My Beloved Father Passed Away Yesterday (Friday, 9 September 2011). This Posting Is A Tribute To Him.

Photo: I Sat Down Next To The Imam During The Talqin Recital At My Father's Funeral Yesterday (Friday 9 September 2011) In Johor, South of Malaysia. According To The True Teaching Of Islam The Deceased Needs To Be Buried As Soon As Possible After Death. Hence, My Late Father Who Passed Away At 9:25am In The Morning Was Buried On The Same Day, Immediately After Friday Prayer In The Afternoon And After The Funeral Prayer Or Solat Jenazah Was Performed At My Village's Mosque. Alhamdulillah All Praises To Allah, Although Our Family Friends, Relatives And Fellow Villagers Were Given Such A Short Notice, The Funeral Was Attended By Hundreds Of Them.

Photo: My Late Father Is Shown Here In This Photo Sitting Down Alone On The Beach Enjoying Solitude During My Last Vacation With Him About One Year Ago. He Didn't Even Realize That My Wife Snapped A Photo Of Him During This Beautiful Sunset On The Beach. Looking At This Photo Is Enough To Make My Tears Drop. It Has Never Crossed My Mind That Was The Last Vacation That I Have With My Late Father. What A Sweet Memory. But Now He Is In Alam Barzah. I Will Never Have The Opportunity To Have Such A Wonderful Time Like This With My Late Father Forever And Ever Again. Ever...

Photo: This Family Photo Was Taken 20 Years Ago In 1991. The "Hassan Muin" Family Comprises (Back, From Left) Azhari, Mahadzir, Me (Khairul Hisham), Faizal And Also (Front, From Left) Mazlin, My Late Father (Haji Hassan), My Mother (Hajjah Rahimah) And Mahanum. I Am The Eldest Son In The Family. The Godfather Of The Family. The "Michael Corleone" Of The Family. The Protector Of The Family. 



The Saddest Day of My Life

Yesterday (Friday, 9 September 2011) was the saddest day of my life. I lost my father. He passed away after suffering from chronic kidney disease and chronic diabetes. He was ill for quite some time but I never expect he would leave me forever so soon.


Last night was the worst night of my life too. All the sweet memories with my late father when I was just a small kid kept on coming and flashing through my mind like the big screen cinema. Indeed those sweet memories that have made me cry silently.



My Late Father, Bapak Tamam And Bapak Sugianto Saved My Life In 1991 

Before I went to the University of Sheffield in 1992 to do my Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree, I studied at Northern Consortium of United Kingdom (NCUK) located at Section 6, Shah Alam in 1990 and 1991. And when I was studying at NCUK I suffered from a mysterious and strange illness. Due to that illness I was not able to speak for more than two months although an ENT specialist in Batu Pahat Hospital has confirmed that medically, there was nothing wrong with my throat. 



During those two months full of agony, I practically used sign language to communicate with my parents. My world crumbled and I felt so lonely in my own silent world. I will never forget how my late father has made every possible effort to cure me through modern medical treatment as well as traditional treatment in order to end my suffering.


Based on the advice from my former MRSM Muar religious teacher, my father then sent me to receive a traditional treatment from a Javanese Imam (Bapak Tamam) who lived in a remote village which at that time did not have any electricity and any modern water supply. Bapak Tamam also brought me to see his friend, a religious man by the name of Bapak Sugianto who used to attend the same Muslim religious school or Pondok Pesantren with him in Java, Indonesia. 


No words can describe the sense of emptiness and loneliness that I went through during that period of time. For more than 3 months I lived with the Imam in that remote village so that he could give treatment to me on daily basis until I have fully recovered from my strange illness. Bapak Tamam adopted me as his son and subsequently became my spiritual guru.


Hence, the hardship that I have endured as a result of that strange illness has shaped my new personality. A new Khairul Hisham who was not easily mentally-crippled by any external factor was born. I am certainly no Hindustani movie star who would easily cry. Yes I am a no-nonsense 43 years old tough guy. However, when each of my other family members already felt asleep last night, my tears flowed silently down my face. In the darkness of a sad and lonely night, all the sweet memories that I had with my late father especially when I was just a small kid has made me sobbing silently. The truth is I simply can't stop my tears.



Photo: This Is My 18 Years Old Eldest Daughter (Intan Nur Farhana Khairul Hisham). Among The 17 Grandchildren That My Late Father Has, She Was The Closest To Him. She Is The Eldest And The First Grandchild Of My Late Father. Thus, As The 'Pengerusi of Cucu-Cucu Haji Hassan Muin' She Has A Special Place In My Late Father's Heart.

Photo: This Is My 16 Years Old Second Daughter (Intan Nur Qistina Khairul Hisham). She Was Also Very Closed With My Late Father. She Was The One Who Cried The Most. She Can't Stop Her Tears From Flowing Down Her Cheeks Each And Every Time The Sweet Memory With My Late Father Flashes Through Her Mind.



