Trivial Issues Consequences

(Mingguan Malaysia, 28 February)
Dr. Mohd Ridhuan Tee Abdullah, Senior Lecturer, National Defence University Malaysia cum Secretary General of Islamic Chamber of Commerce Malaysia.


I feel strange why there are many Muslims today wasted their time debating and discussing trivial issues, when there are more important and serious issues that need to be given attention in approaching the 21st century. Issues on the future of Islam religion and the Muslims survival are among the main issues that need to be given attention compared to issues such as whether or not to march when celebrating the Prophet’s birthday. I am confident that all Malaysians understood and already knew the answer. Why should we debate on issues that are already cleared, including issues such as the caning punishment on women who had been sentenced by the court and continuing disputing among them?


In conjunction with the Prophet SAW birthday, shouldn't we better discuss whether the Muslims are following the character of the prophet or not? The disunity among the Muslims is increasingly destroying and many more matters relating to our future in this fortunate land. Whether the decision to march or not, this does not question the faith or the life and death in Islam. What is more important is the teaching of the celebration. What is the use of a large-scale celebration when it has little impact? The best, great celebration, the effect is also great or moderate celebration, the effect is great, too.


It shouldn't be otherwise, great celebration, money exhausted; the impact is little or less. The worst, there is no celebration, the remembrance of the Great Prophet diminishing. Regardless, at least the celebration reminds us of the Prophet's struggle. That's the beauty of the culture in our society showing our feelings and love towards the Prophet SAW.


If we review his biography, the Prophet had never in his life wasted on matters that were not of benefiting. The Prophet's life is of quality in every second that passed. Every moment was used for the purpose of social struggle, in the sense of ensuring that Islam and the Muslims continue to excel, competent and quality. The pride of all is that Islam had spread to every corner in the world. This resoluteness in the Prophet's struggle must be followed and emulated.


Apart from the resoluteness in faith, the main foundation must start with the bond of unity and brotherhood. Both of these elements are the fundamental strength. We only have one last prophet, the Prophet Muhammad SAW. He is our reference together with divine revelation of the Quran. The way of life and the rules brought along had proven to be capable of creating a great glory and admired by the world, none has ever disputed, including the non-Muslims. This is because; the Prophet's lifestyle was the best as Islam brought in by HIM. Hence, there is no issue arises to dispute his credibility from any angles even to this day. Michael Hart (2007) placed the Prophet as the most influential person in history compared to other great figures in the history of world civilization. Are we still doubtful?


Therefore, there should not be any disputes among the Muslims pertaining to issues or problems that had been solved and resolved. For example issues on the caning punishment on adulterers and alcohol consumption. The Sharia court, being the highest legal source in the Islamic countries, pertaining to the Muslims issue, had decided, and therefore respect that decision. The expertise of the learned judges in their fields should not be disputed. Why some of the Muslim women in the NGOs were so anxious? Who actually are to be caned? Why should we waste time holding protests here and there? We seemed to act on behalf for the non-Muslims. They do not need to react because we have become their representative. We are humiliating the court decisions and our own religion. What should be the appropriate action? Haven't we realized that they were clapping their hands when we distance ourselves from the religion and the Prophet's teachings? We are not united nor being brotherhood in many things.


Do we want to continue to allow the Muslims to be immoral without providing any guidance? Are we afraid that among us will be caned later with the implementation of the punishment? Why are we championing the human rights? I would like very much to see that we also fight for the rights of Allah apart from the human rights. Only then we will get the respect from everyone. I'm not saying that the current punishment is hundred-percent adhering to the Islamic law, but at least there are precedents toward that direction. Do respect the decisions because they were under the jurisdiction of the experts. The culture of referring to the experts must be recognized so that non-experts will not be entertained. If you have not mastered the readings of the Quran, it is advisable for you to refer to the learned ones. Do not be like the ignorant acting to be clever for it will eventually be just a waste on oneself.


Offenders must be punished. We cannot allow them to go around scot-free. Fee sex, alcohol, and other immoral activities such as drugs, often lead to addiction. Releasing the offenders is not in accordance to the teachings of Islam after the process of counseling or advice which did not have any impact on them. Disobediences must be tackled, otherwise it will be a cancer to the society, spreading and damaging others.


