of Eid, are considered essential parts of this important Islamic festival. In some countries, families that do not own livestock can make a contribution to a charity that will provide meat to those who are in need. 

That shall be it. I'm using Wikipedia for the definition of Aidiladha. I can't explain in my own words & that's the reason why I'm referring to web for it's definition.  

Since Hari Raya Haji falls on Sunday thus the following Monday (which is today) is a public holiday. Did I say H-O-L-I-D-A-Y? Yipee... It's definitely a great & happy day for students & those working. Ahah! Finally another extra day to relax & chill out with loved ones. A long weekend with no Monday blues. Hehe...

Over the weekend, I had dinner at Long John Silver. I ordered Grilled Cajun Chicken.

But it was replaced with chips combo. I'm not sure what it's called. The one beside the fries.

Comes tomorrow, everyone shall be back either to school or work. So happy working & welcome back to school to primary school students. I'm aware that secondary students are currently having their holidays starting November. During my time, final day of school falls on the final Friday of October. So I assume  the same thing for the current generation. 

Talking about that, I suddenly missed schooling days. The time when I'm still a student. Time past real quick. Without realising, it's been more than half a decade since I graduated from secondary school. 4 more years later, it would have been a decade since I left all the memories behind. Those memories brings about tears & laughter. Perhaps when I have the time, I would write about my life in secondary school. But I would need a proper planning before beginning to write. I need to recall back all the incidents happening throughout my 4 years spent in Secondary School. I may not remember everything but I shall try my best to attempt a write up on the topic of "My Years In Secondary School". Hopefully I'm able to pen down my years spent back then. 

I shall end my entry for now. Till the next time. Cherio peeps!

A smile is all it takes to cheer up the day. Keep smiling :)

♥♥♥♥ I'm so gonna ♥♥♥♥ it

Hello November

Good day to all passerby readers. This shall be my first update for this month. I've been lacking of ideas on what to update on my next entry. That's the cause of lack of updates. My apologies to that. It's my love in writing that cause me to come back for more(trying to write as frequently as I could). But due to time constraint, I will only update when I have the time to do so. 

Ermmm... What shall I begin with? Today is the 5th of November 2011 & it's also the eve of Hari Raya Haji or "Eid-Ul-Adha". Alright.. The celebration for this festive is not as spectacular as Hari Raya Puasa because it's different. Eid-ul-adha a.k.a. hari raya korban; it means a sacrifice. Some are performing the "haj" at Mecca & that's why it's not really celebrated by many. We are hoping for family members who are currently away performing the pilgrimage for a safe return. I don't really "celebrate" this festive but just as a form of respect, I shall appreciate this festive day. Ok. Enough of that.

Nowadays, it's been a rainy season. Flood everywhere? Even in some parts of Asia such as Thailand, etc... 

One more month & December shall make it's entrance. That clearly means that 2012 is drawing nearer. That's fast... 2011 pls don't leave so soon. 

Shall end this for now. Will be back if I have more to update. Cherio peeps!

♥♥♥♥ I'm so gonna ♥♥♥♥ it