Our World Without Our Captain Marvel (Al-Fatihah)

Note: This entry concerns none of the real Captain Marvel, or Shazam, a DC Comics character.

These few days were the darkest hours hovering the skies of former BENL (Bachelor of English Language & Literature) students of IIUM (International Islamic University Malaysia), matriculation batch 1999/2000 for the sudden departure of our leader, colleague, friend, comrade and brother, Allahyarham Mohammad Arif bin Azman in Melbourne, Australia.

Rumours about him warded under life support machine reached us at 4.30 pm on Tuesday, 5 April 2011. Me and Pyan were seeking confirmation of the rumours through our contacts… we were really busy with calls. And when Pyan and arwah's working colleague confirmed the news… I was speechless. I immediately posted a notification on FB and informed friends with streams of SMSes.

Gripped with uncertain hope, I received Farhanaz's contact (arwah's wife),  and immediately called her. With much courage, I spoke with her and upon hanging up, I cried.

"Isz, Arif is basically… gone. Doctors declared him brain dead, and they are still trying to pump his heart. If by 10.00 am takde apa-apa…" ah, tak sanggup aku nak tulis.

That night, me and Pyan were discussing over mugs of A&W Rootbeer. We were still hoping for the best, but bracing for the worst as well. A tahlil ceremony is planned, should the worst comes.

I can't sleep much that night. I could only sleep for about three hours and woke up upon receiving a text message.

It was a text from Pyan, conveying the exact text from arwah's wife:

"Al-Fatihah buat arwah suami, Mohammad Arif bin Azman."

I was stumbled, speechless for a few minutes and wept silently. I turned on my Mac E.M.E.L.I.A and begun designing arwah's condolence display. Surge of calls and SMSes from friends came in, and all were in tears. I posted the news, display and created a tahlil event at FB, gathering support from close friends to come for the planned tahlil ceremony at Pyan's place.

It was April 6, 2011. The day of silence and sombre for all of us.

For the next hours and days afterwards, I made calls with a few friends at KUL/WMKK and MASkargo of a possible arrangement for the jenazah. Mine and Pyan's cells were heavy with calls and SMSes, so did our FBs.

Beliau telah selamat disemadikan bersebelahan pusara ayahandanya di tanah perkuburan Islam Bangi, berdekatan Stesen Komuter UKM sekitar jam 10.30 pagi, Sabtu, 9 April 2011. Aku dan beberapa rakan rapat arwah yang lain tidak sempat menatap arwah buat kali terakhir dan menyembahyangkan jenazahnya, hanya keranda dan kenangan saja yang kami ada. We consoled his mother and the bereaved family, and got to know his actual cause of death... meningitis. We, the brethren were cramming into The City Motorboat 3200 heading to the tanah perkuburan. Menziarahi pusara arwah dengan membacakan surah Yassin dan tahlil ringkas, kami khusyuk dalam kesebakan dalam hati. Menyirami pusara dan meninggalkan perkuburan, kami berkumpul bersama mengenang kembali saat-saat bersama arwah yang malar segar sehinggakan makan tengah hari kami adalah sempena memperingati arwah.

Terlalu banyak yang aku mahu kongsikan sepanjang 13 tahun persahabatan kami. Ini antara koleksi peringatan kami tentang arwah yang disusun oleh salah seorang rakan kami, Yuzaimie Yusof (Pajai or The Hoff):

• Sekurang-kurangnya seorang (a BENL sister) confused aku dan Arif (dua kali lak tu).
• Walaupun sokong, tapi dia tak suka tengok match MUFC, pasal badi… bila dia tengok je MUFC kalah selalunya.
• Trademark gelak hi-pitchnya yang tersendiri.
• A better driver than me (I admit that, although it’s a close one), tapi aku ada kelebihan dari segi navigational skills.
• Digelar ‘Captain Marvel’ masa berkecimpung dalam arena futsal tengah malam.
• Menyebabkan sorang teammate futsal cedera akibat rempuhan keras beliau.
• Selalu menjaringkan gol-gol yang superb masa main futsal.
• Tak takut main game seram (Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, Resident Evil).
• Fanatik Arnold Schwarzenegger.
• Pernah berkecimpung dalam arena bina badan.
• Siap bawa mesin basuh sendiri ke UIA.
• Masa MUFC turun KL (2001): Siap jalan kaki kat highway nak ke Stadium Bukit Jalil, dan dari Terminal Putra ke UIA tengah malam buta (pasal takde teksi)
• Ada masalah pendengaran yang…agak kronik… (Aku: Ada lima sen? Arip: Aa mesej?) banyak koleksi bende nie…
• Kuat makan (boleh habiskan set pizza untuk 4 orang…nasib baik aku ‘masuk campur’ sekali,hehe…
• Makan bersungguh-sungguh (sampai berpeluh-peluh).
• Tak lokek belanja kawan makan (sampai sekarang aku still tak faham kenapa aku just minta roti canai je…padahal ko nak offer belanja aku kaw-kaw kat Pelita SS2).
• Rajin beli barangan dapur kat OTK…then kena balik naik teksi pasal banyak sangat belinya.

… and of course, everybody has a piece of memory with arwah.

Sesungguhnya, daripadaNya kita datang, kepadaNya kita kembali. A dedicated student and lecturer he was, there will be no other Arif than him.

Al-Fatihah, Arif. You will always be cherished and remembered.