Akhie Naim's Blog

Nak makan babi? Makanlah.

2012-01-23T18:03:00.001+08:00

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah, Maha Penyayang. Selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan kita Sayyiduna Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam dan ahli keluarga baginda yang mulia.

Saya teringat satu kisah benar yang pernah diceritakan oleh guru kami yang mulia, al-‘Allamah al-Musnid Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Bin Kamaludin al-Maliki, beberapa tahun yang lepas yang saya ingat kisahnya sampai ke hari ini. Kisah tersebut benar-benar telah membuka satu kotak pemahaman yang lebih jelas kepada saya tentang ‘aqidah. Kisah tersebut tentang seorang ustaz muda yang berdakwah di kampung orang asli. Kegigihan berdakwah ustaz tersebut membuahkan hasil apabila ada di kalangan orang asli tersebut yang menyatakan hasrat untuk memeluk agama Islam. Walau bagaimanapun, ustaz tersebut terkesima dan mengalami dilema apabila orang asli tersebut menyatakan:

“Ustaz, saya nak masuk Islam... tapi saya tak nak tinggalkan makan babi. Boleh tak?”

Soalan ini mungkin nampak remeh, tetapi melalui pengalaman saya, saya tahu bahawa jawapan yang terbaik hanya mungkin boleh diberi oleh orang yang mantap ilmu agamanya (lengkap dimensi Aqidah-Syariat-Tasawuf). Ustaz tadi yang ditanyakan soalan tersebut, tidak pasti bagaimana hendak menjawab lalu mengajukan masalah tersebut kepada Al-Musnid Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Bin Kamaludin Al-Maliki (semoga Allah merahmati beliau). Jawapan Al-Musnid Syeikh cukup mudah:

“Katakan kepadanya: masuklah Islam. Nak makan babi pun, makanlah.”

Kenapa boleh begitu?

Penjelasannya cukup mudah; kerana orang asli itu tadi jika tidak dibenarkan memeluk agama Islam, maka dia akan kekal dalam kekufuran. Tetapi jika dia masuk Islam, dan dibenarkan makan babi (dek kerana sudah menjadi kebiasaan sehingga mungkin sukar untuk ditinggalkan kebiasaan itu), maka dia adalah seorang Islam yang melakukan dosa – fasiq. Antara “fasiq” dan “kufur”, darjat manakah yang lebih teruk? Sudah tentu “kufur”! Malah, terlalu jauh beza antara “fasiq” dan “kufur”. Kekufuran adalah dosa yang tidak akan diampunkan oleh Allah – balasan bagi orang yang kufur adalah azab neraka. Tetapi sebaliknya bagi orang Islam, walaupun fasiq, akhirnya kelak tetap akan ke syurga Allah berdasarkan kepada sabda Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam yang bermaksud: “Barangsiapa yang mengucapkan ‘tiada Tuhan melainkan Allah’, akan masuk syurga.” (Maksud hadith). Malah, bagi orang yang fasiq, jika Allah berkenan untuk mengampunkan segala dosanya di saat penghujung nyawanya, orang itu akan mati dalam keadaan suci dan bersih daripada dosa! Dan hal tersebut sangatlah mudah bagi Allah. Bukankah Allah itu Maha Pengampun?!

Kenapa saya membawakan cerita ini?

Cerita ini harus menjadi pengajaran penting kepada umat Islam di Malaysia pada hari ini. Pada hari ini, kita menyaksikan wujud kelompok-kelompok umat di negara ini yang semudah-mudahnya memperlekeh ‘aqidah kelompok yang lain. Atas pentas politik, malah dalam surau dan masjid-masjid, wujud kelompok umat yang menghukum “kufur” atas kelompok yang lain! Lebih menyedihkan, seringkali tuduhan “kufur” (termasuk menggunakan istilah lain seperti: ‘tidak Islam’, ‘sesat’, ‘bid’ah (dholalah)’, ‘aqidah menyeleweng’, dan sebagainya) dilemparkan atas sebab-sebab yang bukannya termasuk dalam ruang lingkup ‘aqidah!

Apakah mereka tidak pernah mendengar sabda Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam yang lebih kurang maksudnya: “Jika seseorang berkata kepada saudaranya, ‘Wahai kafir!’ Maka kekafiran itu akan kembali (menimpa) kepada salah seorang di antara keduanya.” (Hadith riwayat Imam al-Bukhari daripada Abu Hurairah). Hadith ini merupakan satu amaran yang sangat besar, bahawa jika kita seseorang itu tersalah dalam menghukum “kafir”, maka kekufuran itu akan ditimpakan terhadap orang yang menghukum tersebut!

Inilah yang berlaku hari ini. Ada di kalangan umat ini yang menganggap isu-isu seperti kezaliman, rasuah, salahguna kuasa, penipuan dalam pilihanraya, fitnah terhadap akhlak seseorang, dan sebagainya sebagai isu ‘aqidah – sedangkan semua itu bukan isu ‘aqidah! Ya, semua perlakuan di atas adalah ditegah dalam agama dan pelakunya adalah orang yang melakukan maksiat dan dosa, mereka fasiq. Selagimana mereka masih berpegang kepada dua kalimah syahadah, mereka tetap Islam!

Dalam hal ini, Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam bersabda dalam hadith yang diriwayatkan oleh Anas bin Malik yang lebih kurang maksudnya: “Tiga perkara daripada asas keimanan ialah: menahan diri daripada (mengkafirkan) orang yang mengucapkan ‘Laa Ilaaha Illallah’, kami tidak mengkafirkannya kerana dia berbuat dosa dan kami tidak mengeluarkannya daripada Islam hanya kerana dia melakukan maksiat... (sehingga akhir hadith)” (Hadith riwayat Abu Daud)

Kegagalan dalam memahami secara teliti yang mana satukah isu ‘aqidah dan yang manakah bukannya isu ‘aqidah atau bukan secara langsungnya isu ‘aqidah inilah yang menyebabkan berlakukan pergeseran dan pertelagahan di kalangan umat Islam di negara ini, khususnya di dalam parti-parti politik. Keadaan ini menyebabkan umat Islam semakin terpecah dan semakin mudah dipijak-pijak oleh musuh Islam.

Sebarkanlah mesej ini: tundukkanlah ego masing-masing dan kembalilah belajar. Belajar itu wajib hukumnya. Sepertimana wajibnya solat, menuntut ilmu itu juga wajib! Jangan anggap apabila kita telah punya ijazah, telah menjadi “boss”, menteri, ketua parti pembangkang dan sebagainya, maka kita tidak perlu lagi belajar. Belajar itu adalah proses yang mesti berterusan, sampailah kita kembali menemui-Nya. Belajarlah daripada para ‘alim ulama, belajarlah daripada ahlinya. Dan fahamilah bahawa selalunya yang popular itu bukanlah yang paling ‘alim. Dalami dan fahami benar-benar ilmu ‘aqidah.

Kemudian berusahalah untuk mendalami ilmu akhlak, ilmu tasawwuf. Semoga apabila hati kita terdidik untuk sentiasa terpaut kepada Allah dan Rasul-Nya, kita akan mampu untuk mendepani segala pelaku maksiat – yang melakukan kezaliman, rasuah, penindasan, penyalahgunaan kuasa, fitnah, rompakan dan sebagainya – dengan penuh kasih sayang dan hikmah, bukannya dengan kekerasaan, kutukan atau hinaan. Kerana sesungguhnya, teras utama agama Islam adalah kasih sayang (rahmah), yang dengannya Sayyiduna Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam diutuskan kepada kita.

Wallahu’alam.

The Etiquette of Seeking Knowledge

2012-01-07T02:34:00.004+08:00

The Islamic tradition teaches us that both students of sacred knowledge and their teachers have lofty principles and refined codes of conduct that they must adhere to in order to ensure that they can truly achieve virtue through their knowledge and that God opens up for them (futūḥ) the full extent of wisdom and perception. From the most distinguished of these etiquettes (ādāb) that must accompany teaching and seeking knowledge are the following.

1) To have respect in one’s heart and exhibit reverence for gatherings of knowledge.

This is embodied in some of the following practices:

a) To have ritual purity and cleanliness before leaving to attend gatherings of knowledge. The Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) and their followers used to be very attentive to this matter. It is reported that Imām Mālik used to be meticulous in his veneration of gatherings of knowledge to the point that before narrating hadiths, he would make wuḍūʼ, wear his best clothes, sit upon his cushion, comb his beard, put on perfume, and sit in the most dignified and respectful posture. When asked about this he replied, “I love to exalt the hadiths of the Messenger of God (PBUH).”

Another form of purification before attending gatherings of learning is that of the purification of the heart from traits such as backbiting, envy, grudges, and other spiritual diseases through various forms of worship and acts of obedience. This is done to exert an effort to expand one’s heart and state of mind in a way that will make the student more susceptible to absorbing knowledge and implementing it. It is commonly said, “In the presence of scholars guard your tongue. And in the presence of the knowers of God, guard your heart.”

b) A student should come in a state of stillness of the heart, mind, and body (sakīna) along with a demeanor of a dignified seriousness (waqār) that is derived from an understanding of the gravity and significance of being in a circle of learning. Ḥasan al-Baṣrī used to say, “Seek knowledge and seek in order to [attain] knowledge stillness and seriousness (sakīna wa al-waqār) as well as humility towards whom you are learning from and towards those you are teaching.”

Due to the intense reverence that Imām Mālik had for the hadiths of the Prophet (PBUH), it is reported that he once remained seated in the same position while teaching for four hours, even though he had been stung by a scorpion and his color had changed. Upon being asked about this he replied, “I did not want to interrupt the hadiths of the Messenger of God (PBUH).” In this is revealed the depth of Imām Mālik’s understanding of the majesty of God and the rank of His Messenger, upon him be peace. Indeed, God has said in the Qur’an, “Whoever honors the symbols of God, verily it is from the piety of the hearts.”[1]

2) To have humility and respect for scholars and to honor them.

Humility is an essential characteristic that a student must have to truly benefit from his or her teacher. In the hadith of the Messenger of God (PBUH), when the angel Jibrīl (AS) came to ask the Prophet (PBUH) about Islam, Imān, and Iḥsān, he is described as having, “put his knees against the knees [of the Prophet PBUH] and placed his hands on his thighs.”[2] When the Companions used to sit with the Messenger of God (PBUH), they did not used to raise their heads up to him out of their reverence for him. It is reported on the authority of Anas (RA), “If the Messenger of God (PBUH) used to enter the mosque, none of us used to raise our heads except Abū Bakr and ʽUmar. They used to smile at him and he used to smile at them.”[3] It is also reported on the authority of ʽUbāda b. al-Ṣāmit that the Messenger of God (PBUH) said regarding respecting scholars and honoring them, “He is not from my community who does not venerate our elders, have mercy on our youth, and know the rights of our scholars.”[4]

Imām ʽAlī (RA) would say regarding the manners of respect a student should have with his or her teacher, “From the rights of the scholar over you is that you give greeting to people generally and greet him specifically, that you do not ask him questions excessively, you do not meet his answers with discord, you do not pressure him if he tires, you do not grab his garment if he sets forth, you do not reveal to him secrets, you do not back bite anyone in his presence, you do not seek out his shortcomings, and if he makes a mistake you accept his excuse. It is incumbent upon you to respect and honor him for the sake of God as long as he adheres to the commands of God. And [you must not] sit with your back towards him, and if he has a need you should hasten before everyone in serving him.”

It is related by Shaʽbī that, Zayd b. Thābit led a funeral prayer. He then brought his riding animal near so he could ride it and Ibn ʽAbbās came to assist him in mounting. Upon this, Zayd said, “Do not do this O, son of the Messenger of God’s uncle.” Ibn ʽAbbās replied, “This is how he ordered us to treat our scholars and elders.”

Sufyān al-Thawrī entered the gathering of Imām Mālik while his students around him were seated as if there were birds perched on their heads. He later recited the following poem to describe this:

يأبى الجواب فلا يراجع هيبة والسائلون نواكس الأذقان

أدب الوقار وعز سلطان التقى فهو المهيب وليس ذا سلطان

He refuses to answer [excessive questions and the questioner] will not return out of awe
Those who ask [in his presence] sit with their necks bent
Refined manners, grace, and the dignity of a chief of piety
He inspires awe [in hearts] yet he is no king

Al-Shāfiʽī said: “Out of my reverence for him, I used to turn pages while being seated in the presence of Mālik with gentleness so that he does not hear the pages turn.”

It is related by Ṣāliḥ b. Aḥmad b. Ḥanbal, “Al-Shāfiʽī came one day to visit my father while he was ill. He [Ibn Ḥanbal] leapt towards him, kissed him between the eyes, made him sit in his place and he sat in front of him.” He said, “Then he spoke to him for an hour. When al-Shāfiʽī got up to leave, my father rose and took hold of his saddle and walked with him. When [news] of this reached Yaḥya b. Maʽīn, he questioned my father saying, ‘O Abū ʽAbd Allāh, subḥānallah! Were you forced to walk by the side of al-Shāfiʽī’s riding animal?’ My father replied, ‘And you O Abū Zakariyya, had you walked on the other side you would have benefitted.’ Then he said, ‘Who wishes for goodness should follow the tail of that beast.’” It was said to Iskandar, “Why is your reverence for your spiritual guide (al-muʽaddib) greater than your reverence for your father?” He said, “Because my father is the cause of my temporary life while my spiritual guide is the cause of [success] in my eternal life.”

