Transactions in Islam

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

I just returned home from USM Penang and arrived here in KL just after 'Asr time. I had submitted my thesis. Anyway, for postgraduate students who take full-time classes we actually have to write a five chapters mini-thesis other than hundreds or maybe thousands of weekly assignments. I shut myself down for about a year since the Gregorian New Year 2013 after my thesis being rejected for about.... Well, I do not know how many times.

For this time, I wish that they could accept my thesis and let me go through the candidature as a master graduate student. I did not sleep for about a week to manage my thesis right. Grateful to both sisters, Aida and Premawati. Because they contacted me and reminded me to the thesis, so I came to realize that I had wasted my time in the campus for another three years of my life just after I graduated from undergraduate class. Six years as a higher institution student, plus with my schooling times. I am not trying to brag myself but one could compare our maturity with those who had started their working life since after their schooling times or after their undergraduate times. We could analyze the situation better and not just working for the sake of saving our ass. We learned to be compassionate to other beings and feel others' sufferings.

Well, tonight I am connecting myself with the mosque again which is the al-Najah Mosque at the religious primary school in Precinct 9. I just love that imam guy. I feel connected spiritually to him and also some other guys but only specific people. It is like being connected to another brother when seeing him or other specific people. Coincidentally, there was a religious lecture related to communal activity component in Sharia Islamiyah or the Way of Islam. The ustad talked about the interest or in Arabic we call it as al-Ribaa. This is quite interesting because I learned about this but I had forgotten, lol. 

Basically, there are six matters which is mentioned in a Hadith I guess reported by Abu Sa'id al-Khudry r.a as interest matters. They are:

1. Gold 

2. Silver

3. Wheat grain

4. Dates

5. Salt

6. Barley

Well, because this country and most regions in South East Asia are following the jurisprudence of imam al-Shafi'ie rahimahullah then I am offering him my honor, love and respect. I will just mention about his method of jurisprudence other than my family in majority follows his method. In modern days, there are matters subjected to interests such as money and they are reasoned through a process known as deductive analogy by jurisprudence scholars. Not by commoners.

The imam al-Shafie jurisprudence method categorized interests into three categories:

1. Ribaa' al-Fadhl

2. Ribaa' al-Nasee'at

3. Ribaa' al-Yad

The adherents of Hanbali jurisprudence usually would follow the method of Ibnu al-Qayyim and other scholars from the particular school of jurisprudence where they recognize two categories of interests in transaction. It is not a problem at all but do not impose the method on others like they do not have their schools of jurisprudence or scholars of jurisprudence. 

I guess these are the summary for basic things in our daily transaction whether with money or barter system. These form the basis of our financial law and economic system where Islam is not based on any Enlightenment products from European continent but it is an "Enlightenment" product from Arabian Peninsula where the people there were regarded as barbarians although it is perhaps an overgeneralization by Orientalists or Western academicians.

I just read some books written in Malay language from our library in Hamzah Sendut USM. I guess I took two books about tariqas in South East Asia and one is the Book of Aphorism written by Ibn Athaillah al-Sikandari and compiled again by Sheikh Fadlullah al-Haeri of Karbala. The book about tariqas among them is known as the "Syariah: Ilmu Fekah Menurut Tarekat Qadiriyah" or "Sharia: Jurisprudence according to Qadiri Lineage" written by Haji Abu Bakar Aceh and published by Pustaka Aman Press. Another one is the "Tarekat Ahmadiah in Malay World" but I cannot remember the author's name and publication. Qadiri lineage is actually my paternal family lineage but we had forgotten and leave the practices behind when our elders passed away. My father was not properly educated (religiously speaking) and I am lamenting him because he is unfortunate. Basically I have some basic knowledge about the Qadiri lineage where I just look at the contents and I could elaborate them again from my basic understanding of Islam. Some of the practices I had already get from elders at our "centers" when I was little child. I am just referring to the book as to recall my memories back while waiting the time to take the bus to return to Kuala Lumpur. Did not have much time to xerox the book and violating the publication copyrights because I was rushing with thesis submission and others.

Tomorrow will be my first day working in an organization. It is just a contract based job but anything will do because I need some experience in working areas and getting used to whatever that I had left before. Thank you brothers and sisters for visiting this humble site. I am grateful for brothers and sisters prayers.

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

Role of Mind

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Mind plays its role to analyze everything through the humanity source angle. It covers material realm and those with material characteristics. In other conditions, the role of mind is perceived from the divinity source angle. This refers to the revelation, which transcends the metaphysical realm where this realm is beyond the boundary of human mind. Therefore, the source and the role played by human mind is something which is limited and bounded by certain limitation!

Other than that, mind does not hold its sanctity and purity forever. For that, it needs to be guided with the divine revelation. For us who are the Muslims, we view the role of mind with the Quran, the Sunnah and through the studies of our philosophers.

A. Quran and Sunnah

From the Quran which is our scripture, I found that it stresses the mind is something which plays the role to assist human-being in their quest to study something in depth. The God the Highest mentioned through the Quran that we have to use our mind with an optimum usage. We are encouraged to grab the opportunity to acquire every knowledge that we found in our way to reach Him. 

Says the God the Highest

Indeed in the creation of heavens and the earth and the changing of the night and the day as the signs for those who possess the system of mind.

Surat Aali-Imran 3 v. 190

A such, our scripture itself opening up the space for human-being to find the knowledge and to study anything that they are curious to know. Whether it is in the form of those related to the daily life or the other knowledge related to our religious life and the hereafter.

Other than that, our mind is used to study, to analyze and to comprehend the revelation of the God. This is what that makes a human noble in his position and in the view of the God the Highest.

Says the God the Highest

O you who believe! When being said to you, "Give space in ceremonies", thus give the space may the God grants you more spaces. And when being said to you, "Stand up!", so stand you up may the God grants those who are faithful among you and those who are given the knowledge few levels above. And the God is the Most Proficient in what you are doing!

Surat al-Mujadilah 58 v. 11  

Mind is among the reasons that human being convicted for their crimes or being trusted for the execution of the tasks or commandments. The mind which is not correctly directed and used without the Divine Path framework in the execution of responsibilities commanded by the God the Highest will be the factor for one to be tormented in the bitterness.    

Says the God the Highest

And indeed We fill the abyss many of those among the genies and human-being who possess the heart but they do not comprehend with it and possessing the eyes but do not observe with it and for them ears but they do not listen with it. They are just like the cattle, even more strayed. They are among those who are negligent. 

Surat al-A'araf 7 v. 179  

As a point for the mind is a condition for conviction on crime or burden of responsibility, there was a saying from our noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w recorded by imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and imam al-Tirmidzie...

The pen is lifted on these three people, "On he who is sleeping until he is awake and on the child until he achieve his puberty and a crazy person until he is sane".

