Manusia tak akan pernah bisa lepas dari ‘tahta, harta, dan wanita’. Tiga ‘t’ ini terus menggelayuti kehidupan manusia. Inti nafsu manusia kepada dunia, adalah nafsu yang hidupnya hanya diorientasikan semata kepada tiga ‘t’ itu. Ujian iman bagi orang-orang mukmin, berupa tiga ‘t’, yang banyak menyebabkan luruhnya iman dan aqidahnya. Tak banyak orang-orang mukmin, ketika diberi nikmat berupa tiga ‘t’ itu dapat selamat.
Kebanyakan mereka tersungkur, dan akhirnya menjadikan tiga ‘t’ itu sesembahan mereka. Tiga ‘t’ mengalahkan ketundukan, kethaatan, dan ubudiyahnya kepada Allah Azza Wa Jalla.
Setan akan terus menggerogoti iman dan aqidah orang-orang mukmin dengan tiga ‘t’ itu. Janji atau sumpah iblis (setan) kepada Allah Azza Wa Jalla, tak lain, mereka akan menggoda anak Adam, sampai hari kiamat melalui pintu tiga ‘t’ itu. Karena, memang manusia termasuk orang-orang mukmin secara instinktif (naluri) menyukai adanya tiga ‘t’.
Orang-orang kafir Yahudi, mereka mula-mula beriman, dan menjadi ingkar dan mendurhakai Allah Rabbul Alamin, karena mereka lebih mengutamakan tiga ‘t’ itu. Tiga itu menjadi senjata yang paling utama, bagi orang-orang kafir semacam bangsa Yahudi untuk menghancurkan kaum mukminin.
Gambaran yang sangat absurd di dalam sejarah, adalah ketika bangsa Yahudi,yang diselamatkan oleh Nabi Musa Alaihi Sallam, dan berhasil menyeberangi laut Merah, dan sampai di Palestina, ketika mereka sudah selamat di negeri yang diberkahi itu, kembali mereka menjadi kafir dengan menyembah anak sapi emas, yang dibuat oleh Samiri.
Orang-orang kafir, diantaranya hidupnya hanyalah untuk ‘bersenang-senang’ dan ‘makan’.(QS: 2 ayat 30). Seperti binatang ternak. Makan dan sek. Dari sini pula lahirnya, apa yang disebut paham materialisme, yang sangat memuja benda dan kenikmatan duniawi.
Seperti digambarkan oleh Allah Ta’ala, manusia itu memang menyukai wanita, harta benda, anak-anak, kebun, dan jenisnya lainnya. (QS: 3 ayat 14). Sehingga, karena orientasi manusia pada tiga ‘t’ itu, manusia menjadi lupa akan asal-usulnya. Manusia menjadi lupa akan hakekat dirinya. Manusia menjadi sombong, dan jauh dari rasa syukur. Melupakan asal kejadian dirinya, dan kemudian menjadi ingkar dan kafir. Karena sudah terjerumus ke dalam kehidupan yang lebih mencintai kenikmatan dunia semata. Padahal, mereka akan dikembalikan kepada Penciptapanya, kelak sesuda hari Kiamat.
Tetapi, diantara tiga ‘t’ itu, yang sangat menjadi keinginan manusia, ialah untuk mendapatkan kekuasaan. Kekuasaan bagi manusia yang sudah tersusupi pemikirannya oleh pengaruh iblis dan setan, berusaha dengan segala cara mendapatkannya. Nafsu mendapatkan kekuasaan itu, mendorong jiwa manusia menjadi sangat keras, dan tidak lagi memperhatikan norma agama.
Dengan kekuasasan manusia memiliki kewenangan. Kewenangan yang dimilikinya dapat digunakan untuk mendapatkan kenikmatan yang lainnya, berupa harta dan wanita. Para penguasa dan pemimpin yang memiliki kekuasaan, menjadi lupa, dan hanya nafsunya yang dominan. Karena, orang yang berkuasa seperti meminum air laut, tak akan pernah puas. Semakin banyak mereguk air laut, terasa semakin dahaga.
Maka, orang yang sudah berkuasa tidak pernah merasa puas. Selalu terus berusaha untuk mendapatkan kekuasaan. Selama-lamanya. Tak ada penguasa yang sudah memegang kekuasaan akan dengna suka rela melepaskan jabatan kekuasaannya. Orang-orang yang sudah berkuasa dan memegang kekuasaan sangat takut kehilangan kekuasaan. Maka orang yang berkuasa itu, akan berusaha mempertahankan kekuasaan dengan berbagai cara.
Kekuasan menjadi sumber segala sumber. Kekuasaan menjadikan manusia terkenal, dihormati, disegani, ditakuti, diikuti, dan semua apa yang menjadi ucapannya menjadi sebuah dekrit yang tidak tertulis seakan menjadi undang-undang. Rakyat atau para pengikutnya dengan tanpa reserve akan patuh, tunduk, dan taat melaksanakan apa saja yang sudah menjadi doktrin dan kebijakannya.
Kekuasaan bagi orang-orang yang memiliki ambisi atau ambisius, digunakan dengan sangat efektif untuk mewujudkan keinginan nafsunya. Harta dan wanita adalah tujuan utama. Tak heran para penguasa atau orang yang memiliki kekuasaan itu menjadi tamak dan rakus, dan tanpa sedikitkpun ada rasa malu, dan tanpa sedikitpun adanya rasa takut, dan terus akan menumpuk harta, dan memuaskan nafsunya dengan perempuan, yang sudah menjadi bagian hidupnya.
Orang-orang Yahudi yang sudah sangat paham dengan kelemahan orang-orang mukmin, tak perlu dengan berbagai macam theori, tetapi cukup dengan memberikan harta sebanyak-banyaknya kepada para pengausa atau orang yang berkuasa dikalangan orang mukmin, dan sudah akan tunduk, dan mengikutinya apa yang menjadi kehendak orang-orang Yahudi kafir. (QS: 2:120). Orang mukmin yang sudah mengikuti hawa nafsu Yahudi, maka mereka akan menjadi budak kaum Yahudi, dan hidupnya penuh dengan kehinaan, tanpa memiliki izzah dan marwah.
Rasulullah Shallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, memiliki izzah dan marwah, karena Beliau tidak sedikitpun terpengaruh oleh bujukan yang busuk dari Abu Sofyan, yang akan memberikan tiga ‘t’ kepada Baginda Rasulullah Shallahu Alaihi Wa Salam, dan diminta menghentikan dakwahnya.
Tetapi, generasi baru Islam, yang sekarang ini banyak terlibat pergerakan, banyak diantara mereka yang luruh, dan masuk ke jurang kehinaan, serta jatuh ke dalam pelukan Yahudi dan musuh-musuh Allah, karena mereka sudah kehilangan orientasi dan tanpa ada tujuan yang jelas. Akhirnya mereka hanya menjadi orang-orang yang mengabdi kepada tiga ‘t’, bukan lagi mencari ridha Allah Azza Wa Jalla.
Harapan untuk mendapatkan kemenangan semakin jauh, karena mereka secara sadar menukar ayat-ayat Allah yang mulia dengan tiga ‘t’, demi memenuhi hawa nafsu, dan keserakahan terhadap kehidupan dunia. Mereka berbicara dengan nilai-nilai yang bersumber dari al-Qur’an, tetapi dalam praktek hidup yang mereka jalankan adalah kehidupan ‘la diniyah’ seperti orang-orang Yahudi. Wallahu’alam.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Antara Nafsu Dunia dan Kemuliaan Akhirat
Dua alam ciptaan Allah, alam dunia dan alam akhirat, mutlak berbeda dalam karakteristik dan esensi wujudnya. Walaupun begitu setiap manusia pasti memasuki dan bergumul di dalamnya. Tak seorang pun dapat menghindar dari keberadaan di dalam alam dunia dan alam akhirat.
Oleh karena kedua alam, baik secara realitas sejatinya ataupun karakteristiknya berbeda, setiap manusia diberikan potensi untuk dapat menyempurnakan eksistensi dirinya di dalam kedua alam tersebut sehingga dapat meraih puncak kesempurnaannya. Meskipun pada kenyataannya sebagian besar manusia justru mengalami kegagalan sebelum merealisasikan kesempurnaannya secara utuh..
Alam dunia, dengan segala watak dan karakteristiknya, adalah sebuah perjalanan sedangkan alam akhirat adalah persinggahan terakhir kita, kampung halaman, dan rumah kita yang abadi.
Oleh karena itu meskipun kita dilahirkan di dunia, dan dunia menjadi tempat tinggal kita sekarang ini, namun realitas sejatinya, setidak-tidaknya secara spiritual, sedang berjalan jauh menuju tempat kembali hakiki kita, alam keabadian, alam akhirat. Di sanalah kita akan dihadapkan kepada berbagai peristiwa eskatologis yang belum pernah kita jumpai selama hayat kita.
Di tempat kembali itu masing-masing individu benar-benar akan merasakan sebagai makhluk moral yang harus mempertanggungjawabkan seluruh sepak terjang kita selama di dunia.
Di sana pula akan terbukti jati diri kita yang sebenarnya, menjadi individu yang sejatinya terhormat mencapai kebaikan tertinggi atau bahkan menjadi hina dina terjerembab ke dalam lumpur keburukan.
Allah Swt telah menunjuki manusia jalan agar dapat mencapai tempatnya yang layak dalam penciptaan, di surga-Nya. Sebagai manusia bahkan kita diperintahkan agar menempuh jalan-Nya meskipun harus berjalan mendaki lagi sukar.
Tidak sepatutnya di dunia yang fana ini menjadi tumpuan hidup. Tidak sepatutnya pula kita bermegah-megah karena tunduk kepada pesonanya dan tidak menjadikannya sebagai medan perjuangan untuk menghimpun aset untuk kembali ke rumah asalnya. ”Maka tidakkah sebaiknya (dengan hartanya itu) ia menempuh jalan yang mendaki lagi sukar?” (QS, al-Balad [90]: 11).
Bukan harta yang akan menjadi aset kehidupan akhirat kita. Bisa jadi harta menjadi simbol kemuliaan dunia. Akan tetapi di balik simbol itu ada nilai tanggungjawab moral yang harus ditunaikan.
Dalam satu riwayat dikatakan, Nabi Muhammad Saw bersabda, “Kemuliaan umur dan waktu lebih bernilai dibandingkan dengan kemuliaan harta.” Bahkan harta bisa memperbudak orang yang mencintainya. Orang yang menjadikan kekayaan harta benda sebagai standar keagungan seseorang akan membenci kematian.
Padahal kematian itu adalah pintu pertemuan dengan Allah Swt yang pasti akan diketuk oleh setiap manusia. Bahkan karena cintanya kepada harta ia tidak rela berpisah darinya.
Oleh sebab itu orang-orang berakal mencela dan merendahkan orang yang serakah dalam mengumpulkan harta. Sebaliknya mereka sepakat untuk mengagungkan orang yang bersikap zuhud terhadap harta, tidak mau menumpuk-numpuknya, dan tidak menjadikan dirinya sebagai budak harta.
Meski demikian, harta selalu menjadi perburuan demi mendapatkan kemudahan, keberhasilan, kesuksesan, serta mencapai kemuliaan dalam hidup ini. Di zaman sekarang ini mengejar kekayaan dan meraih kekuasaan materi, seolah telah menjadi mindset dan orientasi hidup, sehingga seringkali untuk mendapatkannya orang tidak peduli lagi memikirkan cara yang benar atau tidak, layak atau tidak layak dengan status sosial dan kemanusiaannya.
Padahal Allah menjelaskan bahwa amal salih kitalah aset sejati bagi kehidupan di akhirat nanti. Amal shalih pula yang menjadi kendaraan perjalanan jauh kita menuju haribaan-Nya. Setiap perjalanan, lebih-lebih perjalanan jauh dan menentukan, memerlukan kendaraan dan bekal.
Oleh sebab hakikat hidup di dunia adalah sebuah perjalanan jauh menuju alam akhirat dan medan perjuangan meraih kebahagiaan sejati, maka kita harus mampu melintasi segala rintangan yang mungkin terhampar di tengah jalan.
Rasulullah Saw mengingatkan, ”Jalan menuju surga itu dipenuhi dengan hal-hal yang tidak diisukai, sedangkan jalan menuju neraka dipenuhi dengan berbagai kenikmatan syahwati.” (HR, Muslim)
Oleh karena kedua alam, baik secara realitas sejatinya ataupun karakteristiknya berbeda, setiap manusia diberikan potensi untuk dapat menyempurnakan eksistensi dirinya di dalam kedua alam tersebut sehingga dapat meraih puncak kesempurnaannya. Meskipun pada kenyataannya sebagian besar manusia justru mengalami kegagalan sebelum merealisasikan kesempurnaannya secara utuh..
Alam dunia, dengan segala watak dan karakteristiknya, adalah sebuah perjalanan sedangkan alam akhirat adalah persinggahan terakhir kita, kampung halaman, dan rumah kita yang abadi.
Oleh karena itu meskipun kita dilahirkan di dunia, dan dunia menjadi tempat tinggal kita sekarang ini, namun realitas sejatinya, setidak-tidaknya secara spiritual, sedang berjalan jauh menuju tempat kembali hakiki kita, alam keabadian, alam akhirat. Di sanalah kita akan dihadapkan kepada berbagai peristiwa eskatologis yang belum pernah kita jumpai selama hayat kita.
Di tempat kembali itu masing-masing individu benar-benar akan merasakan sebagai makhluk moral yang harus mempertanggungjawabkan seluruh sepak terjang kita selama di dunia.
Di sana pula akan terbukti jati diri kita yang sebenarnya, menjadi individu yang sejatinya terhormat mencapai kebaikan tertinggi atau bahkan menjadi hina dina terjerembab ke dalam lumpur keburukan.
Allah Swt telah menunjuki manusia jalan agar dapat mencapai tempatnya yang layak dalam penciptaan, di surga-Nya. Sebagai manusia bahkan kita diperintahkan agar menempuh jalan-Nya meskipun harus berjalan mendaki lagi sukar.
Tidak sepatutnya di dunia yang fana ini menjadi tumpuan hidup. Tidak sepatutnya pula kita bermegah-megah karena tunduk kepada pesonanya dan tidak menjadikannya sebagai medan perjuangan untuk menghimpun aset untuk kembali ke rumah asalnya. ”Maka tidakkah sebaiknya (dengan hartanya itu) ia menempuh jalan yang mendaki lagi sukar?” (QS, al-Balad [90]: 11).
Bukan harta yang akan menjadi aset kehidupan akhirat kita. Bisa jadi harta menjadi simbol kemuliaan dunia. Akan tetapi di balik simbol itu ada nilai tanggungjawab moral yang harus ditunaikan.
Dalam satu riwayat dikatakan, Nabi Muhammad Saw bersabda, “Kemuliaan umur dan waktu lebih bernilai dibandingkan dengan kemuliaan harta.” Bahkan harta bisa memperbudak orang yang mencintainya. Orang yang menjadikan kekayaan harta benda sebagai standar keagungan seseorang akan membenci kematian.
Padahal kematian itu adalah pintu pertemuan dengan Allah Swt yang pasti akan diketuk oleh setiap manusia. Bahkan karena cintanya kepada harta ia tidak rela berpisah darinya.
Oleh sebab itu orang-orang berakal mencela dan merendahkan orang yang serakah dalam mengumpulkan harta. Sebaliknya mereka sepakat untuk mengagungkan orang yang bersikap zuhud terhadap harta, tidak mau menumpuk-numpuknya, dan tidak menjadikan dirinya sebagai budak harta.
Meski demikian, harta selalu menjadi perburuan demi mendapatkan kemudahan, keberhasilan, kesuksesan, serta mencapai kemuliaan dalam hidup ini. Di zaman sekarang ini mengejar kekayaan dan meraih kekuasaan materi, seolah telah menjadi mindset dan orientasi hidup, sehingga seringkali untuk mendapatkannya orang tidak peduli lagi memikirkan cara yang benar atau tidak, layak atau tidak layak dengan status sosial dan kemanusiaannya.
Padahal Allah menjelaskan bahwa amal salih kitalah aset sejati bagi kehidupan di akhirat nanti. Amal shalih pula yang menjadi kendaraan perjalanan jauh kita menuju haribaan-Nya. Setiap perjalanan, lebih-lebih perjalanan jauh dan menentukan, memerlukan kendaraan dan bekal.
Oleh sebab hakikat hidup di dunia adalah sebuah perjalanan jauh menuju alam akhirat dan medan perjuangan meraih kebahagiaan sejati, maka kita harus mampu melintasi segala rintangan yang mungkin terhampar di tengah jalan.
Rasulullah Saw mengingatkan, ”Jalan menuju surga itu dipenuhi dengan hal-hal yang tidak diisukai, sedangkan jalan menuju neraka dipenuhi dengan berbagai kenikmatan syahwati.” (HR, Muslim)
Inilah Amal Pembuka Pintu Rezeki
Manusia hanya dapat mengharapkan pertolongan dari Allah Azza Wa Jalla. Tidak dapat menggantungkan diri kepada makhluk. Hanya Allah Rabbul Alamin yang berhak untuk dimintai pertolongan ‘Iyyaka nasyta’in’, datangnya pertolongan itu hanyalah dari Rabb semata.
Manusia dan kelompok yang menggantungkan hidupnya kepada makhluk lainnya, pasti akan mendapatkan dirinya terjatuh ke dalam lembah kehinaan dan kesesatan belaka.
Diantara pintu yang akan mengantarkan pintu rezeki, dan menjauhkan dari kesempitan hidup adalah :
1.Membaca “La ilaha illahah”.
Barang siapa yang lambat rezekinya hendaklah banyak mengucapkan la hawla wala quwwata illa billah (HR.At-Tabrani.
2.Membaca “La ilaha illallahul malikul haqqul mubin”.
Barangsiapa yang membaca “La ilaha illallahul malikul haqqul mubin”, maka bacaan itu akan menjadi keamanan dari kefakiran dan menjadi penenteram dari rasa takut dalam kubur”. (HR. Abu Nu’aim dan Ad-Dailami).
3.Melanggengkan Istighfar.
“Barangsiapa melanggengkan istighfar, niscaya Allah mengeluarkan dia dari segala kesusahan dan memberikan dan memberikan dia rezeki dari arah yang tidak diduganya”. (HR.Ahmad, Abu Dawud, dan Ibnu Majah).
4.Membaca Surah Al-Ikhlas.
“Barangsiapa yang membaca surah al-Ikhlas ketika masuk rumah, maka (berkah bacaan) menghilangkan kefakiran dari penghuni rumah dan tetangganya”. (HR.Tabrani).
5.Membaca surah al-Waqi’ah
“Barangsiapa membaca surah al-Waqi’ah setiap malam, maka tidak akan ditimpa kesempitan hidup”. (HR. Baihaqi dalam Syu’ab al-Iman).
6.Memperbanyak Shalawat atas Nabi Shallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam.
Ubay bin Ka’ab meriwayatkan , bila telah berlalu sepertiga malam, Rasulullah Shallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam berdiri seraya bersabda, “Wahau manusia, berzikirlah mengingat Allah. Akan datang tiupan (sangkakala kiamat), pertama kemudian diiringi tiupan keuda. Akan datang kematian dan segala kesulitan yang ada di dalamnya”.
7.Membaca “Subhanallah wabihamdihi subhanallahil ‘adzhim.
..dari setiap kalimat itu seorang malaikat yang bertasbih kepada Allah Ta’ala sampai diberikan untukmu sampia hari Kiamat yang pahala tasbihnya itu diberikan untukmu”. (HR.Al-Mustaqfiri dalam Ad-Da’wat, dinukilkan dari Ihya Ulumuddin al-Ghazali).
Sementara itu, diriwayatkan dari Ibnu Abbas, ada beberapa orang musyrik yang telah berbuat maksiat dan dosa, yaitu mereka membunuh dan berzina. Maka, m ereka menghadap Rasulullah untuk bertobat. Mereka pun bertanya kepada beliau, apakah akan diterima tobat mereka? Maka, turunlah ayat ini yang menerangkan hendaknya jangan berputus asa untuk terus mencari ampunan Allah Rabbul Alamin.
“Katakanlah, “Wahai hamba-hamba-Ku yang melampaui batas terhadap diri mereka sendiri! Janganlah kamu berputus asa dari rahmat Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah mengampuni dosa-dosa semuanya. Sungguh, Dialah Yang Maha Pengampun, Maha Penyayang”. (Al-Qur’an : Az-Zummar : 53)
Semoga Allah Azza Wa Jalla memberikan rezeki dan melapangkan jalan hidup kaum muslimin, dan jauhkan dari jalan-jalan setan, yang selalu akan menyesatkan. Wallahu’alam.
