'Islamist Segera' - well, the word 'segera' immediately connotates the whole phrase as one that is negatively charged. And unsurprisingly yes, it is meant to be so and I'll tell you why I said that in the following paragraphs.
 |
| Gambar hiasan sahaja |
Warning: If you can't be open to accept my view on this, your reading will end with this sentence. Thank you.
To the observant ones it is undeniable that these 'Islamist Segera' (later to be referred to as 'them' or any third person pronouns) are coming out of the woodwork. And in doing so, they are taking over both our Facebook news feed and Twitter's timeline with their posts and shares.
One thing I want to be clear here is that it is NOT wrong to be an Islamist, as a Muslim who understands his/her religion well will be received by both Muslims and non-Muslims with open hands and minds, as they are the ones practicing good Islamic moral values (akhlak) and they're doing it right most of the time, in accordance with the Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) teachings.
With that one aspect cleared, I can now get down to the real point of this post. You see, an 'Islamist Segera' would fulfill these requirements:
1. They are all about sharing Islamic posts on Fb and Twitter, but they filter the ones that would benefit them in some ways and turn a blind eye on the ones that does not.
2. What they do and say in real life does not reflect the image they created online, and there is no affirmative action taken to be consistent in doing a real change to oneself.
3. Concentrates only in certain topics to be viewed from the Islamic point of view whilst leaving others, creating imbalance.
4. They look down upon others as if they are on the "Confirm List" to enter Jannah (Paradise/Heaven)
5. They are conservative-minded buggers
...and the list goes on. Oh, and this is a "and/or" thing.
In one instance, they're all good i.e. sharing Islamic posts, advising their friends online to do this and that, avoid doing sinful things, etc...and yet in another instance, they are seen saying nasty things about the things they don't like or worse, being a bigoted person (especially regarding political stand), using dirty and repulsive words. What's the meaning of this?
You're preaching this and that about Islam and at the same time you're saying nasty things about people and is bad mouthing people at the same time? It is just downright appalling. Then you're the same...or worse, you're a lot worser than the person/organization you're criticizing!
Islamist Segera - they look down upon others as if they are on the "Confirm List" to enter the Paradise/Jannah.. From what I have learned so far, one should hate the bad deed that the other party is doing, not the person doing it. For hating the latter is wrong indeed 'cos they could change at any point in their lives. Who are we to judge people, kan?
Then there are those who when they allegedly 'migrated' spiritually to a better person and then suddenly they have this distorted and narrow view of Islamic way of life.
All they could think about is "what my life should be after marriage" and "I hope to find a husband that could be my Caliph dressed in Ottoman empire warrior-styled military attire, holding the key to Constantinople which is in metaphor, my heart" ---okay, that one was too much hehe :P...and the things that goes along those lines lah. You know lah..life after marriage, getting the 'perfect' husband, my imam, akhi ukhti...ana banana...erkkk.
And they would also become conservative-minded groups of people. "Eh I cannot do this lah, it is haraam", "I can't join this activity since I can't do the things I usually do when I'm in my comfort zone"...and the list of excuses goes on again and again... In the end, they become an introvert without themselves realizing it.
Yenna dey open up your mind! Being a good Muslim isn't just about making babies and finding a pious future husband. It is MORE than that! Islam is a way of life, and it covers EVERY aspect of your life for God's sake.
And there are those terrible ones - come any festivities in our country, they'd share info-graphics or articles that says "Haraam to wish this and that", without thinking of the sensitivity of the non-Muslims. At least if you really want to do that, set its privacy so that it can ONLY be seen by your Muslim friends which is pretty leceh lah kan.
If not, research further 'cos there are also grey areas pointed out by ulamas saying that you CAN DO SO (wish your non-Muslim friends or visit their open houses) during their festivities, especially if some of your relatives are non-Muslims.
People like this, they are just giving Islam a bad name. They make non-Muslims and Muslims alike think that "Eh, is this really what Islam teaches its followers? Why so shallow one?" when a true Muslim should do is being a good role model - Preach through your action, behaviour and akhlak!
Now comes the hard part - I used to be one of them.
Then I had a sudden realization that what I've done all these time is wrong actually. "This is not what Islam teaches me. I've been wronged by my own distorted interpretations of what a good Muslim is". I can now safely say that I'm practicing Islam moderately (not liberally, mind you!) and slowly and surely, there is a continuous effort in shaa Allah by me to become a good Muslim. Pray for me and all of us, ameen.
Disclaimer: This post is NOT meant to demoralize those who fit the descriptions of an 'Islamist Segera'. Rather, it serves as a tap on the shoulder saying, "Eh brother, you're doing it wrong. Change lah" and it definitely does not serve to discourage Muslims who want to become a real "Islamist". Treat this as a light reading of some of the do's and dont's, okay uols? :)
So....progress or regress? You decide.
Ends.
Nota kaki :
1. If there is anything wrong in this post, please do correct me. I'm open to criticisms.
2. I'd like to take this opportunity to promote progressive thinking among Muslims (Malays, especially). It is crucial that we challenge the status quo in this fast-paced globalized world. Open up your mind. It is the only way forward. Being open-minded is a state of mind which was taught by my parents and I'm grateful for that.
3. Islam and Malays; they are separate entities. Malay is a race, while Islam is a religion. A Malay doing bad things should not be associated with what Islam teaches them. If a person is a Muslim, it does not mean that he/she a Malay. He/she might be a Chinese or an Indian. And if one embraces Islam, it is NOT mandatory that they change their name. He could be known as Low Chock Seng and STILL be a Muslim.
4. I know some of my sentences aren't as grammatical as they should be. An on-going effort is implemented and the mistakes should be eradicated as soon as the mana I acquired is enough to cover them up. lol
5. Should I find that my views or arguments are wrong in the future, this post might be edited so that I would not present an invalid argument.
6. I do research prior to publishing any post. I'm not the type of person who just goes out there and make sweeping statements.
No comments:
Post a Comment