Pictures from Tioman part deux

The pictures are in no particular order but serves to record the eventful trip.

Ivy and Chee Weng in our boat before our first dive.

Jeff took this while all of us were on the surface before starting our first dive.

Beverley, my diving buddy


Me.

The resort where we stayed.

We saw this dead fish on the morning of our arrival

All eight of us taking the open water course.

Preparation for new term/year

Once again, the vacation is coming to an end and time is needed to prepare for the new term. This coming term is going to be quite exciting, I believe. There are a couple of projects being lined up and I have a bit less hours than the previous semester so I'm hoping to make most of it.

First up, I've got to supervise at least one student group for FYP. Trying to see if the project of combining reconstruction of data (reduced order model) and identification (optimization) will yield a good result to build a software for criminal investigations where they can take partial fingerprints and try to match them to the fingerprints in the database without doing the minute identification. Well, we'll see how it goes but they've got till about November to make things work...I'm really hoping things will go better than last year and we may get a paper from this project.

Then, there is the action research that I'm working on with Mark. We are trying to see if the PBL approach will allow the students to better understand the concept of the shortest path algorithm. Next, Edna is back at SP and we are working on finishing up the portfolio optimization by converting it into a teaching tool for LP and aiming to publish it in Informs. We are also trying to come up with a proposal for research in interactive digital media targeted towards education. It will be a big project spanning a few years and at the moment is just at the idea stage.

You may ask if that's a lot of projects to handle but I think since in most of these cases I'll be working with others, it should be managable. As for the teaching aspect, because of the action research and the development of PO as teaching tool, I am revamping my introductory course to optimization. The course will definitely be more engaging where the students will be really doing active learning as opposed to my actually teaching them. I'm really excited.

I'll be teaching a new module on statistics. This, I'm a bit apprehensive as my command of statistics is not very strong. God willing, I will have to put a bit of effort to ensure I don't short change my students on this. Anyway, after three semesters, I'm getting comfortable with being in front of people and making a fool out of myself. :D

Here's to the new semester. May Allah give me the strength and the patience to see through my various duties. Peace.

Poem: Sleep

The cock crows heralding a new day
Life is stirring as God's creatures awaken
Awakened from their peaceful slumber
To scatter forth in search of sustenance

The dawn sky is turning pink over the horizon
Yet still, man sleeps
Sleeping the sleep of the dead
Uncaring of the beauty of life's awakening

Midday, midday be the time
When God's creatures seek His Bounty
Birds soaring high in the sky
While the lizards sun on the stones below

The bees are buzzing from flower to flower
Man too buzzes from place to place
In the city or the countryside
Eking out a living by whatever means possible

Trucks and cars moving about the land
Ships in the ocean and planes in the sky
The sounds of horns, drilling and pounding
Blaring across the land

Noise loud enough to wake any sleeping soul
Yet still, man sleeps
Sleeping the sleep of the dead
Unmindful of the effects of his activities

Wasteland stood where lush forests used to reign
Oil slicks cover what once were clear blue waters
Grey smog dims the bright sunshine
Sea, air, land, is there none untouched?

The sun is setting, dusk settling over the earth
Birds coming home to roost
Their outlines clearly marked by the sun
As it lights up the horizon with hues of pink and violet

So too man arrives home after a long day's work
Sitting back in his lounge chair,
Turning on the television,
As he savours the food before him

Yet for all that motion, he is sleeping
Undisturbed in his slumber
Blind to the flight of time
Another day is gone, another night has arrived

When oh when will he be awakened
The day will come when his awakening will be too late
The day of rude awakening
The day when none can help himself, much less his family and friends

Awaken, oh sleeper
Arise, oh slumberer
Awaken! Arise! For the day of reckoning is near
In the darkness of the night when all the creatures slumber
Awaken and arise, to meet your Creator.

Some photos from the dive, part 1

Here are some of the photos from the dive. The underwater photos are not mine since I don't have an underwater camera.

A nudisbranch, I think, taken by our divemaster, Jeff.

My brother, Zikri, with all his personal diving gear.

Front centre: One of our instructors, Jimmy. Behind him are all the NS boys and my brother who are taking their open water license.

Cute frontal view...are those lips?

Near Drowning Experience

"Say that I am mortal, as you are. It has been revealed to me that your Lord is one God. Let all those who hope to meet their Lord, do what is right, and worship only him."-Qu'ran, Al-Kahf, Chapter 18:110



It came to me how mortal I am on the recent trip to Tioman. Went there this Friday and just came back Sunday afternoon. I was supposed to do my open water certification there, but really while things on the first day were going on well, things got out of hand the second day. Before going on to the second day, let me just describe a bit on the first day.

