In Veils and Keys , the author reflects on the issues of faith or lack of it in this modern world, whether sprituality is still possible during these tumultuous times of heighthened secularism and the ugly face of materialism, as he explores the possibilities of an Islamic spirituality still available during this times.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1945, John Herlichy received his B. A in English from Boston University in 1967 and worked for a number of years in Europe.Obtained his Master's degree in 1974 from Columbia University and soon after journeyed to Kuwait to teach English.That soul searching journey turned out to be a prolonged spiritual journey into Islam having had earlier 'experimented' with a number of other spiritual traditions.
Let us now take a very short 'peep' at how John looks at the spiritual practice of Quranic recitation:
"At the dawn prayer[salat al fajr], the shadowy rays of the waning moon still lay across the window sill. In the pre-dawn darkness, the stars twinkle their message of the eternity of time, while the panorama of the night sky makes its final statement of the infinitude of form, just before the coming dawn. There is a hint of incense and musk in the air which capture an inner meaning that is capable of subtly influencing the mind and spirit. Heavenly scents accompany the two angels who descend to witness the Quranic recitation that occurs in one place or another every morning across the far crescent of the Islamic world.
Having performed the ritual ablution and prayer, the Muslim sits cross-legged on his prayer carpet and reaches for the Noble Quran,the Illuminated Book, a document that is 'on a tablet well preserved in heaven', as well as available in his hand. He kisses it, places it on his lips,forehead, and heart and commences to recite the letters, words and sounds of the Holy Book.'Alif, Lam, Mim', he chants sonorously as he intones and elongates the sacred sounds,'This is the Book, of which there is no doubt, and guidance for those who fear God'[ 2 : 1 ]
When he enters this world within a world as a Muslim, he brings his own world with him as a man. As a Muslim, he becomes once again primordial man and traditional man, in remembrance of the Adamic man who also received verses from his Lord and undoubtedly recited them. As simply man, he finally takes leave of his Quranic recitation and worship in order to take up once again the duties and routine of his day, but his world is no longer the same, since he takes the esssence of that inner world back out with him into this world-his existential world-in order to make the words and phrases, the knowledge and the wisdom, the advice and the warnings, an integral part of himself and his life. In return, the afterglow of the Illuminated Book lingers on as a mercy, a cure and a light, to guide him on the part and to advance with him through time on a journey of return that is identified and known"
Masahallah. Such beauty: pristine, clear and precise.....happy reading!
Dr Nik Howk
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Hamka Revisited....Surah al Imran , 3 : 113-114
Friends,
I am a wee bit of a 'comparative tafsir' geek. A term I would use for need of a better word....'Geek' because this is almost 70 % internet activity. In most of my free time after my mundane hospital work, flip-flopping the Quran[ quranexplorer.com ] in between 'Tafseer Ibn Katsir' [ on my link as well ], Prof Muhammad Al Ghazali's 'A Thematic Commentary on the Qur'an' and Hamka's 'Tafsir Al Azhar'.
I still feel Prof Hamka had been very much under-rated in this Nusantara. Ask any 'student' of the Qur'an and not many will give due credit to him.......too tedious,..too long winded..should try Ibn Katsir, it is salaf, just 200 to 300 years after the Prophet [ Ibnu Katsir is 'frightfully dry' my dear, and often times disconnected with time and found wanting for more detail, Sorry ...only just my humble opinion.],...Hamka is 'Jawi' like us ,he cannot be good...etc etc etc and etc....'Have you read him in the 1st place, Sir?...NO!!! ...etc etc and etc...Abdullah Yusuf Ali is a better read...but in my 'book' I do not consider Abdullah Yusuf Ali a 'definitive tafsir'. It is more a 'glorified, prolongated' translation!...
I must concede that Hamka is a long read but so is LIFE my friend....LIFE is a long long read as well.
Let us look at how Prof Hamka 'treated' just one or two ayat from Surah Al Imran. As you know Surah Al Imran in the main, deals with the nascent Muslim Community in Madinah. It revolves around two major issues of that time: the ongoing debate with the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christains, of whom the Jews were Madinah natives, openly and covertly incited to oppose Islam; and a review and assessment of the tragic and humiliating defeat suffered by the Muslims at the battle of Uhud in 625 AC.
"Ignominy shall be their portion wheresoever they are found save (where they grasp) a rope from Allah and a rope from men. They have incurred anger from their Lord, and wretchedness is laid upon them. That is because they used to disbelieve the revelations of Allah, and slew the prophets wrongfully. That is because they were rebellious and used to transgress. (112) They are not all alike. Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him). (113) They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency, and vie one with another in good works. These are of the righteous." {114}
.......Surah Al Imran , 3 : 112-114
....And what Hamka had to say with respect to 3 : 112-114 ?
"Dan kita pun dapat menghargai pegangan mereka. Meskipun kita berpendapat, bahawa antara kitab-kitab mereka pegang dikatakan Taurat atau Zabur atau Injil itu telah campur aduk; wahyu asli dengan tulisan tangan manusia, namun ayat yang asli itu tentu ada juga. Kalau kita perhatikan apa yang ditulis di dalam Zabur atau mazmur, bertemulah kita dengan berbagai doa dan munajat kepada Tuhan yand dapat mendatangkan khusyu' bagi mereka dan dapat dibaca tengah malam ketika segala sesuatu sepi, sunyi senyap, sehingga hati bertambah dekat kepada Tuhan. Umpama ayat ayat ini:
1.Berbahagialah segala orang yang jalannya betul dan yang melakukan dirinya setuju dengan hukum Tuhan.
2.Berbahagialah mereka itu sekalian yang memeliharakan kesaksiannya serta mencari akan Dia dengan segenap hatinya.
3.Yang tidak berbuat jahat melainkan menuruti jalan Tuhan.
4.Ya Tuhan! Engkau telah menyuruh memeliharakan baik baik segala firmanMu!
5. Hai, kiranya biarlah segala jalanku di patuhkan dengan pemeliharaan syariahmu.
6.Lalu aku tiada beroleh malu, apabila aku memperhatikan segala hukumMu.
Mazmur fasal 119
Dan lain lain yang penuh dengan doa dan pujian. Maka ada ahlul kitab, baik dia Yahudi ataupun Nasrani mengambil penawar jiwa dari doa doa dan munajat Daud dalam Mazmurnya. Mereka duduk tekun tengah malam dan merendahkan diri, bertunduk bersujud menurut upacara ugama mereka.
Ini adalah satu pengakuan jujur, bahawa dikalangan mereka ada juga orang orang yang shalih.
" Merekapun percaya kepada Allah dan hari kemudian" [ pangkal ayat 114 ]. Sebagai dasar yang pokok bagi iman. Kalau kiranya mereka belum percaya kepada Nabi Muhammad s.a.w , hanyalah kerana belum mereka dengar keterangan yang benar tentang diri beliau. " Dan Merekapun menyuruh berbuat baik dan melarang perbuatan mungkar dan merekapun berlumba lumba didalam kebaikan. mereka ini adalah golongan orang orang yang shalih."
Meskipun ada pertikaian ahli ahli tafsir tentang tujuan ayat ini, ada antara mereka yang mengatakan, bahawa yang dimaksud ini ialah orang orang Yahudi dan Nasrani yang telah memeluk islam pada zaman Nabi Muhammad s.a.w, kemudian menjadi orang Islam yang baik, tetapi ada ahli tafsir mengatakan, bahawa yang telah masuk Islam telah terkumpullah dalam ayat ayat " Kamulah yang sebaik baik umat" tadi. kata ahli tafsir golongan yang kedua itu yang di maksud di sini benar benar Yahudi dan Nasrani yang ikhlas dalam agamanya, tidak mencari selisih dan tidak fasik, tetapi inti agama mereka sendiri mereka pegang dengan baik. menjadi Yahudi yang baik dan Nasrani yang baik.
Sebagaimana tersebut didalam kitab 'al Iqdul Farid', bahawa seketika Marwan bin Muhammad, khalifah Bani Umaiyah yang paling akhir berperang dengan tentera Bani Abbas, setelah terdesak lalu melarikan diri dan sampai ke negeri Naubah [ sekarang terletak di antara Mesir dengan Sudan ]. Raja negeri itu berugama Kristian dan usianya sudah agak tua. Ketika dia tahu bahawa yang datang melindungkan diri ke negerinya itu, ialah seorang raja islam, memakai gelar khalifah, Raja Bani Umaiyah yang besar, tetapi hampir kalah itu, disambutnya dengan baik, di hormati dan diberinyanasihat yang jujur, sebab ketika khalifah Marwan bin Muhammad datang, baginda ajak bersama duduk di hamparan, padahal singgahsana ada. Beliau beri nasihat, bahawasanya kejatuhan kerajaan Bani Umaiyah tidaklah dapat dihambat lagi, sebab raja raja Bani Umaiyah, terutama Marwan, tidak berpegang teguh kepada agama ajaran Muhammad yang murni. Lalu dicelanya pakaian Marwan yang terjadi dari sutera yang mahal mahal bertatah bertakad emas. Kata beliau, Islam mengajarkan, bahawa raja adalah khadam rakyatnya, padahal Marwan telah memperbudak rakyat. Sedang dia sendiri, meskipun orang nasrani menjalankan ajaran Muhammad tentang kesederhanaan raja sebagai pemimpin rakyat. Dan dimintanya supaya Marwan segera meninggalkan negerinya, supaya bala bencana yang dibawanya jangan menular pula ke negerinya.
