Faiz Subri...an open letter from a 'pakcik' (uncle)

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.

'SYABAS' to Mohd Faiz Subri, our 'next door boy' for winning the 2016 FIFA Puskas Award! The word 'syabas' is used in Malaysia and Indonesia meaning well done, congratulations. Thus it fits the scenario as Faiz is the first Asian to win the prestigious award in football.

After his win, Wikipedia updated Faiz's profile: "Mohd Faiz Subri (born 8 November 1987) is a Malaysian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Penang FA, a Malaysian Super League club. He is well-known for his free-kick goal which won him the 2016 FIFA Puskas Award."

To supplement my information about Faiz, I took time to read articles from various sources including news portal and newspapers and by chance came across a comment entitled 'If only Faiz could speak' by Terence Netto of Malaysiakini.

For his intro he wrote: "What’s the link between Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Malaysia’s footballer of the moment, Faiz Subri?

"Both had their moments before a mega international audience and both fluffed their lines - in English.

"Zahid Hamidi’s fumbles with English pronunciation at the United Nations general assembly last September and FIFA Puskas award winner Faiz’s embarrassing search for and halting delivery of the digital text of his acceptance speech in Zurich last night were sad commentaries on the state of English proficiency in the country.

"Time was when Malaysians were complimented on the standard of their English; now it is the stuff of embarrassment, not infrequently on the international stage, before a global audience."

Among comments posted regarding this article were:

* Terence Netto, using Faiz as an example to lament the drop in Malaysian's proficiency of English is certainly in bad taste and uncalled for. How many of those EPL, Europa League multi-millionaire players speaks good English?

* Terrence, his football skills are 1000x better than yours. Don't see you winning any international awards for your English.

* I can see Terrence point here but I think comparing politicians with footballers is a bit off tangent. Furthermore, there are so many top South American football players who couldn't speak English at all but that doesn't make them less of a football player.

* I think this article is absolutely unfair to Faiz! He made us proud! It is a world class award and not a 'kampung' champion. Terence, I think you should be more expose to the world out there instead of staying in front of the computer and find fault on others. I will feel as proud as I am now even Faiz choose to deliver his speech in Malay! Language is just a tool for human to communicate. It is not a must to know English obviously! Everyone have their talent in different field. I think Faiz deserve the praises from all Malaysian instead of us - Malaysian poke fun at his English! It is totally unacceptable and ruin the celebrative mode among your fellow country man which is US, 'KITA'!

Faiz is still in his twenties. Only at the end of this year he would celebrate his 30th birthday. More than 10 years I wrote an article entitled 'If I were in my twenties…' thus I was in the opinion that perhaps it may help Faiz to ponder about his future during this 'trying times' when some critics volleyed him with their 'overzealous shots'. 

Faiz's age is about the same as my eldest son who was born in 1989, thus please consider this note as an advise from a father or a 'pakcik' (uncle).

In the article I wrote: I am now in my forties. But I wished, I was still in my twenties. If only I could use the time machine, and go back to those youthful years - the abundance of energy and spirit. Who knows, it would then change my outlook and the inside of me.

Alas, it was only a dream because time flies quickly and never will be back. Scholars had divided time into three categories - yesterday (the past), now (present) and tomorrow (the future). To the thinking group of people, we have only the present because yesterday has gone and tomorrow nobody knows what would happen.

Yesterday was too far because it was history. But I would like to recollect some of the things that I did and what I should have done during my youthful years as a guideline to youths.

Seek knowledge

Knowledge is the key to success.I am not saying education because from the general point of view, education is limited to obtaining a certificate, diploma, degree, masters or a PhD. May be I'm wrong(please do correct me), but after 'becoming an adult' (they say it begins at 40),I discovered that I know nothing in the sea of knowledge.

Human beings' knowledge is only like a drop of water in the vast oceans of knowledge so could you imagine how little we know compared to what we don't. After hundreds of lessons in mosques, 'suraus' and 'tazkirah' (religious talks), only then did I realize how I longed and craved for more and more knowledge.

If you know yourself (this could be obtained by seeking knowledge), only then you will know Allah SWT and the heavy responsibilities you shoulder in this world. Our existence is not without purpose or to 'suka-suka saja' (for play only). Each and every one of us holds higher responsibilities to God, the human race and in fact everything. Everyone is accountable for his actions, even if it is as small as an atomic part of substance.

So to youth out there, don't waste your time,grazing aimlessly at the empty sky. Fulfill your days seeking knowledge,for with knowledge, you will understand that everything you do, is to seek God's forgiveness and acknowledge His Greatness. For example when you stare at the empty sky and acknowledge Allah SWT's greatness in creating without pillars and feel how small you are, then you are in the right direction to have His Blessing in this world and the Hereafter.

