Catatan Hidup Seorang Aku

Semalam menghadiri dinner & talk by Bro Idris Tawfiq.
Terima kasih kepada Kor Jurutera Letrik dan Jentera Diraja kerana mengajurkan dinner/amal ini.
Kutuliskan ini moga-moga ada sedikit kebaikan untuk seluruh manusia.

Talk by Bro Idris Tawfiq
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Ketika saya di universiti, saya suka menghabiskan masa saya dalam komuniti religious. Katolik. Ada 12 orang kesemuanya. Kami lakukan talk, dan sebagainya. Ketika itu saya berumur dalam 21 tahun.

Kemudian, ketika di gereja, orang gereja bertanya kepada saya.
"What are you like most?" asked them.
"I like travelling,...,art and opera," i said. (nota penulis-"...." penulis tidak ingat , nanti recall balik).
"If that so, you should go to Vatican. I send u there," said the priest.
"Oh that is great!".

Then i went to Rome, to study to become a priest. Ada baik dan buruknya, tapi saya tidak akan bercerita yang buruk-buruk. Saya akan bercerita yang baik-baik sahaja.Saya berada di Rome selama 5 tahun.

Ketika di sana, ada satu majlis yang dihadiri oleh Pope. Pope itu sangat sudah tua.Oh, saya sangat gembira. Saya datang awal. Sesiapa yang datang awal, ya, seperti Michael Jackson, orang akan berebut-rebut to touch his hand. Saya pun begitu juga. Teruja untuk berjumpa dengan Pope.Saya berdiri di tengah-tengah dewan. Seperti orang muda di sana. (nota penulis- Bro Idris pointed to the young man in the center of the hall).

Kemudian saya bersalam dengannya. Very tight. I hold both of my hand, sehinggakan cincin pada Pope itu terlucut dan berada di tangan saya.Matanya bersinar melihat saya.Saya melihat cincin itu. Kemudian Pope itu berkata "that's my ring". (nota penulis: Bro Idris meniru suara Pope yang sudah amat tua itu- penilaian saya ketika mendengar ini, mungkin maksud yang mahu disampaikan oleh Bro Idris adalah Pope mahu dia menggantikan Pope satu hari nanti)

Sehingga pada satu ketika, Pope ini meninggal dunia. Semua orang sayangkan dia.Kerana pernah dahulu Muslim komuniti mahu membina masjid, dan ada penentangan, kemudian Pope berkata, "Let them built the mosque."Sehinggakan ada desas desus yang mengatakan Pope itu telah masuk Islam ketika saat-saat akhirnya. I don't know. Allah knows. May be, because we all love him, all the people love him. When we love someone, we hope no other than that he/she will become a muslim.

I am enjoy become a priest. You know, when young couple go to you and said " lets married us".Ada kematian, baptist new baby born, perkahwinan semuanya memanggil saya. "Please come to my home, my mum passed away."They loved me and i love them too.

Saya gembira. Tidak ada apa-apa yang menjadi masalah kepada saya. Tapi jauh di sudut hati saya, saya merasa lonely. Ada sesuatu yang tidak kena. Kemudian saya tidak menjadi paderi lagi. Niat saya bukan mahu masuk Islam,saya tidak tahu apa itu Islam. Saya hanya tidak mahu menjadi paderi lagi.

I want to take a rest.Which part of the world which is having sun and the cost is not expensive since i don't have enough money.I browse internet and found out Egypt meet my criteria.

I went to Egypt. I don't know anything about Islam.What i know is Islam is terrorist because it was the only TV shown to us. In all my life, I doesn't even know any Muslim scholars. I'm not knowing Islam by reading or anything.My knowledge abaout islam is nothing.

The first i knew about Islam , I learnt from a kid.This small kid was 12 years old. He was wearing slipper, pakaian agak sedikit tidak terurus, but not dirty.He always standing near my hotel selling banana. The first i knew about Islam was when he said "Assalamualaikum".He knew i were a foreigner because i were a white color skin man."Assalamualaikum".

