Roslan Hamid's Blog, page 84
July 14, 2020
Zulkaedah 22: Cari barakah dalam hidup
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)
Orang tua-tua selalu berpesan, biar gaji (pendapatan) kecil tetapi hidup penuh keberkatan (barakah). Keluarga yang ketuanya bergaji kecil tetapi hidup barakah, hidupnya sentiasa mencukupi, tidak mengeluh-ngeluh malah dapat membantu orang lain pula.
Berlainan pula orang yang bergaji besar tetapi hidupnya tiada barakah. Hidupnya penuh keluh-kesah, baru setengah bulan gajinya sudah habis, untuk meneruskan penghidupan, dia berhutang di sana sini. Hidupnya tiada barakah, mungkin disebabkan pendapatannya daripada sumber haram atau syubahat.
Orang yang hidupnya mempunyai keberkatan akan membelanjakan pendapatannya di jalan yang diredai Allah. Setiap sen yang dititipkan akan mendapat ganjaran pahala daripada Allah SWT.
Misalnya dia akan membelanjakan pendapatannya untuk menampung diri, keluarga, mengeluarkan zakat, kemudian membeli sedikit sebanyak harta seperti kenderaan, rumah atau tanah, seterusnya bersedekah atau untuk mengeratkan siraturahim sesama keluarga dan jiran tetangga, sesekali dia mengadakan kenduri.
Dia juga dapat menabung dan akhirnya berjaya menunaikan haji sekalipun kosnya amat besar.
Orang yang hidupnya tiada keberkatan pula akan menghamburkan duitnya untuk tujuan sia-sia, misalnya berparti ke sana sini dengan minuman keras di tangan atau berjudi, tidak mengeluarkan zakat apatah lagi untuk bersedekah dan gemar sekali melonggokkan harta dengan jalan salah seperti menipu, merasuah, membunuh, merompak dan sebagainya. Akhir hidupnya dia akan menjadi perogol, pembunuh, perasuah dan sebagainya.
Orang yang mempunyai keberkatan hidup akan sentiasa sayang menyayangi sesama insan. Jika dia orang kaya dia adalah orang kaya disayangi jiran tetangga sekalipun si jiran orang miskin kerana dia sering bersedekah dan membantu mereka, malah tidak sombong pula.
Jika dia orang miskin, dia reda dengan kemiskinannya dan mempunyai harga diri menyebabkan dia tidak suka meminta-minta. Dia pun tidak sombong malah sedia mengorbankan tenaganya sebab dia sedar dia kekurangan dari segi harta benda.
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)
Orang tua-tua selalu berpesan, biar gaji (pendapatan) kecil tetapi hidup penuh keberkatan (barakah). Keluarga yang ketuanya bergaji kecil tetapi hidup barakah, hidupnya sentiasa mencukupi, tidak mengeluh-ngeluh malah dapat membantu orang lain pula.
Berlainan pula orang yang bergaji besar tetapi hidupnya tiada barakah. Hidupnya penuh keluh-kesah, baru setengah bulan gajinya sudah habis, untuk meneruskan penghidupan, dia berhutang di sana sini. Hidupnya tiada barakah, mungkin disebabkan pendapatannya daripada sumber haram atau syubahat.
Orang yang hidupnya mempunyai keberkatan akan membelanjakan pendapatannya di jalan yang diredai Allah. Setiap sen yang dititipkan akan mendapat ganjaran pahala daripada Allah SWT.
Misalnya dia akan membelanjakan pendapatannya untuk menampung diri, keluarga, mengeluarkan zakat, kemudian membeli sedikit sebanyak harta seperti kenderaan, rumah atau tanah, seterusnya bersedekah atau untuk mengeratkan siraturahim sesama keluarga dan jiran tetangga, sesekali dia mengadakan kenduri.
Dia juga dapat menabung dan akhirnya berjaya menunaikan haji sekalipun kosnya amat besar.
Orang yang hidupnya tiada keberkatan pula akan menghamburkan duitnya untuk tujuan sia-sia, misalnya berparti ke sana sini dengan minuman keras di tangan atau berjudi, tidak mengeluarkan zakat apatah lagi untuk bersedekah dan gemar sekali melonggokkan harta dengan jalan salah seperti menipu, merasuah, membunuh, merompak dan sebagainya. Akhir hidupnya dia akan menjadi perogol, pembunuh, perasuah dan sebagainya.
Orang yang mempunyai keberkatan hidup akan sentiasa sayang menyayangi sesama insan. Jika dia orang kaya dia adalah orang kaya disayangi jiran tetangga sekalipun si jiran orang miskin kerana dia sering bersedekah dan membantu mereka, malah tidak sombong pula.
Jika dia orang miskin, dia reda dengan kemiskinannya dan mempunyai harga diri menyebabkan dia tidak suka meminta-minta. Dia pun tidak sombong malah sedia mengorbankan tenaganya sebab dia sedar dia kekurangan dari segi harta benda.
July 12, 2020
Zulkaedah 21: Hate the Jews' way of life, not the Jews'...(U)
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
"Anyone who obeys the Messenger has obeyed God..." (Nisaa 4:80)
LAST year in his 'tazkirah' (lesson) in a 'masjid' near my house, before leaving for Makkah to perform 'umrah' (minor hajj), an 'ustaz' (religious teacher) said he was excited to see with his own eyes some latest development in the sacred city said to be of the the Western world influences.
It was a well known fact that in the city, even around or just outside the gates of the Haram Mosque (Masjidilharam) stand proudly Western identities such as the Hilton Towers and fast food chains KFC and McDonald's.
The 'ustaz' said it is true that non Muslims could not enter the holy city but 'their' (the Western) way of life are 'strongly presence' there and are getting stronger and stronger by each day. Thus not only Muslims from 'faraway' lands are gripped with the Western way of life, but here in the holy city itself the way of life of the non-Muslims including the Jews are being emulated.
He then stressed that Muslims around the globe nowadays are 'at the feet' of the Jews in several categories of life - he listed them under the letter 'F' - food, fashion, film, fun and faith and under the letter 'S' - sing, sex, smoke and sport.
All the above 'way of life' are accepted as the standard yardstick of modern living internationally and with the advancement of communications technologies even those people living and staying in the Holy Land are not spared.
Contrary to what many of us we think, the 'ustaz' said the Jews should be respected as fellow human beings; but what we should do is not the emulate their way of life or the things they 'cornered' us to get involved so that we would be living just like one of them. Yes, we should not hate the Jews but rather hate their 'crooked' way of life!
By following their way of life be it the food we consume and free lifestyles of living such as in sex and fashion, eventually we would be destroyed, being failures in this world whats more in the Hereafter, said the 'ustaz'.
There are some ‘hadith’ proving that our beloved Prophet, Muhammad s.a.w. had dealings with the Jews.
It is related that 'A'isha said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, bought some food from a Jew on credit and left his armour as security." (Narated by Al-Bukhary)
In another hadith narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah: A funeral procession passed in front of us and the Prophet stood up and we too stood up. We said, 'O Allah's Apostle! This is the funeral procession of a Jew." He said, "Whenever you see a funeral procession, you should stand up." (Bukhari )
Based on these hadiths, it is not correct to say Muslims cannot have dealings including businesses with the Jews, but what Muslims are told is that they should not follow or imitate the brutality of the Jews; today in the form of the Zionist regime.
To live safely in this world and Hereafter including to guard ourselves from brutality of the unbelievers especially the Zionist and 'Dajjal' we should obeyed all Allah SWT words in the Qur’an. Allah SWT has given us warning on this matter in one Qur’anic verse where He warns us not to become like the Children of Israel who disobey some of Allah SWT’s commandments in the Taurah, as stated in Ayah 85 Surah Al-Baqarah which reads; “…Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful for what ye do.”
In the following verse (Ayah 86 Al-Baqarah), Allah SWT says: “Such are those who buy the life of the world at the price of the Hereafter. Their punishment will not be lightened, neither will they have support.”
Are our lives truly guided by the Qur’an? Or are we good in taking what we think are good to us and ignoring what we feel bad? Regarding this, Allah the Almighty warns in Surah al-Baqarah 2:85, that to accept some part of the Qur’an and to reject some is to reject all of it. There is no room for partial acceptance in your relationship with the Qur’an; there cannot logical be.
Muslims should have no reservations in implementing all of Allah SWT commands including hudud law and preventing ‘mungkar’ (sins). Having reservation on any of Allah SWT’s commands is a clear violation of our oath, the ‘syahadah’, that we will submit and obey all of Allah SWT’s commands.
Some scholars even say having such an attitude will nullify our ‘syahadah’ and is sufficient to make a person ‘kafir’ (a non-believer). And Allah SWT has given us warning on this matter in Ayah 85 Surah al-Baqarah (stated above) where Allah SWT warns us not to become like the Children of Israel who disobey some of Allah SWT’s commandments in the Taurah.
Thus, only by submitting to Allah's will, Muslims have 'the power' to face the ruthless Zionist regime which is backed by 'their brothers' in the form of Western powers such as the Americans and British.
If Muslims are raring to practice the 'sunnah' (way of life) of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and not the way of the Jewish people, only then 'insya-Allah' (if Allah wills), He will render us help to overcome our plight and problems including in our dealings against our enemies.
But sadly, nowadays not only minority Muslims have been subjected to cruelty, those who live in Muslim lands too are ill treated by leaders and governments and society themselves who claim to be practicing Islam but in actual fact are living and leading lives which are against the teaching of Islam, yes it is sad to say they are practicing the Jews' way of life that's why the '5F' (food, fashion, film, fun and faith) and '4S' (sing, sex, smoke and sport) are 'easily accepted' by their people!
Reflection
"Anyone who obeys the Messenger has obeyed God..." (Nisaa 4:80)
LAST year in his 'tazkirah' (lesson) in a 'masjid' near my house, before leaving for Makkah to perform 'umrah' (minor hajj), an 'ustaz' (religious teacher) said he was excited to see with his own eyes some latest development in the sacred city said to be of the the Western world influences.
It was a well known fact that in the city, even around or just outside the gates of the Haram Mosque (Masjidilharam) stand proudly Western identities such as the Hilton Towers and fast food chains KFC and McDonald's.
The 'ustaz' said it is true that non Muslims could not enter the holy city but 'their' (the Western) way of life are 'strongly presence' there and are getting stronger and stronger by each day. Thus not only Muslims from 'faraway' lands are gripped with the Western way of life, but here in the holy city itself the way of life of the non-Muslims including the Jews are being emulated.
He then stressed that Muslims around the globe nowadays are 'at the feet' of the Jews in several categories of life - he listed them under the letter 'F' - food, fashion, film, fun and faith and under the letter 'S' - sing, sex, smoke and sport.
All the above 'way of life' are accepted as the standard yardstick of modern living internationally and with the advancement of communications technologies even those people living and staying in the Holy Land are not spared.
Contrary to what many of us we think, the 'ustaz' said the Jews should be respected as fellow human beings; but what we should do is not the emulate their way of life or the things they 'cornered' us to get involved so that we would be living just like one of them. Yes, we should not hate the Jews but rather hate their 'crooked' way of life!
By following their way of life be it the food we consume and free lifestyles of living such as in sex and fashion, eventually we would be destroyed, being failures in this world whats more in the Hereafter, said the 'ustaz'.
There are some ‘hadith’ proving that our beloved Prophet, Muhammad s.a.w. had dealings with the Jews.
It is related that 'A'isha said, "The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, bought some food from a Jew on credit and left his armour as security." (Narated by Al-Bukhary)
In another hadith narrated by Jabir bin 'Abdullah: A funeral procession passed in front of us and the Prophet stood up and we too stood up. We said, 'O Allah's Apostle! This is the funeral procession of a Jew." He said, "Whenever you see a funeral procession, you should stand up." (Bukhari )
Based on these hadiths, it is not correct to say Muslims cannot have dealings including businesses with the Jews, but what Muslims are told is that they should not follow or imitate the brutality of the Jews; today in the form of the Zionist regime.
To live safely in this world and Hereafter including to guard ourselves from brutality of the unbelievers especially the Zionist and 'Dajjal' we should obeyed all Allah SWT words in the Qur’an. Allah SWT has given us warning on this matter in one Qur’anic verse where He warns us not to become like the Children of Israel who disobey some of Allah SWT’s commandments in the Taurah, as stated in Ayah 85 Surah Al-Baqarah which reads; “…Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful for what ye do.”
In the following verse (Ayah 86 Al-Baqarah), Allah SWT says: “Such are those who buy the life of the world at the price of the Hereafter. Their punishment will not be lightened, neither will they have support.”
Are our lives truly guided by the Qur’an? Or are we good in taking what we think are good to us and ignoring what we feel bad? Regarding this, Allah the Almighty warns in Surah al-Baqarah 2:85, that to accept some part of the Qur’an and to reject some is to reject all of it. There is no room for partial acceptance in your relationship with the Qur’an; there cannot logical be.
Muslims should have no reservations in implementing all of Allah SWT commands including hudud law and preventing ‘mungkar’ (sins). Having reservation on any of Allah SWT’s commands is a clear violation of our oath, the ‘syahadah’, that we will submit and obey all of Allah SWT’s commands.
Some scholars even say having such an attitude will nullify our ‘syahadah’ and is sufficient to make a person ‘kafir’ (a non-believer). And Allah SWT has given us warning on this matter in Ayah 85 Surah al-Baqarah (stated above) where Allah SWT warns us not to become like the Children of Israel who disobey some of Allah SWT’s commandments in the Taurah.
Thus, only by submitting to Allah's will, Muslims have 'the power' to face the ruthless Zionist regime which is backed by 'their brothers' in the form of Western powers such as the Americans and British.
