“Pesan”

Hari ini aku lihat kembali
Wajah-wajah halus yang keras
Yang berbicara tentang kemerdekaaan
Dan demokrasi
Dan bercita-cita
Menggulingkan tiran

Aku mengenali mereka
yang tanpa tentara
mau berperang melawan diktator
dan yang tanpa uang
mau memberantas korupsi

Kawan-kawan
Kuberikan padamu cintaku
Dan maukah kau berjabat tangan
Selalu dalam hidup ini?

- Soe Hok Gie (1942-1969). Pemikir Indonesia

Penyatuan UMNO-PAS

Saya sangat teruja, bersyukur serta mengalu-alukan saranan Tuan Guru Haji Nik Aziz berhubung pembubaran parti UMNO dan Pas dan menubuhkan sebuah parti yang berlandaskan Islam. Dalam keadaan umat Islam yang sering berpecah-belah, Malaysia, adalah negara yang boleh dikatakan stabil berbanding negara-negara majoriti penganut Islam yang lain dan sangat sayang dan rugi seandainya kita membiarkan situasi politik di negara kita di ambang bahaya

Suasana yang aman dan stabil yang dikecapi oleh negara kita dulu dan masih lagi sekarang merupakan suatu rahmat kepada para pencinta Islam yang ingin memberi kefahaman Islam kepada masyarakat Namun, cubaan segelintir pihak untuk menentang parti dan dasar-dasar kerajaan pemerintah dengan cara yang menyebabkan keamanan dan suasana yang bebas dari bahaya di negara ini terkorban menyebabkan saya merasakan lebih baik difikirkan cara lain yang akan membawa kemaslahatan buat semua pihak dan ini adalah satu cara yang terbaik. Mungkin kerana kita jarang dan sebenarnya belum pernah berpengalaman merasai penderitaan rakyat negara lain yang menyebabkan kita mengambil mudah soal keharmonian. E.g. Banyak rakyat Iraq merasakan lebih aman di bawah pemerintahan Sadam Hussein yang dikatakan kejam tetapi di zaman beliau rakyat Iraq merasa kehidupan dari sudut mencari rezeki (pluang pekerjaan lebih mudah). Begitu juga dengan negara Indonesia, ibu saya pernah ke sana dan salah seorang pemandu teksi yang membawa ibu saya berpendapat kehidupan di zaman Suharto lebih mudah berbanding sekarang (dia didakwa atas tuduhan rasuah).

Jadi, saranan Tn Guru Hj Nik Aziz ini wajar sekali dilihat sebagai suatu yang positif untuk memulihkan kembali keadaan dan menyatukan kembali orang-orang Melayu yang berpecah-belah. Penyatuan ini bukan sahaja akan memberi manfaat kepada satu kaum sahaja, tetapi turut kepada kaum-kaum lain lain kerana ini menggalakkan kerjasama yang jujur dan telus dalam segenap aspek dan bidang. Negara Madinah di bawah pimpinan Nabi Muhammad SAW adalah model terbaik bagaimana negara yang terdiri daripada pelbagai kaum dan agama (Islam, Yahudi, Kristian) dapat mengecapi suasana aman dan bebas dari penindasan. Dan dengan izin Allah ini tidak mustahil akan berlaku di Malaysia.

Cadangan bubar UMNO dan Pas akan dibawa ke Muktamar Pas - Nik Aziz

27/07/2008 3:35pm - UTUSAN MALAYSIA

KOTA BHARU 27 Julai — Mursyidul Am Pas Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata cadangan beliau supaya Pas dan UMNO dibubarkan bagi membentuk satu parti baru akan dibawa ke Muktamar Tahunan Ke-54 parti itu di Ipoh, Perak pada 15 hingga 17 Ogos depan.

Menteri Besar Kelantan itu berkata, ia bertujuan bagi mendapatkan pandangan daripada perwakilan Pas dari seluruh negara berhubung cadangan itu.

“Kita akan bawa usul ini ke muktamar dan saya juga akan menjawab sebarang persoalan berkaitan isu ini,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Seminar Pembangunan Indusri Halal Nasional, di sini, hari ini.

Semalam, Nik Abdul Aziz mencadangkan supaya kedua-dua parti itu dibubarkan dengan menubuhkan sebuah parti baru berlandaskan Islam bagi menyatukan orang Melayu dan sebagai tempat berlindung kepada semua pihak termasuk bukan Islam.

Beliau berkata, dengan cara demikian ia dapat mengembalikan kekuatan Islam di negara ini di samping merapatkan hubungan antara kaum termasuk bukan Islam.- Bernama

aku optimis

Current situation in Malaysia has forced all of us in Malaysia to be critical. Some of ppl's judgement are basically driven by emotions and some like i've mentioned are critical. I've found that many of the government's policies aren't popular and I'm forced to believe there must be reasons behind this.

