The Man, The Message, and The Miracle
[Personal note: With space and time permitting, I will post some of my earlier commentaries on this website. All my essays up to December 2003 had been published in my book, Seeing Malaysia My Way. Those essays will not be posted here. Instead the essays posted here are those published since January 2004. MBM]
The Man, The Message, and The Miracle
M. Bakri Musa
[Speech given at the South Valley Islamic Community, Morgan Hill, California, on the occasion of Mauludal Nabi, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Originally published in Malaysiakini.com’s Seeing It My Way column, June 14, 2004.
As Muslims we are to love, honor, and emulate our Holy Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. As the journalist Abdul Salahi observes, we best demonstrate our love and veneration for our prophet by following his teachings, not by singing his praises.
Today we gather to honor our prophet on the occasion of his birthday, Mauludal Nabi. I am fully aware of the deep controversy in the Muslim world on the appropriateness of this occasion. There are those who feel that in so doing, we are aping the Christians with their Christmas. Many lament the degeneration of that holy day into unbridled consumerism, with the original religious theme all but forgotten.
We have to be careful in our choice of words for the meanings we give them are colored by our culture and experience. I am not “celebrating” the prophet’s birthday, rather, I am honoring this Rasul of Allah by recalling and reminding myself of his many sterling attributes, in the hope that I too can emulate, or at least attempt to, some of those exemplary qualities.
Biographical Accounts
I have read many biographies of the holy prophet, from the most embellished hagiographies by well meaning followers of our faith, to the most cynical accounts viewed through the jaundiced eye of the Orientalists. Regardless, with each reading I learn a little more about our prophet that further increases my already immense admiration and affection for this devoted Rasul of Allah.
Ironically, my greatest appreciation of our prophet comes from reading accounts where he is portrayed as an ordinary mortal. The prophet of course was no ordinary being; Allah in His Wisdom did not choose His Last Messenger randomly. Long before Muhammad s.a..w. received his first revelation, his virtues were already evident. By this I do not mean the numerous miracles attributed to him in some of the hallowed hagiographies. For example, it is said that as an infant, his mother had difficulty finding a wet nurse as his father had died before his birth. Would-be wet nurses rightly felt that they would not be compensated. When one woman, Halimah, finally picked Muhammad, it was because she had no other choice. But her reluctance was amply rewarded, for when she brought the baby to her bosom, her previously dry breasts suddenly became engorged, with enough nourishing milk not only for the infant Muhammad but also for her own baby.
Another miracle has it that when Muhammad was a child, Angel Gabriel seized him, ripped open his chest, took his heart out, and washed it with ice water in a golden basin, before putting it back into his chest. The angel also threw out a black clot.
Such accounts of divine interventions are of course heavy on symbolisms. I consider such accounts interesting if not mildly hilarious, but being miracles they defy rational analysis.
Al Amin
Even dispensing with such celebrated accounts, there are indeed many contemporary records of the prophet’s exemplary life long before Allah selected him to be His Last Messenger. As a young man, he was already referred to as Al Amin – honest and trustworthy.
On one occasion when the Arabs were rebuilding the Ka’aba after it was damaged from an earlier flood, there was much rivalry and jealousy among the various participants as to who would have the honor of putting the final touch. As usual, such trivial differences quickly escalated, and they were ready to come to blows. Finally, they agreed to ask Muhammad s.a.w. to arbitrate. Muhammad immediately sensed the gravity of the situation, being fully aware of the disastrous consequences should he make a mistake.
He quickly devised a brilliant and equitable scheme for sharing the honor. He asked them to spread out a carpet, and he then placed the black stone, the central object of veneration, in the center. He had a representative from each tribe to raise the edge of the carpet and carry the stone to its final resting spot. Everyone was satisfied, as they had all participated in the final rite, with no one tribe hogging the honor. They were most pleased that they had successfully converted a potentially lethal and explosive rivalry into an amicable and cooperative endeavor.
Muhammad s.a.w. intuitively knew the wisdom that honor is never diluted when shared; on the contrary, it is enhanced. Similarly, rivalry can, with ingenuity, be converted to meaningful teamwork, and destructive competition to fruitful cooperation..
Despite his esteemed reputation, the prophet still encountered obstacles – some monumental – in spreading the word of Allah. His divine message of belief in a Supreme Being, equality of man, and social justice threatened the existing order. He understood the vast implications of his mission and was fully aware of the intense opposition. His forcing of the message would only divide his people. He had no intention of destroying his community in order to save it, to borrow a Vietnam-era military maxim. Thus even though he was carrying Allah’s message, he preached initially in secret, and only to his family and close friends.
Lesser mortals receiving smaller mandates from much lower authorities would no doubt have trumpeted their self righteousness and charged right ahead, oblivious of the damages and consequences they would inflict.
The truth inevitably prevailed and the message spread. Still, there were battles to be fought and challenges overcome. The two most celebrated were the Battle of Badr, in which the Muslims won despite overwhelming odds, and the Battle of Uhud, in which the well prepared but over confident Muslims were nearly routed, and with the prophet himself being injured. These exploits attained legendary proportions to instill in Muslims the lesson that victory is not always assured simply because of the justness of the cause, and of the dangers of overconfidence.
Military Leadership
To me the genius of the prophet’s military leadership lies not in the heroic battles he won, rather in the conflicts he avoided. The peace treaty he signed with the pagan Meccans at Al-Hudaibiyah is instructive.
It was the sixth year of the Hijrah, and the prophet had declared his intention to lead his followers on their first pilgrimage to Mecca. He publicly demonstrated his peaceful intent by forbidding his followers from carrying arms except their sheathed swords, the traditional accoutrement of desert travelers. To the Meccans, the pilgrimage was a frontal challenge to their authority as custodians of Ka’aba.
The prophet sent numerous emissaries to assure the Meccans of his peaceful intent, but they were unimpressed, and in turn sent an intimidating force to dissuade the Muslims. Neither side backed down, and both were headed for a massive confrontation.
The Muslims encamped outside of Mecca in the plains of Al –Hudaibiyah. Legend has it that the prophet’s camel refused to budge. After yet another series of negotiations with and posturing by the Meccans, the prophet finally agreed to a peace treaty. The Meccans were relieved in not having to fight the determined Muslims, and the prophet in turn was comforted in that he avoided a civil war. He knew only too well his followers would be fighting their kin and kind, and that the wounds of this fratricide would take a long time to heal.
