The Sins of Double Standards
8/30/2004 - Political Social - Article Ref: IC0408-2434
By: S. A. Abidi
IslamiCity* -
Wars indeed bring out the best and the worst in the combatants and then some surprises. A nation may win on one ground but lose on another that was not even the issue of war. The armies of Germany and Japan were obviously vanquished, but the nations emerged as economic powers doing better than some of the victors. The current conflict may be seen as clash of civilizations, an attempt to grab the Iraqi oil fields or overpowering an enemy of Israel, but the end results are altogether different. They have exposed the superpower's feet of clay, bringing shame of guilt of deceit and fraud to its leadership. They were caught in the act red handed doing exactly what the claimed they stand against.
To speak the truth is a divine virtue, but in the last analysis it is also the practical wisdom that is often forgotten in the hurry of pursuing greed. A lie may pay off in the short term, but takes its toll in the long run, ---- as the policies of Tony Blair and George Bush are proving to their utter mortification. Truth was also known to be the first casualty in war, but now it can survive, ---- as it did not when the world soon found out the lie of the Weapons of Mass Destruction. You can fool some people for sometime but not all of them all the time, ---- as the BJP learnt to their grief in the last Indian elections.
The enlightened segment of humanity has always known the truism about truth, but we owe its renewed revelation to the event of the information explosion, as though information had broken out from the state controls. Thanks are due to the growing technology of information that defies borders and defeats tricks like the 'embedded reporters', and make reporters vie with each other for being the first one to bring the true story to the world.
In the gloomy outlook of the present day world, information is spreading like light in the darkness. Science and technology, which armed the oppressor to wreak havoc on humanity, may have taken a full circle and returned to the basics of morality to ameliorate its sufferings through information.
When the American founding fathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence (1776) - " We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable RightsÉ..", they had in their minds their own rights that were usurped by the British oppressors. Little did they know that the Americans, after they were fed on these noble sentiments for 228 years, would include the Iraqi prisoners at Abu Gharaib in the same category of 'men created equal' too! The graphic information of the indignities perpetrated by their government on other human beings, provided by the information media, shocked the Americans beyond belief and put them to shame. Hats off to the God fearing British girl who was developing and printing pictures in a photographer's shop and could not stand the horror of sadistic torture she saw in them. She found it fit to betray the confidence of the customer and report the crime to the Police. Credit also goes to the Police who did not hush up the matter and swallowed their national pride by bringing the guilty British soldiers to trial.
Does it mean that the days of the rulers, who professed one thing and practiced another, are coming to an end? Maybe it is the first ray of hope. Double standards (munafiqat) is the greatest curse that has been the bane of humanity on earth. Much more grievous in - justices are inflicted covertly on the poor and the hungry of the world, that never see the light of the day. The media with commercial interests is averse of showing the unsightly images of famine stricken cadaverous children on TV for fear of disturbing the appetite of their viewers having dinner and losing their patronage.
Guiltier than the developed countries, who oppress the third world covertly are the rulers of the poor countries who allow it and indulge in overt oppression of their own county men. While shedding crocodile tears on the plight of their subjects and electorate, they live in lavish styles and transfer millions to foreign banks in secret accounts.
Whereas the information age brings hope to the suffering humanity, it delivers warning to the autocrats, potentates, oligarchs and also the leaders who wear the halo of democracy around their heads. It tells them to beware of practicing double standards, be it in the matters of their own nations or the affairs of the world. Information age knows no borders and is already a global phenomenon and it will see through their deeds and misdeed just the same.
It may be to soon to celebrate the power of information, but we can help by acquiring it, demanding it and spreading it as much as we can.
Wherever information flows freely, there will be light, and wherever there is light there will be hope.
The author is an independent commentator based in Karachi, Pakistan
Monday, August 30, 2004
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Understanding Patterns of Life
Memahami Pola Kehidupan
Dengan nama Allah, Tuhan semesta alam, selawat dan salam atas nabi junjungan
Periodicity, patterns and series are in reality essential in ones perspective of the world and is linked intrinsically on how someone views life.
When someone is able to identify the periodicity and pattern of a certain series or sets then clarity would emerge, calmness would seep in and anxiety would be wiped out.
Take for example the set of alphabets; a-n-g-k-u-h .
For an american, the phrase above is only a set of jumbled words that makes no sense and has no meaning whatsoever. On the other hand, if this set of alphabets is being given to a Malaysian, then in several milliseconds straight away he understands what it represents and a light bulb would appear above his head. This is due to the understanding of what the alphabets in a collective level means. It is true that lack of knowledge is sometimes hurtful.
Lets take another example; someone's desk.
Sometimes we often see that there are so many things on top of someones desk that we ourselves would call it a mess. But hold on a minute. You may call it a mess, because you don't understand the structure and pattern of the things on the table. Amazingly, for the desk owner, his desk is perfectly in order because he understands and has the knowledge of where everything's place is.
For the non-desk owner, if the desk owner himself asks him to grab the punch holder from the desk, he would frantically start to rummage the things on the desk, open up drawers, turn them upside down just to search for the punch holder. Upset and defeated he couldn't find it. Then comes the desk owner, calmly opens up a specific drawer and out comes the punch holder.
These are things that happen in our daily life level. Now, if we want to look at it more theoretically, a set of numbers say: 27 - 53 - 279 - 28 - 55 - 289 .. it doesn't make any sense! What do these numbers represent? These are nonsensical numbers.
But then someone comes and whispers to you ..
53 = (27 + 1) x 2 + 3
279 = (53 + 4) x 5 + 6
55 = (28 + 1) x 2 + 3
289 = (55 + 4) x 5 + 6
... you would say "Ahhhhh .. i see."
So you see. What do you see?
If you enhance your understanding, you would start to comprehend that :
1. the numbers are not dependant on itself, but are also dependant on its past values.
2. Not only that, observing it deeper would result in an enlightenment that values in this particular set of numbers is also dependent on other set of numbers which in this case is 1 - 2 - 3 - 1 - 2 - 3 and also the set of operations +, x, -, +, x, - and so forth.
So finally, what do we quench out of this theory? By the way, this is a powerful theory.
The quench is :
"Bear in mind that life is also a cycle. Bak kata orang roda kehidupan. Life too has its own patterns, including my life and yours. Therefore, when some bad glitches appear in some period of your life just remember that it didn't happen out of nowhere. It may be due to:
1. your past actions
2. dependant on how you relate and treat others
And once you could identify and understand the pattern, its a beauty .. since patterns are always beautiful and understanding is an awe.
The second take home message is that if you remember that this is not a desk owner who designs the pattern, but its the owner of time and the owner of every-thing and every-one who calls the shot. So be calm, because He knows what He is doing."
Allahu ta'ala a'lam.
Memahami Pola Kehidupan
Dengan nama Allah, Tuhan semesta alam, selawat dan salam atas nabi junjungan
Periodicity, patterns and series are in reality essential in ones perspective of the world and is linked intrinsically on how someone views life.
When someone is able to identify the periodicity and pattern of a certain series or sets then clarity would emerge, calmness would seep in and anxiety would be wiped out.
Take for example the set of alphabets; a-n-g-k-u-h .
For an american, the phrase above is only a set of jumbled words that makes no sense and has no meaning whatsoever. On the other hand, if this set of alphabets is being given to a Malaysian, then in several milliseconds straight away he understands what it represents and a light bulb would appear above his head. This is due to the understanding of what the alphabets in a collective level means. It is true that lack of knowledge is sometimes hurtful.
Lets take another example; someone's desk.
Sometimes we often see that there are so many things on top of someones desk that we ourselves would call it a mess. But hold on a minute. You may call it a mess, because you don't understand the structure and pattern of the things on the table. Amazingly, for the desk owner, his desk is perfectly in order because he understands and has the knowledge of where everything's place is.
For the non-desk owner, if the desk owner himself asks him to grab the punch holder from the desk, he would frantically start to rummage the things on the desk, open up drawers, turn them upside down just to search for the punch holder. Upset and defeated he couldn't find it. Then comes the desk owner, calmly opens up a specific drawer and out comes the punch holder.
These are things that happen in our daily life level. Now, if we want to look at it more theoretically, a set of numbers say: 27 - 53 - 279 - 28 - 55 - 289 .. it doesn't make any sense! What do these numbers represent? These are nonsensical numbers.
But then someone comes and whispers to you ..
53 = (27 + 1) x 2 + 3
279 = (53 + 4) x 5 + 6
55 = (28 + 1) x 2 + 3
289 = (55 + 4) x 5 + 6
... you would say "Ahhhhh .. i see."
So you see. What do you see?
If you enhance your understanding, you would start to comprehend that :
1. the numbers are not dependant on itself, but are also dependant on its past values.
2. Not only that, observing it deeper would result in an enlightenment that values in this particular set of numbers is also dependent on other set of numbers which in this case is 1 - 2 - 3 - 1 - 2 - 3 and also the set of operations +, x, -, +, x, - and so forth.
So finally, what do we quench out of this theory? By the way, this is a powerful theory.
The quench is :
"Bear in mind that life is also a cycle. Bak kata orang roda kehidupan. Life too has its own patterns, including my life and yours. Therefore, when some bad glitches appear in some period of your life just remember that it didn't happen out of nowhere. It may be due to:
1. your past actions
2. dependant on how you relate and treat others
And once you could identify and understand the pattern, its a beauty .. since patterns are always beautiful and understanding is an awe.
The second take home message is that if you remember that this is not a desk owner who designs the pattern, but its the owner of time and the owner of every-thing and every-one who calls the shot. So be calm, because He knows what He is doing."
Allahu ta'ala a'lam.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Smiling is Contagious
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah wa assolaatu wa assalaamu 'ala rasulillah
We have often heard that a smile is contagious, but have you ever noticed that being rude also has it's own 'infection'.
Imagine you're starting your new day, a new semester, full of enthusiasm and spirit, and in that same morning a person you encounter acts unbelievingly rude towards you. How would you feel?
Some people would just shrug it off and continue that day with a full bright day. Unfortunately, most people gets turned off by it and in effect transforms their mood into a dull and ugly one. Then they react rudely towards another person, who then reacts rudely towards another person .. and yeah, you get the idea .. the cycle keeps going on and on and on .. until one nice person breaks it off.
So, take this as a personal message for yourself. You don't have to make the day worse for anyone. A little bit of smile wouldn't hurt. ^_^
p/s:
[ Teka teki ] :: Apa benda yang tikus suka makan tu, yang warna kuning yang ada lubang lubang tu?
[ Answer ] :: Cheeeeeeeesssseee !!! ^_^
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah wa assolaatu wa assalaamu 'ala rasulillah
We have often heard that a smile is contagious, but have you ever noticed that being rude also has it's own 'infection'.
Imagine you're starting your new day, a new semester, full of enthusiasm and spirit, and in that same morning a person you encounter acts unbelievingly rude towards you. How would you feel?
Some people would just shrug it off and continue that day with a full bright day. Unfortunately, most people gets turned off by it and in effect transforms their mood into a dull and ugly one. Then they react rudely towards another person, who then reacts rudely towards another person .. and yeah, you get the idea .. the cycle keeps going on and on and on .. until one nice person breaks it off.
So, take this as a personal message for yourself. You don't have to make the day worse for anyone. A little bit of smile wouldn't hurt. ^_^
p/s:
[ Teka teki ] :: Apa benda yang tikus suka makan tu, yang warna kuning yang ada lubang lubang tu?
[ Answer ] :: Cheeeeeeeesssseee !!! ^_^
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Obsession of the Heart 1
Excerpted From al-‘Ubûdiyyah
by Shaikh ul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah
By way of introduction it should be pointed out, both to muslims and non-muslims alike, that this treatise was originally written in Arabic to an audience consisting predominantly of men. Furthermore, it was presented to a culture which did not analyse human behaviour on the basis of “sexism", or "feminism", but to an environment which was free of these modern day innovations. This is, perhaps, why the discussion is referred primarily to men. It should be pointed out that whenever the shaikh (scholar) refers to "men" that the discussion can be extended to incorporate a similar, if not the same, observation for women. Although during his life the great shaikh was taught by at least eleven female scholars of religion and would often refer specifically to women in many of his essays, perhaps, on the occasion of this dissertation, he was mainly involved in the sphere of men. Nevertheless, when one is involved in understanding Islam one should never allow anything to enter into discussion which does not have a basis within the Qur’ân and the Sunnah (authentic narrations).
Shaikh-ul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah says:
When a man’s heart becomes attached to a woman, even though she is lawful for him, his heart will be her captive. She controls him and manipulates him as she wills. In appearance he is her lord because he is her husband or her possessor.
However, in reality, he is her captive and is possessed by her especially when she knows his need and his passion for her. Then she will control him in the same way in which a conquering, aggressive master controls an overpowered slave who cannot escape from his master.
Even worse than this is the captivity of the heart; this is more severe than the captivity of the body, and enslavement of the heart is much more severe than the enslavement of the body. Verily, whoever’s body is subdued, enslaved and captivated will not care so long as his heart is reassured and is serene. In this way, it is possible for him to escape.
In the other case though, when the heart, which dominates the body; is subdued, enslaved and enthralled by love for other than Allâh, then, this is indeed mere humiliation and captivity. It is the humiliating Ubûdiyyah (enslavement) that has subdued the heart.
The Ubûdiyyah of the heart and its captivity form the basis on which good reward or bad punishment will be incurred. If a Muslim is captivated by a kâfir or is enslaved by a profligate and given no rights, it will not harm him so long as he can fulfil his duties to Allâh Azzawajall. Whoever is lawfully subdued and fulfils the rights of Allâh Azzawajall and the rights of his master will be rewarded twice.
Even if he is forced to pronounce Kufr (disbelief), pronouncing it with his tongue but keeping Îmân (conviction, faith) in his heart, the utterance will not harm him. But the one whose heart is subdued and becomes an ‘abd (slave) for other than Allâh will be harmed by that even if he is a king.
Freedom is the freedom of the heart and al-Ubûdiyyah (enslavement) is the Ubûdiyyah of the heart. Similarly, well-being is the well-being of the soul. The Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu-alaihi-wasallam) said: “Well being is not how much wealth you have; but it is the well-being of the soul.”
This, by Allâh, is the case when a lawful image has enslaved one’s heart. But whoever’s heart is enslaved by an unlawful image will earn a torment more severe than any known torment.
These people who are obsessed by images are of the most severely punished and the least rewarded. For if one is obsessed by an image and his heart remains attached to it and subdued by it, he will be surrounded by so many kinds of evils and corruption that they cannot be counted but by the Lord of al-Ibâd (the servants) even if he were safe from committing the greatest Fâhishah (obscenity i.e. az-Zina - fornication).
Continuous attachment of the heart[1] without committing al-Fâhisha is more harmful for him than it is for the person who commits a sin and repents of it. Since, after true repentance the attachment and affection vanishes from his heart.[2] These people are likened to drunk people or the insane. It has been said:
“They said you were driven insane by that which you have a passion for. I replied to them that passion causes more harm than insanity”
As for this passion, the one who is obsessed by it will never awake until the end of time. However, the insane only exhibit their madness during certain periods.
Of the greatest causes of this affliction is the heart’s turning away from Allâh for when the heart senses the taste of worshipping Allâh and sincerity towards Him, nothing will be more tasty to it than that; and nothing will be more delightful and enjoyable than that.
A human being will not leave a lover except to replace him with another lover more beloved to him than the former, or he can leave a lover fearing some harm. Verily, the heart will turn from a corrupt love to a righteous love, or from fear of imparting harm.
Allâh Ta‘âla said concerning Yûsuf: “Thus (did We order) that We might turn away from him evil and al-Fahshâh (illegal sexual intercourse)”[3]
Thus, Allâh turns away from His ‘abd (servant) that which could be evil for him from the inclination towards images and the attachment to them. He also turns al-Fahshâh (the blatant sin) away from him when he is sincere to Allâh.
Hence, before he tastes the sweetness of al-Ubûdiyyah (Enslavement) to Allâh and sincerity for Him, he will be forced by his soul to follow it’s own passion. But once he obtains the taste of sincerity and becomes strong in his heart, then h is passion will submit to Him (Allâh) without any effort. Allâh Ta‘âla said: “Verily, As-Salât (the prayer) prevents the committing of Al-Fahshâh (the obscene, blatant sin) and al-Munkar (the evil) and the Remembrance of Allâh is the greatest.”[4]
Indeed, in As-Salât (the prayer) there is repulsion of harmful things, i.e. Al-Fahshâh (the obscene blatant sin) and Al-Munkar (the evil conduct) and there is attainment of a beloved thing, the remembrance of Allâh. The attainment of this beloved thing is greater than the repulsion of the harmful things.
Verily, the remembrance of Allâh is, by itself, a worship of Allâh; and the heart’s worship of Allâh is sought for itself, whereas the repulsion of evil from the heart is sought for other than itself. Instead, it is needed for something else. The heart has been created loving the truth, seeking it and striving for it; but w hen the will of evil confronts it, then the heart demands the repulsion of the evil will because the latter spoils the heart as a plantation is spoiled with weeds. That is why Allâh Ta‘âla said: “Indeed he succeeds who sanctifies it (his own soul) and indeed he fails who corrupts it (his own soul).”[5]
And He, Azzawajall, said: “Indeed he shall achieve success who sanctifies himself and brings to mind the name of Allâh and performs salât (prayer).”[6]
And He, Azzawajall, said: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and to protect their private parts from sin. That is more sanctifying for them…”[7]
And He, Azzawajall, said:“And had it not been for the grace of Allâh and His mercy upon you, not one of you would ever have been sanctified.”[8]
Thus Allâh Ta‘âla made the lowering of the gaze and the protection of the sexual organs from Az-Zina (fornication) as the strongest sanctification of the soul.
He also showed that avoiding blatant sins is a part of the sanctification of the soul. The sanctification of the soul comprises keeping away from all evils including blatant sins, injustice, shirk (associating partners with Allâh Azzawajall) and lying.
The same is true for one who is seeking leadership and dominion on earth. His heart is a slave to those who help him with his aim although he, in appearance, is their leader and the obeyed one among them. In reality he has hope in them and fears them.
He would offer them wealth and countries, and would overlook what they have wrongly committed so that they would obey and help him with his aims. In appearance he is an obeyed leader while in fact he is their obedient slave.
The fact of the matter is that both of them manifest worship for each other and both of them have gone away from the actual worship of Allâh. Moreover, if their mutual help is for an unjust dominion on earth, then they are on the level of those who mutually help each other to commit al-Fâhishah (the blatant sins) or to cut off the way. Hence, each one of them, who originally was a slave and obsessed by his passion, becomes subdued by the other.
The same is the case of the one who strives for wealth; this wealth can obsess and subdue him. However, wealth is of two types: one type is that for which al-‘Abd (the servant) has a need, such as food, drink, shelter and marital life. This type should be asked for from Allah and should be sought for His pleasure.
Thus, this wealth, which a person uses for his needs, is of the same level as his donkey which he rides, or his mat, on which he sits. Furthermore, it should be regarded on the same level as a water closet in which he satisfies his need without becoming subdued or dismayed by it. Allâh Ta‘âla said: “Irritable (discontented) when evil touches him and niggardly when good touches him.”[9]
The other type of wealth is that which al-‘Abd (the servant) does not need for his necessities. He should not attach his heart to this type of wealth. For if he does attach his heart to it, he becomes subdued by it. Furthermore, he might begin relying upon other than Allâh. Then, nothing of the actual worship which is due to Allâh nor of the true reliance upon Allâh will remain with him. Instead, he will be pursuing a branch of worship of other than Allah and a branch of reliance upon other than Allâh. This person is the most deserving of the saying of the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu-alaihi-wasallam): “May the worshipper of ad-Dirham be wretched. May the worshipper of ad-Dinâr be wretched. May the worshipper of velvet cloth be wretched. May the worshipper of silk cloth be wretched.”[10]
This person is indeed a slave of these objects. For if he asks Allâh for these objects and if Allâh grants him what he has requested, then he is please d. But if Allâh denies him what he has asked for, he is upset. However, the true ‘abd (servant) of Allâh is the one who is pleased with what Allâh and his Messenger love and hates what is hated by Allâh and his Messenger and will make allegiance with the Awliyâ Allâh (those near to Allâh) and take for enemies the enemies of Allâh.
