great wall of China

Great Wall of China dibina untuk mempertahankan negara China dari serangan musuh di sebelah utara. Tembok yang sepanjang 6000 kilometer ini mengambil masa lebih kurang 2 ribu tahun untuk siap.Siapa yang tak tahu tentang Great Wall of China.Satu binaan yang terkenal dan unik di kawasan pergunungan negara China. Bahagian Great Wall yang terletak agak berhampiran dengan Beijing terletak di kawasan Bandaling. Beberapa kilometer sebelum sampai ke destinasi kami terpesona melihat deretan Great Wall yang kukuh di sepanjang kawasan pergunungan. Sampai di kaki gunung kami pun tak sabar-sabar cuba memanjat binaan yang terkenal ini. Lebar Great wall ini boleh memuatkan 6 kuda secara mengiring.Batu-batu yang digunakan untuk membuat binaan ini masih kukuh hingga sekarang. Dikatakan batu-batu ini diambil dari tempat lain dan bukan dari kawasan sekitar.

Kami cuba memanjat sehingga peringkat pertama.Angin yang kuat dan cuaca begitu sejuk sampai ke sumsum tulang melambatkan perjalanan kami. Alhamdulillah,ketiadaan anak tangga pada awalnya memudahkan kami berjalan sambil bersiar-siar. Selepas itu barulah kelihatan anak tangga yang semakin lama semakin tinggi. Sampai ke peringkat kedua, lutut ku dah mula memberi isyarat supaya aku berhenti. Anak-anakku meneruskan perjalanan bersama suami ku. Baru mereka melangkah beberapa anak tangga mereka berhenti dan duduk. Aku menjerit kepada mereka menanyakan sebab mereka berhenti. Aku terpaksa menjerit kerana ramai orang-orang China disekeliling ku yang bercakap kuat. Tiba-tiba seorang gadis menghampiriku dan bertanya," Mak cik dari Malaysia ke?" Aku terkejut mendengar orang menanyakan aku dalam bahasa Malaysia kerana aku tak nampak ada orang Malaysia disitu. Biasanya aku tahu wanita Malaysia dgn pakaianlalu dan tudung yang dipakainya. " Adik dari Malaysia ke?"tanyaku setelah aku berhadapan dengannya.Dia mengangguk lalu memberitahuku dia seorang pramugari di syarikkat antarabangsa. Katanya lagi dia sedang bercuti dua hari disitu bersama pramugari lain. "Seronoknya tengok makxik sekeluarga pergi bercuti bersama" katanya lagi. Nadanya seolah olah merindui ahli keluarganya di kampung. Begitulah cabaran menjadi pramugari. Sentiasa berada di tempat orang, kampung halaman jarang dapat dilawati. Rindu keluarga selalu tersemat dihati.Kesemua pramugari itu pun kemudiannya meneruskan perjalanan mereka mendaki Great Wall dengan bersemangat.

Ahli keluargaku sudahpun turun ke tempat aku berdiri. Rupa-rupanya mereka gayat. Anak tangga terlalu tinggi dan curam. Dari tempat itu jugak aku perhati seorang wanita China dalam lingkungan 50an naik dengan cergasnya sampai ke atas. Begitu berstamina sekali makcik ini.
Aku tahu tak mungkin aku naik ke atas sebab aku memang seorang yang gayat dan lututku tak biasa dengan anak tangga yang sebegitu tinggi dan curam.

Jessica, pemandu pelancong kami tidak naik bersama mendaki Great Wall. Maklumlah sebagai seorang pemandu pelancong sudah semestinya dia selalu ke sini. Dia menerangkan kita boleh nampak Jalan Sutera yang terkenal dengan jalan perdagangan zaman dahulu dari atas puncak sekiranya kita naik kubu ini.Malangnya hajat kami hendak melihat jalan itu tak kesampaian.

Dikatakan ada sebahagian dari Great wall di sini mempunyai perangkap musuh yang sulit dan begitu besar. Musuh yang terperangkap kemudiannya akan dibunuh. Selain itu terdapat empangan untuk bekalan air bagi tentera di sana.Bahagian ini juga lengkap dengan pejabat bagi ketua tentera. Semuanya telah disediakan bagi menghadapi serangan musuh semasa keempat-empat musim. Pergunungan ini gersang dalam musim lain dan bersalji dalam musim sejuk. Cubalah kita bayangkan keadaan tentera China disini sekiranya tidak dilengkapkan dengan kemudahan asas. Sudah semestinya sukar.

Oleh kerana cuaca begitu sejuk dan perut kami dah berkeroncong, kami pun menaiki van meninggalkan kubu kemegahan negara China ini menuju ke restoran Islam yang berhampiran.

Changyin Muslim Village, Beijing

Sebenarnya dalam itinerary syarikat yang mengendalikan pelancongan ini pada awalnya tidak memasukkan Changyin muslim Village satu tempat yang kami akan lawati. Oleh sebab kami tidak berminat dengan terlalu banyak agenda shopping dalam lawatan kami, pihak syarikat telah memasukkan Changyin Muslim Village sebagai satu tempat yang boleh dilawati.

