No More War

Read the post below, Id to repost the video because the blogger video function didn't work (vdo suddenly shrink), it is still under development, Hopefully will work nicely soon.

My world view 3 years before

I was organizing my hard disk (still, well credit to procrastination), and accidentally found this video my groupmate and I made years before and watching it again after a long time not, does bring back my university years' memory. This video entitled No More War, pls don’t pay much attention to the content (its not accurate), its actually a video editing assignment for my undergrad computer literacy class.

No More War

Video Disclaimer: This video does not represent the personal opinion of any entity credited in the video.

I have to admit that my knowledge bout the world; politic, social or economy was a bit shallow back then. When I was a student, my attention was given to my study (not really my study I think, probably time wasting as I didn’t recalled what I did back then) and I didn’t give a damn whats happening globally, which is a miserable and penitent way to spend ones university years’.

Yup, It’s not a good thing to mumble bout the past. John Spencer in The Present wrote a beautiful story which brought up the essence of success in life; learn from the past, be in / enjoy the present and plan for the future (Id forgotten the exact words, but the meaning is there).

The past is a past, well Im allowed to regret but the most important thing is to learn from it.
I have to enjoy the present and plan for the future.
And most importantly remember that life is too short, its only a transit.
So be a good 'creature' of the Creator.

p.s. try out new blogger features, video upload like Youtube, so you don't have to upload yr video in Youtube first bfor putting the html code in order for the vdo to appear here. This feature is still on trial but you can already utilise this function, click here to do that.

*Hafiz don’t feel healthy today, his throat is killin him, probably because of the heavy rain yesterday. He hasn’t been sick due to rain for a long time. He needs high dose of Vitamin C to improve his immune system.

Karen Armstrong in Malaysia *updated

Dr Karen Armstrong was in Malaysia for the conference on "Islam and the West: Bridging the Gap" organised by Wisma Putra’s Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations.

Her keynote speech is "The External and Internal Challenges of Islam"
...We (Muslims) have to spread the message of peace...

Muslims must project an image of peace if they are not to affirm Western prejudices against Islam...By showing that Muslims are peaceful, it does not mean that they are being feeble or pushovers for the West...It, in fact, takes great strength to stand for peace in a world which has become increasingly violent. It is an internal challenge for Muslims against the bigotries of the West...

read more here in NST

Her public lecture "The Role of Religion in the 21st Century"
...We all need to practice our religion...

Religion is a matter that should be put into concrete practice in order to discover the truth

read more here in NST

You can read the article regarding her interview with Utusan's Zin Mahmud here

Ditanya apakah yang menarik tentang Islam? Beliau meletakkan pluralisme sebagai sifat agama ini yang menjadi kekuatan.

Totally agree on her view that Islam's strength is in its theology; the pluralism, this is what make Islam unique, although the religion is facing all sort of challenges esp. by non-Muslim's common sense arguments, no one can argue Islam's pluralism belief.

Im not sure what is her current faith, but thats none of my business, its between her and the Creator. However, what she is doin is awesome.
Semoga beliau akan mendapat hidayah dari-Nya sekiranya masih belum terbuka pintu hati, Amin.

p.s. Above highlight which I extracted from the news is not enough. You can read more here written by MarinaM, she was there listening live

Weekend Organizing

Ive been very busy lately, I just came back from Penang 2 days ago, Spend the week finalizing the forms. Alhamdulillah every urgent things that need to be done is completed.
Id completed my part, its now the scholarship provider to do their’s. Hopefully everything will goes well.

Yesterday, I spent my time un-cluttering this PC, still an ongoing process, had moved the downloaded movies to DVDs, so that more space available in the hardisk, so that I can download more.
Id found a great software for this. I’ll blog bout it later.

My desktop is still cluttered, will spend today for that.


What else…Its an endless list, lots of thing I want to do which Id plan to, but not yet realized.
Hopefully after organizing this PC, Ill be more organized and become more efficient. Its described in my personality trait that a perfect melancholy person, cant function in an unperfect situation, see how the environment can influence my performance.

Alright, I need to get back to this organizing thingy. Sorry bout the delay in responding to your commenter here and the incapability of me spending my time reading yours and responding my 2 cents. Im back to normal after this.
Take care all!

