The Small Effort

Have you ever seen small children walking clumsily because their shoe laces are untied? They could even trip over and hurt themselves.

To the child, the little effort that her father or mother did, which is properly tying the shoe laces, means a lot. It could save him/her from getting hurt.

Alhamdulilah.. I can tie my own shoe laces.

But in my every day life I still depend on others' little efforts in order to make my life easier.

Besides teaching, my job requires me to check and grade the students' work such as their quizzes, assignments, projects and exam papers. I have always reminded my students to check their names, student numbers and group numbers. I had reminded them to write correctly all these details. It was just a simple effort on the part of the students, but it means a lot to me.

After grading the work, the marks have to be recorded correctly by referring to the name, student number and group number. It's quite simple actually.

But when I am in the midst of checking their work, sometimes the piling papers got mixed up.

So, there were times when I have to go over a long student list in order to record the marks because the student did not write his/her group number. It could take a few minutes or a few hours or even a few days!

I still remember a few incidents when lecturers became stressful over a missing examination script. A missing exam script is no small matter. We checked our tables, our drawers, in the office, at home, in our cars... We searched for days. In the end we found it, there, together with the other scripts. It was not missing after all, it was there all the while, but the script had a wrong group number!

What I am trying to say is, sometimes we don't realize how our tiny little effort could affect others. Writing the correct group number seems like effortless to students but it means a lot to us the lecturers. It could spare us the anxiety, agony and the long hours of checking a long class list in order to find their names.

This semester, I have over 100 students in four groups, with quite a number of them having the same name. I really appreciate those who took their time to write those details correctly. It makes my life so much easier. May Allah reward them for their little act of kindness. And there are also those who wrote their work neatly, one step after the other. It is always a pleasure to check these kind of works. Alhamdulillah.

To all my students, including those from the previous years.. I should have said this to you long, long time ago... Thank you very much for your kindness. I hope this gives you some deeper understanding that everything you do IS accounted for.

Jazakumullahu khairan kathira.

We are in the month of Ramadan. The month when the reward for our good deeds will be multiplied. Let's focus on doing good deeds no matter how small they are.

"Indeed, Allah does not do injustice, [even] as much as an atom's weight; while if there is a good deed, He multiplies it and gives from Himself a great reward"

( An Nisaa': 40)

Ya Allah

Ya Rahmaan Ya Rahiim..

Ampunkan segala perbuatanku yang telah menyusahkan orang lain

Maafkan Ya Allah..

Segala kesilapanku yang mungkin pernah menyebabkan kesusahan kepada orang lain

Ya Allah..Ya Rahman..

Rahmati lah dan berkati lah kehidupan orang-orang yang telah mempermudahkan urusan hidupku

Permudahkanlah hidup mereka sebagaimana mereka telah mempermudahkan hidupku..

Amiin..Ya Rabbal Aalamiin..

Only With Forgiveness

“I will never forgive the man who harmed my kids. he is not my husband. He is a syaitan (satan). Because of him we aregoing to have a bleak Hari Raya,” said Che Ku Zaimah Ku Awang when Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Said visited her yesterday.

Eight-year-old Nurul Dahyatul Fazlina Khalib was so badly disfigured in the acid attack that Ahmad sobbed openly when he saw her. Even medical officers and members of the media who accompanied him could not hold back their tears.

But Ku Zaimah was strong. “This is takdir (fate),” she was heard murmuring.

(Detail news here)

I can understand the deep resentment that a woman, a wife and a mother felt towards the man who was supposed to be the protector of the family. A man, a husband and a father has betrayed his family. The physical injuries will leave a permanent scar, but the wound in the heart of the child might not heal.

" I will never forgive him"

While the crime committed by the man seems unforgivable, the woman is now punishing herself and her child with the declaration. I am not worried about the man, he will receive the punishment he deserved, if not here, in the here after. But I felt really sorry for the woman. The deep anger will keep her imprisoned. She would be carrying a heavy burden in her heart.

I pray that Allah will send His Mercy to this woman and her children. May Allah opens her heart for forgiveness.

Only with forgiveness would she ever find the real peace in her soul.

Only with forgiveness would she be healed.

