The House Is Under Vicious Attack !!!

The roof is on fire and the windows have been broken into!!!
Enemies have surrounded the perimeter and day and night!
Launching their most destructive firepower on the existing foundation!!!
Inside, we stand in the kitchen arguing about who is going to do the dishes?!!!"
Inside, we stand in the living room arguing who`s going to vacuum the floor?!!!
Inside, we sit down in study area becoming critics?!!!

Stop the massacre !!!!!

Donate to Islamic Relief for People of Gaza
http://www.islamic-relief.com/

Donate to Interpal
http://www.interpal.info/get-involved/donate-for-palestine

Two Wheeler

Alhamdulillah after a year of sucessful negotiations with the parents, i`m officially a part of the riding fraternity here in Singapore. Inshallah eveything would turn out well and flexibility could at last be included in my life in terms of time. Nonetheless, its been two years since i touched a motorcycle since my TP test thus i`m in need of some advice from handling till maintainence and washing.... i have absolutely zero knowledge !.

Best Dosai In Sg?

Suggestions anyone

The `Movement` Mentality

And the culture of denial and pretense of various issues attached to it ignores somewhat very important questions in favour of 'empty slogans' and isolationism.

I hope that certain influential people can debate these topics honestly so that realistic solutions can be developed.
Inshallah we could break this culture, establish the problems and begin to solve them!

Betul ke Micheal dah tukar namer jadi Mikaeel?

The title speaks for itself

cinta Vs CINTA

cinta Kecil itu, adalah kekeliruan perasaan yang terbit dari keinginan untuk diberi perhatian, mahu dikasihi dan mengasihi, emosi yang kosong dari asas,matlamat, dan kesedaran terhadap implikasi cinta jenis ini.

Tidak keterlaluan jika saya katakan, cinta seorang anak kecil kepada kura-kura peliharaannya lebih mulia daripada cinta keliru ini,
kerana sekurangnya si anak kecil itu akan memberi makan, berbual dan membersihkan akuarium kura-kuranya, sedangkan cinta keliru antara dua anak muda ini tanpa mereka sedar hanyalah sekadar untuk melayan gangguan emosi yang sunyi barangkali .....juga tanpa sedar kedua-duanya sedang merancang untuk saling merosakkan antara satu sama lain.

CINTA sebenar itu harus terbit dari emosi dan naluri fitrah manusia.. Namun ia lahir juga dengan sandaran rasional dan sedar diri terhadap asas cinta itu, tanggung jawab yang mengiringi cinta tersebut serta kesan yang bakal lahir dari mematerialisasikan perasaan cinta seperti ini. Cinta yang ada ' Sense of begin with the end in mind!'

(Petikan dari buku Aku Terima Nikahnya yang ditulis olehSaifulislam.com, mukasurat 32- 33)

Kena Saman!

The time has come again for me where i receive a lot of nikah summons. Good things always come in small sizes, or sometimes medium. Summons can be electronically sent to u via hp, email or some summons can be in the form of snail mail. U r required to be part of a jury to witness two hearts tied together by the able hands of the judge/father of the bride and have a small or grand feast depending on where the hearing is. Some hearings can be done under the void deck , community centres etc etc. Ah well, best jugak kasi saman saman ni.

...............................................

Lesser Of Two Evils

Uncle Sam may have picked the lesser of two evils to lead the country but evil is still evil. Still can`t believe that he chose Rahm Emanuel as his Chief Of Staff which makes him the third Jew to take up that post. Nonetheless, its quite strange yet interesting to see a black dude dressed as a white dude playing the role usually white dudes will get.

Where is the Best Beriyani In SG?

Ideas Anyone?

Burnout

Time and Again, I`ve been reading a series of articles posted a year ago by an american convert brother umar lee that has been talked very much in the western muslim blogosphere with regards to the much evident ghulaat that has transpired with certain salafee organisations in the US that has brought about the social breakdown in their communities,excocommunication and boycotting between individuals which eventually brought up the decline in the Dawah in the country.

Umar has managed to open up a can of worms with his series and looking at the comments , more cans would be opened up. Nonetheless, he wrote out of his own personal experiences and its highly debatable that these things actually happen. What happens one might ask? Well its about salafees having a burnout due to the sad events umar had stated and whts worse, some of them leaving the religion all together or becoming sufis!

I can`t see this happening in Singapore at the moment as the dawah is relatively new whilst most of us are not converts and do not understand wht it feels like to lose an entire support system just because you are 'off' the list.

Umar`s Series(He deleted some from his blog, but i found a brother(apparently a burnout) who posted all of it in his wordpress)

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
Part Nine
Part Ten(The one that has about 400 plus comments and counting)

Umar`s Clarification Of Some of the Comments in Part Ten and Some More Topics

If u guys want to comment,commentlah. Personally, for me, the question still remains in my heart, can history be repeated itself ? Could utopia be successfully implemented in a world that is so complex? I`m still sad at the state of affairs nowadays.

How the iPod Is Killing Air Freight

Just giving u guys some insights on my dayjob and primary interest. Basically the summary of the article is that the more smaller things get, the more cheaper it is to get the supply, and the even more cheaper it is to get it moving.

Taken from TrafficWorld

World air freight volumes are down, especially air freight volumes from Asia to the United States. The weakening U.S. economy is usually blamed for this decline, but that analysis overlooks something very small that has had a big impact on air freight: the iPod.

The popular little iPod - and other products like it - is playing a role in the decline in demand for air cargo space far larger than the iPod itself.

Click to Enlarge

Attempts to explain the decline focus on the slower economic growth rate in the United States, higher fuel prices that hit airlines and consumers this summer and events related to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but they ignore the impact of technological developments related to the miniaturization of products and improved packaging.

The scale and pace at which these two trends have occurred in electronics, aerospace and retail is quite breathtaking and explains how these trends, in combination with the economic slowdown and higher fuel prices, are hitting the air freight industry with an unprecedented decline in demand for air cargo space from passenger airlines and all-cargo airlines.

How did such a miniature product become so mighty? In the consumer electronics sector, a Sony Boombox weighing 10 pounds and as big as a large shoebox - more than 1,200 cubic inches - is being replaced by Apple's iPod. The iPod weighs only 8 ounces. The weight of one Sony Boombox equals the combined weight of more than 20 iPods.

The cubic area comparison is even more alarming. A fully packaged iPod occupies only 38 cubic inches. Therefore, more than 30 packaged iPods take up less space in an air cargo container than one Boombox.

The problem for air freight companies is compounded by the difference in the value of the products. While a much larger Boombox has a retail value of $75, the pocket-sized iPod is priced at $225.

It's important to note that even with the decline in air freight from Asia as measured by weight this year, the total value of U.S. audio and video electronic imports from Asia still increased by 3.8 percent through July over the same period in 2007.

The iPod's impact is magnified by the growth in its numbers sold worldwide. In 1997, the total sales of home and portable audio equipment units amounted to 60 million. Ten years later, in 2007, the total worldwide sales of iPod and other PMP/MPE players exceeded 215 million. As a result, the air freight industry is transporting more products with less total weight and a higher value but at much lower transportation charge.

Therefore, the miniaturization and improved packaging of electronic products has resulted in permanent elimination of weight and cubic space that will not reappear when the economy recovers.

While the iPod is an example of significant reduction in weight and cubic area on a per unit basis for products shipped via air freight, similar developments across other consumer electronic products that are much larger in size have contributed in greater amount to total weight and cube area decline in both international and domestic airfreight.

Consider the change from bulky console televisions to newer flat panel plasma or LCD televisions. A 4-inch-thick plasma television is so thin in comparison to the older console model with 30 inches or more of thickness that even with packaging, five plasma televisions take up less space than one console television. In terms of weight, the newer models are about one-third the weight of console televisions.

With more than 90 million flat-panel televisions sold globally in 2007, the impact of changes in television design on the air freight industry has also been significant. With these units representing still only 47 percent of all television units sold worldwide and gaining market share over console units, more reduction in air freight from this product alone is yet to come.

Technological developments in business electronic industries are also impacting the total tonnage handled by other transportation providers. For example, when Dell was shipping mainly CRT monitors with each weighing about 25 pounds, a million monitors would have weighed 25 million pounds. With the switch to flat panel monitors that weigh 7 pounds and are of greater value, the total tonnage now amounts to 7 million pounds that thus requires only one-third the total number of containers.

Hence, the carriers (whether airfreight, ocean freight, truckload, LTL or parcel) need to rethink how they price their service and capture the value of their service to reflect the changes in the supply chain and product characteristics in their customers industry.

Product weight and size driven changes are not limited to electronics alone but can be found in other industries as well.

Many aerospace parts used in the assembly of airplanes are now made of new materials that are 30 percent lighter and much stronger. The latest Boeing Dreamliner aircraft is designed with materials that will result in the entire aircraft being lighter than its predecessor by 20 percent.

Click to Enlarge

Improvement in packaging and related reduction in package size is also affecting air freight volumes.

These changes are partly influenced by the greening of America and the January 2007 changes in dimensional pricing for ground parcel service. Many companies that previously designed packaging to fit within the prior system of Oversized 1, OS2 and OS3 have been hit with up to double-digit price increases.

These companies have since focused on reducing excess air space from product packaging and contributed to the shrinking of the shipment sizes and the amount of space used in air freight shipments for international and domestic air freight movements.

Increase in the number of cartons loaded in an air cargo container has reduced the transportation charges per unit due to cost being spread over a 5 to 10 percent increase in number of cartons. Wal-Mart's initiative to reduce packaging has provided numerous benefits that have lead to reduction by 3.425 tons of weight in corrugated material, 727 fewer containers from improved density and $3.5 million in transportation costs.

Manufacturers and retailers such as Nike, Starbucks and Aveda have made similar repackaging efforts. Aveda repackaging efforts has saved 150 tons of virgin material, which has reduced shipping tonnage and saved millions of dollars in transportation costs.

Even Apple has repackaged the latest models of iMac. A current generation 20-inch iMac uses 66 percent less plastic and 42 percent less paper than the 20-inch iMac G4 flat panel while taking up 41 percent less space. Similarly, the packaging for the 15.4-inch MacBook Pro laptop is 45 percent lighter and uses 45 percent less volume than the 15-inch PowerBook G4. And, the packaging volume of the sixth-generation 120 GB iPod has been reduced by 82 percent from the first generation iPod. This allows Apple to ship 140 more units per pallet compared with the fourth generation 30 GB iPod.

So although renewed economic growth eventually will improve air freight volumes, air cargo forwarders, carriers and shippers need to understand the impact of changes in product characteristics on current and future air freight business - volume, pricing and revenue.

Jindel is president of SJ Consulting Group, based in Sewickley, Pa

Wanita Yang Tidak Di Sukai Lelaki

Dipetik dari Buku Romantika Kahwin Muda, muka surat 44-47.Ader 7 macam wanita semuanya, namun ana sajer jer nak highlight yang pada pendapat ana, paling kritikal (Pls refer my previous posting on this book).

4) Wanita Egois

Wanita tidak mau melayani namun selalu minta dilayani. Ia sibuk dengan urusan dan kepentingannya sendiri, bahkan sering menyendiri, tidak mau diganggu siapapun, seakan hidup sendirian. Jika berkumpul bersama orang lain, maka hampir tidak ada kontak batin sedikitpun. Keberadaan seperti ada dan tiada. Kalau menikah, maka terbentuk sistim rumah tangga yang tidak punya ikatan batin dan kehangatan interaksi serta hubungan yang harmonis. Bahkan hidup dalam rumah tangga dengan pola masing-masing, tidak punya perhatian dan cuek dengan kondisi keluarganya

7) Wanita Penentang

Wanita yang ingin selalu tampil berbeda dengan yang lainnya, suka menentang perintah, keras kepala dalam mewujudkan kemauannya, kaku dalam pendirian, tidak mau mengalah dalam segala macam hal walaupun ia dalam posisi yang salah. Sehingga dalam otaknya hanya ada satu prinsip, tidak mau tunduk kepada siapapun juga, termasuk suami. Inilah Wanita yang paling dibenci kaum laki-laki

The Secret Life of Husbands

Disclaimer: I`m not stereotyping that all muslim husbands are like that. The main aim of posting this article is i feel that the issue of sex/sexual education is still taboo within our malay/muslim community and biting the bullet to the masses in these type of platforms is best way to attain acknowledgement of the problems that has been escalating in recent times, what more with the development of information technology that is faster than the speeding bullet . I would welcome any constructive criticism if any.

