Dreaming of 'Korah's treasures' in Pulau Nangka

******
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.
*******

IN the 1970s when I was in primary school, I 'fell in love' with Enid Blyton's 'Five on a Treasure Island'. The book is the first of the 'Famous Five' series. The 'five' (four children and a dog) happen upon an old wreck that was raised to the surface by a fierce storm and discover a map that tells the location of gold ingots that disappeared hundreds of years ago.

 *********************************

However, the map falls into the hands of criminals who also have designs on the lost gold and it then becomes a race between the children and the criminals to find the lost gold. Old wrecks. Mysterious islands, secret tunnels, thrilling escapes and rescues are all part of this outstanding story.

 *********************************

Then when I was in secondary school, it was 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson that caught my attention along with 'romantic novels' such as 'The Prisoner of Zenda' and 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. Stevenson, a Scottish writer who wrote 'Treasure Island' introduced me to bad characters such as Long John Silver, the one-legged seaman bearing a parrot on his shoulder.

 *************************

And recently, 'Pulau Nangka', a little isle off Melaka, has become 'our new treasure island'. This 'Jackfruit Island' has become the venue of a billion-ringgit treasure hunt. An ancient treasure trove holding many chests of gold bars, a throne and royal regalia stashed away by the last Sultan of Melaka, Mahmud Shah who fled Melaka in 1511 (isn't it like the treasure that disappeared hundreds of years ago as in 'Five on a Treasure Island'?) is reportedly buried in a cave.

 ************************

Well, what have 'they' (interested parties concerned such as Smart Partnership International (M) Sdn Bhd which was given a four month contract to find treasure on Pulau Nangka), found so far?

 *********************

On the last day of their million ringgit contract, they 'unveiled' two yellowish coins with a diametre of six centimetres claimed to have been found in different locations on the island. The first coin with five lines of inscription is believed to be from the Majapahit Kingdom while the second coin with a square hole in the middle has Jawi script around it.

 *******************

Both the coins have been submitted to the National Heritage Department for laboratory tests to verify their origins; but Melaka Chief Minister, Idris Haron seemed not pleased with the development, saying: "I am still not fully convinced that the coins came from there (Pulau Nangka) as they could have dropped off. We have to investigate this.”

 ***********************

Idris’ guess was right; Melaka Museums Corporation (Perzim) general manager, Khamis Abas told him that tests on the coins revealed that they were made of a mixture of bronze and silver. “Speculations that the contractors had struck gold on the island had been laid to rest for good as the coins were actually made of bronze and silver mixture," he said.

 ************************

So, there's 'no gold' on Pulau Nangka. But why did the authorities in the first place scream 'gold' on 'Jackfruit Island'. Even the Melaka State Government headed by Idris proudly said his side would apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) to recognise Pulau Nangka as a heritage site if the artifacts found were proven to be part of the treasure from the Melaka Sultanate.

 ************************

He said Pulau Nangka would become a site for historians and archaeologists to collect information about the Melaka Malay sultanate. Malaysian Institute of Patriotism and Historical Studies chairman, Mohd Jamil Mukmin 'added fuel to the fire'  when he claimed that besides Pulau Nangka; Pulau Besar and St Paul’s Hill in Bandar Hilir were believed to be areas where treasure was kept during the rule of the Melaka Sultanate.

 ***********************

He said the sultanate was believed to have kept the treasure in the three areas to prevent them from being seized if Melaka fell. However, there was no proof currently showing that there was treasure in Pulau Besar and St Paul’s Hill areas except the findings of porcelain artefacts in the Bandar Hilir area near St Paul’s Hill other than the search for treasure being focused in the three areas.

 ********************

As a Melakan I was baffled by the 'enthusiasm' shown by the authorities lately 'to unearth hidden treasures' including in Pulau Nangka. In my opinion, 'somebody' or 'some parties' purposely did this to divert attention from serious matters in the state. Or there may be 'some smart guy working according to his ways' to promote the state including Pulau Nangka for the tourism industry.

 *********************

Perhaps this story entitled 'The Farmer, His Sons, and the Field' which I had read during my primary school years could open our eyes to that possibility.

 **********************

Once there was a farmer who had four sons. The farmer was a hard-working man, but his sons were very lazy. As the farmer grew old, he realized that he had to teach his sons the value of hard work before he died.

 *********************

So, he took all his money and bought some land. The land was covered with weeds and full of stones, but the man knew it would be fertile ground for farming. His sons, however, were angry because they thought the land was worthless. They complained bitterly, but their father promised them that he had a good reason for buying the land.

 ********************

Then, when he grew sick and knew he was dying, he summoned his sons and revealed the secret. "Now, before it is too late, I will tell you why I bought that land. I had a dream and in my dream I was told that in that land there is a treasure chest full of gold, but it is buried deep within the ground. Just find the buried treasure, and you will be wealthy for the rest of your lives." With those words, the old man died.

 **********************

The sons were eager to uncover the treasure, so they started to dig. They pulled up the weeds and carted away the stones, turning over the soil to look for the treasure. They worked the ground for many days until, at last, they understood their father's words: the treasure was the land itself, made rich by their own hard work. They planted crops and the harvest was plentiful, and so it was every year, just as their father had promised.

 ********************

The moral of the story is that hard work pays off, although it is not always in the way that you expect. So to the leaders and 'rakyat' of Melaka; please work very, very hard; do not expect or even dream of becoming rich in finding 'harta Qarun' (Korah's treasures) on Pulau Nangka! 

Tips penulisan

 ***

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

Renungan
Hadis riwayat Abu Hazim, daripada Abu Hurairah yang dikeluarkan oleh Muslim, bermaksud: "Tidak akan hancur dunia ini (kiamat) hingga ada seorang laki-laki yang melewati kuburan lalu ia berguling-guling di atasnya seraya berkata, 'alangkah baiknya sekiranya aku berada di tempat penghuni kubur ini.' Hal ini bukan kerana faktor agama tetapi kerana adanya musibah."
***

PULUHAN tahun lalu, seorang guru Bahasa Melayu saya begitu meradang apabila membaca karangan murid-muridnya yang bermula dengan ayat seperti 'Sebagaimana yang kita semua ketahui' dan 'Memang tidak dapat dinafikan'.

**************************

Beliau menjerit: "Apa pasal awak tulis 'sebagaimana yang kita semua ketahui' kerana ada orang tak tahu lagi tentang apa yang awak perkatakan itu. Kenapa awak tulis 'memang tidak dapat dinafikan', nanti ada orang dapat nafikan...terkebil-kebil biji mata awak."

**************************

Kesimpulannya, tidak payahlah kita memulakan tulisan kita (termasuk peranggan dan ayat) dengan mengungkapkan klise (ungkapan yang sudah terlalu sering digunakan) itu.

**************************

Teguran guru saya itu berlaku puluhan tahun lalu; sekarang jika amat-amati, ada klise baru dalam tulisan iaitu seperti 'Sejujurnya...' atau 'Untuk rekod...' Sebagai orang bukan pakar bahasa, tidaklah dapat saya mengulasnya, cuma saya berpendapat tidak menuliskannya 'tidak akan ada cacat cela' kepada tulisan kita.

