Dr. Zakir Naik Lecture in Japan

7 November - TOKYO

Aku mula mengenali Dr. Zakir Naik sewaktu aku mengikuti video-video Ahmed Deedat di YouTube beberapa tahun yang lalu.. Antara tabiat aku sebelum tidur ialah memasang video ceramah debat agama di YouTube sambil tutup mata jadi boleh kata banyak juga ceramah Ahmed Deedat dan Dr. Zakir Naik yang aku hafal secara tidak langsung (笑) Berbanding Ahmed Deedat, Dr. Zakir Naik terkenal dengan kekuatan memori yang luar biasa kerana dia mampu memberikan ayat sehingga ke muka surat kitab suci yang ingin dia sampaikan termasuk kitab hindu dan taurat! Apabila ternampak poster di Facebook yang menunjukkan Dr. Zakir bakal ke Jepun untuk tujuan dakwah, peluang keemasan untuk menyaksikan di depan mata orang masuk Islam pasti tidak akan dilepaskan!

Kebetulan hari yang sama pagi itu ada aktiviti BBQ yang dianjurkan oleh group Facebook yang sukakan makanan Malaysia dikalangan orang Jepun.. Pengunjung yang hadir sekitar 100 orang dan majoritinya pernah melancong malah ada yang pernah bekerja di Malaysia! Aktitivi BBQ di 新木場 (Shin-Kiba) ini adalah kali ke-2 pernah aku hadir; kali pertama ialah pada tahun 2012. Selain ayam dan kambing, juadah lain yang kami bakar ialah ikan masak tomyum, sotong, otak-otak dan mee goreng.. Setelah menjamu selera, ada diadakan permainan di mana orang Jepun memberitahu suatu yang mereka terkejut apabila tiba di Malaysia, dan orang Malaysia harus menjawab soalan tersebut melalui gambar yang dilukis.. Aktiviti BBQ itu selesai sekitar jam 15:30 dan kami langsung ke Tiara Koto Big Hall yang terletak tidak jauh dengan harapan dapat cop tempat duduk..

Ceramah Dr. Zakir itu bermula jam 18:30 tapi jam 16:30 lagi bilangan yang beratur sudah mencecah sekitar 50 orang.. Harapan hendak mengerjakan solat di dalam gedung juga tidak berjaya memandangkan waktu pihak penganjur menempah tempat adalah dari jam 18:00 maka pengunjung juga tidak dibenarkan masuk sehingga waktu yang ditetapkan! Apabila kami solat sebentar di tepi jalan dan kembali semula ke tempat beratur, kira-kira 100 orang sudah memenuhi ruang beratur di situ.. Kelibat van media dan polis turut hadir bagi membantu "menceriakan" lagi event ini.. Waktu seperti inilah kita boleh lihat disiplin dikalangan masyarakat Muslim yang potong barisan tanpa mengambil kira orang yang sudah beratur lama di belakang.. 

Entah apa silapnya, kami hanya dapat masuk dan dapatkan tempat duduk sekitar jam 18:50 dan ceramah pula bermula sekitar jam 19:15.. Agak lucu apabila kelibat Dr. Zakir muncul di bahagian belakang masuk ke dalam dewan yang sudah penuh dengan orang duduk di bahagian tangga lagi (笑) Satu lagi sikap yang mencuit hati ialah budaya selfie tanpa mengenal tempat sehinggakan yang sedang beratur untuk memberikan soalan juga sempat selfie (笑) Atas faktor waktu, Dr. Zakir hanya sempat memberikan ceramah tentang "Does God Exist" sekitar 1 jam, malah sesi soal jawab juga hanya sekitar 1 jam memandangkan pihak pengurusan gedung tidak bertolak ansur dalam soal penjagaan waktu.. Namun, aku tetap bersyukur hasrat tercapai untuk menyaksikan sendiri seorang wanita Jepun mengucapkan syahadah pada malam itu..

Banyak aspek yang perlu diperbaiki dalam pengurusan event sebegini memandangkan ada beberapa ketika Dr. Zakir terpaksa berhenti ceramah bagi meminta bayi dan kanak-kanak keluar dari dewan kerana bunyi bising mengganggu konsentrasi.. Kasihan juga pengunjung lelaki yang tidak dapat masuk ke dalam dewan gara-gara sudah penuh; kerusi yang tersedia cuma 1,000 tapi kononnya yang datang hampir mencecah 4,000 orang! Teringin nak turut-serta ceramah Dr. Zakir di 東大 (Tokyo University) pada keesokan harinya tapi sayang, sudah dinasihatkan untuk tidak hadir memandangkan focus ceramah itu untuk orang Jepun.. Mujur ada siaran live di YouTube dan alhamdulillah, seramai 6 orang Jepun masuk Islam pada hari tersebut.. (link) 

p/s Gambar-gambar BBQ boleh dilihat melalui sini~  　  

Majelis Rasulullah @ MONAS 2013

25 November - MONAS

Beberapa hari selepas Ummi pulang, aku mendapat mesej di Whatsapp daripada adik Ummi pula yang memberitahu akan touchdown di Jakarta pada keesokan harinya.. Ingatkan nak shopping juga tapi rupanya atas sebab ingin mengikut program tabligh yang dipimpin oleh Habib Umar Bin Hafidz yang kini dalam siri lawatan ke Asia Tenggara..Oleh sebab Boss menggunakan kereta pada Sabtu itu, aku tidak dapat pergi mengambil beliau sekeluarga namun mujur hotel yang beliau tinggal hanya sekitar 1km daripada tempat aku tinggal jadi tiada masalah untuk pergi menziarah.. Malam pertama beliau di Jakarta aku bawa ke tempat wajib, KL Village di Jalan Jaksa untuk makan malam dan sebaik sahaja beliau pulang ke hotel, aku stay di sana bagi menonton perlawanan Arsenal vs Southampton bersama geng Malaysia yang lain~

Alhamdulillah aku berpeluang untuk turut-serta pada majlis tabligh yang diadakan bertempat di MONAS.. Kalau dilihat pada papan iklan, majlis bermula lepas Isya', oleh kerana Isya' di Jakarta jam 1900, Pakcik pula plan nak bertolak dari rumah jam 1830 membuatkan aku terpaksa keluar dari pejabat sekitar jam 1815.. Oleh kerana jarak hotel dari MONAS hanya sekitar 2km, kami buat keputusan untuk pergi berjalan kaki sahaja ke destinasi memandangkan jalan pasi macet pada malam itu.. Makam Habib Umar begitu tinggi kerana sebelum itu aku hampir pasti malam itu akan hujan dengan cuaca mendung sehingga ke petang, siapa sangka waktu dah nak Maghrib tiba-tiba cuaca bertukar menjadi cerah! Kami tiba di MONAS sekitar Isya', dan waktu itu kami dibawa terus ke sisi pentas bagi menunggu kedatangan rombongan Habib Umar menaiki bas..

Paling mengejutkan aku mendapat peluang untuk turut berada di atas pentas menghadap lautan orang ramai! Suasana duduk di atas pentas sememangnya suatu pengalaman yang pasti tidak dapat dilupakan.. Majlis yang bermula pada jam 2000 dan tamat hampir jam 0000 itu bermula dengan maulud Nabi dan seterusnya disambung dengan ucapan-ucapan daripada habib dan kiyai yang hadir pada malam itu yang menyentuh tentang pemergian Habib Munzir yang wafat baru-baru ini.. Ucapan terakhir daripada Habib Umar begitu mengharukan sampai beberapa kali bulu roma aku menegak~ Ingatkan kalau dapat berada di pentas, sebaik sahaja majlis tamat dapatlah salam Habib Umar untuk mengejar syafaat, tapi sayang orang terlalu ramai terutama di kalangan orang tua membuatkan aku terpaksa mengangkat bendera putih awal-awal..

Dalam perjalanan pulang menuju ke restoran sekitar hotel untuk mengisi perut yang kosong, aku berborak-borak dengan pakcik aku dan kata-kata beliau benar-benar membuatkan aku tersedar suatu perkara.. Beliau syorkan aku menghadiri lebih banyak majlis sebegini yang menghimpunkan lebih 100k umat Islam dalam suatu masa kerana insyaAllah doa yang di aminkan oleh kita tiada hijab di sisi Allah.. Aku mengerti juga perasaan pakcik aku yang pernah duduk lebih 10 tahun di US dan apabila pulang, pasti dia juga dambakan majlis-majlis agama seperti ini.. InsyaAllah akan aku cuba rajinkan diri untuk mengikuti majlis-majlis agama seperti majlis rohah Habib Umar Al-Shatrie di Malaysia yang pasti aku ziarah sekiranya pulang ke Malaysia~ Malam itu kami makan malam di restoran Bangi Kopitiam yang kebetulan tutup jam 0200..

