Pok Nik, Al Arqam & Me ....

It's been quite a while - actually almost two decades ago - Al Arqam movement had been disbanded and declared as an illegal movement by the Government of Malaysia. The ban came at the height of the movement when its founder Allahyarham Ustaz Ashaari was said to be the most influential man in this country. Al Arqam's tentacles had spread out and reached at almost every strata of the country - the civil service, corporates & private sector even the media - with tens of thousands of followers and sympathisers. This post is not about Al Aqrqam per se ... I do not want to delve into whether Al Arqam is an "ajaran sesat" and so on as for a mere mortal like me I am not in a position to make any judgment except Allah the All Mighty... As a mere mortal, I wish to share with you my experience with Al Arqam ... The first encounter was in the late 70s when I was in Form 4 and the encounter was kinda like a very "santai" and quite humorous. It was a Friday at the "Stesen Bas Besar", Ipoh, a group of us met and planned on our "rock concert excursion" over the weekend at the Perak Stadium. It was a "double act of head banging" from the top rock/blues groups, Sweet Charity and the Blues Gang. We met at the Stadium that Saturday night and had a hell of head banging session and at one time was practically chased by the FRU as some of us tried to go near the stage at the center of the "padang" including a friend of us ... let's call him " Kid" (it's not his real name anyway)... Come Monday, we were - five of us - were "lepaking" at the "Stesen Bas Besar", Ipoh after school session still "rockingly" chattered about the rock concert but Kid was not to be seen and I guess it went on for that whole two weeks. On the third week, Monday, we nearly fell from our bench at the "Stesen Bas Besar", Ipoh on seeing a young lad wearing "jubah hijau" and clean white turban ... It was Kid indeed!!! To my astonishment, I saw a handsome young lad with a radiant face ... It could not be Kid right? It was indeed him ... My friend, Yang being the most outspoken from us said "Eh Kid!!! Ko ni kan? Last 3 weeks kita baru jerr pergi konsert Sweet Charity kan? Balik ke pangkan jalan ke?" We, including Kid ended up having a good laugh and we spent another hour or so addressing each other "Ana & Anta" at the bench before parting good bye. Kid hugged each and everyone of us at the amusement of those at the Bus Station ... That was the last time we saw Kid and that hug was the warmest and best hug I ever had .... Moving forward, it was Year '83 when I encountered with Jemaah Al Arqam ... I was at ITM Shah Alam and my dorm was at Perindu 3. I I really could not recalled how may of us were at the dorm but I do remember there was a guy from Jemaah Tabligh and the rest, about 8 of them were all from Jemaah Arqam with me as the only "non alliance" individual. I spent a solid 1 semester with these guys ... The Al Arqam group was led by a guy from Kelantan, Nik something - could not recall his real name - hence the nick name "Pok Nik" and there was a guy called as "Wak" a Johorean and the rest from Melaka, Perak and Selangor. They really took care of me well as my being the most junior at the dorm. I could still recall Pok Nik will without fail for that 1 semester - except when they went to Sungai Pencala for their gathering or "Usrah" - draped me with blanket at night when I went to bed. Pok Nik will also said these words without fail whenever he draped me with the blanket "Ana kesian tengok Adik Fauzi ni tidor tak berbaju - jauh dari kampung Ayah Mak dia". I knew because most of the time I was still not sleeping when he draped with the blanket but had to pretend to be sleeping anyway .... Pok Nik and Gang always asked me , in a polite way of course to join them for their group Usrah. Those days the ITM Jemaah Al Arqam's Usrah was normally held at one of the hostels which was located outside ITM at the vicinity of the "Bulatan ITM" Section 2, Shah Alam. I being a "Non Alliance" guy of course always politely rejected the invitation with a smile. However, I did attend a "ceramah" session held at an ITM Lecture Theater one particular night ... That evening Pok Nik and Wak approached me and told me that there would be a ceramah by the top guns from Al Arqam at the Lecture Theater. As always I just smile ... somehow or rather either out of guilt feeling for being constantly rejecting their invitation or out of curiousity, I put on my faded jeans and black T Shirt and my "selipar Jepun" I braved ny way to the Lecture Hall. Upon reaching there, I hesitated at the door because I noticed if I were to enter that Lecture Theater I would be the only one without wearing any Jubah or turban and of course the only one not wering jubah and "purdah"!!! All eyes wre focusing on me and to my surprise my Al Arqam dorm mates who were there approached me from their seats and each of them hugged me so tight and led my hand to sit beside them in the Lecture Theater... I could see the happiness and satisfaction in their faces .... After the "ceramah" we walked back togethher to Perindu 3 and Pok Nik and Gang made "Projek Haram" i.e. made tea and masak Maggi - we were not allowed to "masak" at the hostel - ... Tell you what that was the most "sedap" teh and "Maggi" I ever had in my life not to mention the hug from each of the 8 of my Al Arqam dorm mates.... I wonder where are they now ... Kid, Pok Nik, Wak and the rest. My Allah bless all of you ...