May 7th, 2012.
It’s been long. I’ve been caught up with life, with a separate Tumblr, with new friends and newfound bonds, with feelings.
The moon tonight is beautiful, and I sneaked glances at it every 10 seconds or so, marveling at its radiance, whispering praises to God for such amazing creations.
At the faculty were swarms of alates (I just found out that that’s the English word for kelkatu) flying towards the light sources. Naturally I got fascinated and began my usual staring routine.
Thoughts filled my head.
1. Like how I see them walking with their huge wings, and I wonder if it weighs them down. And when the wings get wet, they get heavy and get stuck to the wall, the floor or the bathroom sink, and I see them wiggle their tiny legs in despair, trying to walk, but pulled back by the weight of their large wings, already wet. In times like that, I feel that tug of need, wanting to save them from their misery. Do I pull their wings off and let them walk away wingless like some of their friends who have already abandoned their flight gear, after pulling away from it long enough? That’s gotta hurt, having a body part pulled out. Should I dry their wings? No, no, they’re much too fragile. Do I leave them wriggling until theirs wings fall of themselves? Yes. I wonder if they feel any different after that. Would they have felt happy to be able to walk, or sad that they can no longer fly?
2. Like how they always come before it rains. How do they know that it’s gonna rain soon? How the air smells, or a slight drop in temperature, or some weird pH change in the surroundings?
3. The fact that they’re always around before it rains makes me wonder, where have they been all this while when it’s not raining? Where do they live? Some ant hill they built? Do we call it an alate hill? I can probably google my curiosities, but I guess I’ll let myself wonder a little more.
4. What makes them so attracted to light, especially before the night gets rainy? To warm themselves? Is it some unexplainable attraction they’re just born with? What if they’re made that way by God so that they won’t get wet, and that they would swarm to light bulbs and to safe, bright places with roofs?
5. No, that doesn’t make sense, what about the times before electricity was discovered? Where did they fly to, if everything gets dark by night? Do they fly high up to reach the moon, higher and higher until they can reach no more?
6. Everything has personalities of their own. Imagine a rebel alate who dislikes the bright lights and chooses to seclude itself from the alate community, flying off to the darkest nook the minute his cousins go light-hunting?
7. I think there’s something sad and beautiful about the way they swarm the light, with no clear reason why, going at it again and again, even if they might get hurt or burn from the heat. Is that how love works? Sometimes.
So you see, alates are thought-provoking creatures.
That they are.
I feel happy to have found a song so relatable
and feel sad for the same reason.
Saat ini dengan perdebatan, pena, dan menggerakkan tuts di laptop, kaum Muslim membela demokrasi dan memberikan kontribusi penting bagi peradabannya, bukan dengan pentungan, pedang dan golok untuk melawan pikiran dan kebebasan. Itulah mengapa setiap tindakan fasis, kekerasan, dan pembelengguan terhadap kemerdekaan berfikir harus kita lawan sehebat-hebatnya dan sekuat-kuatnya.
—Indoprogress (via rkholil)
![thedailywhat:
RIP: Chaleo Yoovidhya, creator of the world-famous energy drink Red Bull, passed away today of natural causes. He was 89.
The self-made billionaire, listed by Forbes as the richest man in Thailand, launched Red Bull (Krathing Daeng in Thailand) in the 70’s through his company, T.C. Pharmaceuticals. It was an instant hit among truck drivers and construction workers.
In the early 80’s, Chaleo was persuaded by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz to introduce the drink in foreign markets. Mateschitz, then an international marketing director, would make frequent trips to Thailand, and found that “one glass [of Krating Daeng] and the jet lag was gone.”
Chaleo partnered with Mateschitz, and Red Bull quickly took flight. It is currently sold in over 70 countries.
[bbc.]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m11g60XxOe1qzpwi0o1_1280.jpg "thedailywhat:
RIP: Chaleo Yoovidhya, creator of the world-famous energy drink Red Bull, passed away today of natural causes. He was 89.
The self-made billionaire, listed by Forbes as the richest man in Thailand, launched Red Bull (Krathing Daeng in Thailand) in the 70’s through his company, T.C. Pharmaceuticals. It was an instant hit among truck drivers and construction workers.
In the early 80’s, Chaleo was persuaded by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz to introduce the drink in foreign markets. Mateschitz, then an international marketing director, would make frequent trips to Thailand, and found that “one glass [of Krating Daeng] and the jet lag was gone.”
