Tiga Golongan yang didoakan Kecelakaan keatasnya

Pada suatu hari, sedang Nabi Muhammad SAW menaiki mimbarnya untuk berkhutbah, sahabat-sahabatnya mendengar Baginda bersabda “Amin” di anak tangga pertama. Di anak tangga kedua, Baginda mengulangi “Amin”, dan seterusnya di anak tangga ketiga, sekali lagi Baginda mengulangi “Amin”. Setelah selesai sembahyang Baginda telah ditanya oleh sahabat-sahabatnya tentang apa yang Baginda aminkan ketika menaiki mimbarnya tadi. Baginda telah bersabda dan menerangkan bahawa Baginda telah mendengar Jibrail AS mendoakan kecelakaan untuk tiga gulungan manusia.

Pertama, Jibrail AS mendoakan kecelakaan untuk mereka yang tidak berselawat ke atasnya apabila mendengar nama Baginda disebut, dan Baginda mengaminkannya.

Kedua, Jibrail AS mendoakan kecelakaan untuk mereka yang mempunyai ibu-bapa (iaitu yang masih hidup) tetapi tidak berbakti kepada mereka, dan Baginda juga mengaminkannya.

Dan

Ketiga, Jibrail mendoakan kecelakaan untuk mereka yang membiarkan Ramadan berlalu tanpa diampunkan dosa-dosa mereka (iaitu mereka tidak bersungguh-sungguh mencari keampunan di bulan Ramadan). Baginda juga mengaminkannya.

Jangan dibiarkan Ramadan ini berlalu begitu sahaja. Lipat-gandakanlah amal ibadat pada bulan Ramadan ini. 

PENAWAR HATI, Bab I: Memelihara Anggota Yang Tujuh

Setiap anggota yang dicipta Allah SWT untuk kita mempunyai keupayaan tersendiri yang boleh dimanfaatkan untuk hidup kita di dunia ini. Selain itu, anggota-anggota ini juga boleh di gunakan untuk melakukan, sama ada dengan cara langsung atau tidak langsung, perkara-perkara yang merupakan atau membawa kepada berlakunya pengabdian kepada Allah SWT. Dengan cara menggunakan anggota-anggota ini hanya di jalan yang diredaiNya, kita menzahirkan kesyukuran kita di atas kurniaanNya dan dengan kesyukuran, maka berkekalan dan bertambahlah nikmat.

Mata

Allah SWT telah menciptakan mata yang memberi kita keupayaan untuk melihat. Ia membantu kita dalam menjalankan hidup seharian di dunia ini dengan membolehkan kita berusaha mencari rezeki(*3), dan mengelakkan diri dari perkara-perkara yang boleh menyakitkan, seperti terjatuh atau berlaga sesama sendiri. Sebaliknya, mata juga membolehkan kita melihat langit, matahari, bulan, bintang DLL sebagai dalil (bukti) kewujudan Allah SWT, keesaannya, dan kekuasaannya, selain untuk melihat Al-Quran, jalan untuk pergi ke masjid dan tempat-tempat menuntut ilmu, yang semuanya membawa kebaikan di Akhirat.

Sebagai langkah menzahirkan  kesyukuran di atas kurniaan mata, kita perlulah memelihara mata daripada melihat semua yang haram (yang ditegah), seperti melihat perempuan selain isteri kita yang sah, hamba sahaya kita, dan muhrim kita. Begitu juga, kita diharamkan melihat aurat orang lain walaupun sesama lelaki.(*4).      

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Nota dari penterjemah:

*3 Apabila kegiatan mencari rezeki dibatasi kepada yang halal sahaja dan kemudiannya rezeki ini digunakan di atas jalan Allah SWT, ia juga menjadi ibadat yang membawa keuntungan di hari Akhirat.

  

*4 Ayat in di tujukan kepada kaum lelaki, dan ia hanya merupakan beberapa misalan daripada perkara yang ditegah. Perkara yang ditegah untuk lelaki biasanya juga ditegah untuk perempuan.  

