Mentions about Deen

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Introduction

I recalled some memory while I was in the musalla in USM just after some bayan sessions by Tabligh movement students on Thursday. One of an undergraduate student there, by the name H was quarreling with a guy who happened to be a neighbor at my living section up there at 10th floor. His name is Raof and a Phd student at our School of Social Science from Sri Lanka. Well, I like that Sri Lankan guy and I respect him. However, I did not mingle so much with him because I was in vow period. Actually I tend to have a gap with people around me. Does not matter from whatever movement they are or what kind of person they are. I do not like to be known to people, listening to people proclaiming that solely their movement is the righteous one and I am constantly in vow to be consecrated only for Him.  The vow is not easy ones. Some people taking oath before their teachers. I took vow before the God at the Grand Mosque in holy Mecca and testifying again the "portal of religion".

I heard that, H said something with a stressing tone and it ends with "it is deeeennnnn!" just after Raof teased him. From what I observed, Raof does not feeling well with the Tabligh members because one of his supervisor was a Tabligh and he left him alone with his thesis unfinished while the supervisor went away for his "Tablighi" mission. He mentioned something that he favors the Salaf movement more than Tabligh movement. I am not here to judge people or talking about movements. But one has to know his or her responsibility in the first place. I am performing the da'awa too. We do not have to be classified as a Tabligh member, a mawlana, a shaikh, a mureed of a tariqa movement, a salafi movement or etc as to take pride of. Just enough that we are Muslims and the nations sanctified under the mercy toward the universe, Muhammad s.a.w. As for da'awa, I am acting according to the situation and the da'awa toward our own self is more difficult than persuading others to something which we are not practicing. Now, I have a paralyzed father who needs full attention so I am here while others are laughing happily and enjoying their life. I am sacrificing myself for my father, my mother and to some extent for sisters. So, is this less noble than "performing da'awa" by movements' pride besides capturing pictures with friends wearing white robe or getting the "good feeling" when people look at us with respect and veneration? : ) 

Just after I heard that H stressing about the deen. I wonder on how does everyone understood the deen? What exactly is deen? I think I had put this forth before. Deen is a corresponding word that exist not only Quranic Arabic, but also in Aramaic and Hebrew. I simply wanted to consider myself as a civilian but I cannot because I was trained in Islamic stream as a Muslim missionary. I just ran away and learning (practicing) Indian gnosticism namely Buddhism because people could not accept different responsibility and tendency of human-being. Deen literally means the law in both Aramaic and Hebrew.

Definition

The deen is a singular for Adyaan.

By literal meaning in our Arabic language, "It means the obedience and following".

By general terminological meaning, "Whatsoever is embraced by the human-being and believed by him related to the invisible matters and whatever can be seen".

Islamic technical meaning for this word, "Submitting in peace to the God the Highest, and following Him. And the deen is the path of Islam and the monotheism creed where it is the religion of all messengers of the God since the first sage, Adam a.s. and Noah a.s. to the seal of prophethood in earthly realm, Muhammad s.a.w". 

The evidences that the revelation of the God to Muhammad s.a.w, has eliminated the previous paths are mentioned in the Glorious Quran.

Says the God the Highest which means, "Indeed, the closest religion to the God is Islam. And those who were given the revelation did not differ except the knowledge had come to them - out of jealousy and animosity between themselves. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of the God the Highest, the indeed, the God is swift in taking account!" - Surat Ali-Imran vs. 19

"And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers". - Surat Ali-Imram vs. 85

"Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than the God, and those animals killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you are able to slaughter before its death, and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and prohibited is that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of defeating your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you, your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, the God is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful". - Surat al-Maidah vs. 3

I am fasting today in the month of Rajab. So, getting ready with some preparation and I have to go for the mosque. I am just taking simple vegetarian food and I have no chance to have a well-build body like other men anymore, haha. I think I am older than my age now because of the environment makes me to be so. Feel like 40 years old by now. I do not feel interested at all when listening to people talking about developed countries, setting up business and being rich or etc. If all of the people are busy with those matters, who'll be His full-time servant? Many people also talk about doomsday, but what are their preparations other than pasting hadiths about black flags or panji hitam just to claim that their race will be the champion to conquer the world? Is that black flag is important or the resurrection matters more?

