Indian Sub-Continent in Our Memory

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Well, I speak in Chinese while I was in the USM. Many people thought that I am a Chinese myself especially when I speak in Northern Chinese accent the first time I met those Chinese national brothers. I did not speak in Chinese for nearly whenever it was while I became an interpreter for Chinese passengers in the airport only in working hours. I began to speak in the language again when I met brother Idris who happened to walk alone to the USM mosque during Ramadhan 2010. Just for brothers information especially those who had met me. My father family is of mixed ancestry from both Yemen and Indian sub-continent. We have special interest in Punjabi and Ordu poetry. Actually the Punjabi poetry is not like the Punjabi in the sense of the Punjabi-Punjabi. But it is a language known Saraiki something like that. I have got this information from elders with hardship until they threw out all the facts that they keep in themselves.

My late great grandmother on my father side was known as Zaynab. Her family were of Gujrat origin while the men of the clan who married among each other were of Yemenite Arab ancestry. This is how we were known as the Jawee Pekan and calling our fathers as pak in Classical Malay. Differently to nowadays identification of Jawee Peranakan with Southern Indians like those in Penang Island though it perhaps also refer to the Keralites. It is a common thing in Northern Malayan Peninsula or nowadays Malaysian Peninsula part that people in the city were of foreign ancestry but by time people began to adopt Malay language as their mother tongue. When people ask me with some racist questions about whether I am a Chinese or a Malay, I would have to deny both association because I prefer to be identified as an Arab as we still can trace our paternal clan which is an Arab clan. Zaynab is the name of one among the mother of believers which refers to lady Zaynab bt. Jahsh and also the name of the daughter of Ali r.a and Fatima r.a. Our people would mostly name their children with the name such as Ali, Hassan, Hussain, Zayn al'abiddin, Zaydi, Ja'afar, Hanbal, 'Adnan, Haydar and others because it reflects our religious and cultural identity. Only for myself, I have the name which is different to others but still with the initial Muhammad like other Muslim boys. And I use the identification Servant of the God when people trying to get to know me as I wanted to be known as anonymous.

The area Gujrat is not the Gujarat in India. But it was the Gujrat which was a city in Punjab province in nowadays Pakistan. Still, people there were in contact with those from Gujerat in the nowadays India because of the similarity in jurisprudence school, the school of Shafi'ie and they spread out from the area through the sea port in Gujarat. Back then, there were no Pakistan. So, we only identify the place with India. The first language that we were taught were Arabic and Indian Urdu, of course with some Dari (Hill Persian) words infiltering the vocabulary. And I could understand Urdu or Hindustani without even have to go and stay in Pakistan or India but I pretend like I did not understand it when the kids who introduced me to Tabligh Jama'at in the Bengal mosque simply because I am offering an honor for them to introduce me to their movement. I did not even follow the elder brother of my mother to his Tabligh Jama'at markaz because my father did not allow me to be there but I follow the kids because I see something in some of the kids. I mean I do not see something like paranormal but it is more to the premonitions. It is more to logic and scientific though I am not good in academics nor studying in science stream. I hate it when some other kids talking to me like I am some kind of an exorcist! That's hurt!   

Many people especially from the JT movement would be thinking that the respective Hanafi school of jurisprudence is associated with people in Pakistan today or India. Perhaps that is mostly true. Well, let me tell people something. Sindh which was opened again by the Umayyad caliphate troop is also an area populated by the adherents of Shafi'ie jurisprudence. When the Fatimid Da'ie al-Mutlaq took over the area in 9th century as the Fatimid were the Ismaili Shi'a government, they still adhere to the Shafi'ie jurisprudence while some were the adherents of Maliki and Hanbali jurisprudence. The school of jurisprudence is not something which people can be proud of. It is a branch of science itself where the scholars doing researches in order to help the public in performing their religious duties while living a life as a worshiper of the God the Highest. When we study something, we have to respect the science by finishing a "lesson" first before turning to other lessons.  

Indian sub-continent also left a print mark in our identity and history. One of the Hussain r.a grandson, Zayd bin Ali Zayn al-'Abiddin was born of an Indian mother. His mother was from Sindh. And he was killed by an Umayyad governor in a battle with Umayyad caliphate after a revolt. His skeleton was burn to ashes under the order of caliph Walid bin Yazid bin Abd al-Malik bin Marwan around 126 H (745 CE). Many of our people (Arabs) fled to India since 10th century while some were soldiers stationed in 17th century Mughal empire before being employed again by southern kingdoms which also includes the Muslim kingdoms in Malayan Peninsula. And that is how our ancestors arrived in Northern Malaysia today few hundred years mingling among the clans or marrying other North Indians with Arabian ancestry (Umayyad, Abbasid or Fatimid Arabs) before the British came. Only today, especially our women become very very modernized and they neglect the customs which opposes them to marry people out of our religious and cultural background. Some married the Malays, some married Indians (Southern Indians), some married Chinese men just like the men married women of other racial background in the previous years.

Back then there was no Pakistan nor India. There was no Bangladesh. We only got the news about British India before the partition of the sub-continent happened. I grow up in Chinese surrounding Kuala Lumpur, while at home I was exposed to 60s Hindustani movies as my father loves it so much... hehe..

I sometimes would listen to these oldies songs. They remind me to my bedridden father. He loves these Hindustani songs especially of the late Muhammad Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle. Sometimes when I feel bored and only smile at my father face because he cannot speak anymore. Other than that I just pray to the God the Highest may He helps and protects everyone....

Sealed with prayers for mercy peace and love, amin!

