Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Berehat - Akhir Tahun.

Hari ini 16 Disember 2009. Dan masa ini sudah 30 Zulhijjah maybe?

Maka blog ini akan berehat seketika sehingga hujung tahun masihi 2009 lah.

Kita makin tua, dan mati itu memang pasti.
Dan dunia makin kelam-kabut.
Palestina yang sentiasa menangis, ke konflik politik tanah air yang tidak berkesudahan sehingga rakyat rasa malu menjadi rakyat Malaysia, ke Sidang Alam Sekitar di Copenhagen . Semuanya chaotic, semuanya kucar lanar.

Barack Hussein Obama yang terkenal dengan slogan "Change" kelihatan letih dan letih mengurus Amerika Syarikat. Pihak pembangkang di Malaysia yang dahulunya mengisyaratkan naiknya seorang kulit hitam ke jawatan tertinggi empayar US itu sebagai tanda perubahan sejagat kini hanya terdiam dengan segala yang berlaku kini. Obama lelah. Dia seolah berseorangan cuba menukar polisi-polisi US dan setakat ini, samar dan kabur lagi kesannya. Reformasi sistem kesihatan hampir berjaya dan menunggu proses, janji untuk menghapuskan sistem diskriminasi buat golongan homoseksual masih di peringkat retorik dan sebagainya.

Di Malaysia sendiri, pemblog-pemblog sudah ada mula menyoal, apa sebenarnya maksud "Islam sebagai agama rasmi" di Malaysia? Kalau dahulu, status "Melayu" sahaja yang jadi bahan perdebatan. Kini, status Islam menjadi seolah-seolah semakin kabur dan relatif? Saya mengambil pendirian positif dalam hal ini, maaf cakap. Biarlah Islam jatuh tersungkur dan dilihat segala orang, daripada Islam dilihat cantik dan berdaulat di Perlembagaan sedangkan "sudah membusuk sehingga ke usus" di dalam negara.

25 Disember semakin dekat. Saya tidak ramai kawan non-Muslim atau lebih tepat lagi Kristian. Tapi tidak mengapalah. Saya rasa tarikh lahir Jesus Christ ialah sama ada 25 Disember atau 6 Januari mengikut gereja masing-masing, tapi saya ucapkan Selamat Hari Krismas siap-siaplah di sini.

Saya mengucapkan selamat hari Krismas kepada kalian di atas pegangan saya bahawa Nabi Isa ialah Utusan Allah , Roh Allah buat umat sebelum Muhammad.

Dan juga selamat tahun baru masihi untuk semua kita ya~

Dan lebih dekat lagi, selamat tahun baru hijrah buat kita semua. Mari kita bermuhasabah dengan bagaimana kita menghabisi waktu-waktu kita selama ini, dan berazam untuk menjadi lebih baik lagi.

Dan terakhir, salam 10 Muharam yang akan tiba tidak lama lagi. 10 Muharam yang sunnah berpuasa pada harinya. 10 Muharam yang penuh kesyahduan , dengan Imam Husin bin Ali dipenggal kepalanya di Karbala. Panglima tentera yang kehausan di padang pasir , mereka berjuang demi hak dan pegangan Islam. Mereka menentang tirani, dan ijtihad Imam Husin membawa mereka ke jalan syahid semuanya. Ya mereka keluarga Nabi, tapi wanita-wanitanya diarak-arak ibarat hamba, titis-tisis nasab Rasulullah dibunuh tanpa simpati . Begitulah,  'pencinta' Ahlul Bait.

Saya ingin menitipkan kata-kata terkenal Ali Shariati, ahli falsafah Islam terkenal,

" Setiap hari adalah Ashura, setiap tempat ialah Karbala."

Salam. Ketemu lagi  2010.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Pindah Rumah.

Kompleks Perumahan IPPD Gombak. Rumah flat. 4 bilik dan 2 bilik air. Mak yang terlalu sayangkan perabot- meski sudah terlalu usang- dah lama pakai katanya. Kalau dalam istilah saya: nostalgik. Atau dalam bahasa saya dalam hati: *&^%. Tidak paham kenapa mak tidak tahu dan tidak mahu tahu pasal minimalisme. Saya yang suka sejarah ini pun tahu: 1) perabot 2) kalau dah usang, boleh perbaik 3) kalau x mahu perbaik, apa lagi....

Tetapi saya sajakah yang tahu di rumah ini?

Dan memang tidak faham perempuan. Oh kata-kata dalam post ini akan jadi sexist jadi feminis tegar bersedia.

Beli baju kejadah apakah sampai bilik-bilik lain pun terpaksa ditumpangkan baju mereka sedangkan sampai bila-bila pun mereka ( baca: anak lelaki)  tidak boleh pakai benda-benda alah ini melainkan mereka tiba-tiba berangan nak jadi mak nyah.

 Rumah makin sesak. Dua minggu mak tiri  tumpang tinggal di rumah mak ini kerana dia sedang berpindah ke rumah sewa baru yang lebih dekat dengan rumah mak. Sebelum ini dia tinggal di Bangsar. Yay ayah dah tak ada alasan nak mengelat " Abang kat mana? Kat rumah Sue jangan tipu Sue ada kat rumah dengan Kamarul ni. Dia bawak Ida dan Erin gi Selayang Mall tadi".

Tapi begitulah. Sesaklah rumah ini. Dua isteri dalam satu rumah sederhana besar dengan perabot yang banyak , dua anak kecil ( Erin 5 bulan Kamarul 3 bulan) yang selalu menangis tak tentu pasal yang saya rasa macam nak baling -baling saja dan mujur saya sabar, dan kerja memindahkan barang yang memenatkan.

Masa nak angkut-angkut barang semalam dan tadi, baru sedar mak dan auntie ada satu citarasa yang sama. Tak reti erti "lama" dan "tidak berguna". Perabot-perabot lama abah dan saya nak buang je dah, tiba-tiba auntie menjerit " jangan buang!" . Mak yang datang tolong-tolong pun kata "betul! buat per buang. boleh letak baju lagi. pintu yang kopak. leh perbaik lagi!". Yelah "perbaik lagi" itu tidak mungkin dah dalam kes ini. Dan sebenarnya almari itu tidak perlu pun melainkan baju-baju zaman-zaman muda-muda ( baca: dah tak muat pakai) tetapi masih mengada-ngada mahu disimpan. Ikut hati jahat mahu sahaja dibakar baju-baju itu  ikut hati baik baling-baling dalam plastik sampah hantar ke rumah anak-anak yatim.

Abah bertikam lidah lah sekejap dengan mak dan auntie. Heh. Kalah. Dua madu mempertahankan sikap " menyayangi barang-barang lama meski dia dah tak berguna. ATAU sebenarnya berusaha bermati-matian memastikan tidak wujud alasan abah nanti " hah baju-baju ni dah tak ada tempat nak letak bak sini nak buang."

Ceh.

Tetapi auntie tidak tahu, saya dan abah dah senyap-senyap buang dua tiga belas bundut barang-barang lama masa auntie duduk rumah mak. Di rumah di Bangsar itu, sambil-sambil mengemas barang-barang yang mahu, abah dan saya memasukkan sebahagian baju-baju lama dan campak terus ke tepi rumah tong sampah besar. Alah dia bukan ingat pun baju-baju tu. Tapi tak boleh buang semua, dia leh sedar jugak kang.

" Kamu jangan bagi tahu auntie kamu.". OK. Rahsia lelaki.

Nak jadi suami tak perlu pandai menipu. Dosa. Tetapi kena pandai tidak memberitahu benda-benda yang tidak perlu. Huhu.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi.

When I was 14 or15, I'm not sure, I was terribly lonely. God means nothing to me. Islam to me is tragic. Religion to me is stupid. I prayed 5 times a day because of that religious school's rules, I fast almost every Monday and Thursday due to my repentance of not believing in the Lord, I read Quran diligently, I frequent myself visiting the school library and read any books that caught my eyes. The first book I caught my eyes upon was an Islamic story of the Spanish Muslim kingdom, Under The Shadow of the Pomegranates by Tariq Ali. Then I remember borrowing a copy of Ihya Ulumuddin by Hujjatul Islam Imam Ghazali. It's very didactic yet very full of akhlak dan propagation of virtue.

Funny is the fact that I read, pray, fast all of those years out of my feelings of guilt of not being able to understand my God. No wonder I sinned.

I continue my self-loathing life . Life holds no significance, anyway.

Then I stumbled upon one book at the far corner in the Library. It was a book that discusses the Science in Quran and Bible, written by a Christian Professor . I hate science, so I don't give any particular attention to it but as I gazed at the last page on that thick book, there's a prayer quoted.

By Saint Francis of Assisi.

From a prayer of Christian monk, a foreign religion then I believe that there must be God. Because this man prays with such hope it's so sad that there aren't any God. But I happen to not remember what are actually said. Only recently, when I read the news of Mohamed Elbaradei, former IAEA ( Atomic Energy Agency ) chief resignation, I remember such incident . In his resignation speech, he ended it by quoting the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. Oh very refreshing!

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

A Prayer of Contemplation.



Remember ye implored
The assistance of your Lord,
And He answered you:
"I will assist you
With a thousand of the angels,
Ranks on ranks.".

Quran -s. viii. 9

 Love is patient,love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres"
I Corinthians 13:4-7 ( New Testament, Bible)


 "...Be strong and of good courage;
do not be afraid, nor be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go. "
Joshua 1:9( Torah ( Judaism), Old Testament)






Monday, December 7, 2009

I Have No More Sympathy For Muslims.

Some say that if you were a Muslim then you must always back the Muslims, no matter what they did. Ridiculous . If that was not asabiyah, I don't know what it is.

I just feel something radical need to be addressed when I read today's Utusan Luar Negara.

: Pelampau Kristian Britain ditahan

Surely, some Muslims would spill out "racism" and " discrimination" as reasons to all this demonstrations and protests by English Defense League (EDL). Yeah I found it 'racist' as well. But the funny thing is this UK, the previous champion of democracy and freedom of expression ( before US)  is now trapped by their own ideology.

Muslims get anxious whenever their "rights" are at stake. Muslims population at present in UK has gone up to  2.1 million people, mostly immigrants. That should be fine actually, considering capitalists in UK need cheap labour from the ever-willing Bangladeshis and Indian Muslims. We Muslims are that cheap? With these migrants come their cultures as well, and Europeans are torn apart of truly accepting such cultures on their grounds or not.

Funny is the fact that why and why Muslims always show reluctance to integrate into Western values. Funny is the fact that a 2005 report by BBC revealed that 60% of Muslims in UK are Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. Funny is the fact that this report believed that 63% of these 60% of Muslims are poor, and 43% of them unemployed. So it's not a  wonder that 1600 and more mosques in UK weren't actually built by the locals' money. It's either from the Barelvis, Saudi salafis or Iran Shias. Well, a majority of them , not all. The Malaysian Muslims are a good example, at general, on how such integration can be done without actually tarnishing the image of religion.

Integrate. Is that too hard? Obeying a secular country is different from being secular . Even secularism can actually be divided into two types, without mentioning the technical term, let's just say the types are US-type and France-type. The secular US is still engraved in their dollar currency "In God we trust", oath swearing by the Bible and a very active Christian evangelists' headquarters. Multi-culturalism in US flourished due to the freedom of expression enshrined by the US Constitution. The French version of secularism is followed by the secular Turkey, where secularism meant absolute non-affiliation of religion in state affairs. There's  when you find the total banning of hijab in France in government instituitions. I mean, such fuss, enough already, the Christians aren't that complaining when they are not allowed to wear Christian rosaries whatever, they thrive under pressure ( somehow), so Muslims also can't afford to get berserk under pressure.We are as holy as people with religions, if not more.

