The other evening was my weekly usrah gathering...
A friend emailed me, asking details on what is usrah all about. i`ve also met few friends who even asked "eh, ikut usrah lagi?"well...
my usrah episode started years ago back in 1990`s where i was in SMKASAS. yes, which it was a compulsary for everyone in the school. that time, i took it as a matter of only attending a class.mandatory.most of the time, the naqibah (one who leads the usrah) would do the talking, and us..do the listening & nodding:). the theme was basically on fardhu ain stuff. when we were in form 3, few gals managed to escape from the sessions..yet, i was still there sitting in a circle everyweek, listening & nodding:).i was on the usrah boat for 3 years then.
not long, my usrah phase was halted once i moved to SERATAS, prolonged further when i got to matriculation.it took about 3 years break altogether.that time , i noticed how i missed the usrah thing. i`ve tried to compensate those emptiness with self-reading on tazkirah books.., yet it just didn`t fill the real aura of usrah offers.hey, anyway i own no choice back there. years past, came my glory years in UKM (1998-2000). it was awesome. i took 2 usrah group offers at once! so, i had 2 sessions of usrah per week. really enjoy them both.each of them had their unique approach. less nodding & listening.progress to sharing, asking & discussing mode. since then, i am still allocating my time for it.graduated-work-married-children. so glad that my the other half is also on the same boat since in UTM.. it has been 10 years now and counting.
well..it is a sense of belonging to the community everywhere we go. having someone and a group who really cares for you, for the sake of Allah. whom having the alike views on life, whom sees life more than only as it is. basically the usrah tentative are flows like this :
1) tilawah & tasmi` the Quran (pick 1 ayat to discuss) - 15 mins
2) tazkirah (any topic, assigned by the naqibah prior) - 10 mins
3) topic : hadith, tauhid, seerah, tafsir, akhlak (rotated) - 45 mins
4) hafazan surah/hadith & tasmi`- 20 mins
5) current issue discussion - 15 mins
6) mutaba`ah amal (self-reflection- ibadah checklist)-10 mins
7) sharing : family, friends, work, neighbours etc - 20 mins
i was touched with our tazkirah topic this week on keeping the momentum of ibadah in Ramadhan running. on how well we could keep ourselves to the tilawah, sedeqah, qiamullail, wakes up early for Subh etc., yet how well are we to keep it on during the rest of the month?it is a matter of whether we take the blessed Ramadhan for granted or appreciating it and feeling the effects its one month intensive ibadah training, for the rest of the months to come?
later, we shared on investment of RM (which we can monitor) versus investment of akhirat (which we can`t see?). my naqibah reminds us to be careful in bulking a whole lot of what we earn every month for RM investment. instead, put aside a portion for the needy, especially unfortunate ones, the orphanage. not that, islam discourage of being wealth.must note that, what is the intention of being wealth?is it that when we have 1 million, then our aim is to build a shelter home or mosque or orphan home? or just for the sake of our later life, which we don`t know until how old will we still alive and be healthy?sometimes, she said..we seems to forget that the life is not eternal. so, the rule of thumb is : save some for your unfortunate days, and some are best allocate to your children, family and others. (as like the hadith quotes).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every Muslim has to give in charity." The people then asked: "(But what) if someone has nothing to give, what should he do?" The Prophet replied: "He should work with his hands and benefit himself and also give in charity (from what he earns)." The people further asked: "If he cannot find even that?" He replied: "He should help the needy who appeal for help." Then the people asked: "If he cannot do (even) that?" The Prophet said finally: "Then he should perform good deeds and keep away from evil deeds, and that will be regarded as charitable deeds." - Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 2, Hadith 524
finally, on this week also.. we discuss on tafsir of surah Al-Infithor (surah 82, 1-19)
The theme of this Surah is the Hereafter. After describing the Day of Resurrection it is pointed out that every person will see whatever he has done in this world. Then man is asked to ponder upon the question as to what has deluded him into thinking that Allah ( God), Who brought him into being and by Whose favor and bounty he possesses the finest body, limbs and features among all creatures, is only bountiful and not just? His being bountiful and generous does not mean that man should become fearless of His justice. Then, man is warned that he should not remain involved in any misunderstanding because his complete record is being prepared. Each person is assigned two angels who are the trustworthy writers, they are writing down whatever he is doing.
In conclusion, it is stated that the Day of Resurrection will surely take place and on that Day the righteous shall enjoy every kind of bliss in paradise and the wicked shall be punished in hell. On that Day no one shall avail anyone anything. All powers of judgement shall be with Allah.
......a piece of take-home message for all of us. Wallahu a`lam.
