Sunan for Friday

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

  

Just a sharing about my personal practices during Friday in conjunction to Friday. My understanding about sunan or the sunna, it actually refers to our traditions which are inherited from prophets and the messengers of the God the Highest. Besides the sunan, there are also adabs or manners in practicing the sunan as per the positive ones since the sunan could also refer to the negative ones. I don't know what my ex-roommates during my undergraduate time think about me when I practiced those things. Maybe in terms of angle of views, they seem different from the majority Muslim Malay practices. I am glad Habib Muhammad al-Sagof is helping me to explain the things as he is also one of our people, haha...

Practices during Thursday

Usually the evening before the proper Friday, which is on Thursday, I would begin to clean up the room and lit up fragrances such as sandalwood and frankincense. Then we have recitation of Quran after the Maghrib prayer service as the beginning of the new day is counted at the evening of the previous day or at 'Asr time.

Usually people in my country would recite the surat Yaasin and most who recite the Yaasin in group are the Muslim Malays who follows the Shafi'ie school. I still remember that I also used to do the same where I recited the Yaasin at home with my mother and sisters before 2000 as I began to have problems which made me deciding not to practice any Islamic practices but just performing "philosophical" meditation to clear myself from any influences. That was before I begin to learn Hanbali school when I went for pilgrimage in the Holy Mecca. The practice of hadith recitation was originated from the hadith which means: "Whoever recites the Yaasin on the eve of Friday, he will be forgiven by the morning". The status of the hadith according Ibn Jawzi is fabricated as the source chain of the hadith known as Muhammad bin Zakariya was notorious as a hadith fabricator.

By the way, Ibn Jawzi is a Hanbali scholar just to let brothers and sisters know. So, there shouldn't be any accusation or assumption being related to radical movements. I am not saying reciting Yaasin or any other surat from the glorious Quran as innovation. It is a good habit to recite Quran but there is no clear chain for the hadiths on the "benefits" of reciting surat Yaasin at "certain" time. Sometimes I would also join the group recitation at the mosque in my country to respect others and in my view, it is a good practice. I don't like to be tied to any movement or particular cult just to look different or superior than others. Besides, I hate over-reaction and I love being moderate and modest. It is enough to be a Muslim and the follower of Muhammad s.a.w while for the suggestions of sunna angle in worship, I would be referring to a particular school of jurisprudence. It does not make me eligible to harshly criticize other people practices especially when they are good ones or showing off as if my school of jurisprudence or the scholars of the school I am referring are superior above all other salaf and tabi'in scholars.       

Regarding the fragrant smokes, I tell brothers and sisters that if you live in Arabian Peninsula or in Gulf states, those people are also doing the same for certain event, majlis or festival. I am using the sandalwood in the form of sticks because it is difficult to find the pieces of sandalwood chunks here. It is very expensive and could only be founded in Arab fragrant stores. Maybe people think that I am a Muslim Indian or a Barelwi movement follower or even a Shi'a. I am not an Indian, not a second rated Indian, not a Shi'a Muslim not a Muslim Malay nor a particular sufi views adherent. I am an Arab Diaspora by descent, I love all of bani Hashim members of clan and fiercely an Orthodox Muslim. Day by day, I am trying to return to our heritage in order to protect our identity because we are largely "damaged" by the environment.

Practices during Friday          

1. Before Friday Prayer

Common practices during Friday morning before the prayer service, clipping the nails. Then, anointing myself and head with the olive oil or any oil that could be applied at the skin. Sometimes I would do it before the ghusl or sometimes after the ghusl. After the ghusl, I would apply the perfume all over my body. It is the symbolic that I am going to see the God the Highest and leaving behind the worldly affairs. If brothers and sisters see a Muslim corpse being embalmed, the practice is more or less the same.

