Rahasia di Balik Musibah

Oleh: Ulis Tofa, Lc 

dakwatuna.com – Tidaklah Allah swt. menciptakan peristiwa, atau kejadian sesuatu yang sia-sia. Manusia dianjurkan untuk merenung dan mengambil pelajaran dari berbagai macam peristiwa yang terjadi. Islam sangat mendorong umatnya untuk menggunakan potensi yang Allah swt. berikan kepadanya; penglihatan, pendengaran, hati, panca indra yang lain agar difungsikan untuk merenung hikmah dibalik peristiwa.

11. Katakanlah: “Berjalanlah di muka bumi, kemudian perhatikanlah bagaimana kesudahan orang-orang yang mendustakan itu.” QS. Al-An’am:11

Ayat yang senada seperti di atas sangatlah banyak dalam Al-Qur’an. Dengan redaksi yang beragam, tapi kesimpulannya adalah satu, menggunakan pemberian Allah untuk merenung dan mengambil pelajaran yang sangat berharga dari berbagai peristiwa bencana yang terjadi silih berganti ini. Ada beberapa rahasia dibalik musibah dan bencana yang selama ini terjadi bahwa:

Pertama, Allah Penentu Kehidupan, Dzat yang Maha Perkasa.

Bahwa dibalik kehidupan ini ada yang punya, ada yang mengatur. Dialah Allah Rabbul Izzah, Tuhan yang memiliki kemuliaan dan keperkasaan. Di Genggaman-Nya lah semua kehidupan ini dikendalikan. Allah hanya butuh berkata “Kun Fayakun, terjadi! maka terjadilah”. Allah memiliki nama-nama, di antaranya; Al-Khaliq –Pencipta-, Al-Muhaimin –Yang Mengatur-, Al-Muhyi –Yang Menghidupkan-, Al-Mumit –Yang Mematikan-, Adh-Dhaar –Yang Memberi Madharat-, An-Nafi’ –Yang memberi Manfaat-, dst.

Manusia tidak bisa mengatur-atur. Manusia tidak mungkin bilang “hai merapi, berhenti meletus… dst”, sebagaimana yang kita dengar dari pusat ahli vulkanologi dan mitigasi bencana. Allah swt. punya kehendak-Nya sendiri, bahkan Kehendak itu sudah ditulis semenjak zaman azali. Allah swt. berfirman:

مَا أَصَابَ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَبْرَأَهَا إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ (22) 

“Tiada suatu bencanapun yang menimpa di bumi dan (tidak pula) pada dirimu sendiri melainkan telah tertulis dalam kitab (Lauhul Mahfuzh) sebelum Kami menciptakannya. Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu adalah mudah bagi Allah.” Al-Hadid/57:22

Perhatikan potongan akhir ayat akhir di atas “Sesungguhnya yang demikian itu mudah bagi Allah”

حدثنا عاصم ، قال : سمعت الحسن ، يقول في مرضه الذي مات فيه : « إن الله عز وجل قدر أجلا ، وقدر مصيبة ، وقدر معافاة ، وقدر طاعة ، وقدر معصية ، فمن كذب بالقدر فقد كذب بالقرآن ، ومن كذب بالقرآن ، فقد كذب بالحق »

Al-Hasan ketika menjelang mautnya berkata: “Sesungguhnya Allah Azza wa Jalla mentaqdirkan ajal, dan mentaqdirkan musibah, mentaqdirkan kesehatan, mentaqdirkan ketaatan, mentaqdirkan kemaksiatan. Maka barangsiapa yang mengingkari taqdir, ia berarti mengingkari Al-Qur’an. Barangsiapa mengingkari Al-Qur’an, sungguh ia berarti mengingkari kebenaran.”

Kedua, Musibah Akibat Perbuatan Manusia 

Musibah yang menimpa umat manusia adalah karena perbuatan mereka sendiri yang melanggar peraturan Allah, merusak ekosistem kehidupan, banyak melakukan kemaksiatan dan dosa, tidak menjalankan perintah dan syariat-Nya.

وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ (30) وَمَا أَنْتُمْ بِمُعْجِزِينَ فِي الأرْضِ وَمَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وَلِيٍّ وَلا نَصِيرٍ (31) 

“Dan apa saja musibah yang menimpa kamu Maka adalah disebabkan oleh perbuatan tanganmu sendiri, dan Allah memaafkan sebagian besar (dari kesalahan-kesalahanmu). Dan kamu tidak dapat melepaskan diri (dari azab Allah) di muka bumi, dan kamu tidak memperoleh seorang pelindung dan tidak pula penolong selain Allah. ” Syuro/42:30-31

Bukan karena ada unsur mistik, karena ini, karena itu, seperti karena bulan tertentu, karena hari tertentu dll. yang justeru merusak aqidah umat. Bencana karena ulah manusia, dan itu atas kuasa Allah swt.

Ketiga, Pahala Tergantung Besarnya Musibah

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ : إِنَّ أَعْظَمَ الْجَزَاءِ مَعَ عِظَمِ الْبَلاءِ ، وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَحَبَّ قَوْمًا ابْتَلاهُمْ ، فَمَنْ رَضِيَ فَلَهُ الرِّضَا ، وَمَنْ سَخِطَ فَلَهُ السَّخَطُ 

Dari Anas bin Malik ra. Rasulullah saw. bersabda: “Sesungguhnya besarnya pahala itu tergantung besarnya ujian. Dan sesungguhnya jika Allah mencintai suatu kaum, Allah mengujinya. Maka barangsiapa ridha dengan ujian Allah, baginya ridha –dari Allah-, sebaliknya, siapa yang murka, maka baginya murka –dari Allah-.” HR. At-Tirmidzi

Karena itu, tidak perlu putus asa, jangan sampai menggadaikan aqidah dengan

Keempat, Musibah Dalam Rangka Tamhis (Seleksi)

Kehidupan ini bukan statis, tapi berputar. Ada yang baik ada yang buruk, ada yang berhasil ada yang juga gagal. Itu semua adalah dalam rangka untuk menseleksi secara alamiah kualitas manusia, dan sebagai batu ujian; apakah ia lulus dengan predikat baik, lulus dengan catatan, atau malah gagal dalam menjalani usjian tersebut.

وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ (11)

“Dan Sesungguhnya Allah benar-benar mengetahui orang-orang yang beriman: dan Sesungguhnya Dia mengetahui orang-orang yang munafik.” Al-Ankabut/29:11

Ketika menjelaskan ayat ini, Mujahid berkomentar: “Manusia itu ada yang iman hanya di lisannya saja, maka ketika dia mendapatkan ujian, berupa kehilangan harta atau jiwa, sebagian manusia dilanda fitnah –goncang yang hebat-“ (Tafsir Al-Baghawi, Juz 6, Bab 11, Hal. 235)

Kelima, Istirja’ atau Mengembalikan Semua kepada Allah

Pertama kali menghadapi musibah, hendaknya iman yang berbicara, bukan hawa nafsu yang protes. Karena seseorang ditentukan oleh sikap pertama kalinya terhadap kejadian. Rasulullah saw. mengingatkan “Sesungguhnya sabar itu ketika merespon kejadian pertama kali.” Selanjutnya berdoa kepada Allah swt. agar diberikan pahala atas musibah itu dan memperoleh ganti yang jauh lebih baik.

قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إذا أصاب أحدكم مصيبة فليقل إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون اللهم عندك احتسب مصيبتي فأجرني عليها وأبدلني بها خيرا منها 

Rasulullah saw. bersabda: “Jika salah satu di antara kalian mendapatkan musibah, maka ucapkanlah; “Sesungguhnya kami milik Allah dan kami kembali kepada-Nya, “Allahumma ‘indaka ahtasibu mushibatii, fa ajirnii ‘alaihaa waabdilnii bihaa khairan minhaa. Ya Allah kepada-Mu saya ikhlaskan musibah yang menimpaku, maka berilah pahala kepadaku atas musibah ini, dan berilah saya ganti yang jauh lebih baik darinya.” Imam Muslim 

Keenam, Musibah Menghapus Kesalahan dan Mengangkat Derajat

Inilah indahnya kehidupan bagi orang yang beriman. Ujian, bencana dan bala akan menggugurkan dosa-dosa dan sekaligus mengangkat derajatnya. Tidak sia-sia, tegantung ia meresponnya. Dari Aisyah ra. ia mendengar Rasulullah saw. bersabda:

عن عائشة قالت سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول « مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ تَشُوكُهُ شَوْكَةٌ فَمَا فَوْقَهَا إِلاَّ حَطَّ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ خَطِيئَةً وَرَفَعَ لَهُ بِهَا دَرَجَةً » رواه مسلم 

“Tiada seorang mukmin yang tertusuk suatu duri atau bahkan yang jauh lebih sakit, kecuali Allah pasti akan menghapus kesalahan dan mengangkat derajat.” Imam Muslim

أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : « عجبًا لأمرِ الْمُؤْمِن ، إِنَّ أمرهُ كُلَّهُ خيرٌ ، ولَيْسَ ذلِكَ لأحَد إلاَّ للمُؤْمنِ ، إن أصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَر ، فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ ، وإنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ ، فكَانَ خَيرًا لَهُ » 

Rasulullah saw. bersabda: “Sungguh menakjubkan urusan seorang mukmin, semua urusannya baik baginya. Jika ia mendapatkan kebaikan, ia bersyukur. Jika sedangkan memperoleh keburukan, ia bersabar, kedua-duanya baik baginya, itu tidak dimiliki kecuali oleh orang mukmin.” Sahih Ibnu Hibban 

Ketujuh, Musibah sebagai Peringatan 

Kejadian bencana bisa dimaknai 3 hal; Pertama sebagai siksa, jika itu menimpa orang-orang yang tidak beriman. Kedua sebagai peringatan, jika menimpa orang-orang yang beriman tapi melakukan banyak dosa. Dan ketiga, sebagai sarana mengangkat derajat, yaitu bagi orang yang beriman, hamba-hamba Allah swt.

Allah swt. berfirman:

قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ سَمْعَكُمْ وَأَبْصَارَكُمْ وَخَتَمَ عَلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ مَنْ إِلَهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِهِ انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُصَرِّفُ الْآَيَاتِ ثُمَّ هُمْ يَصْدِفُونَ (46) öقُلْ أَرَأَيْتَكُمْ إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ عَذَابُ اللَّهِ بَغْتَةً أَوْ جَهْرَةً هَلْ يُهْلَكُ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الظَّالِمُونَ (47) وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ فَمَنْ آَمَنَ وَأَصْلَحَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (48)ÇÍÑÈ وَالَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآَيَاتِنَا يَمَسُّهُمُ الْعَذَابُ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ (49) 

46. Katakanlah: “Terangkanlah kepadaku jika Allah mencabut pendengaran dan penglihatan serta menutup hatimu, siapakah Tuhan selain Allah yang Kuasa mengembalikannya kepadamu?” perhatikanlah bagaimana Kami berkali-kali memperlihatkan tanda-tanda kebesaran (Kami), kemudian mereka tetap berpaling (juga).

47. Katakanlah: “Terangkanlah kepadaku jika datang siksaan Allah kepadamu dengan sekonyong-konyong, atau terang-terangan, Maka Adakah yang dibinasakan (Allah) selain dari orang yang zalim?”

48. dan tidaklah Kami mengutus Para Rasul itu melainkan untuk memberikan kabar gembira dan memberi peringatan. Barangsiapa yang beriman dan Mengadakan perbaikan, Maka tak ada kekhawatiran terhadap mereka dan tidak pula mereka bersedih hati.

49. dan orang-orang yang mendustakan ayat-ayat Kami, mereka akan ditimpa siksa disebabkan mereka selalu berbuat fasik.” QS. Al-An’am: 46-49

Ketujuh, Musibah Menyempurnakan Iman

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:لَيْسَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ مُسْتَكْمِلِ الإِيمَانِ مَنْ لَمْ يَعُدَّ الْبَلاءَ نِعْمَةً، وَالرَّخاءَ مُصِيبَةً، قَالُوا: كَيْفَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ:لأَنَّ الْبَلاءَ لا يَتْبَعُهُ إِلا الرَّخَاءُ، وَكَذَلِكَ الرَّخَاءُ لا تَتْبَعُهُ إِلا الْمُصِيبَة وليس بمؤمن مستكمل الإيمان من لم يسكن في صلاته” قالوا: ولم يا رسول الله؟ قال: “لأن المصلي يناجي ربه فإذا كان في غير صلاة إنما يناجي ابن آدم”.

رواه الطبراني. 

Rasulullah saw. bersabda: “Tiada dianggap mukmin yang sempurna imannya orang yang tidak menganggap suatu bala’ sebagai sebuah kenikmatan, dan suatu kemudahan sebagai musibah. Para sahabat bertanya: Bagaimana itu ya Rasulullah? Rasul menjawab; “Karena tiak menyertai balak itu kecuali adanya kemudahan. Demikian juga dengan kemudian itu akan disertai dengan musibah.” Ath-Tabrani.