The Muslims were severely disappointed as the treaty was decidedly one sided. They avoided a war all right, but the price was stiff: they had to delay their pilgrimage to the following year and stop spreading the faith. Delaying their pilgrimage was a tough sell as the Muslims were already in a heightened state of religious fervor. To be disrupted in one’s pilgrimage is an event of singular significance to Muslims, then and now.
In the following year when the prophet gathered his followers for their deferred pilgrimage, the crowd was even larger. More significantly, the Meccans were so impressed with the Muslims’ peaceful mission and tolerant gesture the year earlier that many joined the new faith. Thus what had previously been perceived as a defeat for Muslims and victory for the Meccans, turned out a year later to be just the opposite!
It may be counterintuitive, but the power of peace can often overwhelm the might of the military. Mahatma Gandhi humbled the great British Empire not through the show of force – he had none – but through his peaceful gestures. Likewise, Martin Luther King prevailed by shaming America for failing to live up to its stated ideals. Today, far too many, within as well as outside our faith, fail to appreciate what our beloved prophet s.a.w. dramatically demonstrated over 14 centuries ago.
Personal Generosity
While we cannot emulate the qualities of our prophet’s military leadership – none of us have an army – nonetheless we can apply his principles of generosity in deescalating our disputes. We can begin by being more generous in admitting our own mistakes.
The prophet was no less generous with his family. When his dear uncle and protector Abu Talib died without ever becoming a Muslim, the prophet did not denounce him, did not tell him that he would burn in eternal hell. On the contrary, the prophet s.a.w. was there by his uncle’s side comforting the family. His uncle’s not being a Muslim did not in any way lessen the prophet’s love and compassion for him.
Today we have Muslim parents disowning their children for far lesser offences. In Malaysia, we have Muslim physicians who refuse to examine non-Muslims unless they (the doctors) wear gloves, for fear of being “contaminated” by the infidels. Where in the seerah or the Qur’an they find the justification for such a despicable attitude?
American Muslims and Early Muslims
Without being pretentious (May Allah forgive me if I appear so!), we American Muslims have much in common with those early Muslims. First, we are a minority within our community, and second, we too have undertaken our own Hijrah (migration). While the prophet’s Hijrah was the command of Allah, many like me come to America on our own free choice.
Others come here not by choice but because they are forced out of their homeland because of ethnic cleansing or to escape tyranny. These are truly brave Muslims.
It is the duty of Muslims to move away from evil even if that involves forsaking our homes and properties. In Surah An Nisaa, (4:97) (approximate translation), “When the angels take the souls of those who die in sin, they say, ‘In what plight were ye?’ They replied: ‘Weak and oppressed were we on earth.’ The angles responded, ‘Was not this earth of Allah spacious enough for you to migrate to some other place?’ These people will have Hell as their refuge. Allah spares only the truly helpless men, women, and children who have no means in their power nor any way to leave.”
One special group of immigrants is deserving of our praise – the Islamic scholars. These brilliant individuals often are persecuted and not allowed to develop their talent back in their native land. In America they are welcomed and given every opportunity to pursue their knowledge and spread their wisdom. As a result, America and Islam are blessed with the blossoming of their scholarships.
It has been said that the second renaissance in Islam will arise in America, and that it will be like a second Mecca. I fully agree. English is already the most important language in Islam, next to Arabic. Throughout history, Islam flourishes only where there is freedom; America amply provides that. The losers are the Muslim nations that do not value the gems within their midst.
American Muslims have a splendid opportunity and special obligation to present the pristine message of our faith through our deeds and words, just like our earlier brethrens did. In America we are free to practice our faith. We fast, pray, and pay zakat because we wanted to, and not because some authority out there is checking on us, as in many Muslim countries. America is the embodiment of that Qur’anic refrain that there shall be no compulsion in matters of faith.
America, with its representative government and Bill of Rights encapsulates the enlightened governance commanded by Allah in the Qu’ran. The Declaration of Independence incorporates the very ideals of our faith. In short, to quote Imam Feisal Rauf, America is “Sharia-compliant!”
When Muhammad s.a.w. was asked by his detractors to prove his prophethood by performing some miracles like other prophets before him, he answered, referring to the Qur’an, “This is my miracle!” The message is the miracle. It comes from the ultimate source, Allah. Its verity and wisdom is for all mankind and at all times.
Let us then commit ourselves to learn and benefit from this the greatest of all miracles. Let us live the message and emulate the Messenger. For the best message is the message of Allah as laid down in the Qur’an al Kareem, and the best messenger or teacher is our beloved Muhammad s.a.w.
May Allah bless the soul of our beloved prophet Muhammad s.a.w. and that of his family and his companions.
August 30th, 2005 at 6:23 pm
Salam Mr. Bakri
I was wondering if you could recommend me some books regarding the prophet Muhammad. I’ve read one written by Karen Armstrong and I am looking for other sources.
Thank You
August 30th, 2005 at 10:15 pm
Dear general_mamak,
I recommend Martin Lings, Muhammad strongly. It is beautifully written and very balanced. Keep well.
August 31st, 2005 at 11:10 pm
mamak
Altho Martin Lings book is easy reading, interesting and smooth flowing but there are GROSS factual mistake , which to non discerning reader, might be taken in by the story.
One particular factual mistake mentioned in the book is the story when the prophet(pbuh) return to Macca and ordered the idols to be destroyed.
Inn his book he grossly erred when he metioned that…”The prophet(pbuh) ordered all to be destroyed EXCEPT for one particular idol in the Kaaabah”…then he went on to mention the reason etc.
This is not the place to go into all the errors he made but his writing are interspersed with many unislamic Sufi elements which he tried to make out to be as somthing correct.
Suffice to say that there was a 3 way correspondence between him and Abu Mustafa Al kanadi. In it Al Kanadi mentiond point form most of the errors of the book of which Martin Lings were not able to reply to him though he did reply to an earlier mail written by Al Kanadi.
In conclusion..my recomendation is
Ar Raheequl Makhtum- The Sealed Nectar- written by Al Mubarakfuri.
You can get it in islamic bookshops.
In fact the whole book had been put into the web. Just google for Raheeq Makhtum….
This book has won the Saudi Literary Prize for Literature sometime in early 90s or late 80s.
September 1st, 2005 at 1:01 am
Dear Mamak,
All books, articles, and writings should be read with critical eye and open mind. There is no harm being exposed to Lings, Al- Mubarakfuri, Maxime Rodinson, or Heykal and others.
