Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Merdeka




Yohteh of merentap sengsara inspired this entry. You can read it here.

Whenever the word merdeka was mentioned.. the story about A Roman General (Georgius?) and Muslim warrior Khalid ibnu Walid come to my mind.



The Roman General came to the Khalid's tent holding a white flag..
When Khalid came out of his tent, the Roman General said " Khalid, can you answer me truthfully, for an INDEPENDENT MAN (orang yang MERDEKA) will always tell the truth".

Khalid said " I will tell you the truth"

The Roman General said "Is it true that Allah has sent down a sword to you.. hence you are nicknamed as Saifullah (Sword of Allah)".

Khalid said "No, Allah does not send a sword down to me".

The Roman General said " If I revert to Islam now.. will my Islam will be as good as yours?"

Khalid said "No, yours will be better than mine.. you see. we have Muhammad (pbuh) amongst us, we see how he behave, how he talk ..etc.. hence we believe him to be the Allah's Messenger.. but you are yet to see him.. yet you believe in him as Allah's Messenger".

Roman General asked " How do I revert to Islam?"

Khalid said " You have to recite ..There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is messenger of Allah, cleanse yourself and perform two rakaah prayer".

The Roman General thus reverted to Islam...

May Allah give us guidance to be merdeka enough..

May the last 10 days of Ramadhan bring us the good fortune of being granted by Allah "Merdeka dari Api Neraka"..



Monday, August 23, 2010

Ramadhan and bombshells

I was searching for the famous ayat that most Muslims believed was sent down to signal that fasting was then made to be obligatory, the other day and what I got is here .. the site tell us what fasting is all about.

The ayat that I searched is:

" O ye who believe ! Fasting is prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint." (Al-Qur'an 2:183)

However the ayat that made Ramadhan is the special month for fasting is

Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful. (Al-Qur'an 2:185)

I am recording here what I gathered from one Saturday morning tazkirah (admonition)by a Penang-born teacher, Ustaz Izhar Habib, popularly known to some as Ustaz Nana in Masjid Ubudiah , Kg. Tasik Ampang. He has, at times, succinctly relates how Malaysian Muslim practices their Ramadhan.

If you go to Bazar Ramadhan you will see those who sell all kind of food, to facilitate those that are fasting. Looking further you will see some who came in clothes that is “seksa nak mampuih” (so sexy). On this issue, the traders would be quick to say “The rezeki datang bergolek, takkan kami nak tutup mata, Ustaz”(The provision came uninvited, we don’t want to close our eyes, teacher) .

He lamented about way things are perceived or prioritised.. fasting and aurat are equally wajib( obligatory)

Then you can also notice the enormous amount of food available, Malaysian dies from eating too much food.. Somalian dies from having no food. How much food has been wasted.. ( I could not recalled whether he quote the famous ayat that mean those who waste are friends of evils) - totally not in line with the concept of fasting..

Then we will have the solat tarawikh, perform solely in Ramadhan, an optional solat not obligatory. For the first 10 days of Ramadhan you will see a lot of people performing solat tarawikh. The second 10 days of Ramadhan will see a slightly reduced number as some were busy buying their Hari Raya need. For the last 10 days of Ramadhan, the number of people performing the optional solat tarawikh will be greatly reduced as old folks will also be staying home making Hari Raya pastries (kueh raya) other than entertaining the young and the not so young.

The Ustaz started asking those present as to whether the people coming for the optional tarawikh prayer is more than the Subuh (early morning) prayer. Consensus has it that only half the number of people performing the optional prayer came back for the obligatory.. Then came the question are we doing it because of fadhilat (virtues), because we believed in Ramadhan, because of custom, because we believe in Ramadhan or because of Fadhilat (virtues).

I must have dozed off or something, for out of the nowhere, I heard the teacher dropped a bombshell.. he talked about Hudud (Limit /bound).. about those Muslims who ain’t favouring Hudud Law.. he quoted the following:-


But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment
.” Al-Qur'an 20:124
He will say: “O my Lord! why hast Thou raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)?” Al-Qur'an 20.125
(Allah) will say: “Thus didst Thou, when Our Signs came unto thee, disregard them: so wilt thou, this day, be disregarded
.” Al-Qur'an 20.126
And thus do We recompense him who transgresses beyond bounds and believes not in the Signs of his Lord: and the Penalty of the Hereafter is far more grievous and more enduring.
Al-Qur'an 20.127

I think I will leave Hudud at that.

