ALLAH HAS GIVEN AKIF A CAR

Alhamdulillah, Allah SWT has given Akif the type of car that he wanted. It is a Waja, but is equipped with body kits and crystal white paint. I told him that this is his basic need and should only be used for the sake of Allah SWT. He understand it well as is expressed in his blog.

The car will be brought to him at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Kuantan campus on Saturday 10th March, InshaAllah, on my way to Terengganu. He has got the permission from the IIUM authority to use the car in the campus, subsequent to his motorcycle accident recently. Alhamdulillah.

In overcoming the IIUM transport problem by this car, I hope Akif could continue to be in the Dean's list as before, or even with higher CGPA, InshaAllah. I trust that Akif is striving for this, although Mathematics is not his choice of specialization. The Physical Sciences that he is interested in is not offered by the IIUM, as MQA has not approved it. So he was told by the IIUM authority in Kuantan.

 

A LITTLE PERSONAL NOTE

R-L: Taariq, Afirah and Akif

Just a little personal note on my children.

Few days before I left for Vancouver the other day, my son Akif at International Islamic University Malaysia Kuantan campus, has a little motorcycle accident. He has to borrow the motorbyke from his friend and rode it to his residence as the University's bus will only come at 1630 while his lecture has finished at 1300. Alhamdulillah he only suffered minor injuries, but his friend who was together with him broke one of his shoulder bones and was warded for more than a week. Akif promised not to ride a motorbyke anymore, as his mum and myself always advice him so. In consequence, he got a green light from the University authority to have a car in the campus. The University's Security Chief was kind enough to find out that Akif deserves to have such a permission as his University's residence is outside the campus, at IM2. We will send his car in about two weeks time, InshaAllah, on my way to Terengganu.

When I was away in Vancouver, my younger son Taariq has another incident relating to the car. A motorbyke rode by a youngster ramped into the door of my wife's car driven by Taariq while parking at the Taman Tun Saadon market. The boy fall down, injuring his foot. In minutes, a gang of the boy's brother came, the brother himself with a stick. They argued for money and Taariq gave RM100 to settle it all and for once. Alhamdulillah, Taariq has learned something out of the incident, at least in the arts of settling a conflict and in reserving his martial arts skills by viewing such an incident as a not worthwhile fight.

When I was away in Vancouver too, my elder daughter Afirah at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia found the engine of her car overheating after coming home from her lecture, due to the lack of water in the radiator. She has to deal with it with her housemates, before an elder Indian came to teach her how to solve the problem. She has a wonderful lesson on the day, at least in getting to know a little bit about her car. Before this, like many other lady drivers, she knows how to use the car but does not exactly know how to maintain it. Moreover, she was too busy with her study and does not have enough time to look after the car. For that, I believe, Allah SWT took a little bit of her time to bestow her with a little knowledge about the car.

The three news reached me with a big takbir and Alhamdulillah. I was convinced that all the three children have been given direct lessons by Allah SWT accordingly - on their personal transportation - which would become one of the basic needs in their daily life, today and time to come. Allah SWT taught Afirah about the car itself, while for Akif and Taariq, Allah SWT taught them the arts of facing the challenges, physically and socially, pertaining to the culture of the Malaysian road usage. All these are indeed necessary for, and came at the right time to them as youngsters, to prepare for a more matured life, InshaAllah.

WEEKEND ACTIVITIES

Last weekend (10-11 September 2011), after coming home from Jakarta, was not a restful weekend. There were preparations for my eldest daughter A`firah to go back to her university in Nilai (which includes a last nasi kandar breakfast at Bayan Lepas and a shopping spree for her necessities at Tesco), four khenduris (which I managed to go to only two, as the other two were respectively forgotten and purposely missed out due to limited time), reading chapters of my PhD students theses (as I need to return to them my comments sometimes this week), writing a basic report on the redefinition of two zakat recipients (asnaf): absolute/hardcore poor (fakir) and the poor (miskin) for Selangor Zakat Board (LZS), reading and commenting on a working paper of one of my Phd students who is going to present it at a National Seminar soon, finalising outlines for The Principles of Islamic-based Development and Islamic Research Methodology (the two courses I would be teaching this semester), and a drive to Lembah Kelang to accompany A'firah by her car.

