For what is good and best

"Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not"
Al Baqarah verse 216

I have been thinking for awhile
In the deepest depth of dilemma
Through series of unseen self-persecution
Lost in search for glimpses of favorable lights
Hoping to appear on the distant horizon
Be it in studies, sports, organizing, preaching
Seems as if I am not on top of my game in everything

Experience is the best teacher
I know deep down that I have learn a lot from what I have been through
What we want in life, maybe is not the best for us
Alhamdulillah for this enormous support and compassionate love my companions have laid on me

Two roads diverge apart
On the edge of what is good, and what is best, I made my choice
To live and forget.. To never hinge on this false hope
I shall wait for maybe a even better ordeal Allah has in store in me
Only for those who are patient and faithful
And those who are patient and faithful, is one I must be

aku seekor burung

Alhamdulillah, selesai sudah sesi pengajian tahun tiga kuliah perubatan universiti iskandariah. Hari ini menandakan genap seminggu kami bermesra dengan kuliah tahun4. Tahun klinikal di Mesir. Sedar tidak sedar, sudah lebih tiga tahun kami bertapak di sini. Dan sedar tidak sedar, kami semakin menghampiri kerjaya sebagai seorang doktor. Tahun 4 kuliah perubatan pastinya membawa satu pengalaman dan persekitaran baru.

Tahun 3 kuliah perubatan secara peribadinya merupakan tahun yang paling manis buat aku berbanding tahun-tahun sebelum ini. Terlalu banyak rasanya perkara yang aku belajar. Terutamanya apabila diberi peluang untuk menjadi seorang SR (Student Representative) selama setahun. Aku tidak pernah memegang apa-apa jawatan yang besar sepanjang zaman persekolahan. Sentiasa berbaju putih. Seorang yang tidak mempunyai keyakinan diri. Masih dibelenggu masalah keluarga. Masih tercari-cari identiti diri. Aku tidak pernah kenal erti lain dalam hidup kecuali pada pelajaran. Aku cuma ingin belajar dan terus belajar. Mencari keputusan terbaik dalam setiap peperiksaan. Ingin dihargai dan diiktiraf oleh ayah yang meninggalkan kami.

Pahit manis sepanjang bertugas memberikan aku seribu satu pengajaran dalam didikan menjadi insan yang lebih sempurna. Walau terlalu banyak kelemahan, aku rasa gembira dapat berkhidmat walaupun sedikit kepada rakan-rakan.

1) Matlamat
Sebaik sahaja diberikan amanah, aku meletakkan satu matlamat.
"Zero Failure for Doctors of 2014" sebagai kayu ukur. Berjaya atau tidak aku mencapai sasaran ini akan menentukan sama ada kepimpinan yang aku bawa berjaya atau gagal. Bekerja itu mudah. Mengaturkan jadual, mengambil power point presentation daripada doktor, mengedarkan nota, memastikan kelas-kelas elektif berjalan lancar, mendapatkan maklumat tentang peperiksaan, mengusul jadual peperiksaan, mendapatkan keputusan peperiksaan, menganalisa pencapaian akademik, membuat kelas-kelas tutorial, membantu dan memberikan semangat kepada repeaters. Tetapi akhirnya apa sasaran sebenar yang kita hendak capai? Akhirnya kita tidak mahu sekadar menjalankan tugas di atas angin. Kadang-kala kita bekerja, penat-lelah memberikan komitmen kepada amanah tersebut, tetapi akhirnya orang tidak memahami apa yang hendak kita sampaikan. Kita sendiri tidak tahu apa yang sebenarnya kita mahukan. Bila matlamat diletakkan sebagai akar tunjang sebuah kepimpinan, maka seorang pemimpin itu mampu merangka strategi dan jalan-jalan terbaik untuk mencapai matlamat tersebut. Dan bila matlamat yang dibawa diterima umum, maka walau kepimpinan saling berganti, perkara asas itu tetap menjadi perjuangan. "Zero Failure for Doctors of 2014" adalah matlamat yang teruskan daripada kepimpinan SR tahun 2. Aku percaya ia adalah sebuah matlamat yang jelas dan tidak mustahil untuk dicapai.

