Dan Tersingkaplah Lembaran yang Baru, Bersama Bisikan Kalbu

BismiLlah. Walhamdu liLlah. Allazi laa ilaaha siwaah. Wassolaatu wassalaamu 'ala RasuliLlah.

Setelah berkurun lama memendam rasa, membiarkan segala pemikiran dan perasaan membuku di dada, kini aku nekad untuk luahkan segalanya secara titisan-titisan kecil dalam coretan kata, membiarkan ia tenggelam dalam lakaran pena.

Dalam noktah permulaan ini, ingin kuselami isim 'ibaadurrahmaan : 'ibaad (hamba) ar-Rahmaan (Yang Maha Pengasih). Aku akui sejak beberapa bulan yang lalu aku telah jatuh cinta pada nama ar-Rahmaan. Saat bisikan hati menyebut nama ar-Rahmaan sahaja sudah cukup membuat hati ku bergetar rindu. Saat itu ku rasa bagaikan ingin kudakap sesuatu. Dan ku tahu detik itu juga hatiku sedang memeluk erat kasihNya di bawah sinar lembut RahmanNya.

Keintiman Khaliq dan makhluq
--------------------------------------------
Ku belek-belek helaian al-Qur'an. Mataku terpaku pada surah al-Furqan, subhanallah terakam di dalamnya satu hubungan intim yang tiada tolok bandingnya antara Pencipta dan hambaNya. Dengan satu kalimat ini, Allah pinjamkan namaNya untuk di atribusi kepada hambaNya dan diangkat darjat hamba-hamba yang terpilih itu dengan nama - 'ibaadurrahmaan. Kupejamkan mata. Sentuhan tuhan untuk menamakan hambaNya 'ibaadurrahmaan sahaja sudah cukup untuk membuatkan hatiku tenang gembira, melonjak bahagia. Sudah memadai untuk aku rasakan seolah-olah aku lah insan paling beruntung di seluruh pelusuk dunia.

Aku teringat kata-kata Shaykh Hamza Yusuf bahawa di dalam agama Yahudi, nama tuhan tidak boleh ditulis mahupun disebut secara sembrono. Namun dalam Islam, Allah bukan sahaja membolehkan kita menulis namaNya dan menyebutNya malah Dia memperkenalkan kita dengan sembilan puluh sembilan lagi namaNya yang indah. Tambah mengagumkan Dia turut serta meminjamkan secara majazi namaNya kepada kita dan lahirlah nama seperti 'ibaadurrahmaan. Keintiman ini jauh terbukti, seperti kita baru diperkenalkan dengan seorang rakan, dia katakan namanya John Walker, namun disebabkan keramahannya dan cintanya kepada kita maka dia menyuruh kita memanggilnya dengan nama manjanya Joe. Sesungguhnya Allah itu amat mahukan agar hamba-hambaNya mendekatiNya serapat yang mungkin. Membuak-buak rasa hati untukku rapat kan diriku kepadaNya dengan nama-namaNya yang terpuji.

To be people of God
------------------------------
Mindaku berlari sekilas pada agama Kristian, yang menjadikan Nabi Isa a.s. sebagai anak Allah. Mereka ada satu istilah yang biasa dilaung-laungkan iaitu 'to be people of God' atau dengan kata lain, untuk menjadi insan ketuhanan. Kemungkinan bunyinya akan dicemuh dan dipandang sinis oleh orang Islam. Namun jika difikir secara mendalam, Islam juga mempunyai konsep yang hampir serupa. Kita namakannya 'untuk menjadi insan rabbani'. Hakikatnya, insan rabbani adalah terjemahan langsung dari insan ketuhanan. Salah satu maksud bagi insan rabbani adalah setiap percakapan, pemikiran dan pergerakan insan tersebut berpusat kepada Rabb, tuhan sekelian alam. Sayangnya, salah satu maksud lagi bagi insan rabbani yang kita sering teralpa ialah untuk bersifat dengan sifat ketuhanan (yang dibolehkan). Contoh yang terdekat ialah nama Allah ar-Rahmaan. Bagi menggapai celupan insan ketuhanan maka kita sebagai hamba, juga perlu bersifat dengan sifat rahmaan. Allah memasukkan dalam diri kita sifat rahmaan yang majazi agar kita dapat menjadi insan ketuhanan di muka bumi ini. Atas hikmah itu jugalah Allah menamakan hambaNya sebagai 'ibaadurrahmaan, agar diri kita yang sering kelalaian ini beringat bahawa dalam diri kita ada tersandar sifat majazi ar-Rahmaan dan meresapkan ia dalam amalan.

ar-Rahmaan
------------------
Sahabi yang agung Ibnu 'Abbas katakan bahawa ar-Rahmaan adalah antara namaNya yang lembut. Baru ku faham kenapa setiap kali ia disebut, ku rasa bagai jiwa ku dibelai-belai manja. Imam Qurtubi juga katakan bahawa di dalam hadith oleh Tirmizi bahawa Allah mencipta rahim ibu dan silaturrahim melalui sentuhan nama ar-Rahmaan yang agung. Sesungguhnya kasih ibu itu cuma secuit satu per seratus dari rahmaan Allah yang infiniti. Suci cintaNya jauh lebih putih dari putihnya salju, jauh lebih luas dari seluruh keluasan langit dan bumi, jauh lebih indah dari rembulan di malam hari. Bagaimanakah mampu untuk akalku membayangkan keluasan dan kedalaman suci cinta Allah pada ku? Takkan ku mampu. Takkan ku mampu.

Bertitik tolak dari sini lah, ku ingin coretkan nukilan hati dan lintasan pemikiran ku atas nama 'ibaadurrahmaan. Memang menjadi impianku untuk menjadi 'ibaadurrahmaan yang sentiasa di bawah singgahsana ar-Rahmaan, menagih kasihNya yang tidak pernah henti. Ya Rahmaan, jadikan lah ku 'ibaadurrahmaan yang sejati. Jadikanlah impian ku ini satu realiti. Ku ingin sentasa di sampingMu ya Rabbi. Anta nuuri, Anta ruuhi, Anta hayaati. Fataqabbal minni ya Allah.

-'ibaadurrahmaan-

[dari e-amar mailing list]

Sebuah karya yang sesuai untuk semua.. bagi yang bujang, boleh mengambil
I'tibar.. bagi yang belum dan bakal berkeluarga, boleh belajar, bagi yang
berkeluarga, perlu mengajar.. Untuk suami.. renungkanlah

Pernikahan atau perkahwinan menyingkap tabir rahsia.

Isteri yang kamu nikahi tidaklah semulia Khadijah tidaklah setaqwa Aisyah

pun tidak setabah Fatimah

Justeru isterimu hanyalah wanita akhir zaman yang punya Cita- cita menjadi
solehah...

Pernikahan atau perkahwinan mengajar kita kewajiban bersama

Isteri menjadi tanah kamu langit penaungnya

Isteri ladang tanaman kamu pemagarnya

Isteri kiasan ternakan kamu gembalanya

Isteri adalah murid kamu mursyidnya

Isteri bagaikan anak kecil kamu tempat bermanjanya

Saat isteri menjadi madu kamu teguklah sepuasnya

seketika isteri menjadi racun kamulah penawar bisanya

seandainya isteri tulang yang bengkok berhatilah meluruskannya..

Pernikahan atau perkawinan menginsafkan kita perlunya iman dan
taqwa

Untuk belajar meniti sabar dan redha Allah swt. kerana memiliki isteri yang
tak sehebat mana

Justeru kamu akan tersentak dari alpa

Kamu bukanlah Rasulullah saw?..

Pun bukanlah Sayyidina Ali Karamallahhuwajhah

Cuma suami akhir zaman yang berusaha menjadi soleh... amin.

Untuk isteri pula.. renungkanlah...

Pernikahan atau perkahwinan membuka tabir rahsia

Suami yang menikahi kamu tidaklah semulia Muhammad saw?..

Tidaklah setaqwa Ibrahim

Pun tidak setabah Ayyub atau pun

Segagah Musa.. apalagi setampan Yusuf

Justeru suamimu hanyalah lelaki akhir zaman yang punya

Cita cita membangun keturunan yang soleh...

Pernikahan atau perkahwinan mengajar kita kewajiban bersama

Suami menjadi pelindung kamu penghuninya

Suami adalah nahkoda kapal kamu pengemudinya

Suami bagaikan pelakon yang nakal kamu adalah penonton kenakalannya

Saat suami menjadi raja kamu nikmati anggur singgahsananya

Seketika suami menjadi bisa kamulah penawar ubatnya

Seandainya suami bengis lagi lancang sabarlah memperingatkannya..

Pernikahan ataupun perkahwinan mengajarkan kita perlunya iman dan
taqwa

Untuk belajar meniti sabar dan redha Allah swt

Kerana memiliki suami yang tak segagah mana

Justeru kamu akan tersentak dari alpa

Kamu bukanlah Khadijah yang begitu sempurna di dalam menjaga

Pun bukanlah Hajar yang begitu setia dalam sengsara

Cuma wanita akhir zaman yang berusaha menjadi solehah... amin...

Justeru itu wahai para suami dan isteri.
jangan menuntut terlalu tinggi

seandainya diri sendiri jelas tidak berupaya

Mengapa mendambakan isteri sehebat Khadijah andai diri tidak semulia
rasulullah

Mengapa mengharapkan suami setampan Yusof seandainya kasih tak setulus
Zulaikha

Tidak perlu mencari isteri secantik Balqis andai diri tidak sehebat
Sulaiman
DAN
Tidak perlu mencari suami seteguh Ibrahim andai diri tidak sekuat Hajar dan
Sarah

Family Crisis

A normal family comprising both parents and children, which was considered as the most valued institution of community life amongst most religious traditions, is now beginning to disintegrate. Divorce rates in many Western societies are surging, and consequently a one parent family is now considered a social norm. Today though there are more cars, washing machines, microwave ovens, TV's, computers, and other domestic appliances per household, yet peace, love, tranquility and trust are fast fading from family life.

From and Islamic perspective, the major causes of family breakdown are:

Weak hold of family values,
Confusion in gender roles,
Lack of marital responsibility, together with
Alcoholism,
Adultery, and
Fornication.
Today, motherhood is not valued by society - rather it is seen with contempt. A woman working for other people in a restaurant or office is valued and her job is trumpeted as a career. In contrast, a woman who cares for and looks after her own family is viewed as a backward woman, and her work is seen to be oppressive. Regrettably, these attitudes and practices have become so widespread and common that they are not even considered destructive to social life.

Because of the lack of marital responsibility, children are born and grow up never knowing who their fathers are. This in turn, produces numerous identity, emotional and psychological problems amongst children, and as a result many grow up to be delinquents and offenders.

