Dua Kalimah Syahadah (Revised)

 PREFACE : 

There's a stories shared by a professor in his lecture about "Being a Mediator". 

"Let's say one day your eldest and youngest sons are fighting over a toy. They argue with each other until youngest son being pushed away and crying. After you approach to them, you realize the situation is youngest son is trying to grab eldest son's toy.. However he failed and fall on floor, so who do you going to scold between them? The eldest son... or the youngest son?"

Everyone were whispering : Must be the eldest son's fault, how can he fight with youngest son? 

Professor was smiling and said: "The answer is you must scold the youngest son."

Everyone was shocked with his answer, we didn't understand why professor said so... 

"Because your emotion and prejudice have been mislead your mind in understand the real situation. All of you are feeling pity of the youngest son and ignore eldest son. But the truth is youngest son is the one who grab the toy, so he is the one who start the argument. Whenever you judge any situation as a mediator, you must clear your mind totally before judging who is right or wrong. Self assumption and prejudice is the faulty way to let you see the "Real Picture". "

That was a most meaningful speech. 

I written this as my preface because what I am going to share can be annoying or uncomfortable to some people. Especially the word "Non Muslim", it can be different aspect to different people. As I have been written in my post Bagaimana Berdakwah Kepada Non-Muslim , there are many kind of non muslim like those who are not aggressive and being nice with muslim, those who are atheist but in searching of God, and those who are love to fight over religion issue. 

Those "non muslim" who mentioned in this article are those who debate that "Islam is not true religion", or may be they are muslim who have been disbelieved in Islam due to their knowledge in Al Quran verse and some of the hadis they written. It can be seen in Cari.com.my forum post Soalan dari non-muslim . 

My Final Declaration : Those Non Muslim who mentioned in this article is "Disbeliever about Islam" (Not Included Non Muslim who know nothing about Islam or never againts Islam), and my points is only related to the Forum Post "Soalan dari non-muslim" .   

 Orang Islam tidak menyembah Bulan, kerana Bulan juga merupakan ciptaan Allah SWT

Bulan senantiasa menurut perintah untuk mengeliling bumi tanpa perlanggaran antara 2 planet atas Kebijaksanaan Allah SWT

While I was browsing through Islamic Forum, there's one weird question from so called Soalan dari non-muslim forum post

"Sekiranya sabar ialah separuh daripada Iman,

dimanakah SEPARUH lagi Iman ???"

There were a lot of muslim willing to debate for it, writing away a lot of facts and factual. However, is there an answer for such question? Would non muslim just accept it while they never feel impressed with any of the Al Quran verse and Hadis?

These non muslim able to quote a lot Al Quran Verse but in negative perspective. They doesn't feel impressed with Islam but to find "mistakes" and "conflict" (Al Quran bebas daripada sebarang kecacatan dan tiada versi Al Quran yang berlainan di atas dunia) Sometime the reason would be they believe that religion other than Islam are more perfect, and they are trying to dip their head in Islamic books for their preaching purpose. Especially while some of the muslim doing any criminals they would points at Islam and say : "See, that's the real facts about muslim and Islam. Islam who teach them to do so."

Muslim try hard to dakwah, explaining all of the hukum hakam and Istilah. But non muslim doesn't accept it and finding another conflict point in Islam. Proof and Science seems like not even mean anything to them, Alam Ghaib like how syaitan and Malaikat/Angels looks like would be their favourite question too as well. Because their religion also have different way in describing Alam Ghaib. Apparently that's a blind-spot because human are impossible to prove something that our eyes can't even see or I should say Alam Ghaib that not even in the Dimension we can reach or understand.

