Riang Ria Raya 2014

Salam and Eid Mubarak!

Today is the 3rd day of Shawal. I've started my daily routine in the lab. But, it's never too late to still feel the festivities of the eid. So, I'll share with you what I did for my first eid celebration in UK.

1st Shawal (Monday, 28th July 2014)

      We woke up earlier than usual today. My best friend stayed up the whole night skype-ing with her family (due to the 7 hours time difference). We get ready with our 'raya' clothes and off to the Malaysian Embassy / High Commission at  Belgrave Square, London. It took about 30 minutes from my friend's house via tube.

      When we arrived around 9am, there were already many people, some we met along the way with their beautiful 'baju raya'. The prayer actually started at 9am, exactly when we arrived, Alhamdulillah, just in the nick of time.

After the prayer, it's food time!!!

There were so many people. Luckily we went early to get food, and while everyone was waiting because nobody knew that they can get the food already...huhu...

Photobombed while selfie. =P

The food was fairly nice. Well, if you're in London and you can find these types of food, what more do you want?!

There were not enough seat available, so we just ate while standing up at the counter. This place is where people go to make their visas, passport, etc. See the arrow? ooppps...

Soooo many people. Maybe you can't see as clear from this angle.

This day you can see there are actually a lot of Malaysians in London. But of course this is including those that came from other places as well. And don't forget those who are still inside, can you imagine?

We took some photos while waiting for our friends to eat.

With K. Zada, a PhD student at Imperial whose living at the same accommodation as me. 

There were also TV3 crew interviewing people. We didn't get a chance though. Still a little sour towards TV3 for false reporting news before. =(

So we went inside to take some more pictures with the beautiful decorations.

Imperial College London students.

These are the group for 'jalan raya'...weeee....

Rombongan Cik Kiah

We took pictures at Hyde Park because it was nearby.

After the photoshoot, we went to Mile End to visit a friend's friend. 

We took the tube at Hyde Park Corner...I love this pic.

Going raya using public transport. Pfftt~~

Eid mubarak by Sainsbury's. 

We didn't go and visit Princess Elsa ok...This is our friend's house. hahaha...

We ate Nasi kerabu (famous in Kelantan) here..but there's no pic of it. We ate without thinking..huhu...

Go to visit another friend afterwards..

So tired after the long walk...or maybe because too full. (-_-)

We went to our friends' house at bayswater. 

My friend made this cookies

Sooo many delicious food...

There's lontong, satay, rendang, chocalate cake, cookies, kuah kacang, pulut...

We also visited my Mak Alang's restaurant in Chinatown (Kuala Lumpur Cafe). She will always cook Lontong for both eid celebrations. The dish that I look for everytime, and she makes the best one. My family always visit her mother's house every raya. And she always makes Lontong. nyum3...

What's raya without raya cookies..

My 'lil cousin. She doesn't know that I'm her cousin because we've never met before I came to London.

This is my aunt. Ira said it looked like we're taking pictures with a 'datin'. Bolehlah~

Of course, have to 'tapau' some food to bring home because we were too full to enjoy more. 

That night, we took a train to Sheffield.

2nd Shawal (Tuesday, 29th July 2014)

Our friends in Sheffield are all busy with their write ups now, so we celebrated simply at home. From the left, Chepah, Ira, Me, Damia. Damia visited us from her lab during lunch hour....*touched*

I was actually on skype with my niece at this moment. But this picture turned out so nice because we looked so happy. 

Add Afiqah and Bahijah (the one that took the pics earlier)

This is what happened where the camera is not with me. (-_-")

Nice!

After that we went and visit Ira's cousin that's living in Sheffield as well. He picked us up with his rented car..so we didn't have to go there ourselves...hehe

Afterwards, we went back to London...

Simple but memorable eid celebration. Today I am already busy with so many things to do...well..

Until next time...

Eid Mubarak!

Salam and good day readers!

First and foremost, let me take this opportunity to wish Eid Mubarak to all Muslim all over the world!!

 تَقَبَّلَ اللّهُ مِنَّ وَ مِنْكُمْ (Taqabbalallahu minna wa minkum) Translation: May Allah accept it from you and us...It means may Allah accept our Fasting, Qiyam and all of our Ibadah, forgive us our sins and all our shortcomings. 

This is the first time I spent eid away from my family. Spending eid abroad, let alone in a non-muslim country is a new and exciting experience. 

Eventhough it has passed the 1st day of eid, I would like to share some etiquettes as thought by our beloved prophet Muhammad  (صلى الله عليه و سلم) during the day, may we gain some knowledge and blessing. It can still be applied on next year insyaAllah. ;-)

1) The early morning starts with a morning shower (ghusl) with a specific niat:

نويت الغسل لعيد الفطر سنة لله تعلى

NAWAITUL GHUSLA LI I’DIL FITRI SUNNATALLILAHI TAA’LA

This is in conjunction with the teachings from the Prophet muhammad  (صلى الله عليه و سلم): 

It was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth in al-Muwatta’ and elsewhere that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar used to do ghusl on the day of al-Fitr before going out to the prayer-place in the morning. Al-Muwatta’ 428. 

Al- Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said that the Muslims were unanimously agreed that it is mustahabb to do ghusl for Eid prayer. 

