Roslan Hamid's Blog, page 171

Auditing ourselves before the Hijra year ends

********************** In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ************************ Reflection ********************** Surah 114 ******************* An-Nas, the second of the two cries for refuge and protection, takes its name from a recurring word which marks the rhythm in the Arabic. In this case protection is sought especially from the evil in a man's own heart in the hearts of other men. An early Meccan revelation ****************** MANKIND ****************** Revealed at Mecca ***************** In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. **************************** 1. Say; I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, ************************ 2. The King of mankind, ************************ 3. The God of mankind, ************************* 4. From the evil of the sneaking whisperer, *************************** 5. Who whispereth in the hearts of mankind, ******************************* 6. Of the jinn of mankind. ****************** (The Meaning of the GLORIOUS QUR'AN, The Final Revelation, An Explanaory Translation by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall) ***************** DHUL-HIJJAH, the 12th (last) month of the Muslim calendar of Hijra began Sunday, October 6, 2013. This is the month Muslim perform hajj, with its peak when they do ‘wukuf’ (to stop or gather) in Arafah (or Arafat) on the 9th Dhul-hijjah (Monday, 14th October). *************************** Wukuf, being the highest 'rukun' (component) of hajj must be rendered; without which hajj does not take place. The requirement is the presence in Arafah, regardless of whether the pilgrim is riding, walking, sitting or moving. In Arafah one is to spend at least a moment from dhuhr (midday) to before subuh (dawn) prayer times making du’aa (supplications) and repenting to leave Arafah with all of one's sins forgiven. **************************** For Muslims who are not performing hajj in their homelands, they are encouraged to perform recommended deeds during the first 10 days of Dhul-hijjah such as fasting especially on ‘Wukuf’ day, giving charity, performing voluntary prayers, helping one's parents and chanting 'zikr'. Then during Eid Adha (10th Dhul-Hijjah) when Muslims perform ‘solat’ (Eid prayers) and the days of Tashreek (11, 12, and 13th Dhul-Hijjah) they are recommended to do the slaughter or ‘korban’ (sacrifice) animals (such as sheep and cow). ************************* Almost all of 22,000 Malaysian pilgrims are now in Makkah; they are among more than three million Muslims from all corners of the world gathered in the Holy Land to perform the hajj manasik (rites and ceremonies performed at hajj). After Arafah, the pilgrims would then proceed towards Muzdalifah and pick up pebbles there to be used when stoning the Pillar of Aqabah or Qubra on Eid Adha (10th Dhul-Hijjah). ************************* In Mina, they are required to stay for three nights where they will stone the three ‘jamrahs’ beginning with the first Pillar (i.e. the one which is furthest from Makkah), followed by the middle Pillar and lastly the Pillar of Aqabah. ********************** The pilgrims will also shave their heads or cut their hair and then proceed to Makkah to perform the Tawaf Al-Ifadah (circling the Kaabah seven times which is an essential part of Hajj) and then perform Sa’y (walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa). While waiting for the the big day (Wukuf), pilgrims fulfill their days by performing prayers and 'tawaf' in the Grand Masjid of Makkah (Masjidil-Haram). ************************ As the other articles under the Principles of Islam or 'Rukun Islam' (to do the declaration of faith - kalimah syahadah, to perform the five daily obligatory prayers, to fast in the month of Ramadan and to distribute zakat or obligatory charity), the main purpose of performing hajj is that one is to be closer to Allah The Greatest (SWT). ************************ So, the main aim is to increase our 'takqa' (piety) to Him. Muslims, especially those performing hajj should never come home the same way they began their journey to the Holly Land. It is an opportunity to audit ourselves both at the beginning and the end. If our life is no way better than before performing hajj, then we have to do a lot of reflection. ************************ And with the new Hijra year of 1435 (beginning Tuesday 5th November 2013) approaching in a few weeks time; it is timely for us as Muslims to audit (have a thought) about ourselves on our performance through out the year. If our country could produce the Auditor-General's Report, then we too could have one for ourselves in valuing our duties as Muslims. *************************** It is reported that Hasan al-Basree, a renowned Islamic scholar once said,” A believer is a guardian over himself: He audits himself for Allah. Those who take account of themselves in this world will be audited lightly in the hereafter. Those who take this issue lightly will find their auditing very difficult.” ************************ So, what is our duty as a human being? In Surat Adh-Dhariyat 51:56 (The Winnowing Winds) Allah SWT says; “I have only created jinn and men, that they may serve Me.” ************************** So from time to time, it’s good to sit back and ask yourself a few questions. Perhaps here’s a starting point. Refer back to the Principles of Islam and ask yourself sincerely what is the score for your obligatory duties as a Muslim such as 'solat' (performing prayers), fasting in the month of Ramadan and distribute zakat. And have you perform hajj, the last articles under 'Rukun Islam'? ***************************** One of the most important things that we can do individually as Muslims is to ponder our own selves and to reflect upon whether or not we have improved, remained stagnant, or have regressed in our overall practice of Islam. For example how is our 'solat' nowadays - is the 'quality' of our 'solat' at 50 years of age the same as our 'solat' when we were 15 years old - that was 35 years ago? **************************** The same could be said about our 'puasa' - is it the same as the yesteryear when we refrained ourselves from only eating and drinking or 'puasa yang yok' (cheating by eating or drinking when one is alone) but keep our eyes open seeing 'haram' (forbidden) things and open our ears to all sort of gossips and our tongues lash out bad and 'laser' words. ************************* Well, what about our 'zakat' - is it the same old you ‘that only pay for tithes during Ramadan' and forget the compulsory zakat for incomes, agriculture yields, gold and livestock such as cows and sheep? ***************************** And how's our daily chores going on for example things we take for granted such wasting of money and food, spending on unnecessary items and involving in immoral activities such as going to pubs and disco and involving in smoking, gambling and drinking. ************************* And how's our time being spend? People tend to waste time; only a few 'veterans' prefer to seek knowledge including attending 'tazkirah' (lessons) at masjids, the rest waste their time doing unnecessary and unproductive activities such as spending long hours chatting or playing 'dam haji' (checkers) in 'warong kopi' (coffee shop). ************************* The question is, have we been auditing ourselves? We tend not to look at ourselves but waste our precious time on others. Over the course of the year, we can easily fall into the habit of focusing too much on the affairs of others. ************************** In true sense, our time could be better spent working to improve ourselves in the religion and seeking the Mercy of Allah and seeking His pardon for our own errors and mistakes. Remember our time left is too short; perhaps the Lord would called for us in a year time, tomorrow or even today or after reading this article! ***************************** Allah says; "O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for the morrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do." (59 (Exile):18) **************************** The interpreters of Qur’an have said that this verse is calling on the believers to take account of themselves before they are taken to account by Allah on the Day of Accounting, i.e., The Day of Judgment. ************************* Since it is the hajj season, let us have a thought about 'Wukuf' in Arafah which some 'ulama' (Islamic scholar) said that Allah SWT 'is very, very near' to His servant. It is said that when Allah, Great and Glorious is He, forgives a sin for one person in Arafah, He forgives it for everyone there who is guilty of it. ********************** There are millions of pilgrims in Arafah yet if you have His blessings, you could feel that you are left alone with the Almighty. When you have 'that feeling' it is easy for you to talk and admitted about your past sins and then beg forgiveness from Him. ************************** "O Allah! I ask of Your integrity and soundness in my religion, my life, my family, and my possessions. ********************** O Allah! Cover my shame, pacify my fears, guard me from what is in front of me and behind me, from what is on my right and on my left, over my head and under my feet. *********************** O Allah! Grant health to my body. O Allah grants health to my hearing. O Allah! Grant heath to my sight. There is no deity except You. *********************** O Allah! You are my Lord. There is no deity except You. You are my Creator and I am Your creature. I try to keep my covenant with You and to live in the hope of Your promise as well as I can. I seek refuge in You from my own evil deeds. I acknowledge Your favors to me, and I acknowledge my sins. Forgive me my sins, for there is no one who can forgive sins except You. ******************** O Allah! I seek refuge in You from worry and sorrow. I seek refuge in You from impotence and sloth, from stinginess and cowardice, and I seek refuge in You from the burden of debt and from being humbled by men. *********************** O Allah! Make the beginning of this day good, the middle prosperous, and the end successful. I ask You to grant me the good of this world and of the Hereafter. O Most Merciful of all Who show us mercy! ******************** O Allah! You hear my words, You behold my situation, You know what is open and what is hidden within me; nothing is hidden from You. It is me alone who is in need, a humble seeker of Your forgiveness. I beseech You with humility in my heart, with trembling and fear, in prostration and utter helplessness. *********************** O Allah! Grant me soundness of belief, goodness of character, forgiveness of my sins, and Your eternal pleasure in the Hereafter. ***************************** Labbayk, Allahumma, Labbayk, Labbayk, La Shareeka laka, Labbayk Innal-hamda wan n’mata laka wal-mulk, La shareekala – (Here I am at Your service, O Lord here I am, No partner do You have, Here I am, Truly the praise and the favor is Yours and the dominion. No partner do You have). Happy Eid Adha

Anak sungai lagikan berubah...

