Hope beyond hope

The hopeful faces of students when I announced another addition to my SPECTRA program this year brighten the morning. I have conducted the SPECTRA for two years whereby if the students can increase their overall percentage from mid year to final by at least 4% they will be awarded a certificate. There are three categories of certificate - bronze, silver and gold, depending on how much they can increase their overall percentage. Not many can get gold certificate because there must be a minimum of 10% increase. There are also certificate for highest increase in each class, highest increase in each form and class with the highest increase of CGPA.

It is during the certificate giving ceremony that you can see the bright faces of students from the smartest to the students from the last class of each form. Nothing is impossible in this program because students are not competing against each other but they are competing against their previous performance. So everyone got a chance to win. You can hear loud clap from the audience when weak students or naughty students coming up to the stage to proudly receive their certificate. Perhaps now the naughty students has found new venues to channel their energy - to increase their performance in school.

The program means a lot to me just as it means a lot to the kids. It is the first time ever they got to be rewarded academically (not just in sport) even though they are weak students. It provide them the hope the self respect they never thought they could attain before. That pride is something that money can't buy. Now they can start to believe in themselves, daring to hope to reach a higher plane. Their bright faces are my reward. And my inner satisfaction. Thank you Allah for choosing me to be the vehicle of hope for these kids.

Today I announced a new dimension to the program. I'm creating a new type of certificate - for 'young teachers'. Smart kids can register to me to guide one to three peers either from the same class or from other classes. They can guide their peers in subjects that they are strong in. It could be one subject or more. Young teachers certificate is awarded to them if their peers' grade are improved. Many students have already taken the form from me today. Some have already submitted their forms, registering to guide three peers that mostly got grade E of G (fail). I can see new hopes and new achievement. May Allah makes it a smooth one for the kids and for me.

May Allah bless us all with wisdom.

Changes

My Aiman when he was small.

A lot of thing has happened lately. Both at school and at home. Changes at the second top post at my school. Suddenly a new person will fill in the second post and the present person will have to go reluctantly. It makes me realize how small we are. We will never know what's in store for us. One moment we are securely in our position, the next moment someone else take that place.

At home, everything is so much quieter. I plan to go out this evening to get some things for the school but I suddenly realized no more daughter to accompany me around. She's in a boarding school slowly adapting to a new hectic lifestyle. I think I will just go tomorrow. My little Aiman is just off to his Qur'an class. Leaving me and my maid in the house.

The most constant thing in this world is changes. Changes happen everyday. Some changes are so drastic that we could not fail but notice it. Some changes happen so smoothly that we didn't realize it is happening. Like growing older. I would like to think of myself as growing wiser, learning from everything that's happening to me and around me. Always trying to be a better person. A better person today compared to yesterday. But at times I got worst for letting my heart rule my head. But once that bout of irrationality is over, I strive not to repeat that same mistake again. Asking Allah to let me be a strong person and a thankful servant. My graph of life might have its ups and downs but the overall graph I hope is on the rise. Closer and closer to get Allah's love.

May Allah bless us all.

With hardship goeth ease

Sometimes our niat or intention will be tested to the limit. Are we sincere enough or are we doing it to be rewarded in one ways or another. Who do we seek pleasure from? Allah or people.

We human being are very vulnerable at times. We err for we are only human. Even Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (p.b.u.h), has had his bad times. After the death of two of his strongest supporter, his wife Khadija and his uncle Abu Thalib, the attack that he received was intensified. He felt so down and Allah sent down Surah Ad-Dhuha to cheer him up.

By the morning hours (1) And by the night when it is stillest, (2) Thy Lord hath not forsaken thee nor doth He hate thee, (3) And verily the latter portion will be better for thee than the former, (4) And verily thy Lord will give unto thee so that thou wilt be content. (5) Did He not find thee an orphan and protect (thee)? (6) Did He not find thee wandering and direct (thee)? (7) Did He not find thee destitute and enrich (thee)? (8) Therefor the orphan oppress not, (9) Therefor the beggar drive not away, (10)Therefor of the bounty of thy Lord be thy discourse. (11)

At times we feel people has let us down but we know that Allah is always by our side. People sometimes will hurt us but Allah will never let us down. We just had to feel Allah's present in our heart.

Allah promise in this surah or verse that as long as we are with Allah, Allah will never let us down. Always protecting us in ways we didn't realize. The end, Allah promise, will be better than the beginning. No love can match Allah's love. Not even a mother's love to her child or a husband's love to his wife. Far, far from it. Is there any room to complaint?

(4) But lo! with hardship goeth ease, (5) Lo! with hardship goeth ease; (Ash-Sharh)

Verily, after every hardship Allah promise us something rosy, fabulous, unexpected reward waiting for us. Think about it. We will not be strong if we do not undergo hardship. So every time we face hardship try to think what's good is coming our way. Later on we will realize that we will never get it without undergoing the hardship first. So always look forward to the good things that come in the package of hardship.

May Allah bless us all.

Lesson of life

My girl is finally in a boarding school as she wish. Her PMR result wasn't as what she expected. She cried on the day she got it. I waited for a few days until until she was emotionally stable to say that she got what she deserved. She didn't work hard enough to get what she aimed for. When I was in school we didn't have any choice but to do what our parents told us to do. No discussion. Today youngsters have a thousand excuses for their parents.

Suddenly she said she wanted to study in a boarding school so that she has no other choice but to study. No TV, no facebook, no long napping during the day. Study, play, study and study. No other choice in a boarding school. So we went around one whole day going from a technical school to two education offices (from two states) hunting for boarding school. My husband got a phone call late yesterday evening from the technical school asking my girl to register today. We bought all the things that she might need in a boarding school last night. She's happy and I'm happy. Finally my girl got to learn how to survive on her own and be responsible for her own self. No more mother to keep on reminding her of what she need and should do.

She just called me asking me when I'm going to visit her. I said we just seen each other this morning before her father took her to register. She hasn't spent one night in hostel yet. Anyway I'll visit her this sunday on my birthday. How could I celebrate my birthday without my loved one?

May Allah bless us all.