Sebelum bertolak, apa yang kami gambarkan muslim village in i ialah satu perkampungan rumah beratap nipah atau paling tidak rumah kampung. Ketika sampai kami terkejut dan kecewa kerana rupa-rupanya orang kampung di situ tinggal di flat atau rumah pangsa. Apa yang membezakan kawasan itu dengan perkampungan yang lain ialah adanya sebuah masjid dan pusat Islam disana. Tapak masjid yang kami lawati ini ialah tapak masjid yang lama. Masjid Changyin mula di asaskan pada 1871.

Ketika melangkah masuk ke kawasan masjid, kami lihat adanya covered walk mengelilingi seluruh kawasan masjid. Di bahagian siling covered walk ini terdapat lukisan pemandangan negara China yang indah dan berwarna warni. Konsep lukisan covered walk ini sama saja dengan covered walk yang berada di Summer Palace. Cuma yang berbeza covered walk di sana dilukis dengan lagenda-lagenda China. Terlintas di hati ku kemungkinan covered walk ini mungkin dibina dalam era yang sama dengan era pembinaan summer palace. Ini membuktikan Islam telah bertapak sejak zaman dinasti Qing lagi.

Melangkah keluar dari covered walk ini kami masuk ke kawasan taman. Kebanyakan bangunan zaman dahulu biasanya dihisai dengan taman yang indah. Di sini terdapat sepohon pokok yang berusia lebih kurang 500 tahun. Ketika melangkah masuk ke dewan solat utama masjid ini,kami amat terpesona dan berasa seolah-olah masuk ke zaman silam China Islam. Bahagian siling dan tiang dalam kawasan ini dipenuhi dengan lukisan alam semulajadi yang indah dan berwarna warni. Wah, ini satu kesenian orang China Islam zaman dahulu yang sangat unik. Tak dapat aku gambarkan berapa ramai pelukis dan lama masa yang diambil untuk melukis lukisan yang begitu halus ini. Tiang juga bertatahkan cat emas. Keadaan yang menarik ini membuatkan aku teringat dengan masjid Tengkerah di Melaka. Dalam masjid Tengkerah terdapat juga siling dan tiang yang dilukis sedemikian rupa. Ini membuktikan masjid Tengkerah mempunyai pengaruh dari China Islam zaman dahulu.

Dibahagian belakang masjid ini terdapat juga bilik-bilik lain yang mungkin berfungsi sebagai stor dan pejabat. Bahagian belakang masjid ini mempunyai pintu gerbang seperti pintu di istana yang boleh ditutup rapat pada waktu waktu tertentu.

Ketika kami melangkah keluar dari masjid, kami ternampak beberapa orang pertengahan umur sedang mengayuh basikal. Pakcik-pakcik ini singgah sebentar apabila melihat kami diperkarangan masjid.Mungkin disebabkan tidak ramai orang luar yang singgah di situ menyebabkan mereka berasa hairan melihat kami. Malangnya faktor bahasa menjadi penghalang bagi kami untuk berkomunikasi dengan mereka. Mereka tidak faham langsung bahasa Inggeris dan kami tidak faham bahasa China. Oleh itu semua pertanyaan dan jawapan terpaksa diterjemah oleh Jessica, pemandu pelancong kami.Di fahamkan pakcik-pakcik ini kebanyakan dulunya adalah petani. Namun sekarang mereka telah bersara dan kebanyakan anak-anak mereka sekarang bekerja di pejabat. Lagipun kawasan pertanian mereka kini telah dimajukan.
Kawasan Changyin ini kami tinggalkan dengan pelbagai perasaan...gembira, simpati dan penuh kesyukuran.

FORBIDDEN CITY

Forbidden City ialah istana utama bagi maharaja China zaman dahulu. Forbidden City ialah satu bandar larangan dimana rakyat awam dilarang masuk ke kawasan ini tanpa tujuan. Pintu masuk utama ke Forbidden City ini ialah melalui Tianamen Square. Kami dibawa oleh Jessica melawat kawasan Tianamen Square sebelum masuk ke Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square hampir samalah fungsinya dengan Dataran Merdeka iaitu tempat berkumpul rakyat beramai-ramai. Cuma rasanya Dataran Merdeka lebih cantik pemandangannya berbanding Tiananmen square. Tiananmen Square ini pada suatu ketika pernah mendapat liputan akhbar kerana berlakunya rusuhan anti pemerintah di sini. Di hujung Tiananmen Square kami melalui jalan bawah tanah untuk ke Forbidden City.