This is how we decide on our judgement as Muslim jurists when we judge in our court, we have our reference from the Quran, the interpretations from our traditions, checking the way of life of people around, making researches or inquiries and also we use our mind and considerations. This actually could go side by side with the civil court but I do not know... Those who talk about Shari'a Islamiyya or simply the Divine Path of the God in negative sense perhaps do not even know about Legal Studies or maybe they know "a little" about it but their heart is not clean so they distort things or refuse to check further to discuss instead they love to argue, to debate and to prove their ego. They feel satisfied when they win. I always laugh at this kind of people because I found that they are pathetic. They argue like attorneys in the court but they are not even an attorney to begin with nor they study about crimes or law of acts and effects. Egoism, selfishness or self-center are the same trait that leads one into ignorance and spiritual darkness.

The mind is the source which plays the role for one to know his "True Lord", whether through His characteristics or through His creations. 

Says prophet Muhammad s.a.w...

Think with the creations of the God but never with His Essence since you will never reach its proportion!

For the people of Ancient India, those who knows the Supreme Authority are known as the Brahmanas. English translation always distort the sound of Brahmanas into Brahmins. A Brahmana is one who is free from illusions, free from the ordinary nature of births, free from material values and free from the effects of jealousy, boasting, arrogance, treachery and behave with 12 behaviors beginning with self-control or tranquility apart of it is a caste by family classification as everyone commonly gets the idea about. This one is from our philosophical studies were we open up the texts from the original sources and checking commentaries or interpretations. In Arabic, we have several terms too like 'Aleem, 'Ulama' and 'Areef. The third term is a a little to the portal of metaphysical world which I think is somehow closer to Brahmana in some parts of their connotation and yet I do not like to elaborate much about this as I think it is important to be clear with our basis. Just an idea which sparks out while checking the points...

Later on, the mind has a positive role where it helps a person to evaluate between good and evil. If one does not know on how to evaluate between the good and evil, then he needs to direct his own mind so he will have the effort to ask to those who are knowledgeable.

Says the God the Highest

And We never send any messenger before you, except that they are among the men whom We revealed to them. So, ask those who are knowledgeable if you do not know!

Surat al-Nahl 16:43

So, when we do not know, we go and see teachers. The same thing too, if we do not know about anything say about Islam and we wanted to talk like we know. First of all, we go and see teachers and get their feedback on what we are curious about. By relying on secondary resources only is not sufficient. It is like we are doing our inquiry for our academic research where we go and do some field-work, having some methodology in our research and curiosity and we never say that our findings are the most correct when we could only produce some writings out of things which we could not simply explain by words. How are we going to describe our feeling correctly in words? How about the touch or emotion? How about psychological condition of one? Even if we do some interviews, could we get sharp answers like we do simple mathematics?

B. Muslim Philosophers

We have both philosophers of different Islamic schools of thought. Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali who is a Sunnah Muslim and Ibnu Sina who is an Ismai'li Shi'a Muslim on the role of mind. Both of them agree that mind plays important role for those who are studying something or those who are curious about something. That is why mind plays a role as a source of knowledge. They both agree that mind has the role to elevate a human-being to a better and appraised position. This matter is in accordance with the fact and reality, where those who possess knowledge will be respected in a community or society.

Mind has the role to make human-being think and conducting research. Later, they could get ideas or differentiate on the positive and negative ones. The ability of the mind and its role should actually make the men administrating the Earth and to prosper with it. Not to kill each other. So, what happens in the Middle East? In Africa? In other regions in the world? Why is people killing among each other while they call themselves as Muslim? Is it because of egoism? Is it because of the lack of knowledge? Is it because of selfishness? Is it because people do not get even knowledge that there are many kind of interpretations? What happen with their "religion"?

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

Pillars of Islam

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Definition of Islam

I know many people had already talk about this. This is just a formality when introducing our Divine Path. Basically it refers to the submission and obedience toward the teachings of the God the Highest with all of our heart. This is word is mentioned in our scripture to describe ourselves. As for my personal experience, I am voluntarily a Muslim. I am not forced by my parents though they are Muslims. 

My parents just taught me on basic things like how to perform salat services, learning the Arabic alphabets to recite the simple Quranic verses. They sent me to mosque and also to religious schools, so I was taught about Islam and its practices by teachers in classes with classmates. After that, I also learned other religious traditions in depth including practices and step by step turning to them when I experienced life pressures as a little child who has no one to turn to for e.g friends, relatives as we live far from them nor siblings because my siblings are all sisters. It means that I did not only listening to people telling others about this religion is like this or like that. I recited their prayers, listening their sermon and sincerely learned their religious traditions. That is why I know what are their technical terminologies and I know their self disciplines... The same thing also happened when I return to my ancestral path which is this Divine Path. I don't know why I was not interested to be baptized as a Christian last time though I heard they offer money as some kind of tithe for newly convert into their popular "religions", but instead turning to the Sakya ascetic who offered me nothing except that I could only be initiated as a bald beggar with a beluam who may wander in deep forests if I choose to leave all the attachments as the tradition that I learned has to do with forest hermitage, hehe...

The evidence where the God used the word which is derived for the words Islam or Muslim to describe Himself is in the Surat al-Hashr verse 59:23 which means... "He is the God who is no one except Him, the King, the Holiest, the Bestower of Peace, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Most Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Supreme. Exalted the God from whatever they associate Him with!". So, the word Islam was derived from one of the Glorious Attributes of the God. Further, it is described by the God in the Glorious Quran as the Divine Path which had also been passed by our patriarch, Abraham a.s in Surat al-Baqarat which means..."When the God said to Abraham a.s, submit yourself! And he answered, "I have submitted myself to the Lord of the Universe 131 And he passed down with this speech sons and down to Jacob. Ibrahim passed down his will, "O my children, indeed the God has chosen for you the Divine Law, so never die unless if you are Muslims" 132 Were you present when Jacob was closer to the death when he asked his children, "What will you worship after I am gone?". They answered, "We will worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham, Isma'el, and Isaac. The Only God and we are Muslims 133".

Some people who only hold the Quran as the source of religion perhaps would ask what is the need for one to recite the testimony because maybe they studied too deep until they could not see simple things. The testimony of faith in the God and noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w as the slave and messenger of the God was mentioned by prophet Muhammad s.a.w himself in the Hadith Qudsi. It indicates that he is the universal prophet of this closing epoch and a sign of His Mercy in the form of the seal. Muhammad s.a.w is referred as the seal of prophethood in term of direct revelation through the emissary of the Archangel Gabriel a.s. The Archangel Gabriel a.s is of the highest ranking angel in the angelic hierarchy...

When we recite the testimony, it also means that we conclude our faith in all of the previous prophets and messengers of the God, mentioned in the Glorious Quran or those who are not clearly mentioned. Never be boastful with ourselves lest we will be trapped in Satan's wicked tricks... Humble down ourselves...

Pillars of Islam

Islam in one self is built with these five matters in the form of binding practices... They are self disciplines in the form of various penance acts or worship prescribed to develop both spiritual and physical strength. Normally, these five are just the minimal ones while one may add anything optional as according to both Quran and valid traditions... The matters are....

