Introduction
Alhamdulillah… infinite praise and thanks be to the Almighty Allah. Complete peace and blessings be upon our teacher and ultimate role model, Sayyiduna Muhammad, his household, his companions, and all those who follow his guided path.
This article presents a detailed recipe for “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.” The concept of “Cooking your Own Nasi Lemak” is presented in my video below. I humbly suggest that you, first make the time to watch it. This will make understanding and appreciating this article from the perspective for which it is intended.
Now that you’ve watched the video, I’m sure you’ve come to know, that although the title of the video as well as this article discusses Nasi Lemak, the message is nobler than just Nasi Lemak. The assumption is that the majority of us can relate to and resonate with Nasi Lemak. Therefore, it’s easy to digest the message of both the video and article combined, insha Allah.
This article comes in the following sections:
- The Difference between Any Nasi Lemak and Your Own Nasi Lemak
- Overview of the Recipe for Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak
- Passion Cum Sincerity
- Factors to Consider for Achieving the Best Out of Your Own Nasi Lemak
- Conclusion
The Difference between Any Nasi Lemak and Your Own Nasi Lemak
Just like cooking any dish, cooking literal Nasi Lemak requires the following:
- Fragrant rice
- Coconut milk
- Pandan leaf
- Anchovies
- Peanuts
- Eggs
- Some cucumbers
- Others (cooking oil, spices, salt, sugar, water, etc.)
Besides, you’ll also need a cooking space. A kitchen for example. It’s needless to mention that you’ll also need to have the passion and the mood for cooking.
Those are the essential ingredients, space and emotions needed to cook literal Nasi Lemak. However, none of that is required in “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.”
It’s worth indicating, that the world we live in today represents the kitchen space (stage) for “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.” And the recipe needed includes matters of faith, religious practices, moral values, and ethics pertaining to relationships, family, parenting, education, commerce, and what have you. In short, every endeavour on this earth plays part in the recipe of “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.”
How you pick the recipe for your literal nasi lemak is important. How you’ll clean and preserve them also counts. And how you will serve it or display the final dish can’t be taken lightly.
The same thing applies, when “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.” In fact, one must be more selective here. He must establish passion and the willingness to sacrifice some of his convenience, for the benefit of achieving palatable, delicious, and aromatic Nasi Lemak. Purity and cleanliness (if you will) are essential.
Below in an elaboration of some of the ingredients needed for “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.”
Overview of the Recipe for Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak
Please note that the recipe highlighted below is a brief. However, each section contains a link or more to some relevant articles that elaborate on that part as needed, insha Allah. These sections may be updated in the future, to make this article richer for the benefit of the good readers of GSalam.Net, insha Allah.
Following is an outline for the ingredients needed for “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak”:
- Iman – Faith and Belief
- Islam – The One and Only Accepted Religion to Allah
- Acceptance and Submission
- Dress Code and Modesty
- Relationships
- Feminism and Gender Equality
- Money and Transactions
- Religious Knowledge
Iman – Faith and Belief
The first core ingredient in “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak” is to establish a firm faith and belief in the Almighty Creator, Allah subḥānahū wa ta’ālā. I’m sure you and I know and admit that Allah is the Creator of all that is in existence. However, it’s not enough to just admit that He created us and everything.
Besides, admitting that He is the Creator, we must know what He wants from us. It’s only then that one can establish a firm and grounded tawhīd for Him. That is, to believe in His oneness and be able to connect everything we do in life with to Him, subḥānahū wa ta’ālā.
Establishing faith in Allah has six pillars, that whoever wants to believe in Him must absorb them, and let them mix with his blood and breath. For more on that, kindly check out my article, The Concept of Iman, Pillars the Components.
“Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak” must start with this point and from this point. Thereafter, one can move on to the next ingredient. Failure to establish that can lead one to fall in the category of Khawarij, Munafiqun and Murtaddun.
Islam – The One and Only Accepted Religion to Allah
Anyone who establishes a grounded and firm belief in the Almighty God should know that God created him so he (the creature) submits to Him (the Creator) and worship Him. This submission and worship have a frame. That frame is religion. And the religion is Islam.
