Uniqueness of Mind

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

The God the Highest mentions for many times as recorded in the Glorious Quran as the word "mind" occurs for almost 50 times. It shows on the higher position of mind and how noble it is. Says the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w in a hadith:

"The first thing created by the God is the mind and He commanded him to come, so do it comes. Then the God commanded him to go, so do it goes off. Then, the God says to the mind, "As for My Greatness and Glory, none among My creatures who are as noble as you in their creation. With you, that I give and with you that I take. With you that I reward and with you that I torment!"". - Narrated by Thabrani

The hadith actually reminds me of the recitation of Brahma Puran by Brahmins. Purana is a kind of gospel for Hindus. It says about the first creations, second creations and so on. Mind was also mentioned in Vedic literature as Manas. There are many definitions about Manas from the basic system of human physics to the spiritual ones. Mostly, it is just the same with our notes in the definitions. If I put them here, perhaps they would be developed into thesis. Only for the mind.   

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w also says from the report of lady 'Aisha r.a: "I said to prophet Muhammad s.a.w, "Dear messenger of the God, what makes human-being different to each other in their ranking in this world?" Says he, "With the mind". I further asked, "What about in the hereafter?" Aren't human-being would be rewarded according to the degree of their acts and practices?". He answered, "Dear 'Aisha, weren't they act as according to the degree of their mind as it is granted by the God to them. So, as according to the degree of their mind that they would be rewarded as their acts follows their thought".

Mind in Indian Philosophy    

This is my understanding as for non-Islamic thought. It is of Hindu thought for spiritual principles understanding. I am not good in Greek philosophies but for Hindu and Buddhist ones I could say that I am quite familiar as I learned Yogacara and other disciplines which actually would make other people run away from me as I tried to understand myself and the realms around me. This is the result of the Clash of Civilization, haha...

There were two ancient philosophies which was the best in the world and they are the Indians and Greeks' philosophies. There is this concept in Indian philosophy known as Ahamkar. It means making ourselves as I am or simply as ego. The Ahamkar is of three components which are the Manas, Cittam and Buddhi. Buddhi means the manner or awakening mind, Cittam means anxiety, and Manas simply means mind or thinking. These has to do with previously post of mine talking about Attman. 

As for Manas, it is known as the lower or instinctive mind, it is the seat of desire, the governor of sensory and motor organs known as Indriya. Manas is categorized as the undisciplined and empirical mind. It is characterized by desire, determination, doubt, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness, shame, intellectual and fear. It is a faculty of the lower astral or instinctive-intellectual sheath known as Manomaya Gosha. Manas is the center for Ahamkara. It is the field of self-consciousness play and the illusion of separate self. This one is part of Indian Theosophy thought. All of these term could be founded in Vedic Indian scriptures while there are also explanations and views from various schools of philosophies within Indian religions.

As for the hadith reported by our lady 'Aisha r.a, I understood the acts and practices as the karma. Karma means the act which would cause something to further happen. When we stop our acts, the effects stop. When we move our act, the effect to ourselves and beings in the universe would also moves. It does not really means fate. When we commit evil act, we or our environment receive evil impacts. Evil impacts would lead us to hell and torments. When we perform charity, we receive the good effects physically or psychologically. It does not have to be in term of material reward but also in term of punyyam or meritorious pahala. The reason for karma to happens is rooted from the mind. I tried to simply explain to people by using these concepts but without those terminological Sanskrit terms or Arabic. However, I guess not all people could understand it. People with "dark" mind would cause the surrounding dark. People with chaotic mind would lead the world into chaotic situation...  

Mind as A Burden of Responsibility

Based from the hadith narrated by Thabrani as reported by our lady 'Aisha r.a, it is stated that a sane mind is a condition for a person to be held responsible for his acts. This is also a principle in general law which could be founded in the court around the civilized world. Mind held a person responsible in his creed and acts of worship. Thus, with mind too... Man-kind are free to choose their own path, whether to be ingrates or faithful. There is no compulsion in choosing the path as the righteous and erroneous path had been clearly mentioned in the scripture as what we always recite just after our salat services in our litanies....