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Dengan itu kita perlulah membiasakan diri dalam memelihara mata dengan menjauhkan –

diri dari memandang perkara-perkara yang ditegah. Firman Allah SWT di dalam Al-

Quran, Surah An-Nur ) النور ), Ayat 30:

قل للمؤمنين يغضوا من ابصارهم ويحفظوا فروجهم

ذلك ازكى لهم ان الله خبير بما يصنعون

Maksudnya:

Katakanlah (ya Rasulullah) kepada mereka yang beriman, bahawa hendaklah mereka memejamkan mata (supaya mereka tidak melihat perkara yang tidak harus mereka lihat), dan memelihara faraj (iaitu kemaluan) mereka (supaya mereka tidak melakukan apa yang haram dilakukan dengannya). Demikian itu lebih baik bagi mereka. Sesungguhnya Allah SWT maha mengetahui apa yang mereka lakukan (sama ada zahir atau pun batin dan setiap perbuatan akan menerima pembalasan daripada Allah SWT.).

Di dalam Ayat yang tersebut di atas, terdapat tiga unsur, iaitu unsur perintah untuk berkelakuan baik, unsur penerangan, dan unsur ugutan.

Dengan firmannya yang bermaksud “Katakanlah kepada mereka yang beriman, bahawa hendaklah mereka memejamkan mata dan memelihara faraj mereka.”, Allah SWT memerintahkan hambanya supaya berkelakuan baik dengan tidak memandang kepada perkara yang diharamkan untuk mereka, dan memelihara faraj mereka daripada digunakan dengan cara yang tidak halal (tidak dibenarkan). Di dalam hal ini, adalah wajib bagi seorang hamba mentaati perintah Tuhannya. Sekiranya ia ingkar, ia adalah seorang yang jahat dan patutlah ia dimurkai dan diseksa.        

Seterusnya, melalui firmanNya yang bermaksud, “Demikian itu (memejamkan mata dan memelihara faraj) lebih baik bagi mereka.” Allah SWT menerangkan bahawa perbuatan sedemikian adalah keduanya perantaraan untuk membersihkan hati dari segala dosa dan membanyakkan kebajikan.

Unsur ugutan pula terkandung di dalam firman Allah SWT yang bermaksud, “Sesungguhnya Allah SWT maha mengetahui apa yang mereka lakukan.”. Setiap perbuatan diketahui Allah SWT dan akan menerima balasan yang setimpal daripadaNya. Perbuatan yang baik akan dibalas dengan pahala, kesenangan dan Syurga. Sebaliknya, perbuatan jahat akan dibalas dengan seksa dan Api Neraka.

Di dalam Al-Quran, Allah SWT berfirman dalam Surah Ghafir (غافر), Ayat 19:

يعلم خائنة الاعين وما تخفي الصدور

Maksudnya:

Dia (Allah SWT) mengetahui pengkhianatan yang dilakukan setiap mata (iaitu mata mencuri-curi untuk memandang kepada apa yang diharamkan) dan apa yang tersembunyi di dalam hati ( sama ada cita-cita untuk mengerjakan kejahatan atau untuk kebaikan).

Di riwayat kan Al-Hakim daripada Huzaifah RA bahawa Nabi Muhammad SAW pernah bersabda seperti berikut:

ان النظر الى محاسن المرأة سهم مسموم من سهام ابليس

فمن تركها أذا قه الله تعالى طعم عبادة تسره

Maksudnya:

Sesungguhnya, memandang kecantikan tubuh wanita itu adalah seperti terkena anak panah terbisa di antara anak-anak panah Iblis (yang sangat membinasakan). Sesiapa yang tidak melakukannya (kerana takut akan Allah SWT), Allah SWT akan mengurniakan kemanisan beramal ibadah, yang akan menggembirakannya.

Diriwayatkan oleh Muslim dan Al-Baihaqi daripada Abu Hurairah RA, Nabi Muhammad SAW pernah bersabda seperti berikut:

لكل ابن ادم حظه من الزنا فالعينان تزنيان وزنا هما النظر

واليدان تزنيان وزنا هما البطش والرجلان تزنيان وزنا هما المشي

والفم يزنى وزناه التقبيل والقلب يهم ويصدق ذلك الفرج او يكذبه

Maksudnya:

Pada setiap anak Adam terdapat sebahagian dari zina; kedua matanya berzina apabila ia memandang (apa yang tidak harus dipandang), kedua tangannya berzina apabila ia memukul (apa yang dilarang memukulnya), kedua kakinya berzina apabila ia berjalan (menuju tempat yang haram didatangi), dan mulutnya berzina apabila ia mengucup (apa yang tidak halal dikucup). Hatinya berkehendak dan yang demikian itu dibenarkan oleh farajnya (lalu ia melakukan zina), atau pun kehendak itu ditentang (lantas dia terhalang dari melalukan zina).