As an IslamOnline.net cyber counselor, I am confronted on a regular basis with the growing phenomenon of pornography in the lives of Muslim husbands. Though it may come as a shock to many, according to concerned wives, pornography is becoming an increasing phenomenon for some Muslim men. It raises many questions, beginning with the most basic one: What is pornography an outlet for, specifically? Why are so many men turning to the "lesser adultery" or the adultery of the eyes despite their knowing - and not seeming to care - that both Allah and their wives are aware of their pastime? How can we better understand a Muslim adult male's desire to indulge in viewing pornographic material despite its illicit nature?

This article aims to explore some of these questions. Although no scientific data is available to make any formal claims about the topic at hand, I will attempt to provide some possible key underlying factors that contribute to the use of pornography by some Muslim husbands. To begin, I will frame my approach to understanding this issue in the context of the marital relationship.

It is narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "When a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion, so let him fear Allah regarding the remaining half." (At-Tirmidhi)

According to Abdur Rahman Doi, "The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) considered marriage for a Muslim as 'half of his religion' because it may shield him from promiscuity, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, and a life which ultimately leads to many other crimes including slander, quarrel, homicide, loss of property, and finally the disintegration of the family system on which so much stress has been placed by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)."

This well-known hadith is often used to stress the importance of marriage within the life of Islam. The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught that marriage is one-half of one's religious life. This is obviously because there are so many responsibilities within the marital relationship that one must fulfill. The responsibility of caring for one's spouse, for the spouse's property, dignity, and honor is all found within the marital relationship; not to mention what comes with the addition of children, family, and property. Thus, to begin to understand the problem of Muslim husbands' use of pornography, we must first look at what is happening within the marriage relationship and what needs are not being met within this institution.

Intimacy and Marriage

Marriage in Islam is meant to be an intimate relationship defined by love and the selfless fulfillment of each spouse's needs, as Allah tells us in the Qu'ran:

[And one of His signs is that created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.] (Ar-Rum 30:21)

[They are an apparel for you and you are an apparel for them.] (Al-Baqarah 2:187)

Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and the faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed as a protection. Each protects the other and hides their faults while complementing the characteristics of the spouse. Thus the apparel referred to, according to our erudite scholars, is one reflecting intimacy and support between the husband and wife. The husband and wife are meant to be each other's confiding friend, intimate companion, and trustworthy ally throughout life. If we take the Prophet's relationship with his first wife, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), as a primary example, we will find many illustrations that reflect these elements, such as the manner in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) turned to the comforting arms of Khadijah after being confronted by Jibreel (peace be upon him) for the first time with the revelation of the Qur'an.

The intimacy does not stop at only physical or sexual compatibility but also includes emotional, spiritual, psychological, material as well as intellectual intimacy and support. It is a holistic closeness that is brought about by two individuals sharing a sincerity and bond in relation to each other's ultimate goal - closeness to Allah through surrender to His will. This shared goal becomes the basis for intimacy within the marriage, as the intention is not to please the other, but to please Allah, as one strives to fulfill the rights, needs, and desires of the other. From this joint effort, a synergy is achieved, a mutual affection, respect, and fondness for each other that can be called intimacy, and the selfless desire to support each other on the path to Allah, through times of both difficulty and ease.

This spirit of generosity and love becomes the basis for the marriage and acts as a tireless stream of energy and mutual attraction. The result is two people content with the will of Allah in regard to the spouse He has provided for each, and the taqwa (piety and fear of Allah) that prevents each from violating the marriage contract and Allah's Law.

In this ideal situation - a marriage grounded in taqwa, love, mutual respect and affection - contentment and devotion act as protection against negative outside influences. Each spouse is content with the other in terms of their needs, and over the conscience of each presides the knowledge that Allah is all-knowing. The relationship is based on love and a desire to provide for and serve the other, for Allah's sake. Although this might sound like an idealistic type of marital situation, it is not unrealistic.

When Allah becomes the center and focus of the marriage, rather than the center and focus being the mere fulfillment of selfish desires, happiness is more than achievable. The shift to align one's personal will with the will of Allah is what takes away from the incessant seeking of sensual gratification. Without this alignment, one seeks gratifications elsewhere than marriage, and, depending on one's level of taqwa, one might resort to avenues like pornography.

Telling Numbers Pornographic Websites 4.2 million Search Engine Requests 68 million Monthly Pornographic Downloads 1.5 billion Websites Offering Child Pornography 100,000 Sexual Solicitations to Youth in Chat-rooms 89% Source: Familysafe Media

Women as Objects

It appears that too often wives in our communities are seen as nothing more than glorified servants. I am reminded of one young Muslim couple from the country where I reside. Upon marrying, the husband "demanded" sex from his young wife five times a day. It became so difficult for the young woman - emotionally as well as physically - that she lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Religious Affairs.

Such stories help us to understand how women are sometimes viewed by many men. The status of women in Islam is a common topic used by Western critics of Islam who try to show that women are inferior to men within the body of Islamic teachings and its worldview. Although even a superficial study of Islamic teachings is sufficient to rebut the attacks made by most critics of Islam, it is often difficult to defend Muslims themselves who, by their own actions, blatantly violate the tenets of Islam in relation to the treatment of wives and women in general. This disregard for Islamic teachings is often due to the influence of culture and ignorance, and the inability to discern between divine knowledge and cultural practice.

The tendency to treat women as mere objects or, in the more extreme cases, as second-class, is real and does exist within our Ummah. This dark reality is an aspect that shadows the self, refuses to go away or be dealt with in a real way. Ignorant males often twist religious teachings to support oppressive cultural norms that justify their treatment of women as mere objects. Perhaps if it were not for Western critical assaults, the issue would remain undisclosed.

The objectification of women is a major contributor to the use of pornography. Men who view women as little more than sexual objects are more likely to delve in pornography than those who see women as equally valued, feeling, thinking human beings.

Escapism and Meaninglessness

Related to objectification is the phenomenon of escapism. Escapism can take the form of drugs, alcohol, mindless entertainment, and other forms. Escapism is often sought out when reality is unsatisfying, anxiety-provoking, or even unbearable in the most extreme cases. For many Muslim men today, the world is a highly unfriendly place. Rather than working to improve their situations in whatever way they can, however, many choose to escape by indulging in activities that take them out of their reality. Pornography is undoubtedly a form of escapism. It allows men to enter a world of free sex and unbridled pleasure, though it is limited to the eyes and whatever the mind can imagine. It gives men a few minutes of relief from a harsh and sometimes oppressive reality that even their own wives and families cannot assuage.

Spiritually, escapism can stem from a feeling of disconnection with Allah. When Allah's presence is not truly felt, reality can become unbearable. At such times, Allah seems so far away and His mercy unaccessible. It is truly a dark place that many men go when their hearts lose the ability to realize the divine gifts that are always at hand. This state of affairs, caused by a sense of meaninglessness, reaches a point where the vicious cycle of addiction becomes reality.

Thus, escapism through pornography reflects a life void of meaning. Alternatively, a meaningful existence provides perspective where life is seen as an endless opportunity to contribute, give, help, support and act from a selfless heart for Allah's sake. In such a state, it is difficult to fall into the temptations of pornography and other forms of escapism, for there is nothing to escape from; everything we could want is right before us. One shifts from a mentality of "what I am not getting out of life" to one of "what am I contributing?"

This is the simple difference between the mentality of the one who is slave to his lower self and the one who is the true slave of God. The lower self is always taking because it is never fulfilled, never satiated. The `abd (servant), on the other hand, is always content and wishes to share that contentment with others by being charitable and thus inviting others to share in it with. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us,

The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Have mercy to those on earth, and the Lord of the Heavens will have mercy upon you. (At-Tirmidhi)

Meaning is that which is arrived at in the soul and is, therefore, highly linked to man's ability to see the inherent interconnectedness of life. As Muslims, that means relating everything in our lives back to the Source of everything, Allah. Hence, constant effort and ability to see Allah's work and wisdom behind all aspects unfolds into daily life. With this perspective, nothing can ever be considered mundane. Quite the opposite, such a worldview makes life meaningful in a way that is unique to those who believe in God's total oneness. However, without looking through the lens of tawheed, there is a void inside of us that has room and fuel to grow. Thus, time is wasted, and there is a lack of desire to engage in anything of real value. We fall prey to pleasure-seeking behaviors to distract us from this sense of meaninglessness.

Out of Meaninglessness Comes Pornography

In my experience as a counselor, I come across many sisters trying to deal with husbands who are consumers of pornography. Below are two examples of the pain and frustration these women experience. What often compounds the problem is that many women assume their husbands are pious when they first meet them, only later to discover that they are consumers of pornography.

Case #1. One sister wrote the following:

Respecting that he was more of a practicing Muslim than I was, I tried to better myself as a Muslim, praying more regularly, wearing hijab, etc. This continued for about 2 years. I was the model wife and mother, and I built my life around the home and my family. Slowly I started finding pictures of other women, semi-clad, and some disgusting images on the computer. I asked him about it, and he said this was from before we met. … Though we shared the same bed, I was unable to be with him, after knowing and seeing the pornography, his text messages, his staring at semi-dressed woman, and whatever else he was secretly doing.

In the above case, the sister was forced to deal with not only pornography, but with a secret double life of her husband that included a possible affair with another woman. Despite her commitment to her husband and her family, the pain caused by her husband's secret double life, which included pornography, was too much for her to bear. It is not rare to find pornography going hand in hand with extramarital affairs and secretive double lives. Especially after many years of marriage, children, and a cooling off in a husband and wife's intimacy, men who turn to pornography in regular doses will sometimes succumb to the temptation of adulterous relationships. Pornography has a powerful suggestive effect on the mind, which is why many men who view pornography seek to imitate what they see in adult films with their wives.

Edward Marriot wrote about men and porn in the Guardian:

Extended exposure to pornography can have a whole raft of effects. By the time Nick Samuels had reached his mid-20s, he was altering his view of what he wanted from a sexual relationship. "I used to watch porn with one of my girlfriends, and I started to want to try things I'd seen in the films." … Married for 15 years, he admits he has carried the same sexual expectations into the marital bedroom. "There's been real friction over this: my wife simply isn't that kind of person. And it's only now, after all these years, that I'm beginning to move on from it. Porn is like alcoholism: it clings to you like a leech.

Case #2. In another case, a sister wrote to us believing that her husband was a hard-core pornography addict:

I've been married for almost 6 years and in all those years I've had to deal with my husband's addiction to pornography on the Internet. Well ... that's as far as I know. So far, I have no evidence to suggest that he engages in any haram activities outside the home. We've talked about this problem over and over, but it does not seem to stop. I've reached a point where I can no longer take this mental and emotional abuse from him. I've been a good wife to him but clearly he does not love me or appreciate me. We have two children and I'm ashamed that they have a father like him. To the rest of the world, he shows himself to be a good Muslim, religious and a good person overall. Only Allah knows the true him, and how much I suffer due to this problem which is increasingly causing more and more harm to our marriage and family.

In this case, her husband's pornography addiction leads to mental and emotional abuse. The pain and suffering the woman has experienced due to her husband's ongoing use of pornography can be compared to that of an actual adulterous relationship. David Morgan, consultant clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst who counsels men with a history of sexual violence states that

the more time you spend in this fantasy world, the more difficult it becomes to make the transition to reality. Just like drugs, pornography provides a quick fix, a masturbatory universe people can get stuck in. This can result in their not being able to involve anyone else. (Mariott)

The wide availability of porn in the information age has made it an easy outlet. With its growth on the Internet alone, porn has become a multi-billion-dollar industry. Not ironically, its growth has run parallel with increases in relationship and sexual dysfunction. Though establishing any kind of causal relationship between these variables is way beyond the scope of this paper, even a superficial examination of the topic will bear out the multiple negative aspects and outcomes of pornography on the lives of individuals and families. It is now entrenched in the Muslim community as well, as our counseling questions indicate.