Says the God the Highest, "No compulsion in the divine law. Indeed the Guidance has been clarified from the cancelled ones..." - Surat al-Baqarat 2:256 

The verse implies the importance of the mind for man-kind to choose on which paths that they wanted to be committed. It serves man-kind as a bridge to bring them toward the "Truth". Now, please don't misunderstand me. I am not trying to promote people to leave behind their religion for Islam if they are non-Muslims. I sincerely never have such thought. I believe in the Guidance as what has been mentioned in the verse. I hate preachers myself because most of them were just talking and talk but they never walk their talk. Their speeches would go against them in the hereafter and they had make their "religion" so cheap as if it is lower than a bitch.

Islam is not a fascist thought and it has nothing to do with modern world scholars. I feel weird when people today classifying ancient people as communists, socialists, fascists and others while the terms never exist in ancient times or in the region where those people had risen. They exist after the World Wars in 19th century. If we believe in the freedom of thought, why are we classifying everything as according to our way of thinking? Our path never encourages us to follow anything blindly, accept anything nor blindly supporting anything without any discreet research or posing inquiries especially in the matters of Creed. Those who could not use their "mind" could be followers as their mind perhaps is weak in order to find the evidence and proofs. For that, pure nature of free mind must be directed toward the seeking of "Truth".  

The freedom and the nature of mind could sometimes being bounded by time and space, thus it needs for the guidance and lead. Man-kind are weak and full of mistakes. So, logical science would be a best compliment for everyone with the company of religious sciences and other sciences. Logical science is a method and a rule to control human thought. Logic could prevent a person from committing errors or mistaken in their thinking manner.

Ibnu Khaldun in his al-Muqaddima mentions that human-being sometimes achieving the goal in their thinking and with it they reached precise results. However, there are times too that their thinking could slip away from the track. Due to that, it is important to control our mind and directing it toward the right results. Logic is the studies of which one is right and which one is wrong.

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

Saudi Arabia Grand Mufti Aidul Adha Sermon 2011

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Angles of nature

Just read some part of the sermon in an online Saudi news delivered by Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh during Aidul Adha service in Arafat during the wuquf (standing) event. I guess in general it is good for everyone. It calls for nature as the solution. 

I plead brothers and sisters, please do some conceptual work in English or in any other European language that you know either German, French, Spanish, Polish, Russian, or anything on your own. I feel nauseated when reading their "scholarly" articles or comments around and we can't just depend on their works while our set of mind is different from them and human are unique creatures of the God. We can't expect ourselves to be the same to each other in term of thought, right? 

In personal, I think Westerners are arrogant and boastful like their civilization are the only tip-top civilization ever. This is what happened when we have narcissism in ourselves. It's like the devil who was fond of himself until he looks down to others and care only about himself. When he was downgraded, he became a rebel to the Most Merciful and that was caused by his own choice and selfishness. In this summary of metaphysical event, I do not intend to insult the devil because he is a fellow creature but we take this as a boundary as we also have the possibility to be like him...

Essence of the Sermon

The essence of the sermon is that, the mufti said, we solve problems without seeking interference from external powers (political involvement). Beware and not to provoke hostility between ourselves and leaders. Islam (the nature) is the solution for the problems of everyone. Be conscious that we must filter input from media and cultural invasion through globalization which weaken the faith of believers.

Rulers and leaders of countries with major Muslim population should not oppress the people but to help them leading noble and dignified life. A duty of a Muslim leader is to maintain justice and fight corruption. Leaders priority should be the welfare of people.  

It also needs people cooperation in order to solve crime and problems in society. Obey the law and rule that benefits society and we love good leaders who devote themselves for the betterment of society and working with the guidelines of Quran and Sunnah.