The Last Request For Help From My Late Father 

About 15 hours before he passed away, my late father had a short conversation with me at the hospital. He was perfectly conscious at that time although for the past one month he was lying down on the bed 24 hours a day. He looked pale, very tired, very weak but very calm. He looked very deeply into my eyes and uttered these words:
(Since I am the eldest son, he addressed me as 'Long')
"Long, please help me, Long..."
I immediately replied him softly but firmly:
"Alright Abah...Of course I will help you...What kind of help that you need from me, Abah? You can tell me now..."
He responded:
"Please help me spiritually"



I knew that at that time he was talking to me in my capacity as his eldest son. He mentioned very clearly the word 'spiritually'. So I slowly and softly guided him to recite a few Zikir (Islamic religious chanting) that I have learned from my spiritual guru. He recited the Zikir repeatedly. I listened attentively to the chant of his Zikir to make sure the pronunciation was correct. I also corrected him when he made mistakes. I then explained to him the meaning of that Zikir because the original verses were all in Arabic. I really wanted him to recite the Zikir with the full knowledge of its meaning in Malay language. While uttering the Zikir repeatedly, he held and caressed my hand lovingly. Little did I know that 15 hours later he would pass away...

Photo: This Is The Photo Of My Daughters, Intan Nur Farhana (Right) And Intan Nur Qistina (Left) When They Were Just 6 And 4 Years Old Kids. Actually When They Were At That Age, My Parents Were Living Together With Me And My Wife In The Same House. Hence, Both Of Them Were Very Closed With My Late Father. Unfortunately, It Was Fated That When My Father Breathed His Last They Were Not At His Bedside Because Both Of Them Were Schooling At An Islamic Boarding School In Kelantan.

My Late Father Was A 'Fighter'

My late father has battled many types of illnesses throughout his life. He has chronic diabetes, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure and also stomach ulcer.


If my memory serves me right, my father has undergone at least 6 different surgeries throughout his life. Part of his left hand was amputated 2 months ago due to chronic diabetes. Then 5 days before Eid-Fitri celebration, he went through a stomach surgery. And about a week before that, another surgery was performed on his left knee. He also has been receiving dialysis treatment for the past 3 years.

Photo: My Late Father Used To Be A Rubber Tapper At Lam Lee Rubber Plantation. He Started Tapping The Rubber Trees As Early As 2:30am In The Wee Hours Of The Morning When Everybody Else In The Village Was Still Sleeping Comfortably In Their Beds, Much Earlier Than The Other Fellow Rubber Tappers Because He Took Two Different Designated Tapping Areas Or "Lots" In Order To Get More Income For Our Big Family.

I Still Remember...

I still remember when I was a kid, my late father was a rubber-tapper. He worked as a rubber tapper at Lam Lee Rubber Plantation, a big rubber plantation owned by a local Chinese rich man located about 10 kilometres from my house in a small village in Johor in south Malaysia.


Since my family is a big family (I have 3 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters), my late father obviously needed more income than his friends in the village. So, he decided to tap the rubber trees at two different designated tapping areas or 'lots' within that rubber plantation estate. This left him with no choice but to start tapping the rubber trees as early as 2:30 am in the wee hours of the morning when everybody else in the village was still sleeping comfortably in their beds.


His friends normally started tapping the rubber trees at 5:30am because they only took one designated tapping area at that Lam Lee Rubber Plantation. The reason he has to start his work earlier because every rubber tapper has to finish tapping all the trees in the respective designated area roughly by 11am so that everybody can gather at the processing centre by that time to help each other to process the sticky and milk-coloured latex sap collected.

This determined father-of-six started tapping rubber trees as early as 2:30am early morning to ensure that he could get an extra income to cover the living cost and education expenses of his six children. Alhamdulillah, my late father's hard work and determination has inspired all his six children to study hard and finish our tertiary education. I managed to get a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Sheffield in the UK and my younger brother Faizal completed his accountancy degree and MBA at Hull University also in the UK while my other four siblings graduated from University of Malaya (UM), Putra University Of Malaysia (UPM) and Science University of Malaysia (USM).


It is also still fresh in my mind that during those days most of the time my mother, my younger siblings and I would not start eating our lunch until and unless my late father has arrived home on his Yamaha old motorcycle from that Lam Lee Rubber Plantation. When I heard the sound of my late father's motorcycle engine, I knew that our lunch would be served on the table by my mother in a few minutes time although the food was ready much earlier. My late father has never made such a rule but I guess that's one of the ways my mother would like to educate her children to show our utmost respect towards our late father who was very tired tapping the rubber trees since the wee hours of the morning.