By the way, we take hadith as the second source of the jurisprudence but not to supersede the Glorious Quran. So, the weak hadith about Rajab month or the worship in specific month could still be taken as the encouragement without being associated to the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w speeches because of the weak chain. I am still fasting but every Monday and Thursday. Sometimes, like David the prophet.

Try not be to extreme in opinion or even acts of worship. Just stay in the middle path. I am going to continue after the "Isha service, insha Allah.

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! 

Ya Tawwab

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This is actually a supplication or a prayer... The written version that I have here is slightly different but some parts are still the same... Lazy to write them down, so I just share with brothers and sisters this supplication. Sorry about the background sound.

 

Ya tawwab tubb 'alaynaa... Warhamana wa'ndhur ilaynaa... Dear the Forgiver please grant us the way to return... Have mercy upon us and look at us...

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

If the Doors are Locked

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Long time haven't check this site. I went for a training at the KL Airport Services Sdn. Bhd. for two weeks before resigning because I found that I have problem with the security pass. It is quite complicated because I worked in the airport in 2005 and I quit from the service with the department there without returning my security pass to the security department. I just sent everything including the security pass to my employer at the Malaysian Airport Berhad building.  They did not help me but maybe dumping everything because they do not like our colleagues. Let me explain clearly so everyone know what happened in 2005-2006 at some department in KLIA. Well, not only some but from every departments, haha...

I was a Mandarin Chinese translator and interpreter before being a student in the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) as respected brothers and sisters had seen in few posts earlier. Most of my colleagues which formed the group of translators there were of Chinese descent and they are non-Muslims. Only I am a Muslim and a "non-Chinese" ethnic in the group but because I did not mingle with those officers so they assumed that I am a Chinese and a non-Muslim.  Well, actually tried to talk with them but they seem like cocky so I just stay in the boundary that I had.

I always think it is weird for people to think that I look like a Chinese. I am more to a Central Asian in my appearance than to Oriental looking. I also speak in Northern Malay dialect fluently and Southern Thai language. Even I know how to curse people in both of the languages, hehe. That is the specialty of people who are born in the Northern Malayan states. 

When we finished our term, those silly workers in the department were so happy because they were afraid that we would be competing with them if we filled the SPA8 form to be permanent worker. For me, I have the STPM (A-Level) certificate which would elevate me to higher office if I apply for the permanent position. One of my colleague, Mr. Saw applied for the permanent position but at that time he was 24 years old and already with a Business Management degree from the Universiti Malaya. He was elevated to the M34 position in government service and sent to the federal territory office. Lucky him, haha... I did not know that I could still continue my study even when working as a government officer so I accepted the offer to further for a bachelor degree in humanity department at the school of translation and interpretation in the Universiti Sains Malaysia. Mr. Saw had tried to persuade me to be a co-partner with him but I was not smart enough at that time. I thought that education matters since I had seen those O-Level "officers" behave like immature little kids. Well, yeah they joined the department just after schooling times because their parents work there. Kabel banyak dema itu, so they could secure a job... Tanya sana itu saya punya bapa, tanya sini itu saya punya mak cik, hehe...

Back to the quitting job story, I was kicked to several places just because of the security pass issue. The old office that housed me as their employer said that the administration system there was changed few years ago and the old chief is now retired. I would have to go to the federal territory and asking for the letter of resignation because I left the department without any resignation letter. Well, I did not know about that. I was 19 years old at that time. Nobody gives me any training about the job and my rights as an employee. It is not easy to go though all the bureaucracy in the Ministry of Home Affairs so I just wrote the letter of resignation and apologized to the company for their willingness to hire me though for only two weeks and without any payment. Maybe I am not lucky, that's all. Just after I quit I was so depressed because I think that I can not move on with life like this. My father is still there, a paralyzed stroke person could be in that condition for several years to go. It is painful not only to him but also to those besides him, i.e me and my mother. I also have to sacrifice myself though I am a male who supposed to go to work and maintaining the family. 

