Hijrah Qaseh

Squad Hijrah riding program distributing pamplet about our beloved Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

Squad Hijrah site meeting for an outdoor program.

There's a handful of students in my school that always wander aimlessly skipping classes. No point chasing after them. They are young and energetic. We would wonder what make them come to school in the first place. Well, one because of pocket money. No school, no pocket money. Some come to avoid helping parents with their business. Avoiding being cheap paid labors of their parents. Some come to see their friends. Study has never been in their agenda. School is just a meeting point.

When I enter their classes as a relief teacher I would always take the opportunity to interview them and to get to know what's in their heart. One particular boy, Hussein (not his real name), caught my attention. He can talk about himself like a counselor. Maybe because he has seen the counselor so many times already that counselor's words has become his script. "Teacher, I'm not interested to study because the teachers are not interested to teach us", blaming others, a common trait of problematic students. "I'm like this because I tend to follow my friends but I know I should't follow them blindly', his perception of his situation. My perception is that he's the leader, others simply follow him. "Sometimes I want to go to the mosque or musolla but I'm afraid others will make a mockery of me". Even problematic students want to change, they are not happy about themselves. But they don't have the strength or the right friends to help them to change. 

I have always preach to my Squad Hijrah students that problematic students are like that bcause they can't find the right path. Why can't they find the right path? Because they didn't get to meet good people like us. Why is it that they didn't get to see good people like us? Because good people like us didn't approach people like them. We have to make the move first.

One day last week in this blessed month of Ramadhan Allah gave me the idea to create a school program for these kids. It took me two nights to device the paper work and the agenda of the program. Bottom line is 30 problematic students will be paired with 30 good students to discuss heart to heart about their problems and to lead them to think for themselves how to solve their problems. But the participants must be on voluntary basis. We can make a horse go to the river but we can't force it to drink the water. Thus, it must be on voluntary basis, not forced to. The school administration were elated with my paper work. Green light was immediately given.

I approached Hussein first, being the leader of his group. Had a slow talk with about about this program especially designed to help him and his friends, he immediately become my agent. Today he came with six of his gang members, all of them looking as haggard as himself. All of them volunteered to attend the Hijrah Qaseh program. Praise be to Allah. Allah has answered my prayer. I will continue with my head hunting job after the Eidul Fitr school break. May Allah ease my Squad Hijrah students and me in our quest to make a change in the school environment. Our effort might be small but it's a good beginning. And I told my Squah Hijrah students who will be the facilitator or student-counselor in the program to pray solat Hajat asking strength from Almighty Allah. Asking Allah to bless our effort with a change, no matter how small, in the attitude of the problematic students. May they be like Saidina Omar Al Khattab who was the worst enemy of Islam when he was in jahiliyyah who change to be one of the best companions of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (p.b.u.h). 

Oo Allah. You are the holder of our heart. You are the one capable of changing our heart. Please change Hussein and his alike like You change Saidina Omar Al Khattab. Allah humma ameen. 

May Allah bless us all.

P.S. - got an usrah session after this with my students. Pray for us.

 mockery -  derision; ridicule: stung by her mockery, Frankie hung his head.

• [ in sing. ] an absurd misrepresentation or imitation of something: after a mockery of a trial in London, he was executed. elated   - verb [ with obj. ] (usu. as adj. elated)make (someone) ecstatically happy: I felt elated at beating Dennis.haggard  -  looking exhausted and unwell, esp. from fatigue, worry, or suffering: I trailed on behind, haggardand disheveled.

So many but so little...

I'm struggling managing my time. With my Squad Hijrah group that I created in my school to bring students to know and to love Islam more, I hardly have much time left for blogging. My apology to my readers from all over the world. I just feel that when we feel that we have so many things to do but so little time to do it, then we are not wasting our precious time. Everyone is given 24 hours a day but some of us manage to spend a lot of time playing game. Yes, even games got its benefits but everything must have its limits.

My first passion is to read. About everything. From religious topics to nature. When I was single I can indulge into this passion of mine, spending money on books and spending time on reading. After getting married this luxury is cut down to less than half. Even though four of my kids are already in universities, I still have difficulty finding time to read. So I switch to listening to radio, specifically to Radio IKIM. While cooking, I can absorb a lot of Islamic information from the radio. It helps me to carry out my life as Allah pleases. 