This is the person who has completed his Imân (faith, conviction) as narrated in the hadîth: “Whoever loves for Allâh, hates for Allâh, and gives for Allâh and denies for Allâh has indeed completed Imân.”[11] and he said: “The most strong of al-Imân’s (Faith’s) ties is loving for the sake of Allâh and hating for the sake of Allâh.”[12]
Notes:
[1]That is when the person is not mindful of Allâh and not even striving to remove it (the image) from his own soul so that his Ubûdiyyah becomes purely sincerely for his Lord. Thus in this case it cannot be considered an absolute evil and, hence, it cannot be more harmful than that which was mentioned about the other case. (Al-Albânî).
[2]That is because the continuous attachment of the heart to the image, according to the above detail, must force the person to disobey the Sharî‘ah even in an aspect which is not directly related to the greatest Fâhisha (blatant sin) such as neglecting some of his own personal obligations or those of whom he supports. (Al-Albânî).
[3]Sûrah Yûsuf 12:24
[4]Sûrah Ankabut 29:45
[5]Sûrah Shams 91:10
[6]Sûrah Alâ 87:14-15
[7]Sûrah Nûr 24:30
[8]Sûrah Nûr 24:21
[9]Sûrah Ma’ârij 70:20-21
[10]Reported by [Bukhârî & Ibn Mâjah] from Abû Hurairah.
[11]Reported by [Abû Dâwûd] and it has good isnâd (chain of narration).
[12]Reported by [Ahmad & at-Tabarânî] and it is Hasan.
http://www.angelfire.com/al/islamicpsychology/general/obsession1.html
Excerpted From al-‘Ubûdiyyah
by Shaikh ul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah
By way of introduction it should be pointed out, both to muslims and non-muslims alike, that this treatise was originally written in Arabic to an audience consisting predominantly of men. Furthermore, it was presented to a culture which did not analyse human behaviour on the basis of “sexism", or "feminism", but to an environment which was free of these modern day innovations. This is, perhaps, why the discussion is referred primarily to men. It should be pointed out that whenever the shaikh (scholar) refers to "men" that the discussion can be extended to incorporate a similar, if not the same, observation for women. Although during his life the great shaikh was taught by at least eleven female scholars of religion and would often refer specifically to women in many of his essays, perhaps, on the occasion of this dissertation, he was mainly involved in the sphere of men. Nevertheless, when one is involved in understanding Islam one should never allow anything to enter into discussion which does not have a basis within the Qur’ân and the Sunnah (authentic narrations).
Shaikh-ul-Islâm Ibn Taymiyyah says:
When a man’s heart becomes attached to a woman, even though she is lawful for him, his heart will be her captive. She controls him and manipulates him as she wills. In appearance he is her lord because he is her husband or her possessor.
However, in reality, he is her captive and is possessed by her especially when she knows his need and his passion for her. Then she will control him in the same way in which a conquering, aggressive master controls an overpowered slave who cannot escape from his master.
Even worse than this is the captivity of the heart; this is more severe than the captivity of the body, and enslavement of the heart is much more severe than the enslavement of the body. Verily, whoever’s body is subdued, enslaved and captivated will not care so long as his heart is reassured and is serene. In this way, it is possible for him to escape.
In the other case though, when the heart, which dominates the body; is subdued, enslaved and enthralled by love for other than Allâh, then, this is indeed mere humiliation and captivity. It is the humiliating Ubûdiyyah (enslavement) that has subdued the heart.
The Ubûdiyyah of the heart and its captivity form the basis on which good reward or bad punishment will be incurred. If a Muslim is captivated by a kâfir or is enslaved by a profligate and given no rights, it will not harm him so long as he can fulfil his duties to Allâh Azzawajall. Whoever is lawfully subdued and fulfils the rights of Allâh Azzawajall and the rights of his master will be rewarded twice.
Even if he is forced to pronounce Kufr (disbelief), pronouncing it with his tongue but keeping Îmân (conviction, faith) in his heart, the utterance will not harm him. But the one whose heart is subdued and becomes an ‘abd (slave) for other than Allâh will be harmed by that even if he is a king.
Freedom is the freedom of the heart and al-Ubûdiyyah (enslavement) is the Ubûdiyyah of the heart. Similarly, well-being is the well-being of the soul. The Messenger of Allâh (sallallahu-alaihi-wasallam) said: “Well being is not how much wealth you have; but it is the well-being of the soul.”
This, by Allâh, is the case when a lawful image has enslaved one’s heart. But whoever’s heart is enslaved by an unlawful image will earn a torment more severe than any known torment.
These people who are obsessed by images are of the most severely punished and the least rewarded. For if one is obsessed by an image and his heart remains attached to it and subdued by it, he will be surrounded by so many kinds of evils and corruption that they cannot be counted but by the Lord of al-Ibâd (the servants) even if he were safe from committing the greatest Fâhishah (obscenity i.e. az-Zina - fornication).
Continuous attachment of the heart[1] without committing al-Fâhisha is more harmful for him than it is for the person who commits a sin and repents of it. Since, after true repentance the attachment and affection vanishes from his heart.[2] These people are likened to drunk people or the insane. It has been said:
“They said you were driven insane by that which you have a passion for. I replied to them that passion causes more harm than insanity”
As for this passion, the one who is obsessed by it will never awake until the end of time. However, the insane only exhibit their madness during certain periods.
Of the greatest causes of this affliction is the heart’s turning away from Allâh for when the heart senses the taste of worshipping Allâh and sincerity towards Him, nothing will be more tasty to it than that; and nothing will be more delightful and enjoyable than that.
A human being will not leave a lover except to replace him with another lover more beloved to him than the former, or he can leave a lover fearing some harm. Verily, the heart will turn from a corrupt love to a righteous love, or from fear of imparting harm.
Allâh Ta‘âla said concerning Yûsuf: “Thus (did We order) that We might turn away from him evil and al-Fahshâh (illegal sexual intercourse)”[3]
Thus, Allâh turns away from His ‘abd (servant) that which could be evil for him from the inclination towards images and the attachment to them. He also turns al-Fahshâh (the blatant sin) away from him when he is sincere to Allâh.
Hence, before he tastes the sweetness of al-Ubûdiyyah (Enslavement) to Allâh and sincerity for Him, he will be forced by his soul to follow it’s own passion. But once he obtains the taste of sincerity and becomes strong in his heart, then h is passion will submit to Him (Allâh) without any effort. Allâh Ta‘âla said: “Verily, As-Salât (the prayer) prevents the committing of Al-Fahshâh (the obscene, blatant sin) and al-Munkar (the evil) and the Remembrance of Allâh is the greatest.”[4]
Indeed, in As-Salât (the prayer) there is repulsion of harmful things, i.e. Al-Fahshâh (the obscene blatant sin) and Al-Munkar (the evil conduct) and there is attainment of a beloved thing, the remembrance of Allâh. The attainment of this beloved thing is greater than the repulsion of the harmful things.
Verily, the remembrance of Allâh is, by itself, a worship of Allâh; and the heart’s worship of Allâh is sought for itself, whereas the repulsion of evil from the heart is sought for other than itself. Instead, it is needed for something else. The heart has been created loving the truth, seeking it and striving for it; but w hen the will of evil confronts it, then the heart demands the repulsion of the evil will because the latter spoils the heart as a plantation is spoiled with weeds. That is why Allâh Ta‘âla said: “Indeed he succeeds who sanctifies it (his own soul) and indeed he fails who corrupts it (his own soul).”[5]
And He, Azzawajall, said: “Indeed he shall achieve success who sanctifies himself and brings to mind the name of Allâh and performs salât (prayer).”[6]
And He, Azzawajall, said: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and to protect their private parts from sin. That is more sanctifying for them…”[7]
And He, Azzawajall, said:“And had it not been for the grace of Allâh and His mercy upon you, not one of you would ever have been sanctified.”[8]
Thus Allâh Ta‘âla made the lowering of the gaze and the protection of the sexual organs from Az-Zina (fornication) as the strongest sanctification of the soul.
He also showed that avoiding blatant sins is a part of the sanctification of the soul. The sanctification of the soul comprises keeping away from all evils including blatant sins, injustice, shirk (associating partners with Allâh Azzawajall) and lying.
The same is true for one who is seeking leadership and dominion on earth. His heart is a slave to those who help him with his aim although he, in appearance, is their leader and the obeyed one among them. In reality he has hope in them and fears them.
He would offer them wealth and countries, and would overlook what they have wrongly committed so that they would obey and help him with his aims. In appearance he is an obeyed leader while in fact he is their obedient slave.
The fact of the matter is that both of them manifest worship for each other and both of them have gone away from the actual worship of Allâh. Moreover, if their mutual help is for an unjust dominion on earth, then they are on the level of those who mutually help each other to commit al-Fâhishah (the blatant sins) or to cut off the way. Hence, each one of them, who originally was a slave and obsessed by his passion, becomes subdued by the other.
The same is the case of the one who strives for wealth; this wealth can obsess and subdue him. However, wealth is of two types: one type is that for which al-‘Abd (the servant) has a need, such as food, drink, shelter and marital life. This type should be asked for from Allah and should be sought for His pleasure.
Thus, this wealth, which a person uses for his needs, is of the same level as his donkey which he rides, or his mat, on which he sits. Furthermore, it should be regarded on the same level as a water closet in which he satisfies his need without becoming subdued or dismayed by it. Allâh Ta‘âla said: “Irritable (discontented) when evil touches him and niggardly when good touches him.”[9]
The other type of wealth is that which al-‘Abd (the servant) does not need for his necessities. He should not attach his heart to this type of wealth. For if he does attach his heart to it, he becomes subdued by it. Furthermore, he might begin relying upon other than Allâh. Then, nothing of the actual worship which is due to Allâh nor of the true reliance upon Allâh will remain with him. Instead, he will be pursuing a branch of worship of other than Allah and a branch of reliance upon other than Allâh. This person is the most deserving of the saying of the Messenger of Allâh (sallallâhu-alaihi-wasallam): “May the worshipper of ad-Dirham be wretched. May the worshipper of ad-Dinâr be wretched. May the worshipper of velvet cloth be wretched. May the worshipper of silk cloth be wretched.”[10]
This person is indeed a slave of these objects. For if he asks Allâh for these objects and if Allâh grants him what he has requested, then he is please d. But if Allâh denies him what he has asked for, he is upset. However, the true ‘abd (servant) of Allâh is the one who is pleased with what Allâh and his Messenger love and hates what is hated by Allâh and his Messenger and will make allegiance with the Awliyâ Allâh (those near to Allâh) and take for enemies the enemies of Allâh.
This is the person who has completed his Imân (faith, conviction) as narrated in the hadîth: “Whoever loves for Allâh, hates for Allâh, and gives for Allâh and denies for Allâh has indeed completed Imân.”[11] and he said: “The most strong of al-Imân’s (Faith’s) ties is loving for the sake of Allâh and hating for the sake of Allâh.”[12]
Notes:
[1]That is when the person is not mindful of Allâh and not even striving to remove it (the image) from his own soul so that his Ubûdiyyah becomes purely sincerely for his Lord. Thus in this case it cannot be considered an absolute evil and, hence, it cannot be more harmful than that which was mentioned about the other case. (Al-Albânî).
[2]That is because the continuous attachment of the heart to the image, according to the above detail, must force the person to disobey the Sharî‘ah even in an aspect which is not directly related to the greatest Fâhisha (blatant sin) such as neglecting some of his own personal obligations or those of whom he supports. (Al-Albânî).
[3]Sûrah Yûsuf 12:24
[4]Sûrah Ankabut 29:45
[5]Sûrah Shams 91:10
[6]Sûrah Alâ 87:14-15
[7]Sûrah Nûr 24:30
[8]Sûrah Nûr 24:21
[9]Sûrah Ma’ârij 70:20-21
[10]Reported by [Bukhârî & Ibn Mâjah] from Abû Hurairah.
[11]Reported by [Abû Dâwûd] and it has good isnâd (chain of narration).
[12]Reported by [Ahmad & at-Tabarânî] and it is Hasan.
http://www.angelfire.com/al/islamicpsychology/general/obsession1.html
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Whilst I Was Waiting
Huh .. waiting again .. well last week, since Kara was so serious about late attendance, I found myself arriving at Guilford House about half an hour early.
The sun was so bright and it was such a beautiful day. Taking a nap was all I could think about at that time. Unfortunately, that couldn't be possible since I still had 3 pages of grammar assignment to be dealt with.
Enjoying the sweet calmness that enveloped, I looked outside through the window and gazed at a tree. It was unique. It seemed just like any ordinary tree yet there was a difference that made it special.
My heart whispered, "Let's draw it .." and my hand gripped a pencil and started its motion.
Fifteen minutes passed, yet despite my scrupulous effort, the sketch didn't even looked like a tree.
Then i thought, "SubhanAllah, I can't even draw the tree.. but He creates it. "
SubhanAllah.
-I am writing this mostly for myself
by: Alha (with slight modifications)
Huh .. waiting again .. well last week, since Kara was so serious about late attendance, I found myself arriving at Guilford House about half an hour early.
The sun was so bright and it was such a beautiful day. Taking a nap was all I could think about at that time. Unfortunately, that couldn't be possible since I still had 3 pages of grammar assignment to be dealt with.
Enjoying the sweet calmness that enveloped, I looked outside through the window and gazed at a tree. It was unique. It seemed just like any ordinary tree yet there was a difference that made it special.
My heart whispered, "Let's draw it .." and my hand gripped a pencil and started its motion.
Fifteen minutes passed, yet despite my scrupulous effort, the sketch didn't even looked like a tree.
Then i thought, "SubhanAllah, I can't even draw the tree.. but He creates it. "
SubhanAllah.
-I am writing this mostly for myself
by: Alha (with slight modifications)
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Mengapa sesetengah ulama' tidak berkahwin
Exemplars From The Scholars 3
( .. a continuation of the series :
Exemplars of the Scholars 1 : Mengapa Sesetengah Ulama' Tidak Berkahwin dan
Exemplars of the Scholars 2 : Mengapa Sesetengah Ulama' Tidak Berkahwin )
Perhatian dan penerangan [hasil dari soalan para pembaca] : Contrary to pupular belief ^.^ - the objective of this writing is NOT to encourage people to tread the path of andartu or bujang lapuk, rather it is the opposite. The main purpose is so that the readers would sow the seed of love towards 'ilm and to rekindle that flame of love towards it, in a time where our ears our being made deaf with slogans of love between the opposite sex hence we get intoxicated by it.
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Imam Abu Ja'far Ibn Jarir At-Tabari rA
Mana mungkin sesiapa di kalangan kita yang tidak pernah mendengar nama Imam Al-Tabari? Ulama' yang tersohor ini dilahirkan di dalam sebuah keluarga yang amat mendalam cinta mereka terhadap ilmu.
Bilamana kita meniti kembali liku liku sejarah seperti memori kisah hidup Imam At-Tabari ini, antara perkara yang perlu sentiasa diingati adalah pada zaman tersebut belum wujud teknologi mesin cetak.
'Cetakan' buku
Yang wujud hanya lah kertas dan pena (by the way, orang orang Islam lah yang telah memperkenalkan kertas kepada masyarakat Eropah). Kesan dari ketiadaan teknologi mesin cetak ini maka semua 'buku' perlulah disalin secara tangan.
Satu persatu abjad, perkataan demi perkataan perlu disalin semula dengan penuh ketelitian dan kepayahan. Jika anda seorang pelajar, anda tentu masih ingat bagaimana terkadang tangan kita menjadi lenguh yang teramat bilamana menyalin nota guru/pensyarah sewaktu kelas/kuliah. Maka bergandalah keperitannya apabila yang disalin itu bukan nota untuk kuliah selama satu jam, tetapi bayangkan jika yang terpaksa disalin itu adalah buku teks bagi setiap subjek yang kita daftar bagi setiap semester! Ini lah realiti yang timbul sewaktu zaman ulama' terdahulu seperti Imam At-Tabari.
Justeru, terdapat individu yang kerjaya mereka khas bagi menyalin 'buku' apabila timbulnya permintaan. Maka tidak hairanlah jika buku pada waktu tersebut mempunyai harga yang agak tinggi dan dalam masa yang sama bukanlah sesuatu yang begitu mudah diperolehi.
Jika anda benar benar menghayati fikiran ini, iya, jangkaan anda benar. Maka apabila kita bicarakan bahawa kerajaan Baghdad dahulu memulakan idea perpustakaan umum yang pertama di dunia dengan ribuan buku di dalamnya, dan dalam masa yang sama wujud begitu banyak perpustakaan peribadi yang juga mempunyai beribu ribu buku, kita sedang bicarakan buku buku yang ditulis tangan setiap persatu! Dalam era yang sama di Eropah, satu satu gereja itu sudah dikira beruntung jika mempunyai lebih dari 10 buah buku di dalamnya. SubhanAllah.
Kehidupan Sewaktu Kanak-Kanak
Kembali kita pada liku memori Imam Al-Tabari rA. Di dalam buku seerah menceritakan bahawa ayah beliau amat menitik beratkan tarbiyyah dan ilmu. Sejak usia Imam At-Tabari rA mencecah 3 tahun, ayah beliau sudah mula menyalin buku buku untuk pembacaan Imam Al-Tabari rA pada masa mendatang. Tiga tahun! Suatu pengajaran bagi tarbiyyah dalam keluarga du'at kita.
Selain itu, Imam At-tabari rA telah menghafal seluruh al-Qur'an sewaktu usianya lima setengah tahun. Lihat dan renungkan peranan ibu bapa nya dalam hal ini. Tentunya kejayaan ini tidak akan dicapai tanpa keterlibatan yang besar dan keprihatinan yang langsung dari mereka.
Beliau mendapat ijazah hadith semasa umurnya 9 tahun. (Di manakah kita sewaktu kita berusia 9 tahun?)
Kembaranya dalam menuntut ilmu
Imam At-Tabari mula kembara dalam mendalami ilmu agama semasa usianya 12 tahun. Telah dicatatkan bahawa beliau telah melawat dan belajar di 120 bandar besar. Dan kesemua bandar besar ini dilawati beliau secara berjalan!
Beliau juga dikenali sebagai Al-'Ilm Al-Mufrad, yang lebih kurang maksudnya .. a vast ocean of knowledge embodied in a single person.
Penulisan
Antara dua penulisan beliau yang dikenali ramai adalah Taareekh At-Tabari dan Tafseer At-Tabari. Buku Tareekh At-tabari ini setebal lebih kurang 30,000 muka surat dan dibukukan dalam 24 jilid! Buku ini diajar oleh beliau dalam tempoh 7 tahun.
Menjadi kebiasaan bagi beliau untuk menulis sejam sebelum waktu sahur setiap hari. Antara bukti keberkataan Allah dalam insan ini adalah terlalu banyaknya jumlah penulisan beliau selama sejam itu. Sehinggakan penyalin buku (read: pencetak buku)terpaksa mengambil masa 8-10 jam bagi menyalinnya semula.
Jumlah Tafseer At-Tabari pula lebih kurang 30,000 muka surat juga. Dan beliau mengambil masa 9 tahun bagi tamat mengajarkan kitab ini kepada muridnya.
Dapat disimpulkan bahawa hakikatnya, seluruh kehidupan beliau telah dicurahkan dan di'devote'kan untuk pencarian, pengkajian dan pengembangan ilmu. Sebagaimana ulama' ulama' yang lain siri ini, disebabkan fokus mereka yang jitu terhadap sfera ilmu, beliau tidak berkahwin. Beliau akhirnya pergi menghadap Allah swt dalam umurnya 86 tahun.
Jika dihitung, hasil jumlah penulisan beliau dengan nisbah umur beliau, maka dia perlu menulis 40 muka surat setiap hari sejak usianya satu tahun. Perlu diingat bahawa ini bukanlah penulisan santai, penulisan artikel, penulisan cerpen mahupun penulisan blog, ini adalah penulisan mengenai tafseer, seerah, fatwa, hukum hakam dan sebagainya yang memerlukan pengkajian dan penelitian sepenuhnya.
Nahsabuhu kazalik, wa la nuzakki 'ala Allahi ahada.
(bersambung .. )
Exemplars From The Scholars 3
( .. a continuation of the series :
Exemplars of the Scholars 1 : Mengapa Sesetengah Ulama' Tidak Berkahwin dan
Exemplars of the Scholars 2 : Mengapa Sesetengah Ulama' Tidak Berkahwin )
Perhatian dan penerangan [hasil dari soalan para pembaca] : Contrary to pupular belief ^.^ - the objective of this writing is NOT to encourage people to tread the path of andartu or bujang lapuk, rather it is the opposite. The main purpose is so that the readers would sow the seed of love towards 'ilm and to rekindle that flame of love towards it, in a time where our ears our being made deaf with slogans of love between the opposite sex hence we get intoxicated by it.