Owh yeah, before I went to the job offer as the Customer Service Agent at the airport services office, I applied for steward job in a hotel and was called for interview but my elder sister said that it is too low for me. Washing the dishes is not suitable to an undergraduate. Then, what should I do? I actually did not care about that because I simply wanted to maintain a "healthy life". Being jobless actually is not healthy because we have no mobility and it is almost no different to those in the dark alley looking for some money to move on. When we do not go to work, many people say things to us because they do not analyze the factors that make an undergraduate have got no job. Sometimes, it depends on our luck too and nobody wants to know the reasons when we are interviewed because they just wanted to know whether we are useful for the company or not. They should not boast to people simply because they have secured a job and talking like there is no Supreme Lord or the God. 

One of my acquaintance had tried to help me in term of financial but I refused. I just told him to make some donation around or to anyone that he see supposed to be helped and just imagine that he is donating to me. Right now, I am jobless again and trying to study Usuluddin, Sharia, Arabic and Persian with materials that I already have. Besides I am also learning the tenets of Shi'a Muslim belief and practices but not because I am interested to be a Shi'a Muslim. I am a very loyal Sunnah Muslim and a proud Hashemite where I keep the dignity of our larger clan for prophet Muhammad s.a.w as our earthly leader.

It is simply as a sign of good will to them as a brother in Islam and humanity.  I do not like to entertain the blogs written with hatred posts to others because I believe that Allah the Highest is protecting His Divine Path. It is not the job of human-being to act like a false god. Writing or talking to approve or to disprove others are not the way to unite people. It is just a way to show off and getting attention so that we would be recognized as scholar though people would say, maa'shaAllah... subhanAllah... you're right brother... you're right sister.... This is what has been mentioned in the al-Ghazali's literature known by the title, Ihya' 'Ulumuddin as lying in the name of the God. It is also a breach of Covenant with the God where ones speaking the Name of the God in vanity.

At this time I suppose to walk to the mosque and bringing with me my Quran. I try to memorize the Quran again and afraid that some surats that I had memorized will be erased from my heart. If I can not be a practicing missionary, I could still be a qadhi or a decision-maker. Maybe there would be some silver lining for me in the future only the God knows.

It reminds me to this line of poem by an honorable Yemenite Jewish Rabbi, Maran Shalom Shabazi in Judeo-Babylon Aramaic and Yemenite Arabic though he is a non-Muslim which means: "If the doors of the fortunate is locked to you, but the doors of the Heaven is always open. The Creator reigns Supreme and is higher than the angels and all with His wind will rise"... It means if there is no mercy left in this world, but the Lord is still there observing us....

Maybe I should write again this poem for fun and thank you for viewing. I am sorry if I did not respond to some emails but I appreciate my brothers and sisters love here, hehe : )

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

Litanies in Evening

New Phase

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

How is everyone doing? It has been long that I haven't check this side. To tell the truth, I miss beloved brothers and sisters though I have never seen all of you. I consider that I am in a spiritual circle and communicating with brothers and sisters before the God. Thank you for patiently reading this site. I wish that I could offer sacrifices as offers for brothers and sisters may brothers and sisters enjoy the Love of the God and being protected in this very life and the hereafter.

Beginning this 1st of April 2013, I will officially becoming a staff with the airport services. Again, I am going to be a worker in the airport. I am not trying to be negative but I don't like that place. For this three months to come, I would be on training for the specific job and task in the ground handling division of the services.  The salary offered for me is at the level of O-Level students which is about RM900 or equal to USD 290.93. Well, I consider it as fair for one who has no continuous working record. Just be patient maybe I could work over the time and gain more. I should only make the salary as the tool for me to liberate me from worldly concerns though money is also a worldly thing. 