The tiring weekend activities however were compensated by invaluable meetings with my elder brother and elder sister who I did not meet during Hari Raya. While accompanying A`firah, I visited my elder brother who is recovering from his health at his residence in Gombak, and had a dinner with my elder sister, together with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren in Bandar Baru Nilai while they were sending one of the grandchildren to Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia. The meetings completed my Hari Raya cycle in honouring my three elder siblings. I have visited my other elder sister in Ipoh during the second day of the Hari Raya.

My family members at the khenduri

With my elder sister (3rd right) and family at the dinner at Restoran Ayam Penyet, Bandar Baru Nilai

A HAPPY ISDEV FAMILY AT ISDEV'S HARI RAYA GATHERING 2010

One of ISDEV's favourite photos: Khairul's son on my lap, together with Khairul MISDEV09 (my right), Dr Fadzila Azni (3rd left) and MISDEV10 sisters with Shereeza (MISDEV08) on the background

I AM BACK IN USM

Welcoming back cake

Alhamdulillah, I am back at USM after being away in Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom for a total of about four and a half months.

Very nice to be waited unexpectedly by few ISDEV members at Penang International Airport on my arrival at about 8.30 pm on Saturday 17 July 2010. In spite of my request not to welcome me home at the airport, there were Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad (perhaps representing ISDEV lecturers), Dr Miftah Abdul Rohim (perhaps representing ISDEV Post-Doctoral Fellows), Sis Azrin Ibrahim (perhaps representing ISDEV ASTS Fellows), Ustaz Mohd Shukri Hanapi (perhaps representing ISDEV Research Graduates), and Sis Hidayah (perhaps representing Mixed-Mode Graduates). They were there with big smiles, with one of them, I realised, also in tears.

More surprisingly, there was also a `Welcoming Home' cake waiting for me. How nice!

With Dr Miftah and Ustaz Shukri

 

My daughter and wife (left) and Azrin and Hidayah (right)

ANOTHER ONE ENROLLING INTO IPTA WITHOUT MY COMPANY

Welcoming banner at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia

As both my wife and myself are still abroad, my eldest daughter A`firah, like his brother `Akif at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) the other day, has to register for her first year enrollment into Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM), without our company.

However, the situation on that 3rd July 2010, I guess, was a little bit different from `Akif. IIUM was totally new to him, while USIM, for A`firah, is not unfamiliar to her. She was here for her Tamhidi (Matricualtion) for the whole year last year and already got to know the places and friends around her.

That gave us a little relief. Moreover, her auntie Nor Liza as well as my colleague Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad accompanied her to USIM, joined later on by `Akif who came from IIUM. A`firah also Alhamdulillah was bestowed by Allah swt with a course that she is interested in: Food Biotechnology. That made her happy and enthuasistic, and hopefully would motivate her to excel to a first class degree as she hopes to accomplish, InshaAllah.

Selamat belajar, Kakak.

A`firah with her brother `Akif during the registration

AKIF JOINS IIUM

Congratulatory and  Welcoming Banner at PJ IIUM campus

After considering three offers - from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), and Matriculation in Kulim - Akif eventually chooses to join IIUM, to pursue his study in Physical Sciences. He wishes he could be an engineer later on, InshaAllah.

Definitely we are happy with and thankful to God for his successful endeavour. But we really sympathise with him for our inability to be with him during the registration day at IIUM (Petaling Jaya campus) on the 15th May 2010. Both me and his mother were away in Jeddah.

 Akif during the registration

 

 Auntie Nor Liza, while Akif talking to his friends on the background

Fortunately his Auntie Nor Liza, elder sister Afirah and my colleague Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad were able to accompany him from Penang and managed all his necessities before, during and after the registration.