We arrived at about 8 plus am and had to wait till the afternoon for the first dive. So, given that I hadn't had any sleep the past night, I had a rest first while the others went snorkling. Maybe I should have gone with them to build up my open water confidence but I don't think I was really worried about depth so much.

Anyway, we went for our first dive in Marine Park to explore the wrecks. Rigging up on a rocking boat is very different from the pool dive experience and similarly doing the jump from the boat. Given I hate heights, had to overcome my fear of jumping. However, once in the calm water, I was fine and we went down by line descent to about 60 feet. The visibility wasn't that great, maybe around 5 to 10 m and there were a lot of "dust" being kicked around as we learn to find our bouyancy control. We didn't see much of the sea creatures but there were schools of small fishes and some bigger (and more colourful) fishes around the wrecks. Besides I managed to go very close to the wrecks and see what were developing on wrecks.

Our second dive was a night dive. That was challenging...we were diving at Renggis and we were supposed to do a free descent. However, the current was strong and we were swept away. In fact, two of our party, Ivy and Chee Weng, got lost and it was quite scary since we had only the lights to guide us. But at last we got together and managed to descend. At night, visibility is poor and you can't see much of the colours on the corals as you would during the day. We did see lots of sea urchins and a few barracudas plus some other smaller fishes and sea cucumbers. Night diving is definitely more challenging as I keep mistaking someone else as my buddy and bouyancy control is not as easy (well for me anyway).

But overall both dives were fun and exciting. It was on the second day that things went awry. We went off in the morning to Magician Rock. The water was very choppy and current was really fast. I jumped out of the boat and immediately got swept away from the boat. The waves made me quite seasick and a little panicky. So I aborted my dive while the rest went down. Unluckily for me, the water was really very clear and there were lots to see down there.

Anyway, we moved on to Labas and after about 30 minutes surface time for the others, we went for another dive. This time, I managed to go down (again free descent) and it was worth it. Went to about 60 feet max and saw really lots of interesting stuff. Once, our dive instructor caught hold of one turtle who was curious enough to swim close to us and we got to touch it. I managed to spot a sting ray on the sea bed and pointed it to my buddy, Beverley. We also saw a couple of dogfishes, clown fishes and really a range of hard and soft corals. Saw a giant clam too with fishes swimming in and out of it. Then our instructor took us through the little "holes" of the rock formations and we spotted a blue spotted sting ray. Just as we emerged, we were confronted by a school of fishes (in Malay, they are called Kerisi...not sure the English name).

So I was enjoying the view while keeping an eye on my gauge. Saw that it was below 1000 and indicated to my buddy and diving instructor. The instructor told me that I had at least about 20 minutes of air and we were close to the surface since we were decompressing. But a few minutes later, I felt myself rising above the rest and tried to signal to Beverley. Unfortunately, I couldn't reach her or the others. When I tried to take a breather to swim to her, I found myself out of air. Since I was about two metres from the surface, I made a choice to go up to surface. Wrong choice coz I panicked on the surface since I couldn't see anyone and the boat was far away. I totally forgot my training to ditch the weightbelt and do bobbing. By the time Beverley, Ivy and Chee Weng arrived on the surface, I was in full blown panic mode. I was gasping for air as I can't seem to stay afloat and drank in quite a bit of sea water. I really thought I might die then.

Thank god for them as they managed to pull me to the lifebuoy that the boatmen casted out. This incident taught me a few things in diving:

1. Always check your gauge/equipment; make sure that it is not faulty.
2. Have your buddy nearby because you never know when such emergency cases can arise.
3. Don't panic; before diving in and even while diving, ensure you rehearse the safety procedure and follow it.

Can't emphasise more on safety...make sure your equipment is well maintained. My gauge was faulty as it didn't go below 500 when the tank was empty.

Anyway, once I got back on land, I went to pray; really God was merciful and saved my life through Chee Weng and Beverley. We had a good long rest and then went out for an afternoon dive. I was resolved to get back in the water to concur my fears but as fate would have it, the moment I was about to dive, I heard a leak in my bc. Told my instructor but he reassured me that the leak was little and I shouldn't have much problem with it. So, taking his word, I jumped down into the water. Upon my emergence, there was a loud bang and hissing behind me. The pressure gauge hose burst. I can't tell you the fear that drove into me. Already I had nearly drowned earlier because of the gauge and now with the burst hose and bc leak, it really overwhelmed me. So I stayed on board while the rest went down.

So all in all, I only did three dives in total. I still want to dive but this time, I think I'll make sure that the equipment is good and a good buddy is with me. Hopefully, my future sister-in-law might want to learn; if so, I wouldn't mind taking it with her.