Many of the Muslim rulers and caliphs also used to give immense importance to knowledge and the reverence of scholars. It is related that Hārūn al-Rashīd used to send his two sons al-Amīn and al-Māʼmūn to learn from Imām al-Kisāʼī who was one of the seven reciters of the Qur’an. One day after class was finished; al-Amīn and al-Maʼmūn were competing to carry the sandals of the shaykh. Each one wanted to carry them and then they settled for each of them carrying one sandal. Meanwhile, Hārūn al-Rashīd was watching them from an elevated place in his residence. He later invited him to a table he had prepared for him. He then asked him during the meal, “Who is the happiest of people?” The shaykh said to him: “You are O Leader of the Believers.” He said, “No. The happiest of people is the one who the two heirs of the Leader of the Believers (amīr al-muʼminīn) quarrel to carry his sandals.”

From amongst the forms of respect that students must have for teachers is that they should listen with complete attentiveness, even if the teacher is saying something which they already know from a quote, story, or poem. ʽAṭāʼ said, “I listen to a hadith from a man and I am more knowledgeable of it than him. However, I do not show him that I surpass him in anything.” Similarly, he should not precede the scholar in explaining a matter or answering a question posed by one of the students. It is said, “Learn silence the way you learn to speak. And be more vigilant about listening than speaking.”

As for humility, this not only means that students should be in a state of humbleness while learning but that they must also humble themselves to knowledge in the exertion of their efforts to seek it. Ibn ʽAbbās used to say, “I lowered myself seeking, and then I became sought (dhalaltu ṭāliban fafiztu maṭlūban).” It is also related that he said, “When the Messenger of God (PBUH) died, I said to a man from the Anṣār come lets seek out the Companions of the Messenger of God (PBUH) for they are many today. He said, ‘I am surprised by you, O Ibn ʽAbbās! Whom amongst the Companions of the Messenger of God (PBUH) do you see as better than yourself?’ He said, ‘So I left him and I set out to ask the Companions of the Messenger of God (PBUH) and [news of] a hadith from a man had reached me. I came to the door of the one saying [the hadith] and I spread my cloak on his doorstep, all the while the wind was blowing sand in my face. He came out and saw me and said, ‘O son of the Messenger of God’s (PBUH) uncle, what brought you here? Had you sent for me, I would have come.’ I said to him, ‘It is more fitting that I should come to you.’ He said, ‘And I asked him about the hadith. This man of the Anṣār then lived until he saw me when people had gathered around me asking me, and he would say ‘This youth is more intelligent than me.’”

It is also related that Ibn Shihāb al-Zuhrī would not abandon anyone he knew to possess any knowledge except that he sought him out and found him. Ibrāhīm b. Saʽd said, “I asked my father, how did Ibn Shihāb surpass you?” He said, ‘He used to come to the center of gatherings and not leave an elderly person except that he asked him and not leave a youth except that he asked him. Then he used to go to the homes of the Anṣār and he would not leave a youth he did not ask or an elderly person he did not ask. He used to even speak to the women of the households.’”

Finally, it is incumbent that a student does not acquire pride or vanity after having gained an amount of knowledge, remembering that it is ultimately God who granted this to him or her. Also because the amount of knowledge that one has accumulated regardless of the heights a student has reached is insignificant in comparison to the knowledge of God the Exalted and High. God says in the Qur’an, “He has taught humans what they knew not.”[5] He also says, “And God took you out of the wombs of your mothers [with] you not knowing anything.”[6] God also says, “I have not given you from knowledge except a little,”[7] and He says, “Above each [person] with knowledge is [one] more knowledgeable.”[8]

3) Sincerity: It is essential that those seeking of knowledge do so with an intention sincerely for the sake of God, both when learning and practicing it. This is also the case when teaching and spreading knowledge. The Messenger of God (PBUH) said, “Who learns a science which is learnt for the sake of God not seeking from it anything but a portion of the world will not smell the scent of Heaven on the Day of Resurrection.”[9] He also said, “Whoever learns knowledge to rival scholars, to debate with fools, or to draw people to him, is in the Fire.”[10] Ḥasan al-Baṣrī said, “The punishment of the scholars is the death of the heart. The death of the heart is seeking the world through the works for one’s hereafter.” And Sahl has said, “All of knowledge is of this world except for the portion one practices which is of the other world. And all of deeds are dust except for sincerity.”

4) Trustworthiness: From the codes of conduct associated with knowledge in the Islamic tradition is trustworthiness (amāna). In a related hadith, “Be faithful in knowledge for the betrayal of one in his knowledge is worse than his betrayal in his property. And God will be your questioner on the Day of Resurrection.”[11] From the trusts of knowledge is that the scholar remains within the bounds of what he knows and does not say that which he does not know. Also, from intellectual honesty is to attribute sayings and ideas to their sources.

[1] Qur’an, Al-Ḥajj: 32.

[2] Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: vol.i/ Kitāb al-imān 1-bāb 1/h. 1

[3] Al-Mustadrak: vol.i/ p.121.

[4] Majmaʽ al-zawāʼid: vol.i/p.127

[5] Qur’an, Al-ʽAlaq: 5.

[6] Qur’an, Al-Naḥl: 78.

[7] Qur’an, Al-Isrāʼ: 85.

[8] Qur’an, Yūsuf: 76.

[9] Sunan Ibn Māja: vol.i/al-Muqaddima-bāb 23/h. 252

[10] Majmaʽ al-zawāʼid: vol.i/ p. 141.

[11] Majmaʽ al-zawāʼid: vol.i/ p.183.

Isu Qazaf: Respon Ringkas Dr. Yusri Mohd

2011-12-26T13:30:00.001+08:00

Tulisan di bawah dipetik daripada Facebook Dr. Yusri Bin Dato' Mohamad, dan saya telah menebalkan (bold) isi-isi yang saya rasakan penting dan signifikan.

Assalamualaikum,

Saya masih berada di Dubai. Tumpuan urusan lawatan kerja sedikit terganggu apabila mendapat panggilan 'Cikgu' Sidek Baba tentang kenyataan media WADAH bertarikh 19 Disember 2011 tentang DS Anwar Ibrahim dan isu Qazaf yang mengheret nama kami berdua. Di http://www.wadah.org.my/kenyataan-media/74-info-wadah.html

Secara tidak langsung, kenyataan ini menggambarkan bahawa seolah-olah kami berdua terlibat dalam melakukan jenayah Qazaf, tidak menghormati syarak dan melanggar hukum syarak dalam isu ini. Ini adalah dakwaan-dakwaan yang berat. Saya belum sempat untuk membuat respons penuh kerana sedang bermusafir.

Saya keberatan juga untuk memberi respons tetapi jika saya berdiam sahaja nanti ada yang menyimpulkan bahawa kenyataan tersebut adalah yang benar tanpa menyelidik lebih lanjut. Apabila pimpinan WADAH memilih untuk tiba-tiba membuat kenyataan secara terbuka maka terpaksalah penjelasan juga dibuat secara terbuka. Untuk rekod, sebagai bekas pimpinan tinggi ABIM, saya sudah cuba dan beberapa kali menawarkan untuk membincangkan isu ini dalam organisasi secara keluarga dan tertutup tetapi kurang sambutan terutamanya di pihak pimpinan WADAH.

Respons ringkasnya dahulu, saya berpandangan bahawa pimpinan WADAH sudah tersasar dalam memahami hukum Qazaf dalam Syariah Islam dalam kes Anwar-Saiful ini. Mereka harus mengkaji semula dan merujuk balik kepada pakar-pakar Syariah yang khusus dalam bidang ini. Janganlah kasih atau benci kita terhadap mana-mana orang atau kumpulan menghalang kita bersikap objektif dan berlaku adil.

Soal utamanya, adakah kes Anwar-Saiful suatu kes tuduhan zina/liwat biasa? Atau adakah ia kes seorang yang mendakwa dirinya menjadi mangsa zina/liwat yang melibatkan paksaan? Adalah jelas jika dilihat secara objektif bahawa ini bukan kes tuduhan zina/liwat daripada pihak ketiga terhadap mereka. Peguam negara hanya mewakili Saiful yg mendakwa sebagai mangsa. Jadi ini jelas bukan kes Zina/liwat yang hanya boleh dibuktikan dengan empat orang saksi.

Kes ini lebih sesuai dikategorikan sebagai dakwaan rogol atau lebih tepatnya sebanding dengan kes-kes sumbang mahram atau gangguan seks oleh majikan di tempat kerja. Dalam kes-kes sebegini, beban buktinya dalam Islam tidak sama dengan dakwaan Zina/liwat. Bukan empat orang saksi. Bukan. Bukan. Kalau masih dituntut empat orang saksi ke atas seseorang yang mendakwa di rogol, atau jadi mangsa sumbang mahram ataupun gangguan seks di tempat kerja maka bayangkan akan mampukah mana-mana mangsa kes-kes tersebut mendapat pembelaan dan keadilan? Zalimlah Islam dan Syariah Islam! Sukar sangatkah untuk memahami hal ini?

Maka DS Anwar (dan WADAH?), dalam kes Saiful, tidak boleh berselindung di sebalik hukum empat orang saksi atau di sebalik hukum Qazaf. Mahkamah harus memberi peluang kepada Saiful untuk membentangkan apa-apa bukti lain yang diiktiraf syarak dalam kategori Bayyinah atau Qarinah kalaupun bukan saksi mata (Syahadah).

Itulah intipati sikap saya dalam hal ini. Apabila balik nanti saya akan berbincang lebih lanjut dengan Prof Dato' Dr Sidek Baba tentang apakah langkah susulan yang perlu di ambil. Kalau ada dan kalau mahu. Sebenarnya saya dan saya yakin Cikgu Sidek banyak tugas dan tumpuan lain dan saya yakin sepatutnya WADAH juga banyak tugas dan tumpuan lain di gelanggang dakwah di Malaysia yang begitu luas. Sampai bilakah dakwah Islamiyyah, umat Islam dan organisasi Islam di Malaysia hendak terlalu tertumpu, terheret dan terikat dengan seorang insan bernama Anwar Ibrahim. Saya yakin bahawa kita semua tahu bahawa Islam, dakwahnya dan umatnya adalah lebih besar dan lebih tinggi daripada mana-mana individu, organisasi atau kumpulan.

Wallahu a'lam

Ke Mana Selepas SPM 2011?

2011-12-25T16:33:00.000+08:00

Peperiksaan SPM 2011 telahpun selesai dan kini masing-masing sedang dalam pencarian tempat untuk melanjutkan pelajaran. Bagi yang masih mencari, ataupun bagi yang sudahpun menjumpai tempatnya, saya sarankan kalian menyertai sebuah program pengukuhan ilmu kelolaan Kolej Islam As-Sofa yang diberi nama Kursus Miftah Al-Ilmi.

Kursus ini adalah merupakan sebuah program persediaan selama empat bulan (bermula Januari 2012) yang bertujuan untuk memberikan pengukuhan terhadap ilmu-ilmu asas yang sangat penting yang akan menjadi bekalan yang sangat berguna ketika melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat diploma atau ijazah sarjana muda. Kursus ini sesuai untuk para pelajar lepasan SPM yang ingin melanjutkan pengajian dalam bidang agama (diploma) di Kolej Islam As-Sofa tetapi tidak mempunyai latarbelakang pendidikan agama, atau untuk para pelajar lepasan SPM yang akan melanjutkan pengajian ke mana-mana IPT dan ingin memperkukuh asas-asas ilmu agama.

Apakah keistimewaan program ini?

Dikelolakan oleh Kolej Islam As-Sofa di bawah Yayasan Sofa yang mempunyai jaringan erat dengan para ulama' Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah dari seluruh pelusuk dunia Islam.
Para pelajar akan berpeluang untuk bertemu dengan para ulama' dari pelbagai tempat di dunia Islam.
Menggabungkan sistem pengajian pondok (tradisi) dan moden.
Pengajian ilmu secara bersanad.
Pensyarah Bahasa Arab dijemput khas dari Luar Negara (Mesir).
Kemudahan disediakan dan tempat belajar yang amat selesa.
Bilik kuliah berhawa dingin beserta kemudahan audio-visual.
Pendidik yang berpengalaman dan mempunyai ijazah dalam bidang yang diajar.

Apakah yang akan diajar?

Bahasa Arab (Asas dan Komunikasi)
Ilmu Al-Qur'an (Tajwid, Ulum al-Qur'an, Bacaan dan Hafazan)
Ilmu Hadith (Syarahan, Praktikal dan Hafazan)
Aqidah dan Akhlak (Syarahan dan Praktikal)
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Umat Melayu-Islam Kaya

2011-12-15T15:35:00.002+08:00

Ketika membawa rombongan Perkampungan Intensif Al-Qur’an Sesi ke-3 membuat lawatan sambil belajar ke Muzium Kesenian Islam baru-baru ini, saya menemui di sana satu koleksi manuskrip yang tidaklah begitu besar, tetapi cukup untuk menyampaikan kefahaman dan mesej tentang tradisi gemilang orang Melayu dan rantau Melayu: bahawa orang Melayu, diperkasakan dengan pegangan yang amat teguh terhadap agama, adalah kaya. Sangat kaya. Bukan kaya dengan harta semata-mata, tetapi yang lebih penting dan bermakna bagi saya adalah kaya dari segi khazanah ilmiahnya.

Kitab-kitab yang ada yang tarikhnya sekitar kurun ke-19 (tetapi seawal kurun ke-10 di rantau lain dunia Islam seperti di Turki), yang kesemuanya bertulis tangan, membuktikan kepada kita betapa orang Melayu dan agama Islam itu begitu sebati. Saya belum pernah mendengar tentang koleksi lama kitab-kitab atau penulisan tentang agama atau ideologi lain di rantau ini, yang sebanyak koleksi kitab-kitab agama Islam yang ditemui di rantau Melayu ini. Hal ini juga membuktikan betapa kuatnya, betapa sebatinya, dan betapa dekatnya orang Melayu dengan agama Islam – kerana teras atau asas penting dalam agama Islam adalah ilmu.

