Syaaban 4, 1444: Bencana Turkiye: Kenapa OIC lambat bertindak?

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

Renungan

Demi masa, sesungguhnya manusia itu dalam kerugian, kecuali orang beriman, beramal salih dan berpesan-pesan dengan kebenaran dan kesabaran. - Maksud ayat 1-3 Surah Al-Asr 

LEBIH dua minggu bencana gempa bumi melanda Turkiye dan Syria (dua anggota Pertubuhan Kerjasama Islam - OIC) mengorbankan hampir 50,000 jiwa, baharulah kita dengar nama OIC disebut.

Pada 18 Februari disiarkan berita bahawa Perdana Menteri Pakistan (sebuah lagi anggota OIC), Shehbaz Sharif mendesak OIC mengatur sebuah mesyuarat kecemasan bagi menarik perhatian antarabangsa berhubung bencana itu.

Agensi berita Turkiye berkata perdana menteri itu mendesak usaha segera OIC bagi mendapatkan pakej bantuan untuk rakyat Turkiye.

"OIC perlu bermesyuarat segera bagi mengambil peranan kerana negara dan rakyat Turkiye perlukan sokongannya," kata beliau sambil mendesak pemimpin dunia menyumbang kepada usaha pemulihan semula rakyat Turkiye.

Kenapa OIC lambat bertindak...ini kejadian alam dan bukan permasalahan politik yang memungkinkan OIC 'berfikir 1,000 kali'? Hal ini terakam dalam kezaliman ke atas ummah di Balkan.

Lebih 20 tahun lalu, dunia Islam menangisi tragedi berdarah di Bosnia Herzegovina. Dilaporkan puluhan ribu orang Islam menjadi mangsa kerakusan gerila Serb dan pemimpin Serbia-Montenegro seperti Slobodan Milosevic yang gila mahu menghidupkan negara Yugoslavia.

Penderitaan ummah di negara Balkan itu seolah-olah tidak didengari oleh kebanyakan negara dan umat Islam lain. Hal ini difahami kerana Bosnia dan jirannya yang mempunyai majoriti umat Islam - Albania - terletak di tengah-tengah benua Eropah.

Nama Bosnia pun begitu asing kepada kebanyakan umat Islam sehingga tercetusnya peristiwa pahit itu yang menyedarkan ummah bahawa ada saudara mereka hidup tersepit di kalangan bangsa Eropah lain.

Sekalipun tragedi Bosnia adalah antara peristiwa hitam paling pahit dialami umat Islam, pembabitan pertubuhan yang memayungi ummah - OIC _ adalah pada tahap minimum.

Kumpulan Penghubung OIC yang turut dianggotai oleh Malaysia ketika itu, sekalipun bekerja keras membantu memulihkan keadaan di Bosnia terutama pada peringkat akhir konflik, pembabitannya terhalang antara lain disebabkan pengaruh kuasa besar dunia Amerika Syarikat dan Pertubuhan Perjanjian Atlantik Utara (Nato) dalam isu berkenaan.

Amerika dan Nato terbabit dalam percaturan politik Eropah yang ketika itu masih merasai kesan kehancuran Soviet Union dan blok komunis Eropah Timur. Sebarang campur tangan dalam krisis Bosnia dilihat sebagai terbabit dalam konflik era pasca keruntuhan Soviet Union yang memungkinkan Amerika menjadi kuasa tunggal dunia.

Berdasarkan situasi berkenaan, kita tidak hairan jika OIC 'tidak habis-habis dengan agenda pertemuan pemimpinnya di meja bulat' untuk membincangkan isu Balkan tetapi tanpa melakukan tindakan yang boleh dibanggakan.

Sejak beberapa tahun lalu pula, OIC juga difahami tidak berupaya menangani isu keganasan antarabangsa yang akhirnya membawa kepada pencerobohan negara Afghanistan dan Iraq oleh Amerika kerana ia dianggap konflik politik. Dalam percaturan politik 'yang berkuasa itulah yang benar', oleh itu pihak lain langsung tidak berani bersuara.

Malangnya dalam tragedi alam (tiada isu politik) yang menimpa dunia umat Islam (gempa di Turkiye / Syria) dan tsunami di Asia Selatan dan Asia Tenggara, tidak lama dahulu, OIC dan sesetengah negara umat Islam terus dengan 'sikap lama'nya iaitu tidak bertindak proaktif bagi meringankan penderitaan saudara seagama mereka.

