Pemergian Yayi di Pagi Ramadhan
*Pilu*
Pagi tadi, semasa mentari baru nak melabuh pagi, di celah keberkatan ruh Ramadhan, Yayi (panggilan keluarga kami untuk datuk -- dalam bahasa jawa) pergi meninggalkan dunia buat selamanya dan tidak akan kembali. Beliau sudah pergi menemui Ilahi.
Minta jasa baik sahabat semua untuk menghadiahkan sekalung doa buat arwah.
~ Allahumma ighfirlahu warhamhu wa 'aafihi wa'fu 'anhu. ~
Sesungguhnya kematian itu suatu yang pasti.
Sunday, November 23, 2003
Monday, November 10, 2003
Weeping From the Fear of Allah
Based on a lecture "Al-Khawf min Allah" by Sh. Waheed `Abdussalam Baali
http://islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=628
"Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah's Reminder and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture before, and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were rebellious, disobedient (faasiqoon)." [Al-Hadeed, (57):16]
Allah sent to us the Qur'an and "the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah." [39:23]
He mentioned in the Qur'an the promise and the threat, and made clear that His believing servants are fearful and shivering from the punishment of their Lord. Our Lord the Exalted elucidated to us that the believer, whenever his iman strengthens and his certainty increases, becomes more fearful of Allah.
Weeping of the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam
The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said to `Abdullah ibn
Mas`ood, "Read to me the Qur'an." He said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should I recite to you and it was revealed to you?" He said, "Yes, for I like to hear it from others." "I recited Soorat an-Nisaaa' until I reached the ayah, "How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people?" [An-Nisaa' (4):41] He then said, 'Stop now.' I found that his eyes were tearful." [Fath al-Bari 8:712]
Abdullah ibn ash-Shikhkheer, radhiallahu `anhu, said: "I saw the
Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, praying with us, and I heard the sound of his weeping coming out of his chest, which was like the sound of a boiling pot." [Abu Dawood, An-Nasaa'i, and At-Tirmidhi in ash-Shama'il, authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim]
Weeping of Abu Bakr, radhiallahu `anhu
`Aaisha said, "During his illness, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: 'Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.' I told the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, that, 'Indeed, if Abu Bakr stands in your place the people will not be able to hear him due to his (excessive) weeping.'" [al-Bukhari]
Our weeping
The righteous have cried, the worshippers have cried and the believers have cried. And in this time there are people by whom a complete year passes and they do not drop a single tear from the fear of Allah.
O Allah we seek refuge with you from hard hearts. O Allah soften our hearts to Your remembrance!
"Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." [Ar-Ra'd (13):28]
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'an) are recited unto them, they increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone)." [Al-Anfaal (8):2]
So why do we not cry today? We do not cry from the strength of the hardness of our hearts and our hearts' attachment to this world. So our hearts have hardened and our eyes have dried.
We are distant from our Lord. Had we been close our hearts would not have hardened. So he, who spends a whole week without his eye dropping a tear, let him sit and supplicate and humble himself. Maybe his heart would soften and his eye would drop a tear. And if his heart doesn't drop a tear, then let him open the Book of Allah and read its ayat with contemplation, humility and submissiveness. So if his eye cries, his heart fears and his soul humbles he has succeeded; and if he continues in the state of the hardened heart, let him sit in a dark room and weep over his state, for his heart has died.
Based on a lecture "Al-Khawf min Allah" by Sh. Waheed `Abdussalam Baali
http://islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=628
"Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah's Reminder and that which has been revealed of the truth, lest they become as those who received the Scripture before, and the term was prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were rebellious, disobedient (faasiqoon)." [Al-Hadeed, (57):16]
Allah sent to us the Qur'an and "the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah." [39:23]
He mentioned in the Qur'an the promise and the threat, and made clear that His believing servants are fearful and shivering from the punishment of their Lord. Our Lord the Exalted elucidated to us that the believer, whenever his iman strengthens and his certainty increases, becomes more fearful of Allah.
Weeping of the Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam
The Prophet, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, said to `Abdullah ibn
Mas`ood, "Read to me the Qur'an." He said, "O Messenger of Allah! Should I recite to you and it was revealed to you?" He said, "Yes, for I like to hear it from others." "I recited Soorat an-Nisaaa' until I reached the ayah, "How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these people?" [An-Nisaa' (4):41] He then said, 'Stop now.' I found that his eyes were tearful." [Fath al-Bari 8:712]
Abdullah ibn ash-Shikhkheer, radhiallahu `anhu, said: "I saw the
Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam, praying with us, and I heard the sound of his weeping coming out of his chest, which was like the sound of a boiling pot." [Abu Dawood, An-Nasaa'i, and At-Tirmidhi in ash-Shama'il, authenticated by Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim]
Weeping of Abu Bakr, radhiallahu `anhu
`Aaisha said, "During his illness, the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: 'Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.' I told the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, that, 'Indeed, if Abu Bakr stands in your place the people will not be able to hear him due to his (excessive) weeping.'" [al-Bukhari]
Our weeping
The righteous have cried, the worshippers have cried and the believers have cried. And in this time there are people by whom a complete year passes and they do not drop a single tear from the fear of Allah.
O Allah we seek refuge with you from hard hearts. O Allah soften our hearts to Your remembrance!
"Those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism), and whose hearts find rest in the remembrance of Allah, Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." [Ar-Ra'd (13):28]
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur'an) are recited unto them, they increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone)." [Al-Anfaal (8):2]
So why do we not cry today? We do not cry from the strength of the hardness of our hearts and our hearts' attachment to this world. So our hearts have hardened and our eyes have dried.
We are distant from our Lord. Had we been close our hearts would not have hardened. So he, who spends a whole week without his eye dropping a tear, let him sit and supplicate and humble himself. Maybe his heart would soften and his eye would drop a tear. And if his heart doesn't drop a tear, then let him open the Book of Allah and read its ayat with contemplation, humility and submissiveness. So if his eye cries, his heart fears and his soul humbles he has succeeded; and if he continues in the state of the hardened heart, let him sit in a dark room and weep over his state, for his heart has died.
Kematian Tidak Mengira Usia, Tidak Mengira Tempat dan Masa
From: "Adibah Abd Wahab"
Date: Sun Nov 9, 2003 6:31 pm
Subject: and to Him we return
Assalamu alaykum warahmatullah
Please make du'a for our two beloved sisters here at Michigan. They have
returned to our Lord, in this blessed Ramadhan.
Norhananim Zainol
Teh Nannie Roshema Roslan
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'uun
news link:
http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/11/10/3faf31233e26a
From: "Adibah Abd Wahab"
Date: Sun Nov 9, 2003 6:31 pm
Subject: and to Him we return
Assalamu alaykum warahmatullah
Please make du'a for our two beloved sisters here at Michigan. They have
returned to our Lord, in this blessed Ramadhan.
Norhananim Zainol
Teh Nannie Roshema Roslan
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'uun
news link:
http://www.michigandaily.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/11/10/3faf31233e26a
Sunday, November 09, 2003
the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice
ilyas : assalamualaikum…Ramadhan mubarak
Abdah : waalaikumussalam…haa, Ramadan mubarak kat ko jugak
ilyas : camne first day posa? Ok ke?
Abdah : boleh laa..tapi ada la rasa penat sikit2….
ilyas : well, doktor takde kata apa2 ke ? mana la tau dia bagi exemption tak payah posa..haha
Abdah : takde pun kata apa2…even if kalau dia bgi exemption pun, kalau aku rasa larat, aku posa je…belum tentu lagi dapat exemption from the “Big Boss” up there…
ilyas : tapi, bukan ke kalau tak larat ke, sbb2 kesihatan ke, takpe kalau tak posa?
Abdah : tu sebab tak larat la..dah aku larat, aku posa la…
Abdah : anyway, tengok la macam mana…kalau keadaan x mengizinkan, tak dpt carry on la posa agaknye….
Ilyas : hehheh, tak cukup posa lagi la tahun ni nampaknya eh?
Abdah : aik, perli ke? Kalau sihat pun, memang takkan cukup punya
Ilyas : eh, bukan perli tu, tu mmg fact apa…
Ilyas : waktu dah nak masuk…chow dulu…assalamualaikum
Abdah : ok..waalaikumussalam
Abdah menutup windows messengernya. Teringat kunjungannya ke hospital baru2 ni utk check –up yang terbaru. Dr. Kadeer kata, keadaan perutnya nampak makin sihat. Bila ditanya sama ada patut atau tidak dia puasa tahun tu, Dr. Kadeer bagitau, “there’s no harm” rasanya kalau dia puasa. Abdah rasa gembira jugak sbb dah dpt green light dari doktor. Mujur jugak dapat doktor Muslim. Mudah sikit tak perlu explain panjang2. Doktor Kadeer yang merawatnya adalah antara beberapa orang doktor Muslim kat hospital tu.
Seingatnya dah berapa tahun dah, dia tak dapat kebenaran puasa langsung disebabkan jangkitan pada perutnya itu. Pernah digagahinya untuk puasa juga, tapi bila kantoi dengan mak ayah, terus disuruh berbuka. Abdah tahu mak ayahnya risau akan keadaan dirinya, tapi, tersentuh juga hati bila melihat keadaan sekeliling, terutamanya waktu hari Raya. Jelas di fikirannya, kata2 ustaz mengenai dua nikmat yang diberikan kepada orang2 yang berpuasa – nikmat waktu berbuka, dan juga nikmat waktu hari Raya.