Moreover, it's funny to see that in Western societies, Muslims are champion of democracy and freedom of expression whatever- which hardly unparalleled to the realities of Muslim countries. The dissatisfaction of non-Muslims in these countries are evidently available on the powerful internet, for example. Only the Muslims are that ignorant. Muslims are nothing but selfish then? I hope that is not the case.

The Western people as I said earlier are trapped by their own ideologies. They are the people who guarantee the freedom of expression and padan muka, such guarantee jeopardize their own other modern values. Globalisation (so called, deemed by Prof Syed Naquib al-Attas as westoxification?) go both ways. Funny yet again when the people in Muslim countries are so afraid about their kids adoring Western culture while in UK the people gotten insecure with the rising population of Muslims there- which is associated with honor killing, discrimination of women, enforcement of unneeded sharia ( even Archbishop of Canterburry Dr Rowan Williams supports this marriage court) .

Antimigration policy seem to be gaining support these days in Europe. Muammar Gaddafi loathed upon Switzerland's ban on building minarets at Muslim mosques. He labelled the Swiss government " mafia". I don't support Gaddafi on this matter. Switzerland has a participatory democracy system, meaning that every single bit of policy is done with people's vote, not just some 4 year once general election. When the Swiss people vote on NOT allowing the building of minarets at mosque recently , so please just respect the people. I mean, the funny thing yet again is that  it's just MINARETS, for heaven's sake.

 Gaddafi commented that this event would give Muslim countries reasons to not allow construction of churches, synanogues, shrines whatever. Duh. Like all these past years, such restrictions aren't already existed due to some paranoid people. Get a life. Get your facts rights. Muslims are always on this defensive mode all this while, anyway.

Europe should take a stand in this matter. If they believe that such Muslims are a threat to the societies, do impose on antimigration laws. Then you need not anymore complaining on honor killings happen in Europe grounds, rise of criminal cases whatever, at the expense of  Muslims' cheap labour ( oh that sounds pathetic and tragic) . If you want to be liberal progressive societies, then invest on integration programs for the migrants alongside respect for the people's tradition as well.

Islam ( okay, this is the first time the word is mentioned in this long post ) is not an issue here.

Without excluding the proud fact that there are indeed significant proportion of good professional Muslims who either work or study in Europe or America, who pays taxes religiously ( pun intended), who loathes extremism and whatnot, the worldwide governments therefore need to address this petty Muslim migrant issue once and for all. Chinese immigrants are a case well solved, to quote the history. We have more serious issues like ever-falling global economy system or global threat caused by natural impact or instability of geopolitics.

Give the turban wearing,  hijab adorning Muslims jobs, comfort and acceptance in this 'shared' world- or send them back to where they once belong.

- The writer was a TESOL student from MARA College Seremban.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Speculations of "If"

I can fantasize that if I were born in the 60s, I would turn out to be a Trekkie aka Star Trek freak.

IF I were born during the age of antiquity, I would  want to be the disciples of Aristotle .

IF I were born during French renaissance, I would be a socialist-atheist.

IF I were born during the stone ages, I would die of hunger or killed by a beast.

IF I were born in Medieval Europe or Dark Ages, I strangely believe that I would go and live in a Christian monastery, faithful to Lord Jesus' ministry.

IF I were born during the ages of heathen, I would worship Hera instead of Zeus.

If I were living in the times of the patriarchs , I would be among those punished by Lord Yahweh aka El aka Allah and my tribes forever engraved in the holy books of religions.

IF I were living in the age of Martin Luther, I suppose I would go to the extreme and become Anabaptist.

IF I were a student at the medieval University of Paris, I would go the theology faculty and be a student for Saint Thomas Aquinas.

The problem is,

I am sad to say that if I were living during Prophet Muhammad's time, maybe I'll be the one who wage war on him, I would be the one who throw stone at him in Taif, I would be the one who claims that he is nobody but an insane poet, I would be the one whom name spoken in Qunut Nazilah, for right now, out of the fantasy and looking to the the reality , I feel like an enemy to God.

But life's is not about the if. The if is nothing but a portrayal of dissatisfaction of life. Egoism can be moral. And moral is fluid.

But reality is reality. And dream is dream. It is distinguishable, but can never be separated. For dream is a gateway to the scorching facts of reality, and reality is the gateway of deciphering the dream. All dwells around the souls of man.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Went Back To Ipoh.

Megat Naqib and me go a long way in our friendship. We were friends since we were Form One student in Sekolah Menengah Agama Izzuddin Shah Ipoh. To say we were in a clique back then. It isn't just me and him, there are Syafiq and Saiful Aqmal and a few more.

We weren't best friend in any sense. We were simply friends. Because we are.

Megat was the one who truly suggested that I should apply for MRSM for my upper secondary school studies. Beforehand, MRSM is totally out of the question. My grades in Arabic and Islamic I'dadi syllabus were excellent at that time. My ustaz says that I have a leniency on Islamic discipline and if  I want I should continue my studies in Egypt or Jordan .  Even if I were to leave SIS at all, it should be KISAS or Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan at least. But after some deep thought, I applied MRSM . And God how my life is different due to this choice I've made. Megat then transferred to MRSM Taiping and I went to MRSM Muadzam Shah Pahang. And then I found myself in MRSM Taiping after half a year there.

Megat knows all the bad things about me.Obviously we judge other people. I myself are one of that. But he took it and never made a fuss about it. We respect each other like that.  Judge all you want, but social friends we will still be. Cool.

I don't really treat Megat and any good friends of mine that often, unlike how most of my  friends would describe me (  aside from freak and weird) . I never treat them dinner or anything. We will simply hang out together.

I don't treat friends who I truly, really consider as friends. I know them well enough not to invest and shower them with materials. I usually only treat people I considered as needful friends , for the sake of my social and educational life. I believe in mutualism. I know I need them for doing things later on, so I do invest on things.

But for Megat and few handful ones, not really.

What I believe is that in a friendship or even relationship, what we need to know is our limit and our distance. I do give I believe the utmost care or bother acts for friends I've known. I am rather selfish but I always know that being attentive to others will benefit me later.I like to help people- somehow. But it is probably  because I always need to boost my ego. I see little point of being that with Megat and some long time friends of mine. They know me. Hate me or not I am what I am.

And so it's always nice to return to Ipoh, driving through my old schools and realize that I'd go a long time. Gone were the days where I was naive and innocent and full of spirit of inquiry. I choose this path. I myself brought myself up to this point. It was full of the love of friends and people who cried for me, who offered me the fruits of Evil, who tempted me with Pleasure, one slapped me at my face and cried afterwards because I was in terrible state of despair, some of who still hangs around with me knowing who I am, or who just looking pitifully when I am in my isolation and loneliness period.

I've felt extremely alone once in my school life in Ipoh. So far that moment is the loneliest experience I've felt. Every now and then , whenever I feel sad I will always remind myself, "remember Ipoh."

And sure I do. 

Monday, November 30, 2009

Of New Moon and Astro Boy

Somehow , I think Astro Boy is so much better. Yawning many, many times while watching New Moon. Haha.

Well,it's  my opinion. I don't know. This film at times simply turn into a half-nude show of  male beauty. Fascinating, I would say, but unnecessary at times. Hahaha.

Can't blame the film for catering to the hope of all the Twilight fans worldwide. It's Hollywood anyway. If we men are disgusted by the capitalism of the Edward and Jacob's muscles, we are actually stupid.

Hollywood gave us American Pie already. Chill. Hahaha.

p/s: I do realise that New Moon is the box-office breaker and Astro Boy  is the box office failure so far. But I wouldn't put that to my judgment.

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Of Being Yourself

I have my own way in being feminist. For feminist movement itself, to those who bother, is actually a wide range of ideologies centered around the emancipation of female in the male-driven world.

I have my own idea in philosophy, albeit obviously I have to say that none of them are original anyway, just an influence by the reading of earlier philosophers. I'm mediocre at best, anyway.

I have my own idea of the meaning of existense.

I have my own perception towards the institutional religions.

I have my own ambition.

I have my own personality, and I need not people to tell me that " wankhai, you're not manly" or "wankhai, you're too effeminate" or "wankhai, you're too gay" or "wankhai, a crush is always replaceable". I know that already. In the end , I accept the way I am haha.

I am an egoist and a devil in disguise. That much I have to accept. I only like criticism if only those who criticise are more superior than me in some way. I can't stand to be criticised by an ignorant since I am an ignorant myself. And I know that I'm not really nice person anyway, but often I unconsciously act like one. Perhaps some taqiyya is done by me unknowingly to ensure my social standing. Maybe .

I am trying very hard to not hold judgments towards anyone. I always believe in the complete grey personality of human. Scriptures are commandments in black and white, but to me, soul and actions are grey in nature. If people want my opinion on 'good' topics, here I am giving my opinion as best as I can. If it's on an "inappropriate" topics, I too have no qualms in indulging in one kind of conversation.

 My job is not to instruct anyone on any particular path. I can suggest one thing or another, but in the end, I believe in the complete freedom of the person to believe in what he wants to believe. Such is what Instrumentality of Evil aims. I am not a good person, but when asked by anyone, I leave it to them to choose of many path they want, good or bad. I simply utter the choices available to enlighten the issue. For thy soul is thine indeed.

I believe in the power of scepticism. For from scepticism comes improvements and reinforcements.  From scepticism experience comes readiness.


But, it's a wrath for if you want to be yourself, you corrupt the others. And Divine help is sought on that matter.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Salam Aidiladha

Mungkin sudah lambat, tapi tidak mengapalah.

Selamat hari raya Aidiladha kalian.

Mungkin bagi sesetengah kita Aidiladha itu apalah sangat. Malah ada yang tidak meraikan langsungpun. Sekadar cuti umum bagi kita, hatta tidaklah Aidiladha itu setaraf Aidilfitri, kononnya.

Tidak mengapalah.Saya cuma memesan-mesankan buat diri dan semua  yang kita ingatlah pada kisah pengorbanan Nabi Ibrahim dan Nabi Ismail a.s. Kalau mahu lebih ingatlahjuga  pada keturunannya Rasulullah dan ahlul bait yang mulia.

Ismail a.s tidak jadi disembelih tetapi akhirnya di Karbala tersembelih keturunannya yang mulia Saidina Husin bin Ali cucu Rasulullah permata hati Fatimah.

Oh Tuhan. 

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Drama di CarWash

Banyak sangat kereta. Semua orang tak sabar. Adeh. Orang-orang tua yang banyak merungut. Pekerja asing cuma 3 orang. Adeh

Monday, November 23, 2009

Of Being Curious

It's not gay-curious, bi-curious, mind you.
I believe sexual orientation was never my problem. I'm not curious at all. Haha.
It's the more dangerous type of curiosity- curious in spirituality.
Gone were the days where I happily and gladly oblige to any particular ideas.

This uncalled and undesirable scepticism and rationalism at first tormented me as early as I begin to really want to know myself. Like a madman, I scrounge the books in my school library- all for satisfying this ridiculous question of why and why of this and that. Countless visits to see my Islamic education teachers in staff room, who were educated in various Islamic institution throughout the continents, therefore seeing things and explaining things in many ways possible- though of the same essence- submission to Allah as the Supreme Guidance. One ustaz I asked , aside from giving the traditional explanation of morality as justified in derivation to the sacred Book, went as far as quoting Aristotle in his explanation- something I found admirable and had nurtured my curiosity to a higher level.

And positively speaking, to an extent, I did reach some understanding- albeit limited because of the lack in my formal study of Islamic religion. At least I can read the long windy hujjahs and ijtihads of the ulama' without feeling bored of the technicalities- I am merely a talabah ( student) anyway- and simply knowing a hadis and Quranic verses that were used by the ulama' was great. My half century old Islamic school library is not that big, but I believe it has a rather suprisingly significant amount of books of religious matter. I'm sure not even in National Library you can find books by Shia or Muktazilah ulama' in line with Nailul Authar or Matan Arbain.

