Sunday, June 7, 2009

Have a Break...

Hmmm....

ok, being away for too long....

am enjoying my holidays...

semester will open on the mid of July....

hopefully to feel the spirit back...

for the meantime, enjoying my work in OOM....

see you...

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

news of the day :)

The Pope, condoms, AIDs prevention and a controversy

Monday, 30 March 2009, 10:33 pm | 383 views

Cookie Boy

Pope Benedict XVI’s made his maiden trip to Cameroon and Angola in the African continent recently. What was a well-intentioned trip to deliver ‘a word of hope and comfort’, however, was marred by a gaffe about condoms and AIDs prevention.

The Head of the Catholic Church was quoted as having said that the distribution of condoms in Africa cannot overcome the problem of AIDS, but on the contrary aggravates the problem. This slip-up comes on the heels of the Pope’s controversial decision in lifting the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson who had made denials over the extent of the Holocaust. This incident aside, Cookie Boy is left baffled and stumped by the Pope’s remarks on condoms.

Meanwhile, The Lancet, a well known British medical journal in its editorial had some harsh words for the Pope. The journal acknowledged the Church’s moral stance and support towards marital fidelity and abstinence in HIV prevention. “But, by saying that condoms exacerbate the problem of HIV/AIDS,” it said, “the Pope has publicly distorted scientific evidence to promote Catholic doctrine on this issue.”

Yet to those ignorant of the Church’s teaching, Cookie Boy worries that the Pope’s comments might be taken out of context and risks undoing the efforts of medical and volunteer workers in curbing the spread of AIDS in Africa.

To sum up the Church’s position on human life in just a few words: The Church is pro-life. Period! No arguments! No budging!

The Humanae Vitae decries the use of any artificial methods to prevent procreation as ‘unlawful’ and ‘intrinsically wrong’ which include the use of condoms. It states:

“Though it is true that sometimes it is lawful to tolerate a lesser moral evil in order to avoid a greater evil or in order to promote a greater good, it is never lawful, even for the gravest reasons, to do evil that good may come out of it.”

The condom here is the lesser of the two moral evils.

Church’s stand on prevention through condoms

But what is the Church’s moral and authority take about the use of condoms to prevent sexual disease? There aren’t any that I know of. Neither do I think it is stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. What I do know is that according to the Church’s teachings, fornication is sinful. Any sexual activity outside the sanctity of marriage is considered wrong and sinful (and that includes having extra-marital affairs). This translates to those happily married folks that, ‘Thou shalt not take any other partners besides thy spouse’; and for singles, this means a self-imposition of a sexual drought.

Therefore there is no need for the Church to make an official moral stand on the use of condoms to combat sexual diseases when her stand is absolutely clear – abstinence, chastity and fidelity. A man and woman who had never had intercourse with anyone prior to marriage, and who remain faithful to one another would therefore need no condoms to guard against sexual diseases.

This view is largely utopian and as many critics will argue – far from reality. Because we know that in reality, sex trade workers do exist! Because in reality, people are still going to continue with their sexual activities! Spouses will cheat. Some people will continue with their promiscuous lifestyles. No one is going to say: “Stop. I think I shall abstain from sex!”

Condom the “single, most efficient, available” preventive tool

A 2008 World Health Organisation Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic estimates 33 million people living with HIV, of which 22 million people are in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. It is estimated that there are 190,000 and 540,000 HIV sufferers in Angola and Cameroon respectively. In an ironical and stinging rebuff to the Pope’s comments, UNAIDS in its press release lists Cameroon as one of the countries most affected by HIV whereby “condom use is increasing for young people with multiple partners”.

UNAIDS states:

“Condoms are an essential part of combination prevention which includes among other elements: access to information about HIV, access to treatment, harm reduction measures, waiting longer to become sexually active, being faithful, reducing multiple partners and concurrent relationships…”

UNAIDS, UNFRA and WHO also updated their information on condoms and HIV prevention in response to the Pope’s remarks. They reiterate that “the male latex condom is the single, most efficient, available technology to reduce the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections” and will “remain the key preventive tool for many, many years to come”.

The information also states:

“Conclusive evidence from extensive research among heterosexual couples in which one partner is infected with HIV shows that correct and consistent condom use significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission from both men to women, and also from women to men.”