2) We wore new/our best clothing for the day and prepare to go for prayer.

It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had a cloak which he would wear on the two Eids and on Fridays. Saheeh Ibn Khuzaymah, 1756, 

Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a saheeh isnaad that Ibn ‘Umar used to wear his best clothes on Eid. 

Although for women, it is not permissible to adorn oneself in front of a non-mahram (non-relative) men. So, women should not be excessive in wearing adornments to an extent where it will be considered as haram. One should always be modest in what they are wearing. 

3) Before going out to pray on Eid al-Fitr, it is important to eat something because part of the etiquette is not to go out to pray on Eid al-Fitr until one has eaten some dates, based on the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari from Anas ibn Maalik, who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used not to go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten some dates… of which he would eat an odd number. Al-Bukhaari, 953. It is different than Eid al-Adha where we eat after the prayer. 

4) Takbeer on the day of Eid is one of the greatest sunnah during Eid al-Fitri. 

“(He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him”

[al-Baqarah 2:185] 

It was narrated that al-Waleed ibn Muslim said: I asked al-Awzaa’i and Maalik ibn Anas about saying Takbeer out loud on the two Eids. They said, Yes, ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar used to say it out loud on the day of al-Fitr until the imam came out (to lead the prayers).  

The time for takbeer on Eid al-Fitr starts from the night before Eid until the imam enters to lead the Eid prayer. 

It was narrated in the Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah with a saheeh isnaad from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he used to recite takbeer during the days of tashreeq: 

Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar, Allaah akbar, wa Lillaah il-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is most Great, there is no god but Allaah, Allaah is Most great, Allaah is most great, and to Allaah be praise). 

5) Offering congratulations and good wishes like Eid Mubarak and Taqabbalallahu minna waminkum are the good practices among muslim when they meet and greet each other.

It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Nufayr said: When the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) met one another on the day of Eid, they would say to one another, “May Allaah accept (good deeds) from us and from you.” Ibn Hajar said, its isnaad is hasan. Al-Fath, 2/446. 

6) Going to prayer by one route and returning by another is also among the practices thought by prophet Muhammad  (صلى الله عليه و سلم). 

It was narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to vary his route. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 986. 

It was said that the reason for that was so that the two routes would testify for him on the Day of Resurrection, for the earth will speak on the Day of Resurrection and say what was done on it, both good and bad. 

And it was said that it was in order to manifest the symbols of Islam on both routes, or to manifest the remembrance of Allaah (dhikr), or to annoy the hypocrites and Jews, and to scare them with the large number of people who were with him. And it was said that it was in order to attend to the people’s needs, to answer their questions, teach them, set an example and give charity to the needy, or to visit his relatives and uphold the ties of kinship.

Wallahua'lam. Allah knows best. May we receive His blessings.

Until next time...

Hiking @ Kent

Salam and good day readers!

The week before Ramadhan, a friend of mine invited me to go on a walking/hiking trip at Kent during the weekend. We took a train from London Bridge Station to Ashurst, Kent.

The path for the walk starts at the train station.

This house reminds me of houses at the villages in Malaysia.

Country side houses are so beautiful.

We walked through the wheat field.

Spectacular view.

This was not photoshopped.

The one whose always by my side.

We went over fences.

Met with sheep in the middle of the road.

Selfie with sheep. =D

We found this 'grave' of an army who was killed in a train accident.

I think maybe this is the place where the accident occur. It's a train track bridge.

Over bridges

This is a wheat field that's still young.

Ladybug....=D

This flower looks like it's made of plastic.

We went across fields

And villages

The houses are filled with trees and beautiful flowers

This shed is actually a bus stop.

This reminds me of rambutan...=P

Checking the map for our next route.

While waiting, we have a rest near this place.

Saw this funky car while we were resting

We went across this quaint church in the village

The first time I went to a Christian cemetery

These grave has been here since 1908

This uncle was the one who let us in. He told us the history of this church. 

This church was burnt to the ground during except the tower during 1920's because it was hit by lightning

They rebuild everything from the ground up.

The day we came there was going to be a wedding in the afternoon, hence the candles.

This truck is filled with stuff for the wedding.

We the continued our journey..

After some time, we rest to have our lunch.

Picnic time!! Each of us brought some food. I brought the chicken n cheese popia that I made the night before.

The taste are delish! 

Ira's response afterwards..hahaha!!!

We saw bulls! haha...we were excited as if there weren't any in Malaysia. =P

And some chickens!

Then we saw a farm. We just went in without any permission.

Horsie selfie...=D

Bull selfie...=D

This place reminds me of a scene in Narnia: Prince Caspian where the prince was being chased.

This was by far the most tiring walks that I've ever had. We walked for more than 8 hours!!

I think we reached for more than 10 miles.

We reached this place called the pooh bridge, where Winnie the Pooh cartoon was originated from.

Who was this smart person that wrote this? heh~

So tired at this point.

But still managed to took pictures. hahaha

Afterwards, we went for tea and snacks at a place called The Pooh Corner.

After tea, we were too swamped to move, we decided to take a bus to the train station instead of continue walking.

Great idea! ;-)

We took the train from here back to Clapham Junction. We had dinner before going home. Such a great experience even though it was exhausting.

Until next time....