Most of us Muslims would have thought the fine art of Muslim-bashing started post 9/11. How far wrong can we be! The fine art started way back in 1142 AC. The outright slaughter started after 9/11!.
It was way back in 1142 Ac when the Abbot of Cluny, Peter the Venerable, visited Toledo and met Robert of Ketton and asked him to lead a team project to produce the first version of the "Holy Quran" in Latin. Not exactly 'Holy' because both Peter and Robert viewed Prophet Muhammad as a charlatan and their unholy alliance was to find 'holes' and 'chinks' in the armour of the 'impregnable Muslim world. The infidel Turks were controlling half of the known civilised world in the 12th and the 13th centuries.The main preoccupation of European Christiandom then was to slay as many Muslims as they can and reclaim back their lands.
Thus began the science of 'orientalism',...... ten centuries before Levin, Bernard Lewis and Edward Said et al. A science born out of the need to subjugate Muslims initially under the crusaders and later Judeo Christian interest and subsequently now,secularism.
Post World War 1,there was no more time for'fine art' and 'orientalism'.It was gross aggression and 'dinner' time. The wolves were having a field day!All the 'Stans' go to Russia.The Nedj desert were carved out into small nation states under the British.North Africa became French and Italian.Moghul India became a jewel within the Imperial Crown and spicy South East Asia, just about anyone who want to have them.
Post World War 2 when it become no longer fashionable to have colonies,neocolonism become the 'in thing'.A necessary evil in the face of Karl Marx's Russia and Chairman Mao Tze Tung's China.
The Qur'an and Islam took a back seat.Karl Marx's idealism and spread threatened Western hegemony.The Cold War. The Domino theory in Asia lead to the Korean War...then the Vietnam War.Needless deaths.
But ideology and man made idealism and principles are just hollow in the inside. With the onslought of time and harsh economic realities helped by Gorbachev's stupidity in the face of a plausible, super salesman Ronald Reagan and his'Reagonomics',even Communism fell. The Great Russian Bear now become the Great Russian Beggar. China still is communist in principle but capitalistic in practice.With an added twist: despotic with an abundance of non questioning ,cheap and hungry labour.An ideal world- factories and sweat shops!
Bush, Blair,Sarkozy, Belesconi and Meckel et al in cohort now had to contend with Islam. No nation state per se but just powerful ideas!Bludgeoning ideas with a claim to'divinity'! Dangerous ideas and awakenings!Threatening the status quo, and of continuous flow of global slavery, cheap labour, and cheap oil!
Bush's 9/11. Is this a perfect demolition job coinciding with one mad man's[ Osama's and/or Bush's ] perception of Islam? Is this just a pure drama put up by CIA and MOSSAD? Or is this real?....In the context of recent development ,we will never really know now!........[ see link: 9/11: A Perfect Demolition Job.. ]
What we know now is that the Crusade goes on: Afghanistan, Iraq,...Palestine...maybe new theaters of war in Pakistan and Iran. No STUPID this is not a Crusade, they said..it is NATO and some smattering of Japanese and the rest....Why is there no Muslim nation state if this is not a crusade? One just wonder...Oh no! A probable 6th war theater in the Sudan-Chad region, a bastion of the last world vast, cheap oil reserve for Western hegemony.Reasons can be created when one controls the world press and the Security Council votes and veto: crime against humanity,pariah government, inhumane dictatorship,Al Queda, and at worse,if there is a dearth of good reason, create one, either stage another 9/11 or plant some 'dirty' plutonium bomb somewhere...
What has Surah Al Tawbah to do with all these wrong perceptions and what was and is happening in the real world ? Too much , I am afraid. On both side of the divide it provide the intellectual ammunition and reason for hate-mongering:
"Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (5)"
"Fight them! Allah will chastise them at your hands, and He will lay them low and give you victory over them, and He will heal the breasts of folk who are believers. (14)"
The early orientalists called this surah, "The Chapter of the Sword".Evangelical Christians even now called it this way and memorised the 'ayats' by heart whenever they go around ,chest thumping, and raising the temperature. Osama et al also did the same. Both side of the divide disregard the fact that this ayat came 15 months prior to The Prophet's demise, sometime post Hudaibiyah Treaty with the the Mekkan Arabs who prevented the Prophet and his large entourage from entering Mekkah to perform the Hajj.They agreed to a 4 month moratorium on all warfare.As history had it, the treaty was broken by the Mekkans, who never was interested to honour it in the 1st place except to disrupt and disperse the large Muslim gathering who came with peace in mind to do the hajj. This gave the Medinan Muslims reason for further action.
Put yourself in the shoes of the Prophet at that point in time: Down south in Mekkah you have pagan Arabs, most of them your 'former' relatives and cousins and uncles and even brothers and sisters, out to nip you in the bud again and again despite being hammered in several skirmishes earlier on.Up north you have the Great Eastern Roman Empire [ the Byzantines ],headquartered in Constantinople, empowered with their '3 in 1' and '1 in 3' brand of Paulian Christianity, massing their troops at the Syrian and Egyptian borders.To the north-east, you have the impressive war machine, the Persians, looming over you.And right smack within your people you have the 'hypocrites'. And as if these were not enough , you are surrounded by the Christians and Jews , especially the Jews who would love to see that you get blown out of this world! With this background, Surah Al Tawbah came in as a necessary morale booster to the sagging spirit of the Muslims: 'That despite all the odds,I, the Lord of the Universe, am behind you. Just persevere!'
Allah's advisory regarding friends and relatives amongst the Arabs of Mekkah and the Muslims of Medinah was very definitive, given both the dichotomy of belief but tragic intimate-blood relations between them:
"O ye who believe! Choose not your fathers nor your brethren for friends if they take pleasure in disbelief rather than faith. Whoso of you taketh them for friends, such are wrong-doers. (23) Say: If your fathers, and your sons, and your brethren, and your wives, and your tribe, and the wealth ye have acquired, and merchandise for which ye fear that there will be no sale, and dwellings ye desire are dearer to you than Allah and His messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah bringeth His command to pass. Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. (24)"
To Robert of Keaton et al, then and up to time immemorial, this 'ayat' and many others in Surah AlTawbah represent a 'militant' phase of Islam. Docile in the beginning but increasing militantcy as it gathered in strenght.