Ribuan orang awam sudah mati, tetapi bantuan daripada OIC dan sesetengah negara Islam lambat atau masih tidak kunjung tiba. Lompang ini cuba dipenuhi  agensi antarabangsa bukan Islam antaranya kumpulan misionari agama.

Kali ini (bencana alam) apakah alasan yang hendak diberi? Adakah ini disebabkan keterbatasan atau ketidakupayaan dari segi politik? Adakah bencana alam ini juga membabitkan percaturan politik sehingga OIC dan negara Islam lain tidak berani campur tangan? Bumi terbabit (Turkiye/Syria) juga negara Islam, jadi apakah yang menghalang mereka daripada menghulur atau menyegerakan bantuan?

Berdasarkan perkembangan tidak sihat di kalangan negara umat Islam dan OIC yang memayungi lebih 1.2 juta ummah di lebih 55 negara, adalah wajar perubahan drastik dilakukan bagi mengaktifkan umat Islam yang seakan-akan masih lenyak dibuai mimpi sedangkan ribuan saudara mereka sudah terkorban manakala jutaan lagi hidup menderita dan di ambang menjadi korban.

Syaaban 2, 1444: Being a king, queen for a day...

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)

MY wife and I are in the 60-s; now its our turn to marry off our children one by one and we too are receiving numerous wedding invitations from relatives, friends and 'kampung' folks which are usually held during weekends.

Perhaps for the Malaysian Muslims, 'kenduri kahwin' (marriage feasts) invitations would be pouring in until the end of 'Syaaban' (the 8th month of the Muslim calendar) before the coming of 'Ramadan' which is the fasting month. 

In a recently 'tazkirah' (Islamic lesson) in a 'masjid' near my 'kampung', an 'ustaz' (religious teacher) advised parents not marry off their children at the end of 'Syaaban' because the tendency of newly-weds to 'smear' the holy month of Ramadan were high!

He said 'ilmu kahwin' (knowledge about marriage) is a must to not only to would be husband and wife but also to 'veteran brides and bridegrooms' (parents) because marriage is an 'ibadah' (act of devotion to Allah SWT). We must know what is 'halal' (permissible) and 'haram' in weddings, thus wrongdoings such as fighting regarding 'wang hantaran' (dowry) which had happened in a 'masjid' di Kuala Lumpur.

I stumbled upon a 'timely' old article entitled 'In good times, in tough time' by columnist Soo Ewe Jin in the Sunday Star (7 June 2015) in which he reminded all of us that a wedding is just a day, it is the marriage that is forever and one that we must focus on.

Among others he wrote: "Weddings can be simple or expensive, but however memorable that day may turn out to be, we have to acknowledge that is just one day. The marriage, however, is a different story altogether...

"In this current world of easy divorces, broken relationship and same-sex marriages, some may wonder if the original institution of marriage that brings a man and a woman together can really withstand the test of time. What then is the secret to a long and fulfilling marriage...?

"It is a question that cannot be easily answered because every relationship is unique. Bringing two different people - and probably also two families - together is a challenge in itself."

I agreed with Eve Jin that weddings are just a one day affair...in the Malay society the 'pengantin baru' (bride and bridegroom) are called 'Raja Sehari' - remember that you are 'king' and 'queen' for only a day...immediately after both of you had been made husband and wife in the 'majlis akad nikah' (marriage agreement ceremony) then your responsibilities and duties as a married couple begins.

Even most weddings are only a day, many 'pengantin baru' and their parents 'throw everything'  they have to make the event look grand, the Malay used the phrase 'bergolok gadai'. Nowadays weddings are an expensive affair, perhaps a simple one would burnt about RM30,000 from a groom's pocket money - for example for the 'hantaran' it is RM10,000 (which is considered low), the food for the feast is about RM10,000 and other requirements such as such as 'pakaian pengantin' (the newly wed robes), 'hadiah' (presents), tents, decorations and transportation would amounted to another RM10,000. Perhaps RM30,000 is not enough...

Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah SWT), after becoming 'Raja Sehari', your good times and tough times started to unroll..the husband is the 'captain' of the new ship while the wife is his 'assistant'. The ship would then sailed off in the open sea. Often there would be laughter when everything were okay, but when huge and 'angry' waves hit the ship, would the 'captain' hold on while his 'assistant' being 'royal' to him or always by his side?

