I attended ESQ training last weekend. Initially I refused my friend’s invitation since I want to join another program in MMU. But all praises to Allah for His Guidance & TQ for those who managed to ‘catch me’ to get into this.
These are just arbitrary notes on various issues that came to my mind during 2 days training. I did some jottings, went home and did some readings.
1. ESQ that I know
“A developed country is where one can find skyscrapers like twin towers; gorgeous bridge which is laid out between its island & mainland, plus a state which could hold a world class F1 racing. Furthermore its fellow countrymen can conquer the highest peak of Himalaya, cruise around the world in a yacht and beat the cold English channel…Malaysia Boleh!!.”
(see Millennium Malay by D.Ruse)
a. If the above is the yardstick for a greatness of a nation, one can consider it as being too materialistic. Worthless a country which demonstrates its wealth in the form of stunning solid inanimate structures but at the same time has a high rate of crime & suicide cases!!
b. Pyramids are great structures. But do pharaohs remain till today? If no, why?
c. Thus in every walks of life, spiritual should prevail physical without neglecting the latter. That is what ESQ is all about, but of course with a well-organized modules & astounding audio video presentation which will definitely give an impact to those who witnessed. Insya Allah.
2. Persepsi
a. Knowledge can be acquired from anybody no matter whom you are and or who he is. Sounds knowledge can increase one’s faith to Allah. In contrast, persepsi leads to paranoid & parochialism, hindering a person from getting the truth.
“Ada orang yang bersembang pada malam hari tentang jin & afrit, kemudian dia berjalan pulang kerumahnya. Sekiranya jalan yang dia laluinya sunyi dan gelap, dia sendiri penakut dan banyak berkhayal, dia akan melihat jin dan afrit di hadapannya. Dia akan melihat & merasai bahawa ia benar-benar wujud sedangkan di sana tidak ada sesuatupun. “
(Islam yang Semestinya Difahami; Ali at-Thontowi)
3. So empty your glass…
a. The parable of an open minded person who could listen & digest new info is just like an empty glass which can contains water. On the other hand, a glass full of water (bajet pandai) can’t accept any more & while a covered glass (closed minded) spills the water all over the place. In both cases buang maso jo!
4. Islam; Science & Freedom
a. One of the best presentations during the training was about the creation of the universe. Trainer with his expressive talking equipped with beautiful animation & powerful PA system managed to capture my heart. He presented various ideas the universe and its creation; Plato, Copernicus, Galileo, Einstein, Hubble and Hawkins. Amazingly Quran revealed in the year 600 was far more advance than Plato (d. 347) and even Copernicus (d. 1543). It is parallel with Hubble’s theory on expanding universe. This was later echoed by the Nobel Prize winner in physics 2006.
b. Copernicus was the first to suggest that Sun is at the centre of the Universe (heliocentrism) this was then followed by Galileo. The latter was condemned by the churches & was placed under house arrest then.
c. Darwin faced the same treatment from the church for his epoch-making On the Origin of Species. Hans Kung, a reputable theologian writes:
“Treatment of the Darwin case in the Catholic Church was as symptomatic as that of Galileo…..In Roman Catholicism in subsequent decades, instead of serious scientific grappling with the completely new problems that had emerged, there were many acts of repression & inquisition. Under Pope Pius X (1903-14) theological deviants were intimidated, discriminated against as “modernists”, compelled to withdraw their books, and even deposed and silenced”
(The Beginning of All Things; Science & Religion, Hans Kung)
d. The point here is not to support helocentrism or Darwinism, but rather to elucidate to you that people may react adversely to new ideas. Prophet pbuh was boycotted by the Pagans for 3 years. Muslims were confined within a restricted area. No trades to be dealt with them because they called for Oneness of God which was in opposition to the mainstream Meccan’s customs & believes.
e. The solution is to understand the issue & tackle it with dialogue and not primarily with force. Banning on books & detention without trial is the practice of Jahilliyah. It’s now happening in Muslim country and Muslim organization.
5. Tuhan (ilmu-Nya) lebih dekat dari urat mareh..
a. Ternyata modul ESQ boleh membuat seseorang menangis, bahkan mungkin kesemua peserta; at least sekali. Di dalam bilik yang gelap, para peserta diajak menhayati kisah yang disampaikan berlatar belakangkan lagu instrumental. Saya secara jujurnya, sudah lama tak menangis tapi hari itu aku berjaya untuk menitiskan air mata.
b. Walaubagaimanpun, saya memilih untuk tidak bersetuju dengan sesetengah cara perlaksanaannya . Antara lain, sewaktu trainer berteriak kuat dihadapan hati yang tadi sedih dan sayu, tiba-tiba menjadi kacau & hilang fokus. Sekalipun dia berniat ikhlas untuk membuatkan hati bergetar, menimbulkan keinsafan atau berdoa, namun haruslah dilunakkan dan direndahkan suaranya senada dengan sabda Tuhan:
“Dan sebutlah (nama) Tuhannmu dalam hatimu dengan merendahkan diri dan rasa takut, dan dengan tidak mengeraskan suara, di waktu pagi dan petang, dan janganlah kamu termasuk orang-orang yang lalai”
(Quran 7:205)
c. Begitu juga dengan selawat kepada rasul, ia bukan sekadar sebutan dimulut atau sekadar nyanyian. Walaupun sudah maklum, yang hadir ESQ adalah orang-orang dari pelbagai lapisan & jenis. Ada yang baru mahu mengenal Islam dan sebagainya. Wallahualam
d. Lihatlah apa yang disebutkan oleh Shaikh Ali at-Thontawi
“ Berzikirlah dengan lidah anda. Sesungguhnya zikir yang paling afdal ialah zikir lidah yang disertai oleh hati. Sekiranya lidah berzikir tetapi fikiran tidak sedar apa yang diucapkannya, maka jadilah zikir itu satu percakapan yang tidak bermakna, seperti ucapan penjual kuih di kota syam yang menyeru: Allah Maha Pemurah. Dia tidak bertujuan untuk memperingati Allah tetapi unuk menjual kuih…”
(Islam yang Semestinya Difahami; Ali at-Thontowi)
e. Akhir sekali saya terfikir, di saat ESQ & loud speaker sudah tiada, mampukah kita untuk terus menangis ?
Abel
5 August 2009
Kuantan