Manusia dan kelompok yang menggantungkan hidupnya kepada makhluk lainnya, pasti akan mendapatkan dirinya terjatuh ke dalam lembah kehinaan dan kesesatan belaka.
Diantara pintu yang akan mengantarkan pintu rezeki, dan menjauhkan dari kesempitan hidup adalah :
1.Membaca “La ilaha illahah”.
Barang siapa yang lambat rezekinya hendaklah banyak mengucapkan la hawla wala quwwata illa billah (HR.At-Tabrani.
2.Membaca “La ilaha illallahul malikul haqqul mubin”.
Barangsiapa yang membaca “La ilaha illallahul malikul haqqul mubin”, maka bacaan itu akan menjadi keamanan dari kefakiran dan menjadi penenteram dari rasa takut dalam kubur”. (HR. Abu Nu’aim dan Ad-Dailami).
3.Melanggengkan Istighfar.
“Barangsiapa melanggengkan istighfar, niscaya Allah mengeluarkan dia dari segala kesusahan dan memberikan dan memberikan dia rezeki dari arah yang tidak diduganya”. (HR.Ahmad, Abu Dawud, dan Ibnu Majah).
4.Membaca Surah Al-Ikhlas.
“Barangsiapa yang membaca surah al-Ikhlas ketika masuk rumah, maka (berkah bacaan) menghilangkan kefakiran dari penghuni rumah dan tetangganya”. (HR.Tabrani).
5.Membaca surah al-Waqi’ah
“Barangsiapa membaca surah al-Waqi’ah setiap malam, maka tidak akan ditimpa kesempitan hidup”. (HR. Baihaqi dalam Syu’ab al-Iman).
6.Memperbanyak Shalawat atas Nabi Shallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam.
Ubay bin Ka’ab meriwayatkan , bila telah berlalu sepertiga malam, Rasulullah Shallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam berdiri seraya bersabda, “Wahau manusia, berzikirlah mengingat Allah. Akan datang tiupan (sangkakala kiamat), pertama kemudian diiringi tiupan keuda. Akan datang kematian dan segala kesulitan yang ada di dalamnya”.
7.Membaca “Subhanallah wabihamdihi subhanallahil ‘adzhim.
..dari setiap kalimat itu seorang malaikat yang bertasbih kepada Allah Ta’ala sampai diberikan untukmu sampia hari Kiamat yang pahala tasbihnya itu diberikan untukmu”. (HR.Al-Mustaqfiri dalam Ad-Da’wat, dinukilkan dari Ihya Ulumuddin al-Ghazali).
Sementara itu, diriwayatkan dari Ibnu Abbas, ada beberapa orang musyrik yang telah berbuat maksiat dan dosa, yaitu mereka membunuh dan berzina. Maka, m ereka menghadap Rasulullah untuk bertobat. Mereka pun bertanya kepada beliau, apakah akan diterima tobat mereka? Maka, turunlah ayat ini yang menerangkan hendaknya jangan berputus asa untuk terus mencari ampunan Allah Rabbul Alamin.
“Katakanlah, “Wahai hamba-hamba-Ku yang melampaui batas terhadap diri mereka sendiri! Janganlah kamu berputus asa dari rahmat Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah mengampuni dosa-dosa semuanya. Sungguh, Dialah Yang Maha Pengampun, Maha Penyayang”. (Al-Qur’an : Az-Zummar : 53)
Semoga Allah Azza Wa Jalla memberikan rezeki dan melapangkan jalan hidup kaum muslimin, dan jauhkan dari jalan-jalan setan, yang selalu akan menyesatkan. Wallahu’alam.
Cintailah Anak-anak Yatim
Begitulah Al-Qur’an memerintahkan orang-orang yang beriman untuk menyantuni dan menyayangi anak-anak yatim. Anak yatim adalah mereka yang ditinggal oleh orang tuanya. Al-Qur’an sangat memperhatikan hal-hal yang berkenaan dengan anak yatim sebagaimana berikut,
Berbuat baik kepada anak yatim adalah salah satu tanda orang yang beriman, bertakwa, dan orang-orang yang baik (al-abrar). QS. (Al-Baqarah : 177) dan (QS. Al-Balad : 8)
Menyantuni anak yatim adalah kewajiban sosial setiap orang Islam segera setelah ia mengetahui jalan yang baik dan jalan yang jelek dalam kehidupan .
Membela anak yatim adalah satu satu perjuangan dalam Islam (QS. Al-Balad : 15)
Problem sosial timbul, karena empat sebab : tidak memuliakan anak yatim, tidak memberi makank orang miskin, memakan warisan (kekayaan) alam dengan rakus, dan mencintai hartabenda secara berlebihan. (QS. Al-Fajar : 15-20)
Memberikan perhatian terhadap kepentingan anak yatim. (QS. Al-Kahfi : 82)
Bila orang membagikan harta warisan, diperintahkan agar sebagian diberikan kepada karabat, anak yatim, dan orang miskin, dan orang miskin yang tidak mempunyai hak waris. (QS. An-Nisaa’ : 8)
Orang Islam di suruh berhati-hati dalam memelihara harta anak yatim, yaitu dengan tidak mencampurkan harta anak yatim itu dengan harta mereka sendiri. QS. An-Nisaa’ : 2,10). Disuruh-Nya mereka mencari cara yang paling baik untuk mengurus harta anak yatim termasuk . (QS. Al-Aam : 152), dan memakan harta yatim termasuk dosa besar. (QS. An-Nisaa’ : 2, 10).
Orang islam dilarang mempermalukan anak yatim secara sewenang-wenang. (QS. Ad-Dhuha : 9), dan dilarang menghardik (QS. 107 : 2), Ibnu Katsir mengartikan fala taqhar sebagai “Janganlah engkau merendahkan dia, jangan membentak dia, jangan menghinakan mereka, tetapi berbuat baiklah kepdanya, dan sayangilah. (Tafsir Ibnu Katsir, jilid 4, hal. 523).
Surah Al-Ma’un ayat 2 menyebutkan, bahwa orang yang menghardik anak yatim adalah pendusta agama.
Betapa masih banyaknya anak-anak yatim, anak terlantar, serta para fakir miskin, yang tidak terpelihara dan mendapatkan perhatian, bahkan mereka menjadi gelandangan pengemis, dan bahkan banyak diantara mereka pula, yang hidup dalam keadaan sangat menyedihkan.
Seharusnya kaum muslimin memberikan perhatian kepada mereka secara ikhlas dan hanya mengharapkan ridho dari Allah Azza Wa Jalla. Wallahu’alam.
Berbuat baik kepada anak yatim adalah salah satu tanda orang yang beriman, bertakwa, dan orang-orang yang baik (al-abrar). QS. (Al-Baqarah : 177) dan (QS. Al-Balad : 8)
Menyantuni anak yatim adalah kewajiban sosial setiap orang Islam segera setelah ia mengetahui jalan yang baik dan jalan yang jelek dalam kehidupan .
Membela anak yatim adalah satu satu perjuangan dalam Islam (QS. Al-Balad : 15)
Problem sosial timbul, karena empat sebab : tidak memuliakan anak yatim, tidak memberi makank orang miskin, memakan warisan (kekayaan) alam dengan rakus, dan mencintai hartabenda secara berlebihan. (QS. Al-Fajar : 15-20)
Memberikan perhatian terhadap kepentingan anak yatim. (QS. Al-Kahfi : 82)
Bila orang membagikan harta warisan, diperintahkan agar sebagian diberikan kepada karabat, anak yatim, dan orang miskin, dan orang miskin yang tidak mempunyai hak waris. (QS. An-Nisaa’ : 8)
Orang Islam di suruh berhati-hati dalam memelihara harta anak yatim, yaitu dengan tidak mencampurkan harta anak yatim itu dengan harta mereka sendiri. QS. An-Nisaa’ : 2,10). Disuruh-Nya mereka mencari cara yang paling baik untuk mengurus harta anak yatim termasuk . (QS. Al-Aam : 152), dan memakan harta yatim termasuk dosa besar. (QS. An-Nisaa’ : 2, 10).
Orang islam dilarang mempermalukan anak yatim secara sewenang-wenang. (QS. Ad-Dhuha : 9), dan dilarang menghardik (QS. 107 : 2), Ibnu Katsir mengartikan fala taqhar sebagai “Janganlah engkau merendahkan dia, jangan membentak dia, jangan menghinakan mereka, tetapi berbuat baiklah kepdanya, dan sayangilah. (Tafsir Ibnu Katsir, jilid 4, hal. 523).
Surah Al-Ma’un ayat 2 menyebutkan, bahwa orang yang menghardik anak yatim adalah pendusta agama.
Betapa masih banyaknya anak-anak yatim, anak terlantar, serta para fakir miskin, yang tidak terpelihara dan mendapatkan perhatian, bahkan mereka menjadi gelandangan pengemis, dan bahkan banyak diantara mereka pula, yang hidup dalam keadaan sangat menyedihkan.
Seharusnya kaum muslimin memberikan perhatian kepada mereka secara ikhlas dan hanya mengharapkan ridho dari Allah Azza Wa Jalla. Wallahu’alam.
MeMenteri Imigrasi: Larangan Cadar Bertentangan dengan Karakter Negara Inggris
Setelah larangan jilbab, larangan mengenakan cadar kini sedang menjadi isu Islam yang melanda benua Eropa. Perancis sudah menyatakan larangan mengenakan cadar, setelah sebelumnya memberlakukan larangan berjilbab bagi para muslimah di tempat-tempat umum dan institusi pendidikan.
Di negara tetangga Perancis, Inggris, boleh tidaknya mengenakan cadar masih menjadi kontroversi bahkan di kalangan pejabat pemerintahan negeri itu. Menteri Imigrasi Inggris, Damian Green, termasuk pejabat Inggris yang tidak setuju jika Inggris juga memberlakukan larangan perempuan, khususnya para muslimah, mengenakan cadar. Ia menyatakan, larangan semacam itu sama sekali tidak mencerminkan karakter negara Inggris yang menjunjung tinggi sikap toleransi dan saling menghormati dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat.
"Mengatur orang soal apa yang boleh dan tidak boleh mereka kenakan saat mereka berjalan-jalan di luar rumah, adalah tindakan yang tidak sesuai karakter negara Inggris," kata Green pada Sunday Telegraph. "Kita sangat tidak menginginkan parlemen Inggris membuat aturan hukum yang mendikte apa yang harus dikenakan seseorang. Berbeda dengan Perancis, dimana cadar dinyatakan terlarang dikenakan di tempat-tempat umum, Inggris bukan negara sekuler yang agresif," tandas Green. Ia menambahkan, ada situasi-situasi khusus dimana seseorang yang mengenakan cadar boleh diminta untuk melepas cadarnya.
Di Inggris, wacana agar pemerintah Inggris juga mengeluarkan undang-undang yang melarang seseorang mengenakan cadar di tempat-tempat publik, digulirkan oleh anggota parlemen Philip Hollobone. Sebuah survei yang dilakukan di Inggris baru-baru ini menunjukkan dukungan yang luas dari respondennya atas usulan pelarangan cadar. Tapi Green menegaskan, kecil kemungkinan pemerintah Inggris akan menyetujui larangan cadar seperti yang diberlakukan negara Perancis
Di negara tetangga Perancis, Inggris, boleh tidaknya mengenakan cadar masih menjadi kontroversi bahkan di kalangan pejabat pemerintahan negeri itu. Menteri Imigrasi Inggris, Damian Green, termasuk pejabat Inggris yang tidak setuju jika Inggris juga memberlakukan larangan perempuan, khususnya para muslimah, mengenakan cadar. Ia menyatakan, larangan semacam itu sama sekali tidak mencerminkan karakter negara Inggris yang menjunjung tinggi sikap toleransi dan saling menghormati dalam kehidupan bermasyarakat.
"Mengatur orang soal apa yang boleh dan tidak boleh mereka kenakan saat mereka berjalan-jalan di luar rumah, adalah tindakan yang tidak sesuai karakter negara Inggris," kata Green pada Sunday Telegraph. "Kita sangat tidak menginginkan parlemen Inggris membuat aturan hukum yang mendikte apa yang harus dikenakan seseorang. Berbeda dengan Perancis, dimana cadar dinyatakan terlarang dikenakan di tempat-tempat umum, Inggris bukan negara sekuler yang agresif," tandas Green. Ia menambahkan, ada situasi-situasi khusus dimana seseorang yang mengenakan cadar boleh diminta untuk melepas cadarnya.
Di Inggris, wacana agar pemerintah Inggris juga mengeluarkan undang-undang yang melarang seseorang mengenakan cadar di tempat-tempat publik, digulirkan oleh anggota parlemen Philip Hollobone. Sebuah survei yang dilakukan di Inggris baru-baru ini menunjukkan dukungan yang luas dari respondennya atas usulan pelarangan cadar. Tapi Green menegaskan, kecil kemungkinan pemerintah Inggris akan menyetujui larangan cadar seperti yang diberlakukan negara Perancis
Menteri Lingkungan Hidup Inggris: Cadar adalah Kemuliaan Kaum Perempuan
Menteri Lingkungan Hidup Inggris, Caroline Spelman menambah jajaran pejabat pemerintah Inggris yang tidak setuju dengan larangan mengenakan cadar bagi kaum perempuan, khususnya para muslimah.
Sebelumnya, Menteri Imigrasi Inggris Damian Green berkomentar bahwa larangan mengenakan cadar tidak selaras dengan karakter negara Inggris yang menjunjung sikap toleransi dan saling menghormati di kalangan masyarakatnya. Ia juga yakin dan tidak mengharapkan parlemen Inggris akan memberlakukan larangan mengenakan cadar seperti yang diberlakukan negara Perancis.
Sejalan dengan pernyataan Green, Menteri Lingkungan Hidup Inggris mengatakan bahwa perempuan yang mengenakan cadar adalah perempuan yang berdaya dan bermartabat. "Mengenakan cadar merupakan pilihan hidup mereka sendiri," kata Caroline di tengah pro kontra larangan cadar yang mulai mencuat di Inggris.
Dalam acara "Sunday Live" di stasiun televisi Sky News, Spelman mengatakan bahwa kaum perempuan berhak memutuskan apa yang ingin dikenakannya dan larangan mengenakan cadar "bukanlah ciri dari negeri ini." Ia juga menceritakan pengalamannya saat berkunjung ke Afghanistan, yang membuatnya memahami bahwa mengenakan cadar merupakan kemuliaan bagi kaum perempuan.
"Buat mereka, mengenakan cadar memberikan mereka kemuliaan. Itu pilihan mereka sendiri, memilih untuk keluar rumah dengan mengenakan burka (busana muslimah longgar yang menutupi seluruh tubuh dan dilengkapi dengan cadar). Saya memahami ada perbedaan dengan budaya di negara saya, tapi faktanya di Afghanistan kaum perempuan bebas untuk memilih ... apakah akan mengenakan burka atau tidak," tutur Spelman, salah satu menteri senior di kabinet pemerintah Inggris.
"Saya tidak mau, sebagai perempuan tinggal di negeri yang mengatur busana apa yang boleh dan tidak boleh saya kenakan. Salah satu hal yang kita banggakan di negeri ini, adalah kebebasan, diantaranya kebebasan untuk memiih apa yang akan Anda kenakan," tandas Spelman seperti dikutip Daily Telegraph.
"Jadi, melarang cadar sangat bertolak belakang dengan apa yang berlaku di negara ini," sambungnya.
Adalah Philip Hollobone, anggota parlemen Inggris dari kelompok Konservatif yang mengajukan draft undang-undang untuk membatasi setiap orang yang mengenakan penutup wajah di tempat-tempat umum. Hollobone mengatakan, ia akan menolak bertemu dengan muslimah yang mengenakan cadar, kecuali muslimah itu membuka cadarnya.
Sebelumnya, Menteri Imigrasi Inggris Damian Green berkomentar bahwa larangan mengenakan cadar tidak selaras dengan karakter negara Inggris yang menjunjung sikap toleransi dan saling menghormati di kalangan masyarakatnya. Ia juga yakin dan tidak mengharapkan parlemen Inggris akan memberlakukan larangan mengenakan cadar seperti yang diberlakukan negara Perancis.
Sejalan dengan pernyataan Green, Menteri Lingkungan Hidup Inggris mengatakan bahwa perempuan yang mengenakan cadar adalah perempuan yang berdaya dan bermartabat. "Mengenakan cadar merupakan pilihan hidup mereka sendiri," kata Caroline di tengah pro kontra larangan cadar yang mulai mencuat di Inggris.
Dalam acara "Sunday Live" di stasiun televisi Sky News, Spelman mengatakan bahwa kaum perempuan berhak memutuskan apa yang ingin dikenakannya dan larangan mengenakan cadar "bukanlah ciri dari negeri ini." Ia juga menceritakan pengalamannya saat berkunjung ke Afghanistan, yang membuatnya memahami bahwa mengenakan cadar merupakan kemuliaan bagi kaum perempuan.
"Buat mereka, mengenakan cadar memberikan mereka kemuliaan. Itu pilihan mereka sendiri, memilih untuk keluar rumah dengan mengenakan burka (busana muslimah longgar yang menutupi seluruh tubuh dan dilengkapi dengan cadar). Saya memahami ada perbedaan dengan budaya di negara saya, tapi faktanya di Afghanistan kaum perempuan bebas untuk memilih ... apakah akan mengenakan burka atau tidak," tutur Spelman, salah satu menteri senior di kabinet pemerintah Inggris.
"Saya tidak mau, sebagai perempuan tinggal di negeri yang mengatur busana apa yang boleh dan tidak boleh saya kenakan. Salah satu hal yang kita banggakan di negeri ini, adalah kebebasan, diantaranya kebebasan untuk memiih apa yang akan Anda kenakan," tandas Spelman seperti dikutip Daily Telegraph.
"Jadi, melarang cadar sangat bertolak belakang dengan apa yang berlaku di negara ini," sambungnya.
Adalah Philip Hollobone, anggota parlemen Inggris dari kelompok Konservatif yang mengajukan draft undang-undang untuk membatasi setiap orang yang mengenakan penutup wajah di tempat-tempat umum. Hollobone mengatakan, ia akan menolak bertemu dengan muslimah yang mengenakan cadar, kecuali muslimah itu membuka cadarnya.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Bulan dan Bintang Bisa Tentukan Arah Kiblat
Umat Islam bukan sahaja boleh menggunakan matahari sebagai panduan arah kiblat malah bintang dan bulan juga boleh digunakan untuk tujuan tersebut dengan syarat mereka mengetahui caranya.
Dalam gugusan bintang, terdapat satu buruj yang dikenali sebagai Orion berkedudukan tiga berderet dengan jelas menunjukkan arah kiblat.
Pensyarah Kanan Jabatan Fizik, Universiti Malaya, Prof Dr Mohd Zambri Zainuddin menjawab soalan ketika memberikan informasi tentang tatacara cerapan angkasa yang diadakan di Dataran Kemerdekaan dekat sini, malam semalam.
Dalam taklimat ringkas menggunakan alat audio visual itu, Prof Dr Zambri bercakap khusus tentang Penerokaan Cakerawala Melalui Sains Astronomi yang turut dihadiri Mufti Selangor, Datuk Seri Mohamad Tamyez Abdul Wahid.
Menurutnya, program itu diadakan sempena sambutan 10 Tahun Falak Selangor dan Konvensyen Falak Selangor 2010 dirasmikan Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, kelmarin.
Warga Shah Alam khususnya mengambil peluang itu untuk mencerap angkasa dengan menggunakan tujuh teleskop yang berbagai saiz namun hanya berpeluang sekitar satu jam awal sahaja kerana keadaan malam yang diselimuti awan tebal melindungi bulan dan planet lain.
Memulakan ucapannya, Dr Zambri membaca surah Al-An'am ayat 97 bererti “Dan Dialah (Allah) yang menjadikan bintang-bintang bagi kamu agar kamu berpedoman kepadanya dalam kegelapan malam di darat dan laut. Sesungguhnya Kami (Allah) telah jelaskan tanda-tanda kebesaran Kami satu persatu bagi orang-orang yang mengetahui”.
Dalam pada itu, Dr Zambri juga menyatakan Falak Malaysia telah dapat mencipta satu rekod baru di mana berjaya merakam objek anak bulan Syaaban berusia 16 jam yang sebelum ini rekod 19 jam dipegang oleh warga Arab.
