Tuesday, September 14, 2010

30th day of Ramadan & Eid Day


A difference or diversity is bless from Allah. It is not us who makes it, Allah does it instead. We were created in many posture shapes, religions, backgrounds and anything so it is just fine to face dissimilarity in our lives. Yet, a quite hot thing happened recently was the difference in precise day of doing the Eid prayer. Some Muslims did it on Friday and some of on Thursday (or maybe on none of those days for some others). This difference pretty much happens as the standard used by all Muslim sects in Indonesia is somewhat dissimilar. Though the standard may be the same, but the measure is often the case different among them. Muhammadiyah and Nahdatul Ulama are the two biggest Islamic organizations in this country in which they usually have different time in determining the precise day of any Islamic day. I see this as a normal thing though, as I mentioned above, difference is one of Allah's blesses as He makes it for us to take lesson.

I and my family in hometown of mine had Eid commemoration on Friday, September 10, 2010 so that we got the even number of our Ramadan fasting – 30 days. We performed the prayer at Al Hasanah mosque and all of us went there by foot. The distance is not that far from our house so we just needed about 3 minutes to get there. The mosque was filled up with around 700 Muslims just from our RW (Rukum Warga, it's hard to explain in English). Most of them were native Cisewuans and some were the comers from other towns who marry our people here. Something that caught my attention then was the speech delivered by the khatib (speech person) in which I at all was not familiar with. He's the chief of KUA (Religion Affairs Office) and at that time he talked about the essence of Ramadan as well as the Eid.

In Ramadan we learn many things. From sahur and iftahr we learn discipline and the importance of punctuality. From zakat we learn how to share with others, from shaum itself we learn how to feel what the needy or the starving people feel. From taraweeh we learn night prayer which is very good to apply. Indeed, there are many things we could learn from Ramadan. The essence is, we have to be able to be bettering ourselves from those learning. Those who have endured training will have more power, skill and capability of becoming better people.

Hope we'll be much better people after Ramadan, amiin, amiin, amiin. Eid mubarak everyone ^_^

29th day of Ramadan

Firecracker and firework are things that really common at the very edge of Ramadan. Many people play around with these kind of things to make the Eid day somehow become merrier. This habit might be good but can also be a bit disturbance for others. Two days before the Eid was the most earsplitting day ever in Cisewu since many people kindled many traditional firecrackers. The firecracker is made from raw yet strong bamboo pipe with the carbide as its ammunition. Being ignited, the sound can be so piercing, depending on the length of the bamboo as well as the ammo put inside. “:This best commemorates the Eid”, the doers said.


To me, firework seems just fine but the bamboo firecracker is hard to deal with. I mean the sound is so loudly that some us might feel disturbed, it barely can be accepted. It is true that the Eid might become more joyously but we need also to respect those who have inconvenience with the very loud sound. Happened to one of my neighbors to lose her consciousness caused by the very loud sound. She apparently has medical problem – heart attack or something.

Well, this similar-to-cannon-thing is a legacy from the past and has become a part of our culture. It is not just for Sundanese but also for many tribesmen in this country. Even, the Indo-Chinese usually have much more merrier firework and louder cannon rang-out on their sacred days.

Lastly I would say, it's hard to get rid of firecracker and firework in Ramadan as they have been the legacy of ours, not all Muslims though. But I think the government needs to limit the use, the firework is okay but the bamboo firecracker should be somehow limited of its use. The police in my hometown didn't do much of banning those who ignited the firecracker. Whereas the use of this is prohibited, I heard this announcement at the first day of Ramadan. But the fact, the prohibition didn't prevail. I don't know anyway.

Hope my society will be able to take lesson in the forthcoming Ramadan by being wiser in dealing with firecrackers.

28th day of Ramadan

Eid basically means go back or repeat. Fitr means holy or clean. Therefore Eid al Fitry means go back to the pure clean and holy situation as we have undergone the drilling process to erode our sins during Ramadan. On Eid day we are recommended to perform Eid prayer in the morning. This prayer or shalat is sunnah (additional) so it is not the same as the compulsory ones performed 5 times a day. Even so however this one is good to do since it only happens yearly – one time in a year. There are some sort of things we need to notice on Eid day.


The first is that, wear a nice outfit and have meal before performing the prayer. Eid prayer itself is better to be conducted at the place accommodating more people, it can be mosque or field. It is also highly suggested to walk instead of to use vehicle when heading up the place. In addition, our path of going and heading home should be different since by doing this there is possibility to meet and greet more people. This is what our prophet did. Another thing worth paying attention is wearing a good cloth, not a new one. On Eid day, our prophet wore red robe he pretty much wore on Friday sermons. So, it is not a must to buy a new cloth, shoes or any other outfits, right? And yet, it seems hard to not to do this thing as it's been the heritable culture done years here in the country. I myself didn't bought anything but my mom did that. She bought me one, thanks though.