This is the first time that I and my wife were not able to send off our children whenever they move to a new educational institution. However, I know that Akif is both physically and spiritually strong. He is a tae-kwan-do black belt holder and was blessed by Allah s.w.t with an opportunity to perform umrah for seven times during his one and a half month stay with us in Jeddah. I am convinced that Akif has been able to face our absence easily, InshaAllah.

Akif wrote in his blog [http://akifisakif.blogspot.com]: "IPT: It ain`t just about study. It's about life".

 Another banner

AKIF HAS GONE HOME

At King Abdul Aziz International Airport, Jeddah before flying

Akif, one of my two children that accompanied me to Jeddah [the other one is my youngest daughter Ummu] has flied back to Penang yesterday, 22 April 2010. He is waiting for a result and preparing to pursue his study at a University. Akif was joined at home by his eldest sister, Afirah, who arrived home this evening for her long vacation from Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM).

Masjidil Haram, Mekah

Before this, I have never had a chance to write about Akif. Though he scored 5As in UPSR, 9As in PMR and recently, 10As and 1B in his SPM, I have never had an opportunity to express my happiness and record his accomplishment in this blog. The main reason is the timing. Every time he achieved something, I somehow was busying with something else.

Masjid Nabawi, Madinah

Akif indeed is a determined child. He will put all his efforts in whatever he wants, for example a black belt in tae kwan-do, straight A's in examinations, and seven times in performing umrah while he was in Jeddah for nearly two months - to mention a few.

 At our apartment at al-Arbaean Street, District of Safa, Jeddah

Yesterday, surprisingly, his economy seat in the Jeddah-Kuala Lumpur flight was shifted by a flight staff to a business class seat. It was really a gift from Allah swt, I told him, perhaps for his full effort in doing umrah twice in a day during the last two of his five trips to Mekah, to ensure that he accomplishes his intention to do the umrah for seven times.

After performing Umrah

Now that Akif is back in Penang, I have nobody else to purchase grilled chicken with bukhari rice, nor Indonesian fried rice and begede, and shawarma and ice cream, as Akif always did for our supper. On one hand it is good for my health not to have meals a few hours before going to bed, but on the other hand, I really feel that I am missing Akif and his service.

Akif was the one who served us with zamzam water whenever we visited Masjidil Haram in Mekah and Masjid Nabawi in Madinah. He was the one who queued for zamzam water near the House of the Prophet and carried it in a quite big container to our accommodation at Royale Al-Waleed in al-Ghazza, Mekah and subsequently to the car park where Dr Razley - who usually gave us a ride to and from Mekah - parked his car to go back to Jeddah. He was the one who queued to buy foods at restaurants such as at Felda D'Saji in Safwan Hotel complex and kebab shops around Masjidil Haram and near our accommodation at Royale al-Waleed in Mekah and also restaurants around our apartment in al-Arbaean Street in the Safa Districit in Jeddah. He was the one who carried big water melon that I bought at the mosque near our apartment after Friday prayer. He was the one who negotiated with taxi drivers on the cost whenever we were going  out somewhere and the one that always accompanied me, especially when we were doing umrah in Mekah and visited Masjid Nabawi in Madinah. And in fact, Akif was the one who did a lot more to serve us in Jeddah.

Buying foods at one of the restaurants in a complex near Masjidil Haram

May Allah swt blesses, protects and helps Akif and all my children in all their doings forever, Ameen.

TAARIQ IS AWAY

It has to be admitted how touching I was to let Taariq, my 13 year old son, to be away from home. But that is what I have to pay for wishing Taariq to be trained as an ulul albab - the Quranic, encyclopedic and ijtihadic scholar - when he has to enroll himself into Imtiaz School of Excellence in Besut, Terengganu on 7 January 2007.