A Need for Understanding and Honest Investigation

The reason why men in our community are succumbing to pornography is uncertain without a serious attempt to study the issue. At this point we can only speculate from what we hear from our concerned sisters who are living with this problem every day, and seek to understand what is happening in Muslim marriages and families. Ultimately, the existence of any perversion in the lives of Muslims stems from the simple fact that Islam is not being realized in the way that it needs to in order to keep us away from what is unlawful as well as harmful to our selves, our families, and our community.

At Dis-Ease	At Peace
Pornography is the indulging of our frustrated selves. Frustrations are the result of conflict. Conflict is the opposite of peace.	Islam is peace, and is realized through a heart at peace with its Lord. A peaceful heart is one that is content with Allah at every turn. Is not the struggle, therefore, with the self? Therein lies the goal and the striving: to Allah and the cure.

It has been said that there is a spiritual remedy for every ailment. I believe that it is no different in the case of pornography and that the true cure lies, like everything, in turning back to Allah with a sincerely surrendered heart. When Allah's greatness, mercy, and omnipotence are not realized because He is not known and remembered, we open ourselves to many negative possibilities. The cure thus begins with a changing of priorities, values, and focus.

Pornography happens to be popular today due to its availability, accessibility, perceived harmlessness, and the fact that it can be done in the privacy of one's home without others knowing about it. As such, it is assumed to be a trail-less crime until a heartbroken spouse or a child stumbles upon it accidentally. It is for these reasons that we can defeat this enemy only through spiritual means. In order to do so, however, we must first understand ourselves and our spouses, and how we can best support each other on the path in, with, of, and to Allah.

Sources:

Doi, Abdur Rahman I. "Marriage." University of Southern California. USC-MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts. Last accessed 12 June 2007.

Global Market Institute. "GMI Poll Reveals That Americans Use Internet More For Friendship Than For Love." 31 Jan. 2006. Last accessed 6 June 2007.

Mariott, Edward. "Men and Porn." Guardian (Online). 8 Nov. 2003. Last accessed 6 June 20

In the Nick Of time

Alhamdulillah an hour ago i`ve managed to complete the quran during the blessed month of ramadhan.A task that i`ve never accomplished before in my 23 ++ years of existence. The most closest i`ve been to finishing was back during the army daze in the wilderness of Rockhampton,Australia( Exercize Wallaby 05).Mind you, tht in itself was a garguantan task as i remember reading under the dim lights of the LED and picnic laterns during trips to resupply my battalion during missions. Those late nights after lights off where everyone would be asleep in their tents(Those 30 odd men Tentages that has mosquito nets all over and sulphur all around to prevent possums/scorpions/ and whatever not from coming in) and i would sneak out in my kain pelekat or sometimes trackpants if its too cold(freezing sometimes) and read beside the showering rooms.

Ah well thts that, whts important now is to savour the moment. One thing i`ve learnt though is to have absolute discipline and be meticulous in planning your way to read, and reflect on the verses. Got this file from an American Brother whom for the past three years during Ramadhan hosted his own online quran reading competition for muslim netizens around the globe.


Taqaballowlohu Mina Wa Minkum Minal A'idin Wal Faidzin Wal Maqbuleen. Kulu Amin Wa Antum bi Khair

Worst Taraweeh Experience Ever!!!

Indeed if there`s such a thing as a Singapore Muslim Book Of Records, i would dare say that the most chop chop taraweeh/witr at the mosque most likely that u would like to go quickly if you want to have a good and fast bargain at the nearby geyalng SINrai bazaar is masjid wak tanjong. I`m really appalled at the process that the imam undertook in delvering the surahs(Juz Amma btw) during each rakaat as if he is at gunpoint. Tumakninah ke maner, tajwid ke maner , semua ke maner! Not to mention at every interval, there`s two or so pakciks that would yell their lungs out in proclaiming the so called interval `zikr` like as though they are in Kallang Stadium which is packed full of people. Terkejut boy boy ! Look i`m not supposed to be writing all this as ramadhan is close to leaving us (sobz). Its already the 23rd night and the writer now is at the other end of singapore`s eastern mosque in his own personal quest for ultimate solace. 9 more juz` to go insyallah!!

New Imam forTaraweeh prayers at the Masjid-Al-Haram for Ramadan 1429H

Any Muslim who has been fervently watching the taraweeh prayers in Masjidil Haram via youtube,islambox.tv and to a lesser extent around the region here, RTM malaysia( well i tak pasti if whether they are still beaming it lolz) might have noticed that there is a new Imam. Well courtesy of haramainrecordings.com below is the biography.

Arabic
سيرته الذاتية

عادل بن سالم بن سعيد الكلباني ، من مواليد مدينة الرياض الحبيبة ، عام 1378 للهجرة . يوم الجمعة الخامس والعشرين من رمضان .
متزوج ، ولي من الذرية خمسة أبناء ، وسبع بنات .
.
مشايخي :
قرأت أول ما قرأت على فضيلة الشيخ حسن بن غانم الغانم . وكان إذ ذاك مسئولا عن الكتب في الرئاسة العامة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء والدعوة والإرشاد .
قرأت عليه الأصول الثلاثة ، وكشف الشبهات ، وشيئا من صحيح البخاري ، وشيئا من سنن الترمذي ، وشيئا من تفسير ابن كثير .
وقرأت على شيخنا الدكتور مصطفى مسلم ، الأستاذ في جامعة الإمام ، كلية أصول الدين ، في تفسير البيضاوي ، حاشية زادة . وقرأت عليه الفرائض ، ثم انتقل ، إلى الشارقة ، وبقي أن يجيزنا فيها .
قرأت على شيخنا الشيخ عبدالله بن عبدالرحمن الجبرين ، آخر التدمرية ، والوصيتين الصغرى والكبرى لشيخ الإسلام ، وكتاب التوحيد من صحيح البخاري ، جزءا كبيرا من كتاب الإيمان في صحيح مسلم .
قرأت القرآن على شيخنا الشيخ أحمد مصطفى ، وأجازني برواية حفص عن عاصم من طريق الشاطبية . وأجازني شيخنا الشيخ محمد نبهان بن حسين مصري بقراءة عاصم براوييه من الشاطبية . وكذلك أجازني شيخنا الشيخ محمد أبو رواش بحفص من طريق الفيل - الطيبة – بقصر المنفصل .
كما أجازني الشيخ محمد عبدالحميد برواية قالون عن نافع من الشاطبية .
وقرأت البقرة على شيختنا الشيخة أم السعد بقراءة أبي عمر البصري ، براوييه الدوري والسوسي .
وأجازني الشيخ إسماعيل الأنصاري بحديث مشهور عند أهل الحديث بالمسلسل بالأولية ، وهو حديث الراحمون يرحمهم الرحمن ، ارحموا من في الأرض يرحمكم من في السماء ، وهو من السلسلة فقد كان أول حديث سمعته منه . رحمه الله .
وأجازني بعض العلماء بكتبهم ، للنظر فيها انظر الإجازات .

وأداء للأمانة وسعيا للخلود في سجل أهل القرآن ، نشرت ما تعلمته ، رجاء الدخول في الحديث ، وهذا بيان بأسماء من قرأ علي القرآن فأجزته ،
جعل الله ذلك في ميزان أعمالنا ، وأدخلنا في قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : خيركم من تعلم القرآن وعلمه . وفي رواية : إن أفضلكم من تعلم القرآن وعلمه .

1. فضيلة الشيخ / خلف بن متعب الرقاص . مدرس . وإمام وخطيب جامع أرطاوي الرقاص .
2. أمين بن عبدالحميد أبو دعمة . { عاصم } . مدرس في حلقة التحفيظ في جامع الملك خالد .
3. المهندس . جمال بن محمد العبدالله . { عاصم } .
4. وائل بن حسين صنبع . {عاصم } . مدرس .
5. أمين بن سليمان . مدرس حلقة تحفيظ .
6. فضيلة الشيخ / عبدالله الشبانات . القاضي بجدة .
7. محمد بن حسين صنبع . طالب بجامعة الملك سعود .
8. وليد الغامدي . صيدلي .
9. الرائد / حامد المطيري . { عاصم } . بوزارة الداخلية .
10. يحيى دائلي . { عاصم } . مدرس .
11. أحمد عاصم . { عاصم } وحفص من الطيبة .
12. عبدالعزيز الريس { عاصم } . مدرس وإمام في القصيم .
13. عبدالرحمن السعود . موظف في هيئة الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر .
14. د. عصمت . أستاذ الفيزياء في جامعة الملك سعود .
15. ناصح البقمي . عاصم . موظف في وزارة الخارجية .
16. د. عمرو جمال . طبيب .

Quite Ok English Translation.

Shaykh Adil Al Kabani

Adil ibn saalim ibn saeed al kalbani was born in Riyadh in 1378 AH on the 25th of Ramadan on a Friday. He is married and has 5 sons and two daughters.

His teachers
His first teacher was shaykh hasan ibn gaanim algaanim, *and this was while he (the shaykh) was the one responsible for the department of knowledge propogation, fataawa, proselytising and guidance.* He studied from him “the three principles”, “the removal of doubt”, and some of sahih Bukhari, sahih at Tirmidhi and tafsir ibn kathir.

He also studied with shaykh Dr Mustafa Muslim. The teacher at Imam university, in the college of principles of the religion, in the tafsir baydawee. *haashee zaadah*. He studied with him the faraidh (compulsory things). And then departed to sharakah.

He studied with shaykh abul rahman ibn jibrin. *akhir tadmariyah*, he studied the two middle things small and big with the shaykh, as well as the book of monotheism form sahih Bukhari as well as a large portion of the book of belief from sahih muslim.

He studied quran with shaykh ahmad Mustafa, and he got an ijazah of hafs form aasim from shaatabis line. Shaykh Muhammed ibn nahban Egyptian also gave him an ijazah to recite aasim from the shaatabi line. Shaykh Muhammed abu rawash also gave him an ijazah of hafs from the line of fil. And this is a *good chain with the lack of munfasil*

Also he got an ijazah from shaykh Muhammed abdul hameed to recite kaaloon from nafi from the line of shaatabi.and he studied “al baqarah” from shaykha umm saad with the recitation of abi umar al basree by the transmission of dawree and sawsee.

And shaykh ismail ansaari also gave him an ijaazaah in a very famous hadith with a *strong/high* chain of narration, and it is the hadith that the ones who are merciful, the merciful (allah) will be merciful on them, and have mercy to the people of the earth, and the one who is in the heavens will have mercy on you. And this was the first hadith he heard from him. May allahs mercy be upon him.

And the duaa is for safety and peace, and to strive *to become?* of the people of Quran. * he has have conveyed what he has learnt* and he wished to *mention a hadith that discusses the names and reward of the one who reads quran.

And we hope Allah will place this on the scale of our deeds, and enter us into the hadith “the best of you is the one who learns quran and then teaches it” and in some narrations, “the highest of rank among you is the one who learns quran and teaches it.”

There follows a long list of ijazahs gained by the shaykh

A Conversation With Self

Taken from muslimmatters.org

Oh my self

What will calm you?
Can’t you remain patient for a day or two?
I try to contain you but your strength overpowers
But when we die life will seem like hours

So can’t you be patient for part of a day?
And remain steadfast upon the straight way?
The direction you’re taking leads to my worst fears
Of the day we stand for fifty thousand years

No one will joke nor talk nor smile
And the sun from our heads will be at a mile
Nowhere to hide and nowhere to flee
Standing for what seems an eternity

Then the judgment begins and the books will land
Either on your right or your left hand

Oh my self …
Do not become like those who left the right track
And put their left hands behind their back

Oh myself..

How do you plan to cross the sirat suspended in the air?
Craftier than a fox, sharper than a sword and thinner than a hair?
How do you plan to cross? Or will you cross at all?
The blink of an eye? Run? Or would you rather crawl?
The bad deeds you command will drop you from it
And only good deeds put you back upon it

Oh self it’s a five hundred year-drop suspension
Over a terrible place I’d rather not mention

Oh self…

Do not be fooled by this world and its illusions
And keep in mind judgment, the grave and other conclusions
Oh self wake up! Don’t follow your desire
And ask for forgiveness to avoid the fire

Oh self..

Keep the commands and avoid prohibitions
And pay close attention to these admonitions
Be amongst those who were the best of planners
Who prepared for the future with good deeds and good manners

Oh self..

