During the CoVid19 outbreak, there was one whatsapp, circulating around by (in my opinion) pretentious religious people.
The whatsapp was saying that before the pandemic, non-religious and/or non-Muslim people made fun of or mocked the niqab and daily wudhu practised by Muslims. The whatsapp went on to imply that God sent the virus and now everyone; including those people that made fun of niqab and wudhu; have to wear masks and wash their hands with sanitizers everyday just like the niqab-wearing & wudhu-practising Muslims they made fun of.
Now those people also have to wear masks like niqab and wash their hands often like wudhu everyday.
These Muslims were so gleefully ready to get back at those people that mocked them before, that they do not realise what they were saying.
First of all, these comparisons are "false equivalence". Wearing mask is not the same as wearing niqab. Doing wudhu is not the same as washing hands with soap and sanitizers.
By sharing this meme/tweet/message or whatever, they are demonstrating their ignorance of both science and of their own religion & religious rituals.
In trying to show how religious their are, they instead prove their own lack of knowledge of their own religion and science.
Washing your hands often to get rid of viruses and other microorganisms involves using alcohol based sanitizers and/or soap. Washing hands with water only is not effective to get rid of the viruses.
Wudhu is a religious rituals using clean water, not with alcohol or soap. Also, since it is haram to consume (or use alcohol in most matter), you cannot take wudhu with alcohol.
Hence, those who equate wudhu with sanitizing your hands with alcohol/soap to get rid of viruses are making a false equivalent; and also signalling their ignorance of the rules of their own religious rituals. You cannot take wudhu with alcohol!
As for equating niqab with masks, and implying that God sends the virus to remind people to wear niqab, - this also shows their ignorance and lack of reasoning skills.
Wearing niqab is not mandatory & only for women (if they choose to wear them).
Wearing mask to protect from viruses are done by everyone, men & women.
So, are you saying that God want men to wear niqab also?
Are you saying that wearing niqab is mandatory?
Would God send a horrendous disease just to remind people about something that is voluntary and not even mandatory?
Pretentious religious people are very quick to "virtue signal", that is, trying to show their virtuousness by sharing these kinds of messages without even thinking what they are sharing.
They are just sharing their ignorance, not to mention the audacity to claim that they know what God is thinking.
Next time, think before you share.
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Don't even get me started on those preachers that defy the lockdown (in the beginning) by saying that you can die anytime, anyhow, anywhere as per God's decree...
They went quiet when majority of their congregation did not support their view. This gives me hope that Malaysians Muslims are still sane reasonable people and not blind followers like sheep.
Enough ranting.
I can only pray for Malaysia's recovery and hopefully we get back to normal soon.
Wednesday, 17 June 2020
Sunday, 7 June 2020
CoVid19 and lessons of history.
Malaysia is at a tipping point.
I am a student (amateur) of history.
A reader of socio-political issue.
I read history and analysis of historical events to understand current events and predict the future based on those historical events. Because history are made by humans and in the end, human nature, at its most basic, are the same, no matter what time period you are at; how "modern" you have become.
Nations and civilisations goes through a cycle of rise and falls. This social theory is proven throughout history. I have mentioned this in one of my previous post. The USA and the western world is also at a tipping point. But I do not want to talk about them, yet. For now, I want to highlight about Malaysia.
There are many reasons why nations rise and many reasons why nations fall.
It is rarely just one thing. It is a million little things and events accumulating to that one event, that tipping point, a point of no return, where your nation will decline and crumble.
For the Greeks & Romans, they invented democracy, but they had slaves who were oppressed. When the slaves revolted, it set a chain of events that led to their fall.
For the Ottoman, they shunned innovation and become dogmatic in order to control their vast empire against attacks from within and without. This decline in civilisational mindset becomes the main reason for their downfall
For the Soviet Union, they curtailed freedom and oppressed their citizens through autocratic and authoritarian government machinations. The citizens revolted and the socialist republic fell. Luckily for them, it was a "soft" revolution, their country did not fall into chaos. It was difficult for awhile, but they persevered.
For Lebanon, sectarian (religious, ethnic, tribal) conflicts erupted almost instantly after the French colonial government left their country.
What about Malaysia?
