Let us take a very very short glimpse of how the late Prof Hamka 'treat' Ayat 101 from Surah Al Maida, 5 : 101, to get into the mind of one of the tafseer genius that this Nusantara ever had in our present time. Prof Hamka's Tafseer Al Azhar is very much under rated..... it is contemporary ,it is not 'salafi', it cannot be good, it is etc etc and etc ...it is Malay. Dah jadi penyakit Melayu dah....We are expert at self deprecation!
"O ye who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made known unto you, would trouble you; but if ye ask of them when the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made known unto you. Allah pardoneth this, for Allah is Forgiving, Clement. (101)"
...Larangan bertanya bertalu talu ini yang akan mempersukarkan keadaan sendiri itulah telah diperkuatkan oleh beberapa hadis yang Sahih. Satu diantaranya kita salinkan, iaitu satu dari hadis Arbai'in[catatan Imam Nawawi] yang terkenal:
" Sesunggohnya Allah telah mewajibkan beberapa kewajipan,maka jangan lah kamu sia siakan. Dan dia telah mengadakan beberapa batasan, maka janganlah kamu melampauinya. Dan Dia telah mengharamkan beberapa hal, maka jangan kamu langgarkan akan dia. Dan Dia telah diam dari beberapa hal,sebagai rahmat buat kamu, bukanlah kerana Dia lupa.Maka janganlah kamu cari cari daripadanya"
Back to the followers of Mosses who asked him about the sacrificial calf: Sir, is it yellow, blue or red? Old can or not? Male or female? What about blue?...If dont do can or not?"................[ this is my addition, because it rather tiresome to listen to people discussing about the intricacies of taking wudhu', which do not seem to end probably till Doomsday!We Malays seem to specialise and make things so difficult for us, going round and round in circles.....orang lesap satu squadron skyhawks , no one seem to bother... ]
Dalam hal duniawi, urusan susunan pemerintahanpun demikian pula. Ada orang bertanya: " Apakah Islam, apakah Nabi Muhammad tidak meninggalkan satu konsepsi tentang bentuk pemerintahan? Apakah Islam memakai Parleman atau Senat? Apakah ada pemilihan umum atau penunjukan Kepala Negara. Padahal Nabi sengaja tidak meninggalkan konsep itu bukan kerana Islam tidak cukup, tetapi memberi kebebasan kita mengatur dunia kita sebagai hadis yang dirawikan olih Imama Ahmad:
"Kamu lebih tahu keadaan dunia kamu"
Yang ditinggalkan Rasulallah hanyalah satu:Syura,musyawarat. Bagaimana cara tekniknya, terserahlah kepada kecerdasan sendiri, menilik ruang kamu dan waktu kamu. Islam membuka pintu ijtihad dalam urusan keduniaan itu sedalam-dalamnya.Kalau tidak begitu sudah lama Islam ini gulung tikar.
Dalam soal ibadat misalnya, pun demikian pula. Keterangan darihal wudhu' begitu nyata sekali dan mudah dalam Al Quran.Demikian juga dari hal Tayamum.Tetapi banyak ulama' membuat sendiri berbagai pertanyaan dengan khayalannya, sehingga mempersukarkan wudhu' dan tayamun. Mengaji perkara air saja memakan waktu berbulan, bahkan bertahun. Dan di zaman dahulu mempersukar itu di namakan Alim. Sehingga waktu sangat banyak terbuang, lantaran itu orang tak berani berijtihad:
Lantaran itu maka kita mendapat kesimpulan dari ayat ini. Cerdaskan fikiran, teguhkan takwa kepada Allah, tekunkan beribadat dan jangan banyak tanya yang bukan bukan!
[ my God ! these 'kampong fuqahas can make a meal out of it !...again , my private comment , not Hamka's. Masaalah 'hati' dan qalb, they are not interested..... ]
Masyaallah!.........That is why I still read and read and re read Hamka.........he is beyond his time and and his Tafseer is better than GOOD! I have read Katsir, Syed Qutb and compare them .....Hamka is closer to us and give more understanding about the contemporary problems facing our ummah with both relevant interpretations, bridging the salafi and the modern.
Try Hamka for size. Make Hamka your companion and friend. I can gurantee you ,your life will never be the same! I started reading Hamka's tafseer at age 30, reread it at 40, and now never getting tired rereading it at 57!....You get history, world and regional politics,loads of Hadiths , gharib hasan and all the jazz,salafi views and contemporary views, even science!
Huwallahualam !
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Subject: A beautiful poem from Rabindranath Tagore......
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Tan Sri,
Thanks for such beautiful, short poem you sent me. I am reminded rightaway of a small surah within the Juz Mukadam that we small kids of that age put to memory Surah Al Maoun [ small kindnesses ].An age in the sixties when authority came in the mould of either a 'guru Quran' with his 'rotan' or the bespectacled 'Mrs Wong' in the classrooms.
We in the Muslim world have become more 'unIslamic' by the days:...beggars and the poor not well looked after, poor accountability among the ruling class who act with impunity, absence of humility and kindness, crass materialism,gross corruption and incompetence among the elites.....too many examples of that within the Malaysian landscape of late, PKFZ ,even jet engines can get lost in broad daylight without any one taking responsibility.... all due to increasing materialism and godlessness in a society able to boast that we are gifted with The Book and the Sunnah.
In the West despite they being 'lost like lost sheep' their values are more Islamic: Democracy , equality, freedom , accountability, humility, welfare for the down and out, the single parents and what have you.
Perhaps it is time we Muslims,like the Israelites of Moses' time, should ask ourselves, " how come our daily prayers and the Quran have not empowered us towards universal betterment, if not better , at least almost near on par with the West?" I suspect part of the answer is provided by the simple short surah below:
"Have you seen him who denies our religion ?
It is he who harshly repels the orphan
And does not urge others to feed the needy
Woe to those who pray
but are heedless of their prayers
Who put on a show of piety,
but refuse to give even the smallest help to others "
[ Surah Al Maoun , 107 : 1-7 ]
Dr Nik Howk
Friday, December 18, 2009
Jesus, son of Mary: Biblical stories in the Qur'an
Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (31) Say: Obey Allah and the messenger. But if they turn away, lo! Allah loveth not the disbelievers (in His guidance). (32) Lo! Allah preferred Adam and Noah and the Family of Abraham and the Family of 'Imran above (all His) creatures. (33) They were descendants one of another. Allah is Hearer, Knower. (34) (Remember) when the wife of 'Imran said: My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Hearer, the Knower! (35) And when she was delivered she said: My Lord! Lo! I am delivered of a female - Allah knew best of what she was delivered - the male is not as the female; and lo! I have named her Mary, and lo! I crave Thy protection for her and for her offspring from Satan the outcast. (36) And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth; and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said: O Mary! Whence cometh unto thee this (food)? She answered: It is from Allah. Allah giveth without stint to whom He will. (37) Then Zachariah prayed unto his Lord and said: My Lord! Bestow upon me of Thy bounty goodly offspring. Lo! Thou art the Hearer of Prayer. (38) And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous. (39) He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when age hath overtaken me already and my wife is barren? (The angel) answered: So (it will be). Allah doeth what He will. (40) He said: My Lord! Appoint a token for me. (The angel) said: The token unto thee (shall be) that thou shalt not speak unto mankind three days except by signs. Remember thy Lord much, and praise (Him) in the early hours of night and morning. (41) And when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah hath chosen thee and made thee pure, and hath preferred thee above (all) the women of creation. (42) O Mary! Be obedient to thy Lord, prostrate thyself and bow with those who bow (in worship). (43) This is of the tidings of things hidden. We reveal it unto thee (Muhammad). Thou wast not present with them when they threw their pens (to know) which of them should be the guardian of Mary, nor wast thou present with them when they quarrelled (thereupon). (44) (And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah). (45) He will speak unto mankind in his cradle and in his manhood, and he is of the righteous. (46) She said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah createth what He will. If He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. (47) And He will teach him the Scripture and wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel, (48) And will make him a messenger unto the Children of Israel, (saying): Lo! I come unto you with a sign from your Lord. Lo! I fashion for you out of clay the likeness of a bird, and I breathe into it and it is a bird, by Allah's leave. I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah's leave. And I announce unto you what ye eat and what ye store up in your houses. Lo! herein verily is a portent for you, if ye are to be believers. (49) And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me. (50) Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path. (51) But when Jesus became conscious of their disbelief, he cried: Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allah? The disciples said: We will be Allah's helpers. We believe in Allah, and bear thou witness that we have surrendered (unto Him). (52) Our Lord! We believe in that which Thou hast revealed and we follow him whom Thou hast sent. Enrol us among those who witness (to the truth). (53) And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers. (54) (And remember) when Allah said: O Jesus! Lo! I am gathering thee and causing thee to ascend unto Me, and am cleansing thee of those who disbelieve and am setting those who follow thee above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then unto Me ye will (all) return, and I shall judge between you as to that wherein ye used to differ. (55) As for those who disbelieve I shall chastise them with a heavy chastisement in the world and the Hereafter; and they will have no helpers. (56) And as for those who believe and do good works, He will pay them their wages in full. Allah loveth not wrong-doers. (57) This (which) We recite unto thee is a revelation and a wise reminder. (58) Lo! the likeness of Jesus with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, then He said unto him: Be! and he is. (59) (This is) the truth from thy Lord (O Muhammad), so be not thou of those who waver. [ Letter Al Imran , 31-60 ]
"What has differentiated some 3 billion Christians from 1.6 billion Muslims on this planet is this":
Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an amazing thing. (27) O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot. (28) Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy? (29) He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet, (30) And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive, (31) And (hath made me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest. (32) Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! (33) Such was Jesus, son of Mary: (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt. (34) It befitteth not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. (35) And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path.
[ Letter Maryam , 27-36 ]
"Yes,....It befitteth not the Majesty of Allah that He should take unto Himself a son! The god we are talking about is the CEO and owner of a universe that encompass billions and billions of stars and galaxies, that stretches trillions and trillions of kilometres [ 35 zeros to be exact ], that is forever expanding at several thousand million kilometres daily!I am not yet even hinting at the extreme vastness of Allah's Tremendous Throne...."
"It befitteth not the Majesty of Allah that He should take unto Himself a son!"
"What has differentiated some 3 billion Christians from 1.6 billion Muslims on this planet is this":
Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an amazing thing. (27) O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot. (28) Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is in the cradle, a young boy? (29) He spake: Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet, (30) And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive, (31) And (hath made me) dutiful toward her who bore me, and hath not made me arrogant, unblest. (32) Peace on me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! (33) Such was Jesus, son of Mary: (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt. (34) It befitteth not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. (35) And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path.
[ Letter Maryam , 27-36 ]
"Yes,....It befitteth not the Majesty of Allah that He should take unto Himself a son! The god we are talking about is the CEO and owner of a universe that encompass billions and billions of stars and galaxies, that stretches trillions and trillions of kilometres [ 35 zeros to be exact ], that is forever expanding at several thousand million kilometres daily!I am not yet even hinting at the extreme vastness of Allah's Tremendous Throne...."
"It befitteth not the Majesty of Allah that He should take unto Himself a son!"
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sayyid Qutb: In the Shade of the Qur'an
Many things have been said of Sayyid Qutb.
He was a teacher turned writer in tumultous Egypt during Gamal Abdul Nasser's time. Along with Hasan Al Bana [ Prof Tariq Ramadan's grand father...see Tariq Ramadan, under PERSONALITIES ], co-founded Ikhwanul Muslimin or infamously known as the Muslim Brotherhood in the West.
Bush, Blair et al would say Sayyid Qutb, along with Mawdudi, provide the intellectual fuel for Islamic Radicalism in the 21st century.But who are Bush and Blair, who , when examined thoroughly even by rational Western scholars now , are just ignorant, bigoted war mongers at best, who have made our world a more dangerous place to live in .Dr M is most probably right: If this present world regain back it's sanity and 'political correctness', these two clowns should rightfully be paraded in The Hague as pea-brained,megalomanic, genocidal war criminals worse than the likes of Radovan Karavic and Milosevic....
I look at Sayyid Qutb from the perspective of his seminal tafseer work of Juz 30 of the Glorious Qur'an ie In the Shade of the Quran. I have gone through Tafseer Ibnu Katsir [written by Ibnu Katsir who lived in the period just after the Prophet, ie Salafi scholars], and I have gone through Prof Hamka's voluminous Tafsir Al Azhar, his treatment of Juz 30's ayats and surah's.My humble opinion is that Hamka's treatment was better than Ibnu katsir's,but of course I stand corrected here by the 'purists' who will shoot my opinion down by saying that 'how dare you do such thing! Comparing the Salafi and the present...I believe Islam is the Din for all time and I am entitled to my opinion, however 'humble, religious' scholastic background I come from [ "baca Qur'an pun idrh'am tak betul!"...macamana Pak Nik ni!]
Sayyid Qutb's In the Shade of the Quran is in a different class and plane by itself. It is inspirational, beautiful and poetic in any language it is translated and I am very sure in its original Arabic, it could have moved 'mountains'. Even in its beautiful Malay translation by the late Yusoff Zaki[ Pustaka Dian ] of Kelantan,the beauty and power of the original Arabic was maintained.
Just see for yourselves how Sayyid Qutb treated Surah An Nas[ Letter 114 ], and you can have your own opinion of him. Shortly after he completed 'In the Shade of the Quran', which he did while being imprisoned, he was summarily executed by Gamal Abdul Nasser for 'high treason against the State'.
In the sand of time when dictators, politicians, rulers and tyrants were relegated to the dustbin of history, those gifted, commited and selfless individuals with ilm and fought in Allah's way like Sayyid Qutb, live forever! May Allah place his soul amongst those of the blessed!....
..............................................
Surah # 114
Men
an Nas
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Say: O seek refuge in the Lord of men,
the King of men,
the God of men,
from the mischief of the slinking prompter,
who whispers in the hearts of men,
from among jinn and men.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
In this surah, as can be seen, refuge is sought in the Lord, Sovereign and
God of mankind from the insidious whisperer, jinn or human who prompts evil
ideas into people's minds. The surah presents the relevant attributes of
Allah to keep away this invisible evil which the mind on its own cannot
shut out. For the Lord is He who preserves directs, cherishes and protects
mankind; the Sovereign is He who owns, governs and independently runs the
world; and the Deity is He who supercedes all other beings and absolutely
supervises over all their affairs. The particular mention of mankind here
brings man closer to Allah's protection and care.
Allah, the Merciful, instructs His Messenger and his nation or followers to
recognize the attributes of His and seek His protection against this
sneaking evil which locates itself within their hearts. For they cannot rid
themselves of such an evil which creeps into their hearts surreptitiously
and imperceptibly without the aid of Allah, the Lord, the Sovereign, the
Deity.
The nature of this evil-importing medium is identified in the text first
as "the slinking prompter. " Its function is outlined as to "whisper in
the hearts of men ". Then its origin is specified as "from among jinn and
men."
The style adopted here is quite significant because it draws one's
attention fully to the identity of this sneaking whisperer after describing
its nature in order to show the process by which that evil is insinuated,
so that one is alerted to watch and confront it. For when one is given the
full picture one knows that this sneaking whisperer operates secretly. One
also realizes that it is jinn as well as human, for human beings are not
exceptions in spreading evil while unseen.
We do not know how the Jinn perform this whispering, but we certainly find
its repercussions in the behaviour of individuals as well as in human life
generally. We know for sure that the battle between Adam (man) and Iblis
(Satan) is a very old one. War between the two was declared by Satan out
of the evil inherent in him, his conceit and his envy and resentment of
man. He was given Divine permission to carry out this battle for some
purpose which Allah alone comprehends. But, significantly, man has not
been left alone, dispossessed of the necessary means of protection. He
has been provided with power of faith or "Iman", (that is, conscious
belief in and knowledge of Allah and His attributes through conviction and
sincere devotion).
Meditation and seeking refuge in Allah are among the most effective
weapons. When man neglects these means of security and defence, he indeed
has only himself to blame.
Ibn Abbas related that the Messenger of Allah had said,
Satan besieges the individual's heart, he subsides whenever one
conscientiously remembers Allah, but insinuates his evil whenever
one is un-thoughtful of Him.
As for humans we know a great deal of their curious ways of whispering and
prompting and some types like the following are more devilish than the
Devil:
a bad companion who injects evil into his comrade's heart and mind
while he is unaware, as he is thought to be trustworthy,
a ruler's counselor or advisor who "whispers" to him and turns
him into a destructive tyrant,
an unscrupulous slanderer who fabricates and decorates tales and
makes them sound factual and convincing,
a hustler of immoral business and dealings who tries to get through
to people by exploiting their sensual, unhealthy desires,
a hundred other "whisperers" who lay various traps inconspicuously
utilizing people's different weak points which they detect
and look for.
They are more devilish than even the jinn themselves. Faced with evil in
this guise, man is not capable of ensuring his own safety. Allah therefore
points out to him in this surah the means he can employ in this fierce
battle.
And there is a very direct significance in identifying the "prompter" as
"slinking". For while this description indicates the secretiveness of this
whisperer on the one hand, it is, on the other hand, an illusion to its
intrinsic feebleness whenever it is discovered or resisted. It subsides
and meekly withdraws when met in the open; or, as the Messenger said in
his accurate illustrations,
He (Satan) subsides whenever one conscientiously remembers Allah, but
insinuates his evil whenever one is un-thoughtful of Him!
This presentation fortifies the believer's heart in face of this timid,
subsiding whisperer.
