A bunch of roses on a Sunday morning

Sunday, September 11, 2011

A bunch of roses on a Sunday morning

Assalamu 'Alaikum,

A bunch of roses on a Sunday morning

“I will be embarrassed walking home with this bouquet of roses,” I said. “No,” the lady florist said, “all the wives who see you will be jealous. You didn’t just buy the flowers, you walked home with it!” Yes there were knowing smiles from the male motorists seeing me jogging with the bunch of purple roses, smiles that said wonder what he’s done to carry such a big apology for all the world to see.
Actually I needed to work out all the lemang* and the rendang* consumed since the first day of Raya*. As I jogged today in the morning cool my wedding anniversary played on my mind and wondered how I could slip out and buy some flowers for my wife. I have not failed to do so for many years now. Then I remembered the new florist shop at the new Plaza in our residential patch and made a diversion to continue the tradition. Just in a case you have not realised today is Sept 11 2011. It was on that fateful night of September 11 2001 a decade ago that I married my lovely wife Anira. Now if there is a husband in this world who has no excuse to forget his wedding anniversary that would be me. Although many times she caught me with a peck on the cheek on the morning of 8^thSept as that was the date of the akad nikah* at the  mosque in Panji, Kota Baru. Sept 11 was just the groom reception in KL but we sort of agreed to celebrate and remember both.

And who could forget Sept 11 2001. The whole Aziz Yeop's, my late father’s clan plus my wife’s delegation were there on that beautiful evening at the groom reception. At just about the time Abang Holek and the gang from Lenggong recited the Salawat Nabi* everyone started reading the sms messages on their handphones. I thought hmm, Manchester United must have won the European Cup again or something like that. The guest of honour, my late Tokcik* Basir, later told me that when he reached home later that night he switched on the TV and saw two aeroplanes diving into some tall buildings in New York. He dismissed it as another Hollywood movie and went to bed little realising the enormity of what he saw.

Much have been said of Sept 11 2001. Certainly it is difficult to rationalise the killing of civilian lives in an act of war which goes against the injunctions set by our beloved Prophet pbuh. However while many Muslims struggle in their minds with this infringement of the rules set by Islam, equally as many Muslims find it very difficult to forgive heinous crimes against Islam merely by virtue of this infringement. We call upon America and its people to look inward and see how they are constantly manipulated by the forces of Israel. Is this really what they want; how many more young Americans have to lose their lives in battles which America and Americans really need not go to war in? Similarly with the political scenario nearer to home. Without question the ruling crowd have done some good for the country and need to be thanked for but when citizens are asked to sweep under the carpet unending rape of the country’s resources in eternal gratitude for what they have done for the country it is equally difficult for many Muslims to forgive these heinous crimes. There has to be a solution which is fair to all parties. Democracy and votes, with money as the oil that runs power, may not be the answer; no amount of rejuvenation can solve the problem if money is the root cause of all ambitions. Either we look for a political party that runs on faith or we revert to bai’ah* of the pious, in debunk of the current system. Either way there must be realistic and unemotional discussions to resolve the issue, that sweeps nothing under the carpet.

Yes, much has been said of Sept 11 2001. To me it’s also a date I married a lovely girl; who is now a mother of three little joys in our life.

Happy anniversary sayang*.

Zahid

Class of ’72, Sulaiman House.

Note: lemang = A Malay rice delicacy roasted in bamboos for special occasions
          rendang = a beef delicacy to eat with the lemang
          Raya = Eid
          Akad Nikah = Solemnisation of the Muslim marriage
          Salawat Nabi = Recitals of praises of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
          Tokcik = Grand Uncle
          Bai'ah = Swearing of Allegiance, usually associated with the appointment of a Caliph.
          Sayang = darling