12:57 am // Thoughts

• In a conversation with papa, he stopped me, took a coin from his wallet, held it up and asked me, "what do you see?" I then proceeded to tell him what I saw. He asked me the same question again. I described the coin again. He asked me the question again for the third time. At this point I was getting slightly annoyed and all I wanted was to get my point across. He finally explained, "what you were describing to me was one side of the coin." He showed me the other side of the coin and continued, "in order for you to explain something, you need to understand both sides of the coin first." 
• I like knowing things that challenges the way I look at life and make me THINK. This week I've been watching a lot of videos on the environment and how we're damaging it and it's so refreshing to see a different way of life that's striving for change. Armand (my brother) was showing me videos on veganism. I did some revision for my Science of Hadith class and read some anti-Hadith argument. I like being challenged intellectually. Tell me I'm wrong. Make me THINK. I'm growing tired of social medias because everything screams advertisements and mainstream media and while I personally do not think they're bad *if* the important things in life are focused on, lets be real, we live such a shallow, deluded life. My teacher in Yemen messaged me about a month ago to describe how bad things are for her and I just wish I could do more. I live such a shallow life and wonder why I'm drowning. I wanna do more I wanna do more I wanna do more than simply exist. 
• Pa tells me there are four stages of learning. Stage One: unconscious incompetent. Stage Two: conscious incompetent. Stage Three: conscious competent. Stage Four: unconscious competent. I'm at stage two with regards to the many things I wanna work on. Conscious incompetent. I know that there's so much that I don't know. I know that I'm not doing enough. I know, I know, I know.
• I know that I don't know. I know that I don't know. I know that I don't know. It's both humbling and stressful at the same time. 

Jan & Feb 2017 // A Revolution of Values.

Bismillah ar-rahman ar-rahim (In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful)

If we are not careful, it is easy to fall into the trap of living a really meaningless life. We just live our lives the way everyone else live their lives and do not stop to think, "is this all there is? is there something missing? how do I do more and improve the condition of my life/ this world? is there more to life than merely existing?" 

Over the past month I had the realisation that there are so many things that goes on in this world that I turn a blind eye to simply because I am not directly affected by it or due to the fact that I do not see the direct effects of my actions. 

This had led me to question the way I live my life and re-evaluate my values. I discovered a saying "a revolution of values" and its stuck with me since. We place high values on things that do not actually matter and as a result, we neglect those that actually matter. Anyway, onto my faves.

Environmental Issues //

• Victoria's insidious secret - Kristen Etc
• The True Cost 
• Trash Me with Rob Greenfield
• 30 Days of Wearing My Trash

I highly recommend watching all of the above especially The True Cost Documentary. I love how the documentary examines the social and environmental effect of the fast fashion industry and it was so detailed in explaining the whole process of making the clothes that we see/ buy and how much damage it costs to the consumers, the workers who makes the clothes and also the environmental damage caused by the fast fashion industry. A MUST WATCH. Make time for it. 

Zero Waste in Malaysia //

• How to lead a zero waste life in Malaysia
• Zero Waste Malaysia 
• Zero Waste Kuala Lumpur (Facebook Page)
• The Hive Bulk Foods  (Instagram Page)

Islam //

• Mufti Menk- The Importance of Salah
• Boonaa Mohamed- Heroes

Islamic Quizzes //

THIS IS SO FUN EVERYONE SHOULD DO IT. Kinda wish they had an app with a variety of Islamic topics tbh, I love it so much

• Quiz: How Well Do You Know Prophet Muhammad? (peace & blessings be upon him) 
• Quiz: The Month of Ramadhan
• Quiz: The Hijrah

General //

• All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (Book)
• Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig (Article)
• Done is better than perfect. Start before you're ready - Lavendaire (Video)

That's it for this month,

Ma'asalaama!

Part II: Questions for those who claim to be seekers of Truth.

(Part I can be found HERE.)

As people who claim to be seekers of Truth, there are always questions that we should ask ourselves.

1. Are we willing to look into ourselves and right our wrongs?
2. Are we willing to let go of beliefs that we have held onto for a long time once the Truth comes to us?
3. Are we seekers of the absolute truth or seekers of ego boosting knowledge?
4. How do we deal with those who do not see eye to eye with us, people who have different version of truths?
5. Are we preaching our ego or preaching the truth?
6. Are we concerned with the truth or concerned with being right?
7. How do we act upon the truth?
8. Why does the truth not translate into action? What is lost in translation from the mind to the heart?
9. If we claim that something is the Truth yet we do not act upon it, is it really the Truth?

It is so easy to be wrapped up in our ego when it is a minor shirk. People of the truth are pure-hearted. People of the truth are kind-hearted. People of the truth decenter themselves and preach the truth. It is vital for us to swim deep into the depth of our souls and scrutinize our true intentions. Imam Shafie said, "Knowledge is not what is memorised, knowledge is what benefits." How much knowledge have we memorised and how much actually benefitted us? We are in lost!