 

Hadis ini antara lain menerangkan bahawa setiap perbuatan zina itu bermula dari kedua biji mata.

Secara keseluruhan, kita hendaklah menilai anggota tubuh kita dari sudut perbuatan yang sesuai untuknya dan kesudahan yang diinginkan untuknya. Kemudian hendaklah kita memelihara anggota-anggota kita dengan cara yang akan menjanjikan ia mampu mencapai kesudahan yang diinginkan. Semakin tinggi keinginan, semakin bersungguh-sungguhlah anggota itu perlu dipelihara. Kesudahan yang diinginkan untuk kaki misalnya, ialah ia akan berjalan di taman-taman Syurga dan di dalam mahligainya. Untuk tangan pula, kesudahan yang diinginkan ialah ia akan mencapai minuman dan memetik buah-buahan di Syurga. Begitulah juga anggota yang lain.      

Kesudahan yang paling hebat yang boleh diimpikan untuk mata ialah ia akan melihat Zat Allah SWT di dalam Syurga. Tidak terdapat di dunia mahupun di Akhirat, suatu nikmat yang melebihi nikmat melihat Zat Allah SWT. Oleh yang demikian mata, yang diimpikan untuknya sebesar-besar nikmat, perlulah dipelihara dengan penuh azam, dan dimuliakan dengan setinggi-tinggi kemuliaan. Janganlah ia dikotorkan dengan memandang kepada perkara-perkara yang haram.

Listening to Lectures and Sermons in Mosques

Most people appear to be unaware of the value of listening to talks at the mosques. We are all familiar with the terms ‘kuliah’, ‘tazkirah’, and ‘khutbah’ as it applies to activities in mosques. Essentially these are occasions when a learned speaks to an audience in a mosque, either on a religious subject or a subject having a bearing on religious life. Many who attend the Taraweh prayers, for example, leave the prayer hall when the tazkirah starts, and only come back when the tazkirah ends; some go off to a warong for coffee or even home for a very short break if they live very close by. Some choose to go to a mosque where they do not have a tazkirah session. If you live in places like Taman Melawati, i.e., at the border between Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, that would be easy to do.

It seems illogical to want to attend the taraweh prayers that is a ‘solat sunat’, but to purposely avoid listening to the tazkirah, which can be worth 500 ‘raka’ats’ or even 1000 raka’ats of solats. (Check out the Kitab Matla’ Al-Badrain [ مطلع البدرين ] under Kitab Fadhilat ’Ilmu. This was used as a basic text when I attended religious schooling in Johore Baru in the late 50’s and early 60’s. But be prepared to encounter a very peculiar type of Malay language. I understand a Romanised version is now available. A sampling: Barangsiapa belajar satu bab daripada ’ilmu supaya di ‘’amalkan dengan dia dan mengajar akan dia orang lainnya adalah terlebih baik baginya daripada lima ratus raka’atbyang diruku’nya akan dia, dan . . . .) All you have to do is sit quietly and listen for 20 to 30 minutes, or even slightly longer. You can even find a pillar or a wall to lean against sitting and stretching your legs; just make sure where your legs are pointed (not at the Qiblat and not at somebody’s face).

Granted, that occasionally you get a speaker who is not too nice to listen to. But most of the time the ustaz types are good speakers. And remember that even a fool may have something of value to say if you listen hard enough. As they say, if you look with the eye of a honey bee you will always find nectar, but if you look with the eye of a ‘langau’ (that specie of fly that always ‘keromon’ shit) you will always find shit. Listen and you are a winner twice over: once for listening and second for just being in a masjid, a House of God.

Penawar Hati - Introduction

Appended below is the first instalment of the translation of the Kitab Penawar Bagi Hati, as yet unedited. 