Its simply about your control
Being patient now so as to reach your goal
I don’t mean to put a burden, or put much stress
Just to warn of a day when the limbs confess
Sins add up as you live through the years
Then sadness won’t save you and nor will the tears

Every time you sin the Shaytan is winning
So remember the One against Whom you’re sinning

Oh my self…

Life is short and ends when you least expect it
And then what will you say when you’re resurrected?
The angel of death overlooked you and took the souls of your brothers
And one day he’ll come to you and overlook others
For great rewards plant the righteous seeds
Oh Allah, I seek refuge from the evil of my self and from the evil of my deeds.

Wendy`s Anyone?

Insya Allah i`ll go there next wed as the last big meal rendezvous/last few days in the office get togethers before Ramadan. A must try for all North/South indian food lovers.




Review of the place by hungrygowhere.com

Hidden in the deep recesses of Jalan Gelenggang lies the little gem of Wendy's Spize Hut. It's a peaceful and quiet place to hangout with friends or to settle late night hunger pangs because it's open 24 hours.

The pratas served here are fresh, fluffy and crispy. Definitely beats the hockey pucks they try to pass off as prata at The Roti Prata House. The cheese prata and the roti bomb (contains extra butter, raisins and candied fruits) are yummy too. For those who are more health-conscious, you can try the thosai. The yogurt sauce that comes with it is incredible. If you're adventurous, try their Palaak Paneer!

21 days left

May Allah guide us to prepare ourselves for this blessed month and may He accept from us our deeds. Leave comments on who you think is most likely to lead the taraweeh prayers at the Haramain. My take is as follows below, though it would be nice to see the new imams Sheikh Ghamdi or Ghazzawi leading.

Ash-Sheikh:
Mu'ayqali
Juhaynee
Sudais
Shuraim

Which Fight Fight Looks more enticing?

Romantika Kawin Muda!

This is main summary(written in bahasa indonesia) of a book which i have been reading for the past 3 months. InshAllah if i have the time i`ll post some more excerpts, the more important ones of course, with regards of getting married at a young age. A must have for all muslim bachelors and bachelorettes.

Publisher: Pustaka Imam Abu Hanifah
Pengarang:Ustadz Zainal Abidin
ISBN:978-979-16520-3-2

Walau para pemuda telah dikepung fitnah, gejolak pun telah menggelora, persiapan mental juga sudah cukup, bahkan jodoh yang sesuai selera nampak di pelupuk mata, namun banyak dari mereka yang ragu untuk melangkah ke jenjang pernikahan. Mereka lebih memilih sengsara melawan gejolak nafsunya atau membiarkan angan-angan menari-nari di benaknya. Belum mapannya ekonomi, kurangnya pemahaman agama atau karena orang tua, keluarga dan lingkungan yang tidak mendukung. Bahkan, keluarga atau orang tua seringkali mengancam dan mengadili karena ketakutan-ketakutan yang tidak beralasan. Apa serumit itu alasannya? Maka, buku ini memberi gambaran yang praktis dan mudah tentang menikah di usia muda. Penulis melengkapi dengan bimbingan seputar pernikahan, romantika nikah muda dan berbagai macam cara/trik-trik untuk mendapatkan kebahagian hidup dalam berumah tangga sesuai ajaran Islam yang suci. Sehingga, buku ini sangat penting dimiliki oleh para kawula muda, juga pasangan rumah tangga suami dan istri yang ingin mewujudkan keluarga yang sakinah mawadah wa rahmah. Wahai para pencari surga, jangan biarkan anak-anak kita terkungkung dalam kubangan lumpur fitnah atau hancur dalam gelapnya jurang kehinaan!

Who Killed Hassan Al Banna?

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3



Part 4



Part 5


Final Part

Workaholic

Woah its 7.30 pm. And i`m still stuck here in the office..

Singaporean Muslim Women pun macam gitu kot?

Taken from muslimmatters.org

After discovering an article titled “A Few Good Men: American Muslim women bemoan lack of ‘good’ male suitors“, I was oh-so-kindly “volunteered” by my fellow MM staff members to write a blog post in response. I wonder why? Could it be because:

1) I am a Muslim woman.
2) I am between the ages of 25-30 years.
3) Masha’Allah, I am educated to the postgrad level (otherwise known as “overeducated” by my dear mum).
4) Oh yeah… I am single, and desperately looking for a decent guy to wed!

Okay, so scratch the “desperately”.

Even though I hail from the other side of the Atlantic pond, I did empathise with the main character of the article, sister “Afaf”: in Western terms we are both far from being classed as “over-the-hill”, but in Desi (and perhaps other cultural) terms, we are perishable goods, close to hitting our respective expiry dates, and are in danger of being sold off at a 50% discount, in order to avoid being left on the shelf.

What a lovely analogy!

Saying that, I don’t necessarily agree with the idea that there are too few good Muslim men; at least in relation to the numbers of good Muslim women. In this case, “good” refers to those who have an appreciation of the deen, but also know how to function in dunya, without resorting to the haram. Most of the guys I have met through the rishta scene (i.e., those I was introduced to via my parents) have been decent chaps, masha’Allah. I have very few (if any) horror stories to share, alhamdulillah.

However, I do agree with the idea that for some reason, educated Muslim women are finding it hard to find a suitable match. In fact, some proof of this phenomenon comes from the existence of a Facebook group, from which I derived the title of this post. Here are a few “symptoms” written by group members, which are apparently associated with being a “smart Muslim chick who inexplicably scares off guys”:

• Men think that you are “too intimidating”.
• Much to your mom/aunty’s dismay, you refuse to go into the import/export husband business and/or marry your nerdy cousin.
• Aunties give you the polite “omigod, she didn’t just say that” smile when you launch into your defense of Barack Obama as the better candidate for the Democratic party nomination.
• You have yet to meet a real man - you already know a bunch of boys.
• The moment you reciprocate interest, he runs a mile, no longer interested. You then realise it’s because you used a five-syllable word in your last conversation.
• Your mum gives you THAT look every time she receives news of a relative’s wedding.
• You feel like you’ve met every eligible Muslim male in a 25 mile radius.
• You find yourself contemplating why they’re interested in girls who have the squeaky, bimbo laugh, then reproach yourself for having wasted time… on education, and reading, and making yourself smart. Then you feel ashamed at that thought, and drink a cup of tea, finally realising no man can give you the same kind of joy as a tiny hit of caffeine

I suspect that several of the female MM readers are now smiling after having read the above. Yes sisters, you are not alone!

There have been many explanations offered as to why ’smart’ Muslim women are facing such difficulties in getting hitched:

Maybe we’re too fussy?
Not in terms of looking for someone who is down with the deen. That’s a must! But perhaps we shouldn’t hold out for brothers who are educated to a similar degree?
However, many would argue that educational background is part of compatibility. As my Tajweed teacher once said (who at the time was a young hafidha, pursuing two bachelor degrees simultaneously, masha’Allah): if I’ve put all this effort into improving myself, can’t I expect the same from the man I marry?

Maybe guys are the ones being fussy?
I don’t wish to lump all guys into the same boat, but it’s not exactly uncommon knowledge that men have these things called “egos”. That’s natural. Heck, even women have them! But for some reason, many men (not all - but a significant number) do feel threatened by the idea of their wives earning more money than themselves, or having a better education. This is not a Muslim man thing - it’s a Y-chromosome thing.

I think the only people who avoid this pride trap are those who don’t attach their self-worth to their careers, or other worldly markers of success. The best of whom was the Prophet Muhammed, sallalahu ‘alayhi wa salam, as exemplified by his decision to accept the proposal of Khadija, radiallahu anha - a very successful business woman, masha’Allah.

But in turn, it could also be argued that not many successful Muslim women would ever propose to a penniless brother, even if his character was kind and noble. And that’s not even taking into account the role of parents and/or other guardians, who would not allow their educated daughters to marry such a person.

And so the cycle of blame continues…

Although it does help to know the cause of a problem, blame is never a good thing, nor is generalisation. Each case deserves to be examined on an individual basis, and perhaps there is no single practical solution.

So many times during my own journey I’ve thought about how complicated we make things for ourselves. I do feel that we - as individuals and communities - have made the task of finding a life partner much harder than it needs to be, justifying our approach with claims that there are not enough good people out there. But in reality, it’s our fears that are paralysing us.

For women, it is a fear of being trapped in a loveless marriage; a fear of being smothered by an overbearing husband; a fear of being unappreciated, abused and disrespected, Allah forbid. So we anxiously look for that one guy who ticks all the boxes - but does he even exist?

At one point during my early twenties, I was so terrified by the concept of marriage, that I clearly remember laying awake at night in tears, after my mother mentioned a proposal to me in passing. Alhamdulillah, rediscovering my Islam a short time later helped me to overcome my own personal fears, through the development of a greater trust in the fact that my Creator will take care of all those pesky “what ifs”. Yet, I still have a long way to go in developing my tawwakul; may Allah make it easy for me.

Perhaps if we try to humble ourselves more, live simpler lives, and recognise success in all its forms, it wouldn’t be a case of finding the “perfect” guy - but rather choosing from a large pool of very good guys, insha’Allah.

At the end of the day, considering my single status, I can’t really be counted on for much reliable advice in this department. So all I can really offer my fellow smart Muslim singletons - both men and women - is a sincere prayer: may Allah grant all of us loving life partners, who will support us on the road to eternal success, Ameen.

W.S.P!

Work.Study.Pergas. My agenda for the next 3 years. Ni Macam bila mahu nikah beb?Ni takleh jadi man. Tapi fikir balik kalau cepat cepat nanti bersifat kais pagi makan pagi, kais petang makan petang lak. Sometimes when u see ur contemporaries getting hitched, it does linger around your head that thought. That thought of sharing your life with someone esteemed, someone whom you truly,madly deeply, zoinkly in love with. The thought of having to excitingly call her `Adinda` , `Ummi` ,`Sweetkins`,`SaYang` and u being called by her `Hubby', 'Hunny Bunny', 'Abi', and whetever luminary monikers that would not fail to capture hearts of many married couples. All You Need is Love as Paul Mcartney would say. Ah well time to get back to reality in this land of insane bureaucracy whereby to put it bluntly, No money,No honey.
(P.S sorry for the rude behaviour semua orang terutama sekali tuan punya blog, tetapi ana nari raser iman ana turun macam the great wall street Stock Exchange Crash of the 1920s)

Busana Cinta

Sesungguhnya dorongan Nafsuku telah dibungkus,

Dengan busana cinta asmara yang membara,

Seorang insan Wanita yang muda,

Bagaikan Rembulan yang bersinar terang,

Jika mataku hidup denganya,

Maka mata itu akan mandi dengan air mata,

Retrenched?! Maybe.

http://www.todayonline.com/articles/246319.asp

IN A sign of the competitive, innovation-driven times, electronics firm Motorola announced yesterday that it would phase out its mobile phone manufacturing operations here by the end of this year, but retain its Asia-Pacific operational headquarters in Singapore.

.

The retrenchment of some 700 manufacturing staff — out of a total of 2,500 employees here — is expected, in line with the company's $500-million global cost-reduction initiative, said Motorola in a media statement.

.

Its Singapore office will remain "a key site for regional management activities ... as well as research and development and software development activities".

.

Employees were notified in an officewide memo on Tuesday morning and all affected staff were informed on Monday and Tuesday, added a company spokesperson.

.

While Motorola's announcement came after a few quiet years on the mass retrenchment front — from post-Sars 2003 to the end of last year — Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng is not surprised by such a development.

.

"It takes place after a few 'boomtown' years, when demand was high. But with the global economy slowing down and a squeeze on the costs side, it is not surprising," he said.

.

Since the 1990s, various electronics manufacturers have "rejigged operations in Singapore", driven by the relative high labour costs in Singapore and the emergence of China as a manufacturing powerhouse, added Mr Kit.

.

Companies such as Siemens, Philips and Panasonic have transferred production facilities out of Singapore, focusing their operations here on management, research and more capital-intensive production processes.

.

Mr Kit said the recent potent mix of spiralling land costs, labour costs and appreciation of the Singapore dollar has increased cost pressures on manufacturers, and that "Motorola is not the first and won't be the last" to shift manufacturing operations out of Singapore.

.

As for the workers, help may be on its way. Without providing details, Motorola said it will offer a severance package to permanent employees. It will also help improve the resume writing and interview skills of affected workers, while talks are under way with the Economic Development Board to help those laid off.