In cases of one parent families, or where both parents are in full-time employment, there is usually a lack of proper parental attention and care towards the young. This familial deficiency generally leads the young towards social vices and crimes. Their energies instead of being directed along healthy channels, are either being wasted away or expended in socially harmful activities such as drug abuse, gambling, illicit sex and crime.

In addition, a growing fascination with the latest consumer goods, films, video games, discos, fashion and leisure activities are all creating huge financial pressures and communication gaps between young and old, and between family and community members. Such interests and past-times, and the resulting attitudes and lifestyles, are also giving rise to discontentment, disorder and to general communal decay.

[Compiled from "Building a New Society", by Zahid Parvez, pp. 79,80]

Ask Him. He Listens: Dua

Turn each anxiety, each fear and each concern into a Dua (supplication). Look at it as another reason to submit to God and be in Sajdah (prostration), during which you are closest to Allah. God listens and already knows what is in your heart, but He wants you to ask Him for what you want. The Prophet said: Allah is angry with those who do not ask Him for anything (Tirmidhi).

The Prophet once said that in prayer, he would find rest and relief (Nasai). He would also regularly ask for God’s forgiveness and remain in prostration during prayer praising God (Tasbeeh) and asking for His forgiveness (Bukhari).

Allah wants you to be specific. The Prophet advised us to ask Allah for exactly what we want instead of making vague Duas. Dua is the essence of worship (the Prophet as quoted in Tirmidhi).

[Taken from "25 Ways to Deal with Stress and Anxiety" by Abdul Malik Mujahid]

Al-Furqan (The Criterion)
Chapter 25: Verse 53

And He it is Who has joined the two seas: one sweet and palatable and the other saltish and bitter; and He has set a barrier and an insurmountable obstruction between the two that keeps them apart.


Commentary:

This happens wherever a larger river flows into the sea. There are springs of sweet water at several locations in different seas where the sweet water remains separate from the salty water of the sea. Sayyidi Ali Rais, a Turkish admiral of the sixteenth century, mentions in his work, Mir'at al-Mamalik, one such place in the Persian Gulf. He writes that he found springs of sweet water under the salty water of the sea and drew drinking water from them for his fellow sailors. In more recent times, when the Arabian American Oil Company began drilling oil wells in Saudi Arabia, they used the water of the same springs of the Persian Gulf as drinking water until the wells in the vicinity of Dahran were dug. Also, near Bahrain, there are springs of sweet water under the sea from which people have drawn upon for ages.

This verse identifies this wondrous manifestation of God's omnipotence as a evidence of His Oneness. But there is an additional, albeit more subtle, meaning implicit in the verse too. No matter how bitter and salty the ocean of human society may become, God can always produce a righteous group of people in the same manner that He can produce a spring of sweet water in the depths of a salty ocean. This spring of sweet water cannot be gulped down by the waves of salty water no matter what.

[Compiled from "Towards Understanding the Quran" by Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi, Vol 7, pp. 32, 33]

Siapa Aku di Depan Tuhanku

Allahuakbar, Allahuakbar
Allahuakbar, Allahuakbar

Subuhnya
di mana aku berada
masih enak dalam kelambu rindu
sambil berpoya-poya dengan waktu
masa bagaikan menderu
langkah tiada arah tuju
fikiran terus bercelaru
terlupa aku semakin di hujung waktu
siapa aku di depan Tuhan ku.

Zohornya
aku lebih memikirkan kelaparan
kehausan dan rehatku
aku lebih mementingkan tuntutan jawatanku
aku bertolak ansur dengan waktu
aku gembira membilang keuntungan
aku terlupa betapa besar kerugian
jika aku mengadaikan sebuah ketaatan
siapa aku di depan Tuhan ku.

Asarnya
aku lupa warna masa
cepat berubah bagaikan ditolak-tolak
aku masih dengan secawan kopiku
terlupa panas tidak di hujung kepala
aku masih bercerita
tentang si Tuah yang setia dan si Jebat yang
derhaka
siapa aku di depan Tuhan ku

Maghribnya
aku melihat warna malam
tetapi aku masih berligar di sebalik tabirnya
mencari sisa-sisa keseronokan
tidak terasa ruang masa yang singkat
jalan yang bertongkat-tongkat
ruginya bertingkat-tingkat
siapa aku di depan Tuhan ku.

Isyaknya
kerana masanya yang panjang
aku membiarkan penat menghimpit dadaku
aku membiarkan kelesuan mengangguku
aku rela terlena sambil menarik selimut biru
bercumbu-cumbu dengan waktuku
siapa aku di depan Tuhan ku.

kini aku menjadi tertanya-tanya
sampai bila aku akan melambatkan sujudku
apabila azan berkumandang lagi
aku tidak akan membiarkan Masjid menjadi sepi
kerana di hujung hidup ada mati
bagaimana jenazah akan dibawa sembahyang di sini
jika ruangku dibiarkan kosong
jika wajahku menjadi asing
pada mentari dan juga bintang-bintang.

SIAPA AKU DI DEPAN TUHANKU

BUTA CINTA : Sesat di dunia, Merana di akhirat

MIHWAR Bil 11 Tahun 2001 (Sambungan)

Apa yang mesti dilakukan?

Seringkali kesedaran datang terlewat. Di saat kita sedang asyik dibuai cinta, mabuk kepayang pada seseorang dan hati selalu bergetar kala disebut nama si pujaan. Tiba-tiba kita disentakkan oleh sebuah hujjah Islam bahawa berdua-duaan dilarang, tak diperbolehkan, merindukan pujaan boleh menganggu iman. Dan segala macam larangan bersenang-lenang dengan lawan jenis sebelum adanya ikatan perkahwinan. Lalu apa yang mesti dilakukan?

CASE SENARIO 1

Alkisah, ada seorang seniman yang amat mencintai gadis jirannya. Suatu ketika si gadis disuruh keluarganya pergi ke kampong lain untuk suatu keperluan. Pemuda itu mengambil kesempatan ini dengan mengekori si gadis dari belakang dan apabila sampai di tempat yang sunyi pemuda tersebut mengajak si gadis untuk bercengkarama bersama. Tapi, apa kata gadis itu?

“Jangan” katanya. “Sebenarnya aku juga sangat mencintaimu melebihi cintamu kepadaku. Tapi, aku takut pada Allah.” Dunia berpusing laju. Demikian perasaan si pemuda ketika mendengar pengakuan tulus si gadis. Hatinya tiba-tiba gementar, kerongkong terasa kering dan jantungnya berdegup lebihkencang. Dan dalam keadaan gementar bibirnya bergerak-gerak, “ Kau….kau takut kepada Allah…Mengapa aku tidak?”

Dalam keadaan penuh penyesalan, akhirnya pemuda tersebut kembali ke kampong dan bertekad untuk bertaubat dari perbuatan yang hamper saja membawa petaka. Tapi malangnya di dalam perjalanan ia kehabisan bekal dan kehausan. Bahkan hamper mati ketika akhirnya Allah menolong pemuda itu dengan lalunya seorang soleh di situ. Selepas menolong pemuda tersebut, mereka pun berjalan bersama-sama.

Aneh, selama dalam perjalanan awan sentiasa menaungi meraka dari teriknya matahari gurun pasir. Fikir si pemuda, “Mungkin inilah barakah berjalan bersama dengan orang soleh.” Namun ketika mereka berpisah ternyata kelompok awan memilih menaungi si pemuda dan buian orang soleh itu. Orang soleh itu hairan dan mengikuti pemuda itu dari belakang. Setelah sampai pada tujuannya barulah orang soleh itu bertanya apa gerangan yang telah ia lakukan sehingga memperolehi kemuliaan dari Allah SWT. Pemuda yang baru bertaubat itu kemudian menceritakan peristiwa dengan si gadis pujaan. Orang soleh itu tersenyum dan mengatakan, “MEMANG ALLAH MEMBERIKAN KEDUDUKAN YANG ISTIMEWA KEPADA ORANG YANG BERTAUBAT YANG TIDAK DIA BERIKAN KEPADA ORANG LAIN.”

CASE SENARIO 2

Dalam sebuah hadis lain diriwayatkan tentang seorang penjahat yang ingin bertaubat. Ia masuk ke masjid. Ketika itu RasululLah SAW sedang mengimamkan solat. Setelah menunaikan solat meraka berbincang-bincang dan penjahat yang ingin bertaubat itu mendengar RasululLah bekata, “BARANGSIAPA YANG MENINGGALKAN YANG HARAM MAKA AKAN MEMPEROLEHINYA KETIKA SUDAH HALAL.”

Setelah RasululLah dan para sahabat bersurai, pemuda itu turut meninggalkan masjid. Hatinya masih ragu untuk mengutarakan taubatnya. Namun ucapan Nabi tadi amat terkesan di hatinya.

Malam pun menjelang. Suasana yang sering menggoda dirinya untuk melakukan keburukan. Tiba-tiba, dia berhasrat untuk merompak salah sebuah rumah yang dihuni oleh seorang janda. Ternyata di rumah janda itu, terdapat banyak makanan yang enak dan pasti mengundang selera. Ketika ia sedang memulakan suapannya tiba-tiba ia teringat kata-kata RasululLah SAW siang tadi. Akhirnya ia tak jadi makan.

Tatkala beranjak ke bilik lain, ia menjumpai pula perhiasan dan wang yang banyak. Dan ketika hendak mengambilnya sekali lagi ia teringat kata-kata RasululLah. Lalu, ia membatalkan niat jahatnya. Setelah itu ia masuk pula ke bilik yang besar. Didapatinya janda mukminah itu sedang terbaring tidur dengan lenanya. Apabila ternampak wajah janda yang cantik dan rupawan, penjahat itu tergoda dan bermaksud untuk melampiaskan nafsunya. Namun tiba-tiba ia teringat kembali kata-kata RasululLah tadi….”BARANGSIAPA YANG MENINGGALKAN SESUATU YANG HARAM IA AKAN MEMPEROLEHINYA KETIKA SUDAH HALAL.”

Akhirnya sekali lagi beliau membatalkan niat jahatnya. Lalu ia pergi meninggalkan rumah tersebut dengan hati yang lega kerana mampu mengalahkan nafsu syaitannya.

Fajar mula menyinsing. Beliau pergi menunaikan solat Subuh di masjid. Kali ini dia bertekad untuk bertaubat di hadapan RaslulLah SAW. Setelah solat, beliau duduk menyendiri di satu sudut masjid, merenung kembali peristiwa yang baru dialaminya malam tadi. Dan menghitung betapa besar dosanya andai perbuatan itu dilakukan.

Ketika matahari terbit datanglah seorang wanita ke masjid dan menceritakan kepada RasululLah SAW kejadian semalam di rumahnya. Walaupun tiada barang yang hilang beliau khuatir kalau-kalau pencuri itu hanya dating menyelidik semalam dan akan dating lagi malam nanti. Wanita itu juga memohon pada RasululLah agar sudilah mencarikan orang yang sanggup menjaga rumahnya. “Kenapa kau hidup sendirian?” Tanya RasululLah padaNya. Wanita itu menjawab suaminya sudah meninggal dunia.

