Roslan Hamid's Blog, page 126
January 22, 2017
Wake up, know our identity! (LanH Jr)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. RECENTLY I was in Uzbekistan, visiting historically cities such as Bukhara and Samarkand. Alhamdulillah, our entourage was lucky to have a 'smart and very knowledgeable' local tourist guide.
His knowledge on Uzbekistan history really amazed me. He could recalled every single detail of events without difficulty, as we set foot in front of the many monuments there.
But unfortunately, his lengthy stories about the Great Emir Timur empire, Ulugbek’s achievements in astronomy, prominent Muslim scholars, the Soviet Union era and even current geopolitical issues in the country sometimes bored many members of the entourage including me as many of us had little or no background about the subjects what's more they were not much of our concern.
One may argue, it was his job as a tourist guide but I doubt in our country, tourist guides would be able to do such thing (at par with historians) with the same passion!
After visiting miraculous monuments that was still standing after hundreds and some of them thousands of years, that not only undergone wear and tear due to weather, but also through the World War II, I kept thinking about our own Malay heritage.
During the famous era of the Melaka Sultanate from early 1400, Melaka once was known as the most prominent ‘entreport’ in the world with classical Malay language was being used as the ‘lingua franca’ in the region.
Sadly,the only thing left for us to see from that era is the replica of ‘Istana Kesultanan Melayu Melaka’ (Malacca Sultanate Palace) in Bandar Hilir, Melaka. Perhaps the only thing remaining as our identity is rooted deep in our heart displayed by ‘adab dan tatasusila orang Melayu’ (Malays way of life) that was also becoming alarmingly ‘endangered’.
Actually, many facts hypothesised by historians, especially the Westerners can be questioned nowadays with newerThen, we were told that the Malays using ‘keris’ and ‘tombak’ to fight with the colonials, but recent findings show during those days, our ancestors had firearms and cannon technologies as mention byGodinhoEredia in Asia Portugueza and Manuel de Faria Y Souza in E. Koek, Portuguese History of Malacca. In fact, we have our own names for those various firearms known as ‘terakul’, ‘pemuras’ and ‘rentaka’
In addition, even most of us do not realized that the most recent archeological findings in this nation was Sungai Batu,Merbok, Kedah, believed dated back to 500 BC. The site was known as Kadahar, Queda, CheahCya or Qalah in ancient times was recognized officially by the expert archeologists as the earliest civilization in the South East Asia.
It was not just mere findings, as the millions of tube was believed as ‘tuyere’ with more than 10 ancient blast furnaces hold secrets of the technologies during those days in iron melting industry. It was considered as a large scale industry and had played an important role as the main exporter of iron in South East Asia during that era.
It actually proves the greatness of Malay civilization which we should be proud of to tell the world. Only by various source readings and researches, one can discover the true greatness of our own origin. I am hopefully that our country would 'produce' smart and very knowledgeable tourist guides just like the Uzbek gentleman I had met.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. RECENTLY I was in Uzbekistan, visiting historically cities such as Bukhara and Samarkand. Alhamdulillah, our entourage was lucky to have a 'smart and very knowledgeable' local tourist guide.
His knowledge on Uzbekistan history really amazed me. He could recalled every single detail of events without difficulty, as we set foot in front of the many monuments there.
But unfortunately, his lengthy stories about the Great Emir Timur empire, Ulugbek’s achievements in astronomy, prominent Muslim scholars, the Soviet Union era and even current geopolitical issues in the country sometimes bored many members of the entourage including me as many of us had little or no background about the subjects what's more they were not much of our concern.
One may argue, it was his job as a tourist guide but I doubt in our country, tourist guides would be able to do such thing (at par with historians) with the same passion!
After visiting miraculous monuments that was still standing after hundreds and some of them thousands of years, that not only undergone wear and tear due to weather, but also through the World War II, I kept thinking about our own Malay heritage.
During the famous era of the Melaka Sultanate from early 1400, Melaka once was known as the most prominent ‘entreport’ in the world with classical Malay language was being used as the ‘lingua franca’ in the region.
Sadly,the only thing left for us to see from that era is the replica of ‘Istana Kesultanan Melayu Melaka’ (Malacca Sultanate Palace) in Bandar Hilir, Melaka. Perhaps the only thing remaining as our identity is rooted deep in our heart displayed by ‘adab dan tatasusila orang Melayu’ (Malays way of life) that was also becoming alarmingly ‘endangered’.
Actually, many facts hypothesised by historians, especially the Westerners can be questioned nowadays with newerThen, we were told that the Malays using ‘keris’ and ‘tombak’ to fight with the colonials, but recent findings show during those days, our ancestors had firearms and cannon technologies as mention byGodinhoEredia in Asia Portugueza and Manuel de Faria Y Souza in E. Koek, Portuguese History of Malacca. In fact, we have our own names for those various firearms known as ‘terakul’, ‘pemuras’ and ‘rentaka’
In addition, even most of us do not realized that the most recent archeological findings in this nation was Sungai Batu,Merbok, Kedah, believed dated back to 500 BC. The site was known as Kadahar, Queda, CheahCya or Qalah in ancient times was recognized officially by the expert archeologists as the earliest civilization in the South East Asia.
It was not just mere findings, as the millions of tube was believed as ‘tuyere’ with more than 10 ancient blast furnaces hold secrets of the technologies during those days in iron melting industry. It was considered as a large scale industry and had played an important role as the main exporter of iron in South East Asia during that era.
It actually proves the greatness of Malay civilization which we should be proud of to tell the world. Only by various source readings and researches, one can discover the true greatness of our own origin. I am hopefully that our country would 'produce' smart and very knowledgeable tourist guides just like the Uzbek gentleman I had met.
January 18, 2017
Harga barangan tinggi, alternatifnya hampir tiada...
Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
SEHARI dua memasuki tahun baharu 2017, terkejut besar kita apabila harga barangan keperluan dapur terutama ikan dan sayur melambung mendadak. Misalnya harga ikan yang suatu ketika dulu digelar lauk orang miskin seperti kembong mencecah RM16 manakala selar RM18, malahan cencaru RM14 sekilogram.
Pelbagai pihak beralasan bahawa harga ikan tinggi disebabkan musim tengkujuh di Pantai Timur mengakibatkan nelayan tidak dapat ke laut. Namum umum mengetahui bahawa sebahagian besar ikan-ikan di pasaran adalah 'ikan kotak' yang sesetengahnya diimport dari Thailand dan Indonesia, jadi alasan 'musim tengkujuh' boleh dipertikai.
Kenapa hampir tidak ada pihak berani menyebut bahawa harga barangan keperluan termasuk ikan meningkat tinggi disebabkan kenaikan 'tinggi' harga petroleum mulai 1 Januari 2017? Apabila harga minyak naik, tidakkah kos pengangkutan juga naik menyebabkan harga barangan turut naik?
Demikianlah rakyat marhaen memulakan tahun baharu dalam keadaan penuh tertekan. Berhubung 'penderitaan rakyat' ini, penulis berusaha menyelami hati beberapa 'individu bawahan' yang pandangan sesetengahnya dapat dijadikan iktibar bersama.
Haji Jabar sudah lama bersara. Kini dalam usia 70-an, beliau berusaha 'sikit-sikit' (berdasarkan umur tuanya) menambah pendapatan - kadang-kadang dia melangai (menangkap geragau atau anak udang) serta ikan di pinggiran laut Selat Melaka.
Dengan cara ini dapatlah dia membantu mengurangkan perbelanjaan dapur keluarganya kerana mereka tidak perlu kerap membeli ikan untuk dijadikan lauk. Pendeknya, beliau ada alternatif - misalnya jika harga ikan mahal dia boleh ke laut.
Namun dalam perbualan terkini beliau dengan penulis, dia tampak marah kerana katanya ada pihak tertentu melarangnya daripada melangai di laut persisiran bandar raya Melaka. Beliau mendakwa sejumlah kawasan di tepi laut sudah menjadi milik persendirian. Malah ada pihak yang sudah mengepung kawasan mereka sekali gus menyebabkan pelangai atau nelayan persisiran pantai tidak dapat ke laut.
Demikianlah dalam keghairahan pihak pemerintah mengejar kemajuan, periuk nasi sesetengah rakyat ditaburi pasir. Jadi pada ketika harga barangan keperluan termasuk ikan sangat mahal sekarang ini, alternatif Haji Jabar mengusahakan lauk untuk keluarganya seolah-olah sudah tertutup rapat. Kasihan Haji Jabar, tetapi apa dia boleh buat?
Berbual-buah dengan Encik Rashid, 30, seorang pembantu kedai yang membantu penulis menyiang ikan selar yang dibeli dengan harga RM18 sekilogram, mendedahkan dia terpaksa ke Muar untuk memancing ikan puyu (sebagai alternatif lauk berikutan harga ikan yang mahal) kerana parit, terusan dan sungai di Melaka hampir tiada ikan puyu (betuk) lagi.
Menurutnya suatu ketika dulu, 'ikan darat' mudah diperolehi tetapi sekarang seakan sudah menjadi menjadi eksotik pula. Dulu kalau tak ada lauk, 'ikan darat' seperti betuk, haruan dan keli adalah alternatifnya tetapi sekarang ikan-ikan ini harganya sudah melambung tinggi terutama haruan yang dikatakan amat mujarab untuk merawat luka dan untuk wanita yang baru bersalin.
Di kedai yang sama, Encik Deraman mengulas mengenai sayur-mayur pula. Katanya, dulu jika sayur seperti sawi, bayam dan kubis mahal atau tidak ada di pasaran, orang kampung tidak bimbang sebab mereka pada bila-bila masa boleh memetik 'sayur asli' seperti pucuk paku, pucuk pakis dan pucuk ubi yang tumbuh melata di belukar berhampiran rumah mereka. Malah 'kangkung kampung' pun segar bugar tumbuh dalam parit dan sawah serta kolam.
Malah katanya, orang kampung boleh makan sulur keladi, umbut pisang dan banyak lagi tumbuhan yang boleh dijadikan lauk. Pendeknya mereka ada alternatif tetapi sekarang ini pada ketika harga barangan keperluan termasuk ikan dan sayur-sayuran melambung tinggi, sebahagian besar rakyat tiada pilihan.Ya, amat menyedihkan sayur-mayur kampung ini hampir pupus malah di sesetengah tempat sudah pupus sama sekali!
Kerakusan pihak-pihak tertentu termasuk pemerintah dalam melaksanakan pelbagai projek termasuk untuk 'membesar perut kroni' telah menyebabkan alam sekitar musnah teruk. Jadi tidak hairanlah jika rakyat terutama orang kampung tidak lagi mempunyai alternatif jika harga barangan keperluan meningkat terlalu tinggi; malah orang Asal pun mengadu bahawa banyak 'kawasan rayau' mereka (di hutan) sudah musnah menyebabkan mereka 'susah cari makan'!
Demikian pada masa zaman 'paceklik' (bahasa Jawa bermakna zaman susah) sekarang ini, tidak mudah mendapatkan alternatif sesuatu barangan keperluan itu, jika dulu tiada beras mungkin ubi kayu gantinya tetapi sekarang ini harga ubi kayu pun amat tinggi!
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
SEHARI dua memasuki tahun baharu 2017, terkejut besar kita apabila harga barangan keperluan dapur terutama ikan dan sayur melambung mendadak. Misalnya harga ikan yang suatu ketika dulu digelar lauk orang miskin seperti kembong mencecah RM16 manakala selar RM18, malahan cencaru RM14 sekilogram.
Pelbagai pihak beralasan bahawa harga ikan tinggi disebabkan musim tengkujuh di Pantai Timur mengakibatkan nelayan tidak dapat ke laut. Namum umum mengetahui bahawa sebahagian besar ikan-ikan di pasaran adalah 'ikan kotak' yang sesetengahnya diimport dari Thailand dan Indonesia, jadi alasan 'musim tengkujuh' boleh dipertikai.
Kenapa hampir tidak ada pihak berani menyebut bahawa harga barangan keperluan termasuk ikan meningkat tinggi disebabkan kenaikan 'tinggi' harga petroleum mulai 1 Januari 2017? Apabila harga minyak naik, tidakkah kos pengangkutan juga naik menyebabkan harga barangan turut naik?
Demikianlah rakyat marhaen memulakan tahun baharu dalam keadaan penuh tertekan. Berhubung 'penderitaan rakyat' ini, penulis berusaha menyelami hati beberapa 'individu bawahan' yang pandangan sesetengahnya dapat dijadikan iktibar bersama.