40 years of occupation: 6-Day War

It was 1967, 40 years ago, and it took less than a week,
40 years later, nothin much changed
Focus on this devastating event by AlJazeera

Al Jazeera is marking the 40th anniversary of the 1967 war with a series of special reports.
Our correspondents will be reporting on every side of the war, asking those involved how the war changed their lives, what was won - and lost - and what it means for the future of the region.

the Timeline

June 5: At 10:10 GMT Israel launches first wave of attacks, leaving nearly 400 Egyptian aircraft destroyed and huge craters in runway

June 6: Israel captures Gaza Strip, defeating part of Egyptian army

June 7: Israeli paratroopers seize control of Jerusalem's old city; 40,000 troops and 200 tanks deployed against Jordanian army; West Bank and East Jerusalem taken

June 8: Sinai captured and Egyptian forces defeated

June 9: Ground fighting between Israeli and Syrian forces continues in Golan region

June 10: Israel defeats Syrian army in Golan Heights. Syria accepts UN ceasefire resolution and Israel heeds UN warning not to advance into Syria

read more...
1967 : 40 YEARS OF OCCUPATION on AlJazeera English Extensive Coverage

watch more...
Aljazeera VDOs on YouTube

More and more woman landed on Mars

I like this article by Dina Zaman in the Star today, not because of the sympathy, but simply because I never read any article by women trying to understand what men are going through actually, despite their superficial strong image, characterized and demanded by the society.

The only thing I read from women about men is that men are such an ass. I guess we like to highlight only the negative side of ppls.

Some bits of this article is a bit exaggerating or not applicable to most of us, but I think the general idea is true, Its is not easy to be a man!

Is it tough to be a man?
A writer's life
By DINA ZAMAN

[source]

WAVING his hand at me, my friend asked: “Do you know why men visit prostitutes?”

“For sex?” I answered, blithely.

“No! To talk! Men pay prostitutes to listen to them. All the women do is listen. It’s not always about sex!”

In my short life as a woman, I have come to learn one thing about men, and one of the easiest ways of handling their ridiculous logic is by nodding and hemming at the right moments while daydreaming about my next project.

Meanwhile, I store the bits of useful as well as useless information they spout at me in one corner of my brain so that when they ask whether I’m listening I am able to regurgitate their pearls of wisdom.

Then they beam and say I am a marvellous listener. I flutter my eyelashes and coo, “Chen-chew baby.” Then when I am home I detox my brain. Whew!

I don’t mean to malign my male friends at all; in all honesty, I have utter sympathy for them, because the truth is that to be a man, especially a very successful man, is tough. We’re Asians, and our society is patriarchal. And in spite of everyone saying that they are Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, atheists, I’m beginning to think that money is their real god.

Being a woman is fantastic in spite of our troubles, MPs coming up with crackpot comments about our menstrual cycles (they should try living with endometriosis; that should shut them up good and proper) and clothing; despite the crap and battles we wage, I personally feel being a woman is 200 times better than being a man.

At the same time, I note that 21st century living is a killer. To be a man in this century, I think, would probably mean a lifetime swallowing Xanax (a short-acting drug used to treat anxiety disorders). My friend’s outburst earlier on became a nightlong conversation about what it meant to be a contemporary Malaysian man.

It is not enough to have a good job, he has to be a millionaire at that. It is not enough to have a wife and family, because as he rises to the top, there is pressure to conform to society’s idea of wealth: taking on mistresses and other wives.

Friends and peers compete with each other on who has a better Number Two while nubile women throw themselves at him. If that’s not enough, men compete over other things: cars, watches, clothes, holidays, hobbies, country clubs.

My God, these men!

And, yes, he has to be the best lover in the country. No wonder Viagra is doing brisk sales. All these pressures would render even a tomcat in heat impotent.

I also believe women too play a part in this. I may have said I’m all for women’s rights, but I’m not blind. It’s never enough for some women. A lot of mothers, wives and girlfriends want this, this, and that.

You can’t marry the girl you really love, you must marry a girl from the right sort of background.

Wives, especially the harridan types married their men because of prospect! Ambition! Security! Hell, in this town, what is love? It sure ain’t carte blanche to the good life. If you call this feminism, well, it’s bonkers.

