Di tengah hiruk-pikuk Hong Kong yang seolah tak pernah tidur, sesekali aku merasa perlu menarik diri, mencari kesunyian. Saat-saat sendiri seperti ini adalah momen yang sangat berharga bagiku, ketika aku dapat merasakan ketenangan tanpa kebisingan, tanpa gangguan, dan bisa bernapas lega, menikmati damainya keheningan.
Beberapa hari terakhir, tubuhku telah memberikan sinyal lelah—rasa letih yang mengundang istirahat panjang. Namun, tanggung jawab dan tuntutan pekerjaan mengharuskan aku untuk terus maju, menjalankan tugas seprofesional mungkin. Syukurlah, majikan memahami dan akhirnya mengizinkan aku untuk mengambil beberapa hari libur guna memulihkan stamina. Kesempatan ini aku manfaatkan sepenuhnya untuk meresapi kembali ketenangan yang lama hilang.
Banyak orang mungkin memilih menghabiskan waktu istirahat dengan rebahan sepanjang hari di kamar, tetapi kali ini aku memutuskan lain. Rasanya aku perlu keluar, menyegarkan pikiran dan suasana hati dengan menenggelamkan diri di tengah kedamaian alam yang tenang. Dalam benakku, sebuah tempat langsung terlintas—Masjid Ammar Wan Chai dan Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre, sebuah masjid yang terletak di daerah Wan Chai, Hong Kong.
Hari liburku tiba, dan dengan tas ransel berisi beberapa buku, aku pun menuju masjid yang selama ini jadi tempat peristirahatan batin bagi banyak orang, khususnya para Buruh Migran Indonesia (BMI) yang tinggal di Hong Kong. Masjid ini memang dikenal ramai pada hari Minggu, namun di hari kerja, suasananya berubah sepi dan damai, memberikan kesempatan bagi mereka yang ingin mencari ketenangan tanpa terganggu.
Ketika langkahku tiba di masjid, aku disambut oleh suasana tenang yang menyelimutinya. Di sana, ada organisasi BMI bernama Halaqah atau Himpunan Sosial Aktivis Solehah Hong Kong, yang mengadakan berbagai kajian keislaman secara teratur. Aktivitas ini berlangsung sepanjang minggu, meskipun pada hari kerja jumlah pesertanya tak seramai hari Minggu. Namun, kajian agama tetap hidup, menebar ilmu dan kedamaian bagi setiap hati yang datang.
Saat berada di masjid, aku berkesempatan mengikuti sebuah kajian kecil yang dipimpin oleh Bapak KH. Abdul Muhaimin Karim, seorang tokoh yang telah mengabdi selama lebih dari dua dekade sebagai Executive Da’wah di Islamic Union of Hong Kong. Di sela-sela kajian, aku mendatanginya di ruang kerjanya. Dalam obrolan ringan yang penuh keakraban, beliau berpesan agar aku terus belajar dan tidak pernah berhenti, karena menurutnya, belajar adalah sebuah perjalanan tanpa ujung. “Tetap semangat dan teruslah berkarya,” begitu katanya, sebuah pesan yang mendalam dan menyentuh hati.
Saat berpamitan, aku memperkenalkan dua buku karya Bapak Sumardi dan Bapak Kuspriyanto yang belum lama ini aku bawa untuk didonasikan ke perpustakaan masjid. Alhamdulillah, sambutan dari pihak perpustakaan dan dari Bapak Muhaimin sangat hangat dan penuh apresiasi. Mereka berterima kasih dengan tulus, merasa terbantu dengan adanya tambahan koleksi buku yang diharapkan bisa bermanfaat bagi jamaah lainnya.
Masjid Ammar Wan Chai hari itu terasa menjadi tempat yang sangat istimewa. Di sana, aku bukan hanya mendapatkan kesempatan untuk meregangkan tubuh dan menenangkan pikiran, tetapi juga menerima energi baru dari pesan-pesan penuh semangat yang beliau sampaikan. Tempat ini mengingatkanku betapa berharganya kedamaian dan ketenangan jiwa, di tengah gemuruh kota besar. Semoga, ke depannya, buku-buku yang telah didonasikan bisa menjadi sumber inspirasi dan berkah bagi setiap pembacanya. []
Quiet Space in Wan Chai Mosque
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong that seems to never sleep, I occasionally feel the need to withdraw, seeking solitude. Moments alone like this are very precious moments for me, when I can feel the calmness without noise, without disturbance, and can breathe freely, enjoying the peace of silence.
For the past few days, my body has been giving me signals of fatigue—a feeling of tiredness that invites a long rest. However, the responsibilities and demands of work require me to keep going, carrying out my duties as professionally as possible. Thankfully, my employer understands and finally allows me to take a few days off to restore my stamina. I take full advantage of this opportunity to re-absorb the long-lost calm.
Many people might choose to spend their rest time lying down all day in their room, but this time I decided differently. I feel like I need to go out, refresh my mind and mood by immersing myself in the peacefulness of nature. In my mind, a place immediately comes to mind—Ammar Wan Chai Mosque and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre, a mosque located in the Wan Chai area of Hong Kong.
My day off arrived, and with a backpack filled with several books, I headed to the mosque that has long been a place of spiritual rest for many people, especially Indonesian Migrant Workers (BMI) living in Hong Kong. This mosque is known to be crowded on Sundays, but on weekdays, the atmosphere changes to quiet and peaceful, providing an opportunity for those who want to find peace without being disturbed.
When I arrived at the mosque, I was greeted by a calm atmosphere that enveloped it. There, there is a BMI organization called Halaqah or the Hong Kong Solehah Activist Social Association, which holds various Islamic studies regularly. This activity takes place throughout the week, although on weekdays the number of participants is not as busy as on Sundays. However, religious studies remain alive, spreading knowledge and peace to every heart that comes.
While at the mosque, I had the opportunity to attend a small study led by Mr. KH. Abdul Muhaimin Karim, a figure who has served for more than two decades as the Executive Da’wah at the Islamic Union of Hong Kong. In between studies, I visited him in his office. In a casual chat full of familiarity, he advised me to keep learning and never stop, because according to him, learning is a journey without end. “Stay enthusiastic and keep working,” he said, a deep and touching message.
When saying goodbye, I introduced two books by Mr. Sumardi and Mr. Kuspriyanto that I had recently brought to be donated to the mosque library. Alhamdulillah, the welcome from the library and from Mr. Muhaimin was very warm and full of appreciation. They sincerely thanked me, feeling helped by the addition of a collection of books that were expected to be useful for other congregants.
The Ammar Wan Chai Mosque that day felt like a very special place. There, I not only got the opportunity to stretch my body and calm my mind, but also received new energy from the passionate messages he conveyed. This place reminded me of how valuable peace and tranquility of the soul are, amidst the roar of a big city. Hopefully, in the future, the books that have been donated can be a source of inspiration and blessing for every reader. []