Sementara itu, ujarnya, astronomi memberi takrifan bintang ialah seunit jasad berjisim 0.08 hingga 200 kali jisim matahari yang dapat melakukan penghasilan tenaga melalui tindak balas nuklear secara lakuran (fussion reaction).
Menurut spektrumnya, bintang diklasifikasikan menjadi tujuh kelas utama yang mana ia turut menunjukkan suhu, warna dan komposisi kimia.
Bintang yang terdekat dengan bumi ialah matahari yang mana jarak puratanya 150 juta km (0.3 minit kelajuan cahaya) dan bintang terdekat dengan matahari pula ialah Proxima Centauri yang berjarak 35 X 10 kuasa 12 km (4 tahun cahaya).
Planet Marikh pula hampir sama dengan bumi di mana sistem masanya juga 24 jam 37 minit 22 saat namun suhu puratanya adalah 218K bersamaan -55 darjah celcius yang menyukarkan manusia hidup di sana.
Dr Zambri juga menyatakan terdapat sebuah Gunung Olympus di Marikh yang merupakan gunung tertinggi dalam sistem suria dengan ketinggian 24 km dan luas kawahnya pula 500 km sedangkan tinggi Gunung Everest di bumi hanya 8,848 meter.
Bercakap tentang Balai Cerap Astronomi di Unversiti Malaya, Dr Zambri berkata, UM merupakan satu-satunya universiti yang memiliki kemudahan astronomi dan fizik angkasa paling lengkap, terkini dan canggih di Malaysia.
Di dalam Kompleks Balai Cerap UM yang mula beroperasi pada 2005, terdapat Balai Cerap An-Najm untuk bintang dan Balai Cerap As-Syam untuk matahari.
Dalam gugusan bintang, terdapat satu buruj yang dikenali sebagai Orion berkedudukan tiga berderet dengan jelas menunjukkan arah kiblat.
Pensyarah Kanan Jabatan Fizik, Universiti Malaya, Prof Dr Mohd Zambri Zainuddin menjawab soalan ketika memberikan informasi tentang tatacara cerapan angkasa yang diadakan di Dataran Kemerdekaan dekat sini, malam semalam.
Dalam taklimat ringkas menggunakan alat audio visual itu, Prof Dr Zambri bercakap khusus tentang Penerokaan Cakerawala Melalui Sains Astronomi yang turut dihadiri Mufti Selangor, Datuk Seri Mohamad Tamyez Abdul Wahid.
Menurutnya, program itu diadakan sempena sambutan 10 Tahun Falak Selangor dan Konvensyen Falak Selangor 2010 dirasmikan Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, kelmarin.
Warga Shah Alam khususnya mengambil peluang itu untuk mencerap angkasa dengan menggunakan tujuh teleskop yang berbagai saiz namun hanya berpeluang sekitar satu jam awal sahaja kerana keadaan malam yang diselimuti awan tebal melindungi bulan dan planet lain.
Memulakan ucapannya, Dr Zambri membaca surah Al-An'am ayat 97 bererti “Dan Dialah (Allah) yang menjadikan bintang-bintang bagi kamu agar kamu berpedoman kepadanya dalam kegelapan malam di darat dan laut. Sesungguhnya Kami (Allah) telah jelaskan tanda-tanda kebesaran Kami satu persatu bagi orang-orang yang mengetahui”.
Dalam pada itu, Dr Zambri juga menyatakan Falak Malaysia telah dapat mencipta satu rekod baru di mana berjaya merakam objek anak bulan Syaaban berusia 16 jam yang sebelum ini rekod 19 jam dipegang oleh warga Arab.
Sementara itu, ujarnya, astronomi memberi takrifan bintang ialah seunit jasad berjisim 0.08 hingga 200 kali jisim matahari yang dapat melakukan penghasilan tenaga melalui tindak balas nuklear secara lakuran (fussion reaction).
Menurut spektrumnya, bintang diklasifikasikan menjadi tujuh kelas utama yang mana ia turut menunjukkan suhu, warna dan komposisi kimia.
Bintang yang terdekat dengan bumi ialah matahari yang mana jarak puratanya 150 juta km (0.3 minit kelajuan cahaya) dan bintang terdekat dengan matahari pula ialah Proxima Centauri yang berjarak 35 X 10 kuasa 12 km (4 tahun cahaya).
Planet Marikh pula hampir sama dengan bumi di mana sistem masanya juga 24 jam 37 minit 22 saat namun suhu puratanya adalah 218K bersamaan -55 darjah celcius yang menyukarkan manusia hidup di sana.
Dr Zambri juga menyatakan terdapat sebuah Gunung Olympus di Marikh yang merupakan gunung tertinggi dalam sistem suria dengan ketinggian 24 km dan luas kawahnya pula 500 km sedangkan tinggi Gunung Everest di bumi hanya 8,848 meter.
Bercakap tentang Balai Cerap Astronomi di Unversiti Malaya, Dr Zambri berkata, UM merupakan satu-satunya universiti yang memiliki kemudahan astronomi dan fizik angkasa paling lengkap, terkini dan canggih di Malaysia.
Di dalam Kompleks Balai Cerap UM yang mula beroperasi pada 2005, terdapat Balai Cerap An-Najm untuk bintang dan Balai Cerap As-Syam untuk matahari.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
3 Milliar Dollar Setahun, Dari Amerika Untuk Israel
Seorang pejabat resmi pemerintahan Obama buka suara soal komitmen untuk mempertahankan program bantuan pertahanan Amerika yang berdurasi 10 tahun untuk Israel.
Andrew Shapiro, asisten sekretaris negara untuk urusan politik-militer, mengatakan dalam sebuah pidato pada hari Jumat kemarin bahwa pemerintah Obama sejak awal telah berkomitmen untuk menjaga kekuatan militer Israel atas negara-negara tetangganya.
"Teknologi membuat Israel lebih sulit untuk mempertahankan keamanannya," katanya pada Brookings Institution.
"Bahkan dengan periode anggaran yang sangat rawan, pemerintah (AS) akan tetap menghormati komitmen 10 tahun itu," tambahnya, merujuk pada perjanjian yang telah dikeluarkan oleh George W. Bush.
Dalam perjanjian itu Israel dijamin akan rata-rata mendapatkan bantuan senilai $ 3 miliar setiap tahunnya, selama sepuluh tahun mulai pada tahun 2007.
Shapiro menjelaskan manifestasi dari penguatan militer: bantuan AS kepada Israel; kerjasama erat dan konsultasi antara dua pertahanan masing-masing, dan perjanjian untuk tidak menjual bahan-bahan untuk tetangga israel yang bisa membahayakan Israel.
Andrew Shapiro, asisten sekretaris negara untuk urusan politik-militer, mengatakan dalam sebuah pidato pada hari Jumat kemarin bahwa pemerintah Obama sejak awal telah berkomitmen untuk menjaga kekuatan militer Israel atas negara-negara tetangganya.
"Teknologi membuat Israel lebih sulit untuk mempertahankan keamanannya," katanya pada Brookings Institution.
"Bahkan dengan periode anggaran yang sangat rawan, pemerintah (AS) akan tetap menghormati komitmen 10 tahun itu," tambahnya, merujuk pada perjanjian yang telah dikeluarkan oleh George W. Bush.
Dalam perjanjian itu Israel dijamin akan rata-rata mendapatkan bantuan senilai $ 3 miliar setiap tahunnya, selama sepuluh tahun mulai pada tahun 2007.
Shapiro menjelaskan manifestasi dari penguatan militer: bantuan AS kepada Israel; kerjasama erat dan konsultasi antara dua pertahanan masing-masing, dan perjanjian untuk tidak menjual bahan-bahan untuk tetangga israel yang bisa membahayakan Israel.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
S.S Lai, Masuk Islam Setelah Mimpi Mendengar Suara Azan
Terlahir dari keluarga berlatarbelakang etnis Cina, S.S Lai tumbuh di tengah budaya yang melakukan penyembahan berhala dan memuja nenek moyang mereka yang sudah meninggal. Sejak kecul ia sudah dididik untuk mempercayai banyak dewa-dewi dalam keyakinan agama Cina.
Setiap tahun, Lai selalu berharap dan antusias jika ayahnya mengajaknya ke kuil untuk melaksanakan peribadahan persembahan untuk para dewa-dewi. Sebagai anak-anak, kegembiraannya ketika itu bukan karena ia akan beribadah tapi karena setiap acara tahunan di kuil ia akan menikmati makanan yang banyak dan bervariasi.
Itulah sepenggal kenangan S.S Lai, seorang perempuan yang berasal dari etnis Cina yang tinggal di negeri muslim, Brunei Darussalam. Ia merasa bersyukur karena menghabiskan sebagian besar masa sekolahnya di sekolah yang mayoritas siswanya beragama Islam.
"Saya ingat, seorang teman pernah membawa buku komik bergambar tentang mereka yang dihukum di api neraka. Saya tidak begitu paham tentang apa itu neraka pada saat itu. Saya hanya tahu bahwa jangan pernah membuang sedikit pun permen atau keripik (makanan) atau kita akan dihukum di akhirat kelak," ujar Lai.
Ia paham, seorang muslim berpuasa pada bulan Ramadan dan dilarang makan daging babi. Ketika itu, Lai belum tertarik dengan Islam, meski banyak sahabatnya yang muslim. Tapi Lai mengakui, saat berusia 7 tahun, ia merasakan hal yang aneh bahwa suatu saat ia akan menjadi seorang muslim, seperti salah seorang pamannya.
"Namun saya tidak pernah bertanya pada siapa pun tentang Islam. Taku mereka ingin tahu, dan ini yang membuat saya takut dan malu," tutur Lai.
Perjalanan Lai menuju cahaya Islam bermula dari kebingungannya saat ia belajar geografi. Dirinya bertanya-tanya mengapa manusia bisa berdiri dan berjalan bumi dan tidak terlempar ke luar angkasa yang gelap. Pulang ke rumah, Lai menanyakan hal ini pada pamannya, namun sang paman malah menasehatinya agar jangan terlalu banyak bertanya "mengapa" pada semua hal. Sejak itu, Lai selalu menahan diri untuk tidak selalu menanyakan "mengapa" pada hal-hal yang menarik perhatiannya.
Tahun 1988, Lai mendapatkan beasiswa belajar ke Inggris. Sesuatu yang menjadi impiannya dan ia bekerja keras untuk bisa belajar ke luar negeri. "Saya menjadi orang yang berguna dan kaya, dan membuat kedua orang tua saya bangga. Satu-satunya yang saya tahu untuk mencapai ambisi saya itu adalah menjadi seorang dokter," ujar Lai.
Saat kuliah di Inggris, suatu malam Lai bermimpi mendengar suara azan dan ia berjalan menuju ke arah suara itu, lalu ia berdiri di sebuah pintu gerbang yang besar. Di pintu gerbang itu terlihat tulisan dalam bahasa Arab. Dalam mimpi itu, Lai merasakan kedamaian dan rasa aman. Ia masuk ke dalam sebuah ruangan yang bercahaya dan di sana ia melihat sosok yang sedang salat.
"Saya sulit menggambarkan bagaimana perasaan saya saat itu. Keesokan harinya saya memaksakan diri untuk menanyakan tentang mimpi saya itu pada teman saya, seorang mahasiswi dari Malaysia. Dia bilang, itu adalah 'hadassah' dari Allah," Lai mengisahkan perihal mimpinya itu.
Pembicaraan tentang mimpi itu mendorong Lai untuk lebih banyak bertanya tentang agama Islam. Selama ini, banyak orang mengatakan pada Lai bahwa kaum Muslimin adalah orang-orang yang jahat dan selalu menindas penganut agama lain.
Saat berkesempatan pulang kampun ke Brunei, Lai mengatakan pada keluarganya bahwa ia ingin menenangkan diri selama setahun ini dan melepaskan diri dari segala ambisinya. Ia merasa ada sesuatu yang lebih penting dari semua yang telah ia kejar selama bertahun-tahun. Sudah bisa dipastikan, keluarganya menolak permintaan Lai, yang membuat Lai hanya bisa menangis siang dan malam.
"Saya menangis karena yang terdengar di telinga saya adalah gema suara azan, sampai seorang teman saya menganggap saya sudah gila, dan saya pun mulai berpikir demikian," ungkap Lai.
Ia lalu ingat sahabat masa sekolahnya dulu, seorang muslim yang taat. Darinyalah, Lai mulai belajar tentang bagaimana menjadi seorang muslim. Akhirnya, hari bersejarah itu pun tiba. Tanggal 5 Oktober 1991, Lai mengucapkan dua kalimat syahadat dan resmi menjadi seorang muslimah.
"Saya percaya bahwa setiap anak lahir dalam keadaan suci dan hanya orang tua merekalah yang menentukan kemana anak akan melangkah. Semoga Allah menuntun hati-hati mereka menuju Islam," doa Lai menutup ceritanya menjadi seorang muslim. (ln/isc)
Setiap tahun, Lai selalu berharap dan antusias jika ayahnya mengajaknya ke kuil untuk melaksanakan peribadahan persembahan untuk para dewa-dewi. Sebagai anak-anak, kegembiraannya ketika itu bukan karena ia akan beribadah tapi karena setiap acara tahunan di kuil ia akan menikmati makanan yang banyak dan bervariasi.
Itulah sepenggal kenangan S.S Lai, seorang perempuan yang berasal dari etnis Cina yang tinggal di negeri muslim, Brunei Darussalam. Ia merasa bersyukur karena menghabiskan sebagian besar masa sekolahnya di sekolah yang mayoritas siswanya beragama Islam.
"Saya ingat, seorang teman pernah membawa buku komik bergambar tentang mereka yang dihukum di api neraka. Saya tidak begitu paham tentang apa itu neraka pada saat itu. Saya hanya tahu bahwa jangan pernah membuang sedikit pun permen atau keripik (makanan) atau kita akan dihukum di akhirat kelak," ujar Lai.
Ia paham, seorang muslim berpuasa pada bulan Ramadan dan dilarang makan daging babi. Ketika itu, Lai belum tertarik dengan Islam, meski banyak sahabatnya yang muslim. Tapi Lai mengakui, saat berusia 7 tahun, ia merasakan hal yang aneh bahwa suatu saat ia akan menjadi seorang muslim, seperti salah seorang pamannya.
"Namun saya tidak pernah bertanya pada siapa pun tentang Islam. Taku mereka ingin tahu, dan ini yang membuat saya takut dan malu," tutur Lai.
Perjalanan Lai menuju cahaya Islam bermula dari kebingungannya saat ia belajar geografi. Dirinya bertanya-tanya mengapa manusia bisa berdiri dan berjalan bumi dan tidak terlempar ke luar angkasa yang gelap. Pulang ke rumah, Lai menanyakan hal ini pada pamannya, namun sang paman malah menasehatinya agar jangan terlalu banyak bertanya "mengapa" pada semua hal. Sejak itu, Lai selalu menahan diri untuk tidak selalu menanyakan "mengapa" pada hal-hal yang menarik perhatiannya.
Tahun 1988, Lai mendapatkan beasiswa belajar ke Inggris. Sesuatu yang menjadi impiannya dan ia bekerja keras untuk bisa belajar ke luar negeri. "Saya menjadi orang yang berguna dan kaya, dan membuat kedua orang tua saya bangga. Satu-satunya yang saya tahu untuk mencapai ambisi saya itu adalah menjadi seorang dokter," ujar Lai.
Saat kuliah di Inggris, suatu malam Lai bermimpi mendengar suara azan dan ia berjalan menuju ke arah suara itu, lalu ia berdiri di sebuah pintu gerbang yang besar. Di pintu gerbang itu terlihat tulisan dalam bahasa Arab. Dalam mimpi itu, Lai merasakan kedamaian dan rasa aman. Ia masuk ke dalam sebuah ruangan yang bercahaya dan di sana ia melihat sosok yang sedang salat.
"Saya sulit menggambarkan bagaimana perasaan saya saat itu. Keesokan harinya saya memaksakan diri untuk menanyakan tentang mimpi saya itu pada teman saya, seorang mahasiswi dari Malaysia. Dia bilang, itu adalah 'hadassah' dari Allah," Lai mengisahkan perihal mimpinya itu.
Pembicaraan tentang mimpi itu mendorong Lai untuk lebih banyak bertanya tentang agama Islam. Selama ini, banyak orang mengatakan pada Lai bahwa kaum Muslimin adalah orang-orang yang jahat dan selalu menindas penganut agama lain.
Saat berkesempatan pulang kampun ke Brunei, Lai mengatakan pada keluarganya bahwa ia ingin menenangkan diri selama setahun ini dan melepaskan diri dari segala ambisinya. Ia merasa ada sesuatu yang lebih penting dari semua yang telah ia kejar selama bertahun-tahun. Sudah bisa dipastikan, keluarganya menolak permintaan Lai, yang membuat Lai hanya bisa menangis siang dan malam.
"Saya menangis karena yang terdengar di telinga saya adalah gema suara azan, sampai seorang teman saya menganggap saya sudah gila, dan saya pun mulai berpikir demikian," ungkap Lai.
Ia lalu ingat sahabat masa sekolahnya dulu, seorang muslim yang taat. Darinyalah, Lai mulai belajar tentang bagaimana menjadi seorang muslim. Akhirnya, hari bersejarah itu pun tiba. Tanggal 5 Oktober 1991, Lai mengucapkan dua kalimat syahadat dan resmi menjadi seorang muslimah.
"Saya percaya bahwa setiap anak lahir dalam keadaan suci dan hanya orang tua merekalah yang menentukan kemana anak akan melangkah. Semoga Allah menuntun hati-hati mereka menuju Islam," doa Lai menutup ceritanya menjadi seorang muslim. (ln/isc)
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Mufti Malaysia Fatwakan ESQ Sesat
Sebuah fatwa dari Mufti wilayah persekutuan Malaysia telah menimbulkan kehebohan di beberapa milis Islam Indonesia. Karena apa? Karena fatwa yang Mufti Malaysia sampaikan tersebut akan sangat berimplikasi dengan sebuah lembaga training sumber daya manusia yang ada di Indonesia yang bernama ESQ.
ESQ yang berpusat di menara 165 jalan TB Simatupang Jakarta selatan dan digawangi oleh Ary Ginanjar Agustian, telah berhasil mentraining puluhan ribu orang dengan konsep keseimbangan antara Emosi, Spiritual dan intelektual.
Dari penjelasan tentang ESQ sendiri dijabarkan bahwa ESQ adalah pelatihan sumber daya manusia yang bertujuan untuk membentuk nilai moral dan karakter manusia, melalui penggabungan 3 potensi yang ada di manusia yaitu kecerdasan intelektual, emosional dan spiritual.
Selama ketiga potensi manusia tersebut terpisah dan tidak didayagunakan dengan baik dan maksimal maka menurut kajian ESQ manusia akan terjadi krisis moral dan split personality. Dan lebih buruk lagi manusia yang tidak dapat mendayagunakan ketiga potensi itu maka manusia tersebut akan kehilangan makna hidup serta jati dirinya. Begitu kutipan yang menjelaskan apa itu ESQ secara singkat.
Namun bagi mufti Malaysia ajaran yang dipopulerkan oleh Ary Ginanjar ini adalah ajaran sesat dan harus dihindari. Melalui kajian, akhirnya mereka memutuskan bahwa ajaran ESQ yang mengusung ide 7 Budi Utama dan bercita-cita akan menuju Indonesia Emas pada tahun 2020 ini, difatwakan sesat berdasarkan sebuah fatwa tertanggal 10 Juni 2010.
Dalam fatwanya Mufti wilayah persekutuan Malaysia menjelaskan alasan kesesatan ESQ Ary Ginanjar, berikut ringkasan fatwanya:
ESQ mendukung paham liberalisme yang menafsirkan nash-nash agama (al-quran dan sunnah) secara bebas.
ESQ menuduh para Nabi mencapai kebenaran melalui pengalaman dan pencarian dan ini bertentangan dengan aqidah Islam tentang Nabi dan Rasul.
ESQ mencampuradukkan ajaran spritual bukan Islam dengan ajaran spiritual Islam.
ESQ menekankan konsep 'suara hati' sebagai rujukan utama dalam menentukan baik atau buruknya sebuah perbuatan.
ESQ menjadikan logika sebagai sumber rujukan utama.
ESQ mengingkari mukjizat karena dianggap tidak dapat diterima akal.