 Photo: Being A Rubber Tapper, My Late Father Has Never Received Any Higher Education Certificate Etc. Hence, This 'Tokoh Ibu Bapa Mithali Daerah Batu Pahat' Award Certificate Which He Got In 2006 Was The Only Achievement Certificate He Has Ever Received In His Life. Of Course He Never Nominated Himself For This Award. Somebody Else Who Knows My Family Has Nominated Him, Without His Knowledge, To Be The Recipient Of This 'District Of Batu Pahat Exemplary Parents Award' (Tokoh Ibu Bapa Mithali Daerah Batu Pahat). The State Of Johor's Islamic Department Was The Official Organizer Of This Government Initiated Parenthood Award .
 

Photo: In 1975 When I Was A 5 Years Old Kid, There Was Not A Single Muslim Kindergarten In The Nearby Town. This Simply Means My Late Father Had No Choice But To Send Me To St  Stephen Kindergarten Which At That Time Was Located Inside An Anglican Church In Yong Peng (Photo-Above). Although My Late Father Was Just A Villager, He Was Very Determined To Send Me To A Kindergarten So That I Could Receive My Early Childhood Education.  



I Still Remember...

I still remember although my late father was just a rubber tapper, he was very determined to ensure all his children would be able to get an early childhood education. During those days when I was a 5 years old kid, there was no government-funded kindergarten such as Tadika Kemas or Islamic kindergarten such as Pusat Asuhan Tunas Islam (Pasti). Thus, he sent me to the St Stephen Kindergarten in Yong Peng which was run and owned by the St Stephen Anglican Church. The year was 1975.


Naturally, being a devout Muslim community, some of the neighbours in my small village condemned him for sending his 5 years old kid to a church just to get an early education. Most of the villagers at that time did not even bother to send their children to a kindergarten. For them, their children's education process only starts at 7 years old when they send their children to the government primary school. But not for my late father. He wanted me to receive an excellent education right from the beginning. 

Although 99% Of The Time My Late Father Used Javanese Language To Communicate With My Mother, He Wanted Me To Be Proficient In English!

Besides having no other choice, the other reason that he sent me to a Christian kindergarten was because he wanted me to start learning the global accepted language, the English language from a very young age. It is interesting to note that although 99% of the time my late father communicated with my mother in Indonesian Javanese language (not even in Bahasa Malaysia), he perfectly aware that mastering English language is very important for my future career. In hindsight, I think I did not disappoint him because being a law degree holder from a British university certainly makes me the best English speaker in my village.


Well...without trying to talk big, my fellow respectable Javanese wise old men in my village such as Wak Tumiran, Wak Mijan, Wak Leman and Wak Dakim are certainly no match for me when it comes to English communication skills. Forget about the Yorkshire accent English, Scottish accent or Queen's English. Even if they use their Javanese accent English, they would still struggle for 7 days and 7 nights to speak one complete sentence in proper English. No offence please. Just kidding. Anyway, the credit goes to my late father who has made efforts to ensure that I could master English language slowly but surely since my kindergarten time...

Photo: My Late Father Has Initiated A kind Of 'Bonuslink' Reward System For Me And My Younger Siblings. Each Time When We Got No 1 Or 2 In The Class Examination Or The Highest Mark In Any Subject, He Would Bring Us To A Nearby Town For A Satay Dinner Treat. He Inspired Me Long Before The Existence Of Malaysian Prominent Motivational Experts Such As Dr Fadzilah Kamsah And Dr Shukri Abdullah. My Late Father Was Also Very Proud When In 1987 I Became The Head Prefect Of MRSM Muar, Which Was One Of Four Top Government Boarding Schools In The State Of Johor. And No Doubt I Was On Cloud Nine When I Won The MARA Chairman Cup Debate Competition At National Level In 1985. Then When I Represented The State Of Johor In National Young Scientist Award Competition In 1987 And Subsequently Managed To Get The Second Runner-Up Position At Malaysia National Level, My Late Father Was Speechless And So Happy. What A Sweet Memory...

I Still Remember...

I still remember my late father has initiated my family's very own 'Bonuslink' type of reward system long time ago when I was still in primary school. The system was very simple. Each time when my siblings and I have managed to get first or second position in the class during our school examinations, we were sort of like collecting points that entitled us to follow him to Batu Pahat, a town which is located 27 kilometres from my small village, for a satay dinner treat.


I still remember all the sweet memories when my late father brought me to Batu Pahat for that wonderful satay dinner because when I was in SRK Yong Peng primary school (morning class) and Sekolah Agama Seri Yong Peng (afternoon class) I always got number 1 or 2 position in the class during the examinations.


And during my secondary school in MRSM Muar, I also got number 1 position in my class ("Class Fairuz 1983") in the semester exams from Form 1 until Form 5. I was also the Best Student of MRSM Muar in SRP examinations in 1985. There were also many times I have managed to get the highest mark in a couple of subjects at the college level in MRSM Muar.


