Khalif wa A'biduLLah

Ridiculous me

2011-02-23T12:49:00.003+08:00

Looking back on the things I've done,
I was trying to be someone,
But as time pass the things that I've done
Haunts me back mercilessly.. mercilessly
Turning myself into someone I can't even recognize with.

Now I'm just hiding myself in the dark,
It's getting too overwhelming, I'm not even sure of my own being,
Everything seems so confusing, tiring and now I'm wondering,
If I'll ever be that someone I've always wanna be.

I'm sitting here in my room thinking about the past,
I'm stuck in the memories I made years back,
Sometimes I wish I can just let it pass,
But no! after all these years it keeps on haunting me,
Making it so obvious how I screwed up.

What I wanna be and how I turn out to be,
Frustrates me, it hurts me,
I wanna love myself again,
I wanna show how thankful I am,
To the Mighty Lord who created me,

Yet I fail myself, yet again.. yet again...

The time will come when
I'll be able to come back to my senses again,
I'll be able to be what I wanna be,
I'll be able to be what the Lord wants me to be,
I'll be able to fulfil the purpose of my being,

The time will come,
Yes the time will come,
Just perservere a little longer,
The time will come when I can say,
I'm proud of how I turn out to be.

merrydi 1986
1.10 p.m
23/2/2011

2009-12-13T13:02:00.001+08:00

Pusaka Imam Al-Banna: Jalan kemenangan – IBADAH sebelum QIADAH

Saya telah bertemu dengan seorang tua yang telah melepasi perjalanan usia yang sudah lama dan telah menghampiri garisan akhirat. Seluruh kepalanya telah diselaputi rambut yang memutih, garis-garis penuaan meniti wajahnya yang bersih. Saya duduk di sisinya di waktu siang hari, di kala cahaya matahari menyinari bumi. Saya melihat wajahnya berseri-seri disinari cahaya taqwa, pantulan nur dari hati yang sentiasa berhubungan dengan Allah ‘Azza wa Jalla. Dia tidak dikenali di kalangan masyarakat, namanyapun tiada siapa yang ingat.

Setelah mendengar cerita saya, dia bertanya, apakah nama persatuan kamu? Saya menjawab, kami bukan persatuan, tetapi kami adalah ikhwan fillah (saudara-saudara di jalan Allah) sahaja. Kami berhimpun di atas landasan aqidah dan fikrah. Kami cuba laksanakan pada diri kami, kemudian cuba memahamkannya kepada manusia. Fikrah kami tidak lain kecuali memahami Islam, beramal dengannya dan mengajak orang lain bersama-sama kami dalam memahami dan melaksanakan Islam. Cantik!, komennya. Siapa yang mengajar kamu di rumah (tempat kamu berkumpul)? Tanyanya lagi. Saya menjawab, dalam banyak keadaan, sayalah yang berbicara kepada saudara-saudara saya. Seketika dia terdiam. Kemudian dia mengangkat pandangannya tepat ke wajah saya seraya bertanya, adakah kamu bangun malam? Saya menjawab, apa tujuan tuan bertanyakan hal ini? Jiwa-jiwa kami berada di dalam genggaman Allah. Jika Dia kehendaki, Dia akan membangunkannya. Dan jika Dia kehendaki, Dia akan menahannya. Dia mendengus: benarlah kata-kata Allah dan rasulNya: “…. dan sememangnya manusia itu, sejenis makhluk yang banyak sekali bantahannya.” (Maksud al-Kahf:54)

Dengan tenang dan teratur dia berbicara,

Ya Akhi:

Sesungguhnya mentarbiah ruh-ruh, mentazkiah jiwa-jiwa dan memimpin hati-hati tidak terjadi dengan perkataan yang diulang-ulang, dengan kaedah-kaedah yang diajar, dengan teori-teori yang dikemukakan. Semua ini mungkin berkesan kepada akal dan ilmu, tetapi ia tidak berbekas pada jiwa, tidak menyentuh perasaan dan tidak dapat membentuk akhlak. Sesungguhnya perkara utama yang diperlukan oleh jamaah adalah ruh-ruh dan akhlak ahli-ahlinya. Sesungguhnya mereka yang cuba mengislahkan akhlak dengan menulis buku-buku sahaja sebenarnya tertipu dan menipu. Kalau sekiranya inilah juga cara kamu maka alangkah jauhnya kamu daripada mencapai apa yang kamu mahu.

Ya Akhi:

Islahun-nafs yang kamu cari tidak ada jalan ke arahnya kecuali satu sahaja, iaitu jalan qudwah hasanah yang bersambung dengan Allah, yang mendapat bekalan langsung daripada limpah kurnia-Nya. Qudwah hasanah itu tidak lain daripada bangun malam, qiam dan bermunajat di kala gelita. Tidakkah kamu membaca al-Quran dan mendengar firman Tuhan yang bermaksud: “Wahai orang yang berselimut!. Bangunlah sembahyang Tahajud pada waktu malam, selain dari sedikit masa (yang tak dapat tidak untuk berehat), Iaitu separuh dari waktu malam atau kurangkan sedikit dari separuh itu, Ataupun lebihkan (sedikit) daripadanya dan bacalah Al-Quran dengan "Tartil". (Sayugialah engkau dan pengikut-pengikutmu membiasakan diri masing-masing dengan ibadat yang berat kepada hawa nafsu, kerana) sesungguhnya Kami akan menurunkan kepadamu wahyu (Al-Quran yang mengandungi perintah-perintah) yang berat (kepada orang-orang yang tidak bersedia menyempurnakannya) . Sebenarnya sembahyang dan ibadat malam lebih kuat kesannya (kepada jiwa) dan lebih tetap betul bacaannya. (Al-Muzzammil: 1-6)

Ya Akhi:

Orang yang tidak mempunyai sesuatu tidak akan dapat memberikannya. Hati yang terputus hubungannya dengan Allah, bagaimana mampu memimpin manusia ke arah-Nya. Peniaga yang tidak punya modal, dari mana keuntungan hendak diraih? Guru yang tidak mengetahui manhajnya, apa cara dia akan mengajar muridnya? Orang yang tidak mampu memimpin dirinya, bagaimana dia akan memimpin orang lain? Maka tahukah kamu betapa berhajatnya kamu kepada jihad jenis ini? Sekiranya kamu dapat membawa orang-orang yang berjanji dengan kamu untuk beramal melakukan perkara ini, maka itulah sebenarnya kejayaan. Tiada lagi kejayaan selain itu. Sesungguhnya sahabat-sahabat Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. adalah rahib-rahib di waktu malam dan penunggang kuda di waktu siang. Adakah kamu lihat mereka hanya memiliki salah satu daripada sifat itu sahaja?

