Memories of Mentors

It has been always said, that behind the success of every man is a woman behind the scenes; Yes indeed that phrase is correct.

I would also add that behind the great minds of today is a great mentor who gave him wisdom and light. I had my own share of women and mentors who gave me inspiration, knowledge and success.

My first mentor, like all great men... was my mother, taught me the rudiments of A,b,c she also taught me pain, sorrow, happiness, emotions and how it is to live under the control of these emotions.

I had great mentors my whole life, from the moment I stepped grade one, there was Ma'am Rabino (whose cute daughter was cute really in my eyes). Though My mother taught me the rudiments of literacy at age 2, this teacher taught me how to live under the shadow of cousins and aunts who bullied me. Yes, I was the older cousin of three cousins studying in the same section, but I was bullied, not physically but emotionally. Yes, It was quite a learning experience.

My teachers in my elemetary years taught me how to live under the shadow of bullies. I was then a very thin boy, who would have to let bigger classmates copy from my answers for friendship and protection. Eventually, after learning a few self defense skills, I managed to remove the bullies and manipulate them to my ends.

My teachers in high school were.. of course of varied persuasuins, this was where I had my intellectual awakening , both politically, introduced to marxism and Mystically, being introduced to "The Mystical Life of jesus". I was thus on the path of either perdition or anarchy.

Like the young people of my time who became addicted to religion, I tried to find solace in religion to run away from the pains of life and love, and eventually found that joining school activities provided an escape to my world of pain. And joining socially oriented groups provided a haven and escape.

Funny as it seems, that people would find mentors in unwitting situations.

I embraced Islam in 1992, an experience that was both broke my bound of sanity and intellect out of bounds.

I lost my friends, my teachers thought I lost my mind... even my adviser, Mrs leonardo and mam Rabanez (whom I really admired a lot) sort of became cold.

It pushed me literally to a search of people who would guide me.

The first person who talked and served both as a mentor and mother to me was my classmate and bossom friend Jhaid's mother, Maryam, she was a filipino teacher in Sta barbara elementary school. She answered all my questions about islam, and although I wasnt that convinced, I toed the line.

Maryam's husband Hajid (may Allah bless his soul) taught me a lot of things in Aquaculture. he was hatcher manager and eventually Fishpond manager in Fisheries, a school in Zamboanga City, he taught me on how to live on what was available, on how to live dignified even in the face of poverty and hunger.

I eventually met some other teachers on the road, Bimboy and Jingjong (jhaid's siblings ) gave me some reading materials and gave me a lot of advice. the first three months after my conversion was quite hard, I had to give up the idea of Jesus being God, drinking (i was a voracious drinker), and a lot of other issues.

I met two people during this period who was responsible for my tranformation from a neophyte to the Muslim thinker that I am today......

It was the time when the Abu Sayyaf and Muslim converts were the issues of the day; and masjids were wary of every convert of being a government agent; thus i was derpived of getting formal instruction and tutelage in Islam.

I found my way during the month of ramadhan to a theological seminary near chong Hua high school, I soon found Sheik Hajal Jubah (may Allah bless his soul), who introduced me to Intellectual islam and Irfan (gnosis) this started the path to my intellectual journey in islam; however, jealousy among his other proteges eventually led me to part ways with this man.

I wandered from one Guru to another, occassionally attending the personal classes and lectures of the late Mufti ustad Abdulghani Yusuf (alyahi Irham), but never finding the right moment to settle down under his tutelage.

I soon found my self under the tutelage of Prof Amilussin Jumaani, a man with a brillant mind and a colorful life. under him I was exposed to a lot of things in Islam under this scholar, who did a lot of things for islam in the Philippines. I am indeed grateful I was his protege. (notwithstanding he was the brother-in-law of the late Mufti A. Yusuf, [alayhi irham]). My wife named my second son after him.

But in the middle of all this things and teachers, two people stood out in my journey, my uncle felino and Kah Tuan (jumaani), they both provided me with advises and wisdom on how to go about my life despite my screw-ups.

My uncle Felino taught me how to be the scrooge and shrewd operator I was, and kah Tuan taught me the dignity and fierceness of being a Muslim. indeed afterall those years, i miss these people who mentored me ; and how they taught me, how i wish that even now i could ask them on advises on how to face things, for most of them, what I have is my memories of them and what theyve taught me.