Minutes after asking the congregation for forgiveness if what the teacher is going to say is not pleasant to the ears of the ladies, dropping another bombshell.. saying something (in ladies voice) like

“raya tahun lepaih romah mak dia dah..tahun ni rumah mak cheq la pulak” (last year’s festival we went to his mother’s house, this year it should be my mother’s”..

He strongly said this should not be an issue anymore as:-

· The paradise of one is under the feet of the mother, yes! However, he stressed that the wife’s paradise is with her husband.

· Furthermore, if the husband goes to the in-laws house without full agreement, then all in the heaven and animal kingdom will be cursing (laknat) the wife...so he said..

As an elaboration the story of Fatimah AzZahrah asking Rasulullah which lady from His ummah will be blessed to be the first to go to Jannah. On knowing the person, Fatimah went to visit her.

On the first visit, Fatimah was not allowed into the house as no permission has been sought to and given by her husband for that. The next visit, Fatimah went with her son and they were not allowed into the house since no permission has been sought to and given by her husband for the son to do that. For the third visit, Fatimah brought two son along and they were refused entry as no permission has been sought to and given by her husband for the other son.

When Fatimah finally managed to gain entry to her house, Fatimah noticed that the lady was rather busy making herself presentable. When asked, she told Fatimah that she was preparing herself for her husband to come back from work. After a while the lady began to get uneasy and kept on looking at the door. On her way out of the house, Fatimah asked why was it she have a glass of water in one hand and a broom in another. “Oh! The water is for him to drink: the broom is for him to use on me should my preparation is not good enough!” came the answer.

Another story on “izin suami” (husband’s consent).. was also narrated. A daughter was unhappy that she could visit her sick father as she could not get her husband’s permission to do so since the husband was away. This was made known to the father who relayed back to her that was happy although he could not see his daughter since she did not have her husband’s permission. This goes on for months until the father passed away. The daughter was not at her father’s funeral since her husband was still away then. Story has it that the father was rewarded with paradise for his redha (happy acceptance) that he could not see his daughter as she could not get her husband’s consent.

Then came a small bombshell from the ustaz, practically a list of those, whose sins will not be forgiven during the Lailatul Qadar (night of power):-

1. Those who keep on drinking intoxicating beverage such as beer, wine etc..

2. Those who did not talk to his friend for more than 3 days

3. Those who are disobedience (rebellious) to their parents.

4. Those who severed the family ties (silaturrahim)

Then we have Hari Raya where you get the children who will be asking forgiveness from their parents. Why is it that the parents seldom ask forgiveness from their children?..

He quoted that most Malays normally go to places of worship on Hari Raya Iditfitri, Hari Raya Korban, Nisfu Syaaban Night, Mauludur Rasul, Nuzul Quran, and Hari Asyura.. It seems that the Muslims in Malaysia has been observing “seasonal” occasions, they may have not get their priorities right , focus more on preferred activities rather than obligatory activities.

Below are other notes from other ustazs (teachers) on priorities

Between performing Solat sunat (preferred) tarawikh and attending a tazkirah or majlis ilmu (teaching and learning of science) during the month of Ramadhan.. most will go for the solat however there is a Hadiths (Tradition of Rasulullah pbuh) that stress on the importance of majlis ilmu .. the hadith meant +- “ Spending a precious short time thinking about religion (learning and teaching) is better than performing 1000 rakaah of solat sunat..”

However what is very serious is about performing prayer in a congregation “the followers (makmum) has to wait until the leader(imam) has completed his movement before he moves” .. “ if the makmum follows the movement of imam before imam has completed his moved then it is considered he/she has accompanied (mengiringi) the imam not following as prescribed” This is probably why in books of Fiquh Sunnah , we are asked to make a move only after the imam has completed his saying of takbir. If this is true than some 90% of Malaysian makmum has been accompanying the imams (instead of following) for most of their congregational prayers (solat berjemaah).. Similar to what we have on Malaysian roads , there bound to be some impatient one.. overtaking the imam.. OOPs ... a final bombshell?!

May Allah bless us.