One ingredient in Malaysia that can be our strength or cause of our fall, is our diversity. For more than 60 years, there was a tug of war between these ideals. Is our diversity our strength or our fall in the making?
In the beginning, it seems we were on the right track. Even when we were faced with the communist threat, whose members were mostly of one ethnic make up, we banded together as a nation and come out of it stronger.
But now, our sectarianism is widening. But at the same time, our unity is also stronger. Yes, the statement is contradictory, but humans are full of contradiction. But this widening contradiction is why we are at a tipping point.
Let me explain.
We are becoming more sectarian. Our inter-ethnic relations are being tested more and more. The latest manifestation of this is that "buying" campaign. Those who propagate this campaign do not understand the fundamentals of economics. When they mix their lack of understanding with race based rhetoric & campaign, they are seeding the fall of our nation.
Even within the Malay Muslim community themselves, they are becoming more sectarian. New sects are jostling for power within the machinations of government. Politically, the Malays are also more divided.
All of these division are OK if tempered with common sense and free & healthy dialogues, free & healthy exchange of ideas that seeks to understand and accommodate. But they are not. Everyone seems intent to destroy and crush one another.
But then, CoVid19 happened. CoVid19 is a blight but it also gives hope. Because when we were at our most vulnerable, the nation banded together. Everyone of all ethnicity, creed and idealogies.
The nation comes first.
Humans come first.
Kindness and compassion come first.
What is more amazing, it happened right in the middle of a political crisis.
So, there is yet hope for Malaysia.
This youtube vidoe sums it up better than I do.
So, what next for Malaysia after this?
Will we come out of this better?
Will we avoid slipping into the point of no return?
Or is this nation-wide harmonious cooperation just a temporary truce in our ongoing cultural & socio-economic war among us?
Will we stop our tug of war after this or revert to our sectranian & ethnic animosity?
I do not know.
Only you can answer this yourself.
I am a student (amateur) of history.
A reader of socio-political issue.
I read history and analysis of historical events to understand current events and predict the future based on those historical events. Because history are made by humans and in the end, human nature, at its most basic, are the same, no matter what time period you are at; how "modern" you have become.
Nations and civilisations goes through a cycle of rise and falls. This social theory is proven throughout history. I have mentioned this in one of my previous post. The USA and the western world is also at a tipping point. But I do not want to talk about them, yet. For now, I want to highlight about Malaysia.
There are many reasons why nations rise and many reasons why nations fall.
It is rarely just one thing. It is a million little things and events accumulating to that one event, that tipping point, a point of no return, where your nation will decline and crumble.
For the Greeks & Romans, they invented democracy, but they had slaves who were oppressed. When the slaves revolted, it set a chain of events that led to their fall.
For the Ottoman, they shunned innovation and become dogmatic in order to control their vast empire against attacks from within and without. This decline in civilisational mindset becomes the main reason for their downfall
For the Soviet Union, they curtailed freedom and oppressed their citizens through autocratic and authoritarian government machinations. The citizens revolted and the socialist republic fell. Luckily for them, it was a "soft" revolution, their country did not fall into chaos. It was difficult for awhile, but they persevered.
For Lebanon, sectarian (religious, ethnic, tribal) conflicts erupted almost instantly after the French colonial government left their country.
What about Malaysia?
One ingredient in Malaysia that can be our strength or cause of our fall, is our diversity. For more than 60 years, there was a tug of war between these ideals. Is our diversity our strength or our fall in the making?
In the beginning, it seems we were on the right track. Even when we were faced with the communist threat, whose members were mostly of one ethnic make up, we banded together as a nation and come out of it stronger.
But now, our sectarianism is widening. But at the same time, our unity is also stronger. Yes, the statement is contradictory, but humans are full of contradiction. But this widening contradiction is why we are at a tipping point.
Let me explain.
We are becoming more sectarian. Our inter-ethnic relations are being tested more and more. The latest manifestation of this is that "buying" campaign. Those who propagate this campaign do not understand the fundamentals of economics. When they mix their lack of understanding with race based rhetoric & campaign, they are seeding the fall of our nation.
Even within the Malay Muslim community themselves, they are becoming more sectarian. New sects are jostling for power within the machinations of government. Politically, the Malays are also more divided.