Penawar Hati

Terjemahan Dari Karya Asal

Berjudul

Penawar Bagi Hati

Oleh

Ash-Syeikh Abdul Qadir Bin Abdul Muttalib Al-Indonesi

Pendahuluan

Ilmu Tasawuf  merupakan satu cabang ilmu yang mengkaji dan menerangkan perihal tindak-tanduk dan tingkah-laku hati, sama ada yang mulia dan terpuji seperti merendah diri dan bersabar, mahupun yang keji dan tercela seperti berdengki dan membesar diri. Ia menjurus kepada pengosongan hati daripada semua perkara selain Allah, dan menghias serta mengisinya hanya dengan ingatan kepada Allah SWT, tuhan seluruh alam.

Inti pati dan terasnya adalah hati manusia, dan ini dilambangkan melalui tindak-tanduk dan tingkah-lakunya. Adalah menjadi satu kewajipan, iaitu fardu ‘ain, ke atas semua yang berakal dan cukup umur untuk memahami perkara ini.

Ilmu Tasawuf ialah sesuatu yang berasaskan apa yang terkandung di dalam Al-Quran dan hadis Nabi SAW. Ia bertujuan membersihkan beberapa anggota zahir yang tertentu daripada semua bentuk perbuatan keji, sehingga akhirnya ia melahirkan hati yang bersih daripada semua sifat-sifat yang keji dan tercela. Anggota zahir yang dimaksudkan di sini merangkumi tujuh anggota, iaitu mata, telinga, lidah, perut, faraj, tangan dan kaki.(*1)

Kita hendaklah sentiasa sedar bahawa anggota badan kita adalah suatu nikmat dari Allah SWT yang sangat tinggi nilainya. Dengan itu, kita wajiblah bersyukur di atas kurniaanNya dan anggota-anggota ini wajib kita pelihara dengan baik(*2). Jika kita gagal memeliharanya dengan baik, semua anggota ini akan menjadi saksi yang mendakwa kita di hadapan Allah SWT di Hari Kiamat. Allah SWT berfirman di dalam Al-Quran , Surah Ya-Sin (يس), Ayat 65:

اليوم نختم على افواههم وتكلمنا ايديهم وتشهد ارجلهم

بما كانوا يكسبون

  

Maksudnya:

Di hari itu (Hari Kiamat), kami tutup mulut-mulut mereka (iaitu mereka terhalang daripada berkata-kata) dan tangan-tangan mereka serta kaki-kaki mereka akan berkata-kata kepada kami tantang apa yang telah mereka lakukan (semasa hidup di dunia).

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Nota Dari Penterjemah:

*1 Anggota-anggota ini melambangkan daya untuk melakukan perbuatan. Mata misalnya melambangkan daya melihat, dan telinga pula melambangkan kuasa mendengar. Lidah melambangkan daya untuk berkata-kata dan ia merangkumi juga semua anggota lain yang digunakan untuk berkata-kata seperti mulut dan kotak suara. Begitu juga dengan perut yang antara lain melambangkan daya untuk makan dan minum merangkumi juga mulut, lidah, tekak, DLL,. Dalam kitab ini, perut sebensarnya merijuk kepada keseluruhan bahagian tubuh yang terletak di antara leher dan paha, iaitu bahagian yang di kenali sebagai ‘torso’ dalam bahasa Inggeris.

*2 Anggota-anggota perlu dipelihara supaya sentiasa berada dalam keadaan yang baik, tidak disia-siakan, serta tidak digunakan untuk tujuan yang tidak seharusnya.     

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Setiap anggota akan berkata-kata dan menjadi saksi yang memperakukan semua perbuatan yang mereka sendiri telah lakukan. Firman Allah SWT di dalam Al-Quran, Surah Fussilat (  فصلت), Ayat 22:

وما كنتم تستترون ان يشهد عليكم سمعكم ولا ابصاركم ولا جلودكم

Maksudnya:

Dan kamu tidak dapat bersembunyi (ketika melakukan kejahatan di dalam dunia), melainkan disaksikan oleh telinga mu, mata mu, dan kulit mu. 

  

Kita tidak akan dapat menyembunyikan perbuatan kita daripada disaksikan oleh anggota tubuh kita sendiri. Anggota tubuh kita sentiasa bersama kita di setiap masa dan di semua tempat. Apa yang mampu kita lakukan ialah meninggalkan semua bentuk kejahatan sama sekali.

Wallahu Wa’lam

Ramadan is a Gift: Take advantage of it.

