WHY PUKULLIMA

"Pukullima? Five o'clock?"
I smiled.

The URL that I've chosen for this blog has raised many eyebrows. Why did I choose this word?

Well, naturally when I started this blog, I wanted a name that will be significant to me, and easily remembered by others. I thought for quite a while actually, and finally settled for this name.

So why pukullima?

Pukul lima tree is the name of a special rain tree that can be found everywhere in my university grounds. It's umbrella-shaped, shady and in my eyes, beautiful. I like to look at it, sit under it and admire how Allah our Creator created this tree and everything else in this world. Just look at how happy-looking a pukul lima tree is and you'd understand what I mean. It's never planted in pots because its home is on Mother Earth. I've yet to see a sad-looking or dying pukul lima tree. The leaves of the pukul lima tree opens at dawn and closes up at five o'clock (pukul lima) every evening, hence the name given by observant Malays. It plays its part determined by Allah by taking in our unneeded gas and in return, freely provides us with the needed life-giving oxygen.

Subhanallah... how great is Allah's power to create! I always tell people that one of the easiest and most effective way to see the power of Allah s.w.t. is to study a tree ( if the creation of humans are debatable due to Darwin). Men may claim to be knowledgeable and inventive through Science but they have yet to create something as wonderful as a new species of growing tree, with its spreading branches, colourful and fragrant flowers, and edible fruit. All scientists with their limited knowledge could do today is to clone, not to create.

The tree is special to me because I began my journey into Islam at Taiping which is famous for its beautiful lake garden, with branches of the pukul lima trees stretching out towards the pond. And the sight of these trees at the campus grounds fill me with gladness when I first stepped foot into this foreign place. It is still a good friend that provides shade to everyone who walks under it, and every creature that makes it its home.

Additionally Pukul lima in Malay means five o'clock.

Five o'clock is an important time for us.

We usually wake up at five o'clock in the morning to 'sahur' or have a meal before starting fast during the month of Ramadhan.

We may even wake up at five o'clock in the morning to go to the mosque for subuh prayers.

Five o'clock is the time when we leave the office after a day at work, so that we can hurry home to rest and be with our beloved family.