1. Testimonial of faith in the God and the prophethood of Muhammad s.a.w.

2. Daily five times prayer services.

3. Tithe

4. Fasting which is an obligation for a whole Ramadhan lunar month.

5. Pilgrimage in the month of Dzulhijja for those who are able to perform it.

1. Testimonial of Faith

This one is already mentioned in the Portal of the Divine Path section. This is the proclamation on the prophethood of prophet Muhammad s.a.w an also a testimony that we accept him as an appointed messenger of the God to transmit the Path of Abraham a.s. This part is an integral part in our daily salat services be they obligatory salats or optional salats. We recite these proclamations in the first and second tashahuds of salats.

2. Daily Five Times Prayer Services

This is a kind of worship act where literally means that we are in contact with the Creator. For us Muslims, we perform the salat services with the prescribed manners and prescribed times. Salat service combines chanting of litanies and glorification directed to the Lord of the universe, chanting of holy verses, meditation in the form of tranquility for moments, sitting, standing straight, bowing, prostration and several other worship acts which connects one self who perform it with awareness to his Creator. It is an act of worship which involves our speeches, verbal acts, mental and heart.

We begin the salat service with intention where we ask His permission to be connected to Him and then we would say our exaltation in respect to the Lord. It ends with salutation of peace to fellow human-being and other unseen beings such as angels. The time where we perform the obligatory salat services are known as Fajr, Dzuhr, 'Asr, Maghreb and 'Isha'. Time length and grid differ according to regions.

Anyway it does not take us long and is very flexible. If we could not perform this commandment in the mosque together with congregations, say if we are extremely busy; we still can perform it in our offices, maybe behind the walls, pillars and other clean places. Our direction of prayer around the world is the grand mosque in the Holy Mecca as it is mentioned in the scripture. The longest one when I perform when I am alone is around 15 minutes. Mostly it takes only 10 minutes and after that we can do our daily chores or go back to our works. Many people who think that it is difficult because they never perform it. For non-Muslims who wanted to understand the way Muslim meditate, why not consider to perform it and recite the words of salat services in your languages maybe alone at home. Maybe it could be an alternative for your mental training who knows. Just be positive.

3. Tithe

In Arabic, we call this as Zakat which means the purification. In our property, there are some portions that we actually had unintentionally grabbed from those unfortunate ones. So, we purify our properties with this act of paying the tithe to the unfortunate ones.

In some countries with Muslim majority, they have the council or a board to manage the tithe. We can also pay it directly to those unfortunate ones provided that we know how to calculate the portions and who can accept the tithe. I learned that in 17th century Catholic countries like France for e.g, they also practiced tithe but the priests had took opportunity to use the tithe for their own luxurious life.

The Islam that I understood urges a sane Muslim to know almost everything about his religion or at least the basis of the Path. The religion is not a monopoly of priestly groups or clerics. We have the responsibility to seek the knowledge because this is our Way of Life. Our Divine Path where we perform every acts with its guidance... Because of this, we know that tithe is an obligation for a Muslim who are fortunate and able to be paid with particular terms and conditions and only to certain people. Tithe is divided into two sub-divisions which are the fitrah tithe and the property tithe.

The fitrah tithe is in the form of staple foods according to regions with the specific measurement to those who are rightful to accept it. This is an obligation only in Ramadhan lunar month beginning from its first day towards the evening before 'Eid al-Fitri. 

The property tithe refers to the spending of ones property with specific calculation and certain conditions only to certain people. It could be paid annually or as according to the calculation on how long that certain property lay idle in our account or in the form of gold. Some that one needs to spend for others in the form of tithe are...

1. Staple foods as according to region, maybe wheat, barley, oat or rice for land lord.
2. Fruits such as dates, vines and others for those who possess farms.
3. Livestock for e.g cattle, sheep, camel or goat.
4. Business profits and those from estates.

Those who should accept the tithe are....

1. Extremely poor people.
2. Poor people.
3. The collectors of the tithe.
4. Freed slaves if there are any in this modern world.
5. The newly revert people.
6. Debtors.
7. People who serves the Lord and His Divine Path.
8. Stranded travelers.

There are also the notion of khums but it is omitted within mainstream four schools of jurisprudence as it is counted as obsolete. It is defined only as the spoils of war by four schools of jurisprudence. This is a custom of Muhammad s.a.w clan which was introduced by Abdul Mutallib who is an uncle of Muhammad s.a.w. In the Ja'afari jurisprudence which is prominent among the Shi'a Muslim brothers be they of Twelver or of Sevener, it also applies to the business profits. I guess around one fifth of seven listed matters being contributed to poor descendants of Fatima r.a or the Sayyids and Sharifs. There are terms and conditions for this too for these people to be eligible for the Khums as according to Ja'afari school of jurisprudence.

Usually for us and what I had been taught, we cannot touch anything whether from the Zakat or from Khums as there is no Khums anymore in our Shafi'ie school of jurisprudence. We can only accept whatever is donated by our people but since we're scattered everywhere and some had even feel ashamed of their origin so we just try to survive amidst the pressure of life. Some even leaving behind the Divine Path and forget everything about their ancestors, on the other hand turning to be non-Muslims... As for Zaydi tariqa Shi'a Muslim brothers, I am not sure what they say about Khums.

4. Fasting in Ramadan

It is an act of worship in the form of holding ones desire from eating, drinking, from sexual desires and others that invalidate one's fast beginning after the morning prayer service call with a specific intention and we can live like normal people after the call for evening prayer service which is at the time of Maghrib. This act of worship is an obligation for all sane Muslims who reached their puberty only in the lunar month of Ramadan. Many people would tell various stories about how they spend their Ramadan month, some are cooking special dishes, some are going to the mosque for each night to seize the opportunity in performing more penance, some believe that it is a spiritual training and not only a training for their mental and physical and others. It depends on individual but everyone knows this is an obligation. Discussions about this topic is very broad too and not explained only in this single sub-topic as this a brief introduction.

5. Pilgrimage in the Holy Mecca

At least once in our life time, we must perform the pilgrimage in our holy city, Mecca which is now a territory in Saudi Arabia. It is performed when we reach certain ability only in certain times and with certain conditions. The greater pilgrimage is performed during the Dzulhijja lunar month which is around November or December.

What we mean by reaching certain ability is:

1. Financially able to go for Mecca, to support the life while staying there for about a month as to perform acts of worship and to return to home.

2. Leaving sufficient financial support for family at home.

3. Certain that the journey is safe or making sure that it is safe for them to stay in Mecca while performing the pilgrimage.

The greater pilgrimage is known as Hajj, while the lesser one is known as 'Omra. 'Omra can be performed any time whenever ones feel comfortable. It is not as complicated as the greater pilgrimage.

