Muktamar 2009 – A Different One [Part 3 - End]

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim... here's the last part of the trip inshaAllah. May readers get the benefit from this sharing. =)

Post Muktamar 1

After the farewell stuffs, we had a Post-Muktamar briefing. Tentative, car assignments, housing assignments… My van group – Me, Midah, Angah, Na’illah, and Dila was assigned to stay at Kak As’ home. I thought they didn’t come to Muktamar, but actually they did come on the last 2 days as they just returned from New York. I wanted to meet Kak Zam, whom I stay at her house 2 years ago during Kembara Musafir Sisters after the Summer Training Camp '07. But since the time was not permitted, I was only able to get her phone number.

Oh, after lunch at Mosaic Mediterranean Restaurant next to Masjid Al-Farooq. Our van did search Masjid Al-Ummah close to the Hotel to pray Zuhr, but we couldn’t find it! Mana2 lah Masjid tu, sedangkan dah lalu jalan tu 2-3 kali. So we went back to the hotel and prayed, and then met everyone at Mosaic eating lunch together. Yumm!

Later, we headed to Laser tag. It’s been a while I didn’t go to arcade or something similar. I did bowl last semester in Vandy, and that’s just it. I never played Laser Tag before, and so do many others, so belasah je la kan tembak orang. :P I though the area wasn’t too big, but I was wrong. Haha… Wearing a jacket and you had to run attacking and defending, it did burn my energy that day. And getting the result, yeah, I got last 3rd place. Hehe~ Well, number isn’t not important right. The purposes of playing for ukhuwwah and exercise are much more important.

We had dinner at the same place, Mosaic with cheaper price for the group (thanks to Post-Muktamar committee!). We had a halaqah at Masjid Al-Farooq. It was supposed to be about ukhuwwah, but it diverted a bit to we talked about thanking muktamar committee members. Then we headed to our assigned houses. The brothers stayed at Masjid Al-Ummah, the one we could not find it earlier. Huhu~ Kak Nita and Kak Izan’s families from Texas were at Kak As’ before went back on the next day. The food was marvelous – mashed potatoes, baked lamb, and Malaysian food of course. And we slept really well after a tiring day…

Post Muktamar 2

The next day, Kak As had already cooked Roti Canai with kuah Dal, and fried Bihun. She said to save money for lunch, so we should eat as much as we could. Heheh… I was definitely full. Kak As packed 2 packs of Bihun for the brothers (actually, but we arrived late at Masjid Al-Farooq). So we gave one pack to kak Aishah & family, who will be staying in Atlanta until 31st.

Just after we arrived at the Masjid, the tour guide who is one of the directors of the Masjid invited us to start our tour. Masjid Al-Farooq was built in 1970, but was renovated starting about a year and a half ago. It now has 2 domes, 2 small fountains outside, a basement parking, and also backside parking. Inside the masjid, there are main prayer hall, women’s prayer hall, 2 large halls for classes/lectures, and a clinic which is only open on Sundays. They also have Darul Uloom for tahfiz, Dar-un-Noor for Pre-K till 8th grade.

The masjid owns a cemetery located an hour and a half away from the masjid. What’s interesting is – I though the whole budget to arrange the funeral service is pretty cheap, maybe few hundreds? But actually it is about USD2000! Well, I think I should save that amount too in case something happen shouldn’t I? =)

The shura board of the Masjid is amazing too – half of them are doctors! I wonder how they can commit with doctor position and the most top position in the Masjid at the same time. Shame on us who are just studying and playing around, yet we still say we don’t have time! Here’s the link of the Masjid’s website

The return

We went to Penang Restaurant for an early dinner, and as usual I will order Char Koay Teow wherever I can find it. Haha~ We started our journey at around 4 pm ET and arrived at Vandy at 8 pm CT. Prayed Maghrib-Isha’ there, and continue driving an hour later. I met Mony, Lilo, Naji, Lily who I didn’t meet them earlier. Seronok derang, I’m happy too :) Kita jumpa lagi nanti ye cik Mony! *Fadhe jangan jeles!*

We arrived in Evanston just before Subuh, prayed, and the Michigan clans continued and arrived later in the afternoon. Alhamdulillah, the journey was smooth; we managed to arrive Chicago before the snow hits the road.

Epilogue

The journey was really different as it’s my first time travelling for Muktamar with different people, so the environment is a little bit different too. Vandy kan macam kanak2 sikit, haha no offense ok I love u all =D

I met different new people; the juniors from all over the States were so great mashaAllah! I do really hope to know all of you better in the future. And being ‘terasa tua’, I feel obligated to contribute something more during my time here which is only less than a year left.

Allah says: “Setiap mu’min adalah bersaudara” and I will miss all my sisters. And I hope to apply what I learn from this trip – from lectures, activities… May Allah gives us strength to face this world and His blessing till we meet in Jannah inshaAllah!

I do not want to say this is the last Muktamar I will attend, as I could say I'm not sure where my life will be after this mid-year. So, till we meet again biizniLlah anytime, anywhere, forever ukhuwwah fillah ameen~