The fact that Al -Mubarakfuri won the Saudi Literary Prize for Literature leads me to believe that the book will probably give you the Wahhabist perspective of the Prophet pbuh. But I will obtain a copy for myself, since it is recommended by Mr. Baju.
The “Satanic Verses” by Salman Rushdie should be read so that you will be able to understand why this anglophile author wrote the way he did, why Iran’s Ayahtollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against him, condemning him to death, and also why the rest of the Islamic world expressed outrage at Rushdie’s caricature and demonisation of the Holy Prophet pbuh (Rushdie’s Mahound). Karen Armstrong wrote her biography to refute Rushdie. BTW, her book is banned by our Government. So is Rushdie’s.
Most biographers agree the Prophet was a remarkable man who preached Islam as a religion of peace, tolerance and understanding. Thanks.
September 1st, 2005 at 3:27 am
It is irresponsible of one to advice a brother to read something well nigh abhorent and disgusting when the brother is sincerely seeking advise for betterment.
It is injustice if one were to advise people to read all and sundry of a subject matter when they are not even an expert and from there use their rational thoughts and ideas ( which for sure is not made to mature for discerning since one is only journeying for searching the knowledge) to judge what is correct or otherwise.
If the people of knwledge had advised this to the students, then there would have been chaous rather than wisdom in learning any subject for that matter.
To criticise a book or idea , one has to be knwlegeable in both areas and this is for the learned and the well knwon to do.
That is why the scholars would have advised one to take in knowledge step by step as this would make the knwolege more solid in foundation.
Below is what I would advise mamak to do in order to obtain knowledge of the deen..
1. Read the Quran- get a translation. In English the good one is “The noble Quran” by Dr Muhshin Khan. ( It is also in the net…google it)
2. Get the tafsir of Quran “Tafsir Ibn Kathir”. It has been translated into english and they come about 8-9 volumes
3. Read Sahih Bukhari and Muslim ( also in the net…google it). This will take you to learn the authentic hadeeth
4. Read Fiqh Sunnah ( about 5 volumes have been translated into english)
This will give you knowledge on Fiqh
5 Read Raheeq Makhtum- sirah of the prophet ( in the net..google it)
6. Read Kitab Al Tauhid ( of Shiekh Abdul Wahhab) and its explantion by Sheikh Al Uthaimin.
By doimng the above , you would have
1 Occupied your time with beneficial knowledge
2. Solidify your knwoledge on islam
3. Able to answer some basic controversies raised by non belivers as regarsd islam
4. Solidify your amal( actions) base on the pristine knowledge of islam.
But most ceratinly…do not venture into that which you are unsure of, for surely your actions will be held accountable and anothe good advise..ask those with knowledge, on matter that you do not know
salam
September 1st, 2005 at 6:14 pm
Mr Baju,
You are doing exactly what you have advised me not to do. What you think is abhorent, maybe not be what I think. I can use my akal.
Again, you have this narrow view of matters relating to Islam. I was merely making some recommendation for mamak. I have never insisted that he should accept what I recommend. Please understand what that word means before you react to my last comment.
BTW, you are not the last word on Islam!!
Thanks
September 1st, 2005 at 6:56 pm
Saudara Din Merican
Majority of Malay Muslims are so entrenched in their belief with regardsa to Islam and anyhting associated with Islam that they can’t see beyond what they’ve been taught rightly or wrongly. There seem to be no tolerance and acceptance of differing views and having an intellectual and challenging discussions. At the slightest hint of differing views they put up their wall of defense and start attacking the writer instead of researching and discussing the issues.
I’ve given up discussing issues with the likes of these people. Often times they;ve labelled me murtad just for asking a question like Is Abraham a Muslim? The rukun iman says a muslim must declare the shahadah but Abraham didn’t. On the other side why do we say :Kamabarakta’alah Ibrahim…in the tahiyat akhir. They certainly don’t believe there are many ways to skin a cat and can’t tell the difference between effective and efficient.
So i maintain radio silence, over and out
salams
September 1st, 2005 at 8:32 pm
Dear Ibrahim,
You are back. Welcome.
I have to deal with a lot of Baju(fortunately not yet jubbah) types everyday in our country. Often, I get stinking e-mails. They do not appreciate heterodoxy and the value of reasoned discourse. This is the Malay problem at the socio-psychological level. Minda mereka sudah tutup, dan sikap mereka begitu sempit.
For me, it is not what you read that is decisive. It is your mind-set that really matters. I read everything that I can lay my hands on about Islam. I have, however, never claimed to be an authority on the subject, nor do I wish to convert people to my point of view. I am not in that business.
But I always have a view. My purpose is to share and exchange ideas so that I am better educated on my valued religion. So, we have to deal with the reality, that people have different motives and purposes. I respect that except when they try to impose their views on me, by force or other means.
Religious knowledge, says Abdol_karim Soroush, is imperfect. Our religion is perfect, and the Quran, being the Word of Allah as revealed to our Holy Prophet pbuh, is the source of inspiration and enlightenment. It is not a cookbook. “Din” is both Faith and a Way of Life. Islam is about the heart and the mind existing in perfect balance. It emphasizes moderation and rejects extremism.
The problem is with people like our Islamic brother, Baju, who are like frogs in the deep well. They just can’t see beyond their confined and dark walls. What we need are Malay Muslims who are more like the turtles which inhabit the wide open world and who can survive in the rough and tumble of a pluralistic and diverse world.
What we also need today is genuine discourse at a very sophisticated level, first intra-faith and later inter-faith. We need to draw inspiration from the Prophet pubh himself, and great warriors like Saladdin and the great Moghul Akbar.
Today, we don’t have enough people who prepared to read about attacks and criticisms of Islam by those who are envious of its enlightenment, and who will engage in eloquent rebuttals. How different then are people like Baju in our country from Pat Robertson and others of the Christain Right in the United States. They are all bigotted and holier than thou characters.
As long as we do not engage in reasoned dialogue we can never resolve the rivalries between the Sunnis and the Shias. We are all Muslims. And there is no way we can bridge the gap between “conservatives”, and “liberal Muslims” in our own country.
Salams.
