Keep The Faith

I find it really weird (and ironic) that a lot of Muslims out there in Malaysia could get so defensive about their religion YET remain so ignorant about what Islam is all about at the same time.

They might pray five times a day, yet they don't know the meaning of the Qur'an verses that they're reciting - not even a single word.

They fast, yet they don't solat.

They solat, yet they 'mengumpat'.

They cover their hair, yet they flash their cleavage.

They keep their 'goatee' in a bid to follow the Prophet's sunnah, yet they try to hit on non-Muhrim women while their docile wives are looking after their kids at home.

And they are quick to label others who are not like them as 'kafir', and the uncovered women as 'sluts' who will fill the slots in hell in the Afterworld.

Or to quote a friend of mine about her ex-husband: "Oh dia tu, kalau kena pilih antara perempuan yang tak pakai tudung tapi baik & tak tinggal sembahyang, dengan perempuan yang pakai tudung tapi mengandung anak luar nikah, he will still pilih the one yang pakai tudung tu."

That's how shallow people can get.

Religions, I noticed, have become more about rituals and appearances, rather than what it's supposed to be: FAITH.

As much as rituals are important (solat, fasting, paying alms, performing the hajj, etc), faith is indeed the core that underlies all these rituals.

Without faith, the rituals would become MEANINGLESS.

After all, there IS a difference between a 'Mukmin' (a man of faith) and a 'Muslim' (a man whose religion is Islam).

You can be a Muslim yet NOT be a Mukmin, but if you're a Mukmin, then you're definitely a Muslim.

To me, a person of faith is a kind, considerate and loving person.

And rather than use the term a 'God-fearing person', I'd rather say that a person of faith is a 'God-loving person.'

Plus, God, in all His Glory, is kind, compassionate & loving.

Jika tidak, masakan kita memulakan membaca al-Qur'an atau melakukan sesuatu dengan kalimah: Bismillahirahmannirahim (Dengan nama Allah yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang.)

Out of his 99 names in the Asma-ul-Husna, these two were the ones chosen for this sacred sentence.

Speaking of faith, I strongly believe that you would only appreciate your faith/religion once you've done a deep study on it, as well as on other religions as well.

Truth be told, even though I studied in Islamic boarding school previously, I only learned to appreciate my religion after studying the sacred texts of other major religions during my university years in the US.

That being said, I believe ALL religions promote peace, love and harmony among all of mankind.

So, let's just pray that everyone of us will learn to respect each other, by learning FROM each other and learning ABOUT each other.

After all, ignorance is cancerous.

'Lakum dinukum waliyadin (To you, your religion; and to me, mine.)'
- Al-Qur'an, 109:6