As mentioned above, RM30,000 is not enough for a simple wedding...perhaps for their wedding, the newly weds had to borrow money 'heavily' from other sources...then when their honeymoon was over they had to face reality for example one factor that contributed to domestic violence is quarrels about money. It is common that couples fight over money...

Even though courting couples seldom think about their future regarding financial burden as they are absorbed in ‘cinta’ (love), when they are married and then have their own families, they will realize that they can’t have ‘cinta’ only, they have to have money to run a place name home. ‘Cinta’ cannot satisfy hunger; you need money to buy food to please your stomach!

A wedding is only a day but the marriage is forever...the question is why many among us plan 'like mad'  the wedding but take for granted preparation to be a good husband and wife in a holy knot named 'marriage'?

First of all, to have a ‘religious’ wife, you should be ‘religious’ too. A good man is for a good woman and vise versa. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him – s.a.w.) in a 'hadith' by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim said: “A woman may be married for four things: for her wealth, for her noble descent, for her beauty or for her religion. Choose the one who is religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust!” 

So to dear young men and women out there, remember that the character of a good husband is not the one who provided for all the material pleasures demanded by his wife but who was able to guide her for her safety in this world and more importantly in the Hereafter. 

The Qur’an says with the meaning: “O! You who believe, save yourself and your families from Hell-fire, whose fuel are humans and stones (idols) over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.” (At-Tahrim 66: 6)

Yes, provide for and save your wife from Hell-fire; you are on the right track to be a good husband. Unfortunately in today’s material world, a man who could provide worldly pleasures and fulfill the lust of his wife is looked upon as a good husband. 

The wife’s crave for those pleasures are fulfilled. ‘High class’ women demand ‘high class taste of living'; perhaps these included shopping in top fashion and capital cities of the world such as New York, London and Paris looking for Birkin handbags, diamond rings and so on. She also demands to stay in top and exclusive hotels of the world and attending star-studded party. 

A religious wife is a precious treasure to a man for example  she would not demand from her husband worldly pleasures which are not within his means. She knows his limitation and acknowledges her obligation to obey and please him.

In Islam, the husband is the ‘qawwaam’ (maintainer) of his wife so that he will be a ‘real man’ knowing how to steer the ship of family life towards the shore of safety and guidance. 

Islam warns all men against the trail and ‘fitnah’ (temptation) of women, which may make them heedless and weak, and lessen their religious commitment, so that they turn a blind eye to the waywardness and unIslamic behaviour of their wives. 

In such a case a husband has no say: his wife is controlling everything in the home, so that he dare not disobey her, or answer to her back, or refuse any of her wimps. The Prophet (s.a.w.) was right when he said that this is the most damaging of trails and temptations that a man can be faced with: “There will be no ‘fitnah’ after my death that is worse for men than the ‘fitnah’ of women.” (Bukhari and Muslim) 

The Muslim husband is a man who is not weak in dealing with the trial of a wayward wife, no matter how difficult that ‘fitnah’ is. He gently makes it clear to her that no matter how much he loves her, he loves Allah and the Prophet (s.a.w.) more, and his desire to please Allah is stronger than his feelings for her: Say, [O Muhammad], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people." (Qur’an 9:24) 

In this way, the female waywardness which we see in many so-called Muslim homes will be done away with. The man who sees his wife, daughters and sisters going out in the street with make-up, uncovered heads and bare arms, clothed but seeming naked and does nothing to stop this disobedience in Islam, has surely lost his manhood, abandoned Islam and earned the wrath of Allah SWT. He is a ‘dayus’. There is no way out of this predicament but sincere repentance which will wake him up, restore his manhood and set him back in the straight path. 

Islam considers women to be a trust which has been given to men for safe-keeping. As the wife is usually influenced by her husband, he may take her with him to Paradise or lead her to Hell. Therefore Allah SWT ordered the believing men to protect both themselves and their families from the Fire and gave a terrifying picture of the awful fate that awaits them if they neglect their responsibilities towards their wives and families and fail to compel them to adhere to the truth. 

To achieve a harmonious family, what more blessing from Allah SWT The Almighty; scholars gave these advises:

1. Before being married, the future husband and wife would have to have the intention of being a good partner.

2. Thanks the Almighty for giving us a partner, the husband should think that his wife is the best for him and vice versa.