All of these division are OK if tempered with common sense and free & healthy dialogues, free & healthy exchange of ideas that seeks to understand and accommodate. But they are not. Everyone seems intent to destroy and crush one another.
But then, CoVid19 happened. CoVid19 is a blight but it also gives hope. Because when we were at our most vulnerable, the nation banded together. Everyone of all ethnicity, creed and idealogies.
The nation comes first.
Humans come first.
Kindness and compassion come first.
What is more amazing, it happened right in the middle of a political crisis.
So, there is yet hope for Malaysia.
This youtube vidoe sums it up better than I do.
So, what next for Malaysia after this?
Will we come out of this better?
Will we avoid slipping into the point of no return?
Or is this nation-wide harmonious cooperation just a temporary truce in our ongoing cultural & socio-economic war among us?
Will we stop our tug of war after this or revert to our sectranian & ethnic animosity?
I do not know.
Only you can answer this yourself.
Sunday, 31 May 2020
Hikayat Moden: Bahagian V (...melebarkan sayapnya...)
Baca Bahagian I, Bahagian II, Bahagian III & Bahagian IV di sini.
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Lebai Pak Belalang membelanjakan duit negeri untuk membuka kawasan pembalakan di kawasan perbukitan dan pergunungan negeri. Kawasan ini adalah kawasan tadahan air yang sangat penting untuk mengelakkan banjir
dari menjadi lebih teruk.
Rakyat jelata yang bimbang akan hal ini mengadu kepada Lebai Pak Belalang. Apabila aduan ini sampai kepada Lebai Pak Belalang, dia menjadi marah atas kebodohan rakyat jelata.
Lebai Pak Belalang memanggil rakyat jelata ke perhimpunan di dewan negeri. Dia menayangkan statistik saintifik kadar pertumbuhan tumbuhan dan pokok-pokok di kawasan pembalakan tersebut.
Katanya, tiap-tiap tahun pokok semakin membesar dan menjadi semakin berat. Berat yang bertambah atas bukit-bukit dan pergunungan ini akan menjadi beban kepada bukit dan gunung tersebut. Lama kelamaan jika tidak ditebang,
bukit dan gunung akan runtuh akibat dari berat yang semakin bertambah dan menyebabkan bencana tanah runtuh yang boleh menjahanamkan sungai dan kawasan-kawasan rendah di seluruh negeri.
Tambah Lebai Pak Belalang lagi, pokok-pokok dan daun-daun yang mati boleh menyebabkan kebakaran hutan yang akan mendatangkan bencana yang lagi besar. Lebih baik kawasan tersebut ditebang dan dimajukan bagi mengelakkan risiko kebakaran hutan.
Lebai Pak Belalang menegur rakyat jelata yang tidak percaya akan kepimpinan lebai dan ulamak yang bijaksana. Mereka lebih tahu apa yang bagus untuk kesejahteraan dan keberkatan negeri.
Rakyat jelata yang mendengar ucapan Lebai Pak Belalang berasa malu kerana meragui kebijaksanaan Lebai Pak Belalang. Mereka lupa yang mereka memberi gelaran Lebai kepada Lebai Pak belalang kerana kebijaksanaan dan sifatnya yang alim lagi warak dan yang lebih tahu akan apa yang Tuhan mahukan untuk negeri.
Mereka pun balik dan memberi sepenuh kepercayaan kepada Lebai Pak Belalang untuk membelanja khazanah negeri ikut suka hatinya tanpa kritikan lanjut.
Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian VI bulan hadapan...
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.
.
Lebai Pak Belalang membelanjakan duit negeri untuk membuka kawasan pembalakan di kawasan perbukitan dan pergunungan negeri. Kawasan ini adalah kawasan tadahan air yang sangat penting untuk mengelakkan banjir
dari menjadi lebih teruk.
Rakyat jelata yang bimbang akan hal ini mengadu kepada Lebai Pak Belalang. Apabila aduan ini sampai kepada Lebai Pak Belalang, dia menjadi marah atas kebodohan rakyat jelata.
Lebai Pak Belalang memanggil rakyat jelata ke perhimpunan di dewan negeri. Dia menayangkan statistik saintifik kadar pertumbuhan tumbuhan dan pokok-pokok di kawasan pembalakan tersebut.