I have this friend. Very successful divorced man, who’s in love with a single mother but his maman wants him to marry a virgin from the right background. I still remember him bawling at his mother over the phone, “Mak! I don’t want a virgin! I’m not a virgin myself!”

A lot of times, I blame mothers (not all, so don’t chuck the kuali at me yet) for these pressures. Men can’t upset their mothers, not in Malaysia anyway. Which is probably why we single girls opt to stay single: nobody wants to deal with fearsome mothers-in-law.

The pressure to succeed is another thing. From the time men were babies, it’s been go, go, go. The straight As. The degrees, and then the jobs. Hitting big time. Their fathers are equally as cruel as their mothers. That’s it? You call that success? Turn your company into a PLC first, then we'll talk.

Men in the end believe that money is power. This goes from top down and bottom up. A man’s role is to provide. Full stop. No wonder they go absolutely potty. They’re not taught correct responsibility, respect towards women and others.

With their families and society perpetuating the myth of Man, and them bending backwards so these men will thrive in this country, KL Tower, we have a problem.

So while our men are waging corporate wars, building bridges and making and breaking multi-million dollar mergers, the retail industry throws them for a loop. Before you put on the Zegna suit, perhaps monsieur should visit the spa and have a facial while at it. Mon dieu. Talk about the emasculation of the male gender and ego.

And these are heterosexual men we are talking about. You try talking to the gay boy who’s a corporate raider but has to pretend he’s straight and has to do all the right things so his cover won’t be blown ... that one lagi sakit otak.

Men, for all their blustering, have fragile egos. Women may weep and wail, but when push comes to shove, women dust themselves off after a fall or two and get on with it. Men drown themselves in material things because these are symbols of masculinity.

As I listened to my friend explain why it’s tough to be a man, I was struck by an image of a tired and bored circus lion jumping through fiery hoops.

“So what do you think?” My friend asked. “Am I not the saviour of all men?”

I looked at him.

“Erm,” I said, “I think you’re going to have a heart attack by the end of the year.”

Dina Zaman’s journalistic hero is Tintin, Boy Reporter.

Me and this girl

This is an open ended question, the details have to be disclosed, because I dont wanna cause any shame to the girl if I brought up every bits of detail here. Hopefully she didnt read this, as I dont think she will, bcos Id told her bout my blog, but she replied she is too lazy to read.

The questions:

What if there is this person, that give all kind of hints (some are just too direct) that suggest she wanna be yr life partner. (stop laughing! I am dead serious haha) (I know when a person mean this, I am not perasan or somethin like that, Id lived 23 yrs to understand ths) In fact another fren of mine also feel the same way I feel when I told her bout this girl, she said its too obvious! (thats from another girl perspective)

What if you, on the other hand, dont feel the same way. You are nice to the person, bcos she is your friend. Its fren's responsibility to encourage, support others right? Caring and compassionate bout others is not wrong right? Your kindness towards the person is just because the person is yr fren, nothin more attached to it (you know what i mean).

Now, I feel that by continuing being nice to the person, will give her false hope? I did clarify her that our rship is just as fren, and im sure it wont evolve, and she did agree. But lately, she is keep pushing, but keep saying that she is just kidding. Erk.

Did she thought im too shy to express my feelins on her? No, bcos if I like a person more than as fren, I wont keep it inside, Ill let the person know.

Did she think I like her bcos me being nice to her? Erk, Im not, I tend to be nice, If the other person being nice to me. Its simple social behavior.

Relationship is a two ways thing, U cant 'be with' a person, if u are not 'into' the other person right? I feel sorry for this girl, if she is deeply into me, (again, dont laugh on this, I am serious) my apology and probably my mistake as well, I shouldnt be that nice to the person mayb, but what I did is genuine, not my intention to result this.
Argh, Men are from Mars, women are from Venus.

p.s. well, not all women are from Venus, some had adapted with Mars, TQ to these women (girls more suited to their age) for just being my frens :)

Misunderstood Muslims and Apostatsy in Malaysia

Apostasy is one of the current issues in Malaysia, after several cases arise followed by confusion on how to address these cases which is blamed on the current bi law system practice in Malaysia, the Sharia law and the Civil law, this had created debate not only among Malaysian Muslims but also non-Muslims and peoples internationally.