Eid Adha 2013

15 October - SHAH ALAM

Alhamdulillah, rezeki daripada Allah kerana memberikan aku peluang untuk menyambut Eid Adha bersama keluarga setelah 5 tahun menyambut di Jepun.. Tahun ini juga menyaksikan aku diberi peluang untuk menyambut kedua-dua perayaan umat Islam di Malaysia! Kepulangan aku ke Malaysia pada tarikh 10 Oct yang lepas juga merupakan ketentuan-Nya memandangkan visa aku di Indonesia selama 60 hari sahaja jadi perlu keluar setiap 2 bulan sehinggalah aku memperoleh visa kerja.. Alang-alang dah keluar 10 Oct, aku minta cuti sehingga 16 Oct memandangkan syarikat juga cuti sehingga 15 Oct.. 

Suasana di Masjid Al-Islah di mana 8 ekor lembu telah selamat ditumbangkan

Oleh sebab Jepun antara negara yang mengharamkan pemotongan binatang hidup di tempat terbuka, perayaan Eid Adha di sana tidak semeriah di Malaysia.. Terkejut juga dengan bilangan kaum hawa di tapak sembelihan kerana seingat aku hanya golongan lelaki yang memonopoli ruangan sembelihan manakala yang wanita di dapur (笑) Dalam jam 1100 kami bertolak ke rumah Habib Omar yang mengadakan jamuan ringan seperti biasa dan seterusnya ke rumah makcik di Gombak memandangkan Jiddah (nenek) ada di situ.. Balik itu boleh pula Ummi ajak shopping di Sogo KL; agak kekok kerana aku masih mengenakan jubah hitam kemudian masuk tempat sebegitu (笑)

Bersyukur kerana dapat menunaikan ibadah Qurban menerusi sumbangan kepada EZ Qurban secara online..

Az-Zawawi

Az-Zawawi adalah keluarga asyraaf al-Idrisiyah, nasabnya bersambung kepada Maula Idris bin Idris bin Abdullah al-Mahd bin Hasan al-Mutsanna bin Hasan bin Ali bin Abi Thalib. Keluarga ini berasal dari negeri Maghrib yang kemudian hijrah ke Makkah al-Mukarromah dan beberapa wilayah teluk Arab. Dalam catatan kecil yang kami miliki yang pertama kali disebut Az-Zawawi adalah Abdullah bin Hasan bin Sulaiman Az-Zawawi.

Di antara ulama mereka yang terkenal adalah Abdullah bin Muhammad Soleh Az-Zawawi, seorang mufti Syafiiyah di Mekkah. Guru-guru beliau adalah Syekh Muhammad Yusuf al-Khayyat. Adapun murid-murid beliau adalah Sayid hasan Kutbi dan anaknya Abdurrahman Az-Zawawi, Syekh Muhammad Turki; seorang guru di Masjidil Haram. Sayid Abdullah bin Muhammad soleh Az-Zawwi banyak melakukan perjalanan ke India, Indonesia, Cina dan Jepun.

Ulama dari keluarga Az-zawawi yang lain adalah Soleh bin Abdurrahman bin Abubakar bin Abdurrahman bin Ahmad Az-Zawawi al-Hasani. Guru-guru beliau di antaranya sayid Muhammad Sanusi al-Maki, syekh Ahmad Dahan al-Hanafi, syekh Muhammad bin Khidir al-Basri, Syekh Muhammad bin Nasir al-Husaini al-Yamani al-Syafii, dan Syekh Abdul Kadir bn Mustafa al-Asyraqi. Beliau juga banyak melakukan perjalanan ke Yaman. Di Makkah, beliau menjadi mufti Syafiiyah.

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Oxford Union

Oxford Union merupakan sebuah persatuan debat di bandar Oxford, England di mana ahlinya terdiri di kalangan penuntut dari University of Oxford meskipun orang ramai juga boleh mendaftar sebagai ahli.. Ditubuhkan pada 1823, ia merupakan persatuan ketiga tertua di Britain dan memperoleh perhatian antarabangsa dengan kelincahan pendebat, dan menyediakan pentas yang terbaik bagi bakal ahli politik bukan sahaja di Britain malah negara lain.. Ada 2 jenis debat yang dilaksanakan oleh persatuan ini, "Competitive debating" dan juga "Chamber debating"~ Video dibawah menunjukkan "Chamber debating" dimana penceramah jemputan dipanggil untuk membentangkan hujah sambil mendapatkan maklum balas dari pihak penonton.. 

Topik yang dibentangkan di bawah pastinya menarik perhatian orang ramai lebih-lebih lagi apabila Britain pada ketika itu dikejutkan dengan tragedi pembunuhan secara terbuka oleh seorang Muslim di tempat awam.. Hujah yang diberikan oleh Mehdi Hassan paling terkenal sehingga banyak tersebar di FaceBook dan YouTube; tapi penulis ingin mengetengahkan speaker pertama bagi pihak yang menyokong Islam is a religion of peace kerana beliau bukan beragama Islam~ Debat sebegini wajar ditonton oleh semua lapisan masyarakat disambil menuntut diri sendiri agak lebih peka tentang fakta-fakta yang boleh membantu ketika kita hendak memberi hujah kepada orang seperti pihak pembangkang seperti di dalam video~

Ramadhan 2013

Alhamdulillah, bertemu lagi kita di bulan penuh rahmat ini.. Ini merupakan kali ke-7 aku menyambut Ramadhan di perantauan; berbeza bagi tahun-tahun sebelumnya, ini merupakan kali pertama aku menyambut di Indonesia! Jika di Jpon bukan main susah lagi mahu merasa suasana Ramadhan itu, tapi alhamdulillah di sini seolah-olah seperti berada di Malaysia.. Amat bersyukur kerana ditempatkan di Guest House yang menyediakan 朝食 (Breakfast) jadi tiada masalah untuk mencari makanan untuk sahur~ Selesai sahur terus maju ke masjid berdekatan untuk solat berjemaah; sesuatu yang sukar untuk dilakukan ketika berada di Jpon atas faktor kedudukan tempat tinggal yang agak jauh dari surau..

 

Menu yang disajikan ketika sahur kalah menu berbuka :)

Bersyukur kerana pekerjaan aku buat masa ini banyak menumpu di dalam 事務所 (Office) tanpa perlu pergi ke 現場 (Construction site) jadi dapat mengawal dahaga dan jimat tenaga.. Dugaan terbesar buat masa ini ialah untuk menahan mata dari mengantuk dan kantoi depan boss (笑) Solat tarawikh pula dikerjakan di masjid yang sama; menariknya cara solat dia berbeza di Malaysia kendatipun solat tarawikh 8 rakaat berserta Withir 3 rakaat~ Imam di sini gabungkan 4 rakaat dengan 1 tahiyyat akhir tanpa tahiyyat awal.. Begitu juga dengan withir, gabungkan 3 rakaat tanpa tahiyyat awal.. Mujur waktu Isya' di sini sekitar jam 19:00 jadi solat tarawikh 8 rakaat berserta withir biasanya selesai sekitar jam 20:15~

First time tarawikh di luar masjid, bukan lelaki sahaja malah perempuan juga sekali..

p/s Selamat berpuasa buat seluruh pembaca blog ini :)

Kursus Pra-Perkahwinan

11~12 May - TOKYO

Buat julung-julung kalinya sebuah kursus pra-perkahwinan anjuran Kelab Umno Jepun telah diadakan selama 2 hari bertempat di Shinjuku New City Hotel.. Kursus ini merupakan hasil usahasama pihak kedutaan, Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam Malaysia (YaPEIM), Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI), Persatuan Kakitangan Perkhidmatan Ugama (PKPU), dan juga Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (MAIWP)~ Harga termasuk makan minum ialah 4000円 (RM120) bagi yang sudah bekerja dan 3000円 (RM90) bagi pelajar.. 

Dikhabarkan kehadiran kursus pra-perkahwinan ini adalah salah satu syarat bagi orang Islam yang ingin berkahwin di Malaysia.. Objektif kursus ini adalah untuk mengurangkan krisis rumah tangga disamping memberi pendedahan kepada bakal-bakal pengantin tentang isu-isu semasa, langkah permohonan berkahwin, dan tugas majlis agama islam negeri dalam membantu suami isteri.. Sejak hari pertama lagi kami sudah diberi peringatan bahawa sijil hanya akan diberi kepada calon yang menghadiri semua sesi dan menandatangani borang kehadiran! 

