[VIDEO] JAIS officer reflects on an Aidilfitri without his beloved 'Emak'

HARI Raya Aidilfitri is a celebration where joyful spirits stretch further and faster than fireworks, especially when family members come together from far and near. 

It is the day when children line up with both hands extended in a ‘salam’ gesture, with bent knees to seek forgiveness from their parents and elders. Parents shed tears of happiness, followed by an embrace between the two parties. 

However, since January 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic has raised a pall over communal events like this that we as a people have taken for granted.

However, as some restrictions were lifted in time for this year's Hari Raya festivities, many are starting to get back to pre-Covid-19 norms, thus making these auspicious celebrations a promising time once again. 

Unfortunately, though many are able to share their happiness with their loved ones, others are not quite as lucky.

35-year-old Abdul Razak Nordin – an officer at The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), is one of the unfortunate ones. He laments that this long awaited Aidilfitri celebration means nothing to him as he lost his 68-year-old mother to Covid-19 in August of last year. 

Razak, has been in service with JAIS, under the Anti-Heresy Department, for over a decade and was given the opportunity to be a frontliner in managing the remains of Covid-19 patients since the beginning of the pandemic. 

Despite being a frontliner himself, Razak – who is affectionately known as ‘Ajak’ by his late mother – confessed to The Vibes that it never occured to him that he would lose his dear mother to the deadly virus and that he would be solely responsible for managing her final passage in life.  

Ajak recalls, upon taking up this responsibility, he sees this opportunity as a way of contributing towards ‘fardhu kifayah’ (communal obligation) in helping Malaysians. 

Meanwhile, with the endless support from both his parents, particularly the words of his late mother, Razak was more determined and was ‘set out on a mission’.  

“Emak (my mother) gave me a lot of sound advice when I first started at JAIS. I was among those who monitored heretical teachings of Islam. Emak would always say: 'Ajak, hati-hati. Dekatkan diri dengan Allah’ (Be careful, be close with God).

 "When she found out that I was managing the deceased remains of Covid-19 patients, her final advice was: 'Berserah kepadanya. Pasang niat kerana Allah, kita membantu orang dan InsyaAllah Allah akan membantu kita’,” he said with heavy tears in his eyes, adding that Emak had always been his number one supporter. 

Ajak also mentioned that he had not spent Aidilfitri with his late mother for the last two years, during the pandemic, and had longed to celebrate it with her this year as the overall numbers of Covid-19 were in decline. 

Nevertheless, Ajak believes firmly that the Almighty loves ‘Emak’ more and that Allah's plans have perfect timings; ‘never too early, never too late, bringing the right things in the right amount’. 

On a parting note, Ajak believes that the loss of his beloved mother had made him a better person – a stronger Muslim who will always be driven to give a helping hand to those in need. – The Vibes, May 7, 2022