Saidina Abdullah ibn Jaafar al-Sadiq

           Saidina Abdullah al-Aftah ibn Jaafar al-Sadiq was the eldest son of Saidina Jaafar Ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq. He had a brother by the name Saidina Ismail ibn Jaafar al-Sadiq. Al-Aftah in his name derives from and Arabic words meaning broad headed , which are used to described his appearance.

Entrance To Saidina Abdullah al-Fatah Shrine

Writing About Saidina Abdullah

Saidina Abdullah ibn Jaafar al Sadiq Shrine

            His father Saidina Jaafar al-Sadiq is an Islamic scholar and a great contributor to Islamic studies.He was taught by his grand father Zainal Abidn since his child hood. After the death of his grand father he continued his learning from Muhammad al-Baqir.He became well versed in Islamic science , including hadith and the Quran . Such a knowledgeable men , he is also well versed in mathematics, philosophy, anatomy, astronomy and other subjects.He had many well known students such as Abu Musa ibn Hayyan which are Islamic chemist and well known to the western world as Geber. Imam Malik ibn Anas who quote 12 hadith from Saidina Jaafar al-Sadiq in his book Al-Muwatta are his student. So does Abu Haniffa  and Islamic scholar and jury.

                                              

            With a great family background Saidina Abdullah ibn Jaafar share the same legacy as his father.A great man to remember as his father and may peace be upon him and his family. Amin.                                                                                                                                                                   

Saiditina Fatimah asSugra

          Saiditina  Fatimah Sugra is Saidina Hussein daughter and grand daughter of Ali ibn AbiTalib. She is the great grand daughter of  Prophet Muhammad saw. She was name after her grand mother Saiditina Fatimah asZahra and which was also known as Sabirra, means the patient one. The combination of those name was named to this beautiful daughter of Saidina Hussein.

 

Entrance To Fatimah Sugra Shrine

          A love story between a father and daughter, that has not been separated since her birth. The sad story started when Saidina Hussein had to leave Saiditina  Fatimah Sugra in Madinah, on his journey away. The story of father and daughter separated forever due to the death of Saidina Hussein in the battle of Karbala.

The Tomb Of Fatimah Sugra

            Saditina  Fatimah Sugra waited  for her father and brother Ali Akbar and her sister Sakina returns from day, to month, to years, and she spend most of her time in the mosque .She was been taking care by her uncle and aunties at Madinah. The last kiss , hand wave from her father and tears are the last seen on the day they left her at Madinah. She missed her siblings and father very much and wanted to be together with them. But due to the promised and obeying her  father  and agreed to stay in Madinah. She hold her tears and sadness when separated. May peace be upon her. Amin.

Maaloula

            Maaloula is one of the scenic village in Syria.It's situated at an altitude of more than 1500 metres, with its little houses cling to the face of an enormous rock, making it look suspended in mid air. About an hour drive from Damascus and an interesting place where Aramaic the language spoken by Prophet Isa ( Jesus Christ in Christianity) is still used as a living language.The language is like Hebrew language when you hear the words once but when twice its totally different. The word Maaloula means entrance in Aramaic.

           To reached Maaloula in the old days and even today we have to past a passage within the hill. It was like a story of 1001 nights where adventure , magic and mystical. The passage will take us to the village and this passage was used by the villagers for entry and exit.

The Passageway

 

Experience The Past

           There are two monasteries in Maaloula, Mar Sarkis and Mar Taqla. I was told by the clergyman that the monasteries was built during the Prophet Isa ( Jesus Christ) about 1700 years ago. And when you entered the church which was in the hill, you can see the different from other Christian church. With a dim lights and a photo of Prophet Isa ( Jesus Christ) and the saint hanging on the cave wall, and a seats are arranged facing the alter. What amaze me is that when the Orthodox Christian do the prayer they lift their hands up similar as the Muslim when praying. This is something new for me because its totally different from the Christian that practice somewhere else.