Bayangkan, dalam suasana atau zaman yang kita anggap belum “moden” itu, umat Melayu-Islam sudah memiliki peradaban yang sangat tinggi. Suasana serta semangat keilmuan yang begitu menebal dapat dirasakan tatkala melihat khazanah kitab-kitab tersebut yang terdiri daripada segenap bidang ilmu: ada kitab tauhid, ibadah, doa, tasawwuf, usul fiqh, balaghah, nahu, mantiq, astronomi, biologi, matematik dan sebagainya.

Apa yang penting juga adalah koleksi kitab-kitab yang ada juga membuktikan betapa umat Melayu-Islam sejak dahulu lagi sudah menulis, memiliki dan berpegang kepada amalan-amalan tradisi yang ditinggalkan para ‘ulama. Kewujudan kitab-kitab maulid yang begitu banyak, termasuk kitab-kitab madih – puji-pujian kepada Sayyiduna Rasulullah, membuktikan bahawa amalan maulid adalah amalan yang diwarisi semenjak zaman-berzaman (kerana kitab-kitab maulid yang dipaparkan daripada zaman Uthmaniyyah adalah seawal kurun ke-10) dan bukannya satu perkara baru di rantau ini sepertimana yang dicanang-canangkan oleh golongan Wahabbiyyah.

Hakikat bahawa amalan maulid ini telah wujud lama di rantau ini, dan kekal sehingga kini menunjukkan kepada kita beberapa hal. Pertama, boleh kita fahami bahawa agama Islam tersebar di rantau ini melalui jalan tersebut, yakni jalan mahabbah Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, jalan tasawwuf. Kedua, menunjukkan bahawa amalan maulid – yang selalunya dibawa melalui disiplin tasawwuf – adalah tradisi yang benar dan sahih kerana Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam sendiri pernah mengisyaratkan bahawa akan sentiasa wujud di kalangan umat ini satu golongan yang benar, yang tidak pernah terputus (golongan yang berpegang dengan kebenaran itu) semenjak daripada zaman Rasulullah sehinggalah ke hari ini.

Tambah menarik, tatkala saya merayau-rayau di dalam galeri khas yang mempamerkan tentang pengembara-pengembara Islam yang awal di Australia, saya menemukan beberapa kitab-kitab yang masih terpelihara. Ada dua kitab yang tidak mungkin saya lupakan: satu kitab belajar membaca Al-Qur’an (semacam kitab Iqra’ yang digunakan di Malaysia hari ini), dan satu lagi kitab puji-pujian kepada Rasulullah!

Semoga kita pada hari ini dapat meneruskan dan mengembangkan tradisi Islam yang terpelihara sejak zaman-berzaman, dan bukan menghancurkannya.

Wallahu’alam.

The confusion of Seksualiti Merdeka – Muhammad Husni Mohd Amin and Wan Mohd Aimran Wan Mohd Kamil

2011-11-17T12:22:00.000+08:00

PUBLISHED IN THE MALAYSIAN INSIDER (HERE)

November 16, 2011

NOV 16 – We read with interest the article titled “Religion no excuse to discriminate on sexuality” written by Ahmad Fuad Rahmat, representing the group the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF), published in Malaysiakini on the 14th November 2011.

As the article pertains to fundamental issues in Islam, such as the nature of Man, the nature of Good and Bad and of Right and Wrong, the nature of Rights and Freedom, all of which must be understood properly and correctly based upon the guiding principles laid down in the Qur’an and enacted in the lives of the Holy Prophet P.B.U.H, we feel compelled to respond to several key issues raised in the article, to separate the truth from falsehood, to clarify certain points that has been needlessly obfuscated by the author and finally to set forth a correct understanding of the issue.

Rights and freedom versus haqq and ‘adl

What constitutes a right? As a language belonging to the family of Islamic languages, the Malay term for ‘right’, hak, is adopted from the Arabic haqq, which stands for both reality and truth. Its opposite is batil, which means non-reality or falsity [1]. Therefore, what is good is not simply a property of statements or propositions, but has ontological significance in that it refers to that which has real and true existence, whilst that which is bad is considered illusory, ephemeral and unreal. Indeed, Al-Haqq (The Truth) is one of the 99 Beautiful Names of God as the one who is the antithesis of falsehood, as things may become evident by their opposites [2].

The distinction between truth and falsehood, right and wrong, good and bad had be laid down by Him and communicated to mankind through Revelation (Qur’an) and His Messengers. For instance, the quality of mercy is praiseworthy, thus enjoined upon all mankind, not merely because of its practical utility as a social convention, but ultimately because “He (Allah) has decreed upon Himself mercy” [Qur’an, 6:12]. Therefore, in order for something to qualify as a person’s right, it must be real and true, and it follows that homosexuality (as treatable psychological state) and deviant sexual practices cannot be regarded as ‘rights’ because they are not in conformity with one’s real and true nature.

Islam conceives freedom as ikhtiyar, which derives from the word khayr, meaning ‘good’, implying true freedom is choosing the good instead of the bad, the better over the worse or the best between two alternatives. A person who is presented with a choice between what is good and what is bad and proceeds to choose the bad is not exercising real freedom. In truth, the person is trapped within his own ignorance, thus unable to make the right choice in choosing for the better, and in doing so, has committed a grave injustice to his or her own self and others.

On the other hand, human rights as espoused by the West is a product of their collective guilt over past mistreatment and cannot be considered as wholly real and true because they resulted from philosophical speculation instead of being based on Revelation. The secular Western conception of freedom has failed to address the indignation of man which later results in him being delegated as mere animal thus enabling, to use Freud’s term, “rationalization” of any moral breakdown. Even random (but rare) occurrences of homosexual activities engaged by animals observed in the wild or within controlled environment were used to “rationalize” and justify homosexuality in human beings. Despite the nobility of his spirit and purpose of creation as determined by God, the secular man has chosen to place himself as the lowest of beasts by going against the very purpose for which he was created.

Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Bad

The author quoted Clause 43 of the Medinah Charter at the beginning of his article, which he writes as “Anyone who is wronged must be helped.”

Firstly, the source of reference for this quote was not mentioned, leaving its original meaning and context cloaked in obscurity, which prevents a proper evaluation of its significance. However, in a paper titled “The Medina Document” written by Ali Bulac, a Muslim intellectual from Turkey [2], Clause 43 reads as “Neither the Quraish nor those assisting them shall receive protection” and the previous clause (i.e. Clause 42) declares that “All cases of murder and fighting that occur among the people designated in this document shall be taken to God and His Messenger Muhammad. God is with those who best obey this document.”

The obvious difference in the wordings between the version quoted by Fuad Rahmat at the beginning of his article with the version of the same clause contained in the paper by Ali Bulac is highly crucial because it impinges upon the accurate meaning of the clause and signals the appropriateness of invoking it as a supporting argument support in contemporary discussions. Indeed, if the wording and superficial meaning of the clause have been distorted in such a crude manner, then is there any hope that one can recover and grasp the actual meaning of the clause? Furthermore, if the quotation of the clause is problematic even at the surface level, then what guarantee do we have that Fuad Rahmat had accurately understood the clause and conveyed to us its actual meaning, especially when absolutely no attempt was made to elucidate the context of the clause?

In short, both the content and the context of the clause he quoted at the beginning of his article are seriously compromised, which casts doubt on its validity in relation to the issue concerning sexual discrimination and religion, specifically on the reaction of the government authorities against the organizers of the event Seksualiti Merdeka and on the relationship between Islam and LGBT in general.

Secondly, the author did not specify under how, in the light of the discussion over Seksualiti Merdeka, homosexuals practicing deviant forms of sex can be counted as people who are wronged. As deviant sexual practices in its various forms (liwat, zina, etc.) are considered criminal offences under the Shari’ah, one does not see a person who is committing such acts as a victim, but rather as a perpetrator of a crime. Therefore, to assert that sexual deviants should be seen as ‘victims’ when in fact they are fully responsible for their own doing and in control over their choices in life is truly a blatant manipulation of the clause mysteriously culled from the Medinah Charter.

The linguistic deception is even more striking were one to realize that these acts are committed consensually and not under duress or the influence of intoxicants. Indeed, the sheer illogicality of placing a ‘wrongdoer’ in the same category as a ‘victim’ reflects the confusion that is productive of moral relativism.

The only way to help a person who has committed or going to commit a wrong is by preventing him in the first place. This is alluded to in a Hadith wherein the Holy Prophet said:

“Aid your (Muslim) brother when he is unjust, or when suffering from injustice.” He was asked, “What about when he is unjust, how can I aid him?” He said, “You prevent or forbid him from committing injustice, for this constitutes giving aid to him.” [Sahih Bukhari].

The understood maxim in Shari’ah is “prevention is better than cure” and that punishments are as much aimed as deterrence and educating the mass as it is corrective for the offender. Therefore it is incumbent upon Muslims who wish to help their fellow brothers and sisters who are afflicted with the problems of homosexuality to do so by first counseling them against wrongdoing, restraining one’s sexual thoughts and desires and as a final resort, physically preventing them from committing such acts.

It is quite clear that the Medinan Charter as cited by the author refers to “anyone who is wronged must be helped” not “any who has wronged [himself, herself or others] must be helped”. By taking and twisting clause so that it means a criminal must be helped by publicizing his freedom to practice homosexuality is against both the spirit and letter of the law.

We are not told how LGBTQs, simply because of their sexual orientations and gender identities, are discriminated and persecuted against. The organizers of Seksualiti Merdeka or even the writer from the so-called Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) have not offered us any data or factual evidence to support claims of discrimination or persecution.

Prying into other people’s privacy is not prescribed under the Shari’ah, nor was there any government or religious body set up in order to investigate what are inside their thoughts.

Even so, what society can tolerate much less accept a person’s claim to a right to commit crime to be publicized in the name of freedom? If convicting a person who has committed homosexual relations amounts to discriminating and persecuting, should we then be expected not to ‘discriminate’ or ‘persecute’ robbers, murderers and rapists, come what may?

Thirdly, the author asserted that the organizers and supporters of Seksualiti Merdeka aim only to “celebrating the human rights of people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities” and not to promote homosexuality and hedonistic lifestyle.

We may ask, if it is truly meant to create awareness for this group to be treated as human beings, why bother using the name Seksualiti Merdeka, which naturally invites probing inquiries, if not outright accusations in the first place?

Again, it is not within the purview of Muslims to investigate the sexual orientations of people, albeit Christian Spanish Inquisition-style, so why the need promote the interest of this particular group at all? Those who organize and support such an event need to come up clean and not continue this doublespeak.

The self-proclaimed experts on Islam that brazenly offer their opinions online with regards to issues of apostasy and homosexuality in Islam should be firmly reminded that Islam demands that the harmful effects of deviant acts and crimes be minimized and contained, and not be shamelessly publicized for all to see. This is clearly indicated in the following Hadith:

“He who covers a Muslim (his mistakes and shortcomings), Allah will cover him in this world and the Hereafter; Allah will be in the servant’s need, as long as the servant is in his (believing) brother’s need.” [Sahih Muslim]

It is clear that despite the denial of the organizers, the actual spelled intention is the publicizing of homosexuality as a way of life. It is on the agenda of Seksualiti Merdeka to seek into de-criminalizing homosexuality as opposed to the Shari’ah. By using ‘neutral’-sounding names they are preparing the society by ‘de-sensitizing’ gradually so that it will accept homosexuality as a norm and not a form of evil as it is.

Giving platform for the LGBTQ community to voice out their deviant sexual preferences will only open door to more vices which are detrimental to the morals of the society and destroy families. Also, this act will constitute spreading sin among Muslims and reducing us to a race of donkeys copulating freely by the roadside. Allah has given stern warning to those who advocate immorality and that they will be chastised severely in the following verse:

“Indeed, those who like that immorality (fahishah) should be spread (or publicized) among those who have believed, will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter. And Allah knows and you do not know.” [Qur’an, 24:19]

Bearing that in mind, how can an intellectual group applying the Islamic label to its name to openly advocate, in addition to freedom of apostasy among Muslims, the freedom for LGBTQ community to propagate their sexually deviant views in public sphere baring sensitivities and concerns of the majority, act in direct opposition to the above Divine injunction?

“You are the Best of Peoples raised up for (the benefit of) men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah;” [Qur’an, 3:110]

We must realize that as stated in the verse, in order for “the Best of Peoples” to emerge, the pre-conditions of enjoining good and forbidding evil must be fulfilled beforehand. Such is the purpose for conception of amar ma’ruf nahi munkar which aims for the emergence of “the Best of Peoples”.

“Whoever amongst you sees anything objectionable, let him change it with his hand, if he is not able, then with his tongue, and if he is not even able to do so, then with his heart, and the latter is the weakest form of faith.” [Sahih Muslim]

In light of such commandments, the decision to ban Seksualiti Merdeka fell well within the responsibilities of the authorities, therefore ought to be commended and not condemned - especially given the lamentable failure of groups such as IRF to carry out such responsibilities as instructed by Allah S.W.T. in the Qur’an.

It would have been truer to the “Islamic” label of IRF if Fuad Rahmat had advocated the rehabilitation of individuals afflicted with homosexual tendencies rather than clamoring for the freedom of these groups to wantonly and overtly trumpet their sexual orientations and practices.

Have they not also considered how Allah recounts punishment visited upon Prophet Lot’s people for the crimes of homosexuality? How then, in the light of these Divine injunctions, does one act in total opposition and still maintain an Islamic label?