So while muslim vs non muslim...
Muslim are striving to explain all of the question refer to Al-Quran and Hadis. But does it help to non muslim with intention of breaking the barrier of Islam? Or more terribly, those ignorant muslim who want a "Change" in Halal Haram so they would enjoy what they desire officially and following "Syariat Islam". (Like drinking beer, Kahwin Bidaah menurut ajaran Syiah)

INTENTION/Niat does rule everything:

Daripada Amirul Mukminin Abu Hafsin 'Umar ibn al-Katthab r.a. beliau berkata: Aku mendengar Rasulullah SAW bersabda:

Bahawa sesungguhnya setiap amalan itu bergantung kepada niat, dan bahawa sesungguhnya bagi setiap orang apa yang dia niatkan. Barangsiapa yang hijrahnya menuju kepada Allah dan RasulNya, maka hijrahnya kepada Allah dan RasulNya. Barangsiapa yang hijrahnya kerana dunia yang dia mahu mencari habuannya, atau kerana seorang perempuan yang dia mahu kahwininya, maka hijrahnya ke arah perkara yang ditujuinya itu.

And also while Islam being preached, some of the non muslim behave like what in Surah Yunus Ayat 42-43 :

Dan di antara mereka (yang ingkar) itu, ada yang datang mendengar ajaranmu (dengan tidak mendapat faedah sedikitpun sebagai orang pekak); maka engkau (wahai Muhammad) tidak berkuasa menjadikan orang-orang yang pekak itu mendengar, juga kalau mereka menjadi orang-orang yang tidak mahu memahami perkara yang didengarnya. Dan di antara mereka pula ada yang memandang kepada perkara-perkara yang engkau tunjukkan (tetapi mereka tidak nampak kebenarannya sebagai orang buta); maka engkau (wahai Muhammad) tidak berfaedah menunjuk jalan kepada orang-orang yang buta, juga kalau mereka menjadi orang-orang yang tidak mahu melihat (perkara yang engkau tunjukkan itu).

Muslim able to preach in precise way, but muslim is not the one who force someone embrace Islam. Tiada istilah "Mengislamkan si polan" dalam agama Allah SWT, kita hanyalah manusia yang serba lemah untuk menyampaikan mesej Allah SWT berdasarkan Wahyu yang diturunkan dalam Al-Quran dan Hadis. Sekiranya seseorang ingin mengenali Tuhan Semesta dan berbuat baik, maka dia akan memperoleh petunjuk Hidayah untuk memeluk Islam. Dan sebaliknya jika dia memilih hawa nafsu di atas dunia yang begitu fana, maka kekufuran tetap susah dikikiskan dari hatinya. 

Oleh sebab itu jika mereka berhujah (menyangkal dan) membantahmu (Wahai Muhammad), maka katakanlah: “Aku telah berserah diriku kepada Allah dan demikian juga orang-orang yang mengikutku”. Dan bertanyalah (Wahai Muhammad) kepada orang-orang (Yahudi dan Nasrani) yang diberi Kitab, dan orang-orang yang “Ummi” (orang-orang musyrik Arab): “Sudahkah kamu mematuhi dan menurut (ugama Islam yang aku bawa itu)?” Kemudian jika mereka memeluk Islam, maka sebenarnya mereka telah memperoleh petunjuk; dan jika mereka berpaling (tidak mahu menerima Islam), maka sesungguhnya kewajipanmu hanyalah menyampaikan (dakwah Islam itu). Dan (ingatlah), Allah sentiasa Melihat (tingkah laku) sekalian hambaNya.

(Surah Ali Imran : ayat 20)

Sekiranya ingin berdakwah kepada Non Muslim, sebenarnya sangat mudah sahaja. Usah menyahut setiap soalan yang extreme dan penuh konfliks ataupun menjelaskan hukum hakam dengan huraian yang panjang. Apa yang perlu disampaikan ialah Kunci kepada Islam, Rukun Islam yang paling pertama iaitu Dua Kalimah Syahadah. (Rukun ialah sendi atau sandaran)

Aku bersaksi bahawa tidak ada Tuhan (yang disembah) selain Allah dan bahawa aku (juga) bersaksi bahawa Muhammad adalah utusan Allah .