Terlepas dari penilaian kita terhadap riwayat ini, dari segi shahih atau lemahnya, tidaklah mustahil ada orang yang jujur sebagai raja Naubah itu dan tidak pula mustahil ada raja Islam, bergelar khalifah, Amirul Mukminin, jatuh dari kekuasaan kerana telah mengabaikan nilai nilai ajaran agama. Maka raja Naubah yang Kristian itu, teranglah tidak sama dengan ahlul kitab yang fasik yang digambarkan di atas tadi. Mereka percaya kepada Allah dan hari kemudian, sebab inti segala agama yang dia itulah. Mereka menyuruh berbuat ma'ruf dan melarang perbuatan mungkar, merekapun berlumba lumba berbuat baik, kerana agama mereka pelukpun menyuruh demikian. Dan lagi mereka shalih, peribadi sendiri baik dan bercerita baik.
Dengan ayat ini Tuhan membuka mata kita untuk adil dan menghargai orang lain. Agar kita mengakui, bahawa orang baik demikian ada dalam agama lain. Dan kitapun mengakui, nischaya orang itu akan lebih baik lagi, jika dia memegang agama menyerahkan diri yang sebenar benarnya kepada Tuhan. Kita mengakui, bahawa jika sampai kepada mereka dakwah yang benar dari Islam dan diterimanya, kedudukannya, akan lebih baik lagi dunia dan akhirat. Tetapi sudah terang dia lebih baik daripada orang yang mengaku dirinya Islam, tetapi hanya pengakuan mulut atau keturunan saja, padahal hatinya tidak pernah benar benar menyerah[ Islam ] kepada Tuhan."
Try Hamka. It is a compendium of related hadith, pearls and gem of life, world political history, 'comparative tafseer', and story telling ,all rolled into one. But do it as the Kelantanese says it: 'koho koho ', yes, just ' koho koho '. A bit at a time. Then you will find the earth from below you moves...That is how one moves 'mountains': 'koho koho',first changing the 'hearts'.
Allahualam.
Dr Nik Howk
Subang Jaya,
Selangor.
I am a wee bit of a 'comparative tafsir' geek. A term I would use for need of a better word....'Geek' because this is almost 70 % internet activity. In most of my free time after my mundane hospital work, flip-flopping the Quran[ quranexplorer.com ] in between 'Tafseer Ibn Katsir' [ on my link as well ], Prof Muhammad Al Ghazali's 'A Thematic Commentary on the Qur'an' and Hamka's 'Tafsir Al Azhar'.
I still feel Prof Hamka had been very much under-rated in this Nusantara. Ask any 'student' of the Qur'an and not many will give due credit to him.......too tedious,..too long winded..should try Ibn Katsir, it is salaf, just 200 to 300 years after the Prophet [ Ibnu Katsir is 'frightfully dry' my dear, and often times disconnected with time and found wanting for more detail, Sorry ...only just my humble opinion.],...Hamka is 'Jawi' like us ,he cannot be good...etc etc etc and etc....'Have you read him in the 1st place, Sir?...NO!!! ...etc etc and etc...Abdullah Yusuf Ali is a better read...but in my 'book' I do not consider Abdullah Yusuf Ali a 'definitive tafsir'. It is more a 'glorified, prolongated' translation!...
I must concede that Hamka is a long read but so is LIFE my friend....LIFE is a long long read as well.
Let us look at how Prof Hamka 'treated' just one or two ayat from Surah Al Imran. As you know Surah Al Imran in the main, deals with the nascent Muslim Community in Madinah. It revolves around two major issues of that time: the ongoing debate with the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christains, of whom the Jews were Madinah natives, openly and covertly incited to oppose Islam; and a review and assessment of the tragic and humiliating defeat suffered by the Muslims at the battle of Uhud in 625 AC.
"Ignominy shall be their portion wheresoever they are found save (where they grasp) a rope from Allah and a rope from men. They have incurred anger from their Lord, and wretchedness is laid upon them. That is because they used to disbelieve the revelations of Allah, and slew the prophets wrongfully. That is because they were rebellious and used to transgress. (112) They are not all alike. Of the People of the Scripture there is a staunch community who recite the revelations of Allah in the night season, falling prostrate (before Him). (113) They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency, and vie one with another in good works. These are of the righteous." {114}
.......Surah Al Imran , 3 : 112-114
....And what Hamka had to say with respect to 3 : 112-114 ?
"Dan kita pun dapat menghargai pegangan mereka. Meskipun kita berpendapat, bahawa antara kitab-kitab mereka pegang dikatakan Taurat atau Zabur atau Injil itu telah campur aduk; wahyu asli dengan tulisan tangan manusia, namun ayat yang asli itu tentu ada juga. Kalau kita perhatikan apa yang ditulis di dalam Zabur atau mazmur, bertemulah kita dengan berbagai doa dan munajat kepada Tuhan yand dapat mendatangkan khusyu' bagi mereka dan dapat dibaca tengah malam ketika segala sesuatu sepi, sunyi senyap, sehingga hati bertambah dekat kepada Tuhan. Umpama ayat ayat ini:
1.Berbahagialah segala orang yang jalannya betul dan yang melakukan dirinya setuju dengan hukum Tuhan.
2.Berbahagialah mereka itu sekalian yang memeliharakan kesaksiannya serta mencari akan Dia dengan segenap hatinya.
3.Yang tidak berbuat jahat melainkan menuruti jalan Tuhan.
4.Ya Tuhan! Engkau telah menyuruh memeliharakan baik baik segala firmanMu!
5. Hai, kiranya biarlah segala jalanku di patuhkan dengan pemeliharaan syariahmu.
6.Lalu aku tiada beroleh malu, apabila aku memperhatikan segala hukumMu.
Mazmur fasal 119
Dan lain lain yang penuh dengan doa dan pujian. Maka ada ahlul kitab, baik dia Yahudi ataupun Nasrani mengambil penawar jiwa dari doa doa dan munajat Daud dalam Mazmurnya. Mereka duduk tekun tengah malam dan merendahkan diri, bertunduk bersujud menurut upacara ugama mereka.
Ini adalah satu pengakuan jujur, bahawa dikalangan mereka ada juga orang orang yang shalih.
" Merekapun percaya kepada Allah dan hari kemudian" [ pangkal ayat 114 ]. Sebagai dasar yang pokok bagi iman. Kalau kiranya mereka belum percaya kepada Nabi Muhammad s.a.w , hanyalah kerana belum mereka dengar keterangan yang benar tentang diri beliau. " Dan Merekapun menyuruh berbuat baik dan melarang perbuatan mungkar dan merekapun berlumba lumba didalam kebaikan. mereka ini adalah golongan orang orang yang shalih."
Meskipun ada pertikaian ahli ahli tafsir tentang tujuan ayat ini, ada antara mereka yang mengatakan, bahawa yang dimaksud ini ialah orang orang Yahudi dan Nasrani yang telah memeluk islam pada zaman Nabi Muhammad s.a.w, kemudian menjadi orang Islam yang baik, tetapi ada ahli tafsir mengatakan, bahawa yang telah masuk Islam telah terkumpullah dalam ayat ayat " Kamulah yang sebaik baik umat" tadi. kata ahli tafsir golongan yang kedua itu yang di maksud di sini benar benar Yahudi dan Nasrani yang ikhlas dalam agamanya, tidak mencari selisih dan tidak fasik, tetapi inti agama mereka sendiri mereka pegang dengan baik. menjadi Yahudi yang baik dan Nasrani yang baik.
Sebagaimana tersebut didalam kitab 'al Iqdul Farid', bahawa seketika Marwan bin Muhammad, khalifah Bani Umaiyah yang paling akhir berperang dengan tentera Bani Abbas, setelah terdesak lalu melarikan diri dan sampai ke negeri Naubah [ sekarang terletak di antara Mesir dengan Sudan ]. Raja negeri itu berugama Kristian dan usianya sudah agak tua. Ketika dia tahu bahawa yang datang melindungkan diri ke negerinya itu, ialah seorang raja islam, memakai gelar khalifah, Raja Bani Umaiyah yang besar, tetapi hampir kalah itu, disambutnya dengan baik, di hormati dan diberinyanasihat yang jujur, sebab ketika khalifah Marwan bin Muhammad datang, baginda ajak bersama duduk di hamparan, padahal singgahsana ada. Beliau beri nasihat, bahawasanya kejatuhan kerajaan Bani Umaiyah tidaklah dapat dihambat lagi, sebab raja raja Bani Umaiyah, terutama Marwan, tidak berpegang teguh kepada agama ajaran Muhammad yang murni. Lalu dicelanya pakaian Marwan yang terjadi dari sutera yang mahal mahal bertatah bertakad emas. Kata beliau, Islam mengajarkan, bahawa raja adalah khadam rakyatnya, padahal Marwan telah memperbudak rakyat. Sedang dia sendiri, meskipun orang nasrani menjalankan ajaran Muhammad tentang kesederhanaan raja sebagai pemimpin rakyat. Dan dimintanya supaya Marwan segera meninggalkan negerinya, supaya bala bencana yang dibawanya jangan menular pula ke negerinya.
Terlepas dari penilaian kita terhadap riwayat ini, dari segi shahih atau lemahnya, tidaklah mustahil ada orang yang jujur sebagai raja Naubah itu dan tidak pula mustahil ada raja Islam, bergelar khalifah, Amirul Mukminin, jatuh dari kekuasaan kerana telah mengabaikan nilai nilai ajaran agama. Maka raja Naubah yang Kristian itu, teranglah tidak sama dengan ahlul kitab yang fasik yang digambarkan di atas tadi. Mereka percaya kepada Allah dan hari kemudian, sebab inti segala agama yang dia itulah. Mereka menyuruh berbuat ma'ruf dan melarang perbuatan mungkar, merekapun berlumba lumba berbuat baik, kerana agama mereka pelukpun menyuruh demikian. Dan lagi mereka shalih, peribadi sendiri baik dan bercerita baik.