The Pure Heart

It was after iftar at the masjid. I was chatting with a friend when suddenly we heard the sound of a baby crying loudly. I knew the mother of that baby was still inside, performing the maghrib prayer. I could imagine how the mother must have felt upon hearing the cry of her dear baby.

I turned around and saw a very young girl holding her crying baby sister.

I went to her, reaching out to take the baby. A look of relief came on her face.

Holding the baby I tried my best to console her. The poor baby cried even louder. Then I started,"Laa ilaha..illallah.." slowly I recited while checking on her for any sign of injury.

Almost in an instant, the crying stop! Subhaanallah..

It was as if the verse alleviated all her pain and fear.

Her tiny chest was still shaking but the loud cry has now turned into a tiny sobbing.

My dear baby, you love that verse, don't you?

It comforts you, isn't it?....

As I continued reciting "Laa ilaha illallah.." repeatedly, the

sobbing receded.

And now, it was me who felt like crying.

My dear baby, your heart is so pure, your heart recognize that divine verse and it immediately gave you some comfort.

You must have heard it so frequently from your mom that upon hearing it, it took away all your fears.

Subhaanallaah...

I asked the sister what had happened.

" I don't know, I put her down to pick up some drink..I was thirsty..suddenly I heard her cry and saw her lying down at the staircase.."

" It's ok..may be she fell down, but she's not hurt, she was just scared.."

I continued reciting the verse that she loved so much. By now, the baby is quiet.

I couldn't help from being awe stricken when I look at her face, so immensely calm and peaceful, obviously enjoying my recitation. Because, when I stop, she looked as if she's about to cry again.

My dear baby Asma' ( that's her name)..

Remember this verse always..

Laa ilaaha illallah..

It is called 'kalimah toyyibah'..

It is the essence of all our activities in our life

Your dad recited that verse on the day that you were born

To welcome you

To tell you that you were born as a muslim

And that you will be nurtured and raised as a muslim

Alhamdulillah..

The Prophet Muhammad SAW said, "No baby is born but upon Fitra (as a Muslim). It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a Polytheist." (Sahih Muslim)

The Qur'an

Ya Allah

Send me Your Mercy through the Qur'an

Make it for me as the imam, the light, the guide, the mercy

Ya Allah

Remind me what I have forgotten

Teach me what I am ignorant of

Bestow on me the ability of reciting it

All through the night..

All through the day..

The dua that we recite before and after reciting the Qur'an, is so beautiful.

Qur'an, the book of guidance, must be treated as such. A guide.

Unlike any other books, reading the Qur'an soothes the chaotic mind, heals the ailing heart, rejuvenates the weary soul.

The book of guidance, sent down by The Most Merciful Ar Rahmaan, is full of mercy.

A blessed heart can sense the mercy, can see the light and the guide.

It's been four days. The month of the Qur'an, Ramadan, moves very quickly.

Somehow reading the Qur'an in Ramadan felt different.

Reciting the dua, asking for mercy, light and guide through the Qur'an.. shakes my heart.

Reciting the verses rendered me to tears. It's a love letter from my Creator.

He started by introducing Himself, His Name..

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

How beautiful that is...

Ya Allah

Allow me to feel the mercy

Allow me to see the light

Allow me to understand the guide

That You are sending me

Through this blessed book

In this blessed month

For, this could be my last chance.

For, I might not see another Ramadan.

Amiin..Ya Arhamarraahimiin..

One Hundred Percent

" And when my servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near, I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way "

(Al Baqarah: 186)

My teacher taught me about the importance of purifying the heart and how crucial it is to keep myself in a state of constantly remembering Allah in my effort of purifying the heart.

I asked my teacher, " How am I going to to do that? It's vey difficult..."

My teacher replied, " Did you ask from Him?.... May be you did. But you were not confident. You must believe in Him, one hundred percent..."

One hundred percent, nothing less.

I must find that faith. One hundred percent faith.

Religion can be inherited. But not faith. I must take my own journey to find it.

"Remember Me - I will remember you. Give thanks to Me and do not be ungrateful. O you who believe, seek help with patience perseverance and prayer; for God is with those who patiently persevere"

( Al Baqarah: 152 - 153 )

May Allah make it easy for me this Ramadan.

May Allah guide me always.

Ameen...