Election time: The truth in voting PAS...

*********************** In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ********************* Reflection ******************** The Declining Day (Al-'Asr) 1. By the declining day, 2. Lo! Man is in a state of loss, 3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. ************************ "Of course nasty things will be said by candidates against their opponents, the Opposition as a whole and the Government, but that makes the election more lively. ************************** "I heard a story about what happened in Kelantan. At the funeral of a local Umno leader, there was a huge turnout of PAS members - much to the surprise of Umno men. *********************** "After the grave had been filled and the funeral service (talkin) had been read, the mourners poured water on the newly-covered grave. Smoke came out of the grave to the astonishment of everybody. People panicked. ************************************ "PAS members quickly passed the word that the dead Umno man was being roasted in the fires of hell, and that would be the lot of every Umno man or Umno supporters who dies. ************************* "After the people left, Umno members examined the fresly-dug earth. They found some chemicals which would emit smoke when water was sprinkled on it. ************************ "How true the story is, I can't say. According to PAS, only people who vote for PAS will find peace in heaven." - Tunku Abdul Rahman in his book 'Something to Remember' (Eastern Universities Press Sdn Bhd) under the topic 'Where Barisan's Toughest Battle will be Fought' (page 181) *********************** According to PAS, only people who vote for PAS will find peace in heaven, so wrote the Tunku. Until this day when the 13th general election is around the corner, many Umno leaders still hold on to this false general statement. **************************** We must acknowledge that Islam is not only for the Malays or PAS members. If we hold to this statement, then Muslims in other countries for example in Saudi Arabia and China would not have the chance to enter Paradise because they have not voted PAS not even once in their life-time. ************************** So what is actually PAS struggling for? I lend my ears to the words of wisdom from top PAS leaders such as its 'Mursyidul Am' (Spiritual Leader), 'Tok Guru' (Beloved Teacher) Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat. *************************** The Tok Guru said Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had brought the words of God and before him there was a line of prophets from Adam to Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Daud (David), Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus). They were the main prophets from more than 124,000 prophets, all inviting mankind to the path of true peace and obedience to one true God. ********************************* The main prophets too had the ‘kitab’ (books of Allah) with the al-Qur’an which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad as the final guidance to mankind until ‘kiamat’ (end of the world). **************************** The Tok Guru stressed that human beings are weak and unknowledgeable so they had to depend on Allah SWT who at His mercy sent prophets and His books as their guidance. He said the job of human beings was to follow and obey Allah SWT instructions contained in the Qur’an and examples shown by the Prophet s.a.w. ******************************** Regarding elections in the country, the tok guru said there were reasons why only citizens aged 21 years and above are eligible to vote. It means only those who have reach ‘akil baligh’ (coming of age, around 15 years old) could have a hand in choosing leaders at constituency, state and federal level. “So only those who have learnt ‘hukum agama’ (religious knowledge) and have the ability to think, could vote.” *************************** “Voters are not children that could be coaxed by giving sweets. They are adults, they are responsible for their deeds – if they do good things they will be rewarded (pahala) and if they do bad things they will be punished (dosa). Regarding these, we must follow Prophet Muhammad’s step in all aspects of life, including politics.” *********************************** The Tok Guru said when Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ‘hijrah’ (migrated) to Madinah, the first step he took was building Masjid Quba’ where all activities including politics were discussed there. “So there’s no separation between religion and politics, contradict to claims by Umno leaders who were in favor of nationalism. ******************************** “Those who are for ‘politik suku, agama suku’ (separating politics from religion) are on the wrong course,” said the Tok Guru. ****************************** He said PAS struggle is to uphold the Prophet’s teaching including in politics. Everyone is answerable to their deeds; even in voting, one is subjected to be rewarded and punished. *************************** “Since our electoral system allowed only citizen of 21 years of age and above to vote, it is our responsibility to make them fully aware of their responsibilities in life where everything they do will be accounted for; they will be rewarded and punished accordingly in the Hereafter. ************************ “So voters are not children that could be coaxed easily by giving them sweets; but Umno-BN treat them just like children, they give them money, projects and pledges,” said the Tok Guru. *********************** Just like what the Tunku was told of a story that he even could not clarified (regarding the smokey grave), nowadays it is common for Umno leaders to make mockery stories on PAS. Some dared to say that PAS stands for ‘Perosak Agama Sendiri’ (Destroyer of Own Religion), 'Parti Ajaran Sesat' (A Deviated Party) and its leaders as ‘Pemimpin Ajaran Sesat’ (Leader of Deviated Sect). *********************** The fact is PAS is constant in its struggle to have the words of Allah implemented in this country. As Muslims we should obeyed all Allah SWT words in the Qur’an. Allah SWT has given us warning on this matter in one Qur’anic verse where He warns us not to become like the Children of Israel who disobey some of Allah SWT’s commandments in the Taurah, as stated in Ayah 85 Surah Al-Baqarah which reads; “…Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful for what ye do.” *************************** In the following verse (Ayah 86 Al-Baqarah), Allah SWT says: “Such are those who buy the life of the world at the price of the Hereafter. Their punishment will not be lightened, neither will they have support.” ************************ Are our lives truly guided by the Qur’an? Or are we good in taking what we think are good to us and ignoring what we feel bad? Regarding this, Allah the Almighty warns in Surah al-Baqarah 2:85, that to accept some part of the Qur’an and to reject some is to reject all of it. There is no room for partial acceptance in your relationship with the Qur’an; there cannot logical be. ***************************** Muslims should have no reservations in implementing all of Allah SWT commands including hudud law and preventing ‘mungkar’ (sins). Having reservation on any of Allah SWT’s commands is a clear violation of our oath, the ‘syahadah’, that we will submit and obey all of Allah SWT’s commands. ************************* So submit to the words of Allah even when one is performing his/her duty as an elector. You would be rewarded by The Almighty (given 'pahala') if you are in His straight path, if you deviated, then you would be punished (burdened with dosa or sin) by Him; so the allegation that "only people who vote for PAS will find peace in heaven" is not refective of the actual situation.