Dengan ayat ini Tuhan membuka mata kita untuk adil dan menghargai orang lain. Agar kita mengakui, bahawa orang baik demikian ada dalam agama lain. Dan kitapun mengakui, nischaya orang itu akan lebih baik lagi, jika dia memegang agama menyerahkan diri yang sebenar benarnya kepada Tuhan. Kita mengakui, bahawa jika sampai kepada mereka dakwah yang benar dari Islam dan diterimanya, kedudukannya, akan lebih baik lagi dunia dan akhirat. Tetapi sudah terang dia lebih baik daripada orang yang mengaku dirinya Islam, tetapi hanya pengakuan mulut atau keturunan saja, padahal hatinya tidak pernah benar benar menyerah[ Islam ] kepada Tuhan."
Try Hamka. It is a compendium of related hadith, pearls and gem of life, world political history, 'comparative tafseer', and story telling ,all rolled into one. But do it as the Kelantanese says it: 'koho koho ', yes, just ' koho koho '. A bit at a time. Then you will find the earth from below you moves...That is how one moves 'mountains': 'koho koho',first changing the 'hearts'.
Allahualam.
Dr Nik Howk
Subang Jaya,
Selangor.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Tok Guru Nik Aziz in Conversation...[ In 'French' ]
Pulai Melaka is around 12 kilometres away from Kota Bharu town centre. Once a sleepy hallow some 50 years back more well known due to it's proximity to Kedai Lalat, a nearby kampong notorious for 'hitmen' and 'gedebes' ready for hire. Now if you mention Pulau Melaka to anyone in KB, the name conjures a'gedebe' of a different kind: Tok Guru Nik Abdul Aziz or in short TGNA, an ulama' par excellence, a man who practises what he preached and preaches what he practised. TGNA, a model of simplicity,frugal living, accountability and an excellent example of a God-fearing man.
I was in Gunong, Bachok last weekend overseeing final preparation by my 'boys' from the TMKN Endurance equesrian team in our bid to yet again win big at the now International Sultan's Cup, an annual do in Teganun. We had already beaten the Agong's team thoroughly,three times over consecutively, and looking forward to trouncing them again fair and square for the fourth time, come what may, in Teganun on their very own turf.In whatever I do in the endurance sports,I go for the 'jugular' and put aside reverence and protocol. In between training session a long time friend of mine, Deng, invited me to drop in for Zohor prayer at TGNA's surau." If we are in luck we could even catch a glimpse of the old man ", Deng said.
I jumped right away at that kind of opportunity as I know this could be a one time chance to meet the Tok Guru as I was told by my medical colleague, Dr Razali Omar, the 'electrcian- plumber', of IJN [ my student anyway ] who looks after him ,that the old man is 'quite frail'....A 'weak' heart with an implantable defibrillator.We doctors do not need euphemism: TGNA is in frail health, fullstop.
Saddled by recent problems of ongoing imbroglio within the palace, broad and far-reaching division within his party on the issue of 'to be or not to be' with respect to Amenu and Pakatan, and more so recently, trouble within Perbadanan Mentri Besar involving his own family member, contributed partly due to his political naivety and blind spot.In spirit and 'organically' speaking one can surmise TGNA has reason and reasons to be in frail health. Lesser mortals would have been long torn apart but TGNI is no ordinary mortal.
You talk to any ordinary Kelantanese, whether he be Chinese, Malay ,card carrying members of PAS or non card carrying,fence sitters or even Amenu, TGNA is 'adik sikit pada wali kalau tidak wali'!Even if you talk to 'frogs' like Ibrahim Ali, he would not dare differ very much! This is gospel truth in KB today! Dare say otherwise you run the risk of 'funny' looks and the possibility of not being invited for the next kenduri!
We were in luck.Tok Guru did Zohor with his tahfiz boys[ some 100 of them studying the Quran at his pondok,surviving on public donations and TGNI'own salary cut] that Sunday cutting short his punishing routine at Kota Darul Naim [ KB's equivalent of Putrajaya ] for he was feeling under the weather.His face lighted up on seeing Deng and myself and lo and behold, we were invited to have lunch at his house , just some 40 feet away from the surau's mimbar. Reminded me of Masjid Nabawi 1450 years ago! It transpired much later to me that Deng is close to Tok Guru since the stormy 90's when as a post grad student in Jordan he acted as a tourist guide to Tok Guru when the later needed to visit Lebanon for an important conference.
TGNA's house is a small wooden shack by Putrajaya's standard. Painted with an understated yellow on the outside and light green interiorly.Dr M or Pak Lah I am sure would not want to be caught 'dead' in TGNI's wooden old house!Madame R would not even let her chickens live in it.Too small to even keep her massive wardrobe by her standard probably. That was my first thought. The guest hall is a spartan 12' by 15' area with an equally spartan wooden settee set which any young up and coming executive in KL would not be caught buying at any cheap sale in Court Mammoth.The young chap would receive hell from his wife.
After some minutes of brief formality, TGNI invited us to a simple lunch of lkan kering, budu , some ulam and tomyam. He himself went back into the kitchen to brew himself a cup of green tea. The dining hall was a wee bit bigger than the guest area. In one corner an exercise bike, a floor to roof cabinet full with books , amongst which I cannot help noticing, a full volume of Prof Hamka's Tafsir Al Azhar.A small dining table for six, equally spartan as the settee in the guest area.
A study of simplicity, frugality and accountability.A man who 'is truly just stopping under a shady tree' before he carries on his onward journey! I was inwardly ashamed of myself....By TGNI's standard, my small unassuming Subang Jaya house is excessive opulence, in size and furnishing!..This is the true meaning of zuhud living....a 'life' examined...a 'life' in continuous contact with Allah from dusk till dawn!
"Ambo baru ning terimo lawatan dari sorae ketuo Amenu Puteri di pejabat Ambo. Ambo raso dio lawyer mungkin pasal dio napok orghe yang 'analytical', jenih hok buleh mikir.
Ambo bagi tahu ko dio, kito ning ado cik gu.Cik Gu kito Muhammad. Cik gu nin betukar dari zamae ko zamae. Mulai dengae Adae, Nuh, Ibraheng, sampai ko Musao , Isa dan akhir sekali nya Muhamad.
Sapa ko Muhamad, Tuan boming ning kata cukup dengae Muhamad. Dio lah cik gu kito hok terakhir.Mung semuo kalau nok hidup dalae bumi Aku amae dan damai , mung keno ikut cik gu nin! Mung nok ikut cara lain ,cara mung syok sendiri, Aku tok terima.
Mung buleh ikut undae2 hok mung buat sendiri tapi mung kena ingat setiap insae hok hidup hari inin , semuo nyo akae mati. Tak dok lagi hok tok mati.Kalu mung sohor sangat nok hidup dengae cara hok mung pileh dae tok mahu ikut cara hok cik gu mung ajar, Aku tidok nok juppo dengan mung masa Aku perhidup mung semula.Sapo hok ikut cik gu ajar , Aku masuk dio ko surgo,. Demo hok tok mahu ikut Aku buwae dio dalae nerako.
Mung buleh kato mung doh ikut cik gu setengah setengah. Setengah setengah ikut secular. Keno buat gitu pasal siasah politik,kalu tidak hilae kuasa ko orghe lain hok tidak keno mengeno denga Islae. Tapi tu loyar burok mung jah.Nationalism, materialism dan apo2 'ism bukae cara Aku. Cara Aku adalah cara hok Aku perturun ko cik gu mung,cara Muhamad! Undae2 mung doh lengkap. Baco Kur'ae, buko hadith...
Lepah Ambo kecek gitu, Ambo tengok menengung dio.Senyap, tak kecek apo. Dio Lawyer. Pasal dio orghe mikir!"
DNI:" Tok Guru,keh Allah baru2 nin machae mana pada pandangae Tok Guru?"
"Kepado Ambo senae sangat jah. Nabi Muhammad bin Abdullah. Masa Abdullah, Islae hok dibowok oleh Nabi Ibraheng, sapa ko Muso dan terusnyo Isa doh hilae di muko bomi. Orghe tok tahu lagi Islae machae mano.
Maso tu maso Jahiliyah. Pasal apo ayoh nabi Muhamad nama dio namo Abdullah.Abullah ,Abdullah ning, maano nyo 'Hamba Allah'. Mari manno tu 'Allah'?
Masa Nabi baru terimo wahyu dari Jibrael, Nabi balik juppo binin dio, Khatijoh. Apo Khatijah kato?
'Ini adalh tanda2 dari Allah'....macamano dio buleh sebut macam tu kalu Allah nin mari selepah Nabi Muhammad?
Yang kito ning nok balloh sangat pasal apo? Pah ko lo nin Ambo masih tak pehae.. Kito takut sangat orghe kafir, orghe Kristiae, orghe Hindu panggil Allah, apo pasal? Kito takut gapo dio? Apo yae kito rugi?
Biar ko dio lah nok panggil tuhae dio Allah. Lamo2 demo akan pehae, Allah Allah ning bukae satu dalae tigo atau tiga dale satu, bukae tok pekong dok tepi pokok besar tepi bukit , bukae ramai.Allah ning hanyo satu.
Tu lah kerjo kito. Bagi orghe pehae Allah ning satu. Dio tidok beranok dae Dio bukae ado mok. Dio lain dari yang lain.Dio yang Maha Eso.
Tu lah kerjo kito. Bagi demo pehae. Islae Islae ning bukae hok untuk orghe Melayu jah . Islae Islae ning universal. Untuk semua. Orghe putih, hitae, kuning, koko. Cino, India . Bohkae jinn sekali. Islae untuk semua atah muko boming ning!"