******************Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ******************* Renungan ******************** “Sesungguhnya Allah mengasihi orang yang banyak bertaubat, dan mengasihi orang yang sentiasa mensucikan diri”. (Surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 222) *********************** KINI kemuncak musim haji. Bagi jemaah di Tanah Suci, mereka menunggu detik bertolak dan wukuf di Arafah pada 9 Zulhijah, seterusnya melengkapkan manasik haji seperti mabit di Mudzalifah, melontar di jamrah dan bermalam di Mina. ************************ Bagi mereka yang tidak menunaikan haji; tempoh 10 hari pertama Zulhijah amat berharga untuk diisi amalan mendekatkan diri kepada Allah SWT seperti sentiasa solat berjemaah, memperbanyakkan amalan sunat seperti berpuasa (terutama pada hari wukuf), qiyamullail, bersedekah, membaca Quran dan berzikir. *********************** Ketika meraikan pemergian jemaah haji di sebuah masjid berhampiran kampung saya baru-baru ini, saya amat tertarik dengan peringatan seorang ustaz dalam tazkirah ringkasnya akan bahana besar menanti orang enggan atau melambat-lambatkan menunaikan Rukun Islam kelima itu jika mereka sudah memenuhi syaratnya termasuk dari segi kewangan. ************************* Beliau lantas membacakan sebuah hadis yang bermaksud: "Sesiapa yang mempunyai bekalan dan kenderaan yang boleh menyampaikannya ke Baitullah, tetapi dia masih tidak menunaikan haji (dengan ketiadaan uzur syarie sehingga dia meninggal dunia) maka tiada halangan baginya mati sebagai seorang Yahudi atau Nasrani." (Riwayat Imam At-Tirmizi dan Al-Baihaqi) *********************** Sang ustaz berkata antara sebab sesetengah orang terlalu berat untuk menyahut seruan haji kerana terlalu cinta kepada kelazatan dan asyik mahsyuk dunia seperti anak isteri, harta benda termasuk sawah ladang, pendapatan, jawatan dan pangkat lantas enggan meninggalkannya. ************************ Beliau mengingatkan pemergian ke Tanah Suci bermakna berpisah dengan kesenangan dunia itu buat sementara saja; cukup masa insya-Allah seseorang itu akan kembali ke tanah air, jadi tiada apa perlu dibimbangkan. *************************** Namun, katanya, jika ada perasaan terlalu sayang untuk meninggalkan semua kesenangan itu, ingatlah suatu hari nanti segala-galanya "akan direntap" daripada kita. Mahu atau tidak mahu kita terpaksa "mengucapkan selamat jalan" kepada segala apa yang kita miliki apabila nyawa kita dicabut dan jasad kita diusung ke tanah perkuburan. ************************** Kata sang ustaz: "Apabila kita berada dalam kubur, jawatan dan kedudukan yang kita sandang sudah berada di tangan orang lain atau menjadi rebutan; demikian juga harta benda termasuk sawah ladang sudah difaraidkan dan lebih malang lagi isteri (atau suami) kita sudah berada dalam pelukan orang lain. **************************** "Isteri (atau suami) kita akan gunakan sebahagian wang dan harta tinggalan kita untuk meneruskan hidup bersama pasangan masing-masing. Misalnya mereka akan beli kereta baru dengan 'duit kita'...apabila mereka lalu di jalan raya depan kubur kita, pedal minyak ditekan kuat-kuat...Brommmmm, brommmmm, bunyi kereta...kita dalam kubur 'terkulat-kulatlah'. Apa nak buat, dah nasib badan!" ************************* "Oleh itu," kata ustaz, "janganlah sayang kepada apa kita miliki di dunia ini secara berlebih-lebihan. "Apabila sampai masa dan cukup kemampuan buatlah apa yang Allah SWT perintahkan seperti tunaikan haji, bayar zakat dan berkorban di jalan-Nya termasuklah berwakaf. Ini semua sebagai modal kita di alam kubur dan akhirat nanti." *************************** Berceloteh mengenai suami atau isteri berkahwin lain selepas pasangan mereka meninggal dunia, teringat saya akan satu pasangan suami isteri yang saya kenali ketika saya menunaikan haji pada tahun 2002 dulu. ************************* Wah, di Tanah Suci sungguh intim mereka. Kerap benar saya melihat mereka berpegangan tangan; di Mina lagilah mereka rapat sebab di sini banyak ujiannya. Bolehlah diklasifikasikan pasangan sejoli ini bagai "tidak hendak berpisah" layaknya. Pendeknya, kaulah intan, kaulah permata - kaulah yang pertama dan terakhir untukku...! **************************** Ditakdirkan si suami meninggal dunia tidak lama selepas kembali. Biasanya orang perempuan 'tidak kuasa' untuk 'berjodoh lagi' (yang cepat benar mahu berkahwin selepas pasangan meninggal adalah orang lelaki malah ada yang isterinya belum mati pun dia sudah menambah cawangan) tetapi si perempuan ini cepat benar dapat ganti suami baru...yalah anak sungai lagikan berubah ini pula hati manusia... **************************** Nasib baiklah perubahan hati berlaku dalam 'kes cerai mati' kalau dalam 'kes cerai hidup' tidakkah terbeban bekas pasangan dari segi mental? Namun itulah dinamakan 'roda kehidupan'. Jika itu berlaku, ingatlah 'asal kapas menjadi benang, dari benang dibuat kain, barang lepas jangan dikenang, sudah menjadi hak orang lain'!

Leave your 'toys' behind...