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:01 pm
dear all,
who says islam is a religion of peace? ‘jihad’ can only be interpreted in military terms. it is more than just a moral struggle. when the prophet was fighting against the pagan oligarchy when in mecca, “jihad” was a “struggle” but in the later phase of his life, when in medina, “jihad” is to be understood in military terms. during this later period the prophet was a ruler and soldier.
it is the duty of every muslim to embark on a “jihad” - until the world is converted to islam.
ayatollah khomeini referred to the united states as the great satan. today with the demise of the soviet union, muslim countries need an enemy to hate - it is natural that the honour is given to the united states because of the moral decay
September 2nd, 2005 at 4:18 pm
dear all,
who says islam is a religion of peace? ‘jihad’ can only be interpreted in military terms. it is more than just a moral striving. when the prophet was fighting against the pagan oligarchy when in mecca, “jihad” was a “struggle” but in the later phase of his life, when in medina, “jihad” is to be understood in military terms. during this later period the prophet was not only prophet and teacher but also a ruler and soldier.
it is the duty of every muslim to embark on a “jihad” - until the whole world is converted to islam, submits to muslim rule. jihad is a religious obligation, the obligation of the holy war.
ayatollah khomeini referred to the united states as the great satan. today especially with the demise of the soviet union, muslim countries need an enemy to hate - it is natural that the honour is given to the united states because of the moral decay and the debauchery - such as present in places like new orleans. the period referred to as the “end times” is here.
September 2nd, 2005 at 8:28 pm
keris_always,
I am not sure about your para 2. Ben Laden and gang use it to justify terrorism and the killing of Muslim bystanders. It also seems to clash with the Quran injunction that “there is no compulsion in Islam”.
Since I am no expert on this jihad, maybe our Mr. Baju can enlighten us on this subject.
September 3rd, 2005 at 4:13 am
brother dean merican,
i believe you and i do not want to be placed among the experts on the issue - and rightly so. we are but mortals with an inquisitive minds. perhaps baju can help us out.
the quran does refer to “jihad” in these two distinct but connected senses. the hadith further amplifies what is thereby stated - it speaks of the holy war.
to you brother dean merican, my question is, “if in islam there is no compulsion (and if you apply that in its broadest sense), why are people like this ayah pin not allowed to excercise his religious freedom?”
September 3rd, 2005 at 8:30 am
Merican said “you have this narrow view of matters relating to Islam”
My answer: How would my response insinuate or indicate of this narrowness? I am merely aadvising mamak to learn step by step- an adice so simply logical even the wetern education has embarked on it…you dont teach a begineer calculus when he does even knwo how to add.
Merican said “I was merely making some recommendation for mamak”
A recomendation so full of flaw as you do not know the entirety of mistakes of the book. You were only taken in by the simplicity and fluidity of the book. This is no way to judge a book for its content.
Merican said” you are not the last word on Islam”
Of course i am not but the Quran and saheeh hadeeth are. And this is the teaching of Quran itself. I advised mamak to go for the books that will teach what is the “last word” for islam.
Merican said “They do not appreciate heterodoxy and the value of reasoned discourse. This is the Malay problem at the socio-psychological level. Minda mereka sudah tutup, dan sikap mereka begitu sempit.”
We deal with all sorts of differing opinions and undersatnding of islamic knowledge. The discussion between the students of hijaaz and sham ( Bin Baz and Albani students) with such vast difference in understanding of certain hadeeth are constantly being surfaced yet there are no animosity etched between these brothers.
If you do not knwo who these people are, then I said to you to keep your perception of people like me to your ownself.
“Sikap mereka begitu sempit”…..really!!!
Merebung buluh pisau dihiriskan
Pohon kayu ditetak melata
Jikalau hadith di kotak katikkan
Darah melayu islam hangat membara
Jangan menyenda ilmu ulama pusara
Merata berpergian berkorban jiwa punah
Usahkan memanjang lamunan panglipulara
Membujur lalu, melintang patah
Then we have Ibrahim who said…..”The rukun iman says a muslim must declare the shahadah but Abraham didn’t.”
This REALLy is a tonkoi kayu statement. The shahada during the times of the prophet before prophet Muhammad(pbuh) are witnessing to the fact that those prophet are the messenger of Allah. Evidence read Chapter 37 of the Quran. In it all the prophet told their people to
“ worship Allah and follow me”
As such the shahadah of the people of Ibrahim (pbuh) was
Ashadu an Lailaha illaLLah
Waashadu ana Ibraahimun abduhu warasuluh
Likewise for the people of Nuh(pbuh), the shahadah was
Ashadu an Lailaha illaLLah
Waashadu ana Nuuhun abduhu warasuluh
And for people of Musa(pbuh)
Ashadu an Lailaha illaLLah
Waashadu ana Muusa abduhu warasuluh
Or something to the effect in their respective languages. This is so obvious that it defies any explanation yet since there is a tonkoi who could asked such ridiculous question , well there you go for the answer.
It just astound me that people of this species would refuse to read the real simple and basic books on Islam written by scholars of islam but they would go to the far end of the world to read phlegmatic books written by non muslims whose intentions are nothing but to cast aspersion on the true teaching of Islam.
He even asked …”On the other side why do we say :Kamabarakta’alah Ibrahim…in the tahiyat akhir.”
Go read Sifatus salah an Nabee by Sheikh Albani ( in in the net..google for Sheikh Albani+ Sifatus salah) and in it he dedicated almost 3 pages explaining the salawat to the prophet in the tahiyat and in it he explained the beauty of sending salawat to prophet Ibraheem(pbuh).
Again and again these rustic and simple minded orinetalist centric people asked questions which they themselves did not in the first place venture to find the explanations from the authentic books and when individuals they argue with ( who may not have the knowledge as such) not being able to answer them, they walked up, puffed up in pride thinking that they have yet again defeated the muslims in their own game.
All these and they are not aware of how tonkoi their way of thinking when asking soalan yang tiada vitamin
But then again all is well that end well because he did say…”So i maintain radio silence, over and out”
Indeed when an idiot remain silent he has done the best justice to the society as the society is now relieved from being defiled by the tonkoiness of his thoughts.
September 3rd, 2005 at 6:37 pm
but surely that is no reason to hurl personal insults.
you sound like a theocratic neofascist, like the one that dominates UMNO today.
you dont shout somebody down just because he is exercising his freedom of speech. i have to disagree with you when you say: “….when an idiot remain silent he has done the best justice to society as the society is now relieved from being defiled by the tongkoiness of his thoughts.” i would say society is that much richer because of the diversity of opinions being expressed - right or wrong. that is what democracy is all about. that is what freedom is all about.
September 3rd, 2005 at 6:39 pm
freedom is about the right to be wrong.
