I still remember the days in the late 1980s when I was in Sekolah Alam Shah, Kuala Lumpur. As a teenager eager to learn more about Islam, I became acquainted with the tabligh group. I once went to this huge gathering in Dengkil and I have also helped with the building of the tabligh mosque in Seri Petaling.

I can't remember how many times I have stood up to give the talk about the "six points of tabligh" but I still remember how I trembled on the very first time I stood up to speak. But, despite the regular "going out for three days" and the frequent visits to Masjid India, I felt that there was something missing in the tabligh movement.

I explored Al-Arqam too, but, I must admit, the serban put me off a bit. I did like wearing it when I was at Alam Shah, but it was the thickness of the ones worn by Arqam followers that put me off. Yes. I know. It was a petty excuse. But I was only 16 at that time.

And then, one day when I was in Form 4, I bought my first copy of Harakah from a stand in Puduraya The journey into PAS started on that very day.