Gambar kenangan bersama Ustaz Ajib

Agak beruntung kerana 4 fasilitator pada hari tersebut bukan calang-calang orangnya; Ustaz Muhd Ajib selaku penyelaras merupakan yang paling hebat kerana mempunyai 2 isteri dan bilangan anak yang sudah cukup untuk membina pasukan bola sepak (笑) Ustaz Qari, Ustaz Zakaria yang sering keluar RTM1? dan juga Ustaz Roslan~ Mujur sijil yang akan dikeluarkan ini tiada tarikh luput, kalau tak memang terkial-kial la nak mencari calon (笑) Berikut merupakan antara point menarik yang sempat aku catit sepanjang kursus:

• Sewaktu mengisi borang perkahwinan, tok kadi perlu menurunkan tanda-tangan dan hantar ke Majlis Agama Islam negeri sebab nikah tak lepas tanpa kebenaran
• Kedua-dua bakal pengantin boleh menghantar borang permohonan kahwin serentak sekiranya tinggal di pejabat agama daerah yang sama, sebaliknya lelaki perlu menghantar borang terlebih dahulu~
• Laki yang tinggal di luar negara kena ikut prosedur di negara yang didiami TETAPI jika pergi ke luar negara semata-mata untuk mengadakan majlis di situ, maka perlu hantar surat permohonan terlebih dahulu
• Kalau menetap di suatu tempat lebih daripada 3 bulan boleh dikira ALAMAT SEMASA
• Tempoh masa untuk buat permohonan berkahwin; paling cepat ialah 90 hari sebelum tarikh aqad niqah, paling lambat ialah 7 hari sebelum
• Sah laku surat kebenaran ialah 90 hari (Biasanya ambil masa 1 jam selepas dihantar)
• Dokumen asasi yang diperlukan; salinan IC pemohon dan wali, sijil kursus pra-perkahwinan, surat akuan bujang (lelaki), salinan surat nikah ibu dan bapa (perempuan), laporan ujian saringan HIV
• Wali hakim: Sultan/Yang di Pertuan Negeri 
• Janda berhias: Perempuan yang diceraikan ketika masih dara, perlukan kebenaran mahkamah kalau nak kahwin ketika dalam tempoh edah (3 kali suci)
• Hubungan dalam keluarga perlu ada 6 aspek; Loving, Caring, Understanding, Forgiving, Sharing, dan Giving
• Dari segi hukum, lelaki TIDAK berhak mengambil gaji isteri kecuali isteri ada "masalah"
• Antara punca penceraian ialah sikap dan fulus
• Usap sehelai rambut anak yatim boleh menggugurkan 1 dosa
• Cara menangani stress mengikut Quran ialah dengan menjaga solat tidak kira waktu senang atau susah, dan rajin memberi bantuan (sedeqah)
• Tanggungjawab suami terhadap isteri; makan dan minum, tempat tinggal, pakaian (setahun 2 pasang wajib?), ubatan dan perhiasan, ilmu
• Perempuan yang jaga solat, puasa, taat pada suami, jaga maruah, bila di akhirat kelak akan ditawarkan mana-mana pintu syurga
• Sabar dengan sikap isteri adalah maghfirah (pengampunan)
• Siapa lagi kuat: Orang yang mempunyai 1 akal tapi boleh kawal 9 nafsu, dengan orang yang mempunyai 9 akal tapi gagal mengawal 1 nafsu..
• Syiqaq: Bertengkar sama-sama tak mahu mengalah
• Tugas kaunselor di pejabat agama BUKAN menyelesaikan masalah, tapi sekadar memberikan bantuan, panduan SAHAJA
• 3 perkara yang dibuat sungguh jadi sungguh, dibuat main pun boleh jadi sungguh iaitu niqah, talak, dan rujuk
• Cerai di luar mahkamah boleh dikenakan denda RM1k atau penjara 6 bulan
• Gaji kurang daripada RM1,167 layak untuk mendapat bantuan baitulmal
• 5 tahun hadapan, jika gaji bawah RM2,500 di kira sebagai FAKIR MISKIN dan layak mendapat bantuan baitulmal

p/s Kagum dengan jabatan agama di Malaysia yang begitu terperinci dalam menjaga proses rumahtangga umat Islam~ Gambar-gambar lain boleh dilihat melalui sini~

世界の歴史6 (World History No.6)

Pertama kali diketemukan dengan buku ini sewaktu aku turut-serta program 日本文化体験 (Experiencing Japanese Culture) anjuran badan kerajaan Jpon (link) pada tahun 2011.. Buku ini menarik perhatian aku ketika sedang lepak-lepak dalam bilik membaca~ Baca beberapa helai terus timbul niat untuk beli buku ini memandangkan penjelasan dan corak penyampaian tentang Islam dalam bentuk 漫画 (manga) versi 日本語 (Japanese) begitu mudah difahami dan menarik.. Google di internet dan alhamdulillah, buku ini ada dijual dalam Amazon~ Walaupun kulit depan seolah-olah menggambarkan Islam itu terkenal dengan peperangan, mesej didalamnya agak terperinci daripada kelahiran Nabi sehinggalah bagaimana tersebarnya Islam sehingga ke benua Afrika.. 

p/s Disyorkan untuk para 後輩 (Junior) yang malas nak baca artikel pasal Islam dalam 日本語 semata-mata nak terangkan pada 日本人 (笑) 

Make Me A Muslim

Dokumentari keluaran BBC3 ini mengisahkan tentang Shanna Bukhari, bekas peserta Miss Universe untuk England yang dilahirkan sebagai Islam tetapi mengikut cara hidup barat.. Shanna diminta menemu bual beberapa orang muallaf di England untuk mengkaji apa yang buat mereka tertarik untuk memeluk agama yang dikatakan terlalu mengongkong wanita.. Menariknya statistik menunjukkan hampir 5000 orang memeluk Islam setiap tahun dengan 1/3 daripadanya terdiri dikalangan wanita British berkulit putih!

Malah ada dikalangan muallaf ini memeluk Islam kerana tidak tahan dengan tekanan daripada masyarakat sekeliling yang seolah-olah memaksa mereka mengikut arus semasa dengan cara minum arak dan parti liar.. Islam membolehkan mereka memilih jalan yang mereka akui selamat~ Setiap muallaf mempunyai cerita mereka tersendiri seperti masih pelajar, sukar mencari calon suami, merupakan isteri kedua dsb~ Babak terakhir dokumentari akan menunjukkan jalan yang Shanna pilih setelah "diajar" tentang Islam oleh para muallaf dan pastinya anda akan terkejut dengan pilihan tersebut~     

p/s Perbezaan ketara orang Islam sejak lahir dengan yang masuk Islam setelah mendapat hidayah (petunjuk) turut boleh dipelajari melalui dokumentari ini jadi selamat menonton!

Family New Year Trip: Tokyo Camii

4 Jan - TOKYO

Hari ini merupakan hari jumaat jadi plan asal ialah menunaikan solat Jumaat di Tokyo Camii iaitu masjid ke dua dibina di Jepun selepas masjid Kobe sejak awal 1940-an~ Perjalanan daripada rumah ke masjid mengambil masa hampir sejam jadi aku punyalah berkobar-kobar nak gerak sebab sejak jadi 社会人 (Working adult) ni boleh kira berapa kali sahaja yang aku dapat pergi solat jumaat (-_-") Tunggu punya tunggu sekali mereka tak bangun-bangun juga mungkin disebabkan semalam sampai rumah agak lewat~ Akhirnya terpaksa ubah plan; makan tengahari di 鶴見 sebelum bergerak ke masjid pada belah petang.. 

