Assalamu Alaikum my dear friends,

Alhamdulillah! Just like all of you, I had been a little busy with some extra commitments. Besides trying to fulfil some responsibilities in Biro Agama of Amaed, I have to fulfil some commitments in my other dawah and revert ngos. Everyone should join an ngo to serve the community and the nation. We may not be doing big projects but everything starts from grassroots.

Let the big guys with big ambitions and dreams tackle the challenges at the top. I do not desire for lofty positions because with position comes great responsibility and accountability. I think I will do better at a slower pace and concentrate what I feel I can cope with. Something that I am interested in and enjoy . There are challenges at every level so we too have different kinds of obstacles and hurdles. We cannot evade that, it will come after us.

We keep communications open to people under our scope of care. Even if they do not join our activities, they will keep in touch with us when they need advice, counseling, help or financial help. We cannot help them in everything but even a sympathetic ear is vital when people are heading towards a nervous breakdown or suffering from deep depression. They may notice the signs but just cannot pull themselves out of it. that is when mutual support is important.

Never be a loner as man cannot exist alone. Have your own jemaah or congregation, your gathering of friends and choose them well. Be with people who are pious and knowledgeable. We can learn much from them and they are an inspiration to us. Be kind to the needy and ignorant and guide them if you can. Know your own limits and do not be overwhelmed by people who want a piece of us all the time. We cannot serve Allah SWT well if we ourselves are not focused.

I am sharing this because sometimes we are so involved in our work and projects that we do not know when to say No. We have to take care of ourselves too. When we breakdown, who will look after the ones who depend on us? Our body has rights over us and we need to rest and consume food that is good and permisable to nourish body and mind. Halal and tayyibah.

I'm thinking of this as I was on the line with a revert who was on the verge of a breakdown. She was speaking faster and faster, louder and at a higher pitch. If she did not calm down, she could just give up and sink into another depression. People with mental, emotional and financial problems are so overwhelmed that they sometimes cannot think straight.

When we feel everything is just too much, we need to talk to a trusted person. At least release the tension and let someone share his view on how to deal with the matter. Today there was also news about a new revert who had to return to India to see his parents. He got into some problem with the customs because the agent tore out a few pages from his passport. He is quite illiterate and found himself in trouble.

Today is his court case and they fined him RM2000 or one year's jail. I feel so sorry for him. All he wanted was to look for a job, earning halal income to support his family. I cannot find that kind of money to solve his problem. There are so many others over here asking for help weekly, as if on a rotating wheel, turning and turning endlessly.

He cannot even write though I had spoken to him over the phone. His parents must think he is quite hopeless as he had to use all the money he sent home to sort out some of his legal problems. The illiterate are often exploited and literally thrown to the dogs .

Let us count our blessings. I may not have much and I too seek Allah's rezk to survive and support my family. They have to do even much more. May Allah SWT have Mercy on all of us and guide us. Ameen.