Government officials please avoid bribery and nepotism. We are now passing through challenging and dangerous periods. Situation sometimes makes us have to flee from our homes. Everyone must think about the ways to get out of crisis in the best manner. Islam (the nature) denounce terror, violence, extremism, fanaticism, bloodshed and destruction as it is justice and rights.  

I think these also applies to non-Muslim and every sane human-being. Ones does not have to be a Muslim to obey rules and regulation while every country in the world today have their set of rules and regulation, right? Important thing to note for all human-being regardless Muslim or non-Muslim, get rid of attachment toward money, power, filthy mind, filthy speech and those material which brings heart and soul diseases. These things are the root which should be understood as bringing instability in the world. Leaders don't only expect people to cooperate while they are not cooperating on their part because there are give and take, pull and push factors... For Muslims who submits ourselves to the God, we live according the nature that the Glorious God grants to us so we must make sure that the equilibrium within the universe is maintained.  

Dear Lord, please bless everyone with Mercy and Love. Bless every creature no matter those who submit to You or those who do not submit to You. Let Peace reign everywhere in the space and time dear Lord. Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin! 

Jurisprudence : What is Fiqh or Jurisprudence?

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This is the Chinese or perhaps Sino-Japanese depiction of King Yama. Buddhists always talk about him when it is regarding punishment that a person will get as a way to cleanse up one's karmma. Usually elders will threaten youngers that King Yama will cut our tongue if we tell lies to others as lying will also bring bad karmma. King Yama is a judge and the guardian of hell. Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in South East Asia also had used Brahminical texts such as Tharmmasastram to derive code of conduct and legislation provisions in the kingdom or anachakra ruled by a king or chakravarttin. One of the law practiced in ancient Buddhist kingdoms such as of ancient Malay kingdoms are like Sulo or impalement to execute a woman who commit adultery or treason against the king.

We have many branches of knowledge and sciences in the studies of religion after the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w who is our seal of prophethood had returned to His Mercy. One of them is called as Fiqh. 

So, straight to the point, what is Fiqh brethren? Roughly it is a science related to the Islamic jurisprudence. It is an expansion of the code of conduct where we call it as Shariah and expounded from the glorious Quran. Shariah usually is supplemented by the tradition of prophets and we call tradition as Sunnah of prophets. Sunnah of prophets were re-introduced again by the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w and some came from him according to the period where he live. Shariah which consists of the conducts of life from the sources of Quran and Sunnah then will be implemented through rulings and interpretations of jurists whom we call as Qadhi. 

Sometimes I would also refer to Jesus Christ as a future Qadhi. I will always wait for his arrival and rulings if I do not die yet. It actually signifies the end of the world : ) We already have our own guidelines and we do not need others to teach us especially in our own countries. The God is teaching us with basic rulings and the observance of morality is considered as apart of the prevention of evil and crimes. We don't need secularism or French concepts of looking at this world. French are just human-being and human-being are imperfect. We also don't need Karl Marx to teach us or whatever ideology proposed by these people. Those ideologies are anathematized and not natural. I would translate the word anathematize for my Malaysian compatriots as dilaknat.  We refuse to accept their ideas as they also refused to accept others' ideas. If they perceive others as barbarians, we also perceive them as barbarians. 

我詛咒歐鬼的思想... 他們多數人不接收啟示然後他們學的事沒有天的指導和聖靈... 別人都可以說出來他們的偏見對我們的道,我們的聖人和穆斯林所以我也想嘗試看感覺是怎樣,哈哈哈... 我感覺很蠢...  

Fiqh deals with the observance of rituals, morals and social legislation in Islam. For Orthodox Sunnah Muslims, we have four schools of Fiqh established by four honorable imams which are Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'ie and Hanbali. Our Shi'a Muslim brothers have two major schools of Fiqh inherited from Ja'afar as-Sadiq and Isma'ili Fatimiyya. Those who are trained in this science will be called as Fuqaha' (sing. Faqih). I am following and learning the method of Hanbali and most of brothers in Saudi Arabia are also following Hanbali methods. My brothers in Malaysia, Yemen, Lower Myanmar, Indonesia, and Southern Thailand are following Shafi'ie methods. My brothers in China and India are following Hanafi and those in Northern Africa in general are following Maliki methods. 