Allah's advisory with respect to the Medinan Jews and the Byzantium and Arab Christians was on the basis of principle. Their "Allah" was a 'Paulian' invention,[ and still is ], diametrically divergent from the 'original' Jesus, son of Mary and this arising from the highly confused 'monks and rabbis' who had other agendas to fullfilled . Jesus,son of Mary, was ,like any other messengers before him: men who got 'begotten, begets, eat,[even excrete..and have families like the rest of their flocks.], and die.There is no divinity with respect to Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, until Paul had that bright idea trying to rope in Emperor Augustine The Great into Christianity:
"And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they! (30) They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no god save Him. Be He glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)! (31)"
On the 'hypocrites' God no longer mince word and had anything more mild to say, as was the case in previous ayats[ prior to Uhud and Badar ] from earlier surah. The 'hypocrites' were deadly thorns in the flesh , then, and I dare say even now to doomsday!:
"O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites! Be harsh with them. Their ultimate abode is hell, a hapless journey's end. (73) They swear by Allah that they said nothing (wrong), yet they did say the word of disbelief, and did disbelieve after their Surrender (to Allah). And they purposed that which they could not attain, and they sought revenge only that Allah by His messenger should enrich them of His bounty. If they repent it will be better for them; and if they turn away, Allah will afflict them with a painful doom in the world and the Hereafter, and they have no protecting friend nor helper in the earth. (74)"
"Ask forgiveness for them (O Muhammad), or ask not forgiveness for them; though thou ask forgiveness for them seventy times Allah will not forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk. (80) Those who were left behind rejoiced at sitting still behind the messenger of Allah, and were averse to striving with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way. And they said: Go not forth in the heat! Say: The fire of hell is more intense of heat, if they but understood. (81)"
....A grim divine reminder of the the hundred and one reasons given by the 'hypocrites' of Medinah for not joining the Prophet in the campaign at Tabuk, near the Syrian border, when Prophet Muhammad decided to meet the Romans head on, after getting intelligence report that the Byzantine army were massing troops to move on to Medinah.It was a very hot summer's day. The Romans chickened out and the battle of Tabuk did not occur but the reminder not to 'pray' for the souls of 'hypocrites' will remain etched in the Qur'an forever.
"And never (O Muhammad) pray for one of them who dieth, nor stand by his grave. Lo! they disbelieved in Allah and His messenger, and they died while they were evil-doers. (84) Let not their wealth nor their children astonish thee! Allah purposeth only to punish them thereby in the world, and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers. (85)"
My God! Mashaallah! Beware!.......that my friends is the status of the 'hypocrites' in Allah's view. The lowest of the low! The scum.....
But as I put it earlier, Surah Al Tawbah was not a call to arms to the Muslims, even though they were surrounded by 'hawks' and 'vultures' ready to pounce on them when they least expect , in their moment of weakness. It was rather a reassurance, as exemplified by the last ayat of the surah:
"There hath come unto you a messenger, (one) of yourselves, unto whom aught that ye are overburdened is grievous, full of concern for you, for the believers full of pity, merciful. (128) Now, if they turn away (O Muhammad) say: Allah sufficeth me. There is no God save Him. In Him have I put my trust, and He is Lord of the Tremendous Throne. (129)"
If Obama et al are still suspicious about the Muslims and still have nightmares of Francis Fukuyama's "Clash of Civilisations", just ponder on the ramification and meaning of Surah Al Fatihah , which really summarises the whole Qur'an itself:
"Al-Fatiha
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful (1)
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, (2) The Beneficent, the Merciful. (3)Owner of the Day of Judgment, (4) Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help. (5) Show us the straight path, (6) The path of those whom Thou hast favoured. Not (the path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray. (7)"
'Prophet Muhammad went to war only to eradicate oppression and injustice. Once basic rights and freedom are guaranteed and protected, war become an abominable crime'...so wrote Shaykh Muahmmad Ghazali Al Ghazaly , the late Chairman of International Institute of Islamic Thought[ IIIT ], based in Cairo.
Muslims , the whole wide-world over, are just interested in one thing and one thing only,....That we submit in peace to Him, Allah,
"Say: He is Allah, the One! (1) Allah, the eternally Besought of all! (2) He begetteth not nor was begotten. (3) And there is none comparable unto Him. (112:4)"
We Muslims do not care whether you are 'godless' , or believe in '3 in 1' or '1 in 3' or would wish to remain agnostic or whether you guys would consider a romp in the park naked, or single sex marriages, as something permissible and acceptable in your value system. That is your funeral and not our affair:
"Say: O disbelievers! (1) I worship not that which ye worship; (2) Nor worship ye that which I worship. (3) And I shall not worship that which ye worship. (4) Nor will ye worship that which I worship. (5) Unto you your religion, and unto me my religion." (109:6)
Any world leader now who thinks he can organise and win wars against 1.5 billion Muslims must have his head examined.You are not fighting nation states, my friend! You are up against 'an idea' that has been long overdue......
[Thank you Mr President!.....that is the big picture from one Muslim's perspective]
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Prof Syed Naguib Al-Attas on ALLAH......
{...Excerpt from Rauyanfikir }
Prof. Al-Attas' view on the polemical usage of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims
On December 13, 2009, during the Worldview of Islam Seminar organized by the Assembly of Muslim Intellectuals or Himpunan Keilmuan Muda (HAKIM), there was a question being posted to Professor Al-Attas regarding the polemical usage of the word "Allah" by the non-Muslims.
Below is the transcript of his brief-but-yet-concise enlightening remarks. As a word of caution, though, one must not only rely on this brief transcript alone to understand the whole spectrum of Prof. Al-Attas' view about this theological matter. Further thorough elucidation of his thought can be found in numerous works of this great Muslim scholar of this age, such as Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam, Islam and Secularism, Islam dalam Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Melayu and A Commentary on Hujjat al-Siddiq of Nur al-Din al-Raniri.
.............................................
Question: The using of kalimah “Allah” by other people in this country
Answers by Prof. Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas:
Well I have been talking about this long time ago. I remember about this in ISTAC, when we first established ourselves (late 80’s and early 90’s), I think the Arcbishop of Penang was asking this question. And I have answered that.
And then we had a meeting with the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur and about all the representatives of Christianity, including the ministers, we had a meeting at ISTAC.
And I said, “Why you want to use the word ‘Allah’ for yourself?”
They said “we going to pray in Bahasa Malaysia”
That’s the way they put it. So my answers to them, “Why you have to change praying into Bahasa Malaysia. You have been praying in English all the time. Why suddenly change into Bahasa Malaysia?”
Ok, so they said they want to change so that it more patriotic. Then in that case I’m saying that “why don’t you use Tuhan while praying in Bahasa Malaysia? Because you are talking about God isn’t it?…God is not just a name…”Allah” is a name of this Being whom you called God… and in fact a Being whom even higher than what you called to be God”
And then I said, “ …and “Allah” is not from Bahasa Malaysia. It is not a national language. It belongs to the language of Muslim all over the world. Therefore your argument using this for the word “Allah” does not fit into your idea of God. Because “Allah” does not have a son, It is not one of three (Trinity), that is why out of respect to Allah we can’t allow you to use this.“
But when we Muslim, when we write in English we say God, or when we talk to people we say God but we mean “Allah”…but they cannot say when they speak about God it means “Allah” as they don’t mean it.