Science and Religion: If Clergy Men are Wrong, Academicians are also Wrong!

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Problems in Terminologies and Reference Consistency

I don't know how to translate or interpret those words such as religious studies experts and non-religious studies scholars. The way I understood science is different from the mainstream views. So, basically what I refer to as clergy men are those who are known as priests, monks, ministers, preachers, pastors, imams or mullas. While academicians in this post refer to scientists or scholars in the universities as what we see today. 

Pre-Conditions to be a Believer of Science

For the scholars, they religiously believe in the science, theories and opinions while they had forgotten that the condition for this science is that; theories will always evolve to another one and if it is contested by the more plausible ones, the previous one will be unreliable. Theories are bounded to time period and the changes in the space. Science and knowledge generally is a group of evidence in evaluating the truth of certain things and matters. If the study is not half-cut in the middle of the research, there are many possibilities for the previous theory to be canceled by the new-founded one till it has to be developed again in other forms.

International Theories and Approach to View World Politics and Affairs

In International Relation and Social Studies for example, the notion by this ulama about "reliability of science" in his writing is the same as what had been lectured to us in our classes for first two semesters. We have political theories such as:

1. Realism

2. Liberalism

3. Marxism

4. Constructivism

And the world is viewed as a stage where the beings in world is viewed as actors. Who are these actors? They are basically those who are involved in decision-making and the basic one that I could provide here is the state and its system. There are also classifications of those mentioned theories into classical theories, neo-theories and post-theories or approaches in viewing the action of actors. This is my personal opinion dear brothers and sisters. We as religious studies students in madrasah must be exposed to these studies. We should not only study Quran and Sunnah. Because we live in the more globalized world where there are people of many views and kind which trying to defame us, Muslims with the notion of modernism, backwardness and fanaticism.

I am talking like one of madrasah students though I am an out caste due to that I was a madrasah students myself who were kicked out of the track due to harsh environment revolving around me and rising conflicts within myself. Now I am an International Studies students majoring in European continent institutional studies without any basic in my first degree certificate. I studied different things when I was an undergraduate student. In front of people, I might be looking like a scary all-black attire hermit, poor like a beggar and "stupid" but I am listening to what people are talking around besides mentally commenting their opinions. It also includes those of Mahasiswa Islam and Tabligh Jama'at discussions and I am just avoiding them because there are gaps in discussing things with people around and I do not want any conflict.

So, there are little kids who might come closer to me in the musalla and asking me why you are so silent? Most of the Mahasiswa Islam and Tabligh Jama'at members are not of social studies background but are of diverse part of sciences in the university which actually deals with crude sciences related to job skills for human labor or human capital needs. While most of my fellow religious studies brothers in Middle East are purely studying about Quran, religious sciences and Sunnah. I don't know how many people are experiencing things like me. If you have this experience please share or just paste your blogs in the comment box down here. I am listening, pondering and reading everything. This is my part as per Tabligh notion for "Fikir Ummat" or thinking for the nations. I had already been thinking about this since I was a little kid and it was conflicting within myself besides others are looking negatively at me. I had suffered alone for this and still am suffering. The feeling of suffer is like a metal being burnt in the stove. It begins with the "heart". 

Errors of Secular Scholars

A genuine scholar must have the confidence on not being confident. Ready to accept changes and re-evaluate what has been held as his belief after receiving new explanations. This is how science that we see in modern world evolve and we are tracing its historical tracks. Firmly holding a theory or approach for example this is sour or that is stale is a biggest mistake for scholars and scientists. It is as equally wrong with what has happened to clergy men in understanding the evidence in its literal sense!

The error of scholars, academicians and scientists would be even bigger if they thought that scientific research is the only way to reach the truth and fact. It is true that scientific and fact research is a tool to achieve or to be closer to the truth. However it is only a tool among tools. Not the only tool that exist!

I am having issues with these kind of people. They believe in only one approach and hold firm with it. Thus they are creating dogma without realizing it. What is the difference between them and the bigots in other groups of man-kind if this happen?

Physics for example could investigate and provide facts for things which are moving in the universe. However it is not applicable anymore when it comes to things beyond the universe. A wider way of thinking is not only limited to physics. It is goes beyond physics. The metaphysics.

This is what we call as metaphysical matters. They could check the phenomenon such as light and provide everything related to light what about thing which is beyond the light? Their research and questions would stop when it reaches it limit. Science could not reaching the Creator of the Universe or things beyond physical eyes. That is why we could see in American movies, they are trying to make everything scientific and to show that everything could be researched they begin to create stuffs such as aliens, superman, and other imaginary characters within the universe. They might perhaps talking about myth of deities in Greek mythologies or Hindu god pantheon as totally absurd from primitive people imagination. But what is the difference between them and those ancient people that they claim as primitive? The prophets, sages and philosophers of ancient time were talking about metaphysical stuffs. Of course they have no degree nor going to school or not graduated from universities with today's academic system and curriculum.          

Tools in Search of the Truth

Science is useful to reach what is material. But science has no strength and limited only to materials. Outside of material boundaries they could not reach it. Collections of evidences, results of researches, results of experiments, contemplation and observation, analysis and mental tools are for us man-kind to reach the truth. There are also other tools and ways to reach facts and truth which is not mentioned here.

Try to see how many people could disagree that artists, poets, philosophers, musicians or singers could also provide the way for others to be closer to the truth? Who would disagree that these an artist could send others into the secret of the universe merely with "senses" and not with forced thoughts. Senses and feelings which had rise in their soul were presented into humanity in the form of art works which could touch the discreet sentiment of others deeper than any other scientific research to develop something which took scientists and the so-called scholars in universities or research centers hundred of years conducting researches and experiments. 

