Roslan Hamid's Blog, page 33

Jamadilakhir 7, 1443: Manfaatkan teknologi maklumat dalam berdakwah (U)

Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

Renungan

"Dan janganlah kamu menghampiri zina, sesungguhnya zina itu adalah satu perbuatan yang keji dan satu jalan yang jahat yang membawa kerosakan." - Maksud Ayat al-Quran Surah al-Israa': 32

TERTARIK benar penulis dengan penjelasan seorang tok guru dalam tazkirah di sebuah masjid berhampiran rumah penulis baru - baru ini bahawa dalam perkembangan teknologi komunikasi sekarang ini lebih mudah untuk seseorang mendekatkan dirinya dengan Penciptanya, Allah SWT.

Katanya, dalam telefon selular boleh dimasukkan cip bacaan al-Quran sebanyak 30 juzuk, jadi bolehlah seseorang itu menghayati bacaan al-Quran sepanjang masa dan di mana saja dia berada. “Tetapi janganlah dibuka dalam tandas,” beritahu tok guru.

Katanya, pada zaman serba canggih ini semakin mudahlah seseorang itu mendekatkan dirinya dengan Allah, namun keberkesanannya bergantung kepada individu juga; jika teknologi hebat dia hanya berminat untuk mendengar lagu-lagu penyanyi kesukaannya, maka gagallah dia mendekatkan dirinya dengan Allah.

Tok Guru berkata; “dah tua - tua ni janganlah terlalu berminat dengan suara Siti Nurhaliza lagi, bertaubatlah, gunakanlah kemudahan moden itu untuk mendekatkan diri dengan Allah. Hayatilah bacaan al-Quran, ketenangan akan kita perolehi.”

Bercakap mengenai penggunaan teknologi komunikasi dalam dakwah, berdasarkan pengalaman penulis mengikuti tazkirah dan kelas pengajian di masjid berbanding kursus umrah yang dianjurkan syarikat swasta, ternyata yang kedua ini selalunya menggunakan pendekatan multimedia mendatangkan kesan lebih mendalam kepada hadirin.

Pada kebanyakan kelas pengajian di masjid yang biasanya diadakan antara solat maghrib dan isyak, komunikasi adalah sehala, ustaz saja yang bercakap sedangkan jemaah mendengar saja. Jarang benar ustaz bersedia membuka soalan kepada jemaah.

Apabila berlaku komunikasi sehala, penulis perhatikan ada jemaah tersenguk-senguk, menandakan mereka tertidur tetapi pada persembahan multimedia ketika kursus umrah penulis mendapati hadirin begitu tertarik dan bersemangat sekali.

Teknologi komunikasi berkembang pesat, jadi tidakkah teringin pemimpin masjid meningkatkan kaedah penyampaian termasuk tazkirah dengan menggunakan alat bantuan multimedia seperti slaid Powerpoint dan skrin gergasi? Berhubung perkara ini, Abdul Halim Ismail dalam majalah Risalah, Bilangan 4 (April 1992) antara lain menulis: “Dengan meningkatnya teknologi komunikasi canggih bermakna meningkatlah darjah persaingan antara pelbagai kelompok, badan dan pertubuhan serta organisasi - organisasi untuk memenangi hati massa.

“Kini badan perniagaan dan korporat, parti politik, agensi pelancongan, badan budaya dan pengusaha industri hiburan terlibat dalam perang maklumat (infowar) yang sengit sekali. Dalam kebisingan dan hiruk pikuk seperti ini, mesej agama selalunya menjadi terpencil dan tidak didengari. Apatah lagi kalau badan-badan dakwah dan gerakan Islam memilih untuk menarik diri daripada perlumbaan yang hebat ini, pastilah suara dakwah menjadi bertambah perlahan.

“Kita yakin bahawa mesej Illahi adalah perutusan unggul yang harus ditebar seluas-luasnya. Allah sendiri menegaskan, “siapakah yang lebih baik perkataannya daripada orang yang mengajak kepada Allah? (terjemahan al-Quran, surah Fussilat 41:33). Namun tanpa ikut serta dalam ‘technological leap’ yang pantas kini, dakwah akan hanya mampu menguasai ‘market share’ yang kecil sahaja seperti yang disebut dalam American Demographics, ‘God may not be dead, but the mass market is’.

“Walaupun survival gerakan Islam tidak banyak bergantung kepada teknologi maklumat komunikasi, tanpa impak daripada operasi dakwahnya yang merupakan raison d’etre kehadirannya bergantung besar kepada kaedah dan media yang dimanfaatkan.”

Berdasarkan pengamatan penulis, jemaah yang mengikuti kelas pengajian di masjid pada setiap kali adalah orang yang sama. Mereka mungkin terdiri daripada 20 orang daripada seluruh penduduk kariah atau kampung seramai 2,000 atau 3,000 orang.

Jika orang dewasa di kampung itu ada 2,000 orang, kehadiran hanya 20 orang menunjukkan betapa gagalnya pentadbiran masjid dalam mendidik orang Islam. Tentunya masjid gagal diimarahkan kerana dengan tidak hadirnya 1,980 daripada 2,000 penduduk lelaki dewasa atau lebih 99 peratus penduduk kampung bermaksud mesej Islam gagal disampaikan secara berkesan.

Jadi bagaimana mahu berkomunikasi dengan lebih 99 peratus penduduk itu? Tentunya kaedah tradisional di mana ustaz duduk menghadap 20 ‘murid tua’ itu perlu diperkemaskan agar seruannya dapat didengar dan dimanfaatkan oleh seluruh penduduk kampung.

Sebuah masjid di ibu kota (Masjid Sayidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq di Bangsar) telah memulakan alat bantuan multimedia pada khutbah Jumaatnya. Dua skrin gergasi yang setiap satu bernilai RM6,000 diletakkan di sebelah mimbar, dan apabila khatib berkhutbah, persembahan slaid mengiringi isi khutbah, sekali gus menaikkan minat jemaah yang biasanya terkulai layu pada tengah hari yang panas itu.

Di beberapa masjid lain di Wilayah Persekutuan sudah ada persembahan Powerpoint bagi mengiringi khutbah Jumaat. Semuanya dilakukan dengan harapan jemaah akan lebih memahami sesuatu isu itu di samping mengelakkan mereka daripada terlena.

Alangkah baiknya, alat bantuan ini juga digunakan ketika diadakan tazkirah dan kelas pengajian di masjid. Pengurusan masjid juga boleh memikirkan bagaimana tazkirah itu dapat dipanjangkan kepada ratusan atau ribuan penduduk kariah yang tidak hadir berbanding dengan 20 jemaah tetap masjid.

Berdakwah kepada 20 ahli tetap masjid ini amatlah baik tetapi alangkah besar manfaat dan ganjarannya jika ribuan penduduk kampung dapat disampaikan ilmu dan maklumat. Memang betul, anak murid perlu mencari guru tetapi alangkah beruntung jika kita dapat memanfaatkan teknologi komunikasi yang kini berada di depan mata untuk menyeru seluruh penduduk ke arah kebaikan.

Bayangkan apa yang dapat dilakukan sekiranya organisasi dakwah mempunyai ‘linkage’ rangkaian telekomunikasi dengan setiap rumah dengan data dan maklumat yang sedia dimanfaatkan oleh semua pihak.Ya, apa kata kita wujudkan telekomunikasi antara masjid dengan rumah penduduk dalam sesebuah kariah itu. Dengan itu apa saja sesi tazkirah di masjid boleh diikuti di rumah, tetapi harap-harap ia tidak disalahgunakan oleh penduduk lelaki dewasa untuk tidak hadir ke masjid.

