Sunday, November 30, 2014

Menghormati pandangan berbeza kolumnis 'non-Muslim'

***
Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

Renungan
"Dan janganlah kamu menghampiri zina, sesungguhnya zina itu adalah satu perbuatan yang keji dan satu jalan yang jahat yang membawa kerosakan." - Maksud Ayat al-Quran Surah al-Israa': 32
***

SEBAGAI orang diamanahkan menyunting artikel kolumnis di Harakah, tentunya karya penulis 'non-Muslim' iaitu Saudara Lim Hong Siang (Siang Malam), Selena Tay dan MP Kluang, YB Liew Chin Tong (Generasi Reformasi) tidak terlepas daripada 'tatapan saya'.

Ketiga-tiga penulis ini berwibawa, dapat menyampaikan mesej dan maksud melalui artikel masing-masing dengan jelas dan dalam bahasa menarik; cuma tulisan Selena yang biasanya mengutarakan permasalahan sosial dan ekonomi orang awam amat pendek. Selena tekun menulis pada setiap keluaran, namun sekarang timbul tanda tanya di benak saya, kenapa Selena telah berhenti menulis secara mendadak? Mungkinkah beliau sudah berputus asa kerana syor dan pandangannya 'seolah-olah tidak dipedulikan'. Kata orang seperti 'mencurah air ke daun keladi'.

Lim dan Liew kerap membahaskan isu politik dan sosial yang kadang-kadang buah fikiran mereka 'tidak dapat dipersetujui' oleh saya dan mungkin juga oleh pihak lembaga pengarang dan pimpinan parti. Namun atas dasar berfikiran terbuka, artikel Lim dan Liew diterbitkan sepenuhnya tanpa sebarang perubahan kecuali dari segi tatabahasa dan ejaan.

Dalam artikel terbarunya di kolum Siang Malam (Harakah Bilangan 1999, 28-30 November 2014) bertajuk 'Masyarakat kita sedang berubah', Lim ada menyentuh mengenai betapa seorang cikgu Muslimah (lengkap bertudung) tetap selesa dan ceria dalam majlis jamuan perkahwinan seorang bekas anak muridnya sekalipun pada majlis itu ada disediakan arak (majlis itu diadakan di sebuah restoran Cina) bagi menggambarkan wujud toleransi yang hebat di kalangan rakyat pelbagai kaum di negara ini.

Demikian juga Lim menggambarkan betapa indahnya pemandangan seorang makcik tua bertudung yang merelakan kakinya diurut oleh seorang sifu, tukang urut lelaki Cina. Beliau menulis: "Saya cuma tertarik kerana makcik tua ini boleh memilih sifu kaum wanita. Namun, nampaknya dia tidak kisah. Mungkin dia sedar bahawa urut ini untuk tujuan rawatan kesihatan, jadi apa bezanya lelaki dengan wanita?"

Ya, Saudara Lim; ada perbezaan perfahaman antara saudara dan penganut Islam yang taat dalam kedua-dua hal ini; dalam kisah pertama adalah tidak wajar untuk seorang Muslim berada dalam majlis yang ada dihidangkan arak, dan dalam kes kedua Islam amat menjaga batasan aurat dan hubungan lelaki dan wanita. Mungkin ada banyak perkara untuk dituliskan mengenai hal ini tetapi dipersilakan Saudara Lim berusaha mendapatkan maklumat lanjut mengenainya daripada seorang Islam yang arif...

Namun di atas sifat terbuka, pandangan Lim tetap dihormati dan disiarkan untuk tatapan umum. Mungkin sejuta orang membaca dan memikirkan pandangan Saudara Lim tetapi tidak semestinya mereka menerima bulat-bulat dan segera mengambil langkah susulan.

Saudara Lim dan penulis lain juga tidak seharusnya berkecil hati jika pembaca amnya dan kepimpinan parti 'dilihat' seolah-olah tidak memberi 'pot' kepada pandangan mereka. Mereka mesti (belajar) bersabar kerana kebanyakan pandangan mereka tidak mendapat reaksi segera. Hal ini adalah lumrah dalam kehidupan.

Ada pepatah masyhur berbunyi, 'kota Rom tidak dibina dalam masa sehari'. Semuanya memerlukan masa dan kesabaran. Luka tidak akan sembuh dalam sehari tetapi memerlukan seminggu, sebulan, setahun atau mungkin bertahun-tahun. Demikian juga dengan tulisan (atau pandangan) kita, nampaknya seperti tidak berkesan tetapi percayalah 'jika ia permata, ia tetap akan bergemerlapan akhirnya'.

Doa juga, kebanyakannya tidak dimakbulkan oleh Yang Maha Kuasa dengan segera. Ambil iktibar bahawa doa Nabi Musa a.s. untuk kemusnahan Firauan, mengikut sesetengah ulama, hanya berlaku selepas 40 tahun kemudian. Jadi apakah 'kuasa' kita untuk 'menyuruh' orang mengikut syor atau pandangan kita?

Pemimpin termasuk dalam parti datang dan pergi; ada membawa idea bernas dan baru, misalnya seorang pemimpin pernah mengutarakan parti dibuka keahliannya kepada semua tanpa mengira agama dan bangsa tetapi pada zamannya ia ditolak tetapi puluhan tahun kemudian selepas kematiannya barulah pandangannya dapat perhatian - itulah namanya pemimpin mendahului zaman!

Diharapkan Lim. Liew dan Selena serta kolumnis lain adalah mereka yang mendahului zaman, tulisan (termasuklah idea) tetap segar sepanjang zaman; ya satu-satu caranya untuk mencapai ke arah itu ialah hendak kita berada dalam jalan-Nya yang lurus. Didoakan Lim, Liew dan Selena dapat memahami maksud apa yang tersirat ini!

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Ya Allah, ampuni aku kerana aku pun 'liberal'...


DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. 

Renungan

"Orang-orang mukmin, hatinya menjadi tenteram dengan mengingat Allah. Ingatlah hanya dengan mengingati Allah hati menjadi tenteram." (Maksud Ayat 28 Surah Ar-Ra'ad)

SELEPAS mengunjungi Indonesia beberapa kali, pada pendapat dan pemerhatian saya umat Islam negara itu bersifat lebih terbuka daripada masyarakat kita. Ya, mungkin ada kebaikan dan keburukan daripada sifat terbuka ini, terutama pada ketika persoalan 'sekular', 'liberal', 'ekstremis', 'fundamentalis' dan 'wasatiyah' berkumandang kuat dalam masyarakat.

Pada kunjungan terbaru, ketika di Bandung saya sempat solat waktu subuh di Masjid Assa'adah di Jalan Karang Urum dan di sebuah 'musholla' (surau) di Lembah Sakoresmi. Sekalipun terletak di lorong bersebelahan dan begitu hampir, di Masjid Assa'adah subuhnya tiada qunut, sedangkan di surau terbabit ada bacaan qunut malah siap lagi berzikir beramai-ramai sebelum dan selepas solat subuh. Perbezaan ini nyata diterima secara terbuka oleh umat Islam Indonesia.

