Qualities of a Faithful

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Says the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, "A person who pleased the charity or goodness of himself and admits that the evil of himself is evil thus he is a faithful person".

Be well pleased when the God the Highest bestow you with the success to perform obedience to Him o faithful servant. Be grateful to Him with all of your heart when He honors through your services and since He has chosen you to serve Him. Pray to Him may He accept from You through His grace may He accepts your charity in which He facilitates them to you. 

Ali r.a quoted as saying, "Observe more on what is accepted from your action rather than the action itself since it would be much of it if it is accepted".

Never stop from admitting your weaknesses in fulfilling your obligation from the rights of the God the Highest upon you, no matter how intense you are in the obedience towards Him. Since His rights upon you is larger than yourself. He brought you into the existence from nothing. He perfected His grace upon you. He faces you with bestowal and generosity, with His power and with the force which emanates from Him that you could perform devotions to Him. Through the success and His mercy that you perform worship to Him.

Be extremely discreet and never stain the cloth of your faith by going against the commandments of the God the Highest. Quickly repent and repairing yourself each time you had committed sinful action while you are forgetful through remorseful repentance. Never stop from worrying and being anxious although you feel that you sincerely in obedience and perfecting your worship as worrying and anxiety on the sincerity is a sign of a faithful servant. Be aware that the noble prophets of the God the Highest though infallible but still worried and anxious before Him. So do the saints although the God the Highest protecting them always but they never count anything that they had performed before Him due to the anxiety that their worship might be tainted with ill-intention.

You should be more rightful on the anxiety and worry more since the noble prophets and the saints know more about the boundless mercy of the God the Highest as compared to you. They have less prejudice in their thought regarding the God the Highest, righteous in seeking His forgiveness and greater in optimism for His generosity and bestowal as compared to you.

As such, follow their examples may you be saved in the hereafter. Walk on their footsteps may you receive the blessings of success. Hold fast the "path" of the God the Highest. Says the God the Highest, "And how would you deny Faith while unto you are rehearsed the Signs of the God the Highest, and among you lives the messenger. Whoever holds firmly to the God the Highest will be shown as way that is straight" (Surah Ali-Imran 3:101).

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

Honor to the Devotees

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

The God the Highest honors those who devote themselves to Him in charity and chastity simply to please Him with few honors....

Quran

He says which means, "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer; We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward (in the hereafter) according to the best of what they used to do" (Surah al-Nahl 16:97).

"The God promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession (to authority) upon the earth just as He granted it those before them and that He will surely establish for them (therein) their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, (for) they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that; then those are the defiantly disobedient" (Surah al-Nur 24:55). 

"Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds; indeed, We will not allow to be lost the reward of any who did well in deeds."(Surah al-Kahfi 18:30).

"Those will have gardens of perpetual residence; beneath them rivers will flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and will wear green garments of fine silk and brocade, reclining therein on adorned couches. Excellent is the reward, and good is the resting place". (Surah al-Kahfi 18:31).

"On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will (the God) the Most Gracious bestow love" (Surah Maryam 19:96).

Ibnu Abbas r.a in interpreting the verse mentions that, the God the Highest loves a believer and He also makes the heart of other believers to incline to this believer.

Hadith Qudsi

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w communicating the message of the God the Highest, "Whoever hates my beloved ones, thus I am declaring war with them. Nobody could approach Me except with whatever that I love from which I have obliged upon him. And a servant who never stops to approach me through optional worships and services until I am in love with him, and if I love him the I am in his hearing, I am in his view, I am in his hands which he uses to touch things, and I am at his feet where he uses to walk. If he begs me thus I will grant him whatever he wishes, and if he beg for protection then I am His protector (Wilayat)".

This is how the God the Highest bestow His love upon a person until his acts in reaching His pleasure and his devotion to Him are brought under His protection. He bestows these on those who perform their obligation and also optional devotions in order to be close to Him.

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w says, "If one of my servants approaching Me within a span of fingers, then I am close to him a unit. If he approaches Me in a unit, and I am closer to him in two arms distance. If he comes to me walking, and I am swiftly approaching him".

It is clear from the hadith explanations, that the God the Highest is close with His grace and bestowal or mercy upon those who try to be closer to Him through services, obedience, and worship.

In other hadith, prophet Muhammad s.a.w says, "The God the Highest prepares for His righteous servants with graces which no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard of and cannot be imagined by human mind".

Quotes

Psalter

The Psalter (Zabūr) mentions, "O sons of Adam, be obedient to Me and I will fill your heart with richness, and I will fill your hands with sustenance and your body will be filled with health. And He commands the world, "O world, whoever among my servants serves Me thus you must be his servant! But he who serves you thus will become your slave!"

This quote is among the quotes which echoes within my mind when I am also trying to establish my life dear brothers and sisters. I do not want to be the slave of the world and many people around looking at me like a stupid crazy man though they are my own family members. They never come across this valuable teachings and I am so sad for them.... Because they are my family and not others. We have to save our own family first before people out there. We can only pray to the God the Highest because we are powerless. The "power" is only within His side as He is the Lord of Powers... Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billahil 'aliyyil 'adhīm...

Bishr al-Hars

Righteous people usually will leave by bringing the world and hereafter together with them.....

Yahya bin Mu'adh

Slaves of the world enslave themselves to the material world. Those who serve the "hereafter" are never slaves of anything in the world. They are free people.

Abdullah Alawi al-Hadad

Dear brethren, if you wanted to get a glorious success, honor and greatness which will never perish thus obey the God the Highest and be devoted only for Him. Since He places everything in the obedience and obeisance to Him. And He bestows honor upon those who are committed in devotion and obedience to Him.

It has been proven that He bestows honor upon those who obey Him, by releasing them from enslavement of worldly desires and He purifies their heart from impurities which make a human inclines toward the pleasure of this temporal world. The God the Highest performs many miracles at their hands, and put upon them honor which never fails to attract other sentient beings, and invisible news that they had told the people, blessings pouring upon them and their wishes come true. And because of that, people around could also get the benefit and enlightened with the lights transmitted through them. Public standing behind them and ministering the path that they had embarked in their prayers to the God the Highest to banish sadness and sorrow. Public will ask them who is sincere and obedient to the God the Highest to pray to Him for the removal of sufferings befall upon them and the God the Highest is looking at their "heart".

The God the Highest even bestows them with His lights and filling them with pure gnosis to Him, love, devotion and tranquility being alone and reciting His Names until they feel restless when they are among His creatures. And the God the Highest provides for them eternal happiness full with grace in the paradise and He promises them that they will have the chance to see the Greatness of His Essence!

Behind all of these, His pleasure is actually the greatest gift for those who are fortunate. "That is the greatest fortune upon one" and "for this, one has to practice diligently and being in devotion in obedience to Him" (Surah al-Tawbah 9:72; Surah al-Saffat 37:61).