Yes, you are right, all of these were just small and past glories which absolutely mean nothing now. But these small and past glories remind me of the so-called "Bonuslink Satay Dinner" reward system that my late father has initiated as a tradition in my family to motivate me and my younger siblings to do well in my study.


My late father was also very proud when in 1987 I became the Head Prefect of MRSM Muar, which was one of the four top government boarding schools in the state of Johor (the other three were Sekolah Menengah Sains Muar, Sekolah Menengah Sains Kluang and Sekolah Tun Fatimah). 


And no doubt I was on cloud nine when I won the MARA Chairman Cup debate competition at national level in 1985. Then when I (together with my MRSM Muar project team members Rushdan Hamzah, Pang Poh Yee and Dina Talib) represented the state of Johor in National Young Scientist Award Competition in 1987 and subsequently managed to get the second runner-up position at Malaysia national level, my late father was speechless and so happy. What a sweet memory...


I still remember the joy that I felt when my late father brought me to Batu Pahat to have that satay dinner after I have collected my 'Bonuslink-type' of points by doing well in my exams. This sweet memory really makes my tears silently flow as I am writing this blog. I was just a small 7 years old kid when he started this very motivating reward system in my family.


Perhaps I could say that the great excitement in my heart throughout the journey to Batu Pahat town when my late father brought me there for my first ever satay dinner treat more than 30 years ago in 1977 was akin to the feeling of a modern day kid flying on the Malaysian Airlines plane en route to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. Perhaps.


Satay dinner was considered a luxury at that time by me and my siblings who were just small kids and children of a rubber tapper. Furthermore, at that time there was no KFC, no Pizza Hut, no Kenny Rogers whatsoever in the nearest small town. Starbucks? Not even in my wildest dreams. Stars in the pitch dark night sky, yes. But Starbucks, nope.


Yes, no doubt that my late father was just a rubber tapper. However, the fact remains that he was such a great motivator to me. During the dinner, my late father would advice and motivate me to continue doing well in my study. He inspired me long before the existence of Malaysian prominent motivational experts such as Dr Fadzilah Kamsah and Dr Shukri Abdullah. Thank you Abah...

 

Photo: Although My Late Father Has Never Received Any Formal Higher Education And Was Just A Villager, He Used To Be A Berita Harian Newspaper's Part Time Reporter Or Stringer. During Those Days (In The 70s, 80s And 90s) There Were A Couple Of Times That The News Or Article Written By My Father Were Published In The Front Page Of Berita Harian. One Of The News Regarding A Runaway Daughter Written By My Late Father Has Somehow 'Hypnotised' The Teenage Girl To Return Home To Her Grieving Mother At Kampung Seri Sepakat, Chaah!



I Still Remember...

I still remember when I was a small kid I could hear the sound of an old typewriter in the middle of the night. No, it was not the sound of a haunted typewriter. Actually as a part time reporter of Berita Harian, my late father would normally type his writing or article in the middle of the night after all of his small children have gone to bed.


Although my late father was just a rubber tapper, I must say he was a talented writer too. My late father has never received any formal education in journalism but this did not stop him from being a part-time journalist or a stringer for Berita Harian newspaper in the '70s, '80s and '90s and also Harian Metro newspaper in the '90s.


The reason he became a part time reporter because he wanted to get an extra income to support our big family. The income as a rubber tapper was simply not enough to feed six energetic kids. The payment from Berita Harian that he received for each news published in the newspaper actually helped to raise the family.


All his writings that were published in Berita Harian newspaper were nicely cut and kept by him in his personal drawer. I myself saw there were many times that his news or writings were published in the front page of Berita Harian in the '70s and '80s and in Harian Metro in the early '90s. Sometimes he used his real name 'Hassan Muin' but there were times when he also used his pseudonyms 'Azharihassan' or 'Hassanulmuin'.


As a part time journalist, I came to know that there were two things that could make him happy. The first one was when his writing appeared at the front page of the newspaper. The other one was when he got a byline. He told me one of the greatest satisfactions for a journalist is when there is a byline on the top of the news which states the name of the reporter. During those days not every single news printed on newspaper came with a byline which is traditionally placed between the headline and the text of news. Only selected few interesting news that qualified to get a byline.


Perhaps some of my MRSM Muar ex-school mates still remember that my late father was the journalist who wrote an article about Miss Niki, an Australian teacher who used to teach at MRSM Muar. I remember reading that article which was published in Berita Harian together with Miss Niki's photo wearing beautiful Malaysian traditional Kebaya.

Photo: My Late Father Is Shown Here Receiving PIS Medal (Pingat Ibrahim Sultan) From The Previous Sultan of Johor, Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Iskandar Al-Haj For His Contribution To The Society. My Father Was Just An 'Ahli Politik Kampung' (Small Village Leader) And This PIS Medal Is Just A 'Small' Medal, But I Can Still Recall He Was Very Happy, Proud And Grateful To Allah That He Was Given The Honour To Receive This Medal From The Sultan Of Johor At His Majesty's Palace.