2) Memanfaatkan potensi
Sebuah kumpulan mahasiswa bagaikan sebuah lombong emas. Kaya dengan potensi dan bakat, menunggu masa digilap. Setiap orang dianugerahkan dengan kebolehan yang berbeza, kelemahan yang berbeza. Ada yang boleh memimpin, ada yang pandai berucap, ada yag lebih dari segi pengusahaan bahasa inggeris, ada yang bijak memanfaatkan tenaga kerja. Ramai yang boleh memberikan manfaat kepada orang lain. Cuma kadang-kadang, kurang disediakan platform atau sokongan untuk menyumbang dan memanfaatkan kelebihan masing-masing. Dalam kalangan kita, saya terlihatkan satu variasi bakat yang cukup cantik. Masing-masing ada sifatnya yang istimewa atas diri masing-masing. Kebolehan yang berbeza. Cara berfikir yang berbeza. Sehingga membuatkan aku rasa sebenarnya semua orang adalah SR. Semua orang menyumbang dengan kelebihan yang ada. Menyumbang dengan kebolehan tersendiri, atas cara tersendiri. Rasa gembira bila terbentuknya satu suasana berkongsi yang tinggi antara sahabat-sahabat. Ada yang memberi nota, ada yang membuat soalan, ada yang menyediakan jawapan bagi soalan-soalan perperiksaan tahun lepas, ada yang membuat kelas. Berharap sangat biah ini kekal. Hatta selepas tamat pembelajaran di universiti sekalipun.

Sabda Rasulullah SAW : "Orang mukmin itu bagi mukmin lainnya seperti bangunan, sebagiannya menguatkan sebagian yang lain."

3) Kesatuan
Selain daripada matlamat utama untuk mencapai sifar gagal dalam peperiksaan, aku idamkan sebuah kesatuan. Ada yang melihat berbeza pandangan dan cara berfikir itu satu perpecahan. Tetapi bagi aku, ia sebuah kepelbagaian yang saling melengkapi. Aku teringin melihat semua pelajar tahun 3 tiada masalah untuk bergaul bersama semua orang. Sedar atau tidak, kadang-kala wujud jurang antara kepimpinan pelajar dan kawan-kawannya. Begitu juga wujudnya jurang antara orang yang rajin belajar dan orang yang rajin bersukan, orang yang pandai dan orang yang sederhana, orang yang alim dan orang yang nakal. Mencari-cari formula terbaik untuk meminimakan kesemuanya. Mencuba bergaul antara semua orang sebanyak yang mungkin. Terbuka dalam berbincang perkara-perkara yang "serious". Juga terbuka dalam bergurau senda. "Liga Futsal batch" merupakan usaha yang sangat baik yang diusahakan sendiri oleh sahabat-sahabat yang meraikan terikatan. Begitu juga dengan beberapa study group yang dijalankan, kelas tutorial beserta dengan jamuan-jamuan seksyen yang setiap seksyen sendiri usahakan. Semuanya merupakan modal pembinaan ukhuwah yang bakal menjana lagi pencapaian-pencapaian yang lebih baik. Kita sedih apabila berlakunya perbalahan dalam beberapa perkara dan timbulnya perasaan kurang senang dan kecil hati antara kita. Dan sebenarnya perkara-perkara itu berpunca daripada kelemahan kita sendiri. Sebaiknya, kita bermunasah atas kesilapan masing-masing. Tiada bani adam yang sempurna. Berbezanya kita tidak seharusnya menghalang kita daripada berkasih-sayang. Akhirnya keterikatan hati-hati ini, kita serahkan kepada Allah.