So in this particular respect, we have to be clear about this, not was-was (hesitate)...whomever responsible in our governing, they have to be clear about this and to explain to others.
We agree you want to use God, then use Tuhan as we also use that…but we understand in the Malay language that Tuhan is not a translation of Allah..that is why we say “tiada Tuhan melainkan Allah” not “tiada Tuhan melainkan Tuhan”. We don’t say “there is not God but God”..at least the ulama’ among the Muslim Malays, we understand what is the meaning of that (word “Allah”).
So “Allah” cannot be translated as no language has translated Allah. The Arabs themselves they only use that after Islam..although the word existed (before)..the Christians Arab they also did not use Allah (in theological, epistemological and ontological sense in the same manner as the Muslim)..if they say that it is just a language..they talking about language..because they say “Allah” like the Muslim when they (melatah)…
So it appears they want to do that in order to confuse the Muslim into thinking that all the same..that is why I say one of the problems about religion is the nature of God..about who Allah is..that is why in Arkanul Iman (The Pillars of Faith), the first thing is “amana billah”.
“Who is this Allah?” and that need to be explain at higher institution in a proper way…
So we have answer the question. It is not proper to allow them using this, since they asking us and there is no point bringing this to court since this is not a matter of court to decide it whether they have the freedom to use it or not. It is up to the Muslims.
But then if they used it and said “in Indonesia they have use it, why can’t we?”…but it is because of the Muslims..if Muslims don’t care they will go on and use it..and in Indonesia they are using not only that, other things they even call it “choir” as “selawat”. Choir is not a “selawat”, as “selawat” is for Prophet..it’s not singing hymn..
And they also talk about..in Indonesia they are also confuse..Muslims..that is why this thing happen. Sometimes the language when you come across English words like “Prophet of Doom” in Indonesia they said “Nabi celaka”. How can there be “Nabi celaka”? What is meant by the “Prophet of Doom” is…even the word Prophet in English does not mean “Nabi” only…it means “yang meramalkan malapetaka”..that what it means…so the “Prophet of Doom” means “yang meramalkan malapetaka”, not “Nabi celaka”.
They (the Muslims in Indonesia) seem not to bother about this. What we can say is that ultimately well they say “God is not Allah”...well if you want to use the word God, we are saying we also use the word God, we refer to Allah as we know and we are not saying that your God ultimately will not refer to Allah. You can’t run away from Allah. You can only escape Him and so in the Qur’an (surah An-Naas) says: “Qul aAAoothu birabbi annas, Maliki annas, Ilahi annas”. He (Allah) is saying “ I am the real Ilah (God) of naas (mankind)”, although mankind (non-Muslim) does not interpret it that way.
Prof. Al-Attas' view on the polemical usage of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims
On December 13, 2009, during the Worldview of Islam Seminar organized by the Assembly of Muslim Intellectuals or Himpunan Keilmuan Muda (HAKIM), there was a question being posted to Professor Al-Attas regarding the polemical usage of the word "Allah" by the non-Muslims.
Below is the transcript of his brief-but-yet-concise enlightening remarks. As a word of caution, though, one must not only rely on this brief transcript alone to understand the whole spectrum of Prof. Al-Attas' view about this theological matter. Further thorough elucidation of his thought can be found in numerous works of this great Muslim scholar of this age, such as Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam, Islam and Secularism, Islam dalam Sejarah dan Kebudayaan Melayu and A Commentary on Hujjat al-Siddiq of Nur al-Din al-Raniri.
.............................................
Question: The using of kalimah “Allah” by other people in this country
Answers by Prof. Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas:
Well I have been talking about this long time ago. I remember about this in ISTAC, when we first established ourselves (late 80’s and early 90’s), I think the Arcbishop of Penang was asking this question. And I have answered that.
And then we had a meeting with the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur and about all the representatives of Christianity, including the ministers, we had a meeting at ISTAC.
And I said, “Why you want to use the word ‘Allah’ for yourself?”
They said “we going to pray in Bahasa Malaysia”
That’s the way they put it. So my answers to them, “Why you have to change praying into Bahasa Malaysia. You have been praying in English all the time. Why suddenly change into Bahasa Malaysia?”
Ok, so they said they want to change so that it more patriotic. Then in that case I’m saying that “why don’t you use Tuhan while praying in Bahasa Malaysia? Because you are talking about God isn’t it?…God is not just a name…”Allah” is a name of this Being whom you called God… and in fact a Being whom even higher than what you called to be God”
And then I said, “ …and “Allah” is not from Bahasa Malaysia. It is not a national language. It belongs to the language of Muslim all over the world. Therefore your argument using this for the word “Allah” does not fit into your idea of God. Because “Allah” does not have a son, It is not one of three (Trinity), that is why out of respect to Allah we can’t allow you to use this.“
But when we Muslim, when we write in English we say God, or when we talk to people we say God but we mean “Allah”…but they cannot say when they speak about God it means “Allah” as they don’t mean it.
So in this particular respect, we have to be clear about this, not was-was (hesitate)...whomever responsible in our governing, they have to be clear about this and to explain to others.
We agree you want to use God, then use Tuhan as we also use that…but we understand in the Malay language that Tuhan is not a translation of Allah..that is why we say “tiada Tuhan melainkan Allah” not “tiada Tuhan melainkan Tuhan”. We don’t say “there is not God but God”..at least the ulama’ among the Muslim Malays, we understand what is the meaning of that (word “Allah”).
So “Allah” cannot be translated as no language has translated Allah. The Arabs themselves they only use that after Islam..although the word existed (before)..the Christians Arab they also did not use Allah (in theological, epistemological and ontological sense in the same manner as the Muslim)..if they say that it is just a language..they talking about language..because they say “Allah” like the Muslim when they (melatah)…
So it appears they want to do that in order to confuse the Muslim into thinking that all the same..that is why I say one of the problems about religion is the nature of God..about who Allah is..that is why in Arkanul Iman (The Pillars of Faith), the first thing is “amana billah”.
“Who is this Allah?” and that need to be explain at higher institution in a proper way…
So we have answer the question. It is not proper to allow them using this, since they asking us and there is no point bringing this to court since this is not a matter of court to decide it whether they have the freedom to use it or not. It is up to the Muslims.
But then if they used it and said “in Indonesia they have use it, why can’t we?”…but it is because of the Muslims..if Muslims don’t care they will go on and use it..and in Indonesia they are using not only that, other things they even call it “choir” as “selawat”. Choir is not a “selawat”, as “selawat” is for Prophet..it’s not singing hymn..