Dari segi sejarah, Forbidden City yang berkeluasan 720 000 meter persegi mengambil masa 14 tahun untuk dibina dan memerlukan 1 juta pekerja.Ia dikatakan kompleks Istana yang terbesar di dunia. Istana ini dikelilingi oleh parit besar(moat) yang mempunyai kedalaman 6 meter dan 5 meter lebar.Jangan terkejut....istana ini dikatakan mempunyai 9999 bilik. Bayangkan berapa banyak pekerja dan masa diperlukan untuk membersihkan bilik sebanyak itu.
Di khabarkan raja tidak boleh menggunakan angka 10 ooo kerana nombor itu melambangkan infiniti dan hanya boleh digunakan dikayangan sahaja. Nombor 9 pula hanya boleh digunakan oleh maharaja. Pintu-pintu utama dalam Forbidden City dihiasi dengan 9 baris melintang dan 9 baris menegak tombol besi.

Pintu luar Forbidden city sebenarnya bukan kawasan sebenar istana. Ianya hanya berfungsi sebagai tembok dan tempat rakyat berkumpul.Sebelum masuk kita dikehendaki membayar tiket dan beg terpaksa di Scan.

Pintu yang pertama ialah Meridien Gate. Meridien bermaksud di tengah. Maharaja China dahulu percaya bahawa Forbidden City terletak ditengah tengah dunia. Sebaik sahaja kami masuk melalui Meridien Gate, kami dapati ada 5 jambatan yang diukir indah merentasi sungai Inner Golden River.Selain daripada mempunyai pemandangan yang indah, sungai ini juga berfungsi sebagai alat pemadam bagi bangunan di Forbidden City sekiranya terdapat kebakaran. Kebanyakan bangunan yang terdapat di Forbidden City hampir 100% dibuat daripada kayu dan sudah semestinya memerlukan pengawasan yang rapi .

Pintu gerbang yang kedua ialah Gate of Supreme Harmony. Selepas melalui pintu ini, kita akan dapati satu kawasan lapang yang berfungsi sebagai tempat meraikan perkahwinan maharaja. Kawasan lapang ini merupakan kawasan lapang yang terbesar di Forbidden City. Upacara perkahwinan diadakan di Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The Gate of Celestial Purity ialah pintu masuk utama ke bahagian tengah Forbidden City. Di bahagian tepi pintu ini kami dapati pasu- pasu tembaga yang sangat besar yang dikatakan berfungsi sebagai tempat menyimpan air sekiranya terdapat kebakaran. Selepas melalui pintu ini kita akan melihat banyak bangunan seperti Palace of Celestial Purity dan Hall of Terestrterial Tranquility. Kedua-dua bangunan ini ialah tempat tinggal maharaja dan keluarganya.

Sebaik sahaja melangkah keluar daripada kawasan kediaman diraja ini kita akan melihat satu taman "Imperial Garden' yang amat mempersonakan . Dikelilingi oleh pokok yang berusia ratusan tahun, Imperial Garden ini ialah taman istirehat bagi maharaja. Taman ini dihiasi indah dengan pelbagai pohon yang menenangkan suasana. Terdapat juga bangunan rehat bagi maharaja disana. Perlu diingatkan kebanyakan maharani dan gundik-gundik raja tidak dibenarkan keluar daripada kawasan istana. Jadi tempat inilah mereka menghiburkan hati mereka.Imperial Garden ialah kawasan yang terakhir dalam Forbidden City. Kawasan ini dilindungi tembok dan moat yang mengelilingi istana ini.

Kini Forbidden City menjadi satu kenangan pemerintahan maharaja di negara China.Maharaja Pu yi iaitu maharaja yang terakhir telah gulingkan oleh puak anti imperialis dan akhirnya negara China berubah menjadi sebuah republik. Satu persoalan yang mungkin timbul bagi kita sebagai pelancong. Adakah ia sebenarnya satu kebanggaan rakyat China atau satu kenangan yang amat pahit bagi mereka?

Summer Palace

Summer Palace merupakan istana musim panas bagi maharaja atau maharani bersama gundik-gundik dan anak-anak mereka. Dari luar, kita tak tahu wujudnya istana ini memandangkan kebanyakan bangunan di China zaman dahulu kebanyakannya dikellilingi tembok. Hanya kelihatan tembok dan bumbung dari luar. Melangkah masuk ke kawasan Summer Palace seolah -olah melangkah kembali ke zaman silam. Mula dibina dalam tahun 1150 keindahan Summer Palace ini telah diwartakan oleh pihak Unesco sebagai satu World Heritage. Istana ini mempunyai banyak lapisan pintu untuk sampai ke tempat yang sebenarnya. Sampai ke pintu yang terakhir, kami terpesona dengan suasana keindahan tasik Kunming yang begitu luas dan menakjubkan itu.Maharaja yang telah membina semula dalam tahun 1900an dan mengarahkan proses pembesaran Summer Palace ialah Maharani Dowager atau gelarannya Dragon Lady dari dinasti Qing.Maharani ini telah kematian suaminya ketika berusia 29 tahun.Anaknya ketika itu berusia 5 tahun. Oleh kerana beliau ialah seorang perempuan dan tidak boleh dilantik sebagai maharaja, anaknya yang kecil itu dilantik sebagai maharaja. Dibelakang anaknya, Dragon Lady telah memerintah China selama 48 tahun .Biasanya maharaja akan tinggal di Summer Palace dari bulan Jun hingga Ogos apabila musim panas.