Mungkin orang lelaki akan berterusan dipujuk ke masjid tetapi dengan wujudnya hubungan telekomunikasi masjid-rumah itu boleh dimanfaatkan sepenuhnya oleh golongan perempuan terutama suri rumah yang terlalu sibuk dengan anak-anak dan urusan rumah tangga.

Jamadilakhir 6, 1443: The good husband…(U)

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. 

It is my everyday routine to sit in front of the TV after returning home from the masjid after performing ‘subuh’ (dawn prayers). There are some good religious and motivational programmes on TV such as ‘Motivasi Pagi’ and ‘Tanyalah Ustaz’.

One day while listening to ‘Motivasi Pagi’; I was moved when the ‘ustaz’ involved when talking about about the character of a good husband said he is not the one who provided for all the material pleasures demanded by his wife but who was able to guide her for her safety in this world and more importantly in the Hereafter. 

He read a verse from the Qur’an with the meaning: “O! You who believe, save yourself and your families from Hell-fire, whose fuel are humans and stones (idols) over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.” (At-Tahrim 66: 6) 

Yes, provide for and save your wife from Hell-fire; you are on the right track to be a good husband. Unfortunately in today’s material world, a man who could provide worldly pleasures and fulfill the lust of his wife is looked upon as a good husband. 

The wife’s crave for those pleasures are fulfilled. ‘High class’ women demand ‘high class taste of living'; perhaps these included shopping in top fashion and capital cities of the world such as New York, London and Paris looking for Birkin handbags, diamond rings and so on. She also demands to stay in top and exclusive hotels of the world and attending star-studded party. 

The ‘ustaz’ said, to have a ‘religious’ wife, you should be ‘religious’ too. A good man is for a good woman and vise versa. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him – s.a.w.) in a hadith by Bukhari and Muslim said: “A woman may be married for four things: for her wealth, for her noble descent, for her beauty or for her religion. Choose the one who is religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust!” 

Of course a religious wife would not demand from her husband worldly pleasures which are not within her husband’s means. She knows his limitation and acknowledges her obligation to obey and please him. 

In Islam, the husband is the ‘qawwaam’ (maintainer) of his wife so that he will be a ‘real man’ knowing how to steer the ship of family life towards the shore of safety and guidance. 

Islam warns all men against the trail and ‘fitnah’ (temptation) of women, which may make them heedless and weak, and lessen their religious commitment, so that they turn a blind eye to the waywardness and unIslamic behaviour of their wives. 

In such a case a husband has no say: his wife is controlling everything in the home, so that he dare not disobey her, or answer to her back, or refuse any of her wimps. The Prophet (s.a.w.) was right when he said that this is the most damaging of trails and temptations that a man can be faced with: “There will be no ‘fitnah’ after my death that is worse for men than the ‘fitnah’ of women.” (Bukhari and Muslim) 

The Muslim husband is a man who is not weak in dealing with the trial of a wayward wife, no matter how difficult that ‘fitnah’ is. He gently makes it clear to her that no matter how much he loves her, he loves Allah and the Prophet (s.a.w.) more, and his desire to please Allah is stronger than his feelings for her: Say, [O Muhammad], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people." (Qur’an 9:24) 

In this way, the female waywardness which we see in many so-called Muslim homes will be done away with. The man who sees his wife, daughters and sisters going out in the street with make-up, uncovered heads and bare arms, clothed but seeming naked and does nothing to stop this disobedience in Islam, has surely lost his manhood, abandoned Islam and earned the wrath of Allah SWT. He is a ‘dayus’. There is no way out of this predicament but sincere repentance which will wake him up, restore his manhood and set him back in the straight path. 

Islam considers women to be a trust which has been given to men for safe-keeping. As the wife is usually influenced by her husband, he may take her with him to Paradise or lead her to Hell. Therefore Allah SWT orded the believing men to protect both themselves and their families from the Fire and gave a terrifying picture of the awful fate that awaits them if they neglect their responsibilities towards their wives and families and fail to compel them to adhere to the truth. – The Ideal Muslim, Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi (IIPH) 

Eventhough a wife is commanded to obey her husband, it is only within the limits of permissiblility, fairness and justice. Women enjoy more protection and respect within Islam compared to any other faith, wrote Dr Y Mansoor Marican in his note ‘Invitation to Understanding Islam’ (www.perkim.net.my).

He writes: “The rights of a Muslim woman include the right to have her survival and sexual needs met by her husband, a marriage contract, and divorce, refuse a marriage proposal and maintain her name when entering marriage. 

“She also has the right to inheritance, own and run her own business, exclusive possession of her assets and disposes them in ways that she considers appropriate. In the spiritual realm, women are equal to men as the only distinction amongst the Believers is the level of their piety. The status accorded to women in Islam is best exemplified in the reply of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when asked about Paradise: “It is at the feet of the mother.” (Bukhari) 

Regarding women, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said that, the world and all things in it are valuable; and one of the most valuable in the world is a virtuous woman. 

One day a woman asked the Prophet what were her duties towards her husband. To her, he replied: “A wife should not leave her home without her husband’s permission. Women are the twin halves of men.” 

God enjoins you to treat women well, for they are your mothers, daughters and aunts. 

The rights of women are sacred. See that women are maintained in the rights assigned to them. 

When a woman performs the five daily prayers, and fasts in the month of Ramadan, and is chaste, and is not disobedient to her husband, then tell her that she can enter Paradise by whichever door she chooses.

Jamadilakhir 5, 1443: Sumbangan kecil; besar erti kepada agama jika ikhlas (U)

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. 

Renungan 

"Patutkah aku menyembah beberapa tuhan yang lain daripada Allah? (Sudah tentu tidak patut, kerana) jika Allah Yang Maha Pemurah hendak menimpakan daku dengan sesuatu bahaya, mereka tidak dapat memberikan sebarang syafaat kepadaku dan mereka juga tidak dapat menyelamatkan daku." (Surah Yaasin, ayat 23) 

SEMAKIN tua diri ini, semakin terasa pula terlalu sikit bekalan untuk dibawa ke alam sana. Kadang-kadang terasa cemas di hati, diri ini sebenarnya tiada apa-apa bekalan untuk dibawa ke sana. 

Ringkasnya diri ini 'belum bersedia lagi untuk mati'. Namun mati akan tetap menjemput diri kita sama ada kita bersedia atau tidak. 

Seorang ustaz dalam kuliah dwi-bulanan di sebuah masjid berhampiran rumah saya, berkata 'orang yang hidup hatinya' termasuk ustaz sendiri ramai yang mula 'menggulung tilam' mereka sebaik saja memasuki umur 40 tahun seterusnya 'membuat pecutan' terakhir sebelum ajal menjemput mereka. 

Apakah makna 'menggulung tilam' itu? Sang ustaz membawa kisah Umar Abdul Aziz (hidup pada 682-719 Masihi) iaitu salah seorang khalifah Bani Umaiyah yang juga dianggap Khalifah Al-Rasyidin yang kelima selepas Abu Bakar r.a., Umar al-Khattab r.a., Uthman Affan r.a. dan Ali Abu Talib k.w.j. yang mengungkapkan kata-kata tegas penuh ketakutan kepada Allah SWT kepada isterinya, Fatimah selepas dilantik khalifah yang kerajaannya terbentang dari Lautan Atlantik di barat ke India di sebelah timur dalam usia 35 tahun. 

