That question: ‘How is Malaysia treating you?’ was asked by an Instagram follower. I had uncharacteristically sent a reel as a story to a group of people who were somehow labelled close friends. I had also responded to a story speaking of the Quran, although referred to as a book, did not become a book for many years, His was a question to that response.
This was my response to his question, “Very well for many reasons. Malaysian’s worship as as they Integrate the faith in their everyday life. This is inspirational to me. Malaysian fathers are very nurturing to their children, never seen that in any other country. Women are traditional but very self-reliant and independent. Malaysia thankfully is not a world power. I am here on a tourist visa so temporary.”
He: That is very beautiful. Have you done your visa run yet?
Me: Yes! Great question. I went to Bali for four days. My next run will be Singapore, I think. Then after that am thinking of either a world cruise or Melbourne Australia.. I am actually writing about our conversation on my blog I am fasting today and time passes by quickly when I write Only an hour and a half to go. I absolutely love writing do you?
The reason I know he is a writer is that is that his profile says is muhibthewriter and it says he writes about society and human experience, leads journaling workshops and help to empower Muslim writers and works with nonprofits.
But there is an altogether different and vexing side to Instagram. Dreadful censorship can be the name of their game.. I responded to an inspiring reel. Got a notice that my response t was removed with this comment:
“It looks like you tried to get likes, follows, shares or videos in a misleading way. This goes against our Community Guidelines on Spam.
It also says “ We want your to freely share with others. We only remove things that or respect people to keep others community respectful and safe. We use the same rules around the world for everyone. Our technology found your content does not follow our Community Guidelines. As result our technology took action.”
This was my response. Labelled spam, not respectable, according to their standards.
Me: This is excellent on so many levels. I have experienced this recently. I shut up my chatter on WhatsApp deleted the App and when quiet heard the word of our Creator I felt calm, accepted, heard and loved. Also the accelerator brake analogy gives insight and hope. My endless gratitude.
There is no appeal process on Instagram. They decide what they decide, make all the rules and enforce them. What did I really do wrong? WhatsApp and Instagram have the same mega owner – Meta. They do not want anyone to think that deleting a member of their conglomerate is a good idea. That is why my comment was removed. Comments mentioning my blog have also been systematically removed. I learned, so never mention my blog in the responses I Think about how this affects people who rely on Instagram to convey their messages. It is frightening. Greed and money control everything in this world. Not in the hereafter, but we gotta get there first. Hahaha
Back to be original encounter with the man asking me about Malaysia. It seemed I had some responsibility to find out what was going on in Malaysia. I began the search and this is what I found. In the recent edition of The Edge, a Malaysian online newspaper. The headline that grabbed my attention was Some 70% of Malaysians believe employee benefits insufficient to meet future financial needs. The benefits discussed were retirement and health care needs. There appears to be a huge shift in family dynamics in this country
‘The survey also revealed that there has been a shift in family financial dynamics among Malaysians, as 40% of respondents do not expect their children to provide for them in their old age. Another 49% of Malaysian couples among the respondents said they do not plan to start a family or do not want to have children. More than half of the respondents, or 66% of them, stated that they are looking to delay their retirement age due to financial responsibilities.” That is huge 49% of couples not thinking of having children. Never heard of such a large number of people living a life child-free.
I was interested to see that Malaysia has a minimum wage. This again from The Edge.
“The country’s monthly minimum wage will be raised to RM1,700 from RM1,500, effective from Feb 1 next year, announced Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in his Budget 2025 speech.”
Learned other Malaysian facts from Wikipedia.
“As of 2020, 21 percent of the world population lives in countries where homosexuality is criminalized” Malaysia is one of those countries. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Malaysia face severe challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents. A 2013 Pew Research Center opinion survey showed that only 9% of the Malaysian population believe homosexuality should be accepted by society, while 86% believe it should not. Ever since at least the 19th century, mores of Malaysia strongly disapprove of homosexuality and transitioning, which impacts public policy. As a result, LGBT rights are not pursued by any political parties.”
I am also comfortable with the lack of acceptance of homosexuality. Found Gay Price Month ridiculous. Said at the time during my brief return residency in Edmonton., Alberta, Canada Me: Gay Pride Month? It is not easy being a heterosexual. They should have Heterosexual Year! I remain unclear about why pride should be associated with homosexuality. Pride is ; 1) a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements, the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated. 2. consciousness of one’s own dignity. No one should achieve dignity for their sexual practices nor could anyone’s sexual prowess be considered an achievement.
