jemput ramai-ramai
Semua muslimin dan muslimat dijemput ke
Konvesyen Pemikiran Hasan Al-Banna Dalam Melakar Agenda Bangsa
Tarikh : 30 Januari 2010
Tempat : Dewan Seri Sarjana UNITEN Kampus Putrajaya.
Untuk maklumat : Layari www.kobanna.ismaweb.net
Recently I completed reading Tariq Ramadan’s latest book “What I Believe” published by Oxford University Press. A book mainly concerning his thoughts on Islam and the West, as well as refuting the many criticisms of his work. I also had the chance to read a Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin’s bilingual interview conducted by historian Farish A Noor published in the January 2010 Off The Edge Magazine.
What was incredible were the parallels of the two scholars.
Tariq Ramadan 
Tariq Ramadan’s views Islam as a religion that needs to be recognised in the West and in particular Europe. Islam is there to stay in the West. Most interesting is the emphasis of Muslims to reform and to see the West as an opportunity rather than a threat. The West in its modern systems, democracy and freedoms are just good platforms/environments to for Islam to flourish (this despite the obvious immoral actions of some participants of society). The battleground is not necessarily the immorality, but more critical is the understanding of Islam and the need to receive Westerners/Europeans of Islamic faith as part of the West/Europe. At the same time, Muslim Westerners should do away their ‘victim’ mentality and become active participants in the society. They are ‘gifts’ of potential enrichment to the West and at the same time remain ‘questions’ in terms of their faith, practices, behaviour, and day-to-day civic commitment.
He also challenged that the literalists view of Islam and suggests “those believers and worshippers need to find the means to be faithful to Islamic principles while confronting the new, fluctuating realities of Western societies. This requires resturning to the scriptual sources, revisiting literalist readings that proceed by reduction or “cultural-based” readings that operate by projection, and engaging in new interpretations in light of the new context”. (p.47) I sense this would apply to Malaysia.
He offers reform in the form of seven Cs:
1. Confidence
2. Consistency
3. Contribution
4. Creativity
5. Communication
6. Contestation
7. Compassion
There is also the question of identity or more precisely, multiple identities, which was explained with clarity. In essence, any person would have several identities which are not necessarily in conflict, as each identity is referred to for different settings. Hence, being a ‘Westerner’ and being a ‘Muslim’ are not opposing identities but rather complimentary and emphasised in different situations.
Indeed, there should also be no conflict being a ‘Malaysian’ and ‘Muslim’, as well as a ‘Malaysian’ and ‘Chinese’ or ‘Buddhist’, for example. In my view, Malaysia probably has done it better than Europe. Maybe it’s because we’re more tolerant and we had years head start.
Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin 
As for “Two Malaysias”, the amazing bilingual interview which Dr Mohd Asri had taken, his views of a need to challenge the feudalistic attitudes is critical for Malaysia to develop into a modern society is indeed the main battleground. He stressed that in some religious institutions, the emphasis is not on religion per se but really a problem of political power, especially of the royal courts.
The interview also discussed at length the historical aspects of conservatives (‘Kaum Tua’) and reformists (‘Kaum Muda’). It was eye opening that reformists were the main force for independence but later were not able to consolidate their influence post-Merdeka. It is also ironic that how the royals in Europe have lost much of their powers even though their contributions are greater, but in Malaysia the Malays are very fond of their royals. Unfortunately, the Islamisation of the royal courts in Malaysia have failed. Ultimately, the pace of reform in Malaysia has always been slow and that the feudalistic mentality continues to persist.
And also the problem of censorship and lack of freedoms has had a large impact on development. “Even in a secular state, there is still space for us to think, talk and discuss openly.” He reaffirmed the position that given the choice between a secular country that was truly democratic and a religious/Islamic country that abuses the religion (for abuse in power), he would choose the secular state, as at least, their is freedom of speech and room to make da’wah.
He also explained problems of labels especially of others labeling him ‘Wahabbi’. We need to go beyond the labels and understand the message or points of view, while pursuing the truth. In this vein, Dr Maza, as he is fondly known, is not oppose to groups such as Sisters in Islam for their right to speak, even though some of their views are not agreeable.
Summary
There needs to be reform in how Muslims think and behave in trying to live an Islamic way of life. In some ways we are still trapped in a colonial mindset. However, the winds of change is now being felt either in the West or even in Malaysia.
