Roslan Hamid's Blog, page 129
November 14, 2016
Understanding medical graduates' dilemma...
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.
***MY niece completed her medical studies last June but to this day she had not been called to do her housemanship (a junior doctor training in a hospital post). According to her, almost all graduates from her batch of about 100 students at a local university had not been called up.Nowadays the issue of insufficient positions for housemen in Malaysian public hospitals has been a hot topic at medical faculties, the Health Ministry and especially among students graduating from medical schools.If a university produced 100 future doctors yearly as in my niece's case, then with the many medical colleges mushrooming in the country, there are thousands of medical graduates waiting to do their housemanship.It was recently reported that Malaysia was struggling to accommodate thousands of its medical graduates for housemanship every year. According to sources, currently medical graduates wait three to six months for housemanship as there were only about 5,000 slots a year.To understand the medical graduates woes, recently I had a talk with PAS Bukit Baru Melaka State Assemblyman (Adun), Dr Khalid Kassim who was formerly Hospital Melaka Deputy Director.Dr Khalid explained that in the past, the duration of housemanship was a year but it was extended to two years a few years back. Of course by extending the period would hold back more housemen before they could become medical officers (MO).He said placement of housemanship is up to the government, the medical graduate glut problem nowadays is due to several factors such as there are more and more medical colleges in the country resulting in more graduates and in some cases there are housemen who failed to complete their training the stipulated period.Also there are more and more graduates returning from medical colleges overseas including from Ukraine, Russia, India and Indonesia and all of them have to undergo their housemanship in government hospitals. It was reported that nowadays it is normal for graduates to wait for several months before they are being called for their housemanship and in the future, perhaps they had to wait for a year or longer!Places of housemanship in Malaysia are limited, Dr Khalid agreed to the figures that there are about 5,000 seats in Malaysia. If all the slots are filled, then how are we going to put up the fresh graduates?"I understand there are graduates who had to extend their housemanship up to two and a half or three years, thus their place could not be taken up," he said.The extension period of practical was necessary as some graduates performed bellow the expectation line while others had to have a long break such as female future doctors who had married, became pregnant and delivered babies.Regarding poor performance by some medical graduates, Dr Khalid said there should have been better regulations in terms of entry into medical schools at the beginning for we should never compromise quality over quantity.Last year, it was reported that about one-third of housemen extended their training, thus, delaying new graduates from taking up posts, while one-fifth of them quit as they could not cope with the stress.Answering questions regarding ways to solve the medical graduates glut, Dr Khalid said we are now in a tight situation, if we were to expand the slots of housemanship, we have to think about the trainers and supervisors namely specialists and senior doctors in various medical fields.If we could provide and ready all the requirements needed by housemen, it would be of little help if we do not have specialists to supervise them. This is regarding human factor, we could not produce specialist just like that, he said. But there are some cheers because the number of training hospitals in our country had been increased from 38 hospitals in 2009 to 44 hospitals in 2015.A source said housemanship could only be done in main hospitals and not at any hospital because the absence of specialists. The choice of hospitals too contribute to the waiting period of becoming a houseman.The source said if a graduate wanted to be posted to popular hospitals in big cities especially in the the West Coast, he/she would have a long wait compared to smaller hospitals especially in Sabah and Sarawak.Dr Khalid, said the 'key word' for would to be doctors, are to be 'sabar' (patience) in their waiting. Please be 'sabar', but the question is what to do during this period of waiting?Being jobless for six months or a year was an agony...perhaps it would be an unhappy occasion when one would received his/her scroll on convocation day when one has not landed a job...in short he/she is a 'penganggur' (jobless).Are there ways or alternatives to cushion the impact of the wait or the pang of being labelled a 'penganggur'?. Of course when one is without work, then it was worrisome for us in carrying out important things such as regarding financial, relationship, marriage and so on.Anyway, looking at 'the bright side', medicine isn’t everything thus graduates have to be open in considering alternatives. Perhaps during this 'menganggur' period, one would have golden opportunities such as spending more time with one's family members, travel or pursue their hobbies.To those medical graduates and graduates from other fields who are on the 'menganggur' list, I have this piece of advice to them. Keep on seeking and broadening your knowledge forknowledge is the key to success in this world and Hereafter. Human beings' knowledge is only like a drop of water in the vast oceans of knowledge so could you imagine how little we know compared to what we don't. Fulfill your days seeking knowledge, for with knowledge, you will understand that everything you do, is to seek God's forgiveness and acknowledge His Greatness.For example when you stare at the empty sky and acknowledge Allah SWT's greatness in creating it without pillars and feel how small you are (please refer to Surah Al-Mulk - The Soverreignty - of the Qur'an; by the way how's your knowledge regarding the Qur'an such as in reading and understanding it ?), then you are in the right direction to have His Blessing in this world and the Hereafter. When you realize this,you will understand, there is no such thing as unemployment in Islam. There are so many things to do so how come you could be a 'penganggur'!
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.
***MY niece completed her medical studies last June but to this day she had not been called to do her housemanship (a junior doctor training in a hospital post). According to her, almost all graduates from her batch of about 100 students at a local university had not been called up.Nowadays the issue of insufficient positions for housemen in Malaysian public hospitals has been a hot topic at medical faculties, the Health Ministry and especially among students graduating from medical schools.If a university produced 100 future doctors yearly as in my niece's case, then with the many medical colleges mushrooming in the country, there are thousands of medical graduates waiting to do their housemanship.It was recently reported that Malaysia was struggling to accommodate thousands of its medical graduates for housemanship every year. According to sources, currently medical graduates wait three to six months for housemanship as there were only about 5,000 slots a year.To understand the medical graduates woes, recently I had a talk with PAS Bukit Baru Melaka State Assemblyman (Adun), Dr Khalid Kassim who was formerly Hospital Melaka Deputy Director.Dr Khalid explained that in the past, the duration of housemanship was a year but it was extended to two years a few years back. Of course by extending the period would hold back more housemen before they could become medical officers (MO).He said placement of housemanship is up to the government, the medical graduate glut problem nowadays is due to several factors such as there are more and more medical colleges in the country resulting in more graduates and in some cases there are housemen who failed to complete their training the stipulated period.Also there are more and more graduates returning from medical colleges overseas including from Ukraine, Russia, India and Indonesia and all of them have to undergo their housemanship in government hospitals. It was reported that nowadays it is normal for graduates to wait for several months before they are being called for their housemanship and in the future, perhaps they had to wait for a year or longer!Places of housemanship in Malaysia are limited, Dr Khalid agreed to the figures that there are about 5,000 seats in Malaysia. If all the slots are filled, then how are we going to put up the fresh graduates?"I understand there are graduates who had to extend their housemanship up to two and a half or three years, thus their place could not be taken up," he said.The extension period of practical was necessary as some graduates performed bellow the expectation line while others had to have a long break such as female future doctors who had married, became pregnant and delivered babies.Regarding poor performance by some medical graduates, Dr Khalid said there should have been better regulations in terms of entry into medical schools at the beginning for we should never compromise quality over quantity.Last year, it was reported that about one-third of housemen extended their training, thus, delaying new graduates from taking up posts, while one-fifth of them quit as they could not cope with the stress.Answering questions regarding ways to solve the medical graduates glut, Dr Khalid said we are now in a tight situation, if we were to expand the slots of housemanship, we have to think about the trainers and supervisors namely specialists and senior doctors in various medical fields.If we could provide and ready all the requirements needed by housemen, it would be of little help if we do not have specialists to supervise them. This is regarding human factor, we could not produce specialist just like that, he said. But there are some cheers because the number of training hospitals in our country had been increased from 38 hospitals in 2009 to 44 hospitals in 2015.A source said housemanship could only be done in main hospitals and not at any hospital because the absence of specialists. The choice of hospitals too contribute to the waiting period of becoming a houseman.The source said if a graduate wanted to be posted to popular hospitals in big cities especially in the the West Coast, he/she would have a long wait compared to smaller hospitals especially in Sabah and Sarawak.Dr Khalid, said the 'key word' for would to be doctors, are to be 'sabar' (patience) in their waiting. Please be 'sabar', but the question is what to do during this period of waiting?Being jobless for six months or a year was an agony...perhaps it would be an unhappy occasion when one would received his/her scroll on convocation day when one has not landed a job...in short he/she is a 'penganggur' (jobless).Are there ways or alternatives to cushion the impact of the wait or the pang of being labelled a 'penganggur'?. Of course when one is without work, then it was worrisome for us in carrying out important things such as regarding financial, relationship, marriage and so on.Anyway, looking at 'the bright side', medicine isn’t everything thus graduates have to be open in considering alternatives. Perhaps during this 'menganggur' period, one would have golden opportunities such as spending more time with one's family members, travel or pursue their hobbies.To those medical graduates and graduates from other fields who are on the 'menganggur' list, I have this piece of advice to them. Keep on seeking and broadening your knowledge forknowledge is the key to success in this world and Hereafter. Human beings' knowledge is only like a drop of water in the vast oceans of knowledge so could you imagine how little we know compared to what we don't. Fulfill your days seeking knowledge, for with knowledge, you will understand that everything you do, is to seek God's forgiveness and acknowledge His Greatness.For example when you stare at the empty sky and acknowledge Allah SWT's greatness in creating it without pillars and feel how small you are (please refer to Surah Al-Mulk - The Soverreignty - of the Qur'an; by the way how's your knowledge regarding the Qur'an such as in reading and understanding it ?), then you are in the right direction to have His Blessing in this world and the Hereafter. When you realize this,you will understand, there is no such thing as unemployment in Islam. There are so many things to do so how come you could be a 'penganggur'!
November 9, 2016
Rampas SK: Tak dapat tanduk telinga dipulas
DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
SEORANG peminat veteran Suara Keadilan (SK), Raja Mohd Yusof Raja Othman, 80, dari Semenyih, Selangor beberapa hari lalu menelefon saya; dalam nada marah memberitahu kira-kira 30 naskhah Suara Keadilan terbitan 18 Oktober di kedai yang biasa dibelinya, dirampas pihak berkuasa.
Beliau bagaikan tidak sabar memberi maklumat terperinci termasuk waktu kejadian dan meminta nama petugas Suara Keadilan untuk dihubungi, tetapi apa yang penting rampasan itu menyebabkan dia tidak dapat menatap akhbar yang banyak mendedahkan salah laku pihak berkuasa terutama di kalangan tokoh politik tanah air.
Rampasan Suara Keadilan malah media parti pembangkang lain seperti Harakah, Amanah dan Roket oleh pihak berkuasa sentiasa berlaku; mungkin ia menepati peribahasa 'tak dapat tanduk telinga dipulas'. Peribahasa ini membawa maksud 'orang sanggup melakukan apa sahaja untuk membalas dendam' manakala orang Indonesia mentakrifkannya sebagai 'tindakan apa pun dilakukan asal dapat merugikan lawan'.
Bijak pandai ada menukilkan bahawa dunia ini adalah pentas lakonan...manusia tanpa kawalan seperti agama dan perababan berbuat sesuka hati mereka. Seperti hukum rimba, yang kuat memangsakan si lemah, di pentas dunia orang berkuasa seperti Firaun memangsakan rakyat tidak berdaya.
Apabila sang penguasa korup mendapati perilaku mereka didedahkan manakala bantahan rakyat semakin lantang termasuk melalui media seperti Suara Keadilan, mereka bertindak 'membabi-buta' seperti melakukan rampasan. Mereka melakukan 'tindakan apa pun asal dapat merugikan lawan'. Perlu diingatkan bahawa kebenaran tidak dapat disembunyikan; di dalam al-Quran dinukilkan bagaimana Firaun dan bala tenteranya gagal melenyapkan tentangan rakyat yang diketuai oleh Nabi Musa.
Ironinya Nabi Musa membesar dalam istana Firaun sedangkan beliau mengarahkan semua anak lelaki bani Israil dibunuh. Ya, kisah Nabi Musa dan Firaun ini dibaca berulang-ulang, tetapi apakah pihak berkuasa atau pemimpin mengambil teladan. Mereka memusnahkan suara rakyat seperti Suara Keadilan, tetapi percaya seperti musnahnya Firaun, mereka juga akan musnah akhirnya!
Bagi pihak pemerintah, tindakan merampas Suara Keadilan dan akhbar alternatif lain menjelang perhimpunan besar-besaran Bersih 5.0 pada 19 November nanti hanya akan memakan diri sendiri. Ini adalah kerana akses kepada media massa yang adil adalah antara perkara dituntut Bersih.
Namun hal ini dikesampingkan oleh pemerintah; kita dapat saksikan betapa media massa didakwa sebagai 'arus perdana; yang dikuasai mereka diperkuda sepuas-puasnya oleh parti pemerintah - mereka ‘mengamuk sakan’ – 'membodek melangit’ parti pemerintah sebaliknya ‘membunuh’ parti-parti pesaing.
Membenarkan media berkenaan 'mengamuk sakan' sebaliknya 'membunuh' akhbar alternatif akhirnya akan mendedahkan kebejatan sang pemerintah di mata rakyat. Dalam dunia tanpa sempadan dengan ledakan komunikasi masa ini, rakyat semakin bijak menilai.
Sebagai contoh, pilihan raya Presiden Amerika Syarikat memberikan peluang seluas-luasnya kepada pihak bertanding (ketika ini pertarungan berkisar kepada calon Parti Republikan, Donald Trump dan calon Demokratik, Hillary Clinton) untuk muncul di kaca televisyen dan alat sebaran lain. Malah mereka berdebat secara terbuka di TV.
