Dig Deeper

Assalamu’alaykum.

This morning I had a chitchat with my family in the dining room. It is quite a rare moment for me since I started college in a different city. Mom read some articles in today’s newspaper for us this morning. One of them was about the tasawwuf, sufi, etc. The article said that in Turkey, and some other countries the Islamic education is still pure. While in Indonesia, it is being liberated nowadays. I somehow do understand as I had my primary education in an Islamic school in Jakarta. Several Islamic schools even doesn’t look very Islamic, reflected through the students’ attitude, etc. However, Islamic schools are still become one of the best solutions for parents to teach Islam for the children. Maybe what interrupts the purity of the ongoing process of Islamic education is the environment, such as television, music, cultures and trends.

My little brother, Nazim, is also studying in Islamic school. He’s still in the 1st grade. One day I was very touched by him because he wrote on for his assignments about “what I want to be when I grow up” that he wanted to become an ustadh (‘ulama, shaykh). But he told me that when he said that in front of the class, all of his friends laughed at him. He was the only one boy who wanted to become an ustadh, in an Islamic school. Ironic, eh? That’s only one example of how environment does affect the purity of Islamic education.

Later this afternoon, my Mom told me that my brother’s friend said something like this to his Mom after performing Umrah, “Mom, I want to learn Arabic. So, when I die later, I can answer the questions.” MashaAllah. A 7 year old boy is thinking forward about the death. What I want to emphasize here, is about the process of learning Islam. Be it at a formal Islamic school, at home, from others, online, and even coming to Majlis and meet the Shuyukh or Ustadh, it is anytime and anywhere indeed. A lifelong process.

photo from http://quranverseotd.tumblr.com

We are born Muslims. No reason not to learn Islam. Especially if we were born in a Muslim family.

And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam’s loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): “Am I not your Lord?” They said: “Yes! We testify,” lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: “Verily, we have been unaware of this.”

- Al- A’raf (7): 172

Even Muslim converts often have more spirit to learn about Islam more than us who were born in a Muslim family. But, however, we are ourselves. Every person sent down in this Earth has his/her own role. Hope this short musing of mine will be beneficial, in a way, for a self introspection for me to dig deeper about Islam no matter what.

Anyway, do kindly watch a short video attached here about Deen and Dunya by Mustafa Davis, a Muslim convert from the United States. This video is one of the eye openers for me.

p.s: I also enjoy learning Islam through videos from Ta’leef Collective. They’re focusing on teaching Muslim converts and young adults in California, USA. Alhamdulillah I got a chance to meet the founding director, Usama Canon last week in Solo. In shaa Allah I will share more later on.

Wassalamu’alaykum.

Mixed Outfit

Assalamualaykum, It’s been a while not posting anything tagged “fashion” here in my blog. I’ve found another place to post outfit posts in a more convenient way, faster, and directly, which is through my instagram.

Anyway, I’ve been working on my own fashion line with my sister. It’s called addin’s. We’re preparing for our first fashion show next month in shaa Allah in Indonesia Islamic Fashion Fair 2013 *please do kindly pray for us!* So, yeah, I’m trying to include more of my own products to my daily outfit.

Here are some of my instagram photos with the outfit details:

scarf – outer – skirt by addin’s

scarf unbranded | blazer addin’s | maxi dress dorothy perkins | bag fossil

scarf addin’s | outer unbranded | dress addin’s

scarf addin’s | peplum cotton dress kivitz | cardigan forever21

abaya & scarf from arab

Wassalamu’alaykum!

Annisaa Day “I’m Muslimah and I’m Proud”

Assalamu’alaykum,

On early February, I got a chance to be the speaker at Annisaa Day, a weekly program held by Annisaa Gamais ITB for Muslimah in campus. The theme was about Muslimah, on how to be Shalihah, how Muslimah should act, and how are the Muslimah around the world. Actually it was my second time being invited by Annisaa ITB, but it was my first time ever to be the only speaker in an event, especially Muslimah event. I was very nervousss, seriously.. (for those of you who came to the talk surely saw and felt it :p I am sorry, it was really a thrilling first time moment for me!). The event was held in a class in SBM ITB, I came early to prepare the slideshow and there were only several sisters. Unexpectedly, more and more people come until the room is fully loaded. They successfully made me real nervous.. How come a girl like me can present something in front of the Shalihah, great sisters.. But biidznillah, I could present and share my thoughts at that time. After that, goes the Q&A session. I was very touched during the session, and I felt like I was the one who was learning from the other sisters . One of the questions came from a sister, a junior in my faculty, about how to deal with people who always comment on how we look, act, etc. After she asked, she told us that she was there all dressed up modestly covered, with the khimar given from a friend, and she wanted us all to give a Takbir (say Allahu Akbar) for her friend. Subhanallah.

with the event committee from Annisaa ITB

Alhamdulillah, I made new friends with the other sisters when the event was finished. Jazakinnallah khayran katsiiraa for all the sisters who arranged and come to the event, and you who are reading this!

