Graduation 2018

Congratulation to my dear 22 year old son Ameerul Ahwaz on his July graduation from Heriot Watt University getting a B.Eng. in Petroleum Engineering. The story behind why he chose that course was because he's truly inspired by the success of my former classmate/boss Nik Hamdan of Barakah Offshore Petroleum, especially with his flashy Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 488 and Porsche sports cars as well as his swimming-pool equipped bungalow in Glenmarie Residence.

Anyway, I really appreciate his achievement under the circumstances. He tried his best in getting over the difficult and challenging engineering subjects especially in the tradition of excellence well known within the Scottish Universities forte (all the Kelvins, Adam Smiths, James Watts, etc. were from Scotland).

In my undergrad days in the ancient Glasgow University back in the late 80s and early 90s, I had to endure the bitterly cold environment and those lonely days (the aftermath of a break up) in addition to the strenuous aerospace engineering subjects and being faraway from my family. Even with all these obstacles, I managed to graduate on time in July 1991 (Summer Graduation) as opposed to many of my friends who had to resit for their exams and finally graduated in December (Winter Graduation).

Ahwaz and his Petroleum Engineering degree
from Heriot Watt University, July 2018

The Honours Board
Congratulating the Graduates

Ahwaz's cool dad with his
Aerospace Engineering degree from 
Glasgow University, July 1991

Hopefully, he will successfully embark in a conducive working environment. Unlike me, as right after graduation I set myself up for an epic sabbatical carefree journey of four months in the Indian subcontinent (well that's another story) from July until November and practically did nothing and just 'lepak kingkong' at my home in Sitiawan until the next February.

Berteman Tanbihul Ghafilin

25 Jun 1991

Glasgow

Mungkin kali ini aku lebih takut dan kurang bersedia untuk menghadapi realiti dunia (yang pada hakikatnya tidak 'real' pun). Apapun, ku suruh sahabatku Murad melihatkan keputusan perperiksaan.

Dan aku, yang tidak bermaya ini, mengadu diri pada Allah. Ku capai kitab Tanbihul Ghafilin, karya Abulaits Assamarqandi, sampai ku terlelap dan termimpi-mimpi.

Kemudian Murad kembali. Tahniah. Engkau lulus dengan B.Sc in Aerospace Engineering dari University of Glasgow. Sedih kurasakan, apabila Murad terkandas kali ini.

Lewat petangnya sebelum Maghrib (sekitar 10.00 pm), ku beranikan diri ke universiti. Mencari namaku di papan tanda keputusan.

Laylatul Jaa'izah (Night of Prize Giving)

Malam 1hb Syawal 1411

Bilikku yang selalu sepi, selalu sunyi, tiba-tiba pada malam ini bertukar suasana. Budak-budak bujang  datang sampai ku rasakan tak muat lagi bilikku ini.

Kami pun bertakbir mursal. Seorang demi seorang, mengambil giliran menerajui takbir.

اللّهُ أكبر

لا إلَهَ الا اللّه

اللّهُ أكبر اللّهُ اكبر

و لِلّه الحمدَ

Tak dapat dipertikaikan, di celah-celah itu, rasa nostalgia menikam ke penjuru hati.

Kemudian nasi himpit, kuah kacang, triffle, keropok, agar-agar, Bombay Mix dan Irn Bru, mengisi lapar-lapar kami ....

... hingga ke larut malam.