In an era of globalisation, westernisation of societies would be a process that reformers need to be ready to face. Instead of a total rejection of the West, values aligned to Islam need to be received with open arms and conflicting attitudes discussed in dialogue. Freedoms provided in a true democracy or religious state must be respected.
Respecting humanity, understanding and pursuit of truth is necessary to achieve this.
Links:
http://www.tariqramadan.com/spip.php?lang=en
http://drmaza.com/home/
it’s easy to accuse the recent earthquake in Haiti as a sign of Allah’s punishment (or ‘bala’) of a people that practices black magic, vodoo and other un-godly beliefs. and of course, their lifestyle is indeed to frown upon, given the advances of science and civilization in this modern age.
nevertheless, we do have to consider the aspect of the earthquake occuring at the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden Fault, and the experts warning the potential risks prior to the earthquake. therefore a likelihood that this is a natural phenomenon is more probable.
perhaps the ‘bala’ could be the after effects of the quake i.e. the instability, the poor rescue and relief efforts and the subsequent development. we will see and perhaps draw some revealing comparisons with what happened in Acheh after the tsunami (which in my view was also a natural disaster and not ‘bala’). in Acheh disaster, remember the muslim volunteers from all over Indonesia and the region that came out to their brothers and sisters aid, and the numerable mosques still standing after the tsunami and tremmors etc. that indeed was a visible sign.
it is also interesting to see how the USA handles the situation just 90 minutes from Florida.
Isu ini memang mengelirukan. Dan adakah mungkin ia keliru kerana kita, umat Islam di Malaysia ini tidak bersedia untuk menghadapi keputusan mahkamah tempoh hari yang membenarkan penggunaan kalimah Allah? Adakah kita reaktif dan tidak proaktif untuk membuat kajian walhal kita sudah tahu isu ini diketengahkan. ‘Kita’ di sini merujuk umat Islam di Malaysia terutamanya pendakwah.
Baru beberapa hari lepas ana baca dalam surat khabar yang IKIM hendak memanggil ulama dan NGO-NGO Islam untuk bincang isu ini. Ia baik tetapi terlalu lambat. Kenapa tak buat sebelum mahkamah putuskan? Adakah kita takut kepada tuduhan hina mahkamah? Atau mungkin sebab kita ambil sikap tunggu dan lihat? Atau adakah ia satu ‘maneuver’ yang licik untuk isolate PAS dari gerakan-gerakan Islam lain yang implkasinya boleh memecah-belahkan umat Islam. Harap PAS dapat menukar pandangan mereka, bersikap terbuka dan mendengar teguran saudara mereka dari gerakan Islam yang lain.
Bukankah kajian yang mendalam perlu? Rasanya sangat perlu dan ia harus dikaji dari pelbagai perspektif termasuk pandangan syarak, linguistik dan sosial supaya implikasinya dapat difahami dan dirasai. Oleh yang demikian, umat Islam akan benar-benar faham mengapa ini adalah masalah yang besar seperti sahabat ana Omar sebutkan “isu kalimah Allah ini besar implikasinya, tapi masyarakat Islam ramai yang tak ambil peduli. Isu gula naik 20 sen lebih banyak mendapat perhatian.”
Yang menariknya, kalau sesiapa tidak tahu, Majlis Fatwa sudah pun buat keputusan dalam Muzakarahnya pada tahun 2008 lagi, iaitu “Muzakarah bersetuju memutuskan bahawa Lafaz Allah merupakan kalimah suci yang khusus bagi agama dan umat Islam dan ia tidak boleh digunakan atau disamakan dengan agama-agama bukan Islam yang lain.”
Nah, apa lagi nak dikata. Ulama’ Malaysia dah buat keputusan, apalah agaknya nak mengkaji lagi tu, ana tak pasti. Apa yang ana faham, situasi sekarang memaksa kita supaya harus mengambil pendirian tegas dan mengambil tindakan-tindakan sewajarnya agar agama Islam dipertahankan dari diseleweng oleh mereka yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Dan sudah tentu dengan cara-cara yang bertamadun, bukan dengan kaedah ganas. Kita ni Islam bukannya pengganas. Memang sedih kalau ini berterusan. Kita nak hidup dalam harmoni dan aman. Agaknya mereka yang buat kerja-kerja tu dah tak tahan lagi dengan sikap mereka yang cuba selewengkan Islam. Harap dapat bersabar brader. Jangan buat tindakan terburu-buru.
wallahu’alam
It has been about a week since I have been in Malaysia arriving from London. I have gotten sick on my trip back. Perhaps a combination of the cold weather, the lack of sleep, and my prior being sick before traveling could have accounted for the drop in health.