*********************

Guru Bahasa Melayu itu begitu prihatin, beliau turut menegur pelajar yang menulis ayat yang 'boleh mencabar logika otak' kita seperti 'turun ke bawah', 'pergi haji ke Makkah' dan 'hujan turun'. Katanya, gunakan 'turun' saja sebab 'tiada orang turun ke atas', 'pergi haji' saja sebab tiada orang pergi haji ke tempat lain selain daripada Makkah dan 'tiada hujan yang naik' Jadi, gunakan hujan saja.

******************************

Ya pembaca, kali ini saya mencelotehkan soal penulisan kerana kebelakangan ini saya ditugaskan mengedit sejumlah tulisan karya siswa-siswa universiti tempatan terutama 'budak' USIM. Kebanyakan pelajar USIM yang menghantar tulisan mereka adalah daripada bidang bahasa dan komunikasi.

********************************

Ertinya mereka sedang dipersiapkan untuk bertugas di bidang berkenaan seperti menjadi tenaga pengajar, penyiar, pengacara, penulis, wartawan dan penerbit. Mungkin mereka tidak dilatih untuk menjadi seorang ustaz atau ustazah. Perbetul dan maafkanlah jika andaian saya ini salah.

**************************

Jika benarlah andaian saya, pada pendapat saya yang daif ini, siswa-siswa USIM ini sewajarnya menulis dari skop mereka sebagai wartawan atau penulis. Seorang wartawan tidak menulis berdasarkan 'idea'nya semata-mata tetapi amatlah digalakkan untuk mereka melakukan wawancara. Apabila menemu bual seseorang atau beberapa orang yang selayak dan secocoknya untuk membicarakan sesuatu subjek itu dan kemudian kita menulisnya, barulah karya kita itu ada ummph!

******************************

Memang amat wajar kita menuliskan hujah daripada al-Quran dan hadis (sila pastikan kita nyatakan dengan tepat ayat dan Surah al-Quran dan riwayat hadis), dan apabila tulisan kita ditambah dengan pandangan tokoh yang berkaitan, relevan serta semasa yang kita wawancara (misalnya Ustaz Hasan Din dalam isu akhlak muda-mudi atau Naib Canselor USIM sendiri mengenai program meningkat syahsiah siswa-siswi), insya-Allah tulisan kita akan kelihatan 'segar' (baru) dan meningkatkan 'selera' orang hendak membacanya.

***********************************

Jadi, wahai siswa-siswi buatlah wawancara sebelum menulis. Dapatkan 'sumber pertama' (segar, terkini dan semasa) tetapi jika 'masa suntuk' ataupun kita jenis.......(malu saya nak sebutkan), sekurang-kurangnya kita perlu mendapatkan sumber 'kedua' seperti dapatkan buku Ustaz Hasan, lalu kita pun menulis: "Seorang tokoh agama, Ustaz Hasan Din dalam bukunya........menyatakan....." Aii, kan sudah nampak 'boring' tu...jadi syor saya lakukan wawancara supaya tulisan kita segar, memancing minat pembaca.

****************************

Perkara penting pertama dalam penulisan adalah apa hendak ditulis. Anjing gigit posmen adalah cerita basi yang tidak ada umphh, ramai siswa siswi menulis mengenai perkara yang sama. Carilah kelainan, terokalah isu segar misalnya, kenapa tak diterbitkan surat khabar berbahasa Arab di tanah air sedangkan sudah ramai graduan dari Timur Tengah, kenapa U (termasuk USIM) terlalu ramai 'budak' perempuan dan apa masalah yang timbul daripada perkembangan ini.

*********************************

Akhir sekali, tolong jangan tulis berjela-jela. Satu muka surat khabar itu bukan untuk dimuatkan 'kisah kita' saja. Penulis lain juga 'merayu' supaya dimasukkan artikel mereka. Jadi pandai-pandailah 'ukur baju di badan sendiri' (ukur kepanjangan artikel untuk dimuatkan dalam akhbar). Penulis memohon maaf jika terkasar bahasa, teguran adalah untuk semua terutama untuk diri penulis sendiri yang serba daif ini...

In defense of our 'Muslimah'...

*****
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.
***
 

ONCE a Muslim woman was teased by Jews in the Jewish quarter of what was then Byzantine bordering the Muslim empire. The Jews pulled at her 'hijab' and mocked her in a most ignoble manner.

 ***************

She cried and wrote to the Caliph addressing him in her letter, "Ya Mu'tasimah!" (Al-Mu'tasim Billah of the Abbasid Dynasty, 794-842 AD) and told him of what had happened. When the Caliph heard of this news, he was so outraged he dropped the cup of water he was drinking.

 *****************

Immediately, Caliph Mu'tasim wrote back to the Roman Emperor of Byzantine, saying: "Ya kalb ar-Rum! (Oh you Roman dog!) I have an army of men that stretch from where I stand (Baghdad) to where you stand (Constantinople), who love to fight and die as much as your men love to live." He then commanded to deploy a massive army to retaliate against the Romans.

 **************

Yes, during the early years of Islam, a Caliph would take responsibility to protect the honour of each and every one  of his 'rakyat' including 'this Muslimah' who was being made fun of by the Jews; but what we have today – the secretary of 'Ulama Muda Umno' (Ilmu), Mohd Radzi Othman reported to have posted on Facebook that "Muslim women wearing long veils who attended the anti GST (Goods and Service Tax) rally were the same as high class prostitutes."

 **************

He also wrote that men who supported the Muslimah who attended the rally were like customers who 'were high (on the list) to have their service'. Immediately, former Mufti of Perlis, Dato' Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin was quick to respond to the uncalled-for remark, saying that it was a rude and disrespectful act on the part of the secretary of Ilmu.

 ***************

Dr Asri said, everybody could give their criticism on something but to liken the Muslimah as prostitutes was rude and showed how low and crude the morals of the person involved was.

 ***************

The Women”s Wing of PAS (Dewan Muslimat PAS) was enraged with the wild accusation with its Federal Territory unit headed by its chief, Ustazah Nuridah Salleh who is also a member of the PAS Central Committee, making a police report at the Balai Polis Sentul.

 **************

Her side demanded that Mohd Radzi make an apology and retract the rude accusation, otherwise she would take legal action.

 *************

Well, now our respected women are open to mockery by quarters who 'are crazy for power' by pleasing 'their masters', but one question is what have we done to protect or defend 'our women'? Are there still 'brave men' like Caliph Al-Mu'tasim around to defend our women-folk?

 **************

Mu’tasim was not free from faults – readers should be aware that Mu’tasim was a staunch Mutazilite (follower of the Mutazilah ideology) and someone who oppressed, killed and imprisoned many scholars including the great Ahmad ibn Hanbal. However, he and others like him had the sense of honor and chivalry for the religion and women. When the call of the weak and the oppressed reached them, they hurried to their rescue.

 **************

What is happening now is a complete disgrace. 'Good and pious Muslimah' have been insulted, yet 'all seems quiet at the front'; only a few individuals such as Dr Asri have voiced their concern; perhaps the women involved are forced to fight the battle alone.

 **************

Muslims should take a stand against falsehood and come to the aid of the oppressed. Prophet Muhammad's teachings reinforce this noble, heroic attitude and confirm that Allah would support those heroes who defend the truth, and would condemn those cowards who remain silent.