Walaupun turut sama sewaktu berbuka, dan sewaktu hari raya, semacam ada yang kurang bila tidak berpuasa sama.
Sedikit sebanyak Abdah terhutang budi kat Ilyas. Dua tahun lepas, sewaktu kembali daripada callout, tiba- tiba Abdah terperosok ke jalan. Dalam keadaan jalan yang gelap, agak sukar untuk sesiapa melihat keadaan dirinya yang kesakitan itu. Alhamdulillah, ada yang perasan – Ilyas.
“Eh, ko ni pehal? Ok tak nih?”
“Perut..sakit sikit…”
“Boleh jalan tak nih?” Abdah geleng kepala sambil tangannya menekan- nekan perutnya.
“Aaa, kejap- kejap..tahan sikit… aku gi panggil orang kat dalam masjid kat depan tu...”
Malam itu, Abdah ke hospital dengan beberapa orang menemaninya dalam kereta Ilyas.
Dari pemeriksaan doktor, Abdah terkena jangkitan di perutnya. Sebab- sebabnya mungkin berkaitan dengan makanan di waktu callout, atau mungkin saja perutnya yang masih belum membiasakan diri dengan makanan di sini, wallahu a’lam. Dua hari Abdah terlantar di hospital.
“Assalamualaikum…boleh masuk tak ni?”
“Waalaikumsalam… aaa, kejap kejap…” Abdah membetulkan keadaan dirinya.
“Haa, masuklah.”
“Camne ko sekarang? Sakit lagi?”
“Alhamdulillah elok sikit dari dulu.”
“Doktor kata apa?”
“Katanya sama ada makanan ataupun perut je yang tak biasa dengan makanan di sini...maklum la baru sampai kat US..”
“Ooo ye ke…hmm, ambikla ni, satu untuk makanan perut, satu lagi untuk makanan hati…hehe..” Ilyas meletakkan sebungkus buah- buahan di atas meja dan buku “Riyadus Solihin” itu di atas meja.
“Haa, ok la..balik dulu, Abdah…akupun ada kelas jap lagi ni…Jom Mat, balik…”
“Eh, macam mana tau nama?”
“Satu kampus dah tau dah..Popular sekarang lepas collapse hari tu..” Ilyas tersengih. “…Assalamualaikum..”
“Waalaikumsalam.”
Ditakdirkan jangkitan di perutnya itu menyebabkan perut Abdah kurang berfungsi seperti biasa. Tidak boleh selalu berlapar. Makanan pun kena jaga- jaga sikit, tak boleh yang terlalu berat seperti makanan pedas atau yang terlalu berlemak. Apapun, tahun ni mungkin dapat puasa seperti orang2 lain. Yahoooo, eh eh, Alhamdulillah…
Tuptap tuptap..dah masuk minggu terakhir puasa. Gembiranya hati Abdah bila masuk minggu terakhir ni. Gembira bukan sebab Ramadan akan habis, tapi gembira sebab dapat jugak dia puasa 3 minggu yang lepas. Rekod jugak tu, bila dibandingkan tahun- tahun yang lepas tak dapat puasa langsung. Kali ni, kawan- kawannya takde modal lagi la kalau nak sakat2 Abdah. Mak ayah pun nampak ceria bila tahu keadaan anaknya yang sorang ni, sihat walafiat je.
“Kringgg, kringg…”
“Hello, assalamualaikum…can I talk to Abdah?”
“Yupp, Abdah’s here. Dr. Kadeer, right?”
“Haa, quite surprised you know me by phone…anyway, I need you to come tomorrow morning. There’s something I want to talk about.”
“Is it serious, Doc? I mean, about my stomach?”
“Yeah, sort of..Just come over and we’ll talk about it. Okay?”
“Okay, insya Allah.”
“Assalamualaikum.”
“Waalaikumussalam.”
Memang senang nak cam suara Dr. Kadeer, maklumlah jarang ada suara African American yang call rumah Abdah. Apapun, risau juga bila memikirkan kenapa Dr. menyuruhnya datang ke hospital esok hari. Bau hangit. Laa, asyik mengelamun, terlupa pulak jemput2 atas dapur untuk buka puasa.
“Hmm Abdah, did you eat anything different in the last 3 weeks?”
“Takde rasa…eh, sorry Doc. Nope, I don’t recall anything special. Simple suhoor, and just the usual iftar..wait..”
Astaghfirullah…Dia teringat iftar di masjid minggu kedua puasa. Daging kambing. Arghh! Bukannya Abdah tak tahu dia tak boleh makan daging kambing. Doktor dah banyak kali pesan jangan makan daging kambing.
“Abdah, what happens?”
“Sorry, Doc. I think I did eat something I supposed not to.”
“And it was lamb, right?” Abdah mengangguk lemah.
“That’s why the latest scan on your stomach shows something unusual this time. Not a pretty sight, I guess..”
“But, I just took it last 2 weeks. Isn’t it too quick to give any effect?”
“Well, provided that you’ve been fasting for 3 weeks, it can give you effect much sooner than expected. After all, it’s all from Allah.”
“So, how worse is it, Doc?”
“I’m not supposed to tell you this, but, since you’re an oversea student here, and don’t have your guardian or your parent here…I think you should…”
“Transplant?” Abdah memintas cakap Dr. Kadeer. “Yes, I’m afraid so. And it should be next month.”
“2 weeks after Eid? That’s too soon. I thought that there isn’t any stomach available right now in the donor bank?”
“That’s another problem. Don’t worry, I’ll contact other hospitals if they can help about this. Plus, we also have our own donors’ list in the hospital. So, who knows who might turn out later..wallahu a'lam..”
Nampaknya kunjungan Abdah ke hospital memberi berita yang kurang gembira buat dirinya. Kegembiraan berpuasa semacam hancur luluh dengan berita ini. Sekejap, bukankah dirinya sepatutnya bersedia dengan berita2 sebegini? Worse come to worse, maut bila2 pun akan menyapa. Tak hari ni, esok. Betul jugak. Bak kata orang, hidup mesti terus. Baki Ramadhan sepatutnya dihabiskan dengan penuh berfaedah. Live life to the fullest!
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Assalamualaikum…Selamat Hari Raya
Abdah: Waalaikumussalam..Apa daa, posa pun tak habis lagi, dah wish selamat hari raya.
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Alah, tinggal seminggu je lagi…tak hepi ke nak raya?
Abdah : Hepi jugak…tapi, patutnya bukan hepi sebab Ramadan nak habis la, hepi sebab dapat puasa tahun ni..alhamdulillah.
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Haa bagus aaa camtu..patutnya saki baki ni habiskan elok2 la, ye dak?
Abdah : Haah, entah2 Ramadan ni Ramadan last utk aku…
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Hak elaa…bukan ko sorang je…patut sumorang pikir mcm tu…
Abdah : Ye la, tapi aku punya kes ni spesel sikit…ko pun tau kan penyakit aku nih…
Ilyas – nak raya dah: Alaa, insya Allah ok punya tu..so far, takde apa2 pun….
Abdah : takde apa2? Baru petang tadi, kena panggil dgn doktor…
Ilyas – nak raya dah: apsal?
Abdah : aku termakan daging kambing masa bukak posa kat masjid hari tu..
Ilyas – nak raya dah: so, apa doktor kata?
Abdah : lepas raya ni, kena operate..transplant..
Ilyas – nak raya dah: Ahaaa, bagus la tu…dpt perut baru…tak payah risau2 dah
Abdah : Melawak pulak dia…kalau dapat perut baru pun, maut bila2 pun boleh datang laa..
Ilyas – nak raya dah: betul jugak tu…so, sapa2 pun ada ‘risiko’ ye tak? Entah2 aku yang pegi dulu…
Abdah : ke situ pulak..hmm, aku nak kluar jap..gi bayar bil telipon
Ilyas – nak raya dah: orait…assalamualaikum
Abdah : waalaikumussalam
Malam tu, Abdah telipon mak ayah kat Malaysia. “Nak bgitau ke tanak? Nak bgitau ke tanak?” Hati kecil Abdah teragak- agak. Akhirnya, Abdah bagitau jugak kat mak ayah. Seperti yang dijangka, mak ayahnya memang terkejut la. Mereka ambik keputusan datang ke US seminggu lepas raya.
Abdah : Assalamualaikum…Eid Mubarak.
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : Waalaikumussalam….Eid mubarak.
Abdah : Weh, tau tak? Parent aku datang sini lepas raya…hahaha
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : Waa, best aaa…apsalnye? Sebab ko nak operate?
Abdah : yupp
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : elok sgt la tu, raya ni dengan parents la nampaknya…
Abdah : guess so…weh ilyas, tukar la nick ko..panjang la, penat aku nak baca mesej
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : hahaha, tanak tanak…tanak tukar…
Abdah : Huh, lantak la…anyway, lusa ni solat raya kat gym kan?
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : haah, pukul 8 30 pagi…mana muat kat masjid…
Abdah : tu la pasal…dah le makin sejuk sekarang nih..
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : sejuk la korang…aku takde kat sini nanti
Abdah : pegi mana?
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : aku beraya kat Houston nanti…pakcik aku ajak pegi rumah dia..alang2, boleh mengelak weather sejuk2 ni…
Abdah : Whoaa, first day raya dah travel dah? Gi dgn sapa ni?