That was Tok Guru Nik Aziz in essence. When people like him leave us to go and join the Realm of The Beloved, insyaallah, even the "bumi will cry".The 'skies and heavens' would lit up...Allahualam
Dr Nik Howk
...And as for those who are unjust, they are firewood for hell....
[Surah Al Jinn , 72 : 15]
... And they will not heed unless Allah willeth (it). He is the fountain of fear. He is the fountain of Mercy.
[Surah Al Mudhatthir , 74 : 56]
I was in Gunong, Bachok last weekend overseeing final preparation by my 'boys' from the TMKN Endurance equesrian team in our bid to yet again win big at the now International Sultan's Cup, an annual do in Teganun. We had already beaten the Agong's team thoroughly,three times over consecutively, and looking forward to trouncing them again fair and square for the fourth time, come what may, in Teganun on their very own turf.In whatever I do in the endurance sports,I go for the 'jugular' and put aside reverence and protocol. In between training session a long time friend of mine, Deng, invited me to drop in for Zohor prayer at TGNA's surau." If we are in luck we could even catch a glimpse of the old man ", Deng said.
I jumped right away at that kind of opportunity as I know this could be a one time chance to meet the Tok Guru as I was told by my medical colleague, Dr Razali Omar, the 'electrcian- plumber', of IJN [ my student anyway ] who looks after him ,that the old man is 'quite frail'....A 'weak' heart with an implantable defibrillator.We doctors do not need euphemism: TGNA is in frail health, fullstop.
Saddled by recent problems of ongoing imbroglio within the palace, broad and far-reaching division within his party on the issue of 'to be or not to be' with respect to Amenu and Pakatan, and more so recently, trouble within Perbadanan Mentri Besar involving his own family member, contributed partly due to his political naivety and blind spot.In spirit and 'organically' speaking one can surmise TGNA has reason and reasons to be in frail health. Lesser mortals would have been long torn apart but TGNI is no ordinary mortal.
You talk to any ordinary Kelantanese, whether he be Chinese, Malay ,card carrying members of PAS or non card carrying,fence sitters or even Amenu, TGNA is 'adik sikit pada wali kalau tidak wali'!Even if you talk to 'frogs' like Ibrahim Ali, he would not dare differ very much! This is gospel truth in KB today! Dare say otherwise you run the risk of 'funny' looks and the possibility of not being invited for the next kenduri!
We were in luck.Tok Guru did Zohor with his tahfiz boys[ some 100 of them studying the Quran at his pondok,surviving on public donations and TGNI'own salary cut] that Sunday cutting short his punishing routine at Kota Darul Naim [ KB's equivalent of Putrajaya ] for he was feeling under the weather.His face lighted up on seeing Deng and myself and lo and behold, we were invited to have lunch at his house , just some 40 feet away from the surau's mimbar. Reminded me of Masjid Nabawi 1450 years ago! It transpired much later to me that Deng is close to Tok Guru since the stormy 90's when as a post grad student in Jordan he acted as a tourist guide to Tok Guru when the later needed to visit Lebanon for an important conference.
TGNA's house is a small wooden shack by Putrajaya's standard. Painted with an understated yellow on the outside and light green interiorly.Dr M or Pak Lah I am sure would not want to be caught 'dead' in TGNI's wooden old house!Madame R would not even let her chickens live in it.Too small to even keep her massive wardrobe by her standard probably. That was my first thought. The guest hall is a spartan 12' by 15' area with an equally spartan wooden settee set which any young up and coming executive in KL would not be caught buying at any cheap sale in Court Mammoth.The young chap would receive hell from his wife.
After some minutes of brief formality, TGNI invited us to a simple lunch of lkan kering, budu , some ulam and tomyam. He himself went back into the kitchen to brew himself a cup of green tea. The dining hall was a wee bit bigger than the guest area. In one corner an exercise bike, a floor to roof cabinet full with books , amongst which I cannot help noticing, a full volume of Prof Hamka's Tafsir Al Azhar.A small dining table for six, equally spartan as the settee in the guest area.
A study of simplicity, frugality and accountability.A man who 'is truly just stopping under a shady tree' before he carries on his onward journey! I was inwardly ashamed of myself....By TGNI's standard, my small unassuming Subang Jaya house is excessive opulence, in size and furnishing!..This is the true meaning of zuhud living....a 'life' examined...a 'life' in continuous contact with Allah from dusk till dawn!
"Ambo baru ning terimo lawatan dari sorae ketuo Amenu Puteri di pejabat Ambo. Ambo raso dio lawyer mungkin pasal dio napok orghe yang 'analytical', jenih hok buleh mikir.
Ambo bagi tahu ko dio, kito ning ado cik gu.Cik Gu kito Muhammad. Cik gu nin betukar dari zamae ko zamae. Mulai dengae Adae, Nuh, Ibraheng, sampai ko Musao , Isa dan akhir sekali nya Muhamad.
Sapa ko Muhamad, Tuan boming ning kata cukup dengae Muhamad. Dio lah cik gu kito hok terakhir.Mung semuo kalau nok hidup dalae bumi Aku amae dan damai , mung keno ikut cik gu nin! Mung nok ikut cara lain ,cara mung syok sendiri, Aku tok terima.
Mung buleh ikut undae2 hok mung buat sendiri tapi mung kena ingat setiap insae hok hidup hari inin , semuo nyo akae mati. Tak dok lagi hok tok mati.Kalu mung sohor sangat nok hidup dengae cara hok mung pileh dae tok mahu ikut cara hok cik gu mung ajar, Aku tidok nok juppo dengan mung masa Aku perhidup mung semula.Sapo hok ikut cik gu ajar , Aku masuk dio ko surgo,. Demo hok tok mahu ikut Aku buwae dio dalae nerako.
Mung buleh kato mung doh ikut cik gu setengah setengah. Setengah setengah ikut secular. Keno buat gitu pasal siasah politik,kalu tidak hilae kuasa ko orghe lain hok tidak keno mengeno denga Islae. Tapi tu loyar burok mung jah.Nationalism, materialism dan apo2 'ism bukae cara Aku. Cara Aku adalah cara hok Aku perturun ko cik gu mung,cara Muhamad! Undae2 mung doh lengkap. Baco Kur'ae, buko hadith...
Lepah Ambo kecek gitu, Ambo tengok menengung dio.Senyap, tak kecek apo. Dio Lawyer. Pasal dio orghe mikir!"
DNI:" Tok Guru,keh Allah baru2 nin machae mana pada pandangae Tok Guru?"
"Kepado Ambo senae sangat jah. Nabi Muhammad bin Abdullah. Masa Abdullah, Islae hok dibowok oleh Nabi Ibraheng, sapa ko Muso dan terusnyo Isa doh hilae di muko bomi. Orghe tok tahu lagi Islae machae mano.
Maso tu maso Jahiliyah. Pasal apo ayoh nabi Muhamad nama dio namo Abdullah.Abullah ,Abdullah ning, maano nyo 'Hamba Allah'. Mari manno tu 'Allah'?
Masa Nabi baru terimo wahyu dari Jibrael, Nabi balik juppo binin dio, Khatijoh. Apo Khatijah kato?
'Ini adalh tanda2 dari Allah'....macamano dio buleh sebut macam tu kalu Allah nin mari selepah Nabi Muhammad?
Yang kito ning nok balloh sangat pasal apo? Pah ko lo nin Ambo masih tak pehae.. Kito takut sangat orghe kafir, orghe Kristiae, orghe Hindu panggil Allah, apo pasal? Kito takut gapo dio? Apo yae kito rugi?
Biar ko dio lah nok panggil tuhae dio Allah. Lamo2 demo akan pehae, Allah Allah ning bukae satu dalae tigo atau tiga dale satu, bukae tok pekong dok tepi pokok besar tepi bukit , bukae ramai.Allah ning hanyo satu.
Tu lah kerjo kito. Bagi orghe pehae Allah ning satu. Dio tidok beranok dae Dio bukae ado mok. Dio lain dari yang lain.Dio yang Maha Eso.
Tu lah kerjo kito. Bagi demo pehae. Islae Islae ning bukae hok untuk orghe Melayu jah . Islae Islae ning universal. Untuk semua. Orghe putih, hitae, kuning, koko. Cino, India . Bohkae jinn sekali. Islae untuk semua atah muko boming ning!"
That was Tok Guru Nik Aziz in essence. When people like him leave us to go and join the Realm of The Beloved, insyaallah, even the "bumi will cry".The 'skies and heavens' would lit up...Allahualam
Dr Nik Howk
...And as for those who are unjust, they are firewood for hell....
[Surah Al Jinn , 72 : 15]
... And they will not heed unless Allah willeth (it). He is the fountain of fear. He is the fountain of Mercy.
[Surah Al Mudhatthir , 74 : 56]
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Dr Amin Rais in Conversation : Liberal Islam and Religious Pluralism
Lately there have been too many 'clowns', local and overseas, who should know better, who profess to speak for Islam, speaking to the gallery [ secular minded 'so called Muslims' and non Muslims ],who seemed mixed up and utterly confused in their aqidah. This exceprt of an interview with Indonesian intellectual,current doyen of the Muhammadiyah Movement , Dr Amin Rais, hopefully would clarify further the 'blurring' of vision and minds of the so called liberal "Islamists ". [ if there are such 'animals' that can be both liberal and Islamist at the same time!....just my after thought...as we all know there is only one brand of Islam: The way of Muhammad.. ]
Political correctness, an American exported disease, seem to be more important to our new intellectuals, rather than their aqidah!....Mashallah!!!
Excerpt from an interview with Dr Amin Rais by Majalah Tabligh, March Edition, 2010:
Pandangan Anda mengenai aliran pluralisme?
