Thursday, May 1, 2008

Going Camping And Jungle Trekking

Today is May 1st -- Labor Day -- a public holiday... Today also means shopping for my family. Today is our last chance to get the necessary things before our big day tomorrow.  Early tomorrow morning we would be going on a camping trip up one of the peaks of Gunung Berembun in Cemerong.

I got myself a pair of jogging shoes -- my first such shoes in more than 20 years. 

Until recently all my sports activities were done in cheap kung fu shoes. But after entering an all-star 4x100m relay at our children's sports day recently, I realized that I needed to get my own pair of jogging shoes.

Our youngest child, two-year-old Maryam Sofiyyah also got her first jogging shoes.

I got an sms from Cg Malik saying that for tomorrow's trip, we should all gather at Sultan Ahmad mosque early Friday morning.  From there the convoy would begin moving towards Cemerong at 8.30 a.m. sharp.

Don't be late...

Friday, May 2, 2008

Wait For Us...

Today is the big day -- the day we would go on a 2-day-1-night camping trip to Cemerong -- whose agenda would include reaching the peak of Gunung Berembun ("Gunung Berembun" translates into Mount Dew).

At 7.25 a.m.  we started packing our things into our family car.

An sms came in.  It was Cg Malik.

[Gather at Sultan Ahmad Mosque at 7.30 a.m. Convoy will start soon.]

To which I had no choice but to reply:

[Can't make it at 7.30 a.m.... Please go without us. We'll go on our own and catch up.]

We continued packing.  I could not believe the amount of stuff we were going to bring to Cemerong.  It was as if we were going to stay there for a whole week. After about one hour we were finally all set and ready to go.

Then another sms came in -- also from Cg Malik.

[We're still at the mosque.  You could still join our convoy if you come immediately.]

To which I replied:

[Please wait for us.  We're on our way...]

To me this was a good sign.  They have waited for me. We were not left behind to be on our own.  I could feel a strong sense of brotherhood in this trip...

Friday, May 2, 2008

Back With The Convoy

I reached the area near the mosque in time to catch up with the convoy.  Ust Lan was taking the lead in his Naza followed by Ust Idris in a Mitsubishi and then  Akh Mazlan in a Toyota.  Someone was missing. Where were Cg Malik and family?

I pulled over to the roadside and made a call to Cg Malik. A brief phone conversation revealed he and his family were still waiting for someone at the mosque.

"Go ahead and follow the convoy.   I'll catch up," he said ending the conversation.

Deep inside there was some guilt leaving a friend behind but I tried to dismiss the feeling.

Speeding along the road to Cemerong,  the 4 by 4 Mitsubishi driven by Ust Idris made a sudden U-turn.  Then he made a sign with his hands and fingers as if he needed to stop to get something important.  His 4 by 4 slowed down near a small motorcycle repair shop not far from where he made the U-turn before coming into a complete halt.

From far I could see he bought a couple of bags of charcoal.  I could also see him taking away some freebies as well -- several used motorcycle rubber tubes.  I guessed they were to help ignite the charcoal.

After 15 minutes, Ust Idris was back on the road.

I was ready to pull back into the road to be behind Ust Idris when I noticed a car coming in full speed.  Only when that car passed by, did I realize that the car was none other than Cg Malik's car.  He had managed to catch up with us.  Right now he is in the center of the convoy... We are together again.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Wrong Season

At the campsite there were stalls selling fried food, light snacks and drinks. My wife had been chatting with the two ladies -- owners of the stall.  We soon found out that it was not camping season yet here.  It had been raining heavily in late afternoon every single day for the last seven days.

I could not help but notice a dark patch of cloud right on top of us even though there were blue sky and beautiful white clouds surrounding us. There were other signs that there would be a downpour.  The wind that was blowing through the woods was damp -- as if rain was not far away...

Upon finding this out I did my share of work and prayer and prayed that rain would not fall in Cemerong area from that moment till 5.00 p.m. Saturday.  I figured that by 5 p.m. Saturday we would have been done with our activities and ready to flee.

My prayer was answered...