When you realize this,you will understand, there is no such things as unemployment in Islam. 

There is so much to do and we are short of time to make them materialize. If we were to look at the Prophet as an example, he successfully preached Islam in 23 years - 13 years in Mecca and 10 years in Medina, and died at the age of 63.

If we were to look back at our past, we will realize that we had been wasting our time.If we are now in our forties and suppose we die at the same age as the prophet, we have about 20 years left to spend our lives.If we had done 'practically nothing' during our past 40 years, just imagine what could be done in our last 20 years.

Learn foreign languages

How I wish I could communicate and write in Arabic, Mandarin and other languages. To study Islam in depth for example, one needs to master Arabic because its source, for example the Qur'an is written in that language.Other than Arabic, many books on Islam are written in English, so it is an advantage to those who master this language.

So how I wish I could turn the clock back, back into my younger days so that I could benefit the lot of spare time to learn Arabic a few other foreign languages.To know only one language is not good enough because the more languages one masters, the more opportunities one has,including in gaining knowledge.

Conclusion

There were many more things I wish I had done in my youthful years like travelling ( around Malaysia and the globe), writing books and polishing up my reading of the Qur'an, but I didn't take them seriously. During those youthful years, money was the setback, but wise man used to say, if you have the will, you will have the way.

Time passed, and after getting married and blessed with children, I found out that I too am 'burdened' with family's matters that I don't have enough time and energy to fulfill some of my dreams. So to guys and girls out there, please don't waste your precious time, fill them with your treasured dreams, for when time passes, it was gone forever. That precious time will never return!

***

Now as I am about to turn 55 this February; I have this 'special advise' to Mohd Faiz, our 2016 FIFA Puskas Award winner - once again I must say 'syabas' but please do remember that our existence in this world including awards and praises heaped upon us is only on a temporary basis.

As a 'pakcik', I sincerely hope that you would not be 'swept away' by the powerful currents of the glamorous world but take time off to spend with your family (I saw pictures of your wife and two beautiful children 'escorting' you at the airport) especially regarding the upbringing of the children. 

They are 'your assets' - insya-Allah (God Willing) if you could spend time - for example teaching them to read the Qur'an; say the Surah Al-Fatihah (The Opening) then hopefully when they were adults, each time they read the surah especially during 'solat' (prayers), you would gain rewards (pahala) from Allah SWT.

Alas, 'pakcik' only knew this 'secret' when ;pakcik' was over 50 (when 'pakcik' was in the twenties, thirties and forties 'pakcik' was too busy to even go to 'masjids' and 'suraus' to attend 'takzirah' there); thus 'pakcik' hopefully hope that you Mohd Faiz would realize the situation - yes chase for both worlds (this temporary world and the Hereafter); from ayah 201 of Surah Al-Baqarah, we recited: "Our Lord! Give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." - ES

PRU: Tak tunai janji padah dunia, akhirat

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)

SELEPAS membaca akhbar alternatif seperti Suara Keadilan saya tidak membuangnya begitu saja. Kadang-kadang saya letakkan di rumah ibu bapa saya jadi dapatlah adik beradik, pasangan dan anak-anak masing-masing yang berkunjung, menatapnya.

Hasilnya memberangsangkan; ada yang dulunya tidak peduli kepada politik pembangkang mula menunjukkan minat. Insya-Allah dengan membuka minda dan hati dapatlah seseorang itu mengenal mana satu intan mana satu kaca. Ringkasnya satu cara terbaik menambah ilmu dan maklumat adalah melalui pembacaan.

Selain itu saya juga memasukkan akhbar berkenaan ke dalam raga motosikal di lokasi tumpuan ramai seperti di kawasan pakir pejabat. Suatu hari saya masukkan senaskhah Suara Keadilan dalam sebuah raga motosikal di kawasan parkir masjid.

Selang sehari ketika pulang bermotosikal dari masjid melalui jalan perkuburan masjid, saya dapati helaian naskhah Suara Keadilan itu bertaburan di atas kubur, ada antaranya di celah-celah batu nesan. Sungguh tak disangka ‘orang kubur’ pun minat membaca Suara Keadilan!

Hakikatnya, penerima Suara Keadilan itu begitu ‘allergic’ (benci) dengan akhbar itu dan ‘rakan-rakan sewaktunya', jadi dia telah membalingkannya di kuburan. Apabila ‘orang jenis’ ini dapat akhbar seumpama ini, mereka akan segera membuangnya tanpa ada rasa sedikit pun perasan untuk membacanya. Ertinya dari awal lagi mereka sudah menutup pintu hati masing-masing.