ESQ menyamakan bacaan Al-fatiha sebanyak 17 kali dalam shalat dengan ajaran Bushido Jepang yang berlatar belakang ajaran Buddha.
ESQ menafsirkan kalimat syahadat dengan "triple one".
Demikian ringkasan singkat fatwa Mufti wilayah persekutuan Malaysia yang ditandatangani oleh Datuk Hj. Wan Zahidi bin Wan Teh yang merupakan mufti resmi wilayah persekutuan Malaysia.
Sebenarnya beberapa waktu lalu telah ada yang menuduh ESQ sesat di Indonesia. Pada sebuah sesi tanya jawab dalam sebuah acara dari salah satu radio di Bekasi, seorang ustadz yang mengisi acara tersebut ditanya oleh pendengar yang meminta tanggapan ustadz tersebut tentang training ESQ. Dengan sangat mengejutkan sang ustadz tersebut membeberkan kesesatan ESQ menurut yang ia pahami dan poin-poin yang ia anggap sesat itu agak mirip dengan apa yang difatwakan oleh mufti Malaysia ini.
Untuk mendonload fatwa lengkapnya bisa diklik alamat ini, http://www.muftiwp.gov.my/pmwp/profail_jabatan_files/fatwa_esq.pdf
Sampai berita ini diturunkan dari situs-situs ESQ belum ada tanggapan terkait fatwa Mufti Malaysia ini yang menyesatkan ajaran ESQ.(fq)
ESQ yang berpusat di menara 165 jalan TB Simatupang Jakarta selatan dan digawangi oleh Ary Ginanjar Agustian, telah berhasil mentraining puluhan ribu orang dengan konsep keseimbangan antara Emosi, Spiritual dan intelektual.
Dari penjelasan tentang ESQ sendiri dijabarkan bahwa ESQ adalah pelatihan sumber daya manusia yang bertujuan untuk membentuk nilai moral dan karakter manusia, melalui penggabungan 3 potensi yang ada di manusia yaitu kecerdasan intelektual, emosional dan spiritual.
Selama ketiga potensi manusia tersebut terpisah dan tidak didayagunakan dengan baik dan maksimal maka menurut kajian ESQ manusia akan terjadi krisis moral dan split personality. Dan lebih buruk lagi manusia yang tidak dapat mendayagunakan ketiga potensi itu maka manusia tersebut akan kehilangan makna hidup serta jati dirinya. Begitu kutipan yang menjelaskan apa itu ESQ secara singkat.
Namun bagi mufti Malaysia ajaran yang dipopulerkan oleh Ary Ginanjar ini adalah ajaran sesat dan harus dihindari. Melalui kajian, akhirnya mereka memutuskan bahwa ajaran ESQ yang mengusung ide 7 Budi Utama dan bercita-cita akan menuju Indonesia Emas pada tahun 2020 ini, difatwakan sesat berdasarkan sebuah fatwa tertanggal 10 Juni 2010.
Dalam fatwanya Mufti wilayah persekutuan Malaysia menjelaskan alasan kesesatan ESQ Ary Ginanjar, berikut ringkasan fatwanya:
ESQ mendukung paham liberalisme yang menafsirkan nash-nash agama (al-quran dan sunnah) secara bebas.
ESQ menuduh para Nabi mencapai kebenaran melalui pengalaman dan pencarian dan ini bertentangan dengan aqidah Islam tentang Nabi dan Rasul.
ESQ mencampuradukkan ajaran spritual bukan Islam dengan ajaran spiritual Islam.
ESQ menekankan konsep 'suara hati' sebagai rujukan utama dalam menentukan baik atau buruknya sebuah perbuatan.
ESQ menjadikan logika sebagai sumber rujukan utama.
ESQ mengingkari mukjizat karena dianggap tidak dapat diterima akal.
ESQ menyamakan bacaan Al-fatiha sebanyak 17 kali dalam shalat dengan ajaran Bushido Jepang yang berlatar belakang ajaran Buddha.
ESQ menafsirkan kalimat syahadat dengan "triple one".
Demikian ringkasan singkat fatwa Mufti wilayah persekutuan Malaysia yang ditandatangani oleh Datuk Hj. Wan Zahidi bin Wan Teh yang merupakan mufti resmi wilayah persekutuan Malaysia.
Sebenarnya beberapa waktu lalu telah ada yang menuduh ESQ sesat di Indonesia. Pada sebuah sesi tanya jawab dalam sebuah acara dari salah satu radio di Bekasi, seorang ustadz yang mengisi acara tersebut ditanya oleh pendengar yang meminta tanggapan ustadz tersebut tentang training ESQ. Dengan sangat mengejutkan sang ustadz tersebut membeberkan kesesatan ESQ menurut yang ia pahami dan poin-poin yang ia anggap sesat itu agak mirip dengan apa yang difatwakan oleh mufti Malaysia ini.
Untuk mendonload fatwa lengkapnya bisa diklik alamat ini, http://www.muftiwp.gov.my/pmwp/profail_jabatan_files/fatwa_esq.pdf
Sampai berita ini diturunkan dari situs-situs ESQ belum ada tanggapan terkait fatwa Mufti Malaysia ini yang menyesatkan ajaran ESQ.(fq)
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Piala Dunia: Antara Konspirasi dan Sportifitas Olahraga
Medio tahun 2010 ini jutaan pemirsa dan penggemar sepakbola di seluruh penjuru dunia akan dimanjakan dengan tayangan spesial kesayangan mereka yaitu Piala Dunia 2010 yang rencananya akan digelar di Afrika Selatan. Ajang pertandingan sepakbola paling bergengsi di dunia ini akan berlangsung dari tanggal 11 Juni hingga 11 Juli 2010 mendatang. Setiap negara akan menampilkan tim terbaik mereka dengan harapan dapat mengharumkan nama negara masing-masing.
Ajang Piala Dunia adalah ladang bisnis luar biasa besarnya dengan keuntungan yang juga luar biasa besar. Terlebih bagi negara tuan rumah, hajatan akbar ini akan menghasilkan devisa negara melimpah dari perusahaan-perusahaan sponsor tingkat dunia, pariwisata, layanan jasa transportasi dan lain-lain. Namun, di balik gemerlapnya lampu-lampu stadion dan riuh-rendahnya sorak-sorai penonton, ada sisi-sisi kelam Piala Dunia khususnya dan Dunia Perspakbolaan pada umumnya, yang tak kasat mata atau minimal tak disadari oleh khalayak pemirsa. Mulai dari kepentingan Zionisme-Yahudi dan hegemoninya di ranah kapitalisme global yang berselindung di balik sponsor, hingga infiltrasi ideologi Kabbalah-satanisme. Ideologi sesat pemuja kesesatan dan materialisme-hedonistis dengan berbagai derivasinya, secara perlahan dan halus merambati jalan fikiran jutaan pemirsa dan menghujani alam bawah sadar kita dengan simbol-simbol paganistis mereka.
Sebagian kaum muslimin, tentunya akan sejenak melupakan Masjidil Aqsha, kiblat pertama umat Islam, yang kini semakin merapuh di ambang kehancuran akibat ulah orang-orang Zionis-Yahudi. Sebagian kaum muslimin juga akan sejenak melupakan berbagai persoalan kronis yang menelikung bangsa ini, mulai dari kasus korupsi, gerakan aliran-aliran sesat yang terus diback-up mati-matian oleh kalangan sekuler-liberal dan lain-lain. Ada sebuah kekuatan besar yang mengarahkan mata, telinga, bahkan hati dan pikiran kita untuk terus mengikuti kemana si kulit bundar itu menggelinding, namun di saat yang sama, kita akan mengabaikan penderitaan kaum muslimin di belahan bumi lainnya atau bahkan di depan pintu rumah kita sendiri.
Sepakbola kini telah menjadi semacam “religion” (Hamid Fahmi Zarkasyi, Agama, www.hidayatullah.com, 11 Agustus 2008), pseudo-agama yang diam-diam menggusur iman kepada Allah dan menggantikannya dengan kesenangan yang adiktif belaka. Kesetiaan para pendukung fanatik tim sepakbola dan kecintaan kepada bintang lapangan yang menjadi idola, telah melahirkan personal disorder hingga tahap melukai diri sendiri ataupun orang lain. Ada sebersit kebahagiaan ketika tim pujaan memenangkan laga pertandingan, dan kecewa mendalam ketika mereka kalah di lapangan. Kebahagiaan dan kekecewaan yang mampu mengendalikan hasrat dan fikiran sang fanatik melebihi pengaruh keyakinan agama terhadap dirinya sendiri. Ini salah satu realita yang tersembunyi di balik warna-warni sepakbola dunia. Maka tidaklah berlebihan jika di sebuah jalan di Manchester, Inggris, sebuah papan iklan besar milik Manchester United menampilkan gambar seorang pemain dengan tulisan di bawahnya, It’s like religion.
Piala Dunia adalah saudara kembar arus globalisasi yang semakin membuat dunia kita menjadi kecil (small village). Dalam globalisasi, individu-individu dengan keunikan latar-belakang masing-masing seakan lebur dalam satu kesatuan yang berskala global. Mereka seakan tercerabut dari keaslian jatidirinya dan memilih untuk menjadi pribadi “yang lain” agar terterima dalam pergaulan dunia yang (katanya) lebih modern, humanis dan egaliter. Namun, tidak pula disadari bahwa internalisasi nilai-nilai “the other” (yang lain) secara intens, lambat laun namun pasti akan melahirkan pribadi-pribadi ambigu yang tak mampu bersikap kritis terhadap perubahan arus politik global maupun tantangan ideologis yang tak pernah henti menggerus pondasi aqidah seorang muslim.
Atas dasar pemikiran inilah, maka sebuah diskusi yang mengkaji event Piala Dunia 2010 menjadi penting, bukan saja untuk melahirkan kritisisme kita dalam menyikapinya, akan tetapi juga membentengi kemurnian aqidah dan ghirah Islamiyah dari infiltrasi ideologi satanis yang menyelusup diam-diam. Wallahu a’lam
Ajang Piala Dunia adalah ladang bisnis luar biasa besarnya dengan keuntungan yang juga luar biasa besar. Terlebih bagi negara tuan rumah, hajatan akbar ini akan menghasilkan devisa negara melimpah dari perusahaan-perusahaan sponsor tingkat dunia, pariwisata, layanan jasa transportasi dan lain-lain. Namun, di balik gemerlapnya lampu-lampu stadion dan riuh-rendahnya sorak-sorai penonton, ada sisi-sisi kelam Piala Dunia khususnya dan Dunia Perspakbolaan pada umumnya, yang tak kasat mata atau minimal tak disadari oleh khalayak pemirsa. Mulai dari kepentingan Zionisme-Yahudi dan hegemoninya di ranah kapitalisme global yang berselindung di balik sponsor, hingga infiltrasi ideologi Kabbalah-satanisme. Ideologi sesat pemuja kesesatan dan materialisme-hedonistis dengan berbagai derivasinya, secara perlahan dan halus merambati jalan fikiran jutaan pemirsa dan menghujani alam bawah sadar kita dengan simbol-simbol paganistis mereka.
Sebagian kaum muslimin, tentunya akan sejenak melupakan Masjidil Aqsha, kiblat pertama umat Islam, yang kini semakin merapuh di ambang kehancuran akibat ulah orang-orang Zionis-Yahudi. Sebagian kaum muslimin juga akan sejenak melupakan berbagai persoalan kronis yang menelikung bangsa ini, mulai dari kasus korupsi, gerakan aliran-aliran sesat yang terus diback-up mati-matian oleh kalangan sekuler-liberal dan lain-lain. Ada sebuah kekuatan besar yang mengarahkan mata, telinga, bahkan hati dan pikiran kita untuk terus mengikuti kemana si kulit bundar itu menggelinding, namun di saat yang sama, kita akan mengabaikan penderitaan kaum muslimin di belahan bumi lainnya atau bahkan di depan pintu rumah kita sendiri.
Sepakbola kini telah menjadi semacam “religion” (Hamid Fahmi Zarkasyi, Agama, www.hidayatullah.com, 11 Agustus 2008), pseudo-agama yang diam-diam menggusur iman kepada Allah dan menggantikannya dengan kesenangan yang adiktif belaka. Kesetiaan para pendukung fanatik tim sepakbola dan kecintaan kepada bintang lapangan yang menjadi idola, telah melahirkan personal disorder hingga tahap melukai diri sendiri ataupun orang lain. Ada sebersit kebahagiaan ketika tim pujaan memenangkan laga pertandingan, dan kecewa mendalam ketika mereka kalah di lapangan. Kebahagiaan dan kekecewaan yang mampu mengendalikan hasrat dan fikiran sang fanatik melebihi pengaruh keyakinan agama terhadap dirinya sendiri. Ini salah satu realita yang tersembunyi di balik warna-warni sepakbola dunia. Maka tidaklah berlebihan jika di sebuah jalan di Manchester, Inggris, sebuah papan iklan besar milik Manchester United menampilkan gambar seorang pemain dengan tulisan di bawahnya, It’s like religion.
Piala Dunia adalah saudara kembar arus globalisasi yang semakin membuat dunia kita menjadi kecil (small village). Dalam globalisasi, individu-individu dengan keunikan latar-belakang masing-masing seakan lebur dalam satu kesatuan yang berskala global. Mereka seakan tercerabut dari keaslian jatidirinya dan memilih untuk menjadi pribadi “yang lain” agar terterima dalam pergaulan dunia yang (katanya) lebih modern, humanis dan egaliter. Namun, tidak pula disadari bahwa internalisasi nilai-nilai “the other” (yang lain) secara intens, lambat laun namun pasti akan melahirkan pribadi-pribadi ambigu yang tak mampu bersikap kritis terhadap perubahan arus politik global maupun tantangan ideologis yang tak pernah henti menggerus pondasi aqidah seorang muslim.
Atas dasar pemikiran inilah, maka sebuah diskusi yang mengkaji event Piala Dunia 2010 menjadi penting, bukan saja untuk melahirkan kritisisme kita dalam menyikapinya, akan tetapi juga membentengi kemurnian aqidah dan ghirah Islamiyah dari infiltrasi ideologi satanis yang menyelusup diam-diam. Wallahu a’lam
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Deep sea currents
In the Qur'an we read:
"Or as darkness on a vast, abysmal sea. There covers it a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layer upon layer of darkness."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Noor(24):40.
Mankind began to build submersibles in the seventeenth century. The first crude craft known to have ventured underwater was built by Cornelis Drebbel, court engineer to James I of England, and was demonstrated on the Thames river in 1620. From then onwards, development of submarines continued until the twentieth century, or 1954 to be exact, when the first nuclear submarine became a reality. With mankind's study of the sea came the realization that the waters lying underneath the surface waves were not the place of tranquil calmness they were previously envisioned to be. Rather, there were underwater currents called deep sea currents which could at times become such violent storms as to rearrange sediments in the ocean bottom. How did Muhammad (pbuh) know about these underwater currents centuries before mankind invented the tools necessary for underwater exploration?
"Say: It was sent down by He who knows the secrets in the heavens and the earth."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Furqaan(25):6.
It is worth mentioning here in connection with the above verse that some scientists have interpreted the "layer upon layer of darkness" to be the gradual separation of the light spectrum within the ocean, one color at a time until complete darkness is finally achieved. In other words, at one depth, the yellow bandwidth is suppressed and "yellow darkness" is achieved. At another depth, the red bandwidth is suppressed and "red darkness" is achieved, and so forth.
There are many other scientific statements made in the Qur'an which were only discovered to be scientifically accurate many centuries after Muhammad's death. Many of them have only been discovered in this century. They range over many fields of science including Anatomy, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geology, Hydrology, and many other disciplines which are only beginning to be addressed by scientists today.
For example, the Qur'an makes reference to the fact that a human's pain receptors are located in the skin (Al-Nissa(4):56). That the frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for lying and sin (Al-Alak(96):16). That mountains have below them roots that extend deep into the earth's surface (Al-Naba(78):7). That mountains pin the earth's crust and prevent it from moving (Al-Nahil(16):15). That there exists a physical barrier between bodies of fresh and salt water (Al-Rahman (55):20). There is also information regarding the formation of milk in cows (Al-Nahi(16):66). And on and on. So where was Muhammad (pbuh) getting all of these scientific facts if not from the Creator of mankind and the universe? Allah Almighty askes:
"Is this sorcery or is it that you do not see?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Tur (52):15.
Prof. Keith Moore is not the only scholar who has been presented with such verses of the Qur'an. Many other scholars from all over the world have been presented with similar statements from the Qur'an in their field of expertise. Only a few of these people are:
1) Dr. E. Marshall Johnson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and the Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. Author of over 200 publications. Former President of the Teratology Society among other accomplishments. After studying the verses of the Qur'an he came to the following conclusion:
"The Qur'an describes not only the development of external form but emphasizes also the internal stages - the stages inside the embryo of its creation and development, emphasizing major events recognized by contemporary science... If I was to transpose myself into that era, knowing what I do today and describing things, I could not describe the things that were described... I see no evidence to refute the concept that this individual Muhammad had to be developing this information from some place... so I see nothing in conflict with the concept that divine intervention was involved..."
2) Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson. Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor Collage of Medicine, Houston, Texas. He is the President of the American Fertility Society, and has served in many other professional, national, and international organizations. He has received numerous awards including Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology Public Recognition Award in 1992. He has published more than 400 chapters and articles in journals and books. He says:
"... these Hadeeths (sayings of Muhammad) could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available at the time of the writer'... It follows that not only is there no conflict between genetics and religion (Islam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches... There exist statements in the Qur'an shown centuries later to be valid which support knowledge in the Qur'an having been derived from God."
3) Dr. T.V.N. Persaud. Professor and Head of the Department of Anatomy, Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, and Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is the author and editor of 25 books, has contributed 31 chapters to publications, and has published over 180 scientific papers. In 1991 he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He says:
"Muhammad was a very ordinary man, he couldn't read, didn't know how to write, in fact he was an illiterate... were talking about 1400 years ago, you have some illiterate person making profound statements that are amazingly accurate, of a scientific nature... I personally can't see how this could be mere chance, there are too many accuracies and like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which lead him to these statements."
4) After a study which lasted ten years, the famous French physician Maurice Bucaille addressed the French Academy of Medicine in 1976 and expressed the complete agreement of the Qur'an and established findings of modern science. He presented his study on the existence in the Qur'an of certain statements concerning physiology and reproduction. His reason for doing that was that
"our knowledge of these disciplines is such, that it is impossible to explain how a text produced at the time of the Qur'an could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times."
5) Dr. Tejatet Tejasen, Head of the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chiang Mai, Thailand. After his study on the Qur'an passages dealing with embryology:
"From my studies and what I have learnt at this conference I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Qur'an 1400 years ago must be true. That can be proved the scientific way."
Others include:
6) Dr. Gerald C. Goeringer. Professor and Coordinator of Medical Embryology in the Department of Cell Biology in the Georgetown University school of Medicine. Washington, D.C. He has published numerous articles dealing mainly with the study of teratogenesis.
7) Dr. Alfred Kroner, Professor of Geology, Germany.
8) Dr. Yoshiodi Kozan, Director of the observatory of Tokyo, Japan.
9) Dr. William Hay, Professor of Oceanography, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.
10) Dr. Pete Palmer, Professor of Geology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.
11) Dr. Sayawida, Professor of Marine Geology, Japan.
12) Dr. Armstrong, Professor of Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
13) Dr. Draga Persaud Rauw, Professor of Marine Geology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
14) Dr. Schroeder, Professor of Oceanography, Germany.
The response of these scholars when presented with verses of the Qur'an in their field of specialization, varied. One thing however was always constant. They all confirmed the accuracy of the scientific statements made in the Qur'an, and they all could not explain how Muhammad (pbuh) could have known with such accuracy the scientific claims to be found in the Qur'an so many centuries before mankind discovered them to be scientific truths.
Allah Almighty tells us in the Qur'an: "Allah did not create (all) that except in truth. He details the signs for people of knowledge." The noble Qur'an, Yunus(10):5
"And those who were given knowledge see that which was sent down upon you by your Lord is the truth and guides to the path of the 'Exalted' (in Might) the 'worthy of all praise'."
The noble Qur'an, Saba(34):6.
"Had We sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the parables We put forth for mankind that they may reflect."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Hashr(59):21
"Verily! this Qur'an guides to that which is most upright, and gives glad tidings to the believers who work deeds of righteousness that theirs will be a great reward"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Isra(17):9
"And We have indeed simplified [the comprehension of] this Qur'an for remembrance, so is there any that will remember [and be admonished]?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Qamar(54):17
To obtain a more in-depth analysis of these matters including video tapes containing interviews with many of these pioneering Western scholars, contact one of the following (ask for the video tape titled "It is the Truth"):
1) Islamic Academy for Scientific Research.