This form of thinking told by Eleanor Roosevelt that great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people. Today we discuss endlessly on people whom we do not like, rather than putting forward our ideas. The idea or the plan had its pros and cons. Accept the good even though it may come from our enemies, and we should not only reject the bad, but at the same time we should stand together to object. For example, the ultra kiasu plans on the ideas of Malaysian Malaysia. Among the ideas are to allow what is forbidden by Islam in the name of human rights such as free sex, alcohol, gambling and so forth. We do not object if that is what they want to do, but these ideas will not bring any good to the Muslims, but instead will create chaos to the country. So we have to reject and be prepared to face them at any time, whether with arguments, facts and actions. In fact we should discuss the dangers that would happen if we allow those ideas that are against Islam to perpetuate, especially the damage that would befall on our people.


Instead of discussing, we continue to blame others on who are right and wrong. Discuss small issues will make our minds small, not creative nor innovative. This does not include our other lifestyles as we prefer to discuss the life of an artiste compared to the lives of scholars with their researches and statesman with their experiences. In the developed countries, scholars, statesman, entrepreneurs and professionals who had proven to excel will be revered. They will be deemed as high status and are invited to teach at the university and be bestowed the title of professor even they might not have done any researches. Recognitions were given based on their knowledge and great experiences in their life.


In comparison with us, the culture of such knowledge does not exist, instead we encourage the culture of worshiping a handful of artistes when their lifestyles involved with controversies and gossips which are not developing the minds. Discussions like these will only turn off the mind and not toward a quality life. The time has arrived for us to embrace the way people think in the advanced countries which elevated people with knowledge and scholars in high places compared to other matters that are not beneficial. Reading materials or books read by them are high quality, compared with developing countries where the people prefer to read the entertainment articles and news of no values.


Please note, if we read and discuss major issues, indirectly our mind becomes larger, thus producing a nation with strong spirits. If not, we will continue to waste our time disputing trivial and small issues. The main issue that should be the focus by the Muslim community today is related to the unity of Muslims and the goals of the Muslims in facing the 21st century as to the strength to defend from the enemy threats. We should seriously discuss the planning of the enemy movement through the Freemasonry which melt and destroy the faith of the Muslims through their alliances with several of the opposition parties and the NGOs.


This movement seems to have accessed into the individuals and organizations of the Muslims. Their goal is to separate the religious life. Religion is considered as something dangerous. Preventing the Muslims to unite, and at the same time turning off the spirit of jihad in the Muslims. If previously the Freemasonry's target was the Christians, today their target is the Muslims after the fall of the socialist system.


The collapse of the socialist system provided a bright future to the Freemasonry to have a strong foothold again in the late 20th century. Economic system created in the new form and was named the modern capitalist economic system hidden behind the veil of economic globalization. Name of globalization is used by the Freemasonry to camouflage the invasion of the new imperialist colonial order on the Islamic world.


Both Fathi Yakan and Yusuf Al-Qaradawi considered the globalization as a process of hegemony or domination of political, economic, cultural and social development of the United States over the world especially the Islamic world and third world through the process of westernization and Americanization them. They also succeeded in cheating these countries with the term of without economic borders or free and open economy.


This economic globalization is very dangerous because of evil planning by the Freemasonry with their theory of 20-80. Only 20 percent of the Muslim country wealth is owned and the rest 80 percent are left in poverty. Their purpose is none other than to control them. Their next step is to make the Islamic developing countries preoccupied with entertainments which are harmful. Mass Medias and information technologies without borders are used to attain this goal until they cause the widespread of entertainment hubs, captivated singings and increased prostitutions.


In conclusion, what appeared as strong resistance towards caning punishment and Islamic Sharia courts could be relevant to the Freemason movement which are the hot topic of today? Why are the wrong such as entertainment and immoral activities not opposed? Let's think together. To me, this movement had subtlety accessed into certain individuals and organizations of the Muslims. This further led to a handful of us to be no longer sensitive to the problems and the future of Islam and Muslims. The Muslims fought and disagreed with each other. We were disturbed over trivial issues compared to bigger issues and eventually our mind become smaller. Meanwhile we knew the Prophet requested us to be concerned on all big issues that are related to our lives. The Prophet Muhammad said: "Whoever sleeps and do not bother about the affairs of the Muslims, then he is not among them (the Muslims)".