Tasik ini mempunyai sebuah pulau di tengahnya iaitu pulau Nanhu. Dikatakan Marco Polo pernah berkhidmat di pulau itu. Sebuah jambatan yang panjang ,Sevenenteen Arch Bridge dibuat supaya senang untuk mereka sampai ke pulau itu.Oleh kerana cuaca sangat sejuk dan berangin kami tidak dapat berjalan lama di tepi tasik. Disatu sudut terdapat tambatan diraja tempat maharaja menaiki bot untuk menikmati kedinginan bayu tasik di musim panas. Deretan bukit mengelilingi yang menyebabkan suasana tenang di situ jauh dari hiruk pikuk suasana kota. Di tepi tasik ini ialah bilik penginapan diraja yang juga dikelilingi tembok. Persekitaran tasik ini terdapat pokok yang berusia ratusan tahun yang masih kukuh . Bersambung dengan bilik penginapan ialah satu jalan tertutup(covered walk) yang dihiasi dengan lukisan mural di atas siling yang menceritakan hikayat-hikayat dari agama Buddha. Lukisan mural ini dicatat dalam World Book of Records sebagai lukisan mural terpanjang di dunia. Dalam hati kami siapalah yang sanggup menahan sakit tengkok menyiapkan mural yang sebegitu panjang!Jalan bertutup ini dibina supaya maharaja dan keluraganya tidak terdedah kepada bahang matahari musim panas. Dikeliling kawasan tasik ini terdapat banyak pokok pokok besar yang berusia ratusan tahiun.

Kawasan penginapan diraja dikelilingi tembok khas dimana keindahannya hanya dapat dilihat dari dalam sahaja.Terdapat banyak bilik dalam kawasan penginapan . Kawasan penginapan ini berbentuk segiempat dimana bilik-bilik ini di tempatkan bahagian tepi dan di tengahnya ditempatkan Chinese Garden yang menarik. Rasanya tiada orang di Malaysia yang membuat bangunan sebegini yakni membuat taman di dalam bangunan dan bilik-bilik disekelilingnya. Mungkin faktor keluasan tanah yang menghalang mereka. Banyak privacy yang kita dapat jika kita mereka bangunan sedemikian. Namun ini boleh menghalang kita berbaik-baik dengan jiran sebelah. Juga merumitkan jiran mengawasi rumah sekiranya ada pencuri masuk.Bilik- bilik ini dilengkapi dengan sistem pemanas yang terus sampai ke katil masing masing. Di tepi kawasan penginapan ini terdapat lereng-lereng bukit khas yang disediakan untuk kawasan permainan anak-anak raja.
Tidak jauh dari kawasan tasik ialah pusat pentadbiran Diraja semasa musim panas,Kawasan ini ialah bahagian yang paling luar sekali Summer Palace. Rakyat biasa tidak boleh masuk ke kawasan penginapan raja tanpa hal mustahak. Pegawai-pegawai pentadbiran hanya boleh berada di bangunan ini sahaja. Pun begitu, bangunan pentadbiran in kelihatan sangat unik dengan pelbagai ukiran zaman dahulu.
Sememangnya Summer palace ini suatu kawasan yang memiliki keindahan dan suasana tenang yang sukar digambarkan. Namun satu persoalan yang bermain difikiranku berapa banyak kerahan tenaga yang diguna untuk membina istana sebegini besar. Berapa ramai rakyatnya yang menderita semata-mata untuk memberikan keselesaan kepada hanya beberapa orang keturunan diraja. Cubalah kita fikirkan.
Seterusnya...Forbidden City