The real truth is beautiful and beauty is the truth. This is the fact which is agreed by everyone. It is wrong for us to think that the way to achieve the truth is merely with science. Behold that art is from divine inspiration, pure soul and an open mind. This way is also the right and clear way as clear as science.

If the role of artists as the seekers of truth could be recognized by everyone, why not the role of prophets and sages who received divine inspiration and revelation from the God? Why not the genuine religious philosophers are not recognized for their contributions in musing the secret of universe? We would certainly never forget the contributions of religion and spirituality in developing the realm of humanity. Revelation and divine inspirations are among the main ways for man-kind to reach the truth. If with science, we are climbing up above to find the truth. But with revelation and divine inspirations, the truth is descending upon man-kind. It would be marvelously beautiful if both of these are in reconciliation and the pure happiness would be achieved  by everyone.

Conclusion of the Sub-Topic

People could accuse that there are fake prophets, fake imams, fake sheikhs and there are also fake religious philosophers which is known as sufis who sold spiritual matters for worldly fame. But we could also not disagree that there are fake artists, fake poets and scholars who only looking for material benefits.

Other than that. I personally disagree with some quotes from Harun Yahya, Ahmad Deedat, Zakir Naik or other Sheikhs' books or lectures by the public. Before we read the thoughts of a person, to agree or to disagree with them. We get to know them first what is their background and how they had gone through their life to form their worldview. These figures talk about different things but still the central of their argument is to bring people toward Islam through components of science and countering theories such as Darwinism or other accusations by Christian missionaries to Islam.

I agree in term of telling people about Islam, stating our views and spreading the word of Allah across the Universe. But I disagree in attacking other religious faith and belief because that is the way those Christian missionaries in Western European colonial lands did. That is also the way of scholars who religiously believe in their theories or the theories which are in accordance to their inclination. Those who quote these figures I know that they never gone through the torturing path of questioning and getting to know their selves. Go through it, then tell everyone how it feels. Just walk in the moderate middle path and this is an advise for everyone including myself.     

Prayers

May Allah lead us with His guidance and may the ruhul qudus shine upon us. Sanctify our soul ya Allah with Your mercy, forgiveness and eternal love. May we live under Your reign and blessed with Your Great Kingdom.

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love, amin!   

Are We Ignoramus When We Show Nothing to People?

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This one is actually my discussion with my ex-colleague, Amir when we were undergraduate. I still remember it very well and I never forget also what I said to people or what people said to me. They are kept in my memory though I don't have any memory that could be proud of like others. 

The question is : "Are we ignoramus when we show nothing to people?" Why is this question is raised when we talked among each other behind our language center while waiting for English class? Last time, we were outcasts in our course which was the Translation and Interpretation. Those seniors boasted to me that the course is a brilliant course but actually it is hampeh (nothing as what has been boasted about)... Because the senior who boasted to us had also changed to other course when he was in his third year and never finish his study, hehehehehe.

When I was registered as an undergraduate student in USM, I know no one here nor trying to make friend with people because I don't go to normal classes like others. I didn't complete my Malaysian English for University Test like other formal A-Level candidate and I was a private A-Level student after I dropped out from the school. I get to know Amir during the Aiduladha holiday where we did not going home for holiday. It was hell so boring and I almost knocked my head at the wall because I don't know what to do. Actually if people carefully recite the Glorious Quran, they will also realize what happened to prophet Muhammad s.a.w when he encountered problems alone without any support from companions in Mecca before the Hijrah event. He feels so weak, and Allah comforting Him through His words. He is a prophet and a messenger chosen by the God for nations of the period. How about us plain human-being? Of course we are weaker than him and always have to pray for Divine intervention to help us. 

If people say they are lonely because their friend going home for a moment but they still have other friend. For people who are disconnected from the society like me and I am sure many others who live among non-Muslim people, it is more tormenting but we have to keep our patience to go through boredom. Actually no sane human could handle this and sometimes I also think that I have something wrong in my head. Even if we live among Muslim, the era is actually almost the same to the era of prophet Jesus a.s when there were people who think that they are "holier" than others. That is why I always try to avoid people. It will make me feel attached to people, feeling down and when I wanted to leave people that I think is important or saintly it makes me feel sad. On the other hand, I am committing polytheism because other fellow human becoming important to me beside Allah.

And most of people who consider themselves as Ahlul Hadith are only emphasizing on what happened in Medina as it is the era where the society is established again. For us who are falsely called as the grave-worshipers, both Mecca and Medina periods are important. Also all period of prophethood in the earth from Adam to Muhammad s.a.w are important. We recognize our weaknesses and we are trying to eliminate polytheism from inner and also in the outer side of ourselves. Urm, about grave-worshiping, I never worship any grave. I just visit few sages, ancestors and grandparents' graves but I never recite any supplications or blessings without checking the qiblah (direction of Mecca) and I never prostrate at grave-yard to worship dead human-being. I also never ask any help from the dead because I only believe Allah is the Salvator and my Guardian. Maybe some ignorant people are doing this, and I also do not like their acts so why people are generalizing us? Maybe it is easy to generalize than going deeper, right?  

