How it all begin (16)

The Coming of The Archangel Gabriel

Muhammad (pbuh) believed that there was only one Allah, Creator of the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, and of all living things, and that all people should worship only Him. Muhammad (pbuh) would often leave the crowded city and go to the cave in Mount Hira'. He liked to be alone there, away from all thoughts of the world and daily life, eating and drinking little.

In his fortieth year, Muhammad (pbuh) left Mecca to spend Ramadan, the traditional month of retreat, in the cave. In the second half of Ramadan, Allah began to reveal His message for mankind through Muhammad (pbuh). This first Revelation occurred as follows.

The Archangel Gabriel came to Muhammad (pbuh) in the cave and commanded him to 'Read'. Muhammad (pbuh) replied 'I cannot read.' At this the Archangel took Muhammad (pbuh) in his arms and pressed him to him until it was almost too much to bear. He then released him and said again 'Read.' 'I cannot', replied Muhammad (pbuh), at which the Archangel embraced him again. For the third time the Archangel commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to read, but still he said he could not and was again embraced. On releasing him this time, however, the Archangel Gabriel said:

"Read: In the Name of thy Lord who createth, Createth man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the Most Generous Who teacheth by the pen, Teacheth man that which he knew not. (Koran xcvi.1-5)

Muhammad (pbuh) repeated these verses, just as the Archangel had said them.

When the Archangel was sure Muhammad (pbuh) knew them by heart, he went away. Now that he was alone Muhammad (pbuh) could not understand what had happened to him. He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the cave. Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold of his mind? But he was stopped by a voice from heaven which said; '0 Muhammad (pbuh) you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Gabriel.' He looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw the Archangel Gabriel.

In a state of confusion he returned home to Khadijah. When his wife saw him she became very worried as he began to shiver, as though in a fever. He asked her to wrap him in blankets, which she did. After a while he recovered sufficiently to tell her what had happened at Hira'. Khadijah believed all that he told her and with great respect said:

'Be happy, 0 son of my uncle and be confident. Truly I swear by Allah who has my soul in His hands, that you will be our people's Prophet.'

Muhammad (pbuh), the Messenger of Allah, was eased by her faith in him, but after all that had happened he was exhausted and felt fast asleep.

Khadijah left the Prophet (pbuh) sleeping and went to see her cousin, Waraqah Ibn Nawfal, to ask him what he thought about all that had happened. Waraqah was a very wise man who had read many books and had become a Christian after studying the Bible. He told Khadijah that Muhammad (pbuh) had been chosen by Allah to be His Messenger. Just as the Archangel Gabriel had come to Moses before and had ordered him to guide his people, so, too, would Muhammad (pbuh) be the Prophet of his people.

But Waraqah warned that all the people would not listen to the Prophet and some would mistreat his followers. He must, however, be patient because he had a great message for all the world. From that day on, the Archangel Gabriel came often to the Prophet (pbuh) and the verses he taught him, the message from Allah to man, were later written down, and are known to us as the Holy Koran.

*********

Al-Quran Surah At-tariq

In the name of Allah Most Gracious and Most Merciful

By the heaven, and At-Târiq (the night-comer, i.e. the bright star); (1)

And what will make you to know what At-Târiq (night-comer) is? (2)

(It is) the star of piercing brightness; (3)

There is no human being but has a protector over him (or her) (i.e. angels in charge of each human being guarding him, writing his good and bad deeds). (4)

So let man see from what he is created! (5)

He is created from a water gushing forth, (6)

Proceeding from between the back-bone and the ribs, (7)

Verily, (Allâh) is Able to bring him back (to life)! (8)

The Day when all the secrets (deeds, prayers, fasting, etc.) will be examined (as to their truth) (9)

Then he will have no power, nor any helper. (10)

By the sky (having rain clouds) which gives rain, again and again. (11)

And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants), (12)

Verily, this (the Qur'ân) is the Word that separates (the truth from falsehood, and commands strict laws for mankind to cut the roots of evil). (13)

And it is not a thing for amusement. (14)

Verily, they are but plotting a plot (against you O Muhammad (SAW)). (15)

And I (too) am planning a plan. (16)

So give a respite to the disbelievers; deal gently with them for a while. (17)

**********

How it all begin (15)

Muhammad (pbuh) was very happy, because he greatly respected Khadijah. He went with his uncles, Abu Talib and Hamzah, to Khadijah's uncle, and asked his permission to marry her. The uncle gave his permission and soon after, Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadijah were married.
Their marriage was a joyful one and Muhammad (pbuh) and Khadijah were well suited. Their life together, however, was not without some sadness. They were blessed with six children, two sons and four daughters. Sadly their first born, a son called Qasim, died shortly before his second birthday, and their last child, also a son, only lived for a short time. Happily, their four daughters-Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah-all survived.
For a few years Muhammad (pbuh) lived a calm and quiet life as a merchant in Mecca. His wisdom benefited many people. One such time was when Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka'bah. It was a difficult decision for them because they had to knock it down before rebuilding it and the people were afraid that Allah might be angry with them for knocking down His sanctuary.

t last one of the wise old men of Quraysh decided to begin, then everybody followed him. They worked until they reached down to the first foundation that Abraham had built. As soon as they began to remove the stones of this foundation, however, the whole of Mecca began to shake.
They were so afraid that they decided to leave these stones where they were and build on top of them. Each tribe brought stones and they built the Ka'bah up until they reached the place where the black stone was to be set. They then began to argue about who should have the honor of carrying the black stone and lifting it to its place in one of the corners of the Ka'bah.
They almost came to blows but fortunately one of the men offered a solution. He suggested that they should be guided by the first person to enter the place of worship. They all agreed and as Muhammad (pbuh) was the first to enter everyone was pleased, because they all trusted him.

They told him the cause of the argument and he asked them to bring a large cloak. They did as he asked, and after spreading the cloak on the ground he placed the black stone in the centre of it. Then he asked a man from each tribe to hold one edge of the cloak and together to raise it to the height where the stone should be set. When this was done, he took the stone off the cloak and put it into place himself. This story shows how all Quraysh respected and trusted Muhammad (pbuh) and how, by his wisdom and good sense, he was able to keep the peace.

**********

How it all begin (14)

The Prophet's Marriage

By the time Muhammad (pbuh) was twenty-five he was famous for his honesty. He was respected by everyone, even the elders of Mecca. The purity of his nature increased with the years. It seemed he had an inner knowledge that other people did not have. He believed in one God-Creator of the world-and he worshiped Him with all his heart and with all his soul.

Muhammad (pbuh) was the finest of his people, the most kind, truthful and reliable person in Mecca. He was known among Quraysh as 'the trustworthy' (al-Amin) because of the good qualities Allah had given him. He spent many quiet hours in a cave in Mount Hira, not far from Mecca, thinking about Allah.

Among Quraysh was a respected and wealthy woman named Khadijah. She was involved in trade and on hearing of Muhammad's reputation, sent for him and asked him to take her goods and trade with them in Syria. Muhammad (pbuh) agreed and left for Syria with one of Khadijah's caravans. With him went her slave, Maysarah, and they spent a great deal of time talking together. Maysarah soon came to admire Muhammad (pbuh). He thought he was quite different from all the other men of Quraysh.

Two unusual events took place during this journey which puzzled Maysarah very much.

The first happened when they stopped to rest near the lonely home of a monk. Muhammad (pbuh) sat under a tree while Maysarah was busy with some work. The monk came up to Maysarah and asked, 'Who is the man resting under the tree?' 'One of Quraysh, the people who guard the Ka'bah', said Maysarah. 'No one but a Prophet is sitting beneath this tree', replied the monk.

The second event occurred on the journey back to Mecca. It happened at noon, when the sun is at its hottest. Maysarah was riding behind Muhammad (pbuh) and as the sun grew hotter he saw two angels appear above Muhammad (pbuh) and shield him from the sun's harmful rays.