Jika pemerintah kita tidak bersedia dengan 'demokrasi ala-Amerika' ini, mereka wajar memberikan alternatif lain seperti hak bagi semua parti-parti politik termasuklah daripada pembangkang membangunkan media massa mereka sendiri termasuk TV dan radio.
Namun apa yang berlaku, pihak berkuasa tidak membenarkan hal ini kerana mereka mahu memonopoli siaran media bagi membolehkan mereka terus berpropaganda demi mengekalkan kuasa ‘dulu, kini dan selama-lamanya’. Bukan saja TV atau radio bebas tidak dibenarkan malah Suara Keadilan yang sudah ada di pasaran pun dirampas.
Perkembangan yang tidak sihat ini sedang dinilai oleh rakyat...jika Allah SWT bukakan hati rakyat, insya-Allah parti pemerintah akan 'bungkus' pada pilihan raya umum nanti!
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
SEORANG peminat veteran Suara Keadilan (SK), Raja Mohd Yusof Raja Othman, 80, dari Semenyih, Selangor beberapa hari lalu menelefon saya; dalam nada marah memberitahu kira-kira 30 naskhah Suara Keadilan terbitan 18 Oktober di kedai yang biasa dibelinya, dirampas pihak berkuasa.
Beliau bagaikan tidak sabar memberi maklumat terperinci termasuk waktu kejadian dan meminta nama petugas Suara Keadilan untuk dihubungi, tetapi apa yang penting rampasan itu menyebabkan dia tidak dapat menatap akhbar yang banyak mendedahkan salah laku pihak berkuasa terutama di kalangan tokoh politik tanah air.
Rampasan Suara Keadilan malah media parti pembangkang lain seperti Harakah, Amanah dan Roket oleh pihak berkuasa sentiasa berlaku; mungkin ia menepati peribahasa 'tak dapat tanduk telinga dipulas'. Peribahasa ini membawa maksud 'orang sanggup melakukan apa sahaja untuk membalas dendam' manakala orang Indonesia mentakrifkannya sebagai 'tindakan apa pun dilakukan asal dapat merugikan lawan'.
Bijak pandai ada menukilkan bahawa dunia ini adalah pentas lakonan...manusia tanpa kawalan seperti agama dan perababan berbuat sesuka hati mereka. Seperti hukum rimba, yang kuat memangsakan si lemah, di pentas dunia orang berkuasa seperti Firaun memangsakan rakyat tidak berdaya.
Apabila sang penguasa korup mendapati perilaku mereka didedahkan manakala bantahan rakyat semakin lantang termasuk melalui media seperti Suara Keadilan, mereka bertindak 'membabi-buta' seperti melakukan rampasan. Mereka melakukan 'tindakan apa pun asal dapat merugikan lawan'. Perlu diingatkan bahawa kebenaran tidak dapat disembunyikan; di dalam al-Quran dinukilkan bagaimana Firaun dan bala tenteranya gagal melenyapkan tentangan rakyat yang diketuai oleh Nabi Musa.
Ironinya Nabi Musa membesar dalam istana Firaun sedangkan beliau mengarahkan semua anak lelaki bani Israil dibunuh. Ya, kisah Nabi Musa dan Firaun ini dibaca berulang-ulang, tetapi apakah pihak berkuasa atau pemimpin mengambil teladan. Mereka memusnahkan suara rakyat seperti Suara Keadilan, tetapi percaya seperti musnahnya Firaun, mereka juga akan musnah akhirnya!
Bagi pihak pemerintah, tindakan merampas Suara Keadilan dan akhbar alternatif lain menjelang perhimpunan besar-besaran Bersih 5.0 pada 19 November nanti hanya akan memakan diri sendiri. Ini adalah kerana akses kepada media massa yang adil adalah antara perkara dituntut Bersih.
Namun hal ini dikesampingkan oleh pemerintah; kita dapat saksikan betapa media massa didakwa sebagai 'arus perdana; yang dikuasai mereka diperkuda sepuas-puasnya oleh parti pemerintah - mereka ‘mengamuk sakan’ – 'membodek melangit’ parti pemerintah sebaliknya ‘membunuh’ parti-parti pesaing.
Membenarkan media berkenaan 'mengamuk sakan' sebaliknya 'membunuh' akhbar alternatif akhirnya akan mendedahkan kebejatan sang pemerintah di mata rakyat. Dalam dunia tanpa sempadan dengan ledakan komunikasi masa ini, rakyat semakin bijak menilai.
Sebagai contoh, pilihan raya Presiden Amerika Syarikat memberikan peluang seluas-luasnya kepada pihak bertanding (ketika ini pertarungan berkisar kepada calon Parti Republikan, Donald Trump dan calon Demokratik, Hillary Clinton) untuk muncul di kaca televisyen dan alat sebaran lain. Malah mereka berdebat secara terbuka di TV.
Jika pemerintah kita tidak bersedia dengan 'demokrasi ala-Amerika' ini, mereka wajar memberikan alternatif lain seperti hak bagi semua parti-parti politik termasuklah daripada pembangkang membangunkan media massa mereka sendiri termasuk TV dan radio.
Namun apa yang berlaku, pihak berkuasa tidak membenarkan hal ini kerana mereka mahu memonopoli siaran media bagi membolehkan mereka terus berpropaganda demi mengekalkan kuasa ‘dulu, kini dan selama-lamanya’. Bukan saja TV atau radio bebas tidak dibenarkan malah Suara Keadilan yang sudah ada di pasaran pun dirampas.
Perkembangan yang tidak sihat ini sedang dinilai oleh rakyat...jika Allah SWT bukakan hati rakyat, insya-Allah parti pemerintah akan 'bungkus' pada pilihan raya umum nanti!
November 7, 2016
OMG...
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.
***I was very very disturbed and worried when at certain times I heard my two daughters exclaimed 'OMG' (oh my God) in their conversations. In my opinion, we should not copy 'other people's' way of life; isn't Islam our complete way of life? By the way, my opinion is not important, I have to seek answers from knowledgeable people and authorized sources.First, what's the meaning of OMG. Urbandictionary defines it as a exclamation of shock or surprise, often used repeatedly by stupid people who are shocked and surprised by almost everything and insert it into conversations whenever possible. It gave this example: "Oh my God, Becky, look at her butt!"Oxford Living Dictionaries defines OMG as an exclamation (informal) used to express surprise, excitement, disbelief, etc. Among examples given were: "OMG, we finally did it!" and "OMG, that was fun."It was stated that its origin was in early 20th century: from the initial letters of oh my God! (the final elements may sometimes represent goodness, gosh, etc.).To know whether we (Muslims) are allowed to utter OMG in our daily lives especially during conversations, a few days ago I asked an 'ustaz' after his weekly 'tazkirah' (lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house during which he mentioned about the importance of Muslim doing their 'zikr' (reciting words for the remembrance of Allah SWT).He warned that Muslims without the 'zikir' would be like 'monyet' (monkeys), quoting a well known scholar. He also mentioned that the best 'zikr' is reading and understanding the Qur'an.In his lesson the 'ustaz' mentioned about several quotations from the Qur'an and 'hadith' about the importance of 'zikr' - among others: "Only in the remembrance of Allah SWT will your heart find peace." (Quran 13: Verse 28)Abu Hurairah r.a. (may Allah be please with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah SWT said, "The uttering of the words: "Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection), Al-hamdu lillah (all praise is due to Allah), La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)' is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises." (Narated by Imam Muslim)Abu Hurairah r.a. also reported: The Messenger of Allah SWT said, "There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: 'Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azim (Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)'." (Narated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)Regarding 'my OMG question', The 'ustaz' didn't answer it directly, but first talked about how far our young generation had distanced themselves from the teachings of the Prophet s.a.w. He gave an example of some of our youth sporting various types of hair styles such as the Mohawk or Mohican style while ladies wear tight fitting and hugging jeans or leotards with hanging T-shirts and blouses even some of them wear their 'tudungs'!He said it is not proper for us to follow 'everything' from 'people outside the Islamic teachings' such as from the Westerners uttering OMG, but if a person does it fully aware that he/she was only praising Allah SWT, for example having in mind it means 'Ya Allah!', then it is allowed.But if we recite OMG with the intention of copying the non-Muslims way of life, then we are in great trouble because to them God are interpreted differently from us that is Allah SWT. This could jeopardy our 'iman' (faith), said the 'ustaz'.To them, God is different from what we understand. For example a popular rapper, Weng Meng Chee or Namewee not long time ago caused controversy over his video song 'Oh My God'. In his song he mentioned about Allah and the gods of other believers. He was charged with defiling a place of worship with intention to insult religion.Regarding the 'OMG issue', a renowned Malaysian Muslim scholar not long time ago, when asked about the matter answered: "It is a duty of every Muslim to always have the remembrance of Allah SWT. In the Qur'an, Allah SWT says, "Only in the remembrance of Allah SWT will your heart find peace." "Therefore to lead a calm life, always wet your tongue reciting phrases of praises to Allah SWT. The 'kalimah' (word) God could not all all be translated to Allah. The word 'God' could be in singular or plural form and have sexes such as God and Goddess. But the 'kalimah' Allah has the meaning of 'tauhid' monotheism in it. We acknowledge Allah SWT's oneness...its 'mustahil' (impossible) to be two or three. So to Muslims please exclaim 'Ya Allah' because its meaning is different from 'Oh my God' (OMG). Ones reciting 'Ya Allah' would have Allah SWT's bounties and huge rewards in this world whats more in the Hereafter. So, recite 'Ya Allah'...is it too difficult to recite it compared to OMG?YES just stick to 'Subhan-Allah' or 'Ya Allah' or 'Astaghfirullah' or 'Allahu Akbar' or the likes, crying it out loud depending on the situation. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and upon all his Family and Companions.The best thing to do to obtain peace of heart and mind, happiness and tranquility is by the remembrance of Allah. Allah says: "Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur'an 13:28)
On the contrary, if one does not remember Allah, then there will be no peace, tranquility or happiness of the heart. Allah says: "But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur'an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship." (Qur'an 20:124)
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.
***I was very very disturbed and worried when at certain times I heard my two daughters exclaimed 'OMG' (oh my God) in their conversations. In my opinion, we should not copy 'other people's' way of life; isn't Islam our complete way of life? By the way, my opinion is not important, I have to seek answers from knowledgeable people and authorized sources.First, what's the meaning of OMG. Urbandictionary defines it as a exclamation of shock or surprise, often used repeatedly by stupid people who are shocked and surprised by almost everything and insert it into conversations whenever possible. It gave this example: "Oh my God, Becky, look at her butt!"Oxford Living Dictionaries defines OMG as an exclamation (informal) used to express surprise, excitement, disbelief, etc. Among examples given were: "OMG, we finally did it!" and "OMG, that was fun."It was stated that its origin was in early 20th century: from the initial letters of oh my God! (the final elements may sometimes represent goodness, gosh, etc.).To know whether we (Muslims) are allowed to utter OMG in our daily lives especially during conversations, a few days ago I asked an 'ustaz' after his weekly 'tazkirah' (lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house during which he mentioned about the importance of Muslim doing their 'zikr' (reciting words for the remembrance of Allah SWT).He warned that Muslims without the 'zikir' would be like 'monyet' (monkeys), quoting a well known scholar. He also mentioned that the best 'zikr' is reading and understanding the Qur'an.In his lesson the 'ustaz' mentioned about several quotations from the Qur'an and 'hadith' about the importance of 'zikr' - among others: "Only in the remembrance of Allah SWT will your heart find peace." (Quran 13: Verse 28)Abu Hurairah r.a. (may Allah be please with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah SWT said, "The uttering of the words: "Subhan-Allah (Allah is free from imperfection), Al-hamdu lillah (all praise is due to Allah), La ilaha illallah (there is no true god except Allah) and Allahu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest)' is dearer to me than anything over which the sun rises." (Narated by Imam Muslim)Abu Hurairah r.a. also reported: The Messenger of Allah SWT said, "There are two statements that are light for the tongue to remember, heavy in the Scales and are dear to the Merciful: 'Subhan-Allahi wa bihamdihi, Subhan-Allahil-Azim (Glory be to Allah and His is the praise, (and) Allah, the Greatest is free from imperfection)'." (Narated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)Regarding 'my OMG question', The 'ustaz' didn't answer it directly, but first talked about how far our young generation had distanced themselves from the teachings of the Prophet s.a.w. He gave an example of some of our youth sporting various types of hair styles such as the Mohawk or Mohican style while ladies wear tight fitting and hugging jeans or leotards with hanging T-shirts and blouses even some of them wear their 'tudungs'!He said it is not proper for us to follow 'everything' from 'people outside the Islamic teachings' such as from the Westerners uttering OMG, but if a person does it fully aware that he/she was only praising Allah SWT, for example having in mind it means 'Ya Allah!', then it is allowed.But if we recite OMG with the intention of copying the non-Muslims way of life, then we are in great trouble because to them God are interpreted differently from us that is Allah SWT. This could jeopardy our 'iman' (faith), said the 'ustaz'.To them, God is different from what we understand. For example a popular rapper, Weng Meng Chee or Namewee not long time ago caused controversy over his video song 'Oh My God'. In his song he mentioned about Allah and the gods of other believers. He was charged with defiling a place of worship with intention to insult religion.Regarding the 'OMG issue', a renowned Malaysian Muslim scholar not long time ago, when asked about the matter answered: "It is a duty of every Muslim to always have the remembrance of Allah SWT. In the Qur'an, Allah SWT says, "Only in the remembrance of Allah SWT will your heart find peace." "Therefore to lead a calm life, always wet your tongue reciting phrases of praises to Allah SWT. The 'kalimah' (word) God could not all all be translated to Allah. The word 'God' could be in singular or plural form and have sexes such as God and Goddess. But the 'kalimah' Allah has the meaning of 'tauhid' monotheism in it. We acknowledge Allah SWT's oneness...its 'mustahil' (impossible) to be two or three. So to Muslims please exclaim 'Ya Allah' because its meaning is different from 'Oh my God' (OMG). Ones reciting 'Ya Allah' would have Allah SWT's bounties and huge rewards in this world whats more in the Hereafter. So, recite 'Ya Allah'...is it too difficult to recite it compared to OMG?YES just stick to 'Subhan-Allah' or 'Ya Allah' or 'Astaghfirullah' or 'Allahu Akbar' or the likes, crying it out loud depending on the situation. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and upon all his Family and Companions.The best thing to do to obtain peace of heart and mind, happiness and tranquility is by the remembrance of Allah. Allah says: "Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest. (Qur'an 13:28)
On the contrary, if one does not remember Allah, then there will be no peace, tranquility or happiness of the heart. Allah says: "But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur'an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship." (Qur'an 20:124)
November 5, 2016
Terus bersilaturahim sekalipun berbeza pandangan…
DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
KETIKA menyaksikan pertandingan akhir Piala Malaysia antara Kedah dan Selangor pada malam Isnin hari Ahad (30 Oktober), teringat saya akan pesanan seorang ustaz bahawa perbezaan pendapat dan pihak disokong termasuk parti dibenarkan tetapi memutuskan siraturahim adalah haram.