Before I walk out, I would also lit up sandalwood or frankincense. However, myrrh and frankincense would be dangerous especially no one was checking on it at the room. Usually I do not like to walk in the crowd to the mosque. I prefer to walk rather than driving or using any vehicle. Especially when going to worship event at the mosque, it is favorable for me to walk and get prepared as early as I can in order to arrive at the mosque before the time. I practiced these as our customs since I was a young child but during the period of 1998-2004 I began to have some confusions regarding myself and some problems with life that made me starting to leave behind the salat services and all of these traditions.

2. At the Mosque     

At the mosque, I would stand at the front line if I am early to perform the two units prayer service to respect the Lord of the mosque before sitting down. Then maybe I would recite the Quran while waiting for the Friday sermon to begin. I don't like to chat nor listening to people talking about worldly affairs in the prayer hall as it is not favorable according to the manner. We can talk about worldly affairs or politics for us to survive, but outside of the prayer hall... Get the hell out of the prayer hall and talk or argue. We do not perform the optional prayer service before the first sermon. We usually would perform it at home, but that is in the case where our houses are closer to the mosque. 

When the sermon begins, we would sit still and try to attentively listen to sermon. We should try to avoid from sleeping or losing focus. Even if the sermon is so boring, try to keep some beneficial points in our mind. Last time, I used to keep the words from the sermon in my notebook once I arrived at my room just to practice whatever is beneficial for me and around. I have a special notebook specifically for Quran, Sunna and Arabic. Anything that I heard, I would keep the words in the form of writings including the source and the preachers' detail if available. Usually I can't wait to return home after the prayer service finish because I wanted to keep the words from the sermon in my notebooks, hehe...

When the imam recites the supplications between two sermons, I usually would just zip my mouth and mentally say my supplications. Sometimes by holding my hands like others, sometimes without holding hands. It is also good to recite an abundant of salawat upon noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, his family members and righteous companions. Or maybe just reciting the salawat Ibrahimi which also includes prophet Ibrahim a.s and his family members together with prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

3. After Friday Service

Just after the Friday prayer service, it would be followed with two units of optional prayer. Sometimes it would be up to 10 units just like the Hanafi school followers. In the evening, just after the 'Asr prayer service I would recite supplications and there are many kinds of supplications ones could recite. Sometimes I would recite supplications before the Maghrib prayer service and followed by the litanies and other supplications after the service which would take me around 10 minutes up to 15 minutes. The day is now, Saturday... Then after Isha' service, if there was roommate in my room which would make me feel uncomfortable to do some night activities or which I think would disturb him.... I would just stay night at the musalla or any mosque that I could reach just after I had my dinner or supper. I would also bring my kitabs and memorize stuffs that I had already learned and understood. They are just simple and compact stuffs as I tried to make everything easy to be practiced. Not only to be memorized or to preach around like an ustad. I would also recite the Quran or memorize the parts of the Quran.

Basic    

These are basic matters that I practiced during Friday or when celebrating Friday as a holy day. There are also personal supplications but I am not mentioning everything in detail together with the hadiths or stuffs as I am trying not to be too technical just to boast around.

Regarding the sunans, there are also adabs or manners when we talk about them to people. We don't simply jump into crowd and acting furious because it would make people upset. They also possess feelings and human-being just like us. Before we jump down to them, perhaps they are with faith. But after we jump in and harshly condemning them simply because we know more about hadith studies than them or because we want to show that scholars of our school had conducted researches, they begin to stay away from Allah 'Azza wa Jalla. So, what is the point? 

There is a thin line between innovations and improvisations. Improvisation means that we improvise with whatever "we already have" to suit the situation or condition. While innovation means we "introduce something new" in an established form of structure or organization where they were not taught before by early figures. Everything that we said to others would then goes back to the "intention" and our "heart". What is the condition of our heart at that time?

Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad... May Allah Ta'ala change evil feelings within our soul into the good ones. May Allah Ta'ala makes us humble and lowly in our own eyes but in His sight, we are His beloved servants. May Allah Ta'ala gives us consistency in worshiping Him and grants us the sakina (tranquility) so we may always be on His path...  

