Volunteering at Hidayah Centre Foundation

Assalamualaikum and hi!

Last Saturday I volunteered at Hidayah Centre Foundation, Bandar Tasik Permaisuri to guide our new Muslim friends to read the Quran/Iqra'. The program was called 'Kelas Bimbingan Saudara Baru'. I made new friends and learned new things from them. It was a rewarding experience for me as I got to know some challenges that our Muslim friends have been facing throughout their process of learning about Islam. This has made me realized how grateful I am to be born as a Muslim. 

The program started at 5.30 pm and I arrived on time! I was assigned to guide Kak Lily with reading the Iqra' 1 & 2. She just reverted to Islam five weeks ago. By the way, if some of you are wondering why did I use the term 'reverted' instead of 'converted' is because every child is a Muslim by birth. I learned this from my Ustazah in Seseri.

Prophet Muhammad said, "No child is born but upon Fitra (as a Muslim). It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a Polytheist." (Sahih Muslim, Book 33, number 6426)

Kak Lily told me, "Tak sabarnya nak pandai baca Al-Quran. Teringin sangat". I was intrigued by Kak Lily's enthusiasm to learn how to read the Al-Quran. She also mentioned that her husband asked her to write each letter (Alif, Ba, Ta) for hundreds of time and she did it. Now, she can recognize and pronounce all the letters accordingly with only a minor mistake. Since that was my first time volunteering at this place, I didn't ask any personal questions although I was really curious to know how they actually got the 'hidayah'. I just be open and listen to whatever Kak Lily tells me about her experience. 

The Iqra'/Quran lesson was ended at 7 pm. There was a short tazkirah by an Ustaz before Iftar. I also got to know some other new Muslim friends during the Iftar. The total participants and volunteers who came to the program on that evening were around 30 people. Plus, our iftar was sponsored by one of our new Muslim friends. May Allah bless him and his family. The program was further continued with Isyak and tarawih prayers. This 'Kelas Bimbingan Saudara Baru' is a weekly morning class but the schedule has changed to the evening session only during the Ramadan. 

I know this program from Makcik Umi, a former program director of IKRAM Teens Bandar Tun Razak (BTR). Back then when I was in high school, I used to join the biweekly usrah conducted by IKRAM Teens BTR at Masjid Al-Mukhlisin Alam Damai and yes, I met Makcik Umi there. She is so kind and adorable. Makcik Umi and her husband have been actively involved in humanitarian activities since I know them in 2012. They really inspire me!

Photo courtesy from the Facebook page of Hidayah Centre Foundation BTR