As to say, these are the basis our Divine Path. All of these are the roots in all of our practices in daily life. They contain their own philosophies where only the God can perfectly conclude them for us. We have different books discussing these topics as well as various lectures explaining on the steps or the meanings behind these. Some people also experience differences when performing this whether it is of their first time or for many times in their life. Some people just performing all of these because everyone does these. Or because it is a norm in their countries. As for me, these are my identities. They are my roots and my souls. They possess their own significance once we learn them by experience because we are learning until our soul leaves our physical body. 
        
Sealed with prayers for mercy, peace, and love, amin!

Facts of Mind

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Scholars and scientists are not in accordance when explaining the fact of mind. In my notes here, I have two proposed opinions from Muslim scholars pertaining the topic who are:

A. Imam Abu Hamid Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Ghazali

B. Al-Harith Bin Asad al-Muhasabi

A. Imam al-Ghazali

He explains the fact of mind through four definitions. Mind differentiate man-kind with animals and other creatures. With mind, human-being could accept knowledge in the form of theory and observational view or arranging their ideas. Mind in this form is the main essence for human-being thought. The fact of mind according to this definition could be explained through the hadith of prophet Muhammad s.a.w by al-Tirmidzi narration which means, "none other of the God's creatures which is noble in His view except the mind".

Mind is a knowledge which could bring a confidence on possibilities on what would happen on what is possible or impossibilities on what would never happen on the possibility. For e.g, our mind could not accept on two things happening in the same time like sitting or standing in the same time. This form of mind is the fraction and the closest branch for the mind as the previous mentioned definition.

Mind is all the knowledge which a human have got through his experience and he had faced in his life. It is based from the statement that, an experienced man is a mindful man. A person without any life experience is known as an ignorant. This form of mind is the fraction of the previous two forms of mind. 

Mind is something which has the strength or a strength which one has gotten due to the development of the instinct. Due to the instinct is at its peak, one's mind has an ability to detect the consequences of his acts or from all the matters. On the other hand, mind could prevent, control and constrain desires on  temporary pleasure or the pleasures that would perish after their time ends. A person is counted as mindful when he could control and prevent his self from being controlled by his desires. This form of mind is the development of the previous three mentioned forms of mind. It is the highest development in achieving the goal of life.

This latter form of mind is described by noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w from the narration of Abu Darda'...

"Increase your mind, may you be closer to the God. Then Abu Darda' asked the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w, "By my father and mother, how could I achieve that?" Prophet Muhammad s.a.w answers, "Stay away from His prohibitions and hold fast His commandments upon you, may you be a mindful person and be steadfast in charity may your position be higher and noble in the hereafter closer to your Lord".

As the conclusion from the forms of mind made by imam al-Ghazali rahimahullah, the first and second forms refer to the natural form of a human-being mind. The third and fourth form refer to the development of mind as a result from his struggles and effort.

B. Al-Harith Bin Asad al-Muhasabi

Mind is an instinct, nature and natural fact exists in a human-being. Human-being learn sciences and getting knowledge with the help of mind. Mind is a preparation for a human-being in order to learn and comprehend phenomenon surrounding him. It is like a light being cast into the "heart" of a human and with it, he is guided by the God. 

The weakness of human-being mind which hinders him to achieve the "fact" about the God is a form of disability. It shows that a human-being mind is still bounded to limitation. It is limited in its task. However, this limitation does not hinder him from using specific methods in deciding the qualities and being closer to the God through His creations. The qualities of the God are mentioned in the scripture while being different from His beings'. What could not be achieved by our limited mind is the "Essence of the God". This has been described in the hadith...

"Think about the creations but never about His Essence as you will perish!"  

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

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!   

Fractions due to Branch Matters

Assalaamu'likum w rahmatullah

I just watched the program, Khawater Shaab this evening. Ahmad al-Shughairi also talked about this issue. Sometimes, there are conflicts from the arguments about branch matters which would bring everyone into enmity and vengeance. For e.g about the intention before the performance of salat services whether it is a sunnah to be recited aloud or in silence. Or whether it is an innovation to stand while reading the marhaban in memory to the mawlid al-rasul event. Whether it is a sunnah or an innovation to read the talqin or teaching the "dead" few lessons just after the body being buried. 

There are also fractions in the discussion on the issue such as whether the merit of Yaasin recitation would be received by the soul of the death. This is from my personal experience... As far as I know, the majority Twelver Shi'a Muslims also recite the Yaasin for the dead besides the al-Fatiha like the traditional Shafi'ie Sunnah Muslims. Other things in traditions which I guess shared with "them" from the tabi'ien era is like thrusting the hand on the hump on the new grave of related people or family members. I actually prefer to be known as a Muslim. Only an orthodox Muslim. Not a Muslim of any group whether "Sunnah, Ibadhi or Shi'a". 

At this point, we could see a difficult edge where if these matters are not discussed; the "religion" would be stiff. There would be no more researches in order to find the closest practices to the sunnah of prophet Muhammad s.a.w which also means no academic researches for religious practices. However, when the issues being discussed; there would also be arguments, objections and those who defend certain practices. Later, fanaticism would manifest out of these arguments, objections and defending activities. They are firm in their opinion whether to defend certain practices or to reorganize. From here, the elder groups and younger groups like what we had discussed in previous post took form. So, this fits the warning of Allah Ta'ala in the Quran and what has been narrated in the hadith reported from prophet Muhammad s.a.w. 

We should also bear in our mind in our effort to understand the hadith and several verses from Quran pertaining this issue. We are not prohibited from discussing and researching religious matters for e.g the essential of religion, the branches of religion, the decision-making related to the way of life and differences of opinions. We are determined by the religion itself to discuss and talk about these since the God the Highest commands us to think, to ponder and to use our mind. However, it is prohibited to force our opinion on others or by using the force enforcing our opinions on others and looking at others who are not of the same opinion as our enemies! It would be more disgusting if these conflicts are to be made a background for political brawls or to defend the position of certain groups like what I could see now! It also includes labeling others as infidels as the result of the previous.

"Indeed those who divides their "divine law" and makes them turning into groups; you are not with them in anything! Their affair is only left to the God! Then He will herald them on what they used to do" - Surat Al-An'am 6:159

In the verse above, the God mentions that prophet Muhammad s.a.w is not from any of the side of any group or the sect which has divide itself from one another although all of them claim that they are closer to prophet Muhammad s.a.w in term of practices and sunnah. This is not only intended to "Sunnah" Muslims but also to "Shi'a" Muslims because Shi'a Muslims also have the "Sunnah" as according to their standards. Prophet Muhammad s.a.w only siding with those who are united with one another. United here does not mean the unity in term of forcing the opinions on one another. United here means respecting one another as prophet Muhammad s.a.w as according to the hadith still mentioning about 73 fractions. But all of these 73 fractions are still his nations. 

