1st post - visa, finances, the waiting and loads of du'a.

alhamdulillah.

i intend for this blog to help me remember me... and in the course, inshaAllah to be of help to others seeking the same journey as i am.. a journey of seeking knowledge of Islam from its roots amongst the good people of Tarim in hopes of Allah's pleasure.. in hopes to progress in life not by the standards of man's modernism but the standards set by our beloved Rasulullah s.a.w. for the best of my akhirah.

as of now, i am only armed with "al visa al kubra".. the grand visa, also known as my parents' permission. the other visa is currently still a big halt BUT Allah grants the Visa-s not the government (of Yemen) so. the delay though on the surface is due to unstability in the arab region, is definitely for my own good. reflection is in progress.

may Allah guide this heart to reason. amin.

chronology goes:-

Saturday, 27 October 2011

i told my teacher i intend to study in Tarim in Dar Al-Zahra and i needed help with arrangements cuz seriously i felt, urm, no.. i actually was lost. totally. last year i emailed my application to attend The Dowra, a 40-days summer program in the same school but i had no reply. my heart went into paper ball mode when The Dowra did go on after all, amongst the instability. i plainly was not selected. then again.. my heart was not in the right place.. really, Allah knows HIS creations.

he gave me a couple of numbers. his dad, Ustadh Yahya Al-Khatib was one of them. Ustadh Yahya is a nice man with mashaAllah, sincerity oozing from his voice.. he arranges travels of Singaporean students going to Tarim. he laid out facts that i need to go with another family. a lady cannot travel alone to Tarim. the other number was of an ex-student of Darul Zahra, for me to "familiarise" with the arrangements prior and what to expect there. and so the waiting starts.


updated as at July 2012:- it is permissible for a lady to travel alone BUT it is stressed to be registered or accepted with the school first.. the school will then fetch you at the Yemeni airport. my own experience, at the Seiyun airport once they see your Visa and say (or shout.. hehe.. its Arab culture to speak with gusto) "Dar Mustafa?!!"... you are basically good inshaAllah. literally he will give you a thumbs up.. *giggles* otherwise, yes travelling with mahram only, if you have yet to be registered or accepted in the school.

in this i would point out that once you set your intention to the path of Allah you will face much tests. im not good with words but i asssure you tests is a BIG understatement.

i have always wanted to ask my teacher, Ustadh Ismaeil Al-Khatib (may Allah be pleased with him and his family, amin!) for the longest time.. a Hadrami by descent, Ustadh has taught me wondrous insight on fiqh. almost weekly in his class, i'd have tiny new ibadah-s to add to daily life.. learning from him ironically made me realise how much i don't know. how can we "progress" and think we could "debate" on religiosity when wudhu fundamentals leaves you stammering?

anihoo, believe it or not, everytime i wanted to talk to him something just blocks.. i.e. once after class, i was about to approach him as he was just standing a couple steps from me and then i see a traffic attendant just 10 seconds away from placing a summon on my dad's car. i realised at that time Allah gives you specific memorable lessons in life totally unrelated at one time but to be of great use in another... a little story goes...

... about 2 years ago, a friend, who also was one of my first teachers of the deen was to marry a pious foreigner but her family was dead against it.. at about the same period, his passport along with his wallet got lost while he was in Makkah delaying the intended nikah to my friend.. basically any normal mind would think oh this is a bad omen BUT they were sure of it. armed with istikharah, blessings from their teachers and the knowledge that this religious man paired with her will ultimately lead to more religiosity, she & the pious man went ahead to be married.

let’s just say after that, when it comes to the good of my deen (definitely NOT to be confused with nafs).. i got better "prepared". i am a believer now that the more blessed the journey the more ardous the tests you will face. soften your heart with zikr of Allah and HE will be in your steps.. guiding you for the best of you.

it is harder said than done evidently. as of now i am spiralling outta control. i look religious but Allah knows my laziness my gluttony my uneducated tongue my TV addiction my frustrations with people around me who ironically are somewhat like me. see how Allah places you with people who mirror you, your weakness? mashaAllah.