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

Introduction to Our Creed

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Ramadan 1433 H

I am just posting some information about our creed which is known as the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a and the orthodox standard of our creed as compared to the Mu'tazila and Shi'a Muslim creed. Since I am officially of Hanbali school now because I received the kitabs from Saudi da'awa departments when I went for Mecca to "revert" and also perform pilgrimage with my mother who is a loyal Shafi'ie jurisprudence follower. I would like brothers and sisters to know that there were tasawwuf practitioners amongst the orthodox Hanbali jurisprudence adherents and they were not as hostile to other Muslims of difference jurisprudence schools as the Wahhabi movement followers. I am just pasting the standard one and not of my country's definition yet because the majority of my country men are the Shafi'ie jurisprudence followers while some of Indian descent are of Hanafi jurisprudence.

Our country also has Shari'a court in parallel with Civil court. Maybe brothers and sisters in other parts of the world are interested to see the challenges, prospects or opportunities for Shari'a applications in policy and decision-making because it can be observed in parallel or in co-operation with the Civil ones when Muslims live among the non-Muslims. Just to clear the confusion about Sharia as an uncivilized system. It is a divinely revealed system of life and nature. I am sure those who are involved in the legal field would understand this because my lecturer for European law subject and thesis supervisor who was a civil attorney also mentioned about the divine law. She is not religious anyway but a feminist researcher. When I discussed this with a Jew friend, he also mentioned about the same thing based from Ibnu Maimun (Spanish Jew teacher) exegesis of their scriptures regarding the part of Genesis on the Noach covenant with the God and this is passed orally to his children and descents of human-being.  

The explanation about the creed is given by Dr. Sulayman b. Qaasim al-Eid regarding on the meaning of the Sunnah. Sunnah has many meanings. In my personal understanding, the Sunnah generally refers to traditions of prophets and messengers of Allah. Specifically, it refers to the traditions inherited from our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w. So, this is my personal understanding. I am not a teacher as I always strongly emphasize in some of the posts for brothers and sisters to please avoid spreading anything out of here without consulting your "qualified and certified" teachers as I was also a non-Islamic "philosophical" studies student which is not really a beneficial field of study. However, I could detect the origin of some "weird" practices by others through those experiences, hehe. Let us see what is the standard one by academic level of Shari'a studies about the Sunnah. 

Sunnah

Linguistically, the Sunnah refers to clarification, way or road and a normal custom. In Islamic sciences Sunnah has few terminological or technical meanings too for example: 

1. In Fiqh (Jurisprudence), it refers to something preferred or if performed, the person is rewarded but if left, it is not sinful. I guess in jurisprudence, everyone should acknowledge this and why there are differences in schools of jurisprudence is because they follow different kinds or angles of Sunnah which was practiced by people during the Medina period.

2. For Usul al-Fiqh, Sunnah refers to one of the agreed upon portions of proof used in Islamic jurisprudence. There are also two kinds of Sunnah as for example in salat services of worshiping component.           

3. In Hadith, Sunnah means anything which is connected to the prophet Muhammad s.a.w in terms of his statements, actions, his silence and things he accepted because he is our greatest teacher and prophet.

4. In Aqidah (creed), Sunnah refers to matters which opposed innovation. This is the practice of the Hanbalis or the Salaf followers. Regarding on innovations, there are discussions about this and I am sure there would be polemics about certain things such as the special events among those who follows the neo-Salafi movements and the Wahhabi movements or with those who are not attached with any movements but simply identify their selves with Islam and only as the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a. Also conflicts with followers of other schools of jurisprudence because the Hanbali muqallidin actually could not exercise his own legal decision-making unless if he knows at least 5000 traditions. 

