SELAMAT TAHUN BARU!

setahun telah berlalu
ada tawa ada pilu
ada senyum manis
ada jeling sinis

lebaran baru menjelang tiba
pasti bawa berita suka
pasti juga ada yang duka
pahit manis diharung jua

ingat
wahai sahabat, rakan dan taulan
semangat jangan luntur
hanti mesti berani
jiwa mesti merdeka

aat
31 Dis. 2007

On the Duties of Brotherhood

My heart is open to all forms
it is a pasturage for gazelles
and a monastery for Christian monks
a temple for idols
and the kaabah of the pilgrims
the tables of the Torah
and the book of the Koran
mine is the religion of love
wherever his caravans turn
the religion of love shall be my religion
and my faith

- A passage from Tarjuman al-Ashwaq by Abu Bakr Muhyiddin ibn Arabi (1165-1240)

A good friend sent this via sms a few days ago. I'm reproducing this because it speaks volume for the openness with which the quote represents. I'm quite sure that in our society, much of what is contained in the verses can be put to use, if not already practised in varying degrees.

As we strive towards trying to fulfill our lives, we, or a good many of us, tend to compromise some of our values along the way. The quest for material wealth, position, fame and power can sometimes be overpowering. Often, it is at the expense of friendship and brotherhood, honour nd dignity.

The narrow-minded among us would probably take on a fanatical perspective, clouding their hearts and minds with self-righteousness and a false sense of magnanimity. How easy for us to fall prey of our selfishness and greed.

That text message set me on a small search through some reference material collected over the years. I came across Al-Ghazali - on the duties of Brotherhood in which he said: "Know that the contract of brotherhood is a bond between two persons, like the contract of marriage between two spouses.

"For just as marriage gives rise to certain duties which must be fulfilled when it is entered into, so does the contract of brotherhood confer upon your brother a certain right touching your property, your person, your tongue and your heart - by way of forgiveness, prayer, sincerity, loyalty, relief and considerateness."

Al-Ghazali was born in Tus in what is now Iran in 1058AD. The records show that he studied law and theology and had also taught at Baghdad University. It is also said that his work became an invaluable stimulus to western thinkers and had a strong influence on the rebirth of Western civilisation in the Middle Ages.

Al-Ghazali listed eight items or rules as key elements governing the duties of brotherhood: material assistance, personal aid, holding one's tongue, speaking out, forgiveness, prayer, loyalty and sincerity and informality.

I suppose it may not be altogether possible to subscribe to all of Al-Ghazali's principles. He has elaborated on each of them, and many of us may be guilty of selective adherance. For instance, in his first rule, he said this entails a common participation in good fortune and bad, a partnership in the future as in the present moment, an abandonment of possessiveness and selfishness. Even here, Al Ghazali spells out the various stages in trying to fulfill the first duty.

The second duty appears easier to follow: "..render personal aid in the satisfaction of needs, attending to them without waiting to be asked, and giving them priority over private needs." In dispensing such personal aid, one should do so with "joy and cheerfulness, showing pleasure and gratitude."

The third duty concerns the tongue, which should sometimes be silent and at other times speak out. I think most of us may find this easier said than done.

It is the same for the fourth duty, which also concerns the tongue, which he specifically said is to be used for speaking out. Here, Al Ghazali cautioned against silence, saying: "..anyone satisfied with silence alone might as well seek the fellowship of the people of the tombs."

Some may say that the fifth duty is quite straight-forward where he says one must forgive mistakes and failings. Al-Ghazali devoted a long chapter to this duty and quoted: "..you cannot run with a brother and fail to catch him in some disarray. What man is immaculate?"

In the sixth duty, Al Ghazali said: "..pray for your brother, during his life and after his death, that he may have all he might wish for himself, his family and his dependents. You should pray for him as you pray for yourself, making no distinction at all between you and him." This is the shortest chapter, suggesting that this is perhaps the easiest among the lot.

As for the seventh duty which deals with loyalty and sincerity, Al Ghazali says: "The meaning of loyalty is steadfastness in love and maintaining it to the death with your brother, and after his death with his children and his fellows."