 *************

In a 'hasan hadith' (good hadith) by Ahmad and Abu Daud, the Prophet said: "No man forsakes a Muslim at a time when his honour is attacked and his sanctity is being violated, but Allah will forsake him at the time when he desires His help. And no man comes to the aid of a Muslim at the time when his honour is attacked and his sanctity is being violated, but Allah will come to his aid at the time when he desires His help."

 **************

To Mohd Radzi Othman of 'Ulama Muda Umno' and those who are in the same basket as him, religion is not a joke; it is a serious matter, and there is no compromise when it comes to 'degrading pious women' as 'pelacur' (prostitutes), as Allah SWT has given us a warning in Ayah 4 of Surah Al-Nur (Light, 24) with the meaning; "Those who accused married women of adultery, then fail to produce four witnesses, you shall whip them eighty lashes, and do not accept any testimony from them; they are wicked.”

 **************

In Ayah 5 also of Surah Al-Nur Allah SWT says: "If they repent afterwards and reform, then God is Forgiver, Merciful"...so are you going to repent and make an apology to the 'Muslimah', dear brother Mohd Radzi Othman?

Teladani Rasulullah sebagai 'guru teragung'

******************************* 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 *********************** Perkembangan politik semasa membabitkan kepimpinan di sebuah negeri ketika para guru kita menyambut Hari Guru, menyebabkan kita terpanggil untuk mengulasnya berpandukan apa yang ditunjuki oleh Nabi s.a.w. sebagai 'guru teragung' sepanjang zaman. ************************** Kita 'berasa ngeri' dengan peribadi dan akhlak sesetengah pemimpin yang 'mempermain-mainkan' politik (tindakan seperti letak jawatan, keluar parti, lompat sana lompat sini macam haiwan sarkas dan kemudian masuk semula parti) seolah-olah semua itu tiada langsung kaitan dengan pembalasan hari akhirat. **************************** Inginlah kita mengingatkan kepada semua termasuk diri sendiri bahawa setiap perilaku kita hatta sebesar zarrah akan ditanya di akhirat nanti. Kita ingin bertanya pemimpin politik sebegini, apakah sebenarnya yang mereka inginkan...nampak benar mereka berpolitik untuk kepentingan peribadi, memuaskan nafsu apa yang ada 'antara perut dan lutut' mereka...soal rakyat adalah hal sampingan...jika ada kepentingan (seperti pilihan raya) barulah pemimpin menyantuni mereka, apabila habis madu sepah dibuang. ************************* Jadi wahai pemimpin, malah sesiapa saja, teladanilah Rasul s.a.w. kerana penghidupan baginda mencakupi semua bidang kehidupan seperti seorang guru/murabi/pendakwah di masjid, sebagai insan biasa di kalangan keluarga dan sahabat, seorang lelaki bertakwa, sebagai seorang soldadu, tokoh pembaharuan, seorang politikus, negarawan, seorang pentadbir dan pemerintah sebuah kerajaan yang amat luas kerana seluruh Jazirah Arab sudah jatuh ke tangan Islam sebelum kewafatan baginda. ******************************* Jadi bagaimana pembawaan Rasulullah s.a.w. sebagai pemimpin? Apabila al-Quran mengesahkan bahawa Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. adalah contoh terbaik dalam semua bidang kehidupan (seperti ayat 21 Surah Al-Ahzab yang bermaksud: "Demi sesungguhnya adalah bagi kamu pada diri Rasulullah itu contoh ikutan yang baik, iaitu bagi orang yang sentiasa mengharapkan (keredaan Allah) dan (balasan baik) hari akhirat, serta dia pula menyebut dan mengingati Allah banyak-banyak, dalam masa susah dan senang"), ia bukan sekadar perkataan tetapi dibuktikan dengan amalan. ************************* Ambil contoh perintah dalam al-Quran kepada ummah berkenaan kewajipan seperti solat, puasa dan sedekah; Nabi s.a.w. melakukannya lebih daripada ummah. Jika umatnya diwajibkan solat lima kali sehari semalam, Nabi s.a.w. solat melakukannya lapan kali manakala jika ummah hanya diwajibkan berpuasa pada bulan Ramadan, Nabi tidak akan membenarkan baki 11 bulan berlalu tanpa berpuasa manakala dari segi sedekahnya, tiada pengemis yang meninggalkan rumahnya kehampaan sedangkan baginda sendiri hidup miskin (selalu di rumahnya tiada makanan) sedangkan dia adalah pemerintah sebuah empayar yang besar. ***************************** Ketika hayatnya, Nabi s.a.w. menyertai hampir semua peperangan; ketika peperangan Uhud, baginda luka-luka dan pada Perang Ahzab, Nabi s.a.w. sendiri turun bersama-sama sahabat menggali parit di sekeliling kota Madinah. ***************************** Pada kebanyakan ketika Nabi bekerja keras dalam keadaan lapar di bawah terik matahari dan terpaksa mengikat batu di perutnya. Demikianlah Nabi s.a.w. sudah menunjukkan teladan, jadi kepada semua termasuk pemimpin...'bergurulah' kepada baginda s.a.w. agar kita selamat dunia dan akhirat. Amin

'Sebenarnya, saya isteri dia'...

