Assalamualaikum and peace be upon you…
IN PLAIN WORDS… two
(A dialog I just had)
Day of the Diminution,
26th dawn of the reign of Ganymede – bearer of the two streams,
Year of the Caminus Canis…
Toooot… – 1 missed call…1 msg receive – ‘guess you must be engaged, well, I’m of to bed’… tit tut tut tit tut tut tit tit tit tit (if you haven’t guessed yet, it’s the sound of numbers being dialed and what follow is the ringing tone)…toot toot…toot toot…
Princess : hello…
Demon : asalamualaikum… were you sleeping?
Princess : waalaikumsalam... hmmm…not yet, just getting cozy on my bed, what were you doing just now?
Demon : sorry, just came back from the mosque, it’s Friday night – there’s the yaasin recital. I didn’t bring my phone…
Princess : hmmm… anybody else in your house went to the mosque?
Demon : nope… they came back late form work… they didn’t have the opportunity to go…
Princess : hmm… odd…
Demon : odd? Why?
Princess : nothing…
Demon : nothing? Hmm… there must be something, or else you won’t say odd…
Princess : hmmm… ya la, it’s odd that you have to go to the mosque everyday. No normal guy would do that.
Demon : what do normal guys do then?
Princess : ya la… I’m not saying that it’s wrong to go to the mosque to pray and all that. But I think that it’s just too extreme, I mean, going there almost all of the day, don’t you think? Normal people don’t go to the mosque everyday you know?
Demon : then you are saying those doctors, engineers, dato’ and tan sri’s who did that are abnormal people?
Princess : ……
Demon : or, are you saying that those who go on ‘melepak’ an shopping complex stairs or coffee houses, or people who are still on the field, or people who spend their time till the wee time of night are much more better and can be considered as normal?
Princess : …I just don’t like it – it’s suffocating me…
Demon : suffocating you? In what ways? Am I forcing you to follow my way? Am I forcing you to wear the hijab? Is it by me going for jamaah (group prayers) implying or suggesting all that to you?
Princess : no… but you are scaring me, you are showing signs of extremism… I’m scared of our future together…
The dialog goes on for almost more than an hour – the rest were too lengthy and a bit of ‘cerita dalam kain’ (personal, if you are still wondering) for me.
The purpose of me showing this dialog I had with the women whom I really love is to show to you the impact on society that the terms RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, LIBERAL ISLAM, ISLAMIC FUNDEMENTALIST have. Most people I our society nowadays – use these term so very fondly and in manners that are so very intellect that we were blinded by the morbid impact that our action has on our religion and society. Be what religion or faith that you embrace – the victim would always be those who try to lessen the gap that they have with their god (or gods).
In my previous entry (IN PLAIN WORDS…) I have mentioned of my (so very lacking and inept) observation of these labeling. Furthermore, the existence of the ‘so very well read individuals’ in society (no offense to any quarter) that goes on and on and on debating or many would like to say ‘discussing’ the topic of religion. I do agree that Islam IS a religion that promotes discussions – but ever so often we so lavishly forget – the ADAB (ethics), the ILM (knowledge) and USRAH (direct translation would be group, but in this respect it would be open mindedness), thus we would see the re-inventing of - Islam, the followers of Islam, and (god forbids) Quran and hadith (I sincerely pray that its just the interpretation of these to source).
Many in our society nowadays, debated and discussed the matter of religion based on our personal views thus bringing to the intention of having personal motives be achieved. I am not saying that there are no rooms for personal views in Islam – I am saying that what ever personal views or believe that we have, it MUST be based on understanding of the topic at hand – and the only source of understanding MUST come from ILM – knowledge. It matters not what source of knowledge that we derived from, but it matters most that we should not be biased in seeking the knowledge (by this I meant to take and reject what we like without giving thought to it) or else injustice would be done and misconception would follow. Here’s a quote from Dan Brown, just something for us to ponder –
The purpose of me showing this dialog I had with the women whom I really love is to show to you the impact on society that the terms RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, LIBERAL ISLAM, ISLAMIC FUNDEMENTALIST have. Most people I our society nowadays – use these term so very fondly and in manners that are so very intellect that we were blinded by the morbid impact that our action has on our religion and society. Be what religion or faith that you embrace – the victim would always be those who try to lessen the gap that they have with their god (or gods).
In my previous entry (IN PLAIN WORDS…) I have mentioned of my (so very lacking and inept) observation of these labeling. Furthermore, the existence of the ‘so very well read individuals’ in society (no offense to any quarter) that goes on and on and on debating or many would like to say ‘discussing’ the topic of religion. I do agree that Islam IS a religion that promotes discussions – but ever so often we so lavishly forget – the ADAB (ethics), the ILM (knowledge) and USRAH (direct translation would be group, but in this respect it would be open mindedness), thus we would see the re-inventing of - Islam, the followers of Islam, and (god forbids) Quran and hadith (I sincerely pray that its just the interpretation of these to source).
Many in our society nowadays, debated and discussed the matter of religion based on our personal views thus bringing to the intention of having personal motives be achieved. I am not saying that there are no rooms for personal views in Islam – I am saying that what ever personal views or believe that we have, it MUST be based on understanding of the topic at hand – and the only source of understanding MUST come from ILM – knowledge. It matters not what source of knowledge that we derived from, but it matters most that we should not be biased in seeking the knowledge (by this I meant to take and reject what we like without giving thought to it) or else injustice would be done and misconception would follow. Here’s a quote from Dan Brown, just something for us to ponder –
'Faith is a continuum, and we each fall on that line where we may. By attempting to rigidly classify ethereal concepts like faith, we end up debating semantics to the point where we entirely miss the obvious-that is, that we are all trying to decipher life's big mysteries, and we're each following our own paths of enlightenment.'