I went from being very sceptical to idea of God to have a tiny, little understanding of why the ulama' outline certain rules and tenet. At least I now satisfies my curiosity.

But yes, I have to admit, this urge to understand or rather, knowing 'things' are also fueled by my constant evil disgust to my certain friends who push people around to do everything they believes are right. Who condemned people for its differing views. Who says Shia is kafir ( it's okay for an ulama' to declare shia is kafir or not , it's their ijtihad and they will face its consequences) but at the same time, in their biodata, admiring Ibnu Sina and Ibnu Zakariyya ar-Razi the two medicine Kings of the Islamic civilization. Such ignorance is pardoned- they don't know Ibnu Sina is an Ismailite Batiniah Shiah who believes that universe is mortal, or Ar-Razi is a liberal ulama' who adores Aristotle and Plato,and went as far as saying that " Quran challenges us to create a verse to compare to Quran, here I give you all the words of poets and great philosophers that can match or even better than Quran.". This evil personality of mine is insulted to be advised by such people- I can be ridiculed by a teacher, a friend, a colleague, but never from an ignorant. I am an ignorant, so I couln't accept the idea of being advised by people at par with me. It's absurd.

Don't get mistaken. I still respect ar-Razi or Ibnu Sina. Intelectuals are intelectuals- no matter what they believe in. The last philosopher of Islamic golden era, Ibnu Rushd dared to go into debate with Imam al-Ghazali nonetheless- although knowing very well how famous al-Ghazali is, how he was adored and admired throughout the Islamic kingdoms.

Some say that I am foolish to satisfy my curiosity. " You can go astray from the religion!".But why would I? I don't believe in one in the first place, but it is from this dangerous, non-standard way that I believe back in the faith. People may dictate us in many ways they believe is the best for us, but in the end, deep inside, we will eventually believe in what we want to believe. We can live in false consiousness, live in accordance to what the people want you to be, whatever you want, but in one particular point, such curiosity will then rise and if you being there unprepared, then you'll really lose your religion.And may God prevent us from that tragedy.

Praise to the enlightened, prayers for the confused and the ignorants.

Thus spoken.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Of Being Closer To The Supreme Being

I personally do not hold any negative views on people from any religions who try to be a religious abiding faithful.
I found that a good thing. No, great thing.
But in similar, I also don't find anything wrong to those who reject to be ruled by religions and live their life how they want it.
I found that to be one's freedom of believing in the best of one self.

I am then, in a way, use a humanistic approach on religion, though that can be debated as well.

As a Muslim, I believe that Rasulullah Prophet Muhammad is the greatest individual who has achieved greatness in spiritual and worldy matters in his 22-year-old struggle in bringing back the essence of "submission to God" - something that long ago was practiced by Sabeans who follows Zabur and follow Prophet Noah and  Prophet David, practiced by Jews who follows Torah and follow Moses and later Prophets such as Elijah and Ezre, and practiced by Christians who believes in Bible as their good news and follow the footsteps of the Twelve Apostles alike . It was only to us, upon age and millenia, the essence waned due to corruption in the institution of the mentioned great religions above.

My personal conviction is that the true God is one and only one- the being who is not a 'being' referred to as Allah- but I hold no harsh judgment to the believer of the same God albeit different traditions and paradigm- the Trinity-believing Christians and the Yahweh-believing Jews for example. Or the other version of God.

I do not hate Christians at all. I do not hate Jews at all. I do not hate atheists at all.

I respect Muhammad, Jesus, Moses as great prophets, and at the same time, I respect Plato who was among the earliest philosopher who talks about morality, Aristotle who talks about truth- and in contrast, though disagreeing with him, I respect Freidrich Nietszche the philologist who is famous for his anti-moral thesis "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" or Michel Foucault on his postmodern views on morality and the substance of materialism and socialism.

They are all great philophers of our time- and I aspire to be one.

In my personal opinion, I enjoy and feel peaceful reading on how the Great Four Imams of Sunni fight for the truth, how the 12 Imams of Shia persevere through the obstacles imposed by the Umayyad and Abbasid regime; how Saint Francis Assisi dares to meet the great ruler of Egypt who is a Muslim , to convert him towards his belief Christianity- much to the respect of Nizam al-Kamil himself, the ruler; how Buddha walks around India spreading the holy message of ennlightenment; how the Sufis with their mystical quotes attract thousands of admirations that Rabiatul Adawiyah and Hassan Basri and Jalaludin Rumi were so popular.

I believe, regardless , that this feeling of peace, serenity and divine inspiration by reading stories of religious people is not because of their religions or their God created it so, but because their act towards affirming and obeying their religion.

That's what matters, to me.

Their religions matter not as we will believe what we want to believe. What counts are the experience of euphoria and exhilaration of trying to be close to their respective version of supreme being.

Thus spoken.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Demam Selesema.

Kepala pening-pening dan badan sengal-sengal.
Otak pun kadang-kadang sengal.
Selesema sepanjang masa.
Tidur sepanjang siang, jadi susah sangat nak tidur malam.
Tidak apalah.
Kesakitan untuk kesembuhan.
Keletihan untuk kesihatan.
Di ketika inilah macam-macam makanan sedap-sedap melintas di otak yang sengal itu.
Malam semalam boleh mengidam Maggi cawan!
Maka pada 4.30 pagi, memandu dengan sweater ke 7-Eleven terdekat.
Sengal.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Of Being Ridiculous

I am a sceptic, yet I have high hopes for the future, albeit only miniscule in nature.
I believe in humanity , yet I believe that humanity is doomed for believing in one.
I believe in religion and faith, yet I believe that religions that are strictly institutionalized are plain wrong.
I believe in sins and charity, yet I believe that we all should have free choice on that and no any people are allowed to enforce their lifestyles upon one others.
I believe in marriage, but up until now, I don't see myself in one for the future .
I believe in the power of the community, yet I strongly believe in individualism as well.
I believe in love, yet to me love is too naive and too troublesome in this apocalyptic world.
I want to know God, yet sometimes I believe being agnostic is safe enough.
I help friends, I did try to act like a good friend most of the time but this heart still couldn't accept a true friendship that transcends reasons and motives.

I used to ask many things, questions many things, but deep inside, I know that I've known the answers already. I just couldn't face the reality.

I used to being asked many things, answers many thing, but deep inside, I've known that the answers I gave are merely politically correct answers or some arguments I myself know its errors. I don't like giving answers to questions I myself am seeking, yet I couldn't accept the notion of " I truly don't know".

I've changed from a person with no particular ideology I believe in to a person who hold numerous, contrasting ideologies- and that, my dear, is God's wrath in disguise.

and for all these, I know, for all this time, I am merely, consciously being ridiculous.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Jangan Terpedaya.

some people can be
a nice acquaintance
a great friend
a brilliant study partner
an excellent party member
but
a terrible housemate.

jadi, jangan terpedaya.
sekian.
huhu.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Letter of Prophet Muhammad.

Dalam semua riwayat sejarah yang begitu pelbagai dan penuh kontroversi dan kekalutan dan teknikal dalam Sirah Nabawiyah dan sirah para sahabat dan imam 12 yang mulia, saya cukup senang sekali membaca surat-surat Rasulullah kepada raja-raja ataupun puak-puak di luar Madinah.

Saya cukup bahagia apabila membaca kisah Rasulullah memuliakan orang Yahudi sebagai " the People of the Covenant".  Kaum yang Allah turunkan perintah untuk menjauhi daging babi.
Saya cukup senang apabila Rasulullah memuliakan orang Kristian sebagai " the Followers of the Apostles (Hawariyyun)" Kaum yang Allah turunkan perintah untuk berpuasa sewaktu Lent.
Saya juga gembira apabila Rasulullah memuliakan kaum Sabean sebagai pengikut Nabi Nuh dan Daud yang beramal dengan Zabur ( Psalms) . Kaum yang bersolat 5 kali sehari semalam. Meski solat Zuhur dan Asar digabung sekali dan Maghrib dan Isha disekalikan- sama seperti amalan Shiah Jaafariah danShiah Zaidiah.

Tetapi saya paling suka baca surat jaminan yang dihantar Rasulullah kepada para rahib di Sint Catherine Monastery di Mount Sinai :


This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them.
Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
The Muslims are to fight for them.
If a female Christian is married to a muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).

Dan segala aspek teknikal segalanya yang kompleks-kompleks dalam fiqah Islami akan saya akan terus lupakan membaca surat Rasulullah ini. Bagi saya, inilah Islam yang Rasulullah bawa. Saya sarankan kalian baca juga surat-surat  Rasulullah pada raja-raja dan kaum-kaum Yahudi misalnya.

Very englightening.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Feminisme dan Duduk Letak Islam

Bukankah Islam dan Duduk Letak Feminisme  lebih sesuai?

Tapi sengaja penulis rangkakan sebegitu. Di Malaysia ini, feminisme dilihat dengan kaca mata negatif oleh sesetengah aktivis-aktivis Islam.Kebanyakan hanya serkap jarang  mengaitkan feminisme hanya pada kumpulan NGO Sisters in Islam dan Amina Wadud, bekas dosen UIA yang menimbulkan kontroversi dengan mengetuai solat Jumaat di sebuah dewan gereja yang disewa( gereja bukan isu di sini). Sedangkan feminisme itu luas dan Islam itu sendiri agama yang feminis.

Emansipasi wanita sebenarnya telah mula lama di Tanah Melayu atau lebih luas, Tanah Nusantara ini. Orang wanita sejak zaman pra- Islam lagi telah aktif dalam perniagaan dan kerja seni. Kalau di sesetengah kawasan Muslim atau hatta di sesetengah bahagian Eropah pun zaman selepasnya, wanita Nusantara telah terdidik dengan ilmu. Diam mereka di rumah bukanlah sekadar tahu membasuh baju menanak nasi menyulam baju.

Wanita seantero Nusantara dahulu berani meredah hutan nan tebal, dan kenal pula segala jenis tumbuhan herba dan khasiatnya. Dibawa tumbuhan-tumbuhan ini ke rumah dibuat hiasan seni taman. Umpama kedai ubat di tepi rumah sahaja. Bayi hidungnya berdarah si ibu menjenguk sahaja jendela teratak dan menarik daun sirih , digulung-gulung dan diletak pada hidung bayi. Hendak menanak nasi lemak hanya ke belakang rumah mengorek beberapa ketul halia, mencabut segenggam kecil daun pandan, dan kelapa di laman dikupas dan diparut dibuat santan. Siap.

Perlukah mereka bergantung pada "sang suami' untuk  ke 'kedai' buat membeli segala? Tidak.

Islam di Nusantara  zaman itu juga tidaklah melarang si isteri terduduk diam dalam rumah sahaja. Mekanisme 'kenduri kendara' yang dibid'ah-bid'ahkan ulama kini itulah cara wanita-wanita ini bersosial dan menurun ilmu dan budaya. Makcik-makciklah mengetuai 'kumpulan masakan', si lelaki hanya tukang kacau saja,  sementara anak-anak dara sunti menunggu pinangan mengait sapu tangan buat cenderamata kariah masjid yang bernazam dan bermarhaban, atau tolong mengupas bawang segala sambil bertangis-tangisan. Si anak-anak kecil pula berlari-larian tolong membawa gulai atau menukar daun pisang alas makanan.

Aman dan harmoni. Apa wujudkah diskriminasi wanita dalam situasi ini? Lelaki atau wanita, yang didahulukan dalam tradisi Melayu ialah betapa tuanya mereka, bukan gender mereka. Tua itu pengalaman.