Al-Jama'a

What does al-Jama'a means? This noun could be divided into four meanings:

1. Al-Ijtimaa' which means the opposite to separation and a collective assembly.

2. Al-Jama' means the name of a group of people.

3. Al-Ijma'a referring to agreement upon a ruling.

4. Al-Jama'a refers to a large number of people.   

What does Islamic meanings for al-Jama'a?

1. The companions of prophet Muhammad s.a.w.

2. The scholars of guidance.

3. A group upon the truth, without separating.

4. The group of Muslims, the Sawaad al-'Azam.

5. The Muslim rulers and those who they place in charge of the affairs.

6. A group from amongst the people who agreed upon something example the congregation of a mosque.

Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a

Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a in this note refers to:

1. The companions of the prophet Muhammad s.a.w and those who follow them in term of guidance.

2. The specialists and practitioners of hadiths.

3. The people of narrations or athari, usually among the Hanbalis who refuse to interpret anything about the God mentions about Himself from Quranic texts nor trying to fit any philosophical meanings to it if there is no evidence in the Sunnah but simply leaving it just like that and this is used in "debate" by others to accuse the Hanbalis as "imagining" the God resembles His creatures with "mass". In this part, I believe that if the God says that He is as that or as this in the Quran, then it is it! No more interpretation no more long-winding "philosophical" talk whether the God is in form of spirit or mass. He is only the God or Allah. I don't know if I am also in the category of mujassim by having such a believe, lol. I asked some people who accused us about the God with the "mass" and they answered me that the God exists as spirit. I just asked myself is this what the God tells about Himself in the Quran and in the Sunnah? I read what the honorable Sheikh Muhammad Metwalli Sha'arawi wrote in the "Miracle of the Quran" that the God is not framed in the time and in the space. Spirit is still framed within time and space and those of "philosophical" studies were developed from theories which is of no base from our scripture, namely the Quran and the Sunnah of prophet Muhammad s.a.w. How dare these people said things which Allah never ascribe to Himself yet accuse others with what others never imagine about Him...  

4. The righteous predecessors.

5. The saved creed and victorious group of people.     

Rules Regarding the Method of the Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a Understanding the Issues of Creed

1. The Quran and Sunnah is the sources in which to turn back to.

2. Neglecting to enter into rhetoric or philosophy, and being sufficed with the Quran and Sunnah.

a. The Salaf were careful as to only gain beneficial knowledge.

b. The Salaf followers forbid every type of innovation.

c. The Salaf followers wrote refutations against the innovators

3. The Sunnah is a proof, including reports with only one route (khabr ahad).

4. Relying on the understanding of the Companions and those who followed after them.

5. Submission for that which comes from the revelations. While believing it is completely acceptable to the mind (al-'Aql).

6. The negation of putting forward the understanding of innovators, or the mind before the texts.

7. In order to understand the texts, we must look at all the texts. Don't single one out without seeing others to explain it.

8. Understanding the Motashabeh verses with the Mohkam verses. It must come from the Quran itself and not from other works. 

I can't stop listening to simple Surat al-Baqara recitation by Sheikh al-Kaadouli until I did not sleep this whole night, hehe.  I also listened to recitations of Mr. Bousenna Abdel Monaim from St. Etienne Mosque in France. I am envious to see them memorizing the Quran and I only could memorize some parts of it which makes me hate myself. Have a nice week end and wishing brothers and sisters beneficial holy days. We can fast optional fast too before the 10th of Dzulhijja and if we had already substituted the past Ramadan fasting that we had left then it is mustahab to fast. Learn as much as possible the meanings of Qurban in the near coming 'Aidul Adha in order to seek closeness to the God. I am praying for the increasing faith in our heart and may Allah protect us from deviation. Allahumma salli 'alaa Muhammad wa 'alaa aali Muhammad. Walking for the musalla salaat al-Fajr at the first point, alhamdulillah : )  

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

Guidelines for a Muqallid

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

The God the Most Highest ordered: "Ask the knowledgeable people if you don't know." And the people of remembrance or people of knowledge are those who are followed. Whereas the muqallid is not a person of knowledge so he becomes a follower of someone else.