If Muslims are raring to practice the 'sunnah' (way of life) of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and not the way of the Jewish people, only then 'insya-Allah' (if Allah wills), He will render us help to overcome our plight and problems including in our dealings against our enemies.
But sadly, nowadays not only minority Muslims have been subjected to cruelty, those who live in Muslim lands too are ill treated by leaders and governments and society themselves who claim to be practicing Islam but in actual fact are living and leading lives which are against the teaching of Islam, yes it is sad to say they are practicing the Jews' way of life that's why the '5F' (food, fashion, film, fun and faith) and '4S' (sing, sex, smoke and sport) are 'easily accepted' by their people!
Zulkaedah 20: Di dalam kubur terbaring 'sorang-sorang'...
Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
Daripada Abu Hurairah r.a. katanya: Aku mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda; "Umatku akan ditimpa penyakit-penyakit yang pernah menimpa umt-umat dahulu." Sahabat bertanya, "Apakah penyakit-penyakit umat terdahulu itu?" Nabi s.a.w. menjawab, "Penyakit-penyakit it ialah: (1) terlalu banyak seronok, (2) terlalu mewah, (3) menghimpun harta sebanyak mungkin, (4) tipu menipu dalam merebut harta benda dunia, (5) saling memarahi, dan (6) hasut menghasut sehingga menjadi zalim menzalimi." (Hadis riwayat Hakim)
Zulkaedah 20
Di dalam kubur kubur terbaring 'sorang-sorang'...(Ulangan)
RUMAH kecil tiang seribu, rumah besar tiang sebatang, semasa kecil ditimang ibu, sudah besar ditimang gelombang...pada usia senja sekarang ini teringat saya akan pantun atau ungkapan orang bijaksana ini.
Perkataan 'bijaksana' itu pun membayangkan betapa ke depannya orang Melayu yang bahasanya sekarang ini diperkotak-katikkan sesetengah pihak kononnya bahasa Melayu tidak layak menjadi pengantar di sekolah lantas mereka mahu menggembalikan sekolah aliran Inggeris.
Perhatikanlah bahawa orang Melayu tidak hanya bercakap mengenai 'bijaksini' tetapi 'bijaksana' bagi membayangkan betapa prihatinnya mereka terhadap nasib mereka di akhirat nanti. Ini juga bermakna bahasa Melayu amat berkait rapat dengan Islam; hakikatnya Islamlah yang telah mengukuhkan bahasa Melayu sehingga menjadi lingua franca alam sebelah sini (Nusantara).
Mengenai ungkapan 'rumah kecil tiang seribu...itu seorang penulis membuat tafsiran ini: "Sehebat manapun kita, tetap tidak dapat menandingi kehebatan seorang ibu yang telah melahir dan membesarkan kita dengan penuh kasih sayang, tanpa terma dan syarat, tanpa sesal dan ralat...juga sepandai manapun kita mencipta resepi, tetap tidak dapat menandingi keenakan 'air tangan' ibu yang dimasak dengan penuh kasih sayang yang luhur.
"Dan setinggi manapun darjat kita, tetap tidak dapat menandingi ketinggian darjat seorang ibu, hingga doanya tiada hijab di sisi Yang Maha Berkuasa...oleh itu dalam sibuknya kita mengurus dunia dan mengejar cita-cita, panjatkanlah doa buat ibu yang semakin dimamah usia, barangkali raut wajahnya tidak lagi segar seperti dulu namun kasihnya tetap mekar dan subur, takkan layu ditelan waktu..."
Katanya lagi, hanya setelah bergelar ibu, barulah seorang anak mengerti mengapa kemuliaan seorang ibu tiga kali mengatasi kemuliaan seorang ayah.
Ketika mengamit nostalgia pantun...'Rumah kecil tiang seribu, rumah besar tiang sebatang...' baru-baru saya terperasan rupa-rupanya ada versi lain yang lebih mendekati orang Melayu akan amalan agamanya, Islam.
Pantun itu berbunyi: "Rumah kecil tiang seribu, rumah besar tiang sebatang, hidup di dunia bantu membantu, dalam kubur terbaring seorang."
Kemudian ada lanjutan pantun yang berbunyi: "Anak ayam turun sembilan, mati satu tinggallah lapan, amal ibadat pengganti badan, kita kan tinggal di balik papan."
Mengenai pertautan rapat bahasa Melayu dan Islam ini, teringat penulis akan perbincangan dengan seorang sarjana bahasa tidak lama dulu.
Beliau yang bergelar Dr mengajar di sebuah universiti tempatan. Apa yang menarik dicelotehkan pensyarah ini adalah mengenai ketinggian martabat serta kedudukan bahasa Melayu dan satu perkara yang tidak dapat dipisahkan berhubung perkembangan dan kemajuan bahasa ini adalah Islam.
Katanya, Islamlah yang memartabatkan bahasa Melayu sekali gus bangsa Melayu; sebarang langkah untuk 'memperkecil-kecilkan' atau 'mengnyahkan' bahasa ini bermakna orang Melayu dikhuatiri tidak akan maju tamadunnya. Tanpa bahasanya yang maju, tidak mungkin orang Melayu yang hampir semuanya beragama Islam akan maju hatta longgar juga dalam pegangan Islam mereka.
Sejak Islam datang dan diterima di alam Melayu dengan pengislaman raja-raja Pasai, Perlak, Aceh, Mataram (Jawa), Melaka, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Petani, Brunei dan banyak lagi wilayah, bahasa Melayu yang mengadaptasi tulisan Arab (Jawi) mengalami perkembangan teramat pesat sehinggakan bangsa ini maju dari segi budaya, kesusasteraan, pemerintahan dan teknologinya.
Islam telah mengangkat bahasa dan bangsa Melayu - bangsa dan kerajaan di rantau ini diiktiraf seantero dunia termasuk pemerintah China, India dan paling penting empayar Islam yang menguasai dunia ketika itu, Uthmaniyah yang berpangkalan di Turki.
Bahasa Melayu dengan huruf jawi amat berkait rapat dengan Islam termasuk amalan beragama. Di ruangan kecil ini memadailah diberi contoh mudah. Istiqamah satu sifat penting dalam melakukan peribadatan dalam Islam. “Daripada Aisyah r.ha., Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. bersabda, bermaksud: “Wahai manusia lakukanlah amalan mengikut keupayaan kamu. Sesungguhnya Allah tidak jemu sehinggalah kamu jemu. Amalan yang paling Allah sukai ialah amalan yang berterusan walaupun sedikit.” (Riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim)
Dalam bahasa Melayu ada 'bunga bahasa' seperti peribahasa yang bermaksud seakan-akan selari dengan maksud hadis tersebut seperti 'sedikit-sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit' dan 'sehari selembar benang lama-lama jadi sehelai kain'.
Kata sarjana itu, ini menunjukkan pengaruh Islam amat hebat dalam bahasa Melayu dan perkara ini disedari penjajah yang sedaya upaya 'memisahkan Islam daripada bahasa Melayu'. Maka dibuang dan dihapuskan huruf Arab (jawi) digantikan dengan huruf rumi dan mutakhir ini ada pemimpin berpendapat bahasa Melayu tidak berupaya membicarakan ilmu teknologi seperti Sains dan Matematik. Lantas mereka 'memandulkan' bahasa Melayu dengan 'tidak membenarkan bahasa ini membicarakan Sains dan Matemik di sekolah dan universiti sebaliknya diagung-agungkannya bahasa Inggeris.
Hakikatnya, kata sarjana itu bahasa Melayu hebat dalam memperkatakan teknologi jika tidak masakan bangsa Melayu suatu ketika dulu terkenal sebagai pelayar hebat dan menjelajah lautan dunia; rumusannya istiqamahlah dalam memperkasa bahasa Melayu walaupun secara berdikit-dikit, namun jika cuba 'dimandulkan' bahasa Melayu, dikhuatiri bangsa Melayu juga akan memasuki zaman gelapnya.
Ya, penjajah sudah berjaya sebahagiannya 'menanggalkan' Islam daripada bahasa Melayu, namun wahai pejuang bangsa dan bahasa, istiqamahlah, terus berjuang memperkasa bahasa Melayu yang amat bertaut rapat dengan Islam. Jika dipisahkan elemen Islam daripada bahasa Melayu, bukan saja bahasa ini akan mati tetapi juga bangsa ini! Buktinya Tanah Melayu sudah tiada, mungkinkah bangsa dan bahasanya akan menyusul. Nauzubillah.
Renungan
Daripada Abu Hurairah r.a. katanya: Aku mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda; "Umatku akan ditimpa penyakit-penyakit yang pernah menimpa umt-umat dahulu." Sahabat bertanya, "Apakah penyakit-penyakit umat terdahulu itu?" Nabi s.a.w. menjawab, "Penyakit-penyakit it ialah: (1) terlalu banyak seronok, (2) terlalu mewah, (3) menghimpun harta sebanyak mungkin, (4) tipu menipu dalam merebut harta benda dunia, (5) saling memarahi, dan (6) hasut menghasut sehingga menjadi zalim menzalimi." (Hadis riwayat Hakim)
Zulkaedah 20
Di dalam kubur kubur terbaring 'sorang-sorang'...(Ulangan)
RUMAH kecil tiang seribu, rumah besar tiang sebatang, semasa kecil ditimang ibu, sudah besar ditimang gelombang...pada usia senja sekarang ini teringat saya akan pantun atau ungkapan orang bijaksana ini.
Perkataan 'bijaksana' itu pun membayangkan betapa ke depannya orang Melayu yang bahasanya sekarang ini diperkotak-katikkan sesetengah pihak kononnya bahasa Melayu tidak layak menjadi pengantar di sekolah lantas mereka mahu menggembalikan sekolah aliran Inggeris.
Perhatikanlah bahawa orang Melayu tidak hanya bercakap mengenai 'bijaksini' tetapi 'bijaksana' bagi membayangkan betapa prihatinnya mereka terhadap nasib mereka di akhirat nanti. Ini juga bermakna bahasa Melayu amat berkait rapat dengan Islam; hakikatnya Islamlah yang telah mengukuhkan bahasa Melayu sehingga menjadi lingua franca alam sebelah sini (Nusantara).
Mengenai ungkapan 'rumah kecil tiang seribu...itu seorang penulis membuat tafsiran ini: "Sehebat manapun kita, tetap tidak dapat menandingi kehebatan seorang ibu yang telah melahir dan membesarkan kita dengan penuh kasih sayang, tanpa terma dan syarat, tanpa sesal dan ralat...juga sepandai manapun kita mencipta resepi, tetap tidak dapat menandingi keenakan 'air tangan' ibu yang dimasak dengan penuh kasih sayang yang luhur.
"Dan setinggi manapun darjat kita, tetap tidak dapat menandingi ketinggian darjat seorang ibu, hingga doanya tiada hijab di sisi Yang Maha Berkuasa...oleh itu dalam sibuknya kita mengurus dunia dan mengejar cita-cita, panjatkanlah doa buat ibu yang semakin dimamah usia, barangkali raut wajahnya tidak lagi segar seperti dulu namun kasihnya tetap mekar dan subur, takkan layu ditelan waktu..."
Katanya lagi, hanya setelah bergelar ibu, barulah seorang anak mengerti mengapa kemuliaan seorang ibu tiga kali mengatasi kemuliaan seorang ayah.
Ketika mengamit nostalgia pantun...'Rumah kecil tiang seribu, rumah besar tiang sebatang...' baru-baru saya terperasan rupa-rupanya ada versi lain yang lebih mendekati orang Melayu akan amalan agamanya, Islam.
Pantun itu berbunyi: "Rumah kecil tiang seribu, rumah besar tiang sebatang, hidup di dunia bantu membantu, dalam kubur terbaring seorang."
Kemudian ada lanjutan pantun yang berbunyi: "Anak ayam turun sembilan, mati satu tinggallah lapan, amal ibadat pengganti badan, kita kan tinggal di balik papan."
Mengenai pertautan rapat bahasa Melayu dan Islam ini, teringat penulis akan perbincangan dengan seorang sarjana bahasa tidak lama dulu.
Beliau yang bergelar Dr mengajar di sebuah universiti tempatan. Apa yang menarik dicelotehkan pensyarah ini adalah mengenai ketinggian martabat serta kedudukan bahasa Melayu dan satu perkara yang tidak dapat dipisahkan berhubung perkembangan dan kemajuan bahasa ini adalah Islam.
Katanya, Islamlah yang memartabatkan bahasa Melayu sekali gus bangsa Melayu; sebarang langkah untuk 'memperkecil-kecilkan' atau 'mengnyahkan' bahasa ini bermakna orang Melayu dikhuatiri tidak akan maju tamadunnya. Tanpa bahasanya yang maju, tidak mungkin orang Melayu yang hampir semuanya beragama Islam akan maju hatta longgar juga dalam pegangan Islam mereka.
Sejak Islam datang dan diterima di alam Melayu dengan pengislaman raja-raja Pasai, Perlak, Aceh, Mataram (Jawa), Melaka, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Petani, Brunei dan banyak lagi wilayah, bahasa Melayu yang mengadaptasi tulisan Arab (Jawi) mengalami perkembangan teramat pesat sehinggakan bangsa ini maju dari segi budaya, kesusasteraan, pemerintahan dan teknologinya.
Islam telah mengangkat bahasa dan bangsa Melayu - bangsa dan kerajaan di rantau ini diiktiraf seantero dunia termasuk pemerintah China, India dan paling penting empayar Islam yang menguasai dunia ketika itu, Uthmaniyah yang berpangkalan di Turki.