The month of Ramadan is a special gift to us. Besides the gifts of Rahmah, Maghfirah and the opportunity to be saved from the Hellfire, which I have covered earlier, there is this night called the Lailat-ul-Qadr translatable into English as the Night of Power, during which night the fate of the Universe and all therein are determined and decreed (hence I had referred to it as the Night of Determination in an earlier entry). In their translation of the Holy Qur-an, Darussalam Publishers and Distributors translated the Lailat-ul-Qadr as the Night of Decree. The Lailat-ul-Qadr can be any one of the last ten nights in the month of Ramadan, but nobody knows when it falls each year. The worth of any act of worship and servitude performed that particular night is multiplied 30000 times at the least, for that one night is better (more) than a thousand month. However, since nobody knows as to when the Lailat-ul-Qadr falls each year, pious Muslims spend every single one of the final ten nights in the month of Ramadan holding vigil, performing prayers, reciting the Qur-an, chanting zikrullah, and performing other such acts of pious worship and servitude. The Prophet SAW is reported to have spent the last ten nights of Ramadan each year at the mosque. The gift of Lailat-ul-Qadr is in recognition of our relatively short life spans compared with those of earlier ummahs.

At this juncture, it is appropriate to highlight the position of the mosque in Islam. The mosque is first and foremost a House of God, and whoever visits a House of God is a guest of Allah SWT. Yes, it is true that we are already His guest wherever we are, since we inhabit His earth. Still, visiting a house specially dedicated to His worship makes us quite another type of guest. Just to be present at a mosque, without doing anything else, is already considered a deed of piety. Those who show reluctance to visit, or feels bored at a mosque, cannot therefore be considered as someone who welcomes the opportunity to be His guest. One day, we will all be gathered on the Plains of Mahsyar, craving to be His guest in Paradise. Can we really consider ourselves worthy of the privilege to be His guest then, if we do not cherish the idea of being his guest now?

Men are supposed to perform the ritual solat prayers in congregation at the mosque under normal circumstances, unless there is no mosque available. For women however, it depends on circumstances. If she is going in circumstances that can create fitnah, than its better that she stays home. Likewise, if by her going she deprives a man the chance to perform his obligatory Friday prayer (that he must perform in congregation at a mosque), whereas it is not compulsory for her, then she should also stay at home. However, when these limiting circumstances do not exist, e.g., when there is no risk of fitnah, she should go. For example, a woman can go in the company of the husband or a brother.

A lot of things take place in a mosque. Besides the congregational prayers, there are the lectures, tazkirahs, etc., that take place in between the prayers. Attendance at such ‘majlis ilmu” is often likened to being in one of the gardens of Paradise. I have been told that there are hadis saying that the value of such attendance exceeds that of performing the non-obligatory prayers many folds. Certainly, there are occasions when you feel that the Ustaz is not worth listening to, because he has nothing to say that is worth listening to. But I have heard that the honey bee will always find nectar although the house fly will always find the rotten wherever they may be.

The month of Ramadan should be spent performing pious deeds and abstaining from all things forbidden. This gift of a month when all good deeds are magnified many folds (some say at least seventy folds) should thus be spent cleansing ourselves of our accumulated sins by performing all manner of pious acts of servitude. One Ustaz likened the month of Ramadan to a madrasah or a university. The core subject is the fast and the electives are the zikrullah, the charity, the supplementary prayers (of which the taraweh is only one), the recitation of the Qur-an, etc. We cannot expect to do well by passing the core subject only. We must also do well in the electives. Otherwise we will not graduate. Malaysians seems to spend too much time and money on the Hari Raya, which in many instances go against the grain of Islamic teaching. Wastefulness and partying with free mingling between people of the opposite sexes seems to be the usual way of celebrating the end of Ramadan.

We should all take advantage of this month of Ramadan. Just because we are still young, or think we are still young, it does not mean that we can wait to repent when we get old. Does anybody really know how much time he or she has? So don’t wait. Repent and adhere to the requirements of being a Muslim, starting now. Start with the Obligatory Solats. Do not miss it ever again. And Do it early, not at the last minute. Arrange your affairs around it and not arrange it around your other affairs. In Islam there is an order of priorities. Allah SWT is always first. The Prophet SAW comes next. All others come after them. Children (including even grown ups) are supposed to listen to their mothers followed by the fathers, but only after Allah SWT and the Prophet SAW. Married women have to listen to their husbands, but again, only after Allah SWT and the Prophet SAW.