This is what makes me feel not comfortable when people walking behind me or praying behind me and making me an imam though only for a salat service, hehe. I am just a muqallid and my imam also does not like people to walk behind him. I am taking his example on how I behave as a mean to respect my imam as I read everything about all imams and their characters.

Ibnu Abdul Barr (d.463) and others mentioned: "The people are united in the ijma' that the muqallid is not counted as being from the people of knowledge. The knowledge is the realization of guidance along with its proof."   

Ibnu Qayyim mentions: "And it is as Abu Umar bin Abdul Barr said - Indeed the people do not differ about the fact that knowledge is the realization attained from proof but without proof, it only becomes a taqleed."

Sayings on the Permissibility of Issuing the Fatawa Based upon Taqleed

Ibnu Qayyim stated that there are three sayings about this:

I. It isn't permissible to issue a fatawa or guidelines based upon taqleed since it is not in category of knowledge. Issuing a fatawa without a knowledge about particular field, issue, and sciences of divine law is forbidden and haram! So, based from this, people could judge on the level of knowledge possessed by 'clerics' in Pakistan, Bangladesh or India's rural village when they issued ridiculous fatawas or guidelines like poking people's eyes, raping women for crime committed by men and etc which Western medias always put into highlight when talking about Shari'a Islamiah or the Way of Nature. This one is from the saying by most of Hanbali scholars and majority of Shafi'ie scholars.

II. It is permissible for a cleric to issue guidelines with regards to himself, but it is not permissible to issue fatawa to others based upon taqleed.

III. It is permissible to issue fatawa based upon taqleed when there is a need for it and when there is no mujtahid scholar. Mujtahid scholar refers to scholars who do researches based on his knowledge on particular sciences of the path. This is the most correct of the sayings and is what is acted upon. 

Sheikh Albanee says that hadith is a proof in itself after mentioning the statements of the imams on taqleed as found in the introduction of "The Prophet's Prayer Described" where it has a heading "Taqleed for whoever Can't Search for the Evidence for Himself" in page 94.

Some may question: "Not all of the people are able to be the people of knowledge as what has been explained." The answer of Hanbali scholars is yes, indeed. Nobody has any doubt on this fact but Allah has mentioned in Surah an-Nahl verse 63: "So ask the people of knowledge if you don't know!" The same verse also appears in Surah al-Furqan verse 59.

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w mentions: "For those who issued fatawa without knowledge, why don't they ask if they don't know? The cure for those in confusion is to ask!" However, the scholars did not mention all of the above evidence to show who is eligible or not eligible to be a scholar. Their research is with regards to those who are considered to be the people of knowledge in their society. Taqleed is upon the common person and ignorant one. Scholars who can and able to search for the evidence are excluded from being a muqallid. The responsibility of a scholar is not to do taqleed because their responsibility is to perform ijitihad.   

The saying of Ibnu Abdul Barr explains further that: "All the rules are for common folk, they are those who have to perform taqleed on their scholars whenever necessary. They are incapable to understand or comprehend evidence or sciences. Sciences has grades where one cannot attain the top most grade unless if he goes up through the basis. Scholars don't differ in the matter of common folk having to follow their scholars."

Sheikh Muhammad Uthaimeen who wrote the article believes that it is not correct to generalize common folk by saying that all of them must perform taqleed. Taqleed only happens when a person follows a scholar if he has no access to evidence or could not search for the evidence. Many people are smart enough as they could clearly understand evidence if it is presented to them. For example, we can't deny that a common person could also understand evidence contained in the hadith: "Tayammum is one strike (of the hands on the dust) for the face and hands". People who are lacking of intelligence could also understand the hadith.