Negara China ialah satu negara yang kukenali satu masa dulu hanya melalui pelajaran sejarah yang kupelajari sewaktu dibangku sekolah dulu. Maharaja China Genghiz Khan dan Kublai Khan merupakan diantara maharaja China yang terkenal dengan kekuatan mereka. Pengaruh China di Tanah Melayu bermulanya dengan lawatan Cheng Ho ke Melaka.Perkahwinan antara Sultan Melaka dan Puteri Hang Li Po antara sebab kukuhnya hubungan China dan Kesultanan Melaka.
Akhir tahun 2008 aku bersyukur kerana dapat menjejak kakiku ke Tanah Besar negara China. Tempat yang ku dapat lawati kebanyakannya sekitar Beijing sahaja. Kenapa aku pilih China sebagai satu destinasi pelancongan? China pernah dikatakan sebagai akan muncul salah satu kuasa besar dari segi ekonomi menandingi negara barat.Mengikut sejarah, sahabat Nabi, Saad b Abi Waqas telah dihantar oleh Uthman bin Affan ke China sebagai utusan khas untuk mengadap maharaja Gaozong, Maharaja China ketika itu. Maharaja ini kemudian mengarahkan orangnya supaya membina masjid yang pertama di China iaitu di Canton. Bilangan orang Islam bertambah dari sehari ke sehari sehinggakan Nanjing dijadikan pusat pengajian Islam di China. Malangnya semasa dinasti Qing berlakulah zaman kesulitan bagi orang Islam dimana mereka dilarang membina masjid dan ketika itu berlaku pulak konflik dalaman Semasa revolusi budaya, banyak pusat -pusat ibadat seperti masjid, kuil dan tokong telah dimusnahkan. Malah dikatakan salinan-salinan Quran pun turut dimusnahkan . Era kebangkitan Islam kini berlaku di China. Orang Islam mula dapat mempraktikkan suasana Islam dengan lebih selesa sekarang.
Semua ini bermain difikiranku sewaktu aku memilih China sebagai destinasi pelancongan. Aku ingin melihat bagaimana keadaan orang Islam di sana dan sedikit sebanyak menjejak suasana Islam di sana.Di samping itu aku ingin melihat apakah kelebihan orang China sehinggkan mereka dapat menjadi negara yang maju sekarang.
Sewaktu aku sampai, suhu di Beijing ialah 2 celsius. Waktu itu baru pukul 8 pagi. Mulanya tak terasa kesejukannya kerana kami biasa dengan suhu yang lebih sejuk dari itu. Pemandu pelancong kami ialah Jessica dari syarikat .Selepas check in di hotel, kami dibawa menjamu selera di sebuah restoran muslim tidak jauh dari situ. Masa itulah kami diperkenalkan dengan masakan orang negara China dan....sup telur. Sup ini sememangnya bukan cita rasa orang Malaysia. Saya rasa sup ini hanya diletakkan air dan telur dan garam sahaja. Setiap kali hidangan makanan memang disediakan sup. Sup telur adalah antara sup yang payah nak masuk anak tekak kami.Secara umum orang China di sana tidak tahu dan faham bahasa Inggeris.Semasa makan, kami telah dihidangkan teh China, satu satunya minuman yang terdapat di situ. Kami telah cuba memesan dengan bahasa Inggeris air panas sahaja. Malangnya mereka tidak faham. Ketika itu Jessica berada dibahagian bawah restoran dan kami makan di bahagian atas.Terpaksalah kami minum juga teh China bersama hidangan yang disediakan.Selesai kami makan tengahari kami di bawa ke sebuah masjid iaitu Masjid Matien yang dibina lebih 700 tahun dahulu. Kami telah solat jamak zohor asar di sana. Dari luar memang kita tak tahu ianya adalah sebuah masjid. Papan tanda hanya ditulis dengan tulisan Cina dan kami tidak memahaminya. Masjid ini dikelilingi oleh 2 lapisan tembok, dan tidak kelihatan dari luar.Untuk memasuki masjid ini kami perlu melalui dua pintu gerbang sebelum sampai ke bangunan yang sebenarnya. Melangkah masuk melepasi pintu gerbang yang kedua, barulah kami nampak keseluruhan bangunan tersebut. Pada pandangan pertama kesemua masjid lama di Beijing kelihatan seperti tokong cina. Sebelum solat kami masuk ke bilik air di bangunan yang berasingan.Tidak ada paip di dalam bilik bilik tersebut. Namun disediakan bekas seperti penyiram pokok untuk bersuci. Air panas memang disediakan memandangkan cuaca di Beijing sudah semakin sejuk.
Bahagian hadapan masjid dihiasi dengan pasu tembikar yang besar.Di Beijing memang orang tak risau keselamatan pasu-pasu tembikar antik yang besar. Rasanya di Malaysia sebuah pasu antik sebegitu sudah mencecah ribuan ringgit. Bahagian utama ruang solat iaitu ruang solat lelaki dihiasi dengan tulisan kaligrafi ayat-ayat Allah. Ketika melangkah masuk ke dalam ruang solat wanita kami dapati ada meja tersusun berderet dibahagian tepi. "Oh, ada kelas agama disini!" aku mengagak. Silap tekaan ku.Rupanya meja itu disediakan untuk orang yang tidak dapat duduk di bawah dan memerlukan kerusi untuk solat. Tempat solat di letakkan kain putih. Rupanya kain putih itu bukannya untuk tempat sujud tapi tempat kita duduk semasa solat. Semasa sujud kepala hendaklah berada ditempat yang tak berlapik. Suhu didalam masjid sangat sejuk. Terketar-ketar kami memakai telekung untuk solat. Ketika melangkah keluar terdengar orang berkata" kajang! kajang!". Rupanya itu orang Pakistan yang sedang mempromosikan kacang campuran madu mereka. Mereka seolah-olah tahu kami orang Malaysia bila melihat pakaian dan perwatakan kami.
Cerita seterusnya.....Summer Palace, Beijing.