Ketika tiba di masjid, terlihat dua orang wanita Jepun juga berada dalam ruang solat sambil duduk memerhatikan keadaan sekeliling.. Melihatkan mereka tidak sibuk, aku minta tolong ambilkan gambar lalu dia tanya, "kat sini boleh ambil gambar ke?" Huhu, lepas aku cakap boleh, bukan main syok lagi dia ambil gambar ;) Kami duduk di masjid sehingga Maghrib memandangkan azan masuk sekitar jam 1630 waktu itu.. Selesai solat, ingat nak pergi jalan-jalan sekitar 銀座 (Ginza) tapi oleh sebab suhu malam itu sekitar 0℃ dan kami pula tidak bawa "kelengkapan" mencukupi membuatkan terpaksa pulang awal (笑)

Nasihat

Below are extract from Al-Habib Abdullah bin Hassan Al-Shatrie's book, "Risalah A'Din Nasihat"

Grievous and minor sins that could entrap one towards the path leading to abysmal hell

Among the Grievous Sins

1. Disbelieve on the tenets of Iman and do not practice the tenets of Islam
2. Killing without the legitimate injunction of Shari’ah
3. Fornication or Sodomy
4. Stealing or confiscate of other people belongings
5. Accusation on adultery not in accordance to Shari’ah’s jurisdiction.
6. Eating or drinking or sniffing on stuff which causes intoxication
7. Gambling
8. Operating and Lending on the basis of Riba’ (interest)
9. Acting as a False Witness
10. Spreading fictitious news
11. Attesting on false oath
12. Abstain from carrying out obligatory prayers or purposely delaying them from their appointed times without Shari’ah’s decree.
13. Refuse to bestow Zakat (tithe)
14. Abstain from fasting during the month of Ramadhan without Shari’ah’s decree.
15. Refrain from performing the obligatory Haj pilgrimage even though already within the means
16. Spreading scandals and rumor mongering among the society
17. Slandering a decent person
18. Becoming spiteful or mean and envious
19. Becoming an arrogant person
20. Being proud on doing of forbidden deeds
21. Deriding and ridiculing someone so as to degrade him
22. Drawing natural portraits of person or animal (in total form)
23. Changing the natural facial countenance by profiling the teeth and shaving the eye-brows
24. Tattooing
25. Wearing wig from other people’s hair
26. Refrain from spreading Islamic missionary work and not to inhibit wrong doings (committing sins)
27. Giving legal ruling (fatwa) without knowledge expertise
28. Forgetting memorised Quranic verses
29. Assaulting or cursing a Muslim not in accordance Shari’ah
30. Fleeing from the battle field of Jihad
31. Snooping (by seeing or hearing) on other peoples’ secrets
32. Sexual intercourse with menstruating wife
33. A wife’s refusal to have sexual intercourse with the husband not on basis as allowed by Shari’ah
34. Disobedient and recalcitrant towards one or both the parents
35. Severing relationship with the family ties without basis as allowed by Shari’ah
36. Embezzlement of orphans’ properties
37. To under weigh or shorten measurement on saleable items
38. Decline to become a witness to bring to justice
39. Decline to accept Shari’ah’s appointment when he is the most eligible candidate
40. Practicing sorceries’ witchcraft
41. Burning of animals not in accordance with the Shari’ah
42. Giving or receiving bribes or act as an intermediary on its procurement
43. Wailing or beating and bashing oneself or tearing of clothes in grief over death
44. Despotic treatment on an innocent person (without sin)
45. Assist and collaborate with a tyrant in his despotism 

Of Minor Sins

1. Looking at a woman of marriageable status with lust (not those forbidden to contract marriage, wife or slave) or captivatingly listening to her voice or purposely touching her body or being together in seclusion –(outside the scope of permissible Shari’ah)
2. Looking at the forbidden parts of other people’s body which should not be exposed
3. Exposing one’s own private part of the body without reason not in accordance as allowed by Shari’ah
4. Ejaculating sperms not in accordance to Shari’ah (masturbation)
5. Maintain a close rapport with immoral person
6. To laugh off at other people’s mistake
7. To enact buffoonery with the others
8. Stride over the shoulder of someone who is praying
9. Pass over in front of someone who is praying
10. Continuously fasting the non obligatory although commendable fast without intermittent break
11. Dyeing the hair black
12. Breeding dogs without reason
13. A woman travelling alone without the companionship of husband or with those forbidden to contract marriage (mahram) or in women’s group
14. Selling or buying commodities at under cut prices to ruin other people businesses
15. Intercept buying of commodities before they reach the market and knowing the current price
16. Competitive bidding on auction
17. Hide the defective quality of goods for sale
18. Man wearing of gold or silk (made from silkworm) without Shari’ah’s approval
19. Man who decorates henna on the body
20. Men impersonating the manner of women and vice versa, women impersonating the manner of men

copied from link

Xmas Celebration

23 December - TOKYO

Beberapa hari yang lepas, aku mendapat email daripada seorang 先輩 (Senior) Malaysian warganegara Cina yang mengajak aku untuk sama-sama menyambut pesta Natal di salah sebuah gereja sekitar 大久保 (Okubo).. Oleh kerana sikap ingin tahu tentang cara sambutan Natal itu dijalankan lebih-lebih lagi di negara yang majoritinya Atheist ditambah lagi tidak pernah masuk gereja, aku menerima pelawaan 先輩.. Ajak juga rakan-rakan yang lain tapi sayang masing-masing sibuk membuatkan aku terpaksa pergi seorang diri..

Kami bertemu di stesen 東中野 (Higashi Nakano) sekitar jam 1130 dan daripada situ jalan kaki sekitar 10 minit menuju ke gereja.. Agak terkejut dengan bilangan basikal dihadapan gereja seolah-olah seperti masuk sekolah; bangunan gereja 5 tingkat dan setiap tingkat ada kegunaan tersendiri untuk sesetengah komuniti.. Tingkat bawah tanah pula merupakan dewan makan~ Tingkat 3 khusus untuk komuniti Korea jadi anda boleh bayang betapa besarnya komuniti Korea beragama Kristian yang tinggal sekitar 大久保 ini..

Pada awalnya aku dibawa untuk mendengar "khutbah" kononnya untuk meraikan orang yang baru masuk gereja berkenaan.. Agak terkejut juga bila diakhir khutbah, salah seorang AJK menyerahkan CD yang mengandungi lagu-lagu gereja o_0" Selepas itu aku dibawa ke tingkat 2 untuk menyaksikan persembahan pentas bertemakan Xmas oleh komuniti Jpon pula.. Layan beberapa sketsa sebelum 先輩 ajak pergi tingkat 5 yang khusus untuk komuniti asing yang mana "khutbah" diberi dalam 英語 (English)

Uniknya "khutbah" mereka diselang-selikan dengan konsert ringkas siap dengan gitar, drum, dan piano! Sebelum "khutbah" bermula, semua pengunjung diseru untuk mengulang "syahadah" mereka yang agak panjang.. "Khutbah" yang diberi oleh seorang pastor dari Korea Selatan menceritakan tentang salah seorang watak dalam Bible dan moral yang boleh diambil dalam kehidupan seharian.. Menariknya ada diselitkan sketsa oleh sebilangan komuniti asing berbilang bangsa tentang "Christmas Carol" dsb..

Pastor menyeru mereka yang hadir supaya "percaya" dengan segala yang tertulis dalam Bible itu tanpa banyak soal.. Hal ini adalah bertentangan dengan Al-Quran iaitu satu-satunya kitab suci yang mencabar apa yang tertulis di dalamnya! (link) Isi "khutbah" langsung tidak menyentuh pegangan agama lain tapi lebih menekankan peranan penganut agama Kristian khususnya mazhab Protestan.. Aku meminta diri sekitar jam 1330 untuk pergi ke surau berdekatan 新大久保 (Shin-Okubo) untuk solat Zuhur sebelum bertolak ke 御徒町 (Okachimachi) untuk mengikuti kelas Bahasa Arab pada petang itu.. 

p/s 先輩 yang begitu peramah ini siap minta aku ajak dia pergi ke masjid bila ada kelapangan!      

Thoughts of Life, Wealth, Success & Happiness

Recently I read a very nice article about life by the late Dr. Richard Teo which I find truly inspiring and worth reading especially someone like me who have just enter the world of professionals.. Dr. Richard Teo is a 40-year-old millionaire and cosmetic surgeon with a stage-4 lung cancer but selflessly came to share with the D1 class his life experience on 19-Jan-2012.. He has just passed away few days ago on 18 October 2012.. If you prefer watching the actual video, You can watch it from here (link) since embedding is not made available.. 

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Hi good morning to all of you. My voice is a bit hoarse, so please bear with me. I thought I'll just introduce myself. My name is Richard, I'm a medical doctor. And I thought I'll just share some thoughts of my life. It's my pleasure to be invited by prof. Hopefully, it can get you thinking about how... as you pursue this.. embarking on your training to become dental surgeons, to think about other things as well.

Since young, I am a typical product of today's society. Relatively successful product that society requires.. From young, I came from a below average family. I was told by the media... and people around me that happiness is about success. And that success is about being wealthy. With this mind-set, I've always be extremely competitive, since I was young.

Not only do I need to go to the top school, I need to have success in all fields. Uniform groups, track, everything. I needed to get trophies, needed to be successful, I needed to have colors award, national colors award, everything. So I was highly competitive since young. I went on to medical school, graduated as a doctor. Some of you may know that within the medical faculty, ophthalmology is one of the most highly sought after specialties. So I went after that as well. I was given a trainee-ship in ophthalmology, I was also given a research scholarship by NUS to develop lasers to treat the eye.

