Doc Ahmad Hajiri

It was February 22, 2015 when I finally crossed out one of my Bucket lists: Visit Baguio City!    The plan to go to Baguio was already planned 2 years ago with some Muslim brothers that I met in Manila. Who are we and what do we do? Well, we are a group of Muslim students and young professionals (all male) mostly friends and acquaintance of one another. And during the past two years, we usually gather once in a while, mostly during weekends or during holidays and spend time talking about Islam and our roles as young leaders in the society (naks). Sometimes we talk about how we can improve ourselves and dealing with the daily challenges we meet. Or at times maybe we just go around town and try different coffee shops , looking for good "study place" while we do our own separate "projects" and "assignments".  Later on, these "gatherings" became more frequent and the Muslim brothers attending are increasing in numbers. We were hosted b...

Assalamu Alaykum.  For a new Muslim here in Manila, there are indeed a lot of challenges that could come your way... Being alone is one and looking for Halal foods, looking for Musallahs to pray in, looking for Masjids on fridays, and the list goes on and on... But Alhamdulillah, meeting new Muslims friends here in Manila made me feel less lonelier. By attending simple Muslim gatherings and lectures I was fortunate to meet a lot of them whom I can now consider my family here in Manila. What is best is that we share the same beliefs and we understand each others problems and we help and try to support each other. Last Saturday, after attending a lecture about Christmas < click here > I was able to spend the rest of the day with the other Muslim participants. Well, what we did was just the simple family gatherings a real family would do... Pray together, eat dinner together, and yes, we had our own "(unmarried) boy's night", too. haha. Just scroll along to se...

(just a short post. All names below are changed for now -_-) We were still waiting for brother Farhan finish his ablution while the 5 of us sit in a circle, cross-legged in the center of the musallah (prayer room). The Jamaah prayer for Zhuhur (midday prayer) had just ended when we arrived so we have to start our own congregation. The two other sisters who came with us already finished praying, but we on the other have to wait for our brother and pray together. After all, praying in jamaah (congregation) is far more rewarding than doing it alone. Earlier this morning when I met these seven new friends from Indonesia, the first question they had was: "Are you Malaysian? You look like Malaysian." and then "Are you Muslim?". And answered them with a smile and "No, I am from Sulu, farther south of Manila, and yes Alhamdulillah, I am Muslim, born and raised, by blood and soul." They were also medstudents like me and they are now on a seven-day visit ...

Ni Anak Iluh (Isinalin mula sa orihinal na artikulo sa www.anakiluh.blogspot.com) March 6, 2012 Bismillah. Ang Pagpupuri at Pasasalamt ay tangi sa Panginoon ng lahat ng nilalang, Ang Mahabagin, Ang Ma-Unawain, Ang Mapag-Patawad na Allahu Rabbul ‘Alamiyn. Salawat at Du'a para sa nabiy  natin, ang pinakahuling Propeta Muhammad Rasulullah (Sallahu ‘Alaihi wa Sallam). Mag-aalas siete pa lang ng gabing yun, Sabado, ika-2 ng Marso taong 2012, nang bumulabog ang isang nakakagimbal na namang pagsabog sa maliit na (lungsod) ng Sulu. May pinasabugan na namang isang tindahan sa may (town). Wasak ang kesame ng tindahang kaharap ng makinang ‘generator’ kung saan nilagay sa ibaba nito ang sinabing bomba. Parito’t paroon ang mga natitrang ‘shrapnels’ at mga basag na salamin mula sa tindahan ding iyon. Ilang mga tao din, ang noo’y napadaan sa lugar na yun ang nakahandusay na sa daan at sa gilid ng ibang gusali; sugatan, dugu’an, at dala-dala ang isang pasanin na bumigla sa kanilang lahat. ...