Nevertheless, the battle is everlasting since this "prompter" is always
watchful for the right moment (when one neglects the remembrance of Allah)
to implant its evils. For the believer to be conscious of Allah once in a
while is not sufficient, as the war is continuous till the end of time;
this the Qur'an vividly states in a lucid picture:
And when We (Allah)said to the angels, 'Fall down prostrate before
Adam ', they fell prostrate except Iblis (Satan) who said, 'Shall I
bow down before him whom You have created of clay? Do you see this
creature whom You have honoured above me? If You give me grace until
the Day of Resurrection, I will certainly destroy his offspring, save
but a few'. 'Be gone!' said He. 'But you and whoever of them follows
you will have Hell for reward. An ample reward it shall be. Rouse with
your voice whomever you are able. Muster against them your horse men
and your fool men. Be their partner in their wealth and in their off
spring. Make them promises. Whatever Satan promises them is only for
deceit. But over My true servants you shall have no power.' Your Lord
is their all Sufficient Guardian. (17:61-5)
This concept of the battle and the source of evil in it, whether provoked
by Satan himself or by his human agent, fully inspires man to feel that he
is not helpless in it; since his Lord, Sovereign and Deity controls all
creations and events. Though He has permitted Satan to attack, He has
supreme power over him and He has also provided guidance for man. Allah
leaves to Satan only those who neglect Him their Lord, Sovereign and Deity,
but those who live in consciousness of Him are safe and protected against
his intimidation's and incitements. Thus, righteousness is supported by the
only true power of the Lord, Sovereign and Deity, whereas evil is backed
by a slinking prompter, a sneaky whisperer, cowardly in the open field,
quick to retreat in war, and easily defeated by one's seeking refuge with
Allah.
This is the most perfect conception of the battle between good and evil.
It is a conception which protects the being against defeat and provides
him with strength confidence and contentment.
Praise be to Allah at the beginning and at the end. From Him we derive
confidence and success. To Him we turn for unfailing support.
--
He was a teacher turned writer in tumultous Egypt during Gamal Abdul Nasser's time. Along with Hasan Al Bana [ Prof Tariq Ramadan's grand father...see Tariq Ramadan, under PERSONALITIES ], co-founded Ikhwanul Muslimin or infamously known as the Muslim Brotherhood in the West.
Bush, Blair et al would say Sayyid Qutb, along with Mawdudi, provide the intellectual fuel for Islamic Radicalism in the 21st century.But who are Bush and Blair, who , when examined thoroughly even by rational Western scholars now , are just ignorant, bigoted war mongers at best, who have made our world a more dangerous place to live in .Dr M is most probably right: If this present world regain back it's sanity and 'political correctness', these two clowns should rightfully be paraded in The Hague as pea-brained,megalomanic, genocidal war criminals worse than the likes of Radovan Karavic and Milosevic....
I look at Sayyid Qutb from the perspective of his seminal tafseer work of Juz 30 of the Glorious Qur'an ie In the Shade of the Quran. I have gone through Tafseer Ibnu Katsir [written by Ibnu Katsir who lived in the period just after the Prophet, ie Salafi scholars], and I have gone through Prof Hamka's voluminous Tafsir Al Azhar, his treatment of Juz 30's ayats and surah's.My humble opinion is that Hamka's treatment was better than Ibnu katsir's,but of course I stand corrected here by the 'purists' who will shoot my opinion down by saying that 'how dare you do such thing! Comparing the Salafi and the present...I believe Islam is the Din for all time and I am entitled to my opinion, however 'humble, religious' scholastic background I come from [ "baca Qur'an pun idrh'am tak betul!"...macamana Pak Nik ni!]
Sayyid Qutb's In the Shade of the Quran is in a different class and plane by itself. It is inspirational, beautiful and poetic in any language it is translated and I am very sure in its original Arabic, it could have moved 'mountains'. Even in its beautiful Malay translation by the late Yusoff Zaki[ Pustaka Dian ] of Kelantan,the beauty and power of the original Arabic was maintained.
Just see for yourselves how Sayyid Qutb treated Surah An Nas[ Letter 114 ], and you can have your own opinion of him. Shortly after he completed 'In the Shade of the Quran', which he did while being imprisoned, he was summarily executed by Gamal Abdul Nasser for 'high treason against the State'.
In the sand of time when dictators, politicians, rulers and tyrants were relegated to the dustbin of history, those gifted, commited and selfless individuals with ilm and fought in Allah's way like Sayyid Qutb, live forever! May Allah place his soul amongst those of the blessed!....
..............................................
Surah # 114
Men
an Nas
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful!
Say: O seek refuge in the Lord of men,
the King of men,
the God of men,
from the mischief of the slinking prompter,
who whispers in the hearts of men,
from among jinn and men.
In the Shade of the Qur'an
In this surah, as can be seen, refuge is sought in the Lord, Sovereign and
God of mankind from the insidious whisperer, jinn or human who prompts evil
ideas into people's minds. The surah presents the relevant attributes of
Allah to keep away this invisible evil which the mind on its own cannot
shut out. For the Lord is He who preserves directs, cherishes and protects
mankind; the Sovereign is He who owns, governs and independently runs the
world; and the Deity is He who supercedes all other beings and absolutely
supervises over all their affairs. The particular mention of mankind here
brings man closer to Allah's protection and care.
Allah, the Merciful, instructs His Messenger and his nation or followers to
recognize the attributes of His and seek His protection against this
sneaking evil which locates itself within their hearts. For they cannot rid
themselves of such an evil which creeps into their hearts surreptitiously
and imperceptibly without the aid of Allah, the Lord, the Sovereign, the
Deity.
The nature of this evil-importing medium is identified in the text first
as "the slinking prompter. " Its function is outlined as to "whisper in
the hearts of men ". Then its origin is specified as "from among jinn and
men."
The style adopted here is quite significant because it draws one's
attention fully to the identity of this sneaking whisperer after describing
its nature in order to show the process by which that evil is insinuated,
so that one is alerted to watch and confront it. For when one is given the
full picture one knows that this sneaking whisperer operates secretly. One
also realizes that it is jinn as well as human, for human beings are not
exceptions in spreading evil while unseen.
We do not know how the Jinn perform this whispering, but we certainly find
its repercussions in the behaviour of individuals as well as in human life
generally. We know for sure that the battle between Adam (man) and Iblis
(Satan) is a very old one. War between the two was declared by Satan out
of the evil inherent in him, his conceit and his envy and resentment of
man. He was given Divine permission to carry out this battle for some
purpose which Allah alone comprehends. But, significantly, man has not
been left alone, dispossessed of the necessary means of protection. He
has been provided with power of faith or "Iman", (that is, conscious
belief in and knowledge of Allah and His attributes through conviction and
sincere devotion).
Meditation and seeking refuge in Allah are among the most effective
weapons. When man neglects these means of security and defence, he indeed
has only himself to blame.
Ibn Abbas related that the Messenger of Allah had said,
Satan besieges the individual's heart, he subsides whenever one
conscientiously remembers Allah, but insinuates his evil whenever
one is un-thoughtful of Him.
As for humans we know a great deal of their curious ways of whispering and
prompting and some types like the following are more devilish than the
Devil:
a bad companion who injects evil into his comrade's heart and mind
while he is unaware, as he is thought to be trustworthy,
a ruler's counselor or advisor who "whispers" to him and turns
him into a destructive tyrant,
an unscrupulous slanderer who fabricates and decorates tales and
makes them sound factual and convincing,
a hustler of immoral business and dealings who tries to get through
to people by exploiting their sensual, unhealthy desires,
a hundred other "whisperers" who lay various traps inconspicuously
utilizing people's different weak points which they detect
and look for.
They are more devilish than even the jinn themselves. Faced with evil in
this guise, man is not capable of ensuring his own safety. Allah therefore
points out to him in this surah the means he can employ in this fierce
battle.
And there is a very direct significance in identifying the "prompter" as
"slinking". For while this description indicates the secretiveness of this
whisperer on the one hand, it is, on the other hand, an illusion to its
intrinsic feebleness whenever it is discovered or resisted. It subsides
and meekly withdraws when met in the open; or, as the Messenger said in
his accurate illustrations,
He (Satan) subsides whenever one conscientiously remembers Allah, but
insinuates his evil whenever one is un-thoughtful of Him!
This presentation fortifies the believer's heart in face of this timid,
subsiding whisperer.
Nevertheless, the battle is everlasting since this "prompter" is always
watchful for the right moment (when one neglects the remembrance of Allah)
to implant its evils. For the believer to be conscious of Allah once in a
while is not sufficient, as the war is continuous till the end of time;
this the Qur'an vividly states in a lucid picture:
And when We (Allah)said to the angels, 'Fall down prostrate before
Adam ', they fell prostrate except Iblis (Satan) who said, 'Shall I
bow down before him whom You have created of clay? Do you see this
creature whom You have honoured above me? If You give me grace until
the Day of Resurrection, I will certainly destroy his offspring, save
but a few'. 'Be gone!' said He. 'But you and whoever of them follows
you will have Hell for reward. An ample reward it shall be. Rouse with
your voice whomever you are able. Muster against them your horse men
and your fool men. Be their partner in their wealth and in their off
spring. Make them promises. Whatever Satan promises them is only for
deceit. But over My true servants you shall have no power.' Your Lord
is their all Sufficient Guardian. (17:61-5)
This concept of the battle and the source of evil in it, whether provoked
by Satan himself or by his human agent, fully inspires man to feel that he
is not helpless in it; since his Lord, Sovereign and Deity controls all
creations and events. Though He has permitted Satan to attack, He has
supreme power over him and He has also provided guidance for man. Allah
leaves to Satan only those who neglect Him their Lord, Sovereign and Deity,
but those who live in consciousness of Him are safe and protected against
his intimidation's and incitements. Thus, righteousness is supported by the
only true power of the Lord, Sovereign and Deity, whereas evil is backed
by a slinking prompter, a sneaky whisperer, cowardly in the open field,
quick to retreat in war, and easily defeated by one's seeking refuge with
Allah.
This is the most perfect conception of the battle between good and evil.
It is a conception which protects the being against defeat and provides
him with strength confidence and contentment.
Praise be to Allah at the beginning and at the end. From Him we derive
confidence and success. To Him we turn for unfailing support.
--
Friday, November 27, 2009
....What ails the Muslims.......
"WE HAVE A LOT TO LEARN"
By Dr Faisal Al Qasim, Special to Gulf News
05 September 2009
There is no doubting the fact that Arabs and Muslims are sadly the most regressive people in the world, according to the Human Development Reports supervised by renowned Muslim and Arab scholars, and released by the UN and other similar reports. In other words, the term 'Muslim' has been linked, in the minds of the people of the world, with violence, terrorism, anarchy, chaos, disturbances, famine, poverty and backwardness. There are of course certain exceptions to this rule, but not many.
Even Pakistan , a nuclear power, is at risk of becoming a failed state, due to poverty, corruption, internal fighting and political mismanagement. And when it comes to Turkey , seen as an exception in the Muslim world, the secularists there consider themselves closer to the West than to the Muslim world. They also ascribe the progress achieved by their country in many fields to a secular approach, rather than the influence of Islam. I have heard top Turkish scholars, thinkers and politicians say that they prefer to be at the rearguard of the Western world than at the vanguard of the Muslim world.
It goes without saying that some Arab countries exist in a less developed state politically, let alone scientifically or technologically.
Why are those who are supposed to be 'the best of all peoples', as revealed in the Quran, lagging behind? Why are the supposedly infidel people of the world making great progress in various fields, while the 'faithful' are lagging behind everybody else?
Ironically enough, a huge percentage of the Chinese people, whose number is approaching 1.5 billion, are atheists. But these non-believers have achieved the highest development rate the world over - it reached 13 per cent at one stage. Add to this the fact that these atheists have 'invaded' almost every house in the world with their products. A high-ranking Chinese official once bragged that, "It is China and not the United States of America that is invading the world". He challenged the Americans to get their products into a quarter of the houses entered by Chinese products. The official also bragged that the Chinese have 'invaded' the US itself. "Aren't the American flags fluttering over the White House made in China ?" he asked.
Experts predict that, in the near future, half of the products that will be sold in the world will be made by the Chinese. Even the Ramadan lambs that are slaughtered by Muslims in Cairo and other Muslim and Arab countries are raised in China . The prayer mats used by faithful Muslims the world over are made by Chinese non-believers, who only believe in doing their jobs in a very sincere and faithful manner. It goes without saying that all the little presents, such as rosaries and Islamic handicrafts, that the pilgrims take home with them after the pilgrimage season are made in China .
It is true that a Muslim country such as Malaysia has made great progress technologically, but some argue that were it not for the Chinese minority in that country, the Malaysians would not have been able to achieve what they have.
And if we consider the second-most progressive country in the world, India , we find that the majority of the people there revere cows. But that has not prevented them from competing with America in the computer industry, to the extent that the famous American writer Thomas Friedman fears that Silicon Valley will one day relocate to India.
In other words, the most progressive people in the world are non-believers by Islamic standards whereas we, Muslims, ironically waste most of our time classifying the peoples of the world into believers and non-believers, and fighting among ourselves over who is more 'faithful'.
I wish we spent more time learning from the non-believers, who produce most of the products we buy. If we had, we would probably be less regressive.
This is by no means a call for atheism - God forbid - but a suggestion that we better ourselves, as our great religion instructs us to do. The great Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) called upon us to seek knowledge - even in China.
Dr Faisal Al Qasim is a Syrian journalist based in Doha .
--
By Dr Faisal Al Qasim, Special to Gulf News
05 September 2009
...................................................................................
Dr Nik Howk......
My take on this issue is that KNOWLEDGE or ILM, or the lack of it, is not the main factor that ails us the Muslim ummah. We have more problem than than. Our 'software' have been invaded by a virus decades ago!
The Chinese in China or the Indians in India, are apparently prospering now not because there have a greater monopoly of ILM. There is a combination of extremely cheap labour in abundance, the philosophy of the 'godliness' of money, and the lack of a belief in the afterlife among the ruling and business elites of these two giants, among other things contribute to their apparent success. Their so-called apparent success, we as an ummah do not envy, and we do not need to follow. I say apparent because the great majority of the people in these two countries still live below the poverty lines.Dr Faisal Al Qasim is being too superficial in his thought.
Having said that we are still 'among the low of the low' in whatever indices of 'good living' that we care to compare: literacy rate, maternal mortality, infant mortality, GNP, Per Capita Income, corruption Index, human right, Income distribution index,....and whatever that you care to name
The word Muslim now conjures the suffering of Somalia from years of big power politics, Palestinians under decades of Israeli inhuman maneuvers and time wasting tactics,Afghanistan increasingly under the tight grip of the crusading armies of the West, and elsewhere not very much different.Poverty,low income, abuses of power from a minority of those in power.Low literacy, low expectation and blind acceptance from the 'ruled' ummah seem to be the order of the day. Why is this so?????
My feeling is that decades of colonialization had damage the Muslim's "software": The very thing that had propelled an ignorant desert tribe from a god forsaken barren corner of this planet to control two third of the known world by the 14th century.
The same "software" that had instigated Tariq Ziad some 13 centuries ago to burn his long boats on crossing the Strait of Jabal Tariq, and brought light , science and a civilising influence on barbaric Europe to what is now known as the European Renaisance.
Part of the equation to Faisal Al Qasim's zigsaw puzzle, I feel, in the main, could be found, in a re-examination of our daily prayer. Yes, I do not feel I need to apologise for it being too simple. We have to re-examine the content and the true meaning of our daily prayer!
Minimum five times a day we professed that " Our prayers, our lives and even our death are for Allah and Allah only...".We described God, in our opening gambit of Al Fatihah as " The Most Beneficient, The Most Merciful".No poets dead or alive, or other religions could describe God better than what Prophet Mohammad did. If they are able to, I for one would like to change to that religion!
At least 17 times a day , as in Al Fatihah, we ask " that Allah show us the straight path, the path not trodden by those who earned His wrath, and not those who are behaving like they are lost sheep".
My contention is that most of us have become like the modern day 'robots'.We either do not comprehend what we pray for, and for those who can understand Arabic, do not mean what their lips say. In short ,we do not care.
That is just one side of the equation.
The other missing link is The Book. Worldwide we no longer understand The Book. We read like parrots do with no comprehension.
In 2009, the world has markedly changed from the world of our Prophet in 600 plus AD, but The Book is still The BOOK. Man has split the atom to harness energy and win wars.Man has controlled the microbial world with vaccinations and antibiotics. Man has gone to the moon and planning to go to Mars. But in other respect, man has not changed very much.We still have to contend with Pharoahs,Qaruns,with millions of Abdullah bin Ubays, with Abu Lahabs and Abu Jahals, with Suffians and Hinduns. They just come under different names now: Bush, Blair, Nethalnyyu,Gamal Naseer, Sadam, Mubarak etc, etc and etc. In the face of these characters,The Book has increasingly become more relevent.
But just how many of us understand The Book? Of those who understand,how many of us lived by The Book? Just last week we have a Muslim professor from a Sumatran Islamic University who went on Aljazira infront of 400 million audience saying that the Syariah should not and could not be applied to Indonesia, a country with more than 90 % Muslim population.That to him will tantamount to a basic sin against Pancasila!A Prof in Islamic theology! I wish I was there. I could have smashed his brain to pieces!
That is the extent of the 'damaged software': A professor teaching Islam in a 90 % Muslim majority country coming with that most profound conclusion about Islam ! Mashaallah! And when we have Tsunami and earthquakes hitting Indonesia we blame the weather. We blame and rationalise everything but left God's wrath conveniently behind. It is no longer fashionable and politically correct it seem to blame God's wrath.
You may think I am rather simplistic in my assertion. OK fine. Let us get back home to Malaysia and take one example:
Just one simple example in Malaysia. W e all are passionate about Halal and Haram with respect to food especially. If we just practice the principle of Halal food alone quite strictly,we could just bring the whole food industry in Malaysia ,which is sadly almost 90% controlled by Non Muslims, on their bended knees....all restaurants claiming to serve Halal food must have 30% Muslim content, ie cooks/supervisors etc and etc, otherwise we are not going to be their customers.We are not going to war, we are just not going to into their restaurants until there are tangible proof that the food they serve are halal!
There are 1.5 billion Muslims out there....Imagine the impact just on the basis of Halal and Haram. And we do not even have to talk about using OUR OIL as a weapon yet!Muslim countries are mainly lined around the equator.Do you guys wonder why solar panels is still expensive?.....Lack of drive to make it cheap.Why should the West do solar research when the Muslims already have oil.They are not morons, the West I mean. We are morons for expecting them to !...We can go to the next level if we reinvent and rediscover our strenght...