"Dialah yang memperkuatkan kamu dengan pertolonganNya dengan orang mukmin dan menyatukan hati-hati mereka. Sekiranya kamu membelanjakan semua kekayaan yang ada di bumi, nescaya kamu tidak dapat menyatukn hati-hati mereka, akan tetapi Allah telah menyatukannya. Sesungguhnya Dia Maha Perkasa Lagi Maha Bijaksana".
(Al-Anfal:62-63)

4) Meraikan orang lain
Seorang pemimpin itu seharusnya bersifat terbuka. Dia sentiasa mahu ditegur atas kesalahannya dan bersedia menerima pendapat orang lain. Kerana akan ada masa dan keadaannya, pendapat orang lain itu lebih baik daripada pendapatnya sendiri. Dia harus bijak membuat pertimbungan dan tegas atas perkara-perkara tertentu. Aku percaya, asalkan seorang pemimpin itu faham tentang tugasnya untuk berkhidmat untuk orang lain, maka insyaAllah sepatutnya dalam membuat keputusan ianya tidak menjadi masalah. Dalam situasi tertentu seseorang itu akan memikirkan perkara-perkara yang boleh dia perolehi sebagai seorang ketua. Tetapi itu bukanlah asas pemikiran yang sepatutnya. Sebolehnya dia sentiasa memikirkan apa yang boleh dia beri. Kerana kegembiraan dan kejayaan orang lain itu adalah kegembiraan yang tertinggi seorang SR.

Teringat sebuah kisah sirah yang berlaku sebelum peperangan Badar. Rasulullah SAW membuat keputusan berhenti di sebuah tali air sebelum terus mara ke medan Badar. Bangkit seorang sahabat bernama Al-Hubab bin Mundhir RA dan bertanya
"Ya Rasulullah, adakah keputusanmu ini sebuah wahyu ataupun strategi peperangan dari fikiranmu?"
Rasulullah SAW menjawab
"Ia adalah strategi peperangan dan perundingan"
Maka jawab Al-Hubab
"Tempat ini bukanlah satu tempat yang baik untuk berkhemah. Marilah kita pergi dan berkhemah di perigi air terdekat, membuat satu lembangan dipenuhi bekalan air dan menghancurkan perigi-perigi air yang lain supaya musuh susah untuk mendapatkan bekalan air"
Rasulullah SWT menerima cadangan baik yang diutarakan itu dan menjayakan rancangan tersebut sebaik sahaja tiba waktu malam

Begitu juga dengan kisah Perang Khandak di mana Rasulullah SAW berbincang dengan para sahabat tentang strategi terbaik untuk menghadapi serangan musuh. Akhirnya Baginda menerima cadangan Salman Al-Farisi RA unutk menggali parit di sekeliling Madinah.

5) Give and take
Mungkin pada individu tertentu, orang yang menjadi SR adalah orang yang sangat beruntung. Dikenali oleh kebanyakkan professor yang mengajar. Popular dalam kalangan pelajar. Dihormati dan disanjung tinggi. Mungkin dari satu sedut anggapan-anggapan tersebut adalah benar, tetapi dari satu sudut yang lain banyak sebenarnya seorang SR harus korbankan. Tidak dinafikan dia mempunyai kelebihan dari aspek tertentu, tetapi dalam masa yang sama banyak juga yang dia kehilangan. Bagi diri aku sendiri, aku tidak dapat fokus sepenuhnya pada pelajaran. Sentiasa terfikir-fikir tentang perkara-perkara yang belum selesai dalam kuliah. Tidak dapat menjadi seaktif dulu dalam bersukan. Tidak dapat memberi komitmen sepenuhnya pada tarbhiah dan jemaah. Juga aku rindu pada penulisan. "Give and take". Untuk mendapatkan sesuatu, ada perkara yang kita perlu lepaskan.