And they also talk about..in Indonesia they are also confuse..Muslims..that is why this thing happen. Sometimes the language when you come across English words like “Prophet of Doom” in Indonesia they said “Nabi celaka”. How can there be “Nabi celaka”? What is meant by the “Prophet of Doom” is…even the word Prophet in English does not mean “Nabi” only…it means “yang meramalkan malapetaka”..that what it means…so the “Prophet of Doom” means “yang meramalkan malapetaka”, not “Nabi celaka”.
They (the Muslims in Indonesia) seem not to bother about this. What we can say is that ultimately well they say “God is not Allah”...well if you want to use the word God, we are saying we also use the word God, we refer to Allah as we know and we are not saying that your God ultimately will not refer to Allah. You can’t run away from Allah. You can only escape Him and so in the Qur’an (surah An-Naas) says: “Qul aAAoothu birabbi annas, Maliki annas, Ilahi annas”. He (Allah) is saying “ I am the real Ilah (God) of naas (mankind)”, although mankind (non-Muslim) does not interpret it that way.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Iqbal.:.....The Complaint....& The Answer...
The Complaint....[1909]
We[Muslims]blotted out the smear of falsehood from the pages of history
We freed mankind from the chains of slavery.
The floors of Your kaabah with our forehead we swept,
The Qur'an You sent we clasped to our breast, [but now]
Your blessings are showered on homes of unbelievers, strangers all.
Only on the poor Muslim does Your wrath like lightning fall.
The Answer.......[1913]
'All you drink the wine of bodily indulgence,
Leading lives of ease without strife.
Dare you call yourselves Muslims?
What kinship of the soul can there be
Between your ancestors and you?
As Muslims your forefathers were honoured and respected;
But you gave up the Qur'an and now by the world are rejected.'
Muhammad Iqbal
We[Muslims]blotted out the smear of falsehood from the pages of history
We freed mankind from the chains of slavery.
The floors of Your kaabah with our forehead we swept,
The Qur'an You sent we clasped to our breast, [but now]
Your blessings are showered on homes of unbelievers, strangers all.
Only on the poor Muslim does Your wrath like lightning fall.
The Answer.......[1913]
'All you drink the wine of bodily indulgence,
Leading lives of ease without strife.
Dare you call yourselves Muslims?
What kinship of the soul can there be
Between your ancestors and you?
As Muslims your forefathers were honoured and respected;
But you gave up the Qur'an and now by the world are rejected.'
Muhammad Iqbal
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Hamka Revisited: A Comparative Study
I have always hold the view that Hamka's Tafsir Al Azhar has been a much underated work by all and sundry, especially from scholars and students of tafsir in this Nusantara. They in the main would not want to be caught reading , let alone cross'referencing' their scholarly thoughts and argument based on Hamka but would rather paraphrase what they read from Ibnu Katsir.
A scholarly friend of mine reminded me once that he opted for Ibnu Katsir because this represent a 'salafi' attitude which may be lacking in contemporary works. Another thought contemporary works may lack the necessary spirituality required. Both of them I can presume have not read Hamka. It is below their 'maqam'!
In this years and age when 'brothers and brothers' could be dragged to court over 'family heirloom',when people would rather draw 'lines in the sand' rather than look for commonalities, when churches and mosques could be burned down to indicate a point of view, the universal Message from the only Book of God available to mankind become more succinctly relevant.The Quran is not a book of science , neither is it a compendium of rules and regulation.It is a collection of Divine Letters directed to man via His messenger, Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him]in Arabic, but aimed for all mankind,transcending time and space, be he Malay, Indian,Australian aborigine, American, Finnish or even Eskimo!
For the Malays in this Nusantara, I would like humbly to advance a 'thesis' that in Hamka's Tafsir Al Azhar, we have a gem that need to be rediscovered and cherished as one book that need to be read and reread and reread. Let us just look at a comparative treatment of just 3 Ayats from Surah Al Anfal from Ibnu Katsir and Hamka's. Then you can decide for yourself the unpolished gem, buried in the sand of time:
Surah Al Anfal , 8 : 67 :
---------------------------------------------------
67. It is not (fitting) for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has fought (his enemies thoroughly) in the land. You desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) (68. Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took.) (69. So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and have Taqwa of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Prophet asked the people for their opinion about the prisoners of war of Badr, saying,
«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُم»
(Allah has made you prevail above them.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks,' but the Prophet turned away from him. The Messenger of Allah again asked,
«يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّمَا هُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ بِالْأَمْس»
(O people! Allah has made you prevail over them, and only yesterday, they were your brothers.) `Umar again stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks.' The Prophet ignored him and asked the same question again and he repeated the same answer. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! I think you should pardon them and set them free in return for ransom.' Thereupon the grief on the face of Allah's Messenger vanished. He pardoned them and accepted ransom for their release. Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, revealed this verse,
[لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ]
-----------------------------------------
Now let us look at how Prof Hamka treated Al Anfal, Ayat 67-69:
67.Tidaklah patut bagi seorang Nabi, bahawa ada baginya beberapa orang tawanan, sampai dia porak perandakan[ musuh ] di bumi. Kamu menginginkan harta benda dunia, sedang Allah menghendaki akhirat. Dan Allah adalah Maha Gagah, lagi Bijaksana.
68. Jikalau tidaklah keputusan dari Allah yang telah terdahulu, niscaya akanmengenalilah kepada kamu, dari sebab apa yang talah kamu ambil itu, azab yang besar.
69. Maka makanlah dari apa yang tealah kamu rampas itu, sebagai barang yang halal lagi baik. Dan takwalah kepada Allah, sesunggohnya Allah adalah Maha Pengampun, Maha Penyayang.
Setelah selesai peperangan dengan kemenengan yang gemilang pada peperangan Badar itu, timbul suatu persoalan lagi disamping soal harta rampasan. Yaitu soal orang orang tawanan. Di dalam peperangan Badar itu telah mati terbunuh 70 orang musyrikin dan tertawan 70 orang pula. Di antara yang tertawan itu paman Nabi s.a.w sendiri, iaitu Abbas bin Abdul Muthalib. Terdapat juga saudara kandung dari Ali bin Abi Thalib, saudara sepupu dari nabi, iaitu Aqil bin Abi Thalib, dan terdapat juga Abul Ash menantu Rasulullah, suami dari Zainab,puteri beliau. Maka diajaklah sahabat2 bermusyawarah olih Rasulullah s.a.w akan diapakankah orang2 tawanan itu. Yang terutama diajak olih Rasul ialah dua sahabat yang amat utama, Abu Bakar dan Umar. Kita simpulkan kisah permusyawaratan itu dari berbagai Hadis. Abu balar menyatakan pendapat bahawa orang2 tawanan itu sebaik baiknya disuruhmenebus diri mereka dari tawanan dengan wang. Sebab menurut Abu bakar, seluruh tawanan itu adalah keluarga bertali-darah saja semua dari kaum Muhajirin. Moga moga dengan kesempatan tebusan yang diberikan itu, masih terbuka jalan bagi mereka buat kelaknya insaf, lalu memeluk Islam. Sebab itu kita tidak perlu berlaku keras terhadap mereka.