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : Sensorang je..naik greyhound la jawabnya
Abdah : hmm, safe journey la lusa nanti..alang2 gi houston, bawak la balik souvenir apa2, hahaha…
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : eh boleh, boleh…aku bagi souvenir paling best nanti…kira macam hadiah operation ko la…
Abdah : orait2..caya la tu…ok weh..assalamualaikum
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : waalaikumsalam
“Allahu akbar Allahu akbar Allahu Akbar walillahil Hamd…” Pagi ni, Abdah syukur sangat. Syukur dapat luangkan Ramadan dengan lebih baik kali ini. Syukur atas nikmat kesihatan yang Allah beri. Solat raya kat gym tadi penuh jugak la. Walaupun tak semeriah di Malaysia, tapi inilah nasib orang yang beraya di perantauan, bersyukur dengan apa yg ada. Walaupun cuaca sejuk, masih ramai yang meluangkan masa datang solat raya. Terfikir pulak, Ilyas yang tentu tengah seronok dengan cuaca di Houston sekarang. Apapun, mahu tak mahu, bimbang jugak hati Abdah. Pembedahan yang sepatutnya dijalankan tergendala sedikit kerana belum ada organ yg available utk dirinya. Kata Doktor, keadaan badannya mungkin akan jadi lebih berbahaya jika transplant tidak dijalankan secepat mungkin.
“Assalamualaikum…Abdah?”
“Yes?”
“Good news, we just got a new organ from you today. Looks like you can come tomorrow for the operation.”
“But, I just called you yesterday and you told me that there’s no organ available yet.”
“Well, that’s yesterday, not today. We just received a call from another hospital nearby that an organ is available for you.”
“Alhamdulillah…”
“So, see you at hospital then tomorrow. Assalamualaikum”
“Waalaikumussalam...”
Dan syukur alhamdulillah, pembedahan berjalan lancar. Perlahan- lahan Abdah membuka matanya setelah sedar daripada ubat bius yang diberikan. Badannya terasa “baru”, “baru” dengan organ yang baru dipindahkan hasil pembedahan. Dilihatnya sekeliling, katilnya diselubungi tirai. Maknya tertidur di atas kerusi. Cuma yang kedengaran, suara perbualan yang menjengah di telinganya.
“Been a long time that we didn’t make any transplant in this hospital…”
“Yeah, last time was, I think, 3 years ago.”
“But, it’s a bit surprising, Doc… I mean, the operation was scheduled pretty quick.”
“Uh- huh, actually, the operation was nearly cancelled… if we still didn’t get any organ available for another week, I think this poor fella might need to be transferred to another hospital.”
“Then, all in a sudden, we just got an organ?”
“Yeah, quite a miracle. Not all in a sudden actually, a road accident happened and one of the passengers happened to be in the donors' list.”
“Ooo, you mean the one in the news. At the I- 94 ramp, because of slick road?”
“Yeah, that one… Hmm, just like what they say…another life ended means another life started…”
Abdah menarik tirainya.
“Abdah, you already wake up?” Dr. Kadeer dan seorang jururawat berpaling ke arahnya.
“Lie down. You need to rest.”
“Kamu tu baru lepas operate, rehat la betul2,” Maknya menyapa setelah tersedar.
“When can I be allowed to go, Doc?”
“Hmm, probably a few days more after we finished monitoring your new organ.”
Abdah berbaring kembali. Alhamdulillah. Pembedahan berjalan lancar dan insya Allah, beberapa hari lagi boleh keluar wad.
“Everything seems good. I think you can leave the ward tomorrow.”
“Really? Alhamdulillah.”
”Alhamdulillah. Nampaknya bolehlah ayah dengan mak kamu ni balik dengan tenang sikit daripada tinggal kamu macam ni.”
“Abdah!!”
“Hey, Kenny! Tak cakap pun nak datang. Mak ayah,..ni kawan2 Abdah kat universiti tu. Dr. Kadeer, you probably already know them…” “Ooo..”
“Apa khabar, makcik, pakcik..” “Khabar baik.”
“Abdah, congratulations for your operation.”
“Macam mana makan dengan perut baru? Ok ka?”
“Boleh la, Chong. Tak makan banyak lagi ni.”
“Haa, so, balik ni, boleh la test- drive betul2...banyak we all masak ni untuk jamuan raya”
Seorang- seorang dilihatnya.
“Eh, mana Ilyas?” Suasana yang meriah tiba- tiba senyap. Ada yang berpandangan sesama sendiri.
“Dia tak datang sekali?”
“Ilyas went to Houston…” Jawab Kenny memecah kesunyian.
“Yeah, he told me before my operation, but, he supposed to be home now, isn't it? I think he said that he just gonna be there for 2 weeks.”
“Actually, the bus that he boarded involved in an accident on the way home last week.” Kenny menyambung kata- katanya, “and no one survived..”
“And nobody told me about this?”
“It was just after the operation… you were still unconscious at that time, Abdah.”
“Inna lillah wainna ilaihi raji’un….” Itulah selayaknya diucapkan bila ada musibah. Mati datang bila2 sahaja. Memang tak disangka rakannya itu kini sudah tiada lagi.
“Involved in the accident last week?” Dr. Kadeer yang tidak tahu berbahasa Melayu menangkap ayat yang difahaminya itu. “You mean, the one in the I-94 ramp?”
“Yes, that one…the one in the news…” Kenny menjawab perlahan.
“And who’s your friend’s name again?”
“Ilyas…Ilyas Yusuf..”
Pause. Seolah- olah Dr. Kadeer terkejut dengan sebutan nama tersebut. Tampak dia menghela nafas panjang.
“What’’s the matter, Doc?” Dr. Kadeer masih belum bersuara.
“You overheard me talking with a nurse last time, Abdah…about that donor who involved in an accident. The name sounds...”
Reaksi Abdah berubah. “You mean, the donor is…”
Kali ini tiada jawapan lagi dari Dr. Kadeer. Abdah terkedu.
“Betul jugak tu…so, sapa2 pun ada ‘risiko’ ye tak? Entah2 aku yang pegi dulu…"
“Eh boleh, boleh…aku bagi souvenir paling best nanti…kira macam hadiah operation ko la…” Terimbas semula kata- kata Ilyas. Siapa sangka, souvenir Ilyas itu, adalah souvenir yang paling berharga bagi dirinya. Kini, souvenir itu berada selamat di dalam badannya.
Windows messengernya ditatap semula. Ikon yang selalunya online itu kini offline, dan mungkin tidak akan online lagi buat selama- lamanya.
“Guess so…weh ilyas, tukar la nick ko..panjang la, penat aku nak baca mesej..."
"hahaha, tanak tanak…tanak tukar…”
Nick itupun tidak akan tertukar lagi buat selama- lamanya. Yang tinggal, hanyalah pesanan yang tertera untuk sesiapa yang pernah mengenalinya..
the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice….
Written by: Ajey aka Aje aka Syed Syahrul Azam
*Adaptasi dari drama “Summer Snow”.
*In the Ramadan and Syawal's memories of Allahyarham Mohd Afifi Hasbullah (SMAPL 1982 – 1998), Hadafi Saleh (SMAPL 1982 – 1998), and Farhan Rithaudeen (PPP, 1982 – 2001)…Al- Fatihah
ilyas : assalamualaikum…Ramadhan mubarak
Abdah : waalaikumussalam…haa, Ramadan mubarak kat ko jugak
ilyas : camne first day posa? Ok ke?
Abdah : boleh laa..tapi ada la rasa penat sikit2….
ilyas : well, doktor takde kata apa2 ke ? mana la tau dia bagi exemption tak payah posa..haha
Abdah : takde pun kata apa2…even if kalau dia bgi exemption pun, kalau aku rasa larat, aku posa je…belum tentu lagi dapat exemption from the “Big Boss” up there…
ilyas : tapi, bukan ke kalau tak larat ke, sbb2 kesihatan ke, takpe kalau tak posa?
Abdah : tu sebab tak larat la..dah aku larat, aku posa la…
Abdah : anyway, tengok la macam mana…kalau keadaan x mengizinkan, tak dpt carry on la posa agaknye….
Ilyas : hehheh, tak cukup posa lagi la tahun ni nampaknya eh?
Abdah : aik, perli ke? Kalau sihat pun, memang takkan cukup punya
Ilyas : eh, bukan perli tu, tu mmg fact apa…
Ilyas : waktu dah nak masuk…chow dulu…assalamualaikum
Abdah : ok..waalaikumussalam
Abdah menutup windows messengernya. Teringat kunjungannya ke hospital baru2 ni utk check –up yang terbaru. Dr. Kadeer kata, keadaan perutnya nampak makin sihat. Bila ditanya sama ada patut atau tidak dia puasa tahun tu, Dr. Kadeer bagitau, “there’s no harm” rasanya kalau dia puasa. Abdah rasa gembira jugak sbb dah dpt green light dari doktor. Mujur jugak dapat doktor Muslim. Mudah sikit tak perlu explain panjang2. Doktor Kadeer yang merawatnya adalah antara beberapa orang doktor Muslim kat hospital tu.
Seingatnya dah berapa tahun dah, dia tak dapat kebenaran puasa langsung disebabkan jangkitan pada perutnya itu. Pernah digagahinya untuk puasa juga, tapi bila kantoi dengan mak ayah, terus disuruh berbuka. Abdah tahu mak ayahnya risau akan keadaan dirinya, tapi, tersentuh juga hati bila melihat keadaan sekeliling, terutamanya waktu hari Raya. Jelas di fikirannya, kata2 ustaz mengenai dua nikmat yang diberikan kepada orang2 yang berpuasa – nikmat waktu berbuka, dan juga nikmat waktu hari Raya.