Yalah, kita faham orang Kedah tinggi semangat 'Kekedahannya' manakala orang Selangor dengan 'Keselangorannya', masing-masing 'mahu memenangkan' pasukan masing-masing. Malah ada suami isteri, orang Kedah dan Selangor, bermasam muka gara-gara sokongan pasukan mereka yang berbeza. Berlainan pasukan disokong tidak menjadi masalah, tetapi sehingga menjejaskan ikatan persaudaraan apatah lagi perkahwinan amat 'bahaya'!
Baru-baru ini di kelas pengajian mingguan di masjid yang saya ikuti, sang ustaz begitu bersungguh-sungguh mengingatkan jemaah jangan sesekali memutuskan siraturahim kerana rahmat Allah SWT tidak akan turun ke atas sesebuah keluarga, masyarakat, negara dan sejagat jika ada anggotanya berbuat demikian.
Ustaz memetik daripada kitab Khulasah Tanbihul Ghafilin karya Sheikh Abu Laits Samarqandi yang meriwayatkan dengan sanadnya daripada Abdullah bin Aufa r.a. berkata: “Pada waktu petang hari Arafah, kami duduk bersama-sama Nabi s.a.w., tiba-tiba Nabi s.a.w. bersabda; jangan duduk bersama kami siapa yang memutuskan hubungan kekeluargaan, supaya bangun dari tengah-tengah kami, maka tidak ada orang kecuali seorang di belakang berdiri, maka tidak berapa lama dia kembali.
“Maka Nabi s.a.w. bertanya: Mengapa kamu? Jawab beliau: Ya Rasulullah, ketika aku mendengar sabdamu itu, aku segera pergi ke rumah saudaraku yang memutuskan hubungannya dengan aku, lalu dia bertanya; mengapakah engkau datang? Ganjil sungguh kedatanganmu ini.
“Maka aku beritahukan apa yang aku dengar daripada kamu, maka dia membacakan istighfar untukku dan aku juga membacakan istighfar untuknya. Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: Bagus kamu, duduklah sekarang, sebab rahmat Allah tidak akan turun pada satu kaum jika ada antara mereka seorang yang memutuskan hubungan kekeluargaan.”
Demikianlah jika kita sering mengikuti kelas-kelas pengajian di surau dan masjid, kita diberitahu betapa pentingnya menjaga hubungan siraturahim. Berhubung silaturahim dalam keluarga, kita sering diingatkan supaya memuliakan ibu bapa di samping mendoakan mereka sepanjang masa. Jalan ke syurga adalah dengan restu dan reda ibu bapa, lebih-lebih lagi si ibu. Namun ada hubungan yang retak kerana anak dan ibu bapa berbalah mengenai soal jodoh malah ada yang tidak mengaku anak atau ibu bapa lagi,
Seorang anak perlu memuliakan ibu bapanya sepanjang hayat, malah jika 'orang tua' sudah meninggal dunia, anak-anak terus dituntut berbakti kepada mereka seperti berakhlak mulia sehinggalah kepada amalan menziarahi sahabat taulan mereka yang masih hidup.
Dalam Islam, anak-anak juga diajar untuk memuliakan ibu bapa sekalipun mereka belum memeluk Islam. Ringkasnya, hubungan kekeluargaan tetap utuh tetapi apa yang berlaku hari ini amat menyedihkan kerana semakin ramai anak-anak jauh terpesong daripada mengamalkan ajaran Islam dalam kehidupan mereka.
Jika dalam sejarah sahabat dan Sirah Nabi s.a.w. ada dikisahkan seorang anak yang tidak dapat mengucap dua kalimah syahadah ketika akan menghadapi sakratulmaut kerana tidak mengendahkan ibunya, anak-anak hari ini nampaknya mendengar saja kisah itu tetapi gagal menjadikannya iktibar dalam mereka menjalani kehidupan.
Demikian juga amaran Allah agar anak-anak tidak membantah ibu bapa selagi bukan dalam perkara maksiat malah berkata 'aaahhh' pun tidak dibenarkan, nampaknya dijadikan halwa telinga saja.
Dalam menghadapi perbezaan pandangan, anak-anak sewajar berhemah dalam menghadapi karenah dalam keluarga. Di sini letaknya perbezaan antara insan berilmu dan tidak berilmu.
Seseorang yang tidak berilmu akan bertindak mengikut nafsu tetapi mereka yang berilmu serta mengamalnya sudah pasti akan bertindak berdasarkan hukum-hakam yang terkandung dalam agama. Apa yang dibolehkan itulah yang dibuat dan apa yang diharamkan, perkara itu dijauhi.
Berdasarkan apa yang berlaku dalam masyarakat Islam hari ini, kita berpendapat amat penting (wajib) untuk mereka terutama ketua keluarga mendalami ilmu, terutama yang bersangkutan dengan penghidupan sebagai seorang Muslim sejati.
Jika seseorang itu sudah tahu hukum-hakam agama, kita percaya masalah masyarakat seperti perpecahan dalam keluarga, pulau-memulau dan sebagainya dapat dibendung.
Subhanallah, jika kita sudah ditunjuki 'jalan yang lurus' oleh Allah SWT seperti yang kita pohonkan dalam bacaan surah Al-Fatihah setiap rakaat solat, insya-Allah kita akan dapati kebenaran berada di depan mata! Allahuakbar.
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
KETIKA menyaksikan pertandingan akhir Piala Malaysia antara Kedah dan Selangor pada malam Isnin hari Ahad (30 Oktober), teringat saya akan pesanan seorang ustaz bahawa perbezaan pendapat dan pihak disokong termasuk parti dibenarkan tetapi memutuskan siraturahim adalah haram.
Yalah, kita faham orang Kedah tinggi semangat 'Kekedahannya' manakala orang Selangor dengan 'Keselangorannya', masing-masing 'mahu memenangkan' pasukan masing-masing. Malah ada suami isteri, orang Kedah dan Selangor, bermasam muka gara-gara sokongan pasukan mereka yang berbeza. Berlainan pasukan disokong tidak menjadi masalah, tetapi sehingga menjejaskan ikatan persaudaraan apatah lagi perkahwinan amat 'bahaya'!
Baru-baru ini di kelas pengajian mingguan di masjid yang saya ikuti, sang ustaz begitu bersungguh-sungguh mengingatkan jemaah jangan sesekali memutuskan siraturahim kerana rahmat Allah SWT tidak akan turun ke atas sesebuah keluarga, masyarakat, negara dan sejagat jika ada anggotanya berbuat demikian.
Ustaz memetik daripada kitab Khulasah Tanbihul Ghafilin karya Sheikh Abu Laits Samarqandi yang meriwayatkan dengan sanadnya daripada Abdullah bin Aufa r.a. berkata: “Pada waktu petang hari Arafah, kami duduk bersama-sama Nabi s.a.w., tiba-tiba Nabi s.a.w. bersabda; jangan duduk bersama kami siapa yang memutuskan hubungan kekeluargaan, supaya bangun dari tengah-tengah kami, maka tidak ada orang kecuali seorang di belakang berdiri, maka tidak berapa lama dia kembali.
“Maka Nabi s.a.w. bertanya: Mengapa kamu? Jawab beliau: Ya Rasulullah, ketika aku mendengar sabdamu itu, aku segera pergi ke rumah saudaraku yang memutuskan hubungannya dengan aku, lalu dia bertanya; mengapakah engkau datang? Ganjil sungguh kedatanganmu ini.
“Maka aku beritahukan apa yang aku dengar daripada kamu, maka dia membacakan istighfar untukku dan aku juga membacakan istighfar untuknya. Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: Bagus kamu, duduklah sekarang, sebab rahmat Allah tidak akan turun pada satu kaum jika ada antara mereka seorang yang memutuskan hubungan kekeluargaan.”
Demikianlah jika kita sering mengikuti kelas-kelas pengajian di surau dan masjid, kita diberitahu betapa pentingnya menjaga hubungan siraturahim. Berhubung silaturahim dalam keluarga, kita sering diingatkan supaya memuliakan ibu bapa di samping mendoakan mereka sepanjang masa. Jalan ke syurga adalah dengan restu dan reda ibu bapa, lebih-lebih lagi si ibu. Namun ada hubungan yang retak kerana anak dan ibu bapa berbalah mengenai soal jodoh malah ada yang tidak mengaku anak atau ibu bapa lagi,
Seorang anak perlu memuliakan ibu bapanya sepanjang hayat, malah jika 'orang tua' sudah meninggal dunia, anak-anak terus dituntut berbakti kepada mereka seperti berakhlak mulia sehinggalah kepada amalan menziarahi sahabat taulan mereka yang masih hidup.
Dalam Islam, anak-anak juga diajar untuk memuliakan ibu bapa sekalipun mereka belum memeluk Islam. Ringkasnya, hubungan kekeluargaan tetap utuh tetapi apa yang berlaku hari ini amat menyedihkan kerana semakin ramai anak-anak jauh terpesong daripada mengamalkan ajaran Islam dalam kehidupan mereka.
Jika dalam sejarah sahabat dan Sirah Nabi s.a.w. ada dikisahkan seorang anak yang tidak dapat mengucap dua kalimah syahadah ketika akan menghadapi sakratulmaut kerana tidak mengendahkan ibunya, anak-anak hari ini nampaknya mendengar saja kisah itu tetapi gagal menjadikannya iktibar dalam mereka menjalani kehidupan.
Demikian juga amaran Allah agar anak-anak tidak membantah ibu bapa selagi bukan dalam perkara maksiat malah berkata 'aaahhh' pun tidak dibenarkan, nampaknya dijadikan halwa telinga saja.
Dalam menghadapi perbezaan pandangan, anak-anak sewajar berhemah dalam menghadapi karenah dalam keluarga. Di sini letaknya perbezaan antara insan berilmu dan tidak berilmu.
Seseorang yang tidak berilmu akan bertindak mengikut nafsu tetapi mereka yang berilmu serta mengamalnya sudah pasti akan bertindak berdasarkan hukum-hakam yang terkandung dalam agama. Apa yang dibolehkan itulah yang dibuat dan apa yang diharamkan, perkara itu dijauhi.
Berdasarkan apa yang berlaku dalam masyarakat Islam hari ini, kita berpendapat amat penting (wajib) untuk mereka terutama ketua keluarga mendalami ilmu, terutama yang bersangkutan dengan penghidupan sebagai seorang Muslim sejati.
Jika seseorang itu sudah tahu hukum-hakam agama, kita percaya masalah masyarakat seperti perpecahan dalam keluarga, pulau-memulau dan sebagainya dapat dibendung.
Subhanallah, jika kita sudah ditunjuki 'jalan yang lurus' oleh Allah SWT seperti yang kita pohonkan dalam bacaan surah Al-Fatihah setiap rakaat solat, insya-Allah kita akan dapati kebenaran berada di depan mata! Allahuakbar.
November 2, 2016
Ladies, please emulate Hagar...
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.
***LATELY when reading newspapers, sometimes I came across news or articles featuring women doing 'extraordinary feats' - the latest one was about a lady who traveled alone (solo) around the globe crossing over 40 countries in four continents on a motorbike in 370 days.'Syabas' (congratulation) to that determined lady...Oh what a feat, I really admired her determination; her courage, her sacrifice and her achivement 'won' my heart - yes she had her name crafted in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first Malaysian Muslim women to travel around the world on a motorcycle.The lady who was also touted as the first Muslim woman to successfully ride a motorcycle around the globe, was quoted as saying although her main motivation was to make Malaysia proud,the mission was also aimed at correcting the negative public perception of Islam and women in Islam."Too many people have become Islamophobic and think of Islam as the religion of terrorists, that Islam is rigid and discriminates women and that Islam does not allow women to study or work, and other negative perceptions."If they say Islam is rigid, oppressing women to the extent of not letting them to study, then how come I am going around the world riding solo on a motorbike," she was quoted saying.Many Malaysian Muslims including intellectuals and leaders gave thumbs up to the lady's feat; for example a renowned professor said she support women doing tough outdoor activities including travelling solo around the world, travelling across Antartica or climbing roof top mountains.Dear readers, I have no grudge against women, but when there are encouragements from top figures that Muslim ladies indulge in 'extraordinary feats' whats more involves travelling and they are looked as examples to our young generation, I was confused and my mind raced back to the many 'tazkirah' (lessons) I attended at 'masjids' around my house.Regarding 'successful women' who should be looked as examples, what has Allah SWT and His prophet, Muhammad s.a.w. (peace be upon him) had mentioned; that's more important, in fact it is very crucial because we must strive to be successful in this world and the Hereafter.From the Qur'an (Al-Baqarah, 2:201) we recited our du'a: "Our Lord, give us in this world (that which is) good and in the Hereafter (that which is) good and protect us from punishment of the Fire."Regarding rules on 'musafir'; (traveler), I heard a few 'hadiths' from some 'ustazs'; one of the 'hadith' read: "Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri r.a. narrates that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said: “Let no woman travel for more than three days unless her husband or a 'mahram' is with her." (Sahih Muslim)Another one read: "Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas r.a. narrates that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said: “'A woman must not travel except with a 'mahram' and a man must not enter upon her except if she has a 'mahram'. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1763)
One 'ustaz' reminded that no 'Muslimah' (Muslim women) should travel to faraway places without being accompanied by her husband or 'mahram' (unmarriageable kin).