So in the process, I was given 2 patents, one for the medical devices, and another for the lasers. And you know what, all this academic achievements did not bring me any wealth. So once I completed my bond with MOH, I decided that this is taking too long, the training in eye surgery is just taking too long. And there's lots of money to be made in the private sector. If you're aware, in the last few years, there is this rise in aesthetic medicine. Tons of money to be made there. So I decided, well, enough of staying in institution, it's time to leave. So I quit my training halfway and I went on to set up my aesthetic clinic... in town, together with a day surgery center.

You know the irony is that people do not make heroes out average GP (general practitioner), family physicians. They don't. They make heroes out of people who are rich and famous. People who are not happy to pay $20 to see a GP, the same person have no qualms paying ten thousand dollars for a liposuction, 15 thousand dollars for a breast augmentation, and so on and so forth. So it's a no brainier isn't? Why do you want to be a GP? Become an aesthetic physician. So instead of healing the sick and ill, I decided that I'll become a glorified beautician. So, business was good, very good. It started off with waiting of one week, then became 3 weeks, then one month, then 2 months, then 3 months. I was overwhelmed; there were just too many patients. Vanities are fantastic business. I employed one doctor, the second doctor, the 3rd doctor, the 4th doctor. And within the 1st year, we're already raking in millions. Just the 1st year. But never is enough because I was so obsessed with it. I started to expand into Indonesia to get all the rich Indonesian tai-tais who wouldn't blink an eye to have a procedure done. So life was really good.

So what do I do with the spare cash. How do I spend my weekends? Typically, I'll have car club gatherings. I take out my track car, with spare cash I got myself a track car. We have car club gatherings. We'll go up to Sepang in Malaysia. We'll go for car racing. And it was my life. With other spare cash, what do i do? I get myself a Ferrari. At that time, the 458 wasn't out, it's just a spider convertible, 430. This is a friend of mine, a schoolmate who is a Forex trader, a banker. So he got a red one, he was wanting all along a red one, I was getting the silver one.

So what do I do after getting a car? It's time to buy a house, to build our own bungalows. So we go around looking for a land to build our own bungalows, we went around hunting. So how do i live my life? Well, we all think we have to mix around with the rich and famous. This is one of the Miss Universe. So we hang around with the beautiful, rich and famous. This by the way is an internet founder. So this is how we spend our lives, with dining and all the restaurants and Michelin Chefs you know.

So I reach a point in life that I got everything for my life. I was at the pinnacle of my career and all. That's me one year ago in the gym and I thought I was like, having everything under control and reaching the pinnacle. 

Well, I was wrong. I didn't have everything under control. About last year March, I started to develop backache in the middle of nowhere. I thought maybe it was all the heavy squats I was doing. So I went to SGH, saw my classmate to do an MRI, to make sure it's not a slipped disc or anything. And that evening, he called me up and said that we found bone marrow replacement in your spine. I said, sorry what does that mean? I mean I know what it means, but I couldn't accept that. I was like “Are you serious?” I was still running around going to the gym you know. But we had more scans the next day, PET scans - positrons emission scans, they found that actually I have stage 4 terminal lung cancer. I was like "Whoa where did that come from?” It has already spread to the brain, the spine, the liver and the adrenals. And you know one moment I was there, totally thinking that I have everything under control, thinking that I've reached the pinnacle of my life. But the next moment, I have just lost it.

This is a CT scan of the lungs itself. If you look at it, every single dot there is a tumor  We call this miliaries tumor  And in fact, I have tens of thousands of them in the lungs. So, I was told that even with chemotherapy, that I'll have about 3-4 months at most. Did my life come crushing on, of course it did, who wouldn't? I went into depression, of course, severe depression and I thought I had everything.

See the irony is that all these things that I have, the success, the trophies, my cars, my house and all. I thought that brought me happiness. But i was feeling really down, having severe depression. Having all these thoughts of my possessions, they brought me no joy. The thought of... You know, I can hug my Ferrari to sleep, no... No, it is not going to happen. It brought not a single comfort during my last ten months. And I thought they were, but they were not true happiness. But it wasn't. What really brought me joy in the last ten months was interaction with people, my loved ones, friends, people who genuinely care about me, they laugh and cry with me, and they are able to identify the pain and suffering I was going through. That brought joy to me, happiness. None of the things I have, all the possessions, and I thought those were supposed to bring me happiness. But it didn't, because if it did, I would have felt happy think about it, when I was feeling most down..

You know the classical Chinese New Year that is coming up. In the past, what do I do? Well, I will usually drive my flashy car to do my rounds, visit my relatives, to show it off to my friends. And I thought that was joy, you know. I thought that was really joy. But do you really think that my relatives and friends, whom some of them have difficulty trying to make ends meet, that will truly share the joy with me? Seeing me driving my flashy car and showing off to them? No, no way. They won’t be sharing joy with me. They were having problems trying to make ends meet, taking public transport. In fact i think, what I have done is more like you know, making them envious, jealous of all I have. In fact, sometimes even hatred.

Those are what we call objects of envy. I have them, I show them off to them and I feel it can fill my own pride and ego. That didn't bring any joy to these people, to my friends and relatives, and I thought they were real joy.

Well, let me just share another story with you. You know when I was about your age, I stayed in king Edward VII hall. I had this friend whom I thought was strange. Her name is Jennifer, we're still good friends. And as I walk along the path, she would, if she sees a snail, she would actually pick up the snail and put it along the grass patch. I was like why do you need to do that? Why dirty your hands? It’s just a snail. The truth is she could feel for the snail. The thought of being crushed to death is real to her, but to me it's just a snail. If you can't get out of the pathway of humans then you deserve to be crushed, it’s part of evolution isn't it? What an irony isn't it?

There I was being trained as a doctor, to be compassionate, to be able to empathize but I couldn't. As a house officer, I graduated from medical school, posted to the oncology department at NUH. And, every day, every other day I witness death in the cancer department. When I see how they suffered, I see all the pain they went through. I see all the morphine they have to press every few minutes just to relieve their pain. I see them struggling with their oxygen breathing their last breath and all. But it was just a job. When I went to clinic every day, to the wards every day, take blood, give the medication but was the patient real to me? They weren't real to me. It was just a job, I do it, I get out of the ward, I can't wait to get home, I do my own stuff.

Was the pain, was the suffering the patients went through real? No. Of course I know all the medical terms to describe how they feel, all the suffering they went through. But in truth, I did not know how they feel, not until I became a patient. It is until now; I truly understand how they feel. And, if you ask me, would I have been a very different doctor if I were to re-live my life now, I can tell you yes I will. Because I truly understand how the patients feel now. And sometimes, you have to learn it the hard way.

Even as you start just your first year, and you embark this journey to become dental surgeons, let me just challenge you on two fronts.

Inevitably, all of you here will start to go into private practice. You will start to accumulate wealth. I can guarantee you. Just doing an implant can bring you thousands of dollars, it's fantastic money. And actually there is nothing wrong with being successful, with being rich or wealthy, absolutely nothing wrong. The only trouble is that a lot of us like myself couldn't handle it. Why do I say that? Because when I start to accumulate, the more I have, the more I want. The more I wanted, the more obsessed I became. Like what I showed you earlier on, all I can was basically to get more possessions, to reach the pinnacle of what society did to us, of what society wants us to be. I became so obsessed that nothing else really mattered to me. Patients were just a source of income, and I tried to squeeze every single cent out of these patients.

A lot of times we forget, whom we are supposed to be serving. We become so lost that we serve nobody else but just ourselves. That was what happened to me. Whether it is in the medical, the dental fraternity, I can tell you, right now in the private practice, sometimes we just advise patients on treatment that is not indicated. Grey areas. And even though it is not necessary, we kind of advocate it. Even at this point, I know who are my friends and who genuinely cared for me and who are the ones who try to make money out of me by selling me "hope". We kind of lose our moral compass along the way. Because we just want to make money.

Worse, I can tell you, over the last few years, we bad mouth our fellow colleagues, our fellow competitors in the industry. We have no qualms about it. So if we can put them down to give ourselves an advantage, we do it. And that's what happening right now, medical, dental everywhere. My challenge to you is not to lose that moral compass. I learnt it the hard way, I hope you don't ever have to do it.

Secondly, a lot of us will start to get numb to our patients as we start to practice. Whether is it government hospitals, private practice, I can tell you when I was in the hospital, with stacks of patient folders, I can't wait to get rid of those folders as soon as possible; I can't wait to get patients out of my consultation room as soon as possible because there is just so many, and that's a reality. Because it becomes a job, a very routine job. And this is just part of it. Do I truly know how the patient feels back then? No, I don't. The fears and anxiety and all, do I truly understand what they are going through? I don't, not until when this happens to me and I think that is one of the biggest flaws in our system.

