A New Year

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Last night marked the beginning of a new year for Muslims, especially in the lands of the Malay. Remarkably it started with a very important day of the week, in which it is a compulsory for every able man to gather in mosques to perform their obligatory Friday prayer, only unique on this particular blessed day. Yes, the gathering that would happen once a week.

There is another great gathering that only happens once a year. The hajj pilgrimage, which unites, if not totally, all Muslims of different races, colours, backgrounds and geographical values that made each one of them unique and special. Every Muslims that confessed that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger will be regarded as a Muslim where he would be treated equally with the rest of his brothers and sisters, provided that he or she doesn't deviate from the 5 pillars of Islam and 6 pillars of faith and come up with ideas that totally contradict the fundamentals of Islam that is not a matter of furuqiyah.

What made him or her different after the testimony of faith is how much or less is he or she, willing to do in adherence to the rules that Allah had lined up through the Koran and His beloved prophet, the Sunnah or the ways of Muhammad and also the ijtihad by the wise ulama. Some things are not mentioned specifically of course, since Islam was first delivered to the Arabs that dwell in the desert and some adjustments must be made for Muslims that dwell in else where, of course. But the main things are not allowed to be modified or changed to suit one's fancy. Interpretations may differ but the basis or the foundation is the same.

Only things that fall in the category of understanding of basic rules or furuqiah, where Muslims were allowed to differ. For example, in the holy land, men are not required to take the ablution if he accidentally touched another woman without any barrier, and vice versa. One would understand the difficulty that one had to endure since the place was overcrowded with people and to avoid contact would be almost impossible. At home, if he touches his wife, he would have to take another ablution in order for him to perform prayers or to be in a state of purification as long as he can in the state of ablution.

On things regarding him, a Muslim is allowed to make his own ijtihad or decision making for his own convenience in dealing with his every day life. If the matters are way beyond his league or he or she is in a state of confusion, then he must consult the wise ones or the ulama in order not to fall prey to his own weaknesses and be deceived by the most clever deceiver of them all, the Satan, descendants of Iblis laknatullah, the one that is cursed by God until doomsday. In Western movies, evil or Satan is described and portrayed as all powerful, dominating force where the good would struggle to defeat or survive it. This maybe true if we are speaking about the mandevil or humans that have turned themselves into descendants of Satan, completely severed any ties with Adam, such as baby killers, rapists, torturers, looters and killers of unarmed civilians, and continue to do so without any shame. No matter who they are, Muslims or not. A hundred percent Muslims won't be even tempted to do such hideous things no matter what the odds are. A lower percentage of decency and kindness in Non Muslims would produce similar result.

You see, as descendants of Adam, as Adam had shown to us of what to do when we made mistakes or erred, we, the children of Adam would repent our sins with feeling of remorse and remedy our mistakes. After being fooled by the devil and our own wimp, the urge to make things right and redeemed ourselves would be overwhelming and thus void all the errors that had been done in the first place. Descendants of the devil would of course, would not do such a thing. Being remorseful would be considered as a sign of weaknesses and are not tolerated with lightly.

In truth or reality, in Islam that is, the devil or Satan or Azazil, is seen as a weak being or weak beings having been cursed by Allah of course, weak and old, without any privileges or blessings from God. Their strength are only limited to whispers of doubt that would cloud our judgements since that is the only way that they can deceive us. Sometimes it is we ourselves that is suggesting or wanting all the pleasant and glamourous nice evil things that would bring wealth, fame, satisfaction or some sort of fulfilment. Though they do not last that long, the temptation is very real.

If you still don't believe me, can you explain the voices in your head right now when you are reading my writing? Is it just your conscience alone or there is something else whispering so quietly that you almost convinced that it is you yourself that is doing all the thinking. Why don't you try this, if I may suggest. Try in a couple of days, survive without any alcohol intake or stimulant drugs or food that is not considered as pure for the humans. No, not just according to the Koran, read up your own holy books and you'll be amazed the similarities it has with the Koran.

People had accused the Koran of copying the Bible, the Torah or the Psalm. What they failed to proof or show is to what extent or discussing the similarities or differences on verse to verse comparison. Please inform me if there are any, since up until now, I've failed to google for it.

But in the end of the day, you have to come up with your own decision making. If it is confusing, do consult your wise ones for clarification. If you still can't find one, then give yourself to God in your own faith and asked His guidance. Islam doesn’t change us. It only stopped the impurities from staining us. Islam is only a complementary to a beautiful being that is also the supreme being of this planet, which is you. It won't stop anything that is good and chaste in us or in our culture or in our ways of life.

That what makes out of every four people in this world nowadays, one would be a Muslim. If you still think that Muslims are not doing so good or failed to set a good example for others in understanding the beauty of Islam, then maybe you should be the one to do that.