I know when Allah gives me the knowledge and strength to improve my quality of life as a muslim, I'm getting nearer and nearer to my my end in this short world. I'm praying that Allah will take my life when I'm at my best - giving my best to the world. InsyaAllah. Allahumma amin - may Allah fulfill my prayer. Please pray for me. Please pray for our muslim brothers and sisters in Gaza, Syria, Egypt, Rohingya, and every part of the world. My prayer to all of them and their prayer for me. Even though we may not know each other personally but we are bonded with muslim brotherhood that is based on "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger".

May Allah bless us all.

Riding

My husband loves to go riding his super bike. Occasionally he will go riding with his bike group. They will ride in big numbers up to 30 bikes. I guess what makes him loves it is because people tent to stare at big bikes that emit loud noises. And the sheer feeling of freedom seeing the vast world and feeling the open air. Each time he went out on his riding trip leaving me and Aiman at home I would feel lonely. I can't go with him because there'll be nobody to take care of Aiman. And I won't feel comfortable mingling with the bikers. 

My opportunity came one day when my husband, out of the blue, asked me to join him on an unplanned riding trip, just the two us us and no other rider. All my kids were at my hometown with their grandparents. I accepted with mixed feeling, happy that finally I can join him like what I had always asked from him and doubtful if I can stand the whole long journey sitting behind him on a bike. I just followed my heart.

We started riding at 2.30 p.m. on that day. We planned to go to Cherating, a famous beach area. We had to stopped at a few places to rest and drink and also to wear rain coat when it started to rain. Riding behind my husband I'm beginning to understand why he loves riding. We can see a whole lot more from behind a bike as compared to a car. And surprisingly, riding is not even half the tiredness. I was profoundly happy.

Throughout the whole trip my eyes were stuck at the natural beauty all around me. Everything reminds me of the greatness of Allah. If this world can be this beautiful then I can't imagine how beautiful heaven is. Allah has created the world for the benefits of mankind but yet we betray Him by not worshipping Him or not following Allah's every command which is for our own benefits actually. When we become good muslims we are making our own live meaningful by being a good son/daughter, husband/wife, friend, coworker, relative, neighbor, etc. Allah don't need us but it is we that need Allah. 

We spend one night in Cherating and the second night in Kuala Terengganu. We ventured to a lot of places like Cherating beach, Pasar Payang, Cristal Mosques, Losong (where we ate the famous, delicious keropok losong) and Batu Buruk beach. Last weekend (after a lapse of three weekends) we had our second lone trip together to Cameron Highland. 

Thank you Allah for everything that You have given us - the beautiful world, this wonderful nucleus and extended family of mine, great neighbors, great students. Thank you for every single blessing.

May Allah bless us all.

Watching my students grow in terms of iman (faith) and amal (actions) is like watching a flower bud protruding from its branch, growing bigger and finally blooming. It's fascinating. My part? I'm just someone they meet along the way, learn a few things from me and then they move on along the road and leaving me fast behind. 

Thank you Allah or giving me the opportunity, strength, and ideas to make my moves. To think of it, Allah always give me insights along the way. Ideas of what to do, what to say, how to overcome all the obstacles along the way. So many helps from Allah along the way. 

The best policy from my experience is to stay humble all the way. I never once think that I'm better than my students (or any one for that matter) for I never know maybe that person is better in the hereafter than me. We never know our own destiny what more other people's destiny. So never think that we are better than any one else.

Me must accept that all of us come from all kinds of back grounds. Some of us never perform prayer, some of us never cover our hijab, some of us always utter three letter words, some of us drinks but Allah is always giving us another chance to change and revert back to our fitrah or nature. It is our fitrah to acknowledge that there is only one mighty God or else there will be a lot of wars among gods. Even an atheist will ask to the one and only god when in deep trouble like almost drowning. Let's not turn to Allah only in times of trouble. Think of Allah in our every breath. Think of Allah when we see a baby growing from not even knowing to suck milk from her/his mother to knowing to ride a bicycle. Think of Allah when we see leaves waving due to the unseen breeze. Think of Allah when we see birds flying by flapping its wing, then just glide in the air before flapping its wings again. Think of Allah when a husband see his wife's stomach growing bigger and bigger carrying the unborn fetus, a baby that comes from the joining of two individuals. Think of Allah all the times, always, and constantly. Then we will have the strength to face anything and everything for  we know that Allah is always with those who think of Him all the times.