Bagi kita tentunya asing untuk berzikir beramai-ramai (membaca Subhanallah, Laa Illaha IllAllah, Alhamdulillah dan Allahuakbar) selepas azan subuh menungguh iqamah, tetapi itulah yang saya alami di surau berkenaan. Malah seorang ustaz bergelar doktor memberitahu ada hadis yang menyatakan hal itu, cuma kita saja tidak tahu. Wallahu a'lam.

Pada ketika riuh rendah umat Islam Indonesia berhadapan dengan isu seperti 'Islam sekular' dan 'liberal' malah 'komunis' termasuk hal itu didakwakan ke atas anggota Kabinet Presiden Jokowi, ada perkembangan menarik di sana yang boleh dicontohi oleh umat Islam dan masyarakat 'bisnes' Malaysia.

Apabila saya berkunjung ke gedung-gedung perniagaan yang besar-besar seperti Pacific Place di Jalan Sudirman, Jakarta, saya dapati ternyata mereka menyediakan 'musholla' yang besar dan gah sekali lengkap dengan petugas sepenuh masanya.

'Bilal' musholla Pacific Place, Irfan Muhammad Fathurohman, yang lengkap 'beruniform segak' melayan mesra pengunjung termasuk menghulurkan telekong kepada muslimat sesetengahnya berpakaian 'rugged' dan tak bertudung pun.

Ya, sesetengah wanita ini, solat-solat juga, berpakaian 'rugged', berpakaian 'rugged' juga. Inilah bagi sesetengah pihak, contoh Muslim 'liberal' atau 'sekular', maafkan saya jika teringat akan Sisters in Islam (SIS) di Malaysia apabila 'terserempak' situasi sebegini.

Di Indonesia, 'liberal'nya pada pandangan saya sudah agak ke depan daripada di Malaysia. Tanggal 11 Oktober lalu diadakan kempen 'No Hijab Day' di mana muslimah diseru meninggal atau menanggalkan tudung mereka buat sehari saja. Gerakan ini meminta setiap muslimah berjilbab melepaskan hijabnya. Ya, bukan suatu hal sangat besar, kata mereka, kerana apalah sangat untuk satu hari saja mendedahkan kepala daripada 365 hari dalam setahun!

Kempen 'No Hijab Day' adalah perjuangan golongan liberal agar umat Islam bersikap bebas, tak terikat aturan agama.Sesungguhnya ajakan untuk 'melepaskan' hijab walaupun cuma sehari adalah amat menyesatkan.

Islam bukanlah agama yang memaksa seseorang untuk memeluknya, tetapi orang tersebut sudah Islam, dia wajib tunduk kepada seluruh ajaran Islam. Inilah dinamakan konsisten dalam beragama.

Melepaskan hijab walau sehari adalah menyesatkan...serta merta diri ini terkenang hari perkahwinan saya kira-kira 25 tahun lalu di mana isteri (pengantin perempuan) diminta atau dipaksa untuk membuka tudung supaya boleh 'diperapi' dan 'disandingkan' sebagai 'ratu sehari' yang siap dengan sanggul lintang di kepalanya. Haa, bukan apa-apa, kata orang-orang tua, hanya sehari saja. Hanya sehari saja seumur hidup kamu!

Astagfirullah, bukankah tidak bertudung kepala sehari semasa menjadi pengantin itu adalah menepati kempen 'No Hijab Day'.Ya, terasa begitu banyak dosa diri ini apabila teringat kisah-kisah 'zaman jahiliah' dulu. Saya ingat bukan saya saja melalui 'zaman jahiliah' ini - ramai 'pengantin veteran (lama)' di luar sana pun sama saja, malah dulu ustazah dan budak sekolah agama sekalipun bertudung, menampakkan jambul!

Ya, Allah, Kau ampunkan kami kerana takut-takut kami juga termasuk dalam golongan sesat atau liberal itu. Atau lebih dahsyat lagi kami termasuk dalam golongan sekular - memisahkan agama daripada kehidupan atau mengambil apa yang difikirkan sesuai dan baik daripada al-Quran tetapi menolak apa yang dirasakan pahit.

Subhanallah, 'tak sekularkah' kita apabila baru-baru ini kita putuskan bahawa tidak salah untuk golongan lelaki menyerupai perempuan atau mengenakan pakaian mereka. Ya Allah, Kau ampuni kami kerana kami sudah jauh terpesong; ya Allah, Kau tunjukkilah kami jalan Engkau yang lurus...Amin.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Kenapa sembunyi hakikat rumah di Malaysia sangat mahal?

DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. 

Renungan

"Orang-orang mukmin, hatinya menjadi tenteram dengan mengingat Allah. Ingatlah hanya dengan mengingati Allah hati menjadi tenteram." (Maksud Ayat 28 Surah Ar-Ra'ad)

Bersyukur ke hadrat Allah SWT kita masih dipanjangkan usia maka dapatlah kita memuzakarahkan isu semasa. Kali ini kita memilih mengulas pendedahan sebuah kajian oleh Khazanah (Institut Penyelidikan Khazanah - KRiS) bahawa rumah-rumah di Malaysia berharga berganda lebih mahal daripada kediaman di Singapura hatta di Amerika Syarikat dari segi perbandingan gaji, malangnya pendedahan ini disembunyikan oleh kebanyakan media massa arus perdana Malaysia terutama yang berbahasa Melayu.

Menurut penemuan KRiS dalam bukunya bertajuk 'The State of Households' (Keadaan Isi Rumah) rumah-rumah di Malaysia berharga 5.5 kali ganda daripada pendapatan median tahunan (annual median income), menjadikannya berganda lebih mahal daripada kediaman hatta di Singapura dan Amerika Syarikat. 

Berdasarkan penemuan KRiS itu, didapati kebanyakan isi rumah Malaysia mempunyai simpanan terhad menyebabkan mereka terpaksa membuat pinjaman dan menyertai skim kredit yang mengenakan kadar faedah terlalu tinggi untuk membayar hutang mereka.

Pengarah Urusan KRiS, Dato' Charon Mokhzani dipetik sebagai berkata kediaman di Malaysia adalah mahal pada 5.5 kali pendapatan median tahunan yang angka ini sewajarnya tiga kali ganda.

Sebagai perbandingan, kediaman di Singapura berharga 5.1 peratus daripada pendapatan median tahunan manakala rumah-rumah di Amerika Syarikat berharga 3.5 peratus daripada pendapatan median tahunan.

Kajian oleh KRiS juga menunjukkan rakyat Malaysia kebanyakannya mempunyai simpanan terhad dan mereka ini terdiri daripada pelbagai bangsa.

Ya, KRiS telah mendedahkan bahawa harga rumah di Malaysia adalah melampau tetapi nampaknya isu ini tidak diambil peduli oleh kebanyakan pihak termasuk media massa arus perdana yang sebaliknya memilih isu kononnya harga minyak Malaysia masih rendah dan hal ini menguntungkan orang kaya yang terus menikmati subsidi minyak.

