LAST week’s Raya holidays were terrific.
I had the opportunity to learn some very valuable lessons about life through several amazing things that transpired during Aidilfitri.
They all had to do with the wisdom of putting other peoples’ needs before our very own; especially to those who are not as privileged as most of us.
The first was an incredible piece of news that I heard on the BBC.
It reported that a mosque in the UK had become the first place of worship for Muslims to allow a guide dog to accompany its owner into the building.
The owner’s dad Gafar Khatri was thrilled with the development.
“Now because of Vargo, the guide dog, my 18-year old son Mohammed Abraar Khatri, a student in Leicester, can have the confidence to go wherever and whenever he wants without being dependent on others,” he exclaimed.
On Abraar’s part, he only had praise for the religious authorities.
He was particularly touched that they regarded it as “their duty to help him.”
According to the BBC, the Muslim Law (Shari'ah) Council UK had recently issued a fatwa which allows guide dogs inside mosques.
However, it did not include inside prayer rooms.
The move was a result of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and the Muslim Council of Britain working together to support Abraar's request.
Guide Dogs for the Blind said it “hoped that mosque leaders - both in the UK and internationally – will now make similar adjustments to enable Muslim guide dog owners to enter their mosques."
A special rest area is available for Vargo in the entrance of the Bilal Jamia Mosque to stay while his owner is praying.
The BBC quoted Mohammad Shahid Raza, director of the Imams and Mosques Council UK as saying: "I believe that in all new mosques such facilities for disabled people will be an essential part of their design.
“The Bilal Mosque is going to provide special provision for such guide dogs to be kept safely and securely within the mosque complex during such visits.
"Such a facility will highlight the Islamic attitude of helping disabled people and enhance the services we provide to the Muslim community," he said, concluding the BBC report.
As an individual who also requires service canines for my independence, I can’t help but agree fully with the sentiments of the UK Mosque council director.
In Malaysia we have no problems with police, drugs and bomb sniffer dogs (and even CD-busting pooches like Lucky and Flo) entering into public buildings, joining national parades, shows, etc.
But why do some of us still have reservations when it comes to even more highly trained canines whose jobs are to enhance the quality of lives and independence of people with disabilities?
My second lesson came when I had to take my mobile phone to the Nokia Service Centre in Kuala Lumpur just before the holidays.
Fortunately, my wheelchair and my disabled-friendly car were not an obstacle to the good folks there when I arrived.
Talk about golden service! I was met at the car park by senior manager Mr Peter Teoh himself. He got into my car and guided me to the nearest parking to the lift.
He then cheerfully took my wheelchair out of the boot and assisted me into it. We took the lift up to the 13th floor and returned 30 minutes later, my issues fully solved.
The whole process of getting into my car was repeated. I was incredibly touched by the kindness of the senior manager.
Because of his help, I was able to finish the task that I had set out for.
What a tremendous sense of accomplishment this gave me.
A few days afterwards, I was confronted with the mobile blues again. This time, however, it was my service provider Maxis’s turn to do a good deed.
An annoying glitch in my configuration refused to allow me to receive my emails.
I was amazed – and once again, touched - at the hours and even days – that the customer service people spent with me on the phone.
After discovering that I was in a wheelchair, one of the technical experts named S Puven offered to visit me at home to help me out.
However, I insisted on driving near to his office instead.
So there we were; me, parked at the side of a busy main road with traffic beside KLCC. He and another colleague, on foot, working on my phone for more than an hour until the glitch was gone.
Meanwhile, we were surrounded all that time by eager tourists taking pictures of KLCC, street lights, lamp posts, etc., wanting to catch a glimpse of what Malaysia was all about.
I wanted to call out to each one of them and say, hey, here’s a true Kodak moment for you!
The End
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