Adib Albab

Adib Albab, my youngest brother. We are four, all men. Badruddin Thiyabi, is my big brother, we call him Bobby, then me, then Farrich Mabrur (we call him Ruri), then Adib Albab.

Adib had a nick name Lanir or Ranier, during his childhood. I dont know why people now call him Adib, no more nick name. Only Iqbal that has no nick name. But sometimes, Bobby call me qiqi, my mom as well.

Come back to Adib. He is my youngest brother. He is very stubborn. He is currently studying at one of Kediri islamic boarding school, i dont even know the name of the "pesantren". What I know he is struggling to improve his english at this place. How hard he's been struggling for it? I dont know, wallahu a'alam. Many students come to this boarding school not only to learn about islam but they are more interested in English. Why they dont just learn at EF? or IALF? maybe too expensive, too capitalist, huahaha....

If you spend about 3 months, people say, you will be able to speak in english well and gramatically perfect. Who knows? Maybe it's true. Then imagine if you spent more then a year, i guess you will speak fluently, like a native? Two year, you can write very good, i think. But believe me, the community who are living there speak English. It is obligatory.

Let's get back to Adib. He is very good at Arabic language, reading qur'an, and has good knowledge in islam. He likes something related to mistic, magic, ghaib, somethinng like this. He likes wirid (reciting verses), I have no clue, whether reciting qur'an, shalawat, or other arabic literatures. "The main reason is to get close to the God", he said someday.

"You dont know what i recite, even if i told you, you would never understand, because you dont like this way", he continued. We fought because of it, one day when we were in Denpasar.

To me, I dont like people, particularly a student, enjoying reciting something that he has no idea about it. But I hope he knows what is he doing. It's hard to tell him what going on out there. Today is millenium era, and we are no longer belong to those kind of stuffs.

"If you really interested in magic, then be specialize in this field. Be a very professional magician and you will go public," I shouted him.

"You will be invited by television to present comments on football match, for example," I added. He was just silent. Meaned, he was angry. Close the conversation.

Last conversation with him via email, i advised him, that only through education, patient, hardwork, continuity and pray, we can change our destiny to a better life. Only those five things we can elevate our dignity.

Therefore, keep studying, whenever the time, wherever the place, whatever the subject, whoever the teacher. Put priority on subject that you like it, for example hobbies, who knows if you are intens on it, y0u would be professional and you will be expert and people look for you for this reason. "You must be specialist on one thing," i emphasized.

Adib has to decide what specialisation he goes to. He has to know what is the most potential talent in himself. He must be focus and be specialist, no more generalist. I said," a good general, a good leader, started from a special department."

For example, in tourism and hospitality industry, due to his patient and hadrwork, a waiter could eventually become a restaurant manager, promoted to be F&B (food & beverage) manager, then operasions manager then finally General manager. But still, he is an expert in food & beverage.

I wish, Adib could understand this. Wallahu a'lam.