Haji Jabar sudah lama bersara. Kini dalam usia 70-an, beliau berusaha 'sikit-sikit' (berdasarkan umur tuanya) menambah pendapatan - kadang-kadang dia melangai (menangkap geragau atau anak udang) serta ikan di pinggiran laut Selat Melaka.
Dengan cara ini dapatlah dia membantu mengurangkan perbelanjaan dapur keluarganya kerana mereka tidak perlu kerap membeli ikan untuk dijadikan lauk. Pendeknya, beliau ada alternatif - misalnya jika harga ikan mahal dia boleh ke laut.
Namun dalam perbualan terkini beliau dengan penulis, dia tampak marah kerana katanya ada pihak tertentu melarangnya daripada melangai di laut persisiran bandar raya Melaka. Beliau mendakwa sejumlah kawasan di tepi laut sudah menjadi milik persendirian. Malah ada pihak yang sudah mengepung kawasan mereka sekali gus menyebabkan pelangai atau nelayan persisiran pantai tidak dapat ke laut.
Demikianlah dalam keghairahan pihak pemerintah mengejar kemajuan, periuk nasi sesetengah rakyat ditaburi pasir. Jadi pada ketika harga barangan keperluan termasuk ikan sangat mahal sekarang ini, alternatif Haji Jabar mengusahakan lauk untuk keluarganya seolah-olah sudah tertutup rapat. Kasihan Haji Jabar, tetapi apa dia boleh buat?
Berbual-buah dengan Encik Rashid, 30, seorang pembantu kedai yang membantu penulis menyiang ikan selar yang dibeli dengan harga RM18 sekilogram, mendedahkan dia terpaksa ke Muar untuk memancing ikan puyu (sebagai alternatif lauk berikutan harga ikan yang mahal) kerana parit, terusan dan sungai di Melaka hampir tiada ikan puyu (betuk) lagi.
Menurutnya suatu ketika dulu, 'ikan darat' mudah diperolehi tetapi sekarang seakan sudah menjadi menjadi eksotik pula. Dulu kalau tak ada lauk, 'ikan darat' seperti betuk, haruan dan keli adalah alternatifnya tetapi sekarang ikan-ikan ini harganya sudah melambung tinggi terutama haruan yang dikatakan amat mujarab untuk merawat luka dan untuk wanita yang baru bersalin.
Di kedai yang sama, Encik Deraman mengulas mengenai sayur-mayur pula. Katanya, dulu jika sayur seperti sawi, bayam dan kubis mahal atau tidak ada di pasaran, orang kampung tidak bimbang sebab mereka pada bila-bila masa boleh memetik 'sayur asli' seperti pucuk paku, pucuk pakis dan pucuk ubi yang tumbuh melata di belukar berhampiran rumah mereka. Malah 'kangkung kampung' pun segar bugar tumbuh dalam parit dan sawah serta kolam.
Malah katanya, orang kampung boleh makan sulur keladi, umbut pisang dan banyak lagi tumbuhan yang boleh dijadikan lauk. Pendeknya mereka ada alternatif tetapi sekarang ini pada ketika harga barangan keperluan termasuk ikan dan sayur-sayuran melambung tinggi, sebahagian besar rakyat tiada pilihan.Ya, amat menyedihkan sayur-mayur kampung ini hampir pupus malah di sesetengah tempat sudah pupus sama sekali!
Kerakusan pihak-pihak tertentu termasuk pemerintah dalam melaksanakan pelbagai projek termasuk untuk 'membesar perut kroni' telah menyebabkan alam sekitar musnah teruk. Jadi tidak hairanlah jika rakyat terutama orang kampung tidak lagi mempunyai alternatif jika harga barangan keperluan meningkat terlalu tinggi; malah orang Asal pun mengadu bahawa banyak 'kawasan rayau' mereka (di hutan) sudah musnah menyebabkan mereka 'susah cari makan'!
Demikian pada masa zaman 'paceklik' (bahasa Jawa bermakna zaman susah) sekarang ini, tidak mudah mendapatkan alternatif sesuatu barangan keperluan itu, jika dulu tiada beras mungkin ubi kayu gantinya tetapi sekarang ini harga ubi kayu pun amat tinggi!
January 17, 2017
'Goodness' on wheels…
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
"Anyone who obeys the Messenger has obeyed God..." (Nisaa 4:80)
IN the middle of last year my family brought home five stray kittens and recently for an 'unavoidable reason' we had to give away all the five beautiful and cute creatures.
I was sad and felt a great loss but fortunately an idea crossed my mind - why not I bring along cats food in my motorcycle's basket. Thus I could always feed stray hungry cats whenever I find them without taking them back home.
The 'idea' worked; nowadays I have 'befriended' some 'kittens' at two 'masjids' that I often goes - strangely they would run to my motorcycle whenever I arrived at the said premises.
Based on this experience, I broadened my thinking that it is wise for us to carry along useful things or necessary equipment in our vehicles if of sudden there is an emergency. Yes, we needed to be ready to help others at all time, but one factor that hampered us from giving help is that we do not have the necessary and right equipment.
Discussing on this topic, I remember one of my best friend testimony that he always kept a motorcycle's tube, an air pump, spanners and other equipment in the boot of his car just in case he came across motorcyclists pushing their punctured vehicles along the road what's more on the highway.
Years ago I had the experience of pushing my punctured bike along the highway; I felt it was like an endless journey...I had to push the vehicle up and down the slopes and hills of the highway for more than 15 kilometers...yes nobody stopped to help me on the highway. While pushing the bike, my heart cried - Ya Allah, please help me, please help me!
I exited at an interchange and after more than five kilometers only than I found a workshop and have my motorcycle repaired. On reaching home, I felt my body and bone ached - ooh, if only a good samaritan like my best friend who always carried the necessary tools had seen me on the highway!
Perhaps in the past I was not good and fast in helping others, thus help was delayed to me! It was my mistake, I wowed to correct it. We must be ever ready to help those in distress.
Thus if we want to help others, always be prepared for an emergency. Be ready to render help just like my best friend who had motorcycle's repairing kit stored in his car boot!
It is good for us to have a car emergency kit which includes charged cell phone. Although this item will probably be on your person, it may make the difference between getting help fast and maybe not getting help at all. Make sure it is properly charged every time you get into your car.
We too should have first-aid kit, it should include adhesive tape, gauze pads, aspirin, antiseptic wipes, antiseptic cream or ointment, and anything related. Other items are fire extinguisher and warning triangles.
From experiences, I knew of some drivers carrying 'weapons' such as hockey sticks and iron rods in their cars in case they were attacked by road bullies but there are also 'some good souls' that carry with them 'parang' (chopper) and 'cangkul' (hoe) with a conscience intention.
Why carry a 'parang'...because when they come across felled trees they could help in clearing the branches and why carry a 'cangkul'...because they could removed carcasses of dead animals such as kittens on the road and then buried them. But to those good samaritans, be careful because carrying sharp objects such as 'parang' could land you in hot soup because it is against the law.
Then when going to 'masjids' for your five times daily prayers or 'kuliah' (lessons), always be ready in your vehicles simple apparatus such as a brush and a small container for you to pick up and clear 'tahi cicak' (lizard's excrement) in the 'masjid'. You too could ready a 'penyapu' (broom) to sweep the floor or compound of the 'masjid'.
If you bring along brushes and detergents you could clean the toilets; but remember to bring 'pakaian basahan' (attires worn when doing dirty work) for you need to be in you best clothes when entering 'masjid' and performing our 'solat' (prayers). Then if you have a 'parang' and 'sabit' (sickle), you could clean and clear areas around the 'masjid' such as cutting grass.
To help 'needy' people or individual in distress perhaps it does not require much effort - drivers could give lift to people for example neighbours who are waiting for the bus or walking on the road. Stop and ask them; if their route match yours...then take them into your car; from my experience doing this, they were very grateful and said thank you several times!
Yes be kind to all including fellow human beings especially to those in need because whoever is kind to His creatures, God is kind to him; therefore be kind to man on earth, whether good or bad; and being kind to the bad is to withhold him from evil, thus in Heaven you will be treated kindly. He who is not kind to God's creatures, God will not be kind to him.
The Qur'an states that whatever we give away generously (including help), with the intention of pleasing God, He will replace it. God knows what is in the hearts of men. Say: “Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His slaves, and also restricts it) for him, and whatsoever you spend of anything (in God’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers.” (Qur'an 34:39) - ES
Reflection
"Anyone who obeys the Messenger has obeyed God..." (Nisaa 4:80)
IN the middle of last year my family brought home five stray kittens and recently for an 'unavoidable reason' we had to give away all the five beautiful and cute creatures.
I was sad and felt a great loss but fortunately an idea crossed my mind - why not I bring along cats food in my motorcycle's basket. Thus I could always feed stray hungry cats whenever I find them without taking them back home.
The 'idea' worked; nowadays I have 'befriended' some 'kittens' at two 'masjids' that I often goes - strangely they would run to my motorcycle whenever I arrived at the said premises.
Based on this experience, I broadened my thinking that it is wise for us to carry along useful things or necessary equipment in our vehicles if of sudden there is an emergency. Yes, we needed to be ready to help others at all time, but one factor that hampered us from giving help is that we do not have the necessary and right equipment.
Discussing on this topic, I remember one of my best friend testimony that he always kept a motorcycle's tube, an air pump, spanners and other equipment in the boot of his car just in case he came across motorcyclists pushing their punctured vehicles along the road what's more on the highway.
Years ago I had the experience of pushing my punctured bike along the highway; I felt it was like an endless journey...I had to push the vehicle up and down the slopes and hills of the highway for more than 15 kilometers...yes nobody stopped to help me on the highway. While pushing the bike, my heart cried - Ya Allah, please help me, please help me!
I exited at an interchange and after more than five kilometers only than I found a workshop and have my motorcycle repaired. On reaching home, I felt my body and bone ached - ooh, if only a good samaritan like my best friend who always carried the necessary tools had seen me on the highway!
Perhaps in the past I was not good and fast in helping others, thus help was delayed to me! It was my mistake, I wowed to correct it. We must be ever ready to help those in distress.
Thus if we want to help others, always be prepared for an emergency. Be ready to render help just like my best friend who had motorcycle's repairing kit stored in his car boot!
It is good for us to have a car emergency kit which includes charged cell phone. Although this item will probably be on your person, it may make the difference between getting help fast and maybe not getting help at all. Make sure it is properly charged every time you get into your car.
We too should have first-aid kit, it should include adhesive tape, gauze pads, aspirin, antiseptic wipes, antiseptic cream or ointment, and anything related. Other items are fire extinguisher and warning triangles.
From experiences, I knew of some drivers carrying 'weapons' such as hockey sticks and iron rods in their cars in case they were attacked by road bullies but there are also 'some good souls' that carry with them 'parang' (chopper) and 'cangkul' (hoe) with a conscience intention.
Why carry a 'parang'...because when they come across felled trees they could help in clearing the branches and why carry a 'cangkul'...because they could removed carcasses of dead animals such as kittens on the road and then buried them. But to those good samaritans, be careful because carrying sharp objects such as 'parang' could land you in hot soup because it is against the law.
Then when going to 'masjids' for your five times daily prayers or 'kuliah' (lessons), always be ready in your vehicles simple apparatus such as a brush and a small container for you to pick up and clear 'tahi cicak' (lizard's excrement) in the 'masjid'. You too could ready a 'penyapu' (broom) to sweep the floor or compound of the 'masjid'.
If you bring along brushes and detergents you could clean the toilets; but remember to bring 'pakaian basahan' (attires worn when doing dirty work) for you need to be in you best clothes when entering 'masjid' and performing our 'solat' (prayers). Then if you have a 'parang' and 'sabit' (sickle), you could clean and clear areas around the 'masjid' such as cutting grass.
To help 'needy' people or individual in distress perhaps it does not require much effort - drivers could give lift to people for example neighbours who are waiting for the bus or walking on the road. Stop and ask them; if their route match yours...then take them into your car; from my experience doing this, they were very grateful and said thank you several times!
Yes be kind to all including fellow human beings especially to those in need because whoever is kind to His creatures, God is kind to him; therefore be kind to man on earth, whether good or bad; and being kind to the bad is to withhold him from evil, thus in Heaven you will be treated kindly. He who is not kind to God's creatures, God will not be kind to him.
The Qur'an states that whatever we give away generously (including help), with the intention of pleasing God, He will replace it. God knows what is in the hearts of men. Say: “Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His slaves, and also restricts it) for him, and whatsoever you spend of anything (in God’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers.” (Qur'an 34:39) - ES
January 16, 2017
Uzbekistan 'revisted' after 25 years...