However, I had a memorable time in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland where the Parliament of Scotland lays on the foothills of Arthur’s Seat. We stayed not far from Edinburgh University and Edinburgh City Mosque.
It’s not the first time I have been in Edinburgh. I was here in 2005 during a vacation that was part of my visit to attend my wife’s graduation ceremony in Dublin. I was also here when I was a wee (small) kid on a school trip to the museum here, when my family was located in St Andrews. My father was doing his PhD at the time. So, as I mentioned to a friend, it kind of felt like coming back to my hometown. Scotland was practically home to me as I first came at the age of six.
I remember that not all of the years that we were here, there would be snow. So, it was a delight to be in the middle of a cold winter and experiencing snow. Alhamdulillah. I am sure it was not just me that was excited. The students and, of course, Ustaz Aziee were happy to experience the abundance of snow in the city. Quite a number of the students had only arrived a few months and so, it was really fortunate that they would have the opportunity to experience it.
The gathering in Edinburgh reminded me of my student days in Australia. However, this time, most of the arrangements are done by students who are in their first or second year. Those in their first years have only been studying in the UK and Ireland for about 3 months since September. So, it was really fascinating to see them getting organized and making the event successful. There were some mistakes made along the way. In with this type of event, not everything goes smoothly, but they were very capable in making the necessary changes and handling the situations. Alhamdulillah. My only advice was for them to make sure they document what they have learnt and so that the next time things would go a lot smoother. It’s ok to make mistakes, but it’s good not to repeat them.
The other thing I noticed that the students were getting to know each other much better. The sense of ukhuwah and the bond developed in unity for the sake of Allah is just a wonderful sight to behold. I was glad that I could record it through the pictures that were taken. Hopefully it is a great start for the many years that they will be in UK and Ireland and the pictures are a record of that. In some sense, living overseas in a different culture does help to make the bond closer, naturally. While back in the home country this bond is somewhat different and needs to be a conscious effort to be close with like minded brothers and sisters.
I was also given encouragement to climb up Arthur’s Seat. Despite not having the right shoes for it, it was a grueling climb as I kept slipping. But sometimes, the mind overcomes what is physically challenging and bit by bit I managed to reach the top. Alhamdulillah. Sometimes you do need to face difficulty for a sweet success.
I guess one of the other interesting things here is that it got dark very early at about 4 pm. So, Maghrib at 4 pm was not something that I was not really use to. Even during my days studying in Australia. It was not this early as I recall. Apparently the time Isya’ was about one hour after that but the mosque had the congregational Isya’ prayer held at around 7 pm. I suppose this was to allow time for the jemaah to finish off their daily business and gather at the mosque. It was really heartening to see the Muslim brothers braving the cold snowy weather to attend congregational prayers despite cold. If you like at it in one way it is really a good training, tarbiyah, to face hardships in da’wah.
It was also interesting that the mosque had what it called ‘Mosque Kitchen’ which offered several choices of food – rice, kebab and curries, among others, at really affordable prices – some at around GBP3.50. Indeed even non-Muslims came often to purchase and eat their lunch there. In some ways, it was an interesting concept where Muslims and non-Muslims could gather and mingle – an interesting way to mutually understand each other.
There were also several Muslim businesses nearby. And perhaps this also created a sense of community. I am surely proud of the authorities in Edinburgh of allowing room for Muslims to participate in the local economy as well as bridging awareness of Islam among non-Muslims. The hall where our activities were held was usually used as an exhibition hall to promote understanding of Islam. Indeed, surely a valiant effort by the mosque and authorities, considering the backdrop of Islam’s image in the news media, not helped by Muslims who commit attacks in the false reason (not those at war zones) that it is for the religion.
So, it was 6 pm and I was waiting for my ride to the bus station. However, as my wait was running more than supposed to due to unavoidable circumstances, I asked whether I could be sent directly to the airport. I was concerned on catching a bus to the airport as I didn’t know the time intervals that the buses were traveling in the holiday season. And that’s when it became a bit of a trouble for my hosts, driver Iqbal, Ferdous and Firdaus aka Pok Cik. Apparently there were many roads that were closed due to the holiday season. And so that GPS instructions were not useful at some junctions which were normally correct. In addition, the GPS system on board took a bit of time to get use to – the instructions were sometimes slightly confusing. And as such, as I am in the knack of doing, I took charge of the situation by trying to get use to the GPS as well as the visual cues outside. Trying to get out of the city was a challenge, but we eventually made it out after missing the junctions a few times. Again, sometimes in some situations you just need to ‘play by ear’ and cope with what is in front of you.
