Sunday, November 29, 2015

Avenue N

Bismillahirrahmaanirrahiim...

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Beneficient...

It's been a while since I wrote...although it hasn't reached half a year, or even years or so.

This semester's definitely getting tougher with heavier workload, including the additional part time cert class I'm having on weekend with le soulmate & her sister in University Malaya. Not complaining though, because alhamdulillah I love them all <3

All praises to Allah, for He is still giving me chances after chances to live in this impermanent world. For giving me chances to pursue in the road of knowledge, the road to becoming someone who knows, and becoming someone who does not know...again. For giving me chances, to do all sorts of things - see the lands of Western Australia, go back home to smell the fresh air in Alor Setar whilst mingling with lovely family members whom I miss the most.

Honestly, I've been following the Saturday Night lecture sessions done by CASIS UTM-KL twice in a month in which I am terribly thankful to Allah for having a companion (Farah) who relentless pursue the road to understands more about Islam, and who offers me shelter for the night -4 times in a row.

The lecture is more of commentaries about Prof Sy. Naquib al-Attas' Islam & Secularism, chaired by Prof Zainiy. Though I wasn't really following the discussion (because I have yet to buy the book and read it), but I really enjoy it so far because it absolutely challenges the way I think about this realm. Given the fact that I was following usrah, I sorta miss this intellectual challenge.

Anyhow, last night was monumental when Prof Zainiy finally get into the topic of Islam as religion. I was hoping to make a good note, but I had a choppy one because all the commentaries made were brilliant!! Here's few for my future reference:

- Islam is a concept of religion & the foundation of ethics and morality. What is morality and what is ethics? What then is religion?
- Religion is from the word religio which vaguely refers to the bond between men and the gods.
- Deen, as defined as religion in Islam, comes from the 3 root letter (د-ي-ن)
- Deen is also related to daana which brings the meaning of yield, obligation, and indebtedness.
- In relation to indebtedness, men is indebted to his Lord (Allah) for the very reason of his own existence.
- Men was once nothing, but now he is something. Upon creation, men bore witness upon himself who is his Lord (Alastu birabbikum...Qaalu, bala shahidna..")
- This indebtedness of existence that men owes, can lead him to loss, unless he knows and acts in the right way to repay his debt.


Friday, September 18, 2015

Pemikiran Semasa Muslim di Malaysia

Bismillahirrahmaanirrahiim...

Dengan nama Allah yang Maha Pemurah, Lagi Maha Pengasihani...

Alhamdulillah, terasa begitu bersyukur sekali diberi nikmat dapat menghadiri salah satu seminar berkisarkan pemikiran-pemikiran berdasarkan buku Tsaqafah Ad-Daieyah tulisan Sh Yusuf al-Qardhawi...

Berlatarkan hiruk-pikuk di bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, dan juga jerebu, 6 jenis ilmu kupasan Sh Yusuf al-Qardhawi di dalam bukunya diterjemahkan semula melalui speakers yang berbeza latar belakang akademiknya.

Melalui penyampaian para speakers, ternyata diri ini berasa begitu terkesima sekali kerana tidak disangka bahwa tahap pemikiran ilmuwan di Malaysia begitu progresif dan (jika tidak keterlaluan) setaraf dengan pemikir di luar negara...seperti yang pernah diketemui dan didengar pemikiran mereka samada di Youtube, mahupun konvensyen di sana yang sempat dihadiri.

Pertama kalinya, terasa begitu malu dengan diri sendiri kerana selalu "underestimate" ilmuwan Malaysia. Masih lagi memikir bahawa ilmuwan muslim Malaysia itu jumud dan tidak terbuka dengan ideologi-ideologi lain, tetapi nah! di seminar ini, baru diri ini terasa begitu kerdil sekali.

Adapun speakers dari universiti awam, mahupun dari pusat konsultan, semuanya begitu terbuka menerima pandangan-pandangan luar (contohnya, Barat) dan pada masa yang sama, mereka ini menawarkan pandangan-pandangan yang dikonstruk semula menepati dengan kerangka islam.

Betapa setiap daripada mereka, begitu bersungguh menyampaikan harapan setiap satu. Sehingga diri ini yang masih mudah uhuk! berasa begitu malu jika tidak bersungguh menekuni ilmu dengan jalan yang sebetulnya, dan menyumbang kembali kepada masyarakat Malaysia sekurang-kurangnya.

Antara point yang begitu menarik sekali diutarakan oleh Tn Fazrul Ismail dan Dr Mohd Rofa dalam pembentangan mereka adalah berkenaan kebenaran. Di sini, mereka mengungkapkan bahawa sifat manusia empirikal itu fitrahnya memang mahu mencari kebenaran. Kebenaran di sini terbahagi kepada dua yakni:

1. Knowledge (Perceived truth within human sense)
2. Truth (Truth only known by God)

Dan gabungan antara kedua-dua elemen ini, apabila dikuasai, akan dikurniakan hikmah dari yang Maha Agung. Ternyata di sini, ada elemen kuasa ketuhanan yang perlu diakui oleh manusia untuk menjadi seorang yang berhikmah di samping menjadi orang yang benar di sisiNya.

Subhanaka laa 'ilma lana illa ma 'allamtana innaka antal 'aliimu alhakiim..."Maha suci Engkau, tidak ada yang Kami ketahui selain daripada apa yang Engkau ajarkan kepada kami, sesungguhnya Engkaulah yang Maha Mengetahui lagi Maha Bijaksana..". Begitulah kalimat yang diungkapkan oleh para malaikat di dalam surah Al-Baqarah, ayat 32.