Bahasa Melayu dengan huruf jawi amat berkait rapat dengan Islam termasuk amalan beragama. Di ruangan kecil ini memadailah diberi contoh mudah. Istiqamah satu sifat penting dalam melakukan peribadatan dalam Islam. “Daripada Aisyah r.ha., Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. bersabda, bermaksud: “Wahai manusia lakukanlah amalan mengikut keupayaan kamu. Sesungguhnya Allah tidak jemu sehinggalah kamu jemu. Amalan yang paling Allah sukai ialah amalan yang berterusan walaupun sedikit.” (Riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim)
Dalam bahasa Melayu ada 'bunga bahasa' seperti peribahasa yang bermaksud seakan-akan selari dengan maksud hadis tersebut seperti 'sedikit-sedikit lama-lama jadi bukit' dan 'sehari selembar benang lama-lama jadi sehelai kain'.
Kata sarjana itu, ini menunjukkan pengaruh Islam amat hebat dalam bahasa Melayu dan perkara ini disedari penjajah yang sedaya upaya 'memisahkan Islam daripada bahasa Melayu'. Maka dibuang dan dihapuskan huruf Arab (jawi) digantikan dengan huruf rumi dan mutakhir ini ada pemimpin berpendapat bahasa Melayu tidak berupaya membicarakan ilmu teknologi seperti Sains dan Matematik. Lantas mereka 'memandulkan' bahasa Melayu dengan 'tidak membenarkan bahasa ini membicarakan Sains dan Matemik di sekolah dan universiti sebaliknya diagung-agungkannya bahasa Inggeris.
Hakikatnya, kata sarjana itu bahasa Melayu hebat dalam memperkatakan teknologi jika tidak masakan bangsa Melayu suatu ketika dulu terkenal sebagai pelayar hebat dan menjelajah lautan dunia; rumusannya istiqamahlah dalam memperkasa bahasa Melayu walaupun secara berdikit-dikit, namun jika cuba 'dimandulkan' bahasa Melayu, dikhuatiri bangsa Melayu juga akan memasuki zaman gelapnya.
Ya, penjajah sudah berjaya sebahagiannya 'menanggalkan' Islam daripada bahasa Melayu, namun wahai pejuang bangsa dan bahasa, istiqamahlah, terus berjuang memperkasa bahasa Melayu yang amat bertaut rapat dengan Islam. Jika dipisahkan elemen Islam daripada bahasa Melayu, bukan saja bahasa ini akan mati tetapi juga bangsa ini! Buktinya Tanah Melayu sudah tiada, mungkinkah bangsa dan bahasanya akan menyusul. Nauzubillah.
July 11, 2020
Zulkaedah 19: Ketelusan pemimpin perlu dilihat
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
Zulkaedah 19
Ketelusan pemimpin perlu dilihat
PADA kuliah subuh tidak lama dulu, antara lain ustaz di sebuah masjid berdekatan rumah saya, membicarakan kepentingan untuk pemimpin bukan saja telus tetapi dilihat ketelusannya.
Ustaz membawakan kisah Sayidina Umar Al-Khattab ketika membahagian harta rampasan perang, memberikan bahagian rakyat sama seperti dirinya iaitu sepotong kain yang tidak cukup untuk dibuat sehelai pakaian lengkap.
Namun pada suatu hari ketika hadir di satu majlis di masjid, beliau dilihat memakai pakaian yang lengkap daripada kain yang dibahagikan tempoh hari.
Melihatkan keadaan itu, bangunlah seorang sahabat, Salman Al-Farisi menyoal khalifah (sekarang ini ibarat presiden atau perdana menteri) bagaimana beliau boleh membuat pakaian yang lengkap sedangkan kain diagihkan dulu tidak cukup untuk tujuan itu. Salman berkata dia dan orang Islam lain tidak akan taat dan menjunjung perintah khalifah jika benar khalifah melakukan penyelewengan.
Lantas bangunlah Abdullah anak Khalifah Umar bagi menjelaskan bahawa pakaian atas ayahnya dibuat daripada kain milik khalifah sendiri manakala pakaian bawah dibuat daripada kain miliknya.
Salman dan sahabat serta rakyat bersyukur di atas kejujuran khalifah dan menyatakan kesetiaan yang tidak berbelah bagi kepadanya.
Demikianlah khalifah dituntut bukan hanya untuk telus tetapi dilihat telus manakala rakyat pula berhak mempersoalkan perkara yang mereka tidak puas hati. Khalifah Umar pula yang memiliki kuasa dari timur dan barat (wilayah Islam sudah menjangkau Afrika Utara dan Parsi) terbuka untuk menerima kritikan dan kecaman rakyat sendiri tetapi apa yang berlaku hari ini?
Pemimpin besar hatta kecil pun langsung tidak mahu menerima pandangan sisi (pihak) lain (termasuk rakyat) tetapi sentiasa menganggap dia dan gerombolannya saja yang betul hatta mendabik dada mereka saja yang pandai memerintah negara sehingga disanjung seantero dunia!
Oleh itu pemimpin perlu terbuka menerima kritikan dan kecaman seperti dicontohkan Khalifah Umar yang tokoh Barat, Michael H Hart meletakkan 'ranking'nya yang ke-52 dalam bukunya 'The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History'.
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
Zulkaedah 19
Ketelusan pemimpin perlu dilihat
PADA kuliah subuh tidak lama dulu, antara lain ustaz di sebuah masjid berdekatan rumah saya, membicarakan kepentingan untuk pemimpin bukan saja telus tetapi dilihat ketelusannya.
Ustaz membawakan kisah Sayidina Umar Al-Khattab ketika membahagian harta rampasan perang, memberikan bahagian rakyat sama seperti dirinya iaitu sepotong kain yang tidak cukup untuk dibuat sehelai pakaian lengkap.
Namun pada suatu hari ketika hadir di satu majlis di masjid, beliau dilihat memakai pakaian yang lengkap daripada kain yang dibahagikan tempoh hari.
Melihatkan keadaan itu, bangunlah seorang sahabat, Salman Al-Farisi menyoal khalifah (sekarang ini ibarat presiden atau perdana menteri) bagaimana beliau boleh membuat pakaian yang lengkap sedangkan kain diagihkan dulu tidak cukup untuk tujuan itu. Salman berkata dia dan orang Islam lain tidak akan taat dan menjunjung perintah khalifah jika benar khalifah melakukan penyelewengan.
Lantas bangunlah Abdullah anak Khalifah Umar bagi menjelaskan bahawa pakaian atas ayahnya dibuat daripada kain milik khalifah sendiri manakala pakaian bawah dibuat daripada kain miliknya.
Salman dan sahabat serta rakyat bersyukur di atas kejujuran khalifah dan menyatakan kesetiaan yang tidak berbelah bagi kepadanya.
Demikianlah khalifah dituntut bukan hanya untuk telus tetapi dilihat telus manakala rakyat pula berhak mempersoalkan perkara yang mereka tidak puas hati. Khalifah Umar pula yang memiliki kuasa dari timur dan barat (wilayah Islam sudah menjangkau Afrika Utara dan Parsi) terbuka untuk menerima kritikan dan kecaman rakyat sendiri tetapi apa yang berlaku hari ini?
Pemimpin besar hatta kecil pun langsung tidak mahu menerima pandangan sisi (pihak) lain (termasuk rakyat) tetapi sentiasa menganggap dia dan gerombolannya saja yang betul hatta mendabik dada mereka saja yang pandai memerintah negara sehingga disanjung seantero dunia!
Oleh itu pemimpin perlu terbuka menerima kritikan dan kecaman seperti dicontohkan Khalifah Umar yang tokoh Barat, Michael H Hart meletakkan 'ranking'nya yang ke-52 dalam bukunya 'The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History'.
July 10, 2020
Zulkaedah 18: Kutipan derma masjid menjunam...
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
Zulkaedah 18
Kutipan derma masjid menjunam...
ALHAMDULILLAH sudah lima kali saya dapat solat Jumaat selepas Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) bermula 18 Mac 2020.
Setiap kali sebelum atau selepas solat, antara tabiat saya adalah membiarkan mata 'melilau' melihat notis, papan tanda dan sebarang bentuk penerangan yang ditulis atau ditampal di dinding masjid.
Di sebuah masjid saya lihat papan tanda yang menunjukkan jumlah kutipan wang derma Jumaat bagi bulan Jun dan awal Julai ini merosot teruk...dulu sebelum PKP dalam lingkungan RM3,000 sekarang ini kira-kira RM1,000.
Demikian juga di sebuah masjid lain, kemerosotan kutipan wang derma sangat ketara...yalah apa yang boleh 'dibaca' daripada perkembangan ini.
Ada banyak kemungkinan...satu mungkin jemaah Jumaat sekarang ini terhad disebabkan SOP, antaranya penjarakan sosial yang menyebabkan sesebuah masjid tidak dapat menampung ramai jemaah dan satu lagi kemungkinan jemaah sekarang ini ramai yang ekonomi mereka sudah 'nazak', al-maklumlah ramai hilang pekerjaan.
Kurang wang kutipan bermakna kurangkah aktiviti memakmurkan masjid...jadi sebagai jemaah masjid apatah lagi AJK-nya, marilah kita berganding mahu termasuk memerah otak bagaimana mahu mengatasi masalah ini...
Artikel sampingan (lama)
Duit masjid bukan untuk 'disimpan'...
SUATU petang selepas solat asar di sebuah masjid yang biasa dikunjungi, saya berehat sebentar di beranda, melihat-lihat sebuah papan putih yang tertera jumlah wang kutipan masjid setiap minggu dan bulan.
Pada kebanyakan minggu jumlah kutipannya melebihi RM3,000. Jadi jumlah kutipan bulanan tidak kurang RM10,000. Kadang-kadang dalam sebulan ada lima minggu manakala kutipan juga dibuat pada Aidilfitri dan Aidiladha…bermakna lumayanlah masjid ini dari segi kewangannya.
Di dua masjid berdekatan yang juga kerap saya kunjungi, kutipan kedua-duanya tidak pernah kurang daripada RM2,500 seminggu. Malah di papan putih sebuah masjid ada tercatat jumlah kutipan bulanan daripada hasil ladang dan pajakan tanah.
Ya sungguh lumayan perolehan masjid-masjid kita; persoalannya apakah wang daripada derma orang ramai, sama ada melalui peti mini yang diedarkan pada setiap Jumaat ataupun tabung tetap di masjid digunakan secara maksimum untuk mengimarahkan rumah-rumah Allah itu?
Duit itu adalah sumbangan orang yang mahu melihat masjid diimarahkan dengan program yang dapat mendekatkan masyarakat kepada Ilahi, tetapi kadang kala lain pula terjadi - ada sesetengah ahli jawatankuasa masjid terlalu berminat menimbunkan wang sedekah dalam bank.
Sesetengah setiausaha dan bendahari masjid bersaing antara satu sama lain, masjid mana yang mempunyai simpanan paling banyak. Mereka yang menyimpan paling banyak bangga, kononnya berjaya mengkayakan masjid, hakikatnya masjid tidak perlu dikayakan, yang perlu dikayakan adalah masyarakat Islam, sama ada dari segi kehidupan harian ataupun keimanan mereka.
Tidak lama dulu penulis menghadiri ceramah seorang motivator yang namanya pada pandangan penulis usah disebut. Di masjid itu beliau bercakap dengan nada keras: "Kalau jawatankuasa masjid tidak tahu buat kerja, muka pun tak ada ketika solat jemaah, lebih baiklah letak jawatan. Janganlah gila pangkat dan kedudukan, bagilah pada orang yang boleh buat kerja."
Beliau meminta jemaah melihat sekeliling dan berkata: "Lihatlah muka yang datang ke masjid, asyik-asyik muka yang sama. Muka KRU (kumpulan rambut uban). Mana dia anak-anak muda kita? Tanyalah diri sendiri mengapa mereka tidak datang ke masjid?"
Katanya, AJK perlu menguruskan masjid dengan berkesan. Makmurkan masjid. Buat program-program yang dapat menarik minat anak-anak muda. Untuk tujuan ini, tentulah perlukan peruntukan kewangan yang banyak.
"Inilah masanya untuk kita gunakan wang derma orang ramai itu. Janganlah simpan wang banyak-banyak dalam bank, tak mahu keluarkan. Orang yang dermakan wang itu mahu melihat wang itu digunakan untuk manfaat orang ramai, ini simpan dalam bank banyak-banyak buat apa?" tanyanya.
Beliau membidas AJK masjid yang gemar berbincang mengenai apa makanan yang hendak disediakan selepas majlis ceramah dan sebagainya tetapi tidak pula membahaskan dan menjayakan program apa yang sesuai bagi memakmurkan masjid terutama bagi menarik generasi muda.
Katanya, pemuda-pemudi sudah tahu aktiviti yang berlangsung di masjid seperti kelas pengajian, majlis marhaban (ketika sambutan Maulidur Rasul), bacaan Surah Yassin pada malam Jumaat, jadi mereka tidak tertarik untuk datang kerana majlis-majlis seumpama itu pada fikiran mereka hanya sesuai untuk orang tua.
“Cuba buat kelainan, buatlah sesuatu yang dapat memikat mereka,” katanya.
Penulis teringat ada pengurusan beberapa masjid sudah menjayakan projek seperti membina gelanggang sepak takraw di tepi masjid. Apabila azan, budak-budak berhenti bermain dan diajak untuk solat berjemaah. Ada pengurusan masjid sudah memajukan kelas komputer, golongan muda dapat dibimbing meningkatkan kemahiran mereka dalam bidang teknologi maklumat.