I felt really fortunate that they helped send me at the airport. I hope I did not bother them too much of my antics earlier. Well, after saying my goodbyes and giving them some money as infaq for the program, I headed my way to catch my flight. It was sad to leave without saying goodbyes to all of the brothers. However, since we came back from Arthur’s Seat quite late and I needed to pack, there was no opportunity. I didn’t even get to say goodbye to Khairuddin who was resting at the mosque, I heard, quite exhausted from the climb. Never mind, my visit was meant to be short. My thoughts are with them and my du’a for their success. Until we meet again, inshaAllah.
So, now I was on my own. The flight to London was a brief one. I must have dozed off just before take-off and so, I didn’t really get to say ‘goodbye’ to Edinburgh if you know what I mean. Maybe I’ll get another opportunity in the future, inshaAllah.
Upon arriving Heathrow at about 10.30 pm, I knew I needed to be at Terminal 4 to catch my next flight the next day. But I thought of going to Terminal 3 which I knew had a prayer room. Not that I needed to pray at that time since I had already did jama’ maghrib and isya’ prayers earlier in Edinburgh. My thoughts were that I would pray subuh there and make my way to Terminal 4 afterwards. Little did I know that they were prayer rooms in Terminal 4 as well.
Upon reaching terminal 4, I picked up a Qur’an from the prayer room and read it until I felt tired. It was pity that there were no copies of the Qur’an with English translation. Even at Terminal 4 I noticed the next day, they didn’t have any with translation. What a shame. They should have for people, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, of non-Arabic speaking to also read the translations while waiting for their flights. I guess it is more of a reason for me to learn Arabic so that I don’t get in the same predicament.
As I got tired, I knew from my previous experience in Heathrow, there were many people who slept at the airport while waiting for their connecting flight the next day. And that’s what I did too. I slept just outside the prayer room at Terminal 3 for about 5 hours. With my knapsack bag for a pillow, it was the best I could do. I woke up about 5 am. And so, since subuh prayers was more than an hour to go, I decided to read more of the Qur’an and also made qiamullail with tahajjud prayers.
After subuh prayers I made my way to Terminal 4 using the underground train which was free of charge. I made my way to the counter. The que was already quite long when I arrived. I noticed a student girl performing prayers while in the que. I guess didn’t have time to go to the prayer room. Since the wait was long, I took my book and kept reading until it was my turn to check-in. The guy who was directing passengers to the counter informed me that the flight was delayed for 5 hours. Oh no… I had a wedding to attend upon my arrival at KLIA. Two of my wife’s cousins were having their wedding reception later next day. So, I calculated that I would arrive around noon. So, it was do-able. I texted my wife, who will be picking me up at the airport, and asked her to bring suitable clothes for me to change into later.
MAS provided the passengers a GBP 20 food voucher each. More than enough, really. But there was a 4 hour wait until zuhur and the flight was expected to be at 3 pm. And so, what to do but to read. As I read, the guy next to me was busy re-arranging his bags. So, I thought of starting a chat. Apparently he was about to catch a flight to India to see his relatives. He is a British citizen of Indian Muslim descent, born in Uganda. He was a former ground staff with Air Canada. He gets good discounts for flights even though he is retired and said his employer was really good to him in his years of service. When I mentioned that I was from Malaysia, he said he loves Malaysia and said that it is one of the best Muslim countries in the world. He has travelled to Malaysia in the past. He said Malaysia was lucky to have someone like Mahathir Mohamed as Prime Minister. I agreed but also disagreed. But he said that even if there were corruption, there were visible developments in the country. He said other countries also have corruption and these countries are still like what they were 30 or 40 years ago. I found out that he owns a house in Turkey and his family goes there every summer. He said the Turkish people are very friendly and always invite strangers for some tea, something I noticed that Malaysians can pick up the habit one day.
The prayer room in Terminal 4 (landside) was pretty awesome. It was much more modern and comfortable than the one in Terminal 3. It also had a wash area for ablution. I later found out that there is prayer room on the airside for Terminal 4 as well, adjoined with the quiet waiting area, but with no wash area.