Juga dipaparkan betapa di Indonesia pun, sekalipun sudah memilih Presiden baru, Jokowi, tetapi harga minyak dinaikkan kira-kira 2,000 rupiah seliter atau bersamaan 82 sen.

Bagi kita adalah 'keterlaluan' untuk 'menghebahkan harga minyak Malaysia yang rendah' bersumber daripada Pengarah Urusan KRiS itu sedangkan beliau secara jelas melancarkan buku 'The State of Households'. 

Persoalannya, apa yang hendak disembunyikan daripada 'penyataan terus terang dan berhemah' oleh sebuah institusi berkepentingan kerajaan seperti KRiS bahawa adalah suatu hakikat bahawa rumah-rumah di Malaysia adalah terlalu mahal yang tidak mampu dimiliki oleh sebahagian besar rakyat negara ini.

Pendedahan oleh KRiS mengesahkan rungutan rakyat golongan sederhana dan miskin selama ini bahawa untuk memiliki rumah adalah ibarat mimpi dan jika mereka berjaya pun, ia dilakukan dengan pengorbanan tinggi seperti mereka terbabit dalam membuat pinjaman dan hutang yang tidak mampu diselesaikan sehingga mereka mati!

Bagi kita, menyorokkan pendedahan berdasarkan kajian oleh institusi berkepentingan kerajaan seperti KRiS adalah satu pengkhianatan kepada rakyat yang telah memberi mandat kepada pemerintah melalui pilihan raya umum lalu.

Berdasarkan perkembangan ini, kita berpendapat seluruh masyarakat perlu 'berhijrah' daripada hidup 'dalam kegelapan' yang dipenuhi dalang-dalang kejahatan kepada 'cahaya kebenaran' yang insya-Allah dapat menyinari kehidupan fana di dunia ini membawa kepada kesejahteraan kehidupan di akhirat nanti berdasarkan keredaan-Nya...Amin.

Friday, November 21, 2014

The Indonesians are swarming in Malaysian lands!

***
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

Reflection
"Anyone who obeys the Messenger has obeyed God..." (Nisaa 4:80)
***


LAST Tuesday (11th November), I went to the UNO Building in the Chow Kit area of Kuala Lumpur to meet a friend. After seeing him, I went to the toilet at the far end of the building on level two. Just like the many public toilets in Kuala Lumpur, you have to pay to use it; this toilet charges 30 sen per entry.

What surprised me were two sign boards placed outside both the men and women toilets. At the men’s toilet it was written LELAKILANANGand MEN. At the women’s section it was WANITAWEDOK and LADIES. I understood all the words except for 'lanang' and 'wedok'. Surely both were words from a foreign language...I was curious; what language was that?

I tried to ask two elder ladies who were at their desk work in front of the toilets. At first, they did not respond...one lady only said: "Ngak tau Pak" (I do not know Sir). The other lady giggled and responded: "Itu bahasa Jawa Pak, Jawa Timur" (Its Javanese, Sir, Eastern Javanese).
So the word 'lanang' is for 'men' in Javanese; while 'wedok' is for 'women'. Toilets with their sign boards in Javanese speak volumes about the huge number of Indonesians not only in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur but throughout the country.

As I was back from an Indonesian trip recently, I choose to continue writing about the Indonesians; before I proceed, I would just like to share with readers this little joke while I was in Bandung. One day while on an outing alone, I was desperate looking for a toilet; I rushed to a private school nearby and asked a group of boys who were hanging around, where the 'tandas' (Malay for toilet) was.

They stared at me, giving no answer. Then a boy asked; what's 'tandas'? I was quick to answer; 'toilet' and instantly they pointed their fingers to a 'small building' not far away. Well, what we called 'tandas' in Malaysia, in bahasa Indonesia is 'toilet'. And at some places, they proudly display big bold words TOILET in front of their loos.

Back to the local scene, it was reported recently that there are about 6.7 million foreigners 'swarming' around in the country, the majority of them Indonesian. These foreigners outnumber the citizens of Selangor which stand at 5.8 million while for the whole country, Malaysians total about 30 million.

The 6.7 million foreigners compared to the 30 million of Malaysian citizens were alarming because it looked as though for every four persons, one would be a foreigner. They occupy work in the plantation industry, construction, as maids, work in restaurants and in factories.

It is also disturbing to know that out of the 6.7 million foreigners, only 2.1 percent entered our country with permits while the rest 'crashed' their way in. Why must this be allowed, aren't we having 'the best men in uniform' in the world?

Nowadays the Chow Kit area in Kuala Lumpur is like 'a big' (no more a little) Indonesia. On an underground floor of the UNO Building which I visited, almost all the shops were run by Indonesians. Some were travel agents which were seen very busy arranging flights to and back from many parts of the country and there were food stalls selling Indonesian food.

The atmosphere on that floor 'was very Indonesian' - with visitors and helpers of shops speaking in a thick accent of bahasa Indonesia and sometimes in languages locals would not understand - perhaps they were Javanese or Sundanese.

Outside the UNO Building, shops were run by Indonesian helpers while the majority of stalls were owned by them. The peddlers too were Indonesian, and most shocking was that many of the customers and people who jostled around there were also Indonesian!

Not only around the UNO Building but also the shops on the roads and alleys such as from the PWTC LRT station to Chow Kit employ Indonesian men and women as helpers. Indonesians could be easily recognized from their dressing and accent when talking.

Indonesian newspapers and magazines too are prominently displayed on racks of vendors. Cigarettes from that country too such as 'kretek' are easily available.

During my previous travel to Indonesia such as to Medan and Aceh, some individuals whom I had met told me that Malaysia was a land of plenty and opportunity; the attraction to come to this country was great so they just came in droves, many of them illegally.

Some think the majority of Malaysians were very rich, what more to those who could afford to have a holiday in their country. They were determined to go to Malaysia; and some aimed to be rich once they 'landed' on 'this lucky land' at any cost!

It is a fact that Indonesians are swarming our country including in the kampungs. In my kampung, a few Indonesians have became successful in the fields of their choice such as farming, becoming contractors and even 'ustazs' (religious teachers) and most important of all, they 'have succeeded' in having the hands of our women-folk as their life partners! 

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Giving an impromptu talk at Universitas Komputer Indonesia

***
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.
***

AFTER attending 'solat Jumaat' (Friday prayers) at Masjid Baiturrahman in Jalan Dipatiukur, Bandung, Indonesia on 24th October, 'alhamdulillah' (all praise and thanks be to Allah SWT) I was one lucky guy when the 'khatib' (person who reads the sermon) himself met me, perhaps he 'could sense' that I was a foreigner. 

He introduced himself as Anton, a 'dosen' (lecturer) at Universitas Komputer Indonesia which is a walking distance away from the masjid. Later on I found out that he is Dr Anton Minardi who teaches International Relations and Communication in Universitas Komputer and Universitas Pasundan in Bandung.

