Al-Muhandis Al-Madani

Eid and childhood

What does Eid means to us? Everyone celebrate Eid in his own way. If we ponder back to the days when we were children, I am sure the meaning or rather the value changes with time. Yes it is time for celebration, but celebration for what? I for sure was looking forward for Eid when I was a child, wanting Ramadan to finish early. During Eid then, I knew that I will get to wear new clothing, possibly because I do not have older brothers who are much older than I am to pass on the clothes. My father never buys us any firecrackers but only a handful (3 each) of sparkles. We, the three of us (my sister who is 3 years older and my brother who is one year older than I), would then go around the neighbourhood just like children nowadays to collect “duit raya”, not so much to visit relatives and friends.

I cannot recall at all that we had ever “balik kampung” during Eid. I guess it was too expensive to travel all the way to Parit Buntar or it could have been that my father who was a policeman who could not get leave during Eid. We do go back to kampung once in a while though but not during Eid. I never ask my father until today why. I know that making ends meet was difficult. In those days 5 cents was already big for me. I always wonder then why was that sometimes I was given 5 cents and my brother who was only 1 year older got 10 cents during the round. Children do compare but they may keep to themselves. On one occasion where we were fortunate to balik kampung my brother was taken for a ride in my grandfather’s car but I was left out. However, I do not feel being treated differently by my mother or father. Eid was always wonderful at home then. I guess life has to go on despite the “cruel” world of differentiation. Maybe that is part of the education that made me what I am now. I remember how difficult it was during those days; having to walk more than 2 miles to school and pedaling nasi lemak and kuih every morning.

My father has his vision on his children (though I do not realise then). He sent me to study at Gurney Road School II, Jalan Gurney (now Jalan Semarak) and it was an English medium school. I knew nothing about English nor was I attending kindergarten prior to school. No one spoke English at home either. All I know that I heard from my mother was that Englishmen would speak “sosreh-sosreh” (the English accent). I still remember I flunked all subjects including Ugama (as it was in jawi) except for Bahasa Malaysia. It was just like my daughter, Al Rumaisa when she first came back from the UK to study in Bahasa Malaysia, in one of her examination papers she wrote “setandan kereta”. We do not remember when exactly we have managed to overcome all those. Education surely is not overnight. It is over a period. We may not realise that we had gone a long way in education, whether formal or informal. Thanks to my parents, teachers, friends and those within my learning environment. I remember my class teacher by the name of Zubaidah who came to our house to speak to my parents on something (I still do not know what it was till now and I never ask) about me I guess. I still remember a girl by the name of Mardiana whom I had to rely on copying down the teachers’ notes on the green board in my exercise books. I did not realise that I was short-sighted as there were other who had the same eye problem. I thought that it was normal until my father bought me a pair of spectacles when I was 11. The world became so clear to me.

Coming back to Eid, during my childhood days we used to spend on “tikam”. The retail shops nearby would always have on display the “tikam” panel where there are numbers concealed in small pieces of paper sticked to the panel. If you strike the right number then you will win a prize. This is a subtle way of teaching kids to gamble. I knew that gambling was forbidden in Islam therefore I was selective in the type of “tikam”, the one that will always allow you to win something (at least a sweet) and if you are lucky something big. I never win anything big though. Although we do not see “tikam” anymore nowadays but we do have the SMS competition being designed with the same outcome. I guess in the modern world things do change but the spirit never change, gambling in a subtle manner.

Firecrackers were a must in those days. I am not sure when did the Muslims embraced firecrakers for Eid celebration. It was a nuisance especially for those with babies, as the crackling of the firecarckers kept on waking up the babies from their sleep. Even if the parents did not buy those firecrackers, they condoned the purchase. Some adults even go to the extent of using the “meriam buluh”. We often hear of children maimed, blinded, suffering burnt etc during the Eid or even prior to Eid. Now despite the ban on firecrackers we still hear the loud bang once in a while. It is hard to change! We always hear the comment that a smoker is a person who likes to burn money and I guess the same goes to those who go on crackling. Thanks Allah that I was not part of the culture.

The coming of the Eid was also the time for making “kuih raya” not in the present day where one just need to point for the “kuih raya”. I still ask myself even now why do we need kuih raya. Ah just in case someone comes to your house! often the answer given. Why buy? No time to spare, too busy at work. My father despite his service in the police unit would always make “kuih bangkit” of different colours. It was done during the day. My mother was his helper then. It was the time when we were all at home and we tend to get closer. I could not recall that we managed to go for a holiday together except once when the whole police families went to Port Dickson (transport was free). Again it was part of the education to bring closeness. Of course overdoing things can lead to destruction despite the good intention.

Eid is for us to celebrate but what we celebrate or condone will have an impact on our children

Ramadhan: A reflection

What have I learnt from this Ramadan 2009? Though I had gone through nearly 50 Ramadan throughout my life (some I could not comprehend - during the early years), every Ramadan has new lessons. Although the message has not changed throughout these years, the message enters the heart better, not just the mind. Practice what you have heard. Convey what you have heard. Both actions will ensure a meaningful Ramadan and possibly be extended after Ramadan.

No one ask us to double, triple … our efforts in worshipping Allah in Ramadan but the month managed to attract many (at least in the early part of the month). It is a month full of blessings and a month that facilitates us in doing good deeds. We can part with our wealth easier. We can share our food at the breaking of fast. We tend to do more than the fardh.

One good lesson that I have learnt is that what money/wealth that belongs to us is what we gave away. What we keep belongs to those who inherit them.

Always remember that what we do will have an impact on others. On one occasion I can’t help but overheard a young child telling the father not to smoke in the public toilet, as she had read the no smoking notice outside the public toilet. The father said that the notice of no smoking is meant not to smoke outside but you can smoke inside the toilet. I could hear the daughter kept on insisting that it was wrong to smoke in the toilet as they were leaving the toilet. I guess the father does not realise that he is teaching her daughter not to respect the rules and lying is acceptable. If we keep doing it, it will become a culture. Once ingrained it would be difficult to unlearn.

It is a sad moment when Ramadan is about to pass and we may not be around in the next Ramadan. The month of Ramadan is the month that charges us for the remaining 11 months to do good deeds. I pray that we are fully charged. I pray that Allah will help all of us steadfast in living on the right path. Read and contemplate to Quran and ask for His forgiveness. Whatever deeds that we do are still small compared to the blessings that we enjoy.

I know what I want to improve. I hope you do as well. May our life be more meaningful as our years in this world is drawing near to an end. Each Ramadan is shorter than the one before