Demikianlah banyak program dapat dimajukan di masjid sebagai pendekatan menarik sebanyak mungkin anggota masyarakat ke rumah Allah itu, tidak kira daripada golongan veteran, wanita, muda-mudi dan juga kanak-kanak.
Bagaimanapun sebahagian besar harapan orang ramai tidak tercapai kerana realitinya kebanyakan pengurusan masjid dimonopoli golongan tertentu yang ada kepentingan termasuk dari segi politik. Mereka berada di kedudukan berkenaan bukan dilantik oleh ahli kariah tetapi dipilih pihak berkuasa.
Apabila ini berlaku (pelantikan orang yang tidak mencintai rumah Allah), berlakulah kelemahan pengurusan masjid seperti sekarang. Jika solat waktu pun AJK jarang hadir, bagaimana mereka boleh mengaktifkan masjid?
Selain kelemahan pengurusan, sesetengah ‘orang masjid’ pula kurang dalam PR (perhubungan awam) mereka. Sebagai contoh, ramai yang bukan saja tidak mesra kanak-kanak tetapi anti-kanak-kanak.
Misalnya baru-baru ini penulis melihat bagaimana sekumpulan kanak-kanak yang sedang bermain-main di masjid diusir sehingga jauh oleh ‘orang masjid’. Bagi penulis adalah biasa untuk kanak-kanak bermain-main, cukuplah menasihati mereka, tidak perlu ‘dihambat’ sedemikian rupa. Lainlah kalau 'bapak orang' bermain-main dalam masjid…itu baru tak reti bahasa namanya!
Tidak lama dulu, seorang anak penulis yang melalui satu kawasan ‘larangan’ (dia sendiri tidak tahu larangan itu) di masjid telah dijerit oleh seseorang: “Hei budak…” Itu ‘pengalaman ngeri’ baginya tetapi syukurlah dia tidak ‘patah hati’ untuk terus ke masjid!
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
Zulkaedah 18
Kutipan derma masjid menjunam...
ALHAMDULILLAH sudah lima kali saya dapat solat Jumaat selepas Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) bermula 18 Mac 2020.
Setiap kali sebelum atau selepas solat, antara tabiat saya adalah membiarkan mata 'melilau' melihat notis, papan tanda dan sebarang bentuk penerangan yang ditulis atau ditampal di dinding masjid.
Di sebuah masjid saya lihat papan tanda yang menunjukkan jumlah kutipan wang derma Jumaat bagi bulan Jun dan awal Julai ini merosot teruk...dulu sebelum PKP dalam lingkungan RM3,000 sekarang ini kira-kira RM1,000.
Demikian juga di sebuah masjid lain, kemerosotan kutipan wang derma sangat ketara...yalah apa yang boleh 'dibaca' daripada perkembangan ini.
Ada banyak kemungkinan...satu mungkin jemaah Jumaat sekarang ini terhad disebabkan SOP, antaranya penjarakan sosial yang menyebabkan sesebuah masjid tidak dapat menampung ramai jemaah dan satu lagi kemungkinan jemaah sekarang ini ramai yang ekonomi mereka sudah 'nazak', al-maklumlah ramai hilang pekerjaan.
Kurang wang kutipan bermakna kurangkah aktiviti memakmurkan masjid...jadi sebagai jemaah masjid apatah lagi AJK-nya, marilah kita berganding mahu termasuk memerah otak bagaimana mahu mengatasi masalah ini...
Artikel sampingan (lama)
Duit masjid bukan untuk 'disimpan'...
SUATU petang selepas solat asar di sebuah masjid yang biasa dikunjungi, saya berehat sebentar di beranda, melihat-lihat sebuah papan putih yang tertera jumlah wang kutipan masjid setiap minggu dan bulan.
Pada kebanyakan minggu jumlah kutipannya melebihi RM3,000. Jadi jumlah kutipan bulanan tidak kurang RM10,000. Kadang-kadang dalam sebulan ada lima minggu manakala kutipan juga dibuat pada Aidilfitri dan Aidiladha…bermakna lumayanlah masjid ini dari segi kewangannya.
Di dua masjid berdekatan yang juga kerap saya kunjungi, kutipan kedua-duanya tidak pernah kurang daripada RM2,500 seminggu. Malah di papan putih sebuah masjid ada tercatat jumlah kutipan bulanan daripada hasil ladang dan pajakan tanah.
Ya sungguh lumayan perolehan masjid-masjid kita; persoalannya apakah wang daripada derma orang ramai, sama ada melalui peti mini yang diedarkan pada setiap Jumaat ataupun tabung tetap di masjid digunakan secara maksimum untuk mengimarahkan rumah-rumah Allah itu?
Duit itu adalah sumbangan orang yang mahu melihat masjid diimarahkan dengan program yang dapat mendekatkan masyarakat kepada Ilahi, tetapi kadang kala lain pula terjadi - ada sesetengah ahli jawatankuasa masjid terlalu berminat menimbunkan wang sedekah dalam bank.
Sesetengah setiausaha dan bendahari masjid bersaing antara satu sama lain, masjid mana yang mempunyai simpanan paling banyak. Mereka yang menyimpan paling banyak bangga, kononnya berjaya mengkayakan masjid, hakikatnya masjid tidak perlu dikayakan, yang perlu dikayakan adalah masyarakat Islam, sama ada dari segi kehidupan harian ataupun keimanan mereka.
Tidak lama dulu penulis menghadiri ceramah seorang motivator yang namanya pada pandangan penulis usah disebut. Di masjid itu beliau bercakap dengan nada keras: "Kalau jawatankuasa masjid tidak tahu buat kerja, muka pun tak ada ketika solat jemaah, lebih baiklah letak jawatan. Janganlah gila pangkat dan kedudukan, bagilah pada orang yang boleh buat kerja."
Beliau meminta jemaah melihat sekeliling dan berkata: "Lihatlah muka yang datang ke masjid, asyik-asyik muka yang sama. Muka KRU (kumpulan rambut uban). Mana dia anak-anak muda kita? Tanyalah diri sendiri mengapa mereka tidak datang ke masjid?"
Katanya, AJK perlu menguruskan masjid dengan berkesan. Makmurkan masjid. Buat program-program yang dapat menarik minat anak-anak muda. Untuk tujuan ini, tentulah perlukan peruntukan kewangan yang banyak.
"Inilah masanya untuk kita gunakan wang derma orang ramai itu. Janganlah simpan wang banyak-banyak dalam bank, tak mahu keluarkan. Orang yang dermakan wang itu mahu melihat wang itu digunakan untuk manfaat orang ramai, ini simpan dalam bank banyak-banyak buat apa?" tanyanya.
Beliau membidas AJK masjid yang gemar berbincang mengenai apa makanan yang hendak disediakan selepas majlis ceramah dan sebagainya tetapi tidak pula membahaskan dan menjayakan program apa yang sesuai bagi memakmurkan masjid terutama bagi menarik generasi muda.
Katanya, pemuda-pemudi sudah tahu aktiviti yang berlangsung di masjid seperti kelas pengajian, majlis marhaban (ketika sambutan Maulidur Rasul), bacaan Surah Yassin pada malam Jumaat, jadi mereka tidak tertarik untuk datang kerana majlis-majlis seumpama itu pada fikiran mereka hanya sesuai untuk orang tua.
“Cuba buat kelainan, buatlah sesuatu yang dapat memikat mereka,” katanya.
Penulis teringat ada pengurusan beberapa masjid sudah menjayakan projek seperti membina gelanggang sepak takraw di tepi masjid. Apabila azan, budak-budak berhenti bermain dan diajak untuk solat berjemaah. Ada pengurusan masjid sudah memajukan kelas komputer, golongan muda dapat dibimbing meningkatkan kemahiran mereka dalam bidang teknologi maklumat.
Demikianlah banyak program dapat dimajukan di masjid sebagai pendekatan menarik sebanyak mungkin anggota masyarakat ke rumah Allah itu, tidak kira daripada golongan veteran, wanita, muda-mudi dan juga kanak-kanak.
Bagaimanapun sebahagian besar harapan orang ramai tidak tercapai kerana realitinya kebanyakan pengurusan masjid dimonopoli golongan tertentu yang ada kepentingan termasuk dari segi politik. Mereka berada di kedudukan berkenaan bukan dilantik oleh ahli kariah tetapi dipilih pihak berkuasa.
Apabila ini berlaku (pelantikan orang yang tidak mencintai rumah Allah), berlakulah kelemahan pengurusan masjid seperti sekarang. Jika solat waktu pun AJK jarang hadir, bagaimana mereka boleh mengaktifkan masjid?
Selain kelemahan pengurusan, sesetengah ‘orang masjid’ pula kurang dalam PR (perhubungan awam) mereka. Sebagai contoh, ramai yang bukan saja tidak mesra kanak-kanak tetapi anti-kanak-kanak.
Misalnya baru-baru ini penulis melihat bagaimana sekumpulan kanak-kanak yang sedang bermain-main di masjid diusir sehingga jauh oleh ‘orang masjid’. Bagi penulis adalah biasa untuk kanak-kanak bermain-main, cukuplah menasihati mereka, tidak perlu ‘dihambat’ sedemikian rupa. Lainlah kalau 'bapak orang' bermain-main dalam masjid…itu baru tak reti bahasa namanya!
Tidak lama dulu, seorang anak penulis yang melalui satu kawasan ‘larangan’ (dia sendiri tidak tahu larangan itu) di masjid telah dijerit oleh seseorang: “Hei budak…” Itu ‘pengalaman ngeri’ baginya tetapi syukurlah dia tidak ‘patah hati’ untuk terus ke masjid!
July 9, 2020
Zulkaedah 17: Tale of a fallen monkey...
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.
WATCHING the life styles of our new generation for example young men and women in my housing area or even my own grown-up children made me scared; the majority of them were in 'comfort zone' - they were pampered with luxurious of life - among youngsters with jobs almost of them own cars or at least motorcycles.
Yes, I had never seen these working youngsters using public transportation. And regarding food; the majority of them rarely ate at home; they frequented stalls including those run by 'mamaks' and sometimes ate at fast food chains. They too rarely cook at home, perhaps they only knew how to cook 'maggi mee'!
They too were dressed in 'the style of the rich and famous' and regarding 'accessories items' such as electronic gadgets they were always up to date. As for the girls, their 'tudungs' were from renowned house of design and fashion.
I was amazed at the style of living of our youngsters. For example a young man who was a neighbor and had been working as a postman for only a few years could own a new Proton Saga FLX...it's totally different from my way of life when I entered the working world as a journalist in 1986.
During the first and second year of working, I still used the old Yamaha kapcai 90cc motorcycle which I bought during my university's years and after three years working only then a managed to buy a car...mind you it was a 'third-hand' one!
Perhaps I was in 'the wrong train'; yes how could I compared the slow and nostalgic 'train' of mine compared with 'the fast and furious one' of the new generation.
My way of thinking and their's did not matched; well let's the young generation live the way they liked but one thing that disturbed my mind was a 'tazkirah' (lesson) by an 'ustaz' (religious teacher) at a 'masjid' near my house recently, who warned about the danger of living in 'comfort zone'.
To begin with he told a story about a monkey perched on top of a coconut tree. The monkey was trying to have a rest after a day's hard work. But the whether was troublesome...suddenly there was a windstorm, the monkey hugged and hold tight...the more fierce the wind blew, the more the monkey tightened his grip to the trunk of the coconut.
Then it was over; the whether became fine, the wind was mild and gentle The breeze made the monkey comfortable (he was in a comfort zone) and as he sat on a branch, he felt asleep. He was too deep in his sleep that he loose balance and fell flat to the ground from 30 meters...well he was 'pronounced dead'!
So 'which type of wind or style of living' made the monkey fell down? It was the gentle wind that made the monkey felt comfortable and at ease thus he was not careful or alert to dangers around him. But in a tight situation such as facing a thunderstorm he understood he would be in trouble even dead if he just took things easy. He worked and 'prayed' hard that God would saved him by 'taking away' the menacing wind.
There's another story, famous among the Malays, about a 'daydreaming' guy named Mat Jenin. When he was perched on top of a coconut tree, Mat Jenin who was poor, dreamed of becoming rich until he could have the hands of a princess in marriage...and as he about to touch the beautiful lady he crashed down and as the monkey he too 'was pronounced dead'!
Living in comfort zones made many of our youngsters took things too easy. They did not understand the hardship of life, for the majority of them think their existence were 'to enjoy worldly pleasures to the maximum'. Well some had guts to say "semasa muda ini enjoy dulu, tua nanti taubatlah" (while we are still young have fun, when we became old then we would repent).
So when they 'have some money' after working, they started to buy worldly pleasures they dreamed off previously such as cars, home audio visual sets, electronic gadgets and so on even if they had to make heavy loans.
To our youngsters, please seek knowledge so that we would be safe in this world and Hereafter. Allah SWT says in the Qur'an: "Competition in (worldly) increase diverts you; Until you visit the graveyards; No! You are going to know; Then no! You are going to know; No! If you only knew with knowledge of certainty...; You will surely see the Hellfire; Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty; Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure. (Qur'an: Surah Al-Takathur; 102, 1-8)
Being 'playful' in life thinking that we were still young and far away from death is a 'dangerous game' because Allah SWT The Almighty could take our life at anytime...remember there's a Malay proverb saying "putik kelapa pun ada yang gugur" (young coconuts too fall down).
Remember even 'skillful' monkeys too fall from trees. Monkeys are coordinated physically and are well suited to a life of trees proving that they are skillful animals when it comes to climbing and swinging around on the branches of trees. But sometimes these monkeys while playing with on the tree slip and fall down. There is also a Malay proverb which reads: "Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga" (as clever as the squirrel hops, it will, one day, eat dirt).
