HAJI YUSUF KOMANDO

I considered myself as an outspoken person, sometimes blunt, and gives my opinion directly when needed. (or not, hehe)

But during one mission to the aborigines' village in Gua Musang last year, I met Haji Yusuf Komando - a retired General Manager of a company, who graduated from USA and spoke English whenever he wanted to prove his point. His fashion trademark is soldier pants, ARMY tshirt and a stick to support his walk. At first I thought he was a retired soldier, hence the 'komando' tag.

The first night arrived, we had a brief meeting. I cowered behind Kak Nurul, a MO from HTM that I happened to assist medically through the mission. Its suffocating because I found its hard to reach a point of understanding with him.

" Until when we want to act like Santa Claus to them?! " He said.

That sounds pretty much like an accusation to me. I didn't expect to have a heated discussion like that the first we met. I thought this meeting is supposed to be ice breaking cum taaruf session.

" There are many methods of dakwah. But what we are doing now is giving them 'carrot and stick' to mold their cooperation! "

He was referring to the bunch of gifts, stack of food, and even monetary gift that the mission bring every time we came. He didn't like the idea of preaching Islam with gifts as baits. He preferred we taught them knowledge and skills, or supply them with basic tools so that they can be independent and improves their living.

Although most of the things we bought to the villagers were intended as sedeqah, we never thought we kind of acting like Santa as he claime. It is an eye opener for me too. After months, I later get what he meant. Because of this repetitive act, the villagers began expecting us to come with money and gifts, whilts our main objective is to spread Islam.

*Some even said their syahadah more than once so that they can get monetary gifts coz they believed they can get free money if they embraced Islam. (Which is partly true, since we do give them money untuk meraikan saudara baru, and because being a muallaf gives them the right as an asnaf.)

Time has passed since the last mission, and I still remembered him vividly. Mostly because he used to call me "Cik Pharmacist" whenever he greet me, tengah kutip sampah masa nak balik misi pun dia masih berhujah lagi pada saya, and also because he is the one to trigger discussion in the Whatsapp group.

I began to see him in new light, and secretly admired his intensity. because he didn't strike me as someone with passion towards dakwah. He's no ustaz, he's wearing soldier pants for God's sake! hehe.. Yup, looks are deceiving, appearances are misleading.

Yesterday, someone texted into the Whatsapp group ; Haji Yusuf Komando has passed away at 1 am, 15th June 2016. I was left baffled. Knowing someone that short of time usually doesn't get you teary. But he did.

(إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ. أَللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْلَهُ وَارْحَمْه وَعَافه وَاعْفُ عَنْه)

Al-Fatihah.