The Malaysian laws are not at all offensive me from on both religious and personal grounds. I am horrified by Canada’s not only protecting the ‘rights’ and personage of LGBT residents to far greater extent than women’s rights or the rights of Muslims. I met and was very briefly befriended by Rae, who lived in my Edmonton apartment building. The Canadian government paid ten thousand dollars for her the surgical removal of his penis and other procedures, Flew the individual to Montreal and paid costs of recovery. Meanwhile, underfunding much needed medical care and research into women’s health. How did that happen? LBGT‘rights’ have been actively pursued by political parties – the block of voters who support those ‘rights’ are actively courted. This Islamic Faith, of course, forbids such atrocities and allowing children to choose their sex is an absolute atrocity. How can a child make an informed decision about something so basic. Allah (SW made that decision at the time of their birth.
The vast majority of people are unaware of this truth. It is possible for a Muslim homosexual to go to Jannah if they do NOT ‘indulge’. A guy can prefer a guy, or a girl can prefer a girl as long as they do not do anything about it.
Back to Me and getting off the soapbox .
Wikipedia again: A soapbox is a raised platform on which one stands to make an impromptu speech, often about a political subject. The term originates from the days when speakers would elevate themselves by standing on a wooden crate. The term is also used metaphorically to describe a person engaging in often flamboyant, impromptu, or unofficial public speaking, as in the phrase, “Get off your soapbox.” The article is most interesting, worth a read. It did say this: Blogs can be used as soapboxes within the context of the World Wide Web, and are often used for promotional purposes.No citation was provided for this statement,
Totally back to me. Upon discovering that My Calling had been posted sent Blog Master Chris an email with the subject line: I am proud of us.
Me: I was writing the next sequel of the story when I went back to the search engine and accidentally found this to be posted. WOW. 🤩 I have been haunted by this untold story for over a year. It is finally being told. For many reasons it took until now to tell it. I am keeping at it. Now a strange, shall we say, ‘wrinkle’. Someone who says he is MBS is communicating privately with me, I am not convinced one way or the other but both of us still talking. This blog gets me in so much trouble.Thanks buddy. Love to the three of you. Off to Zumba in the heat. No reels this time. Alexis, aka Sheikha Fatimah, aka Alaa
He: No worries. I am enjoying the ride. Thanks Chris.
Me: Love ❤️ you all. We are now going around the world. Fasten your seat belts., shoulder not lap. Conversation going on blog of course!! So much affection!! Forever, Me
Realized this late late in the day. Today was the fourth anniversary of my reversion to the Islamic Faith. I definitely knew it was coming but somehow had lost track of the days.
Back to Instagram. I posted a reel of Two Malaysian Muslim Sisters which shall be attached. She had sent the following message;
She: These days stressing dear self is the last thing everybody should think of. If they like it good, if they don’t still good. Just life the life to the fullest like you did Alexis. Up n down across list of country, thousands of people and drama YOU STILL ROCK THE MOMENTS !!
ME: Love you. Love you. Love you for saying that My dearest. As they say: You cannot keep a good woman/ women down. Hahaha
During the morning of the 20th I listened to a podcast, fascinating, illuminating and in some ways frightening. Salman Rushdie was interviewed, spoke of his memoir Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder.
Wikipedia spoke of the event, providing some background.
“On August 12, 2022, novelist Salman Rushdie was stabbed multiple times as he was about to give a public lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York, United States.[4][5][6] A 24-year-old suspect, Hadi Matar, was arrested directly and charged the following day with assault and attempted murder. Rushdie was gravely wounded and hospitalized. Interviewer Henry Reese was also injured by the attacker. Rushdie, an Indian-born British-American, has been threatened with death since 1989, a year after the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses, when the Iranian Supreme LeaderAyatollahRuhollah Khomeini issued a fatwacalling for his assassination and set a bounty of $3 million for his death. For years, Rushdie had lived in hiding, taking strict security measures that gradually became more relaxed over time.”
Why did I find it frightening? I scarcely think a fatwa will be issued offering a bounty for my murder. He spoke of the effect the fatwa and the subsequent stabbing had on his writing and how he was perceived. That I found frightening as I write My Calling.
The reel and photographs attached are of my Muslim Malaysian Sisters. My relationships with Malaysian Sisters are proving more lasting and rewarding than relationships with men. Also attached to the blog is a funny reel I made for Instagram, announcing the termination of such a relationship. It is amusing, not sad.