Of inclusivity and tolerance

With regards to the author call for Malaysians and Muslims to learn to be inclusive, two immediate questions come to mind: What does it mean to be inclusive? What are its proper limits? Being inclusive implies making space for something or somebody (in this case, LGBTQ) within a larger grouping (in this case, Malaysian society). What then is the nature of this ‘space’ being demanded upon?

The word ‘inclusive’ is ambiguous for it did not specify what sort of ‘place’ ought to be given to Muslim LGBTQs.

Of course, a person who commit a sin is not automatically considered a kafir i.e. we do not automatically pronounce takfir on somebody who has committed a sin, just like we do not declare a Muslim who drinks or commits adultery a kafir. But that should not be taken to mean that Islam as a religion now condones drinking alcohol and adultery i.e. that drinking and adultery are no longer recognized as sins in Islam, for that implies re-forming (or perverting or distorting) Islam to suit the moral conditions of contemporary society.

It should be noted here that proclaiming takfir upon a sinner and declaring that a sin is no longer a sin are both extreme positions, and it does not bode well for one to swing violently from one extreme position to the other.

The nature of ‘inclusiveness’ that IRF likes to trumpet is not made explicit, although based on the fact that he appears to advocate a deconsecration of values, and to exalt freedom (which is a neutral term) at the expense of justice (which in contrast, is a morally-laden term), one can safely infer that the vision of ‘inclusivity’ that it seeks to promote is founded upon the following presuppositions: the preservation of the paramount right of an individual over and above his duties and responsibilities to others e.g. other people, the state, the world, God.

The exaltation of reason as the ultimate arbiter in moral conduct over and above adherence to religion, traditional wisdom and customs.

The veneration of man’s bodily wants over and above his spiritual needs i.e. man as a pure physical animal as described by modern biology and anthropology.

The assertion that open discussion on homosexuality must be informed begs the question as to what extent morality and ethics should find support from the latest discoveries from the fields of the natural and social sciences, which presupposes that these two fields are ‘neutral’ or ‘value-free’, eternally-unchanging and unaffected by the course of history. But it is inevitable that the interpretations and subsequent directions taken by these two fields are themselves colored by the values, hopes and purpose of the dominant civilization that produces, practices and propagates it i.e. the values, hopes and purpose of the Western civilization.

Granted, not all of their values are in-congruent to ours, but to uncritically accept foreign values without evaluating its suitableness to the requirements of justice and wisdom as projected in the worldview of Islam is just as extreme a position as complete and total rejection of such values.

One may also argue that (i) whatever the West approves of is not always necessarily good for us, (ii) Islam as a religion and civilization is unlike the West, and (iii) even Western society do not as a whole entertain such LGBT demands i.e. they are individuals and groups that express reservation or opposition against such demands.

Indeed, we affirm that the religion of Islam is fundamentally different from other religions as understood and practiced in the West, in that (i) Islam clearly and firmly demarcates between praiseworthy and blameworthy actions in the sight of Allah S.W.T., to which knowing and pious Muslims must actively conform their utterances and actions accordingly, and (ii) Islam reminds its faithful followers to guard their own selves – that includes the intentions in their hearts, the utterances of their tongue and the actions of their physical bodies – and those close to them (i.e. family members, friends, neighbors) against any situation that may incline oneself towards committing blameworthy acts.

It follows therefore that every member of a community must actively ensure that the opportunities for committing blameworthy acts is narrowed and restricted, as opposed to ‘normalizing’ it by making it public or parading it out in the open, for by closing the doors to evil, one tempers justice (‘adl) with mercy (rahmah) so that anyone would have enough time to contemplate repentance and avoid wrongdoing altogether.

In short, there is an objective moral and ethical standard in Islam, as projected by the Qur’an and affirmed by the life of the Holy Prophet P.B.U.H., the recognition and acknowledgement of which is signified by a willing submission to its requirements in every aspect of one’s life, whether through the setting of correct intention, the utterance of good words (“A good word is like a good tree”) or the carrying out of meritorious works.

Therefore, Islam renounces any attempt to marginalize and de-consecrate values by violently uprooting such values from the fertile soil of religion, making it subject to the caprices of society, thus reducing all moral and ethical judgements to the level of mere opinions.

Furthermore, Islam does not recognize – as does Western Christianity – the separation between private and public spheres and the subsequent banishment and confinement of religion exclusively to the private sphere. It rejects the claim that the ‘proper’ place for religion is behind closed doors or locked away in the dark recesses of a believer’s heart and mind, and that it must maintain its silence when entering the public arena or that it must throw off its religious garb and suffer the leveling of its values with other opinions – the good, the bad and the ugly – brewing in the public sphere.

“Do not conform to the ways of this world ...”

Fuad Rahmat’s assertion that Seksualiti Merdeka “represents a significant shift from the commonly held attitude among Malaysians that the LGBTQ community should be left to do what they want so long as they do not seek full recognition as active and entitled citizens” is a delusional view.

If these people are already recognized as Malaysians, then they have already been accorded full recognition as its citizens. What other full recognition that they require? Normal people do not require such recognition based on their sexuality, so why should we accord special status to people with abnormal sexual preferences?

In addition, publicizing one’s sexuality in order to gain sympathy is a wrong way to help individuals with problems of homosexuality because it gives them false recognition and leads them even more astray and misguided. The situation is not much dissimilar to giving free syringe and drugs to a drug addict wishfully thinking that his condition will improve. Worse still, if similar advocacy is given to drug addicts to announce publicly their “rights” for a fix or invite others to live wretched lives. In truth, nobody can be helped in this way because encouraging wrongdoing will not correct the behavior when we recognize it as crime, it simply emboldens them to even worse proportions.

It is also a shame to see that the well-meaning words of a prominent Muslim scholar such as Professor Tariq Ramadan has been twisted in order to lend support to the so-called ‘freedom’ of LGBTQ to voice out their sexual preferences in public, when it is clear that he only meant that such groups should be treated with kindness and generosity just like any other person, and that this should not be taken as condoning such sinful acts.

As for the concern of ex-communication or alienation from society, we have already explained Malaysian society’s silence over the matter until issue of Seksualiti Merdeka erupted is testament that the rights to be treated as human beings are already given and that they are tolerated so long as they do not openly promote dangerous and sinful lifestyles masquerading as human rights.

Nobody is proclaiming takfir on these groups, so to conjure the specter of ex-communication or alienation from society or takfir are simply feeble attempts to over-complicate the issue by surreptitiously positing an extreme position with the intention that people will be fearful of it, thus preventing them from even contemplating such a position. Indeed, if one were to take this position to its final logical outcome, it implies that a harmonious society will be one that does not have any objective moral standards to follow and where every moral judgment is merely a personal and subjective opinion. In short, a society without any law will be the happiest and most harmonious one of all – such imagination!

Indeed, there are many historical instances of societies which manage to be ‘inclusive’ in the true sense of the word (i.e. muhibbah, and not tolerance, which simply means “to endure what is unpleasant”) without having to reject religious moral and ethical standards, such as that of Muslim Spain and Ottoman Turkey, to name a few.

Under the penetrating gaze of a keen observer, the inclusiveness being paraded today is nothing but mere superficiality and not skin deep; it is trumpeted as a matter of political currency having no lasting value because ultimately it is not predicated upon correct and absolute grasp of human nature (fitrah) from which flows the correct and proper recognition and acknowledgement of his rights and duties.

True inclusiveness in Islam is not subject to political whims and fortunes, but founded upon a Qur’anic injunction, which implies that it is a religious duty, to which Muslims will be accounted for on the Day of Judgment, and not merely a way of winning votes on the Day of the General Election.

“The stream carries on its surface a growing layer of froth . . . - the froth disappears, but what is of benefit to man stays behind.” (Qur’an 13:17)

Muhammad Husni b. Mohd Amin and Wan Mohd Aimran b. Wan Mohd Kamil are Research Fellows at Himpunan Keilmuan Muslim (HAKIM).

Notes:

1. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, “Islam and the Philosophy of Science,” in Prolegomena to the Metaphysics of Islam (Kuala Lumpur: ISTAC, 1995), 125-126.

2. David B. Burrell, Nazih Daher, trans. Al-Ghazali’s Ninety-Nine Beautiful Names of God (Cambridge: The Islamic Texts Society, 2007), 124.

3. Ali Bulac, “The Medina Document,” in Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook, ed. Charles Kurzman (Oxford University Press, 1998), 169-178.

Waqafkan Harta Anda

2011-11-16T16:22:00.001+08:00

Firman Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala (yang lebih kurang maksudnya): “Dan belanjakanlah (sebahagian) dari rezeki yang Kami berikan kepada kamu sebelum seseorang dari kamu sampai ajal maut kepadaNya. (kalau tidak) maka ia (pada saat itu) akan merayu dengan katanya: ‘Wahai Tuhanku! Alangkah baiknya kalau Engkau lambatkan kedatangan ajal matiku – ke suatu masa yang sedikit sahaja lagi, supaya aku dapat bersedekah dan dapat aku menjadi dari orang-orang yang soleh.’” (Surah al-Munafiqun: 10)

Antara amalan yang paling baik yang boleh dilakukan oleh seseorang muslim adalah mewaqafkan harta ke jalan Allah. Harta yang diwaqafkan ke jalan Allah, akan menjadi amal jariah yakni amal berterusan yang akan membawa kebaikan yang berterusan. Rumusnya mudah, jika anda mewaqafkan sedikit harta, dan daripada harta itu terbinalah sebuah universiti (contohnya Universiti As-Sofa), maka selagi mana universiti itu membawa manfaat dan kebaikan kepada umat, selagi itulah anda yang telah mewaqafkan harta tadi mendapat ganjaran pahala, walaupun anda telah meninggal dunia!

Maka, ayuh waqafkanlah harta anda. Kami tawarkan Sijil Waqaf Yayasan Sofa Negeri Sembilan. Setiap sijil bernilai RM50 dan kutipan daripada penjualan Sijil Waqaf ini akan digunakan untuk mendanai projek-projek pembangunan, pendidikan dan daqwah Yayasan Sofa Negeri Sembilan.

Sila jika anda berminat membeli Sijil Waqaf Yayasan Sofa Negeri Sembilan.

Apa Salahnya Tapis Guru?

2011-11-15T17:35:00.001+08:00

Laporan di dalam mStar Online hari ini (15 November 2011), menyebutkan:

Perkasa Nafi Cadang Halang Guru Kristian Mengajar Sekolah Kerajaan
Oleh ARIFFUDDIN ISHAK
Oleh ARIFFUDDIN ISHAK KUALA LUMPUR: Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Malaysia (Perkasa) pada Selasa menafikan bahawa badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) itu pernah mengusulkan supaya guru-guru yang beragama Kristian agar tidak dibenarkan mengajar di sekolah kerajaan.

Sambil menyifatkan dakwaan berkenaan sebagai berniat jahat, Presiden Perkasa, Datuk Ibrahim Ali berkata bahawa pertubuhan berkenaan tidak pernah mengeluarkan sebarang kenyataan yang boleh menimbulkanperpecahan kaum dan agama di negara ini.
"Kalau kata Perkasa buat usul sedemikian, ingin saya jelaskan bahawa ia adalah satu kenyataan yang jahat dan tidak bertanggungjawab. Sebab seingat saya tidak ada kenyataan seperti itu dibuat," katanya pada sesi soal jawab lisan di Dewan Rakyat di sini.
Beliau berkata demikian bagi menjelaskan mengenai status sebenar kepada soalan asal yang dikemukakan Datuk Wilfred Mojilip (BN-Tuaran) yang mahu mengetahui pendirian Kementerian Pelajaran berhubung usulPerkasa seperti yang disiarkan menerusi media.
Mengulas lanjut, Ibrahim yang juga Ahli Parlimen Bebas Pasir Mas berkata, kemungkinan dakwaan usul tersebut dibuat oleh pihak atau individu yang tidak mewakili Perkasa.
"Mungkin ada mana-mana pihak membuat kenyataan yang tidak benar, atau mungkin individu yang tidak mewakili Perkasa sebagai sebuah pertubuhan yang sah.
"Kita tak pernah keluarkan kenyataan seumpama ini," katanya.
Sebelum itu, Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran, Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong ketika menjawab soalan itu dengan tegas menyatakan bahawa cadangan agar guru-guru beragama Kristian tidak dibenarkan mengajar di sekolahkerajaan jelas bercanggah dengan dasar penempatan guru sedia ada.
"Kementerian Pelajaran melaksanakan dasar penempatan guru di sekolah kerajaan mahupun sekolah bantuan kerajaan berlandaskan kepadakeperluan opsyen dan kekosongan tanpa mengira latar belakang agama, kaum dan ideologi politik mereka.
"Jadi usul yang dikemukakan oleh Perkasa adalah tidak bertepatan dengan dasar penempatan guru dan juga semangat kebebasan agama di negara ini.
"Semua guru terikat dengan undang-undang dan peraturan perkhidmatan awam dan mengawal aktiviti agar tidak bercanggah dengan garis panduan itu," katanya.

Benar atau tidak PERKASA mengeluarkan kenyataan seperti itu, bukanlah hal yang penting bagi saya. Tetapi yang penting adalah bahawa kenyataan seperti itu tidaklah terlalu salah. Apatah lagi baru-baru ini kita digemparkan dengan laporan ada guru tuisyen yang mengajar anak-anak muridnya ajaran agama Kristian. Untuk makluman sesiapa yang masih blur lagi, pengajaran agama Kristian kepada orang Islam, khususnya anak-anak muda, adalah bertentangan dengan prinsip-prinsip agama Islam serta bercanggah dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Hal ini tidak berkaitan dengan semangat kebebasan beragama kerana prinsip "kebebasan beragama" yang diamalkan di negara ini merujuk kepada ruang yang diberikan untuk penganut agama masing-masing berpegang dan beramal dengan ajaran mereka, dan dalam masa yang sama memahami bahawa agama negara ini adalah Islam - sepertimana yang termaktub di dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan. Kita menolak "kebebasan agama" jajaan Barat yang menyikapi agama secara terlalu "liberal" sehingga bebas agama itu diterima-ditolak-diubah, sebahagian atau sepenuhnya.