Chaleo partnered with Mateschitz, and Red Bull quickly took flight. It is currently sold in over 70 countries.
[bbc.]")
RIP: Chaleo Yoovidhya, creator of the world-famous energy drink Red Bull, passed away today of natural causes. He was 89.
The self-made billionaire, listed by Forbes as the richest man in Thailand, launched Red Bull (Krathing Daeng in Thailand) in the 70’s through his company, T.C. Pharmaceuticals. It was an instant hit among truck drivers and construction workers.
In the early 80’s, Chaleo was persuaded by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz to introduce the drink in foreign markets. Mateschitz, then an international marketing director, would make frequent trips to Thailand, and found that “one glass [of Krating Daeng] and the jet lag was gone.”
Chaleo partnered with Mateschitz, and Red Bull quickly took flight. It is currently sold in over 70 countries.
[bbc.]
(via hazenuts)
Who is a Muslim? What does a Muslim do?
The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God. The first principle of Islam is known as the Shahaadah, and is as follows: “There is no one worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Final Messenger of God.” In a broader sense, anyone who willingly submits to the will of God is a Muslim.
One cannot judge Islam by looking at those individuals who have a Muslim name, but in their actions, they are not living or behaving as Muslims. Muslims are ordinary people like other humans; among them are the good and the bad. They are not perfect creatures and, therefore, make mistakes.
When we mention the characteristics of a Muslim, we do not assume that all Muslims have these characteristics, but only those who follow — to the best of their abilities — the teachings of Islam.
Characteristics of a Muslim character:
- ¥ A Muslim is truthful, not dishonest
- ¥ He is humble, not arrogant
- ¥ He is moderate, not an extremist
- ¥ He is honest, not corrupt
- ¥ He is reserved, not talkative
- ¥ He is soft-spoken, not prideful
- ¥ He is loving to others, not unmindful of them
- ¥ He is considerate and compassionate, not harsh
- ¥ He is polite and helpful, not insulting and disrespectful to people
- ¥ He is generous and charitable, not selfish and miserly
- ¥ He is refined and gentle in speech, not prone to swearing or cursing
- ¥ He is cheerful and generous, not bitter and resentful
- ¥ He is grateful for what he has, not ungrateful
- ¥ He is cheerful and pleasant, not irritable and gloomy
- ¥ He is alert, not absent-minded
- ¥ He is dignified and decent, not graceless
- ¥ He is sincere and straightforward, not hypocritical
- ¥ He is optimistic and hopeful, not cynical or pessimistic
- ¥ He is confident and deep in faith, not doubtful and wavering
- ¥ He always has faith in God’s mercy, not losing heart or becoming desperate
- ¥ He is diligent and vigilant, not negligent to his duties
- ¥ He is thankful to God and constantly prays to Him, not forgetful of His innumerable blessings
The Muslim personality is balanced. He pays due attention to his body’s needs and his outward appearance, without letting it distract him from nurturing his inner characteristics. He does not forget that man is not only composed of body and mind, but he also possesses a soul and a spirit, and feels a longing for higher things that makes him rise above this materialistic life and ascend the heights of goodness, virtue and light. With his parents, he is an example of sincere filial piety, good treatment, infinite compassion, and politeness and deep gratitude.
With his wife, he is an example of good and kind treatment, intelligent handling, deep understanding and proper fulfillment of his responsibilities and duties. With his children, he is a parent who understands his great responsibility towards them. Although he floods them with love and compassion, he pays attention to things that may affect their Islamic upbringing. With his relatives, he maintains the ties of kinship and knows his duties toward them. He understands the high status given to relatives in Islam, which makes him remain in touch with them regardless of the circumstances.
With his neighbors, the true Muslim is an example of good treatment and consideration of others’ feelings and sensitivities. He puts up with mistreatment and turns a blind eye to his neighbor’s faults while avoiding committing any such errors himself. He always adopts the Islamic attitude, whereby treating neighbors well was made a basic principle of Islam. His relationship with his brothers and friends is the best and purest of relationships, for it is based on love for the sake of God. This pure, sincere, brotherly love derives its purity from the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah.
This is the clear, beautiful picture of the Muslim whose personality has been formed by Islam and whose heart, mind and soul are filled with its divine light. May Allah (SWT) help our hearts, minds, and souls to be filled with this divine light.