I had salmon for lunch and as my habit, I started another conversation with another stranger. I found out that works with a humanitarian NGO that focuses on food distribution in crisis areas. A Muslim from Somali who works in Zimbabwe. I tried to ask how challenging it must be to work in crisis areas, but he said he loved the job and after 17 years in several NGOs, he really thrives in making contribution to society in the way he has. He did dismiss those who work in NGOs as a form of humanitarian tourism, as they didn’t have the same passion in solving the issues and have trouble in facing challenges. He mentioned that he had the opportunity to work for about 3 years in Pakistan to help victims in the 2005 earthquake. I was really impressed as this was a person who was able to face uncertainties on daily basis. He asked me about Anwar Ibrahim particularly about the sodomy charge against him. We all know that it is still pending, but we can also say that his previous charges were thrown out by the courts. So, go figure. We continued chatting and exchanged e-mails and facebook accounts to keep in touch.
Unfortunately, it did take some time before we could get into the flight as the pilots had to make the necessary checks. I didn’t mind so much, but I was sorry for those who had to catch a connecting flight afterwards.
On the plane, I sat next to a senior lady who is in the business of trademarks. I found it interesting but she said it was not that interesting. That response was quite telling. Anyway, found out that she and her business partner usually visit Perth, Australia every year during the holiday season, end of December and early January. They have a friend there. It made me thinking that I would like to see more Malaysians travel to far away places. For the right reasons that is to gain experience, make da’wah, learn other cultures, learn how other people see the world etc. The westerners are fortunate as they get to do this – and it is usually due to their exchange rate.
I arrived at KLIA at around 12 noon, 5 hour delay. My wife greeted me at the airport, bringing along fresh set of clothes for me in the car, as we continued our journey to Kuala Lumpur to attend her cousins’ wedding reception.
Indeed, it was an incredible trip. A week of full-time, full-on tarbiyah that tested my patience and health. I learnt a lot about myself from the trip and I hoped I was able to help the brothers in my own way.
Berikut adalah komen saya di laman blog Ustaz Abdullah Zaik mengenai topik Ketuanan Melayu. Ketuanan Melayu sama dengan Zionisme?
Komen 1
Untuk menyamakan zionisme dan ketuanan Melayu adalah kesilapan besar dan perbandingan yang terlalu ’simplistic’.
Secara umumnya, Zionisme adalah satu fahaman yang membenarkan malah menggalakkan penggunaan kezaliman untuk merampas hak bangsa lain. Zionisme adalah fahaman “orang pendatang” ke bumi Islam Palestin.
Ketuanan Melayu adalah tuntutan hak bangsa penduduk asal untuk dielak dari dizalimi dan dianiaya di bumi sendiri oleh bangsa lain. Ketuanan Melayu adalah fahaman penduduk asal tanah Melayu, iaitu bangsa yang pernah memerintah tanahair ini, malah diperakui oleh penjajah dengan kekalnya sistem raja-raja Melayu.
Namun demikian, konsep Ketuanan Melayu begitu mudah diperalatkan untuk kepentingan golongan-golongan tertentu untuk meraih kekuasaan atau kekayaan dan tidak pula dirasai oleh semua golongan. Kezaliman beginilah yang selalunya mendapat bantahan dari kaum lain, dijaja pula oleh mereka yang berkepentingan dan disokong oleh mereka yang tidak berpandangan jauh.
Pada masa yang sama, aplikasi konsep Ketuanan Melayu sekarang tidak sampai tahap kerosakan dan kezaliman dari pengamal Zionisme. Harus ditanya apakah yang menyebabkan perbezaan ini?
Beberapa kemungkinan boleh kita timbul di sini. Pertama, fahaman agama Islam sendiri yang diamalkan oleh orang Melayu melarang kezaliman atas mana-mana kaum dan penganut agama lain. Walaupun di sini ia nampak tidak dipraktikkan, tetapi ia menghalang dari orang Melayu dari melampaui batas kemanusiaan. Kedua, konsep Ketuanan Melayu itu sendiri bukan untuk menindas tetapi untuk melindungi hak kaum penduduk asal, seperti yang disebut terlebih dahulu. Ketiga, walaupun negara ini adalah negara membangun, penduduknya mengamalkan sikap ketamadunan yang tinggi berbanding negara-negara jiran. Mungkin ada sebab-sebab lain yang tidak diperasan oleh penulis ini.
