This is so interesting!!!!!!

It mentions the horrific Abu Ghraib incident and the famous Stanford Prison experiment, 

the latter of which Philip Zimbardo himself was involved.

There are 3 paths we can choose to walk on:

(i) The path of villainy

(ii) The path of passive indifference

(iii) The path of hero

7 Social Processes that Grease the Slippery Slope of Evil:

(i) Mindlessly taking the first small step

(ii) Dehumanization of others

(iii) De-individuation of self (Anonymity)

(iv) Diffusion of personal responsibility

(v) Blind obedience to authority

(vi) Uncritical conformity to group norms

(vii) Passive tolerance of evil through inaction or indifference

---

I was at a small sharing session about special needs kids, by Sheikh Abdel Aziz Ahmed Fredericks (who has a cool, therapy-like job, besides teaching Islamic knowledge).

A mother had asked how she could explain to her daughter why her brother who had significant difficulties was going to Jannah, despite being "so naughty". And because there is a belief that special individuals have a free ticket to heaven, are we not depriving children with special needs of that space in Jannah by trying to remediate or rehabilitate them?

The sheikh started with saying that everyone has their own ibtilah. And it is how we respond to that challenge in life that brings us closer to God. There is this hadith:

Rasulullah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Allah said, 'If I deprive my slave of his two beloved things (his eyes) and he remains patient, I will let him enter Paradise in compensation for them.'" [Sahih Bukhari] 

But it is not for the fact that he is blind that he goes to paradise; it is his patience. So every ibtilah, has its corresponding passing grade, we could say. Also, regardless of the ibtilah, one still has to strive to be a good slave. So for some people, their challenge is to be patient, to keep smiling despite an affliction, and that will win them God's mercy. And for some people, because their ibtilah or difficulty on Earth is so great, all they need to do is breathe, and they have God's mercy and a place in heaven.

Subhanallah. I really wanted to cry. I'm sure some of the parents already were.

I think everyone should attempt at least once in their healthy adult lives to live with an elderly, and also with an infant child (preferably at separate times because a double whammy like that will render the carer beyond exhaustion). It affords a sobering reminder and perspective of the frailty of human life. How truly independent can anyone be, if this is how we begin and how we end (if we even get that far)?


If ever I happen to be reduced to my most basic instincts and routines, I hope the words primed on my lips will be of You.

Why can't popular music today be more of this strain and less of the nudity and sex and just licentiousness all around?

Music can be so inspiring. 

This was probably Mariah Carey at her best, hands down.

I used to sing this song all the time when I was younger.

Just reminiscing, 

and thinking about dreams, 

and looking for my hero.

Beauty is the thing least understood, but the most commercialised.

-- Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad




It's December again! It feels like my class only just graduated as newly qualified STs, and I can't believe we're already a year into doing this.

This year has been new, awesome, scary, exciting, but also heartbreaking -- and Alhamdulillah for all of that! At the end of every year, I feel very grateful to be able to look back on the year. I've realised, some people don't reach the end of the year. Insya Allah, 2014 will be even better, Amin. (:

Some of the awesome things this year:

-- Resuming Arabic and making awesome Arabic-learning friends.
-- Starting work, and slowly learning to love my colleagues and my work.
-- Being able to work in Medan! A total highlight, honestly.
-- Australia trip, for SPA conference; and then spotting whales!
-- Becoming all-confident-and-independent-woman and learning to attend weddings alone.
-- Book of the year: Quiet (or actually, my current read will likely triumph when I'm done: Martin Lings's Muhammad s.a.w., his life from the earliest sources)
-- Learnt to open up my heart a bit more to people, albeit slowly -- learning to love unconditionally is a life-long journey, it seems
-- Becoming more certain of myself and my capabilities -- that I can be quite bold and brave when it's about things close to my heart

And tomorrow -- going off to visit the family in the Middle East. Hello, desert people!