Deciphering the Muslim call to prayer

have realized that I have put too many rubbish in my blog lately... from time to time, need to have some "intelligent content" to get our brain working...

in MalaysianUAE Yahoo group, a discussion started regarding the call for prayer in Islam (well, I guess related to the issue of Teresa Kok arrest under ISA), and what it should and should not be... I will spare you the whole email discussion, but I would like to share with you the last email respond from a member - Abu Ikhlas min Fujairah (Bapaknya kepada Ikhlas dari Fujairah...? hehe). I find that the email is full of words of wisdom, and definitely a "must-share" with everybody.... have fun reading (again, sorry for the long entry... but it's worth reading, seriously....!!)

"Yes, Malaysia is also my haven but looking at it deeply I found it was not because it is the last bastion of Islam. It is mainly because I have my family root and thriving social circles there (kawan kampung, sekolah rendah, sekolah menengah, universiti, kaki pancing, etc). I also like the weather. And I like to go to its many beautiful islands for a break. And I miss the local foods.I can relate well to many places there, where I fall and scratch my knee. And I can talk to people not only in Malay but also in my local dialect. Aah.. heavens.

And cost of living is low and standard is not bad. Never mind cannot get good pay like in UAE and RM purchasing power is eroding. And being Malay, I have good chance of getting scholarship for my children to go to university. Never mind there are not many universities around. And I can buy houses at better discount even though I maybe richer than many non-Malays. And if I toe the Government line all the time, I'll never be bothered by the ISA. Never mind people are robbing my country big time.And what's the worry with ISA - even the Americans and the Germans are doing it (they also support Israel, may be we should follow suit). If I am caught speeding, I can settle it cheaply - not like in Singapore where it is difficult to do it. Security situation worrying but I can live in fenced up area with security guards. Oh...I LOVE my Malaysia.... ...

But wait..... I suppose the Germans felt Germany was heaven during Hitler's time. And the "kaum kerabat Firaun" must have thought of Egypt as the best country ever. And the Serbs, yes the Serbs, until today still revere Radovan Kradzic and the likes who must have created haven for the Serbs within previous Yugoslavia. They all wouldn't want to change the situation in their country. Their haven.

Coming back to my Malaysia, as a Muslim and a good (this I consider myself lah) Malay, I cannot live a life where I benefit at the expense of the rights of others - that would be unislamic. Very unislamic. Haram. Prohibited. That is the same as stealing. You could not see yourself putting your hands in your neighbour's pocket - and yet usurping other people's right is akin to that. If you sinned against Allah, He in his Mercy will forgive you if you ask, however much you sinned. But any wrongs you did to others you can only square it if you return back what you have taken - how to do that with the masses? You will be asked from left and right and top and bottom in the "kubur" and some more in "yaumul-akhirat" . You think you can answer that? If so, good luck then. To be fair, the need to be "adil" or just is not limited to Malays only. It also applies to all, muslims or non-muslims, Malays or Chinese or Indians or anyone. I hope that is understood without further deliberations (not the main subject this time).

Shouldn't we then together change the unjust conditions? I want to change that. And probably UMNO wanted to change that also but has squandered the chance given. Squandered big time. The malady being systemic, there is no hope for recovery. And what is the biggest damage in not changing? That the general impression that all the unjust conditions in my Malaysia is, Allah forbid, sanctioned by Islam. No wonder people do not enter Islam in droves even though Islam has all the "hujjah" as they remain hujjah but not practised. If we practise Islam (a lot of things to do but why not start by being just) then we can gain one of two things or both - that more people become muslim, thus altering the demographic balance or that non-muslim will accept muslims as leaders regardless of whether muslim in majority or not. History has shown that a minority can successfully rule a country in either one of two conditions - by force or by being just. Easier said than done? Of course, the reward is paradise - you think it comes cheaply (again need subsidy?). We have to work for it.We say it first then we do it.

Too simplistic? All things are simple in the final analysis. And successful people are the one who keep it simple and execute rather than complicate himself to the point of no action.

All these just talks? Ok, let us start by promising ourselves than we will never give bribes, not to policemen nor to anyone. I paid all my traffic summons in Malaysia at police station, never paid under table money. And not to receive any bribes ourselves. If we cannot do even that, then we deserve the malady we have now in our beloved country.

Ramadhan mubarak.
Abu Ikhlas min Fujairah

Praise God for there are Truly Good Malaysian Muslims out there

p/s if you want to read the whole discussion on the matter, send me your email address. will see if I can forward it to you (have to ask permission first...)