Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Nelson Mandela
Bismillahirrahmannirrahim.
In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate,Most Merciful.
This morning, after performing my Subuh @ Dawn prayers, I switched on my laptop and came online, reading the main news of the day and I got to see this beaming, smiling face of the first Muslim lady to travel up to space , stay with the International Space Station crews and then return safely,back to Planet Earth.
Anousheh Ansari, an Iranian Muslimah, now living in America has scored a many firsts with her historic flight and being the first female paying space tourist.
She is also the first to blog from outer space. She is receiving hundreds of emails from all over the world and for some unknown reasons, all the expressions of love and dedication to her triggered an emotion from deep inside me that I cried.
My tears just flowed out and I stifled my sobs as to not disturb my sleeping wife besides me.
Here she is shown being welcomed home to Earth by her husband Hamid Ansari after safely landing in the desert of Kazakhstan in the Russian space capsule.
Alhamdulillah for her safe return. Praise be to Allah!
Those comments and expressions of support from people who might never have come to know her in person sort of opened up an avalanche of emotions deep within me to realise that there is still beauty in the human hearts today, despite all the mayhem, all the unnecessary bloodshed being spilled and threatened to be spilt by the world’s most powerful nation, the United States of America under it’s present tyrant, President George Walker Bush Jr.
I feel no shame in admitting that I cried. A humanbeing who doesn’t shed instantaneous tears reflects a hardened soul , devoid of human feelings, passions and emotions.
Reading Anousheh Ansari’s Space Blog, opened up my sensitive heart to realising that all’s not lost yet for the Children of the First Prophet and First Humanbeing created by Allah, God Almighty, Our Father, Saiyidina Adam Alaihis Salam.
Yes, there is still hope for all of us, Mankind, composed of all the various ethnicities and living in various cultures and creeds today. Despite all our surface differences, deep down, in our hearts, we still share common traits of love and compassion and this outpouring of love and respect to Anousheh Ansari, reflects that beauty of the fitrah of love and care that God Almighty has put into our hearts. Alhamdulillah! Praise be to Allah!
It is good to see this kind of love emanating from all over the world as a result of the accomplishments of one woman, who in recent times, has showed to the western world, that even Iranians are capable of reaching for the stars , that she, Anousheh Ansari, a Muslim in her own right , is no different from any of them.
She is a symbol of the promise that we humans as a whole can achieve , if we have the means and the willpower to strive to fulfill our goals and aspirations in life.
Anousheh Ansari can afford to spend USD$20,000,000.00 to go up in space , see the Earth rotate in the vastness of space and return to tell her story. She can afford it as she is the owner of her own company and co founder of it. Prodea Systems.
Malaysia does not need to do the same. We can use the money to cater for the needs of our poor citizens who need help more from our government than send one or two of our doctors up there just to prove that we too can do it. It’s not right.
We do not have to give in to our ego and try to prove that ‘Hey! We can do it too!’
Vain glory amounts to nothing. It doesn’t mean anything when one does something just to kow tow to one’s vanity and to show off when the precious funds and resources can be better used to feed the hungry, support poor Malaysian families economies by giving them a small capital to start their own businesses and to stand up on their own after that and not have to depend on public charity to make their ends meet, etcetera.
Anousheh Ansari can afford to do what she did and I am proud of her. Well done sister!
My slight off topic view on my objection to our Government of Malaysia’s space ventures are just an expression of my frustrations with the excesses of the powers that be here in Bolehland.
Coming back to the topic, I am glad to see, read and hear of her space journey which has triggered human hearts to be as we were all meant to be. United in spirit and in love towards one another, despite our differences, despite our leaders egoistic tendencies to wage war and destruction upon each other just to satisfy their egos and avarices.
To people on Earth, I thank you for showing that there’s still beauty in our souls.
Fee Amanillah. May the Peace of Allah be upon us all. Ameen.
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she doesn’t wear a headscraft though.
Consevative Muslims love to celebrate achievements, even if the achiever don’t quite subscribe to conservative values. Everybody loves winner eh?
Well brother _earth,
In these hypocritical times, we can’t be zeroing in on one’s faults only can we?
We aren’t exactly picture perfect are we?
I have come across so many more instances where those whom we regard as being so perfect, so holy, so toeing the line that God Almighty and His Messenger enjoins, comes right up and shatters away that illusion that we have been building up so grand and so high in our hearts and our minds when they are exposed to be what they really are.
Yes, she doesn’t cover herself with a flaming hijab, but brother there are millions of people out there today who commit worse sins than just expose her hair!
It is a sin yes but it is herself and her husband who are accountable for that one choice they make.
Do not be judgemental dear friend.
We need to appreciate and support those who did something, achieved something that we can only imagine or dream about.
It’s called syukur.
We can do better in trying to emulate the spirit and tenacity that Anousheh Ansari has proven in doing what she could that is to fly high, way high up above the clouds and into space, which you and me can only afford to dream about.
You do tend to forget that there are Muslims out there who are committing worse sins like apostasy, zina, abuse themselves with drugs and prostitute themselves as we speak!
There are for your information many here in Malaysia who put up an act of being holy and ‘innocent’ who wear those ‘tudung labuh’ and all covering ‘jubah’ yet are caught committing khalwat and all other outrageous sins, and here you are zooming in on Anousheh Ansari’s exposed hair! Bravo!
Talk about missing the tree for the branch!
You need to broaden your perspective my friend and see the world from a broader and all encompassing angle!
It’s better for us to allow some room for slip up’s and defects as we are all not free from sin, bro.
Don’t you agree? Ease up and give the lady a round of applause!