Akhir-akhir ini saya melihat istilah pluralisme yang sesungguhnya indah dan anggun justru telah ditafsirkan secara kebablasan. Sesungguhnya toleransi dan kemajemukan telah diajarkan secara baku dalam Al-Quran. Memang Al-Quran mengatakan hanya agama Islam yang diakui di sisi Allah, namun koeksistensi atau hidup berdampingan secara damai antar-umat beragama juga sangat jelas diajarkan melalui ayat, lakum diinukum waliyadin. Bagiku agamaku dan bagimu agamamu. Dalam istilah yang lebih teknis, wishfull coexistent among religions, atau hidup berdamai anatar umat beragama di muka bumi.
Tidak ada yang keliru dari aliran pluralisme ?
Nah, karena itu tidak ada yang salah kalau misalnya seorang Islam awam atau seorang tokoh Islam mengajak kita menghormati pluralisme. Karena tarikhnabi sendiri itu juga penuh ajaran toleransi antar beragama. Malahan antar-umat beragama boleh melakukan kemitraan di dalam peperangan sekalipun. Banyak peristiwa di zaman nabi ketika umat nasrani bergabung dengan tentara Islam untuk menghalau musuh yang akan menyerang Madinah.
Apa yang dibablaskan ?
Saya prihatin ada usaha-usaha ingin membablaskan pluralisme yang bagus itu menjadi sebuah pendapat yang ekstrim, yaitu pada dasarnya mereka mengatakan agama itu sama saja. Mengapa sama saja ? Karena tiap agama itu mencintai kebenaran. Dan tiap agama mendidik pemeluknya untuk memegang moral yang jelas dalam membedakan baik dan buruk. Saya kira kalau seorang muslim sudah mengatakan bahwa semua agama itu sama, maka tidak ada gunanya sholat lima waktu, bayar zakat, puasa Ramadhan, pergi haji, dan sebagainya. Karena agama jelas tidak sama. Kalau agama sama, banyak ayat Al-Quran yang harus dihapus. Nah, kalau sampai ajaran bahwa “semua agama sama saja” diterima oleh kalangan muda Islam; itu artinya, mereka tidak perlu lagi sholat, tidak perlu lagi memegang tuntunan syariat Islam. Kalau sapai mereka terbuai dan terhanyutkan oleh pendapat yang sangat berbahaya ini akhirnya mereka bisa bergonta-ganti agama dengan mudah seperti bergonta-ganti celana dalam atau
kaos kaki.
Apakah kebablasan pluralisme karena faktor kesengajaan atau rekayasa?
Saya kira jelas sekali adanya think tank atau dapur-dapur pemikiran yang sangat tidak suka kepada agama Allah kemudian membuat bualan yang kedengarannya enak di kuping: semua agama itu sama. Jika agama itu sama lantas apa gunanya ada masjid, ada gereja, ada kelenteng, ada vihara, ada sinagog, dan lain sebagainya.
Yang dimaksud dengan think tank ?
Saya yakin think tank itu ada di negara-negara maju yang punya dana berlebih, punya kemewahan untuk memikirkan bagaimana melakukan ghazwul fikri(perang intelektual terhadap dunia Islam). Misalnya, kepada Dunia Islam ditawarkan paham lâ diniyah sekularisme yang menganggap agama tidak penting, termasuk di dalamnya pluralisme, yang kelihatannya indah, tapi ujung-ujungnya adalah ingin menipiskan aqidah Islam supaya kemudian kaum Muslim tidak mempunyai fokus lagi. Bayangkan kalau intelektual generasi muda Islam sudah tipis imannya, selangkah lagi akan menjadi manusia sekuler, bahkan tidak mustahil mereka menjadi pembenci agamanya sendiri.
Sepertinya aliran pluralisme itu sudah masuk ke kalangan muda Muhammadiyah, pendapat Anda ?
Kalau sampai aliran pluralisme masuk ke kalangan muda Muhammadiyah, ini musibah yang perlu diratapi. Oleh karena itu, saya menganjurkan sebelum mereka membaca buku-buku professor dari Amerika dan Eropa, bacalah Al-Quran terlebih dahulu. Saya sendiri yang sudah tua begini, 66 tahun, sebelum saya membaca buku-buku Barat, baca Al-Quran dulu. Karena orang yang sudah baca Al-Quran, dia akan sampai pada kesimpulan bahwa berbagai ideologi yang ditawarkan oleh manusia seperti mainan anak-anak yang tidak berbobot. Jika meminjam istilah Sayyid Quthb, seorang yang duduk di bawah perlindungan Al-Quran ibarat sedang duduk di bukit yang tinggi kemudian melihat anak-anak sedang bermain-main dengan mainannya. Orang yang sudah paham Al-Quran akan bisa merasakan bahwa ideologi yang sifatnya man-made, buatan manusia, itu hanya lucu-lucuan saja. Hanya menghibur diri sesaat, untuk memenuhi kehausan intelektual ala kadarnya. Setelah itu bingung lagi.
Kenapa paham pluralisme itu bisa masuk ke kalangan muda Muhammadiyah? Apa karena Muhammadiyah terlalu terbuka atau karena sistem kaderisasi?
Hal ini perlu dipikirkan oleh pimpinan Muhammadiyah. Saya melihat, banyak kalangan muda Muhammadiyah yang sudah eksodus. Kadang-kadang masuk ke gerakan fundamentalisme, tapi juga tidak sedikit yang masuk Islam Liberal. Islam yang sudah melacurkan prinsipnya dengan berbagai nilai-nilai luar Islam. Hanya karena latah. Karena ingin mendapatkan ridho manusia, bukan ridho Ilahi. Oleh karena itu, lewat majalah Tabligh, saya ingin menghimbau kepada anak-anak saya, calon-calon intelektual Muhammadiyah, baik putra maupun putri, agar menjadikan Al-Quran sebagai rujukan baku . Saya pernah tinggal di Mesir selama satu tahun. Saya pernah diberitahu oleh doktor Muhammad Bahi, seorang intelektual Ikhwan, ketika saya bersilaturahmi ke rumah beliau, beliau mengatakan, “Hei kamu anak muda, kalau kamu kembali ke tanah airmu, kamu jangan merasa menjadi pejuang Muslim kalau kamu belum sanggup membaca Al-Quran satu juz satu hari.” Waktu itu saya agak tersodok juga, tetapi
setelah saya pikirkan, memang betul. Kalau Al-Quran sebagai wahyu ilahi yang betul-betul membawa kita kepada keselamatan dunia-akhirat, kita baca, kita hayati, kita implementasikan, kehidupan kita akan terang benderang. Tapi kalau pegangan kita pada Al-Quran itu setengah hati. Kemudian dikombinasikan dengan sekularisme, dengan pluralisme tanpa batas, dengan eksistensialisme, bahkan dengan hedonisme, maka kehidupan kita akan rusak. Sehingga betul seperti kata pendiri Muhammadiyah dalam sebuah ceramah beliau, “Ad-dâ’u musyârokatullâhi fii jabarûtih”. Namanya penyakit sosial, politik, hukum, dan lain-lain, itu sejatinya bersumber kepada menyekutukan Allah dalam hal kekuasaannya. Obatnya bukan menambah penyakit, yakni dengan isme-isme yang kebablasan, tapi obatnya itu, “adwâ’uhâ tauhîddullâhi haqqa”obatnya adalah tauhid dengan sungguh-sungguh. Jadi, saya juga ingat dengan kata-kata Mohammad Iqbal: “The sign of a kafir is that he is
lost in the horizons. The sign of a Mukmin is that the horizons are lost in him.”. Saya pernah termenung beberapa hari setelah membaca pernyataan Mohammad Iqbal yang sangat tajam itu. Karena betapa seorang mukmin akan begitu jelas, begitu paham, begitu terang benderang memahami persoalan dunia. Sedangkan orang kafir, bingung dan tersesat.
Sepertinya Muhamadiyah mulai terseret arus pluralisme, contohnya pada saat peluncuran novel Si Anak Kampoeng. Penulisnya mengatakan sebagian dari keuntungan penjualan akan digunakan untuk membentuk Gerakan Peduli Pluralisme, pandangan Anda ?
Saya tidak akan mengomentari apa dan siapa. Cuma adik saya yang anggota PP Muhammadiyah, pernah memberikan sedikit kriteria atau ukuran yang sangat bagus. Dia bilang begini, “Kalau orang Muhammadiyah sudah tidak pernah bicara tauhid dan malah bicara hal-hal di luar tauhid, apalagi kesengsrem dengan pluralisme, maka perlu melakukan koreksi diri.” Apakah itu tukang sapu di kantor Muhammadiyah, apakah tukang pembawa surat di kantor Muhammadiyah, apakah profesor botak, sama saja. Kalau sudah tidak kerasan berbicara tauhid, mau dikemanakan Muhammadiyah? Muhammadiyah ini bisa bertahan sampai satu abad, tetap kuat, tidak pikun, dan masih segar, karena tauhidnya. Implementasi tauhidnya di bidang sosial, pendidikan, hukum, politik, itu yang menjadikan Muhammadiyah perkasa dan tidak terbawa arus.
************ ************** ********
"How can the blind be equal to the seer?"...The Quran.
"Among them there are some who listen to you. But can you make the deaf hear incapable as they are of understanding? Among them there are some who look at you. But can you guide the blind, bereft as they are of sight? Allah does not wrong people in any way; rather it is people who wrong themselves. On the day We gather them together-when it will seem as if they had tarried no more than an hour of a single day-they will recognize one another. Those who denied the meeting with Allah and did not follow the right path will be lost.".... (Surah Yunus: 42-45)
"The sign of a kafir is that he is lost in the horizons. The sign of a mukmin is that the horizons are lost in him".....Iqbal
Political correctness, an American exported disease, seem to be more important to our new intellectuals, rather than their aqidah!....Mashallah!!!