And this is just about understanding our prayer and practising some of the precepts from The Book. We are not delving as yet into the Muslims going in a big way into ILM, breaking the atom for peaceful use,cleaving the genes to find cure for illnesses, and bankcrupting all the Jewish banks, with personal alms and zero interest loans!
The Book talks about "utopia". A world that has done away with banks because poor people are looked after by their rich neighbours by alms and by interest free loans which could be turned to grants if they end up poorer! A world without child molestation,rape , robberies and plunder by the rich and powerful, because the Hudud laws when applied with wisdom would be a deterrent.A world of cheap electricity and power because there is proper research into solar energy utilisation and peaceful usage of nuclear fission energy. A world of excess food production and equitable sharing of technology and knowlege-based industries, where they is no Bill Gates or what have you saying that that basmati rice you ate last week is still due to him because he has a monopoly of the gene!.A world in which knowledge and the search for knowledge is based on human need and human decency rather than greed and the blind surge for power over others[ ..see earlier discussion on Islamisation of knowledge..]. Within predominantly Muslim countries, a world without the state police because self policing on the individual basis become more meaningful than community policing.
You may say that I am , just like John Lennon, a dreamer! You may say that what I have described is just an Utopia. But yes indeed! The Book is just about 'Utopia", just that we Muslims failed to comprehend and 'sell it to the world at large'.
Imagine, our Rulers, Kings, Prime Ministers, Generals, Administrators, Business giants, Shakers and Movers and the masses with their 'empowered prayers' and ILM. The Muslim world will not be crawling on their bended knees, as what is happening now, waiting for crumbs to fall from the Presidential High Table of Obama, Sarkozy and Angela Meckel.They represent the lost sheep. They should be the ones crawling.......crawling to Islam for answers.
"Allah would not change a people until they change their hearts".......[ The Quran ]
The accent there my dear friends is on the "hearts": The "changing of hearts".
Dr Nik Howk
"And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth?" [ Surah Al Qamar , 54:40 ]
"O mankind! Lo! We have created you from male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware." [ Surah Al Hujurat,13]
"Ye should believe in Allah and His messenger, and should strive for the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if ye did but know. (11) He will forgive you your sins and bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eden. That is the supreme triumph. (12)"
[ As Saff , 61 :11-12 ]
"The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (14) The (true) believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere." (15)
[ Surah Al Hujurat, 14-15 ].....Ilm is that missing link between just being a Badwi Muslim and a Mukmin..
By Dr Faisal Al Qasim, Special to Gulf News
05 September 2009
There is no doubting the fact that Arabs and Muslims are sadly the most regressive people in the world, according to the Human Development Reports supervised by renowned Muslim and Arab scholars, and released by the UN and other similar reports. In other words, the term 'Muslim' has been linked, in the minds of the people of the world, with violence, terrorism, anarchy, chaos, disturbances, famine, poverty and backwardness. There are of course certain exceptions to this rule, but not many.
Even Pakistan , a nuclear power, is at risk of becoming a failed state, due to poverty, corruption, internal fighting and political mismanagement. And when it comes to Turkey , seen as an exception in the Muslim world, the secularists there consider themselves closer to the West than to the Muslim world. They also ascribe the progress achieved by their country in many fields to a secular approach, rather than the influence of Islam. I have heard top Turkish scholars, thinkers and politicians say that they prefer to be at the rearguard of the Western world than at the vanguard of the Muslim world.
It goes without saying that some Arab countries exist in a less developed state politically, let alone scientifically or technologically.
Why are those who are supposed to be 'the best of all peoples', as revealed in the Quran, lagging behind? Why are the supposedly infidel people of the world making great progress in various fields, while the 'faithful' are lagging behind everybody else?
Ironically enough, a huge percentage of the Chinese people, whose number is approaching 1.5 billion, are atheists. But these non-believers have achieved the highest development rate the world over - it reached 13 per cent at one stage. Add to this the fact that these atheists have 'invaded' almost every house in the world with their products. A high-ranking Chinese official once bragged that, "It is China and not the United States of America that is invading the world". He challenged the Americans to get their products into a quarter of the houses entered by Chinese products. The official also bragged that the Chinese have 'invaded' the US itself. "Aren't the American flags fluttering over the White House made in China ?" he asked.
Experts predict that, in the near future, half of the products that will be sold in the world will be made by the Chinese. Even the Ramadan lambs that are slaughtered by Muslims in Cairo and other Muslim and Arab countries are raised in China . The prayer mats used by faithful Muslims the world over are made by Chinese non-believers, who only believe in doing their jobs in a very sincere and faithful manner. It goes without saying that all the little presents, such as rosaries and Islamic handicrafts, that the pilgrims take home with them after the pilgrimage season are made in China .
It is true that a Muslim country such as Malaysia has made great progress technologically, but some argue that were it not for the Chinese minority in that country, the Malaysians would not have been able to achieve what they have.
And if we consider the second-most progressive country in the world, India , we find that the majority of the people there revere cows. But that has not prevented them from competing with America in the computer industry, to the extent that the famous American writer Thomas Friedman fears that Silicon Valley will one day relocate to India.
In other words, the most progressive people in the world are non-believers by Islamic standards whereas we, Muslims, ironically waste most of our time classifying the peoples of the world into believers and non-believers, and fighting among ourselves over who is more 'faithful'.
I wish we spent more time learning from the non-believers, who produce most of the products we buy. If we had, we would probably be less regressive.
This is by no means a call for atheism - God forbid - but a suggestion that we better ourselves, as our great religion instructs us to do. The great Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) called upon us to seek knowledge - even in China.
Dr Faisal Al Qasim is a Syrian journalist based in Doha .
--
By Dr Faisal Al Qasim, Special to Gulf News
05 September 2009
...................................................................................
Dr Nik Howk......
My take on this issue is that KNOWLEDGE or ILM, or the lack of it, is not the main factor that ails us the Muslim ummah. We have more problem than than. Our 'software' have been invaded by a virus decades ago!
The Chinese in China or the Indians in India, are apparently prospering now not because there have a greater monopoly of ILM. There is a combination of extremely cheap labour in abundance, the philosophy of the 'godliness' of money, and the lack of a belief in the afterlife among the ruling and business elites of these two giants, among other things contribute to their apparent success. Their so-called apparent success, we as an ummah do not envy, and we do not need to follow. I say apparent because the great majority of the people in these two countries still live below the poverty lines.Dr Faisal Al Qasim is being too superficial in his thought.
Having said that we are still 'among the low of the low' in whatever indices of 'good living' that we care to compare: literacy rate, maternal mortality, infant mortality, GNP, Per Capita Income, corruption Index, human right, Income distribution index,....and whatever that you care to name
The word Muslim now conjures the suffering of Somalia from years of big power politics, Palestinians under decades of Israeli inhuman maneuvers and time wasting tactics,Afghanistan increasingly under the tight grip of the crusading armies of the West, and elsewhere not very much different.Poverty,low income, abuses of power from a minority of those in power.Low literacy, low expectation and blind acceptance from the 'ruled' ummah seem to be the order of the day. Why is this so?????
My feeling is that decades of colonialization had damage the Muslim's "software": The very thing that had propelled an ignorant desert tribe from a god forsaken barren corner of this planet to control two third of the known world by the 14th century.
The same "software" that had instigated Tariq Ziad some 13 centuries ago to burn his long boats on crossing the Strait of Jabal Tariq, and brought light , science and a civilising influence on barbaric Europe to what is now known as the European Renaisance.
Part of the equation to Faisal Al Qasim's zigsaw puzzle, I feel, in the main, could be found, in a re-examination of our daily prayer. Yes, I do not feel I need to apologise for it being too simple. We have to re-examine the content and the true meaning of our daily prayer!
Minimum five times a day we professed that " Our prayers, our lives and even our death are for Allah and Allah only...".We described God, in our opening gambit of Al Fatihah as " The Most Beneficient, The Most Merciful".No poets dead or alive, or other religions could describe God better than what Prophet Mohammad did. If they are able to, I for one would like to change to that religion!
At least 17 times a day , as in Al Fatihah, we ask " that Allah show us the straight path, the path not trodden by those who earned His wrath, and not those who are behaving like they are lost sheep".
My contention is that most of us have become like the modern day 'robots'.We either do not comprehend what we pray for, and for those who can understand Arabic, do not mean what their lips say. In short ,we do not care.
That is just one side of the equation.
The other missing link is The Book. Worldwide we no longer understand The Book. We read like parrots do with no comprehension.
In 2009, the world has markedly changed from the world of our Prophet in 600 plus AD, but The Book is still The BOOK. Man has split the atom to harness energy and win wars.Man has controlled the microbial world with vaccinations and antibiotics. Man has gone to the moon and planning to go to Mars. But in other respect, man has not changed very much.We still have to contend with Pharoahs,Qaruns,with millions of Abdullah bin Ubays, with Abu Lahabs and Abu Jahals, with Suffians and Hinduns. They just come under different names now: Bush, Blair, Nethalnyyu,Gamal Naseer, Sadam, Mubarak etc, etc and etc. In the face of these characters,The Book has increasingly become more relevent.
But just how many of us understand The Book? Of those who understand,how many of us lived by The Book? Just last week we have a Muslim professor from a Sumatran Islamic University who went on Aljazira infront of 400 million audience saying that the Syariah should not and could not be applied to Indonesia, a country with more than 90 % Muslim population.That to him will tantamount to a basic sin against Pancasila!A Prof in Islamic theology! I wish I was there. I could have smashed his brain to pieces!
That is the extent of the 'damaged software': A professor teaching Islam in a 90 % Muslim majority country coming with that most profound conclusion about Islam ! Mashaallah! And when we have Tsunami and earthquakes hitting Indonesia we blame the weather. We blame and rationalise everything but left God's wrath conveniently behind. It is no longer fashionable and politically correct it seem to blame God's wrath.
You may think I am rather simplistic in my assertion. OK fine. Let us get back home to Malaysia and take one example:
Just one simple example in Malaysia. W e all are passionate about Halal and Haram with respect to food especially. If we just practice the principle of Halal food alone quite strictly,we could just bring the whole food industry in Malaysia ,which is sadly almost 90% controlled by Non Muslims, on their bended knees....all restaurants claiming to serve Halal food must have 30% Muslim content, ie cooks/supervisors etc and etc, otherwise we are not going to be their customers.We are not going to war, we are just not going to into their restaurants until there are tangible proof that the food they serve are halal!
There are 1.5 billion Muslims out there....Imagine the impact just on the basis of Halal and Haram. And we do not even have to talk about using OUR OIL as a weapon yet!Muslim countries are mainly lined around the equator.Do you guys wonder why solar panels is still expensive?.....Lack of drive to make it cheap.Why should the West do solar research when the Muslims already have oil.They are not morons, the West I mean. We are morons for expecting them to !...We can go to the next level if we reinvent and rediscover our strenght...
And this is just about understanding our prayer and practising some of the precepts from The Book. We are not delving as yet into the Muslims going in a big way into ILM, breaking the atom for peaceful use,cleaving the genes to find cure for illnesses, and bankcrupting all the Jewish banks, with personal alms and zero interest loans!
The Book talks about "utopia". A world that has done away with banks because poor people are looked after by their rich neighbours by alms and by interest free loans which could be turned to grants if they end up poorer! A world without child molestation,rape , robberies and plunder by the rich and powerful, because the Hudud laws when applied with wisdom would be a deterrent.A world of cheap electricity and power because there is proper research into solar energy utilisation and peaceful usage of nuclear fission energy. A world of excess food production and equitable sharing of technology and knowlege-based industries, where they is no Bill Gates or what have you saying that that basmati rice you ate last week is still due to him because he has a monopoly of the gene!.A world in which knowledge and the search for knowledge is based on human need and human decency rather than greed and the blind surge for power over others[ ..see earlier discussion on Islamisation of knowledge..]. Within predominantly Muslim countries, a world without the state police because self policing on the individual basis become more meaningful than community policing.
You may say that I am , just like John Lennon, a dreamer! You may say that what I have described is just an Utopia. But yes indeed! The Book is just about 'Utopia", just that we Muslims failed to comprehend and 'sell it to the world at large'.
Imagine, our Rulers, Kings, Prime Ministers, Generals, Administrators, Business giants, Shakers and Movers and the masses with their 'empowered prayers' and ILM. The Muslim world will not be crawling on their bended knees, as what is happening now, waiting for crumbs to fall from the Presidential High Table of Obama, Sarkozy and Angela Meckel.They represent the lost sheep. They should be the ones crawling.......crawling to Islam for answers.
"Allah would not change a people until they change their hearts".......[ The Quran ]
The accent there my dear friends is on the "hearts": The "changing of hearts".
Dr Nik Howk
"And in truth We have made the Qur'an easy to remember; but is there any that remembereth?" [ Surah Al Qamar , 54:40 ]
"O mankind! Lo! We have created you from male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware." [ Surah Al Hujurat,13]
"Ye should believe in Allah and His messenger, and should strive for the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is better for you, if ye did but know. (11) He will forgive you your sins and bring you into Gardens underneath which rivers flow, and pleasant dwellings in Gardens of Eden. That is the supreme triumph. (12)"
[ As Saff , 61 :11-12 ]
"The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (14) The (true) believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere." (15)
[ Surah Al Hujurat, 14-15 ].....Ilm is that missing link between just being a Badwi Muslim and a Mukmin..
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Letter to a prospective Son in Law....[ On Ranjan Das ]
Yazman,
You asked me why Ranjan Das, that young 42 year old, top and much talkabout Indian MNC CEO, died of a massive heart attack, after a robust workout in the gym. He was a keen marathoner.Everyone on the web has been asking whether this is related to lack of sleep!!??
First an foremost he is Indian. When I was a cardiology research registrar some 25 years back at St Bartholomews Hospital, London, my bosses there were surprised that the median age of our patients from the Indian sub-continent[ immigrants, legal and illegal ] were in their early 40 and late thirties, while the local 'whites' presented in the late 50's.This early experience 'coloured' my practice even now. If an Indian man come to see me in my clinic nowadays complaining of 'atypical' chest pain, I would not send him home , until minimum he had shown he had a normal'stress ECG'. That is standard operating procedure in my sub-concious.As early as in the mid seventies, we MU students were always hammered by Prof TJ Danaraj that "coronary disease is not an elite disease.It is highest in the poor Indian rubber tapper".That may sound racial but it is a fact. That time we have not yet coined the term 'Insulin resistance' and 'metabolic syndrome'.
It is an Indian disease .At least in Malaysia,next come the Malays and only lastly ,Chinese.
To put things in proper perspective, many more seemingly fit people die from a 'coronary' at even younger age. Just 2 weeks ago a young estate agent, aged 32 was admitted to our medical facilty in the wee hours of the morning with a massive heart attack. I pushed him straight from ER to our 'cath lab' and carried out primary infarct angioplasty and coronary stenting.He had complete occlusion of his left main stem artery.How he managed to reach our hospital intact was beyond me.Left main stem occlusion normally does mean instant death, on the spot.He had cardiac arrest while I was talking to him in ER, arrested agian on the table while I was opening his arteries. Arrested several times in the CCU. Difficult case plus plus plus.He anyway died 4 days later despite heroic post procedure measures with aided ventilation and intra-aortic balloon pump counter pulsation [ IABP ]inserted to help his beating heart, due to what 'we' euphemistically called " pump failure". There is no more adequate 'living' heart muscles to adequately pump the blood around the young body.
My youngest 'coronary' patients was however years ago when I was a lecturer in HUKM. He was a 22 year Chinese motor mechanic. Not CEO of course.
I used to jokingly tell all my male coronary patients, to the consternation of their wives ,if they were around, that "Life for man, at least ,really starts at 50.The clock though starts ticking at 40"...The wife stopped getting angry with me after the added proviso....If I go into the actual ramifications and the meaning of this seemingly pseudo-profound statement of mine, I run the actual risk of being called an Ustaz by the end of the consultation....But really life is like that.From my vantage point, I can say that life is actually more fragile than one actually think.
One can have a burst artery in the brain,block a left main in the heart,had a fatal heart rhtym out of the blue, or a beam can fall on one's head from nowhere!....and you just die.Only when this happened to happen to a VIP,only then everyone and sundry start asking ..."Eh how come he could die soo young !?".
But before we go off thinking living is dangerous, let us stop for a moment and take a deep breath and sigh: People just do not die because of too much work or to much lack of sleep,too much study, or too much thinking.....Let us return to our Prophet's sirah..
Our Prophet on most nights woke in the last third of the night and 'berzikir' and 'tahujjud', oftentimes till both feet get oedematous and swollen due to prolonged standing, reading Al-Baqarah, An Nisa, Ali Imran and several other surah at one go, during the rakaat.During the day he went to the market place trying to earn a decent living ,earning a morsel here and a morsel there. He was the kaiser of Arabia but lived like a pauper! He lived up to the ripe old age of 63, fighting against kufr, right up to his death, was judge,permanent imam for Masjid Nabawi and never relegating any prayer to an assistant right up to his last days..... Prime Minister ,Head of State,Field Marshal,father and perfect husband to nine happy and fullfilled women, all in one! The average life expectancy around that time must have been in the late 30's or probably early 40's, due to ravages of infections, lack of sanitation ,poor nutrition, no vaccination, no antibiotics, no hospitals, etc etc and etc.
[ read LONGEVITY]
When our Prophet died he did not have a coronary or a brain stem stroke. From the detailed description of his sirah, the description of the feverish torment that he went through, I think our Prophet had a fatal bout of typhoid fever.
He lived a life of active piety,low caloric intake ,full of thought and dzikir all the time, an excellent example for his people of that era and for generations to come till Doomsday.His worldly needs were simple. He lead the obligatory prayers all the time except on the day when he was dying when Abu Bakar took over. He just celebrated life to the fullest the only way he was taught to do by the One and Only:Only to worship Allah and follow His precepts and be an example par excellence to Man of that generations and all future generations. He was and is the Perfect Man..