The trading was very successful and Muhammad (pbuh) made more profit for Khadijah than she had ever received before.

When they arrived back in Mecca Maysarah told Khadijah everything about the trip and what he had noticed about Muhammad's character and behavior.
Khadijah was a widow in her forties and as well as being rich and highly respected she was also very beautiful.

Many men wanted to marry her but none of them suited her. When she met Muhammad (pbuh), however, she thought he was very special. She sent a friend to ask Muhammad (pbuh) why he was not married. Muhammad (pbuh) said that it was because he had no money, to which the friend replied: 'Supposing a rich, beautiful and noble lady agreed to marry you?' Muhammad (pbuh) wanted to know who that could be. The friend told him it was Khadijah.

******

How it all begin (13)

The Orphan's Childhood

Muhammad (pbuh) returned to live with his mother in Mecca when he was about three years old. Three years later Aminah decided to take her son to visit his uncles in Yathrib. She told her maid, Barakah, to prepare everything they would need for the long journey, and then they joined one of the caravans going there. They stayed in Yathrib a month and Muhammad (pbuh) enjoyed the visit with his cousins. The climate there was very pleasant and he learned to swim and to fly a kite.

On their way back to Mecca, however, Aminah became ill and died. She was buried in the village at al-Abwa not far from Yathrib. Muhammad (pbuh) returned sadly to Mecca with his mother's maid He was now six years old and had lost both his father and mother. He was then adopted by his grandfather, 'Abd al-Muttalib, who loved him dearly and kept him by his side at all times. It was the custom of 'Abd al-Muttalib to sit on a blanket near the Ka'bah. There he was always surrounded by people who had come to speak to him. No one was allowed to sit on the blanket with him, however, except his grandson Muhammad (pbuh), which shows how close they were to each other. Many times 'Abd al-Muttalib was heard to say: 'This boy will be very important one day.'

Two years later 'Abd al-Muttalib became ill and Muhammad (pbuh) stayed by him constantly. 'Abd al-Muttalib told his son, Abu Talib, to adopt Muhammad (pbuh) after his death, which he did. Abu Talib had many children of his own, but Muhammad (pbuh) immediately became part of his family and the favorite child. The time came for Quraysh to prepare a caravan to go to Syria. Abu Talib was going with them and he took Muhammad (pbuh) along. It was Mohammed's first journey to the north. After days of travel, the caravan arrived at a place near Syria where the Romans used to come to trade with the Arabs. Near this marketplace lived a monk called Bahira'. His cell had been used by generations of monks before him and contained ancient manuscripts.
Bahira' saw the caravan in the distance and was amazed to see that over it was a large white cloud. It was the only cloud in a clear blue sky and it appeared to be shading one of the travelers. The monk was even more surprised to see that the cloud seemed to follow the caravan but disappeared when the person it was shading sat down under a tree. Bahira' knew from the scriptures that a prophet was expected to come after Jesus and it had been his wish to see this prophet before he died.

Realizing that what he had just seen was a miracle, he began to think that his wish might, after all, come true. The monk sent an invitation to the Meccans to come and eat with him. The Arabs were surprised because they often passed by and Bahira' had never invited them before. When the group was all together for the meal, the monk said, 'Is this everyone?' 'No', someone said, 'a boy was left watching the camels.' Bahira' insisted that the boy should join them. The boy was Muhammad (pbuh). When he arrived Bahira' said nothing, but watched him all through the meal. He noticed many things about his appearance which fitted the description in the old manuscripts. Later on he took him aside and asked Muhammad (pbuh) many questions. He soon found out how he felt about the idols in the Ka'bah. When Bahira tried to make him swear by them, as the Arabs used to do, Muhammad (pbuh) said, 'There is nothing in this world that I hate more'. They talked together about Allah and about Mohammed's life and family. What was said made Bahira certain that this was indeed the Prophet who would come after Jesus.

********

LAGU UNTUK IBU

How it all begin (12)

A Time With Halimah

Like many other women in Mecca, Aminah decided to send her son away from the city for his early years to the desert where it was more healthy. Women from the desert used to come to Mecca to collect the new babies and they would then keep them until they developed into strong children, for which they were well paid by the parents.

Among the women who traveled to Mecca to fetch a new baby at the time Aminah's son was born, was a Bedouin woman called Halimah. With her was her husband and baby son. They had always been very poor but this year things were harder than ever because there had been famine. The donkey that earned Halimah on the journey was so weak from hunger that he often stumbled. Halimah's own baby son cried all the time because his mother could not feed him properly. Even their she-camel did not give them one drop of milk. Halimah did not know what to do. She thought to herself, 'How can I possibly feed another baby when I haven't got enough milk even for my own son?'

At last they reached Mecca. All the other women of the tribe to which Halimah belonged, the Bani Sa'd, found a child to take back with them, but not Halimah. The only baby left was Muhammad (pbuh). Usually the father paid the wet-nurse but Mohammed's father was dead. So no one wanted to take him, even though he was from one of the noblest families of Quraysh. Halimah did not want to take him either, but she did not want to be the only woman to go back to her tribe without a baby to bring up. She asked her husband whether she should take Muhammad (pbuh) or not. He advised her to do so, adding, 'Perhaps Allah will bless us because of him.' They started on the return journey and as soon as Halimah began to feed Muhammad (pbuh) her milk suddenly increased and she had enough for him as well as her baby son. When they were back home, everything began to change.

The land became green, and the date palms , one of their main sources of food, gave lots of fruit. Even the sheep and their old she-camel began to give plenty of milk.
Halimah and her husband knew that this good fortune had come because they had the new baby, Muhammad (pbuh), whom they had come to love as if he were their own son.

When Muhammad (pbuh) was two years old, Halimah took him back to his mother. She pleaded with Aminah, however, to let her keep him for a little longer, and to her great joy the mother agreed. During his time with Halimah's family in the desert, Muhammad (pbuh) played with her children and together they would take the sheep out to graze. At other times, however, Halimah would often find him sitting alone. It is said that on one occasion, two angels came to Muhammad (pbuh) and washed his heart with snow. In this way Allah made his heart pure for He intended Muhammad (pbuh) to be greater than any man ever born and to become the Seal of the Prophets.

In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful.

"Did We not expand thy breast for thee And eased thee of thy burden Which weighed down thy back; And exalted thy fame? So truly with hardship comes ease, Truly with hardship comes ease. So when thou art relieved, still toil And strive to please thy Lord. (Koran xciv.1-8)

When Halimah finally took Muhammad (pbuh) back to Aminah, he was a healthy, strong boy. Later he would look back with joy on the time he had spent with Halimah, and he always thought of himself as one of the Bani Sa'd.

********

How it all begin (11)

The Prophet Is Born

One day, while traveling north, one of the Arab tribes from Mecca met a hermit in the desert. Some of the men stopped to speak with him. Hermits were known to be wise and the Arabs often asked their advice. The hermit asked where they had come from. When they replied that they were from Mecca, he told them that Allah would soon send a prophet, who would come from their people. They asked the name of this prophet and the hermit answered that his name would be Muhammad and that he would guide them to a new way of life.

Meanwhile in Mecca, Aminah, although saddened by the loss of her husband, felt especially well and strong as she awaited the birth of her baby. During this time she dreamt of many things. On one occasion it was as if a great light were shining out of her, and on another she heard a voice telling her that she would have a boy and that his name would be Muhammad. She never forgot that voice but she told no one about it.

On Monday, the twelfth day of Rabi al-Awwal in the Year of the Elephant, Aminah gave birth to a son. Allah sends man many signs when one of His chosen Prophets is born and on that twelfth day of Rabi al-Awwal in the year 570 A.D, many such signs were seen. Some were seen by Jewish scholars who had read in their scriptures of a coming Prophet. One of these learned men in Yathrib, for instance, saw a brilliant new star he had never seen before as he studied the heavens that night. He called the people around him and, pointing the star out to them, told them a Prophet must have been born. That same night another Jew was passing by the meeting place of the leaders of Quraysh in Mecca. He asked them if a baby boy had just been born and told them that if it were true, this would be the Prophet of the Arab nation.