Maka, demi menjamin perkembangan yang sihat untuk para pelajar di negara ini, khususnya anak-anak orang Islam yang majoritinya belajar di sekolah kerajaan, tidaklah salah untuk pihak kerajaan menapis dan menilai dengan teliti siapakah guru-guru yang mengajar di sekolah tersebut. Latarbelakang agama dan ideologi politik memang wajar dijadikan sebagai antara pertimbangan dalam memilih seorang guru. Jangan lupa kepada pepatah Melayu, "guru kencing berdiri, murid kencing berlari".

Pemansuhan sepenuhnya PPSMI perlu disegerakan

2011-11-15T17:09:00.005+08:00

Keputusan kerajaan memansuhkan dasar Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains dan Matematik dalam Bahasa Inggeris (PPSMI) adalah sangat dialu-alukan oleh IKATAN MUSLIMIN MALAYSIA (ISMA). Walau bagaimanapun, tarikh pemansuhan sepenuhnya yang hanya berkuatkuasa pada 2021 dilihat kurang wajar.

ISMA menganggap pengumuman ini adalah satu penangguhan. ISMA bimbang sikap tidak konsisten pembuat keputusan akan menimbulkan keresahan berterusan majoriti rakyat, terhadap masa depan pendidikan anak-anak mereka dan nasib Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa rasmi akan diperjudikan.

Ia berdasarkan kajian Kementerian Pendidikan sendiri menunjukkan hanya 5-7% sekolah seluruh negara telah menggunakan Bahasa Inggeris sepenuhnya sebelum ini, manfaat dari penangguhan ini adalah kurang jelas. Di samping itu, kajian-kajian lain juga jelas menunjukkan pencapaian pelajar dalam sains dan matematik lebih baik sebelum Dasar PPSMI dilaksanakan. Oleh itu, penangguhan ini akan lebih banyak memberi kesan buruk.

ISMA berpandangan pemartabatan Bahasa Melayu tidak dapat dicapai hanya melalui slogan-slogan dan saranan-saranan yang dilaungkan dalam Bulan Bahasa Kebangsaan sahaja. Iltizam yang kukuh perlu ditunjukkan melalui polisi pendaulatan Bahasa Melayu yang konsisten.

ISMA memberi amaran agar tidak ada pihak-pihak yang terus menerus mengambil kesempatan dalam senario politik semasa untuk mengugut kerajaan dengan risiko kehilangan sokongan, jika tidak meneruskan Dasar PPSMI.

ISMA menuntut agar kerajaan tidak berlembut dalam mempertahankan prinsip kenegaraan, terutama berkaitan kedudukan Bahasa Melayu, hanya disebabkan tekanan politik. Ini kerana, jika semua prinsip asas dan dasar kenegaraan dijadikan bahan berpolitik, negara akan terdedah kepada bahaya besar.

ISMA yakin kekayaan bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa intelektual dan bahasa kebangsaan dan ia mampu menjadi bahasa penghantar yang berkesan untuk pelajaran Sains dan Matematik. Ia adalah bahasa yang setanding dengan pelbagai bahasa bangsa lain di dunia. Oleh itu, Malaysia akan tetap mampu menjadi negara maju seperti Jepun, German, Italy dan Perancis, walaupun tidak menggunakan Bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa sains dan teknologi.

ISMA menyeru agar seluruh rakyat Malaysia terus memupuk rasa cinta dan bangga terhadap Bahasa Melayu kerana ia merupakan lambang jatidiri unggul dan keunikan yang perlu dipertahankan.

Ustaz Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman,
Presiden,
Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (ISMA)

Sumber: Laman Web ISMA

Himpunan Sejuta Umat

2011-10-20T16:56:00.000+08:00

Ayuh kita hadir beramai-ramai ke Stadium Shah Alam pada hari Sabtu ini (22 Oktober 2011)! Cabaran terhadap aqidah dan pemikiran umat pada hari ini merupakan ancaman terbesar dan berlaku dengan cukup giat. Mudah-mudahan program ini akan dapat menjadi pencetus kepada solidariti umat atas manhaj Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah, serta memangkin gerak kerja yang lebih bersemangat dan agresif bagi mempertahan dan menjaga aqidah umat daripada dihina dan diperlekehkan oleh musuh-musuh umat ini.

Nota penting: Ini bukan program partik politik. Sedih kerana masih ada di kalangan ahli politik yang sudah terlalu buta dan bebal sehingga program seperti ini pun ditimbang tara dan dinilai menggunakan neraca dan kaca mata politik.

The Prophet’s Relic

2011-10-05T16:51:00.000+08:00

Subhanallah! Alhamdulillah! Laailaahaillallah! Allahuakbar!

Tidak hairanlah baginda Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam begitu merindui untuk bertemu dengan umat baginda di akhir zaman ini; kerana sesungguhnya umat baginda juga merindui baginda dengan sepenuh hati. Alangkah indahnya seandainya seluruh umat Islam di seluruh dunia mempunyai rasa cinta kepada baginda sepertimana umat baginda di Chechnya ini. Aduh, andai diri ini berpeluang walau untuk menyentuh dengan hujung jari cawan yang pernah digunakan oleh baginda Rasulullahsallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, akan terangkatlah segala masalah dan kesedihan diri ini.

I love you Chechen people!

Majlis Penyerahan Sijil Pelawaan Penubuhan Kolej Universiti As-Sofa

2011-09-29T16:39:00.001+08:00

Selasa, 27 September 2011 – Dengan Rahmat Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala, Majlis Penyerahan Sijil Pelawaan Penubuhan Kolej Universiti As-Sofa telah berjaya dilaksanakan dengan lancar dan penuh gilang gemilang di Istana Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan. Penyerahan Sijil Pelawaan tersebut telah disempurnakan oleh Yang Berhormat Dato’ Seri Mohamad Khalid Bin Nordin, Menteri Pengajian Tinggi yang telah menyerahkan replika Sijil Pelawaan tersebut kepada Yang Berbahagia Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Bin Kamaludin Al-Maliki selaku Pengerusi Gerbang As-Sofa Sdn. Bhd. sambil disaksikan oleh DYMM Yang Di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, yang telah berkenan mencemar duli menghadiri majlis itu dan berkenan mengizinkan penggunaan Istana Seri Menanti. Turut menyaksikan adalah Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan, Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Seri Hj. Mohamad Bin Hj. Hasan.

Menurut YAB Menteri Besar dan YB Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, inilah julung kalinya penubuhan sebuah universiti atau kolej universiti dimulakan dari dalam istana. Sesungguhnya sokongan yang diberikan oleh DYMM Yang Di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan sudah tentu melambangkan kepercayaan dan harapan besar yang diberikan kepada Gerbang As-Sofa Sdn. Bhd. dan Yayasan Sofa Negeri Sembilan itu sendiri di bawah pimpinan Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Bin Kamaludin Al-Maliki untuk terus menerajui usaha mengembangkan tradisi ilmu Islam.

Dengan sokongan yang jitu daripada semua pihak, sama ada berbentuk material mahupun moral, adalah diharapkan penubuhan Kolej Universiti As-Sofa akan dapat menjadi nadi kepada perkembangan ilmu yang berteraskan metodologi Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah yang murni, yang seterusnya akan menyumbang ke arah pembangunan dan kemajuan umat secara menyeluruh.

Penyampaian Sijil Pelawaan Penubuhan KUASA oleh Menteri Pengajian Tinggi kepada Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Kamaludin Al-Maliki disaksikan oleh DYMM Yang Di-Pertuan Besar Negeri Sembilan

Al-Musnid Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Kamaludin Al-Maliki menyampaikan ucapan sambil diperhatikan oleh DYMM Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir

Dari kiri; YB Dato' Seri Mohamad Khalid Nordin, DYMM Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, YAB Dato' Seri Hj. Mohamad Hj. Hasan, Prof. Dr. Rujhan, Al-Musnid Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Kamaludin Al-Maliki

DYMM Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir berkenan mempersilakan Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Bin Kamaludin Al-Maliki ke Banquet Hall untuk sesi sidang akhbar

Sesi Sidang Akhbar untuk Majlis Penyerahan Sijil Pelawaan Penubuhan KUASA

Barisan penggerak dan petugas Gerbang As-Sofa Sdn. Bhd. dan Yayasan Sofa Negeri Sembilan bersama Al-Musnid Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Bin Kamaludin Al-Maliki

YAB Menteri Besar sedang membincangkan sesuatu dengan Syeikh Muhammad Fuad Bin Kamaludin Al-Maliki dan Dato' Yahya A. Jalil sambil diperhatikan Dr. Yusri Bin Dato' Mohamad

Malam Amal Mahabbah Rasulullah

2011-06-20T19:24:00.001+08:00

Menjemput semua untuk hadir ke Malam Amal Mahabbah Rasulullah...

Hasil jualan tiket akan digunakan untuk menggerakkan segala aktiviti pendidikan Yayasan Sofa seperti Sekolah Tinggi Islam As-Sofa (STIAS), Darul Quran wal Hadith (DaQwaH), Kolej Islam As-Sofa, Majlis Pengajian Kitab harian, dan lain-lain.

Untuk tempahan tiket serta pertanyaan, sila hubungi saya di:

03-42922911 / 019-8285019

akhie_naim@yahoo.co.uk

akhienaim@gmail.com

** TEMPAT ADALAH TERHAD **

Intellectual Discourse with Dr. Hisham Hellyer

2011-06-20T19:16:00.002+08:00

As part of the ISSI initiative, we are pleased to invite you to the 2011 Intellectual Discourse Series with Dr. Hisham Hellyer, co-hosted with Islamic Outreach ABIM. The topic of discussion will be “Islam: Universality and Uniqueness”, and will be organized on Sunday 3^rd July 2011 from 930am-1130am at the Seminar Room, Masjid Negara, Jalan Perdana, Kuala Lumpur.

H.A. Hellyer is Director of the policy research consortium, the Visionary Consultants Group (VCG) (with consultants in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, based out of Cairo), and Fellow at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations at the University of Warwick (UK). Formerly Ford Fellow of Centre for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution (USA), Dr Hellyer is a United Nations ‘Global Expert’ on the politics of the MENA region, Muslim world-West relations and Islam & modernity.

Nominated as Deputy Convenor of the UK Government’s Home Office working group on Muslim communities in the aftermath of the July 7th bombings in London, he was also Fellow at the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office. A contributor to Oxford Analytica, he is regularly invited to give advice and evidence to the Department of Communities and Local Government, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Home Office, the House of Commons (UK), the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department (USA).

He has also served as a consultant to different British Council initiatives in Europe, North America and the Middle East, and was also appointed as Senior Outreach Manager and Senior Academic Advisor at Soliya, a UN Alliance of Civilisations implementation organisation that seeks to improve West – Muslim world relations through new media and university education. The consultancy he founded, the VCG, focuses on issues of relevance to development in the Middle East and broader MENA – West relations, with clients ranging from the UK Foreign Office to foundations in the Gulf, to private elite clientele. Dr Hellyer is a specialist on political transition and civil society in the Arab world, and is currently advising the new initiative ‘Tahrir Squared’ which is designed to promote civil society activity.

Educated at Hill House, London, and at international schools in the UK and in the Middle East, Dr Hellyer received a Law degree and a Masters degree in International Political Economy from the University of Sheffield. He received his PhD from the University of Warwick with a multidisciplinary degree relating to politics, sociology and law, and studied the Islamic intellectual tradition in Egypt, the UK and Malaysia. Previously Member of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies of the University of Oxford, Dr Hellyer was also Warwick University’s Senior Research Fellow (the equivalent of an Associate Professor), and visiting Professor of Law at the American University in Cairo. Member of the International Institute of Strategic Studies (London, Washington, Singapore) and Fellow of the Young Foundation (UK), Dr. Hellyer was previously Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS Malaysia). He is a widely sought after public speaker and commentator in the West and the Muslim world , and is currently writing two books on European and American security policy, and the Arab Spring.

We have decided not to ask for a registration fee, but it is important that we get an accurate idea of numbers and we would be most grateful if you would register accordingly by responding to our co-ordinator Aliff Basri, at +60340235664, or (especially to book attendance) at admin@issimalaysia.org.my. We look forward to seeing you on 3rd July 2011.

Azril Mohd. Amin

Program Pengukuhan Ilmu

2011-05-19T13:56:00.004+08:00

Pra-pendaftaran boleh dibuat di sini.

Program Persediaan Ke IPT 2011 (Sarawak)

2011-05-17T18:29:00.001+08:00

Kepada semua remaja Islam Sarawak, khususnya sekitar kawasan Kuching, lepasan SPM, STPM, STAM dan sebagainya - sama ada anda telah mendapat tawaran untuk melanjutkan pelajaran ataupun belum - anda dijemput menghadiri program ini untuk menimba pengalaman dan menambah ilmu pengetahuan. InsyaAllah akan ada sesi perkongsian ilmu oleh Yang Berbahagia Dr. Mohd. Farid bin Mohd. Shahran, Timbalan Dekan Fakulti Ilmu Wahyu dan Sains Kemanusiaan, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia. Sila hubungi 019-8212606 (Shamsiah) dengan segera!