My Mind

Thus, dear brothers and sisters. Never ask for karamat for yourself because you wanted to be a famous person or having large followers!!! That is against the principle of a faithful and devoted servant of the God the Highest. Be in devotion and obedience simply because of His pleasure. Because we are looking for His love and pleasure. That is the greatest gift ever upon a lowly creature like us. I am sorry if I was rude to those brothers who talked about this to me last time. I know what you were talking about but I strictly do not like to talk anything related to this in the public. I tried to call you one by one not to blast you. But because I wanted to explain to you. Maybe you thought that I wanted to debate things with you while I actually hate to listen to debates or engaged in debates. I am not an ego. I would easily apologize if I am doing anything wrong because I am aware that I am an ordinary human-being.

This has nothing to do with mystics or whatever magical things. This is related to seeking love and pleasure from Him. You will not understand anything until something befalls upon you. And I am trying to tell everyone including myself to be careful with our mind, speeches and acts whenever and wherever we are... Observe more rather than talking and shooting words or we will regret ourselves in the "hereafter". Start from the very basic of the "Path"! Allahumma ṣalli 'alā Muhammad wa 'alā āli Muhammad.... 

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

Takfir: Experience and Reviews

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

If we analyze this phenomena which exists in Muslim societies since the early period until today, we could see that the main factor for this is due to confusion in the interpretation of Quranic verses and few hadiths. The result brings up the view that those who commits certain vices are considered as infidel. 

Personal Experience

I had encountered this situation at a mosque in our area where suddenly a Saudi man talking to me in Arabic though I replied to him in English. He suddenly complaining to me about there were few people in the mosque as compared to his country. He said that he thought the people here are Muslims but it turns out that they are infidels. Coincidentally, there was a carnival organized like a kilometer from the mosque and there were many people there too. 

I was lazy to argue with that kind of blocked mentality person because he said that he cannot easily find mosque at Sunway City where he stayed with his family. The first thing which comes out from my mind is that although he heard that this country is filled with majority Muslim population but what is wrong with researches before he reaches this country or any other place? There are many prayer rooms in this country and it depends also to the area where he stayed. Or he simply come to other country because he wanted to enjoy the leisure with his family instead making his travel a kind of lesson for him and his family? What gives him right to judge the people here? I was in the mosque and I pray simply like others but why was he complaining to me as if he is a holy creature? I never consider this country where I live as an "Islamic" state. Even the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not and never an "Islamic" state but why flatter our selves as if we are so perfect? Nobody is perfect except the God the Highest. I just walked pass him with my elder sister because we do not want to slap his face with our slippers in a mosque, a holy sanctuary where we should not bring thing which is not peaceful. What an insolent Saudi! Just because our holy lands in Hejaz are contained by the border of the Najd Sultanate does not gives them right to judge us! Only the God is the One who has the right! I do not even care if the Gulf states are rich. I only care to those who speak with manner and humble before the God. Even an ignorant among the ignorant could tell whether a person is a nice person or an ego!    

Other than that, the carnivals organized by our government also consist prayer rooms. We have prayer rooms and musalla besides mosques in almost everywhere, in shopping complexes, in offices, in library, in the varsity, in restaurants or people will outrage to the government and complain for neglecting the majority's right in religious practices. Before you travel to other countries, make sure you do researches and never think that people are the same with you! This world is not only revolves around you. If you feel that you cannot take the challenge of traveling and trying to impose your view on others then you can find the door and get out! Live and travel only in your own country. I am an Arab myself but I never behave like that to people. Because of their barbaric attitude, even we in the overseas who never live in Arabian Peninsula after being driven out by previous "Islamic" empires have to hear stereotypes about Arab nations like other races are free from flaws such as:

• Arabs are fanatics of their nation.
• Cheaters and opportunistic over people's charity.
• Arabs are respected only because of the noble Quran and because of prophet Muhammad s.a.w was born among the Arabs.

I cannot help but to answer this... What is wrong if we celebrate our root and nationality just like other nations? Everybody is entitled to their ethnicity and identity so people could get to know each other, learn new things from each other and make friends (Surah al-Hujurat 49:13). 

The second one is an over-generalization. You can find people like this in almost everywhere as long as you are known as human. There are many forms of "satan" and one of them is "human". Arabs were never angels and never are angels! The Arabs are human-being with the inclination either to goodness or evil just the same like you, the Malays! Just like everyone else. There is no verses in the Quran which say that Arabs or Jews are angels of the God the Highest. Both nations are of "human" race! The sons of Adam.

The third one is the most irritating statement everrr! If you wanted to question this, why not consider to ask the God the Highest why He gives the Quran to Arabs and why He makes Muhammad s.a.w an Arab? It is a speculative statement. You are having a perception out of this and it is because you have heard this from this guy and that lady and they were taught so and so. It is the same like you are questioning the Wisdom of the God the Highest while we cannot even comprehend His Will and actions. Nobody can decide on what race is he going to be born in. Either to be an Arab, a Malay, an English, a Jew, a Brahmin or a Chinese. It is the decision of the God the Highest, His Will. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w has no power to decide over his birth so why people are talking like godless people?

Muhammad s.a.w was not the only Arab prophet but there were also prophet Ṣāleh a.s. and prophet Hūd a.s. Both of them were ancient Arabs. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w himself is of mixed ancestry from Ismael a.s as prophet Abraham a.s his father, was from the city of Ur of Sumeria while his mother, Hagar was a captive woman who was brought to Egypt after a battle between a Western country with Egyptian empire. She was a servant in the Hyksos king palace before being given as a maid to Abraham a.s. There are many prophets of the God the Highest who are not mentioned in the scripture because they only teach their tribes and nations in their region. Why not looking at everyone as human first? Rather than talking about this race and that race when it is about negative things? Why not checking what prophet Muhammad s.a.w said during the final sermon in 'Arafah? Does that mean all Arabs are "satans" if an Arab is behaving like a "satan"? The same thing should also go to other nations. I regret that I still have to hear this racist remark. The basis of whatever struggle of a person, should be based on his "morality", the content of his character and not his racial background. The Justice of the God prevails over nationality!

Clearing the Issue

In clearing the issue, we found sources from the "Explanation of the Creed of al-Tahawi" which is popular among the four recognized schools of jurisprudence practiced by the majority of Muslim nations and the quote by al-Subki:

"Al-Tahawi while explaining the traditional creed about the takfir issue says that, 'We (the people of tradition) should never accuse others from the member of the quibla (Muslims) because of the vices committed without any confidence that they are legal (according to Quran and prophetic traditions); however we never deny that sins and vices could bring disadvantages to the "faithfuls".

While explaining the quotes from al-Tahawi, al-Subki says, "But there is a question with regard to the speech of al-Tahawi, where the law has also nominated certain sins as not faithful". For example, the saying of the God the Highest recorded in the Glorious Quran in Surah al-Maidah 5:44 which means...

Indeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted (to the God) judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Scripture of the God, and they were witnesses thereto. So, do not fear the human-being but fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for a small price. And whoever does not judge by what the God has revealed, then it is those who are the disbelievers.