****************** 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. *********************** SEVERAL years ago when I was on a train (LRT) on the way to work; an European elderly couple who were seated next to me showed surprised looks on their faces at the way and how busy our people were especially youths in the coach handling and playing with their electronic gadgets including smart phones. ************************ The man look up and whispered: "Aahh, these 'toys'; sometimes they are nuisance. In Europe, we call them 'toys'...at certain times we leave them alone; we want to free ourselves from this madness..." ************************** And in the train; he and his 'partner' (I did not know her status; whether she was his wife or girlfriend or just a friend) were 'free from having those nuisance gadgets''...and they seemed to enjoy that situation but what they witnessed in the train seemed to displease them. ********************** So dear friends and readers; can we free ourselves from those electronic gadgets perhaps for only a day or two. It would be a good idea if we could one day purposely leave our phones at home and learn how to live without it. And you are open to discover the new in you... ************************* Readers might be nervous and afraid trying this, but please do try it and find the 'pleasures and tranquility' of life without having 'those nuisance gadgets'. ************************* One of my friends once said: "I can't live without my handset. If I had left it at home, I (would) have no choice but return home to collect it." See, how these 'toys' have conquered and 'destroyed' our lives! It's scary for the friend to say; "I can't live without it!" as if the phone is a must in our life! Is it true nowadays we are 'hamba' (slaves) of these modern invention? ************************ Last Tuesday (1st October) I attended a funeral one of my nephews. When his body was lowered inside his grave (remember one day we too would be buried inside our graves), he had nothing on him except for his white 'kain kapan' (shroud). So when we were lowered into our graves one day (that day would surely come) where were our worldly belongings including those much sought and treasured 'toys' that we have the guts to say that "we can't live without them?" ************************ Scholars have reminded us again and again that our 'worldly treasures' including money, what more those electronic gadgets, would of no use in the Hereafter. The much sought items there are ‘iman’ (faith) and good deeds; unfortunately the Hereafter is not a place to do good deeds but a place to reaped ‘our best crop’ grown on earth! ********************* Dear brothers and sisters, begin all things with knowledge, for he who knows his own self knows God. So acquire knowledge. It enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our society in solitude, our companion when friendless; it guides us in happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is an ornament amongst friends, and an armour against enemies. ************************** With knowledge we would know that our life in this world is not for the sake of material enjoyments of this world alone. Our temporary life here is only a life of probation, for perpetual life in the Hereafter. As we sow here, we shall reap in the Hereafter. ************************* To quote a saying of the Holy Prophet: “This world is the tillage for the Hereafter” i.e. we plough and sow here to reap in the next world. We, Muslims, therefore, cannot afford to live an irresponsible and reckless life. ************************ All life ends in death. Therefore, let us remember that a certain time is fixed for us when we will be abandoned to the darkness of our graves. We should be therefore, consider the passing life of this world as a means towards our ultimate goal. Yes, this material world is not the main object of our life but a means towards a higher goal. The purpose of man’s life is ‘service to Allah’ and nothing else. ************************ This life is a preparation of what Allah has in store for us. The life of the Hereafter is eternal, and it is that which the believer should strive for. Hence let us not be deceived by the glamour and splendour around us. This life should never be wasted by merely seeking a comfortable and rice life of worldly happiness because Allah SWT tells us: “And surely the Hereafter is indeed better than this world.” ********************** Again says the Qur’an, “Every soul shall taste of death” – none shall be made to wander this world for ever. ((Pearls of the Prophet, Islamic Outreah-ABIM) ********************** A few days ago over Radio IKIM.fm I heard the renowned intellectual and motivator, Prof Dr Muhaya Muhammad as saying that nowadays almost everybody are busy with their material wealth including their up to date electronic gadgets (toys) and forget about their direct relationship with their Creator, Allah SWT. ********************** We are always busy with our 'toys'; in fact sometimes during our five times daily mass prayers (solat berjemaah) in the masjid, there are bound to be phones ringing with various tones including Gangnam style music. ********************** Oh, it just robs congregators of their 'khusyuk' (concentration); and to those concerned have you not seen Telekom Malaysia (TM) stickers on walls of some masjid, reminding that there are "Tiada Panggilan Sepenting Seruan Illahi" (No Calls Are More Important Than God's Call). So why not just leave your 'toys' behind or at least put them into silent mode? ****************** Prof Muhaya reminded that to have a good relationship with Allah SWT; the key word is to have knowledge. So gain knowledge; but the sad thing about almost all of us is that we spend (or waste?) almost our entire life chasing material wealth and do a lot of aimless thing such as; "how high (how many storeys) is your bungalow; in which country do you spend your holidays, how much money or shares do you have or how many 'As' does your son scored in his SPM examination?" *********************** She said almost all of us are busy or hungry for news and not knowledge "That's why we are eager to know the news posted on the internet; our gadgets are being used to seek for news...what's the latest about this artiste; whose marriage is on the brink of collapsing and so on..." ************************ Prof Muhaya stressed that if we can't feel good when we are alone and have the feeling of tranquility in such situation; it is a sign we do not love ourselves and have problems in our relationship with the Creator, Allah SWT. **************************** Other than friends who are always by our sides, we too need electronic gadgets as though we can't live without them. Frankly speaking; who can go to work or travel without the said items with them? ************************* If we can free ourselves from depending on relatives, friends and of course those gadgets, then we are 'on the open to the straight path' including surrendering ourselves 100 percent to Allah SWT. Isn't that we say at least 17 times during our 'solat' when we recite Surah Al-Fatihah (The Opening) with 'ayah' (sentence) 4 with the meaning "Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help." ************************ So find the new in you by starting not to depend on those 'toys'... ************************* Speaking about quality time, we can spend hour after hour reading newspapers and watching TV and nowadays busy 'working' (or playing?) with our electronic gadgets but have we any time to read and try to understand the words of Allah SWT in the Qur'an? Oh, it is a sad thing, we don't have the time for it and the saddest part of our life as His servant is that some of us have the cheek to say that we have no time even to perform or five time daily prayers (solat)! ************************* And with our electronic gadgets, some families go on the brink of collapsing...imagine a husband who is always busy around the clock (at his office) when at home is busy chatting while his wife is 'lost' with her Facebook and their children are away in their own rooms playing games! Well, it what direction we are actually heading? ************************* During the last raya (Aidilfitri), I realized a 'new graze' had taken over our previous joyous and meaningful celebration - boys and girls of the young generation (including many of my nieces) were seen very busy with their electronic gadgets; they were playing games, busily texting, e-mailing, chatting and so on, totally ignoring visitors and well-wishers! ********************** Nowadays almost all children have a gadget each; even one niece who is eight years old had 'mastered' 'downloading' items! She also uses terms that I have no idea or heard before. ********************** Hello, readers especially my friends; 'the eagles have landed'; so what have we in store to face 'this new type of invasion'? ********************** Well, I 'dunno', I leave it to the experts; but as a 'start' of not becoming a 'hamba' of those electronics gadgets why not leave them behind or at least try not to bring them to masjids or while performing prayers. ****************************** Surely we would not like to hear anymore Gangnam style ring tones during our 'solat'!

Laporan Audit dan kisah Umar dengan pelitanya

************************** DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ************************** Renungan ************************** Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "Sesiapa yang menyeret pakaiannya kerana sombong, maka Allah tidak akan memandangnya pada hari kiamat." (Riwayat Imam Al-Bukhari dan Muslim) ********************** Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2012 mendedahkan pelbagai kelemahan termasuk pemborosan dan pembaziran wang rakyat oleh pemimpin (ingat semua orang adalah pemimpin) yang menurut sesetengah penganalisis sebagai tidak masuk akal. Benar, apakah masuk akal jika sebuah jam dinding RM100 dibeli dengan harga RM3,810 manakala sebuah teropong visi malam pada harga pasaran RM1,940 dibeli dengan harga RM56,350! **************************** Namun hanya segelintir pihak dan individu yang peduli; yang lain berkata "apa hendak dirisaukan, itu bukan duit saya dan saya tidak ada kena mengena dengannya." Demikianlah manusia, jika tiada petunjuk dan undang-undang daripada Yang Maha Berkuasa, mereka pula 'berlagak bagaikan Tuhan.' Mereka beramal 'ikut suka aku' (nafsu). Segala serakah nafsu itu hanya boleh ditundukkan dengan undang-undang-Nya. Namun itu tiada di negara ini kerana majoriti pemimpinnya bertuhankan nafsu! ************************** Selagi pemimpin berciri ini berkuasa, usah bermimpilah kita untuk menemui 'seorang Umar Abdul Aziz' - baginda cukup takut menggunakan harta kerajaan tidak pada tempatnya sehinggakan pelita dinyalakan anaknya untuk suatu urusan peribadi dipadamkannya kerana takut menyalahgunakan harta awam. Tetapi, majoriti pemimpin hari ini tiada kualiti itu iaitu ciri orang beriman yang apabila melakukan sesuatu kesalahan kecil melihatnya bagaikan gunung yang mahu menghempap mereka. Mereka bukan saja tidak melihat ancaman itu bahkan tidak berasa bersalah pun! *********************************** Jadi apa yang boleh mengajar manusia termasuk pemimpin? Cendekiawan Islam seperti Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi menegaskan tidak ada sistem pemerintahan pun yang akan berjaya jika pemimpinnya tidak mempunyai akhlak yang tinggi dan masyarakatnya tidak bertakwa dan amanah. ************************* Namun hari ini kita dapat saksikan betapa longgarnya pemimpin kita dari segi akhlak. Amalan rasuah, salah guna kuasa, boros, cakap tak serupa bikin, aneka jenayah dan maksiat semakin menjadi-jadi. Perilaku buruk ini menjadi ikutan rakyat; peribahasa Melayu ada menyebutkan bagaimana acuan begitulah kuihnya ataupun bapa borek anak rintik. **************************** Islam dan segala hukum-hakamnya termasuk hudud adalah penyelamat kepada kehidupan manusia tetapi majoriti pemimpin enggan menerimanya. Mereka takut jika undang-undang ini dilaksanakan akan terkena batang hidung sendiri kerana Nabi ada menyebut dalam sebuah hadisnya bahawa jika anak kesayangan baginda, Fatimah mencuri nescaya akan dipotong tangannya bagi menunjukkan tiada pilih bulu dalam melaksanakan hukum Allah. ******************************** Berdasarkan keengganan mereka kepada hukum Allah, sahlah mereka tidak layak menjadi pemimpin; tetapi ditakdirkan mereka sudah berada di kedudukan itu (tidak kiralah sama melalui jalan benar atau batil) akan berterusanlah penyelewengan dan ketidaktelusan sekalipun didedahkan saban tahun termasuklah oleh Laporan Ketua Audit Negara. ***************************** Tanpa iman atau iman tipis (tidak melihat gunung mahu menghempap mereka jika melakukan sesuatu kesalahan kecil) maka pemimpin-pemimpin ini akan bersahaja dalam melakukan penyelewengan termasuk membazir wang rakyat dan mengamalkan rasuah; lebih-lebih lagi tiada hukuman dikenakan ke atas mereka. Mereka terus mahu mendaki puncak kuasa parti dan negara sekalipun pernah dibabitkan dengan kesalahan rasuah dan penyelewengan lain. ******************************* Namun agak menghairankan sesetengah rakyat terus memilih mereka sebagai pemimpin. Kenapa? Ya mungkin kedua-duanya (pemimpin dan rakyat) sama-sama tidak berilmu (jahil akhirat), tidak beriman atau beriman tipis - mereka dua kali lima saja, Nauzubillah!

