Misquoting Muhammad

Innal hamdulillahi nahmaduhu wanasta'inuhu wanastaghfiruhu wana'uzubillahi min syururi anfusinaa wamin sayyiati a'maalinaa, mayahdillahu falaa mudhillalah, wamayyudhlil falaa haadiyalah.

Asyhadu allaa illaa ha illallah,

wa asyhadu anna muhammadan 'abduhu wa rosuuluh

(Praise be to Allah, we praise Him only, ask for help, and begged forgiveness.

We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and our bad deeds.

He whom Allah guides, none can misguide, and whoever is led astray by God, then nothing can be guided.

I testify that there is no Illah entitled in ibadahi except Allah alone, no partner to Him.

And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger)

          Alhamdulillah. It is good to be back writing here after a very long break. I am so sorry for that. This time I started my entry with Khutbatul Hajah. Our Prophet Muhammad saw always start his speech with that kind of beginning. This month (January) is already the 13^th month that this blog already exist. Alhamdulillah. Although not so many entries and viewers, but it still gives something and I also earned something.

          Today’s topic is about “Misquoting Muhammad”. I had idea to write about this about listening to someone Friday’s Khutbah. It is also because of what had happen in Paris, France. There is newspaper’s company that had insulted our Prophet Muhammad through the cartoon that they draw. They said that they are free to do so in the name of freedom of speech. Because of that, there are people that killed the people in that company.

          We never know who did that. But of course, they said that Muslim people did that. It is only rumors. Maybe they already arranged the scene to accuse the Muslim. They (European) are totally unfair in this kind of case. They can say anything towards Islam, but they take action to those who say something bad to the Jews. They will take action to those who recall back about what had Hitler had done before. They will take action if people calling the Negro with that name and so on.

          However, we that admit we are Muslim; did we really describe our Prophet Muhammad in a correct way? Most of us only used his name to brand their business to make great sales. Most of us portray him as he likes to punish people. Most of us when talk about Islam; only Hudud comes out from their mouth. When the non-Muslim hear about Islam, the things that they think is cut hand, whipping, canning, kill and decapitate.

Dari Abdullah bin Salam r.a, dia berkata : ‘Pertama kali Rasulullah saw datang ke Madinah, orang ramai berkerumun kepadanya (dan) aku termasuk orang yang datang kepadanya manakala aku memperhatikan wajahnya dan menelitinya dengan seksama (beliau menilai wajah Rasulullah saw), aku mengetahui bahawa wajahnya bukanlah wajah seorang pendusta.’ Abdullah bin Salam r.a berkata lagi, ‘Ucapan pertama yang aku dengar dari beliau (Nabi SAW) adalah, “Wahai manusia, sebarkanlah salam, berikanlah makan , solatlah di waktu malam sementara orang-orang sedang tidur (dan) nescaya kalian masuk syurga dengan selamat’.

(From Abdullah bin Salam ra, he said: 'The first time the Prophet came to Madinah, the people flocked to him (and) I am among those who came to him while I watched his face and studied it carefully (may peace be upon him assess the face), I know that his face is not the face of a liar. 'Abdullah bin Salam ra said,' first words i heard from him (the Prophet) is, "O people, spread the greeting, give eat, pray at night while people are sleeping (and ) you would enter Paradise in peace.)

[RIWAYAT AT-TARMIZI]

          Islam is not coming only to punish people. The laws exist but it is falling second (2^nd). The more important things are the good moral character, taking care of the neighborhood, peace environment, good governance, justice and so on. Nowadays, we are only aiming to punish people without giving, showing and telling the good example and the good things about Islam. We are making people misunderstood about this religion with the misquoting about the religion.

And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.

And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small."

[AL-ISRA’ Ch.17:V.23-24]

          In the above verse, Allah teaches us the prayer (doa) to our parents. In that verse also Allah teaches the parents to be good parents. Only the parents that have mercy to their children, that really takes a good care of their children, giving the essential things to them; living, love, sympathy and others. Only these kinds of parents are included in that prayer. If they did not do the good things to their children, they will not include in that prayer.

Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.

[AN-NISA’ Ch.4:V.34]

          Few days ago, there are stories that the government wants to put a law that parents cannot cane their children until injured. Then people start to say out their views and thought, saying that in Islam we can cane or whipping. There are people saying that, because of their parents always cane them when they were small, now they become somebody in the society. They are giving thought to the non-Muslim that in Islam the way to teach their children must be caning or whipping.

          This is not true. There are people not being cane or whipping during the childhood age still become a good person. Islam did not teach the people to teach their children that way. But still Islam has the allocation to give the punishment after all the procedures have been done. For example, I come out with the verse above.

          Allah said that men (husband) need to take a good care to their wife/wives. He must show good example, giving love, giving place to stay, food to eat, cloths to wear, teaches about the religion, fair, protect from danger and many more. If the men only know to hit to beat to slap to kick their wife, he is not qualified to become a husband. If he only depends on his wife to support him while he is healthy to do work, he is not qualified to become a husband.

          After doing all the good things and gives the best to the wife, then the wife still did not want to listen, Allah gives the steps to follow. Not to beat or strike them directly. First, need to advise them. Always and everyday remind her about the order from Allah, His prophet and the religion. After many times giving advice and still not working, Allah ask us to separate the bed. After long time, still not working, then we can strike or beat.

          However, the “strike” does not mean we can hit them until they hurt and injured. Imam Syafie said only use the tooth brush (kayu sugi) or pen. It is not to hurt them, but it is like symbol that we are serious about that. It is the same goes to the teaching the children.

“Suruhlah anak-anak kamu bersolat ketika mereka berusia tujuh tahun, dan pukul kerana meninggalkan solat ketika berusia sepuluh tahun”

("Send your children to pray when they are seven years old, and strike if leaving prayers at the age of ten years"

[Riwayat Abu Daud]

          It is not easy to just hit your children if they did not perform prayers. At 7 years old until 10 years old, with 5 times prayers daily, it is going to be more than thousands of times to practice and to train them. We ourselves as parents need to show that we also perform prayers not only at home but at mosque. We need to be the best example to them so that they will follow us.

          We as Muslim need to show to the people that Islam came to give mercy, to give peace, to give love to the people. We need to show the kindness in Islam not the aggressiveness. This religion is to guide people to Allah and to the heaven and not to punish all the time. We need to change people mind set and the misunderstood about this religion with the right “quoting of Muhammad”. We need to really understand the verse below and hold it firmly. Hope that we all can make the world know Islam in a better way and in good manner.

And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.

[AL-ANBIYA’ Ch.21:V.107]

~Wallahua’lam~