Needless to say, his stress level from the 'kuffars' of Mekkah, the 'Munafikuns' of Medina,and the Jews surrounding Medina must be tremendous, but those lonely night virgils, those 'zikir' and those 'tahajjuds' must have been an effective de-stressors for him. But of course as a leader par excellence he did not need to worry about to which crony he should siphon the massive 'wang ehsan Petronas',which 'durian contractors and pickers' he should select to look after this and that dusuns' all over the place[ the super big dusuns are called 'GLC's ], no Scorpene, MISC nor Altantunya. Neither did he has to worry which public 'accountants to promote' to look after the national treasury. Preferably those with exceptional 'creative accounting' talent, who has the magic to turn a couple of billion RM loss this year to a couple of billion profit the next!....and which 'young' punk to look after national investments, and which 'holes' in PKFTZ to close and which 'holes' to just leave open. No false KPI's either to consider.
Of durian pickers and dusuns, there are small pickers and small dusuns, medium and large sized dusuns with many pickers and durian contractors. Some are just for tax diversions,some for national and 'by-erection' purposes, some for show and some just for the Puan Sris and Datin Sris. Complex and complicated,our Malaysian political, cultural and economic millieu nowadays, certainly not available during Prophet's time, thank God!.... Without all these worries to 'kacau into' the prophetic duties and responsibilities, certainly probably did help in not increasing the stress load...Life since then has become more complex and muddled.
What a digression this 'Ustaz'. A bad habit. Back to Ranjan Das,that, young upstart from India: Why did he die so young? If it is not due to sleep deprivation ,than what is it?
We know that a person at his age can have plaques in the heart's arteries ,coronary arteries, which are really slight indentations on the arterial surface, may be mild , due to chplesterol and lipid accumulation under the surface.During period of stress, these 'weak points along the surface of the artery can at times, rupture and result in a small'bleb' impeding the natural flow of blood in the heart circulation. From there cause escalation of the coagulative process in the artery at the site of rupture causing a blood clot to develop and cause disruption of blood flow.Dont ask me why it can happen: this is G.O.K., an act of God." Lo! and thou wilt die.And lo! they wilt die."[ Az Zumar, 39:30 ]."And Lo! Unto our Lord we are returning." [ Al Zuhruf, 43:14 ]
A total disruption and blockade result in a heart attack.Dependent on where this blockade is ie whether it block a major vessel or a minor one or a branch,you either live thru the attack or you die.Statistically out of a hundred heart attack,30 die before reaching the hospitals. out of 70 who reach the hospital, 5 dont make it.
Stress, stress ,stress stress and stress can induce plaque rupture. The good news is middle of the night tahajjud, zikir, contemplation,leading a 'clean life' and definitely also this lack of interest in "other people's 'money and worldly possesions" can lead to less stress.
I keep reminding my patients, "The clock start ticking when you reach 40.Life really starts after 50". But obviously our national leaders do not think so. That is why you can see these days so many young punks who are still wet in between the ears, running our 'dusuns',super-big, big and small, and what have you.Knowledge is cheap.Experience burns your age. Wisdom, that is elusive.
Perhaps my next blog should be: " Of durian pickers and durian contractors"... Some other time.
Have a nice weekend in Bintulu! Dont ask about how they are going to spend your 'dusun' income.[" Yours are not to ask why,yours are just to do and die": The Charge of the Light Brigade, Lord Tennyson"] You young man, just do your work in the 'dusun' diligently and carefully.No 'outage' or whatever....that is 25% of our GNP daily.Even when you have the opportunity to get up the ladder in future and hand-picked to be a small'dusun durian contractor' don't ever get into the temptation of keeping some of those 'durians' and bring home the leftovers.Let your "boss" or his Datin Sri decide what they want to do with all the durians. That is their own funeral.They are answerable to their Gods, you,yours. Better still be more creative. Get out of this 'dusun' thing, and do something on your own.
Not good for your long term 'health', even being a good 'dusun contractor', I mean. You just ask your 'big boss', Hassan, in 6 months time, I am sure he will attest to that.
Take care!
Dr Nik Howk
http://drnikisahak.blogspot.com/
"And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in play.
We created them not save with truth; but most of them know not."
[ Ad Dukhan, 44:38-39 ]
You asked me why Ranjan Das, that young 42 year old, top and much talkabout Indian MNC CEO, died of a massive heart attack, after a robust workout in the gym. He was a keen marathoner.Everyone on the web has been asking whether this is related to lack of sleep!!??
First an foremost he is Indian. When I was a cardiology research registrar some 25 years back at St Bartholomews Hospital, London, my bosses there were surprised that the median age of our patients from the Indian sub-continent[ immigrants, legal and illegal ] were in their early 40 and late thirties, while the local 'whites' presented in the late 50's.This early experience 'coloured' my practice even now. If an Indian man come to see me in my clinic nowadays complaining of 'atypical' chest pain, I would not send him home , until minimum he had shown he had a normal'stress ECG'. That is standard operating procedure in my sub-concious.As early as in the mid seventies, we MU students were always hammered by Prof TJ Danaraj that "coronary disease is not an elite disease.It is highest in the poor Indian rubber tapper".That may sound racial but it is a fact. That time we have not yet coined the term 'Insulin resistance' and 'metabolic syndrome'.
It is an Indian disease .At least in Malaysia,next come the Malays and only lastly ,Chinese.
To put things in proper perspective, many more seemingly fit people die from a 'coronary' at even younger age. Just 2 weeks ago a young estate agent, aged 32 was admitted to our medical facilty in the wee hours of the morning with a massive heart attack. I pushed him straight from ER to our 'cath lab' and carried out primary infarct angioplasty and coronary stenting.He had complete occlusion of his left main stem artery.How he managed to reach our hospital intact was beyond me.Left main stem occlusion normally does mean instant death, on the spot.He had cardiac arrest while I was talking to him in ER, arrested agian on the table while I was opening his arteries. Arrested several times in the CCU. Difficult case plus plus plus.He anyway died 4 days later despite heroic post procedure measures with aided ventilation and intra-aortic balloon pump counter pulsation [ IABP ]inserted to help his beating heart, due to what 'we' euphemistically called " pump failure". There is no more adequate 'living' heart muscles to adequately pump the blood around the young body.
My youngest 'coronary' patients was however years ago when I was a lecturer in HUKM. He was a 22 year Chinese motor mechanic. Not CEO of course.
I used to jokingly tell all my male coronary patients, to the consternation of their wives ,if they were around, that "Life for man, at least ,really starts at 50.The clock though starts ticking at 40"...The wife stopped getting angry with me after the added proviso....If I go into the actual ramifications and the meaning of this seemingly pseudo-profound statement of mine, I run the actual risk of being called an Ustaz by the end of the consultation....But really life is like that.From my vantage point, I can say that life is actually more fragile than one actually think.
One can have a burst artery in the brain,block a left main in the heart,had a fatal heart rhtym out of the blue, or a beam can fall on one's head from nowhere!....and you just die.Only when this happened to happen to a VIP,only then everyone and sundry start asking ..."Eh how come he could die soo young !?".
But before we go off thinking living is dangerous, let us stop for a moment and take a deep breath and sigh: People just do not die because of too much work or to much lack of sleep,too much study, or too much thinking.....Let us return to our Prophet's sirah..
Our Prophet on most nights woke in the last third of the night and 'berzikir' and 'tahujjud', oftentimes till both feet get oedematous and swollen due to prolonged standing, reading Al-Baqarah, An Nisa, Ali Imran and several other surah at one go, during the rakaat.During the day he went to the market place trying to earn a decent living ,earning a morsel here and a morsel there. He was the kaiser of Arabia but lived like a pauper! He lived up to the ripe old age of 63, fighting against kufr, right up to his death, was judge,permanent imam for Masjid Nabawi and never relegating any prayer to an assistant right up to his last days..... Prime Minister ,Head of State,Field Marshal,father and perfect husband to nine happy and fullfilled women, all in one! The average life expectancy around that time must have been in the late 30's or probably early 40's, due to ravages of infections, lack of sanitation ,poor nutrition, no vaccination, no antibiotics, no hospitals, etc etc and etc.
[ read LONGEVITY]
When our Prophet died he did not have a coronary or a brain stem stroke. From the detailed description of his sirah, the description of the feverish torment that he went through, I think our Prophet had a fatal bout of typhoid fever.
He lived a life of active piety,low caloric intake ,full of thought and dzikir all the time, an excellent example for his people of that era and for generations to come till Doomsday.His worldly needs were simple. He lead the obligatory prayers all the time except on the day when he was dying when Abu Bakar took over. He just celebrated life to the fullest the only way he was taught to do by the One and Only:Only to worship Allah and follow His precepts and be an example par excellence to Man of that generations and all future generations. He was and is the Perfect Man..
Needless to say, his stress level from the 'kuffars' of Mekkah, the 'Munafikuns' of Medina,and the Jews surrounding Medina must be tremendous, but those lonely night virgils, those 'zikir' and those 'tahajjuds' must have been an effective de-stressors for him. But of course as a leader par excellence he did not need to worry about to which crony he should siphon the massive 'wang ehsan Petronas',which 'durian contractors and pickers' he should select to look after this and that dusuns' all over the place[ the super big dusuns are called 'GLC's ], no Scorpene, MISC nor Altantunya. Neither did he has to worry which public 'accountants to promote' to look after the national treasury. Preferably those with exceptional 'creative accounting' talent, who has the magic to turn a couple of billion RM loss this year to a couple of billion profit the next!....and which 'young' punk to look after national investments, and which 'holes' in PKFTZ to close and which 'holes' to just leave open. No false KPI's either to consider.
Of durian pickers and dusuns, there are small pickers and small dusuns, medium and large sized dusuns with many pickers and durian contractors. Some are just for tax diversions,some for national and 'by-erection' purposes, some for show and some just for the Puan Sris and Datin Sris. Complex and complicated,our Malaysian political, cultural and economic millieu nowadays, certainly not available during Prophet's time, thank God!.... Without all these worries to 'kacau into' the prophetic duties and responsibilities, certainly probably did help in not increasing the stress load...Life since then has become more complex and muddled.
What a digression this 'Ustaz'. A bad habit. Back to Ranjan Das,that, young upstart from India: Why did he die so young? If it is not due to sleep deprivation ,than what is it?
We know that a person at his age can have plaques in the heart's arteries ,coronary arteries, which are really slight indentations on the arterial surface, may be mild , due to chplesterol and lipid accumulation under the surface.During period of stress, these 'weak points along the surface of the artery can at times, rupture and result in a small'bleb' impeding the natural flow of blood in the heart circulation. From there cause escalation of the coagulative process in the artery at the site of rupture causing a blood clot to develop and cause disruption of blood flow.Dont ask me why it can happen: this is G.O.K., an act of God." Lo! and thou wilt die.And lo! they wilt die."[ Az Zumar, 39:30 ]."And Lo! Unto our Lord we are returning." [ Al Zuhruf, 43:14 ]
A total disruption and blockade result in a heart attack.Dependent on where this blockade is ie whether it block a major vessel or a minor one or a branch,you either live thru the attack or you die.Statistically out of a hundred heart attack,30 die before reaching the hospitals. out of 70 who reach the hospital, 5 dont make it.
Stress, stress ,stress stress and stress can induce plaque rupture. The good news is middle of the night tahajjud, zikir, contemplation,leading a 'clean life' and definitely also this lack of interest in "other people's 'money and worldly possesions" can lead to less stress.
I keep reminding my patients, "The clock start ticking when you reach 40.Life really starts after 50". But obviously our national leaders do not think so. That is why you can see these days so many young punks who are still wet in between the ears, running our 'dusuns',super-big, big and small, and what have you.Knowledge is cheap.Experience burns your age. Wisdom, that is elusive.
Perhaps my next blog should be: " Of durian pickers and durian contractors"... Some other time.
Have a nice weekend in Bintulu! Dont ask about how they are going to spend your 'dusun' income.[" Yours are not to ask why,yours are just to do and die": The Charge of the Light Brigade, Lord Tennyson"] You young man, just do your work in the 'dusun' diligently and carefully.No 'outage' or whatever....that is 25% of our GNP daily.Even when you have the opportunity to get up the ladder in future and hand-picked to be a small'dusun durian contractor' don't ever get into the temptation of keeping some of those 'durians' and bring home the leftovers.Let your "boss" or his Datin Sri decide what they want to do with all the durians. That is their own funeral.They are answerable to their Gods, you,yours. Better still be more creative. Get out of this 'dusun' thing, and do something on your own.
Not good for your long term 'health', even being a good 'dusun contractor', I mean. You just ask your 'big boss', Hassan, in 6 months time, I am sure he will attest to that.
Take care!
Dr Nik Howk
http://drnikisahak.blogspot.com/
"And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in play.
We created them not save with truth; but most of them know not."
[ Ad Dukhan, 44:38-39 ]
Friday, November 13, 2009
Biblical Stories in the Qur'an: [Surah Al-Naml, 27:15-44]
We verily gave knowledge unto David and Solomon, and they said: Praise be to Allah, Who hath preferred us above many of His believing slaves!
And Solomon was David's heir. And he said: O mankind! Lo! we have been taught the language of birds, and have been given abundance of all things. This surely is evident favour.
And there were gathered together unto Solomon his armies of the jinn and humankind, and of the birds, and they were set in battle order; Till, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant exclaimed: O ants! Enter your dwellings lest Solomon and his armies crush you, unperceiving.
And Solomon smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: My Lord, arouse me to be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do good that shall be pleasing unto Thee, and include me in the number of Thy righteous slaves. And he sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse.
But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings. Lo! I found a woman ruling over them, and she hath been given abundance of all things, and hers is a mighty throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah; and Satan maketh their works fairseeming unto them, and debarreth them from the way (of Truth), so that they go not aright;
So that they worship not Allah, Who bringeth forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knoweth what ye hide and what ye proclaim, Allah; there is no God save Him, the Lord of the tremendous Throne.
Solomon said: We shall see whether thou speakest truth or whether thou art of the liars. Go with this my letter and throw it down unto them; then turn away and see what answer they return,
The Queen of Sheba said (when she received the letter): O chieftains! Lo! there hath been thrown unto me a noble letter. Lo! it is from Solomon, and lo! it is: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; Exalt not yourselves against me, but come unto me as those who surrender.
She said: O chieftains! Pronounce for me in my case. I decide no case till ye are present with me.
They said: We are lords of might and lords of great prowess, but it is for thee to command; so consider what thou wilt command.
She said: Lo! kings, when they enter a township, ruin it and make the honour of its people shame. Thus will they do. But lo! I am going to send a present unto them, and to see with what (answer) the messengers return.
So when the envoy came unto Solomon, the King said: What! Would ye help me with wealth? But that which Allah hath given me is better than that which He hath given you. Nay it is ye ,and not I, who exult in your gift. Return unto them. We verily shall come unto them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from thence with shame, and they will be abased.
He said: O chiefs! Which of you will bring me her throne before they come unto me, surrendering?
A stalwart of the jinn said: I will bring it thee before thou canst rise from thy place. Lo! I verily am strong and trusty for such work.
One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it thee before thy gaze returneth unto thee.
And when he saw it set in his presence, Solomon said: This is of the bounty of my Lord, that He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for the good of his own soul; and whosoever is ungrateful (is ungrateful only to his own soul's hurt). For lo! my Lord is Absolute in independence, Bountiful.
He said: Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will go aright or be of those not rightly guided.
So, when she came, it was said unto her: Is thy throne like this? She said: It is as though it were the very one.
And Solomon said: We were given the knowledge before her and we had surrendered to Allah. And all that she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her, for she came of disbelieving folk.
It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs.
Solomon said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass.
She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
[ Surah Al-Naml, 27 : 15-44 ]
"And Lo! This religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me.
But they mankind have broken their religion into sects, each sect rejoicing in its tenets.So leave them in error till a time."
[ Surah Al- Mukminun, 23: 52-54]
And Solomon was David's heir. And he said: O mankind! Lo! we have been taught the language of birds, and have been given abundance of all things. This surely is evident favour.
And there were gathered together unto Solomon his armies of the jinn and humankind, and of the birds, and they were set in battle order; Till, when they reached the Valley of the Ants, an ant exclaimed: O ants! Enter your dwellings lest Solomon and his armies crush you, unperceiving.
And Solomon smiled, laughing at her speech, and said: My Lord, arouse me to be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do good that shall be pleasing unto Thee, and include me in the number of Thy righteous slaves. And he sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse.
But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings. Lo! I found a woman ruling over them, and she hath been given abundance of all things, and hers is a mighty throne. I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah; and Satan maketh their works fairseeming unto them, and debarreth them from the way (of Truth), so that they go not aright;
So that they worship not Allah, Who bringeth forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knoweth what ye hide and what ye proclaim, Allah; there is no God save Him, the Lord of the tremendous Throne.
Solomon said: We shall see whether thou speakest truth or whether thou art of the liars. Go with this my letter and throw it down unto them; then turn away and see what answer they return,
The Queen of Sheba said (when she received the letter): O chieftains! Lo! there hath been thrown unto me a noble letter. Lo! it is from Solomon, and lo! it is: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; Exalt not yourselves against me, but come unto me as those who surrender.
She said: O chieftains! Pronounce for me in my case. I decide no case till ye are present with me.
They said: We are lords of might and lords of great prowess, but it is for thee to command; so consider what thou wilt command.
She said: Lo! kings, when they enter a township, ruin it and make the honour of its people shame. Thus will they do. But lo! I am going to send a present unto them, and to see with what (answer) the messengers return.
So when the envoy came unto Solomon, the King said: What! Would ye help me with wealth? But that which Allah hath given me is better than that which He hath given you. Nay it is ye ,and not I, who exult in your gift. Return unto them. We verily shall come unto them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from thence with shame, and they will be abased.
He said: O chiefs! Which of you will bring me her throne before they come unto me, surrendering?
A stalwart of the jinn said: I will bring it thee before thou canst rise from thy place. Lo! I verily am strong and trusty for such work.
