I don't need luck

While i was hearing a lecture from Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips (most likely one of the people nowadays whom i adore the most) about 'The Foundation of Islamic Studies' - while studying ObGyn, there was something that he said about luck which reminds me to write sth about it:

LUCK ----- FORTUNE ----- GODDESS FORTUNA
LUCK ----- MUHAMMAD KHANJI ----- I DON'T NEED LUCK, I NEED DU'A

What do i mean by that? Well, i remember i have this conversation with mohammad khanji. Simply and commonly I said to him for his exam: Good Luck Mohammad!! And to my suprise he replied, I don't need luck, I need du'a. Since then, i never use the word 'LUCK' again to wish somebody. And to other people who had wished me luck, some of them i told the same: I don't need luck, I need du'a!

And only this time i manage to write something about it. Luck based on answers.com thesaurus means fortune. The origin of the word LUCK (etymology) came from Middle English Lucke, from Middle Dutch Luc, a shortform of gheluc. If somebody tells you that it came from the word Lucifer, well my quick research doesn't show any correlation, so as this site. It correlates the word Lucifer and satan as:

"Lucifer" did indeed mean "light-bearing" in its original Latin ("lux," light, plus "fer," bearing), and originally referred to the planet Venus, known as the morning star when it appears at sunrise. The connection between Lucifer the morning star and Satan goes back to the Biblical passage of Isaiah 14:12 ("How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning?"), which, although it was addressed to the king of Babylon, was later interpreted by religious scholars to be actually referring to Satan, the "fallen angel."

However, fortune came from Middle English, from Old French, and from Latin Fortuna, referring to the Goddess of Good Fortune. From this site it says:

The Roman goddess Fortuna was the same as an earlier Italian goddess who presided over the earth's abundance and controlled the destiny of all human beings. Her name, derived from Vortumna, "she who turns the year about" come to symbolize the capriciousness of life and luck, the vagaries of fate as the wheel of life turns around. Her festival was celebrated in October. Fortuna gives us a way to approach the ups and downs of life, a perspective that can offer us some equanimity as we proceed on our journey.

So, knowing all these, does it make any difference to us? Well, for me at least, I'd be better off without the wishes of luck, because as we know Allah knows what really happens to us, each and every single thing. As Rasullullah said, on the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas,

"..Be mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity. Know that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship." Tirmithi, hasan (sound)

And I would agree with all my heart what muhammad has said to me. Luck shouldn't be wish for or be wished to others. It should not even be in the dictionary of a muslim. Instead, du'a is what we all muslims need.

Conclusion:
1. I DON'T NEED LUCK, I NEED YOUR DU'A!!!
2. the importance of using evidence based statement form reliable source to back up our statement (same goes with medicine and especially our religion)
3. the word mosque does not come from the word mosquito as far as etymology (study of origin of words) suggest. This belief was made popular by the writer (a muslim) of the book "Idiot's Guide of Understanding Islam". May Allah has mercy on all of us.

Simple facts on the bible

Bible

Was the Bible sent down in English? - No. That would be most facetious to consider when we take into consideration that English is only a 940 year old language.

Does the Bible still exist in the original form in which it was revealed and in the original languages? - No.

Can any scholar of the Bible say with absolute certainty which of the verses of the Bible came to Abraham, or Moses, or David, or Solomon or Jesus? - No.

Do you accept that the English version of the Bible is the same thing that was held in hands of the Great and Noble prophets of Almighty God? - No.

Does the book that Christians call the "Bible" today represent the Great and Noble Bible of Moses, David and Jesus? - No.

Bible? Did it come from God? - Yes. Absolutely. No doubt.

Bible? - Anyone know what it sounded like? - Only a few experts claim to know how some words might have sounded but they are not one hundred percent sure about most of it.

Bible? - Are there different versions with omissions, deletions, changes, missing books? (Compare Catholic Bible [73 books] to Protestant Bible [66 books])? - Yes. Many.

Bible? - Do people still memorize it today as they once did thousands of years ago, in the original language? - No.

Quran

Quran? Did it come from the same God? - It claims to and it confirms the same about the real Bible.