But I am optimistic about the future of Malaysia. It's just that we might have to deal with the critical and difficult phase first and for sure we do not know (except God!) under whose leadership will Malaysia be brighter than she is today. Many intellectuals has predicted that this 21st century will witness a phenomena where the dominance of the west over the world is decreasing as other civilizations (Asians, Islam, etc) is becoming more powerful in terms of economy, military, etc. And our country, Malaysia is part of that civilization.

And especially for Muslims, there's a saying (hadith) by the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h:
"Islam during the end times (the last era before Qiyamah) will rise from the east".
And the east here refers to - Asia. And which part of Asia that has a number of Muslims? Definitely Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, some part of Thailand and Philippines. Doesn't that indicate that we are actually the hope of Ummah and it's best to not give up with what's happening now in our beloved country for there'll be an end for this (because I've heard some has thought of migrating to other country!) Everything will turn out good for everyone!

Well, only God knows best.

"Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country (J. F. Kennedy)."

Self-confidence

Alhamdulillah, today I’ve learned a lesson that self-confidence is about reliance on Allah. When you have faith in Allah you will have the strength to encounter any problems that come along your way.

Self-confidence is not about self-sufficient. Humans no matter how strong they appear don’t have to right to deny that it is God that makes them the way they are and that He decides whatever outcomes He likes for our effort in doing something that is difficult and challenging for us.

Of course as humans there’ll be times we fail, but that doesn’t mean Allah purposely did that because He wants to humiliate us or whatever but this is one of His ways of testing His slaves. Men, when granted with something pleasing to the eye and heart, they tend to deviate from remembrance of Allah. Therefore, failure makes one to return back to the right path again.

At times, failure makes one feeling like committing suicides. But when we ponder deeply about our life, shame on us that we actually have too many things to be grateful compared to those failures that can be counted.

For this moment of time in my life, I have to say I don’t like the way things work. I feel like having to encounter 2,3 problems when most people around me may only need to focus on one difficulty only. As a result I questioned, ‘why these so easy things to others are so difficult to me?’

But then, I’ve found that everything as a result of this situation seems to amaze me in many ways. I was fascinated by God’s plan. He really tests His slaves according to their best capacity.

Even though at first I don’t like to be tested this way, but soon I’ve discovered a valuable something that keeps me going on. A treasure that keeps me alive.

EQ

Diri ini: explaining and complaining about a problem
Housemate aka Jr: I think you shouldn't worry. This is a minor prob only. *Serious face* We, ladies are always not good at handling emotions. We don't have that emotional intelligence kan at times?

Yes. Emotional intelligence. Maybe mine is low. I've realised each time I determine to look at life with spirit of love and optimism, something will come trying to ruin that determination, but if viewed positively, it is meant to make me stronger. It is like to test me. Reminds me of Native Deen's Life is a test.

XXX

Dari Anas ra, dari Nabi saw. bersabda, “Tiga perkara jika kalian memilikinya, maka akan didapati manisnya iman. (Pertama) orang yang menjadikan Allah dan Rasul-Nya lebih dicintai dari selainnya. (Kedua) mencintai seseorang semata-mata karena Allah swt. (Ketiga), tidak senang kembali kapada kekufuran setelah diselamatkan oleh Allah swt, sebagaimana ketidak-senangannya dilempar ke dalam api neraka.” (HR Bukhar Muslim dengan redaksi Muslim)

I don't want to love if it is not because of You.

How?
Struggle aka mujahadah

"We have to struggle. That's mujahadah. Learning to suppress the nafs (desire) for the sake of Allah subhanawata'ala. Because we are here for Allah. This is ikhlas. To do it for Allah's sake.. really! everything for Allah's sake. To do it for Allah subhanawata'ala! that's ISLAM.(Hamza Yusuf)."

Bukan daerah terlarang

Entah bagaimana terkeluar persoalan ini saat aku berdiskusi saja-saja dengan sahabatku.

"Aku rasa mereka yang mengaku ateis malas berfikir (i know we shouldn't generalise, but this could be one of the factors)".

"Benar. Mungkin kesenangan akan keadaan sekarang membuat mereka memilih jalan mudah.Pernah seorang alim berkata 'Aku tidak risaukan mereka yang berfikir kerana walau bagaimana sesat mereka sekalipun pasti kebenaran akan mereka ketemu jua akhirnya,, tapi aku risaukan mereka yang malas berfikir kerana merekalah yang dalam kesesatan sebenarnya."

Ahmad Wahib menukilkan dalam diarinya yang kini diterbitkan, "Tuhan bukanlah daerah terlarang dalam pemikiran. Tuhan yang mencipta akal, jadi bagaimana kuat pun kita berfikir pasti akal tidak berjaya menidakkan ketidakwujudan Tuhan. Kerana Penciptanya pasti telah meletakkan batasan terhadap akal itu."

