A Riddle.

Someone I know died 3 days ago. Abd Rahim Abd Raof Mann died after 2 years of cancer. I do not know him very well, except saw him at the mosque and at majlis more than a few times. Originally from Singapore, he has been living here in Christchurch for a number of years. A few weeks ago I met his father at the masjid. I was sitting at the corner and he came and say his tahiyatul masjid prayer, after which he asked me, "Dari Malaysia?"
"Iya" I said.
"Kat mana?"
"Tanjong Karang" I said.
"Oh ya, Selangor, saya dari Singapura."
Then he continued saying another 2 rakaat prayer.
After a second set of prayer, he asked me,
"Masuk waktu pukul berapa?"
"Satu empat puluh, sepuluh minit lagi." I said.
I saw Faisal (Abd Rahim's brother), Abd Rahim and another man of Malay stock walking from behind the masjid towards the side door. Abd Raof, (Abd Rahim's father) look up, only then that I realise who he was.
Today, after Jumaat prayer, Imam Hamzah mention Abd Rahim's demise and asked the congregation to say prayer for him and said that his family members asked the Muslim community to forgive him.

Talking on the subject of death, it remind me of a story told by my ustadz in high school many years ago. I already forgot my ustadz name, but he told me this story when I was studying at SMTKL or TIKL. The ustadz was a small built man, wear glasses and like to comb his hair sideways. He got his Theology degree from Trinity College in England.
In a kampung, there was a Pak Lebai who has a son. Pak Lebai placed great hope in his son to follow his footsteps, so he sent his son to sekolah agama, and when finished, he sent his son to study in Cairo.
Pak Lebai's son was not really interested in studying Islam, he only play around in Cairo, but he managed to put wool over his father's eyes by sending good reports to his father, and every now and again, he asked his father to send some money to buy kitab. So after a few years, there would be a collection of kitabs that he owns.
So after a few years, Pak Lebai's son comes home to the village. Pak Lebai was so proud of his son.
"Anak Pak Lebai lulusan Mesir." People would say.
One day, a villager died.
After the ritual of bathing the jenazah finished, it was time to say prayer for the jenazah. Being the only Cairo graduate in the village, the orang kampung look up to him to lead the prayer. So anak Pak Lebai was elected to be the imam to lead the prayer.
Jenazah prayer is four rakaat right? So he lead the jenazah prayer just like zuhur prayer.
Allahu Akbar, then Fatihah, recite one Surah.
Then rukuk, sujud etc.
One rakaat, two rakaat..tahiyyat till end. And salam.

So what is wrong in this story?

Prophet Muhammad cartoon 2

I have written to editor The Press Christchurch. From a long one, have to be shortened to fit the word limitation.

Dear Bruce Rennie,
What I am trying to say is,
Conservative Muslims do not have paintings or statues that resembles any animal or human being. Painting or statues that claim to resemble God, Prophet Muhammad SAW, or any other prophets (Adam, Moses, Isaac and others) are forbidden. Muslims do not pray to statues or picture/painting, idolatry is forbidden in Islam. So drawing caricatures/cartoons and claiming them to be Prophet Muhammad SAW is forbidden. As such, non Muslim who draw cartoons of Prophet Muhammad SAW and make fun of it, is considered insulting the Muslims.

Perhaps you can replace that sentence with the one above.

Thanks
Noor Hamzah

"Bruce Rennie (CPL)" wrote:
Dear Noor Hamzah:

Thank-you for this reduced version of your letter.

I have a small problem with one sentence. It reads:

True Muslims will not have paintings of even the prophets to avoid
confusion that Prophet Muhammad SAW is a human prophet and not to be confused with God.

I do not quite understand what that means. Have you perhaps left out a word by mistake?

Regards

Bruce Rennie
-----Original Message-----
From: noor hamzah [mailto:nooryahaya@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, 5 February 2006 20:26
To: Bruce Rennie (CPL)
Subject: RE: letter to editor


Dear Bruce Rennie,
I have cut most of it. Here it is:

Islam is monotheistic religion. Muslims worship
Allah alone and don't worship any other. We
don't have idols, statues etc in the mosque. True Muslims will
not have paintings of even the prophets to avoid
confusion that Prophet Muhammad SAW is a human prophet and not to be confused with God.
It's about time for Westeners understand the
sensitive issues of other religions.
This is a 21st Century and superiority complex
has no place in this world. All races are equal and
their culture and everyone's way of life is to be
respected.
Those newspapers would instantly increase circulation, but is it worth it when the country suffers from boycott and diplomatic setback overseas! ? You might gain a few new customers, but your countrymen in the export industries would be bearing the brunt when the Muslim world boycotts your products.
I regret that the reaction of some Muslims overseas are at the extreme end.