In our culture, we always asked kids back,"How are you sweetheart?" And he replied back with a big smile,"Alhamdulillah". He said Alhamdulillah (thanks to Allah) even he doesn't have anything.We, all of us here, who have all these,eating deliciously, in this beutiful hall saying that words with all our heart?

Then in Egypt, i always saw people praying at anytimes and anywhere.At station bus, etc etc.In London, we can't see this situation. I always heard the words "Assalamualaikum", "InsyaAllah", "Alhamdulillah".

He asked us :If someone said "Assalamualaikum" while going out from mosque saying to anyone, then others will ask back "did i know you?".People said "InsyaAllah.What it means exactly?It means only with Allah will.You will not go out from this halltonight if without Allah will. When someone ask us to go to somewhere, anad we said "InsyaAllah"(but we did not mean to go anyway. We said just because we want to please them.It doesn't mean like that. But the real meaning is anything we plan ourselves will not be if without Allah will.(note: tak ingat kat mana susunan kronology ayat ini.

Then, i return to England. There, i have to find a job. Then, there is a job for teaching. Allah memang sudah merancang. Kebetulannya di sekolah itu subject agama yang perlu di ajar. Ada 5 agama. Jews,Cristian, Buddhist,Islamic,......, (nota penulis- tak sure satu agama lagi yang disebut)

I choose to teach Islamic religion. Peliknya, i am non muslim, teaching muslim. Budak-budak di situ 13 tahun bercampur dari banyak negara, Lithuania,yemen,...,...,...., Most of them are refugees. They are very naughty kids. Then i have to study every night. I read books so that the next morning, i can teach them.

I teach them to pray, to fast etc. Then ketika solat, tidak ada tempat untuk solat. Mahasuci Allah. Hanya di bilik saya yang ada karpet. Then i said, "yes you can use my room." Pengetua juga membenarkan. Dengan syarat saya ada bersama di bilik itu ketika budak-budak itu solat.Pengetua berkata"You must be in there too, if not these naughty kids will even try to stole your carpet." 2-3 hari pertama saya ada di bilik itu, I just marking my students works, not paying any attention to what these young kids doing.Kemudian selepas itu saya melihat mereka diam, diam. Mereka rukuk dan sujud. Kemudian saya curi-curi mendengar apa yang mereka katakan.

i heard what they are saying in Arabic and secretly i search in internet what are the words they are saying abaout.Then i also pray together with them.

When fasting month, i told them "i will fast with all of you to support you."

Then one fine day, i went to the biggest mosque in London. Cat Steven was there, now known as Yusof Islam.The one most popular man 1970's. The mosque was very active.They talk about how to clean your beard, foot, clothes etc etc.

I met Yusof Islam and i asked him "I am non muslim. You told me what i supposed to do if i am muslim?"

Yusof answered "You must pray 5 times a day".

I said, "yes, yes i prayed already"

Yusof answered again "You have to fast during ramadhan".

I said,"yes, yes i fasting the whole month last ramadhan."

He stunned at me. Then he said,"then you are a muslim already. Who are you to fool around?" When he said like this i heard "Allahuakbar..." "Allahuakbar" azan. My head was spinning. "Who are you to fool around?" This question is keep questioning in my head.

When praying time, i prayed with them.When my ears heard Quran reciting, i'm crying. I'm praying till the end. Afterthat, Yusof came to me, and i said to her "I want to become a Muslim.Please help me." Yusof told "Ok, you should say kalimah shahadah. La illaha ila Allah wa Muhammadun rasoolollah.There is no (other) Lord except Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah. (notes:will find the spelling in arabic.This phrase must be pronounced aloud infront of witnesses in order for someone to be initiated as a new Muslim).

Then scholars there hug me. They happy for me. They said,"you go home, take a bath.This is to remind your body that you are new & clean now.You are the most clean(notes:will find the exact words)among us now since all your sins previously are gone away.

If anyone asked me what is the differences before and after conversion. I said nothing differ. All people believe to God. Even when a kid got a cancer, the mother will pray, "God, please save our kid".We pray God to save our wife and kids. This believe to God is natural. Everyone. And Islam is a natural religion.