In the masjid after exchanging information about ourselves; I told Anton that I was very impressed with his 'khutbah' where he openly criticized the newly installed administration of President Joko Widowo (Jokowi) and 'going further' by saying that "Islam and democracy do not fit" - Islamic political parties had failed to govern successfully any country; for example 'Ikhwanul Muslimin (Islamic Brotherhood) had failed in Egypt while Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) too failed in their bid to take power in Algeria even though they had won the election.

As a solution, Dr Anton in his 'khutbah' said Muslims must look back at how Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. successful transformed 'jahilyah' (barbarian) Arabs into refined people in all aspects of life and with their love for life in the Hereafter compared with pleasures and treasures of life unable them to rule three quarter of the world.

During our discussion at the masjid, Dr Anton once again stressed that the establishment of Islamic political parties that took part in elections as a part of democracy process is not a way out to Muslims problems but he was opened to ideas after I told him I was a member of PAS (an Islamic party in Malaysia) and it fact is a writer of its publication, Harakah.

Dr Anton showed interest in me and asked me to follow him to his room in Universitas Komputer. I thought we would further discussed the issue in his room, but he surprised and caught me off guard when he guided me to a lecture room where some 40 students were waiting in the chairs.

After addressing and explaining some points to his class of International Relations, Dr Anton turned to me, introduced me to his students and said: "Alhamdulillah' we are very lucky today to have a veteran journalist from Malaysia to give us some insight about the political situation in his country; especially regarding the Islamic party. We would also would like to hear from him on international issues pertaining to Muslims worldwide especially regarding contemporary subjects such as on Islamic State (IS) or Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)."

'Subhanallah' (Glory be to God) I was speechless, my throat dried; nevertheless I managed to calm myself and kept on repeating this word in my head: "come on LanH, you could do it, there's nothing to be afraid of."

As I pulled 'for a brave face' in front of the students, my mind 'raced' back to some of my latest article in the English Section of Harakah. Ohh, 'alhamdulillah', it helped me, and I did feel that my confidence was building up in me as I talked that PAS is not a political party but also a 'da'wah' movement; and at the moment it is trying hard to portray the beauty of Islam to 'non-Muslims'. 

I talked that Islam is for all; its is not only a religion for Muslims. I mentioned that in the Qur'an there are 'ayahs' (verses of the Holy Qur'an) which begins with 'ya ayyuhannas' which means 'Oh people' and 'ayahs' beginning with 'ya ayyuhal lazina amanu' that means 'Oh people who believe'. This proved that the Qur'an is sent by Allah SWT for all of mankind, not only for the people during the time of the Prophet and only for Muslims.

Islam is a religion of 'Rahmatan Lil 'Alamin' (blessing to all mankind); in 'Ayah' 107 of Surah al-Anbiya, Allah SWT notes: "We have not sent thee, O Muhammad, but as a mercy to mankind," I said.

Regarding issues pertaining to Muslims worldwide I mentioned that the world community were very concerned about apartheid in South Africa that brought to the end of that 'barbaric way of life' after a multi-race elections was held for the first time in 1994 that spearheaded Nelson Mandela from African National Congress (ANC) into power but the world especially super powers showed no commitment in solving the Palestinians issue.

"In my opinion this is the last apartheid; Palestinian lands should be returned to their rightful owners and Israel should be check by the world community; they must be punished heavily for their brutality in invading and striking Palestinians lands such as in Gaza and the West Bank," I told the students.

I too mentioned that Muslims were not alert and ready to assist fellow Muslims internationally stating for example after the fall of Soviet Union and the independence of of several Islamic republics in Central Asia such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in 1991, they were left to be influenced by the Americans, Koreans and China who set up large business identities such as in oil and gas related industries.

Regarding the IS or ISIS issue, my talk was based to the points that I had raised in my previous article in Harakah entitled 'IS - Two sides of a coin'. I mentioned to the students that it was better for us not to take sides as we have no idea what was going in that part of the world.

"Well, all the reports regarding IS or ISIL that we received were filled in by the foreign press, are we going to belief blindly at anything they write and report?" I asked them.

I reminded the students to study 'Ayah' 6 of Surah 46 or Al-Hujurat (Room) which reads: "O you who have believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with information, investigate; lest you harm a people out of ignorance and become, over what you have done, regretful."

I end my talk by mentioning to the boys and girls a story on how particular was one of our 'imans' regarding facts - Imam Shafie who was on the back of a donkey when asked by a stranger how many legs do the animals have, stepped down and do the counting and only after that said: "It has four legs!" - ES 

Monday, November 17, 2014

Meriahnya Bandung dengan orang Malaysia...

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

Renungan


"Wahai orang yang beriman, kenapa kamu memperkatakan barang yang tidak kamu amalkan." (Maksud ayat 2 Surah Al-Shaf)


PEMERGIAN saya ke Jakarta dan Bandung tempoh hari lalu adalah atas ajakan dan tajaan seseorang. Awalnya tidaklah saya ketahui tujuan ahli kumpulannya; setibanya di sana barulah saya ketahui bahawa mereka sebenarnya gila ber'shopping'. Mereka leka 'shopping' dan 'shopping' - kata orang putih, 'shop till you drop'.

Ya, mungkin itulah tujuan utama kumpulan demi kumpulan 'parivisata' (pelancong) Malaysia yang begitu ramai ke Bandung sama ada melalui melalui penerbangan terus ke Lapangan Terbang (Bandara) Husein Sastranegara di kota itu atau melalui lebuh raya sejauh 120 kilometer menghala ke timur selepas mendarat di Bandara Soekarno-Hatta di Jakarta.

Selepas tahu 'kegilaan' mereka ber'shopping', tidaklah saya kerap mengikuti rombongan itu kecualilah ketika mengunjungi Taman Visata Tangkuban Prahu. Ketika duduk-duduk di sebuah bangku bersama isteri betul-betul menghadap 'Kawah Ratu'  di kemuncak gunung berapi itu, seorang lelaki Sunda, penjual barangan cenderamata yang menggantung barangan jualan di tubuhnya, merapati kami (ahh, potong 'stim' pulak budak ni, fikir saya) dan 'membuka kisah sedih pribumi orang kebanyakan Indonesia' walaupun kami tidak membeli apa-apa daripadanya. Sungguh ramai penjual, mungkin menyamai jumlah pelancong!

"Ya, pak dan ibu, kami sangat suka sekali dengan orang Melayu-Malaysia. Orangnya berbudi bahasa, berlainan sekali dengan pelancong orang putih malah orang Asia lain yang bengis dan kasar menghalau kami yang mencari makan," katanya sedih ketika kami memfokuskan mata melihat dasar Kawah Ratu yang berasap-asap.

Dia terus bercerita dan bercerita - daripada mitos Tangkuban Prahu iaitu kisah Sangkuriang yang jatuh cinta dengan ibunya sendiri, Dayang Sumbi yang cantik jelita. Untuk menggagalkan 'cinta terlarang' itu Sangkuriang diminta membuat sebuah perahu besar; akhirnya Yang Maha Kuasa menelangkupkan perahu itu yang kononnya membentuk Gunung Tangkuban Prahu - kepada nasibnya sekarang.