Usually we have this rule. If we are attached to worldly materials. We will have to throw everything that makes us attached to worldly affairs from us. No matter how important it is. So, when some brothers who knows me coincidentally seeing me crying (actually I don't like people to see me crying like a crazy guy, hahaha), that is because I am trying to purify myself. Please don't think that I am crazy yah. I am not crazy. And yes, my sisters and even my mother always calling me a nut when they listen to my words and thinking that I am losing my mind because they don't understand the psychological torment when we try to eliminate world from our heart. I do not blame them because they will eventually understand it.     

Back to the question, actually Amir was complaining that people looking at us as stupid when we do not show that we know English, hahahahaa. I am from Kuala Lumpur but my family was originally from Kedah Sultanate or whatever state it is. Because both of my parents are conversant in Kedah Malay, so do I. When I mingled with other Kedah students, I also have the same feeling when I am in this current hostel where people looking at a "Malay" speaking in Chinese. I speak in the language because it is my language. I respond to people if I understood the message. When they said to me you can also speak in pure Kedah dialect noh although you are from KL!!! It actually piss me off. My family was originally from Kedah and they consider me an outsider. The same thing also happen when some undergraduate students who make strange face when I said I am a "Chinese" when I speak in Chinese. It means that I have connection with Southern Chinese through my mum family and my mum speaks in Fujianese dialect of Chinese beside speaking in Malay. Most of people in northern tip of Kedah frontier with Thailand are multilingual people. We are different from people who live in other parts in Malaysia. She was once had to be left in Chinese village when my grandma entering forests to help the family getting some income and we have also Chinese relatives. The mother of my mother which is my grandma was active in spreading wide His path and she helped others in the way including non-Muslims so many non-Muslims also becoming Muslims due to her services. My grandpa which is my mother's father is an imam in the village masjid. He was actually a very humble person and he loves to recite Quran though when he is sleeping. These people actually were tested by Allah very severely and I saw it with my own eyes. So when I was with those Kedah kids, I actually conversing with them in a more orthodox Kedah dialect as to show to them although we were kicked from our state, but we still honor our ancestors (actually their ancestors). Actually what Amir said is true. 

I am also experiencing this when I mingle with Islam Shumul (Muslim Brotherhood) guys or Tabligh guys. When I keep my silence, it does not mean that I don't know whatever they are talking about. I am a student and not a teacher. I still need to find teachers and getting their permission to transmit teachings. I have no authority to talk on important matters of the path. I read things about their movements. The same thing also about studying Quran or any other religious teachings, I actually love to say to people : "let us study this together brothers" rather than saying "come let me teach you this and that". There are moral significance lies behind the speeches. 

Actually, I am waiting for brothers here and anywhere who actually trying to approach me to say to me : "can we together study the Quran and etc?" rather than coming to me and asking me can I have your few minutes to "invite" you to our bayan?  I listen to religious lectures everyday. I don't only restrict myself only to certain movement lectures but also from other schools and other movements. I am also watching Shia TV and listening to their religious lectures on contemporary issues.

When I was in Tabligh markaz I actually love certain activity like where they recite the Quranic verses in muqaddam (beginning) part of the Quran three times for each surah in a group. It is actually a good way to check the memorization. I don't really like to listen to whatever bayan and stuffs because it should not be delivered in a mixed group. Some of the speeches are of tasawwuf angle but to enter into the angle one must also correct their external parts which are the Furu'uddin (branches of the path) and beginning to search on what is Shari'ah Islamiah with mu'tabar (major) teachers. For me one does not have to feel ashamed about their pronunciation of Quran. Just pronounce things according to what we are able and Allah knows that most Muslims are of non-Arab origin. To know about pronunciation of the Quran, we need Tajweed. Last time I hate this subject in our schools as compared to Arabic grammar but now I think it is also important as to preserve the meaning of the Quran in its best way. Urmm, I am sad nobody knock my door to ask me to join them reciting Quran or helping me reciting Quran in my room. I don't care if I have to pay mountain of gold to listen brothers reciting Quran in my room :'(

Actually I just wanted to say, we do not judge the book by its cover. I don't judge people by their looking or by their appearance. I love to be sincere to my brothers and sisters. It reflects also sincerity to our Lord, Allah 'Azza wa Jalla the King of the Universe who needs no crown. Before closing my eyes, maybe tonight is my last day in the worldly realm, I apologize to my brothers and sisters in faith. I always remember all of you in my prayers. If I could make list I will enlist all of your names and mention them in front of the Lord : )

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love amin!      

Why racial background is always according to spoken language or attire?

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Last Week's Experience

Last week while waiting for Friday sermon, I had greeted a Muslim Chinese brother, an undergraduate or just English language student at the language center but I had forgotten to speak in English. His name is something like Yeong Yeong but I don't normally ask people's personal name in the beginning except their surname but he told me his name so be it, haha. I just cynically tell him I am a Chinese, why I can't speak my own language? Hehehehe... Then he seems like at lost to see a non-Chinese face speaking in Chinese. He said that he thought I was a Malay. It was not weird in China or even in Thailand where non-Han ethnics speaking in Mandarin Chinese but why making that face here? Well, this is not my first time being looked like some kind of alien from Mars because our compatriots whether of Chinese descent or Malays also looked at me like that.

The Issue

I just feel weird because our spoken language does not really reflect our identity. I hate people calling me a Malay simply because I speak in Malay, pelet Kedah piao lagi. We are not Malays although many of us refused to be known differently from Malays. That's their problem but for me why should I lie????! I am aware about my origin since I began to check them with paternal elders. We speak in Malay because it is our state's national language. Our state had earlier exist in the form of kingdom and sultanate before our country (Malaysia) exist because it only exist after British gathered all of the states in the peninsula into a federal entity and giving them independence. 