The conclusion from the article is that, taqleed is allowed for who ever that could not search for or understand the evidence from sciences of the path. Ibnu Qayyim also hold this opinion. In certain times, scholars would also have to depend on taqleed where they could not find any document and text from the sunnah except which came from the knowledgeable scholars.

The God knows more than His creatures...

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

Hanbali Madzhab and Theology

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah!

I mingled with few Tabligh kids before the disconnection. Well, I guess permanently disconnecting from everyone here in my hostel. I also observed their activities and some of them tried to befriend me last semester although later I felt that I was lied by them in term of friendship that they brought me in since I think that they are trying to leave their legacy here through me by converting me or other students. That's not sincerity and not an attitude of a good friend.

I can't be apart of their movement because I am already attached to Imam Ahmad and other Hanbali madzhab syeikhs in term of methodology. However I am not following anything blindly. I must check everything. I was supplied with kitabs by the government of Saudi Arabia when I was in Holy Mecca. They allowed me to bring them back with me. Now, I have a question. Am I a Wahhabi if I am following Hanbali madzhab? I do not oppose any tariqah and I noticed that my ancestors were also people of tariqah. I was accused by family members as a traitor sometimes because I betrayed our ancestral madzhab.

However the people of tariqah in Malaysia are not of Hanbali madzhab but of Shafi'ie madzhab and this madzhab is a madzhab prominent in Yemen, some part of Egypt, southern Iran, and some part of Palestinian territory. It is also prominent in Malaysia because the Hadramis of Yemen and Southern Persians had brought it here in ancient time through da'awa with Sufism framework. I still respect this madzhab especially the honorable Imam Shafi'ie may Allah be merciful to him, and I always remember the poem of Imam Shafi'ie about a person who lament that he does not deserve the Firdaus (a paradise), but he could not also bear the torment of gahannam.

Ya Allah, the paradise name is also the name of the guy who had made me feel sad and I used to love listening to his Quran recitation while praying as a ma'mum. His voice sometimes reminds me to the voice Tamer Hosny. Well, not the music thingy but the sound of the voice. I love to listen to Tamer Hosny and he also sings Egyptian patriotic songs and other religious songs. My Arabic too sounds more inclined to Egyptian dialect because of Egyptian media influence though I always thought that it sounds more Levant and I hate Egyptian accent of formal speech. I wanted to speak in Classical Arabic, not dialectical Arabic : ( It is not his fault nor anyone anyway, perhaps misunderstanding but I had already said goodbye so I must hold my word. I could never blame nor be angry to my brothers and sisters. I love all of you no matter what your madzhab, racial background and movement is as long as we are in the same boat, loving Him and prophet Muhammad s.a.w with all of our heart.

I had read few blogs where people are accusing some Hanbalis as the mujassimah in term of theology. Mujassimah means people who characterize the God to human likeness. I do not know and not sure which Hanbaliah are these people but when I read Hanbaliah kitabs, I never come across this notion that the God is sitting on the Throne like mortal king or anything like what is characterized in Judeo-Christian portrayal of the God in paintings. Are all Hanbalis considered by people around the world as Wahhabis? As a Muslim of Hanbali methodology, I am way more tolerant than my compatriots who claims themselves as following Shafi'ie methods and I visit churches, temples, and other places without restricting myself. If I am a Wahhabi, I suppose to be violent to all of these institutions but usually I talked in a polite manner with non-Muslims portraying morality of prophet Muhammad s.a.w as what had been prescribed in Quran and Sunnah. I do not have any problem with Shi'ites, perhaps they might also hate me like other sunnis hate them but I do not consider them as different from me. I also learned about them because I am tired of baseless enmity. 