"Presiden Indonesia sudah bertukar tangan, tapi nasib kami masih macam ini. Semua penjual (cenderamata) di sini bukan menjual barangan sendiri sebaliknya kami ambil daripada pihak tertentu. Kami hanya dibayar komisen saja atas setiap barangan terjual. Hanya penjual ada kartu ini saja boleh berjualan," katanya sambil menunjukkan kad nama lusuh yang tergantung di lehernya.

"Rakyat biasa Indonesia sangat susah," katanya. "Untuk dapat makan pun susah, apatah lagi mahu sekolahkan anak-anak." Lelaki Sunda itu mendakwa persekolahan di Indonesia adalah berbayar demikian juga kos rawatan perubatan yang begitu tinggi.

Namun penjaja itu menjelaskan etniknya bermaruah tinggi. Mengemis-ngemis tiada dalam kamus kehidupan orang Sunda yang dakwanya 100 peratus Muslim. Biar susah bagaimanapun, mereka akan keluar mencari rezeki. Dia sendiri berjalan berpuluh-puluh kilometer dari desanya ke Bandung dan Tangkuban Perahu demi mencari sesuap dua nasi.

Dia juga bercerita betapa ramai orang Sunda sudah ke Malaysia, mencari rezeki, Ditanya kenapa dia tak pergi; katanya kos pembiayaannya tersangat tinggi, dia tidak mampu membayarnya.

Ya, berdasarkan perbualan dengan lelaki Sunda itu tahulah saya 'betapa pentingnya sumbangan' orang Malaysia kepada perkembangan ekonomi di Bandung. Ya, ramai daripada pengunjung dari Malaysia 'bagaikan orang gila' menghamburkan jutaan rupiah mereka (selepas ditukar daripada ringgit) di premis jualan seperti kain, barangan kulit dan aneka barangan seperti di Pasar Baru Trade Centre.

Bagaimana saya tidak mengatakan orang Malaysia ramai di Bandung - di hotel saya berselisih bahu dengan orang Malaysia, demikian juga di tempat beli belah malah di puncak Gunung Tangkuban Prahu! Malah suatu pagi ketika bersarapan di hotel, saya berpeluang 'berceloteh' dengan seorang 'makcik' berusia lebih 70 tahun yang duduk di sebelah saya. Ya, Bandung dikunjungi beramai-ramai oleh orang Malaysia, tidak kira muda atau tua. Selain membeli belah, apa agaknya mereka buru di kota ini yang mereka turut membantu 'ekonominya' pak pengusaha hotel, pengusaha visata dan kedai-kedai?

Berdasarkan perkembangan ini, saya beritahu teman-teman baru Indonesia saya termasuk seorang 'dosen' (pensyarah) universiti, bahawa sebenarnya hubungan orang Indonesia-Malaysia adalah tersangat erat, mereka saling perlu memerlukan. Hal ini berlainan daripada 'kerja gampang' sesetengah pihak yang mahu mengeruhkan hubungan kedua-dua negara seperti 'projek ganyang' Malaysia.

Perihal hubungan baik Malaysia-Indonesia misalnya mahu terus dimantapkan oleh pihak berkuasa Malaysia seperti dilakukan Duta Besar Malaysia, Zaharin Mohamed Hashim (pembaca ingatlah balik siapa tokoh ini) yang menganjurkan Malaysia Day pada 25 Oktober lalu. Acara yang diadakan di Sekolah Islam Terpadu Fajar Hidayah, Kota Wisata, Cibubur, Jakarta itu, bertujuan antara lain mempererat persahabatan, kerja sama serta mempromosi nilai-nilai dan warisan kedua-dua negara. 

Ya, Malaysia-Indonesia adalah negara serumpun dengan rakyat kedua-dua negara saling memanfaatkan antara satu sama lain. Nama Bandung memberi inspirasi kepada rakyat Malaysia mencipta masakan seperti mi atau sirap Bandung, tetapi maaflah pak, mi Bandung tiada di Bandung!

Friday, November 14, 2014

The creative and industrious Indonesian...

***
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.ReflectionThe 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.
***


DURING a trip to Jakarta and Bandung recently, I noticed 'this magic word' on a 'pariwisata' (tourist) bus - 'Manusia wajib ihtiar (in Malay it is spelled 'ikhtiar' which means men must make an effort or endeavour). Yes, everybody must work hard and look for ways out of their problems and shortcomings; what more to those who have set targets and aims in their lives.

That 'magic word' reminded me that in Islam, it is stated that all must be worked for; there is no such thing as a 'short cut' to success in the world, what more in the Hereafter. Remember that knowledge is the gateway to success whether in this world or the Hereafter. It was asked "Oh Messenger of Allah: Who is the most excellent of men? The Messenger of Allah said, 'The believer who strives hard in the way of Allah with his person and property."

Whoso is able and fit and does not work for himself or for others, God is not gracious to him. To his companions, the Prophet s.a.w. said “it is better for any of you to take your rope and bring a bundle of wood upon your back and sell it, in which case God guards your honour, then to beg of people, whether they give or not; if they do not give, your reputation suffers, and you return disappointed; and if they give, it is worse than that; for it makes you be under obligation.”

The Qur'an says: "Scatter over the earth and seek Allah's bounty. Aren't we Allah's vicegerents on earth? (62;10)

Well, back to our Jakarta and Bandung story, Indonesia is a very vast country in the Malay archipelago with more than 18,000 islands; its population is estimated at 250 million. Out of the 18,000 islands, only about 8,000 have been named, with about 900 of those permanently inhabited.

Java where Jakarta and Bandung are situated is the most densely populated; around 58 percent of Indonesia’s population live on this island , making it the most populous island in the world.
Two main groups of people on this island are Javanese and the Sundanese; and it is very interesting to note how creative and industrious these ethnic groups of people are in coping with the ever challenging life.

According to some newly found friends I met during the journey, 100 percent of the Sundanese are Muslims and a very high percentage of the Javanese are Muslims. Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, estimated at about 86 percent of the population.
The two cities which I visited (Jakarta and Bandung) are among the most populous with the former having a population estimated at about 10 million while the later about 2 million.

Based on this background, as an outsider I 'could sense' the people of Jakarta and Bandung have to make use everything that is available and within their reach to sustain their lives. Thus they are very creative and industrious in making end products from 'raw materials' around them.

The first thing that came across my mind to talk about their creativity was about food - they simply could produce 'nice dishes or culinary greats’ from easily available materials such as rice, flour and vegetables. At one 'warung' (stall), its owner, Pak Rom asked me to try 'kupat tahu' (pressed rice, bean sprouts, and tofu with soy). And there was the simple 'nasi timbel' (rice wrapped in banana leaf).

And of course 'tempe' is very popular in this part of the world. Tempe is regarded as a Javanese invention, a local adaptation of soy-based food fermentation and production. At restaurants and shops, they displayed baskets with 'krupuk' (keropok) and once my wife lost interest in buying this 'krupuk' and another type of snack after she was told they were made from the skin of buffaloes and 'belut' or 'linang' (eel).