Umar berkata dia tak ada masa lagi untuk berseronok-seronok dengan anak isterinya, masa yang ada termasuk waktu tidurnya di atas tilam empuk dalam istana indah, perlu dikorbankan seluruhnya untuk Allah SWT termasuk melayan keperluan rakyat. Kalau isterinya bersedia menjalani kehidupan begitu berpanjanganlah jodoh mereka, jika tidak suka, dia sedia menceraikannya "dan kamu carilah lelaki lain yang boleh membahagiakan kamu." 

Sungguh Umar telah menjalankan pemerintahan dengan penuh ketakutan kepada Allah SWT sehinggalah dia meninggal dunia dua setengah tahun kemudian dalam usia 37 tahun. Sungguhpun pemerintahannya tersangkat singkat, keadilannya disanjung Timur dan Barat, membolehkan namanya diletakkan sebaris dengan khalifah Al-Rasyidin yang empat. 

Khalifah Umar telah 'menggulung tilamnya' sebelum berusia 40 tahun (baginda meninggal dalam usia 37 tahun) tetapi adakah kita ini (termasuk sayalah tu) yang telah tua ini (melebihi 50 tahun) masih mahu berleka-leka dengan kehidupan dunia yang singkat ini? Masa yang berbaki terlalu pendek tetapi apa yang telah kita buat? 

Ya, tiada apa yang kita sudah buat; namun sebagai teladan (tiadalah niat di hati saya untuk membesar diri), beberapa 'perkara terlalu kecil dan remeh' yang telah saya buat telah mendatangkan apa yang saya anggap kesan besar kepada kebajikan masyarakat. 

Menulis cadangan kepada Pengerusi dan AJK Masjid dan memasukkannya ke dalam kotak cadangan masjid (semacam surat layang) adalah antara 'kerja' yang pernah saya lakukan. Antara cadangan yang pernah saya utarakan ialah "kenapa masjid kita ada tandas VIP yang ditutup saja sepanjang tahun. Bukalah untuk kegunaan jemaah kerana ada tandas tetapi tidak digunakan adalah pembaziran (VIP datang sesekali saja). Pembaziran adalah kerja SYAITAN." 

Terkejut sungguh saya, cadangan saya mendapat respons baik. Tidak lama kemudian tandas itu dibuka untuk kegunaan awam selepas papan tanda VIP ditanggalkan! Bukankah ini 'kerja kecil' tetapi faedahnya dapat dinikmati bersama. 

Selepas kali pertama menunaikan haji pada 2002, saya menulis surat kepada pengurusan Tabung Haji mencadangkan agar diadakan tandas berasingan untuk buang air kecil dan buang air besar (serta mandi) di Mina dan Arafah (ketika musim haji) kerana orang buang air kecil mengambil masa singkat sedangkan orang buang air besar serta mandi mengambil masa terlalu lama jadi kasihanlah orang yang beratur panjang dan lama terutama orang-orang tua, hanya untuk kencing sedangkan 'urusannya' boleh diselesaikan dengan segera. 

Saya ingat cadangan saya tak ke mana-mana; tetapi terkejut saya mendapat surat dari Tabung Haji memberitahu cadangan saya telah disampaikan kepada pihak Muassasah Asia Tenggara di Arab Saudi yang mengurusakan hal-ehwal jemaah haji di Arafah dan Mina! Dan apabila saya menunaikan haji bagi kali kedua pada 2005, sudah ada tandas bertulis 'Untuk Buang Air Kecil' saja. Ya, tidaklah saya tahu sama ada perubahan itu ada kaitan dengan surat saya, tetapi setidak-tidaknya saya gembira dan bersyukur dengan pembaharuan itu yang mendatangkan kebaikan kepada semua. 

Ingatlah kisah si burung kecil yang berusaha memadamkan api besar yang dinyalakan untuk membakar Nabi Ibrahim a.s. dengan membawa air di paruhnya; usahanya mungkin dilihat kecil oleh makhluk tetapi besar di sisi-Nya. Hendaklah kita menjadi seperti burung itu yang tidak meminta jasanya dikenang tetapi hanya mengharapkan reda Illahi!

Jamadilakhir 4, 1443: 'Ikut hati mati, ikut rasa binasa...' (U)

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)

TAHAP kesabaran orang sekarang mungkin sudah hampir punah. Tidak lama dahulu, seorang pemandu treler melanggar belasan kereta yang dipakir berhampiran Stadium Hang Jebat, Melaka kerana mahu cepat keluar daripada kesesakan bagi menyelesaikan tugasnya.

Menatap berita akhbar, sedarlah kita betapa semakin ramai orang sudah hilang kesabaran mereka. Bayi dicampak dari tingkat 16 flet, peguam terjun dari tingkat 7, anak tikam bapa, dan bapa pukul guru adalah antara laporan yang kita baca. Persoalannya, apa sebenar sudah berlaku kepada masyarakat kita?

Bagi mencari jawapan kepada persoalan ini, usahlah kita pergi jauh...saya merujuk kepada diri saya sendiri. Baru-baru ini ibu saya masuk wad Hospital Melaka; lebih seminggu lamanya. Setiap hari saya mengunjunginya, antara masalah terbesar pelawat adalah mendapatkan pakir.

Pada waktu puncak terutama tengah hari, untuk mendapatkan pakir, pengunjung perlu 'berpusing-pusing' keliling hospital, mengharapkan ada pemandu kenderaan mahu mengosongkan tempat mereka.

Suatu hari saya 'berpusing-pusing' beberapa kali, kepala sudah pening dan 'darah sudah naik'. Peluh sudah memercik dari tubuh saya sekalipun pendingin udara kereta dipasang pada tahap maksimum. 

Saya nampak ada ruang kosong; saya cuba pakir di tempat sempit itu. Sekejap saja , entah dari mana pengawal lalu lintas hospital sudah sampai; dia meniupkan wiselnya mengarahkan saya pergi. Saya yang 'dah naik darah', 'mendidih' pula hati saya. 

Mahu saya 'gelek' saja pengawal itu...tetapi bersabarlah, bersabarlah, bersabarlah, pujuk hati saya. Hati saya berkata: "apalah kau ni, nama saja belajar agama sana sini, tetapi apabila diuji kau gagal." Saya pun 'blah' dari tempat itu, mencari tempat teduh yang jauh dari hospital, beristighfar sambil-sambil cuba mengingati firman Allah SWT yang bermaksud: "Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang sabar akan diberikan pahala mereka tanpa hisab."

Dari kejauhan saya melihat hospital tersergam 'gah', namun terfikir di benak saya, hospital hanyalah tempat untuk merawat penyakit fizikal misalnya orang yang mengalami permasalahan hati dan jantung boleh dirawat di situ tetapi apakah boleh orang yang hatinya rosak dari segi rohani dirawat di situ?

Ya, apa yang dapat disaksikan sekarang ini, terlalu ramai anggota masyarakat yang hati mereka sudah rosak atau mati. Disebabkan hati rosak inilah makin ramai orang hilang sabar, maka terjadilah kejadian seperti sengaja melanggar kenderaan lain, menikam bapa sendiri atau menampar guru.