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
ABOUT 25 years ago (in 1992), the writer (LanH) was in Uzbekistan, a newly independence nation after the collapse of Soviet Union.
In this Central Asian country of some 30 million people, 90 percent of them Muslims, the writer found out the eagerness of the people to be practicing Muslims - well during the communist era for about 70 years they were denied in displaying their religious obligations such as 'solat' (prayers)...even 'masjids' were turned into museums and storehouses.
Recently the writer's son had the opportunity to visit Uzbekistan; it is interesting to know the latest development in that country especially regarding our Uzbek Muslim brothers there. Here's LanH Jr's account of his experience in this Central Asian country in which lies the world's famous Silk Road...
************
IT was almost 4:00 in the morning on December 1st, and the chilling early morning breeze and spots of snow welcomed our entourage to Tashkent International Airport as there were no aerobridge facility provided!
We were transferred to the airport main terminal using a shuttle bus. After the hustle and bustle dealing with immigration and customs officers, we were transferred to the domestic airport where we would take a flight to Bukhara as the first place to be visited.
In the bus at Bukhara, we were welcome by our local tour guide and without hesitation, we were offered the black market rate of exchanging our US currency to the local Som. Mind you, the rate offered by the bank on that day was 1USD to 3,200 Som and he offered us at 5,000 Som instead. Later I found out in the market, 1USD = 7,000 Som. The rate was mind boggling and I kept telling myself, when in Rome, do as the Romans do and all the deals was done in the bus, never outside.
In Uzbekistan, during the last few weeks, it had been most difficult for the public as a national election would be carried out to give the people opportunity to vote for a new President as Islam Karimov, the first President of independence Uzbekistan had passed away in September. However, the public strongly believed the current Prime Minister, Shavkat Mirziyoyev also disciple of the late president will be chosen without challenges.
Thus, level of security has been levelled up and also, Uzbekistan will welcome hundreds of election observers from all over the world to ensure the election will be fully ‘democratic’.
For a country that claims 90 percent of its population are Muslims, the people's way of daily lives contrast to situation in Malaysia. Muslim women (Muslimah) with hijab could be finger counted, most of them were elderly. Many 'jamek' (large) 'masjids' in Uzbekistan were only used for Jumaah or Eid prayers; for the five times 'jemaah' (congregational) they performed them in small 'masjids' normally by the side of the big 'masjids' and the sad part of it many people claimed that they only pray once a week that was the Jumaah prayers.
'Adzan; (call for prayers) is not allowed through speakers and 'zakat' (tithe) is the matter of own personal initiative. No specific organisation will collect and distribute 'zakat' properly to the needed. Your 'salam' will be answered with the repeatation of ‘assalammualaikum’ as though it was like ‘hello’ to them.
Old Uzbekistan is noted for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study as its cities of Samarkand, Tashkent and Bukhara were part of the Great Silk Road. In the 14th century Samarkand was the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane) and since then, hundreds of 'madrasahs' (religious schools) had been built and provided education for boys and girls separately.
Perhaps the most notable 'madrasahs' in Samarkand were housed in the Registan. In it was placed three 'madrasahs' side by side forming a public square. Nowadays, the 'madrasahs' have past their glory and are now being visited for its historical and architectural values and there is also a shopping centre.Bukhara, the ancient city along the Silk Road is an arid land. It was the birth place of Imam Bukhari; there also lies what was believed to be Prophet Ayyub's grave and well, the Citadel Ark, bazaar and numerous museum and 'masjids'.
The present Museum of Carpet here once was a prayer spot for Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Muslims and Jews in different era but now sadly known for what it stands today. It is also here situated the 40 Pillars Masjid in front of the Citadel Ark but claimed to be used only for Jumaah prayer.
In Chelak district, Samarkand, we visited the mausoleum of Imam Al-Bukhari. We arrived at the mausoleum complex said to be the idea of the first President of Indonesia, Soekarno, while Jumaah prayer was being perform. It was a very interesting scene to witness. While we were walking towards the complex, there were still groups of men outside chatting, ignoring the ongoing in the 'masjid'.
In Samarkand also stand the enormous Bibi Khanoum Masjid, with a giant 'rehal' (stand) of the Qur'an in front of it. After restoration work, it only served as a mausoleum and have several souvenir shops.
In Tashkent, we visited the main 'masjid' in the city centre. The Khazrati Imam Complex holds the Khazrat Imam Masjid, used only for Eid prayers, a smaller masjid used for the five times daily dan Jumaah prayers.
Baraqan Madrasah is now used as a woodwork souvenir shop. There is also an Al-Qur'an museum which kept the original manuscript of Al-Qur'an written in Khufi during the rule of Al-Rashidin Caliphate Uthman Affan and was retrieved from Moscow. At the middle of the huge Qur'an, there was a blood stain believed to be from Sayidina Uthman when he was murdered while reading the holy book.
The claws of Soviet rule buried deep inside the heart of the Uzbek people made it hard for outside influences; the people stay 'preserved' from what’s left after independence.
To make things more difficult, the government is not allowing any visitors to freely roamed this country. Every visitor must be registered and the public is not allowed to receive any visitors overnight at their homes without permission. That’s maybe the main reason preachers from outside find it hard to set foot in this Central Asian nation.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
ABOUT 25 years ago (in 1992), the writer (LanH) was in Uzbekistan, a newly independence nation after the collapse of Soviet Union.
In this Central Asian country of some 30 million people, 90 percent of them Muslims, the writer found out the eagerness of the people to be practicing Muslims - well during the communist era for about 70 years they were denied in displaying their religious obligations such as 'solat' (prayers)...even 'masjids' were turned into museums and storehouses.
Recently the writer's son had the opportunity to visit Uzbekistan; it is interesting to know the latest development in that country especially regarding our Uzbek Muslim brothers there. Here's LanH Jr's account of his experience in this Central Asian country in which lies the world's famous Silk Road...
************
IT was almost 4:00 in the morning on December 1st, and the chilling early morning breeze and spots of snow welcomed our entourage to Tashkent International Airport as there were no aerobridge facility provided!
We were transferred to the airport main terminal using a shuttle bus. After the hustle and bustle dealing with immigration and customs officers, we were transferred to the domestic airport where we would take a flight to Bukhara as the first place to be visited.
In the bus at Bukhara, we were welcome by our local tour guide and without hesitation, we were offered the black market rate of exchanging our US currency to the local Som. Mind you, the rate offered by the bank on that day was 1USD to 3,200 Som and he offered us at 5,000 Som instead. Later I found out in the market, 1USD = 7,000 Som. The rate was mind boggling and I kept telling myself, when in Rome, do as the Romans do and all the deals was done in the bus, never outside.
In Uzbekistan, during the last few weeks, it had been most difficult for the public as a national election would be carried out to give the people opportunity to vote for a new President as Islam Karimov, the first President of independence Uzbekistan had passed away in September. However, the public strongly believed the current Prime Minister, Shavkat Mirziyoyev also disciple of the late president will be chosen without challenges.
Thus, level of security has been levelled up and also, Uzbekistan will welcome hundreds of election observers from all over the world to ensure the election will be fully ‘democratic’.
For a country that claims 90 percent of its population are Muslims, the people's way of daily lives contrast to situation in Malaysia. Muslim women (Muslimah) with hijab could be finger counted, most of them were elderly. Many 'jamek' (large) 'masjids' in Uzbekistan were only used for Jumaah or Eid prayers; for the five times 'jemaah' (congregational) they performed them in small 'masjids' normally by the side of the big 'masjids' and the sad part of it many people claimed that they only pray once a week that was the Jumaah prayers.
'Adzan; (call for prayers) is not allowed through speakers and 'zakat' (tithe) is the matter of own personal initiative. No specific organisation will collect and distribute 'zakat' properly to the needed. Your 'salam' will be answered with the repeatation of ‘assalammualaikum’ as though it was like ‘hello’ to them.
Old Uzbekistan is noted for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study as its cities of Samarkand, Tashkent and Bukhara were part of the Great Silk Road. In the 14th century Samarkand was the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane) and since then, hundreds of 'madrasahs' (religious schools) had been built and provided education for boys and girls separately.
Perhaps the most notable 'madrasahs' in Samarkand were housed in the Registan. In it was placed three 'madrasahs' side by side forming a public square. Nowadays, the 'madrasahs' have past their glory and are now being visited for its historical and architectural values and there is also a shopping centre.Bukhara, the ancient city along the Silk Road is an arid land. It was the birth place of Imam Bukhari; there also lies what was believed to be Prophet Ayyub's grave and well, the Citadel Ark, bazaar and numerous museum and 'masjids'.
The present Museum of Carpet here once was a prayer spot for Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Muslims and Jews in different era but now sadly known for what it stands today. It is also here situated the 40 Pillars Masjid in front of the Citadel Ark but claimed to be used only for Jumaah prayer.
In Chelak district, Samarkand, we visited the mausoleum of Imam Al-Bukhari. We arrived at the mausoleum complex said to be the idea of the first President of Indonesia, Soekarno, while Jumaah prayer was being perform. It was a very interesting scene to witness. While we were walking towards the complex, there were still groups of men outside chatting, ignoring the ongoing in the 'masjid'.
In Samarkand also stand the enormous Bibi Khanoum Masjid, with a giant 'rehal' (stand) of the Qur'an in front of it. After restoration work, it only served as a mausoleum and have several souvenir shops.
In Tashkent, we visited the main 'masjid' in the city centre. The Khazrati Imam Complex holds the Khazrat Imam Masjid, used only for Eid prayers, a smaller masjid used for the five times daily dan Jumaah prayers.
Baraqan Madrasah is now used as a woodwork souvenir shop. There is also an Al-Qur'an museum which kept the original manuscript of Al-Qur'an written in Khufi during the rule of Al-Rashidin Caliphate Uthman Affan and was retrieved from Moscow. At the middle of the huge Qur'an, there was a blood stain believed to be from Sayidina Uthman when he was murdered while reading the holy book.
The claws of Soviet rule buried deep inside the heart of the Uzbek people made it hard for outside influences; the people stay 'preserved' from what’s left after independence.
To make things more difficult, the government is not allowing any visitors to freely roamed this country. Every visitor must be registered and the public is not allowed to receive any visitors overnight at their homes without permission. That’s maybe the main reason preachers from outside find it hard to set foot in this Central Asian nation.
January 15, 2017
U Masjid (6): Hidup bagaikan putaran roda...
DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
Daripada Aisyah r.a., berkata: "Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Semua manusia dikumpulkan tanpa memakai alas kaki, telanjang dan belum dikhatan.' Aisyah bertanya; 'Apakah antara lelaki dan perempuan akan saling melihat antara satu dengan yang lain?' Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Urusan pada hari itu lebih dahsyat daripada mementingkan hal-hal seperti itu.'" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
UNTUK menyiapkan tulisan 'Universiti Masjid' bahagian keenam ini saya mengembara bersendirian dengan motosikal saya dari teratak kediaman di Melaka, singgah di beberapa masjid seperti Masjid Sultan Ismail di Muar, Masjid Sultan Ismail di Batu Pahat dan Masjid Dato' Noh Gadut di Kampung Serkat (kampung Pak Shukur Harun, kolumnis di Harakah tidak lama dulu).
Pengembaraan sehingga ke Tanjung Piai iaitu kawasan paling selatan tanah besar Asia ini, menemukan saya dengan pelbagai orang dan kejadian yang tak disangka-sangka. Salah seorang watak menarik saya temui adalah seorang lelaki dalam usia 40-an yang seakan-akan menjadikan Masjid Sultan Ismail, Batu Pahat sebagai tempat untuk mengubat kesepian hatinya.
Perkenalan dengan lelaki ini (saya namakannya Ali bagi memudahkan penceritaan) bermula selepas saya menghadiahkannya sebungkus makanan pada suatu petang selepas solat Asar. Ketika itu Ali sedang berehat-rehat di sebuah pangkin konkrit bahagian sisi masjid yang menempatkan sebuah klinik wakaf, sebuah pusat dialisis dan tandas.
Ali cepat mesra...dia menceritakan perihal dirinya dan hampir tidak langsung bertanya akan diri saya. Pada saya keadaan ini bagus kerana kalaulah Ali tahu saya ini seorang penulis, dia akan 'kontrol' (kawal) apa yang dicakap. Jadi, luahannya mungkin 'kurang asli'.
Ali bercerita dalam beberapa hari lagi, dia akan menjalani 'interview' kerja di sebuah kilang milik orang Jepun di Johor Bahru. Jadi sambil baring-baring dia mengikuti 'adegan perbualan' termasuk temuduga kerja dalam bahasa Inggeris melalui 'handset'nya.
