Reaching the 'moon' without 'a rocket'?

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

Reflection
"Do not spy one another,
nor let any of you backbite others..." (Hujurat 49: 12)
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IT was almost ten years since Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor became the first Malaysian in space. After all those years, are we closer to have a space station or requirements to build a rocket? 

Not long after 'the flying Sheikh' shot into space, in politics, the three main opponent parties - PAS, DAP and PKR formed a pack - Pakatan Rakyat - to administer several states after they achieved astounding results in the 2008 general elections.

Sheikh Muszaphar was in space without the country having a spacecraft (rocket). At 36, the medical doctor was the first Malaysian and Muslim male in space when he, Russia's Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Yuri Mallenchenko and flight engineer and Soyuz commander Peggy Whitson, blast off with a Russian rocket to the International Space Station (ISS) on 10th October 2007. 

At that time some sides belittled Sheikh Muszaphar saying he was just a spacecraft participant or a space tourist or liken him to a spacecraft passenger, but his journey is a big leap for Malaysia and Malaysians.

It was said the Malaysian government spent some RM95 million to send the first Malaysian into space. That project was part of a deal for the purchasing of Russia's 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets, amounting to billions of ringgit. 

Recent development noted that the government would have to spend RM240 million to send another Malaysian astronaut to ISS for a 10-day trip. Sheikh Muszaphar who won the trip over Major Faiz Khalid, said Malaysian needs to set a clear objective if it intends to send another person into space.

So 'the flying Sheikh' was able to make great achievement eventhough our beloved country up to this day are no closer to build a rocket. If Sheikh Muszaphar could made it without the country having a rocket, I tried to think out of the box, I posed a 'tricky' question to some PAS people that could PAS 'reach the moon' (take over) Putrajaya without using or riding 'a rocket'.

Some of my friends inquired me, asking how could PAS reach the moon (come into power) without 'using a rocket'. PAS must use a rocket, only then there will be possibilities that they will reach the moon, they said.

They asked how could PAS be in power (at the Federal level) without the support of 'the rocket'? PAS could wrest power in the Malay belt states such as Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis but what about the other states? PAS doesn't have a rocket, so it almost impossible for it to reach the moon, they claimed.

PAS has no rocket, but it is aiming 'to reach the moon'. Malaysians too have no rocket but somehow, one of them had been in space! So it implies that, without a rocket too, PAS could, 'insya-Allah' (God willing) reach the moon. That is only a suggestion, others might have different views. 

During the anti-TPP gathering in Padang Merbok on Saturday afternoon January 23,  I asked a 'middle level' PAS leader how they could be in power in Putrajaya without the 'aid' of the rocket party. Members of the rocket party whats more its leaders was nowhere to be seen during the protest.

Eventhough I felt it was a 'tricky question', he answered in convincingly. Let's emulate Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) in politics. He read from the Qur'an with the meaning,Say: "O Allah! Lord of Power (And Rule), Thou givest power to whom Thou pleasest, and Thou strippest off power from whom Thou pleasest: Thou enduest with honour whom Thou pleasest, and Thou bringest low whom Thou pleasest: In Thy hand is all good. Verily, over all things Thou hast power. - Ali Imran, 3:26

So let's 'istiqamah' (consistent) in our struggle until 'isya-Allah' (God Willing) we will see fruits of our labour. He 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.

He said we must follow Prophet Muhammad’s step in all aspects of life, including politic. 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 certain leaders who were in favor of nationalism.”

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. as the greatest man in the world including in politics;  the world from Adam onwards had produced monarchs of great pomp and show, generals of extensive conquests, philosophers and thinkers of great repute and poets of world-fame, but can anyone point out how far any of those were instrumental in raising the social status of down-trodden humanity and to what extent they catered to the spiritual elevation of the human mind by removing the rust within their unclean heart.

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. To be in power on not is not in the hands of human beings, it is Allah The Mighty who decides it. 

We could only work hard to achieve it but during the process we must make sure that they are in line of the teaching of Islam. We must remember that all Muslims actions are governed by the principles of ‘halal’ (permissible) and ‘haram’ (forbidden, unlawful or sinful). It is ‘halal’ to do campaign in elections but it is ‘haram’ to buy votes. So, whats the point of reaching 'the moon' (Putrajaya) if it done in the 'haram' way?