Hati rosak membawa pelbagai penyakit seperti pentingkan diri, tamak, berasa gagah dan sombong. "Malangnya," kata seorang ustaz yang saya ikuti kuliah mingguannya, "tidak ada hospital untuk merawat hati yang rosak."

Kata sang ustaz, tidak ramai orang sedar hati mereka sudah rosak; namun jika kita mahu mengusahakannya pergilah menuntut ilmu (hadiri tazkirah), membaca al-Quran dan memahami maknanya, bangun pada sepertiga malam untuk bersolat dan bermuhasabah diri dan mendekati guru mursyid. Guru ini akan mendedahkan sifat buruk dalaman kita dan bersama-samalah kita berusaha membaikinya.

Subhanallah, wahai pembaca, kita tiada hospital bagi membaik pulih hati yang rosak apatah lagi yang sudah mati. Sebaliknya kita sendiri dituntut untuk membaiki diri seperti bermujahadah bagi membersihkan diri daripada sifat-sifat terkutuk yang apabila terzahir akan berlakulah kejadian seperti merosakkan harta awam dan mencederakan orang lain seperti menampar guru. Ya, kata orang-orang tua; 'ikut hati mati, ikut rasa binasa...'

Kita perlu berilmu untuk mengetahui kedudukan nafsu kita daripada yang terbawah, 'ammarah', membawa kepada 'lauwammah', 'mulhamah', 'muthmainnah', 'radliyah', 'mardliyah' and 'kamilah' yang hanya dimiliki oleh pilihan Allah SWI seperti rasul-rasul-Nya.

Mengapai nafsu 'muthmainnah' sudah dikira terbaik kerana dalam Surah Al-Fajr (ayat 27-30), Allah SWT berfirman yang bermaksud: "Wahai jiwa yang tenang, kembalilah kepada Tuhanmu dengan hati yang reda dan diredai-Nya, maka masuklah ke dalam golongan hamba-hamba-Ku, dan masuklah ke dalam syurga-Ku."

Jamadilakhir 3, 1443: You are what you eat...(U)

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) 

AS a diabetic, I have four appointments yearly with a local clinic; during the latest routine medical check up I was directed by some nurses to go to a dark room where they were screening a documentary regarding the ugly side or effects of diabetes especially during the final stages of patients suffering the disease where 'limps were amputated'...and "oh my God, I was scared!"

I was forced to spend more than 40 minutes of 'my precious time' with some 15 other 'patients'. A Chinese 'veteran' who was seated next to me showed 'a face full of displeasure face' and he was restless throughout the session and kept on repeating 'aaiyaah, aaiyah!' Once, he left his chair and went out of the room but was 'coaxed' back to his seat by the nurses. 

Many of the 'patients' who were highlighted in the documentary programme, regreted their past lives of having 'bad habits' such as drinking alcohol and taking food and drinks with excessive sugar and salt contents. 

In my opinion, 'the show' was a good effort to 'guide' us as diabetic patients; only perhaps it was quite late to show us 'that stuff' as we had already afflicted by the disease; wouldn't it more proper and more effective to screen it to young citizens of our country such as school children and students of universities? 

We’ve all heard the old adage ‘you are what you eat’; well I must admit that during my younger years I just took for granted the foods I consumed including high level of sugar intake and now at 50, I am diagnosed with diabetes. But why must the authorities took effort to guide me now and not some 30 years ago when I was a 'roaring' young man who was 'thirsty' of information and knowledge? 

Only at 50; I realize that there is a need of greater awareness about the foods we are consuming. There are many foods which are silently killing us and compromising our health but we are hardly aware of it till we are stricken by an illness. 

The notion that to be fit and healthy you need to eat good food. It was said that 90 percent of the diseases known to man are caused by cheap foodstuffs. So how true is the saying that you are what you eat? 

There's a book entitled 'You Are What You Eat' by a clinical nutritionist Gillian McKeith to guide us on this subject. If your body could talk what would it say about you, asked McKeith. 

We’ve all heard the old adage ‘you are what you eat’, but have you ever stopped to think exactly how true that is? Put simply, healthy eating is the key to wellbeing. We all have up to 100 trillion cells in our bodies, each one demanding a constant supply of daily nutrients in order to function optimally. 

Food affects all of these cells, and by extension, every aspect of our being: mood, energy levels, food cravings, thinking capacity, sex drive, sleeping habits and general health. If you feed your body junk and convenience foods it’ll simply lay down fat, lower your energy, even your brain power. 

At a time when around half of all women and two thirds of all men in the UK are overweight or clinically obese and the estimated cost to the country is 18 million sick days and 30,000 deaths a year, and 40,000 lost years of working life in England alone (source: National Audit Office), this is a serious issue. 

We occasionally do hear about the harmful aspects of various foods but we do not pay much attention to these little warnings because a lack of awareness about this aspect.

Thus, I am hopeful that the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education could co-operate in organizing programmes to educate the young about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle including taking the 'correct foods' and for Muslims 'halal' (permissible) ones because in Islam, food consumed must be clean, pure and safe. 

Regarding dietary regulations; many verses of the Qur'an draw man's attention to his own self and invite him carefully and seriously to study his body and soul and the nature of their mutual relationship. It is therefore necessary to keep the physical body very healthy so that other things (i.e., spirit and soul) may also remain healthy and so help him in the service of both his material and spiritual attainment. Diet has therefore played an important role in Islamic medicine. Islam has prohibited certain foods because of their ill effects and allowed all other pure, good and clean things. 

"O Muhammad! Ask them who has forbidden the decent and clean things that God has produced for His servants and (who has forbidden) the good and pure things of life granted by Him. Say: All these things are for the believers in this world but on the Day of Resurrection, these shall be exclusively for them. Thus do We make clear Our revelations to those who possess knowledge." (Qur'an 7:32) 

And in Surah Al-Baqara, we read, "O believers! Eat of the good and pure things that We have provided for you and be grateful to God, if you are true worshipers of God." (Qur'an 2:172) 

Then people in general are advised to eat good and pure things and not to indulge in impure, bad and harmful things, following their open enemy, the Devil.

"O People! Eat of what is lawful and good on earth and do not follow the footsteps of the Evil One, for he is your open enemy." (Qur'an 2:168) 

The Qur'an has also given very useful tips regarding a balanced diet which contains every useful ingredient necessary for the growth, strength and repair of the human body, including animal protein, fat, calcium, iron, salts, etc. The most balanced diet consists of meat, fish, fresh milk, cheese and fruit. 

Fish is considered to be food of very high protein and very important for human consumption. The Qur'an refers to this fresh food in these words, "It is He Who has made the sea subject, that you may eat thereof flesh that is fresh and tender." (Qur'an 16:14) 

Nowadays our government is said to be very concerned about the rakyats' health and a 'precaution step' was taken by abolishing subsidies for sugar resulting a higher price for that necessity in the name of having healthy citizens; then let us guide or younger generation for better health with my 'two cents worth' suggestions. 

Perhaps the government was right in checking the intake of sugar by the rakyat. This was because in maintaining a nutritious diet and a healthy weight, sugars should be used in moderation by most healthy people and sparingly by people with low-calorie needs. 