I told Taariq: "I am sorry and sad to let you go. I know very well that you need my care and love by being together at home. But this was what I had asked Allah, to bestow me with children that could continue to uplift Islam. It could not happen unless you are being prepared for that, and Imtiaz, I think, is the place. You have to be away, yes, but this is our sacrifice for Allah s.w.t. and Islam. May Allah s.w.t. rewards us for this. This is the struggle and you would not only seeking the knowledge, but most importantly, serving Allah s.w.t. Every second would be considered by Allah s.w.t. as ibadah, InshaAllah".

I have discussed this again and again with Taariq. He smiled and seemed to be very courageous, though inside him I could observe a slight sadness. But Taariq is strong. On the eve of the day he was going to Besut, after our family regular Tahlil on Thursday night, I repeated the above in front of my wife and all children. Taariq's eyes were watery, but he smiled and laughed jokingly, trying to hide his sadness. Such an incident also happened when we were departing from Imtiaz to leave for Penang, leaving Taariq at the School. He smiled and laughed as if nothing is going to happen, but his eyes were full of tears. He controlled his emotion very well and this is one of the very characteristics of a great scholar, I am sure.

Taariq stepped out of home for Imtiaz School of Excellence

Taariq registering his enrollment at Imtiaz (Besut) on 7 January 2007

During the registration at Imtiaz too Taariq was very convincing. He looked happy, strong and confident as the above pictures show.

Briefing by Imtiaz's Headmaster after the registration

At the corridor of Taariq's dormitory before saying goodbye to him

AFIRAH IN THE NEWS

A day after the awarding of the Certificate of Appreciation, in the early morning of 30 December 2006, we received a sms from my elder brother in Gombak telling us that Afirah's photo was in Utusan Malaysia. Minutes after that another sms from my dentist niece in Cheras also reached us, telling us the same news.

We had just arrived at Hussain Restaurant in Sungei Petani then to have breakfast while on our way to my nephew's house in Alor Setar. We bought almost all newspapers available at the book store beside the restaurant. We flipped through the pages of each newspapers anxiously without bothering other customers in the restaurant who looked curious of what we were doing. And true enough, Afirah's pictures and news together with the 8 Penang top scorers in PMR who received the Certificate of Appreciation from the Penang Education Director the day before were not only appeared in Utusan Malaysia, but also in the STAR, New Straits Times and METRO. A day after that, we also found the news in a Chinese newspaper.

Taariq was quick to reply to the two sms as well as sending sms to other close relatives - his aunties and cousins - all over the country, telling them about the news. Congratulations from them then came one by one.

When reading the news carefully after arriving back home that night, I had a quite interesting observation. Afirah's picture was very nice as she stood in the middle of the top scorers as requested by the journalists. But her name was briefly mentioned in the news as she was not interviewed by the journalist except TV1. Highlights were focussed on those who seemed to benefit the respective newspaper or the newspaper's race. Utusan Malaysia for instance highlighted the usage of its Portal Utusan by one of the top scorers in preparing for her PMR. The Chinese newspaper highlighted one of the Chinese girls among the top scorers. But unfortunately, there was no highlight of the achievement of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama, although three of the seven top scorers were from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Al-Mashoor (Perempuan) (including Afirah) and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Al-Irshad. Not even a Muslim journalist highlighted that eventhough there were a substantial number of them present.

I was wondering...were the Muslim journalists who came to the occasion was not sharp enough to realise that or not patriotic enough to highlight that, or were they restricted by the policies or agendas of their respective newspapers to do that?

One thing that overcame the wonder hence the frustration was the fact that the brilliant students are now in the religious schools, unlike the past. Even the national top PMR student for this year was also from the religious school, the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Naim Lil-Banat in Kelantan. The Imtiaz School of Excellence in Terengganu too takes only 5As UPSR students while Darul Qur`an in Kuala Kubu Bharu takes the cream of SPM students from religious schools in the country.

