As I mentioned previously, I've started teaching Qur'an and tajweed at my local masjid. It was the first week and it started out kinda messy, but things are pretty much well put together now. I actually know my students' personalities pretty well - who's okay to sit in the back, who I need to bribe with stickers, who I need to have seated next to me, who I may need to run after and so on.
On the first day there was a sister who looked somewhat lost. I couldn't help but notice her Guyanese accent and tan colored skin and a paler than milk white boy with dirty blonde hair tagging behind her. I went up to her and gave my salaams...
"As salaamu alaikum"
"Wa alaikum salaam. Sorry I'm new here... I just put my son into classes here. He's supposed to be with sister Lazeena first period?"
"Yeah thats me actually.."
"Okay good good. You know I never came here before and my son is now learning about Islam and stuff.."
"Don't worry, it's okay. Where are you from?"
"Guyana."
"Me too! I figured you were."
"Oh yeah?? I wouldn't think you were. Back home no one covers like you do."
"Yeah I know.."
"This is my son Abdullah. He's 7"
*waves at kid hiding behind his mom* "I'm guessing he looks like daddy?"
"Ohhh yes!! 100%!!!! People find it hard to believe he's mine, not even his features are mine," she stokes his hair lovingly. "His father is Italian. He isn't Muslim though... that's why Abdullah doesn't know much about Islam. I mean I pray sometimes and I fast, but he's now learning mom and dad both believe different things."
"That's okay. He'll make some friends soon and enjoy it here inshaAllah. Is Abdullah your only child?"
"No, I have an 11 year old daughter at home, I actually have to hurry back to her. She was begging me to come actually.."
"Aww, why didn't you bring her? They have girls her age here - "
"She's actually....... she just recently she got into a car accident... and now she's on life support..... she can't really come out.. she can't really do anything.... but this morning I told her I'd be out for a little in the afternoon with Abdullah to bring him here and she got really upset. She wants to come. She had started learning how to read Arabic so she wants to continue, but right now it's quite impossible. I hope she makes it through and can continue where she left off."
"Yeah definitely inshaAllah. I'm so sorry to hear that. Don't worry about Abdullah... I'll make sure he makes it to his 2nd and 3rd period classes. And I'll tell him that he has to go home and teach his sister what he's learned!" "Oh, yes she will enjoy that!"
SubhanAllah, 11 years old and on life support! How often do we think of our 11 year old sibling, child, niece, or cute budding preteen at the masjid getting into a car accident and barely making it through alive? At most we may worry about her reaction to 'entering womanhood', scraping her knees if she falls off her bike, not feeling accepted at school, or forgetting to complete her homework. Never does it really cross our minds that a child so young and innocent could lose her life and become permanently injured in any way. SubhanAllah, this is not only something that happens to people 30+, this can happen to anyone. So inshaAllah let's use this as a reminder that anything can happen to us at anytime and that we should always try and be prepared for the worst, especially when leaving the house. Life is so fragile man, please please don't take it for granted!
12 comments:
you're right!! though kids don't need to be prepared at that age, WE do need to be prepared for something that can happen o them and how it will impact our lives! i hope the little sister gets better, very sad news. it seems the turn of events has brought the mom closer to her deen
Assalaamu alaykum,
inshaALlah the little sisters will get better soon, my Allah help her.
Sister, I am quite sure you are not talking the talk of people direct or that you change some details etc, but just wanted to say that if I had conversation with someone at the masjid, or well, anywhere, I would not want to have it in the internet (I believe like I said that you change details names or so, but this just came to my mind so I wanted to say it to you). Personally I like to stick just on the general stuff or if it is something happened to someone etc to have their permission to tell about it.
InshaAllah you don't mind me saying this habibty, and I am quite sure it is the way I think (not so that the people can be known from the text)
I know I am pretty strict on this myself and probably majority would not mind. Love you for the sake of Allah.
everyone shares their experiences on their blogs, i don't see anything wrong with this entry. especially since she said nothing wrong or negative. she shared positive information that the sister openly told her within 2 minutes of meeting her for the first time in her life. plus with this we can all learn and lesson and inshallah make dua for this precious little sister who's been through so much and pray for the best of this family. a great lesson is learned here that anyone is vulnerable to anything at any given time subhanllah and this is a great reminder.
I know right lmao, calm down, she's just sharing an experience and good lesson. That's so true that we never consider what can happen to a young child. This is an even bigger test for the parents too, not just this little girls life is changed. InshaAllah she heals and can carry on with her hopes and dreams!!!
I was reminded of Natasha Richardson dying so young of that head injury on the ski slope the other day. I also feel a special love for anyone from Guyana, the site of Jonestown after all.
This poor lady. May Allah help her. She is so lucky to have a nice friend like you dearest sister.
Awww I'm like tht little boy too. My mom is ARab and my dad is Black but I look totally and fully black, not to mention my mom never taught me Arabic either so I don't have much from my roots on that side. But so very nice to see mixed couples. It's so sad about that little girl God give her and her family the strength to pull through these hardships
Assalamualaikum sis,
A clear-cut example of how one single thing can change the direct course of your life, and the lives of others.
I do hope the little girl will get better and that Insya'Allah she'll be able to go to the masjid with her brother and mum. It's great that you'll be one of the people guiding the little man. Jazaki'Allahu khair on your efforts sis. :)
I lost a few family members quite suddenly. It's pretty shocking when it comes without any warning and all of a sudden there is something missing and you don't really know how to react to it or deal with it. =(
Asalaamu `alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakato!!
Bismillah-
Dear Lazy, thank you for this insightful post!! Subhan Allah, life is precious. BTW totally off topic but who is "Jibreel"? I thought the boy's name was Abdullah... Totally off topic, I know *lol*
Luv & hugz, Aalia <3
Aalia-
My bad haha. I used Jibreel as a pseudonym and then realized there is a kid at the masjid in my class with that name and thought that if anyone who goes to the masjid reads this and knows my class (which isn't likely anyway..) that I wouldn't want them assuming it was him or something... so then I switched to Abdullah and I guess that 1 Jibreel slipped through my editing haha.
Masha Allah for sharing beautiful advice .... May Allah reward U Ameen .... May help them Ameen
We hear about these types of incidents all the time, but when you hear about it in your own community/masjid, it really hits the pinnacle of emotion in your heart.
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