Ya Akhi:

Berusahalah sedaya mampu untuk menggali perbendaharaan Ilahi di waktu malam supaya dapat kamu agihkan kepada saudara-saudaramu di waktu siang.

Kemudian orang tua itu meminta izin untuk beredar. Dia bangkit dan berjalan dengan tongkatnya meredah kesesekan manusia di jalan raya, sedang saya mengiringi pemergiannya dengan hati yang penuh insaf sehingga dia hilang dari pandangan.

Ya Ikhwan:

Mungkin kamu berasa hairan mengapa saya bawakan bicara sebegini di dada akhbar kamu ini sedang kamu menanti-nanti saya berbicara mengenai masalah yang melanda dunia, derita yang dialami oleh umat Islam seluruhnya. Kamu mengharapkan saya menyatakan sikap, pendirian dan tindakan yang patut diambil oleh jamaah kita.

Dengarkanlah penjelasanku:

Sesungguhnya kamu ingin mencapai matlamat yang besar hebat. Oleh itu kamu mesti memahami dengan sebenar-benarnya bahawa dengan matlamat itu bererti kamu berada di atas satu garisan dan dunia seluruhnya berada di atas garisan yang berlawanan dengan kamu.

Kamu menghendaki Islam berkuasa. Dunia diperintah oleh jiwa-jiwa yang bersih suci, akhlak mulia yang melimpah dengan kebaikan, hati-hati yang penuh rahmat dan kasih sayang dan kesejahteraan memayungi alam semesta.

Manusia pula menghendaki kebendaan berkuasa, harta melimpah ruah, kemewahan tiada sempadan, perebutan yang tiada berkesudahan antara golongan kuat dan lemah. Yang kuat memangsakan yang lemah. Yang berkuasa sentiasa menang dan yang diperintah sentiasa kalah. Kemanusiaan tidak akan kenal erti keadilan, tidak akan mengecapi rahmat kasih dan sayang. Itulah yang manusia kehendaki berbanding dengan apa yang kamu kehendaki. Kamu berada di satu pihak, sedang dunia di satu pihak yang lain. Manusia berselindung di sebalik kedustaan, berinteraksi dengan tipu helah dan bermuka-muka. Mereka lari daripada menghadapi kenyataan. Pada hal kamu tidak mahu itu semua kerana kamu sentiasa bermuraqabah. Diri kamu dan amalan kamu sentiasa diperhati oleh yang Maya Mengetahui dan Maha Memerhati. Maka perbezaan antara kamu dengan manusia, jika kamu benar dengan apa yang kamu cita-citakan, sangat jauh dari segala sudut.

Bilangan kamu adalah sedikit. Keadaan kamu tertindas di muka bumi ini, fakir dari segi harta, kosong dari segi kekuatan. Maka tidak ada senjata kamu selain hubungan dengan Allah dan mengharap pertulungan dan bantuan daripadaNya serta keimanan yang mendalam terhadapNya. Apabila aspek ini kamu kuasai bererti kamu telah kuasai segala-galanya. Firman Allah s.w.t. bermaksud: “Jika Allah menolong kamu mencapai kemenangan maka tidak ada sesiapa pun yang akan dapat mengalahkan kamu dan jika Dia mengecewakan kamu, maka siapakah yang akan dapat menolong kamu sesudah Allah (menetapkan yang demikian)? Dan (ingatlah), kepada Allah jualah hendaknya orang-orang yang beriman itu berserah diri.” (Aali Imran:160)

Maka berusahalah untuk menjadi seperti itu. Jangan kamu Tanya bagaiman? Sesungguhnya jalannya telah nyata. Jadilah kamu hamba-hamba sebelum kamu menjadi ketua. Dengan ibadah kamu akan jadi sebaik-baik qiadah. Awas! Jangan kamu terbalikkan isu ini sebagaimana yang dilakukan oleh manusia lain. Mereka mengejar kepimpinan sebelum mereka mensejahterakan aspek ibadah maka mereka tewas atau mereka berjaya mencapainya tetapi terumbang ambing di dalam melaksankan amanahnya. Serapkan ke dalam diri kamu maksud Hadis Qudsi ini: ”Sesiapa yang menyakiti wali-Ku maka sesungguhnya Aku telah mengisytiharkan perang dengannya. Seseorang hamba-Ku tidak menghampirkan diri kepada-Ku dengan sesuatu sebagaimana ia menghampirkan diri dengan melakukan apa yang Aku fardhukan ke atasnya. Dan sentiasalah hamba-Ku itu menghampirkan dirinya kepada-Ku dengan melakukan amalan-amalan yang sunat sehingga Aku mencintainya. Apabila Aku mencintainya maka Aku adalah pendengaran yang dia mendengar dengannya, penglihatan yang dia melihat dengannya, tangan yang dia menghulur dengannya, kaki yang dia berjalan dengannya. Jika dia meminta pada-Ku akan Ku berikannya, jika dia memohon perlindungan dengan-Ku akan Ku lindunginya”. (Al-Bukhari)

Dan ingat juga firman Allah yang bermaksud: “Allah menjanjikan orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal soleh dari kalangan kamu (wahai umat Muhammad) bahawa Dia akan menjadikan mereka khalifah-khalifah yang memegang kuasa pemerintahan di bumi, sebagaimana Dia telah menjadikan orang-orang yang sebelum mereka: Khalifah-khalifah yang berkuasa dan Dia akan menguatkan dan mengembangkan agama mereka (agama Islam) yang telah diredhaiNya untuk mereka; dan Dia juga akan menggantikan bagi mereka keamanan setelah mereka mengalami ketakutan (dari ancaman musuh). Mereka terus beribadat kepadaKu dengan tidak mempersekutukan sesuatu yang lain denganKu dan (ingatlah) sesiapa yang kufur ingkar sesudah itu, maka mereka itulah orang-orang yang derhaka.” (An-Nur:55)

Daripada Pusaka al-Banaa, dipetik dari surat khabar Ikhwan Muslimin, 25 R.Awwal 1356H bersamaan 4 July 1937M.

http://fikrah- dakwah.blogspot. com/

Hatiku berkata...

2009-12-10T22:38:00.006+08:00

Sebulan berlalu.. hati terasa tenang mengenangkan umi dan ayah yg sedang menyempurnakan ibadah haji di baitullah.. perasaan yg sgt aneh apabila tidak terasa risau mahupun sedih berjauhan dgn mereka sekian lama.. sedangkan jika difikirkan semasa ku di NZ dahulu jika seminggu berlalu tanpa menghubungi mereka melalui YM atau Skype mmg rasa tidak senang duduk..