There too were many stalls selling satay; other than the normal 'sate ayam' (chicken), 'sate kambing' (mutton); some stalls could surprise you as they displayed signboards written with the word, 'sate kerinci' (rabbit) and 'sate biawak' (monitor lizard)! Ooh, that 'surely' put me off in trying any of the satay!

Travelling from the city of Bandung to Gunung Tangkuban Prahu, one could witness how industrious the Indonesians were in making the most out of the available raw materials. Bamboo and rattans were used to make buildings such as stalls and once in a while one would come across furniture shops which made fine rattan chairs and other finished products.

At the entrance of the road to the mountain, some 'industrious' Indonesians were waiting patiently to sell off their 'goods' to you. One fella with a few boxes of masks would come up to you and say: "'Bapak' (Sir), you better buy this mask. The air around the crater of Tangkuban Prahu is high with sulfur. This mask is very cheap here, up there the price is double or triple..."

Reluctantly you buy one, and some for your loved ones; but...'surprise, surprise' there's only a very thin smell of sulfur and after you get used to the surroundings, you do not need any mask - I noticed almost 100 percent of the people there did not put on their masks!

Lastly, I would like to mention about 'kopi luwak' (civet coffee) which is claimed to be the most expensive coffee in the world. I went to the Sawarga Production Site & Cafe Kopi Luwak in Tangkuban Prahu, at first not to taste its coffee but to learn about the process in producing it.

'Kopi luwak' refers to the seeds of coffee berries once they have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet (paradoxurushermaphroditus). The history of 'kopi luwak' speaks volumes about the creativity and industrious people of Indonesia. It is said that in colonial times, the Dutchmen did not allow local farmers to consume the coffee harvested in 'their' plantations so, they collected the beans found on the floor (the civet pooh) and finally realized that the coffee made with them tasted better than the normal one.

The owner of Sawarga Kopi Luwak, Sujud Pribadi himself explained about the 'clean process' of producing the coffee. The process may improve coffee through two mechanisms, selection and digestion. Selection occurs if the civets choose to eat coffee berries containing better beans.

Digestive mechanisms may improve the flavor profile of the coffee beans that have been eaten. The civet eats the berries for the beans' fleshy pulp, then in the digestive tract, fermentation occurs. The civet's Protease enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated with other fecal matter and collected.

The traditional method of collecting feces from wild civets has given way to intensive farming methods in which civets in battery cage systems are force fed the coffee beans. This method of production has raised ethical concerns about the treatment of civets due to 'horrific conditions' including isolation, poor diet, small cages and a high mortality rate.

Sujud claimed that his coffee was from 'wild luwak' and he displayed this slogan at his premise: "No more exploitation! No more given coffee fruits in cage but let them free in the jungle." He also claimed that 'Majelis Agama Islam Indonesia' (The Indonesian Religious Council) had given the status of 'halal' to 'kopi luwak'.

Before coming to the 'kopi luwak' site, I had known about the 'Majelis' approval, therefore I tried a cup of the coffee. It cost me 30,000 rupiah (about RM10). The coffee was thick and tasted bitter; perhaps it was the first and last time I would have 'kopi luwak'.

But from the many notes scribbled on the walls of Sujud’s premises; others had different views about 'kopi luwak' which has been called the most expensive coffee in the world with retail prices reaching US$700 per kilogram. Among others, the notes read:

"Wonderful discovery! Never thought we'll find such a charming place in Bandung with the best guide showing us the whole process in the making of 'kopi luwak' in respecting the animal's welfare. Love the aroma, love the coffee and love the hospitality." - George, Singapore

"Thanks for explaining the process of 'kopi luwak'. One more thing off my bucket list! Great taste of unique experience." - Gill, Scotland

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Tiada erti pemimpin berubah jika rakyat terus susah

DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. 

Renungan

"Orang-orang mukmin, hatinya menjadi tenteram dengan mengingat Allah. Ingatlah hanya dengan mengingati Allah hati menjadi tenteram." (Maksud Ayat 28 Surah Ar-Ra'ad)


Pertukaran pucuk pimpinan di Indonesia menyaksikan regu Joko Widowo (Jokowi)- Jusuf Kalla (JK) mengambil alih kuasa daripada pasangan Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) - Boediono yang telah berkuasa selama 10 tahun.

Di Indonesia, selepas tumbangnya rejim Suharto berikutan kebangkitan rakyat pada 1998, kebebasan bersuara termasuklah media massa dan di rapat-rapat umum amat jelas sekali. Rakyat bebas mengkritik pemerintah dan pemimpin dan berdasarkan perkembangan mutakhir yang menyaksikan Jokowi-JK berada di puncak kuasa, media massa begitu keras mengingatkan pemimpin bahawa tidak guna pemimpin saja berubah tetapi nasib rakyat tetap sama - tidak berubah, miskin di dalam sebuah negara yang mewah sumber alamnya.

Akhbar 'Pikiran Rakyat' tanggal 23 Oktober, misalnya, dalam sebuah artikel utamanya mengingatkan: "Para pemimpin yang baru terpilih...jangan hanya 'bisa' membuat program kerja baru, tapi 'bisa' melaksanakannya." Rakyat sudah muak dengan janji-janji, mereka mahu menikmati hasil daripada program dan projek kerajaan tetapi hal itu tidak berlaku - kehidupan mereka masih sama seperti dulu sekalipun pemimpin sudah acap kali berubah.

Sekalipun Presiden kali ini (Jokowi) digambarkan sebagai 'sangat mesra rakyat' malah sebuah majalah heboh bercerita si tukang kayu akhirnya menjadi Presiden, rakyat bawahan Indonesia nampaknya tidaklah gembira sangat malah mengingatkan bahawa "kebanyakan pemimpin tetap sama, belum dapat kuasa banyaklah janji dan pameran kebaikannya tetapi selepas itu janji tinggal janji..." Ya, tiada sebab untuk rakyat gembira kerana harga minyak di Indonesia telah dinaikkan malah dilaporkan tarif listrik (elektrik) juga akan dinaikkan tidak lama lagi.

Ada satu lawak di Indonesia, bahawa harga minyak, barangan dan tarif tidak dinaikkan; perkataan yang mereka gunakan adalah 'harganya berubah'. Ini mungkin menyamai tindakan pihak berkuasa Malaysia yang menggunakan istilah 'rasionalisasi subsidi' bagi mengabui mata rakyat. Ada satu berita 'menggembirakan' bagi pelancong (parivisata) iaitu tiket untuk ke Gunung Tangkuban Prahu di Bandung 'berubah harga' daripada 75,000 rupiah kepada 300,000 rupiah mulai 1 November 2014!

Bagi kita, negara wujud kerana adanya pemimpin dan rakyat. Negara tidak mungkin wujud jika ada kerajaan tetapi tiada rakyat, dan begitu sebaliknya jika ada rakyat tetapi tiada kerajaan. Jadi wajiblah pemerintah 'menyantuni' (berbuat baik) kepada rakyat, malangnya yang kerap digembar-gemburkan bahawa rakyat hendaklah taat kepada pemimpin.

