What Is The Remedy For Our Confusion

Loose translation of ‘Apakah Penyembuh Kekalutan Kita’ written by Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin (http://drmaza.com)

Lots of emails have been sent to me by those who wish to express their grievance over the current turmoil that is sweeping across our country. Some wrote that they get suffocated thinking about the issues of the Muslims in our country. Some stated that they have given up and do not want to think about it anymore. Some mentioned that they felt cheated by the manners of the politicians they have been supporting. Some asked for the solutions for this crisis and many more.

If we suffer from an illness, we should not be curing only the obvious symptoms. We should treat the root or the cause of that illness. If not, it will attack us again. By knowing the cause of the illness, even if we fail to address it, it will compel us to always be on our guard in the future or coerce us to remind the future generation that “Prevention Is Better Than Cure”.

The commotion occurring today, has it just started yesterday or has it been going on for years? The seemingly deadly cancer threatening us today, has it just emerged at a time when the doctors identify it or has it been around for years? Many illnesses cannot be cured because the patients only go to see the healer at the last minute when they are on their deathbed. It is not impossible to cure it but at that time, it is hard to find a comprehensive solution.

Yes, in many instances in our life, Islam is only referred to when the situation has become critical. For example, in a marriage, Islam provides a complete package for us to adopt starting from the proposed list of characters in choosing a partner, the simple administrative affair in getting married, living the marriage life based on Islamic disciplines, the duty of a husband, wife and children, the rulings on nushuz (disloyalty and ill-conduct towards one’s husband) right until the chapter on talaq (divorce) when it is clear that the marriage no longer provides any benefits to the family.

It is unfortunate for a Muslim couple if they refer to the Islamic rulings only when they want to get married and get a divorce. Whereas in going through their married life starting from the time they choose their partners, the rulings that they apply in a marriage, the duty to educate wife and children on the teachings of Islam and many more, they have never paid any attention to the Islamic rulings. They merely ask, “What is the immediate solution that Islam can offer to my disturbed marriage?” How is it possible for them to ask for an immediate solution whereas they have let the cancer to spread for so long?

Similarly, the political crisis in our country did not only start yesterday or the day before. However, it started with the crisis of principles, manners and journey that has now achieved an advanced age. Is the political system that we have embraced for so long based on the principles of Islam? We also should be asking when was the precarious political rivalry and hatred inseminated. What was the reason behind the supremacy of partisan brotherhood over the Islamic brotherhood taught by Allah and His Messenger? Political rivalry at village level up to urban level consistently depicts the obsession over power and political fanaticism of which both contradict the divine principles of Islam.

Subsequently, when did the people start losing their trust on the politicians? Personally, I see that many of the political leaders who hold important posts in our country display arrogant manner and attitude. Even worse, their ‘misconducts’ have become the topics of discussion among the masses. Because of that, the people lose their trust not only on the politicians but the distrust also spreads to other systems including the court and the police.

It is not like the governing political party cannot be transformed but there has to be an earnestness in the effort to remove all the cancerous elements that have nestled in its body even though that cancer is in the form of a VIP. If not, the new generation will continuously have prejudice against them.

In many instances, people tend to lose their principles when it involves politics. What was illegalized yesterday may be legalized today. For example, party hopping is deemed as either legal or illegal by the politicians based on whether it benefits their politics or not. Similarly, the regal system is upheld if it benefits them and is disrespected if it does not benefit them. Money politics is deemed as halal or haram based on who the contributor is.

In case of forming an alliance with a ‘kafir party’, the term kufr and Islam is used not based on the principles they hold but based on who they ally themselves with. If we based it on principles right from the start, we will always be consistent in making decisions based on the principles that we embrace. We will ask, based on the principles, does the act of party hopping conform to the virtuous conduct taught by Islam? Is receiving the money that corrodes transparency allowed by the Islamic ruling? Does Islam teach us to make the regal system or all the royal traditions in such way? There are many more issues that we can raise. If we sincerely wish to make a judgment, we must do it unreservedly and be dependent only on Allah.

I feel sad to see how political dispute can sometimes erode the Islamic manner and value in our souls. In the world of internet, damnation, obscenity and curses have become the plaything and adornment of the political supporters. Even more saddening is when that disgraceful act is done using the name of Islam. In the end, the sanctity of this religion is tainted by political voracity.

I read the comments made by the supporters of a certain political party concerning the statement of the Mufti of Perak Dato Seri Harussani Zakaria who prohibited the people from going against the decision of the Sultan of Perak. Those comments are adorned with vulgarity and swearwords, the kind that makes us feel reluctant to read. Yes, personally, I do not agree with many of the views and opinions made by the Mufti of Perak. However, cursing and blaspheming at someone who has given his own distinctive contributions to the society is not a conduct that is taught by Islam.

Unfortunately, I have also seen firsthand a recording that shows a political leader in Pahang displaying a vulgar sign when campaigning for an election. That proves the fact that the manner of the top people will become a bad example to the people under their leadership. In a hadith from al-Imam al-Bukhari narrated from Anas bin Malik: “The Prophet was not one who would abuse (others) or say obscene words, or curse (others”.

Looking at problems such as these, it drives us to be conscious of the two matters that require reformation in our country. First is to re-look at all the foundations and systems being employed in this county and determine how far it fulfills the principles established by Allah and His Messenger.

Second is to revert to educating the Muslims, leaders and the nation so that they have disciplines in their principles, actions and manners conforming to the teaching of Allah and His Messenger. It means that the institution of Islam at the fundamental level as well as its assimilation must be performed with the condition that the interpretation of Islam has to be established on earnestness and knowledge that is independent on any partisan and political interest.

I call upon all the advocators of change to learn from the current crisis and appreciate how much we need the genuine Islam that is free from sectarian, traditional, racial, partisan and other similar interest. We only need to revert to Allah and His Messenger. This has been mentioned by al-Syeikh Nasir al-Din al-Albani r.h:

“When it is absolute that “Verily, al-Din in the eyes of Allah is Islam”, it is not possible to comprehend what is required by Allah except through Allah’s Messenger. Verily, there is no path that can lead us to him except through the knowledge on his Sunnah. Subsequently, there is no means to take us to his Sunnah except through the field of hadith. Thus, it is upon the duty of the Muslims be it the leaders or the followers, the missioners or the subjects of their mission, to believe with us that there is no way to realize the calls we have made that is the attainment of justice and peace and the establishment of Allah’s rulings on the face of the earth except by calling for and practicing the Sunnah and educating the Muslims with Sunnah. It is not by depending upon the worldly law created by humans, the opinions of certain individuals and the partisan standpoints. All those will cause the ummah to be further divided and become more distant from the ultimate destination.” (Al-Albani, Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad pg. 8-9 Saudi: Dar al-Sadiq)