The Monastery

The Village

           On the other end of the monastery there hold the remain of Saint Taqla. Its a place where Christian and even Muslim gain blessings and to make offerings. It was told that Saint Taqla a Christian during Christ, have miracles and since than people visit his place of rest to seek blessing.

          This is Maaloula , the unique village, still genuine in this whole world, a magnificent plaque that contains a strange mixture of past and present, reality and legend, sanctity and beauty.

           

Gayong Saga Continues

           Gayong  training  continues,  from training with a  tee- shirt  now all of them have their Gayong’s uniform.  When training in a right uniform the feeling is different, the soul of the art felt  as if transmitted into the body.  I was very  happy with the development as they are very keen to dig deeper into the ancient art of Gayong. Although the uniorm that they produced are not as per Gayong standard but their determination and spirit should be appreciated.  The uniform that they wear are longer than the original Gayong’s uniform , it’s like an attire been weared in a tournament  of silat. I don’t blamed  them, after a few explanation of the correct design of the uniform they began to fold the edge of the sleeves and shorts. 

Training Continues

           What I can foresee here that the eagerness to find out the truth about Gayong, naturally discipline, ethics , from the uniform , in and the training, the brotherhood and  lot of things about Gayong. One thing about those student they are not patient enough and they wanted to know everything as quickly as they can and forcing us to provide them in a single glimpse. Although many explanations been made, and the insisting kept coming forcing us with all the details. 

The Discipline

           Gayong is not an art which someone can learn and understand within a split second. Gayong is an art that might take a longer time of understanding and maybe the whole of your life. Is an art of defining yourself and in terms to understand this you may passed with a lot of mine . If you manage to get the right path than you will be safe but if the other way around, with God Almighty we seek refuge from Him.

Teacher And His Students

Me

            Gayong that we know is not only the art of defending our-self or as we called it as an art of self defense of the Malay which has been in the archipelago since many thousand years ago. Gayong is an art that greater and bigger in understanding that brings to modesty in the sense that we as a human beings. Things that lead us to humble ourselves and know who the real  "Master" are. We who had not have any of the particles even though. Seen in deep, Gayong teaches us everything from internal and external. It’s up to each individuals to lean onto acceptance and understanding of the extent knowledge that served him. I as a teacher always pray blessing of this knowledge as to be shared amongst  the interested and faithful right. Amin

The Living Quarters

            An interesting here in Syria is when we look at the design of a house. It's look a like but what distinguished is where it's built. Not what we see in residential ares which are arranged but a house that was built on the edge of the cliff. It was amazing, and it was like a fast growing mushrooms. In this kind of house, are mostly occupied by the middle and poor people. Most of them are immigrant from others Arabs country. Their house were built on a steep hill side. And seems that Syria only received rain once a year, the soil are hard like stones and its safe to built a house at the cliff edge.

House At The Edge Of A Cliff

            If  we turn back to the ancient times, especially in the old city of Damascus we can see how the structure of a house was built during that era. The using of a strong log when building still  can be seen , and just imagine for hundred of years the log still standing supporting the house from collapsing. How great the engineering during the time. Most of the house in the old city still preserved this techniques  and can be seen widely.

Old House In The Ancient City

Old House In Ancient City

           And definitely modern apartment can be  found everywhere outside the old city, and its grows rapidly through out Damascus. But every house looks familiar because it looks the same everywhere, with form of a box and most of it are three or four levels apartment. There is also an apartment have more then those levels.

Medium Apartment

High Rise Apartment

         Overall we can see Syria are developing rapidly while preserving the old and accepting the new. Their development are according to their own reference without regard to the others.

The Tomb Of Habil Ibn Adam

            The story of the Qabil and Habil had been revealed to Prophet Muhammad saw by Allah swt more than 1400 years ago.The first men to be killed because of jealousy.Situated outside of Damascus and its about two hours drive. It's on a hilltop and situated in an area considered as military based, and to enter the area you need to present your passport. Below is the summary of the story that I gathered from various sources as part of the sharing and learning during my adventure.

