Istanbul trip

Yes, THE Blue Mosque of Istanbul

Awesome Istanbul trip! Great tripmates! Lovely and breathtaking sceneries! Perfect for honeymoons (ha-ha).Srius rasa macam nak dtg lagi!

And most importantly, how wonderful it had felt to listen to azans yg dilaungkan masjid demi masjid... and there were so manyyy mosques, beautiful mosques in istanbul. Blue Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, Fatih Mosque, to name a few. Beautiful and historic AyaSofya. Wonderful Topkapi Palace.

Inside one of the mosques

Ferry ride on the Bosphorus Sea. Shopping at the Bazaars (tee-hee).
Turkish apple tea, turkish kelims, turkish delight... and the 'You're Welcome' guy. Hehe.

Inside Topkapi Palace

Lovely, just lovely.
Except that everyone was down with the flu or fever by the end of the trip. But that did not stop us from enjoying the trip to the last bit, and spending the Lira (Turkish money) to the titisan2 duit yg terakhir.. huhu..

will update soon insyaAllah.

Stress??

dedicated to those who are under stress right now...for whatever reason..be it exams, financial problems, or etc...
just an essay I wrote for an assignment,,ayat agak skema and more medical student-oriented..teehe..
just hoping it'll help those who are in the situation of stress to loosen up a bit... and see stress in a different perspective... boleee nggakk?? ;p

Health Psychology and Human Diversity Reflective Essay: ‘Stress’
Stress. A word that is at most times associated with negative conditions and feelings. The feeling of stress or being tensed is perhaps one of the things in life that seemed to be unavoidable most of the times, and it may be caused by so many different things. Panic, fear, or financial problems are just few of the many other things that can cause stress. It brings about a spectrum of effects, and health issue is one of them, that we, as future doctors may be most concerned of. I am glad through the module of Health Psychology and Human Diversity, students are brought to visit this topic and are allowed to discuss on the issues that revolve around it.

Furthermore, as a medical student, I personally think that the topic of stress is something that is really easy to relate to, giving rooms for myself to reflect back on some issues. Being an international medical student, living in a country thousands of miles away from home, and being in the minority group in a foreign country, can be some possible stress-causing sources for me. And let’s add to that the challenge of coping with academic studies and the coming examinations. If these are not managed correctly, it can bring about some stress responses which may not only affect myself, but also the people around me.

However, I believe that it is important to change the perspective of looking at stress itself. Stress does not necessarily mean something negative, and in fact sometimes, we can deal with it in a positive way. Take the stress of exams for example. Instead of worrying about the exams and having nervous breakdowns as the date of examination gets closer, the more pragmatic way of dealing with it is preparing myself in advance by having proper notes and having academic discussions with peers. In this way, the stress itself will help boost my academic performance, giving a positive result. The stress would somehow encourage me to be more prepared for the exams as it draws closer.

Thinking back from previous years, I remember of a time when I had trouble dealing with the stress of examination. As the exam date drew closer, I grew more tensed each day. I felt my heart racing every time anyone mentions the exams, I felt tired easily, and I lost focus most of the time. It was perhaps due to the lack of self-confidence, and my own mistake of keeping the worries all to myself. I couldn’t find a way of releasing the stress and didn’t take up sports, either. At the time, it seemed like I couldn’t find a way out of the situation.

However, at last, with the support of friends and family, I finally managed to find my way through. Talking things out to other people had definitely made a huge difference afterwards, as I felt that I found support and strength from those people who care. It is also helpful to get involved in activities that may help to forget the stress, for example doing physical exercise or even, retail therapy!

I am also well aware that there are more sources of stress that awaits me in this path of becoming a doctor. Even doctors too may face stress and be under pressure, but it is important to know how to deal with it. In my opinion, if a doctor is able to handle his stress in the most appropriate way, then it will be easier for his patients to follow his advice on matters concerning the same topic of stress. This is because doctors are like role models and are looked up to by patients.

Also, as a future doctor, it is also important to acknowledge the influence of stress in causing health problems or exacerbating disease in patients. I believe that I will be encountering patients with all sorts of disease for example migraine, hypertension, ulcers and others, with stress as the major cause. Looking at it the other way round, some patients may even feel stressed caused by the diseases that they have, and this is also one of the points that I need to be aware of and keep in mind as a future doctor.