Katanya, tiap-tiap tahun pokok semakin membesar dan menjadi semakin berat. Berat yang bertambah atas bukit-bukit dan pergunungan ini akan menjadi beban kepada bukit dan gunung tersebut. Lama kelamaan jika tidak ditebang,
bukit dan gunung akan runtuh akibat dari berat yang semakin bertambah dan menyebabkan bencana tanah runtuh yang boleh menjahanamkan sungai dan kawasan-kawasan rendah di seluruh negeri.
Tambah Lebai Pak Belalang lagi, pokok-pokok dan daun-daun yang mati boleh menyebabkan kebakaran hutan yang akan mendatangkan bencana yang lagi besar. Lebih baik kawasan tersebut ditebang dan dimajukan bagi mengelakkan risiko kebakaran hutan.
Lebai Pak Belalang menegur rakyat jelata yang tidak percaya akan kepimpinan lebai dan ulamak yang bijaksana. Mereka lebih tahu apa yang bagus untuk kesejahteraan dan keberkatan negeri.
Rakyat jelata yang mendengar ucapan Lebai Pak Belalang berasa malu kerana meragui kebijaksanaan Lebai Pak Belalang. Mereka lupa yang mereka memberi gelaran Lebai kepada Lebai Pak belalang kerana kebijaksanaan dan sifatnya yang alim lagi warak dan yang lebih tahu akan apa yang Tuhan mahukan untuk negeri.
Mereka pun balik dan memberi sepenuh kepercayaan kepada Lebai Pak Belalang untuk membelanja khazanah negeri ikut suka hatinya tanpa kritikan lanjut.
Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian VI bulan hadapan...
Sunday, 10 May 2020
Mother's Day Songs.
I think you should appreciate your mother everyday of the year, or whenever you can or want to, not just one day in May.
Hence, I do not celebrate Mother's Day; but the reason why I decided to post this anyway, is another rabbit hole altogether, which I do not want to torture you with for now.
Having said that, for those of you who still want to celebrate Mother's Day and want to do it with a song; a different song than the standard song from Mamat Exist; here is an international list of songs that appreciate mothers in all circumstances...because let's face it, in the end, you always run back to your mother, no matter what.
Enjoy!
1) For those who think that syurga di bawah telapak kaki Ibu.
"Ada Syurga Di Rumah Mu" by Dafi Ahmad.
2) For those who see love emanating from their mother's eyes, listen to this French song, which I translate as "Sinar Mata Mama"
"Les Yeux de la Mama" by Kendji Girac.
3) For those who was a naughty child and want to express appreciation to their mothers for being patient with them all those years throughout the growing pains, listen to this Russian song. The word "Mama" is so universal, I believe I do not have to translate that for you.
"Mama" by Oleg Gazmanov.
4) For those who want to show appreciation to both their father and mother with metal rock music.
For those of you who are in that rebellious stage but still want to show appreciation without seemingly succumbing to melodramatic, this should also suits you.
"Our Decades in the Sun" by Floor Jansen of Nightwish.
5) For those who had a difficult year, or currently experiencing a hard moment in life, and only have their mothers to pour out their pains, listen to this Dutch song.
(This is such a good rendition of the song that one commenter even said, “I feel destroyed by her voice, in the most beautiful of ways”.)
"Mama" by Floor Jansen (translation here).
6) Finally, for those who just want to say thank you to their mothers.
"Terima Kasih Ibu" by Evan Sanders.
Lyrics:
Pernahku ragu dalam hidup ini,
Hingga tak mampu tuk berdiri,
Namun kau tetap menyemangati,
Memberi arti makna hidup ini.
Pernahku salah menyakitimu,
Hingga membuat kau terluka,
Namun kau tetap memaafkanku,
Sseribu kali maafku untukmu...
Terima kasih Ibu atas cinta yang kau beri,
Maafkan ku tak bisa membalas segalanya,
Hanya laguku ini sebagai tanda maaf kami
Atas dasar cintaku kepadamu
Hence, I do not celebrate Mother's Day; but the reason why I decided to post this anyway, is another rabbit hole altogether, which I do not want to torture you with for now.
Having said that, for those of you who still want to celebrate Mother's Day and want to do it with a song; a different song than the standard song from Mamat Exist; here is an international list of songs that appreciate mothers in all circumstances...because let's face it, in the end, you always run back to your mother, no matter what.