It means: "Behold that the messenger of the God had once stand in front of the public and said... 'Indeed from the people of the scriptures before you, they would be 72 fractions and my nations would split into 73 groups. The 72 would be cast into the Fire but the ones which would be put into the paradise are the jama'a". - Abi Dawud

In our history, there are the Khawarij groups, the Shi'a groups, the Mu'tazilites, the Ash'arite, the Maturidi and those claim themselves as the Ahl Sunnah wal Jama'a. There are movements like Muslim Brotherhood, Tabligh, Sufi Brotherhood and so on. If fanaticism of the group is at its peak, everyone of these would claim that only their group is the righteous one. Others are all wrong!!! While if we make a new analysis, we could make a conclusion that in each of these group; there are rights and there are also errors since most of them are the result of opinions. Though the door to exchange opinions is closed with extremism and fanaticism, there still is a space for observation to correct whatever errors that we have and to be in accordance with whatever is right as the noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w says:

"My nations would never assemble on deviation"

Which means, no one decides the "general" path that they follow is the strayed path! As for me, the schism between "Sunnah" and 'Shi'a" is the most pathetic thing that ever happened in the history. There were also the partition of "Shi'a" groups when some became the "Khawarij" groups. Those especially of "Sunnah" and "Shi'a" are so ego till they would kill one another because of differences in furu' matters. There are also accusations on one another for e.g on monotheism issues based on over-generalization and it becomes nauseating when it is mixed with worldly political matters... repeated... and repeated... 

Even now, when I am returning to the path of Muhammad s.a.w and ancestors. I still have to be careful and not to take "anything" from preachers in any side as the final word of the God. I refuse to be within all of these groups too if all of them keep accusing one another with suspicion but only remaining as a Muslim, a follower of Muhammad s.a.w path and a servant in service under the Glorious God the Highest.

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

Rashid Ridha on Fractions

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmtullah

I guess almost everyone knows about this figure especially those Ikhwan Muslims and "Salafi" movement who always form the halaqa with a naqib for da'awa discussions or lessons circulating. I used to see these kids talking in the musalla and some of them also like the Tabligh movement kiddies trying to win my attention. I do realize this but I do not want to join them due to certain factors where I was mingling with "non-religious" students.  It perhaps would taint their "holy" and "sacred" image as I just sat on the floor and eating some breads with homeless mentally-ill people.

I am not a person who takes pride on particular movement because my Leader is the One High above. I do not obey any religious authority nor any leadership among "non-prophet" man-kind nor other beings. The last prophet was Muhammad s.a.w so he is my earthly leader and my celestial, real and universal Leader is the God the Highest the Creator the Most Merciful the Most Beneficent. I have my own mind and perception and I could think myself with the assistant of revelation, namely the glorious Quran and the traditions of Muhammad s.a.w. I have my own distinct identity and I would never be bound to any principles by whoever sheikh, naqib or amir sahab and others. I am siding by the bani Hashem and a lover of lady Fatima al-Zahra and lady Zainab, the daughters of Muhammad s.a.w. 

In his exegesis, Muhammad Rashid mentions that there are few factors which caused the Muslims being torn into parts. It is easy to blame non-Muslims specifically Nasrani and Yahudi on this matter but wouldn't it be so narrow and childish to blame others for our own errors isn't it? Who told us that people who proclaim their selves as Muslims or born in Muslim families are indefinitely holy, angelic, faithful deep in heart and constantly holding the covenants??? Is it clearly mentioned by the God in the glorious Quran? The observation by this figure shows that, non-religious affairs are actually the divisive reasons when they were dragged into the "religion". When this happens, there would be fanaticism or ta'assub. Each group would be thinking that they are the only uppermost, righteous, valid, blessed by the God and the sole representative of the God in the Earth although they never receive any revelation through the archangel Gabriel a.s nor directly from the God the Highest. It would thus bringing give rise to quarrels and later leading to civil wars among Muslims.

The list says that divisive reasons for fractions among Muslims are...

1. Worldly politics and usurpation.

2. Defending the nation and tribes.

3. Disagreement between schools in relation to the basis and branches of the path.

4. Talking about the religion matters by simply using the opinions.

5. Incitement of enemies in past Muslim caliphates.

Schools or Movements as Official Identity

The Splitting of Muslims by Dynasties

A. Greater Syria

During the Abbasid dynasty was rivaling with the Umayyad dynasty, the bani Hashim clan who forms the Abbasid dynasty in Iraq had made the Imami Shi'a, Ahl Bayt school with Mu'tazilite doctrines as their official school of Islam. It had thus separated Muslims into two divisions where those majority Muslims under the Umayyad were of orthodox Sunnah schools while those in the Abbasid were of Shi'a school.

B. Iran

In 15th century, the Safavid dynasty of Iran had made the Twelver Imami Shi'a school as their official school of Islam. I am not siding with anyone. But the Safavid dynasty was established by a sufi order teacher known as Safiyuddin Ardabili where he assumed the leadership of the Zahadi sufi order in Gilan province of Northern Iran.

The school leader of shaikh was the spiritual master and the father in law of Safiyuddin, known as Zahed of Gilan. He was the founder of the Zahadi order. His real name is Tajuddin bin Rushd bin Rushan Amir. The order later took form in a new name because of the charismatic and leadership talent of Safiyuddin. The order gained its influence in the city of Ardabil and many people there were Safiyuddin's followers.

The establishment of this particular Persian dynasty has its root from a sufi circle. Many people only talk about what had already happened. As for me, I think that we need to always check on what were the roots and origins of certain matters that caused certain things or a phenomena to happen.

When Safavi dynasty declared their adherence to Shi'a school, they were splitting their selves with Afghanistan which was also part of Persian empire. Many those in Afghanistan and Tajikistan were of Orthodox Sunnah school particularly of Hanafi jurisprudence although some tribes are following the Shi'a schools for e.g the Sevener Imami Shi'a and Twelver Imami Shi'a.  

C. Egypt

Before the Sevener Isma'ili Shi'a Muslims established their dynasty known as the Fatimid, Egypt was opened into the prophethood of Muhammad s.a.w and the light of the God the Highest by the Rashidun caliphate through the general, Amr bin al-'As r.a who also narrated the hadith about fractions of path during the period of Uthman r.a.

After some gap, some Egyptians sided with the Byzantine Roman empire as they were more satisfied to be managed under their fellow Christian brethren. During the short period of our imam Ali r.a caliphate, Amr bin al-'As formed a rebel group in Egypt. He managed to overthrow the present governor of Egypt, Muhammad, the son of Abu Bakr r.a who was chosen by Uthman r.a and he was also appointed by imam Ali r.a through the consent of Egyptian themselves.

Then Egypt was included into the Abbasid empire with the capital in Baghdad. Later only the Fatimid caliphs came from Tunisia and forming the Shi'a Muslim caliphate in Egypt with its first caliph, Abdullah bin al-Hussain bin Ahmad bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Isma'il bin Ja'afar. The caliphate constitution was based on the kitab Daa-im al-Islam as compiled by al-Qadhi Nu'man bin Muhammad bin Mansur bin Hayyun. I've got a copy of this kitab as well and it is a kitab with hadiths narration for several chapters like the salat services, fasting, the zakat and etc. There are Arabic, Hindi as well as English version of this kitab. The Arabic version could be founded in Qum, Iran. The Yemeni Muslims of Isma'ili Shi'a lineage or by heritage are not structurally organized like those in Gujarat of India where I could see they have their own uniform and it is funny for me, ahahahha.