Walaupun turut sama sewaktu berbuka, dan sewaktu hari raya, semacam ada yang kurang bila tidak berpuasa sama.
Sedikit sebanyak Abdah terhutang budi kat Ilyas. Dua tahun lepas, sewaktu kembali daripada callout, tiba- tiba Abdah terperosok ke jalan. Dalam keadaan jalan yang gelap, agak sukar untuk sesiapa melihat keadaan dirinya yang kesakitan itu. Alhamdulillah, ada yang perasan – Ilyas.
“Eh, ko ni pehal? Ok tak nih?”
“Perut..sakit sikit…”
“Boleh jalan tak nih?” Abdah geleng kepala sambil tangannya menekan- nekan perutnya.
“Aaa, kejap- kejap..tahan sikit… aku gi panggil orang kat dalam masjid kat depan tu...”
Malam itu, Abdah ke hospital dengan beberapa orang menemaninya dalam kereta Ilyas.
Dari pemeriksaan doktor, Abdah terkena jangkitan di perutnya. Sebab- sebabnya mungkin berkaitan dengan makanan di waktu callout, atau mungkin saja perutnya yang masih belum membiasakan diri dengan makanan di sini, wallahu a’lam. Dua hari Abdah terlantar di hospital.
“Assalamualaikum…boleh masuk tak ni?”
“Waalaikumsalam… aaa, kejap kejap…” Abdah membetulkan keadaan dirinya.
“Haa, masuklah.”
“Camne ko sekarang? Sakit lagi?”
“Alhamdulillah elok sikit dari dulu.”
“Doktor kata apa?”
“Katanya sama ada makanan ataupun perut je yang tak biasa dengan makanan di sini...maklum la baru sampai kat US..”
“Ooo ye ke…hmm, ambikla ni, satu untuk makanan perut, satu lagi untuk makanan hati…hehe..” Ilyas meletakkan sebungkus buah- buahan di atas meja dan buku “Riyadus Solihin” itu di atas meja.
“Haa, ok la..balik dulu, Abdah…akupun ada kelas jap lagi ni…Jom Mat, balik…”
“Eh, macam mana tau nama?”
“Satu kampus dah tau dah..Popular sekarang lepas collapse hari tu..” Ilyas tersengih. “…Assalamualaikum..”
“Waalaikumsalam.”
Ditakdirkan jangkitan di perutnya itu menyebabkan perut Abdah kurang berfungsi seperti biasa. Tidak boleh selalu berlapar. Makanan pun kena jaga- jaga sikit, tak boleh yang terlalu berat seperti makanan pedas atau yang terlalu berlemak. Apapun, tahun ni mungkin dapat puasa seperti orang2 lain. Yahoooo, eh eh, Alhamdulillah…
Tuptap tuptap..dah masuk minggu terakhir puasa. Gembiranya hati Abdah bila masuk minggu terakhir ni. Gembira bukan sebab Ramadan akan habis, tapi gembira sebab dapat jugak dia puasa 3 minggu yang lepas. Rekod jugak tu, bila dibandingkan tahun- tahun yang lepas tak dapat puasa langsung. Kali ni, kawan- kawannya takde modal lagi la kalau nak sakat2 Abdah. Mak ayah pun nampak ceria bila tahu keadaan anaknya yang sorang ni, sihat walafiat je.
“Kringgg, kringg…”
“Hello, assalamualaikum…can I talk to Abdah?”
“Yupp, Abdah’s here. Dr. Kadeer, right?”
“Haa, quite surprised you know me by phone…anyway, I need you to come tomorrow morning. There’s something I want to talk about.”
“Is it serious, Doc? I mean, about my stomach?”
“Yeah, sort of..Just come over and we’ll talk about it. Okay?”
“Okay, insya Allah.”
“Assalamualaikum.”
“Waalaikumussalam.”
Memang senang nak cam suara Dr. Kadeer, maklumlah jarang ada suara African American yang call rumah Abdah. Apapun, risau juga bila memikirkan kenapa Dr. menyuruhnya datang ke hospital esok hari. Bau hangit. Laa, asyik mengelamun, terlupa pulak jemput2 atas dapur untuk buka puasa.
“Hmm Abdah, did you eat anything different in the last 3 weeks?”
“Takde rasa…eh, sorry Doc. Nope, I don’t recall anything special. Simple suhoor, and just the usual iftar..wait..”
Astaghfirullah…Dia teringat iftar di masjid minggu kedua puasa. Daging kambing. Arghh! Bukannya Abdah tak tahu dia tak boleh makan daging kambing. Doktor dah banyak kali pesan jangan makan daging kambing.
“Abdah, what happens?”
“Sorry, Doc. I think I did eat something I supposed not to.”
“And it was lamb, right?” Abdah mengangguk lemah.
“That’s why the latest scan on your stomach shows something unusual this time. Not a pretty sight, I guess..”
“But, I just took it last 2 weeks. Isn’t it too quick to give any effect?”
“Well, provided that you’ve been fasting for 3 weeks, it can give you effect much sooner than expected. After all, it’s all from Allah.”
“So, how worse is it, Doc?”
“I’m not supposed to tell you this, but, since you’re an oversea student here, and don’t have your guardian or your parent here…I think you should…”
“Transplant?” Abdah memintas cakap Dr. Kadeer. “Yes, I’m afraid so. And it should be next month.”
“2 weeks after Eid? That’s too soon. I thought that there isn’t any stomach available right now in the donor bank?”
“That’s another problem. Don’t worry, I’ll contact other hospitals if they can help about this. Plus, we also have our own donors’ list in the hospital. So, who knows who might turn out later..wallahu a'lam..”
Nampaknya kunjungan Abdah ke hospital memberi berita yang kurang gembira buat dirinya. Kegembiraan berpuasa semacam hancur luluh dengan berita ini. Sekejap, bukankah dirinya sepatutnya bersedia dengan berita2 sebegini? Worse come to worse, maut bila2 pun akan menyapa. Tak hari ni, esok. Betul jugak. Bak kata orang, hidup mesti terus. Baki Ramadhan sepatutnya dihabiskan dengan penuh berfaedah. Live life to the fullest!
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Assalamualaikum…Selamat Hari Raya
Abdah: Waalaikumussalam..Apa daa, posa pun tak habis lagi, dah wish selamat hari raya.
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Alah, tinggal seminggu je lagi…tak hepi ke nak raya?
Abdah : Hepi jugak…tapi, patutnya bukan hepi sebab Ramadan nak habis la, hepi sebab dapat puasa tahun ni..alhamdulillah.
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Haa bagus aaa camtu..patutnya saki baki ni habiskan elok2 la, ye dak?
Abdah : Haah, entah2 Ramadan ni Ramadan last utk aku…
Ilyas – nak raya dah : Hak elaa…bukan ko sorang je…patut sumorang pikir mcm tu…
Abdah : Ye la, tapi aku punya kes ni spesel sikit…ko pun tau kan penyakit aku nih…
Ilyas – nak raya dah: Alaa, insya Allah ok punya tu..so far, takde apa2 pun….
Abdah : takde apa2? Baru petang tadi, kena panggil dgn doktor…
Ilyas – nak raya dah: apsal?
Abdah : aku termakan daging kambing masa bukak posa kat masjid hari tu..
Ilyas – nak raya dah: so, apa doktor kata?
Abdah : lepas raya ni, kena operate..transplant..
Ilyas – nak raya dah: Ahaaa, bagus la tu…dpt perut baru…tak payah risau2 dah
Abdah : Melawak pulak dia…kalau dapat perut baru pun, maut bila2 pun boleh datang laa..
Ilyas – nak raya dah: betul jugak tu…so, sapa2 pun ada ‘risiko’ ye tak? Entah2 aku yang pegi dulu…
Abdah : ke situ pulak..hmm, aku nak kluar jap..gi bayar bil telipon
Ilyas – nak raya dah: orait…assalamualaikum
Abdah : waalaikumussalam
Malam tu, Abdah telipon mak ayah kat Malaysia. “Nak bgitau ke tanak? Nak bgitau ke tanak?” Hati kecil Abdah teragak- agak. Akhirnya, Abdah bagitau jugak kat mak ayah. Seperti yang dijangka, mak ayahnya memang terkejut la. Mereka ambik keputusan datang ke US seminggu lepas raya.
Abdah : Assalamualaikum…Eid Mubarak.
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : Waalaikumussalam….Eid mubarak.
Abdah : Weh, tau tak? Parent aku datang sini lepas raya…hahaha
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : Waa, best aaa…apsalnye? Sebab ko nak operate?
Abdah : yupp
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : elok sgt la tu, raya ni dengan parents la nampaknya…
Abdah : guess so…weh ilyas, tukar la nick ko..panjang la, penat aku nak baca mesej
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : hahaha, tanak tanak…tanak tukar…
Abdah : Huh, lantak la…anyway, lusa ni solat raya kat gym kan?
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : haah, pukul 8 30 pagi…mana muat kat masjid…
Abdah : tu la pasal…dah le makin sejuk sekarang nih..
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : sejuk la korang…aku takde kat sini nanti
Abdah : pegi mana?
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : aku beraya kat Houston nanti…pakcik aku ajak pegi rumah dia..alang2, boleh mengelak weather sejuk2 ni…
Abdah : Whoaa, first day raya dah travel dah? Gi dgn sapa ni?
