Berita Harian - Agama Section

Ufuk Minda: Islam angkat daya intelek Melayu

Bersama Prof Dr Sidek Baba

Pedoman al-Quran berhasil mengetepikan kepercayaan tahyul, syirik

MELAYU satu bangsa dan Islam adalah agama. Kewujudan bangsa Melayu itu adalah suatu fitrah. Al-Quran memberikan asas bahawa manusia dijadikan berbangsa-bangsa ( surah al-hujurat, ayat 13).

Bangsa Melayu adalah salah satu bangsa yang wujud di dunia. Islam ialah ajaran dan agama yang datang daripada Allah. Diturunkan al-Quran kepada Rasulullah SAW untuk disampaikan kepada manusia supaya mendapat petunjuk dan membina takwa.

Al-Quran turun kepada bangsa Arab. Bermula dengan Rasulullah SAW, kemudian berkembang kepada bangsa lain termasuk Melayu, Cina, India dan lain-lain. Islam adalah agama rahmat, ajarannya mendukung sifat alamiah, ia tidak terbatas kepada bangsa Arab tetapi juga kepada seluruh bangsa yang ada di dunia ini.

Bangsa Melayu pada asalnya menganut faham anamisme. Kemudian ditindikkan keyakinan Melayu dengan agama Hindu dan Buddha. Melayu yang anamisme, Hindu dan Buddha dibentuk oleh kepercayaan dan cara hidup yang sesuai dengan ajaran agama itu. Apabila Islam datang, cara berfikir, tradisi dan budaya yang dibina dan cara beribadah adalah mengikut jalan Islam.

Islam membebaskan keyakinan orang Melayu daripada faktor tahyul dan syirik. Islam mengangkat minda dan intelek orang Melayu supaya berfikir selari dengan fitrah akal. Islam tidak saja suatu sistem kepercayaan tetapi ia mengatur kehidupan.

Islam dalam sejarahnya di Alam Melayu sudah membangunkan suatu tamadun sama ada dalam kepemimpinan dan kepengikutan mahupun dalam karya yang terhasil serta sistem pendidikan yang berlangsung.

Bangsa Melayu menjadi hebat kerana ajaran Islam. Ajaran Islam menjadikan orang Melayu beralih daripada menyembah berhala kepada menyembah Allah yang satu. Dari situ lahirnya kesedaran tauhid bahawa Allah adalah Pencipta bukannya direkabentuk seperti berhala dan benda hasil buatan manusia kemudian disembah sebagai tuhan.

Bangsa Melayu menjadi hebat kerana dilatih taat kepada imam dan pemimpin selagi imam dan pemimpin tidak melakukan perkara terlarang. Al-Quran, sumber utama ajaran Islam tidak saja menghasilkan kisah manusia terdahulu untuk dijadikan teladan bagi orang terkemudian tetapi mengajar bangsa Melayu mengenai prinsip hidup, kekeluargaan, masyarakat dan negara.

Al-Quran juga mengatur kehidupan orang Melayu dengan prinsip syariah atau hukum, mengetahui benda yang makruf dan mungkar, wajib dan haram supaya orang Melayu tidak melampaui batas. Daripada ajaran itu, bangsa Melayu membentuk budaya hidupnya selari apa yang terkandung dalam al-Quran.

Oleh itu, kekuatan bangsa Melayu tidak dapat dipisahkan dengan ajaran Islam. Islamlah yang membentuk jalan berfikir, jalur budaya dan pedoman hidup yang mendorong mereka untuk maju dan cemerlang tidak saja di dunia, juga di akhirat.

Hal yang sama juga berlaku kepada bangsa Arab dan juga bangsa lain. Mereka mampu membina tamadun dan menghasilkan penerokaan ilmu sains dan teknologi kerana menerima perisyaratan dan pedoman daripada al-Quran.

Al-Quran menjadi sumber petunjuk untuk membangunkan jiwa tadabbur (kaji selidik), mengajak mereka berfikir mengenai tanda kebesaran Allah. Terdapat kira-kira 2000 ayat al-Quran memberi pedoman perkara sains yang akhirnya mencetuskan Baghdad dan Andalusia dalam satu siri tamadun menakjubkan.