Aminah sent news of the birth to her father-in-law, 'Abd al-Muttalib, who was sitting near the Ka'bah at the time. He was very happy and began at once to think of a name for the boy. An ordinary name would not do. Six days came and went and still he had not decided. But on the seventh day, as he lay asleep near the Ka'bah, 'Abd al-Muttalib dreamt that he should give the baby the unusual name of Muhammad, just as Aminah herself had dreamt. And the child was called Muhammad (pbuh), which means 'the Praised One'. When 'Abd al-Muttalib told the leaders of Quraysh what he had named his grandson, many of them asked, 'Why did you not choose the sort of name that is used by our people?' At once he replied, 'I want him to be praised by Allah in the heavens and praised by men on earth

*********

How it all begin (10)

The Elephant Refuses To Move

Abrahah, who came from Abyssinia-a country in Africa-conquered Yemen and was made vice-regent there. Later, he noticed that at a certain time of the year large numbers of people would travel from all over Yemen and the rest of Arabia to Mecca. He asked the reason for this and was told that they were going on pilgrimage to the Ka'bah.

Abrahah hated the idea of Mecca being more important than his own country, so he decided to build a church of colored marble, with doors of gold and ornaments of silver, and ordered the people to visit it instead of the Ka'bah. But no one obeyed him. Abrahah became angry and decided to destroy the Ka'bah.

He prepared a large army led by an elephant and set off towards Mecca. When the Meccans heard that he was coming they became very frightened. Abrahah's army was huge and they could not fight it. But how could they let him destroy the Holy Ka'bah? They went to ask the advice of their leader, 'Abd al-Muttalib. When Abrahah arrived outside Mecca, 'Abd al-Muttalib went to meet him. Abrahah said, 'What do you want?' Abrahah had taken Abd al-Muttalib's camels, which he had found grazing as he entered Mecca, so 'Abd al-Muttalib replied, 'I want my camels back.' Abrahah was very surprised and said, 'I have come to destroy your Holy Ka'bah, the holy place of your fathers, and you ask me about some camels?' 'Abd al-Muttalib replied calmly, 'The camels belong to me; the Ka'bah belongs to Allah and He will protect it.' Then he left Abrahah and went back to Quraysh and ordered them to leave Mecca and wait for their enemies in the mountains.

In the morning Abrahah prepared to enter the town.

He put armor on his elephant and drew up his troops for battle. He intended to destroy the Ka'bah and then return to Yemen. At that moment, however, the elephant knelt down and refused to get up, no matter how much the soldiers tried to get it to move by beating it.

But when they turned its face in the direction of Yemen it immediately got up and started off. In fact, it did the same in any other direction, but as soon as they pointed it towards Mecca it knelt down again. Suddenly, flocks of birds appeared from over the sea. Each bird carried three stones as small as peas and they dropped them on Abrahah's army. The soldiers suddenly fell ill. Even Abrahah was hit by the stones and fled in fear with the rest of his army back to Yemen, where he later died. On seeing their enemy flee the Arabs came down from the mountains to the Ka'bah and gave thanks to Allah.

After this, Quraysh gained great respect and became known as 'the people of Allah', and the year in which these events took place, 570A.D, was named the 'Year of the Elephant'. In that year Allah had saved the Ka'bah and he would soon bring forth a Prophet from among Quraysh.

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful: "Hasn't thou not seen how thy Lord dealt with the owners of the Elephant? Did He not bring their stratagem to naught, And send against them swarms of flying creatures, Which pelted them with stones of baked clay, And made them like green crops devoured (by cattle)? (Koran cv.1-5)

**********

Pagi semalam dengar Radio IKIM (91.50 fm). Ustaz Zawawi bercakap tentang sunnah Rasulullah s.a.w.
Antaranya tentang bab memberi salam . Baginda memberi salam dgn lafaz "assalamualaikum" dan menjawab salam dari para sahabat dgn salam yg penuh "waalaikumussalam warahmatulallahhi wabarakatuh"

Beri salam: - Assalamualaikum"
Jawab salam: - Waalaikumussalam warahmatulallah hi wabarakatuh"

Apabila berkirim salam pada orang lain, hendaklah kita berkata " Kirim salam assalamualaikum pada ZIZAH ye" Bukannya : " Kirim salam kat ZIZAH ye" .

Semoga ada manfaat.

Maksud singkatan " A'kum " :- Ia singkatan daripada perkataan ' Avde Kokhavim U Mazzalot ' yang bermaksud 'HAMBA-HAMBA BINATANG DAN ORANG-ORANG SESAT'.

Untuk renungan bersama :

Janganlah kita menggantikan perkataan "Assalamualaikum" dengan " A'kum " dalam kiriman sms atau apa sekalipun melalui tulisan. Jika perkataan Assalamualaikum itu panjang, maka hendaklah kita ganti dengan perkataan "As Salam" iaitu sama makna dengan Assalamualaikum.

Perkataan 'AKUM' adalah gelaran oleh orang-orang Yahudi kepada bukan yahudi yang bermaksud 'BINATANG' dalam Bahasa Ibrani .

Seeloknya jika ada orang hantar shortform " A'kum ", kita ingatkan dia supaya guna "As Salam" kerana salam ialah dari perkataan Assalamualaikum. Semoga ada manfaatnya.

*******

How it all begin (9)

Some of the Meccans went with them. "How much is the ransom in your tribe?", the woman asked. They told her, 'Ten camels', for at that time if one man killed another, his family would have to give ten camels to the dead man's family in order to keep the peace among them. So the woman told them to go back to the Ka'bah and draw lots between 'Abd Allah and ten camels. If the camels were chosen, they were to be killed and the meat given to the poor. If 'Abd Allah was picked then ten more camels were to be added and the lots drawn again and again until they finally fell on the camels.
'Abd al-Muttalib returned to the Ka'bah with his son and the people of Mecca. There they started to draw lots between 'Abd Allah and the camels, starting with ten camels. 'Abd al-Muttalib prayed to Allah to spare his son and everyone waited in silence for the result. The choice fell on 'Abd Allah, so his father added ten more camels. Again the choice fell on 'Abd Allah, so they did the same thing again and again, adding ten camels each time. Finally they reached one hundred camels, and only then the lot did fall on the camels. 'Abd Allah was saved and everyone was very happy. 'Abd al-Muttalib however, wanted to make sure that this was the true result so he repeated the draw three times and each time it fell on the camels. He then gave thanks to Allah that He had spared 'Abd Allah's life. The camels were sacrificed and there was enough food for the entire city, even the animals and birds. 'Abd Allah grew up to be a handsome young man and his father eventually chose Aminah, the daughter of Wahb, as a wife for him. It was a good match for she was the finest of Quraysh's women and 'Abd Allah the best of its men. He spent several months with his wife but then he had to leave her and travel with one of the caravans to trade with Syria. On his way back to Mecca from Syria 'Abd Allah became ill and had to stop off in Yathrib to recover. The caravan, however, continued on its way and arrived back in Mecca without him. On hearing of 'Abd Allah's illness, 'Abd al-Muttalib sent another son, al-Hareth, to bring 'Abd Allah back to Mecca, but he was too late.
When he arrived in Yathrib 'Abd Allah was dead. Aminah was heart-broken to lose her husband and the father of the child she would soon give birth to. Only Allah knew that this orphan child would one day be a great Prophet.

