Bully Cases in Religious School and Traditional Madrasah

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah!

 Infamous madrasah or dumpster with rooms in huts, Yan district of Kedah. Students live like hermits unlike in SBP or MRSM, haha.

I had accidentally read news in MyMetro, though it's not my favorite paper as it has also many obscenities and ridiculous stuffs but this issue really caught my attention. First of all, I would like to express my sympathy to Mr. Muhammad Asymuni Ilyas who is injured in the pondok where he's studying since 10 years ago and to his family. According to the news, he has several injuries at his spine and heel. It is believed that he was pushed until he fell down from the first level of a building in the school compound. The man is also a person with different ability and it is a disgrace to treat him like that. Students there was said as lying to the family when being asked, they said that the student fell down himself. I wonder whether those students who had treated the student badly had been educated by their family well or they were sent there by parents as a dumpster? Kenapa jadikan sekolah agama dan pondok sebagai pusat pemulihan akhlak? Kenapa jadikannya sebagai tempat yang hina, saudara-saudari saya? 

My experience that made me feel deep sympathy to this guy and other students who were bullied is that last time, I had a fight with my dorm mate while I was schooled in Perlis private religious school. Nobody in the dorm helped me to stop the fight, and after that I was also condemned and boycotted for helping another unfortunate student who was boycotted by other student. After that I have the grudge to people of my own religion (Islam). I don't want to talk with them, I hate my dad and family for listening to elders sending me there and guess what happened later? When I returned to my grandpa house one day, I had coincidentally listened to Buddhism teaching by a guru aired by Southern Thai radio station and began to visit Buddhist temples, getting sai sin string tied at my wrist. From that time I slowly and silently learning the religion until I silently profess my faith in Gautama Buddha as my protector teacher, responsibility of dharmma, and monastic community when I was 15 in front of Buddha image that I kept as reminder that I was a Buddhist in my wallet. At 15, I had problem with school too, where my mum transferred me again into a religious type school but that one is registered in Selangor under JAIS supervision. I hate Muslim at my young time and it continues until I was 17 years old of age. I refused to bow down to the God, I didn't want to believe His existence, I hate to listen to people reciting Quranic verses and I mocked them because I didn't believe them to be 'true' since what I had seen had giving impact, it shaken the faith of a young kid... I failed my SPM and later I wanted to die and fasting like lord Buddha Gautama without any water nor food. Only after a point I began to realize and getting my awareness. And it start again with my pilgrimage to holy Mecca with mum. She cried a lot for me and wants everything better for me although her choice sometimes constraining me. She loves me, I know that and I guess that is why my sisters are envious to me too but I believe she loves everyone. Only she doesn't know how to express it. She's just like few Chinese or Vietnamese mothers yang cakap macam nak gaduh dengan orang although she's not a Chinese nor Vietnamese.

From the news report, the father of the injured and disabled man said that, nobody from school administration nor any student come to visit him. I am not in Alor Setar right now, but if I am there I would certainly visit him and asking him to pray for me and everybody for Guidance and Success. In my point of view, this is one of the thing that I regret in Malaysian society in general. The question posed here is, you people assume that religious education as dumpster, right? It has no value compared to science stream or any other 'critical' streams in school education system, right? You will send your useless, lazy to study kids, or kids who do not excel well in "academic" studies to those private dumpsters, right?

For village folks, perhaps religious school or madrasah is something for you to take pride on your offspring while you don't study yourselves and you didn't educate or placing emphasize about religious awareness on your child since their toddler time? So that, you may show off to other village folks like your relatives, neighbors or your friends? If in registered religious school, those who do not excel well would be sent to lowest class (shari'ah) and being offended with bad remarks even by teachers of other streams...

I wish Peaceful Saturday, Yomus-Sabt as-Salaam to brethren from the branch of sons of Jacob and Isaac and also to Samaritans, may you benefit from your Torah and scriptural studies. The Samaritans indeed were nobler than everyone else : (

Sealed with prayers for peace, mercy, and love, amin!     