Sesungguhnya keindahan dan ketenangan memikirkan mereka di bumi Suci Makkah menghilangkan setiap ragu dan risau ku ini.. ^^ Sekiranya sesiapa bertanya kpdku apakah yang paling ku ingini tika ini.. akan ku jawab..

hatiku, jasadku teringin sekali bersama umi dan ayah mengerjakan haji, melihat tanah suci Makkah, memohon, merintih, melupakan segala urusan duniawi yg sering menghantui diri..

Namun tentu sekali ada sebab mengapa belum Allah izinkan ku menziarahi tanah suci yg ku damba dan rindui itu.. sesungguhnya Allah lebih mengetahui apa yg terbaik untukku (^_^):

“Boleh jadi kamu membenci sesua tu padahal ia amat baik bagimu, dan boleh jadi pula kamu menyukai sesuatu, padahal ia amat buruk bagimu, Allah mengetahui sedang kamu tidak mengetahui.” [2:216]

Tahun 2009 menandakan tahun yang banyak mengujiku, aku terjatuh, tersungkur, bangun semula dan tersungkur lagi.. namun di sebalik tiap duka, tiap helaan nafas lega, tiap dilema yg melanda.. ku menemui sesuatu yang paling berharga.. ku semakin mengenali dan memahami diriku sendiri dan hubunganku dengan Rabb pencipta..

Alangkah indahnya setiap ujian dan cabaran yang ku lalui.. (^_^) tidak akan ku tukar ganti dengan sesuatu apa pun kerana semuanya hadiah daripada Allah swt, untuk mengujiku, mentarbiyyahku, menyedarkanku tentang hakikat kehambaanku.. dan hakikat kelemahan diriku.. benarlah:

Ku bertanya, mengapaku diuji?

Quran menerangkan:

“Apakah manusia itu mengira bahawa mereka dibiarkan saja mengatakan; “Kami telah beriman,” (”I am full of faith to Allah”) sedangkan mereka tidak diuji? Dan sesungguhnya Kami telah menguji org2 yg sebelum mereka, maka sesungguhnya Allah mengetahui org2 yg benar dan, sesungguhnya Dia mengetahui org2 yg dusta.” [29:2,3]

Ku Bertanya, mengapa ujianku seberat ini?

Qur'an menjawab:

“Allah tidak membebani seseorang itu melainkan sesuai dengan kesanggupannya.” [2:286]

Ku bertanya, bagaimana akan ku hadapi semua ini?

Quran menjawab:

“Dan mintalah pertolongan (kepada Allah) dengan jalan sabar dan mengerjakan sembahyang; dan sesungguhnya sembahyang itu amatlah berat kecuali kepada orang-orang yang khusyuk” [2:45]

Ku Bertanya: Apa yg akan ku raih dr semua ini?

Quran Menjawab:

“Sesungguhnya Allah telah membeli dari org2 mu’min, diri, harta mereka dengan memberikan syurga utk mereka… [9:111]

Ku Bertanya: Kepada siapa ku berharap?

Quran menjawab:

“Cukuplah Allah bagiku, tidak ada Tuhan selain dari Nya. Hanya kepadaNya aku bertawakkal.” [9:129]

Ya Allah kukuhkan hati ini di atas jalanMu biarkan kegelapan itu pergi

2009-10-01T14:23:00.005+08:00

Resah dan gelisah ku rasa hidup penuh pancaroba
Roda masa pantas berputar menduga iman di dada
Daku yang lena dan terleka tenggelam di lautan dunia

Kabur pandangan mataku pada nikmat yang menggunung
Mendustakan kurniaanMu tiba murkamu menghukum
Keangkuhanku kian hancur lantas ku jatuh dan tersungkur

TanpaMu kasih (Oh Kekasih) Ku tak berdaya (Ku terpedaya)
Hilang punca dan arah (Pada helah dusta dunia)
Hanyut alpa di arus bergelora Kasih (Oh Kekasih)
Daku derita (Tangisku hiba)

Lemah dalam sengsara (Dan mengalir oh air mata)
Jiwa dan tubuh kepedihan Terseksa,
terhukum menanggung kifarah dariMu

Telah ku lalui semalam jalanan kelam dan suram
Lampaui batasan insan keagunganMu kulupakan
Rahmat dariMu kudambakan keampunanMu kupohonkan

Tuhan, ku tak berdaya tempuh segala tanpa kasihMu
Hatiku ini merindu Sinar cintaMu Yang Agung
Pasrah merayu redhaMu

Ampuni dosa-dosaku
Rahmat dariMu ku dambakan
KeampunanMu ku pohonkan

Perfection and Expectation

2009-09-23T08:28:00.006+08:00

It's been long since the last post,
in truth the reason why I haven't been writing was..
I wanted everything to be perfect, I wanted all my posts to be enlightening,
and that requires more effort than just blabbering endlessly like I always do.
It's perfection that I seek. Although I'm sure with all my heart and soul that I'm far from perfect, I always strive to make sure that everything's perfect.. well not everything has to be perfect..
but I'd say.. my expectations about certain things can be extremely high..

"Expectation" and "Perfection" are the two scariest words I've ever encountered in life.. It's good and bad in ways that's most ironic... it depends on the way you look at things.. when I "expect" somethings to be in a certain way.. in a sense.. I know what I want and I strive to meet that expectations.. and if it is met.. the satisfaction is endless~ :)
nevertheless, it may also be a source of devastation.. frustration.. which in the end may lead to depression..

The same goes with "perfection" I always seek for perfection for certain things, in a way it's good in a sense that I always keep my self in check.. it prevented me from straying too far from Allah's path and a lot more.. but then again.. it is also a source of low self-esteem, in-satisfaction, self-depreciation.. I've witnessed and experienced both of these situations countless times.. I always wonder.. and I strive to prevent these negative thoughts and consequences.. sometimes i managed, sometimes I fail..

It's hard to find a balance, I dare say.. but then again.. that's how life is.. Allah doesn't create us on the face of this earth to have our sweet moments alone.. it's a test for the whole of mankind..
strive to find the balance.. Allah has prepared the most beautiful, sorrow free, everlasting abode for those who struggle.. I tell my self countless times to remember the names of Allah, His Majestic characteristics, Allah the granter of prayers, Allah the Most Merciful, Allah the all forgiving etc..

Yes, I'm far from perfect.... and sometimes I fail to live up to my expectations...
sometimes things just don't turn out the way I want it to.. really... it's nothing compared to what I'm striving for, jannah.. Ya Allah the granter of all prayers.. do grant this prayer of mine..

~Ummu Iman~
8.55 a.m
23/09/09

Life struggle

2009-04-06T13:20:00.010+08:00

The phone rang, well it was not exactly ringing.. it was the alarm buzzing off like a bumble bee...

