Half of the Exam Done

I just finished my arabic exam today. And I find it H A R D. Subhanallah I had been crunching the difficult i'rab looking at all the present tense rules and the past tense rules, at different cases when verb comes first or noun comes first. So I sort of overlooked the really easy ones especially the one that I don't think will come out (because it has never been stress and also it is not purely i'rab). What do you know? The easy ones came out in total of six questions! I got all of them wrong. And to add to it are questions that I do not know at all.

I was frustrated of course. Qadr Allah.

I still love learning the language even though it is getting a toll on me and a test on steadfastness indeed.

What is done is done. Few more exams to come. And this one I reckon will be quite tough too. It is memorisation from the Juz Amma. The test format would be like the usual memorisation test that is to randomly mention a verse out of the surahs in juz Amma, and for you to continue it.

It is easier if they just tell you to recite a particular surah from the beginning, but to continue from a random ayat is another challenge altogeher. What more to a rusty brain like mine.

Why just the other day, I was asked to continue reciting from a random verse in surah al a'la, and I found myself going everywhere reciting verses from other surahs instead.

Allah Musta'an.

Regardless of all those, I ask Allah that he brings me good knowledge that is of benefit, a good provision and deeds that will be accepted.

_______________________________

I am putting here a clip that i received ages ago.

The following is a clip of a brother who is mentally challenged and is even not able to put his shirt back if he takes it off, but look and listen how he is able to continue any words that he hears from the Quran!

They ask him about the name of the surah and number of the surah and how many of this statement is mentioned in the Quran, and they gave him among the hardest verses to recall and remember since there are several ones in the Quran and one might get confused between them.

It is amazing how he is not able to answer the questions he is asked properly but the minute he hears a verse or a part of a verse as if you hit the play button in his mind and he starts reciting.

Subhanallah! May Allah preserve him.

Meeting the Parents

We had parents-teacher's day at the K@Fa we are doing here. This was the follow up after the mid term exam we had last week.

Subhanallah i never did know the amount of work that needs to be put in the whole affair. To write the exam paper. To reconcile with other teacher who is also teaching the boys of the same level.

Oh by the way, we have separated the boys and the girls for each level except for the youngest ones. And only female teachers teach the girls and the men with the boys. And I enjoy it very much. Finally I can hear the girl's voice! They have been too quiet all these while. maybe drowned in the rowdy boys' voice or mainly too shy to speak. After we separated them, they can finally give answers or talk girls' things with me.

That reminds me, we were in the subject of seerah and I was leading them to the story of the marriage between prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasalam and Khadijah. How Khadijah was impress with prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasalam good manner, trustworthiness and kindness. And the girls were oohhhing and ahhing. Amboi cerita pasal kahwin terus suka. And they started telling me what kind of man they would like. "I like handsome man", said one girl. Amboi!

Wokey, anyway, I was saying, we had teacher's parents day. So I finally get to know the parents. So many came! Masya Allah! Even though many came, but the ones that i want to see most did not come. Qadr Allah. My heart was swelling with happiness for those who came.

I have never talked almost non stop for more than four hours! And that also because I think I was too passionate in talking to the parents and sharing K@FA's aspirations and my own personal aspiration for the children and the parents, I took my time talking to them. Kesian parents kena beratur tunggu giliran.

I met a few parents who shared with them their aspirations too. Allahumma Bareek. And among them there is one lady who said for a year she was worried about her children's deen and spent her time teaching them herself. When finally she heard of K@FA, she quickly enrolled her children. Masya Allah! I was surprised because, her daughter is really very clever and seem to be at ease in learning the deen. She did a good job! She definitely must never stop teaching the children! *LOVES*

And also, since I am teaching the younger groups (age : 5-8), I find may parents who are concern that their children are naughty in class. And dengann sifat kemelayuan, many parents would say, "marahkan aje anak saya. jangan takut-takut." and "Tell me if he is naughty." I lover tau. mana ada marah-marah ni. LOL.

