Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A Start

I have been wanting to do this. It is either courage or time that always puts a halt to my intention. The truth it is more of the former. I was scared.

I was at a neighbour's place. Got to know a few new faces. You see, HB once highlighted how I don't mix around in the neighbourhood. Only selected ones.

He hits the bull's eye. I can't really blend in when I have to do the "kak ni" thing & "kak tu" thing. Don't get me wrong... I am just uncomfortable when I have to be extra demure & proper. Not able to show off my prominent vocalized laugh & speak with extra pitch ;-)

The kakak-kakak I met were really nice. Oh yes! I was proper!! Only smiling... not laughing hysterically. I even noticed this one kakak who seemed to adore my modesty. Hehehe! (Errr... Shahid Shueb if you happen to read this I know exactly what crosses your mind at this very instant - Hypocrite!) I was blending in OK...!

Perhaps I passed their requirements or probably they were totally sincere... (of course I go for the latter!) I was invited to join them for their weekly class every Wednesday. It was a Tajwid class.

For my non-Muslim friends, Tajwid means elocution. When you read the Holy Qur'an it should be recited in a proper pronunciation & speed. It is required for every Muslim to know how to read the Qur'an but not many are able to recite in proper manner.

Yes, I can read but my recitation is far from good. I hardly have a former class in tajwid. My dad taught me to read the Qur'an but at that very young age I didn't really take the simple tajwid seriously. I learned tajwid in primary school but whenever the Ustaz asked me , I had an A student in tajwid next to me who provided all the correct answers (we were seated at the end of the row).

I have long wanting to enroll such class. The only place I knew available was at my girls' mengaji centre. What deterred me was that the Ustazs. Yes, only Ustazs available not Ustazahs. I prefer a female ;-)

Hence, the offer was really inviting. What more when I found out that the Ustazah was someone I knew. Another neighbour whom I address as Makcik... but I've known her for quite some time so being proper with her is nothing alien ;-)

I told HB yesterday morning before he left for work. He encouraged me to go. The only excuse I had for not going was fasting. Yes, I fasted yesterday. 3pm would be too hot for me besides the mosque won't be air-conditioned. Obviously, something with tail & red horns were trying to tempt me!

Right after my parents (they dropped by for lunch) sent off Yasmin & Balqis for mengaji, I went up to my room & got ready. Everything was so smooth for me. The baju kurung I planned to wear was hung nicely & I had a matching tudung ready. No matter how many times I misplaced my favourite brooch, it was there staring back at me on the dressing table. Even my lightest shade of lipstick I managed to search in a blink of eye!

So off I went to the mosque. There was nobody! I was a couple of minutes early though. Decided to give the kakak who invited me a call & she confirmed the time & place. As I was entering the premise, a group of ladies emerged. They threw a smile & greeted me with salam.

I really felt at home even though it was my first time. Love Makcik's (or should I address her Ustazah now..?) approach. I expected we would be learning the theory of tajwid instead, she pointed out the tajwid as we recited. I am so looking forward for the next lesson next Wednesday.

PS - this post was written last week but I didn't have the chance to edit & publish. Class today was interesting as I got to hear other senior students recited. They were good & hopefully insyaAllah, I will be as good as them or not better. Slowly but surely :-)

4 comments:

ibu,mommy,mom... said...

Alhamdulillah:)
Bestnya.
I am in the process of going that way.I want.But there's always excuse.No lah not really excuse ,its just that I want to go to mengaji but I dont know where to start looking.

Lee said...

Hello Jabishah, hey....its me, Lee.
How you doin'? And the gang?
Before I change gears, Many happy returns to captain....wow! He's so young still....
Please give him my very best regards....he still ada tu jangut and moustache? Ha ha ha.

Waa, you have problems to blend in....better like this, otherwise kena pegang glass of orange and hoo haa hoo haa listen to gosips, whose daughter put on bra first time, whose husband chabut off with Indon maid, ha ha.

Hey, I missed you. Happened to return to an old blog to check out something saw your callsign...
By the way, how many more additions to the gang? Ha ha.

Jabishah, my best regards to you and Captain, you have a nice day and simpan satu lagu dalam hati, Lee.

Shida said...

Kudos, Ja I am so proud of you. I wouldn't call that being a hypocrite when you are not able to "showcase" your laugh (which I think is a signature of most TESL students), it is more to doing the right thing at the right place with the right people. E.g. if you travel overseas, like for instance it's good to know some of the Japanese culture, execute the bow, and speak a bit of Japanese or say "hai" = yes, just to win them over. In my perspective, you are doing just that, the laugh and your extrovert self will come in later when the kakaks and makciks know you better. Ultimately, you are there for a good reason. I wish you all the best babe!

Mamapumpkin said...

Congratulations on taking that first step. Semuanya di dalam hati.... :-)))