The parents of these students are not only ordinary people but also intellectuals and professionals who had the experience in studying in the West but now wish to serve Islam through their children despite little knowledge in the religion, like myself. What else could we compensate for our past ignorance of our religion other than leaving our children to be taught by Allah s.w.t. Himself and struggle for Islam? We hope to be forgiven by Allah s.w.t. through the good deeds of our children, InshaAllah.

If these children were guided properly according to the real teaching of Islam, I am very optimistic that our country will be ruled by faithful brilliant leaders in the near future. May Allah s.w.t. prolong my life to enjoy their leadership.

CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR AFIRAH

As invited and scheduled, Afirah and our whole family, including my sister in-law from Bagan Serai, were at Penang Education Office this morning, 29 December 2006. Apart from us, there were seven other Penang top PMR students with their respective families. One of them was the top student in special category (visual/sight impaired), while the other seven, including Afirah, were the seven top students. The occasion was the award of Certificate of Appreciation to these eight Penang PMR top scorers in conjunction with the Press Conference on PMR 2006 by Penang Education Director, Tuan Haji Ahmad bin Husain.

Afirah receiving the Certificate of Appreciation from Penang Education Director

The Certificate of Appreciation

At this occasion, again, I have to encounter with journalists. A TV1 (RTM) journalist asked me about the way I guided Afirah to her success. I did not have an exact answer to this because my guidance was actually very minimum. I did not really guide Afirah because she already had an aim of getting 9As and therefore endeavoured for it on her own. I did not have to force her to study. Instead, I gave her freedom when and what to study. I only came to her rescue whenever she needed one.

However, I told the journalist about three main factors. The first is Allah s.w.t., that it is Allah s.w.t. that bestows one with intelligence, the basic ingredient of one's success. Secondly, one's clear goal, hence the efforts. And thirdly, a conducive atmosphere, at home and at school, with parents and teachers and friends.

Afirah and the Penang top scorers

In the first factor, I could observe the gift from Allah s.w.t. of Afirah's brilliance. She is always the top students at every level, the primary and lower secondary levels. Intellectual sub-culture is also in her. Wherever she goes, even to only a supermarket around our area, she would bring a book in her hand and would read it whenever she has a chance, in the car, while waiting for us et. cetera. The place she likes most is bookshops. She would not miss the bookshop whenever she finds one. We share similar hobby in this.

Her goal in PMR, the second factor, was also very clear to her. She wanted 9 straight As and she sticked her own computer-printed statement of this goal on the wall in her room together with other various motivational statements. She set her mind accordingly and worked for it freely, without any pressure from both myself and my wife.

Afirah's goal is sticked firmly on the wall of her room

Afirah's motivational statements in her room

Thirdly, Alhamdulillah, she was also blessed with a conducive atmosphere, at home and at school. She has an air-condition room for herself at home with all sorts of necessary books and resources. Our home holds to a "library within the house" concept, with books in shelves in almost all parts of the house. We do not have any other exhibitable things in the shelves except books. The academic atmosphere is there and she was not pressured by her mum to do any house work such as cooking or cleaning the house. Frankly, her little attention on the housework was more worrying to me than the PMR. But thinking that she was going to sit for an exam, the worrying was definitely controllable.

At school too she had good teachers and brilliant friends who were all aimed for excellent achievement in PMR.

AFIRAH SCORED 9 STRAIGHT As IN HER PMR

After bestowing Taariq with 5As and fulfilling our wish and his to pursue his study at Imtiaz, today, on 28 December 2006, Allah s.w.t. has showered His continuous blessing by bestowing our eldest daughter Afirah with 9 straight As in her PMR. Alhamdulillah!

Afirah's PMR result - 9 straight As

Not only that. She is also a top 7 student in Penang and will have to attend a special ceremony at Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri Pulau Pinang tomorrow morning to receive her Certificate of Appreciation from Penang Education Director.

Being one of the top students in Penang is really a very meaningful accomplishment for a Muslim. She is at least at par with, if not above of, non-Muslims top scorer and definitely above thousands of them with lower achievement. It is a real win indeed.

