3
WHAT IS RAHMAH?
By Ninie G. Syarikin
Rahmah is
when Ibrahim,
at the age of four,
came to me,
waking me up
from my daydreaming,
touching my shoulder,
and asking innocently:
“Mi, Ummi mau kawan?”
“Mom, do you need a friend?”
Rahmah is
when Umar,
at the age of three
stuttering and twisting his tongue,
while pointing to his shirt,
uttered:
“Mi, Paman Akram, baju.”
“Mom, Uncle Akram, clothes.”
Rahmah is
when I heard
the cry of my first born,
Mohamed,
relieving me from a mountain of pain,
dragging me out of
the passage of innocence
to experience motherhood.
Rahmah is
the first minute
I put my breast
into the hungry mouth of
each of my three babies
shortly after each of them
arrived in this world
from my womb,
and sucked my nipples
exploringly, but greedily.
Rahmah is
when I caught his glimpse
from my kitchen window
when I was cooking,
passing on the street
in front of my house
from his work at twilight,
and that I hurriedly opened the door
and waved my hand at him frantically,
while calling out his name joyfully:
“Brother Akraaaaaaam!”
Rahmah is
when he unexpectedly appeared
before me the next morning,
with his smile,
while I was waiting
in the long corridor
to finish up my program,
at the time when I was
just thinking about him.
Rahmah is
when he emerged
out of nowhere,
again, before me,
in another corridor
on the same day,
when I was walking briskly;
but before I knew it,
I had already turned away
too fast, impulsively,
entering my colleague’s office,
and missed greeting him:
‘Assalamu’alaikum.’
Rahmah is
everywhere, bestowed by Allah
upon me, in whichever direction
I turn my face.
And, Rahmah is
increasing manifold,
countlessly, without limit,
whenever I whisper:
“Alhamdulillah!”
NGS
Washington, DC, Wednesday, April 14th, 1999
Glossary:
1. Rahmah: a blessing in Indonesian and Malay, derived from Arabic word
2. Assalamu’alaikum: a greeting among Muslims, which means ‘Peace be upon you.’
3. Alhamdulillah: an utterance of gratitude to God in Arabic language, which means ‘Thanks be to Allah.’