In the last duty, Al-Ghazali merely said: "You should not discomfort your brother with things that are awkward for him. Rather should you ease his heart of its cares and needs, and spare him having to assume any of your burdens."

Al-Ghazali's wisdom presented in the book was translated by a Muhtar Holland, who was born in Durham, England in 1935 and embraced Islam in 1969. He has been a lecturer in Arabic, Turkish and Near Eastern History at the University of Toronto and in Islamic Law at the University of London. I'm not sure of his present status but he was working with the Islamic Foundation in Leicester, England.

The lines above sums up my Selamat Hari Raya Haji and Christmas Greetings. Let us gather our thoughts and prepare for a new year in 2008. A friend suggested that we should plan and hope for the best, but to always prepare for the worst. Salams!

Perutusan Karim Sulaiman pada semua

TOK MAT,ASSALAMUALAIKUM. ESOK 18 DISEMBER 2007 GENAP SETAHUN KUNJUNGAN DATUK DR LATIFF DAN RAKAN MEDIA KE RUMAH SAYA. KUNJUNGAN ITU MEMBAWA SINAR BARU DALAM HIDUP SAYA. INILAH CORETAN SAYA UNTUK SEMUA PENGUNJUNG BLOG TOK MAT YANG SENTIASA MEMBERI SOKONGAN DAN DORONGAN KEPADA SAYA.

PADA waktu sebegini tahun lalu, saya duduk bersendirian memikirkan keadaan kesihatan yang menurut doktor – mereka telah melakukan apa yang terbaik – supaya saya pulih. Banyak perkara bermain di fikiran.Apa akan terjadi kepada keluarga jika keadaan kesihatan semakin memburuk. Mereka tempat saya bergantung hidup.

Pada waktu itu tidak ramai yang mengetahui dengan jelas keadaan kesihatan saya. Ada yang tahu saya sakit – tetapi sakit yang bagaimana.Kalau sebut nama penyakitya - scleromyxoedema - bukan saja orang biasa, malah doktor pun ada yang tidak pernah mendengarnya. Saya sendiri pun kurang mendapat maklumat mengenainya kerana apa yang diterangkan doktor selama ini pun secara umum.

Pada waktu ini, keadaan kesihatan saya berada pada tahap paling rendah. Hanya semangat serta sokongan isteri dan enam anak memberi kekuatan untuk terus menjalani hidup ini.Saya sudah ‘tidak mahu’ berjumpa orang.. Bukan apa, kerana percakapan saya semakin kurang jelas dan kadang kala suara saya hilang. Kalau bercakap pun orang tidak faham. Saya ingatkan pada masa itu saya akan jadi bisu.

Berat badan semakin susut hanya tinggal 35 kilogram kerana kesukaran menelan makan. Padahal beberapa tahun sebelum itu berat saya sekitar 60-70 kilogram.Paling membimbangkan keadaan fizikal semakin sukar digerakkan. Anggota badan seperti kaki, tangan, kepala dan pinggang semakin mengeras. Banyak kegiatan harian tidak dapat dilakukan.

Makan pun sudah disuapkan isteri dan anak-anak.Pada waktu itu setahun yang lalu – saya menyerahkan segala-galanya – kepada ketentuan Ilahi kerana sudah melakukan apa saja usaha untuk merawat penyakit ini.Namun, pada 17 Disember 2006 saya menerima panggilan daripada boss lama di Berita Harian saudara Mior yang memberitahu Timbalan Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Abd Latiff Ahmad ingin melawat saya di rumah.

Kunjungan Datuk Abd Latiff pada 18 Disember 2006 bersama-sama rakan media termasuk Datuk Ahmad A Talib adalah rahmat yang membawa sinar baru dalam kehidupan saya sekeluarga. Saya menyedari rupa-rupanya tidak bersendirian dalam mengharungi ‘penderitaan’ penyakit ini.