The area of this caliphate extends to Hejaz and there are actually many Isma'ili Shi'a Muslims especially in the areas of historical Najran which is now a province in Saudi Arabia and northern Yemen which also was our ancestral land. What I could conclude is that, the establishment of this Shi'a caliphate was based on a "sufi" lineage and their movements. They were the descents or family members of Ali bin Abi Talib who were persecuted by the Abbasid dynasty when the rulers feel intimidated due their rising influence among people. Some of them have to hide and issuing rulings for their families and people from hidden area or using other identities. Many of the high ranking members also possess knowledge of the orthodox sunnah practiced in the tabi'in era and the salaf al-saleh teachers for e.g of the famous four imams' jurisprudence views besides they could practice them in various angle of life as to be in accordance with others.

The Fatimid caliphate was overthrown by Salahuddin al-Ayyubi who formed the Ayyubid dynasty. Later, the Ayyubid dynasty was overthrown by the Mamluks.

Rivaling in Religious Official Post

The Shafi'ie and the Hanafi jurists were also rivaling during the Abbasid period. They even invented fake hadiths to counter one another. Why is this happening??? Because of the government's post? Because of expanding influence through their schools of theology or jurisprudence? Of the influence is greater, then their life would be much easier as nobody would be the obstacles for them to reach "comfort" in this temporal life through the pretext of "religion"?

During the Mamluk period of Egypt, the rulers had appointed four chief jurists for each school of jurisprudence according to orthodox sunnah school as to satisfy everyone.

Rivaling among Movements

There are many movements even within orthodox sunnah muslim groups. For e.g, the Ikhwan al-Muslim and its off-shoot which is the "Neo-Salafi" movement of Egypt, the Wahhabi movement of Saudi Arabia, the Deobandi, the Ahl Hadith and Barelwi movements of Indian sub-continent, Taleban of Afghanistan, the Houthi movement which is a Zaydi Shi'a Muslim movement of Yemen and other tariqa movements or traditional sufi brotherhood circles whether in Eastern and Western world whether in the designation of Sunnah or Shi'a label.

As what I noticed, the Tabligh members for e.g do not mingle with the Ikhwan or Muslim Brotherhood members. For local members in our country, their political ideology and aspiration is different though some claim in front of me that they are not bounded by political ideology. One more thing that I noticed, they are so fond with some-kind of ranking in their movements. As for me, let me say... I can just laugh and laugh and laugh... hahaha. Nobody gives a sh.t to whatever post in those movements. I get to know Allah Ta'ala, not through these movements but through the Mercy of Allah Ta'ala. I struggled with myself, stopped the practices of a Muslim, performed non-Islamic meditations without food and drinks for days "alone", almost committing suicide and suddenly stumbled at prayer books, exegesis of Quran and other things in my room. Allah Ta'ala was the One who leads me to Him through incidents and what ever happened to me.

The terms used by members of these movements for certain da'awa affairs, in discussions or meetings are different. The Tabligh member would come out with weird terms which were never employed even in Classical Malay such as karkuzari, amir sahab, takazah, hidayat, bayan, ghash, chai pelo, Allah ka farmaya and other Hindustani-Pakistani Urdu words though they speak mostly in languages like Malay or English. While the Ikhwan members would come out with new Arabic sounding terms such as naqib, halaqah, ikhwan, ana, ente, ikhwati, mu'allim, rijal muslimin, ustadziat al-'alam, shura and so on when talking with others or discussing things among themselves. Members of the movements would be of different background, talents, inclinations and stuffs. Some of them perhaps were of religious background where we could detect it as they are more reserved as compared to others of secular educational background but inclining toward religion due to several factors which only they themselves could explain.

I also found the gap between rich and poor members or educated and uneducated members as I could see in Tabligh centers. My experience with those kids in my hostel during the "postgraduate" period was not the only one. I have family members who are the members of this movement as well as I also joined and checking the movement flows in disguise as an "ignorant", poor and non-religiously educated guy. Those poor-looking, crippled or penniless ones would be sitting outside of the circles or just staying at the walls far from the crowd. Some were neglected while other rich, nice-looking would be entertained with so much joy of "brotherhood".

All of these are in my account and I asked the God the Highest in prayers while in solitary. Why is these happening even in the so-called "religious" movements? I started to stop from entertaining people when they try to promote me their movements as I had few times encountered these few unpleasant criteria or traits for example they love to make promises, or talking in "promising" tone when they were happy but later changing their way 360 degree after other thing coming to them be they auspicious or calamities.

As for me as what I feel here pertaining to the issue, I do not have to "show-off" or being so "intense" in front of the crowd as I was a religious studies student. I studied theology and jurisprudence as well as the Arabic linguistic studies and it is for myself. I could spread the 'Mercy" without having to even open up my mouth since I have my prayers and supplications. I only stopped due several factors which had killed my "spirit" and now I am trying to return to the earlier nature. I have the experience being dipped into secular studies and I could say that through my inner-feeling, it is not as "gempak" as what has been rumored by politicians who hates "religious studies" students due to certain things which go against their "worldly" political aspiration. It is rather tormenting as I could not be my "self". Religious studies students are not as boring as those "science" stream students. We only afraid of the God and not afraid of being penniless or being looked down by aweks (girls) or people around, hahaha.

In our South East Asian region, we had the gap between young people and elders. We call them as the kaum Tua and kaum Muda. Those young people were religious studies students or those who are educated in the Middle East, while the elders were those who maintained the practices according to traditional manners as according to the earlier preachers of Islam did in order to penetrate local population. 

All of the members in the movements think that their movements are the most righteous, the most established with complete literature, the uppermost, the greatest in the manner of their da'awa, the most correct in their acts of worship and even to certain extend, deciding for themselves a place in paradise while others would be thrown without any mercy into the hell-fire because they are not joining their movements, not reciting the kitabs written by their sheikhs, not using the methods codified by their specific leaders, or for not wearing the uniform like them for example the kurta and so on. I noticed all of these when following their movements but secluding myself from them.

I read all of their literature as well as making references to various sources including religious teachers. I found those young people are not reading enough. Maybe because they are just kids. But when I was a little boy, I read and listened to all sort of things which also include things from other faiths as propagated by the original sources. Some in the Tabligh movement seems like do not really read but they listen to some kind of lecture known as the bayan which for me means the explanation at various occasion. Those of Ikhwan movements would form discussion circles and bring with them the notes. They would talk about various issues and discussing them with the verses from Quran just like the Latter Days preaching kids talking in groups with a Bible in their hand. Things that they heard are recycled and not from their first hand research. Say when talking about Yahudi and Nasrani, they only circulate the researches of famous figures for e.g Ahmad Deedat or Zakir Naik. I read Ahmad Deedat books but I disagree in terms that people are using his methods to counter others while others are not provoking us when we try to introduce our faith to people. I also went to churches myself and talked with priests and Christian centers after their ceremonial mass but I never attack them. I just ask them the details of their faith and asking for materials to read. I also had the experience being approached by Christian preachers. Some of them could not recognize me as Muslim, and I never tell people about my faith if they do not ask me. 