Bangsa Melayu yang ditindikkan dengan Islam mendukung maksud ummah dalam erti kata yang luas. Al-Quran memberi pedoman mengenai konsep khaira ummah atau umat terbaik sebagai asas kejayaan.

Umat terbaik terdiri di kalangan bangsa yang melakukan hal makruf, mencegah kepada yang mungkar dan beriman kepada Allah. Apabila bangsa Melayu cintakan kebaikan, bencikan kejahatan dan sentiasa menghubungkan perbuatan serta gelagatnya untuk mendapatkan keredaan Allah, maka bangsa Melayu menjadi sebahagian daripada umat Islam yang berjaya, maju dan cemerlang.

Umat Melayu bertukar menjadi sebahagian umat yang lebih besar. Makna alamiah dalam Islam menjadikan dukungan terhadap tamadun mengatasi dukungan terhadap bangsa itu sendiri. Apabila asas tamadun Islam dijadikan landasan membangunkan kekuatan berfikir, kehebatan bekerja, kebaikan peribadi umat Melayu, dengan sendirinya umat Melayu berada dalam barisan bangsa contoh.

Bayangkan bangsa Melayu yang tidak menghayati cara hidup Islam, ia boleh menyebabkan kemungkaran dan kefasadan hanya perkara biasa. Kezaliman dan pecah amanah menjadi amalan. Kebendaan dan nafsu-nafsi menjadi matlamat hidup. Akhirnya bangsa Melayu akan kecundang dalam pertarungan sengit untuk memajukan bangsanya.

Menjadi Islam tidak harus menjadikan kita mundur kerana Islam mendorong bangsa Melayu untuk maju. Berpegang kuat kepada ajaran Islam tidak harus dikaitkan dengan halangan untuk maju kerana tamadun silam diambil oleh Barat untuk memajukan diri mereka.

Berpegang kepada watak amanah dan adil tidak harus menyebabkan bangsa Melayu terkebelakang kerana rasuah, salah guna kuasa, lupa amanah untuk membangunkan Melayu, mementingkan diri sendiri, oportunis terhadap peluang dan kesempatan terbukti menyebabkan bangsa Melayu tiris dalam banyak bidang.

Pemahaman Islam secara dinamik dan diaplikasikan dalam budaya hidup serta bekerja umat Melayu adalah jawapan terbaik untuk membangun Malaysia di bawah acuan kita sendiri. Tidak menolak faedah berbanding yang terdapat daripada Barat dan Timur, mengunggulkan jati diri bangsa yang berfaedah dan menjadi sebahagian daripada tamadun umat.

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Just to add, kita bukan nak bangsa melayu yang naik ke puncak, tapi mereka yang seaqidah dengan kita, tidak kita bangsa melayu, india, cina, dll..

knowledge vs skill

Which would we choose?

Consider a situation where we need to send someone as a representative in an important activity, between a skilled person and a walking encyclopedia, who would be our choice?

Well, if we look at the seerah, one of the event in which will tell us the answer to the query above, is when Amr ibn Al-Asr(r.a) was chosen as a commander in one of the battle. Yet, at that time, he had chosen to embrace islam for about 4 months before which is 'young' compare to other companions, yet because of his skill, he was chosen to hold the important position.

Thus, if given a choice of these 2 things, choose among yourself who is a better skill person than one who is full of knowledge but zer0 in skill. As, keep in mind, knowledge is not leadership.

Jap, why are we mentioning bout leadership all of a sudden. We, as a muslim, is a leader. In fact, everybody is a leader in one condition or another..in surah al-anbiya'

"And We made them leaders, guiding(men) by our command, and We sent them inspiration"(73)

Part of a hadith from Bukhari and Muslim,
"All of you are shepards(guardians) and each is responsible for his flock(ward). A leader is a guardian for his people......."

Hm, nevertheless, recall that, do not give position to those who ask, because, prophet (s.a.w) said:
"Do not ask for a position of authority, for if you are granted for this, you will be left alone. But if you were granted without authority, you will be helped by Allah"
(teringat jaulah adelaide time summer, tanpa disedari telah mengvolunteer diri utk satu position...maaf~hoho)

This is one of the numbers of insight gain during the famsy conference. As the presenter was talking quite fast to accommodate to the time given, i was not able to copy down the exact hadith narration.

"Wisdom is a lost property of the believers. Wherever he finds it, he'll grasps it."