Quran? Was it sent down in Arabic? - Yes. It says so as one of the verses in it; "A reading sent down in the clear Arabic language..."

Does the Quran still exist in the original form? - Yes. It is still available all over the world in the Arabic language.

Can any scholar of the Quran sate with absolute certainty that the Quran today is the same one that was sent down to Muhammad? - Yes. And they do.

Do we accept that the Arabic version of the Quran is the same thing that was held in the hearts and memories of the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him? - Yes. Ask any Muslim scholar.

Does the book that the Muslims call the Quran today represent the Great and Noble Quran of Muhammad, peace be upon him? - Yes. No doubt.

Does the Arabic Quran contain mistakes? - No. Not even one.

Quran? Does anyone know what it sounded like? - Yes. All Muslims recite it in Arabic in their prayers five times a day.

traumatology UiTM

After so long, finally another entry from me. Today, i attended an interview with UiTM Dean of Medical Faculty. He came to Dublin looking for doctors especially who wants to go back to malaysia and work with them. Not my intention to tell in detail what was happening in there, however, i would say it was beneficial for me. Well, not only beneficial, it has changed my future. Perhaps i will be working there one day... or bery soon!!

First, even though it tok us nearly 6 hours waiting at malaysian hall before being called for interview (imagine final year.. doing nothing.... waiitng for interview... and worse, it wasn't even an offer for us), i really enjoyed being with other married couples (i have just realized!!). I was like a family gathering. long-time-no-see Shariz and his wife , Kak Aini were there. Zekri, kak an & dr saiful, kak haz & arope, tariq & kak azizah (first time i saw her anyway) and many more. Plus final years like alee, haninah, lisa, linda, husna & nora. Wow, what a crowd. waiting for 6 hours is not that bad after all. I managed to discuss enterocutaneuos fistula with alee and tariq, managed to learn about COPD with kak haz & kak azizah, and little bit of stroke from hamad. The conversation was unrestricted, it was really like a family gathering. even though i wasn't that close to kak haz (or kak azizah, tariq's wife) before, but what had happened today was completely different. I spoke to them as if i knew them for a long time already. yeah, probably that is why my wife told me that she is close to kak haz - so not 'typical'. there was one time this petronas guy asked arope, why these medical people loves to get married early. Hmmm, quite an invasive question i guess. However, arope's reply was brilliant: "kalau tak kawin awal, nanti terlepas." (Begitu selamba).

Anyway, the main thing that i get from that interview is... probably i would only stay for 1 year in ireland, settle my debts as soon as possible, and get attached to UiTM. Why UiTM? Well, Hosp Sg Buloh (what a name!!) will be the centre for traumatology and i would like to do Emergency Medicine. That's for a start. Plus, if i work there, most probably i will be staying in Shah Alam, which is good. Close to rumah kakyng in Puchong and close as well to Lisa's house. Plus Shah Alam is a nice area to reside at. And UiTM is fairly a new university.. well the medical faculty i mean. Established only in 2003, there are a lot of things to do. Compared to HUKM (which is good as well, but already has established its own 'likes and dislikes' - you know what i mean), I can probably create my own track - I wish huh!! Probably one of my dislikes of UiTM is that, the university itslef is built based on 'racism' policy. I know... i know, many would very much disagree with me, saying all these stuff about malay survival and how we are lagged behind the chinese. But still, we can't deny it is a racism policy, be it for our own good. I remember clearly we have this debate during MYS halaqah back in 2nd/3rd year, everybody was opposing my idea, even the liberal masyitah!! Hmmm.... It's not that i support DAP slogan- Malaysian Malaysia. Muhammad Khanji told me once, imagine he who lives in UK for many years (and has UK nationality), and the government decided to only give free education to so-called 'British Bumis', he will be raged! Plus he would have hard time to consider Britain as his country which he should love. Same things probably happens the chinese and indians in malaysia. How many of them involved in the arm force- ready to be killed in the line of duty for malaysia? Like Ammar said, it's the fault of the system we are living now- after 48 years of independance. Can't really blame the people to think and act what they are doing now.