i get to a point of being glad im hit with gut wrenching tests cuz like most weak imans, this heart only diverts its full earnest sincerity to Allah when the world seems to turn its back on it.

back to finally telling Ustadh Ismaeil on my intentions, i actually resorted to telling a good friend to nudge with with courage to speak to him. Brat was sort of my rock.. the rock hurled to my head to stop my hemming and hawing. im kinda scared of Ustadh Ismaeil.. in a good way. i respect him in a way i would rather be unknown to him than to show him im lacking of everything and have him dissapointed in me. not that he is like that. its just my own insecurities.

that same day, something gut wrenching happened... something that brought my parents at i would imagine, their rock bottom. i was crying at almost every solah.. Alhamdulillah we are in the route to recovery. things will be better inshaAllah.

Saturday, 7 January 2012
in class, Ustadh Ismaeil asked for the updates of my arrangements which i answered a solemn none. he then proceeded to arrange over the phone almost instantly with the Singapore-Tarim administrator who is his friend. finally its moving! that night i emailed a color photo scan of my passport to Ustadh Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Alkaff, the administrator.

my name has now been submitted to Darul Al-Mustafa (the brothers' part of the school where the administration is).. so that leaves the big visa halt. the foreign ministry in Yemen has halted student visa-s for reasons not stated but prolly due to arab region uncertainty. as per Ustadh Muhammad, it was rumored to open in early Jan2012 but still no word.

(1) so first, get your name with the school. once this is approved.. wait for Visa application to open. up till now, unknown. loads and loads of du'a.

(2) once the Visa opens, the school will apply for us. this process will take about 2-3 months, i was told. once Visa is approved, the administrator will inform and i'll have to make a day trip to Yemen Embassy in Kuala Lumpur (cuz there is none in Singapore) to get my Visa on my passport.

note:- passport wise, do ensure your passport (colour scan) that you submit for Visa application (via the school) is valid for maximum years. it will more convenient rather than to extend passport validity when you are already in Tarim which means you have apply for a new passport online then travel to Dubai (the nearest Singapore embassy) to get your new passport (currently your passport number changes with every extension meaning its a "new" passport altogether).

(3) Visa is valid for 3 months so we have to fly off within that period.

for finances wise do refer below to get an idea on how much you should prepare:-

JUNE 2012 Intake @DAR' AL-ZAHRA in TARIM, HADRAMAWT, YEMEN
ESTIMATED START-UP EXPENSES ~SGD3,270

- Flight (SG to Yemen @ 1-way) ~SGD1,200 (USD800)

- Flight (Yemen to SG@ 1-way)*kept by school ~SGD650 (USD500)

- Student Visa processing ~SGD60 (USD50)

- Student Visa @Ampang, Kuala Lumpur ~SGD130 (USD100)

- Bus to Kuala Lumpur (1-day trip) SGD50

- Student Visa extension @Yemen ~SGD23 (USD20 on a yearly basis)

- 1 year hostel fee ~SGD300 (USD250 yearly includes food & accomodation.. education is free)

- English Dowra (40days summer program just before semester starts) ~SGD650 (USD500)

with this i would like to point out have at least USD500 (~SGD650) spare to buy preparatory items to bring along i.e toiletries of your preference, khimars, niqabs, black abaya etc. also its is MUCH easier to bring as much USD as possible here to Tarim then you change with you teachers or mushrifas but really you don't spend much here.. clothes, books etc are really cheap.

my foremost intention is to study arabic from its basics first (at the school itself) .. that will take about 2 years and inshaAllah henceforth continue for another 4 years in a field Allah chooses for me to pursue. i have had recent thoughts to go to Al-Azhar University should my arabic then be whipped into shape but i have a good feeling i will stay in Tarim. inshaAllah all will be for the best.

for now, plans will be plans and Allah is the best of Planners so here, i will do my best and i leave it in HIS hands. if its written and it pleases Allah for me to seek scared knowledge in Tarim, may Allah make ease for me. amin.