September 3rd, 2005 at 7:09 pm
Keris_always,
I have decided not to comment on Mr. Baju’s latest response. He is what he makes himself out to be. He could not understand the drift of my arguments. It would, therefore, be an exercise in futility.There are many people like him in Malaysia and these types are victims of UMNO Islamisation process. It is good for UMNO and PAS as both continue to win over the Malays, but bad for a plural and “democratic” Malaysia.
I consulted a close friend and he has this to say on the meaning of jihad:
“The word ‘jihad’ of course means struggle, i.e., in the way of God. The phrase “in the way of God” means to establish truth, justice and freedom to practice one’s religion or way of life. If any nation aggresses us, that is extreme injustice and we have the duty to resist that aggression in any way we can, including armed struggle.
Any talk about fighting to convert people to Islam is nonsence. Islam advocates strict religious freedom. Jihad of course has many forms: opposition in the heart; opposition by words; and opposition by arms. The last is the highest form.
But the Muslims today should search their hearts if they are truly Muslims. Muslim means above all submission to the One God and to none other. The syahadah (Q, 3: 18) is “La ilaha illallah” only. The second part was added later. Thus all prophets from Adam to Muhammad, including Abraham, only attest to One God only. Their so-called jihad of killing innocent people is unacceptable to God and to most of mankind.”
Thanks. Din
September 3rd, 2005 at 7:20 pm
Dear Mr Baju,
Martin Lings who passed on recently is a Muslim. He spoke, read, and understood Arabic, and devoted his lifetime to the study of Islam, the Prophet pbuh and the history of the Arabs.
I assume that you too speak the language, have done lots of research and published your works. I welcome reading what you have written on the subject, your unpleasant and unwelcome personal remarks excepted.
Thanks.
September 3rd, 2005 at 10:09 pm
Keris_always,
I forgot to answer your question.
On Ayah Pin, you have to ask Imam Al-Badawi, and the Menteri Besar of Terengganu to justify their actions. I am not the authority on what is Islam, and what is not. I try hard to follow the Quran and the Sunnah. But burning private property is vandalism in my humble opinion, and a serious violation of a citizen’s constitutional rights.
Once you are Muslim in Malaysia, the words “religious freedom” do not apply to you. Sharia Laws override the provisions of our cherished constitution. You have to be Muslim as defined by UMNO, the pro-Government JAKIM, apologist IKIM, and its paid henchmen, the Ulamaks in the Jabatan Agamas in the 13 states of Malaysia who are guided by Sharia Laws and local enactments. If you are Muslim a defined by the mullahs in PAS, you are suspect, mungkin tak sah kut.
Since you and I are from Kedah, Bakaq Bata to be exact, we have to abide by the interpretations of Jabatan Agama Islam Kedah DarulAman. We cannot be just “any Muslim”. We belong to a special breed with Heaven reserved for us, as PAS would have us believe: separate mosques, imams, and kubor. UMNO is competing with PAS. UMNO members can now enter Heaven at a higher level than PAS members. See, it has become a bit of a joke around here.
You could be in trouble if you should belong to the Hambali, or Malikki Group, Al Arqam, or the Pakistani Tabligh. We are all Shafi’s plus additional requirements like Islam Hadhari which UMNO wishes to inflict on us. When one like you is abroad, one is not constrained. One is just a Muslim, that is, one does have to be labelled “halal” or “sah” like our food.
Hey, let us see what Imam al Baju will say on this. He knows better than us on matters of Islamic theology, and I have to defer to his wisdom and knowledge.
Thanks. Din.
September 4th, 2005 at 12:20 am
Baju
i take offense at your calling people deragotary names when what we are trying to do is discuss a point. I don’t know you from adam and yet you have the gumption to call me tongkoi. As a muslim i also take offense at you implying that i am a non muslim and take pride in defeating the muslims.
you may be well read and knows lots of hadith while i am a novice and trying to read as many books as possible on Islam. but as a learned muslim brother you display poor disposition and i rate you an equally poor teacher. Imagine a poor non believer approaching you asking what it takes to be a good muslim and with your response it will scare the sh…out of the poor feller. he will be turned off and will perhaps have an impression that all muslims are like you. rude and crude not displaying the islamic values as practised by the Prophet pbuh
guess maybe radio silence is what your type wants so you can strut around behaving like a mr know it all but underneath all that you are a sour puss full of anger and hate for people. less said here is better as not to earn more dosa. Again for you baju over and out. lakum dinukum waliyadin
September 4th, 2005 at 11:21 am
misterrrr baju,
are you there…..?
September 4th, 2005 at 7:35 pm
Dear Ibrahim and keris_always,
My answer to your “misterrrr baju, are you there…? is that he has lost his baju. But I hope he still has his trousers. If he lost that too, he should be sent to our well known mental asylum, Tanjung Rambutan. Even the name of the place reflects insanity!!
The reality today is that we have to deal with these sorts of Malay-Muslims, the Baju types I call them, with warped thinking. They can’t engage in any decent discourse without displaying their inferiority complex or labelling “tongkoi” on those who disagreed with them. I do not know who is the real “tongkoi”.
No books in the world can help them. Here I am reminded of the movie, “The Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines”, I saw years ago. In it, there was a Prussian General who used a book to navigate his plane in the race from London to Paris. You know what happened to him when the book was blown off by a strong gust of wind during the race. It is best that they look at themselves in the mirror, and ask “Siapa Aku? Aku nak tembak siapa!”.
Soon the “Muslim Medical Association”, or whatever it may be called, will be hosting a seminar. Dr. Bakri Musa mentioned the name of the President in one of his pieces. I am going to be there to hear what their chosen speakers will say about “Liberal Muslims”. I will be happy to see Mr. Baju there. Maybe he will introduce himself to me. Nothing like meeting him face to face. But please be sure to come with your seluar and baju, lah.
I got an e-mail today from a valued friend and respected scholar. He asked me why I should still deal with people like “this Mr. Baju”. My response to him was that I wanted people in the cyberworld, especially our generation of intelligent, well educated and young Malays, to know that the Malay-Muslim community in Malaysia is a “lost and narrowed mind tribe”, the tragic victims of UMNO-PAS Political Islam led by Brother Anwar Ibrahim and Ustaz Abdul Hadi Awang. I also wanted to convey to them this: if they needed advice on matters of spirituality, they should avoid characters like Mr. Baju, Ustaz Hadi, and our Brother and “Neo-Con” ideologue Anwar.