8150 West 111 Street
Palos Hills, IL 60465
U.S.A.
Phone: (708) 974-9151
2) Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
P.O. Box 38
Plainfield, Indiana, 46168
U.S.A.
Phone: (317) 839-8157
3) Academy for the Miracles of Science in the Qur'an and the Sunnah
P.O. Box 5736
Makkah Al-Mukarramah
Saudi Arabia
Phone: (2) 545-1519
Also look for the books:
"The Bible, the Qur'an and Science," by Dr. Maurice Bucaille
"The Qur'an and Modern Science," by Dr. Maurice Bucaille
"An Introduction to Understanding the Qur'an," by Syed Abdul A'ala Maudoodi
"The Sources of the Qur'an: A Critical Review of the Authorship Theories," by Hamza Mustafa Njozi
"Muhammad's Prophethood: An Analytical View," by Dr. Jamal Badawi
"Or as darkness on a vast, abysmal sea. There covers it a wave, above which is a wave, above which is a cloud. Layer upon layer of darkness."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Noor(24):40.
Mankind began to build submersibles in the seventeenth century. The first crude craft known to have ventured underwater was built by Cornelis Drebbel, court engineer to James I of England, and was demonstrated on the Thames river in 1620. From then onwards, development of submarines continued until the twentieth century, or 1954 to be exact, when the first nuclear submarine became a reality. With mankind's study of the sea came the realization that the waters lying underneath the surface waves were not the place of tranquil calmness they were previously envisioned to be. Rather, there were underwater currents called deep sea currents which could at times become such violent storms as to rearrange sediments in the ocean bottom. How did Muhammad (pbuh) know about these underwater currents centuries before mankind invented the tools necessary for underwater exploration?
"Say: It was sent down by He who knows the secrets in the heavens and the earth."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Furqaan(25):6.
It is worth mentioning here in connection with the above verse that some scientists have interpreted the "layer upon layer of darkness" to be the gradual separation of the light spectrum within the ocean, one color at a time until complete darkness is finally achieved. In other words, at one depth, the yellow bandwidth is suppressed and "yellow darkness" is achieved. At another depth, the red bandwidth is suppressed and "red darkness" is achieved, and so forth.
There are many other scientific statements made in the Qur'an which were only discovered to be scientifically accurate many centuries after Muhammad's death. Many of them have only been discovered in this century. They range over many fields of science including Anatomy, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geology, Hydrology, and many other disciplines which are only beginning to be addressed by scientists today.
For example, the Qur'an makes reference to the fact that a human's pain receptors are located in the skin (Al-Nissa(4):56). That the frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for lying and sin (Al-Alak(96):16). That mountains have below them roots that extend deep into the earth's surface (Al-Naba(78):7). That mountains pin the earth's crust and prevent it from moving (Al-Nahil(16):15). That there exists a physical barrier between bodies of fresh and salt water (Al-Rahman (55):20). There is also information regarding the formation of milk in cows (Al-Nahi(16):66). And on and on. So where was Muhammad (pbuh) getting all of these scientific facts if not from the Creator of mankind and the universe? Allah Almighty askes:
"Is this sorcery or is it that you do not see?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Tur (52):15.
Prof. Keith Moore is not the only scholar who has been presented with such verses of the Qur'an. Many other scholars from all over the world have been presented with similar statements from the Qur'an in their field of expertise. Only a few of these people are:
1) Dr. E. Marshall Johnson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and the Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA. Author of over 200 publications. Former President of the Teratology Society among other accomplishments. After studying the verses of the Qur'an he came to the following conclusion:
"The Qur'an describes not only the development of external form but emphasizes also the internal stages - the stages inside the embryo of its creation and development, emphasizing major events recognized by contemporary science... If I was to transpose myself into that era, knowing what I do today and describing things, I could not describe the things that were described... I see no evidence to refute the concept that this individual Muhammad had to be developing this information from some place... so I see nothing in conflict with the concept that divine intervention was involved..."
2) Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson. Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baylor Collage of Medicine, Houston, Texas. He is the President of the American Fertility Society, and has served in many other professional, national, and international organizations. He has received numerous awards including Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology Public Recognition Award in 1992. He has published more than 400 chapters and articles in journals and books. He says:
"... these Hadeeths (sayings of Muhammad) could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available at the time of the writer'... It follows that not only is there no conflict between genetics and religion (Islam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches... There exist statements in the Qur'an shown centuries later to be valid which support knowledge in the Qur'an having been derived from God."
3) Dr. T.V.N. Persaud. Professor and Head of the Department of Anatomy, Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, and Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is the author and editor of 25 books, has contributed 31 chapters to publications, and has published over 180 scientific papers. In 1991 he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He says:
"Muhammad was a very ordinary man, he couldn't read, didn't know how to write, in fact he was an illiterate... were talking about 1400 years ago, you have some illiterate person making profound statements that are amazingly accurate, of a scientific nature... I personally can't see how this could be mere chance, there are too many accuracies and like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which lead him to these statements."
4) After a study which lasted ten years, the famous French physician Maurice Bucaille addressed the French Academy of Medicine in 1976 and expressed the complete agreement of the Qur'an and established findings of modern science. He presented his study on the existence in the Qur'an of certain statements concerning physiology and reproduction. His reason for doing that was that
"our knowledge of these disciplines is such, that it is impossible to explain how a text produced at the time of the Qur'an could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times."
5) Dr. Tejatet Tejasen, Head of the Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chiang Mai, Thailand. After his study on the Qur'an passages dealing with embryology:
"From my studies and what I have learnt at this conference I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Qur'an 1400 years ago must be true. That can be proved the scientific way."
Others include:
6) Dr. Gerald C. Goeringer. Professor and Coordinator of Medical Embryology in the Department of Cell Biology in the Georgetown University school of Medicine. Washington, D.C. He has published numerous articles dealing mainly with the study of teratogenesis.
7) Dr. Alfred Kroner, Professor of Geology, Germany.
8) Dr. Yoshiodi Kozan, Director of the observatory of Tokyo, Japan.
9) Dr. William Hay, Professor of Oceanography, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.
10) Dr. Pete Palmer, Professor of Geology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado.
11) Dr. Sayawida, Professor of Marine Geology, Japan.
12) Dr. Armstrong, Professor of Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
13) Dr. Draga Persaud Rauw, Professor of Marine Geology, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
14) Dr. Schroeder, Professor of Oceanography, Germany.
The response of these scholars when presented with verses of the Qur'an in their field of specialization, varied. One thing however was always constant. They all confirmed the accuracy of the scientific statements made in the Qur'an, and they all could not explain how Muhammad (pbuh) could have known with such accuracy the scientific claims to be found in the Qur'an so many centuries before mankind discovered them to be scientific truths.
Allah Almighty tells us in the Qur'an: "Allah did not create (all) that except in truth. He details the signs for people of knowledge." The noble Qur'an, Yunus(10):5
"And those who were given knowledge see that which was sent down upon you by your Lord is the truth and guides to the path of the 'Exalted' (in Might) the 'worthy of all praise'."
The noble Qur'an, Saba(34):6.
"Had We sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder for fear of Allah. Such are the parables We put forth for mankind that they may reflect."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Hashr(59):21
"Verily! this Qur'an guides to that which is most upright, and gives glad tidings to the believers who work deeds of righteousness that theirs will be a great reward"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Isra(17):9
"And We have indeed simplified [the comprehension of] this Qur'an for remembrance, so is there any that will remember [and be admonished]?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Qamar(54):17
To obtain a more in-depth analysis of these matters including video tapes containing interviews with many of these pioneering Western scholars, contact one of the following (ask for the video tape titled "It is the Truth"):
1) Islamic Academy for Scientific Research.
8150 West 111 Street
Palos Hills, IL 60465
U.S.A.
Phone: (708) 974-9151
2) Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)
P.O. Box 38
Plainfield, Indiana, 46168
U.S.A.
Phone: (317) 839-8157
3) Academy for the Miracles of Science in the Qur'an and the Sunnah
P.O. Box 5736
Makkah Al-Mukarramah
Saudi Arabia
Phone: (2) 545-1519
Also look for the books:
"The Bible, the Qur'an and Science," by Dr. Maurice Bucaille
"The Qur'an and Modern Science," by Dr. Maurice Bucaille
"An Introduction to Understanding the Qur'an," by Syed Abdul A'ala Maudoodi
"The Sources of the Qur'an: A Critical Review of the Authorship Theories," by Hamza Mustafa Njozi
"Muhammad's Prophethood: An Analytical View," by Dr. Jamal Badawi
Water and Life
In the Qur'an we read:
"Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together then we split them asunder, and we created from water every living thing, do they not believe?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Anbia(21):30.
"And Allah has created every trodding creature from water......"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Noor(24):45.
"It is He who created from water a human...."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Furqan(25):54.
Water is the most common substance on Earth, covering more than 70% of the planet's surface. All living things consist mostly of water; for example, the human body is about two-thirds water (when you cremate a human what happens to him? Why?). Scientist tell us that all forms of life known to humanity today require three basic conditions: Temperature, the existence of water, and the existence of an atmosphere.
All metabolisms require water to survive, so animals that exist in arid regions have body mechanisms that protect against water loss and make maximum use of water (camels for example). Dehydration in humans results from lack of food, drink, and from sweating, in addition to other factors. This loss eventually affects the proper functioning of the heart, central nervous system, and organs containing smooth muscle. Finally, intercellular water is lost, which upsets vital chemical processes in the cells. If water is not restored to the body, death will usually occur within a few days.
The blood of all living creatures is composed of 55 percent plasma, which in turn is composed of more than 90 percent water. Jan Baptista van Helmont, the first experimental physiologist, around 1640 AD concluded that water is the only soil component required for plant growth. We could go on and on. Again we find ourselves asking the question: How did Muhammad (pbuh) know that all living creatures are created from water centuries before mankind discovered this fact through scientific experimentation? Did he randomly select an element from the countless billions of possible choices? Why did he not claim that mankind was created from air, or from wood, or from light? Why water?
"Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together then we split them asunder, and we created from water every living thing, do they not believe?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Anbia(21):30.
"And Allah has created every trodding creature from water......"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Noor(24):45.
"It is He who created from water a human...."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Furqan(25):54.
Water is the most common substance on Earth, covering more than 70% of the planet's surface. All living things consist mostly of water; for example, the human body is about two-thirds water (when you cremate a human what happens to him? Why?). Scientist tell us that all forms of life known to humanity today require three basic conditions: Temperature, the existence of water, and the existence of an atmosphere.
All metabolisms require water to survive, so animals that exist in arid regions have body mechanisms that protect against water loss and make maximum use of water (camels for example). Dehydration in humans results from lack of food, drink, and from sweating, in addition to other factors. This loss eventually affects the proper functioning of the heart, central nervous system, and organs containing smooth muscle. Finally, intercellular water is lost, which upsets vital chemical processes in the cells. If water is not restored to the body, death will usually occur within a few days.
The blood of all living creatures is composed of 55 percent plasma, which in turn is composed of more than 90 percent water. Jan Baptista van Helmont, the first experimental physiologist, around 1640 AD concluded that water is the only soil component required for plant growth. We could go on and on. Again we find ourselves asking the question: How did Muhammad (pbuh) know that all living creatures are created from water centuries before mankind discovered this fact through scientific experimentation? Did he randomly select an element from the countless billions of possible choices? Why did he not claim that mankind was created from air, or from wood, or from light? Why water?
The Universe
Another example of such scientifically accurate statements in the Qur'an can be found in the following analysis:
"And the firmament(sky) We constructed with power and skill and verily We are expanding it"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Thariyaat(51):47.
(Remember: "we" is the Arabic plural of respect, not the Christian plural of "Trinity," as seen in chapter 14).
"Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were fused then We ripped them asunder, and We created from water every living thing, do they not believe?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Anbia(21):30.
"Then He settled/equilibrated unto the firmament(sky) when it was smoke and said unto it and to the earth: come willingly or unwillingly. They said: we come willingly"
The noble Qur'an, Fussilat(41):11.
Allah Almighty has in these three concise verses answered questions that it has taken some of the greatest physicists and astronomers of history centuries to answer. It was only in this century that they finally found the truth.
Mankind has studied the heavens and the earth for countless centuries. The Greeks were some of the first people to attempt to describe various cosmological phenomena. They gave us many of the very first theories regarding the universe and it's composition. The major contribution came with the writings of Plato. Plato claimed that the universe was created by what he called "The Demiurge." According to Plato, the universe was the result of reasoning and planning, it was constructed by the Demiurge upon precise mathematical and geometrical principles. Later on, Aristotle, Plato's student, adopted his teacher's basic concept. Aristotelian cosmology was based on the concept of an enclosed cosmos comprising a series of concentric, spheres revolving around a stationary Earth. Motion was provided by the "prime mover" and, once initiated, would remain circular, uniform and eternal.
Both Plato and Aristotle taught that the universe was eternal, with neither beginning nor end. The universe as a whole was considered steady and unmoving, and this was the basis for the later formation of the "steady state theory." In 1915, Albert Einstein had published the famous general theory of relativity. Soon afterward he proposed a static model of the universe, but he would later declare that it was "one of the greatest mistakes of my career." Why?, Because in 1925, Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Space telescope is named) provided the observational evidence for the expansion of the universe, or as Stephen Hawking put it "The universe is not static, as had previously been thought, it was expanding."
Although mankind did not discover these facts till this 20th Century, still, we find that Allah Almighty had provided the answers for mankind 1400 years ago in the Qur'an through the agency of His illiterate Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). During Muhammad's (pbuh) time, the Greeks were claiming that the cosmos was static and not expanding. So how did he know that the universe was expanding 1300 years before the foremost scientist of the West proved this to be a scientific fact?
However, this is not the only claim that the Qur'an makes with regard to the universe. Let us study the next two verses:
At the present time, the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe is the cosmological model most widely accepted by astronomers. It holds that about 20,000,000,000 years ago the universe began with the explosive expansion of a single, extremely condensed state of matter ("the heavens and the earth were fused then we ripped them asunder"). As mentioned above, a further development of this model, known as "inflationary theory," describes the original condensed matter as arising from virtually empty space. It was only after the development of radio telescopes in 1937 AD that the necessary observational precision was achieved in order for astronomers to arrive at the above conclusion. Out of the observations of such scientists has arisen the so called "Hubble Constant" (Ho) which is quantity currently used to gauge the rate at which the universe is expanding. In other words, the issue is no longer whether the universe is expanding or not, rather, it is only a question of how fast it is expanding.
The second and third verses presented appear to claim that the heavens and the earth were once a single mass then were "ripped asunder," The exact root words used in the Qur'an are the words "ra-ta-qa" and "fa-ta-qa," or "the heavens and the earth were 'ra-ta-qa' then we 'fa-ta-qa' them"
"Ra-ta-qa" is an Arabic word which has the general meaning of "to fuse, to sew, to mend, to patch up, to repair." ("Lisan Al-Arab," by Ibn Mandoor, Vol. 10, Dar Al-Fikr, p. 114, and also "A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic," Hans Wehr, Librairie du Liban, p. 325)
Similarly, "fa-ta-qa" has the general meaning of "To rip, to undo sewing, to unstitch, to tear apart, to rend, to rip open." ("Lisan Al-Arab," by Ibn Mandoor, Vol. 10, Dar Al-Fikr, p. 296, and also "A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic," Hans Wehr, Librairie du Liban, p. 695)
The verse then goes on to say that Allah Almighty created the heavens and the earth from a celestial "smoke." Astronomers today have pictures of galaxies being formed by exactly this process, i.e. the condensation of spiraling celestial "mists." Isn't it an incredible coincidence that an illiterate man from the desert, without the aid of observatories or satellite imaging was making these claims over 1400 years ago?. Was he just guessing?
Further, the cosmic phenomenon depicted in the following two figures is commonly referred to by astronomists as a cosmic "mist." However, if we were to read the second verse of the Qur'an presented above we will find that the Qur'an more accurately refers to it as a "smoke." This is because "mist" implies a cool and tranquil spray of water. However, "smoke" implies a hot gas containing airborne particles. This is indeed another example of the literary miracle of the Qur'an in that it manages to convey to us in a very concise language a very accurate and detailed description of the topic at hand.
"And those who have been given knowledge know that that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth"
The noble Qur'an, Saba(34):6
"Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care) or are there locks upon their hearts?"
The noble Qur'an, Muhammad(47):24
"And the firmament(sky) We constructed with power and skill and verily We are expanding it"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Thariyaat(51):47.
(Remember: "we" is the Arabic plural of respect, not the Christian plural of "Trinity," as seen in chapter 14).
"Do not the disbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were fused then We ripped them asunder, and We created from water every living thing, do they not believe?"
The noble Qur'an, Al-Anbia(21):30.
"Then He settled/equilibrated unto the firmament(sky) when it was smoke and said unto it and to the earth: come willingly or unwillingly. They said: we come willingly"
The noble Qur'an, Fussilat(41):11.
Allah Almighty has in these three concise verses answered questions that it has taken some of the greatest physicists and astronomers of history centuries to answer. It was only in this century that they finally found the truth.
Mankind has studied the heavens and the earth for countless centuries. The Greeks were some of the first people to attempt to describe various cosmological phenomena. They gave us many of the very first theories regarding the universe and it's composition. The major contribution came with the writings of Plato. Plato claimed that the universe was created by what he called "The Demiurge." According to Plato, the universe was the result of reasoning and planning, it was constructed by the Demiurge upon precise mathematical and geometrical principles. Later on, Aristotle, Plato's student, adopted his teacher's basic concept. Aristotelian cosmology was based on the concept of an enclosed cosmos comprising a series of concentric, spheres revolving around a stationary Earth. Motion was provided by the "prime mover" and, once initiated, would remain circular, uniform and eternal.
Both Plato and Aristotle taught that the universe was eternal, with neither beginning nor end. The universe as a whole was considered steady and unmoving, and this was the basis for the later formation of the "steady state theory." In 1915, Albert Einstein had published the famous general theory of relativity. Soon afterward he proposed a static model of the universe, but he would later declare that it was "one of the greatest mistakes of my career." Why?, Because in 1925, Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Space telescope is named) provided the observational evidence for the expansion of the universe, or as Stephen Hawking put it "The universe is not static, as had previously been thought, it was expanding."
Although mankind did not discover these facts till this 20th Century, still, we find that Allah Almighty had provided the answers for mankind 1400 years ago in the Qur'an through the agency of His illiterate Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). During Muhammad's (pbuh) time, the Greeks were claiming that the cosmos was static and not expanding. So how did he know that the universe was expanding 1300 years before the foremost scientist of the West proved this to be a scientific fact?
However, this is not the only claim that the Qur'an makes with regard to the universe. Let us study the next two verses:
At the present time, the Big Bang theory of the origin of the universe is the cosmological model most widely accepted by astronomers. It holds that about 20,000,000,000 years ago the universe began with the explosive expansion of a single, extremely condensed state of matter ("the heavens and the earth were fused then we ripped them asunder"). As mentioned above, a further development of this model, known as "inflationary theory," describes the original condensed matter as arising from virtually empty space. It was only after the development of radio telescopes in 1937 AD that the necessary observational precision was achieved in order for astronomers to arrive at the above conclusion. Out of the observations of such scientists has arisen the so called "Hubble Constant" (Ho) which is quantity currently used to gauge the rate at which the universe is expanding. In other words, the issue is no longer whether the universe is expanding or not, rather, it is only a question of how fast it is expanding.
The second and third verses presented appear to claim that the heavens and the earth were once a single mass then were "ripped asunder," The exact root words used in the Qur'an are the words "ra-ta-qa" and "fa-ta-qa," or "the heavens and the earth were 'ra-ta-qa' then we 'fa-ta-qa' them"
"Ra-ta-qa" is an Arabic word which has the general meaning of "to fuse, to sew, to mend, to patch up, to repair." ("Lisan Al-Arab," by Ibn Mandoor, Vol. 10, Dar Al-Fikr, p. 114, and also "A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic," Hans Wehr, Librairie du Liban, p. 325)
Similarly, "fa-ta-qa" has the general meaning of "To rip, to undo sewing, to unstitch, to tear apart, to rend, to rip open." ("Lisan Al-Arab," by Ibn Mandoor, Vol. 10, Dar Al-Fikr, p. 296, and also "A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic," Hans Wehr, Librairie du Liban, p. 695)
The verse then goes on to say that Allah Almighty created the heavens and the earth from a celestial "smoke." Astronomers today have pictures of galaxies being formed by exactly this process, i.e. the condensation of spiraling celestial "mists." Isn't it an incredible coincidence that an illiterate man from the desert, without the aid of observatories or satellite imaging was making these claims over 1400 years ago?. Was he just guessing?