Ive been waiting for Dr Asri's view on this, Alhamdulillah, it is published on today's Utusan. Below is the article reproduced here. Sorry, I don't have the time to translate it to English, the main target for this article is Malaysian Muslims btw.

Murtad: Antara emosi dan realiti
Oleh: MOHD. ASRI ZAINUL ABIDIN

MURTAD adalah ungkapan yang menakutkan. Tidak ada mukmin yang sebenar tidak berasa sensitif atau ketakutan apabila perkataan murtad dikaitkan dengannya. Bahkan mukmin yang sejati apabila mendengar perkataan murtad atau kufur akan menyebut dalam jiwanya, “aku pohon perlindungan dengan Allah dari itu semua.” Allah berfirman dalam surah al-Baqarah: 217: (maksudnya) dan sesiapa di antara kamu yang murtad (berpaling tadah) dari agamanya (agama Islam), lalu dia mati dalam keadaan kafir, maka mereka itu rosaklah amalan (yang baik) mereka di dunia dan di akhirat, dan mereka itulah ahli neraka, kekal mereka di dalamnya (selama-lamanya).

Murtad jika menjadi satu fenomena ia akan mengancam masyarakat muslim. Jika masyarakat itu telah membentuk negara muslim, ia akan mengancam identiti negara tersebut. Maka fenomena murtad sangat berbahaya serta boleh mencetuskan perubahan identiti atau maruah sesebuah negara muslim. Dalam masyarakat hari ini, kita menangkap dan mengambil tindakan kepada penyalahgunaan dadah. Walaupun mudarat langsung itu kelihatan berlaku kepada diri individu, namun jika ia menjadi arus, ia akan mengancam identiti dan keseimbangan sesebuah masyarakat.

Maka tidak hairan apabila murtad menjadi gelombang yang mengancam kestabilan maka Abu Bakar mengambil tindakan memerangi mereka. Hakikat ini tidak wajar dipertikaikan oleh seorang muslim.

Namun dalam suasana sekarang ini, saya ingin mengajak persoalan ini dilihat luar dari sempadan emosi, tetapi atas kerangka tanggungjawab agama dan kepentingan umat. Langkah pencegahan ke arah murtad perlu dilakukan secara bersungguh. Ini sesuatu yang kita sepakati. Di samping sesuatu yang perlu kita tahu bahawa seseorang itu menjadi murtad apabila dia melanggar batasan akidah Islam secara sedar, faham dan tidak dipaksa. Sama ada pelanggaran itu dalam bentuk perkataan, atau perbuatan, atau keyakinan. Apabila pelanggaran itu dilakukan seperti menghina Allah dan Rasul-Nya, atau mengisytiharkan diri telah keluar atau ingin keluar dari Islam maka dia menjadi murtad.

Kemurtadan ini tetap berlaku sama ada disahkan atau tidak disahkan oleh mana- mana pihak. Pernyataan agama dalam kad pengenalan bukanlah penentu sebenar kepada hakikat akidah seseorang. Ia hanya untuk urusan kemasyarakatan atau pentadbiran. Ini bererti sekiranya kita berjaya menahan seribu orang yang mengisytihar diri keluar dari Islam agar tidak dapat menukar agama kad pengenalannya, kita sebenarnya hanya menyimpan seribu orang murtad yang akan bertopeng dalam masyarakat muslim sahaja. Apa jadi, jika kad pengenalan itu dijadikan ukuran oleh beberapa pihak lalu berkahwinlah golongan murtad ini dengan orang-orang Islam yang sebenar?

Mereka juga mungkin menguasai institusi-institusi agama atas kebijaksanaan mereka dalam bidang tertentu, sedangkan mereka murtad. Akhirnya kita menyimpan barah yang amat berbahaya dalam tubuh umat. Maka sekadar pertahankan perubahan agama pada kad pengenalan semata, bukan satu kejayaan. Bahkan mungkin menjadi musibah jika berleluasa pada suatu hari nanti. Kejayaan yang sebenar adalah mengembalikan mereka ke pangkuan Islam secara reda dan menghilangkan kekeliruan mereka mengenai agama ini.