Sungguh senang kan? Tetapi mengucap Dua Kalimah Syahada juga perlu memenuhi antara beberapa syarat yang penting iaitu :

1. Tertib lafaz syahadah seperti yang dinyatakan.
2. Melafazkan kedua-dua kalimah syahadah dengan berturut-turut (tanpa diselangi perbuatan lain)
3. Mamahami makna kedua-duanya.
4. Mendustakan perkara yang menyalahi atau bertentangan dengan maksud syahadah.
5. Menggunakan perkataan "asyhadu" (ﺃَﺷْﻬَﺪُ) pada keduanya.
6. Tidak syak atau ragu-ragu akan kedua-duanya.

Bagaimana non muslim yang didakwahkan boleh memahami makna kedua-duanya dan tidak syak atau ragu-ragu akan kedua-duanya? (Bukannya semata-mata membaca Kalimah Syahadah dengan membuta tuli atau sebutan sahaja) Ia amat bergantung kepada kebijaksanaan pendakwah. Kenapa Allah SWT ialah Tuhan? Kenapa Nabi Muhammad ialah Utusan Allah? Sila Buktikan... 

Sumerian Ziggurat. Ziggurats were a form of temple common to the Sumerians, Babylonians and Assyrians of ancient Mesopotamia.The earliest examples of the ziggurat date from the end of the third millennium BCE and the latest date from the 6th century BCE.

 The Choice : Dialog Islam & Kristian ( Terjemahan Bahasa Melayu)

Muslim sendiri yang perlu mengambil langkah inisiatif untuk melontarkan persoalan supaya non muslim berfikir. Bukannya asyik menjawab soalan hukum hakam kepada non muslim yang tiada dasar Rukun Iman dan Rukun Islam. Saya percaya Arwah Ahmad Deedat juga menjalankan urusan dakwah sepanjang hayatnya berdasarkan konsep ini... Kerana beliau sering mencabar Christian seperti soalan berikut : "Kenapa kamu berkata Jesus ialah Utusan yang dijanjikan? Sila buktikan. Apakah konsep Triniti dan kepentingannya? Buktikan.." Beliau bukannya mencaci atau menghina agama sesiapa sebaliknya menunjukkan jalan menuju Kalimah Syahadah. Persoalannya mungkin amat menyinggung perasaan non muslim tetapi niat beliau adalah mengajak masyarakat supaya Berfikir. Cara berdakwah ini amat sinonim dengan Nabi Ibrahim yang menyampaikan mesej Tauhid kepada kaum Sumerian yang membina Ziggurat untuk mengagungkan Bulan sebagai Tuhan, Ibrahim berkata kepada mereka seperti apa yang terkandung dalam Surah Al- An'am ayat 76-79 :

Maka ketika ia berada pada waktu malam yang gelap, ia melihat sebuah bintang (bersinar-sinar), lalu ia berkata: “Inikah Tuhanku?” Kemudian apabila bintang itu terbenam, ia berkata pula: “Aku tidak suka kepada yang terbenam hilang”. Kemudian apabila dilihatnya bulan terbit (menyinarkan cahayanya), dia berkata: “Inikah Tuhanku?” Maka setelah bulan itu terbenam, berkatalah dia: “Demi sesungguhnya, jika aku tidak diberikan petunjuk oleh Tuhanku, nescaya menjadilah aku dari kaum yang sesat”. Kemudian apabila dia melihat matahari sedang terbit (menyinarkan cahayanya), berkatalah dia: “Inikah Tuhanku? Ini lebih besar”. Setelah matahari terbenam, dia berkata pula: ` Wahai kaumku, sesungguhnya aku berlepas diri (bersih) dari apa yang kamu sekutukan (Allah dengannya). “Sesungguhnya aku hadapkan muka dan diriku kepada Allah yang menciptakan langit dan bumi, sedang aku tetap di atas dasar tauhid dan bukanlah aku dari orang-orang yang menyekutukan Allah (dengan sesuatu yang lain)”.