Excerpt from an interview with Dr Amin Rais by Majalah Tabligh, March Edition, 2010:
Pandangan Anda mengenai aliran pluralisme?
Akhir-akhir ini saya melihat istilah pluralisme yang sesungguhnya indah dan anggun justru telah ditafsirkan secara kebablasan. Sesungguhnya toleransi dan kemajemukan telah diajarkan secara baku dalam Al-Quran. Memang Al-Quran mengatakan hanya agama Islam yang diakui di sisi Allah, namun koeksistensi atau hidup berdampingan secara damai antar-umat beragama juga sangat jelas diajarkan melalui ayat, lakum diinukum waliyadin. Bagiku agamaku dan bagimu agamamu. Dalam istilah yang lebih teknis, wishfull coexistent among religions, atau hidup berdamai anatar umat beragama di muka bumi.
Tidak ada yang keliru dari aliran pluralisme ?
Nah, karena itu tidak ada yang salah kalau misalnya seorang Islam awam atau seorang tokoh Islam mengajak kita menghormati pluralisme. Karena tarikhnabi sendiri itu juga penuh ajaran toleransi antar beragama. Malahan antar-umat beragama boleh melakukan kemitraan di dalam peperangan sekalipun. Banyak peristiwa di zaman nabi ketika umat nasrani bergabung dengan tentara Islam untuk menghalau musuh yang akan menyerang Madinah.
Apa yang dibablaskan ?
Saya prihatin ada usaha-usaha ingin membablaskan pluralisme yang bagus itu menjadi sebuah pendapat yang ekstrim, yaitu pada dasarnya mereka mengatakan agama itu sama saja. Mengapa sama saja ? Karena tiap agama itu mencintai kebenaran. Dan tiap agama mendidik pemeluknya untuk memegang moral yang jelas dalam membedakan baik dan buruk. Saya kira kalau seorang muslim sudah mengatakan bahwa semua agama itu sama, maka tidak ada gunanya sholat lima waktu, bayar zakat, puasa Ramadhan, pergi haji, dan sebagainya. Karena agama jelas tidak sama. Kalau agama sama, banyak ayat Al-Quran yang harus dihapus. Nah, kalau sampai ajaran bahwa “semua agama sama saja” diterima oleh kalangan muda Islam; itu artinya, mereka tidak perlu lagi sholat, tidak perlu lagi memegang tuntunan syariat Islam. Kalau sapai mereka terbuai dan terhanyutkan oleh pendapat yang sangat berbahaya ini akhirnya mereka bisa bergonta-ganti agama dengan mudah seperti bergonta-ganti celana dalam atau
kaos kaki.
Apakah kebablasan pluralisme karena faktor kesengajaan atau rekayasa?
Saya kira jelas sekali adanya think tank atau dapur-dapur pemikiran yang sangat tidak suka kepada agama Allah kemudian membuat bualan yang kedengarannya enak di kuping: semua agama itu sama. Jika agama itu sama lantas apa gunanya ada masjid, ada gereja, ada kelenteng, ada vihara, ada sinagog, dan lain sebagainya.
Yang dimaksud dengan think tank ?
Saya yakin think tank itu ada di negara-negara maju yang punya dana berlebih, punya kemewahan untuk memikirkan bagaimana melakukan ghazwul fikri(perang intelektual terhadap dunia Islam). Misalnya, kepada Dunia Islam ditawarkan paham lâ diniyah sekularisme yang menganggap agama tidak penting, termasuk di dalamnya pluralisme, yang kelihatannya indah, tapi ujung-ujungnya adalah ingin menipiskan aqidah Islam supaya kemudian kaum Muslim tidak mempunyai fokus lagi. Bayangkan kalau intelektual generasi muda Islam sudah tipis imannya, selangkah lagi akan menjadi manusia sekuler, bahkan tidak mustahil mereka menjadi pembenci agamanya sendiri.
Sepertinya aliran pluralisme itu sudah masuk ke kalangan muda Muhammadiyah, pendapat Anda ?
Kalau sampai aliran pluralisme masuk ke kalangan muda Muhammadiyah, ini musibah yang perlu diratapi. Oleh karena itu, saya menganjurkan sebelum mereka membaca buku-buku professor dari Amerika dan Eropa, bacalah Al-Quran terlebih dahulu. Saya sendiri yang sudah tua begini, 66 tahun, sebelum saya membaca buku-buku Barat, baca Al-Quran dulu. Karena orang yang sudah baca Al-Quran, dia akan sampai pada kesimpulan bahwa berbagai ideologi yang ditawarkan oleh manusia seperti mainan anak-anak yang tidak berbobot. Jika meminjam istilah Sayyid Quthb, seorang yang duduk di bawah perlindungan Al-Quran ibarat sedang duduk di bukit yang tinggi kemudian melihat anak-anak sedang bermain-main dengan mainannya. Orang yang sudah paham Al-Quran akan bisa merasakan bahwa ideologi yang sifatnya man-made, buatan manusia, itu hanya lucu-lucuan saja. Hanya menghibur diri sesaat, untuk memenuhi kehausan intelektual ala kadarnya. Setelah itu bingung lagi.
Kenapa paham pluralisme itu bisa masuk ke kalangan muda Muhammadiyah? Apa karena Muhammadiyah terlalu terbuka atau karena sistem kaderisasi?
Hal ini perlu dipikirkan oleh pimpinan Muhammadiyah. Saya melihat, banyak kalangan muda Muhammadiyah yang sudah eksodus. Kadang-kadang masuk ke gerakan fundamentalisme, tapi juga tidak sedikit yang masuk Islam Liberal. Islam yang sudah melacurkan prinsipnya dengan berbagai nilai-nilai luar Islam. Hanya karena latah. Karena ingin mendapatkan ridho manusia, bukan ridho Ilahi. Oleh karena itu, lewat majalah Tabligh, saya ingin menghimbau kepada anak-anak saya, calon-calon intelektual Muhammadiyah, baik putra maupun putri, agar menjadikan Al-Quran sebagai rujukan baku . Saya pernah tinggal di Mesir selama satu tahun. Saya pernah diberitahu oleh doktor Muhammad Bahi, seorang intelektual Ikhwan, ketika saya bersilaturahmi ke rumah beliau, beliau mengatakan, “Hei kamu anak muda, kalau kamu kembali ke tanah airmu, kamu jangan merasa menjadi pejuang Muslim kalau kamu belum sanggup membaca Al-Quran satu juz satu hari.” Waktu itu saya agak tersodok juga, tetapi
setelah saya pikirkan, memang betul. Kalau Al-Quran sebagai wahyu ilahi yang betul-betul membawa kita kepada keselamatan dunia-akhirat, kita baca, kita hayati, kita implementasikan, kehidupan kita akan terang benderang. Tapi kalau pegangan kita pada Al-Quran itu setengah hati. Kemudian dikombinasikan dengan sekularisme, dengan pluralisme tanpa batas, dengan eksistensialisme, bahkan dengan hedonisme, maka kehidupan kita akan rusak. Sehingga betul seperti kata pendiri Muhammadiyah dalam sebuah ceramah beliau, “Ad-dâ’u musyârokatullâhi fii jabarûtih”. Namanya penyakit sosial, politik, hukum, dan lain-lain, itu sejatinya bersumber kepada menyekutukan Allah dalam hal kekuasaannya. Obatnya bukan menambah penyakit, yakni dengan isme-isme yang kebablasan, tapi obatnya itu, “adwâ’uhâ tauhîddullâhi haqqa”obatnya adalah tauhid dengan sungguh-sungguh. Jadi, saya juga ingat dengan kata-kata Mohammad Iqbal: “The sign of a kafir is that he is
lost in the horizons. The sign of a Mukmin is that the horizons are lost in him.”. Saya pernah termenung beberapa hari setelah membaca pernyataan Mohammad Iqbal yang sangat tajam itu. Karena betapa seorang mukmin akan begitu jelas, begitu paham, begitu terang benderang memahami persoalan dunia. Sedangkan orang kafir, bingung dan tersesat.
Sepertinya Muhamadiyah mulai terseret arus pluralisme, contohnya pada saat peluncuran novel Si Anak Kampoeng. Penulisnya mengatakan sebagian dari keuntungan penjualan akan digunakan untuk membentuk Gerakan Peduli Pluralisme, pandangan Anda ?
Saya tidak akan mengomentari apa dan siapa. Cuma adik saya yang anggota PP Muhammadiyah, pernah memberikan sedikit kriteria atau ukuran yang sangat bagus. Dia bilang begini, “Kalau orang Muhammadiyah sudah tidak pernah bicara tauhid dan malah bicara hal-hal di luar tauhid, apalagi kesengsrem dengan pluralisme, maka perlu melakukan koreksi diri.” Apakah itu tukang sapu di kantor Muhammadiyah, apakah tukang pembawa surat di kantor Muhammadiyah, apakah profesor botak, sama saja. Kalau sudah tidak kerasan berbicara tauhid, mau dikemanakan Muhammadiyah? Muhammadiyah ini bisa bertahan sampai satu abad, tetap kuat, tidak pikun, dan masih segar, karena tauhidnya. Implementasi tauhidnya di bidang sosial, pendidikan, hukum, politik, itu yang menjadikan Muhammadiyah perkasa dan tidak terbawa arus.
************ ************** ********
"How can the blind be equal to the seer?"...The Quran.
"Among them there are some who listen to you. But can you make the deaf hear incapable as they are of understanding? Among them there are some who look at you. But can you guide the blind, bereft as they are of sight? Allah does not wrong people in any way; rather it is people who wrong themselves. On the day We gather them together-when it will seem as if they had tarried no more than an hour of a single day-they will recognize one another. Those who denied the meeting with Allah and did not follow the right path will be lost.".... (Surah Yunus: 42-45)
"The sign of a kafir is that he is lost in the horizons. The sign of a mukmin is that the horizons are lost in him".....Iqbal
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
....Tan Sri, we can use the ISA !..
