THE SURGEON WHO IS PAID IN CHICKEN - and the Pen-Man, the Magic Songkok, Imam Mahdi and Jesus, Prince of Peace

The Pen-Man and the Surgeon who is paid in chicken. I was with Mikhail and told him that I saw the Pen-Man. The Pen-Man is an old Indian gentleman who pounds the pavement around my office area selling pens. A batch of five for RM10, which is about USD3. A couple of weeks ago while Mika and myself were having lunch, we saw him at a table near us. He looked tired, resting his feet while having a glass of iced-water. So, we bought a set of pen from him, and with a little prompting, Mika gave him RM10. "To have lunch." My son was sad you see, for everyone else were having lunch, but Pen-Man had to save his pennies, and was only quenching his thirst. He smiled and thanked Mika. So this time around, Mika asked me, "Was he just drinking iced-water again?" I replied that he wasn't drinking or eating anything. He was just resting at a table nearby. "Oh, that is so sad, Papa..." Mika commented and then resolved, "Papa, do you know what? I am going to work and be the best surgeon. Then I want to be paid in chicken. So I can feed poor people..."

Chicken Genocide. Recently Mikhail recounted to me an evil prayer. "Is there such a thing?" I asked, to which he replied, chuckling at my naivete, "Of course, Papa. I used to pray before that God would explode all the chicken in the world. Into a fryer. And make fried chicken." Then he paused, "Oh yes, but two chicken, one boy chicken and one girl chicken will be saved. So they can repopulate the earth."

Mika wearing the Songkok.

The Magic Songkok, Imam Mahdi and Jesus. My son also shared with me a bad dream he had. "Oh yes, Papa. I was so relieved  to wake up! It was weird, crazy dream." This was what Mikhail dreamt - "I dream that it was the end of the world, and a dinasour was chasing me. I threw pictures at the dinasour (no doubt, pictures of chickens) to distract it. I ran and ran and ran when suddenly out of a songkok (a black traditional Malay headgear) out popped Imam Mahdi and Jesus. But I didn't know it was them! They were giant, bearded and looked like hobos! I tried to hit them but I couldn't."

Imam Mahdi? Jesus? Dressed like hobos and popping out of a songkok?

Have a lovely Friday, sunshine. Listen to children. You would be surprised what comes out of their mouths!

wa min Allah at-taufiq

PS: Imam Mahdi is a descendant of the House of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) prophesied to come before the end of time, about the same time as the Second Coming of Jesus. They are going to pair up in a Divine Tag Team and help sort things out... insyaAllah as how God plans it to be.

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Keepsakes from Jerusalem and Medina - Umrah Pilgrimage Part 29

Maqam of Muhammad, within the holy precinct of the Masjid Nabawi, Medina.

Before I left for my Umrah Pilgrimage in end March 2011, I collected the du'a (prayers) that my friends and family desired that I ask in the holy mosques of the Masjidil Haram (Mecca), Masjid Nabawi (Medina) and Masjidil al-Aqsa (Jerusalem). I wrote it all in a little black journal which accompanied me on that beautiful journey. Typically, my elder brother, Saiful, was the last to pass me his du'a, which he wrote on a rough paper. That too I inserted into my book and when the time finally arrived that I was in the precinct of the Prophet's Maqam (tomb), I recited his words -

Ya Rasulullah, Peace and Blessings be upon you, your family and upon your noble companions.

Ya Mustafa, the Chosen One, the Servant of Mercy, sent by the All-Merciful to guide us back to our Lord,we ask you for your succour and support for the Hour is drawing ever closer, lest we be the lost ones, denied the sight and presence of Saidina Mahdi and Saidina Isa, Peace be upon them both.

Forgive us, Allah, for the sake of Your Beloved who rests now here, grant us this honour for the sake of Your Chosen One, that he may greet us at the Pool of Khawtar with happiness, well-pleased with us, and You, ya Allah, well-pleased with us.

Amin

A beautiful prayer, yes? My brother writes quite well, I think. It is easy to write when you write with sincerity.

In between the pages I also came across this little olive branch which I stole from the olive tree that grows closest to the entrance of the Maqam of Rabia (the famous female Sufi saint) on top Mount Olive in Jerusalem. I am not sure what to do with it now. But it is a keepsake, like all the memories of a sinner in pilgrimage.

Thank you, sunshine, for allowing me to share these memories with you. God bless your warm fuzzy hearts.

wa min Allah at-taufiq.

The Coming of the Mahdi and the 2nd Coming of Jesus - Mercy and Power from the Crucible of Love

Things are often not as they appear to be in this world, are they? And (I am told)
that things are even more curious in the Sufi Tariqa Orders. It is really no
good to carry any pretense of holiness. Better really to be yourself.
Or who you think you are. Hehehe. It gets a little confusing,
but this confusion is beautiful.

It is (I am told) one of the core beliefs of the Sufi Tariqa Orders, that at the end of time,
apart from the 2nd coming of Jesus, there shall also come the Imam Mahdi. Being
representatives of God and the very best of humanity, they will do a lot of
good deeds, one of which alas, is prophesied to involve fighting and wars.
I don't like to fight. I don't have the waistline for it. I will opt to be in
the music section. But who's to say that the drummers will not head
the army front in the cusp of battle? With only drums and
drumsticks to defend themselves with.  

In Iraq I have heard of a group calling themselves the Mahdi's Army. They do not, as far as I am aware, represent the idea or prophecy of the Imam Mahdi as believed by my friends. But like so much that is beautiful and good in Islam, we are not able to control people from using names and symbols of our religion and spirituality. And sometimes, mad people use them for bad reasons. Let's face it, things are an absolute mess now in Iraq (still).

The lore of the Imam Mahdi is growing. Perhaps one day, if I live long enough, I might share with you whatever that I am informed.

God bless the 2nd Coming of Jesus, and God bless the Coming of the Mahdi! They shall come from the Cruxible of Love and Divine Power, and their Mercy, Justice and Compassion shall surprise and awe the followers of all religion, including Islam and Christianity. Especially Islam and Christianity,

Pax Taufiqa.