Manipulating science?

So how did Pope Benedict XVI get the facts so horribly wrong? Perhaps it was just out of ignorance. Didn’t the Pope learn how to pay more attention to information easily available on the internet since the Lefebvrite decision? The Lancet in its editorial meanwhile wonders if this was a “deliberate attempt to manipulate science to support Catholic ideology”.

The Lancet’s position is clear. It is braying for a mea culpa from Pope Benedict XVI for his comments. The Pope is an influential religious leader and the statement which he made is contrary to scientific knowledge which could put the health of millions of people at risk.

The controversy is nothing new. It isn’t the first time that the Catholic Church has been flogging this horse. The late Cardinal Alfonso Lopez Trujillo, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Family, said in an interview in a BBC Broadcast in 2003 that condoms don’t block the spread of AIDS.

The Catholic Church is in a quandary. On one hand, the Church has to safeguard and uphold the dogmas and teachings that have been its cornerstone for 2000 years whilst fighting off relativism and secularism, yet at the same time she has to make herself relevant and humanely accessible to the people who essentially form the body of Christ – physically represented by the Church. There is a clear need for a message of love and compassion, a need for solidarity manifested in practical action. There had been some previous talk of reforms to change the Church’s stance on condoms. But it looks likes the Pope’s recent comments have quashed all hopes. But yet, as the Second Vatican Council has proven, anything is possible.

Whether the Pope was right or wrong, one should not live under the fallacy that the condom is the only way to beat the spread of sexual diseases. Yet there is no doubt that the condom is part of a bigger equation and must work with the other elements suggested by UNAIDS above to curb the spread of AIDS.

——-

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Salam Sejahtera wahai kekasih Allah.....

Alhamdulillah, dengan nikmat Allah yang amat banyak lagi luas, kita lagi sekali dapat bertemu dalam bulan yang penuh barakah lagi termulia..bulan Rabiul Awwal, dimana disitu terlahirlah insan Agung yang dikasihi bukan sahaja Tuhan, bahkan semua makhluk Allah di muka bumi ini.

Marilah sama-sama kita mengenangkan kembali kehebatan Baginda, yang diutuskan sebagai Rahmat buat semua...........

selama 3 minggu berturut-turut, alhamdulillah selesai sudah kuliah subuh yang dimanahkan kepadaku...maka, terasa ingin berkongsi sekdikit kandungan yg telah aku share kepada para jemaah Muhajirin selama 3 minggu : Tajuk yg diamanahkan adalah : "Penerapan SUNNAH Rasulullah di dalam kehidupan seharian manusia ". Maka points kandungan dalam minggu pertama adalah seperti berikut :

1- Sebelum kita membincang mengenai sunnah, marilah kita mengenal terlebih dahulu empunya sunnah yang kita nak ikut itu dulu, supaya ikutnya kita sunnah itu atas dasar cinta kita pada Nabi.

2- Kewujudan Nabi di dunia ini untuk sekelian umat manusia. Tidak terbatas pada umat Islam sahaja. Oleh itu, perlu kita percikkan segala kebaikan kita pada semua...jiran tetangga, sahabat handai, rakan sekerja dan sebagainya.

3- Perlu untuk mencintai Baginda supaya lebih mudah untuk mengikuti segala ajaran dan Sunnahnya. Di dalam sebuah hadis yang bermaksud :

" Belum sempurna iman seseorang itu sehinggalah Aku(Rasulullah) adalah manusia yang paling dicintainya lebih daripada kedua ibu bapanya, anak2 nya dan sekelian manusia lain ".

4- Perlu berhubungan terus dengan Nabi, agar tauhid dan akidah kita terjaga da selamat. Bagaimana? Dengan menjaga kewajipan Solat dan juga Selawat.

Tidakkah kita diberitahu oleh Baginda, bahawa segala doa tidak akan sampai pada Allah melainkan terlebih dahulu selawat keatasnya? Tidakkah juga Nabi pernah mengingatkan kita, bahawa setiap umatnya apabila memberi salam dan sejahtera kepada nya dengan mengatakan : "Assalamualaika Ayyuhan Nabi Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh...", maka Nabi sendiri akan membalas salam kita? bukankah ucapan salam itu merupakan wajib dalam Solat kita?lihatlah paling kurang 5 kali solat sehari kita memberi salam kepadanya... tidakkah itu semua menunjukkan bahawa kita masih lagi berhubungan dengan Baginda? subhanallah....

