Sunday, August 31, 2008

The Philosophy and Benefits of Fasting in Ramadan


The Philosophy and Benefits of Fasting in Ramadan

God has charged the Muslim community with the task of conveying His message, as preached by the long line of noble prophets and brought to its fullness by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It has to make the divine message known to mankind, calling on them to implement it in real life. Such an implementation ensures the creation of a perfectly happy human society, free of all social oppression and exploitation of one class by another.

The Muslim community is likely to encounter much opposition as it attempts to fulfill its task and deliver the divine message. Normally, the opposition is mounted by those who have vested interests in maintaining the status quo. For this reason, the Muslim community launches a campaign of struggle, or jihad, to remove this opposition in order to allow people to listen to God’s message and make their free choice of whether to accept or reject it.

As Islam adopts a positive attitude to all aspects of life, its campaign of struggle adopts all necessary means to ensure success. Obviously, the Muslim community needs a great deal of preparation and training in order to be able to launch a campaign of struggle. Fasting is the cornerstone of this training. It is only natural that fasting should be ordained for the Muslim community in order to help it fulfill its mission. Fasting is the best area where firm resolve and strong willpower are truly demonstrated. It also shows the essence of man’s relation with God, which is a relation based on total submission and complete obedience by man. Fasting is also a symbol of man’s rising above all needs of his body and willingly enduring their pressures in order to win God’s pleasure.

All these are very important elements in the training of the Muslim community so that it will be able to overcome the hardships it may come to face. The route mapped for this noble community is a thorny one, full of hardships, while all sorts of pleasures and temptations beckon the travelers along this route from the sidelines calling them to change their course and abandon their message.

Mustafa Al-Rafi’ie, a leading Arab writer who lived in the early part of the twentieth century describes the month of Ramadan as a 30-day school. It is a very apt description because our fasting month is indeed a highly advanced school with an annual course lasting 30 days. It is a practical course, which equips the participants for their very important task and provides them with the necessary training to overcome the difficulties that lie ahead.

When we fast we learn to resist our most important needs: food, drink and sex. During the fasting time, which lasts from dawn to dusk, we may not have any of these. Thus, the needs of our basic instincts of survival are kept in check. We are speaking here of the survival of the individual, for which food and drink are absolutely necessary, and the survival of the human kind, which is ensured through the satisfaction of the sexual desire. When we are able to control these, other needs are easier to control. To help us in this task, God attaches great reward to fasting. In a sacred Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) quotes God as saying: “All actions a human being does are done for his own sake, except fasting which is done for My sake. I will reward it accordingly.” We know that good actions are rewarded by God at a minimum of ten times their value, but this could rise to 700 times their value, or even higher. The Hadith refers to this and promises an even higher and richer reward.

It should always be remembered, however, that Muslims do not consider the reward they get from God as the motivator for their actions. Their prime motive is to do what God bids them to do, for this is the way in which they give credence to their claims to be believers. Anyone who claims to be a believer but does not act on the basis of his faith, implement its requirements or fulfill its duties is not truly a believer, because his actions do not confirm his claims. The Prophet defines sound faith as that “which is deeply rooted in one’s heart and to which credence is given by action.” Thus, action is most important. Fasting is an action by abstention, which overcomes basic needs and desires. Hence it testifies strongly to one’s faith.

Moreover, fasting is very beneficial to one’s health. It enables the body to have a very welcome rest which helps it to function better through the rest of the year. It is important to note the health benefits of fasting, but it is even more important to avoid making the mistake of attributing such a great act of worship to its apparent health advantages only and to claim that the purpose of fasting is to improve the physical or mental health of the Muslim community. We may, however, take note that what God imposes on us as a duty also serves our own needs for a continued, prosperous existence on this earth. God imposes on us only what benefits us and helps us to fulfill our mission. He has no interest in causing us any affliction or hardship.

