NOW & THEN

  NOW & THEN #03: A Journey of Learning to Read the Quran Friday 26.2.2021 As I sit here writing this note, I can hear my wife reciting Surah Al-Kahfi. The familiar rhythm of the verses stirs something deep within me, triggering a reflection on my own journey of learning to read and recite the Quran—a journey filled with struggles, delays, and ultimately, fulfillment. It is a long story, but I will try to keep it brief. Childhood Struggles with Learning the Quran In the 1960s, when I was in primary school at Pondok Beris Bachok, Kelantan, my father—a respected Tok Guru Pondok—sent me to my aunt, Mak Yam, to learn how to read the Quran. My father was well-versed in nahu, soraf, and mantik and taught adult students and teachers. However, as a child, I was more interested in playing with my friends than attending Quran lessons. I frequently played truant, and whenever my father checked on my attendance, my aunt would cover for me, assuring him that I had attended class. As a resul...

  Thursday, 25 February 2021 I woke up at 4 a.m. and, as usual, checked my Facebook. To my delight, I saw two compliments from friends who appreciated the way I had composed a photo taken at Taman Saujana Hijau on 24 October 2010. This stunning, multi-million-ringgit elevated garden, located in Presint 11, Putrajaya, was once my favorite place for walking and cycling before the Covid-19 MCO banned outdoor activities in public parks. Photography has been a long and evolving journey for me. My first DSLR, a Canon 400D, was a major purchase in December 2006. As a beginner, spending RM3,500 on a camera felt like a bold investment, especially since I had no clue how to use it properly. But this was not my first expensive mistake in photography. That honor goes to my Nikon F3, a film camera I bought in 1998 for RM2,500 to capture family memories, especially our holidays in London. Excited at first, I used the Nikon F3 for family events like weddings, but after a few months, I stored it i...

NOW & THEN: FIRST RANDOM NOTE DURING COVID19 MCO: 24th February 2021   Writing Through Difficult Times Many great works of literature have been written during difficult times in the lives of their authors. One example is Tafsir Al-Azhar, a monumental work by Buya Hamka, which he wrote while imprisoned by President Sukarno of Indonesia. His confinement became a period of deep reflection and scholarly dedication. Between 2020 and 2022, I, too, experienced a form of "imprisonment" during Malaysia Movement Control Order (MCO) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While my writings during that time were not of the same magnitude, they served as a way to process my thoughts and reflect on my life. They were more introspective than autobiographical and more personal reflections than a structured memoir. The Beginning of My Writing Journey My first serious attempt at writing during this period was on February 24, 2021. I was inspired by Sarah Werner, an Australian writer who had been bl...