Thanks. Din
September 4th, 2005 at 7:59 pm
Dear Din and Keris_Always
Baju’s character is exactly what I am afraid is happening to the Melayus. Anyway hin pen name fits in. He only has a baju no seluar. So anyone looking at him will be impressed with his baju but since he has no seluar everyone can see his other half ( hope not a besar kemaluan)
People like him listen but don’t hear, read but don’t understand. I guess he reads with a closed mind so much so he missed the meaning of my writing. I use simple English but baju’s English is very polished. His knowledge of the Quran and Hadiths are outstanding. I wish he would use his knowledge in propogating Islam and advising the novices like me instead of being an angry man.
I wish him all the best.
September 4th, 2005 at 10:09 pm
DEDICATED TO MR BAJU
What the seminar did not discuss was the phenomenon of “No Thinkers who think they are Thinkers” as you say, Ibrahim. Apa sudah jadi?
Monday, September 05, 2005
How thinkers in Malaysia think
A Special Report By Ravichandran D.J. Paul
(Bernama) — “Cogito ergo som” is a Latin phrase by one of the world’s greatest thinkers, Rene Descartes, meaning “I think, therefore I am”.
The ability to think bestowed on humankind is the key to the rise of civilisations and the success of human endeavours through the ages.
Early last week the art of thinking was analysed in a ground-breaking seminar held here on the thinking power of the human race.
The two-day seminar, something out of the ordinary, began on Aug 29 and was organised by the Research Centre of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
The seminar dwelt into how thinkers think, innovative thinking, creative thinking, thinking during crises, how a crook thinks, the functions of the brain in the thinking process, etc.
It started on a vibrant note with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister, whose wisdom is admired by the nation till today, delivering the keynote address.
The ending was a thought-provoking presentation by Dr Chandra Muzaffar, president of International Movement for a Just World and a man who is known to speak his mind.
The event was an eye opener as it revealed how Malaysians have taken for granted the “thinking process” over the years.
And participants were obviously curious about Dr Mahathir’s mind that showed no signs of slowing down in its ability to think although the man himself is now 80 years old.
Just how does this man think? One participant asked if there is any correlation between his diet and his ability to think. Another enquired whether he is the living testimony that the thinking prowess improves with age.
But Dr Mahathir disappointed many when he told the seminar that he thinks just like anyone else and debunked all myths related to his remarkable brilliance.
Maybe the following statement by Dr Mahathir connotes his secret: “I not only think but also look and study things carefully. When I travel around, I look at things carefully, make comparisons of what I see. I don’t accept things at face value, you cannot trust what you hear or see. Don’t jump to conclusions without thinking.”
“In order to make decisions we need to make comparisons,” he said and provided the example of how Malaysia tackled the financial crisis in 1997.
“We compared the available options one by one including whether we should consider the IMF (International Monetary Fund) package that would rob us of our sovereignty. Then we selected the best option for the nation.”
One should also think deeper and see the meanings in the bigger picture.
On this, Dr Mahathir referred to the imperfection in the thinking of some Muslims that they should go to war on horses as the Sunnah says the Prophet did so. “That does not mean today they have to go to war on horses,” he said.
Dr Mahathir explained that the Sunnah in fact profoundly illustrates that Muslims should think of all available resources in defending the Ummah.
As usual, Dr Mahathir was tactful and witty when answering questions from the floor, much to the delight of the audience.
One participant from Mauritius went to the extent of asking whether the Muslim world today owes Malaysia when it comes to thinking. Dr Mahathir humbly replied: “Never, we are not the only fountain of wisdom. There are others.”
Dr Mahathir felt that Malaysians must think more as the country still has a long way to go in development. He wanted Malaysians to change their mindset and accept the fact that there are others who are better and more successful than us.
While Dr Mahathir pondered on how a thinker thinks, Dr Chandra Muzaffar ventured into the “thinking process” in the country since independence.
Dr Chandra revealed many interesting points especially when he remarked that Malaysia has proven the fact that you don’t need many thinkers as leaders in order to be successful.
At the same time he also pointed out that Malaysia has seen a great deal of thinking with the dominant mode being the ethnic and religious paradigms within a plural society. He said deep inside, the forefathers of this country had thought beyond what we see today.
He recalled that among the past leaders of this country only Dr Mahathir has shown the attributes of a thinker.
In fact Malaysia’s father of independence Tunku Abdul Rahman was not much of a thinker but was known for his strong intuition, his successor Tun Abdul Razak was a brilliant administrator and Tun Hussein Onn was a man of the highest integrity.
Yet this is where the paradox is, he said. Countries like India that gained independence much earlier had great thinkers who framed the constitution, among them Jawaharlal Nehru, a brilliant mind, and the second president S. Radhakrishnan, a philosopher.
Yet India failed to shine until of late. But Malaysia, within a short period of 48 years after independence, is being marveled by the world for its achievements.
Despite our sterling achievements, Dr Chandra contended that there are signs of complacency setting in, at least in our attitude towards thinking. He pointed out the proposal by Malaysia Airlines and Proton to appoint foreigners as their CEOs as an interesting example.
Dr Chandra said by doing so, “what we actually want to do is let the foreigners think for us. This is what we see in the rich Middle East countries where foreigners are actually doing all the thinking and they are the ones running the show.”
Earlier in his keynote address Dr Mahathir also voiced his dismay over the proposals and said sadly this seems to be the thinking in the country today.
Dr Chandra was also disenchanted with the minds of the intelligentsia in the country. “I think the static thinking of the intelligentsia is a major problem by large due to its uncritical attitude towards power and authority. They seem to be hesitant when it comes to scrutinising power and the workings of power.”
The seminar also exposed poor thinking in the local media. There are hardly any thought-provoking articles or those that portray reflective thinking, Dr Chandra lamented.
Unlike their counterparts in the developed countries, the media here seem to be mere followers of what the rulers of the world say, he said.
He pointed to the clever ruse of Israel in Gaza (where the Israelis dismantled a few settlements in a blaze of publicity while quietly expanded settlement in the occupied West Bank) and the so-called globalisation that hardly received any critical assessment in the local media.
Earlier Datuk A. Kadir Jasin, a veteran journalist, who spoke on “how a journalist thinks”, noted that the media here appear to have franchised thinking to a few thinkers like Dr Mahathir.
“But it is most unfortunate that we don’t have many Dr Mahathirs”‘ said the Editor-in-Chief of Berita Publishing Sdn Bhd.