RasululLah SAW mengarahkan pandanganNya pada seorang yang sedang duduk menyendiri di satu sudut masjid. RasululLah bertanya pada lelaki tersebut (yang ternyata penjahat yang telah bertaubat) adakah beliau sudah beristeri?

Setelah RasululLah mengetahui bahawa lelaki itu telah kematian isterinya maka baginda menawarkannya seorang calon isteri. Lelaki itu terdiam begitu juga janda yang mengadu tadi. Mereka sama-sama malu. Tetapi RasululLah yang arif kemudian mengikat kedua insane itu menjadi suami isteri yang sah. Dan….pecahlah tangis lelaki itu, lalu diceritakannya kepada Rasulullah SAW peristiwa yang sebenarnya, dan bahawa pencuri itu tidak lain adalah dirinya sendiri.

Wanita itu keluar dari masjid diiringi lelaki yang kini telah menjadi suaminya. Mereka berjalan beriringan menuju rumah yang malam tadi hamper dicerobohi. Di sana makanan enak masih utuh seperi yang dilihat lelaki tersebut malam tadi. Bezanya sekarang, makanan itu tidak haram lagi. Maka dengan tidak ragu-ragu makanan itu pun disantapnya.

Wang, emas dan perhiasan yang hendak dicuri, kini sudah menjadi miliknya yang halal. Bahkan ia boleh menggunakannya untuk berniaga, tanpa haram sedikitpun. Sementara wanita janda cantik yang semalam hamper dinodainya kini benar-benar sudah menjadi isterinya, berkat kemampuannya menahan nafsu syaitannya.

Lelaki itu berbisik sendiri dalam hati, “Benarlah sabda RasululLah SAW “BARANGSIAPA MENINGGALKAN YANG HARAM MAKA IA AKAN MEMPEROLEHINYA KETIKA SUDAH MENJADI HALAL.”

Demikian indah Islam mengajar erti cinta. Cinta yang tidak diliputi keraguan, cinta yang menimbulkan rasa tenteram, cinta yang menumbuhkan kedamaian, cinta yang menyuburkan keimanan dan ketaqwaan. Cinta yang apabila kita mereguknya akan didapatkan kenikmatan yang lebih dalam lagi.

Sungguh indah dan tepat doa yang diajarkan RasululLah SAW kepada kita. “ALLAHUMMA AARINAL HAQQA HAQQA WARDZUQNATT-TIBA’AH WA AARINAL BATHIL BATHILA WARDHUQNAT TINAABAH….”

Ya Allah tunjukkanlah kepada kami bahawa yang benar itu benar adanya agar kami dapat mengikutinya dan tunjukilah kami bahawa yang batil itu batil adanya agar kami dapat menjauhinya….

Inilah seuntai doa yang menjadi dasar bagi yang menentukan benar tidaknya setiap urusan kita. Tanpa petunjuk dan hidayah Allah mana mungkin kita menilai yang benar dan batil. Alangkah malangnya jika kita tidak mampu melihat mana yang haq dan mana yang batil. Demikian juga dalam urusan kita mengenai cinta. Selamanya, kita tidak akan mampu mencintai dan dicintai secara benar, ketika kita tak mampu mempunyai kemampuan untuk menganalisa yang mana cinta yang haq dan cinta yang batil. Mana cinta syahwat dan yang mana cinta Rabbani.

Marilah kita menjenguk dan menyemak hati kita. Masihkah ada cinta di sana? Sudahkah kita mengemas cinta kita dengan kemasan Cinta Rabbani dan memberi label halal di atasnya? Dan sudahkah kita menyingkirkan cinta syahwat yang akan menjerumuskan kita dalam petaka cinta yang berpanjangan?

YA Allah berikanlah kami kekuatan cintamu….!!

Sekian. Assalamualaikum!!

================================================================
Dzikroyat, Tarbawi, Edisi 1 Th. 1 31 Mei 1999M / 15 Shafar 1420

SEMOGA ALLAH MEMPERTEMUKAN KITA DI SYURGA

"Barangsiapa yang mengharapkan mati syahid dengan sepenuh hati, maka Allah
akan memberikan mati syahid kepadanya, meski ia mati di tempat tidur."

Dunia, hanya satu terminal dari seluruh fase kehidupan. Hanya Allah yang
tahu, rentang usia seorang manusia. Saya, khadijah, sebut saja demikian,
menikah dengan Muhammad, 3 Oktober 1993. Muhammad, adalah kakak kelas saya
di IPB. Pernikahan saya, melalui tahap yang biasa dilakukan oleh ikhsan
dan akhwat. Saya tak pernah mengenal Muhammad sebelumnya. Dan, seperti
layaknya pasangan baru, fase ta'aruf, konflik, dan kematangan pun saya
alami.

Meski baru saling kenal, saya rasakan suami saya sangat sayang pada saya.
Seolah, tidak seimbang dengan apa yang saya berikan. Dia banyak membantu.
Apalagi ketika saya menyelesaikan tugas akhir kuliah. Bisa dikatakan, ia
sekretaris pribadi saya.

Selama menikah, suami sering mengingatkan saya tentang kematian, tentang
syurga, tentang syahid, dan sebagainya. Setiap kami bicara tentang
sesuatu, ujung-ujungnya bicara tentang kematian dan indahnya syurga itu
bagaimana. Kalau kita bicara soal nikmatnya materi, suami mengaitkannya
dengan kenikmatan syurga yang lebih indah. Bahkan, berulang-ulang dia
mengatakan, nanti kita ketemu lagi di syurga. Kalau saya ingat kata-kata
itu, itu bukan kata-kata kosong. Bahkan itu mempunyai makna yang dalam
bagi saya.

Hari itu, 16 Januari 1996, kami ke rumah orang tua di Jakarta. Seolah
suami saya mengembalikan saya kepada orang tua saya. Malam itu juga suami
saya mengatakan harus kembali ke Bogor, karena harus mengisi diklat besok
paginya. Menurutnya, kalau berangkat pagi dari Jakarta khawatir terlambat.

Mendekati jam 12 malam, saya bangun dari tidur, perut saya sakit, keringat
dingin mengucur, rasanya ingin muntah. Saya bilang pada ibu saya, untuk
diobati. Saya kira maag saya kambuh. Saya sempat berpikir suami saya di
sana sudah istirahat, sudah tenang, sudah sampai, karena berangkat sejak
maghrib. Saya juga sempat berharap kalau ada suami saya, mungkin saya
dipijitin atau bagaimana, Tapi rupanya pada saat itulah terjadi peristiwa
tragis menimpa suami saya.

Jam tiga malam, saya terbangun. Kemudian saya shalat. Entah kenapa,
meskipun badan kurang sehat, saya ingin ngaji. Lama sekali saya
menghabiskan lembar demi lembar mushaf kecil saya. Waktu subuh rasanya
lama sekali. Badan saya sangat lelah dan akhirnya tertidur hingga subuh.

Pagi harinya, saya mendapat berita, dari seorang akhwat di Jakarta, bahwa
suami saya dalam kondisi kritis, Karena angkutan yang ditumpanginya hancur
ditabrak truk Tronton di jalan raya Parung. Sebenarnya, waktu itu suami
saya sudah meninggal. Mungkin sengaja beritanya dibuat begitu biar saya
tidak kaget. Namun tak lama kemudian, ada seorang ikhwah Jakarta yang
memberitahukan bahwa beliau sudah meninggal.
"Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un".

Entah kenapa, mendengar berita itu hati saya tetap tegar. Saya sendiri tak
menyangka bisa setegar itu. Saya berusaha membangun keyakinan bahwa suami
saya mati syahid. Saya bisa menasehati keluarga dan langsung ke Bogor. Di
sana, suami saya sudah dikafani. Sambil menangis, saya menasehati ibu,
bahwa dia bukan milik kita. Kita semua bukan milik kita sendiri, tapi
milik Allah. Alhamdulillah Allah memberi kekuatan, Kepada orang-orang yang
berta'ziah waktu itu, saya mengatakan, "Do'a kan dia supaya syahid .....
do'akan dia supaya syahid." Sekali lagi, ketabahan saya saat itu semata
datang dari Allah. Kalau tidak, mungkin saya sudah pingsan.

Menjelang kematiannya yang amat mendadak, saya tidak merasakan firasat
atau tanda-tanda khusus. Hanya, seminggu sebelum suami meninggal, anak
saya sering menangis, meski dia tidak apa-apa. Mungkin, karena merasa akan
ditinggal oleh bapaknya. Entahlah.

Seperti tuntunan Islam, segala hutang orang yang meninggal harus
ditunaikan. Meski tidak ada catatannya, tapi tanpa disadari, saya ingat
sekali hutang-hutang suami. Saya memamng sering bercanda sama suami, "Mas
kalau ada hutang, catat. Nanti kalau mas meninggal duluan saya tahu saya
harus bayar berapa." Canda itu memang sering muncul ketika kami bicara
masalah kematian. Sampai saya pernah bilang pada suami saya, "Kalau mas
meninggal duluan, saya yang mandiin. Kalau mas meninggal duluan, saya
kembali lagi ke ummi, jadi anaknya lagi." Semua itu akhirnya menjadi
kenyataan.

Beberapa hari setelah musibah itu, saya harus kembali ke rumah kontrakan
di Bogor untuk menurus surat-surat. Saat saya buka pintunya, tercium baru
harum sekali. Hampir seluruh ruangan rumah itu wangi, Saya sempat periksa
barangkali sumber wangi itu ada pada buah-buahan, atau yang lainnya. Tapi,
tidak ada. Ruangan yang tercium paling wangi, tempat tidur suami dan
tempat yang biasa ia gunakan bekerja.

Beberapa waktu kemudian, dalam tidur, saya mimpi bersalaman dengan dia.
Saya cium tangannya, Saat itu dia mendo'akan saya: "Zawadakillahu taqwa
waghafara dzanbaki, wa yassara laki haitsu ma kunti". (Semoga Allah
menambah ketaqwaan padamu, mengampuni dosamu, dan mempermudah segala
urusanmu di mana saja). Sambil menangis, saya balas dengan do'a itu dengan
do'a serupa.

Semasa suami masih hidup, do'a itu memang biasa kami ucapkan ketika kami
berpisah. Saya biasa mencium tangan suami bila ia ingin keluar rumah.
Ketika kami saling mengingat, kami juga saling mendo'akan.

