Al-Marbawi: My Long Lost Companion
Contemplation February 5th, 2012
It’s been years, or so I would say 8 years to be exact. The first time we met, I could make neither head or tail of who you are. Yet I took it upon myself to reach for you and discern every word you tried to teach me.
Every day, I would bring you to school. People asked why; carrying you to and fro was such a burden. I merely smiled. Indeed, they were right, but at the same time they were gravely wrong. In time, I began to like you. No matter how hard it was to understand you and how heavy a burden you were, I tried hard and even sought help from Ustaz and Ustazah. Others would mock at me as I carry you on my back or by my side, day or night.
“What load are you carrying … a brick?” said they.
I didn’t want to leave you. You were the only true companion I had. No matter how heavy you were on my back, I knew that befriending you was no mistake. You were the key for me to understand the words of Allah better.
Alhamdulillah. The day of the test came and I easily answered from leaf to leaf. Going through the ordeal was as easy and as swift as turning a page. By the grace of Allah, you have helped me a lot, and today, I understand you more than I did 8 years ago.
However, I have neglected you for so long that the very instant I saw you, my tears trickled. My quest to further understand the words of Allah has come to a halt for I have also stopped seeing you.
Dear Kamus Al-Marbawi, when was the last time I held you in my arms?
I have become so much engulfed in the ramblings of this world that I have forgotten you – the key to leverage my understanding of Kalaamullah.
O Allah, forgive me.
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.)
3 Tough Questions with 1 Tough Answer
Contemplation October 13th, 2011
The two DJs of IKIMfm, Pian (Saujana) and Siti, today brought up an interesting tale which concerned the ‘aqiidah. Based on my own research, it seems that different sources relay the story differently but the main component or objective of the story remains the same. The one I heard over IKIMfm was that the man asking the three questions got a punch rather than a slap as told from one source below:
There was a man who went overseas to study for quite a long time. When he returned, he asked his parents to find him a religious scholar or any expert who could answer his three questions. Finally, his parents were able to find a Muslim scholar that might be able to answer his questions.
“ Who are you? Can you answer my questions ?” asked the man.
“ I am one of Allah ( Subhanahu wa Ta`ala )’s slaves and Insya Allah ( God willing ), I will be able to answer your questions,” replied the scholar.
“ Are you sure? A lot of Professors and experts were not able to answer my questions,” replied the man.
“ I will try my best, with the help of Allah ( Subhanahu wa Ta`ala )” said the scholar.
“ I have three questions,” began the man.
“ Does God exist? If so, now show me His shape.”
“ What is taqdiir (fate)?”
“If syaitan (devil) was created from fire, then why is it that in the end, he will be thrown to hell that is also created from fire? It certainly will not hurt him at all since syaitan and hell were created from fire. Did not God think this far?”
Suddenly the scholar slapped the young man’s face very hard. The man, who was shocked and hurt by the slap became confused.
The scholar began to explain,
Scholar : “How did it feel after I slapped you?”
Man : “Yes”
Man : “I cannot,”
Scholar “That is my first answer. All of us feels God`s existance without being able to see His shape”.
Scholar : “ Last night, did you dream that you will be slapped by me?”
Man : “ No.”
He then continued : “The hand that I used to slap you, what is it created from?”
Man : “It’s created from flesh,”
Scholar : “How did you feel after I slapped you?”
Scholar : “Even though Syaitan ( devil ) and Jahannam ( Hell-fire ) were created by fire, if Allah wants, insya-Allah the Hell-fire will become a very painful place for Syaitan” The wise scholar had answerd all three of the tough questions by one slap.
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.
The Humming Bee
Contemplation July 14th, 2011
Years ago, when I thought hotmail was the only free email account available, I had used ‘The Humming Bee’ as a nickname for my ‘humaimee’ account. Why? Nothing special really except for the fact that ‘humaimee’ rhymes with ‘humming bee’. That was all it. There was no essence in their relation and what more their meanings.
Yet the really story of Humaimee is one that goes many years back during the time when I was in the upper secondary school. Humaimee is not his real name. Rather, it was a nickname which one of our ustazah had called him by once. It was only once but the name remained in my head forever because of its uniqueness and the fate which he had to face due to his own hands.
He was our dormitory friend. He was our classmate. He was a smart guy who had outstanding intellect in Mathematics and Sciences.
There was a period of time when stealing kept recurring in our dorms, and one day, the school admin had brought him in for questioning. He was dismissed from school immediately.
My classmates and I were taken aback by this sudden event. Though some of us had already suspected him, it was not even in the faint of our imagination that the extent of the punishment was for him to be expelled. We had heard from our own teachers that he had cried remorsefully, admitting that it was all due to his bad habit which he found hard to control.
“You guys should have helped him,” said one of our teachers. We were all quiet. I could sense guilt within myself for I was also one of those people who had advocated him as the culprit. The days that followed went on as usual, but we missed him deeply in class. I never heard from him for many years except once and we both greeted each other happily, totally agnostic of the past. He managed to go study abroad, alhamdulillah.
I have been in many pitfalls and constantly trying to improve myself. I always believe that no matter how terrible a person may be, there is always light for them to change – if only someone can bring them to that light. Yes, it all depends on Allah’s will but we must ask ourselves what are our efforts to bring ourselves and others to that light. May Allah preserve and protect us all.
Humaimee – I have named this after many friends of mine who became my own agents of change. Thank you friends.
Nur Dania Qistina
Contemplation January 15th, 2011
A few days ago, I was saddened by the death of three-year old Nur Dania Qistina Nurafizan (other reported name was Nordiana Qistina Norafizan). For two consecutive nights, I was having nightmares.
Who would have thought that after three months of her ‘abduction’, she was to die in the hands of her own kin! What plague has infested our society??? To make matters worse, she was also reported to have been abused and suffered 74 bruises. The same fate was also observed on her younger brother and elder sister.
 Body of Nur Dania Qistina |
 Burial of Nur Dania Qistina's body |
It’s not at all new that such brutality has become the essence of every news content we read these days. May Allah ward us away and protect us from such ill treatment and societal malady.
Surah Al-Mu'minun (Ayah 94)
Meaning:
“Then, O my Lord, put me not amongst the people who do wrong!“
We do not know if we would ever become a part of others’ atrocious crimes. The Qur’anic verse above can serve as a du’a for our benefits.
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