Berikutnya, kita jangan sampai diperdayakan oleh musuh dengan meletakkan angka murtad sehingga ratusan ribu. Walaupun ada, ia tidak sampai kepada angka tersebut. Jangan pula kita mudah menghukum orang lain murtad hanya atas khabar angin. Apakah kita ingin menghidupkan suasana kafir-mengkafir atas andaian semata. Perbuatan itu hanya memporak- perandakan masyarakat Islam.

Meletakkan angka yang sebesar itu hanya melancarkan agenda musuh-musuh Islam. Ia akan menyebabkan dunia menekan negara agar tidak mengabaikan hak jumlah manusia yang ratusan ribu itu. Lantas usaha ke arah murtad mendapat sokongan dunia luar.

Kedua, meletakkan jumlah yang sedemikian besar, hanya akan mematahkan semangat mereka yang ingin menganut Islam dan usaha ke arah mengajak manusia kepada Islam. Alangkah malunya, ketika umat Islam dunia Barat yang ditekan sedang giat dan berjaya mengislamkan saban hari jumlah begitu banyak penduduk Barat sedangkan kita kalut dengan cerita orang murtad. Padahal tidak ada kerajaan yang memberikan keistimewaan kepada umat Islam di Barat. Apatah lagi perlembagaan yang boleh dikaitkan dengan Islam. Tiba- tiba dalam negara yang banyak masjid, ceramah agama di sana sini, ada pejabat agama dan mufti, pelbagai pertubuhan Islam wujud, perlembagaannya menyebut Islam, ustaz-ustaznya pun banyak duit ceramah yang telah dihasilkan, mufti-muftinya pun ramai yang berjenama mewah, slogan Islam pun banyak kedengaran di sana sini, lalu kita isytiharkan ratusan ribu telah murtad.

Sedangkan umat Islam Barat yang lebih mencabar keadaan mereka itu mengisytiharkan ratusan ribu yang menganut Islam. Bahkan begitu banyak gereja bertukar menjadi masjid. Padahal tidak ada mahkamah syariah pun di negara-negara tersebut. Namun mereka berdakwah dengan penuh amanah dan kesarjanaan. Lantas, manusia berbondong-bondong menganut Islam.

Aduhai malangnya kita. Jika hal yang berlaku sebaliknya. Kalau begitu, barangkali elok sahaja kita pencenkan menteri Jakim, mufti-mufti kesemuanya yang sewaktu dengan mereka kerana ternyata gagal mempertahan dan menjelaskan Islam yang agung ini kepada umat.

Kita juga hendaklah mengkaji sebab-sebab murtad di negara ini. Jangan hanya menuding jari ke pihak lain, tanpa melihat kepada diri kita sendiri. Jika kita teliti, ramai yang ingin meninggalkan Islam terdiri daripada mereka yang dahulunya beragama lain. Mereka menganut Islam kadangkala disebabkan faktor perkahwinan. Apabila berlaku perceraian, mereka hilang tempat bergantung. Masyarakat Islam pula ramai yang kurang prihatin terhadap saudara baru. Lalu mereka tiada pilihan, terpaksa kembali kepada keluarga asal atau masyarakat yang lebih memahami mereka. Sebab itu, saya mencadangkan masjid Cina. Antara sebabnya membolehkan mereka bertemu dengan yang senasib atau yang lebih faham tentang diri mereka. Lalu berlaku bantu-membantu. Juga proses pemahaman Islam lebih lancar dan mudah. Itu pun ada yang membantah cadangan tersebut. Kononnya hendak jaga identiti Melayu.

Takut berpecah antara sesama Islam yang berlainan bangsa. Itulah andaian emosi tanpa satu kajian. Padahal, apa yang berlaku sekarang bukan sekadar berpecah, bahkan keluar agama!