"He who think he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.."

pernah menjadi, akan menjadi, amirah sesuatu prog, reflect diri samada kita dalam ruangan success or failure

just a thought..

Out of the whole chapter in the quran, i decided to publish here and share with the readers a couple verse from the surah al-imran in which the understandable translation is as follow:

"Dan bersegeralah kamu mencari ampunan dari Tuhan-mu dan mendapatkan syurga yang seluasnya seluas langit dan bumi yang disediakan bagi orang-orang bertaqwa;
(yaitu) orang-orang yang berinfak, baik di waktu lapang mahupun sempit, dan orang-orang yang menahan amarahnya dan memaafkan (kesalahan) orang lain. Dan Allah mencintai orang yang berbuat kebaikan." (al-imran:133-134)

Reading this verse, kind of trigger my memory in which make me flash back to the 'Malam amal Palestine' event. Although i was not there to witness the charity and the donations straight out of the each individual Muslims' heart with my own eyes, nonetheless, i heard that many of us, akhwat from various interstate willingly donate their own money from their scholarship that was suppose to fund their living while studying abroad. Subhanallah, Allah will reward you back more than what you've given.

That was that. The focal reason for the printed verse earlier was to emphasize on the last part of it

'.. orang-orang yang menahan amarahnya dan memaafkan (kesalahan) orang lain'.

I know this has been mention several and numerous times not to mention in this particular blog, nevertheless, i found that it is quite 'crucial' to mention it again.

Remember, hearts are sort of like the 'weather in melbourne' if u like. At one time, it could be so soft and considerate, and then suddenly, without warning, it turns hard, could be even harder than a rock.

Though we mention that we built our relationship with one another due to base solely for the cause of Allah, yet we often voice it without keeping the ni'at or intentions straight in our hearts. I realize this when kodomo~lion mention this from her previous post tittled 'To Love Someone is Easy, but to Love because of Allah is not that Easy'.

When times are good, we stick with our friends like the opposite pole attracting magnets. Yet when a trial is drawn between us, we act towards one another as if we have never utter the word 'ukhwahfillah' to each other before. I would not deny that sometimes the act of our trusted friends cause stricken to our hearts, even so, we must keep in our mind, no one is perfect. Though as a whole, our friends seem to be a respectable, pleasant person, yet, she is still an 'insan' = human being, which is not free from doing mistakes. And remember the intact promises from Allah to those who are patience and willingly forgive those who intentionally or unintentionally scared their hearts.

Also, a hadith (35) from Imam Nawawi,

"Allah, the Mighty, the Glorified says:'When I afflict two beloved faculties (eyes) of a worshiper of Mine, and he remains patient with this affliction, in their place I will give him Paradise"

Just be patient with our friends, as it is still one of the various types of test He's giving to His servants (us). In our last encounter, we were reminded by our beloved pemusafir & umm_huraira, that the weight of the test upon a person is proportional to the level of taq'wa in one-self. And He does not burden His servants beyond their capability. This includes the test of friendship that we say for the sake of Allah. Thus, when we meet our friends (old or new), and we know its ukhwahfillah, just keep in mind and get ready for the unforeseen test in the relationship in the coming future.

REVENGE vs FORGIVE

Hari ini selepas talk kat uni, baru sedar akan satu hakikat..memang selama ni ada gak sedar, tapi selepas semalam..baru nampak dengan jelasnya..

Kadang-kadang, bila orang kenakan kita, i.e. buat benda-benda yang menyakitkan hati kita, kita ada juga rasa, 'haish..aku balas balik baru tau..'. Walaupun diri dalam continuous pentarbiyahan, ada kalanya, kita lupa dengan 'bersabar dengan kesabaran terbaik, yakni sabar pada permulaan'.
Tak cukup tu, kita balas balik pulak tu, dan balas balik dengan bertambah-tambah kali ganda. Contoh (contoh je ni not reality)main snowball fight tempoh hari, ada kawan kita baling snowball kat kita. Adey, sakitnya..
Pastu, geram kat dia, kita pun membuat longgokan snowball dan bersembunyi di sebalik batu sebagai benteng pertahanan umpama seperti hendak berperang. Huh, dah prepare segala snowball, kita pun baling non-stop peluru putih kat kawan kita tu. Tadi kita kena baling satu pun sakit (snowball x hancurkan). Cuba bayangkan kesakitan kawan kita yang kita baling puluhan perluru putih tu. Huuu~ (cth ni sekadar contoh jer, kejadian sebenar tu memang permainan yang dirancang)