Di dalam kitab suci Al-Quran Allah berfirman:

"Dan sesungguhnya Kami jadikan untuk isi neraka Jahannam kebanyakan dari jin dan manusia, mereka mempunyai hati, tetapi tidak dipergunakannya untuk memahami(ayat ayat Allah) dan mereka mempunyai mata tetapi tidak digunakannya untuk melihat (tanda tanda kekuasaan Allah) dan mereka mempunyai telinga tetapi tidak digunakannya untuk mendengar ayat-ayat Allah.Mereka itu sebagai binatang ternak bahkan mereka lebih sesat lagi.Mereka itulah orang orang yang lalai." (7:179)
Berfikirlah. Kerana itu adalah perintah Tuhan.

Suatu contoh yang menarik untuk dinukilkan tentang kewujudan Tuhan adalah genius abad ke-20, Albert Einstein. Beliau berjaya menemukan sesuatu yang dipanggil Teori Relativiti. Pada mulanya, Einstein memalsukan kenyataan sebenar tentang teori ini. Kenapa? Kerana teori ini membuktikan kewujudan Tuhan. Tetapi akhirnya beliau memohon maaf kerana menipu dan mendedahkan perkara sebenar.

Dari wiki,
"Some of the consequences of general relativity are:

• Time goes more slowly at lower gravitational potentials. This is called gravitational time dilation.
• Orbits precess in a way unexpected in Newton's theory of gravity. (This has been observed in the orbit of Mercury and in binary pulsars).
• Even rays of light (which have zero mass) bend in the presence of a gravitational field.
• The Universe is expanding, and the far parts of it are moving away from us faster than the speed of light. This does not contradict the theory of special relativity, since it is space itself that is expanding.
• Frame-dragging, in which a rotating mass "drags along" the space time around it. "
  

However, I've only understand better the italicized part. According to this theory if we go back to the past, the universe will shrink. And it will shrink to nothing! (not even -0.000x). This again raises one question, if it shrinks to nothing, then what is the origin of the universe? There is only one answer to this. Kita semua tahu Tuhan mampu menciptakan sesuatu dengan berkata "jadilah!", "Be!", "Kunfayakun". God is the only One who can create thing from nothing! Therefore, there is no other hypothesis besides this which proves the existence of God and that this universe is created by Him. So, those who insist that there is no God are being unscientific.

In the Quran, 1400+ years ago, Allah has revealed that it is He who expands the universe while only in the 20th century people discovered about this.

"it is We Who have constructed the heaven with might, and verily, it is We Who are steadily expanding it. (Qur'an, 51:47)"

Subhanallah. This is one of Quran's miracles. Whether you believe it or not, this discovery is attributed by Allah's will to give knowledge about Him to those who think.

image: http://www.55a.net/en/miracles/a013.php
The universe is expanding
According to the Big Bang theory, everything began from the explosion of a point of infinite density and zero volume. As time passed, space expanded and the gaps between heavenly bodies grew.

Raoul vs Erik

For the literature component (form 2), I have to teach a novel, “The Phantom of the Opera.” My class consists of 33 girls. Half of the girls are naughty and love to chat while teacher is teaching. Unlike the other class, they love to ask me questions that are not related to the subject (e.g. "Do you have a boyfriend?", the beauty and cuteness of my brooches, my practicum-mate Guna.. normal because it's a girl school & etc.) Last week, they had to learn about the most important chapter of the novel, which is the scene when Christine finally agreed to marry Erik, the opera ghost and Erik was so amazed by Christine’s free will to kiss him that he freed her and Raoul.
So I had this discussion with the students about the chapter.
“So, if you were Christine, who would you choose?” I asked them.
“(obviously)Raoul!!!!!” the whole class answered.
“Why?”
“Because he’s handsome,” one of the girls in the naughty group answered.
“Yes, he’s handsome. Raoul has everything that Erik doesn’t. Wealth, pretty face and name for he is from well-established family. But Raoul also doesn’t have what Erik has. Do you know what is that ?”
One Indian student which I think is the most mature in the class responded, “Intelligence!”
“Yes, that’s true. Even though he’s not handsome and rich like Raoul he is a clever man. He’s a genius and a good music teacher.”
“But teacher, he’s cruel.” Another girl in the naughty group responded.
“Yes, he’s cruel. But why does he become like that?”
Another girl answered, “Because no one wants to accept him because of his face.”
“Yep. That’s right. It’s because of how the society treats him. They isolate him right? And I personally think that Raoul is shallow.”
“Why teacher?”
“Ok, if Christine weren’t beautiful (duh!) would he love her? I think he won’t.”
And the girls just nodded.
One girl who is also in the naughty group said, “Teacher, I don’t care. I want Raoul. I won’t choose Erik. He’s ugly.” And almost all students still want to choose Raoul.
“Ok. That’s alright. But I really think that compared to Erik, not many can relate to Raoul because only few people have what he has (beauty, wealth, and name). How many people in the world wish that he or she was pretty or rich but they can only dream for it which is the same case for Erik.”
The girls just nodded. And the same girl still insisted to have Raoul as her boyfriend. But I don’t mind. At least these girls are willing to respond and I think I’ve started to like teaching literature to these girls now.