It's just the same like Hui Chinese in China who does not like to be known as Han but we are different in term that both Malays and us are Muslim, the same religion. Sometimes error happens in identification during British occupation because the concept of nation-state of British was also exercised in the state's administration. I think people should acknowledge us as Arabs of North Indian sub-continent descent or Malayan Arabs in contrast to Arabs from Middle East and we are also non-Indian. I feel offended when the term Jawi Peranakan is used to also include us as Indians. We use Arabic script in all of our writings while Muslim Indians in Malaysia have their own vernacular religious studies classes. We preserve many of Arabic pronunciation though we are not fluent in Arabic anymore. Most of all, those Arabic speaking people in Middle East were not pure Arabs in majority but some of them are Kurdish, Roman descent, Assyrians, Levants (only if they admit that they are wild Arabs) and etc.

There are many Arabs associated to prophet Muhammad s.a.w family who were expelled to Iran, Turkey and India due to the war before the establishment of Umayyad caliphate. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and Baba Abdul Qadir were among them whose family moved to Persian empire provinces. Our people or community never really mingle with natives though our ancestors spreading the message of prophethood because of some differences but it is different today because many youngsters began to abandon their identity. This does not mean that we are bunch of boastful idiots who wanted to show off if we talk about this but it is just the matter of identity. We could see what happen if we do not take care about our identity or trying to abandon it. Example is myself where I feel so low and began to turn away to others' tradition (Buddhism) but I am lucky enough that He brought me back to the path. 

I don't know how many people like us who turned to others' path. I checked about converts to Christianity from Islam for example just to be away from comfort zone for a moment and the result I found one for example John Avaterranean/Muhammad Shukri Effandi who was baptized as a Christian because he was not aware about his family background which also includes his family religious background. He wrote a book titled a Muslim who became a Christian. The translation of this book is online so everybody could access it and check it our selves, click here to read.   

Urm, about the persatuan Syed hazzab something which comes out in the news paper I don't know from which state and I am not interested to join any organization. I am not apart of them because we are from Kedah state and we are of Gujarat Arab ancestry. Our custom apart of it is to hide our title and we never put any title in front of our names so people could not differentiate us from others. We do not associate ourselves to religion in front of people but our elders were actually very conservative and orthodox. We behave just like natives and we are very proud of our state. We love our sultan and other compatriots regardless whether they are Malay, Siamese, Chinese or etc. It's to the extend that we never really acknowledge Perlis as a different state because we only recognize it as our sultan's land. The same thing to Penang Island.

We love Kedah Malay language and we write in the language but nowadays I feel more comfortable with English and Chinese if I am not speaking in Kedah Malay (differently from Malaysian Malay based from Johor-Riau Malay). We always feel angry when people who are not from Kedah trying to speak in the language without first learning it and showing it in the national medias because it ruins our national language and mocking our state's cultural traits as to portray how patriotic we are to our beloved state. We are the descents of 17th century Arab travelers and our paternal line were from Gujarat: Ahmedabad and Surat of India. These places were the posts of Arab soldiers and some Muslim Arabs from Sindh province of Multan kingdom in today's Pakistan were also expelled there to Gujarat after Muslim civil war before they dispersed more to southern part which is Malayan Peninsula, Lower Myanmar, South Thai and Sumatera in further India. Gujarat was also the center of da'awat for Ismai'ili Shi'a Muslims of Musta'ali branch after Yemen and Fatimid Egypt. This tradition of da'awat was already exercised by our people regardless madzhab or side since before the existence of Tablighi Jama'at movement from Deoband.

Diary about Relatives

We post this not to boast na'udzubillah but just a matter of fact so that people around don't simply judge people because of their spoken language or just because they wear Baju Melayu or Chongsum. To my maternal relatives if you happen to stumble by here but you feel like recognize who is this Abdullah, stop judging my mum and dad because you know no sh*t about our life or our paternal ancestry as we were not religious in appearance but you still slander us just because maternal grandma loves us and close to us. She was close to us because we always return to the village visiting and staying with her while they rarely see her though they lived close to her. We lived in the capital and taking the pain to see relatives in the midst of pressuring life.

We don't want any money from late grandparents or anyone. As for me I even never use my dad's position to get government job when he was a contract government servant. My dad was a lowly reporter whom my cousin brother used to hurt my feeling when he said to me don't be a reporter like my dad. I was a 13 years old boy and that makes me feel alone in Perlis while studying in the madrasah. Among the reason I slowly became bitter toward Islam and its adherents is because of relatives. I began to find friends in Thai Buddhist temples due to that cousin brother was a supporter of a political party associated with Muslim brotherhood and I was just a little child. At least dad works and getting his salary with dignity for 20 years before being a government contract worker for government only to be sacked with humiliation. He does not smuggle rice from Thailand. He was our bread-winner and our hero though not religious. We are not cheap people and we have dignity! Now I am proving it by rejecting any scholarship or assistance from government. I don't take any zakat (tithe) for Ibnu Sabeel and only depending on the Lord because I know that it will be rejected without any reply and Allah made my heart feel heavy to apply any help from human anymore. I don't take sadaqah (donation) from people unless if they mention it as present or I'll dump them all or giving them to others.

Insha Allah I will return to the path and my responsibility but I will never associate myself to government or any political movement just like Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal. There is a significance why I choose his school of jurisprudence and not adhering to our Yemenite order school of jurisprudence, which is Shafi'ie school. I respect Imam Shafi'ie but I know more about Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and how he has to face torments from leaders who were not fearful to Allah.