He said even to perform hajj, which is the fifth article in 'Rukun Islam' (Articles of Faith), Muslim female must be accompanied by her husband or 'mahram' then whats more to lesser important obligations such as working, studying and of course holidaying.
So 'the thing' that puzzled me is could a Muslim women travel solo around the globe riding a motorcycle? A few days ago, during a question and answer session after an 'ustaz' had given his 'tazkirah', I posed to him the question.
He said the general understanding is that it is prohibited in the Shariah for a female to travel without a 'mahram' under all circumstances. It is impermissible for a woman to travel the distance of three days (equivalent to 48 miles) without her husband or a ''mahram' accompanying her.
Why are women not allowed to travel without 'mahram'? Firstly, it was Allah's command; just obey it and you be blessed and rewarded handsomely. And if you disobeyed Allah's command after you have the the knowledge about it, then it is up to you; the consequences you bear it yourself.
Regarding the ban, scholars said it was because travel usually causes exhaustion and hardship, and because women are weak and need someone to look after them and stay with them, and things may happen in the absence of her 'mahram' that she is not able to deal with. These are things that are well known and are frequently seen nowadays because of the large number of accidents involving cars and other means of transportation.
Moreover, if a woman travels alone she may be approached and tempted to do evil, especially when there is a great deal of corruption. Someone may sit next to her who does not fear Allah and he made may doing 'haraam' (forbidden) actions seem appealing to her. It is perfectly wise that the woman should be accompanied by her 'mahram' when she travels, because the purpose of having her 'mahram' present is to protect her and look after her. Travelling is a situation in which emergencies may arise, no matter what the length of the journey is.
The 'ustaz' said Muslims or Muslimah in specific, should looked upon the lives of 'special and successful women' mentioned in the Qur'an and hadith if they were aiming to be blessed in this world and the Hereafter. Among names mentioned were the Prophet's s.a.w. wives such as Lady Khadijah binti Khauwalid, Aisha' binti Abu Bakar; his daughter Fatimah Az-Zahra; women around his time such as Ummu Sulaim and before the time of the Prophet s.a.w. women such as Aisya' the wife of 'Firaun' (Pharaoh) and Hajar (Hagar), the wife of Prophet Ibrahim a.s.
Reading the lives of these women with heart, one could not help but was tremendously touched and determined to follow their footsteps...of course not all of them but 'a little of it' could be able to guide us in life. They lead lives not to be popular and famous doing 'extraordinary deeds of feats', but only to please their Creator, Allah SWT. They lead lives in line with Allah's order - "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me." (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51: 56-57)
A renowned writer, Dr Ali Shariati described beautifully how Allah SWT honoured one of the women - Hajar (Hagar) in his book 'Hajj'. This is an excerpt of it: Toward the west of Kaaba there is a semi-circular short wall which is arching towards the Kaaba. It is called Ismail’s Hagar. Hagar signifies lap or skirt. The semi lunar wall resembles a skirt. Sarah, the wife of Ibrahim had an Ethiopian maid called Hagar. She was a poor and humble servant of Sarah,who was given to IbrahimThe skirt of Hagar was the area in which Ismail was raised. The house of Hagar is there. Her grave is near the third column of the Kaaba. What a surprise since no one, not even prophets, are supposed to be buried in mosques but in this case,the house of a maid is located next to Allah’s house! Hagar, the mother of Ismail is buried there. The Kaaba extends toward her grave. There is a narrow passage between the wall (Hagar’s skirt) and the Kaaba. When circumambulating around Kaaba, Allah commanded that you must go around the wall and not through the passage. Those who have submitted themselves to the oneness of Allah and those who have accepted His invitation for Hajj touch this skirt when circumambulating the Kaaba. The grave of a maid and a righteous mother is now a part of the Kaaba; it will be circumambulated by man forever! Allah, the Almighty, in His great and glorious Divinity is all self-sufficient. He needs no one and nothing. Nevertheless, among all His countless and eternal creatures, He has chosen one, humankind, as the noblest of all of them. From among all humanity He has chosen: a woman, from among all women: a slave, and from among all slaves: a black maid! The weakest and most humiliated one of His creatures was given a place of dignity next to His own house.The Unknown Soldier has been so chosen in the community of Islam! The rituals of Hajj are a memory of Hagar. The word Higrah (migration) has its root in her name as does the word mohajir (immigrant). “The ideal immigrant is the one who behaves like Hagar.” (Saying of Muhammad s.a.w.)In Hagar’s mother-tong her name means “the city”. Even the name of this Ethiopian slave is symbolic of civilization. Furthermore, any migration like hers is a move toward civilization! Hagar’s grave is in the midst of man’s circumambulation of Kaaba. You, the mohajir (immigrant), who has detached himself from everything and accepted Allah’s invitation to go to Hajj,you will devote your circumambulation of the Kaaba to Allah and at the same time you will be paying homage to the grave of a African maid. It is difficult to realize. But for those who think they live in freedom and defend humanism, the significance of these incidents transgresses the scope of their understanding!
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.
***LATELY when reading newspapers, sometimes I came across news or articles featuring women doing 'extraordinary feats' - the latest one was about a lady who traveled alone (solo) around the globe crossing over 40 countries in four continents on a motorbike in 370 days.'Syabas' (congratulation) to that determined lady...Oh what a feat, I really admired her determination; her courage, her sacrifice and her achivement 'won' my heart - yes she had her name crafted in the Malaysia Book of Records as the first Malaysian Muslim women to travel around the world on a motorcycle.The lady who was also touted as the first Muslim woman to successfully ride a motorcycle around the globe, was quoted as saying although her main motivation was to make Malaysia proud,the mission was also aimed at correcting the negative public perception of Islam and women in Islam."Too many people have become Islamophobic and think of Islam as the religion of terrorists, that Islam is rigid and discriminates women and that Islam does not allow women to study or work, and other negative perceptions."If they say Islam is rigid, oppressing women to the extent of not letting them to study, then how come I am going around the world riding solo on a motorbike," she was quoted saying.Many Malaysian Muslims including intellectuals and leaders gave thumbs up to the lady's feat; for example a renowned professor said she support women doing tough outdoor activities including travelling solo around the world, travelling across Antartica or climbing roof top mountains.Dear readers, I have no grudge against women, but when there are encouragements from top figures that Muslim ladies indulge in 'extraordinary feats' whats more involves travelling and they are looked as examples to our young generation, I was confused and my mind raced back to the many 'tazkirah' (lessons) I attended at 'masjids' around my house.Regarding 'successful women' who should be looked as examples, what has Allah SWT and His prophet, Muhammad s.a.w. (peace be upon him) had mentioned; that's more important, in fact it is very crucial because we must strive to be successful in this world and the Hereafter.From the Qur'an (Al-Baqarah, 2:201) we recited our du'a: "Our Lord, give us in this world (that which is) good and in the Hereafter (that which is) good and protect us from punishment of the Fire."Regarding rules on 'musafir'; (traveler), I heard a few 'hadiths' from some 'ustazs'; one of the 'hadith' read: "Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri r.a. narrates that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said: “Let no woman travel for more than three days unless her husband or a 'mahram' is with her." (Sahih Muslim)Another one read: "Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas r.a. narrates that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said: “'A woman must not travel except with a 'mahram' and a man must not enter upon her except if she has a 'mahram'. (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 1763)
One 'ustaz' reminded that no 'Muslimah' (Muslim women) should travel to faraway places without being accompanied by her husband or 'mahram' (unmarriageable kin).
He said even to perform hajj, which is the fifth article in 'Rukun Islam' (Articles of Faith), Muslim female must be accompanied by her husband or 'mahram' then whats more to lesser important obligations such as working, studying and of course holidaying.
So 'the thing' that puzzled me is could a Muslim women travel solo around the globe riding a motorcycle? A few days ago, during a question and answer session after an 'ustaz' had given his 'tazkirah', I posed to him the question.
He said the general understanding is that it is prohibited in the Shariah for a female to travel without a 'mahram' under all circumstances. It is impermissible for a woman to travel the distance of three days (equivalent to 48 miles) without her husband or a ''mahram' accompanying her.
Why are women not allowed to travel without 'mahram'? Firstly, it was Allah's command; just obey it and you be blessed and rewarded handsomely. And if you disobeyed Allah's command after you have the the knowledge about it, then it is up to you; the consequences you bear it yourself.
Regarding the ban, scholars said it was because travel usually causes exhaustion and hardship, and because women are weak and need someone to look after them and stay with them, and things may happen in the absence of her 'mahram' that she is not able to deal with. These are things that are well known and are frequently seen nowadays because of the large number of accidents involving cars and other means of transportation.
Moreover, if a woman travels alone she may be approached and tempted to do evil, especially when there is a great deal of corruption. Someone may sit next to her who does not fear Allah and he made may doing 'haraam' (forbidden) actions seem appealing to her. It is perfectly wise that the woman should be accompanied by her 'mahram' when she travels, because the purpose of having her 'mahram' present is to protect her and look after her. Travelling is a situation in which emergencies may arise, no matter what the length of the journey is.
The 'ustaz' said Muslims or Muslimah in specific, should looked upon the lives of 'special and successful women' mentioned in the Qur'an and hadith if they were aiming to be blessed in this world and the Hereafter. Among names mentioned were the Prophet's s.a.w. wives such as Lady Khadijah binti Khauwalid, Aisha' binti Abu Bakar; his daughter Fatimah Az-Zahra; women around his time such as Ummu Sulaim and before the time of the Prophet s.a.w. women such as Aisya' the wife of 'Firaun' (Pharaoh) and Hajar (Hagar), the wife of Prophet Ibrahim a.s.
Reading the lives of these women with heart, one could not help but was tremendously touched and determined to follow their footsteps...of course not all of them but 'a little of it' could be able to guide us in life. They lead lives not to be popular and famous doing 'extraordinary deeds of feats', but only to please their Creator, Allah SWT. They lead lives in line with Allah's order - "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me." (Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51: 56-57)
A renowned writer, Dr Ali Shariati described beautifully how Allah SWT honoured one of the women - Hajar (Hagar) in his book 'Hajj'. This is an excerpt of it: Toward the west of Kaaba there is a semi-circular short wall which is arching towards the Kaaba. It is called Ismail’s Hagar. Hagar signifies lap or skirt. The semi lunar wall resembles a skirt. Sarah, the wife of Ibrahim had an Ethiopian maid called Hagar. She was a poor and humble servant of Sarah,who was given to IbrahimThe skirt of Hagar was the area in which Ismail was raised. The house of Hagar is there. Her grave is near the third column of the Kaaba. What a surprise since no one, not even prophets, are supposed to be buried in mosques but in this case,the house of a maid is located next to Allah’s house! Hagar, the mother of Ismail is buried there. The Kaaba extends toward her grave. There is a narrow passage between the wall (Hagar’s skirt) and the Kaaba. When circumambulating around Kaaba, Allah commanded that you must go around the wall and not through the passage. Those who have submitted themselves to the oneness of Allah and those who have accepted His invitation for Hajj touch this skirt when circumambulating the Kaaba. The grave of a maid and a righteous mother is now a part of the Kaaba; it will be circumambulated by man forever! Allah, the Almighty, in His great and glorious Divinity is all self-sufficient. He needs no one and nothing. Nevertheless, among all His countless and eternal creatures, He has chosen one, humankind, as the noblest of all of them. From among all humanity He has chosen: a woman, from among all women: a slave, and from among all slaves: a black maid! The weakest and most humiliated one of His creatures was given a place of dignity next to His own house.The Unknown Soldier has been so chosen in the community of Islam! The rituals of Hajj are a memory of Hagar. The word Higrah (migration) has its root in her name as does the word mohajir (immigrant). “The ideal immigrant is the one who behaves like Hagar.” (Saying of Muhammad s.a.w.)In Hagar’s mother-tong her name means “the city”. Even the name of this Ethiopian slave is symbolic of civilization. Furthermore, any migration like hers is a move toward civilization! Hagar’s grave is in the midst of man’s circumambulation of Kaaba. You, the mohajir (immigrant), who has detached himself from everything and accepted Allah’s invitation to go to Hajj,you will devote your circumambulation of the Kaaba to Allah and at the same time you will be paying homage to the grave of a African maid. It is difficult to realize. But for those who think they live in freedom and defend humanism, the significance of these incidents transgresses the scope of their understanding!
