Tribute to Kedah: State's Office Secretary 1900

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

The exact date of the term "State Secretary" being first used in Kedah is not so clear. Some administrator figure of Kedah such as Che Muhammad 'Ariffin bin Muhammad Arshad had already being given this title and assuming this position since the 3rd of Shawwal 1323 (3rd October 1905). It is also used in official letters for state office for example in State Secretary's official letter in 17 Dzulhijjah 1323 (12 February 1906) (Malay is still written in Classical Arabic writing and our state was using Hijrah calender, not like today):

"The letter to Che Muhammad 'Ariffin Secretary to Che Awang 'Othman in Penang regarding the matter of marble purchasing which will be used at the Sultan's residence". 

In the same time, Che Muhammad 'Ariffin also used to write his position as "Sultan's Secretary". This could be seen in the notes of State's Meeting Council which enlisted the attendance of the Council's members each time the meeting was conducted. He wrote his position such as: "Secretary of His Highness Sultan." In this matter, it could be seen that Mr. Muhammad 'Ariffin was the secretary of the state and the secretary of the Sultan.

In the Kedah administration hierarchy since before the World War II, the highest of the structure was our Sultan. The State's Secretary was the highest administration officer in this Malay country. Before 1921, the Kedah Civil Service was not yet in existence and the administration officers were known as Malay Civil Service. The head of the administrators were known as Kepala Pekerjaan or Ketuha Pekerjaan. Both of these terms mean Chief of the Job. Notice that they still used Proto-Malay word, which is ketuha (chief).

Referring to the Annual Report of 1937, there were about 61 servants in the Kedah Civil Service with 21 cadets. The office of the State's Secretary began in the Balai Besar or Grand Hall just like the office of State's Office Council. In 1911, it was shifted to one level building which was build with woods located in the Middle Fort Palace Complex beside today's State's Building.       

Besides Secretariat, other name for the State's Secretary Office usually known by the public as Opis Dalam. It means internal office in English, hahaha. It does not mean that the office is inside the palace complex or in the palace but it refers to the function and the role of the office in handling our state's internal affairs. 

In 1348 (1929), the office was again shifted to the two levels house made with bricks. It exists until now. This building is located close to the earlier office which was later being demolished. When Japanese Imperial Army invading our state/country around December 1941, the army regime administration was then introduced by Mayor General Sukigawa Seiji who assumed the position of Governor and K. Shiba as his adviser. They made the State's Secretary Office as their head quarter. So, Arabs in Kedah had also experienced being invaded by Japanese. I wonder what will happen if Japanese managed to invade Middle East jah? Maybe Middle Easterners could also learn some Bushido or Shindo or bowing to the East to Tenno Heika, LOL.       

In 18th October 1943, the official ceremony to return the power on Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu by Japanese to Thai empire happened in Alor Setar which is our capital until now. Thai General Governor who was responsible in the affairs of these four Malay states/countries was Khun Rongchart while the Governor of Kedah was Khun Pramod Chongchareum. Both of them used the same office used by the Japanese as their head quarter until the end of the Thai empire administration in September 1945. Haji Muhammad Shariff 'Othman was maintained as the Kedah State's Secretary while the Thai Governor for Kedah acted as the adviser for him.

We learned a subject known as Pengajian Am (General Knowledge) when we were in Form Six which was the highest academic level for high school and it took us two years for any subject that we choose. The subject deals with our country's judicial system, administration and decision-making. Basically, we think differently from people who consider a political party is the same as government because it is different, lol. For history, I think students before my time could choose to study history such as South East Asia, Islamic Civilization and etc. I found few books of my elder sisters and I saw that they also learned about Thailand and other South East Asian countries like the Philippines and Vietnam. Quite interesting. Not many people today understand regional history in Malaysia. We were not simply a country but previously nation-states. The model of political and in Malaysia is exactly the model of colonial British. We said British this and that. But I think we actually love them, hahaha. Thank you Great Britain : )    

Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace and love amin!

How Policies are Made in EU I

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

State House, Malacca

Try to compare everything with Shariah Islamiah which is our Way of Life. Compare with our own countries and look at how those politicians behave no matter at the coalition or alternative side. As an ex-religious studies student, I urge that the Qadis (Jurists), Muftis and fellow pure religious studies students to begin looking at these matters seriously! The end is very close but we are not certain when, only He knows. We are currently in Economy Crisis and check what happened in the Europe which also dragged the World into a series of world wars. His Mercy must be exercised dear beloved brothers and sisters! 