Ali bukan 'baru' hendak bekerja...dulu dia mempunyai jawatan tinggi malah sudah berumah tangga. Namun katanya, beberapa tahun lalu dia terbabit dalam satu kemalangan jalan raya. Ada anggota tubuh badannya menjadi kurang upaya menyebabkan 'kehidupan aman bahagianya' yang jika diibaratkan sebuah roda kehidupan kini terperesok di bahagian bawah.
Mula-mula dia dibuang kerja, kemudian rumah tangganya berkecai...maka bermulalah tahun-tahun berdukacita yang menyaksikan dia meluangkan banyak masa di masjid. Katanya, dia suka suasana tenteram terutama di bahagian sisi masjid yang menempatkan klinik kerana kawasan itu menjadi sepi selepas waktu kerja; jadi dapatlah bermunajat kepada Allah SWT sepuas-puas hatinya.
Ali bertanya sama ada saya mahu bermalam di masjid itu. Apabila saya berkata ya, dia memberitahu siapa yang perlu saya maklumkan perkara itu, "Awak jumpa dia, tak ada masalah. Semua beres..."
Selepas solat isyak, Ali dan saya bertemu semula di pangkin tepi klinik. Kami berborak panjang. Macam sudah lama kenal satu sama lain. Ketika berbual, terjenguk dua ekor anak kucing sungguh comel, memandang kami. Ali tabur makanan kucingnya. Ternyata Ali dan anak kucing begitu 'ngam'!
Malam kian sepi. Kata Ali, dia sokong PAS. "Kita perlu pemimpin yang betul untuk memimpin kita. Kita orang awam ini tak boleh pandai-pandai sendiri. Walaupun banyak perkara sudah diperkatakan mengenai PAS, saya tetap bersama PAS."
Saya biarkan Ali meluahkan perasaannya. Baguslah dia tak tahu saya pun ahli PAS dan menulis untuk akhbar PAS pula. Panjang cerita Ali mengenai 'kewajipan' istiqamah dalam perjuangan Islam melalui PAS.
'Kesetiaan' Ali kepada PAS 'mengujakan'. Itu soal perjuangan, tetapi bagaimana halnya si Ali yang tiada kerja sudah bertahun-tahun lamanya. Dia memberitahu dengan kantung yang kerap kosong, dia pasrah.
Kadang-kadang di masjid ada makanan...kawan-kawan dan penderma pun banyak membantu..."setakat ini taklah saya kebulur tetapi sampai bila? Saya sungguh-sugguh berharap dapat kerja di syarikat Jepun di JB itu. Doakan saya ya..."
Malam kian larut. Nyamuk kian banyak. Namun syukurlah malam itu saya tidur 'bertemankan' nyalaan selingkar ubat nyamuk sumbangan Ali...ohh alangkah baik budinya 'si mamat' ini yang roda kehidupannya kini berada di bahagian bawah! Sama-samalah kita berdoa dia akan kembali ke atas sekali lagi!
Renungan
Daripada Aisyah r.a., berkata: "Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Semua manusia dikumpulkan tanpa memakai alas kaki, telanjang dan belum dikhatan.' Aisyah bertanya; 'Apakah antara lelaki dan perempuan akan saling melihat antara satu dengan yang lain?' Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Urusan pada hari itu lebih dahsyat daripada mementingkan hal-hal seperti itu.'" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
UNTUK menyiapkan tulisan 'Universiti Masjid' bahagian keenam ini saya mengembara bersendirian dengan motosikal saya dari teratak kediaman di Melaka, singgah di beberapa masjid seperti Masjid Sultan Ismail di Muar, Masjid Sultan Ismail di Batu Pahat dan Masjid Dato' Noh Gadut di Kampung Serkat (kampung Pak Shukur Harun, kolumnis di Harakah tidak lama dulu).
Pengembaraan sehingga ke Tanjung Piai iaitu kawasan paling selatan tanah besar Asia ini, menemukan saya dengan pelbagai orang dan kejadian yang tak disangka-sangka. Salah seorang watak menarik saya temui adalah seorang lelaki dalam usia 40-an yang seakan-akan menjadikan Masjid Sultan Ismail, Batu Pahat sebagai tempat untuk mengubat kesepian hatinya.
Perkenalan dengan lelaki ini (saya namakannya Ali bagi memudahkan penceritaan) bermula selepas saya menghadiahkannya sebungkus makanan pada suatu petang selepas solat Asar. Ketika itu Ali sedang berehat-rehat di sebuah pangkin konkrit bahagian sisi masjid yang menempatkan sebuah klinik wakaf, sebuah pusat dialisis dan tandas.
Ali cepat mesra...dia menceritakan perihal dirinya dan hampir tidak langsung bertanya akan diri saya. Pada saya keadaan ini bagus kerana kalaulah Ali tahu saya ini seorang penulis, dia akan 'kontrol' (kawal) apa yang dicakap. Jadi, luahannya mungkin 'kurang asli'.
Ali bercerita dalam beberapa hari lagi, dia akan menjalani 'interview' kerja di sebuah kilang milik orang Jepun di Johor Bahru. Jadi sambil baring-baring dia mengikuti 'adegan perbualan' termasuk temuduga kerja dalam bahasa Inggeris melalui 'handset'nya.
Ali bukan 'baru' hendak bekerja...dulu dia mempunyai jawatan tinggi malah sudah berumah tangga. Namun katanya, beberapa tahun lalu dia terbabit dalam satu kemalangan jalan raya. Ada anggota tubuh badannya menjadi kurang upaya menyebabkan 'kehidupan aman bahagianya' yang jika diibaratkan sebuah roda kehidupan kini terperesok di bahagian bawah.
Mula-mula dia dibuang kerja, kemudian rumah tangganya berkecai...maka bermulalah tahun-tahun berdukacita yang menyaksikan dia meluangkan banyak masa di masjid. Katanya, dia suka suasana tenteram terutama di bahagian sisi masjid yang menempatkan klinik kerana kawasan itu menjadi sepi selepas waktu kerja; jadi dapatlah bermunajat kepada Allah SWT sepuas-puas hatinya.
Ali bertanya sama ada saya mahu bermalam di masjid itu. Apabila saya berkata ya, dia memberitahu siapa yang perlu saya maklumkan perkara itu, "Awak jumpa dia, tak ada masalah. Semua beres..."
Selepas solat isyak, Ali dan saya bertemu semula di pangkin tepi klinik. Kami berborak panjang. Macam sudah lama kenal satu sama lain. Ketika berbual, terjenguk dua ekor anak kucing sungguh comel, memandang kami. Ali tabur makanan kucingnya. Ternyata Ali dan anak kucing begitu 'ngam'!
Malam kian sepi. Kata Ali, dia sokong PAS. "Kita perlu pemimpin yang betul untuk memimpin kita. Kita orang awam ini tak boleh pandai-pandai sendiri. Walaupun banyak perkara sudah diperkatakan mengenai PAS, saya tetap bersama PAS."
Saya biarkan Ali meluahkan perasaannya. Baguslah dia tak tahu saya pun ahli PAS dan menulis untuk akhbar PAS pula. Panjang cerita Ali mengenai 'kewajipan' istiqamah dalam perjuangan Islam melalui PAS.
'Kesetiaan' Ali kepada PAS 'mengujakan'. Itu soal perjuangan, tetapi bagaimana halnya si Ali yang tiada kerja sudah bertahun-tahun lamanya. Dia memberitahu dengan kantung yang kerap kosong, dia pasrah.
Kadang-kadang di masjid ada makanan...kawan-kawan dan penderma pun banyak membantu..."setakat ini taklah saya kebulur tetapi sampai bila? Saya sungguh-sugguh berharap dapat kerja di syarikat Jepun di JB itu. Doakan saya ya..."
Malam kian larut. Nyamuk kian banyak. Namun syukurlah malam itu saya tidur 'bertemankan' nyalaan selingkar ubat nyamuk sumbangan Ali...ohh alangkah baik budinya 'si mamat' ini yang roda kehidupannya kini berada di bahagian bawah! Sama-samalah kita berdoa dia akan kembali ke atas sekali lagi!
January 11, 2017
Now everybody can 'waqaf'
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
FOR his every Sunday 'kuliah subuh' (early morning lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house, the ‘ustaz’ was discussing on the subject of ‘waqaf' (the Malay spelling is 'wakaf').
'Waqaf' means an endowment made by a Muslim to a religious, educational (one great example is the Al-Azhar University), or charitable cause. The Oxford-Fajar Dictionary defines ‘waqaf’ as something given (as a donation) for common use.
The 'ustaz' said there are many 'hikmah' (benefits) of 'waqaf'; among others it could bring one closer to Allah SWT, fulfills one wishes, give maximum opportunity to a Muslim to gain as much as possible rewards in the Hereafter and the 'pahala' (rewards) would 'flow forever', enable Muslims to embark projects beneficial for mankind and fulfills the needs of the poor.To many Malays, the word ‘waqaf’ points to ‘tanah' or 'harta wakaf’ which means lands and buildings donated for religious use. For lands, they could be benefited such as for burial grounds and building of ‘masjids’ while buildings could be used as business identities of which monies derived from rents could be used to finance masjid's actitivities.
Giving up ones land for 'waqaf' needs 'a lot of sacrifice' for the love of the religion. This practice was common during our forefathers but nowadays when 'land is like gold-mine' (too expensive) it is hard to have 'tanah wakaf' or the public giving up their lands.
Well, giving away lands for religious purposes will be a good idea if the land can be utilized for the benefit of the society.
This is as according to the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him, s.a.w.), narrated by Abu-Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): ‘Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. said: “When the son of Adam dies no further reward is recorded for his actions, with three exceptions: charity whose benefit is continuous, knowledge from which benefit continues to be reaped, or the supplication of a righteous son (for him).” - Hadith Muslim
Well, 'waqaf' is one of the alternatives to which we could choose to donate our properties. There are several types of 'waqaf' with different management styles. Many Muslims want to do 'waqaf' but have no high valued properties such as land and building, but do not be despaired because we could do it in a very small scale.
Recently a representative of 'Rumah Bakti Al-Kausar, Bangi' (home for orphans) came over to my house, pleading me to book their 'waqaf' (land) which could be bought at RM30 per square foot. Yes with a few ringgits in hand, we could do the 'wakaf'.
Recently my mother handed to me RM400 in cash and asked if there were Islamic bodies nearby that could accept the money as 'waqaf'. I was not sure but anyway I took the money to the office of the 'majlis agama Islam negeri' (state Islamic religious council).
Yes, the state Islamic religious council was given the authority to collect cash 'waqaf'. Not only officials there accepted the RM400 cash for 'waqaf' but they told me the public can make small contributions for example RM10, RM50 or RM100 for 'waqaf'. This means that nowadays everybody can wakaf!
If we could not 'waqaf' valuable properties such as land and buildings, why not do it in a small scale even if they do not fall under the category of 'waqaf'. Readers of my column would notice that from time to time I had written suggestions that 'insha-Allah' (if Allah Wills) hopefully could open up our minds to do simple things that we hope to please Allah SWT and as our 'little and small contributions' to others.
In one article entitled 'Freeing ourselves from the burden of carrying coins', I encouraged readers to calculate a habit of putting away all our loose coins into donation boxes every time we do our shopping. The money is for 'simpanan selepas anda mati' (savings for your life in the Hereafter, or in crude language - savings for your life in your grave).
For example if you 'dump' a total of RM2 in the form of shillings in a day, in a month it would be RM60, in a year in would be RM720 and in 10 years it would be RM7,200 and in 20 years (before you die) it would be RM14,400 -- perhaps enough for you to buy a simple home just like the PPRT (Projek Rumah Rakyat Termiskin) house.
'Insha-Allah' your 'rumah PPRT' would be converted into a grand palace 'or to a larger scale' in Paradise (which is eternal) for Allah SWT says: "Whatever you spend in the cause of Allah shall be paid to you in full and you shall not be treated unjustly." (Qur'an 8:60)
Another 'project' readers could think to embark is by acting as though we have one more school going son or daughter whom we have to give he/she pocket money - but for this purpose you put that 'pocket money' say RM3 every 'subuh' (early morning) to the 'Tabung Masjid' (masjid donation box) each time we go the masjid for our 'subuh' prayers.