In a nutshell, stress is a common problem, which may be encountered by any one and at any time. The sessions in this module had somehow helped me realize the importance of understanding stress, knowing its sources and managing it well, as I’ve come to see that these will all help us deal with stress in a better way. By acknowledging stress and its many influences, it may even help us to become better doctors in the future.

******************************************************************************
Just remember, if you feel stressed or feels like anything close to breaking down, talk to someone...And the best to tal to is, none other than our Creator Himself. He KNOWS what we're going through, and He's ALWAYS there to listen to us. So, turn to Allah because He CARES. He is Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim...

And do check out the meaning of Surah Al-Insyirah :) InsyaAllah dapat menenangkan hati...

An-Nahl

16:4 He creates man out of a [mere] drop of sperm: and lo! this same being shows himself endowed with the power to think and to argue!

16:5 And He creates cattle: you derive warmth from them, and [various other] uses; and from them you obtain food;

16:6 and you find beauty in them when you drive them home in the evenings and when you take them out to pasture in the mornings.

16:7 And they carry your loads to [many] a place which [otherwise] you would be unable to reach without great hardship to yourselves. Verily, your Sustainer is most compassionate, a dispenser of grace!

16:8 And (it is He who creates] horses and mules and asses for you to ride, as well as for [their] beauty: and He will yet create things of which [today] you have no knowledge.

16:9 And [because He is your Creator,] it rests with God alone to show you the right path: ^[7] yet there is [many a one] who swerves from it. However, had He so willed, He would have guided you all aright.

16:10 It is He who sends down water from the skies; you drink thereof, and thereof [drink] the plants upon which you pasture your beasts;
16:11 [and] by virtue thereof He causes crops to grow for you, and olive trees, and date palms, and grapes, and all [other] kinds of fruit: in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who think!


16:12 And He has made the night and the day and the sun and the moon subservient [to His laws, so that they be of use] to you; ^[9] and all the stars are subservient to His command: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who use their reason!

16:13 And all the [beauty of] many hues-which He has created for you on earth: in this, behold, there is a message for people who (are willing to] take it to heart!

16:14 And He it is who has made the sea subservient [to His laws], so that you might eat fresh meat from it, and take from it gems which you may wear. And on that [very sea] one sees ^[10] ships ploughing through the waves, so that you might [be able to] go forth in quest of some of His bounty, and thus have cause to be grateful [to Him].

16:15 And he has placed firm mountains on earth, lest it sway with you, ^[11] and rivers and paths, so that you might find your way,

16:16 as well as [various other] means of orientation: for [it is] by the stars that men find their way.

16:17 IS, THEN, HE who creates comparable to any [being] that cannot create? Will you not, then, bethink yourselves?

---

16:18 For, should you try to count God's blessings, you could never compute them! Behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace;

16:19 and God knows all that you keep secret as well as all that you bring into the open.

[An Nahl- Holy Quran]

let's take some time off the hustle and bustle of our everyday life... to just think and reflect....may He guide us to the right path, inshaAllah.. -mai shahira-

beautiful song

Sangat suka lagu ini sampai rasa nak share dgn semua orang :D



Reminding myself,
that in whatever situation I am,
if I'm sad
or if I'm glad,
I can always find solace in Him..in His Words..

Let's make dua
That He makes things easy for us,
That He gives His Barakah and shines His light,
Upon us wherever we are,
And whatever we do.

And with his beautiful names of Asmaul Husna,
Shall we begin our dua and prayers....


OK...semangat kembali...caiyok~

IMAM Conference:Special Guest Dr Jemilah..A review

(This is meant to be an email which I'm forwarding to IMAM Yahoogroups but just thought of sharing a few things gained from the conference with fellow bloggers..pics coming up soon iAllah )

Bismillahirrahmanir rahim

Hopefully this e-mail finds all of you in the best of health and of iman, insyaAllah.

Just would like to share some insights or perhaps a semi-formal report on the event held yesterday ie IMAM Conference: Malaysia’s Achievement in Humanitarian Relief Work, 18 Nov 2007, with Dato Dr Jemilah Mahmood of Mercy as the special guest. Hopefully this email won’t be that lengthy so, keep on reading!

Alhamdulillah, we have managed to organize the events in collaboration with UKEC and MERCY, which in my own humble opinion, went quite well (all praises to Allah). On the IMAM UK-Sc side, our planning and decision-making started as soon as we volunteered to take up the challenge of co-organizing the event (on around 25th Oct). This includes the procedure of booking the hall, projectors, food, preparation for presentation, promotion and some other technicalities. Promoting the event was one of the challenges as time was not on our side. (we had only 2 weeks to get ppl to come to the event! This was difficult-especiall y for ppl outside of London.)