In other words, the religion of Islam is the religion that God has prescribed to all the Prophets and Messengers whom He chose and sent to mankind across the years and generations.
Following this religion equips you with the knowledge you need to worship Allah, the way He wants to be worshiped.
Anyone who subscribes and submits to Islam is Muslim. A Muslim practices Islam, and tries his level best to apply its teachings and guidance in all aspects of his life. He does so in his private matters as well as in his public affairs.
As a religion, Islam has pillars that every Muslim must believe in, and live by them. As long as our religiosity is not grounded upon strong ‘aqīdah (creed), it’s a matter of time, and we will change lanes, if and when we get a bigger crowd to please, or some comfort to dwell in.
For Muslims, Islam is Our Way Of Life!. Thus, the Muslim ensures he knows Islam’s guidance pertaining to all his endeavours. For instance, I know people who will first seek to know Islam’s ruling before they sign any contract and approve any transaction. On the other hand, I know some who will clearly identify that something is harām. Yet, they’ll go around looking for fatwā that will somewhat halalize that harām for them.
For the non-Muslim who so happens to be ready to embrace Islam, you may find my article, How to Convert to Islam?, useful, insha Allah.
Acceptance and Submission
Islam means submission. Submission to the will and commands of Allah and following the teachings of The Prophet Muhammad ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam wholeheartedly.
To ease this for us, Allah didn’t only send the Prophet Muhammad as the final Messenger to us. He also assigned him to be The Ultimate Role Model for Us. Therefore, however one takes to cook tasty and truly delicious Nasi Lemak for himself, let him take tips of “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lamak” from the Prophet’s way.
The Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ’alayhi wa sallam set clear examples of how to do almost everything in life. From choosing a your wife or husband for marriage, passning by effective parenting, taking at glimps at how to handle criticism, how to seek diving guidance in making important decisions (See: Almost All You Need to Know About Istikharah Prayers), and many more.
Once this syncs down with the believer, he will not find it difficult to present himself as Muslim in all situations. And this takes us to the next point of ingredient in “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.”
Dress Code and Modesty
Clothing and appearance are something Islam has given attention in shaping the Muslim’s personality and the community’s identity alike. It has taught Muslims how to dress and how to present themselves. Different gender has different dress code to observe. However, it all boils down to observing and preserving modesty for both genders.
Both genders of Muslims should seek to please Allah with their respective dress codes. In other words, regardless of people’s perception, the Muslim should only seek to please His creator with his dress and appearance. Even if all humans hate him for it. The thing is, when one dresses up in the way that pleases Allah, no one in his sound mind and correct understanding of Islam, free from his heart desires will condemn him for doing so.
Here, it’s important to indicate something important for my dear sisters and daughters. That is: there’s a difference between covering one’s hair and putting on hijab. In fact, hijab is not about covering the hair. Hijab is about clothing the Muslimah’s physical body with clothes of modesty and her character with clothes of Allah-consciousness.
Since you don your hijab, not to fulfil your personal desires as much as you do it in response to Allah’s divine command and to attain His pleasure, it’s important to ensure your hijab is designed and fashioned the that pleases Him.
Also,Rasulullāh ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam loved wearing perfumes. And he encouraged us, Muslims and Muslimah to wear perfumes. However, he forbade his wives, his daughters, his female companions (as a Muslimah, these are your role models. Aren’t they?) from wearing perfumes to go out. They should only do that indoors, only for, or with their husbands or mahrams.
He also frowned at a woman who wears perfume and goes out, and then gets the attention of the opposite gender. So, when you wear perfume and go out, and a man (Muslim or non-Muslim, mahram or non-Mahram) says to you, “you smell good,” will you take that as a compliment or an insult? Would you do that to pay a visit to Rasūlullāh, ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam?
I get it. Some of us, males and females have strong body odour. I, too do. But let’s be honest. Perfumes don’t kill bad body odours. They only make them smell thick. Body odours are tackled with remedies like lemons and other antioxidants.