Definitions of Jurisprudence

Fiqh literally means the science of something in order to understand something, common sense in it, and the thought for the honor of the science of law as the quote from the glorious Quran where the God mentioned again what the people of Sho'ayb (Jethro) said to Sho'ayb a.s : "They said, o Sho'ayb! We do not understand many of what you had said and we indeed only see you as a weak person in front of us. If not because of your family, we would have thrown you with stones. And you are not respected for us." (Surah Huud verse 91). And the word understand in the verse signifies anything which lead people to think and ponder.

Terminologically, Fiqh means the science on the rulings of the way of leading life, practices, benefits, based from valid and accurate proofs in accordance to the origin of the fiqh or understanding.  

So, basically when newspapers wanted to tell everyone about this, they should also check the books and sources regarding this from the root source and not just from internet googling or by reading something at the surface. Reporters today are just as ignorant and irresponsible as the mat rempits who illegally racing on the road and later banging young bitchy girls if they won the illegal race. Orientalists, they went to study these too but they were also bias. The same thing also happen to some Muslims who just google up this and that about other system of belief or faith or reading certain blog related to some nonsense conspiracy theories which denies the Wisdom of the God the Most Highest. 

My past experience as a "deviant Muslim" boy for few years in my life had also helped me to understand many things and I found that bashing others are just making people mind restless and later it affects the environment around. These kind of people would put some information in their sites or books and they later including their opinions based from their hatred to others, irrationality, unstable emotion or based from their perception game. Nothing is better than whatever they think because the thing which they prefer will eventually come to their favor. They could not propagate anything without telling that others are less better than them. Later others who had never read root sources and sharing the same hatred would also use the points from that and spread it worldwide. Again, these sick people no matter Muslims or non-Muslims need heart and soul purification. They would also easily being affected by diseases and die early I could assure this because not only glorious Quran talked about people who bite their fingers because of baseless anger but also the teachings that I had followed for some times which was Buddhism : )

Regarding science in religion, Ibnu Khaldun in his book Muqaddima (Introduction) had divided science into two branches :

I. Rational ones which have been generated by human intellect. Another one is revelational which is received through revelation and transmitted to others such as what happened to prophets for example the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w who had received knowledge through revelation and not from studying it in school and he then transmitted it orally to his companions, contemporary, people around him, and later generations.

II. Excludes the use of intellect as far as its reception, reporting, and transmission are concerned. It relates to injunctions of secondary report, derived from usool or origin, calls it into play one's intellect and ability to exercise analogical reasoning. Fiqh is included in this second category. It is a product of later generations since companions of prophet Muhammad s.a.w do not need its formulation into a new branch of science as the law-submitter or the prophet and messenger of the God was still around with them. They may straight away ask the prophet s.a.w for clarification or looking at how he acts when they are not clear on something.

Sources for Legislation Reference

Many people can understand about British Common Law on how the decisions were derived. Whether from past cases as examples for rulings of court or from the jurists decision like some raping cases in the United States. I do watched American short series but I can't remember all of them. Some scene, I still could remember. 

