Project 365

And believe in what I have sent down confirming that which is [already] with you, and be not the first to disbelieve in it. And do not exchange My signs for a small price, and fear [only] Me. And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it].

— Al-Qur’an 2:41-42

Some people interpret Allah’s words in order to fit to a particular agenda. They would manipulate the texts and come up with false conclusions to achieve their notion. They do that because they are afraid of a certain elements of people, backlash, etc. They also do that in order to please some groups of people. It is clear that they are not afraid of Allah SWT, but instead, they fear for other people.

There are two extremes who contribute to the manipulation of our religion, i.e. the liberal extremes and the “angry” extremes. The liberal extremes try so hard to interpret Islam in every way they can to make the non-Muslims happy. They are not concerned about the fear towards Allah SWT, but they are more concerned about what the non-Muslims say about us. On the other hand, the angry extremes are those who are angry at the condition and the state of their Muslim brothers and sisters around the world. Their anger results in the interpretation of the Qur’an that justify their anger/actions. They would bring forward some verses of the Qur’an that can defend their actions and ignore others that say otherwise.

If the Qur’an is presented genuinely without compromise and those who explain it are not affected by any other fears except towards Allah SWT, there won’t be misunderstandings and the world would see our religion differently than today.

Taken from “Lessons & Reminders from Surah Baqarah” [YouTube] by Nouman Ali Khan

If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land – it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind

Barangsiapa yang membunuh seorang manusia, bukan karena orang itu (membunuh) orang lain, atau bukan karena membuat kerusakan dimuka bumi, maka seakan-akan dia telah membunuh manusia seluruhnya. Dan barangsiapa yang memelihara kehidupan seorang manusia, maka seolah-olah dia telah memelihara kehidupan manusia semuanya.

Al-Qur’an 5:32

I wonder why nothing is mentioned about this verse in any of those articles, books, movies, and news which argue that our beloved Qur’an is the source of a violence.

And I wonder if any of those terrorists ever read this part of the verse.

They are all ignorant uneducated selfish people!

Alhamdulillah, though I couldn’t eat for 17 hours, today’s fasting wasn’t that bad. I did feel so lacking of energy but I was sure that I would get used to it in the end. I intentionally stayed at home today — I didn’t feel the hunger and thirstiness until 2 hours before I had to break the fast.

Anyway, I was quite satisfied that today I was able to read 3 sections (juz) of the Qur’an. I also did some memorizing for juz ‘Amma — I used to remember the whole chapters (surah) in juz ‘Amma but as I got older, I forgot some of them 🙁 . My goal for this year’s Ramadhan is to memorize the whole surahs in juz ‘Amma. Insya Allah.

Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

— Al-Qur’an 2:185

Ramadhan kareem! Kullu 3am wa antum be7air 🙂

O Believers, if an unrighteous person comes to you with information, you should verify it or else you might inflict harm on a people in ignorance and then end up regretting what you have done.

Hai orang-orang yang beriman, jika datang kepadamu orang fasik membawa suatu berita, maka periksalah dengan teliti agar kamu tidak menimpakan suatu musibah kepada suatu kaum tanpa mengetahui keadaannya yang menyebabkan kamu menyesal atas perbuatanmu itu.

— Al-Qur’an 49:6

In this verse, Allah SWT ordered us to question and verify every information received to make sure it is reliable and authentic. This is a very interesting verse as it relates to our daily life and the thing that has been going on in Indonesia right now 🙂

Yes, the infotainment. The gossips of celebrities. And all those. Why are we — the Indonesians — are so obsessed with these useless information?! What’s so fun about it, really? A lecturer in Bandung told me that when he woke up everyday, he saw infotainment news. When he came back from work, he saw infotainment news. After dinner, another infotainment news. Oh for heaven sake, he thought! Weren’t there any useful news or TV shows that could be shown?? It’s really sad. We believe on those information and judge the people based on what we see on TV. Pathetic. Now, all we care about is the private life of other people who will never make a positive impact in our life in many ways! How about those people who are in hunger? How about those who still have no money to go to school? How about those who are mentally ill, being stranded in the streets? Do we care about them?! AT ALL??

Questioning the reliability of information does not only apply to the infotainment crap (coz I don’t want to call these gossip things as “news”). But it also applies to everything published on the media. We always need to be critical about them. We need to remember that some news are “created” to gain publicity, profits, or to make false information about other people in order to put them down.

This verse is also very much related to how the scholars of Hadith accept narrations. I was even told that Imam Bukhari traveled miles and miles away to meet this one narrator to prove his authenticity and reliability. At one point, the narrator called some birds as if he wanted to feed them. But it turned out he was just lying because he had no foods on his hands. Based on this behavior, his Hadith was rejected by Imam Bukhari. Can you imagine that?! This implies that the collections of our Hadith have been carefully compiled. Those narrators whose reliability is unknown are not accepted by the scholars of Hadith.

Well, the simplest thing I can say is: mind your own business 😀

* Today’s posting is based on the discussion in our weekly pengajian (Qur’an reading & study) 🙂

Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven with an adornment of stars and as protection against every rebellious devil. [So] they may not listen to the exalted assembly [of angels] and are pelted from every side. Repelled; and for them is a constant punishment. Except one who snatches [some words] by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing [in brightness].