Starry starry night

I heard a remark on the radio IKIM.....some of the songs that we used to lullaby babies or children here are not really suitable. One example is buai laju laju sampai pokok sena, apa dalam baju , Kuntum bunga cina. I agree with the person on the radio that stated we should encourage songs like twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are. up above the sky so high like a diamond in the sky. The lyrics itself encourage the listener to think about what are actually stars. This could lead the interest of the young boy or girl into the introduction of astronomy. Of course a baby or a child age three and below would not know anything about astronomy. But we have to start somewhere. I remember taking a course in Introduction to astrnonomy back during my student days at the university. I didn't learn much as the class was held at night and I wasn't that nocturnal kind of person. The only thing I remembered was holding a very big telescope which was more than two meters in length. My Iranian classmate used to laugh at me every time I fell asleep in the class. Luckily it was a pass fail course. Alhamdulillah I managed to pass the class. I had actually learnt a lot about astronomy while searching information for my tuition classes and for teaching my children. Besides books, I had to rely on the internet for more information to help me understand more and teach more facts beyond what was in the books. What was interesting was as much as I was impress with the colourful pictures availabled in the internet, I was also able to impress the students and my children. I remembered teaching for the Ist time about ISS, which I hadn't the slightest idea what it was before that. With the help of the internet, I was able to show the pictures of the ISS. Coincidentally just a few weeks after that Dr Sheikh Muzaffar took off in the space shuttle to ISS carrying some items from Malaysia and performed solat there. Yup, internet really helps if you have the interest to dig the information there. And the person on radio IKIM was right. Malaysians should take more interest in astronomy. He personally took a single course in falaq just for his own general knowledge. No doubt by looking at the twinkling stars at night provide a peaceful and serene moment . I'm one of those who feels the calmness by looking at the twinkling of stars. MasyAllah. However, Malaysians should perhaps look beyond that to make us a more knowlegable and advanced person.