We’re being trained to be healthcare providers, professional, and all and yet we don't know how exactly they feel. I'm not asking you to get involved emotionally, I don't think that is professional but do we actually make a real effort to understand their pain and all? Most of us won’t, alright, I can assure you. So don't lose it, my challenge to you is to always be able to put yourself in your patient's shoes.

Because the pain, the anxiety, the fear are very real even though it's not real to you, it's real to them. So don't lose it and you know, right now I'm in the midst of my 5th cycle of my chemotherapy. I can tell you it’s a terrible feeling. Chemotherapy is one of those things that you don't wish even your enemies to go through because it's just suffering, lousy feeling, throwing out, you don't even know if you can retain your meals or not. Terrible feeling! And even with whatever little energy now I have, I try to reach out to other cancer patients because I truly understand what pain and suffering is like. But it's kind of little too late and too little.

You guys have a bright future ahead of you with all the resource and energy, so I’m going to challenge you to go beyond your immediate patients. To understand that there are people out there who are truly in pain, truly in hardship. Don’t get the idea that only poor people suffer. It is not true. A lot of these poor people do not have much in the first place, they are easily contented. for all you know they are happier than you and me but there are out there, people who are suffering mentally, physically, hardship, emotionally, financially and so on and so forth, and they are real. We choose to ignore them or we just don't want to know that they exist.

So do think about it alright, even as you go on to become professionals and dental surgeons and all. That you can reach out to these people who are in need. Whatever you do can make a large difference to them. I'm now at the receiving end so I know how it feels, someone who genuinely care for you, encourage and all. It makes a lot of difference to me. That’s what happens after treatment. I had a treatment recently, but I’ll leave this for another day. A lot of things happened along the way, that's why I am still able to talk to you today.

I'll just end of with this quote here, it's from this book called Tuesdays with Morris, and some of you may have read it. Everyone knows that they are going to die; every one of us knows that. The truth is, none of us believe it because if we did, we will do things differently. When I faced death, when I had to, I stripped myself off all stuff totally and I focused only on what is essential. The irony is that a lot of times, only when we learn how to die then we learn how to live. I know it sounds very morbid for this morning but it's the truth, this is what I’m going through.

Don’t let society tell you how to live. Don’t let the media tell you what you're supposed to do. Those things happened to me. And I led this life thinking that these are going to bring me happiness. I hope that you will think about it and decide for yourself how you want to live your own life. Not according to what other people tell you to do, and you have to decide whether you want to serve yourself, whether you are going to make a difference in somebody else's life. Because true happiness doesn't come from serving yourself. I thought it was but it didn't turn out that way.

Also most importantly, I think true joy comes from knowing God. Not knowing about God – I mean, you can read the bible and know about God – but knowing God personally; getting a relationship with God. I think that’s the most important. That’s what I've learnt.

So if I were to sum it up, I’d say that the earlier we sort out the priorities in our lives, the better it is. Don’t be like me – I had no other way. I had to learn it through the hard way. I had to come back to God to thank Him for this opportunity because I've had 3 major accidents in my past – car accidents. You know, these sports car accidents – I was always speeding , but somehow I always came out alive, even with the car almost being overturned. And I wouldn't have had a chance. Who knows, I don’t know where else I’d be going to! Even though I was baptized it was just a show, but the fact that this has happened, it gave me a chance to come back to God.

Few things I’d learnt though:

1. Trust in the Lord your God with all your heart – this is so important.

2. Is to love and serve others, not just ourselves.

There is nothing wrong with being rich or wealthy. I think it’s absolutely alright, because God has blessed. So many people are blessed with good wealth, but the trouble is I think a lot of us can’t handle it. The more we have, the more we want. I've gone through it, the deeper the hole we dig, the more we get sucked into it, so much so that we worship wealth and lose focus. Instead of worshiping God, we worship wealth. It’s just a human instinct. It’s just so difficult to get out of it.

We are all professionals, and when we go into private practice,  we start to build up our wealth – inevitably. So my thought are, when you start to build up wealth and when the opportunity comes, do remember that all these things don’t belong to us. We don’t really own it nor have rights to this wealth. It’s actually God’s gift to us. Remember that it’s more important to further His Kingdom rather than to further ourselves.

Anyway I think that I've gone through it, and I know that wealth without God is empty. It is more important that you fill up the wealth, as you build it up subsequently, as professionals and all, you need to fill it up with the wealth of God.

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Here, I'll share with you some Hadiths regarding success and wealth which I find quite resembles to this story.. Hope we all learn some wisdom from it, insyaAllah~ (Source) 

1. “He who loves his worldly life will harm his hereafter, and he who loves his hereafter will harm his worldly life. Give preference to that which is eternal over that which is temporary”. (Ahmed Ibn Hambal on the authority of Abu Musa Al Ash’Ari)
2. “The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it.” (Bukhari, Sahih)
3. The best of the prayer lines for men are the first rows, the worst being the final rows. The best of the prayer lines for women are the final rows and the worst are the first rows.” (Muslim)
4. “The best of which man can leave behind for himself are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, an ongoing charity whose reward continues to reach him and knowledge which others benefit from after him.” (Ibn Hibban, Hasan)
5. “The best of you are the best of you in fulfilling (rights).” (Ahmad, Sahih)
6. “The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family.” (Tirmidhi, Sahih)
7. “The best prayers for women are those performed in the most secluded parts of their houses.” (Ibn Khuzaymah, Sahih)
8. “The best of people are those who are best in fulfilling (rights).” (Ibn Majah, Sahih)
9. “The best of the world’s women are four: Maryum bint Imran, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad and Asiyah the wife of Fir’awn.” (Ahmad, Sahih)
10. The best day on which the Sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it Adam was made to enter Paradise and on it he was expelled. The Hour will not be established except on Friday.” (Muslim)
11. The best of people in recitation are those who when they recite, you see that they fear Allah.” (Bayhaqi, Sahih)
12. “The best of your leaders are those that you love and they love you, you supplicate for them and they supplicate for you. The worst of your leaders are those that you hate and they hate you, you curse them and they curse you.” (Muslim)
13. “The best of you are those who are best in paying off their debts.” (Tahawi, Sahih)
14. “The best of you are those with the longest lives and most excellent character.” (Bazzar, Sahih)
15. “The best of you are those with the longest lives and best in action.” (Hakim, Sahih)
16. “The most beloved of deeds according to Allah is that you die and yet your tongue is still moist from the remembrance of Allah.” (Ibn Hibban, Hasan)
17. “The best of you are those who are best to their wives.” (Tirmidhi, Sahih)
18. Narated By ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr : That Allah’s Apostle said, “There are forty virtuous deeds and the best of them is the Maniha of a she-goat, and anyone who does one of these virtuous deeds hoping for Allah’s reward with firm confidence that he will get it, then Allah will make him enter Paradise because of it “(Bukhari)
19. Narated By Abu Huraira : A man asked the Prophet, “O Allah’s Apostle! What kind of charity is the best?” He replied. “To give in charity when you are healthy and greedy hoping to be wealthy and afraid of becoming poor. Don’t delay giving in charity till the time when you are on the death bed when you say, ‘Give so much to so-and-so and so much to so-and so,’ and at that time the property is not yours but it belongs to so-and-so (i.e. your inheritors).” (Bukhari)
20. “The best of companions according to Allah are those who are best to their companion and the best of neighbours according to Allah are those that are best to their neighbour.” (Tirmidhi, Sahih)
21. “The best of places are the Mosques and the worst of places are the markets.” (Tabarani, Hasan)
22. “The best supplication on the Day of Arafah and the best thing that I and the Prophets before me ever said was, “La ilaha illallah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd wa huwa ala kulli shayin Qadir.”" (Tirmidhi, Hasan)
23. “The most beloved words according to Allah the Most High are four: Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illallah and Allahu Akbar; (Muslim)
24. “The best testimony is when one gives it before he is asked to do so.” (Tabarani, Sahih)
25. “The best of dowries are the easiest.” (Hakim, Sahih)
26. “The most beloved dish according to Allah is that which most hands feed from.” (Ibn Hibban, Hasan)
27. “The most beloved servant of Allah is he who is most beneficial to his dependents.” (Zawaid al-Zuhd, Hasan)
28. “The best of earnings is that of the labourer as long as he tries his best.” (Ahmad, Hasan)
29. “The best of all deeds is the Prayer in its right time, to treat the Parents honourably and Jihad in the path of Allah.” (al-Khatib, Sahih)
30. “The best of all deeds is that you bring happiness to your Muslim brother, pay off his debt or feed him bread.” (Ibn Adiyy, Hasan)
31. “The best of faith is patience and magnanimity.” (Ahmad, Sahih)
32. The best word of remembrance is: La ilaha illallah and the best supplication is: Al-hamdu lillah. (Tirmidhi, Hasan)
33. Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri: Someone asked Allah’s Messenger: “Who is the best man?” He answered, “A believer who strives in the cause of Allah with his life and his wealth.” The man asked: “Who is the next?” He said, “One who retires into a narrow valley and worship his Lord.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
34. “The best of hours are those deep in the latter part of the night.” (Tabarani, Sahih)
35. “The most beloved of speech according to Allah is when the servant says, Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi (How Transcendent is Allah and we praise him!).” (Muslim)
36. “The best prayer after the obligatory ones is the prayer in the depth of the night, and the best fast after the month of Ramadhan is the month of Allah, Muharram.” (Muslim)
37. “The best prayer is the prayer of the man in his home except for the obligatory prayer.”(Nasai, Sahih)
38. “The best prayer is that with the longest standing.” (Muslim)
39. “The best of all prayers according to Allah is the Friday morning prayer in congregation.” (Ibn Nuaym, Sahih)
40. “The best fast is the fast of my brother Dawud; he would fast every alternate day and he would never flee (the battlefront) when the armies would meet.” (Tirmidhi, Sahih)
41. “The best of all fasts after Ramadhan is in the month that you call Muharram.” (Nasai, Sahih)
42. “The world is but a provision and the best provision of the world is a pious and virtuous woman “. (Muslim)
43. The best of all deeds is the Prayer at its earliest time.” (Tirmidhi, Sahih)
44. The best of all charity is when the one with little strives to give; start with those you are responsible for.” (Hakim, Sahih)
45. “The best of days according to Allah is Friday.” (Bayhaqi, Sahih)
46. “The best of women are those that please him (her husband) when he sees her, obeys him when she is commanded, and who does not secretly betray him with regards to herself and her money in that which he dislikes.” (Ahmad, Sahih)
47. The best companion with Allah swt is he who behaves best to his companion, and the best neighbor with Allah swt is he who behaves best to his neighbour ” (Tirmidhi)