One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it thee before thy gaze returneth unto thee.
And when he saw it set in his presence, Solomon said: This is of the bounty of my Lord, that He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for the good of his own soul; and whosoever is ungrateful (is ungrateful only to his own soul's hurt). For lo! my Lord is Absolute in independence, Bountiful.
He said: Disguise her throne for her that we may see whether she will go aright or be of those not rightly guided.
So, when she came, it was said unto her: Is thy throne like this? She said: It is as though it were the very one.
And Solomon said: We were given the knowledge before her and we had surrendered to Allah. And all that she was wont to worship instead of Allah hindered her, for she came of disbelieving folk.
It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs.
Solomon said: Lo! it is a hall, made smooth, of glass.
She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.
[ Surah Al-Naml, 27 : 15-44 ]
"And Lo! This religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me.
But they mankind have broken their religion into sects, each sect rejoicing in its tenets.So leave them in error till a time."
[ Surah Al- Mukminun, 23: 52-54]
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The Core of the Matter....: Yusuf Estes
Say: He is Allah,the One!
Allah, the eternally Besought of all!
He begetteth not nor was He begotten.
And there is none comparable to Him.
[Surah Al-Ikhlas, 112:1-4]
And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son.
Assuredly ye utter a disastrous thing.
Whereby almost the heavens are torn, and the earth is split asunder
and the mountains fall in ruins.
That ye ascribe unto the Beneficient a son!
When it is not meet for the Majesty of the Beneficent that
He should choose a son.
There is none in the heavens and the earth but cometh unto the Beneficent as a slave [Surah Maryam, 19:88-93]
O people of the Scriptures!
Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth.
The Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which He conveyed unto Mary and a spirit from Him.
So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not "Three--Cease!".
It is better for you!
Allah is only one God. Far it is removed from His transcendent Majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the Heaven and all that is in the earth.
And Allah is sufficient as Defender.
[Surah An Nisa, 4:171]
And Lo! This religion is one religion and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me.
But they[mankind]have broken their religion into sects, each sect rejoicing in its tenets. So leave them in their error till a time.
[Surah Al Mukminun, 23:52-54]
link: Trinity; Pearls and Gem from Surah An Nisa [ Letter 4 Verse 171 ]
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Nuggets of Wisdom: Shaikh' Abd aL-Qadir al- Jilani
At the turn of the 7th century,while the rest of European cities were still dark at night, congested and ridden with plague, ignorance and paganism, Muslim Cordova,Damascus, Servile and Baghdad were brightly illuminated,business were booming and centers of enlightenment and learning were sprouting everywhere.That was the era of Islamic Rennaissance. The later day European renaissance that started in Florence was just a carbon copy of the earlier Islamic one with a different rubber stamp.
As common pathway with history of man though,starting from the Omayyid Caliphate, with excessive affluence and unbridled power,came decadence, moral and economic curruption. With this backdrop, emerged Islamic mysticism as a science, an antidote to spiritual malaise prevalent at that time,or sufism as is now popularly known, or tasawwuf:" looking inward to discover deeper meaning in man 's relationship with his Maker beyond the rudiments of prayer, alms giving, fasting and dzikir " which did not seem to be able to move 'mountains' and hearts. Hassan al-Basri must have been one of the earliest examining this 'inward path'. We have names like al Junayd, Rumi, Ibn Arabi, Jilani, Hallaj,al Ghazali[towards the later part of his life, a late bloomer] to name just a few....
To the uninitiated, when sufism is mentioned, it automatically conjures special 'individuals' who are gifted to 'walk on water', be in two places at one time, and have great healing power.
They are beyond that and it is through the scholarly writings and translations of orientalists such as Arberry,Maussignon, Rabia Terri Harris, Annamarie, T.J Winters,Martin Ling, Muhtar Holland et al, that the'English speaking' Muslim and non-Muslim world at large began to get a better appreciation and undertanding of all these special 'walli-allah' beyond the 'realm of superhuman abilities' and myths. Some of these erudite scholars, by the Grace of Allah,'lost' their 'scholarly objectivity' and finally , alhamdullillah, succumbed to the raw beauty and justice of Islam.
We present day Muslims, mostly given the faith on a silver plate via heritage,oftentimes are mostly guilty, as the Pharoah's followers of old, of wanting to see wooden staff turning into snakes and only 'magic'.Leaving the sciences,the painful search for truth, scholarship and to put bluntly, plain hard, cerebral,grey mater stuff-thinking and more thinking, to the 'kaffirs' to toil.In so doing we missed the 'essence of the message' and thus the 'boat'.Now Muslims from all across the globe are just like 'ants' waiting for 'crumbs' to fall from the King's table.[ ...and sadly,presently, King Obama is very limited in what he could do]. The 'magic' and sublimity of Islam is in comprehending the Message and putting it into practice.
We, as an ummah, finally even failed to understand the 'Book' given to us, let alone understand the ramifications and meanings of the the other 'book' beyond: our world surrounding us.
Let us just take a very short peep at what al Jilani has to say about life, from an except of his primer,'Futuh al-Ghaib',[Revelation of the Unseen], as beautifully translated by Muhtar Holland:
#######
You see this world in the hands of those who keep it going, with its ornaments and vanities, its deceptions and snares, and its lethal poisons. Its surface is so smooth to the touch, while the inside is rapacious, quick to bring ruin and death to those who touch it and fall under its delusion, forgetting its evil motives, its fickleness and its breach of promise. When you see all this, you must behave like someone who sees a man in the act of defecating, with his private part exposed and causing an unpleasant odour.
Just as you would avert your gaze from his nakedness, and hold your nose against the stinking smell, so must you behave towards the world: When you see it, look away from its charms and hold your nose against the stench and lechery and lust. Thus you may escape the world's corrupting influence, yet still receive your allotted share of worldly goods-yours to enjoy! As Allah[Exalted is He]said to His chosen Prophet[Allah bless him and give him peace]:
"Strain not your eyes towards that which We have given for some pairs among them to enjoy--the flower of this world's life, that We may thereby put them to the test. Your Lord's provision is better and more lasting." [ 20:131]
###########
Al-Jilani's other works:
The Secret of Secrets[Sirr-al-Asrar]
The Sublime Revelations[Al Fath al-Rabbani]
The Utterances of Shaikk' Abd Al Qadir al-Jilani[Malfuzat]
As common pathway with history of man though,starting from the Omayyid Caliphate, with excessive affluence and unbridled power,came decadence, moral and economic curruption. With this backdrop, emerged Islamic mysticism as a science, an antidote to spiritual malaise prevalent at that time,or sufism as is now popularly known, or tasawwuf:" looking inward to discover deeper meaning in man 's relationship with his Maker beyond the rudiments of prayer, alms giving, fasting and dzikir " which did not seem to be able to move 'mountains' and hearts. Hassan al-Basri must have been one of the earliest examining this 'inward path'. We have names like al Junayd, Rumi, Ibn Arabi, Jilani, Hallaj,al Ghazali[towards the later part of his life, a late bloomer] to name just a few....
To the uninitiated, when sufism is mentioned, it automatically conjures special 'individuals' who are gifted to 'walk on water', be in two places at one time, and have great healing power.
They are beyond that and it is through the scholarly writings and translations of orientalists such as Arberry,Maussignon, Rabia Terri Harris, Annamarie, T.J Winters,Martin Ling, Muhtar Holland et al, that the'English speaking' Muslim and non-Muslim world at large began to get a better appreciation and undertanding of all these special 'walli-allah' beyond the 'realm of superhuman abilities' and myths. Some of these erudite scholars, by the Grace of Allah,'lost' their 'scholarly objectivity' and finally , alhamdullillah, succumbed to the raw beauty and justice of Islam.
We present day Muslims, mostly given the faith on a silver plate via heritage,oftentimes are mostly guilty, as the Pharoah's followers of old, of wanting to see wooden staff turning into snakes and only 'magic'.Leaving the sciences,the painful search for truth, scholarship and to put bluntly, plain hard, cerebral,grey mater stuff-thinking and more thinking, to the 'kaffirs' to toil.In so doing we missed the 'essence of the message' and thus the 'boat'.Now Muslims from all across the globe are just like 'ants' waiting for 'crumbs' to fall from the King's table.[ ...and sadly,presently, King Obama is very limited in what he could do]. The 'magic' and sublimity of Islam is in comprehending the Message and putting it into practice.
We, as an ummah, finally even failed to understand the 'Book' given to us, let alone understand the ramifications and meanings of the the other 'book' beyond: our world surrounding us.
Let us just take a very short peep at what al Jilani has to say about life, from an except of his primer,'Futuh al-Ghaib',[Revelation of the Unseen], as beautifully translated by Muhtar Holland:
#######
You see this world in the hands of those who keep it going, with its ornaments and vanities, its deceptions and snares, and its lethal poisons. Its surface is so smooth to the touch, while the inside is rapacious, quick to bring ruin and death to those who touch it and fall under its delusion, forgetting its evil motives, its fickleness and its breach of promise. When you see all this, you must behave like someone who sees a man in the act of defecating, with his private part exposed and causing an unpleasant odour.
Just as you would avert your gaze from his nakedness, and hold your nose against the stinking smell, so must you behave towards the world: When you see it, look away from its charms and hold your nose against the stench and lechery and lust. Thus you may escape the world's corrupting influence, yet still receive your allotted share of worldly goods-yours to enjoy! As Allah[Exalted is He]said to His chosen Prophet[Allah bless him and give him peace]:
"Strain not your eyes towards that which We have given for some pairs among them to enjoy--the flower of this world's life, that We may thereby put them to the test. Your Lord's provision is better and more lasting." [ 20:131]
###########
Al-Jilani's other works:
The Secret of Secrets[Sirr-al-Asrar]
The Sublime Revelations[Al Fath al-Rabbani]
The Utterances of Shaikk' Abd Al Qadir al-Jilani[Malfuzat]
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Prof Wan Mohd Nor: Islamisation of Knowledge
Prof Wan Mohd Nor Wan Daud,55, from Tanah Merah, Kelantan, did his basic degree in biology at Illinois University. Completed his PHD programme under the reknowned Prof Fazlur Rahman at University of Chicago. His doctoral thesis was "Concept of knowledge in Islam and its implications for education in the Malaysian context". Along with the principal founder initiator, Prof Syed Naguib al Attas, he was a prime mover in the initial set-up and 'invigoration' of ISTAC[ Institute of Islamic thought and Civilisation ]. After the 'thoughtless' and to say the least,'pea-brained' plunder and rape of the then only world known Malaysian 'post-doctoral' academic institution, Prof Wan has now been given the 'chair' at ATMA, UKM. His senior colleague and mentor,Prof Syed Naguib was dealt more harshly. In the metaphorical sense, like what 'they' normally do to horses and stud,he was put 'to pasture'.
Pea-brained Malaysian politicians, as always thought too highly of themselves.Only they can think, the rest have to follow like 'crabs'. They think in Malaysia,philosophers and thinkers of such calibre do grow on trees!
Dr Nik Isahak:
"Say, even if the ocean were ink,
For writing the words of my Lord,
The ocean would be exhausted
Before the words of my Lord were exhausted,
Even if We were to add another ocean to it."[18:109]
If we go by the above 'ayat' we realise Islam is about knowledge, is pro knowledge, that apart from the Book' right on from the word 'go' with the 1st message of 'Iqra' to Prophet Muhammad, it was inherently meant for mankind to study God's creation as an 'open book', again a clarion call to knowledge.You are very familiar to Prof Syed Muhammad Nabuib al-Attas's[ your mentor] seminal work "Islam and Secularism" in 1978, which form the '1st call' to Islamization of Knowledge.In less technical language, Prof, could you really iluminate us on what the good Prof really mean? To particularize your answer for our readers Prof, let us go into the world of a 'hard-core science knowledge worker......A research embryologist or perhaps a cosmologist working with NASA would perhaps put you straight to the necessity of "Islamization of Knowledge ' for our readers benefit.They deal with the sublime and can also deal with the profane.An embryologist on the cutting edge of his field, if uncontrolled, can ,if given unbridled freedom, create 'monsters'.Cloned copies of individuals which is not far fetch and very dowable if the 'lid' on stem cell research is ever lifted. ,surrogate motherhood which are happening all the time in the West now and'acceptable by man's present morality values, a moving goal-post, etc etcetc.A NASA cosmologist may feel man need to go to Saturn for instance, to look for evidence whether God exist!
Prof Wan Mohd Nor:
Knowledge from the Islamic viewpoint, is equivalent truth and certainty which is taught by God to Man through right understanding of Revelation, sound use of reason and sense-perception. Hence it is naturally Islamic. However, often times, what has been transmitted as truth and certainty (whethner based on Revealation, philosophy or science) mere theories, conjectures and suppositions arising from personal, and socio-political-cultural interests and factors. Islamization of "knowledge", essentially, involves extricating those interests and factors such that what is transmitted and applied will true and certain. It is not only a reactive process i.e reforming existing knowledge "materials" but also a creative process ie creating new sciences altogether that seek to protect the truth and certainties of Islam. Hence Muslims created the science of tafsir, of hadith,of usul al-fiqh etc, and transformed philosophies and sciences from other cultures and
civilizations. This process involves spiritual, conceptual, methodological and ethical dimensions which can be called Islamization of "knowledge". It creates Islamic men and women living Islamic life who may also teach, write, heal, do business and build and reform institutions (like family, educational, scientific, political, economic etc)....
Dr Nik:
Sorry Prof Wan, I still cannot comprehend fully.Let us go to the specific to make our readers' comprehension better..
If ,is a dirty word in Islam.Hypothetical probably sounds better.Hypothetically let us say the Ottomans did not fade away into history but rather shined and shine and now control 2/3 of the known world today and Islamic scientist rather than Einstein discovered E=MC Squared and Abdul Hakim et al became the 1st man to theoretically 'split' the atom rather than Enrico Fermi and his friends.
Would we have Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Would we have the Cold War and the concept of MAD [Mutually Assured Destruction]?The concept itself is already morally and fundamentally wrong!: Destruction is neither a Mutual preorgative, and assured by human. Taking away God's preorgative and timing!
Leaving the science of Sunnah and hadith behind as they are 100% already 'Islamic', let as look at another hard core 'science' as another example.
Space exploration....Would there be space exploration in the hypothetical 'Ottoman world' of progress?
If there are, how different would it be Prof?
We know part of the Kufr West fundamental drive in seeking knowledge is that 'continuous'search for an answer to the quest of whether there is God outside there? [remember Pharoah asked Haman to build a staircase to Heaven to see for Moses' God].
Also mainly for defence purposes and aggresive agenda of man against man[ ICBM and anti ICBM's from a sattelite? Ronald Reagan's dream of space warfare and safety net].
Prof Wan Mohd Nor:
As you have rightly indicated, scientific progress developments do reflect certain religio/philosophical questions. Some of the burning questions that spurred modern science such evolutionary biology, archeology, astronomy and subtomic-physics were not asked by Muslim scholars, although I suspect, they would have developed some aspects of these sciences to answer different sets of questions. Great Muslim Civilizations in the past showed inter-disciplinary learning which was guided by shariah and culminated by the spiritual science of tasawwuf. Human Knowledge and technology being culturally interconnected, Muslim scholars in the past critically appropriated many ideas and technics from others. Some were more carefull, others less so in what we now call Islamization of their contemporary knowledge.
Dr Nik :
I can understand that in most fields of human endeavour and knowledge such jurisprudence, medicine[ remember Sigmund Freud who form the basis of pschoanalysis, man's predominant thought on 'permanent erection'!...This is a joke Prof ,just an example],sociology,politics and government,economics , business management etc and etc, the starting premise that God is supreme and all are answerable to God, would have principally steered knowledge significantly from what we 'have' now.
The sub-prime crisis in an 'Islamic' based economy would not be there. The crises of values and justice and fairness that inundate the world at present would also be non existent.
But since 1924, since the breakdown of the Ottoman Caliphate, and right up to now, 2009, the world is not 'ours' . What do we so called Muslim countries and Muslim predominant countries do to ensure our young people who are going to be leaders,scientists, educators,teachers ,technocrats, be guided by the right principles as expounded by Prof Naquib.?
Or is 'Islamization of knowledge' just a hollow philosophical discourse, just to be discussed politely in the 'hallowed hall' of intellectuals but bear no meaning and importance in the crucible of Islamic development of the rest of us, 'bread and butter' Muslims?
Radical and activist Muslims can perhaps just say that you guys, bright [ and implied, rather indirectly, to be less 'qualified',of questionable 'faith' Western-bred Islamic scholars ] 'upstarts'are just clouding the 'more simplistic' and easy to understand, clarion call to get back to the Qur'an and the sunnah as expounded by the reformists as in Asad, Iqbal, Syed Qutb and Mawdudi?
Prof Wan:
To your comments:
1) I can understand that in most fields of human endeavour and knowledge such jurisprudence, medicine,sociology,politics and government,economics , business management etc and etc,..... these and other problems that reflect intellectual mistakes and moral waeknesses have occured in the best run Islamic societiesin the past, but the extent of their effects would be more limited. What was most important is, in such societies, the methods of correction would not be merely procedural, and legal but would proceed from spiritual-ethical re-invigoration.
2) But since 1924, since the breakdown of the Ottoman Caliphate, and right up to now, 2009, the world is not 'ours' .....is this 'Islamization of knowledge' just a hollow philosophical discourse, just to be discussed in the 'hallowed hall' amongst intellectuals but bear no meaning and importance in the crucible of Islamic development of us Muslims who can claim to be the khalifah Allah ?....
My short response to that is, to educate Muslims and others of a more comprehensive approach to Islam requires an generally orderly recognition of right authorities from the lowest levels of education to the highest including the adult education. That part is sorely missing in the education of Islamic knowledge though not in other branches of sciences and professions. Yes, many discourses on Islam have been hollow because of the stated general reason. It is a rather viscious cycle which takes sincerity, knowlede, courage and sacrifice in order to be broken.