Alangkah ruginya orang sebegini tetapi itulah hakikat sebahagian daripada anggota masyarakat kita. Hati mereka sudah beku, kita cakap apa pun, isu 1MDB ke, ‘wang derma’ ke, Felda rugi ke, mereka tak peduli. Bagi mereka hanya parti yang berslogankan ‘dulu, kini dan selamanya’ yang betul sekalipun pemimpinnya didakwa tidak betul hatta oleh bekas pemimpin Nombor Satunya!

Bercakap mengenai pemimpin ini, pada ketika negara kita hampir mengadakan pilihan raya umum ke-14 (PRU-14), kita ingin mengingatkan pemimpin pembohong termasuk tidak menunaikan janji pilihan raya bahawa bohong itu adalah satu daripada tiga ciri orang munafik. Dua ciri lain ialah apabila berjanji dia mungkir dan apabila diberi amanah dia khianat.

Apabila seseorang membuat janji, perkara itu perlu ditepati. Hal ini perlu difahami pemimpin kerana mereka bertanggungjawab kepada banyak pihak (rakyat jelata) sedangkan janji orang kebanyakan mungkin membabitkan seorang atau beberapa individu saja. Jadi bahana pemerintah berdusta terhadap janji mereka adalah tersangat hebat; mereka akan dimalukan di dunia dan juga akhirat.

Ada banyak kes pemimpin tidak tunai janji. Misalnya sebelum pilihan raya umum harga minyak tak akan naik, tetapi naik juga. Janji nak buat projek, siap pasang papan tanda lagi tetapi selepas pilihan raya, sehingga papan tanda sudah runtuh, projek ‘habuk pun tarak’.

Kalau rakyat tak baca akhbar alternatif seperti Suara Keadilan, mana mereka tahu hal seperti ini. Ya, sesetengah mereka memang tak nak tahu, buktinya selepas ‘dihadiahkan’ akhbar ini, mereka campakkannya di kuburan!

Dalam kitab Bahru Al-Madzi (Syarah Mukhtashar Shahih At-Tirmizi, Juzuk 11) susunan Syeikh Muhammad Idris Al-Marbawi ada dinyatakan Islam melarang keras imam (pemimpin) mungkir janji termasuklah janji kepada orang bukan Islam. Pemerintah yang menipu teramat besar dosanya, daripada Ibnu Umar, katanya: ‘Telah aku dengar Rasulullah SAW bersabda ia: “Bahawasanya orang yang menyalahi janji itu didirikan baginya bendera pada hari kiamat di punggungnya.”

Maka bendera itu diangkat tinggi atas kadar menyalahi janjinya kerana memasyhur kepada alim akan tabiatnya di dunia. Maka yang lebih besar bendera ialah bendera raja yang menyalahi janji dan diberitahu pada sekalian bendera itu dengan kata: “Inilah penyalahi janji si anu.”

Menyalahi janji itu haram, istimewa pula daripada orang yang mempunyai pemerintahan kerana menyalahi janjinya membawa kepada mudarat melampau kepada makhluk yang banyak.

Di dunia lagi pelanggar janji akan menerima balasan tetapi di akhirat mereka akan diberikan tanda (bendera) sebagai PENIPU dengan dimalukan pada sekalian makhluk. Pemimpin diberikan amanah, tetapi jika mereka khianat, mereka akan menerima pembalasan sungguh dahsyat!

Attracting 'mualaf' with 'zakat'

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.

CLAIM My Rebate - I saw this tagline on a piece of paper among pamphlets given to my wife when she paid her 'zakat' (tithe) at a state 'zakat' institution recently. 

She took the opportunity of the offer to settle her 'zakat pendapatan' ('zakat' on income) before December 31 among others because those who did so could claim rebate from their income tax for the new year which government servants and corporate workers usually settle in April.

Why give or pay 'zakat'? First it is Allah's order as it is the third (or fourth) article of the 'Rukun Islam' (Five Pillars of Islam). Ignoring paying 'zakat' when ones fulfills its requirements, then his/her faith is at jeopardy.

Scholars said all things belong to Allah SWT, and wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The original meaning of the word 'zakat' is both 'purification' and 'growth'. Giving 'zakat' means giving a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy people.

Our possessions are purified by setting aside a small portion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.