Tetapi penyalahgunaan kuasa dalam aplikasi Ketuanan Melayu oleh mereka yang tamak dan tiada integriti telah menyebabkan kesan yang buruk iaitu penentangan dari kaum lain. Aplikasinya tidak seharusnya ditumpukan kepada bantuan kewangan atau pembiayaan kepada pihak tertentu. Ia harus lebih menyeluruh dari segi pendidikan dan penghayatan agama, pembangunan insan dan kepimpinan, kesejahteraan keluarga dan komuniti dan sebagainya.
Pada masa yang sama, harus kita perkatakan bahawa Ketuanan Melayu yang diamalkan hendaklah pastikan bantuan disalurkan kepada kaum-kaum lain terutamanya mereka yang dibawah tahap kemiskinan.
Komen 2
Pandangan saudara Nazri itu ada betulnya. dalam dunia sekarang ini, polisi ini dianggap tidak sesuai. tetapi pelik, mungkin juga ramai boleh menganggap Malaysia sebagai contoh teladan kepada dunia dalam hubungan antara kaum. Tiada rampasan tanah perladangan seperti di Zimbabwe. Tiada pembunuhan genocide atau perang seperti di Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda atau Darfur.
Kita harus sedar dominasi kaum di negara barat contohnya, masih lagi dipegang oleh golongan orang putih. malah di USA, walaupun Presiden Obama berkulit hitam, dominasi kaum putih di dalam kerajaan, perniagaan, pelbagai industri, akademik dan lain-lain lagi memang ketara. Oleh yang demikian, bagi pendapat ana, di sini mereka tidak memerlukan hak istimewa untuk menjaga dominasi kaum mereka. Mereka cukup mendominasi dalam banyak aspek kehidupan Negara mereka. Banyak pandangan telah diberikan untuk menyama-ratakan kaum kulit putih dan kaum kulit hitam di USA, tetapi masih belum ada formula yang tepat. Jadi, adakah salah Malaysia mengamalkan polisinya tersendiri?
Hak Melayu sebagai penduduk asal di Tanah Melayu ini patut dihormati. Dan memang ada antara kaum bukan Melayu yang menerima seperti yang di tulis dalam buku Chinese Dilemma oleh Ye Lin-Sheng, terbit Disember 2003 oleh East West Publishing Pty Ltd (ISBN: 0-9751646-1-9) walaupun mungkin ini bukan pendapat majoriti. Kita belum lagi pada tahap kedudukan golongan orang putih di negara mereka sendiri. Malah kita jauh dari penguasaan ekonomi dan mungkin juga dalam tahap pencapaian akademik.
Kita harus cepat sedar dan akui yang bangsa Melayu ini bukan bangsa yang menindas. Banyak ruang-ruang yang telah diberikan kepada bangsa-bangsa lain di negara ini untuk memajukan diri mereka. Dan mereka amat berjaya dalam kegiatan mereka. Kita boleh lihat sendiri, kereta-kereta mewah, rumah-rumah mewah, perniagaan mereka, bilangan mereka di institusi –institusi pendidikan swasta dan syarikat-syarikat swasta, dan bilangan mereka yang melancong ke luar negara tiap-tiap tahun. Mereka memang maju. Tahniah buat mereka kerana mereka berusaha keras. Kita patut ambil contoh atas kegigihan mereka. Dan pastinya ada yang berbuat demikian.
Ana nampak permasalahan dalam perkara ketunanan Melayu terkini adalah bagaimanakah Hak Keistimewaan Melayu ini dizahirkan. Ia zahir pada sistem kerajaan iaitu Raja Berperlembagaan di mana Raja itu adalah Raja Melayu. Kedudukan Agama Islam sebagai agama rasmi dan penggunaan Bahasa Melayu mungkin adalah poin-poin lain. Penggunaan Bahasa Melayu di dalam arena perniagaan pun tidak begitu meluas.
Adakah setakat itu sahaja Hak Istimewa Melayu? Inilah persoalan yang timbul agaknya pada tahun-tahun lewat 60-an. Oleh yang demikian timbulnya kesedaran untuk diberi bantuan kepada kaum Melayu Bumiputera seperti yang telah diberikan melalui Dasar Ekonomi Baru termasuk, pinjaman kewangan, tajaan pendidikan dan sebagainya. Terhasillah dari polisi ini seperti yang kita lihat pada hari ini. Bangsa Melayu yang semakin maju, yang semakin bersemangat untuk memajukan diri mereka dan negara. Bertambahnya golongan pendidik, akademik, professional, doktor-doktor dan sebagainya dari kalangan Melayu. Tetapi adakah ia memadai? Cuba lihat statistiknya, sila layari http://maalimfitariq.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/menyongsong-kemerdekaan-ke-52-agihan-kekayaan/
Mungkin satu lagi aspek ialah sesetengah dari golongan muda bangsa Melayu tidak merasa perlunya ada sokongan secara formal kerana orang Melayu boleh berdikari, dan mungkin juga untuk membuktikan bahawa mereka boleh berjaya tanpa bantuan sesiapa. Ini adalah semangat yang baik dan inshaAllah kita doakan begitu. Benar, ada sesetengah dari kita yang mampu. Kita ucapkan tahniah kepada mereka dan semoga menjadi contoh kepada yang lain.