Dalam surah an-Nahl, ayat 126 kalau x salah,

'Dan jika kamu membalas, maka balaslah dengan (balasan) yang sama dengan siksaan yang ditimpakan kepadamu. Tetapi, jika kamu bersabar, sesungguhnya itu adalah lebih baik'

Di sini, kalau kita go word by word, Allah membenarkan jika kita nak balas balik dendaman yang dikenakan ke atas kita, but has to be with the same proportion. TETAPI, kalau kita bersabar, maka ia lebih baik...
Penceramah semalam cakap, ayat ni diturunkan sewaktu perang uhud dimana Hamzah r.a. dibunuh, dan badannya dimulitated kan oleh pihak lawan. Jadi dikatakan rasulullah s.a.w at that instance tekad nk bunuh kalau x salah dalam 40 orang quraish dalam perang akan datang. Lepas tu Allah turunkan ayat ni. Jadi rasulullah s.a.w. pun tak jadi, dan memaafkan. Malah baginda membebaskan tawanan-tawanan perang. Allahu'alam(klu salah info, inform yea, dengar x dengar sgt apa penceramah tu ckp)

So, now we get to the action..
TO REVENGE or TO FORGIVE.. choose, as u're being given a choice..

mewakili al-muhsinaats

Dulu, bila sang matahari mula melihatkan sinarnya di keheningan pagi,
Diri ini memikir, adakah aku terlambat ke sekolah lagi?
Tidak kurang pula bila tiba musim cuti,
Apakah rancangan menarik yang akan dipaparkan di tv hari ini?
Arghh! Diriku terlalu dihanyut arus 'kemodenan' ini,
Siang hari keluar sehingga cahaya ditelan menggelapkan segenap bumi,
Tidak pernah kesah dengan keadaan hidup di luar penjuru pintu negeri,
Cukuplah sekadar diri ini bahagia, gembira dan kononya dirahmati,
Kini, ku sedar, semuanya berpunca dari ghazwatul fikri,
Keindahan berada di sebelah sana, mengaburi mata hati,
Biarpun jauh di suduh hati,
ku tahu islamku hanya ku pakai pada tanda nama gelaran insani,
Namun, tidak ku sangka diriku sudah tersasar jauh dari jalan menuju Ilahi,
Berpijakku di bumi Australasia yang kononnya 'gah' pada mereka yang menanti,
Disangka kan membawa pulang segulung ijazah bila tiba masanya nanti,
Menjadi belia tunggak harapan negara dengan profession yang sedang hangat seperti ahli genetic, jurutera dan akauntan di mata dunia,
Namun, yang ku dapati jauh lebih baik lagi;
Jika kaum Ansar membawa pulang rasulullah ketika yang lain membawa pulang harta rampasan perang kembali,
Diriku dibawa kepada pengenalan ma'rifatullah dan kesyumulan islam yang selama ini tidak dipeduli
Sesungguhnya ini adalah salah satu rahmat yang
tidak terhingga pada diri yang kerdil hina ini,
Biarpun ada pelbagai jalan yang terbentang di hadapan dua mataku,
Ditakdirkan telah ku pilih jalan ini,sehingga saat ini,
meskipun ku sedar ia tidak akan pernah lekang
dari tusukan duri, dari setiap penjuru inci,
Biarpun diriku berjanji berkali-kali pada Ilahi,
Namun, masih terlekat sisa-sisa jahilliyah pada diri,
Yang sedang ku cuba untuk perangi setiap hari,
Semoga diri ini tidak lari dari jalan ini,
Doakan supaya kitakan bertemu bersama di taman firdausi, di pengakhiran nanti,
Bertemu Ya Rabb bersama kekasihNya impian hati
KeredhaanNya senantiasa kan cuba diperolehi
Bersama bersatu memperbaiki diri dan segenap insani
Tidak leka pada ijazah, wasilah bagi
mendukung Risalah di zaman ini.