******************** Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ********************* Renungan ******************** "Maafkanlah dan suruhlah (mengerjakan) yang makruf dan berpalinglah daripada orang-orang yang jahil." - Q.S. Al-A'raf: 199) ************************* DIUCAPKAN Selamat Menyambut Hari Guru kepada warga pendidik yang secara tradisinya meraikannya pada setiap 16 Mei. Memperkatakan tentang guru, secara automatik mengingatkan saya akan sajak Allahyarham Usman Awang bertajuk 'Guru Oh Guru'. ***************************** GURU OH GURU Jika hari ini seorang perdana menteri berkuasa, *** Jika hari ini seorang raja menaiki takhta, *** Jika hari ini seorang presiden sebuah negara, *** Jika hari ini seorang ulama yang mulia, *** Jika hari ini seorang peguam menang bicara, *** Jika hari ini seorang penulis terkemuka, *** Jika hari ini siapa saja menjadi dewasa, *** Sejarahnya dimulakan oleh seorang guru biasa, *** Dengan lembut sabarnya mengajar tulis baca. ***************************** Guru dan murid adalah satu gandingan; tiada guru tiadalah murid dan tiada murid tiadalah guru. Hari Guru disambut oleh guru dan murid; jarang kita dengar guru menyambut Hari Guru tanpa murid mereka. ************************** Guru pula digandingkan dengan ibu bapa dalam pendidikan anak-anak, maka muncullah Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG). Pendeknya, persoalan guru dan murid (pendidikan) menguasai sebahagian besar daripada kehidupan kita. ************************* Kini daripada lima orang anak saya, tinggal seorang saja berada di bangku sekolah rendah. Anak bongsu perempuan saya (buat masa ini, masa depan siapa tahu) dalam Tahun 6, akan menduduki Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) dijadualkan September nanti. ***************************** Baru-baru ini terkejut besar saya mendapati anak gadis sunti ini mula berjinak-jinak membaca sejumlah besar novel 'cintan', yang antara tajuknya seperti 'Sebenarnya saya isteri dia'. Kebanyakan novel ini tebal-tebal berlaka, 500 muka surat adalah biasa bahkan ada yang mencecah 1,000 muka surat! *************************** Seorang abang anak gadis saya apabila menyedari si adik membaca 'Sebenarnya saya isteri dia' membuat heboh satu rumah, menyindirnya dengan melaung: "Oh, adik baca 'Sebenarnya saya isteri dia'...sepatutnya adik bacalah buku 'Sebenarnya, saya calon UPSR'. Ini tak, dibacanya buku ini, nak buat apa, dah nak kahwin ke, dah nak jadi isteri ke?" **************************** Demikianlah, bingung saya memikirkan gelagat anak-anak zaman sekarang. Jika anak saya gila membaca novel dan menonton TV, saya perhatikan sejumlah anak-anak saudara saya pula obses dengan gajet elektronik mereka. Mereka seolah-olah berada dalam dunia sendiri, suasana persekitaran tidak dipedulikan - mereka tidak ghairah untuk bertegur sapa dan berbual-bual dengan saudara mara. ************************ Pada kesempatan sebagai guru tuisyen hujung minggu, kadang-kadang saya bertanya anak-anak murid saya, siapa solat subuh pagi itu. Amat mengejutkan hanya seorang dua mengangkat tangan, bakinya tidak solat. Bukan saja solat subuh, tetapi solat waktu lain pun mereka tak tunaikan. *********************** Demikianlah akhlak anak-anak muda termasuk pelajar semakin buruk, kewajipan agama seperti solat semakin terlerai. Ibu bapa, guru dan anak-anak dewasa ini didakwa terlalu mementingkan kejayaan akademik, soal keagamaan terutama dari segi amalannya tidak berapa dititik-beratkan. Kejayaan diukur dengan deretan A dalam peperiksaan awam sedangkan pegangan agama termasuk akhlak ditolak ketepi. ************************** Hakikatnya, dalam mencorak generasi muda, bukan saja ibu bapa dan guru bertanggungjawab tetapi hampir seluruh institusi masyarakat seperti kepimpinan negara, media massa (bahan bacaan dan penyiaran) , masjid (rumah ibadat), keluarga besar (datuk nenek, bapa saudara dan sebagainya) serta persatuan dan pertubuhan setempat termasuklah perkumpulan belia. ************************ Namun apa yang kita perhatikan, kebanyakan daripada institusi ini mulai tempang; anak-anak dipengaruhi dengan elemen buruk menyebabkan kelompok yang terbabit dalam dunia pendidikan seperti guru menjadi bingung; apa yang diajar di sekolah tidak dipraktikkan di luar, malah di sekolah sendiri. ************************* Sejajar dengan perkembangan teknologi maklumat masa kini, media massa kita sudah menjadi 'kurang ajar' menyebabkan anak-anak juga menjadi 'tak terajar'. Ibu bapa dan guru di sekolah bukan agen tunggal pendidikan; anak-anak juga belajar melalui media massa dan persekitaran. Ada yang belajar melalui filem dan drama Korea, Jepun, Hollywood, Bollywood dan Indonesia. Sinetron dari seberang amat diminati. *************************** Anak-anak juga didedahkan dengan bahan bacaan kurang sesuai termasuklah lambakan novel; jadi tak hairanlah jika anak di sekolah rendah saya turut membaca novel 'Sebenarnya saya isteri dia' sedangkan sepatutnya dia istiqamah dalam menunaikan kewajipan agama di samping menumpukan perhatian kepada pelajaran kerana menginsafi 'Sebenarnya saya calon UPSR'!

Dear workers; let's 'stop' 5 minutes for reflection...

******************* 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. **************************** DEAR workers; 1st May is Labour Day. As you dear readers especially workers reading between the lines of this article, perhaps it is not late for me to wish you Happy Labour Day. May Allah SWT bless you in your work and accepts it as your 'ibadah' (act of devotion) to Him. ************************* In conjunction with this 'special' day, may I seek permission from you, dear workers to 'stop' five minutes from your busy and priceless schedules to continue reading this article? Don't worry, it would be a short one; I purposely have written it precisely, its length only half my normal weekly article, so it would only take a few minutes to grasp the idea and then do the thinking, including as you are on your job... ************************* As an 'ex-worker' (officially, but in Islam there is no such thing as retiring oneself from work), I must confess that there were times during my working years of more than 12 years in a top publishing house and another 13 years in Harakah, when it was totally a 'nightmare' for me especially at the former. ******************************* It was true as for almost 20 years (1994-2012) I had traveled almost daily to and from my house in Melaka to my offices in Kuala Lumpur. In the early morning I would dash off to work by express bus and only come home late at night when my children had already slept. I would only sleep a few hours, and at dawn the next day I would be on my bike, dashing off to catch the bus. ******************************* I have written about some of the 'nightmares' in my own published work 'Dilema Seorang Wartawan Islam' (The Dilemma of a Muslim Journalist) such as I had became so obsessed in my work as a journalist and at times denied myself from performing some of my religious obligations. ************************ In the preface to the book, I acknowledged that in the early days of becoming a journalist, one thing that was in my mind was "work, work and work and at the end of the month would be eager to get my 'gaji' (salary)." ************************** Yes, many of us work because of the pay, and one sad thing would be that obsession with getting money would become our 'target' or 'goal' in life. We would have forgotten that 'money' is only a tool for us to reach our ultimate goal. Scholars liken it to a 'galah' (bamboo pole) to be used to 'jolok' (push) fruits such as 'mangga' (mangoes). Our goal would be to have the mangoes not the bamboo pole. ************************** To know what is our goal we must first know why we were sent into this world and where we are heading for. In short what is our duty? On why we were sent into this world, in Surat Adh-Dhariyat 51:56 (The Winnowing Winds) Allah SWT says with the meaning; “I have only created jinn and men, that they may serve Me.” ******************** Yes, human existence along with the jinn are to worship Allah SWT, but many of us, me included, have missed out this very important point. Worldly pleasures such as money (property), position, status and accolades have become our 'goals' in life. As in the case of ‘nudging the mangoes' is the pole our 'target' or is it the mangoes? *************************** During my early years in office, I worked like mad. There were times I would head for work at 3.00 am (starting the first Malay evening newspaper - Harian Metro) and slog on until 12.00 midnight; the question is how were my religious obligations such as 'solat' (prayers) and relationship with my wife and children? Is working such a way in line with our claims that it is part of 'ibadah' (worship)? ********************** So dear readers, if you are still carrying out a life just like what I had experienced in my younger days, please 'do pause'...and start thinking; "what and where actually am I heading?" Working should be part of our 'ibadah' and to qualify for that status, all the terms laid out by the religion should be fulfilled - for example 'solat' at the workplace and are you in a business forbidden by Islam such as in industries involved in gambling, alcohol production or practicing usury. *********************** Time is running out, my five minutes '2 sen lecture' is over; now it is your turn to make a decision - ask yourself first my dear readers - is having the bamboo pole your goal or is it the mangoes itself? Remember life is too short a time -- there is no point regretting of not being on His straight path when we are already six feet underground!

Bolehkah ke bulan tanpa roket?