(no need for the traditional alarm clock.. technology has allow me not to have to waste my ringgits on one, since my mobile phone could do the same trick.. and I'm thankful for it.. being the cheapskate that I am..)

I thought.. ughh. can the sound be more annoying?? I doubt it...
a scenario I have to face day in and day out..
looked at the phone screen and realized it was 20 minutes to 6..
hmm.. I will still have about 10 minutes left for Qiamullail.. if I sleep for another 10..
so, there I go again.. giving lengthy excuses for myself.. so that I can fall back to sleep..
before I knew it, the alarm went off again.. and to my disbelief...

6.30 a.m??? oh god, I missed it, I missed my chance to perform my Qiamullail for the day..

"And pray tahajjud in the small watches of the mornin: (it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) for thee: soon will thy Lord raise thee to a station of Paradise and Glory" (Al-'Isra: 80)

ughh.. annoyed and frustrated with myself, I got up, and quickly dashed into the washroom..

took my ablution and performed my fajr prayer.. I couldn't concentrate.. seems like everything I have planned for the day kept on rewinding itself in my head..

my thoughts were.. ughh.. go away.. I need to concentrate on my prayer.. and yet, random thoughts kept on playing in my head like a film projector.. I was annoyed...

I was blaming the "devil" or satan.. or syaitan, whichever you prefer to call them since they're all nasty... I thought of the quranic verse (7:16-17 and 2:36)..

hmpphh.. how I wish I could tell them off for distracting me from my prayers and causing me to miss my Qiamullail.... I finished my prayers with a feeling of desatisfaction.. I should have done better.. why can't I concentrate??..

Then, I thought of the verse (14:22)

".. And Satan will say when the matter is decided: "It was Allah Who gave you the promise of Truth. I too promised, but I failed in my promise to you.... I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrongdoers there must be a grievous penalty"

I can't put all the blame onto something else.. God has made me able to think.. I have the previlage to choose, I will be hold accountable for what I've done.. oh Allah.. why is it so hard to fight against my own nafs?

I was the one who chose to sleep over waking up for Qiamullail, I was the one who failed to concentrate.. I mean.. in the day of judgement, there is no way that I can put the blame on other beings.. includin the devils mind u.. it made me shiver thinking of the verse 13-15, Chapter 17 (Surah Al-Isra'):

"Every man's fate We have fastened on his own neck: On the Day of judgement We shall bring out from him scroll, which he will see spread open.

(It will be said to him:) "read your own record: Sufficient is thy soul this day to make out an account against thee."

Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goes astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an messenger (to give warning).

Oh well, I should strive for the hereafter.. I mean worldly life is important but the hereafter is my ultimate destination.. and I hope to strive for the ultimate..

"What is the life of this world but amusement and play? but verily the Home in the Hereafter ,

that is life indeed, if they but knew" (Al-ankabut: 64).

But one thing that I'm sure of, if I truely hope for Him to show me the right way towards his blessings I'd surely find it.

"And Your Lord says: "Call on me; I'll answer your (Prayer): but those who are too arrogant to serve Me will surely find themselves in Hell - in humiliation!"

(Surah Al-Mu'min:60)

"Say: "O my Lord! let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honour, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honour; and grant me from Thy Presence and authority to aid (me)"

(Surah Al-'Isra: 80)

to be continued.....

Falling in Love: Islamic view on the matter

2009-03-17T15:07:00.004+08:00

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Islam teaches us to be truthful and realistic. Usually, we love because of Allah and we hate because of Allah. Islam teaches us that a male and female can build up a good relationship founded on marriage. All those stories of media and movies are not helpful to make a person comply with the teachings of Islam.

We do not say love is halal or haram because it is a feeling. Maybe it is not under control. You can judge what is under control. But people who fall in love are in many episodes away from the cleansed and pure atmosphere.

Marriages that are usually good and lasting marriages are those that start at the least affection. That affection grows after marriage and maybe it will grow until the couples continue their companionship at the Jannah.

If you have any affection towards a person, you should ask yourself: why do you like that person? If you have good Islamic, reasonable justification, then you need not tell that person of what you feel. However, you can make a serious plan to make him ask for your hand. If you want to know the meaning of fitna, a great part of it is what people nowadays call love or romance.

In this context, we'd like to cite the following fatwa that clarifies the Islamic ruling on falling in love: "If we are speaking about the emotion which we call "love" then we are simply speaking of a feeling. What we feel toward a particular person is not of great importance, until our feeling is expressed in a particular action. Now if that action is permissible, then well and good. If it is forbidden, then we have incurred something that Allah does not approve of.

If it is love between a man and a woman, the emotion itself is not the subject of questioning on the Day of Judgment. If you feel you love someone, then you cannot control your feeling. If that love prompts you to try to see that person in secret and to give expression to your feelings in actions permissible only within the bond of marriage then what you are doing is forbidden."

Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.islamicity.com Shedding more light on the issue in point we'd like to cite the words of Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

He states: "In Islam, it is not a sin if you feel a special affinity or inclination towards a certain individual since human beings have no control on such natural inclinations. We are, however, definitely responsible and accountable if we get carried away by such feelings and take specific actions or steps that might be deemed as haram (forbidden).

As far as male and female interaction is concerned, Islam dictates strict rules: It forbids all forms of ‘dating’ and isolating oneself with a member of the opposite sex, as well indiscriminate mingling and mixing.

If, however, one does none of the above, and all that he or she wants is to seriously consider marrying someone, such a thing itself is not considered haram. In fact, Islam encourages us to marry persons for whom we have special feelings and affinity. Thus, Islam recommends that potential marriage partners see one another before proposing marriage.

Explaining the reason for such a recommendation, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “That would enhance/foster the bonding.” This permission notwithstanding, we are advised against getting carried away by merely the outward appearances of a person; these may be quite misleading.

Marriage is a life-long partnership and a person’s real worth is determined not by his or her physical looks, but more so by the inner person or character. Hence, after having mentioned that people ordinarily look for beauty, wealth and family in a marriage partner, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) advised us to consider primarily “the religious or character factor” over and above all other considerations."

excerpted from: www.islamonline.net

Cinta palsu hancurkan nilai keinsanan

2008-10-20T17:28:00.000+08:00

(thanks Sha for such a brilliant article.. )

KEWUJUDAN manusia adalah keunikan alam anugerah Allah dan komunikasi antara mereka memperlengkapkan kelangsungan sebuah kehidupan, manakala hubungan manusia dan pencipta-Nya pula menempah kejayaan hakiki. Manusia memiliki fitrah kejadian seni dan agung sebagai pembalut naluri yang berfungsi untuk membina kestabilan asas keinsanan seorang manusia.