Baru-baru ini ada saudara baru yang minta hendak menganut Islam di hadapan saya. Katanya, dia telah ke pejabat agama sebuah negeri tetapi ditolak beberapa kali kerana lidahnya tidak dapat menyebut ucapan syahadah dengan baik. Inilah sikap buruk sesetengah kita yang menghalang orang hendak menganut Islam. Barangkali ustaz berkenaan kalau boleh bacaan tajwid orang yang hendak menganut Islam pun hendak diujinya. Ya syeikh! Islam dianuti bukan kerana kefasihan lidah, tetapi keyakinan dan akidah!

Amatlah pelik, bagi agama yang indah, harmoni dan dipenuhi pula dengan hujah dan alasan, tiba-tiba ada pula yang tidak puas hati dengannya dan ingin meninggalkannya. Padahal saluran penerangan Islam begitu luas dalam negara ini. Sedangkan Islam sudah sempurna. Tidak ada masalah dengan inti kandungannya. Ia agama yang mampu dicabar. Firman Allah dalam surah al-Baqarah ayat 111: (maksudnya): Dan mereka (Yahudi dan Nasrani) berkata pula: “Tidak sekali-kali akan masuk syurga melainkan orang-orang yang berugama Yahudi atau Nasrani.” Yang demikian itu hanyalah angan-angan mereka sahaja. Katakanlah (Wahai Muhammad): “Bawalah bukti-bukti kamu itu, jika betul kamu orang-orang yang benar.”

Apa yang tinggal untuk dipersoalkan adalah sikap penganutnya. Manusia lari meninggalkan Islam kerana sikap penganutnya atau huraian Islam yang salah. Bukan kerana Islam. Kita gagal membina benteng yang mampu mempertahankan Islam. Kita lebih suka menyalahkan orang lain apabila kita lemah. Saya ambil contoh dalam masalah Bible dalam bahasa melayu. Saya bukan ingin mengatakan dibolehkan atau tidak. Tetapi sehingga bila kita ingin menjerit dan membantah. Kita bimbang anak-anak kita terpengaruh dengan Bible jika ianya dalam bahasa Melayu. Apakah kita tidak bimbang jika anak kita pandai bahasa Inggeris dan nanti dia boleh baca Bible dalam bahasa Inggeris pula? Tidak inginkah pula kita mengharamkan bahasa Inggeris untuk anak-anak kita? Apa pula yang hendak kita buat dengan Internet yang seseorang mampu mendapatkan apa sahaja daripadanya? Apa kita kata jika kita dapati ada satu bangsa yang takut orang- orangnya diberi kesempatan membaca al- Quran terjemahan dalam bahasa mereka. Tentu kita akan kata; mereka takut sebab al-Quran itu benar. Demikianlah orang lain fikir tentang kitab mereka apabila dihalang. Sehingga bila kita mampu menghalang? Sepatutnya kita membina benteng ketahanan yang kuat. Lihat apa yang dibuat oleh Ahmad Deedat dan Dr. Zakir Naik dalam menjawab Bible. Orang menganut Islam apabila mendengar mereka membahaskan Bible. Huraikan Bible secara ilmiah dan buktikan kebenaran al-Quran dan Islam. Ustaz-ustaz mesti meningkatkan kemampuan menguasai bidang yang pelbagai sesuai dengan tuntutan zaman. Bukan asyik kempen kismis jampi sahaja. Kocek penuh, umat lari. Jawab segala tuduhan terhadap Islam dengan penuh wibawa dan ilmiah. Bukan emosi semata. Bahkan kalau perlu dihuraikan Das Kapital pun huraikanlah sekalipun dalam masjid. Namun apabila ceramah dan syarahan agama lebih banyak jenaka dan lawak ‘tak pandai’ maka pelbagai tohmahan terhadap Islam gagal ditangkis dengan mantap. Sedangkan al-Quran mengajar pelbagai isi dan cara berdialog menghadapai Ahl al-Kitab. Antaranya Allah menyebutkan: (maksudnya) Dan janganlah kamu berbahas dengan Ahli Kitab melainkan dengan cara yang lebih baik, kecuali orang- orang yang berlaku zalim di antara mereka; dan katakanlah (kepada mereka): “Kami beriman kepada (al-Quran) yang diturunkan kepada Kami dan kepada (Taurat dan Injil) yang diturunkan kepada kamu; dan Tuhan kami, juga Tuhan kamu, adalah satu; dan kepada-Nyalah Kami patuh dengan berserah diri.” (al-Ankabut: 46).