Thus, although fasting yields some important health benefits, these benefits are a secondary product. The main purpose of fasting which, as the Qur’an states, was also imposed on former communities of believers in earlier divine religions, is to help us to be more conscious of God and more obedient to Him so that we may be able to deliver His message to the world at large

1st day of puasa..

Today 1st september, is the first day of puasa. Seronok jugak rasanya because dapat sahur with family. As usual, 1st day mesti makan nak banyak sebab rajin nak bangun, later or so ever, xtau lagi entah2 mintak orang kejutkan.

Wateva it is, in this fabulous month, do the best we could, do all the good deeds as many as possible and earn the merit of Bulan Ramadhan.

Ni adalah beberapa hikmah tentang bulan puasa


HIKMAH PUASA RAMADHAN

Oleh Ustaz Syed Hasan Alatas

"Wahai orang-orang yang beriman ! Diwajibkan kepada kamu puasa sebagaimana telah diwajibkan atas orang-orang yang sebelum kamu,supaya kamu menjadi orang-orang yang bertaqwa." (S.al-Baqarah:183)

PUASA menurut syariat ialah menahan diri dari segala sesuatu yang membatalkan puasa (seperti makan, minum, hubungan kelamin, dan sebagainya) semenjak terbit fajar sampai terbenamnya matahari,dengan disertai niat ibadah kepada Allah,karena mengharapkan redho-Nya dan menyiapkan diri guna meningkatkan Taqwa kepada-Nya.

RAMAHDAH bulan yang banyak mengandung Hikmah didalamnya.Alangkah gembiranya hati mereka yang beriman dengan kedatangan bulan Ramadhan. Bukan sahaja telah diarahkan menunaikan Ibadah selama sebulan penuh dengan balasan pahala yang berlipat ganda,malah dibulan Ramadhan Allah telah menurunkan kitab suci al-Quranulkarim,yang menjadi petunjuk bagi seluruh manusia dan untuk membedakan yang benar dengan yang salah.

Puasa Ramadhan akan membersihkan rohani kita dengan menanamkan perasaan kesabaran, kasih sayang, pemurah, berkata benar, ikhlas, disiplin, terthindar dari sifat tamak dan rakus, percaya pada diri sendiri, dsb.

Meskipun makanan dan minuman itu halal, kita mengawal diri kita untuk tidak makan dan minum dari semenjak fajar hingga terbenamnya matahari,karena mematuhi perintah Allah.Walaupun isteri kita sendiri, kita tidak mencampurinya diketika masa berpuasa demi mematuhi perintah Allah s.w.t.

Ayat puasa itu dimulai dengan firman Allah:"Wahai orang-orang yang beriman" dan disudahi dengan:" Mudah-mudahan kamu menjadi orang yang bertaqwa."Jadi jelaslah bagi kita puasa Ramadhan berdasarkan keimanan dan ketaqwaan.Untuk menjadi orang yang beriman dan bertaqwa kepada Allah kita diberi kesempatan selama sebulan Ramadhan,melatih diri kita,menahan hawa nafsu kita dari makan dan minum,mencampuri isteri,menahan diri dari perkataan dan perbuatan yang sia-sia,seperti berkata bohong, membuat fitnah dan tipu daya, merasa dengki dan khianat, memecah belah persatuan ummat, dan berbagai perbuatan jahat lainnya.Rasullah s.a.w.bersabda:

"Bukanlah puasa itu hanya sekedar menghentikan makan dan minum tetapi puasa itu ialah menghentikan omong-omong kosong dan kata-kata kotor."
(H.R.Ibnu Khuzaimah)

Beruntunglah mereka yang dapat berpuasa selama bulan Ramadhan, karena puasa itu bukan sahaja dapat membersihkan Rohani manusia juga akan membersihkan Jasmani manusia itu sendiri, puasa sebagai alat penyembuh yang baik. Semua alat pada tubuh kita senantiasa digunakan, boleh dikatakan alat-alat itu tidak berehat selama 24 jam. Alhamdulillah dengan berpuasa kita dapat merehatkan alat pencernaan kita lebih kurang selama 12 jam setiap harinya. Oleh karena itu dengan berpuasa, organ dalam tubuh kita dapat bekerja dengan lebih teratur dan berkesan.

