Souvenir from the event, a Hijriyyah calender so I could also check prayer services time and try to be as early as possible in prayer hall waiting to see Him : )
Before the Maghrib Prayer Service
I regret that I had missed congregational prayer service in masjid this morning. They had conducted a lecture there I can't remember delivered by which Habeeb. This evening, rain fallen quite heavy. I had made a mistake by going to Sungai Dua without bringing clothes and hygiene stuffs where I could just clean up myself at the shower at the side of the masjid. I had some meal at the Thai restaurant at the alley near the KFC of Sungai Dua. I had to walk back to perform ghusl, wudhu' and clean up everything because we must be clean both physical and spiritual to enter the holy boundary as a mean to respect Him. Then walk again to the masjid.
I just wanted to pray to the God for the better future which also includes my future in the hereafter. Also praying for other brothers and sisters either Muslims or non-Muslims for their life to be blessed. So, I don't care about the rain and I never try to get any help from others in term of borrowing their transportation. I am not really close with people here anyway because I always feel afraid to say goodbye to friends. I regard friends the same as blood brothers and sisters. When I was a first degree student, brother Mijie and brother Duwe had also offered me their motorcycle but I just politely refused their offer. I feel bad to burden them though they don't mind. I just want to make sure that my heart and intention is purely for Him. We can strive hard to get certificates for better job or better life improvement but to sacrifice ourselves for Him is hard? He never asks us to give Him money, kill ourselves for blood nor anything. Just surrender to Him, our heart because He is the Most Compassionate full of Love and Mercy : )
The masjid people had also recited Yaasin Surah and the supplication to end the year and beginning the new cycle of year 1433 H. At home, parents and second sister would also go for masjid and pray there. I did that to respect my parents though I am in the distance of 400-500 km from home. I am aware about acts mentioned in valid Sunnah. I keep hadith books as well as Quran with me where I had immediately get them while performing hajj and I memorize some parts of 40 hadiths. Still in the process and this annoying political administration studies had also delayed my memorization.
I also try to translate some important books into other languages when I am free for example Chinese for Malaysian Muslim Chinese compatriots but it hasn't finish yet because I need to check terminologies used and record them as not to commit mistakes of Orientalists. Second problem is that I am just using pen and paper because I don't know how to install Chinese application in this lousy computer, hahaha. We must be fair to Oriental brothers and sisters. They're all equal brothers and sisters. I intend to send them to some non-Muslim Chinese friends and pay them to type. Then just print them out and distribute them for people's personal use without sending them to religious departments but first I need to neatly check it as to make sure it is a right translation. I had already tried to access federal religious department but so far nothing in response and I know they have few Muslim Chinese translators too. I just observed that, Sunnah Islamic books' translation into Eastern languages is so limited except in the languages where the people are in majority Muslim. If it is not legal, then I would silently send them out maybe to Taiwan, Hong Kong or to Japan pleading help from friends out there to send them to masjids and Muslim families. Doing everything alone is actually very exhaustive but what to do. We have no choice.
Basically it is a good way to recite any surah of the Glorious Quran together because we could listen to others' recitation and we could also recite aloud without feeling shy because nobody care about our voice when we recite together. Usually some fellows who listened to Muhammad Abdul Wahhab followers' lectures would be harsh to their parents but I choose not to be harsh because I don't like to be a blind followers. I read Muhammad Abdul Wahhab however I am not his devotee. I am a devotee of Allah 'Azza wa Jalla and I sincerely proclaim my testimony on Muhammad s.a.w prophethood. I respect all the Salaf as-Saaleeheen and all the guided teachers including the ahlul bayt.
After Maghrib Prayer Service
I didn't get the first unit of Maghrib prayer service because I had already been late. I regret myself so much for that. Then, people listened to a lecture delivered by the religious officer of Kedah state Islamic Guidance Department, Ustad Muhammad Isa Abdul Rahman. It revolves around Hijrah and it went on for about half an hour. I just sat at the pillar and trying to hide from people because I don't want to be spotted recording notes because it is shameful, hahaha. But I was busted by an old resident of my hostel now. He was a Geophysics student. His name is Sayful and is now working in Bayan Lepas. I don't know how he recognized me. Because I hardly talk with people nor noticing people because I hate to show my face to people. Already experienced many things and the recent one in my current hostel last semester. So, I don't feel any importance to be tied to people around or knowing so many people. My name is also not important.