3. An exemplary husband makes his wife proud.

4. Smile when the husband returns home, the husband too should be jovial when returning from work.

5. Make sure husband and wife have time to talk to one another.

6. The husband and wife communicate with one another by SMS, telephoning etc.

7. Make the wife happy by telling her stories.

8. Have lunch or dinner together with family members.

9. Husband and wife are encouraged to take their bath together.

10. Help the wife in doing household chores such as mending shoes and shirts.

11. Practice having meetings with family members.

12. Do not divulge each other’s secret.

13. Be respectful on the wife’s family members.

14. Becoming a forgiving person.

15. Fulfill the wife’s need.

Not long ago, our government launched an ambitious program named ‘Rumahku, syurgaku’ (translated literally as ‘My home, my heaven) so that families could have homes that were peaceful heaven – like abode for them.

The most important requirement in making ‘My home, my heaven’ for Muslims is that family members should perform ‘solat berjemaah’ (hold congregational prayers). They too have to practice reading and understanding the Qur’an, reading and studying religious books and ready to help one another. 

Syaaban 1, 1444: Insafi diri dengan berhaji, berumrah...

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

Renungan

"Dan ingatlah sewaktu Luqman berkata kepada anaknya: "Wahai anak kesayanganku! Janganlah engkau mempersekutukan Allah (dengan sesuatu yang lain). Sesungguhnya perbuatan syirik itu adalah satu kezaliman yang besar." (Luqman: 31)

PERBEZAAN ketara haji dan umrah adalah dari segi masa dan amalan rukun dan wajibnya. Umrah boleh dikerjakan pada bila-bila masa sedangkan haji ada musimnya iaitu setahun sekali pada bulan-bulan haji (Syawal, Zulkaidah dan Zulhijah).

Rukun haji dan umrah adalah sama kecuali pada bab wukuf di Arafah. Wukuf hanya ada pada ibadat haji manakala rukun yang sama adalah niat serta memakai ihram, tawaf, saie, bercukur/bergunting dan akhirnya tertib.

Bagi wajib haji ada empat tambahan berbanding wajib umrah yang ada dua saja. Tambahan itu adalah bermalam di Muzdalifah, melontar Jamrah Aqabah, bermalam di Mina dan melontar ketiga-tiga jamrah pada Hari Tasyriq. Wajib haji dan umrah yang sama adalah niat dan berihram di miqat dan meninggalkan segala larangan dalam masa ihram.

Adalah sangat penting untuk jemaah tahu bahawa rukun haji dan umrah adalah perkara yang MESTI dilakukan, jika ada yang tertinggal, haji atau umrahnya tidak sah. Wajib haji dan umrah pula bermaksud perkara yang MESTI dilakukan, tetapi jika ada yang tertinggal haji/umrahnya sah tetapi dikenakan dam.

Sudah menjadi kebiasaan orang Malaysia sekarang ini kerap menunaikan umrah. Malah ada yang berulang-ulang kali melakukan sehingga ada yang melakukannya setiap tahun. Ada orang kaya dan ternama dilaporkan sudah menunaikannya sehingga 10 kali tetapi belum juga berhaji.

Melakukan umrah yang banyak tidak sama sekali menggugurkan tuntutan menyempurnakan Rukun Islam kelima iaitu menunaikan haji dan sungguh gerun mendengar ancaman Allah SWT terhadap orang yang enggan menunaikannya sebagaimana firman-Nya dalam Surah Ali-Imran ayat 97 yang bermaksud: “Dan Allah mewajibkan manusia (orang Islam) mengerjakan ibadat haji dengan mengunjungi Baitullah, iaitu sesiapa yang mampu dan berkuasa sampai kepadanya, dan siapa yang kufur (ingkarkan kewajipan ibadat haji itu), maka sesungguhnya Allah Maha Kaya (tidak berhajatkan sesuatu pun) daripada sekalian makhluk.”

Seorang ustaz dalam kuliah mingguan di masjid berhampiran rumah penulis baru-baru ini, menyatakan kesalnya ada orang yang mahu berangkat menunaikan haji tetapi tidak sedia berubah untuk melaksanakan perintah Allah seperti memakai pakaian menutup aurat sepenuhnya bagi perempuan apabila kembali semula ke tanah air.