Further, the cosmic phenomenon depicted in the following two figures is commonly referred to by astronomists as a cosmic "mist." However, if we were to read the second verse of the Qur'an presented above we will find that the Qur'an more accurately refers to it as a "smoke." This is because "mist" implies a cool and tranquil spray of water. However, "smoke" implies a hot gas containing airborne particles. This is indeed another example of the literary miracle of the Qur'an in that it manages to convey to us in a very concise language a very accurate and detailed description of the topic at hand.
"And those who have been given knowledge know that that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth"
The noble Qur'an, Saba(34):6
"Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care) or are there locks upon their hearts?"
The noble Qur'an, Muhammad(47):24
Embryology
Dr. Keith L. Moore is a Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. He is a world renowned scientist and a distinguished researcher in the fields of anatomy and embryology, he has published more than 150 research articles, chapters and books in this field. He is the author of several medical textbooks, such as the widely used and acclaimed "The Developing Human: Clinically oriented Embryology" (now in it's fifth edition, and translated into eight different languages), "Before We Are Born" and "Clinically Oriented Anatomy." He has also recently co-authored "Qur'an and Modern Science, Correlation Studies." Dr. Moore is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including, in 1984, the J.C.B. Grant Award, which is the highest honor granted by the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He has served in many academic and administrative positions, including the President of the Canadian Association of Anatomists, 1968-1970. Let us see what Dr. Moore's opinion is on the scientific statements regarding embryology to be found in the Qur'an:
Dr. Moore was contacted by a Muslim scholar by the name of Abdul-Majeed Azzindani. He was asked to participate in a three-year study of around twenty-five verses of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (sayings of Muhammad, pbuh) which speak about embryology, and to determine the their correspondence to modern scientific discoveries. Dr. Moore's conclusion regarding this matter was:
"For the past three years, I have worked with the Embryology Committee of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, helping them to interpret the many statements in the Qur'an and the Sunnah referring to human reproduction and prenatal development. At first I was astonished by the accuracy of the statements that were recorded in the seventh century AD, before the science of embryology was established. Although I was aware of the glorious history of Muslim scientists in the 10th century AD, and of some of their contributions to Medicine, I new nothing about the religious facts and beliefs contained in the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is important for Islamic and other students to understand the meaning of these Qur'anic statements about human development, based on current scientific knowledge. The interpretations of the "verses" in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, translated by Shaikh Azzindani, are to the best of my knowledge accurate."
From the forward of "The Developing Human: Clinically oriented Embryology," third edition, by Dr. Keith L. Moore.
The Qur'an and the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) provide a very detailed description of the microscopic development of the human embryo from a mere sperm drop up to the stage of a completely formed human being. It is well known that microscopes were not developed until the sixteenth century AD, and even at that were very crude in design. Zacharias Janssen is credited with having invented the compound microscope in about 1590. With it, remarkable scientific discoveries were made in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Dutch naturalist Anthony van Leeuwenhoek produced lenses powerful enough to prove that many tiny creatures are not spontaneously generated but come from eggs.
Before this period, theories on human reproduction ran rampant. Some scientist believed that the menstrual blood itself developed into the fetus. Later on, a new theory was developed wherein the sperm drop was popularly believed to contain a completely developed miniature human (homunculus) which later grew to the size of a baby. The science of embryology as we know it today did not discover many of the detailed aspects of human development which are taken for granted today until only about twenty years ago, or 1973 to be precise.
Now we must ask the question: where did Muhammad (pbuh) get such detailed knowledge of the microscopic development of the human embryo in the 6th century AD without a microscope, technical training, a laboratory of any kind, or even the ability to write his own name? The only logical conclusion is that it came from exactly where he claimed it did. From the one who created mankind, God Almighty!
Prof. Moore has since given numerous lectures on the topic of embryology in the Qur'an. He is quoted in one of these lectures as saying:
"It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God, or Allah."
Prof. Moore was so impressed with the Qur'anic classification of the stages of development of the human embryo, that he suggested the adoption of the Qur'anic system in place of the system currently in use by scientists today. Prof. Moore said:
"Because the staging of the human embryo is complex owing to the continuous process of change during development. It is therefore suggested that a new system of classification could be developed using the terms mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and conforms with present embryological knowledge."
When Dr. Moore first presented his findings in Toronto it caused quite a stir throughout Canada. It was on the front pages of some of the newspapers across Canada. One newspaper reporter asked Professor Moore,
"Don't you think That maybe the Arabs might have known about these things - the description of the embryo, its appearance and how it changes and grows? Maybe there were not scientists, but maybe they did some crude dissections on their own - carved up people and examined these things."
Professor Morre immediately pointed out to him, however, that he had missed a very important point. All of the slides of the embryo that Dr. Moore had based his study upon had come from pictures taken through a microscope. He said,
"It does not matter if someone had tried to discover embryology fourteen centuries ago, they could not have seen it!." Dr. Moore taunted, "Maybe fourteen centuries ago someone secretly had a microscope and did this research, making no mistakes anywhere. Then he somehow taught Muhammad and convinced him to put this information in his book. Then he destroyed his equipment and kept it a secret forever?. Do you believe that? You really should not unless you bring some proof because it is such a ridiculous theory."
When he was asked "How do you explain this information in the Qur'an?" Dr. Moore's reply was, "It could only have been divinely revealed."
Dr. Moore was contacted by a Muslim scholar by the name of Abdul-Majeed Azzindani. He was asked to participate in a three-year study of around twenty-five verses of the Qur'an and the Sunnah (sayings of Muhammad, pbuh) which speak about embryology, and to determine the their correspondence to modern scientific discoveries. Dr. Moore's conclusion regarding this matter was:
"For the past three years, I have worked with the Embryology Committee of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, helping them to interpret the many statements in the Qur'an and the Sunnah referring to human reproduction and prenatal development. At first I was astonished by the accuracy of the statements that were recorded in the seventh century AD, before the science of embryology was established. Although I was aware of the glorious history of Muslim scientists in the 10th century AD, and of some of their contributions to Medicine, I new nothing about the religious facts and beliefs contained in the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is important for Islamic and other students to understand the meaning of these Qur'anic statements about human development, based on current scientific knowledge. The interpretations of the "verses" in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, translated by Shaikh Azzindani, are to the best of my knowledge accurate."
From the forward of "The Developing Human: Clinically oriented Embryology," third edition, by Dr. Keith L. Moore.
The Qur'an and the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) provide a very detailed description of the microscopic development of the human embryo from a mere sperm drop up to the stage of a completely formed human being. It is well known that microscopes were not developed until the sixteenth century AD, and even at that were very crude in design. Zacharias Janssen is credited with having invented the compound microscope in about 1590. With it, remarkable scientific discoveries were made in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Dutch naturalist Anthony van Leeuwenhoek produced lenses powerful enough to prove that many tiny creatures are not spontaneously generated but come from eggs.
Before this period, theories on human reproduction ran rampant. Some scientist believed that the menstrual blood itself developed into the fetus. Later on, a new theory was developed wherein the sperm drop was popularly believed to contain a completely developed miniature human (homunculus) which later grew to the size of a baby. The science of embryology as we know it today did not discover many of the detailed aspects of human development which are taken for granted today until only about twenty years ago, or 1973 to be precise.
Now we must ask the question: where did Muhammad (pbuh) get such detailed knowledge of the microscopic development of the human embryo in the 6th century AD without a microscope, technical training, a laboratory of any kind, or even the ability to write his own name? The only logical conclusion is that it came from exactly where he claimed it did. From the one who created mankind, God Almighty!
Prof. Moore has since given numerous lectures on the topic of embryology in the Qur'an. He is quoted in one of these lectures as saying:
"It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, or Allah, because most of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God, or Allah."
Prof. Moore was so impressed with the Qur'anic classification of the stages of development of the human embryo, that he suggested the adoption of the Qur'anic system in place of the system currently in use by scientists today. Prof. Moore said:
"Because the staging of the human embryo is complex owing to the continuous process of change during development. It is therefore suggested that a new system of classification could be developed using the terms mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and conforms with present embryological knowledge."
When Dr. Moore first presented his findings in Toronto it caused quite a stir throughout Canada. It was on the front pages of some of the newspapers across Canada. One newspaper reporter asked Professor Moore,
"Don't you think That maybe the Arabs might have known about these things - the description of the embryo, its appearance and how it changes and grows? Maybe there were not scientists, but maybe they did some crude dissections on their own - carved up people and examined these things."
Professor Morre immediately pointed out to him, however, that he had missed a very important point. All of the slides of the embryo that Dr. Moore had based his study upon had come from pictures taken through a microscope. He said,
"It does not matter if someone had tried to discover embryology fourteen centuries ago, they could not have seen it!." Dr. Moore taunted, "Maybe fourteen centuries ago someone secretly had a microscope and did this research, making no mistakes anywhere. Then he somehow taught Muhammad and convinced him to put this information in his book. Then he destroyed his equipment and kept it a secret forever?. Do you believe that? You really should not unless you bring some proof because it is such a ridiculous theory."
When he was asked "How do you explain this information in the Qur'an?" Dr. Moore's reply was, "It could only have been divinely revealed."
The miracle and challenge of the Qur'an
"We shall show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it will become clear to them that it is the Truth. Does it not suffice that your Lord is Witness over all things?"
The noble Qur'an, Fussilat(41):53.
Muslims are taught that throughout the ages, Allah Almighty has sent a prophet to every nation as a warner and a bearer of glad tidings.
"Verily! We have sent you (O Muhammad) with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner has passed among them,"
The noble Qur'an, Fatir(35):24.
Each prophet was wisely selected by Allah in order to be the best person for the job. He was then provided by Allah with miracles as proof of his truthfulness and his message. These miracles were wisely selected by Allah in order to be in the same field as that which these people excelled in so that they could fully comprehend the magnitude of these miracles.
For instance, the people during the time of Moses excelled at magical trickery. Their rulers used to surround themselves with the most powerful of these wizards as a sign of power. This is why Allah made the miracles of Moses (pbuh) similar to their magical trickery (changing a stick into a snake, parting of the sea... etc.) but of a much greater magnitude than anything they could ever hope to accomplish. For they were not tricks, but actual physical miracles.
The people at the time of the prophet Jesus (pbuh) excelled in matters of medicine. For this reason, his miracles were of a medical nature (raising of the dead, healing of the blind...etc.), but of a degree that they could never hope to imitate. Similarly, one of the major miracles of Islam was a new and unheard-of type of literature similar to the Bedouin's poetry but far beyond anything they could ever hope to match. Although they did indeed try. This new literature was called "The Qur'an."
The Arabic language, as can be attested to by any of it's scholars, is a very rich and powerful language. The Bedouin people of the Arabian desert were, in general, illiterate people of very little scientific knowledge. The thing that set them apart, however, was their mastery of poetry. Spending their days as they did in the desert watching their sheep graze got quite boring. They alleviated their boredom by continually composing and refining poetry. They would spend entire years composing and refining their poetry in anticipation of a yearly face-down of the poetic compositions of their peers from all over the country. The fact that they were illiterate forced them to also train themselves in the memorization of works of literature to such an extent that they were able to memorize complete works from a single recitation. Even in matters of leadership, one of the major criteria for selecting the leaders of the various Bedouin tribes was the individual's prowess in literary composition and memorization.
The Arabian Bedouins took great pains to make their poetry as compact and picturesque as humanly possible, constantly expanding the language along the way. A single word could convey complete pictures. The Qur'an, however, has put even these great efforts to shame. You will notice that when a Muslim translates a verse of the Qur'an he usually does not say "the Qur'an says so and so" but rather "An approximation of the meaning of what the Qur'an says is so and so." You really need to know the language to comprehend this.
In the English language, we find that the words: "mustang," "colt," "mare," "pony," "stallion," "bronco"... etc. all refer to the same thing; a horse. Each one of these words conveys a slightly different mental picture. The mental picture we get when we hear the word "colt" is slightly different than the picture we get if we hear the word "mare." In a similar manner, the Arabic language progressed in such a fashion as to make it possible to convey such mental pictures in as concise and picturesque a format as possible. It is not at all uncommon to find over three hundred words that refer to the same thing in the Arabic language. Each one of these words gives a slightly different picture than the others.
Many centuries of this constant refinement eventually lead to a very complex and rich vocabulary, and the primary miracle of Muhammad (pbuh), the Qur'an, was in exactly this field
In the noble Qur'an we find a challenge from Allah to compose a literary work on a par with this Qur'an it is indeed the work of mankind. They could not. The Qur'an continued to reduce it's challenge until the challenge finally became: "compose only a single verse comparable to this Qur'an and you will have won." They still could not. This in addition to the fairness, justice, and logic of the Qur'an eventually won them over and slowly more and more people became Muslims.
[Webmasters note: there are some inaccuracies in the preceding paragraph. The least challenge posed in the quran is "a single surah" (10:38 & 2:23) as well as "whole Quran" (17:88) and "ten verses" (11:13).]
"Well then, if the Koran were his own [Muhammad's] composition other men could rival it. Let them produce ten verses like it. If they could not (and it is obvious that they could not), then let them accept the Koran as an outstanding evidential miracle"
Mohammedanism, H. A. R. Gibb, Oxford University Press, p. 42
"From the literary point of view, the Koran is regarded as a specimen of purest Arabic, written in half poetry, half prose. It has been said that in some cases grammarians have adopted their rules to agree with certain expressions used in it, and though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as far as elegant writing is concerned, none yet has succeeded"
Glimpses of the Noble Qur'an, Muhammad Azizullah, Crescent Publications, pp. 104-105
"In making the present attempt to improve on the performance of my predecessors, and to produce something which might be accepted as echoing however faintly the sublime rhetoric of the Arabic Koran, I have been at pains to study the intricate and richly varied rhythms which - apart from the message itself - constitute the Koran's undeniable claim to rank amongst the greatest literary masterpieces of mankind... This very characteristic feature - 'that inimitable symphony,' as the believing Pickthall described his Holy Book, 'the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy' - has been almost totally ignored by previous translators; it is therefore not surprising that what they have wrought sounds dull and flat indeed in comparison with the splendidly decorated original."
The Koran Interpreted, Arthur J. Arberry, Oxford University Press, 1964, p. x.
"The Koran admittedly occupies an important position among the great religious books of the world. Though the youngest of the epoch-making works belonging to this class of literature, it yields to hardly any in the wonderful effect which it has produced on large masses of men. It has created an all but new phase of human thought and a fresh type of character. It first transformed a number of heterogeneous desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula into a nation of heroes, and then proceeded to create the vast politico-religious organizations of the Muhammadan world which are one of the great forces with which Europe and the East have to reckon today."
G. Margoliouth, Introduction to J.M. Rodwell's, The Koran, New York: Everyman's Library, 1977, p. vii.
"A work, then, which calls forth so powerful and seemingly incompatible emotions even in the distant reader - distant as to time, and still more so as a mental development - a work which not only conquers the repugnance which he may begin its perusal, but changes this adverse feeling into astonishment and admiration, such a work must be a wonderful production of the human mind indeed and a problem of the highest interest to every thoughtful observer of the destinies of mankind … Here, therefore, its merits as a literary production should perhaps not be measured by some preconceived maxims of subjective and aesthetic taste, but by the effects which it produced in Muhammad's contemporaries and fellow countrymen. If it spoke so powerfully and convincingly to the hearts of his hearers as to weld hitherto centrifugal and antagonistic elements into one compact and well-organized body, animated by ideas far beyond those which had until now ruled the Arabian mind, then its eloquence was perfect, simply because it created a civilized nation out of savage tribes, and shot a fresh woof into the old warp of history."
Dr. Steingass, quoted in T.P. Hughes' Dictionary Of Islam, p. 526-528.
Many claims have been made against Muhammad in that day and this. Among them are the claims that he was a lunatic, a liar, or deceived by the devil. If Muhammad was a lunatic or a liar then we have to wonder how all of his prophesies came true?. Further, if he was a deceived by Satan then we are faced with another problem. For we know that all Muslims are taught that when reading the Qur'an they must first begin with the words "I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the stoned* one." and then follow this up with the words "In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful" So we have to wonder if Satan would "inspire" a man to teach mankind to seek refuge in God from Satan? Indeed this is the exact same accusation which was made against Jesus (pbuh). Let us read how Jesus responded to this claim:
"But some of them (the Jews) said, He (Jesus) casteth out devils through Beelzebub (Satan) the chief of the devils. And others, tempting [him], sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house [divided] against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub."
Luke 11:15-18
It has been the case throughout the ages that with all previous prophets, their miracle was separate from their book. Although we may claim that we have the "Torah" of Moses, still, it is not possible now to bring Moses' (pbuh) staff and see it perform miracles as it did in his time. Similarly it is not possible today to see Jesus (pbuh) raise the dead as he did so many centuries ago. However, since the message of Islam was the final message of God to mankind, therefore, the book of Islam itself was made the main miracle of Islam and it has continued to renew it's challenge to mankind throughout the ages.
What does this mean? Nowadays, the number of people who can appreciate the literary content of the Qur'an has dwindled and this challenge no longer has the same impact it did fourteen hundred years ago. However, as we have seen in the verse quoted at the beginning of this chapter, Allah Almighty has promised to continually renew the challenge of the Qur'an throughout the ages. So how will it be renewed?
Recently, a new field of study has opened up to scholars. People nowadays are fascinated with science. This is the age of technology and scientific discovery. For this reason, mankind has begun to study the religious scriptures of mankind from a scientific point of view in order to challenge the scientific claims made in these scriptures. Many works have been published on this topic. In this chapter I will give a brief taste of these matters and then leave it up to the interested reader to learn more from any one of the many books which have been published in this regard (see list at back of this book).
As mentioned previously, Muhammad (pbuh) lived among tribes of people who were for the most part illiterate. He himself was also illiterate. These people used to live extremely simple lives. Some were traders and businessmen, others were farmers, and yet others were nomadic sheepherders who traveled from place to place depending on where they could find grass for their sheep to graze. When Muhammad (pbuh) brought them the Qur'an, the believers found in the Qur'an the command to go out, seek knowledge, and confirm the presence of their Creator by studying His creation. Muslims began to fulfill this command of the Qur'an and this resulted in one of the greatest explosions of scientific advancement mankind has ever seen. All of this was going on during a period that the West calls "The Dark Ages," wherein the scientists of the West were being persecuted and killed as sorcerers and wizards. During this period, Muslims scholars introduced into the world such things as:
* Mathematical evolution of spherical mirrors
* Rectilinear motion of light and use of lenses
* Refraction angle variations
* Magnifying effects of the plano convex lens
* Introduced the concept of the elliptical shape of cosmological bodies
* Study of the center of gravity as applied to balance
* Measurement of specific weights of bodies
* Rule of algebraic equations
* Solutions to quadratic and cubic equations
* Work on square roots, squares, theory of numbers, solution of the fractional numbers
* Solutions of equations of cubic order
* Wrote on conic geometry elaborating the solution of algebraic equations
* Determined the Trinomial Equation
* Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine." He is know as the Prince of Physicians to the West
* Wrote the first description of several drugs and diseases as meningitis.
* Treatment of physiological shocks
* Expertise in psychosomatic medicine and psychology
* Al-Biruni mentions fifty six manuscripts on pharmacology
* Credited for identifying small pox and its treatment
* Use of alcohol as an antiseptic
* Use of mercury as a purgative for the first time
* First to describe the circulation of blood.
* "Holy Abbas" was, after Rhazes, the most outstanding Physician. His works were authoritative till the works of ibn Sina appeared
* Writings on Cosmology, Astrology, Science of numbers and letters
* Proved that the earth is smaller than the sun but larger than the moon.
* Final authorities on Chemistry for many Centuries
* Classified metals into three classifications
* Laid the basis of the Acid Base theory
* Distillation, calcination, crystallization, the discovery of many acids
* Cultivation of Gold - is a continuation of Jabir's work
* Theory of Oscillatory motion of equinoxes
* Addition of ninth sphere to the eight Ptolematic astronomy
* Discovered the increase of the suns apogee
* Gravitational force
* Responsible for the discovery motion of the solar apsides
* wrote ' On the Science of Stars '
* Determination of latitudes and longitudes
* Determination of geodetic measurements
* Described the motion of the planets
* Solved the problems of spherical trigonometry
* First to study the isometric oscillatory motion of a pendulum
* Invented the instrument ' Sahifah "
* Responsible for the proof of the motion of the apogee of the sun with respect to the fixed stars.