I attach my slideshow below (please note that inside the slideshow there supposed to be a video of a young girl reciting quran, you can see it from youtube here) and here is also the article from Gamais of the event -> http://gamais.itb.ac.id/jurnal-annisa-day-2-im-muslimah-and-im-proud/

Wassalamu’alaykum

Annisaa Day – Samia from samiasafa

Get Inspired and Be Inspiring!

Assalamu’alaykum.

Alhamdulillaah. All praises to Allah. I am feeling so grateful for every blessings Allah gives. I got several chances to meet inspiring Muslim women (Muslimah) and was even asked by my fellow sisters in Islam to be the speaker in Muslimah events in my campus (this will be another story on the other post in shaa Allah). These opportunities have made me realize that I still got a long way to go to be the women in Jannah later in shaa Allah. Let me share  stories about some inspiring Muslim women

I met Mbak Ollie (Aulia Halimatussadiah) on December in Bandung. I invited her to speak at Inspiring Session by HMP ITB in my campus and she stayed at my place in Bandung the night before the event. I got the chance to chat longer with her, and learned a lot actually. She is very inspiring. She told me how she was before she is now. She started to make initiatives after she graduated from university. Now, we know her as writer of so many books (in several genre), the entrepreneur behind several start-ups, fashion designer of her own clothing line, and also community initiators Prior to her visit, she asked me to arrange an informal meeting with fellow Muslim students in Masjid Salman ITB because she wanted to share about Quran point of view on success. She quoted Al-Anfaal (8) : verse 42-46, and other verses during the informal sharing session. After that, we started the Q&A session with her, especially on writing and entrepreneurship.

*photo from Mbak Ollie’s facebook

What I learned from her is that we can be anything we dreamed to be, and we don’t have to limit ourselves on making it happen For being an entrepreneur, it is really good if we can have mentors, or at least a mentor. We can ask for advice, and we can learn from them because they already have a lot more experiences than us, and we don’t have to make the same mistake. For being a writer, consistency is important. She allocated her morning to write something, everyday. I find this very hard for me, to write consistently everyday. But, I’m trying though, one of them is through this blog (thank you for reading!). Someday I want to be a writer too in shaa Allah.

Another chance to meet inspiring Muslimah is when I went to Muslimah Fest in Sabuga, Bandung. I attended the launching of “Hijab I’m in Love” book and album by Kak Oki Setiana Dewi. She’s an actress and a writer of several books (I really like her books), and now also a singer I’ve met her couple of years ago and had lunch with her and her Mom. And happened to get back in touch with her since July 2012. So, I figured out about the event from her message and she asked me to bring my friends too There were Kak Oki, Shindy (her sister), Meyda Sefira (another Muslimah actress), and Teh Ninih on the talkshow of the book launching. I really can see her burning spirit to spread Islam, especially about Hijab among Muslimah at that moment. She tries to bring many spiritual messages from Quran verses and hadith in her new book packed in light stories, colorful contents of the book and sweet words of her. Even now she also sings some songs about Hijab, Muslimah, and Islam. I am amazed with her spirit in Da’wah. Though I didn’t get a chance to chat much with her at that time, we continued chatting on the phone and hopefully get another chance to meet up someday soon

They’re only two among many other inspiring Muslim women in this world. They have their own ways, and we are, too! So, sisters,, get inspired and be inspiring! Show Allah our shukr (grateful feeling) to Him through our actions. It’s our choice and let’s do it in our own way!

Wassalamu’alaykum.

Life in Japan : Ninth Week-end (LAST)

Assalamualaykum,

This is the last part of my “life-in-japan” blog series Hope I can have more Japan stories someday.

On my last week, I didn’t go outside Saitama. I’ve been busy making the report and preparing my final presentation of the internship program. We also had a field trip to Tokyo Gate Bridge, it was built by my Professor. I went to Mbak Amia’s home and had dinner with her family & friend. I attended my last Japanese class in Saitama Daigaku, and had a farewell dinner in my lab with the lab members.