But from my own observations and experienced in bringing up my children; the young are fond of carbonated drinks either tinned or bottled ones. These drinks are very high in sugar contents; so why not the ministries concerned precaution the young not to consume these drinks. Do dot be 'afraid' if these products could not be sold because of the small demand resulting in the government losing a lot in tax collection for isn't it we are hoping to produce healthy citizens? 

The young generation too should be stop from taking too much fast food which are known to be with high level of salt (sodium chloride); so stop from establising too many of such restaurants and kiosks including those with international trademark. The young should be reminded that a healthy diet is an important part of being a good and healthy citizen. 

Nowadays we are witnessing the mushrooming of 24 hours restaurants including of the fast food chains and 'mamak' outlets or those operating until the wee hours of the night. 

Many of the patrons are young men; at times they are glued to huge TV screens that aired football games. They are seen having drinks non stop for hours. To 'produce' healthy citizens, why not the authorities 'stop these type of business'; let us teach our 'rakyat', that there are specific times for them to have breakfast, lunch and dinner! 

I was told by a friend who had previously resided in an European country, it was difficult to find a restaurant that was open 24 hours in that country; the people there disciplined themselves by observing specific time for their 'makan' (eating) time! Here, we had our 'makan' at any time we wish even at 2.00 am! 

Nowadays 'makan-makan' (occasionally eating) have become part of our society. Even there was a TV programme called 'Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan' (Traveling Seeking For Food). 

Taking food without specific time could lead to many unwanted circumstances such as overweight. Dieticians reminded us that it is important for people of all ages to maintain a healthy weight. 

People who are overweight increase their risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, breathing problems, and other illnesses. To maintain a healthy body weight, people must balance the amount of calories in the foods and drinks they consume with the amount of calories the body uses.

Jamadilakhir 2, 1443: 'Oh God, please help me!' (U)

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.

During my journeys to and from work (I live in Melaka but work in KL) by express bus, sometimes I break the silence by talking to the person next to me.

One unforgettable conversation took place recently when I talked to a Chinese guy. He told me he was a university student and he didn't believe in religion. In short he was an atheist.

To attract his attention, I asked him, whenever he was in distress or in an emergency situation, to whom he would cry out? He replied he would cry "mum, mum, mum."

"Well what if you were thrown into the sea and about to drown, to whom would you cry out for help?" I asked him. To my surprise, he would cry; "God help me, God please help me!"

"Then you must believe in God," I said and the student seemed to be taken back by his words.

The fact is that the word 'God' would be on the lips of desperate men and women. Whenever human beings are struggling for their lives, they would ask help from God.

It was also reported the Pharaoh (Firaun) during the time of Prophet Moses (Musa) too acknowledged the existence of God when he was about to die in the waters of the Red Sea.

One article by one Sandra in a local student magazine attracted me to the fact that God is always on the mind of human beings. Sandra wrote: "The words ‘thank God’ reminds me of an incident that happened two years ago at a swimming pool in Shah Alam. After our swimming lesson one day, my friend and I decided to play in the water for a moment longer. Absent mindedly I slowly waded into the deeper pool as it looked as shallow as the children's pool.

"In the deeper pool, however, I lost my balance and could not stand because the water was too deep for me. I struggled to keep afloat. When I realized I was drowning, I tugged at my friend's swimsuit but she merely pulled back, unaware that I had lost my balance.

"I must say that I was extremely lucky because my swimming instructor managed to pull me up in the nick of time. Thank God he had spotted me; otherwise I would have drowned in the pool!"

So surrendering to God is natural for human beings. If you claim you are the most powerful man on earth, you too have to acknowledge this fact.

Believing in the one God is the fundamental teaching of Islam. Islam means complete submission or surrender to the will of Allah. Islam also means; peace, the way to achieve peace and submission or surrender.

"Islam teaches that there is only one God, Who is called Allah in Arabic. He has created all and is above all things in the universe, and there is no one and nothing like Him or can be compared to Him. God loves us, and for our guidance and benefit has sent his commandments & laws through persons specially chosen by Him who are called prophets or messengers of God." - Essence of Islamic Outreach ABIM.

It is natural for human beings to seek help from God. To learn about God, human beings need guidance. The true path was shown by the prophets, men cannot think about things that are beyond their imagination. For example, the human mind cannot think what is beyond the skies.

"Since the time of the emergence of the first man on the earth, God in His mercy has raised from among men numerous prophets or messengers, such as Abraham (Ibrahim), Isaac (Ishak), Jacob (Yaakob), Joseph (Yusof), Moses (Musa), David (Daud) and Jesus (Isa). The last of all the messengers was Muhammad (peace be on them all).

Islam is not a new religion. It consists of the same basic message which God has given in all true religions, and all prophets brought the same message for our guidance. Muhammad (peace be upon him), the last Prophet of God, taught us the full and complete meaning of Islam (surrender & commitment to the will of God) through his words, his actions & the revealed Book, the Holy Qur'an." - Essence of Islam.

So to the university guy I met in the express bus, Sandra and several other individuals who had had already thought about God, it is timely to seek for the true and one God, that is Allah the Almighty.

Naturally all human beings are seeking their Creator. He is God, the Almighty, we seek His companionship not only in distress, emergency or crisis but at any time of our lives.

A Muslim must believe that Allah is the Creator of the universe and everything in it. The Qur'an says: "He it is Who created the heavens and earth in truth." (Qur'an 6:73).

Everything, including the earth we live on and the heavens we see above, has been created by the Almighty God.

God does not merely create and abandon His creatures. God is active as the Creator, the Life Giver and Life Remover, the Sustainer and the sole Controller of all creations.

Jamadilakhir 1, 1443: Hebat, masjid ada 'homestay' (U)

DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

Renungan

Daripada Aisyah r.a., berkata: "Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Semua manusia dikumpulkan tanpa memakai alas kaki, telanjang dan belum dikhatan.' Aisyah bertanya; 'Apakah antara lelaki dan perempuan akan saling melihat antara satu dengan yang lain?' Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: 'Urusan pada hari itu lebih dahsyat daripada mementingkan hal-hal seperti itu.'" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim)

BAHARU-BAHARU saya berpeluang solat dan beriktikaf di Masjid Tengkera, salah sebuah masjid tertua di negeri Hang Tuah. Apa yang menarik, masjid di kawasan sesak dengan penduduk majoriti bukan Islam ini mengamalkan konsep terbuka – seseorang itu bebas beribadat pada bila-bila masa.

Masjid yang dibina pada 1728 ini pada asalnya diperbuat daripad kayu dengan atapnya daripada daun nipah dan tiangnya daripada kayu berlian atau ulin yang diimport dari Kalimantan, Indonesia. Masjid ini telah diperbaharui dua kali pada tahun 1890 dan 1910.

Di Masjid Negeri iaitu Al-Azim di Bukit Palah (mula dibina pada 1984 dan dirasmikan pada 1990) pula, sebahagian tembok masjid telah diruntuh, dibersihkan dan dibina dataran pejalan kaki bagi memberi laluan kepada orang ramai ke masjid tanpa melalui pintu gerbang utama.

Barangkali ‘keterbukaan’ ini menepati saranan seorang pemimpin yang pada awal perkhidmatannya pada 2013, agar pagar dan tembok masjid dibuka sebaliknya dibina dataran yang membolehkan orang awam beraktiviti termasuk beriadah bersama keluarga.