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : Sensorang je..naik greyhound la jawabnya
Abdah : hmm, safe journey la lusa nanti..alang2 gi houston, bawak la balik souvenir apa2, hahaha…
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : eh boleh, boleh…aku bagi souvenir paling best nanti…kira macam hadiah operation ko la…
Abdah : orait2..caya la tu…ok weh..assalamualaikum
Ilyas – the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice : waalaikumsalam
“Allahu akbar Allahu akbar Allahu Akbar walillahil Hamd…” Pagi ni, Abdah syukur sangat. Syukur dapat luangkan Ramadan dengan lebih baik kali ini. Syukur atas nikmat kesihatan yang Allah beri. Solat raya kat gym tadi penuh jugak la. Walaupun tak semeriah di Malaysia, tapi inilah nasib orang yang beraya di perantauan, bersyukur dengan apa yg ada. Walaupun cuaca sejuk, masih ramai yang meluangkan masa datang solat raya. Terfikir pulak, Ilyas yang tentu tengah seronok dengan cuaca di Houston sekarang. Apapun, mahu tak mahu, bimbang jugak hati Abdah. Pembedahan yang sepatutnya dijalankan tergendala sedikit kerana belum ada organ yg available utk dirinya. Kata Doktor, keadaan badannya mungkin akan jadi lebih berbahaya jika transplant tidak dijalankan secepat mungkin.
“Assalamualaikum…Abdah?”
“Yes?”
“Good news, we just got a new organ from you today. Looks like you can come tomorrow for the operation.”
“But, I just called you yesterday and you told me that there’s no organ available yet.”
“Well, that’s yesterday, not today. We just received a call from another hospital nearby that an organ is available for you.”
“Alhamdulillah…”
“So, see you at hospital then tomorrow. Assalamualaikum”
“Waalaikumussalam...”
Dan syukur alhamdulillah, pembedahan berjalan lancar. Perlahan- lahan Abdah membuka matanya setelah sedar daripada ubat bius yang diberikan. Badannya terasa “baru”, “baru” dengan organ yang baru dipindahkan hasil pembedahan. Dilihatnya sekeliling, katilnya diselubungi tirai. Maknya tertidur di atas kerusi. Cuma yang kedengaran, suara perbualan yang menjengah di telinganya.
“Been a long time that we didn’t make any transplant in this hospital…”
“Yeah, last time was, I think, 3 years ago.”
“But, it’s a bit surprising, Doc… I mean, the operation was scheduled pretty quick.”
“Uh- huh, actually, the operation was nearly cancelled… if we still didn’t get any organ available for another week, I think this poor fella might need to be transferred to another hospital.”
“Then, all in a sudden, we just got an organ?”
“Yeah, quite a miracle. Not all in a sudden actually, a road accident happened and one of the passengers happened to be in the donors' list.”
“Ooo, you mean the one in the news. At the I- 94 ramp, because of slick road?”
“Yeah, that one… Hmm, just like what they say…another life ended means another life started…”
Abdah menarik tirainya.
“Abdah, you already wake up?” Dr. Kadeer dan seorang jururawat berpaling ke arahnya.
“Lie down. You need to rest.”
“Kamu tu baru lepas operate, rehat la betul2,” Maknya menyapa setelah tersedar.
“When can I be allowed to go, Doc?”
“Hmm, probably a few days more after we finished monitoring your new organ.”
Abdah berbaring kembali. Alhamdulillah. Pembedahan berjalan lancar dan insya Allah, beberapa hari lagi boleh keluar wad.
“Everything seems good. I think you can leave the ward tomorrow.”
“Really? Alhamdulillah.”
”Alhamdulillah. Nampaknya bolehlah ayah dengan mak kamu ni balik dengan tenang sikit daripada tinggal kamu macam ni.”
“Abdah!!”
“Hey, Kenny! Tak cakap pun nak datang. Mak ayah,..ni kawan2 Abdah kat universiti tu. Dr. Kadeer, you probably already know them…” “Ooo..”
“Apa khabar, makcik, pakcik..” “Khabar baik.”
“Abdah, congratulations for your operation.”
“Macam mana makan dengan perut baru? Ok ka?”
“Boleh la, Chong. Tak makan banyak lagi ni.”
“Haa, so, balik ni, boleh la test- drive betul2...banyak we all masak ni untuk jamuan raya”
Seorang- seorang dilihatnya.
“Eh, mana Ilyas?” Suasana yang meriah tiba- tiba senyap. Ada yang berpandangan sesama sendiri.
“Dia tak datang sekali?”
“Ilyas went to Houston…” Jawab Kenny memecah kesunyian.
“Yeah, he told me before my operation, but, he supposed to be home now, isn't it? I think he said that he just gonna be there for 2 weeks.”
“Actually, the bus that he boarded involved in an accident on the way home last week.” Kenny menyambung kata- katanya, “and no one survived..”
“And nobody told me about this?”
“It was just after the operation… you were still unconscious at that time, Abdah.”
“Inna lillah wainna ilaihi raji’un….” Itulah selayaknya diucapkan bila ada musibah. Mati datang bila2 sahaja. Memang tak disangka rakannya itu kini sudah tiada lagi.
“Involved in the accident last week?” Dr. Kadeer yang tidak tahu berbahasa Melayu menangkap ayat yang difahaminya itu. “You mean, the one in the I-94 ramp?”
“Yes, that one…the one in the news…” Kenny menjawab perlahan.
“And who’s your friend’s name again?”
“Ilyas…Ilyas Yusuf..”
Pause. Seolah- olah Dr. Kadeer terkejut dengan sebutan nama tersebut. Tampak dia menghela nafas panjang.
“What’’s the matter, Doc?” Dr. Kadeer masih belum bersuara.
“You overheard me talking with a nurse last time, Abdah…about that donor who involved in an accident. The name sounds...”
Reaksi Abdah berubah. “You mean, the donor is…”
Kali ini tiada jawapan lagi dari Dr. Kadeer. Abdah terkedu.
“Betul jugak tu…so, sapa2 pun ada ‘risiko’ ye tak? Entah2 aku yang pegi dulu…"
“Eh boleh, boleh…aku bagi souvenir paling best nanti…kira macam hadiah operation ko la…” Terimbas semula kata- kata Ilyas. Siapa sangka, souvenir Ilyas itu, adalah souvenir yang paling berharga bagi dirinya. Kini, souvenir itu berada selamat di dalam badannya.
Windows messengernya ditatap semula. Ikon yang selalunya online itu kini offline, dan mungkin tidak akan online lagi buat selama- lamanya.
“Guess so…weh ilyas, tukar la nick ko..panjang la, penat aku nak baca mesej..."
"hahaha, tanak tanak…tanak tukar…”
Nick itupun tidak akan tertukar lagi buat selama- lamanya. Yang tinggal, hanyalah pesanan yang tertera untuk sesiapa yang pernah mengenalinya..
the journey ends up anytime, the provision is insuffice….
Written by: Ajey aka Aje aka Syed Syahrul Azam
*Adaptasi dari drama “Summer Snow”.
*In the Ramadan and Syawal's memories of Allahyarham Mohd Afifi Hasbullah (SMAPL 1982 – 1998), Hadafi Saleh (SMAPL 1982 – 1998), and Farhan Rithaudeen (PPP, 1982 – 2001)…Al- Fatihah
Thursday, November 06, 2003
UJUB
IMAM 'Atha al-Sulami membawa kain tenunannya ke pekan untuk dijual kepada seorang penjual kain. Kain itu satu-satunya hasil tenunannya yang dianggapnya terbaik di antara yang lain, kerana tenunannya telah dikerjakannya dengan tekun dan berhati-hati, dengan sepenuh daya kreativitas. Dia cukup puas hati dengan hasil tenunannya itu.
Penjual kain yang dikunjunginya di pekan itu membolak-balik kainnya itu. "Tuan akan jual kain ini? Berapa harganya?", tanya penjual kain itu. "Sepatutnya harga kain ini lebih mahal. Tapi aku bersyukur, jika harganya
sama dengan harga kain biasa yang pernah engkau beli." jawab 'Atha al-Sulami.
Pekedai kain itu menggeleng-geleng dan tersenyum sumbing. "Tapi kain ini rendah mutunya. Tenunannya tidak rapi, tidak halus, corak dan warnanya tidak menarik. Ukurannya pun lebih kecil daripada ukuran biasa. Jika tuan tidak percaya ucapan saya, tuan boleh tanya orang lain. Bawalah kain ini kepada penjual kain yang lain."
Imam 'Atha al-Sulami merasa sedih dan kecewa. Dia membisu. "Bagaimana pun, hamba boleh beli kain ini, tapi dengan harga yang murah sahaja".
Tanpa bertanya tentang harga yang sanggup dibayar oleh penjual itu, pelan-pelan Imam 'Atha al-Sulami melangkah ke luar kedai. Tiba-tiba dia terduduk di warung kaki lima, lalu menangis. Kepalanya yang tertunduk
tersengguk-sengguk digoncang oleh sedu-sedan tangisannya itu.
Melihat keadaan itu, tercetus rasa simpati di hati penjual kain, lalu dia segera menghampiri Imam 'Atha al-Sulami.
"Sampai begitu sekali kesedihan tuan? Tadi, hamba berkata benar, mutu kain tuan itu rendah. Rugi hamba kalau membelinya dengan harga biasa. Maafkan hamba".