Cinta juga menepati satu angka daripada perangkaan fitrah manusia. Tanpa nilai cinta yang didefinisikan sebagai cetusan rasa daripada orbit naluri ke arah mengenali satu objek dengan penghayatan hakikat dan kewujudannya akan mengganggu fitrah manusia.

Kesenian cinta didasari runtunan fitrah tanpa dicabul oleh hawa syahwat adalah lambang kedamaian, keamanan dan ketenangan. Namun cinta sering kali diperalatkan untuk melangsaikan keghairahan nafsu dan hasutan iblis laknatullah.

Demi kemakmuran manusia sejagat, kita mesti menangani fenomena cinta dengan nilai fikrah suci dan iman yang komited kepada Allah. Cinta sebenar adalah perasaan luar biasa lahir dari satu hati dan jiwa kepada hati dan jiwa yang lain. Justeru, tidak wujud cinta biasa, yang ada hanyalah cinta luar biasa kerana sesiapa memahami erti cinta, akan tahu hakikatnya yang luar biasa kerana kita akan mencintai orang lain lebih daripada seseorang itu mencintai dirinya.

Rasulullah SAW bersabda yang bermaksud: "Sesiapa yang ingin mendapatkan kemanisan iman maka hendaklah ia mengasihi seseorang kerana Allah." Dan cinta, apabila luar biasa, tentulah tidak sama dengan cinta yang tidak didasari oleh kecintaan kepada Allah.

Cinta luar biasa, semakin kita mencintai, makin kita cinta Allah. Permasalahan cinta dihadapi secara serius oleh umat Islam hari ini ialah pertembungan antara cinta hakiki dan cinta palsu menyebabkan umat Islam menghadapi dilema perasaan yang kronik. Krisis cinta palsu memapah umat Islam ke medan pertembungan yang memusnahkan etika spiritual malah membunuh solidariti dan menodai sosial. Individu Muslim sewajarnya peka terhadap kehadiran cinta yang menguasai jiwa.

Cinta berteraskan nafsu dan syahwat adalah cinta palsu yang tidak akan ke mana-mana. Cinta kerana harta, adalah cintakan harta, cinta kerana pangkat adalah cintakan pangkat, cinta kerana keturunan adalah cintakan keturunan, bukannya cinta lahir dari hati yang ikhlas untuk bersama si dia sepanjang hayat.

Cinta harta sering membuat manusia menjadi lupa diri dan tanggungjawab. Harta jugalah sering menewaskan kekuatan pejuang. Justeru, Rasulullah SAW bersabda yang bermaksud:

"Demi Allah, bukan kefakiran yang aku takut menimpa kamu, tetapi aku takut kamu dibentangkan dengan kemewahan dunia seperti dibentangkan kepada umat pada zaman dulu, lalu kamu bergelumang dengan dunia dan merebutnya seperti mereka sebelum kamu lalu kamu binasa seperti mana mereka binasa."

Memiliki harta tidak dihalang syarak sebaliknya cinta harta itulah yang di pandang keji tetapi harta bermanfaat apabila ia menjadi alat bantu perjuangan menegakkan agama Allah. Firman Allah yang bermaksud:

"Berangkatlah sama ada ringan atau berat dan berjihadlah dengan harta dan jiwa kamu di jalan Allah, sedemikian itu terlebih baik bagi kamu jika kamu mengetahui." (Surah At-Taubah, ayat 41)

Cinta pangkat dan kedudukan, jika turut melanda individu dalam gerakan Islam akan menyuburkan lagi persengketaan dingin yang melambatkan proses mencapai kemenangan. Kadangkala terfikir juga, untuk apa mengejar pangkat dan kedudukan sedang di akhirat kelak kita akan menjadi manusia hina dina?

Al Fudhail mengingatkan kita: "Kalaulah dunia ini terdiri daripada emas yang akan binasa dan akhirat dari tanah bakar (tembikar) yang kekal, sayugia kita memilih tanah bakar yang kekal berbanding emas yang binasa."

Kita harus tahu perasaan yang lahir dalam hati adakah ia mendorong kepada hidup bersama untuk mencapai reda-Nya atau sebaliknya?

Jika kita kenal pasti cinta untuk mendapatkan kemanisan iman, maka teruskanlah dengan sebuah perkahwinan, jika sebaliknya, percayalah bahawa cinta itu buta dan akan menggelapkan sebuah kehidupan. Jodoh hanya datang selepas kita berusaha ke arah itu kerana tidak ada kebenaran untuk mendapatkan mana-mana hak bersama sebagai suami atau isteri tanpa kebenaran sama ada tuan punya badan atau walinya.

Jangan menyalahkan jodoh semata-mata kerana ia tidak datang bergolek. Jodoh boleh diatur kerana ia hanyalah sebuah kejadian yang dirancang dengan izin-Nya, tetapi carilah cinta yang luar biasa.

Penulis ialah Pensyarah Kanan Fakulti Syariah dan Undang-undang Universiti Sains Malaysia (Usim)

Is it better for woman to go out to the Eid prayers or to stay at home?

2008-10-01T14:00:00.000+08:00

I know that it is better for women to pray at home, but my question has to do with the Eid prayer. Is it better for women to go out to the Eid prayer or to stay at home?.

Praise be to Allaah.

It is better for women to go out to the Eid prayer.

This was enjoined by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

Al-Bukhaari (324) and Muslim (890) narrated that Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:

The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to bring them (women) out on (Eid) al-Fitr and (Eid) al-Adha, and to bring out adolescent girls, menstruating women and virgins, but the menstruating women were to stay away from the prayer, but were to witness goodness and the gathering of the Muslims. I said: “O Messenger of Allaah, what if one of us does not have a jilbaab?” He said: “Let her sister lend her a jilbab.”
Al-Haafiz said:

This shows that it is mustahabb for women to come out and attend the Eid prayers, whether they are young or not.

Al-Shawkaani said:

This and similar hadeeths indicate that it is prescribed in sharee’ah for women to come out to the prayer-place, with no differentiation between virgins and non-virgins, young or old, menstruating or otherwise, so long as they are not going through ‘iddah (following divorce or death of their husband) or their coming out will be a cause of fitnah or they have an excuse.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was asked: what is better for a woman, to come out to the Eid prayer or to stay at home?

He replied:

It is better for them to go out to Eid prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that the women go out to the Eid prayer, even the adolescent girls and virgins – i.e., women who do not ordinarily go out. He commanded them to go out, and he told the menstruating women to go out but to keep away from the prayer-place.