Allah swt. berfirman:

فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا (5) إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا (6) فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ (7) وَإِلَى رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ (8)

5.Karena Sesungguhnya sesudah kesulitan itu ada kemudahan,

6. Sesungguhnya sesudah kesulitan itu ada kemudahan.

7. Maka apabila kamu telah selesai (dari sesuatu urusan), kerjakanlah dengan sungguh-sungguh (urusan) yang lain.

8. dan hanya kepada Tuhanmulah hendaknya kamu berharap.” QS. Al-Insyirah:5-8.

Dibalik bencana ada hikmah, ada pelajaran, ada kebaikan. Mari kita renungkan, kita temukan rahasia di balik bencana yang selama ini terjadi. Allahu a’lam.

http://www.dakwatuna.com/2010/rahasia-di-balik-musibah/

Ugly Apartheid Israel

Palestine/Israel - The Issues

Comment from Posted by: J

Today's Israel is an apartheid Israel whose ugliness is darker than South Africa's ever thought of, as Israel's apartheid/fence is apartheid in the physical/mental/spiritual realms.

http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2010/09/palestineisrael-the-issues.html

Palestine: a Family's Story

By RON JACOBS 

Ramzy Baroud left Gaza when he was a young man. He departed with mixed emotions, knowing full well he might never see his father or Gaza again. Once he left, his activities and the nature of the Israeli control of that piece of land made those fears come true. Since he left, he has become a chronicler of the struggle for a free Palestine and an advocate for a genuine and just solution to the ongoing conflict in his native land.

His most recent addition to the aforementioned chronicle is a beautifully wrought memoir of his family. Titled My Father Was a Freedom Fighter, the book takes the reader into the life of a man who was driven from his birth village during the ethnic cleansing of parts of Palestine by Israeli Zionist forces. That man was Ramzy Baroud's father, Mohammed Baroud. Along with his family and much of the rest of his village, the teenage Mohammed eventually found himself in the refugee camp called Nuseirat. Despite several journeys out of that camp to fight and to trade, he would die there some fifty years later. Not only would Baroud's father never see the village of his childhood--Beit Daras--again, but the fate of Palestine was more uncertain than it had been ever since the creation of Israel. 

I have to be honest. Whenever I read a description of the travails of the Palestinian people since 1947, my human emotions kick in. Anger and sorrow are the most common. The description can be a personal memoir or a reasonably objective piece of journalism. It could be written by a sympathetic soul, an observer or a member of a group supporting the continued expansion of Israel. It doesn't matter. The decades of suffering mirrored by a similar number of years opposing Israeli occupation; the uncaring response of a world seemingly numb to the actualities of Tel Aviv's Orwellian newspeak describing the situation; and the seeming inevitability of more death and daily suffering always results in the aforementioned emotional responses.

Ramzy Baroud's text operates on several different levels. Of course, it is anunsparing look at the political Zionist program to carve a homeland out of Palestinian lands for likeminded Jewish people. It is also a critical history of the relationship between the Palestinians and established Arab nations. He recalls the brief period of secular Arab nationalism after World War Two led by Egypt's president Gamal Abdel Nasser. While describing this bit of history, Baroud also relates the story of his father's enlistment into a unit of Nasser's army that defended Gaza. This moment of his father's pride he describes is one that is both personal and political, like so many moments of a people struggling daily for their independence and against oppression.  

The author's ability to depict these types of moments is what makes this book such a worthwhile read. Under Baroud's pen, history truly does become the story of a people. Each individual whose story appears in My Father Was a Freedom Fighter embodies the story of the Palestinians. The story stretches from the daily battle to feed one's family when there are no fields to harvest because the occupiers have destroyed those fields to meetings with leaders of the Intifada. Ramzy Baroud tells a very personal tale in these pages underlined by an impeccably researched historical knowledge.  

In addition to depicting the relationship between Arab nations and the Palestinian movement, this text explores the nature of the Palestinian liberation movement itself. Combining his father's political understanding and historical memory with his own knowledge, Baroud explores the reasons for the Palestine Liberation Organization's fall into seeming irrelevance in Gaza and its replacement by Hamas. It is a story about organizing at the grassroots and corruption at the top. It is also a story of one man's hopes in the organization he believed in being dashed. Finally, it is also the all too familiar tale of a society striving yet failing to overcome the scourge of class, especially when those at the top are offered rewards for leaving their lesser-off brothers and sisters behind.

Perhaps the most emotionally difficult storyline that runs through Baroud's memoir is the story of his parents' love for each other. Difficult, because it is a story like so many other love stories without hope for a happy ending. When Ramzy's mother died of cancer at the age of 42, she was given a martyr's funeral. This wasn't because she was a battlefield fighter or a guerrilla, but because she was a child, mother and sister of Palestine. She died so young in part because Tel Aviv's brutal occupation refused her the treatment she needed. Indeed, the incident that may well have exacerbated her illness was one where Israeli soldiers beat her while she pleaded with them not to break her sons' arms. This practice was a common Israeli Defense Force tactic during the First Intifada.

My Father Was a Freedom Fighter is a perfectly nuanced combination of memoir and history. Once again, Baroud has put the nature of the Israeli occupation of Palestine in human terms that describe not only the humiliation of the Palestinians as individuals and as a people, but also the struggle against that humiliation and the often brutal repression that accompanies it.

http://www.counterpunch.org/jacobs11122010.html

Palestine and the Fate of the UN

By LAWRENCE DAVIDSON 

The United Nations celebrated its 65th birthday (1945 to 2010) on 24 October 2010. At 65 the world body has lasted 27 years longer than its predecessor, the League of Nations (1919 to 1946). Will the UN go another 65 years? To help answer that question a quick look at what did in the League of Nations is in order. 

The League of Nations was certainly not a perfect organization, infected as it was with the colonialist notions of its European founders. We can see that aspect of the organization in its mandate system which served as a cover for imperialism. But ultimately the mandate system is not what brought the League low. The fatal flaw was its inability to achieve its primary goal of preventing war by transcending the power of nationalism and compelling all states to end their quarrels through negotiation or arbitration. What success the League did have in this effort was restricted to a category of relatively weak states. For instance, it successfully brought an end to disputes between Columbia and Peru, Greece and Yugoslavia, Finland and Sweden, and even, in 1921, Poland and a very weak Germany. However, when disputes involved aggressive "great" powers, as they did in the 1930s, the League failed utterly. It was ultimately destroyed by its inability to project authority and influence, as well as punishment, on countries like belligerent Italy and resurgent Nazi Germany. As Mussolini observed while, with impunity, using poison gas on the Ethiopians, "the League is very good when sparrows shout, but no good at all when eagles fall out." He thought of Italy as an eagle. 

As the League was founded in response to the First World War, so the United Nations was founded as a response to the Second World War. Where once there was the horror of the trenches, now there was the horror of the Holocaust. Where once there was mustard gas, now there was something much worse, nuclear weaponry. Thus the prevention of war still formed the central and urgent mission of the United Nations. This time around it should have been easier for the new world body. Where the First World War spurred on imperialism, carving up the Ottoman Empire and introducing the facade of mandates, the Second World saw the dismantlement of empires and, finally, the fulfillment of Woodrow Wilson’s promise of self-determination for most of the non-European world. Most, but not everywhere. For at the end of World War II, as the United Nations Charter was ratified and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed, the members of the United Nations were coerced into committing a fatal mistake. Under heavy pressure from the United States, the General Assembly gave its blessing to an arrangement whereby the sin of European and American antisemitism was to be paid for by the Palestinians, a people who had nothing at all to do with Europe’s death camps or America’s death dealing immigration policy. The United Nations blessed the creation of Israel. By doing so it went a long way to assuring its own demise. 

It is this background that makes so important, and depressing, the statement made before the General Assembly by Richard Falk on 20 October 2010. Falk is ending his tenure as Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Palestine. Here are some of the points he made in his address:

1. Throughout his tenure the Government of Israel has been consistently uncooperative, even to the point of refusing him entrance into Israel and the Occupied Territories. 

2. The United Nations itself has failed to respond strongly to this challenge to its authority thereby encouraging the view that the world body has not the political will to uphold international law and the principles of its Charter when it comes to the ally of a Great Power. 

3. The response of the international community has also been "disappointing."

Falk concludes as follows, "The United Nations will be judged now and in the future by whether if contributes, at long last, to the... realization of the Palestinian right of self-determination, and thereby brings a just peace to both [Israeli and Palestinian] peoples." 

Dr. Saeb Erakat, chief negotiator for the Palestinian Liberation Organization, also spoke about this dilemma in his remarks on the UN’s 65th birthday. He observed that "Israel has undermined the efficacy of and derogated the UN system, the very authority through which it was created." He then went on to list some of the sources of international law in which Palestinian rights are grounded. These include UN General Assembly resolutions, UN Security Council resolutions, and the Fourth Geneva Convention. All of which Israel has been allowed to violate. 

Both Erakat and Falk know that there is virtually no chance that the United Nations can or will even try to force Israel to abide by international law. Whatever its Charter might say, its decision making structure is designed to prevent any challenge to the great powers that have permanent seats on the Security Council. The United States is the great power patron of Israel and has, and will continue, to block efforts to sanction its ally. Thus, like the League of Nations, the UN can deal only with sparrows and but not eagles. It can go after the leaders of Sudan, Serbia and Rwanda, but not those of the United States for its crimes in Iraq, Not China for its crimes in Tibet, not Russia for its crimes in Chechnya, and not Israel for its crimes against the Palestinians or its near fatal corruption of an ancient world religion. It would seem that Israel flies with Mussolini’s eagles. 

It is unlikely that the UN will end its days abruptly as did the League of Nations. While Israel does encourage war and mayhem in the Middle East, liking nothing better than to push the United States into a war with Iran, it is unlikely to spark World War III. Thus, it is probable that the United Nations’ fate is to go out with a whimper and not a bang. It will linger on for many decades to come, a tool of the great powers to be used to shoot at sparrows when appropriate. Ironically, this means the final legacy of the United Nations will be the opposite of its original ideal. Ideally meant to keep the peace and hold all nations to the rule of law, it will stand emasculated as an symbol of the ultimate supremacy of power in the world. 

Power has been supreme for a very long time. In the 5th century BC the city state of Athens (alleged birthplace of Western democracy) was fighting the Peloponnesian War. Its naval forces came to the neutral city of Melos and demanded its surrender. The historian Thucydides recounts the ensuing debate in which the Athenians told the Melosians "...we both alike know that in the discussion of human affairs the question of justice only enters where there is equal power to enforce it, and that the powerful exact what they can, and the weak grant what they must." In our modern day such Machiavellian honesty has fallen out of favor. We need to manage our ruthlessness so as to keep our consciences clear. And that is what the United Nations is for. It will run after the sparrows so that the eagles can feel they have some modicum of justice to point to as they "exact what they can" from those they do treat unjustly. The United Nations has become a cover for great power hypocrisy. 

Such is the way of international politics. Do we have to put up with this evil? The answer is no we do not. But we cannot look to any of the great powers for justice, fairness, equity or the like, for theirs is the world of Realpolitik and raison d’etat. Hope, such as it is, lies with civil society. The fortunes of justice, fairness, equity are a function of the ability of citizens worldwide to organize themselves for a specific cause, and the great precedent here is the struggle that brought down apartheid South Africa. This strategy, born of mass communications and the ethical potential of individual consciences, knows no national boundaries and thus has enormous potential. It is presently focused on the condemnable behavior of Israel toward the Palestinians. If, in the next quarter century (for it is likely to take that long), the power of mobilized civil society can bring justice to the Palestinians it will create the possibility for a more humane world in practice and not just in theory. It is an intoxicating prospect. And it is one that has a chance of realization.

http://www.counterpunch.org/davidson11152010.html

Penduduk China paling ramai hidap diabetes

2010/11/16 BEIJING: China dilaporkan mempunyai bilangan pesakit diabetes paling tinggi di dunia dengan 92.4 juta penduduk mengidap penyakit itu tetapi sebanyak 61 peratus daripada mereka tidak mengetahui mempunyai kencing manis. 

“Kombinasi kurangnya kesedaran umum dan kurangnya khidmat pengesanan awal menjadi penyebab kepada kadar diagnos yang rendah di tanah besar,” kata Ji Linong, ketua Persatuan Diabetes China yang dipetik media tempatan.  

Sejumlah 13 peratus perbelanjaan perubatan keseluruhan China, kira-kira AS$25 bilion (RM75 bilion) adalah berkaitan dengan diabetes, lapor China Daily yang memetik satu kajian oleh Persatuan Diabetik China dan Yayasan Diabetes Antarabangsa. 

“Kos untuk merawat diabetes akan meningkat dalam tempoh 10 hingga 20 tahun kerana pesakit yang tidak menjalani diagnos mengalami kesan serius di mana kos rawatan pastinya akan lebih banyak,” kata Ji. 