Namun, masih lagi banyak yang belum mampu berbuat seperti segilintir individu-individu Melayu yang berjaya ini. Dan mereka ini biasanya dari golongan pendapatan sederhana dan rendah. Golongan inilah yang harus diberi perhatian dan keutamaan. Pada masa yang sama, mereka dalam kategori ini di kalangan lain juga haru dibantu secara sistematik untuk keluar dari kemiskinan. Dan pada pendapat ana, sekiranya ia dilaksanakan dengan baik, ini tidak patut ditentang oleh kaum-kaum lain. Jadi, kita kena kenalpasti punca rungutan mereka dan ditujukan ke mana sebenarnya.
Dan juga jangan kita lupa yang kita pertahankan Hak Keistimewaan ini bukan berdasarkan ras, tetapi kerana hendak mempertahankan Islam di tanahair ini kerana kaum Melayu ini adalah beragama Islam.
wallahu’alam
Rujuk:
http://maalimfitariq.wordpress.com/2009/07/29/nasib-melayu-di-bumi-melayu/
http://maalimfitariq.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/wajarkah-korbankan-deb-kerana-undi-majoriti/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmative_action_in_the_United_States
Right now I am in Dublin at the end of my visit here of more than 2 days. The weather is very cold. But the brothers & sisters here are warm and hospitable. alhamdulillah.
I have had the opportunity to go to 3 mosques here in Dublin, and I must say that I am impressed by the number of Muslim brothers that attend the Fajr prayers early in the morning despite the cold weather. This affirmation of faith is indeed inspiring and inshaAllah Muslims in Malaysia should not have any complaints going to the mosque or musollah (surau) to make the Fajar prayers.
While I was in Dublin, I participated in a talk focusing on the topic of marriage in relation to da’wah. The audience consisted mainly of young undergraduate students pursuing their medical degrees not unlike my wife once upon a time. The moderator was brother Ferdous, who seemed to have a natural talent in being a moderator or a speaker in fact. Ustaz Azizee was the main panel member in the talk in which he conveyed the concept of love in Islam, the right behaviours and conduct between male and female, tips in marriage match-making and many related issues.
As for me, I shared my own personal experience, sharing the challenges faced being a member of the so-called spouse of doctor club, my conduct during the courtship period before marriage especially in relation to communication, as well as general observations on the reality of marriage. I could tell that it is a much sought after topic among students as more and more questions raised when we thought the talk was to end.
We are in the midst of making preparations to travel to Edinburgh as we speak. Hope our travel plans will be smooth as the weather here has been extremely cold. There have been flight cancellations and delays in Europe, and many homeless people killed as this news article says: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2009/12/20091221155143388869.html
I will be missing Dublin. I have a soft spot for the city as this was where my wife studied for 6 years to learn medicine.
Recently I have been fascinated by two topics – Ibnu Khaldun’s work Muqaddimah, and the Muslim Conquest of Persia.
Why? These are great achievements in Muslim history and is rather a world benchmark in many areas recognised by Muslims and Non-Muslims alike.
Muqaddimah spans several areas of what we now term as social science. His observations during his day would have been revolutionary and his ideas were only really understood and expanded centuries later.
While the Muslim conquest of Persia is just incredible. The brilliance of Muslim leaders then in particular Saidina Umar and his ability to lead as Caliph, despite the geographical/logistical challenges, is truly legendary. It really puts to shame the current modern armies and their missions. There were also lessons in the ability to halt the war expedition and expansion of the Islamic Empire to focus on da’wah, justice and development.