'Membunuh' di jalan raya...

************Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w................ Renungan ************** "Dan jika (orang berhutang itu) dalam kesukaran, maka berilah tangguh sampai dia berkelapangan. Dan menyedekahkan (sebahagian atau semua hutang) itu, lebih baik bagimu, jika kamu mengetahui." (Maksud ayat 280 Surah al-Baqarah) ********************** SEKARANG ini setiap kali menatap akhbar, berita nahas jalan raya hampir pasti mengisi muka-mukanya. Biasanya ia membabitkan kemalangan ngeri yang mengakibatkan sejumlah orang termasuk sekeluarga meninggal dunia. *********************** Tidak lama dulu, ketika mengikuti sebuah tazkirah; terkesan di minda saya apabila ustaz mengingatkan bahawa "kita janganlah termasuk golongan orang yang melakukan pembunuhan di jalan raya yang balasannya tersangatlah dahsyat di akhirat nanti." ************************ Ya, bagaimana kita boleh disabitkan dengan kesalahan membunuh itu? Bagaimana kita akan terlepas daripada dakwaan membunuh itu jika kita sebagai pemandu lalai dalam pemanduan kita seperti mengikut hawa nafsu amarah 'memotong dalam situasi yang kita sendiri tak pasti selamat' dan memandu dalam keadaan diri kita terlalu mengantuk dan letih manakala kita sendiri tahu kenderaan kita mempunyai masalah. ************************** Ingatlah, jika memandu dalam keadaan begitu dan ditakdirkan kita kemalangan yang mengakibatkan diri kita sendiri terbunuh dan juga penumpang kenderaan kita termasuklah anak isteri serta pengguna jalan raya lain terbunuh, terlalu berat tanggungan kita di akhirat nanti seperti tuduhan membunuh diri sendiri dan membunuh orang lain. ************************ Dan jika ditakdirkan kita selamat, tetapi kaum keluarga kita dan orang lain terbunuh, kita akan hidup sengsara memikirkan bahawa 'kitalah yang telah membunuh mereka'. Mungkin hukuman di dunia tidak menyatakan 'kita membunuh' tetapi 'kita sendiri tahu apa yang sudah kita lakukan dan kita akan menanggung derita rasa bersalah sehingga akhir hayat'. Firman Allah SWT di dalam al-Quran, surah al-Baqarah, ayat 195; bermaksud, "dan jangan kamu campakkan diri kamu ke dalam kebinasaan!" *************************** Kemalangan jalan raya sekarang ini terlalu banyak dan ada yang 'amat dahsyat'. Hakikatnya, Malaysia adalah antara negara paling tinggi mencatatkan jumlah kemalangan jalan raya di dunia. Kadar kematian dianggarkan 4-5 orang sehari bagi seluruh negara. ************************ Walaupun pelbagai program keselamatan jalan raya dijalankan, jumlah kemalangan terlalu tinggi. Kenapa ini berlaku dan kaedah apa boleh digunakan bagi mengurangkan kadar kemalangan seterusnya korban jalan raya? **************************** Bagi merungkai persoalan ini, penulis membawa pembaca menghayati kelas pengajian agama mingguan di sebuah masjid berhampiran kediaman penulis yang tuan gurunya membicarakan bab diat (pampasan) akibat daripada jenayah pembunuhan berdasarkan kitab Bahru Mazi syarahan Sheikh Muhammad Idris Marbawi. ********************** Hukum jenayah Islam terbahagi kepada hukum hudud, qisas dan ta’zir. Pada penulisan ini, penulis merujuk hukum qisas yang dari segi bahasanya bermaksud memotong dan dan dari segi syarak bererti hukuman yang ditetapkan oleh syarak melalui nas-nas al-Quran dan hadis-hadis Nabi s.a.w. kerana kesalahan-kesalahan melibatkan hak individu. ************************ Kesalahan-kesalahan yang diwajibkan hukuman qisas ialah membunuh dengan sengaja dan mencederakan anggota tubuh badan seperti mata, hidung dan telinga. ************************** Mengikut hukum qisas seseorang penjenayah mesti diikuti dengan hukuman yang sama sepertimana dia lakukan ke atas mangsanya. Kalau ia membunuh maka dia mesti dihukum bunuh. Allah SWT berfirman dalam al-Quran yang maksudnya: “Dan Kami telah tetapkan atas mereka di dalam Kitab Taurat itu, bahawa jiwa dibalas dengan jiwa, dan mata dibalas dengan mata, dan hidung dibalas dengan hidung, dan telinga dibalas dengan telinga, dan gigi dibalas dengan gigi dan luka-luka hendaklah dibalas (seimbang). Tetapi sesiapa yang melepaskan hak membalasnya maka menjadilah ia penebus dosa baginya.” (Surah al-Maidah ayat 45) ******************************* Sementara itu diat adalah denda yang wajib dibayar kerana kesalahan jenayah sebagai ganti qisas. Kadar diat dikira mengikut bilangan unta iaitu harta yang paling bernilai. Kadar penuh diat 100 ekor unta. ************************** Bagi jenayah membunuh dengan sengaja, ada dua hukuman iaitu qisas dan diat. Diat hanya boleh dilaksanakan jika dipersetujui oleh waris. Jika tidak, qisas bunuh dikenakan. Pemerintah tidak ada kuasa dalam pengampunan. ********************************* Pembunuhan separuh sengaja (seperti guru memukul murid dengan rotan, tiba-tiba budak itu mati), dikenakan diat 100 ekor unta manakala pembunuhan tidak sengaja (seperti seorang pemburu tertembak mati rakannya, dihukum membayar pampasan 100 ekor unta. ************************* Hukuman bagi jenayah pembunuhan separuh sengaja dan pembunuhan tidak sengaja adalah diat sahaja. Qisas tidak dikenakan. ************************** Sementara itu diat jenayah kerana mencederakan anggota ada pelbagai kategori seperti 100 ekor unta untuk anggota tunggal seperti terputusnya lidah, hilang akal, menyebabkan lumpuh seluruh anggota badan dan hilang keupayaan bersetubuh. ***************************** Pampasan 50 ekor unta dikenakan untuk anggota berpasangan, jika kedua-duanya terlibat maka diatnya 100 unta. Ia melibatkan salah satu daripada kaki atau tangan, mata dan telinga. Demikianlah ada pampasan lebih rendah jika membabitkan kecederaan lebih ringan. ************************** Tuan Guru terbuka untuk pertanyaan, dan penulis sempat bertanya, apakah jika berlaku sesuatu kemalangan jalan raya membabitkan mangsa yang terbunuh apakah si pelanggar atau orang mengakibatkan nahas itu perlu membayar diat. ************************** Antara lain Tuan Guru menjawab, jika si pelanggar sengaja melakukannya; seperti dia sudah mengenal mangsa dan berhajat membunuhnya dengan melanggarnya bererti dia sudah melakukan satu pembunuhan, hukumannya adalah qisas bunuh. Dia akan dihukum mati, caranya dengan memancung kepalanya. *************************** Kalau si pelanggar tadi, tidak sengaja (seboleh-bolehnya tidak mahu terbabit dalam kemalangan) tetapi nahas berlaku juga, dan mangsa dilanggarnya mati; bererti dia membunuh secara tidak sengaja. Apabila ini berlaku dia perlu membayar diat 100 ekor unta. ********************** Dan apabila si pelanggar tadi, mengakibatkan orang dilanggarnya cedera, dia boleh dikenakan membayar diat 100, 50 ekor unta dan seterusnya. *********************** Demikianlah dalam Islam, hukumnya yang datang daripada Allah SWT adalah menyeluruh; menyentuh soal kematian dan kecederaan termasuk dalam kemalangan jalan raya. Apabila hukum qisas dan diat ini dilaksanakan termasuk di atas jalan raya, tentulah pengguna jalan raya gementar dan berhati-hati memandu. ************************** Membayar pampasan 100 ekor unta bukan murah, kerana kata Tuan Guru jika ditaksirkan seekor unta berharga RM5,000 seekor, seseorang yang membunuh secara tidak sengaja termasuk dalam kemalangan jalan raya, perlu membayar RM500,000 (RM0.5 juta). ************************* Kalau dia mencederakan orang, dan diperintah membayar pampasan 50 ekor unta, bermakna dia perlu mengeluarkan RM250,000. Itu kalau seorang dicederakannya, kalau lima orang dan lebih, tentunya jumlahnya mencecah jutaan ringgit. **************************** Jika hukuman qisas dilaksanakan, kemungkinan besar pemandu mabuk tidak berani berada di jalanan (lagi pun mereka sudah dikenakan hukuman hudud) manakala orang awam akan menggunakan jalan raya secara paling sopan dan ini insya-Allah akan menyebabkan kadar kemalangan jalan raya berkurangan.