********************** Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang, selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ********************* Renungan *********************** "Maka barangsiapa yang derhaka dan mengutamakan hidup di dunia, maka sesungguhnya nerakalah tempat diamnya. Adapun orang yang takut akan kebesaran Tuhannya dan menahan dirinya daripada hawa nafsunya, maka sesungguhnya syurgalah tempat diamnya." - Q.S An-Nazi'at 37-41 ************************* BULAN sinonim dengan PAS manakala DAP dengan roket. Kerap dibahaskan termasuklah mutakhir ini apabila isu hudud menjadi 'tersangat hangat', apakah boleh PAS 'sampai ke bulan' (antara matlamatnya masa kini ialah mendapat kuasa memerintah negara menggantikan Umno-BN) dengan tidak 'menunggang roket' (bekerjasama dengan DAP)? ************************** Saya serahkan hal ini kepada mereka yang arif termasuk politikus kedua-dua parti, namun apa yang saya celotehkan tidak ada kena mengena secara langsung dengan PAS atau DAP, tetapi mengajak pembaca memikirkan mengapa sehingga kini tiada seorang pun rakyat Malaysia dihantar ke angkasa selepas Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor melakukannya hampir tujuh tahun lalu. ************************ Tanggal 21 Oktober 2007, 'The Flying Sheikh' selamat kembali ke bumi selepas 10 hari berada di Stesen Angkasa Antarabangsa (ISS) dengan kapsul Soyuz TMA-10 mendarat di Arkylk, Kazakhstan. Persoalannya sudah banyak tahun berlalu, tetapi mengapa angkasawan kedua negara, Mejar Faiz Khaleed dibiarkan 'terkebil-kebil' tidak dihantar ke angkasa lepas -- kasihan beliau kerana umurnya sudah semakin lanjut, 34 tahun! ************************** Akuilah, misi Sheikh Muszaphar yang ke ISS bersama kosmonaut Rusia, Yuri Mallenchenko dan komander Peggy Whitson dijayakan dengan 'kita menumpang teknologi orang' (Rusia), hakikatnya negara kita tidak mempunyai sebuah pun kapal angkasa (roket). ************************ Jadi persoalannya, 'bolehkah kita ke bulan tanpa roket?' Malah ada kritikan pedas yang menyatakan 'The Flying Sheikh' hanyalah peserta atau pelancong angkasa lepas dengan kerajaan Malaysia dikatakan membelanjakan RM95 juta untuk projek itu (Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Dr Maximus Ongkili mendakwa hanya RM39.11 juta dibelanjakan). Ia adalah sebahagian daripada satu persetujuan membeli 18 pesawat pejuang Sukhoi 30-MKM, berjumlah berbilion-bilion ringgit. *********************** Pada pandangan saya, jika kerajaan Malaysia dan rakyatnya benar-benar serius dalam menjayakan projek angkasa lepasnya, ia sewajarnya bermula 'dari bawah' dan bukannya 'dari angkasa lepas'. Ya, seorang rakyat Malaysia sudah berada di angkasa lepas malah telah melakukan penyelidikan antaranya melibatkan sel kanser dan leukemia di ISS; tetapi persoalannya apa rentetan daripada peristiwa bersejarah itu? ************************* Dua negara pesaing, Rusia (Soviet) dan Amerika memajukan teknologi angkasanya puluhan tahun sebelum menghantar manusia ke sana termasuk apa didakwanya mendarat di bulan. Agensi Angkasa Lepas Amerika (NASA) melakukan ujian demi ujian; suatu ketika dulu kapal angkasanya, Challenger, meletup ketika berlepas menyebabkan sejumlah angkasawan terbunuh. Rusia juga membina reputasinya di bidang ini sejak sekian lama; bukan dengan hanya 'sekali ledakan' saja seperti kita yang menghantar 'The Flying Sheikh' tetapi selepas itu senyap saja. ********************* Negara gergasi lain seperti China, Jepun dan India juga giat memajukan industri angkasa lepas masing-masing. Sejumlah angkasawan China bekerjasama rapat dengan rakan mereka dari NASA untuk ke angkasa lepas. Semua negara ini mempunyai stesen angkasa lepas dan sudah pasti kapal angkasa (roket) masing-masing. *********************** Tetapi Malaysia masih tiada roket. Kita 'meledakkan' seorang angkasawan ke angkasa lepas tanpa roket sendiri. Dilaporkan beberapa orang pernah 'diledakkan' ke angkasa lepas sebagai pelancong angkasa lepas - mereka termasuklah Dennis Tito (dari Amerika Syarikat pada 2001), Mark Shuttleworth (dari Afrika Selatan-2002), Greg Olsen (Amerika -2005) dan Anousheh Ansari, seorang wanita Muslim Iran yang tinggal di Amerika. Setiap orang membayar antara RM80-RM100 juta; jumlah wang yang hampir sama dibelanjakan untuk perjalanan Sheikh Muzaphar bagi membolehkan namanya dicatatkan sebagai angkasawan pertama negara. ********************** Mengenai 'program angkasawan' Dr Faiz, yang 'dibiarkan terus menanti', dalam satu wawancara berkata: "Agensi Angkasa Negara sudah melakukan ‘postmorterm’ tentang program pertama dan apa yang boleh diperbaiki dan kita tidak mahu tergesa-gesa. Bermaksud, kita perlu kendalikan perkara ini secara dasar dulu. Tak guna kalau kita nak pergi ‘second trip’ atau ‘third trip’ tetapi tidak ‘address’ kelemahan yang lepas-lepas, jadi itu yang penting." ***************************** Ya, jangan tegesa-gesa 'meledakkan' individu tertentu ke angkasa sedangkan kita 'tiada roket' (teknologi angkasa lepas kita belum ampuh). Majukan dulu anak bangsa - apa guna jika seorang dua rakyat sudah ke angkasa raya sedangkan ada (ramai juga) anak watan masih ke sekolah yang tiada bekalan elektrik nun jauh di pedalaman negara!

Malaysia (In sha-Allah) 'boleh' (can)!

