#1 First December fourteen

Alhamdulillah it's the first day of December year 2014. How time flies. Hopefully, it hasn't been flying like a kite untied! 

Today, I had British Sign Language exam. What we had to do was to watch three different videos and answered questions with multiple answer choices. It wasn't as difficult as I had feared it to be, alhamdulillah. But I'm sure that I did get some of the questions wrong :P 

Learning the sign language has been a great experience for me. It amazed me to know how the ability to transmit messages are really universal and beyond vocab. While you think the ability to speak i.e using your voice is the best way of communicating, you should never think of it as the one and only way to send message across. It occurred to me that the reason why we can't communicate with some people or communicate poorly, is not largely due to the failure to speak the message, but rather, due to the failure of us to listen or to receive the message. If you have the mindset to listen or read or understand other people's signal, whether it's a verbal, written, or even face expression and body language, we could improve our interactions so much! So next time, when we find it difficult to understand a person, try to improve ourselves as the receiving end. 

It's good to learn Sign Language though. 
As the quote goes, 'Language is the limit of your world'. By learning sign language, I know that I'm increasing my chance of getting tarbiyah or learning from another group of His Servants i.e those tested with loss of hearing and inability to speak. But anyhow, if you haven't got the chance to learn sign language, body language and face expression are always two universal languages to appreciate from others. Don't forget that everyone understands what a smile is :) Plus, there is this one hadith: 

´Do not think little of any good deed even if it is just greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance.' (Muslim) 

After the exam, I had the chance to go out with Hazeera to buy present for one of my groupmates (it's for the groupwork's secret santa we're having tomorrow) and also Anati for her birthday. I think my years in UK really mould me new perspective in giving. I don't really gifts to anyone back when when I was in Malaysia. But now I grow to love how giving gifts is a splendid way of strengthening ukhwah. There is one hadith that says: 

Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Give each other gifts and you will love each other.” Source: Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 594

I was actually so touched by the action of Aisyah Hani, who gave the close friends of hers gifts on her own birthday (I got one too!). How nice! To give, rather than hoping to receive on your veyr own special day. Allah surely would like that better, wouldn't He? Subhanallah, see! Allah's tarbiyah surely is abundant, Allah sent Aisyah to teach me on this :)