My father is now paralyzed in his other part of the body too. He could only move his head, his face and his left hand. Poor dad... Sometimes he would be stricken with high fever and shivering all over his body. I have to find the job and accept anything that come across because of financial problem. It is not wise to just collecting tin cans and selling thrashes. I am pretty sure the proper House of Sciences would never accept me since I am over the 25 years old requirement. I can't just be a muballigh but maybe have to opt for a mujtaheed who derives legal edicts through Quranic, Sunnah and the Wisdom of the Ahl Bayt sources. I would have to stress more on Arabic and Persian.

First thing that I need to put into my diary is the necessity to settle down the national loan that I had made in the university for my first degree and to set up a saving for my mother. It is for her safety because I am not sure whether I would be leaving her after two years to serve the Path. For the time-being maybe I need to observe on how I could maintain my lifestyle with regard the worship and sacrifices for Him while working. It is not as easy as studying because I had this experience of working just after my A-Level studies too.

I feel that I made a mistake too when accepting the undergraduate studies offer in the university. I should just repeat the paper for Islamic Legal studies and getting the Quranic memorization iqamat. The linguistic, translation and interpretation studies are just a little part in Islamic Path studies. It's ok, whatever happened has already happened. I need to check on what I could do now in order to fix my mistakes as a human-being who only realizes everything after encountering incidents in life. 

I just photocopied some forms and the contract that I am signing before being passed down to the human resource department. It's not wise to xerox papers in the Tafaz Maju department store cause it is a waste. They charged the paper and the current for the machine while the shop assistant can only speak in Tamil. Maybe he just arrived.  

It is very hard for me to apply for the zakat since our family lineage forbids us from applying it although it is to study the Islamic studies that I wanted to return to very badly because of the sinful feeling for breaking the spiritual chain and the prayers of our elders. Though I am a Hanbali by jurisprudence school in most of my worship acts but the Shafie orthodox jurisprudence based from the al-Umm by Imam Abu Idris al-Shafie is still deeply rooted in ourselves. We only could accept the khums or one fifth of the fund specifically dedicated to the Hashemite clan. This was introduced by Abu Taleb the father of our imam Ali r.a. I am not sure about the zakat system in our country right now whether I could apply it. I checked in every terms of national jurisprudence school but I can't find any mention about khums as stated in al-Umm. I never have any courage to apply it. I tried to tell my family members but they are not aware about this. Other people may not understand us because they are just aware about their selfish needs in this temporary world. I can do nothing because the Power controlling everything only belongs to Him. So, what I could do is just to keep my mouth shut and try to fix everything for myself with prayers to Him may He assist me on my course to return to Him and to repent.    

Whatever it is, I must remember to hold with the wisdom within the right hand, the sunnah within the left hand and the Quran within the heart and soul. Al-Fatehah and salawat for the soul of noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, the Ahl Bayt, the preceding noble prophets, the saints, the faithful servants, myself and for the soul of His creatures hidden and seen may His Mercy-Compassionate Love protecting everyone from the tests of the end of the time.

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

Calm

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I am quite busy right now and just peeping in to see what I have not accomplished here yet. I went to interviews for job too but till now nobody is calling me. I guess, nowadays is harder than the previous days in order to get job. I do not like to hunt and it also includes job! 

Since last week, my father was hit with a heavy fever. This year, he is 65 years old. I do not know whether I should cry or make any expression. He has to be admitted to the hospital since last night and the doctor mentioned that some parts of his internal organ could not absorb nutrients and showing that they're turning into failure. I try to consider that this is a test, but the test is actually very heavy... Of course, I am envious to see people who live their life smoothly. I am still jobless anyway and facing this problem. During this time, I keep reciting prophet stories and their experience being "tormented" in their society... Some of them even being killed in their struggle for e.g Zechariah and his son, John.   

Dear Lord, I wanted to repent to you if I have mistaken... I am just Your tiny weak slave in this universe... Please do not burden me with things that I could not bear please never leave me... I don't care about job anymore. Even, that is just a little plan for me to survive and return to Your course but You're the One who decides then. If I am decreed to die on Your course then I will die as You decree me. Thank you my Lord. I am just longing to have Your Mercy-Compassionate Love! 

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