Good days in Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang

FOR me and my wife, Bukit Selambau, near Sungai Petani, Kedah and Bukit Gantang, Perak are not like what most people think today amid by-elections that turn them to political battlefield for power hungry people and parties. Best of luck to those who will cast their vote soon and all the best to the winner and loser of the game. I'm not interested with the game.

Flags fighting game...(photo taken from friend hasrul),

But for us, these two places remain nostalgically in our minds as my wife and I had made our first time khuruj fi sabilillah in jemaah masturat for three days in a row in Kampung Tebok, Trong, Perak sometime in Disember 2006. As everybody know, Trong is located near Changkat Jering, in which its Parlimentary seats is Bukit Gantang - which now witness heavy influx of people due to the by-election.
Back in 2006, the 3 days masturat's full programme - although it was just a begining for us - gave us wonderful experience that change many things in our perception, thinking, amal and that the work of dakwah must be carried out not only by men, but also by women.
The women stayed in a house while all men iktiqaf in Surau Kampung Tebok. I still remember Pak Usop's hospitality and generousity as he did the best he could to nusrah jemaah after wakaf his house fisabilillah and then he with his sons stayed with us in surau while his wife and daughters nusrah the women in the house. All programmes were carried of smoothly and benefited by all of us, including locals who joined. May Allah bless them and reward their kindness in this world and hereafter.
After we finished that, 3 months later in 2007, alhamdulillah, Allah choosed us again for khuruj fisabilillah in 3 days jemaah masturat. And suprisingly again our route was from Penanti to Trong, the same place and the same house! due to current takaza. We were amazed by the modesty and simplicity of Pak Usop and his family that lead them to peaceful and happy life, yet all of them deeply concern about this deen, and highly committed to this noble work of dakwah.
After completed our 3 days, we return to our home in Penanti and later on, sometime in September 2007 my wife and I were back on the road again but this time the route was to Kampung Penghulu Him, Sungai Petani, Kedah.
Again, Sungai Petani today is one of the hectic and hot place on earth that triggered by the election - not like those days when we were there, 3 years back.
Brother Firdaus, the hawker and his family had host our jemaah and definately it was a great pleasure and syukur that Allah choosed us to be there. I admired his family simple and pious life in which more or less we tried to imitate. We had the ample opportunity to learn about this very beautiful masturat's work of dakwah from the people there, including those who nusrah the jemaah. It was great experience and influence.
Hopefully their pious gift, sacrifies and our small effort had yield hidayat in the universe especially to ourselves and these two places. May Allah choose us again and again in this wonderful work.