3) Is this just clouding the 'more simplistic' and easy to understand, clarion call to get back to the Qur'an and the sunnah as expounded by the reformists as in Asad, Iqbal, Syed Qutb and Mawdudi?
I dont think it is is to understand these scholars. hence there are so many sub groups from within the followers of these influential Muslims.
Dr Nik:
Thanks Prof.Before we call this a day on this interesting issue,
I wish to push you further on that last bit on "hollow philosophical discourse in polite intellectual circle" part. I am very sure it is not.It is just my style of pushing you only. But...
Definitely between Muslim scholars such as Prof Naguib,the late Palestinian thinker-philosopher Prof Ismail Al Faruqi, Hoesien Nasr,and your goodself, all big proponents of Islamization of knowlege, and the Muslim activists current and past, there seem to me,less concordance or similarities of purpose.
In fact If I recall correctly some scholars did not hide their feeling that these 'activists', giants during their time such as Mawdudi and Syed Qutb for example, are somewhat misguided .I am not far from being correct if i put it to you that there is disdain and no love lost between the scholars and the activists.And to me this is sad. because at the end of the day we are looking at establishing on this planet earth, the same 'animal', at least to my limited and 'unschooled' understanding: Islamization of Man, so that he could be the proper viceagent[ khalifah] of Allah on this planet earth, practising the proper 'adab' between himself and his Maker, and proper adab between him, his friends and fellow man and proper adab between him and his environment.
Prof Wan Mohd;
Agreed. I dont normally want to discuss these issue in emails, sms-es. Too many activists, good intentioned no doubt, rejected the civilizing role of our most influential scholars and thinkers just because, from the standpoint, these figures did not join political movements or what are not known as NGOs.
Dr Nik:
I can fully understand that Prof.
Part of the problem in this modern world perhaps is also due to the need of 'over-specialisation'of roles as we go on. In the early days we have ruler/scholar/activist like all the Kalifah arrashiddin and to some extent, Caliph Omar Abdul Aziz all rolled into one .
But to my simple mind I think the the main problem is perhaps the very limited 'role' given to 'ulama', and I mean this in a bigger perspective,by those who should know better!Whenever you guys are called into the picture, the die has already been cast in iron and oftentime the 'ulama' is there just to give the necessary 'rubber stamping and approval'. If even this is hard to come by, the 'ulama' is sent to 'the 'Tower of London' for summary execution.We see too many of these happening in Malaysia and elsewhere.ISTAC is one such good example.
May the souls of these Muslim ruler/politicians be able to rest in peace in their Alam Barzakh and the hereafter!....
The consolations chaps like you do have over mere mortals like them is that: In the sand of time when all that were done by mortal men had been forgotten, guys like you and Prof Naguib and TGNA for that matter[ many people dont know but even he writes!] will always contribute for generations through your books and thoughts.
And that Prof, means a lot more, when all of us are in the 'Alam Barzakh',your 'tills' and 'meters' still moves! Mashaallah!Insyaallah!Alhamdullillah!
Thank you Prof.
Pea-brained Malaysian politicians, as always thought too highly of themselves.Only they can think, the rest have to follow like 'crabs'. They think in Malaysia,philosophers and thinkers of such calibre do grow on trees!
Dr Nik Isahak:
"Say, even if the ocean were ink,
For writing the words of my Lord,
The ocean would be exhausted
Before the words of my Lord were exhausted,
Even if We were to add another ocean to it."[18:109]
If we go by the above 'ayat' we realise Islam is about knowledge, is pro knowledge, that apart from the Book' right on from the word 'go' with the 1st message of 'Iqra' to Prophet Muhammad, it was inherently meant for mankind to study God's creation as an 'open book', again a clarion call to knowledge.You are very familiar to Prof Syed Muhammad Nabuib al-Attas's[ your mentor] seminal work "Islam and Secularism" in 1978, which form the '1st call' to Islamization of Knowledge.In less technical language, Prof, could you really iluminate us on what the good Prof really mean? To particularize your answer for our readers Prof, let us go into the world of a 'hard-core science knowledge worker......A research embryologist or perhaps a cosmologist working with NASA would perhaps put you straight to the necessity of "Islamization of Knowledge ' for our readers benefit.They deal with the sublime and can also deal with the profane.An embryologist on the cutting edge of his field, if uncontrolled, can ,if given unbridled freedom, create 'monsters'.Cloned copies of individuals which is not far fetch and very dowable if the 'lid' on stem cell research is ever lifted. ,surrogate motherhood which are happening all the time in the West now and'acceptable by man's present morality values, a moving goal-post, etc etcetc.A NASA cosmologist may feel man need to go to Saturn for instance, to look for evidence whether God exist!
Prof Wan Mohd Nor:
Knowledge from the Islamic viewpoint, is equivalent truth and certainty which is taught by God to Man through right understanding of Revelation, sound use of reason and sense-perception. Hence it is naturally Islamic. However, often times, what has been transmitted as truth and certainty (whethner based on Revealation, philosophy or science) mere theories, conjectures and suppositions arising from personal, and socio-political-cultural interests and factors. Islamization of "knowledge", essentially, involves extricating those interests and factors such that what is transmitted and applied will true and certain. It is not only a reactive process i.e reforming existing knowledge "materials" but also a creative process ie creating new sciences altogether that seek to protect the truth and certainties of Islam. Hence Muslims created the science of tafsir, of hadith,of usul al-fiqh etc, and transformed philosophies and sciences from other cultures and
civilizations. This process involves spiritual, conceptual, methodological and ethical dimensions which can be called Islamization of "knowledge". It creates Islamic men and women living Islamic life who may also teach, write, heal, do business and build and reform institutions (like family, educational, scientific, political, economic etc)....
Dr Nik:
Sorry Prof Wan, I still cannot comprehend fully.Let us go to the specific to make our readers' comprehension better..
If ,is a dirty word in Islam.Hypothetical probably sounds better.Hypothetically let us say the Ottomans did not fade away into history but rather shined and shine and now control 2/3 of the known world today and Islamic scientist rather than Einstein discovered E=MC Squared and Abdul Hakim et al became the 1st man to theoretically 'split' the atom rather than Enrico Fermi and his friends.
Would we have Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Would we have the Cold War and the concept of MAD [Mutually Assured Destruction]?The concept itself is already morally and fundamentally wrong!: Destruction is neither a Mutual preorgative, and assured by human. Taking away God's preorgative and timing!
Leaving the science of Sunnah and hadith behind as they are 100% already 'Islamic', let as look at another hard core 'science' as another example.
Space exploration....Would there be space exploration in the hypothetical 'Ottoman world' of progress?
If there are, how different would it be Prof?
We know part of the Kufr West fundamental drive in seeking knowledge is that 'continuous'search for an answer to the quest of whether there is God outside there? [remember Pharoah asked Haman to build a staircase to Heaven to see for Moses' God].
Also mainly for defence purposes and aggresive agenda of man against man[ ICBM and anti ICBM's from a sattelite? Ronald Reagan's dream of space warfare and safety net].
Prof Wan Mohd Nor:
As you have rightly indicated, scientific progress developments do reflect certain religio/philosophical questions. Some of the burning questions that spurred modern science such evolutionary biology, archeology, astronomy and subtomic-physics were not asked by Muslim scholars, although I suspect, they would have developed some aspects of these sciences to answer different sets of questions. Great Muslim Civilizations in the past showed inter-disciplinary learning which was guided by shariah and culminated by the spiritual science of tasawwuf. Human Knowledge and technology being culturally interconnected, Muslim scholars in the past critically appropriated many ideas and technics from others. Some were more carefull, others less so in what we now call Islamization of their contemporary knowledge.
Dr Nik :
I can understand that in most fields of human endeavour and knowledge such jurisprudence, medicine[ remember Sigmund Freud who form the basis of pschoanalysis, man's predominant thought on 'permanent erection'!...This is a joke Prof ,just an example],sociology,politics and government,economics , business management etc and etc, the starting premise that God is supreme and all are answerable to God, would have principally steered knowledge significantly from what we 'have' now.
The sub-prime crisis in an 'Islamic' based economy would not be there. The crises of values and justice and fairness that inundate the world at present would also be non existent.
But since 1924, since the breakdown of the Ottoman Caliphate, and right up to now, 2009, the world is not 'ours' . What do we so called Muslim countries and Muslim predominant countries do to ensure our young people who are going to be leaders,scientists, educators,teachers ,technocrats, be guided by the right principles as expounded by Prof Naquib.?
Or is 'Islamization of knowledge' just a hollow philosophical discourse, just to be discussed politely in the 'hallowed hall' of intellectuals but bear no meaning and importance in the crucible of Islamic development of the rest of us, 'bread and butter' Muslims?
Radical and activist Muslims can perhaps just say that you guys, bright [ and implied, rather indirectly, to be less 'qualified',of questionable 'faith' Western-bred Islamic scholars ] 'upstarts'are just clouding the 'more simplistic' and easy to understand, clarion call to get back to the Qur'an and the sunnah as expounded by the reformists as in Asad, Iqbal, Syed Qutb and Mawdudi?
Prof Wan:
To your comments:
1) I can understand that in most fields of human endeavour and knowledge such jurisprudence, medicine,sociology,politics and government,economics , business management etc and etc,..... these and other problems that reflect intellectual mistakes and moral waeknesses have occured in the best run Islamic societiesin the past, but the extent of their effects would be more limited. What was most important is, in such societies, the methods of correction would not be merely procedural, and legal but would proceed from spiritual-ethical re-invigoration.
2) But since 1924, since the breakdown of the Ottoman Caliphate, and right up to now, 2009, the world is not 'ours' .....is this 'Islamization of knowledge' just a hollow philosophical discourse, just to be discussed in the 'hallowed hall' amongst intellectuals but bear no meaning and importance in the crucible of Islamic development of us Muslims who can claim to be the khalifah Allah ?....
My short response to that is, to educate Muslims and others of a more comprehensive approach to Islam requires an generally orderly recognition of right authorities from the lowest levels of education to the highest including the adult education. That part is sorely missing in the education of Islamic knowledge though not in other branches of sciences and professions. Yes, many discourses on Islam have been hollow because of the stated general reason. It is a rather viscious cycle which takes sincerity, knowlede, courage and sacrifice in order to be broken.
3) Is this just clouding the 'more simplistic' and easy to understand, clarion call to get back to the Qur'an and the sunnah as expounded by the reformists as in Asad, Iqbal, Syed Qutb and Mawdudi?
I dont think it is is to understand these scholars. hence there are so many sub groups from within the followers of these influential Muslims.
Dr Nik:
Thanks Prof.Before we call this a day on this interesting issue,
I wish to push you further on that last bit on "hollow philosophical discourse in polite intellectual circle" part. I am very sure it is not.It is just my style of pushing you only. But...
Definitely between Muslim scholars such as Prof Naguib,the late Palestinian thinker-philosopher Prof Ismail Al Faruqi, Hoesien Nasr,and your goodself, all big proponents of Islamization of knowlege, and the Muslim activists current and past, there seem to me,less concordance or similarities of purpose.
In fact If I recall correctly some scholars did not hide their feeling that these 'activists', giants during their time such as Mawdudi and Syed Qutb for example, are somewhat misguided .I am not far from being correct if i put it to you that there is disdain and no love lost between the scholars and the activists.And to me this is sad. because at the end of the day we are looking at establishing on this planet earth, the same 'animal', at least to my limited and 'unschooled' understanding: Islamization of Man, so that he could be the proper viceagent[ khalifah] of Allah on this planet earth, practising the proper 'adab' between himself and his Maker, and proper adab between him, his friends and fellow man and proper adab between him and his environment.
Prof Wan Mohd;
Agreed. I dont normally want to discuss these issue in emails, sms-es. Too many activists, good intentioned no doubt, rejected the civilizing role of our most influential scholars and thinkers just because, from the standpoint, these figures did not join political movements or what are not known as NGOs.
Dr Nik:
I can fully understand that Prof.
Part of the problem in this modern world perhaps is also due to the need of 'over-specialisation'of roles as we go on. In the early days we have ruler/scholar/activist like all the Kalifah arrashiddin and to some extent, Caliph Omar Abdul Aziz all rolled into one .
But to my simple mind I think the the main problem is perhaps the very limited 'role' given to 'ulama', and I mean this in a bigger perspective,by those who should know better!Whenever you guys are called into the picture, the die has already been cast in iron and oftentime the 'ulama' is there just to give the necessary 'rubber stamping and approval'. If even this is hard to come by, the 'ulama' is sent to 'the 'Tower of London' for summary execution.We see too many of these happening in Malaysia and elsewhere.ISTAC is one such good example.
May the souls of these Muslim ruler/politicians be able to rest in peace in their Alam Barzakh and the hereafter!....
The consolations chaps like you do have over mere mortals like them is that: In the sand of time when all that were done by mortal men had been forgotten, guys like you and Prof Naguib and TGNA for that matter[ many people dont know but even he writes!] will always contribute for generations through your books and thoughts.
And that Prof, means a lot more, when all of us are in the 'Alam Barzakh',your 'tills' and 'meters' still moves! Mashaallah!Insyaallah!Alhamdullillah!
Thank you Prof.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Conversation post Isra' Mikraj
And walk not in the earth exultant. Lo! thou canst not rend the earth, nor canst thou stretch to the height of the hills.[17:3]
{ In typical TGNA lingo when he 'kupas' this ayat I could think he would have done it this way:Mung jange dok fikir mung nin gedebe dan menggak sangat. Mung nin manusio jale atah buming aku pong mache semut. Jijok tanoh pong tak bekkah, palo mung pong tak setinggi mano, bukit Aku jauh lebeh tingg.Mung, selagi mung nin nama dio manusio, jange dok sohor sangat. Kalu Aku tak bagi mung kentut separuh hari pong mung dah mengaum sakit masuk spita! Jange mung dok meto dengae Aku. Belum lagi Aku bagi sepelet hok besar besar!
Aku bagi Kitab Aku, mung kato mung tok sir ikut pasal kitab tok nenek mung lebih canggih!. Aku bagi mung peluang binin pat, mung kato lebih suko main bontot denga belago punggong. Aku larae mung dari berhutae dengae ceti, mung nok main derivatif, sub prime, futures.Aku suroh ikut undae undae Aku, mung kato undae undae hok tok nenek mung buat lebih baik! Undae undae Aku kolot, tak ada perikemanusiaan, primitif....
Begitu lah agaknya, in his indomitable, simple Kelantanese style which has endeared him for years amongst his folks.TGNA as always is very sharp with his Tafseer. The examples he usually uses are easily understood by the masses. That is why when I read in the Star today about Hadi Awang backing down from his original plan to form a 'Unity' government with NTR, I can comprehend why.Hadi Awang can be the President but in the realms of thing he is no where near TGNA. NTR has to talk to TGNA. Fullstop. If that old man does not want to talk, NTR has to find ways to talk to him.NTR has alot of excess baggage: MIC,MCA,MACC,MRS....PKFZ, KT and other clowns which he finds difficult to off-load..BN East Malaysia is BN East Malaysia.BN's days are numbered. Talk he must.No point whistling in the dark. That is the ballgame.}
And We reveal the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers though it increases the evil-doers in naught save ruin.[17:82]
And when We make life pleasant unto man, he turned away and is averse; and when ill touched him, heis in despair.[83]
Say O Muhammad: Each one doth according to his rule of conduct, and thy Lord is best aware of him whose way is right.[84]
They will ask thee concerning the Spirit. Say:
"The Spirit is by command of my Lord and of knowledge ye has been vouchsafed but little!".[85] And if We willed We could withdraw that which We have revealed unto thee, then would thou find no guardian for thee against Us in respect thereof.[86]
It is not save mercy from thy Lord. Lo! His kindness unto thee was ever great.[87]
Say: Verily, though mankind and the jinn should assemble to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof though they were helpers of one another.[88]
And verily We have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all kind of similitudes, but most mankind aught save disbelieve.[89]
And they say: "We will not put faith in thee till thou cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us;[90] Or thou have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth therein abundantly;[91]
Or thou cause the heaven to fall upon us piecemeal, as thou hast pretended, or bring Allah and the angels as a warrant;[92]
Or thou has a house full of gold; or thou ascend up into the heaven, and even then we will put no faith in thine ascension till thou bring down for us a book that we can read.
Say O Muhammad: My Lord be glorified! Am I aught just a mortal messenger.[93]
And nought prevented mankind from believing when the guidance came unto them save that they said: Hath Allah sent a mortal as His messenger?[94]
Say: If there are in the earth angels walikng secure, We had sent down as messenger.[95]
Say: Allah sufficeth for a witness between me and you. Lo! He is Knower, Seer of His slaves.[96]
And he whom Allah guideth, he is led aright; while as for him whom He sendeth astray, for them thou will find no protecting friends besides Him, and We shall assemble them on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their habitation will be hell; whenever it abateth, We increase the flame for them.[17:97]
{.....Masyaallah! God ,give us 'kesejahteraan' here and in the hereafter.Jauhkanlah kami dari 'fitnah Dajjal' dan 'seksa kubur' and,God, keep us away from your hellfire!
Matikanlah kami didalam keadaan husnul khatimah!
Berkatikanlah kami dengan anak isteri yang sentiasa akan mendoakan sejahteraan kami dialam barzazk Mu, bukan menjadi 'fitnah' kepada kami.}
And say: Praise unto Allah, Who hath not taken unto Himself a son, and Who hath no partner in the Sovereignty, nor hath He any protecting friend through dependence. And magnify Him with all magnificence.[Al Isra',17:111]
{ In typical TGNA lingo when he 'kupas' this ayat I could think he would have done it this way:Mung jange dok fikir mung nin gedebe dan menggak sangat. Mung nin manusio jale atah buming aku pong mache semut. Jijok tanoh pong tak bekkah, palo mung pong tak setinggi mano, bukit Aku jauh lebeh tingg.Mung, selagi mung nin nama dio manusio, jange dok sohor sangat. Kalu Aku tak bagi mung kentut separuh hari pong mung dah mengaum sakit masuk spita! Jange mung dok meto dengae Aku. Belum lagi Aku bagi sepelet hok besar besar!