A Muslimah who takes heed of the Rasūlullāh’s guidance, and then goes on to find remedies for her “bad” body odour and abstain wearing perfume outdoors (or in the presence of strangers) attains two things. First, she attains personal hygiene. And second, she becomes closer to the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam. This is besides her attainment of Allah’s Pleasure.
And I’m sure you do all you do to attain Allah’s Pleasure. Don’t you?
Relationships
Relationships will keep you close to Allah or away from Him. One thing is guaranteed. That is, the one who loves another Muslim brethren solely for Allah’s sake will be shaded on the Day of Resurrection when the sun will be brought down, a meter up, above mankind.
So, love and hate for Allah. A Muslim has no reason to hate a fellow Muslim unnecessarily. And he shouldn’t love anyone who carries enmity towards Allah and His Messenger.
Establishing relationships with the opposite gender has a high risk of crossing the boundaries of Allah. The Muslim is prohibited from forming friendships with the opposite gender.
It’s undeniable, that relationships between opposite gender contributes to the widespread of zinā, that we’re witnessing in our time. It’s sad to see that zinā seems to have been normalised across Muslim communities worldwide. Here is an article that highlights some dangers of zinā titled, 15 Dangers of Zina Which the Muslim Should Know.
Feminism and Gender Equality
One of the most damaging thoughts that modernism has inflicted humanity with, especially Islam, is their call for what they call “gender equality.” The “gender equality” cause manifested feminism.
Unfortunately, on the surface, “gender equaility” sound appealing. However, a little critical thinking exposes how damaging and degrading it is for the different natures in which Allah created the two and only genders.
Little do many Muslims know, that these ideologies are pushed and promoted by liberalism and liberals, under various umbrellas. Sadly, some Muslims echo these slogans and promote them without knowing what they’re doing, and the damage they cause to their Muslim brethren and fellow humans.
Furthermore, if you look closely, you realize that in the name of gender equality, children are violated and victimised more. In the name of gender equality, women are victimised by fellow women more than they are victimised by men. These are topics for another time, insha Allah.
If you’ve read the ingredients of “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak” thus far from the beginning, you are likely to have realised, that we must submit and accept Allah’s creations, decisions, and wisdom without questioning Him. In the end, questioning Him won’t give us answers different from the ones He has already provided for us.
In a nutshell, Allah didn’t create man and man equal. He created each of them with characteristics that the other lacks. And He made man responsible or caretaker of woman.
Understading this also gives clear answers to questions like: What is There for the Ladies in Paradise.
Money and Transactions
“Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak” deserves to be done in a clean manner and in a clean environment. The best way to earn such cleanliness is to ensure that it’s outsourced and cooked from ḥalāl.
Make sure every ingredient of your recipe is from ḥalāl. The more ḥalāl characteristics contained in your ingredients, the more organic and nutrient they are. On the contrary, building efforts and legacies around harām simply nullifies that efforts and renders them fruitless in the sight of Allah. Check out my article, titled Haram Income: Its Effects on the Individual, His Loved Ones and the Society, for more insights.
When we put in the effort to our level best, then we can rest assured to attain some Barakah from Allah in our endeavours. And Barakah is the missing element in our pursuit for happiness. Check out my article, titled: Barakah; The Missing Element in Our Pursuit for Happiness. Also check out: The Barakah Effects for Muslim Traders of the Past and Present.
Religious Knowledge
No one can worship God in a blanket. With ignorance. Being lettered or literate doesn’t automatically make anyone knowledgeable on religion.
When the first verse of the Qur’an was revealed, it didn’t just say “read.” It said, “Read in the Name of Your Lord.”
If you’re reading this, that an indication that you’re pursuing your religious knowledge. And that contributes significantly to “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.”
Above were the ingredients. There’s something very important that plays vital role in making either literal nasi lemak or “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.” That is passion cum sincerity.
Passion Cum Sincerity
In cooking literal nasi lemak, it’s “Passion.” However, in “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak, it’s “Sincerity.”