Apa sekalipun, kita Muslim perlu menerima hakikat bahawa Rasulullah itu seorang feminis. Betapa banyak perubahan yang baginda lakukan terhadap nasib wanita di zaman baginda.
Tetapi setakat itu sahajakah tajdid islami terhadap hak-hak wanita?

Kita mungkin tidak boleh mempertikai hadis-hadis dan ayat Quran yang jelas menyebut hukum ini dan itu. Namun kenyataan para aktivis Islam yang memarahi dengan emosi itu ini berkenaan pandangan Sisters in Islam itu juga tidak ada apa gunanya.Dengan semberono itu jugalah dilemparkan "anti- Quran" dan sebagainya pada NGO ini.

Bagi  penulis, kebebasan bersuara kini menuntut para aktivis untuk lebih bijak mengawal emosi dan mencabar intelektualiti diri.

Kenapa masalah harta pusaka iaitu lelaki dua bahagian dan wanita satu bahagian misalnya tidak dikaitkan dengan Hibah ( hadiah)? Sebenarnya boleh sahaja para aktivis berhujah bahawa walau ditetapkan sebegitu dalam Quran, si ibu bapa boleh saja menghibahkan harta tertentu kepada si anak perempuan , justeru harta tersebut tidak termasuk dalam senarai harta pusaka lagi. Tetapi perlulah ada wasiat yang diwujudkan. Itulah dia.

Tetapi majoriti umat Islam tahukah perkara ini? Berapa ramai umat Islam yang tahu kepentingan berwasiat demi keutuhan keluarga? Jadi apa yang aktivis-aktivis Islam buat berkenaan hal ini? Lihat secara lebih luas. 'Ketidakadilan' yang wujud di sesetengah hukum dalam islam sebenarnya boleh sahaja dijelaskan apabila mengaitkan dengan hukum yang sedia ada juga. Hibah dan Faraid boleh wujud serentak Si mualaf yang tidak boleh mewariskan harta buat keluarga yang bukan islam boleh sahaja menghibahkan harta beliau itu. Itulah Islam. Tidaklah kejam sepertimana yang dituduh. Aktivis-aktivis Islam perlu menjauhkan diri daripada hujah ringkas "ini arahan Tuhan dalam Quran dan Sunnah" seolah-olah Tuhan tidak pernah menyuruh kita berfikir dan mengikut membabi buta. Yang Tuhan larang hanyalah memikirkan zat-Nya, yang lain silakanlah berfikir secara sihat dan patuh syarii.

Zaman dahulu, kenapa perempuan Melayu Nusantara tidak kisah dapat hanya separuh bahagian lelaki ? Mereka perempuan? Mungkin. Mereka punya suami? Mungkin.

Tetapi mungkinkah keadaan sosial ketika itu menjaga wanita tanpa perlu lagi kepada berebut-rebut harta? Bukankah ini juga suatu kemungkinan?

Dahulu, yang menjaga anak-anak perempuan dan isteri bukanlah hanya ibu bapa dan suami, tetapi seluruh masyarakat tersebut! Rasa kemasyarakatan  itulah 'menutupi' semua 'ketidakadilan' yang wujud ini. Apalah sangat harta kalau dibanding dengan budi dan pekerti dan maruah. Begitulah rumpun Melayu Nusantara kita ini dahulunya.

Rumah tidak berasap si saudara di hujung kampung datang menghantar beras. Imam dan bilal kampung datang memberi zakat beras yang disimpan di gudang masjid. Kemana-mana seluruh negeri punya tempat berteduh. Yang bau-bau bacang juga tidak segan menawarkan tempat bersinggahan. Si suami berdagang jauh ke negeri orang, jiran-jiran yang kebanyakannya saudara mara sendiri tidak sekadar menengok , tetapi bersedekah tanpa rasa rugi dan penuh keikhlasan pada isteri dan anak yang ditinggalkan. Anak perempuan jiran umpama anak perempuan sendiri.  Mahu belajar mengaji si lelaki perempuan diajar tanpa prejudis. Pantun dan gurindam mercu kekuatan moral umat Melayu jadi hafalan si teruna dan si gadis, imam masjid dan nenek bidan. Walau si lelaki yang empunya harta yang lebih banyak, tetapi si lelaki tidak punya masa untuk bersuka ria dengan harta . Adik perempuan terabai orang kampung akan mengata dan mengambil tindakan. Memulau itu biasa, menegur akan lazim. Si lelaki dapat tanah, tetapi memang kebiasaan si perempuan menyimpan emas dan hiasan. Rumah juga kebiasaanya akan dapat ke perempuan. " Lelaki merempat tidak apa, tetapi perempuan tidak sama sekali". Nah begitu tinggi sekali apa yang perempuan dapat, "harta dan PERHATIAN dan JAGAAN masyarakat".

Tetapi apakah perempuan masih sebegini? Di sesetengah kawasan umat Islam di negara lain, pengaruh budaya yang teruk menyebabkan perempuan dikongkong sebegitu rupa- jatuh daripada manusia kelas dua kepada hamba seks dan pengasuh semata-mata. Salah Islamkah? Tidak. Lihatlah di Nusantara . Bukankah kita Islam  juga? Tetapi kenapa di zaman lampau wanita boleh saja beroleh ilmu dan berniaga segala?

Mungkin salah KITA sebenarnya. Kita yang meruntuhkan kekuatan masyarakat yang dibina atas dasar PEDULI yang cukup Islami. Ketidakpedulian kita itulah , yang sekadar menggeleng kepala melihat kebejatan sosial dan diskriminasi wanita , membuatkan hukum-hukum Islam menjadi tidak praktikal dan bersifat diskriminasi. Ketidakpedulian inilah yang menyebabkan wanita bingung dan terpaksa mencari sumber lain buat pedoman sehingga mereka terliur dengan wacana feminisme versi lain yang menawarkan penyelesaian bagi masyarakat yang individualistik.


"Kami kaum wanita yang lemah" itu satu kata-kata yang membinasakan dan tidak Islamik pun.Kata -kata "wanita satu akal sembilan nafsu dan lelaki sembilan akal satu nafsu' bukanlah hadis atau kata-kata sahabat ataupun imam-imam syiah sekalipun. Ia hanyalah kata-kata bicara sufi. Tradisi Islam Sunni dan Islam Syiah kedua-duanya menyelitkan sejarah wanita-wanita yang 'bebas'. Saidatina Maryam yang berani mendepani tuduhan berzina kerana yakinnya dengan Tuhan. Saidatina Asiah yang merupakan hamba seorang lelaki berkuasa, pemegang autoriti di Mesir Purba. Tetapi kuasa tidak menggentarkan dan menggoyah haknya untuk percaya pada apa yang dia mahu percaya. Dan siapa tidak tahu Saidatina Fatimah az-Zahra Penghuluwati Syurga, Cinta Imam Ali? Fatimah yang wafatnya Rasulullah berjumpa terus dengan saidina Abu Bakar dan menuntut khums hak Ahlul Bait? Dinafikan oleh Abu Bakar tetapi tidak berputus asa. Dan juga siapa tidak sedih dengan takdir yang menimpa wanita-wanita yang melindungi anak-anak keturunan Rasulullah yang diperlaku sebegitu teruk oleh Yazid bin Muawiyah setelah Perang Karbala? Sehelai sepinggang dibawa dari Karbala ke Kufah ke Damaskus. Ya Tuhan, tetapi wanita-wanita 'bebas ' ini tidak takut pada kuasa melainkan kuasa Ilahi. Tabah dan berani melawan ancaman. Dan kita di Nusantara punya Tun Fatimah yang pandai bersilat dan bermain siasah, punya Ratu Acheh yang mempertahankan keamanan Acheh, punya orang Minang yang wanitanya cukup berilmu.

Inilah wanita-wanita sejati. Mereka telah mencapai emansipasi dengan erti kata sebenar. Mereka dibantu agama, dan diterima oleh masyarakat. Tetapi kini?

Penulis merupakan bekas pelajar TESL di Kolej MARA Seremban.

p/s: sangat berterabur dan kucar kacir. kalau ada cadangan sila kemukakan ya. ini post spontan, jadi hasilnya sedikit bangang lah. hehe.

If Only.

I wish there are still more time.
But I guess I'm in no control of that.
Time is slipping by .
Fast.

If only....
Never mind God, I will never ask that from you.

I just hope I don't give anybody trouble anymore.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Revolusi Bahasa dan Teroris Bahasa

Saya tidak percaya kepada kedaulatan bahasa, kesucian bahasa dan sebagainya.
Saya hanya percaya kepada kelangsungan bahasa.
Bahasa "suci" seperti Sanskrit, dan Latin sudah ditelan zaman kerana terlalu tegas dan enggan berubah.
Bahasa agama seperti Hebrew, Arab, Sanskrit dan Latin itu pun masih wujud kerana ia bahasa dalam ibadah, itu saja. 
Saya hairan.
Ya mungkin kalian yang pernah terkunjung blog ini dan sedar yang saya menentang PPSMI.
Tetapi yang menentang PPSMI ini pula, ada sebilangan kecil enggan menerima revolusi bahasa.
Mahu dibiarkan bahasa di takuk lama.
Bahasa bukan agama.
Tidak ada istilah "bid'ah" dalam bahasa.
Saya peduli apa dengan "rejuvenasi" dan " inovasi" dan " histologi" dan "historiografi" yang dipinjam daripada bahasa Inggeris itu.
Saya tidak kisah jika "penambahbaikan" disamamaksudkan dengan "renovasi".
Bahasa Inggeris itu juga meminjam-minjam.
Semua bahasa moden kini meminjam-minjam.
Nenek moyang kita lebih terbuka. Apa juga tamadun yang singgah dan wujud ke nusantara diambil buat diksi bahasa. Sanskrit, Portugis, Arab, Jawa, semuanya disatukan.
Kalau bahasa Melayu mahu kekal relevan, maka kita perlu bersedia untuk melepaskan 'benteng-benteng' tradisi dan 'kesucian' bahasa ini. Kita perlu menjadi seperti nenek moyang kita yang cukup terbuka dahulu.
Bahasa Melayu perlulah sentiasa dalam proses pengayaan diksi untuk terus 'berdaya saing' .
Jangan jadikan kedegilan sesetengah ahli bahasa itu membawa kebinasaan bahasa ini.
Lihatlah apa yang telah jadi dengan bahasa Greek yang tiada apa-apa nilainya sekarang melainkan dalam kajian sejarah tamadun justeru untuk menjadi bahasa ilmu pengetahuan yang kian hari kian berkembang, bahasa juga perlu sentiasa berubah dan terus berubah.
Kalau tidak, pupuslah Bahasa Melayu ini.
Terpulanglah sama ada kita mahu melabelkan"pengawal bahasa" atau "revolusioner bahasa" yangmerupakan  'teroris bahasa' sekarang ini.
Sekadar pandangan.

-Penulis merupakan bekas pelajar jurusan TESL di Kolej MARA Seremban

Friday, November 6, 2009

One More Year.

21 years old.
One more year.
One more year before you have to make a decision, Wan Khai.
Choose or perish in the sin of ignorance, the sin of despair.

An Invitation.

Visited by the Devil.
What charisma.
What power.
The historic arch-nemesis of Lord.
I was made fun of for being an Instrument of Evil.
If I want, I can become the God's Adversary instead.
But  I have to reply,
" No thank you. But thanks for the offer.'

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Dr Asri dan Kebebasan Bersuara.

Petikan berita terbaru Malaysiakini: Asri: Tauliah cabul hak bersuara.

Sistem pentauliahan bagi mengajar agama yang diamalkan oleh pihak berkuasa agama Islam di semua negeri adalah melanggar hak kebebasan bersuara, kata bekas mufti Perlis, Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin.