October 31, 2016
Perihal aktivis PAS, Afghanistan dan Amerika…
***Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Maafkanlah dan suruhlah (mengerjakan) yang makruf dan berpalinglah daripada orang-orang yang jahil." - Q.S. Al-A'raf: 199)
***
PADA bulan ini (Oktober) 15 tahun lalu (2001) Amerika Syarikat menyerang Afghanistan. Perang masih berlanjutan, Taliban yang ditewaskan Amerika dulu semakin berpengaruh; menurut laporan jika tidak kerana 'perlindungan' tentera Amerika, Taliban akan sekali lagi dapat menguasai negara miskin dan mundur ini.
Rakyat Amerika yang akan menyaksikan pemilihan Presiden 8 November ini, tergamam apabila didedahkan kerugian besar yang mereka alami di Afghanistan. Seramai 2,216 askar Amerika 'tewas' (terbunuh), 20,049 cedera parah dan ribuan lagi menjadi gila.
Seramai 1,173 askar upahan (mercenaries) Amerika turut terbunuh manakala kos perang Amerika di Afghanistan dan Iraq dianggarkan AS$6 trilion. Ada pihak menganggarkan kos perang bagi setiap warga Amerika sebanyak AS$33,000!
Nampaknya Amerika akan menyertai senarai penyerang kuasa besar yang gagal di Afghanistan. Ya, mereka akan menyertai empayar British dan Soviet Union yang tewas di tangan pejuang-pejuang Afghan terutama bangsa Pashtun yang sekalipun bersenjata 'kuno' amat garang mempertahankan tanah air dan agama mereka!
Tidak lama selepas serangan Amerika ke atas Afghanistan, PAS menghantar sukarelawannya ke sempadan negara itu dengan Pakistan dan Iran. Saya turut dihantar ke sempadan Afghanistan-Pakistan; memori di Peshawarmengamit saya menulis artikel ini. Sayang seribu kali sayang, petugas PAS yang bersama-sama mengorbankan tenaga, masa dan sebagainya sudah 'berpecah dua' - ada yang istiqamah dengan parti dan ada menyertai wadah baharu.
Sewajarnya, 'tragedi' Afghanistan menginsafkan kita. Ketika tumbangnya rejim Najibullah di Afghanistan pada 1992, dunia Islam berharap kerajaan baru Mujahidin yang ditubuhkan di Kabul akan menjadi contoh kegemilangan tamadun Islam zaman moden.
Ditambah kemunculan enam republik Islam di Asia Tengah (Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan dan Kazakhstan), selepas kehancuran Soviet Union pada 1991, harapan kembali berbunga bahawa tamadun Islam akan kembali bersinar selepas hancurnya daulah Islamiyah Uthmaniyah Turki pada 1924, gara-gara 'permainan licik' Kamal Ataturk.
Malangnya impian itu menjadi igauan apabila Afghanistan menjadi 'neraka dunia'. Penduduknya yang sudah melalui kesengsaraan perang berikutan campur tangan Soviet Union terus menderita. Kali ini di tangan saudara seagama dan kemudian oleh si penjarah Amerika.
Di Afghanistan, Pertubuhan Kerjasama Islam (OIC) yang diamanahkan untuk memastikan sejahteraan ummah, gagal meleraikan kumpulan Mujahidin yang bertelagah. Pada awal dekad 1990-an, ketua kumpulan Hizb-I-Islami, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar terus memerangi Presiden Burhanuddin Rabbani sekalipun diberikan jawatan perdana menteri.
Kemunculan kumpulan pelajar, Taliban adalah di luar jangkaan, tetapi mereka mendapat sokongan rakyat. Pada pertengahan dekad 1990-an, mereka berjaya menguasai hampir keseluruhan bumi Afghanistan.
Kesungguhan Taliban melaksanakan hukum-hakam Islam, menyebabkan mereka dicemburui Barat. Suatu ketika tindakan mereka menghancurkan patung purba Buddha di Bamiyan, mencetuskan kemarahan dunia Barat.
Apabila tercetus Peristiwa 11 September 2001, tidak semena-mena Taliban menjadi sasaran. Taliban didakwa melindungi pemimpin Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. Lanjutan dendam Barat kepada Taliban, Amerika menggunakan kesempatan itu untuk 'menguji' senjata-senjata canggihnya di bumi yang hampir musnah itu.
Hasilnya Afghanistan hancur tetapi Amerika dengan bongkaknya berkata demokrasi sedang berkembang selepas meletakkan bonekanya, Hamid Karzai sebagai presiden.
Hari ini Hamid Karzai bukan lagi presiden. Beliau digantikan oleh Ashraf Ghani pada 2014. Namun Ashraf tetap boneka Amerika yang menurut sesetengah penganalisis politik boleh jatuh bila-bila masa saja di tangan Taliban. Namun 'perlindungan' bala tentera Amerika membantu menyelamatkannya daripada segera disingkirkan oleh rakyatnya sendiri.
Dulu Presiden Barack Obama menjanjikan untuk mengundurkan hampir semua tentera Amerika dari Afghanistan pada 2016. Namun ia tidak terlaksana sebaliknya lebih banyak tentera dihantar bagi menyelamatkan rejim boneka Ashraf Ghani.
Bagi Presiden baharu Amerika (sama ada Hillary Clinton atau Donald Trump), beliau akan 'mewarisi mimpi ngeri' Afghanistan - lebih banyak askar Amerika akan mati manakala bumi Afghanistan 'hancur lebur' sebahagiannya disebabkan rakyatnya begitu payah bersatu!
Renungan
"Maafkanlah dan suruhlah (mengerjakan) yang makruf dan berpalinglah daripada orang-orang yang jahil." - Q.S. Al-A'raf: 199)
***
PADA bulan ini (Oktober) 15 tahun lalu (2001) Amerika Syarikat menyerang Afghanistan. Perang masih berlanjutan, Taliban yang ditewaskan Amerika dulu semakin berpengaruh; menurut laporan jika tidak kerana 'perlindungan' tentera Amerika, Taliban akan sekali lagi dapat menguasai negara miskin dan mundur ini.
Rakyat Amerika yang akan menyaksikan pemilihan Presiden 8 November ini, tergamam apabila didedahkan kerugian besar yang mereka alami di Afghanistan. Seramai 2,216 askar Amerika 'tewas' (terbunuh), 20,049 cedera parah dan ribuan lagi menjadi gila.
Seramai 1,173 askar upahan (mercenaries) Amerika turut terbunuh manakala kos perang Amerika di Afghanistan dan Iraq dianggarkan AS$6 trilion. Ada pihak menganggarkan kos perang bagi setiap warga Amerika sebanyak AS$33,000!
Nampaknya Amerika akan menyertai senarai penyerang kuasa besar yang gagal di Afghanistan. Ya, mereka akan menyertai empayar British dan Soviet Union yang tewas di tangan pejuang-pejuang Afghan terutama bangsa Pashtun yang sekalipun bersenjata 'kuno' amat garang mempertahankan tanah air dan agama mereka!
Tidak lama selepas serangan Amerika ke atas Afghanistan, PAS menghantar sukarelawannya ke sempadan negara itu dengan Pakistan dan Iran. Saya turut dihantar ke sempadan Afghanistan-Pakistan; memori di Peshawarmengamit saya menulis artikel ini. Sayang seribu kali sayang, petugas PAS yang bersama-sama mengorbankan tenaga, masa dan sebagainya sudah 'berpecah dua' - ada yang istiqamah dengan parti dan ada menyertai wadah baharu.
Sewajarnya, 'tragedi' Afghanistan menginsafkan kita. Ketika tumbangnya rejim Najibullah di Afghanistan pada 1992, dunia Islam berharap kerajaan baru Mujahidin yang ditubuhkan di Kabul akan menjadi contoh kegemilangan tamadun Islam zaman moden.
Ditambah kemunculan enam republik Islam di Asia Tengah (Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan dan Kazakhstan), selepas kehancuran Soviet Union pada 1991, harapan kembali berbunga bahawa tamadun Islam akan kembali bersinar selepas hancurnya daulah Islamiyah Uthmaniyah Turki pada 1924, gara-gara 'permainan licik' Kamal Ataturk.
Malangnya impian itu menjadi igauan apabila Afghanistan menjadi 'neraka dunia'. Penduduknya yang sudah melalui kesengsaraan perang berikutan campur tangan Soviet Union terus menderita. Kali ini di tangan saudara seagama dan kemudian oleh si penjarah Amerika.
Di Afghanistan, Pertubuhan Kerjasama Islam (OIC) yang diamanahkan untuk memastikan sejahteraan ummah, gagal meleraikan kumpulan Mujahidin yang bertelagah. Pada awal dekad 1990-an, ketua kumpulan Hizb-I-Islami, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar terus memerangi Presiden Burhanuddin Rabbani sekalipun diberikan jawatan perdana menteri.
Kemunculan kumpulan pelajar, Taliban adalah di luar jangkaan, tetapi mereka mendapat sokongan rakyat. Pada pertengahan dekad 1990-an, mereka berjaya menguasai hampir keseluruhan bumi Afghanistan.
Kesungguhan Taliban melaksanakan hukum-hakam Islam, menyebabkan mereka dicemburui Barat. Suatu ketika tindakan mereka menghancurkan patung purba Buddha di Bamiyan, mencetuskan kemarahan dunia Barat.
Apabila tercetus Peristiwa 11 September 2001, tidak semena-mena Taliban menjadi sasaran. Taliban didakwa melindungi pemimpin Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. Lanjutan dendam Barat kepada Taliban, Amerika menggunakan kesempatan itu untuk 'menguji' senjata-senjata canggihnya di bumi yang hampir musnah itu.
Hasilnya Afghanistan hancur tetapi Amerika dengan bongkaknya berkata demokrasi sedang berkembang selepas meletakkan bonekanya, Hamid Karzai sebagai presiden.
Hari ini Hamid Karzai bukan lagi presiden. Beliau digantikan oleh Ashraf Ghani pada 2014. Namun Ashraf tetap boneka Amerika yang menurut sesetengah penganalisis politik boleh jatuh bila-bila masa saja di tangan Taliban. Namun 'perlindungan' bala tentera Amerika membantu menyelamatkannya daripada segera disingkirkan oleh rakyatnya sendiri.
Dulu Presiden Barack Obama menjanjikan untuk mengundurkan hampir semua tentera Amerika dari Afghanistan pada 2016. Namun ia tidak terlaksana sebaliknya lebih banyak tentera dihantar bagi menyelamatkan rejim boneka Ashraf Ghani.
Bagi Presiden baharu Amerika (sama ada Hillary Clinton atau Donald Trump), beliau akan 'mewarisi mimpi ngeri' Afghanistan - lebih banyak askar Amerika akan mati manakala bumi Afghanistan 'hancur lebur' sebahagiannya disebabkan rakyatnya begitu payah bersatu!
October 29, 2016
King Midas dan wang haram jutaan, bilion ringgit...
DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
SEORANG sahabat saya yang agak terkenal juga dalam dunia penulisan dan sekarang sudah menjadi arwah, ketika berjumpa saya sebelum meninggal dunia, memberi nasihat bahawa untuk merasai kenikmatan hidup, kita tidak perlukan wang dan harta yang banyak.
Allahyarham memberikan contoh mudah - antara kenikmatan hidup adalah soal makan; katakanlah makanan paling sedap seseorang itu adalah KFC...dengan jumlah wang yang sedikit katakan RM10 dia boleh menikmati makanan itu bagi makan tengah harinya, selepas itu apakah dia boleh makan KFC lagi untuk makan malamnya? Bagi kebanyakan orang tak mungkin dia makan KFC lagi kerana sudah muak, mungkin boleh muntah jika dia memaksa dirinya makan.
Bijak pandai ada menceritakan seorang hartawan ketika mahu makan bertanyakan doktor peribadinya - daging kambing bakar itu boleh saya makan, doktornya berkata tidak; burger itu boleh saya makan, jawapannya juga tidak; nasi lemak itu boleh saya makan, tidak juga jawapannya. Jadi apa boleh saya makan, tanya orang kaya berpenyakit kronik itu. Makanlah KULIT ROTI, kata si doktor selamba.
Demikianlah sebenarnya keperluan manusia seperti makan amat sedikit tetapi kebanyakan orang terlalu tamak; seboleh-boleh mereka mahu wang dan harta menimbun setinggi gunung, malah ada hadis Nabi Muhammad SAW menyebut kalau manusia itu sudah ada satu lembah emas, dia mahu dua, kemudian tiga dan seterusnya. Dia hanya berpuas hati selepas 'mulutnya dipenuhi tanah' (matilah)!
Kerana sifat tamak manusia, tidak hairanlah jika akhir-akhir ini kita mendengar seorang pengarah dan timbalannya di Sabah ditangkap dengan wang haram (rasuah) bertimbun-timbun bernilai ratusan juta ringgit di rumah dan pejabat mereka. Kedua-duanya boleh dianggap sebagai 'anak jerung'; jika mereka 'songlap' ratusan juta ringgit, bayangkan berapa banyak yang boleh 'dibaham' 'bapak jerung'...mahu berbilion-bilion ringgit jawapnya.
Sungguh menghairankan apa yang hendak dilakukan oleh seseorang yang hidup dalam timbunan duit itu. Adakah dia 'mendapat' bahagia atau 'derita' dengan wang terlalu banyak itu? Sayidina Ali yang bijaksana itu ketika ditanya yang mana lebih utama harta atau ilmu; beliau berkata ilmu menjaga kita sebaliknya jika harta kita yang menjaganya...siang malam kita tak senang kerana memikirkan harta kita 'dikebas' orang. Ilmu jika digunakan (diajar) akan bertambah, tetapi harta jika dipakai akan berkurangan dan habis!