*****

How it all begin (8)

The Promise At Zamzam

The well of Zamzam, which disappeared when the Arabs placed idols at the Ka'bah, remained buried under the sand. The people of Quraysh, thus, had to fetch their water from far away for many years. One day 'Abd al-Muttalib was very tired from doing this and fell asleep next to the Ka'bah. He had a dream in which he was told to dig up Zamzam. When he woke up he was puzzled because he did not know what Zamzam was, the well having disappeared many years before he was born. The next day he had the same dream, but this time he was told where to find the well.
'Abd al-Muttalib had one son at that time, and together they began to dig. The work was so difficult that 'Abd al-Muttalib made an oath to Allah that if one day he were to have ten sons to help him and stand by him, in return he would sacrifice one of them in Allah's honor. After working for three days they finally found the well of Zamzam. Pilgrims have been drinking from it ever since. The years passed by and 'Abd al-Muttalib did have ten sons. They grew into fine, strong men and the time came for him to keep his promise to Allah. He told his sons about the promise and they agreed that he had to sacrifice one of them To see which one it would be, they decided to draw lots, which was the custom of Quraysh when deciding important matters. 'Abd al-Muttalib told each son to get an arrow and write his own name upon it and then to bring it to him. By doing so, he took them to the Ka'bah where there was a man whose special task was to cast arrows and pick one from among them. This man solemnly proceeded to do this. On the chosen arrow, the name of 'Abd Allah, the youngest and favorite son of 'Abd al-Muttalib, was written. The father, therefore, took his son near the Ka'bah and prepared to sacrifice him.
Many of the Quraysh leaders were present and they became very angry because 'Abd Allah was very young and much loved by everyone. They tried to think of a way to save his life. "Do not do so! Go to the wise old woman of Yathrib and ask her for advice!", someone suggested. 'Abd al-Muttalib, thus, took his son and went to see what she could do.

*********

GUNUNG

Aku ini ibu rangkaian sungai-sungai
Hamparan bagi rimba yang hijau pekat
Menjadi ratu studio maya
Memancang alam
Tapi aku juga lahir dari ciptaan Gusti Agong
Lalu ku dambakan pada ibu, ayah dan generasi-generasi
Jangan lupa diri
Neraca menanti kita dihujung waktu.

*******

How it all begin (7)

Also at this time, Qusayy, one of the leaders of Quraysh, became ruler over Mecca. He held the keys of the temple and had the right to give water to the pilgrims, to feed them, to take charge of meetings, and to hand out war banners before battle. It was also in his house that Quraysh settled their affairs. After Qusayy's death, his son 'Abdu Manaf, who had become famous during his father's lifetime, took over the leadership of Quraysh. After him came his son Hashim. It is said that Hashim was the first to begin the two great caravan journeys of Quraysh, one in the summer to Syria and the north, and one in the winter to Yemen and the south. As a result, Mecca grew rich and became a large and important centre of trade.

One summer Hashim went north to buy goods to sell in Yemen. On his way he stopped in Yathrib to trade in the market and there he saw a beautiful woman. She was Salma', the daughter of 'Amr ibn Zeid, who was from a much respected family.

Hashim proposed marriage to her and was accepted because he was an honorable and distinguished man.
In time, Salma' gave birth to a beautiful son and as some of his hair was white they called him Shaybah, which in Arabic means grey-haired'.

Mother and son stayed in the cooler, healthier climate of Yathrib, while Hashim returned to Mecca, but he would visit them each time he took his caravan to the north. During one of these journeys, however, Hashim became ill and died. Shaybah, a handsome, intelligent boy, grew up in his uncle's house in Yathrib. He was proud of being the son of Hashim ibn 'Abdi Manaf, the head of Quraysh, guardian of the Ka'bah and protector of the pilgrims, even though he had not known his father, who had died while Shaybah was very young.
At Hashim's death his brother al-Muttalib took over his duties and responsibilities. He traveled to Yathrib to see his nephew, Shaybah, and decided that as the boy would one day inherit his father's place, the time had come for him to live in Mecca. It was hard for Salma', Shaybah's mother, to let her son go with his uncle but she finally realized that it was for the best. Al-Muttalib returned to Mecca, entering the city at noon on his camel with Shaybah behind him. When the people of Mecca saw the boy they thought he was a slave and, pointing at him, called out 'Abd al-Muttalib', 'Abd' being the Arabic for 'slave'.
Al-Muttalib told them that Shaybah was not a slave but his nephew who had come to live with them. From that day on, however, Shaybah was always affectionately called Abd al-Muttalib. On the death of al-Muttalib, who died in Yemen where he had gone to trade, 'Abd al-Muttalib took his place. He became the most respected member of his family, loved and admired by all. He was, however, unlike those Arabs who had given up the teachings of Abraham.

********

How it all begin (6)

Abraham and Ishmael worked hard to rebuild the Ka'bah and as they did so they prayed to Allah to send a Prophet from among their descendants. And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House, (Abraham prayed): 'Our Lord! Receive this from us; Thou, only Thou, art the All-hearing, the All-knowing; Our Lord! And make us submissive unto Thee and of our seed a nation submissive unto Thee, and show us our ways of worship, and turn toward us. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Relenting, the Merciful. Our Lord! And raise up in their midst a messenger from among them who shall recite unto them Thy revelations, and shall instruct them in the Scripture and in wisdom and shall make them grow. Lo! Thou, only Thou, art the Mighty, Wise. (Koran ii.127-9) When the Ka'bah was completed, Allah commanded Abraham to call mankind to pilgrimage to His Holy House. Abraham wondered how anyone could hear his call. Allah said, 'You call and I will bring them.' This was how the pilgrimage to the Ka'bah in Mecca was established and when Muslims make the pilgrimage today they continue to answer the age-old call of Abraham.

The Children Of Ishmael
Over the years Ishmael's children themselves had children. His descendants increased and formed tribes which spread out all over Arabia. One of these tribes was called Quraysh. Its people never moved away from Mecca and always lived near the Ka'bah. One of the duties of the leader of Quraysh was to look after those who came on pilgrimage to the Ka'bah. The pilgrims would come from all over Arabia and it was a great honor to provide them with food and water.

As time passed, however, the Arabs stopped worshipping Allah directly and started bringing idols back with them from the different countries they visited. These idols were placed at the Ka'bah, which was no longer regarded as the Sanctuary of Allah, as Abraham had intended it. It was, however, still respected by the Arabs. Around this time the well of Zamzam disappeared beneath the sand.

********

How it all begin (5)

These events were an important part of Allah's plan, for the descendants of Ishmael would form a nation from which would come a great Prophet, who would guide the people in the way of Allah. This was to be Muhammad (pbuh), the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). From the descendants of Sarah's child, Isaac, would come Moses and Jesus.
So it was that Abraham, Hagar, and Ishmael left Palestine. They traveled for many days until finally they reached the arid valley of Bacca ( later to be called Mecca), which was on one of the great caravan routes. There was no water in the valley and although Hagar and Ishmael only had a small supply of water left, Abraham left them there knowing Allah would take care of them.
Soon all the water was gone. The child began to grow weak from thirst. There were two hills nearby, one called Safa and the other Marwah. Hagar went up one hill and looked into the distance to see if she could find any water, but found none. So she went to the other hill and did the same. She did this seven times. Then sadly she returned to her son, and to her great surprise and joy she found a spring of water bubbling out of the earth near him. This spring, near which the mother and child settled, was later called Zamzam. The area around it became a place of rest for the caravans travelling across the desert and in time grew into the famous trading city of Mecca.
From time to time Abraham traveled from Palestine to visit his family and he saw Ishmael grow into a strong young man. It was during one of these visits that Allah commanded them to rebuild the Ka'bah-the very first place where people had worshipped Allah. They were told exactly where and how to build it. It was to be erected by the well of Zamzam and built in the shape of a cube. In its eastern corner was to be placed a black stone that had fallen to earth from heaven. An angel brought the stone to them from the nearby hill of Abu Qubays.