And the saying of the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w regarding a Muslim with a Muslim, "To curse a believer is evil, and to wage war with him is infidelity" (Bukhari Compilation).

"Do not be disbelievers after I am gone in which some of you are decapitate the head of the other" (killing and waging war among Muslims); When a believer saying to one another, "O infidel! Thus the word cast to the other shall return to him who cast it out".

Four matters which will turn a person into a full hypocrite if he possess them all and he will possess a hypocrite trait if he possess one of these until he entirely leaves them which are...

1. When talking he tells lies.
2. When he made a promise and he breaks it.
3. When he is in a contract, pact and treaty and he breaks these.
4. When he argue, he goes over the board.

These which our Muslim brethren always accuse on our Jewish brethren in general are not really the accusation of the Quran on the whole Jewish nation! But these are the human trait which arise in human "self". It does not matter whether you are a German, an Arab or a Jewish. If you possess all of these traits, then you are a full hypocrite! If you possess one of these traits, then you still are hypocrites. And I am against people who treat my Jewish brethren or anyone with discrimination or racism because I know how does it feels when we live in foreign land while we are aware about our root and ancestry! I view everyone around me as human-being if he is a human-being when he exhibits negative acts according to the sermon of noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w in the Arafat Hill. I never view others with the notion such as Chinese, Indian, or anything related to their "nationality" because it will lead us to racial supremacy which is divisive and abusive. It is egoism. You cannot be a noble person if you never contemplate from within yourself. Never follow the example of the Western imperial period's orientalists if we do not like to be treated so. The ancient Indian philosophies had taught me a lot and that is why many of our people were sent there to see and to learn from around though most Indians today also leaving behind the wisdom of their honorable ancient sages.

"A person who commits adultery only when he is not faithful to the teachings; A thief only steals when he is not faithful to the teachings; A person only drinks alcohol when he is not faithful to the teachings; and leaving the prayer services makes a person an infidel".

This statement refers to certain times when a person is forgetting the teachings of the noble prophets and messengers of the God the Highest. However, in the end it separates the boundary between a believer and a disbeliever with the prayer services. And how we understood the prayer services is through the Sharia (the Divine Path). In this matter, I do not want and never force non-Muslim to come to Islam. It is never my intention but this is an explanation to myself and Muslim brethren only! I do not really care about whatever faith people wanted to have. That is their choice as long as it does not go against the law , trampling humanity and mercy-compassionate principle because this is the doctrine that I believe mentioned in the the Name of the God the Highest.

"Whoever comes to the soothsayer and believing in him or having genital relation through the back of his wife thus he goes against the teachings of the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w.; Whoever swears with the names (earthly creatures considered as divine) other than the God the Highest, thus he is an infidel; Two things which make my nations becoming an infidel are, 'cursing the lineage of a person and wailing the death of a person".

A bit on our culture, Arabs love to wail over the death. And just relate it to the statement up there. Because we live in the non-Arab environment so we do not wail so much on the death but only in sadness. Many Malay friends always saying that Indian (Tamils in our country) wailing at the death of their beloved ones. But actually Arabs are also the same. So, these are actually the statements for non-faithful, infidels, and others pertaining the takfir issues. We would see the majority Sunnah Muslim clerics opinion over the accusation of infidelity issue. 

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

Pleasure and Wrath of the God

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I learned that it is not cute to have such a long title. I tried to make the title simple but catchy. I think that it is an art itself, haha. I am trying to continue the discussion of Abdullah al-Hadad in his letter to fellow brethren.

The God the Highest through His will has put on His pleasure in the obedience towards Him and His wrath is in disobedience towards Him. He promises paradise for those obedient servants but threatening those who disobey with "bitterness" in this life and so on due to His infinite fairness and wisdom. 

Quran

These are the limits of the God the Highest, and whosoever obeys the God the Highest and His messenger will be admitted to the gardens which rivers flow, to abide therein, and that will be the great success (Surah al-Nisaa' 4:13).

"And whoever disobeys the God the Highest and His messenger, and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment" (Surah al-Nisaa' 4:14).

The God the Highest commanded His believing servants to compete in reaching the "forgiveness" and getting the "paradise" besides protecting themselves and their family from the "torments of hell" through obedience to His commandments but avoiding His prohibitions.

"And march forth in the way which leads to forgiveness from your Lord, and for paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious ones" (Surah Ali-'Imran 3:133). 

"O those who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are appointed angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey the God in what He commands them but do what they are commanded" (Surah al-Tahrim 66:6).

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

Unfortunate Scholars

Assalamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Knowledge is important for human-being. Human-being could be civilized and reaching success through knowledge seeking and sciences. The noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w mentions, "Seeking knowledge is obligatory over each Muslim". Obligatory knowledge here refers to important sciences pertaining the relation of an individual with his Creator such as monotheism, physical and spiritual worship together with the morality. Later, communal sciences pertaining the relations between an individual with his society such as finance, working ethics, matrimonial and criminology.

Definition of Obligatory Knowledge

Ibn al-Qayyim proposes that 'obligatory knowledge' is related to the pillars of the faith, Islamic jurisprudence on legal and illegal matters and the social sciences.

Imam al-Ghazali defines that 'obligatory knowledge' refers to gnosis which is the knowledge about the God the Highest, spiritual worship such as sincerity, devotion and dependency only to the God the Highest and jurisprudence sciences.

Islam emphasizes greatly on knowledge and those who are knowledgeable as what has been mentioned in the Glorious Quran. Says the God the Highest which means, "And among people and moving creatures and grazing livestock are various colors similarly. Only those fear the God the Highest, from among His servants, who have knowledge. Indeed, the God is Exalted in Might and Most Forgiving" (Surah Faathir 35:28).

Division of Unfortunate Scholars

Scholars of religion, the righteous and ascetics are those people who gives their attention to the fullest to knowledge and science since it is the essence of worship and the basis of obedience to devote their life for the God the Highest. However, there are also those who were deflected where Abu Hamid al-Ghazali has divided them into six groups of people......

a) A person who feels that he possess the gnosis which enables him to see the God the Highest with his heart, thus assuming that his self is close to the God the Highest.

While he only knows His attributes and Names which he listens only from the chanting. It could also make them confuse and deviated. With all of these, he thought that he already has the highest knowledge among the nations from the alpha to the omega. He looks down on the religious scholars, jurists, exegesis compilers, hadith researchers and even more, he looks at the public just like looking at the cattle.  

b) A person whose tendency is more to the physical science and avoiding the spiritual science. He is proud with it and think exceedingly that he has a place at Him.

He assumes that he is free from the torment and bitterness of the God the Highest with his one-sided tendency in seeking the knowledge. He believes that he could become a savior to others and his sins will not be retaliated. These are dangerous assumptions that will rise for this type of person.

c) A person who never practice with his knowledge. Knowing everything means nothing if it is not accompanied with practices. There is of no use if one knows a science or method of worship but never practicing it.