It is great to begin your day with a 'sadaqah' (giving donation) as there is a hadith on it: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased on him) reported: The Prophet s.a.w. said: “Two angels descend every morning, and one says: ‘O Allah, give him who spends something, in place of what he spends.’ The other one says: ‘O Allah, give destruction to him who withholds”. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
If you do that 'istiqamah' (consistently), in a month your 'acting son or daughter' ('tabung akhirat' - hereafter fund) would have RM90; in a year it would be RM1,080, in ten years it would be RM10,800 and in 20 years it would be RM21,600. Well, that amount in the eyes of some rich people may be small but if you are sincere it is big in the Eyes of Allah SWT if you do it sincerely.
Dear brothers and sisters, if you choose to donate nothing every morning (not even 10 sen); then I am afraid when you update your 'bank account of Tabung Akhirat' it would be nil (0) or 'had a negative figures' (for example you have borrowed money from someone but not repaid it), you would be 'panicked' as you have 'no money' to spend for 'your life in the Hereafter'!
In this world you would feel bad when you have no RM, American dollars, pound sterling and whatsoever then what would be like when 'you have nothing' in the Hereafter.
In this world you could borrowed money from relatives and friends or worst still beg in the streets but it the Hereafter, there is no help; if you want help from Allah SWT, do it in this world because the Hereafter is a place to reap harvest of our good deeds sowed on earth and not a place to say our repent to Allah SWT or obey His orders.
Remember that once we were 'thrown' inside our graves, there is no way we could return back - it was a one way ticket journey - we would face all consequences ourselves - so dear readers be equipped with all requirements before embarking on that 'no returning journey'.
If for a journey say to the United States for a month stay we readied the requirement such as passports and clothes months before, than whats are preparation for our 'never ending journey' of the Hereafter?
Well, why not prepared ourselves for 'that day' and one way to do it is by giving up our small amount of money, say RM10, RM30 or RM100 for 'waqaf' (for example in buying a square foot of land)...yes nowadays everybody can 'waqaf'.
But if you still do not have 'that money' (nothing to give) or 'too tight' (to hold on) to your money, think of other ways to please Allah SWT and his creatures such as smiling to our brothers, saying 'Assalamualaikum' for it is also a 'sadaqah'! And with 'your body' you still could 'sadaqah' for example you could give your hands in helping others!
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
FOR his every Sunday 'kuliah subuh' (early morning lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house, the ‘ustaz’ was discussing on the subject of ‘waqaf' (the Malay spelling is 'wakaf').
'Waqaf' means an endowment made by a Muslim to a religious, educational (one great example is the Al-Azhar University), or charitable cause. The Oxford-Fajar Dictionary defines ‘waqaf’ as something given (as a donation) for common use.
The 'ustaz' said there are many 'hikmah' (benefits) of 'waqaf'; among others it could bring one closer to Allah SWT, fulfills one wishes, give maximum opportunity to a Muslim to gain as much as possible rewards in the Hereafter and the 'pahala' (rewards) would 'flow forever', enable Muslims to embark projects beneficial for mankind and fulfills the needs of the poor.To many Malays, the word ‘waqaf’ points to ‘tanah' or 'harta wakaf’ which means lands and buildings donated for religious use. For lands, they could be benefited such as for burial grounds and building of ‘masjids’ while buildings could be used as business identities of which monies derived from rents could be used to finance masjid's actitivities.
Giving up ones land for 'waqaf' needs 'a lot of sacrifice' for the love of the religion. This practice was common during our forefathers but nowadays when 'land is like gold-mine' (too expensive) it is hard to have 'tanah wakaf' or the public giving up their lands.
Well, giving away lands for religious purposes will be a good idea if the land can be utilized for the benefit of the society.
This is as according to the saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him, s.a.w.), narrated by Abu-Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him): ‘Allah’s Messenger s.a.w. said: “When the son of Adam dies no further reward is recorded for his actions, with three exceptions: charity whose benefit is continuous, knowledge from which benefit continues to be reaped, or the supplication of a righteous son (for him).” - Hadith Muslim
Well, 'waqaf' is one of the alternatives to which we could choose to donate our properties. There are several types of 'waqaf' with different management styles. Many Muslims want to do 'waqaf' but have no high valued properties such as land and building, but do not be despaired because we could do it in a very small scale.
Recently a representative of 'Rumah Bakti Al-Kausar, Bangi' (home for orphans) came over to my house, pleading me to book their 'waqaf' (land) which could be bought at RM30 per square foot. Yes with a few ringgits in hand, we could do the 'wakaf'.
Recently my mother handed to me RM400 in cash and asked if there were Islamic bodies nearby that could accept the money as 'waqaf'. I was not sure but anyway I took the money to the office of the 'majlis agama Islam negeri' (state Islamic religious council).
Yes, the state Islamic religious council was given the authority to collect cash 'waqaf'. Not only officials there accepted the RM400 cash for 'waqaf' but they told me the public can make small contributions for example RM10, RM50 or RM100 for 'waqaf'. This means that nowadays everybody can wakaf!
If we could not 'waqaf' valuable properties such as land and buildings, why not do it in a small scale even if they do not fall under the category of 'waqaf'. Readers of my column would notice that from time to time I had written suggestions that 'insha-Allah' (if Allah Wills) hopefully could open up our minds to do simple things that we hope to please Allah SWT and as our 'little and small contributions' to others.
In one article entitled 'Freeing ourselves from the burden of carrying coins', I encouraged readers to calculate a habit of putting away all our loose coins into donation boxes every time we do our shopping. The money is for 'simpanan selepas anda mati' (savings for your life in the Hereafter, or in crude language - savings for your life in your grave).
For example if you 'dump' a total of RM2 in the form of shillings in a day, in a month it would be RM60, in a year in would be RM720 and in 10 years it would be RM7,200 and in 20 years (before you die) it would be RM14,400 -- perhaps enough for you to buy a simple home just like the PPRT (Projek Rumah Rakyat Termiskin) house.
'Insha-Allah' your 'rumah PPRT' would be converted into a grand palace 'or to a larger scale' in Paradise (which is eternal) for Allah SWT says: "Whatever you spend in the cause of Allah shall be paid to you in full and you shall not be treated unjustly." (Qur'an 8:60)
Another 'project' readers could think to embark is by acting as though we have one more school going son or daughter whom we have to give he/she pocket money - but for this purpose you put that 'pocket money' say RM3 every 'subuh' (early morning) to the 'Tabung Masjid' (masjid donation box) each time we go the masjid for our 'subuh' prayers.
It is great to begin your day with a 'sadaqah' (giving donation) as there is a hadith on it: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased on him) reported: The Prophet s.a.w. said: “Two angels descend every morning, and one says: ‘O Allah, give him who spends something, in place of what he spends.’ The other one says: ‘O Allah, give destruction to him who withholds”. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
If you do that 'istiqamah' (consistently), in a month your 'acting son or daughter' ('tabung akhirat' - hereafter fund) would have RM90; in a year it would be RM1,080, in ten years it would be RM10,800 and in 20 years it would be RM21,600. Well, that amount in the eyes of some rich people may be small but if you are sincere it is big in the Eyes of Allah SWT if you do it sincerely.
Dear brothers and sisters, if you choose to donate nothing every morning (not even 10 sen); then I am afraid when you update your 'bank account of Tabung Akhirat' it would be nil (0) or 'had a negative figures' (for example you have borrowed money from someone but not repaid it), you would be 'panicked' as you have 'no money' to spend for 'your life in the Hereafter'!
In this world you would feel bad when you have no RM, American dollars, pound sterling and whatsoever then what would be like when 'you have nothing' in the Hereafter.
In this world you could borrowed money from relatives and friends or worst still beg in the streets but it the Hereafter, there is no help; if you want help from Allah SWT, do it in this world because the Hereafter is a place to reap harvest of our good deeds sowed on earth and not a place to say our repent to Allah SWT or obey His orders.
Remember that once we were 'thrown' inside our graves, there is no way we could return back - it was a one way ticket journey - we would face all consequences ourselves - so dear readers be equipped with all requirements before embarking on that 'no returning journey'.
If for a journey say to the United States for a month stay we readied the requirement such as passports and clothes months before, than whats are preparation for our 'never ending journey' of the Hereafter?
Well, why not prepared ourselves for 'that day' and one way to do it is by giving up our small amount of money, say RM10, RM30 or RM100 for 'waqaf' (for example in buying a square foot of land)...yes nowadays everybody can 'waqaf'.
But if you still do not have 'that money' (nothing to give) or 'too tight' (to hold on) to your money, think of other ways to please Allah SWT and his creatures such as smiling to our brothers, saying 'Assalamualaikum' for it is also a 'sadaqah'! And with 'your body' you still could 'sadaqah' for example you could give your hands in helping others!
January 10, 2017
‘Bersarakan’ Umno-BN pada kemerdekaan negara ke-60…
Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
SELAMAT Tahun Baharu 2017. Pada tahun ini negara kita akan meraikan Hari Kemerdekaan ke-60. Pada usia 60 tahun, kakitangan kerajaan bersara wajib; jadi kita berpendapat pada usia negara ke-60 inilah sewajarnya Umno-BN ‘dibersarakan’ daripada memerintah negara kerana ia sudah selayaknya mendapat status ‘pesara’. Jadi pada tahun 2017 ini selamat bersara, Umno-BN!
Persoalannya sekarang apakah Umno-BN mahu atau terpaksa pencen setelah 60 tahun memerintah negara? Kalaulah komponen parti ini kalah pada pilihan raya umum (PRU) ke-14 (PRU) yang jika diadakan pada 2017, maka menjadi realitilah Umno-BN pencen selepas memerintah negara ini selama 60 tahun.
Namun sudah tentu Umno-BN tidak mahu pencen setelah 60 tahun memerintah. Ada pekerja pun tidak mahu pencen pada usia 60 tahun. Oleh itu ada ura-ura melanjutkan tempoh pencen kepada 62 tahun. Masih muda, kata kebanyakannya, terutama daripada sektor awam. Masih banyak boleh disumbangkan kepada agama, bangsa dan negara, dakwa sesetengahnya.
Demikianlah betapa banyak alasan diberi sedangkan jika mereka tidak pencen, macam mana ada kekosongan bagi membolehkan anak cucu masuk dalam dunia pekerjaan. Itulah antara sebabnya puluhan ribu graduan kini menganggur! Ini kerana di ofis berlaku lambakan ‘datuk’ dan ‘nenek’!
Jika ada pekerja yang ‘tiada kepentingan sangat’ enggan pencen pada usia 60 tahun tentunya Umno-BN tidak mahu kerusi empuk yang didudukinya direnggut selepas 60 tahun memerintah negara. Banyak ‘keistimewaan’ dan ‘habuan’ sudah dinikmatinya, jadi buat apa bersara secara sukarela. Nampaknya, tiada jalan lain, pesaingnya perlu 'sehati sejiwa' menjatuhkannya secara ‘paksa-rela’!
Berdasarkan semangat Persidangan Agung Umno (PAU) hujung tahun lalu (2016) jelas sekali Umno-BN tidak sedia bersara pada usia 60 tahun ini. Kalau boleh ia mahu melanjutkan lagi mandat pemerintahan ke angka 70, 80, 90 dan 100 tahun. Atau lebih baik lagi dulu, kini dan selamanya sejajar dengan slogan keramatnya.
Apabila Umno-BN tidak sedia pencen pada usia 60 tahun ini (berdasarkan propaganda hebat dilancarkannya terutama melalui media massa), apakah rakyat boleh berterusan berdiam diri?
Seorang kakitangan (pekerja) yang mahu usia persaraannya (dulu ada pilihan untuk bersara pada usia lebih awal seperti 58 tahun) dilanjutkan sehingga 60 tahun mestilah menunjukkan prestasi baik bahawa dia masih boleh menyumbang bakti sekali pun badannya sudah sakit sana sakit sini.
Tidak guna ‘sign’ kontrak bersara umur 60 tahun tetapi tahun-tahun terakhir bekerja dipenuhi MC, terlantar di wad hospital, ponteng, termenung sana termenung sini kerana kaki sudah dipotong kerana diabetes, tak larat bekerja dan sebagainya yang pasti menjejaskan operasi jabatan atau syarikat. Hal ini akan menyusahkan pihak pengurusan dan rakan-rakan sekerja. Lebih buruk lagi, dalam usia senja itu terbabit pula dalam amalan buruk seperti rasuah.
Jika seorang pekerja boleh disemak rekodnya sama ada dia layak bekerja sehingga umur 60 tahun, Umno-BN juga boleh diperiksa prestasinya sama ada ia layak dipencenkan selepas memerintah negara selama 60 tahun.