* authorities on the theory of the system of homocentric spheres
* Prepared a calendar that was more accurate than the Gregorian one in use today.
All of this began with a single illiterate Arab from the desert fourteen hundred years ago. The book that was brought into the world by such a man cries out to be studied from a scientific aspect. We will now give you a glimpse of the results:
"So ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know"
The Qur'an, Al-Anbia(21):7
The noble Qur'an, Fussilat(41):53.
Muslims are taught that throughout the ages, Allah Almighty has sent a prophet to every nation as a warner and a bearer of glad tidings.
"Verily! We have sent you (O Muhammad) with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner has passed among them,"
The noble Qur'an, Fatir(35):24.
Each prophet was wisely selected by Allah in order to be the best person for the job. He was then provided by Allah with miracles as proof of his truthfulness and his message. These miracles were wisely selected by Allah in order to be in the same field as that which these people excelled in so that they could fully comprehend the magnitude of these miracles.
For instance, the people during the time of Moses excelled at magical trickery. Their rulers used to surround themselves with the most powerful of these wizards as a sign of power. This is why Allah made the miracles of Moses (pbuh) similar to their magical trickery (changing a stick into a snake, parting of the sea... etc.) but of a much greater magnitude than anything they could ever hope to accomplish. For they were not tricks, but actual physical miracles.
The people at the time of the prophet Jesus (pbuh) excelled in matters of medicine. For this reason, his miracles were of a medical nature (raising of the dead, healing of the blind...etc.), but of a degree that they could never hope to imitate. Similarly, one of the major miracles of Islam was a new and unheard-of type of literature similar to the Bedouin's poetry but far beyond anything they could ever hope to match. Although they did indeed try. This new literature was called "The Qur'an."
The Arabic language, as can be attested to by any of it's scholars, is a very rich and powerful language. The Bedouin people of the Arabian desert were, in general, illiterate people of very little scientific knowledge. The thing that set them apart, however, was their mastery of poetry. Spending their days as they did in the desert watching their sheep graze got quite boring. They alleviated their boredom by continually composing and refining poetry. They would spend entire years composing and refining their poetry in anticipation of a yearly face-down of the poetic compositions of their peers from all over the country. The fact that they were illiterate forced them to also train themselves in the memorization of works of literature to such an extent that they were able to memorize complete works from a single recitation. Even in matters of leadership, one of the major criteria for selecting the leaders of the various Bedouin tribes was the individual's prowess in literary composition and memorization.
The Arabian Bedouins took great pains to make their poetry as compact and picturesque as humanly possible, constantly expanding the language along the way. A single word could convey complete pictures. The Qur'an, however, has put even these great efforts to shame. You will notice that when a Muslim translates a verse of the Qur'an he usually does not say "the Qur'an says so and so" but rather "An approximation of the meaning of what the Qur'an says is so and so." You really need to know the language to comprehend this.
In the English language, we find that the words: "mustang," "colt," "mare," "pony," "stallion," "bronco"... etc. all refer to the same thing; a horse. Each one of these words conveys a slightly different mental picture. The mental picture we get when we hear the word "colt" is slightly different than the picture we get if we hear the word "mare." In a similar manner, the Arabic language progressed in such a fashion as to make it possible to convey such mental pictures in as concise and picturesque a format as possible. It is not at all uncommon to find over three hundred words that refer to the same thing in the Arabic language. Each one of these words gives a slightly different picture than the others.
Many centuries of this constant refinement eventually lead to a very complex and rich vocabulary, and the primary miracle of Muhammad (pbuh), the Qur'an, was in exactly this field
In the noble Qur'an we find a challenge from Allah to compose a literary work on a par with this Qur'an it is indeed the work of mankind. They could not. The Qur'an continued to reduce it's challenge until the challenge finally became: "compose only a single verse comparable to this Qur'an and you will have won." They still could not. This in addition to the fairness, justice, and logic of the Qur'an eventually won them over and slowly more and more people became Muslims.
[Webmasters note: there are some inaccuracies in the preceding paragraph. The least challenge posed in the quran is "a single surah" (10:38 & 2:23) as well as "whole Quran" (17:88) and "ten verses" (11:13).]
"Well then, if the Koran were his own [Muhammad's] composition other men could rival it. Let them produce ten verses like it. If they could not (and it is obvious that they could not), then let them accept the Koran as an outstanding evidential miracle"
Mohammedanism, H. A. R. Gibb, Oxford University Press, p. 42
"From the literary point of view, the Koran is regarded as a specimen of purest Arabic, written in half poetry, half prose. It has been said that in some cases grammarians have adopted their rules to agree with certain expressions used in it, and though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as far as elegant writing is concerned, none yet has succeeded"
Glimpses of the Noble Qur'an, Muhammad Azizullah, Crescent Publications, pp. 104-105
"In making the present attempt to improve on the performance of my predecessors, and to produce something which might be accepted as echoing however faintly the sublime rhetoric of the Arabic Koran, I have been at pains to study the intricate and richly varied rhythms which - apart from the message itself - constitute the Koran's undeniable claim to rank amongst the greatest literary masterpieces of mankind... This very characteristic feature - 'that inimitable symphony,' as the believing Pickthall described his Holy Book, 'the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy' - has been almost totally ignored by previous translators; it is therefore not surprising that what they have wrought sounds dull and flat indeed in comparison with the splendidly decorated original."
The Koran Interpreted, Arthur J. Arberry, Oxford University Press, 1964, p. x.
"The Koran admittedly occupies an important position among the great religious books of the world. Though the youngest of the epoch-making works belonging to this class of literature, it yields to hardly any in the wonderful effect which it has produced on large masses of men. It has created an all but new phase of human thought and a fresh type of character. It first transformed a number of heterogeneous desert tribes of the Arabian peninsula into a nation of heroes, and then proceeded to create the vast politico-religious organizations of the Muhammadan world which are one of the great forces with which Europe and the East have to reckon today."
G. Margoliouth, Introduction to J.M. Rodwell's, The Koran, New York: Everyman's Library, 1977, p. vii.
"A work, then, which calls forth so powerful and seemingly incompatible emotions even in the distant reader - distant as to time, and still more so as a mental development - a work which not only conquers the repugnance which he may begin its perusal, but changes this adverse feeling into astonishment and admiration, such a work must be a wonderful production of the human mind indeed and a problem of the highest interest to every thoughtful observer of the destinies of mankind … Here, therefore, its merits as a literary production should perhaps not be measured by some preconceived maxims of subjective and aesthetic taste, but by the effects which it produced in Muhammad's contemporaries and fellow countrymen. If it spoke so powerfully and convincingly to the hearts of his hearers as to weld hitherto centrifugal and antagonistic elements into one compact and well-organized body, animated by ideas far beyond those which had until now ruled the Arabian mind, then its eloquence was perfect, simply because it created a civilized nation out of savage tribes, and shot a fresh woof into the old warp of history."
Dr. Steingass, quoted in T.P. Hughes' Dictionary Of Islam, p. 526-528.
Many claims have been made against Muhammad in that day and this. Among them are the claims that he was a lunatic, a liar, or deceived by the devil. If Muhammad was a lunatic or a liar then we have to wonder how all of his prophesies came true?. Further, if he was a deceived by Satan then we are faced with another problem. For we know that all Muslims are taught that when reading the Qur'an they must first begin with the words "I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the stoned* one." and then follow this up with the words "In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful" So we have to wonder if Satan would "inspire" a man to teach mankind to seek refuge in God from Satan? Indeed this is the exact same accusation which was made against Jesus (pbuh). Let us read how Jesus responded to this claim:
"But some of them (the Jews) said, He (Jesus) casteth out devils through Beelzebub (Satan) the chief of the devils. And others, tempting [him], sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house [divided] against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub."
Luke 11:15-18
It has been the case throughout the ages that with all previous prophets, their miracle was separate from their book. Although we may claim that we have the "Torah" of Moses, still, it is not possible now to bring Moses' (pbuh) staff and see it perform miracles as it did in his time. Similarly it is not possible today to see Jesus (pbuh) raise the dead as he did so many centuries ago. However, since the message of Islam was the final message of God to mankind, therefore, the book of Islam itself was made the main miracle of Islam and it has continued to renew it's challenge to mankind throughout the ages.
What does this mean? Nowadays, the number of people who can appreciate the literary content of the Qur'an has dwindled and this challenge no longer has the same impact it did fourteen hundred years ago. However, as we have seen in the verse quoted at the beginning of this chapter, Allah Almighty has promised to continually renew the challenge of the Qur'an throughout the ages. So how will it be renewed?
Recently, a new field of study has opened up to scholars. People nowadays are fascinated with science. This is the age of technology and scientific discovery. For this reason, mankind has begun to study the religious scriptures of mankind from a scientific point of view in order to challenge the scientific claims made in these scriptures. Many works have been published on this topic. In this chapter I will give a brief taste of these matters and then leave it up to the interested reader to learn more from any one of the many books which have been published in this regard (see list at back of this book).
As mentioned previously, Muhammad (pbuh) lived among tribes of people who were for the most part illiterate. He himself was also illiterate. These people used to live extremely simple lives. Some were traders and businessmen, others were farmers, and yet others were nomadic sheepherders who traveled from place to place depending on where they could find grass for their sheep to graze. When Muhammad (pbuh) brought them the Qur'an, the believers found in the Qur'an the command to go out, seek knowledge, and confirm the presence of their Creator by studying His creation. Muslims began to fulfill this command of the Qur'an and this resulted in one of the greatest explosions of scientific advancement mankind has ever seen. All of this was going on during a period that the West calls "The Dark Ages," wherein the scientists of the West were being persecuted and killed as sorcerers and wizards. During this period, Muslims scholars introduced into the world such things as:
* Mathematical evolution of spherical mirrors
* Rectilinear motion of light and use of lenses
* Refraction angle variations
* Magnifying effects of the plano convex lens
* Introduced the concept of the elliptical shape of cosmological bodies
* Study of the center of gravity as applied to balance
* Measurement of specific weights of bodies
* Rule of algebraic equations
* Solutions to quadratic and cubic equations
* Work on square roots, squares, theory of numbers, solution of the fractional numbers
* Solutions of equations of cubic order
* Wrote on conic geometry elaborating the solution of algebraic equations
* Determined the Trinomial Equation
* Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine." He is know as the Prince of Physicians to the West
* Wrote the first description of several drugs and diseases as meningitis.
* Treatment of physiological shocks
* Expertise in psychosomatic medicine and psychology
* Al-Biruni mentions fifty six manuscripts on pharmacology
* Credited for identifying small pox and its treatment
* Use of alcohol as an antiseptic
* Use of mercury as a purgative for the first time
* First to describe the circulation of blood.
* "Holy Abbas" was, after Rhazes, the most outstanding Physician. His works were authoritative till the works of ibn Sina appeared
* Writings on Cosmology, Astrology, Science of numbers and letters
* Proved that the earth is smaller than the sun but larger than the moon.
* Final authorities on Chemistry for many Centuries
* Classified metals into three classifications
* Laid the basis of the Acid Base theory
* Distillation, calcination, crystallization, the discovery of many acids
* Cultivation of Gold - is a continuation of Jabir's work
* Theory of Oscillatory motion of equinoxes
* Addition of ninth sphere to the eight Ptolematic astronomy
* Discovered the increase of the suns apogee
* Gravitational force
* Responsible for the discovery motion of the solar apsides
* wrote ' On the Science of Stars '
* Determination of latitudes and longitudes
* Determination of geodetic measurements
* Described the motion of the planets
* Solved the problems of spherical trigonometry
* First to study the isometric oscillatory motion of a pendulum
* Invented the instrument ' Sahifah "
* Responsible for the proof of the motion of the apogee of the sun with respect to the fixed stars.
* authorities on the theory of the system of homocentric spheres
* Prepared a calendar that was more accurate than the Gregorian one in use today.
All of this began with a single illiterate Arab from the desert fourteen hundred years ago. The book that was brought into the world by such a man cries out to be studied from a scientific aspect. We will now give you a glimpse of the results:
"So ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know"
The Qur'an, Al-Anbia(21):7
Muhammad Targai Ulugh Beg
Ulugh Beg was a grandson of Timur (known in the West as Tamerlane), a Tartar prince and ruler of Turkestan. He was an exceptional astronomer and mathematician of the fifteenth century. Ulugh Beg was the son of Timurid King Shah Rukh and was born in 1393 C.E. at Sultaniyya in Central Asia. He was a Hafiz-e-Quran.
Ulugh Beg made Samarkand famous as one of the leading cities of Muslim civilization. In 1424 he built a madrasa, an institution of higher learning, where astronomy was taught. Later in 1428, Ulugh Beg began the construction of a magnificent three-story observatory in Samarkand. It was more than two hundred fifty feet in diameter and one hundred twenty feet high. He appointed Ali-Kudsi, a Muslim astronomer as the director of the Observatory. Several well-known mathematicians and astronomers including Al-Kashi and Kadizada worked there. He equipped it with the best and most accurate astronomical instruments available then.
In 1437 he published his most famous and enduring work, a new catalogue of stars entitled 'Zidj-i Djadid Sultani' In it, he revisited the positions and magnitudes of stars observed by Ptolemy. He found many errors in the computations of Ptolemy. It includes a diverse collection of observations and computations, the position of the fixed stars, the course of the stars, and the knowledge of time. An English translation of this work was published in 1917.
Ulugh Beg computed the length of the year as 365 days 5 hours 49 minutes and 15 seconds, a fairly accurate value. In addition, he prepared Tables of Planetary Motions which were very popular and in demand throughout the astronomical community. Ulugh Beg studied the yearly movements of the five bright planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. His data is still considered very accurate. In 1437, he also compiled a star catalogue giving the positions of 992 stars. His compilation of tables of sines and tangents at one-degree intervals are accurate to eight decimal places.
Ulugh Beg was assassinated in 1449 C.E. in Samarkand after a brief reign as ruler of Turkestan for three years. This catastrophe led to the neglect of the observatory and Samarkand slowly phased out as the leading center of astronomy. The observatory was eventually destroyed and its location was confirmed in 1908 by Russian archaeologists. Beer and Madler in their famous work Der Mond (1837) mention a surface feature of the moon after Ulugh Beg. It is the name of a prominent elliptical ring in the northwest of the Eighteenth section.
Ulugh Beg made Samarkand famous as one of the leading cities of Muslim civilization. In 1424 he built a madrasa, an institution of higher learning, where astronomy was taught. Later in 1428, Ulugh Beg began the construction of a magnificent three-story observatory in Samarkand. It was more than two hundred fifty feet in diameter and one hundred twenty feet high. He appointed Ali-Kudsi, a Muslim astronomer as the director of the Observatory. Several well-known mathematicians and astronomers including Al-Kashi and Kadizada worked there. He equipped it with the best and most accurate astronomical instruments available then.
In 1437 he published his most famous and enduring work, a new catalogue of stars entitled 'Zidj-i Djadid Sultani' In it, he revisited the positions and magnitudes of stars observed by Ptolemy. He found many errors in the computations of Ptolemy. It includes a diverse collection of observations and computations, the position of the fixed stars, the course of the stars, and the knowledge of time. An English translation of this work was published in 1917.
Ulugh Beg computed the length of the year as 365 days 5 hours 49 minutes and 15 seconds, a fairly accurate value. In addition, he prepared Tables of Planetary Motions which were very popular and in demand throughout the astronomical community. Ulugh Beg studied the yearly movements of the five bright planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. His data is still considered very accurate. In 1437, he also compiled a star catalogue giving the positions of 992 stars. His compilation of tables of sines and tangents at one-degree intervals are accurate to eight decimal places.
Ulugh Beg was assassinated in 1449 C.E. in Samarkand after a brief reign as ruler of Turkestan for three years. This catastrophe led to the neglect of the observatory and Samarkand slowly phased out as the leading center of astronomy. The observatory was eventually destroyed and its location was confirmed in 1908 by Russian archaeologists. Beer and Madler in their famous work Der Mond (1837) mention a surface feature of the moon after Ulugh Beg. It is the name of a prominent elliptical ring in the northwest of the Eighteenth section.
Ibn Khaldun
Abd al-Rahman Ibn Mohammad is generally known as Ibn Khaldun (1332-1395 C.E.), after a remote ancestor. His parents, originally Yemenite Arabs, had settled in Spain, but after the fall of Seville, had migrated to Tunisia. He was born in Tunisia in 1332 C.E., where he received his early education and where, still in his teens, he entered the service of the Egyptian ruler Sultan Barquq. His thirst for advanced knowledge and a better academic setting soon made him leave this service and migrate to Fez.
This was followed by a long period of unrest marked by contemporary political rivalries affecting his career. This turbulent period also included a three year refuge in a small village Qalat Ibn Salama in Algeria, which provided him with the opportunity to write Muqaddimah, the first volume of his world history that won him an immortal place among historians, sociologists and philosophers. The uncertainty of his career still continued, with Egypt becoming his final abode where he spent his last 24 years. Here he lived a life of fame and respect, marked by his appointment as the Chief Malakite Judge and lecturing at the Al-Azhar University, but envy caused his removal from his high judicial office as many as five times.
Ibn Khaldun's chief contribution lies in philosophy of history and sociology. He sought to write a world history preambled by a first volume aimed at an analysis of historical events. This volume, commonly known as Muqaddimah or 'Prolegomena', was based on Ibn Khaldun's unique approach and original contribution and became a masterpiece in literature on philosophy of history and sociology.
The chief concern of this monumental work was to identify psychological, economic, environmental and social facts that contribute to the advancement of human civilization and the currents of history. In this context, he analysed the dynamics of group relationships and showed how group-feelings 'al-Asabiyya', give rise to the ascent of a new civilisation and political power and how, later on, its diffusion into a more general civilization invites the advent of a still new 'Asabiyya' in its pristine form.
He identified an almost rhythmic repetition of rise and fall in human civilization, and analysed factors contributing to it. His contribution to history is marked by the fact that, unlike most earlier writers interpreting history largely in a political context, he emphasised environmental, sociological, psychological and economic factors governing the apparent events. This revolutionised the science of history and also laid the foundation of Umraniyat (Sociology).
Apart from the Muqaddimah that became an important independent book even during the lifetime of the author, the other volumes of his world history Kitab al-I'bar deal with the history of Arabs, contemporary Muslim rulers, contemporary European rulers, ancient history of Arabs, Jews, Greeks, Romans, Persians, etc., Islamic History, Egyptian history and North-African history, especially that of Berbers and tribes living in the adjoining areas. The last volume deals largely with the events of his own life and is known as Al-Tasrif. This was also written in a scientific manner and initiated a new analytical tradition in the art of writing autobiography. A book on mathematics written by him is not extant.
Ibn Khaldun's influence on the subject of history, philosophy of history, sociology, political science and educution has remained paramount ever since his life. His books have been translated into many languages, both in the East and the West, and have inspired subsequent development of these sciences. For instance, Prof. Gum Ploughs and Kolosio consider Muqaddimah as superior in scholarship to Machiavelli's The Prince, written a century later, as the former bases the diagnosis more on cultural, sociological, economic and psychological factors.
This was followed by a long period of unrest marked by contemporary political rivalries affecting his career. This turbulent period also included a three year refuge in a small village Qalat Ibn Salama in Algeria, which provided him with the opportunity to write Muqaddimah, the first volume of his world history that won him an immortal place among historians, sociologists and philosophers. The uncertainty of his career still continued, with Egypt becoming his final abode where he spent his last 24 years. Here he lived a life of fame and respect, marked by his appointment as the Chief Malakite Judge and lecturing at the Al-Azhar University, but envy caused his removal from his high judicial office as many as five times.
Ibn Khaldun's chief contribution lies in philosophy of history and sociology. He sought to write a world history preambled by a first volume aimed at an analysis of historical events. This volume, commonly known as Muqaddimah or 'Prolegomena', was based on Ibn Khaldun's unique approach and original contribution and became a masterpiece in literature on philosophy of history and sociology.
The chief concern of this monumental work was to identify psychological, economic, environmental and social facts that contribute to the advancement of human civilization and the currents of history. In this context, he analysed the dynamics of group relationships and showed how group-feelings 'al-Asabiyya', give rise to the ascent of a new civilisation and political power and how, later on, its diffusion into a more general civilization invites the advent of a still new 'Asabiyya' in its pristine form.
