The Heart Reason

I do believe in God whatever some philosopher and other people who did not believe in Him said. It is probably because I see God from my perspective and my heart of heart only. So, in this article I would like to share my perspective and my heart in constructing my belief in God.

Like I said in previous essay, my God explain that, Islam is reasonable, but then reason only is not enough to believe in God. If I am not mistaken, there is a wise word in Bahasa almost like this “hati tanpa akal itu buta, akal tanpa hati sesat, hati dengan akal itu sempurna”. So, I need not only reason but also heart of heart to believe that God exists, because there are some things that are related to the existence of God that cannot be explained by human’s reason.

When Muhammad SAW got divine revelation such as Al Qur’an, some people said that he was crazy story teller. Then Allah asked defiantly to them whether they can make a text which is better than or similar with Al Qur’an. In fact, they cannot do what Allah asked them to do. It is because Al Qur’an is the real divine revelation from God, and did not come from Muhammad’s mind. As we may know, there are many scientific matter explained in Al Qur’an which at Muhammad era had not been proven such as about blood, diseases, cosmos and so on. If Al Qur’an is not a divine revelation, how the illiteracy people like Muhammad especially at that time can make this very amazing creation. So, that is one of my reasons why I believe in God.

Freud said that God is created by human illusion to solve their willies. I do agree that human need God to solve it but the “real” God Himself is not created by any one. For illustration, if people create God in their imagination so they may suit God rules with their fancy, change it or even gain control of it. Then when people can do those things, is God still omnipotent?. So, God which I believe should be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He can take care of everything (Rububiyyah), has authority and power (Mulkiyyah), and He is only the one who has rightful authority to be prayed (Uluhiyyah). For instance, if there is no God so who has created us, who is always put planets in order, who organize all process in cosmos. If there is more than one God, then there will be more than one policies and it might invite division. Another example, I believe that every single thing has been created by the supreme substance. Actually, I only need to reflect on mine, such as my blood, my skin, my eyes, and everything on, in, and around me. Those are steered by the most powerful substance that has the biggest endearment and affection. Some explanations above show that I need my heart of heart to believe that my God is really omniscient, omnipresent, has authority, and so on.

The implication of my belief is I have to endure my life like what Allah has ruled on the “straight way” which Allah has given. For instance, I have to pray and believe only to Him, and I supposed to do everything only because of Him. To do these I still need my reason and my heart. Wallahua’lam.

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My Identities vs. Stereotypes

Since I was born until I was in senior high school I lived in homogeny community. I lived among Sundanese people, Muslim and grew up among Persis organization. You see, living in diversity community like I was trying since I lived in Jakarta was not an easy effort for me. There are many different ethnics, religions, and even there are many differences within Islam. I mean these differences are among organizations which are based on and act for Islam.

I do not really care about these differences, but sometimes I felt like a strange people when I do something which is not commonly done by most of them. For example, while I am doing tahiyyat in Shalat I move up and down my index finger. Most of my Muslim friends in my campus do not do that while they are doing tahiyyat. Then, some people make a judgment that “Persis member” usually move their index finger when they are doing tahiyyat. Another example, some friends considered me as a very religious person only because of I wear certain dresses. To be honest, I am really not as religious as they considered. That is a simple case that I may not be concerned about, but sometimes it bothers me when somebody asks me why I do this or that.

For some people, the label Sundanese, Muslim and Persis may be the most familiar identities of mine. So that is why I should be ready dealing with some stereotypes which have been formed in the society. For instance, some people consider sundanese person as a fussy, stingy, coward and vindictive person who like money most. Having these identities is not necessarily I should become what those stereotypes said. I have my own personality which is perhaps different with another sundanese person. Moreover, I have the ability to turn over in mind before I do something. So, I make those stereotypes as a standard. If that is a good stereotype, I should do more than what that stereotype said. Thus, if that is a bad stereotype, I should prevent myself doing that.

However, most of my friends can understand my own self no matter how stereotypes of my identities are after they know me a few days. Some of them can break up which one is part of my personality trait and which one is part of stereotype only, and so do I. I did, do and will do it to everyone. Everyone has their own personality, so do not judge them only based on the stereotype which are grew up in certain community.