Tetapi Umar menyatakan pendapat yang sangat berbeda dengan pendapat Abu bakar. Katanya seluruh tawanan itu hendaklah dibunuh. Meskipun ada pertalian keluarga di antara kita dengan mereka, yang terang ialah bahawa mereka telah mengusir Rasilullah, mereka telah memerangi Islam. Sebab itu mereka tidak boleh diberi hati.. Biar masing2 Muslim membunuh keluarganya sendiri. Biar Ali bin Abi Thalib membunuh Aqil, dan dia sendiri, Unar bin Khatab membunuh saudaranya yang ikut didalam peperangan itu. Kerana meskipun ada pertalian, namun mereka terang terang musuh kita.
Abdullah bin Rawahah, anak muda dari golongan Anshar cenderong kepada pendapat Umar. Katanya lebih baik diikat seluruh tawanan itu, dibawa ke sebuah tempat yang banyak semak semak dekat situ, lalu di bakar semua. Saad bin Muaz dari Anshar pun condong kepada pendapat Umar.
Tetapi golongan yang terbesar dari Muhajirin itu condong kepada pendapat Abu Bakar. Cuma dasar fikiran sangat berbeda. Abu bakar merasakan lebih baik tawanan itu disuruh menebuskan diri, ialah kerana hubungan keluarga. Tetapi golongan yang banyak yang menumpangusulnya itu bukanlah mengingatkan kekeluargaan, melainkan mengingat hartabenda tebusan itu. Dengan alasan bahawa mereka yang pergi berperang umumnya miskin, kurang harta dan persiapan.
Menurut riwayat Ibnu Abu Syaibah dan At-Termidzi, yang mengatakan bahawa Hadis yang di-rawikannya itu adalah Hasan[baik] dan Ibnul Mundzir, dan Ibnu Hatim dan At- Thabarani dan al-Hakim, yang menyatakan Hadis ini shahih dan Ibnu Mardhawaihi dan al-Baihaqi didalam "Dalailun Nubuwwah" diterima dari Ibnu Mas'ud, katanya:" Setelah tawanan tawanan Badar itu dibawa kehadapan Rasulullah, beliau ajaklah sahabat2 bermusyawarah. Abu bakar berkata: " Ya Rasullullah,Semua adalah kaum engkau, semua adalah keluarga engkau, biarlah mereka tinggal hidup, mudah mudahan Tuhan memberi taubat kepada mereka." Berkata Umar: Ya Rasulullah! Lereka telah mendustakan engkau dan mereka telah memerangi engkau. Bawa mereka kehadapan engkau dan potong leher mereka. " Berkata pula Abdullah bin Rawahah: " Cari satu lembah yang banyak kayu api disana dan bakar mereka semua."
Abbas yang turut tertawan dan mendengar usul usul yang keras itu, berkata" " Apakah engkau hendak memutuskan silaturrahim?"
Setelah mendengar pertimbangan pertimbangan itu Nabi pun masuk kedalam khemahnya, sebelum memutuskan pertimbangan dan pendapat mana yang belaiu akan pegang.
Kemudian beliau keluar. lalu beliau berkata:" Tuhan Allah telah membuat lembut hati setengah manusia selembut susu, dan Tuhan pun membuat keras hati setengah manusia sekeras batu. Engkau hai Abu bakar adalah laksana Ibrahim alaihisalam yang berkata:
"Sesiapa yang mengikuti aku, maka dia itu adalah dari golongan ku. Dan barangsiapa yang mengdsurhakai aku, maka Engkau- ya Tuhan- adalah Maha Pengampun, lagi Penyayang."
Dan engkau hai Umar, adalah laksana Nuh. Tatkala dia berkata:
" Ya Tuhanku! Janganlah Engkau biarkan diatas bumi ini, dari orang-orang kafir itu, seorang pun penduduk."
Aku tahu kamu ini miskin. Sebab itu salah satu dari dua, iaitu tebusan atau potong leher.
Kemudian dari itu,tersebutlah bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w mengambil keputusan, ia itu menyetujui Abu bakar, ia itu segala orang tawanan diberi kesempatan menebuskan diri..........
Maka dengan keputusan yang diambil olih Rasulullah dan telah dijalankan itu, puaslah Abu bakar sebab hubungan keluarga terpelihara dan puas pula penyokong penyokong usulnya, sebab mendapat harta tebusan yang menybabkan mereka jadi kaya. Sebab selain dari harta rampasan mereka juga dapat harta tebusa. Umar tunduk kepada keputusan itu.
Tetapi besok paginya terjadi suatu hal yang mrngharukan bagi Umar bin Khatab. Dia datang ke khemah Rasulullah; didapatinya beliau menangis dan Abu Bakar yang duduk disisibeliau pun turut menangis.[ Menurut riwayat Imam Ahmad dan Muslim dari Ibnu a Abbas ]. Melihat mereka menangis, berkatalah aku[ kata Umar ]:" Mengapakah engkau menangis Ya Rasulullah? Mengapa engkau menangis Ya Abu Bakar? Khabarilah aku, apa sebab kamu berdua menangis. kalau aku diberitahu sebabnya supaya aku menangis juga bersama mu dan jika aku pandang tidak ada apa yang harus ditangiskan,, aku pun akan menangis juga bersam tangismu."Maka menjawablah Rasulullah s.a.w: " Aku menangisi kawan akwanmu, yang mengusulkan supaya tawanan itu menebus diri. Tuahan telah mengancam mereka dengan siksaanNya, lebih dekat dari pohon ini."[ Pohon itu tunbuh didekat situ]. Dan telah turun ayat; "Tidaklah patut bagi Nabi bahawa ada baginya tawanan tawanan, sebelum dia memporak perandakan musuh di bumi."
Maka jelaslah bahawa ayat ini turun menyatakan bahawa keputusan yang dianbil olih Rasul s.a.w itu adalah satu kekhilafan. kerana maksud ayat ialah bahawa seorang Nabi tidak boleh mengadakan tawanan dan meminta tebusan rawanan pada langkah pertama perang.