Beliau membayangkan mencontohi Masjid Nabawi di Madinah Al-Munawwarah yang mempunyai dataran terbuka (kini berpayung gergasi terbuka dan terkatup secara automatik) yang membolehkan orang ramai beriadah dan beribadat di bawahnya.

Apabila tiba waktu solat waktu, pada waktu sesak dataran itu dibarisi oleh jemaah (mereka berada mengikut garisan saf disediakan); ini bermakna solat dapat ditunaikan tepat pada waktunya dan secara berjemaah pula walaupun seseorang itu berada bersama-sama keluarganya.

Selain itu di dataran berkenaan boleh dimajukan kegiatan membangunkan masyarakat Islam seperti berniaga, demonstrasi kegiatan setempat seperti membuat kraftangan dan persembahan 'hiburan halal'.

Sekarang ini sudah ada pihak berusaha memakmurkan sejumlah masjid dan hasilnya dapat dilihat dengan kunjungan orang ramai dengan pelbagai aktiviti seperti perniagaan dan siri ceramah dan kuliah).

Sebagai contoh, Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah di Shah Alam dilihat berjaya menarik kunjungan orang ramai termasuklah keluarga yang mahu beriadah dan membeli barangan terpilih seperti kurma, tudung, buku-buku agama dan peralatan haji dan umrah di samping mengikuti ceramah dan kelas pengajian agama.

Selain itu semakin banyak masjid dijadikan lokasi majlis pernikahan dan jamuan perkahwinan (di dewan atau perkarangan masjid). Cuma jika diadakan majlis seumpama itu, seperti majlis nikah dalam masjid, perlulah diamati adab-adabnya agar kesucian rumah Allah itu tidak tercemar.

Mengadakan majlis nikah di masjid adalah bagus kerana banyak kelebihannya namun pihak yang mengadakannya perlu berilmu dan membuat kerja tambahan seperti memberi taklimat kepada anggota rombongan.

Mereka perlu memberi nasihat terutama kepada wanita mengenai peraturan dari segi penampilan dan pakaian dan hukum-hakam wanita memasuki masjid. Bukan semua orang boleh sesuka hati memasuki masjid - mereka yang berhadas besar (contoh wanita berhaid) diharamkan berbuat demikian, apatah lagi duduk di ruang solat utama!

Sepanjang saya berkelana di Semenanjung, ada masjid 'sudah ke depan' seperti menawarkan bilik untuk disewa (ibarat hotel atau 'homestay'); perkhidmatan ini 'pasti menggembirakan' pengunjung yang dapat 'berehat' dan beribadat dalam suasana sungguh kondusif. Syabas kepada pihak pengurusan masjid-masjid seperti ini!

Jamadilawal 29, 1443: They love you because you are beautiful…

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.

OVER the years, several stray cats sought protection in garages and sheds erected near my house. My family members gave them food, and with ‘the good living condition’, they multiplied fast. Eventhough the cats roamed freely in our compound, they were not allowed to enter our house.

A lookalike civet cat, named ‘Musang’ by my family members became ‘popular’ among my children; she delivered offspring several times in a year. If she delivered three kittens at a time, imagine in a year’s time, there would be nine ‘new faces’ around.

One of the kittens became a favourite among my boys and girls. It grew up becoming a ‘beautiful’ grey cat, with thick hair and a fat body. My children called it ‘Momok’, as it was ‘gemuk’ (fat). Almost everyone especially my ten year old daughter liked to pamper ‘Momok’. They would bring it inside the house, played and sometimes sleep with the cat in bed. Momok was very ‘manja’ (like to be pampered) and playful. It did not mind if the children put it into bed and cuddled it. They all loved Momok, or was it because of its beauty?

Unfortunately Momok ‘good appearance’ did not last long. It developed illness after being attacked by lice especially on its ears. It's beautiful and soft hair started to fall in a few weeks time, it became so thin, its face swollen and small wounds were all over its body.

I felt pity for Momok. After ‘being transformed’ from a cute cat to a ‘kucing kurap’ (stray cat), nobody like it. It was not allowed to enter the house what more to be cuddled and taken to bed by my daughter. It was a sad episode for Momok, it was loved because of its beauty, when it lost that trait; it was dumped away.

Thinking about the ups and downs life of Momok, I guessed that in life we (human beings) are not love just the way we are but because the ‘things’ and ‘traits’ that are tacked to us. In Momok’s case, it was beauty that made my children fall for it, so in our life, do not make assumption that people like us just because the way we are. Perhaps they like or love us because of our beauty and who knows when this trait will fade or we fall ill, they would just dump us!

Beware, because sometimes people shower their like or love to us because of our position, money, power and so on. When we are ‘somebody’, they try to win our hearts but when we have nothing to offer, they just walk away.

So to leaders, take note that when the people say they love and support you, some might be good at talking because in actual sense they are only afraid or after your position and wealth. If you were a nobody; they would just say sayounara to you!

In my opinion, we should love all including animals the way they are. If we only love and give food and fondle our beautiful pet cat but chase away a ‘kucing kurap’, then we are not cat or animal lovers. We are only ‘beauty lovers’.

We love the cat because it is good to stroke its beautiful body; what would happen if the cat suddenly developed illness and transformed into ‘a skeleton figure’, would we be still love it? Or we just dump it as in the case of Momok? We should be sincere (ikhlas) in our actions including when treating animals. We should only love them for the sake of Allah SWT. Thus we would give the same treatment to a beautiful cat or a ‘kucing kurap’. To us, all of them are God’s creatures; they deserved to be treated fairly.

In two separate hadiths narrated by Abu Hurayrah (the cat-loving Companion), the Prophet told his Companions of the virtue of saving the life of a dog by giving it water and quenching its thirst: one referred to was a man who was blessed by Allah for giving water to a thirsty dog. The other was a prostitute, who filled her shoe with water and gave it to a dog that was lolling its tongue in thirst. For this deed she was granted the ultimate reward: eternal Paradise. Note that the man and woman gave water not to their pet dogs but stray ones; they only did the good deeds for Allah’s sake. They loved Allah’s creatures; it didn’t matter if others did not appreciate their good deeds. It was only to please Allah SWT.

Truly generous persons feed the hungry, saying, “We feed you for the sake of Allah Alone, we seek from you neither reward nor thanks.” (Qur’an: 76:9) If those who treated animals well were praised by Allah SWT, those who mistreated them would be seeing the doom. Regarding this, Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, (peace be upon him, s.a.w.) said, “A woman was punished because of a cat she had imprisoned until it died. She entered Hellfire because of it. She did not give it food or water while it was imprisoned, neither did she set it free to eat from the vermin of the earth.” (Sahih Bukhari, Book 56, Number 689)

As for non pet but animals used to help men in their work such as transportation; in respect of these dumb animals and ride them when they are fit to be ridden and get off them when they are tired. In his book ‘Enjoy Your Life’ (Darussalam), Dr Muhammad ‘Abd Al-Rahaman Al-‘Arifi, noted that when good interpersonal skills become one’s habit, they become his second nature and an integral part of his personality. Such a person is always found to be easygoing, light-hearted, gentle, forbearing and sensitive with all, including ANIMALS and non-living things.

Dr Muhammad noted that Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. loved all animals with a few examples from his life. Once, when the Prophet s.a.w. was on a journey with his companions, he stopped over to answer the call of nature. Meanwhile, one of his companions noticed a redstart bird with two chicks. He took the chicks away. The bird came and began to circle around them flapping its wings. When the Prophet s.a.w. came and saw the scene, he turned to his companions and said, “Who distressed the bird by taking its chicks from it? Return the chicks to the bird!”