Photo: My Late Father Used His Old Typewriter To Do Two Things. Firstly, To Write News And Article For Berita Harian As A Part Time Newspaper Reporter And Secondly To Render Assistance To His Fellow Villagers, Free Of Charge, By Drafting And Typing Official Letters To Government Departments And Many Other Government-Related Documentation For Them. Well...My Late Father Maybe Not 'The Special One' Like Jose Mourinho But For His Fellow Villagers In My Small Village He Was Considered As The 'Educated One' Because He Knew How To Make Good Use Of This Old Typewriter!

I Still Remember...

I still remember the time when my late father became an unofficial consultant to his fellow villagers pertaining to any administrative matters such as filling up government department's form, college admission application forms, drafting official letters to government departments and many other government-related documentation works.


I think the main reason why his fellow villagers consulted him for those matters was due to the fact that my late father could write relatively well as compared to them. Hence, he was the best person for his fellow villagers to seek help concerning documentation matters.


Majority of his fellow villagers were not highly educated. They were just rubber-tappers and farmers. My father was seen by his peers in the village as the most 'educated' one simply because he could write well and he owned a typewriter! Well...he maybe not 'The Special One' like Jose Mourinho the Real Madrid coach but he was considered as the 'Educated One' by his fellow rubber tappers in my small village.


The consultation was done during the night time but there was no electricity yet in my village during those days in the '70s. This however did not deter my late father from using his old typewriter to help his fellow villagers by typing and drafting documents for them.


Although I was just a small kid at that time, I could see those who came to our house to seek help from my late father would leave our house with satisfaction, often with completely-filled documents or forms in their hand. And my late father has never charged them for the service, not even a single cent.


In 1996, my father was awarded PIS Medal (Pingat Ibrahim Sultan) during the birthday of the previous Sultan of Johor, Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Iskandar Al-Haj at his majesty's palace. This PIS Medal is just a mere 'small' medal as compared to the other types of medal awarded by the Sultan of Johor in Malaysia. However, this morning when I saw his nicely framed photo at the wall of my parents house which shows the late Sultan pinned the PIS medal on my late father's chest, I could see from his face that that was one of the greatest moments in his life!

Photo: I Must Confess When It Comes To Malaysian Politics, My Late Father And I Belong To Two Different Political Parties. I Am A Loyal Supporter Of Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), An Opposition Islamic Party In Malaysia While My Late Father Used To Be The Village Branch Head Of UMNO, The Party That Has Been Ruling Malaysia For The Past 54 Years. However, Unlike Some Grassroots Party Members Of Both UMNO And PAS Who Could Be Very Emotional And Confrontational, I Have Certainly Never Heard My Father Hurling Any Hurtful Words Or Used Abusive And Foul Language When Articulating His Political Party Stance Or When Criticizing PAS. Never.

 
I Still Remember... 

I still remember that my father used to be the village Branch Head of UMNO party. He was just an 'Ahli Politik Kampung' (Small Village Politician) but for at least two terms he was successfully elected as one of the UMNO Committee Members at Divisional level in the '80s. During those two terms he was also elected to be one of the delegates representing his division to attend the ruling party UMNO Annual General Assembly at national level in Kuala Lumpur. If I am not mistaken during those days the UMNO AGM was held at Hotel Merlin because there was no PWTC building yet.


I must confess that I am a loyal supporter of the Malaysian Islamic opposition party, Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS). Although my late father knew that both my Kelantanese wife and I staunchly supported the opposition PAS party, he has never provoked us by bashing PAS emotionally. I must say he was indeed an open-minded UMNO supporter.


Unlike many other grassroots conservative UMNO members in the village who were always very defensive and emotional in defending the Malaysian government policies, I never recall any occasion that my late father, being a hardcore UMNO loyalist, getting emotional and confrontational when articulating his political party stance or when criticizing the opposition PAS party.

Even went he visited my father-in-law in Kelantan (who is a die-hard supporter of PAS), I saw my father always try to be very diplomatic the moment any current national political issues cropped up during the discussion with my father-in-law and my other Kelantanese brother-in-laws.



I have certainly never heard my father hurling any hurtful words or used abusive and foul language against his opponents from the Islamic PAS party. My father was only interested in promoting the features and benefits of having UMNO party as the ruling party in Malaysia. His political themes were not ideological-based. His political propaganda or selling points were just simple things such as UMNO could bring better development to the people and some other points to that effect.


Not even once he made any unbecoming or unwarranted remarks towards his political opponents. I know this for a fact. I myself have many times tried to 'provoke' him by condemning many policies of his UMNO party while praising sky high the Islamic PAS party but he remains composed and not emotional. Indeed he treated his political opponents even at the village level with respect and dignity.