Concluding

This is also about the history of minority ethnics in Malaysian state. Anything in the post about what I feel is just my opinion and what I personally feel... Everybody including Malays, Malaysian Chinese, Malaysian Tamils have the right to have some pride in themselves but why we can't and were demanded to stay with dual identity? If we talk about these, people would assume that we are trying to boast about ourselves. Our ancestors had also involved in defending the Kedah state for the sultan and people and preventing northern region from being absorbed by Siamese empire before the arrival of British. Mentions about this is also in researchers notes like the late Wan Saghir's researches but its just that we don't feel it is important to tell people. I just feel weird...

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Finish Repeating Exam

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Quite relieved for a moment, I have just finished the final exam for this repeating paper. Though I just shoot those answers like a nut but at least I answered them all and I did all of the homework given by the lecturer. Our lecturer and course coordinator had warned us about the delaying of thesis submitting might cause us being stamped as fail. I borrowed my sister's money and also parents so I must not let their money go in vain or else I won't forgive myself for wasting them. I must send the complete thesis to coordinator by 23rd April 2012 if I wanted to grad this December so I would try to finish it according to time. I need to put my reliance to Allah and trust Him as the Guide and I must try to keep my life in compliance with Quranic and Sunnah teachings.

Sadly, two of our seniors which are auntie Roslin and Tirawud had already been eliminated because their due date for thesis had came to the end but they produced nothing. Auntie Roslin just answered the repeat paper with us for her third times. I feel sorry for her at her age now probably around early 60's just the same age as my mum and she has no one to tell about her problem. I sometimes facing this kind of problem and few friends also being my victims. I will always apologize to friends. I don't try to burden you people I love you people just like I love prophet Muhammad s.a.w, his family, his companions, and the disciples. 

I just want to talk about my problem and not asking them to help me only listen and take lessons if what I did was wrong because I don't want people to experience same bad thing. I don't feel comfortable to talk to Pusat Islam brothers or Tabligh brothers though I love them. I also go to masjid and crying to the God lamenting my weak time and feeling useless. This new year, I am already 26 by Gregorian calender. By Lunar calender, I am older than that but still I look like a young kid perhaps because of my physical, haha.

I meet new kids again this semester because this is the first semester for new intake. As always if we go to musalla we are also friends to those in there. I don't want to talk with people after an incident with Tabligh kids there that made me try to keep a distance from them. Actually those kids had disturbed my meditation and concentration because I made vows to recite holy verses even mentally and when people keep coming close it makes my concentration distracted. I love to see devotion in young kids but I don't disturb people meditating, praying, or making supplications and that makes me not talking much in the mosque or musalla as a sign of respect to the Owner of the House. Perhaps they think I am arrogant but as to say we can't stop people from thinking. That is their right. I only talk with people one by one and not in a group. In Malay there is a slang word sounds like menchapub which is a short form of mencari publisiti (publicity seeker). I am not that kind of person, I am not a good politician. I only work behind the scene I don't need people to notice me and that's why I only have few friends. I had already experienced my freshman years and also my schooling time. Most of them are painful experience as far as I could remember. I know little kids way of thinking though they might be bigger than me in physical term. Another thing I don't like when talking with kids is that they would associate things like dzikrs or religious disciplines with magic like flying with the wind and kashaf stuffs. We are practical people, there is no such thing only Allah is All-Powerful. Those kashaf whatever things are not important. We strive to be sincere to Allah 'Azza wa Jalla and trying to be a servant and a slave to please Him. 

Some more comments to all Muslim brothers and sisters. We avoid slandering people so we don't talk about things we do not know. In this sense, I don't try to defend ahli kitab or people of scriptures. We have heard rumors about people drink holy water in church and their tongue became hardened and could not recite testimony of faith. Or tongue becoming black in color after drinking holy water after being forced. I had already entered churches and also temples. I went to pray in Buddhist temples when I was an ignorant kid and listened to Buddhism lectures. Now I am a Muslim and I try hard to be a loyal Muslim and sincere to Allah 'Azza wa Jalla. I still visit temples and also churches but I feel nothing anymore. I pray for people and other fellow creatures there to receive the mercy to the world. Nobody there force me to knelt down or drinking holy water or taking sacraments in churches. If we are honest Muslims, we must strive hard and do not even bother about what people wanted to say about our devotion to Allah 'Azza wa Jalla and obeying the teachings transmitted through His messenger and slave, Muhammad s.a.w. We only talk about what we know because prophet Muhammad s.a.w only talk about anything being revealed and not from his own desire. When people of the scripture asked him regarding issue, he only answer once the revelation descends to him. I am sure many beloved Muslim brothers and sisters know about this incident.

Then I also had my dinner at Chinese rice shop at our canteen. I know the son of the shop owner and he cooked also at another stall near our language center here. I asked him and he tell me that his rice is halal with a Muslim cooker. A brother from China had also asked and he told me the same thing but he never eat there. I also don't want him to have his meals there afraid that Malay students might misunderstood him. It is not good for him. I only take vegetarian stuffs there. Even if I am at Malay restaurants, I would also ask for vegetarian meal and sometimes they put stuffs like squid, prawn, and other elements which could be considered as not favorable according to my manhaj. But because they are Muslim/Malay, I still tolerate them and not complaining. Few days before I finally give up and had my meals at Chinese stall, I had also talked with new a new freshman kid which happens to be a Malay. He asked about the Halal status of the Chinese shop. For me, if you feel doubtful, don't ever touch them. I am certain about the status so I have it there plus I don't really feel accustomed to Penang Malay style of cooking or Mamak style of cooking. My mum sometimes used to cook peranakan Chinese cuisine at home and we seldom have curry like most normal Northern people. We eat raw vegetables and Chinese style pickles like poor people. Only dad love to eat meat, few sisters of mine also have fish. I don't take fish at all to avoid from ritual impurity.  