Apakah nikmat memiliki wang berjuta-juta atau berbilion ringgit yang diperolehi secara haram atau dimasukkan dalam akuan bank kita secara tak sah? Seorang teman memberitahu 'nikmat wang' adalah apabila kita bekerja keras secara halal untuk mendapatkannya kemudian kita membelanjakannya pada jalan yang sah.
Tetapi bagi orang yang mendapat wang secara haram walaupun banyak, tidak akan tenang hidupnya. Dia akan sentiasa bimbang...apabila berbelanja seperti membeli perhiasan, kereta atau rumah mewah, orang ramai malah pihak berkuasa akan bertanya daripada mana dia dapat wang itu. Adakah gaya hidup dia, isteri dan keluarganya berpadanan dengan gaji yang diterimanya sebagai pengarah, menteri hatta perdana menteri sekalipun.
Apakah hidup penuh kerisauan ini adalah bahagia? Bagi mereka yang sudah 'terlajak jauh' dalam menghimpun harta terutama mendapatkannya secara haram, marilah kita renung-renung balik kisah teladan seperti 'King Midas and the Golden Touch' yang bagi saya diajar oleh guru sekolah rendah saya puluhan tahun lalu.
King Midas gila emas, suatu hari seorang pari-pari membuat tawaran dia boleh menukar apa saja menjadi emas dengan sentuhan tangannya. Almari, bangku, semuanya jadi emas selepas disentuhnya. Kemudian roti pun menjadi emas, akhirnya puteri tunggalnya pun jadi emas.
King Midas panik, rupanya emas dan harta bertimbun tidak membawa bahagia...oleh itu ingatlah semua terutama orang diamanahkan kuasa sebagai pengarah dan menteri, bahawa wang berjuta-juta atau berbilion-bilion ringgit apatah lagi diperolehi secara haram termasuk yang dimasukkan dalam akuan kita secara tidak sah, tidak akan membahagiakan kita! King Midas pun akhirnya 'bertaubat', kita bila lagi?
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
SEORANG sahabat saya yang agak terkenal juga dalam dunia penulisan dan sekarang sudah menjadi arwah, ketika berjumpa saya sebelum meninggal dunia, memberi nasihat bahawa untuk merasai kenikmatan hidup, kita tidak perlukan wang dan harta yang banyak.
Allahyarham memberikan contoh mudah - antara kenikmatan hidup adalah soal makan; katakanlah makanan paling sedap seseorang itu adalah KFC...dengan jumlah wang yang sedikit katakan RM10 dia boleh menikmati makanan itu bagi makan tengah harinya, selepas itu apakah dia boleh makan KFC lagi untuk makan malamnya? Bagi kebanyakan orang tak mungkin dia makan KFC lagi kerana sudah muak, mungkin boleh muntah jika dia memaksa dirinya makan.
Bijak pandai ada menceritakan seorang hartawan ketika mahu makan bertanyakan doktor peribadinya - daging kambing bakar itu boleh saya makan, doktornya berkata tidak; burger itu boleh saya makan, jawapannya juga tidak; nasi lemak itu boleh saya makan, tidak juga jawapannya. Jadi apa boleh saya makan, tanya orang kaya berpenyakit kronik itu. Makanlah KULIT ROTI, kata si doktor selamba.
Demikianlah sebenarnya keperluan manusia seperti makan amat sedikit tetapi kebanyakan orang terlalu tamak; seboleh-boleh mereka mahu wang dan harta menimbun setinggi gunung, malah ada hadis Nabi Muhammad SAW menyebut kalau manusia itu sudah ada satu lembah emas, dia mahu dua, kemudian tiga dan seterusnya. Dia hanya berpuas hati selepas 'mulutnya dipenuhi tanah' (matilah)!
Kerana sifat tamak manusia, tidak hairanlah jika akhir-akhir ini kita mendengar seorang pengarah dan timbalannya di Sabah ditangkap dengan wang haram (rasuah) bertimbun-timbun bernilai ratusan juta ringgit di rumah dan pejabat mereka. Kedua-duanya boleh dianggap sebagai 'anak jerung'; jika mereka 'songlap' ratusan juta ringgit, bayangkan berapa banyak yang boleh 'dibaham' 'bapak jerung'...mahu berbilion-bilion ringgit jawapnya.
Sungguh menghairankan apa yang hendak dilakukan oleh seseorang yang hidup dalam timbunan duit itu. Adakah dia 'mendapat' bahagia atau 'derita' dengan wang terlalu banyak itu? Sayidina Ali yang bijaksana itu ketika ditanya yang mana lebih utama harta atau ilmu; beliau berkata ilmu menjaga kita sebaliknya jika harta kita yang menjaganya...siang malam kita tak senang kerana memikirkan harta kita 'dikebas' orang. Ilmu jika digunakan (diajar) akan bertambah, tetapi harta jika dipakai akan berkurangan dan habis!
Apakah nikmat memiliki wang berjuta-juta atau berbilion ringgit yang diperolehi secara haram atau dimasukkan dalam akuan bank kita secara tak sah? Seorang teman memberitahu 'nikmat wang' adalah apabila kita bekerja keras secara halal untuk mendapatkannya kemudian kita membelanjakannya pada jalan yang sah.
Tetapi bagi orang yang mendapat wang secara haram walaupun banyak, tidak akan tenang hidupnya. Dia akan sentiasa bimbang...apabila berbelanja seperti membeli perhiasan, kereta atau rumah mewah, orang ramai malah pihak berkuasa akan bertanya daripada mana dia dapat wang itu. Adakah gaya hidup dia, isteri dan keluarganya berpadanan dengan gaji yang diterimanya sebagai pengarah, menteri hatta perdana menteri sekalipun.
Apakah hidup penuh kerisauan ini adalah bahagia? Bagi mereka yang sudah 'terlajak jauh' dalam menghimpun harta terutama mendapatkannya secara haram, marilah kita renung-renung balik kisah teladan seperti 'King Midas and the Golden Touch' yang bagi saya diajar oleh guru sekolah rendah saya puluhan tahun lalu.
King Midas gila emas, suatu hari seorang pari-pari membuat tawaran dia boleh menukar apa saja menjadi emas dengan sentuhan tangannya. Almari, bangku, semuanya jadi emas selepas disentuhnya. Kemudian roti pun menjadi emas, akhirnya puteri tunggalnya pun jadi emas.
King Midas panik, rupanya emas dan harta bertimbun tidak membawa bahagia...oleh itu ingatlah semua terutama orang diamanahkan kuasa sebagai pengarah dan menteri, bahawa wang berjuta-juta atau berbilion-bilion ringgit apatah lagi diperolehi secara haram termasuk yang dimasukkan dalam akuan kita secara tidak sah, tidak akan membahagiakan kita! King Midas pun akhirnya 'bertaubat', kita bila lagi?
October 23, 2016
Belanjawan rakyat kian parah…
***Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Maafkanlah dan suruhlah (mengerjakan) yang makruf dan berpalinglah daripada orang-orang yang jahil." - Q.S. Al-A'raf: 199)
***
SEPANJANG tempoh beberapa hari ini di kedai runcit, saya saksikan dua kejadian meruntun hati. Seorang kanak-kanak dalam anggaran usia sembilan tahun, mengambil sebuku roti dan ketika mahu membayar di kaunter terpaksa meletakkannya kembali di rak kerana duitnya tidak cukup.
Seorang suri rumah pula ketika ‘terkial-kial’ mengeluarkan wang ‘seringgit-seringgit’ dari dompetnya ketika membeli barangan keperluan seperti beras dan gula, terpaksa memulangkan semula sepaket tepung gandum ke rak asal kerana duitnya tidak cukup RM1.50 untuk membayar semua barangan dibelinya.
Sempena pembentangan Belanjawan (Budget) negara 21 Oktober ini oleh Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Kewangan, dan tahun baharu Hijrah 1438 dan Masihi 2017, ‘orang besar dan berkuasa’, fikir-fikirlah dan bertindak segera bagi menangani masalah belanjawan rakyat marhain yang kian parah sekarang ini…
Bagi ibu bapa yang mempunyai anak-anak di bangku sekolah, mereka sedia maklum sekarang ini musim peperiksaan dan tidak lama lagi adalah cuti sekolah…kemudian tahun baharu 2017 akan menyusul yang memerlukan mereka mengeluarkan ‘belanja sekolah’ yang amat besar.
Bersedialah mulai sekarang atau lebih baik sudah menyimpan wang ‘berdikit-dikit’ sejak awal tahun lagi. Ya, dalam keghairahan anak-anak menghabiskan cuti panjang, ibu bapa dan penjaga perlu berwaspada akan kewangan mereka; sudah bersediakah untuk menggalas kepayahan tahun baharu?
Tahun baharu bermakna banyak bayaran perlu dibereskan. Bagi mereka yang ada ‘ramai’ anak bersekolah, bersedialah kerana kos menghantar kembali anak-anak ke sekolah bukannya murah; jika seorang anak memerlukan RM200, lima orang anak sudah berjumlah RM1,000!
Penyediaan ini belum lagi membabitkan pakaian, kasut dan beg serta bayaran pengangkutan seperti bas sekolah. Bagi seorang anak yang bersekolah rendah wang RM200 mungkin tidak cukup untuk dia membereskan pelbagai yuran dan juga pembelian buku kerja dan latihan.
Ini kerana selain sekolah biasa, dia juga perlu ke sekolah agama rakyat yang biasanya diadakan pada sebelah petang. Biasanya yuran dan buku tulis bagi sekolah agama ini mencecah RM100, jadi bakinya hanya RM100 untuk membereskan pelbagai yuran sekolah biasa. Cukupkah jumlah itu?
Bagi anak-anak yang tinggal di sekolah berasrama penuh, yuran dan pelbagai bayaran lain boleh mencecah sehingga RM1,000 seorang anak. Dicampurkan dengan yuran asrama, PIBG dan sebagainya, wang RM1,000 itu pun dibimbangi tidak mencukupi.
Cuba bayangkan beban sebuah keluarga jika mereka mempunyai tiga orang anak bersekolah rendah dan dua orang di sekolah menengah berasrama penuh. Kos yuran persekolahan mereka saja sudah mencecah RM2,600! Bagaimana pula kos pakaian dan peralatan sekolah, tambang dan duit poket? Nampaknya terpaksalah ibu bapa mengikat perut, berpinar-pinar biji mata memikirkan duit yang perlu disediakan.
Bagi kakitangan kerajaan dan pekerja swasta yang bergaji tetap, mungkin mereka boleh berasa lega sikit kerana kemungkinan mendapat bonus akhir tahun; tetapi bagaimana nasib pesawah, penoreh getah serta peneroka dan lebih malang lagi mereka yang diberhentikan kerja baru-baru ini. Sedih memikirkan bagaimana mereka mahu memenuhi kehendak anak-anak yang mendayu-dayu meminta dibelikan peralatan dan kelengkapan persekolahan.Biasanya apabila tahun baharu menjelma, akan berlaku pelbagai kenaikan harga barangan dan perkhidmatan yang sudah pasti mencengkam rakyat marhain. Harga barangan keperluan harian seperti beras, tepung, gula, susu, minyak masak, ikan, ayam, daging dan sayur-sayuran dibimbangi akan naik, sekali gus membebankan golongan berpendapatan rendah. Cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST) sebanyak enam peratus yang menyebabkan kenaikan harga barangan keperluan ternyata ‘mencengkam’ dan ‘menyeksa’ rakyat.
Rakyat marhain juga khuatir jika bayaran perkhidmatan seperti tarif elektrik, air dan aneka jenis cukai akan naik yang memerlukan mereka berbelanja lebih sedangkan pendapatan mereka tidak berubah sekalipun tahun sudah bertukar.
Malah yang sudah jadi penganggur (diberhentikan kerja) bagaimana mereka mahu menampung kos penghidupan mereka? Ya, kasihan sungguh akan golongan ini.
Wahai pemimpin, sedarlah adalah amat memerit serta memedihkan kerana perkhidmatan asas seperti air dan elektrik juga memerlukan rakyat melunaskan GST, jadi ‘tak hairanlah’ duit mereka kini tidak cukup untuk membeli barangan keperluan. Jadi terjadilah pemadangan meremukkan hati seperti seorang kanak-kanak meletakkan kembali roti yang hendak dibelinya demikian juga seorang suri rumah memulangkan sepaket tepung seperti yang saya saksikan tempoh hari!
Renungan
"Maafkanlah dan suruhlah (mengerjakan) yang makruf dan berpalinglah daripada orang-orang yang jahil." - Q.S. Al-A'raf: 199)
***
SEPANJANG tempoh beberapa hari ini di kedai runcit, saya saksikan dua kejadian meruntun hati. Seorang kanak-kanak dalam anggaran usia sembilan tahun, mengambil sebuku roti dan ketika mahu membayar di kaunter terpaksa meletakkannya kembali di rak kerana duitnya tidak cukup.
Seorang suri rumah pula ketika ‘terkial-kial’ mengeluarkan wang ‘seringgit-seringgit’ dari dompetnya ketika membeli barangan keperluan seperti beras dan gula, terpaksa memulangkan semula sepaket tepung gandum ke rak asal kerana duitnya tidak cukup RM1.50 untuk membayar semua barangan dibelinya.
Sempena pembentangan Belanjawan (Budget) negara 21 Oktober ini oleh Perdana Menteri merangkap Menteri Kewangan, dan tahun baharu Hijrah 1438 dan Masihi 2017, ‘orang besar dan berkuasa’, fikir-fikirlah dan bertindak segera bagi menangani masalah belanjawan rakyat marhain yang kian parah sekarang ini…
Bagi ibu bapa yang mempunyai anak-anak di bangku sekolah, mereka sedia maklum sekarang ini musim peperiksaan dan tidak lama lagi adalah cuti sekolah…kemudian tahun baharu 2017 akan menyusul yang memerlukan mereka mengeluarkan ‘belanja sekolah’ yang amat besar.
