Kuliah Di Masjid TAR, Ampang..21 hb September 2012.

Kuliah di sampaikan olih uztaz Syed Salleh Al Jefri dari Solo, Indonesia. Seperti biasa kuliah di mulakan dengan doa. Saya agak lewat sepuluh minit dari waktu yang ditetapkan kuliah bermula. Alhamdulillah di masjid ini ramai jemaah yang hadir untuk pengajian yang di sampaikan olih beberapa uztaz yang berwibawa dan amat amat dalam ilmu agamanya. Uztaz membuka tajuk hari itu dengan kata kata, 'Allah amat amat menyayangi kita, hambaNya. Bukti Dia menyayangi hambaNya adalah Dia memberi segala nikmat di dunia. NIkmat yang banyak tiada terhitung. Contohnya mata. Di mata sahaja tidak dapat kita membayangkan nikmat yang dapat kita perolehi. Dengan mata kita dapat melihat wajah ibu ayah yang menyayangi kita. Dengan mata juga dapat kita mengenal keindahan alam dengan segala warna , bentuk berbagai rupa. Makanan dan minuman yang memberi kita tenaga untuk menjalani seharian kita. Dari situ Allah jadikan susu agar ibu dapat menyusu bayi bayi mereka. Susu yang lengkap dengan gizi, antibodi yang membantu tumbesaran sihat setiap bayi. Dengan penyusuan itu juga membuah ikatan kasih antara ibu dan anak yang lebih kukuh. Setiap ibu akan mengatakan menyusu bayi mereka itu juga adalah satu nikmat...Tapi ada kala perkara yang sangat kita inginkan tidak di beri Allah kepada kita atas sifat kasihNya. Sebab Dia maha mengetahui perkara itu bahaya buat kita. Mari kita teliti akan hal berikut. Seorang anak kecil terlihat sebilah pisau dimana anak kecil itu pernah melihat ibunya memotong sayur. Di dalam minda anak kecil itu dia ingin meniru perbuatan ibunya. Lalu diambil pisau itu dan segenggam pucuk pucuk daun yang di petik di laman. Anak tadi memotong motong daun daun dengan gembira. Anak kecil itu tidak tahu yang perbuatannya itu akan membawa padah . Ibu pada anak kecil itu telah nampak. Lumrah Ibu akan menjaga anaknya dari bahaya. Dengan perlahan ibu itu menghampiri anaknya dari belakang agar anaknya tidak terkejut. Dengan teliti ibu itu mengambil pisau tadi dari tangan anaknya. Anak terus menangis minta dipulangkan pisau itu. Tapi adakah ibu itu memberi walaupun anaknya menangis? Ya, tidak, ibu itu tidak memberi pisau kembali pada anaknya sebab dia tahu pisau ditangan anaknya akan membawa bencana pada anaknya. Ibu  bertindak demikian atas dasar kasihnya pada anaknya. Begitu juga Allah. Dia tidak menunaikan sebahagian keinginan dan kemahuaan hambaNya sebab Dia sayang pada hamba hambaNya. Allah tidak mahu hambaNya kelak mendapat bahaya Kalau pisau itu mainan anak kecil itu, permainan hamba yang dewasa adalah pekerjaan, harta benda, wang ringgit, pangkat,anak, isteri, suami, kebun, ladang, emas permata, kenderaan, binatang tunggangan.............Pada zaman Rasulullah s.a.w. berlaku peperangan. Terdapat beberapa buah khemah di kawasan berlakunya perang. Di dalam satu antara khemah itu seorang ibu dan bayinya. Dalam gopoh ibu hendak melarikan diri dia mencapai selimut di sebelah dirinya terus lari semahu mahu kakinya dapat berlari. Setiba di sebuah kawasan yang selamat alangkah terkejut ibu bila mendapati bungkusan selimut itu tiada bayinya. Ibu itu meraung menangis sekuat kuat hatinya sebab dia percaya bayinya pasti mati di henyak kaki kaki kuda yang ditunggangi. Selesai perang Rasulullah s.a.w. telah memeriksa setiap khemah dan baginda menjumpai bayi itu. Baginda telah mengambil bayi itu. Dengan bayi itu dalam pelukan, Rasulullah s.a.w.telah bertanya adakah sesiapa yang kehilangan bayi. Sahabat sahabat Nabi  memandang antara satu sama lain mengelengkan kepala. Ibu tadi yang jauh di belakang telah dengar laungan suara Nabi. Ibu itu terus berlari kehadapan sambil berteriak, mungkin bayi itu bayi dia. Setiba dia di kelompok sahabat sahabat Nabi ditolaknya mereka ketepi supaya dia dapat melihat bayi yang dalam pelukan Rasulullah.s.a.w. Didapati bayi itu adalah anaknya yang disangka sudah mati. Ibu itu mendapatkan bayinya, terisak isak ibu itu mendakap mencium bayinya sepuas hati. Semua yang ada di situ amat terharu dan hiba. Ada yang menitiskan airmata. Rasulullah s.a.w. berkata, fahamilah wahai sahabat sahabatKu bahawa kasih Allah pada hambaNya 700kali lipat ganda dari kasih ibu itu pada bayinya............Bersangka baik pada Allah dan jangan sekali bersangka buruk pada Allah.