Kalau bertemu musuh hendaklah bunuh terus, tidak ada tawanan, sebelum seluruh kekuatan musuh itu dipatahkan, sebelum pihak Islam mencapai kedudukan yang kuat kukuh. Artinya lagi , bahawasanya peperangan Badar belumlah berarti apa-apa, sebab kedudukan Islam belum kuat. Kalau tawanan tawanan itu dibiarkan menebuskan didri, mereka akan kembali lagi ketempat asal untuk menyusunkan diri.. Maka sehendaknya mana yabg telah ditawan itu di bunuh terus. Kalau Islam sudah kuat, barulah boleh bicara hal tawanan yang ingin menebus diri. Apatah lagi walaupun usul Abu Bakar diterima, demi mengingatkan hubungan darah dan kekelurgaan, namun golongan yang terbesar yang menyokong usul Abu Bakar bukanlah mengingatkan tali kekeluargaan tapi memikirkan keuntungan dari tebusan dan hartabenda.
...............Ahli2 hukum dan sejarah dalam Islam memperkatakan soal ini. Disinilah pangkal jalan fikiran para ahli bahawasanya dalam hal yang tidak ada Nash dari Wahyu, Nabi boleh berijtihad sendiri. Dan ijtihadnya itu kadang2 nya tidak tepat, meskipun maksud beliau tetap baik. Ingatlah ,didalam peperangan Badar juga, bahawa ijtihad beliau memilih khemah tentera Isalm berkhemah juga kurang tepat dari segi strategi peperangan[ sebelum 'wadi', bukan selepas....thus controlling and depriving precious water supply from enemy... Author's note ].
Ada lagi Hadis yang dirawikan oleh an- Nasa'i dan Termidzi dan Ibnu Hibban dan al-Hakim yang diterima dari Ali Abi Thalib, bahawa setelah Rasulullah mengambil keputusan menerima tebusan itu, Jibrail datang. Lalu dia berkata kepada Rasulullah s.a.w.:" Sahabat sahabat engkau disuruh memilih di antara menerima tebusan atau membunuh tawanan itu! Mereka memilih menerima tebusan; tetapi untuk itu mereka menebuskan pula di tahun depan."
Apa yang terjadi di tahun depan? 70 kaum Muslimin tewas di dalam peperangan Uhud!
Melihat rentetan kejadian selanjutnya itu, beranilah kita menyatakan bahawa apa yang ditakuti memang kejadian. Meskipun kaum Muslimin menang di badar, namun salah satu sebab kaum musyirikin menuntut bela dan membalas dendam dalam perang Uhud, ia lah kerana sebahagian besar orang2 yang menebuskan diri dari tawanan menysun kekuatan kemba;li. Dan pihak Muslimin di waktu Perang Uhud, ada yang tidak teguh memegang disiplin taat setia kepada rasul, sehingga mendapat kekalahan.
Ayat yang selanjutnya memberi kejelasan lagi bahawa meskipun keputusan itu tidak tepat, tidaklah perlu dibatalkan kembali sebab kalau dibatalkan juga, bahayanya akan lebih besar lagi. Dan diakui dalam soal kenegaraan dan peperangan, suatu yang telah di putuskan mesti dijalankan terus, dengan bertawakkal kepada Allah. Akibat apa yang akan terjadi akan di tanggungkan bersama. kalau tidak begitu niscaya hilang wibawa pemerintahan.
.......
It took me 2 years to complete my 1st read of this voluminous work by Hamka some 25 years ago. He tend to repeat himself, but through Hamka , you get an Islamic worldview of World history, all the relevant Hadis related to any one ayat, and the 'salafi' as well as the contemporary view.I have tried Ibnu Katsir and I am afraid even with my previous back geound on tafsir I find the treatment of each ayat too 'superficial' and lacking in the required detail.I have to concede Hamka is a long, long read but then undersatnding The Glorious Quran is a life journey, so why hurry? I am on my third read now of Hamka and I never get tired of him.
We need to make a major paradigm shift in our life. And the shift is in understanding the Quran more than what we collectively think we understand before. Only by this way could The Quran empowers our life in the right direction negating all the ...ism and false ideology, false philosophical stance, egotism and false beliefs.We as an ummah has been in a state of stupour for too long. Materially ,morally and spiritually we Muslims currently are the living dead of this world:impoverished by poverty, ignorance, bigotry, and at the 'official governmental level' guilty of beggary ,waiting for 'crumbs' to fall from 'the High Table' of superpowers.
At the personal and collective level, we have gone very far astray from the spirit and dictates of the Message and yet,like the Israelites of Prophet Mosses' time, still think we are the new God's Chosen People!
Islam is about excellence. Excellence in the 'here' and in the 'hereafter'.
"Rabbana Atina fiddunya hasanah wa fil akhiratihasanatan wakina Azabannar."
God, Give us excellence in this world and excellence in your Hereafter and keep us away from your Hellfire.
Dr Nik Howk
A scholarly friend of mine reminded me once that he opted for Ibnu Katsir because this represent a 'salafi' attitude which may be lacking in contemporary works. Another thought contemporary works may lack the necessary spirituality required. Both of them I can presume have not read Hamka. It is below their 'maqam'!
In this years and age when 'brothers and brothers' could be dragged to court over 'family heirloom',when people would rather draw 'lines in the sand' rather than look for commonalities, when churches and mosques could be burned down to indicate a point of view, the universal Message from the only Book of God available to mankind become more succinctly relevant.The Quran is not a book of science , neither is it a compendium of rules and regulation.It is a collection of Divine Letters directed to man via His messenger, Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him]in Arabic, but aimed for all mankind,transcending time and space, be he Malay, Indian,Australian aborigine, American, Finnish or even Eskimo!
For the Malays in this Nusantara, I would like humbly to advance a 'thesis' that in Hamka's Tafsir Al Azhar, we have a gem that need to be rediscovered and cherished as one book that need to be read and reread and reread. Let us just look at a comparative treatment of just 3 Ayats from Surah Al Anfal from Ibnu Katsir and Hamka's. Then you can decide for yourself the unpolished gem, buried in the sand of time:
Surah Al Anfal , 8 : 67 :
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67. It is not (fitting) for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he has fought (his enemies thoroughly) in the land. You desire the goods of this world, but Allah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.) (68. Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took.) (69. So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good, and have Taqwa of Allah. Certainly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.)
Imam Ahmad recorded that Anas said, "The Prophet asked the people for their opinion about the prisoners of war of Badr, saying,
«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُم»
(Allah has made you prevail above them.) `Umar bin Al-Khattab stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks,' but the Prophet turned away from him. The Messenger of Allah again asked,
«يَاأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَمْكَنَكُمْ مِنْهُمْ وَإِنَّمَا هُمْ إِخْوَانُكُمْ بِالْأَمْس»
(O people! Allah has made you prevail over them, and only yesterday, they were your brothers.) `Umar again stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! Cut off their necks.' The Prophet ignored him and asked the same question again and he repeated the same answer. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq stood up and said, `O Allah's Messenger! I think you should pardon them and set them free in return for ransom.' Thereupon the grief on the face of Allah's Messenger vanished. He pardoned them and accepted ransom for their release. Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored, revealed this verse,
[لَّوْلاَ كِتَـبٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمْ فِيمَآ أَخَذْتُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ ]
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Now let us look at how Prof Hamka treated Al Anfal, Ayat 67-69:
67.Tidaklah patut bagi seorang Nabi, bahawa ada baginya beberapa orang tawanan, sampai dia porak perandakan[ musuh ] di bumi. Kamu menginginkan harta benda dunia, sedang Allah menghendaki akhirat. Dan Allah adalah Maha Gagah, lagi Bijaksana.