And they say: If only this Qur'an had been revealed to some great man of the two towns? (31) Is it they who apportion thy Lord's mercy? We have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of the world, and raised some of them above others in rank that some of them may take labour from others; and the mercy of thy Lord is better than (the wealth) that they amass. (32) And were it not that mankind would have become one community, We might well have appointed, for those who disbelieve in the Beneficent, roofs of silver for their houses and stairs (of silver) whereby to mount, (33) And for their houses doors (of silver) and couches of silver whereon to recline, (34) And ornaments of gold. Yet all that would have been but a provision of the life of the world. And the Hereafter with your Lord would have been for those who keep from evil. (35) And he whose sight is dim to the remembrance of the Beneficent, We assign unto him a devil who becometh his comrade; (36) And lo! they surely turn them from the way of Allah, and yet they deem that they are rightly guided; (37)
...Surah Al Zukruf , 43 : 31-37
*********************************
That reminded myself,2 years back I wrote about a conversation between two 'movers and shakers' of society in Down Town Makkah:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008:-
Consider this conversation in corporate Arabia , in a coffee house , some 1400 years back :
A, A Tan Sri, :" Dato , Who is this chap I heard going around in the market place saying that he is the new 'Ibrahim' ? Havent we got enough of this nonsense already ?Anyway what is his background ? Has he gone to Harvard or Oxbridge ? Must be one of the son of that Hashemite oil trader ?"
B : "No lah Tan Sri , from what I heard he did not even know how to read .This chap did not even go to school even though his root is not bad.Somehow his 'servicing' must be good otherwise how can one explain that, that rich widow ,apakahnama diadah, falls head over heels in love with him ....The message he is spreading is another thing...amongst the workers and ignorant fellas ,in my estimation... Tan Sri... could be damaging for big business . Any way that we could coerce the Home Minister to apply the ISA on him ,Tan Sri ?Already half of my workers have gone AWOL !
A :Ehhhhh,... ISA is not advisable yet lah Dato!. Too early for that. What would his people and followers say. We cannot make him a hero rightaway .Try to use the soft soft approach Ist lah .Pass the word around that this is a mad fellow, and try to discredit him some way or other. Check his sex life . His funny habits, likes and dislikes. This chap cannot be perfect, Dato' ... .If this does not work ,only then we use the big stick ...
" And other faces on that Day with dust upon them [40] Veiled in darkness [41] These are the disbelievers , the wicked [42]
Surah Abasa , 80 : 40-42
How succinct the above conversation .Could be even now .Is he from Harvard or Oxbridge ? No lah Tan Sri ,just from an unknown pondok somewhere in Kelantan ...apakahnamadiadah ....Nik something...and then somehow this chap go somewhere in India to one of those pondok school and then got polished in Al Azhar. Small chap ,does not look clever at all. In fact looked fairly stupid in his kopiah, now they even called him Tok Guru....Giving us a lot of problem though !
......and that conversation was some 40 years back, in another coffee house in Down town KL, also between a Tan Sri and a Federal Datuk.
Dr Nik Howk
Posted by Pearls & Gem at 12:10 AM
Labels: Religion/ Philosophy
...Surah Al Zukruf , 43 : 31-37
*********************************
That reminded myself,2 years back I wrote about a conversation between two 'movers and shakers' of society in Down Town Makkah:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008:-
Consider this conversation in corporate Arabia , in a coffee house , some 1400 years back :
A, A Tan Sri, :" Dato , Who is this chap I heard going around in the market place saying that he is the new 'Ibrahim' ? Havent we got enough of this nonsense already ?Anyway what is his background ? Has he gone to Harvard or Oxbridge ? Must be one of the son of that Hashemite oil trader ?"
B : "No lah Tan Sri , from what I heard he did not even know how to read .This chap did not even go to school even though his root is not bad.Somehow his 'servicing' must be good otherwise how can one explain that, that rich widow ,apakahnama diadah, falls head over heels in love with him ....The message he is spreading is another thing...amongst the workers and ignorant fellas ,in my estimation... Tan Sri... could be damaging for big business . Any way that we could coerce the Home Minister to apply the ISA on him ,Tan Sri ?Already half of my workers have gone AWOL !
A :Ehhhhh,... ISA is not advisable yet lah Dato!. Too early for that. What would his people and followers say. We cannot make him a hero rightaway .Try to use the soft soft approach Ist lah .Pass the word around that this is a mad fellow, and try to discredit him some way or other. Check his sex life . His funny habits, likes and dislikes. This chap cannot be perfect, Dato' ... .If this does not work ,only then we use the big stick ...
" And other faces on that Day with dust upon them [40] Veiled in darkness [41] These are the disbelievers , the wicked [42]
Surah Abasa , 80 : 40-42
How succinct the above conversation .Could be even now .Is he from Harvard or Oxbridge ? No lah Tan Sri ,just from an unknown pondok somewhere in Kelantan ...apakahnamadiadah ....Nik something...and then somehow this chap go somewhere in India to one of those pondok school and then got polished in Al Azhar. Small chap ,does not look clever at all. In fact looked fairly stupid in his kopiah, now they even called him Tok Guru....Giving us a lot of problem though !
......and that conversation was some 40 years back, in another coffee house in Down town KL, also between a Tan Sri and a Federal Datuk.
Dr Nik Howk
Posted by Pearls & Gem at 12:10 AM
Labels: Religion/ Philosophy
Monday, March 1, 2010
Anjakan Paradigma (Paradigm Shift)
Friends,
The beauty of life as a Muslim is that we already have a revealed,proven template for excellence.Excellence in Islam is just not a measure of material wealth.Very far from it. Not just limited to the 'Here'.The 'hereafter' is equally important, if not more important.In Islam we need to aim for excellence in both the 'here' and the 'hereafter'.That is ideal.
When Tariq Ziad some 1300 years ago crossed the treacherous Strait of Jabal Tariq into southern Europe, he then burn down all his long boats and never looked back. That single act of burning his only 'bridge' back to Morocco was indeed a paradigm shift for barbaric Europe.The early Muslims brought renaisance and civilising influence there.
Now and in the past 200 years the Europeans, and my God, lately even the newly, almost self declared 'Imperial' Americans, have repackaged the Message and busily shafting down our parents'throats, our throats and in future, our children's and children children's throats, their 'corrupted and debased values.Wrongs become right and right become wrong. Political correctness more important than truth and justice. All topsy turvy.....
Nonetheless, Steve Covey's 7 habits of Highly Effective People is a superb, albeit ,semi Jewish, semi secular world view of looking at things. In the 60's we had Carnegie and Reverend Norman Vincent Peale[ my guru in my 'lonely' 'standard 4' days as I was orphaned early in life ].
We have here a young man, 'Ustaz Hasrizal' who has 'Islamised' Stephen's Coveys 7 Habits.We need not reinvent the wheels. We just need to reorient ourselves to look at knowledge through the Islamic world view:"Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah, wafil-a khiratihasanatan wakina azabannar"...God, give us excellence in the 'here' and 'hereafter',remove us away from the 'hellfire'...This in essence is the Islamic world view: EXCELLENCE in the "HERE" and the "HEREAFTER".
One can be a billionaire or PM or, both a PM and a billionaire, but if one's 'hereafter' is not taken care off in the 'here', one is worse than a pauper!
We, young and old , all of us, need to reinvent and refresh ourselves, and insyaallah, make that quantum leap to success in the 'here' and more importantly, in the 'hereafter'. Enjoy the tapes........
Dr Nik Howk
"This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew."...[Surah Al Ankaboot , 29 : 64]
"...O my dear son! Lo! though it be but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Lo! Allah is Subtile, Aware. (16) O my dear son! Establish worship and enjoin kindness and forbid iniquity, and persevere whatever may befall thee. Lo! that is of the steadfast heart of things. (17) Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster. (18) Be modest in thy bearing and subdue thy voice. Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass. (19) See ye not how Allah hath made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth and hath loaded you with His favours both without and within? Yet of mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or a scripture giving light. (20) And if it be said unto them: Follow that which Allah hath revealed, they say: Nay, but we follow that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though the devil were inviting them unto the doom of flame? (21) Whosoever surrendereth his purpose to Allah while doing good, he verily hath grasped the firm hand-hold. Unto Allah belongeth the sequel of all things. (22) And whosoever disbelieveth, let not his disbelief afflict thee (O Muhammad). Unto Us is their return, and We shall tell them what they did. Lo! Allah is Aware of what is in the breasts (of men). (23) We give them comfort for a little, and then We drive them to a heavy doom. (24) If thou shouldst ask them: Who created the heavens and the earth? they would answer: Allah. Say: Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not. (25)"
Surah Luqman
Habit 1
http://www.mediafire.com/?r58o8vmgyv3
Habit 2
http://www.mediafire.com/?8snzzondnua
Habit 3
http://www.mediafire.com/?dh1kzgjynmy
Habit 4 &5
http://www.mediafire.com/?eqau26lh2z3
Habit 6
http://www.mediafire.com/?5borfdutji0
Habit 7
http://www.mediafire.com/?yigd6kktvqh
Salam.
The beauty of life as a Muslim is that we already have a revealed,proven template for excellence.Excellence in Islam is just not a measure of material wealth.Very far from it. Not just limited to the 'Here'.The 'hereafter' is equally important, if not more important.In Islam we need to aim for excellence in both the 'here' and the 'hereafter'.That is ideal.