Second Day of Ramadan

I had intended to post some excerpt from the the 'Penawar Bagi Hati' kitab today. But something went wrong with my desktop and the material is in the hard disc. I am now working on my laptop.

As is the practice at many mosque in Selangor, our mosque also breaks the taraweh prayers into two parts with a tazkirah session inserted between. There are some who were not too happy when the system ws first introduced, because they just want to get it over with and go home. Just as there are those who object to Imams who read slightly long surahs during the prayers. As for me, I find the sessions quite relaxing. I don't know if the majority shares my view, but I'm quite sure that the majority of those who are regulars at the mosque (those who frequent the mosque everyday, and not just on Fridays and for the taraweh) agree with me. I think that the majority don't really mind one way or the other.

Today the tazkirah was delivered by Ustaz Abu Bakar Yang, a fellow of IKIM (Institute Kefahaman Islam Malaysia) who happens to also be our Nazir. A tazkirah is not meant to be a teaching session. Its purpose is similar to that of the Friday sermons, i.e. to remind and to exhort. I think that's what some are not keen to listen to, just like there are some who come late for the Friday prayers, purposely missing out on the sermon. They also immediately leave after the Hari Raya prayers, not staying back to listen to the sermon, which is really one of the rukuns (must do parts) of the rite.

Among the things mentioned was that the month of Ramadan is when Allah SWT grants us three invaluable gifts. The first third of the month is when He dispenses forgiveness (maghfirah). The second ten days is when He grants his blessings/favours (Rahmah). Or is it the other way round? Well does it really matter? And the third ten days, which includes the Night of Determination (Lailatul Qadr), is when He grants us protection from the Hellfire. These are for those who seek it in earnest.

Talking about seeking the pleasure of Allah SWT in earnest, there are three categories of people who fast. First, there are those who abstain from food, drinks and sex from sun up to sun down, period. They continue to talk bad about others (mengumpat), or play the numbers, or waste time or material, or look at and listen to what's forbidden, etc. etc. These are those who gain nothing but hunger and thirst. Next are those whose fast extend to all their senses and they abstain from all manner of misdemeanors, filling their days and nights with prayers and other ibadats, including acts of charity. Next are those whose fast is complete; even to think of what to eat when they break their fast is considered an aberration. We should at least aspire to be amongst the second group. Let's muhasabah ourselves in honesty. There are things difficult to achieve, e.g. controlling your thoughts. But there are also those that are easy to do things if we want to; attend to them.

He also spoke about the need to remember our parents, dead or alive. Those whose parents have passed away should remember them in prayers. Those whose parents are yet alive should know what are due to them. He also spoke about the need for parents to set the proper example for their children. If parents don't perform the solat, or perform it only when convenient, the children will do even less.

These are the gists of what was delivered. Most certainly, there are a lot more elaborations, interspersed with quotes from the Quran and Hadis, as well as examples. Something that I heard for the first time today: There was an occassion when the Prophet SAW recited three long surahs at one go, starting with the Al-Baqarah, during a solat. If that happens today, I think the Imam will be left standing alone.

Ramadan Message to My Family

I have not done any updating for a while. I have been principally occupied with a personal project that I had hoped to complete before the beginning of the fasting month, and decided to drop everything else in the meantime. Nevertheless I have decided to make this entry today, on this auspicious beginning of the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, to address those for whom I am still, or had once been responsible for, in this life and the next.

First, a little on what had been occupying me recently that is outside the usual business of day to day living. I had recently come across a book written in the early part of the last century, in the Malay language typical of religious writings of the period entitled ‘Penawar Bagi Hati’ (perhaps, translatable into English as ‘Balm for the Heart’). Well, maybe ‘had recently come across’ is not exactly accurate, since it had been and is still being used by one of the visiting ustaz’s (teachers) at the local mosque as the basis for his monthly lectures. It was just that I had never looked at it before. The contents would fall into the realm of Tasawuf (Sufism), which on close examination interested me deeply and thus I felt that I just had to share it with others, especially those closest to me.