NGO Islam: Kristian agresif ancam Muslim Malaysia

2011-05-09T16:05:00.002+08:00

Oleh Shazwan Mustafa Kamal

May 07, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, 7 Mei – Islam di Malaysia berhadapan dengan ancaman ekoran sikap agresif komuniti Kristian yang mahu bertekad menarik Muslim yang tidak kukuh akidah menganut agama itu, dakwa beberapa kumpulan Islam hari ini.

Pertubuhan-pertubuhan Pembela Islam (Pembela) mendakwa masyarakat Kristian sedang menyusun perancangan terperinci untuk memastikan lebih ramai Muslim meninggalkan kepercayaan mereka, tindakan yang bertentangan dengan Perlembagaan negara.

Presiden Pembela Dr Yusri Mohamad berkata, tuntutan-tuntutan masyarakat Kristian berhubung isu Allah dan juga Alkitab membuktikan mereka mahu mempengaruhi Muslim menganuti Kristian dan meninggalkan Islam.

“Kita berhadapan dengan kumpulan Kristian yang agresif, ambil sikap konfrontasi,” katanya.

“Tuntutan-tuntutan mereka berhubung Al-Kitab, kalimah Allah berkaitan dengan usaha mereka menyebarkan Kristian... mereka menggunakan strategi ini untuk menjinakkan Muslim, dengan menggunakan terma-terma yang dekat dengan agama kita,” kata Yusri ketika satu majlis di sini hari ini.

Peguam syariah itu berkata ini ada usaha-usaha secara langsung untuk mengkompromikan kedudukan Islam yang merupakan agama rasmi negara ini.

Seorang saudara baru, Ann Wan Seng, yang merupakan sebahagian daripada panel hari ini yang membincangkan sama ada “Islam berhadapan dengan ancaman” berkata, masalah di kalangan Muslim negara ini ialah mereka tidak merasakan berhadapan dengan ancaman.

“Kita perlu merasakan terancam... masalahnya ialah orang kita tidak merasakan apa-apa meskipun apabila kita berhadapan dengan ancaman.

“Kita tidak boleh hanya mempersalahkan (komuniti) Kristian atas kerja mereka, kita tidak melakukan kerja kita,” katanya lagi.

Ann mendakwa Petaling Jaya kini berperanan sebagai hab bagi menyebarkan agama Kristian dan Muslim menjadi murtad.

“Pihak Kristian melakukan yang ini secara diam-diam dan juga secara terbuka, mereka menyebakan risalah kepada pelajar Muslim kita.

“Saya ada melihat perkara ini berlaku di Universiti Malaya (UM). Pelajar-pelajar wanita memakai tudung tetapi apabila anda mengalihkan tudung, mereka memakai salib,” dakwa Ann.

Ann juga mendakwa keadaan yang serupa berlaku di Johor di mana Persatuan Kristian Melayu Singapura menghantar anggotanya ke Johor untuk menarik Muslim menjadi Kristian.

Seorang lagi anggota panel Zaid Kamaruddin dari Jemaah Islamiyah Malaysia (JIM) berkata, Muslim tidak boleh berpuas hati dengan keadaan semasa dan mengharapkan hak-hak mereka dilindungi oleh Perlembagaan Persekutuan ataupun oleh parti-parti politik.

“Kesemua kumpulan Islam, NGO perlu bersatu atas matlamat bersama,” katanya lagi.

Utusan Malaysia edisi hari ini membawa laporan muka depan bertajuk “Kristian agama rasmi” berdasarkan tulisan dibawa beberapa blogger pro-Umno.

Blog-blog itu menuduh DAP menghasut dengan cuba meminda undang-undang negara untuk menjadikan mereka yang beragama Kristian menjadi perdana menteri, dengan menunjukkan gambar berbintik-bintik yang didakwa mereka sebagai pakatan rahsia antara DAP dan pastor-pastor di sebuah hotel di Pulau Pinang, Rabu lalu.

Perlembagaan Persekutuan tidak memperuntukkan syarat agama atau kaum bagi seseorang menjadi perdana menteri.

Pertubuhan National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) bersama Global Day of Prayer, Marketplace Penang dan Penang Pastors Fellowship menegaskan dakwaan terhadap komuniti adalah pembohongan dan telah pun menafikan dakwaan blogger berkenaan malam tadi.

Ahli Parlimen Jelutong, Jeff Ooi juga menafikan dakwaan kononnya beliau menganjurkan satu majlis pertemuan paderi dari seluruh negara, yang didakwa turut membincangkan agenda menjadikan Kristian sebagai agama rasmi Persekutuan, sekali gus melantik Perdana Menteri dalam kalangan penganut agama itu.

Menurut wakil rakyat DAP itu, beliau hanya menghadiri majlis kesyukuran yang diadakan secara tertutup untuk paderi-paderi tersebut sebagai tetamu.

Dalam respons, seorang anggota panel forum anjuran Pembela ini berkata, meskipun tiada peruntukan undang-undang mengenai soal agama atau kaum untuk menjadi perdana menteri, penyandang jawatan itu mestilah seorang yang beragama Islam.

“Perdana menteri mestilah seorang Muslim, atau tidak dia tidak boleh menasihati Yang di-Pertuan Agong dalam hal-hal berkaitan agama Islam.

“Bagaimana anda boleh ada bukan Islam menasihati Agong dalam soal-soal mengenai Islam,” kata peguam Datuk Zainal Rejal.

Sumber: The Malaysian Insider

Sheikh Al-Azhar mengganggap Salafiyyin (golongan Salafi) sebagai “Khawarij Masa Kini”

2011-05-04T13:48:00.001+08:00

NOTA: Golongan Salafi (Salafiyyin) yang disebutkan di sini merujuk kepada golongan Salafi-Wahabi, yakni golongan yang sering mendakwa mereka berpegang kepada Al-Qur'an dan As-Sunnah serta merujuk kepada golongan salafussoleh, tetapi pada hakikatnya mereka sangat tidak beradab dengan ilmu dan ahli ilmu sehingga menyebabkan mereka berada dalam kekeliruan dan kebingungan yang amat. Hakikatnya ilmu bukan disampaikan melalui lembaran-lembaran kertas, tetapi ilmu tersebar melalui riwayat, disampaikan daripada dada-dada para 'ulama.

Artikel di bawah diambil daripada blog Al-Ashairah [di sini].

TERJEMAHAN BERITA

Kaherah - Al-Hayah

Selasa, 5 April 2011

Sheikh al-Azhar Dr. Ahmad al-Tayyib menyifatkan golongan Salafi (Salafiyyin) sebagai “Khawarij Masa Kini”. Dalam masa yang sama, beliau memberi amaran bahaya tentang wujudnya “rancangan untuk mengubah pemikiran dan manhaj Al-Azhar yang pertengahan dan sederhana yang telah dipelihara oleh Al-Azhar lebih daripada seribu tahun.

Beliau juga menyatakan bahawa:

“Aqidah Al-Azhar al-Sharif adalah Aqidah Al-Ash’ari (Al-Ashairah) dan al-Maturidi (Al-Maturidiyyah) dan (berpegang dengan) fiqh Imam Yang Empat serta Tasawwuf Imam al-Junayd.”

Dr. Ahmad al-Tayyib juga mengkritik pencerobohan golongan Salafi ke atas kawasan perkuburan dan maqam para Awliya’ dan dengan tegas menyatakan bahawa amalan tersebut sebagai bertentengan dengan ajaran Islam yang sebenar, ini dinyatakan di hadapan ratusan pelajar-pelajar asing yang mengikuti pengajian di Al-Azhar semalam. Dan Al-Azhar:

akan terus berkekalan di atas mazhab Al-Ash’ari dan memelihara pemikiran tasawwuf yang benar dan yang telah didokong oleh puluhan (ramai) para shuyukh (ulama’) Al-Azhar di dalam sejarahnya.

Penegasan beliau ini datang pada waktu golongan-golongan ekstrim menceroboh dan memusnahkan masjid-masjid ahli sufi di mana sebahagian golongan Salafi telah menyalakan api di maqam Sayyid Izz al-Din di daerah Manufiyyah (Delta Nil) sehingga maqam tersebut terbakar sepenuhnya sebelum pihak pertahanan awam dan bomba sempat memadamkan api tersebut daripada merebak ke masjid yang bersebelahan dengannya.

Dalam waktu yang sama, Universiti Al-Azhar telah memutuskan untuk membuat penyiasatan ke atas seorang profesornya di Fakulti Kejuruteraan, Dr. Muhammad Ridha Muharram yang didakwa telah menggambarkan (Nabi) Muhammad SAW sebagai “tokoh terbesar sekular di dalam sejarah manusia” di dalam banyak syarahan akademiknya kepada para pelajar yang telah menyebabkan kemarahan terhadapnya bertukar menjadi demonstrasi.

Rektor Universiti Al-Azhar Dr, Usamah Al-Abd telah menegaskan kepada “[wartawan] al-Hayah” bahawa satu komiti/lujnah undang-undang akan dibentuk untuk penyiasatan isu tersebut dengan Profesor (tersebut) dan beliau menerangkan bahawa “pembentukan lujnah tersebut dibuat sebagai satu reaksi kepada demonstrasi yang telah dilakukan oleh mahasiswa fakulti kejuruteraan dan daripada fakulti-fakulti yang lain.” Beliau juga menyatakan bahawa “pihak universiti telah memutuskan untuk menggantung Dr. Ridha Muharram daripada tugasnya sehingga selesainya penyiasatan dan keputusan yang sesuai telah dibuat berkenaan dakwaan yang dikenakan terhadapnya.”

[Selesai terjemahan]

Sumber: http://adf.ly/1Psvx [Bahasa Arab]

Komentar penulis:

Dr. Mahmud Subayh juga telah menulis mengenai kejahatan golongan Salafi di Mesir pada waktu ini yang telah menyerang banyak maqam-maqam para Awliya’ di bandar Qaliyub pada waktu tengah malam dan mereka telah menghancurkan empat maqam para awliya’ yang bersejarah iaitu : Sheikh Raddad, Sheikh Abdul al-Al, Sheikh al-Gharib dan Sheikh Jamaluddin dan hampir-hampir memusnahkan maqam yang kelima sebelum disedari oleh orang tempatan [Rujuk di sini]
Pencerobohan dan pemusnahan maqam para awliya’ dengan biadap juga telah dilakukan baru-baru ini oleh golongan Salafi Wahhabi di Somalia i.e. golongan al-Shabab dan Hizb al-Islami.
Ini merupakan lanjutan daripada apa yang telah dilakukan oleh oleh golongan Wahhabi di era kebangkitan mereka. Bahkan, usaha-usaha mereka untuk mengeluarkan maqam Nabi Muhammad SAW daripada masjid nabawi masih kedengaran sehingga hari ini.
Atas nama Tauhid Uluhiyyah, mereka mengkafirkan sedara Islam mereka dengan dakwaan menyembah kubur, memusnahkan kubur para awliya’ sedangkan para Sahabat r.a. tidak pernah meruntuhkan binaan rumah Saidatina Aishah r.a. dan Rasulullah SAW yang akhirnya menjadi binaan bagi maqam Baginda SAW, Saidina Abu Bakr r.a. dan Saidina Umar r.a.. Sebahagian ulama’ menyatakan bahawa Nabi Isa a.s. juga akan dimaqamkan di kawasan tersebut nanti. Allah! Allah!
Bahkan lebih dari itu, Rasulullah SAW telah dibawa menziarahi maqam Nabi Musa a.s. dan Bayt al-Lahm tempat lahir Nabi Isa a.s. sebelum beliau pergi ke Bayt al-Maqdis dalam peristiwa al-Isra’ dan al-Mi’raj yang menunjukkan kemuliaan tempat wafat dan lahirnya para anbiya’.
Lihatlah wahai saudara permusuhan mereka terhadap saudara islam mereka dan para awliya, bahkan anbiya’! di atas nama Tauhid Uluhiyyah ciptaan dan tafsiran mereka! Sedangkan perkara ini telah dibincangakan dengan panjang lebar oleh ulama’ Ahli Sunnah kita …….
Sememangnya dan tidak diragui lagi sepertimana kata Sheikh al-Azhar Dr. Ahmad al-Tayyib dan ratusan ulama’ yang lain bahawa “SALAFI WAHHABI adalah KHAWARIJ ZAMAN/MASA KINI”.
Ya Allah! Rahmatilah umat ini, berkatilah umat ini, peliharalah umat ini, dan tampunglah kekurangan umat ini dengan berkat kekasih Mu Nabi Muhammad SAW, Ahli Keluarga dan para sahabat baginda serta para ulama’ Ahli Sunnah dan Jama’ah sama ada yang masih hidup atau yang telah meninggal dunia. Allahumma Amin!

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Melayu Boleh Bersatu?

2011-05-03T23:15:00.003+08:00

Sumber: Berita Harian

Ku Li yakin Melayu boleh bersatu
Oleh Nahar Tajri

2011/05/03

Ahli Parlimen Gua Musang percaya perpaduan tercapai jika kedudukan tergugat

ALOR SETAR: Penyatuan secara menyeluruh orang Melayu yang kelihatan agak sukar berikutan perbezaan fahaman politik ketika ini boleh berlaku jika ada isu besar yang menggugat kedudukan mereka, kata Ahli Parlimen Gua Musang, Tengku Razaliegh Hamzah.

Katanya, beliau yakin orang Melayu boleh bersatu tetapi mesti ada sebab serta isu yang sesuai dan ia tidak harus lahir atas dasar konflik dengan kaum lain, tetapi lebih kepada jati diri mereka sendiri.

Sememangnya kita tidak boleh menafikan bahawa ruang dan peluang serta potensi untuk orang Melayu itu bersatu ada. Cuma, persoalan sekarang ini, apakah perlu kita menunggu sehingga ada isu besar yang melanda? Apakah orang Melayu hanya akan sedar apabila sudah "dijajah" dan "ditarah"?