He identified an almost rhythmic repetition of rise and fall in human civilization, and analysed factors contributing to it. His contribution to history is marked by the fact that, unlike most earlier writers interpreting history largely in a political context, he emphasised environmental, sociological, psychological and economic factors governing the apparent events. This revolutionised the science of history and also laid the foundation of Umraniyat (Sociology).
Apart from the Muqaddimah that became an important independent book even during the lifetime of the author, the other volumes of his world history Kitab al-I'bar deal with the history of Arabs, contemporary Muslim rulers, contemporary European rulers, ancient history of Arabs, Jews, Greeks, Romans, Persians, etc., Islamic History, Egyptian history and North-African history, especially that of Berbers and tribes living in the adjoining areas. The last volume deals largely with the events of his own life and is known as Al-Tasrif. This was also written in a scientific manner and initiated a new analytical tradition in the art of writing autobiography. A book on mathematics written by him is not extant.
Ibn Khaldun's influence on the subject of history, philosophy of history, sociology, political science and educution has remained paramount ever since his life. His books have been translated into many languages, both in the East and the West, and have inspired subsequent development of these sciences. For instance, Prof. Gum Ploughs and Kolosio consider Muqaddimah as superior in scholarship to Machiavelli's The Prince, written a century later, as the former bases the diagnosis more on cultural, sociological, economic and psychological factors.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Ibn Battuta
" To the world of today the men of medieval Christendom already seem remote and unfamiliar. Their names and deeds are recorded in our history-books, their monuments still adorn our cities, but our kinship with them is a thing unreal, which costs an effort of imagination. How much more must this apply to the great Islamic civilization, that stood over against medieval Europe, menacing its existence and yet linked to it by a hundred ties that even war and fear could not sever. Its monuments too abide, for those who may have the fortunate to visit them, but its men and manners are to most of us utterly unknown, or dimly conceived in the romantic image of the Arabian Nights. Even, for the specialist it is difficult to reconstruct their lives and see them as they were. Histories and biographies there are in quantity, but the historians for all their picturesque details, seldom show the ability to select the essential and to give their figures that touch of the intimate which makes them live again for the reader. It is in this faculty that Ibn Battuta excels "
Thus begins the book, [Ref 1] "Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354" published by Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad-Din, was born at Tangier, Morocco, on the 24th February 1304 C.E. (703 Hijra). He left Tangier on Thursday, 14th June, 1325 C.E. (2nd Rajab 725 A.H.), when he was twenty one years of age. His travels lasted for about thirty years, after which he returned to Fez, Morocco at the court of Sultan Abu 'Inan and dictated accounts of his journeys to Ibn Juzay. These are known as the famous Travels (Rithala) of Ibn Battuta. He died at Fez in 1369 C.E.
Ibn Battuta was the only medieval traveller who is known to have visited the lands of every Muslim ruler of his time. He also travelled to Ceylon (present Sri Lanka), China and Byzantium and South Russia. The mere extent of his travels is estimated to be no less than 75,000 miles, a figure which is not likely to have been surpassed before the age of steam.
In the course of his first journey, Ibn Battutu travelled through Algiers, Tunis, Egypt, Palestine and Syria to Makkah. After visiting Iraq, Shiraz and Mesopotamia he once more returned to perform the Hajj at Makkah and remained there for three years. Then travelling to Jeddah he went to Yemen by sea, visited Aden and set sail for Mombasa, East Africa. After going up to Kulwa he came back to Oman and repeated pilgrimage to Makkah in 1332 C.E. via Hormuz, Siraf, Bahrain and Yamama.
Subsequently he set out with the purpose of going to India, but on reaching Jeddah, he appears to have changed his mind (due perhaps to the unavailability of a ship bound for India), and revisited Cairo, Palestine and Syria, thereafter arriving at Aleya (Asia Minor) by sea and travelled across Anatolia and Sinope. He then crossed the Black Sea and after long wanderings he reached Constantinople through Southern Ukraine.
On his return, he visited Khurasan through Khawarism (Khiva) and having visited all the important cities such as Bukhara, Balkh, Herat, Tus, Mashhad and Nishapur, he crossed the Hindukush mountains via the 13,000 ft Khawak Pass into Afghanistan and passing through Ghani and Kabul entered India. After visiting Lahri (near modern Karachi), Sukkur, Multan, Sirsa and Hansi, he reached Delhi. For several years Ibn Battuta enjoyed the patronage of Sultan Mohammad Tughlaq, and was later sent as Sultan's envoy to China.
Passing through Cental India and Malwa he took ship from Kambay for Goa, and after visiting many thriving ports along the Malabar coast he reached the Maldive Islands, from which he crossed to Ceylon. Continuing his journey, he landed on the Ma'bar (Coromandal) coast and once more returning to the Maldives he finally set sail for Bengal and visited Kamrup, Sylhet and Sonargaon (near Dhaka). Sailing along the Arakan coast he came to Sumatra and later landed at Canton via Malaya and Cambodia.
In China he travelled northward to Peking through Hangchow. Retracing his steps he returned to Calicut and taking a ship came to Dhafari and Muscat, and passing through Faris (Iran), Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Egypt made his seventh and last pilgrimage to Makkah in November 1348 C.E. and then returned to his home town of Fez. His travels did not end here - he later visited Muslim Spain and the lands of the Niger across the Sahara.
On his return to Fez, Ibn Battuta dictated the accounts of his travels to Ibn Juzay al-Kalbi (1321-1356 C.E.) at the court of Sultan Abu Inan (1348-1358 C.E). Ibn Juzay took three months to accomplish this work which he finished on 9th December 1355 C.E.
In order to experience the flavour of Ibn Battuta's narrative one must sample a few extracts. The following passage illustrates the system of social security in operation in the Muslim world in the early 14th century C.E:
" The variety and expenditure of the religious endowments at Damascus are beyond computation. There are endowments in aid of persons who cannot undertake the pilgrimage to Makkah, out of which are paid the expenses of those who go in their stead. There are other endowments for supplying wedding outfits to girls whose families are unable to provide them, and others for the, freeing of prisoners. There are endowments for travellers, out of the revenues of which they are given food, clothing, and the expenses of conveyance to their countries. Then there are endowments for the improvement and paving of the streets, because all the lanes in Damascus have pavements on either side, on which the, foot passengers walk, while those who ride use the roadway in the centre " [p.69, Ref 1]
Here is another example which describes Baghdad in the early 14th century C.E:
" Then we travelled to Baghdad, the Abode of Peace and Capital of Islam. Here there are two bridges like that at Hilla, on which the people promenade night and day, both men and women. The baths at Baghdad are numerous and excellently constructed, most of them being painted with pitch, which has the appearance of black marble. This pitch is brought from a spring between Kufa and Basra, from which it flows continually. It gathers at the sides of the spring like clay and is shovelled up and brought to Baghdad. Each establishment has a number of private bathrooms, every one of which has also a wash-basin in the corner, with two taps supplying hot and cold water. Every bather is given three towels, one to wear round his waist when he goes in, another to wear round his waist when he comes out, and the third to dry himself with " [p.99, Ref 1]
In the next example Ibn Battuta describes in great detail some of the crops and fruits encountered on his travels:
" From Kulwa we sailed to Dhafari [Dhofar], at the extremity of Yemen. Thoroughbred horses are exported from here to India, the passage taking a month with favouring wind.... The inhabitants cultivate millet and irrigate it from very deep wells, the water from which is raised in a large bucket drawn by a number of ropes. In the neighbourhood of the town there are orchards with many banana trees. The bananas are of immense size; one which was weighed in my presence scaled twelve ounces and was pleasant to the taste and very sweet. They also grow betel-trees and coco-palms, which are found only in India and the town of Dhafari " [p.113, Ref 1]
Another example of In Battuta's keen observation is seen in the next passage:
" Betel-trees are grown like vines on can trellises or else trained up coco-palms. They have no fruit and are only grown for their leaves. The Indians have a high opinion of betel, and if a man visits a friend and the latter gives him five leaves of it, you would think he had given him the world, especially if he is a prince or notable. A gift of betel is a far greater honour then a gift of gold and silver. It is used in the following way: First one takes areca-nuts, which are like nutmegs, crushes them into small bits and chews them. Then the betel leaves are taken, a little chalk is put on them, and they are chewed with the areca-nuts " [p.114, Ref 1]
Ibn Battuta's sea voyages and references to shipping reveal that the Muslims completely dominated the maritime activity of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Chinese waters. Also it is seen that though the Christian traders were subject to certain restrictions, most of the economic negotiations were transacted on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Ibn Battuta, one of the most remarkable travellers of all time, visited China sixty years after Marco Polo and in fact travelled 75,000 miles, much more than Marco Polo. Yet Battuta is never mentioned in geography books used in Muslim countries, let alone those in the West.
Ibn Battuta's contribution to geography is unquestionably as great as that of any geographer yet the accounts of his travels are not easily accessible except to the specialist. The omission of reference to Ibn Battuta's contribution in geography books is not an isolated example. All great Muslims whether historians, doctors, astronomers, scientists or chemists suffer the same fate. One can understand why these great Muslims are ignored by the West. But the indifference of the Muslim governments is incomprehensible. In order to combat the inferiority complex that plagues the Muslim Ummah, we must rediscover the contributions of Muslims in fields such as science, medicine, engineering, architecture and astronomy. This will encourage contemporary young Muslims to strive in these fields and not think that major success is beyond their reach.
Thus begins the book, [Ref 1] "Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354" published by Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad-Din, was born at Tangier, Morocco, on the 24th February 1304 C.E. (703 Hijra). He left Tangier on Thursday, 14th June, 1325 C.E. (2nd Rajab 725 A.H.), when he was twenty one years of age. His travels lasted for about thirty years, after which he returned to Fez, Morocco at the court of Sultan Abu 'Inan and dictated accounts of his journeys to Ibn Juzay. These are known as the famous Travels (Rithala) of Ibn Battuta. He died at Fez in 1369 C.E.
Ibn Battuta was the only medieval traveller who is known to have visited the lands of every Muslim ruler of his time. He also travelled to Ceylon (present Sri Lanka), China and Byzantium and South Russia. The mere extent of his travels is estimated to be no less than 75,000 miles, a figure which is not likely to have been surpassed before the age of steam.
In the course of his first journey, Ibn Battutu travelled through Algiers, Tunis, Egypt, Palestine and Syria to Makkah. After visiting Iraq, Shiraz and Mesopotamia he once more returned to perform the Hajj at Makkah and remained there for three years. Then travelling to Jeddah he went to Yemen by sea, visited Aden and set sail for Mombasa, East Africa. After going up to Kulwa he came back to Oman and repeated pilgrimage to Makkah in 1332 C.E. via Hormuz, Siraf, Bahrain and Yamama.
Subsequently he set out with the purpose of going to India, but on reaching Jeddah, he appears to have changed his mind (due perhaps to the unavailability of a ship bound for India), and revisited Cairo, Palestine and Syria, thereafter arriving at Aleya (Asia Minor) by sea and travelled across Anatolia and Sinope. He then crossed the Black Sea and after long wanderings he reached Constantinople through Southern Ukraine.
On his return, he visited Khurasan through Khawarism (Khiva) and having visited all the important cities such as Bukhara, Balkh, Herat, Tus, Mashhad and Nishapur, he crossed the Hindukush mountains via the 13,000 ft Khawak Pass into Afghanistan and passing through Ghani and Kabul entered India. After visiting Lahri (near modern Karachi), Sukkur, Multan, Sirsa and Hansi, he reached Delhi. For several years Ibn Battuta enjoyed the patronage of Sultan Mohammad Tughlaq, and was later sent as Sultan's envoy to China.
Passing through Cental India and Malwa he took ship from Kambay for Goa, and after visiting many thriving ports along the Malabar coast he reached the Maldive Islands, from which he crossed to Ceylon. Continuing his journey, he landed on the Ma'bar (Coromandal) coast and once more returning to the Maldives he finally set sail for Bengal and visited Kamrup, Sylhet and Sonargaon (near Dhaka). Sailing along the Arakan coast he came to Sumatra and later landed at Canton via Malaya and Cambodia.
In China he travelled northward to Peking through Hangchow. Retracing his steps he returned to Calicut and taking a ship came to Dhafari and Muscat, and passing through Faris (Iran), Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Egypt made his seventh and last pilgrimage to Makkah in November 1348 C.E. and then returned to his home town of Fez. His travels did not end here - he later visited Muslim Spain and the lands of the Niger across the Sahara.
On his return to Fez, Ibn Battuta dictated the accounts of his travels to Ibn Juzay al-Kalbi (1321-1356 C.E.) at the court of Sultan Abu Inan (1348-1358 C.E). Ibn Juzay took three months to accomplish this work which he finished on 9th December 1355 C.E.
In order to experience the flavour of Ibn Battuta's narrative one must sample a few extracts. The following passage illustrates the system of social security in operation in the Muslim world in the early 14th century C.E:
" The variety and expenditure of the religious endowments at Damascus are beyond computation. There are endowments in aid of persons who cannot undertake the pilgrimage to Makkah, out of which are paid the expenses of those who go in their stead. There are other endowments for supplying wedding outfits to girls whose families are unable to provide them, and others for the, freeing of prisoners. There are endowments for travellers, out of the revenues of which they are given food, clothing, and the expenses of conveyance to their countries. Then there are endowments for the improvement and paving of the streets, because all the lanes in Damascus have pavements on either side, on which the, foot passengers walk, while those who ride use the roadway in the centre " [p.69, Ref 1]
Here is another example which describes Baghdad in the early 14th century C.E:
" Then we travelled to Baghdad, the Abode of Peace and Capital of Islam. Here there are two bridges like that at Hilla, on which the people promenade night and day, both men and women. The baths at Baghdad are numerous and excellently constructed, most of them being painted with pitch, which has the appearance of black marble. This pitch is brought from a spring between Kufa and Basra, from which it flows continually. It gathers at the sides of the spring like clay and is shovelled up and brought to Baghdad. Each establishment has a number of private bathrooms, every one of which has also a wash-basin in the corner, with two taps supplying hot and cold water. Every bather is given three towels, one to wear round his waist when he goes in, another to wear round his waist when he comes out, and the third to dry himself with " [p.99, Ref 1]
In the next example Ibn Battuta describes in great detail some of the crops and fruits encountered on his travels:
" From Kulwa we sailed to Dhafari [Dhofar], at the extremity of Yemen. Thoroughbred horses are exported from here to India, the passage taking a month with favouring wind.... The inhabitants cultivate millet and irrigate it from very deep wells, the water from which is raised in a large bucket drawn by a number of ropes. In the neighbourhood of the town there are orchards with many banana trees. The bananas are of immense size; one which was weighed in my presence scaled twelve ounces and was pleasant to the taste and very sweet. They also grow betel-trees and coco-palms, which are found only in India and the town of Dhafari " [p.113, Ref 1]
Another example of In Battuta's keen observation is seen in the next passage:
" Betel-trees are grown like vines on can trellises or else trained up coco-palms. They have no fruit and are only grown for their leaves. The Indians have a high opinion of betel, and if a man visits a friend and the latter gives him five leaves of it, you would think he had given him the world, especially if he is a prince or notable. A gift of betel is a far greater honour then a gift of gold and silver. It is used in the following way: First one takes areca-nuts, which are like nutmegs, crushes them into small bits and chews them. Then the betel leaves are taken, a little chalk is put on them, and they are chewed with the areca-nuts " [p.114, Ref 1]
Ibn Battuta's sea voyages and references to shipping reveal that the Muslims completely dominated the maritime activity of the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Chinese waters. Also it is seen that though the Christian traders were subject to certain restrictions, most of the economic negotiations were transacted on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Ibn Battuta, one of the most remarkable travellers of all time, visited China sixty years after Marco Polo and in fact travelled 75,000 miles, much more than Marco Polo. Yet Battuta is never mentioned in geography books used in Muslim countries, let alone those in the West.
Ibn Battuta's contribution to geography is unquestionably as great as that of any geographer yet the accounts of his travels are not easily accessible except to the specialist. The omission of reference to Ibn Battuta's contribution in geography books is not an isolated example. All great Muslims whether historians, doctors, astronomers, scientists or chemists suffer the same fate. One can understand why these great Muslims are ignored by the West. But the indifference of the Muslim governments is incomprehensible. In order to combat the inferiority complex that plagues the Muslim Ummah, we must rediscover the contributions of Muslims in fields such as science, medicine, engineering, architecture and astronomy. This will encourage contemporary young Muslims to strive in these fields and not think that major success is beyond their reach.
Ibn Al-Nafis Damishqui
Ala-al-Din Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Abi al-Hazm al-Qarshi al- Damashqi al-Misri (1213-1288 C.E.) was born in 607 A.H. of Damascus. He was educated at the Medical College-cum-Hospital founded by Nur al-Din Zangi. In medicine his teacher was Muhaththab al-Din Abd al-Rahim. Apart from medicine, Ibn al-Nafis learnt jurisprudence, literature and theology. He thus became a renowned expert on Shafi'i School of Jurisprudence as well as a reputed physician.
After acquiring his expertise in medicine and jurisprudence, he moved to Cairo where he was appointed as the Principal at the famous Nasri Hospital. Here he imparted training to a large number of medical specialists, including Ibn al-Quff al-Masihi, the famous surgeon. He also served at the Mansuriya School at Cairo. When he died in 678 A.H. he donated his house, library and clinic to the Mansuriya Hospital.
His major contribution lies in medicine. His approach comprised writing detailed commentaries on early works, critically evaluating them and adding his own original contribution. His major original contribution of great significance was his discovery of the blood's circulatory system, which was re-discovered by modern science after a lapse of three centuries. He was the first to correctly describe the constitution of the lungs and gave a description of the bronchi and the interaction between the human body's vessels for air and blood. Also, he elaborated the function ofthe coronary arteries as feeding the cardiac muscle.
The most voluminous of his books is Al-Shamil fi al-Tibb, which was designed to be an encyclopaedia comprising 300 Volumes, but it could not be completed due to his death. The manuscript is available at Damascus. His book on ophthalmology is largely an original contribution and is also extant. However, his book that became most famous was Mujaz al-Qanun and a number of commentaries were written on this.
His own commentaries include one on Hippocrates' book. He wrote several volumes on Ibn Sina's Qanun, that are still extant. Likewise he wrote a commentary on Hunayn Ibn Ishaq's book. Another famous book embodying his original contribution was on the effects of diet on health, entitled Kitab al-Mukhtar fi al-Aghdhiya.
Ibn Al-Nafis' works integrated the then existing medical knowledge and enriched it, thus exerting great influence on the development of medical science, both in the East and the West. However, only one of his books was translated into Latin at early stages and, therefore, a part of his work remained unknown to Europe for a long time.
After acquiring his expertise in medicine and jurisprudence, he moved to Cairo where he was appointed as the Principal at the famous Nasri Hospital. Here he imparted training to a large number of medical specialists, including Ibn al-Quff al-Masihi, the famous surgeon. He also served at the Mansuriya School at Cairo. When he died in 678 A.H. he donated his house, library and clinic to the Mansuriya Hospital.
His major contribution lies in medicine. His approach comprised writing detailed commentaries on early works, critically evaluating them and adding his own original contribution. His major original contribution of great significance was his discovery of the blood's circulatory system, which was re-discovered by modern science after a lapse of three centuries. He was the first to correctly describe the constitution of the lungs and gave a description of the bronchi and the interaction between the human body's vessels for air and blood. Also, he elaborated the function ofthe coronary arteries as feeding the cardiac muscle.
The most voluminous of his books is Al-Shamil fi al-Tibb, which was designed to be an encyclopaedia comprising 300 Volumes, but it could not be completed due to his death. The manuscript is available at Damascus. His book on ophthalmology is largely an original contribution and is also extant. However, his book that became most famous was Mujaz al-Qanun and a number of commentaries were written on this.
His own commentaries include one on Hippocrates' book. He wrote several volumes on Ibn Sina's Qanun, that are still extant. Likewise he wrote a commentary on Hunayn Ibn Ishaq's book. Another famous book embodying his original contribution was on the effects of diet on health, entitled Kitab al-Mukhtar fi al-Aghdhiya.
Ibn Al-Nafis' works integrated the then existing medical knowledge and enriched it, thus exerting great influence on the development of medical science, both in the East and the West. However, only one of his books was translated into Latin at early stages and, therefore, a part of his work remained unknown to Europe for a long time.
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