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Imam Abu Ja'far Ibn Jarir At-Tabari rA
Mana mungkin sesiapa di kalangan kita yang tidak pernah mendengar nama Imam Al-Tabari? Ulama' yang tersohor ini dilahirkan di dalam sebuah keluarga yang amat mendalam cinta mereka terhadap ilmu.
Bilamana kita meniti kembali liku liku sejarah seperti memori kisah hidup Imam At-Tabari ini, antara perkara yang perlu sentiasa diingati adalah pada zaman tersebut belum wujud teknologi mesin cetak.
'Cetakan' buku
Yang wujud hanya lah kertas dan pena (by the way, orang orang Islam lah yang telah memperkenalkan kertas kepada masyarakat Eropah). Kesan dari ketiadaan teknologi mesin cetak ini maka semua 'buku' perlulah disalin secara tangan.
Satu persatu abjad, perkataan demi perkataan perlu disalin semula dengan penuh ketelitian dan kepayahan. Jika anda seorang pelajar, anda tentu masih ingat bagaimana terkadang tangan kita menjadi lenguh yang teramat bilamana menyalin nota guru/pensyarah sewaktu kelas/kuliah. Maka bergandalah keperitannya apabila yang disalin itu bukan nota untuk kuliah selama satu jam, tetapi bayangkan jika yang terpaksa disalin itu adalah buku teks bagi setiap subjek yang kita daftar bagi setiap semester! Ini lah realiti yang timbul sewaktu zaman ulama' terdahulu seperti Imam At-Tabari.
Justeru, terdapat individu yang kerjaya mereka khas bagi menyalin 'buku' apabila timbulnya permintaan. Maka tidak hairanlah jika buku pada waktu tersebut mempunyai harga yang agak tinggi dan dalam masa yang sama bukanlah sesuatu yang begitu mudah diperolehi.
Jika anda benar benar menghayati fikiran ini, iya, jangkaan anda benar. Maka apabila kita bicarakan bahawa kerajaan Baghdad dahulu memulakan idea perpustakaan umum yang pertama di dunia dengan ribuan buku di dalamnya, dan dalam masa yang sama wujud begitu banyak perpustakaan peribadi yang juga mempunyai beribu ribu buku, kita sedang bicarakan buku buku yang ditulis tangan setiap persatu! Dalam era yang sama di Eropah, satu satu gereja itu sudah dikira beruntung jika mempunyai lebih dari 10 buah buku di dalamnya. SubhanAllah.
Kehidupan Sewaktu Kanak-Kanak
Kembali kita pada liku memori Imam Al-Tabari rA. Di dalam buku seerah menceritakan bahawa ayah beliau amat menitik beratkan tarbiyyah dan ilmu. Sejak usia Imam At-Tabari rA mencecah 3 tahun, ayah beliau sudah mula menyalin buku buku untuk pembacaan Imam Al-Tabari rA pada masa mendatang. Tiga tahun! Suatu pengajaran bagi tarbiyyah dalam keluarga du'at kita.
Selain itu, Imam At-tabari rA telah menghafal seluruh al-Qur'an sewaktu usianya lima setengah tahun. Lihat dan renungkan peranan ibu bapa nya dalam hal ini. Tentunya kejayaan ini tidak akan dicapai tanpa keterlibatan yang besar dan keprihatinan yang langsung dari mereka.
Beliau mendapat ijazah hadith semasa umurnya 9 tahun. (Di manakah kita sewaktu kita berusia 9 tahun?)
Kembaranya dalam menuntut ilmu
Imam At-Tabari mula kembara dalam mendalami ilmu agama semasa usianya 12 tahun. Telah dicatatkan bahawa beliau telah melawat dan belajar di 120 bandar besar. Dan kesemua bandar besar ini dilawati beliau secara berjalan!
Beliau juga dikenali sebagai Al-'Ilm Al-Mufrad, yang lebih kurang maksudnya .. a vast ocean of knowledge embodied in a single person.
Penulisan
Antara dua penulisan beliau yang dikenali ramai adalah Taareekh At-Tabari dan Tafseer At-Tabari. Buku Tareekh At-tabari ini setebal lebih kurang 30,000 muka surat dan dibukukan dalam 24 jilid! Buku ini diajar oleh beliau dalam tempoh 7 tahun.
Menjadi kebiasaan bagi beliau untuk menulis sejam sebelum waktu sahur setiap hari. Antara bukti keberkataan Allah dalam insan ini adalah terlalu banyaknya jumlah penulisan beliau selama sejam itu. Sehinggakan penyalin buku (read: pencetak buku)terpaksa mengambil masa 8-10 jam bagi menyalinnya semula.
Jumlah Tafseer At-Tabari pula lebih kurang 30,000 muka surat juga. Dan beliau mengambil masa 9 tahun bagi tamat mengajarkan kitab ini kepada muridnya.
Dapat disimpulkan bahawa hakikatnya, seluruh kehidupan beliau telah dicurahkan dan di'devote'kan untuk pencarian, pengkajian dan pengembangan ilmu. Sebagaimana ulama' ulama' yang lain siri ini, disebabkan fokus mereka yang jitu terhadap sfera ilmu, beliau tidak berkahwin. Beliau akhirnya pergi menghadap Allah swt dalam umurnya 86 tahun.
Jika dihitung, hasil jumlah penulisan beliau dengan nisbah umur beliau, maka dia perlu menulis 40 muka surat setiap hari sejak usianya satu tahun. Perlu diingat bahawa ini bukanlah penulisan santai, penulisan artikel, penulisan cerpen mahupun penulisan blog, ini adalah penulisan mengenai tafseer, seerah, fatwa, hukum hakam dan sebagainya yang memerlukan pengkajian dan penelitian sepenuhnya.
Nahsabuhu kazalik, wa la nuzakki 'ala Allahi ahada.
(bersambung .. )
Sunday, July 18, 2004
When the Darkness Seems So Strong
.. cause when the darkness seems so strong
and I couldn't go on
to the sky I raise my hands
making right what was so wrong
I found the strength to carry on
up to heaven where I belong ..
Vividly beautiful, and so true are the words. From Zain Bikha's song - "Where I Belong".
.. cause when the darkness seems so strong
and I couldn't go on
to the sky I raise my hands
making right what was so wrong
I found the strength to carry on
up to heaven where I belong ..
Vividly beautiful, and so true are the words. From Zain Bikha's song - "Where I Belong".
Saturday, July 17, 2004
Kata-kata 'Hikmat'
Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem, Alhamdu lillahi Rabb il-'Aalameen, wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulihi al-ameen, wa 'ala aalihi wa sohbihi ajma'een.
Zaman muda muda dulu, menjadi kegilaan remaja sekolah menengah menelaah komik komik pendekar Hong Kong. Dalam komik komik tersebut ada pelbagai hikmat (atau kuasa luar biasa) yang digunakan untuk menewaskan musuh.
Antara hikmat hikmat yang ulung adalah hikmat api syurga meragut lalang, hikmat badan kebal titanium dan macam macam lagi (hikmat yang mengarut mengarut).
Bagi seorang muslim, ia juga mempunyai hikmat hikmat yang tersendiri bagi menumbangkan lawan. Salah satu hikmat yang cukup terkenal yang dinamakan oleh teman teman sehati adalah 'hikmat ketenangan abadi'.
Hati
Hikmat ketenangan abadi adalah suatu hikmat yang seharusnya diimpikan oleh setiap mukmin. Salah satu ciri hikmat ketenangan abadi adalah mempunyai hati yang tenang dan sejahtera; qalbun saleem.
Allah swt telah rakamkan di dalam Al-Qur'an bahawa hari itu (hari pembalasan) di mana tidak berguna harta dan anak anak melainkan mereka yang datang kepada Allah dengan qalb yang saleem.
Dengan kata lain, tidak ada seorang pun dan tidak ada sesuatu pun (there is no-one and no-thing) yang dapat membantu kita pada Hari Perhitungan, melainkan bergantung kepada keadaan kesihatan hati kita.
Nafs
Nafs bagi pengamal hikmat ketenangan abadi juga haruslah dikawal. Imam Al-Ghazali rahimahullah mengumpamakan nafs itu seperti kuda. Jika kita berjaya mengawal dan mengendalikannya dengan baik maka kuda itu mampu kita dapat manfaat darinya, namun jika kita gagal mendisiplinkan ia, maka ia akan memperhambakan kita.
Kerna itu acapkali kita perhatikan bahawa manusia diperkudakan oleh nafsu mereka sendiri. Nafsu menjadi raja dan pemilik nafsu menjadi hamba. Segala sesuatu yang nafsu inginkan ia turuti penuh kelemahan. Ia sangka ia hidup penuh kepuasan, tetapi hakikatnya kehidupannya penuh kehinaan.
Allah berikan gambaran bahawa nafs seorang mukmin yang dalam celupan Allah )sibghah Allah), dinamakan nafs al-mutma-innah, iaitu secara literal nya bermaksud nafs yang tenang. Sekali lagi perkataan 'tenang' dititik beratkan di sini.
Iradah
Untuk mereka yang mampu untuk meneroka hikmat ini lebih jauh sehingga ke hikmat ketenangan abadi peringkat kelapan, segala latihan harus difokuskan pada iradah(kehendak) mereka. Seorang yang mencari jalan ini (saalik) harus faham bahawa tujuan utama kehidupan adalah untuk mengikuti arahan dan kehendak Allah swt.
Lantas mulut hanya menuturkan apa yang Allah swt mahukan, mata hanya melihat apa yang Allah swt izinkan, telinga cuma mendengar suara dan audio yang Allah swt cintai, dan ini berterusan pada gerakan tangan, kaki, badan dan seterusnya.
Namun usah kita berhenti atau terhenti pada peringkat yang cetek itu, bahkan seorang murid yang hakiki bukan hanya menjadikan gerakan fizikal mereka mengikut apa yang Allah swt sukai dan kehendaki. Yang lebih utama adalah menjadikan segala gerakan hati kita juga menurut apa yang Allah sukai dan kehendaki.
Natijahnya, apabila seorang yang menyedari hakikat ini dan berlatih keras untuk merealisasikannya akan menyedari bahawa yang menjadi ultimatum objektif kehidupan - adalah sehingga hatinya sudah tidak mempunyai iradah melainkan apa yang menjadi iradah Allah swt. Dengan kata lain iradah dirinya sudah mati(fana), dan yang wujud hanyalah iradah Allah swt. Ini merupakan perkara paling utama dalam hidup ini.
Dengan terhasilnya perkara ini, maka akan tercapai apa yang Allah gambarkan di dalam hadis qudsi bahawa Allah menjadi mata yang di mana dia melihat, Allah menjadi telinga yang mana ia mendengar dan Allah menjadi tangan dan kaki di mana ia bergerak.
Sumber Ketenangan
Ketahuilah bahawa seseorang yang berjalan di kepanasan padang pasir yang luas, di tengah mentari yang terik teramat dan bekalannya airnya sudah kehabisan tidak akan dapat menghilangkan dahaganya kecuali apabila ia menjumpai sumber air. Lebih hampir ia kepada sumber air, maka lebih tinggi kebarangkalian untuk dia menghilangkan hausnya. Lebih jauh ia daripada sumber air, maka amat minimal jika tidak sifar kebarangkaliannya bagi ia membasahi tekaknya.
Dengan nada dan kefahaman yang sama, kerana itu perlu disedari bahawa seseorang itu tidak mungkin dan tidak akan mencapai hikmat ketenangan abadi jika dia berada jauh dari sumber ketenangan.
Dan apakah sumber ketenangan itu?
Sumber ketenangan yang wujud hanyalah satu. Iaitulah Allah swt. Bahkan salah satu dari nama Allah swt sendiri adalah As-Salaam. Kerna itu lah hanya dengan mengingati Allah jiwakan tenang.
Semakin kita dekati Allah swt bermakna semakin dekat kita pada sumber ketenangan maka semakin tinggi kebarangkalian bagi kita untuk mencapai ketenangan.
Sebaliknya, jika kita menjauhi Allah swt, maka semakin jauhlah kita dari sumber ketenangan, lantas semakin sukar bagi kita memperoleh ketenangan malah lebih mudah bagi kita ditimpa gundah gulana dan keluh kesah.
Maka untuk mengamalkan hikmat ketenangan abadi, mulakanlah perjalanan menuju Allah swt dari saat ini. Dan teruskan perjalanan tanpa henti, walau jatuh tersungkur dan tertiarap berjuta kali. Biarkan jantung itu berdegup dengan degupan Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah ....
Selingan:
Kata kata 'hikmat' dan kata kata jampi bagi melawan musuh
Muslim di Malaysia amat gemar kepada kata kata 'hikmat' atau yang lebih biasa didengari - kata kata jampi. Mulut kumat kamit membaca sesuatu ditiup, fuhhh, lantas perkara yang abnormal berlaku.
Contohnya: Kata kata jampi bagi melawan syaitan adalah dengan menuturkan kata kata 'hikmat' isti'azah - A'uzhubillahi min as-syaitani ar-rajeem. Langsung sepantas kilat, kata kata tersebut bertindak bagaikan anak panah menusuk terus ke syaitan; musuh mukmin yang nyata.
Memang benar kata kata 'hikmat' ini sahih dan digalakkan oleh Nabi saw untuk kita membacanya bagi mengalahkan syaitan. Namun kenapa terkadang kita baca dan amalkan kata kata hikmat ini, tapi keinginan untuk berbuat perkara yang dimurkai Allah masih bertempel di hati? Seolah olah syaitan adalah kebal dan tak lut.
Kenapa begini?
Imam Ibnu Qayyim rahimahullah menjelaskan bahawa, kata kata isti'azah adalah ibarat pedang. Maka kalau kita amalkan isti'azah tetapi syaitan tidak lari, adakah itu bermaksud pedang isti'azah itu tumpul dan berkarat?
Tentunya tidak. Sebaliknya pedang isti'azah ini amat tajam sekali dan berterusan tajamnya. Namun apa gunanya pedang yang tajam di tangan seorang yang lemah? Berilah orang tersebut segala jenis senjata, tetapi jika yang memegangnya itu lemah dan tidak bermaya maka sia sialah senjata tersebut.
Justeru kita perlu perkuatkan diri kita dengan iman. Agar dapat kita tewaskan musuh kita dan terus maju menghayun langkah, berlari menuju dakapan Allah swt.
Dan Dia lah sumber ketenangan yang hakiki. Allahu a'lam.
Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem, Alhamdu lillahi Rabb il-'Aalameen, wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulihi al-ameen, wa 'ala aalihi wa sohbihi ajma'een.
Zaman muda muda dulu, menjadi kegilaan remaja sekolah menengah menelaah komik komik pendekar Hong Kong. Dalam komik komik tersebut ada pelbagai hikmat (atau kuasa luar biasa) yang digunakan untuk menewaskan musuh.
Antara hikmat hikmat yang ulung adalah hikmat api syurga meragut lalang, hikmat badan kebal titanium dan macam macam lagi (hikmat yang mengarut mengarut).
Bagi seorang muslim, ia juga mempunyai hikmat hikmat yang tersendiri bagi menumbangkan lawan. Salah satu hikmat yang cukup terkenal yang dinamakan oleh teman teman sehati adalah 'hikmat ketenangan abadi'.
Hati
Hikmat ketenangan abadi adalah suatu hikmat yang seharusnya diimpikan oleh setiap mukmin. Salah satu ciri hikmat ketenangan abadi adalah mempunyai hati yang tenang dan sejahtera; qalbun saleem.
Allah swt telah rakamkan di dalam Al-Qur'an bahawa hari itu (hari pembalasan) di mana tidak berguna harta dan anak anak melainkan mereka yang datang kepada Allah dengan qalb yang saleem.
Dengan kata lain, tidak ada seorang pun dan tidak ada sesuatu pun (there is no-one and no-thing) yang dapat membantu kita pada Hari Perhitungan, melainkan bergantung kepada keadaan kesihatan hati kita.
Nafs
Nafs bagi pengamal hikmat ketenangan abadi juga haruslah dikawal. Imam Al-Ghazali rahimahullah mengumpamakan nafs itu seperti kuda. Jika kita berjaya mengawal dan mengendalikannya dengan baik maka kuda itu mampu kita dapat manfaat darinya, namun jika kita gagal mendisiplinkan ia, maka ia akan memperhambakan kita.
Kerna itu acapkali kita perhatikan bahawa manusia diperkudakan oleh nafsu mereka sendiri. Nafsu menjadi raja dan pemilik nafsu menjadi hamba. Segala sesuatu yang nafsu inginkan ia turuti penuh kelemahan. Ia sangka ia hidup penuh kepuasan, tetapi hakikatnya kehidupannya penuh kehinaan.
Allah berikan gambaran bahawa nafs seorang mukmin yang dalam celupan Allah )sibghah Allah), dinamakan nafs al-mutma-innah, iaitu secara literal nya bermaksud nafs yang tenang. Sekali lagi perkataan 'tenang' dititik beratkan di sini.
Iradah
Untuk mereka yang mampu untuk meneroka hikmat ini lebih jauh sehingga ke hikmat ketenangan abadi peringkat kelapan, segala latihan harus difokuskan pada iradah(kehendak) mereka. Seorang yang mencari jalan ini (saalik) harus faham bahawa tujuan utama kehidupan adalah untuk mengikuti arahan dan kehendak Allah swt.
Lantas mulut hanya menuturkan apa yang Allah swt mahukan, mata hanya melihat apa yang Allah swt izinkan, telinga cuma mendengar suara dan audio yang Allah swt cintai, dan ini berterusan pada gerakan tangan, kaki, badan dan seterusnya.
Namun usah kita berhenti atau terhenti pada peringkat yang cetek itu, bahkan seorang murid yang hakiki bukan hanya menjadikan gerakan fizikal mereka mengikut apa yang Allah swt sukai dan kehendaki. Yang lebih utama adalah menjadikan segala gerakan hati kita juga menurut apa yang Allah sukai dan kehendaki.
Natijahnya, apabila seorang yang menyedari hakikat ini dan berlatih keras untuk merealisasikannya akan menyedari bahawa yang menjadi ultimatum objektif kehidupan - adalah sehingga hatinya sudah tidak mempunyai iradah melainkan apa yang menjadi iradah Allah swt. Dengan kata lain iradah dirinya sudah mati(fana), dan yang wujud hanyalah iradah Allah swt. Ini merupakan perkara paling utama dalam hidup ini.
Dengan terhasilnya perkara ini, maka akan tercapai apa yang Allah gambarkan di dalam hadis qudsi bahawa Allah menjadi mata yang di mana dia melihat, Allah menjadi telinga yang mana ia mendengar dan Allah menjadi tangan dan kaki di mana ia bergerak.
Sumber Ketenangan
Ketahuilah bahawa seseorang yang berjalan di kepanasan padang pasir yang luas, di tengah mentari yang terik teramat dan bekalannya airnya sudah kehabisan tidak akan dapat menghilangkan dahaganya kecuali apabila ia menjumpai sumber air. Lebih hampir ia kepada sumber air, maka lebih tinggi kebarangkalian untuk dia menghilangkan hausnya. Lebih jauh ia daripada sumber air, maka amat minimal jika tidak sifar kebarangkaliannya bagi ia membasahi tekaknya.
Dengan nada dan kefahaman yang sama, kerana itu perlu disedari bahawa seseorang itu tidak mungkin dan tidak akan mencapai hikmat ketenangan abadi jika dia berada jauh dari sumber ketenangan.
Dan apakah sumber ketenangan itu?
Sumber ketenangan yang wujud hanyalah satu. Iaitulah Allah swt. Bahkan salah satu dari nama Allah swt sendiri adalah As-Salaam. Kerna itu lah hanya dengan mengingati Allah jiwakan tenang.
Semakin kita dekati Allah swt bermakna semakin dekat kita pada sumber ketenangan maka semakin tinggi kebarangkalian bagi kita untuk mencapai ketenangan.
Sebaliknya, jika kita menjauhi Allah swt, maka semakin jauhlah kita dari sumber ketenangan, lantas semakin sukar bagi kita memperoleh ketenangan malah lebih mudah bagi kita ditimpa gundah gulana dan keluh kesah.
Maka untuk mengamalkan hikmat ketenangan abadi, mulakanlah perjalanan menuju Allah swt dari saat ini. Dan teruskan perjalanan tanpa henti, walau jatuh tersungkur dan tertiarap berjuta kali. Biarkan jantung itu berdegup dengan degupan Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah ....