68. Jikalau tidaklah keputusan dari Allah yang telah terdahulu, niscaya akanmengenalilah kepada kamu, dari sebab apa yang talah kamu ambil itu, azab yang besar.
69. Maka makanlah dari apa yang tealah kamu rampas itu, sebagai barang yang halal lagi baik. Dan takwalah kepada Allah, sesunggohnya Allah adalah Maha Pengampun, Maha Penyayang.
Setelah selesai peperangan dengan kemenengan yang gemilang pada peperangan Badar itu, timbul suatu persoalan lagi disamping soal harta rampasan. Yaitu soal orang orang tawanan. Di dalam peperangan Badar itu telah mati terbunuh 70 orang musyrikin dan tertawan 70 orang pula. Di antara yang tertawan itu paman Nabi s.a.w sendiri, iaitu Abbas bin Abdul Muthalib. Terdapat juga saudara kandung dari Ali bin Abi Thalib, saudara sepupu dari nabi, iaitu Aqil bin Abi Thalib, dan terdapat juga Abul Ash menantu Rasulullah, suami dari Zainab,puteri beliau. Maka diajaklah sahabat2 bermusyawarah olih Rasulullah s.a.w akan diapakankah orang2 tawanan itu. Yang terutama diajak olih Rasul ialah dua sahabat yang amat utama, Abu Bakar dan Umar. Kita simpulkan kisah permusyawaratan itu dari berbagai Hadis. Abu balar menyatakan pendapat bahawa orang2 tawanan itu sebaik baiknya disuruhmenebus diri mereka dari tawanan dengan wang. Sebab menurut Abu bakar, seluruh tawanan itu adalah keluarga bertali-darah saja semua dari kaum Muhajirin. Moga moga dengan kesempatan tebusan yang diberikan itu, masih terbuka jalan bagi mereka buat kelaknya insaf, lalu memeluk Islam. Sebab itu kita tidak perlu berlaku keras terhadap mereka.
Tetapi Umar menyatakan pendapat yang sangat berbeda dengan pendapat Abu bakar. Katanya seluruh tawanan itu hendaklah dibunuh. Meskipun ada pertalian keluarga di antara kita dengan mereka, yang terang ialah bahawa mereka telah mengusir Rasilullah, mereka telah memerangi Islam. Sebab itu mereka tidak boleh diberi hati.. Biar masing2 Muslim membunuh keluarganya sendiri. Biar Ali bin Abi Thalib membunuh Aqil, dan dia sendiri, Unar bin Khatab membunuh saudaranya yang ikut didalam peperangan itu. Kerana meskipun ada pertalian, namun mereka terang terang musuh kita.
Abdullah bin Rawahah, anak muda dari golongan Anshar cenderong kepada pendapat Umar. Katanya lebih baik diikat seluruh tawanan itu, dibawa ke sebuah tempat yang banyak semak semak dekat situ, lalu di bakar semua. Saad bin Muaz dari Anshar pun condong kepada pendapat Umar.
Tetapi golongan yang terbesar dari Muhajirin itu condong kepada pendapat Abu Bakar. Cuma dasar fikiran sangat berbeda. Abu bakar merasakan lebih baik tawanan itu disuruh menebuskan diri, ialah kerana hubungan keluarga. Tetapi golongan yang banyak yang menumpangusulnya itu bukanlah mengingatkan kekeluargaan, melainkan mengingat hartabenda tebusan itu. Dengan alasan bahawa mereka yang pergi berperang umumnya miskin, kurang harta dan persiapan.
Menurut riwayat Ibnu Abu Syaibah dan At-Termidzi, yang mengatakan bahawa Hadis yang di-rawikannya itu adalah Hasan[baik] dan Ibnul Mundzir, dan Ibnu Hatim dan At- Thabarani dan al-Hakim, yang menyatakan Hadis ini shahih dan Ibnu Mardhawaihi dan al-Baihaqi didalam "Dalailun Nubuwwah" diterima dari Ibnu Mas'ud, katanya:" Setelah tawanan tawanan Badar itu dibawa kehadapan Rasulullah, beliau ajaklah sahabat2 bermusyawarah. Abu bakar berkata: " Ya Rasullullah,Semua adalah kaum engkau, semua adalah keluarga engkau, biarlah mereka tinggal hidup, mudah mudahan Tuhan memberi taubat kepada mereka." Berkata Umar: Ya Rasulullah! Lereka telah mendustakan engkau dan mereka telah memerangi engkau. Bawa mereka kehadapan engkau dan potong leher mereka. " Berkata pula Abdullah bin Rawahah: " Cari satu lembah yang banyak kayu api disana dan bakar mereka semua."
Abbas yang turut tertawan dan mendengar usul usul yang keras itu, berkata" " Apakah engkau hendak memutuskan silaturrahim?"
Setelah mendengar pertimbangan pertimbangan itu Nabi pun masuk kedalam khemahnya, sebelum memutuskan pertimbangan dan pendapat mana yang belaiu akan pegang.
Kemudian beliau keluar. lalu beliau berkata:" Tuhan Allah telah membuat lembut hati setengah manusia selembut susu, dan Tuhan pun membuat keras hati setengah manusia sekeras batu. Engkau hai Abu bakar adalah laksana Ibrahim alaihisalam yang berkata:
"Sesiapa yang mengikuti aku, maka dia itu adalah dari golongan ku. Dan barangsiapa yang mengdsurhakai aku, maka Engkau- ya Tuhan- adalah Maha Pengampun, lagi Penyayang."
Dan engkau hai Umar, adalah laksana Nuh. Tatkala dia berkata:
" Ya Tuhanku! Janganlah Engkau biarkan diatas bumi ini, dari orang-orang kafir itu, seorang pun penduduk."
Aku tahu kamu ini miskin. Sebab itu salah satu dari dua, iaitu tebusan atau potong leher.
Kemudian dari itu,tersebutlah bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w mengambil keputusan, ia itu menyetujui Abu bakar, ia itu segala orang tawanan diberi kesempatan menebuskan diri..........
