The Jigsaw Puzzle of Anessa’s Life

Anessa is a cute and adorable seven years old girl. Right now, she is in standard one in one of the schools in Bentong, Pahang. When she entered the primary school earlier this year, she knew that it would be such a great time for her. Well...easy! New friends, new environment, new teachers, new school bag, new shoes. Simply to say, from top to bottom, everything was new!. At school, her favorite subject is the Islamic study and her passion for that subject is so obvious.

Though it is very tiring for her, she had to attend to two types of educational systems- one in the morning which is a normal primary school and the other one in the afternoon, which is called as ‘KAFA’ (basically a class for the studies of Qur’an and also other related subjects on Islam aimed to cater the needs of Muslim students at school).

Anessa or Nessa as her mum called her is a very young, jovial and lively little girl with such a bright future. However she has a dilemma in which I doubt a girl at that age would ever think beyond that. At school, she was taught and exposed to read the Qur’an (from the basic definitely) and then the teachers there would be teaching so many Dua’ (Supplication) so that she may put it into practice in her life. At home, she always reads the supplication in Arabic out loud though sometimes you can hardly understand her ‘version’ of Arabic. Even her little sister keeps imitating her and it is such a lovely and amusing things when they do that together =)

Anyway, for a girl like her, that’s not important. What more important is, she is able to memorize them. In fact, she was even taught how to pray by the teachers and of course she had to learn it gradually, step by step, little by little, like a baby step. Anessa loves her mum and dad. Not to forget her little child which is a year younger than her and also her baby sister Adeeba. At night, there goes the revision and homework time. The fact that both of her parents are working sometimes brings difficulties for Little Nessa. Well..at night they must be tired and her Mum has to take care of the baby also. When Nesssa hears the Azan(Muslims call to prayer) on television, she knows that it is already time for her to pray. She is very excited because at school the teachers had taught her how to pray and for Muslims it is a duty for them to perform it. She asked her Mum to lead the prayer and recite the Qur’anic verses . Yet, her Mum feels tired because of the baby etc. Other times, her mum would make an excuse like she is on a menstrual cycle etc. For us, we know that such excuses cannot be accepted at all because Islam cannot tolerate when it comes to performing solat (prayer). Yet, the Mum never pay heed to the commandment of her Creator. What more, to the needs of a proper religious education for her child. Same goes to the father!

Poor little Nessa, she finds it weird because at school, the teachers told her that it is a must for Muslims to pray but here at home, she’s never taught to pray. To be exact, her Mum and dad never pray at all. Once, she asked her mum,

“Mum, why is it that I’ve never seen dad praying? Does he pray?”

Like a thunder struck right into her heart, she answered sheepishly while her face started to turn red,

“Of course he does my dear. It just that he does not pray in front of you”.

Deep inside, her mum knows that she has lied to her little daughter. The truth is, her husband never prayed at all. The only time he prays is during the ‘eid only. Oh yes, ONE DAY ONLY out of 365 days all over the year!.
When little Nessa asked her dad to help her with her Arabic subject (which is VERY-VERY BASIC) or sometimes subject on Islam, he refuses to help. He would say that he’s tired, but deep inside he knows that he has zero knowledge on that particular subject. Little Nessa might not understand this at her age now, but surely she can sense that there’s something wrong in her family.

“Why is it that at home it is so different than school?” The thought comes to her mind.

In real life she might be jumping, giggling with a cheerful and animated personality, but beyond the comprehension of a girl at that age, we know that she is actually experiencing such a great dilemma. A Muslim dilemma if you want to call it. Worst, this dilemma is not caused by her little innocent self; rather it is because of her parents at the first place. Being Muslim because they were born as Muslims and not because they want to be Muslims.

This story is not a made up one, rather it is a true story. I know Nessa and I love her just like I love all my nieces and all other kids around me. When I look at Nessa, I feel so sad thinking about her future. I keep thinking by myself…would she end up being just like her mum and her dad who never pay heed of their duties as Muslims or would she end up being such a great Muslimah to guide her parents back to Islam. Definitely I pray for the latter one. I pray that her mum and dad would be given guidance by Allah so that they would open their eyes and contemplate on what is waiting ahead for their child. Suddenly I remember what my teacher used to tell us in class, “Islam is to be and to do!”. Surely it does make sense. It’s not about having your name stated as ‘MUSLIM’ in your identity card or so on, rather it’s about how you carry that ‘title’. Deep in my heart I know that Nessa is trying to prove it though it can be argued how much she can comprehend that.

Allahu A’lam(Allah Knows Best)

To Please or not To Please ?

In a small town, there lived a man with his son. One day they set out for the market while letting their donkey walking along behind them. While passing several men at the coffee shop, they heard some of their remarks. “Look at that man, How can he be so mean as to make his child walk all the way to the market when he has a donkey the child could easily ride?” The man picked up his son & put him on the donkey’s back. As they continued, they passed several women who were also on their way to the market. “For shame”, said one woman to another. “Look at that child, riding the donkey while he makes his father walk. Doesn’t he have any respect for his elders?” Immediately the man took away his son off the donkey and got on himself. Yet, when they travelled slightly farther, someone else criticized the father for being so selfish-riding the donkey while making his son walk. The man then picked up his son and placed him on the saddle directly in front of him. Alas, this maneuver also brought fourth criticism. “How mean they are to overload the donkey like that!”Cried an old man to his friend.

