A Story

It was at night. I and my two friends spent few minutes at Kuala Lumpur City Center, KLCC’s garden after enjoy watched the Chinese film at cinema. We didn’t expect that the film will finish early, that was around ten o’clock. As the night still early, we decided to relax for a while before take the LRT and back to International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

We were discussing a lot of thing and as a Muslim youth we cannot pretend ourselves from discussing about married. Who don’t want to get married, to have a beloved one who always close us, have a cute baby that we will nurture to be a good person? Unless if you are not a normal person you must have that dreams.

It interesting when my friend said;

I don’t know why I supposes to have a girlfriend now. I’ve girlfriend before but we split up. After that, I not even try to find a new one. For me, looking for partner mean looking for marriage. So, what I suppose to find if I don’t have capabilities to get married yet. I’m still studying, no job, no money, no my own house. Maybe in the future, at the moment I’ve everything and ready to have a family, I will start find. My mother also said the same thing.

I added

That’s why I always told myself that our life based on three things: where we come from? Where we are now? And where we are going to the future? I’m not talking about akhirat, I’m talking about the worldly affair, our dream for future

Getting Married? Why?

Ok, today we are going to have public speaking. So, some of you will have come in front talk about a certain topic. The topic today is marriage. We will see how you feel to be in front of people and speak.

My English lecturer speaks loudly. Very lucky, I was the one of the students that has been chosen to speak in front. Maybe, he seen me quit nervous at the back row afraid if he calling my name.

I walk to the front with very nervous feeling. Then I said;

For me, there are three things that people must have in their mind before they get married, why they need to get married. Insya-Allah, if there have these things, they marriage will be fine, even if there is problem a couple will able to handle.

First, we get married because it is a human requirement. We need to love other and at the same time, we need also somebody to love us. Also, marriage is as the way to fulfill our sexual requirement, make our partner halal for us.

Secondly, we get married for purposes of the continuity of human being. Once you get married, you will plan to have children. Then, when your children get married, they also will plan for having children. So that, the human race will not perish from the planet’s earth.

Thirdly, we get married for the sake of society. If we go back to any past civilization, you will see and understand that the core of civilization is the society. And the core of society is family. So, by marriage, having husband, wife and children and nurture them to be good person, means we built a good family and human resources that will benefit the society, the ummah.

Everyone silence. I did not whether they understand or not. I finish my public speaking with relieve, relieve because it is not easy for me to speak in front of people, and also relieve because be able to give my idea.

Now, lets me explain more about the three things general thing that must possess in the Muslim youth once they want to get married.

First, Marriage is human requirement
Human characteristics can be divided into two, humanism and animalism. Humanism related to feeling of love, caring, responsibility while the sexual relationship is a part of the animalism. These two states are requirement in human life, and the correct way to fulfill has been described by Islam.

Marriage is enjoined in Islam, making the life of man and woman to be in lawful union but based on the mutual consent. The purpose of marriage is to foster a state of tranquility and compassion for the couple, providing a lawful means to enjoy the sexual pleasure. It is nature of mankind, created by Allah to desire a part of the opposite sex to seek comfort and love. Thus, halal relationship not only will safeguard procreation but also make the person into the state of tranquility and peace by giving and receiving love from the spouse.

Second, continuity of human being and Third, for the sake of society
I always ask myself, if I leave this world, what the valuable thing should I left to the world? What the thing that I should inherited to this planet? The thing will give the better future of the world?
After have a long thought, I get the answer.
Yes!, it’s the children.

The children are best thing that we can inherit to the world. Inherit the children to world means we are providing something for the future, a people with ability to develop human race and country and at the same not put aside the Islamic rules. The future Muslim that remember there are khalifah of Allah, thus every of their action will reflect their role.

But to inherit the children to the world is not easy as we thought. Of course, to have it is easy but to educate and nurture to be a good Muslim can be challenging to the parents. While the world has changed and children are more likely to influence by environment, internet, television and friends, the way of nurturing the children could be different from the past 50 years, but the basis is the same, that is Islam must be the core or principal of it.

The best and the first ‘product’ ever been produced by human being was not the car or airplane or building or rocket or train or etc but the human being, the baby. While those thing required years of research and development before it can be produced, a baby can be produced by any mature mankind, but yet still complicated and miracles in the eyes of Allah’s creation. So, if you have chance to have it, please make sure you have it in the right way, the way that allow by Islam. With respect to current situation, many of babies have been produce in the wrong way, and are treating like animals: being through away in river, being left in the mosque and not to say is through away like rubbish in dumpsite. Oh! Mankind, why are you so cruel?

Conclusion
The whole idea why I write this short entry is to give the reader the general idea what marriage is all about. And by interpret the concept marriage as a whole; we can be more aware of our responsibility as a husband, a father, a mother and not to forget our indirect responsible to the future of Muslim and world. It is fear for me to see the current condition of society, while the zina become normal, the baby dumping happen almost every day and the divorce amongst young couple at alarming rate. If this continues and keeps increasing, without any proactive action not only by government but also society, the future of the Muslim is uncertain.