Looking at another note of my wife's pamphlets, I noticed it mentioned about the eight classes of people (asnaf) who have right to receive 'zakat' - a group called 'muallaf' (the dictionary spelling is 'mualaf') caught my attention. The 'Kamus Perwira' defines 'mualaf'; as a person who newly converts to Islam.

In my wife's pamphlet notes, it mentioned that 'muallaf' means 'mereka yang dijinakkan hatinya atau yang diharapkan kecenderungan hatinya untuk menerima Islam...' (those who are attracted and keen to Islam but have not confessed the faith; by giving them 'zakat', hopefully they could be coaxed to embrace Islam).

This definition of 'muallaf' fits to what an 'ustaz' stressed during his 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) at a 'masjid' near my house which I followed closely a few days ago. He said many people thought that 'mualaf' is a person or a group of people who had just embraced Islam - in short they were 'saudara baru' ('reborn' to the Islamic faith).

The 'ustaz' said it is true that a 'saudara baru' falls into the group of 'mualaf' and could have the 'zakat' money but in true sense those who are not yet Muslims (this term should be used and not non-Muslims) but interested in the religion are also 'mualaf' thus they too have the rights to be given 'zakat'.

Yes, it needs wisdom in da'wah including calling not yet Muslims to Islam and one way is by giving those interested in Islam the 'zakat' money. In Malay, it is call ‘berdakwah secara berhikmah’. In the Qur’an, there are many ‘ayats’ suggesting to do the da'wah work with wisdom. 

Among them in ayat 83 Surah al-Baqarah (The Cow): “…And speak to people good (words)…” (Qur’an 2:83); ayat 148 of Surah an-Nisa (Woman): “Allah does not like the public mention of evil except by one who has been wronged…” (Qur’an 4:148); ayat 3 of Surah Ali Imran (Family of Imran): “…And if you had been rude (in speech) and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you…” (Qur’an 3: 159).

Then Allah SWT mentioned in ayat 53 of Surah al-Isra’ (The Night Journey): “And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces (dissension) among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy.” (Qur’an 17:53); ayat 44 of Surah Taha: “And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear (Allah).” (Qur’an 20:44); and ayat 25 of Surah of Surah al-Furqan (The Criterian): “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them (harshly), the say (words of) peace.” (Qur’an 25:63)

Da'wah to the not yet Muslims should be done professionally - in ‘beautiful’ ways. In the Qur’an (ayat 125 Surah An-Nahl, The Bee), Allah SWT says: “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is (rightly) guided.” (Qur’an, 16:125)

The 'ustaz' said one beautiful way of 'da'wah' to the not yet Muslims is by providing them good reading materials (nowadays materials at par with the ICT era) and to produce these materials we needed good financial assistance and one way is to have the 'zakat' money.

He said many of the not yet Muslims are poor in 'Bahasa' (Malay), why not we produced materials such as books and CDs in languages they are familiar with. Yes, we could produced books, pamphlets and leaflets in simple English, Chinese, Tamil, Iban and so on.

Alhamdulillah, nowadays many sectors including  non governmental organizations (NGOs) such as ABIM had produced numerous books, pamphlets and leaflets which were placed at locations such as at verandas of 'masjids'. 

However from my observation, those items placed at certain 'high profile' masjids such as Masjid Negara attract attention but they only collect dusts at other masjids. Thus, in my opinion, they should be placed at places that are of easy reach of the not yet Muslims especially among tourists such as at airports, hotels, bus terminals and railway stations. 

Regarding the result after doing ‘good da'wah work’ I was interested to quote comments from the Guest Book at Masjid Negara extracted from a pamphlet entitled ‘Mosque Tour Guide Programme by Islamic Outreach ABIM’ which I took from a rack recently.

“We learnt a lot about Islam that we didn’t know before.” – Linda & Ken Gulbrandsen, Norway

“I received a wealth of truths in this time of untruths.” – Vinay Kala, India

“My interest in Islam has grown.” – Misaa Makinchi, Japan

“All our questions were answered fully and in a friendly way.’ - Carly Bliss, England

“I feel truly blessed to receive the goodness and kindness of your religion.” – Milena Langd, Germany

“Open my eyes.” – Smonia; India

“Thanks so much for introducing me to Islam. Islam was really impressive.” – Sanne Kersken, Holland

“Good conversation with an awesome person.” – Lois Enrique, Mexico

“Very good, very, very super volunteer guide. Excellent.” – Ying, China

Subhanallah, it is so touching to know that many not yet Muslims were keen of the religion but the question is have we reach 'the millions out there'. 'Insya-Allah' we would be able to do so, perhaps with some 'zakat money' it would spruce our efforts. So zakat institutions, please take note!