Sebanyak 61 peratus pesakit yang tidak didiagnos mengalami risiko tinggi berhadapan dengan masalah penglihatan dan buah pinggang selain berisiko mendapat strok, kata laporan berkenaan. 

Pertumbuhan ekonomi China membawa kepada meningkatkan masalah kesihatan yang dikaitkan dengan amalan diet kaya dan membabitkan gaya hidup golongan kelas pertengahan. 

Sejak ekonomi China meningkat tinggi pada 1980-an, berjuta penduduk meninggalkan kampung halaman mereka untuk mendapatkan pekerjaan di bandar besar, menukar tabiat daripada berbasikal kepada berkereta dan mengamalkan gaya hidup barat termasuk makanan segera. 

Lebih 60 juta penduduk obes di negara dengan 1.3 bilion penduduk manakala 200 juta yang lain mengalami lebihan berat badan, kata angka yang dikeluarkan kementerian kesihatan China. – AFP.

Ulasan: Terbukti mengamalkan hidup Barat termasuk makanan SEGERA adalah merbahaya.

Good Governance Sudah Diatur Dalam Syariat Islam

Gubernur Sumbar: Good Governance Sudah Diatur Dalam Syariat Islam 

dakwatuna.com – Mengawali perkuliahan di tahun akademik 2010/2011, fakultas syari’ah IAIN Imam Bonjol Padang, menyelenggarakan kuliah umum dengan narasumber Gubernur Sumatera Barat Dr Irwan Prayitno, Jum’at (24/09) di Gedung Serbaguna kampus setempat.

Dalam kuliah umum yang bertemakan “Kontribusi Fakultas Syariah dalam Kelanjutan Pembangunan Sumatera Barat” tersebut, Irwan menjelaskan, pentingnya nilai-nilai syariat dalam kehidupan bernegara ini. Khususnya di Minangkabau dengan filosinya 'adat basandi syara’-syara’ basan di kitabullah' (ABS-SBK).

“Berbicara tentang good governance, tranparansi, korupsi, kesejahteraaan dan kedisiplinan, semuanya itu sudah diatur dalam syariat Islam. Jika, kita telah menjalankan itu semua, berarti kita telah menjalankan syariat Islam,” ujarnya,

Di depan ratusan mahasiswa dan dosen tersebut, Irwan berharap kepada civitas akademika IAIN, khususnya mahasiswa fakultas syariah untuk menjelaskan kepada masyarakat tentang konsep-konsep syariat tersebut.

“Kita berharap ini bisa disampaikan dalam ceramah-ceramah agama dan berbagai diskusi, agar tidak ada lagi para pemimpin yang pendusta,” ujarnya.

Walaupun kuliah umum ini diperuntukan untuk mahasiswa fakultas syariah, tetapi mahasiswa-mahasiswa dari fakultas lainnya juga memadati gedung itu. Selian itu, turut hadir Rektor IAIN Prof Dr H Sirajuddin Zar M.A, Pembantu Rektor I Prof Dr Syafruddin Nurdin, PR III Prof Dr Salmadanis M.Ag, Dekan Fakultas Syari’ah Subhan, dan Pembantu Dekan I,II serta III Fakultas Syari’ah.

Ayahanda Irwan Prayitno H. Jamrul Jamal, yang juga dosen fakultas syariah juga hadir mengikuti anaknya sebagai narasumber dalam kuliah umum tersebut.

Pembantu Dekan I fakultas syariah, Dr. Zulfikri, M.A mengatakan, kuliah umum tersebut bertujuan untuk menggali kompetensi fakultas syariah dengan ikut berkonstribusi dalam kelanjutan pembangunan daerah ini.

“Dengan kuliah umum dengan Gubernur Sumatera Barat ini, bisa terjalin hubungan silaturahim antara fakultas syari’ah dengan pemerintah daerah baik secara emosional maupun kelembagaan,” ujarnya.

Zulfikri beraharap, semoga pemerintah daerah bisa memanfaatkan potensi yang ada di fakultas syari’ah ini.(*) (Andri El Faruqi/pt)

http://www.dakwatuna.com/2010/gubernur-sumbar-good-governance-sudah-diatur-dalam-syariat-islam/

Dua Pemuda Afrika Selatan Berhaji dengan Berbasikal

Dua Pemuda Afsel Berhaji dengan Bersepeda

dakwatuna.com – Mekah, Melewati Bostwana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Turki, Suriah, dan Yordania, Nathim Caircross (28 tahun) dan Imtiyaz Ahmad Haron (25 tahun) mengayuh sepeda/basikal ke Arab Saudi. Setiap hari mereka harus mengayuh sejauh 80-100 km, bermula dari Cape Town, Afrika Selatan.

“Mengayuh sepeda ke Kerajaan dari Cape Town adalah pengalaman yang melelahkan. Kami melakukan perjalanan dengan cara ini sehingga kita siap untuk menjalani kerasnya ibadah haji,” kata Cairncross, yang berprofesi sebagai perencana kota, sepeti dikutip arabnews.com.

Di Cape Town mereka kuliah hukum Islam di sebuah universitas. Cairncross hobi berselancar angin, Haron hobi kickboxing dan mendaki gunung. Cairncross kemudian kursus perencanaan kota yang kemudian mengantarnhya kepada dunia kerja. Mereka mengaku bahagia begitu tiba di perbatasan Arab.

Mereka memulai perjalanan pada 7 Februari 2010. Ini adalah perjalanan haji pertama mereka. “Kami bisa naik pesawat, tapi kami menghargai perjalanan yang berbeda. Jadi kami memilih menggunakan sepeda kami. Bersepeda adalah kegiatan yang paling kami sukai,” kata Cairncross.

Senja tiba, mereka akan mencari masjid atau memasang untuk beristirahat. Selepas Subuh, mereka melanjutkan perjalanan lagi. Selama perjalanan, Selama perjalanan,eka menemukan orang-orang yang ramah dan menyambut baik mereka. Orang-orang salut atas perjalanan haji mereka. Tawaran makan pun berdatangan selama di perjalanan

Mereka membawa bekal yang minim. Tawaran bantuan uang pun berdatangan kepada mereka. Di perbatasan Arab, petugas keamanan juga menyambut ramah dua jamaah yang harus pula turun naik pegunungan dengan mengayuh sepeda. Melewati sembilan negara selama sembilan bulan, mereka sering mengganti ban/tayar dan memperbaiki rantai sepeda/basikal.

Masalah bahasa sedikit menjadi kendala dalam perjalanan mereka. Tapi, mereka bisa mengatasinya. Selesai berhaji, mereka akan pulang melalui Afrika Barat. mch/Riyanto (RoL/ut)

http://www.dakwatuna.com/2010/dua-pemuda-afsel-berhaji-dengan-bersepeda/

Khatib Masjidil Haram Tuntut Hentikan Blokade

dakwatuna.com – Makkah Al-Mukarramah, Khatib Masjidil Haram, Syaikh Abdur Rahman As-Sudais, Jumat (12/11) mengajak jemaah haji memanfaatkan kewajiban haji untuk bersatu mengatasi krisis yang melanda dunia Islam. Beliau mengajak kaum muslimin untuk bekerja serius mencari solusi persoalan Palestina dan membebaskan Masjidil Aqsha.

Syaikh Sudais menuntut penghentian blockade Palestina dan mengajak semua faksi Palestina untuk bersatu dan menghilangkan perselisihan.

Lebih dari satu juta jemaah haji menunaikan shalat Jumat di Masjidil Haram, Makkah Al-Mukarramah, dan terus berdatangan tamu-tamu Allah untuk menunaikan ibadah haji.

Pejabat Saudi menyebutkan bahwa jumlah orang yang shalat hari ini mencapai empat juta orang, melihat banyaknya warga asing yang bermukim di pinggiran kota suci Makkah. (qm/ip)

http://www.dakwatuna.com/2010/khotib-masjidil-haram-tuntut-hentikan-blokade/

Hajj 2010: Pedalling to the pilgrimage

Two South Africans face thousands of kilometres of unchartered territory as they journey to Mecca for Hajj - by bicycle.

The idea began as a hypothetical situation - what would happen if a few friends attempted to bicycle from their home in South Africa to the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia in time for the annual Hajj pilgrimage?

Twelve countries, nine months and untold kilometres of freshly traveled earth behind them, the hypothetical has become a reality for Cape Town residents Nathim Cairncross, 28, and Imtiyaz Ahmad Haron, 25.

The two pedalled their way across the Saudi border in late October, arriving nearly three weeks before the official start of the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca.

The pilgrimage, which falls during the last month of the Islamic calendar and begins on November 14 this year, is a rite that forms one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for able-bodied Muslims of means at least once in their lifetime.

The two began planning their journey in December, shortly after Haron floated the idea to Cairncross, his friend of nearly seven years. Haron had been reading up on the Hajj, which draws about two million Muslims to Saudi Arabia annually.

Inspired by the stories of pilgrims that had made the arduous journey to Mecca before him, Haron decided that he wanted to join their ranks and enlisted Cairncross to come along – with a twist. The two would make the trek using only their bicycles.

"In life there's a consistent principle for me," Cairncross told Al Jazeera.

"If I work very hard for something, at the end of the day it's sweeter; I value it more. After nine months [cycling] through Africa and the Middle East – of course, I value it more."

Training for the trek

Their journey began on February 7, on a cold and rainy morning at a mosque in Cape Town, where nearly 500 people had gathered to bid them farewell and pray for their well being. 

Escorted about 70km out of town by local cycling clubs supporting their effort, the two were then left alone to traverse the road ahead using their maps, their bicycles and sheer determination.Hajj 2010.

"We're not professional bike riders," Cairncross said. "But we did physical training – increased exercises – two months before, going up the mountains [of Cape Town], running on the beach, swimming."

Even as they trained for the trek, Haron and Cairncross also had to combat the naysayers, who discouraged them from embarking on the ride, and others who did not think the two would go through with the plan. 

Undaunted, the friends plotted their itinerary, consulted the South African traffic department to ensure they could use the roads, researched visa entry rules, and sought medical advice from doctors, who "diagnosed us as crazy", the two said.

Word soon began to spread of their plan, and their story caught the attention of local radio stations. Once their journey began, those stations kept in touch with the riders, calling them periodically to check in on how the ride was progressing, and reporting back to listeners in Cape Town.

The support helped buoy them through their long journey, across Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and the green peaks of Malawi. 

Kindness of strangers

They cycled 80-100km per day, starting after the pre-dawn Muslim prayer, and stopping at night at hotels, campsites, or mosques, where they would tell their story to welcoming listeners who would then invite them to stay the night and eat a meal.

They made friends along the way - locals, other cyclists and tourists curious about their journey. Haron and Cairncross welcomed the curiosity, seeing it as an opportunity to explain Islam, Hajj, and why they intended to perform the pilgrimage.

"On the ground you can speak to the people," Cairncross said.

"You get an opportunity that traveling by plane or car you don't get. And you learn much more, you discover much more about yourself. It was an existential experience."

However, speaking to people posed a challenge in some countries, where the number of English-speakers was few, and language represented a barrier. Refusing to let that hinder them, Haron and Cairncross began to pick up the basics of the languages they encountered, consulting with locals and researching when they could find an internet connection. 

In addition to the language barriers, the two faced minor technical problems – tire punctures, broken chains, and cushion malfunctions. But they said safety was never an issue, and despite their limited budget they always managed to find food and shelter. 

Africa to Asia

From Malawi, the friends cycled through Tanzania, visiting the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, before heading to Kenya and the border of Ethiopia.

But it was at that border that Haron and Cairncross faced their first major obstacle of the trip. The two had planned to travel through Ethiopia and into Sudan, but border authorities denied their exit from Kenya into the east African country, leaving the friends temporarily stranded, and without a plan.

After myriad calls to South African embassy officials and a hasty refiguring of their original plan, Haron and Cairncross booked plane tickets and flew to Turkey, determined to complete their mission despite the slight hiccup.

They spent the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan traveling through Turkey, from Istanbul and Ankara to Gaziantep, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

From Turkey, they cycled to Aleppo and Damascus in Syria, where they were pleasantly surprised by the depth of Syrian hospitality as children ran up to their bicycles and invited them home to lunch.

Mercy from the skies

Then it was on to Jordan – with a 24-hour trip to the city of Jerusalem to visit Masjid al-Aqsa – before heading back over the Allenby Bridge connecting Israel and the Palestinian territories to the Jordanian border. After biking the rugged hills of Petra and riding past the Dead Sea, the two at last cycled through the Arabian desert and over the Jordanian border into Saudi Arabia in late October.

"At the Tabuk border, we ran into three generals at the border post, and they were very impressed with our trip," Cairncross said.

"So they made things easy for us, processed our visas, and while that was happening, they took us to their office, allowed us to sleep over and eat breakfast."

With a stop in Medina, Haron and Cairncross finally made it to Mecca, under heavy grey skies reminiscent of the day that they set out on their trip. The two friends have not yet decided how they will get back to Cape Town – and they are soliciting donations to help defer some of those costs, including a bid to sell their bicycles when the trip is over.

