Jumaat

Back in high school, we have the Friday routine. 

In Islam, Friday is Sayyidul Ayyam, translated as the head of the days.

It's believed that Friday starts when the sun sets on Thursday and stay until the next sunset.

So, we'd started with Yassin recitation every Thursday night at our school masjid.

In my final year, I sat on my bed and listened to the Yassin recitation.

We also had sujud sejadah on Friday.

Since fajr in Malaysia is more or less stretch along the same time, we always pray at 630 am. On Friday however, as a freshie, I will be among the first in front of the locked gate going down to masjid. Back in those times, we were the alarm clock for the seniors. 

Sujud sejadah is basically a normal fajr prayer with recitation of special part from the al Quran and special prostration on top.

Early morning + listening to imam long recitation = extreme sleepiness.

So, sujud sejadah is a way to challenge and tone down your lust for sleep.

I had my share of winning and losing too but at least I never remain prostrated during the salah.

Classes, on Friday end at ~12 pm instead of the usual ~2 pm.

I like Friday not because of the half day. I like Friday because I like our Friday uniform.

Girls don the same baju kurung but instead of turquoise sarong, we wear maroon songket sarong.

Boys, regardless race wear baju Melayu with sampin from the same maroon songket and songkok.

Most of the time, the songkok rests on the table instead on the head.

The first and last time I'm wearing the sampin is when I was marching and blowing the trumpet.

My worry of the day is the sampin. Imagine if it comes down when I was marching. Plus, the fact that I was marching for National Day *faint*

Depends, after class we'll go for outings or go home or stay on school ground when none of the previous options are offered.

I didn't like the idea of outing that much so most of the time I'd stay in school and do my laundry (we didn't have laptop back in those days).

I like the atmosphere of almost empty girls dorms with the al-Quran recitation from the masjid downhill filling the air. I was most contented during that time (honestly, having hundreds of people around you every passing second is not fun).

Tomorrow it's going to be Friday.

The routine here is to watch the Czechs lug their luggage into class and ride on a jampacked bus. Past noon, the town is like a ghost town with everyone gone.

Instead of serenity, you feel empty.

There's no traffic to Friday prayer.

And the people are dressed just like every other day.

But still it's Friday, the start of the weekend!