Majority of Malays cash-strapped, don't have shares?

************** In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ***************** Reflection ***************** 'Aisha narrated this hadith: "Usama approached the Prophet on behalf of a woman (who had committed theft). The Prophet said, 'The people before you were destroyed because they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich. By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! If Fatima (the daughter of the Prophet ) did that (i.e. stole), I would cut off her hand'." (Sahih Bukhari) * ************************** ALMOST every year I recieve an annual report on Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN) and Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) even though I am not an active investor; and I do not mind if one classifies me as 'a dead one'. *********************** If I am not mistaken the value of my 'shares' in ASN and ASB are not more than RM100; at the moment I am not sure where I had placed the book accounts of both schemes. ************************* Recenty I received the booklet 'Laporan Interim' from PNB and ASNB 'bagi tempoh enam bulan berakhir 30 Jun 2013' (for the first six months ending 30 June 2013). ************************* As usual I just flipped the pages of the report by the 'Pengurus Sekim Amanah Saham Nasional (ASN)' (Manager of the Amanah Saham Nasional Scheme) without putting much interest in it; but this time as I was about to put it aside, my eyes caught a section about the profile of shareholders under 'maklumat tabung' (information on the fund). ************************* It stated that; "As at 30 June 2013, a total number of 1,241, 379 individuals had invested in the ASN scheme." ************************** There was a chart which showed that from the total 1,241, 379 investors; 1, 217,117 of them as having 5,000 and less units. And I guessed if the price of shares was at 80 sen a unit, then those more than 1.2 million investors are having about RM4,000 or less in their accounts! Those who fall under this category subscribed a total of only 214, 258,992 units out of the overall 1,535,383,143 units of shares. ***************************** I kept on thinking; 1,217, 117 out of 1, 241,379 investors having RM4,000 and less in their accounts; that meant that about 98 percent of them had only a meagre amout of money in ASN. Perhaps a large number of them owned less than 100 shares (valued at about RM80) just like in my case. Imagine only two percent of the shareholdres having more than 5,000 shares. ************************ The number of shareholders with shares ranging from 5,001 to 10,000 were 7,508 and those in the 10,001 to 50,000 category were 10,771 persons. Investors who held 50,001 to 500,000 was 5,793 persons and those who had 500,001 and more were 190. Well, they comprised of not more than 30,000 investors; a very, very small number indeed! And what about investors who did not use their own money but bought the shares by using bank loans and so on? **************************** Before discussing further about 'the majority poor' of ASN shareholders, perhaps my experience in becoming an 'investor' myself could help readers understand why 'this phenomena' happens in the ASN scheme. **************************** The story began in 1983 when I registered myself as a university student. One of the requirements for the freshies was that they had to open an account with ASN. Thus from that day onwards I was one of ASN investors. ***************************** At that time the minimum deposit was RM10. During my university and bachelor days I treated the account just like a savings account; if I managed to save some money I deposit it under the account and if I was short of cash I withdraw the money which could be easily done at post offices. *************************** When the investment scheme branched out into two identities - ASN and Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) in 1990, my name was maintained in both accounts and that is why to this day I still received statements and annual reports by ASN and also ASB. **************************** I put aside both investments (in ASN and ASB) after reading articles by some Islamic scholars saying that involvement in such schemes fell into the 'doubtful category'. *************************** At first I was in the thinking that I was among a few 'investors' that have a small amount of money in both schemes but looking back at the latest report that I had just received, it showed that too many of the investors have 'small' amounts of money in either the ASN or ASB. ************************** Perhaps many of them are like me - having an investment of less than RM100! And mind you only two percent of the shareholders in ASN having more than RM4,000 in the account! ************************** If we make the assumption that Bumiputera were reluctant to invest in ASN because of the rise and fall of their investments unit due to the market price, the profile of investors in the ASB which shares are fixed at RM1 per share too show the same trend. **************************** The report by the Administrators of Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) for the year ended 31 December 2012 noted that: "As at 31st December 2012; 7,824,331 individuals have participated in ASB scheme." ***************************** Out of the 7.8 million shareholders, 5, 769, 315 individuals held 5,000 and less shares (valued at RM1 per share); 442,932 individuals held 5,001 to 10,000 shares; 999,209 individuals held 10,001 to 50,000 shares; 600,557 individuals held 50,001 to 500,000 shares; and 12,318 individuals held 500,001 and above shares. **************************** Imagine about 80 percent of investors were 'small partners' (with investment worth RM5,000 and less) in a national scheme with the main purpose of uplifting the status of Malays in the economic field and business world. ************************* A quick look at the ASB statements sent to my parentss' house in the kampung, stated that my mother had RM129.13 in her account; a sister RM22.93 and a brother RM199.67 in his account. *************************** Based on the figures from ASN and ASB annual reports to investors, am I wrong to say the majority of Bumiputera especially Malays are not financialy stable - even though many of them joined the scheme but they were only small time investors or shareholders? *************************** I believe many of those with shares worth less than RM5,000 are customers who treat their investment just like a savings accounts with transaction actitives such as drawing money (which can be done easily) - that is when they have money they deposit it in their accounts and when they need money they withdraw it. ************************** During the last 'raya' (Aidilfitri) celebration, many ASN and ASB investors were seen at post-offices withdrawing their hard earned money. ********************** If we were to look at the situation and study the trend as recorded in the ASN or ASB Interim Report, we would be asking ourselves; are the majority of the Malays cash-strapped and without shares? ************************ This development is not be taken lightly as the purpose of setting up investment schemes such as ASN and ASB was to uplift the economic status of the Bumiputera. ************************** Perhaps the ASN which was launched more than 30 years ago (on 20th April 1981) by then Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn and then ASB about ten years later; have helped the Malays but the question is, which Malay?

'They lived happily ever after...', apakah ini wujud?

