27th post - daruz zahra in brief

BRIEF 

Daruz Zahra is a school and a dormitory for its students as well. Currently it houses about 250 students and teachers from countries namely from the Arab region, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania and other African region, Singapore, UK, America, and parts of Europe i.e Denmark, France. 

From a Singaporean perspective the building looks like your typical older neighbourhood schools in Singapore, open top concept, only smaller. It is a 3-storey main building with a huge open rooftop and another 2-storey building in the same compound. The compound houses a main musollah, a main hall, teachers’ rooms / offices and 5 dorms section in both buildings. Only 2 of these dorms, also known as the seniors’ dorm, are equipped with wardrobes. 

The school registration takes in about 350 students both staying in the dorm and outside. As of a year ago, new Asasi Level students stay in a dorm OUTSIDE of Daruz Zahra compounds named Dar Al-Batool. Currently 40 students are housed in the 3-storey apartment. They come to school in Daruz Zahra and are a part of i.e. our school's weekly Maulid, Burdah etc. Students staying in Dar Al-Batool are bound to itinerary of Habib Umar AL-Hafidz too i.e. Tahajjud, Awrad, jemaah prayers etc. and the culture of Daruz Zahra just that they are be stationed in that dorm which is 10mins walk away. 

They get to stay in Daruz Zahra once they complete Asasi programme. Recently due to a large intake, even Ib’tidai and levels above, new students, are housed in Dar Al-Batool but are placed on priority to move to Daruz Zahra when space permits. 

CULTURE 

Each room has between 6-9 occupants from various countries. Students sleep on mattresses side by side (a palm space in between) either supplied by the school or bought personally. These mattresses have to be thin enough to be able to be folded neatly when it is not sleeping hours. Non-senior students will place their belongings around their sleeping space as they will be placed in rooms without wardrobe. 

We have air conditioning in each room which is allowed use during sleeping hours at night and nap time after Zuhur. Fans are allowed at all times though.

We definitely have no internet in this school and camera phones are not allowed for boarding school students. On Thursdays when we get our phones to contact our families (between Dzuhur & Mahgrib here; Singapore time 4.30pm-10.30pm), we get to use only our non-camera phones as explained in my last post.

Electronic gadgets i.e. laptops, cameras, smartphones i.e. my beloved Samsung, will be kept in school office and will be given to students when we get to go out once a month to homes of families whom we are invited to i.e. Singaporean families living outside.

We dress conservatively around the compounds, in long sleeves and long dresses with pants underneath. Tarimi women consider pants as underwear therefore it is an aib (loosely translated as a big NO) for women in Tareem to be seen in pants like you would normally see in modern Singapore culture; even among women in their own homes. This is in the name of hayaa (modesty) and it is practiced well in Daruz Zahra. Alhamdulillah.

in the tarbiyyah (education) of hayaa too, we keep our hijab on loosely at all times even when sleeping (3years later, i am still not used to this). It is also aib to be seen around the compounds with your head uncovered. Some of us just don our towel on our head to cover our hair when going to the bathroom, that is we are THAT sure we won't bum into our Principal, not that she will scold us -she is THAT nice ok- but we will be totally embarrassed with ourselves lah.

There is no intercom system in Daruz Zahra therefore news of change of itinerary, outings, trips etc. are extended from word of mouth and we are to oblige in our quickest of pace.

There is a set daily itinerary which we adhere as part of the tarbiyyah (education) set by Habib Umar Al-Hafidz, may Allah always be pleased with him. this part though, make intentions to come here as a student and immerse in the baraqah of the said itinerary. may Allah make ease in your arrangements to seek and attain sacred knowledge. amin Ya Rabb!