Selingan:
Kata kata 'hikmat' dan kata kata jampi bagi melawan musuh
Muslim di Malaysia amat gemar kepada kata kata 'hikmat' atau yang lebih biasa didengari - kata kata jampi. Mulut kumat kamit membaca sesuatu ditiup, fuhhh, lantas perkara yang abnormal berlaku.
Contohnya: Kata kata jampi bagi melawan syaitan adalah dengan menuturkan kata kata 'hikmat' isti'azah - A'uzhubillahi min as-syaitani ar-rajeem. Langsung sepantas kilat, kata kata tersebut bertindak bagaikan anak panah menusuk terus ke syaitan; musuh mukmin yang nyata.
Memang benar kata kata 'hikmat' ini sahih dan digalakkan oleh Nabi saw untuk kita membacanya bagi mengalahkan syaitan. Namun kenapa terkadang kita baca dan amalkan kata kata hikmat ini, tapi keinginan untuk berbuat perkara yang dimurkai Allah masih bertempel di hati? Seolah olah syaitan adalah kebal dan tak lut.
Kenapa begini?
Imam Ibnu Qayyim rahimahullah menjelaskan bahawa, kata kata isti'azah adalah ibarat pedang. Maka kalau kita amalkan isti'azah tetapi syaitan tidak lari, adakah itu bermaksud pedang isti'azah itu tumpul dan berkarat?
Tentunya tidak. Sebaliknya pedang isti'azah ini amat tajam sekali dan berterusan tajamnya. Namun apa gunanya pedang yang tajam di tangan seorang yang lemah? Berilah orang tersebut segala jenis senjata, tetapi jika yang memegangnya itu lemah dan tidak bermaya maka sia sialah senjata tersebut.
Justeru kita perlu perkuatkan diri kita dengan iman. Agar dapat kita tewaskan musuh kita dan terus maju menghayun langkah, berlari menuju dakapan Allah swt.
Dan Dia lah sumber ketenangan yang hakiki. Allahu a'lam.
Friday, July 16, 2004
Edwards tests positive
Edwards faces an anxious wait over her futureWorld 100m champion Torri Edwards may miss the Olympics after testing positive for nikethamide in April.
The 27-year-old American claims she accidentally ingested the banned steroid in a glucose tablet at a meeting in Martinique in April.
Her manager said: "She believes there are exceptional circumstances that merit an elimination or substantial reduction of the current sanction.
"She has requested a hearing before the American Arbitration Association."
Edwards finished second in the 100m at the US Olympic trials on Saturday but could lose her place in the American team if found guilty of a doping violation.
Edwards' manager Emanuel Hudson
"Torri is not a drug cheat," insisted her manager, Emanuel Hudson.
"She has never knowingly and intentionally misused any product or drug to gain an unfair advantage over her competitors."
Under World Anti-Doping Agency, Edwards could be suspended for up to two years unless she can prove she inadvertently used the drug.
In that case, she would be given a warning and would lose the results from the meeting where she tested positive.
IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said she is due to face a US Anti-Doping Agency hearing on Monday.
"Her A and B samples have tested positive," said Davies.
Edwards was awarded the world 100m gold medal from last year after Kelli White, another US sprinter, was stripped of the title in June.
White has been suspended from competition for two years after admitting using steroids and several other banned substances.
Edwards moved from third to second in the world 200m finish when White also lost her gold medal in that event.
The woman who was awarded the gold medal after White's ban, Russia's Anastasiya Kapachinskaya, also subsequently tested positive for a banned substance and is now serving a two-year ban.
Edwards' positive test means that the every athlete on the podium in that world 200m has now failed a dope test.
Source: BBC News
Edwards faces an anxious wait over her futureWorld 100m champion Torri Edwards may miss the Olympics after testing positive for nikethamide in April.
The 27-year-old American claims she accidentally ingested the banned steroid in a glucose tablet at a meeting in Martinique in April.
Her manager said: "She believes there are exceptional circumstances that merit an elimination or substantial reduction of the current sanction.
"She has requested a hearing before the American Arbitration Association."
Edwards finished second in the 100m at the US Olympic trials on Saturday but could lose her place in the American team if found guilty of a doping violation.
Edwards' manager Emanuel Hudson
"Torri is not a drug cheat," insisted her manager, Emanuel Hudson.
"She has never knowingly and intentionally misused any product or drug to gain an unfair advantage over her competitors."
Under World Anti-Doping Agency, Edwards could be suspended for up to two years unless she can prove she inadvertently used the drug.
In that case, she would be given a warning and would lose the results from the meeting where she tested positive.
IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said she is due to face a US Anti-Doping Agency hearing on Monday.
"Her A and B samples have tested positive," said Davies.
Edwards was awarded the world 100m gold medal from last year after Kelli White, another US sprinter, was stripped of the title in June.
White has been suspended from competition for two years after admitting using steroids and several other banned substances.
Edwards moved from third to second in the world 200m finish when White also lost her gold medal in that event.
The woman who was awarded the gold medal after White's ban, Russia's Anastasiya Kapachinskaya, also subsequently tested positive for a banned substance and is now serving a two-year ban.
Edwards' positive test means that the every athlete on the podium in that world 200m has now failed a dope test.
Source: BBC News
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Saya, Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi: Sebuah Kisah Cinta
Pertama kali saya mengenal Mbak Oi, muslimah sederhana itu tahun 1992. Waktu itu saya sedang berkeliling mencari tempat kost di sekitar Universitas Indonesia. Kemudian sampailah saya di tempat kost seorang teman. Di sana saya berkenalan dengan mbak Oi.
“Di tempat saya masih ada kamar. Rumah petak sih tapi nyaman. Kalau mau Helvy bisa tinggal bersama kami,” katanya ramah seraya memberitahu bahwa ada seorang muslimah lain yang juga tinggal bersamanya.
Saya segera menyukai Mbak Oi karena keramahan dan ketulusan yang terpancar di matanya. Saya pun mengangguk. Keesokan harinya saya telah pindah ke tempat kost Mbak Oi.
Dalam waktu beberapa hari saja, tiba-tiba saya merasa menemukan seorang kakak perempuan yang sangat menyayangi saya. Mbak Oi banyak mengajari saya tentang kehidupan tanpa pernah menceramahi. Setiap malam kami bangun bersama untuk munajat kepadaNya, dalam gelap. Setelah itu sambil tilawah Qur’an, Mbak Oi setia menemani saya duduk berlama-lama, mengetik dengan mesin tik tua yang saya bawa dari rumah hingga subuh menjelang.
Waktu itu beberapa cerpen saya sudah dimuat di beberapa media. Saya pun sudah bergabung di sebuah majalah Islam bernama Annida dan sering menulis di majalah tersebut dengan nama Al Hamasah. Namun saya belum menjadi penulis yang produktif, apalagi dikenal. Dan perempuan yang saya panggil Mbak Oi itu tak pernah berhenti menyemangati saya.
“Mbak Oi yakin, melihat usaha Helvy, suatu hari Helvy akan menjadi penulis yang dikenal masyarakat luas. Percaya deh, Dik. Yang penting tetap istiqomah ya!”
“Insya Allah, Mbak. Tapi menurut Mbak Oi nama pena Al Hamasah bagus nggak sih?”
“Bagus, dik. Nama itu tepat buatmu. Artinya “Yang Bersemangat” kan? Ya, seperti kamu yang selalu bersemangat dalam mengerjakan kebaikan! Termasuk menulis!” kata Mbak Oi. “Tapi pakai nama sendiri juga bagus kok,” sambungnya lagi.
Mbak Oi hanya setahun kost bersama saya. Namun silaturahmi kami tak pernah terputus. Suatu hari dengan mata berbinar, ia datang dan memeluk saya, “Helvy, saya akan menikah….”
Saya mencium ke dua pipi, menjabat tangannya, tersenyum dengan mata kaca “Selamat ya, Mbak. Siapakah lelaki yang beruntung itu? Maukah ia menjadi abang fillah bagiku?”
“Kami berdua akan tetap menjadi saudaramu, sayang….” Kata Mbak Oi.
“Lalu siapa dia, Mbak? Siapa dia? Ayo, cerita!” saya berseru kegirangan sambil terus merangkul Mbak Oi. “Ganteng nggak?”
“Husy!” Tapi saya lihat binar yang melebihi biasa di mata Mbak Oi.
Malam itu Mbak Oi menginap di kost saya dan bercerita tentang Yudi, lelaki bijak yang berusia lebih muda darinya. Pria asal Sunda yang cerdas itu baru saja pulang ke tanah air usai menjalankan beberapa tugas di Jepang.
Tak lama Mbak Oi pun menikah, hubungan kami bertambah akrab, meski kami mulai jarang bertemu.
Suatu hari Mbak Oi dan suaminya yang saya panggil A’ Yudi mampir ke kost saya.
“Lho, kok berantakan banget, Vy?” tanya Mbak Oi.
“Aku mulai menulis lagi nih, Mbak. Ada beberapa majalah Islam yang meminta cerita bersambung,” jawab saya. “Lumayan Mbak, selain bisa menyampaikan keindahan Islam, aku juga dapat honor buat tambahan kuliah,” kata saya sambil merapikan kertas-kertas yang berserakan di ruang tamu. “Sayangnya mesin tikku rusak Mbak….”
“Aduh, kasihan sekali. Terus bagaimana?”
“Aku nggak tahu Mbak. Mungkin kutulis dengan tangan saja. Soalnya deadline-nya sudah dekat.”
“Nggak bisa pinjam teman?”
Saya menggeleng. “Susah Mbak. Mereka juga butuh untuk buat makalah.”
“Harusnya kamu memiliki komputer, Dik. Kerjamu jadi lebih efektif.”
Saya nyengir. Komputer? Uang darimana? Yaa mungkin beberapa tahun lagi. Mungkin kelak ketika saya punya suami, baru saya bisa membeli komputer.
Malam itu, usai Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi pulang, saya ‘berkelahi’ dengan mesin tik tua saya yang tidak mau kompromi itu. Tapi tak satu pun cerita selesai. Akhirnya saya benar-benar menulis semua dengan tulisan tangan.
Tanpa saya duga, beberapa hari setelah itu, Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi datang lagi ke kost saya. Tidak seperti biasanya, mereka membawa sesuatu dalam kardus kecil.
“Ini dari kami buat Helvy,” kata Mbak Oi.
“Ya, semoga bisa bermanfaat,” sambung A’ Yudi.
“Tapi ini apa, Mbak?” tanya saya bingung. Tidak biasanya Mbak Oi memberi saya bingkisan seperti itu. Apalagi saya tahu ia seorang yang hidup sederhana.
“Pokoknya benda ini digunakan untuk kemaslahatan ummat ya dan tidak usah dikembalikan,” ujar Mbak Oi lagi. A’ Yudi yang berada di sampingnya masih tersenyum.
Saya belum membuka bingkisan dari Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi itu hingga mereka pulang. Namun rasa penasaran saya terus berkecamuk. Bungkusan apa dalam kardus kecil yang berat ini? Apakah…apakah…air mata saya tiba-tiba jatuh. Mungkinkah ini mesin tik baru buat saya? Ya Allah, bukankah mesin tik masih menjadi barang mahal?
Saya segera membuka bungkusan itu dengan hati berdebar. Dan airmata saya semakin berkejaran. Ya Allah: di hadapan saya kini tampak sebuah laptop buatan Jepang! Laptop! Bukan sekadar mesin tik!
Malam itu saya tak bisa tidur membayangkan wajah Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi. Rasanya sukar sekali menghentikan pecahan-pecahan kaca yang meluncur dari mata saya…cepat dan semakin cepat. Ya Allah, betapa mulia mereka. Mereka belum dua tahun mengenal saya…. Dan siapakah saya? Saya bahkan belum benar-benar menjadi penulis, mengapa mereka mengambil resiko memberikan benda berharga ini pada saya? Bukankah mereka juga membutuhkannya? Berapa dana yang mereka keluarkan untuk ini? Sedang mereka hidup dengan sederhana?
Setelah hari itu saya merasa harus terus menulis. Malu rasanya melalui hari tanpa menulis. Apalagi laptop pemberian Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi selalu tersedia di meja di sudut ruang tamu kost saya. Cerita “Mc Alliester” dan “Akira” saya selesaikan dengan laptop itu. Juga ratusan cerpen lain yang akhirnya dipublikasikan maupun yang hingga saat ini masih saya simpan.
Orang-orang kemudian mulai mengenal saya sebagai pengarang. Buku saya satu persatu terbit dan saya mulai mendapat beberapa penghargaan dari apa yang sudah saya lakukan. Saya bahkan sering diundang keluar negeri untuk mengisi berbagai workshop tentang penulisan.
Dan laptop itu?
Laptop itu kini telah menjadi milik ummat seperti yang diinginkan Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi. Saat saya memiliki komputer, saya meminjamkannya kepada seorang teman yang amat membutuhkan. Ketika teman itu selesai, ia meminjamkannya pada teman yang lain, begitu seterusnya dan seterusnya. Hingga kini tak diketahui dengan pasti keberadaan laptop itu.
Tetapi satu yang saya tahu dengan pasti….
Kini setelah sepuluh tahun berlalu, saya tak pernah bisa melupakan Lolita Damayanti dan Yudi Iswahyudi yang hidup sederhana di rumah mungil mereka di bilangan Kelapa Dua Depok bersama anak-anak mereka yang lucu, yang salah satunya bernama Hamasah. Ya, mereka telah meninggalkan sesuatu yang dalam di hati saya yang rasanya tak akan pernah bisa saya ungkapkan dan saya tulis dengan sempurna. Ya, Allah, saya bahkan belum pernah menyatakan terimakasih dan cinta saya yang paling sungguh pada mereka.
Terimakasih, Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi. Saya mencintai kalian. Saya mencintai kalian karena Allah, selamanya. Ya, selamanya….
(HTR, dari Bukan di Negeri Dongeng, Penerbit Syaamil, 2003)
Oleh: Helvy Tiana Rosa
http://helvytianarosa.com/ (one of my favourite 5 websites)
Pertama kali saya mengenal Mbak Oi, muslimah sederhana itu tahun 1992. Waktu itu saya sedang berkeliling mencari tempat kost di sekitar Universitas Indonesia. Kemudian sampailah saya di tempat kost seorang teman. Di sana saya berkenalan dengan mbak Oi.
“Di tempat saya masih ada kamar. Rumah petak sih tapi nyaman. Kalau mau Helvy bisa tinggal bersama kami,” katanya ramah seraya memberitahu bahwa ada seorang muslimah lain yang juga tinggal bersamanya.
Saya segera menyukai Mbak Oi karena keramahan dan ketulusan yang terpancar di matanya. Saya pun mengangguk. Keesokan harinya saya telah pindah ke tempat kost Mbak Oi.
Dalam waktu beberapa hari saja, tiba-tiba saya merasa menemukan seorang kakak perempuan yang sangat menyayangi saya. Mbak Oi banyak mengajari saya tentang kehidupan tanpa pernah menceramahi. Setiap malam kami bangun bersama untuk munajat kepadaNya, dalam gelap. Setelah itu sambil tilawah Qur’an, Mbak Oi setia menemani saya duduk berlama-lama, mengetik dengan mesin tik tua yang saya bawa dari rumah hingga subuh menjelang.
Waktu itu beberapa cerpen saya sudah dimuat di beberapa media. Saya pun sudah bergabung di sebuah majalah Islam bernama Annida dan sering menulis di majalah tersebut dengan nama Al Hamasah. Namun saya belum menjadi penulis yang produktif, apalagi dikenal. Dan perempuan yang saya panggil Mbak Oi itu tak pernah berhenti menyemangati saya.
“Mbak Oi yakin, melihat usaha Helvy, suatu hari Helvy akan menjadi penulis yang dikenal masyarakat luas. Percaya deh, Dik. Yang penting tetap istiqomah ya!”
“Insya Allah, Mbak. Tapi menurut Mbak Oi nama pena Al Hamasah bagus nggak sih?”
“Bagus, dik. Nama itu tepat buatmu. Artinya “Yang Bersemangat” kan? Ya, seperti kamu yang selalu bersemangat dalam mengerjakan kebaikan! Termasuk menulis!” kata Mbak Oi. “Tapi pakai nama sendiri juga bagus kok,” sambungnya lagi.
Mbak Oi hanya setahun kost bersama saya. Namun silaturahmi kami tak pernah terputus. Suatu hari dengan mata berbinar, ia datang dan memeluk saya, “Helvy, saya akan menikah….”
Saya mencium ke dua pipi, menjabat tangannya, tersenyum dengan mata kaca “Selamat ya, Mbak. Siapakah lelaki yang beruntung itu? Maukah ia menjadi abang fillah bagiku?”
“Kami berdua akan tetap menjadi saudaramu, sayang….” Kata Mbak Oi.
“Lalu siapa dia, Mbak? Siapa dia? Ayo, cerita!” saya berseru kegirangan sambil terus merangkul Mbak Oi. “Ganteng nggak?”
“Husy!” Tapi saya lihat binar yang melebihi biasa di mata Mbak Oi.
Malam itu Mbak Oi menginap di kost saya dan bercerita tentang Yudi, lelaki bijak yang berusia lebih muda darinya. Pria asal Sunda yang cerdas itu baru saja pulang ke tanah air usai menjalankan beberapa tugas di Jepang.
Tak lama Mbak Oi pun menikah, hubungan kami bertambah akrab, meski kami mulai jarang bertemu.
Suatu hari Mbak Oi dan suaminya yang saya panggil A’ Yudi mampir ke kost saya.
“Lho, kok berantakan banget, Vy?” tanya Mbak Oi.
“Aku mulai menulis lagi nih, Mbak. Ada beberapa majalah Islam yang meminta cerita bersambung,” jawab saya. “Lumayan Mbak, selain bisa menyampaikan keindahan Islam, aku juga dapat honor buat tambahan kuliah,” kata saya sambil merapikan kertas-kertas yang berserakan di ruang tamu. “Sayangnya mesin tikku rusak Mbak….”
“Aduh, kasihan sekali. Terus bagaimana?”
“Aku nggak tahu Mbak. Mungkin kutulis dengan tangan saja. Soalnya deadline-nya sudah dekat.”
“Nggak bisa pinjam teman?”
Saya menggeleng. “Susah Mbak. Mereka juga butuh untuk buat makalah.”
“Harusnya kamu memiliki komputer, Dik. Kerjamu jadi lebih efektif.”
Saya nyengir. Komputer? Uang darimana? Yaa mungkin beberapa tahun lagi. Mungkin kelak ketika saya punya suami, baru saya bisa membeli komputer.
Malam itu, usai Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi pulang, saya ‘berkelahi’ dengan mesin tik tua saya yang tidak mau kompromi itu. Tapi tak satu pun cerita selesai. Akhirnya saya benar-benar menulis semua dengan tulisan tangan.
Tanpa saya duga, beberapa hari setelah itu, Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi datang lagi ke kost saya. Tidak seperti biasanya, mereka membawa sesuatu dalam kardus kecil.
“Ini dari kami buat Helvy,” kata Mbak Oi.
“Ya, semoga bisa bermanfaat,” sambung A’ Yudi.
“Tapi ini apa, Mbak?” tanya saya bingung. Tidak biasanya Mbak Oi memberi saya bingkisan seperti itu. Apalagi saya tahu ia seorang yang hidup sederhana.
“Pokoknya benda ini digunakan untuk kemaslahatan ummat ya dan tidak usah dikembalikan,” ujar Mbak Oi lagi. A’ Yudi yang berada di sampingnya masih tersenyum.
Saya belum membuka bingkisan dari Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi itu hingga mereka pulang. Namun rasa penasaran saya terus berkecamuk. Bungkusan apa dalam kardus kecil yang berat ini? Apakah…apakah…air mata saya tiba-tiba jatuh. Mungkinkah ini mesin tik baru buat saya? Ya Allah, bukankah mesin tik masih menjadi barang mahal?
Saya segera membuka bungkusan itu dengan hati berdebar. Dan airmata saya semakin berkejaran. Ya Allah: di hadapan saya kini tampak sebuah laptop buatan Jepang! Laptop! Bukan sekadar mesin tik!
Malam itu saya tak bisa tidur membayangkan wajah Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi. Rasanya sukar sekali menghentikan pecahan-pecahan kaca yang meluncur dari mata saya…cepat dan semakin cepat. Ya Allah, betapa mulia mereka. Mereka belum dua tahun mengenal saya…. Dan siapakah saya? Saya bahkan belum benar-benar menjadi penulis, mengapa mereka mengambil resiko memberikan benda berharga ini pada saya? Bukankah mereka juga membutuhkannya? Berapa dana yang mereka keluarkan untuk ini? Sedang mereka hidup dengan sederhana?