Banyak do'a-do'a yang diajarkan suami saya. Ketika saya sakit, suami saya
menulis do'a di white board. Sampai sekarang saya selalu baca do'a itu.
Anak saya juga hafal. Saya banyak belajar darinya. Dia guru saya yang
paling baik. Dia juga bisa menjelaskan bagaimana indahnya syurga.
Bagaimana indahnya syahid.

Ketika suami meninggal, saya sedang hamil satu bulan, anak yang kedua.
Namanya sudah dipersiapkan oleh suami saya, Ahmad Qassam Amrul Haq, kalau
lahir laki-laki. Katanya Qassam itu diambil dari nama Izzuddin Al Qassam.
Izzuddinnya sudah sering dipakai, dia ingin mengunakan nama Qassam-nya.
Lalu, Amrul Haq itu memang nama yang paling dia sukai. Kalau dia menulis
di beberapa media, nama samarannya Abu Amrul Haq.

Banyak kesan baik dan kenangan indah yang saya alami bersama suami.
Menjelang kematiannya, saya pernah berta'ziyah ke rumah salah seorang
teman yang meninggal. Sepulang suami saya dari kerja, saya pernah tanya
pada suami, "Mas, kepikiran ngga' tentang mati ?" Kami tidak saling
menatap. Suami saya hanya bilang, "Memang ya, tidak ada yang tahu kapan
kematian itu." ----------

Waktu saya wisuda, 13 Januari 1996, saya sempat bertanya pada suami, "Mas
nanti saya kerja di mana ?" Suami diam saja sejenak. Akhirnya suami saya
mengatakan, supaya wanita itu memelihara jati diri. Saya bertanya,
"Maksudnya apa ?" "Beribadah, bekerja membantu suaminya, dan
bermasyarakat." Saya berpikir bahwa saya harus mengurus rumah tangga
dengan baik. Tidak usah memikirkan pekerjaan.

Alhamdulillah, setelah suai saya meninggal, masyaAllah, saya menerima
rejeki banyak sekali, lebih dari tiga belas juta. Saya tidak mengira,
sampai bingung, diapakan uang sebanyak ini.

Sekarang, setiap bulan saya hidup dari pensiun pegawai negeri suami.
Meskipun sedikit, tapi saya merasa cukup. Dan rejeki dari Allah tetap saja
mengalir. Allah memang memberikan rejeki kepada siapa saja yang dan tidak
tergantung kepada siapa saja. Katakanlah, meski suami saya tidak ada, tapi
rejeki Allah itu tidak akan pernah habis.

Insya Allah saya optimis dengan anak-anak saya. Saya ingat sabda Nabi,
"Aku dan pengasuh anak yatim seperti ini," sambil mengangkat dua jari
tangannya. Saya bukan pengasuh anak yatim, tapi ibunya anak yatim. Meski
masih kecil-kecil, saya sudah merasakan kedewasaan mereka lebih cepat
mengerti tentang kematian, tentang neraka, tentang syurga, bahkan tentang
syahid.

Rejeki yang saya terima, tak mustahil lantaran keberkahan mereka.
=================================================================

Written by : Akh Salleh Othman

Assalamualaikum..

semoga kita sentiasa dibawah pandangan rahmatNya..

ana ingin memberitahu ttg berita kemalangan yang menimpa saudara kita..Abd. Rahman Ansari Fuad (batch 3) yang berlaku pd 19/2/03 dimana beliau telah berlanggar dgn sebuah van....beliau mengalami patah tangan..maybe kena masuk besi...
semoga beliau & family diberi kekuatan, kesabaran dan cepat pulih
sesiapa yg ingin m'ziarahi beliau..hubungi beliau terlebih dahulu (pesanan rahman)

wasalam

Salaams

Your friend (nurin) thought you might find the following feature interesting:

Allahumma la taj'al fi qulubeena hubban min gheyri hubbik

The slave is not afflicted with a punishment greater than the hardening of the heart and being distant from Allah. For the Fire was created to melt the hardened heart. The most distant heart from Allah is the heart which is hardened. If the heart becomes hardened, the eye becomes dry.

If four matters are exceeded in quantity, beyond what is necessary, the heart shall become hardened:

Food, sleep, speech and sexual intercourse. A body afflicted by disease does not derive nourishment from food or water, similarly a heart diseased by desire does not benefit from admonishment or exhortation.

Whosoever desires to purify his heart, then let him prefer Allah to his desires.

The heart which is clinging to its desires is veiled from Allah, commensurate to the degree that it is attached to them. The hearts are the vessels of Allah upon His earth, hence the most beloved of them to Him, are the ones most compassionate, pure and resistant to deviation.

They (the transgressors) preoccupied their hearts [in the pursuance] of the Dunya, would that they preoccupied them with Allah and the Hereafter, then surely they would have reflected upon the intended meaning of His poignant Words and Verses. Their hearts would have returned to their masters with wisdom, marvelously curious and [in possession] of the rarest of precious gems.

If the heart is nourished with remembrance, its thirst quenched with contemplation and cleansed from corruption, it shall witness remarkable and wondrous matters, inspiring wisdom.

Not every individual is endowed with knowledge and wisdom, and assumes its character is from amongst its people. Rather the People of Knowledge and Wisdom are those who infused life into their hearts by slaying their desires. As for the one who slayed his heart and vitalized his desires, then knowledge and wisdom is naked upon his tongue.

The destruction of the heart occurs by security [in this Dunya] and negligence, its fortification occurs by fear and remembrance. If the heart renounces the pleasures of the Dunya, it settles upon the [pursuance] of the pleasures of the Hereafter, and amongst those who call towards it. Should the heart become content with the pleasures of the Dunya, those pleasures [of the Hereafter] cease [to continue].

Yearning for Allah and His meeting is like the gentle breeze blowing upon the heart, extinguishing the blaze of the Dunya. Whosoever caused his heart to settle with his Lord shall be in a state, calm and tranquil, and whosoever sent it amongst the people shall be disturbed and excessively perturbed.

For the love of Allah shall not enter a heart which contains the love of this world, except as a camel which passes through the eye of a needle.

Hence, the most beloved servant before Allah is the one whom He places in His servitude, whom He selects for His love, whom He causes to purify his worship for Him, dedicates his objectives for Him, his tongue for His remembrance, and his limbs for His service.

The heart becomes sick, as the body becomes sick, and its remedy is al-Tawbah and protection [from transgression]. It becomes rusty as a mirror becomes rusty, and its clarity is obtained by remembrance. It becomes naked as the body becomes naked, and its beautification is
al-Taqwa. It becomes hungry and thirsty as the body becomes hungry, and its food and drink is knowledge, love, dependence, repentance and servitude.

Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Excerpted from the translator's footnotes to "An Explanation of Riyadh al-Saliheen" by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen

Maverick Cleric Is a Hit on Arab TV
Al-Jazeera Star Mixes Tough Talk With Calls for Tolerance

Sheik Yusuf Qaradawi has condemned the prospect of a U.S. war against Iraq
and voices support for Palestinian suicide bombings, but also embraces
modern technology, women's rights and democracy for the Muslim world.
(Anthony Shadid -- The Washington Post)

By Anthony Shadid
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, February 14, 2003; Page A01
DOHA, Qatar -- His head draped in a white scarf in the tradition of the
prophet Muhammad and his body made soft by years of religious study, Sheik
Yusuf Qaradawi spoke slowly, his words simple, measured and frank.

The U.S. military has occupied the Persian Gulf, he declared, and any Muslim
who dies trying to expel it should be deemed a martyr. An invasion of Iraq
will "grow the seeds of hatred," giving rise to another Osama bin Laden,
perhaps a thousand Osama bin Ladens. Palestinian suicide bombings --
martyrdom operations, he insisted -- are the weapon of the weak, their toll
justified as a defense of sacred land.

Moments later, he seamlessly shifted to words more welcome in the West.
Women must be given greater rights, he said, and autocratic Arab states must
turn to democracy. Islam must reform and celebrate tolerance. Terrorism like
the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks must be denounced. "By God, I was sympathetic
with the Americans from the beginning," the 76-year-old sheik explained in
an interview. "But truthfully, I didn't imagine then that America would go
on to declare a war against the world."

The views espoused by Qaradawi -- part religious scholar, part television
star and part enigma -- have made him one of the most celebrated figures in
the Arab world. His teachings are carried on what many contend is the most
popular weekly show on al-Jazeera, the Arab satellite network. In
translation, his tapes and videos are available as far away as Indonesia and
Malaysia.

Qaradawi's appeal provides an insight into the religious currents flowing
through the Middle East in the shadow of a war with Iraq. Despite the Bush
administration's continuous insistence that terrorism is the enemy, many in
this part of the world have interpreted the anti-terrorism campaign as a war
against Islam. In this landscape, seething with resentment and perceptions
of injustice, the Egyptian cleric is seen as a voice of moderation.

That might not seem obvious in the United States, given his views. But taken
as a whole, Arab analysts point out, Qaradawi's message gives voice to what
many view as the Arab Muslim mainstream, embracing awe of the United States,
fear of its power, admiration of its democratic ideals -- and loathing of
the way those ideals are often put into practice. Unlike the views of
Western-oriented reformers or secular activists, his message is heard around
the region.

"When you talk about Sheik Qaradawi, you're talking about an audience of
hundreds of millions of Muslims across the world, someone who actually
creates public opinion," said Azzam Tamimi, director of the Institute of
Islamic Political Thought in London. "If Sheik Qaradawi gives a fatwa," he
said, using the term for a religious ruling, "that fatwa will be heeded
tomorrow in hundreds of places around the world."
Qaradawi is among a prestigious and relatively small group of
Arabic-speaking religious leaders who emerged over the past decade at the
intersection of technology and faith, using modern communications to deliver
blunt and often provocative messages. At the same time, these people have
maintained independence from governments, enhancing their reputations as
straight talkers.

Qaradawi has the added reputation of being a reformer, a voice not afraid to
defy 1,300 years of sometimes sclerotic religious study. It is a measure of
attitudes in the Middle East that his critics chastise him not for his
support of Palestinian suicide attacks or his opposition to war in Iraq, but
for his demand that Christians and Jews be respected as "people of the book"
who share the God of Abraham.

Among those in the most militant strands of Islam, his fondness for movies
and music is scandalous. Qaradawi is said to enjoy listening to Um Kalthoum,
an Egyptian singer who is still a giant more than 25 years after her death.
His call for dialogue with non-Muslims, some contend, is naive. They see in
his embrace of democracy and his call for greater women's rights a slavish
imitation of the West. In elections last year in Bahrain, he wrote a fatwa
sanctioning women, especially those past their child-bearing years, as
candidates in municipal elections. A Saudi cleric quickly weighed in: Not
permitted, he ruled.

"The sheik is a one-and-only kind of guy," said Maher Abdullah, 43, the host
of "Sharia and Life," the 90-minute program on al-Jazeera that carries
Qaradawi across the Arab world and beyond. "He is a cast of his own."