That's it for now.
Peace,
Sid

Can't wait for the diving trip!

Okay, I'm really geared up for the open water diving trip. My coursemates managed to persuade me to do the advance open water courses with them. So, it seems that next Friday, we'll be doing our virgin dive before doing a night dive. Got to know from our instructor that we'll be doing boat dive, navigation dive, and deep dive courses too in order to qualify for the SSI advance open water license.

I got my booties, gloves, and torchlight from the Scuba Shop, along Beach Road. A bit pricey but excellent service. They really take the time to explain things to you and make recommendations. So, I didn't mind forking out the extra cash all that much. In return, I got a very comfortable and nicely fitting pair of booties and gloves. My brother says he might get the BC and regulator from the shop too.

Hmm, I've been reading on Tioman's dive sites. There are really a good range of dive sites for all sorts of diving. I wonder if we will get to visit the wreck sites for our deep diving course. I can't wait to see Allah's beautiful creations...a world of its own from all the documentaries I've seen. I went for a coral reef walk about two years back and it was amazing to see the various corals and other sea creatures. Even found a catfish, sea cucumber, several crabs and a pair of mating starfishes. Yet, my guide said that it would have been more beautiful had it been high tide and everything was submerged since all the polyps were open and a lot more sea creatures were about. So I'm definitely hoping to see a lot more during the dives.

Also, I'm praying that nothing will befall my coursemates and I this trip. May Allah protect all of us. Peace.

Last pool dive

Okay, last night I had my final pool lesson and next week it will be off to Tioman for the open waters. Having gone for three pool sessions, I finally managed to gain courage to take off my mask and put it back on. That was the challenge I had not been able to surmount the fear of really taking off the mask.

My instructor, Jimmy, is really very good and patient. I'm glad he will be going on the dive with us next week. Hmm...I've already got my mask and wetsuit, costing me about S$250 due to the prescription lens. Now, I've got to get gloves, booties, and torchlight which will probably cost me another S$100 easily. So diving is an expensive sport but it is quite exciting. Hope the open water dives would go well.

Catherine Asaro's books

Hey, I just finished two of her books: Alpha and Phoenix Code. For those who like science fi, well these are not hard core but they deal with real issues that humanity might be confronted in the near future if we can make a breakthrough in AI technology. She's got another book on AI which I read earlier, "Veiled Web".

Dr Catherine Asaro does not shy away from the difficult issues of how we define humanity and cultural conflicts. The "veiled web" tackled both those issues when she presented us with the main characters; Lucia who is a Christian, her husband, Rashid, a Muslim, and Rashid's AI. Similarly, in Alpha and Phoenix Code, she touched upon the dilema of AI being sentient and having free will.

For those who like more fantasy slant, I recommend her Charmed Sphere universe. Brilliant writing.

Time and Man

This is an article I wrote back in 2005. In the Quran, there is a chapter on Time, Chapter 103. One night, I couldn't sleep while thinking about the chapter...the following article is the result.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

It is once again late night, 2 am to be exact, on July 1st 2005. For all my resolve to sleep early and wake up early, Allah knows me well enough as a night person and hopefully forgive this breach of promise. Tonight, my thoughts turn to Surah Al-Asr:

By Time,
Verily Man is in Loss
Except those who believe and do good
Who remind each other in truth and
Who remind each other in patience and consistency.

Tonight, we observed a minute of silence on the death of a member’s mother in my club. That minute felt very long; yet to us, the day seems to pass so fast. I have heard enough lament as to how time flies. How ironic…By Time.

The examples I mentioned above gives an indication of the relativity of time as we know it. How apt that Allah uses the term “Asr” to describe this time as oppose to “Dahr” which signifies ‘absolute time’.[1] “Asr” indicates measurable, and thus ‘relative time’ much as most of us have experienced. What is it that makes time “flies” such that we do not seem to have enough time? And yet, Allah hints in Surah Al-Asr that this would not happen for those who believe and do good. What then demarcates difference?

The relativity of time, I believe, is dependent on the activity that we do. The hectic pace of life that do not stop to appreciate our surroundings, focused on one goal and one goal only, i.e. the accumulation of materialistic world, distorts this ‘relative time’ just as gravity distorts the space-time continuum in Einstein’s Relativity Theory. So the nature of man’s loss is time itself, for time is the gift that Allah has given to us in order for us to gather our provisions for the hereafter. As time ‘shortens’, our opportunities for gathering these provisions too shrink.