6) Hadaf
Kenapa kita bertugas? Kerana diberikan jawatan? Itu sahaja? Ramai orang memandang jawatan itu hanya sebagai kedudukan dalam organisasi. Semakin tinggi dia di dalam organisasi, semakin banyak kelebihan yang dia akan dapat. Tetapi ingatlah, bila mana nama yang dikejarkan, pujian yang didahagakan, pengaruh yang dicari, maka semua itu hanya pada permulaan sahaja. Teruja menampilkan diri ke hadapan, teruja menunjukkan diri boleh bekerja. Akhirnya bila semuanya menghilang, maka dia terus menjadi futur, mundur, bagaikan tiada sebab lagi mengapa dia perlu terus bertugas. Hanya satu perkara yang dapat menjamin motivasi dan semangat dalam bekerja itu kekal. "Mardhotillah". Dan salah satu jalannya ialah erti hidup pada memberi.

Sabda Rasulullah SAW : "Jika sekiranya seorang daripada kamu berjalan bersama saudaranya dengan tujuan memenuhi keperluannya (dan baginda menunjukkan isyarat dengan jari-jari baginda) amalan itu lebih utama dari ia beriktikaf selama 2 bulan di dalam masjidku"

Tirai Perlabuahan

Sabda Rasulullah SAW : "Setiap bani Adam berbuat salah. Sebaik-baik orang yang berbuat salah adalah orang yang bertaubat."

Muhasabah diri semula, rasanya terlalu banyak kekurangan dan kelemahan yang aku lakukan sepanjang menjalankan tugas sebagai seorang SR. Banyak matlamat yang tidak dapat aku capai. Banyak hak pergaulan yang aku abaikan, banyak permintaan yang aku tidak dapat raikan. Banyak motivasi individu yang aku tidak dapat naikkan. Banyak keselesaan yang aku tidak dapat berikan. Tidak semua sahabat daripada tahun 3 dapat melangkah ke tahun 4. Di pengakhirannya, matlamat yang selama ini aku idam-idamkan gagal. Aku minta maaf andai aku bukanlah orang terbaik. Maafkan aku...

Atas segala perkara, waktu perlabuhan tirai sudah tiba. Alhamdulillah, terasa bagaikan seekor burung yang baru dilepaskan dari sangkar. Terbang bebas mengejar hadaf hidupnya.. Terlalu rindu rasanya pada perasaan menjadi seorang pelajar biasa. Teringin memberikan fokus yang lebih kepada tarbhiah, dakwah, dan pelajaran.

Terima kasih atas kepercayaan yang diberi. Semoga aku telah dapat memberikan sesuatu kepada sahabat-sahabat, walau sekecil pemberian sahaja..

Because we value Tolerance

A young man once came to his Shaykh to ask for his help in choosing his wife who would be his life-partner.

The shaykh said "What are the qualities you want in your wife?"

He replied, "She has to be good looking, tall, with lustrous hair and a beautiful scent. She should cook delicious food and talk sweetly. Someone when I look at her, she pleases me, and when I am away, she safeguards herself in my absence. She should nnot disobey me, and I shouldn't have to fear her evil. She must also take pride in religion and enjoy wisdom."

The man continued to mention all the good qualities in women that he would like to see in that one woman.

When the Shaykh thought he had heard to much, he said to the man, "My son, I know a person who fits the description."

He replied "Where?"

The shaykh said "In Paradise, with the permission of Allah"

As for this world, be tolerance, and all the joy shall be yours..

Pros and Cons for Reduced Houseman Working Hours

Writer's note :
It took me hours to finish this one article! Its been awhile since I wrote about facts. I had to look up into many references, many other articles. Now I know that to be a good writer, I need to be a good reader. This one was wrote for I-Medic. Mainly about the status quo of medics in our country. As every other writings, hopefully readers can gain something from it.


Shocking news rocks the cradle of the medical world. 2011/08/02, The Malaysian Ministry of Health announce that work hours for houseman will be reduced significantly from 90hours/week to 54hours/week starting next September. According to Berita Harian, the action was based on a research carried out on 2009 where 67.3% of trainee doctors happen to be in the state of stress.
First, let us identify the possible sources of stress.