However, despite the uncertainty of the future, they said they knew the trip was more than worth the effort when they stepped foot into the confines of Mecca.

"It was an incredible feeling," Cairncross said.

"It was storming when we got to Mecca, with thunder and lightening. But we were so keen to get in, to see the Kaaba for the first time.

"Making tawaf (the circulation around the Kaaba) with your ihram (unstitched garments worn by pilgrims) soaking through – the rain was like mercy coming down on us. Not that we're special, but it felt like, God willing, our efforts were accepted."

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/hajj2010/2010/10/201010993257862785.html

HAJJ: a spatial journey in time

Pilgrimage: a spatial journey in time
by BÜLENT KENEŞ, b.kenes@todayszaman.com

MECCA -- As you read this article, I will have completed my umrah and will be performing wuquf (standing) at Mount Arafat along with about 3 million Muslims who rushed to Mecca from all around the world for the hajj, or pilgrimage.

Tonight (Monday) I will leave for Muzdalifa, and on Tuesday morning I will go to Mina to stone the devil. I will then circumambulate the Kaaba (tawaf) and on the same day perform the sacrifice. Following this, God willing, I will be a pilgrim along with other believers.

I know that I have used a number of religious/spatial/historical concepts within the two relatively shorts sentences above in a way that my non-Muslim readers will have difficulty to understand: umrah, hajj, Mecca, Arafat, wuquf, Muzdalifa, Mina, stoning of the devil, the Kaaba, tawaf, sacrifice. These terms and expressions are only part of dozens of concepts, places and historical information that Muslims have to learn and implement in order to perform the hajj as one of the five pillars of Islam. Perhaps thanks to this requirement the hajj can become a comprehensive form of worship that allows believers in Islam to understand not only their inner selves, but also the external world around them and the future.

Indeed, this sacred worship, incumbent upon every Muslim who is physically and financially able to undertake it, offers a rich treasure of gains and benefits which they would not be able to obtain through decades of reading books if the temporal, spatial and conceptual dimensions of this worship are truly comprehended. I can assure you that a pilgrimage performed as it should be will make the pilgrim realize and understand not only the realities of our time, the magnificent background that embodies Islam and other Abrahamic religions but also the very places where these Abrahamic religions were born and where past, present and possible future events will be based.

If you ask, “Are there people who can realize and understand all this?” then my answer is, “For sure, there are.” But I will certainly add, “However, I must conclude that their numbers are quite low given the current miserable condition of the Muslim world.” In addition to traveling in space, the hajj also gives pilgrims an opportunity to travel in time. The hajj may take you to a past of several thousands years ago, and it may also help you make predictions about what the future of the Muslim world will be in the future by looking at the current condition of Muslims coming from all around the world.

Evidently, we cannot look at the sacred places of the hajj independent of their historical past. And the history of Mecca -- which was the focal point of every big transformation experienced in the historical process of the gradual perfection of Islam, as willed by God, and which today hosts the sacred pilgrimage -- and the Kaaba, which is the heart of Mecca, the world and the universe for Muslims, cannot be imagined separately from their identity as a geographical place where this history occurred. This point, I think, is well evidenced by the historical event in which Hajar desperately ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa, which are made of volcanic deposits in the middle of the desert that was in appearance devoid of any resources, in order to find water for her son Ismael.

This veil of spatial (desert) mystery indicates that the apparent world does not tell anything about the hidden world, and I think it is capable of disclosing many things to those who are open to them. The holy Zamzam water, which made poor Hajar the happiest mother in history as it spurted out from among the volcanic rocks in a sea of sand and came to the rescue of Ismael, still remains as a miraculous secret because it continues to serve as the water of life for millions of people in the heart of the desert.

In the stories in which Hajar, Ismael, Safa, Marwa and Zamzam water complement each other, place intermingles with time. In the sacred/honorable vicinity of the Kaaba that instills a new life into every visiting Muslim, place cannot be separated from time and vice versa.

But if you think that the story of the Kaaba and the hajj begins with Hajar, Ismael or his father, Abraham, you are wrong. It is said that when God told Adam to build the Kaaba, he came to Mecca and built it with help from the angels. Adam made his first tawaf, and the angels said to him: “O Adam! May God bless your hajj. We visited this House two thousands years ago.” Thus, it is clear that the history of the Kaaba and the hajj goes beyond the history of mankind.

Obviously, even its several thousands of years of history are unable to truly comprehend the value of this sacred place. The projections of this intermingled coexistence of time and place are reflected onto our perception as religious concepts from which we can benefit in proportion to the strength of our faith. The hajj, performed every year by millions of Muslims, reflects the profundity (or should I say, shallowness) of this perception. Then, as individual Muslims, each of us is left with the question, “What is and will be the state of the Muslim world?”

http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-227248-pilgrimage-a-spatial-journey-in-time.html

Pleasing Allah

Charlotte McPherson  

Muslims around the world will be offering a sacrifice to Allah during the Feast of the Sacrifice holiday. It is important for non-Muslims, like myself, to understand the Feast of the Sacrifice, or Eid al-Adha (in Turkish, Kurban Bayramı).
 
During this time Muslims are making the pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Mecca. It is impossible to understand the significance of Kurban Bayramı without placing it in the context of the hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam.

Recently, a young lady who was a guest of mine heard the call to prayer for the first time in her life while visiting İstanbul. I appreciated how she asked what that sound in the early morning was, rather than what the noise was. You quickly get used to hearing the call to prayer in Turkey and other Muslim countries.

This same guest noticed men wearing white clothes wrapped around them in the airport, and this prompted more questions. If you are unfamiliar with Islamic practices, then this is intended to help you understand the significance of the coming days.

Here are a few points about the Feast of the Sacrifice:

It is the most important festival in Islam, followed by Eid al-Fitr, or Şeker Bayramı, which marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan.

Kurban Bayramı, or Eid al-Adha, is the Islamic festival that coincides with the end of the annual pilgrimage in Mecca and is marked by sacrificing an animal such as a sheep, goat, camel or cattle.

Kurban Bayramı begins on the 10th day of the month of Dhu al-Hijja (Zilhicce in Turkish) in the Muslim calendar and continues for four days.

The purpose is to identify with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice everything, including his son, to Allah, and to celebrate God’s deliverance of Abraham by providing a sheep as a substitute.

The five pillar of Islam are:

* Worship Allah, accept Muhammad as Allah’s prophet and believe in the Quran.

* Pray the Islamic ritual prayer at the five prescribed times per day.

* Pay zakat (charity). Every person is required to give 2.5 percent of the income he earns.

* Fast between the first and fourth prayers during the month of Ramadan.

* Make a pilgrimage to Mecca.

Let’s look at the fifth pillar, Hajj, or “pilgrimage,” which is closely associated with the Feast of the Sacrifice. The pilgrimage is seen as a time of universal gathering of individual, diverse Muslims in one area, where they may intermingle as citizens of the world, sharing their experiences and benefitting from each other’s opinions.

Kenneth Frank and Adil Özdemir, authors of “Visible Islam in Modern Turkey,” explain the significance of the religious practice: The rituals of the pilgrimage center around re-enacting important episodes from the lives of Abraham, Hagar and Ishmael.

It begins with “tawaf,” circumambulating the Kaaba seven times. The Kaaba is said to have been rebuilt by Abraham and consecrated to Allah as a center of pilgrimage. Pilgrims pray for the cleansing of their sins and often try to kiss or touch the Black Stone that is lodged into one corner of the Kaaba.

Pilgrims then perform a ceremonial running back and forth between two hills in a re-enactment of Hagar’s desperate search for water for her son Ishmael after she was shunned by Sarah, Abraham’s wife. The Well of Zamzam is said to have appeared under Ishmael’s feet to save them from death. Pilgrims drink this water during this ceremony.

Then the actual “pilgrimage” takes place as pilgrims make the trip to Arafat to gather in tents for prayer and conversation from noon until sunset. Prayers are said to be especially effective during this time.

After spending the night under the stars at Muzdalifa, pilgrims proceed to Mina where the ritual “stoning of Satan” occurs. Pilgrims throw seven rocks at large stone pillars said to represent Satan. This ceremony re-enacts Abraham’s stern rejection of Satan’s temptation to refuse to obey God’s command to sacrifice Ishmael.

This ritual is followed by the offering of an animal sacrifice by each pilgrim, identifying with Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishmael and God’s provision of a sheep as a reward for Abraham’s complete faithfulness in Allah.

For those who are not able to perform pilgrimage in Mecca during Eid al-Adha, their celebration includes visits to family members, beginning with parents and then extended family, friends and neighbors, and the graves of relatives are also visited during this time. Since many businesses are closed during these days, families often take the opportunity to go on vacation or to visit out-of-town family members.

Note: Charlotte McPherson is the author of “Culture Smart: Turkey, 2005.” Please keep your questions and observations coming: I want to ensure this column is a help to you, Today’s Zaman’s readers. Email: c.mcpherson@todayszaman.com

http://www.todayszaman.com/columnist-227233-pleasing-allah.html

Kontraktor jadi punca masalah

BELURAN 11 Nov. - Beberapa projek pembinaan bangunan sekolah dan rumah guru yang terbengkalai di kawasan luar bandar di daerah ini berpunca daripada pihak kontraktor yang dilantik menyiapkan projek berkenaan. 

Ahli Parlimen Beluran, Datuk Ronald Kiandee berkata, kegagalan kontraktor terbabit menyiapkan projek menyebabkan rakyat di kawasan berkenaan menyalahkan masalah itu berpunca daripada kerajaan dan wakil rakyat.

"Disebabkan kegagalan mereka (kontraktor), rakyat khususnya guru dan pelajar tidak memperoleh manfaat prasarana pendidikan yang disediakan oleh kerajaan," katanya kepada Bernama hari ini.

Beliau berkata demikian semasa mengulas beberapa projek pembinaan bangunan sekolah dan rumah guru di daerah itu antaranya di Kampung Lubang Buaya dan Kampung Tangkarason yang terbengkalai…

Ulasan: Elakkan projek RAKYAT terbengkalai dengan mengikut juruukur bahan terlatih khusus menilai tender dan pentender berdasarkan pengalaman, keupayaan teknikal dan kewangan sesuatu kontraktor tanpa prejudis. Bila syor juruukur bahan tak diikuti oleh Lembaga Tender, biasanya tunggulah masanya projek akan jadi terbengkalai. 

Kelas Agama Petang Sekolah Menengah NS

SEREMBAN 11 Nov. - Kerajaan negeri akan melaksanakan program Kelas Agama Petang (KAP) bagi pelajar sekolah menengah di seluruh negeri ini tidak lama lagi.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan berkata, langkah itu selari dengan hasrat kerajaan negeri memberi peluang kepada golongan terbabit untuk menimba serta mendalami ilmu pengetahuan Islam secara tersusun dan teratur.

Katanya, perkara tersebut juga merupakan hasil daripada kejayaan dan sambutan yang menggalakkan daripada umum di atas pelaksanaan KAP yang diwujudkan sejak 2004 bagi murid sekolah rendah.

''Buat masa ini ia masih berada di peringkat cadangan dan kita akan meneliti setiap aspek secara terperinci sebelum melaksanakannya di peringkat sekolah menengah.

''Namun, bagi peringkat awal kita mungkin akan cuba memulakan program KAP di sekolah menengah yang berasrama di negeri ini," katanya selepas hadir pada Majlis Khatam al-Quran Perdana Sekolah KAP, j-QAF dan Sekolah Agama Rakyat (SAR) Peringkat Negeri Sembilan 2010 di Stadium Tertutup Nilai dekat sini hari ini.

Hadir sama Pengarah Pelajaran negeri, Abdul Halim Abdul Razak serta beberapa Ahli Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri.

Menurutnya, ketika ini pelbagai perkara diteliti sebelum ia dapat dilaksanakan termasuk melihat jadual pembelajaran pelajar yang sentiasa padat.

''Pelajar sekolah menengah mempunyai banyak program kurikulum selain kokurikulum. Kita akan lihat kemampuan melaksanakan KAP di sekolah menengah ini," ujarnya.

Jelas Mohamad, pelaksanaan KAP di peringkat sekolah rendah telah menunjukkan hasil yang amat memberangsangkan bukan sahaja daripada segi prestasi murid, malah turut mendapat sambutan baik daripada ibu bapa.

''Sehingga hari ini kita menggunakan 2,355 bilik darjah di sekolah-sekolah rendah kebangsaan di seluruh negeri bagi menjayakan program KAP," ujarnya….

Ulasan: Mari selamatkan generasi pelapis.

Kita berisiko tinggi diserang penyakit tak berjangkit

Rakyat berisiko tinggi diserang penyakit tak berjangkit

BALING 11 Nov. - Rakyat negara ini berdepan dengan risiko tinggi menghidap penyakit tidak berjangkit akibat gaya hidup dan amalan pemakanan yang tidak sihat.