Abdullah recalled that Qaradawi traveled with a delegation of religious
scholars to Afghanistan in 2001 to appeal to the Taliban to save the
towering, almost 2,000-year-old statues of Buddha in Bamian. More
conservative voices accused him of supporting idol worship and paganism.
"It's like they were talking about [Israeli Prime Minister] Ariel Sharon,"
Abdullah said.

Far more controversial was Qaradawi's consent to a fatwa in October 2001
that legitimized American Muslims fighting in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan.
Caller after caller lambasted Qaradawi, Abdullah recalled, but the Egyptian
cleric held his ground. "I had faxes saying, okay, Sheik Qaradawi, Afghan
orphans will put slogans on their chests saying our fathers were killed by
American Muslims because Sheik Qaradawi said they could do so," Abdullah
said.

And then there was the show still gossiped about more than four years later.
The topic was sex in marriage and, by the standards of a deeply conservative
Arab world, the talk about what was sanctioned under Islam was graphic.
Qaradawi was decidedly liberal. The crux of his message: The bottom line is
consent of both partners.

Qaradawi made clear in the interview that he was seeking to create a new,
moderate current in Muslim thinking, one that "seeks balance between
intellect and the heart, between religion and the world, between
spirituality and materialism and between individualism and the group." To do
so, Qaradawi is fighting tradition that, Abdullah said, "takes a bulldozer
to shift just a little." Some colleagues and family members point to a past
that fostered what they see as his independent path.

Qaradawi was born in 1926 in Saft Turab, an Egyptian village in the Nile
delta crisscrossed by irrigated cotton farms. His father died before his
birth. His mother followed before he was a year old. Raised by aunts and
uncles, Qaradawi was urged to choose a way to make a living -- running a
grocery or perhaps learning carpentry, said his son, Mohamed Qaradawi.

Instead, he memorized the Koran before his 10th birthday and embraced
religion as a course of study at Al-Azhar University, the preeminent seat
for Sunni Muslim scholarship in Cairo. From there, he was swept up by the
seismic events shaping Egypt after World War II. Like thousands of other
Egyptians, he embraced the teachings of Hassan Banna, founder of the Muslim
Brotherhood, who enunciated a message not unfamiliar today: religious
renewal, a fierce nationalism wrapped in faith and hostility to what was
perceived as an imperial West. Throughout was a subtle critique of the
weakness and corruption of the Arab world's own leadership.

The Brotherhood ran afoul of Egypt's rulers. Qaradawi was imprisoned first
under the monarchy in 1949, then three times after the revolution that
brought Gamal Abdel Nasser to power in 1952. He was tortured, but says
little about the experience. By 1961, he had left Egypt, settling in the
Persian Gulf state of Qatar and eventually distancing himself from the
Brotherhood's politics.

"His objective was never to satisfy anyone. He always had his own way of
thinking," said Mohamed Qaradawi, 35, a professor of mechanical engineering
at Qatar University. "He does feel it, the pressure. I believe he's a
moderate. He believes he's a moderate, yet there's all this pressure on him
from both sides to change his thinking. The Americans believe he's an
extremist; the [Muslim] extremists in places like London think he's sold
out."

During the interview, Qaradawi sat somewhat feebly in his home, which is
adorned with East Asian art and gold Koranic inscriptions set on black. But
he became impassioned when he spoke of the Palestinian uprising and suicide
bombings -- a term he rejects.

"God gave the weak weapons that enable them to resist the powerful," he
said, mixing the formal Arabic of scholarship with the colloquial Egyptian
Arabic. "With these weapons they can sacrifice their lives for the sake of
their countries and their people. These weapons are the only ones that
others cannot wrest away from them."
That view -- widespread in the region -- has wrecked Qaradawi's reputation
among some in the West. Soon after he issued a fatwa sanctioning such
attacks, he said, Qatari officials passed on a message to him from the U.S.
Embassy that his 10-year U.S. visa had been revoked.

The passion of his anti-U.S. statements has deepened since. He has denounced
the prospect of a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. While not calling for attacks on
U.S. soldiers, he said those killed trying to expel them should be
considered martyrs. He said he is not opposed to a U.S. presence in the
region, but that the latest buildup has evolved into an occupation laying
the groundwork for an illegitimate strike against an Arab and Muslim
country.

"My position is against this war, which has no justification. In my view,
the death, ruin and destruction it will bring will bequeath hatred between
West and East, between Americans and Arabs and Muslims," he said. "It's not
necessary."

He also lamented U.S. support for Arab governments in a region populated by
what he called "democracies of 99.99 percent."

Unlike many Muslim scholars, he said he believes that Israel and a
Palestinian state can coexist. In a region where bin Laden is often declared
innocent of the Sept. 11 attacks, he was forthright in assigning blame and
called on Arabs to give blood for the victims. In the interview, he praised
Western ideals, if not the way they are carried out in the Middle East.

Three of his four daughters have PhDs from British universities -- in
nuclear physics, organic chemistry and botany. The fourth has a master's
degree in biology from the University of Texas. His son Mohamed earned his
PhD from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. One of his two other
sons is working toward a master's degree in business administration at the
American University in Cairo.

"In the modern age, Muslims and Arabs considered America a friend to them,
the closest to them," Qaradawi said after demanding his guest drink the
carrot juice he had offered. "America had not occupied Arab nations or
Islamic nations. It didn't have the historical baggage that the British,
French, Spanish, Italians, even the Dutch, who colonized Indonesia, had. Its
history was unblemished."

There is still room for dialogue and respect, he insisted, despite the
prospect of war, and coexistence, even now, is a better goal than a clash of
civilizations. "We're all the sons of Adam," he said.

© 2003 The Washington Post Company

THE NEED TO LOVE SOMEONE, IS THAT WRONG?
author unknown

Love can mean many different things, it can be a wonderful experience, which touches our deepest emotions.. It is a quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing, and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses .Love is content with the present it hopes for the future, and it does not brood over the past. It's the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems, compromises, small disappointments, big victories, and working toward common goals. If you have loved in your life, it can make up for the many things that you are missing. That is the image of Love that I have in my mind . Does that sound so evil Is it wrong to wish to have a soul mate a confidant a friend a lover a spouse in one whom you share your inner most deepest thoughts? To see someone who truly impresses you in their character, personality and their honesty, and wish you can be with them forever? Is it wrong to love someone like that? Is it?

Yet when we find enough courage to publicly act on our love by either talking to our parents or the girl's parents, we suddenly get a bitter dose of reality that we were too naïve and idealistic in our intentions. However to the majority of people think of them as ridiculous and not valid in the real world. Have they forgotten that they themselves have been in the same situation not so long ago?

It is so very sad for me to see that we have to suffer unmarried life due to UN-Islamic social factors. We must blame our un-Islamic social customs and materialistic outlook that cause some men and women to remain unmarried. Many young people or their parents have very high expectations for their spouses. They make very difficult standards of education, profession, wealth or physical features .The result is that such people remain unmarried or others do not marry them because they do not meet those standards. We Muslims must emphasize that best criterion according to Islam is good character, and judge a person on him or her character alone rather than family, social standing etc.

The Prophet -peace be upon him- said, "If someone whose faith and morals you trust makes a proposal of marriage to you then marry him, otherwise there will be trials and much corruption in the land" . As Muslims it is also our duty to help our Muslim brothers and sisters to get married. Allah says in the Quran, "And help to get married those among you who are single or the virtuous ones of your slaves, males or females. If they are in poverty Allah will give them means out of His grace. For Allah encompasses all and knows all things." (Al-Noor 24:32)

*maybeishouldgetmarried* ;)

selamat hari raye aidiladha

Hello poisshh

wa wujuhuyy yaumaizin nadhirah.. has sent you this postcard.



heh..baru lpas kemas beg for penang..anyway...nie gamba
kump. nasyid indonesia..sesaje je amik sbb sorg tue muke
cam faiz..haaha..aritu irah bawak gamba gi skola.. sume org
ckp muke irah sejibik cam faiz..papepon skrg irah
tinggiii.. minggu dpn gi camping..kat sg. dinding..doakan
irah...jd. fa'izin fi kulli imtihan fid dunya wal
akhirah..same to you too...adieus..requimternam(semoga
Tuhan memberkatimu-dlm bahase sepanyol)

*written by my small sister Irah*

*subhanallah .. i miss my family sooo much* :)
*'eid mub mubarak buat semua kenalan dan sahabat-sahabat :: taqabbal Allahu minna wa minkum*

Woman without her man is nothing

Suatu hari seorang profesor menulis ayat “Woman without her man is nothing” di papan putih dan menyuruh pelajar-pelajarnya meletakkan tanda bacaan untuk memberikan penekanan dan intonasi yang lebih meyakinkan.

Seorang pelajar lelaki tampil dan setelah merenung-renung ayat itu dia telah meletakkan tanda-tanda bacaan yang tertentu hingga ayat itu dibaca seperti berikut.

“Woman, without her man, is nothing”

Usaha pelajar lelaki ini mendapat sorakan semua pelajar lelaki. Dengan bangganya pelajar ini duduk dan di tempatnya dan sorakan berterusan.

Kemudian tampil seorang pelajar perempuan. Dia mengerling kepada semua yang hadir di dalam dewan. Kemudian dengan penuh yakin dia meletakkan tanda-tanda bacaaan yang berbeza hingga ayat itu dibaca seperti berikut:

“Woman! Without her, man is nothing”

Seluruh dewan menjadi sunyi sepi. Masing-masing tergamam. Akhirnya semua mata tertumpu kepada profesor.

“Well,”kata profesor itu.“You can be what you want to be.”Lalu keluar meninggalkan dewan.

Apa yang boleh kita pelajari daripada kisah ini? Banyak, tetapi kata-kata profesor itu yang menyentak. You can be what you want to be. Maknanya daripada perkataan yang sama, kita boleh menjadi lemah atau sebaliknya. Pilihan pada diri kita. Kalau woman without her man is nothing dibaca dengan nada yang selamba tanpa intonasi tertentu, hasilnya berbentuk negatif bagi wanita. Tetapi apabila dibaca sebagai “Woman! Without her, man is nothing”. Ia begitu memotivasi dan amat bernilai sekali.

Petikan buku …….Dr HM Tuah Iskandar al-Haj, “Membina Hati Bahagia”, 111-112

azmei...

azmei...
senior ku di MMU
graduasi bagai semalam baru
berkongsi teduh dengan isam kisas 97
berdiri teguh dengan rahimi juga kisas 97
sekilas pandang terbias bayang azmei
giat cergas dalam aktiviti
Institusi Usrah yang bersama kita titi

azmei..
wajahnya persis abgku farhi
berkacamata, cukup sederhana

azmei...
sujud ke bumi menyembah tuhan
pemergian yang tiada kembali
menyahut panggilan Ilahi
ruhnya terbang tinggi
moga di syurga tempatnya nanti

azmei...
itulah suratan untuknya

bagaimanakah
suratan untukku?

