July 29, 2014 – Islam In Indonesia

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

INSYAALLAH, within a few more days (depending on the moonsighting), we will bid farewell to the blessed month of Ramadhan, its beautiful days and fragrant nights.

The noble month, in which there’s one night that is better than a thousand months, will leave us. And, no one knows whether one will meet again with the month full of maghfirah (Allah’s forgiveness) and (blessing) next year. We are about to say goodbye to the month of the Quran, taqwa, patience, jihad, mercy, forgiveness and freedom from hellfire.

How we fulfilled the requirement of taqwa (god-fearing) and graduated from the Ramadhan training camp with the certificate of taqwa? Have we fought our souls and desires and defeated them, or have we been overtaken by our habits or customs and blind imitations? Have we performed our actions in a way that fulfil the condition for receiving mercy and release from the Fire?

Many questions and numerous thoughts come to the hearts of the true Muslims, who ask and answer with truthfulness.

Ramadhan is a school of iman and a stop to recharge one’s spiritual batteries – to acquire one’s provision for the rest of the year.

The noble month is a true school of transformation in which we change our actions, habits and manners that are in variance with the law of Allah azza wa jalla. “Verily, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Ar-Ra’d 13:11)

We have been through numerous Ramadhans in our lives but we might make only a small improvement in the quality of our faith, piety and acts of worship.

If we still live with our old bad habits, let’s take the best advantage of the remaining few days of this Ramadhan to reap all the benefits the Almighty Allah has promised for those who are serious with the aim of the mankind’s creation: to worship the Creator the Sustainer.

If we don’t want to be losers in this life, we must be able to make this Ramadhan the best platform or avenue to change for the better, to live the true Islamc life.

Indeed, the luckiest among us are those who are today better than they were yesterday; loosing those who are today are just the same as they were yesterday, but, doom to those who are today worse than they were yesterday.

As Ramadhan leaves us, we will welcome Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, one of two main festivals of Islam and is celebrated by all Muslims throughout the world. Aidil Fitri is the day of boons and blessings for all fasting Muslims, as they are promised a great reward by Almighty Allah for their righteous observance of the fast.

At the end of Ramadhan, Muslims express their gratitude to Allah, who enabled them to observe the fast and, at the same time, granted them abundant provision during this blessed month. Therefore, Aidil Fitri is a day of joy, acts of worship, thanksgiving to Allah, cooperation, solidarity, brotherhood, unity, and spiritual provision.

During Ramadhan, Allah puts us through a test. And, at the end of the month there is a great sense of achievement, of coming closer to the Almighty. It is the joy of spiritual fulfillment. So, it is a time for celebration, not a time to indulge in insulting or abusing others or detracting from the achievements of the month; it must be a day of real happiness and joy.

However, Aidil Fitri is not simply a matter of celebration and joy. It is also a chance to share the feelings of those around us. That is why the sacrifice is offered and shared with friends, even with non-Muslims. There is no law that stops us from sharing gifts with those of our neighbours who are non-Muslim. Charity is very important and meritorious on the two Hari Raya (Aidil Fitri and Aidil Adha). It is an affirmation of our responsibility to the community in which we are living.

Let’s also use this moment to ponder and share the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Palestine, especially in Gaza, who are now living under the barbaric and inhumane persecution by the Zionist Israel.

Only people without heart and conscience who won’t be crying to see their suffferings? We can celebrate the victory day of Aidil Fitri with joy and happiness, while there in the heavily blockaded Gaza, the largest prison camp on Earth, our brothers and sisters are living a very life.

They are facing a very hard and difficult situation under the brutal millitary actions by the modern world’s coloniser and sophisticated apartheid of the Zionists. Living with very limited resources, our brothers and sisters are losing their loved ones and properties.

May Allah hasten His help for the Palestinians and punish the Zionist Israel with the heaviest punishment. Aamiin.

The Brunei Times/Editorial
Friday, July 25, 2014

NEW DELHI

INDIA’S new Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing criticism for remaining silent about incidents deemed anti-Muslim in the past week, underscoring fears that his Hindu nationalist followers will upset religious relations in the multi-faith nation.

Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party swept to power in May after an election campaign that mainly focused on promises to revive the economy but also made reference to India’s majority Hindu identity.

Footage emerged this week of a radical Hindu party lawmaker trying to force food into the mouth of a Muslim caterer. Separately, a BJP politician questioned the national identity of an Indian Muslim tennis star, while an ally of the PM said India could become a Hindu nation under Modi.

Several commentators said Modi’s failure to speak out risked encouraging aggressive behaviour by fringe elements of his party and related organisations.

“The PM needs to come out strongly against such comments in order to reassure the minorities that their apprehensions about the intent of his regime are misplaced … Silence on his part will only encourage such elements,” The Times of India said in an editorial.

India has a dark history of religious violence, especially between the Hindu majority and Muslims, who account for more than 150 million people, making India the world’s third most populous Muslim nation.

Reuters/The Brunei Times
Tuesday, July 29, 2014