What My Mother Taught Me

Sometime ago, I think it was during the Malaysia's mother's day Ummikusayang dot come launched a competition for any of the members of ummikusayang to do a write up about "what your mother taught you". I didn't participate because I am slow that way. I did read many of the write ups. Many of them wrote about how their mother was their influence on their excellent culinary skill.

This bring shame to me. My mother was a great cook. She also used her talent for the extra pocket money. When I was young, i had to follow her send her kuehs to kedai kopi. She made excellent kueh. But did I learn any? Noooo. To much shame.

I taught about this for sometime until the competition finished. Hahahahha.

Until recently I was reminded again. I think I know the answer now. My mother was the one who taught me to read the Quran. She always spend her time on the floor and me with a muqaddam on the rehal doing the alif ba ta and later on continued to read. Until i was confident enough to read the quran then only she sent me to some ustazahs.

I grew up thinking,this is what mothers do. Mothers are the one who teach their children the early reading of the quran. There is no other way to it. So that was it!

I knew I will grow up becoming an executive and drive an Audi and play tennis and I know I want children of my own and I will make sure I will take the full gear responsibility to teach my children to read the holy book.

But not the masak kueh and jahit-jahit part though. despite growing up seeing my mothers do it, I don't feel that it is a mother's job. Maybe because she did that for our living. I kan nak jadi executive bawak Audi. :P (sekarang menyesal dan kueh tak ada bubur nasi pun tak ada)

But now, looking around me, i see all mothers send their kids to a better teacher, a better sheikh. I am sure their kids reading are much better than mine. Not to mention faster too. So I am not sure whether I am actually doing the right thing.

But then when I think of my mum, I always make dua' that Allah multiply her hasanat and the good ilm that she taught me (and the other children she taught)and that the quran will be her defender in yaumul akhirah. When i read the quran I ask Allah, to double triple quadraple the hasanat of me reading to her.

And I feel that I want these from my children too.

We talked about this, Haziq and I. That how much i need dua' from him (and the other two copetot). I may not be able to fulfill this hadith,

Narrated by Uthman, "The best of you is the one who learns the quran and teach others."

I may not be able to teach others but at least I have my children, Insya Allah.

And if we cannot teach, do not despair, because our effort and encouragement in ensuring our children are learning the quran counts big time!

I ask Allah to guide me to do the right thing to nurture them in becoming the best of mu'meen.