5- Apabila seseorang itu berjaya meletakkan Nabi di dalam dirinya, maka akan terpacarlah segala keindahan akhlak, berjiwa murni serta berbudi mulia, kerana sebenarnya, beliau berjaya menjadikan Nabi sebagai Uswah Hasanah (contoh yang baik) dalam setiap aspek kehidupannya.

6- Akhir sekali, orang yang berjaya mengamalkan Sunnah Nabi ialah pada hakikatnya orang itu berjaya menghidupkan Nabi di dalam dirinya.

Pada minggu kedua pula, saya lebih banyak menyentuh tentang Sunnah itu tersendiri :

1- Definisi Sunnah mengikut ulama Hadis, iaitu : Segala yang terkeluar dari Rasulullah samada daripada percakapannya, perbuatannya, pengiktirafan, dan juga segala sifat luaran ciptaan(khalq) dan juga dalaman (akhlak terpuji), samada sebelum diutuskan menjadi Nabi mahupun selepasnya, dan juga Sirah....

2- Jenis2 Sunnah : Adakah segala yang terlahir dari Nabi itu merupakan kewajipan kepada kita untuk diikuti? dalam erti kata lain, adakah semua Sunnah itu disyariatkan ataupun tidak?Bagaimana kita nak tahu?

Disini saya kasi contoh, sunnah memegang tongkat ketika berkhutbah :) , membaca surah al-a'la dan surah Al-Ghasyiah dalam solat Jumat....dengan xplain sedikit sbnyak mengenai konteks kita di Singapura ini dinama waktu Jumat merupakan waktu 'lunch' para pekerja....jadi adalah perlu untuk kita meringkaskan solat kita,,untuk kemaslahatan para pekerja kita. InsyaAllah, tidak melanggar sunnah pon...malah menepati ruh syariah Islam dalam menjaga kemaslahatan umat. (bab ini telah luas dibincangkan dalam Maqasid Syariah - spirit/objective of syariah, sila lah baca karya Dr. Yusuf Qaradawi, Ibn Ashur dan Syatibi )

begitu juga janggut...adakah ia satu sunnah yang disyariatkan? sehinggakan sekiranya kita potong menyalahi sunnah ?

untuk ini, saya mencadangkan agar membaca buku 'Bagaimana nak berinteraksi dengan Sunnah' oleh Yusuf Qaradawi untuk mengupas lebih mendalam lagi dalam masalah2 ini.

3- Peranan dan kedudukan Sunnah dalam kacamata Islam :

- Sebagai sumber kedua dalam mencari hukum syarak
- Sebagai manhaj yang bersifat global, moderate,lengkap (syumul), seimbang dan mudah (manhaj taysiir)

4- membincangkan sedikit sebanyak mengenai golongan Anti-Hadis

Minggu yang ke-3 pula, saya menyentuh mengenai kesan Sunnah di dalam kehidupan manusia, dan bagaimana cara kita nak hidupkan Sunnah?

1- Dengan sentiasa menghadiri kuliah agama, mendengar ceramah2, menghadirkan diri ke masjid, kerana disitu pasti akan disebut hadis2 Nabi sollallahu alaihi wasallam oleh penceramah.

2- membaca sejarah Baginda....bukan setakat sejarah perang, malah lebih utama dalam konteks Singapura yang berbilang kaum ini, baca sirah bagaimana Nabi bergaul dan berinteraksi dengan masyarakat majmuk di sekeliling Baginda. Lihatlah bagaimana Baginda memimpin rumahtangganya....mencurahkan kasih sayangnya kepada isteri2nya, anak2 dan cucu2nya...

3- kemudian, membaca kisah2 orang yang berada di sekeliling Nabi, iaitu para Sahabat....lihat bagaimana cintanya mereka pada Baginda, serta bagaimana kesannya pada diri mereka apabila Rasulullah ada dalam diri mereka.

4- Basahilah bibir kita dengan berselawat keatasnya....dan berdoalah mohon pada Allah agar dikurniakan kecintaan kita pada Baginda.