********

How it all begin (4)

But Allah said: "O fire, be coolness and peace for Abraham". (Koran xxi.69)
The people waited until the fire had completely died down, and it was then that they saw Abraham still sitting there as though nothing had happened! At that moment they were utterly confused. They were not, however, moved by the miracle that had just happened before their very eyes.
Still Abraham tried to persuade his own dear father, who was named Azar, not to worship powerless, un-seeing, un-hearing statues. Abraham explained that special knowledge had come to him and implored his father, 'So follow me and I will lead you on the right path. O my father! Don't serve the Devil.' But Azar would not listen. He threatened his son with stoning if he continued to reject the gods of Ur. He ordered Abraham to leave the city with these words: 'Depart from me a long while.' Abraham said, 'Peace be upon you! I shall ask my Lord's forgiveness for you. Surely He was ever gracious to me.' (Koran xix.43-7)
Imagine how terrible it must have been for him to leave his home, his family and all that he knew, and set out across the wilderness into the unknown.
But at the same time, how could he have remained among people who did not believe in Allah and who worshipped statues? Abraham always had a sense that Allah cared for him and he felt Allah near him as he traveled.
At last, after a long hard journey, he arrived at a place by the Mediterranean Sea, not far from Egypt. There he married a noble woman by the name of Sarah and settled in the land of Palestine. Many years passed but Abraham and his wife were not blessed with any children. In the hope that there would be a child, and in keeping with tradition, Sarah suggested that Abraham should marry Hagar, her Egyptian maid. Soon after this took place, Hagar had a little boy named Ishmael. Some time later Allah promised Abraham another son, but this time the mother of the child would be his first wife, Sarah. This second son would be called Isaac. Allah also told Abraham that from his two sons-Ishmael and Isaac-two nations and three messages would be founded and because of this he must take Hagar and Ishmael away from Palestine to a new land.

********

How it all begin (3)

' 'Do you worship what you yourselves have carved when Allah created you and what you make?' Abraham continued, 'Do you worship instead of Allah that which cannot profit you at all, nor harm you?' (Koran xxxvii.95-6)(Koran xxi.66)
Finally, Abraham warned them, Serve Allah, and keep your duty unto Him; that is better for you if you did but know. You serve instead of Allah only idols, and you only invent a lie. Lo! those whom you serve instead of Allah own no provision for you. So seek your provision from Allah, and serve Him, and give thanks unto Him, (for) unto Him you will be brought back.(Koran xxix. 16-17)

The people of Ur decided to give Abraham the worst punishment they could find: he was to be burnt to death. On the chosen day all the people gathered in the centre of the city and even the King of Ur was there. Abraham was then placed inside a special building filled with wood. The wood was lit. Soon the fire became so strong that the people were pushed back by the flames.

How it all begin (2)

He said: Do they hear you when you cry? Or do they benefit or harm you? They said: Nay, but we found our fathers acting in this manner.
He said: See now that which you worship, You and your forefathers! Lo! they are (all) an enemy to me, except the Lord of the Worlds. Who created me, and He guides me, And Who feeds me and waters me. And when I sicken, then He heals me. And Who causes me to die, then gives me life (again) And Who, I ardently hope, will forgive me my sin on the Day of judgement. (Koran xxvi.70-82)
One day, while all the townspeople were out, Abraham angrily smashed all the idols with his right hand except for one which was very large. When the people returned they were furious.
They remembered the things Abraham had said about the idols. They had him brought forth before everyone and demanded, 'Is it you who did this to our gods, 0 Abraham?' Abraham replied, "But this their chief did it. Ask them, if they are able to speak". The people exclaimed,"'You know they do not speak".

How It All Began (1)

How It All Began Nearly four thousand years ago, in the Sumerian town of Ur in the valley of the river Euphrates, lived a young man named Abraham. The people of Ur had once worshipped Allah but as time passed they forgot the true religion and started praying to idols, statues made of wood or clay and sometimes even of precious stones. Even as a small child Abraham could not understand how his people, and especially his father, could make these images with their own hands, call them gods, and then worship them. He had always refused to join his people when they paid respect to these statues. He would leave town to sit alone and think about heavens and the worlds around him.. He was sure his people were doing wrong and so alone he searched for the right way. One clear night as he sat staring at the sky he saw a beautiful shining star, so beautiful that he cried out: 'This must be Allah!' He looked at it in awe for some time, until suddenly it began to fade and then it disappeared. He turned away in disappointment saying: I love not things that set. (Koran vi.77)

On another night Abraham was again looking at the sky and he saw the rising moon, so big and bright that he felt he could almost touch it. He thought to himself: This is my Lord. (Koran vi.78) But it was not long before the moon set as well. Then he said, Unless my Lord guides me, I surely shall become one of the folk who are astray. (Koran vi.78) Abraham then saw the beauty and splendor of the sunrise and decided that the sun must be the biggest and most powerful thing in the universe. But for the third time he was wrong, for the sun set at the end of the day. It was then that he realized that Allah is the Most Powerful, the Creator of the stars, the moon, the sun, the earth and of all living things. Suddenly he felt himself totally at peace, because he knew that he had found the Truth. When he said unto his father and his folk: What do you worship? They said: We worship idols, and are ever devoted to them.

AL FATIHAH

1. Sehabis membaca Muqaddam mengenali huruf-huruf al Quran, kita pun berdepan dengan surah Al Fatihah dan seterusnya dibimbing membaca Al Quran seluruhnya.

2. Dimuka depan setiap Al Quran terpampang indah surah Al Fatihah jua.

3. Surah yang dimulai dalam solat ialah Al Fatihah.

4. Al Fatihah di akhiri pada setiap bacaan doa.

5. Tiga kali Al Fatihah di bacakan ketika jenazah keluar dari rumah menuju pusara.

6. Al Fatihah dibacakan pada setiap penjuru rumah yang baru didiami

7. Bacaan Tahlil dimulai dengan bacaan Al Fatihah

8. Bacaan al Fatihah menyamai bacaan seluruh Al Quran.

9. Al Fatihah dibacakan sebagai hadiah kepada setiap muslimin dan muslimah yang meninggal dunia.

10. Al Fatihah dibacakan sebelum tidur di malam hari.

**********

ISLAM IS BEAUTIFUL

There is no word as beautiful as Allah.
No example as beautiful as Rasulullah (SAW),
No lesson as beautiful as Islam
No song as melodious as Azan.
No charity as meaningful as Zakat.
No encyclopaedia as perfect as Al Quran.
No prayer as perfect as Solah (Namaz).
No diet as perfect as fasting.
No journey as perfect as Hajj.

Let's realize that Islam is for ever beautiful and perfect.

This is most common among us. Most of us talk during Azan...The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, " Stop doing everything during the Azaan, even reading the Quran. The person who talks during the Azaan will not be able to say the Kalima Shahada upon death bed.

READ THIS DO'A FOR BETTER LIFE:-

Allahumma- inni- 'ala-zikrika- wa shukrika wa husni-ibaadatika.

A very powerful Do'a has been sent to you. What do you think you should do with it? Imagine if 1000 people read it just because of you.

Bacalah AL QURAN

Rasulullah (S.A.W.) Bersabda : ‘Bila seseorang lelaki itu mati dan saudaranya sibuk dengan pengebumiannya, berdiri lelaki yang betul-betul kacak di bahagian kepalanya. Bila mayatnya dikapan, lelaki itu berada di antara kain kapan dan si mati.

Selepas pengebumian, semua orang pulang ke rumah, 2 malaikat Mungkar dan Nakir, datang dalam kubur dan cuba memisahkan lelaki kacak ini supaya mereka boleh menyoal lelaki yang telah meninggal itu seorang diri mengenai ketaatannya kepada Allah. Tapi lelaki kacak itu berkata, Dia adalah temanku, dia adalah kawanku. Aku takkan meninggalkannya seorang diri walau apa pun. Jika kamu ditetapkan untuk menyoal, lakukanlah tugasmu. Aku tidak boleh meninggalkannya sehingga aku dapati dia dimasukkan ke dalam Syurga.’