Watching the people around us especially our youngsters we have to acknowledge that many are madly in the 'rat race chase' - their lives are only to fulfill their desires; they work, eat and play and have no time even to say 'thank you' (Alhamdulillah) to their Creator such as performing the 'solat'.
Some people seemed like animals; Allah SWT says in the Qur'an: They are like cattle, who only think about what it eats, and does not think about the future and prepare for another life. They are not only like cattle but even worse, because cattle obey Allah in reasons of its creation. This is reflected in Surah al-Furqan where it says: "They are only like cattle - nay, they are even further astray from the Path - even worse than cattle." (Al-Qur'an 25: 44)
Nowadays people are heaping 'worldly pleasures' like mad. They do not care if they had to make loans which involved in 'haram' (prohibited) process such as 'riba' (usury), giving and receiving bribes or involved in money-laundering.
Allah informs man about the insignificance and deceptive allure of the world in the Qur'an: "Know you (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: how rain and the growth which it brings forth delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; you will see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And forgiveness from Allah and (His) good pleasure (for the devotees of Allah). And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception? (Surat al-Hadid: 20)
True wealth belongs to those believers who never show an inner interest in possessions in this world and truly believe that only Allah gives everything to man. These are actually the really wealthy people in this world; they do not limit their lives to a mere 60-70 years. Believers engage in the best trade by obtaining paradise in exchange for this life. They prefer permanent instead of temporary wealth. Allah informs us about this in the following verse:
Allah has purchased from the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Taurah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded: that is the achievement supreme. (Surat at-Taubah: 111)
Subhanallah, nowadays we, especially our youth are now living in a comfort zone...hopefully we are not going to ZZZZZ (doze off) in this challenging era just like 'the fallen monkey'!
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.
WATCHING the life styles of our new generation for example young men and women in my housing area or even my own grown-up children made me scared; the majority of them were in 'comfort zone' - they were pampered with luxurious of life - among youngsters with jobs almost of them own cars or at least motorcycles.
Yes, I had never seen these working youngsters using public transportation. And regarding food; the majority of them rarely ate at home; they frequented stalls including those run by 'mamaks' and sometimes ate at fast food chains. They too rarely cook at home, perhaps they only knew how to cook 'maggi mee'!
They too were dressed in 'the style of the rich and famous' and regarding 'accessories items' such as electronic gadgets they were always up to date. As for the girls, their 'tudungs' were from renowned house of design and fashion.
I was amazed at the style of living of our youngsters. For example a young man who was a neighbor and had been working as a postman for only a few years could own a new Proton Saga FLX...it's totally different from my way of life when I entered the working world as a journalist in 1986.
During the first and second year of working, I still used the old Yamaha kapcai 90cc motorcycle which I bought during my university's years and after three years working only then a managed to buy a car...mind you it was a 'third-hand' one!
Perhaps I was in 'the wrong train'; yes how could I compared the slow and nostalgic 'train' of mine compared with 'the fast and furious one' of the new generation.
My way of thinking and their's did not matched; well let's the young generation live the way they liked but one thing that disturbed my mind was a 'tazkirah' (lesson) by an 'ustaz' (religious teacher) at a 'masjid' near my house recently, who warned about the danger of living in 'comfort zone'.
To begin with he told a story about a monkey perched on top of a coconut tree. The monkey was trying to have a rest after a day's hard work. But the whether was troublesome...suddenly there was a windstorm, the monkey hugged and hold tight...the more fierce the wind blew, the more the monkey tightened his grip to the trunk of the coconut.
Then it was over; the whether became fine, the wind was mild and gentle The breeze made the monkey comfortable (he was in a comfort zone) and as he sat on a branch, he felt asleep. He was too deep in his sleep that he loose balance and fell flat to the ground from 30 meters...well he was 'pronounced dead'!
So 'which type of wind or style of living' made the monkey fell down? It was the gentle wind that made the monkey felt comfortable and at ease thus he was not careful or alert to dangers around him. But in a tight situation such as facing a thunderstorm he understood he would be in trouble even dead if he just took things easy. He worked and 'prayed' hard that God would saved him by 'taking away' the menacing wind.
There's another story, famous among the Malays, about a 'daydreaming' guy named Mat Jenin. When he was perched on top of a coconut tree, Mat Jenin who was poor, dreamed of becoming rich until he could have the hands of a princess in marriage...and as he about to touch the beautiful lady he crashed down and as the monkey he too 'was pronounced dead'!
Living in comfort zones made many of our youngsters took things too easy. They did not understand the hardship of life, for the majority of them think their existence were 'to enjoy worldly pleasures to the maximum'. Well some had guts to say "semasa muda ini enjoy dulu, tua nanti taubatlah" (while we are still young have fun, when we became old then we would repent).
So when they 'have some money' after working, they started to buy worldly pleasures they dreamed off previously such as cars, home audio visual sets, electronic gadgets and so on even if they had to make heavy loans.
To our youngsters, please seek knowledge so that we would be safe in this world and Hereafter. Allah SWT says in the Qur'an: "Competition in (worldly) increase diverts you; Until you visit the graveyards; No! You are going to know; Then no! You are going to know; No! If you only knew with knowledge of certainty...; You will surely see the Hellfire; Then you will surely see it with the eye of certainty; Then you will surely be asked that Day about pleasure. (Qur'an: Surah Al-Takathur; 102, 1-8)
Being 'playful' in life thinking that we were still young and far away from death is a 'dangerous game' because Allah SWT The Almighty could take our life at anytime...remember there's a Malay proverb saying "putik kelapa pun ada yang gugur" (young coconuts too fall down).
Remember even 'skillful' monkeys too fall from trees. Monkeys are coordinated physically and are well suited to a life of trees proving that they are skillful animals when it comes to climbing and swinging around on the branches of trees. But sometimes these monkeys while playing with on the tree slip and fall down. There is also a Malay proverb which reads: "Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga" (as clever as the squirrel hops, it will, one day, eat dirt).
Watching the people around us especially our youngsters we have to acknowledge that many are madly in the 'rat race chase' - their lives are only to fulfill their desires; they work, eat and play and have no time even to say 'thank you' (Alhamdulillah) to their Creator such as performing the 'solat'.
Some people seemed like animals; Allah SWT says in the Qur'an: They are like cattle, who only think about what it eats, and does not think about the future and prepare for another life. They are not only like cattle but even worse, because cattle obey Allah in reasons of its creation. This is reflected in Surah al-Furqan where it says: "They are only like cattle - nay, they are even further astray from the Path - even worse than cattle." (Al-Qur'an 25: 44)
Nowadays people are heaping 'worldly pleasures' like mad. They do not care if they had to make loans which involved in 'haram' (prohibited) process such as 'riba' (usury), giving and receiving bribes or involved in money-laundering.
Allah informs man about the insignificance and deceptive allure of the world in the Qur'an: "Know you (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: how rain and the growth which it brings forth delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; you will see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And forgiveness from Allah and (His) good pleasure (for the devotees of Allah). And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception? (Surat al-Hadid: 20)
True wealth belongs to those believers who never show an inner interest in possessions in this world and truly believe that only Allah gives everything to man. These are actually the really wealthy people in this world; they do not limit their lives to a mere 60-70 years. Believers engage in the best trade by obtaining paradise in exchange for this life. They prefer permanent instead of temporary wealth. Allah informs us about this in the following verse:
Allah has purchased from the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Taurah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which you have concluded: that is the achievement supreme. (Surat at-Taubah: 111)
Subhanallah, nowadays we, especially our youth are now living in a comfort zone...hopefully we are not going to ZZZZZ (doze off) in this challenging era just like 'the fallen monkey'!
July 7, 2020
Zulkaedah 16: A 'soleh' wife?
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
***
I was totally 'off guard' during a 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) recently when the 'ustaz' (religious teacher) who was preaching, lambasted some women especially wives for aiming to be 'soleh' (pious). Perhaps I was 'day dreaming'; that's why I was blur to what the 'ustaz' was trying to convey. Well, what's wrong for wanting to be 'soleh' in life?
The 'issue' caught my heart. I opened up my mind and ears; I heard the 'ustaz' told this story: "It was about 3.00 am. A husband woke up; his hands searched for his wife who he thought was on bed. She was not around. Where could 'the woman' be? whispered the husband.
"After 'his eyes searched' the dimmed light-room, he found his wife in a white 'telekung' (praying veil used by Muslim women during prayers) at a corner of the room,performing her 'solat sunat tahajjud' (recommended prayers perform at the wee hours of the night).
The 'ustaz' said some husbands did not mind with their wives doings but some became angry. He said it was not proper for a woman to perform recommended prayers without informing her husband. Perhaps the wife would like to be closer to Allah SWT but she must do it with knowledge.
In performing 'ibadah sunat' (recommended obligations), a wife must first inform her husband. A 'hadith' mentioned that a woman does not fast while her husband is present without his permission, except in Ramadan. (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari & Muslim)
The 'ustaz' said, the characteristics of a pious husband (soleh) and pious wife (solehah) is slightly different eventhough top priority of both are to seek the pleasure of Allah SWT. A wife must understand she is not required to be 'soleh' but 'solehah'.
For example a 'solehah wife' will not leave her home without her husband's permission even if it (the action) is regarding good deeds (becoming pious) to be closer to Allah SWT such as going to the 'masjid' for prayers and attending Islamic classes. Women are advised that performing prayers at their homes are better (more afdal) than at masjids and doing in in their rooms are better than in the open section of their homes such as the living rooms. Thus it is wrong for women insisting going to the masjid to be more pious compared to those who are not.
Women are not recommended doing 'congregational activities' but they are rewarded handsomely if they do things that fit and suit their physical being, emotional and abilities. Asma bint Yazeed r.a. once came to Rasulullah s.a.w. as an ambassador of the ladies and said; "Men have surpassed us in rewards through juma (Friday prayers), congregational prayers, visiting the ill, participating in funeral prayers and protecting the borders of the Islamic State." Rasulullah s.a.w. sent her with the message "Your adorning and beautifying yourselves for your husbands and your strivings to please your husbands and your obedience to the wishes of your husbands equals these actions (juma, jihaad etc.) in rewards."
Thus a wife must have knowledge regarding her duties and executes it accordingly to the examples shown by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him - s.a.w.), his wives, daughters and companions.
A husband too must have knowledge regarding his duties which is much broader in scope such as regarding his friends and brothers in Islam, his society, his country, the 'ummah' and of course he is in charge of his wife, his children, his parents, his relatives and so on.
Scholars have made in clear about the characteristics of a pious wife (solehah) and a pious husband (soleh). Regarding a 'solehah' wife, they said her priority is to seek the pleasure of Allah. She tries acquiring the qualities of a good wife by following the examples of the Prophet s.a.w. and obeying what is commanded in the Book of Allah. Complete obedience and adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. and the Qur'an is the best of a woman’s qualities. - Al-Islaah Publications
The Prophet in a 'hadith' said a woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her fame, for her beauty and for her religion. So marry one for her religion and you will win. (Narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim)
Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands) and guard in their husband’s absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their honor, husbands property, etc) (Qur'an 4:34)
An-Nasaii narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. was asked “Who are the best of women?” He replied, “The one who pleases him (her husband) if he looks at her, obeys him if he orders (her) and does not subject her honor or money to what he dislikes.”
Ibn Hibban narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. said, “If a woman prayed five prayers, fasted in Ramadan, protected her honor and obeyed her husband; then she will be told (on the Day of Judgment): enter Paradise from any of its (eight) doors.”
If a woman harms (in any way) her husband, then his wife in Paradise tells her: “Do not harm him, May Allah fight you, he is only staying temporarily with you. Soon he will come to us.” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmithi)
If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses till he slept while angry, then the Angels will curse her till the morning. (Narrated by Imam Muslim)
Allah does not look to the woman who does not appreciate her husband while she cannot stand his departing her. (Narrated by An-Nasaii)
Any woman who asks her husband for divorce for no reason will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. (Sahih Al-Jamii)
The Prophet s.a.w. said, “If I were to order anyone to bow down to other than Allah, I would order the wife to do so for her husband. By the One who owns the soul of Muhammad,if a wife does not fulfill her obligations towards her husband, then she will not have fulfilled her obligations towards Allah.” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)
Regarding the characteristics of a pious husband (soleh) scholars said on the Day of Judgment; Allah will ask men if they fulfilled their obligations towards their families. They who fear Allah will do their best to direct the way their wives and children live by educating himself and his family to living according to the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. and the Holy Qur’an, the final word of Allah.
The Prophet s.a.w. said, “The best of you is the best one to his family.” (Narrated by Imam Al-Tabarani)
To share food with her, to provide her with (decent) clothes as he provides himself, to refrain from smacking her, and not ignoring her but in the house. (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)
One should not hate his believer wife. If he dislikes some of her attitudes, he would (surely) like others (attitudes). (Narrated by Imam Muslim)
Woman was created from a bent rib and will not be made straight for you on one way (that you like). If you want to enjoy her, you enjoy her while she is still bent. If you want to straighten her up, you will break her. Breaking her is divorcing her. (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Do (volunteer) fasting (some days) and do not fast (in other days), pray at night (some nights) and sleep (in other nights). Your body has a right on you (to rest), your eye has a right on you (to sleep), and your wife has a right on you. (narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Fear Allah in (treating) women. (Narrated by Imam Muslim)
Be advised to treat women righteously. (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
And live with them honorably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing that Allah brings through it a great deal of good. (Qur'an 4:19)
The Prophet s.a.w. said,”A Dinar (a currency) that you spend on your family, a Dinar that you spend on a poor person and a Dinar that you spend in the sake of Allah. The one that carries the most reward is the one that you spend on your family.” ([Narrated by Imam Muslim)
The Prophet s.a.w. said to Saaid ibn Abi Waqqas,”Know that no charity that you give whether small or large, for the sake of Allah, but you will be rewarded for it, even the bite (of food) that you put in your wife’s mouth.” (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim) - ES
Based on the characteristics discussed, a husband should strive to be 'soleh' while a wife to be 'solehah'. A 'soleh wife' goes against the teaching of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and would bring much discomfort and stress in life (especially to her family) in this world whats more in the Hereafter!