.

The Workforce Development Agency will also help workers to upgrade their skills. This will be done with the Employment and Employability Institute and community development councils.

IN A sign of the competitive, innovation-driven times, electronics firm Motorola announced yesterday that it would phase out its mobile phone manufacturing operations here by the end of this year, but retain its Asia-Pacific operational headquarters in Singapore.

.

The retrenchment of some 700 manufacturing staff — out of a total of 2,500 employees here — is expected, in line with the company's $500-million global cost-reduction initiative, said Motorola in a media statement.

.

Its Singapore office will remain "a key site for regional management activities ... as well as research and development and software development activities".

.

Employees were notified in an officewide memo on Tuesday morning and all affected staff were informed on Monday and Tuesday, added a company spokesperson.

.

While Motorola's announcement came after a few quiet years on the mass retrenchment front — from post-Sars 2003 to the end of last year — Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng is not surprised by such a development.

.

"It takes place after a few 'boomtown' years, when demand was high. But with the global economy slowing down and a squeeze on the costs side, it is not surprising," he said.

.

Since the 1990s, various electronics manufacturers have "rejigged operations in Singapore", driven by the relative high labour costs in Singapore and the emergence of China as a manufacturing powerhouse, added Mr Kit.

.

Companies such as Siemens, Philips and Panasonic have transferred production facilities out of Singapore, focusing their operations here on management, research and more capital-intensive production processes.

.

Mr Kit said the recent potent mix of spiralling land costs, labour costs and appreciation of the Singapore dollar has increased cost pressures on manufacturers, and that "Motorola is not the first and won't be the last" to shift manufacturing operations out of Singapore.

.

As for the workers, help may be on its way. Without providing details, Motorola said it will offer a severance package to permanent employees. It will also help improve the resume writing and interview skills of affected workers, while talks are under way with the Economic Development Board to help those laid off.

.

The Workforce Development Agency will also help workers to upgrade their skills. This will be done with the Employment and Employability Institute and community development councils.

IN A sign of the competitive, innovation-driven times, electronics firm Motorola announced yesterday that it would phase out its mobile phone manufacturing operations here by the end of this year, but retain its Asia-Pacific operational headquarters in Singapore.

.

The retrenchment of some 700 manufacturing staff — out of a total of 2,500 employees here — is expected, in line with the company's $500-million global cost-reduction initiative, said Motorola in a media statement.

.

Its Singapore office will remain "a key site for regional management activities ... as well as research and development and software development activities".

.

Employees were notified in an officewide memo on Tuesday morning and all affected staff were informed on Monday and Tuesday, added a company spokesperson.

.

While Motorola's announcement came after a few quiet years on the mass retrenchment front — from post-Sars 2003 to the end of last year — Citigroup economist Kit Wei Zheng is not surprised by such a development.

.

"It takes place after a few 'boomtown' years, when demand was high. But with the global economy slowing down and a squeeze on the costs side, it is not surprising," he said.

.

Since the 1990s, various electronics manufacturers have "rejigged operations in Singapore", driven by the relative high labour costs in Singapore and the emergence of China as a manufacturing powerhouse, added Mr Kit.

.

Companies such as Siemens, Philips and Panasonic have transferred production facilities out of Singapore, focusing their operations here on management, research and more capital-intensive production processes.

.

Mr Kit said the recent potent mix of spiralling land costs, labour costs and appreciation of the Singapore dollar has increased cost pressures on manufacturers, and that "Motorola is not the first and won't be the last" to shift manufacturing operations out of Singapore.

.

As for the workers, help may be on its way. Without providing details, Motorola said it will offer a severance package to permanent employees. It will also help improve the resume writing and interview skills of affected workers, while talks are under way with the Economic Development Board to help those laid off.

.

The Workforce Development Agency will also help workers to upgrade their skills. This will be done with the Employment and Employability Institute and community development councils.

Jack Of All Trades But Master Of None

Used to be like that until recently. Things crop up one by one.

True or not?

The power of blogging is writing whatever u want.The danger of blogging is also writing whatever you want .

Beyond The Literalism And Rationalism Debate:Responding To The New Mu’tazila [The Liberal Da’wah]

The above title and below vignitte has been edited from Sidi Abul Hussein`s Blog

A problem that we are to going to face now in Singapore is the rise of a liberal current clothed in an Islamic discourse that pretends to be a da’wah to ijithad and revival.

This da’wah, which has emerged in the West affirms “the Aims Of The Shar’iah” but has done so at the expense of textual support and without the support of a wholstic methodology that surveys Islamic texts globally. They are reading the source texts piecemeal and dismiss being informed by scholarly legal methodology [Usul al-Fiqh] and tradition [scholarly experience]. The fact that the liberal current raises and focuses on piecemeal matters illustrates a lack of depth in their understanding scholarly methodology and Islamic sources. In point of fact they are what some scholars term corrupters of the text that is in interpretation [mu’attila who make ta’teel [they empty the texts of what they mean in the name for understanding the overall aims of the Qur’an]. They are in fact a new strain of the Mutazila that hold their intellects above the texts and capable of abrogating the texts when desire demands.

Alhamdullillah In Malaysia, they have already countered the influence of JIL(Jaringan Islam Liberal). Suffice to say, this has not happened here bahkan has crept into the corridors into the certain factions of the universities. I`m not going to say much but a certain program designed to inculcate youth to be more Islamic has a certain tangible liberal element to it. The below article in Malay will shed more light.

Sumber Dari www.al-ghari.blogspot.com

ANCAMAN LIBERALISME DAN PLURALISME[1]

Oleh :
Hj Zamihan Hj Mat Zin al-Ghari
AJK Persatuan Ulamak Malaysia (PUM)
Cawangan Wilayah Persekutuan
Kuala Lumpur


1.0 LATARBELAKANG

Nabi SAW telah mengingatkan kita tentang kemunculan pelbagai fitnah diakhir zaman. Hal ini terbukti apabila kita menelusuri kitab-kitab hadis yang memuatkan pelbagai karenah fitnah samada bermula sekecil-kecil fitnah sehinggalah menumpahkan darah. Walauapapun fitnah yang melanda, pegangan yang bersumberkan kepada petunjuk Al-Qur’an, al-Sunnah serta bimbingan ulamak ahli al-Bayt sentiasa berdiri di atas kebenaran. Hal ini jelas sebagaimana jaminan Rasulullah SAW yang bermaksud : “Sesungguhnya Ku tinggalkan kepada kalian dua pusaka. Pertamanya Kitab Allah. Padanya terdapat petunjuk dan cahaya. Ambillah dan berpeganglah dengannya. Dan (keduanya) ialah sanak saudara keturunanku. Semoga Allah mengingatkan kamu terhadap kaum keluargaku…(3x)”[2]

Selain itu, terdapat juga hadis lain menuntut kita supaya mengikuti autoriti al-Qur’an dan al-Sunnah sebagai sumber pegangan utama. Bahkan kewujudan golongan yang membela agama juga sentiasa mengatasi apa jua bentuk kesesatan, keadaan dan cabaran yang mendatang. Lebih meyakinkan kita bahawa Allah sendiri memberi jaminan bahawa agama Islam ini tetap teguh terpelihara walaupun cuba diancam dan diserang oleh musuh-musuhnya. Firman Allah SWT yang bermaksud : “Mereka ingin memadamkan cahaya (agama) Allah dengan ucapan mereka. Dan allah tetap menyempurnakan cahayaNya meskipun orang-orang kafir membencinya.”[3]

Walaupun kemunculan fahaman sesat sering berlaku setiap zaman, namun kita perlu menyedari bahawa ancaman di zaman ini bukan sekadar berhadapan dengan kesesatan aliran pemikiran tauhid dan metafizik Yunani. Akan tetapi, kita sebenarnya berhadapan dengan aliran pemikiran moden yang berjaya mensinonimkan Islam dengan falsafah pemikiran barat. Tuntasnya, mereka mengaku beragama Islam dan mengamalkan isi kandungannya akan tetapi menurut perspektif barat. Sedarlah, firman Allah SWT : “Orang-orang kafir itu merancang tipu daya. Dan Allah membalas tipu daya mereka itu. Dan Allah sebaik-baik pembalas tipu daya.”[4]





2.0 PENGENALAN ISLAM LIBERAL DAN PLURALISME

Fahaman Islam Liberal merupakan satu fahaman yang berteraskan prinsip kebebasan individu tanpa sempadan. Fahaman ini muncul pada kurun ke-16 dan ke-17 ketika zaman Renaissance. Iaitu zaman golongan intelektual menyerang penyelewengan pihak gereja.

Zaman itu, agama Kristian di kawal oleh Roman Katolik. Pihak gerja berkuasa penuh dalam menafsirkan Injil. Manakala orang awam tidak sesekali dibenarkan untuk menafsirkannya. Mereka yang didapati menentang akan disiksa dengan pelbagai bentuk siksaan. Akibatnya, muncul pelbagai mazhab dalam Kristian seperti Protestan, Anglican, Prebisyterian, Lutheran dan lain-lain.

Pendapat ini mempunyai jurang perbezaan yang luas antara satu sama lain sehingga menjelmakan kaedah “kebenaran itu tidak selamanya benar dan perlu dinilai semula.” Tindakan ini benar-benar menjadikan Injil sebagai unsur manusia. Iaitu masing-masing memahami injil dengan bahasa dan tafsiran sendiri. Oleh itu pengolahan dan penggubahan dalam memahaminya terus berlaku apabila dirasakan intisarinya tidak releven lagi dengan keadaan semasa. Rentetan dari idea di atas, muncul pula John Hick mempelopori pendapat bahawa semua agama boleh diterima kerana tujuannya yang satu. Cuma cara dan pendekatan sahaja yang berbeza. Maka lahirlah apa yang dinamakan pluralisme.

Apabila menyedari serangan fizikal tidak mampu menggugat umat Islam, maka timbulnya alternative baru untuk menyerang Islam dari dalam. Iaitu menerusi serangan pemikiran. Maka pihak barat yang diterajui Yahudi dan Kristian berusaha menggali ilmu Islam dan mengkaji sumbernya serta mencari apa jua kelemahan umat Islam yang boleh diserang. Akhirnya mereka menubuhkan bahagian pengajian Islam di Universiti-universiti di Eropah dengan menggula-gulakan beberapa ulamak sebagai pensyarah jemputan bagi menarik minat umat Islam mendapat pendidikan di sana. Apa yang penting bagi mereka ialah ‘racun’ pemikiran yang dihidangkan dapat ditelan dengan sempurna.

Lantaran itu, tidak hairanlah kita dikejutkan dengan kemunculan golongan Jamaah al-Qur’an Malaysia (JAM) yang dipelopori oleh Kassim Ahmad dan Osman Ali satu waktu dahulu. Mereka begitu gigih mengajak masyarakat kembali kepada Al-Qur’an dengan pengolahan yang baru. Dalam masa yang sama mereka cuba menilai kembali kedudukan al-Hadis. Mereka sebenarnya adalah anti hadis.

Mutakhir ini, muncul pula Jaringan Islam Liberal (JIL) di Indonesia yang dipimpin oleh Ulil Absar Abdullah. Kerancakkan pemikiran ini seterusnya merebak ke negara kita setelah pengharaman fahaman ini di buat oleh Majlis Ulamak Islam Indonesia (MUI). Maka lahirlah fahaman-fahaman yang senada dan seirama dengan pemikiran Ulil Absar oleh beberapa individu seperti Farish A. Noor[5], Akbar Ali[6], Zainah Anwar[7] yang menunjangi Sister In Islam (SIS). Walaupun tidak segagah gelora kemunculan Islam Liberal di Indonesia (JIL), namun dalam beberapa hal mereka dilihat begitu agresif mengkritik dan mencabar kedudukan agama Islam itu sendiri dengan pelbagai gaya dan ruang. Maka perhatilah dengan sebaik-baiknya.