There had not been a drop of rain falling on us throughout the night. After seven days of continuous downpour we were getting a break.  Alhamdulillah... Praise be to Allah

Friday, May 2, 2008

Let The Test Begin

In the afternoon after performing Friday prayer at a nearby town my wife complained of nausea, fever and diarrhea -- symptoms of food poisoning. Our youngest kid Maryam Sofiyyah also had a slight fever. I made another prayer and requested that the symptoms go away.

Later that day I checked Maryam Sofiyyah.  Her fever was gone. Alhamdulillah... My prayer was answered.

Moreover my wife's nausea had also disappeared. Alhamdulillah.

But her fever and diarrhea stayed.

That meant only part of my prayer was answered.  But I understand this well.  There are things we could change simply through a prayer but there are also things that we could not change, that we should accept as a blessing in disguise.

There and then, I could almost 'sense' that fate was taking over.  That a big test was going to fall on us tomorrow.  Something that my wife or my 2-year-old Maryam Sofiyyah would not be able withstand.  The diarrhea and fever was a blessing in disguise.  I took these as signs that my wife and Sofiyyah must not go on the trip to conquer the peak of Gunung Berembun tomorrow morning. Something they could not withstand was going to happen...

I quietly prepared myself. I kept reminding myself that whatever is going to happen tomorrow is part of His plans. I remember the verse from Chapter 9 (At-Tawbah):

"Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained." (At-Tawbah 51)

I understand well that there is no coincidence in this world --  everything and anything that happens  does so because it is already ordained.  We could plan, execute necessary steps and make prayers so that the fearsome would not happen, but there would be times when fate would take over... and the feared and the inevitable would still happen.

I kept reminding myself, no matter what happens tomorrow I would not blame anyone -- not the YDP, not the weaker participants of the trip, not the weaker children that joined the trail hiking... nobody at all.  I would only blame one and only one person -- myself, together with my weaknesses.

In anything unfavorable that is going to happen tomorrow -- I must understand that it is meant to test my physical and spiritual strength, to bring out the best of me, to make me a stronger and better person and to bring out the divinity in me.  Men were created the best, better than other creatures.

"Verily, We created man in the best stature." (At-Tin 4)

But man would not know his capabilities until he is tested.

Only through a test would man realize his strengths.

I kept reminding myself that if unfavorable things happen tomorrow, I would read the following prayer, known as the prayer of Jonah (Yunus):

"None has the right to be worshipped but You O Allah. Exalted areYou. Truly I have been of the wrongdoers."  (Al-Anbiya 87)

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Spiritual Preparation

I did my share of 'hirasah' from 1.15 a.m. to 2.30 a.m. and met Shukri- -- who just transferred from Kuantan.  My son Hanif and Ridzuan's son Hafizuddin were supposed to be on guard with us but somehow I just didn't have the heart to wake them up from their deep sleep.

"They are going to have a long day ahead.  So let them have a good rest,"  I said to myself.

Later when I told Hanif why I did not wake him up he got upset.  He really wanted to join 'hirasah'.  Then I understood... togetherness is more valuable than sleep.

He had grown up. He wanted to be with the group -- with the men.  He did not like to be looked upon as a weak helpless kid anymore.

At 4.30 a.m. we started 'qiyamullayl' or night prayer.  The 'imam' recited the entire Chapter 54 (Al-Qamr) -- a chapter on warnings about the catastrophe that would befall those who do not take heed... just like it had befallen many great and advanced civilizations in the ancient times.

One verse was repeated over and over throughout the chapter:
"How terrible was My torment (that had befallen the ancient civilizations) and My warnings...
Indeed We had made the Quran easy to understand and remember...
Yet is there anyone who will remember and take heed?"

Let us answer YES to this question.  Let us remember and take heed from the torments that had befallen the civilizations before us...

Later on during the dawn prayer the 'imam' recited some verses from Chapter 55 (Al-Rahman) -- a chapter on gratitude.  It contained one verse that was repeated over and over throughout the chapter:

"Then -- O men and jinn -- which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both deny?"

Before He created man, He created plants for use of man as food and medicine,  He created animals to serve man.

After man was created He provided him with food and luxuries -- delicious food from the seas, pearls from the oceans, air and water for travel.

When man passes away He had made ready for man heavens that he could enter and continue living happily ever after.