********************************* 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) ******************************** In life, how often have we heard boasts by all sectors of society especially those in power. Perhaps for those involved (this reminder is also for me) should think first before opening their mouths. ***************************** For example during the trying times of searching for flight MH370, a leader was quoted as saying: "We would search for the black box until it is found." Until today the black box has not been found, so would the mission would still be on until the black box is found? When will it end, until Doomsday? ****************************** The ruling party is fond of this saying: "only Umno/BN can bring prosperity...” or "only Umno/BN can bring peace" or "only Umno-BN can deliver..." Exactly what did Umno/BN deliver? And the old party's slogan...Umno dulu, kini dan selamanya (Umno yesterday, today and forever); is it appropriate to claim to be a 'forever' party? ****************************** If one took effort to think, he or she would realize that such rhetorical propaganda and slogans are against the teachings of Islam - no one knows what will happen not only tomorrow and the days ahead but the next second. Thus no one can dare to promise anything what more boast that only he and his team could do 'this and that'. ***************************** In Ayah 80 and 81 of Surah Yasin (XXXVI), Allah The Almighty (SWT) says: "Is not He Who created the heavens and earth Able to create the like of them? Aye, that He is! for He is the All-Wise Creator, But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that he saith unto it: Be! and it is." ************************* And in Ayah 165 of Surah Ali Imran (III), Allah SWT says: "And was it so, when a disaster smote you, though ye had smitten (them with a disaster) twice (as great), that ye said: How is this? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): It is from yourself. Lu! Allah is Able to do all things." ******************************* Lately two events or circumstances brought Malaysians back to their feet - the first one is the drought that lasted for close to three months until the middle of March. When we were in 'a tight and panicky situation' where the 'earth had turned brownish', almost all of us turned to God for help. In masjids, schools and offices, we held special prayers, but when it rained many of us including professionals dared to say: "cloud seeding produces heavy rain!" It seems that we have forgotten God totally... ************************ Please 'brother', do not 'credit' yourself for the rain, perhaps this story e-mailed by a friend about a down to earth person pleading for rain could entertain some of our arrogant leaders, technocrats and men on the street who thought their 'brilliant effort' and 'earnest prayers' had brought us rain. **************************** Abdullah ibn Al Mubarak said: I was in Mecca while they were afflicted with drought. So the people went out to Masjid Al Haram and prayed for rain, but it did not rain. At the side of me was a black slave. The black slave said: ‘O Allah, O Allah, they have supplicated to You and You did not respond to them. Verily I swear by You that You will give us rain.’ He (ibn Al Mubarak) said: ‘By Allah, we did not wait a moment before we were given rain.’ ************************** Then the black slave left. So I followed him until he entered a home of the morticians, so I knew which house it was. In the morning I took some dinars (the local currency) and went to the home, and there was a man at the door. I said: ‘I’m looking for the man of this house.’ He replied: ‘I am him.’ I said: ‘There is a servant of yours I wish to purchase.’ ************************ He replied: ‘I have fourteen servants; I will bring them out to you.’ He (ibn Al Mubarak) said: ‘this particular servant was not amongst them, so I said: “Do you have any more?”’ He said to me: ‘there is a sick youth.’ So he brought him out and he was the black slave. I said: ‘he is the exact one.’ He replied: ‘he is yours Abu Abdur Rahman.’ So I gave him fourteen dinar and I took the servant. ************************ When we left and took one of the roads. He said: ‘O master what do you want with me while I am sick?’ I replied: ‘because of what I saw last night.’ He (ibn Al Mubarak) said: So he (the black servant) leaned on the wall and said: O Allah, don’t make me famous, take my soul to You. He (Al Mubarak) said: So he fell down dead, and the people of Mecca gathered (to pray over him). - Taken from 'Fundamentals of the Creed of Ahlus Sunnah wa Jamaah' ************************ And when our Flight MH370 went missing, again we sought God’s help; but some of our leaders kept on orchestrating words of arrogance; they had none or only little desire to acknowledge the weaknesses of human beings, that we are all subject to Allah SWT’s wish - "Be! and it is." It is nearly two months now, are we still dazzled by the advancement of human being's technology; we have only little thought that Allah SWT could do anything as He pleases? *************************** Thus, to all Malaysians, perhaps we could learn to add the term 'In sya-Allah' (if Allah Wills) to the things and promises we do in our daily lives. Dr Y Mansoor Marican from PERKIM noted that 'In sya-Allah' is a common expression amongst people of all faiths in the Arabic-speaking countries. ************************* Intending to do something in the future should always be attributed to the Will of Allah, Who Alone Knows "what is yet to happen, what is not to be and how it will be if it is to be." (Tafseer Ibn Kathir) ********************** If we are open to acknowledge that everything is at the Will of Allah, perhaps our 'battle cry' of 'Malaysia boleh' (Malaysia Can or Malaysia Can Do It) could be turned into 'Malaysia, 'In sya-Allah' (if Allah Wills) 'Boleh' (Can). ********************** Isn't it simple, yet we would have His blessing (barakah) for by saying 'In sya-Allah', a Believer does not feel alone when he plans for the future. Neither does he show arrogance when he succeeds, nor is he overtaken by despair when he fails. **************************** In all situations, the Believer remembers Allah, expressing gratitude to Him for his success, and accepting whatever is Allah's Will with firm belief that Allah intends only good for His creation. ( see Al-Baqarah- The Cow 2:216)

Pemimpin adil dijanjikan perlindungan Allah

********************* 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 *************************** Bersyukur ke hadrat Illahi, kita dipanjangkan usia, dapatlah kita memuzakarahkan isu semasa; kali ini kita ingin mengucapkan tahniah kepada pemimpin, kerajaan dan rakyat Brunei Darussalam kerana mendaulatkan hukum hudud mulai 1 Mei. **************************** Brunei melalui pemerintahnya, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, mengumumkan undang-undang syariah fasa pertama mula dikuatkuasakan dan ia akan dikuti dengan fasa-fasa berikutnya. Fasa pertama dan kedua bermula tahun ini manakala fasa seterusnya akan bermula tahun depan. ******************************* Bagi fasa pertama, hukuman penjara dan denda akan dilaksanakan antaranya untuk pesalah yang tidak menghadiri solat Jumaat dan hamil di luar nikah. Pada lewat tahun depan, hukuman seperti rejam dengan batu kerana kesalahan meliwat dan zina akan diperkenalkan. **************************** Ketegasan pemerintah Brunei untuk melaksanakan hukuman Allah sekalipun mendapat kecamanan organisasi dan masyarakat antarabangsa, amat mengharukan kita; kita terkesan dengan sebuah hadis yang menyatakan antara satu daripada tujuh golongan yang mendapatkan naungan Arasy Allah SWT di hari kiamat adalah pemimpin adil. ************************* Pemimpin adil dan berwawasan bukanlah 'bekerja' untuk 'memuaskan nafsu' rakyat dengan 'menimbunkan' kemewahan material seperti wang bertimbun dan makanan berlebihan kepada mereka tetapi berusaha keras menyelamatkan mereka di dunia dan akhirat. Ini berpandukan doa yang sering kita mohonkan kepada Allah - 'Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah wa fil akhiroti hasanah waqina 'adzabannar' yang bermaksud: "Ya Tuhan kami, berilah kami kebaikan di dunia dan kebaikan di akhirat dan peliharalah kami daripada seksa neraka." (QS. Al-Baqarah 201) ******************************* Pemimpin yang adil tidak rela diri dan rakyatnya dihumbankan ke neraka Allah SWT termasuklah kerana mengengkari hukum-hakam-Nya. Ini kerana sesungguhnya, kuasa tertinggi adalah milik mutlak Allah SWT; pemerintah hanya diamanahkan oleh-Nya untuk menjalankan hukum-hakamnya di bumi ini. Perkara ini dipertegaskan sejumlah besar cendekiawan Islam termasuklah negarawan Pakistan, Abul A'Ala Maududi. ***************************** Maududi dalam syarahannya mengenai 'asas-asas pemerintahan Islam' mengingatkan bahawa prinsip asas yang ditekankan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. ialah bahawa kekuasaan tertinggi dan mutlak hanyalah hak Allah semata-mata. Sesungguhnya bumi dan alam ini adalah kepunyaan Allah. ******************************* Udara, air, cahaya dan segala-galanya yang memenuhi hidup kita ini adalah diberi oleh Allah. Tubuh badan yang kita punyai ini beserta dengan tenaga dan organ-organ yang lengkap, semuanya dikurniakan kepada kita oleh Allah SWT. ***************************** Kita langsung tidak mempunyai hak untuk mengaku yang kekuasaan mutlak itu hak kita. Di samping itu kita juga mesti menolak sebarang pengakuan sedemikian rupa daripada sebarang individu atau kumpulan. **************************** Antara perkara pertama Rasulullah s.a.w. mengajak manusia untuk percaya dan beriman ialah, kerajaan dan negara itu hanyalah kepunyaan Allah. Hanya Allah saja yang berkuasa untuk memerintah dan tiada siapa yang berhak untuk membuat undang-undang melainkan Dia. *************************** Perkara kedua dalam ajaran asas baginda ialah perundangan Rabbani bukannya diturunkan terus kepada manusia tetapi melalui Rasul-Nya. Rasulullah s.a.w. bukannya dipilih oleh sesiapa untuk menjadi pemimpin. ****************************** Baginda juga tidak memilih dirinya sendiri untuk menjadi pemimpin. Baginda telah dipilih oleh Allah agar dapat mendidik dan mentarbiyah manusia dengan tarbiyah Rabbani, menukar pemikiran dan peribadi manusia, menyampaikan perintah Rabbani kepada manusia dan melaksanakan urusan Rabbani itu melalui sesiapa yang menerima dan beriman kepada perintah-perintah tersebut. ******************************** Jadi, berdasarkan nasihat Maududi ini, adalah wajib untuk semua umat Islam tunduk kepada hukum-hakam Allah dan menjadikan Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. sebagai panduan dalam mereka melaksanakannya. Ingatlah setiap manusia tidak kira pemimpin atau orang dipimpin akan bertanggungjawab di hadapan Allah atas segala yang telah dilakukan semasa hidupnya. *************************** Jika pemimpin adil dijanjikan naungan Allah, rakyat juga dijanjikan sedemikian kerana mereka mungkin terdiri daripada peniaga jujur termasuk tidak menaikkan harga barang ikut nafsu, pemuda yang sentiasa beribadat kepada Allah, lelaki yang hatinya sentiasa terpaut dengan masjid dan dua orang yang saling cinta mencintai kerana Allah.