3.0 DEFINISI ISLAM LIBERAL

Sebelum metodologi Islam Liberal dibongkar dengan lebih mendalam, sayugianya definisi terhadap Islam Liberal perlu diambil kira supaya semua pihak jelas dengan maksud tersurat dan tersirat di sebalik penjenamaannya. Dalam kes ini, penulis cuba memecahkan definisi kepada dua komponen utama. Iaitu :

3.1 Lafaz Islam Liberal :

Perkataan Islam Liberal sebenarnya terdiri dari dua cantuman lafaz yang berbeza. Iaitu antara lafaz Islam dan lafaz Liberal. Islam dari sudut bahasa bermaksud taat dan patuh, menyerah diri dan selamat. Manakala dari sudut istilahnya pula Islam merujuk kepada satu cara hidup yang perkenankan oleh Allah melalui syariatNya yang dibawakan oleh Nabi Muhammad SAW untuk seluruh manusia dan Jin. Ternyata lafaz Islam begitu harmoni dengan kehidupan insani.

Menurut kamus Dewan, Liberal bermaksud condong kepada kebebasan dan fahaman yang demokratik atau berfahaman bebas. Ia juga dimaksudkan dengan bersifat atau berpandangan bebas, berpandangan terbuka Iaitu tidak terkongkong kepada sesuatu aliran pemikiran dan sebagainya[8]. Lafaz ini membuka seluas-luasnya ruang kepada akal dan nafsu untuk menerawang kebebasan mutlak. Ternyata cantuman lafaz dan pengertiannya terlalu sembrono.

4.2 Maksud Islam Liberal :
Apabila kita mengakses laman web Jaringan Islam Liberal didapati mereka menafsirkan maksud liberal seperti berikut : “Nama "Islam liberal" menggambarkan prinsip-prinsip yang kami anut, yaitu Islam yang menekankan kebebasan pribadi dan pembebasan dari struktur sosial-politik yang menindas. "Liberal" di sini bermakna dua: kebebasan dan pembebasan. Kami percaya bahwa Islam selalu dilekati kata sifat, sebab pada kenyataannya Islam ditafsirkan secara berbeda-beda sesuai dengan kebutuhan penafsirnya. Kami memilih satu jenis tafsir, dan dengan demikian satu kata sifat terhadap Islam, yaitu "liberal". Untuk mewujudkan Islam Liberal, kami membentuk Jaringan Islam Liberal (JIL)[9].” Demikian tafsiran dan alasan mereka.
Berdasarkan kepada tafsiran ini dapatlah disimpulkan bahawa Islam Liberal bermaksud sekumpulan golongan[10] yang memperjuangkan prinsip kebebasan dan rasional yang bersifat menyeluruh tanpa sebarang had.

Sebenarnya, mereka mencipta istilah ini bagi membuktikan bahawa kononnya golongan merekalah yang memperjuangkan keterbukaan dan kebebasan yang sebenar. Sedangkan mereka menuntut satu kebebasan yang melampaui batasan syariat Islam itu sendiri. Iaitu kebebasan dalam memberikan pandangan secara terbuka yang tidak terikat kepada pemikiran Islam bahkan melebihi had ajaran Islam itu sendiri. Sedangkan Islam mempunyai prinsip al-Hurriyyah yang tersendiri berasaskan wahyu.

Apa yang dituntut oleh golongan Islam Liberal ialah al-Hurriyyah al-Fikriyyah wa al-I’tiqadiyyah. Iaitu satu konsep kepercayaan yang mengatakan tiap-tiap individu mesti diberi kebebasan (supreme importance) dalam kehidupan social. Suara dan hak kebebasan ini cuba diperoleh mereka melalui prinsip peluang sama rata (equality of opportunity). Mereka berpendapat semua orang memiliki hak mutlak untuk memerintah, mencari harta, bercakap dan mengemukakan kepentingan masing-masing.

Kita melihat, apabila kedua lafaz yang berbeza ini (Islam – Liberal) cuba disatukan maka ia membawa cantuman yang songsang. Bahkan saling bertentangan antara kedua lafaz tersebut. Justeru di dapati bahawa lafaz sebegini tidak pernah digunakan dalam bahasa arab. Malah penggunaan tidak berpijak kepada sebarang dalil bahasa. Bahkan pertentangan maksud antara kedua lafaz ini memberikan kita satu petunjuk bahawa lafaz ini sengaja direka bagi membebaskan Islam dari keterikatan sumbernya. Situasi ini dilihat cuba menjatuhkan imej Islam itu sendiri. Maka sebarang rekaan yang tidak berpaksikan kepada dalil agama bahkan bertentangan dengan dalil-dalilnya merupakan satu bid’ah yang sesat lagi menyesatkan.

Jelas kepada kita bahawa istilah Islam Liberal merupakan istilah rekaan yang menyimpang dari landasan Islam. kedudukan istilah bagi melambangkan kebebasan yang mutlak sebenarnya bertentangan dengan Islam yang menghadkan kebebasan berasaskan prinsip-prinsipnya yang tertentu. Berdasarkan kepada tafsiran dan alasan mereka juga dapatlah dirumuskan bahawa sandaran liberal kepada Islam merupakan sandaran kosmetik belaka. Hakikatnya perjuangan mereka mempunyai racun yang berbisa.


3.2 Klasifikasi Islam Liberal :

Secara umumnya, terdapat dua jenis liberal. Iaitu liberal yang bercorak klasik dan modern. Liberal klasik lebih menekankan hak asasi dan undang-undang semulajadi merangkumi moral, politik, ekonomi dan sosial. Manakala liberal moden lebih menekankan dasar-dasar awam melalui pengalaman, penelitian dan praktis. System liberal moden selalu menumpang dalam corak pemerintahan demokrasi. Manakala liberal klasik pula lebih bersikap koservatif yang membantak pengawalan kerajaan dalam aktiviti ekonomi.

Paling tuntas, status Islam liberal semuanya menyeleweng samada liberal klasik mahupun moden kerana ideology yang diperjuangkan bertentangan dengan prinsip islam itu sendiri. Iaitu idea memperjuangkan kebebasan melebihi batasan syariat Allah. Justeru, penisbahan ini tidak sepatutnya dibiarkan.


4.0 FENOMENA KEMUNCULAN

Terdapat beberapa factor utama yang menunjangi kemunculan golongan Islam Liberal. Antaranya ialah :

4.1 Cabaran Terhadap Umat Islam Sendiri.

Situasi ini telah dibuktikan oleh Rasulullah SAW sendiri yang mengingatkan kita tentang fitnah yang berlaku di akhir zaman. Antaranya berdasarkan kepada riwayat al-Syaikhan dari Huzaifah bin Yaman yang bermaksud: “Aku (Huzaifah) bertanya, ‘Ya Rasulullah, sesungguhnya kami dahulunya berada dalam jahiliah dan kejahatan maka Allah mendatangkan kebaikan ini kepada kami. Apakah selepas ini akan ada kejahatan?’ Nabi menjawab, ‘Ya’. Aku bertanya lagi, ‘Apakah selepas kejahatan itu akan datang pula kebaikan?’ Nabi menjawab, ‘Ya, tetapi akan ada bersamanya dakhnun (asap).’ Aku bertanya lagi, ‘Apakah asap itu ya Rasulullah?’ Baginda bersabda, ‘Golongan yang tidak lagi mengikut landasan sunnahku dan mereka tidak menggunakan petunjuk yang aku bawa. Kamu akan mengenali dan mengingkari mereka’. Aku seterusnya bertanya, ‘Apakah selepas kebaikan ini akan ada pula kejahatan?’ Nabi bersabda, ‘Ya, akan datang pendakwah-pendakwah di pintu neraka. Sesiapa yang mengikut mereka akan dicampakkan ke dalamnya.”

Al-`Allamah Syeikh Said Hawa mengaitkan hadis ini dengan zaman kita sekarang. Beliau berkata, “Marhalah dakhnun atau ‘asap’ berterusan hingga ke zaman kita hari ini dan era kita sekarang ialah era lahirnya penyeru-penyeru ke pintu neraka.”[11]

Berdasarkan kepada hadis di atas dan selainnya membuktikan kepada kita bahawa Islam dan umatnya sentiasa dicabar oleh musuh-musuhnya. Ia bukan bermaksud Allah sengaja ingin menyusahkan umat Islam itu sendiri. Sebaliknya, kewujudan musuh membuatkan kita sentiasa berwaspada dalam mengatur langkah agar tidak terperangkap dalam jerangkap mereka. Malahan memberi kesedaran kepada para ulamak supaya lebik proaktif dalam memainkan peranan mereka.

Di samping itu, kewujudan cabaran dilihat mempunyai hikmahnya yang tersendiri. Cabaran sebenarnya penting bagi umat ini kembali merenung kekuatan dan kelemahan mereka. Tanpa cabaran tentunya kita tidak menyedari di mana kedudukan kita yang sebenarnya. Apatah lagi untuk memainkan peranan dan tanggungjawab yang lebih aktif dalam memacu kekuatan dan menerajui pembangunan manusia.

Selain itu, khabar di atas juga menggambarkan kepada kita betapa pandangan Rasulullah SAW merentasi masa, tempat dan keadaan. Maka situasi ini menuntut kita untuk berpegang teguh dengan sunnah Baginda SAW yang terpancar daripada hidayah Allah.

4.2 Usaha Pembaratan Terhadap Umat Islam Melalui Pengaruh Orientalis.

Sebenarnya usaha pembaratan bermula semenjak Perang Salib lagi. Mereka mendapati bahawa Umat Islam tidak dapat dikalahkan secara berhadapan selagi mereka berpegang dengan al-Kitab dan al-Sunnah. Akhirnya satu strategi dilaksanakan bagi memesongkan perhatian umat ini terhadap intisari al-Qur’an. Lantaran itu mereka mencipta pelbagai terminology bagi mengelirukan umat Islam. Maka muncullah istilah seperti Islam Tradisional–Modern, Islam Moderate–Fundamentalis, Islam Legalistik, Islam formalistic Subtantif, Islam Cultural, Islam Inklusif-Eksklusif dan lain-lain lagi.

Selain itu, mereka juga memperkenalkan pemikiran nasionalisme, demokrasi, pluralisme politik, hak asasi manusia, feminisme, kebebasan, globalisasi dan muncul pula Islam Liberal.

Sebenarnya pemikiran liberal di barat berasal dari tradisi pemikiran Yahudi. Buktinya Leonard Binder[12] telah memperincikan beberapa agenda penting dalam bukunya Islamic Liberalisme : A Critique of Development Ideologies. Dalam buku ini beliau menjelaskan bahawa pergerakan Islam liberal perlu didukung dan disebarluaskan berasaskan kepada rational discouse. Gerakan ini digunakan sebagai alat untuk mencapai tujuan politik. Iaitu menjelmakan satu pemerintahan ala barat bagi sesuah Negara sebagai penyambung lidah Yahudi. Buktinya Leonard menjelaskan : “Liberal government is the product of a continuous process of rational discourse. Political Liberalism in this sense, is indivisible. It will either prevail worldwide, or it will have to be defended by nondiscursive action.”[13]

Selain Leonard, muncul pula Charles Kurzman[14] memperkenalkan istilah dan gerakan baru kepada dunia Islam di dalam bukunya yang berjudul Liberal Islam : A Sourcebook.[15] Buku ini menghimpunkan karya 32 orang penulis dari 19 negara termasuk artikel Nurkholis Madjid yang berjudul Penyegaran Kembali Pemahaman Keagamaan di Kalangan Umat Islam Indonesia.[16] Walaupun ditulis dengan gaya pemkiran falsafah moden dan terbuka ia sedikit sebanyak mampu menerapkan liberalisasi pemikiran dikalangan masyarakat.

Di dalam buku ini juga, Charles secara jelas mengatakan bahawa para penulis buku ini kesemuanya berorientasikan fahaman liberal. Di mana secara khususnya mereka menentang kebangkitan Islam secara halus.[17]

4.3 Kelemahan pemimpin Islam, kejumudan ulamak dan kejahilan masyarakat.

Dalam mengupas factor ini, penulis mendatangkan contoh Khilafah Uthmaniyyah sebagai bahan renungan dan tauladan buat semua. Sebagai contoh, dasar pembangunan kerajaan Uthmaniyyah pada abad ke-16 yang lebih berorientasikan pembangunan fizikal dan ketenteraan menyebabkan pegembangan bahasa arab terabai. Pengabaian ini menyebabkan usaha memahami dan mengkaji Islam secara mendalam terbantut. Banyak ruang pemikiran dan pelaksanaan agenda pembangunan Islam tertutup. Ramai dari pemimpin umat islam hidup dibuai mimpi indah.