If we ask any PAS party cadre about UMNO, the general opinion would be more or less the same which is basically UMNO is a party which is so occupied with race-based issues such as Malay race rights and Malay race supremacy and not so much about Islam per se. On the other hand, it's not rocket science to deduce that a loyal die-hard supporter of UMNO will fight tooth and nail anyone who accuses UMNO of being a pure secular party and not exactly promoting Islam as the ultimate way of life and governance in Malaysia. Having said that, I observed that my late father was indeed very careful whenever he opened his mouth talking about Islam and also when he criticized PAS, the opposition Islamic party, so that all those words uttered by him were not against the akidah of Islam. 

Photo: One Of The News Written By My Late Father As  A Part Time Reporter of Berita Harian Was Regarding A Runaway Daughter. My Late Father's Writing In Berita Harian Has Somehow 'Hypnotised' The Teenage Girl To Return Home To Her Grieving Mother At Kampung Seri Sepakat, Chaah! Indeed I Consider My Late Father An Unsung Hero When That Missing Daughter Eventually Came Back Home To Her Grieving Mother.



I Still Remember...

I still remember being the eldest in the family, when I was a small kid sometimes I accompanied my late father the part time journalist to search for news to be sent to Berita Harian newspaper. In the evening after he has finished his work tapping the rubber trees, my late father would go on-the-field searching for sources of news. And then during the night time, by using his old typewriter he would write-and-write-and-write until he satisfied that whatever article that he has written was newsworthy to be sent to Berita Harian newspaper.


One day I accompanied him to visit a distraught couple at Kampung Seri Sepakat, a small village about 15 kilometres from family's house in Johor, who asked for my father's assistance to write a story to be published in Berita Harian about how helpless and miserable their life were when their daughter ran away from home with an Indonesian foreign worker. With tears flowed non-stop from her eyes, the mother of the runaway teenager expressed her great hope that her daughter would read the news that my late father wrote in Berita Harian. This grieving mother wanted her daughter to realize how devastated her parents were by her action running from home just because she thought she was the Juliet for her Romeo Indonesian lover.


Indeed I consider my late father an unsung hero when that missing daughter eventually came back home to her grieving mother. She told her mother that after reading the news in Berita Harian written by my late father about her running away from home, she felt that as if all the people around her were fully aware about this matter and were looking for her too.


She felt uncomfortable and scared all the time after the news appeared in the newspaper. She was also somehow 'hypnotised' by the way my father described the sorrow of her mother in his writing. Thus, she made a decision to return to her parents. What a happy ending for that family... 

My Late Father Himself Has Never Experienced The Love Of A Father 

I consider myself fortunate to have a father like my late father, Haji Hassan Bin Muin. Unfortunately my late father himself has never experienced the love of a father throughout his entire life because his father i.e my paternal grandfather passed away about 4 months before my late father was born in 1939. My paternal grandfather, Haji Muin Bin Ali was a Naib Kadhi and an Imam in my small town in 1920s. 

My Late Father's "Final Night" With My Mother 

My mother told me that on the night before my late father passed away, while lying on the hospital bed, he caressed and gently massaged my mother's hand intermittently throughout his final night in this world. 


The nurses on duty also told my mother that they saw in the middle of that 'Final Night' my late father, from time to time, continued massaging my mother's hand and caressing her hair lovingly while my mother was sleeping on the chair next to my late father's hospital bed. That was the last sweet memory that my parents have during their 'Final Night' together in this world. 

My Priority Now, As The Eldest Son In The Family

My priority and my main focus now is to look after my 60 years old mother. As long as I am still alive I will take care my old mother. No doubt about that. I will ensure that she will stay with me. Due to career commitment, it is impossible for my five younger brothers and sisters who live in Kuala Lumpur to move to Johor in order to take care my old mother. Hence, as the eldest son I vow I will be the one who will look after my old mother until her last breath.


If I have to modify my business plan and my business modus operandi in order to ensure that I could look after my old mother on daily basis, so be it. Indeed there is no business venture that is more important than looking after an old mother.


I am grateful to Allah that although I am normally in overseas, on the day when my father passed away I was the first person to arrive and hug my old mother. As the eldest son I was also involved in washing and bathing my late father's body as well as conducting the funeral prayer for him. 

My Special Thanks To My Beloved Wife 

Actually one of the main reasons my wife previously did not accompany me when I was doing my business in Manchester, Khartoum, Kathmandu and Jakarta was that she voluntarily wanted to look after my ill father and my old mother so that I could focus on developing my consultancy business in overseas.



My wife was the person who has patiently looked after my ill father and my old mother when I was in overseas. In other words, my wife became the eyes and ears of me. On daily basis she would update me on what's happening to my parents when I was away. She brought my late father to the dialysis centre to undergo his dialysis treatment 3 times a week for the past 3 years.