It was such an experience for being in Japan for exactly 2 months. I learned a lot about life and everything there. It is more than just an internship experience, it’s a life-changing experience for me. I learned on how to be independent as it was my first time living by myself far away from my family. I learned so many positive values from Japanese, about being on time, discipline, honest, and about doing the best. I learned about the endless relationship between Muslim all around the world we can have.

Probably these personal ramblings I’ve been writing since I was in Japan are nothing for you, but actually something that meant a lot for me. A different journey, lifelong lesson, and other meaningful story awaits you!

I just can praise Allah for giving these “life in japan” stories as part of my life journey Alhamdulillah.

Wassalamu’alaykum!

 

Life in Japan : Eighth Week

Assalamu’alaykum

Hello again readers!

I’ll tell you about my eighth week during my stay in Japan. I’ve arranged to meet some people on my eighth week. I met Vanda in Harajuku. A friend of mine, Alanda Kariza, introduced me to her prior to my departure to Japan. So when I was in Japan, we arranged to meet. But before meeting her in Harajuku, we accidentally met at ASEAN festival the week before Vanda played angklung in Indonesia’s performance. I am so glad to finally meet her.

Enjoying Nutella Crepes in Harajuku

So, we had a yummy nutella crepes in Harajuku, and went on some stores since it was still summer sale It was very nice to know her and strolled around Harajuku There was a demonstration about nuclear energy when I went to Harajuku. The people who marched along the road were mostly elderly, and they walked slowly and very well-ordered. I was amazed and really hope that Indonesia can do something like this during demonstration, not anarchical.

The other day, I had a chance to attend Japan Fashion Week Thank you to Teh Irna Mutiara, one of the greatest Indonesian Muslimah fashion designers that I know She has several lines, Irna La Perle (wedding & formal gown), Up2Date, Ina’s Scarf, etc. I am so in love with her designs, especially Irna La Perle. So I headed down to Japan Fashion Week. I traveled by myself to Tokyo Big Sight in Odaiba, which was the venue of the event.

I went to Irna La Perle’s booth and met Teh Irna Mutiara (‘teh’ : Sundanese for “sister”). The booth was located upstairs (I forgot how many floors Tokyo Big Sight has). There were several other designers on the “Remarkable Indonesia” corner. After meeting her, she took me around the area of Japan Fashion Week. I learned a lot from her and from Japan Fashion Week.

There were so many other talented designers around the world who created unique products. Each of them had their own uniqueness and the booths in JFW were very conceptual. I can tell whether brand A is focusing on what, B on what, etc. And there was even dog fashion area in JFW. Yes, dogs, they have their own fashionable clothes. Thank God I don’t have dog as a pet, if yes, maybe I’ll be busy choosing dogs’ clothes too :p I took some freebies in JFW and brought several brochures, from some wedding gown designers and others.

On the weekend, I visited some parks for my final observation accompanied by Kak Frengki. I went to Nippori (Japanese Fabric Town) on Sunday but unfortunately many stores were closed on Sunday. However, Nippori is one of the best places in Japan, I am so in love with all the fabrics and things over there, if it’s no too expensive :p

See you on the next post! Wassalamu’alaykum.

Life in Japan : Seventh Week

Assalamu’alaykum..

Hi there!

Though this is last year’s story, hope you still enjoy reading it

I continue about my story in Japan. I was busy with all the stuffs I had to do in Saitama regarding my research, so I really didn’t have time to blog on my last 3 weeks in Japan. On my seventh week in Japan, I just did normal my routine during weekdays, and started to make the report.

On weekend, I attended the Islamic Study in Assalam Masjid as usual. But at that time, it was a bit different. Usually there was an Ustadz who taught us, but unfortunately it was a Ramadan break when I came. But I’ve come that far to Tokyo, so I decided to stay with other Muslimah in masjid, which I later found out, were having Muslimah ta’lim (ta’lim: study, I mean studying Islam). It was my last time attending ta’lim in Assalam Masjid (hope someday I can go back there ). I am very grateful to have routinely attended ta’lim in Assalam during my stay in Japan and met many beautiful shalihah sisters there :’) I really do miss them and hope they’re all in Allah’s guidance inshaAllah. Here are some pictures of some of their babies not all of them are married, but some who have married brought their babies to the Masjid. They are very cute babies!! Later on the afternoon, I indulged myself with Indonesian food at a restaurant in Saitama called “Surabaya” I ordered seafood fried rice and spicy tongkol fish. From there, I went to marching band festival to see Eka-san, Mbak Dewi’s son who was having his performance along with other kids The festival was very awesome! Many participants from different schools in Saitama from elementary to secondary schools performed so well.

So that was a little story I can scribble here, see you on the next post!

Wassalamu’alaykum..