May Allah bless us all. Amin.

It has been a long time.....

It has been a long time since I last wrote in this blog. So much thing has happened. The good and the bad. But then again there should't be any 'bad' things if we take it positively.

I have been very busy this year. So much more to do this year compared to last year. But I'm trying to make the best of the little time I have left. Getting older means I'm nearer to my death. A lot of people has a taboo about death. To me it opens up a new door to a happier and permanent life. Where I can meet Allah, my creator and see Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (p.b.u.h). Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) said those who always think about death are the smart ones. 

My family has a lot of holidays this year. Maybe my husband realizes that family matters most. He's a workaholic not by nature but because he has high integrity about his job. To get it done and to get it done as well as possible. I guess I'm like that too but I always put my family as my first priority. I think  together we make a perfect balance.

Hope to keep on writing in this blog more often. Looking at the visitors of this blog that comes from all over the world I suddenly realize that I need to continue with my message through this blog. But for now this is all the time I have. Hope to 'see' you soon online. Peace be upon you.

May Allah bless us all. Amin.

Young self made scientist

My litlle Aiman is exposed to a lot of things since he was a baby. Gardening, cooking, carpentry, electrical gadgets, scientific principles.... just to name a few. I always believe as parents we should expose our kids to all kind of knowledge especially when they are below seven years old. That is the age when they will set up their blue print. Which blue print will be dominant depend on their exposure and the stimulus that they get.

When he was three years old I used to open up U Tube and show him how to draw car, helicopter, rose, tree etc. Watching his big sister cooking cakes, pizza and muffin, he love to bake too. Observing my husband doing some electrical jobs like repairing and wiring, he loves that too. Sitting down with me when I am gardening, he loves that too. He loves and wanted to do so many things. 

Throughout 2012 his interest is hooked on science experiments. I think it all started when he follow me to see my students launching water rocket. After that event, everyday he will open up my iPad and watch tutorial on how to make a water rocket. He urged he to buy drinks so that he can use the bottle. At first I doubted his ability to assemble his own rocket but when he manage to do it on his own, I never doubted his ability anymore. I'm always off to some store to buy things he needed for his latest science experiments. Now his interest is in making simple robot. Only Allah knows what will be his next interest.

May Allah bless Aiman with knowledge and wisdom. May Allah bless us all.

What we choose to be

I was feeling exhausted that I had to take a nap in the morning. I knew that I should start early but my physical condition defied me. My sons and I are supposed to take home our car in a workshop in Senawang which is about 120 km from our house. It was almost 10.30 a.m. when we started our journey. I had to stop at a petrol station to draw some money for the payment. In my haste I took the money first instead of the ATM card. Thus my card was swallowed my the heartless machine. In the end  it was the fifth ATM before I can draw enough money. Wow! What a day. 

At the workshop we had to wait for about one hour under the hot sun before we can inspect our car to see whether the repair work is ok or not. Satisfy with the test driving session, I made the payment. On the way back we fetch my husband's mother on the way. Reached home at 8.00 p.m. and hurriedly prepared dinner. When my husband came home 15 minutes later he was dissatisfied that my mother in law had to wait for the dinner. 

Everything that can go wrong went wrong yesterday. It was an exhaustive day. But as Prof Muhaya said we can't let the environment control us. Instead we must control our environment. I won't let the heavy rainfall that shower my way home to dampen my spirit but instead I enjoyed the scene of water drops running down my wind screen. The hot, long waiting is rewarded by the beautiful driving experience with my newly repaired car. 

We are what we think we are. We feel what we want to feel. We are happy if we choose to be happy.

May Allah bless us all.

Defy - openly resist or refuse to obey : a woman who defies convention

dampen - •  make slightly wet : the fine rain dampened her face.

   • make less strong or intense : nothing could dampen her enthusiasm.• reduce the amplitude of (a sound source) : slider switches on the mixers can dampen the drums