On the day itself, Alhamdulillah the number of people who turned up, was good, and was as expected, (around 50 ppl, if not a little bit more than that).We began with prayers, some morning tea and a welcoming speech by the MC (Zaffiruddin) . Dr Ang Swee Chai, a Malaysian currently working in Royal London Hospital, was our first speaker. Actively involved in humanitarian work herself, she gave us an insight on the roles of Malaysian in the international arena- missions in Palestine, Lebanon, Pakistan and others.

Next up, our very own IMAM presentation, comprising of 3 presentations- 1. Introduction on IMAM (by Faizal Zulkhifli), 2. Acheh Relief Mission (Yusuf Abu Shamsi) and 3. Cambodia Relief Mission (Firdaus Rahim). We introduced what IMAM is all about, shared our visions and dreams, and presented our past to recent activities to the audience. Alhamdulillah the message came across well. According to many of the audience, the three presenters have made a very good job in ‘promoting’ IMAM (habis-habisan) to all who were present yesterday. So well done!

The most anticipated talk by Dr Jemilah was up next. Some points that I myself pondered upon was when Dr Jemilah mentioned that to be involved in humanitarian work, passion alone is not enough. Sure, passion drives you to do good things to others, but at the same time, you must have the correct SYSTEM as well. In this context she outlined a few principles and framework that we can apply. For example, being ACCOUNTABLE to the actions we make during relief work.

Another key point Dr Jemilah mentioned was that humanitarian work is not a touch-and-go project. Instead, it is one that requires continuity and follow-ups. She also encouraged us to conduct researches from database obtained during relief work since these reports would make a very good ‘evidence-based medicine’ data which is important in making a difference to more people.

Lastly, Dr Jemilah shared with us the achievements of Mercy Malaysia- missions in India, Cambodia, Pakistan, and others. Also on Mercy’s projects in Acheh (19 projects currently) , some info on their risk reduction unit, Disaster Risk education and others. Very, very inspiring indeed…

UKEC was the last to present their own share of charity work, as they recounted their experiences of being involved in projects such as the: Projek Kalsom, Projek Setinggan, and Projek Chow Kit.

IMAM UK Sc have set up our booth at the back of the hall, with posters to introduce IMAM and its activities, and made some collection for relief mission donation. And we also did a BMI counter (we prepared the weighing scale and meter tape for them to weigh and measure themselves!) . Also, we have managed to get some students to register as IMAM members as well.

The success of any event is not just a measure of whether it went smoothly not.. or how many turned up. But more than that, it’s whether we have achieved the main objective of organizing the event or not. As a reminder our main, stated objective, it is ‘To introduce IMAM UK Eire and its relief work to Mercy and to the community’. Alhamdulillah, we have managed to bridge the networking with Mercy through this program and they have even offer to organize a training course for IMAM members in the UK for humanitarian relief work in the near future (which I think is a really good start.)

May we extend our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all who have made the event possible..To Mercy (Dr Jemilah and Marissa), MSD, UKEC, IMAM UK Dr Chapter (Dr Burhanuddin, Dr Azlisham), other doctors who have offered their advice as well, to all who came yesterday, and of course to IMAM UK Sc members who have contributed in so many ways. May Allah reward everyone for this effort, insyaAllah….

Assalamualaikum wbt.

Mai Shahira Meor Hazizi
Secretary,
IMAM UK Sc 2007

-also visit our website on http://www.imamukir eland.com/ v1/news.php -

Dr Jemilah's Talk

Hoping that this event, our very first one as the new committee of IMAM UK, will be a successful one. May we reach our objective, build the network, and bridge more people to work together for the sake of the Ummah.....

For those in the UK...don't miss this event!! =)

As-Syams~the sun~ cik matahari

-suddenly feeling so guilty for not updating with this blog and making it so dormant and inactive-

So just let's share something, an input from our usrah/Islamic circle last week...
Mari kite tadabbur dan baca dengan mata hati ayat2 di dalam surah ni.. menarik sgt!! =)




or take a look at the Tafsir: Fi Zilal




-jiwa dan penciptaannya yang sempurna...Alhamdulillah!-

sehingga satu hari yang rajin lagi...
salam