Lecture Notes
It mentions that Hijriyyah calender is very important thought it was designated by Umar al-Khattab r.a. It was marked by the event of migration by Muslims after the prophethood of Muhammad s.a.w into Medina al-Munawwara. It is based from lunar calculation unlike the Gregorian calender which uses solar calculation. When we record important events such as matrimonial, birth, death, and everything related to life and death, we use Hijriyyah calender. An example, a divorcee sister may count her 'iddah (period after divorce) with Hijriyyah calender before she get marry again with the man of her choice.
We must take heed on the importance of the terms used in the Glorious Quran. Hijrah or hegira signifies the migration from evil to goodness. From hideous traits to good traits. We do not want to associate Quranic terms with filthy or non-related matters. The Islamic Guidance Department of Kedah for example had issued a ruling for the term used in Islamic rituals should not be used in others' rituals. For example the term Qubur had been differentiated to Jeerat. Qubur and Jeerat both means cemetery but Qubur is Muslim cemetery while Jeerat is the term for non-Muslim cemetery. I remember that my dad had once scolded me because using the term Qubur to refer to non-Muslim cemetery because they are very particular with terminologies and language used. The term tahallel for example is used for Muslim supplications and the Buddhist should use the term phra paritt for their specific ritual because they indeed chant phra paritt during the ritual and not tahallel. As to say, hijrah means the migration where we transfer from evil to goodness.
Other example is the term of ulama' which generally means scholar. But there lies a hidden meaning of it where a scholar is a scholar who fear the God so he never distort the teachings for himself nor practicing out of what he preaches. A person with a knowledge is different from 'ulama. A person who learn Islamic knowledge but has no fear to the God is not an 'ulama (scholar) but just a person who had accessed the information. They could do whatever they want with the information that they have but they are not scholars. A very nice explanation by the ustad : )
The lecture emphasizes the importance of terminologies and meanings of the word. The ustad also brought the quotes from Ibnu Katsir exegesis. The prophet Muhammad s.a.w mentioned that there is no more physical migration after the re-opening of Mecca to the Light of Revelation. But a person who live with the discipline like in Ramadan though he or she is not fasting because it is not Ramadan could still get the merit as equal as the merit of Ramadan. He or she eats only physically and spiritually clean food but leaving doubted and illegal foods. So do the migration event. It never happen anymore but the concept of migration is still there.
Regarding illegal things like the ketum or kratom leaves or biak leaves in Kedah, it is advised for public to stay away from it. Kratom (Mytragyna Speciosa) is a kind of leaf which is used as a drug to cure fever but could be harmful if used excessively. Ustad said that don't misuse the drug and turning it into a crack. It is illegal or haram especially they soak it with the cow dung. Cow dung is not a kind of food.
Migration to study, spreading, and sharing Mercy and Love to others is counted as a migration. The person who migrates for these courses will be classified as muhajir (immigrants). While those who receive them are the ansar (the helpers). The honorable Imam al-Ghazali mentions that a dangerous friend is an ignorant friend. Because an ignorant friend loves his friends but he is ignorant and does not know about what is legal and what is illegal. Ustad explains in Kedah people tradition to serve guests with raw salads, rice, and other food stuffs. Raw salads is very important in Kedah people cuisine where they would dip them with sauces such as sambal belachan (shrimp paste sauce). He explained that the ignorant friend might pluck leaves at trees on others' lands to prepare food for his friend and it is spiritually illegal.
The right on Guidance is the right of the God. It is not the right of human-being. When He is Willing and Pleased to open up the heart of a person into His Light, then it is His Will. For example the person will strive to seek knowledge and he will be released and entered into the Abode of Peace. We take opportunity on the teachings. If we've got little, then little we benefit. If we've got a lot, then a lot we've got. Perhaps from the little thing that we've listened could help us in the future or giving us some understandings. The ustad mentioned about his experience where Muslims in Singapore had accepted the ruling by the Guidelines from the mufti of Singapore that they could perform rituals with the recycled water as Singapore has no fresh water supply. The mufti has to think on the consequences of the nations in his supervision.
Says the member of wisdom, Luqman al-Hakeem, a knowledgeable person who fears the God will be blessed with extra knowledge. Luqman al-Hakeem lives in the time of prophet David a.s the ruler of Judah. He was granted with a vision and dream by the God where he was asked to choose to be a prophet of the God or a member of wisdom? Luqman al-Hakeem had chosen to be a member of wisdom and not a prophet of the God. Luqman al-Hakeem had passed 20 advices to virgin girls.