All this while my wife was also the person who drove my parents to any destination that they wished to go, whether to buy groceries, or to the clinic or to visit our relatives. Although my wife is just a daughter-in-law, she with her kind heart has really devoted her time to take care my ill late father and my old mother.



Due to their career commitment, all my younger brothers and sisters have no choice but to live in the big cities (four of them in Kuala Lumpur and one in Abu Dhabi) which are far away from my old mother who is living in our family house in a small village in Johor. Thus, without any slightest of doubt they are indeed very thankful to my wife for her noble sacrifice.



Even the villagers in my small village know about my wife very commendable attitude towards her parents-in-law who are my late father and old mother. For that, I must say to my beloved wife: "Thank you so much my dear wife. You are everything to me. You are my heart. My nyawa. My ratu hatiku. My angel. My sunshine!" 

That Day Will Never Come...

Until the day I die I will never forget what my late father have told me in the hospital. He said: "Later after I am discharged from this hospital, I would like to go to your house to spend time with you to learn more about all the Zikir that you have guided me to recite just now"

 
When I kissed my late father's face for the very last time before it was wrapped in a white cloth which served as the shroud, I finally accepted the reality that that day will never come... 





Good Bye Abah...Till We Meet Again At Padang Mahsyar On The Day Of Judgment, Insya-Allah.

Al-Fatihah For My Beloved Late Father, Haji Hassan Bin Haji Muin. Al-Fatihah...

Ya Allah Tuhan Yang Maha Pengasih..., Kasihanilah Ayah Saya, Hassan Bin Muin Sebagaimana Beliau Mengasihi Saya Semasa Saya Kecil

Ya Allah Tuhan Yang Maha Pengampun..., Ampunkanlah Dosa-Dosa Ayah Saya, Hassan Bin Muin

Ya Allah Tuhan Yang Maha Penyayang..., Cucurilah Rahmat Ke Atas Roh Ayah Saya, Hassan Bin Muin

Ya Allah Tuhan Yang Maha Memperkenankan..., Tempatkanlah Roh Ayah Saya, Hassan Bin Muin Di Kalangan Roh Orang-Orang Yang Beriman

Ya Allah Tuhan Yang Maha Pemurah..., Jadikanlah Alam Kubur Ayah Saya, Hassan Bin Muin Satu Taman Dari Taman-Taman Syurga

Ya Allah Tuhan Yang Maha Menghendaki..., Lindungilah Ayah Saya, Hassan Bin Muin Dari Azab Kubur

Ya Allah Tuhan Yang Maha Berkuasa..., Permudahkanlah Urusan Hisab Ayah Saya, Hassan Bin Muin Di Padang Mahsyar Nanti

Amin Ya Rabbal Alamin...






KEUTAMAAN HAFIZ DAN HAFIZAH ATAU PENGHAFAL QURAN


Allah telah menjanjikan kelebihan kepada mereka yang menghafal al Quran seperti yang digambarkan di bawah.


1.  MEREKA ADALAH KELUARGA ALLAH SWT.
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Anas ra. Ia berkata bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda: "Sesungguhnya Allah itu mempunyai keluarga yang terdiri daripada manusia". Kemudian Anas berkata lagi, lalu bertanya: "Siapakah mereka itu wahai Rasulullah". Baginda menjawab: "Iaitu ahli Quran (orang yang membaca atau menghafal Al- Quran dan mengamalkan isinya). Mereka adalah keluarga Allah dan orang-orang yang istimewa bagi Allah"



2.  DI TEMPATKAN SYURGA YANG PALING TINGGI
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Abdullah Bin Amr Bin Al Ash ra, bahawasanya Nabi s.a.w bersabda: "Di akhirat nanti para ahli Al Quran diperintahkan: Bacalah dan naiklah ke syurga. Dan bacalah Al Quran dengan tartil seperti engkau membacanya dengan tartil pada waktu di dunia. Tempat tinggal mu di syurga berdasarkan ayat paling akhir yang engkau baca"



3.  AHLI AL QURAN ADALAH ORANG YANG ARIF DI SYURGA
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Anas ra, bahawasanya Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "Para pembaca Al Quran itu adalah orang-orang yang arif di antara penghuni syurga"



4. MENGHORMATI ORANG YANG MENGHAFAL AL QURAN BERERTI MENGAGUNGKAN ALLAH SWT.
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Abu Musa Al Asya'ari ra, bahawasanya Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "Diantara perbuatan mengagungkan Allah adalah menghormati orang Islam yang sudah tua, menghormati orang yang menghafal Al-Quran yang tidak berlebih-lebihan dalam mengamalkan isinya dan tidak membiarkan Al-Quran tidak diamalkan, serta menghormati kepada penguasa yang adil"