This few months I had not been talking in Malay but only in English or Chinese. Feel quite slow to speak in formal Malay but I still can speak in bahasa Kedah fluently, hahaha. I found that we are fond with this language and we preserve old words just like olden days as compared to fellow Malays. I try to access hadith translation in Chinese but I can't found any. Anyone could suggest to me if you happen to step by in this side? If there is no translation then I might have to initiate important parts in Chinese as compared to English. Malay speaking people are blessed with kitabs and translation made by local students in the Middle East. But Chinese is an isolated language. It is not easy to translate and transliterate Arabic words into Chinese characters. I encourage Muslim Chinese students in our university to learn more Malay though its not in syllabus while they are here because of religious purpose. Certain things are preserved in Malay language other than Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Turkish. Apart of Yemeni-Hadrami community also contributed into the translation of kitabs in term of sufism and tasawwuf for practices of heart purification in South East Asia. I just read about Wang Daiyu last few months and he inspired me too. I have the same belief like him. We need local stuffs in Chinese instead of those in Arabic for people to understand better and bring them into practice. However my Chinese language is not high Chinese but only communicative Chinese at primary school level, hahaha. Ya Allah, help me to find way how should I improve my Chinese. I had almost forgotten Chinese when I befriend Malay kids from Kedah during degree times. Thanks to Muslim Chinese brothers here I revived it again in myself. People at home most of all had abandoned Chinese (in form of dialect: Fujian and Canton). Last time, even my paternal uncle (of Arab-Gujarat descent) could speak in local Fujianese dialect due to business ties. I took the pain to learn Chinese Orthodox writing and later learning Simplified one but I don't know how to write it just reading.  

Hope to finish studies as quick as possible. I don't want to chase any paper qualification. I want to receive Allah's blessings and pleasure. That's all I want. The period is almost to end just we don't know when. Nothing to chase except His Kingdom, Hail be to You dear Lord of the Universe!

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Arabian Chronicles : Opinions About Arabs

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Here we have some 'scholarly' opinion about Arabs and their characters. Well, these people might also do generalizations either positive or negative. Everybody could have their own opinion. Now, lets see what these scholars talk about Arabs. Some of our prophets are also Arabs like the prophet Saleh a.s, prophet Hud a.s, and most of all our seal of prophethood Muhammad s.a.w is also counted as an Arab.

In the end, Arabs are just human-being no more no less just like other nations. These are just historians and researchers view about this particular nation. They could be wrong or perhaps right in certain places. I have had heard many ustads and ustadas in schools talked about Arab nations and they do not first mention that Arabs are human being. So, in our country, people sometimes labeling Arabs with negative remarks and sometimes with positive remarks and most of all they mentioned that if not because Muhammad s.a.w, Arabs would be doomed. Sometimes generalizations would be so annoying as I would also think why native Malays left Buddhism for Islam if Muhammad s.a.w is only for the doomed Arabs? What does Divine destiny means for these people for uttering such words? 

As for my understanding, Muhammad s.a.w is not only sent for Arabs but for nations or al-Umam as a sign of His Mercy to the universe. Revelation is according to period of time and not according to nationality. And then, Saaleh and Hud a.h.m.s were also Arabs of ancient branch. Muhammad s.a.w is a descent of father Abraham a.s. and father Abraham a.s is an Assyrian. Assyrians are not Arabs but a sister nation to Arabs, nevertheless they are all people who came from the sons of Shem bin Noah.

I learned about Malay Buddhist kingdoms like Srivijaya too. There were also Malay Buddhist figures who were not known to modern Muslim Malays today but Buddhists know about them. For example Swarnadwipi Dharmakirti, Dhammarakshita who taught the method of luminous mind in the 10th century AD Sumatera. Others were from Southern Thailand region. I also listened to people talking about Malays in generalization and I think that many generalizations that people have in their view portrayed how limited our view about this universe is. It just shows that we are imperfect : ) 

I would also love to find 'scholarly' view about French, German, Italian, British, and etc since we only could hear about their opinions regarding people in the East. 

Palgrave

He rejected the claimants of some historians who accused Arabs as imbecile who can never accept development. He said that he can see that Arabs could accept development since they can accept new gadgets, modern vehicles like train, machines, and others if they are taught the way to it. Palgrave had been living in Arabian Peninsula and looking at things with his own eyes.

Zabarouski

Scholars had all agreed that Arabs are amongst noble people. He said that he was impressed just like other researchers after looking at the preparation of Arabs to accept manner, appreciating dignity, and possessing other noble traits.Perfect mind producing the knowledge to know, degree, wisdom, intelligence, and criticism. These people also have good memory. The predict events and have accurate consideration.

Ibnu Khaldun

Arabs had been familiar with moderate life and they are also familiar with wild environment. They love to snatch others' property and damaging others' property. If they attack other areas, they will damage everything since they were wild. They do not like to be attached to any rules, norms, ethics and regulation. They loved to go for war, scouting, and they opposed any civilization and development.

They do not need any governance and no need for institutions. They do not know the term of difficulties since their life pattern was according to wild environment of desert. They do not need any luxuries, they travel a lot, and usually have no valuable possession. They felt that they do not have to be ruled by others but just need a chief for their tribe. It was difficult to rule them since each tribe would only follow the order of their Amir (Prince) and Sheikh (Elder).