Katanya, ini kerana dalam, Nabi Muhammad sendiri menyuruh supaya setiap umat Islam itu berdakwah "walaupun satu ayat".

Sehubungan itu, beliau tidak menolak sistem ini telah disalahgunakan sebagai 'alat kawalan' terhadap pendakwah-pendakwah Islam di negara ini.

Katanya, walaupun Perlis mempunyai undang-undang yang sama, tetapi beliau tidak pernah menguatkuasanya sepanjang menjadi mufti negeri itu.

Dr Mohd Asri yang ditangkap Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) selepas memberi ceramah agama di Gombak baru-baru ini, memberitahu demikian dalam wawancara dengan Malaysiakini pagi ini.

Respon saya:

Ustaz, saya menghormati ustaz selaku seorang ahli agama yang berprinsip dan berhujah menggunakan intelektualiti dan semangat empirisme. Tetapi tidak tahulah, saya masih tertanya-tanya akan erti di sebalik "kebebasan beragama" yang ustaz maksudkan.

Saya tidaklah nampak "kebebasan bersuara" yang ustaz maksudkan apabila rombongan Habib Munsib al-Attas dari Tarim Hadramaut, yang sunni masalahnya, sekitar tahun 2007 dulu dihalang daripada menyampaikan ceramah dakwah di sebuah pondok agama di Perlis?

Ulama-ulama ini dituduh syiah oleh pihak mufti pada awalnya untuk menghalang mereka (hanya kerana ulama hadramaut ada asal usul ahlul bait kah?), kemudian ditukar pada kononnya ia majlis politik, alih-alih pihak mufti Perlis menyalahkan imigresen Malaysia dan tak benarkan majlis sebab tidak ada tauliah daripada kerajaan Malaysia. Memanglah ustaz tidak "kuatkuasakan enakmen tu", sebab kalau ustaz kuatkuasakan, takut ustaz kena marah dengan orang-orang pondok agama yang tak tentu pasal ulama' mereka dituduh Shiah, sedangkan saban masa mereka menguliti kitab al-Ibanah daripada Imam Abu Hasan al-Asyari.
Alih-alih guna hujah ulama' Hadramaut ini tidak ada tauliah daripada kerajaan Malaysia( sedangkan kat negeri lain, okay la pulak)

Ustaz, ustaz pernah dengar hukum karma?

Kebebasan bersuara apanya kalau ustaz dengan kuasa ustaz, menyarankan supaya Faisal Tehrani  yang mengeluarkan "Ketupat Cinta " dalam Harian Metro digam dan dihentikan penerbitan.

Dalam banyak hal saya tidak bersetuju dengan Faisal Tehrani malah dengan ustaz sendiri, tapi sebab saya jahil, maka saya berlapang dada.


Tetapi saya takkan terima hujah "kebebasan bersuara" . Saya merupakan seorang yang sangat berpegang pada kebebasan bersuara, tetapi kalaulah kebebasan bersuara dijadikan alasan dan hujah, malang sekali.


Kerana apa yang berlaku selama ini tidaklah mencerminkan "kebebasan bersuara" yang ustaz pegang ini. Tetapi saya mahu ustaz terus berjaya di masa hadapan. Malaysia merupakan negara yang mengalami masalah rendahnya budaya intelektual sekarang ini. Mahasiswa kini sudah gagal menghayati falsafah intelektualiti. Semuanya mengenai melahirkan produk tenaga kerja sahaja, kalau Karl Marx lihat ini pasti dicemuhnya universiti sebagai "capitalist factory of the highest order".


Tetapi, dalam hal ini, orang yang mendapat faedah dalam pandangan " kebebasan bersuara" ini cumalah golongan Islam Liberal ( Sisters in Islam dan sebagainya). Mereka juga boleh berhujah dengan "sampaikanlah walau satu ayat".

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The Instrument of Evil.

The boy didn't know what a Personal Legend was. 'It's what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their Personal Legend is. At that point in their lives, everything is clear and everything is possible. They are not afraid to dream, and to yearn for everything they would like to see happen to them in their lives. But, as time passes, a mysterious force begins to convince them that it will be impossible for them to realize their Personal Legend.- Paulo Coelho, 'The Alchemist'

And what a day it was. The day when I discovered my own Personal Legend.

There Was This Guy.

Once upon a time, there was this guy.
He didn't believe in Allah, his religion God.
He was young.He was inquisitive.He believes that his world doesn't just revolve around Power Rangers every Saturday evening and Digimon on Sundays 10 am and Pokemon on weekends at 7 am or Dragon Ball at 9 am. He loved all that, but he knew that it was not enough.
He believed that  his world is not about himself, only. But he didn't know what his life was all about.
He has great friends. Sure he did.
Maybe because he was funny and generous and easily persuaded, so he think.
He excelled  at academics , at that time, but he sucks, terribly sucks at sports.
He still remembered , all of his early years, he rarely went out of the house to play with friends. He sucked in sports or even playgames, so he didn't want to play, because when he played for a team, he will just be scolded and jeered at with disgust.
" You suck!"
So every evening, if he didn't watch TV, he will stand at the verandah of the quarters, and looking at his friends playing happily. Later, tired on standing idle,  he went to his room and jump to the bed,daydreaming,
" what are my friends doing now, ayte?"
but since it has become a routine, he stopped doing it because that would made him sad.

One time, he bought a 50 cents notebook and began scribbling on it.
Pages after pages, books after books.
He would write about everything , the book is like a confessor in a Christian church.
Inside, he will fill the blank pages on what mistakes he commit today. Or what he did to his friends- good or bad.

Inside the book, he would also mention on what was he feeling that day.
But most pages, of many, many books...are filled with complaints...complaints to God...or whatever it is.
He's young, but at that stage, he already didn't believe in God. 
It's just the thought of a "God" would make a reason for him to complaint.

So, he questioned "Allah" many things.
For six years in a row, he scored the first place in his Fardhu Ain religious school, but he never actually believe in Allah.
Every now and then, he would complaint to God of his loneliness, his failures - all written in the books.
But at one stage, he stopped complaining.
God didn't answer his complaints- so there is no such thing as God or Allah or whatever. It seemed like God didn't hold any particular interest in him. Expected, though, since why would He became interested in those who did not believe in him?
So since his answers are unanswered, he'll find "God" himself.
Whatever He or She is.

He secretly applied for a secondary religious school unbeknowest to his parents, and when he was offered a place at a Goverment SBP science-stream school, he rejected it. He wanted to go to a religious school. He wants to know "God"- and as he couldn't rely on his parents or anybody- it's up to him to change all that.

He was adamant. His parents, relatives persuade him to go to the SBP. He insisted on the religious school. It's now or never. He needed to know this " Allah". At 13, he quarrelled with his parents. And he will never regret that, for he wouldn't know what'll happen to him if he cracked under pressure at that time.

But.....Irony. Life is irony of the highest order.

Yes, he learned about whatever it is in that 'religion' he was taught. But as the Fate is cruel to him, he discovered a more mysterious and alluring existence: SINS.Oh my, what memories. What sins. So many and yet so seemingly trivial. He remembered all those lonely and confusion he faced. If "God" didn't come to help him, maybe the "Devil" will help?

And the darkness slowly ate his heart up. His friends noticed that. Two, to be exact. Those two 'angels' of the guy.If God existed, He should make them guardian angels already. When at one point the guy didn't even feel guilty at all commiting sins,not even a bit, these two angels are always there for him.

But strangely, they spoke nothing. They simply be there. Whenever the guys spoke rubbish of God or whatever- unfit for a religious student - they'll just smile, and listen. And he keep throwing them rubbish thoughts. But they keep being with him.Such fools.This guy however, still doesn't believe in Allah. The difference between him and the old him was he changed his opinion into  " if there is such a thing called God, it must be a lousy God."

He saw little point in dwelving in one particular ideas only. He started immersing himself in the variety of ideas. And he still commit sins unrepentantly. He cares less. He didn't feel guilty at all. He dicovered Godhead, trimurti, philosophy, universalims, humanism- and oh my, that triggered his interest buds. Such variety, so much gain, and so little lost, as since he doesn't believe in anything, he had nothing to lose.

But he is touched by one of his angels' speech:

" Wan, some people reach their final destination in a straightforward manner. But some faces doubt, confusion, loneliness to reach the same terminal. I just pray that my God gives you enough time for you."

And what a diference the speech has made. Uncertain he was in response, but still, he dared to play gambling of time with God.

" Now, it's either you or I lose, God".

And he walked on the path of the damned- the Instrument of Evil. Sometimes he felt lonely, he felt tired- he felt that it is enough- but then, he'll just remember his damned soul and thinking on how much sacrifices he had already made- and he'll keep on going.

And the Holy Clock is ticking, fast.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Moving On

We have to realize one thing: there are always things called 'ex' in our lives. But we have to move on, and live. It's okay to reminisce the past, but how about we cherish those moments and at the same time,anticipate what the Lord will bring forth into our futures. Believe in God's promise. I'm trying to.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Kita Mahu Macam-Macam.

Dalam sesebuah masyarakat, terutamanya masyarakat berbilang kaum dan budaya seperti di Malaysia, setiap kelompok dalam masyarakat seolah-olah mempunyai aspirasi tertentu dalam menentukan hala tuju bangsa nasional mereka. Hal ini boleh sahaja dipengaruhi oleh tekanan budaya atau agama, atau usaha kerajaan yang telah menjadikan sesuatu ideologi itu perkara yang bersifat utama dalam menuju integrasi nasional.

Tetapi tidak semua daripada kita akan bersetuju dengan apa yang sesuatu "kerajaan" mahukan.

Ada yang mengimpikan sesuatu jenis perpaduan yang nyata merentasi batasan agama , kaum malah mungkin sahaja geografi. Ianya sejenis perpaduan global yang dinaungi satu budaya, kesan globalisasi yang membolehkan asimilasi suatu budaya masyarakat lain untuk dinormalkan di masyarakat tertentu, meski berbeza keadaan sosiobudaya dan geopolitiknya. Perpaduan global ini merupakan angan-angan ahli ekonomi neoliberal yang mengimpikan sistem ekonomi kapitalisme sebagai tunjang ekonomi dunia, meski wujud bantahan dan respon negatif daripada masyarakat lainnya, contohnya Presiden Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yang mengisyaratkan kejatuhan kapitalisme apabila krisis ekonomi dunia berlaku kini. Tidak kurang juga pandangan-pandangan cerdik pandai terutamanya dari Asia yang mengatakan bahawa perpaduan global ini hanyalah satu angan-angan dan impian jahat Amerika dalam melaksanakan Imperialisme Baru ataupun dengan erti kata lebih luas, sesuatu penjajahan budaya luar ke atas budaya-budaya lain yang bersifat Euro-centric.Tetapi kita tidak boleh menafikan bahawa  memang ada di antara kita sendiri ingin mengecapi apa yang dikira mustahil, sejenis perpaduan yang menghapuskan prejudis, meliberalkan agama dan geopolitik , mengaburkan sempadan negara dan bangsa. Tampak mustahil. Malah mungkin cukup "mustahil" sehingga wujudnya satu kelompok neo-hippie atau New Age yang mengatakan bahawa pada tahun 2012, berbeza dengan pandangan sesetengah ahli teori konspirasi bahawa akan berlaku kehancuran dunia, mereka mengatakan bahawa pada 2012, seluruh dunia akan mengalami perubahan spiritual , di mana semua daripada kita akan menerima doktirn perpaduan global dan menuju era baru yang harmoni dan bahagia. Seolah-olah kini, manusia mustahil menemukan kedamaian dalam susasana kita sekarang. Seolah-olah agama, budaya dan identiti diri kini mengalami krisis kegersangan sokongan atau sebaliknya ekstremisme , sehingga tidak ada lagi yang mampu dibuat melainkan Tuhan/ atau apa sahaja entiti yang dikaitkan dengan Mistik yang mengubah keadaan manusia secara terus: 'divine intervention of the highest order'.