What stresses a houseman?

1. Work Hours
Mainly, it will be about heavy working hours.All HOs are required to work from 7am to 5pm. If they are oncall, the HO must stay in and spend the night until the next day at 5pm. So HOs need to work 34-40 hours straight. Imagine doing this in 2 years of housemanship. Stories about houseman giving up on their career are nothing strange.

2. Workloads
Not only that the work hours are heavy, work overload does not make life easier for houseman. The basic procedure may be less worrying but what really annoys houseman is actually the clerking work. Documenting time of admission, patient signs and symptoms, drug prescription, patient’s discharge and follow up. It seems most houseman spend more time typing than patient examining. No wonder patient says that most houseman only sit on their desk and do nothing.

3. Social Life
Work hours, workloads, and being oncall. Houseman enjoys limited social life and interactions. Maybe this is not the case in city hospitals where consultants keep on complaining on the fact that Houseman are too many. But in the outskirt of capitals, in Sabah and Sarawak mainly, imagine how less than 10 houseman operates in each department. Some job to be done there.

4. Others
Tagging, assessment, short breaks, patient’s incompliance, bad terms nurses, will just add to the misery.

Advantages and disadvantages
1. Stress Management
It is well understood by the public about the great challenges a HO face. Reduced work hours will help reduce stress for HOs. HOs are given more time to rest and recover. They will have a better state of body and mind to focus on their work and learn something new. Patients should expect better services from doctors. Hence, doctors now must rise to the occasion. Fulfill high expectations. All and all, a good news for medical students who fear of a stressful life.

2. Lack of training hours
It has been a mouth watering talking point that less working hours for houseman would mean less training hours. Medical officier, specialist, and consultants in the future will no longer have enough physical and mental strength to handle critical conditions when the need arise. Doctors will be less trustworthy. Nurses and patient will have hard times to be dealing with weak incompetent doctors. Every now and then we hear stressful doctors let it out on nurses and patients. However, since the time course of houseman training has been prolong from 1 year to 2 years, some will consider it to be less troublesome. Trainee doctors will still receive enough experience to give the best service to their patients.

3. Commitments
The most important thing about reduced work hours is that houseman can enjoy more free time. Nowadays, we do not only see doctors as a person who gives treatments, but also as a respected individual who plays a big part in contributing to the life of others. Doctors should not only focus on works in the hospital. Instead, they should be given more time and space to work for their religion, society and nation. They have families to be love. A husband to cook. A wife to pick up from work. Children who need to be send to school. It’s ironic to see a successful doctor as half of one's half, but on the other half, being a failure parent. We do not wish to see more children suffer from lack of care. Children need to be taught about the beauty of Islam, taught on how to read the Quran, taught to live their life as true muslims. The young represents the future. And as parents, doctors should not be hold back from their responsibilities to foster the generation of hope.

Lastly, let us not forget that reduced work hours for HOs reflects the increasing number of medical graduates each year. With reduced work hours, the public will be evermore encouraged to choose medicine as a course of study. Local medical schools in Malaysia, when fully functioning will produce 4000 doctors a year. Thousands more are being produced overseas as Malaysian are studying in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Russia, Egypt, Jordan and more. Medical workforce is growing. Not so long now, we will reach the magical number of 100 Houseman per hospital. Overflooding with doctors, the medical world will be ever more competent. And at the same instance, the government and private sectors will have the power to choose between the best medical graduates out of the rest. Possibly, there will be a time when we see a medical graduate without being posted to any hospitals. So can we just stay relaxed and hope for the country to produce more hospitals, more outpatient clinics, hoping for more working opportunities? Or do we work harder to compete? Wake up doctors-to-be. Enough will all of the praising and respect you receive by families and friends around you. Wake and be a real doctor-to-be!


