Saturday, April 23, 2011

Meaningful Stories

Assalamualaikum dan salam 1Malaysia kepada semua penjenguk blog PuTih FiTrah. Lama rasanya membiarkan blog ini kesepian tanpa sebarang input.Setiap hari terasa sibuk walaupun masih sempat menonton Fringe,tiada perkara untuk penulis kongsikan untuk manfaat penulis sendiri dan mereka yang sudi mengambil peringatan. Mudah-mudahan perkongsian cerita di bawah memberi nilai tambah kepada kehidupan kita semua di sini dan di sana.

These are long, yet important, and I hope you actually read them! - Most Important Lesson
          
1. A professor gave us a pop quiz.
            
I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?" Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'." I've never forgotten that lesson. I've also never forgotten her name was Dorothy.

2 - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain
            
One night, at 11:30 PM, an older African American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rain storm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s.The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her  into a taxi cab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him. Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached. It read: "Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others." Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.
3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.
            
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he asked. "Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?" he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. "Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied." The little boy again counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the  table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies - You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
4 - Fourth Important Lesson - The Obstacle in Our Path
            
In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.
5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts
            
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year-old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her." As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?" Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.
            
        

Friday, March 18, 2011

Titik Ajaib

Daripada kaca mata pengembara
Kita adalah berkelana
Daripada kaca mata penguasa
Kita adalah hambaNya yang lemah

Susurilah jalan-jalan kehidupan
Bertemankan suria nan indah
Renangilah gelora di lautan
Dengan kesabaran kelak kau kan tiba

Dakilah gunung yang tinggi
Untuk mencapai cita-citamu
Gapailah bintang yang kerlip
Untuk menerangi hatimu yang kecil ini

Daripada kaca mata pengembara
Kita adalah berkelana
Daripada kaca mata penguasa
Kita adalah hambaNya yang lemah

Luas jalan terbentang
Menuju kesaksian kebenaran
Dakilah gunung yang tinggi
Untuk mencapai cita-citamu

Gapailah bintang yang kerlip
Untuk menerangi hatimu yang kecil ini
Biarpun rebut melanda
Duniakan cerah pabila ia reda

Oo..Percaya pada dirimu sendiri
Kelak kau kan berjaya menggapai impian
Dakilah gunung yang tinggi
Untuk mencapai cita-citamu (not rendah)

Gapailah bintang yang kerlip
Untuk menerangi hatimu yang kecil ini
Dakilah gunung yang tinggi
Untuk mencapai cita-citamu
Gapailah bintang yang kerlip
Untuk menerangi hatimu yang kecil ini


Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Jalan Ke Syurga

Alhamdulillah buat sekalian kalinya sejak balik ke Kelantan saya demam lagi.Itu tandanya Allah masih  ingat dan sayang kepada hambaNYA yang hina ini. Alhamdulillah. Bukankah setiap kesakitan yang menimpa itu menjadi sebab untuk Allah menghapuskan dosa-dosa kita.Aduh nikmatnya sakit ni.

Bercerita bab demam menyimpan banyak memori. Ketika sekolah menengah agak kerap saya mendapat cuti percuma daripada doktor.Ini pun nikmat jugak kut.Tetapi yang jelas dalam ingatan selepas beralih ke zaman matrikulasi makhluk demam ini jarang menyapa lagi.Walaupun itu kali pertama saya merasai alam berasrama (baca betul-betul bukan asmara, dalam kamus hidupku tiada sejarah couple.biasala kalau xmacho dan xhandsome.isk2) dan kali pertama juga berat badan naik mendadak.Agak berisi kata orang.Sekarang nampak isi jak.huhu.Lagi satu makanan kat matrikulasi murah lebih-lebih lagi kalau kafeteria C sampaikan pelajar perempuan pun menumpang sama hendak membeli di situ.Leceh.