There is a merit for an immigrant who migrates from the chaotic land to a peaceful land. There are few matters related to immigration which is accompanied by merits and they are:
1. Migration to protect his or her faith when being tyrannized by rulers
2. Migration to seek knowledge
3. Migration for da'awa and spreading love, amity and mercy
4. Migration from evil to goodness, from vice to charity and chastity, leaving illegal for legal matters
5. Migration to the way of the prophet s.a.w in performing shariat (way of conducting life)
6. Migration to protect one's dignity
It is not easy for someone to leave his or her land when we had already feel accustomed with the environment around. However as Muslims, our life principles is always revolving around the God. The God is always with us. Even if everybody had left us alone, the God is still with us. It is also not easy to migrate from bad habit to good habit. This event of hijrah by the prophet Muhammad s.a.w and Muslims in Meccan era into Abyssinia and Medinah signifies both physical and spiritual matters. In the matter of protecting one's faith, faith is not something which can be bought nor could be sold. It is in the heart and only the God has the Power to turn it upside down. Protecting faith has the merit as the merit of migration from the tyranny of old days.
The condition of repentance had also has something to do with migration. A person have to migrate from a place which leads him or her to vices and illegal acts. For example a drug addict must migrate from his old place to the new one which will lead him or her to goodness. The ustad had mentioned that he had tried to write and distribute the sermon about the danger of smoking but many of imams in the masjid in Kedah had refused to read the sermon but reading other sermon because imams also have the habit of smoking. So, migration from bad habit really need perseverance and strong will. It is not an easy matter.
The event of Isra' and Mi'raj of prophet Muhammad s.a.w was actually the event which tests the strength of the faith of those who would later perform migration to Medina al-Munawwara. It means that a person who wants to perform migration needs a strong-will, determination, and strong faith. When we try to please the God, even if it is only a common act of worship, that should be ok in order to migrate to a better situation.
When we preach da'awa, we try to find person who wants to listen to us. No matter who listens to us, the person who listens to us actually is a person who is honored by the God. The God had mentioned about honorable companion of prophet Muhammad s.a.w who is so determined to learn the teachings of the God though he was just a poor blind man, which is Abdullah bin Maktum. He was honored by the God in surah 'Abasa. Teach to people who are willing to listen and those who are not willing just leave them once we remind them. Medium of da'awa today could vary according to technology that we have. We could also use text message system to message friends.
I did texting messages and calling some friends though some of them (my Kedah and Kelantan compatriots) had humiliated me but never mind. We should never take people seriously but forgive everyone as the God forgives us our sins. How did the ustad knows this??? Maybe lots of people are using the same way, recycling messages, hahaha. I just typed what I feel to friends and I love to wish people around well-being because I was unfortunate when I was a school kid and nobody really cares about me. Usually the wishings come right away from my heart though sometimes I feel shy to tell them but I just send it without thinking about my self anymore. Let people be happy and enjoy and I would also feel happy for them : ) I don't like recycled messages.
Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah had once stated that: "When a human was born, he is crying while people are laughing to receive him. But let people cry when the human is dead but he is smiling because of the goodness that he had left for everyone around to share."
Ustad mentioned also about the figure of Libya, Umar Mukhtar who was illegally hanged to death in front of public by Italian imperial power in 1913 at the age of 70 years old. Umar Mukhtar was an 'ulama of Libya. Umar Mukhtar had said (with his faith) before he was hanged that let people hang him. People who hanged him will never be known after they hang him, but he (his soul) will smile because he had united his people and his resistance to Italians was that because the Italians had did wrong by plundering people lands. A righteous person never even pluck leaves from others people land which thrust into the fence of his house.
Now, Italy is a member state of European Union and death sentence is not according to human rights but what these countries in the Union would do regarding the people who were killed by the governments before the establishment of the Union or before their ascension into the Union? Where are apologies and confession from civilized nations? I lose respect to these countries and nation-states. I am so sorry.
Closing
They prepared some refreshments for congregations which are some breads and beef dhalcha mixed with eggplant and potatoes. Urmm, I don't really like beef but it has no smell in the dhalcha so I think it is ok and I'm not a Buddhist anymore so what beef has to do with me? There is also a guy who currently live in Aman hostel which was my previous hostel and despite of his eyesight problem, he still come to congregational prayers and attending the event in the masjid. I am so amazed with his spirit and wishing him a good future may he be blessed too. This is another dimension of migration despite of what is understood in the West. Western world had claimed Christianity as their tradition but they never implement the morality of the Christ where the Christ had once said blessed be the meek. But Western world are craving for comfort, materialism and tyrannizing others in the name of 'civilization.' I don't believe any Christ followers exist in Western world when they talked about it in their discussions for example the discussion of Geert Wilders. He's not a Christ followers but a stinky politician. My advise to fellow Muslims in Europe, respect locals and maintain your faith. No need to show off to people nor looking down on others.
Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad, wa 'alaa aali Muhammad. Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love for nations, amin!
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