On a different occasion, the Prophet s.a.w. noticed a burnt ants’ nest. “Who burnt the nest?” he demanded. One of his companions replied, “I did.” The Prophet s.a.w. became angry and said, “No one but Allah punishes with fire!” The Prophet s.a.w. was so merciful that if he saw a cat whilst he was performing ablution, he would loiwer the utensil down for the cat to drink from and then perform ablution from the leftover water. Once he passed by a man who had laid a sheep on the ground and placed his foot on its neck to slaughter it while sharpening the knife as the sheep looked on. The Prophet s.a.w. became angry upon seeing this and said, “Do you want it to die twice. Why didn’t you sharpen your knife before you laid it on the ground?”

On another occasion, he s.a.w. passed by two men in a middle of a conversation and each of them was sitting on his camel. When he saw this, he felt pity for the camels and therefore forbade people from using animals as chairs, meaning that one is not mount it except when required and that when the need is fulfilled, one should dismount and allow it to rest. The Prophet s.a.w. also forbade branding an animal in its face. Yes, the Prophet s.a.w. loved all animals, regardless of whether they were beautiful or not; but some of us love animals because of their beauty; for example a beautiful cat is pampered with love but a ‘kucing kurap’ is shooed away…!

Jamadilawal 28, 1443: Perkhabaran dari langit..(U)

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

Renungan

Nabi s.a.w. bersabda, maksudnya: "Angkuh dan sombong adalah pakaian Allah Taala, maka barangsiapa yang menyaingi pakaian-Nya, Allah Taala akan menyeksanya kelak." (Sahih Muslim)

MI udang Kuala Sepetang (Port Weld) yang masyhur sejak dipublisitikan oleh sebuah stesen televisyen tempatan, seolah-olah melambai-lambai saya ke sana bagi merasainya.

Sehubungan itu, saya dan keluarga yang mengunjungi saudara di Perak tidak lama dahulu, tidak melepaskan peluang menjejak kaki di bandar berhampiran Taiping itu bagi merasai sendiri nikmat mi udangnya.

Sepanjang jalan dari Taiping ke Kuala Sepetang, kami ketemui sejumlah gerai dan restoran mi udang. Ada gerai mi udang Mak…dan Kak..sehinggakan restoran Cina pun ada menawarkan mi udang.

Sesetengah pengusaha kedai makan ini memasang iklan di tepi jalan dalam jarak beberapa puluh meter antara satu lain sepanjang dua atau tiga kilometer dari premis mereka. Demikianlah betapa hebat penangan mi Kuala Sepetang gara-gara hebahan TV.

Di tepi jalan berhampiran sebuah gerai saya perhatikan ada barisan panjang kereta dan dua buah bas persiaran. Berdasarkan jumlah kenderaan, saya mencongak ada ratusan orang singgah, menikmati mi udang. Tidaklah saya berhenti di situ kerana pada fikiran saya, kalau saya menyertai ‘kesesakan’ itu, bimbang juga kena ‘potong kepala’!

Akhirnya kami singgah di sebuah gerai, melabuhkan punggung dan memesan empat mangkuk mi udang biasa dan sebuah mangkuk mi udang spesial. Semangkuk mi udang biasa berharga RM7 manakala yang spesial RM11. Bagi saya tiada apa yang spesial pada mi berharga RM11 itu, cuma udangnya bersaiz besar sedikit.

Ketika dan selepas makan, kami membicarakan akan mi itu. Bagi kami, mi udang Kuala Sepetang macam mi di tempat lain, kelebihan hanya terletak pada udangnya. Dalam semangkuk adalah lebih kurang enam atau tujuh ekor udang bersaiz sederhana.

Seorang daripada kami berlawak: “Kalau nak makan mi dengan udang banyak, di Tesco udangnya baru RM14 sekilo, taruhlah seberapa banyak udang dalam mi yang dimasak sendiri, barulah puas makan.”

Sebenarnya memakan tujuh ekor udang sederhana besar itu membuatkan kepala saya lain macam rasanya. Saya sudah pening, tetapi buat-buat ‘steady’. Saya tahu tidak sewajarnya saya memakan udang sebanyak itu, tetapi bukankah tujuan kami ke Kuala Sepetang untuk merasai kenikmatan mi udangnya, jadi saya pun ‘bantai’ saja!

Sepuluh tahun lalu tiada had untuk saya makan udang, ketam dan makanan laut lain. Dua puluh tahun lalu, saya lagi hebat. Sekilogram kerang rebus boleh saya habiskan seorang, ketam tiga empat ekor tiada masalah. Makan udang berbelas-belas ekor pun tiada hal; demikian juga makan sate (termasuk kerang), berpuluh-puluh cucuk pun masih okay.

Tetapi hari ini, tujuh ekor udang pun sudah membuat saya pening-pening lalat. Selain makanan laut, saya juga tidak lagi berupaya menikmati buah-buahan dengan banyak seperti 10 atau 20 tahun lalu. Ketika itu saya boleh menikmati sebiji dua buah durian; satu beg plastik rambutan dan manggis, tetapi kini tiga ulas durian dan beberapa butir rambutan sudah dikira ‘bahaya’. Mengapa begitu?

Saya tidak berhajat menjawabnya dari segi kesihatan tetapi mengupas apa yang tok-tok guru ajarkan di kelas pengajian di masjid-masjid yang saya ikuti sejak 10 tahun lalu. Kata sesetengah guru, perubahan yang berlaku kepada diri kita adalah perkhabaran dari langit, daripada Allah SWT yang mengingatkan kita akan kematian.

Seorang tok guru berkata dalam kebanyakan kes, kematian tidak berlaku secara mengejut seperti dakwaan sesetengah orang. Allah SWT telah menghantar utusannya, tetapi kebanyakan manusia tidak menyedarinya. Salah satu daripadanya adalah penyakit, apabila umur meningkat 40 tahun ke atas apatah lagi 60+, pelbagai penyakit seperti kencing manis, gout, darah tinggi dan sakit jantung mula menyerang.

Apabila sudah terkena kencing manis, bermakna tidak boleh lagi sesuka hati makan durian, rambutan, manggis dan sebagainya. Demikian juga orang berpenyakit darah tinggi, terpaksalah berpantang daripada makan itu dan ini. Ertinya Allah SWT telah menarik balik sebahagian nikmat, bermaksud kita semakin hampir menuju kematian.

Kemudian cerminlah diri sendiri. Rambut mulai putih, ada yang sudah botak; misai dan janggut juga sudah lebih banyak putih daripada hitam. Ini semua adalah utusan daripada Allah SWT, awak sebenarnya semakin hampir dengan kubur, tetapi mengapa tidak sedar-sedar diri?

Kemudian badan pula terasa lenguh-lenguh; sana sini sendi sakit; kemampuan dan kekuatan pun tidak seperti dulu. Berjalan sikit sudah letih; apatah lagi berlari atau mendaki tangga, tercunggap-cunggap dan mengah, bagai mahu putus nafas.