While the seminar enlightened participants on how people — from great thinkers to crooks — think, the evidence of a thinking process that is flawed or lacking in our society is manifested in mundane problems like littering, lack of civic consciousness, road rage and social ills.
Fortunately, however, as pointed out in the seminar, we don’t have to have great thinkers to solve the societal problems of the day or wait for a great thinker to emerge to help us out.
All we need to do is change the way we think for the better.
September 5th, 2005 at 5:41 am
so misterrrr baju thinks therefore he is…. and others dont therefore others are not?
hmmm…. i am thinking. at least i would like to think i am thinking.
i think misterrr baju needs to come back and think through. defend himself and, in his rebuttal speech, enlighten all of us with the thought processes only he alone is familiar with and endowed with - and with which others are not. i think.
what say you, bro dean merican and bro berahim? misterrrr baju, are you still there….? dah belah kot??
September 5th, 2005 at 8:30 am
Look guys , I‘m still around. I haven’t gone nowhere. Its good that my comments jolted u guys out your seemingly comfortable seat. The Penang people would say sth like
“ dah kena macamni, baru ada akai sikit”
And those personal abuse on whether I wear trousers etc in no way affect me in the least.
As for those who are affected somewhat with my comments, well tough luck.
You see this is how we have to treat on those who make fun out of this religion or the prophets (pbut) etc .
And these sort of anger effused is certainly ok , as far as I am concerned.
You see the prophet(pbuh) was NEVER affected if the people were to insult him about him as a person. So you will see that even when people threw stones at him(pbuh) or old woman throwing filth in his front door or people calling him mad, one affected with jin etc etc etc , he eventually forgave them in the end with not an iota of revenge during the opening of Makkah. BUT ..BUT whenever anyone abuses the religion ( the deen), then he( pbuh) will be the first one to actually come to defend the religion to the end.
That is how much jealousy he had towards this deen, even more so towards anything else of this worldly nature, be it about his wives, family members or even close friends.
And this is the sort of characteristic we must inject into the youngsters so that they will appreciate the true value of this deen.
As regards do I show this sort of anger when it comes to non muslims etc , the answer far far from it . In fact I try to be as gentle as the virgin rabbit as the person on the other side is genuinely looking for answers and genuinely trying to learn. In fact this is how the religion teaches us.
But on the other hand if the person comes out with all sort of accusation and seem to only want to indulge in besmirching this religion, then with all Islamically condoned behaviour, all hell is broken loose , and I will retort as much or even more as what he gives.
So when I read comments coming from people who seem to belittle hadeeth or other tenets of Islam, and they seem to be relishing in this act of theirs, then it is only my right that I should ‘educate’ them correspondingly so that then “ baru depa ada akai sikit”.
FYI, I think I am such a nice person to meet with. Certainly amiable and easy going. I would have no problem meeting you guys in public and I can assure you that you would be delighted to befriend me. You could even bring this sort of ideas you have it here and I will give a lending ears ( both of them in fact) and I will even respond to you in even kinder word ( though firm nonetheless).
The reason being, since the public meeting will only be between me and you then it is still considered private. But however since the comments you guys made are posted in the net and so is viewable by the whole world it then require a stronger remonstrance against what has been brought up as the idea you brought up may now affect a lot more people…a lot lot more people. Some people may be taken in with your ideas and these need to be nipped at a bud and it can only be nipped with a strong and sharp scissors.
So this is where you need to distinguish the methodology in treating people.
And this is a manhaj to be learned and this was learned in our circles.
Those who know, know and those who are ignorant will find this confusing.
Having done the introduction, let me now attempt to answer some of the issues raised above…
About Martin Lings..yes he was a muslim and was prolific in his writings. However he was VERY MUCH veered into the teaching of Sufism…worse still extremist Sufism the likes of the mantra of Al Hallaj and Ibnul Arabi. The 2 infamous people are known to have absolutely abysmal words against islam that all major scholars of islam have ruled these 2 to be out of Islam, so much so, Al hallaj was publicly executed for uttering statement which are absolutely kufr.
Pls read the book- ‘Ajaran Tasawuf”- it’s a translation of Abdul Rahman Abdul Khaliq book. This book has been translated into Malay. In it the author bring forth tons of pages quoted from these soofees own book ( not wrongly quoted out of context or anything of that nature) but pure, unflowered ,virgin forest quotation of their works. One would be amazed , to say the least , to find out how far , so very far are the teaching of Sufism from the teaching of Islam brought by the prophet (pbuh). Go get the book. They are selling it in Pustaka Indonesia, at Masjid India, KL road.
Hence one has to read with not a pinch but probably by the buckets of salt when one is reading the book written by Martin Lings after one is aware of his sufi tendency kink.
As regards Ayah Pin, well he is not supposed to preach to muslims his warped ajaran sesat. This is the rule of the land. No non muslim or for that matter deviant muslim is to preach their religion to the muslims of this country.
So is this then considered unfair?? No not at all. Each country has its rules and regulations and if one wants to go against these rules then he should be open to the idea of being punished or being banished from the land.
Example..
If I am in England and I wanna do the azan aloud because my religion prescribe so but the rule of land prohibited it, then I will refrain. I will do the azan only within the vicinity of the masjid ( inside the masjid with no loud speaker)
If I am in England and I wanna practice polygamy but the rule of land say no and they will only recognize monogamy and all the division of wealth will be according to will instead of faraid , then should I even want to do it then I will do it surreptitiously knowing full well the consequences I might face. But I will have to be open to being punished ( if that is the case) and should not complain.
If I am in China and I intend to have more than 1 kid as my religion do encourage huge families, then I will try to relax it and should I want to do it , will then have to do it secretly and ready to face the consequences.
The above examples I gave just go on to show that muslims that are scattered in the world know that if they would want to follow the teaching to the very end ,then in this time and era they would have to face certain punishment as the examples above allude to.
Likewise for Ayah Pin. In a muslim land, non muslim or ajaran sesat followers MUST not preach their religion to the born muslims otherwise the law would come down hard on the. If they wanna be an apostate from islam, then do it , but do it quietly without publicing it and certainly do not call people towards their action of being a murtad.
That’s all it says. Ayah Pin knows very well that his teaching will result in punishment being meted out but he was testing the water and when he thought the law was not that harsh in the beginning , he carried on not knowing that by so he was only building up a snowball. So when the govt did what he did, people complained but they did not realize the initial contact , unwritten as it is, which is, non muslim or ajaran sesat followers should not preach their religion to the muslims
Sometimes I wonder why these ajaran sesat only like to amass followers from the simple folks. If they really think that their teaching is good, then just go to the mufti or even to ustaz or the highest authority of the land and debate their teaching with the latter. That is what they are suppose to do.