Sources :

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNKNc0k_P4Tmidp-S0GmPLigp_x-pmEm-SU13OC6ASMPDG1Eq16BWGLCdHrozg3KnzJohsu21G3PjIzzkMSBdPaXHH0LuVG6yzNqljsM_rRlZi1ORlH2U0nGa4hISeCFiF1PBnIIbTzqT/s400/logo-persis-green-300x300.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/04/Wayang_Golek_Sundanese_Traditional_Puppet_Show.JPG

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbFWtTgZRcvTx6lZPepmKIkHELvTSKG8GJScB4A1zVqozhjV12eO96AFFApMIclJ8MNPkhZhIliVWuvS-ew2vPp11X-q4aoW43DemmmPCjVfeqeHK2hKZkbubGI7MqgY4gDWGkl9rycmA/s1600/muslim.jpg

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My Name Is My Parents’ Pray

Since childhood I am very proud having my name. A long name which sounds unordinary is very cool I think. Thus I do not know why when I grew up become an adolescent, I realize that my nickname sounds more pleasant than my full name. Although my nickname is very ordinary, short, and not cool at all I still tend to introduce myself using my nickname. That is because when someone calls me by my full name, I feel not really close with him/her. Thus, when he/she call me using my nickname, I feel he/she has been closer with me. I think I feel like that because in the past when my mother was angry she often called me by my full name. Can you imagine how terrify my mom when she was angry and called me by my full name? hehe.

My full name is from Arabic language. My parents created my name using some words from Al Quran. For example, you can find my first name in Al Quran Surat Al A’raf : 26. My first name means dress or jewelry from heaven which is used by angles or elf. My middle name means chastity. Then, my last name means brilliant or clear. My friends joked like this, “your full name means a dress which is net and clear. So, you are like a detergent, haha”. Whatever they said cannot make me upset having this name. My mother said that my first name in Al Qur’an means not a real dress. The word dress is a metaphore for piety (taqwa) which is like protector of our religious. As we know, piety is like a fearful feeling to Allah until we keep ourselves not doing any disgraceful thing. In other words, it can protect ourselves from temptations of Satan. With this piety, my parents hope that I will have a pure soul and become a brilliant person.

That is a really good pray for me, but it is so hard to be realized. No body have no sin I think. It is so hard to keep myself not doing disgraceful thing at all. Sometimes, I pull a long face (feel frustated) because I have many sin and cannot attain my parents’ pray. Until I read my little brother book, he wrote “it is a normal thing when we make a mistake, but we should not make a same mistake”. I really like this words. This words made me realize that I cannot have no sin, but I can try to increase my kindness and always pray to Allah about everything I did, I do and I will do.

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Me, Islam and Tolerance

I am a muslim, and I’m not a terrorist. I’m not kidding because my religion holds high tolerance to other. For me, when a terrorist do the terror they have ignored the meaning of tolerance. In the other words they have ignored their religion, because all of religions teach us about the tolerance. It is not only doing tolerance to other PEOPLE but also to the NATURE. For Islam, it has been proven in Al Quran and Sunnah, like in Surah Al Baqarah : 11 and Al Maidah : 5. Nevertheless, nowadays in some countries especially in my country—Indonesia, some muslim seems to have forgotten those postulates. As we know, terrorism issues are appeared on behalf of Islam. I’ll not deal with what terrorism is or why terrorist do that “crazy” thing. Here, I’ll deal with how Islam considers the tolerance (the opposite of terrorism, I think) to other religion. So, I deal with what attitudes to other religion that I must have.

A lecturer from other university has reminded me about Al Quran Surah Al Maidah : 5. In that postulate Allah allows us to live together, socialization, even He lets the Muslim (men) marries a Christian women. What do you think about that contradiction? On one side terrorist on behalf of Islam “fight” againts the Christian. On another side Allah allows us live in harmony with other faits. Actually I feel dizzy because what Allah said and what is occurred in this country is very contradictive. I hate watching the conflicts on behalf of their religion, whereas there is no religion which lets the adherent to hurt each other.

As a religious person, I should not trap in that nonsense conflict. I should do “everything” well to everyone including to adherents of other religion. But, I have to be remembered that in worship matters Allah has given some boundaries for us as a muslims. Let’s look into Al Quran Surah Al Mu’min : 66 and Surah Al Kaafiruun : 6, in both postulates we should have only one aqidah & religion. Though I should develop a good relationship with other religion, it doesn’t mean I also allow following any worship ordinance of another religion right? So that’s why I really do not agree with what ex-president of Indonesia and My lecturer did. They have ever followed another religion worship ordinance and didn’t regret that. Your religion is yours and my religion is mine, that’s very cristal clear boundary of tolerance I think.

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