Monday, June 15, 2009
Can you believe how far humans, that is, us have advanced? My father used to tell me once (well, he kinds of repeated it a few times, but that's allright because I loved to hear his stories) that during his childhood, if there's one house in the whole village which has a TV, then all the kids would go there to watch TV, and the owner doesn't mind, perhaps because he understands that not everyone can afford a TV, at the time. My dad got his first handphone a few years after he worked (I think). My big brother got a handphone when he was going to pre-university. Me? (chuckles) I got mine when I was in form five (or was it form 4?). My little sister got it when she was form three. Can anybody see a pattern here? Anyone? (laughs) Well, yeah, technology becomes more and more viable as the years go by. Hey, I just saw a kid yesterday, I think she was barely 8 years old, talking to her cellphone. Yes, we are advanced allright.
If anyone still needs proof of how far humanity has progressed, dig this; I'm currently running at..let's see..110 km/h and at the same time I can freely express my thoughts just by 'pushing a few buttons with letters on it' which anyone can read from anywhere around the earth, To put it simply, I'm blogging in a car which is on the way from Taiping to Kuala Lumpur. (I just dropped my little sister at her school this evening) Is that progress enough? (laughs)
Yet what does advancement has to do with the title? Nothing. Yep. Actually, it's suppose to have a lot of connection. Islam and progress aren't two different things. You and I know it's not. Because we have both "experienced" the religion. We live in it. We live by it. Our actions are based by it. And we know that Allah and His Messenger never restrict humans to pursue progress, only that it must be in obligation with the Al-Quran and al-Sunnah.
It seems to me that Islam is experiencing the opposite of technology; it's becoming more and more 'backwards'.
Islam in itself is NOT backwards. It's the implementers who are backwards. It's followers are the ones who make it backwards. Me, you, all of us are responsible for the image of Islam that is being portrayed to the eyes of the world.
If there are some muslims who attack innocent people without a real reason, who do you think gets blamed? Are the attackers alone? You can answer that question yourself. Look at how the world today perceives Islam. We can't just blame them for judging us like that. I know, I understand. I know what you're thinking. They are kafirun (non-believers). They have no right to judge muslims like that. They don't even believe in Allah SWT and prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Yes, BUT, but, did we ever stop to think, that how will they ever get to know Allah, if no one is willing to teach them? How are they even going to trust Islam if the image they see is nothing but cruelty, terror and too traditionalistic? How does anyone trust a person/muslim whose intention seems to butcher every non-believer they see? From my point of view, that is exactly what muslims are portraying to the non-believers. If a muslim sees her religion as being perceived this way, then what do you think is the REAL PERCEPTION of the non-believers?
Having said all that, not all muslims are bad, generally speaking. A lot of muslims are peace loving people and try their best to portray the true Islam. We try. Apparently that is not enough.
I feel that we are not trying hard enough. Islam is in a dire state now. Islamic countries only care about their own and are far apart, though ironically, they are practically neighbours. Politically unstable, prejudicedly judged by almost everyone in the global community, and most importantly, are not in a peaceful state. Pakistan is fighting Taliban insurgents, Afghanistan and Iraq are in shambles, southern Thailand erupts in chaos again, with the recent attack on the Al-Furqan mosque at Kg. Air Tempayan, southern Philippines with the MILF issue and the recent protest about the election results in Iran. Everyone seems too busy with internal problems. Of course, how can anyone help others when their own state has unsolved troubles too? That's just shows how bad the state Islam is in. Everyone is too busy handling internal problems to help other Islamic states who are just as troubled as they are.
Oh Islam..what is going to happen to you? What will be your future, and the future of the next human generation? Will our children and grandchildren still know you, your values and the truth you bring? Will your light still shine in the next century, amidst all the growing progress in technology, which makes humans proud and forget that they are also a part of all that is created in this world? Will there come a time when nobody no longer knows who is Allah.. or who is Muhammad?
Who will save you? Will there be any saviours at all?
I don't have the answer to all these questions. I can't predict the future, and neither can you. But what we can do is CHOOSE. Either choose to do SOMETHING about the crisis that has befallen Islam now, or you can just sit back and watch as Islam is tainted and slowly falls to pieces.
You and I are just two persons. What can two people do to save something so huge and global? I don't know for sure. But I'm going to keep trying, to keep doing what I can do, do what I do best. Because prophet Muhammad SAW said to never underestimate a good deed, no matter how small it may be. Nobody would acknowledge the little things we do..nobody cares. But I believe Allah knows and Allah cares. And that is enough for me. Enough fuel to keep me going for the rest of my life..on earth. Enough fuel to keep trying to uphold Islam, in any small way I can, for I will not watch it fall to pieces, not when I'm still here.
But..for now, let me take some shut eye. (smiles)
Posted at 12:29 am
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