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w mentions, "The God the Highest never look at your appearance nor your luxury but He is looking at your deeds and heart".

In the book titled "A Warning to the Negligent" (Ar. Tanbeeh al-Ghafileen), the noble prophet Jesus a.s was quoted as saying, "Anyone who knows (knowledgeable) and later practicing and teaching the knowledge to others, thus he is the person mentioned as the greatest in the realm of angels".

Indeed, noble angels are far of these three things:

1. Evil and hypocrite religious scholar who preaches to others but never practicing what he preaches.

2. Graveyard of treacherous people which is adorned with structures made of bricks and cements.

3. Carving of treacherous people's name on their gravestones.

Abu Amru Abdul Rahman bin Muhammad al-Auza'i of Damascus said, "Whoever perform whatever that he knows, he will achieve the success in whatever he does not know before".

Sufyan al-Thawri says, "Knowledge is in the first, silence. The second, listening and observing. The third, recalling. The fourth, practicing. The fifth, propagating it".

d) A person who spends all his time to clean himself from impurities and too much dwelling in it and he keeps looking for his own flaws looking at the tricks of "self" until it becomes his daily dealings.

He is too meticulous and too ritualistic until he feels that this is shameful. That is hideous and so on. This kind of person is the same with the person in the condition where he always imagine and reckoning that to perform the pilgrimage to Holy Mecca is too dangerous and later he ends up with not performing it at all, na'udhubillahi min dhaalik.

e) A person who thinks that he has already fulfilled the obligation to study by just attending lectures and sciences recital.

He makes this as his common habit and assuming that listening is just enough for him. He is not practicing whatever that he listens in the lectures since he is qualified for the meritorious deeds of listening and attending the lecture ceremonies.

f) A person who study just because he wanted to have the fame, to get the name, position and making fortune out of it.

His knowledge will bring no benefit to him. His dealings will be of no success and he receives no gain. Noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w says, "Whoever studies the knowledge with the intention to compete among the scholars, to show efforts to the ignorant or to get attention of public thus the hell is his place of return!".

Conclusion

I would like to highlight here as a part of our discussion... Well, a discussion with my self because this is a serious warning to my self!! That we have to give the attention to the key words such as, "heart", "feel", "thought", "assume" and "intention". All of these are related to our faculties of mind that manifest from our astral body such as the mind, memory, intellect and ego. These are more to philosophical findings but is still useful to understand one self. Many people still cannot understand these and I tried so hard to tell them even I was almost in conflicts with people around but it is still a failure. So, that is why I choose to stay in silence and observe but not giving up. I am not giving anything which I cannot practice because it is against the principle taught to us.... May the God the Highest forgives us our errors and sins, amin...... Only He knows the best...  

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

Deeds

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I am sure brothers and sisters had come across this word karma in Sanskrit. Most of all, many people in the world understood it in a rather weird way for me, hehe. If you watch this American TV series, "My Name is Earl" starred by Jason Lee then perhaps you will also find the notion about karma. 

I am fan of Earl (Jason Lee) and his retarded brother in the series, lol. The character presented a premise for the movie which sounds like, "You know the kind of guy who does nothing but bad things and then wonders why his life sucks? Well, that was me. Every time something good happened to me, something bad was always waiting round the corner: karma. That's when I realized that I had to change, so I made a list of everything bad I've ever done and one by one I'm gonna make up for all my mistakes. I'm just trying to be a better person. My name is Earl".

In this movie, Earl is trying to erase his evil deeds by trying to correct things which he has done to others while he was a bad person. He makes a long winding list for that and my colleagues were laughing hard watching Earl's stupidity in quest to get a "better" luck, lol. So, people talk about karma as something related to luck whether it is bad or good. 

This concept is actually an ancient Indian theory which prevails in philosophies of ancient Indian religions such as Buddhism, Jainism, and others. Hinduism is actually an umbrella term for these bunch of religious thoughts taught by ancient Indian sages and teachers. It also being a shade for folk religions in Indian sub-continent besides of the Vedic ones. 

The word karma frames the notion of the deeds of sentient creatures which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect and this cycle is known as samsara. The Malays had absorbed the word into Malay language but the meaning in Malay is, suffering. In explaining this, there are few interpretations which develop into theories proposed by those religions in order to explain the effect of deeds. People only use the words but they are at lost on how does the word works. I am sure those who study Malay language could distinguish which one is Sanskrit derived and which one is original ones. Which one is Arabic derivation and which one is Persian derivation and so on. 

Retaliation is Based on One's Deed

Well for Muslims, we have the concept of العمل and it is also translated in English as deed or action. Every sane and mentally healthy person actually knows that they would receive the fruits of their deeds. The deeds are like the seed which they thrust on the Earth and they will reap the result of what they had planted. They will achieve success when they work on it.

Why they do not know this matter and why have no confidence on what is there for them? While they also listen to whatever they believe and have confidence in it, whether it is a firm verse of the scripture revealed by the God the Highest or the sayings of the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w? Both of these had brought certainty and confidence to those whom the God the Highest has enlighten their heart with His light.

Quran

Now, open up your eyes and carefully listen with your ears to some of the sentences from the scripture... from the hadiths. May you receive awareness and wake up from your long sleep. Thus with it, you will strive hard with your good deeds in order to save your self during, "the day where no treasure nor son is useful for you, except that you who come to Him with pure and clean heart" (Surah al-Shu'ara 26:88-89).

The God the Highest says which means, "And for the God is whatever in the heavens and whatever in the Earth for Him to retaliate on those who commit evil with their actions and to reward those who perform good deeds with their actions" (Surah al-Najm 53:31).

Some glimpse on ancient Indian philosophical view about the earth and heavens related to deeds. This one is philosophical. It is not religious nor related to the teachings of prophet Muhammad s.a.w! This is my philosophical experience as a young guy who studied Brahmanism with Indian Buddhism framework yet I was also a student in Islamic traditional system which was absorbed into national education stream. There is a cosmological notion about land of actions and land of birth in the previous Brahmins' scriptures. I guess it was the Srimat Bhagavatam as far as I could remember. It explains the planetary systems and I also read those "stimulative" labeled scripture which is more likely some kind of gospel for the Indians. The Earth and its surrounding is known as the physical universe. This physical universe is one of the four regions in the universe. The other three universe are the Earths of Retaliation where souls or beings reaping their deeds. In those regions, they could not commit anything independently as in the physical Earth. Other three regions are the hell, the paradise and the subterranean heavens or Hollow Earth inhabited by weird creatures. So, in physical Earth the creatures or beings in their forms could produce deeds independently either the bad ones or the good ones.

"And that, there is not for man except that for which he strives. And that his efforts is going to be seen. Then he will be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense. And that to your Lord is the finality". (Surah al-Najm 53:39-42)

"Paradise is not (obtained) by your wishful thinking nor by that of the People of the Scripture. Whoever does a wrong will be recompensated for it and he will not find besides the God the Highest a protector or a helper. And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer, those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, even as much as the speck on a date seed" (Surah al-Nisaa' 4:123-124).