5.  HATI PENGHAFAL AL-QURAN TIDAK DI SEKSA
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Abdullah Bin Mas'ud ra, bahawasanya Nabi s.a.w. bersabda: "Bacalah Al Quran kerana Allah tidak akan menyeksa hati orang yang hafal Al-Quran. Sesungguhanya Al-Quran ini adalah hidangan Allah, siapa yang memasukinya ia akan aman. Dan barangsiapa yang mencintai Al Quran maka hendaklah ia bergembira"



6.  MEREKA LEBIH BERHAK MENJADI IMAM DALAM SOLAT
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Ibnu Mas'ud ra, bahawasanya Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "Yang menjadi imam dalam solat suatu kaum hendaknya yang paling pandai membaca Al Quran"



7.  DISAYANGI RASULULLAH S.A.W
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Jabir Bin Abdullah ra, bahawasanya Nabi s.a.w menyatukan dua orang daripada orang-orang yang gugur dalam Perang Uhud dalam satu liang lahad. Kemudian Nabi s.a.w. bertanya: "Dari mereka berdua siapakah paling banyak hafal Al Quran? Apabila ada orang yang dapat menunjukkan kepada salah satunya, maka Nabi s.a.w memasukkan mayat itu terlebih dahulu ke liang lahad"



8.  DAPAT MEMBERIKAN SYAFAAT KEPADA KELUARGA
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Ali Bin Abi Thalib Karramallahu Wajhah, bahawasanya Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda: "Barangsiapa membaca Al Quran dan menghafalnya, maka Allah akan memasukkannya kedalam syurga dan memberikannya hak syafaat untuk sepuluh anggota keluarganya di mana mereka semuanya telah ditetapkan untuk masuk neraka"



9.  PENGHAFAL AL QURAN AKAN MEMAKAI MAHKOTA KEHORMATAN
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Abu Hurairah ra, bahawasanya Nabi s.a.w bersabda: "Orang yang hafal Al Quran nanti pada hari kiamat akan datang dan Al Quran akan berkata: "Wahai Tuhan, pakaikanlah dia dengan pakaian yang baik lagi baru." Maka orang tersebut diberikan mahkota kehormatan. Al Quran berkata lagi: "Wahai Tuhan tambahlah pakaiannya." Maka orang itu diberi pakaian kehormatannya. Al Quran lalu berkata lagi: "Wahai Tuhan, redailah dia." Maka kepadanya di katakan: "Bacalah dan naiklah. Dan untuk setiap ayat, ia diberi tambahan satu kebajikan."



10.  HAFAL AL QURAN MERUPAKAN BEKALAN PALING BAIK.
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Jabir Bin Nufair, bahawasanya Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "Sesungguhnya kamu tidak akan kembali menghadap Allah dengan membawa sesuatu yang paling baik daripada sesuatu yang berasal daripada-Nya iaitu Al Quran"



11.  ORANG TUA MEMPEROLEHI PAHALA KHUSUS JIKA ANAKNYA PENGHAFAL AL QURAN.
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w.:
Daripada Buraidah Al Aslami ra, bahawasanya ia mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w bersabda: "Pada hari kiamat nanti, Al Quran akan menemui penghafalnya ketika penghafal itu keluar dari kuburnya. Al Quran akan berwujud seseorang dan ia bertanya kepada penghafalnya: "Apakah anda mengenalku?".
Penghafal tadi menjawab: "Saya tidak mengenal kamu." Al Quran berkata: "Saya adalah kawanmu, Al Quran yang membuatmu kehausan di tengah hari yang panas dan membuatmu tidak tidur pada malam hari. Sesungguhnya setiap pedagang akan mendapat keuntungan di belakang dagangannya dan kamu pada hari ini di belakang semua dagangan. Maka penghafal Al Quran tadi di beri kekuasaan di tangan kanannya dan diberi kekekalan ditangan kirinya, serta di atas kepalanya dipasang mahkota perkasa. Sedang kedua orang tuanya diberi dua pakaian baru lagi bagus yang harganya tidak dapat di bayar oleh penghuni dunia keseluruhannya. Kedua orang tua itu lalu bertanya: "Kenapa kami di beri dengan pakaian begini?". Kemudian dijawab: "Kerana anakmu hafal Al Quran."
Kemudian kepada penghafal Al Quran tadi di perintahkan: "Bacalah dan naiklah ketingkat-tingkat syurga dan kamar-kamarnya." Maka ia pun terus naik selagi ia tetap membaca, baik bacaan itu cepat atau perlahan (tartil)"



12. AKAN MENEPATI KELAS TERTINGGI DI DALAM SYURGA.
Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w:
Daripada Sisyah ra, bahawasanya Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "Jumlah tingkatan-tingkatan syurga sama dengan jumlah ayat-ayat Al Quran. Maka tingkatan syurga yang dimasuki oleh penghafal Al Quran adalah tingkatan yang paling atas, dimana tidak ada tingkatan lagi sesudah itu"