Let me start with the first book that I’ve just bought last week from the on line PTS books store. Inspired to explore the meaning of love from a writer who also known as an Indonesia Ulama, Buya Hamka or his real nama is Prof Dr. Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah (1908 – 1981); I’ve bought 3 off his books from PTS combo deals.
For the 1st time ever, I’ll start with novel “Di Bawah Lindungan Ka’bah” – “Under The Protection of Ka’bah”. A story with 14 chapters (including glossaries) and 87 pages; it takes less than 2 hours to read and complete the whole story, however to ease your understanding, you might need to have a basic understanding of the culture of the Asia people especially Minang’s back in year 1927. If not, don’t worry it is not a MUST, keep read it and the books will start to tell you about the people, the culture; traditions, the true scenario like it did to me. Frankly, I was scared in the beginning that I might be facing the difficulty to understand the whole story as it was written long before my mother was born.
It started with the letter from a friend who is telling about his experience while performing haj in 1927 where at that time there is no agency to organize those people who performing haj for Indonesian’s Jemaah. While he is staying at one of the Syekh House he start to know a young man name Hamid who came from Indonesia as well and they become a good friend. One day, the last group of Jemaah from Indonesia came and one of them is Saleh who then staying at the same house for a very short time (as he is on his way to Egypt for further study). Once Hamid meet up with Saleh in one day, the whole situation changed. Hamid start to stay away from the group, he become so passive, spending more time at the Ka’bah than talking to other people. Eager to know what had happened to Hamid, the writer start to ask and the story began….
Hamid; an orphan boy who was raised by his mother after his father dead. To survive, he needs to work at the age of 4 by selling ‘kueh’ (traditional cake) from house to house until one day a rich family of Ungku Haji Ja’far with his wife Asiah and their daughter Zinab move to that place. They are rich, but they are also warm hearted people. Ungku had adopted Hamid as his owned son. Hamid and Zainab being rise together and was send to the same school. As they spend their childhood time together, their relation becomes so close.
As a time goes by, Zainab grows as a young maiden surrounded by the traditional culture, she finished her primary school and had not continue. For the sake of her benefit, Ungku had make a special arrange for a teacher (to teach Quran, religion, cooking, sewing and other housewife knowledge) to come to their house. Therefore, Zainab is spending more time at her house than to be seen at the public area. Hamid in the other hand had been send by Ungku Ja’far to Padang Panjang to further study on the Islamic religion.
The conflict begins with the dead of Ungku Ja’far followed by Hamid mother a few months later. Before his mother pass away, she remind Hamid his position in the society as they are poor. From the experience she knew that the poor young man like her son – Hamid doesn’t deserve to marry a wealthy maiden especially with the dead of Ungku Jaafar, for sure that the family of Ungku Ja’far will take full in charge of all the family. Therefore her last words to Hamid, stay away from falling in love with Zainab.
One day Ungku Ja’far wife Asiah invited Hamid to her house asking for some help. She knew that there is no other person that Zainab will be listening to other than Hamid who is so close with her since they were young. Not knowing that both Hamid and Zainab have a feeling towards each other, Asiah requested Hamid to pursue Zainab to marry Ungku Ja’far’s nephew. This is the request from Ungku Ja’far ffamily to ensure all the wealth of Ungku Ja’far remains with them.
He did, but it hurt his owned heart.
There is no rope for me to hold other than Yours. There is no door for me to knock other than Yours. Oh Allah please gives me strength to face Your fate.
To Allah he surrendered his life.
Under The Protection of Ka’bah, I’ve categories it as a “Must read book”!
NFK
24th August 2015
Note:
If you are interested to have this book, please browse through PTS bookstore for purchasing