Why Takaful?
Contemplation December 2nd, 2011
My post heading may sound as if an insurance or Takaful agent is behind this entry, but you can rest assured that it’s not. I’m here to re-emphasize the importance of joining up a Takaful scheme, again, just as I had done many posts ago.
You’re a family man. Every month, a reasonable percentage of your earnings for your loved ones is saved. You want your kids to have the best education possible. More importantly, you want all of them to live a happier life in the future.
Alas! In an uneventful accident, Allah had taken away your life.
What now?
What is to become of your dream to provide your kids with the best education?
More importantly, how are they to live their lives now?
Your wife is just a housewife, or, even if she works, now she would have to rely on her income to support the family – all by herself …. and this is the happiness you had hoped for?
A typical scenario which an insurance/Takaful agent would pose. Then again, think about it – seriously!
Life is unpredictable. We often take for granted the predicaments of life which others encounter. Family members who are dependent on a sole income contributor would likely suffer if the contributor is no longer living to support them. Even if the contributor still lives on, there are other scenarios where an uneventful crisis can occur and would claim the family’s hard-earned savings, and even life!
This is where Takaful plays its role as a cushion to support the family.
I am often appalled by some people who believe that Takaful schemes are meant to make them rich. That’s just not how it works. One who joins a Takaful scheme should hope for nothing except for rewards from Allah, hoping that their contribution to the Takaful pool of collection would ease the difficulties or hardships of other Takaful participants who are suffering. Of course, we would hope that nothing bad would occur in life. However, we would always want our loved ones to live on without a dramatic dent that could shatter their own dreams when we’re no longer there to support them.
Apply for Takaful now, while you still can.
Call Mohd Faizal Mohd Fadillah at 017-248 2442. (Faizal is a Prudential-BSN Takaful Agent.)
Parenting: Love Your Kids and They Will Love You
Family November 12th, 2011
On typical working days, the part which I really look forward to is the time to go back home from work. I suppose the same goes for anyone else, but for me, the real reward that I yearn for is to be with the kids after a day’s work. Always. Everyday.
Yet I don’t know if my daughters are able to comprehend or appreciate this fatherly feeling inside of me. At least, my second daughter, Aneesah, seems to show more ‘empathy’ when I open up to hug her than my eldest, Sakeenah. Whilst her younger sister tries to grab my attention, Sakeenah remains seemingly blunt and unmoved by my return. Perhaps intentionally, perhaps not. Deep inside, my inner voice would ask her: “Don’t you miss me?”
She would simply look at me from the corner of her eyes as if to say in reply: “Don’t you miss me?”
She’s a smart girl. Politically mindful, I would say. In the end, I would give in and would have to chase after her (she would run away cheekily) to get a hug. Aneesah, on the other hand, would be left behind, confused and unaware of what the whole commotion is about. As much as possible I would try to give equal attention to both but being human would mean that there’s always the probability that my effort can turn out to be lopsided. There are odd times, however, when Sakeenah would suddenly come by and give a small peck on my cheek. In the end, all that matter is that I know she knows that I love her. In a book called Adab Al-Mufrad, Imam Bukhari mentioned a hadith of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam):
Jarir reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Allah will not show mercy to a person who does not show mercy to other people.”
Inspired by a colouring photo shot of Sakeenah’s friend, Alia1, masya-Allah, my wife and I decided to buy colour pencils and colouring books for our daughters too. Of course, the one to make sense of the colour pencils at first is Sakeenah. Aneesah learns quickly because she has her elder sister as her role model. In most cases, however, we would have to keep an eye on Aneesah since almost everything she sees is deemed edible. Here’s a video clip of her drawing her Abi, masya-Allah. Even though I am seen as merely straight lines, at least I’m still part of her ‘landscape’ drawing. Speaking of which, I wonder what happened to Ummi? Oh yes, she’s busy cooking delicious food for us in the kitchen! I assume that this is the logical reason behind Ummi’s absence in the drawing. At the end of the clip, you will see Sakeenah drumming on the chair with her colour pencil. Wherever she learned that from??
Love you lots, kids! – Abi & Ummi
1Posted with permission from Alia’s mum (Farhana Mohd Fadzil) and dad (Mohd Aizat Yaacob) – picture was initially posted on Facebook ( October 21 at 12:24am)
Superdads and Supermoms
Family October 25th, 2011
Often, we would like to brag ourselves about being either a supermom or a superdad. With all the time to spare with your kids, there is no better way to manifest our super powers but to nurture them with all the love they need even though we work round the clock 24/7 (well, almost!). When we arrive home from work, our kids will just rush and climb all over us. We might not be someone to the world, but to them, we are the noble hero and heroine that they salute and admire. Masya-Allah. So, hang on there supermoms and superdads!
Like superman, my daughters resemble my own source of power. They lighten up my days like the sun, but alas, they are also my own weaknesses; like kryptonite draining all my powers.
I hear the call to prayer. The azan for ‘isya’. As I get ready to leave for the mosque, my daughter pleads so that she could follow. What’s a superdad supposed to do? She cannot follow, she’ll disturb the jamaa’ah. I cannot look to her eyes and her tears. Her cries are weakening me. Okay then my little one, Abi will not go. NOOOO! Abi must go! So out flew Abi the superdad to the mosque, leaving his superkids under the care of supermom. Alhmadulillah, supermom seamlessly takes care of them under her cape, comforting and consoling them.
