By Ahmed Mohamed Yusuf
It was Sunday towards the end of the third quarter of 2009 as I was watching my family members and friends fading into the mist as I bid farewells waving my hands to them. While I was in the plane, I felt a moist in my eyes (wait, whats that?), it was reminding me of how deeply I hate good-byes, how deeply I loathe departure, the amount of pain and torment that my little heart was feeling, thinking I might never lay eyes on them ever again.
I finally came to the far east of the globe where my ancestors once knew this place as the forsaken land, a place one might never reached as they used to say, or so said the myth. It’s not a mysterious place. Its a well-known country. It’s Malaysia. But my destination is not for the country in general or for the beauty of its rivers and beaches nor for the paradise of the planet of earth, rather it’s for a mini Islamic city known as International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
The challenges I faced in early days of mini Islamic city
I remember vividly my first days in mini Islamic city, taking those long walks around the streets of banking areas all the way around IIUM clinic, making detour walks around the library, and never felt the time flying by because I was so deeply drowned in my thoughts of the beauty of the city.
I remember how new students fought fiercely for their education against all the odds where everything was new to them, spreading salaam to everyone with full of energy and enthusiasm. I was so happy to say that they used to possess abundance of courage, they were amazingly thoughtful looking for friends, looking for dreamers, and together they were conquerors; no limits or circumstances, no ceilings or restrictions, no borders or boundaries could stop those new Muslim delegates (new students) to the mini Islamic city from all around the corners of the world. Yes, they were conquerors.
Photo credited to Abu Emran
My integration to IIUM society especially to the Malay students
The majority of the citizens of this mini Islamic city were the locals known as the Malays as the name of their race suggests, they were very friendly people, easy going, quite shy and humble. They didn’t use to like to interfere with others. We can say they were more focused on their own business, busy with it and didnt have a time for other things whatsoever.
One may say they were more introvert and quite happy with their comfort zone which was familiar to them. Whatever the reason one thing for sure about them is that once they know you better they will open up to you and welcome you as one of their own.
So its a matter of trust I might say, in my personal observation during my time in the city, the Malays used to love Islamic religion so much that they would say salaam and smile at you if you are wearing an Islamic attire. Not only that, they even love and respect Arabic language, where many of us, those who were born with the language took it for granted, which makes this city a great place and a unique one as its own.
Different nationality and their communication among themselves and to the others
I remember one little adventure, on that rainy day when our class was cancelled I went all the way to HS canteen to have my lunch or makan as the Malays say it. I was there to witness the beauty of having different nationalities in one place with all different colours and shapes speaking different languages, but having and sharing one faith which is Islam. Here I say (Allahu Akbar) or Allah is great, it would not be possible for me to witness this without my mini Islamic city of IIUM. May its existence be blessed by the almighty Allah, amen!
The mood and the feeling of the last year
We get it that life is too short. Too short for grudges, regrets, resentments, hatred, sadness and despair. But with life it’s a great possibility for sadness, propensity with much of our time spent slogging through negative emotions. And at times it seems inevitable to end up just like the person next door. A sorrowful robot-like person walking around like a ghost, a person who youve always pitied but never imagined you would ever end up in his shoes.
Too much of mixed emotions around me, joyful and sadness, happy and excitement, that some students who never talked to each other were adding and becoming friends in social media, floating with emotional expressions.
You wonder “how I chose to be calm and observant amidst of all these emotions”. Actually I was feeling guilty for having all these privileges and blessings, feeling guilty for wanting the newest gadgets and spending so much of my time thinking and doing some senseless, brainless things, where I could have spent and taken time to know them better with these beautiful creatures around me through the last four years of my life. I was feeling helpless and wishing if I could bring it back this beautiful time, feeling selfish for just concentrating on myself.
So, for those of you reading this article, do something and spend time with your fellow students in this short period of time that you are in this campus before it comes to an end.***