Manakala para alim ulamak pula kebanyakkannya memfokuskan kepada permasalahan tekstual yang lebih bersifat feqhiyyah. Malah terdapat sebilangan dari mereka yang selesai dengan kehidupannya tanpa mengambil berat permasalahan ummat. Apatah lagi untuk melahirkan idea-idea yang bernas yang dapat disumbangkan bagi pembangunan Negara.

Kemajuan tamadun Eropah juga memperlihatkan kemajuan antara abad ke-16 hingga ke 18M turut menjadi factor. Situasi ini menyebabkan dunia Islam terpencil. Kerajaan Uthmaniyyah mula tertarik dengan kejelitaan Eropah. Manakala umat Islam pula merasakan ilmu pengetahuan di eropah perlu diintegrasikan supaya Uthmaniyyah mendapat standard yang sama. Maka selaras dengan revolusi di Perancis, pada tahun 1816 didapati bahawa sekolah-sekolah di mesir sudah menerima pakai pemikiran-pemikiran Voltaire, Rostow, Montesquieu dan lain-lain. Maka bermulalah pergeseran tamadun civilisasi dengan Islam. Dan akhirnya memunculkan fahaman nasionalisme yang menggalakkan pembebasan wilayah Uthmaniyyah mengikut identity bangsa masing-masing.

Imperialis barat pula berhasil meletakkan penguasa-penguasa tempatan bagi mengukuhkan cengkaman mereka dalam mengukuhkan penjajahan bentuk moden. Dan inilah hakikat yang berlaku dan terpaksa diterima walau amat pahit untuk ditelan.

Kini, isu kelemahan pemimpin Islam, kejumudan para alim ulamak dan kejahilan masyarakat kembali menghantui kita. Ya, ketidakpekaan pemimpin terhadap isu-isu sensitive umat Islam menyebabkan kemasukan idea liberal dan pluralisme dipandang sepi. Kelembapan para ulamak untuk bersuara, berhujah dan menjadi penggerak ilmu masyarakat mengakibatkan umat ini berada dalam kegelapan dan ketandusan idea. Apatah lagi untuk mengenal sesuatu aliran pemikiran yang ada. Umat yang lemah hanya menyaring sahaja apa jua pemikiran yang mendatang asalkan dilihat rasional dengan gaya dan keperluan hidup mereka. Justeru, semua pihak harus menyedari hakikat ini. Bahkan meningkatkan keprihatinan dan tanggungjawab yang tinggi dalam mendokong pegangan dan pemahaman yang benar.


5.0 DASAR-DASAR PEMIKIRAN ISLAM LIBERAL

Sebelum kita menerokai dasar-dasar pemikiran Liberal, maka asas umum yang menjadi momentum kepada ideanya perlu di ambil kira. Antara gagasan pemikiran Islam Liberal sebagaimana yang dikemukakan Charles Kurzman adalah seperti berikut :

a) Syariat liberal, “liberal shari’a” argues that the revelations of the Quran and the practices of the Prophet command Muslims to follow liberal positions;

b) Syariat diam, the “silent shari`a,"holds that coexistence is not required by the shari`a, but is allowed. This trope argues that the shari`a is silent on certain topics-not because divine revelation was incomplete or faulty, but because the revelation intentionally left certain issues for humans to choose;

c) Penafsiran syariat (interpreted shari’a), this third trope suggests that religious diversity is inevitable, not just among religious communities but within Islam itself

Secara ringkas, idea-idea ini dijadikan bahan anjakkan dalam melahirkan beberapa dasar pemikiran Islam Liberal. Antara dasar-dasar pemikiran Islam Liberal adalah seperti berikut :

5.1 Pluralisme Agama (Kesatuan Agama)

Golongan Islam Liberal berpendapat Islam bukan satu-satunya agama yang benar. Bahkan semua agama di dunia ini adalah sama dan benar berdasarkan kepada konsep keseluruhan. Iaitu semua agama memiliki Tuhan dan menganjurkan kebaikan. Justeru, mereka menganggap masyarakat beragama Islam perlu menerima teologi pluralis dan kefahaman yang menghubungkan semua agama (Lintas agama).

Sebagai contoh, Nurkholis Majid berpendapat bahawa pluralisme sesungguhnya adalah sebuah aturan tuhan (sunnatullah) yang tidak akan berubah, sehingga juga tidak mungkin ditentang dan diingkari. Beliau mengibaratkan pluralisme seperti roda, pusat roda itu adalah tuhan dan jarring-jaring adalah simbolik dari perbagai agama. [18] Demikian juga pendapat yang dikemukan oleh Alwi Shihab di dalam bukunya Islam Inklusif : Menuju Sikap Terbuka Dalam Beragama. Beliau berpendapat bahawa ayat 62 surah al-Baqarah dan ayat 69 surah al-Ma’idah itu bersifat inklusif bukannya eksklusif untuk umat Islam sahaja. Pendapat ini disokong oleh Abd Rahman Wahid, Djohan Effendi, Arief Budiman dan ramai lagi.

Ulil absar Abdalla pula mengatakan : “Semua agama sama. Semuanya menuju kebenaran. Jadi Islam bukanlah yang paling benar.”[19]

Bertitik tolak dari fahaman ini, mereka menyimpulkan bahawa semua agama adalah sama. Dengan itu mereka begitu mudah menghalalkan perkahwinan antara penganut yang berbeza agamanya. Mereka mendakwa inilah sebahagian dari hasil ijtihad dan pembaharuan hukum pada dimensi Islam. Paling tuntas, dasar inklusif-pluralis ini sebenarnya menyimpang dari kebenaran. Bahkan mengutamakan kehendak akal dan nafsu semata-mata.

5.2 Al-Qur’an sebagai produk budaya.

Penganut Islam Liberal enggan menyebutkan “Allah berfirman” disebabkan mereka mendakwa al-Qur’an merupakan susunan kata-kata Muhammad atau merupakan karya bersama. Mereka berhujah bhawa teks al-Qur’an dalam bentuk apapun pada hakikatnya adalah produk budaya. Sebagai contoh, Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd menganggap hukum-hakam di dalam al-Qur’an hanyalah sesuai dengan sosio-budaya, ekonomi dan politik masyarakat arab abad ke-7 sahaja. Oleh itu, adalah tidak sesuai jika ia hendak dipraktikkan tanpa sebarang kajian dan menilai hikmah disebalik penurunan ayat tersebut.[20]

Tidak cukup dengan teori logic di atas, Nasr Hamid Abu Zayd dengan keras mengkritik metodologi ulamak tafsir Ahli Sunnah wal Jamaah. Beliau mendakwa autoriti tafsir bukannya dimiliki oleh mufassirin terdahulu. Bahkan beliau berpendapat bahawa para mufassir telah melakukan satu kesilapan besar kerana menafsirkan sesuatu ayat dengan unsur kenabian dan penurunan wahyu.

Selain itu, muncul pula Hassan Hanafi[21] dari Mesir yang mempelopori pemikiran Islam Berhaluan Kiri. Beliau berpendapat bahawa nas al-Qur’an adalah dilalah dzanniyyah. Manakala akal merupakan pemutus (al-Qat’iyyah) terhadap perkara-perkara yang berkaitan dengan Ketuhanan, Kenabian dan Hari akhirat.[22]

Manakala Muhammad Arkoun[23] menggunakan pendekatan sejarah dalam menafsirkan al-Qur’an. Dan beliau berkeyakinan bahawa sebarang kajian kritis sejarah terhadap al-qur’an merupakan satu bentuk ijtihad zaman kini. Lantaran itu, dia telah mengintegrasikan bahan sejarah dari pelbagai agama seperti Hindu, Budhha, injil Perjanjian Lama dan Injil Perjanjian Baru. Beliau juga berpendapat bahawa al-Qur’an itu lebih suci ketika berada di peringkat pertama jika dibandingkan dalam bentuk bertulis.[24]

5.3 Kritikan dan Penghinaan terhadap Rasulullah SAW

Golongan Islam Liberal menganggap bahawa kenabian Rasulullah SAW hanyalah menggambarkan kemampuan seseorang manusia yang memimpin kelompok tertentu. Sesiapa sahaja mampu mengambil alih sifat Nubuwwah apabila memimpin manusia ke arah kebaikan.[25]

Di samping itu mereka juga menganggap bahawa Rasulullah SAW sebagai manusia yang biasa yang tidak terlepas dari melakukan kesilapan. Dan umat ini pula dituduh berpura-pura kerana mempercayai kesempurnaan yang ada pada Baginda SAW. Bahkan apabila kita mengikuti teks al-Qur’an dan al-Sunnah dianggap sebagai menyembah teks berkenaan dan melupuskan fungsi akal.

Maka tidak hairanlah jika terdapat tokoh-tokoh tertentu di Negara kita yang lantang melemparkan kritikan dan penghinaan kepada Baginda SAW. Antaranya mereka menuduh Baginda tidak mencukur janggut kerana dahulunya tida ada pisau cukur. Baginda memakai serban kerana bentuk muka bumi Makkah dan Madinah berpasir. Lebih sadis lagi mereka menuduh Baginda sebagai bernafsu seks yang kuat dengan memiliki ramai gundik. Malah sebahagian mereka menganggap kepimpinan Baginda hanyalah sekadar Pegawai Daerah sahaja. Maka perhatikanlah alangkah hitamnya hati dan betapa busuknya pula mulut-mulut jahat mereka.

5.4 Penafsiran semula Agama Islam.

Tajdid dan Ijtihad merupakan dua perkara yang saling berkait antara satu sama lain. Sayangnya, ia disalah tafsir oleh golongan Islam Liberal. Hal ini terbukti apabila mereka menganggap bahawa ilmu-ilmu Usul Tafsir, Usul al-Hadis, al-Jarh wa Ta’dil adalah ilmu buatan manusia yang tidak terlepas dari kesilapan dan kecacatan. Oleh itu, mereka sesekali tidak menggunakan ilmu ini. Bahkan penggunaannya dilihat mampu mengekang tafsiran bebas mereka terhadap Islam.

Golongan ini juga tidak menghormati para ulamak Islam. bagi mereka ulamak hanyalah manusia biasa yang terikat kepada pentafsiran jumud ulamak sebelumnya. Para ulamak dianggap menyembah teks. Apabila pendapat mereka dilihat bercanggah dengan para ulamak, mereka mengatakan bahawa pendapat ulamak boleh diterima dan ditolak. Demikianlah seni putar belit yang hebat yang ditunjukkan oleh penyeleweng zaman moden. Maka berhati-hatilah.

5.5 Mentafsir Al-Qur’an secara Hermeunatika.

Kaedah pentafsiran al-Qur’an secara hermeunatika seringkali diwar-warkan orientalis dan pemikir Muslim modern seperti Aminah Wadud, farid esack, Asghar ali Engineer, Hassan Hanafi, nasr hamid Abu Zayd dan lain-lain.

Sebenarnya, hermeunatika merupakan satu kaedah pengkajian prinsip umum yang terdapat dalam Bible. Golongan ini cuba memperkenalkan hermeunatika sebagai kaedah baru bagi merungkai penyembahan teks sekaligus membuka ruang penafsiran yang lebih luas dan bebas mengikut citaras mereka. Timbul persoalan, apakah umat Islam memerlukan bantuan hermeunatika dalam memahami tuntutan sebenar al-Qur’an.

Ternyata, tidak sesekali. Ini kerana metodologi penafsiran al-Qur’an sebenarnya jelas berdasarkan beberapa factor seperti kaedah bacaan, sebab-sebab turun ayat, I’rab al-Qur’an, Gharib al-Qur’an, mufradaat, I’jaz al-Qur’an, kelebihan al-Qur’an dan lain-lain yang berkenaan. Sedangkan kaedah hermeunatika diasaskan kepada tafsiran relative, disulami sangkaan, keraguan dan pengalaman kehidupan semata-mata. Justeru, bagaimana sesuatu yang kukuh hendak digantikan dengan sesuatu yang lumpuh. Perhatikanlah.