So menstruating women should go out with other women for Eid, but they should not enter the place where the Eid prayer is offered, because the Eid prayer-place is a mosque and it is not permissible for a menstruating woman to stay there, but it is permissible for her to pass through or to take something she needs from it, without staying there. Based on this we say: women are commanded to go out to the Eid prayer and join the men in this prayer, because of the goodness, dhikr and du’aa’ they may experience there.

Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 16/210.

He also said:

But they must go out looking decent, not wearing adornment, makeup or perfume, so that they may combine following the Sunnah with avoiding fitnah.

What some women do of wearing adornment, makeup and perfume is because of their ignorance and negligence on the part of their guardians.

This does not cancel out the general shar’i ruling, which is that women are commanded to go out to the Eid prayer.

source: Islam Q&A

Ruling on Eid and the Sunnahs of Eid

2008-10-01T13:46:00.000+08:00

Ruling on Eid and the Sunnahs of Eid

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah has set out several rulings concerning Eid, including the following:

1 – It is mustahabb to recite takbeer during the night of Eid from sunset on the last day of Ramadaan until the imam comes to lead the prayer. The format of the takbeer is as follows:

Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allaah).

Or you can say Allaahu akbar three times, so you say:

Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi’l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great , Allaah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allaah).

Both are permissible.

Men should raise their voices reciting this dhikr in the marketplaces, mosques and homes, but women should not raise their voices.

2 – You should eat an odd number of dates before leaving for the Eid prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not set out on the day of Eid until he had eaten an odd number of dates. He should stick to an odd number as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did.

3 – You should wear your best clothes – this is for men. With regard to women, they should not wear beautiful clothes when they go out to the Eid prayer-place, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Let them go out looking decent” i.e., in regular clothes that are not fancy. It is haraam for them to go out wearing perfume and makeup.

4 – Some of the scholars regarded it as mustahabb to do ghusl for the Eid prayer, because it is narrated that some of the salaf did this. Doing ghusl for Eid prayer is mustahabb, just as it is prescribed for Jumu’ah because one is going to meet people. So if one does ghusl, that is good.

5 – The Eid prayer. The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the Eid prayer is prescribed in Islam. Some of them say that it is Sunnah, some say that it is fard kafaayah (a communal obligation) and some say that it is fard ‘ayn (an individual obligation), and that not doing it is a sin. They quoted as evidence the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded even the virgins and women in seclusion, i.e., those who did not ordinarily come out, to attend the Eid prayer place, except that those who were menstruating should keep away from the prayer-place itself, because it is not permissible for a menstruating woman to stay in the mosque; it is permissible for her to pass through but not to stay there.
It seems to me, based on the evidence, that it is fard ‘ayn (an individual obligation) and that every male is obliged to attend the Eid prayer except for those who have an excuse. This was the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him).
In the first rak’ah the imam should recite Sabbih isma rabbika al-A‘ala (Soorat al-A’la 87) and in the second rak’ah he should recite Hal ataaka hadeeth ul-ghaashiyah (al-Ghaashiyah 88). Or he may recite Soorat Qaaf (50) in the first and Soorat al-Qamar (54) in the second. Both options are narrated in saheeh reports from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

6 – If Jumu’ah and Eid fall on the same day, the Eid prayer should be held, as should Jumu’ah prayer, as is indicated by the apparent meaning of the hadeeth of al-Nu’maan ibn Basheer which was narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. But those who attend the Eid prayer with the imam may attend Jumu’ah if they wish, or they may pray Zuhr.

7 – One of the rulings on Eid prayer is that according to many scholars, if a person comes to the Eid prayer-place before the imam comes, he should sit down and not pray two rak’ahs, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed Eid with two rak’ahs, and he did not offer any prayer before or after it.

Some of the scholars are of the view that when a person comes he should not sit down until he has prayed two rak’ahs, because the Eid prayer-place is a mosque, based on the fact that menstruating women are not allowed there, so it comes under the same rulings as a mosque, which indicates that it is a mosque. Based on this, it comes under the general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “When any one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit down until he has prayed two rak’ahs.” With regard to the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not offer any prayer before or after the Eid prayer, that is because when he arrived the prayer started.

Thus it is proven that we should pray Tahiyyat al-Masjid (two rak’ahs to “greet the mosque”) when arriving at the Eid prayer-place, as in the case of all mosques, because if we assume from the hadeeth that there is no Tahiyyat al-Masjid for the Eid mosque, then we should say that there is no Tahiyyat al-Masjid for the Jumu’ah mosque either, because when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) arrived at the Jumu’ah mosque he would deliver the khutbah, then pray two rak’ahs then leave and pray the regular Sunnahs of Jumu’ah in his house, so he did not offer any prayer before it or after it (in the mosque).

What seems more likely to be correct in my view is that we should pray two rak’ahs in the Eid prayer-place to greet the mosque, but we should not denounce one another with regard to this issue, because it is a matter concerning which the scholars differ. We should not denounce others with regard to matters where the scholars differ, unless there is a clear text. So we should not denounce the one who prays (Tahiyyat al-Masjid) or the one who sits down without praying.

8 – One of the rulings on the day of Eid – Eid al-Fitr – is that Zakaat al-Fitr is due on this day. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined that it should be paid before the Eid prayer. It is permissible to pay it one or two days before that, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) which was narrated by al-Bukhaari: “They used to give it one or two days before (Eid) al-Fitr.” If it is paid after the Eid prayer, it does not count as Sadaqat al-Fitr, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas: “Whoever pays it before the prayer, it is Zakaat al-Fitr, and whoever pays it after the prayer, it is ordinary charity.” It is haraam to delay Zakaat al-Fitr until after the Eid prayer. If one delays it with no excuse then it is not acceptable zakaah, but if there is an excuse – such as if a person is traveling and does not have anything to give or anyone to give it to, or he is expecting his family to pay it and they are expecting him to pay it, then in this case he should pay it when it is easy for him to do so, even if that is after the prayer, and there is no sin on him because he has an excuse.

9 – People should greet one another, but that results in haraam actions on the part of many people, such as men entering houses and shaking hands with unveiled women without any mahram being present. Some of these evils are worse than others.
We see some people denouncing those who refuse to shake hands with those who are not their mahrams, but it is they who are the wrongdoers, not he. But he should explain to them and tell them to ask trustworthy scholars to verify his actions and he should tell them not to get angry and insist on following the customs of his forefathers, because they do not make a permissible thing forbidden or a forbidden thing permissible. He should explain to them that if they do that, they will be like those of whom Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And similarly, We sent not a warner before you (O Muhammad) to any town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said: “We found our fathers following a certain way and religion, and we will indeed follow their footsteps”[al-Zukhruf 43:23]

Some people have the custom of going out to the graveyard on the day of Eid to greet the occupants of the graves, but the occupants of the graves have no need of any greeting or congratulations, because they do not fast or pray qiyaam.