Tentu sesiapa yang berani menolak agama sesiapa pun akan dibantah sekeras-kerasnya. Apa yang disampaikan oleh Nabi Ibrahim ialah Ajaran Tauhid.. Maka beliau menjawab pada surah seterusnya : 

Dan ia dibantah oleh kaumnya, ia pun berkata: “Patutkah kamu membantahku mengenai Allah, padahal sesungguhnya Ia telah memberi hidayah petunjuk kepadaku? Dan aku pula tidak takut (akan sebarang bahaya dari) apa yang kamu sekutukan dengan Allah, kecuali Tuhanku menghendaki sesuatu dari bahaya itu. (Sesungguhnya) pengetahuan Tuhanku meliputi tiap-tiap sesuatu, tidakkah kamu mahu (insaf) mengambil pelajaran?

“Dan bagaimanakah aku hendak takutkan apa yang kamu sekutukan dengan Allah itu (yang tidak dapat mendatangkan sesuatu bahaya), padahal kamu tidak takut bahawa kamu telah sekutukan Allah dengan sesuatu yang Allah tidak menurunkan sebarang keterangan kepada kamu mengenainya? Maka yang manakah di antara dua puak itu yang lebih berhak mendapat keamanan (dari bahaya), jika betul kamu mengetahui?”

Orang-orang yang beriman dan tidak mencampur adukkan iman mereka dengan kezaliman (syirik), mereka itulah orang-orang yang mendapat keamanan dan merekalah orang-orang yang mendapat hidayah petunjuk.

Dan itulah hujah (bukti) Kami, yang Kami berikan kepada Nabi Ibrahim untuk mengalahkan kaumnya. Kami tinggikan pangkat-pangkat kedudukan sesiapa yang Kami kehendaki. Sesungguhnya Tuhanmu Maha Bijaksana, lagi Maha Mengetahui.

(Surah Yunus : 80-83)

Muslim tidak sepatutnya bersikap pasif menyahut persoalan non muslim semata-mata sehingga mengelirukan rakan-rakan lain yang masih cetek ilmunya dalam hal ehwal Islam. Persoalan tersebut boleh memerangkap muslim agar terpesong Akidahnya sehingga meninggalkan Agama Islam yang sungguh mementingkan ajaran Tauhid.


Persoalannya bukan : "Bagaimanakah saya menjelaskan hukum tersebut kepada non muslim"
Sebaliknya ialah : "Bagaimanakah saya membuktikan bahawa Allah SWT ialah Satu, dan Nabi Muhammad ialah Utusan Terakhir?"

Ia melibatkan kebijaksanaan orang islam masing-masing. Juga merupakan Entry kepada Islam...
Zaman sekarang science telahpun memainkan peranan yang penting kerana ia membuktikan Kalimah Allah SWT dalam Al-Quran adalah benar, selain itu perilaku muslim, sistem bank yang mengharamkan riba untuk kestabilan ekonomi, cara makan yang sihat dalam sunnah Nabi, Hak wanita dalam perkahwinan, pengurusan Harta Pusaka, ataupun sekadar senyuman manis juga merupakan ajakan non muslim ke arah tuju Kalimah Syahadah. Tentu ada sesuatu yang menarik perhatian non muslim mengenai Islam walaupun sekadar kita bersenyum dengan mereka. 

Berdakwahlah Dua Kalimah Syahadah kepada non muslim, kerana itulah akar tunjangnya dalam membentuk Keimanan dan Amalan seseorang muslim.


It's easy to say so
But's it's very challenging to do so

Akta Hasutan

Akta Hasutan 1948 merupakan suatu akta undang-undang di Malaysia yang digubal untuk menghalang perbincangan yang dikatakan sebagai menghasut. Akta ini sebenarnya digubal oleh penjajah British pada tahun 1948. Akta ini menjadikan ucapan yang "mempunyai kecenderungan menghasut" sebagai suatu kesalahan jenayah.

Written "Dua Kalimah Syahadah", then my wife advised me not to mention "Non Muslim" words. It's offensive and may get caught by Akta Hasutan with what I have been written.. So my article have been deleted. Few days later I refer to my friend who have working experience in publishing field. She told me it happened where some people interpret few of these article as "Hasutan" or having offence to them, they print it out and taking it to court. Even though blogger's intention is not to do so..

What a "Misinterpret"...
In Malaysia, non muslim don't have to worry anything about religion because everyone are have freedom in embrace any religion they want. It's stated in Akta Perlembagaan Persekutuan :

Perkara 3. Agama bagi Persekutuan.