*alfatihah untuk Allahyarham azmei...

| adaptasi dari pena ukht fasihah dengan beberapa tempelan |

Coretan ukht Zeti:

In the name of Allah..

Today is monkey story.. Got this from my Project Management class this morning..

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water.

After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result - all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him.

After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, and then the fifth. Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked.

Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.

Hehehe.. it's all about how to manipulation in a business world.. On the other hand, let's hope the same won't happen to our dearest beloved Deen..

*Zeti .. ini kira exchange la ni ye :) *

Dari tinta ukht Khadijah Omar:

Assalamu'alaykum wrt. wbt.,

Di bawah ana perturunkan lontaran pendapat dari sahabat dalam dua institusi tarbiyyah kita, yang rasanya baik sekali dimanfaatkan. Sebelum itu, 'afwan kerana terlalu panjang, dan maaf juga andai ada yang sudah pernah membaca tulisan-tulisan ini. Wassalaam.

TULISAN PERTAMA

Assalamu'alaikum wbt..

ikhwah wal akhawat yg dikasihi sekalian.. Semoga sentiasa istiqamah di atas landasan keimanan ad-din tercinta..

"Wa La Taqrabuz Zina.."
Ana nak kongsi sedikit pengetahuan yang ana rasa ramai antara kita yang masih jahil mengenai satu istilah kemaksiatan iaitu ZINA.. Baru-baru ini, dalam kelas.. ada seorang ustazah memberitahu bahawa zina pada hari ini merupakan satu dosa lazim yang ramai di antara kita telah melakukannya tanpa disedari..

Ehem.. ana rasa dengan usia yang semakin meningkat ni, tak salah ana katakan bahawa ramai antara kita yang mula atau telah mencuba untuk merasai nikmat berpasangan atau dengan kata yang lebih jelas lagi berkasih sayang sesama 'teman' yang berlainan jantina.. Bagi yang berkenalan melalui chatting misalnya, bila dah lama menjalinkan hubungan, teringin pula rasa di hati nak tengok muka.. jadi, ada yang minta gambarlah, ada yang berjumpa la..etc..

Dalam konteks zina ni, ustazah tu kata, bila kita (banat terutamanya) bagi gambar kpd org lelaki.... kita secara tidak langsung telah menghalalkan zina dalam hidup kita.. selama ini kita hanya tahu tentang zina secara fizikal dan mata.. tapi, ramai antara kita yang tidak tahu bahawa terdapat juga zina hati dan perasaan.. bila si lelaki tengok gambar perempuan tu, macam-macam pulak terbayang.. macamana rambutnya, macamana bentuk tubuh badannya.. sehinggakan ada yang melebihi had itu.. semua ini telah membawa kepada zina hati terutama bila ada yang berfikir tentang sesuatu yang mengghairahkan.. Jadi, resolusinya... elakkan bagi gambar.. berbual di telefon.. etc yang mungkin boleh mencairkan hati mana-mana pihak.. ehehe..

Seterusnya, kalau tadi kesalahan banyak disandarkan pada pihak yang pakai seluar panjang (lelaki), sekarang ni yg pakai tudung nih.. Kalau cakap perempuan, rasanya majoriti suka baca novel.. baca novel pulak, tak sah kalau tak de yang berjiwang... semua dihidangkan dengan mee cintan.. aaaa, ni lagi satu jenis zina.. zina hati gak.. kengkadang tu dan bace cerita pasal hal bilik tidur, ada pulak yang terbayang benda lain.. benda yg mengghairahkan juga... kan ke elok kalau gi isi masa tu dengan baca kisah para sahabiah ke.. STUDY keeeee...

Sebenarnya, apa yang ana nak simpulkan.. semua tu ZINAAA!!! tengok gambar perempuan (minah saleh) yg x tutup aurat tu pun ZINA!!!! ada keinginan syahwat kepada seseorang lelaki atau perempuan pun ZINAA... baca novel yang x brape ditapis tu pun ZINA... Jadi, ana seru pada semua orang.. terutama bagi yang agaknya dah tak ingat kat SPM... asyik pike nak kahwin agaknya... Saranan dr sorang ustazah tue.. kalaulah rasa-rasa macam si dia tu dah jadi jodoh kita, solat Istikharah bebanyak.... Insya-Allah, kalau tu jodoh, Allah cantikkan wajahnya.. cantikkan akhlaknya... Tak payah la tengok gambar... Insya-Allah bahagia dunia akhirat.. ekonomi pun selamat.. ehehhe, takde kes nak berpoligami.. :)...

OK la, tu je la dr ana yang serba kekurangan nih... tak pandai nak bertazkirah.. sekadar nak beri peringatan pada diri nih.. Segala yg kurang datangnya dr ana, yg baik tu dr Allah Rabbul 'Alamin..

Ilal Liqa' Qariib..


TULISAN KEDUA

Maruah seseorang adalah bergantung kepada dirinya sendiri. Dengan penuh sedar, saya ingin menegaskan bahawa saya bukanlah manusia terbaik untuk dijadikan contoh dalam hal ini, apatah lagi untuk mengatakan bahawa saya tidak terjebak dengan sebarang kesilapan ketika berbicara. Namun, bila baru masanya akan datang manusia yang serba sempurna yang dinobatkan layak berbicara tentang adab?

Berbicara di sini saya fokuskan kepada adab berbicara antara ikhwah dan akhawat. Allah SWT menegaskan adab bericara khususnya bagi golongan muslimat apabila berkomunikasi dengan lelaki yang bukan mahram :

"Wahai isteri-isteri Nabi, kamu semua bukanlah seperti mana-mana perempuan yang lain kalau kamu tetap bertaqwa. Oleh itu janganlah kamu berkata-kata dengan lembut manja (semasa bercakap dengan lelaki asing) kerana yang demikian boleh menimbulkan keinginan orang yang ada penyakit dalam hatinya (menaruh tujuan buruk kepada kamu), dan sebaliknya berkatalah dengan kata-kata yang baik (sesuai dan sopan).." (Al-Ahzab : 32)

Ibnu Kathir Rahimahullah di dalam Tasir Quranul ‘Azim semasa menafsirkan ayat di atas menyebut bahawa printah tersebut tidaklah hanya terbatas kepada isteri-isteri nabi bahkan kepada semua anita-wanita muslimah. Apa yang dimaksudkan dengan lembut manja itu ialah sengaja melembutkan suara apabila bercakap dengan lelaki yang bukan mahram. Termasuk juga di dalam perintah ini ialah para lelaki semasa berbicara dengan wanita-anita yang bukan mahram. Manakala Al-Qurtuby pula berpendapat percakapan yang dimaksudkan ialah percakapan yang hanya meliputi perkara-perkara yang perlu sahaja dengan suara yang tidak sengaja dilembut-lembutkan.

Berdasarkan kepada ayat ini, kita sepatutnya boleh melakukan satu muhasabah yang terbaik. Sudah sering kali kita laungkan untuk membina atau sekurang-kurangnya mengekalkan apa yang kita namakan sebagai 'biah solehah' di bumi AL-AMIN ini, namun semakin hari rasanya impian itu semakin terhakis apabila melihat adab berbicara dan berkomunikasi antara ikhwah dan akhawat yang semakin tidak terjaga. Kenapa ini harus berlaku di bumi yang kita suburkan di atasnya cita-cita murni untuk melahirkan generasi pejuang?

Realiti kita hari ini menyatakan kepada kita bahawa semakin ramai yang berani 'memperkosa' suasana murni yang ingin kita wujudkan. Maaf seandainya perkataan kurang elok terpaksa digunakan namun itulah hakikatnya. Di hati ini, hanya tuhan yang tahu (maaf Unic, senikatamu kupinjam tanpa kebenaran) pedihnya hati ini bila melihat siswa dan siswi berbicara antara satu sama lain dengan jarak yang mampu diukur oleh pembaris 30 cm, diselangi dengan hilai tawa dan suara lemak manja persis susasana di sekolah menengah. Mana lagi maruah sebagai pelajar agama?

Di sinilah kita perlu seketika bermuhasabah. Tentunya kita faham dengan siapa bicara kita akan menyebabkan fitnah. Kalau bagi siswa contohnya, dalam keadaan biasa, tentulah komunikasi dengan orang yang berpangkat 'kakak' agak selamat dari risiko fitnah berbanding dengan seorang yang berpangkat sebaya atau lebih muda. Begitu juga dengan siswi, dalam keadaan yang biasa, bicara dengan seorang berpangkat 'adik' biasanya lebih terhindar dari risiko fitnah berbanding dengan yang berpangkat 'abang'. Kita lebih faham bagaimana menjaga diri kita sendiri. Namun sayang, ramai lagi yang berpura-pura tidak faham dalam soal ini.

Saya ingin bertanya kepada siswa yang terlalu enak berbicara dengan siswi bersama lagak yang kurang menyenangkan itu, tidak malukah anda meruntuhkan kredibiliti anda sebagai bakal pemimpin? Tidak malukah anda memperlihatkan kepada orang lain betapa besarnya keruntuhan moral yang ada di dalam jiwa anda? Tidak malukah anda menzahirkan betapa anda tidak layak untuk digelar sebagai bakal ulama? Bakal ulamakkah anda yang sudah tunduk dengan kelunakan suara seorang wanita?!!

Kepada siswi, tentu sekali kita ingin bertanya, tidak aibkah anda mendedahkan kelunakan suara yang begitu lemak manja yang pastinya hanya layak untuk seseorang di malam yang pertama? Realitinya, ramai di kalangan anda yang memakai jubah luaran namun tidak 'menjubahkan' hati dan peribadi. Tahukah anda, ramai lelaki yang runtuh hatinya semata-mata kerana kelunakan suaramu? Tidak sedarkah anda, dengan melunakkan suara selembut yang mungkin bila berbicara, anda sebenarnya sudah merosakkan 'dara' suaramu..? Masih tidak tahukah anda bahawa walau senakal manapun seorang lelaki beriman yang normal, dia tetap akan mencari isteri solehah yang terbaik menjadi suri hidupnya..? Namun, solehahkah ketawa terkekek-kekek di tengah khalayak ketika berbicara dengan lelaki bukan mahram? Anda bangga dengan perbuatan itu? Terpulang!