_______________________________________________
Semoga kita semua thabat di jalan yg satu ini.

Musab Ibn Umayr

From Alim® Online

Musab ibn Umayr was born and grew up in the lap of affluence and luxury. His rich parents lavished a great deal of care and attention on him. He wore the most expensive clothes and the most stylish shoes of his time. Yemeni shoes were then considered to be very elegant and it was his privilege to have the very best of these.

As a youth he was admired by the Quraysh not only for his good looks and style but for his intelligence. His elegant bearing and keen mind endeared him to the Makkan nobility among whom he moved with ease. Although still young, he had the privilege of attending Quraysh meetings and gatherings. He was thus in a position to know the issues which concerned the Makkans and what their attitudes and strategies were.

Among Makkans there was a sudden outburst of excitement and concern as Muhammad, known as al-Amin (the Trustworthy), emerged saying that God had sent him as a bearer of good tidings and as a warner. He warned the Quraysh of terrible chastisement if they did not turn to the worship and obedience of God and he spoke of Divine rewards for the righteous. The whole of Makkah buzzed with talk of these claims. The vulnerable Quraysh leaders thought of ways of silencing Muhammad. When ridicule and persuasion did not work, they embarked on a campaign of harassment and persecution.

Musab learnt that Muhammad and those who believed in his message were gathering in a house near the hill of as-Safa to evade Quraysh harassment. This was the house of al-Arqam. To satisfy his curiosity, Musab proceeded to the house undererred by the know ledge of Quraysh hostility. There he met the Prophet teaching his small band of companions, reciting the verses of the Quran to them and performing Salat with them in submission to God, the Great, the Most High.

The Prophet welcomed him, and with his noble hand tenderly touched Musab's heart as it throbbed with excitement. A deep feeling of tranquility came over him.
Musab was totally overwhelmed by what he had seen and heard. The words of the Quran had made a deep and immediate impression on him.

In this first meeting with the Prophet, the young and decisive Musab declared his acceptance of Islam. It was a historic moment. The keen mind of Musab, his tenacious will and determination, his eloquence and his beautiful character were now in the service of Islam and would help change the course of men's destinies and of history.

On accepting Islam Musab had one major concern his mother. Her name was Khunnas bint Malik. She was a woman of extraordinary power. She had a dominant personality and could easily arouse fear and terror. When Musab became a Muslim, the only power on earth he might have feared was his mother. All the powerful nobles of Makkah and their attachment to pagan customs and traditions were of little consequence to him. Having his mother as an opponent, however, could not be taken lightly.

Musab thought quickly. He decided that he should conceal his acceptance of Islam until such time as a solution should come from God. He continued to frequent the House of al-Arqam and sit in the company of the Prophet. He felt serene in his new faith and by keeping all indications of his acceptance of Islam away from her, he managed to stave off his mother's wrath, but not for long.

It was difficult during those days to k eep anything secret in Makkah for long. The eyes and ears of the Quraysh were on every road. Behind every footstep imprinted in the soft and burning sand was a Quraysh informer. Before long, Musab was seen as he quietly entered the House of al-Arqam, by someone called Uthman ibn Talhah.

At another time, Uthman saw Musab praying in the same manner as Muhammad prayed. The conclusion was obvious.

As winds in a storm, the devastating news of Musab's acceptance of Islam spread among the Quraysh and eventually reached his mother.

Musab stood before his mother, his clan and the Quraysh nobility who had all gathered to find out what he had done and what he had to say for himself.

With a certain humility and calm confidence, Musab acknowledged that he had become a Muslim and no doubt he explained his reasons for so doing. He then recited some verses of the Quran - verses which had cleansed the hearts of the believers and brought them back to the natural religion of God. Though only few in number, their hearts were now filled with wisdom, honor, justice and courage.

As Musab's mother listened to her son on whom she had lavished so much care and affection, she became increasingly incensed. She felt like silencing him with one terrible blow. But the hand which shot out like an arrow staggered and faltered before the light which radiated from Musab's serene face. Perhaps, it was her mother's love which restrained her from actually beating him, but still she felt she had to do something to avenge the gods which her son had forsaken. The solution she decided upon was far worse for Musab than a few blows could ever have been. She had Musab taken to a far corner of the house. There he was firmly bound and tethered. He had become a prisoner in his own home.