Enjoy!
1) For those who think that syurga di bawah telapak kaki Ibu.
"Ada Syurga Di Rumah Mu" by Dafi Ahmad.
2) For those who see love emanating from their mother's eyes, listen to this French song, which I translate as "Sinar Mata Mama"
"Les Yeux de la Mama" by Kendji Girac.
3) For those who was a naughty child and want to express appreciation to their mothers for being patient with them all those years throughout the growing pains, listen to this Russian song. The word "Mama" is so universal, I believe I do not have to translate that for you.
"Mama" by Oleg Gazmanov.
4) For those who want to show appreciation to both their father and mother with metal rock music.
For those of you who are in that rebellious stage but still want to show appreciation without seemingly succumbing to melodramatic, this should also suits you.
"Our Decades in the Sun" by Floor Jansen of Nightwish.
5) For those who had a difficult year, or currently experiencing a hard moment in life, and only have their mothers to pour out their pains, listen to this Dutch song.
(This is such a good rendition of the song that one commenter even said, “I feel destroyed by her voice, in the most beautiful of ways”.)
"Mama" by Floor Jansen (translation here).
6) Finally, for those who just want to say thank you to their mothers.
"Terima Kasih Ibu" by Evan Sanders.
Lyrics:
Pernahku ragu dalam hidup ini,
Hingga tak mampu tuk berdiri,
Namun kau tetap menyemangati,
Memberi arti makna hidup ini.
Pernahku salah menyakitimu,
Hingga membuat kau terluka,
Namun kau tetap memaafkanku,
Sseribu kali maafku untukmu...
Terima kasih Ibu atas cinta yang kau beri,
Maafkan ku tak bisa membalas segalanya,
Hanya laguku ini sebagai tanda maaf kami
Atas dasar cintaku kepadamu
Thursday, 30 April 2020
Hikayat Moden: Bahagian IV (Metamorfosis Pak Belalang...)
Baca Bahagian I, Bahagian II & Bahagian III di sini.
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Sejak mendapat gelaran Lebai, Lebai Pak Belalang menambah pendapatan dengan memberi ceramah. Orang ramai menjemput Lebai Pak Belalang untuk memberi ceramah di sana sini walaupun dia hanyalah habis belajar setakat Darjah Enam sahaja; hanya kerana gelaran yang diberi manusia sekeliling. Apatah lagi dia mendapat gelaran tersebut sebelum bulan puasa.
Maka banyaklah undangan-undangan ceramah yang dia terima di bulan puasa ini. Selain dapat berbuka percuma, ada bayaran sampingan sebagai cenderahati memberi ceramah. Ada juga yang memberi derma kepada Lebai Pak Belalang dengan memasukkan duit terus ke dalam akaun Bank bijaN Lebai Pak Belalang tanpa pengetahuannya. "Rezeki bulan puasa dari penderma murah hati yang tidak diketahui", kata Lebai Pak Belalang, bila orang memberi komen akan hal ini.
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Penulis juga terpaksa memberhentikan sekejap ("pause") cerita ini di bulan puasa ini; sementara penulis memeriksa dalam buku-buku agama samada adakah berdosa atau tidak mengumpat seorang karakter personaliti fiksyen di bulan puasa ini, (apakah terbatal puasa penulis?), apatah lagi yang bergelar Lebai.
Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian V bulan hadapan selepas Raya...
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Sejak mendapat gelaran Lebai, Lebai Pak Belalang menambah pendapatan dengan memberi ceramah. Orang ramai menjemput Lebai Pak Belalang untuk memberi ceramah di sana sini walaupun dia hanyalah habis belajar setakat Darjah Enam sahaja; hanya kerana gelaran yang diberi manusia sekeliling. Apatah lagi dia mendapat gelaran tersebut sebelum bulan puasa.