Akhir-akhir ini apabila Umno-BN sudah ada tanda-tanda ‘kena pencen’, ia semakin gelisah sehingga terpaksa ‘masuk bakul angkat sendiri’. Maklumlah takut dipencenkan pada ‘usia muda’ kononnya! Tukang kempennya seperti media massa sarat dengan puji-pujian melangit, membodek Umno-BN sebaliknya menjadi kaki kutuk paling dahsyat terhadap lawannya.
Jika kita tengok TV, hampir setiap masa rakyat disogokkan dengan kejayaan PM dan projeknya seperti MRT, BR1M, Kedai 1-Malaysia, Klinik 1-Malaysia dan program membeli undi rakyat lainnya. Beritanya sarat dengan propaganda murahan sehingga rakyat ‘tidak ghairah’ lagi ‘membuka’ TV atau menatap akhbar arus perdana.
Hakikatnya tubuh badan Umno-BN sudah rosak teruk, menjadi sarang penyakit, oleh itu bersaralah wahai Umno-BN selepas memerintah negara selama 60 tahun; kalau tak, rakyat akan memaksa anda! Percayalah jika pilihan raya diadakan secara telus pada 2017 ini seperti dituntut Bersih, anda akan tersenarai sebagai seorang pesara! Selamat bersara Umno-BN!
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
SELAMAT Tahun Baharu 2017. Pada tahun ini negara kita akan meraikan Hari Kemerdekaan ke-60. Pada usia 60 tahun, kakitangan kerajaan bersara wajib; jadi kita berpendapat pada usia negara ke-60 inilah sewajarnya Umno-BN ‘dibersarakan’ daripada memerintah negara kerana ia sudah selayaknya mendapat status ‘pesara’. Jadi pada tahun 2017 ini selamat bersara, Umno-BN!
Persoalannya sekarang apakah Umno-BN mahu atau terpaksa pencen setelah 60 tahun memerintah negara? Kalaulah komponen parti ini kalah pada pilihan raya umum (PRU) ke-14 (PRU) yang jika diadakan pada 2017, maka menjadi realitilah Umno-BN pencen selepas memerintah negara ini selama 60 tahun.
Namun sudah tentu Umno-BN tidak mahu pencen setelah 60 tahun memerintah. Ada pekerja pun tidak mahu pencen pada usia 60 tahun. Oleh itu ada ura-ura melanjutkan tempoh pencen kepada 62 tahun. Masih muda, kata kebanyakannya, terutama daripada sektor awam. Masih banyak boleh disumbangkan kepada agama, bangsa dan negara, dakwa sesetengahnya.
Demikianlah betapa banyak alasan diberi sedangkan jika mereka tidak pencen, macam mana ada kekosongan bagi membolehkan anak cucu masuk dalam dunia pekerjaan. Itulah antara sebabnya puluhan ribu graduan kini menganggur! Ini kerana di ofis berlaku lambakan ‘datuk’ dan ‘nenek’!
Jika ada pekerja yang ‘tiada kepentingan sangat’ enggan pencen pada usia 60 tahun tentunya Umno-BN tidak mahu kerusi empuk yang didudukinya direnggut selepas 60 tahun memerintah negara. Banyak ‘keistimewaan’ dan ‘habuan’ sudah dinikmatinya, jadi buat apa bersara secara sukarela. Nampaknya, tiada jalan lain, pesaingnya perlu 'sehati sejiwa' menjatuhkannya secara ‘paksa-rela’!
Berdasarkan semangat Persidangan Agung Umno (PAU) hujung tahun lalu (2016) jelas sekali Umno-BN tidak sedia bersara pada usia 60 tahun ini. Kalau boleh ia mahu melanjutkan lagi mandat pemerintahan ke angka 70, 80, 90 dan 100 tahun. Atau lebih baik lagi dulu, kini dan selamanya sejajar dengan slogan keramatnya.
Apabila Umno-BN tidak sedia pencen pada usia 60 tahun ini (berdasarkan propaganda hebat dilancarkannya terutama melalui media massa), apakah rakyat boleh berterusan berdiam diri?
Seorang kakitangan (pekerja) yang mahu usia persaraannya (dulu ada pilihan untuk bersara pada usia lebih awal seperti 58 tahun) dilanjutkan sehingga 60 tahun mestilah menunjukkan prestasi baik bahawa dia masih boleh menyumbang bakti sekali pun badannya sudah sakit sana sakit sini.
Tidak guna ‘sign’ kontrak bersara umur 60 tahun tetapi tahun-tahun terakhir bekerja dipenuhi MC, terlantar di wad hospital, ponteng, termenung sana termenung sini kerana kaki sudah dipotong kerana diabetes, tak larat bekerja dan sebagainya yang pasti menjejaskan operasi jabatan atau syarikat. Hal ini akan menyusahkan pihak pengurusan dan rakan-rakan sekerja. Lebih buruk lagi, dalam usia senja itu terbabit pula dalam amalan buruk seperti rasuah.
Jika seorang pekerja boleh disemak rekodnya sama ada dia layak bekerja sehingga umur 60 tahun, Umno-BN juga boleh diperiksa prestasinya sama ada ia layak dipencenkan selepas memerintah negara selama 60 tahun.
Akhir-akhir ini apabila Umno-BN sudah ada tanda-tanda ‘kena pencen’, ia semakin gelisah sehingga terpaksa ‘masuk bakul angkat sendiri’. Maklumlah takut dipencenkan pada ‘usia muda’ kononnya! Tukang kempennya seperti media massa sarat dengan puji-pujian melangit, membodek Umno-BN sebaliknya menjadi kaki kutuk paling dahsyat terhadap lawannya.
Jika kita tengok TV, hampir setiap masa rakyat disogokkan dengan kejayaan PM dan projeknya seperti MRT, BR1M, Kedai 1-Malaysia, Klinik 1-Malaysia dan program membeli undi rakyat lainnya. Beritanya sarat dengan propaganda murahan sehingga rakyat ‘tidak ghairah’ lagi ‘membuka’ TV atau menatap akhbar arus perdana.
Hakikatnya tubuh badan Umno-BN sudah rosak teruk, menjadi sarang penyakit, oleh itu bersaralah wahai Umno-BN selepas memerintah negara selama 60 tahun; kalau tak, rakyat akan memaksa anda! Percayalah jika pilihan raya diadakan secara telus pada 2017 ini seperti dituntut Bersih, anda akan tersenarai sebagai seorang pesara! Selamat bersara Umno-BN!
January 8, 2017
U Masjid (5): Naik semangat kerana Agong pun sendirian…
Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
ALHAMDULILLAH baru-baru ini saya berpeluang menginap di sebuah hotel lima bintang di KLCC. Seperti biasa apabila berada di sesuatu kawasan yang asing bagi diri ini, saya akan mengamat-amati lokasi masjid supaya senanglah saya berkunjung ke sana terutama pada waktu subuh yang masih gelap.
Saya mendaftar (check in) di hotel berkenaan agak awal, jam 11 pagi. Dari tingkat 25, saya nampak sebuah masjid; saya berkira-kira itulah Masjid Asy-Syakirin yang pernah saya kunjungi sebelum ini; tetapi kerana hanya sekali dua ke sana, saya ingat-ingat lupa. Jam 12.00 tengah hari saya turun dan berjalan secara ‘relaks’ ke masjid untuk solat zuhur.
Untuk ke masjid, saya perlu meredah Taman KLCC sejauh lebih 700 meter dan kemudian melalui sebuah pejalan kaki sementara di tepi sejumlah bangunan termasuk sebuah stesen MRT bawah tanah yang sedang dalam pembinaan. Serun juga melalui kawasan pejalan kaki kira-kira 800 meter ini kerana kebanyakan orang ditemui adalah buruh Mat Bangla dan Indon.
Awal pagi esoknya selepas tersedar jam 4.00 pagi, saya buatlah apa yang patut dan kemudian hati saya berbolak-balik hendak ke Masjid Asy-Syakirin atau tidak untuk solat subuh. Ehh takut, terdengar satu bisikan di hati saya. Tak takutkah kau nak lalu kat taman yang gelap itu dan kemudian melalui pejalan kaki yang sunyi sepi itu. Ada berani?
Ohh, aku tak berani…namun secara tiba-tiba ada satu lintasan di hati…Subhanallah, apa nak kau takutkan; bukankah Agong (Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V) pun pergi masjid bersendirian (berdasarkan petikan laporan dan gambar di internet); kalau Agong sebagai orang ‘top’ (tertinggi) di negara ini tak takut, apalah kau yang ‘tak ada apa-apa’ nak takut?
Secara automatik semangat saya naik membara. Terbayang di mata pesanan sejumlah ustaz dan tok guru. Iman mesti mantap. Kental. Semuanya di tangan Allah SWT. Tak ada yang boleh ‘mengganggu-gugat’ kau tanpa izin Allah. Kalau seluruh alam berpakat hendak merosakkan kamu tetapi Allah tidak izinkan, ia tidak akan berlaku. Jadi apa takut, bukankah kau nak solat yang salah satu bacaannya adalah “hidup dan matiku hanya kerana-Mu.”
Alhamdulillah, subuh itu saya solat di Masjid Asy-Syakirin dan zuhur hari itu sekali lagi saya solat di sana. Untuk maklumat pembaca, di Masjid Asy-Syakirin sebelum solat zuhur berjemaah, ada majlis tazkirah dan pada hari itu imam sendiri yang menyampaikannya.
Imam yang mengkuliahkan sebuah hadis yang mentafsirkan maksud ‘orang muflis’ sempat bercerita mengenai perihal Sultan Muhammad V iaitu Yang di-Pertuan Agong sekarang ini ketika baginda belum lagi menjadi Sultan Kelantan.
Suatu subuh, katanya ketika mahu membuka pintu masjid, beliau melihat seorang pemuda berteleku sendirian di satu sudut, menunggu pintu dibuka. Katanya, ‘orang masjid’ ingatkan pemuda itu pemandu teksi, jadi mereka ‘buat seperti biasa’. Maklumlah biasalah bagi pemandu teksi bersolat dan berehat sebentar di masjid.
Selepas solat, barulah ‘orang masjid’ sedar bahawa pemuda itu adalah putera Sultan Kelantan yang istana hinggapnya ada di ibu kota. Namun pemuda itu ‘berkelakuan biasa-biasa saja’ – beliau beredar segera – datangnya bersendirian dan balik pun bersendirian.
Memikir-mikirkan kisah ini, terasa di hati saya betapa ‘sombong dan angkuhnya’ diri ini – Sultan Muhammad V yang hebat itu tidak merasa apa-apa pada dirinya tetapi ‘hamba yang daif ini’ kadang-kadang diulit perasan ‘aku hebat’ (I am a somebody) sedangkan hakikatnya ‘tidak ada apa-apa’!
Berkenaan kepentingan solat berjemaah (yang subuh itu saya nyaris 'miss’), sebuah hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Imam Bukhari menyebut: Daripada Abu Hurairah r.a. katanya: Sesungguhnya Rasulullah s.a.w. telah bersabda yang maksudnya; “Jika sekiranya manusia mengetahui betapa besarnya kelebihan datang awal ke masjid untuk solat fardu berjemaah, nescaya mereka akan berlumba-lumba melakukannya.”
Ya, datanglah berjemaah ke masjid sekalipun terpaksa mengharungi malam yang gelap gelita kerana Agong pun boleh melakukannya, tak malukah kita jika kita yang 'tak ada apa-apa ini', tak boleh!
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
ALHAMDULILLAH baru-baru ini saya berpeluang menginap di sebuah hotel lima bintang di KLCC. Seperti biasa apabila berada di sesuatu kawasan yang asing bagi diri ini, saya akan mengamat-amati lokasi masjid supaya senanglah saya berkunjung ke sana terutama pada waktu subuh yang masih gelap.
Saya mendaftar (check in) di hotel berkenaan agak awal, jam 11 pagi. Dari tingkat 25, saya nampak sebuah masjid; saya berkira-kira itulah Masjid Asy-Syakirin yang pernah saya kunjungi sebelum ini; tetapi kerana hanya sekali dua ke sana, saya ingat-ingat lupa. Jam 12.00 tengah hari saya turun dan berjalan secara ‘relaks’ ke masjid untuk solat zuhur.
Untuk ke masjid, saya perlu meredah Taman KLCC sejauh lebih 700 meter dan kemudian melalui sebuah pejalan kaki sementara di tepi sejumlah bangunan termasuk sebuah stesen MRT bawah tanah yang sedang dalam pembinaan. Serun juga melalui kawasan pejalan kaki kira-kira 800 meter ini kerana kebanyakan orang ditemui adalah buruh Mat Bangla dan Indon.