So, really... which Blessing of Your Lord are you unsatisfied about?

Saturday, May 3, 2008

The Ascent

This camping trip was very unique because the chef was special. 

As YDP Abas put it himself,
"This is going to be first and the probably last camping trip organized by JIMTRG where the YDP himself would do the grocery shopping and all the cooking."

After a light breakfast -- cooked by none other than YDP Abas -- and a half hour of group stretching led by Akh Muzani, we posed for some pictures ... then proceeded towards the foot of Gunung Berembun, leaving behind several mothers and small children to take care of the campground and, more importantly, cook us lunch.  I figured I would be so starved by the time I get back that I could eat a horse.

Just for emergency need, I took with me 3 loaves of bread -- the left-over from breakfast -- and a liter and a half plain water.  We calculated that if all went well we would reach the peak at 11.00 a.m. with enough time to relax before returning.  We should be able to reach back our campsite around 2 p.m.

Little did I know what was waiting for us up there in the mountain.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

In The Jungle

We were supposed to reach the peak at 11.00 a.m. and then return to reach the base at 2.00 p.m.

But at 1 p.m. we were still climbing and had not reached the peak.  Looking through the surrounding of tall trees we were confident that the peak was just a few minutes away... A half hour passed and the peak was still nowhere in sight.  We kept giving ourselves more time.

Half hour after another half hour went by... 

Besides we had Geographic Positioning System (GPS).  How could we be lost.  We did not look for the conventional trail.  Rather we tried shortcuts as suggested by GPS... and we were confident that we were on the right track and that the peak would be visible in a few more minutes.  We braved ourselves creating our own trail through thorny rattan shrubs sometimes going over and under gigantic fallen logs... We went up 60 degree slopes on four limbs and crossed treacherous ravines by sliding on fallen logs.

Then the inevitable happened.

The GPS ran out of power.  Its battery went dead.

The time was ... already 2.15 p.m.

We had not prayed the noon prayer yet. But that did not worry us as we were 'musafir' and had the allowance to combine prayers and pray a little later in the afternoon.

What worried us was that... we had run out of water... and there was no water source nearby.

The fierce gushing of water speeding through the rapids was clearly audible,  but the rapids could still be miles away. We took our minds off water.

YDP Abas directed me to distribute the 3 loaves of bread I had been carrying in my knapsack -- one slice of bread per head.

It was the most delicious bread I had ever tasted in a long time.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

That's A Tough Kid You've Got

I was among the few who were directed to guard the rear end of the line and make sure that nobody was left behind. Anyone could overtake anyone else in the line except us.  We were not allowed to overtake.  We had to remain at the back and help those who had fallen behind.

Naturally the faster ones would move quickly and overtake other people.  While the weaker ones would move slower and gradually fall behind.

I could not forget Husna -- the six-year-old daughter of Kak Azmi.  She was among the ones who had fallen behind -- overtaken by the rest of the crowd. Yet she refused to be treated like a child.  Once I held my hand to her so I could help pull her up a steep slope. She refused.  She preferred to do the climbing herself.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Turning Back

By this time we 'knew' that something was not right.  It was already close to 2.30 p.m. and we still did not get to where we wanted to. We had no choice but to turn back and forget about reaching the peak. And forget about cooking instant noodles and drinking fresh mineral water from the natural pool at the peak. 

We had to turn back.  Otherwise we would not reach the base before dark and consequently would risk getting lost in the heavy jungle without torch lights...

To be exact we were already late. Even if we did turn back at this moment, chances were that we would not reach the foot of the mountain before dusk.  We were way behind schedule.  It took us five hours to get to where we were at the moment.  And we did that while we were fresh, having full of energy, with food and water supply, with the help of GPS and in broad daylight.

The situation was totally different then.  Now we had to go down exhausted, with no food, no water, no GPS.  Soon we would not have light either.  Under the shade of the canopy of a heavy jungle, it would get dark quickly.  The leaves were blocking the sunlight from reaching us.

Then came a heavy downpour interlaced by distant roars of thunder.

The small kids were crying and shivering.  We were at a high elevation -- near the peak of a mountain.  Naturally at such high places the temperature is low.  On top of that we were under a thick canopy of leaves blocking sunlight from reaching us.  That lowered the temperature even further.