(1) Islam ialah agama bagi Persekutuan; tetapi agama-agama lain boleh diamalkan dengan aman dan damai di mana-mana Bahagian Persekutuan.

 

Perkara 11. Kebebasan beragama.

 

(1) Tiap-tiap orang berhak menganuti dan mengamalkan agamanya dan, tertakluk kepada Fasal (4), mengembangkannya.

(2) Tiada seorang pun boleh dipaksa membayar apa-apa cukai yang hasilnya diuntukkan khas kesemuanya atau sebahagiannya bagi maksud sesuatu agama selain agamanya sendiri.

(3) Tiap-tiap kumpulan agama berhak--

(a) menguruskan hal ehwal agamanya sendiri;
(b) menubuhkan dan menyenggarakan institusi-institusi bagi maksud agama atau khairat; dan
(c) memperoleh dan mempunyai harta dan memegang dan mentadbirkannya mengikut undang-undang.

(4) Undang-undang Negeri, dan berkenaan dengan Wilayah-Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Labuan dan Putrajaya, undang-undang persekutuan boleh mengawal atau menyekat pengembangan apa-apa doktrin atau kepercayaan agama di kalangan orang yang menganuti agama Islam.
(5) Perkara ini tidaklah membenarkan apa-apa perbuatan yang berlawanan dengan mana-mana undang-undang am yang berhubungan dengan ketenteraman awam, kesihatan awam atau prinsip moral.


Also recalled my muallaf friends experience, no one willing to teach him Islam untill he registered officially at Pejabat Agama. Now he is taking initiative to learn Iqra till able to recite Al Quran few weeks later. I guess pendakwah afraid to teach him before reverted officially also due to "Akta Hasutan". 

Can't be denied, from the newspaper I read everyday and Internet forum, Islam always being misunderstood. Especially one of the case in adopting daugther after one of the marriage partner embraced Islam. Mother and daughter who embrace Islam are criticized by family as being "Brainwashed".

In order to respect non muslim in right of embrace any religion, muslim forbidden to share or preach to them because it may break the law "Akta Hasutan". I am thinking over and over again about this issue, now I understand why I was misunderstood a lot about Islam. No one would dare to come near me and say "What Islam is really about", but I was left alone to find the answer on my own. 

It happens due to the reaction from whole community, where everyone have their own freedom and right, especially Religion. I know a lot conflicts and misunderstands between religion, based on facts and dalil. But I have to give up in publishing such article and remain silent forever. I need time to rearrange my thoughts, feeling blur in my next step of writing blog.  

Perhaps, I will never talk about "non muslim", religion comparison, conflicts in community, and everything seems related to "Hasutan".


Need to clear my mind, hush for a little while and trying to understand this article.
(Am I also being challenge by them?)  :
Pastikan Islam Kekal Agama Persekutuan. 
Ancaman Penubuhan IFC di Malaysia

And also the same situation face by Muhammad Rasyidi Abdullah in this blog's link :
Warkah Untuk Majalah Al-Islam



Terasa buntu dan tiada daya untuk menulis lagi, saya membuka Al-Quran sambil memohon petunjuk dari Allah SWT, kemudian saya ternampak ayat ini.. Mungkin ada hikmahNya. 

Ia menciptakan manusia dari air benih, (setelah sempurna kejadiannya), tiba-tiba menjadilah ia seorang pembantah yang terang jelas bantahannya.

(Al-Nahl : 4) 

我们一起静静走着不说话, 好吗？ (Would you follow me, silently?)

There are some people questioning about my "Chinese" status, whether I am a chinese with "Malay name" or a malay with "Chinese muslim" name. In a matter of fact, I was studying at primary and secondary chinese school. Although my Chinese subject only get 3b in SPM, my interest in chinese language and writting never get low. Chinese books are my best friends while I was small, only read other than chinese language books while I met Islam since few years ago. 

I tried post article to Newspaper however failed, however one of my chinese blog are published by Guang Ming newspaper few years ago.