Semua orang atau pihak mempunyai pandangan mereka mengenai pemimpin, tetapi kata mutlak atau pemutusnya adalah apa yang ditentukan oleh Allah SWT melalui kitab dan rasul-Nya, Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. Berhubung soal pemimpin ini ada hadis bermaksud: "Setiap daripada kamu adalah pemimpin dan setiap daripada kamu bertanggungjawab ke atas sesiapa yang dipimpinnya maka seseorang ketua adalah pemimpin dan dia bertanggungjawab terhadap rakyatnya." 

Pemimpin yang adil dijanjikan oleh Allah SWT dengan balasan yang baik, mendapat naungan Allah SWT pada hari Pembalasan nanti. Imam Al-Bukhari telah meriwayatkan daripada Abu Hurairah r.a. bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda yang bermaksud bahawa salah satu golongan yang mendapat naungan Allah SWT pada hari akhirat nanti ialah pemerintah yang adil

Ya, pemimpin yang adil itulah yang didambakan oleh seluruh rakyat. Dia dijanjikan naungan Allah SWT di akhirat nanti; di dunia ini dia menaungi seluruh rakyatnya, bukan kelompok tertentu atau orang yang menyokong atau mengundinya saja. Namun hal inilah yang memerangkap ramai pemimpin, ia tidak berkecuali kepada Presiden Jokowi yang dibidas media massa kerana 'diperlukan' memberi ruang kepada tokoh tertentu sebagai 'rasa terhutang budi', misalnya beliau melantik Puan Maharani, Ketua Bidang Politik PDI-P sebagai menteri penyelaras pembangunan manusia dan kebudayaan sedangkan kemampuan dan cara hidupnya diragui!

Friday, November 7, 2014

Jangan 'bisa' buat program tapi 'bisa' laksanakannya...


DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan mulia Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. 

Renungan

"Apabila kamu musafir di bumi ini, maka tidak merupakan dosa atas kamu mengqasar solat jika kamu takut akan fitnah orang-orang kafir." (Maksud ayat 101 Surah An-Nisa')


JAKARTA, malah hampir seluruh pulau Jawa panas membahang. Musim kemarau melanda bahagian Indonesia ini. Menurut imam sebuah 'musholla' (surau) di Bandung yang baru penulis kenali, Pak Rom, tiada hujan lebat di kawasannya sejak Aidilfitri lalu. Subhanallah, sudah tiga bulan. Sawah bendang sudah gersang, bukan saja manusia menderita, binatang pun kegelisahan malah mati.

Sedekah air - solusi darurat kekeringan -  demikian ditulis pada sebuah iklan besar akhbar Republika (Khamis, 23 Oktober) merayu orang ramai membantu 'rawan pangan' (mangsa kemarau). Wakil Gabenor Gorontalo, salah sebuah kawasan dilanda 'paceklik' (kemarau), dipetik sebagai berkata: "Pemerintah harus segera berbuat untuk meminimalkan dampak kekeringan, karena yang kena dampak adalah rakyat."

Iklan itu yang memetik hadis bermaksud: "Saad bin Ubadah r.a. bertanya kepada Rasulullah s.a.w., 'wahai Rasulullah sedekah apa paling utama yang mana Rasulullah s.a.w. menjawab, 'memberi air' (sahih Abu Daud), organisasi sukarela ACT (Aksi Cepat Tanggap) dengan slogan 'Alirkan Bahagia' itu menyatakan: "Hampir 2 juta liter air bersih telah bahagiakan lebih dari 50,000 jiwa yang menderita akibat kekeringan di pelosok Indonesia.

"Posko darurat ACT di 20 provinsi terus mengirim suplai (supply) air bersih guna memenuhi kebutuhan hidup saudara sebangsa. Terima kasih atas kedermawanan anda. Bersama, kita alirkan bahagia melepas duka dahaga mereka."

Ya, ketika bencana kemarau melanda pulau Jawa, kuasa 'kepresidenan' Indonesia berpindah tangan daripada Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) kepada 'si tukang kayu' Joko Widowo (Jokowi) dan timbalannya (disebut wakil Presiden), Jusuf Kalla (JK). 

'Tim' (pasukan) Jokowi-JK membawa harapan kepada jutaan rakyat Indonesia. Namun benarkah begitu? Akhbar Indonesia malah di mimbar masjid pun, keras sekali kritikan mereka kepada presiden dan 'tim'nya. "Para pemimpin yang baru terpilih...jangan hanya bisa membuat program kerja baru...tapi bisa melaksanakannya," demikian 'laung' sebuah tulisan dalam akhbar Pikiran Rakyat pada 23 Oktober.

Jokowi yang memilih 34 kementerian untuk menjalankan pemerintahan lima tahun ke depan dengan melantik 18 menteri profesional dan 16 profesional parti, juga diingatkan dengan nasihat keras: "Kami butuh pemimpin jujur berpengalaman."

Sebuah kartun di ruangan Opini, Kompas tanggal 23 Oktober, menggambarkan Jokowi sedang memegang cangkul sedangkan Jusuf menolak kereta sorong dengan perkataan besar; BEKERJA, BEKERJA, BEKERJA. Ya Jokowi-JK bekerja keraslah untuk kemakmuran dan masa depan Indonesia yang kini dilanda pelbagai masalah domestik seperti kemarau panjang di pulau Jawa dan antarabangsa seperti tenaga kerja yang bertebaran di seluruh pelosok dunia termasuk di Malaysia.

Apapun belum 'tempoh berbulan madunya bermula' Jokowi  telah merencanakan pelbagai program baharu yang 'menggembarkan' sesetengah pihak di Indonesia; satu daripadanya 'tol laut'. Ini adalah sesuatu yang baharu sehingga pihak berkenaan 'melaung': "Konsep tol laut perlu diperjelas sehingga bisa segera diambil perencanaan pembangunan" dan "yang dimaksudkan tol laut itu apa?"

Ada pihak 'menginterpretasikan' tol laut sebagai projek mega perbaikan jalur transportasi laut; menghubungkan satu pulau dengan pulau lain dengan memperbanyak jumlah armada kapal dan perbaikan pelabuhan "yang bagi tujuan itu membutuhkan anggaran diperkirakan sebagai Rp 2,000 trilion!

Ya, bagi sesetengah pihak 'sungguh dahsyat' projek Jokowi itu; tetapi bagi rakyat 'biasa' Indonesia yang ditemui berkata, "ya daripada dulu sampai sekarang, pemimpin bisa menjanjikan program, banyak projek dijanjikan tetapi bagaimana pelaksanaannya?" Ya mereka mahu melihat hasilnya (iaitu perubahan kehidupan kepada yang lebih baik) dan inilah 'dibutuhkan' jutaan rakyat 'biasa' Indonesia.

Berbual dengan orang kebanyakan Indonesia, mereka menceritakan hal yang sama 'dari dulu sampai sekarang' - "pemimpin berubah tetapi rakyat tetap susah. 