I am also supporting tariqas and heart purification but I oppose praying for intercession through the dead and dead walis. Only for me, heart purification must be based from Quran and Sunnah tradition. I am also visiting maternal grandparents graveyard. I love them both and I feel guilty to them especially to late grandpa since I didn't treat him well before he passed away. I even dreamed about him during Ramadan of my first degree third year. May Allah forgives my grandparents sins and grant them mercy and love while waiting the Time with patience. I believe that I must strictly memorize and practice the Quran. I had read in some sites written in Malay too that others who are not following Shafi'ie methodology or opposing certain tariqa would be called names as Wahhabi, Shi'ite, Jews agent or perhaps infidels? I was like, what the... Astaghfirullahal 'adzeem (I seek forgiveness from the God the Greatest).

I believe it happens when we are restrictive to ourselves and most of all we are actually ignorant. We call people this and that, calling names to others, but inside ourselves? Empty ~ Beside listening to others about certain news, we also need to certify and check it through our 'own consideration,' of course with prayers and supplications to Allah 'Azza wa Jalla for His guidance. Allah already gave us everything we need for consideration including Quran, Sunnah, and logic and it is our fault for leaving them behind and not even bother to use them. Why we accuse people for our own carelessness? Many people accuse Hanbalis as radicals when we talk, but we had forgotten about Sayyid Abdul Qadir Jailani when he was also accused because of his words couldn't be understood by people.    

If talking about Creed, first as a Muslim without looking at what is my madzhab, I believe in Allah as my Salvator, my Companion, my Entertainer, my Sustainer and He is everything for me. None other than Him! Nobody helps me in this world, except Allah 'Azza wa Jalla. Everything which I virtually see as helping me are just asbabs (reasons) hiding His glorious help and assistance behind it. Ibrahim a.s also prayed to the God when he was burned by Nimrod and he told an angel to go away while the angel coming to save him from enormous pyre. He only beg Allah to save him. When people look to me as a weird person walking alone, sitting alone at canteen or restaurant, or going to class alone and proudly asking me questions just to show how many friends they have, I would just like to answer them: "my God is my Companion." I don't need you who ask me or coming to me to be my friend simply because you see me alone. No need for sympathy. My Lord is not selfish and He never hurt my heart. He is kind to me and He loves me, that's why He tests me with all of you. My friendship and trust is only with Him, only for Him.

Regarding how Allah looks like? I believe that Allah 'Azza wa Jalla does not look like anything in this universe. He is beyond imagination. Even it is a sin to put metaphorical meaning on what He describes about Himself in the Quran. In simple word in plain speech, say the God says something like... His right Hand... It is just His right Hand. Don't speculate anything on it. Don't go far to interprete it nor placing any metaphorical meaning to it. Leave it just like that. How does the God's Hand look like? Like human hands? T-Rex hands? We don't know and our physical eyes are blinded by this world. We do not want to speculate about this subject matter. It is a waste of time and not our right to describe anything about it except for what He describes about Himself. 

I know about Ash'ari and Maturidi theology. Ash'ari is prominent among Shafi'ies while Maturidi is prominent among Hanafis. Hanbali creed forbids to dwell in kalam (speech game). It is the heritage of the Greeks and in Iraq, Nestorian Christians are the master of this branch of knowledge. In history, Christian fellows in Roman empire had also involved in kalam when they encountered Greek polytheists and now we could see the result of kalam in Christian's theology and doctrine. I am not talking about the ancient Church Councils but it is more than that.

People who are involved in kalam are people who love to debate and argue. I do not like to argue nor debate too. I love to keep my silence and only talk when it is important. Usually I act more than talking. I see that Westerners and people who are influenced by Western Education love to debate and talk much than doing work. They theorize so much and it makes my head dizzy learning about their stupid politics matter. Well, it's apart my own fault too. Who asked me to gatal tangan ticking the course. They love to talk than doing works, bunch of egos. My sister who worked in Saudi Arabia also said the same. Those Americans and Europeans working with her love talk so much but do less job. "They talk and talk and without we realize they are demanding us to do their job," said sister. However, they are given higher wages due to their passport and country position in the world hierarchy and perhaps level or standard of education which are all made by human. It's not special to the KSA, but also to other countries in the world. I'm not surprised at all with this phenomena. We think that we are inferior while others think that they are superior. Perhaps they need to learn Imam al-Ghazali books too. While those who feel inferior to Europeans because thinking that some ego Europeans are modern should apply them to be their rulers and give away their house to them. They should go and live on the tree because they are not European. 