Dan Brown
To those who have left their much valued views and comments in my previous post and to those who would be reading my entries, I thank you. Forgive me if offense had been caused to any of your lovely, lovely souls.
7 comments:
Hi Deme.
A nice piece.
I understand the differences between :
A.faith as one wishes to embrace
B.faith as understood by one through the sphere of one's life experiences,
C.faith the way it is in its pristine ori form.
Yours, going for your Yasin recitals on friday nights, going to the mosque everyday, and liking it better than doing the lepak on supermarket staircases, and the many beautiful great acts of devotion you love doing... belongs to #A. And I see you seeking God's guidance and acceptance.. working your way towards tenet #C. I love that.
Your Princess, is experiencing #B. She sees the way she had experienced it, her observation of 'normal' muslim (not suffocating the partner by going to the mosque often) and perhaps in her sphere of experience and observation people who go to the mosque every waktu are they who neglect their other duties very glaringly, so she does not want that to be the rule of the day when she starts a home with you.
Princess needs lots of encouragement and examples to show that people who go to the mosque and yet are very successful in life and not neglectful of what family life demands are the people you take as model, and not the negligents. It will take time surely for Princess to appreciate tenet #C but SHE will be so very glad, one day, if she is shown the true meaning of #C.
One day, when she discovers the true meaning of submission to God in all sense of the word, and that God is so full of Wisdom, Love and Mercy.. she will want to be a person close to God. I pray for that day.
Me, I am just a speckle of dust in the total scheme that He chose to implement, "Be, and So it Is". I am trying my best to appreciate and implement tenet #C.. and in so doing, I ask a lot of forgiveness from our Lord for the shortcomings and inadequacy that is Me.
Thanks deme. Thank you for sharing.
asm Demon,
Your're a great person. Everyone who has passion for the truth is great. Whatever path we went through, if we are sincere in Him, I believe He will show the way.... Just keep your balance and maintain your thinking freedom. This is most important, else you will get swayed away by torrents of trivialities that distract from the Core Understanding that is Unity - Kalimah Tayyibah.
We are all inherrently `waraq'. He EXISTS .... in space and beyond space...in thoughts....and outside...in Time and beyond Time... He EXISTS in ALL dimensions..nearer to us than the Urat leher. Not a thought pass in our mind without His Knowledge... everyone has his own demons and He KNOWS, what more.. it is within His Scheme of Things.... Just keep communicating with Him ...leave trivialities to those who feel the need to trudge this path...
I cannot say more. You are already in seeker mode. He will surely Guide.....in whatever ways....
Ignorance begets extreme vanity. Fundamentalism is a term most people misunderstands just as that Princess misunderstood you. Enlightening entry! Me on the other hand, people seems to think I am too pro-west extreme by my love for the their literature and writings...not true at all. It is on one's character that people set their perception and this is one fine example.
Faith and religion are two things that are so hard for me to put down in words. Most of the time in religion, it's blind faith. I dont believe going to the mosque everyday is being extremist though I would probably be a bit more respectful around that person and sometimes a bit scared to say what I think for fear of judgement.
Dan Brown is one of the modern day philosopher who's gaining my respect from day to day. :)
Going to the mosque is an act of compliance as well as reverence; each having its own level or `maqam' says the mystic. I have an arab friend who confessed going to the mosque for every prayer but ended up oversea living like a common mat Salleh...promiscuity and all. So that sould not be a yardstick to measure religiosity, whatever that means. What matters is what is in our mind and soul. If it is an act of compliance, then, when the environment changes, compliance may change. If it is an act of reverance, the ground may quake, the sea may swell, the winds may roar, you will still find a way to show reverence to Your Rabb (God).
Me lords and lil' lady,
True that there are levels or maqam in performing whatever amal there is; and true there are differennce in how religion is embraced and practice; and true also that ignorance begets extreme vanity; and true enough that faith and religion are things that are not easy to pu down on words.
The act of compliance and reverence in religion - to my understanding based on a hadith is something that is not to be shown. It is preferbably done in secrecy as to avoid this thing called fitnah. It is, between us and god.
And act of compliance is in actual a training for those with such weak iman such I am. It will become the act of reverence when it is done with istiqomah and accompanied with ikhlas. While it may seem that in these days, where the words of the LORD might seem not to be true (i'm refering to the "SOLAH MENCEGAH KEMUNGKARAN")the blame should never be put on HIM. There blame is all ours - we habe always lavishly neglect the small small things in ibadah; the preparation and the execution. This neglect comes from lack in prctice.
This post was never intended to show the extent of my devotion nor to potray myself as a pious person - I am more of wariq than waraq. I posted this entry as to exemplified the effect that the debates and labels that have been lavishly thrown by many in our muslim society at present.
I am truly worried as my own "iman" is but an onion skin thick - these debates and the people that i faced day in day out only managed to make it even thinner; again due to my weakness. If I am experiencing this, what is of my future generation?
*Ralat*
to demonsinme
(tapi ramei yang tak tahu, hijrah yang bebenor nye kat masa la ni ialah hijrah dari benda (diri) yang tak baik kepada yang lebih baik. contohnye, kalo kite kaki buat maksiat, kite rentikan dan tuko jadi kaki buat amal.)
aku setuju dan benarlah apa yg kau katakan tu...aku tak berniat nak cakap kau salah...cuma banyak takrif tentang hijrah yg boleh di fahami, terimak kasih mereka2yg tegur aku...
aku pun kena hijrah dalam diri gak...terima kasih bebanyak
The demon was onece a man...
born from the blood of the King of Sages...
Destined and groomed to be one of the great lords of the of the tangent plane. But the hands that shuffled the cards of destiny has dealt him so mysteriously...
Much sadness, much grieves have plague the Demon heart...
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