Every Moment Is Valuable

 

Copas dari blog teman tarq ku Dessy Trisnoadi

i am writing my story to share to my family, friends, former co-worker or neighbors. i am hoping what i thought was a valuable experience for me would also beneficial to others since each individual has different experiences. well, the experiences might have been similar but the way each individual handles it that different. 

i had been seriously trying to apply for a job since bilal started a full-time school in sept 2011. i guess i got too lonely without having him around during the day *lol* well, alhamdulillah i got a part-time job as a bookkeeper for a wealthy-couple of entrepreneur & dentist. i shouldn't complain... it's a reasonable pay, close to my house, a good family and the best thing is they're willing to be flexible with my hours... masha Allah... can you see whose the boss here? *lol*

let's make a long story short! this week i was contacted for a job interview for a pharmaceutical company thru a temporary agency. gosh, i can't even recall when did i send the application out. i told them "sure, i'll come for the interview"-- since it's just around the corner from where we live which only takes me about 4 minutes driving to the building **you can't beat that!** so there i was in front of 3 interviewer in a cold-white room. one of the interviewer was the supervisor, the other one was general manager and the one who greet me to come in was **i believe** the big boss of HR or some others. the atmosphere got colder as soon as i came in to the room. their faces changed and their forehead frowned! i know right away it's my dress code, but i try to make myself calm.

they're asking me about general questions as you would find it in other company when you got an interview. 30 minutes has gone by, we finally got to the dress-code discussion. i told them nicely that "for what we believe, i can never take my headscarf (hijab) off other than to my immediate family. i don't believe my headscarf will affect the way i work since we will be covered with the lab coat, lab head-cover, lab shoes-cover and gloves". **i don't think i was rude by saying that, weren't i?** without giving a chance to the other 2 interviewers, the big boss told me flat-out that they can not have me if i'm wearing headscarf to work as per the protocol of their dress-code; because there might be some particles in the headscarf that can contaminate the drugs. he suggested me to apply for a job in the field other than pharmaceutical. alhamdulillah i was able to stay calmed and thank them for spending the time to interview me. 

it's not the first time i was being treated "different" just because i'm wearing hijab, but i would never thought in my wildest dream it would happen during a job interview. i thought most of company in the US would have what they call an EEO a.k.a Equal Employer Opportunity which means they will not look/judge the applicants by the colors, race, gender or religion. **i think see a legal issue here. i can retire soon if i want to take it further... lol...**

i called the temporary agency right after and told them what happened. they're thinking the same on that part. they didn't think it was an issue with my dress-code. i was relieved by what they said. at least i wasn't over-reacting by thinking the way i was thinking. they even said they would have told me from the beginning if it's an issue. i am very thankful i experienced something like this. it's probably nothing for some people; but for me it's the most valuable lesson of life... masha Allah...  

well, i guess i should thank them for that, because i know Allah wants me to learn something from that incident... alhamdulillah... every moment in our life is very valuable and a blessing. there's only 24hrs in a day, so try to make the best of it only in His way! i had a former co-worker back in the old days; and she chooses what she believe to fit in her lifestyle. i think that's just pure wrong!... astaghfirullah al adziim... **i hope i am not "ghibah" by thinking this way**. our life should go by and follow what we believe as our guidance. pardon me if my writing offended anyone in anyway. i'm writing this only as a self-reminder.

it was a coincidence! i helped bilal with his homework for school which kind of similar to the incident couple weeks before **see attached picture**. we, as a parents, want bilal feels proud to be different as a muslim. we want him to stand as who he is, other than try to fit in to his surrounding at school or anywhere here. it might take our full effort since he goes to public school. when bilal was reaching his school-aged, we wanted him to be in a private-islamic school; but Allah has different plan. HE ALWAYS KNOWS JUST WHAT WE NEEDED, NOT WHAT WE WANTED! He knows what's best for His ummah... He knows we need bilal to be in public school so we can learn something from it... subhanAllah... may Allah protect us all...:)

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i copied below note from a dear friend. jazakillah khayr, ukhti:

"Know, dear son, that days are but hours, and hours are but breaths, and every soul is a container, hence let not any breath pass without any benefit, such as on the Day of Judgement you find an empty container and feel regret!

Be aware of every hour and how it passes, and only spend it in the best possible way; do not neglect yourself, but render it accustomed to the noblest and best of actions, and send to your grave that which will please you when you arrive to it."

- Imam Ibn al-Jawzi rahimahullah in his letter of advice to his son-