I am Grateful for Malaysia

 

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي بِنِعْمَتِهِ تَتِمُّ الصَّالِحَاتُ

"All Praises to Allah, Whom by His blessings all good things are perfected”

Let’s take a step back, enjoy the coffee and be grateful for the amazing blessings we have for being in this country, especially in the context of what transpired in recent events in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the world is facing in the year 2020 so far. 

I am grateful for:

1. How well our country – its leaders and rakyat – have handled the pandemic, managing the cases well below many of our neighboring countries who are suffering massive second waves, and many others out there with a still continuous rapid rise in daily cases with no “flattening of the curve” in sight (may Allah ease their affairs and grant them al-afiyah, safety and security). A remarkable feat, considering the drastic change of government and national leadership only mere days before the MCO. 

2. The feeling of security further contributed by being surrounded with fellow upright citizens, many of whom are very compliant to the SOP’s and play their role to break the chain of the infection, unlike the defiant masses in some other countries. Fellow Malaysians who, despite the difficult economic situation of our lives, appear on our Prime Minister’s FB Live announcements and make conscious efforts to spread out positive words of encouragement and support to other fellow Malaysian to give that warm fuzzy feeling inside. Fellow citizens who will collectively cry “foul!” on a viral scale when people refuse to adhere to the SOPs and endanger the lives of others, to get each other in line out of concern 

3. The ability to go to the masjid every single day to pray in jamaah in any local masjid in the country without any difficulties whatsoever, beside requiring a mask and praying mat. In retrospect, although we are somewhat inconvenienced at the 1-meter distance between saff and wish we could pray with our saff closed feet-to-feet, perhaps there is a great wisdom and blessing that Allah only knows the long term pay off, because since the opening of the mosques and reinstating the congregational Friday prayers over 2 months ago, there are no masjid-related clusters. 

4. Living in a country with so many compassionate Malaysian organizations and healthcare professionals, including those who collaborate to reach out to those who have suffered economically as a result of the pandemic, put their resources together (sometimes at the risk of being at the front lines) to alleviate the suffering and remove the burden of others. To which we even openly officiate in this year’s tagline, “Malaysia Prihatin” and allow each other to feel safe and cared for. Anda insan hebat, indeed.

5. All these feelings of safety and security grants us the psychological peace of mind for us to to still go out to enjoy the scenery, the parks, the beaches, eat out, buy stuff, even able to travel between states to visit and be in the company of our beloved family, inspiring us to play our part. 

And even if one was to take away these recent accounts, there are countless other reasons which we sort of just… forgot. Or take for granted.

Perhaps we never realize it, but many are envious of what we have here and would wish to migrate and live in our country. Throughout my years volunteering for conferences inviting speakers from all over the world, I have had conversations with many of them would come and observe the beauty of the places, the people, the environment, many of which we take for granted, and they express how much they wish they can migrate and live here (and some have indeed!). 

And even if we were to listen to every single one of them to list down all of their “wow” testimonials, we’ve barely scratched the surface of the gratitude list:

وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّـهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا

“And if you would count the blessings of Allah, never could you be able to count them.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:18)

There was a time when we had a grand Utopia vision of what Malaysia would look like in 2020. I imagined flying cars, shark holograms and hoverboards – perhaps a byproduct of growing up in the ‘80s with Marty McFly.

Whatever we imagined, though, one thing is for sure, we never imagined this. And yet, all things considered, in the context of the greater chaos happening outside of our borders – Alhamdulillah, we still have infinite reasons to be thankful. 

My post will never do justice for the endless list of things we should be grateful for. But I can at least remind myself – and you – to be just that little bit more thankful for the blessings that we have, to Allah, the One who destined for us to be here. 

الَّذِي أَطْعَمَهُم مِّن جُوعٍ وَآمَنَهُم مِّنْ خَوْفٍ

(He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear.

(Surah Quraish, 106:4)

This isn’t a call to national pride or to flaunt that “I am proud to be Malaysian", but a reminder to humble ourselves out of Shukr (gratitude). Is it perfect? No, and it never will be. But whatever things we have to complain about, instead, let us flip the narrative and ask what WE can do to play our part to be the solution our people (ummah) needs, and strive to become better people and to give back to others: just as how others have given to us. Gratitude isn't mere lip service, it is manifest in our actions. It's time to walk the talk and up our game, brothers and sisters. 

.. Because we did not choose to be Malaysian. We did not choose to be born in this country. It is only out of Allah’s Mercy that He Destined it for us to receive these Blessings - هذا من فضل ربي. Not out of our choice, power or will. 

But we can choose to be grateful to Him. 

Which reminds me of a simple morning dzikr we should recite every day, as collected in the book “Hisnul Muslim” (the Fortress of a Muslim):

The Prophet ﷺ said, “Whomsoever recites these words of remembrance in the morning: 

اللّهُـمَّ ما أَصْبَـَحَ بي مِـنْ نِعْـمَةٍ أَو بِأَحَـدٍ مِـنْ خَلْـقِك ،

فَمِـنْكَ وَحْـدَكَ لا شريكَ لَـك ، فَلَـكَ الْحَمْـدُ وَلَـكَ الشُّكْـر 

“O Allah , whatever blessing has been received by me or anyone of Your creation is from You Alone, You have no partner. All praise is for you, and all thanks is to You.”

Then has completed his obligation to thank Allah for that day. 

And whomsoever recites this in the evening, has fulfilled his obligation to thank Allah for that night.”

(Narrated by Abu Daud and ibnu Hibban in his Sahih)