For a long time, Musab remained tied and confined under the watchful eyes of guards whom his mother had placed over him to prevent him from any further contact with Muhammad and his faith. Despite his ordeal, Musab did not waver. He must have had news of how other Muslims were being harassed and tortured by the idolators. For him, as for many other Muslims, life in Makkah was becoming more and more intolerable. Eventually he heard that a group of Muslims were preparing secretly to migrate to Abyssinia to seek refuge and relief. His immediate thoughts were how to escape from his prison and join them. At the first opportunity, when his mother and his warders were off-guard, he managed to slip away quietly. Then with utmost haste he joined the other refugee s and before long they sailed together across the Red Sea to Africa.

Although the Muslims enjoyed peace and security in the land of the Negus, they longed to be in Makkah in the company of the noble Prophet. So when a report reached Abyssinia that the conditions of the Muslims in Makkah had improved, Musab was among the fi rst to return to Makkah. The report was in fact false and Musab once again left for Abyssinia.

Whether he was in Makkah or Abyssinia, Musab remained strong in his new faith and his main concern was to make his life worthy of his Creator.

When Musab returned to Makkah again, his mother made a last attempt to gain control of him and threatened to have him tied up again and confined. Musab swore that if she were to do that, he would kill everyone who helped her. She knew very well that he would carry out this threat for she saw the iron determination he now had.

Separation was inevitable. When the moment came, it was sad for both mother and son but it revealed a strong Persistence in kufr on the part of the mother and an even greater persistence in iman on the part of the son. As she threw him out of her house and cut him off from all the material comforts she used to lavish on him, she said:

"Go to your own business. I am not prepared to be a mother to you." Musab went up close to her and said:

"Mother, I advise you sincerely. I am concerned about you. Do testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger."

"I swear by the shooting stars, I shall not enter your religion even if my opinion is ridiculed and my mind becomes impotent," she insisted.

Musab thus left her home and the luxury and comforts he used to enjoy. The elegant, well-dressed youth would henceforth be seen only in the coursest of attire. He now had more important concerns. He was determined to use his talents and energies in acquiring knowledge and in serving God and His Prophet.

One day, several years later, Musab came upon a gathering of Muslims sitting around the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace. They bowed their heads and lowered their gaze when they saw Musab, and some were even moved to tears. This was because his jalbab was old and in tatters and they were immediately taken back to the days before his acceptance of Islam when he was a model of sartorial elegance. The Prophet looked at Musab, smiled gracefully and said:

"I have seen this Musab with his parents in Makkah. They lavished care and attention on him and gave him all comforts. There was no Quraysh youth like him. Then he left all that seeking the pleasure of God and devoting himself to the service of His Prophet." The Prophet then went on to say:

"There will come a time when God will grant you victory over Persia and Byzantium. You would have one dress in the morning and another in the evening and you would eat out of one dish in the morning and another in the evening."

In other words, the Prophet predicted that the Muslims would become rich and powerful and that they would have material goods in plenty. The companions sitting around asked the Prophet:

"O Messenger of Allah, are we in a better situation in these times or would we be better off then?" He replied:

"You are rather better off now than you would be then. If you knew of the world what I know you would certainly not be so much concerned with it."

On another occasion, the Prophet talked in a similar vein to his companions and asked them how they would be if they could have one suit of clothes in the morning and another in the evening and even have enough material to put curtains in their houses just as the Kabah was fully covered. The companions replied that they would then be in a better situation because they would then have sufficient sustenance and would be free for ibadah (worship). The Prophet however told them that they were indeed better o ff as they were.

After about ten years of inviting people to Islam, most of Makkah still remained hostile. The noble Prophet then went to Taif seeking new adherents to the faith. He was repulsed and chased out of the city. The future of Islam looked bleak.

It was just after this that the Prophet chose Musab to be his "ambassador" to Yathrib to teach a small group of believers who had come to pledge allegiance to Islam and prepare Madinah for the day of the great Hijrah.

Musab was chosen above companions who were older than he or were more closely related to the Prophet or who appeared to possess greater prestige. No doubt Musab was chosen for this task because of his noble character, his fine manners and his sharp intellect. His knowledge of the Quran and his ability to recite it beautifully and movingly was also an important consideration.

Musab understood his mission well. He knew that he was on a sacred mission. to invite people to God and the straight path of Islam and to prepare what was to be the territorial base for the young and struggling Muslim community.