Cerita demam yang agak nostalgik berlaku kat universiti.Dari tahun dua makhluk demam datang berziarah agak kerap. Kerja keji terancang oleh rumate bersama geng-geng xkompeten menghebah sms palsu kepada kepada sahabat-sahabat kononnya saya demam panas dan mengidam mau makan sup.Alih-alih semangkuk bubur ayam bersama epal bertandang tiba-tiba ke bilik.Terima kasih kepada kakak muslimat yang baik hati.Panjang pulak bab demam ni. Skrip soalan pun masih banyak lagi belum diperiksa. Kita kembali kepada tajuk.

Sabda Rasulullah S.A.W. bermaksud: Tidak akan masuk syurga seseorang yang ada di dalam hatinya perasaan sombong walaupun sebesar zarah. Seseorang lelaki berkata: Sesungguhnya seseorang itu suka pakaian dan kasutnya cantik. Baginda S.A.W. bersabda: Sesungguhnya Allah itu Maha Indah dan Allah suka kepada keindahan. (Riwayat Muslim). Sabda Rasulullah S.A.W. bermaksud: Takabbur itu adalah menolak kebenaran dan dan menghina orang lain. (Riwayat Muslim).

Memetik kata-kata para ulama’ bahawa orang yang enggan solat dengan sengaja sedangkan ia menyedari kewajibannya, mereka adalah orang-orang yang sombong. Ia berpijak di bumi yang Allah cipta, bernaung di bawah langit ciptaan Allah, bernafas dengan udara yang Allah bekalkan, berfikir dengan akal kurniaan Allah tetapi ia enggan rukuk dan sujud kepada Allah SWT.

Imam An-Nawawi rahimahullah memberi komentar tentang hadis ini, "Hadis ini berisi larangan dari sifat sombong iaitu menyombongkan diri kepada manusia, merendahkan mereka dan menolak kebenaran". (Syarah Shahih Muslim 2/269).

Al-Hafizh Ibnu Rajab Al-Hambali rahimahullah berkata, "Orang yang sombong adalah orang yang memandang dirinya sempurna segala-galanya, dia memandang orang lain rendah, meremehkannya dan menganggap orang lain itu tidak layak  mengerjakan suatu urusan, dia juga sombong dari  menerima kebenaran dari orang lain". (Jami'ul Ulum Wal Hikam 2/275)

Raghib Al-Asfahani rahimahullah berkata, "Sombong adalah keadaan  seseorang yang merasa bangga dengan dirinya sendiri, memandang dirinya lebih utama dari orang lain, kesombongan yang paling dahsyat adalah sombong kepada Rabbnya dengan cara menolak kebenaran (dari-Nya) dan angkuh untuk tunduk kepada-Nya baik berupa ketaatan maupun dalam mentauhidkan-Nya.” (Umdatul Qari` 22/140).

Sesungguhnya jalan ke syurga telah jelas.Aturan, manual serta protokolnya sudah dimaklum oleh Allah selaku Yang Maha Pencipta. Umpama sebuah ujikaji yang telah lengkap, ikut sahaja protokolnya, insya Allah hasilnya adalah kejayaan.

Adapun orang-orang yang beriman dan mengerjakan amal soleh, maka bagi mereka syurga tempat kediaman, sebagai pahala terhadap apa yang mereka kerjakan. (As Sajdah :19)

Hai orang-orang yang beriman, sukakah kamu aku tunjukkan suatu perniagaan yang dapat menyelamatkanmu dari azab yang pedih?(iaitu) kamu beriman kepada Allah dan RasulNya dan berjihad di jalan Allah dengan harta dan jiwamu. Itulah yang lebih baik bagimu, jika kamu mengetahui. (As Saff:10-11)


Nescaya Allah akan mengampuni dosa-dosamu dan memasukkanmu ke dalam syurga yang mengalir di bawahnya sungai-sungai; dan (memasukkan kamu) ke tempat tinggal yang baik di dalam jannah 'Adn. Itulah keberuntungan yang besar. (As Saff:12)

Gembiralah kerana rahsia ke syurga telah 'bocor'. Jalannya telah diketahui. Janganlah kita termasuk orang-orang yang sombong dan degil untuk memahami ayat Allah. Mahu atau pun tidak, kita sebenarnya sedang berjalan menuju negeri Akhirat. Hidup ini adalah umpama musafir. Suatu masa kita akan dijemput.