Afirah - making calls minutes after knowing her result, 28 December 2006

It is really a double joy. Taariq with his 5As and Imtiaz and Afirah with her 9As and the Certificate of Appreciation.

Taariq and Afirah during a dinner, 24 December 2006

Thank you, thank you, thank you Allah s.w.t. for Your generosity!

Deep inside, I feel my heart whispering: "In return, what would you do for Allah s.w.t. and for Islam ?"

It is really a tough touching question to answer. Forgive me Allah!

TAARIQ ACCEPTED INTO IMTIAZ

Alhamdulillah, after a competitive interview in Dungun on 10 December 2006, Taariq today received an official letter of acceptance from Yayasan Terengganu, the institution in-charged of the Imtiaz School of Excellence in the State of Terengganu. Though being interviewed in Dungun, Taariq is accepted into Besut branch of the Imtiaz, as I requested.

Besut is my hometown. My sister and cousins both from the side of my father and mother are still living there. My grand nephew who is the grandson of my sister is also studying in the Besut Imtiaz. Moreover, my sister's house is just about a kilometre away from Imtiaz. All of these, hence the request.

The reason Taariq was interviewed in Dungun was just because Dungun was the first place of the interview. The interview in Dungun was on the 10th while in Besut on the 12th December 2006. On that very day of the 12th, I have to deliver a keynote address at ISDEV Second Graduate Conference held at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang. My presence at the interview in Besut on that day was therefore impossible.

The other reason was because of the monsoon season. Rain had began to pour and definitely we had to avoid the flood as soon as possible. I and my family had been in Terengganu since 3rd December for my fieldwork on Operational Mechanism of Islam Hadhari for the State Government. Leaving Terengganu after a long stay at a Kuala Terengganu hotel and on the eve of flooding season is understandble.

In Dungun, we spent a night on the 9th at UiTM Hotel. Early in the morning on the 10th, we were already at Dungun Imtiaz for the interview and managed to get the first number. I was told that there were more than 300 students - who were all 5A's scorer - came for the interview. They were asked to memorise a page of the Qur`an within 40 minutes, apart from oral and writing examination. Among them was the daughter of the Terengganu Menteri Besar herself, accompanied by the Menteri Besar's wife. Though the Menteri Besar was the founder of the Imtiaz, her daughter had to go through similar procedure as others and his wife was together with us the parents in the hall listening to the briefing delivered by the Director of Integrity icon Sdn. Bhd. (IISB) Ustaz Wan Zakry Wan Kamaruddin. IISB is a subsidiary of Yayasan Terengganu given the task of managing the Imtiaz.

All together, I came to understand, more than 1,000 students came for the interview in Dungun, Kuala Berang, Besut and Kuala Terengganu from the 10th until 13rd December 2006. Out of these, only 420 students were chosen. And Taariq was one of them, Alhamdulillah! Taariq was very happy to know the result. He hugged and kissed his mum out of happiness.

But why both my wife and I are very keen to send Taariq to Imtiaz? Why Imtiaz?

TAARIQ AND HIS UPSR

Alhamdulilah, what a real relief...my son Taariq scored 5As for his UPSR!

Muhammad Taariq at Menara Kuala Lumpur during his school's trip

I say a real relief because Taariq is a sort of a happy-go-lucky child, with an interest more on handling mechanical and electronic gadgets as well as woodwork rather than on reading books. He is a kind of a hands-on person, interested more in practical rather than theoretical endeavours. He hardly read books, even his school text books, except the night before the UPSR examination. During those nights, he carried his books around the house, up and down, flipping through the pages, asking his mum and sister and brother about anything he did not understand. Though earlier we had insisted him to read the books and doing exercises, he could only manage to be with his books for a few minutes everytime we persuaded him. Then he had thousands of excuses to be away from the books.