Noor Hamzah
Ph:3526563
50 Cavendish Rd, Casebrook, Christchurch

Please withheld my phone number and my address.

Thanks
"Bruce Rennie (CPL)" wrote:
Dear Mr Noor Hamzah:
Thank you for your letter to the editor. Our rules, however, limit
letters to 150 words. Your letter is much more than 150 words. If you cut it
and resubmit it, we will consider it for publication.
Regards
Bruce Rennie



-----Original Message-----
From: noor hamzah [mailto:nooryahaya@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, 5 February 2006 005:21
To: letters@press.co.nz
Subject: letter to editor


1) Islam is monotheistic religion. Muslims worship
Allah alone and don't wor! ship other than that. We
don't have idols etc in the mosque. True Muslims will
not have paintings of even the prophets to avoid
confusion that Mohammed is not a human prophet.

2) It's about time for Westeners understand the
sensitive issues of other religions. It's bloody
unfair when it comes to economic issue like oil, they
arm twist the Muslims to sell them oil at a price that
Muslims can't determine. And then they stab Muslims in
their backs by calling them terrorists.

OPEC did not control oil price as US claimed. How come
EXXON-Mobil has a record profit of $25.3 billion in
2004. FYI The U.S. FTC
has in the past found that U.S. oil companies
intentionally withheld supplies of gasoline from the
market in order to drive prices up.

What's this has to do with cartoon? A lot actually.
Stop portraying Muslims as fundamentalist terrorist.
We are kind enough to provide supply as US demanded.
We are forced to be fri! ends to US but not many realise
this. We are too kind to raise this issue to avoid
embarassing the Westeners. Go to Middle East and see
how they treat the Westeners (except for Iraq, and
that is understandable. US robbed and killed them what
do you expect).

3) NZ should remain a peaceful country just as what
the govt of NZ wants. The people of NZ dont realise how
hard the govt is working (literally begging) to get
entry into a more lucrative market in Middle East and
Asia.

The repercussion of the cartoon on Muhammed is costly
to businesses. For example Arla Foods sales in the
Middle East have plummeted to zero. We don't want this
to happen to Fonterra and meat exporters.

SO they should stop being an ignoramus of other
people's culture as globalisation demands us to be
dependent on each other. Start reading books on Isla! m
(not by Western Orientalists) but by Muslims
themselves. Muslims means many races and I'm p! roud to
say that there's no rasicm in Islam. Start reading
books like Idiots Guide to Understanding Islam by
Yahiya Emerick (obtainable from
www.booksvillage.co.nz)

4)Westeners may be advanced in technologies but they
behave like animals when it comes to human relations.
Offending other religions and races has been a
trademark of many Europeans and they have carried that
unconsciously in their blood now. They must realise
that this is a 21st Century and superiority complex
has no place in this world. All races are equal and
their culture and their way of life is to be
respected. Even their political life is not for us to
comment on. It's their choice. So stop bathing in
ocean of ignorance and stop meddling in other
people's affairs.

I am saying that Western media behaving like stupid bully boys, doing damage to their country and! their nations relations among its citizens and neighbours for the sake for being able to say! what they like. Abusing friends and insulting them, then expect to be treated fairly. Wouldnt it be expected that if you abuse and ridicule someone, you would be ignored and be treated with utmost disdain by that person?
To say that their government is powerless to stop this stupidity? True, but government should know better and apologize on behalf of the silly idiots who knows nothing better.
I appreciate that those newspaper that publicise the cartoon want to achieve instant recognition and celebrity status unprecedented since the days of AlJazeera and CNN achieve worldwide brand recognition during the two Gulf Wars. But is that the right way to do it?
Yes those fringe and dying newspapers would instantly increase circulation, but is it worth it when the country suffers from boycott and diplomatic setback overseas? You might gain a few new customers, but your brothers in the export industries would be bearing the brunt when the Muslim world boycott your products.

Noor Hamzah
Ph:3526563
50 Cavendish Rd, Casebrook, Christchurch

Prophet Muhammad cartoon

Roslan send this comment on this issue:
1) Islam is monotheistic religeon. Muslims worship
Allah alone and don't worship other than that. We
don't have idols etc in the mosque. True Muslims will
not have paintings of even the prophets to avoid
confusion that Mohammed is not a human prophet.

