My first time teaching the Qur'an #6

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

Assalamualaikum w.b.t.

Have you guys ever have super random encounters? And from those encounters, while you’re casually catching up with each other’s stories…you suddenly join in something so randomly.

That is how my friendship is like with these two people. Especially Fatina, which I think this is not our first random approach. I think this happens since we rarely see each other and although we are taking the same course, we have different classes and paths.

One day, I was just casually waiting for my food at the cafeteria until I sat down with Izzati who was with Fatina as well at that time. We were discussing things and right after I asked where were they going (because they seemed all dressed up and ready for something) , Izzati told Fatina if I could join them.

Both Fatina and Izzati was waiting for a brother to pick them up. That brother is an alumni of the Angkatan Belia Islam of IIUM and Fatina is an active member of it. Izzati was there also to accompany her since the place that they were going to was in Cheras which is about 0.75 hours drive from Gombak.

You guessed right! I actually joined them. But where did we go? We went to a small neighbourhood in Bandar Sri Permaisuri or I would like to call it as the ‘ghetto’ area since the living apartments there are really small and packed. We arrived around Maghrib that time after facing all the traffic jams from Gombak and prayed at the place.

Where were we? This is the place. This place provides free teaching assistance to the people nearby in learning to recite the Qur’an. Yup, we were the ‘ustazah’ for whoever that came.

When I was there, I noticed how the brother who came to pick us up was teaching the kids. He was so patient and kind. I wonder where does he get all the strength and passion from. He is a full-time working father and yet he has the energy to do all this with nothing but sincerity. 

On our way to the Kelas Mengaji, he discussed a lot about contributing back to the community. He highlighted how many of our people (Malay Muslims) have yet to master the basics of Islam like solaah and Quran.

It is sad since we see they are covered, they look ‘pious’ and yet, they are still clueless of many matters. The brother was sort of appalled by how students of IIUM do many things for the people outside of our college and yet we continuously disregard our own Muslim brothers and sisters.

Fatina had a favourite student who was a grandmother. Even at her old age, she is still coming to Kelas Mengaji to learn the Quran. Subhanallah, I was touched by her determination. I am sure, she is not that bad in reciting the Qur’an since I believe that she always read it but the fact that she attends the class to fix her recitation, it shows how much she strives to be better in her ibadah.  How about us friends? When was the last time we opened the Qur’an and cared if we read it in the right way?

Wallahu’alam.

My dearest salam to you,

Fatimah.