Below are two wikipedia links for you to satisfy your curiosity. The entries may not be perfect but it’s an introduction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqaddimah
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_conquest_of_Persia
Selama ini aku mencari cinta sejati…
Cinta dari ibubapa ku cari,
Namun kasih sayang hanya dirasai,
Cinta dari adik-adik ku cari,
Namun mereka rapat tapi tak fahami,
Cinta dari saudara-mara ku cari,
Namun sekali-sekala jumpa dan sukar digauli,
Cinta dari kawan-kawan ku cari,
Namun mereka sekadar kawan yang tak mengerti,
Cinta dari sahabat-sahabat ku cari,
Namun banyak rahsia tidak diketahui,
Cinta dari isteri ku cari,
Namun tak hilang kekosongan di hati,
Ahh…rupanya aku salah cari,
Aku bingung, tak betul-betul fikir,
Aku keliru, tak betul-betul selidiki,
Cinta yang Agung bukan di bibir
Cinta yang Agung hanya untuk Ilahi,
Cinta yang sebenar hanya untuk-Nya,
Dikasihi, disayangi, diredhai, diberkati,
Bersama mereka yang menagih kasih-Nya
Ya Allah, engkau sahajalah cintaku yang sejati,
Jiwa ragaku hanya untukmu, milik-Mu,
Kerana itulah kusedari jiwaku tak kosong, tak sunyi,
Pohonku semoga sentiasa dipelihara, dirahmati-Mu.
Pemimpin atau Pemimpin Politik?
February 6, 2010 in Comments | Leave a comment
Tulisan ini merupakan satu reaksi kepada tulisan Ustaz Ridhuan Tee Abdullah minggu lalu:
Keadaan Islam Melayu tidak bersatu, pada dasarnya mungkin berpunca dari pemimpin-pemimpin politik Melayu yang menjaga kepentingan politik dari menjaga kepentingan agama, bangsa dan negara. Berapa kali kita melihat mereka ini di media membuat kenyataan itu dan ini, dan apa hasilnya? Entah tiada apa yang penting yang boleh dibanggakan.
Cuba fikir apa kejayaan pemimpin-pemimpin ini dalam memajukan agama dan bangsa? Ada bangsa kita ni semakin maju di mata dunia? Jangan mata dunia, mungkin tak lepas tahap mata sendiri pun. Selama mereka bertelagah, adakah bangsa Islam melayu boleh menganggap mereka menyumbang kepada kemakmuran dan kesejahteraan negara, rantau dan dunia? Bagaimana dengan kemajuan Islam pula sebagai cara hidup yg berpengaruh?
Amat kecil kejayaan kita. Itupun hanya individu-individu tertentu sahaja yang menonjol dan diiktiraf. Sungguh sesal kita terhadap pemimpin kita yg entah-entah sudah kehabisan modal dan hanya boleh menunjukkan adanya kemajuan dengan ‘kejayaan’ mereka terhadap lawan politik masing-masing.
Hampeh. Itulah perasaan tiap kali lintas isu politik dalam media. Agenda media yang tandus, sudah tidak relevan dalam agenda pembangunan bangsa kerana sudah lama hilang kepercayaan golongan bijak pandai Islam Melayu. Kalau baca pun semata untuk mengikuti arus semasa. Banyak lagi contoh-contoh yang boleh kita fikirkan yang hasilnya bukan ‘mengerakkan’ kaum Islam, tetapi sebenarnya semakin ‘layu’ pula terasa.
Sudah tibanya bangsa Islam Melayu kritis dan bina ketajaman intelek berasaskan penghayatan Islam yang syumul. Sudah tibanya arus perubahan dan pembebasan pemikiran dari kongkongan pemimpin-pemimpin politik yang lepas tanggungjawab. Mereka dahagakan dan perlukan kuasa untuk kekalkan pengaruh feudal mereka.
Sudah tiba masanya kepimpinan Islam Melayu yang bertindak untuk kepentingan Islam, bangsa, dan negara termasuk kesemua bangsa yang dalam negara ini. Menjadi khalifah di bumi yang adil dan dihormati untuk mencapai keredhaan Allah SWT dan kebahagiaan di dunia dan akhirat.
Sudah tiba masanya kita memikirkan bagaimana untuk bangsa Islam Melayu membangunkan negara ini menjadi sebuah negara yang maju penghayatan Islamnya, mendalam budaya ilmunya, terkesan ketajaman pemikiran rakyatnya, hebat pengurusan ekonominya, aman dan sihat suasana kehidupannya dan melakarkan sejarah rantau dan dunia.
Maka, janganlah terus terpedaya. Kita teruskan kerja dan tegakkan syariat. Moga dari itu kita peroleh keredhaanNya.