Malaysia 2008
In the summer of 2008 a number of students ranging from ages 17 to 45 went on an educational trip to Malaysia with Sheikh Aleey, the Director of the ‘Alamiyah Institute. The main aim of the trip was to develop a deep sense of conscious & awareness of God & take a look at a number of traditional Islamic schools around the whole of Malaysia.
Our base was the village Tampin, a small area about 1 hours drive from Kuala Lumpar. The area is rich in natural beauty with many mountains ranging along all sides & many natural rivers & waterfalls, including a beautiful stream that ran the whole length of the Madrasa (Traditional Islamic School). The school had a very simple yet authentic look, & consisted of a very basic prayer area, a library, cooking & washing facility & a number of pondoks (small wooden huts on stilts) as accommodation for the students.
The foundation & timetable of the school was based upon the 5 daily prayers as being the essential key to unlocking the inner dimensions of one’s existence. The remainder of the time was divided up into lessons, dhikr circles, daily exercise, archery & other traditional sciences.
Many trips to other Madrasa’s outside of Tampin also shared the simple yet very tranquil & beautiful way of life. Every Friday Sheikh Aleey would take us to one particular waterfall & teach us how to massage using the natural flow of water & how to increase our oxygen intake & therefore revitalise our bodies. On one occasion a small group was taken into the local mountain range & shown how to hunt the local deer.
The whole trip nurtured an strong sense of tradition & profound understanding of a true Islamic sense of life; a life where by the real Islamic state is be set up within ones outer & inner dimensions, a state of peace & harmony with all & a real sense of connection with God & the life of the Prophet Muhammed (peace & blessings be upon him)!