I also learned legal language which involved the Common Law and Tort Law during our translation and interpretation class where one of our lecturer is a Sikh lawyer whose name is Harpal Singh. Well, many students especially girls love him and he is a single guy in the middle age. For me, he is a generous guy who donated a lot to students in order to make class more lively and interactive. I gave all of the food that I get from his class to my roommate, brother Zaydi simply because his father name is Hussein and I want him to be my imam in prayer services in our room. I think he must thought that I was crazy, hahaha. I was also fasting to calm down my mind at that time but I could not waste the food so I just offer them to my roommate and sometimes if I have vegetarian meals I would also offer them to some Hindu friends neighboring my room. At least my acquaintance and friends are healthy and they could save their money, I would be very happy : ) I treated brother Zaydi badly in the beginning simply because he is a Kelantanese and I was also influenced by bad talks of people around. It has to do with misconception and generalization too that we become racist, no? We never have any contact with majority of certain people that we don't really like so we created some negative image for something that we had never experienced. Just get a life and do beneficial things like enhancing amity among human, environment, and animals instead of spreading hatred just because of differences and misconception...

From what I had also learned in our masjids and school for final exam for the course of Islamic Rulings and Legislation, our sources for rulings and details must be obviously come from :  

1. The Glorious Quran.

2. Sunnah or the prophetic traditions and Orthodox Sunnah Muslim have four major methods.

3. Ijma' (agreement) between jurists and ulamas.

4. Qiyyas or common sense for matters which had never happened during prophetic era like smoking which kills others because of the smoke is harmful for human health and environment or rulings regarding the selling of harmful drugs or cracks. It needs human intellectual consideration and jurists need to think or using their head. It also needs researches and evidences.

5. Sources of rulings and legislation from the Ahlul Bayt.     

The Root of Fiqh

What is the root of Fiqh? It refers to methods which had been implied within the derivation of the development of legal provisions of the way from detailed and discreet proofs. On the other hand, the root of Fiqh which places the root or basic methods to develop jurisdiction and legal provisions according to clear Divine guidance and guidelines. The relevance of Fiqh is for jurists to derive legal provisions and rulings with clear evidence in order to implement the execution of nature laws from it.

While for the root of Fiqh, its motive is to to find clear evidence from where emerged the object of evidence on the legal provisions. And each that had been stated from the agreement and consideration based on common sense which falls under the name (of legal opinion) which includes :

1. Plaudits : It is reversing the jurisdiction of the way for example on the provisions on what had been perceived to face is stronger and reversing the jurists.

2. Sent Interests : The meanings or the matters which are linked to the jurisdiction and developed upon it and causing damage or harmful to human society however yet it is always being discussed. 

3. Known to people : It means legal opinions which is based on customs and norms. Custom or norms which is known to people, whatever had been in the character of speech, verbal, their way of thinking, and whatever is accepted and not accepted by the norms of society being repeated until it is accepted by the jurists and there are also other sources to derive opinion on jurisdiction between trained jurists in addition to whatever had already existed in agreement of jurists and various of considerations whether the past or through any other methods proposed by jurists. Sometimes those in India or Pakistan also seeking Brahmin priests to derive law and the effect is that, we can see people without nose or ears because those priests are using Tharmmasastram and Puranas in the derivation of customary law. Media then capture the pics and showing it to lazy people or those who has no feet to come to talk with real people asking this and that.

Cure for the Heart : First Section on Eyes

continue...

Says the God in surah Ghaafir verse 19 : "He knows the betrayal of eyes and and whatever hidden in the chest (heart)." It means that the God knows that our eyes are trying to see or watch something illegal while nobody sees us. The God knows whatever we think and have in our heart either the vision to commit evil or do charities.

Said the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w : "Indeed gazing at parts of women (and men) which could stimulate is like poisonous arrows from the arrows of Devil as it is greatly destructive. Those who leave it (the act) behind due to the fear to the God the Most Highest will be granted the feeling of enjoyment in acts of worship and devotion to Him." The hadith is narrated by al-Hakim reported from Hudzaifa r.a. The source of the hadith is valid.

Said the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w : "For every sons of Adam some parts of adultery. Eyes are committing adultery, and adultery happens when a person looks at things which he or she should not see. Hands are committing adultery, and adultery of hands happens when they touched or slapping something which is illegal. Legs are committing adultery when they walk to illegal places. Mouth committing adultery when it holds something which is illegal and 'heart and soul' is the place where all of illegal things related to adultery happens." Hadith is narrated by Abu Hurairah r.a and it explains that beginning adultery of genital is from the eyes as the portal to the illegal act.

