Summer Break 2010
After the first 20 days of our 40-day khuruj, our jama'ah stayed overnight at Rahang Kecil Markaz, Negeri Sembilan for a route change. Here the local syura would decide where we will be working for the remaining 20 days. And we were assigned to work around Palong area. This is when we meet with a jamaah from Egypt. Subhanallah. What a great relief to have them around. I've been hearing about Arab jamaah quite a lot but in person, this is my first encounter with them. They all looked neat and confident in uniform white jubahs. In this effort, Arab brothers are like our big brothers. We might not have a large number of Arab people doing this effort now, relative to the other nationalities, but once they take up this effort nothing can stop them. It's just about time they realize that we need them to lead the way. And when that time emerges, Islam will be the center of attraction insyaAllah. Arab brothers; They have the blood of sahabah running in their veins, & the power of language on their tongues. An 'alim was saying that the real effort of dakwah will only begin when Madinah al-munawwarah is made the world markaz, instead of Nizamuddin. Just like in the time of Rasulullah saw when jamaahs were being sent to all corners of the world. Then the edge of glory will be revived.
One brother from the Egyptian jamaah was assigned to give maghrib bayan. To my surprise, the bayan was interpreted in Malay by a young maulana, a fresh graduate from Sri Petaling Markaz. I bet he is around my age. At that age, he is a hafiz as well as an 'alim. Seeing how good he was at doing the interpretation, I began calculating where I stand. Subhanallah, I got nothing! Only Allah swt knew how inferior I felt at this moment. The distance between me and him is like that between the sky and the earth. I started feeling that all the worldly achievements I've been proud of are pointless. I felt like crying. I got nothing to offer to Allah. This maulana guy would not be as much a surprise to me If I were to meet him in my days of ignorance. But now, there's no way I would feel nothing about it. Not after knowing the rewards these special people are getting. The parents of a hafiz will be made to wear a crown of nur in mahsyar for their teachings of Quran to their children. The huffaz themselves will be in the company of angels on this Stressful Day. When the judgement is going on, the huffaz can intercede for 10 people (40 people in a different narration) whose their entering to hellfire has been made certain. See, how privileged & honored they are.
But then I remember the hadith that tells us to look at the people below rather than the people above, so we will be grateful with what we have from Allah swt. We do need to look at the people above though when it comes to practicing the religion so we'll get the motivation to advance in good deeds. This cheered me up a little. Yes. I couldn't be more grateful that He pulled me out of the darkness and gave me light. The best thing that ever happened to me all my life was the moment I took up this effort through His guidance. Had He not guided me, I can't even imagine how my life would be now. I always pray to Him to keep me steadfast in this effort until I meet death. Thinking positive, this maulana guy has inspired me to double the effort in learning my deen. Thinking ahead, I may not be a hafiz nor an 'alim, but I'll make sure my sons and daughters will! The funny thing was that, after the Bayan, I couldn't help keeping an appraising eye on this Maulana guy until the end of my stay there. (Envy?) Never mind, I'll meet him again someday & shake his hands.
Sorry about the ramblings, let's cut to the chase! So, this is more or less the summary of what the pembayan was talking about;
Kalau kita lihat pada susunan Khulafa ar-Rasyidin, Abu Bakar dipilih sebagai khalifah pertama selepas kewafatan Nabi saw. Sedangkan pada masa tu ramai lagi sahabat ajma'in yang lebih 'alim daripada Abu Bakar. Tapi, Allah swt pilih Abu Bakar. Antara sebab utama adalah kerana kefahaman agama yang ada pada beliau. Dan kefahaman ni Allah swt bagi sebab pengorbanan beliau yang mengatasi sahabat-sahabat lain. Beliau sanggup korban segala-galanya demi agama. Bukti Abu Bakar memiliki kefahaman agama yang tinggi adalah semasa turunnya wahyu yang terakhir dan agama Islam sudah sempurna. Maka semua sahabat bergembira melainkan Abu Bakar. Beliau menangis. Maka para sahabat yang lain bertanya kehairanan, "Abu Bakar, mengapa kamu menangis, bukankah kamu patut gembira Islam telah sempurna?" Maka Abu Bakar menjawab, "Apabila seseorang yang dihantar telah menyelesaikan tugasannya maka dia akan dipanggil pulang. Islam telah sempurna, tugas Rasulullah swt telah selesai, maka baginda akan dipanggil pulang oleh Allah swt." Mendengar jawapan Abu Bakar, para sahabat yang lain pun turut menangis kesedihan. Sahabat ajma'in bertanyakan hal ini kepada Rasulullah dan baginda mengiyakannya. Sewaktu umat Islam dalam keadaan memerlukan dan Rasulullah minta para sahabat keluarkan sedekah, Umar datang dengan membawa separuh daripada hartanya, manakalah Abu Bakar menyedekahkan seluruh hartanya. Rasulullah bertanya kepada Abu Bakar, "Apa yang kamu tinggalkan untuk anak dan isteri kamu?" Abu Bakar menjawab, "Allah dan Rasul-Nya." Sedangkan jarum yang patah pun turut disedekahkan di jalan Allah. Dan ketika inilah Umar sedar bahawa sampai bila pun dia tidak akan dapat menandingi pengorbanan Abu Bakar ra.
Jadi sejauh mana kita sanggup berkorban untuk agama, sejauh tu lah Allah swt akan anugerahkan kita kefahaman dalam agama. Hari ni Ulama' cuma minta kita korbankan sedikit daripada masa dan harta kita di jalan Allah, itu pun kita tak mampu. Dan ini bukan untuk kebaikan mereka, tapi untuk kebaikan kita. Kefahaman agama bukan sesuatu yang boleh diperoleh daripada buku-buku. Bukan boleh diperoleh dengan duduk goyang kaki di rumah. Allah akan bagi kefahaman bila kita keluar dengan mujahadah. Bila iman diusahakan barulah datang kemanisan amal. Keluarlah di jalan Allah untuk lihat keadaan umat di seluruh dunia. Lihat dengan mata sendiri bagaimana umat menderita. Kalau tidak, sampai bila pun kita tidak akan dapat walau secebis pun kerisauan Rasulullah saw atas umat ini.
p/s: a maulana is equivalent to 'alim or uztaz
All that's good is from Allah swt, all that's bad or wrong is from my own shortcomings. May Allah swt forgive me for that. One day the whole ummah will open their eyes for this effort insyaAllah.
Wallahua'lam.