Aku bagi Kitab Aku, mung kato mung tok sir ikut pasal kitab tok nenek mung lebih canggih!. Aku bagi mung peluang binin pat, mung kato lebih suko main bontot denga belago punggong. Aku larae mung dari berhutae dengae ceti, mung nok main derivatif, sub prime, futures.Aku suroh ikut undae undae Aku, mung kato undae undae hok tok nenek mung buat lebih baik! Undae undae Aku kolot, tak ada perikemanusiaan, primitif....
Begitu lah agaknya, in his indomitable, simple Kelantanese style which has endeared him for years amongst his folks.TGNA as always is very sharp with his Tafseer. The examples he usually uses are easily understood by the masses. That is why when I read in the Star today about Hadi Awang backing down from his original plan to form a 'Unity' government with NTR, I can comprehend why.Hadi Awang can be the President but in the realms of thing he is no where near TGNA. NTR has to talk to TGNA. Fullstop. If that old man does not want to talk, NTR has to find ways to talk to him.NTR has alot of excess baggage: MIC,MCA,MACC,MRS....PKFZ, KT and other clowns which he finds difficult to off-load..BN East Malaysia is BN East Malaysia.BN's days are numbered. Talk he must.No point whistling in the dark. That is the ballgame.}
And We reveal the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers though it increases the evil-doers in naught save ruin.[17:82]
And when We make life pleasant unto man, he turned away and is averse; and when ill touched him, heis in despair.[83]
Say O Muhammad: Each one doth according to his rule of conduct, and thy Lord is best aware of him whose way is right.[84]
They will ask thee concerning the Spirit. Say:
"The Spirit is by command of my Lord and of knowledge ye has been vouchsafed but little!".[85] And if We willed We could withdraw that which We have revealed unto thee, then would thou find no guardian for thee against Us in respect thereof.[86]
It is not save mercy from thy Lord. Lo! His kindness unto thee was ever great.[87]
Say: Verily, though mankind and the jinn should assemble to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof though they were helpers of one another.[88]
And verily We have displayed for mankind in this Qur'an all kind of similitudes, but most mankind aught save disbelieve.[89]
And they say: "We will not put faith in thee till thou cause a spring to gush forth from the earth for us;[90] Or thou have a garden of date-palms and grapes, and cause rivers to gush forth therein abundantly;[91]
Or thou cause the heaven to fall upon us piecemeal, as thou hast pretended, or bring Allah and the angels as a warrant;[92]
Or thou has a house full of gold; or thou ascend up into the heaven, and even then we will put no faith in thine ascension till thou bring down for us a book that we can read.
Say O Muhammad: My Lord be glorified! Am I aught just a mortal messenger.[93]
And nought prevented mankind from believing when the guidance came unto them save that they said: Hath Allah sent a mortal as His messenger?[94]
Say: If there are in the earth angels walikng secure, We had sent down as messenger.[95]
Say: Allah sufficeth for a witness between me and you. Lo! He is Knower, Seer of His slaves.[96]
And he whom Allah guideth, he is led aright; while as for him whom He sendeth astray, for them thou will find no protecting friends besides Him, and We shall assemble them on the Day of Resurrection on their faces, blind, dumb and deaf; their habitation will be hell; whenever it abateth, We increase the flame for them.[17:97]
{.....Masyaallah! God ,give us 'kesejahteraan' here and in the hereafter.Jauhkanlah kami dari 'fitnah Dajjal' dan 'seksa kubur' and,God, keep us away from your hellfire!
Matikanlah kami didalam keadaan husnul khatimah!
Berkatikanlah kami dengan anak isteri yang sentiasa akan mendoakan sejahteraan kami dialam barzazk Mu, bukan menjadi 'fitnah' kepada kami.}
And say: Praise unto Allah, Who hath not taken unto Himself a son, and Who hath no partner in the Sovereignty, nor hath He any protecting friend through dependence. And magnify Him with all magnificence.[Al Isra',17:111]
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Can We Still be Proud to be Malaysians?
"Teoh"s death:
80 % homicide,just 20 % suicide.
Dr Pornthip
......................
Lingam Tapes: Closed!
No evidence found to prove abuse
in judicial appointments
.......................
Now tell me,
Can we still be proud to be Malaysians?
What happened to all our prayers?
What type of Muslims have we become?
Which Qur'an do we use?
80 % homicide,just 20 % suicide.
Dr Pornthip
......................
Lingam Tapes: Closed!
No evidence found to prove abuse
in judicial appointments
.......................
Now tell me,
Can we still be proud to be Malaysians?
What happened to all our prayers?
What type of Muslims have we become?
Which Qur'an do we use?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Stem Cell Research, Ihsan, Iman and Amal and all that jazz....
4 AM.Still tossing and moving in bed. Too much adrenaline. Could not sleep tonight.Just visited a long time friend earlier in the evening, who just came back from the USA. He went to a 'centre of excellence' in 'neurovascular intervention' in Minnesota, USA, seeking for an 'endoluminal' treatment[cerebral angioplasty and carotid artery stenting] to his blocked arteries in his brain.Thirty days later, and nearly 2 million RM poorer,he came back no better.Almost lost his life during the procedure.
Lesson? No issues involved here, and no 'moral of the story' from my view point. Complications do occur even in the best of places. When it does,drives the 'shit out' of your patients[he could have died!] and the doctors.If it happened in the best centre in the US be prepared to cough out 50k RM a day for a CCU bed!And we Malaysians go berserk when a fully ventilated patient on megadoses of antibiotics and multiple cathethers going in and out of the body,a typical 'bad case' in private intensive care, do creep up to 2k RM per day!Intensive critical care medicine is very expensive standard everywhere with spiraling cost and high techs.[ We do not use stents or antibiotic made from Jinjang or Kepong! All US or Europe].In the US of A, just time it by a multiplier of 20, though.
We discussed 'Stem Cell research and progress' over dinner.It is bludgeoning everywhere.Especially in Asia, namely China.StemCellChina.com is selling it as if it is already established clinical practice.Elsewhere around the world, people are more cautious. It is still 'experimental' and 'research' and we have to wait and see.Exciting no doubt but give it some time before the 'clouds of anecdotal claims settle a bit and the real result comes out'.Too early and too many issues that need to be solved and settled!Malignancy issues,selection issues,and most importantly 'is there evidence it really work' issues.....Too early days to say.Anecdotal evidence in modern medicine is not good enough....Trials ,trials and more trials.Don't you be a guinea pig for the moment.
One or two 'doctors' even in Malaysia have already join the bandwagon, not wanting to be left out as the early birds." Early birds catches the worms ",leaving behind ethical and moral considerations.Stroke patients and patients with 'bad hearts' with thick wallets and unlimited cheque-book queue for treatment.['more money' than brain: just look at that KT fellow! Sorry folks ,this is unrelated except I cannot help being political here. It may help his party's cause in gaining respect and looking at new directions if 'leaders' like him just can disappear from the scene!Can someone tell him that!] .Exercise care in your decisions, there are charlattans even amongst doctors.99.9 per cent of us who practice evidence based medicine would rather wait.
Earlier at 5 pm, my cousin[ just 60+ ] visited me, with a coterie of 'husbands and sisters', at the clinic, to consult about her neuropathic pain in the fingers and feet. She is a diabetic of 40 years standing.I just knew that she had a malignant breat lump removed at PPUM 6 months earlier.People,even relatives,don't discuss cancer.Refused chemotherapy after prior consultation with a handful of 'armchair' experts.She missed that 'window'of opportunity now.I told her that the surgical removal of the lump is just like a German panzer division coming to whack down a Belgium town, you would still need the commandoes and the foot soldiers[chemotherapy] to sweep and mop-up the carpet and finnish off whatever remaining Allied soldiers left here and there.Otherwise the win is not secured.Possibility of recurrence is that much higher....In some cancers , we have effective ' cell specific immune, 'targeted' therapy but that is not yet available for many cancers apart from lung and kidney.For lung,specific to woman,non smoker ,of the 'adecarcinoma histological variety. My M.I.L. one and half year on is on Tarceva,and Alhamdullillah still hale and hearty! And that is marvellous, alhamdullillah, as far as cancer of the lung goes, stage 4 at initiation of therapy.
No ! My cousin would rather have no chemotherapy !Her armchair 'specialist' friends had a greater sway.If I were to meet her doctor in UH 6 months ago I would give him a good'whacking' on his backside for not educating her enough!When you are 'clever' you have to work extra hard to convince your patients to get the right treatment. Even to the extent of threatening to send the 'police' to bring her back from 'cloud nine'. I usually use this 'gambit' to convey to my patients I mean it.If that fails,then I am satisfied I have tried my best!
[ Now I remembered giving a Datuk patient of mine 2 months ago a verbal 'whacking' for allowing his dear sister who had a 'tiny winny' of a lump[ ?breast cancer,only seen on a routine mammogram], too much democracy...She wallowed in self pity and ignorant self indulgence for 12 months,opting for 'air yasin',bomoh and kiai,this and that, by the time I heard of her predicament from a another friend a year latter, and able to 'prised' her out of her self imposed 'self pity', the tiny growth has progressed to a size bigger than a golf ball..So much for our blatant misunderstanding of Qada' and Qadar.I always maintain Qada' and Qadar are Allah's domain, we mere mortals we do our best , with our best understanding of the sciences and current 'state of the art' and then we PRAY. That to me is the right humanly approach to Qada' and Qadar....And I am from the old school, a firm believer in Sukarno's Guided Democracy...Guided democracy for the relatively ignorant...I hope you can understand my anger with the brother. That young lady probably could have had a 'cure', now she stand to 'lose' 15 to 20 years of her future life , the difference between 'cure' and palliation can be tremendous!.Even with surgical removal now and the best chemotherapy money can buy, a golf ball in your breast is a golf ball in the breast!Seeding in the lungs and/or brain might have occured. Maybe, may not be, but why play dice with your life].....
So much for digression, let us get back to my cousin:
Her alternative megadoses of B17, B19 and B20 and B21[ I did not know there were so many B's] cost her 'a whacking 2k' a month! So much for vitamins!I would rather go to her house and collect her pee from the drain and still could make a couple of hundred bucks a month by opening a factory for recycled vitamins! Her 'source' is a lady somewhere in town.The lady had had her hands full.Packed with customers.All had to go through a 'computerised' assessment with blinking light and all, telling whether cancer cells are still there or dissapearing.The source just died acouple of months back also of cancer! Great business!My cousin was worried about her neuropathic pain, I was worried about those few 'American soldiers still left in town'.
These are what that keep me awake.2009 but still too much ozone therapy,colonic washouts,'Air Yasin',unproven alternative therapy,faith healing 'multiorgan transplantations', in town!We guys like short cuts.Malays and Muslims mostly.Why? Why? Why?...And Islam is supposed to show us the way out of ignorance and superstition to Truth.It is supposed to move 'mountains'!
5.30 AM now.Almost Suboh. I hate to go around knocking my children's rooms [and wife].I will be relieved if they wake up, I will be damned if they don't. Not a nice feeling....Actually at this stage in my life ,a sinking feeling....
"I put it to you Sir, that you have been neglectfull and 'callous' in the upbringing and 'education' of your 'flock'".......arggghhh! arghhh!
That come to my recurring thought and theme:How do we motivate ourselves and family towards Ihsan,Iman and Amal?
I think most of us[myself included]modern parents, staying in KL especially ,got it wrong.We leave this too much to the schools: There is the ugama lessons etc etc etc, there is the ustaz 'mengaji' coming to the house...
Even with ugama lessons, the Mak and Mek Rempits are 100% Malay, Muslim boys and girls.The 'hantu dadah' are 99.9% Malays.Our children[and ourselves of course] still in the main do 'Suboh gajah' or not at all! Despite all the 'mengaji' and the ugama lessons.
I was 'struck' and schocked when I heard over CNN some one year ago that Hamid Karzai[he was a California based 'Oil adviser' before he become Mr President] wanted the UN[mind you bugger! The UN] to ban the ubiquitous madrasahs, all the world over! He was echoing what Bush had politely and quietly proposed earlier on.Even Bush dare not mention it. And we have one very stupid Muslim 'Head of State' coming out with the magic formulla for world peace: Do away with the Message! Now, what do young boys do in the madrasah, you may ask? They learn the Qur'an.
Yes! That is the answer. We have to start teaching ourselves and our children the Qur'an.Certainly not in the traditional way of pure recitation in front of a 'guru mengaji' and be finnished with it once you reach juz 30.We have to start all over again,read and understand.....daily ,little by little.
Can be very costly you may say:"Guru mengaji" is already 100 to 200 RM per month.A 'guru' with tafsir background will cost more.
Children spend hours on the internet. Use the internet Qur'an. Be there with them initially, then leave them alone...In a year they will be able to teach you one or two ayats if you are not carefull!
The Glorious Qur'an is self empowering, that is why Harmid Karzai and Bush et al are so worried! JMHO
I will start with my 12 year-old rightaway tomorrow! Social engineering...Together ,father and daughter, we are going to move 'mountains'! Never mind the 'pahala'.I know one get 'pahala' just by mere recitation. Our joint project this time is to just move 'mountains'! The 'pahala' will come when the'mountains' are moved anyway.More sustainable.We will not be there for them all the time......
I can go to sleep now.
Lesson? No issues involved here, and no 'moral of the story' from my view point. Complications do occur even in the best of places. When it does,drives the 'shit out' of your patients[he could have died!] and the doctors.If it happened in the best centre in the US be prepared to cough out 50k RM a day for a CCU bed!And we Malaysians go berserk when a fully ventilated patient on megadoses of antibiotics and multiple cathethers going in and out of the body,a typical 'bad case' in private intensive care, do creep up to 2k RM per day!Intensive critical care medicine is very expensive standard everywhere with spiraling cost and high techs.[ We do not use stents or antibiotic made from Jinjang or Kepong! All US or Europe].In the US of A, just time it by a multiplier of 20, though.
We discussed 'Stem Cell research and progress' over dinner.It is bludgeoning everywhere.Especially in Asia, namely China.StemCellChina.com is selling it as if it is already established clinical practice.Elsewhere around the world, people are more cautious. It is still 'experimental' and 'research' and we have to wait and see.Exciting no doubt but give it some time before the 'clouds of anecdotal claims settle a bit and the real result comes out'.Too early and too many issues that need to be solved and settled!Malignancy issues,selection issues,and most importantly 'is there evidence it really work' issues.....Too early days to say.Anecdotal evidence in modern medicine is not good enough....Trials ,trials and more trials.Don't you be a guinea pig for the moment.
One or two 'doctors' even in Malaysia have already join the bandwagon, not wanting to be left out as the early birds." Early birds catches the worms ",leaving behind ethical and moral considerations.Stroke patients and patients with 'bad hearts' with thick wallets and unlimited cheque-book queue for treatment.['more money' than brain: just look at that KT fellow! Sorry folks ,this is unrelated except I cannot help being political here. It may help his party's cause in gaining respect and looking at new directions if 'leaders' like him just can disappear from the scene!Can someone tell him that!] .Exercise care in your decisions, there are charlattans even amongst doctors.99.9 per cent of us who practice evidence based medicine would rather wait.
Earlier at 5 pm, my cousin[ just 60+ ] visited me, with a coterie of 'husbands and sisters', at the clinic, to consult about her neuropathic pain in the fingers and feet. She is a diabetic of 40 years standing.I just knew that she had a malignant breat lump removed at PPUM 6 months earlier.People,even relatives,don't discuss cancer.Refused chemotherapy after prior consultation with a handful of 'armchair' experts.She missed that 'window'of opportunity now.I told her that the surgical removal of the lump is just like a German panzer division coming to whack down a Belgium town, you would still need the commandoes and the foot soldiers[chemotherapy] to sweep and mop-up the carpet and finnish off whatever remaining Allied soldiers left here and there.Otherwise the win is not secured.Possibility of recurrence is that much higher....In some cancers , we have effective ' cell specific immune, 'targeted' therapy but that is not yet available for many cancers apart from lung and kidney.For lung,specific to woman,non smoker ,of the 'adecarcinoma histological variety. My M.I.L. one and half year on is on Tarceva,and Alhamdullillah still hale and hearty! And that is marvellous, alhamdullillah, as far as cancer of the lung goes, stage 4 at initiation of therapy.
No ! My cousin would rather have no chemotherapy !Her armchair 'specialist' friends had a greater sway.If I were to meet her doctor in UH 6 months ago I would give him a good'whacking' on his backside for not educating her enough!When you are 'clever' you have to work extra hard to convince your patients to get the right treatment. Even to the extent of threatening to send the 'police' to bring her back from 'cloud nine'. I usually use this 'gambit' to convey to my patients I mean it.If that fails,then I am satisfied I have tried my best!
[ Now I remembered giving a Datuk patient of mine 2 months ago a verbal 'whacking' for allowing his dear sister who had a 'tiny winny' of a lump[ ?breast cancer,only seen on a routine mammogram], too much democracy...She wallowed in self pity and ignorant self indulgence for 12 months,opting for 'air yasin',bomoh and kiai,this and that, by the time I heard of her predicament from a another friend a year latter, and able to 'prised' her out of her self imposed 'self pity', the tiny growth has progressed to a size bigger than a golf ball..So much for our blatant misunderstanding of Qada' and Qadar.I always maintain Qada' and Qadar are Allah's domain, we mere mortals we do our best , with our best understanding of the sciences and current 'state of the art' and then we PRAY. That to me is the right humanly approach to Qada' and Qadar....And I am from the old school, a firm believer in Sukarno's Guided Democracy...Guided democracy for the relatively ignorant...I hope you can understand my anger with the brother. That young lady probably could have had a 'cure', now she stand to 'lose' 15 to 20 years of her future life , the difference between 'cure' and palliation can be tremendous!.Even with surgical removal now and the best chemotherapy money can buy, a golf ball in your breast is a golf ball in the breast!Seeding in the lungs and/or brain might have occured. Maybe, may not be, but why play dice with your life].....