Dalam skala yang lebih kecil, wujudnya satu impian yang ingin menjadikan agama sebagai asas perpaduan. Tambahan pula, dengan suasana kacau bilau yang berlaku sekarang, yang bagi hampir kebanyakan agama, menampilkan ciri-ciri akhir zaman, seperti yang dipercayai dalam Judaism, Christianity dan Islam, hatta dalam doktrin-doktrin fahaman-fahaman terkemudian seperti Zionisme,Thelema dan Church of Satan, ciri -ciri akhir zaman atau apocalyptic ini menimbulkan keresahan terhadap sebilangan masyarakat yang jumlahnya cukup signififikan untuk menarik perhatian dunia mengenai perpaduan intra-agama ini. Ianya sejenis perpaduan di mana dunia ini dibahagikan mengikut kelompok agama semata. Barat digeneralisasikan sebagai Kristian, China sebagai Buddhism dan fahaman Confucius, India sebagai Hinduisme, Timur Tengah dan Asia Tenggara sebagai Islam dan sebagainya. Perpaduan inter-agama pula kelihatan sangat janggal, dan bagi sesetengah agama dikira "haram" dan suatu kesesatan yang paling melampau.Sikap perpaduan intra-agama ini jelas kelihatan bagi pendokong ideologi Qutbism ( fahaman Syed Qutb) dan perpaduan ala Ikhwanul Muslimin seperti tokohnya Hasan al-Banna yang menyeru kepada pan-Islamisme dan kesatuan sejagat sesama muslim seantero dunia. Alternatifnya ialah gerakan parti politik Hizb at-Tahrir yang menolak demokrasi dalam menuju matlamat yang sama dengan Ikhwan Muslimin- suatu kerajaan tradisi Islam yang dipanggil "Khilafah Islamiah" yang terhapus semenjak 1924 pasca Perang Dunia Pertama, meski wujud teori bahawa telahpun berkali-kali "khilafah" jatuh sebelum itu dan bangkit semula secara organik, bukannya bersifat terus menerus sepertimana jawatan Pope Kristian yang bersifat "apostolic succession". Dalam mencapai perpaduan intra- agama Islam ini, terdapat pelbagai masalah, antaranya keadaan geopolitik negara-negara umat Islam, mazhab Islam yang pelbagai dan dinamik di sesetengah tempat dan rigid dan ketat di negara-negara lainnya, campur tangan kerajaan yang terdiri daripada kerajaan ultra-sekular, sekular, conservatif, tradisionalis dan nasionalis, malah tentangan ataupun pertikaian dalam kalangan ulama sendiri. Antaranya ialah isu Kaum Muda yang dipertikaikan Kaum Tua di Malaysia dan Indonesia dahulu , sikap ulama Saudi yang skeptikal terhadap Qutbisme yang membawa kepada penahanan pendokong fahaman Islam ini, dan juga kewujudan fahaman-fahaman liberal Islam yang menyerupai apa yang telah berlaku terhadap agama Kristian dan Yahudi yang kini terlalu pelbagai fahamannya.

Dalam Christianity misalnya, Gereja Roman Catholic bertindak sebagai majoriti dalam masyarakat Kristian. Namun sejarah menunjukkan kita bahawa Christianity mengalami perpecahan melampau dengan Great Schism - pemisahan Gereja Barat ( Roman Catholic Church) dan Timur  ( Orthodox) yang dipenuhi dengan excommunication dan kecaman sesama mereka. Kewujudan Protestanisme menambah lagi kekacauan bila mana Protestanisme itu kini terdiri daripada beribu-ribu pandangan alternatif yang menolak pandangan utama dalam mazhab Katolik. Ini belum dikira lagi dengan Church of Latter Day Saints /Mormonism yang datang dengan "nabi" baru dan kitab baru untuk digandingkan dengan Holy Bible, ataupun Unification Church/Moonies yang dibawa oleh Sun Myong Moon . Zionist Christians dan sebilangan gereja evangelis seperti Milleanist Christians pula menyokong kewujudan negara Israel di wilayah Palestin untuk membolehkan ramalan kepulangan Jesus Christ menjadi nyata, manakala gereja Eastern Orthodox dan R oman Catholic Church sendiri menolak doktrin ini. Perpaduan intra-agama ini mula ditampilkan apabila mendiang Pope John Paul II/ Papa Joanes Paulus II mula mengajak diskusi sesama mazhab Kristian dan mengajak gereja Ortodoks untuk menarik balik excommunication sesama mereka sebelum ini. Tetapi ianya lebih sukar buat gereja Protestan kerana ianya terlalu banyak dan berbeza-beza, seperti mana Anglican Church/ Church of England yang bersifat pertengahan antara Katolik dan Protestan hasil tradisi monasterial mereka , kepada sesetengah gereja yang menyifatkan gereja Katolik sebagai Anti-Christ dalam erti simbolik dan literal.

Judaisme turut menerima nasib serupa. Dengan kewujudan mazhab Orthodox, Modern Orthodox, Hasidic Orthodox ( ultra-Othodox), Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionists, Humanistic Judaism , dan juga kelompok Haskalah di Amerika dan Eropah yang bersifat sekular dan mengesampingkan ibadah Judaisme,  ia seolah-olah membayangkan mustahilnya perpaduan intra-agama dalam fahaman monoteisme terawal di dunia ini.

Walaubagaimanapun, dalam ketiga-tiga ajaran agama ini, kesemuanya menyeru kepada suatu sistem dan pemerintahan, Islam dengan khilafahnya, Kristian dengan idea Kingdom of Heaven, dan Yahudi dengan pembinaan sebuah negara bangsa Israel di mana Haikal Sulaiman di Palestin menjadi mercu kedaulatan. Aspirasi ini membuka peluang pada ahli-ahli agama dalam agama mereka menyeru kepada perpaduan intra-agama dan memilih pandangan supra mazhab dalam menguatkan agama mereka.

Namun tidak dilupakan juga, kehadiran nasionalisme sekularisme juga membawa matlamat perpaduan nasional yang berlandaskan bangsa dan negara. Indonesia, misalnya, di dalam kedua-dua Order Lama dan Order Baru, memperlihatkan usaha-usaha perpaduan nasional di mana segala unsuru-unsur agama dan budaya dikaburkan dan membentuk suatu budaya tunggal yang benar-benar "Indonesia". Islam dikesampingkan di dalam negara dan pemerintahan secara sistematik, dengan Pancasila menjadi asas ideologi negara. Majlis Fatwa Indonesia hanyalah satu majlis yang boleh menasihati berkenaan fatwa tanpa kuasa legislatif, malah selalu dimomokkan dan dibandingkan dengan Majlis Fatwa dalam Muhammadiyah dan Nadhlatul Ulama' yang kelihatan lebih berkaliber. Di bawah presiden Sukarno yang sekular, fahaman Islam liberal mekar di Indonesia, dengan fahaman ini berjaya meresap masuk ke dalam institut-institut agama seperti Institut Islam Yogjakarta dan Jakarta, dan wujudnya aktivis Islib seperti Prof Nurcholis Majid yang terkenal dengan pandangan beliau akan kemungkinan bolehnya bukan Islam memasuki syurga dan Drs Siti Musdah Mulia yang mengatakan bahawa golongan homoseksual diterima dalam Islam. Di Indonesia juga wujudnya rumah-rumah ibadat yang digunakan secara bersama oleh beberapa agama, satu yang dikira pelik di kaca mata orang Malaysia, jiran mereka. Dari segi budaya pula, orang-orang Cina tidak dbenarkan untuk menggunapakai nama Cina mereka, sebaliknya perlu memakai nama Indonesia. Selepas berpuluh-puluh tahun proses asimilasi ini berjalan, dengan sistem sekolah satu aliran yang dijalankan di negara tersebut,  kita melihat bahawa Indonesia secara amnya mempunyai semangat perpaduan nasional yang tinggi jika dibandingkan dengan Malaysia, negara jirannya.

Sebagai perbandingan, Malaysia, sebuah negara yang mengejar status negara maju, masih lagi dipengaruhi unsur-unsur kaum , agama dan budaya. Lebih konservatif daripada Indonesia, kerajaan Malaysia selama ini berpegang kepada konsep "Ketuanan Melayu" sebagai kaum majoriti di Malaysia. Islam juga dijadikan agama Persekutuan dalam Perkara 3 Perlembagaannya, dengan peruntukan diberikan untuk membina masjid-masjid dan surau-surau dan agensi-agensi agama. Malah, di Indonesia, parti islamik seperti Partai Keadilan Sejahtera di sana tidak begitu menekankan akan aspek undang-undang syariah seperti hudud dan ekonomi Islam. Sebaliknya, Parti Islam se-Malaysia di negara Malaysia ini menjadikan isu ini begitu sentral dalam kempen politik mereka. Parti-parti bersifat perkauman masih lagi wujud di Malaysia namun parti-parti yang menggabungkan kesemua kaum seperti PKR dan DAP mendapat sokongan yang signifikan di beberapa buah negeri sehingga boleh membentuk kerajaan di Selangor dan Kedah dan dahulunya, Perak, terutamanya setelah berlaku kerjasama politik dengan Pasti Islam se-Malaysia.

Malaysia kini berhadapan dengan golongan-golongan yang mahukan perpaduan dengan erti kata yang berbeza. Terdapat kemahuan untuk mewujudkan negara sekular yang diketuai oleh DAP dan sebilangan aktivis dalam PKR. Aktivis-aktivis hak wanita dan hak homoseksual yang kelihatan berjaya di Eropah dan Amerika cenderung menyokong parti-parti sebegini, demi membawa perubahan kepada rakyat Malaysia. Namun wujud juga aspirasi membentuk negata Islam (meski berlainan versi) dengan mengimplementasikan undang-undang shariah. Ada juga keperluan mendesak terhadap perpaduan nasional, apatah lagi Malaysia berhadapan dengan jiran Indonesia yang lebih besar dalam jumlah rakyatnya dan Singapura yang meski kecil, tetapi telah terkehadapan dalam aspek-aspek ekonomi dan pertahanan.

Dengan cadangan sistem sekolah satu aliran, kerajaan Malaysia mengharapkan agar integrasi dan perpaduan nasional boleh dicapai. Namun, rakyat masih menimbangtara akan kesan integrasi ini terhadap identiti agama dan kaum mereka. Integrasi selalunya membawa kepada korban dan kehilangan identiti sesuatu individu.


Keperluan perpaduan nasional ataupun agama di Malaysia kelihatan begitu mendesak, tetapi sanggupkah kita semua benar-benar 'berintegrasi'?

- Penulis merupakan bekas pelajar TESL di Kolej MARA Seremban. 

Friday, October 30, 2009

Cinta Bahasa. Cinta Agama. Cinta Si Dara Teruna. Pilih Mana Sasaran Anda.

Pantun Kasih.

Saya tak mahu berlesung pauh,
Lesung pauh membuang padi,
Saya tak mahu berkasih jauh,
Berkasih jauh merisaukan hati.

Kalau kita menebang jati,
Biar serpih tumbang jangan;
Kalau kita mencari ganti,
Biar lebih kurang jangan.

Buah durian dari hulu,
Pokoknya banyak di kebun Amin,
Tahukah tuan sejak dahulu,
Di dalam gula racun bermain?

cuplikan daripada blog ini.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Status Islam Di Malaysia.