Undeniably, both his mum and I did not really force him to get engaged with his book indeed. We know very well that his brain is working fast to think what he should do next rather than entangling himself passively with the books. Instead, he would rather engage with a more creative endeavours, such as repairing or painting and repainting his or his brother's and sisters' bicycles, or dismantling and refitting his remote control cars, or investigating the gadgets of his handphone or of his mum's digital or video cameras.

All in all, Taariq relatively did not burden himself by studying madly for his UPSR. He neither attended any tuition nor had a private tutor at home. What he did was only attended extra classes organised by his school and did his homeworks, and once in a while followed one-day motivational course somewhere around our area. That's all, briefly, and that's why the result was really a relief and happy moment for many of us - his parents, his sisters and brother, as well as our close family members and friends. We are really very grateful and thank Allah s.w.t. for His grace. Taariq followed the footstep of his sister A'firah and brother 'Akif who were bestowed by Allah s.w.t. with 5As in earlier years.

Contemplating on Taariq's accomplishment, we came to realise that he is actually a brilliant child. His creativity is actually a manifestation of his working mind. His success in spite of his rather little effort is a reflection of his strong memory. His activeness in helping his mum and others - from buying chicken from Haji Qudus at Taman Tun Sardon market to buying chicken curry from Kassim Mustafa Restoran at Bukit Jambul and accompanying his mum and others to wherever necessary - is a portrayal of his inclination towards active activities. And his ability to grasp his lessons through only his extra classes together with his friends is actually an exhibition of his effectiveness in doing things through collective endeavours (jemaah). All of these, plus his talkative and friendly attitude, to his mum and I are indeed great assets that must be channelled to an avenue that could lead him to serve his religion and ummah!

Taariq and cousin in-law Din during the recent Eid celebration, 2006

For this, we hope to send him pursuing his study at Imtiaz School of Excellence in Terengganu - a school that cultivate students to be hafiz-cum-scientists, with characteristics of ulul albab, that is Islamic scholars with a Quranic, ijtihadic and encyclopedic ability to become global leaders. We hope that this could nurture his creativity to the right path, InshaAllah.

An application was sent through internet on the very day we knew Taariq's UPSR result. We are now waiting for a formal call for an interview, expected to be sometime in between 10-12 December 2006. May Allah s.w.t. helps him and may Yayasan Terengganu - the institution in-charged of the Imtiaz School of Excellence - accepts him for the sake of Allah s.w.t. Amiin!

SURPRISE! SURPRISE!

On 28 October 2006, my family and I had a surprise Hari Raya visit from my third sister and family from Ipoh. The group consists of nearly 20 people - adults and children: sons & daughters & in-laws & grand-children - plus a family of my nephew (son of my second sister) from Jitra, Kedah who joined in after knowing the coming of the group from Ipoh, totalling altogether about 30 people gathering at my house in Gelugor, Penang.

What a surprise and joyous moment!

Some of the family members

We had serabai and roti jala from Taman Tun Sardon's market immediately after they arrived. For lunch we had specially-ordered home-made nasi kandar from Bayan Lepas. Dinner were with pasembur and sotong bakar and kangkong rebus at Padang Kota, after visiting Little India for some spices and Pasar Chowrasta for some jeruk as well as after saying maghrib prayer at Masjid Jalan Prangin.

Spice shop, Little India

Jeruk tasting at Chowrasta Market

Pasembur and sotong bakar at Padang Kota

They left after the dinner by taking night ferry to the mainland, arriving back in Ipoh at about 12.00 a.m., so their sms said.

I am noting this down as this is indeed a rare occasion. Mine is the only family living here in the north (apart from the nephew in Jitra). We were seldom being visited by close families, moreover as many as this one, as most of them are living in the Klang Valley, including the children of my sister who visited us. During the gathering, we came to know that even my nephew in Jitra will be moving to the Klang Valley early next year, leaving mine alone in the north!

I was wondering, will my children - all of whom are still schooling in Penang - eventually also be attracted to the Klang Valley for work, hence leaving only both of us - me and my wife, perhaps at that time already retired - in Penang? Only God knows the best...