'Reunion' punya pasal...

******************** DENGAN nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Penyayang; selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan besar Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. ******************* Renungan ********************** "Maka hendaklah engkau hukum di antara mereka, menurut apa-apa yang diturunkan oleh Allah dan janganlah engkau mengikut hawa nafsu mereka daripada apa-apa yang didatangkan kepada engkau daripada kebenaran..." (Al-Maidah: 48) ***************************** TERGELAK 'satu surau' apabila tok guru berkata; begitu mudah berlaku perceraian sekarang ini, salah satu sebabnya pembabitan orang ketiga termasuklah rakan lama yang ditemui di majlis-majlis 'reunion' (perjumpaan semula)..."hai kadang-kadang terjumpa semula bekas rakan setadika pun 'tersangkut'...apalah hal budak-budak sekarang ni..." **************************** Ya, dengan kemajuan ICT (teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi), amat mudah untuk manusia berhubung; ramai memanfaatkannya untuk mengumpulkan rakan-rakan lama sama ada di sekolah, universiti dan tadika (hah! hah!), seterusnya mengatur majlis perjumpaan semula. Dulu sukar mengatur 'reunion' tetapi tidak sekarang. *************************** Ada banyak kebaikan 'reunion' ini seperti dapat menjalin semula persahabatan di samping mempereratkannya, tetapi 'ada juga keburukannya' bagi orang yang mencari kesempatan seperti 'memercikkan kembali nostalgia percintaan lama apabila terjumpa bekas buah hati' sedangkan si empunya diri sudah berumah tangga malah ada yang anak-anaknya 'sudah selori'. ***************************** Ya, pada majlis 'reunion' kerap benar kita 'tersilap' dalam pembawaan diri. Jika kita berusia 50 tahun, 'reunion' dengan bekas rakan-rakan sekolah dan universiti akan menyebabkan kita 'terawang-awangan' seakan-akan kita kembali ke zaman remaja itu, yang hakikatnya sudah berlalu lebih 30 tahun lalu. ************************ Pada majlis ini, jika tidak dikawal dengan syariat agama, akan berlakulah perkara tidak diingini, maklumlah sebahagian besar daripada kita gagal menguasai diri (kita seolah-olah sudah kembali ke zaman muda kita) dengan mempamerkan perlakuan dan sikap seperti ketika remaja dulu seperti bertepuk tampar, ketawa berdekah-dekah, menyanyi secara terlalak-lalak, menghisap rokok dan yang lebih teruk lagi terbabit dalam minuman keras dan pergaulan bebas. ************************* Jika kita hadir di majlis itu secara 'solo', dan kebetulan bertentang mata semula dengan bekas buah hati yang datang secara 'solo' sedangkan masing-masing sudah berumah tangga dan beranak pinak, tidakkah bibit-bibit lama akan kembali terbuka dan jika ia dilayan itulah permulaan kepada masalah...yang akhirnya membawa kepada porak-peranda sebuah keluarga. **************************** Banyak orang boleh melupakan kisah lama, menyedari realiti di depan mata sekali gus 'mengnyahkan' godaan syaitan untuk 'bermain kayu tiga', namun banyak juga orang tewas terjelepok kerana terlalu menurutkan nafsu. *************************** Pada peringkat awal diatur pertemuan rahsia, akhirnya tembelang terbongkar jua, akhirnya jatuh tersungkur mengheret diri dalam senarai ribuan pasangan yang memfailkan kes perceraian mahkamah syariah. Dilaporkan satu perceraian berlaku pada setiap 10 minit dengan sejumlah 56,760 perceraian direkodkan pada 2012. *********************** Kes perceraian tinggi di kalangan orang Islam ini sedikit sebanyak menjejaskan nama orang Melayu. Demikian lagi banyak hal negatif lain membabitkan orang Melayu seperti paling ramai menghuni Pusat Serenti, paling ramai miskin dan lebih malang lagi, 'tidak boleh dipercayai' sehingga ada ungkapan berbunyi 'janji Melayu'. ************************ Saya bawakan hal-hal negatif mengenai orang Melayu ini apabila terkesan dengan kenyataan berani seorang saudara kita (baru) di Radio IKIM baru-baru ini bahawa orang Cina takut masuk Islam kerana mereka menyamakannya dengan 'masuk Melayu'. ************************* 'Masuk Melayu' adalah sesuatu yang orang bukan Islam mahu elakkan. Mengapa begitu? Seorang saudara kita (daripada kaum Tiongkua) pernah mengadu kepada penulis sebahagian orang Melayu tidak mengamalkan ajaran agama sebaliknya memandang rendah dan menghina kefahaman saudara kita mengenai Islam. *********************** Katanya, orang Melayu yang didampinginya mendakwa 'Islam mereka adalah yang terbaik' sedangkan selepas beliau mengikuti pelbagai kelas pengajian Islam, beliau mendapati sebahagian orang Melayu adalah Islam baka saja, mereka tidak pun menunaikan tuntutan agama. ********************** Misalnya, katanya, ada perempuan Melayu berkata, bertudung itu tidak wajib. Mereka ini bukan orang tidak pandai, malah ada daripadanya lepasan universiti. Mereka mendakwa, dalam Quran pun tiada perintah untuk orang perempuan bertudung. **************************** Wanita itu berkata sebagai saudara baru, dia menjadi 'confuse' (keliru). Kawan-kawan perempuannya berkata, "awak perlu ikut kami kerana kami lebih Islam daripada kamu! Kami lebih tahu pasal Islam berbanding kamu. Kami lebih dulu Islam daripada kamu." ************************** Begitu juga dalam amalan kehidupan lain, katanya. Sebahagian orang Melayu tidak beramal dengan kehidupan Islam. Sebagai contoh, dakwanya, bekas suaminya (wanita ini memeluk Islam ketika mahu berkahwin) sendiri bertindak menceraikan sesuka hatinya dan tidak mengikut ajaran Islam dalam soal seperti nafkah. **************************** "Saya tahu Islam amat tekankan tanggungjawab suami atau bekas suami. Sepanjang perkahwinan, dia pun tidak mengajar saya pasal Islam. Selepas bercerai saya ingat mahu lepaskan Islam, tetapi mujurlah saya berpeluang untuk pergi belajar, misalnya ke PERKIM. Dulu saya terumbang-ambing tetapi kini saya cuba cari cahaya kebenaran (nur) itu. Itulah sebabnya saya hubungi awak." ***************************** Katanya, orang Melayu tidak boleh dijadikan contoh sebagai pengamal Islam terbaik. Dalam kes penceraian saya, pegawai di pejabat agama pun mengenakan tekanan ke atas saya. Sebagai saudara baru, saya terasa tersisih, orang Melayu tidak dapat menolong saya manakala orang Cina termasuk saudara-mara sudah lama menjauhkan diri, katanya yang membahasakan diri sebagai Nur. *************************** Gambaran Melayu di kalangan orang bukan Islam sudah buruk sehingga mereka berani menyatakan mereka tidak memeluk Islam sebab tidak "tidak mahu masuk Melayu." ******************************* Jadi orang Melayu, perlulah ambil perhatian, termasuk janganlah jadikan majlis 'reunion' sebagai tapak untuk 'menyemarakkan cinta lama' yang dikhuatiri akan menambahkan kes perceraian, sekali gus menyebabkan orang bukan Islam menjauhkan diri daripada Islam kerana takut 'masuk Melayu'!

