Korea Town, Malaysia & Beautiful Clouds - Pictures tell Stories

Hi, sunshine. The day began early for me at 4.30am as I was chasing a dateline. Happily I managed to chase the dateline down and have tied it up, just as it had tied me up with work earlier. Me is happy.

While running errands around my neighbourhood, I took some pictures. This is useful because after a long meeting of talking, talking, talking, I am done with talking. I will let the pictures do the talking now...

My neighbourhood is a mini KoreaTown. We have many Korean grocery shops,
restaurants, hair saloons and evangelical Korean churches of many denominations.

Korean grocery shop. Full of Kimchi and stuffs..

On the way to lunch, me and Ariffin noticed a strange hazy white glow
above the clouds. It was beautiful. I took a couple of shots. But the pictures
don't do it justice at all.

As you can see, rain clouds were lying ominously in the horizon.
And in fact it did rain soon after. But darn that white haze at the very top,
I think it is so pretty. I am sure there is a technical term for this natural occurrence.

105. Never Ours

Yesterday I raised my gaze skywards

And saw playful birds

Wheeling through billows of pillows

Through cotton buds and cotton hearts

In a garden without a name

In a picture without a frame

God’s Gift Sublime

To the enquiring mind

In this ornate canvas

That we call earth

Tis’ was His always

Never ours.

I gotta chill down, my friend. Thank you for dropping by...

Have a beautiful day.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way

Return of Prophetic Archery

The Silver Arrow
A silver arrow has pierced my heart
But it came from no ordinary bow.
A light has sparked in my heart.
But it came from no common sun.

MALAYSIAN HOBBITS. In Malaysia, a couple of my friends are reclaiming the forgotten sunnah (Prophetic Traditions) of archery and horseback archery. These gentlemen are sturdy and nimble little fellas. My brother, Poon, likes to call them the master’s own Hobbits. The methodology of Prophetic Archery is rooted in spiritual and physical training. It is not easy, but it is not impossible. I am sure you can do it if you wanna try. Click Here to one of their sites called Pemanah (it means archer or bowman in Malay). People of all faiths are welcome...

FINE ARCHERS. One pioneer is a ghost hunter, while the other friend drives around in a taxi. Another chap I recently met is a music producer and former manager of one of the country’s biggest gospel boy band. Simply put, they are a varied mix of beans. But regardless of whether he is expelling the poltergeist out of your kitchen or driving you in a metered cab, these men will burrow their way into your heart if you give them half a chance. They are, as most of my friends are, really the sweetest guys you could meet. Unless of course you are a Djinn or a record label. Then maybe it is a different story. Hehehe.

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INHERITED FRIENDS. I often wonder how such souls have drifted into my life. But a lot of these chaps are really Poon’s school and neighbourhood pals. I guess I really have a lot to thank my brother for.

WINTER SONATA. I was involved for a while in preparing some documents between them and a Korean archery master. I had a ponderous time trying to put into words the gist of the matter due to my friends’ high esteem and deference to the Sensei. The hobbits would admonish me, “Oh no, Taufiq, that sounds a bit impolite.” and “No, no, the sentence looks really short and terse” and “You cannot address him that way.” Scratching my head I (wish I had) said, “Look, bro, I am not writing a love sonnet but a formal document. I HAVE to be sharp and accurate.” These Sufis give me headaches.

PROPHETIC ARCHERY. Ah, well. You gotta take the sweet with the not-so-sweet from these heroes. For that is what they are to me, real freakin’ heroes. I am full of school-girl admiration for their commitment in bringing back the lost science and tradition of Prophetic Archery to our country. Like all things connected to the Prophet, it is a beautiful, delicate and a joy to behold.

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Have a superb Tuesday, sunshine!

Pax Taufiqa.

Footnote: “The Silver Arrow” is from Chapter 1 called ‘The Dam.SunSun.Ana’ circa 2004.