Imam 'Atha al-Sulami menangis terus, seolah kehadiran penjual itu tidak disadarinya. Penjual kain tertunduk resah. "Baiklah. Berikan kepadaku kain itu. aku beli kain itu dengan harga biasa. Aku sanggup membelinya semata-mata kerana aku mau menyenangkan hati tuan. Aku kasihan melihat keadaan tuan terlalu sedih sampai menangis begitu rupa. Jika tangisan tuan itu kerana aku, maafkanlah aku..."
"Tidak. Aku sedikit pun tidak merasa kecil hati kepadamu," 'Atha al-Sulami berbicara dengan suara serak. "Malah, aku bersyukur, kerana tindakaanmu tadi sungguh-sungguh telah menginsafkan aku".
"Jadi, tuan menangis bukan kerana kecewa kerana menawarkan harga kain itu dengan yang lebih rendah daripada biasa?"
Imam 'Atha al-Sulami mengangguk dalam tangisannya yang berterusan. .
"Kalau begitu, kenapa tuan menangis?".
"Aku menangis kerana sedih mengingatkan amal ibadatku. Kain hasil tenunanku ini kebetulan ada bersamaannya dengan hasil amalan ibadatku selama ini".
"Ajaib. Bertambah ajaib. Bagaimana kain itu ada persamaannya dengan ibadat tuan?"
"Begini. Kain ini aku tenun sebaik-baikya. Seberapa mungkin aku bertekun mengusahakannya supaya mutunya baik. Dan, sebelum ini aku rasa kain ini cukup baik, bahkan lebih baik daripada hasil tenunanku sebelumnya, tidak ada cacat-cederanya. Tetapi sekarang barulah aku sedar, apabila dibawa kepada orang yang pakar dalam hal kain seperti engkau, rupa-rupanya kain ini banyak cacat cederanya, rendah mutunya".
Kepala Imam 'Atha al-Sulami tertunduk kembali, menahan sedu tangisannya. Ternyata, kesan kesedihannya masih ada dikalbunya. Hal ini kentara sekali kepada penjual kain itu.
"Jadi betullah, tuan bersedih dan menangis kerana hamba ...."
"Tidak!". Imam 'Atha al-Sulami cepat memotong cakap penjual kain itu.
"Aku menangis apabila teringat, betapa amal ibadatku dinilai oleh Allah Taala pada hari Kiamat nanti. Selama ini aku berpuas hati dengan amal ibadatku, sebagaimana aku berpuas hati dengan hasil tenunanku ini. Allah
Taala yang Maha Melihat dan Maha Mengetahui, sama ada yang nyata atau yang ghaib, yang lahir atau yang batin; sudah pastilah segala 'ujub atau cacat-cedera amal ibadatku kentara kepada-Nya. Bandingannya, cacat-cela kain ini kentara kepadamu yang tahu menilainya"
Dia tertunduk pula. Kesedihan masih tersisa di dalam dadanya. "Kerana kelalaianku, tidak pernah terfikir di benakku tentang ketidak-semprnaan amal ibadatku, kecuali setelah engkau menyatakan ketidak-semprnaan kain ini. Sekarang aku takut amal ibadatku menjadi sia-sia saja, kerana selama ini rasa ujub, bangga dan rasa puas hati yang telah bersarang di dalam kalbuku terhadap amal ibadatku. Aku bimbang, amal ibadatku rendah mutunya, sama dengan kerendahan mutu kain ini. Itulah yang menyebabkan aku bersedih dan ...."
Kepalanya tertunduk pula, menahan serangan kesedihan yang kembali memburaikan tangisannya.
IMAM 'Atha al-Sulami membawa kain tenunannya ke pekan untuk dijual kepada seorang penjual kain. Kain itu satu-satunya hasil tenunannya yang dianggapnya terbaik di antara yang lain, kerana tenunannya telah dikerjakannya dengan tekun dan berhati-hati, dengan sepenuh daya kreativitas. Dia cukup puas hati dengan hasil tenunannya itu.
Penjual kain yang dikunjunginya di pekan itu membolak-balik kainnya itu. "Tuan akan jual kain ini? Berapa harganya?", tanya penjual kain itu. "Sepatutnya harga kain ini lebih mahal. Tapi aku bersyukur, jika harganya
sama dengan harga kain biasa yang pernah engkau beli." jawab 'Atha al-Sulami.
Pekedai kain itu menggeleng-geleng dan tersenyum sumbing. "Tapi kain ini rendah mutunya. Tenunannya tidak rapi, tidak halus, corak dan warnanya tidak menarik. Ukurannya pun lebih kecil daripada ukuran biasa. Jika tuan tidak percaya ucapan saya, tuan boleh tanya orang lain. Bawalah kain ini kepada penjual kain yang lain."
Imam 'Atha al-Sulami merasa sedih dan kecewa. Dia membisu. "Bagaimana pun, hamba boleh beli kain ini, tapi dengan harga yang murah sahaja".
Tanpa bertanya tentang harga yang sanggup dibayar oleh penjual itu, pelan-pelan Imam 'Atha al-Sulami melangkah ke luar kedai. Tiba-tiba dia terduduk di warung kaki lima, lalu menangis. Kepalanya yang tertunduk
tersengguk-sengguk digoncang oleh sedu-sedan tangisannya itu.
Melihat keadaan itu, tercetus rasa simpati di hati penjual kain, lalu dia segera menghampiri Imam 'Atha al-Sulami.
"Sampai begitu sekali kesedihan tuan? Tadi, hamba berkata benar, mutu kain tuan itu rendah. Rugi hamba kalau membelinya dengan harga biasa. Maafkan hamba".
Imam 'Atha al-Sulami menangis terus, seolah kehadiran penjual itu tidak disadarinya. Penjual kain tertunduk resah. "Baiklah. Berikan kepadaku kain itu. aku beli kain itu dengan harga biasa. Aku sanggup membelinya semata-mata kerana aku mau menyenangkan hati tuan. Aku kasihan melihat keadaan tuan terlalu sedih sampai menangis begitu rupa. Jika tangisan tuan itu kerana aku, maafkanlah aku..."
"Tidak. Aku sedikit pun tidak merasa kecil hati kepadamu," 'Atha al-Sulami berbicara dengan suara serak. "Malah, aku bersyukur, kerana tindakaanmu tadi sungguh-sungguh telah menginsafkan aku".
"Jadi, tuan menangis bukan kerana kecewa kerana menawarkan harga kain itu dengan yang lebih rendah daripada biasa?"
Imam 'Atha al-Sulami mengangguk dalam tangisannya yang berterusan. .
"Kalau begitu, kenapa tuan menangis?".
"Aku menangis kerana sedih mengingatkan amal ibadatku. Kain hasil tenunanku ini kebetulan ada bersamaannya dengan hasil amalan ibadatku selama ini".
"Ajaib. Bertambah ajaib. Bagaimana kain itu ada persamaannya dengan ibadat tuan?"
"Begini. Kain ini aku tenun sebaik-baikya. Seberapa mungkin aku bertekun mengusahakannya supaya mutunya baik. Dan, sebelum ini aku rasa kain ini cukup baik, bahkan lebih baik daripada hasil tenunanku sebelumnya, tidak ada cacat-cederanya. Tetapi sekarang barulah aku sedar, apabila dibawa kepada orang yang pakar dalam hal kain seperti engkau, rupa-rupanya kain ini banyak cacat cederanya, rendah mutunya".
Kepala Imam 'Atha al-Sulami tertunduk kembali, menahan sedu tangisannya. Ternyata, kesan kesedihannya masih ada dikalbunya. Hal ini kentara sekali kepada penjual kain itu.
"Jadi betullah, tuan bersedih dan menangis kerana hamba ...."
"Tidak!". Imam 'Atha al-Sulami cepat memotong cakap penjual kain itu.
"Aku menangis apabila teringat, betapa amal ibadatku dinilai oleh Allah Taala pada hari Kiamat nanti. Selama ini aku berpuas hati dengan amal ibadatku, sebagaimana aku berpuas hati dengan hasil tenunanku ini. Allah
Taala yang Maha Melihat dan Maha Mengetahui, sama ada yang nyata atau yang ghaib, yang lahir atau yang batin; sudah pastilah segala 'ujub atau cacat-cedera amal ibadatku kentara kepada-Nya. Bandingannya, cacat-cela kain ini kentara kepadamu yang tahu menilainya"
Dia tertunduk pula. Kesedihan masih tersisa di dalam dadanya. "Kerana kelalaianku, tidak pernah terfikir di benakku tentang ketidak-semprnaan amal ibadatku, kecuali setelah engkau menyatakan ketidak-semprnaan kain ini. Sekarang aku takut amal ibadatku menjadi sia-sia saja, kerana selama ini rasa ujub, bangga dan rasa puas hati yang telah bersarang di dalam kalbuku terhadap amal ibadatku. Aku bimbang, amal ibadatku rendah mutunya, sama dengan kerendahan mutu kain ini. Itulah yang menyebabkan aku bersedih dan ...."
Kepalanya tertunduk pula, menahan serangan kesedihan yang kembali memburaikan tangisannya.
Pakistan women socialites embrace Islam
Sahar Ali
BBC correspondent in Karachi
A Koran class at al-Huda. (Photos: Anis Hamdani)
A new breed of scholar is inspiring Islamic study among Pakistan's last bastion of sceptics - the educated female elite.
Women like Dr Farhat Hashmi are bringing a contemporary perspective to the teaching of the Koran.
It appeals to followers like Naila Shahid, who always wanted to study Islam in greater depth but balked when hearing the mullahs talk of heaven and hell and the purdah (veil).