Orang perempuan pun perlu cermin diri. Lihatlah wajah yang dulunya cantik puas-puas. Kini sudah berkedut sana sini. Kulit pun tidak anjal lagi. Telitilah mahkota (rambut), apakah sudah putih sehelai dua atau lebih banyak putih daripada hitam. Dalam keadaan lebih banyak putih daripada hitam, masakan hati masih keras tidak mahu menutupnya?

Kemudian telitilah keadaan tubuh, masih segar dan tegang atau kendur sana sini. Bagaimana pula kesihatan diri? Masih cergas berlari ke sana sini mengejar anak-anak nakal seperti dulu, atau anak-anak sudah tua bangka yang menghadiahkan cucu pada kepada kita. Mampukah kita mengejar cucu seperti mengejar anak dulu?

Insaflah diri bahawa perkhabaran dari langit sudah banyak, memperlihatkan bahawa kita akan kembali kepada-Nya. Namun tidak ramai menyedarinya kerana semakin meningkat usia, semakin ‘murah’ pula rezeki. Dahulu semasa muda kita goyah dari segi kewangan dan kedudukan tetapi semakin tua semakin banyak wang manakala pangkat dan kedudukan semakin hebat.

Semasa muda dahulu kadang-kadang hendak makan durian sebiji pun tidak mampu membelinya tetapi apabila sudah tua selori pun boleh kita beli; malangnya kita hanya boleh makan seulas dua saja atau lebih malang lagi tidak boleh ‘kena’ durian langsung. Sudah tua ini hanya boleh rasa saja, sesetengah orang rasa pun tidak boleh sedangkan duit ada berkepul-kepul dalam bank!

Jamadilawal 22, 1443: Reaping the fruits of positive suggestions...

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.

IN our daily lives, how often do we come across suggestion boxes at strategic locations of important premises such as public transport terminals, masjids, government departments, universities and offices of non governmental organizations (NGOs). One question here is, have we at least once in our life time had try 'to push our so-called brilliant ideas' inside those boxes?

Many of us ignore this type of medium of interaction - we have negative thoughts about them. "Well 'they' (those in position or power at the said organizations) would do nothing to our suggestions - there's no point in us giving or posting our ideas into 'those dead boxes'," some of us tend to have that negative perception.

But from my own experience, 'those boxes should not be taken for granted' for they are actually 'kicking alive' - some of my suggestions have been taken up and have produced fast and positive results! But of course my suggestions were not of the 'big type' that could 'shake' our society, our country or our government, but they gave me some kind of satisfaction that could not be penned in words.

In one masjid, I noticed volumes of the Qur'an were being placed inside a rack placed just under the masjid 'mimbar' (pulpit). I thought it was not a proper place to place the holy book because when the 'khatib' (person who reads the sermon during Friday prayers) was on the 'mimbar' his foot would be facing the Qur'an and he himself would be above the holy book.

I write a letter and put it inside the masjid suggestion box, and to my surprise during my next visit to the masjid, the rack was taken away from under the 'mimbar'. Well, it was left an empty space, and nowadays whenever I visit the masjid, a feeling of satisfaction was in my heart whenever my eyes were on the 'mimbar'! Of course I did not write my name in the letter because 'aku menulis bukan kerana nama' (I write not to become famous or glamour).

At another masjid, I saw a new building housing several toilets (for men and women) was marked VIP - it was reserved for the usage of VIP whenever they had functions at the masjid. For almost the time I noticed it was closed because VIPS rarely turned up - so in my opinion 'it was a sheer wastage of public funds'.

Thus I wrote a letter and put it inside the suggestion box of the masjid. Among other things I noted: "Membazir adalah saudara syaitan" (wastage are brothers of 'syaytan') quoting from Ayah 27 of Surah Al-Israa' (17) with the meaning: "Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful."

I also wrote that ten thousands of ringgits were spend to build toilets which of no use - so please open up the facilities to all - whats wrong if a VIP too could used it for a minute or two if they happened to visit the masjid...there was no need for them to have 'a reserved place' just to answer the call of nature!

To my surprise, the following week the chairman of the masjid read my letter aloud to the masjid congregators before Friday prayers and in no time the toilet was opened to all after the sign VIP was torn down.

Readers of my column would notice that from time to time I had written suggestions that insha-Allah (if Allah Wills) hopefully could open up our minds to do simple things that we hope to please Allah SWT and as our 'little and small contributions' to others.

In one article entitled 'Freeing ourselves from the burden of carrying coins', I encouraged readers to calculate a habit of putting away all our loose coins into donation boxes every time we do our shopping. The money is for 'simpanan selepas anda mati' (savings for your life in the Hereafter, or in crude language - savings for your life in your grave).

It was because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: " After the death of a person, his actions stop, except three things that he leaves behind: first, CONTINUOUS CHARITY, second, knowledge from which some benefit may be obtained, third, a virtuous son who makes dua (prays, supplicates) on his behalf." (Related by Muslim) 

If you 'dump' a total of RM2 in the form of shillings in a day, in a month it would be RM60, in a year in would be RM720 and in 10 years it would be RM7,200 and in 20 years (before you die) it would be RM14,400 -- perhaps enough for you to buy a simple home just like the PPRT (Projek Rumah Rakyat Termiskin) house.

'Insha-Allah' your 'rumah PPRT' would be converted into a grand palace 'or to a larger scale' in Paradise (which is eternal) for Allah SWT says: "Whatever you spend in the cause of Allah shall be paid to you in full and you shall not be treated unjustly." (Qur'an 8:60)

Another 'project' readers could think to embark is by acting as though we have one more school going son or daughter whom we have to give he/she pocket money - but for this purpose you put that 'pocket money' say RM3 every 'subuh' (early morning) to the 'Tabung Masjid' (masjid donation box) each time we go the masjid for our 'subuh' prayers.

It is great to begin your day with a 'sadaqah' (giving donation) as there is a hadith on it: Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased on him) reported: The Prophet s.a.w. said: “Two angels descend every morning, and one says: ‘O Allah, give him who spends something, in place of what he spends.’ The other one says: ‘O Allah, give destruction to him who withholds”. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

If you do that 'istiqamah' (consistently), in a month your 'acting son or daughter' ('tabung akhirat' - hereafter fund) would have RM90; in a year it would be RM1,080, in ten years it would be RM10,800 and in 20 years it would be RM21,600. Well, that amount in the eyes of some rich people may be small but if you are sincere it is big in the Eyes of Allah SWT if you do it sincerely.

Dear brothers and sisters, if you choose to donate nothing every morning (not even 10 sen); then I am afraid when you update your 'bank account of Tabung Akhirat' it would be nil (0) or 'had a negative figures' (for example you have borrowed money from someone but not repaid it) , you would be 'panicked' as you have 'no money' to spend for 'your life in the Hereafter'!  In this world you would feel bad when you have no RM, American dollars, pound sterling and whatsoever then what would be like when 'you have nothing' in the Hereafter.

In this world you could borrowed money from relatives and friends or worst still beg in the streets but it the Hereafter, there is no help; if you want help from Allah SWT, do it in this world because the Hereafter is a place to reap harvest of our good deeds sowed on earth and not a place to say our repent to Allah SWT or obey His orders.

Remember that once we were 'thrown' inside our graves, there is no way we could return back - it was a one way ticket journey - we would face all consequences ourselves - so dear readers be equipped with all requirements before embarking on that 'no returning journey'. If for a journey say to the United States for a month stay we readied the requirement such as passports and clothes months before, than whats are preparation for our 'never ending journey' of the Hereafter?