Kita tidak mahu siswa-siswi menjaga adab pergaulan hanya semata-mata malu kepada mata-mata yang memandang. Apa yang kita mahukan ialah generasi pemuda-pemudi yang hanya takutkan Allah. Kita tidak suka munculnya generai yang penuh dengan sikap kepura-puraan, tunduk menikus hanya kerana malu menghadapi kata-kata orang lain, namun di celah-celah yang tersembunyi, kita benarkan diri kita merobohkan pagar iman! Tanyalah diri sendiri, layakkah aku digelar pejuang?! Dalam kelemahan diri yang begitu banyak, kita lantas melabelkan diri kita sebagai pendokong kebangkitan Islam, tidak malukah kita?!! Kita akan mendapat jawapannya seandainya kita ikhlas dalam memberikan jawapan.

Sudah ramai di luar sana yang rebah kerana tidak mampu bertahan dengan ujian di zaman remaja. Lalu, masihkah ingin kita memilih untuk turut menjadi mereka? Sepatutnya kita sudah cukup untuk menangis dengan kemunculan generasi remaja yang sudah lupakan tuhanNya, lalu kita bangkit sebagai generasi qudwah yang akan mengungguli contoh yang terbaik. Sayang, dalam keadaan kampus kita seperti hari ini, secara ikhlas ingin saya nyatakan, kita mungkin hanya akan mengulangi sejarah kegagalan generasi yang terdahulu.

Di peringkat umur sebegini, tentulah kita tidak mahu siswa-siswi KIAS perlu 'dimarahi' terlebih dahulu untuk melazimkan mereka dengan adab pergaulan. Lebih berkesan seandainya masing-masing menyedari tanggungjawab dan batasan pergaulan khususnya golongan yang sepatunya menjadi contoh (tentunya pimpinan dan senior). Mungkin ramai yang menganggap ia sebagai isu yang remeh temeh di tengah-tengah cabaran globalisasi menuntut kita berfikiran terbuka, namun bagi saya, ia tetap isu yang besar di dalam menjana pertumbuhan generasi qudwah.

Sekali lagi, sebelum mengakhiri tulisan ini, penulis rencana ini bukanlah seorang contoh yang terbaik, malah mungkin kadang-kadang turut rebah di tengah-tengah kehebatan prinsip dan idealisme. Namun, kalau tidak sekarang kita menegur, bila lagi? Dan kalau tidak kita, siapa lagi?!!

" Untungnya orang mukmin, semakin banyak masalah, semakin mustajab doanya, bukan perjuangan tanpa kesulitan, tapi dalam kesulitan ada ketenangan, memugar kekuatan..kita tidak sendirian.."

*perjuangan hidup ini memerlukan cinta dan harapan .. jiwa dan pengorbanan*

" Daerah kita bukan daerah cinta, bukan masanya merajuk kasih memujuk, tiada senda gurau memanjang, kerana kita dalam berjuang..."


* hmm .. betul ke? *

The Best Days in the World

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How do the first ten days of the Month of Dhul Hijjah differ from other days of the year?

"The best days in the world are the Ten days." [Ibn Hibbaan, al-Bazzaar, authenticated in Saheeh Jaami` us-Sagheer #1133]

Praise be to Allaah Who has created Time and has made some times better than others, some months and days and nights better than others, when rewards are multiplied many times, as a mercy towards His slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement.

This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity to correct one’s faults and make up for any shortcomings or anything that one might have missed. Every one of these special occasions involves some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw closer to Allaah, and some kind of blessing though which Allaah bestows His favour and mercy upon whomsoever He will. The happy person is the one who makes the most of these special months, days and hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of worship; he will most likely be touched by the blessing of Allaah and will feel the joy of knowing that he is safe from the flames of Hell. (Ibn Rajab, al-Lataa’if, p.8)

The Muslim must understand the value of his life, increase his worship of Allaah and persist in doing good deeds until the moment of death. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"And worship your Lord until there comes unto you the certainty." [al-Hijr 15:99] The mufassireen (commentators) said: "‘The certainty’ means death."

Among the special seasons of worship are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, which Allaah has preferred over all the other days of the year. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no days in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Allaah than these ten days." The people asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2/457).

Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There is no deed more precious in the sight of Allaah, nor greater in reward, than a good deed done during the ten days of Sacrifice." He was asked, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah?" He said, "Not even jihaad for the sake of Allaah, except in the case of a man who went out to fight giving himself and his wealth up for the cause, and came back with nothing." (Reported by al-Daarimi, 1/357; its isnaad is hasan as stated in al-Irwaa’, 3/398).

These texts and others indicate that these ten days are better than all the other days of the year, with no exceptions, not even the last ten days of Ramadaan. But the last ten nights of Ramadaan are better, because they include Laylat al-Qadr ("the Night of Power"), which is better than a thousand months. Thus the various reports may be reconciled. (See Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/412).

You should know, my brother in Islaam, that the virtue of these ten days is based on many things:

Allaah swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "By the dawn; by the ten nights" [al-Fajr 89:1-2]. Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujaahid and others of the earlier and later generations said that this refers to the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: "This is the correct opinion." (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/413)

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) testified that these are the best days of this world, as we have already quoted above from saheeh ahaadeeth.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) encouraged people to do righteous deeds because of the virtue of this season for people throughout the world, and also because of the virtue of the place - for the Hujjaaj (pilgrims) to the Sacred House of Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to recite a lot of Tasbeeh ("Subhan-Allaah"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah") and Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar") during this time. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are no days greater in the sight of Allaah and in which righteous deeds are more beloved to Him than these ten days, so during this time recite a great deal of Tahleel ("La ilaaha ill-Allaah"), Takbeer and Tahmeed." (Reported by Ahmad, 7/224; Ahmad Shaakir stated that it is saheeh).

These ten days include Yawm ‘Arafaah (the Day of ‘Arafaah), on which Allaah perfected His Religion. Fasting on this day will expiate for the sins of two years. These days also include Yawm al-Nahar (the Day of Sacrifice), the greatest day of the entire year and the greatest day of Hajj, which combines acts of worship in a way unlike any other day.

These ten days include the days of sacrifice and of Hajj.
Question: What must the Muslim avoid during these ten days if he wants to offer a sacrifice?

The Sunnah indicates that the one who wants to offer a sacrifice must stop cutting his hair and nails and removing anything from his skin, from the beginning of the ten days until after he has offered his sacrifice, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, then he should stop cutting his hair and nails until he has offered his sacrifice." According to another report he said: "He should not remove (literally, touch) anything from his hair or skin." (reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146)

The Prophet’s instruction here makes one thing obligatory and his prohibition makes another haraam, according to the soundest opinion, because these commands and prohibitions are unconditional and unavoidable. However, if a person does any of these things deliberately, he must seek Allaah’s forgiveness but is not required to offer (an extra) sacrifice in expiation; his sacrifice will be acceptable. Whoever needs to remove some hair, nails, etc. because it is harming him, such as having a broken nail or a wound in a site where there is hair, should do so, and there is nothing wrong with that. The state of ihraam is so important that it is permitted to cut one’s hair if leaving it will cause harm. There is nothing wrong with men or women washing their heads during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only forbade cutting the hair, not washing it.

The wisdom behind this prohibition of the one who wants to offer a sacrifice from cutting his hair etc., is so that he may resemble those in ihraam in some aspects of the rituals performed, and so that he may draw closer to Allaah by offering the sacrifice. So he leaves his hair and nails alone until the time when he has offered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah will save him in his entirety from the Fire. And Allaah knows best.

If a person has cut his hair or nails during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah because he was not planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides later, during the ten days, to offer a sacrifice, then he must refrain from cutting his hair and nails from the moment he makes this decision.

Some women may delegate their brothers or sons to make the sacrifice on their behalf, then cut their hair during these ten days. This is not correct, because the ruling applies to the one who is offering the sacrifice, whether or not he (or she) delegates someone else to carry out the actual deed. The prohibition does not apply to the person delegated, only to the person who is making the sacrifice, as is indicated in the hadeeth. The person who is sacrificing on behalf of someone else, for whatever reason, does not have to adhere to this prohibition.

This prohibition appears to apply only to the one who is offering the sacrifice, not to his wife and children, unless any of them is offering a sacrifice in his or her own right, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sacrifice "on behalf of the family of Muhammad," but there are no reports that say he forbade them to cut their hair or nails at that time.

If a person was planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides to go and perform Hajj, he should not cut his hair or nails if he wants to enter ihraam, because the Sunnah is only to cut hair and nails when necessary. But if he is performing Tamattu’ [whereby he performs ‘Umrah, comes out of ihraam and enters ihraam anew for Hajj], he should trim his hair at the end of his ‘Umrah because this is part of the ritual.

The things that are described above as being prohibited for the person who is planning to offer a sacrifice are reported in the hadeeth quoted above; the person is not forbidden to wear perfume, have marital relations, wear sewn garments, etc.

Concerning the types of worship to be performed during these ten days: one must understand that these days are a great blessing from Allaah to His slave, which is appreciated properly by the actively righteous. It is the Muslim’s duty to appreciate this blessing and make the most of the opportunity, by devoting these ten days to paying more attention to striving hard in worship. Among His blessings to His slaves, Allaah has given us many ways in which to do good and worship Him, so that the Muslim may be constantly active and consistent in his worship of his Lord.

Among the good deeds which the Muslim should strive to do during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah are:

Fasting. It is Sunnah to fast on the ninth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urged us to do good deeds during this time, and fasting is one of the best of deeds. Allaah has chosen fasting for Himself, as is stated in the hadeeth qudsi: "Allaah says: ‘All the deeds of the son of Adam are for him, except for fasting, which is for Me and I am the One Who will reward him for it.’" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1805).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Hunaydah ibn Khaalid reported from his wife that some of the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to fast on the ninth of Dhu’l-Hijjah, on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, on three days of each month, and on the first two Mondays and Thursdays of each month." (Reported by al-Nisaa’i, 4/205 and by Abu Dawud; classified by al-Albaani as saheeh in Saheeh Abi Dawud, 2/462).

Takbeer. It is Sunnah to say Takbeer ("Allaahu akbar"), Tahmeed ("Al-hamdu Lillaah"), Tahleel ("La ilaha ill-Allaah") and Tasbeeh ("Subhaan Allaah") during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and to say it loudly in the mosque, the home, the street and every place where it is permitted to remember Allaah and mention His name out loud, as an act of worship and as a proclamation of the greatness of Allaah, may He be exalted.
Men should recite these phrases out loud, and women should recite them quietly.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"That they might witness things that are of benefit to them (i.e., reward of Hajj in the Hereafter, and also some worldly gain from trade, etc.), and mention the name of Allaah on appointed days, over the beast of cattle that He has provided for them (for sacrifice)..." [al-Hajj 22:28]

The majority of scholars agree that the "appointed days" are the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because of the words of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father): "The ‘appointed days’ are the first ten days (of Dhu’l-Hijjah)."

The Takbeer may include the words "Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, la ilaaha ill-Allaah; wa Allaahu akbar wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god but Allaah; Allaah is Most Great and to Allaah be praise)," as well as other phrases.