Bersedialah mulai sekarang atau lebih baik sudah menyimpan wang ‘berdikit-dikit’ sejak awal tahun lagi. Ya, dalam keghairahan anak-anak menghabiskan cuti panjang, ibu bapa dan penjaga perlu berwaspada akan kewangan mereka; sudah bersediakah untuk menggalas kepayahan tahun baharu?
Tahun baharu bermakna banyak bayaran perlu dibereskan. Bagi mereka yang ada ‘ramai’ anak bersekolah, bersedialah kerana kos menghantar kembali anak-anak ke sekolah bukannya murah; jika seorang anak memerlukan RM200, lima orang anak sudah berjumlah RM1,000!
Penyediaan ini belum lagi membabitkan pakaian, kasut dan beg serta bayaran pengangkutan seperti bas sekolah. Bagi seorang anak yang bersekolah rendah wang RM200 mungkin tidak cukup untuk dia membereskan pelbagai yuran dan juga pembelian buku kerja dan latihan.
Ini kerana selain sekolah biasa, dia juga perlu ke sekolah agama rakyat yang biasanya diadakan pada sebelah petang. Biasanya yuran dan buku tulis bagi sekolah agama ini mencecah RM100, jadi bakinya hanya RM100 untuk membereskan pelbagai yuran sekolah biasa. Cukupkah jumlah itu?
Bagi anak-anak yang tinggal di sekolah berasrama penuh, yuran dan pelbagai bayaran lain boleh mencecah sehingga RM1,000 seorang anak. Dicampurkan dengan yuran asrama, PIBG dan sebagainya, wang RM1,000 itu pun dibimbangi tidak mencukupi.
Cuba bayangkan beban sebuah keluarga jika mereka mempunyai tiga orang anak bersekolah rendah dan dua orang di sekolah menengah berasrama penuh. Kos yuran persekolahan mereka saja sudah mencecah RM2,600! Bagaimana pula kos pakaian dan peralatan sekolah, tambang dan duit poket? Nampaknya terpaksalah ibu bapa mengikat perut, berpinar-pinar biji mata memikirkan duit yang perlu disediakan.
Bagi kakitangan kerajaan dan pekerja swasta yang bergaji tetap, mungkin mereka boleh berasa lega sikit kerana kemungkinan mendapat bonus akhir tahun; tetapi bagaimana nasib pesawah, penoreh getah serta peneroka dan lebih malang lagi mereka yang diberhentikan kerja baru-baru ini. Sedih memikirkan bagaimana mereka mahu memenuhi kehendak anak-anak yang mendayu-dayu meminta dibelikan peralatan dan kelengkapan persekolahan.Biasanya apabila tahun baharu menjelma, akan berlaku pelbagai kenaikan harga barangan dan perkhidmatan yang sudah pasti mencengkam rakyat marhain. Harga barangan keperluan harian seperti beras, tepung, gula, susu, minyak masak, ikan, ayam, daging dan sayur-sayuran dibimbangi akan naik, sekali gus membebankan golongan berpendapatan rendah. Cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST) sebanyak enam peratus yang menyebabkan kenaikan harga barangan keperluan ternyata ‘mencengkam’ dan ‘menyeksa’ rakyat.
Rakyat marhain juga khuatir jika bayaran perkhidmatan seperti tarif elektrik, air dan aneka jenis cukai akan naik yang memerlukan mereka berbelanja lebih sedangkan pendapatan mereka tidak berubah sekalipun tahun sudah bertukar.
Malah yang sudah jadi penganggur (diberhentikan kerja) bagaimana mereka mahu menampung kos penghidupan mereka? Ya, kasihan sungguh akan golongan ini.
Wahai pemimpin, sedarlah adalah amat memerit serta memedihkan kerana perkhidmatan asas seperti air dan elektrik juga memerlukan rakyat melunaskan GST, jadi ‘tak hairanlah’ duit mereka kini tidak cukup untuk membeli barangan keperluan. Jadi terjadilah pemadangan meremukkan hati seperti seorang kanak-kanak meletakkan kembali roti yang hendak dibelinya demikian juga seorang suri rumah memulangkan sepaket tepung seperti yang saya saksikan tempoh hari!
October 20, 2016
The fruitless tree…
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.
***“BEFORE I learned about Muslim,I learned about The Qur’an first.If I learned about the Muslim first before the Qur’an,I would have never became a Muslim,Because Muslims is not perfect but Islam is.” – Yusuf Islam@ Cat Stevens
I attended a ‘kuliuh subuh’ (early morning lesson) at a ‘masjid’ near my house last Sunday, September 25th where the ustaz commented that nowadays ‘knowledge could be gained anywhere’ for example from classes in masjids, via mass media such as TV, by using social media such as Facebook and Youtube but in true sense ‘kebarakahan ilmu’ (blessedness of knowledge) is fast disappearing from us.
The ustaz made a comparison to the way of living of people of the past for example during our father our grandfather prime times; then they only had one or two ustazs in a kampung or none at all and there were hardly any ‘tazkirah’ (lesson) at the masjid, but once the people got inputs from once in a blue moon ‘tazkirah’, they put it into action. In this way, good deeds flourished and the bad ones were only committed once in a while.
He claimed that nowadays there are many ustazs and ustazahs around – they are giving lectures almost ‘around the clock’ including by using latest gadgets - but the irony of it if we were to open up our hearts and eyes we would realized that our society is getting worse by each day. The people do not put into action to what they had learned and sadly there are ustazs and ustazahs themselves do not walk their talk.
Subhanallah, the blessedness of knowledge is getting ‘thinner and thinner’ by each day, said the ustaz. Negative traits and crimes are on raise; what has become to our society when crimes unimaginable to us some time ago such as killing ones parents or spouse kept on filling the pages of our newspapers! One way knowledge ‘is taken away’ from us is more and more ‘ulamas’ (Islamic scholar) had left us for the Hereafter (died). The death of an ‘ulama’ is a great loss and disaster to us, he said.
After his lesson, I met the ustaz to have a clear picture on the subject about 'ilmu' and 'amal' (knowledge and the practicing of it or putting it into action). Among others, I mentioned to him about the sayings of Yusuf Islam or Cat Stevens (above) that he would never be a Muslim if he were to look at the doing of Muslims.
The ustaz said 'ilmu' and 'amal' are intrinsically and inexorably tied together, complementing one another. For any action to be correct, it has to be based on true knowledge. Knowledge that is not put into practice is of no benefit, regardless how correct that knowledge might be.
He then read a wise man saying that knowledge without action is like a tree without fruit. Ibn Hazm mentioned that from the benefits of knowledge is that it repels evil whispers from the soul and it rids one of the worries and troubles. This is especially true for the one who loves knowledge, who studies constantly, and who applies in practice what he has learned. The student of knowledge should distribute his time between memorizing, reading, revising, researching, and reflecting.
The ustaz said he agreed with the words of Yusuf Islam. Its tally of the saying of a Muslim thinker who said he found the values of Islam being practiced in Western countries while the Muslims themselves distanced away from its teaching. By looking and studying the conduct and way of living by the nonpracticing Muslims even if they are knowledgeable, a non-Muslim would not have noticed the beauty of Islam. Thus they would not be attracted to the religion. By the way, Islam is not only a religion but a way of life.
Knowledge is the key to serenity and ease, said 'Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni in his book Don't Be Sad. "Knowledge and an easy-going nature are like two inseparable companions: if the first is present, the other can be counted upon to accompany it.
"If you study the lives of Islam's greatest scholars, you will find that they led simple lives and that they were easy to deal with. They understood the purpose of life and knew which issues were paramount and which were less important.
"Meanwhile, you will find that the most obstinate of people are those who, without having knowledge, are ascetics. They misunderstand revealed texts and are ignorant of religious issues."
Muslims were also taught about beneficial knowledge and the fruitless ones. In the Qur'an 30: 56 Allah SWT says, "And those who have been bestowed with knowledge and faith will say: 'Indeed you have stayed according to the Decree of Allah, until the Day of Resurrection, but you knew not'.
There is knowledge that is useful and there is knowledge that is harmful. As for the knowledge that is useful, the believer's faith strengthens as a result of it; on the other hand, the disbeliever does not reap any benefit whatsoever from gaining this kind of knowledge; though the information required is the same, the results are very different.
Allah SWT says of His enemies: "They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood, like irrigation or sowing or reaping, etc.) and they are heedless of the Hereafter." (Qur'an 30: 7).
So gaining knowledge is important but the most important is how to use or handle it accordingly for the benefit of oneself and others, not only in this world but in the Hereafter.
It is useless to gain knowledge if the person involved only thinks about his or her personal benefits derived from it or becomes ignorant, proud and doesn't remember Allah SWT at all.
Nowadays how many times have we witnessed people with higher education being brought to the courts for misconduct such as being involved in bribery, breaching trusts and stealing monies and being involved in various scandals. And those in power do whatever they wished, sometimes to the extend that even laws are at their feet.
Remember what Allah has to say about the Jews who had abundant knowledge but became ignorant. "The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Torah, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books (but understand nothing from them). How bad is the example of people who deny the Ayaah (proof, evidence, signs, verses, etc.) of Allah. (Qur'an 62 ; 5).
In gaining knowledge and putting them into practice we hope to be among the seven groups of people who will be rewarded handsomely as promised by Allah SWT.
In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet s.a.w. said, “"Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are: (1) a just ruler; (2) a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, (i.e. worship Allah (Alone) sincerely from his childhood), (3) a man whose heart is attached to the mosque (who offers the five compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque); (4) two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only; (5) a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for an illegal sexual intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah; (6) a person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity). (7) a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes get flooded with tears."
Islam stressed the importance of knowledge; Muslims, men or women are asked to learn and enrich themselves, to seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave, a hadith said: “Seeking knowledge is incumbent upon every Muslim, male and female.” (Bukhary and Muslim)
No matter what kind of knowledge are there, all for the benefits of this world and Hereafter, every Muslim should study and try to be a kind hearted believer, and get success in this world and Hereafter. A hadith said: “He who wants to be successful in this world, then he must have knowledge; he who wants to get successful in the Hereafter, then he must have knowledge; he who wants to get successful in this world and Hereafter, then he must have knowledge.” (Bukhary and Muslim)
A learned person should practice what he himself preaches, and spread his or her knowledge to other people. But, please do remember that 'ilmu' without 'amal' is like a tree without fruit. For a practicing scholar he will be holding a higher rank in front of Allah and in social community as well. The Qur’an says: “Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks.” (58: 11)
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.
***“BEFORE I learned about Muslim,I learned about The Qur’an first.If I learned about the Muslim first before the Qur’an,I would have never became a Muslim,Because Muslims is not perfect but Islam is.” – Yusuf Islam@ Cat Stevens
I attended a ‘kuliuh subuh’ (early morning lesson) at a ‘masjid’ near my house last Sunday, September 25th where the ustaz commented that nowadays ‘knowledge could be gained anywhere’ for example from classes in masjids, via mass media such as TV, by using social media such as Facebook and Youtube but in true sense ‘kebarakahan ilmu’ (blessedness of knowledge) is fast disappearing from us.
The ustaz made a comparison to the way of living of people of the past for example during our father our grandfather prime times; then they only had one or two ustazs in a kampung or none at all and there were hardly any ‘tazkirah’ (lesson) at the masjid, but once the people got inputs from once in a blue moon ‘tazkirah’, they put it into action. In this way, good deeds flourished and the bad ones were only committed once in a while.
He claimed that nowadays there are many ustazs and ustazahs around – they are giving lectures almost ‘around the clock’ including by using latest gadgets - but the irony of it if we were to open up our hearts and eyes we would realized that our society is getting worse by each day. The people do not put into action to what they had learned and sadly there are ustazs and ustazahs themselves do not walk their talk.
Subhanallah, the blessedness of knowledge is getting ‘thinner and thinner’ by each day, said the ustaz. Negative traits and crimes are on raise; what has become to our society when crimes unimaginable to us some time ago such as killing ones parents or spouse kept on filling the pages of our newspapers! One way knowledge ‘is taken away’ from us is more and more ‘ulamas’ (Islamic scholar) had left us for the Hereafter (died). The death of an ‘ulama’ is a great loss and disaster to us, he said.
After his lesson, I met the ustaz to have a clear picture on the subject about 'ilmu' and 'amal' (knowledge and the practicing of it or putting it into action). Among others, I mentioned to him about the sayings of Yusuf Islam or Cat Stevens (above) that he would never be a Muslim if he were to look at the doing of Muslims.
The ustaz said 'ilmu' and 'amal' are intrinsically and inexorably tied together, complementing one another. For any action to be correct, it has to be based on true knowledge. Knowledge that is not put into practice is of no benefit, regardless how correct that knowledge might be.
He then read a wise man saying that knowledge without action is like a tree without fruit. Ibn Hazm mentioned that from the benefits of knowledge is that it repels evil whispers from the soul and it rids one of the worries and troubles. This is especially true for the one who loves knowledge, who studies constantly, and who applies in practice what he has learned. The student of knowledge should distribute his time between memorizing, reading, revising, researching, and reflecting.
The ustaz said he agreed with the words of Yusuf Islam. Its tally of the saying of a Muslim thinker who said he found the values of Islam being practiced in Western countries while the Muslims themselves distanced away from its teaching. By looking and studying the conduct and way of living by the nonpracticing Muslims even if they are knowledgeable, a non-Muslim would not have noticed the beauty of Islam. Thus they would not be attracted to the religion. By the way, Islam is not only a religion but a way of life.