As for me, I am just employing simple methods. This method is not taught by anyone but simply my own method. I am not  "follower" kind of person but I never consider myself as  "leader" nor fit for it. It could be divided into periods of prophet Muhammad s.a.w receiving revelations. The periods are the Meccan and the Medina periods. The first period was the period when prophet Muhammad s.a.w was not so unfortunate where he has nobody to support him but only those closer to him where he prays a lot in his heart. The second period was the period when prophet Muhammad s.a.w explain matters when there are necessities. The key point of these two periods was shown by our imam Hassan r.a and imam Hussain r.a during the incident where they had shown an old man on how to "nicely" perform the ablution. It consists of prayers, wisdom, manner and practicality. No need to show off or boast with words... Sorry, I have to retype again for beloved brothers and sisters convenience. Thank you for stepping by this humble site...

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

Reason of Fractions

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

This is the continuation of my previous post about the seventy three divisions. It is crucial for brothers and sisters including myself to know about what is ijtihaad. For shari'a divine law practitioners, this matter is very important to determine their decisions in their rulings and judgements. Also important for them to decide on their religious duty when there is no evidence for certain matters related to the path. Basically, the result of a decision-making is based from opinions with some supportive articles of few basic sources of constitution. Maybe it could be compared to European Union system of decision-making and law... I am trying to make this less technical... But if it is too technical, I am so sorry as I could not avoid it... 

Ijtihad

What does ijtihaad means? Ijtihaad is the decision-making according to our divine law through two ways which are:

1. Personal effort

2. Personally made by one according to any school of jurisprudence. 

This is in opposite to the taqleed. I think that I had posted about taqleed in... I don't know previous pages maybe. Taqleed means that we would follow the decisions or the rulings of a religious expert without necessarily to examine scriptural basis or reasoning of the particular decision. Most Muslim in the world are the muqallideen (click on muqallideen to refer) or the public followers which more or less also include myself though I was once a Shari'a Islamiyya student. In order for the decision to be valid and widely accepted, it must be rooted with the basis support of the Quran and the hadiths. It does not require any established doctrine rules for the case. A mujtahid usually is an Islamic scholar who is competent to interpret the divine law through his own effort. The mujtahideen or the Islamic scholars must meet the requirements before he is competent to make his own decision in relation to the path and the way of life. 

There are differences between qualifications between the Sunnah and Shi'a Muslims as per outlined by scholars of both sides. The Shi'a Muslims as what I know have their students in hawzat 'ilmiyya where they must master the Arabic linguistic studies, jurisprudence, hadith and sunna compiled by their scholars, logic, philosophy and jurisprudence. Although I am an orthodox sunnah Muslim, but my background is more or less almost the same with those hawzat students just after I expelled myself from the Shari'a studies due to problems of faith and pressure of life as for the lack of life experience. Apa orang kata itu, saya cuma budak kanyaq berhingus saja masa itu, lol... There are many types of decision-maker for specific branches of the way of life such as economy or finance as well as there are decision-maker of both genders, males and females.  

Ijtihaad in jurisprudence basically means that the understanding of the way of life was started by companions of Muhammad s.a.w until the period of followers and the following scholars known as the mutaqaddimeen. Those scholars always mentioned that the opinions of their ijtihaad are based on their dzhann or assumption. They were not final and could be followed if they are in accordance to the two basic sources of the way of life which are the Quran and the Sunna. Imam al-Shafi'ie may the God be pleased with him had once said that if the hadith is valid, then it is my school. 

Fractions due to Ijtihaad

Now the question is whether the fractions in our path is because of these opinions by different early scholars? Scholar for e.g Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah through his observation says that fractions does not happen due to these few ijtihaads. It happens when the result of a certain ijtihaad is gripped with so much confidence by followers. Thus, schools rise out of these confidence on certain ijtihaad and everyone claims that their group or faction is the righteous one. Sometimes, it happens that the opinion of a mujtaheed when being thoroughly researches has a different meaning from a valid hadith. But the valid hadith is not followed by people because they still are confident with a particular opinion of their imam or scholars. When this happens, there are also fractions in the divine path...

The four orthodox sunna imams never were in conflict among each other. They actually respect each other and their opinions. They are tolerant toward each other. However, the followers of the next generations had made their opinions as if their opinions are of different path and religion. The same thing also happened to Shia Muslims. It worsen until there are questions such as whether a Hanbali Muslim man could marry a Shafi'ie Muslim lady? Whether a Shafi'ie Muslim man could marry a Hanafi Muslim lady? Or whether a Sunna Orthodox Muslim man could marry a Shi'a Muslim lady? While many people thought that Islam is only Islam. Why it becomes like this???! May the God forgives us. 

In the Holy Mecca itself as what I also heard from my elders, since hundred of years, there were four imams taking turns in conducting the congregations of different schools of jurisprudence for daily prayer services. Only because the followers of the schools did not want to follow imams from different school of jurisprudence. There was also a story told by elders that the followers of Hanafi school of jurisprudence stayed idle when the imam of other schools conducting the prayer and only praying when the imam of their school conducting the prayers who usually would be the last one in the turns. The reason they do not want to follow other imams during the congregational services is due to furu' or differences in branches of practices in a particular ritual. Only in 1925, when the Ben Sa'ud conquered the nowadays Saudi Arabia that daily prayer services are conducted only once for each time. The same thing also happened to the Sunna and Shi'a sides where everyone would try to avoid performing prayer services in each other mosques... 

Comparison with Non-Muslims

When I heard or see all of these matters, I feel quite weird because the Christians are also divided into hundreds of sects. The popular ones that I know are the Roman Catholic and those in communion with the Western Roman papacy, the independent Oriental Orthodox churches, Protestant churches and so on... I guess the same thing also to the Children of Israel where there are Orthodox Rabbinical Authority for Orthodox Jews, Reformed Judaism, Karaite Judaism and etc. Also among the Hindus, where some Vaishnava refuse to perform worship in Saivite temples due to differences... I visited also the Bengal Vaisnava temple in Penang Island just few blocks in opposite of the Bengal Tabligh Mosque when I was studying in Penang Island. Christians would refuse to perform sacrament in different churches and they would have to be baptized again if they are converting to other sect. The same thing too with Judaism where one needs to be baptized by the Rabbinical Authority to be recognized as an Orthodox Jew and to perform worship and rituals according to mainstream Orthodox Judaism. 