Reflection
The Declining Day (Al-'Asr)
1. By the declining day,
2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss,
3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort
one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance.
***
I was totally 'off guard' during a 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) recently when the 'ustaz' (religious teacher) who was preaching, lambasted some women especially wives for aiming to be 'soleh' (pious). Perhaps I was 'day dreaming'; that's why I was blur to what the 'ustaz' was trying to convey. Well, what's wrong for wanting to be 'soleh' in life?
The 'issue' caught my heart. I opened up my mind and ears; I heard the 'ustaz' told this story: "It was about 3.00 am. A husband woke up; his hands searched for his wife who he thought was on bed. She was not around. Where could 'the woman' be? whispered the husband.
"After 'his eyes searched' the dimmed light-room, he found his wife in a white 'telekung' (praying veil used by Muslim women during prayers) at a corner of the room,performing her 'solat sunat tahajjud' (recommended prayers perform at the wee hours of the night).
The 'ustaz' said some husbands did not mind with their wives doings but some became angry. He said it was not proper for a woman to perform recommended prayers without informing her husband. Perhaps the wife would like to be closer to Allah SWT but she must do it with knowledge.
In performing 'ibadah sunat' (recommended obligations), a wife must first inform her husband. A 'hadith' mentioned that a woman does not fast while her husband is present without his permission, except in Ramadan. (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari & Muslim)
The 'ustaz' said, the characteristics of a pious husband (soleh) and pious wife (solehah) is slightly different eventhough top priority of both are to seek the pleasure of Allah SWT. A wife must understand she is not required to be 'soleh' but 'solehah'.
For example a 'solehah wife' will not leave her home without her husband's permission even if it (the action) is regarding good deeds (becoming pious) to be closer to Allah SWT such as going to the 'masjid' for prayers and attending Islamic classes. Women are advised that performing prayers at their homes are better (more afdal) than at masjids and doing in in their rooms are better than in the open section of their homes such as the living rooms. Thus it is wrong for women insisting going to the masjid to be more pious compared to those who are not.
Women are not recommended doing 'congregational activities' but they are rewarded handsomely if they do things that fit and suit their physical being, emotional and abilities. Asma bint Yazeed r.a. once came to Rasulullah s.a.w. as an ambassador of the ladies and said; "Men have surpassed us in rewards through juma (Friday prayers), congregational prayers, visiting the ill, participating in funeral prayers and protecting the borders of the Islamic State." Rasulullah s.a.w. sent her with the message "Your adorning and beautifying yourselves for your husbands and your strivings to please your husbands and your obedience to the wishes of your husbands equals these actions (juma, jihaad etc.) in rewards."
Thus a wife must have knowledge regarding her duties and executes it accordingly to the examples shown by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him - s.a.w.), his wives, daughters and companions.
A husband too must have knowledge regarding his duties which is much broader in scope such as regarding his friends and brothers in Islam, his society, his country, the 'ummah' and of course he is in charge of his wife, his children, his parents, his relatives and so on.
Scholars have made in clear about the characteristics of a pious wife (solehah) and a pious husband (soleh). Regarding a 'solehah' wife, they said her priority is to seek the pleasure of Allah. She tries acquiring the qualities of a good wife by following the examples of the Prophet s.a.w. and obeying what is commanded in the Book of Allah. Complete obedience and adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. and the Qur'an is the best of a woman’s qualities. - Al-Islaah Publications
The Prophet in a 'hadith' said a woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her fame, for her beauty and for her religion. So marry one for her religion and you will win. (Narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim)
Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands) and guard in their husband’s absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their honor, husbands property, etc) (Qur'an 4:34)
An-Nasaii narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. was asked “Who are the best of women?” He replied, “The one who pleases him (her husband) if he looks at her, obeys him if he orders (her) and does not subject her honor or money to what he dislikes.”
Ibn Hibban narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. said, “If a woman prayed five prayers, fasted in Ramadan, protected her honor and obeyed her husband; then she will be told (on the Day of Judgment): enter Paradise from any of its (eight) doors.”
If a woman harms (in any way) her husband, then his wife in Paradise tells her: “Do not harm him, May Allah fight you, he is only staying temporarily with you. Soon he will come to us.” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad and At-Tirmithi)
If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses till he slept while angry, then the Angels will curse her till the morning. (Narrated by Imam Muslim)
Allah does not look to the woman who does not appreciate her husband while she cannot stand his departing her. (Narrated by An-Nasaii)
Any woman who asks her husband for divorce for no reason will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. (Sahih Al-Jamii)
The Prophet s.a.w. said, “If I were to order anyone to bow down to other than Allah, I would order the wife to do so for her husband. By the One who owns the soul of Muhammad,if a wife does not fulfill her obligations towards her husband, then she will not have fulfilled her obligations towards Allah.” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)
Regarding the characteristics of a pious husband (soleh) scholars said on the Day of Judgment; Allah will ask men if they fulfilled their obligations towards their families. They who fear Allah will do their best to direct the way their wives and children live by educating himself and his family to living according to the Sunnah of the Prophet s.a.w. and the Holy Qur’an, the final word of Allah.
The Prophet s.a.w. said, “The best of you is the best one to his family.” (Narrated by Imam Al-Tabarani)
To share food with her, to provide her with (decent) clothes as he provides himself, to refrain from smacking her, and not ignoring her but in the house. (Narrated by Imam Ahmad)
One should not hate his believer wife. If he dislikes some of her attitudes, he would (surely) like others (attitudes). (Narrated by Imam Muslim)
Woman was created from a bent rib and will not be made straight for you on one way (that you like). If you want to enjoy her, you enjoy her while she is still bent. If you want to straighten her up, you will break her. Breaking her is divorcing her. (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Do (volunteer) fasting (some days) and do not fast (in other days), pray at night (some nights) and sleep (in other nights). Your body has a right on you (to rest), your eye has a right on you (to sleep), and your wife has a right on you. (narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Fear Allah in (treating) women. (Narrated by Imam Muslim)
Be advised to treat women righteously. (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
And live with them honorably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing that Allah brings through it a great deal of good. (Qur'an 4:19)
The Prophet s.a.w. said,”A Dinar (a currency) that you spend on your family, a Dinar that you spend on a poor person and a Dinar that you spend in the sake of Allah. The one that carries the most reward is the one that you spend on your family.” ([Narrated by Imam Muslim)
The Prophet s.a.w. said to Saaid ibn Abi Waqqas,”Know that no charity that you give whether small or large, for the sake of Allah, but you will be rewarded for it, even the bite (of food) that you put in your wife’s mouth.” (Narrated by Imam Al-Bukhari and Muslim) - ES
Based on the characteristics discussed, a husband should strive to be 'soleh' while a wife to be 'solehah'. A 'soleh wife' goes against the teaching of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and would bring much discomfort and stress in life (especially to her family) in this world whats more in the Hereafter!
Zulkaedah 15: 0 jemaah ke Tanah Suci
DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"...Sesungguhnya masjid yang didirikan atas dasar takwa (Masjid Quba'), sejak hari pertama adalah lebih patut kamu solat di dalamnya. Di dalam masjid itu ada orag-orang yang ingin membersihkan diri. Dan sesungguhnya Allah menyukai orang-orang yang bersih." (Maksud Ayat 108 Surah At-Taubah)
Zulkaedah 15
0 jemaah ke Tanah Suci
BULAN-BULAN haji adalah Syawal, Zulkaedah dan Zulhijah. Teringat saya setahun lalu, ketika inilah jemaah haji begitu sibuk. Begitu juga dengan keluarga mereka. Menghantar jemaah ke Kompleks Haji yang dulunya di Kelana Jaya, sekarang ini sudah berpindah ke Sepang.
Di masjid kampung juga diadakan majlis kesyukuran termasuk menyampaikan buah tangan kepada jemaah haji. Turut diadakan tazkirah dan pesanan kepada jemaah dan juga untuk penduduk kampung agar bersemangat untuk segera menunaikan haji.
Daripada majlis ini kita tahulah jumlah anak kariah kampung yang akan berangkat menunaikan Rukun Islam kelima.
Ada musimnya ramai, ada musimnya tersangat kurang kerana hanya seorang dua (satu pasangan suami isteri) berangkat ke Tanah Suci. Namun musim ini semua sepi, MAHU MENANGIS MENGENANGKANNYA. Ya, tahun ini TIADA SEORANG pun (0) ke Tanah Suci! Namun banyaklah bersyukur dan bersabar, insya-Allah DIA akan bersama orang BERSYUKUR dan BERSABAR.
Berbicara mengenai haji ini, saya teringat tazkirah seorang ustaz tak lama dulu bahawa ada sejumlah amalan kita di tanah air yang insya-Allah boleh menyamai pahala haji.
Kata sang ustaz, salah satu bentuk kasih sayang Allah SWT ialah melimpahkan pahala berlipat ganda kepada umat-Nya, sekalipun amalan itu terlihat kecil dan sederhana. Dalam beberapa hadis dijelaskan, ada beberapa amalan yang kalau dilakukan penuh keikhlasan dan istiqamah, maka pahala amalan tersebut setara ibadah haji.
Antaranya, solat berjemaah lima waktu, zikir setelah solat subuh berjemaah sampai terbit matahari selepas itu solat dua rakaat danpergi ke masjid untuk menuntut ilmu.
Meskipun amalan-amalan ini diberikan pahala ibadah haji dan umrah, bukan bererti pelakunya tidak diwajibkan haji dan umrah. Kewajipan haji dan umrah tetap ada. Pahala amalan ini diserupakan pahala ibadah haji dan umrah bertujuan memotivasi ummah untuk istiqamah beribadah
ARTIKEL LALU
Gembira dapat surat tunai haji
PENGHUJUNG Mac lalu (permulaan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan - PKP), saya menghantar bapa dengan kereta ke sebuah klinik komuniti berhampiran kampung kami. Sebagai pesakit diabetes dan darah tinggi, bapa ada temu janji dengan doktor pada hari berkenaan.
Saya menunggu dalam kereta dengan memakai pelitup muka. Tiba-tiba saya terlihat wajah seorang rakan sekampung. Dia tidak mengenakan pelitup muka. Seorang wanita berpelitup muka, berjalan di belakangnya, saya agak isterinya.
Dari jauh dia melambai saya. Saya tak bercadang keluar dari kereta untuk merapati beliau - bukankah kini 'musim' COVID-19, orang ramai diminta menjarakkan diri.
Rakan itu menjerit menyatakan dia dapat surat tawaran menunaikan haji. Dia datang ke klinik itu bersama isteri untuk membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan iaitu salah satu syarat ke Tanah Suci.
Saya faham kegembiraannya sebab saya dan dia bersama-sama menunaikan umrah pada Disember 2019. Dia suami isteri dan seorang anak; saya bersama isteri dan dua orang anak, berada dalam satu kumpulan pakej yang sama. Kerap dia bercerita kepada saya dia berhajat benar menunaikan haji. Rayuan sudah dibuat beberapa kali, malah bagi mengubati kerinduan ke Tanah Suci dia sudah menunaikan umrah dua kali.
Ya, Alhamdulillah kali ini dia dan isteri dapat surat tawaran menunaikan haji...tetapi melihatkan reaksinya yang sugul selepas keluar dari klinik, saya tahu ada sesuatu tak kena.
Kata sahabat saya itu, pemeriksaan kesihatan bakal jemaah haji ditangguhkan. Pengurusan klinik sedang 'concentrate' (memberi tumpuan) kepada kes COVID-19. Sehubungan itu, dia diarahkan pulang dahulu.
Kegembiraan di wajah sahabat saya itu hilang..dia melahirkan kebimbangan kepada saya, mungkin dia dan isteri sekali lagi tidak dapat menunaikan haji selepas menunggu lama.
Benar nama sahabat saya itu dan isterinya 'sudah naik', mereka sudah hampir menunaikan haji, tetapi suratan takdir Allah mengatasi segala-galanya. Pasangan dalam usia 50-an ini perlu bersabar, semoga hajat besar mereka dikabulkan Allah SWT pada tahun hadapan, insya-Allah.
Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Agama), Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri baru-baru ini mengumumkan Malaysia tidak akan menghantar jemaah haji tahun ini - satu keputusan sama dibuat oleh negara jiran tetangga yang mempunyai jemaah haji teramai iaitu Indonesia.
Kepada sahabat saya dan bakal-bakal jemaah haji yang 'terhalang' menunaikan haji tahun ini, bersabarlah dan berterusan berdoa semoga direzekikan Allah menunaikan Rukun Islam kelima itu secepat mungkin. Insya-Allah ada hikmah Allah SWT menyebabkan kita terhalang menunaikan haji musim ini.
Renungan
"...Sesungguhnya masjid yang didirikan atas dasar takwa (Masjid Quba'), sejak hari pertama adalah lebih patut kamu solat di dalamnya. Di dalam masjid itu ada orag-orang yang ingin membersihkan diri. Dan sesungguhnya Allah menyukai orang-orang yang bersih." (Maksud Ayat 108 Surah At-Taubah)
Zulkaedah 15
0 jemaah ke Tanah Suci
BULAN-BULAN haji adalah Syawal, Zulkaedah dan Zulhijah. Teringat saya setahun lalu, ketika inilah jemaah haji begitu sibuk. Begitu juga dengan keluarga mereka. Menghantar jemaah ke Kompleks Haji yang dulunya di Kelana Jaya, sekarang ini sudah berpindah ke Sepang.