'Muhasabah' at the Royal Museum - Final Part

************** In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate; blessings and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. ***************** Reflection ***************** 'Aisha narrated this hadith: "Usama approached the Prophet on behalf of a woman (who had committed theft). The Prophet said, 'The people before you were destroyed because they used to inflict the legal punishments on the poor and forgive the rich. By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! If Fatima (the daughter of the Prophet ) did that (i.e. stole), I would cut off her hand'." (Sahih Bukhari) * *********************** WHAT do you feel after visiting a palace? While flipping the pages of the visitors' book at the Royal Museum (Old Royal Palace) at Jalan Istana which I visited recently, I noticed some visitors described the buildings, rooms, the things exhibited and their settings and decorations as 'amazing', 'awesome' and 'nice indeed'. ************************* Notice that the visitors were not forced to praise whatever they saw at the palace, they willingly wrote their praises; this means that they sincerely acknowledged the beauty of what they saw from the bottom of their hearts. ************************* If a visit to a palace could 'melts' our hearts into acknowledging its beauty and magnificent setting, then please do some 'muhasabah' (reflection) about the world (a very large palace) in which we are sent to 'do our job' on a 'temporary basis' say in 60 or 70 years (the average life of a human being). Does the world not leave any impression in your heart? **************************** Do some fast thinking; if a palace which was built by workers and its settings and decorations too was done by human beings, could 'steal' our hearts and we willingly (without being forced) praises the beauty of it, then why must our hearts (I included) 'too cold' and 'ignorant' to acknowledge the beauty and perfectness of this world and of course its Creator, The Mighty Allah SWT. **************************** What's 'that palace' to be compared with this world, this universe and so on? Why it is that we are reluctant to praise to the place where we live in and the 'magic' all around us, whats more their Creator? ************************** Isn't it very, very amazing to see the sky stands without pillars and in ourselves and around us too there are thousands and thousands of 'magic' - imagine isn't it strange that the coffee we drink is black in color but when we urinate, the water is crystal clear or slightly yellow? ************************ Actually what I would to stress is the the greatness of Allah SWT, Master of the whole universe. We do not have to witness supernatural things but by observing all His creations around us would be enough for us to surrender, kneel down on our knees and 'sujud' (prostrate) and admit that He is the Greatest, the Most High (Allah-u-Akbar). ************************ When we are ready to surrender to Allah SWT after acknowledging His Greatness and admitted our weakness (limitations) and how lowly we are as we are created from semen(which human beings would reject if they were given free of charge), then it would be much easier for us to face tribulations of life. ************************** For example in the case of the missing flight MH370, we would ready to surrender in His fate; He is our Lord who could do as He wishes - in Surah Yasin of the Qur'an, ayah 80 and 81, Allah SWT says: "Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the like of them? Aye, that He is! for He is the All-Wise Creator, But His command, when He intendeth a thing, is only that He saith unto it: Be! and it is." ********************* If by visiting a palace, one could pour out his or her praises on its beauty, the same applies to men and women who open up their hearts to acknowledge the beauty of this world and praise it and of course to its Creator but the question is how to do it and most important of all, the correct way. *********************** Well, we need a divine guidance; and 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 the Hereafter. ***************************** From the beginning of mankind God sent exemplars or prophets to convey His revelation and to invite all mankind to the path of true peace and obedience to 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 - from Prophet Adam a.s. to Muhammad s.a.w. - all inviting mankind to the same path. (The Light of Revelation, Islamic Outreach-ABIM) ******************************** But human history is a chronicle of man's drift between light and darkness. Regarding this matter I would like to comment on the latest development in the Muslim world after an Egyptian court sentenced 529 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwanul Muslimin) to death after a one-day mass trial that allowed no genuine defense! *************************** It was the biggest mass death sentence handed out in Egypt's modern history. Turmoil in Egypt deepened since the army overthrew Egypt's first freely elected president, Dr Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, in July. Security forces have killed hundreds of Brotherhood members in the streets and arrested thousands. ************************* Well to the Egyptian junta led by General Abdel Fattah As-Sisi, please take note that Cairo was host (and of course it is a member country) of an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) leaders meeting which produced the 'Cairo Declaration on Human Rights in Islam' (Resolution Number 48/19-P) which is adopted in Cairo on 5th August 1990 (14 Muharam 1411H) which in Article 2 notes: ***************************** (a) Life is a God-given gift and the right to life is guaranteed to every human being. It is the duty of individuals, societies and states to protect this right from any violation, and it is prohibited to TAKE AWAY LIFE except for a Shari'ah prescribed reason. ************************** (b) It is forbidden to resort to such means as may result in the genocidal annihilation of mankind. *************************** (c) The preservation of human life throughout the term of time willed by God is a duty prescribed by Shari'ah. ******************************* (d) Safety from bodily harm is a guaranteed right. It is a duty of the STATE to safeguard it, and is prohibited to breach it without a Shari'ah-prescribed reason. **************************** As-Sisi was reported 'to have an eye' for 'the throne' of Egptian President; well if you As-Sisi forced your way to that position of power and glamorous and flattered lives in luxurious palaces, then have a thought about former dictators around your land such as Muammar Gaddafi of Libya, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (Tunisia), Abdullah Ali Saleh (Yemen) and your own 'master' Hosni Mubarak...where have they been? ************************ Some are 'struggling' inside their graves, others are pulling their remaining strength to survive in life, have you not, As-Sisi (and we) learned any lesson?