Tetapi bukankah Jokowi itu seorang yang 'merakyat' (prihatin atau ambil tahu masalah orang kebanyakan misalnya ketika beliau berkhidmat sebagai Datuk Bandar Solo)? Jawab seorang; "Merakyat, merakyat juga...kita kena tunggu untuk lihat hasilnya."

Seorang lagi berkata; "Ya pemimpin memang begitu. Belum jadi pemimpin pandai berjanji, sudah jadi pemimpin dia sudah ke mana..."

Malah seorang khatib dalam khutbah Jumaatnya keras berkata; "memang Jokowi itu seorang Muslim, tetapi 'tim'nya dipenuhi Muslim liberal, Muslim sosialis malah Muslim komunis...demikianlah betapa 'keras' dan 'bebas' arena sosial di Indonesia termasuk media massa dan pada perjumpaan ramai mengkritik kepimpinan negara termasuk Presiden sendiri!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

'Islam is for all'...

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.
***

ALHAMDULILLAH (all praise and thanks be to Allah) last Sunday; October 18th I met an old friend who is now one of Melaka PAS leaders during our children's school function and we took the opportunity to change news and ideas about the latest development pertaining Pakatan Rakyat especially relations between PAS and DAP.

"Well, PAS-DAP relations at state level is very good; for example during Eid Adha celebration recently, DAP leaders donated RM1,000 to finance activities during our 'korban' (sacrificing of animals) functions," said the old friend cheerfully. But he admitted PAS-DAP had to buck up especially among their grass roots members and supporters as some are inclined to believe 'negative reports' filled by local mass media, both by the Malay and Chinese press.

The results of the 13th general elections in Melaka speak volumes about the importance of all parties in Pakatan Rakyat  especially PAS and DAP to tighten their already good relation.

As I live in the Kota Melaka constituency while my wife is from Bukit Katil, in this article I would 'touch' on results and events in this area especially on the Bukit Baru and Duyong state seat which both parties (PAS and DAP) won by a very slim majority respectively. 

PAS create history after it won the Bukit Baru state seat. It is it's first 'anak sulung' (first child); oh Allah SWT bless us with 'more' or 'many,many children' in the future! During the the 13th general election held on 5th May, PAS candidate, Dr Mohd Khalid Kassim won the Bukit Baru state seat by defeating Karim Yaakob of BN with a very slim majority of 48 votes. Dr Khalid gathered 9,292 votes compared to Karim's 9,244. 

Melaka PAS leaders admitted that Chinese votes contributed to the party's success in winning the Bukit Baru seat and the Parliamentary seat of Bukit Katil by PKR. Dr Khalid won convincingly in Chinese dominated areas such as Bukit Baru Dalam (a majority of 697 votes) but lost in traditional Malay kampungs such as Kampung Bukit Katil and Bukit Pulau. 

In DUN Duyong, where the Chinese comprised 50 percent of the voters, Malays 45 percent and Indian 4 percent, it was believed that DAP candidate Goh Leong San managed to wrest the seat from the incumbent MCA strongman, Gan Tian Loo, with the help of Malay/Muslim voters. He won by only 205 votes!

The old friend whom I met said by looking at the election results of DUN Bukit Baru and Duyong, one would have a conclusion that PAS and DAP badly need each other but he pointed up that PAS does not open its arms in politics only but it is also a movement to introduce the fine aspects of Islam including to non-Muslims.

He said that it is good sign and development when more and more Chinese especially DAP members and supporters are interested in knowing more about Islam. "For example, it surprised me when DAP state leaders donated RM1,000 for us to be used during our work sacrificing animals during Aidiladha." 

He said although sometimes they had to face problems pertaining to relations between the two parties, they were solved quickly as both leaders met quite often. 

"Here I am glad to announce that we would hold a 'jamuan perpaduan' (unity get together for lunch or dinner) by the end of this month (October)," he said. Once again my friend stressed that the Chinese should be opened up to see the beauty of Islam. "Yes PAS is for all, but let the Chinese and other non-Muslims know that Islam is also for all."

Talking about 'Islam is for all' I was lucky as this subject was discussed by an 'ustaz' (religious teacher) in his 'kuliah subuh' (morning lesson) at a masjid near my house on Sunday, October 19 - a day after I met the old friend.

The 'ustaz' said in the Quran (the holy book for Muslims), there are ayahs (verses of the Holy Qur'an) which begin with ‘ya ayyuhannas’ which means ‘Oh people’ and ayahs begin with ‘ya ayyuhal lazina amanu’ yang means ‘Oh people who believe’. 

There are a little over 90 ayahs in the Qur’an that begin with ‘ya ayyuhal lazina amanu’. Allah sent the Qur’an for all of mankind, not just for the people during the time of the Prophet peace be upon him (pbuh, s.a.w.) and only for Muslims. 

The phrase ‘ya ayyuhannas which occurs 20 times in the holy Qur’an, has a general and collective meaning that envelops all human beings of any race, tribe, or colour. Example of an ayah beginning with ‘ya ayyuhannas’ is Ayah 21 of Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) with the meaning: “O’ mankind! Worship your Lord Who created you, and those before you, so that you may guard yourselves (against evil).”

And example of an ayah beginning with ‘ya ayyuhal lazina amanu’ is Ayah 183 of Surah Al-Baqarah with the meaning: “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you that ye may ward off (evil).” 

God, out of His abundant Love and Mercy for mankind, has not left us in darkness to discover the right path by trial and error alone. Coupled with our intellectual capability to reason, God bestowed upon us Divine Guidance that outlines the Criterion for truth and the knowledge and reality of our existence in this world and Hereafter. 

From the beginning of mankind God sent Exemplers of Prophets to convey His revelation and to invite all mankind to the path of true peace and obedience in one true God. This is Islam. This message was conveyed to all nations and tribes in this world throughout successive generations through more than 124,000 prophets with Muhammad s.a.w. as the final Messenger – all inviting mankind to the same path. - The Light of Revelation (Islamic Outreach-ABIM) 

Thus Islam is for all, but nobody can be forced to be a Muslim. Harun Yahya in his book ‘Learning from the Qur’an', quoted many ayahs regarding this matter, an example, Qur’an, 2:256 with the meaning; “There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned. Right guidance has become clearly distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false gods and believes in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” 

Also notice that in performing the five pillars of Islam (Rukun Islam) such ‘solat’ (praying) and ‘puasa’ (fasting), it is stated that the first ‘syarat’ (requirement) for a person to perform the ‘ibadat’ (acts of devotion to Allah SWT) is that he or she must be a Muslim. 

Why must the first ‘syarat’ for a person to do the ‘ibadat’ he or she must be a Muslim. Why must it be Muslim; isn’t the religion of Islam is for Muslim? 

As a conclusion this ‘agama’ (religion) of Islam is not only for Muslims, it is an universal religion for all. Yes Islam is for all, only Muslims were required to perform the special ‘ibadat’ such as ‘solat’ and ‘puasa’. For the non-Muslims, they were not required to perform this special ‘ibadat’.