Setelah hari itu saya merasa harus terus menulis. Malu rasanya melalui hari tanpa menulis. Apalagi laptop pemberian Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi selalu tersedia di meja di sudut ruang tamu kost saya. Cerita “Mc Alliester” dan “Akira” saya selesaikan dengan laptop itu. Juga ratusan cerpen lain yang akhirnya dipublikasikan maupun yang hingga saat ini masih saya simpan.
Orang-orang kemudian mulai mengenal saya sebagai pengarang. Buku saya satu persatu terbit dan saya mulai mendapat beberapa penghargaan dari apa yang sudah saya lakukan. Saya bahkan sering diundang keluar negeri untuk mengisi berbagai workshop tentang penulisan.
Dan laptop itu?
Laptop itu kini telah menjadi milik ummat seperti yang diinginkan Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi. Saat saya memiliki komputer, saya meminjamkannya kepada seorang teman yang amat membutuhkan. Ketika teman itu selesai, ia meminjamkannya pada teman yang lain, begitu seterusnya dan seterusnya. Hingga kini tak diketahui dengan pasti keberadaan laptop itu.
Tetapi satu yang saya tahu dengan pasti….
Kini setelah sepuluh tahun berlalu, saya tak pernah bisa melupakan Lolita Damayanti dan Yudi Iswahyudi yang hidup sederhana di rumah mungil mereka di bilangan Kelapa Dua Depok bersama anak-anak mereka yang lucu, yang salah satunya bernama Hamasah. Ya, mereka telah meninggalkan sesuatu yang dalam di hati saya yang rasanya tak akan pernah bisa saya ungkapkan dan saya tulis dengan sempurna. Ya, Allah, saya bahkan belum pernah menyatakan terimakasih dan cinta saya yang paling sungguh pada mereka.
Terimakasih, Mbak Oi dan A’ Yudi. Saya mencintai kalian. Saya mencintai kalian karena Allah, selamanya. Ya, selamanya….
(HTR, dari Bukan di Negeri Dongeng, Penerbit Syaamil, 2003)
Oleh: Helvy Tiana Rosa
http://helvytianarosa.com/ (one of my favourite 5 websites)
Monday, July 12, 2004
Monolog : Self Esteem dan Merasakan Diri Signifikan
Bismillahi wa alhamdu lillah, alhamdu lillahi wa kafa, wa assolaatu wa assalamu 'ala 'ibadihi alhabeeb almustafa, wa 'ala aalihi wa ashaabihi ahli assidqi wa alwafa.
Fenomena biasa tika masuk waktu solah.
"Qad qaamatis solaatu qad qaamatis solaah, Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, Laa ilaaha illa Allah"
Lantas barisan dilurus kan, bahu dirapatkan. Semua orang tunduk dan ada yang menoleh kiri kanan. Mulalah rutin biasa, "Go ahead brother.", "No, you go ahead.", siapa yang nak jadi imam.
Hatiku mula berdetik, "Pergilah, orang dah suruh kau jadi imam tu. Lagipun bacaan kau paling sedap."
[zikir dan istighfar]
(Sejak bila pulak bacaan kau paling sedap? Pernah kau dengar suara sendiri? Buruk! Kau je sebenarnya yang perasan sedap)
"Eloklah kau pergi, kan hafalan kau yang paling banyak sekali. Kau tak ingat ke hadith yang cakap kalau nak lantik imam lantiklah imam yang paling banyak ilmu dia tentang al-Qur'an"
[zikir dan istighfar]
(Mana kau tahu hafalan kau yang paling banyak sekali? Pernah kau tanya orang orang lain yang jarang jadi imam tu, hafalan diorang berapa banyak?)
"Ala pegi je la. Tengok muka muka sebelah kanan dan kiri tu, ada pernah nampak diorang datang masjid? Nak tengok batang hidung pun jarang. Orang semua dah sebut sebut nama kau tu untuk jadi imam, kan kau kira masuk grup grup budak budak baik."
[zikir dan istighfar]
(Astaghfirullah astaghfirullah astaghfirullah. Menangislah wahai diri. Sejak bila kau mula rasakan diri kau lebih baik banding orang lain? Itu sifat kibr! Itu sifat kibr! Orang yang mempunyai sekelumit kecil kibr takkan masuk ke syurga!
Apa kau ingat kibr tu hanya 'show off' sahaja? Kibr itu amalan hati. Memanglah dari segi luaran orang lain tak terlihat langsung amalan kibr tersebut. Tapi kalau dalam hati kau tu, terlintas yang kau lebih baik banding orang lain. Itu kibr! Itu kibr! Neraka tempatnya.
Sejak bila kau rasakan bahawa diri engkau itu terlalu signifikan? Tak teringat kah kau kisah Abu Bakar ra? Ketika ada insan yang mencacinya, maka malaikat melindunginya. Saat sahaja dia mahu menepis cacian, maka malaikat sudah tidak lagi melindunginya, hanya kerana tindakan menepis cacian itu bibit kepada merasakan dirinya adalah signifikan!
Itu Abu Bakr ra. Ini kau nak rasa diri kau signifikan? Boleh blah!
Orang lain hanya memandang kau dengan pujian kerana mereka tidak tahu dosa apakah yang kau perbuat. Kalau mereka tahu, nescaya kau mereka ludahi dengan makian. Muka kau akan dipandang dengan kebencian.
Diri kau itu kau rasa bersih? Sedangkan diri kau bergelumang dengan najis dosa. Mata kau kerap perbuat dosa. Lidah kau kerap membuat dosa. Telinga kau tak terpelihara dari dosa. Hati kau pun kerap memikirkan yang dosa .. dosa dosa dan dosa.
Aduhai hati .. tangisilah kekerasanmu kerna dosa.
Ingat tuhan pun hanya sekali sekala. Itu kau pangggil bersih? Itu kau panggil bersih? Macam hampeh. Ptuih! Ptuih! Ptuih! )
[tangisan, zikir dan istighfar]
Bismillahi wa alhamdu lillah, alhamdu lillahi wa kafa, wa assolaatu wa assalamu 'ala 'ibadihi alhabeeb almustafa, wa 'ala aalihi wa ashaabihi ahli assidqi wa alwafa.
Fenomena biasa tika masuk waktu solah.
"Qad qaamatis solaatu qad qaamatis solaah, Allahu akbar Allahu akbar, Laa ilaaha illa Allah"
Lantas barisan dilurus kan, bahu dirapatkan. Semua orang tunduk dan ada yang menoleh kiri kanan. Mulalah rutin biasa, "Go ahead brother.", "No, you go ahead.", siapa yang nak jadi imam.
Hatiku mula berdetik, "Pergilah, orang dah suruh kau jadi imam tu. Lagipun bacaan kau paling sedap."
[zikir dan istighfar]
(Sejak bila pulak bacaan kau paling sedap? Pernah kau dengar suara sendiri? Buruk! Kau je sebenarnya yang perasan sedap)
"Eloklah kau pergi, kan hafalan kau yang paling banyak sekali. Kau tak ingat ke hadith yang cakap kalau nak lantik imam lantiklah imam yang paling banyak ilmu dia tentang al-Qur'an"
[zikir dan istighfar]
(Mana kau tahu hafalan kau yang paling banyak sekali? Pernah kau tanya orang orang lain yang jarang jadi imam tu, hafalan diorang berapa banyak?)
"Ala pegi je la. Tengok muka muka sebelah kanan dan kiri tu, ada pernah nampak diorang datang masjid? Nak tengok batang hidung pun jarang. Orang semua dah sebut sebut nama kau tu untuk jadi imam, kan kau kira masuk grup grup budak budak baik."
[zikir dan istighfar]
(Astaghfirullah astaghfirullah astaghfirullah. Menangislah wahai diri. Sejak bila kau mula rasakan diri kau lebih baik banding orang lain? Itu sifat kibr! Itu sifat kibr! Orang yang mempunyai sekelumit kecil kibr takkan masuk ke syurga!
Apa kau ingat kibr tu hanya 'show off' sahaja? Kibr itu amalan hati. Memanglah dari segi luaran orang lain tak terlihat langsung amalan kibr tersebut. Tapi kalau dalam hati kau tu, terlintas yang kau lebih baik banding orang lain. Itu kibr! Itu kibr! Neraka tempatnya.
Sejak bila kau rasakan bahawa diri engkau itu terlalu signifikan? Tak teringat kah kau kisah Abu Bakar ra? Ketika ada insan yang mencacinya, maka malaikat melindunginya. Saat sahaja dia mahu menepis cacian, maka malaikat sudah tidak lagi melindunginya, hanya kerana tindakan menepis cacian itu bibit kepada merasakan dirinya adalah signifikan!
Itu Abu Bakr ra. Ini kau nak rasa diri kau signifikan? Boleh blah!
Orang lain hanya memandang kau dengan pujian kerana mereka tidak tahu dosa apakah yang kau perbuat. Kalau mereka tahu, nescaya kau mereka ludahi dengan makian. Muka kau akan dipandang dengan kebencian.
Diri kau itu kau rasa bersih? Sedangkan diri kau bergelumang dengan najis dosa. Mata kau kerap perbuat dosa. Lidah kau kerap membuat dosa. Telinga kau tak terpelihara dari dosa. Hati kau pun kerap memikirkan yang dosa .. dosa dosa dan dosa.
Aduhai hati .. tangisilah kekerasanmu kerna dosa.
Ingat tuhan pun hanya sekali sekala. Itu kau pangggil bersih? Itu kau panggil bersih? Macam hampeh. Ptuih! Ptuih! Ptuih! )
[tangisan, zikir dan istighfar]
Sunday, July 11, 2004
Kapan Kita Akan Bersedia?
*snip*
Mengenai upaya tim sukses Mega melobinya agar mendukung capres jagoan PDIP dan PDS tersebut, Gus Dur menjawab, “Boleh saja orang melobi. Hasilnya kayak apa mana tahu. Lobi itu kaya cinta, jangan tepuk tangan sebelah.”
Menurut Gus Dur, tingginya angka golput dalam pemilihan presiden baru lalu menunjukkan masyarakat telah siap dan mandiri dalam menentukan pilihannya. “Siapa yang ragu masyarakat nggak siap. Buktinya, DPP PKB mendukung Wiranto-Salahuddin. Orang Madura nggak mau ikut, padahal itu dianggap basisnya PKB, yang menang SBY. Di Pasuruan yang menang SBY. Itu artinya orang nggak mau diperintah,” tambah Gus Dur.
http://www.tempointeraktif.com
Komentar: Bijak sungguh kata kata dari orang orang tua yang berpengalaman ni. Do you see what i see?
*snip*
Mengenai upaya tim sukses Mega melobinya agar mendukung capres jagoan PDIP dan PDS tersebut, Gus Dur menjawab, “Boleh saja orang melobi. Hasilnya kayak apa mana tahu. Lobi itu kaya cinta, jangan tepuk tangan sebelah.”
Menurut Gus Dur, tingginya angka golput dalam pemilihan presiden baru lalu menunjukkan masyarakat telah siap dan mandiri dalam menentukan pilihannya. “Siapa yang ragu masyarakat nggak siap. Buktinya, DPP PKB mendukung Wiranto-Salahuddin. Orang Madura nggak mau ikut, padahal itu dianggap basisnya PKB, yang menang SBY. Di Pasuruan yang menang SBY. Itu artinya orang nggak mau diperintah,” tambah Gus Dur.
http://www.tempointeraktif.com
Komentar: Bijak sungguh kata kata dari orang orang tua yang berpengalaman ni. Do you see what i see?
Sunday, July 04, 2004
MAS-ICNA Conference (July 2nd-4th, 2004 :: Cleveland, Ohio)
http://www.masnet.org
http://www.icna.org
http://www.masnet.org
http://www.icna.org
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Innaka La Tahdi Man Ahbabta ..
.. wa lakinna Allaha yahdee man yasha'
* Diadaptasi dari sebuah kisah benar.
[Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa assolaatu wa assalaamu 'ala rasulillah.]
Malam Sabtu, suasana di Islamic Center terang-benderang.
Terkumat-kamit penceramah berpidato di hadapan. Walaupun hanya berjarak satu meter dari hadirin yang cuma berjumlah kurang sepuluh orang, namun suaranya seakan tidak dapat kudengari. Bukan kerna tidak cukup lantang, tetapi sebab ia tidak terdengar oleh telinga hati. Masuk telinga kanan, keluar telinga kiri.
Kisah Muaz bin Amr yang meniti di bibir penceramah seolah-olah ditiup angin lalu, enggan menyentuh hati yang penuh lara.
Mata kasarku tampak jelas susuk penceramah, namun mata hatiku terhijab dengan seribu satu permasalahan dunia dan segala isinya.
Fikiranku melayang ke masalah penerobosan kesucian tanah muslim di Iraq, pembunuhan secara semborono muslim di Palestina, gerakan jihad yang tiada henti di Chechnya, keruntuhan akhlak remaja muslim yang meruncing di tanah air ku Malaysia, jiranku Indonesia .. senarai yang tiada kesudahan.
Akhirnya fikiranku kembali hinggap ke tempat studiku kini, West Lafayette. Bumi Amerika yang umat Islam seluruh dunia caci maki dan laknati saban hari.
Tiba-tiba hatiku syahdu, jiwaku menangis. Beginikah nasib umat Islam kini?
Bandar ini punyai lebih 500 muslim, tapi halaqah* mingguan di Islamic Center hadirinnya boleh dibilang dengan tangan cuma. Ramai insan yang namanya muslim namun acuan kehidupannya kekafiran dan kebaratan. Maksiat dilakukan tanpa segan silu.
Tiba waktu solat fardu, di hati masjid cuma dua baris makmum yang bisa dipenuhi. Barisan lainnya memang acapkali kosong tidak terisi, sepertimana lumrah kosongnya hati umat Islam tidak terisi dengan cahaya iman.
Aktiviti dakwah di kampus lesu di waktu summer. Di siang hari, mahasiswi non-muslim berpakaian seksi berjalan di sekitar kampus. Menggugat jalur keimanan. Di malam hari suasana kampus hening, kecuali di sekitar pub dan disko. Mengeluh panjang.
Ya Tuhan, beginikah nasib dunia? Beginikah nasib umat Islam? Usaha dakwah kami, halaqah mingguan di Islamic Center pun kurang 10 orang yang datang!
Aku berputus asa dengan kondisi umat. Aku tertunduk lesu.
Bibir mataku mula berembun.
Kring! Kring! Aku tersentak.
Kring! Kring! Telefon di Islamic Center berdering lagi. "Hello", ujarku.
"Hi there, my names Chris. I have some questions."
"Hi Chris, how are you? Yeah, go ahead."
"I'd like to convert to Islam. Would you teach me how to pray and how to read the Koran"?
Aku menahan sebak, "Sure Chris we'd love to do that, it'll be our pleasure."
Bagaimana boleh aku ragui sinaran cahayaMu? Air mataku turun laju, terasa kehangatannya di pipi. Hatiku kembali berbunga dengan pengharapan.
* halaqah = kuliah agama
.. wa lakinna Allaha yahdee man yasha'
* Diadaptasi dari sebuah kisah benar.
[Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa assolaatu wa assalaamu 'ala rasulillah.]
Malam Sabtu, suasana di Islamic Center terang-benderang.
Terkumat-kamit penceramah berpidato di hadapan. Walaupun hanya berjarak satu meter dari hadirin yang cuma berjumlah kurang sepuluh orang, namun suaranya seakan tidak dapat kudengari. Bukan kerna tidak cukup lantang, tetapi sebab ia tidak terdengar oleh telinga hati. Masuk telinga kanan, keluar telinga kiri.
Kisah Muaz bin Amr yang meniti di bibir penceramah seolah-olah ditiup angin lalu, enggan menyentuh hati yang penuh lara.
Mata kasarku tampak jelas susuk penceramah, namun mata hatiku terhijab dengan seribu satu permasalahan dunia dan segala isinya.
Fikiranku melayang ke masalah penerobosan kesucian tanah muslim di Iraq, pembunuhan secara semborono muslim di Palestina, gerakan jihad yang tiada henti di Chechnya, keruntuhan akhlak remaja muslim yang meruncing di tanah air ku Malaysia, jiranku Indonesia .. senarai yang tiada kesudahan.
Akhirnya fikiranku kembali hinggap ke tempat studiku kini, West Lafayette. Bumi Amerika yang umat Islam seluruh dunia caci maki dan laknati saban hari.
Tiba-tiba hatiku syahdu, jiwaku menangis. Beginikah nasib umat Islam kini?
Bandar ini punyai lebih 500 muslim, tapi halaqah* mingguan di Islamic Center hadirinnya boleh dibilang dengan tangan cuma. Ramai insan yang namanya muslim namun acuan kehidupannya kekafiran dan kebaratan. Maksiat dilakukan tanpa segan silu.
Tiba waktu solat fardu, di hati masjid cuma dua baris makmum yang bisa dipenuhi. Barisan lainnya memang acapkali kosong tidak terisi, sepertimana lumrah kosongnya hati umat Islam tidak terisi dengan cahaya iman.
Aktiviti dakwah di kampus lesu di waktu summer. Di siang hari, mahasiswi non-muslim berpakaian seksi berjalan di sekitar kampus. Menggugat jalur keimanan. Di malam hari suasana kampus hening, kecuali di sekitar pub dan disko. Mengeluh panjang.
Ya Tuhan, beginikah nasib dunia? Beginikah nasib umat Islam? Usaha dakwah kami, halaqah mingguan di Islamic Center pun kurang 10 orang yang datang!
Aku berputus asa dengan kondisi umat. Aku tertunduk lesu.
Bibir mataku mula berembun.
Kring! Kring! Aku tersentak.
Kring! Kring! Telefon di Islamic Center berdering lagi. "Hello", ujarku.
"Hi there, my names Chris. I have some questions."
"Hi Chris, how are you? Yeah, go ahead."
"I'd like to convert to Islam. Would you teach me how to pray and how to read the Koran"?
Aku menahan sebak, "Sure Chris we'd love to do that, it'll be our pleasure."
Bagaimana boleh aku ragui sinaran cahayaMu? Air mataku turun laju, terasa kehangatannya di pipi. Hatiku kembali berbunga dengan pengharapan.
* halaqah = kuliah agama
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Give and Take For God's Sake
A Video Lecture by Imam Hamza Yusuf
For Malaysians who are in daze what American Muslims are standing for ..
:: Play Video ::
http://www.zaytuna.org/video.html
A Video Lecture by Imam Hamza Yusuf
For Malaysians who are in daze what American Muslims are standing for ..
:: Play Video ::
http://www.zaytuna.org/video.html
New Release!
Abu Bakr al Siddiq: His Life and Times
By Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki
Publisher: Al-Basheer Publications (2004)
Voice: Imam Anwar al-Awlaki
Media: Audio CD (15)
[Play Sample Track]
Product description:
This series of lectures covers the different aspects of the life of Abu Bakr (R.A.), including his life before Islam, during the life of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), and finally during his Khalifah.
Imam Awlaki brings to life stories from the golden era of Islam in a dynamic style and instills in the listeners a deep love for the Beloved of Allah (P.B.U.H.)
Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki was born in New Mexico, USA. His parents are from Yemen where he lived for eleven years and received the early part of his Islamic education. Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki has served as an Imam in Colorado, California, and Washington D.C. Currently he resides in Yemen.
Table of Contents:
CD1
Introduction
CD2
His Family
Embracing Islam
The Early Deeds
CD3
Hijrah
CD4
Jihad with the Messenger of Allah
CD5
Life in Madinah
CD6
The Khalifah of the Messenger of Allah
CD7
Inaugural Address
Abu Bakr and the Community
CD8
The Governors
The Army of Usama
CD9
The War against the Apostates
CD10
The War against the Apostates (Continued)
CD11
The War against the Apostates (Continued)
The Compilation of the Qur'an
CD12
The Conquest of Iraq
CD13
The War Against the Romans
CD14
The War Against the Romans (Continued)
The Appointment of Umar
His Death
CD15
Some of his Virtues
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Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Mengapa sesetengah ulama' tidak berkahwin
Exemplars From The Scholars 2
( .. sambungan dari Exemplars of the Scholars 1 : Mengapa Sesetengah Ulama' Tidak Berkahwin)
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Seperti yang telah dijelaskan sebelum ini, keputusan yang telah diambil oleh beberapa ulama' besar rahimahumullah untuk tidak berkahwin bukan lah atas dasar tidak mengikuti sunnah nabi saw. Ini adalah jauh sekali dari kebenaran dan 'blasphemy' yang teramat besar.