When Tariq Ziad some 1300 years ago crossed the treacherous Strait of Jabal Tariq into southern Europe, he then burn down all his long boats and never looked back. That single act of burning his only 'bridge' back to Morocco was indeed a paradigm shift for barbaric Europe.The early Muslims brought renaisance and civilising influence there.
Now and in the past 200 years the Europeans, and my God, lately even the newly, almost self declared 'Imperial' Americans, have repackaged the Message and busily shafting down our parents'throats, our throats and in future, our children's and children children's throats, their 'corrupted and debased values.Wrongs become right and right become wrong. Political correctness more important than truth and justice. All topsy turvy.....
Nonetheless, Steve Covey's 7 habits of Highly Effective People is a superb, albeit ,semi Jewish, semi secular world view of looking at things. In the 60's we had Carnegie and Reverend Norman Vincent Peale[ my guru in my 'lonely' 'standard 4' days as I was orphaned early in life ].
We have here a young man, 'Ustaz Hasrizal' who has 'Islamised' Stephen's Coveys 7 Habits.We need not reinvent the wheels. We just need to reorient ourselves to look at knowledge through the Islamic world view:"Rabbana atina fiddunya hasanah, wafil-a khiratihasanatan wakina azabannar"...God, give us excellence in the 'here' and 'hereafter',remove us away from the 'hellfire'...This in essence is the Islamic world view: EXCELLENCE in the "HERE" and the "HEREAFTER".
One can be a billionaire or PM or, both a PM and a billionaire, but if one's 'hereafter' is not taken care off in the 'here', one is worse than a pauper!
We, young and old , all of us, need to reinvent and refresh ourselves, and insyaallah, make that quantum leap to success in the 'here' and more importantly, in the 'hereafter'. Enjoy the tapes........
Dr Nik Howk
"This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew."...[Surah Al Ankaboot , 29 : 64]
"...O my dear son! Lo! though it be but the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Lo! Allah is Subtile, Aware. (16) O my dear son! Establish worship and enjoin kindness and forbid iniquity, and persevere whatever may befall thee. Lo! that is of the steadfast heart of things. (17) Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster. (18) Be modest in thy bearing and subdue thy voice. Lo! the harshest of all voices is the voice of the ass. (19) See ye not how Allah hath made serviceable unto you whatsoever is in the skies and whatsoever is in the earth and hath loaded you with His favours both without and within? Yet of mankind is he who disputeth concerning Allah, without knowledge or guidance or a scripture giving light. (20) And if it be said unto them: Follow that which Allah hath revealed, they say: Nay, but we follow that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though the devil were inviting them unto the doom of flame? (21) Whosoever surrendereth his purpose to Allah while doing good, he verily hath grasped the firm hand-hold. Unto Allah belongeth the sequel of all things. (22) And whosoever disbelieveth, let not his disbelief afflict thee (O Muhammad). Unto Us is their return, and We shall tell them what they did. Lo! Allah is Aware of what is in the breasts (of men). (23) We give them comfort for a little, and then We drive them to a heavy doom. (24) If thou shouldst ask them: Who created the heavens and the earth? they would answer: Allah. Say: Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not. (25)"
Surah Luqman
Habit 1
http://www.mediafire.com/?r58o8vmgyv3
Habit 2
http://www.mediafire.com/?8snzzondnua
Habit 3
http://www.mediafire.com/?dh1kzgjynmy
Habit 4 &5
http://www.mediafire.com/?eqau26lh2z3
Habit 6
http://www.mediafire.com/?5borfdutji0
Habit 7
http://www.mediafire.com/?yigd6kktvqh
Salam.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Divine injunction on Slander : Surah An Nur
Slander of the 'sexual kind' requires four witnesses who directly saw the 'action'. No witnesses, no case. Not our business any more parading ' pillows and mattresses' to prove a point. Not even 'DNA' finger-printing and all that jazz, etc and etc. This is not homicide. This is not murder. This is consensual sex between adults. Private. No slander. Allah is not interested in that.........
'....What you don't know you don't know, that is not your business anymore, that is MINE and let ME deal with the transgressors MY way, in MY own time, at the place of MY choosing. I give you guys privacy in your homes with your wife/wives. Go enjoy it. Do not peep around through keyholes looking for trouble...That is MY business! I am Knower of all things. I am the Most Compassionate,the Most Merciful
'Just mind your own 'fucking' business. If people do anything beyond what I already delineate, in the privacy of their homes, that is not your business. I, and only I, the Lord of the Universe, will take care of that according to MY rules , at My own time and at the place of My choice. Not your business peeping into people's keyholes.....Taking people's blood and finger printing people's DNA and parading people's honor into the public domain!....That is not for you,MY slaves to point fingers at fellow slaves.Certainly no, when you do not have FOUR RELIABLE witnesses.
I do not give a damn about your standard of proof....
You guys are great at making mistakes and causing trouble amongst yourselves.If you cannot even catch simple petty thieves amongst yourselves,nibbling away at MY resources meant for everyone, with your Penal Codes and your corrupted judiciaries, how can you guys hope to handle slander of the sexual kind JUSTLY and FAIRLY? This is not your business!..Leave that to ME!....'
That is what these ayats from the beginning of Surah Al Nur seem to convey........
"And those who accuse honourable women but bring not four witnesses, scourge them (with) eighty stripes and never (afterward) accept their testimony - They indeed are evil-doers - (4) Save those who afterward repent and make amends. (For such) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (5)"
"As for those who accuse their wives but have no witnesses except themselves; let the testimony of one of them be four testimonies, (swearing) by Allah that he is of those who speak the truth; (6)And yet a fifth, invoking the curse of Allah on him if he is of those who lie. (7) And it shall avert the punishment from her if she bear witness before Allah four times that the thing he saith is indeed false, (8) And a fifth (time) that the wrath of Allah be upon her if he speaketh truth. (9) And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy unto you, and that Allah is Clement, Wise, (ye had been undone). (10)
"Lo! they who spread the slander are a gang among you. Deem it not a bad thing for you; nay, it is good for you. Unto every man of them (will be paid) that which he hath earned of the sin; and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be an awful doom. (11)
"Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth? (12) Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah. (13) Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy unto you in the world and the Hereafter an awful doom had overtaken you for that whereof ye murmured. (14)
When ye welcomed it with your tongues, and uttered with your mouths that whereof ye had no knowledge, ye counted it a trifle. In the sight of Allah it is very great. (15)
Wherefor, when ye heard it, said ye not: It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to Thee (O Allah)! This is awful calumny. (16) Allah admonisheth you that ye repeat not the like thereof ever, if ye are (in truth) believers. (17) And He expoundeth unto you the revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise. (18) Lo! those who love that slander should be spread concerning those who believe, theirs will be a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter. Allah knoweth. Ye know not. (19) "
'....What you don't know you don't know, that is not your business anymore, that is MINE and let ME deal with the transgressors MY way, in MY own time, at the place of MY choosing. I give you guys privacy in your homes with your wife/wives. Go enjoy it. Do not peep around through keyholes looking for trouble...That is MY business! I am Knower of all things. I am the Most Compassionate,the Most Merciful
'Just mind your own 'fucking' business. If people do anything beyond what I already delineate, in the privacy of their homes, that is not your business. I, and only I, the Lord of the Universe, will take care of that according to MY rules , at My own time and at the place of My choice. Not your business peeping into people's keyholes.....Taking people's blood and finger printing people's DNA and parading people's honor into the public domain!....That is not for you,MY slaves to point fingers at fellow slaves.Certainly no, when you do not have FOUR RELIABLE witnesses.
I do not give a damn about your standard of proof....
You guys are great at making mistakes and causing trouble amongst yourselves.If you cannot even catch simple petty thieves amongst yourselves,nibbling away at MY resources meant for everyone, with your Penal Codes and your corrupted judiciaries, how can you guys hope to handle slander of the sexual kind JUSTLY and FAIRLY? This is not your business!..Leave that to ME!....'
That is what these ayats from the beginning of Surah Al Nur seem to convey........
"And those who accuse honourable women but bring not four witnesses, scourge them (with) eighty stripes and never (afterward) accept their testimony - They indeed are evil-doers - (4) Save those who afterward repent and make amends. (For such) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (5)"
"As for those who accuse their wives but have no witnesses except themselves; let the testimony of one of them be four testimonies, (swearing) by Allah that he is of those who speak the truth; (6)And yet a fifth, invoking the curse of Allah on him if he is of those who lie. (7) And it shall avert the punishment from her if she bear witness before Allah four times that the thing he saith is indeed false, (8) And a fifth (time) that the wrath of Allah be upon her if he speaketh truth. (9) And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy unto you, and that Allah is Clement, Wise, (ye had been undone). (10)
"Lo! they who spread the slander are a gang among you. Deem it not a bad thing for you; nay, it is good for you. Unto every man of them (will be paid) that which he hath earned of the sin; and as for him among them who had the greater share therein, his will be an awful doom. (11)
"Why did not the believers, men and women, when ye heard it, think good of their own own folk, and say: It is a manifest untruth? (12) Why did they not produce four witnesses? Since they produce not witnesses, they verily are liars in the sight of Allah. (13) Had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy unto you in the world and the Hereafter an awful doom had overtaken you for that whereof ye murmured. (14)
When ye welcomed it with your tongues, and uttered with your mouths that whereof ye had no knowledge, ye counted it a trifle. In the sight of Allah it is very great. (15)
Wherefor, when ye heard it, said ye not: It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to Thee (O Allah)! This is awful calumny. (16) Allah admonisheth you that ye repeat not the like thereof ever, if ye are (in truth) believers. (17) And He expoundeth unto you the revelations. Allah is Knower, Wise. (18) Lo! those who love that slander should be spread concerning those who believe, theirs will be a painful punishment in the world and the Hereafter. Allah knoweth. Ye know not. (19) "
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