Ketua Sektor Bahagian Kawalan Penyakit Tidak Berjangkit Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia, Dr. Omar Mihat berkata, penyakit seperti kencing manis, darah tinggi, jantung dan stres berada pada tahap serius jika tiada kesedaran bagi membendungnya.

Katanya, ia perlu dibendung dengan amalan kesihatan serta aktiviti sihat. 

"Gaya hidup yang sihat dan amalan pemakanan yang tidak seimbang menyebabkan rakyat Malaysia terdedah kepada penyakit tidak berjangkit ini," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas majlis Program Bersepadu Memperkasa Komuniti (Intervensi NCD) yang dianjurkan Jabatan Kesihatan Negeri Kedah dan Pejabat Kesihatan Daerah Baling di Kampung Keda Bandar, dekat sini hari ini….

Ulasan: Hidupkan budaya hidup sihat.

Belanja RM35 juta setahun hantar SMS

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Nov. - Rakyat Malaysia membelanjakan RM35 juta untuk menghantar 3.5 bilion khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) pada tahun ini, kata Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim.

Menurut beliau, jumlah perbelanjaan itu adalah berdasarkan anggaran kos satu sen bagi setiap SMS yang dihantar.

Katanya, statistik itu menjadikan rakyat Malaysia muncul sebagai antara pengguna SMS tertinggi di dunia.

"Rakyat Malaysia juga adalah antara pengguna aplikasi Facebook, Friendster dan Twitter yang tertinggi di dunia….

Ulasan: Siapa yang jadi kaya? Hantar SMS yang elok-elok saja.

Cadangan fatwa haram jual tanah Melayu Pulau Pinang

PULAU PINANG 11 Nov. - Para ulama di negara ini disaran bermuzakarah untuk mengeluarkan fatwa melarang tanah milik orang Melayu di negeri ini dijual kepada bukan Islam.

Ia bertujuan membendung masyarakat itu daripada terus terpinggir akibat pengambilan tanah untuk tujuan pembangunan yang semakin rancak berlaku dewasa ini.

Cadangan itu dilontarkan oleh seorang peserta forum 'Isu Penghakisan Tanah Melayu Pulau Pinang: Apakah Jalan Penyelesaiannya?' dalam sesi soal jawab dengan ahli panel, di sini malam tadi.

Peserta berkenaan mengambil contoh di Palestin, ulama-ulamanya pernah mengeluarkan fatwa bahawa haram hukumnya menjual tanah orang Palestin atau menjadi orang tengah dalam urusan penjualan itu dalam apa bentuk sekalipun.

Salah seorang ahli panel forum anjuran Yayasan Bina Ilmu Pulau Pinang itu, Mohd. Azmi Abdul Hamid ketika mengulas cadangan peserta itu berkata, ia tidak seharusnya dipandang ringan berikutan kedudukan tanah milik orang Melayu di Pulau Pinang boleh dianggap kritikal.

Ahli-ahli panel lain ialah Presiden Persatuan Melayu Pulau Pinang (Pemenang), Datuk Seri Mohd. Yussof Latiff; Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Pulau Betong, Muhamad Farid Saad dan Ahli Parlimen Parit Buntar, Dr. Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Mohd. Azmi yang juga Presiden Teras Pengupayaan Melayu menjelaskan, berdasarkan faktor penempatan orang Melayu yang semakin terjejas dan demi mempertahankan komposisi pemilikan hartanah bumiputera pada masa depan, fatwa seperti itu dianggap relevan.

"Sesuatu mesti dibuat, mahu atau tidak, dalil-dalil agama yang memberi tumpuan kepada ekonomi orang Islam sangat relevan. 

"Perlu ada mekanisme seperti ambil kira pandangan cerdik pandai agama untuk pastikan status tanah orang Melayu dan Islam terbela," katanya.

Menurut Mohd. Azmi, sekiranya fatwa sedemikian mampu membela nasib orang Islam di negara ini, sewajarnya ia diutarakan.

"Terpulang kepada Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan atau mufti untuk mempertimbangkannya kerana mungkin ada implikasi lain jika ia dilaksanakan," ujarnya.

Ulasan: Benarlah apa yang telah berlaku di Palestin. Jangan jual kepada orang lain. Dan kita perlu berdakwah mengajak mereka kepada agama Islam yang akan menyelamatkan sesiapa saja dunia dan akhirat.

13 Mei: Ikut cara Singapura - Zam

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Nov. - Bekas Menteri Penerangan, Tan Sri Zainuddin Maidin bersetuju tarikh 13 Mei perlu diingati sebagai Hari Muhibah Negara seperti Singapura menjadikan hari rusuhan kaum terburuk di republik itu pada 21 Julai 1964 sebagai Hari Keharmonian Kaum.

Hari Keharmonian Kaum di Singapura disambut setiap 21 Julai. 

Di Malaysia, katanya sebaik sahaja peristiwa 13 Mei berlaku, kerajaan mengambil langkah segera dan secara aktif mengadakan majlis-majlis muhibah yang memberi kesan besar bagi mengembalikan perhubungan baik dan rasa saling mempercayai antara kaum…

Ulasan: Politik perkauman di bawah BN (dulu Perikatan) adalah punca segala masalah. Selagi parti komponen BN terdiri daripada sesuatu etnik tertentu, selama itu kita berpecah merebut dunia sementara.

Beranikah SPRM tangkap 'jerung' ?

PAS harap SPRM berani tangkap 'jerung' 
Harakahdaily  

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Nov: Rakyat sekali lagi sedang memerhati apakah akan ada sebarang tindakan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) terhadap pesalah 'jerung' seperti yang didedahkan Ketua Audit Negara dalam laporan audit 2009 baru-baru ini.

Bagi PAS, mereka mahu SPRM berani berani bertindak khususnya terhadap 15 kes penyelewengan termasuk di Kementerian Pertahanan yang melibatkan sejumlah RM310,000 wang rakyat digunakan untuk persiapan bilik VVIP.

Ianya termasuk kos set lampu (chandelier) RM10 000, home theatre RM12,000, kertas dinding (wallpaper) RM95,800 dan set sofa RM13,000.

"Setiap kali laporan audit dikeluarkan menyebabkan rakyat yang prihatin sesak dada kerana memikirkan bagaimana wang negara dibelanjakan semacam harta emak bapa mereka, tanpa memikirkan rakyat yang masih ramai menderita.

"Kita tentu masih ingat bagaimana Pendedahan yang dipetik dari Laporan Ketua Audit Negara 2006 tentang perbedaan ketara harga pasaran dengan harga yang dibayar untuk beberapa peralatan Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN), kata Ketua Penerangan PAS, Idris Ahmad.

Tambahnya, ramai terkejut bagaimana harga set screw driver boleh menjadi RM224.94 sedangkan harga pasaran hanya RM40, harga kamera digital kodak melonjak kepada RM8,254.29 (harga pasaran RM2,990), set pasu plastik RM42.80 (harga pasaran RM5.20), set tea 6 kerusi RM9,075 (harga pasaran RM1,500) dan 2 tonne jack RM5,741.69 (harga pasaran RM50).

Lebih menarik lagi katanya apabila pihak audit tahun 2006 tidak dapat mengesahkan 14 bayaran kemajuan 6 buah kapal peronda (Petrol Vessel – PV) Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia yang berjumlah RM943.46 juta kepada kontraktor bagi tempoh Disember 1999 hingga Januari 2002 disebabkan baucer bayaran dan dokumen sokongan yang berkenaan telah hilang daripada simpanan Kementerian Pertahanan. 

"Kos membina 6 buah PV ini ialah RM5.35 bilion. Baucer yang hilang bukan bernilai RM10, tetapi hampir RM1 bilion. Jika pegawai kerajaan yang buat tuntutan tol sebanyak RM 3 pun perlukan dokumen, tiba-tiba wang rakyat sebanyak RM 1 bilion diberi kepada kontraktor tanpa dokumen. Apa sudah jadi dengan negara kita?," soalnya.

"Apa makna laporan audit yang saban tahun melaporkan cukup baik, malangnya yang memimpin negara tidak sensitif untuk memperbaiki penyelewengan," tambahnya lagi.

Pada laporan audit negara 2008 juga melaporkan berlaku ketirisan sebanyak RM 28 bilion. 

Sehubungan itu, PAS tegasnya mengharapkan SPRM bertegas dan mengheret mereka yang bertanggungjawab atas kewangan awam mesti ke muka pengadilan, termasuklah jerung yang bertaraf menteri.

Ulasan: Beranikah SPRM?

Selamat menang di Galas

Semoga PAS menang di PRK Galas. Tahniah kerana memilih PAS.

Ombak tsunami elak masjid

2010/11/04 Struktur bangunan 30 tahun jadi tempat perlindungan 

SEBUAH masjid berusia kira-kira 30 tahun di Kampung Pasapuat, Pagai Utara, Sumatera Barat masih tetap utuh walaupun beberapa kawasan perumahan sekelilingnya hancur dilanda badai tsunami, Isnin lalu. 
 
Kesan ombak besar dapat dilihat di keliling pagar kayu Masjid Mujahidin itu dan pokok kelapa sekitarnya berdasarkan baju serta kain yang tersangkut pada ketinggian 13 meter. 
Lebih pelik, apabila pagar kayu masjid berketinggian satu meter dan 80 peratus siap itu langsung tidak terjejas sekali gus membolehkan tiga keluarga yang melarikan diri di tempat ibadat itu bagi mengelak menjadi mangsa tsunami, terselamat. 

Kejadian tsunami itu menyebabkan 11 rumah dan dua jambatan yang mengelilingi masjid musnah, bagaimanapun tiada kemalangan jiwa dan kecederaan dilaporkan. 

Selama seminggu, penduduk kampung terputus hubungan dengan masyarakat luar kerana angin kencang dan tiada pengangkutan. Mereka tidak dapat menyeberang lautan untuk meminta bantuan ke kampung seberang di Saumanganya menyebabkan hampir keseluruhan penduduk hanya menjamah kelapa untuk mengalas perut. 

Bagaimanapun, mereka bersyukur kerana kesengsaraan mereka berakhir apabila beberapa badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Islam tiba bersama bekalan makanan selepas mengharungi perjalanan menaiki bot penumpang selama dua jam, semalam. 
Bagi NGO Islam yang menggunakan jalan darat untuk mengangkut beras dan gula, mereka terpaksa mengharungi perjalanan selama tujuh jam menunggang motosikal…

Ulasan: Hati kecil kita takut kepada Allah, kita?

Banjir terburuk sejak 2005

KUALA LUMPUR 3 Nov. – Banjir yang melanda Perlis dan Kedah kali ini disifatkan paling buruk berbanding apa yang berlaku pada Disember 2005 dengan lebih 35,000 mangsa telah dipindahkan ke pusat penempatan sementara setakat ini.

Setakat malam ini, jumlah kematian yang dicatatkan termasuk korban terbaru ekoran banjir adalah lima orang.

DI KEDAH, lebih 25,000 penduduk daripada 6,415 keluarga di empat daerah telah dipindahkan ke pusat-pusat penem patan berikutan keadaan banjir semakin teruk sejak dua hari lepas.

Mereka yang terlibat adalah dari Kubang Pasu iaitu 15,613 mangsa, Padang Terap (3,105) Kota Setar (5,331) dan Pokok Sena (1,039).

Jurucakap Bilik Gerakan Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) berkata, sebanyak 94 pusat penempatan mangsa banjir dibuka di keempat-empat daerah itu.

Dalam pada itu, Lapangan Terbang Sultan Abdul Halim di Alor Setar ditutup sehingga esok kepada semua penerbangan kecuali perkhidmatan helikopter.

DI PERLIS, jumlah pemindahan mangsa kini menjangkau 10,383 orang berbanding kira-kira 8,000 mangsa ketika negeri ini dilanda banjir pada 2005.

Bandar Kangar lumpuh sepenuhnya berikutan paras air banjir yang semakin meningkat sehingga menyebabkan ja lan-jalan utama ditutup untuk kenderaan ringan.

Sebanyak 14.6 juta padu air dilepaskan oleh Jabatan Pe ngairan dan Saliran (JPS) Negeri dari Empangan Timah Tasoh sejak Isnin lalu ekoran air yang melebihi paras bahaya.

Sementara itu, perkhidmatan tren antara bandar bagi laluan Arau-Tunjang pada hari ini dan esok dibatalkan.

DI KELANTAN pula, mangsa banjir yang dipindahkan di Rantau Panjang bertambah kepada 452 orang berikutan limpahan air Sungai Golok dan mereka ditempatkan di dua lokasi pemindahan sementara iaitu di SK Gual Tinggi dan stesen kereta api lama di situ.

Paras air Sungai Golok kini melepasi paras bahaya dengan bacaan 10.14 meter.

DI TERENGGANU, banjir kilat yang melanda negeri ini surut sepenuhnya hari ini ekoran cuaca cerah sejak dua hari lalu.

Bagaimanapun sembilan mangsa daripada lima keluarga yang terdedah ancaman ombak besar di kawasan Kampung Pantai, Kuala Besut masih ditempatkan di pusat pemindahan sementara di Balai Raya Kampung Pantai sejak kelmarin.