Tujuan mereka tidak lain hanyalah kerana mahu meng'devote'kan SELURUH kehidupan mereka untuk ibadah dan menuntut ilmu Allah swt seterusnya dengan illmu tersebut menjadi khazanah buat seluruh ummah. Semoga Allah membalas segala jerih payah mereka, wa Allahu haseeb.
Di dalam Ihya' Ulum ud-Deen karangan Imam al-Ghazali rahimahullah, terdapat 15 mukasurat yang secara khusus membincang kan samada patutkah scholars berkahwin atau tidak. Jadi isu ini bukanlah suatu isu yang baru bahkan scholars sejak dahulu lagi sedar tentang perlunya pengorbanan sebegini dari masa ke semasa bagi menyeimbangkan kestabilan dunia.
Di bawah adalah beberapa lagi scholars yang namanya termaktub dalam salah satu kitab berikut:
1. Tazkirah ul-Huffaz oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
2. Siyar A'laam un-Nubala' juga oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
3. A'laam ul-Muqi'een oleh Imam Ibnu Qayyim rahmatullahi 'alayh
4. At-Taareekh oleh Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi rahimahullah
Abdullah Ibn Abi Najih al-Makki rA
Beliau merupakan seorang tabi'een. Ketokohan beliau, kewaraan dan ketinggian ilmunya tidak dapat disangkal lagi apabila dilantik sebagai Mufti Makkah al-Mukarramah. Beliau juga merupakan seorang penghujjah hadeeth yang cemerlang dan disegani.
Sesuai dengan tajuk kita hari ini, beliau juga merupakan antara ulama' tersohor yang tidak berkahwin semasa kehidupannya.
Bishr al-Hafi rA
Ulama' dan sufi agung Bishr al-Hafi rA hidup sezaman dengan Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal rA (pengasas mazhab Hambali) dan di dalam buku seerah mengenai ulama' terdapat banyak kisah antara beliau dan Imam Ahmad.
Sakeenah dan haybah (aura) yang dipunyai oleh beliau amat luar biasa. Imam Ahmad sendiri mengatakan bahawa Bishr al-Hafi merupakan salah seorang gurunya, namun Imam Ahmad berkata bahawa beliau tidak pernah berbicara dengan Bishr al-Hafi. Dengan kata lain, kehadiran Bishr al-Hafi di sampingnya sudah memadai dan memuaskan hatinya.
Sepanjang kehidupannya, tidak seorang pun pernah mendengar beliau mengungkapkan kata kata ghibah (bercerita mengenai perihal orang lain walaupun perihal tersebut benar) dari mulutnya apatah lagi fitnah (menceritakan hal insan lain yang tidak tentu kebenarannya) dan lain lain.
Taraf wara' Bishr al-Hafi dan Imam Ahmad adalah satu taraf yang sukar untuk kita bayangkan. Bagi mereka, amalan yang kita anggap remeh, seperti meletakkan pena di kocek baju pun mereka elakkan kerana dikhuatiri membawa kepada riya' bilamana orang lain tahu bahawa mereka adalah students of knowledge.
Pernah diriwayatkan, satu hari adik perempuan kepada Bishr al-Hafi datang kepada Imam Ahmad untuk bertanyakan suatu fatwa atau hukum. Adik perempuan kepada Bishr al-Hafi bekerja sebagai tukang jahit. Disebabkan mereka tidak mempunyai lampu di rumah maka kegelapan pada waktu malam memaksanya untuk menjahit di bawah sinaran menara tentera pengawal yang menyuluh sekali sekala (seperti menara yang dekat tepi pantai tu ; lighthouse).
Bayangkan, soalan seperti ini pun ditanya! Mana mungkin kita sendiri akan bertanya soalan sebegini. Soalan ini serupa seperti kita bertanya, halal atau tidak jika kita bekerja di bawah lampu elektrik di depan rumah? Ini tidak lain dan tidak bukan melambangkan nilai wara' keluarga beliau yang teramat tinggi.
Imam Ahmad sendiri hairan dengan persoalan wanita ini (wujudkah orang orang sebegini?). Memang secara am tak perlu dirisaukan soalan sebegini dan tentu sekali dibolehkan untuk bekerja di bawah suluhan menara tersebut.
Lalu Imam Ahmad bertanya siapakah wanita tersebut. Apabila wanita tersbeut mengatakan bahawa dia merupakan adik kepada Bishr al-Hafi barulah Imam Ahmad faham. Maka lantas dia katakan haram untuk perempuan tersebut bekerja di bawah suluhan menara. Fatwa ini khas bagi adik perempuan Bishr al-Hafi bagi menjaga nilai wara' nya.
Bishr al-Hafi meninggal sewaktu umurnya 87 tahun dengan tidak berkahwin.
(bersambung ..)
Exemplars From The Scholars 2
( .. sambungan dari Exemplars of the Scholars 1 : Mengapa Sesetengah Ulama' Tidak Berkahwin)
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Seperti yang telah dijelaskan sebelum ini, keputusan yang telah diambil oleh beberapa ulama' besar rahimahumullah untuk tidak berkahwin bukan lah atas dasar tidak mengikuti sunnah nabi saw. Ini adalah jauh sekali dari kebenaran dan 'blasphemy' yang teramat besar.
Tujuan mereka tidak lain hanyalah kerana mahu meng'devote'kan SELURUH kehidupan mereka untuk ibadah dan menuntut ilmu Allah swt seterusnya dengan illmu tersebut menjadi khazanah buat seluruh ummah. Semoga Allah membalas segala jerih payah mereka, wa Allahu haseeb.
Di dalam Ihya' Ulum ud-Deen karangan Imam al-Ghazali rahimahullah, terdapat 15 mukasurat yang secara khusus membincang kan samada patutkah scholars berkahwin atau tidak. Jadi isu ini bukanlah suatu isu yang baru bahkan scholars sejak dahulu lagi sedar tentang perlunya pengorbanan sebegini dari masa ke semasa bagi menyeimbangkan kestabilan dunia.
Di bawah adalah beberapa lagi scholars yang namanya termaktub dalam salah satu kitab berikut:
1. Tazkirah ul-Huffaz oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
2. Siyar A'laam un-Nubala' juga oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
3. A'laam ul-Muqi'een oleh Imam Ibnu Qayyim rahmatullahi 'alayh
4. At-Taareekh oleh Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi rahimahullah
Abdullah Ibn Abi Najih al-Makki rA
Beliau merupakan seorang tabi'een. Ketokohan beliau, kewaraan dan ketinggian ilmunya tidak dapat disangkal lagi apabila dilantik sebagai Mufti Makkah al-Mukarramah. Beliau juga merupakan seorang penghujjah hadeeth yang cemerlang dan disegani.
Sesuai dengan tajuk kita hari ini, beliau juga merupakan antara ulama' tersohor yang tidak berkahwin semasa kehidupannya.
Bishr al-Hafi rA
Ulama' dan sufi agung Bishr al-Hafi rA hidup sezaman dengan Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal rA (pengasas mazhab Hambali) dan di dalam buku seerah mengenai ulama' terdapat banyak kisah antara beliau dan Imam Ahmad.
Sakeenah dan haybah (aura) yang dipunyai oleh beliau amat luar biasa. Imam Ahmad sendiri mengatakan bahawa Bishr al-Hafi merupakan salah seorang gurunya, namun Imam Ahmad berkata bahawa beliau tidak pernah berbicara dengan Bishr al-Hafi. Dengan kata lain, kehadiran Bishr al-Hafi di sampingnya sudah memadai dan memuaskan hatinya.
Sepanjang kehidupannya, tidak seorang pun pernah mendengar beliau mengungkapkan kata kata ghibah (bercerita mengenai perihal orang lain walaupun perihal tersebut benar) dari mulutnya apatah lagi fitnah (menceritakan hal insan lain yang tidak tentu kebenarannya) dan lain lain.
Taraf wara' Bishr al-Hafi dan Imam Ahmad adalah satu taraf yang sukar untuk kita bayangkan. Bagi mereka, amalan yang kita anggap remeh, seperti meletakkan pena di kocek baju pun mereka elakkan kerana dikhuatiri membawa kepada riya' bilamana orang lain tahu bahawa mereka adalah students of knowledge.
Pernah diriwayatkan, satu hari adik perempuan kepada Bishr al-Hafi datang kepada Imam Ahmad untuk bertanyakan suatu fatwa atau hukum. Adik perempuan kepada Bishr al-Hafi bekerja sebagai tukang jahit. Disebabkan mereka tidak mempunyai lampu di rumah maka kegelapan pada waktu malam memaksanya untuk menjahit di bawah sinaran menara tentera pengawal yang menyuluh sekali sekala (seperti menara yang dekat tepi pantai tu ; lighthouse).
Bayangkan, soalan seperti ini pun ditanya! Mana mungkin kita sendiri akan bertanya soalan sebegini. Soalan ini serupa seperti kita bertanya, halal atau tidak jika kita bekerja di bawah lampu elektrik di depan rumah? Ini tidak lain dan tidak bukan melambangkan nilai wara' keluarga beliau yang teramat tinggi.
Imam Ahmad sendiri hairan dengan persoalan wanita ini (wujudkah orang orang sebegini?). Memang secara am tak perlu dirisaukan soalan sebegini dan tentu sekali dibolehkan untuk bekerja di bawah suluhan menara tersebut.
Lalu Imam Ahmad bertanya siapakah wanita tersebut. Apabila wanita tersbeut mengatakan bahawa dia merupakan adik kepada Bishr al-Hafi barulah Imam Ahmad faham. Maka lantas dia katakan haram untuk perempuan tersebut bekerja di bawah suluhan menara. Fatwa ini khas bagi adik perempuan Bishr al-Hafi bagi menjaga nilai wara' nya.
Bishr al-Hafi meninggal sewaktu umurnya 87 tahun dengan tidak berkahwin.
(bersambung ..)
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Saudi Victims Had Military Link
3 Americans Kidnapped or Killed Were Singled Out as Contractors, Officials Say
By Craig Whitlock and Renae Merle
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, June 14, 2004; Page A12
LONDON, June 13 -- The three Americans killed or kidnapped by Islamic radicals in Saudi Arabia in the past week were likely selected as targets many days or weeks in advance and singled out because of their work as military contractors, U.S. and Saudi officials said Sunday.
Authorities continued to search for the kidnapped American, Paul M. Johnson Jr., 55, an employee of Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp., whose family reported Saturday that he had vanished in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
A group calling itself Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula issued a statement Saturday saying it had captured Johnson and would treat him in the same way that U.S. troops treated Iraqi detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison outside of Baghdad and the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba.
Although Johnson was employed by Lockheed Martin, the telephone number on his business card indicated that he worked at the Riyadh headquarters of Advanced Electronics Co., a Saudi technology firm that manages a number of defense contracts for the Saudi government.
Advanced Electronics was the employer of Kenneth Scroggs, another American, who was gunned down by three assailants as he pulled into the garage of his Riyadh home Saturday afternoon, Saudi officials said.
A third American was fatally shot in his Riyadh home on Tuesday after leaving the Riyadh office of Vinnell Corp., a Fairfax-based subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Inc. Robert Jacobs, 62, worked for Vinnell on a project to train the Saudi National Guard. Seven Vinnell personnel were killed in May 2003 in a suicide bombing of a residential compound for Westerners in Riyadh.
On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh warned Americans in the kingdom to pay close attention to their surroundings and to avoid predictable workday routines that could make them easy targets. The embassy statement said last week's attacks on Americans "appear to have involved extensive planning and preparation and were likely preceded by extensive pre-attack surveillance."
In its statement Saturday, the al Qaeda-affiliated group said Johnson was one of four experts in Saudi Arabia on the Apache attack helicopters used by the U.S. military elsewhere in the Middle East. The statement indicated that Scroggs also advised the Saudi government on the use of Apaches.
Advanced Electronics, located in an industrial park near King Khalid International Airport outside Riyadh, was awarded a five-year, $10 million U.S. Army contract in 1999 for repair work on Apache systems. The program was scheduled to expire in March, according to a contract announcement issued at the time.
It was unclear whether Scroggs had been involved in Apache work.
Executives at the firm declined to be interviewed Sunday, but released a statement confirming that a U.S. employee had been killed "at the door of his house" in Riyadh on Saturday. The firm did not identify Scroggs by name, but called him "a very serious and sincere employee of the company for over 12 years."
In a statement to its own employees, Lockheed Martin said that Johnson had worked in Saudi Arabia on the Apache program, specializing in a targeting system known as Target Acquisition and Designation Sites/Pilot Night Vision System. Known as the "eyes of the Apache," it enables the helicopter's pilots to fly at low altitudes in the dark and in bad weather.
Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon's largest contractor, began evacuating its employees' dependents from Saudi Arabia in mid-April after the State Department issued a strongly worded warning urging Americans to leave the country.
The company declined to disclose how many of its employees were stationed in Saudi Arabia or what security measures were being provided to them. "As courageous and brave as they are, they go over there as volunteers," said Tom Jurkowsky, a Lockheed spokesman. "Security is paramount, we're aware of the warnings, the intelligence provided by the embassy. We take necessary precautions."
Lockheed also declined to comment on its work in the kingdom, citing security concerns. Lockheed manages international aircraft depots in Saudi Arabia, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Advanced Electronics has a contract with Lockheed to provide electronics for the F-16 fighter jet, according to Advanced Electronics' Web site.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said he was satisfied with the Saudi government's efforts to investigate the recent attacks and to prevent future bloodshed. "The Saudis know that this is an enemy that is coming after them," he said on "Fox News Sunday." "The killing of foreigners, whether they're Americans or Brits, or what are they, is a direct attack against the Saudi regime."
Mohsen Awajy, a Saudi lawyer and former Islamic radical who now advises the government on dealing with militants, said al Qaeda cells were targeting individual Westerners involved with the military in a bid to regain popular sympathy in Saudi Arabia. He said many Saudis were appalled by recent al Qaeda bombings that resulted in the deaths of Muslims and of expatriates who were seen as important cogs in the country's economy.
"The militants are trying to show some justification for what they're doing," he said. "They are also trying to choose the easiest targets because they are finding it harder and harder to do anything on a bigger scale."
The recent attacks are evidence that for contractors, "the risks are much higher than people anticipated," said Peter Singer, foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution. "Basically, if companies are going to keep people in Saudi, they are going to have to provide better security guarantees. The pay is going to have to reflect the higher danger."
On Sunday, Lockheed's main Web page was dedicated to the kidnapping. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Paul M. Johnson, Jr. and his family," the Web site said.
Whitlock reported from London, Merle from Washington.
© 2004 The Washington Post Company
3 Americans Kidnapped or Killed Were Singled Out as Contractors, Officials Say
By Craig Whitlock and Renae Merle
Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, June 14, 2004; Page A12
LONDON, June 13 -- The three Americans killed or kidnapped by Islamic radicals in Saudi Arabia in the past week were likely selected as targets many days or weeks in advance and singled out because of their work as military contractors, U.S. and Saudi officials said Sunday.
Authorities continued to search for the kidnapped American, Paul M. Johnson Jr., 55, an employee of Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp., whose family reported Saturday that he had vanished in Riyadh, the Saudi capital.
A group calling itself Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula issued a statement Saturday saying it had captured Johnson and would treat him in the same way that U.S. troops treated Iraqi detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison outside of Baghdad and the Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba.
Although Johnson was employed by Lockheed Martin, the telephone number on his business card indicated that he worked at the Riyadh headquarters of Advanced Electronics Co., a Saudi technology firm that manages a number of defense contracts for the Saudi government.
Advanced Electronics was the employer of Kenneth Scroggs, another American, who was gunned down by three assailants as he pulled into the garage of his Riyadh home Saturday afternoon, Saudi officials said.
A third American was fatally shot in his Riyadh home on Tuesday after leaving the Riyadh office of Vinnell Corp., a Fairfax-based subsidiary of Northrop Grumman Inc. Robert Jacobs, 62, worked for Vinnell on a project to train the Saudi National Guard. Seven Vinnell personnel were killed in May 2003 in a suicide bombing of a residential compound for Westerners in Riyadh.
On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh warned Americans in the kingdom to pay close attention to their surroundings and to avoid predictable workday routines that could make them easy targets. The embassy statement said last week's attacks on Americans "appear to have involved extensive planning and preparation and were likely preceded by extensive pre-attack surveillance."
In its statement Saturday, the al Qaeda-affiliated group said Johnson was one of four experts in Saudi Arabia on the Apache attack helicopters used by the U.S. military elsewhere in the Middle East. The statement indicated that Scroggs also advised the Saudi government on the use of Apaches.
Advanced Electronics, located in an industrial park near King Khalid International Airport outside Riyadh, was awarded a five-year, $10 million U.S. Army contract in 1999 for repair work on Apache systems. The program was scheduled to expire in March, according to a contract announcement issued at the time.
It was unclear whether Scroggs had been involved in Apache work.
Executives at the firm declined to be interviewed Sunday, but released a statement confirming that a U.S. employee had been killed "at the door of his house" in Riyadh on Saturday. The firm did not identify Scroggs by name, but called him "a very serious and sincere employee of the company for over 12 years."
In a statement to its own employees, Lockheed Martin said that Johnson had worked in Saudi Arabia on the Apache program, specializing in a targeting system known as Target Acquisition and Designation Sites/Pilot Night Vision System. Known as the "eyes of the Apache," it enables the helicopter's pilots to fly at low altitudes in the dark and in bad weather.
Lockheed Martin, the Pentagon's largest contractor, began evacuating its employees' dependents from Saudi Arabia in mid-April after the State Department issued a strongly worded warning urging Americans to leave the country.
The company declined to disclose how many of its employees were stationed in Saudi Arabia or what security measures were being provided to them. "As courageous and brave as they are, they go over there as volunteers," said Tom Jurkowsky, a Lockheed spokesman. "Security is paramount, we're aware of the warnings, the intelligence provided by the embassy. We take necessary precautions."
Lockheed also declined to comment on its work in the kingdom, citing security concerns. Lockheed manages international aircraft depots in Saudi Arabia, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Advanced Electronics has a contract with Lockheed to provide electronics for the F-16 fighter jet, according to Advanced Electronics' Web site.
Secretary of State Colin L. Powell said he was satisfied with the Saudi government's efforts to investigate the recent attacks and to prevent future bloodshed. "The Saudis know that this is an enemy that is coming after them," he said on "Fox News Sunday." "The killing of foreigners, whether they're Americans or Brits, or what are they, is a direct attack against the Saudi regime."
Mohsen Awajy, a Saudi lawyer and former Islamic radical who now advises the government on dealing with militants, said al Qaeda cells were targeting individual Westerners involved with the military in a bid to regain popular sympathy in Saudi Arabia. He said many Saudis were appalled by recent al Qaeda bombings that resulted in the deaths of Muslims and of expatriates who were seen as important cogs in the country's economy.
"The militants are trying to show some justification for what they're doing," he said. "They are also trying to choose the easiest targets because they are finding it harder and harder to do anything on a bigger scale."
The recent attacks are evidence that for contractors, "the risks are much higher than people anticipated," said Peter Singer, foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution. "Basically, if companies are going to keep people in Saudi, they are going to have to provide better security guarantees. The pay is going to have to reflect the higher danger."
On Sunday, Lockheed's main Web page was dedicated to the kidnapping. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Paul M. Johnson, Jr. and his family," the Web site said.
Whitlock reported from London, Merle from Washington.
© 2004 The Washington Post Company
Saturday, June 12, 2004
Pengejaran Yang Tidak Kesampaian
Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Teka teki:
Orang yang lakukan amalan apa yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni?
Terutamanya musim cuti begini, mungkin ramai yang sangkakan bahawa masa banyak terbuang dengan benda benda yang tidak berfaedah, contohnya bermain komputer/video game, marathon kartun anime, termenung tanpa sebab, tidur yang berpanjangan, berbual/chatting perkara yang lagho etc.
Aktiviti aktiviti di atas ini tidaklah 100% useless kalau kita niatkan kerana Allah .. (and you start to think, macam mana nak niatkan aktiviti aktiviti tu kerna Allah? .. Exactly!! .. Because that logic doesn't work, you yourself is answering that these activities are indeed useless .. period!) *smile*
Now, adakah itu jawapan bagi teka teki, "Orang yang lakukan amalan apa yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni?".
Surprisingly, NO.