Eid Adha 2012

26 October - SHIBUYA

Alhamdulillah, ini merupakan kali ke-5 ak menyambut hari lebaran di bumi matahari terbit ini tapi istimewanya pada tahun ini ialah buat pertama kalinya ak dapat menyambut bersama rakyat Malaysia yang lain di Kedutaan Malaysia setelah berjaya mendapat cuti sepanjang hari dari pihak syarikat.. Sejak minggu lepas lagi asyik risau apa alasan yang perlu ak beri untuk meminta cuti~ 

Isnin lepas terus hantar email kepada 上司 (Superior) meminta kebenaran mohon cuti untuk mengerjakan solat di Kedutaan.. Terkejut apabila 上司 minta surat rasmi daripada pihak Kedutaan sebagai bukti adanya majlis ini tapi oleh sebab majlis berlangsung setiap tahun, mimpi la nak dapat surat rasmi walaupun ak sudah menghantar email kepada wakil kedutaan berkenaan aturcara majlis.. 

Antara alasan orang Jpon tidak ambil cuti bergaji o_0

Puas juga mencari laman web rasmi Kedutaan Malaysia di Jpon tapi sayangnya tak jumpa.. Ak hantar link  kedutaan Jpon di Malaysia yang tertulis hari Jumaat cuti kerana 犠牲祭の日 (Eid Adha) disamping menguatkan hujah bahawa perayaan ini sama pentingnya dengan Ramadhan (Kebanyakan orang Jpon tahu Ramadhan itu bulan penting bagi umat Islam) dan Alhamdulillah 上司 membenarkan ak mengambil cuti bergaji pada hari ini ;)

Sengaja ak mengambil cuti sepanjang hari sebab buat masa ini ak ditempatkan di 金町浄水場 (Kanamachi Water Purification Plant) dan tempoh perjalanan daripada rumah ke destinasi mengambil masa hampir 2 jam! Jika bekerja di 本社 (HQ) bolehlah nak minta cuti separuh hari pada belah pagi seperti dibuat kebanyakan professional yang lain, tapi alang-alang cuti bergaji selama 25 hari masih tak terusik lagi, biarlah ak rasmikan pada hari yang mulia ini :) 

Solat sunat bermula jam 0830 tapi oleh sebab dah janji dengan rakan untuk tunggu di hadapan JR渋谷 (Shibuya station) 南口 (South Exit) maka terpaksalah juga keluar rumah pada jam 0645 untuk mengambil keretapi jam 0650.. Paling terkejut ketika transit di 武蔵小杉 (Musashi Kosugi) untuk naik 東急東横線 (Tokyu Toyoko line) sebab terpaksa berdiri sambil berhimpit sejak naik sampai la tiba di destinasi! 

Bersyukur ak tidak guna 東横線 setiap hari untuk ke tempat kerja sebab memang boleh stress lebih-lebih lagi bagi kaum hawa.. Jalan kaki daripada stesen menuju ke kedutaaan dan selamat tiba sekitar jam 0805.. Agak terkejut pihak kedutaan sampai menyediakan permaidani sampai ke luar dewan mengharapkan tetamu yang ramai pada hari ini tapi sayangnya hari minggu, pelajar ada kelas dsb membuatkan pengunjung hanya mencukupi 6 baris saf pada pagi itu.. 

Juadah yang disediakan memang cemerlang pada pagi itu sampai boleh tapau jadi terpaksa berterima-kasih kepada mereka yang tidak dapat hadir (笑) Sempat bertegur sapa dengan 先輩 (Senior) setelah setahun lebih tidak bersua, baru tahu dia sudah berhenti kerja sejak tahun lepas dan kini buat bisnes bersama 2 lagi rakan kongsi yang lain.. Majlis bersurai sekitar jam 1100~

p/s Minal Aidin WalFaizin. Kullu 'amin Waantum Bikhair

The Lives of Man

Alhamdulillah, selesai juga membaca sebuah buku nukilan Imam Abdullah ibn Alawi Al-Haddad yang berjudul, "The Lives of Man"~ Imam Abdullah merupakan seorang ahli sufi yang pakar tentang ilmu Al-Qalb (Hati) dan sering menerima kunjungan daripada orang ramai dan juga anak-anak murid beliau bagi membincangkan perihal kehidupan baik dari segi rohani dan jasmani.. Beliau tahu kebanyakan daripada mereka mempunyai sedikit ilmu tentang apa yang akan berlaku di akhirat kelak tapi sesungguhnya manusia itu seorang insan, pelupa dan sering diganggu, kerana Qalb mereka menjadi keras.. 

Buku ini dipecahkan kepada 5 sub-topik dengan topik pertama menceritakan perihal kewujudan Nabi Adam A.S, bagaimana baginda dihantar ke bumi dan hubung-kait dengan umat Nabi Muhammad SAW~ Topik seterusnya pula membincangkan tentang dunia semasa, bermula daripada lahirnya manusia daripada perut ibu yang mengandung kemudian membesar daripada kanak-kanak kepada dewasa.. Buku ini turut meletakkan beberapa potongan hadis dan ayat di dalam Al-Quran dalam memperihalkan tugas seseorang mengikut usia sepanjang kitaran hidup seorang manusia.. 

"The feet of a servant will not move away (from where he stands on the Day of Rising) until he is asked about five things: his life, and how he expended it, his youth and in what he exhausted it, his wealth, and where he obtained it and on what he spent it, and what he did regarding what he knew"

[Hadith At-Tarmizi #5197 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Mas'ud]

Setiap peringkat umur diterangkan secara terperinci berdasarkan Al-Quran, Al-Hadis, petikan daripada Imam Ghazali, dan juga beberapa sajak~ Menarik juga apabila para ulama' ada mengaitkan sebuah ayat dalam Al-Quran yang ditujukan khas untuk mereka yang berusia 40 tahun.. Malah Imam Shafiee apabila berusia 40 tahun, dia mula berjalan menggunakan tongkat dan bila ditanya, beliau akan menjawab, "Untuk mengingatkan diri sendiri bahawa aku hanyalah seorang pengembara.." Soal kematangan turut diterangkan dalam bab ini dengan mengambil petikan daripada Ibn al-Jawzi yang membahagikan kitaran hidup seorang manusia kepada 5 peringkat umur..