Katanya, adalah tidak wajar untuk seseorang itu berkata, dia belum bersedia untuk mematuhi perintah Allah kerana siapakah kita untuk berkata demikian sedangkan nyawa kita dalam tangan-Nya, bila-bila masa saja Dia boleh mencabutnya, tidak kira kita bersedia atau tidak.

Antara amalan paling mencabar dalam melengkapkan ibadat haji adalah wukuf di Arafah, kemudian perjalanan ke Muzdalifah, seterusnya bermalam di Mina dan melontar di jamrah.

Inilah kegiatan dan hari-hari penuh bermakna bagi seseorang jemaah haji. Semua pengalaman ini tidak dialami oleh mereka yang menunaikan umrah. Namun, mungkin semasa menyertai pakej umrah, mutawif akan membawa mereka menziarahi kawasan-kawasan ini. Diharapkan dengan melihat tempat-tempat manasik haji ini akan tergerak hati mereka untuk menunaikan haji dengan seberapa segera.

Wukuf di Arafah adalah rukun haji yang tersangat penting. Tiada wukuf tiadalah haji. Seseorang jemaah itu dikehendaki berada di bumi Arafah walaupun sekejap saja di antara selepas tergelincir matahari hari ke-9 Zulhijah hingga sebelum terbit fajar pada 10 Zulhijah. Adalah mustahak diingati bahawa seseorang itu perlu dalam keadaan sedar di Arafah itu, orang yang hilang akal atau pitam atau gila sepanjang masa wukuf itu, tidak menepati syarat sah wukuf.

Penuhilah masa di Arafah itu dengan bertalbiyah, berzikir, beristighfar, membaca al-Quran dan bermunajat kepada Allah SWT. Selain solat waktu yang dilakukan secara berjemaah, seseorang itu boleh mengasingkan dirinya daripada orang ramai, dan apabila bersendirian akan terasalah gegaran hati ketika bermunajat, mengakui dosa seterusnya memohon ampun kepada Allah SWT. Saat itu terasa Allah SWT tersangat dekat dengan kita.

Akan berlinanglah air mata, teresak-esak tangisan apabila berdoa yang antara lain berbunyi: “Ya Allah, ya Tuhanku, sesungguhnya aku pohon akan Dikau dengan kemuliaan zat-Mu dengan kemurahan-Mu yang kekal abadi, dengan segala nama-Mu Yang Maha Besar, dengan apa yang diturunkan ke atas nabi-Mu, Sayidina Muhammad s.a.w. dan sekalian saudara-saudaranya daripada nabi-nabi dan rasul-rasul serta keluarganya, sahabat-sahabatnya dan sekalian pengikut mereka daripada golongan ulama-ulama yang beramal, wali-wali yang salih.

“Dengan kehormatan di hari itu bahawa Engkau memberi rahmat ke atas Nabi Muhammad, bahawa Engkau ampunkan kami, kedua-dua ibu bapa kami, anak-anak kami, saudara-mara kami, sekian kaum keluarga kami, guru-guru kami, sahabat-sahabat kami, mereka yang berbuat baik kepada kami, mereka yang mempunyai hak ke atas kami, mereka yang kami zaliminya atau menyakitinya, dan sekalian orang-orang Islam lelaki dan perempuan sama ada yang hidup atau mati.

“Engkau memberi rezeki dan kebajikan kepada kami dan mereka itu di dunia dan akhirat dan Engkau peliharakan kami dan mereka daripada segala bencana. Engkau jauhkan mala petaka dunia dan akhirat. Bahawa Engkau kurniakan kepada kami ilmu pengetahuan yang berguna dan amalan yang salih. Engkau peliharakan kami daripada perbuatan-perbuatan jahat sama ada daripada manusia, jin, binatang yang buas dan lain-lainnya.

“Engkau matikan kami dan mereka dalam husnulkhatimah, wahai Tuhan kami berilah kami di dunia ini kebaikan, di akhirat juga kebaikan, peliharalah kami daripada azab neraka, selawat dan salam ke atas Nabi Muhammad dan keluarganya, sahabat-sahabatnya. Maha Suci Engkau ya Allah daripada segala sifat kekurangan. Salam sejahtera ke atas sekalian rasul-rasul dan segala pujian itu tertentu kepada Allah yang memiliki sekalian alam.”