Hint
Perlukan hint? Okay, hint dia .. ironinya orang orang yang lakukan amalan yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni tidak sedar yang sebenarnya mereka sedang habiskan masa dengan sia sia.
Berlainan seperti mereka yang terjatuh dalam aktiviti yang disebutkan di atas; bermain video/komputer game etc - mereka ini sedar bahawa mereka ini dalam kerugian, namun tewas pada pujuk rayu hasutan syahwah dan nafsu lalu terus lemas dalam lautan kesia-siaan.
Ini nak diberitahu, orang yang paling rugi dalam dunia ini lebih parah keadaan mereka daripada itu, kerana mereka ini berada dalam keadaan delusional state. Mereka sangkakan bahawa mereka akan meraih keuntungan, namun sebenarnya ia hanyalah suatu mimpi yang langsung tidak akan kesampaian.
[Hakikatnya, bertanya soalan "Orang yang lakukan amalan apa yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni?" adalah sebenarnya satu sunnah yang Allah swt sendiri menyuruh kita bertanya kepada orang ramai.]
Jawapan bagi teka teki:
Allah swt, Yang Mengetahui Segala yang Nyata dan Tersembunyi - menjawab teka teki ini dalam firmannya:
"Say: "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?
Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?
They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight.
That is their reward, Hell, because they rejected Faith, and took My Signs and My Messengers by way of jest." (18:103-106)
Ini lah the ultimate truth. And Allah speaks the truth and to Him belongs the ultimate truth.
Argumentasi
Terkadang terdengar suara syaitani yang berbisik, "eh .. takkanla sampai terus sia sia amalan mereka? mestilah ada jugak nilai dia kan?"
Perhatikan bahawa Allah swt berfirman, "Nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight". Weight atau dalam al-Qur'an disebutkan wazna, atau berat.
Bagi sesiapa yang pernah mempelajari physics pasti tahu bahawa:
weight = mass x gravitational force
berat = jisim x tarikan graviti
Maka beratnya sesuatu amalan itu kesemuanya bergantung kepada sejauh mana 'grave' nya, atau graviti nya Allah swt memandang amalan tersebut.
Jika kita singgah ke dictionary.com antara definisi lain yang paling simple bagi 'gravity' adalah:
1. Grave consequence; seriousness or importance: They are still quite unaware of the gravity of their problems.
2. Solemnity or dignity of manner.
Maka jika Allah swt letakkan gravitinya (definisi seperti di atas) kosong maka kosong lah ia. Dan apa nilai yang didarabkan dengan kosong, maka kosong juga lah jumlahnya.
Jika Allah letakkan graviti nya 700 maka 700 lah ia. Dan tentu sekali apabila didarabkan maka berlipat gandalah ganjarannya (atau dosanya).
An-Naasu niyaam iza maata intabahu
"They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter)"
Jangan sekali kali menyangka bahawa ayat ini hanya ditujukan kepada orang kafir, dan hanya memandang ayat ini sebelah mata dengan tanpa emosi (have emotions remember?).
Kerana orang yang melihat dengan sebelah mata (monocular) tidak akan dapat menilai kedalaman dengan nilainya yang sebenar. Hanya manusia yang terbuka kedua belah 'mata'nya (binocular) mampu untuk menilai kedalaman.
Berapa ramai sebenarnya dari kita yang buta, tertutup (kufur) matanya dari melihat aayaat and signs of Allah? Berapa kerapkah mata (hati) kita hakikatnya kabur, diselaputi ghaflah dengan tidak teringat bahawa kita akan berhadapan dengan Allah bila bila masa?
"But the Unbelievers,- their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water; until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing: But he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account: and Allah is swift in taking account.
Or (the Unbelievers' state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds: depths of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth not light, there is no light!" (24:39-40)
Ya Arhama Ar-Rahimeen, irhamnee ya Allah. Allahumma a'inna 'ala zikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibadatik.
Pi Mai Pi Mai Tang Tu
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Teka teki:
Orang yang lakukan amalan apa yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni?
Terutamanya musim cuti begini, mungkin ramai yang sangkakan bahawa masa banyak terbuang dengan benda benda yang tidak berfaedah, contohnya bermain komputer/video game, marathon kartun anime, termenung tanpa sebab, tidur yang berpanjangan, berbual/chatting perkara yang lagho etc.
Aktiviti aktiviti di atas ini tidaklah 100% useless kalau kita niatkan kerana Allah .. (and you start to think, macam mana nak niatkan aktiviti aktiviti tu kerna Allah? .. Exactly!! .. Because that logic doesn't work, you yourself is answering that these activities are indeed useless .. period!) *smile*
Now, adakah itu jawapan bagi teka teki, "Orang yang lakukan amalan apa yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni?".
Surprisingly, NO.
Hint
Perlukan hint? Okay, hint dia .. ironinya orang orang yang lakukan amalan yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni tidak sedar yang sebenarnya mereka sedang habiskan masa dengan sia sia.
Berlainan seperti mereka yang terjatuh dalam aktiviti yang disebutkan di atas; bermain video/komputer game etc - mereka ini sedar bahawa mereka ini dalam kerugian, namun tewas pada pujuk rayu hasutan syahwah dan nafsu lalu terus lemas dalam lautan kesia-siaan.
Ini nak diberitahu, orang yang paling rugi dalam dunia ini lebih parah keadaan mereka daripada itu, kerana mereka ini berada dalam keadaan delusional state. Mereka sangkakan bahawa mereka akan meraih keuntungan, namun sebenarnya ia hanyalah suatu mimpi yang langsung tidak akan kesampaian.
[Hakikatnya, bertanya soalan "Orang yang lakukan amalan apa yang paling rugi dalam dunia ni?" adalah sebenarnya satu sunnah yang Allah swt sendiri menyuruh kita bertanya kepada orang ramai.]
Jawapan bagi teka teki:
Allah swt, Yang Mengetahui Segala yang Nyata dan Tersembunyi - menjawab teka teki ini dalam firmannya:
"Say: "Shall we tell you of those who lose most in respect of their deeds?
Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?
They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter): vain will be their works, nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight.
That is their reward, Hell, because they rejected Faith, and took My Signs and My Messengers by way of jest." (18:103-106)
Ini lah the ultimate truth. And Allah speaks the truth and to Him belongs the ultimate truth.
Argumentasi
Terkadang terdengar suara syaitani yang berbisik, "eh .. takkanla sampai terus sia sia amalan mereka? mestilah ada jugak nilai dia kan?"
Perhatikan bahawa Allah swt berfirman, "Nor shall We, on the Day of Judgment, give them any weight". Weight atau dalam al-Qur'an disebutkan wazna, atau berat.
Bagi sesiapa yang pernah mempelajari physics pasti tahu bahawa:
weight = mass x gravitational force
berat = jisim x tarikan graviti
Maka beratnya sesuatu amalan itu kesemuanya bergantung kepada sejauh mana 'grave' nya, atau graviti nya Allah swt memandang amalan tersebut.
Jika kita singgah ke dictionary.com antara definisi lain yang paling simple bagi 'gravity' adalah:
1. Grave consequence; seriousness or importance: They are still quite unaware of the gravity of their problems.
2. Solemnity or dignity of manner.
Maka jika Allah swt letakkan gravitinya (definisi seperti di atas) kosong maka kosong lah ia. Dan apa nilai yang didarabkan dengan kosong, maka kosong juga lah jumlahnya.
Jika Allah letakkan graviti nya 700 maka 700 lah ia. Dan tentu sekali apabila didarabkan maka berlipat gandalah ganjarannya (atau dosanya).
An-Naasu niyaam iza maata intabahu
"They are those who deny the Signs of their Lord and the fact of their having to meet Him (in the Hereafter)"
Jangan sekali kali menyangka bahawa ayat ini hanya ditujukan kepada orang kafir, dan hanya memandang ayat ini sebelah mata dengan tanpa emosi (have emotions remember?).
Kerana orang yang melihat dengan sebelah mata (monocular) tidak akan dapat menilai kedalaman dengan nilainya yang sebenar. Hanya manusia yang terbuka kedua belah 'mata'nya (binocular) mampu untuk menilai kedalaman.
Berapa ramai sebenarnya dari kita yang buta, tertutup (kufur) matanya dari melihat aayaat and signs of Allah? Berapa kerapkah mata (hati) kita hakikatnya kabur, diselaputi ghaflah dengan tidak teringat bahawa kita akan berhadapan dengan Allah bila bila masa?
"But the Unbelievers,- their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water; until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing: But he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account: and Allah is swift in taking account.
Or (the Unbelievers' state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds: depths of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth not light, there is no light!" (24:39-40)
Ya Arhama Ar-Rahimeen, irhamnee ya Allah. Allahumma a'inna 'ala zikrika wa shukrika wa husni 'ibadatik.
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Mengapa sesetengah ulama' tidak berkahwin
Exemplars From the Scholars 1
A Lecture by Shaykh Tawfeq
Masjid Al-Fajr, Indianapolis
June 5th, 2004
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Antara sedar atau tidak, tahukah kita bahawa terdapat sesetengah ulama'/scholars dalam realitinya, memilih untuk tidak berkahwin. Dan mereka ini tidak berkahwin seumur hidup mereka.
Adakah ini bermakna mereka ini tidak mengikuti sunnah nabi saw? Ataupun scholars ini hanyalah scholars scholars yang 'kecil' dan tidak terkenal?
Jauh sekali tidak!
Bahkan scholars yang memilih untuk tidak berkahwin ramai dan mereka cukup dikenali oleh ummat Islam dengan kawarakan dan ketinggian ilmu mereka. Antara mereka termasuk Imam Ibnu Taimiyyah dan Imam An-Nawawi rahimahumullah.
Tujuan di sebalik keputusan mereka untuk tidak berkahwin adalah al-eethaar atau al-aathaar, iaitu kerana menitikberatkan kepentingan orang lain (ummah) dari kepentingan diri sendiri. Jika ada skala pemberat antara berkahwin atau menuntut ilmu, nescaya skala kedahagaan menuntut ilmu jauh melebihi skala keinginan untuk berkahwin.
Scholars scholars ini mendevotekan SELURUH kehidupan mereka untuk Allah. Hidup mereka 24 jam sehari, 7 hari seminggu dihabiskan untuk menuntut ilmu, ibadah dan ummah serta tidak meninggalkan sisa sesaat pun untuk diri mereka sendiri.
Dunia memerlukan scholars yang sebegini bagi menyeimbangkan dunia. Mungkin disebabkan scholars sebegini maka diri kita yang dipenuhi kekotoran dan kezaliman ini masih Allah benarkan untuk hidup di muka bumi ini.
Ini natijah dari mereka memilih maslahah 'ammah (kebaikan umum; contohnya benefit for the community), lebih lagi dari maslahah khassah (kebaikan khusus; contohnya benefit untuk diri sendiri dan keluarga).
Di dalam satu hadith, rasulullah saw pernah mengatakan mengenai anak anak, Hasan dan Husin, cucu kesayangan baginda saw dengan katanya yang lebih kurang membawa maksud: Sesungguhnya kamu ini membawa kepada kebakhilan, membawa kepada sikap pengecut, dan membawa kepada kejahilan, dan kamu adalah wangian dari wangian syurga.
Umar ra dalam kata kata yang famous mengatakan: "Tafaqqahuu qabla an tusawwaduu" yang secara literalnya membawa maksud: menjadi faqih lah kamu sebelum kamu mengambil tanggungjawab. Antara kata asal bagi tasawwadu adalah sayyid iaitu menjadi pemimpin. Mengikut Lisan ul-Arab, At-tasawwadu hua an tazawwaju, iaitu at-tasawwadu membawa maksud perkahwinan.
Dengan kata lain, jika kamu ingin menjadi faqih maka lakukanlah sebelum memperolehi anak. Kerana tatkala mulanya mempunyai anak maka seribu satu permasalahan dan halangan akan mula timbul. Spertimana Sufyan At-Thawri rahimahullah pernah mengatakan: Permulaan adanya anak adalah seperti kita melayari bahtera di lautan.
Nama nama scholars yang bakal disebutkan di bawah, untuk rujukan lanjut boleh didapati kisah dan biografi mereka di sekurang kurang nya salah satu buku berikut:
1. Tazkirah ul-Huffaz oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
2. Siyar A'laam un-Nubala' juga oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
3. A'laam ul-Muqi'een oleh Imam Ibnu Qayyim rahmatullahi 'alayh
4. At-Taareekh oleh Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi rahimahullah
Di bawah adalah antara ulama' yang tidak berkahwin seumur hidup mereka:
Imam Ibnu Zaid An-Nisaiburi rA
Peribadi ulama' ini merupakan ensiklopedia berjalan pada zamannya. Tidak keterlaluan untuk zaman moden ini dikatakan setaraf dengan enjin pencarian google di zaman ini. Menghabiskan hampir seluruh hidupnya dengan menuntut ilmu, dan selepas 40 atau 50 tahun baru beliau mengendalikan halaqah atau kelas ilmunya yang pertama.
Antara keperibadiannya yang begitu menonjol adalah selama 40 tahun dalam kembaranya mencari ilmu Allah swt, beliau tidak pernah tidur malam. Dan menjadi lumrah baginya, makanan hariannya hanyalah 4 biji badam sehari. Bukan itu sahaja, bahkan seringkali dalam masa 40 tahun ini, beliau akan menggunakan tidak lebih dari satu wudhu' dari fajar/subuh sehingga ke isha'.
Dan yang menjadikan ia lebih menarik, kesemua aktivti di atas hanya dapat beliau amalkan sebelum berkahwin.
Ma'mar Ibn Rashid Al-Basri rA
Antara sifatnya yang terkenal adalah beliau tidak pernah berhenti mengembara dalam mencari ilmu Allah swt. Dari satu tempat ke satu tempat ia jelajahi tanpa henti, bertahun tahun lamanya ini menjadi kegiatan beliau.
Suatu hari, bermeseyuaratlah rakyat di sebuah bandar yang bakal dilalui oleh Ibn Rashid, bagaimana mahu menghentikan Ibn Rashid rA dari mengembara, agar dengannya dapat mereka memakan buah ilmu yang dipunyai oleh beliau.
Setelah nekad, mereka mengambil langkah untuk mengahwinkan beliau .. maka terhentilah pengembaraan beliau yang bertahun lamanya di bandar tersebut.
(bersambung..)
Exemplars From the Scholars 1
A Lecture by Shaykh Tawfeq
Masjid Al-Fajr, Indianapolis
June 5th, 2004
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah wa as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Antara sedar atau tidak, tahukah kita bahawa terdapat sesetengah ulama'/scholars dalam realitinya, memilih untuk tidak berkahwin. Dan mereka ini tidak berkahwin seumur hidup mereka.
Adakah ini bermakna mereka ini tidak mengikuti sunnah nabi saw? Ataupun scholars ini hanyalah scholars scholars yang 'kecil' dan tidak terkenal?
Jauh sekali tidak!
Bahkan scholars yang memilih untuk tidak berkahwin ramai dan mereka cukup dikenali oleh ummat Islam dengan kawarakan dan ketinggian ilmu mereka. Antara mereka termasuk Imam Ibnu Taimiyyah dan Imam An-Nawawi rahimahumullah.
Tujuan di sebalik keputusan mereka untuk tidak berkahwin adalah al-eethaar atau al-aathaar, iaitu kerana menitikberatkan kepentingan orang lain (ummah) dari kepentingan diri sendiri. Jika ada skala pemberat antara berkahwin atau menuntut ilmu, nescaya skala kedahagaan menuntut ilmu jauh melebihi skala keinginan untuk berkahwin.
Scholars scholars ini mendevotekan SELURUH kehidupan mereka untuk Allah. Hidup mereka 24 jam sehari, 7 hari seminggu dihabiskan untuk menuntut ilmu, ibadah dan ummah serta tidak meninggalkan sisa sesaat pun untuk diri mereka sendiri.
Dunia memerlukan scholars yang sebegini bagi menyeimbangkan dunia. Mungkin disebabkan scholars sebegini maka diri kita yang dipenuhi kekotoran dan kezaliman ini masih Allah benarkan untuk hidup di muka bumi ini.
Ini natijah dari mereka memilih maslahah 'ammah (kebaikan umum; contohnya benefit for the community), lebih lagi dari maslahah khassah (kebaikan khusus; contohnya benefit untuk diri sendiri dan keluarga).
Di dalam satu hadith, rasulullah saw pernah mengatakan mengenai anak anak, Hasan dan Husin, cucu kesayangan baginda saw dengan katanya yang lebih kurang membawa maksud: Sesungguhnya kamu ini membawa kepada kebakhilan, membawa kepada sikap pengecut, dan membawa kepada kejahilan, dan kamu adalah wangian dari wangian syurga.
Umar ra dalam kata kata yang famous mengatakan: "Tafaqqahuu qabla an tusawwaduu" yang secara literalnya membawa maksud: menjadi faqih lah kamu sebelum kamu mengambil tanggungjawab. Antara kata asal bagi tasawwadu adalah sayyid iaitu menjadi pemimpin. Mengikut Lisan ul-Arab, At-tasawwadu hua an tazawwaju, iaitu at-tasawwadu membawa maksud perkahwinan.
Dengan kata lain, jika kamu ingin menjadi faqih maka lakukanlah sebelum memperolehi anak. Kerana tatkala mulanya mempunyai anak maka seribu satu permasalahan dan halangan akan mula timbul. Spertimana Sufyan At-Thawri rahimahullah pernah mengatakan: Permulaan adanya anak adalah seperti kita melayari bahtera di lautan.
Nama nama scholars yang bakal disebutkan di bawah, untuk rujukan lanjut boleh didapati kisah dan biografi mereka di sekurang kurang nya salah satu buku berikut:
1. Tazkirah ul-Huffaz oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
2. Siyar A'laam un-Nubala' juga oleh Imam Az-Zahabi rahimahullah
3. A'laam ul-Muqi'een oleh Imam Ibnu Qayyim rahmatullahi 'alayh
4. At-Taareekh oleh Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi rahimahullah
Di bawah adalah antara ulama' yang tidak berkahwin seumur hidup mereka:
Imam Ibnu Zaid An-Nisaiburi rA
Peribadi ulama' ini merupakan ensiklopedia berjalan pada zamannya. Tidak keterlaluan untuk zaman moden ini dikatakan setaraf dengan enjin pencarian google di zaman ini. Menghabiskan hampir seluruh hidupnya dengan menuntut ilmu, dan selepas 40 atau 50 tahun baru beliau mengendalikan halaqah atau kelas ilmunya yang pertama.
Antara keperibadiannya yang begitu menonjol adalah selama 40 tahun dalam kembaranya mencari ilmu Allah swt, beliau tidak pernah tidur malam. Dan menjadi lumrah baginya, makanan hariannya hanyalah 4 biji badam sehari. Bukan itu sahaja, bahkan seringkali dalam masa 40 tahun ini, beliau akan menggunakan tidak lebih dari satu wudhu' dari fajar/subuh sehingga ke isha'.
Dan yang menjadikan ia lebih menarik, kesemua aktivti di atas hanya dapat beliau amalkan sebelum berkahwin.
Ma'mar Ibn Rashid Al-Basri rA
Antara sifatnya yang terkenal adalah beliau tidak pernah berhenti mengembara dalam mencari ilmu Allah swt. Dari satu tempat ke satu tempat ia jelajahi tanpa henti, bertahun tahun lamanya ini menjadi kegiatan beliau.
Suatu hari, bermeseyuaratlah rakyat di sebuah bandar yang bakal dilalui oleh Ibn Rashid, bagaimana mahu menghentikan Ibn Rashid rA dari mengembara, agar dengannya dapat mereka memakan buah ilmu yang dipunyai oleh beliau.
Setelah nekad, mereka mengambil langkah untuk mengahwinkan beliau .. maka terhentilah pengembaraan beliau yang bertahun lamanya di bandar tersebut.
(bersambung..)
Monday, June 07, 2004
Anjing 1
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah was as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Kisah pemuda Ashabul Kahfi (sahabat sahabat gua) yang hidup di zaman 350 AD cukup terkenal dan tersemat di sanubari pemuda pemudi Islam. Pelbagai pengajaran yang boleh digarap dari kisah mereka.
Salah satu pengajaran yang menarik, dapat diteliti semasa Allah swt berfirman:
"(Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth,- doubtfully guessing at the unknown; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say thou: "My Lord knoweth best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)." Enter not, therefore, into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear, nor consult any of them about (the affair of) the Sleepers." (18:22)
Seseorang yang benar benar mentadabburi ayat di atas tentu tidak dapat menyembunyikan rasa kehairanan yang teramat apabila memerhatikan bahawa Allah swt menyebut frasa "dan anjing mereka" sehingga 3 kali.