1. Childhood: ~15 tahun 
2. Youth: ~35 tahun
3. Maturity: ~55 tahun
4. Seniority: ~70 tahun
5. Decrepitude: ~Maut

Bab seterusnya membincangkan tentang peringkat ke-3 kehidupan seorang manusia iaitu selepas dia mati sehinggalah hari dia dibangkitkan melalui tiupan sangkakala Malaikat Israfil.. Antara perkara yang dibincangkan dalam bab ini ialah azab di dalam kubur, bagaimana yang hidup boleh membantu yang mati, adab menziarahi kubur dsb.. Bab seterusnya pula menerangkan tentang Hari Pengadilan, bagaimana manusia akan dihimpunkan, situasi di situ dsb.. Hadis ada meriwayatkan manusia pada hari pembalasan itu akan berusia 33 tahun dan kesemuanya berbicara dalam bahasa Suryani (Syriac)..

"Do you know who the bankrupt is? The bankrupt of my nation are those who will come on the Day of Rising having prayed, fasted, and given Zakat, but who have insulted this one, slandered that one, taken someone's wealth, or beaten him up. This one will be given of his good deeds and that one will be given of his good deeds; and if his good deeds are exhausted before all his debts are thus settled, he will be given some of their sins, which will be cast upon him; then he will be thrown into the fire"

[Sahih al-Jami #88]

Bab seterusnya dan juga yang terakhir dibincangkan dalam buku ini ialah perihal syurga dan neraka.. Inilah kehidupan paling panjang bagi seorang manusia, dan bukannya kehidupan di dunia.. Kengerian neraka Jahanam diceritakan penuh terperinci sehinggakan sesiapa sahaja pasti akan insaf, dan keindahan syurga bila sesiapa sahaja yang baca boleh membuatkan semangat nak masuk membuak-buak (Pengalaman penulis) Sesungguhnya belas kasihan Allah terhadap hamba-hambaNya itu melebihi daripada seorang ibu kepada anaknya! Bersama mengingatkan rakan-rakan yang lain~ 

O Lord! Accept our deeds, for Your are the Hearer, the Knower! Relent towards us, for Your are the Relenter, the Merciful! Our Lord! Cause not our hearts to stray after You have guided us, and bestow upon us mercy for Your Presence. You, only You, are the Bestower. [3:8] Flood us with patience, and take us to You as Muslims! [7:126]

 

Yusuf Estes Japan Tour

13 October - TOKYO

Yusuf Estes merupakan salah seorang pendakwah bebas yang terkenal di dunia; sejarah bagaimana dia berhijrah daripada seorang yang menentang Islam kepada seorang pendakwah begitu menakjubkan sehingga dialih kepada pelbagai bahasa.. Ak mula mengikuti ceramah beliau sejak di tahun ke-2 JAD dek tertarik dengan bidang "Comparative Religion" khususnya Sheikh Ahmad Deedat, Zakir Naik, dan juga Gary Miller..   Gaya penyampaian yang unik dan banyak jenaka membuatkan ceramah Yusuf Estes disukai seluruh peringkat umur meskipun dia agak tegas tentang beberapa isu yang pada ak masih diperbincangkan oleh para ulama.. 

Majlis dilaksanakan bertempat di Minami Otsuka Hall berhampiran 大塚駅 (Otsuka Station) dan dijadualkan bermula jam 1800~2000.. Awalnya ak khuatir samada perlu ke Masjid Otsuka terlebih dahulu untuk mengerjakan Maghrib atau terus maju dengan yakin ke dewan~ Alhamdulillah, ada ruang disediakan di dewan untuk solat dan bukan ak sorang sahaja memikirkan benda yang sama.. Atas masalah teknikal dan faktor kelewatan VIP, majlis bermula sekitar jam 1820 dengan bacaan Al-Quran dan persembahan nasyid oleh pelajar sekolah agama komuniti islam Otsuka.. Kemudian, sedikit pengenalan tentang biodata Sheikh dalam English dan Japanese..

Kagum dengan Sheikh yang mampu pusing seluruh negara walaupun sudah berusia lebih 70 tahun.. Kononnya dia baru sahaja tiba di Tokyo selepas selesai program di Fukuoka, selatan Jpon.. Topik yang dibawakan pada malam ini ialah "How to Introduce Islam to the non-Muslim?" Sheikh memulakan ceramah dengan menceritakan pengalaman beliau ketika melawat sebuah tokong di Fukuoka.. Sheikh pada mulanya terkejut apabila Sami di situ tidak membenarkan beliau masuk suatu tempat di dalam tokong tersebut tanpa "menyucikan" diri terlebih dahulu.. Lantas Sami tersebut menunjukkan cara mereka "bersuci" iaitu basuh mulut dan basuh tangan.. 

Sheikh menerangkan bahawa Islam juga ada konsep "bersuci" iaitu Wudhu' lalu beliau menunjukkan cara mengambil Wudhu' di hadapan Sami tersebut.. Kagum dengan tindakan Sheikh, Sami tersebut lantas membenarkan beliau masuk ke tempat tersebut memandangkan beliau "lebih suci" daripada Sami tersebut kerana basuh muka, tangan, rambut, kaki dll (笑) Sheikh menyambung dakwah dengan memaklumkan Muslim masih boleh solat tanpa air tapi Sami tersebut mungkin tidak boleh jika tiada air.. Malah keistimewaan umat Nabi Muhammad ialah kita boleh mengerjakan solat di mana-mana sahaja di muka bumi ini dengan sedikit pengecualian dan bukan sahaja di tokong seperti penganut agama Sami..

Sheikh dan Sami banyak bertukar pendapat sehinggakan bila tiba masa Sheikh untuk maju ke lapangan terbang untuk kembali ke Tokyo, Sami tersebut menghadiahkan sesuatu yang agak bernilai dan bukan calang-calang orang untuk menerima hadiah tersebut! Oleh kerana Sheikh tidak menyediakan apa-apa pada waktu itu, beliau hanya dapat menghadiahkan sekeping pelekat tingkap kereta bertulis, "WORSHIP the CREATOR, not the CREATION" dan menariknya Sami tersebut menerima hadiah tersebut kendatipun sudah diterangkan maksud ayat tersebut.. Sheikh menjelaskan "Nothing is like Allah, yet He is All-Seeing and All-Hearing"

Sheikh kemudian memaklumkan suatu perkara yang buat beliau tertarik dengan masyarakat Jpon ialah mereka kurang gemar bercakap tentang agama.. Sheikh bersetuju kerana baginya Muslim tidak perlu bercerita tentang agama kerana kita ada sesuatu yang lebih besar daripada agama iaitu Ad-Deen, pegangan hidup.. Masyarakat Jpon sudah memiliki akhlak yang baik, cuma mereka tiada ilmu tentang jalan kehidupan.. Banyak perkara yang boleh Muslim pelajari daripada masyarakat Jpon dan antaranya ialah jika kita tidak tahu tentang sesuatu perkara, eloklah kita senyap seperti masyarakat Jpon (笑)

Ak begitu tertarik dengan jawapan yang diberikan oleh Sheikh apabila ditanya adakah orang non-Muslim yang berlaku baik di dunia boleh masuk Syurga? Sheikh membalas, "If you are nice to the people, look to the people for the reward!" Ganjaran syurga adalah khusus bagi mereka yang menjaga hubungan baik dengan Allah~ Kenapa tidak berterima kepada Allah yang menciptakan segala benda meskipun sudah berterima-kasih kepada sesama manusia?  Sheikh juga menegaskan Muslim tidak perlu sibuk menerangkan Islam kepada non-Muslim sebaliknya cukuplah sekadar Muslim mengikut apa yang Allah suruh, dan meninggalkan apa yang Allah larang.. 

Whoever try to please the people by displeasing Allah, then Allah will be displease and He will make the people be displease with him! Whoever try to please Allah albeit it might displease the people, Allah will be please, and He will make the people be please with him! 

-Yusuf Estes-

Majlis bersurai sekitar jam 2030.. Kalau ikut program pada malam itu, semua tetamu dijemput ke Masjid Otsuka untuk menunaikan solat Isya' berjemaah dan menjamu selera dengan 弁当 (Bento) yang telah disediakan.. Tapi bila melihatkan jumlah tetamu yang hadir, ak memilih untuk menjamu selera bersama rakan yang lain di restoran Thai halal bertempat di 田端 (Tabata) pada malam itu.. Kebetulan waktu sedang menjamu selera, tuan kedai berada di situ dan dia maklumkan yang dia akan membuka sebuah lagi restoran baru "Korean-style" bertempat di 新大久保 (Shin-Okubo) sekitar penghujung bulan ini ;) 

p/s Sayangnya tidak dapat bergambar bersama Sheikh Yusuf Estes pada malam itu ;(