No matter how simple your literal Nasi Lemak is, you need something important in order to get something eatable. Again, that’s passion. You must have passion, and put your soul and heart out, to get something that is worthy being proud of.
You don’t want to spend your time in cooking your nasi lemak, only to end up with half-cooked nasi lemak, or worst still, burnt nasi lemak. This is why, it’s not only time that needed to be spent. But heart too must be put in, and passion must be displayed in doing it.
That passion when translated to the language of “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak,” it is sincerity. That’s to do it for the sake of Allah. Here, I must indicate, that there’s a difference between intention and sincerity… More on that in my video below:
Factors to Consider for Achieving the Best Out of Your Own Nasi Lemak
There are a few things the Muslim should be aware of when deciding to embark on cooking his Own Nasi Lemak. The suggested factors below are not exclusive. But being aware of them in your pursuit for a worthwhile “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak for your own self is crucial indeed.
Following is an outline for the suggested factors:
- Form Your Worldview around Allah
- Embrace Yourself to be in the Minority
- Wake Your Heart Up!
- Avoid Confusing Rhetorics
- Perfect Your Prayers
- Overcome Stress in Easy Steps
- Learn to Handle Criticism Wisely
- Be a Source of Inspiration for Others
- Remember Death Every Other Day
The first is to form your worldview around Allah.
Form Your Worldview around Allah
I must start this section by emphasing that every living human being who ever lived or alive, has cooked or is cooking his Own Nasi Lemak. However, it takes awareness, intention, and mindfulness to cook Your Own Nasi Lemak the way you’re expected to cook it.
And this is easily achievable, by the will of Allah, if and when you form your worldview around Allah subḥānahū wa ta’ālā. The thing is, we can’t form our worldview around Allah without prioritising Allah and His commands over our desires. We can’t form our worldview around Allah when we refuse to look at things with lenses Allah crated for us to use for looking at things. For more on this, feel free to check out my article: Prioritizing Allah Over and His Commands Over Our Desires.
Embrace Yourself to be in the Minority
In human societies, you feel comfortable when you perceive yourself to belong to the majority. In fact, that has benefits and merits of its own. However, being part of a majority doesn’t necessarily mean being on the right path.
Therefore, the Muslim should embrace himself and be ready to be, or be seen, perceived as, or accused of being among the minority.
Again, there’s nothing wrong to be among a minority, unless is it’s for the wrong reason. And wrong reasons are not determined by any Tom, Dick, and Harry. In fact, correct and wrong reasons are decided by Allah and His Messenger. Check out my article, The Minority, to see what it means to be a Minority and what challenges you’ll have to endure, and what values you need to withstand the heat.
Besides that, there’s no minority without a majority. Can the majority be right? What do we mean by a majority in this case? Check out this article, The Majority, for more insights.
Here, I find it necessary to emphasise, that when you embrace the teachings of Islam with some seriousness, you may be accused… of anything. It’s ok. Don’t be bothered of being accused of showing off. In the end, everyone is showing off. It’s either we show off to follow humans, or we show off to Allah. We’re all actors. So, be a good actor. And [The Best Amongst Us are the Good Actors. Good actors do what they do, to present to Allah with honour.
Wake Your Heart Up!
Among the factors to consider when preparing your recipe for “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak” is to ensure the functionality and awareness of your heart. A heart that is awake and alert is likely to choose the recipe of his Own Nasi Lemak to be the best possible. He won’t simply settle with the less. Here is an article that helps in curing the blindness of the heart, titled 6 Simple Steps to Curing Blindness of the Heart.
Avoid Confusing Rhetorics
If you read about all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah, you will never find the teachings of any of them contradicting the teaching of another.
The reason is simple, they conveyed revelation. They didn’t impose their personal opinions. Once we realize this, we become no longer surprised to see religious teachers bashing one another, going in opposite directions in almost all aspects. Simply because, instead of conveying the word of Allah and His Messenger, everyone wants to sound smart, intellectual and more educated, and hence imposing their opinions.
