today

I clerked a patient at the ward today.  We had quite a meaningful conversation (at least for me). It all started when I asked him "Did you take any medications at home?" "Can you ask someone to bring the medications  to the hospital?"

And he said "Saya takde rumah," 

I was momentarily startled. And began to ask more: 

The subject of this conversation:
Male, age 40-50 plus, Indian Muslim. 

He said he reverted to Islam when he was young, because he fell in love with a Muslim girl.  The girl left him for another guy, and his mom got angry with him for converting  to Islam (and because that girl had left him). 

He stayed being a Muslim, but when he got married to a Indian Hindu woman, he couldn't  register his marriage legally (and islamically/syarak-wise of course) because they are of different  religions.  Anyway, they have children together. 

He said that his wife and children left him when he got sick and could no longer work. 

"Dulu waktu saya kerja bawak duit balik rumah semua orang suka sama saya,"

"Sekarang ini saya dah tak boleh kerja, tak ada duit semua orang tak suka saya, isteri tak mahu jaga saya,"

"Saya bagitau isteri, bapak you sakit you boleh jaga tapi suami sakit tak boleh jaga ke?"

"Anak saya marah saya. Dia cakap kenapa cakap dengan mak macam tu?"

"Anak saya pun bawak isteri saya duduk KL. Rumah sini dah jual,"

And I asked him "Encik tinggal dengan siapa sekarang?" 

"Saya tinggal tepi jalan la,"

Upon hearing this, I didn't  know what  to say apart from; 

"Sabar ye encik. Dugaan ni tuhan yang bagi. Dia nak uji encik,"

He nodded and replied "Saya tahu. Satu je saya doa sekarang,"

Pointing his finger up towards the ceiling, he said "Biarlah dia amik saya cepat-cepat,"

Seriously I was so sad. Tears began to form in my eyes. 

"Encik sembahyang tak sekarang?"

"Saya sudah lupa,"

"Nanti encik keluar hospital, encik pergi masjid, belajar sembahyang semua. Nanti kalau encik nak jumpa Allah, kena jumpa dalam keadaan yang baik semua,"

He nodded again and said "Ya, saya nak belajar balik sembahyang,"

"Encik tahu mengucap lagi tak?"

And he said yes.

"Baguslah encik tahu mengucap lagi. Kalau sekarang ni encik  tak tahu sembahyang, encik zikir banyak-banyak. Allah akan dengar,"

"Dunia ni sementara saja encik. Akhirat tu yang kekal. Biarlah semua orang benci kita asalkan Allah sayang kita,"

I left him before I could stop myself from shedding tears in front of him. I don't know  why am I being so sensitive nowadays. 

Sayangnya Allah kat hamba dia sampai bagi dugaan berat macam, ni sekali. 

Allah is reserving something for you in Jannah, encik. Insya Allah. 

Because every Muslim had been promised Jannah. Isn't  this good news enough for us to carry on with our daily lives, no matter how hard life is?