Kini, dianggarkan, hanya ada 57% Melayu Islam di Malaysia dan selebihnya bukan Melayu Islam. Kiranya, secara kasar, umat Islam hanya ada lebih kurang 7% lebih sahaja populasinya di Malaysia ini.
Saya agak risau, dan pada masa yang sama, tertanya-tanya akan apa yang bakal berlaku di Malaysia mengenai status Islam di negara ini.Setakat ini, cerdik pandai yang saya ketahui memberi respon berbeza mengenai pelaksaanaan hukum Islam secara menyeluruh di Malaysia.Saya menyokong sepenuhnya hasrat ini, kerana sebagai seorang muslim, kemahuan kepada Islam itu satu perkara yang membawa kedaulatan Islam di sesebuah wilayah orang Islam.

Dan saya lihat , ya, UMNO dan PAS keduanya telah banyak berjasa dalam menyeru kepada implimentasi hukum-hukum Islam dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat. Mahu tidak mahu, secara teorinya, PAS kelihatan lebih pantas sebagai jaguh dalam hal ini. Dalam hal teori hukum-hukum Islam, PAS telah terkedepan berbanding UMNO. Mereka merujuk kitab-kitab tradisi dan moden dalam persoalan hukum menegakkan syariatullah secara menyeluruh, dan dalam hal ini, secara serentak. Tetapi saya rasa tidak wajar pula memberi terus gred " F" atau "E" kepada UMNO dalam soal pembawaan hukum Islam di Malaysia.

Kita kena melihat satu perkara bahawa Malaysia pada awal abad ke 20, kehidupannya dilingkungi adat Islamik dalam budaya, tetapi sistem pemerintahanya dipayungi sekularisme. Ada sesetengah mengatakan bahawa ketika ini , Tanah Melayu dalam keadaan jahiliah lah, meski saya harus mengatakan bahawa ketika itu, Tanah Melayu sudahpun mempunyai sistem pembelajaran agama di pondok yang sangat komprehensif dan analitik, meski sangat tebal dengan sentimen mazhab Shaffi nya. Tapi sehingga itu sajalah mungkin mercu kekuatan Islam ketika itu.

Kita dalam fasa penjajahan. Dan ya kita dijajah sangat lama.

Sewaktu kemerdekaan, dalam ahli-ahli Suruhanjaya Reid merangka perlembagaan, Justice Abdul Hamid dari Pakistan lah yang menyarankan agar Islam dijadikan agama rasmi. Tetapi perunding kemerdekaan kita, Tunku Abdul Rahman misalnya, tidaklah memandang serius akan status Islam ini. Tunku Abdul Rahman acap kali berkata bahawa semasa kemerdekaan, Malaysia ialah negara sekular dengan Islam sebagai agama rasmi. Hatta kemerdekaan seantero dunia ketika ini lebih kepada keinginan kepada pemerintahan sendiri,berasaskan ideologi seperti demokrasi atau sosialis, dan bersifat nasionalis. Lihat sahajalah, PAS tidak begitu cemerlang ketika itu, meski pada satu tahap, meski PAS hanya menang satu kerusi, Perikatan hanya menang majoriti tipis di hampir semua kawasan , sehingga secara kuantiti, Perikatan hanya menang lebih 50% sedikit sahaja berbanding PAS. Ini hakikat. Orang Melayu ketika itu lagi sudah waspada dengan apa yang cuba dibawa oleh Perikatan, tetapi ketika itu slogan "perubahan" dibawakan, maka sudah pastilah terliur dengannya, apalagi "perubahan" itu digula-gulakan dengan Peristiwa Natrah di Singapura dan sebagainya.

Bawa ke zaman ini, saya tidak dapat menerima hujah bahawa Islam semakin hilang di tanah air ini. Dan kedua-duanya jasa UMNO dan PAS. PAS mengetengahkan isu Islam sepanjang masa, dan antara sedar atau tidak, rakyat juga berubah. Sistem perbankan direjuvenasi untuk menyediakan perkhidmatan patuh Syariah, dan pada masa yang sama mengekalkan sistem perbankan konvensional ( hakikatnya, 70-80% pelanggan sistem pinjaman Shariah ialah Cina). Sistem zakat dikemaskini, dan ulama'-ulama' membincangkan mengenai interpretasi asnaf-asnaf yang layak menerima zakat dengan lebih prakmatik. Inilah Malaysia, negara bersistem sekular yang seiring dengan perubahan zaman dan gelombang Islamisme,  kian berubah.

Tetapi ada BANYAK lagi ruang yang memerlukan perubahan.Dan ia perlu juga mengambil kira populasi Muslim di Malaysia kini. Berapa peratus sangatkah majoriti Muslim?

Zulkifli Nordin dari PKR baru-baru ini mencadangkan pemindaan dalam Perlembagaan Malaysia supaya status Islam akan lebih jelas. Ia turut dipersetujui Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat. Dengan undi  non-Muslim yang masih lagi berpihak kepada Pakatan Rakyat, saya rasa UMNO pasti sedikit keberatan untuk menyokong usul ini kerana ia akan mengurangkan lagi penyokong mereka dalam kalangan non-Muslim. PKR juga kelihatan tidak senang dengan usul ini. Rata-rata non-Muslim memberikan respon negatif, dan kita kena ingat, mereka bukan sedikit.

Tambahan pula, dengan perkhabaran bahawa Pakatan Rakyat akan ditubuhkan sebagai satu kumpulan parti dengan satu logo, dan Lim Kit Siang mengatakan bahawa akan ada 20 tahun perjanjian antara 3 parti ini di mana prinsip-prinsip parti akan digubal secara bersama, PAS kena bersedia untuk mendiamkan seketika hasrat mewujudkan undang-undang Islam dalam masa 20 tahun ini dengan sabar. Ahli PAS yang gelojoh kena menerima hakikat bahawa yalah, 52 tahun kita merdeka, mungkin 20 tahun lagi diperlukan untuk PAS benar-benar mampu mewujudkan sistem Islam yang menyeluruh, dan untuk meyakinkan non-Muslim, dan apabila saya guna perkataan "meyakinkan", saya tak yakin penerangan tanpa "hadiah" memadai. Apa yang PAS boleh berikan kepada non-Muslim untuk hak sebegini, untuk menarik undi mereka yang cukup signifikan ini supaya perubahan boleh dilakukan? Adakah " hadiah" ini lebih baik daripada apa yang UMNO berikan?Gula-gula apakah yang akan diberi oleh PAS untuk melawan coklat Ferrero Rocher di zaman UMNO Tunku Abdul Rahman dan Cadbury di zaman Tun Mahathir? Tambahan pula, semalam ini wujudnya cadangan sistem sekolah satu aliran di sekolah menengah, yang dipersetujui oleh semua parti di Dewan Rakyat termasuklah PAS. Tetapi PAS perlu melihat kesan jangka panjang, "stok aktivis PAS" kebanyakannya datang daripada lepasan sekolah-sekolah agama dan dari aliran agama. Dengan limitasi 10 subjek yang membuatkan pelajar khuatir untuk mengambil jurusan agama kerana risaukan masa depan, dan kini sekolah satu aliran yang boleh membawa integrasi kaum tetapi mungkin liberalisme dalam agama, dan kita tahu saja sekolah itu satu proses indoktrinasi yang cukup efektif, mungkin lebih lama lagi waktu diperlukan oleh PAS. Indonesia, "berkat" sistem sekolah sebegitulah nasionalisme di Indonesia begitu mekar, dan kaburnya semangat perpaduan agama di sana. Hanya beberapa tahun ini setelah Presiden Indonesia mengajak kepada kerajaan perpaduan, yang melibatkan parati-partai utama seperti Partai Keadilan Sejahtera yang cenderung islamik, makanya sistem pendidikan diolah semula untuk melibatkan subjek-subjek islami bagi sekolah yang mahu sebegitu.

Apa pun, aktivis Islam dalam PAS, UMNO ( jangan skeptik, ada), dan NGO-NGO kena bersedia dari segi fikrah, hujah dan kepandaian memahami sepak terajang politik.

Aktivis Islam tidak boleh gelojoh. Ia nampak janggal dan pelik untuk melihat yang lain sedangkan Islam menawarkan segalanya, tetapi saya rasa, lihatlah sahaja bagaimana aktivis alam sekitar, aktivis hak wanita, aktivis sosialis dan aktivis hak- hak homoseksual bekerja. mereka bekerja dengan cukup efisien dan sabar, dengan strategi-strategi lincah dan licik, yang kita katakan: genius. Mereka merentasi batasan kaum dan agama. Dan mereka menggunakan saluran politik dengan begitu terancang. Lobi mereka kuat.Dan di Malaysia ini, ini yang kita terpaksa cuba fikirkan.

Apa yang kita umat Islam boleh tawarkan? Saya jarang menggunakan ayat Quran kerana blog saya ini kalau ikutkan isinya yang teruk tak layak diletakkan ayat Quran, tetapi kali ini, cincai lah.

Ingatlah wahai Muslimin, Allah taala ada menanyakan:

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يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ تِجَارَةٍ تُنجِيكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ

Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Mahukah Aku tunjukkan sesuatu perniagaan yang boleh menyelamatkan kamu dari azab seksa yang tidak terperi sakitnya? (as-Saff 61:10)


تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ۚ ذَ ٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

Iaitu, kamu beriman kepada Allah dan rasulNya, serta kamu berjuang membela dan menegakkan ugama Allah dengan harta benda dan diri kamu; yang demikian itulah yang lebih baik bagi kamu, jika kamu hendak mengetahui (hakikat yang sebenarnya). (as-Saff 61:11)


يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَيُدْخِلْكُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ ۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

(Dengan itu) Allah akan mengampunkan dosa-dosa kamu, dan memasukkan kamu ke dalam taman-taman yang mengalir di bawahnya beberapa sungai, serta ditempatkan kamu di tempat-tempat tinggal yang baik dalam Syurga ” Adn “. Itulah kemenangan yang besar. (as-Saff 61:12)

Am I "Sesat" Because I Don't Believe In "Khalifah" Concept?

Saya tak pastilah on whether konsep "khalifah" itu satu tunjang aqidah Ahlussunnah wal Jamaah tapi saya rasa antara aspek penting jugaklah.Kalau ya, maka aqidah saya rosaklah. Nak buat macam mana. Jangan risau, macam mana pun, saya  tahu, ada hadis bahawa "sesiapa yang tidak mempunyai baiah di tengkuknya, apabila dia mati maka matinya mati jahiliah."Kiranya aqidah saya rosak bukan sebab jahil la. Sebab lain. Sebab saya bangang kot. Hadis dari sahih Bukhari ini saya rasa saya kenal sedari zaman budak-budak di sekolah menengah agama dulu. Senior-senior yang terlebih bersemangat waja PAS itu akhirnya entah apa-apa sekarang. Sayang, zaman remaja ialah zaman memahamkan. Apabila terlalu awal nak menjadi aktivis sedangkan proses penghadaman fikrah itu entah ke mana-mana, maka tenaga aktivis itu hilang di awal waktunya dan hapus menjelang dewasa ( mungkin masih kuat di zaman universiti), sedangkan apalah sangat yang dapat daripada bercerita dengan kanak-kanak f1 yang lebih peduli Digimon dan Dragon Ball dan membiasakan diri dengan subjek silibus Al-Azhar (I'dadi) yang susah dan memeningkan.