Awal pagi esoknya selepas tersedar jam 4.00 pagi, saya buatlah apa yang patut dan kemudian hati saya berbolak-balik hendak ke Masjid Asy-Syakirin atau tidak untuk solat subuh. Ehh takut, terdengar satu bisikan di hati saya. Tak takutkah kau nak lalu kat taman yang gelap itu dan kemudian melalui pejalan kaki yang sunyi sepi itu. Ada berani?
Ohh, aku tak berani…namun secara tiba-tiba ada satu lintasan di hati…Subhanallah, apa nak kau takutkan; bukankah Agong (Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Muhammad V) pun pergi masjid bersendirian (berdasarkan petikan laporan dan gambar di internet); kalau Agong sebagai orang ‘top’ (tertinggi) di negara ini tak takut, apalah kau yang ‘tak ada apa-apa’ nak takut?
Secara automatik semangat saya naik membara. Terbayang di mata pesanan sejumlah ustaz dan tok guru. Iman mesti mantap. Kental. Semuanya di tangan Allah SWT. Tak ada yang boleh ‘mengganggu-gugat’ kau tanpa izin Allah. Kalau seluruh alam berpakat hendak merosakkan kamu tetapi Allah tidak izinkan, ia tidak akan berlaku. Jadi apa takut, bukankah kau nak solat yang salah satu bacaannya adalah “hidup dan matiku hanya kerana-Mu.”
Alhamdulillah, subuh itu saya solat di Masjid Asy-Syakirin dan zuhur hari itu sekali lagi saya solat di sana. Untuk maklumat pembaca, di Masjid Asy-Syakirin sebelum solat zuhur berjemaah, ada majlis tazkirah dan pada hari itu imam sendiri yang menyampaikannya.
Imam yang mengkuliahkan sebuah hadis yang mentafsirkan maksud ‘orang muflis’ sempat bercerita mengenai perihal Sultan Muhammad V iaitu Yang di-Pertuan Agong sekarang ini ketika baginda belum lagi menjadi Sultan Kelantan.
Suatu subuh, katanya ketika mahu membuka pintu masjid, beliau melihat seorang pemuda berteleku sendirian di satu sudut, menunggu pintu dibuka. Katanya, ‘orang masjid’ ingatkan pemuda itu pemandu teksi, jadi mereka ‘buat seperti biasa’. Maklumlah biasalah bagi pemandu teksi bersolat dan berehat sebentar di masjid.
Selepas solat, barulah ‘orang masjid’ sedar bahawa pemuda itu adalah putera Sultan Kelantan yang istana hinggapnya ada di ibu kota. Namun pemuda itu ‘berkelakuan biasa-biasa saja’ – beliau beredar segera – datangnya bersendirian dan balik pun bersendirian.
Memikir-mikirkan kisah ini, terasa di hati saya betapa ‘sombong dan angkuhnya’ diri ini – Sultan Muhammad V yang hebat itu tidak merasa apa-apa pada dirinya tetapi ‘hamba yang daif ini’ kadang-kadang diulit perasan ‘aku hebat’ (I am a somebody) sedangkan hakikatnya ‘tidak ada apa-apa’!
Berkenaan kepentingan solat berjemaah (yang subuh itu saya nyaris 'miss’), sebuah hadis yang diriwayatkan oleh Imam Bukhari menyebut: Daripada Abu Hurairah r.a. katanya: Sesungguhnya Rasulullah s.a.w. telah bersabda yang maksudnya; “Jika sekiranya manusia mengetahui betapa besarnya kelebihan datang awal ke masjid untuk solat fardu berjemaah, nescaya mereka akan berlumba-lumba melakukannya.”
Ya, datanglah berjemaah ke masjid sekalipun terpaksa mengharungi malam yang gelap gelita kerana Agong pun boleh melakukannya, tak malukah kita jika kita yang 'tak ada apa-apa ini', tak boleh!
January 6, 2017
'Du'a' for our Rohingya brothers
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
ONCE again our Rohingya Muslim brothers in Myanmar are brutally persecuted; this time not only by people of other faith in the country but by Myanmar army following attacks on three of its border police posts in October.
Thousands of Rohingyas had fled their homeland in Rakhine state after their homes were torched but they ended up 'on a dead road' because they were refused entry at the border.
Recently, Bangladesh border guards have pushed back another 114 Myanmar citizens who were trying to cross into Cox's Bazar and Bandarban district.They were sent back across ground zero at Teknaf and Ghumdum of Nakkhangchharhi, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials have said.Rohingya Muslim refugees have been trying to enter Bangladesh after Myanmar army started a crackdown following attacks on three of its border police posts in October. Nine personnel of the Myanmar Border Police died on Oct 9 after ‘separatists’ attacked three border security posts.The army began operations in the northern districts of Rakhine state where the Rohingya, a religious minority in Buddhist Myanmar, have highest concentration.The Rohingya are ethnic Muslims in western Myanmar described by the United Nations (UN) as the most persecuted minority in the world.Since Myanmar's military junta unleashed pogroms against them in late 1970s, they have crossed into Bangladesh in waves for several decades.About half a million Rohingya refugees live in squalid, makeshift camps that have melted into the Bangladesh landscape as citizens.They are vulnerable to human traffickers and exploited as cheap labour.Myanmar (Burma) Muslims are proud about their history in Burma. The first Muslims arrived in Burma's Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River delta, on the Tanintharyi coast in Rakhine in the 9th century, prior to the establishment of the first Burmese empire in 1055 AD by King Anawrahta of Bagan.
The early Muslim settlements and propagation of Islam were documented by Arab, Persian, European, and Chinese travelers of the 9th century. Burma Muslims are the descendants of Muslim peoples who settled and intermarried with the local Burmese ethnic groups.
They arrived in Burma as traders or settlers, military personnel and prisoners of war, refugees, and as victims of slavery. However, many early Muslims also held positions of status as royal advisers, royal administrators, port authorities, mayors, and traditional medicine men.
From 1962 to 2011, the country was ruled by the military junta that suppressed almost all dissent and wielded absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions. The generals who ran the country stood accused of gross human rights abuses, including the forcible relocation of civilians and the widespread use of forced labour, including children.
Now after the general election in this year, pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is at helm but this Nobel Peace Prize laureate seemed to walk her talk; the brutal persecution of the Rohingya Muslims was not her concerned.
During her 15 years under house arrest, Suu Kyi won admiration across the globe for her fiery speeches and scathing criticism of the military regime that ruled Myanmar but critics note she is carefully choosing her battles, in part because she has presidential ambitions. After elections she was denied of the president post because she had married a British citizen but still had a powerful position in the government.
In a predominantly Buddhist country of 50 million people, where there is much animosity for the 1.3 million Rohingya Muslims, Suu Kyi has opted to remain silent, even as the world watched in horror while thousands of helpless Rohingya fled their homeland.
Suu Kyi (she was a daughter of Myanmar's late independence hero, Aung San, shares the "anti-Rohingya" sentiment of much of the population) did not care about the Rohingya, our brothers and sisters in Islam. That was her way; what about us?
Myanmar was among the last country in South East Asia to be included in the regional grouping of Asean, in 1998. It was a well known fact that Asean countries tried not to interfere in the internal affairs of another country including Myanmar.
But must we have no heart or keep a deaf ear when thousands of ethnic Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar to escape the violence and worsening living conditions, many of them making their way by boat or overland Malaysia.
The UN refugee agency says about 28,000 Rohingyas are registered as refugees in Malaysia, but groups representing them say the real number of Burma Muslim immigrants is much higher and has surged this year because of the violence.
The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had voiced concern that Asean’s Muslim-majority nations were not doing more to resolve the problem. If Muslims nations have been told to buck up in resolving the Rohingya's issue, as individual Muslims have we a thought for our brothers' plight?
The campaign to highlight the plight of Rohingyas is on going but the move is too slow. Muslims countries of Asean and UN should form an ad hoc body to pressure Myanmar authority in all levels on the Rohingya's issue, otherwise the Myanmar government would just turn on a deaf ear.
Other that heading to Bangladesh's border, thousands of Rohingyas have sailed from the beaches of Rakhine State to Thailand, with the ultimate goal of reaching Malaysia, according to the Arakan Project, a group that monitors Rohingya refugees.
As Muslims all over are celebrating 'Maulud Nabi' (the birthday of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.), Muslim minorities such as the Rohingyas, the Kashmiris, the Uighurs were prosecuted and were 'boot' out of their homelands. The question is are Muslims concerned about the unfortunate fate of their brothers in Islam?
The deportation of the Rohingya people should put shame to regional organization such as Asean and globally the OIC and of course the UN which was seen 'all quiet' regarding the welfare of the Muslims.
Based on previous international development, it was a well known fact the UN only took urgent action to resolved what they claimed to be violence in a Muslim country but keep 'cool' on prosecution on the Muslim minorities.
The crisis in Dafur, Sudan; East Timor (previously a part of Indonesia), Iraq; Afghanistan and Iran were examples 'on how efficient' the UN was but why the poor response towards the genocide of the Muslim minorities such as in Rakhine (Myanmar), Kashmir (India), Xinjiang (China), Chechnya (Russia), Pattani (Thailand) and Mindanao (Philippines)?
Regarding the issue of the Rohingya, why the world is silent when the Myanmar government threatened the Muslim including to be placed in camps and face deportation.
The question is, have we done our part in helping our brothers, the Rohingyas? If superpowers and rich countries even the Muslims nations had pay little or no interest on the Rohingya issue, as individual Muslims have we a thought for our brothers' plight? We are helpless but at least we could have 'du'a' (pray) to Allah SWT (The Greatest) for their safety in their homeland and abroad.
In Malaysia various groups had condemned the regime of Myanmar with 'Persatuan Ulama Malaysia' (Malaysian Ulama Association of Malaysia, PUM) voiced their concern but world leaders and bodies kept on silence on the issue.
"We asked the Myanmar government to stop this genocide," said PUM President, Datuk Syeikh Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir.
He said PUM would asked the Malaysian government and other Muslim country through OIC to pressure the Myanmar government with Suu Kyi at the top to stop the atrocity. PAS leaders too condemned the brutality of the Myanmar government.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
ONCE again our Rohingya Muslim brothers in Myanmar are brutally persecuted; this time not only by people of other faith in the country but by Myanmar army following attacks on three of its border police posts in October.
Thousands of Rohingyas had fled their homeland in Rakhine state after their homes were torched but they ended up 'on a dead road' because they were refused entry at the border.
Recently, Bangladesh border guards have pushed back another 114 Myanmar citizens who were trying to cross into Cox's Bazar and Bandarban district.They were sent back across ground zero at Teknaf and Ghumdum of Nakkhangchharhi, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) officials have said.Rohingya Muslim refugees have been trying to enter Bangladesh after Myanmar army started a crackdown following attacks on three of its border police posts in October. Nine personnel of the Myanmar Border Police died on Oct 9 after ‘separatists’ attacked three border security posts.The army began operations in the northern districts of Rakhine state where the Rohingya, a religious minority in Buddhist Myanmar, have highest concentration.The Rohingya are ethnic Muslims in western Myanmar described by the United Nations (UN) as the most persecuted minority in the world.Since Myanmar's military junta unleashed pogroms against them in late 1970s, they have crossed into Bangladesh in waves for several decades.About half a million Rohingya refugees live in squalid, makeshift camps that have melted into the Bangladesh landscape as citizens.They are vulnerable to human traffickers and exploited as cheap labour.Myanmar (Burma) Muslims are proud about their history in Burma. The first Muslims arrived in Burma's Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River delta, on the Tanintharyi coast in Rakhine in the 9th century, prior to the establishment of the first Burmese empire in 1055 AD by King Anawrahta of Bagan.
The early Muslim settlements and propagation of Islam were documented by Arab, Persian, European, and Chinese travelers of the 9th century. Burma Muslims are the descendants of Muslim peoples who settled and intermarried with the local Burmese ethnic groups.
They arrived in Burma as traders or settlers, military personnel and prisoners of war, refugees, and as victims of slavery. However, many early Muslims also held positions of status as royal advisers, royal administrators, port authorities, mayors, and traditional medicine men.
From 1962 to 2011, the country was ruled by the military junta that suppressed almost all dissent and wielded absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions. The generals who ran the country stood accused of gross human rights abuses, including the forcible relocation of civilians and the widespread use of forced labour, including children.
Now after the general election in this year, pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi is at helm but this Nobel Peace Prize laureate seemed to walk her talk; the brutal persecution of the Rohingya Muslims was not her concerned.