I believe other imams also have the same opinion as Imam Ahmad. I also read this book entitled I'tiqaadul A-immatul 'Arbe'ah or the Creed of the Four Imams edited by Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman al-Khumais published by the Department of Religious, Waqaf and Da'awa Affairs of Saudi Arabia.  It talks about all of the honorable Imams regarding their creed.

I also read something about Three Interrelated Tawheed. I do not know how to translate that but it is Ibnu Taimiyyah methodology to understand the theology in which he divides it to Uluhiyyah (Divinity), Rubbubiyah (Lordship), and Asmaa' wa Sifaat (Names and Characteristics). There are reasons for ulamas to act and in their view according to situation at that time. We have to consider why they were taking certain measures?

I had also managed to read again the First Part of a Tawheed book in this solitary period. It was a basic book when I was in i'idadi level in the madrasah where I fought my dorm mate and hated people around called the Tawdheeh al-'Aqidatul Mufeed Fee 'Ilmut-Tawheed (Useful Explanation of the Creed in the Knowledge of the Creed) by the late of Hussain Abdul Raheem Makki, the Ulama of Tawheed and Mantiq and edited by Musa Ahmad al-Baad, the Teacher in the Usool Fiqh of the Hanafi Madzhab in the Shari'ah department of al-Azhar. It also talks about the 20 Specific Characteristics of the God. 

Last time, I supposed to memorize the book according to class syllabus but what to say, I didn't understand what happened around me so I memorized more Buddhism teachings compared to Islamic books. Luckily I didn't burn nor dump those Islamic books in my room just after I finished my studies during my confusion time. I am memorizing it again and asking teachers the explanation too. A very interesting and simple book. I think everyone should also read them and asking their teachers to provide them. 

Regarding Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. His movement is just like the movement of Tabligh-e-Jama'at but only in different continent and of different fiqh madzhab. Tabligh-e-Jamaat is mostly influenced by Hanafi madzhab as I saw many Malay compatriots are imitating their Pakistanis and Bangladeshis brothers' method of salat but at certain part they are in Shafi'ie method like during sitting at tashahud aakhir posture. I am not supporting violence but I think that many things should be cleared up in order to gain peace. 

I have trilingual materials about his basic book in Arabic, Malay, and English with me. In English it is called as the Three Principles. I do not regard his books or teachings as an authority because the authority is only Quran and Sunnah. Other than that are just guides according to his view. Teachers are only people who provide guidelines from what they learned to others so no need to be ta'assub (fanatics) on certain methods, groups or teachers. His book on Three Principles basically talks about:

1. the knowledge about Allah which includes the awareness about His prophet, Muhammad s.a.w, and the awareness about Islam based from daleel (evidence) from Quran and Sunnah.

2. acting and practicing the knowledge in daily life.

3. calling to it through da'awa.    

4. patience due to harm befalls due to da'awa.       

I wonder why people call people who are said as his followers or fanatics as Wahhabi and not Muhammadi? His name is Muhammad and not Abdul Wahhab. That is his father and his father was a modest person. Regarding salafi, I personally thought that all of four imams are salafus-saaleh. They are all people of sunnah. I wonder why only Hanbalis are called as salafis? And it is also accused as the reason for Europeans feeling threatened by Pakistani, Middle East, and Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants in their territory. 

Hurmmm... Human are all the same. No matter how they think about themselves or about others. They just reflect each other, but only in different titles or topics. Whatever evil attributions they gave to others, they also possess that. It's raining now, supplications time, insyaallah.     

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