Noor™

(taken from M.Bakri Musa’s Blog)

By Mohamed Sidek Ahmad (Son of Almarhum
Tan Sri Prof Ahmad Ibrahim) :the paper was presented in a seminar.

I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of my family to thank IKIM
(Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia) for remembering my late father, Allahyarham
Ahmad Ibrahim, and for organizing this grand seminar.

I stand here before you today not so much to laud his achievements and
contributions – though they have been many – but to share with you a glimpse of
the personal side and nature of the man behind that public persona. After all,
as his son, it is this side of him that I know best.

Born in Singapore but living his later years in Malaysia, Ahmad Ibrahim was a man of
two worlds. He loved and valued both. However, it is indeed strange that when I
read the accolades given to the late Tan Sri, I find that most of them relate
to the contributions and achievements he made during his life in Malaysia.
Perhaps not many realize that he actually started living in Malaysia only after
he retired from the civil service in Singapore. Thus all his Malaysian
achievements were after his “official” retirement.

He certainly never forgot his roots. In the days before his death, it was as if he
sought to feel again his beginnings. A month before his death, he paid a visit
to Singapore, and on a Thursday evening he made his way to Masjid Baalwi, the
famous mosque in Singapore that is also the mosque he attended often when
living in Singapore. As usual on Thursday evenings, there was a rhatib
at the mosque. Immediately upon reaching the mosque, many recognized him, and
they treated him as a guest of honor. After the rathib everyone came and
shook his hands, proud to have a distinguished son of Singapore present at the
mosque.

The same thing happened the next day when he went for Friday prayers at the Masjid
Sultan. Many greeted him and shook his hands. Little did anyone, both at the
Masjid Baalwi and Masjid Sultan, know that it would be the last time they were
to see him. That was Allahyarham’s last trip to Singapore, and we now realized
that it was actually his farewell trip to the land of his birth.

We were all not prepared for his death, for although he was 83, he still worked
hard every day, harder than someone half his age. He was extremely fit; during
Ramadan he always prayed 20 rakaats Tarawih and 3 witr every
evening in the mosque. He continued this right until his last Ramadan.

He hardly was ever sick, and even on the day of his death he was not suffering
from any lingering illness. He had gone to work as usual on that day and it was
only after he returned home from work did he say he was not feeling well and
that he wanted to see everyone in the family. It was as if he had a premonition
of what was to come, just like when he made that last trip to Singapore.

Family members living in Kuala Lumpur arrived within a short time while those in
Singapore began their journey. While my brothers were driving up from Singapore
they were delayed for some reason or other, and they phoned my father to tell
him they would be arriving only at about 11.00PM. I can still remember my
father’s words on hearing this news: “I will wait for you!”

And he did! When the last stragglers finally came in at 11.00PM, my father was so
happy to see us all together. He kept looking at everyone’s face and said he
was sorry to have inconvenienced us by asking us to come to the house.

The end came not long after. He went back to bed, telling us to do the same. At
2.00AM that night, my mother gathered all of us together and said my father was
not well. My father had told her that his time was up and that he was dying.

At about 2.30AM, 17 April 1999, on the first day of Muharram, my father hijrahed
to the next world. He died peacefully.

His death was front-page news both in Malaysia and Singapore. The newspapers paid
tribute to him for his contributions in legal and academic fields of both
countries.

I went to watch a malay movie, SEPI. Personally, I found that the cinematographyis unusual for a malay movie and it is quite impressive. But the storyline is just ok. I heard adverse comment from my colleagues about this movie, but for me who is sepi, I consider it ok

I also had been offered a job, job of my dream. So I went to report for duty at Putrajaya and on the first day, the new officers were brainwashed bout the danger of the job, as it is susceptible to the practice of corruption and abuse of power. We were also told that we should be more careful with whom we are mingling so public will be confident in our office. We were told not to be seen too close with lawyers, people who went to law school with us, people who represent the biggest number in percentage of our friends list. Impliedly, we were told to isolate ourselves from others for the sake of our office. For me, it is a contemplated  S E P I.

Coincidently, few of my best friends were having their special days last week, while I  as in training at Jalan Duta, and I have the honour and pleasure of celebrating those events before departing to my official office.

On 9^th July, my best friend’s girlfriend (susahnya nak faham) a.k.a my sis in law, celebrated her birthday. At 6 pm, my fren and I rushed to Time Square, trapped in heavy traffic jam for almost 2 hours before we reached there, just to buy a hand bag. We then rushed back to UIA, bought a cake and celebrated this wonderful gurl’s birthday at McD.  I can see the effort of my fren in planning the event, rushing here and  here, despite of the tiring and exhausting day. For me, it is ex facie an evidence of how much he cares bout his girl, the only girl of his. I’m honoured to be invited and to be
present at that special occasion with this two wonderful persons, of which I will never forget.

On10^th and 11^th of July, Edy and Fadzil were called to the bar and enrolled as Advocate and Solicitor High Court of Malaya, the once in the lifetime event, and I had the honour of being present at Edy’s ceremony and unfortunately I couldn’t attend Fadzil’s.

After joyful days with my best friends, I then need to go alone in my journey, to my official office. The loneliness is aggravated since I was having joyous moment during my last days before departing to my office. I’m grateful for the chance of meeting my best friends but I also feel like being cursed to leave them behind. Cry is all I can do.

For Nissa, Selamat Harijadi from me. I’m glad that I know Nickos and I’m glad that Nickos have someone like you besides him. Selamat berkonvo and all the best in your future undertakings. I pray may Allah strengthen the bond between both of you, bestow mutual love upon both of you eternally.  I embrace both of you like my own bro and sis,nothing less.

Edy and Fadzil, congrats for being called to the Bar, and now you are styled as Peguambela dan Peguamcara Mahkamah Tinggi Malaya. I might not experience the same thing, but I share the same satisfaction, since my best friends had accomplished the journey of becoming a lawyer.

The memories I had with these lady and gentlemen will be kept tightly, so I can cheer up my future lonely days with these memories. Perhaps the contemplated SEPI can be mitigated by refreshing those memorable events,bak kata pepatah walau jauh di mata tapi dekat di hati.

To Nickos, Nissa, Edy & Fadzil, hopefully you won’t forget me…