Selepas itu dia berpaling pada temannya yang meninggal dan berkata,’Aku adalah Al-Quran, yang mana kamu membacanya, kadang-kadang dengan suara yang nyaring dan kadang-kadang dengan suara yang perlahan. Jangan bimbang. Selepas soal siasat dari Mungkar dan Nakir, kamu tidak akan bersedih.’

-Selepas soal siasat selesai, lelaki kacak mengatur untuknya daripada Al-Mala’ul A’laa (malaikat dalam Syurga) tempat tidur dari sutera yang dipenuhi bauan kesturi

Rasulullah (S.A.W.)bersabda :’Di hari pengadilan, di hadapan Allah, tiada syafaat yang lebih baik darjatnya daripada Quran, mahupun dari nabi atau malaikat.’

-Sila sebarkan Hadis ini kepada semua …….kerana

- Rasulullah ( S.A.W.) bersabda:
‘Sampaikan pengetahuan dari ku walaupun hanya satu ayat.’

Peringatan dari PDRM

Wednesday, February 3, 2010Tips menghalang jenayah seperti yang diberi oleh Polis DiRaja Malaysia .

1. Jangan biarkan anak-anak tidur di ruang tamu seorang diri (Mereka mungkin menggunakan anak sebagai tebusan).

2. Kunci atau sorokkan semua pisau-pisau yang terdapat di dapur sebelum tidur (Kesemua kes kecurian di dapati pisau hilang dan menurut polis mereka akan mencari pisau dahulu sebelum mencuri bertujuan untuk melindungi diri mereka).

3. Sekiranya terdengar/terlihat paip air di luar rumah terbuka pada tengah malam (pukul 12 ke atas), jangan keluar rumah untuk menutup paip tersebut kerana ini adalah taktik terbaru mereka di mana mereka telah menunggu
diluar pintu rumah untuk masuk (Kes terbaru berlaku di Dungun dan PJ).

4. Beritahu anak-anak sekiranya hendak ke tandas (jika tandas jauh) di waktu tengah malam, kejutkan ibubapa untuk bersama mereka.

5. Jangan simpan barang-barang kemas di dalam almari baju (Cara lama...).

6. Bawa alarm kereta bersama semasa tidur, kalau terjaga tengah malam, cuba "on and off" kan balik untuk menakutkan pencuri (Menandakan kita sentiasa peka).

7.. Tekan butang merah alarm kereta anda jika anda mengesyaki pencuri sudah masuk ke dalam rumah.

8. Sekiranya terlihat orang asing yang mencurigakan di kawasan rumah anda, sila dapatkan plet no motor/kereta mereka (Selalunya mereka ini naik motor dan mereka ni biasanya berdua, setiap kali kita lalu depan
mereka, mereka akan menundukkan kepala).

9. Pesan dengan jiran, sekiranya ada sesiapa yang datang ke rumah anda dan mengaku saudara anda bertujuan untuk mengambil barang-barang, jangan benarkan, beri nombor telefon pejabat kepada jiran supaya mereka boleh memaklumkan pada anda.

10. Semasa tidur, pastikan handphone anda berada di sisi atau pastikan juga Cordless Phone anda berada di sisi anda ataupun sambungkan satu extension dalam kamar tidur anda. Ini memudahkan anda membuat
panggilan kecemasan sekiranya anda terasa kehadiran pencuri di dalam rumah anda.

11. Adakan senarai nombor telefon kecemasan 999 seperti polis, bomba , 991 atau sebagainya. Pastikan nombor-nombor ini disimpan dalam handphone anda. Kalau boleh, hafal nombor tersebut. Ini memudahkan
anda untuk membuat sebarang panggilan telefon.

12. Kalau berkemampuan, pasangkan alat pengesan kecurian di rumah atau automatik alarm.

13. Lampu porch & lampu belakang rumah sebaiknya jenis automatik ,ia akan menyala bila malam, baik semasa kita ada di rumah atau pergi makan angin.

14. Kalau perlu mengambil cuti panjang,sentiasa memberitahu jiran2 anda supaya mereka dapat membantu menyimpan surat dlm mail box. Peti surat yg penuh membantu pencuri menghidu ketiadaan tuan rumah.

15. Kalau kawasan anda kerap berlaku kecurian, buat permohonan rasmi dari Balai Polis berdekatan supaya ada anggota polis buat rondaan yang kerap di kawasan anda.

16. Kereta PROTON merupakan kenderaan yang paling mudah dicuri. Kalau kereta anda baru dibeli, sekurang-kurangnya anda perlu mengunci gear & stering sebelum tidur (Sebenarnya masih boleh dicuri, tetapi ia dapat membantu melambatkan pencuri).

17. Kalau ada anak-anak perempuan, sebaik-baiknya pintu biliknya dikunci dari dalam (Sebab ada pencuri yg mengambil kesempatan seksual) dan anda perlu ada kunci pendua sekiranya berlaku kebakaran.

18. Sekurang-kurangnya simpan kayu hoki atau baseball di bawah katil anda buat mempertahankan diri dari pencuri yang ganas.

19. Jangan letak kunci bawah pasu bunga/mail box/alang pintu/tepi tingkap bila keluar (Pencuri dah lama tau taktik ni...). Lebih selamat beri pada jiran yang kita kenal rapat.

20. Kalau menyewa di rumah baru, pastikan anda menukar padlock baru,kerana mungkin penyewa terdahulu
masih mempunyai kunci pendua.

21. Kurangkan pendedahan dan pergaulan anda dengan pekerja asing.

Where azan, temple gong and church bell resonate

PADDY BOWIE

2010/02/07

PADDY BOWIE

WHEN I first came here, it was still a British colony, a very familiar world. The pillar boxes were red, the traffic drove on the left. English was spoken.

What I would never have anticipated were the familiar names.

"Musa" was my "Moses", "Johan" "John", "Daud" was "David", "Isa" was "Jesus", "Ibrahim" was "Abraham".

All the children of Abraham descended from that Middle Eastern crucible of three great religions -- Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Different revelations of God.

Recently, there were arson attempts against several churches.

What happened was an aberration that deviated from the religious norm in this country.

But the outside world, especially where bigotry rules, seized upon it to support the myth that we are an Arab -style, Taliban, extremist country. Nothing is further from the truth. To which I'd like to testify.

In all my 54 years here I have never experienced any encroachment on my Christian faith. Temple, mosque and church sit happily and comfortably side by side (Pitt Street, Penang). Temple gongs, church bells, and the imam's call to prayer mingle harmoniously. The latter resonates five times a day reminding me that this is a deeply religious country.

I love the sound, and its implication.

An inescapably aesthetic footprint comes with those thousands of individual mosques, all artistically stunning, that populate the landscape.

My favourite is the blue mosque in Shah Alam. Joining them are the Temple of Bright Clouds in Malacca or the biggest temple in the country situated surprisingly in the Muslim heartland of Kelantan. And Hindu shrines.

Growing up in Britain, I went to church and Sunday school religiously (in both senses of the word). Now many of the churches are empty unless it is Christmas, Easter, a wedding, a funeral or a christening.

With the one exception of old ladies like me, there every morning, revising for their finals.

Malaysia is a million miles from the Taliban. We have a lady central banker, four times voted the best in the world, and countless prominent women in public and private sectors alike.

Obama in a recent speech in Cairo paid tribute to us: "There are some Muslim countries that have done extraordinarily well -- from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai". A single sentence. If you or I had said it, it would have passed without notice.

But from the mouth of the poster boy -- on whose words the world hangs -- validated us as an advanced Muslim country. But then he is Barrack Hussein Obama.

At his inauguration they wanted to shorten the name to Barrack H. But he refused. Given all his Muslim kin we can hope for a more open mind towards us.

In Malaysia, it may come as a surprise to see a mosque in the middle of an industrial estate -- technology and Islam are not incompatible.

In Alor Star, a telecommunications tower sits next to one of the oldest mosques in the country. Spirituality and modernity combined. And we are the Islamic banking hub of the world. Halal food is the most hygienic for all of us.