We need a toys-box

After the picture book Nadiah and I did together, we embarked on another project. I believed getting my daughter involved in these crafts projects would enhance her intelligence. The step by step process of finishing the craft is an excellent learning stage for her. This time we did a box to accommodate her growing collection of toys. I made certain her toys were educational toys, those of 'playschool', 'fisher price', lego, lasy and many other building blocks and so forth. I also made 'batu serenban' for her to play, a traditional game which trains one's coordination skills. One needs to be fast with one's eyes, fingers and hands. 'Batu serenban', can be played with small pebbles but often it is made from pieces of cloth sewn into a pyramid shape. The small pyramid pouches are filled with tiny beans. The game comes in a set of five or seven small pyramid pouches. When Nadiah attended primary school she had me made the 'batu serenban' for her friends. I am off track. I am suppose to be writing about the toys-box. This time I used a washing machine box. A rectangular box about two feet in width and three feet in length. I cut it to the height of two feet. The box was wrapped with multilayers of thick brown papers. The reason for doing so is to give the box additional strength making it strong and sturdy. My daughter had the task of pasting cut pictures round the outer side of the box. She was happy to have a big box of her own to keep her toys. I am much happier because there is less mess around the house. Sometimes Nadiah would empty the box,climbed into it making it her castle. Children and their imagination never fail to amaze oneself. We placed the box in the living room and it became a conversation piece.

My First Picture Book

I collected a few used cardboard boxes. I would take those boxes from a sundry shop near my house. I had a project in mind. I wanted to make a picture book for Nadiah, my first born. Nadiah was about two years then. I thought a self made picture book would be an interesting craft to do. Besides that Nadiah would learn objects from the picture book. Together both Nadiah and me browsed through magazines cutting pictures for our craft. We picked pictures that are simple which Nadiah can easily identify. The boxes were cut into pieces of approximately nine inches on each side, making almost perfect squares. The cut pieces were then wrapped with brown papers. Once wrapped they were ready to have the cut pictures pasted onto. Nadiah helped with her deft fingers. Of course I did most of the job with her making all the mess. We managed to paste the pictures on both sides of ten pieces of squares. The almost done self made picture book were bound together. Using a thick needle and embroidery thread I sewed the pieces together. My daughter watched attentively. She shrieked with delight once she realized that her picture book was completed. Well almost completed, holding a red crayon in her hands I guided her to write on the front page 'My first Picture Book'. When Nadiah could write she wrote her name on the cover. Later, much later, when Nasihah, my third daughter learned to write, she canceled her older sister's name and wrote her name. The picture book is still with us and holds its place proudly among the many books that we have collected along the years.

I remember those eyes.

I was cradling my new born baby, not yet a day old, my third daughter when I heard  from a distance, chattering of a child. It was visiting hours in the hospital. They were voices I recognize very well. She was holding her grandma's, my mother's hand. My eldest was walking next to them, herself only a week away to turning six. In my second child's hand was her rag doll which  I named Ofi. The rag doll was mine. A dear friend gave it to me when I was in college. Ofi is older than her and she still has Ofi. Now Ofi keeps her warm in college. Yes, she is now in university pursuing a Law degree.
Nafisah had just turned two years old when I presented her with a little sister. Months before that we pondered on the names for the unborn baby. Nadiah my first born decided on the name Nasihah. Eager as she was to see her little sister, Nafisah was quite hesitant not knowing what to expect. As she approached I saw those eyes, huge, round, black, inquisitive. The image so vivid until now. Nafisah was wearing a pink plain and checked three tier dress. Same color as Ofi's. Bubblegummers shoes with lace white socks. Her  straight hair was kept in the china doll style. The fringes was just above her eyes covering her eyebrows. She looked like a doll herself. Her round black eyes eyed the moving bundle in my arms. Her curious eyes locked on Nasihah. She slowly moved forward and touched her little sister. It was a sight to behold. Then all the questions flowed from her, why is the baby this, why is the baby that, why does the baby do that, why does the baby do this, why does the baby cry???????..she had so many questions and insisted on the answers. There I was, still tired after childbirth entertaining her with the answers. Nafisah's growing years are full with questions, a very inquisitive child. A very intelligent child.
Those eyes, lovely eyes. God bestowed her a pair of beautiful eyes. There are moments in your childrens' life that stays with you. Mine are many. With Nafisah, when I see her, her eyes, I remember that evening when she came to visit her baby sister and me at the hospital. The rag doll in her hand, the other holding her grandma....