Our World Today

Today I could also see the same thing happens among Muslims especially of Sunna and Shi'a sides... Some of the Muslims of these sides keep stamping each other as kafirs or infidels and refusing to pray in each other mosques. If they are praying there, they would be seen with suspicion by the majority congregation members. People of these different sides and groups keep killing each other and bombing each other mosques. Are we now fully reaching the threat of noble prophet Muhammad s.a.w? The clogs' trail would follow the clogs' trail? Where the schools and sects becoming like a different religion? Are we going to deny ourselves or to trying our best to prevent this from happening? How are we going to do and what is the method to avoid this?

The hadith narrated by Abdullah bin 'Amr al-'As is not explaining the destiny that must be followed by people! It warns us to avoid from the situation! To protect ourselves from this situation, we must follow the primary basis of the path which is the glorious Quran, the wisdom of Muhammad s.a.w through his Sunna and through the practices of his companions and early righteous disciples. It also refers to the manner of da'awa... Only those who have the Quran shining through his heart would be the "authentic" practitioners of da'awa...

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

Seventy Three Divisions

Assalaamu'alaikum wa rahmatullah

Pic by Abby Rowe

Let me just right away explain the meaning behind the topic today. It refers to the hadith reported by Muawiyya bin Abi Sufyan r.a. Well, before I could further this topic, I would like to admit... I am not a very fan of Muawiyya r.a because due to some disputes that had caused civil wars involving our ancestors but I am not a fanatic so people could see I am displaying his hadith report and narration here without any cursing because according to my understanding. I am not fit to curse anyone except the God the Highest and I have no enmity with Muawiyya r.a may the God the Highest be merciful to him.

This topic is in relation to current issues too like what happened in Syria and Pakistan where I could see that people are using the "religion" and labels on others to justify their judgement on others and to simply be bunch of fanatics besides promoting their movements to others in a devious wicked manner. Are the judgements and tantrums the da'awa according to the authentic manner proposed through the glorious Quran? Are they simply provocations for fun or the projection of our takabbur characteristics that we are the "chosen" people as we would be tormented in the hell-fire for few moments before being put into the paradise while inside we are rotten of evil self? Who were these "chosen" people?  

It means: "Behold that the messenger of the God had once stand in front of the public and said... 'Indeed from the people of the scriptures before you, they would be 72 fractions and my nations would split into 73 groups. The 72 would be cast into the Fire but the ones which would be put into the paradise are the jama'a". - Abi Dawud

This hadith is used by some self-proclaimed "Sunnah" Muslims to put the stamp of kafr or infidelity on the forehead of other side who are the Shi'a Muslims or perhaps Sufi Muslims because I know some Usooli Shi'a Muslims also detest "Sufi" Muslims just like other groups. But if we look closely to the hadith, the fractions are not further explained. What are those 72 groups? What are those 73 groups? Are they specifically the Catholics, the Coptic Orthodox, the Oriental Syrian Orthodox in the part of the people of scriptures? Are they the Shi'a Muslims in part of the nations of Muhammad? 

So, does this mean that only those Muslims who claim their selves with designation of Ahl Sunna wal Jama'a and confidently claiming the paradise for their selves would be saved from the Hell-Fire? Are they sure that their faith would be secured during the "death-bed" by the Highest Authority who controls the Guidance and Mercy of Faith?  Please refer to the narration about our Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal rahimahullah during his death-bed. What he told his son? I always remember this narration and details about Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal....

The hadith then has an addition in other narration...

"And indeed "they" would go out to the nations of my era a group of people who would be accompanied by the carnality like the dog that follows its master. Nothing left in his veins and his parts of body except being impregnated by it". 

This hadith is full of pragmatism. This was what we learned in translation and interpretation theories during undergraduate studies. And we also learned about the translations and interpretations to suit ones' ideology or the ideology of those who are involved in the interpretation and translation. The explanation of the addition of this hadith where it says that the dog would follow its master and then bites him. I wonder whether those who spread out this hadith to say that their movements or groups are right even know about the addition of the hadith by this companion of Muhammad s.a.w which is Muawiyya r.a? Or they know about it but hiding it from the ignorant public?

Let us see another hadith narrated by Abdullah bin 'Amr al-'As r.a which means:

"Indeed, my nations would be like the Children of Israel where the "clogs' trail" would follow the "clogs' trail". The Children of Israel were torn apart into 72 religions while the paths of my era would be torn apart into 73 paths. All of them would be cast into the hell-fire except a path. Thus, they asked: 'Who are those in the "path" dear Muhammad s.a.w?" He said: 'Those who follows me and my companions'".  

From these hadiths what could we see? We could see that in a religion, there would also be various modes of thought. This is known as al-ra'yi in Arabic. Imam Malik bin Anas r.a who is also a companion had once said: "Muhammad s.a.w has passed away and the matters had been perfected and completed. So, the one that we should follow is the trail he had left and never the opinions of others. If you follow the opinions, then there would be other opinions which are stronger than the current and you would later follow the opinions... so on and so on. In my view, it would be a never ending course".

What Imam Malik r.a means here is that, the opinions pertaining religious affairs, about the creed, the worship and jurisprudence whether it is halal or haram. It is not about the worldly affairs or states' interest, politics or the execution of states' administration. We should not follow people's opinions but only those stated in the primary sources of the path. I could see people quarreling with each other related to the "sunnah" for example in salat services. Whether to clasp our hands or to just leave it at our side like the Shi'a Muslims during the standing straight act of salat. When I see or hear this, I just feel tired and I do not think that my words would help to cure their fanaticism in their jurisprudence schools because they are not learning and never bother to learn. The act of clasping the hands is known as qabd... and laying the hands besides is known as the sadl. According to the Shafi'ie jurisprudence, it is not wrong to stand with sadl but no swaying is allowed. The act of qabd is the sunnah with the status of hai-aat. For some schools including the Maliki school, sadl or laying the hand is sunnah. How I know these? I refer to jurisprudence kitabs and asking teachers for evidences. Our people some of them were also praying like that but they are the Shafi'ies.

For worldly affairs, the Maliki school for example has the teaching of public benefits which is related to the aim of prophet Muhammad s.a.w being appointed as a messenger of the God the Highest. So, according to al-Shatibi who wrote in the al-I'tisaam chapter 9th, the "scholarly" decision maker of the path who use his personal efforts in the problems of decision-making are not involved in the view of Imam Malik bin Anas r.a. If they are involved in this matter, then the religion would be so narrow. While according to the difference of period, there are many rising issues which needs to be solved through decision-making of the divine law practitioners though they were not there in the era of Muhammad s.a.w in Mecca nor Medina. The questions of decision-making which exist in the era after the prophet s.a.w passed away are the questions which have no evidence for them. None of the previous ulamas especially the salaf ever discussed the issue.         

I would continue my reflection in other posts if there are opportunities may the God the Highest makes it true. I am not supporting any groups here. I am talking as an "ordinary" follower of Muhammad s.a.w path who was deflected from the path due to environment and lack of support from "fellow" Muslims our selves but I returned due to His Mercy-Compassionate. 

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