************************* 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) *********************** SEBAGAI murid sekolah rendah aliran Inggeris pada tahun-tahun 1960-an dan 70-an dulu, kerap benar saya terdedah dengan 'fairy tales' (kisah pari-pari atau kayangan) dari Barat seperti 'Snow White and the Seven Dwafs' dan 'Sleeping Beauty' yang pengakhirannya ditulis, 'and they lived happily ever after' (mereka - pasangan putera dan puteri - berkahwin dan hidup berbahagia selama-lamanya). *************************** Benarkah kehidupan di dunia ini ada bahagia selama-lamanya? Semakin tuanya diri ini, semakin sedarlah saya bahawa kehidupan ini sebenarnya' dilalui secara pergiliran' - ada bahagia ada derita, ada senang ada susah, ada masa gembira dan ada masa berduka - semuanya berlangsung silih berganti ibarat siang dan malam; gelap dan terang. *************************** Berdasarkan ini, pada pandangan hamba yang daif ini, ungkapan 'they lived happpily ever after' dalam realiti kehidupan sebenarnya tidak wujud; pemikir Melayu-Islam yang tersohor di Nusantara, Allahyarham Buya Hamka dalam salah sebuah buku yang pernah saya baca (tak ingat lagi tajuknya) ada mengungkapkan bahawa jika kita melihat istana yang tersergam indah; janganlah ingat di dalamnya penghuninya sentiasa hidup berbahagia dan bersukaria - di sana juga ada derita dan air mata! Jadi janganlah kita tertipu dengan apa yang kita lihat. ********************************* Hidup adalah satu perjalanan menuju noktahnya, kematian. Masalahnya kita tidak tahu bila dan bagaimanakah noktah itu. Apa saja boleh berlaku dalam perjalanannya;ada ulama mengkategorikan kehidupan seperti berikut: kita bermula dengan baik tetapi bertukar buruk dan akhirnya mati dalam kejelekan (su'ul khatimah); kita bermula dengan buruk tetapi hujung hayat menjadi baik dan mati dalam kebaikan (husnul khatimah); kita bermula dengan baik dan mati dalam baik (inilah yang terbaik) dan kita bermula dengan buruk dan mati pun dalam keadaan buruk (ini paling teruk). ******************************* Kemudian ada sebuah hadis menyebut: Daripada Abu Abdurrahman Abdullah bin Mas’ud r.a. berkata: beliau diberitahukan Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: "...Sesungguhnya salah seorang antara kamu beramal amalan ahli syurga sampai antara dia dengan syurga tinggal sejengkal, kemudian didahului ketentuan sehingga dia beramal dengan amalan ahli neraka dan masuklah ia ke dalam neraka; dan salah seorang kamu melakukan amalan ahli neraka sampai antara dia dan neraka tinggal sejengkal, kemudian didahului ketetapan, sehingga dia melakukan amalan ahli syurga sehingga dia masuk ke dalam syurga.“ - Imam Bukhari ****************************** Ya, wahai pembaca, kita tidak tahu nasib kita pada masa depan; jadi pada kesempatan ini inginlah saya yang daif ini mengingatkan diri sendiri dan pembaca usahlah kita berlagak sombong mengecop seseorang itu banyak dosalah; dia, hatta bekas mayat dia pun tidak layak dibawa pulang dan sebagainya kerana sebagai insan serba lemah kita tidak tahu hakikat seseorang termasuk dia sudah beriman atau tidak; yang tahu hanya dia dan Allah SWT saja. ******************************* Bukankah kita sudah biasa mendengar taubat seorang penjahat yang telah membunuh 99 orang; kemudian melengkapkannya menjadi 100 orang; tetapi taubatnya diterima Allah SWT dan dia dimasukkan ke dalam syurga; jadi apakah kelayakan kita untuk berkata itu dan ini mengenai seseorang itu sedangkan dosa kita sendiri bertimbun; sekarang ini Allah SWT 'sembunyikannya' jika Dia 'mendedahkannya' habislah kita! Kemudian kita juga tahu ada 'ahli syahid' yang dihumbankan ke neraka! ********************************* Seperti diceloteh pada awal ruangan ini bahawa dunia dan segala isinya termasuk pasangan suami isteri sentiasa berubah (tidak benarnya ungkapan 'they lived happily ever after'). Ada pasangan yang bahagia pada awal perkahwinan saja, kemudian kerap berlaku 'perang Teluk' yang membawa kepada perceraian. Pasangan yang kekal ke akhir hayat pun bukan sentiasa 'happy' saja; ada masa bahagia ada masa derita - bukanlah peribahasa Melayu ada menyebut "sedangkan lidah lagi tergigit ini pula suami isteri..." ************************** Ya, dunia sentiasa berubah dan sejarah (dunia) biasanya dirakamkan oleh pihak yang menang (berkuasa). Ada sebuah peribahasa Afrika berbunyi: “Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters” (sehinggalah sang singa mempunyai penulis sejarah, kisah perburuan akan hanya menggambarkan kehebatan si pemburu). *************************** Kini kita digembar-gemburkan segala yang muluk-muluk mengenai si pemburu; singa di hutan siapa peduli? Pemburu berlagak 'hero' sedangkan di hutan tadi, dia lari lintang pukang menyematkan diri hanya selepas mendengar bunyi 'deheman' raja rimba. Tetapi di kampung, dia berlagak, bercerita dia telah menikam sang singa! ******************************* Hari ini seseorang itu dituduh pengkhianat; mungkin esok lusa dia diangkat pahlawan bangsa. Tak percaya; 'TANYALAH' kepada Tok Janggut, Datuk Bahaman, Datuk Maharajalela, Mat Kilau dan sebagainya...ya dunia dan isinya termasuk manusia sentiasa berubah, 'nobody lives happily ever after! (tiada orang hidup bergembira sepanjang masa).

Falling in love with 'Bahru Al-Madzi'