If we look at the notion wishful thinking, I had found many fellow Muslims (bigots) ourselves who condemn others to the hell without contemplating on ourselves. How courageous they are in throwing out those words as if they had gotten the stamp from the God the Highest to stamp others with the stamp of the hell. Who they think they are? Why they shamelessly thinking that they are favored by the God the Highest even if they are practicing? How do they know that the God the Highest favor them? Is it their wishful thinking or the revelation from the God which reaches them? As far as I know, "revelation" by the mean of those which is sent through the heavenly emissary, archangel Gabriel a.s to human-being is already stopped after the revelation which is piled as the Glorious Quran is completed.

So, where did they get this "wishful thinking" that they are the dweller of paradise and violently and harshly saying things to other creatures of the God the Highest? As for people of the scripture, I consider Muslims as people of the scripture too. We could say that most Arab tribes during the period of ignorance were without scripture and 'most' of them worshiped dates, palm trees, stones and other gods introduced from the Levant world as the Levantines were seafarers who sailed to other lands and bringing with them other foreign cultures. However, Muslims were people who are revealed with scripture, namely the Quran. From beginning of his prophethood, prophet Muhammad s.a.w was revealed with scripture which was the Surah al-'Alaq 96. So, how could this notion only being labeled to the Christians and Jews? Why not everyone together contemplate some more, having more insights rather than spewing "holier than thou" speeches and checking the chronicles of the world besides shooting words without we realize that we are burdened with 'responsibility' on our deeds and our speeches is a part of the deeds. Our thought is also a part of deeds and actions. It only come to materialize when we use our articulations, our hands, our eyes and others because we 'choose' to commit those acts!

So, whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom's wight of evil will see it! (Surah al-Zalzalah 99:7-8)

"The God does not charge a soul except (with that within) its capacity. It will have the consequence of what good it has gained, and it will bear the consequence of what evil it has earned. "Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our Protector, so give us victory over those who disbelieve You" (Surah al-Baqarah 2:286).

Whover perform charity thus it is for himself. Whoever commit evil thus it is for himself. And your Lord never tyrannize His servants (Surah Fussilat 41:46)

The Day every soul will find what it has done of good present (before it) and what it has done of evil, it will wish that between itself and that evil was a great distance. And the God warns you of Himself, and the God is the Most Kind to servants (Surah Ali-'Imran 3:30).

And fear a Day when you will be returned to the God the Highest. Then, every soul will be compensated for what it earned, and they will not be treated unjustly (Surah al-Baqarah 2:281).

Hadiths

Say the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, "The holy spirit (Gabriel a.s) whispered to my heart, choose whatever life you wanted to live since you will die, love whatever you wanted to love since you will be separated to it and do whatever you wanted to do since you will be recompensed with it".

He further says, "Goodness never perish, and sin is never forgotten and the Executor of the Retaliation (the God the Highest) never dies. You will be recompensed according to what you had done".

In another sacred hadith that he received while he was sleeping, he says in his own words that the God the Highest says, "O my servants, those are just your deeds. I am reckoning them for you and I will fulfill the retaliation upon you. And for those who receive goodness thus say, 'Praise be to the God, Lord of the universe' and if you get other than that, curse no one but himself!"

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w also mentions that, "Never curse those who were already dead since they indeed receiving whatever they had done".

And in another hadith he says, "Indeed there will be a slave boy who is placed higher than his master in the paradise and the master will be asking the Lord, 'Was not this my slave boy while we were on the Earth?' The God the Highest thus will be saying, "I am just recompensing whatever he had done in the Earth!'"

Quotes

Ali r.a mentions, "The world is the place for deeds and there is no material upcoming for those deeds in the world. The hereafter is the place to reap the deeds and there is no deed there! Thus, perform your deeds in the place where there is no retaliation there since the hereafter is not the place for deeds".  

Hasan of Basra said, "The God the Highest says to the dwellers of paradise, 'Enter into the paradise because of My Grace, be eternal there because of your good intentions and accept everything according to your deeds'".

All of the evidences from the scripture's verses and hadiths and quotes proving that there are retaliations on beings' deeds. And it is just a reminder for everyone including to ourselves. Why not for a reminder? This matter is known by everyone whether scholars or public... Even down to those who are ignorant among them.

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

Risalah al-Mudhakarah

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

As a brief introduction, this is the translation in English for Risalah al-Mudharah. It was composed by Abdullah Alawi al-Haddad but I did not write it in according to his composition in English because he used Arabic in the letters. The letters were actually kept by my father but he did not read it himself. I found it in his keeping so I read it and now sharing it with brethren in faith... I would like to apologize for my bad English. I tried hard to maintain the nuance of the original text but it is impossible too to write it in raw translation...

Epistle of Reminder

Introduction
Fear to the God

Deeds
Pleasure and the Wrath of the God

Honor to the Devotees
The Danger of Disobedience to the God
Qualities of a Faithful Servant

My mother had actually asked me to do some translations on our religious books as a way to gain meritorious deeds but she does not even know what I am studying, haha. I made some by hand-writing because I have no printer nor scanner here. So, it is just in my notebooks. 

Abdullah Alawi al-Haddad who originally delivered this was a pious man from Tarim Valley of Hadramawt region in Southern Yemen. He was a blind man but possess a vast knowledge about the "Path". The region was prominent for Shafi'ie school of jurisprudence which is also a school followed by most of the citizen in our country. Last time, I had to follow the method from Arabia because I had some experience being driven out from the "Path" so I had to keep a very strict practice as a way to regain my faith again. And now I am giving the honor again to our ancestors who adopt this school...  

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

Quran Lesson: Surat al-Fajr

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Alhamdulillahi rabbi'l'aalamin... Praises only due to the Lord of the universe that we finished our night prayers at the mosque without any problem. I rarely pray at the musalla close to our neighborhood but I walk almost everyday to the al-Najah mosque at the religious primary school if brothers and sisters are familiar with Precinct 9 in Putrajaya. Because I have time for that and I don't make friends with fellow human-beings, my father is lying sick on the bed and I am broke right now that I cannot travel far, hahaha. 

I think today the mosque is extraordinarily filled with people just like yesterday. Thankful to the God when seeing them performing the salat services together. I am glad the young imam from Kelantan is back too. I was so sad when I thought he was shifted. Though never talked with him cause there is no chance yet but I simply feel comfortable to pray there because of him.  

Introduction

In the Name of the God the Most Merciful the Most Compassionate

 

I just chanted the surat al-Fajr to fill the gap time between the Maghrib and 'Isha servcies though been reading the opening part for so many times. Yes, it is a simple surat recorded in the Glorious Quran but please never under estimate its benefit to the reciters and those who learn this simple surat. This surat was revealed in the holy city, Mecca just after the revelation of the surat al-Layl. Al-Fajr means the Day Break. It consists of 30 verses. So, how to memorize this surat easily? You can break this surat into three parts where each part consists of 10 very simple verses. Methods may vary depends on a person. I am usually using the tasbeeh or prayer beads to memorize the verses. There are specific methods that a reciter may develop but I am not going to talk in length here.