Hasil daya usaha rakan-rakan, saya dirujuk ke Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) untuk mendapat rawatan selanjutnya. Saya kemudian menerima rawatan ivig setiap bulan dan baru-baru ini rawatan fototerapi tiga kali seminggu di HKL.

Kini genap setahun, saya amat bersyukar kepada Allah kerana walaupun tidak sembuh sepenuhnya, terus diberi kesempatan untuk menjadi hamba di bumi-Nya.Dengan keizinan-Nya, kekurangan setahun lalu telah dapat saya ‘peroleh’ semula. Percakapan saya semakin jelas, sudah boleh makan sendiri dan berat badan pun naik sehingga 50 kilogram.

Saya akan terus menjalani rawatan sehingga doktor berpuas hati dengan keadaan kesihatan saya.Mengikut pengalaman di luar negara (tiada rujukan penyakit ini di Malaysia kerana kes saya adalah yang pertama dirujuk ke hospital kerajaan), penyakit ini tidak boleh disembuhkan 100 peratus, lebih-lebih lagi tahap penyakit saya pada waktu itu berada pada tahap ‘teruk’.

Apapun saya bersyukur dengan keadaan kesihatan sekarang walaupun ada doktor pernah memberitahu umur saya tidak panjang berdasarkan keadaan penyakit pada waktu itu.Selama setahun menerima rawatan di HKL saya insaf bahawa ada orang yang lebih malang dan teruk penyakitnya daripada saya. Apa yang saya alami ini tidaklah seberapa berbanding penderitaan mereka.

Kelebihan saya kerana mempunyai rakan-rakan prihatin yang sentiasa memberi semangat dan dorongan supaya tidak berputus asa dan meneruskan kehidupan ini. Rakan-rakan memberi kekuatan kepada saya untuk melawan penyakit ini.Sokongan dan bantuan rakan-rakan dalam apa saja bentuk dan cara , amat saya hargai dan kenang sepanjang hayat ini.Terima kasih tidak terhingga kepada semua kerana mengambil berat dan sentiasa mendoakan kesejahteraan saya.

Terima kasih juga kepada Datuk Ahmad Talib dan saudara Rocky yang pertama membawa kisah saya di dunia siber.Hanya Allah yang dapat membalas kebaikan saudara semua.. Saya juga mendoakan supaya Allah merahmati saudara semua.Wassalam. 18 Disember 2007

Will cool heads prevail?

IT'S not the traffic jams that worry us so much. That's more of an irritant than anything else. But it's the possibility of some explosive reaction from several quarters that keep many of us wondering whether or not we'll see history repeats itelf.

The street protests by Bersih and Hindraf seemed to have caught the people's attention, to the point that they have been the major talking point in recent weeks. The lawyers' Human Rights March on Human Rights Day over the weekend wasn't as bad as it is made out to be. The fact that a few arrests were made managed to get some attention, in and outside the country.

At a coffee shop outside the city a few days ago, I was asked what really is happening in KL, especially when television networks are allocating a lot of space to the street walks or demos (as against the picture of traffic jams carried by the mainstream media last month when BERSIH took to the street to state their case).

The coffee shop talk outside the city is just as potentially explosive, if not more, than the street action. I say this because the coffee talk, more often than not, is based on rumours, heresay and speculation. In the absence of consistent dissemination of information, the folks make all sorts of conclusion and offer a varity of solutions, some of which can make your hair stand on ends.

While Hindraf and Bersih continue to get considerable publicity, and some say relevance, I can't but wonder whether their open show of force would invite an equally forceful reaction from their opposite factions. The text messages that have been going round are rather disturbing, to say the least.

While the majority of those who receive the SMS may ignore them, I'm sure there are those who believe them. Or want to believe them. And all it takes is a little bit of misunderstanding or name calling to ignite what could be the mother of all street battles!

There are those who believe that the authorities are hesitant to act; and there are also those who question the arrests. Somehow, at this stage of the confrontation, I don't see how things will cool down or cease without some form of firm action. And even then, the issues won't just disappear into thin air.

There are grievances that need to be addressed, and addressed rationally. Only cool heads can see what these issues are and deal with them seriously and with full sincerity.