Please enjoy this self written article below, or visit my darkcat life blog. 

It's specially dedicated to those readers who in love with chinese language. 

I am not Malay, or not so called "Masuk melayu".

I am just a chinese who recites Kalimah Syahadah.

我们一起静静走着不说话, 好吗？

某天，女孩对男孩说："不如我们今天的约会。。一起不说话，好吗？"

"不说话，难不成耍手语？"男孩呵呵笑着。

Shhh... 女孩用食指做出别说话的手势。
男孩觉得蛮好玩的，于是他们开始了沉默的约会。双方没有半声声响，唯有凝视和比手划脚般的聊天。走在路上时，旁人难免会避忌的隔开几步。。不要冒犯聋哑人士，给予他们最基本的尊重吧。路人这么心想着。


难题来了。
这对情侣坐在西餐餐馆里，当男孩要开口点餐时。。却被女孩踢了一脚。
于是，男孩硬着头皮在 Menu 上指指点点，待从很有耐心的"听着"。他们享用着无言的西餐，没有情话绵绵的诗意，唯有默哀中的扒肉和果汁。

走出了餐馆后，女孩对男孩比划着波浪式的手势。
按摩？ 男孩指着脚板按摩店。
女孩摇摇头。
游泳？男孩做出自由式游泳姿势。
女孩嘻嘻笑了几声。。然后微笑着摇摇头。

嗯。。。
男孩以双指来指指自己的眼睛，然后以手指在半空写出 ： S . E . A . ?
女 孩点点头，男孩终于猜对了。于是他们开车前往 Lumut 的海边。。 Lumut 位于霹雳州，对岸就是 Pangkor 了。这海边并没有像外国般优美，至少它清新自然，没有任何掩饰。。海边的椰树轻微摇摆着，踏在海沙上觉得松松的，海浪一波波的发出声响，海风四面八方地吹 着每个人。

他们静静地提着拖鞋一起走在沙滩，以脚足感受着海沙的温柔。
聆听着大自然的声音，海浪的声音，鸟儿的声音。。
还有海风的声音。海风的声音很微妙，听起来似是呼呼，偶尔高音偶尔低音鸣着。

噪音，男孩发现到他听不见那段早已听惯了的噪音。
此时此刻没有电台的垃圾广告声，电话响声，汽车轰动声。。闹市中人山人海的唇声，以及一切外来的任何声音。男孩静静地听着大自然的细语，无论什么种族都听的懂的语言。

他们走得疲倦了，一起坐在椰树下休息一会儿。
"如果全世界都没有声音，会不会更美好呢？"女孩开口问道
男孩静静听着没答话，他竟然已经习惯了沉默。

海风继续吹拂着他们的脸，男孩的思绪随着海风拂来一丝领悟。
人类总是为自己制做出种种样样的声音，比如音响，音乐来刺激自己。世上同样的一个东西，却有几十种的语言来形容它。人类愤怒时，喉咙嘶喊得连猴子都会从树上跌下来。人类恋爱时，总想出种种甜言蜜语来讨欢心。。。却从来都没有想过让自己安宁下来，看一看周遭的事物。

有很多身旁的事物都很优美，可是人类已经忘抬头看看了。人类只记得喋喋不休的说着自己伟大的理想，悲哀，苦与乐。。直至形成了噪音和催眠，每天都对自己重覆说着同样的话。

男孩和女孩走得疲倦了，他们一起坐在沙滩上看海。。
女孩靠在男孩的身体上，聆听着男孩的心脏跳动声。。




我们一起静静不说话地恋爱，好吗？
我想以最宁静的心境来听见你最真诚的声音。

Family Reunion Lunch at Chinese New Year Eve （新年团圆饭）

I was standing at outside of parent’s house and not dare to step in.

It was late night already, their reunion lunch already finished. Every year my family would prepare steamboat at house at CNY eve, it’s very important for Chinese community, no matter they are staying at the other side of world also have to come back and have a reunion lunch with family. It would be not forgiven if any of the family member dare to break this traditions. 

“Come in.” My father says to me at door

I was silent and don’t know what to say.