Anak-anak kaum muslimin mustahil akan terpengaruh dengan Bible jika mereka membaca al-Quran. Ada yang kata: masalahnya mereka tidak baca al-Quran. Kita tanya; jika al-Quran pun mereka tidak minat baca, macam mana pula mereka berminat membaca Bible? Atau barangkali di rumah mereka tidak ada al-Quran terjemahan? Ataupun mungkin juga cara al-Quran dihuraikan oleh sesetengah kita menjadikan orang salah faham atau tidak minat dengan al-Quran.

Apa yang penting, kita mesti bina ketahanan diri dalam kefahaman umat Islam di Malaysia ini. Sejauh manakah kita hendak bertahan dengan jeritan dan bantahan terhadap orang lain, jika kita sendiri lemah. Umat Islam di negara Barat tanpa pelbagai keistimewaan seperti kita tetapi mampu menyebarkan Islam. Bahkan selepas 11 September al-Quran dilaporkan begitu laris di pasaran mereka. Mengapa kita sebaliknya?

Ramai yang memperkatakan hukuman murtad. Saya tidak ingin melebarkan khilaf fuqaha di sini. Namun kita tidak melaksanakan langkah-langkah yang diperintahkan syarak sebelum menghukum orang murtad. Hasil dari nas-nas hadis dan amalan sahabah, para fuqaha menyatakan hendaklah orang murtad itu diberikan ruang perbincangan, dihilangkan kekeliruannya mengenai agama dan diajak bertaubat (lihat: Abd al-Halim ‘Uwais, Mausu‘ah al-Fiqh al-Islami al-Mu‘asir, 3/438).

Proses ini penting, sebelum kita sibuk memperkatakan tentang hukuman. Proses ini boleh dibuat oleh pelbagai pihak. Tidak semesti memerlukan kuasa. Namun hanya sedikit yang melakukannya. Banyak perkara yang mengelirukan umat Islam pada zaman ini. Manusia mungkin murtad disebabkan kurangnya penjelasan yang meyakinkan. Sikap, tindakan dan pentafsiran sesetengah pihak di kalangan umat Islam juga boleh menyebabkan orang bingung dengan Islam. Tiba-tiba apabila mereka murtad terus sahaja ada pihak yang memperkatakan tentang hukuman sebelum mendengar dan membuat penjelasan secara mantap dan adil, mana mungkin jiwa yang merdeka dapat menerimanya. Proses penerangan dan dialog tentang Islam dengan cara yang lebih terbuka dan berani patut dilakukan. Di negara lain, tokoh-tokoh umat Islam sudah lama mampu menyampaikan penerangan tentang Islam sehingga di gereja dan di pelbagai saluran.

Hari ini tidak ada Abu Bakar yang mampu menolong kita. Apa yang patut kita fikirkan adalah membina ketahanan umat agar kukuh kefahamannya terhadap Islam. Pengukuhan itu tidak akan berlaku jika pihak yang menerangkan Islam itu sendiri rapuh kefahamannya dan menakutkan pula wataknya. Lebih penting isu murtad jangan dijadikan sebagai peluang untuk mempromosi diri, persatuan atau modal politik. Sebaliknya lihat ia sebagai tanggungjawab bersama yang mesti ditangani secara ilmiah, bukan sentimen.

- Dr. Mohd. Asri Zainul Abidin ialah Mufti Kerajaan Negeri Perlis.

[source]

My comment: I couldn't agree more! Stop turning this issue into political game, this arise because of our (Muslims) misunderstanding on Islam, thanks to certain group of peoples that claim they are the religious group who know exactly what Islam is. There is no simple solution on this. Not by simply changing our law, what we need is the broad understanding of this issue, I think the most important thing to tackle right now is the delivery of Islam by the Muslims themselves, quote from Dr Asri," Namun apabila ceramah dan syarahan agama lebih banyak jenaka dan lawak ‘tak pandai’ maka pelbagai tohmahan terhadap Islam gagal ditangkis dengan mantap. Sedangkan al-Quran mengajar pelbagai isi dan cara berdialog menghadapai Ahl al-Kitab."
Wallahualam.