Other things we must not forget on Eid day are : paying zakat fitrah, do as much as silaturahim and enchant takbir (Allah is great). These three things are the more important ones than the prior I underlined in last paragraph. Zakat Fitrah is an obligation for all Muslims. We each pay around IDR 15.000 this year. For Silaturahim usually visit relatives, friends and neighbors around. Takbir saying is resounded at the end of Ramadan (dusk) until the time of Eid prayer (a day after).

According to the government announcement, Eid prayer this year is scheduled on September 10, 2010. There were some sects or people did it one or two days before though. I've got no comment about them due to the inadequacy of knowledge of mine. One thing for sure, we need to respect to each other and find best solution. I think our government is working on this now.

Well, hope the Ramadan bring us bless and upturn so we'll be more taqwa person. Amiin..



27th day of Ramadan

Ramadan is about to end and the Eid al Fitr is just around the corner. What do you feel? Happy or sad? Well, to be honest, I sometimes feel sad since I haven't been able to fully apply all the targets I've made. But as weak and ordinary human, sometimes I feel I want to be in Syawal soon since in that month I am able to eat and drink. Hm... this is the sign of a very ordinary person, right? Well, long time ago, our prophet and his companions felt so unhappy if they were about to face Eid day since this means Ramadan is about to end. Moreover they would not get the bless of Ramadan for any longer. On the top of that, they weren't certain whether or not they would be able to meet the upcoming Ramadan. Something we can learn from this is that, feel happy to greet Ramadan and make best effort in a way of bettering ourselves. At the end of the month, we have to make sure that everything has been achieved.

It is time to evaluate the result of our a-month-drilling. Have ourselves improved? I start to be worried that I get nothing. Well, hopefully we'll be capable of getting at least a thing from this training- iprovement.
Thanks..


26th day of Ramadan

The speediest ever!
Yeah this is what I've got in mind about Ramadan this year, of course not merely this though. I do not know why but I feel so, really so. It is indeed the first Ramadan in which some changes within me, prevail. Every year has change though, but this year is maybe sort of more substantial than the ones in the past. Well, here's the thing I'd like to share anyway.

Ustadz who delivered the speech that evening was someone that is not familiar to me. His appearance then was the first (for me). I forgot the name of his, as always. He told us that in surah Al-Fatir 32 Allah says there are 3 groups of humans on the day of judgment. The first is those who will not be judged (applied hisab). They will enter paradise right away. Who are them? They are those whose good deeds is heavier than the sins. In other words, the balance tends to the right one. In heaven they will be served by fairies, subhanallah. They will first be cordially welcomed by the angel of Ridwan. Those whose name is MUHAMAD will also get this kind of privilege. How come? The ustadz didn't gave me further explanation.

The second group are those whose goodness and sins are exactly balanced. It means they have the same kindness and wrong doings. Where do you think they will go? Subhanallah, Allah is too kind. These kind of people will also enter paradise as Allah is the merciful, the most beneficent. It's all because Allah's bless and mercy we can be saved from the blazing fire. And how those people whose balance is slightly heavier to the left (sin)? Indeed, Allah is again too kind. Those people will be saved by the syafaat (help) of our Prophet – Muhammad. Our prophet prays to Allah to save those people so that they will enter paradise.

The third cluster is those whose balance is heavier to the left, they are called dzolimun. These ones will be washed, ironed and cleaned in the hell. They will be placed there for a particular period of time depending on the sins they made in the world. The time of this cleansing process can be a year, a month, a week, a day an hour, a minute or even a second. But a day in hereafter is similar to millions of years in this world. So, a second there can be so long. Want to go there? I hope no.

In order that we won't be categorized to the third group of people, we need to be really serious in making repent to Allah. The biggest sin that won't be forgiven is syrik or worshiping others beside Allah. As an example is ziarah or visiting tomb. It is not a sin so long the intention is pure not for asking for something. There are many people coming to the tombs for asking, not for giving pray to those people who have passed away. This happens not just in this country but also in the country such as Egypt. Vising a tomb is a good thing if we want to give pray to them, clean the areas and take lesson that will be like them sometime. Tomb reminds us that we will also die. But when the intention is for asking bless, wealth or any thing, it is counted as syrik action and Allah won't love it.