Seminar Memperingati Ketokohan Sayyidah Khadijah al-Kubro

2011-05-01T01:22:00.005+08:00

Jibril 'alayhissalam berkata (yang bermaksud): "Wahai Muhammad! Khadijah telah datang kepadamu dengan membawa bekas yang berisi lauk-pauk dan makanan. Apabila dia datang kepadamu, maka sampaikanlah salam daripada Tuhannya dan daripadaku kepadanya."

Apabila Khadijah radhiyallahu 'anha datang, Rasulullah sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam menyampaikan salam tersebut kepadanya. Lalu Sayyidah Khadijah radhiyallahu 'anha menjawab (yang bermaksud): "Allah adalah al-Salam (Maha Memberi Kesejahteraan) dan daripadaNyalah jua kesejahteraan, semoga kesejahteraan sentiasa dilimpahkan kepada Jibril juga."

[Hadith riwayat Imam Bukhari dan Imam Muslim]

"Sayyidatuna Khadijah al Kubra radhiyallahu 'anha adalah wanita unik yang sepatutnya diletakkan namanya di barisan hadapan dalam senarai Srikandi Islam. Tanpanya dan tanpa pengorbanan jiwa dan raga wanita contoh sepertinya, kemungkinan kita tidak akan dapat mengecapi nikmat Iman dan Islam sepertimana yang kita kecapi pada hari ini." - Sheikh Muhammad Fuad bin Kamaludin al-Maliki

Kepada seluruh umat Islam di bumi Kenyalang, khususnya muslimat, anda dijemput menghadiri program yang julung kali diadakan ini; Seminar Memperingati Ketokohan Sayyidah Khadijah al-Kubro.

Turut menampilkan Habib 'Ali Zainal Abidin al-Hamid.

Untuk pertanyaan lanjut, sila hubungi saudari Shamsiah Mahli di talian 019-8212606.

Your Belief Your Responsibility

2011-04-29T02:59:00.000+08:00

By: Md. Asham Bin Ahmad (IKIM)

Source: Click Here

"Those who can make you believe", says Voltaire, "can make you commit atrocities." It is true that ideas do have consequences. Hence, we have the duty to believe carefully. The sincerity of conviction alone is in no way beneficial. Many people have acquired belief not by sincere patient investigation, but by stifling their doubts. This, as far as Islam is concerned, is not acceptable, because the Religion of Islam must be founded upon knowledge and certainty.

In emphasizing this fact, a certain Muslim theologian went to the extent of declaring that one who holds to a belief without proof supporting that belief is actually not a believer! Even though this tough stance has been criticized by other scholars, they have all agreed that everyone is responsible for his or her belief, i.e. one has a responsibility to seek the truth of one's belief. Hence, according to the well known tradition of the Prophet, the first and foremost obligation of every Muslim, man and woman alike, is to seek knowledge.

Indeed, knowledge and action are the fundamental elements comprising the conceptual structure of Islam. "Islam" is the verbal noun of the verb "aslama", meaning "to submit". It refers to one's submission to God, the submission that is made consciously and willingly. "Consciously" means "knowingly", and "willingly" means "freely", without compulsion. Defined as such, the submission as demanded by Islam is not possible without knowledge.

The term "Islam" also describes an act, i.e. what one does, namely the act of submission. As such, Islam does not simply happen to someone; it comes into being dependant upon one's volition. And again, volition does not arise without knowledge.

But "Islam" is also the name of a particular religion, which means the above-mentioned submission is not subjective or formless; it is the submission which is made willingly and consciously according to the way prescribed by the religion called Islam. Hence, the action of every Muslim is subject to the rules of the shari'ah correctly understood as the path to salvation prescribed by God through His Messenger.

The message of Islam is meant for all mankind, that they submit to the will of God, in the form of submission (religion) that He accepts, namely Islam. Hence, part and parcel of the message of Islam is what it says about other religions. Islam maintains categorically that any other form of submission (i.e. religions), being a product of a certain ethnic or cultural tradition, are not acceptable to Allah. Hence, it is imperative that the followers of those religions, with the coming of Islam, heed the latter's call, supposedly for their own ultimate good, which is ‘salvation'.

Be it as it may, the fact is, for various reasons, not everybody accepts the message of Islam. This is the fact that the Qur'an itself acknowledges from the very beginning; hence, we observe abundant references to those who do not believe and the non-Muslims.

In an increasingly pluralistic contemporary world, what Islam says about other religions is misunderstood as problematic, out of place, antithetical to unity, intolerant, insulting, and unbecoming. In short, it is considered incongruent with the spirit of pluralism.

In order to abide by that spirit, the Muslims are not supposed to hold that Islam is the only true religion. Other religions, it is argued, are also true and valid, or, at the very least, the Muslims are also asked to concede that nobody can really know the truth.

But no true Muslim can accept this. It is contrary to his belief, and his belief is not make-belief, but a consequence of knowledge and certainty.

A true Muslim holds that the reality of things are objectively established, and that knowledge of it is possible and verifiable. This cardinal principle is applicable to every object of knowledge, including the message of Islam itself.

So, what Islam claims about itself as well as about other religions, are also subject to investigation and verification. For Islam, it is the truth that matters, hence, it calls upon the mankind to verify its claim to truth and compare it with the claims of other religions. It is for those who believe that truth does matter, that Islam offers its message for their consideration.

As for those who insist on maintaining the beliefs and practices of their fore-fathers, regardless of truth or falsehood, Islam has this to say: "...even though your fore-fathers understood nothing?"; and for those who do not want to heed to the call: "[ultimately] for you your religion, and for me my religion".

To know Islam also means to know what it says about other religions, even though what it says may irk the followers of other religions, or people who do not believe in any religion altogether. This sentiment is understandable because naturally no decent human being wishes to be associated with falsehood. Nobody likes to be called a follower of falsehood, be it in the form of a religion, an idea, belief, ideology, convention, etc. It means that any decent human being naturally desires truth and despises falsehood.

It is true that nobody may be forced to accept what Islam says; but the cardinal principle of a rational discourse remains: to reject a proposition is itself a proposition, and like any other proposition it is also subject to true or false judgement. So, to reject the proposition: "Islam is the true religion", means to maintain the opposite: "Islam is not the true religion". It assumes that the proposer knows the difference between a religion which is true and one which is false.

In order to judge whether a religion is true or otherwise one needs knowledge. Islam, in this regard, desires itself to be known by everybody, so that all may judge it.

Freedom, knowledge, and resposibility are intertwined. Without freedom of choice, responsibility would be an absurd notion. But freedom must not be understood in the sense that there are no asymmetries of reason and knowledge, objectivity and truth; hence, "anything goes". A rational human being would not do anything that is detrimental to his happiness. A rational choice is a choice that may contribute towards the attainment of happiness, and not the converse. In this regard, one's choice of religion is actually one's decision with regard to one's own happiness. To make the right decision one has to be free, i.e. free from ignorance, because to make a choice in the state of ignorance is contrary to being rational.

Knowledge is thus the key to human freedom. Hence, knowledge and education are paramount in Islam. A Muslim does not automatically inherit Islam from his parents. Ultimately he has to choose Islam by himself, and in order to do that he must have knowledge, the knowledge that gives him the reason to choose Islam from amongst the other choices.

So, a proper education is that which enables one to make correct moral and practical decisions in life, not the wrong ones.

What about those who claim that they are indifferent to truth or falsehood? or those who say that truth does not matter, or even if it does we could not know it? This kind of attitude is not new, and it is rather futile to argue with a person in such a state of mind. Perhaps what one can do is to make known the practical and moral consequences of adopting such an attitude. If truth is meaningless or unknowable then anything goes and all moral judgement would be absurd. So, if a nation believes that it has the right to eliminate all other nations, then no one is accountable for war crimes or genocide.

Kenapa Wahabisme, Shiisme, Pluralisme, dll. Perlu Ditentang?

2011-04-26T15:53:00.001+08:00

Kenapa Wahabisme, Shiisme, Pluralisme, dll. Perlu Ditentang?

Dengan nama Allah yang Maha Pemurah, Maha Penyayang. Segala lafaz pujian bagi Allah yang Menguasai seluruh alam. Maha Suci Allah daripada diserupakan dengan segala yang baru. Selawat dan salam ke atas junjungan agung kita Sayyiduna Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, juga kepada ahli keluarga baginda yang mulia serta para sahabat yang terpuji.

Saya teringat beberapa artikel yang pernah saya baca yang mengkritik perjuangan kelompok “Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah” – khususnya perjuangan menentang “wahabi”, “syiah”, “pluralisme” dan sebagainya. Sememangnya masih ramai di kalangan umat Islam di negara ini yang tidak memahami akan sebab perjuangan kelompok Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah menentang golongan seperti Wahabi dan sebagainya. Malah, ada juga suara-suara yang mengkritik amalan label-melabel dengan nama-nama seperti “wahabi”, “syiah”, “pluralis agama” dan lain-lain; kelompok-kelompok yang dipakaikan dengan label itu menyatakan bahawa mereka ‘dituduh’. Kelompok yang dilabelkan dengan nama “wahabi” – sebagai contoh – tidak mengaku mereka daripada kalangan “wahabi”.

Dalam menilai situasi ini, satu perkara yang disepakati oleh para ‘ulama seluruh dunia adalah – bahawa kelompok yang sentiasa berada di atas kebenaran seperti yang dijamin di dalam hadith Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam adalah kelompok Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah. Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah merujuk kepada kelompok umat Islam yang sentiasa berpegang teguh dengan sunnah baginda Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, dan sentiasa berada di dalam jamaah umat Islam yang majoriti. Dalam hal ini, Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah bukanlah merujuk kepada mana-mana persatuan, atau organisasi, atau mazhab, atau tareqat secara khusus. Tetapi yang menjadi kayu ukur terpenting dalam mengukur sama ada layak atau tidak sesuatu kelompok itu tergolong dalam “keluarga” Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah, adalah soal ‘aqidah. Hal ini demikian kerana Rasulullah telah menjamin semua yang beragama Islam dengan sebenarnya – yakni dengan ‘aqidah yang murni – adalah golongan yang selamat. Justeru, kelompok yang berpegang dan beri’tiqad dengan ‘aqidah yang menyeleweng yang tidak selari dengan ajaran Al-Qur’an dan As-Sunnah, bolehlah ditolak keluar daripada kelompok Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah. Seterusnya, apabila kita membicarakan tentang soal ‘aqidah – yang mana asas-asas dalam hal ‘aqidah tidak ada ruang untuk khilaf – maka kita membicarakan tentang Allah dan Rasulullah.

Maka, dalam hal ini, saya ingin cuba menyenaraikan beberapa ciri-ciri pemikiran yang wujud pada hari ini – dan perkara-perkara inilah yang menjadi sebab kenapa para ‘ulama Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah begitu giat menentang kelompok-kelompok yang pelbagai yang wujud di negara ini. Kita lupakan seketika label-label yang telah diberikan dan kita perhatikan ciri-ciri pemikiran yang menyeleweng – atau paling tidak sedikit menyimpang – daripada ‘aqidah Islam yang murni;

(1) Faham mujassimah – yakni fahaman yang menjisimkan Allah, menyatakan bahawa Allah itu mempunyai jisim. Apabila seseorang menyatakan bahawa Allah itu mempunyai jisim, maka orang itu sebenarnya telah memberikan sifat “beranggota” kepada Allah, kerana yang dikatakan jisim itu – menempati ruang, mempunyai had dan menghasilkan satu bentuk anggota. Walhal, Allah itu “tidak menyerupai segala sesuatu”. Haram bagi seseorang menyamakan Allah dengan makhluk-Nya. Justeru, tidak boleh beri’tiqad bahawa Allah itu mempunyai tangan – kerana tangan itu makhluk. Namun, ada kelompok yang beri’tiqad begitu – mentafsirkan (sebagai contoh) kalimah “yad” dalam al-Qur’an secara literal membawa maksud “tangan Allah” sedangkan haram memberikan anggota kepada Allah kerana anggota itu adalah makhluk.

(2) Menyerupakan Allah dengan makhluk dalam hal lain – contohnya dengan menyatakan bahawa Allah itu bertempat. Sebagai contoh, ada kelompok yang menyatakan bahawa Allah berada di langit. I’tiqad bahawa Allah berada di langit juga adalah salah, haram bagi sesiapa menyatakan bahawa Allah itu mempunyai tempat. Hal ini demikian kerana apabila diberikan tempat kepada Allah, maka itu bermaksud Allah itu mempunyai had. Kerana, jika Allah menempati langit, bermakna Allah tidak ada di bumi. Dan, kalaupun dikatakan Allah berada di langit dan di bumi sekaligus, tetap juga salah kerana tidak boleh memberikan tempat kepada Allah. Apabila seseorang menyatakan bahawa Allah itu berada di sesuatu tempat, maka itu membawa implikasi makna bahawa Allah tidak ada di tempat yang lain, justeru menggambarkan bahawa Allah itu ada had. Sedangkan Maha Suci Allah yang Maha Berkuasa daripada mempunyai sebarang had dan batasan. Ayat-ayat al-Qur’an dan hadith yang merujuk ke langit sebagai tempat sumber turunnya Rahmat Allah, dan juga sebagai tempat kiblat bagi doa, adalah kerana langit tempat duduknya para malaikat. Para malaikat pula adalah tentera-tentera Allah – makhluk yang diutuskan oleh Allah untuk menyampaikan Rahmat-Nya, dan juga ditugaskan oleh Allah untuk mencatat segala amal perbuatan hamba-Nya.