The Road To Habil's Shrin

           The Prophet Adam a.s. and Hawa were blessed with two sons, Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain). When they grew up, Habil, the younger brother, became a shepherd. He herded sheep, goats and other animals. The elder brother Qabil, worked as a farmer, tilling the fields.

          Habil's sister was not beautiful while Qabil's sister was beautiful, resulting in Qabil wanting her for himself, instead of his brother. Prophet Adam a.s. refused unless they both offer a sacrifice, and he whose sacrifice was accepted, would marry Qabil's sister

Habil Ibn Adam Mausoleum

         Habil  took the best of his flock, while Qabil brought his crops. Allah swt accepted Habil’s sacrifice, but rejected Qabil’s sacrifice. Qabil felt hurt at being disgraced and insulted. His face darkened with anger and his heart became hardened: “No,” cried Qabil, “ I will kill you!” At this treat from his elder brother, Habil did not shout back. He just said calmly: ”Even if you raise your hand to kill me, I will not fight back, for I fear Allah swt, the Lord of the Worlds.” But Qabil’s anger got the better of him and he killed his innocent brother Habil. But soon Qabil’s anger cooled down and he felt very sorry; ”Now I have killed my brother,” said Qabil to himself in deep sorrow and walked to this place with the deceased body. He did not know what to do; ” Then Allah sent a raven, which landed on the ground near the body. The raven began to scratch the ground to tell Qabil that he should bury his brother’s dead body under the earth. Woe is me! Cried Qabil helplessly. “I am worse even than this raven, for I cannot hide my brother’s dead body.” Qabil felt his meanness all the more so, because even a raven could teach him a lesson.

Under This Type Of Tree Qabil Was Taught By The Raven

           Narrating the story of the two brothers, the Quran reminds us in Surah al Ma’idah:
“If anyone killed a person - except as punishment for murder or other corruption in the land - it shall be looked upon as if he had killed all mankind. And whoever saved a human life, shall be looked upon as if he had saved all mankind.” [5:32]

The Tomb Of Habil Ibn Adam

          The story of Habil and Qabil  provides many lesson to mankind, must be more patient, think before doing something, jealousy kills and most important reminder that we are nothing except by permission from the greatest and the only god ; Allah. May peace be upon Qabil and Habil. Amin

Creative Arts

            Art is a way of life here, we can see art everywhere. At homes, in shops, in mosques and everywhere.These are people who are creative, who are born so, since time immemorial. Everywhere you pass by, in Syria you can see an art. When I visited the mosque there's an art be drawn most on the wall. Even you can see this kind of art at a mausoleum . The art that was illustrate is a harmony and beautiful, and it's shows that those  people are who seek peace and a gentle community. This are  expressed in their painting and writing.

The Art On Mosque Wall

The Art On Pillar

The Art On Mausoleum Ceiling

Marble Art On A Wall

          Most of the design are geometric designs in arabesque and calligraphy. There's also a sculpture which is carved in white marble and often is displayed in places and public building. There is lively tradition of handicraft production. Jewelery, particularly in gold and silver, is popular, as other metalwork, such as brass and cooper plates and bowls.Beside these, mosaic woodworking is also practiced and is used in the construction of boxes, trays, tables, desks and game boards. The city, Damascus is a center of glassblowing and fabric production, including the silk brocade called damask, which was name for the city.While weaving of fabrics , including carpets and prayer rug made on hand-built loom, and traditional clothing that is painstaking embroidered are from the specialty of the Bedouin.

The Art On Furniture

The Art On Brass And Cooper

 
       With a historical and legacy of mankind and focus of attention of most of the great empires, Syria are rich with the art which has been passed from generation to generations. Although the modern art emerged as time , but the old art are still preserved and live until today. And still be an option to those who appreciate the art. I , myself admired and impressed with their creativeness.