Rafiq Endeavour Award

After a brief hiatus caused by busy schedules and frequent travels, the team met today to kick-start the work for the inaugural REA award this coming Syawal. Alhamdulillah, despite the no-so-great attendance, we were able to motivate ourselves and to commit to agreed deadlines.

REA is our small contribution to celebrate the life of a young man, Muhammad Rafiq Yahya.

I knew Rafiq when he was helping out at FMSA and saw him off at Changi Airport when he courageously took the journey to Pondok Moden Darussalam Gontor for a Diploma in Islamic Studies. Some years later I met him in Damascus when he continued his undergraduate study at Jami'atul Abu Nour, much to my delight and to his determination and ambition of becoming a scholar one day.

Last year during Ramadan he worked at An-Nur Mosque. And on the eve of Eid, after making sure that all preparations were done and completed for the next morning's Eid Fitr prayers he rode his motorbike to return home to Teck Whye, where he lived with his parents. But he was not destined to reach home - he fell from his bike in front of Al-Khair Mosque some minutes away from his house. He never gained consciousness and passed away on 2 Syawal 1428H.

May Allah bless his soul and place him amongst His righteous and favoured servants.

Allahyarham Muhammad Rafiq was of exemplary character and a role model for the young. He touched and mentored many young Muslims and left positive impressions over the young and old whoever he met and served. His determination and dedication in his personal transformation from an ITE student to a University undergraduate was exemplary - a young man deep in religious conviction, fluent in Arabic and passionate in his pursuit for knowledge.

Over a short period of time he had served and contributed to many organisations and youth groups, including ITE, FMSA, Pondok Moden Darussalam Gontor, Jami’atul Abu Nour, DMASYQ, PADA, Huda, RKM, An-Nur Mosque.

We have put together some visuals to remind ourselves of his joyful life.

We are saddened by his demise but resolved to keep his experiences, achievements and aspirations alive through an award in his memory.

The REA award is created to support the personal transformation and endeavours of young Muslims who have the potential to create positive change amongst youth and contribute to the community.

I invite you to join me in this endeavour.