The trouble is that it is written in the Arabic script and as observed earlier, in the peculiar difficult to understand language used in religious writings of the period. To top it all, as is also typical of its genre of writings, the visual presentation is also something that an average reader today would find rather daunting. There is hardly any punctuation and hardly any paragraphing, such that you can sometimes have difficulty even trying to determine where one sentence ends and where another starts. Imagine a continuous stream of hand written Arabic scripts that visually seems like one continuous sentence, indeed like one very very very long word, from the first to the last letter on a page. Yet therein is contained an immense volume of what would be or should be of interest to a true Muslim. I therefore decided to translate the book, first into contemporary Malay written in Romanized scripts, and then after proper editing by those with more expertise than I on the subject of Sufism and the Arabic language, into English.

The task had proven quite a bit more difficult than initially envisaged and instead of having completed the entire exercise by today, I am only halfway through the unedited first draft. Nevertheless, I will start posting excerpts from the yet to be edited draft tonight. It is my hope that at least those closest to me will take a few minutes each day to read the excerpts that I will post daily.

As every father and every husband, I am entrusted with the religious education of my wife and children, something that I have to accept whether or not I like it, as is my wife equally responsible where it concerns our children. We each will answer before God for our failings thereon, I as husband and father, she as mother. In the realm of religious upbringing my wife is only responsible to me, but not for me. Unfortunately, I may have failed all of you in this sacred duty, for how can I properly lead when I had not been well equipped to do so. Without realizing it, the example I set had not been what is required and the values I portrayed had not been entirely Islamic. This effort, in some small way is my attempt at atonement. Please find it in all your hearts to forgive me.

As we go along, the direction in which I now want to go will become apparent. I do not pretend that I am anywhere near, but it is where I wish to be. Come along with me. I will need your support and we will prosper together in the way Allah intended. I am not an expert, but we can learn by reading and listening to the true experts. And we will try to put into practice what we have learnt.

It had taken me almost fifty years of adulthood to finally realize my errors, and I thank Allah SWT for allowing me the amount of time needed to finally see the light. I pray daily that all of you will also be given the time needed. For a long time I had lived believing that being a Muslim means believing in the six Articles of Faith, adhering to the five Pillars of Islam, and not doing any of the expressly forbidden, period. We then trust in the infinite kindness of Allah SWT to forgive us our sins while we merrily go on spending most of the means Allah SWT had put at our disposal on self indulgence, while continuing to commit ‘small’ sins and even ‘big’ sins all along the way. In truth there is no such thing as a small sin. There are only big sins and bigger sins, for every sin consciously committed is an act of willful disobedience against the divine will of Allah SWT, and if one were to die without having truly repented, one would have died in willful disobedience. True repentance means absolute abstinence from ever knowingly committing sins. In his infinite kindness, Allah SWT will forgive us our sins when unknowingly committed. But will sins knowingly and continuously committed because we are willfully disobedient ever be forgiven? I wonder.

We are all familiar with the idea of ‘muhasabah diri’ and we tell each other that we should ‘muhasabah diri sendiri’. I now list a few of what should be the yardstick:

Every time we perform the solat, we recite the Iftitah which includes the oath that we dedicate our entire lives to God, yet in reality how much of our means are dedicated to Him? I answer for myself and you each answer for you to yourselves.

God proclaims in the Holy Quran that he did not create mankind (or the race of jinn) except to serve Him. Did we in practice serve Him more than we served ourselves?

Allah SWT proclaims in the Quran that he will create mankind to serve as the Khalifah on earth. The Khalifah in Islamic nomenclature is not the lord and master of the human developed feudal system. The Khalifah is someone who serves. Notice that the Saudi king is called the Khadam (as opposed to King) of the two Forbidden Cities and Islamic history records Khalifahs and Governors living in worldly poverty. Have we lived to prosper the earth as Khalifahs or ourselves as kings?

While I was in Mecca for the Hajj last year, I was told about a real rich Muslim who right of the bat had given away 30% of what ever he earned. Apparently his pious mother had asked him to give away 30% of whatever he earned. So the good son that he was gave away RM 700 of his first pay check of around RM 2000 and has continued the practice ever since. Today he is billionaire, but there is no conspicuous consumption. He takes for consumption only what is reasonable by the standards of ordinary middle class people. No Rolls- Royce, not even an S-class. No RM5000 shirts, no luxury yachts. Where does the rest of the money go to? Well, they go to charity and to the creation of more employment opportunities. God bless him.

Let us celebrate this Ramadan as a month of piety and repentance. That is what it is meant to be.