After a while, superdad returns, feeling happy to meet His Lord’s obligations, and so is supermom, and so are their superkids.
Tribute to my wife and daughters.
When Your Child Can Speak
Family September 14th, 2011
Here is a du’a which you can recite when your child is able to converse: ~
For him:
مَا شَاءَ الله. لاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ. اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَيْهِ
For her:
مَا شَاءَ الله. لاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللهِ. اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ عَلَيْهَا
Meaning:
“Whatever (occur is due to) Allah’s will. There is no power save for the Power of Allah. O Allah, grant (Your) Blessing onto him/her (the child).”
Your Child is You
Contemplation August 15th, 2011
Young children reading the Qur'an.
Yesterday, we spent almost the whole day at my in laws’ place. Mok Zai, a relative of ours, was also there with her children. Having lost her husband a while back, she has spent her days thriving for her children’s well-being and reliving her demised husband’s sacred wish and obligation to bring up their children as hafizahs (one who knows the Qur’an by heart).
Subhaanallah. I was just amazed at how well they have raised them. In this age of mere deceptions and chaos, their way of upbringing can easily be misunderstood as extremism but I do not see anything extreme in their practice. The eldest, Aisyah, has already learnt the Qur’an by heart. She did it in only one year, masya-Allah. Her younger sisters are well on the way to reach her level soon.
In life, there are few things which trigger my conscience into contemplation. One of them is upon observing people who do things differently; people who are willing to take the risk when there are already traditional ways of doing it. Mok Zai do not send her children to normal schools like we all do. When asked why, she persisted that there were things she’d rather want her children to focus more on than the syllabus taught at schools. To her and her husband, it would be a waste of money. They would rather want their own children to be exposed to the Qur’an first, then would come others. It was a strong belief and I had no doubt in believing in their success since their daughters were already the living proof of their vision.
In order to succeed, one must desire for it, make necessary sacrifices for (strive to achieve) it, and of course, pray to Allah for it. This was Mok Zai’s comment regarding the how-to’s of successfully educating her children. Parents play a major role in the upbringing of their children. To have good children, you yourself must be good. You must be what you want your child to be.
When we were leaving for home, Mok Zai was trying to leave a ‘message’ for Sakeenah. A message which I believe was indirectly hinted at me and my wife. With her right hand, she gestured the hand depicting ‘one’ whilst singing to Sakeenah: “Allah Esa, Allah Berkuasa …. Allah Esa, Allah Berkuasa … Allah Esa, Allah Berkuasa. (Allah is One, Allah is Almighty).” Sakeenah merely smiled, not knowing what to do. However, I believe she will – if only my wife and I repeat it to her many times so that she would eventually absorb it and believe in it, insya-Allah.
Reunited Again
Family January 11th, 2011
- One big family reunion – the Sabron family.
We had another round of family reunion last Sunday night. Matter of factly, it wasn’t for family reunion per se. Since Achik Seri will be going back to Australia to resume her PhD, a religious congregational prayer (or its well known term, doa selamat) was held for her safe academic venture abroad.
Again, Ustaz Subhan was invited to re-enlighten us on the sacred duties of a Muslim amongst other religious topics. He has somewhat become a de facto Imam in the family.
- Obedience (الإطاعة) to all rulings and commandments from Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’ala).
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Repentance (التوبة) for all wrongdoings.
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Strive/Struggle (المجاهدة) for the cause of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta’ala). Allah has mentioned in the Qur’an:
Meaning:
And those who strive in Our (cause), – We will certainly guide them to Our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right. (26:29)
May this little piece of advice bring good to all of us.
To Achik Seri, we pray for your successful pursuit in your PhD. May all that you learn be beneficial to you and the ummah. Amin.
Family Reunion
Family January 9th, 2011
Enjoying our family dinner.
It has been a long while since the last family gathering. Pak Mok & Ummi Dillah had invited the whole Sabron family to his house at Putrajaya. We couldn’t achieve a full quorum; ayah had a class in KL, Pak Long busy at the hospital, Hafeez was still at work, Mimi in Jordan, Alang in Kuantan, and Farhan working his shift at night.
Anyway, Pak Uda and the rest of the family just came back from Australia. So, it was a good reunion we had last night.
Family gatherings such as this invite me to cherish all past memories. Those cousins of mine whom I used to play and joke around as little kiddies are now grown up and matured. Yet, I can’t help but think that they are still the cute obnoxious rascals who used to climb up to my shoulders while I was praying! I have totally lost track of their ages and keep on asking how old they are. I guess I’m having problems admitting that I’m old. Hahah – how time flies!
Oh … and yesterday, Pak Mok was talking with Safee Sali‘s father. He happens to live next door! Not exactly Safee’s house but the house belongs to his elder brother. I’m not a great fan of football but this news seems to excite everyone last night. If you guys want autographs, pay me in advanced (joking!).
Just before I retire from this post, I’d like to leave a few verses from the Holy Qur’an. One can read these verses as part of their du’a for their family:
Du'a for your family.
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