Don't just wait, act now and the initial step is to understand what are those Westerners think through their own framework! It does not mean that we abandon our Lord when we study them. It is a precaution to avoid from disasters from human faults. Establish the study for these in your institutions. I am actually begging brothers and sisters on my knees. I don't care if people are listening or not. I do this because I love my brethren, may everyone be blessed!

We also have decision-making process which is divinely and naturally revealed by the God while the ones that we are holding and practicing right now are from human being who have to think hard and boasting around (they are spiritually and morally empty). We had already learned that human could also receive inspiration from the God if not the Revelation like prophets or messengers of the God. But inspiration is not as equal as Revelation.

For Muslims, we have the Quran and Sunnah which should be the basis of our constitutions as they are natural but we refused them for man-made ideologies. We create terms which is not natural to explain certain theories and matters that happened. Choice is with us, not on others. I will be lying to say that I don't care. I am disappointed and sad with people who call themselves Muslim but they are skeptical with the Revelation which is the basis of our faith to Him. Changes does not come in a day, but it comes gradually. Its principles are the same with the principles of exercising the Guidance of the Lord which is His Mercy. I wish this benefit my beloved brothers and sisters, it's not easy to jot down all these notes from the source. I'm just performing a qurbana (sacrifice) for brethren of nations, may everyone receive His Love.

Introduction

Complexity in Policy-Making Process

Policy making process is the most complicated process in the European Union (EU). There are several reasons on why it is complicated: 

1. EU is both a supranational and intergovernmental body.

2. It has to use different ways in policy-making.

3. There are sets of factors involved in policy-making (Nugent, 2006)

    

a. those involved in EU institutions.

b. those involved in the policy-making are governments and EU member states.

c. those involved with Euro currency and national interests. 

4. Considerations on the levels of actors' motivations for participation:

    

a. circumstances and possession of legal or political power. 

b. different set of actors have different level of power.

c. these different actors at different level of power has overlapping influence and crosses between tiers.

d. level of priority given to particular issue and consequences of involvement.

e. level of power resources at disposal of actor.

5. Channels of participation also contribute to complexity in decision-making:

a. channels for decisions vary in the levels of their complexity and exhaustiveness.

b. some channels are easy and straightforward, others have multiple actors competing to determine outcomes.

c. multilevel governance - differences in relative importance of EU, member states, sub-national levels and between linkages between different levels, this could also be linked to immigration policy.

d. level of security involved, it depends on level of forums they've conducted e.g at ministerial level, heads of states, council, COREPER, committees, or working groups.

e. level of formality and structure involved whether the process takes place within the Council, European plenary sessions or joint European Parliament (EP) and European Council delegation meetings.   

Part I done... Try also read materials in Europa about Decision-Making Procedures.

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

History: Islam and Eastern Europe

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

 Tunka Valley, Siberia

Media always trying to blacken others and I don't know what is the benefit of making people around the world scratching each other faces because of the difference in religion or values and demanding people to leave behind their religion. As for me, I don't care if my neighbor is a Christian, a Jew, or even a Hindu or a Zoroastrian. They can live all they want as long as they respect the normal convention of civilized human-being and practicing morality code preached in scriptures of their faith. I was myself a Buddhist and I live and sustained by my parents who are Muslims.

Some "Muslims" traditions practiced by certain nations are not in accordance to the Glorious Quran and also prophetic tradition. And those things intentionally or unintentionally were brought into the media as representing Islam. Some people might say Islam is making the people radical because it changes people so radically and they can't go for their hedonism culture anymore. Islam must be uprooted because they hate Islam (the God). The person who said that kind of thing actually has no soul inside himself. He is just an empty clay. He doesn't really hate anyone but himself, he does not understand himself nor environment around him : )

As far as I am being a Muslim now, I never act a barbarian but trying to behave as a human-being. My sisters have access to jobs, education and they can go out hanging out with friends. I even had scolded my little sister for not studying well and forcing her to sit for exams when she fails for her own sake but she refused. I can do nothing about that. In the early times, my sisters never wear hijab. They wear hijab because of their own decision and I as their brother never hit them nor do my dad forcing them to cover themselves up. We believe in personal decision and consideration based from knowledge and revelation.