Condolence to Landslide Victims in Hulu Langat

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

I am quite surprised to hear this news. A madrasah known as Madrasah at-Taqwa was hit by a landslide like yesterday. I just noticed the news and quite sad because many of there are kids died in the incident. I guess the madrasah is not build up legally, poor kids and teachers there. First of all, I would like to express my condolence to the family of the victims, may you be patient with what had happened. Life and death are decreed by Him, we are just His creatures. May those victims rest in peace and blessed be their souls in the world there.

Hulu Langat was a place where I live after we returned to southern part from Kedah. My father have to resign when the chief minister of Kedah finished his term at that time. Then he returned to his old company in Jalan Riong and being a reporter again. He actually had took the risk by trying the job with the state and serving our motherland. If he didn't choose that way, he might now being an editor or being promoted to high position in his company who knows. But everything is decreed by Lord God.

When we returned to southern part, we lived in Hulu Langat and I know the area that was hit by the landslide in Batu. 14. We use to visit the waterfalls there and the place actually has beautiful natural scenary. I was schooled in Sekolah Kebangsaan Batu. 9 from standard five to six. I did not miss my previous school although at that time I was having problem to familiarize myself with new environment because the difference in dialect and a little bit culture. When we talk about this northern part and southern part, it is quite different. So do the eastern part of the peninsula. I was quite naughty when I was in standard six, but I did not build any close relationship with other students.

When I was in form one my parents decided to send me back to northern part. So, again I had to adjust myself and I began to have problems with my identity, as a Muslim kid because I always fight with my dorm mates. Later I had made a problem and my mother immediately took me home and changing me to a state monitored religious school in Hulu Langat, it is the Sekolah Menengah Agama Batu. 10. I had forgotten its other name, but it is a neighbor of a private school which is called Sang Suriya School. I was in the school until about two months I was in form four (16 years old). 

I did not actually have good relationship with teachers or students there. I tried to hide myself from others and I had also fight with my classmates, I still remember two of them whose name are Hafiz and Tarmizie. Another one I can't remember his name but I still can recognize his appearance, when I was in my second year bachelor degree I met him at One Utama with his girlfriend but I did not greet him. When I was in form three, I almost hit him at his head with science class apparatus after we quarrelled about experiment stuffs. Later, Hafiz was a classmate of mine when we were dumped into Syari'ah stream. Those who were in Syari'ah stream are actually considered as losers. 

I tried to get out of the school after I was insulted and humiliated by a discipline teacher. I applied for Technical School in Kajang because my mother did not allow me to enter Perimbun School. That Perimbun School was actually notorious school, I did not really care because I thought that I have nothing to do with religion I mean Islam and if Muslims say that I should go to hell I do not care.  For me this world is actually a hell. I belieevd that I would only attain liberty when I leave this world when I become a monk. I had already proclaimed Trin-Rattana (three gems) proclamation of being a Buddhist. I took that decision alone and was actually tied with Sai Sin (holy threads for hindus and buddhists) when I was in form one at a temple. 

When I was shifted to Hulu Langat living with my family, I began to suffer identity problem and confused but I kept it only to myself. I believe many suffer this phenomenon but we only could reach them when they tell us about their selves and usually they would just keep it as a wound in their selves.

Hurmmm, this tragedy brings me back to old memories because of its location. Not really good memories but I have to live with them untill the day I see Him. When many people having good memories or sad memories shared with their old times friend and acquaintences. I am just sharing this to Him. Well, those who follows this site are also honorable friends and brothers to me. When Zaidi and Saiful who is his friend watching a movie about school kids called "See U in IPT" at his computer in my room during my first degree, it reminds me back of my pathetic self. The setting is actually in my ex-school in Batu.10, Hulu Langat. 

May Allah bless the soul of the victims in the lanslide tragedy. May Allah place you guys amongst those who are faithful and fearful to Allah. If you guys are the bearer of Quran, I believe that He would never leave you alone. Instead you guys would have a company which is His words entertaining you while waiting for the day. May your family being blessed with you who would be waiting them and making them easier crossing the straight path which is the siraat-al-mustaqeem in the hereafter. My ta'ziyya (condolence) to the family of victims.