In Islam practice, there is wudhuk, wash some part of your body before start praying.When you want to see a king, you are make sure that you are in good condition, you put a perfume, you wear a good clothes.And what about if you want to see the king of kingdom.By wudhuk, you got a chance to purify our hands, feet, hair, face. And also it means our heart. And when you are praying, should be prepared.How can you prepared in best condition if you watch a telenovela anad pray as fast as you can and then go back to watch your series?

And you said "Bismillahirrahmanirrahim" each time you want to do anything.Did you say bismillah just now before you eat?Because bismillah with it means In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful, we hope Allah will protect us in our everyday life.

When someone give you wiski and you recite Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Did you drink the wiski after you recite Bismillahirrahminirrahim? U didn't, right? So Allah protect us.

I don't know how about Muslim Malaysian reading Al Quran. Is it just reading without knowing their meaning or not.But Quran have everything. We have to read the tafseer. I , who are not a scientist, are very amazed of what scientific fact found in Quran.

I hadith. I interprete with my own words.When Muslim stands before Allah in the day of judgement, then Allah will told what is good and what is bad you are done on earth.Man want to add but Allah said ,"No need to add. I told you what you have done. All. Bad as well as good." And then the list is goes on.Bad doing. And then when it comes to good doing Allah read to the man, "You built a mosque." The man replied," No, I don't build a mosque".

Allah said" Yes, you do.When you pray after solah,:if i am a rich man one day, i will build a mosque".(notes: Brother Idris paused a while. His eyes tearies and he can't speak anymore.I knew most of us in that hall have this feeling too.My eyes teary.What Bro Idris want to say is with just one good intention, even not done it yet, Muslim already get what he mean for it).

The talk end just like that Bro Idris can't speak and he just sit down. Hold his tasbih. But all the floors keep quiet.

Q&A
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Notes:
My writting mixed between English and Malay. If someone read this, and want to translate to the better full English or whatever language in this world, i am happy. Just forward back to me the translation in English, and i will put back here.

To be continued.

2. ISU KE DUA.

Aku tidak akan menulis panjang lebar mengenai apa kutukan Prof Zainal Keling terhadap Tuan Guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat, menteri besar Kelantan.Kalau kau mahu cari, boleh cari sendiri. Tapi apa yang hatiku tidak tahan untuk terus pendamkan apabila ayat saudara Zainal ini berbunyi begini. "Nik Aziz bukan ulama.Kalau dia ulama, dia tidak akan terlibat dengan politik."

Oh? Sungguhkah begitu? Kalau begitu siapa yang sebenarnya harus terlibat dengan politik? Politik itu apa sebenarnya? Bukankah politik itu adalah kepimpinan? Dan kalau disebut kepemimpinan, siapakah sebenarnya yang lebih layak memimpin? Apakah kuda? atau ayam? atau siapa sebenarnya? Tentunya jawapannya adalah MUSLIM YANG BERTAKWA. Memang kita tidak tahu siapakah di antara manusia yang bertakwa ataupun tidak, tapi ULAMA ITU PEWARIS NABI. Jadi harusnya ULAMA la yang harus memimpin manusia. Kalau memilih yang bukan ulama, jadilah seperti apa yang tidak ingin manusia lihat hari ini.

Sesungguhnya tanpa keimananan, apabila manusia dalam keadaan tersepit, kata-kata yang keluar amatlah tidak dapat diterima dek akal walau setiggi mana ilmu dunia di dadanya. Yang keluar sangat tidak logik, walaupun ilmu yang mereka ada adalah pakar dalam bidang logika dan matematika. Ayat yang sungguh keberadaannya boleh dikategorikan sebagai defensive mode kadangkala secara jelas dapat membayangkan tahap sebenar orang yang mengeluarkan kata-kata. Apakah kata-katanya benar-benar dari kata hatinya atau hanya sekadar untuk menutup sesuatu.Hanya Allah yang maha mengetahui sesuatu.

Sungguh sistem pendidikan sekular telah membarah dalam masyarakat!