We understood ourselves as human-being and not an angel nor demon. Islam is the religion of the meek who is always being tyrannized by others. In the beginning I thought that I do not want to continue this blog anymore. I was extremely bored at the beginning that made me open up this blog but some brothers in faith had advised me to keep it on so I just keep it on. I think it would also be beneficial if I share anything that I have including my notes so it would be kept as documented records before saying goodbye to the world. Now let us begin in general with its historical part. 

Early History

According to what we read in Wikipedia, Islam came in contact with Europe in different ways, and it is also through conquest. So, the conquest part is always being highlighted and magnified by war-monger Western world who now proclaim themselves as peaceful like they never wage any war before. The new research has discovered a Boszormeny Muslim community in 12th century Hungary. They were Muslim merchants who conducted trade with Asia over Silk Road. These people were Ismaili Shi'ite Muslim. These people were forced into Christianity after the establishment of Hungarian Kingdom. There are also significant Muslim community of Lipka Tatars who lived throughout Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. They hold their prayer services in wooden masjids and playing key role in the history of Poland and Lithuania.

Eastern Roman Empire

Muslim Arabs fought the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire soon after the re-establishment of Islam. They took hold the provinces of Roman empire colony in the East for example in Syria, Armenia, Egypt, and North African. Later, Constantinople was besieged twice. Once in the blockade between 674 and 678. Once again between 717 and 718. Byzantine Empire managed to successfully defend Constantinople and were able to control much of Anatolia areas again. It blocks the expansion of the caliphate toward Eastern Europe.

The armies of Umayyad caliphate also conquered much of Kavkas (Caucasus) which were inhabited by Turkic speaking Khazars during the Khazar Arab Wars. However, the instability in Umayyad caliphate made permanent occupation impossible. The Umayyad armies withdrew and leave Khazar. So, the contact with Islamic civilization in Eastern Europe was shut down for some time. What I learned in European Union studies, Eastern Europe is not so peaceful even without Islam in it. The people are nationalistic and racist among each other. 

Around 824, Byzantine Crete fell to Umayyad caliphate under the amir of Cordoba who was al-Hakam Ibnu Hisham Ibnu Abd al-Rahman. In 960, Nikephorus Phokas reconquered the island. 

European Russia

In the early of 10th century, in the part of European Russia today, the Volga Bulgarian under Almush accepted Islam and established it as their state religion. Ibnu Fadlan was sent by the Abbasid caliph, al-Muqtadir in 922-923 to establish diplomatic relations and bring Qadis (jurists) and teachers of Islamic jurisprudence to Volga Bulgaria as well as to help them build a fort and a masjid. The first Christian rulers of Russia was Olga and her grandson, Vladimir. Olga was baptized into Orthodox Christianity around 957 while her grandson was baptized in 988. Therefore, Islam acquired a state religion status earlier than Christianity in European part of Russia. 

I think I had borrowed brother in law's fictional novel called Eaters of the Dead about Ibnu Fadlan journey who traveled with a group of Vikings to their settlements in Europe from Iraq in 10th century. It is based from an old manuscript and rewritten by an American writer, Michael Chrichton. I found it quite interesting so I juts grab the book without asking permission and at that time I read it, I was a Buddhist boy in disguise. Brother in law was not yet married to elder sister.

The accounts of Ibnu Fadlan says that there were trade connections between Muslims and Rus, who were the Vikings who made their way East towards current day Russia. On his way to Volga Bulgaria, Ibnu Fadlan brought a detailed report about the Rus, and it also claims that some of them had embraced Islam. Ibnu Fadlan account mentions that: "The Rus are very fond of pork and many of them who have assumed the path of Islam miss pork very much." The Rus also relished their nabidz (fermented drink) where Ibnu Fadlan says that it is apart of their daily fare.

