Thursday, July 7, 2016

1st Syawal 1437 Hijri/2016 | The joy of innocence

Bismillah.

YaHuuuu.... thank God for such a wonderful Eid-ul Fitri. Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah. All my guests have left and I am left with plenty of feel-good hormones : D

I wish we could start the Eid party earlier, as soon as the Eid solat was over because the kids were all so eager to come even though we had a special bunting indicating the party hours. 

Anyhow here is a snapshot of the unforgettable moments. This posting is especially dedicated to my young guests. I showed them their pics from last year's Eid and they expected more! Therefore, for this year's Eid gathering at my humble abode, I have got to post more photos for their sake or they might complaint.

She felt honored as she was first to arrive and first to sign the Guest Book.
Each young visitor was asked to write their name, ambition and age.

Everyone seemed to enjoy holding the bubble speech props. Adults too.
Credit goes to my team mate Hana who handled the design work.
One of them was brave enough to quietly approach me asking for an extra chicken drumstick LOL.

They came in pairs. 
He must have been very regular in his terawih prayers
cos the moment his buddies saw the choices for bubble speech props,
they picked this one for him cos he deserved it!

The boy on the right had one hand on his money pouch in case someone steals it. LOL
Glad most of them ate more food this time. 
Lovely "green family" who lives one block behind mine and I would never know them if not for the Raya open house.
This time their mother joined in. According to the mother, since last Raya/Eid, the girls especially Zuana kept asking her to drive by my house at every opportunity cos she missed me!
Most of the children didn't quite understand why they only got to see me once a year during Eid.
They should know that I gladly dedicate the 1st of Syawal to them, year in year out. Even if I was destined to live abroad, I pledge to be in Gelugor on the 1st of Syawal every year bi iznillah 😉  
The bunch who hung around the longest : )
This boy got teased pretty bad cos he made a special request to take another photo with me on top of the group photo.
LOL
The loudest bunch!
Enjoying the popsicles. Some begged for one more. LOL.
Glad we made the 'Place your shoes here'' sign which  was especially helpful for the bashful kids who were not sure what to do as they entered. It was fun seeing how the kids carried themselves.
We have got two boys wanting to be a boxer.
No one had it as an ambition last year. It's amazing the kind of impression the late Muhammad Ali had left on us all. 
They came back for the second time bringing another two siblings.
On the second visit, the boy was brave enough to tell me "I want to take away one ice cream for my younger sister who's at home''

Teh Tarik popsicle was a hit!
We who love taking Wefie especially the girl in peach scarf.
The most timid girl.  She came alone quietly and hesitantly to sign the guest book and then left.
We saw her brother waiting for her on a motorbike at a distant.
  The only person who did not even want to enter the house.
The most confident 12 year old girl who visited. She came alone too.
Seen here writing the guest book. Her ambition is to be a pilot.
She will enroll in a sports school specializing in bowling.
I love her matching outfit and that backpack says 'Play no more!'
The prettiest pose of all. We have got two people wanting to be air stewardess. I bet the girl in orange is one of them.
The boy in peach outfit asked me: ''Do you have 'open house' everyday or only on Hari Raya?"
LOL. 
Some of them came from Batu Uban (a village neighboring Gelugor) on a bike. Five on a bike! But their brother was clever enough to take the safer short cut route.  
Was impressed that the girl in orange proudly held the bubble speech prop that says: "I can speak English."
She sure can!
My regular guests - the tahfiz boys from Cambodia [+ 1 Malaysian orphan]
Solehin making duá. He is a senior student who is capable of handling his buddies at a majlis so their Malaysian guru could spend Eid with his family.
Their presence on the balcony must have attracted a group of pious men who were going round the village making ziarah
I was surprised to learn that the gentleman in the middle was actually the father of Saad Al Hafiz who came to my house on Raya Eve to recite the takbir. Saad had been coming to the house on Raya eve since he was 18. He is now the second Imam at the Gelugor mosque. Saad's father Haji Muhyiddin (center) conducts tazkirah class at the Gelugor Mosque on Wednesdays. He gave us a short tazkirah on the virtues of making ziarah for the sake of Allah.
Cambodian tahfiz boys signing the Guest Book.
My first day of Syawal ended with this last group of guests.
It was challenging to have to do most of the work ourselves and look presentable for the camera.
But it was all joyful. Alhamdulillah wa shukrulillah.
May Allah grant us long life, good health and plenty of rizq so we could have a merrier Eid gathering next year In sha Allah. Bi iznillah. Ameen.  



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