Now the heavy cold rain came pouring 'mercilessly' on us... sucking away whatever excess body heat we had left.

I could not forget Safiah... the daughter of Ust Idris.  She was continuously shivering and crying.  Her body and voice were shaking from the cold temperature.  Yet she never complained. Her shoes were hurting her feet so bad that she had to walk barefooted.  Only a piece of thin lining from her already filthy socks separated the soft soles of her feet from the sharp rocks and protruding roots.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Total Darkness

It was gradually getting dark.  We had not prayed our two prayers -- the noon and the afternoon prayers -- yet.  We stopped and prayed.  There was no water nor clean dry soil for ablution (wudhu or tayammum). So we prayed without ablution.  The primary thing was to pray on time:

"Verily, the prayers were prescribed for the believers at fixed times." (An-Nisa 103)

Then it got dark... so dark that I could not see the person in front of me.  It was so dark that if I were to put my hand in front of me at arms length I would not be able to see the hand. YDP Abas directed us to hold onto the clothing of the person right in front of us so that we would not be separated.

I was directed to be at the tail-end, making sure nobody was left behind.

Being at the tail-end sometimes brought discomfort.  Many times I got the feeling that there was something or someone behind me.  I turned back only to see nothing but total darkness.  Then I read the end of Chapter 23 (Al-Mu'minun):

"Did you think that We had created you for fun, without any purpose, and that you would not be returned to Us (after you pass away)?
Exalted is Allah, the True King.
None has the right to be worshipped but He... The Lord of the Supreme Throne" (Al-Mu'minun 115-116)"

This verse had been used by healers for diseases associated with disturbances from unseen creatures.

The uncomfortable feeling quickly subsided after reading the verses, but only to resurface once more every hour or so.  So I quickly read the two verses again.

We remained in total darkness till about 11.30 p.m.

Every once in a while, someone would use his mobile phone as a torch light but it was not enough to move 65 people that were coupled in a long wavy line in the darkness. We were like a long train that ran out of fuel -- standing still, holding onto each other in the darkness.  Or like a millipede that lost its coordination on which feet to move first.  We were basically stuck.

There was a butane stove that we intended to use for cooking instant noodles had we reached the peak. The stove was turned on for some light to show us the way.  Then it was turned off again to conserve fuel.

Moving a 40-meter long train of 65 people in a path clogged by rattan thorns at the top, squiggling roots at the bottom was an enormous task. Every couple of steps someone would slip or fall or lose touch with the person right in front of him/her.  Then he/she would cry out loud, "Stop"

The entire train of people would stop immediately giving time for the person to catch up.

My son Hanif and Nuruddin were right in front of me at the tail-end. I directed them to be close to me.  Nuruddin was losing conciousness from fatigue and from standing too long in the dark.  He was drifting into sleep.  I tried massaging his shoulders but to no avail.  He kept drifting into sleep.

Only the Quran was my true company during these times.  I kept reciting quietly the verse from At Tawbah:

    "Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained." (At-Tawbah 51)

together with the prayer of Jonah (Yunus):

    "None has the right to be worshipped but You O Allah.
    Exalted areYou.
    Truly I have been of the wrongdoers."  (Al-Anbiya 87)

Then suddenly we realized something....

We suddenly remembered that when we were going up,  the fierce gushing sound of the white water rapids were coming from our right side.

Now the sound was still coming from our right side.  This meant we were still climbing...

To go downwards we had to have the sounds of the rapids coming from our left-hand side.

So we decided in the darkness to go in the exact opposite way.  I had been at the tail-end.  Now everybody was directed to turn 180 degrees.

For the first time, I was in the lead.

After we turned directions, my kids and I became the leading men.  Ridzuan came forward.  He knew the trail better than I did. 

I remembered having a digital camera in the knapsack. With such poor light from the screen of the digital camera, Ridzuan led through our slow and cautious steps -- only a few steps at a time, making sure that the train of people would stay connected.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

At The Campsite

Back at the campsite, Akh  Zameran and Akh Zulkifli had come by the campsite this morning to join trail hiking.