Menurut jurucakap Bilik Gerakan MKN, kesemua mereka berpindah ekoran bimbang ombak kuat dan tinggi di be berapa buah pantai yang berdekatan kediaman mereka.

Ulasan: Jiran kita kena musibah gempa bumi, gunung berapi dengan asap beracun dan memuntahkan laharnya dan tsunami berkali-kali. Kita baru di uji sedikit. Dalam keadaan ini kerajaan kita di bawah BN masih mahu mengundang musibah bila Program Transformasi Ekonomi (ETP) yang dikeluarkan baru-baru ini kerajaan Malaysia BN mahu menjadikan Malaysia sebagai hab hiburan malam bagi memacu industri pelancongan, antara perancangannya adalah dengan penubuhan kelab malam terkemuka, menganjurkan konsert utama, melonggarkan garis panduan penghibur antarabangsa dan "mempakejkan" semula acara antarabangsa seperti Formula 1 dan MotoGP, mencadang menubuhkan zon hiburan di Greater Kuala Lumpur/Lembah Klang, Genting Highlands, Pulau Pinang, Langkawi dan Kota Kinabalu bagi menggandakan pendapatan hiburan malam Malaysia kepada RM1.8 bilion menjelang 2020. Langkah itu akan menyaksikan penubuhan enam kelab malam baru yang mampu menampung kehadiran 900 pengunjung pada hujung minggu menjelang awal 2012. Dua lagi akan beroperasi pada 2013 dan 2014. Menjelang 2014, akan terdapat sekurang-kurang 10 kelab malam di zon hiburan. Ini akan menghasilkan impak pendapatan kasar negara RM0.7 bilion dan mewujudkan 5,614 pekerjaan baru menjelang 2020.  

Jangan marah bila Pemilik Sebenar Bumi Malaysia kepada kita. Kita tidak membanci maksiat. Kenapakah negara kita di bawah BN hidup bermaksiat kepadaNya? 

New Book: Midnight on the Mavi Marmara

“We have been attacked while in international waters. That means the Israelis have behaved like pirates … The moment they start to steer this ship towards Israel, we have also been kidnapped. The whole action is illegal.”—Henning Mankell, aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla

About the Book

Eastern Mediterranean, Monday, May 31st, 2010, 4.30am: Israeli commandos, boarding from sea and air, attack the six boats of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla as it sails through international waters bringing humanitarian relief to the beleaguered Palestinians of Gaza. Within minutes, nine peace activists are dead, shot by the Israelis. Scores of others are injured. The 700 people on board the ships are arrested before being transported to detention centers in Israel and then deported.

Within hours, outrage at Israel’s action echoes around the world. Spontaneous demonstrations in Europe, the United States, Turkey, and Gaza itself denounce the attack. Turkey’s prime minister describes it as a “bloody massacre” and “state terrorism.” Lebanon’s prime minister calls it “a dangerous and crazy step that will exacerbate tensions in the region.”

In these pages, a range of activists, journalists, and analysts piece together the events that occurred that June night, unpicking their meanings for Israel’s illegal, three-year-long blockade of Gaza and the decades-long Israel/Palestine conflict more generally. Mixing together first-hand testimony, documentary record, and illustration, with hard-headed analysis and historical overview, Midnight on the Mavi Marmara reveals why the attack on Gaza Freedom Flotilla may just turn out to be Israel’s Selma, Alabama: the beginning of the end for an apartheid Israel.

Contributors include: Omar Barghouti, Max Blumenthal, Juan Cole, Sara Roy, Norman Finkelstein, Glenn Greenwald, Rashid Khalidi, Alia Malek , Lubna Masarwa and Raja Shehadeh.

Publication September 1 2010 256 pages including 20 b/w photographs
http://australiansforpalestine.com/25744

Selamat berjaya TV Al-Hijrah

TV Alhijrah dilancar hari ini

Saluran TV yang dikhususkan untuk program bercorak kerohanian 

2010/11/01 SEBAGAI sesi pengenalan, stesen televisyen kerohanian, TV Alhijrah yang pernah diperkatakan sebelum ini akan mula beroperasi mulai jam 3 petang ini sehingga 12 tengah malam. 

 Selepas hampir dua tahun diperkatakan mengenai kewujudan stesen ini, TV Alhijrah operasi siaran sepenuhnya pada Disember yang akan menyajikan pelbagai program berbeza dengan memberikan perspektif Islam. 

TV Alhijrah ditubuhkan sebagai syarikat yang dikenali sebagai Alhijrah Media Corporation dan dibiayai sepenuhnya oleh kerajaan serta diletakkan di bawah penguasaan Jabatan Perdana Menteri (JPN). 

Menteri Di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom berkata, kewujudan stesen televisyen berlandaskan Islam itu sebagai memberi pilihan kepada penonton yang menekankan nilai Islam di dalamnya. 

“TV Alhijrah ini adalah untuk memberi pilihan kepada penonton tempatan dan mensasarkan kepada semua peringkat usia. Golongan muda, remaja dan kanak-kanak adalah golongan terbesar yang menonton iaitu sebanyak 63 peratus dan selebihnya adalah penonton biasa. 

“Saluran TV ini mengutamakan kandungan yang memberi manfaat kepada penonton dan pada masa yang sama menarik golongan sasar. Walaupun baru beroperasi, 60 peratus daripada kandungan adalah terbitan tempatan, 40 peratus adalah kandungan asing. TV Aalhijrah sendiri menerbitkan 30 peratus daripada jumlah keseluruhan,” katanya pada majlis sidang media pertama TV Alhijrah untuk diperkenalkan kepada media baru-baru ini. 

Menurut Jamil Khir, kandungan yang terkandung di dalam TV Alhijrah tidak hanya menumpukan kepada rancangan berbentuk panduan dan bimbingan semata malah merangkumi pelbagai bentuk. 

“Bahan-bahan yang terkandung di dalam saluran TV ini juga turut meliputi drama, filem, ehwal semasa, dokumentari, berita, animasi dan hiburan yang menjanjikan kelainan. 

“Bagi golongan bukan Islam, TV Alhijrah akan memperincikan mengenai Islam sebagai agama yang menggalakkan melakukan kebaikan, keadilan dan perpaduan,” katanya. 

TV Alhijrah yang juga stesen televisyen percuma (FTA) akan berpusat dan bersiaran penuh dari Pusat Islam Kuala Lumpur. 

Menyentuh soal dana penubuhan TV Alhijrah, beliau berkata, sebagai permulaan memang kerajaan menyalurkan sumber kewangannya. Disebabkan perancangan sudah dibuat dengan teliti dan mengambil kira pelbagai aspek, dana sebanyak RM60 juta dilaburkan untuk penubuhan TV Alhijrah. 

Sementara itu, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Alhijrah Media Corporation, Bukhari Che Muda, berkata lokasi yang strategik di ibu negara menjadikan ia stesen televisyen pertama dilahirkan dari inspirasi bercirikan Islam. 

“TV Alhijrah juga bakal ditonton melalui siaran Astro dan melalui medium baru seperti internet serta telefon bimbit. Lima transmisi bersedia memancarkan siaran di Lembah Klang, Terengganu, Johor, Sabah dan Sarawak. Ini mencakupi 55 peratus penonton di negara ini,” katanya. 

Bukhari menambah, setakat ini persediaan rapi sudah dilakukan untuk menyertai stesen TV lain menyalurkan pelbagai maklumat serta program ilmiah kepada masyarakat. 

“Bersandarkan ruang dan peluang yang ada, saya akan memastikan penonton mendapat apa yang mereka mahu. Saluran TV ini juga akan berusaha gigih memberikan yang terbaik dan memenuhi kehendak penonton. 

“Terima kasih kepada karyawan dan penggiat seni tanah air yang sudi bekerjasama dengan TV Alhijrah bagi menyemarakkan industri penyiaran tanah air. TVAH sentiasa membuka peluang kepada karyawan tempatan menghasilkan produk mereka untuk disiarkan,” katanya. 

Pada majlis itu juga, 11 syarikat penerbitan diberikan penghargaan untuk membekalkan kandungan untuk TV Alhjirah iaitu Nissay Ventures Sdn Bhd, Zeel Production Sdn Bhd, KL Motion Sdn Bhd, Miracle Media Sdn Bhd, Rumah Karya  
Citra, Karyawan Bestari Sdn Bhd, Wayang Studios Intl, Ezar Sdn Bhd Manjafilm Sdn Bhd, dan Les Copaque Production.

Ulasan: Selamat berjaya. Sememangnya kita, rakyat, mengharapkan yang terbaik. Paling kurang kita harap TV Alhijrah lebih baik daripada TV9 atau yang terbaik antara yang buruk.

Polis kaji tindakan ke atas syarikat bas terbabit nahas di Genting Sempah?

Polis kaji tindakan ke atas syarikat bas terbabit nahas di Genting Sempah

2010/11/01 SHAH ALAM: Polis sedang mengkaji tindakan yang boleh diambil terhadap syarikat bas yang bas miliknya terbabit dalam kemalangan yang mengorbankan tujuh penumpang di Genting Sempah Jumaat lalu. 

Pengarah Jabatan Keselamatan Dalam Negeri dan Ketenteraman Awam, Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar, berkata kes itu akan diteliti secara terperinci sebelum tindakan diambil ke atas pemandu ataupun syarikat bas berkenaan. 
 
"Polis bersama-sama Lembaga Pelesenan Kenderaan Perdagangan sedang meneliti apa tindakan yang boleh diambil terhadap syarikat bas itu. Siasatan sedang berjalan dan apabila siap nanti, kita akan cadangkan (tindakan) kepada Pejabat Peguam Negara," katanya kepada pemberita selepas menyerahkan tugas Ketua Polis Selangor kepada Timbalan Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Thaiveegan Arumugam di Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen Selangor di sini hari ini...

Ulasan: Peraturan vs RM. Sama-sama lihat siapa juara? Mungkin berlainan tindakan bila negara sudah maju nanti.

Merve Kavakçı Islam, will she return to her vacant seat in Parliament?

Merve Kavakçı Islam was once forcefully taken out of Parliament during her oath-taking ceremony as a member of Parliament for wearing a headscarf. 

A strong believer in the importance of female representation in the political machinery, she calls on women from all walks of life and from all creeds to run for Parliament.

Turkey is currently discussing ending a headscarf ban at universities, but Kavakçı says the country should move beyond that and free the headscarf everywhere to allow women wearing headscarves to fully participate in the country’s public life. Noting that state animosity towards the headscarf has been in place for over 30 years, Kavakçı says the headscarf ban has affected the lives of generations of women. “Headscarved women are here, they are not going away, and they are maybe growing in number and they want to participate in public life,” Kavakçı says. 

A lecturer in international affairs at The George Washington University, and the heroine in the “Kavakçı affair,” when she was forced out of Parliament for wearing a headscarf, shared her views on a number of topics with me through a telephone interview on Oct. 26 from her office in Washington, D.C.

I see your name has changed. Congratulations on your marriage, Dr. Kavakçı.

Thank you. Yes, I am now Dr. Merve Kavakçı İslam and am very happily married to Nazir Cihangir Islam, MD, an orthopedic and spine surgeon in İstanbul.

And I also understand you have a book coming out?

Yes, in fact today. It’s published by Palgrave Macmillan and it’s called “Headscarf Politics in Turkey: A Postcolonial Reading.”

Sounds like an academic book.

Yes, in fact it was my PhD thesis with some modifications.

Can you tell us what the book is about and how it relates to your experience in Parliament?

It analyzes Turkey’s role model status within the context of Turkey’s treatment of headscarved women, and tries to shed a personal light on the rights of these women and how their lives have been affected over the decades.

What do you mean by a “postcolonial reading”?

It basically looks at the Orientalist assumptions within the Turkish context and brings a critique to those Orientalist ideals that are entrenched within the Turkish Republic, and how these Orientalist assumptions were used to marginalize headscarved women from public life. At the end I argue that this is a disservice to the republic politically, socially and economically.

So the West was Orientalist and felt itself superior towards its colonies, and in the postcolonial era Turkey followed this although it had no colonial experience in the past?

Yes. The Turkish Republic found its way to modernization at the outset and embraced the Westernization project in a fervent and adamant manner. It also internalized the very Orientalist assumptions itself, that the West was much better than the East and therefore the Turkish people needed to keep up with Western civilization, and this process led to the “indigenous-ation” of Orientalist assumptions by the regime. So I name these people Orientalized Orientals and I shed light on how they treated headscarved women and argue that they are actually neither part of the Orient nor the Occident -- they are caught in between. They look up to the West and thus legitimize the marginalization of headscarved women in society. Of course it is also a misreading by Turkey of the West as well. Here our own Orientalized Orientals, rather than taking in and internalizing the concept of liberties and freedom from the West, import an attitude of bans which is antithetical to what the West really stands for. As a result, for an Orientalized Oriental to be “uncovered” supersedes to be educated.