It was cold and drizzling as we walked along the busy streets of the city. We had about four more hours to spend in the city before the bus came to take us back to the hotel. Across the road were stalls selling halal food such as rice, burgers, lebanese bread and even pretzels. We stopped to take a rest at one of the vacant bench near a bank.The rain was getting heavier. As we sat watching the pedestrian hurriedly seek for shelter, we noticed a lebanese food stall just across the road. I decided to buy some rice for my family.This was not a scene in one of the streets in the Arab countries or any muslim countries. This was a scene of one of the streets in the New York City. Amazingly, buying halal and zabihah food here seemed as easy as in Malaysia and halal stalls seems to be at almost every block around that area. When I was in the New York city, muslims seems to be everywhere. I had earlier expected to see many jews here but Alhamdulillah from my recent visit to the US recently in May, 2009 I had met many muslims not only in the city but also in other states. Right from the day I stepped onto the US soil at the Newark airport, my family and I encountered a muslim immigration officer named Ibrahim.We had at first thought he was a Chicano(mexican American) but we found out that he was a muslim when he gave salam to us.
When we were strolling down one of the streets in New York, we decided to enter a souvenir shop.Upon entering the shop we heard Quranic readings inside the shop. Then the owner greeted us with a salam. Yes, he was a muslim.
We had met many more muslims when we went for Friday prayers at the mosque which was walking distance from the New York Central Park. Here the women joined the Friday Prayers and listened to the Khutbah together with the men.The mosque, a four storey shop house had an elevator and a separate floor for the women. We met black, white and Asian muslims here but didn't have the chance two talk to them because the khutbah had already started. The next day we headed towards Buffalo, a town in the New York State about 6 hours drive from the New York City. Buffalo is famous not because there were many buffaloes here (which I doubt anyone can find one) but mainly because of the famous Niagara Falls. Niagara Falls series of enormous falls that is located at the border of the US and Canada.The view of the falls was MasyaAllah captivatingly awesome.After visiting the famous Niagara falls we stopped by the At Taqwa mosque. Located in a housing estate, the At Taqwa mosque was a double storey bungalow that has a private parking space with a separate entrance for the men and the women. My husband met a man from the tabligh group who were supposed to have a ceramah that night and upon knowing that we were going to travel far (Michigan) after that, he gave us a bag of fruits. There were other larger mosques in the Buffalo area but since we were in a hurry, we had to choose the nearest mosque which was the At Taqwa mosque. Ann Arbor was our next destination since my daughter was studying there.An Arbor was about five hours drive from Niagara Falls. We reached Ann Arbor past midnight and stayed at my daugther's apartment. Ann Arbor was a university town, whereby the university was located within the town itself. We saw many muslims there and there were several muslim restaurants and a halal food shop there.The Ann Arbor Islamic Center was a single storey building with an Islamic School inside. We met a teenager studying there but didn't have a chance to talk to her because she still had classes at that time.
One of the biggest mosque in the USA is the Deaborn Mosque in Michigan. I knew about the Deaborn mosque from the TV3 programme Assalam USA a few years ago hosted by Norzie Pak Wanchik.Located about two hours drive from Ann Arbor, it had a very unique architecture from the middle East with doors of intricate carvings. Once we entered the mosque you'll notice the inside was richly decorated with chandeliers and walls that were painted and carved with words Allah, Muhammad and several verses of the Quran.Even the of the dome was nicely decorated. There were several halls here that can be rented daily for kenduris or talks. We met several mosque officials but they seemed to be quite busy to entertain us. Beside the mosque was an Islamic Elementary school by the Muslim Youth Academy. The school was quite large but since it was past 5pm we didn't see any student there. We then headed to the muslim area around Deaborn and saw an Islamic Institute there. The Riverside Academy caters for middle and high school students and also those who had finished high school We met an Arab American named Fawaz whom we thought was an instructor there. We asked him for information regarding the muslims there and about the institute. We didn't expect to get so much information from him since he seemed to be in a hurry. Alhamdulillah he cheerfully gave us a lenghty information about the muslims in Deaborne. (He, himself was born there)He encouraged us to get more information from the Arab Museum and ACCESS . Unfortunately both places were already closed at that time. ( It was already past six pm at that time) He told us about a high school in Dearborne that had 90% muslim population and was famous for its football team Everytime there was a match they would solat first before they begin the match. And if the match was held during ramadhan , the match would stop for a while to enable the players break their fast. He also recommended us to go to one of the biggest Muslim Bakery, Yasmeen Bakery. Before he went off, he managed to give us a booklet. Ah yes! He was actually a real estate agent! We went around the Deaborn area to search for another mosque but ended up in a large muslim housing area. It was heartening to see muslim women sitting at their at their verandah chatting away with their friends and watching their kids playing at their small porch. A scene that we rarely see in a non muslim country. We then went to Yasmeen Bakery about 10 minutes drive from the area,as recommended by the real estate agent . Once we entered the bakery, we were amazed by the varieties of food sold. They have ready made meals(mostly arabic dishes), cakes and amazingly shapes and sizes of bread. There were even bread that were the size of pillows. We bought bread and a small birthday cake for Syahidah, my youngest daughter whose birthday fell on that very day, 4th of may. Then we headed home as we feared that the icing on the cake might melt.
The next day we went to Maumee Bay, a beach located by the Lake of Erie. Lake Erie is one of the three great lakes in the US. The breeze was really cold at the beach. We had lunch at the beach that we had prepared earlier . There were a lot of sea gulls around the area.Lake Erie was really large that we could hardly see the horizon when we were at the beach.After that we stopped by the Islamic Center of the Greater Toledo for solat jamak zohor and asar. The building was actually a mosque and an Islamic school. Built in 1980, this mosque was actuallly one of the first mosque in the US that has the Islamic structure. The prayer hall was large and located on the second floor of the building. The Islamic center area was large and we were told that they were going to build a separate building for the school.
Vanderbilt, Tennessee was our next destination after Ann Arbor. It took us about 11 hours drive to reach Vanderbilt . We had to stop for solat jamak zuhr asr at Masjid AlFajr,Indianapolis. Indiananpolis is a town in Indiana. Masjid Al Fajr was a single storey mosque that had a separate building for its Islamic school. It was not that big but comfortable enough since it has separate rooms for solat and toilets for men and women.We saw a few black muslims going out of the mosque when we arrived. We then proceeded to search for a muslim restaurant to buy some dinner. Fortunately we found an Indian muslim resaturant and bought some briyani rice(take away). We had our dinner at one of the rest area on the way to Vanderbilt. It was really cold and breezy to have our dinner there.My daughter's commencement was the next day after we arrived at Vanderbilt.There were many muslims here and there was also an Islamic center and several halal food shops. We were invited for tea at my daughter's Indonesian muslim friend's house, Dela together with the other graduates' parents.It was nice of her to invite us. I heard that she was going to move to Canada soon.