References :
1) http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/Eksklusif_Hanya54jam/Article

2) http://efenem.wordpress.com/2011/04/22/stresses-of-being-a-houseman-in-malaysia/

3) http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/opinion/article/A-doctor-too-many/

ISMA

Its open to the public really. I am one of the third year SR, and I am ISMA. Ready and willing to commit to ISMA with all that I have. Some may ask why do I decide so? With all the rumours around. People questioning and taking about us here and there.. The sayings are loud to the extend that some friends became afraid to reveal themselve as ISMA. Afraid that the public perception to them will be different. The way they are treated will be different. Others may not accpet them anymore. And worst, which is feared the most, friends may walk away and never be the same. Yes, I admit, to understand ISMA fully is not easy. In fact there are times when I had my doubts. A different way of thinking, some sort alienated, takes time to be accepted and fought for.

It was two years back when I was invited. Initially, I accepted the invitation as to change myself. I saw it as an oppurtonity to be educated, trained and shaped to be someone better. I had nothing in me before. With a broken family, and a broken dream. For somebody who never enjoyed an islamic-based education at school. Somebody who had never came accross the word "tarbhiah" before. A nobody, who owns very little, yet lost so much along the way. The call was a shimmering light of hope. A path that opens to a new me.

I was happy. Happy with some great individuals that was willing to guide me. With friends who shares the same virtue to be someone better than yesterday. Usrah became a paradise on earth. "Murabbi", "Mad'u", "Biah" and "Manhaj", The four elements blend together creating the right formula of success. Day by day I felt improvement. Even such small ones. I felt at peace. The ones who guided us didn't ask for anything in return in doing their work. They will not get money, nor will they get fame. Certainly not power. Instead, almost every penny they had extra they will spend it for ISMA, for tarbhiah. Believe it or not, some of them in ISMA only ate white rice and boiled egg everyday. Some may not even enjoy boiled egg. They did not enjoy whealth. Yet they were thankful and appreciate what they had. Something that was kept secret. Something I just happen to know a few days back. I shed tears. Because all they aim for are blessings from Allah and nothing more. So how would I say that what they are fighting for are wrong???

Sometimes I wonder, as a simple thought, we are trying to do good to people, yet some hate us so much. Even when we did nothing wrong to others. Yet mocked so often. Issues are provoked. For every doubt I had in my mind, I will always asks those who are more experienced in this congregation. Discuss the issues together. A two way conversation that have always been fruitful. They would welcome any question and gave the best explaination to me. Futher strenghtening my believe. Because ISMA had never dominated me. Never forced me to do anything. All they did was laid me a way to improve and contribute towards myself, my families, my friends and the society. I didn't follow blindly. I would seek every reasons behind any stand and action ISMA made. And with my own heart, I choose to believe, be involved and work along.

Even if I am a member of ISMA, insyaAllah, never had I not gave 100% to my responsibility as a student representative (SR). A trust given to me by friends. Something I cannot bare to ignore. Alhamdulillah, my SR teammates, rahmat, alia and nabiha was very understanding. They trusted be to do my best in both field. Not so long now, I will step down my place. And someone better will replaced me. My time as a SR will end. Hopefully, even if its not much, I had contributed something to my beloved doctors of 2014.

Here in Alexandria, Egypt, ISMA is still new. And in certain areas, we still need a little bit of improvement. Strenght comes first before numbers. And strenght will be our stage where we will continue to built and grow. As for where I am now, my faith is indivisible. With Allah blessings we receive guidance. ISMA acts as a medium that was able to touch me, and moved me closer to work for Allah blessings. As a person in debt, I wish to return the favour I received. So those who said bad things about ISMA, they have actually said bad things to something that was able to show the good in me. This is what ISMA means to me.

Hence, I will walk this path. Wishing to work harder than ever from now on. ISMA is a medium. The goal is Allah. To foster the generation of hope. Together..
"MEMBINA GENERASI HARAPAN"
InsyaAllah