What are some of your feelings about what is happening now in Turkey with renewed public discussions regarding headscarf prohibitions?

The headscarf ban is a cancerous wound that needs immediate attention. It is finally sitting on the national agenda with national coverage and hopefully an in-depth discussion because this is a matter that has been affecting Turkish women’s lives for over 30 years. It’s unfortunate we women fail to attract much attention in the political arena. It’s often been a matter that no one wanted to think about or talk about and try to resolve. Now we are finally addressing what we really want to do with this large population of women who are in a way ostracized from society. They are here, they are not going away, and they are maybe growing in number and they want to participate in public life.

But most articles in the paper say the ban has been in effect since 1997. You are saying it’s really been much longer?

Yes, many of the women who are affected by the ban are not aware of its history. This is not a new thing. It started in 1981 right after the military coup. Prior to that, individual cases were raised. Of course, afterwards, depending on the political environment and administrators at universities, the ban was loosened up here and there but it has been part and parcel of Turkish women’s history for the past 30 years.

You are well known in Turkish political history, but wasn’t your first goal in life to be a doctor?

Yes, well I suppose you could call me a person who believes in destiny and I am a person who goes with the flow in terms of my life. I never thought that I would end up in political life. Politics was not one of my passions early on. I come from an academically established family, so my parents always wanted to see me in academia and I originally wanted to be a medical doctor, and so I entered the Ankara University School of Medicine, one of the top medical schools in the country. However, the headscarf ban hit me right there, right then, as a freshman in 1986 and it was really impossible to go to school and sneak into classes in and out with my headscarf, so by my second year I had to choose between my convictions and my profession.

And this coincided with your family being subjected to the ban as well?

Yes, this is a very sad fact about the headscarf ban in Turkey. It affects generations. It’s not just one small group of people whom you could overlook and tend to ignore. It affects not just one generation but so far, in the last 30 years, we are talking about three generations. I am a living example of that very fact. My mother had to leave the university when she taught German literature right after the ban was implemented by the coup government, and right when I was in medical school I ran into the same problem. I was the second generation. But my parents took this very bold step of leaving everything behind and moving to another country so that I and my two younger sisters could have an education without having to compromise our religious values. And now I look at my daughters who have already graduated from college, two young women with a headscarf, and unfortunately three generations have already been affected.

And yet you decided to come back to Turkey in the 1990s. Why?

It was important for me to be in my country and to expose my children at an early age to Turkish culture and language and to the rest of our larger extended family. We were also homesick. You cannot stay too long away from where your loved ones are and we came back to Turkey only to find out that I would find my new niche in life, politics. I was coming back to Turkey with a software engineering degree, and in those years I thought, what can I do? I am a woman with a headscarf. And therefore the only thing I could do was rear my children and meanwhile, with the power of destiny, I was asked to volunteer for a political party which I felt was my niche.

When you started working for the Welfare Party [RP], what was the role of women?

The RP was one of the first to organize women in large numbers. We hadn’t seen that in the political Islamic tradition and those preceding the party, including the National Salvation Party [MSP], but the RP was different. It was more comprehensive, more embracing and it wanted to utilize women’s efforts, half the population of Turkey, and bring them into the political realm. So what was interesting to see was how women, who only had an agency in the family as mothers, wives and sisters, were brought out to the public realm and rendered political agency. I was one of the women who worked at the headquarters. I oversaw this whole project and was responsible for international affairs.

When was this?

In 1993, 1994. We were going into the municipal elections.

Did Recep Tayyip Erdoğan benefit from women’s involvement in the party?

Yes, definitely. In fact, Erdoğan, who was the head of the İstanbul branch of the party and got elected mayor, was one of the front liners who encouraged women’s participation in political life and he worked very closely with the women’s commission and of course benefited from their involvement.

Did this participation by women continue in the Virtue Party [FP]?

Yes. What happened was, at the end of the general elections in 1995, everyone conceded that it was the women of the RP who helped bring it to power, and other parties emulated what the RP had done with women involved in one-to-one interaction with constituents. They took this as a model, so it became a focus of study, if you will, because women’s power was for the first time wielded to bring a party to power. We are talking about 200,000 women across the country who were responsible, from the headquarters down to the street level, who covered every apartment to get out the message for the RP. So when the RP went down, the FP continued in the same tradition.

The RP was very much criticized for not nominating women, for utilizing women’s efforts but not letting them represent themselves in Parliament. Ironically, this criticism came from outside, from the Kemalists, who used this to bash the RP movement. It also came from liberals, it came from women’s groups, it came from leftist groups, too, and was a topic of discourse within the party, as well. So, when the RP was closed down and the FP was established, the question of including women at higher representative places was raised. The FP became more of an open party, more democratic. And women from secular lifestyles came into the party, women like Nazlı Ilıcak, and for the first time in a political Islamic movement women were included in the Central Executive Board [MYK]. But I continued heading the foreign affairs division of the Women’s Commission.

When the time for early elections came, there were pressures from within and from outside the party regarding headscarved women on the question of nominations. They had played an indispensable role in the success of the movement. The nomination of women who were secular would be embarrassing without nominations of women with headscarves. After all, this is the Turkish nation and, like it or not, at the time, 73 percent of Turkish women wore a headscarf. This is part of our culture, tradition and history, but most importantly part of our religion. The FP had a healthy discourse and made the right decision by involving women.

But many writers in the West described your nomination as something that simply came from Necmettin Erbakan. How do you respond to that?

Well, it is unfortunate. The reality is actually a lot more complicated. Erbakan always had a sway over the Islamic political movement. However, at this time he was banned from politics. He had an indirect role in the decision-making body as well, still. Nonetheless, the nomination of a headscarved woman was discussed at the MYK time after time, people put out their views, the advantages and disadvantages, and a list of the ones who were brought in. I was only one of the 17 women, covered and uncovered, who were nominated.

It was almost a guarantee that two women with and two without headscarves were going to be elected, but it turned out that I was the only one who got elected, so it is a wrong reading of history to put this on one person. When they started discussing the nomination of Ilıcak and other secular women, the hardcore workers who put their lives in this 24/7 over the years started raising their voices that they wanted to be represented. I know this because I worked with these women. We know that we carried the party to power in 1997, and therefore it was very important that we have some sort of representation. So there was pressure from the bottom up, not just at the decision-making body of the party.

Is Muslim women’s support part of the Justice and Development Party’s [AK Party] support today?

Well, I can only speak as an outsider now as I am not too familiar with how the Women’s Commission under the AK Party currently works, but from personal experience I know that some of my friends who worked for the FP are now working for the AK Party and that women still hold an important and influential place within the party. However, I do not understand the AK Party’s position of just wanting to lift the ban at universities and of course the Republican People’s Party [CHP], coming from the Kemalist tradition, they are even having trouble with that. I do not feel rights can be partially granted. Lifting the ban only at universities would be similar to eradicating cancer halfway. Once we are there in the operating theater, let’s complete the job and free the body of this cancer.

Do you think there is now a bottom-up movement to bring about headscarved women candidates today, given how some women are speaking out now?

I think it is a similar one. The AK Party embraces and values women’s participation. The prime minister has talked about it as well, including in the political realm, where women’s representation is very low. Unfortunately, the reality on the ground is very grim and therefore to include a number of women in Parliament and decision-making bodies is critical and so women with headscarves also need more representation. 

What are your plans for running for office? Would you consider doing it again?

Women must be represented in higher numbers in all facets of the political machinery. Therefore, I believe that more women, including women with headscarves, must run for office in the next election. After all, all concur that Turkey must democratize itself, and this is one way of doing it. As far as my case is concerned, I have a court decree in hand, that of the European Court of Human Rights, that states that Turkey violated free elections in the Kavakçı affair. I was ready to do my job but was never permitted to complete it. Not only was I precluded from carrying the responsibility of representing the people of İstanbul, but they were also stripped of their right to representation. Because due process never took place, my seat remained vacant, leaving the constituents deprived of their representation. There is a suspended duty that needs completion.

When you walked into Parliament in 1999, were you expecting the almost violent response? How did you manage to deal with all that you went through?

Well, I usually know what to expect because I am a woman with a headscarf, and a daughter of a woman with a headscarf. Very early on in the 1970s when I was a child I had seen my mother being verbally harassed when she was driving a car in Ankara where we lived, where there were very few women who could have a car and drive. This was unfathomable from a Kemalist point of view, and I also had seen many times belittling remarks made at my mother.

When I grew up, I faced the same thing walking in the streets of Ankara, people shouting at me, “You are too young to cover,” “Why are you covering?” “Are you getting paid from Iran or somewhere?” while I tried to go about my life. So yes, I was expecting some sort of protest from people who cannot even accept our right to exist on this earth, and who are very intolerant. Looking back, I was probably too naive to think that democracy would win, that even if they do not like me they would have to put up tolerating me. But of course that did not occur. I don’t think I saw it coming at this very level. I don’t think anyone who was in Parliament, including the protesters, knew what was coming. So not only was I shocked, but they must have been shocked from the show they put together.

What was it like to campaign, win and then face what happened in Parliament?

I was running after my life. My life was ahead of me, if you will. I had to deal with all the tabloids’ so-called news about me and my family and attacks from the media while I tried to keep my composure and focus on my campaign as well. I had to make sure that people got to know me and explain what I wanted to do for Turkey so I could receive their votes. It was quite a difficult time. On the one hand I felt very proud to be nominated and elected, both as a woman and as a covered woman, because that group needed to be represented. So I had to handle the attacks. I received my credentials from the state, based on that, I ran for office, got elected to Parliament and then we had the trouble of taking my oath of office because people in Parliament chose to protest and unfortunately the presiding president that day, the speaker, couldn’t placate their anger and their wrath towards me. He had to cut the session off. Of 550 people, there were around 110 or so. We’re talking about one-fifth of Parliament, protesting against an officially elected member.

When President Süleyman Demirel later that evening called you an “agent provocateur,” how did you feel?

I was shocked and disappointed. I was trying to make sense of what was going on in Parliament and outside as well. Seeing women on the front lines of that protest was unexplainable for me, and the president of Turkey, who knew my family well, calling me an “agent provocateur” without any knowledge was very disappointing.

The president knew your family?

Of course. His family is from Isparta and my mother’s family is from Isparta. He knows my uncle, calls him by his first name.

So how could he make these statements? Was it coming from the military?

Two years later I was informed by a member of Parliament from my party that Demirel actually carried the message from the military to my party and that this would have ended in a military intervention had I taken my oath of office.

So with the president, the prime minister, the press and the military opposed to you, it was impossible for your party to do anything?

Well, they chose not to do anything.

Getting back to Turkey today, what are your feelings about those who still oppose lifting the ban at universities?

The surveys are very clear that the majority of Turks in large numbers favor lifting the ban -- almost 90 percent -- and almost 60 percent have no problem with a headscarved woman being elected to Parliament. On the ground, at the people’s level, on the street, we have no problem living together, hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder, neighbor-to-neighbor, women with headscarves and women without headscarves. The trouble is up above in the institutions.

The matter must be approached from the perspective of freedom of expression. If we claim that we are a democracy, we must live up to the standards of human rights and liberties with freedom of expression, freedom of religion and equal opportunity in education and at work. In this time and age it is unexplainable to live in a country where you cannot live with your dignity and you cannot have access to education or work because of your religious convictions; particularly in a Muslim country, this is unexplainable.

And if you look at the opposition, I suppose it has very much to do with the sharing of the public pie, if you will. When you look at the rhetoric against lifting the ban, the pretexts, you find remarks belittling Islam and the religion or not respecting peoples’ choice, or you find insinuations of the threat these women will cause to the sharing of public life, and I suppose one can try to understand the mentality when a certain group of people assumed the public sphere for over 80 years. They need to know that there is no other way but to respect and tolerate one another. If we claim we are a democracy, we can’t keep ignoring the majority of the female population who lack agency.

Who is Merve Kavakçı Islam?

Dr. Kavakçı is currently a lecturer in international affairs at The George Washington University. She was elected to the Turkish Parliament on April 18, 1999, but was subsequently not allowed to take her oath of office due to protests over her wearing of a headscarf. She holds a PhD in political science from Howard University, an MPA from Harvard University and a B.S. in software engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas. Her areas of expertise are the democratization of the Muslim world, contemporary Turkish politics, women in Islam and Muslim women in politics 

*Richard Peres is a writer living in İstanbul and contributor to Sunday’s Zaman. He is completing a book on Merve Kavakçı. http://richperes.blogspot.com/ rich.peres@gmail.com

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-225884-merve-kavakci-islam-will-she-return-to-her-vacant-seat-in-parliament.html

ETP: Di mana nilai keimanan KITA?