Perlu diingat ibadah puasa Ramadhan akan membawa faaedah bagi kesehatan
rohani dan jasmani kita bila ditunaikan mengikut panduan yang telah ditetapkan, jika tidak maka hasilnya tidaklah seberapa malah mungkin ibadah puasa kita sia-sia sahaja.

Allah berfirman yang maksudnya:

"Makan dan minumlah kamu dan janganlah berlebih-lebihan sesungguhnya Allah tidak menyukai orang-orang yang berlebih-lebihan." (s.al-A'raf:31)

Nabi s.a.w.juga bersabda:

"Kita ini adalah kaum yang makan bila lapar, dan makan tidak kenyang."

Tubuh kita memerlukan makanan yang bergizi mengikut keperluan tubuh kita. Jika kita makan berlebih-lebihan sudah tentu ia akan membawa muzarat kepada kesehatan kita. Boleh menyebabkan badan menjadi gemuk, dengan mengakibatkan kepada sakit jantung, darah tinggi, penyakit kencing manis, dan berbagai penyakit lainnya. Oleh itu makanlah secara sederhana, terutama sekali ketika berbuka, mudah-mudahan Puasa dibulan Ramadhan akan membawa kesehatan bagi rohani dan jasmani kita. Insy Allah kita akan bertemu kembali.

Allah berfirman yang maksudnya: "Pada bulan Ramadhan diturunkan al-Quran
pimpinan untuk manusia dan penjelasan keterangan dari pimpinan kebenaran
itu, dan yang memisahkan antara kebenaran dan kebathilan. Barangsiapa menyaksikan (bulan) Ramadhan, hendaklah ia mengerjakan puasa.

(s.al-Baqarah:185)

Saturday, August 30, 2008

At murni with djians...

27 Ogos, Makan kat murni ss2 alfian belanja.. Total makan semua RM92, so kata nazmi dalam 20 euro je haha..

Azha, Aiman, Nazmi and Hidayah..

"Milo banana shake", memang class!! sedap kot... sehingga membasahi pipi

Candid .... Aiman and Moe

Azha and aiman

Tangan yang lentik tu yang mahal.. "bukan begitu hidayah?"
hehe

candid aiman and moe..
Aiman and hidayah..

Aiman, azha, hidayah, alfian and nazmi

Im the one standing...


On the 29th of August, few days before puasa arrive,

we lepak-lepak at rasta..
















Friends, masa kat 7th college dulu.. except for Ronald, our new friend..

Ronald, Alex and Walter.















The boys..

Afif, Ronald, Alex, Walter, Anwar (ME), and Melo..
















Syera and Melo...

















We share all the happiness and sadness together..

Love her...
The journey make us stronger...
Love him too...
















Melo, Syera, Dalila, Ejand, and Afif...
















The Girls..
Syahirah, Dalila and Ezanie..
















Dalila and ejand....

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Konvokesyen abg saya

Pada 9 Ogos 2008, beliau telah berjaya menamatkan pelajaran beliau dan kini beliau digelar sebagai "Pemegang Ijazah Sarjana Muda Pembuatan Robot" tahniah sebesar2 tahniah dilemparkan ke arah muka beliau. hehe


My brother's friends

Diantara mereka-mereka yang berkonvo bersama

Wondering and pondering.. ermm..


My grandfather and my brother


With parent and grandfather



This is our family


The siblings






Hate to be natural, i guess

Thursday, August 7, 2008

My sarawak places

My vacation to Serawak It was fun, but the price i consider quite expensive, compare items or goods with KL.