I learned tremendous seeing other more expert teachers handling this day and things in general. I learned more about parents. *EXCITED*

I went back tired and famish. But I felt happy to the point of crying. Mungkin makcik sedikit kememeh minggu ini.

I pray that all these children will grow up righteous and become the leaders among the muttaqun.

Now now now I have to concentrate on my own exam coming up this Wednesday. Exam yang ni tak ada parents teachers day.

Sya is Ten

Sya turned ten when we were in Madinah. Masya Allah! She is really ten? Soon soon very soon I will have a teenage girl in the house. Wonder what will that be like?

Where shall I start. OK first of all, I was worried about Sya's weight (to add to my own's eh?). She loves eating and she always has baby fat ever since she is baby (LOL). But last year she has been gaining weight and I was not very happy with it. It is too bad that we live in an inactive life here. There is not much sports here even at school. It is laughable compared to what you guys have in Malaysia. School life is not as hectic as in Malaysia. She doesn't have to rush much for school and can take time to eat and snack.

People have been commenting about her weight gain. It hurts me when people say that, just as much as it hurts me when people comment about my weight. Yang paling benci, are those who comment about her weight, and when i am being particular about the amount of food she eats or the type, they would say, "Alaa budak-budak, biarlah apa dia nak makan." Obese children start from weight gain right?

Anyway I controlled her ration and her snack. I made lots of reminders and sometimes force her to run. She took up a liking on rollerblades and she is quite good on it, Masya Allah. I made healthier school food too (as much as i can). Very rarely they take sausages and nuggets now. I try to grill most of the food. Even ayam masak merah, I broil the chicken first. We try to take raw veges now. Maybe I'll blog about food in another post eh?

Alhamdulillah, the weight has gone down now and the perut looking much flatter, Masya Allah. And of course we have to be realistic, Sya is not the paper thin type. She will probably be a bit chubby, but she has improved and that is what matter most. We'll work on being healthy Insya Allah.

Sya likes to make us fruit juice. Whenever we have fruits, she would cut up the fruits in small chunks and make fruit juice. So now she has to learn to clean up properly. Kadang-kadang melekit satu dapur. I think she enjoys having Jack watching her doing kitchen work. Rancangan memasak ke cik kak?

Her daily chore is cleaning up the table. Kena paksa. And her work is clean and neat. Masya Allah! Dah 10 tahun ni boleh kasi tambah daily chore nampaknya. her room is still a mess though.

Maths is not her favourite subject. This is a bit disheartening. If you are the kind who find maths easy, you will find this mind boggling indeed. Insya Allah I am taking it easy. But I suppose it is the environment that allows me to be relax. The school system here do not label weak in maths as a failure.

Having said that, I am devising ways to spend time on her maths. Allah Musta'an.

She likes writing though. I may not like her style but I think it can develop Insya Allah. The teacher seems to like it though.

She also likes to sew and make crafts. Which I don't like because I always find crafts a mess. She is now into making dolls and making the dresses. It looks rough and crude still. The thing is she doesn't know how to place her things properly. It drives me crazy. I suppose I have no patience for this. But I do recognise it is something good to develop. I do not know how to guide her. Any advice? Maybe I'll enroll her in something.


Looks scary still. But I think it is cute. And I have no idea where she gets the idea from.

Sya is still the only one who talks freely about love. Will write down that she loves me. Will make cards for me. Abang dengan adik dia menumpang aje sign. Will leave me notes. Will tell me she loves me in french. Je t'aime ma mère

Some say I am too hard on her.

I think I am.

I am so afraid she will grow up like me, but yet I am moulding her to be me. Maybe I should read up something about girls. I have been surrounded with boys and am raising boys all the time that I find raising girls a slightly strange territory. She on the other hand must have been quite a rebel because she doesn't seem to want to turn into tomboy or that sort. Naudzuillah.

I love Syama a lot. And does her dad and her brothers.

I pray she grows up righteous and continuously be the comfort of our eyes.

Sya is nine
Sya is eight
Sya is seven
Sya is six
Sya is five
Sya is four