The man then in despair. He and his son dismounted. After a great of effort , the man managed to heave the donkey upon his won back. Only a little way down the road, everyone was laughing at the stupid man carrying his donkey instead of riding it.

Shamefaced, the man put down the donkey, and then continued to the market exactly as they had started –with all three walking. Some minutes later, the man looked at his son : “ So you see,” he said with a wise nod, “It is clearly not possible to please all people. It is better to do what you know is right and please God.”

p/s : I think this story is such a beautiful story that I am sure all of us can relate it to our lives. Islam is easy, it is the people who make it difficult =)

image:pixdaus.com

Imam VS Robber

This story is about the great scholar Imam Ghazali. Having completed his studies, Imam Ghazali was en route back home. On the way, the caravan in which he was travelling was waylaid by robbers. Together with his co-travellers, Imam Ghazali was dispossessed of all his goods. Amongst his possessions were the carefully written notes of the lectures delivered by his teacher. These notes were also taken by the robbers. Imam Ghazali sought out the leader of the band of robbers and pleaded with him: “Your men have taken all my possessions except for the clothes I wear. You may keep the extra clothes and other valuables. I do not lament their loss. However, please ask your men to return the papers they have taken.”

The leader of the band of robbers was amazed at this unusual request. This young man was not worried about clothes and valuables, but he was asking for some pieces of paper to be returned!

Very curious, he asked: “What papers are these?”

Imam Ghazali explained: “I am a student returning home after completing my studies. When my teachers used to lecture, I used to make notes. These are those very pages of “Ilm that I am requesting to be returned to me.”

The leader of the robbers said, “What you have just said fills me with great sorrow and regret. Young lad! Is your ‘Ilm on pieces of paper when it should have been in your heart? Papers can get lost. Papers can be destroyed by fire, become parched by the sun, get eaten by moths, become damaged with damp,etc,,etc. You are dependent on papers? It fills me with great pity. Your ‘Ilm should be in your heart! Be that as it may, your papers will be returned.”

He summoned one of his men and ordered him, “Give back to this boy his papers.” The notes were retrieved and returned to Imam Ghazali.

Imam Ghazali was of noble character. He was, moreover, a dedicated student. The words of the gang-leader were like a knife piercing his heart. On reaching home, he lost no time in memorizing all his notes.

I wonder when will the time come to emulate Imam Ghazali?

image:pixdaus.com

Be a Basket Case…..

An old American Muslim lived on a farm in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky with his young grandson. Each morning grandpa was up early sitting at the kitchen table reading his Qur’an.

His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could. One day, the grandson asked, “Papa, I tried to read the Qur’an just like you but I don’t understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I close the Book. What good does reading the Qur’an do? ”

The grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied, “Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water.” The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, “You’ll have to move a little faster next time,” and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, “I don’t want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You’re just not trying hard enough,” and he went out the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into the river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, “See Papa, it’s useless!”
“So you think it is useless?” The old man said, “Look at the basket.”
The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

“Son, that’s what happens when you read the Qur’an. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out. That is the work of Allah in our lives.”

Image:http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/thumbnail/87629/1/Boy-With-A-Basket-C.-1745.jpg
Credit- for those who deserve it.

The Story of A Man & A Barber

A man went to a Barbershop to have his hair cut and his beard trimmed. As the barber began to work, they began to have a good conversation. They talked about so many things and various subjects when they eventually touched on the subject of Allah

The Barber said: I don’t believe that Allah Exists.
Why do you say that? Asked the customer.

Well, you just have to go out in the street & realize that Allah doesn’t exist. Tell me if Allah Exists, would there be so many sick people?
Would there be abandoned Children? If Allah existed, there would be neither suffering nor pain. I can’t imagine a loving Allah who would allow all of these things. The customer thought for a moment, but didn’t respond because he didn’t want to start an argument.

The Barber finished his job and the customer left the shop. Just after he left the barbershop, he saw a man in the street with long, stringy, dirty hair and untrimmed beard, he looked dirty and unkempt.

The customer turned back and entered the barbershop again and said to the barber: You know what? Barbers do not exist. How can you say that? Asked the surprised Barber. I am here, and I am a Barber, & I just worked on you!

No! The customer exclaimed. “Barbers don’t exist because if they did, there would be no people with dirty long hair and untrimmed beard, like that man outside.
Ah, But Barbers do exist! That’s what happens when people do not come to me.”
Exactly, affirmed the customer. “That’s the Point!
Allah, too, exists! That’s what happens when people do not go to HIM and don’t look to HIM for Help. That’s why there’s so much pain and suffering in the World”.

ALLAH DOES EXIST…
This is one of the best explanations of why Allah allows pain and suffering that we have seen..Nevertheless, we know that everything that is happening has a wisdom behind it..It is beyond our reach to comprehend that, yet He knows what best for His creation..