And now the inevitable anecdote. I was at the same table at a function with a gentleman in flowing white robes, the first Saudi I had ever met.

I had preconceived notions about his likely attitude to one of my sex. How wrong I was. He was charming, talkative, pleasant and outgoing. He came from Medina. Did I know it?

I had reason then to be thankful to Tan Sri Azman Hashim. By virtue of writing a book on AmBank, I was able to recount how Al Kaswa, the camel Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was riding as he was fleeing from Mecca, stopped and knelt at the place we now call Medina.

The prophet took it as a sign from God and he remained there in safety for four days. A mosque at Koba now covers the spot. The name of this place of refuge was changed to Medina-al Nabi — the City of the Prophet. The Saudi gentleman, who turned out to be the deputy ambassador, was taken by surprise, possibly mistaking me for a Mat Salleh tourist. That very afternoon, he sent me two of the most elegantly bound copies of the Quran in English. In return, I sent him a copy of the Islamic Encyclopaedia from the pen of my good friend Dr Zaha Rina.

A spirit of harmony binds our multi-religious co-existence. The arsonists, driven by prejudice were acting in contradiction of 1Malaysia. Extremism and violence contradict the teachings of Islam, as does the present impasse in the world between Islam and non-Islam. We should remind ourselves that Baghdad
means the City of Peace and was the cradle of the Golden Age of Islam, civilised ahead of it’s time then.

The destructive acts of mankind like the Spanish Inquisition, the Klu Klux Klan and their racist lynchings, and now in Malaysia, the arson attempts or the crude flaunting of severed animal heads — are often in the name of religion.
This is not my beloved Malaysia. I ask again — a frequently asked question nowadays — what has happened to my warm, gracious, peaceful and brotherly Malaysian?

I still believe they are there — the quiet majority.

Datuk Dr. Paddy Bowie. ,
Paddy as she is more commonly known is Managing Director of Paddy
Schubert Sdn. Bhd. a business consultancy group she set up in 1980.

Graduating on a scholarship from Oxford University, she left the
United Kingdom and moved to live in Malaysia for the past 54 years. She is now
a Malaysian citizen. She is also a writer and political analyst and her views
are highly sought after by the international media. She is a frequent speaker on the
Conference circuit notably the Economist Conferences and the
Pacific Rim Forum in the US, Australia and most East Asian countries.

*******

MSITERI SOLAT SUBUH

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Hari ini Isnin, 6 Februari 2010. Hari ini disunatkan berpuasa jika berhajat. Al Hamdulillah pagi ini saya dipilih oleh Allah Yang Maha Kuasa untuk membarisi jumaah solat Subuh di Masjid Darul Barakah BDC ( Bersih, Damai dan Ceria) Kuching. Saya berdoa kepada Allah semoga isteri, dan anak2 serta menantu2 saya juga bangun mendirikan solat Subuh dirumah.

Selesai solat yang di imamkan oleh Ustaz Nazri, kami beramai-ramai membaca kitab suci Al Quran. Hari ini sampai pada surah A-li 'Imran dari ayat 53 sampai 61. Pembacaan sebegini telah bermula sejak tahun 2000 dan sehingga kini telah memasuki kali yang ke-15 dengan pembacaan satu mukasurat setiap selepas solat fardu Maghrib, Isha dan Subuh.

Untuk manfaat bersama, saya bariskan dibawah ini terjemahan ayat-ayat tersebut berpandukan tafsir Pimpinan Ar-Rahman terbitan Darul Fikr.

(53) ' Wahai Tuhan kami, kami telah beriman kepada apa yang Engkau telah turunkan, dan kami mengikut Rasul Mu; oleh itu suratkanlah kami berserta orang-orang yang menjadi saksi ( yang mengakui) keEsaanMu dan kebenaran rasulMu"

(54) Dan orang-orang kafir ( yahudi) itu pun merancang tipudaya ( hendak membunuh Nabi Isa) dan Allah pula membalas tipudaya ( mereka), dan (ingatlah), Allah sebijak-bijak yang membalas ( dan menggagalkan segala jenis) tipudaya.

(55) ( Ingatlah ) ketika Allah berfirman, " Wahai Isa, Sesungguhnya Aku akan mengambilmu dengan sempurna, dan akan mengangkat mu ke sisiKu, dan akan membersihkanmu dari orang-orang kafir, dan juga menjadikan orang-orang yang mengikutmu mengatasi orang-orang kafir ( yang tidak beriman kepadamu ) , hingga kehari kiamat. Kemudian kepada Aku lah tempat kembalinya kamu, lalu Aku menghukum ( memberi keputusan ) tentang apa yang kamu perselisihkan".

(56) Adapun orang-orang kafir, maka Aku ( Allah ) akan menyiksa mereka dengan azab yang amat berat di dunia dan di akhirat, dan mereka pula tidak akan beroleh sesiapa pun yang dapat menolong.

(57) Adapun orang-orang yang beriman dan mengerjakan amal-amal soleh , maka Allah akan menyempurnakan pahala mereka, dan ( ingatlah) , Allah tidak suka kepada orang-orang yang zalim.

(58) Demikianlah ( perihal Nabi Isa ) yang Kami membacakannya kepadamu ( wahai Muhammad, adalah ia ) sebahagian dari hujah-hujah keterangan ( yang membuktikan kebenarannya ) , dan dari Al Quran yang penuh dengan hikmat-hikmat - ( pengetahuan) yang tepat, lagi sentiasa terpelihara.

(59) Sesungguhnya perbandingan (kejadian) Nabi Isa di sisi Allah adalah sama seperti ( kejadian ) Nabi Adam. Allah telah menciptakan Adam dari tanah lalu berfirman kepadanya: " Jadilah engkau!" maka menjadilah ia.

(60) Perkara yang benar ialah yang datang dari Tuhanmu. Maka jangan sekali-sekali engkau menjadi dari orang-orang yang ragu-ragu.

(61) Kemudian sesiapa yang membantahmu ( wahai Muhammad), mengenainya, sesudah engkau memperoleh pengetahuan yang benar, maka katakanlah kepada mereka, ; ' Marilah kita menyeru anak-anak kami serta anak-anak kamu, dan perempuan-perempuan kami serta perempuan-perempuan kamu, dan diri kami serta diri kamu, kemudian kita memohon kepada Allah dengan bersungguh-sungguh , serta kita meminta supaya la'anat Allah ditimpakan kepada orang-orang yang berdusta".

Keterangan; (54) dan ( 55) : Allah Azza wa Jalla telah menyelamatkan Nabi Isa a.s. dari angkara kaum Yahudi yang hendak membunuhnya, dan mengangkat Nabi Isa hidup-hidup ke langit, yang akan turun pada akhir zaman kelak untuk membunuh Dajjal dan menegakkan ugama Islam yang dibawa oleh Junjungan kita Nabi Muhammad s.a.w.

(60) Ya'ani apa yang jelas dinyatakan oleh Allah s.w.t. didalam Al Quran mengenai Nabi Isa a.s. , tidak syak lagi tentang benarnya, bukan sebagaimana yang didakwakan oleh kaum Yahudi dan kaum Keristian atau puak-puak yang lain.

Semoga Allah Yang Maha Pengasih dan Maha Penyayang memberi petunjuk jalan yang diredhakanNya kepada kita semua. Amin!!!

*********

Latihan Menghafal al Quran

Memang dah lama terpahat dihati ini. Ingin menjadi seorang hafiz. Dengan izin Allah Yang Maha Esa, saya kini telah memulakan latihannya bersama-sam Ustaz Bukhari, imam dari Masjid Bandaraya Kuching.

Latihan ini dipersetujui 3 kali seminggu selepas solat Maghrib. Latihan pertama pada hari Rabu yang lalu dan latihan yang keduanya pada malam ini. Al Hamdulillah.