"When I heard that, I just recoiled from wanting to go any deeper," says the 40-something mother of college-going children.
Dr Hashmi, a product of a Western religious education, has founded a chain of institutes offering Islamic education to women.
They have had their [share of] sleeveless blouses and coffee parties and are now ready for religion
Razia Latif, housewife
"It is a very practical, very precise version of Islam," she says.
On a typical Saturday afternoon, elevator loads of women pour into the al-Huda Institute of Islamic Education for Women in Karachi.
The silence, save for the exchange of greetings, may be unusual, but al-Huda's congregations are symbolic of a religious revolution in Pakistan - the desire to understand Islam.
Seventeen-year-old Maryam Asif believes an in-depth knowledge of her faith has helped her differentiate between truth and rhetoric.
"People say so many things and often you just can't accept them as Islam," she says.
Rukhsana Yamin, a Karachi-based publisher, says her knowledge of religion had been rather limited because "every time you pick up a volume to educate yourself, it fails to hold your interest".
Charisma
To teach the aspiring students, the new breed of women scholars uses modern methods.
One such teacher, Huma Hassan, addresses weekly informal gatherings at a private residence in Karachi.
The expectations of Pakistanis have not been fulfilled in our 50-odd years of independence. There is a feeling of betrayal and despair
Dr Farhat Hashmi
The women who attend are mostly socialites.
Ms Hassan translates and explains Koranic verses with the help of multimedia presentations projected on to a screen.
But it isn't just the modern methods that appeal - the teachers do too.
Bushra Kausar, a regular at al-Huda, says: "Dr Hashmi relates the Koran to everyday experiences."
But Dr Hashmi is diffident about her charisma.
"I have never asked women why they come to hear me," she says in a soft, measured voice.
Her explanation of their quest for religious enlightenment is that people often turn to religion in despair.
"The expectations of Pakistanis have not been fulfilled in our 50-odd years of independence," she says.
"There is a feeling of betrayal and despair. Even political Islam has not been able to address people's grievances," says Dr Hashmi, referring to the Islamisation drive of former leader General Zia ul-Haq, who died in 1988.
"There is a search for direction, for guidance," she says.
Dr Hashmi believes Islam holds the cure. "I wanted to help others experience the peace I felt by reading the Koran," she says.
"When people benefit from something, they will be drawn to it."
Talebanisation fear
But Dr Hashmi's analysis of why the country's female elite is suddenly seeking religious enlightenment is not accepted by everyone.
Traditional dress is the new trend - here in the examinations hall
Mother and social worker Razia Latif says women are just plain bored.
"They have had their [share of] sleeveless blouses and coffee parties and are now ready for religion," she says.
Ms Latif is disappointed that these women do not volunteer to work in hospitals or help other social causes instead.
She says the only outcome of this religious revival has been to cloister women behind the veil.
The proliferation of women in hijab (headscarves) and even the Afghan-style burqa on the streets of Karachi has women like Ms Latif worried that this may be a first step towards Talebanisation.
Student Bushra Kausar disagrees. She says that although the hijab is the most noticeable change among the female elite, it is in fact "the easiest step" on the path to becoming a practising Muslim, which is the ultimate objective.
About 1,200 women signed up for Dr Hashmi's year-long course on Koranic translation in Karachi last year.
Such was the scholar's renown that the last session, open to the public, drew almost 10,000 women from all over the city.
"It's very difficult to give a reason for this trend," says Farah Moazzam, a journalist who heads al-Huda's mass communication department.
She says initially that curiosity and the academic approach draw the educated women, but then the magnetism of Allah's words take over "and then you're hooked!"
Now at social gatherings, women wearing the hijab are increasingly seen alongside those in sleeveless dresses.
With religion the new "in" thing, it is questionable who is now the modern woman.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3211131.stm
Sahar Ali
BBC correspondent in Karachi
A Koran class at al-Huda. (Photos: Anis Hamdani)
A new breed of scholar is inspiring Islamic study among Pakistan's last bastion of sceptics - the educated female elite.
Women like Dr Farhat Hashmi are bringing a contemporary perspective to the teaching of the Koran.
It appeals to followers like Naila Shahid, who always wanted to study Islam in greater depth but balked when hearing the mullahs talk of heaven and hell and the purdah (veil).
"When I heard that, I just recoiled from wanting to go any deeper," says the 40-something mother of college-going children.
Dr Hashmi, a product of a Western religious education, has founded a chain of institutes offering Islamic education to women.
They have had their [share of] sleeveless blouses and coffee parties and are now ready for religion
Razia Latif, housewife
"It is a very practical, very precise version of Islam," she says.
On a typical Saturday afternoon, elevator loads of women pour into the al-Huda Institute of Islamic Education for Women in Karachi.
The silence, save for the exchange of greetings, may be unusual, but al-Huda's congregations are symbolic of a religious revolution in Pakistan - the desire to understand Islam.
Seventeen-year-old Maryam Asif believes an in-depth knowledge of her faith has helped her differentiate between truth and rhetoric.
"People say so many things and often you just can't accept them as Islam," she says.
Rukhsana Yamin, a Karachi-based publisher, says her knowledge of religion had been rather limited because "every time you pick up a volume to educate yourself, it fails to hold your interest".
Charisma
To teach the aspiring students, the new breed of women scholars uses modern methods.
One such teacher, Huma Hassan, addresses weekly informal gatherings at a private residence in Karachi.
The expectations of Pakistanis have not been fulfilled in our 50-odd years of independence. There is a feeling of betrayal and despair
Dr Farhat Hashmi
The women who attend are mostly socialites.
Ms Hassan translates and explains Koranic verses with the help of multimedia presentations projected on to a screen.
But it isn't just the modern methods that appeal - the teachers do too.
Bushra Kausar, a regular at al-Huda, says: "Dr Hashmi relates the Koran to everyday experiences."
But Dr Hashmi is diffident about her charisma.
"I have never asked women why they come to hear me," she says in a soft, measured voice.
Her explanation of their quest for religious enlightenment is that people often turn to religion in despair.
"The expectations of Pakistanis have not been fulfilled in our 50-odd years of independence," she says.
"There is a feeling of betrayal and despair. Even political Islam has not been able to address people's grievances," says Dr Hashmi, referring to the Islamisation drive of former leader General Zia ul-Haq, who died in 1988.
"There is a search for direction, for guidance," she says.
Dr Hashmi believes Islam holds the cure. "I wanted to help others experience the peace I felt by reading the Koran," she says.
"When people benefit from something, they will be drawn to it."
Talebanisation fear
But Dr Hashmi's analysis of why the country's female elite is suddenly seeking religious enlightenment is not accepted by everyone.
Traditional dress is the new trend - here in the examinations hall
Mother and social worker Razia Latif says women are just plain bored.
"They have had their [share of] sleeveless blouses and coffee parties and are now ready for religion," she says.
Ms Latif is disappointed that these women do not volunteer to work in hospitals or help other social causes instead.
She says the only outcome of this religious revival has been to cloister women behind the veil.
The proliferation of women in hijab (headscarves) and even the Afghan-style burqa on the streets of Karachi has women like Ms Latif worried that this may be a first step towards Talebanisation.
Student Bushra Kausar disagrees. She says that although the hijab is the most noticeable change among the female elite, it is in fact "the easiest step" on the path to becoming a practising Muslim, which is the ultimate objective.
About 1,200 women signed up for Dr Hashmi's year-long course on Koranic translation in Karachi last year.
Such was the scholar's renown that the last session, open to the public, drew almost 10,000 women from all over the city.
"It's very difficult to give a reason for this trend," says Farah Moazzam, a journalist who heads al-Huda's mass communication department.
She says initially that curiosity and the academic approach draw the educated women, but then the magnetism of Allah's words take over "and then you're hooked!"
Now at social gatherings, women wearing the hijab are increasingly seen alongside those in sleeveless dresses.
With religion the new "in" thing, it is questionable who is now the modern woman.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3211131.stm
Ramadan in History
by: Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick
The Message, Canada
January 1997
All praises to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He who revealed in His Glorious Qur'an, "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having taqwa)," (2:185). And may blessings and peace of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammad ibn Abdullah, forever.
O you who believe, Ramadan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve infinite, endless Bliss. Fasting is a complete purification and a means to developing the consciousness of Allah's presence. The consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) is a protection against the schemes of Shaitan, and the suffering of this world. Allah has informed us that, "Whoever keeps his duty to Allah (has taqwa), He ordains a way out for him and gives him sustenance from where he imagines not. And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah attains His purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything." (65:2)
Many Muslims today have a misconception about fasting and the activities of a fasting person. They go into a state of semi-hibernation, spending most of their daylight hours in bad. If they fear Allah, they wake up for prayer, but then return to sleep immediately. This unnatural sleep makes them become lazy, dull-witted and often cranky.
Ramadan is actually a time of increased activity wherein the believer, now lightened of the burdens of constant eating and drinking, should be more willing to strive and struggle for Allah. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, passed through approximately nine Ramadans after the Hijrah. They were filled with decisive events and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission to Allah.
In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, sent Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped suspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about to engage the disbelievers, but they were separated byMajdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The Hypocrites of Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid ad-Dirar). The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, ordered this masjid to be destroyed in Ramadan.