2) It's about time for westeners understand the
sensitive issues of other religions. It's bloody
unfair when it comes to economic issue like oil, they
arm twist the Muslims to sell them oil at a price that
Muslims can't determine. And then they stab Muslims in
their backs by calling them terrorists.

OPEC did not control oil price as US claimed. HOw come
EXXON-Mobil has a record profit of $25.3 billion in
2004. (USD$10.7billion for the latest quarter).FYI The U.S. FTC
has in the past found that U.S. oil companies
intentionally withheld supplies of gasoline from the
market in order to drive prices up.

What's this has to do with cartoon? A lot actually.
Stop portraying Muslims as fundamentalist terrorist.
We are kind enough to provide supply as US demanded.
We are forced to be friends to US but not many realise
this. We are too kind to raise this issue to avoid
embarassing the westeners. Go to middle east and see
how they treat the westeners (except for Iraq, and
that is understandable. US robbed and killed them what
do you expect).

3) NZ should remain a peaceful country just as what
the gov of NZ wants. The people of NZ dont realise how
hard the gov is working (literally begging) to get
entry into a more lucrative market in MidEast and
Asia.

The repercussion of the cartoon on Muhammed is costly
to businesses. For example Arla Foods sales in the
Middle East have plummeted to zero. We don't want this
to happen.

SO they should stop being an ignoramus of other
people's culture as globalisation demands us to be
dependent on each other. Start reading books on ISlam
(not by Western Orientalists) but by Muslims
themselves. Muslims means many races and I'm proud to
say that there's no rasicm in Islam. Start reading
books like Idiots Guide to Understanding ISlam by
Yahiya Emerick (obtainable from
www.booksvillage.co.nz)

4)Westeners may be advanced in technologies but they
behave like animals when it comes to human relations.
Offending other religions and races has been a
trademark of many Europeans and they have carried that
unconsciously in their blood now. They must realise
that this is a 21st Century and superiority complex
has no place in this world. All races are equal and
their culture and their way of life is to be
respected. Even their political life is not for us to
comment on. It's their choice. So stop bathing in
ocean of ingnorance and stop meddling in other
people's affairs.

I am saying that Western media behaving like stupid bully boys, doing damage to their country and their nations relations among its citizens and neighbours for the sake for being able to say what they like. Abusing friends and insulting them, then expect to be treated fairly.
To say that their government is powerless to stop this stupidity? True, but government should know better and apologize on behalf of the silly idiots who knows nothing better.
I appreciate that those newspaper that publicise the cartoon want to achieve instant recognition and celebrity status unprecedented since the days of AlJazeera and CNN achieve worldwide brand recognition during the two Gulf Wars.
Yes those fringe and dying newspapers would instantly increase circulation, but is it worth it when the country suffers from boycott and diplomatic setback overseas?

Our Pressure Cooker Education System.

JD Lovrenciear wrote about the mushrooming tuition industry and that our children already attending school 6 hours a day. If you are adult who grew up in the 60’s, 70’s you would notice that the school work done by our children today is far more heavier than that we experience in those days. In those days, we still had time to play after school, where the emphasis in primary education was 3R.
Fast forward, these days, the school curriculum is much heavier, with children expected to be able to read and write when they enter Year One. I had the opportunity of peeking through a 15 year old textbook some time ago, and I was surprised to read about university level Geology. I personally think that it is not necessary and pointless to teach them about continental drift and tectonic plates to PMR students.
I also notice that co-curriculum activities like scout group and sports are not actively promoted because it affect the children educational performance. How sad.
One thing I dread about Malaysians is that as parents they are competitive lot. They want the best for their children, enroll them in the best schools, then make them attend tuition classes and expect the children to be what the parents themselves wanted to be when they were young. Doctors, engineers, dentists, CEOs and whatever.
Do parent themselves ever realize that work and play make a balanced, healthy life? We Malaysian need an overhaul in our attitude, that not everyone can be doctor or engineer, and every other profession is as useful and contribute to the country. We should not look down on the street sweeper and think of them doing a lowly job, because without them, the street would be dirty.
If there is anyone to blame, I would lay the blame squarely on the parents and education system themselves. Not happy with their children performance on school, they send their children to tuition classes, and for Muslim parents, some of them send their children to afternoon religious classes. Why not just send the children to religious school, I am sure they teach 3R there.

Noor Yahaya Hamzah