Insya-Allah, dengan keikhlasan hati kita dalam mencari ketenangan dan kebenaran, kita akan dibantu Allah....jgn risau...yakin dan usaha....yakin bahawa Allah akan bantu kita dalam mengharungi segala aspek kehidupan kita...mintalah Allah kurniakan kita sifat cinta dan rindu pada KekasihNya....semoga yg demikian, kita akan sentiasa mendapat lindungan dan rahmat Allah s.w.t.

Bersempena dengan Maulid juga, satu buku yg ingin direkomenkan, iaitu buku yg terpampang di bawah ini :




karya : Amru Khalid, seorang cendekiawan Mesir...telah diterjemahkan dalam bahasa melayu.
pada saya, bahasanya mudah...berbentuk motivasi, tidak terlalu berat....insyaAllah terkesan dengan apa yang nak disampaikan oleh Beliau.

Kullu aam wa antum toyyibun Ya Sayyidi Ya Rasulallah !

Sunday, February 15, 2009

- Meniti Rabi'ul Awwal -

Saturday, February 14, 2009

19 Safar 1430H

We are a month away from entering the blessed month of Rabi'ul Awal...
Occasionally during that month, Muslims from all continents will celebrate their Maulid in jamaah as a remembrance of our beloved prophet Sayyidina Muhammad sollallahu alaihi wasallam .

i believe mosque in Spore too will have their own programs as well as some malay muslim organization. Whether to participate it or not, one must agree that it is obliged upon each and every Muslim to have Rasulullah in their heart...this is part of our article of faith. and indeed, part of our aqeedah.

the celebration form can be different from one country to another. I remember those days back in Cairo when it comes to this celebration, some parts of the streets will have their decos...the lights.....

and for those who are subscribed to a specific sufi or tariqah school of thought, they will attend their big ceremony which held in their respective headquaters...

As for student society, PERKEMAS, usually the preparation took more effort than usual...the collaborartion between Units were always there. Cos, we wanted something really BIG, remarkable, awesome, spiritual, fruitful and so forth...coz we really wanted to have this day dedicated specifically to our dearest prophet....fuuh really miss those days ! as u can see on below pix :







ok, need ur prayer for me as i'll be delivering kuliah subuh 2morrow...the topic to be discussed is about the essence of sunnah in our daily lives...

Ya Allah, kurniakanlah keikhlasan di dalam hatiku sewaktu aku menyampaikan amanahMu ini....permudahkanlah pertuturanku agar ummatmu dapat mengenali dan menghargai kewujudan kekasihmu...agar aku dan mereka menjadi umatMu yang bersyukur selalu..ameen ya rabbal alameen.

have a wonderful weekend :)

Thursday, January 29, 2009

The significance of al-adab (wisdom)

I do really really admire this scholar (Prof. SYed Naquib Al-Attas)....
in fact, both (the interviewer and interviewee) are two great figures in the muslim world !!

this short clip is worth listening...enjoy it !

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

back...

it's been a while.....
where have i been lately ? i think the hectic schedule made me no time to think of what to write on my blog :)

anyway, things going well...classes are getting extremely enlightening ! the lecturers are all well-versed though at times can be quite dull and sleepy . hehe

one thing for certain is that, im getting interested and indulged in the subject which never had a thought of being a fan before,..do u really want to know which dicipline am i refering to? it's Islamic Philosophy..which once during my undergrad period would turned off any kind of philosophical dialogue, discussion or any ideas which rooted from the philosophical point of view !

But now, i realize that it is extremely important for one to have a good understanding of Islamic Philosophy..at least to have the background knowledge.

well, for the past 3 weeks of lectures, I have learned that :

- Each and every individual has its own worldview that would shape one's perception toward things.

- A good Muslim critical thinker does not easily blindly adopt one specific philosophical thought or ideology.

- the needs of Islamizing and intergrating diciplines in our educational system.

- early muslim scholars like ; Al-Biruni, Ibn Hazm and Al-Syahrastani are among the pioneers whom actively studied other religion and civilisation.

and of coz there are many things to share here....
till meet again in the next posting :)

for the meantime, lots of books to read..and read..and read ....