Knowledge is the key to serenity and ease, said 'Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni in his book Don't Be Sad. "Knowledge and an easy-going nature are like two inseparable companions: if the first is present, the other can be counted upon to accompany it.
"If you study the lives of Islam's greatest scholars, you will find that they led simple lives and that they were easy to deal with. They understood the purpose of life and knew which issues were paramount and which were less important.
"Meanwhile, you will find that the most obstinate of people are those who, without having knowledge, are ascetics. They misunderstand revealed texts and are ignorant of religious issues."
Muslims were also taught about beneficial knowledge and the fruitless ones. In the Qur'an 30: 56 Allah SWT says, "And those who have been bestowed with knowledge and faith will say: 'Indeed you have stayed according to the Decree of Allah, until the Day of Resurrection, but you knew not'.
There is knowledge that is useful and there is knowledge that is harmful. As for the knowledge that is useful, the believer's faith strengthens as a result of it; on the other hand, the disbeliever does not reap any benefit whatsoever from gaining this kind of knowledge; though the information required is the same, the results are very different.
Allah SWT says of His enemies: "They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood, like irrigation or sowing or reaping, etc.) and they are heedless of the Hereafter." (Qur'an 30: 7).
So gaining knowledge is important but the most important is how to use or handle it accordingly for the benefit of oneself and others, not only in this world but in the Hereafter.
It is useless to gain knowledge if the person involved only thinks about his or her personal benefits derived from it or becomes ignorant, proud and doesn't remember Allah SWT at all.
Nowadays how many times have we witnessed people with higher education being brought to the courts for misconduct such as being involved in bribery, breaching trusts and stealing monies and being involved in various scandals. And those in power do whatever they wished, sometimes to the extend that even laws are at their feet.
Remember what Allah has to say about the Jews who had abundant knowledge but became ignorant. "The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Torah, but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books (but understand nothing from them). How bad is the example of people who deny the Ayaah (proof, evidence, signs, verses, etc.) of Allah. (Qur'an 62 ; 5).
In gaining knowledge and putting them into practice we hope to be among the seven groups of people who will be rewarded handsomely as promised by Allah SWT.
In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, the Prophet s.a.w. said, “"Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are: (1) a just ruler; (2) a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, (i.e. worship Allah (Alone) sincerely from his childhood), (3) a man whose heart is attached to the mosque (who offers the five compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque); (4) two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only; (5) a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for an illegal sexual intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah; (6) a person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity). (7) a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes get flooded with tears."
Islam stressed the importance of knowledge; Muslims, men or women are asked to learn and enrich themselves, to seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave, a hadith said: “Seeking knowledge is incumbent upon every Muslim, male and female.” (Bukhary and Muslim)
No matter what kind of knowledge are there, all for the benefits of this world and Hereafter, every Muslim should study and try to be a kind hearted believer, and get success in this world and Hereafter. A hadith said: “He who wants to be successful in this world, then he must have knowledge; he who wants to get successful in the Hereafter, then he must have knowledge; he who wants to get successful in this world and Hereafter, then he must have knowledge.” (Bukhary and Muslim)
A learned person should practice what he himself preaches, and spread his or her knowledge to other people. But, please do remember that 'ilmu' without 'amal' is like a tree without fruit. For a practicing scholar he will be holding a higher rank in front of Allah and in social community as well. The Qur’an says: “Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks.” (58: 11)
October 18, 2016
Berundur secara terhormat jika kalah pilihan raya
DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
TANGGAL 8 November ini dunia akan menyaksikan penuh debaran pilihan raya presiden Amerika Syarikat. Pertarungan kali ini berlegar pada calon parti Demokratik, Hillary Rodham Clinton dan calon Republikan, Donald Trump walaupun ada calon daripada parti lain dan bebas.
Di negara maju adalah biasa untuk sesebuah parti politik itu silih berganti bagi menerajui negara. Di Amerika Syarikat pertarungan utamanya adalah antara parti Demokratik dan Republikan. Pemimpin parti yang tewas akan berundur secara terhormat, tidak timbul langsung akan mempertahankan Rumah Putih ke titisan darah terakhir seperti diucapkan sesetengah pemimpin kita.
Di Britain kita dapat saksikan bagaimana secara terhormat perdana menterinya seperti David Cameron atau sebelumnya Tony Blair melepaskan kuasa; demikian juga di Perancis dan Jerman, pemimpin mereka dapat menerima kekalahan dengan terhormat.
Kalah dan menang dapat diterima ‘seadanya’ tetapi di negara sedang membangun termasuk negara kita, kebanyakan pemimpinnya tidak bersedia menerima kekalahan apatah lagi untuk berundur secara berhormat. Mereka mahu menang saja, itulah sebabnya sebelum pilihan raya pun, dijalankan pelbagai langkah bagi memenangkan parti masing-masing seperti melakukan persempadan semula kawasan pilihan raya. Yang penting ‘aku mahu berkuasa’ dulu kini dan selamanya, tidak kisahlah sama ada kaedah Machiavelli (matlamat menghalalkan cara) diguna pakai.
Sebagai negara di ambang status negara maju (pemimpin kerap menguar-uarkan negara akan mencapai status ini pada 2020), diharapkan pemimpin kita dapat mencontohi kesediaan pemimpin negara maju berundur secara terhormat jika mereka tidak mendapat sokongan rakyat atau tewas dalam pilihan raya.
Pemimpin perlu menyedari sejarah mencatat mereka yang berada terlalu lama di puncak kuasa, menjadi kebencian rakyat. Ferdinand Marcos (Filipina), Suharto (Indonesia) dan Idi Amin (Uganda) adalah contohnya. Mereka disusuli diktator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali (Tunisia). Hosni Mubarak (Mesir) dan Muammar Gaddafi (Libya).
Di Syria, Bashar Al-Assad (Syria) tidak sesekali mahu menyerah kedudukan presiden sekalipun ratusan ribu rakyatnya sudah mati dalam konflik tidak berkesudahan. Orang ramai membencinya tetapi dia terus mahu berkuasa.
Dalam dunia politik antarabangsai, nama bekas Presiden Afrika Selatan, Nelson Mandela (meninggal dunia pada Disember 2013) tetap terpelihara. Penerima Hadiah Nobel Keamanan ini hanya menjadi presiden sepenggal cuma (selama lima tahun selepas menang pilihan raya pelbagai kaum pertama Afrika Selatan pada April 1994).
Pada pilihan raya umum Afrika Selatan 1999, Mandela yang memimpin Kongres Kebangsaan Afrika (ANC) berpeluang menang besar dan kembali menjadi presiden buat penggal kedua, tetapi tokoh yang pernah meringuk 27 tahun dalam penjara memilih untuk berundur, memberi peluang kepada timbalannya, Thabo Mbeki menerajui negara.
Mandela adalah contoh negarawan hebat, beliau enggan berada di puncak kuasa buat tempoh masa lama, bagi beliau cukuplah sekadar meletakkan asas kepada pembentukan negara Afrika Selatan baru yang didirikan di atas kuburan dasar aparteid yang membelenggu negara itu berabad-abad lamanya.
Hal ini amat berlainan dengan diktator-diktator dunia Arab yang mahu terus berkuasa ‘dulu, kini, dan selamanya’ semata-mata berdasarkan keputusan pilihan raya yang menunjukkan mereka dapat sokongan hebat – lebih daripada 90 peratus undi.
Mubarak, Saddam Hussein (Iraq) dan Ali Abdullah Saleh (Yaman) bukannya tidak melalui pilihan raya malah setiap kali kemenangan lebih 90 peratus dicatatkan, menyakinkan mereka untuk terus berkuasa. Jelas rakyat tidak dapat mengubah mereka melalui pilihan raya yang tidak telus dan adil tetapi cara lain termasuk melalui jalan raya.
Tentunya kita tdak mahu hal ini berlaku di negara kita, oleh itu wahai pemimpin yang tidak mendapat sokongan rakyat, bersedialah berundur secara terhormat. Berundurlah bagaikan ‘gentleman’ seperti ditunjukkan Cameron, Blair, Nicholas Sarkozy (Perancis) tetapi percayalah pemimpin yang berdegil untuk berkuasa ‘dulu, kini dan selamanya’ seperti Marcos dan Suharto 'dinyahkan' rakyat manakala Bashar Al-Assad, insya-Allah juga akan ditunjuk jalan keluar!
Renungan
"Kalau sekiranya perempuan ahli syurga (termasuk bidadari) datang kepada penduduk bumi, nescaya akan disinarinya dunia antara langit dan bumi dan terpenuhinya dengan bau harum semerbak. Sesungguhnya tutup kepalanya lebih baik daripada dunia dan isinya." (HR. Bukhari)
TANGGAL 8 November ini dunia akan menyaksikan penuh debaran pilihan raya presiden Amerika Syarikat. Pertarungan kali ini berlegar pada calon parti Demokratik, Hillary Rodham Clinton dan calon Republikan, Donald Trump walaupun ada calon daripada parti lain dan bebas.
Di negara maju adalah biasa untuk sesebuah parti politik itu silih berganti bagi menerajui negara. Di Amerika Syarikat pertarungan utamanya adalah antara parti Demokratik dan Republikan. Pemimpin parti yang tewas akan berundur secara terhormat, tidak timbul langsung akan mempertahankan Rumah Putih ke titisan darah terakhir seperti diucapkan sesetengah pemimpin kita.
Di Britain kita dapat saksikan bagaimana secara terhormat perdana menterinya seperti David Cameron atau sebelumnya Tony Blair melepaskan kuasa; demikian juga di Perancis dan Jerman, pemimpin mereka dapat menerima kekalahan dengan terhormat.
Kalah dan menang dapat diterima ‘seadanya’ tetapi di negara sedang membangun termasuk negara kita, kebanyakan pemimpinnya tidak bersedia menerima kekalahan apatah lagi untuk berundur secara berhormat. Mereka mahu menang saja, itulah sebabnya sebelum pilihan raya pun, dijalankan pelbagai langkah bagi memenangkan parti masing-masing seperti melakukan persempadan semula kawasan pilihan raya. Yang penting ‘aku mahu berkuasa’ dulu kini dan selamanya, tidak kisahlah sama ada kaedah Machiavelli (matlamat menghalalkan cara) diguna pakai.
Sebagai negara di ambang status negara maju (pemimpin kerap menguar-uarkan negara akan mencapai status ini pada 2020), diharapkan pemimpin kita dapat mencontohi kesediaan pemimpin negara maju berundur secara terhormat jika mereka tidak mendapat sokongan rakyat atau tewas dalam pilihan raya.
Pemimpin perlu menyedari sejarah mencatat mereka yang berada terlalu lama di puncak kuasa, menjadi kebencian rakyat. Ferdinand Marcos (Filipina), Suharto (Indonesia) dan Idi Amin (Uganda) adalah contohnya. Mereka disusuli diktator Zine el Abidine Ben Ali (Tunisia). Hosni Mubarak (Mesir) dan Muammar Gaddafi (Libya).
Di Syria, Bashar Al-Assad (Syria) tidak sesekali mahu menyerah kedudukan presiden sekalipun ratusan ribu rakyatnya sudah mati dalam konflik tidak berkesudahan. Orang ramai membencinya tetapi dia terus mahu berkuasa.
Dalam dunia politik antarabangsai, nama bekas Presiden Afrika Selatan, Nelson Mandela (meninggal dunia pada Disember 2013) tetap terpelihara. Penerima Hadiah Nobel Keamanan ini hanya menjadi presiden sepenggal cuma (selama lima tahun selepas menang pilihan raya pelbagai kaum pertama Afrika Selatan pada April 1994).
Pada pilihan raya umum Afrika Selatan 1999, Mandela yang memimpin Kongres Kebangsaan Afrika (ANC) berpeluang menang besar dan kembali menjadi presiden buat penggal kedua, tetapi tokoh yang pernah meringuk 27 tahun dalam penjara memilih untuk berundur, memberi peluang kepada timbalannya, Thabo Mbeki menerajui negara.
Mandela adalah contoh negarawan hebat, beliau enggan berada di puncak kuasa buat tempoh masa lama, bagi beliau cukuplah sekadar meletakkan asas kepada pembentukan negara Afrika Selatan baru yang didirikan di atas kuburan dasar aparteid yang membelenggu negara itu berabad-abad lamanya.
Hal ini amat berlainan dengan diktator-diktator dunia Arab yang mahu terus berkuasa ‘dulu, kini, dan selamanya’ semata-mata berdasarkan keputusan pilihan raya yang menunjukkan mereka dapat sokongan hebat – lebih daripada 90 peratus undi.
Mubarak, Saddam Hussein (Iraq) dan Ali Abdullah Saleh (Yaman) bukannya tidak melalui pilihan raya malah setiap kali kemenangan lebih 90 peratus dicatatkan, menyakinkan mereka untuk terus berkuasa. Jelas rakyat tidak dapat mengubah mereka melalui pilihan raya yang tidak telus dan adil tetapi cara lain termasuk melalui jalan raya.
Tentunya kita tdak mahu hal ini berlaku di negara kita, oleh itu wahai pemimpin yang tidak mendapat sokongan rakyat, bersedialah berundur secara terhormat. Berundurlah bagaikan ‘gentleman’ seperti ditunjukkan Cameron, Blair, Nicholas Sarkozy (Perancis) tetapi percayalah pemimpin yang berdegil untuk berkuasa ‘dulu, kini dan selamanya’ seperti Marcos dan Suharto 'dinyahkan' rakyat manakala Bashar Al-Assad, insya-Allah juga akan ditunjuk jalan keluar!
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