Mengimbau Kenangan
It is at times like this, I missed KT so much that I just want to fly down there.
How I loved the serenity that surrounds that little abode.
I'm often telling my friends that you can't really comprehend the meaning of moderateness till you experience a situation yourself.
MasyaAllah...
25 Ramadhan 1424
Arrival KT : 0745
Waited for a while then I saw them. Kak Mi took my luggage, and Ma showered me with kisses. If feels nice to be 'home'.
The first place I was brought to was a small hut, where a small-scale production of kuih akok was going on.
( pancake like, made from duck eggs, brown sugar, screwpine leaves and coconut milk. Baked in a special "bahulu" like copper case heated over light fire. Look simple and perhaps simple ingredients too, but only the most skillful pastry-maker could bring out the real flavour and smooth melting-in-the-mouth texture )
I was definitely amused with the amount of eggs and sugar they used. Bought a few for iftar. Then we went home. The rest were only due to arrive in the next few days prior to Syawal. Renovation is still going on to fits us all in the house once everyone's 'checked in'.
Once the children arrived, I'm often running out of breath gomol-ing each and every of the little ones. Being the youngest of all, I'm their Acik since they already have a Pak Su. And my, how the children really loved to screamed "Acik Fatihah!" at the top of their lungs. Ya la, Aciknya suka rajin nak layan. And the girls will always insist on taking bath with me "...sebab Acik ada sabun best." Ya, simply because yours truly grab along a bottle of shower foam. So, mandi time is often at a span of at least 30mins. Still, I accommodate those little devils. Hey, mandi kemban la. Ter-obscene laks.
Tarawih every night is an awaited affair. It's refreshing to note a difference in the tarawih performed in the surau I went to. There's a break between the sessions whereby a short tazkirah about 20-25mins will be delivered by someone and it's good to be reminded about the barakah of Ramadhan and what we should concentrate on towards the end of it. Daytime is also filled with many preparations for the coming Syawal. We even went to Rusila for some religious speeches. I find it very enriching and definitely a new experience for me. Ma will always recite the Quran every night, without fail, whilst everyone is already tucked nicely in bed. Antara bacaan yang paling tulus I've heard. And I'll usually stay awake till she finishes her recitation.
I shared a room with Bibik. I'm amazed and ashamed of myself, all the same. Bibik so rajin to perform all the sunat prayers before and after each solat fardu. Me? I can't remember the sequence so I only perform the two rakaat sunat rawatib muaakad before Subuh and after Isya'. Takpe, yang penting apa-apa amal, kena istiqamah. Step by step ya.
I'm very well-fed with all the local cuisine during iftar going-on to Syawal. I'm not an adventurous person so it took me quite some time to adjust to the gastronomic adventure. My first attempt to the laksam had acquired the assistance of some rendang to 'kill' the taste of the gravy that is not quite to my liking.
Commotions during meals before the crack of dawn are also unavoidable. The little ones would be fed with their eyes closed. So adorable. You need to force them to eat or else there's no way that they can stand fasting throughout the day. The children fast at the age 4 years old. How cool is that ay? They can even recite the doa makan plus the translation. Alhamdulillah. And as the men left for the nearby surau, some of the little girls would gather around to pray with me as their imam.
The night before Syawal is as meriah as any households. We were still sewing and ironing till middle of the night while taking turns with kitchen works. The men of the house and children were busy with their pelita, lemang and satay.
Syawal serves its purpose as a time to foster ties, rekindling rapports. After the prayers, we went to the cemetery, spent some time there and off to some ziarahs here and there.It’s ziarah-home-tidur-ziarah-home-mandi-ziarah again. I was practically whispering quiet prayers to be given the strength to go on and on with all the visits. It is something you just have to bear with. After all, it's only a once a year occasion.
Third day was Raya in Perak.
The strongest impact on me while in KT is menghayati erti kesederhanaan yang sebenar. Never anywhere have I gone through the sort of humility portrayed by the people I just met for the first time in my life. Life is really very simple to them. They do not wish more but to gather Allah's redha upon them, daily. Touched, yes.
Till this day, recalling those days; will at all times bring my heart close to change tack. It will always serve as a cue in remembering my roots and the purpose to be alive on this earth.
InsyaAllah, Amin.
posted at
11:10 PM