When prophet Musa (pbuh) came with his teaching, what he did was to go and confront Pharoah and Hamn asking them to release the Israelites and even told them of this religion. He was a real gentleman thru and thru. When you have something sooo good to sell, go to the highest authority and present to them. Debate and see who is better in proving the true teaching. Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) did the same.
Of course history has shown that what the prophet brought was so much better than what was practiced in the land during the time.
Ayah Pin and alikes should have done the same . Go argue with the mufti. But no, they were cowards and only teach this to the simple muslim folks in kampong, who unfortunately are not that well versed in islam and somehow was taken in by his teaching.
I for one would love it if any evangelist or anyone were to approach me and start talking Christianity or sth else and would oblige them to a long debate. I’ve got no qualms in doing that. Islam is high and there is nothing higher than it on this earth.
As regards UMNO or PAS, suffice to say that I am a member of none of these parties. In fact I believe creating a party is non productive as the end result is only factions, taasub and enmity. Try as they may , they could not escape from this. SO even ABIM, JIM etc etc , I would not have encouraged . If we were to look at the teachings of the sheikhs from Saudi or Jordan, you would have grasped that these scholars certainly do not encourage formations of parties for Satan is very slippery in trapping these members in factions and led to partisanship.
Islam comes to unite the followers but groups, political parties etc only lead to disunity hence emaciated power.
Nonetheless though not a follower of any party , does not mean that I do not follow or learn from individuals. As long as the individuals’ teachings are according to Quran and Sunnah we take it from them.
Lastly my advise to all of u contributors here, do not be taken in so much by the writings of orientalist. In this time and age there are just too many good reliable books which have been translated into English and Bahasa Indonesia. Go out, take your time read these books, appreciate them ,ask those of knowledge for things that u are unsure of, attend Islamic talks ( especially those who ensures that the methodology is the methodology of the salaf). You would then truly appreciate the deliciousness of Islam and would then now be answering criticisms raised by deviants and the like thereby helping out the deen to be looked into proper perspectives.
September 5th, 2005 at 10:32 am
Brothers,
“As regards Ayah Pin, well he is not supposed to preach to muslims his warped ajaran sesat. This is the rule of the land. No non muslim or for that matter deviant muslim is to preach their religion to the muslims of this country.
So is this then considered unfair?? No not at all. Each country has its rules and regulations and if one wants to go against these rules then he should be open to the idea of being punished or being banished from the land.”
In this short paragraph, Misterrrr Baju, you touch on many issues all at once. Let’s try dealing with them one by one.
Sovereignty
Nobody in their right mind would challenge the sovereignty of any country in introducing, promulgating its own laws. That is not an issue.
Religious freedom - this is the issue
The problem with this Abdullah Pin ( I believe that is that his real name) is, he is not a Muslim. How do we know? He says so. And therefore he argues he is not subject to the punishment normally meted out to apostates under Shariah law - which is three years maximum imprisonment for defaming Islam.
We have got a recent case from the state of Kelantan, involving four Kelantanese Malays, one of them a teacher educated in the Middle East who claims during their (shariah court) trial that they are not Muslims – and therefore they commit no crime. The case went to Federal Court. The Federal Court unfortunately declined to make its decision – preferring to instead declare that it has no jurisdiction over the issue. By doing so, it missed that one opportunity over an issue which may not come before the Federal Court, the highest court of the land, again for a very long time. The Court in fact further muddies the water. Let’s see if the case of Abdullah Pin goes before this court. I hope they charge him in court instead of just using the ISA to silence him.
I would like to think that Malaysia is a democracy, that Islam is conducive and compatible with the principles of democracy, that we are all equal and subject to the equal protection of the law.
Abdullah Pin has committed two crimes - be it under civil or/and shariah law. He committed apostasy – a crime under shariah law. Preaching another religion to a Muslim goes against the Federal Constitution and is a crime under the state enactments punishable with a fine and in some states like Johor with both a fine and imprisonment.
The problem: A “Malay means a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom..” : Article 160 sub clause 2 Federal Constitution of Malaysia 1957. Read this Article together with Article 11, sub clause 1 “Every person has the right to profess and practice his religion….” How do you reconcile these two provisions.
The second issue is that no one is to preach any other religion to a Muslim: Article 11, sub-clause (4) Federal Malaysian Constitution 1957. Various state enactments impose a fine and a jail term for those who flout the law.
Nobody is a fool to challenge the sovereignty of the states to make their own laws, the right to introduce and implement such laws. The problem is religious freedom is seen as a human rights issue. You cannot legislate to remove those rights. Was that the recommendation of the Reid Commission, and the intention of the draughtsman when drafting the Federal Malayan Constitution of 1957? I don’t think so.
Now on the issue of the position of apostates under shariah law. This is where I do not profess to know anything. Unlike you I do not have the benefit of any formal religious education. And this is one issue we need to hear from you, to hear the wisdom of your thoughts. I suspect that brother Din Merican and Brother Berahim will agree with me when I say that they too do not profess to be experts on the issue either.
It is good that you do not have any political affiliations. In that case we expect your thoughts not to be tarnished or unduly influenced by loyalties to any political party or association.
September 5th, 2005 at 6:08 pm
Well, Fellas,
I intend to find things out for myself as I have always done. I cannot rely experts to do the thinking for me, as their record has been dismal. But these exchanges have been useful as they confirm to me how divided we are as Malay-Muslims.
What started out to be a simple request from a mamak_general for some good books on the Life of the Holy Prophet pbuh is now turning to be a debate that does not seem to have an end. It only proves to me that we cannot reach any sensible consensus on matters relating to Islam.
I am signing off. Thanks.
September 5th, 2005 at 7:07 pm
brother dean merican,
you are right about the malays being more divided on all issues across the board for the first time in our history. how many times have we heard that we are at the cross roads? how many cross roads are there? no traffic policemen in sight and the traffic lights are not working.
we have mortgaged everything away - our homes, our water buffaloes, our padi fields, our children, even our mistresses. so where do the malays go from here?
except to ride into the sunset.
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April 9th, 2006 at 6:24 am
Great article. I am just sad I dont know how to reply properly, though, since I want to show my appreciation like many other.
July 10th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
A lot of poets carry a wee notebook in their pockets to jot down ideas and lines and even a verse or two. I never do that.