Use your eyes only for necessary things such as when you do your work, your studies, and protect your body parts from stains of the world. Do things which is longed by those body parts. If you're doing a big work, then the responsibility to protect the parts of body is also big. Hands are longing to pluck fruits of the paradise and holding the drinks in the paradise. The eyes are longing to see the God from the paradise and it is not the same as seeing new or created "things." The grace of seeing the God appearance is incomparable to other graces in the world or in the hereafter. So, it is the responsibility of the body to protect the eyes and fulfilling their ambition for they are longing to see the God. Protect eyes with noble things for them to see Noble appearance and do not pollute them with obscene and dirty matters.

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

O Friend!

A very beautiful nasheed with good lyrics. I love this nasheed besides the voice is nice. Although my Arabic becomes worse and worse day by day and being a friend to a Palestinian classmate does not  really helping me in polishing my rusty Arabic because he is quite a boast. He thinks that speaking in English makes people understand him better, but I still can't understand his Palestinian Arabic accented English. 

Most Arabs from Mid East speak terrible English with horrible pronunciation. I'm sorry for this, but this is the fact although my Palestinian colleague always condemning Chinese or Malay accent of some Malaysian students who speak in English.  

Allah! I miss my teacher Ustaz Mustaffa from Cambodia during my jobless time where almost every night I went to the mosque seeking refuge and peace from uncertain future after bachelor graduation. He's a good Arabic teacher and I respect his vast and firm knowledge in Nahw Sarf (Arabic grammar). I miss Ustaz Ahmad Wan from UITM too. His method  of teaching is quite good for beginner although I had already have the basic knowledge of Arabic. 

I still think that it is good to figure out the easiest approach to teach beginners Arabic because I hate English. I only want to hear Arabic like when I made my pilgrimage to Mecca. Thanks to both of them, I will pray for bountiful of blessings for them and their family : )

I can't find the lyrics although I had tried asking mr. Google with Arabic keyboard. Might be a new released nasheed.  The singer of tis nasheed is Muhammad Khaled and he's from Yemen. I hope someday I could speak in Yemeni (Teheimani) Arabic, our ancestral language : )

Anyway, my understanding is that, the first part of this lovely nasheed talks about a friend who reminds his friend to testify that indeed God is only One, His blessings is everywhere and testify the descent of Hashem clan, Ahmad who called to the guidance of God. 

And the second part, he reminds his friend to perform the prayers. Make out some of the belongings for property purification may you be accepted by God, fast! As it is better for everyone, and perform pilgrimage to the House of God.

Purify the soul, speak with noble speeches. And be known to you, read the book of God. Raise up! Help those who are tyrannized, clear up the effects of damages, be firm to the promise, may God be please with you. Be good to your neighbors, respecting your guests, be sincere to, and forgiveness to those who asking for God forgiveness. Guide classes and law to the householders be cautious to the danger caused by eyes. Be angry with the order of God.

No emerging debt, no deserted those who are loved. Thus we recited what had been written, in the revelation from the side of God. Continous mercy, and no insulted days! Be a friend that salvate, may you be pleased with hasty aid from God.    

The end part I can't really substitute the words into other languages but I am so astonished with them. I heard like it said about the priority on sanctifying God's name, do not leave the obedience duties, and the longing soul. Later it says, the balance is the reward of seeing Lord God glorious appearance in the hereafter.

Isn't it good to have friends that reminds us to be on the straight path and  helping us in remaining in the law of God? I love to see those tabligh guys getting together in the musalla at my current hostel and they remind each other with words from scriptures and sunna. I hope they will always remain like that elal-abaad. May Allah bless everyone, forgiving our sins. Bountiful of blessings to our beloved and dear prophet, may God bless him his family, companions, disciples, and followers.