The khutbah before solat jumaat today talked about "kemerdekaan", independence. The true meaning of independence in Islam. Because really, as Muslims, there's definitely no other way to at things that it being according to Islam, the teaching of our prophet SAW.
This is our 52nd year celebrating independence. We celebrate independence on 31th of August every year to commemorate our forefathers' struggles to attain independence, freedom from the clutches of the Brits. And also to celebrate the success that the country has achieved ever since.
What have we achieved so far? I'll let myself ponder this question a little bit longer and get back.
Anyway, the khubah today questioned whether the independence that we have been celebrating for the last 51 years is the independence meant according to Islam. Independence in Islam is not just physical freedom. It's also mental and spiritual freedom. I'm just going to talk about the mental part. Mental freedom, as in, free from the influence of the western perspectives or any non-Islamic mentality.
As clearly demonstrated by our youths today, the trend that has been dominating is the western trend, the western culture - wearing revealing clothes and displaying obscene behaviors that are "cool".
The people have been brainwashed by the media to think that this western lifestyle which is far from the teachings and guidelines of Islam is the correct way of life, the "modern" way of life. I can tell you this, it's definitely not the way of life that guarantees success in the afterlife.
But this is the reality of the Muslims in this country. This influence, this perspective is trapping our minds. We are not free unless our minds are free. We are bent on thinking that if we beat other countries to the skies with our skyscrapers, we are a successful country. We believe that if we have such a great economy and class-leading technology, we will be a great country.
Sure, let's say one day we achieve all that, but if the majority of Muslims in this country do not pray, there is no success in the eyes of Allah. This was never the kind of success that Islam has drawn for us. We're not achieving what Islam wants us to, we're achieving what other countries are achieving. Until we realize this, we'll never be independent.
1 comment:
yup Nazri...there are still people who tend to be ignorant towards their surroundings...all they know is complain and never thought of "bersyukur"...all this privillages are temporary and at any moment god may take it back from us...so Malaysian wake up and this would be something to be pondered...
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