Di masjid kampung juga diadakan majlis kesyukuran termasuk menyampaikan buah tangan kepada jemaah haji. Turut diadakan tazkirah dan pesanan kepada jemaah dan juga untuk penduduk kampung agar bersemangat untuk segera menunaikan haji.
Daripada majlis ini kita tahulah jumlah anak kariah kampung yang akan berangkat menunaikan Rukun Islam kelima.
Ada musimnya ramai, ada musimnya tersangat kurang kerana hanya seorang dua (satu pasangan suami isteri) berangkat ke Tanah Suci. Namun musim ini semua sepi, MAHU MENANGIS MENGENANGKANNYA. Ya, tahun ini TIADA SEORANG pun (0) ke Tanah Suci! Namun banyaklah bersyukur dan bersabar, insya-Allah DIA akan bersama orang BERSYUKUR dan BERSABAR.
Berbicara mengenai haji ini, saya teringat tazkirah seorang ustaz tak lama dulu bahawa ada sejumlah amalan kita di tanah air yang insya-Allah boleh menyamai pahala haji.
Kata sang ustaz, salah satu bentuk kasih sayang Allah SWT ialah melimpahkan pahala berlipat ganda kepada umat-Nya, sekalipun amalan itu terlihat kecil dan sederhana. Dalam beberapa hadis dijelaskan, ada beberapa amalan yang kalau dilakukan penuh keikhlasan dan istiqamah, maka pahala amalan tersebut setara ibadah haji.
Antaranya, solat berjemaah lima waktu, zikir setelah solat subuh berjemaah sampai terbit matahari selepas itu solat dua rakaat danpergi ke masjid untuk menuntut ilmu.
Meskipun amalan-amalan ini diberikan pahala ibadah haji dan umrah, bukan bererti pelakunya tidak diwajibkan haji dan umrah. Kewajipan haji dan umrah tetap ada. Pahala amalan ini diserupakan pahala ibadah haji dan umrah bertujuan memotivasi ummah untuk istiqamah beribadah
ARTIKEL LALU
Gembira dapat surat tunai haji
PENGHUJUNG Mac lalu (permulaan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan - PKP), saya menghantar bapa dengan kereta ke sebuah klinik komuniti berhampiran kampung kami. Sebagai pesakit diabetes dan darah tinggi, bapa ada temu janji dengan doktor pada hari berkenaan.
Saya menunggu dalam kereta dengan memakai pelitup muka. Tiba-tiba saya terlihat wajah seorang rakan sekampung. Dia tidak mengenakan pelitup muka. Seorang wanita berpelitup muka, berjalan di belakangnya, saya agak isterinya.
Dari jauh dia melambai saya. Saya tak bercadang keluar dari kereta untuk merapati beliau - bukankah kini 'musim' COVID-19, orang ramai diminta menjarakkan diri.
Rakan itu menjerit menyatakan dia dapat surat tawaran menunaikan haji. Dia datang ke klinik itu bersama isteri untuk membuat pemeriksaan kesihatan iaitu salah satu syarat ke Tanah Suci.
Saya faham kegembiraannya sebab saya dan dia bersama-sama menunaikan umrah pada Disember 2019. Dia suami isteri dan seorang anak; saya bersama isteri dan dua orang anak, berada dalam satu kumpulan pakej yang sama. Kerap dia bercerita kepada saya dia berhajat benar menunaikan haji. Rayuan sudah dibuat beberapa kali, malah bagi mengubati kerinduan ke Tanah Suci dia sudah menunaikan umrah dua kali.
Ya, Alhamdulillah kali ini dia dan isteri dapat surat tawaran menunaikan haji...tetapi melihatkan reaksinya yang sugul selepas keluar dari klinik, saya tahu ada sesuatu tak kena.
Kata sahabat saya itu, pemeriksaan kesihatan bakal jemaah haji ditangguhkan. Pengurusan klinik sedang 'concentrate' (memberi tumpuan) kepada kes COVID-19. Sehubungan itu, dia diarahkan pulang dahulu.
Kegembiraan di wajah sahabat saya itu hilang..dia melahirkan kebimbangan kepada saya, mungkin dia dan isteri sekali lagi tidak dapat menunaikan haji selepas menunggu lama.
Benar nama sahabat saya itu dan isterinya 'sudah naik', mereka sudah hampir menunaikan haji, tetapi suratan takdir Allah mengatasi segala-galanya. Pasangan dalam usia 50-an ini perlu bersabar, semoga hajat besar mereka dikabulkan Allah SWT pada tahun hadapan, insya-Allah.
Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Hal Ehwal Agama), Datuk Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri baru-baru ini mengumumkan Malaysia tidak akan menghantar jemaah haji tahun ini - satu keputusan sama dibuat oleh negara jiran tetangga yang mempunyai jemaah haji teramai iaitu Indonesia.
Kepada sahabat saya dan bakal-bakal jemaah haji yang 'terhalang' menunaikan haji tahun ini, bersabarlah dan berterusan berdoa semoga direzekikan Allah menunaikan Rukun Islam kelima itu secepat mungkin. Insya-Allah ada hikmah Allah SWT menyebabkan kita terhalang menunaikan haji musim ini.
July 5, 2020
Zulkaedah 14: Wartawan kecil sunting karya wartawan besar
Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
Zulkaedah 14
Wartawan kecil sunting karya wartawan besar
DUA kali seminggu saya menerima tulisan Pak Subky Latif untuk disunting. Biasanya karya-karya Pak Subky dihantar oleh anaknya, Dang Fatiha (sekarang Setiausaha Akhbar Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Dato' Takiyuddin Hassan) yang memasukkannya ke dalam e-mel saya.
Jika tak silap, saya menyunting karya Pak Subky kira-kira 10 tahun lamanya sehinggalah saya ditamatkan perkhidmatan pada akhir tahun 2014. Alhamdulillah. melalui tugas itu pelbagai ilmu dan idea dapat saya garap daripada tulisan Pak Subky.
Sebelum menyambung kisah itu, saya memohon pembaca untuk berhenti sejenak di sini...marilah kita bersama-sama membaca surah Al-Fatihah dan mendoakan agar Pak Subky yang kembali ke rahmatullah 23 Jun lalu, diredai-Nya dan ditempatkan bersama golongan salihin, sadikin, syuhada dan para Nabi. Al-Fatihah...
Meneruskan celoteh, saya sertakan di sini dua potongan daripada tulisan Pak Subky (belum diedit) yang dihantar Dang Fatiha kepada saya.
1. MEN SANA 11/08/05
CINA MAHU MAT SABU TANDING BUKIT BINTANG
TIDAK dipastikan ramai mana orang MCA sudah meninggalkan parti itu menyertai parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Ramai yang keluar itu mengikut Chua Joo Meng menyertai PKR.
Tidaklah mereka menyertai PAS. Tetapi mereka menunjukkan sikap terbuka dan mesra kepada PAS.
2. LEKUP 11/08/05
MATI
KETIKA dispekulasi Ku Li nak menggantikan Brother ditakdir berhalangan Brother, maka datang Tok Bghahim yang gagah Perkasa.
Nak jadi penyelamat Ku Li konon.
Ku Li nak mati dalam UMNO, kata Tok Bghahim.
Jika yang Tok Bghahim kata itu sempat dirasanya, hebatlah setianya Ku Li akan parti itu.
Cuma Jantan tertanya, macam mana kalau UMNO mati dulu?
Tak mustahil.
Nak mati di mana pula.
Jantan di luar.
Sebagai wartawan kecil, apa yang dapat saya katakan tentang tulisan wartawan besar seperti Pak Subky ini...melainkan 'mengiyakannya' saja. Inilah sebenar cetusan rasa (idea) dan gaya tersendiri Pak Subky...inilah 'keunikan' beliau...
Saya sebagai seorang penulis juga perlu menghormati seni menulis dan tulisannya, jadi tidaklah saya sibuk mengedit sana, memotong di sini kerana ini boleh diibaratkan bukan menjadikannya lebih molek tetapi bagaikan tikus membaiki labu...
Ringkasnya, idea dan gaya Pak Subky dalam tulisannya saya tak sentuh langsung cuma saya membetulkan kesilapan teknikal, ejaan dan fakta.
Tentunya sebagai manusia biasa seperti mana saya juga, ada membuat kesilapan, yalah bumi mana yang tak ditimpa hujan. Misalnya dalam potongan artikel pertama, Chua Joo Meng perlu dieja Chua Jui Meng...ya ini kesilapan amat kecil, tetapi saya tetap akan membetulkannya jika saya dapat mengesannya.
Memandangkan ruangan ini terhad, izinkan saya meringkaskan sikap hebat Pak Subky sebagai wartawan/penulis disegani yang dapat saya kesan melalui tulisannya agar dapat dipelajari wartawan muda.
1. Sentiasa mematuhi 'deadline' malah karya dihantar lebih awal.
2. Peka dan menghargai keunikan cara dan gaya penulisannya sendiri, jadi pembaca dapat tahu...oh ini mesti tulisan Pak Subky.
3. Banyak daripada tulisan Pak Subky bersifat 'evergreen' (malar hijau) iaitu kekal relevan dan boleh dinikmati sepanjang zaman.
4. 'Up to date' tentang apa ditulisnya terutama berkaitan politik...ini bermaksud Allahyarham banyak membaca!
5. Istiqamah dalam berkarya.
Renungan
"Dialah (Allah) yang menciptakan bagi kamu pasangan-pasangan (jodoh) daripada makhluk (jenis) kamu sendiri agar kamu condong kepadanya dan berasa tenteram dengannya. Kemudian Allah menciptakan kasih dan sayang antara kamu." (Surah Ar Rum: 21)
Zulkaedah 14
Wartawan kecil sunting karya wartawan besar
DUA kali seminggu saya menerima tulisan Pak Subky Latif untuk disunting. Biasanya karya-karya Pak Subky dihantar oleh anaknya, Dang Fatiha (sekarang Setiausaha Akhbar Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Dato' Takiyuddin Hassan) yang memasukkannya ke dalam e-mel saya.
Jika tak silap, saya menyunting karya Pak Subky kira-kira 10 tahun lamanya sehinggalah saya ditamatkan perkhidmatan pada akhir tahun 2014. Alhamdulillah. melalui tugas itu pelbagai ilmu dan idea dapat saya garap daripada tulisan Pak Subky.
Sebelum menyambung kisah itu, saya memohon pembaca untuk berhenti sejenak di sini...marilah kita bersama-sama membaca surah Al-Fatihah dan mendoakan agar Pak Subky yang kembali ke rahmatullah 23 Jun lalu, diredai-Nya dan ditempatkan bersama golongan salihin, sadikin, syuhada dan para Nabi. Al-Fatihah...
Meneruskan celoteh, saya sertakan di sini dua potongan daripada tulisan Pak Subky (belum diedit) yang dihantar Dang Fatiha kepada saya.
1. MEN SANA 11/08/05
CINA MAHU MAT SABU TANDING BUKIT BINTANG
TIDAK dipastikan ramai mana orang MCA sudah meninggalkan parti itu menyertai parti dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Ramai yang keluar itu mengikut Chua Joo Meng menyertai PKR.
Tidaklah mereka menyertai PAS. Tetapi mereka menunjukkan sikap terbuka dan mesra kepada PAS.
2. LEKUP 11/08/05
MATI
KETIKA dispekulasi Ku Li nak menggantikan Brother ditakdir berhalangan Brother, maka datang Tok Bghahim yang gagah Perkasa.
Nak jadi penyelamat Ku Li konon.
Ku Li nak mati dalam UMNO, kata Tok Bghahim.
Jika yang Tok Bghahim kata itu sempat dirasanya, hebatlah setianya Ku Li akan parti itu.
Cuma Jantan tertanya, macam mana kalau UMNO mati dulu?
Tak mustahil.
Nak mati di mana pula.
Jantan di luar.
Sebagai wartawan kecil, apa yang dapat saya katakan tentang tulisan wartawan besar seperti Pak Subky ini...melainkan 'mengiyakannya' saja. Inilah sebenar cetusan rasa (idea) dan gaya tersendiri Pak Subky...inilah 'keunikan' beliau...
Saya sebagai seorang penulis juga perlu menghormati seni menulis dan tulisannya, jadi tidaklah saya sibuk mengedit sana, memotong di sini kerana ini boleh diibaratkan bukan menjadikannya lebih molek tetapi bagaikan tikus membaiki labu...
Ringkasnya, idea dan gaya Pak Subky dalam tulisannya saya tak sentuh langsung cuma saya membetulkan kesilapan teknikal, ejaan dan fakta.
Tentunya sebagai manusia biasa seperti mana saya juga, ada membuat kesilapan, yalah bumi mana yang tak ditimpa hujan. Misalnya dalam potongan artikel pertama, Chua Joo Meng perlu dieja Chua Jui Meng...ya ini kesilapan amat kecil, tetapi saya tetap akan membetulkannya jika saya dapat mengesannya.
Memandangkan ruangan ini terhad, izinkan saya meringkaskan sikap hebat Pak Subky sebagai wartawan/penulis disegani yang dapat saya kesan melalui tulisannya agar dapat dipelajari wartawan muda.
1. Sentiasa mematuhi 'deadline' malah karya dihantar lebih awal.
2. Peka dan menghargai keunikan cara dan gaya penulisannya sendiri, jadi pembaca dapat tahu...oh ini mesti tulisan Pak Subky.