Husband to be respect, Wife to be protect, Children to be nurture, Life to be savior.

“I don’t care what kind of the job the I will get after graduate, as far as it is halal, there is no problem. The problem is to get a job that fit with my field, so that I will not waste my potential, the human resources that have inside me.”I said to a friend.

I do believe all the final year students now looking for a job. After life in the learning environment since seven years old, now it is time to face something more challenge. To go to workplace, meet new people and learn a new thing.This is the time when you will feel all the knowledge you learn before will not useful much in this new environment.

Like most of the people,I’m also looking for the job. Even though, I more likely to continue my study, I still doubt about it. Previously, I was thinking of the workplace after finish my study if I get the my dream (more…)

Iqra
That is the first surah that has been revealed by Allah SWT to the Prophet Muhammad.
Surat al-‘Alaq is the 96th sura or chapter of the Qur’an. It is composed of 19 Ayat (verses), and is traditionally believed to have been revealed at Mecca. It is sometimes also known as Surat al-Iqra (Recite).

The first five verses of this sura are believed by nearly all sources, both traditional and modern, to be the first verses of the Qur’an to be revealed to Muhammad.

“Read, in the name of thy Lord who created, man from a clot. Read, for your Lord is most Generous, who teaches by means of the pen, teaches man what they know not,” (al-’Alaq: 1-5)

Muhammad is first commanded: Iqra!. Which the literal translation is “recite” or “read”.

It is no wonder why the first verse that has been revealed to the Prophet is regarding read, since it is source (more…)

Assalamualaikum

(picture:source)

We always heard about valentine over the year, we also know that it is a special day for the couple especially those who still not married. Some of us might already know the fatwa about this, but still unintentionally celebrate it by giving the chocolate or any kind of present to their beloved one, their friends and family. For them,

‘arghh, we not celebrate, we just give present to our beloved. We don’t even have intention to celebrate’.

But you can give present on other days, like the birthday, right?

For those who still don’t know about it, let me share you some fatwa about it. And if you know it is prohibited in islam to celebrate this pagan tradition, would you will stop from celebrate it?
I’ve found some articles about it and feel free to read it. (more…)

Born as a Muslim doesn’t make you a real Muslim, and it doesn’t make sure that you to know everything about Islam. In fact some of us don’t have a real sense of belonging to Islam. We just have the Islam name but in daily life, we don’t really practice Islam.

I am struggling to be a good Muslim for the couple of years but sadly to say, there is no much change as expected. I am still life in the same condition and the same way of life.It’s hard to change if you only have inner strength but nobody besides to encourage you, to tell if you have done something wrong or at least to show you the way as you move in the your daily.

Few days ago, I was listening to the song that make me cried, make me feel fool, make me feel innocent to (more…)

I was attending the Asean Logic Conference last Tuesday, 2 February 2010, organized by few IIUM organizations. The conference was conducted for the purpose to discuss some issues face by the ASEAN countries.

There were five speakers that deliver the speech: Dato Khaleed Nordin, Bro Feriz Omar, Prof Emeritus Dr. Khoo Khai Kim, Dr. Chandra Muzaffar and Tun Mahathir Mohamad.

I was thinking not to attend the conference because I forgot to take the ticket. However, at last I managed to came but only at the end of the conference. Luckily, the last speaker was the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Mahathir Mohamad.

Tun Mahathir is always an impressive speaker. I still remember when I was child, whenever he appeared on (more…)

I just come back from Jalan Pasar,Kuala Lumpur. I bought some electronic stuffs for my final year project. Since i’m doing a biosensor, it involved different parts from different engineering components and one of it is microelectronic part for analyzing the data.

I’m engineering students majoring in Biochemical-Biotehnology, so i’m not really familiar with electronic works. In fact some of the process, i only learn during the literature review last semester. I try to get help from other students which very expert in this field, but unfortunately it seems that they are not committed. They did not reply my message. Maybe there are busy with their own projects.

Now, i title bit stuck with the project. Manufacturing works almost done. Biotechnology parts, i;m still waiting for the chemicals to be deliver especially CDI. And for the microelectronic part still in progress. (more…)

There is nothing much to write since few weeks ago. I quite busy with my fyp, personnel life and the identity dilemma that I going through, and plus I hardly trying to finish few books that I did not finished while at the same time try to fully understand by hope that can get ideas to write again.

While some of my hobbies become less interested to me, I started to realize that the only thing that constantly I do for the last few years till now is reading and writing. I did not play futsal for 3 months and loss my interest on swimming since few weeks ago. Whenever I read, knew and discover new things, I feel happy and it a kind of peace that parches into my heart.

