http://www.fp.utm.my/

Moved

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Ramadhan Karim. Sorry for not posting for a long time. Since I've come back to Malaysia, I will start a new blog cause this blog is Kuching-Cambridge. That I'm not in Cambridge anymore and I don't think I want to change the name of this blog, so here is the new one:

http://ilman-nur.blogspot.com

Ramadhan Mubarak!

Wassalam.

Back in Malaysia

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Sorry for not updating this blog even though I have passed my viva and handed in the hard-bound thesis. I was too busy in packing and attending conference. 

Alhamdulillah, I arrived at KLIA on 28th May 2009 around 7.30am (Malaysia time +0700 from GMT during summer time) and took another flight from KLIA to Johor. After I have rested the night at my friend's house, I went to report duty the next morning at 8am and took 2 weeks of holidays. Actually, for those who have come back from study leave, they are given 7 days of holiday. It can't be brought forward and must start immediately on the day of report duty after returning from overseas. However, I have a conference in Singapore (1 hour drive away from my friend's house), I couldn't go home to Kuching after I have reported duty. I stayed in Johor and sorted out a few things over the weekend and went to the conference from Monday until today. My friend drove me to Singapore everyday since she has to go to the same university (where the conference took place) to do her lab work. Everything works out just fine, alhamdulillah.

Tomorrow, there are more stuff to sort out before I can go back to Kuching on Friday evening. Hence, I took more holidays to prolong my stay in Kuching. I don't know what to expect at home, just wish that it will be a pleasant time after nearly two years since I last saw them. I now have three nieces, one which I haven't seen.

Wassalam.

Farewell parties

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Alhamdulillah, we managed to organise two farewell parties today to ensure that I can most of the sisters, if not all of them, before I leave the UK. Thank to all the aunties in the Cambridge community who put their time, effort and money in providing us with delicious food for the parties. Thanks to all the sisters who came, helped in preparing and cleaning and who kindly gave me gifts. I really, really have had some great time today, but regret that I couldn't spend more time with each of the sister.

There are also sisters who came all the way from London for this party. May ALLAH reward all the sisters who participated and helped in this cause. Really, really appreciate them all.

I will miss all of them as they have been a part of my life in Cambridge for more than 3 years. It was a bit of a hactic day today but alhamdulillah, everything went well and the food is way more than enough that all the sisters later packed some home for their lunches and dinners for the next 1-2 days.

Also, there are some non-muslim friends who came and wish me good luck. They are some special friends of mine. One of them is among my first Jewish friend who is mashaALLAH very pious and modest person. Really pray that ALLAH will guide her.

Can't believe it's my farewell already. InshaALLAH I'll come back again. If not, may ALLAH meet us once again in the Paradise, amin.

Wassalam.

A pass with minor corrections

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah, thumma alhamdulillah. Nothing more that I can say about today's viva. Out of my expectation, really. Before I go on, let me thanks everyone who has given me your kind supports and encouraging words throughout my PhD journey. For you that make dua for me, inshaALLAH the Angels must have made dua for you as well. Passing my PhD with minor corrections means that I need to complete some minor corrections, hand it to my internal examiner and he will check on behalf of both the examiners, endorse it and then I can submit the hard-binding thesis. That's it! This will probably take two weeks, then I will go back to Malaysia, for good.

The viva took one and a half hour. It was quite relax and I really enjoyed it because the examiners were very kind, supportive and funny too. I think I laughed a lot during the viva and they didn't ask me any mean questions, most of them were to clarify things, create some kind of argument, debates and discussions, and to help me think deeply about my findings. At one point of the viva, the two examiners started to have some kind of dispute. They were debating with each other over a concept and I was like sitting there watching them arguing. Then we talked about sports and other stuff as well during the viva. So really, it's not stressed at all and I had had some great time.

After that viva session, I went out of the room and they were having discussion about my results before they called me and my supervisor in to inform us the result. Alhamdulillah, they really like my thesis and research. The only problem is that I need to be more confident and braver in claiming my research findings. So, most of the corrections suggested are to help strengthen my thesis. I am very happy to have such encouraging and supportive examiners. 

Alhamdulillah.

Wassalam.

Viva!

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

InshaALLAH my viva will be in half an hour. I'm sitting here waiting to be called to the viva room. Basically, my examiners are here. They were having lunch with my supervisor and the PhD course manager, as usual procedure of the viva. After the lunch, the two examiners will sit together and exchange each other reports for discussion if they both have come to the same result for my PhD. If there is a substantive difference, a longer time will be needed to discuss over it, if not, I will be called in at 2.30pm today. There are basically 7 outcomes of a viva:

1. Pass without correction
2. Pass with minor corrections
3. Pass with major corrections
4. Review and resubmit
5. Resubmit and viva
6. Approve for a Master Degree
7. Fail

Please make dua.

Wassalam.

Mother's Day

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

The UK celebrates Mother's Day on the fourth Sunday in Lent (around April) but Malaysia celebrates Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May (following the US?) which is this Sunday. In fact, every country has its own different date for the Mother's Day. Almost every month there is a Mother's Day somewhere in the world. Practically saying, shouldn't it be a Mother's Day everyday? Well, no harm in celebrating such a day specifically once a year as long as it is not taken as a holy day that is associate with ritual or religious practice and not celebrated in a lavish fashion.

I actually don't really celebrate Mother's Day anymore since 9 years ago. Mother's Day is to honour a mum when she is alive, what can we do when she is no more on this Earth? Of course, one can still pray, but can I? (see previous post). Mother's Day is not in my diary but today as I was checking facebook, I came across a piece of note written by a friend. It's not something new but it's something that I have long forgotten.

A boy gave his mum a 'bill' stating that:

1. Helping mum to buy a bottle of ketchup from the shop - £2.00

2. Helping mum to look after her baby daughter - £5.00 per hour

3. Helping mum to turn on the kettle - £1.00

4. Helping mum with the laundry - £3.00

5. Helping mum to carry her shopping - £3.50

Total payment for today - £14.50

He gave his mum the 'bill' and the mum smiled. She then turned over the sheet of paper and wrote:

1. 9-month pregnancy carrying you - FREE

2. Sleepless nights looking after you - FREE

3. Breast-feeding you - FREE

4. Changing your nappies - FREE

5. Put you to sleep every night - FREE

Total payment of my love to you - absolutely FREE

Upon reading that, tears started to roll down from the boy's cheeks.

Happy Mother's Day! Tell her you love her everyday before she can't hear it anymore. Give her your warmest hug before she is not there for you anymore. Surely the Paradise is on mother's feet.

Wassalam.