In Islam, fasting for a month is an obligatory practice during the holy month of Ramadan, from fajr (dawn), until the maghrib (sunset). Muslims are prohibited from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual intercourse while fasting. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars of Islam, and thus one of the most important acts of Islamic worship. By fasting, whether during Ramadan or other times, a Muslim draws closer to their Lord by abandoning the things they enjoy, such as food and drink. This makes the sincerity of their faith and their devotion to God (Arabic: Allah) all the more evident.

The Qur'an states that fasting was prescribed for those before them (i.e., the Jews and Christians) and that by fasting a Muslim gains taqwa, which can be described as the care taken by a person to do everything God has commanded and to keep away from everything that He has forbidden. Fasting helps prevent many sins and is a shield with which the Muslim protects him/herself from jahannam (hell).

Muslims believe that fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also includes abstaining from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and fighting, and lustful thoughts. Therefore, fasting helps develop good behavior.

Fasting also inculcates a sense of fraternity and solidarity, as Muslims feel and experience what their needy and hungry brothers and sisters feel. However, even the poor, needy, and hungry participate in the fast. Moreover, Ramadan is a month of giving charity and sharing meals to break the fast together.

Although fasting is fard (obligatory), exceptions are made for persons in particular circumstances:

* Prepubescent children; though some parents will encourage their children fast earlier for shorter periods, so the children get used to fasting.
* Serious illness; the days lost to illness will have to be made up after recovery.
* If one is traveling, since the fajr and maghrib times will change; but one must make up any days missed upon arriving at one's destination.
* Women who are pregnant or nursing.
* A woman during her menstrual period; although she must count the days she missed and make them up at the end of Ramadan.
* An ill person or old person who is not physically able to fast. They should donate the amount of a normal persons diet for each day missed if they are financially capable.

Penalty of purposefully breaking fast at Ramadan:

* For elders who will not be able to fast, a lunch meal (or an equivalent amount of money) is to be donated to the poor or needy for each day of missed fasting.
* If an adult who is sane, men or women, breaks his fast intentionally and without any excuse, some sayings tell that he cannot ever be excused and/or forgiven; however, most Islamic scholar opinions say that salvation / redemption can be attainted if the violator fasts for 60 days successively (two months) without missing a day.

Potong bebek angsa, masak di kuali
Nona minta dansa, dansa empat kali
Dorong ke kiri, dorong ke kanan (2x)
La...la...la...la...la...la...la...la...la...la...

Potong bebek angsa, makan empat kali
Perut sudah lapar, jangan tunggu lagi
Putar ke kiri, putar ke kanan (2x)
La...la...la...la...la...la...la...la...la...la...

dance:dance:dance

nonsensical ramblings posted by ain at 5:08 AM

Monday, September 08, 2008 that 5 minutes of FAME

Brighter road ahead for tots

New CDAC scheme helps women return to work by defraying childcare costs

Monday • September 8, 2008


Neo Chai Chin


chaichin@mediacorp.com.sg







LIFE changed for Mdm Eviyanti Heo, 42, when her husband died when he fell in the bathroom(actually it was more like he collapse in the bathroom due to blood vessel burst).

With only few months of savings to tide her over, she had to start looking for a job and also childcare options for her three-year-old daughter, Joycelyn Lim.

Thanks to a new programme called the CDAC Workfare-Bright Horizons Fund Scheme (WBHF), 80 to 100 children like Joycelyn will be able to get pre-school education.

Announced by Mr Lim Swee Say, chairman of the CDAC (Chinese DevelopmentAssistance Council) board of directors yesterday, the scheme will start with $200,000 jointly funded by the CDAC Workfare Programme and the NTUC Bright Horizons Fund.

The scheme will subsidise up to $200 in monthly childcare fees for those aged two months to 6 years.

Joycelyn has been at the NTUC Childcare Guillemard centre since June, and this has allowed Mdm Heo to attend a month-long basic English course and seek help in finding a job.

With the WBHF and other subsidies, she currently pays $50 a month for Joycelyn’s childcare, compared to the more than $500 she would otherwise have to pay.