Two days after the commencement, we flew off to San Francisco, California.Upon reaching the airport, we went to the car rental agency to rent a car. We had earlier book a car for rent. To go to the rental agency we easily rode the sky train available at the airport. Unexpectedly the officer was a Kurdish muslim. He was delighted when he saw our family that he gave us an upgraded car.
Syukur Alhamdulillah we got a bigger car at the same price. The next day we went around Pier 39,around the San Francisco Bay. Pier 39 was one of a tourist attraction at the bay. While we were resting at the pier we met two Malaysian women on business trip. They were there only for the day but they were delighted when they saw us. Just as we were walking towards the Lombard street, that is the crookedest street in the world we were greeted with a salam from someone at the back. As we turned around we saw a black man asking us whether we were Malaysians. Delighted , we chatted with him for while. We forgot to ask him how did he knew we were Malaysians. It was nice to know that now Americans know that not all muslims are from the middle East countries. The person who greeted us works at a security office in that area. We didn't have a chance to talk much to him as he was in a hurry to go to work.
Our next destination was Stanford University. Located in Palo Alto, Stanford University was an established outstanding university in the USA. My husband attended that university in the 1980s. Its building were named after famous people such as Bill gates, Hewlett Packard and so on. Palo Alto was as area adjacent to the famous Silicon valley.
After that we headed to Sacramento about two hours drive from Stanford. We stopped by a fruit stall by the roadside to buy some fresh cherries and apricots. A white muslim woman greeted me with a salam.We didn't manage to chat with her as she was busy sorting the fruits.Alhamdulillah, we met an American Muslim. We had to spend the night at Sacramento as it was getting late. The next day we went to Lake Tahoe, a scenic lake in the mountains. There were still snow up the mountains even though it with a was already early summer. The view was breathtaking. We spent only an hour there as it was getting late.We had to stop by the Sacramento mosque for zuhur asr prayers before heading to Stockton. The Sacramento mosque was one of the oldest mosque in California. Managed by the Pakistani, it was equipped with a hall on the first floor and an Islamic school beside it. While we were performing the solat, we heard voices of children behind the curtain. Oh..actually they were having evening Islamic classes there.
When we reached Stockton, a town about one hour drive from Sacramento, we dropped by the Islamic center of Stockton. Here we saw lots of black muslim teenagers playing and browsing while waiting for Maghrib. We spent the night in Stockton and went cherry picking the next day. The orchad was about an hours drive from Stockton. It was a very exciting experience for my family. None of them had picked cherries before except me. The cherries were placed in pails before being weighed.Yummy...nice juice fresh cherries.
Fresno was our next destination after Stockton. Located in the central California,it was a town famous for its mediteranean fruits. Both my husband and I studied here in the 1980's. Fresno was like a kampung to us and there used to be more than 200 Malaysian studying here.We stopped over at the Fresno mosque before checking into the motel nearby.The Fresno mosque used to be a single storey apartment building. Now it is a double storey building complete with separate prayer halls for both men and women. We met an Arab girl who went to the mosque with her father.She told us she only knew one Malaysian family there. The next day we were invited by Amin Attia to his house. Amin Attia is of Arab Egypt descendent who works with Harris Ranch, a meat supplier company. He was in charge of the Halal meat production in that company. We met him at the MIHAS in Kuala Lumpur last year.He told us that the halal meat was easily available at Safeway and other supermarkets.Unfortunately we were unable to go to the ranch because he just got back from there. Since his wife was busy at that time he treated us for lunch at the Lebanese restaurant nearby.
On our way to LA, we stopped over at Bakersfield to buy some fruits. We saw a 99cents shop adjacent to a supermarket and decided to stop by and see if there was anything interesting that we could buy. As we entered the shop, we heard a salam. Yes, the owner is a muslim.(Yamanese, I think) My husband chatted with him for a while. It was already maghrib and the owner had to close his shop to perform solat. Alhamdulillah we met another muslim in California. We reached LA at midnight. It was Friday the next day. We had planned to go to Disneyland because my youngest daughter had been pleading us to go there. Before going into the park, we went to the Anaheim Islamic Center to join the Friday prayers.(Disneyland is in Anaheim) The mosque was already packed when we reached there as the Khutbah had already started. Anaheim Islamic Center was a large double storey building. We had our wuduk and quickly went upstairs to the ladies section. As the khutbah was in Arabic, those who do not understand Arabic were given headphones to listen the translated khutbah in English. Many of the ladies there were middle aged Arab women. I had a nice encounter with an Indonesian lady who invited us for a ladies gathering over the weekend. She thought we were residing there. And I had a pleasant suprise when I ask for her name. Salwa.. yes that's her name and suprisingly the same as mine. We stayed two nights in LA. We only had the chance to drop by the LA Islamic center at about 5.30pm on the last day. As it was after office hours, we did not see many people inside.We then rushed to buy the Briyani rice from the halal restaurant located across the road from the Islamic Center. We had to return our rented car by 6.30pm. Back at the motel , we relished our last dinner in LA together. About 11pm, both my husband and I and my youngest daughter bade our two daughters goodbye as we entered the cab that will take us to the airport. We had another pleasant encounter. The driver was Alhamdulillah, a Somalian muslim.
Overall, my trip to the US was Alhamdulillah,really enlightening and exciting to be able to see and meet many American muslims. Back in the 1980's when I first arrive in the US to further my studies, Americans as a whole have little knowledge about muslims. The Iranian revolution had just happened at that time and they were furious when they saw anyone wearing tudung. When I went to the US in 2005, i.e. post 9/11 tragedy, I noticed people distanced away from us(I went together with my family).In my recent trip to US in may 2009, I discovered that muslims in the US had done a great job in making Americans understand and accept islam as one of a great, peaceful religion. From the discussions that we had with a few American Muslims and from the TV program Assalam USA, I would like to commend all the effort done by the American muslims. When we went shopping, we were treated like anybody else. Nobody stared at us or distanced themselves away from us. In fact, I heard that the number of muslims are growing each year.I think the muslims there are successful in their dakwah.Indeed it was really easy to travel in the US nowadays and able to perform our solat as mosques are conveniently located in most towns. Food is also not a problem anymore as there are many muslim restaurants available throughout the US. InsyaAllah, I will travel around the US again and visit other places to see and meet other muslims if time and money permits.