My true definition of tahlil.

Last weekend saw the congregation of my family members to commemerate the death of my grandpa. 100 days had passed since he died and a tradition spelled with a kenduri tahlil.Arrays of food were prepared: sambal goreng, ayam masak merah which I cooked with hubby, ikan parang masak acar, serunding kelapa, udang masak lemak, terung pacri which I personally loved the most,kuih-muih…overall.. the food were heavenly served to be eaten by anybody who came.
Kenduri is an happening in my grandma’s house which takes place many-many times in a year.The way I look at it is more like a traditon to gather the family members, cook good food and serve the orang surau.Agreeable for its good sense..but wonder does it really serve to read the tahlil meant for so many dead members whose names being spelled out one by one with every AlFateha recited?This is like “tahlil borong”.Till now I didn’t get myself attached to this concept.How many of us really sat down remorsefully thinking of those passed-away family members during the tahlil itself I wonder.
As for me, tahlil or no tahlil, these four people who have died will always be in my mind….. my late father whom I dearly missed so much who passed away 19 years ago..whose thought will always spill tears in my eyes…a five years old niece of my hubby’s side who died of dengue a year ago and me next to her on her death bed till her last breadth..the thought of her last moments brings so much “keinsafan” in me of how much I value and love my two boys…my late father -in -law who died a year ago too whom I spent his last nite with him, only me and him, in the hospital..mending to his needs as he laid sickly on his bed..suddenly I realised how much he reminded me of my late father that nite, and as I started to cherish the moments when suddenly he died the next morning..only God knows how devastated I was seeing him gone as how much I was reminded to see my own dad died in split second the nite after we talked and spent time together…..Lastly,my late grandpa who died of old age 3 months ago and me could still recall every second of his last moments with us…the ride home from the hospital with his dead body in that red van…..
The every day thought of these people in my life and prayers is indeed my true definition of tahlil.

My first son,his new school,his new life…

My eldest son Shafiq is now entering his secondary studies.Like many other parents whose first child as such, the feeling of excitement is undeniable.Shafiq has been feeling a shiver of excitement down his spine ever since till the first day of school. He was offerred a place in the Daily School Science Program in Batu Pahat High School.This is a program adopting the boarding school system except that the students stay with the family. His schooling is from 7am-2.00pm, lunch followed by cocurriculum before finishes at 6pm.This school along with Temmenggong Ibrahim Girl’s School are the two schools in BP running this program, chosen due to their excellent academic track record.Last year PMR saw the top student in Johor hailing from the high school in BP with 100% pass rate of nearly 60 students scoring 8As and 30 over with 7As.Impressive!
Before, I wondered where the top non-Malays in UPSR go to. Now I’m answered at least for the BP district during the registration day as I scrolled through the names of mainly Chinese students who were straight As in the UPSR.They make up 70% of the Form One enrolment while the rest are Malays or Indians.Before, I thought that Shafiq should be in boarding school for the stigma they are good schools.Now, I may not mind that for I realise his daily school in high school does in long term provides broader avenues for him to learn, grow and most importantly compete amongst other existing races in the country,For this advantage, Shafiq should not be deprived of.
I also found this rather very interesting because while many boarding schools in the country have nearly 100% Malay enrolment, this school enrols 70% Chinese and the rest Malays and Indians.Then I realised excellent non-Malays in UPSR in BP go to this school all this while as there is no provision for them as boarders.
Back to the Malay agendas, top malays from rurals will first fill up as boarders to ensure their excellence in studies continued and supported while the non-malays need to find their way to school.This I learnt since last week looking at how jam-packed the road outide the school will be in peak hours as parents, bumper to bumper, sending and picking their child.
As parents, my husband and I have to ensure his resilience to survive in this new world of his.Leaving home as early as 6.30 in the still dark morning hour from Bagan and spend most of his time in school before returning later in the day.This can be very challenging to him as a start.
I am happy too that Shafiq passed his aptitude test and he is placed now in the top class with the rest of other top students in form One. Every eye is on them right now.Teachers and parents.For me, personally..it’s cool..as whenever he jumped into our car as we picked him back home..Shafiq is as adorable and bubbly as a son he is..chatty and still potraying his childish naughty behaviour at times…though a hectic day passed by his new life for the day and a new day and expectation awaiting ahead..
Move on Shafiq….