“Just come in.”

Moments later, I stepped into my parent’s house. My mother asked me a lot of questions, why I dare to embrace Islam without telling them first, and lots more. I believe that my family totally lost their mood in celebrating 2009 Chinese New Year. 

“So you are not going to eat anything that I cook anymore right?” My mother asked

I was still remaining silent, I don’t know much to talk. I know that my decision may broke their heart into pieces, but I have to embrace Islam too because I realized that Islam is the right path. I was not inform my parents while register at Pejabat Agama because I afraid they would try anything to stop me.

“Are you feeling comfortable to live your life as Malay?”

“Why are you doing this to me? My heart feels like being stabbed by you.”

“I told your father that I don’t want to live anymore. I am already lost my son”

I tried to explain with my mother, but it seems like didn't make sense to her at all. How do I pick up my mother’s heart that broke into pieces, and stick it together? I know gaps would never disappeared after it’s stick up, but It’s much more better than I let it be.

At year 2009 is my first time ever that I was not having Reunion Lunch with my family. There are a lot of problems in finding the suitable steamboat restaurants, my mother wanted the “Chinese Taste” steamboat too no matter how I tried to recommend some Thai’s halal steamboat. It was so frustrating that my father still insist to ask me have a lunch and stay overnight with them. (In Chinese tradition, every family member should be stay overnight at CNY Eve in welcoming new years.)

Till this year CNY, my mother told me that she want to prepare steamboat at my family house. “I will not put pork inside it, why not you bring your wife and daughter to join us?” Of course I can tell her about samak or buy whole new set of steamboat pot, but there’s some problems I still need to beware of. CNY was getting closer and closer, I was still can’t figure out how do I solve this Reunion Lunch problem.

I can’t simply explain to my mother the beauty of Islam in speech but action. It need takes lot of effort in showing her that what I can and can’t do as a muslim. Then I would let her judge and understand how I live my way including how I talk with them. Before I getting know about Islam, I always shouted at my parents and not respect much.. I never appreciate what I have and being rude to everyone, until after I embraced Islam.. I am learning to talk gently and treat them well, I understand I broke their heart in my selfish decision so I want to show them that I am not ignorant son.

“I have a relative who married with malay and embrace Islam, after he embraced Islam hor.. His whole family very angry with him, they kick him out and never see him anymore for few years. Till now I am never know where is him.” I recalled my ex colleagues sharing her relative’s story in year 2008. I was remain silent and eating my vegetarian food with them.

“Yes lo yes lo.. I also don’t know why Islam law is so forcefully, it’s ok la if girl want to get marry with anyone or any race, girl would follow husband la but for the boy how come he need to follow girl’s religion and tradition??”Another colleague is arguing in this issue.

In Chinese community, girls who get married would need to follow husband’s every order, including religion status, tradition, surname and lots more. Husband have the total right in controlling everything, so called in Chinese Idioms “Follow the chicken or duck once married to either one of  it”. Including reunion lunch issue, wife have no right to celebrate it with her own family but follow husband back to his family living place.

So it’s become an weird issue that why husband must be the one who bowed down and follow muslim wife’s religion? According to surah Al-Baqarah : 221 :

Dan janganlah kamu berkahwin dengan perempuan-perempuan kafir musyrik sebelum mereka beriman (Memeluk Islam) ; dan sesungguhnya seorang hamba perempuan yang beriman itu lebih baik daripada perempuan kafir musyrik, sekalipun keadaannya menarik hatimu. Dan janganlah kamu (kahwinkan perempuan-perempuan Islam) dengan lelaki kafir musyrik* sebelum mereka beriman (memeluk ugama Islam). Dan sesungguhnya seorang hamba lelaki yang beriman lebih baik daripada seorang lelaki musyrik, sekalipun keadaannya menarik hati kamu. (Yang demikian ialah kerana) orang-orang kafir itu mengajak ke neraka (2), sedang Allah mengajak ke Syurga dan memberi keampunan dengan izinNya. Dan Allah menjelaskan ayat-ayatNya (keterangan-keterangan hukumNya) kepada umat manusia, supaya mereka dapat mengambil pelajaran (daripadanya).