Sesungguhnya Kami telah menghias langit yang terdekat dengan hiasan, yaitu bintang-bintang, dan telah memeliharanya (sebenar-benarnya) dari setiap syaitan yang sangat durhaka. Syaitan-syaitan itu tidak dapat mendengar-dengarkan (pembicaraan) para malaikat dan mereka dilempari dari segala penjuru. Untuk mengusir mereka dan bagi mereka siksaan yang kekal. Akan tetapi barangsiapa (di antara mereka) yang mencuri-curi (pembicaraan); maka ia dikejar oleh suluh api yang cemerlang.

The stars were created not only to make the sky beautiful, but also to protect the evil spirits (syaitan) from listening to the conversation of the angels.

And a sign for them (of Our power) is that We carried their ancestors in a laden ship (Prophet Nuh’s ship) and We created for them from the likes of it that which they ride. And if We should will, We could drown them; then no one responding to a cry would there be for them, nor would they be saved. Except as a mercy from Us and provision for a time.

Dan suatu tanda (kebesaran Allah yang besar) bagi mereka adalah bahwa Kami angkut nenek moyang mereka dalam bahtera (kapal) yang penuh muatan dan Kami ciptakan untuk mereka yang akan mereka kendarai seperti bahtera itu. Dan jika Kami menghendaki niscaya Kami tenggelamkan mereka, maka tiadalah bagi mereka penolong dan tidak pula mereka diselamatkan. Tetapi (Kami selamatkan mereka) karena rahmat yang besar dari Kami dan untuk memberikan kesenangan hidup sampai kepada suatu ketika. (Al-Qur’an 36:41-44)

During today’s Qur’an study, our discussion came to the heart of the Qur’an, surah Yaasin. I learned many things today (as usual) but one thing that came across was those particular verses. I was told that Prophet Nuh (or Noah) was like Prophet Adam “the second” (i.e. Nabi Adam kedua). We’re all the offspring of Prophet Nuh. As can be read from those verses above, the people of Nuh was saved with his ship and Allah SWT showed them mercy and saved them (although they all could be drown and died). The flood happened not just in the area where they lived, it happened in the whole world, subhanallah. Imagine if Allah SWT did not save them, would there be still us?

That’s why we need to be thankful for each and everything we achieved and received. Allah is The Most Merciful. So never hesitate to seek mercy from Allah SWT.

O you who have believed, let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult one another and do not call each other by [offensive] nicknames. Wretched is the name of disobedience after [one’s] faith. And whoever does not repent – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.

Hai orang-orang yang beriman, janganlah sekumpulan orang laki-laki merendahkan kumpulan yang lain, boleh jadi yang ditertawakan itu lebih baik dari mereka. Dan jangan pula sekumpulan perempuan merendahkan kumpulan lainnya, boleh jadi yang direndahkan itu lebih baik. Dan janganlah suka mencela dirimu sendiri dan jangan memanggil dengan gelaran yang mengandung ejekan. Seburuk-buruk panggilan adalah (panggilan) yang buruk sesudah iman dan barangsiapa yang tidak bertobat, maka mereka itulah orang-orang yang zalim.

Al-Qur’an 49:11

(One of my favorite verses in the Qur’an. No offence here, but I do think Arab people need to read this verse and carry it out in real life! Rather than viewing Asians lower than them and treating them with no respect.)

And when We decreed for Sulaiman’s death, nothing indicated to the jinn his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.

Maka tatkala Kami telah menetapkan kematian Sulaiman, tidak ada yang menunjukkan kepada mereka kematiannya itu kecuali rayap yang memakan tongkatnya. Maka tatkala ia telah tersungkur, tahulah jin itu bahwa kalau sekiranya mereka mengetahui yang ghaib tentulah mereka tidak akan tetap dalam siksa yang menghinakan.

— Al-Qur’an 34:14

This is rather an interesting verse from the Qur’an about the Prophet Sulaiman AS — which I missed out. Just like his wonder life and all his greatness that Allah SWT blessed him for, his death too was a rather unique one. While Prophet Sulaiman stood leaning on his cane / staff and praying, his soul left him. He did not fall and was in the same position until the termites ate away his cane. Nobody, including the humans and jinn, knew that he had died a long time ago.

One important thing to be mentioned about this verse is that: only Allah SWT had the knowledge of the unseen (including future). Jinn knew nothing at all. Therefore, we shouldn’t rely on them. They might be able to hear some “gossips” from the sky and deliver them to dukun (witch), but we never know that the information that is given is true.

Wallahu a’lam. 

And We had certainly given Luqman wisdom [and said], “Be grateful to Allah .” And whoever is grateful is grateful for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever denies [His favor] – then indeed, Allah is Free of need and Praiseworthy.

Dan sesungguhnya telah Kami berikan hikmat kepada Luqman, yaitu: “Bersyukurlah kepada Allah. Dan barangsiapa yang bersyukur (kepada Allah), maka sesungguhnya ia bersyukur untuk dirinya sendiri; dan barangsiapa yang tidak bersyukur, maka sesungguhnya Allah Maha Kaya lagi Maha Terpuji”. (Al-Qur’an 31:12)

I came across this verse during our weekly Qur’an session. Allah SWT asks us to be grateful to Him. If we do, then we’re grateful for the benefit of ourselves. If we’re grateful, we’ll most like not hurt or take advantage of others. Take for example our politicians who are never satisfied with the money that they get. The result is definitely corruption. If they’re grateful, things would turn out differently.

And now, I have to keep on reminding myself that I need to be grateful for every single thing I have. Creating this Project 365 is my way to be thankful, so that I can look back at my life at some point in time and realize how lucky I am that I can ever reach this point that is beyond my expectation! Hope I can keep on doing this project, Amin.