Visiting the graves is not something to be done especially on the day of Eid or Friday or any particular day. It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) visited the graves at night, as mentioned in the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah narrated by Muslim. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Visit the graves for they will remind you of the Hereafter.”

Visiting graves is an act of worship, and acts of worship are not acceptable unless they are in accordance with sharee’ah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not single out the day of Eid for visiting the graves, so we should not do so either.

10 – There is nothing wrong with what men do on the day of Eid of embracing one another.

11 – It is prescribed for the one who goes out to the Eid prayer to go by one route and return by another, following the example of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This Sunnah does not apply to other prayers, Jumu’ah or anything else, it only applies to Eid.

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 16/216-223.

Source: Islam Q&A

The obligations muslims owe the Qur’an

2008-09-19T04:55:00.000+08:00

In this blessed month of Ramadhan, a month in which our prime guidance was revealed, let us reflect on our responsibilities towards this precious gift.

Q: Dear scholars of Islam, As-Salaam `Alaykum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh. I believe that the root-cause of Muslims’ agony nowadays is their indifference to the Qur’an. Please, comment on this serious issue by stating the duties of the Muslims towards the Qur’an.

A:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear brother in Islam, thanks for you good question which touched our hearts,
for it reflects the pains of Muslims all over the world. You, in fact, described the cure for the agony our beloved Ummah, namely adherence to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah.
“The pathetic and disastrous condition of the Muslim Ummah throughout the world is due to the abandoning of the Qur’an by the Muslims. The attitude of indifference that we constantly show towards the last of the Allah’s Revelations, along with our hypocritical lip-service, is tantamount to ridiculing it. Instead, we must clearly understand our responsibilities towards the Qur’an and try our very best in fulfilling them. We can neither expect any improvement in our worldly state of affairs nor hope for salvation in the Hereafter, unless we carry out all the obligations that we owe the Qur’an.

Five things that the Qur’an demands from every Muslim are as follows:
1. The Muslim is required to believe in the Qur’an,2. He is required to read it,3. He is required to understand it,4. He is required to act upon its teachings, and5. He is required to convey its teachings to others.

OUR FIRST OBLIGATION is to have faith (Iman) in the Divine origin of the Qur’an. Iman has two phases: verbal profession (iqrar bil-lisan) and heart-felt conviction (tasdiq bil-qalb). To have faith in the Qur’an means that we should verbally profess that the Qur’an is the Word of Almighty Allah that was revealed by Him through His angel Gabriel to the last of His Messengers, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.
This is a legal requirement for the acceptance of a person as a member of the Muslim society. Having done that, however, we also need to develop a deeply felt certitude in the Qur’an. It is only when we have real conviction in that verbal declaration that our hearts and minds would come under the influence of the Qur’an, leading us towards genuine devotion and veneration of the Glorious Book.

Unfortunately, there is a woeful lack of staunch faith in the Divine origin of the Qur’an among the Muslims of today. This lack of faith is the reason why we neither find any reverence for the Qur’an in our hearts, nor feel inclined to study it, nor evince any interest in pondering over its meanings, nor ever think of seeking its guidance in conducting our lives.
It might be asked as to how can we acquire true faith? The answer is that the source of Iman is the Qur’an itself. If the Book is studied and its meanings are pondered upon in an authentic quest for truth, all the veils of darkness shall be lifted from one’s heart, and the inner self - the soul - will get illuminated by the light of true faith.

Note that faith is not something that can be planted in us from the outside. It is an embodiment of fundamental truths that already exist inside us; the practice of pondering over the verses of the Qur’an serves to bring them to the surface of our consciousness.

OUR SECOND OBLIGATION is mindful and thoughtful reading of the Qur’an with correct pronunciation, generally described as Tilawah, Tartil, and Tajwid. Note that Tilawah is not only an important form of worship, but it is also an effective method of continually refreshing our faith.

The Qur’an is not a book to be read once; it is a Book that needs to be read again and again. We must read it carefully, reflecting on its messages, constantly seeking guidance for our lives. Just as our material body is in constant need of food for its sustenance, our spiritual soul or Ruh is also in perpetual need for its nourishment. And just as the food for our bodies is derived from the earth, the diet for our souls is obtained from the Word of God, the Qur’an itself.

Moreover, a regular and constant program of reciting the Qur’an is also needed because it is a means of refreshing and reviving our faith, and a weapon for surmounting the obstacles in the path of Almighty Allah. The ideal way in which the Glorious Book should be recited is that one should stand in the post-midnight prayer before his Lord and recite its verses in a slow and patient manner, pausing at proper places so as to enable one’s heart to imbibe its influence. (Though reading the Qur’an in all times is virtuous, reading it at mid-night is more virtuous.)

OUR THIRD OBLIGATION is to understand and comprehend the Qur’an. The Qur’an has been revealed so that it may be understood and pondered upon. Of course, there are numerous levels and grades of comprehension, accessible to different persons according to their respective planes of intellect and consciousness.

The first stage in the comprehension of the Qur’an is called Tazakkur, a term which alludes to the fact that the teachings of the Qur’an are not at all foreign or alien to the human Fitrah (pure instinct). Instead, they represent the eternal truths dormant in the human soul itself, and the reading or listening of the Qur’an only facilitates the recalling of these forgotten verities.

The Qur’an has been rendered very easy, by Almighty Allah, for the purpose of gaining this level of guidance. It does not matter if a person’s intelligence is limited, or his knowledge of logic and philosophy is poor, or if he has no fine sense of language and literature. In spite of these drawbacks, he can still understand the basic message and practical guidance of the Qur’an, provided he has an untainted nature not perverted by any crookedness.

The second stage in the comprehension of the Qur’an is far from easy. Tadabbur is described as a penetrating study, an intense reflection, as thorough deliberation of the Qur’an as possible, and diving deep into the bottomless ocean of its wisdom.

This kind of understanding is impossible unless one is to devote his entire life, all his talents, and all his energies for the sole purpose of comprehending the Qur’an. Obviously, not everyone is capable of such a high level of devotion and effort to acquire such insight and comprehension. But there must be a number of persons, at all times, who are engaged in this enterprise.

Such scholars cannot be produced unless we have a network of universities throughout the Muslim world, which concentrate on the Qur’anic research and make this Book the focus of all their intellectual activity.

OUR FOURTH OBLIGATION is to act upon the teachings of the Qur’an. The Qur’an is the “Guidance for mankind.” The purpose for which this Book has been revealed will be fully realized only when people act upon its teachings and make it the guide for them in every sphere of their lives. If we disregard the injunctions of the Qur’an, then the reading and understanding of the Glorious Book, instead of doing us any good, will only make us more guilty before Almighty Allah.