Maka banyaklah undangan-undangan ceramah yang dia terima di bulan puasa ini. Selain dapat berbuka percuma, ada bayaran sampingan sebagai cenderahati memberi ceramah. Ada juga yang memberi derma kepada Lebai Pak Belalang dengan memasukkan duit terus ke dalam akaun Bank bijaN Lebai Pak Belalang tanpa pengetahuannya. "Rezeki bulan puasa dari penderma murah hati yang tidak diketahui", kata Lebai Pak Belalang, bila orang memberi komen akan hal ini.
 |
| Locusts swarm. Photo credit nationalgeographic.com |
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Penulis juga terpaksa memberhentikan sekejap ("pause") cerita ini di bulan puasa ini; sementara penulis memeriksa dalam buku-buku agama samada adakah berdosa atau tidak mengumpat seorang karakter personaliti fiksyen di bulan puasa ini, (apakah terbatal puasa penulis?), apatah lagi yang bergelar Lebai.
Bersambung di Hikayat Moden: Bahagian V bulan hadapan selepas Raya...
Saturday, 18 April 2020
Thoughts on CoVid19 Outbreak
When ordinary people give comments about religion that agamawan do not agree with, the agamawan always say, leave the religious analysis or commentary to the religious experts, since they have (supposedly) studied the religion in detail and in depth.
They would inevitably resort to their most famous and most used analogy or metaphor; when you are sick or have a health issues, you go see a doctor or medical experts; and similarly when you have a religious queries or problems, you go to the agamawan.
Well, during the CoVid19 outbreak, it was fun to see the hypocrisy of the agamawan. (It was fun because when you noticed people's hypocrisy, and just watch it without calling them out, it becomes a real life sitcom comedy).
Every agamawan scrambled to give their two cents worth on the crisis even though it is not even a religious problem but a medical ones. They insist they have the authority to close the mosques even though it should be the Health authorities. It was as if the Corona virus was a religious problem rather than a medical problem.
What is even more hypocritical is that they claim to know how to combat the virus, (and no it is not with vaccination or other medical protocol). They also claim to know why the virus spread (not surprisingly all claims of this nature inevitably blame God).
Some agamawan even experienced hysteria when it was decided to close the mosques and stop jemaah prayers. It was double hypocrisy. They do not want to listen to the medical experts, who, rightly in their own metaphor, have the expertise and authority in this matter.
Secondly, they "tunjuk alim" by exclaiming that those who agree with the mosque closure are more afraid of the virus than of God. They insinuated that they have more faith, more alim since they are not afraid of tiny weeny viruses, and those who do not go to mosques during this outbreak are weak in faith.
They and many other people berlagak alim and shared social media posts along the lines of
- "takut Tuhan, jangan takut virus", or
- "probabilities of death from Covid19 is 1% but death at anytime is 100%", or
- "Covid19 is just God's cretaure, no need to be afraid", or
- "my faith will protect me from this virus", or
- "God send this virus to punish/remind us of X or whatever".
Also, many people almost went into hysterics when Mekah was closed to pilgrims. Photos of empty Kaabah flew around and warnings that "The End of Days" is near just because Mekah is empty also made the round. It was almost funny if it were not so sad.
They wanted to tunjuk alim. What they do not realise is that they are essentially blaming God for the virus outbreak.
Well, I have some news for you.
A virus is just a virus.
They are just doing what they are supposed to do, being a parasite, and infecting people and along the way making them sick.
It is just Nature.
Or if you want a religious terminology or jargon, it is Sunnatullah.
Sunnatullah is just Laws of Nature.
And with respect to viruses, this law dictates that virus are parasitic organism that can cause diseases.
That's all.
Just because a new virus is causing a global pandemic, it does not mean Qiamat or The End of Days is near. The world economy may take a hit and be in recession, but it is far from being The End of Days. It is also not a reminder or punishment from God. Again, it is just virus being themselves.
We human have to study them using reason and science. Learn how to manage them medically or biologically or socially.
That is what being "Khalifah" on Earth is all about (it has nothing to do with a theocratic statehood).
They would inevitably resort to their most famous and most used analogy or metaphor; when you are sick or have a health issues, you go see a doctor or medical experts; and similarly when you have a religious queries or problems, you go to the agamawan.
Well, during the CoVid19 outbreak, it was fun to see the hypocrisy of the agamawan. (It was fun because when you noticed people's hypocrisy, and just watch it without calling them out, it becomes a real life sitcom comedy).