September

September. What does the month September brings to you? Good memories? Bad memories? I had my share of good memories. The best that has had happened was when I started my restaurant. I would say that day the 1st of September 2001 was when I made the 'Hijrah'. Stepping into a better opportunity, a new  experience. I considered it a brave bold decision. I wanted to do it, not trying one will never know if one is capable or not. I am glad I did what I did. I was a homemaker, I never had any experience in either running a  business nor an office job. I made the 'Hijrah' because I believed I will have the strongest support from The Almighty. I still have HIS support.

I was restless as the day approached and I had sleepless nights. The anxiety was at its optimum. The day came and I managed. I actually managed to operate a restaurant, I did it! There were problems along the way but gradually everything settled and fell into place. Although to others this may seem like a small feat but I deserve a standing ovation...Clap Clap Clap

Not forgetting my daughters who patiently wait for me to come home to give me their big bear hugs, the restaurant is for you.

   

My first born.

Two days ago Nadiah, my first born turned 25. She is still in university pursuing her interest. Though she has another interest now I'm glad that she is able to focus on graduating. When I was 25, I was expecting her. Since she was a toddler she was independent, insisting to doing things herself. She is a fast leaner. Her first english word was fish. Nadiah was three years old then. Her favourite book was this child encyclopedia with a volume on fishes. So much was her interest in sea life that in her primary school she did a project which was about anemones. Now her interest is on the human anatomy. Nadiah entered playschool when she was about four years old. I remembered her wearing a pair of light orange floral 'baju kurung' with a small batik headscarf carrying a small wicker bag. She looked so adorable. On her first day to playschool she insisted that I do not walked her to the door. She made me stopped at the gate and I watched her confidently met her teachers and entered the school. With your first born there are so many first experiences, cherished moments. I was a full time mom and I was there throughout my daughters growing time. Nadiah has three other sisters. I made a choice to be a full time mom. I had a wonderful time and many many splendour things of my life. Nadiah went to boarding school at the age of sixteen. So sweet sixteen that she attracted quite a few admirers. One of them manage to win her heart and they are a couple since last year. She has grown into a beautiful lady. She is a wonderful sister to her younger siblings. She is very caring towards her grandparents. She is a good companion to my sister when shopping! She is affectionate to her uncles. She is the big sister to her cousins. She is my friend....Nadiah, my dear first born, Allah bless you.  

Gentle Rose

Her husband calls her Grace. Among us, her friends she is known as Rose. She is medium built, slender a soft spoken lady. Fair complexion with short sassy hair. She is very thoughtful and she phrases her sentences very well when speaking. Rose is very observant and she only speaks when necessary. She would give much thought before speaking. She makes good eye contact when talking to. A conscientious character as I would describe her...Rose with her son and daughter left for Morocco two weeks ago to be with her husband. She called me from the airport before boarding. Telling me to take good care of myself, telling me she shall miss me, telling me life will be kind to me eventually, trust in God, telling me she asked God to bless me. I could not speak, I was crying, I could not contain myself, I was sobbing. Three days before her departure date Rose arranged for a small gathering for a group of us. We had breakfast and was served 'nasi lemak'. Rose had a friend to cater for the food. One Saturday before the farewell gathering I bought Rose some souvenirs. Since she enjoys reading novels and loves cooking, naturally I gave her books relating to her interest. To remind myself of her I got the same cooking book for my keeping. I was in tears when jotting down  some compliments in the books then wrapping them.... We hugged each other tightly, looking into each others eyes, crying because we both know that we would not be seeing each other again. I have many friends, only a few are dear to me but Rose is especially close to me in her own way. I guess we are both close to each other because we are both survivors. Rose is a cancer survivor while I am a survivor in lives' matters. We feel for each other. We both endure the sadness, the bitter painful difficult phases life laid for us...'Rose, it was a pleasant surprise when you handed me the picture of both of us. I miss you, Gentle Rose'.