2016 - praying for great health and faith

Bismillah.

Assalamualaikum my dear readers,

It's the first day at work for 2016, for most of us. Not me, not yet ; )

But let's mark this first day of work anyway.

By the way, please give me some time to update the posting on Penang's Mawlid Akbar insya Allah.

Before leaving Penang yesterday, I visited Penang's most cherished pious old man. He is like the father/grandfather of Penang Muslims - Datuk Shaykh Abdullah Bukhari. A video of his is available on Al Falah TV YouTube channel. He was the longest-serving imam of Masjid Kapitan Keling, the oldest mosque in Penang.

Datuk Abdullah is currently being treated at Penang's General Hospital. Let us all pray so that Allah will restore his health and grant him a long life because the Muslim community in Penang is in need of his blessed presence. He looked fine and his voice sounded much better. I presumed he underwent a successful throat surgery which he was telling us about during our last visit.

The difference between an unassuming veteran shaykh and the younger generation Shuyukh is quite striking, in my opinion. When I visited him at the hospital, I didn't have to go through his aides. There's no protocol whatsoever. He was lying in bed looking fresh despite his illness. When I stood by him, he smiled and immediately raised his hands to recite du'a. Masha Allah tabarakallah! I need not ask. He was genuinely generous and caring, showing so much compassion, despite being unwell.

I think that's the spirit, we should always wear a smile and look happy for people.

   
p/s

Alhamdulillah, with tawfiq from Allah, I was able to complete 10,000 salawat as recommended by Habib Umar bin Hafiz.

Masjid Kapitan Keling will be hosting a 1-million salawat event at the end of January. I am not sure how exactly it will be organized, but it's worth joining. 

Allahumma salli ala Sayyidina Muhammad 

habibur rahman adadama yaqun wama qadkan