Takbeer at this time is an aspect of the Sunnah that has been forgotten, especially during the early part of this period, so much so that one hardly ever hears Takbeer, except from a few people. This Takbeer should be pronounced loudly, in order to revive the Sunnah and as a reminder to the negligent. There is sound evidence that Ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with them) used to go out in the marketplace during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, reciting Takbeer, and the people would recite Takbeer when they heard them. The idea behind reminding the people to recite Takbeer is that each one should recite it individually, not in unison, as there is no basis in Sharee’ah for doing this.

Reviving aspects of the Sunnah that have been virtually forgotten is a deed that will bring an immense reward, as is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever revives an aspect of my Sunnah that is forgotten after my death, he will have a reward equivalent to that of the people who follow him, without it detracting in the least from their reward." (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 7/443; this is a hasan hadeeth because of corroborating asaaneed).

Performing Hajj and ‘Umrah. One of the best deeds that one can do during these ten days is to perform Hajj to the Sacred House of Allaah. The one whom Allaah helps to go on Hajj to His House and to perform all the rituals properly is included in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "An accepted Hajj brings no less a reward than Paradise."

Doing more good deeds in general, because good deeds are beloved by Allaah and will bring a great reward from Him. Whoever is not able to go to Hajj should occupy himself at this blessed time by worshipping Allaah, praying (salaat), reading Qur’an, remembering Allaah, making supplication (du’aa’), giving charity, honouring his parents, upholding the ties of kinship, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and other good deeds and acts of worship.

Sacrifice. One of the good deeds that will bring a person closer to Allaah during these ten days is offering a sacrifice, by choosing a high-quality animal and fattening it, spending money for the sake of Allaah.

Sincere repentance. One of the most important things to do during these ten days is to repent sincerely to Allaah and to give up all kinds of disobedience and sin. Repentance means coming back to Allaah and foregoing all the deeds, open and secret, that He dislikes, out of regret for what has passed, giving it up immediately and being determined never to return to it, but to adhere firmly to the Truth by doing what Allaah loves.
If a Muslim commits a sin, he must hasten to repent at once, without delay, firstly because he does not know when he will die, and secondly because one evil deed leads to another.

Repentance at special times is very important because in most cases people’s thoughts turn towards worship at these times, and they are keen to do good, which leads to them recognizing their sins and feeling regret for the past. Repentance is obligatory at all times, but when the Muslim combines sincere repentance with good deeds during the days of most virtue, this is a sign of success, in sha Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "But as for him who repented, believed and did righteous deeds, then he will be among those who are successful." [al-Qasas 28:67]

The Muslim should make sure that he does not miss any of these important occasion, because time is passing quickly. Let him prepare himself by doing good deeds which will bring him reward when he is most in need of it, for no matter how much reward he earns, he will find it is less than he needs; the time of departure is at hand, the journey is frightening, delusions are widespread, and the road is long, but Allaah is ever watchful, and to Him will we return and render account. As the Qur’aan says (interpretation of the meaning):

"So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it,

And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom, shall see it."

[al-Zalzalah 99:7-8]

There is much to be gained, so make the most of the opportunity afforded by these invaluable and irreplaceable ten days. Hasten to do good works, before death strikes, before one can regret one’s negligence and failure to act, before one is asked to return to a place where no prayers will be answered, before death intervenes between the hopeful one and the things he hopes for, before you are trapped with your deeds in the grave.

O you whose hard heart is as dark as the night, is it not time that your heart was filled with light and became soft? Expose yourself to the gentle breeze of your Lord’s mercy during these ten days, for Allaah will cause this breeze to touch whomever He wills, and whoever is touched by it will be happy on the Day of Judgement. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his Family and Companions.

"Faith has a language"
By Muhammad Al-Shareef
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While attending a month long Dawah course when I was a teenager, one of our Islamic studies instructors, Dr. Mahmood Ghaazi, from Islamabad, Pakistan, told us about an official trip he had taken to the Vatican. His delegation met with a group of high priests. Dr. Ghazi asked one of them, "Do you have any words that you know for certain, 100%, that were spoken by Jesus Christ?" The priest felt a little ashamed, but he replied honestly that there were no words that could be traced authentically to Jesus - the language he spoke had been forever lost.

Then the priest picked up, "What about Muslims? Do you have any words that you know for certain, 100%, that were spoken by Muhammad?" Dr. Ghazi smiled (as I'm sure you are smiling too). He replied, "Not only do we have libraries of books of words we know without doubt were spoken by our Prophet (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam), we have a science called Tajweed. The study of Tajweed is to teach the student how to pronounce every syllable and vowel exactly the way Prophet Muhammad (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said it!" Indeed all praise is due to Allah, who protected our Deen in such a way.

But, brothers and sisters, have each of us done our part in protecting those words of Allah and his messenger? Rasul Allah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Ballighu (notify, transmit, tell others) about me, if only with one Ayah." How do we do that if we ourselves do not understand the Ayaat that were revealed? How can we presume to know a text when we don't even understand the very language in which it was revealed? In order to fulfill the mission Allah and His Messenger (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) have sent us on, it is imperative that we become literate in the language of Islam.

The task of teaching others about Islam - for passing on that one Ayah at a time - is too important for us to waste yet another generation. Literacy and education of our Deen has to flood our communities in order for us to advance as a guiding nation.

The Qur'an is Allah's way of communicating with us, of directly guiding us on his path. But has that communication actually occurred? Look at any college level "Communications" textbook, and it will tell you that the definition of "communication" is that a message is sent, and that message is received with the understanding that the sender intended. If I say something and you can't hear me because my microphone isn't working, or you have gotten bored and are daydreaming, or you don't understand the language I'm speaking, then true communication has not occurred. To quote one "Communications" textbook, "If my meaning was not conveyed, I question if communication has occurred.. Language may be engaged in; words have transpired. But not an act of communication." http://www.regent.edu/acad/schcom/phd/com707/def_com.html. The same is true for the words of Allah and his messenger. Have we really allowed Allah to communicate with us, if we have not received the meaning of His words?

Just because we understand a watered down, weakened English translation of the Qur'an doesn't mean we fully understand the Qur'an. There is so much subtlety and nuance within every language that simply can not be translated.

If Rasul Allah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) spoke to you directly today - and naturally he would speak to us in Arabic - would you understand what he was saying? Or would you need a translator? You would want to capture every moment, understand every piece of advice he was giving you, but instead, you might be standing there helplessly, unable to communicate with him, or to understand his wisdom.

Those before us who did have that chance were changed by it. Shortly after the first Muslim migration to Habasha, Rasul Allah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) recited Surah Najm at the Ka'bah. As he recited, everyone - Muslims and non-believers - listened in rapture to these Arabic verses.

He came to the final verses: [Do ye then wonder at this recital? / And will ye laugh and not weep / Wasting your time in vanities? / But fall ye down in prostration to Allah, and adore (Him)!]

At that moment, Rasul Allah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) fell to the ground in prostration to Allah. The Muslims followed him, all of them falling in Sajdah to Allah.

Now, I want you to picture what happened next … every disbeliever in the gathering, every one of them, also fell in Sajdah to Allah! They were so moved by the beauty and complexity of the Qur'an, that they couldn't deny the message contained within.

[Verily we sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an so that you may understand] - Surah Yusuf, 2

Here's just one example of the impossibility of truly translating the Qur'an:
In Surah 'Abasa 80/33, Allah ta'ala says of the Day of Judgment: [At length when there comes the deafening noise…] The Arabic word for this deafening noise is Saakhah - the blowing of the trumpet -that will announce the resurrection and humanity's repayment for its deeds on earth. It will be an unbelievably overwhelming moment.

Looking at the word Saakhah, you would assume that it's pronounced in two syllables, or beats. But in Arabic, the word Saakhah is recited in a 6 count prolongation. Listen to it being recited. It is as if the recitation of the word itself is like a trumpet being blown. In English, we can not prolong the words 'deafening noise,' so we don't get the full strength of meaning that Allah intended for us. Only someone who understands the language can pick up the power of each word Allah has so carefully and profoundly chosen to give us.

Here's another example. If you, as an English speaker, overheard a master telling his servant, "Get me water," you would understand that the master wants the water right away, not two hours from now. It doesn't say that anywhere. But it's implicit. It's part of the nuance of the language.

When someone says, 'the Arabic language is foreign to me', that translates into 'the understanding of the Qur'an is foreign to me'. When the Arabic language is foreign to someone, that translates into 'the Sunnah of AlMustafa (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam) is foreign to me.'

Whoever loves Allah must, by virtue of that true love, love Rasul Allah (sal Allaahu alayhi wa sallam). And whoever loves Allah and His Messenger must, by virtue of that true love, love the Arabic language chosen by Allah.

It is the language spoken by the greatest book. It is the language spoken by the greatest human. It is the entry way to understanding all of the other Islamic sciences. Someone who never learns Arabic, can never fully understand the Qur'an and Sunnah.

What does learning Arabic do for us?
One: It molds our character. As Ibn Taymiyyah - rahimahullah - said, "Using a language has a profound effect on one's thinking, behavior and religious commitment. It also affects one's resemblance to the early generations of this Ummah, the Companions and the Taabi'een. Trying to emulate them refines one's thinking, religious commitment and behavior."

Two: It is our bridge to the culture of Islam. Undoubtedly, with the teaching of language comes the teaching of ways to think and behave, through understanding of the culture that speaks that language.

As a summer job one year, I taught English in a Muslim country and ashamedly had to skip the numerous pages that spoke of alcohol, dating, and lewdness. This is the culture of the English language. Imagine the blessed culture and knowledge awaiting those who would learn Arabic.

At the University of Madinah, I had the chance to go to school with Muslims from the UK, US and Australia. At the end of those years, as students amongst ourselves, we would discuss what we were going to do when we went home to Europe and America. Some of the students stayed behind, accepting jobs of teaching English just so they could stay in Madinah. A graduating brother beautifully rejected this when he said, "Why would I teach Muslim Arab children English, when I have the chance to go to Europe and teach Muslim European children Arabic?"

One of the main Arabic teachers at AlHuda School in Maryland (www.alhuda.org) started his career teaching English to Muslims in Arab countries. He saw how serviced the English language was and how much money was being spent to teach and study it. He thought to himself that Arabic, the language chosen by Allah, is more worthy of such wealth, effort and time. He changed his career path and in his graduate studies took on the task of teaching Arabic to native English speakers. As immigrants or children of immigrants, most of us speak two languages. We convinced ourselves, "we must learn English so we can get ahead in this world." Now, we must remind ourselves, "we must learn Arabic, so we can get ahead in the next world."

Let no Muslim think that Arabic is not their people's tongue. It is the language of our Deen. Calling people to this language is not a nationalistic call, it is a call to the Muslim to raise his or her head and say, 'My faith has a language, it's called Arabic!'

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