It was on the second day of the last year Eidul Fitri, when I had a conversation with my mother. It was at night.  Our conversation just move around of what happened in the family, my mother struggle to give education to us, my deep regret on my own life and how does our future will look like. My mother comes across very significant point of our conversation when she said there is nothing much change for the last nine years in our house. She still sleeps in the same bed, the bed that inherited from my grandfather; keep her clothes in the same places and there is no sofa, no refrigerator, no dining table and the only electrical equipments that we have are radio and television. The only thing that changed is ourselves, her beloved children that growth up in front of her eyes.  The money that she gets from cultivation of paddy field after deduction of debt, the left is fully used for education of her children. So, there is no much money left for home-improvement.

My mother might not inheriting money or wealth to us, but she inheriting something that much more important that is knowledge, by using the money for sake of education.

And I’m sure your parents also do the same thing.

Talked about money, I remember about what Stephen M. Pollan write in his book, Die Broke. He suggested the four important points for the secure financial life:

1. Quit Today
2. Pay Cash
3. Don’t Retire
4. Die Broke

Die Broke which is the title of this book itself is the important point that we can relate to ourselves in context as a Muslim. He suggested that a person should not keep the wealth and asset but instead plan his life in such way that when he dies, there is no asset under his name and asset that need to pass to his children. The idea might seem weird but according to him inheritance the money encourages the belief that money has intrinsic value rather of its own rather than just being a tool for the daily life.

On the other hand, he makes few recommendations on the treatment of financial asset

1. Treat assets as resources to be used while one is alive, not treasures to be use after one’s death.
2. Aim to die broke and don’t expend efforts to build up estate.
3. Use the accumulated wealth otherwise spent to preserve an estate to help one’s family and improve one’s life.
4. Better to give to one’s child while it can still do the most.
5. One is a human being, not a company and one’s money should not outlive the owner.
6. Exit life as one comes into it: penniless.

Let’s examine the above points in the light of the Islamic teaching.  The words Exit life as one comes into it might hear quite radical in term of the financial planning. Leave this world as we come into it means we die without leaving any wealth and asset to our children. In this modern world, this suggestion difficult to accept since we live in this world that anything we want; education, medical treatment and food requires money. For some people, who always live in comfortable and always expected the asset from their parents once they die, this principle can lessen their comfortable life in the future.

But if we study this principle in the light of the Islamic teaching, this is not a new concept. This principle is the lifestyle of the Holy Prophet and his companions. For the sake of the religion, they give everything they had to spread Islam.

Abdul Rahman bin Auf, amongst the foremost companion of Prophet, makes used his wealth available for the cause of Islam.  He left Mekah at the time where he was very rich, to migrate to Madinah. He was asked to leave Mekah by Quraisy in the state of penniless as when he was first come to mekah. Despite of that, he successfully became rich again in Madinah, by using his skills in business.

Abdul Rahman bin Auf’s attitudes in dealt with wealth is what the Muslim need nowadays. The Muslim that feel the money only in the hand not in the heard, thus willing to give away anytime need for the cause of Islam. The Muslim who his heart not detaches to the money, but always wants to see his religion spread around the world. He know the money come from Allah, the as the vicegerent in the earth the money should be used to the cause of religion.

The Pollan philosophy might not totally can be accepted but with modification and adaptation to the Islamic principles, the philosophy can be applied to the Muslim’s life who want to free from material temptation, but at the same time do not leave the world without inheritance (money, wealth). This is kind of Muslim that can be success not only in this world but most importantly in the Hereafter.

Situation 1
I was in the café with my two international friends. I talked to one of them while another one was ordering the food. I said;
“You know man, I’m happy of leaving this university next semester, but I will leave without the happy ending. I’m not happy with my academic, family and social life. Everything that I have planned just went wrong”

Then,he replied;
‘You know man, if I’m telling you my life when I was in my country, you will cry. You see our Palestinian friend,Mahmoud, he went through the worst life than me. You have better life than us. Just say ALHAMDULILLAH”
It was really touched my heart. I wish this kind of friend will always be here, next to me.

Situation 2
It was on the second Eidulfitri. I had a short conversation with my mom;

“Mom, sometimes I feel very unlucky. I try not to think about it but still when I come back, I will remember the entire thing that happen in the past and still continue until now. I’m return home without feeling happy. I really don’t know what I should do anymore”.
My mom smiled, I look directly to her wrinkles face. Then, she said;
“You know, for you to enter the university and acquired knowledge is the lucky enough. Don’t you think so my dear son?”
I stuck. My heart was crying and I regret for the word that I had said.

Situation 3
I got two supervisors for my project this semester. My co-supervisor, Dr. Waleed always gives me these motivational words every time I meet him;
“You should care yourself more than anybody care of you”.
This quote makes me feel more responsible toward myself and in everything I do.
Then, I asked myself , “do people care who I’m?”

::Faizalkhamis
::6:42 pm
::Sunday, October 11, 2009