One way to stay safe from all that is to know, that Except The Prophets Of Allah, No One Is Equal To Islam. If Allah and His Messenger have spoken about a matter, then we stick to it. it’s only when there’s no authentic revelation or guidance pertaining to a matter, that we should refer to Ijtihād. In fact, even Ijtihād must be guided by the Book of Allah, and the Sunnah of His Messenger.
Perfect Your Prayers
After establishing a correct and authentic faith in Allah, the highest act of worship in importance is to establish our prayer. Sadly, for many of us, this is one of the most challenging to keep up with.
If you ever feel sleepy whenever it’s close to prayer time, then check out my article, It’s Prayer Time: But Why Do I Find it Difficult to Pray to learn how to overcome that, by the will of Allah.
Overcome Stress in Easy Steps
“Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak” is going to be the most stressful experience in cooking nasi lemak of any kind. The good news is, while this life is meant for us to be tested and be put to different forms of trials and challenges, Allah has given us spiritual remedy to minimise the effects of such stress. That’s to embrace remembrance of Allah more often… For more on this, check out my article, Dhikr: Your Most Effect Relief from stress. You may also want to check out this article, Secrets of Dhikr Which Many of Us Have Overlooked.
Don’t be fooled into believing that a time will come and pass without you being tested. The end of one test should be a notice for the arrival of another… In short, The Tests Are Meant To Continue. So, embrace yourself for more stressful experiences, and learn to overcome them through dhikr.
Learn to Handle Criticism Wisely
As long as you are working, then be ready to err. Even if you don't err, you'll be made to err and then be criticised. What more when you commit an obvious error!
When you're faced with criticism go back to the Prophet ṣallā Allāhu ‘alayhi wa salam to learn How to React to Criticism and Personal Attacks, the Prophet’s Way.
Be a Source of Inspiration for Others
One way to achieve a well and balanced cook Nasi Lemak is to learn to master it in the first place. One way to attain mastery in any field, more so in “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak” is to teach it to others. Be a source of inspiration for others in “Cooking their Own Nasi Lemak.”
That way, you’ll be pushed to learn better ways to achieve the best Nasi Lemak ever, for yourself.
When you’re all set to be an inspiration for others, then it’s time to tell you to check out my article titled, Don’t Underestimate the Change You Inspire in Others, which contains a lot of inspirations… Insha Allah.
Remember Death Every Other Day
This article and the accompanying video discussed and enticed you about Nasi Lemak. But in its actual sense it’s enticing you look forward to a truly beautiful and peaceful death. But to attain a truly beautiful and peaceful death, we must work towards that. Isn’t it?
One way to keep ourselves on check is to remember death, every other day. It’s unfortunate that many of us discuss everything, except death. Death becomes the least we think about and look forward to.
When death becomes the least in our minds, then when our time is up, it will come to us by a surprise. If you want to cook Your Own Nasi Lemak properly, don’t let death catch you by surprise… Check my article, Let’s Talk About Death for more, insha Allah.
Conclusion
Every human being, Muslim or non-Muslim who has ever walked on this earth is cooking his own Nasi Lemak. Those who are passed on have already cooked theirs. And they have tasted it as well. But they haven’t eaten it yet. The time for eating will only happen after judgement.
How you execute any project, small or big is an example of “Cooking your own Nasi Lemak.” How you interact with Allah (through prayers and devotions) is part of “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.” How you make decisions contributes to your recipe for “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.” Your interactions and relationships are also ingredients for Your Own Nasi Lemak, and so is your business ethics and etiquettes.
It’s needless to mention that your parenting style as well as your leadership style are all components you need to of mindful of in “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.” In fact, even the time you spend thinking and appreciating Allah’s favours is part of “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak.”
Did I mention earlier, that even making the time to watch the accompanying video and reading this article all contribute to your “Cooking Your Own Nasi Lemak?”
May Allah safeguard our faith and grant us good ending as Muslims. May He inspire us each, to cook our own Nasi Lemak wisely and deliciously.
If you have read this article to this point, then kindly let the discussion continue on Facebook.
Allah knows best.
Allahu Hafiz 🙂
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