Saya sampai sekarang tak faham. Ya, mungkin sahaja sistem khilafah itu wajib. Malah, saya tahu bahawa Imam Nawawi pernah menuturkan bahawa para ulama' sudah sepakat  bahawa wajibnya ada hanya satu "khalifah" yang mengurus muslimin seluruh dunia. Ah, bukan Imam Nawawi as-Shafii saja pun, Imam Ibnu Hazm al Andalusi pun. Dan ramai lagi ulama berpandangan sedemikian. Boleh menjadi ijma' dalam mazhab Ahl Sunnah wal Jamaah kalau ikutkan lah. So "mungkin" itu boleh delete kot daripada ayat "mungkin sahaja sistem khilafah itu wajib". Tapi yalah, secara "teorinya" begitulah. Satu khalifah satu dunia. Hanya di zaman Khalifah Rashiduun saja begitu kot. Zaman Umayyah saja pun sudah terlalu besar. Khalifah terkemudian secara dasarnya hanya secara terus memerintah ibu kota dan sekitarnya sahaja. Yang wilayah lain apalagi, birokrasi lah. Dan juga autonomi diberikan bagi sesetengah gabenor tentera atau ketua puak yang menyokong kerajaan ketika itu, terutamanya apabila mereka berjaya menumpaskan anasir-anasir penyokong Keluarga Nabi dalam perebutan takhta khilafah. Dan benda yang sama berlaku di zaman Abbasiah. Penghujung zaman Abbasiah, sistem "khalifah" hanya satu ilusi. Ia hanyalah satu sistem di mana ada banyak kerajaan dalam satu "sistem ilusi " ini, khalifah hanyalah boneka bak Shah Iran boneka US yang akhirnya digulingkan. Dan sistem pembinaan Khilafah Uthmaniah pun bukanlah islamik sangat pun. Ianya lebih bersifat kebangsaan dahulu. Apabila lama ( which is memang lama) kemudian, barulah sistem itu kembali ke arah "Islamically-inclined".

Apalagi,di zaman islam terkemudian pun,  hadis "apabila ada dua khilafah, maka bunuhlah yang keduanya" lah jadi pendokong "halal"nya membunuh ahli-ahli Keluarga Nabi yang mulia. Oh, Imam Bukhari atau Muslim  tak lahir lagi masa ini ya, jadi saya tidak rasalah umat Islam masa itu bergaduh akan sahih atau tidak sahihnya hadis ini. Shaikh Muhammad bin Ya'qub al-Kulaini dan Sheikh Muhammad Tusi pengumpul utama hadis dari mazhab Shiah pun tak lahir lagi. 

Entahlah. I do believe that muslims are in a pathetic state without khalifah, in general. But I don't really believe that the building of this ancient system will be workable anymore. How will the caliphate runs that encompasses mazhabs? In general, there are Sunnis, Shia and Ibadhi as prominent Muslim sects. History told us that such problem is settled through blooshed, war, oppression and banishment.Wow.And then,if indeed there is a caliphate, it means that now war will start again? A war of invasion for jizyah? As far as I was told, that is very likely. Even there is a bloody suggestion that slavery system should be introduced again when the caliphate system was "online" again.

Talk about being backward.

We used to have this label "Slaves of capitalism", and later if it happens "slaves of Islamism" pulak? Great. Two "devils" in the world. Err. Is it?

These are questions that ulama' should answer. What is Islam's stance on slavery abolishment? Would they adhere to global demand on it or they suddenly want to introduce  it again? And such 1 billion Muslim people to elect one post? I wonder how will that work?And how about autonomy? Since these days kononnya we want to build khilafah the Rasulullah way, so what is Caliphate stance on autonomy of its territories, vast, unique and different culture territories? And how about war?

And these days, most people are sceptical enough to distrust one person. One person controlling 1 billion people? Duh.Reminds us to Hitler. Even Obama is criticised because there is freedom of expression. But, in Islam, khalifah is to be advised privately, not publicly. Haram, because there's a hadis on that. And overthrowing of legal khalifah is haram as well,which happen to be happening all the time for these hundreds of years. More so, public criticism of khalifah can get you killed or declared infidels. And moreover, I never hear any fact that there is any powerful institution that can control the khalifah's power anyway. All of the disputes are decided by bloodshed most of the time. Even the Great Fitnah is done in the same way. O the land of Siffin, O Karbala!

I know, I know. Those who defend khalifah may use reason that a "khalifah " must be a mujtahid and good and a'lim. So no worries. Things won't be bad. Oo whatever. Mujtahid, good, a'lim, knowledgeable are so subjective. And who the one that we see have it these days?Like for example,I do respect Prof Qardhawi or Dr Wahbah Zuhaili, but to think them as a supreme leader would be very weird.


And so that's why I ain't really supportive of khalifah institution. This caliphate system is indeed fine, we can change the system a lil bit,we may use TAJDID on lots of things pertaining the system functionality but to find a candidate who will take the number one place,I'm that sceptical. I hope it doesn't turn into how election of Pope is done. In the end, it is still influenced on what nationality he is, what is his stand on religion ( conservative, tajdidi,traditionalists,secular) , and how many bishops favoured him...

I'm that sceptic. So, I believe that yes,we should work for the existence of such system,or if you don't want, do what you want that you think suits your beliefs or ideology. I don't really care . But to fill the post later on, I only have one choice, and I don't even know if he's already in the process of arriving or not, Imam Muhammad al- Mahdi Imam az-Zaman Qa'im bil-Hujjah. He's a God messenger anyway,so,by any means, I'm so ready to baiah him, and for now,only him. And that ,my dear,is so apocalyptic.

p/s: I hold deep respect for ulama' post anyway. So, I would say that this post is not a defense of Islam or anything. I'm too evil to do all that. lol.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

A Promise.

You know...
What happen to a thing called friendship when it ends? Or is they such a thing called end of friendship?
Err...
What are friendship anyway?

Can friendship remains even without unneeded lies?
I think.... probably?

So why the need for the lies?

" I'll remember you always."
" I'll always pray for you."
" I will never forget you."
" You will always be my best friend"
" We will stay connected always."
" We will always be together even though we are apart."
" I will never, ever forget our friendship."
" We may never meet again, but I will always have you in my memories. It will always be sealed in my life forever."

Oh, so sweet.
So bombastic. Yes, so pure.
So much love.

But, sorry, I believe that these are all unrealistic.
Though not realistic doesn't mean that it is not probable.

Do friendship, so-called true friendship need to be comforted with lies?

It is hard to remember all your friends everytime. Maybe impossible, even. Most of us aren't that obsessed with friendship to remember such past memories all of the time.

Don't get mistaken. Though I'm sceptical on close friendship, I do believe in friendship in general.People do need other people.
Friends are needed for our own sake anyway.
And helping others mean that we are helping ourselves anyway in the same time.
Such selfishness. Though how about being optimist and say it is all Muslim charity?

Yes, being grateful and thankful to our friend are wise. Remembering them is nice.
But, human we are, we love hyperboly.We promise things in our state of ignorance and emotions. Do we not realize that we made a promise that is so bound by unneeded word like "always" and "forever"?

Won't a "thank you for your friendship all this while", "may our path cross again" suffice? We are praying, and not promising anything. We are not bounded by any promise. Aren't that better? To the more realist type, they can be free from any tie to past memories . Everyday is a new day. Every phase is a phase of reborn.

Huhu I sounded so bitter today. I am made to think by a friend, adakah kita berjumpa, berkawan dan berpisah kerana Allah atau kita berjumpa , berkawan mungkin kerana Allah, tetapi di penghujung perpisahan, kita lupa tujuan kita kerana Allah kerana terlalu terbawa-bawa dalam persahabatan sehingga semuanya menjadi for "friendship's sake".

Salam. Ridiculous post again tonight. Whatever.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Jika Korang Menyayangi Seseorang, Dan Dia Meninggalkan Korang...

...apa respon kalian? Adakah antaranya respon sebegini?

Versi Kuno:
Aku merelakan kepergiannya dengan redha...eceh~

Versi Kebencian Melampau:
Pegi mati terus la wei!!!


Versi Konpiden:
Mesti dia akan balik kat aku balik.

Versi Syak Wasangka:
Apehal tetiba nak berbaik-baik ni?

Versi Kurang Sabar:
Kalau dia tak nak berbaik dalam masa terdekat ni, buleh blah!

Versi Sabar :
Alaaa..dia mesi balik nak berbalik punyalah balik.

Versi Tak Kisah:
Nak berbaik balik takder hal, nak blah balik pun tak heran.


Versi Kurang Asam:
Bak balik semua hadiah yang aku bagi dulu tu!

Versi Brutal:
Nak blah, cubalah kalau berani.

Versi Cemburu:
Sesape pun tak bleh cuba-cuba nbak rapat dengan ex aku tu!

lol~
(kredit buat Ujang 366 15 Oktober 2009)

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

What I Am. A Reply To A Lovely Friend.

I don’t understand.

Yes, as  you said,  I am a guy with some freakish history; who did enrol into some prestigious Perak secondary religious school for three years (just three anyway!). Yes, I read a lot, though “a lot” would be “miniscule” if comparison is made with my girls classmates whom been reading since they know words (I started reading only after SPM). Yes indeed, miraculously, I’ve been reading Islamic-related materials. And yes, I talked about them with friends.

 But.

 When I do not conform to being what I’m supposed to be, person who strictly upholds so-called amr ma’ruf nahi munkar, though my background is such, please do not simply criticise me for that.

 Can’t you just accept me for what I am?

 Can’t you for one second, acknowledge, that although there is always a room for improvements in me, I deserve my own pace, my own freedom to be what I want to be? Ever heard of baby steps?

 God.

 I am not a good person. I always know that. Perhaps, I will never be, because I never aspire to be such so far. And I’m 20 already. I even believe in Instrumentality of Evil. I preach both good and evil . And I simply left it like that.

 I’m a Muslim. Yes I am. But I do believe in humanity and universalism too. I respect some exclusivity of Islam towards its believers and I would never challenge that. But I do believe in humanity that encompasses religions, races and ideologies. It sounds more idealistic than one autocratic-sometimes-discriminatory khilafah controlling the world, but, yes I do believe in it.

 Oh, yes. I did study in a religious school, which to you, “entitled” me to the role of full-fledged preacher without choice since Allah destined me be such. Gee. I have to tell you, I’ve seen better Muslims in my MRSM times and KMS times rather than my religious school friends. They are alim people still, but in comparison as a whole, nope.

 I do read a lot. But, half of what I read are just rubbish, pompous, and unrealistic works. Islamic-wise, they are just apologists who complicate things more. They become more defensive that what is needed, yet being offensive in places unnecessary. Still, they are good, religious people, whom I respect so much since I can’t be them, but I beg to differ in matters of opinion.

 If simply reading Islamic materials make me a “strict daie” automatically, I would be atheist, agnostic, Christian, Jew, Buddhist, romantic, hedonist all in the same time then. Though I like Islamic history, I do like the more complex and interesting Christendom history. Though I have to believe in certain principles in religion since I’m a Muslim, I like the idea of the incomprehensibility of the Creator, and “Creator” itself would be too deterministic. Though I believe in creationism and divine intervention, I wouldn’t condemn the ones who believe in evolution and coincidence. I personally believe in democracy, though I wouldn’t suggest that it is by any way superior to socialism, or any religion-based system. It’s much complicated than that, since by judging those, you tend to be biased or affected by your so-called faith. As much as I would chat about Islamic issues or politics or some boring maths problem, I wouldn’t have problem to change it to discussions of Lady Gaga’s new song, the flirtatious, immoral-though-catchy-and-cool  song “Three” by Britney Spears who’ve been released recently, or Kings of Leon or Panic at The Disco album. I embrace almost all part of myself, of who I am.

Anyway, I do thank you for your advice, though I would prefer it to be more respectful, less anger, less pushy , more democratic, less autocratic ( as if you’re holier than me), and with smiles. You are a good friend of me, and you know, for as far as we’ve known each other, I love you. I love you dude. I love you enough to disagree with you this badly. If other people talked to me like that, I will simply dismiss them as religious zealots or ignore them completely.

So, who am I then? I am Wankhai, thank you, and no more elaborations.