But they were an hour late.  We had already taken off up the mountain even before they arrived at the campsite. Nevertheless they stayed back to greet us when we would come down in the afternoon.

Except that we never did come back in the afternoon.

So right before dusk they made a police report.

A group of men from the police force and the  police reserve (RELA) came after dusk and started investigating.

Then they fired a few shots up into the air.

After a shot was fired into the air, a person from our group would respond by shouting at the top of his voice.  The police would try to locate the source of the voice. Then the police made their move towards us.  Several more shots were fired before they could determine our exact location.

Finally at 11.30 p.m. the police succeeded to close in on us. It was a relief.  But there was still work to do.  We had to be led down as quickly as possible, fearing dehydration and starvation.

Going down took another hour.  We were broken down into smaller groups of ten or so, so that we could move at a faster rate.  One or two policemen would take care of one group making sure that the group would reach down as fast as possible, as safe as possible.

When we arrived at the campsite we were surrounded by more policemen.  A top brass from the police force brought me some HUDSONS menthol candy.

"I always give candy to the people I save," he said.

Tears almost raced down my cheeks upon seeing the brothers... If I could remember correctly (in no particular order...) Akh Zameran, Zulkifli Ali, Norfizam, Khairuddin, Abd Aziz, Mustafa, Zamri,... -- perhaps others as well, whom I had missed to mention here... They all came.

Rice with chicken and beef soup and fried vegetables waited for us in the hall.  It was about 1 a.m.  We had been without food for almost 12 hours.  Our last feast was a slice of bread we ate near the top of the mountain around 2.15 p.m.

After we freshened up, put on better clothing and prayed our dusk and night prayers, the time came for us to part and say farewell to Gunung Berembun.

We could not wait another day.  Tomorrow is a school day for the kids and working day for the parents.

Akh Muzahar, our District YDP and I hugged each other before we parted.

I went to YDP Abas and we shook hands. He said to me,

"Do not give up..."

The only thing I could think of saying was...

"If you're having another trip this weekend, count me in.  Insya Allah I'll go."

Yes... really.  It had been a unexpected experience.  But I think I was prepared.  In fact I was expecting that our camping trip would take a surprising turn...  and it did. The verses of the Quran gave me strength to undergo it all.

Anyhow, next time I go, I must remember to bring extra water, extra food, warm clothing and above all a torch light.

And next time I go, I hope I would not achieve anything less than conquering the highest peak of Gunung Berembun and drinking from the pool of fresh mineral water at the top.

Then again, fate will take over.  No matter how prepared we are, there will always be room for training and for improvement.  Only Allah knows what type of training He would let us have next.

And through these 'trainings' we would be able to realize our true potential...

"Verily, We created man in the best stature." (At-Tin 4)

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Home Sweet Home

We reached home around 4 a.m. For the first time in my life I let my wife drive long distance while I sat in the passenger seat.  It did not take long before I dozed off while holding our youngest daughter Maryam Sofiyyah.

In the back seats, Ahmad Hanif, Ahmad Nuruddin and Maryam Sakinah were fast asleep. Our eldest child Ahmad Hafiz did not join us for he had his own program at school yesterday.  He stayed home alone.  He knew about what happened and was worried sick.

My wife went to work as usual at 7a.m. Our seven-year-old Maryam Sakinah woke up late crying that she had missed school.  Although late, she did go to school but missed the first two periods.

Monday, May 5, 2008

My 10-cent view

When things like this happen people would be looking for faults. The truth is that we cannot run away from what Allah has ordained.

"Say: Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained." (At-Tawba 51)

When things like this happen people would say you must be more prepared.  The truth is that you will be tested no matter how prepared you are.

"Do people think that they will be left alone because they say "We believe" and that they will not be tested." (Al-Ankabut 2)

When things like this happen people would say,  "You should have left the kids at home." The truth is that if we left the women and kids at home then the test would be more severe.

"Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope." (Al Baqarah 286)
 
When things like this happen people would focus on its ugliness and forget its beauty.  The truth is that if we have gratitude then Allah will provide us with more of what we need and save us from more misfortunes.

"If you have gratitude I will give you more but if you are thankless verily my punishment is indeed severe." (Ibrahim 7)

Alhamdulillah... All praise be to Allah.