At an individual level, it is imperative for every Muslim to mold his or her life according to the teachings of the Qur’an. Our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “None of you can become a true believer until his desires become subordinate to what I have brought.” The best way to benefit from the study of the Qur’an is to go on changing our life-styles and mending our ways in accordance with its teachings.

At the collective level of the community, it is equally imperative for us to try and establish the system of Social Justice as given by the Qur’an. The Muslims are, as a whole, responsible for establishing the Sovereignty of Almighty Allah in the public as well as the private sphere, and each of us is obligated to try his utmost in this path. The struggle for the establishment of such a just and equitable order in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an is the bounding duty of its followers.

OUR FIFTH OBLIGATION is to propagate the message of the Qur’an to every nook and corner of the world. This was originally the responsibility of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, who fulfilled his own obligation by conveying the Divine message to the Ummah; since Prophethood has been concluded with the advent of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, who is the last of the Divine Messengers, it is now the duty of the Muslims to deliver that message to all humanity.

Unfortunately, the proclamation of the Divine message to the whole world appears like a far-fetched and fantastic idea, because, at the moment, the Muslims themselves are ignorant of the teachings of the Qur’an.

Therefore, a powerful intellectual and academic movement - back to the Qur’an - is needed in order to propagate and disseminate the knowledge and wisdom of the Qur’an, both on a general scale for the benefit of our masses and on the highest level of scholarship in order to convert the educated and intelligent elite of the Muslim society.

Quoted, with slight modifications, from Dr. Israr Ahmad’s article on “The Obligations the Muslims Owe to the Qur’an”, The Straight Way online magazine (http://www.thestraightway.com/literature/0002.html)

Allah Almighty knows best.

Why would I cry

2008-09-16T19:39:00.000+08:00

Why would u cry?
People cry for millions of different reasons
and probably even more than that,

people cry because others cry,
people cry because they were asked to cry,
people cry because they wanna pretend to cry,
people also cry when it hurts so much that it hurts not to cry.

But why would I cry?

I would cry as god has given me the blessings of tears,
Tears that will drain away all my sins from my everyday doings,

I would cry as I remember the touch of my mother,
the voice of my father,
the love of my sisters,
the care of my brothers,
and the concerns of my grandmother,

I would cry as I remember how they are the loans from Allah the Almighty lender,
I would cry as I look towards the sky and the trees and seas that surrounds me,

O Allah, how could I ever thank you for giving me a perfect pair of eyes for me to see the beauty of your creations ,

O Allah, let me cry only on things that will contribute to your favor,
O Allah don’t let me cry for being scared of losing what I don’t really possess,
O Allah don’t let me cry for being scared of losing this temporary life of mine.
O Allah let me cry only for You,
because of You and everything that’s You.

April 10 2007
1.15 p.m
Central Library

The word that I fear the most...

2008-09-16T19:26:00.000+08:00

"Wahhan" = Fear of death and Love for this worldly life

I wonder how would I feel if I were to be asked at a gun point:
"what will u choose? ur life or Islam?" knowing that if I answer the later I’ll be dead…
what will I choose then? do I choose my life over Islam?
at this point, I really don’t know..
I want to be able to say confidently that I’ll choose Islam no matter what happen..
one day, maybe.. one day.. insyaAllah..

I wonder If I’m all prepared for the day that my spirit parts from my body.
At this point,
I’m still scared that whatever deeds that I’ve done in this life is gonna drag me into the Hell fire… Na’uzubillah..
I’m scared that I have only been following my nafs in everything that I do..
Ya Allah please help me in finding my way towards your barakah and redha.
I also wonder if I’m willing to give up everything that I have to help this religion of mine,
just like all the sahabah.. (Umar, Othman, Abu Bakr e.t.c).
Will I be able to get up to that level?
I really don’t know..

I really don’t know if Wahhan is no longer in my heart..
I really hope that it’s no longer a part of me…
Ya Allah please.. I beg u…
let me find the way towards your mercy….
let me get rid of everything that’s jahiliyyah inside of me..
At least before my time in this world is up. Amin..

3.06 p.m
23 April 2007
The Lofts

A precious birthday present

2008-09-16T06:55:00.000+08:00

Buat ukhti yang disayangi
jauh di mata dekat di hati…

Bersabarlah ukhti,
Allah ingin menambah pahala mujahadahmu,
sungguh,
ini tarbiyyah Allah supaya dirimu lebih redha dengan apa yang Dia tetapkan,
kelak moga redha Allah jua yang kamu dapat,

sesungguhnya apa yang kita inginkan,
tak semestinya kita akan miliki,
malah yang kita tak inginkan,
itulah mungkin terbaik untuk kita…
belajarlah untuk redha dan tawakkal selalu…

keluhan demi keluhan,
ujian demi ujian,
dirimu yang kukenal sejak dahulu telah jauh bezanya
pergolakkan mematangkan mu
permasalahan mematangkan mu
semua di sekeliling pastinya telah mematangkan mu
inilah indahnya tarbiyyahdari Allah yang Maha mendidik
menjadi kan dirimu tetap dirimu tetapi dengan kekuatan luar biasa!

wanita itu banyak perasaan dan emosinya
tidak salah untuk memilikinya
malah kehadirannya untuk diraikan
untuk mewarnai kehidupan kita
tetapi janganlah emosi itu yang mengawalmu
tetapi bendunglah ia agar emosi itu turut mentaati Ilahi…

kau memanjangkan doa dan munajatmu
dengan kekuatan ketahanan
dengan kekuatan kesabaran
dengan penuh pengharapan
engkau teruskan jua

itulah yang ALlah ingin kan
agar dirimu sentiasa bergantung padaNya
berpaut padaNyaterus mengingatiNya

bersyukurlah ukhti,
telah banyak Allah memberikan nikmatnya padamu
tidak terhitung banyaknya
percayalah ianya juga satu nikmat dalam proses tarbiyyah iniyang pasti,
Allah memang telah memilihmu
agar dirimu lebih sempurna
maka bergantunglah padaNyaberserahlah padaNya
pasti dirimu takkan kecewa

kuselitkan namamu dalam doaku
agar kekuatan sentiasa menjadi temanmuagar dirimu sentiasa dlm petunjukNya
agar pertolongan Allah sentiasa dalam dakapan mu
menangislah jika ingin menangis
agar air mata itu turut menjadi saksi
keluhan dan rintihan pada Ilahi
semoga kasih Allah sentiasa menemanimu…

pemudiDD
winton
15.09.08
11.03pm