* Lelaki yang berugama Islam diharamkan berkahwin dengan perempuan kafir musyrik, demikian pula perempuan yang berugama Islam diharamkan berkahwin dengan lelaki kafir musyrik.


** Haramnya orang-orang Islam berkahwin dengan orang-orang kafir musyrik, bukan sahaja kerana berlainan ugama tetapi juga kerana pergaulan mesra dengan mereka yang terjalin dengan kasih sayang sebagai suami isteri, akan mendorong orang-orang Islam melakukan sesuatu yang bertentangan dengan Islam, yang kesudahannya membawa ke neraka.

In this verse Allah SWT is not command “Paksalah mereka memeluk Islam sebelum berkahwin” but commanded this “Dan janganlah kamu berkahwin dengan perempuan-perempuan kafir musyrik sebelum mereka beriman (Memeluk Islam)”. Which means Islam is not forceful in religion issue, but it is partner’s self decision whether he/she want to embrace Islam or not. Being embrace Islam under self decision and awareness is much more better than forcing partner to follow Islam blindly, because partner will be playing important role in leading family at the future.

Tidak ada paksaan dalam ugama (Islam)*, kerana sesungguhnya telah nyata kebenaran (Islam) dari kesesatan (kufur). Oleh itu, sesiapa yang tidak percayakan Taghut**, dan ia pula beriman kepada Allah, maka sesungguhnya ia telah berpegang teguh, yang tidak akan putus. Dan (ingatlah), Allah Maha Mendengar, lagi Maha Mengetahui.  (Surah Al-Baqarah : 256) 

*salah satu dari asas ugama Islam ialah tidak adanya sesuatu paksaan. Yang perlu ialah memberikan penerangan dan Da’wah Islamiyah kepada orang ramai dengan cara yang baik dan bijaksana serta dengan contoh-contoh amalan yang baik menurut ajaran Islam yang sebenarnya. 


** Taghut: ialah Syaitan, berhala, dan apa sahaja yang menyesatkan.

In this two verse of Surah Al-Baqarah already explained that Islam is never forceful. But it’s more to community tradition being crashed with Hukum Allah S.W.T. It’s never easy to persuade family members to accept their beloved son being embrace Islam, however it’s son’s responsible to explain Islam in gentle or direct way to them. Getting run away from family never solve anything, but they should be taking initiative to prove that Islam is the righteous Religion.

Two weeks before Chinese New Year, my wife show me a newspaper published about Chinese Muslim Steamboat at Perak. That restaurant name is Jade Nusantara Steamboat, surprisingly the location are very near to my parent’s house (Less than 1KM). Thus I tried to call my parent and tell them that I can have steamboat reunion lunch with them, my mother’s first reaction was: “Are you sure that’s Chinese restaurant? It seems have a lot of malay waiters at there, and you know I prefer to Chinese taste steamboat only.”

“Of course mother, that’s really chinese’s restaurant. Why not you try to go there and take a look?”

At the same day I called my parent, they went to that restaurant at night and agreed to have Family Reunion CNY lunch at there, Alhamdulilah. I believe the restaurant boss have been talk with them in Chinese language, which makes them feels more confident that their steamboat would be more suitable to their taste. This would be the first time ever in my whole life celebrating CNY with family at Chinese Muslim Restaurant, which record a whole new historical day in my family tradition.

It was a wonderful family gathering in my whole life, I spent more than 2 years effort to enjoying this Reunion Lunch along my wife and daughter. Alhamdulilah.

Restoran Jade Nusantara Steamboat

Gong Xi Fa Chai... 

Waiting to be served... 

2 different soup for different taste..

Beautiful Quranic frames

Damia being holded by her grandfather 

This article also shared at Open SEAM. 

Happy new year !!!

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone !!! This year Chinese Calender have been turn into Rabbit year, a new page into new year.. Wish all the best to everyone.

恭祝大家新年快乐，年年有余，万事胜意。。。
恭喜恭喜。。期望大家与家人渡过一个好年。