By: M.Zulkifli
It was a weekend well-spent listening to Shaykh Yahya Ibrahim speaking at his “comeback” event in KL this past 10th and 11th September at Dewan Azman Hashim, UTM Kuala Lumpur, organised by Faith Events.
As usual, Shaykh Yahya was wonderfully eloquent and deeply engaging while presenting two very beneficial topics, ‘A Sinner in Jannah’ and ‘Love in the House of Rasullullah (SAW)’. I know that I picked up so much practical wisdom and iman-boosting reminders from him, and I am sure everyone else in attendance felt the same.
But something Shaykh Yahya shared during his introduction on the first day left the audience (well, me, at the very least) in quiet contemplation.
Having been regular visitors to Malaysia before Covid happened, Shaykh Yahya told us how his family had missed a lot of things about our country, including halal McDonald’s and nasi lemak (check out his IG!).
But on the morning after their arrival in Kuala Lumpur, as the call to prayer for Subuh broke the silence at the hotel where they were staying, Shakyh Yahya related how his mother-in-law expressed her profound joy at actually hearing the azan from their bedrooms.
Even my wife shed a tear listening to this, she would tell me later.
Indeed, it is something that we might not even think about, living in a Muslim-majority land, but it’s taken as a huge blessing for a family such as Shaykh Yahya’s, who are currently residing in Perth, Australia.
It made me thank Allah for His love and mercy that placed us here in Malaysia, where the worship of Him is made easy. I mean, there will always be a masjid, a surau or a musolla merely metres from wherever we are standing in this country.
Every time I travel from state to state, I get overwhelmed by a sense of deep gratitude that the doors to His houses are always open at any time of the day, no matter how far into the remotest places I drive. Masya Allah.
What’s also beautiful here is the culture and availability of knowledge that we often take for granted as well. Every day and every night, there are majlis-majlis ilmu (knowledge gatherings) being held encompassing the various branches of divine knowledge where anyone can simply walk in and benefit from them. All that is required is a little effort on our part.
That is how blessed we are here in Malaysia.
So, as we strive to become better Muslims in a post-pandemic world, let’s question ourselves as to how we’ve repaid Allah’s love and mercy for us. We’ve been tested severely these past couple of years, but have those tests led us closer to Him? While entertainment festivals are packing in the masses on a weekly basis, are our masjids and knowledge gatherings equally, or even more filled up? I think we all know what the answer to this question is…
“Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?” (Ar-Rahman 55:13)
mymuslimin.com 
Leave a Reply