Meaning

There are four major lessons which we could find in this surat. I am going to put them together in the meaning section.

1) The Destruction of Those who Opposed Teachings of the God

By the dawn 1 And the ten nights 2 And the even and odd 3 And the night when it passes 4 Is there in that, an oath for one of perception? 5 Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with the tribe of 'Aad? 6 Iram who had lofty pillars 7 The likes of whom had never been created in the land 8 And Tamud, who carved out rocks in the valley? 9 And Pharaoh who owns the stakes? 10 Whom oppressed within the lands 11 And increased therein the corruption 12 So, your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment 13 Indeed, your Lord is in observation 14

2) Wealth and Poverty is the Tests for the Servants of the God

And as for man, when his Lord tries him and is generous to him and favors him, he says, "My Lord has honored me" 15 But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Lord has humiliated me" 16 No, but you do not honor the orphan! 17 And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor 18 And you consume inheritance, devouring it altogether! 19 And you love the wealth with intense love 20

3) The Remorse of Those who were Sunken in the Worldly Affairs

Never! When the earth has been leveled, pounded and crushed 21 And your Lord has come, and the angles rank upon rank 22 And brought within the view, that Day is Hell - that Day, man will remember, but what good for him will be the remembrance? 23 He will say, "Oh, I wish I had sent ahead some good for my life" 24 So, on that Day, none will punish as severely as His punishment 25 And none will bind as severely as His binding of the evildoers 26

4) Appreciation on Those who were Faithful

To the righteous it will be said, "O, tranquil soul!" 27 Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing to Him 28 And enter among My righteous servants 29 And enter into My paradise 30    

Lessons

Well, I can just relate this to my life. I never look far to others because I have no power to do that. Even our self is quite difficult to contemplate and to know. How can we judge people and say that we are better off than others? This surat is good for those who feel hopeless in their life. Maybe we are not fortunate as others, poor, broke, ugly, and so on. But the God Himself through the tongue of noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w assured us that these are not the humiliation for us. They are just the trials for us. If we wish to return to Him well-pleasing and peacefully, we should try our best to fulfill our Covenant with Him. 

Maybe we feel insinuated or feel sad when we suddenly compared ourselves with others. I too sometimes feel that way even I cried until some people looked at me like a crazy person because I looked awful just after that. We feel that way because they are more fortunate than us or lucky there while we are wretched miserable and hapless soul here. But, then the God says that it is also a trial as to show whether those people are going to be steady or sunken into worldly affairs. The God had earlier put forth the example to us, the 'Aad and the Tamud who were the ancient Arab nations. The Aad's archeological sites were discovered by Western archeologists in Rubb el-Khaly and the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w had also passed the area of the Tamud during the battle of Tabuk in the 9th of H as reported by Abdullah bin Umar r.a. Also the Pharaoh who killed the Egyptian sorcerers who testified the prophethood of Moses a.s thus refusing to worship the king just because he was rich and fortunate. 

So, this is some parts of the Quran... Try to memorize if brothers and sisters have some blurry image of the written surats. If brothers and sisters had already memorize them, then I am so pleased. Even more pleased if you help me to teach them around, to your children to your friends to your brothers and sisters. By memorizing the Quran, you people could also help me in the hereafter. At least please tell the God to save me :')

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

Science and Religion: Never Take Short Ones as the Measurer

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

If we wanted to reach the fact of the universe, we should not only using our own logical thinking. We have many components in our soul namely the mind, the sentiment or feeling, and the will. Even religious person is not guaranteed to have deep feeling in his religious belief if he only uses logical thinking in everything or in considering something. There are many wicked law-makers and jurists who used their minds and thinking to distort divine law or other kind of laws for their own benefits. If you wanted to escape from the ties of burdening religious practices, there are jurists who are good at finding the way out.

In tasawwuf science and Islamic terminologies, a person who is good at using the logic to reach the facts of truth is known as 'alim or 'ailom. When a person reached the highest stages in "feeling", they are known as an 'arif. The extension of the knowledge and sciences is known as ma'arifat.

Life itself has shown that a human though how strong his thought or thinking trying to achieve knowledge and faith, but it is only with feeling that he could get to reach to the mind. We are urged to maintain pure feeling in our religion. In this matter, prophet Muhammad s.a.w says that: "Sinful act is what you feel in your chest when you commit it". That is why spiritual ulamas had developed spiritual exercises according to their orders and chains in order to train the "feeling" to be closer to Allah. This is known as riyadhat or in English I would translate it as recreational activities to train mind and soul.

There are people with strong thoughts and intellects but weak in his feeling. They are just scholars. There are those with strong will but intellectually weak in thoughts and mind. He commenced the journey and later the journey will be continued by others after him. There are people who are discreet in their feeling and these kind of people usually become artists. They perhaps creating beautiful masterpiece of arts but forgotten to shave beards or even looking at their appearance in the mirror.

So, let the scholars and scientists researching the world as much as they want. Let them analyze it and comparing it. Continue with researches. But never forget that it is not enough to be called as a complete puzzle. The same thing to artists. Let them researching and observing the beauty of nature and absorbing them into their selves before presenting them to others. But never forget that it is not enough. Beside science and art, listen also to the prophets, messengers of Allah and honest sufis. These people are those who would bring us up toward the peak of knowledge and art.

As long as scholars letting off their egoism and arrogance because they are intellectuals. As long as religious people leaving behind their fanaticism and rough narrow faith which had walled themselves in their throne of ignorance. As long as they free their selves from interpretations of previous religious clerics that were thought as part of religion while they are just interpretations of previous people. Then the conflicts between "science" and religion could be avoided. Regarding the interpretations, what has been told in glorious Quran to us actually does not touching other people but it is also intended to us.  

Sometimes, I feel weird when listening to some Muslim brothers and sisters talking about this Yahudi or that Nasara while they are displaying the same attitude like what had been uttered on those Yahudi or Nasara from their mouth. The real problem is not about the Yahudi or Nasara or Sabeans or etc. The real thing that we need to conquer and understand is our selves.  

Knowledge and science would be complete with religion. Religion would be complete with knowledge. Both religion and knowledge are two inseparable components in the universe. Both of them exposed us to the secret of universe in many angles. Both them are inseparable drinks to satisfy the thirst of human soul so human could achieve a balanced life.

The goal of religion is to reach the truth and the fact of life. The goal of the science and knowledge is to get closer to the "ultimate truth". Knowledge to know and religion to feel it because we can't touch it with our hand. Knowledge is for the outer self. Religion is for the inner self.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad. Allah please protect us with Your wisdom and boundless sea of mercy compassionate. 

- finished the last part all praise due to Allah -

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

Qadiri Complex in China : 靈明堂 Ling Ming Tang

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Just few pictures from various websites...