On the seventeenth of Ramadan, 3 A.H., Almighty Allah separated truth from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, and 313 of his companions set out to intercept a caravan of their own goods that had been left in Makkah. It was led by Abu Sufyan himself, and estimated at 50,000 dinars. They were met, instead, by a well-equipped army of the nobility of Quraish, intend on putting out the light of Islam. Despite being outnumbered three to one and appearing weak and unseasoned, the Muslims defended their faith with a burning desire to protect the Prophet and meet their Lord through martyrdom. Allah gave them a decisive victory on this day of Ramadan, that would never be forgotten.
In 6 A.H., Zaid ibn Haritha was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the most protected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to Islam. She was killed in a battle against these Muslims in the month of Ramadan.
By Ramadan of 8 A.H., the treaty of Hudaibiyya had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the North. Muhammad, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquer the city of Mecca. Allah has declared His Sanctuary a place of peace, security and religious sanctity. Now the time had come to purify the Ka`bah of nakedness and abomination. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam set out with an army having more armed men than al-Madinah had ever seen before. People were swelling the army's ranks as it moved toward Makkah. The determination of the believers, guided by the Will of Allah, became so awesome that the city of Makkah was conquered without a battle, on 20 Ramadan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing the idols of Makkah, detachments were sent to the other major centers of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed.
Such was the month of Ramadan in the time of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam. It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding the evil, and striving hard with one's life and wealth. After the death of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, Muslims carried on this tradition and Allah used the true believers to affect the course of history. Ramadan continued to be a time of great trials and crucial events.
Ninety-two years after the Hijrah, Islam had spread across North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Spain was under the tyrannical rule of King Roderic of the Visigoths. Roderic had forced his six millions serfs and persecuted Jews to seek the aid of the Muslims of North Africa in order to be delivered. Musa ibn Husair, the Umayyad governor of North Africa, responded by sending his courageous general Tariq ibn Ziyad at the head of 12,000 Berber and Arab troops. In Ramadan of that year, they were confronted with a combined Visigoth army of 90,000 Christians led by Roderic himself, who was seated on a throne of ivory, silver, and precious gems and drawn by white mules. After burning his boats, Tariq preached to the Muslims warning them that victory and Paradise lay ahead of them and defeat and the sea lay to the rear. They burst forth with great enthusiasm and Allah manifested a clear victory over the forces of disbelief. Not only was Roderic killed and his forces completely annihilated, but also Tariq and Musa succeeded in liberating the whole of Spain, Sicily and parts of France. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of Al-Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700 years.
In the year 582 A.H., Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi, after battling with the Crusaders for years, finally drove them out of Syria and the whole of their occupied lands in the month of Ramadan. The Muslim world was then destined to meet one of its most frightening challenges.
In the seventh century A.H. the Mongols were sweeping across Asia destroying everything that lay in their path. Genghis Khan called himself "the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins". In 617 A.H., Samarkand, Ray and Hamdan were put to the sword causing more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656 A.H., Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, continued this destruction. Even Baghdad, the leading city of the Muslim world, was sacked. Some estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine openly while the surviving Muslims were forced to participate in drinking bouts. Wine was sprinkled in the masjids and no Azan (call to prayer) was allowed. In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with the threat of the whole Muslim world and then Europe being subjected to the same fate, Allah raised up from the Mamluks of Egypt, Saifuddin Qutz, who united the Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on 25th of Ramadan, 458 A.H. Although they were under great pressure, the Muslims with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching bravery crushed the Mongol army and reversed this tidal wave of horror. The whole of the civilized world sighed in relief and stood in awe at the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.
This was the spirit of Ramadan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the night in prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.
Today, the Muslim world is faced with drought, military aggression, widespread corruption and tempting materialism. Surely we are in need or believers who can walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the countless heroes of Islam. Surely we are in need of believers who are unafraid of the threats of the disbelievers, yet kind and humble to the believing people; Muslims whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.
May Allah raise up a generation of Muslims who can carry Islam to all corners of the globe in a manner that befits our age, and may He give us the strength and the success to lay the proper foundations for them. May Allah make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadan and after it, and may He not make us of those who say what they do not do. Surely Allah and His Angels invoke blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. O you who believe, send blessings and peace to him forever.
by: Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick
The Message, Canada
January 1997
All praises to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He who revealed in His Glorious Qur'an, "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having taqwa)," (2:185). And may blessings and peace of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammad ibn Abdullah, forever.
O you who believe, Ramadan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve infinite, endless Bliss. Fasting is a complete purification and a means to developing the consciousness of Allah's presence. The consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) is a protection against the schemes of Shaitan, and the suffering of this world. Allah has informed us that, "Whoever keeps his duty to Allah (has taqwa), He ordains a way out for him and gives him sustenance from where he imagines not. And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah attains His purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything." (65:2)
Many Muslims today have a misconception about fasting and the activities of a fasting person. They go into a state of semi-hibernation, spending most of their daylight hours in bad. If they fear Allah, they wake up for prayer, but then return to sleep immediately. This unnatural sleep makes them become lazy, dull-witted and often cranky.
Ramadan is actually a time of increased activity wherein the believer, now lightened of the burdens of constant eating and drinking, should be more willing to strive and struggle for Allah. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, passed through approximately nine Ramadans after the Hijrah. They were filled with decisive events and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission to Allah.
In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, sent Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped suspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about to engage the disbelievers, but they were separated byMajdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The Hypocrites of Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid ad-Dirar). The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, ordered this masjid to be destroyed in Ramadan.
On the seventeenth of Ramadan, 3 A.H., Almighty Allah separated truth from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, and 313 of his companions set out to intercept a caravan of their own goods that had been left in Makkah. It was led by Abu Sufyan himself, and estimated at 50,000 dinars. They were met, instead, by a well-equipped army of the nobility of Quraish, intend on putting out the light of Islam. Despite being outnumbered three to one and appearing weak and unseasoned, the Muslims defended their faith with a burning desire to protect the Prophet and meet their Lord through martyrdom. Allah gave them a decisive victory on this day of Ramadan, that would never be forgotten.
In 6 A.H., Zaid ibn Haritha was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the most protected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to Islam. She was killed in a battle against these Muslims in the month of Ramadan.
By Ramadan of 8 A.H., the treaty of Hudaibiyya had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the North. Muhammad, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquer the city of Mecca. Allah has declared His Sanctuary a place of peace, security and religious sanctity. Now the time had come to purify the Ka`bah of nakedness and abomination. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam set out with an army having more armed men than al-Madinah had ever seen before. People were swelling the army's ranks as it moved toward Makkah. The determination of the believers, guided by the Will of Allah, became so awesome that the city of Makkah was conquered without a battle, on 20 Ramadan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing the idols of Makkah, detachments were sent to the other major centers of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed.
Such was the month of Ramadan in the time of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam. It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding the evil, and striving hard with one's life and wealth. After the death of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, Muslims carried on this tradition and Allah used the true believers to affect the course of history. Ramadan continued to be a time of great trials and crucial events.
Ninety-two years after the Hijrah, Islam had spread across North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Spain was under the tyrannical rule of King Roderic of the Visigoths. Roderic had forced his six millions serfs and persecuted Jews to seek the aid of the Muslims of North Africa in order to be delivered. Musa ibn Husair, the Umayyad governor of North Africa, responded by sending his courageous general Tariq ibn Ziyad at the head of 12,000 Berber and Arab troops. In Ramadan of that year, they were confronted with a combined Visigoth army of 90,000 Christians led by Roderic himself, who was seated on a throne of ivory, silver, and precious gems and drawn by white mules. After burning his boats, Tariq preached to the Muslims warning them that victory and Paradise lay ahead of them and defeat and the sea lay to the rear. They burst forth with great enthusiasm and Allah manifested a clear victory over the forces of disbelief. Not only was Roderic killed and his forces completely annihilated, but also Tariq and Musa succeeded in liberating the whole of Spain, Sicily and parts of France. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of Al-Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700 years.
In the year 582 A.H., Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi, after battling with the Crusaders for years, finally drove them out of Syria and the whole of their occupied lands in the month of Ramadan. The Muslim world was then destined to meet one of its most frightening challenges.
In the seventh century A.H. the Mongols were sweeping across Asia destroying everything that lay in their path. Genghis Khan called himself "the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins". In 617 A.H., Samarkand, Ray and Hamdan were put to the sword causing more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656 A.H., Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, continued this destruction. Even Baghdad, the leading city of the Muslim world, was sacked. Some estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine openly while the surviving Muslims were forced to participate in drinking bouts. Wine was sprinkled in the masjids and no Azan (call to prayer) was allowed. In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with the threat of the whole Muslim world and then Europe being subjected to the same fate, Allah raised up from the Mamluks of Egypt, Saifuddin Qutz, who united the Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on 25th of Ramadan, 458 A.H. Although they were under great pressure, the Muslims with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching bravery crushed the Mongol army and reversed this tidal wave of horror. The whole of the civilized world sighed in relief and stood in awe at the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.
This was the spirit of Ramadan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the night in prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.
Today, the Muslim world is faced with drought, military aggression, widespread corruption and tempting materialism. Surely we are in need or believers who can walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the countless heroes of Islam. Surely we are in need of believers who are unafraid of the threats of the disbelievers, yet kind and humble to the believing people; Muslims whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.
May Allah raise up a generation of Muslims who can carry Islam to all corners of the globe in a manner that befits our age, and may He give us the strength and the success to lay the proper foundations for them. May Allah make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadan and after it, and may He not make us of those who say what they do not do. Surely Allah and His Angels invoke blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. O you who believe, send blessings and peace to him forever.