The Golden Horde or Turkic speaking Mongol began its conquest of present day Russia and Ukraine in 13th century. Despite that they were non-Muslim at that time, but western Mongols had adopted Islam as their state religion in the late of 13th century. More than half of the European portion of Russia and Ukraine were under suzerainty of Muslim tatars and Muslim Turks from 13-15th century. The Crimean Khanate became a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire in 1475. Ottoman Empire had also subjugated the Great Horde in 1502. The Khanate of Kazan was conquered by Ivan Vasilyevich in 1552. It makes Russia an empire because Russia had also conquered Astrakhan Khanate and the Khanate of Sibir (Siberia).

Balkans in Ottoman Period

Ottoman Empire began its expansion into Europe by getting the European portions of Byzantine Empire in 14-15th century. It captures the metropolis of Constantinople in 1453 and establishing Islam as its state religion. The Ottoman Empire continued to stretch outward and thrusting Hungary in 16th century. It reached Podolia in the mid of 17th century through the Peace of Buczazcz by which time most of Eastern Europe was under Ottoman control.

Ottoman expansion in Europe ended with their defeat in the Great Turkish War. In the Treaty of Karlowitz (1699), the Ottoman Empire lost most of its conquests in Central Europe. The Crimean Khanate was later annexed by Russia in 1783. Over the centuries, the Ottoman Empire gradually lost almost all of its European territories, until its collapes in 1922 when the former empire was transformed into a nation-state called Jumhuriyyah Turkiyyah (the Republic of Turkey).

Between 1354-1526, the Ottoman Empire conquered the territory of present day Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Hungary. The Ottoman had crossed into Europe at Gallipolli to get there. The Empire laid siege to Vienna in 1683. The intervention of the Polish King broke the siege, and from then afterwards the Ottomans battled the Habsburg Emperors until 1699. When the Treaty of Karlowitz forced them to surrender Hungary, Croatia, and portions of present day Slovenia and Serbia. From 1699 to 1913, wars and insurrections pushed the Ottoman Empire further back until it reached the current European border of present-day Turkey.

For most of this period, Ottoman retreats were accompanied by Muslim refugees from these provinces. Those refugees most of all were the previous subjects of local population who embraced Islam. Only some remnants living in Hungary, Croatia, and Transylvania region of present day Romania, Bulgaria remained under Ottoman empire until 1878. The census of 2001 shows that the population includes about 131,000 Muslims (Pomak, 2001).

Bosnia 

I am not a fan of blue-eyed Caucasians but just posting about Eastern Europe Muslim. I think around 1990s during the Balkan war many Bosnians were also sheltered in Malaysia and some of them were adopted by local families. Muslim could be of any appearance and color like black, yellow, red, blue or white. Bosnia was included into Ottoman empire in 1463. The large population of Bosnia embraced Islam in the first 200 years of Ottoman Empire ruling.

By the time Austria-Hungary occupied Bosnia in 1878, the Habsburgs had shed the desire to re-Christianize new provinces. As a result, a sizable Muslim population in Bosnia survived into the 20th century. Albania and the Kosovo area remained under Ottoman rule until 1913. Previous to the Ottoman conquest, the northern Albanians were Roman Catholics while southern Albanian were Orthodox Christians. By 1913, the majority of Albanians were Muslim.

Apart of the effect from a lengthy period under Ottoman rule, many of subject population embraced Islam as a result of deliberate move by the Ottomans as apart of a policy in ensuring loyalty of the population to the empire and avoiding Venetian invasion. However, Thomas Walker Arnold mentions in his book The preaching of Islam: a history of the propagation of the Muslim faith that Islam was not spread by force in the areas under the rule of Ottoman sultanate. Arnold explains the way on how Islam was embraced by Eastern Europeans through the quote a 17th century author who states that:

"Meanwhile he (the Turk) wins (over those who embraced Islam) by craft more than by force, and snatches away Christ by fraud out of the hearts of men. For the Turk, it is true, at the present time compels no country by violence to apostatise; but he uses other means whereby imperceptibly he roots out Christianity..."

The quote was taken from a Christian so the wordings is also according to what he understood from his view on his religion which is Christianity. However, it shows that nobody force nobody to accept Islam in Ottoman Empire period. Even if I found my friends who wanted to be converted to Christianity, I would myself help him or her to access the church of his or her choice because there is of no use if the faith is not in the heart though there is knowledge with him or her. In this matter we talk about the soul too : ) 

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