Hajj – the time to reconcile with your Lord

LabbaikaALlah humma mala bbaik

Labbaikala shari kala kala bbaik

Innal hamda wa ni’mata lakawal mulk

La shari kalak

And the recital goes on and on, from millions of people converging to Makkah al mukaramah for thousand of years; including maybe you and me.

1. If you are one of the many Malaysians going this year then alhamd. Shukor, you are about to go on the greatest journey of your life. Maybe you have gone to London, Paris or Tokyo; but believe me, this one is different. How different? Well you have to experience it yourself. Making a niat to go for Hajj has always been very difficult. It is true that people say the first step is always the hardest. You think of who will replace you at the office, who will pick up your children from school, who will feed your cat or water your plants. If your mum or dad or your sister knew about the intention then they will come even before you can make that call. So most of the time it will be settled; the house, the kids, cats and plants will be taken care of. Then your inner thoughts will come and haunt you at the end of the night. Am I ready to become a “haji”? a word associated with an old man who has nothing else to do in the world other than waiting for his death! Do I have to give up my weekend trip to a karaoke joint or late night with an old friend or nick a chick for a midnight drive? Evil thoughts that make life so “interesting” start to colour your niat. If that bothers you then it’s time to sit down and seek answers from Allah. No one can answer that for you if you really want to make this trip worthwhile. There is no point to go there because everyone goes and now it is my turn. But no worries mates!, if you really have a pure intention to go, Allah will give ways InsyaALlah.
2. Hajj is a very physical exercise and demands stressful commitment so go while you are strong and healthy. We never know when we will fall sick or become poor so grab the opportunity fast while you are at it. Not much we can do when the knees are no longer strong, or the eyes are losing sight.
3. Someone said that he has everything already the car, the big house, wonderful family and fantastic career; whatelse do you ask for during haj? Well what about a healthy soul for a change! The one that know who the Lord is, that we are the creation that will return to Him someday and afraid of His Judgement Day. Indeed that is what the haj is for….a spiritual reconciliation with the Lord to beg forgiveness and “redha” for this life and the life hereafter. That would be the time and place to do so….start from the Wukuf in Arafah until the end of haj.

Kolej UNITI Convocation

ACMS

Penang Ferry -- wading through the tide of modern times

ISIEA Conference at Parkroyal Batu Ferringhi, Penang

Signing in from my new office

The world does not have to know but I do have a new office now and loads of unbearable tasks and responsibilities. Assumed a position as a Coordinator in InED (Institute of Education Development)---the place where people take long distant learning, night classes and franchised programs. I am into that franchised programs at the private colleges around the country. This new office is nothing fancy at Intekma Resort but being with new colleague and new environment is quite fascinating. Not sure whether my appointment here is a good thing or a “cold storage” deal. But I have started to feel as cold as the Siberian weather. You know when people are not keen of you too much they have a habit to send you off to a far far away land so you don’t bother them anymore. And this place is quite far away from the faculty. But I’m gonna be positive and happy with this new place.

I will be looking after the programs from my faculty running in three private colleges : Kolej YPM KL, Institut Baitul Mal and Unikop. The total number of students is less than 100 so I am OK as it is quite manageable. However, in addition to that I also have to monitor subjects from FSKM ( my faculty) taken by all programs in all franchised colleges……that really sucks because they have already given me a headache. They are scattered all over the country and have all sort of problems; and the most serious one is a high failing rate. Most Math subjects are potential trouble makers. But work in this position is mainly administrative---meaning, you have to smile a lot and know how to play politics. Nothing technical, so it is quite daunting. I guess it is time to dust off the bow and sharpen the arrows as the hunting season is about to start. Have you ever been hunting? Neither am I but I went fishing sometime ago, it’s the same thing. Going into this new post is like going hunting or fishing, at the end of the day what counts is how many birds have you got in the basket. At the end of the day can you deliver or not? Can you do the job or not?

Sometime we don’t know what are we supposed to do ( due to whatever reasons…) and that leads to in competency and unreliability. That’s not fair because most of the time it is not our fault, but one has to be aware of this thing and see when it is coming. So this few weeks would be my time to reopen my old chest box , flip through the age-old manual and see if I could pull a rabbit out of the hat once again.

But the sad thing is to be pinned to the desk from 8-5 again. That’s the curse that comes with this package and I am not used to it. Still struggling like a “ cacing kepanasan”.Been thinking of all sort of excuses to get out… but again, for what? I think by now I know how to be a good “servant”---truthful to your duties and serve your subjects well. Anyway, let me settle down, know my office mates and what have they. I will join their Jamuan Raya later this week , bring over my wife’s signature dish---nasi dagang and see if I can fit in or not.