MEDAN MISSIONS ACCOMPLISHED

ISDEV delegates to Medan, Indonesia

Alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah swt, my missions in Medan during ISDEV trip from 1st to 7th August, were accomplished successfully. Deliverance of keynote address at Wokrsyop Antarbangsa Pembangunan Islam (WAPI3), participation in PhD Proposal Presentation by Marlina and Datuk Khairil Anwar, deliverance of panel speech at International Seminar on Dakwah in Higher Learning Institutions, and intellectual trip to Lake Toba happened accordingly as scheduled.

Most significant in these missions was the efficient organisation of ISDEV Graduate students in Medan who hosted all the four events. For the third time, they collectively served ISDEV 48 lecturers and graduate students delegate from Malaysia in a brotherly and loving atmosphere, not only in the above four academic activities, but also in social activities such as shopping at Pajak Ikan Lama, Wali Songo and Gramedia bookshops in Medan, Tomok in Somasir Island, Prapart, and hosting dinners and lunches at prestigious restaurants such as Garuda in Medan and Pacific Ocean in Belawan, and at private houses of alumni and graduate students Datuk Khairil Anwar, Farid Wajdi, Heri Kusmanto, Dr Sukiman and Suhrawardi Lubis.

The trip also was filled with congregation prayers followed by tazkirah, especially after maghrib and fajr prayers. One important decision made during one of the discussion in one of the tazkirah was the colour of the dress to be wore by ISDEV members. For the male, white is encouraged while for the female, it is black or other not-too-bright colours. In formal occasions such as prayers, religious classes and iftar gathering, male members are encouraged to wear white long dress (jubah). Interestingly, immediately after the consensus, some ISDEV members of the entourage were seen to have practised it accordingly.

Apart from the new consensus, other existing practices such as sujud syukur and hugging each other after  each congregation prayers were also done. ISDEV Waqf Fund in Medan was also collected among the ISDEV Malaysian delegate and delivered to its coordinator Al-Umry by Helmi.

My 56th birthday were also surprisingly celebrated in two occasions; first on the first night at Datuk Khairil Anwar's house and second on the last night at Dr Sukiman's house during dinners. Two birthday cakes were prepared and cut respectively.

An introductory speech at International Seminar on Dakwah at Higher Learning Institutions

Delivering keynote adress at WAPI-3

Presenting a speech on Strategising Dakwah in Higher Learning Institutes

Phd Proposal Presentation by Datuk Khairil (far left) and Marlina (far right)

Parts of participants of the WAPI3

Helmy (right) on behalf of ISDEV delegates, contributing to ISDEV Cash Waqf Fund in Medan to its Co-Ordinator, Pak Al-Umry (left) 

Entertained by Marhaban Group at a dinner hosted by Dr Sukiman

Cutting birthday cake during a dinner at Dr Sukiman's house 

Wherever we went, congregation prayer was held together

Listening to Tazkirah after Fajr prayer

Extra activity: Fahimy massaging my tiring leg, watched by Syakir whose turn was over