Great first day | Praise be to Al Hadi

Bismillah.

They say, "Today, (1st Jan) is the first blank page of a 365-page book. Write a good one."

Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.

I had a wonderful experience on the first day of the new year.

Accompanied my nephew to one popular barber on Acheh Street, Penang. Son & Dad Barbershop is managed by a bunch of talented young Muslim man. They are well known for their vintage decor, uniform (lab/doctor's coat) and of course, their craft. The place is on the George Town heritage/tourist trail, it was extra crowded as it was the first day of the new year. 

I then met Brother Abdul Ghafur who manned a dakwah booth right in front of the iconic Acheh Street Mosque. He was with his team from the Islamic Dakwah Foundation (IDF) based in Kampung Kolam Penang where they hold free Quran classes three times a week. The IDF is 8 years old and has 40 active members. Its dakwah activities and materials are funded by members, volunteers, local donors and Saudi Arabia government. 

Abdul Ghafur ever ready to introduce Islam to the hundreds
(sometimes thousands) of tourists who scale George Town on foot. He and team operate the booth twice a month on top of public holidays.
The pale yellow structure in the background is the minaret of  Acheh Street Mosque built in 1808.

According to Abdul Ghafoor, the "I love Jesus" bunting behind him has been attracting many foreign tourists. Each person who inquired will be given free English Quran by Yusuf Ali. 

English and Mandarin Quran available for would-be reverts and curious non-Muslims, many of whom would be invited to enter the Acheh Street Mosque. There's a good variety of booklets and pamphlets for Muslims too.

Abdul Ghafur's colleagues engaging with tourists who
visited the Acheh Street Mosque

And...the best part of my new year's day outing was when the ever generous Almighty let me have the honor of teaching wudhu and prepare two fresh reverts for Solat Asar! Yes, two 20-something ladies from Guangdong China had just professed the syahadah when I arrived at the mosque. Another member of the Islamic Dakwah Foundation saw me and requested me to assist the two ladies: Siti Aishiah and Siti Maryam (their new names). MashaAllah tabarakallah!

Siti Maryam (left) 23 years old and Siti Aishiah (right), 22
holding a Quran in Mandarin,
a gift from the Islamic Dakwah Foundation
- such a special gift on the first day of the new year,
such a blessed bold move they made!

Siti Aishiah and Siti Maryam's performed their first solat,
about 15 minutes after professing syahadah!
They were on the George Town tourist trail, stopped by the IDF booth, visited the mosque and received hidayah!
They will be flying back to China tomorrow.
May Allah grant them tawfiq and useful knowledge, may they blossom as pious Muslimah.

Alhamdulillah for the opportunity and experience. Alhamdulillah for a wonderful first page of my 365-page book called Twenty Seventeen.

Praise be to Allah Al Hadi.