3. Banyak daripada tulisan Pak Subky bersifat 'evergreen' (malar hijau) iaitu kekal relevan dan boleh dinikmati sepanjang zaman.
4. 'Up to date' tentang apa ditulisnya terutama berkaitan politik...ini bermaksud Allahyarham banyak membaca!
5. Istiqamah dalam berkarya.
July 4, 2020
Zulkaedah 13: The empty nest syndrome...
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 a family's life, 'insya-Allah' (God Willing) our grown-up children would finally left home; one after another. Some went to boarding schools normally at the age of 13, then to colleges at 18, to universities at 20, lived in a rented room once they started working, and after getting married they settled down in their own homes; some migrated to another states or even foreign countries.
Finally only mum and dad were left at home - our abode even if it was as large and magnificent as a palace - would be in the state of silence and some veteran couples would felt the loneliness and emptiness of life. If a partner, say the husband died, his widow feelings would be more melancholy.
Among the Malays, I had witnessed several widows and widowers spending much time looking out of the windows of their homes especially a few days before 'Hari Raya'; perhaps they were thinking about their own children or grandchildren - would they be back for the 'big day'?
During a 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) which I attended not long time ago, the 'ustaz' (religious teacher) involved tickled his audience, saying: "perhaps the old folks that had that longing feeling are here among us..." He kept on teasing his audience by singing a verse from a P Ramlee's song..."di Hari Raya terkenang daku akan si dia" (during Hari Raya I remembered my love, my special one...)
But the 'ustaz' was quick to end 'this sad story' by saying: "Dear 'bapak-bapak' ('daddy) and 'ibu-ibu' (mummy), please don't waste our precious time entertaining to that melancholic feeling; it is okay to to mediate but the correct way is to do 'tafakkur' (doing reflection) especially when one is at old age. This is because 'tafakkur' is an act of 'ibadah' (act of good deeds to Allah SWT) which would be rewarded richly by Him.
'Tafakkur' is in line with the purpose of man’s life that is to ‘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. He said every Muslim should make use of his/her time to the maximum...thus why not do the 'tafakkur' than to be involved in day-dreaming.
The 'ustaz' reminded his audience saying that the 'materials' to 'tafakkur' are already available; we are only required to pick it up and do our reflection. "For example, we have the Qur'an. Read a sentence or sentences from the Qur'an, search for the meaning and then do the 'tafakkur'.
"For example in Surah LV (Rahman, The Beneficent), Allah had many, many times asked us; "Which is it, of the favours of your Lord, that ye deny?" Next, do the thinking...it was a guided one; thus it is unnecessary for us to think about improper things or things of our fancies."
The 'ustaz' said we too could 'tafakkur' over our sins, creation, ourselves and to take lessons from the things Allah SWT has created. When the good people are praised in the Qur'an, it is declared that "they always remember Allah while they are standing, sitting, lying on their sides, and they meditate over the creation of the heavens and earth. They say, “O our Lord! You did not create them in vain. You are far from it [from creating useless, meaningless things. Protect us from the torment of Hell." (Surah Ali ‘Imrân, 191)
The 'ustaz' said there are many hadiths that mentioned about the importance of 'tafakkur'. Among others, "A momentary meditation on Allahu Taala's Grandeur, Paradise, and Hell is better than spending a night in worship" and "meditating for a while is more valuable than one year’s (supererogatory) worship."
Regarding 'tafakkur', Imam Shafie said it sharpens one' intelligence while Wahb bin Munabbih said it makes a person knowledgeable and a knowledgeable person, in turn, does good deeds. Bishr-i-Hafi noted that a human being who contemplates Allahu Taala's grandeur cannot be disobedient to Him.
Scholars said 'tafakkur' can be done in four ways that are pondering about the beautiful arts and benefits which manifest on Allahu Taala's creatures causes one to believe in Him and love Him; pondering about the rewards promised by Him for the worships causes one to perform those worships; pondering about the punishments informed by Him causes one to fear Him and thereby inhibits one from committing sins and wronging others; and pondering about one’s having enslaved oneself to one’s nafs and committing sins and living in a state of heedlessness regardless of all the blessings bestowed by Him causes one to have shame towards Allah Taala.
The 'ustaz' said Islam as a complete way of life provides us with guidance in everything we do (so that we would be in His straight path) including what we should think or reflect about (tafakkur).
If Islam suggests many good things to do including 'tafakkur' to beat our emptiness and loneliness feelings especially among 'veteran couples' when their children had 'gone for their own new lives', Western scholars too had suggestions to what they termed as empty nest syndrome...
Wikipedia noted that empty nest syndrome is a feeling of grief and loneliness parents or guardians may feel when their children leave home for the first time, such as to live on their own or to attend a college or university but it is not a clinical condition.
Since young adults' moving out from their families house is generally a normal and healthy event, the symptoms of empty nest syndrome often go unrecognized. This can result in depression and a loss of purpose for parents, since the departure of their children from 'the nest' leads to adjustments in parents' lives. Empty nest syndrome is especially common in full-time mothers.
Mayo Clinic explained that empty nest syndrome is a phenomenon in which parents experience feelings of sadness and loss when the last child leaves home. Although you might actively encourage your children to become independent, the experience of letting go can be painful. You might find it difficult to suddenly have no children at home who need your care. You might miss being a part of your children's daily lives — as well as the constant companionship.
You might also worry intensely about your children's safety and whether they'll be able to take care of themselves on their own. You might struggle with the transition if your last child leaves the nest a little earlier or later than you expected. If you have only one child or strongly identify with your role as parent, you might have a particularly difficult time adjusting to an empty nest.
In the past, research suggested that parents dealing with empty nest syndrome experienced a profound sense of loss that might make them vulnerable to depression, alcoholism, identity crisis and marital conflicts.
However, recent studies suggest that an empty nest might reduce work and family conflicts, and can provide parents with many other benefits. When the last child leaves home, parents have a new opportunity to reconnect with each other, improve the quality of their marriage and rekindle interests for which they previously might not have had time. And for the 'veteran Muslims couple' why not spend our 'little time left' to the 'masjid' including to seek knowledge!
Talking about our needs and wishes that keep on changing over the years (for example as a boy we wish to grow up fast so that we could have some worldly needs such as cars, houses and so on but as we grew older those worldly treasures were not our priority but it was love among family members and then it shifted to our health situation and when we laid on our death bed the most important thing that crossed our mind is to ask Allah SWT not to take our lives at that moment), another 'ustaz' warned that when we in our graves and the Hereafter, we would begged to Allah SWT so that we would be sent back to earth even for a moment to even say 'La ilaha illallah' but it would be a fruitless effort!
So to everyone of us including those who are experiencing the empty nest syndrome (feeling sad and emptiness) please do not 'kowtow' to our 'nafs' but do our best to please Allah SWT (please do (summit to) everything He commands us and refrain from what He prohibits us) because once we were 'pushed inside our graves' (die), we would not have 'any more chance at all' to go back to earth - only to two places we would go; either to His al-Jannah' (heaven) or His 'an-Naar' (hell)!
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 a family's life, 'insya-Allah' (God Willing) our grown-up children would finally left home; one after another. Some went to boarding schools normally at the age of 13, then to colleges at 18, to universities at 20, lived in a rented room once they started working, and after getting married they settled down in their own homes; some migrated to another states or even foreign countries.
Finally only mum and dad were left at home - our abode even if it was as large and magnificent as a palace - would be in the state of silence and some veteran couples would felt the loneliness and emptiness of life. If a partner, say the husband died, his widow feelings would be more melancholy.
Among the Malays, I had witnessed several widows and widowers spending much time looking out of the windows of their homes especially a few days before 'Hari Raya'; perhaps they were thinking about their own children or grandchildren - would they be back for the 'big day'?
During a 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) which I attended not long time ago, the 'ustaz' (religious teacher) involved tickled his audience, saying: "perhaps the old folks that had that longing feeling are here among us..." He kept on teasing his audience by singing a verse from a P Ramlee's song..."di Hari Raya terkenang daku akan si dia" (during Hari Raya I remembered my love, my special one...)
But the 'ustaz' was quick to end 'this sad story' by saying: "Dear 'bapak-bapak' ('daddy) and 'ibu-ibu' (mummy), please don't waste our precious time entertaining to that melancholic feeling; it is okay to to mediate but the correct way is to do 'tafakkur' (doing reflection) especially when one is at old age. This is because 'tafakkur' is an act of 'ibadah' (act of good deeds to Allah SWT) which would be rewarded richly by Him.
'Tafakkur' is in line with the purpose of man’s life that is to ‘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. He said every Muslim should make use of his/her time to the maximum...thus why not do the 'tafakkur' than to be involved in day-dreaming.
The 'ustaz' reminded his audience saying that the 'materials' to 'tafakkur' are already available; we are only required to pick it up and do our reflection. "For example, we have the Qur'an. Read a sentence or sentences from the Qur'an, search for the meaning and then do the 'tafakkur'.
"For example in Surah LV (Rahman, The Beneficent), Allah had many, many times asked us; "Which is it, of the favours of your Lord, that ye deny?" Next, do the thinking...it was a guided one; thus it is unnecessary for us to think about improper things or things of our fancies."
The 'ustaz' said we too could 'tafakkur' over our sins, creation, ourselves and to take lessons from the things Allah SWT has created. When the good people are praised in the Qur'an, it is declared that "they always remember Allah while they are standing, sitting, lying on their sides, and they meditate over the creation of the heavens and earth. They say, “O our Lord! You did not create them in vain. You are far from it [from creating useless, meaningless things. Protect us from the torment of Hell." (Surah Ali ‘Imrân, 191)
The 'ustaz' said there are many hadiths that mentioned about the importance of 'tafakkur'. Among others, "A momentary meditation on Allahu Taala's Grandeur, Paradise, and Hell is better than spending a night in worship" and "meditating for a while is more valuable than one year’s (supererogatory) worship."
Regarding 'tafakkur', Imam Shafie said it sharpens one' intelligence while Wahb bin Munabbih said it makes a person knowledgeable and a knowledgeable person, in turn, does good deeds. Bishr-i-Hafi noted that a human being who contemplates Allahu Taala's grandeur cannot be disobedient to Him.
Scholars said 'tafakkur' can be done in four ways that are pondering about the beautiful arts and benefits which manifest on Allahu Taala's creatures causes one to believe in Him and love Him; pondering about the rewards promised by Him for the worships causes one to perform those worships; pondering about the punishments informed by Him causes one to fear Him and thereby inhibits one from committing sins and wronging others; and pondering about one’s having enslaved oneself to one’s nafs and committing sins and living in a state of heedlessness regardless of all the blessings bestowed by Him causes one to have shame towards Allah Taala.
The 'ustaz' said Islam as a complete way of life provides us with guidance in everything we do (so that we would be in His straight path) including what we should think or reflect about (tafakkur).
If Islam suggests many good things to do including 'tafakkur' to beat our emptiness and loneliness feelings especially among 'veteran couples' when their children had 'gone for their own new lives', Western scholars too had suggestions to what they termed as empty nest syndrome...
Wikipedia noted that empty nest syndrome is a feeling of grief and loneliness parents or guardians may feel when their children leave home for the first time, such as to live on their own or to attend a college or university but it is not a clinical condition.
Since young adults' moving out from their families house is generally a normal and healthy event, the symptoms of empty nest syndrome often go unrecognized. This can result in depression and a loss of purpose for parents, since the departure of their children from 'the nest' leads to adjustments in parents' lives. Empty nest syndrome is especially common in full-time mothers.
Mayo Clinic explained that empty nest syndrome is a phenomenon in which parents experience feelings of sadness and loss when the last child leaves home. Although you might actively encourage your children to become independent, the experience of letting go can be painful. You might find it difficult to suddenly have no children at home who need your care. You might miss being a part of your children's daily lives — as well as the constant companionship.
You might also worry intensely about your children's safety and whether they'll be able to take care of themselves on their own. You might struggle with the transition if your last child leaves the nest a little earlier or later than you expected. If you have only one child or strongly identify with your role as parent, you might have a particularly difficult time adjusting to an empty nest.
In the past, research suggested that parents dealing with empty nest syndrome experienced a profound sense of loss that might make them vulnerable to depression, alcoholism, identity crisis and marital conflicts.
However, recent studies suggest that an empty nest might reduce work and family conflicts, and can provide parents with many other benefits. When the last child leaves home, parents have a new opportunity to reconnect with each other, improve the quality of their marriage and rekindle interests for which they previously might not have had time. And for the 'veteran Muslims couple' why not spend our 'little time left' to the 'masjid' including to seek knowledge!
Talking about our needs and wishes that keep on changing over the years (for example as a boy we wish to grow up fast so that we could have some worldly needs such as cars, houses and so on but as we grew older those worldly treasures were not our priority but it was love among family members and then it shifted to our health situation and when we laid on our death bed the most important thing that crossed our mind is to ask Allah SWT not to take our lives at that moment), another 'ustaz' warned that when we in our graves and the Hereafter, we would begged to Allah SWT so that we would be sent back to earth even for a moment to even say 'La ilaha illallah' but it would be a fruitless effort!
So to everyone of us including those who are experiencing the empty nest syndrome (feeling sad and emptiness) please do not 'kowtow' to our 'nafs' but do our best to please Allah SWT (please do (summit to) everything He commands us and refrain from what He prohibits us) because once we were 'pushed inside our graves' (die), we would not have 'any more chance at all' to go back to earth - only to two places we would go; either to His al-Jannah' (heaven) or His 'an-Naar' (hell)!
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