So much for digression, let us get back to my cousin:
Her alternative megadoses of B17, B19 and B20 and B21[ I did not know there were so many B's] cost her 'a whacking 2k' a month! So much for vitamins!I would rather go to her house and collect her pee from the drain and still could make a couple of hundred bucks a month by opening a factory for recycled vitamins! Her 'source' is a lady somewhere in town.The lady had had her hands full.Packed with customers.All had to go through a 'computerised' assessment with blinking light and all, telling whether cancer cells are still there or dissapearing.The source just died acouple of months back also of cancer! Great business!My cousin was worried about her neuropathic pain, I was worried about those few 'American soldiers still left in town'.
These are what that keep me awake.2009 but still too much ozone therapy,colonic washouts,'Air Yasin',unproven alternative therapy,faith healing 'multiorgan transplantations', in town!We guys like short cuts.Malays and Muslims mostly.Why? Why? Why?...And Islam is supposed to show us the way out of ignorance and superstition to Truth.It is supposed to move 'mountains'!
5.30 AM now.Almost Suboh. I hate to go around knocking my children's rooms [and wife].I will be relieved if they wake up, I will be damned if they don't. Not a nice feeling....Actually at this stage in my life ,a sinking feeling....
"I put it to you Sir, that you have been neglectfull and 'callous' in the upbringing and 'education' of your 'flock'".......arggghhh! arghhh!
That come to my recurring thought and theme:How do we motivate ourselves and family towards Ihsan,Iman and Amal?
I think most of us[myself included]modern parents, staying in KL especially ,got it wrong.We leave this too much to the schools: There is the ugama lessons etc etc etc, there is the ustaz 'mengaji' coming to the house...
Even with ugama lessons, the Mak and Mek Rempits are 100% Malay, Muslim boys and girls.The 'hantu dadah' are 99.9% Malays.Our children[and ourselves of course] still in the main do 'Suboh gajah' or not at all! Despite all the 'mengaji' and the ugama lessons.
I was 'struck' and schocked when I heard over CNN some one year ago that Hamid Karzai[he was a California based 'Oil adviser' before he become Mr President] wanted the UN[mind you bugger! The UN] to ban the ubiquitous madrasahs, all the world over! He was echoing what Bush had politely and quietly proposed earlier on.Even Bush dare not mention it. And we have one very stupid Muslim 'Head of State' coming out with the magic formulla for world peace: Do away with the Message! Now, what do young boys do in the madrasah, you may ask? They learn the Qur'an.
Yes! That is the answer. We have to start teaching ourselves and our children the Qur'an.Certainly not in the traditional way of pure recitation in front of a 'guru mengaji' and be finnished with it once you reach juz 30.We have to start all over again,read and understand.....daily ,little by little.
Can be very costly you may say:"Guru mengaji" is already 100 to 200 RM per month.A 'guru' with tafsir background will cost more.
Children spend hours on the internet. Use the internet Qur'an. Be there with them initially, then leave them alone...In a year they will be able to teach you one or two ayats if you are not carefull!
The Glorious Qur'an is self empowering, that is why Harmid Karzai and Bush et al are so worried! JMHO
I will start with my 12 year-old rightaway tomorrow! Social engineering...Together ,father and daughter, we are going to move 'mountains'! Never mind the 'pahala'.I know one get 'pahala' just by mere recitation. Our joint project this time is to just move 'mountains'! The 'pahala' will come when the'mountains' are moved anyway.More sustainable.We will not be there for them all the time......
I can go to sleep now.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Book Review: The Qur'an, A Biography by Bruce Lawrence
Prof Bruce Lawrence, graduated from Princeton and obtained his Master in Divinity from Episcopal School of Divinity, Cambridge.Did his doctoral thesis in History of Religions at Yale. Has been at Duke University since 1971 and current holder of the chair, Nancy and Marcus Professor of Religion.The Quran: A Biography, receives rave reviews in this post 9-11 era. A small book ,very readable, can be finished in a day of continuous reading.
When I read any book, commenting on the Qur'an, I normally check and recheck the origin of the writer.Bruce Lawrence is definitely an erudite,highly qualified scholar of religions,an orientalist with definite orientalist's leanings but in The Qur'an : A biography, this was not so evident.I would say on superficial reading of the book, Prof Bruce Lawrence seem to be very fair, a rare individual indeed, initially, T thought.Nuances of awe combined with a touch of disbelief are there but very subtle.
The Qur'an : A biography is a 'selective' running commentary of man's varying perception and interpretation of the Glorious Qur'an across time. God's Book of Signs, as the good professor put it.He describes the origins of the faith in seventh-century Arabia and explains why the Qur'an needs to be memorized and recited by its followers. He emphasizes that the Qur'an is a sacred book of signs that has no single message and demands interpretation and can only be understood through history.
He went through a history of interpretations right from Prophet Muhammad himself, then suddenly moved on to an unbelieving[ probably one of the earliest starter of the science and art of orientalism!] 12th century English monk, Robert of Ketton. Writing for the Vatican, who was trying hard to find potholes here and there and chinks in the spiritual armour of Islam as Saladin Al Ayyubi seemed invincible.Bruce moved the scene to Rumi and Arabi, breezes through Sir Ahmad, an anglophile Pakistani engineer and right through to the Islamic reformist, Iqbal, bypassing Mawdudi and Syed Qutb [whom the West reckoned as the chaps sowing latter day radical Islamic discontent] and straight end up with Osama bin Laden.His present day literalist and myopic interpretation of the Qur'an on the issue of 'jihad'.
A good read for the uncommitted non Muslim or agnostic reader who wants to impress and have a lively 'dinner conversation' and show off his or her profound understanding of Islam. To me , I only noted Bruce real colour only when he came to describe the black slave girl whom the aging Sarah had given to Prophet Abraham ,Hagar.I cannot believe what I read: A concubine!
Polygamy is soo politically 'incorrect' to the Western mind they rather have misstreses or concubines!So that relegate the Arab branch of the Abrahamic faith, ie via Prophet Ismail, as a bastard lineage....then what about Muhammad who came from Ismail's lineage...not very subtle, this science of orientalism! That was the only obvious giveaway in the book.Otherwise Prof Lawrence has been fairly fair, but flippant, in his short treatment of the Qur'an. I suspect he respects and is suprisingly astounded by the immense beauty, sincerity and sublimity of the Qur'an, but there are nuances in the book that tells the reader, the writer does not want to believe it is the actual Words of God. A good read though I find his treatment or rather 'non treatment' and avoidance of the central message of Qur'an quite surprising: the central thesis of the Quran ie the unity of God, he lefft it to the reader's imgination, and he definitely stayed clear from the Qur'an frequent criticism of the concept of Trinity.To me it is like going to Restaurant Beriani Gam, ordered a beriani,but without the special rice, please!
Well I can truly understand that as The Qur'an: A Biography is just meant to be a 'Western Hithhiker's guide to Islam'.I am sure it is a best-seller of sort.Well written but it leaves me in no doubt of what Bruce Lawrence wanted ,in his heart of heart:to educate just a 'wee bit' but leave his Western reader's precept of the Qur'an intact. That really, Muhammad had got a repetitive, massive schizoid delusion, after brushing with the Christians in Mekkah and knowing the Gospels,and the Jews in Medinah at the same time learning and copying the Torah!.Muhammad was just a seventh-century Arabian poet, gifted wth a massive dose of delusion of grandeur! This is what the Jews and the Trinitarians would not like their flocks to 'discard'.Forget the true essense of the Message.
Reading the Qur'an ,without faith and sincerity, one will remain deaf, dumb and blind, whatever one's scholastic background!
"We have sent it down with truth,
and with truth has it come down,
And We have not sent you [Muhammad]
except as a herald and a warner."
Qur'an
"Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth the fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him, Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see.[2:17]
Deaf, Dumb and Blind; and they return not."[2:18]
"Do they not reflect? Their companion is not seized with madness: he is but a perspicuous warner.[7:184]
Do they see nothing in the government of the heavens and the earth and all that Allah hath created? Do they not see that it may well be that their term is nigh drawing to an end? In what message after this will they then believe?"[7:185]
When I read any book, commenting on the Qur'an, I normally check and recheck the origin of the writer.Bruce Lawrence is definitely an erudite,highly qualified scholar of religions,an orientalist with definite orientalist's leanings but in The Qur'an : A biography, this was not so evident.I would say on superficial reading of the book, Prof Bruce Lawrence seem to be very fair, a rare individual indeed, initially, T thought.Nuances of awe combined with a touch of disbelief are there but very subtle.
The Qur'an : A biography is a 'selective' running commentary of man's varying perception and interpretation of the Glorious Qur'an across time. God's Book of Signs, as the good professor put it.He describes the origins of the faith in seventh-century Arabia and explains why the Qur'an needs to be memorized and recited by its followers. He emphasizes that the Qur'an is a sacred book of signs that has no single message and demands interpretation and can only be understood through history.
He went through a history of interpretations right from Prophet Muhammad himself, then suddenly moved on to an unbelieving[ probably one of the earliest starter of the science and art of orientalism!] 12th century English monk, Robert of Ketton. Writing for the Vatican, who was trying hard to find potholes here and there and chinks in the spiritual armour of Islam as Saladin Al Ayyubi seemed invincible.Bruce moved the scene to Rumi and Arabi, breezes through Sir Ahmad, an anglophile Pakistani engineer and right through to the Islamic reformist, Iqbal, bypassing Mawdudi and Syed Qutb [whom the West reckoned as the chaps sowing latter day radical Islamic discontent] and straight end up with Osama bin Laden.His present day literalist and myopic interpretation of the Qur'an on the issue of 'jihad'.
A good read for the uncommitted non Muslim or agnostic reader who wants to impress and have a lively 'dinner conversation' and show off his or her profound understanding of Islam. To me , I only noted Bruce real colour only when he came to describe the black slave girl whom the aging Sarah had given to Prophet Abraham ,Hagar.I cannot believe what I read: A concubine!
Polygamy is soo politically 'incorrect' to the Western mind they rather have misstreses or concubines!So that relegate the Arab branch of the Abrahamic faith, ie via Prophet Ismail, as a bastard lineage....then what about Muhammad who came from Ismail's lineage...not very subtle, this science of orientalism! That was the only obvious giveaway in the book.Otherwise Prof Lawrence has been fairly fair, but flippant, in his short treatment of the Qur'an. I suspect he respects and is suprisingly astounded by the immense beauty, sincerity and sublimity of the Qur'an, but there are nuances in the book that tells the reader, the writer does not want to believe it is the actual Words of God. A good read though I find his treatment or rather 'non treatment' and avoidance of the central message of Qur'an quite surprising: the central thesis of the Quran ie the unity of God, he lefft it to the reader's imgination, and he definitely stayed clear from the Qur'an frequent criticism of the concept of Trinity.To me it is like going to Restaurant Beriani Gam, ordered a beriani,but without the special rice, please!
Well I can truly understand that as The Qur'an: A Biography is just meant to be a 'Western Hithhiker's guide to Islam'.I am sure it is a best-seller of sort.Well written but it leaves me in no doubt of what Bruce Lawrence wanted ,in his heart of heart:to educate just a 'wee bit' but leave his Western reader's precept of the Qur'an intact. That really, Muhammad had got a repetitive, massive schizoid delusion, after brushing with the Christians in Mekkah and knowing the Gospels,and the Jews in Medinah at the same time learning and copying the Torah!.Muhammad was just a seventh-century Arabian poet, gifted wth a massive dose of delusion of grandeur! This is what the Jews and the Trinitarians would not like their flocks to 'discard'.Forget the true essense of the Message.
Reading the Qur'an ,without faith and sincerity, one will remain deaf, dumb and blind, whatever one's scholastic background!
"We have sent it down with truth,
and with truth has it come down,
And We have not sent you [Muhammad]
except as a herald and a warner."
Qur'an
"Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth the fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him, Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see.[2:17]
Deaf, Dumb and Blind; and they return not."[2:18]
"Do they not reflect? Their companion is not seized with madness: he is but a perspicuous warner.[7:184]
Do they see nothing in the government of the heavens and the earth and all that Allah hath created? Do they not see that it may well be that their term is nigh drawing to an end? In what message after this will they then believe?"[7:185]
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Bagan Pinang
Back home,is tis going to be back to business as usual?
Or just the beginning of an end?
Or perhaps the end of a beginning?
More like neither a beginning nor end...
Mustaffa felt he would rather go out and burn those 'houses' of the absentees than be the imam
1400 years on we mortals have missed the essence of His message
We have forms but missed the substance
We have numbers but lack the voice
North , East, West and South
Syiah, Sunnis, Arabs, non Arabs
Malays,Indonesians,Wahabis,traditionist, transcendentalist,
Literalist,metaphoricist, modernist, European, American
Emasculated lions being lead by 'lost sheep'!
Just flotsams washed aside by the ocean waves......
Everywhere and anywhere.....
Or just the beginning of an end?
Or perhaps the end of a beginning?
More like neither a beginning nor end...
Mustaffa felt he would rather go out and burn those 'houses' of the absentees than be the imam
1400 years on we mortals have missed the essence of His message
We have forms but missed the substance
We have numbers but lack the voice
North , East, West and South
Syiah, Sunnis, Arabs, non Arabs
Malays,Indonesians,Wahabis,traditionist, transcendentalist,
Literalist,metaphoricist, modernist, European, American
Emasculated lions being lead by 'lost sheep'!
Just flotsams washed aside by the ocean waves......
Everywhere and anywhere.....
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Biblical Stories in the Qur'an: Surah Al Maida 5: 109-120
One day will Allah gather the Messengers together, and ask: "What was the response from men to your teaching?"
They will say: "We have no knowledge:It is Thou Who knowest in full all that is hidden"
Then will Allah say: "O Jesus, the son of Mary! Recount my favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strenghtened thee with the holy spirit, so that thee didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book of Wisdom, the Law of the Gospel. And behold! thou makest out of clay, as it were, a figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathest in it and it becometh a bird by My leave. And thou healest those born blind, and the lepers by my leave.
And behold! then bringest forth the dead by my leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from violence to thee when thou didst show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers amongst them said: "This is nothing but evident magic".
"And behold! I inspired the Disciples to have faith in Me and Mine Messenger. They said: 'We have faith and do thou bear witness that we bow to Allah as Muslims."
Behold! the Disciples said:"O Jesus the son of Mary! Can thy Lord send down to us a table set [with viands] from heaven?"
Said Jesus: "Fear Allah if ye have faith."
They said: " We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know that thou hast indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may bear witness to the miracle."
Said Jesus the son of Mary: "O Allah our Lord! send us from heaven a table set [with viands] that there may be for us-for the first and the last of us-a solemn festival and a sign from Thee; and provide for our sustainence, for Thou art the best Sustainer of our needs."
Allah said: "I will send it down unto you but if any of you after that resisteth faith, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not inflicted on anyone among all the peoples."
And behold! Allah will say: " O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men,'Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah?' "
He will say: "Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right to say. Had I said such a thing, Thou would indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I knew not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest what is hidden. Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say: 'Worship Allah, my Lord , and your Lord' and I was witness over them whilst I dwelth amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou was the Watcher over them and Thou art a Witness to all things."
"If Thou dost punish them they are Thy servants. If Thou forgive them, Thou are the Exalted in power, the Wise."
Allah will say: "This is a day on which the truthful will profit from the truth: Theirs are Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath-their eternal home: Allah well pleased with them and they with Allah: That is the great salvation [the fulfillment of all desires]."
To Allah doth belong the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is therein and it is He who hath power over all things.
[PS: For 'sensurround' effect go to 'Link' and zoom on 'Quranexplorer',go on auto and let qari Abdul Baasit, the best reciter ever, scintilate you with his haunting rendition of 'the story'.]
They will say: "We have no knowledge:It is Thou Who knowest in full all that is hidden"
Then will Allah say: "O Jesus, the son of Mary! Recount my favour to thee and to thy mother. Behold! I strenghtened thee with the holy spirit, so that thee didst speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught thee the Book of Wisdom, the Law of the Gospel. And behold! thou makest out of clay, as it were, a figure of a bird, by My leave, and thou breathest in it and it becometh a bird by My leave. And thou healest those born blind, and the lepers by my leave.
And behold! then bringest forth the dead by my leave. And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from violence to thee when thou didst show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers amongst them said: "This is nothing but evident magic".
"And behold! I inspired the Disciples to have faith in Me and Mine Messenger. They said: 'We have faith and do thou bear witness that we bow to Allah as Muslims."
Behold! the Disciples said:"O Jesus the son of Mary! Can thy Lord send down to us a table set [with viands] from heaven?"
Said Jesus: "Fear Allah if ye have faith."
They said: " We only wish to eat thereof and satisfy our hearts, and to know that thou hast indeed told us the truth; and that we ourselves may bear witness to the miracle."
Said Jesus the son of Mary: "O Allah our Lord! send us from heaven a table set [with viands] that there may be for us-for the first and the last of us-a solemn festival and a sign from Thee; and provide for our sustainence, for Thou art the best Sustainer of our needs."
Allah said: "I will send it down unto you but if any of you after that resisteth faith, I will punish him with a penalty such as I have not inflicted on anyone among all the peoples."
And behold! Allah will say: " O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men,'Worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah?' "
He will say: "Glory to Thee! Never could I say what I had no right to say. Had I said such a thing, Thou would indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I knew not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest what is hidden. Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say: 'Worship Allah, my Lord , and your Lord' and I was witness over them whilst I dwelth amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou was the Watcher over them and Thou art a Witness to all things."
"If Thou dost punish them they are Thy servants. If Thou forgive them, Thou are the Exalted in power, the Wise."
Allah will say: "This is a day on which the truthful will profit from the truth: Theirs are Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath-their eternal home: Allah well pleased with them and they with Allah: That is the great salvation [the fulfillment of all desires]."
To Allah doth belong the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is therein and it is He who hath power over all things.
[PS: For 'sensurround' effect go to 'Link' and zoom on 'Quranexplorer',go on auto and let qari Abdul Baasit, the best reciter ever, scintilate you with his haunting rendition of 'the story'.]
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