5.6 Menilai semua hadis-hadis Rasulullah SAW.

Golongan ini menganggap bahawa hadis-hadis Rasulullah SAW perlu dinilai semula sekalipun ianya tercamtum di dalam kitab-kitab sahih. Mereka tanpa segan silu mengatakan bahawa sebahagian besar hadis bukan dari Nabi SAW. Sebaliknya hanya ciptaan individu tertentu yang jelas mempunyai kepentingan.

Hadis-hadis mutawattir hanyalah melambangkan sejarah peradaban zaman awal Islam sahaja. Ia tidak sesuai lagi untuk diamalkan di zaman ini. Masya Allah.

Selanjutnya, hadis-hadis yang berkaitan dengan al-Sam’iyyat dan al-Ghaibiyyat dianggap sebagai bahan rekaan perawi hadis. Bahkan perkhabaran ini dianggap sebagai cerita-cerita rekaan berunsur tahyul dan mistik belaka.[26]

5.7 Menilai semula hukum feqah

Aliran ini mempunyai kaedah yang tersendiri dalam menilai hukum feqah. Iaitu apa yang diambil adalah tujuan hukum iaitu maslahat bukannya bentuk hukum berkenaan. Justeru, ketentuan hukum boleh diubah berdasarkan maslahat manusia.

Sebagai contoh, pembahagian harta fara’idh boleh diubahsuai mengikut keadilan ahli waris, hak suami menjatuhkan talak boleh dilupuskan dan kes-kes perceraian hanya boleh diputuskan hakim mahkamah biasa, poligami dilarang, wanita diberikan hak samarata dalam persaksian jenayah, kes hudud boleh diubahsuai mengikut peradaban zaman, arak tidak haram jika tidak memabukkan, masa ibadat seperti solat, haji dan puasa boleh diubahsuai mengikut keperluan individu dan menutup aurat hanyalah peradaban di zaman awal islam sahaja.

Selain isu-isu yang difokus di atas, golongan ini juga turut memperjuangkan isu kesetaraan gender dan feminisme. Sebenarnya banyak lagi isu-isu agama yang telah, sedang dan akan diketengahkan mereka. Dan kita melihat 11 tuntutan yang yang dikemukakan oleh IFC sebenarnya didalangi oleh golongan Islam Liberal. Dan sebahagian dari pemimpin kita memberi sokongan kepada perjuangan mereka. Situasi ini sebenarnya amat melukai hati kita. Maka sedar dan bangkitlah wahai pencinta agama Allah!

Justeru, kita perlu melipatgandakan usaha untuk menangkis idea-idea yang gila ini dari mempengaruhi masyarakat dan anak-anak cucu kita. Semoga Allah terus memberi kekuatan kepada kita untuk membongkar setiap inci penyelewengan mereka.


6.0 KESIMPULAN

Setelah kita memahami dan menhayati dasar-dasar pemikiran golongan ini, maka jelaslah kepada kita bahawa aliran ini memberi ancaman yang besar terhadap ketulinan agama islam itu sendiri. Antaranya ialah :

6.1 Aliran pemikiran Islam Liberal merupakan produk barat yang jelas bertentangan dengan prinsip akidah Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah. Bahkan boleh menjadikan seseorang itu sesat, dan terkeluar dari agama Islam. Maka tidak hairanlah jika Panel Kajian Syariah JAKIM dan Muzakarah Ulamak Ipoh 2006 mengklasifikasikan fahaman ini sebagai sesat dan menyesatkan.

6.2 Pemikiran Liberal ternyata menyumbang kepada perpecahan umat Islam sesebuah Negara. Bahkan meragut kesucian akidah umat Islam sedikit demi sedikit sebagaimana yang berlaku di Indonesia. Lantaran itu Majlis Ulamak Islam (MUI) telah memfatwakan pengharaman pemikiran Islam Liberal pada 25 Julai 2005.

6.3 Kehadiran Muslim Liberal memberi ruang dan peluang kepada musuh-musuh Islam bagi menyuntik perancangan jahat mereka untuk melemahkan umat Islam supaya umatnya drop-out dari arus perdana. Dan tidak syak lagi bahawa kemunculan IFC yang mempertikai keistimewaan Islam sebagai agama rasmi adalah hasil anjakan pemikiran Liberalisme.

6.4 Kehadiran Muslim Liberal juga sebenarnya satu usaha menghidupkan watak-watak munafiq zaman awal islam untuk disesuaikan dengan peradaban zaman kini. Maka berwaspadalah dengan tokoh-tokoh munafiq moden ini.

6.5 Pihak berwajib seperti JAKIM, Kerajaan Negeri, JAIN, Jabatan Mufti, Mahkamah Syariah, NGO Islam, cendikiawan Islam dan masyarakat perlu bergabung tenaga dalam usaha menangkis dan membongkar penyelewengan golongan Islam Liberal. Bahkan tindakan bersepadu dan menyeluruh perlu diambil bagi menyekat penularannya.

[1] Kertas kerja ini dibentang pada seminar Wacana Ilmu Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah, anjuran Jabatan Agama Islam Pahang yang diadakan di Dewan Majlis Perbandaran Temerloh, Pahang, pada 21 hb Jun 2006, jam 9.00 pagi – 11.00 pagi. Dan dibentang pula di Dewan JAIP, Kuantan pada 22hb Jun 2006. Kini ia dibentang di Surau al-Najjahiyyah, Seksyen 19, Shah Alam, pada 17hb Ogos 2006, jam 8 - 9:30 mlm
[2] hadis riwayat Muslim, jld 3, hlm 1873 no: 2408. Selain itu hadis ini juga wujud di dalam Sunan al-Tirmidzi dengan lafaz yang sedikit berbeza. Tetapi apa yang lebih jelas berdasarkan Firman Allah pada surah al-Ahzab ayat 33 yang menuntut kita mengasihi keturunan Baginda SAW. Ini tidak beerti kita condong kepada fahaman Syiah sebagaimana yang didakwa oleh sesetengah pelampau agama.
[3] Surah al-Shaff ayat 8
[4] surah al-Imran ayat 54
[5] Beliau ialah seorang ahli akademik yang berlatarbelakangkan pendidikan sains politik dan falsafah. Dan bertugas sebagai penganalisa akademik di Zentrum Moderner Orient, Berlin, Jerman. Beliau pernah mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa Nabi SAW telah mengadakan hubungan seks dengan 15 orang wanita termasuk seorang bukan Islam yang bernama Rayhana sehingga ke akhir hayatnya. (Farish A. Noor, Let Islam lead way with progressive view on sexuality : New Straits Times, 4 Nov 2000)
[6] Beliau pernah mengeluarkan kenyataan menghina Ulamak : “Mungkin serban-serban Mufti terlalu ketat dan sebab itu tidak cukup oksigen masuk ke dalam otak mereka. Mereka tidak berfikiran waras dari semasa ke semasa, ulamak selalu mengeluarkan pengumuman yang tidak masuk akal dan bodoh.” (Akbar Ali, Now the Mufti Blame Hindi Film : The Sun, 21 Februari 2000). Akbar Ali juga mendakwa al-Qur’an membenarkan murtad sebanyak 2 kali dalam rencananya yang berjudul Many Side To Tudung Issue : The Sun, 12April 2000.
[7] Beliau merupakan Pengarah Eksekutif kepada Sister In Islam (SIS). Beliau pernah menulis : “…Sebarang penafsiran terhadap sumber-sumber Islam seperti al-Qur’an bukanlah milik para ulamak semata-mata. (utusan malaysia, 26 september 2000)
[8] Kamus Dewan, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (Kementerian Pelajaran Malaysia) boleh dicapai melalui www.karyanet.com.my
[9] www.islamlib.com/id/tentangkami.php
[10] samada muslim dan bukan muslim.
[11] Syeikh Sa`id Hawa, Al-Madkhâl Ila Dakwah Al-Ikhwân Al-Muslimin, ( Kaherah : Maktabah Wahbah, 1996)
[12] Beliau merupakan salah seorang sarjana barat berketurunan Yahudi yang bertanggungjawab mencetuskan pergerakan Islam Liberal pada era 80-an.
[13] Leonard Binder, Islam Liberal, (Yogyakarta : Pustaka Pelajar, 2001) hlm 5

[14] salah seorang profesor Sosiologi Agama di Universiti North Carolina, Amerika
[15] diterjemahkan oleh Bahrul Ulum dan Heri Junaidi dengan tajuk Wacana Islam Liberal: Pemikiran Islam Terkini (Contemporary) tentang Isu-isuGlobal dan diterbitkan oleh Paramadina-Jakarta, 2001.
[16] Dalam buku ini NurKholis Madjid berusaha mentakrifkan ad-Din itu sebagai keseluruhan agama yang ada. Malah perbuatan syirik kaum musyrikin Mekah juga dianggap sebagi agama oleh beliau. Buktinya, beliau mengatakan : “Di situ terjadi inkonsistensi yang nyata, iaitu perkataan ad-din dipakai juga untuk menyatakan agama-agama yang lain, termasuk agama syirik orang-orang Quraisy Mekah. Jadi, erti kata itu memang agama, kerana itu, Islam adalah Agama.” (Charles Kurzman, (ed.) Wacana Islam Liberal: Pemikiran Islam Terkini (Contemporary) tentang Isu-isuGlobal, (Jakarta : Paramadina, 2001), hlm. 502). Sebenarnya, ini adalah manifestasi penyelewengan Nurkholis yang amat jelas. Kenyataannya yang menganggap agama-agama lain dan perbuatan syirik dikenali sebagai al-Din jelas bertentangan dengan Firman Allah SWT yang bermaksud : “Sesungguhnya al-Din (agama) yang diterima di sisi Allah ialah Islam.” Ayat lain juga turut menjadi saksi bahawa barangsiapa yang mencari agama selain dari Islam maka ia tidak akan diterima. Kelak di akhirat nanti dia termasuk dari kalangan orang-orang yang rugi.” Dalam memutuskan kes ini, Nurkholis harus ingat bahawa dia tidak patut memeraskan akalnya dalam usaha mencari takrif agama. Ini kerana takrifan al-Din itu sendiri telah dimuktamadkan oleh Allah SWT. Akhirnya, pemerasan akalnya itu membuktikan betapa singkatnya pemikiran beliau sendiri. Beliau mengajak kita bersikap rasional ternyata beliau juga tidak menerima rasional tersebut. Rasionalisme beliau gagal menyelami realti Islam itu sendiri. Jika ditinjau secara mendalam, Islam merupakan satu-satunya agama yang mengatur urusan kehidupan secara holistik samada merangkumi ilmu mengurus diri (‘Aini) mahupun ilmu mengurus sistem (Kifayah). Manakala agama-agama lain seperti Kristian, Yahudi, Hindu, Budhha dan lain-lain tidak menawarkan solusi kehidupan yang sempurna sebagaimana Islam. Maka ketidaksempurnaan itu menyebabkan agama tersebut tidak selari dengan sistem cara hidup manusia. Apatah lagi untuk dianggap sebagai al-Din. Justeru, apakah nilai sebuah rasional yang diperkenalkan mereka. Ternyata nilai itu hanya selari dengan tunggangan hawa nafsu mereka sahaja.

[17] Adian Husaini, MA, Islam Liberal : Sejarah, Konsepsi, Penyimpangan dan Jawabannya, ( Jakarta : Gema Insani Press, 2002, hlm. 9.

[18] Nurkholis Majid, Islam : Doktrin dan Peradaban, (Jakarta : Paramadina, 1995), h. xxvii

[19] Majalah Gatra, 21 Disember 2002
[20] Nirwan Syafrin, Syariat Islam : Antara Ketetapan Nas dan Maqasid al-Syariah, Jakarta : Islamiyah Kahirul Bayan, 2004 hlm 86
[21] Beliau ialah seorang pensyarah falsafah di Universiti ‘Ain Syam, Kaherah, Mesir
[22] Al-Muslimun, London, 1 Ogos 1991, hlm 3
[23] Beliau merupakan seorang professor Pemikiran Islam di Universiti Sorbone, Perancis
[24] Muhammad Arkoun, Rethinking Islam today, t.thn, tpt, hlm 24
[25] Ahmad Akhyari Ismail, Membongkar Kesesatan Islam Liberal : Sarjana Siasah Syar’iyyah UIN, Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta, Okt 2005
[26] Ulil Absar Abdallah, dlm Debat Islam & Liberal, 16 April 2005 Masjid UIN, Syarif Hidayatullah, Jakarta