Reporter Ibrahim Ma Weijun for China Muslim Youth Club and Imam Wang Shoutian

The reporter of China Muslim Youth Club and his friends warmly welcomed by the complex committee

Sources :

1. xaislam

2. muslimwww

3. china muslim youth club

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

Chinese Muslim Figure: Hilaluddin Qi Jingyi

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Ling Ming Tang Qadiri Order Complex in Gansu, China

Our Movement

First of all, I would like to highlight that my father family was not belonged to the Qadiri lineage but from another side of Yemenite and Egyptian order which remained in silence since we were once a closed community and I learned that they followed Shafi'ie madzhab for fiqhi sunnah but they are not really Sunni Muslim by today's classification due to that they recognized the guardianship of 'Ali k.w and the authority of this imam after prophet Muhammad s.a.w. I have great respect to honorable baba Abdul Qadir Jailani and regard him as one of us due to similarities in first few imams. Our lineage has the history from the Fatimid empire which was spread across the oceans but trying to tolerate the other schools. Anyway I am still an ordinary Muslim who perform all of the shari'a obligations like others and shifting to Hanbali fiqhi madzhab in term of sunnah angles since we faced many slanders from people around and that really affects our faith in Allah and our religion. So, after all of the past experiences... I turned to the strictest of fiqhi madzhab of "Sunni Muslim" if it is the classification for not being a deviant after I get the confirmation from the Saudi clerics in Mecca though I don't really like Saudi Arabia's government. And I received the kitabs for prayers from Qadiri mission teachers, because they gave it to me so I received it with smile and using them to respect them : )   

Ling Ming Tang interior side. Ling Ming Tang means the Hall of Spiritual Enlightenment : ) 

Hilaluddin Qi Jingyi

So, in this side I would like to introduce this figure from China and a Chinese master of tasawwuf teaching. His religious name is Hilaluddin and his native name is Qi Jingyi 祁静一 ...

His Life

Regarding the life of this figure, it was mentioned that when he was 16 years old, he met a master of Naqshabandi order known as Afaq Khoja in Xining around 1672. He begged the master to be his teacher but Afaq Khoja responsed that he was not the supposed teacher for Qi Jingyi. He mentioned more that his ancient teaching is not to be passed to Jingyi but by another teacher who has already crossed the Eastern Sea and arrived in the Eastern part of the land. He must quickly return home and he will be a well-known teacher in his land. Qi Jingyi studied under the supervision of Khoja Abdul 'Alla which is the 29th descent of prophet Muhammad s.a.w who happened to enter China around 1674. His mission order is under the circle of Qadiri lineage.

His Tomb and the Complex

Master Qi Jingyi was buried in Linxia city in Gansu province after his death. His tomb is among the center of ziyarat by the members of Qadiri lineage whether in the side of Sunni or Shi'a Muslims. It is located in the Hongyuan park. Another one is Ling Ming Tang Masjid complex like in the pictures.   

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

What is Shariah Islamiah???!

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 

I think I had posted about this many times especially in the maqasid shar'iyyah posts but I guess in certain places medias especially in the West always making it a negative issue. You know what media people? You are tyrannizing us and violating human rights. I am not trying to play victim here but I am already one of a victim of you people! You people are merciless, nonsensical, mean and cruel!

Now, what I am going to do here as a plain Muslim is to explain to people about what is our religion from my own understanding. What is our path. What is our way of life? What is our life itself as Muslims? Shariah means the Way. It simply means the Way if it is a literal translation. It is synonymous to the Path. When we talk about Shariah, we are not only talking about judicial system but also about the system of life and the nature. Just to compare it with European Union. You people have few institutions and among them is the Court of Justice. Other is related to economy such as the Central Bank of Europe and few sub-institutions to regulate policy for member countries to adopt or choosing to adopt them. The same thing with Shariah we have all of this and the whole world is known as equal nations.

We have fatawas. Fatwa means guidelines. They could be adopted by public and are issued by scholars of Islam after meetings and commission were held. The fatawas were issued according to our schools of jurisprudence. For Sunnah or Orthodox Sunni Muslims, we have four main schools of jurisprudence:

1. Hanafi where the main teacher is Abu Hanifah

2. Maliki as the main teacher is Anas bin Maalik

3. Shafi'ie and the main teacher is Abu Abdullah bin Idris bin Abbas bin Uthman bin Idris bin Shafi'ie

4. Hanbali after the father of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal

For our Twelver Shi'a brothers, their school of jurisprudence is known as:

1. Ja'afari after the sixth Imam of Shi'a Muslims which is Imam Ja'afar as-Saadiq  

So every Muslim brother and sister must know which school of jurisprudence you belong to as it is important when you wanted to get council and advice for your daily life activities. It was surprising when I was in Saudi Arabia and I asked several people there what is your school of jurisprudence? And some of them just saying to me they are not so sure because they just follow people around. I was like... What????! You have a religion simply because you follow people around and not because of your sincerity? That was like me when I was a little kid because I just follow and imitate what people around doing without understand what are the significance of those things.

So, in Shariah Islamiah what does it consist of dear beloved brothers and sisters? It consists of:

1. Tawheed

What does tawheed means? It means monotheism ideology. We believe and trust only in the One True Lord the Creator of the Universe beyond our imagination. The first and important thing that a Muslim missionary will talk is about tawheed and Allah Azza wa Jall. This is the root of our Path and Shariah. In European Union, your root is the World War I and World War II. The competition to get sources for weaponry such as the coal and steel. When you people talking about others try to mirror yourselves. What does weaponry means? It means war and people who worship weapon are the real terrorists and idolaters. This is just an example, though I hate to study about Europe but I benefited from this course that I am studying so first I would like to give my gratitude to the Lord. I feel tormented but at least I know how to answer to people unlike other typical madrasah students as I had been diverted to secular education system. Hope I could pass my economy paper. I am interested to learn more about it but I am quite slow to understand that kind of matter in just few months.

2. 'Ibadah

What does this Arabic word means? It literally means enslaving ourselves to the Lord. In a more polite word, it means serving the Lord before we get the chance to see Him. When we translate this into English, it becomes worship. In Orthodox Sunnah Muslim daily life, we are bound to the five pillars of Islam. What do we have in pillars of Islam? Let me state it again here so everyone could clearly see the connections:

i. Witnessing that there is no gods except that the only God unique of His own and Muhammad is His messenger to nations of the period of near Resurrection

ii. Five times daily prayer services known as salat

iii. Fasting obligatory fast or sawm for the whole month of Ramadan for those who are capable and healthy

iv. Paying the tithe or zakah for the needed and there are eight categories of people who may receive it

v. Pilgrimage or hajj to the holy land in Mecca for those who are capable and could afford it once in a life time during the month of Zulhijjah and performing acts in memory of prophet Ibrahim a.s and his family in the barren land. First thing first, we go to Mecca then only to Medinah to Jerusalem whatsoever sites in other places around the world.  

All of these especially the first four points are important disciplines prescribed for every sane Muslim which could be described in long-winding philosophy. People in European Union has to think and amend everything for their basic foundations. It took them so long but the basis of their organization is not as firm as the law of nature aren't they, hahaha.   