Allah knows her best! It is He who knows what’s in our hearts and souls.
You need to know that Islam is not just about covering the exterior and neglect the interior aspects of one’s being.
Too many people think and assume that Islam is just about keeping a big bushy beard, wrap a multi layered serban, sport long flowing robes and fit into the ‘conservative’ image that the media wants you to accept and believe that this is Islam!
I can be as Muslim as I want to be sporting a suit and a tie and yet conform to what the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam and God Almighty enjoins on me to cover my aurat!
Do we know what’s in the hearts and minds of others? We don’t ! Do we?
Sorry if I come across as admonishing you but I just need to be crystal clear about this accusation you place on ‘conservative old me’ who overlooks Anousheh Ansari’s exposed hair!
Think you have got the message now, so I’ll stop right here.
You missed what I said.
I said, many conservative Muslims love to claim some achievers’ success as Muslims’ success. They are willing to ignore what they find objectable if the achiever’s success add ego to the Muslim community.
She wouldn’t have achieved the success if she had lived in a conservative society when women are marginalized and moral policing are rampart.
So, when you glorified a product of a liberal society and then claim her success as Muslims’, it strikes as something odd.
I personally have no problem with her hair or if she wears something skimpy. Or if she commits zina. After all, like you said, it is she that bears the sin.
After all, you said: It is a sin yes but it is herself and her husband who are accountable for that one choice they make.
Through your quote, if that’s your sentiment, then why are you support moral policing?
It’s ironic to hear somebody said that and at the same time call for moral policing.
Assalamualaikum.
Well Mohd Hafiz,
Moral policing is to do with the major sins such as Zina, Khalwat, Incest, Corruption, Criminal Breach of Trust and many other major sins that need us to speak up against it.
The trend of zooming in and looking at things microscopically as you are doing here is tantamount to being a faultfinder which is not healthy dear brother.
In our own life journeys and accumulation of knowledge and ‘Ilm of Islam, we each have our own interpretations and understandings which we come to hold to be true and which we defend earnestly according to our own egos and convictions.
I write as I feel and I do not expect anyone to accept each and everything I say or voice out.
Seems to me, we don’t see things the same way and thus we have this differences in opinions.
No big deal bro. Just move on and do your thingy.
Neither of us are obliged to concur with anything that we don’t feel we need to agree upon.
I will write as I see things are and so just read my blog if you feel like it or move on.
As I have been saying, its Ramadhan at the moment and do not wish to spoil my peace of mind in engaging in a senseless debate with you right now.
If you still feel strongly about anything, come see me after Ramadhan.
Anytime, any place , will be happy to oblige you.
That said and done, Have a Blessed Ramadhan and give that ego a rest.
Wassalamualaikum.
thanx to Allah. As a Muslim, female, I’m also proud of her…
May Allah bless her…
Ameen!
Well Aween, I would like to see you do something similar for us to be proud of you!
Since you are studying in Cyberjaya, you must be studying in either Computer Science or any other high skills medium.
Do us proud by inventing something important to mankind’s scientific & technological advancements!
Even if u don’t, I am sure that your parents are as proud of you as well! Study well and do your best!
Best regards from Mahaguru58!
May Allah bless us all! Ameen!
Yeah, yeah, yeah! The ‘Westerners’ are the ones who liberalized women to do what ever they want. *yawn!* Bravo Ansari, she did it with her OWN money, which a lot of women, Westerner or not, cannot afford to do.
If she was a billionaire in a Muslim country, she could if wanted to. But I guess it shows that those women with money don’t really want to go to space?
As a Muslim, I’m appaled by that statement that if she was to come from a conservative country she wouldn’t be ‘liberalized’ to do this. Ansari is a HUMAN exception, woman, Muslim or not.
The problem with people in countries like ours is not that the opportunity is not available, it sure is available, but it’s how many of you out there are willing to grab it and work hadr to be as successful as her. I wouldn’t blame it all on ‘conservatism’. I’d blame it on the culture of striving, and working hard.
It’s not easy, American or not, to be as rich as Ansari. It takes a lot of hard, hard, hard work, perseverance, strong will, not giving up to reach that level. A big part of it is to overcome whatever obstacles they are facing toward their success. Success does not come easy, especially when you’re at that level. Especially considering (altho American citizen) Ansari is still a migrant from another country. Whatever obstacles she overcame, she is a strong willed woman who could make it just about anywhere successful.
Don’t blame religion for everything. Try blaming yourself for once.
Meriza
Tq. mahaguru. That’s kewll..
🙂
Meriza my dear, You got that so right smack on the nose!:P
As you said, sometimes it’s pointless to waste our thoughts on those who are blinkered!
May Allah the Almighty broaden our minds and our hearts to learn to appreciate the knowledge being made available to us all in these times and know how to utilise them instead of ending up as a nitpicker!
That’s a job for the simians in the wild, don’t you agree? 😀
Good for you gal!
I’m rooting for ya! Well said! 🙂
As for Aween, God bless u too! 🙂
some people would probably argue why 20 us millions were wasted on that trip instead of using that money to help so many needy moslems all over the world. some also argue as to why the government is wasting a few millions to send 1 astronout up when there are so many poor people in the country who can use those millions.
i suppose it is human nature to ONLY LOOK AT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE, TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEY ONLY WANT TO HEAR, TO ……..
U got that absolutely right!
Some of us prefer to look at the achievements of others but some love to be faultfinders anonymous!
Guess who’s who! 😀
I admit I like to listen to the good news and hate having to listen to all the crap spewed out by some!
Luckily for me this comment of yours today is bearable and digestable! Thanks a lot!