Cuba kita perhatikan semula:
- Dan sesetengah mereka katakan bahawa mereka bertiga, dan yang keempat anjing mereka.
- Dan sesetengah mereka katakan bahawa mereka berlima, dan yang keenam anjing mereka.
- Dan sesetengah mereka katakan bahawa mereka bertujuh, dan yang kelapan anjing mereka.
Sebab apa perlu juga disebutkan "dan anjing mereka"? Sedangkan umum tahu bahawa pada kebiasaannya seekor anjing tidak membawa signifikasi dan tidak bernilai untuk dicatatkan.
Namun anjing ini mendapat penghargaan yang tidak ternilai apabila kewujudannya termaktub di dalam kalam Allah yang dimuliakan. Kata kata Allah yang darinya manusia disuruh mengambil pengajaran dan dijadikan sebagai panduan.
Dan tentunya Allah swt tidak membuat sesuatu dengan sia sia.
Bagaimana dan kenapa anjing ini begitu dimuliakan? Adakah kerena ia telah menggigit dan melawan penjahat? Tidak. Adakah kerana ia menyalak dan menjaga mereka dari bahaya? Juga tidak. Jadi apakah hikmah di sebaliknya?
Jawapannya:
Sesetengah ulama' rahimahullah menyatakan bahawa hikmah yang boleh diperolehi di sini ialah anjing tersebut mendapat tashreef dan dimuliakan di sisi Allah swt, sebab utamanya adalah kerana ia mendampingi orang orang yang soleh. Hanya kerana kebersamaannya dengan orang orang yang soleh maka kewujudannya diiktiraf oleh Allah swt di dalam Al-Qur'an. [Imam Ibnu Katheer rahimahullah adalah antara ulama' yang secara explicit menyebutkan pengajaran ini dalam kitab tafsirnya]
Tadabburkan lah pengajaran di atas!
Bak kata Imam As-Shafi'e rahimahullah yang lebih kurang maksudnya : Aku suka untuk berdamping dengan orang orang yang soleh, dan aku bukan lah dari mereka (orang orang soleh). Aku berharap agar pendampinganku bersama mereka dapat menjadi shafa'at buatku di akhirat kelak.
Renungkan secara mendalam, jika tidak mahu berada dalam kerugian. Allahu a'lam.
Anjing 2
Bukti akan kepentingan ilmu terserlah dalam perihal anjing. Bagaimana Allah swt mengharamkan bagi kita memakan haiwan yang telah dibunuh oleh binatang lain termasuk anjing (biasa), namun Allah swt menghalalkan bagi kita memakan haiwan yang telah digigit oleh anjing buruan kita.
Apakah yang membezakan seekor anjing biasa dan seekor anjing buruan? Garis bezanya hanyalah kerana ilmu. Hanyalah kerana ilmu. Hanyalah kerana ilmu.
Wa Allahu al-Musta'an.
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah was as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Kisah pemuda Ashabul Kahfi (sahabat sahabat gua) yang hidup di zaman 350 AD cukup terkenal dan tersemat di sanubari pemuda pemudi Islam. Pelbagai pengajaran yang boleh digarap dari kisah mereka.
Salah satu pengajaran yang menarik, dapat diteliti semasa Allah swt berfirman:
"(Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth,- doubtfully guessing at the unknown; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say thou: "My Lord knoweth best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)." Enter not, therefore, into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear, nor consult any of them about (the affair of) the Sleepers." (18:22)
Seseorang yang benar benar mentadabburi ayat di atas tentu tidak dapat menyembunyikan rasa kehairanan yang teramat apabila memerhatikan bahawa Allah swt menyebut frasa "dan anjing mereka" sehingga 3 kali.
Cuba kita perhatikan semula:
- Dan sesetengah mereka katakan bahawa mereka bertiga, dan yang keempat anjing mereka.
- Dan sesetengah mereka katakan bahawa mereka berlima, dan yang keenam anjing mereka.
- Dan sesetengah mereka katakan bahawa mereka bertujuh, dan yang kelapan anjing mereka.
Sebab apa perlu juga disebutkan "dan anjing mereka"? Sedangkan umum tahu bahawa pada kebiasaannya seekor anjing tidak membawa signifikasi dan tidak bernilai untuk dicatatkan.
Namun anjing ini mendapat penghargaan yang tidak ternilai apabila kewujudannya termaktub di dalam kalam Allah yang dimuliakan. Kata kata Allah yang darinya manusia disuruh mengambil pengajaran dan dijadikan sebagai panduan.
Dan tentunya Allah swt tidak membuat sesuatu dengan sia sia.
Bagaimana dan kenapa anjing ini begitu dimuliakan? Adakah kerena ia telah menggigit dan melawan penjahat? Tidak. Adakah kerana ia menyalak dan menjaga mereka dari bahaya? Juga tidak. Jadi apakah hikmah di sebaliknya?
Jawapannya:
Sesetengah ulama' rahimahullah menyatakan bahawa hikmah yang boleh diperolehi di sini ialah anjing tersebut mendapat tashreef dan dimuliakan di sisi Allah swt, sebab utamanya adalah kerana ia mendampingi orang orang yang soleh. Hanya kerana kebersamaannya dengan orang orang yang soleh maka kewujudannya diiktiraf oleh Allah swt di dalam Al-Qur'an. [Imam Ibnu Katheer rahimahullah adalah antara ulama' yang secara explicit menyebutkan pengajaran ini dalam kitab tafsirnya]
Tadabburkan lah pengajaran di atas!
Bak kata Imam As-Shafi'e rahimahullah yang lebih kurang maksudnya : Aku suka untuk berdamping dengan orang orang yang soleh, dan aku bukan lah dari mereka (orang orang soleh). Aku berharap agar pendampinganku bersama mereka dapat menjadi shafa'at buatku di akhirat kelak.
Renungkan secara mendalam, jika tidak mahu berada dalam kerugian. Allahu a'lam.
Anjing 2
Bukti akan kepentingan ilmu terserlah dalam perihal anjing. Bagaimana Allah swt mengharamkan bagi kita memakan haiwan yang telah dibunuh oleh binatang lain termasuk anjing (biasa), namun Allah swt menghalalkan bagi kita memakan haiwan yang telah digigit oleh anjing buruan kita.
Apakah yang membezakan seekor anjing biasa dan seekor anjing buruan? Garis bezanya hanyalah kerana ilmu. Hanyalah kerana ilmu. Hanyalah kerana ilmu.
Wa Allahu al-Musta'an.
Friday, June 04, 2004
Where Are You?
[Read this s l o w l y - with CONCENTRATION and with CAUTION!]
* It would help if you read the writings below ALOUD
Now try and take a deep breath and relax.
You are not relaxing. Take a deep breath again - slowly.
Relax. Feel the muscles in your body relaxing and easening out.
You have just read a sentence contained of a combination-of-words.
Words which are consisted of a group of l-e-t-t-e-r-s.
Your eye balls are moving from left to right - moving with the flow of this sentence.
Left...................................to...................................RIGHT.
Left...................................to...................................RIGHT.
Left...................................to...................................RIGHT.
Light is entering your eyes, neuro-signals are being sent to your brain to understand this writing.
Neuro-signals are again sent to your eye-balls.
Concentrate on your eyelids - they are moving - they are blinking in a random manner.
Blink.
Where are YOU?
Are you INSIDE your head?
Suddenly you notice that you are breathing.
Tarik Nafas.
Hembus Nafas.
Your chest is moving up and down.
Where are YOU?
Are you INSIDE your chest?
Now,
Try and HEAR really hard.
Could you hear that humming sound coming from the computer fan?
Your ears are concentrating and focusing to hear the sound.
Where are you right now?
Are you back INSIDE your head?
Now,
Try and scroll down.
Your hands and fingers are MOVING!
Where are YOU right now?
Are you INSIDE your hands?
Now,
Have you ever noticed?
You are TRAPPED inside a temporal body.
[Read this s l o w l y - with CONCENTRATION and with CAUTION!]
* It would help if you read the writings below ALOUD
Now try and take a deep breath and relax.
You are not relaxing. Take a deep breath again - slowly.
Relax. Feel the muscles in your body relaxing and easening out.
You have just read a sentence contained of a combination-of-words.
Words which are consisted of a group of l-e-t-t-e-r-s.
Your eye balls are moving from left to right - moving with the flow of this sentence.
Left...................................to...................................RIGHT.
Left...................................to...................................RIGHT.
Left...................................to...................................RIGHT.
Light is entering your eyes, neuro-signals are being sent to your brain to understand this writing.
Neuro-signals are again sent to your eye-balls.
Concentrate on your eyelids - they are moving - they are blinking in a random manner.
Blink.
Where are YOU?
Are you INSIDE your head?
Suddenly you notice that you are breathing.
Tarik Nafas.
Hembus Nafas.
Your chest is moving up and down.
Where are YOU?
Are you INSIDE your chest?
Now,
Try and HEAR really hard.
Could you hear that humming sound coming from the computer fan?
Your ears are concentrating and focusing to hear the sound.
Where are you right now?
Are you back INSIDE your head?
Now,
Try and scroll down.
Your hands and fingers are MOVING!
Where are YOU right now?
Are you INSIDE your hands?
Now,
Have you ever noticed?
You are TRAPPED inside a temporal body.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Human Beings and Water
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah was as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
In Tibb un-Nabawi (Zad ul-Ma'ad) by Imam Ibn Qayyim it is opined that human being is created from three main source of elements namely water, air and earth.
It's interesting to note that the element of earth without water, is an extremely dry and hard substance. It is easily shattered and breakable. Whereas humans are 70% water. Humans are not meant to be dry and hard hearted. A dry tongue is unable to taste the sweetness of food, as of a dry heart is unable to taste the sweetness of love, rahmah and eemaan. Eyes that are dry from overflowing tears are void of compassion.
With water and the abundance of rain, earth that is dead and barren is brought back to life . Without water, human beings are nearing its precinct of death. Do not become dry and hard - please, have emotions.
Allahu a'lam.
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah was as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
In Tibb un-Nabawi (Zad ul-Ma'ad) by Imam Ibn Qayyim it is opined that human being is created from three main source of elements namely water, air and earth.
It's interesting to note that the element of earth without water, is an extremely dry and hard substance. It is easily shattered and breakable. Whereas humans are 70% water. Humans are not meant to be dry and hard hearted. A dry tongue is unable to taste the sweetness of food, as of a dry heart is unable to taste the sweetness of love, rahmah and eemaan. Eyes that are dry from overflowing tears are void of compassion.
With water and the abundance of rain, earth that is dead and barren is brought back to life . Without water, human beings are nearing its precinct of death. Do not become dry and hard - please, have emotions.
Allahu a'lam.
Cross Culture?
Talk about inter-cultural-marriages :)
Ad 1
Ad 2
Ad 3
Ad 4
http://www.islamiclabels.com/pics/
Talk about inter-cultural-marriages :)
Ad 1
Ad 2
Ad 3
Ad 4
http://www.islamiclabels.com/pics/
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Unrecognized Patterns
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah was as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Most people have the view that the Qur'an is not arranged in a recognizable pattern. This is only caused by the factor of their limited sight, clouded heart and lack of understanding. The similitude is of a lay person who views the bright shining stars during the night and unable to see their magnificent patterns. Humanity has taken hundreds if not thousands of years to understand the design patterns of the skies and universe. The beautiful architecture lay out of the Qur'an - only people with insight and understanding would comprehend.
Allahu a'lam.
Bismillah wa alhamdu lillah allazi laa ilaaha siwaah was as-solaatu wa as-salaamu 'ala rasulillah
Most people have the view that the Qur'an is not arranged in a recognizable pattern. This is only caused by the factor of their limited sight, clouded heart and lack of understanding. The similitude is of a lay person who views the bright shining stars during the night and unable to see their magnificent patterns. Humanity has taken hundreds if not thousands of years to understand the design patterns of the skies and universe. The beautiful architecture lay out of the Qur'an - only people with insight and understanding would comprehend.
Allahu a'lam.
Viewpoint: What the West can learn from Islam
By Imam Hamza Yusuf
Director of Zaytuna Institute, CA
Hamza Yusuf Hanson is an American convert to Islam. He is an outspoken advocate of better understanding between the Muslim world and the West.
Writing in the third century, the Arab poet Mutanabbi describes how a recipient of another's largesse will usually respond with either indebtedness or resentment :
'A generous soul is bought when it receives, a vile one returns good done with disease.'
Your response to another's good toward you determines your nature.
If good in nature, you will respond with indebtedness and respect; if vile, with resentment and envy.
Many of us in the West feel anger and resentment toward Islam and Muslims.
Often this is justified in our minds by the anger and resentment Muslims appear to have toward the West.
'Abstractions'
But what is largely at work is what is properly termed "the fallacy of personification," in which an abstract is referred to as though it were a person.
For instance, in the Muslim world one can hear cries of "Death to America!", but what is America? What is the UK?
It is impossible for us to really pin down the concept of America or the West and point to either of them; they are abstractions that do not have any real existence.
Is the America, that perhaps much of the Muslim world would like to see die, the 63-year-old schoolteacher from Florida who, just prior to the air bombardment of Baghdad and against her country's laws, flew to Iraq to serve as a human shield in protest of what "America" was doing?
What too is Islam or Muslims? Is there some monolithic entity we can point to and say, "There it is!"? Is Islam Muhammad Ali, one of the most loved and recognized athletes in the world?
It might behove us to learn more about this religion and its followers, especially considering the fact that we are talking about one sixth of humanity and a people who occupy a geographical area that extends from Asia to Africa latitudinally, and from Russia to South Africa longitudinally, not to mention the over 30 million Muslims living in the West.
In America alone, for example, there are over 15,000 Muslim physicians.
David Letterman, the American comedian, could say on national television, "I went to my doctor today and he said, 'Turn to Mecca and cough'" because millions of Americans would easily get the joke.
Interdependence
Our world is increasingly interdependent and pluralistic, and in order to ensure a civil future, we must get to know one another.
One of the most important ways to do this is to know what our different cultures have given to the world community.
All peoples have contributed to the overall progress and enhancement of human life.
To be aware of others' accomplishments and the indebtedness we have to so many people is to appreciate and begin to respect all members of the human family.
In a time when enmity and hatred are being exploited for personal and collective agendas, nothing is more important than eliminating the ground of hatred, and ignorance has always been the most fertile soil for the seeds of hatred.
In the case of Islam, this is especially true, and it is important that we reduce the unfortunate level of ignorance that presently exists in the West toward Islam as a religion and Muslims as a diverse people if we are to prevent hatred.
Understanding Islam
Western people can increase their understanding of Islam and Muslims in two ways.
First, we can find out about the almost unbelievable influence that Muslims have had on the progress and enhancement of life in the West.
In doing so, we will not only come to value the Muslims as a people more, but we will also come to esteem other peoples, such as the Chinese, from whom the Muslims brought so many inventions and goods to the West.
The second way we can foster better understanding is learning how Islam and Muslims can contribute to solving the very real problems of the present and future.
Prince Charles, for instance, made a pertinent point in a speech to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies when he remarked that the West must learn from Islam how to integrate science and religion, an area at which the Muslims have historically proved adept.
Indeed, there is much the West can learn from the congruity of science and true religion so often mentioned in the Koran itself.
Moral obligations
The West can also learn from Islam how to deal with the problem of race.
Arnold Toynbee mentions in a prescient and compelling essay written in the 1940's the extraordinary success Islam had in remedying the race problem and declared that the West had a great deal to learn from Islam.
He felt the danger of a race war was quite imminent in the world, and seeing the possibility of that war being launched in Muslim lands against the conquering West, he felt it was important to conciliate Islam and acknowledge the immense power it has had in freeing a large part of the world's population from segregation and exploitation by recognizing and affirming the brotherhood of the "children of Adam and Eve."
The Koran declares, "We have made you a plurality of races and tribes for you to know each other."
If we reflect on the animosities that exist today as a result of ignorance and stereotyping of other people, it is easy to recognize that "knowing one another" is one of the most pressing moral obligations challenging humanity today.
Martin Luther King said, "If we don't live as brothers, we will die as fools."
The human family is a great one and the Muslim branch is certainly worth knowing.
By Imam Hamza Yusuf
Director of Zaytuna Institute, CA
Hamza Yusuf Hanson is an American convert to Islam. He is an outspoken advocate of better understanding between the Muslim world and the West.
Writing in the third century, the Arab poet Mutanabbi describes how a recipient of another's largesse will usually respond with either indebtedness or resentment :
'A generous soul is bought when it receives, a vile one returns good done with disease.'
Your response to another's good toward you determines your nature.
If good in nature, you will respond with indebtedness and respect; if vile, with resentment and envy.
Many of us in the West feel anger and resentment toward Islam and Muslims.
Often this is justified in our minds by the anger and resentment Muslims appear to have toward the West.
'Abstractions'
But what is largely at work is what is properly termed "the fallacy of personification," in which an abstract is referred to as though it were a person.
For instance, in the Muslim world one can hear cries of "Death to America!", but what is America? What is the UK?
It is impossible for us to really pin down the concept of America or the West and point to either of them; they are abstractions that do not have any real existence.
Is the America, that perhaps much of the Muslim world would like to see die, the 63-year-old schoolteacher from Florida who, just prior to the air bombardment of Baghdad and against her country's laws, flew to Iraq to serve as a human shield in protest of what "America" was doing?
What too is Islam or Muslims? Is there some monolithic entity we can point to and say, "There it is!"? Is Islam Muhammad Ali, one of the most loved and recognized athletes in the world?
It might behove us to learn more about this religion and its followers, especially considering the fact that we are talking about one sixth of humanity and a people who occupy a geographical area that extends from Asia to Africa latitudinally, and from Russia to South Africa longitudinally, not to mention the over 30 million Muslims living in the West.
In America alone, for example, there are over 15,000 Muslim physicians.
David Letterman, the American comedian, could say on national television, "I went to my doctor today and he said, 'Turn to Mecca and cough'" because millions of Americans would easily get the joke.
Interdependence
Our world is increasingly interdependent and pluralistic, and in order to ensure a civil future, we must get to know one another.
One of the most important ways to do this is to know what our different cultures have given to the world community.
All peoples have contributed to the overall progress and enhancement of human life.
To be aware of others' accomplishments and the indebtedness we have to so many people is to appreciate and begin to respect all members of the human family.
In a time when enmity and hatred are being exploited for personal and collective agendas, nothing is more important than eliminating the ground of hatred, and ignorance has always been the most fertile soil for the seeds of hatred.
In the case of Islam, this is especially true, and it is important that we reduce the unfortunate level of ignorance that presently exists in the West toward Islam as a religion and Muslims as a diverse people if we are to prevent hatred.
Understanding Islam
Western people can increase their understanding of Islam and Muslims in two ways.
First, we can find out about the almost unbelievable influence that Muslims have had on the progress and enhancement of life in the West.
In doing so, we will not only come to value the Muslims as a people more, but we will also come to esteem other peoples, such as the Chinese, from whom the Muslims brought so many inventions and goods to the West.
The second way we can foster better understanding is learning how Islam and Muslims can contribute to solving the very real problems of the present and future.
Prince Charles, for instance, made a pertinent point in a speech to the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies when he remarked that the West must learn from Islam how to integrate science and religion, an area at which the Muslims have historically proved adept.
Indeed, there is much the West can learn from the congruity of science and true religion so often mentioned in the Koran itself.
Moral obligations
The West can also learn from Islam how to deal with the problem of race.
Arnold Toynbee mentions in a prescient and compelling essay written in the 1940's the extraordinary success Islam had in remedying the race problem and declared that the West had a great deal to learn from Islam.
He felt the danger of a race war was quite imminent in the world, and seeing the possibility of that war being launched in Muslim lands against the conquering West, he felt it was important to conciliate Islam and acknowledge the immense power it has had in freeing a large part of the world's population from segregation and exploitation by recognizing and affirming the brotherhood of the "children of Adam and Eve."
The Koran declares, "We have made you a plurality of races and tribes for you to know each other."
If we reflect on the animosities that exist today as a result of ignorance and stereotyping of other people, it is easy to recognize that "knowing one another" is one of the most pressing moral obligations challenging humanity today.
Martin Luther King said, "If we don't live as brothers, we will die as fools."
The human family is a great one and the Muslim branch is certainly worth knowing.