He entered Madinah as a guest of Sad ibn Zurarah of the Khazraj tribe. Together they went to people, to their homes and their gatherings, telling them about the Prophet, explaining Islam to them and reciting the Quran. Through the grace of God, many accepted Islam. This was especially pleasing to Musab but profoundly alarming to many leaders of Yathribite society.
Once Musab and Sad were sitting near a well in an orchard of the Zafar clan. With them were a number of new Muslims and others who were interested in Islam. A powerful notable of the city, Usayd ibn Khudayr, came up brandishing a spear. He was livid with rage. Sad ibn Zararah saw him and told Musab:

"This is a chieftain of his people. May God place truth in his heart." "If he sits down, I will speak to him," replied Musab, displaying all the calm and tact of a great daiy.

The angry Usayd shouted abuse and threatened Musab and his host. "Why have you both come to us to corrupt the weak among us? Keep away from us if you want to stay alive." Musab smiled a warm and friendly smile and said to Usayd: "Won't you sit down and listen? If you are pleased and satisfied with our mission. accept it and if you dislike it we would stop telling you what you dislike and leave."

"That's reasonable," said Usayd and, sticking his spear in the ground, sat down. Musab was not compelling him to do anything. He was not denouncing him. He was merely inviting him to listen. If he was satisfied, well and good. If not, then Musab would leave his district and his clan without any fuss and go to another district.

Musab began telling him about Islam and recited the Quran to him. Even before Usayd spoke, it was clear from his face, now radiant and expectant, that faith had entered his heart. He said:
"How beautiful are these words and how true! What does a person do if he wants to enter this religion?"

"Have a bath, purify yourself and your clothes. Then utter the testimony of Truth (Shahadah), and perform Salat. Usayd left the gathering and was absent for only a short while. He returned and testified that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. He then prayed two rakats and said:

"After me, there is a man who if he follows you, everyone of his people will follow him. I shall send him to you now. He is 'Sad ibn Muadh."

Sad ibn Muadh came and listened to Musab. He was convinced and satisfied and declared his submission to God. He was followed by another important Yathribite, Sad ibn Ubadah. Before long, the people of Yathrib were all in a flurry, asking one another.

"If Usayd ibn Khudayr, Sad ibn Muadh and Sad ibn Ubadah have accepted the new religion, how can we not follow? Let's go to Musab and believe with him. They say that truth emanates from his lips."

The first ambassador of the Prophet, peace be on him, was thus supremely successful. The Prophet had chosen well. Men and women, the young and the old, the powerful and the weak accepted Islam at his hands. The course of Yathribite history had been changed forever. The way was being prepared for the great Hijrah. Yathrib was soon to become the center and the base for the Islamic state.

Less than a year after his arrival in Yathrib, Musab returned to Makkah. It was again in the season of pilgrimage. With him was a group of seventy-five Muslims from Madinah. Again at Aqabah, near Mina, they met the Prophet. There they solemnly undertook to defend the Prophet at all cost. Should they remain firm in their faith, their reward, said the Prophet, would be nothing less than Paradise. This second bayah or pledge which the Muslims of Yathrib made came to be called the Pledge of War.

From then on events moved swiftly. Shortly after the Pledge, the Prophet directed his persecuted followers to migrate to Yathrib where the new Muslims or Ansar (Helpers) had shown their willingness to give asylum and extend their protection to the afflic ted Muslims. The first of the Prophet's companions to arrive in Madinah were Musab ibn Umayr and the blind Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. Abdullah also recited the Quran beautifully and according to one of the Ansar, both Musab and Abdullah recited the Quran for the people of Yathrib.

Musab continued to play a major role in the building of the new community. The next momentous situation in which we meet him was during the great Battle of Badr. After the battle was over, the Quraysh prisoners of war were brought to the Prophet who assig ned them to the custody of individual Muslims. "Treat them well," he instructed.

Among the prisoners was Abu Aziz ibn Umayr, the brother of Musab. Abu Aziz related what happened: "I was among a group of Ansar...Whenever they had lunch or dinner they would give me bread and dates to eat in obedience to the Prophet's instructions to th em to treat us well.
"My brother, Musab ibn Umayr, passed by me and said to the man from the Ansar who was holding me prisoner:

'Tie him firmly... His mother is a woman of great wealth and maybe she would ransom him for you.'" Abu Aziz could not believe his ears. Astonished, he turned to Musab and asked: "My brother, is this your instruction concerning me?"