Every agamawan scrambled to give their two cents worth on the crisis even though it is not even a religious problem but a medical ones. They insist they have the authority to close the mosques even though it should be the Health authorities. It was as if the Corona virus was a religious problem rather than a medical problem.
What is even more hypocritical is that they claim to know how to combat the virus, (and no it is not with vaccination or other medical protocol). They also claim to know why the virus spread (not surprisingly all claims of this nature inevitably blame God).
Some agamawan even experienced hysteria when it was decided to close the mosques and stop jemaah prayers. It was double hypocrisy. They do not want to listen to the medical experts, who, rightly in their own metaphor, have the expertise and authority in this matter.
Secondly, they "tunjuk alim" by exclaiming that those who agree with the mosque closure are more afraid of the virus than of God. They insinuated that they have more faith, more alim since they are not afraid of tiny weeny viruses, and those who do not go to mosques during this outbreak are weak in faith.
They and many other people berlagak alim and shared social media posts along the lines of
- "takut Tuhan, jangan takut virus", or
- "probabilities of death from Covid19 is 1% but death at anytime is 100%", or
- "Covid19 is just God's cretaure, no need to be afraid", or
- "my faith will protect me from this virus", or
- "God send this virus to punish/remind us of X or whatever".
Also, many people almost went into hysterics when Mekah was closed to pilgrims. Photos of empty Kaabah flew around and warnings that "The End of Days" is near just because Mekah is empty also made the round. It was almost funny if it were not so sad.
They wanted to tunjuk alim. What they do not realise is that they are essentially blaming God for the virus outbreak.
Well, I have some news for you.
A virus is just a virus.
They are just doing what they are supposed to do, being a parasite, and infecting people and along the way making them sick.
It is just Nature.
Or if you want a religious terminology or jargon, it is Sunnatullah.
Sunnatullah is just Laws of Nature.
And with respect to viruses, this law dictates that virus are parasitic organism that can cause diseases.
That's all.
Just because a new virus is causing a global pandemic, it does not mean Qiamat or The End of Days is near. The world economy may take a hit and be in recession, but it is far from being The End of Days. It is also not a reminder or punishment from God. Again, it is just virus being themselves.
We human have to study them using reason and science. Learn how to manage them medically or biologically or socially.
That is what being "Khalifah" on Earth is all about (it has nothing to do with a theocratic statehood).
Wednesday, 8 April 2020
Super Full Moon (Latest on the astronomy news and a song based on Spanish folklore legend).
Tonight's and last month's full moon were a super full moon.
Refer to the footnote of last month's post on what is a super full moon.
Also, scientist has discovered that the Earth recently acquired a second moon.
Just a small one; albeit a temporary one, dubbed a mini moon.
Talking about the moon, we may also get another "moon" or something that looks like a moon when the star Betelgeuse goes supernova. (Betelgeuse star is part of the constellation Orion, forming the shoulder of Orion, the hunter. In the original Arabic, the name means "the armpit of the Giant"). Since Betelgeuse is relatively near to our Solar system (in astronomical terms), its explosion will be so bright that, from Earth, the supernova will shine as bright as the moon. It will look like the Earth has another moon.
For another story about the Moon, here is a song about the Moon inspired by a Spanish folklore. The Moon has a dark side and a generous side. She grants the gipsy woman her wish but asked for something selfish in return.
Hijo de la Luna (Son of the Moon).
Refer to the footnote of last month's post on what is a super full moon.
Also, scientist has discovered that the Earth recently acquired a second moon.
Just a small one; albeit a temporary one, dubbed a mini moon.
Talking about the moon, we may also get another "moon" or something that looks like a moon when the star Betelgeuse goes supernova. (Betelgeuse star is part of the constellation Orion, forming the shoulder of Orion, the hunter. In the original Arabic, the name means "the armpit of the Giant"). Since Betelgeuse is relatively near to our Solar system (in astronomical terms), its explosion will be so bright that, from Earth, the supernova will shine as bright as the moon. It will look like the Earth has another moon.
For another story about the Moon, here is a song about the Moon inspired by a Spanish folklore. The Moon has a dark side and a generous side. She grants the gipsy woman her wish but asked for something selfish in return.
Hijo de la Luna (Son of the Moon).
Version by Mario Frangoulis (with English translation).
Version by Geronimo Rauch & Carlos Rivera.
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