Pokok utama untuk mencapai kejayaan kata Ustaz ialah: Kita mesti istiqamah. " Apa maksud istiqamah itu Ustaz?" saya bertanya: " "Konsistensi!", jawab Ustaz.

*************

KALAU ASAL BENIH YG BAIK, JATUH KE LAUT MENJADI PULAU

Assalamu'alaikum semua pembaca blog ini.

Tahun 2010 adalah tahun kedua saya menceburi dunia MLM memperdagangkan susu kolostrum Alpha Lipid Lifeline. Saya telah mencapai level Manager, oleh kerana berjaya mengujudkan 3 orang Supervisor.

Tetapi level ini belum lagi memberikan kesan gigitan yang mendalam kerana gerakan dan tempuran tidak selancar yg diharapkan. Tetapi saya mempunyai keyakinan bahawa produk ini tidak akan terjebak ke jurang seperti yg berlaku dgn beberapa produk yg lain yg hanya menjadi catitan sejarah dan perbualan sahaja.

Saya berhasrat untuk membina sebuah ladang yang luas dgn hasil yang berterusan. Dgn ini saya mengajak penyertaan anda. Hanya anda perlu melabur dgn membeli 30 tin. Perniagaan hanya boleh dimulakan diperingkat ini sahaja. Tiap satu tin boleh digunakan untuk tempoh sebulan dan hayatnya untuk tempoh 3 tahun.

30 tin boleh tahan sampai 30 bulan. Kalau nak munim sendiri saja.

Anda di Semenanjung saya di Sarawak? Sik jadi hal. Saya orang Semenanjung. Rumah tetap saya di Kepong , Selangor. Sarawak, Sarawak juga. Sarawak dan Semenanjung semua bagai aur ( pokok buluh) dengan tebing, saling memperkukuh antara sama lain. Tebing tidak akan roboh dan pokok buluh tidak akan hanyut. Kan baik begitu.

Ishhhh. Macam mana ni? .

Untuk menjual produk ini kpd orang lain, kita sendiri mesti menggunakannya. Kalau diri sendiri dah pakai dan dah tahu kesannya, takkan nak biarkan isteri/suami , anak, ibu-bapa dan kaum keluarga yg lain menderita sakit tak sembuh-sembuh. Mulakan jualan kpd saudara-mara dan jiran-jira tetangga. Begitu juga dengan ahli jemaah masjid dan surau serta kekawan ditempat kerja. Kalau jadi cikgu, anda boleh menolong murid-murid yg selalu lemah berpenyakit dengan membuat rekomen kpd ibu-bapa supaya gunakan susu ini sebagai sarapan pagi anak-anak mereka.

Tapi ingat. Jangan bagi barang dan ambil duit kemudian. Ini amalan salah. Kekadang terpaksa juga.

Dah nampak jalankan? Jangan makan semua dan jangan habiskan semua. Simpan 10 tin sebagai stok. Permintaan akan menyusul bertalu-talu selepas ini. Mahal? Tak mahal. Selama ini pun duit dah habis banyak. Tapi penyakit tak sembuh , badan tak pernah sihat, nak buang air besar pun susah, tidor tak boleh lena, sakit lutut bertali arus, urat-urat dibetis dan paha tak pernah surut.

Rebutlah peluang ini.

Produk ini mempunyai latarbelakang business yg kukuh dan keberkesanan kepada pengguna yang ampuh dan menjadi kenyataan. Semua pelanggan saya menzahirkan rasa syukur kpd Allah kerana dipertemukan dgn produk yg mereka car-cari selama ini. Lain-lain perubatan dan produk supplementary yg digunakan sebelum ini, tidak sehebat Alpha Lipid Lifeline.

Memang banyak pancaroba saya tempuhi, bukan kerenah pengguna , tapi kerenah mereka yg hanya ingin mengena orang lain. Ingin turut serta dlm perniagaan ini , tapi modal hanya atas angin, barang diambil dan mereka kemudiannya diam mendingin.

Insha Allah, Allah Yang Maha Pemurah sentiasa menemani hamba-hambanya Nya yg sabar dan berhati ikhlas.

******

AL QURAN SEBAGAI MUKJIZAT NABI MUHAMMAD YG PALING AGUNG

Setiap nabi yg diutuskan oleh Allah s.w.t. untuk mengajak manusia menyembah Tuhan Yang Esa dan melakukan kebaikan dan menjauhkan kemungkaran, diberikan oleh Allah s.w.t. mukjizat.

Mukjizat adalah satu fenomena luarbiasa yg ditunjukkan oleh nabi kepada manusia untuk meyakinkan manusia bahawa ajaran yang dibawanya itu benar. Apabila manusia menyaksikan mukjizat tersebut mereka menjadi yakin kepada ajaran yg dibawa oleh nabi.

Ini dapat dilihat pada peristiwa Nabi Musa a.s. berhadapan dengan ahli sihir Firaun. Nabi Musa a.s. telah diperintahkan oleh Allah s.w.t. supaya mencampakkan tongkatnya dan tongkat tersebut menjelma menjadi ular yang lebih besar drpd ular-ular ahli sihir Firaun malah menelan semua ular-ular tukang sihir firaun.

Apabila tukang sihir Firaun menyaksikan kehebatan mukjizat Nabi Musa a.s. , mereka terus beriman kpd Nabi Musa a.s. sehingga menyebabkan kemarahan Firaun.

Tukang sihir Firaun beriman kpd Nabi Musa a.s. , setelah menyaksikan mukjizat Nabi Musa a.s. , begitu yakin kpd mereka , sehingga berani menerima risiko ancaman Firaun yg mahu menghukum mereka dengan hukuman yg berat. Peristiwa ini telah dirakam didalam al Quran surah Ta-Ha ayat 69 & 70:

(69) " Dan lemparkanlah apa yg ada ditangan kanan kamu , niscaya ia akan menelan apa yg mereka perbuat. Sesungguhnya apa yg mereka perbuat itu adalah tipu daya tukang sihir ( belaka ). Dan tidak akan menang tukang sihir itu, dari mana sahaja ia datang."

Nabi Musa pun mencampakkan tongkatnya menjadi ular yg lebih besar lalu menelan semua ular-ular ahli sihir Firaun:

(70) " Maka keadaan yang yg demikian itu menjadikan ahli-ahli sihir itu segera merebahkan diri dengan bersujud , sambil berkata: Kami telah beriman kepada Tuhan yang telah mengutuskan Nabi Harun dan Nabi Musa".

Nabi-nabi yang lain seperti Nabi Isa a.s., Nabi Soleh a.s. , dan Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. juga diberikan mukjizat dalam bentuk pancaindera atau hissi kerana ia boleh disaksikan dengan pancaindera iaitu dilihat dengan mata oleh mereka yang ada bersama-sama dengan nabi ketika mukjizat itu berlaku ketika itu.

************

AL QURAN KALAM ALLAH

Al-Quran adalah kalam Allah s.w.t. yg diturunkan kpd Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. menerusi perantaraan Malaikat Jibril a.s.. Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. merupakan seorang yang ummi iaitu tidak tahu membaca dan menulis. Surah yang pertama iaitu Surah Al Alaq diturunkan kepada Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. pd 15 Ramadhan ketika Nabi berumur 40 tahun.

Al-Quran diturunkan secara beransur-ansur selama 22 tahun , 2 bulan dan 22 hari berdasarkan kepada keperluan pada masa itu . Ia dibahagikan kepada 114 surah dan mengandungi 86,430 perkataan dan 323,760 huruf2 Arab. Jumlah ayat di dalam Al-Quran ialah sebanyak 6,236. Untuk memudahkan pembacaan Al Quran , ia dibahagikan kepada 30 bahagian.

*********

A Cup of Chicken soup for the Soul

In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Than he hide himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the kingdom's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the road clear , but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along , carrying a lot of vegetables. On 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.

As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the middle of 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 others never understand: Every obstacles presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.

*******