Let’s get ready to rumble!

Let’s get ready to rumble!
by Ameen Misran

While browsing through my old 4310 Acer notebook, I saw a picture of the Musolla of my ex-high school, MATRI. Then I looked at my desk calendar. Today is 27 Syaaban and I am 3 days away from  Ramadan. Will I manage to enter the doors of Ramadan? Last year, our beloved Ustaz Asri of Rabbani passed away before entering Ramadan. What about me? I don’t know. I just don’t know.

Gazing at the picture brings me unforgettable memories when I was in high school. It has been almost four years since I’ve finished my studies at that school near the woods. I can assure myself, to me, MATRI is the best place to celebrate the festival of deeds during Ramadan. Comparing the places I’ve been in my life, no place can challenge the beauty of the people nurturing Ramadan. No place, not even IIUM Gombak.

In MATRI, from morning to midnight, the Musolla was so full of students reciting and praying. After Terawih prayer, many circles, big and small ones was making Tadarus Al-Quran. Finishing the Quran more than 3 times in one month was a norm in MATRI. But my past Ramadan, finishing it once was the maximum number for me and I was among the minorities. I feel peace and tranquillity seeing the students competing with each other and to some extend making contests to win who finishes the Quran first. Huh! Old memories.

In that picture, there was a picture of my former senior and former xifu, Ustaz Muhtad. A great guy who finished his studies in University Al-Azhar, Dumyati, Mesir. He was staff of MATRI teaching Arabic. He was also the warden of Huffaz Dormitory at that time.

I sunk deep in my thoughts. A memory took place five years ago went rolling my head.

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English Column: Lose Yourself in Ramadan

Want to understand nature? Lose yourself in it.
Picture by Umar Aziz at DQ lake

“Ramadan is magic. It can change my whole life in an instance” says a friend of mine to me. ‘Magic’ he says. Nice choosing of words yeah. Ramadan is ‘magic’ only for those who nurture and the thirst of 11 months waiting is only quenched upon Ramadan’s arrival. You will never wait for it to come to your door step and knock on your door, but your door is already open and you’re more than ready to welcome it with open arms. Ramadan is magic because of the Quran.

The majestic Quran and the month of Ramadan

                The Quran loves Ramadan and Ramadan loves the Quran. The two of them are beloved friends, no, they are ‘lovers’. Lets understand why the Quran is important first then what it has to do with the Quran in Ramdan. Allah has proven their ‘love’ to each other in the Quran:

“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey – then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Al-Baqarah: 185)

For those who read the Quran while fasts combines two powerful entities, Ramadan and the glorious Quran. So, those persons therefore will live this holy month with the Noble book and following what Allah has said. What Allah has said? The Quran is a reflection and reminder to us:

“[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.” (Sad: 29)

But why sometimes or most of the time we read the Quran but we feel nothing? Let’s reflect from this verse:

“Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?” (Muhammad: 24)

It is either between we don’t understand the message or we haven’t at all tried to understand. The other possibility is Allah does not want us to understand, that is the most feared thing in life. The thing ‘lack’ in our hearts is preventing ‘light’ from coming into our hearts. Erase that ‘lacks’ and ‘light’ will enter.

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English Column: A love greater than Allah’s love

“looking for a greater love”
Picture by ~Saaruhh of deviantart.com

“Is it wrong to be in a relationship?”

“It is Allah who made us in love, not us; are we to be blamed?”

“If I don’t have an intimate relationship with her, how will I know my future wife?”

These are typical answers claimed by many people as an excuse to legalize their so called love out of the wedlock. Sadly, majority of us are implementing it.

These excuses are left unanswered. The truth is still hidden from them. Whether being in a relationship out of the wedlock is haram or halal? Who is going to make them understand that what they are doing is wrong? Their parents? Friends?

For those who are close with the Quran and Sunnah, you are so close to the truth. But for those who favour ‘scholarly’ opinions from entertainment magazines, romance movies or music videos, you are so deep in the darkness of ignorance.

The Quran and Sunnah are two substances for us to shape our personality, route map for our life’s road journey and as a shield detaining ourselves from being influenced by the tempting and seducing worldly pleasures. “I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray” (Narrated by Imam Malik)

But why, with the Quran and Sunnah present alongside our life, we still claim there is a Love Greater that Allah’s love? Who is to be blamed? Is it the Quran and Sunnah or ourselves?

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Marriage is mirage

"You and I are different" picture by jeyminems of deviantart.com

 

Marriage is the most awaited moment,

many people switch to fast forward for that particular moment.

Marriage is the proof of love between two people,

no matter how they look, crossed eyes or full of pimples.

Love does make the world go round,

and love certainly heals all wounds.

But I, I do not feel happy for this so called marriage,

to me marriage is a mirage.

I'm too scared for that moment to come,

I'm too chicken to be called a husband or a father.

To be honest, I can't even afford my life,

so what will I give to my future wife?

It is difficult, so difficult to maintain another life besides my own,

I better of living alone.

If Allah wills, I wanna be a bachelor all my life.

If you wanna say I'm a coward young man, then so be it!

I am coward!

For my future wife, I do not know when will I be ready,

do you think you can still wait for me?

TAQWA: The "Boring" Weekly Call

 “See what happens when we miss an important call”
Picture by *04young of Deviantart.com

FRIDAY is the most exhausting day of the week. Even though I do not have classes on this day, sleeping half a day will always be my top priority. Study? Rarely. Breakfast?Hardly any. Just sleep and sleep. Exhausted I guess.

When the clock strikes 1 pm, I would get ready for prayer, Friday prayer of course. Walk to the IIUM Masjid and wait for the first azan. After an interval for about 10 minutes, the khatib gives salaam and then the second azan is heard.

The azans normally sounds beautiful like a lullaby making the Friday jamaah feel so sleepy. When the azan is over, the khatib starts his khutbah. As the khatib starts with:

“O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared and do not die except as Muslims [in submission to Him].” (Ali-Imran: 102)

I witness in front of my eyes, most of the guys, head down! Their head goes up and down not indicating that they understand what the khatib is saying, but because they doze off to dreamland!

Why are they sleeping?  Why are we (men) dozing off? If the purpose of Friday prayer is a place for men to ‘rest’ then, sleeping will be quite acceptable.

But Friday prayer is a weekly call for TAQWA. Is this call a ‘boring’ call?

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