********************* 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. **************************** A few days ago, when I was in Kuala Lumpur, I took the opportunity to pay a visit to a PAS run bookstore, Nurfair Street on Jalan Pahang Barat. At the bookshop I searched for a series of 'kitabs' (books) named 'Bahru Al-Madzi' written and compiled by our very own international renowned ulama, Sheikh Muhammad Idris Abdul Rauf Al-Marbawi. ********************** At the moment, one of Sheikh Idris's book, 'Bahru Al-Madzi - Syarah Mukhtashar Shahih At-Tirmidzi Juzuk 13') is being used as a text book during a 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house. ************************ Who is this Sheikh? Perhaps many of us do not know this figure who was famous among students and intelectuals in Egypt and Makkah. So let us find out more about this Sheikh... ********************** There are 22 'juzuk' (volumes) of 'Bahru Al-Madzi' (Lecture on 'Shahih' At-Tirmidzi) by the great Malay scholar; the one I was looking for was 'Juzuk 13' (the 13th Volume) which discusses topics on food, good deeds and relationship. ************************** Since during his class (kuliah Subuh) on every Sunday morning after 'subuh' (dawn) prayers, the 'ustaz' would just start reading from the book after finishing 'Juzuk 12' (Volume 12), I started looking for the book. **************************** Well dear readers, hadiths mentioned in the book are very detailed indeed - readings from its early pages proved it - in Chapter 1 the hadith is about eating dates with cucumber. ************************** Sheikh Idris quotes Abdullah ibn Jaafar 'radiyallahu anhu' (may he be pleased) says, “Rasulullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam (s.a.w.) ate Qith’thaa (Arab cucumbers) with dates.” ****************************** Cucumber has a cold effect and dates have a hot one. By combining the two it becomes mild. From this hadith we gather that it is recommended that the effect (hot or cold) of things eaten should be taken into consideration. Cucumber is insipid and tasteless, and dates are sweet which results in the cucumber also tasting sweet. ************************* Sheikh Idris usually begins his lectures with these soothing words: "Ketahuilah kiranya, ya saudaraku..." (Please, be informed my dear brothers..." This 'catchy phrase' by the Sheikh is his trademark; he makes readers feel very close to him; he is like a 'fatherly or a brotherly figure' advising his children or brothers and sisters. *********************** So, Sheikh Idris is close to his readers and those who follow his writtings and teachings. And some readers, I included, have fallen in love with his 'Bahru Al-Madzi'. ************************* The ustaz during our 'kuliah Subuh' also mentioned another hadith in which Aisha radiyallah anha reports that, “Rasulullah s.a.w. ate watermelon with fresh dates.” ************************* In Tirmidhi and other narrations, in explaining this, Sayidina Rasulullah s.a.w. also said, “The cold effect of one removes the heat of the other, and the heat of one removes the cold effect of the other.” ************************ Anas radiyallahu anhu says, “I saw Rasulullah s.a.w. eat together musk-melon and dates.” ********************** Some ulamas have translated this also as watermelon instead of musk-melon, the reason being, as in the first narration, here also the cold effect is intended. But it is clear that musk-melon is meant here. The reason for eating dates is also that it gives the melon a sweeter taste. It is not necessary that one’s benefit be gauged everywhere. It is possible that this is due to some other benefits. **************************** According to this humble servant the eating of watermelon with dates has its own benefit and that is to create evenness in the effect of both, so that it becomes mild. The eating of musk-melon with dates has its own benefit and that is that if the melon is insipid and tasteless, many a time, due to it being insipid sugar is mixed before it is eaten. Therefore it is not necessary to give the same reasons for both watermelon and musk-melon. **************************** The ustaz during our 'kuliah Subuh' showed us the way to eat Arab cucumber with dates and also water melon with dates. He said in 'one hand hold the cucumber or a piece of watermelon and in another hold the date'. 'Bite the cucumber and then the date and when both are in the mouth, start chewing them'; the 'show put on' by the ustaz made the audiences burst into laughter! ************************** Our ustaz have high respect for Sheikh Idris; each time he begins his lesson by mentioning contributions of the Sheikh to the Muslim ummah especially those living in the Malay archipelago. He said the Sheikh's 'kitab' was the only one from the Malay world that was being lectured at the Haram Masjid. *************************** "It is common for 'kitabs' by ulamas from India and Pakistan being taught at the Holy Land but I have not come across any from this part of the world except for Sheikh Idris's," he said. ********************************* So, who is Sheikh Muhammad Idris Abdul Rauf Al-Marbawi? In a book 'Tokoh Ulama Nusantara' (Great Ulema of the Malay Archipelago) by Tajuddin Saman who is my former work mate in NSTP and translated by thefreelibrary.com; he wrote that Muhammad Idris Al-Marbawi (he was from Lubuk Merbau, Kuala Kangsar Perak thus he used the name Al-Marbawi) was born on 28 Zulkaedah 1313 Hijrah equivalent to 1893 AD in Makkah al-Mukarramah. *************************** At the age of 10 years, he was able to memorize a total of 10 constituents while several other books. When he was a teenager, he returned home to be with his family. *************************** Returning home, he was educated first at Sekolah Melayu Lubuk Merbau. Next, he pursued graduate studies at several pondok schools such as Sekolah Pondok Syeikh Wan Muhammad in Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar; Pondok Tuan Hussain al-Masnudi in Kedah; Pondok Sheikh Ahmad Fatani in Bukit Mertajam and Pondok Tok Kenali in Kelantan. Upon graduation, he worked as a religious teacher in Perak. **************************** Sheikh Idris fame is not only in the Archipelago but also in Egypt and Makkah especially in the field of Arabic language, hadith, tafsir and fiqh. In 1924, he studied at Al-Azhar University in Egypt and got High Degree. ***************************** Then, he began to compile the Arabic/Malay dictionary or more recognizable as 'Kamus Idris al-Marbawi', published in 1937. Until now, the dictionary has been printed repeatedly, not less than 24 times. Then starting from here, he continued to explore the challenging in writing. The book, entitled 'Bahrul Al-Madzi' discussed about 8,200 religious issues and the relationship between the life of the Hereafter. He also produced several books of tafsir al-Quran in Malay Language. Among these are Tafsir Qu'ran Marbawi, Tafsir Qur'an Nurul-Yaqin and Tafsir Surah Yassin. **************************** Besides that, there a few publication which are entitled Bulughul Maram, MuNjam al-KaNnat, JamiNul Ulum, Usul al-Islam and Nizamul Hayah. ************************* All the books written by Sheikh Idris enrich the precious Islamic heritage in the Archipelago and expose the intellectuality of Muslim community. *********************** Due to the contributions and prospects in the field of religion and literature, on 5 July 1980, Sheikh Idris was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by National University of Malaysia (UKM). Award bestowed by the Chancellor of UKM, Tunku Ja'far Ibni al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman during convocation. At that time, he was 86 years old and was recorded as a scholar who has produced 21 works in various aspects of Islam. ************************** In 1987, he was enthroned as the first Maal Hijrah National Figure based on contributions and high knowledge of Islam in the archipelago, especially in Malaysia. Sheikh Idris also received a cash prize of RM 40,000, a medal and certificate. The prize was presented by the Prime Minister Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad in a ceremony Maal Hijrah celebration, in front of approximately 3,000 people were present, including ambassadors from Islamic countries, in the Islamic Centre Kuala Lumpur. When receiving the award, the Maal Hijrah figure was 95 years old. ***************************** He died shortly after receiving the award. Sheikh Idris leave a child, three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was buried in the Muslim cemetery in Kampung Lubuk Merbau that is next to the grave of his first wife, Hajah Khadijah Mohd Edham. ************************** Sheikh Idris departure is still remembered and his name is commemorated by the Muslim society either young or elderly. The great and significant contribution by him was the Kamus Al-Marbawi. This dictionary continues to be remembered and used by students in any kind of study either high or low levels and can be seen up to now. **************************** As for me, I have fallen in love with 'Bahru Al-Madzi'. 'Jazak Allah Khayr' Sheikh Muhammad Idris Al-Marbawi; "May Allah reward you (with) goodness."

Haji medan terbaik muhasabah diri

********************DENGAN Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ********************* Renungan ******************* "Siapakah yang lebih baik perkataannya daripada orang yang menyeru kepada Allah, mengerjakan amal yang saleh dan berkata: "Sesungguhnya aku termasuk orang-orang yang berserah diri?" (QS. Fushilat: 33) ************************* Bersyukur ke hadrat Allah SWT, seramai kira-kira 22,000 jemaah haji kita kini berbondong-bondong ke Tanah Suci bagi menyempurnakan Rukun Islam kelima, menyertai lebih dua juta jemaah lain dari seluruh pelosok dunia. ************************** Kita ucapkan tahniah kepada mereka yang menjadi insan terpilih sebagai tetamu Allah dan didoakan kepada mereka mendapat haji mabrur yang balasannya tiada lain hanya syurga. Insya-Allah. ********************** Dalam kesempatan ini, kita ingin mengingatkan diri kita dan sekian umat Islam terutama jemaah haji supaya istiqamah dalam perjuangan untuk hidup sebagai seorang Muslim dan mati juga sebagai seorang Muslim. Sehubungan itu semua tata hidup kita termasuk berpolitik perlulah berpandukan apa yang diajarkan dan ditunjuki oleh Allah SWT dan Rasul-Nya, Muhammad s.a.w. **************************** Antara nikmat Allah yang agung adalah Dia telah menjadikan kita sebagai bahagian daripada umat manusia terbaik, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. iaitu dengan menjadikan Islam sebagai agama kita; "Barang siapa mencari agama selain agama Islam, maka sekali-kali tidaklah akan diterima (agama itu) daripadanya, dan dia di akhirat termasuk orang-orang yang rugi." (QS. Ali Imran: 85) ************************** Junjunglah al-Quran sebagai undang-undang kita, "Sesungguhnya al-Quran ini memberikan petunjuk kepada (jalan) yang lebih lurus." (QS. Al-Isra': 9) ************************ Muhammad s.a.w. sebagai nabi kita, "Dan sesungguhnya kamu benar-benar berbudi pekerti yang agung." (QS. Al-Qalam: 4) ************************* Dan Kaabah sebagai kiblat kita, "Dan di mana saja kamu berada, palingkanlah mukamu ke arahnya." (QS. Al-Baqarah: 144) *********************** Hal ini mengharuskan kita bersyukur kepada Allah, Zat yang Maha Tinggi. Insya-Allah jemaah yang ke Tanah Suci akan kembali; ini beberapa nasihat kepada haji dan hajah, semoga hal ini bermanfaat bagi kita semua: ************************ 1. Syukur kepada Allah Taala kerana kita telah berhasil menyelesaikan kewajiban yang agung dan penuh barakah ini. "Sesungguhnya jika kamu bersyukur, pasti Aku (Allah) akan menambah (nikmat) kepadamu." (QS. Ibrahim: 7) ************************ 2. Hendaknya haji menjadi titik tolak perubahan dalam hidup kita. "Sesungguhnya Allah tidak mengubah keadaan sesuatu kaum sehingga mereka mengubah keadaan yang ada pada diri mereka sendiri." (QS. Ar-Ra'du: 11) ************************** 3. Banyak orang pulang haji dengan membawa hidayah, yang paling pokok adalah kita pulang haji dengan membawa hidayah. "Tunjukilah kami jalan yang lurus." (QS. Al-Fatihah: 7) *************************** 4. Kita baru saja meninggalkan pendidikan dan pelatihan iman dan amal, kewajipan kita melanjutkan apa yang sudah kita pelajari. "Demi masa. Sesungguhnya manusia itu benar-benar berada dalam kerugian, kecuali orang-orang yang beriman dan mengerjakan amal saleh dan nasihat menasihati supaya menaati kebenaran dan nasihat menasihati supaya menetapi kesabaran." (QS. Al-'Ashr: 1-3) *********************** 5. Jangan lupakan, "Sesungguhnya orang-orang mukmin adalah bersaudara." (QS. Al-Hujurat: 10) *********************** 6. Betapa seringnya engkau angkat tanganmu berdoa kepada Allah pada hari-hari yang baik itu, maka jangan engkau hentikan, "doa adalah ibadah." (HR. Abu Dawud, Nasai, Ibnu Maja dan dishahihkan oleh at-Tirmidzi) ************************* 7. Jadikan seluruh hidupmu sesuai dengan sunnah Nabi s.a.w. dan bersungguh-sungguhlah untuk mengamalkannya. "...Tidaklah hambaku senantiasa mendekatkan dirinya kepada-Ku dengan amal-amal sunnah hingga Aku mencintainya..." (HR. Bukhari) *********************** 8. Engkau telah kembali dengan membawa prasangka baik kepada Allah. Dosa-dosamu juga telah terlebur. Keadaanmu laksana bayi yang baru dilahirkan oleh seorang ibu. Maka janganlah engkau padamkan cahaya di hatimu dengan lumpur dosa. ************************ 9. Boleh jadi engkau juga telah berjanji kepada Allah untuk bertaubat (meninggalkan dosa), maka jangan engkau ulangi lagi. "Ya Tuhan kami, janganlah Engkau jadikan hati kami condong kepada kesesatan sesudah Engkau beri petunjuk kepada kami..." (QS. Ali Imran: 8) ************************** 10. Saranan yang utama untuk meneguhkan keistiqamahanmu adalah dengan melaksanakan dakwah (mengajak manusia) kepada Allah. "Siapakah yang lebih baik perkataannya daripada orang yang menyeru kepada Allah, mengerjakan amal yang saleh dan berkata: "Sesungguhnya aku termasuk orang-orang yang berserah diri?" (QS. Fushilat: 33) *************************** Saudaraku, para hujjaj, setelah pulang haji tanyakan pada dirimu, apakah engkau masih merasakan letih dan lelah? Pasti kamu akan menjawab, "tidak." Begitulah hidup di dunia, kita merasa lelah kerana Allah, kemudian kita akan bersantai dan bersenang-senang untuk selama-lamanya di syurga yang tinggi, yang tak akan pernah terdengar perkataan sia-sia di dalamnya. ******************** Kepada Allah-lah kita memohon kebaikan dan kurnia-Nya; semoga dengan bergelarnya kita sebagai haji dan hajah dapatlah kita berperanan sebagai seorang Muslim yang beriman dan beramal dalam semua bidang kehidupan termasuk dalam berpolitik. ************************* Berpolitiklah mengikut Islam; berdasarkan apa yang ditunjuki oleh Allah dan Rasul-Nya Muhammad s.a.w. Insya-Allah, kita akan selamat dunia dan akhirat sebagaimana doa yang selalu dititipkan oleh jemaah haji ketika bertawaf di sisi Kaabah - Rabbana atina fid-dunya hasanatan wa fil 'akhirati hasanatan waqina 'adhaban-nar - yang bererti: Ya Tuhan kami, berilah kami kebaikan di dunia dan kebaikan di akhirat dan peliharalah kami daripada azab neraka.... Amin