Berbekallah, dan sesungguhnya sebaik-baik bekalan adalah taqwa dan bertaqwalah kepada-Ku hai orang-orang yang berakal. (Al Baqarah:197)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Fiqh Of Facebook

As an avid Facebook user of a few years, I have tasted its fruits but also experienced the sickness of excess and felt the danger of getting lost among the trees. Whenever Muslims are faced with a new environment, they enter it carrying their principles with them. We also need a sound understanding (fiqh) of the realities of this environment and how to handle some of its specifics.

If time is life, then Facebook is many people’s favorite weapon of suicide. We struggle to find time to seek beneficial knowledge, yet trivial comments about trivial matters get more than their fair share. Someone remarked on Imam Suhaib Webb’s FB “wall” that we check out people’s latest FB updates more frequently than we check our Qur’an to take benefits from its verses. 

The technological aspects of Facebook, particularly with its ever-updating interface, can have an intoxicating effect. It is built upon the principle of maximal stimulation of the eyes and brain; it is not far from the imagination to compare it with hypnosis. All this has a long-term effect on the mind and on the spiritual heart.
What are the signs of excess? Specialists in addiction can list a few, but let me point out one thing that I believe is frighteningly common. I noticed once that when Twitter went down for a few hours then resumed, someone commented on the experience, writing: “When Twitter went down, all I wanted to do was tweet about it!” Ridiculous, yet I would suggest that it is quite representative of a common urge to use these media as a natural outlet for all our thoughts, desires and emotions. As I once wrote:

“We express our thoughts in the form of a status update instead of turning to Allah with our fears and joys. The day of a believer should be a constant conversation with God.”
Even when we are reading and forwarding religious content, if we do so with hearts unaware. To quote from Shaykh Abdallah Adhami’s FB comment: “By all means: share, post, sms, blog, im, email, tweet… (though most importantly, internalize)”. This is the point! If you read a supplication with your eyes, it is no use if your tongue remains dry and your heart remains silent. Is reading a du`a’ (supplication) anything like making du`a’?

Let’s be in no doubt that FB is a public space, though certain aspects (messaging) allow one-to-one communication. If Facebook is like a public street, doesn’t it have rights? The first is lowering the gaze: not just from unseemly images, but from everything that doesn’t concern you. Think about it as hundreds of conversations are presented before you.

The above FB Fiqh advice was based on a hadith (report concerning the Prophet ﷺ) reported in Sahih Muslim, in which Allah’s Messenger ﷺ questioned some people sitting in the road and instructed them to avoid doing so.  When these Companions explained their purpose, the Prophet ﷺ said: “If you must sit, then fulfill the rights of the road: lower your gaze, respond to greetings and talk in a good manner.”
Not only does Facebook make it all too easy to look at pictures of members of the opposite sex and personal details we have no business knowing, but it makes it tempting to pore through threads of comments that at best, are a complete waste our time, and at worst, involve a level of prying. Just as we take responsibility for what we post, we should also be ethical in what we access.

Privacy in general is a major and widely discussed issue of concern regarding Facebook, so a Muslim should be even more aware of the issue. Both sisters and brothers need to beware of broadcasting details that could be misused, and especially pictures in which they are more exposed than they ought to be in public. Even a “private” FB album is never truly private, when you think about it.

These few thoughts on Facebook Fiqh are by no means exhaustive, but I hope they provide a starting point to a greater consciousness and care when using new technology and emerging media.

Source : Suhaibwebb

p/s: kena buka mata hati selepas mata akal membaca. Facebook, Twitter dan teknologi seangkatan dengannya berpotensi menjadi pembunuh senyap kepada HATI malah boleh juga membunuh "pemerintah" seperti dalam kes mubarak..


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