Mr Lim said the WBHF aims to “kill two birds with one stone” — providing pre-school education, and enabling more homemakers to return to work. If response is good, it will be scaled up, he added.

This is part of CDAC’s family-centric approach that was adopted since 2005. Previously, its programmes like tuition and skills upgrading had helped specific groups such as students and workers.

“About three years ago, we came to the conclusion that instead of helping members of the family individually, we should try to help the entire family collectively”, said Mr Lim, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The CDAC had partnered NTUC because it did not have expertise in childcare. In future, it will look for even more social enterprises to work with. “We are constantly looking out for other social partners — anybody who can bring resources to complement our shortcomings, and that’s in line with our overall objective,” he said.


as u can see, vincent's auntie and cousin kena interviewed abt the ntuc child subsidee thingy... wah... famous!! haha, juz kidding.... got picture, will post up soon...

move along...

i've pimped up my cam... soooo bling bling!!



keychain! so cute!! this is another side of me, y'all!!!



then, if haf bling bling cam muz haf bling bling cam bag, rite?? so, this is pimped up too!!! woooo




took pix of meself before miting the girls...





me n my family's cool new cam!!!<<>>



THENNN........




SOFRA(shaw towers near bras basah)!!
their chef's plate VERY nice!! succulent and tender meat!! we were served with tenderised chicken and lamb (no fats!!!), strips of chicken, a skewer of chicken (mine taste sooo tangy and cooked to perfection!!) and pieces of beef(oso nice!), with tomato salad, onion salad and 2 pieces of turkish bread... all at a value for money cost of $18 ++

sooo nice, we also ordered their sesame bread and chicken soup(red colour like dat.. got tomatoes and strips of chicken and noodles that is soft and tangy)

dessert was baklava(sooo sweeeetttt) and rice pudding (suspiciously taste like egg tart)

overall experience was great!! will go there again with dear most prolly! its worth the money and the ambience was great too!! love the food presentation... can see their dedication... awesomeness...

these pictures was taken in sofra and the (hidden)stairway leading to the restaurant...

nonsensical ramblings posted by ain at 8:05 AM

Wednesday, September 03, 2008 excitedness!!

eeekkk!!! i'm sooo excited lar!!!

i was thinking abt my absolute freedom in oct...

yeah, i'm resigning soon and by oct, i'm fweeeee!!!

no school!!! no werk!!! no nutin!!

no commitments! yipeeeeee!!!

i juz recently decided that this is the opportune moment for me to finally pursue my dream courses...

its either photography class or dance class.. hmmm.... its still under consideration, in fact, if budget allows, i mite even take both... yipeeeee

awesomeness!!!

these are the pictures taken when me and my cols went to seoul garden... :)

ever see ppl eating ice cream using chopsticks?? lol...







then the day proceeded with me miting rina 2 go to arab st... unfortunately it was raining la, so ended up being stuck in bugis village...wat a maze!! we ended up being lost a few times!! lol...

i never imagined i would try putting on fake lashies or falsies (or fake eyelashes la)...when u've got best friends like mine, everything seems fun!!! lol... esp when we do it 2gether (still reminiscing abt the fingernails we(incl of ifahhh) painted in varied pink...back in palawan beach!! haha! we sooo crazy sia... but awesome la...)

and i kinda like rina's ones coz hers was looong, and mine was thick...(ala kris dayanti -rina) when we take a few shots, i realised mine was way more obvious than hers (coz gt pattern) and hers isnt so... but nonetheless still chio la... hehe... maybe next time rina can buy my type??

for me they say i cant haf long falsies coz my eyes small... too long and they will poke me :P oh well... downside of my sepet-ness.... so sad

dear then picked us up and headed to amirah's grill where we had our dinner...
basically, most of the time, dear may SEEM like picking on rina, oh, but pls, rina, do understand, he's only like that coz he thinks u're a friend.
when he encounters a person he dun like, usually he will keep quiet and heck care... :P

alien ma, so, his way of showing concern is kinda different from others... :P haha

and i STILL like amirah grill.. and STILL thinks their main course is the norm... cant wait to taste SOFRA soon!!!

nonsensical ramblings posted by ain at 1:51 AM