During her 15 years under house arrest, Suu Kyi won admiration across the globe for her fiery speeches and scathing criticism of the military regime that ruled Myanmar but critics note she is carefully choosing her battles, in part because she has presidential ambitions. After elections she was denied of the president post because she had married a British citizen but still had a powerful position in the government.
In a predominantly Buddhist country of 50 million people, where there is much animosity for the 1.3 million Rohingya Muslims, Suu Kyi has opted to remain silent, even as the world watched in horror while thousands of helpless Rohingya fled their homeland.
Suu Kyi (she was a daughter of Myanmar's late independence hero, Aung San, shares the "anti-Rohingya" sentiment of much of the population) did not care about the Rohingya, our brothers and sisters in Islam. That was her way; what about us?
Myanmar was among the last country in South East Asia to be included in the regional grouping of Asean, in 1998. It was a well known fact that Asean countries tried not to interfere in the internal affairs of another country including Myanmar.
But must we have no heart or keep a deaf ear when thousands of ethnic Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar to escape the violence and worsening living conditions, many of them making their way by boat or overland Malaysia.
The UN refugee agency says about 28,000 Rohingyas are registered as refugees in Malaysia, but groups representing them say the real number of Burma Muslim immigrants is much higher and has surged this year because of the violence.
The Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had voiced concern that Asean’s Muslim-majority nations were not doing more to resolve the problem. If Muslims nations have been told to buck up in resolving the Rohingya's issue, as individual Muslims have we a thought for our brothers' plight?
The campaign to highlight the plight of Rohingyas is on going but the move is too slow. Muslims countries of Asean and UN should form an ad hoc body to pressure Myanmar authority in all levels on the Rohingya's issue, otherwise the Myanmar government would just turn on a deaf ear.
Other that heading to Bangladesh's border, thousands of Rohingyas have sailed from the beaches of Rakhine State to Thailand, with the ultimate goal of reaching Malaysia, according to the Arakan Project, a group that monitors Rohingya refugees.
As Muslims all over are celebrating 'Maulud Nabi' (the birthday of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.), Muslim minorities such as the Rohingyas, the Kashmiris, the Uighurs were prosecuted and were 'boot' out of their homelands. The question is are Muslims concerned about the unfortunate fate of their brothers in Islam?
The deportation of the Rohingya people should put shame to regional organization such as Asean and globally the OIC and of course the UN which was seen 'all quiet' regarding the welfare of the Muslims.
Based on previous international development, it was a well known fact the UN only took urgent action to resolved what they claimed to be violence in a Muslim country but keep 'cool' on prosecution on the Muslim minorities.
The crisis in Dafur, Sudan; East Timor (previously a part of Indonesia), Iraq; Afghanistan and Iran were examples 'on how efficient' the UN was but why the poor response towards the genocide of the Muslim minorities such as in Rakhine (Myanmar), Kashmir (India), Xinjiang (China), Chechnya (Russia), Pattani (Thailand) and Mindanao (Philippines)?
Regarding the issue of the Rohingya, why the world is silent when the Myanmar government threatened the Muslim including to be placed in camps and face deportation.
The question is, have we done our part in helping our brothers, the Rohingyas? If superpowers and rich countries even the Muslims nations had pay little or no interest on the Rohingya issue, as individual Muslims have we a thought for our brothers' plight? We are helpless but at least we could have 'du'a' (pray) to Allah SWT (The Greatest) for their safety in their homeland and abroad.
In Malaysia various groups had condemned the regime of Myanmar with 'Persatuan Ulama Malaysia' (Malaysian Ulama Association of Malaysia, PUM) voiced their concern but world leaders and bodies kept on silence on the issue.
"We asked the Myanmar government to stop this genocide," said PUM President, Datuk Syeikh Abdul Halim Abdul Kadir.
He said PUM would asked the Malaysian government and other Muslim country through OIC to pressure the Myanmar government with Suu Kyi at the top to stop the atrocity. PAS leaders too condemned the brutality of the Myanmar government.
January 3, 2017
U Masjid (4): Perhebat aktiviti pikat orang awam
DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
Daripada Aisyah r.a., berkata: "Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Semua manusia dikumpulkan tanpa memakai alas kaki, telanjang dan belum dikhatan.' Aisyah bertanya; 'Apakah antara lelaki dan perempuan akan saling melihat antara satu dengan yang lain?' Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Urusan pada hari itu lebih dahsyat daripada mementingkan hal-hal seperti itu.'" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
BARU-BARU ini saya berpeluang solat dan beriktikaf di Masjid Tengkera, salah sebuah masjid tertua di negeri Hang Tuah. Apa yang menarik, masjid di kawasan sesak dengan penduduk majoriti bukan Islam ini mengamalkan konsep terbuka – seseorang itu bebas beribadat pada bila-bila masa.
Masjid yang dibina pada 1728 ini pada asalnya diperbuat daripad kayu dengan atapnya daripada daun nipah dan tiangnya daripada kayu berlian atau ulin yang diimport dari Kalimantan, Indonesia. Masjid ini telah diperbaharui dua kali pada tahun 1890 dan 1910.
Di Masjid Negeri iaitu Al-Azim di Bukit Palah (mula dibina pada 1984 dan dirasmikan pada 1990) pula, sebahagian tembok masjid telah diruntuh, dibersihkan dan dibina dataran pejalan kaki bagi memberi laluan kepada orang ramai ke masjid tanpa melalui pintu gerbang utama.
Barangkali ‘keterbukaan’ ini menepati saranan Ketua Menteri Melaka, Dato’ Idris Haron yang pada awal perkhidmatannya pada 2013, agar pagar dan tembok masjid dibuka sebaliknya dibina dataran yang membolehkan orang awam beraktiviti termasuk beriadah bersama keluarga.
Beliau membayangkan mencontohi Masjid Nabawi di Madinah Al-Munawwarah yang mempunyai dataran terbuka (kini berpayung gergasi terbuka dan terkatup secara automatik) yang membolehkan orang ramai beriadah dan beribadat di bawahnya.
Apabila tiba waktu solat waktu, pada waktu sesak dataran itu dibarisi oleh jemaah (mereka berada mengikut garisan saf disediakan); ini bermakna solat dapat ditunaikan tepat pada waktunya dan secara berjemaah pula walaupun seseorang itu berada bersama-sama keluarganya.
Selain itu di dataran berkenaan boleh dimajukan kegiatan membangunkan masyarakat Islam seperti berniaga, demonstrasi kegiatan setempat seperti membuat kraftangan dan persembahan 'hiburan halal'.
Sekarang ini sudah ada pihak berusaha memakmurkan sejumlah masjid dan hasilnya dapat dilihat dengan kunjungan orang ramai dengan pelbagai aktiviti seperti perniagaan dan siri ceramah dan kuliah).
Sebagai contoh, Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah di Shah Alam dilihat berjaya menarik kunjungan orang ramai termasuklah keluarga yang mahu beriadah dan membeli barangan terpilih seperti kurma, tudung, buku-buku agama dan peralatan haji dan umrah di samping mengikuti ceramah dan kelas pengajian agama.
Selain itu semakin banyak masjid dijadikan lokasi majlis pernikahan dan jamuan perkahwinan (di dewan atau perkarangan masjid). Cuma jika diadakan majlis seumpama itu, seperti majlis nikah dalam masjid, perlulah diamati adab-adabnya agar kesucian rumah Allah itu tidak tercemar.
Mengadakan majlis nikah di masjid adalah bagus kerana banyak kelebihannya namun pihak yang mengadakannya perlu berilmu dan membuat kerja tambahan seperti memberi taklimat kepada anggota rombongan.
Mereka perlu memberi nasihat terutama kepada wanita mengenai peraturan dari segi penampilan dan pakaian dan hukum-hakam wanita memasuki masjid. Bukan semua orang boleh sesuka hati memasuki masjid - mereka yang berhadas besar (contoh wanita berhaid) diharamkan berbuat demikian, apatah lagi duduk di ruang solat utama!
Sepanjang saya berkelana di Semenanjung, ada masjid 'sudah ke depan' seperti menawarkan bilik untuk disewa (ibarat hotel atau 'homestay'); perkhidmatan ini 'pasti menggembirakan' pengunjung yang dapat 'berehat' dan beribadat dalam suasana sungguh kondusif. Syabas kepada pihak pengurusan masjid-masjid seperti ini!
Renungan
Daripada Aisyah r.a., berkata: "Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Semua manusia dikumpulkan tanpa memakai alas kaki, telanjang dan belum dikhatan.' Aisyah bertanya; 'Apakah antara lelaki dan perempuan akan saling melihat antara satu dengan yang lain?' Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Urusan pada hari itu lebih dahsyat daripada mementingkan hal-hal seperti itu.'" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)
BARU-BARU ini saya berpeluang solat dan beriktikaf di Masjid Tengkera, salah sebuah masjid tertua di negeri Hang Tuah. Apa yang menarik, masjid di kawasan sesak dengan penduduk majoriti bukan Islam ini mengamalkan konsep terbuka – seseorang itu bebas beribadat pada bila-bila masa.
Masjid yang dibina pada 1728 ini pada asalnya diperbuat daripad kayu dengan atapnya daripada daun nipah dan tiangnya daripada kayu berlian atau ulin yang diimport dari Kalimantan, Indonesia. Masjid ini telah diperbaharui dua kali pada tahun 1890 dan 1910.
Di Masjid Negeri iaitu Al-Azim di Bukit Palah (mula dibina pada 1984 dan dirasmikan pada 1990) pula, sebahagian tembok masjid telah diruntuh, dibersihkan dan dibina dataran pejalan kaki bagi memberi laluan kepada orang ramai ke masjid tanpa melalui pintu gerbang utama.
Barangkali ‘keterbukaan’ ini menepati saranan Ketua Menteri Melaka, Dato’ Idris Haron yang pada awal perkhidmatannya pada 2013, agar pagar dan tembok masjid dibuka sebaliknya dibina dataran yang membolehkan orang awam beraktiviti termasuk beriadah bersama keluarga.
Beliau membayangkan mencontohi Masjid Nabawi di Madinah Al-Munawwarah yang mempunyai dataran terbuka (kini berpayung gergasi terbuka dan terkatup secara automatik) yang membolehkan orang ramai beriadah dan beribadat di bawahnya.
Apabila tiba waktu solat waktu, pada waktu sesak dataran itu dibarisi oleh jemaah (mereka berada mengikut garisan saf disediakan); ini bermakna solat dapat ditunaikan tepat pada waktunya dan secara berjemaah pula walaupun seseorang itu berada bersama-sama keluarganya.
Selain itu di dataran berkenaan boleh dimajukan kegiatan membangunkan masyarakat Islam seperti berniaga, demonstrasi kegiatan setempat seperti membuat kraftangan dan persembahan 'hiburan halal'.
Sekarang ini sudah ada pihak berusaha memakmurkan sejumlah masjid dan hasilnya dapat dilihat dengan kunjungan orang ramai dengan pelbagai aktiviti seperti perniagaan dan siri ceramah dan kuliah).
Sebagai contoh, Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah di Shah Alam dilihat berjaya menarik kunjungan orang ramai termasuklah keluarga yang mahu beriadah dan membeli barangan terpilih seperti kurma, tudung, buku-buku agama dan peralatan haji dan umrah di samping mengikuti ceramah dan kelas pengajian agama.
Selain itu semakin banyak masjid dijadikan lokasi majlis pernikahan dan jamuan perkahwinan (di dewan atau perkarangan masjid). Cuma jika diadakan majlis seumpama itu, seperti majlis nikah dalam masjid, perlulah diamati adab-adabnya agar kesucian rumah Allah itu tidak tercemar.
Mengadakan majlis nikah di masjid adalah bagus kerana banyak kelebihannya namun pihak yang mengadakannya perlu berilmu dan membuat kerja tambahan seperti memberi taklimat kepada anggota rombongan.
Mereka perlu memberi nasihat terutama kepada wanita mengenai peraturan dari segi penampilan dan pakaian dan hukum-hakam wanita memasuki masjid. Bukan semua orang boleh sesuka hati memasuki masjid - mereka yang berhadas besar (contoh wanita berhaid) diharamkan berbuat demikian, apatah lagi duduk di ruang solat utama!
Sepanjang saya berkelana di Semenanjung, ada masjid 'sudah ke depan' seperti menawarkan bilik untuk disewa (ibarat hotel atau 'homestay'); perkhidmatan ini 'pasti menggembirakan' pengunjung yang dapat 'berehat' dan beribadat dalam suasana sungguh kondusif. Syabas kepada pihak pengurusan masjid-masjid seperti ini!
Roslan Hamid's Blog
- Roslan Hamid's profile
- 2 followers
Roslan Hamid isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