This lead to the spirit which we call as 'Assabiyya and it means racism amongst tribes, groups, associations, organizations, and etc. It also means helping our own group for evil and tyranny. There are actually definitions for 'Assabiya either by the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w or Imam al-Monawwi. Their Amirs could only be their leaders or chiefs but they could not be hard on members of the tribe. It is different to a kingdom where a king must be strong and firm with his people.

O'leary   

Arabs is an example of a nation who only looks at materials. They had no space for further imagination and they had no mercy to others. They were not really religious people. They only look at things which could bring physical fortune to them or anything which would increase their dignity. That's why they rebelled against any governance upon them. They only had hatred, treason, and envious toward their own chieftain or Sheikh since he was earlier being appointed to lead the tribe. They can stab their own best friends. If others do charity to them, they do not be thankful to others. But they will consider it as the sign of weakness and coward. 

I wonder, how about Europeans or Caucasians in the US as the legacy of Europe in American continent? The Italian girl who was scouting at our home never say thanks to us for providing her free internet access to bash our religion, culture and faith in her sites in our country. I feel like typing again what I had read in a book written by the late Anwar al-Jundiy when I encounter these kind of people from Europe since they boasted and forced people to be subdued to their values. They only analyze things according to their worldview which is a little inappropriate. Human view is narrow as compared to the Divine view. So, we just forgive those who do not know may they receive mercy and love from the Lord of the universe.

La Mains

Arabs are people who were too democratic. They rebelled at any power that tried to limit their movement or acts though the prevention is good for them. This is why chaotic situation emerged in Arab lands and many betrayal happened in Arabian history. Because of European ignorance on these fact, they had done many errors while ruling this nation until many had died while there was no necessity for everyone to be sacrificed. Because of their stubborn characteristics and refusing to follow instructions, Arabs could not 'imitate' European development or could not be as advanced as Europeans or Westerners.  They were like fierce lions who were contained in cages if they were ruled by others. Other than that, Arabs were also honest, always holding their words, loyal to ancestors, and appreciating friendship. These are their special traits. Le Mains has the opinion that if Arabs began to open up farm and settled permanently, perhaps their attitude would also change.

These scholars are scholars during imperialism and colonization of Europeans period. Further, these are just their opinions. Let us see comments of the late Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah regarding the statements of the mentioned scholars.

Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah

On first and second figures, they seem to over praising Arabs. They had forgotten that Arabs are human-being and not angels. 

Ibnu Khaldun and Oleary said that Arabs were thieves, wild, barbaric, and they had damaged others' states. They were materialistic, cruel, and could not be tied with governmental politics. They had no imagination, and they did not like to receive orders. Both of them had over-generalizing Arabs. This is not in accordance to new findings of anthropology that any nation must possess good and negative traits. Nobody is perfect. 

The last opinion by La Mains seems not just. He seems like hating the Arabs and looking other nations as lower than his own nation. Other than that he seems like lack of research. He just say whatever he thinks and not from researches. They should also differentiate Urban and Bedouin Arabs. And then differentiate them according to their Paths and according they were also in Dark Ages. 

Ibnu Khaldun statement seems more to bias. He said that Arabs would damage the civilization of the land where they entered in or subdued. We still can see many historical sites in the lands where Arabs had been. How could Arabs damaged others' civilization when they had also transmitted others' culture and civilization to other parts of the world? Arabs also have their own civilization in Yemen.

The opinion about Arabs could not be easily ruled refers more to Bedouins. Arabs had already established strong kingdoms since ancient times. Once upon a time, they had also established civilization, polishing valuable knowledge and sciences, and transmitting them to other parts of the world. I guess Hajji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah also means the Arab civilization beyond 13th C which predates their Dark Ages.

O'leary mentioned that Arabs were materialistic, greedy, and care nothing for religion. In Ancient Arabian History, there are many narrations about the generosity of Arabs and their noble traits. All of these are true narrations. Because we rarely find this, we would right away conclude it as fairy tales. Arabs were confident with their religions and they were loyal to their ancestral customs. O'leary also said that Arabs were imbecile and lack of memory. They had no imagination and no aesthetic expressions. This opinion is not true. Arabs love poems and poetry just like other nations such as Chinese, Indians, and others. They had love, melancholic, philosophical, war, manner, courage, tasawwuf, and other poems. Aleghiori Dante of Italy, Goethe and Schiller both from Germany had also been influenced by Arab poetry styles.

Hajji Abdul Malik further said that Arabs could be seen at their shape of body. In general, most of them are tall and thin except for few clans in Yemen whom are short and small. They have long jaw and their skin tone ranging from yellow to fair. Some parts may make their skin turns reddish and brownish. Black eyes, rough hair, high eyebrows, pointed nose, small mouth, small ears. They are actually intelligent and learn everything easily. They are also grumpy. Their dignity is their priority and they would never tolerate people who trying to bring them into shame. When they were embarrassed, they would become grumpy. They would spontaneously grab their sword when they are angry and they never care if their opponents are stronger than them. Battles are just common thing in the Middle East. Arabs had also came as far as South East Asia to buy swords or purchasing fire arms. Arabs love freedom and love for equality of rights. In the same time, they also consider and assume that their tribes, clans, or others as nobler than others.

There are evidence about this in Kedah valley and I had seen the vase to fabricate sword excavated from the historical area placed in our new library for exhibition of ancient civilization. One of my friend was also involved in the effort. He have got some small payment for that, kesian ke hang lep ai.