"He is my brother, not you," replied Musab thus affirming that in the battle between iman and kufr, the bonds of faith were stronger than the ties of kinship.

At the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet called upon Musab, now well-known as Musab al-Khayr (the Good), to carry the Muslim standard. At the beginning of th e battle, the Muslims seemed to be gaining the upper hand. A group of Muslims then went against the orders of the Prophet and deserted their positions. The mushrikin forces rallied again and launched a counterattack. Their main objective, as they cut through the Muslim forces, was to get to the noble Prophet.
Musab realized the great danger facing the Prophet. He raised the standard high and shouted the takbir. With the standa rd in one hand and his sword in the other, he plunged into the Quraysh forces. The odds were against him. A Quraysh horseman moved in close and severed his right hand. Musab was heard to repeat the words:

"Muhammad is only a Messenger. Messengers have passed away before him," showing that however great his attachment was to the Prophet himself, his struggle above all was for the sake of God and for making His word supreme. His left hand was then severed also and as he held the standard between the stumps of his arms, to console himself he repeated: "Muhammad is only a Messenger of God. Messengers have passed away before him." Musab was then hit by a spear. He fell and the standard fell. The words he repeated, every time he was struck were later revealed to the Prophet and completed, and became part of the Quran.

After the battle, the Prophet and his companions went through the battlefield, bidding farewell to the martyrs. When they came to Musab's body, tears flowed. Khabbah related that they could not find any cloth with which to shroud Musab's body, except his own garment. When they covered his head with it, his legs showed and when his legs were covered, his head was exposed and the Prophet instructed:

"Place the garment over his head and cover his feet and legs with the leaves of the idhkhir (rue) plant."

The Prophet felt deep pain and sorrow at the number of his companions who were killed at the Battle of Uhud. These included his uncle Hamzah whose body was horribly mutilated. But it was over the body of Musab that the Prophet stood, with great emotion. He remembered Musab as he first saw him in Makkah, stylish and elegant, and then looked at the short burdah which was now the only garment he possessed and he recited the verse of the Quran:

"Among the believers are men who have been true to what they have pledged to God."
The Prophet then cast his tender eyes over the battle field on which lay the dead companions of Musab and said: "The Messenger of God testifies that you are martyrs in the sight of God on the day of Qiyamah."

Then turning to the living companions around him he said: "O People! Visit them, send peace on them for, by Him in whose hand is my soul, any Muslim who sends peace on them until the day of Qiyamah, they would return the salutation of peace."

As-salaamu alayka yaa Musab...
As-salaamu alaykum, ma'shar ash-shudhadaa.
As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu.

Peace be on you, O Musab...
Peace be on you all, O martyrs. .
Peace be on you and the mercy and blessings of God.

Links:

1. http://www.youngmuslims.ca/online_library/companions_of_the_prophet/musab.html

2. http://www.islamworld.net/musab.html

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mus%60ab_ibn_%60Umair

8

it seems that this week is the last, final week for our "Program Malu Muhsinaat"
soalan cepu emas - adakah kita sudah mencapai objektif program ini?
huhu~
we ourself know the answer kan..
same2 kita berusaha utk mencapai objektif program ini.. which ultimately lead to our main objektif, untuk mencapai keredhaan Allah..
thus, for this las week, the layout of it is as follows
^_^

Minggu 8
1. Menjaga lidah daripada mencerca dan menghina.
2. Tidak turut serta bersembang perkara memalu.
3. Letakkan halangan antara lelaki dan wanita jika terpaksa berada bersebelahan.
4. Menegur mereka yang tiada sifat malu dan segan silu.

p/s: selamat bekerja di musim winter

Week 7 {17th - 24th June 2007}

Minggu 7

1. Membayangkan keperitan pada hari kiamat ketika menjawab soalan tentang dosa yang dilakukan.
2. Menyembunyikan maksiat dan jangan menzahirkannya.
3. Tidak menunjukkan kesusahan di hadapan tetamu walau seberat mana masalah tersebut.
4. Bagi akhwat, tidak duduk di sebelah lelaki dalam pengangkutan awam dan di lokasi-lokasi lain. Begitu juga sebaliknya.