ETP: Di mana nilai keimanan? 
Harakahdaily.net

Menurut perancangan Program Transformasi Ekonomi (ETP) yang dikeluarkan kelmarin (25/10), kerajaan Malaysia mahu menjadikan Malaysia sebagai hab hiburan malam bagi memacu industri pelancongan, antara perancangannya adalah dengan penubuhan kelab malam terkemuka, menganjurkan konsert utama, melonggarkan garis panduan penghibur antarabangsa dan "mempakejkan" semula acara antarabangsa seperti Formula 1 dan MotoGP, mencadang menubuhkan zon hiburan di Greater Kuala Lumpur/Lembah Klang, Genting Highlands, Pulau Pinang, Langkawi dan Kota Kinabalu bagi menggandakan pendapatan hiburan malam Malaysia kepada RM1.8 bilion menjelang 2020. Langkah itu akan menyaksikan penubuhan enam kelab malam baru yang mampu menampung kehadiran 900 pengunjung pada hujung minggu menjelang awal 2012. Dua lagi akan beroperasi pada 2013 dan 2014. Menjelang 2014, akan terdapat sekurang-kurang 10 kelab malam di zon hiburan. Ini akan menghasilkan impak pendapatan kasar negara RM0.7 bilion dan mewujudkan 5,614 pekerjaan baru menjelang 2020.

Di Mana Nilai Keimanan?
Apakah dasar dan halatuju ini membantu keberkatan ekonomi bagi sebuah Negara yang bermajoritikan Islam? Apakah kepimpinan Negara sudah tidak ada idealisma tulen, cadangan dan strategi lain sehinggakan masih menggunapakai pemikiran penjajah dalam merangka perancangan ekonomi negara? Apakah kepimpinan Negara merasakan pelaburan ekonomi tersebut akan dapat menyekat pengaruh budaya barat dan kerosakan akhlak yang teruk melanda umat, khususnya generasi muda? Ke manakah sebenarnya halatuju dan agenda Negara dalam membangun bangsa yang bermodal insan kelas pertama? Apakah nilai kelas pertama modal insan Negara terjana dengan memiliki pusat hiburan terbesar Negara? Apakah kepimpinan Negara merasakan projek gempak ini akan mendapat keberkatan dan keredhaan Allah swt. ?

Pada Februari 2010 yang lalu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata, rakyat perlu membantu kerajaan meningkatkan pertumbuhan ekonomi negara tanpa bergantung model ekonomi lama. "Sebab itu, Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak telah berbincang bagaimana model ekonomi baru boleh membantu meningkatkan pertumbuhan," kata TPM itu. (Utusan Malaysia 07/02/10). Apakah dengan menghidupkan kembali budaya hiburan sebagai punca pendapatan ekonomi Negara merupakan pendekatan baru yang telah difikirkan oleh cerdik pandai ekonomi Negara yang terlibat dalam ETP?

Apakah Pandangan Islam?

Menurut Muhammad Asad, dalam bukunya The Principles of State and Government in Islam, dalam Islam, Kerajaan yang dipilih bertanggungjawab untuk:
a.Menyediakan satu sistem pendidikan yang membolehkan setiap rakyat, lelaki dan wanita, mendapat ilmu dengan mudah. Dengan ilmu, setiap insan akan mendapat kebebasan yang sebenar daripada pelbagai sudut; dan

b.Menyediakan kemudahan terutama peluang-peluang ekonomi yang membolehkan setiap rakyat mencapai dan mengekalkan kebahagiaan (happiness ) dan maruah diri (dignity).
Prinsip asas sistem ekonomi Islam adalah unik berbanding sistem ekonomi lain waima sistem ekonomi British yang diagung-agungkan oleh Barat. Adam Smith, ahli ekonomi Barat pada abad ke-18 menegaskan prinsip asas ekonomi Barat seperti berikut: hak harta persendirian, kuasa individu seperti pemerintah atau raja (pemonopoli mata wang), keyakinan, rasional dan keadaan ekonomi itu sendiri. Tiada nilai akhirat diambil kira.

Imam Al-Ghazali dalam kitabnya “Ihya Ulumuddin” mentakrifkan ekonomi sebagai `Iqtisad`. Sementara itu, As-Sadr mengulas mengenai `Iqtisad` dengan meletakkan tiga prinsip asas yang digabung jalin secara teoritikal dan praktikal dalam sistem ekonomi Islam. Prinsip-prinsip itu adalah prinsip pemilikan harta bersandarkan bahawa semua harta adalah kepunyaan Allah, prinsip keadilan sosial dan prinsip kebebasan berekonomi dengan batasan tertentu (mengikut syariah Islamiah).
Allah berfirman yang bermaksud:

“Kepunyaan Allah segala apa yang ada di langit dan di bumi. Dan jika kamu melahirkan apa yang ada di dalam hati atau kamu sembunyikannya, nescaya Allah akan membuat perhitungan dengan kamu tentang perbuatanmu itu. Maka Allah mengampuni siapa yang dikehendakiNya dan menyiksa siapa yang dikehendakiNya. Allah Maha
Berkuasa atas segala sesuatu.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 284)

Jelas di sini, bahawa Islam meletakkan umat manusia sebagai pengurus, pelaksana segala apa yang diwujudkan oleh Allah di atas muka bumi ini sebagai khalifah. Justeru, dalam ekonomi Islam, pelaku ekonomi adalah khalifah yang memakmurkan, menjana segala sumber alam dalam proses mentadbir jagat raya ini. Ini bermakna manusia bertanggungjawab secara langsung terhadap Allah kerana sumber ekonomi manusia datangnya daripada Allah yang memiliki alam ini.

Oleh yang demikian, tugas pemakmuran ekonomi ini dipertanggungjawabkan kepada pemerintah dan individu itu sendiri bertunjangkan prinsip syariah Islamiah. Soal halal-haram termaktub dalam prinsip ekonomi berlandaskan Islam ini.
Maruah dan Ruhiyah Bangsa

Inilah peranan asasi bagi sebuah Negara umat Islam dalam membina halatuju ekonominya. Memelihara maruah dan membina ruhiyah bangsa. Islam sangat prihatin dengan pembangunan ekonomi di mana perkara ini dilihat sebagai sebahagian daripada yang penting daripada masalah yang lebih besar iaitu pembangunan insani. Fungsi utama Islam ialah untuk memandu pembangunan manusia berlandaskan asas arah tuju yang betul. Justeru, kerangka pembangunan ekonomi Islam mempunyai ciri-ciri yang komprehensif yang meliputi aspek-aspek pembangunan moral, kerohanian dan kebendaan (material). Pembangunan menjadi aktiviti yang berorentasikan matlamat dan nilai, yang ditumpukan kepada mengoptimumkan kemaslahatan manusia dari semua segi.
Teori ekonomi konvensional setidaknya menumpukan kepada dua perkara fundamental berkaitan dengan tujuan pembangunan ekonomi. Pertama memperbaiki tingkat pendapatan sebenar individu / rakyat dan yang kedua menegakkan keadilan agihan pendapatan.

Namun sebagai sebuah Negara yang bermajoritikan Islam, tujuan pembangunan ekonomi Negara tidak boleh lari daripada peranannya untuk membentuk iklim yang kondusif bagi keagungan nilai-nilai Islam dalam suatu masyarakat yang sejahtera. Dengan demikian, pembangunan ekonomi yang memiliki karakteristik Islami harus dapat meningkatkan komitmen umat Islam terhadap agamanya, menseimbangkan pembangunan ekonomi dengan kewajiban-kewajiban keagamaan. Menurutnya Dr. Yusof Qhardawi, tujuan pembangunan ekonomi harus dapat merubah masyarakat dari keadaan yang tidak diredhai Allah kepada keadaan yang diredhai-Nya

Iman dan Akhlak Paksi Membangun Model Ekonomi Islam

Islam memandang ekonomi sebagai perkara serius kerana Islam menilai bahawa harta itu sendiri meruapakan salah satu daripada lima keperluan asas dalam kehidupan. Lima keperluan asas itu ialah: Agama, Jiwa, Akal, Nasab Keturunan dan Harta. Inilah lima perkara asas yang tidak boleh dilengahkan oleh manusia. Sebab melengahkan perkara sedemikian boleh membahayakan diri sendiri.

Islam merupakan risalah akhlaqiyah dan tamadun Islam merupakan tamadun akhlaqiyah. Seluruh misi dan risalah Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. mengandungi unsur akhlak. Bahkan baginda telah mendifinisikan risalahnya dalam sabdanya:
Maksudnya: Sesungguhnya (tujuan) saya diutus hanyalah untuk menyempurnakan akhlak dan budi pekerti yang mulia.

Sejarah telah menceritakan kepada kita betapa banyak tamadun masa silam yang maju dan gemilang tetapi runtuh dan musnah dalam masa yang singkat kerana tidak diiringi dengan kawalan akhlak dan budi pekerti yang baik.

Akhlak merupakan salah satu unsur-unsur yang paling utama dalam ekonomi Islam. Unsur ini begitu menyerlah sehingga seorang cendekiawan Perancis mendefinisikan ekonomi Islam itu sebagai ekonomi yang berakhlak. Di samping akhlak, terdapat nilai-nilai lain yang mewarnai ekonomi Islam, iaitu nilai Rabbani (ketuhanan), nilai Insani (kemanusiaan) dna nilai Wasathi (moderat dan sederhana).

Ekonomi Rabbani mempunyai dua konotasi makna. Makna pertama daripada ekonomi Rabbani ialah: hak untuk mengatur dan menetapkan hukum-hakam ekonomi ini hanya milik Allah. Allah yang mengharam riba, penipuan, memakan harta manusia dengan cara yang batil dan lain-lain, dan Allah juga yang mensyariatkan dan mengesahkan transaksi urus niaga yang bersih dan benar.

Makna kedua daripada ekonomi Rabbani ialah: ekonomi yang merupakan sarana dan bukan tujuan. Ekonomi merupakan satu fasiliti yang boleh dimanfaatkan oleh setiap Muslim untuk membantunya dalam memenuhi perintah Allah dan mendekatkan diri kepadaNya. Sebab bagaimanapun juga seluruh kehidupan ini akan berakhir dan bermuara di sisi Allah.

Terjemahan: Dialah (Allah) yang menjadikan bumi itu mudah bagi kamu, maka berjalanlah di segala penjurunya dan makanlah sebahagian daripada rezekiNya. Dan hanya kepadaNya lah kamu (kembali setelah) dibangkitkan. (surah al-Mulk 67: 15)

Ekonomi Insani pula membawa maksud perhitungan kemanusiaan sebagai asas dan prinsip ekonomi. Tidak boleh manusia dikorbankan untuk memperolehi materi. Sebaliknya materilah yang harus dikorbankan demi kepentingan manusia.
Ekonomi Wasathi bermaksud ekonomi yang mengambil sikap pertengahan dan moderat. Jika sistem ekonomi kapitalis menjadikan kepentingan individu sebagai paksi kepada seluruh aktiviti ekonomi, dan sistem ekonomi komunis pula menjadikan kepentingan negara sebagai paksi kepada seluruh aktiviti ekonomi, maka Islam mengambil jalan pertengahan yang menyeimbangkan antara kepentingan individu dengan negara sehingga tercapailah kehidupan yang harmoni.

Dan kriteria yang terakhir ialah Ekonomi yang berakhlak. Seluruh aspek dalam ekonomi seperti aspek pengedaran, urus niaga, pengeluaran dan penggunaan bersatu padu dengan nilai akhlak dan budi pekerti yang baik. Allah tidak membenarkan seseorang untuk memperolehi harta dengan cara yang batil untuk membina masjid atau rumah-rumah kebajikan. Sebab Allah itu suci dan baik dan Allah hanya menerima perkara-perkara yang suci dan baik pula. (Innallaha Tayyibun La Yaqbalu Illa Tayyiba)

Soal halal-haram dan impaknya ke atas pihak lain, tidak pernah ada dalam kamus ekonomi Barat. Apa yang dipentingkan adalah sistem ekonomi yang dilaksanakan itu dapat memberikan keuntungan kepada pelaku ekonomi. Dalam ertikata lain ‘matlamat menghalalkan cara’ tidak kira walau apa pun sistem yang dilaksanakan, keuntungan tetap menjadi isu utama bukannya soal keadilan sosial sebagaimana yang dianjurkan oleh Islam.

Umat Islam seharusnya bersyukur dengan wujudnya satu sistem ekonomi Islam yang benar-benar mapan ke arah merealisasikan ummah yang cemerlang daripada aspek sahsiah, jasmani, emosi, rohani dan ekonominya.
Peringatan Allah swt. buat kita semua;

“Bekerjalah kalian maka Allah dan RasulNya , dan orang-orang mukmin akan melihat pekerjaan itu, dan kalian akan dikembalikan kepada (Allah) yang mengetahui yang ghaib dan yang nyata (At Taubah:105)

Abu Ridhwan Husaini
Kelantan

Ulasan: Bila maksiat tidak ditegah, tunggulah musibah dari Allah yang tidak mengenal siapa. Ada ke kerajaan yang berkuasa menghadapi gempa bumi, sunami, puting beliong, banjir, gunung berapi dan sebagainya? Kerajaan BN sengaja cari pasal untuk mendapat musibah dari Allah.  Jom kita tukar kerajaan kita dengan kerajaan yang taatkan Allah.