So Allah, in His kind mercy, has shown us the way in the next few verses. Belief is key because it is our belief in Allah that causes us to take heed of His advice. It is our belief of His power over time that leads us to believe that our opportunities are not lost for Allah mentioned in Chapter 10 (Yunus/Jonah):98 that

“Why was there not a single township which believed, - so its Faith should have profited it, - except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the Penalty of Ignominy in the life of the present, and permitted them to enjoy (their life) for a while.”

The above verse indicates not only Allah’s mercy but also Allah’s ability to manipulate time. So our belief is necessary to ensure the success of the advice.

The next part is “Do good” and here we note that many other places in the Qur’an links belief with “doing good.” But what does “do good” really entails and how does it prevent the loss of time? To my mind, it entails several key ingredients: namely, wisdom, knowledge, and the ability or power to act. There are those who are of the opinion that wisdom is a God-given gift. Perhaps it is true but I also believe that wisdom can be cultivated through being aware of the surroundings, learning to be alert, and try to understand and interpret what is developing around us. In order to have this awareness, then we have to learn to stop being so focused or channeled in our way of thinking, working, and living. We cannot be heedless of the nuances around us for these nuances are where the opportunities for the “gathering of provisions” lay. Knowledge is key to doing good for we are unable to carry out any actions without having the know-how of that action. Is it any surprise then that the very first revelation was “Read, in the Name of your Lord”[2]? The acquisition of knowledge brings us back to the need to address the issue of time. For it is necessary to manage time in order to obtain the knowledge in a timely manner for the action to be undertaken. And of course, without the ability or power to act, we would not be able to “do good.”

In “doing good” we raise ourselves above the primary concern of every man, i.e. himself. In so doing, we learn the value of time for the issues we have to address are more than likely to be time sensitive. Either it is time critical, as was the case during the tsunami or an endangered life, or it is a process that would need a long time for treatment, like in the case of ozone depletion. Then, the perspective now changes from the quantity of time to the quality of time. It then becomes essential for us to understand how best to utilize the time we are given instead of wasting it away.

The Truth is supposed to set you free. True words indeed. After all in knowing the Truth, we are reminded of the position of everything and thus we understand our position vis-à-vis Allah and that with Him lies our journey’s end[3]. In this divine knowledge, we are set ‘free’ from the confines of time. If from Him we come and to Him we are heading to, the concept of the complete circle, of the Singularity in which there is no escape from, enables us to understand that time[4] is basically meaningless and valueless except for whatever artificial value that we ascribe to it. It then becomes only a tool for us to use in our journey to Allah, just like any other tool that Allah has provided for us. Thus the concept of time evolves from encompassing us to us encompassing it. This is the tool for us to “do good” and subsequently help to increase our provisions.

In the last part, “patience” and “consistency” are two key words very much related to the concept of time as well as the action of “doing good.” These are two words which ties the two together. Man, in his very nature, is impatient, wanting results in an instant. Neither is he consistent as he is often distracted away from his goals. We have to be reminded of the need to be patient and to persevere in our undertakings. With our knowledge of the Truth, we are reminded that everything has its time and place, and that time and place is not determined by us. Patience is then an indication of our acknowledgement and acceptance of that Truth and a form of training of the concept of time being meaningless unless we ascribe importance to it. Consistency is the necessary training for us to undergo to ensure that we do not lose sight of the Truth even as we go about our daily lives where distractions abound.

Thus we note at the end that time is a tool whose value is only what we ascribe to it. It becomes valuable if we use it rightly in accordance to Allah’s wish – to “do good.” In order to learn how to use time, Allah has prescribed us to forms of training; patience and consistency. Only then are we set free and no longer in the danger of being in a loss.





[1] From Muhammad Asad, “The Message of the Quran”, Dar Al-Andalus Ltd, 1980.
[2] Chapter 96 (Al-Alaq):1.
[3] Chapter 2 (Al-Baqarah):284, Chapter 96 (Al-Alaq):8
[4] Time here refers to ‘relative time’ and not ‘absolute time’ for we truly have no understanding of ‘absolute time’.

Original poem - Gifts from God

God's gift to us: the lavender and

the bee

I'm not much of a poet but sometimes I just like to express myself and my thoughts. So, here's my meager effort to share...

Sunrise and sunset,

time is a gift

that rarely one appreciate

until it is too late.

No service is done

by our headlong rush,

For God's gift of beauty

shall we likely miss.

Every breath is a gift,

A gift of life, of moments,

For who knows

when the journey's end.

Looking out, searching within,

To seek the Truth,

A precious gift

for those with understanding.

The ultimate prize,

so illusive is it,

that rarely we attain,

God's gift of peace.