(3) Merendahkan martabat dan taraf Sayyiduna Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam dengan menyamatarafkan baginda dengan manusia biasa. Ada bentuk pemikiran yang menyatakan bahawa Sayyiduna Muhammad tidak mempunyai apa-apa keistimewaan sebelum diturunkan wahyu pertama pada usia 40 tahun – malah menyatakan bahawa Sayyiduna Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam sebelum diturunkan wahyu sama sahaja seperti “Muhammad-Muhammad yang lain”. Memang benar terdapat ayat al-Qur’an seperti di dalam surah al-Kahfi di mana Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala berfirman yang lebih kurang maksudnya: “Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Sesungguhnya aku ini adalah manusia seperti kamu...”. Namun, ayat al-Qur’an yang sering menjadi hujahan pihak yang merendah-rendahkan taraf Rasulullah itu tidak terhenti setakat itu, namun setakat itulah ayat al-Qur’an ini sering digunakan. Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala berfirman dalam ayat tersebut yang bermaksud: “Katakanlah (wahai Muhammad): Sesungguhnya aku ini adalah manusia seperti kamu, diturunkan wahyu kepadaku...”. Hakikat bahawa Rasulullah diturunkan wahyu kepada baginda adalah merupakan pembeza antara taraf baginda dan taraf manusia biasa. Justeru, adalah merupakan satu kebiadaban yang besar terhadap Rasulullah untuk menyamatarafkan baginda dengan manusia biasa kerana bukan sahaja taraf spiritual baginda yang tidak sama dengan manusia biasa, malah fizikal baginda juga tidak sama dengan manusia biasa. Cukuplah kita membaca kitab “Syamail an-Nabi” karangan Imam at-Tirmizi untuk kita memahami betapa luarbiasanya baginda.

(4) Antara bentuk pemikiran yang cukup biadab adalah menyatakan bahawa ibubapa Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam adalah kafir. Biarpun golongan ini menghadirkan beberapa hadith sebagai dokongan hujah mereka, namun para ulama yang benar-benar faham akan hakikat Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam telah menghuraikan beberapa maksud terhadap hadith-hadith tersebut. Dalam masa yang sama, terdapat beberapa hadith yang turut menjelaskan tentang keislaman ibubapa Rasulullah seperti hadith yang menjelaskan tentang kesucian susur galur baginda. Paling mudah, kita selaku umat Sayyiduna Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam boleh memahami bahawa ibubapa baginda hidup sebagai ahli fatrah. Namun, cukup menyedihkan kerana masih ada di kalangan umat ini yang ‘tergamak’ untuk mengkafirkan ibubapa Rasulullah sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam.

(5) Terdapat juga satu bentuk kecenderungan untuk menghukum haram perkara yang dihalalkan atau dibenarkan oleh Allah dan Rasul-Nya. Contohnya, terdapat kelompok yang menghukum bid’ah (dholalah) amalan-amalan sunat seperti menziarahi kubur para nabi dan orang-orang yang mulia di sisi Allah. Sedangkan baginda Rasulullah sendiri menziarahi kuburan orang mulia, dan tidak melarang umat baginda untuk menziarahi kuburan orang-orang mulia.

(6) Bentuk pemikiran yang tidak betul juga adalah pemikiran yang mengkafirkan para sahabat Rasulullah, serta bentuk pemikiran yang mengkafirkan para ‘ulama dengan sewenang-wenangnya. Ada pemikiran yang mengkafirkan para sahabat, menuduh para sahabat merampas hak Sayyidina ‘Ali selaku khalifah serta ingkar terhadap arahan Rasulullah. Kelompok ini mungkin tidak memahami larangan baginda Rasulullah daripada mencela dan menghina para sahabat – apatah lagi mengkafirkan! Ada juga kelompok yang dengan mudahnya mengkafirkan para ulama kerana dikatakan melakukan amalan khurafat atau syirik. Seorang imam di Makkah, contohnya, seringkali menyebut kepada para tetamu Allah di sana akan kafirnya ulama yang melakukan atau menyambut Maulid Nabi sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam; walhal, Maulid Nabi adalah merupakan amalan terpuji yang disepakati oleh para ulama. Malah, ulama agung kontemporari, Sayyid Muhammad ibn ‘Alawi al-Maliki al-Hasani telah memfatwakan hukum wajib ke atas perayaan Maulid Nabi, dengan mengambil kira keadaan semasa umat Islam.

(7) Ada juga aliran pemikiran yang menyamatarafkan para imam mereka dengan Nabi. Aliran pemikiran ini jelas menyeleweng kerana pertama, kenabian telah terhenti dengan Sayyiduna Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam; dan kedua, kerana tidak ada sesiapa di kalangan manusia yang boleh menyamai atau melangkaui taraf para Nabi kerana para Nabi adalah mereka yang diturunkan kepada mereka wahyu oleh Allah.

(8) Satu lagi bentuk pemikiran yang tidak betul adalah pemikiran yang cenderung untuk menyamatarafkan semua agama. Bentuk pemikiran ini cuba meletakkan “kebenaran” itu berada pada semua agama, dan bahawa semua agama akhirnya membawa kepada “keselamatan”. Pemikiran seperti ini cukup berbahaya kerana beberapa sebab, antaranya; pertama, membuka ruang untuk seseorang itu keluar-masuk agama Islam dengan sewenang-wenangnya; kedua, bertentangan dengan deklarasi Allah di dalam al-Qur’an bahawa “Sesungguhnya agama (yang diredhai) di sisi Allah itu hanyalah Islam.”; ketiga, menjejaskan ‘aqidah kerana asas ‘aqidah dalam Islam adalah kalimah tauhid “tiada tuhan melainkan Allah”, sedangkan agama-agama lain mempunyai kefahaman dan konsepsi yang berbeza tentang tuhan.

Itulah antara lain sedikit-sebanyak bentuk-bentuk pemikiran yang bercanggah dengan aqidah Islam, yang dapat saya senaraikan secara ringkas dan mudah. Penyelewengan-penyelewengan seperti inilah, dan juga banyak bentuk penyelewengan pemikiran yang lain, yang mendorong para ulama Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah untuk lantang mengkritik dan menentang golongan-golongan tertentu di negara ini. Untuk mendapatkan kefahaman yang lebih jelas dan terperinci, serta untuk memastikan kita sentiasa berada di atas jalan kebenaran, rantaikanlah diri dengan para ulama Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah!

Wallahu’alam.

Review 1MY Email Project; Instead, Why Not...

2011-04-22T03:27:00.004+08:00

I was reading my complimentary copy of The Sun while waiting for my delayed FireFly flight to Kuching, and I couldn’t help but feel somewhat amused by reports on the 1MY Email project. I remembered when I first heard of the 1MY Email project – a ‘special’ 1Malaysia email account for every citizen of Malaysia – I felt like the government has been receiving very poor advices. I mean, what is so special about giving each and every citizen of Malaysia a 1Malaysia-branded email account?

I quote the report in The Sun (dated April 21st), on one paragraph it reported that a high-official from the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) said: “...all Malaysians will benefit from the 1Malaysia email system and have better correspondence on government-related matters.”

I am puzzled, as I am sure many of us are; what benefit will Malaysians get from the 1Malaysia email? First of all, what is so special about the 1Malaysia email system? What makes the 1Malaysia email system stand out so obviously good that it will encourage email users to switch from using popular and free email service providers such as Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, etc.? And what’s with the 1Malaysia email system going to benefit “all Malaysians”? That’s an ignorant statement, coming from someone at MDeC. Last year (2010) the statistic for Internet usage among Malaysians is estimated around 60%. There are still one thirds of the people in this country who do not use Internet. Another thing, although the statistic is considerably high at 60%, we must also take into consideration that there are still lots of people in this country who are not IT-savvy, even amongst those 60% of Internet users. I remember having to give a step-by-step guide to an 18-year-old acquaintance of mine, last year, on how to attach a file in emails. So, how can giving an email account (or another one for most) to each and every Malaysians will benefit them? I just don’t see how.

And what about “having better correspondence on government-related matters”? Yes, there are problems in correspondence between the people and the government, but not because the people do not have email accounts owned by the government! Even if everyone were provided an account, what guarantee is there that people will use it? – over their current and already-well-known email addresses? If people do not use the provided 1MY email, how then can it improve correspondence? Even if indeed emails is the way to allow better correspondence between the government and the people, wouldn’t it be just as tedious to just get everyone to register their current email addresses, create a database of email addresses – and the just blast whatever information the government has got to spread to those email addresses?

The news report further said: “He said the issue should be seen as a positive development for Malaysians because it will encourage more Malaysians to use ICT to conduct transactions with the government. ‘Currently, there is a tendency among Malaysians to carry out transactions or other government-related matters over the counter,’”. As disappointed I am with such a simplistic view on matters, it’s quite understandable as it has always been the government’s style to make simplistic decisions.

Okay, it is a positive development that all Malaysians will have their own email account. (Wow!) But, again, how can giving a 1Malaysia email encourage more Malaysians to use ICT to conduct transactions with the government? That is a very simplistic view! First off, most Malaysians already do have their own email accounts, and so do every government agencies – and we even have MYeG nowadays – and yet still most people prefer to do over-the-counter transactions. Why? It’s not because they don’t have government emails! It’s because: (1) some people are still not IT-savvy, thus using emails to correspond to them is more difficult than going over to the counter; (2) people who do correspond via emails get late responses, thus going to the counter where they can get on-the-spot responses is only logical; (3) not everything can be done online. I remember a few years back I attended a briefing at the Ministry of Youth & Sports on how to use their new online system to request for funding for youth programs – and it turned out, as so many have complained – that using the online system to request for funding makes things much more tedious and takes even longer to process than the good old over-the-counter procedures.

And then there’s issue of privacy. There are lots of Hollywood movies to get everyone become paranoid enough to think that an email account provided by the government, will almost definitely be spied upon by the government – for “national security”, of course.

Really, I do not understand how the 1MY Email will help boost ICT usage.

So, instead of the 1MY Email project, the government and the company responsible for running this project – Tricubes Bhd. – will do much more good with the RM50 million investment if they, instead, focus on projects such as:

(1) Setting up free WiFi hotspots in every city and town in this country. Without Internet access, even with an email account, how will people even open their inbox? Seriously, instead of an email account, free WiFi hotspots will do much better in boosting ICT development as more and more people will have access to the Internet, thus making more and more people comfortable using it.

Or,

(2) Develop a huge system for the government that would connect and synchronize the information network for government agencies. This is a big loophole for current government agencies. One of the reasons why people do not correspond well with the government is because of all the red-tapes and the tedious procedures that they have to go through over and over again. The government should have one large infrastructure of information network that would synchronize information between government agencies. If such a network can be developed, it would make things much easier for the government, and for the people. For example, citizens who has turned 21 can be automatically registered as a voter with the Elections Commission – using information from the National Information Department. So much procedural cost can be saved, and people would find that interacting with government agencies is much easier and faster.

Or,

(3) Spend the money to conduct more educational programs, and build more infrastructures to spur ICT development. There are still lots of areas in this country where people do not know how to use the Internet; and there are still so many who do not know how to use the Internet “properly”. Conducting educational programs all around the country – teach the people how to fully utilize the Internet – and encourage the brilliant minds to explore and become great programmers and developers – will give the ICT industry in this country a giant leap.

So, Datuk Seri Najib, please think again on the 1MY Email project. There are better things you can do. It’s not a crime to admit that you made a mistake – especially before it’s too late and before RM50 million goes to waste.

Sekitar Perhimpunan Aman PEMBELA 15 April 2011

2011-04-21T20:48:00.003+08:00

Alhamdulillah, perhimpunan aman Pertubuhan-pertubuhan Pembela Islam (PEMBELA) pada 15 April 2011 usai solat Jumaat di Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur telah berjalan dengan lancar dan aman. Perhimpunan tersebut bertujuan untuk memberikan mesej kepada semua rakyat negara ini - khususnya kepada golongan Kristian - agar jangan mencabar kedaulatan Islam di negara ini. Islam adalah agama negara ini, dan Islam menempati kedudukan yang istimewa di negara ini. Status quo itu jangan dicabar kerana ada umat yang akan mempertahankan! Kami juga tidak akan rela nama Tuhan orang Islam digunapakai oleh orang bukan Islam. Cukup menyedihkan, kerana masih ada juga di kalangan orang Islam yang kebingungan sehingga tergamak hati mereka membenarkan kalimah Allah digunakan oleh orang bukan Islam untuk merujuk kepada tuhan yang mereka percayai! Inilah bahana faham 'pluralisme agama' yang semakin merebak semenjak akhir-akhir ini, termasuklah kepada para pemimpin-pemimpin politik.

Semoga Allah terus mengurniakan kekuatan kepada umat Islam yang berjuang dengan tulus atas landasan Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah yang benar!

Worldview of Islam Series (WISE) 2nd Intake

2011-04-20T10:28:00.001+08:00

Himpunan Keilmuan Muslim (HAKIM) and the Curiosity Institute (CI) wish to invite you to participate in the Worldview of Islam Series (WISE) that will officially commence on the 7th of May 2011. This 6 months course will give you an opportunity to learn from some of the world well known thinkers, scholars and academicians. This course, which will be conducted in dual languages (English and Malay), is divided into two semesters, 3 months each. Classes will be on every Saturday from 9am till 1pm. Seats are limited to 50 participants only.

The soft launch of WISE will be held on May 7th (9am-1pm) at the Integrity Institute of Malaysia which will be officiated by Professor Wan Mohd Noor Wan Daud and attended by the core and potential students for the program.

For further information visit WISE on Our Website or call our project office at +603-4023 5664 (10am-6pm).

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