KEM BESTARI SOLAT PROGRAMME AT UiTM PASIR GUDANG

Pasukan Kebajikan Kanak-kanak of Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Johor Bahru organized Kem Bestari Solat [Smart Praying Workshop]. The programme was held at Universiti Teknologi Mara [UiTM] pasir Gudang at its mosque. It was a collaborated activity with the university's Islamic Centre. A discussion with the staff was earlier held, two months before the event [READ HERE].

The focus group comprised of one hundred school students and juveniles under the observation of the Department.

The programme started at 8:00 a.m. and ended by 1:00 p.m. Then the participants performed the Zohor prayer in group [jamaah] and lunch was served for everyone.

This was the last activity for Pasukan Kebajikan for the year 2026. I have to thank and congratulate Puan Norhamizah for all the hard work that had been put to run all the programmes for the Group throughout the year. May we continue with other programmes for the children for 2027.

ATTENDING THE WEDDING RECEPTION OF MS. KHAULAH AB. RAHIM

   3rd OCTOBER 2026    ~ Today was the wedding reception day of Miss Khaulah Ab. Rahim, an ex-student of SMK Taman Universiti. The event was held at Taman Sri Pulai Mosque.

Glad I could make it on her big day as she was one of the few ex-students who still kept in touch [even though not that frequent anymore]. At the same time, many of her other siblings also attended the same school and that made them my ex-students automatically.

I arrived at the reception venue at about 1:15 p.m. and I was already greeted by an ex-student outside the hall.

As expected, there were some ex-students and ex-colleagues who attended the reception.

There is now one less people to go for coffee outside and gossip, but I am still very happy for her. Congratulations Miss Khaulah on finding her forever person and wishing them both a lifetime of love and happiness.

ATTENDING THE SECOND WEDDING RECEPTION OF THE FAMILY THIS YEAR

Puan Izzati Shafinaz Abdullah, and ex-colleague of SMK Taman Universiti, and her husband who was also a teacher, Mr. Azmi Zainal Abidin, threw the second wedding reception of the family. The first one was done during the Eid month [READ HERE] and this one was for one of the twin boys.

The event was held at the Hall of Masjid Taman Sri Pulai.

I managed to be seated with other ex-colleagues of SMK Taman Universiti.

Congratulations one more time to Puan Izzati on the addition of another new member into the family. Guess there will one more similar event for the family and hopefully she will still remember to invite me.

VISITING XI'AN GREAT MOSQUE

   2ND SEPTEMBER 2026    ~ For Muslim tourists from Malaysia, one of the must visit in the itinerary list in Xi'an would be its Great Mosque. After the Drum Tower, we just walked to get to the mosque and it was at about 4:30 p.m.

There was an entry ticket to get inside the mosque complex but we managed to just walk past for free. A few other group members who came in later, however, were asked to pay for the ticket.

To get to the main prayer hall, one would have to walk through layer and layer of arcs and brick structures filled with Chinese gardens.

This place reminded me of Masjid Cina in Klang which I visited in December 2024 [READ HERE]. That particular mosque was using the mosque in Xi'an as its model for its architecture.

The Great Mosque in Xian is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved Islamic mosques in China.

According to historical records engraved on a stone tablet inside, the Great Mosque was built in 742 during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). This was a result of Islam being introduced into Northwest China by Arab merchants and travelers from Persia and Afghanistan during the mid-7th century when some of them settled down in China and married women of Han Nationality.

SOURCE: travelchinaguide.com

When I reached the main prayer hall, the local Muslims were arriving to perform their Asar prayer. Therefore, it would not be appropriate for me to get inside at that moment. At the same time, fatigue had set in as we did not get enough rest from the long travel to get to China.

I was glad to get there and to see that Islam was still be practised in China. There was a huge Muslim population in this area [called the Muslim Quarters] of approximately 60 000 - 80 000 people.

[MY XI'AN TRIP MAIN PAGE]

STOPPING BY AT AL FALIHIN MOSQUE IN KAMPUNG ALAI, MELAKA

    21ST APRIL 2026    ~ After lunch [READ HERE], the group stopped at Al-Falihin Mosque in Kampung Alai, which was not far from the restaurant for our day prayers.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THE MOSQUE:

The original site of the mosque could be found 30 metres away. It was built in 1890 and was made of wood with the area of only 30 X 40 square feet.

Visitors could still observe the Malay traditional architecture inside the building, especially the carved wood for the pillars, doors and roof.