That is all I could share, many thanks.
Gie

Sunday, September 5, 2010

25th day of Ramadan

Daarut Tauhiid (DT) mosque pretty much serves its mosque-visitors well in Ramadan. As an example it employs the knowledgeable speech persons for delivering kultum before tarweeh prayer. Last night, the management of DT mosque pleased us by letting us hear the speech from an ustadz whose specialization in Islamic medical treatment. We call him ustadz Badri BRC. He talked about tauhiid (oneness of God) but still connected it to the medical world. The tauhiid he mentioned was specified to the signs of tauhiid exist among us - the odd ones.

He told us that Allah loves the odd either number of anything. He remarked that on our hands there is a sign of tauhiid. On our palm of left hand there is number 81 in Arabic while on our right one there is number 18. If these two numbers are summed, the result is 99. Besides, the five-finger we have both the left and right have a similar look to the writing of ALLAH in Arabic. Please try seeing your hands. We do obligatory prayer 17 rakaat a day, taraweeh 11 rakaat a day, tawaf and sai 7 times. There are many examples of the odd number.

Thus, in our daily life we'd better start thinking and counting everything based on this odd consideration. For example, if we have 4 pairs of shoes, it is better then to give one so that they become odd. We can almost apply this concept to anything. Well, it might look ridiculously senseless or something, but the essence is by doing this, we always remember Allah with His odd liking. Ya the point is we keep our heart and mind incline to Him – Allah the almighty.
Thank you... :)

24th day of Ramadan

Ustadz Budi Hataat was the speech person last night. The impression I have got about him is, he's quite serious but the content of speech he brought is pretty much great. He got an Lc. degree from overseas and it is so redoubtable. It is undoubted that he has much knowledge about Islam. In his speech last night he spoke about the thing called tawakal. In English it probable means “reliance on something”.


He told us that Tawakal divides into two – tawakal to beings and tawakal to Allah. The latter of course the right one. The prior has two aspects in which the living and non-living one. The living one such as humans, animals, our boss, our job or anything. It is indeed a wrong action as those how have tawakal on them counted as musryik and they do small syirik. While make tawakal on the dead thing such as mascot, amulet, tomb, dagger, sword or anything categorized as big syirik. Syrik however can never be true to be done as it is the hugest sin in which Allah hates so much. It is an unforgiven sin that must be eluded.

The ways can be undergone to make the veracious tawakal are, first ask for anything to Allah, not to any of Him. It is just Allah the one whom we asked for help, wealth, prosperity, victory and every single thing. The second we must make effort to attain them. We cannot just stay at home awaiting for gold or money falling down from the sky. The third is we must accept all thing final decision given by Allah. When everything has been done according to the procedure (we make effort), and we have also asked for Allah's help while doing that, indeed the result is the best, whatever it is. We just need to fully accept it sincerely. Allah knows better than we do for everything in this life, just be khusnudzon to Allah.
That is all. Thank you...

23rd day of Ramadan

Ustadz Mukhtar Khalid gave us a quite “astonishing” speech that evening – so fabulously good. I mean I got much fresh and new knowledge that I had never heard or studied before. The points are intense, finely served. Here are they:
He told us that doing shalat subuh in jamaah is better than doing tahajud alone. Subuh prayer which is one of the 5 obliged shalat is indeed hard to conduct except for those who have strong faith. Thus Allah gives much rewards to those who do that in Jamaah in mosque. He also added that those who make 2 rakaat before this prayer even get insurance from Allah. The best subuh prayer is of course in this last 10 days of Ramadan.


It is good to have favorite verse (ayat) in the Quran. Abu Hurairoh did have a favorite surah which is Ayat Kursi. He pretty much repeated saying this when he got time and chance in his daily activities.
Ramadan can be called as the month of Quran we need to maintain our memory in reciting Quran. One of the big sins is that when we forget the verses that we have memorized. Hm...hope we'll be able to keep our memorizing of the holy Quran.
In Ramadan we are not supposed to just read or memorize the Quran. But we can also read and grasp the fadilah of surah or verse (or in English can be called as “excellence”). The saying of Basmallah for example has been used to ease us in getting couple. Ustadz Muhkat told a story of a man reciting and reading this verse on the wall of his house as he wants to marry the girl he dreams about. Finally, helped by Allah, he gets her. Another verse, the last 2 verses of Attaubah is used as Ruqiyah (medication from spirit). The Ayat Dzuha is recited to get fadilah of recovery from sickness. Allah says to whose who recite Al-fatihah and Al Ikhlas will be protected from anything except death. We can apply it in ourlive for example when parking the car or motorbike we are supposed to recite these two verses in order that Allah will protect our property. Of course we first have got to make effort by properly locking the car or motorbike of ours.

In Ramadan we have a chance to get lailatul Qodar. To get it we must do both mahdoh and ghoir mahdoh. Mahdoh is worship done directly to Allah such as shalat, reading Quran, shaum, Hajj. Whil ghoir mahdoh is conducted through a thing such as human. I mean we do ghoir mahdoh usually by socializing with other people. Making a much intensive charity to the right ones is good to do. Hope by doing this we'll attain the lailatul qodar. In short, be more generous!!!

