Koran teachings helped 'outstanding' dad bring up children in tough times

Sama-ae is among the outstanding fathers being honoured at a ceremony in Bangkok’s Suan Amporn today on National Father’s Day, when the entire nation gets together to mark His Majesty the King’s birthday. 

Sama-ae and his wife Harima, 62, have been married since 1968, going through thick and thin together and raising their children in a house near the Khoi Riya Mosque in Rangae district’s Tambon Bango Sato. 

“Dad is No 1 in our hearts, with or without this award. He has been our inspiration, driving us to become who we are today. Our father was not rich, but he wanted to ensure his children were educated. As he did not undergo formal schooling himself, he decided to apply Islamic principles in raising us,” eldest son Lukman Rengma, 45, recounts. He works as a specialist pharmacist at Rusoh Hospital. 

The Prince of Songkla University graduate, who also serves as a member of a mosque committee, says that when he and his siblings were young, Sama-ae would have them – and 50 other residents – read the Koran at home every night. 

“That taught us to focus. When we had problems, dad would advise us to read the Koran and apply the teachings to real life,” he explained. 

Dr Adul Rengma, 42, the second son and director of the Yi-ngor Chalermphrakiat Hospital, recalls growing up in a small bamboo hut near their small rubber plantation. 

“The worst time was in 1992, when we were all in school and the price of rubber was only Bt3.50. Also, it was impossible to tap for rubber during the rainy season. We had no money at all. I remember dad used to fry rice with salt for us, and when we were lucky, we got to eat eggs,” he said. 

“When we needed money for school, dad sold the cows and mortgaged the plantation to cover our fees. When that wasn’t enough, he borrowed from a Chinese customer, who lent him cash because he knew that dad was borrowing for our education,” he said, adding that he and his siblings never asked for frivolous things because they felt sorry for their parents. 

With a Prathom 4 education, Sama-ae said he could not help his children with their schoolwork, but he could use Islamic teachings to give them guidance. He said he taught his children by example. 

“When I was young, I didn’t have the opportunity to get a formal education, so I wanted my children to get what I missed,” he said. “None of my children are wayward and they never asked me for anything because they knew that we were struggling. We never had good food, and all the clothes were hand-me-downs,” he said, adding that both his sons won scholarships, with the eldest completing his education with funds from Saudi Arabia.

Arroha Ma-ke, 31, his youngest daughter and now a registered nurse, said she was inspired to study hard by her older siblings – the last of whom earned a business degree from Ramkhamhaeng University.