Urm, when people like Atheists or non-religious call us as stupid for enslaving ourselves for an unknown or invisible entity, I would say that I don't mind to be a stupid for that rather than being enslaved by spaces, materials, women, men, politicians, desires, and etc like you smart people! Even if there is no God or no gods like they say, I guess that it is not wrong to protect the universe, the earth, our own body and society from being harmed by violating the nature and law of the universe. Plus, I never feel stressful when I recite prayers to Him rather than I chase something like a postgraduate certificate while my future is still in cloud. What could it cause us? Depression! If we are enslaved to money, can we buy happiness with it? This is the teaching of smart people, where human only consist of physical body. The inner body which is the spiritual body is out of the scene. Education based only on physical is not holistic in its approach. It is not balanced. 

3. Akhlak and Aadab

Akhlak means morality and ethics while aadab means civilized. In contrast to civilized is barbaric. This is mentioned as ihsan in the hadith Jibril a.s in the conversation in a masjid with prophet Muhammad s.a.w witnessed by his companions, among them was Umar bin al-Khattab r.a. People from mission orders and tasawwuf circle usually practicing few things related to remembrance to Allah Azza wa Jall to protect themselves from evil environment and spreading His light to the universe through prayers. In this matter, there is nothing peculiar about the practices as long as it is not violating the basic Shari'ah Islamiah. Not all people are the member of mission orders. So please don't judge people just because they belong to certain mission circle or looking like one. There are also neo-sufis who chanting simple daily ma'athurat morning and evening after Fajr and Maghrib prayer services. We must remember Allah always not only by praying in the masjid or mehrab non-stop but we may remember Him while waiting for the bus, while chatting with friends (chanting dzikr by mental), walking and recite His Glorious and Respected Names, and etc. When talking about this we are actually very flexible, being creative and not shallow. 

Ethics and the way we mingle with people basically consists of few things such as:

1. Respect to the Lord

2. Respect to prophets and messengers of the Lord

3. Respect to parents and elders

4. Respect to brothers and sisters visible or invisible

5. Respect to our own selves

6. Respect to environment and nature

To behave according to ethics, we follow the sunnah and advices of our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w and the wisdom of his companions. We also follow the wisdom of Ahlul Bayt imams such as Hassan and Hussein. These two are the grandsons of prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Do Europeans and American constitutions talk about manner and morality too? I am sure you people have it. If not why Europe is trying to be a "soft" power by using carrot and stick to force country for example like China to abolish capital punishment and as the result they may conduct business with European Union. This is my topic in my second semester presentation. I did it with my classmate, respectable sister Hasmahani and I've got A for that because I printed out and read a bulk of paper works, hehehe. I don't find anything about Europe interesting anymore after I learn it as I am more amazed with Allah 'Azza wa Jall. I think He is the Most Coolest figure in the whole universe and worlds. But I still reading things about Europe just to keep myself up to date or maybe I could help other brothers and sisters to provide information if they need it for their advancement. I love to serve my brothers and sisters. I don't want anything I just want brothers and sisters happiness and smile : )

4. Munakahat

Urmm, I think many people around 20-25 years old love to talk about this. For me this is very typical but it is fun to look at their faces expression, hahahahahahaha. Munakahat means matrimonial or marriage. It consists of the building of society process and the conduct of marriage. Many of my Muslim course mates either male or female competing among each other to get munakahat certificate from the masjid to prepare themselves for their future marriage and I guess some of them are already married now, lol. I didn't attend any seminars for munakahat and I don't think I need the certificate yet. I am not ready and I need to memorize the glorious Quran and Sunnah and transmitting them when I finished and understood everything. That is among my responsibility and sacrifice to Allah Azza wa Jalla. When we talk about munakahat, it's not simply about marriage and the agreement to be husband and wife or for legal relation as what my ex-colleague unfiltered mouth said, bermukah secara halal (having sexual intercourse in a legal way). It is about the responsibility to educate the coming souls (children), to teach them about the Lord, providing them with education and love so they may be devoted and fear Allah and to protect them from the hell-fire. Marriage is a sacred thing. It is not something to be played with and cut off the crap about building masjid stuffs if it is actually based on what we hear from people and just because we wanted to follow the trend. I am not into trend. I am into the significance of the worship and serving Him. There is no real pleasure in the world till we see Him.

5. Mu'amalah

This the relation of human with regards to daily activities. It is also related to contracts and transactions. Something to do with business. I just heard a lecture in masjid about contracts, loan, economic system, interest, usury and banking in our way of life. We have kitabs about this and we refer to them when we are going to conduct businesses with people around. Anything to do with bank, buying and selling, trade, import and export everything is in mu'amalat section of Shariah. There are formulas to calculate everything so, people in Shariah stream are not really useless and stupid. It's just our image was tainted by politicians and being tied to backward civilization while the truth is we are actually the most open-minded people in the world. For contemporary issues, there are researches for it and we don't simply do anything without researches.  

6. Jinayyah and 'Uqubah

Jinayyah means crime and 'Uqubah means punishment. This one is related to justice and the punishments may vary according to cultural interpretation of certain nations. Like the thing which was known as hudud, it actually means limitation for the punishment. I don't know why Malay medias playing the issue like it is something bad and negative? Not all of Muslims having basic knowledge about their own way of life so they just believe whatever is said in the media. I would like to advise everyone including myself, find qualified teachers and ask them about what we don't know. Don't ask the newspaper or simply listening to rumors or hearsays. That is not the nature of a Muslim. The Lord encourages us to seek knowledge and reading in surah Iqraa', the Lord mentions about seeking knowledge and He always mentions about mind and thinking in glorious Quran which means through the guidance of divine revelation we think and solving our daily problems.               

For contemporary issues regarding Shariah, there are researches for them and we don't simply do anything without researches.   

The sources to derive guidelines in Islam for the muftis and the councils are:

1. Glorious Quran

2. Sunnah

3. Ijma' of collective reasoning of scholars

4. Qiyas or analogical deduction

5. Ijtihad or individual reasoning 

6. Wisdom of ahlul bayt

These are all could be checked in our schools of jurisprudence studies or what is known as fiqhi madzhab. That is why it is important for a Muslim to know what is his or her school of jurisprudence to get advises and suggestions on how to conduct daily life activities and worship.   

I guess this is it. I hope it is not too long or not too brief. I could write an essay longer than this and elaborate everything but I guess we need to also accommodate others and making things easier. I wish this is useful. If brothers and sisters have other better readings please don't hesitate to suggest it to me maybe can email me at matianning86@gmail.com. I would be glad to read them and listening to others opinion. If brothers and sisters have free time don't forget write about your understanding on Islam what is Islam what is Shariah and what is our Path all about? It's not for others but your own benefit. Write in your languages or in English and keep it with you to read day by day. I am sure you will enjoy reading them and making them as apart of your memory of life : ) 

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love amin!