The first time I ever became an Imam was when I was in form 5 (I think)..
I was staying in a boarding house and it was compulsory to perfom the maghrib prayers in berjemaah.. The rule was to have 1 representative from each dorm (there weren't many.. just about 7 maybe, if i remember correctly..) to Imam and another to be the bilal..
I like to sembahyang berjemaah.. I really don't mind it if the Imam reads a really long surah and zikir beribu kali.. I like it.. rasa macam Tuhan tu betul2 dekat and dengar and terima solat tuh (insyaAllah!).. tak taulah.. as they say, 'the more the merrier', I guess..
Well then.. there was this one time that it just so happened to be my dorm's turn to have a representative to lead the hostel in maghrib prayers.. as usual, I was early to await the solat jemaah.. and I was the only one from my dorm that was there at the time... gulp!!!
So.. anxiously, I took my position at the front of the pack.. and became the Imamah.. Part of the reason that I 'so willingly' took on the role was because I noticed that there weren't many jemaah that particular day.. period maybe, or just plain lazy to jemaah (even though it's considered a 'ruling', quite a number of students don't adhere to it!)..
However.. as we were doing the final sujud before the tahiyyat akhir, someone who had just walked into the surau had spoken aloud, "girls! sembahyang nampak kaki!".. aiyak! it was me! THE IMAM!.. But I finished off the solat (duduk tahiyyat akhir dengan meng'adjust'kan kain supaya tutup kakiku semula.. cover line!), and got the bilal to read the do'a lepas sembahyang, which I didn't memorize (and still haven't memorized! Dushh..! *ketuk kepala sendiri!).. I was told that the girl who had spoken aloud had been told off by a senior who had said not to speak it out loud, no less than to menggugat kekhusyukan jemaah.. Whatever it is.. I SHALL BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES OF MY ACTIONS.. ketidak terimaan solat makmum dipikul saya.. MOGA ALLAH MENGAMPUNI DOSA SAYA... dan juga makmum saya...
Berat tau, tanggungjawab Iman, ketua, etc.. They are the ones who lead and if they lead wrongly, then they are the ones questionable first and foremost.. That was the ONLY time I was ever an Imam!
Currently, my Mak's situation is rather grave.. because of the treatments on her body, she can't walk on her own or even move around much.. and because of the treatments on her brain, she's not only losing her coordination, but also her memory.. She might not remember the sequence of wudhu' and she could forget the surahs in prayer.. Therefore, it would be better for her (and the whole household, too) to sembahyang berjemaah.. My sis-in-law would take turns with my maid or yayang to Imamkan Mak.. but not 'tudungless' me.. Last night, Yayang came home late.. Kak Nom and Siti were both 'on leave'.. so who was left to Imam Mak? Aiyakkk....!!!
Since 'hope' rested on me, I took on the post. Maghrib, Isya', AND subuh (Yayang bangun lambat, kelam kabut nak siap gi ofis!)..
Have to brush up on my surahs....