Maka dengan keputusan yang diambil olih Rasulullah dan telah dijalankan itu, puaslah Abu bakar sebab hubungan keluarga terpelihara dan puas pula penyokong penyokong usulnya, sebab mendapat harta tebusan yang menybabkan mereka jadi kaya. Sebab selain dari harta rampasan mereka juga dapat harta tebusa. Umar tunduk kepada keputusan itu.
Tetapi besok paginya terjadi suatu hal yang mrngharukan bagi Umar bin Khatab. Dia datang ke khemah Rasulullah; didapatinya beliau menangis dan Abu Bakar yang duduk disisibeliau pun turut menangis.[ Menurut riwayat Imam Ahmad dan Muslim dari Ibnu a Abbas ]. Melihat mereka menangis, berkatalah aku[ kata Umar ]:" Mengapakah engkau menangis Ya Rasulullah? Mengapa engkau menangis Ya Abu Bakar? Khabarilah aku, apa sebab kamu berdua menangis. kalau aku diberitahu sebabnya supaya aku menangis juga bersama mu dan jika aku pandang tidak ada apa yang harus ditangiskan,, aku pun akan menangis juga bersam tangismu."Maka menjawablah Rasulullah s.a.w: " Aku menangisi kawan akwanmu, yang mengusulkan supaya tawanan itu menebus diri. Tuahan telah mengancam mereka dengan siksaanNya, lebih dekat dari pohon ini."[ Pohon itu tunbuh didekat situ]. Dan telah turun ayat; "Tidaklah patut bagi Nabi bahawa ada baginya tawanan tawanan, sebelum dia memporak perandakan musuh di bumi."
Maka jelaslah bahawa ayat ini turun menyatakan bahawa keputusan yang dianbil olih Rasul s.a.w itu adalah satu kekhilafan. kerana maksud ayat ialah bahawa seorang Nabi tidak boleh mengadakan tawanan dan meminta tebusan rawanan pada langkah pertama perang.
Kalau bertemu musuh hendaklah bunuh terus, tidak ada tawanan, sebelum seluruh kekuatan musuh itu dipatahkan, sebelum pihak Islam mencapai kedudukan yang kuat kukuh. Artinya lagi , bahawasanya peperangan Badar belumlah berarti apa-apa, sebab kedudukan Islam belum kuat. Kalau tawanan tawanan itu dibiarkan menebuskan didri, mereka akan kembali lagi ketempat asal untuk menyusunkan diri.. Maka sehendaknya mana yabg telah ditawan itu di bunuh terus. Kalau Islam sudah kuat, barulah boleh bicara hal tawanan yang ingin menebus diri. Apatah lagi walaupun usul Abu Bakar diterima, demi mengingatkan hubungan darah dan kekelurgaan, namun golongan yang terbesar yang menyokong usul Abu Bakar bukanlah mengingatkan tali kekeluargaan tapi memikirkan keuntungan dari tebusan dan hartabenda.
...............Ahli2 hukum dan sejarah dalam Islam memperkatakan soal ini. Disinilah pangkal jalan fikiran para ahli bahawasanya dalam hal yang tidak ada Nash dari Wahyu, Nabi boleh berijtihad sendiri. Dan ijtihadnya itu kadang2 nya tidak tepat, meskipun maksud beliau tetap baik. Ingatlah ,didalam peperangan Badar juga, bahawa ijtihad beliau memilih khemah tentera Isalm berkhemah juga kurang tepat dari segi strategi peperangan[ sebelum 'wadi', bukan selepas....thus controlling and depriving precious water supply from enemy... Author's note ].
Ada lagi Hadis yang dirawikan oleh an- Nasa'i dan Termidzi dan Ibnu Hibban dan al-Hakim yang diterima dari Ali Abi Thalib, bahawa setelah Rasulullah mengambil keputusan menerima tebusan itu, Jibrail datang. Lalu dia berkata kepada Rasulullah s.a.w.:" Sahabat sahabat engkau disuruh memilih di antara menerima tebusan atau membunuh tawanan itu! Mereka memilih menerima tebusan; tetapi untuk itu mereka menebuskan pula di tahun depan."
Apa yang terjadi di tahun depan? 70 kaum Muslimin tewas di dalam peperangan Uhud!
Melihat rentetan kejadian selanjutnya itu, beranilah kita menyatakan bahawa apa yang ditakuti memang kejadian. Meskipun kaum Muslimin menang di badar, namun salah satu sebab kaum musyirikin menuntut bela dan membalas dendam dalam perang Uhud, ia lah kerana sebahagian besar orang2 yang menebuskan diri dari tawanan menysun kekuatan kemba;li. Dan pihak Muslimin di waktu Perang Uhud, ada yang tidak teguh memegang disiplin taat setia kepada rasul, sehingga mendapat kekalahan.
Ayat yang selanjutnya memberi kejelasan lagi bahawa meskipun keputusan itu tidak tepat, tidaklah perlu dibatalkan kembali sebab kalau dibatalkan juga, bahayanya akan lebih besar lagi. Dan diakui dalam soal kenegaraan dan peperangan, suatu yang telah di putuskan mesti dijalankan terus, dengan bertawakkal kepada Allah. Akibat apa yang akan terjadi akan di tanggungkan bersama. kalau tidak begitu niscaya hilang wibawa pemerintahan.
.......
It took me 2 years to complete my 1st read of this voluminous work by Hamka some 25 years ago. He tend to repeat himself, but through Hamka , you get an Islamic worldview of World history, all the relevant Hadis related to any one ayat, and the 'salafi' as well as the contemporary view.I have tried Ibnu Katsir and I am afraid even with my previous back geound on tafsir I find the treatment of each ayat too 'superficial' and lacking in the required detail.I have to concede Hamka is a long, long read but then undersatnding The Glorious Quran is a life journey, so why hurry? I am on my third read now of Hamka and I never get tired of him.
We need to make a major paradigm shift in our life. And the shift is in understanding the Quran more than what we collectively think we understand before. Only by this way could The Quran empowers our life in the right direction negating all the ...ism and false ideology, false philosophical stance, egotism and false beliefs.We as an ummah has been in a state of stupour for too long. Materially ,morally and spiritually we Muslims currently are the living dead of this world:impoverished by poverty, ignorance, bigotry, and at the 'official governmental level' guilty of beggary ,waiting for 'crumbs' to fall from 'the High Table' of superpowers.
At the personal and collective level, we have gone very far astray from the spirit and dictates of the Message and yet,like the Israelites of Prophet Mosses' time, still think we are the new God's Chosen People!
Islam is about excellence. Excellence in the 'here' and in the 'hereafter'.
"Rabbana Atina fiddunya hasanah wa fil akhiratihasanatan wakina Azabannar."
God, Give us excellence in this world and excellence in your Hereafter and keep us away from your Hellfire.
Dr Nik Howk
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