The criteria of those shaleh (pious person) in a way of social is: first he never hurts other people's feeling. Muslim who hurts other Muslims won't smell the heaven. The second is he gives many benefits to society. The ultimate one is that, he becomes the way or intermediary for other people to make goodness. In short, he always be a bless for others. Those who think goodness for other people will get into the paradise earlier than other. Want it? Let's do harder.

That is all the points I could sum up. Hope we'll be able to take lesson and apply them in our lives.

22nd day of Ramadan

The hadith to ponder:
“Ruin to the slave of the Dinar; the slave of Dirham, and the slave of the striped cloak. If he is given anything he is pleased, but if no he is unhappy” (Al Bukhori).

The essence of above hadith is that, nothing in this world will make us really happy unless God who places that in our heart. When Allah is in our heart, there is nothing to worry about. Happiness and sadness are pretty same, they can be a test from Allah to make us closer to Him. It is Allah who suffices us, and it is enough.


21st day of Ramadan


Allah loves more the Muslims who are stronger.
Yes, it is important to be a strong and healthy Muslim. We need to notice this since being healthy Muslim is extremely important. And yet, many of us sometimes forget it. We seem not to really care about our body condition by working too overwhelmingly, eating unhealthy food, having less rest and so forth. As a result, we get sick. Who should be blamed? No one. Our sickness can be a test from Allah too. What we need to do then, cure our ill, eat the nourished meals, drink medication, have a quality rest and ask for recovery to Allah.

Labassya Thohurun insha Allah...
Thank you

20th day of Ramadan

Masrukul Amri – the power of problem.
No one wants it but everyone must have at least one life – problem. According to the speech delivered by Ustadz Amri there are many things we can do to deal with problem. Here they are:


1.If we are really able to fix our problem, don't procrastinate. Solve it now deliberately.
2.Or if we are not able to fix it right away, we may wait the right time and situation so that we might be able to find the right solution. The gradually-done-action to solve our problem can be better for some persons.
3.Problem can train us to be better people. When we have solved the problem, we then get the portrayal in a way of solving the similar problem which might occur sometime in the future.
4.A problem is motivation for us to make things a lot better.
5.Problem will end sometime in the future, even if we don't try to make any solution. But it is not recommended for us to take as it more or less shows us as irresponsible ones.
Nothing's dangerous with problem, it is just the way from Allah that is supposed to make us closer to Him. Any problem comes from Him and only to Him we ask for help to solve ever problem we have.

19th day of Ramadan

Being arrogant is for sure a no-good act but we sometimes do this wrong thing, no matter what our age is. Kids and adults often act and say that they are much better than others. The speech person that day told us about it. He exampled a kid who was arguing with his counterpart and he says that his dad has a gun, his counterpart does the same. He even told that kid (first) that his father does have a gun and it is bigger that his counterpart's father's. You may have experienced this in your life, I have. But the worst is that, we mature people sometimes do the same. We kind of proud of our parent's having or something. We feel proud of having of our partner's having or something. But indeed that thing is nothing, we are like children then. In short, the speech was about takabur or boast that we must actually leave away.

There are several things that can make us be takabur person. First is our knowledge of something. When we thing we know many things, we tend to say them to other persons. It is good to share, but we need to make sure that we do that mere for the sake of of pure good, Allah's sake. It is hard as it is the matter of heart. But keep straightening our intention. The second is our worship. When we think we are better in particular worship (such as reading Quran), there is also possibly for us to act arrogantly to others. But, it doesn't mean that we need not to read Quran or to be smart in it. It is all about straightening the intention as mentioned before.
Hope we're able to maintain this heart, only for Allah..
Thanks.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

18th day of Ramadan

I missed the jamaah tarweeh as I got an iftar in Griya mall at Pahlawan street with my pals from Management department. I was eager to come and join since it had been quite long no see them. But thanks to a friend of mine for texting me the summary of a Darlis Fajar speech at DT mosque. Here it is.


The surety of our fasting is not our health, but it is the faith of ours. Those who feel strong doesn't guarantee they will be able to fast if they have not faith or iman.
Making a betterment in each time we have in Ramadan is good. As an example we need to keep our health and faith. Since the seconds are worth it, we can never play with time in Ramadan. It is barely possible to be better persons in this Ramadan if we don't seriously focus on improving every aspect of ourselves.
The good deeds are the ones done sincerely for the sake of Allah, no other reasons. When we do everything because of Allah, we will not be getting lost, poor or contemptible.
Thank you.