Seronoknya menjadi penghantar tetamu Allah...

*************************** DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. **************************** Renungan *************************** "Sesungguhnya kami memberi makanan kepadamu hanyalah untuk mengharapkan keredaan Allah, kami tidak menghendaki balasan daripada kamu dan tidak pula (ucapan) terima kasih." (Surah Al-Insaan, ayat 9) ************************* SEJAK menghantar ibu bapa saya ke Kompleks Tabung Haji Kelana Jaya dalam perjalanan mereka menunaikan haji buat pertama kali pada tahun 1991, mungkin sudah belasan kali saya ke pusat pengumpulan jemaah haji bagi kawasan tengah Semenanjung itu. *************************** Namun sehingga kini setiap kali memandu kenderaan ke kompleks itu dari Melaka saya masih tidak yakin dapat menuju ke sana dengan tepat tanpa bertanya arah jalan kepada orang ramai termasuklah jurutol. Keadaan semakin tertekan jika kita terperangkap dalam kesesakan kenderaan ketika waktu kemuncak seperti sebelum dan selepas waktu pejabat. *************************** Pengalaman mutakhir ketika menghantar seorang adik perempuan dan suaminya yang akan ke Tanah Suci baru-baru ini juga menyaksikan saya terpaksa 'berpusing dan berpatah balik ke sana sini' sebelum akhirnya menghampiri kompleks yang terletak di kawasan perumahan itu. ***************************** Adalah biasa untuk orang luar kehilangan masa sejam dua terkial-kial mencari arah ke kompleks berkenaan. Sebaik sampai dan menurunkan jemaah haji dan bagasi mereka, cabaran seterusnya adalah untuk mempakir kenderaan. Jalan sepanjang kompleks itu dipenuhi kenderaan, maka terpaksalah mencari ruang kosong termasuk di hadapan rumah orang dan di padang. **************************** Diharapkan kepayahan orang luar mencari jalan ke Kompleks Tabung Haji di Kelana Jaya dapat diselesaikan dalam waktu terdekat. Mengikut laporan beberapa tahun lalu, Tabung Haji sudah membina sebuah kompleks haji bernilai RM150 juta berdekatan Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA). Namun apa sudah jadi; apa perkembangan terbaru mengenai kompleks ini? **************************** Dalam masa menunggu ini, jemaah haji dan orang ramai terpaksa berpuas hati dengan kompleks lama di Kelana Jaya. Pada setiap musim haji, kompleks ini dibanjiri terlalu ramai orang. Bagi setiap kumpulan (KT) penerbangan mungkin ada 400 jemaah; jika satu pasangan jemaah haji (biasanya suami isteri) ada 20 penghantar (termasuk kanak-kanak), jumlah mereka yang berhimpun mungkin melebih 4,000 orang pada satu-satu masa. Itulah sebabnya untuk 'menenggekkan punggung' di penjuru platform dalam khemah pun payah; jadi ramailah yang terpaksa berdiri. ****************************** Kehadiran saudara-mara dan sahabat handai penghantar jemaah itulah yang menceriakan suasana. Keadaan hiruk pikuk dengan anak-anak berlari ke sana sini manakala penjual barangan permainan seperti belon dan watak kartun termasuk Spongebob Squarepants menambah gamat suasana. ***************************** Suasana meriah di Kompleks Tabung Haji Kelana Jaya menunjukkan betapa seronoknya saudara-mara dan sahabat-handai menghantar orang kesayangan ke Tanah Suci. Insya-Allah dengan semangat itu, suatu hari mereka juga akan ke Tanah Suci, menunaikan haji. ****************************** Namun dalam kemeriahan orang ramai di Kompleks Haji, ada pengunjung 'terlepas pandang', mungkin mereka terlupa bahawa usaha mereka menghantar jemaah itu sebenarnya adalah 'suatu ibadat' - mereka membantu dan meraikan ibu bapa, saudara-mara atau sahabat-handai melengkapkan Rukun Islam masing-masing. ************************** Ada wanita penghantar jemaah tidak bertudung, ada yang berpakaian sendat dan ketat; jadi amat janggal kelihatan ketika mereka bersalam-salaman dan berpeluk-pelukan dengan jemaah yang akan berlepas. Jika begini keadaannya masakan kunjungan mereka ini dikira ibadat; sebenarnya bukan hanya orang yang pergi menunaikan haji saja perlu mempertingkatkan ibadat mereka tetapi juga orang yang ditinggalkan di tanah air. ************************* Jemaah haji Malaysia mungkin 22,000 orang saja; tetapi yang tinggal di sini jutaan orang; jadi apa amalan yang boleh dilakukan mereka pada musim haji ini? Banyak perkara boleh dilaksanakan seperti mengambil peranan ibu bapa kepada anak-anak yang ditinggalkan jemaah dan ada amalan khusus yang amat digalakkan kepada kita di tanah air seperti berpuasa pada 1-9 Zulhijah (terutamanya pada 9 Zulhijah iaitu Hari Wukuf), memperbanyakkan doa, berzikir dan bersedekah. ********************* Kemudian pada 10 Zulhijah (Hari Raya Haji) ada amalannya; demikian juga pada Hari Tasyrik (11,12 dan 13 Zulhijjah). Antara amalan yang sangat digalakkan adalah melakukan korban binatang. Demikian betapa banyak amalan yang boleh dilakukan oleh orang yang tidak mengerjakan haji; jadi Hari Raya Haji bukanlah khusus untuk orang menunaikan haji semata-mata!