Friday, August 6, 2010

A blessed and hectic Friday

Yesterday, 6th of August 2010, marked the day when the Madrasah Tahfiz AnNuriah in Taman Muda, Ampang (it is located just behind the Puteri Park, Cheras) will be used for Jumaat weekly prayer. Early that morning, I went there to see the preparation made for this occasion. I noticed that the normal al-Quran reading and transliteration has been cancelled probably because the Ustaz (teacher) was not there. There were some testing of microphones and I also noticed that the front steps of the madrasah have yet to dry properly.


I took an annual leave yesterday, not so much because I want to celebrate the opening of the mosque.. it seems to be the duty of the eldest in the family to attend to the needs of younger siblings. My wife is the oldest of the three ladies from her family that currently reside in Lembah Kelang. Since she normally take care of buying the baju raya for the youngsters from three families, I get this 'privilege' of accompanying her. Yesterday also happen to be the start of another hari raya sale at Sogo department store.




I do not enjoy much going to the very crowded Sogo sales .. but I enjoyed the implication..
To those 7 children (all less than 8 year old) from the 2 in-law families, Cik Arif and Cik Ma (yours truly & my better half) are the one(or the two rather) who buy the baju raya (although their parents will be paying for them). Two of us are their favorite uncle and aunty.. so much so if they do not get to see or hear our voices.. they are going to pester their parents to send them to our place. More than 5 years ago, I was honored to babysit two nieces since their parents went for Umrah (little pilgrimage to Mecca) and since then the two nieces has for a few times asked their parents when are they going to Mecca again?.. When asked why?.. the answer would be.."so that we can be with Cik Arif and Cik Ma again..."

If I do not go and accompany my better half to Sogo then I will get to go to numerous other departmental stores in KL, Ampang, Keramat and sometimes in Shah Alam and Kelang as alternative to that one day.. that, I believed, is not a very attractive alternative..

Yes, Alhamdulillah, I managed to get back from Sogo to reach the Madrasah Tahfiz AnNuriah of Taman Muda in time for second Kutbah... The steps has dried up sufficiently and only half of the space available in the surau been filled by the Jemaah.

I also have an appointment to see an important person in Putra Jaya yesterday evening. I got to accompany my friend who is in agriculture business.. the one that I mentioned in my previous post.. the promoter of hydroponic fodder. This seems to be a very important meeting.. a good strong support from that important person would see a lot of hydrophonic grass/fodder machines being installed on farms. This will partly solve the problem currently faced by the livestock industry in our beloved country.

That meeting will also paved the way on my friends' company role and contribution in the MAHA 2010 – Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture & Agrotourism Exhibition. Further support in the auctioning of livestock will help the farmers - from the need of using the expensive services of middlemen. This will also pave the way to a slightly more ambitious livestock exchange which will further enhance trading of live animals and their carcasses. All the meticulous planning to arrive at this noble destination will insyaAllah be implemented with proper support from the relevant government departments, the farmers and related agencies.

The meeting started at 5:15 p.m. that Friday, the important man has ensured my friend that he will help my friend's cause and has few loose ends to settle before our request can be fulfilled. The meeting ended at 6:00p.m Realizing that it is way past his normal office hours, I profusedly thanked him for sacrificing his personal time and his response took me by surprise.. he thanked me for my enthusiasm!. Noting my surprise, my friend told me later.. "that man knew my role in the whole thing.."

On other business front,
  • the labu peram thingy is not doing too well as only fews ringgits has started to trickle in.
  • my long involvement in selling ubat gingseng, as always, still provide my duit kopi..
Helping my in-law on second hand cars business, he has bought a second hand car to carry him to places of business and his mini coopers is yet to reach Port Kelang . His attempts to sell my mini cooper has so far been unsuccessful. .although he has offered a price some RM 50-70k below the market price for the full specification (with super charge - turbo? and all) mini.
  • maybe using of the student AP,
  • using student name as owner and
  • using cash -no bank loan
  • the 2 year wait for transfer of ownership
is detrimental to business healths..
Not to worry though, I can always use the mini till the 2 year period expires.. after all , all members of my family masih belum puas enjoy benda Allah tu lagi..he..he

That Friday, I was also blessed to receive a sister-in-law from Dungun, another brother-in-law from Gua Musang and his entourage and some of their off-springs in my house. To top those, I was very blessed to receive normal visit from the nephews and nieces who turned out to be very mushy mushy on receiving the nice baju rayas.. just like what my blog friend Ahmad Fahmy of PakMat experienced ... and wrote about "little mercies are made of these".