make it simple...

By Sheikh Yususf Estes

1. "If God created everything - then who created God?" (may Allah forgive me)

According to the Quran, Allah tells us that He is the only creator and sustainer of all that exists and that nothing and no one exists alongside Him, nor does He have any partners. He tells us that He is not created, nor is He like His creation in anyway. He calls Himself by a number of names and three of them are:

A) The First - (Al-Awal)

B) The Last - (Al Akhir)

C) The Eternal, who is sought after by His creation, while He has no need from them at all. (As-Samad)

He always has existed and He never was created, as He is not like His creation, nor similar to it, in any way.

2. "How can you believe in God, when you can't see, hear, touch, smell, taste or even imagine what He is?"

Answer:

We know from the teachings of Muhammad, peace be upon him, that no one has ever actually seen God - at least not in this lifetime. Nor are we able to use our senses to make some kind of contact with Him. However, we are encouraged in Islam to use our senses and our common sense to recognize that all of this universe could not possibly come into existence on its own. Something had to design it all and then put it into motion. That is beyond our ability to do, yet it is something that we can understand.

We don't have to see an artist to recognize a painting, correct? So, if we see paintings without seeing artists painting them, in the same way, we can believe that Allah created everything without having to see Him (or touch, or hear, etc.).

3. "Can God do anything? - Can He make a rock so big that nothing can move it? - If He did make a rock so big that nothing could move it, would that mean that He couldn't move it too? Or would it be impossible for Him to make something so big that He couldn't move it?"

Answer:

Allah tells us that "Allah is capable of doing anything that He Wills to do." He can make a rock (or anything for that matter) that is so large or heavy that nothing in the entire universe can move it. As regards Allah "moving" it, He is not in the universe and He does not resemble His creation. Whenever He wants anything done, He merely says "Qun! Faya Qun!" (Be! And so it will be!)

4. "Where is God?"

Answer:

Some other religions teach that "God is everywhere." This is actually called "pantheism" and it is the opposite of our believe system in Islam. Allah tells us clearly that there is nothing, anywhere in the universe that resembles Him, nor is He ever in His creation. He tells us in the Quran that He created the universe in six "yawm" (periods of time) and then He "astawah 'ala al Arsh" (rose up, above His Throne). He is there (above His Throne) and will remain there until the End Times.

5. "Why did God create everything?"

Answer:
Allah says in His Quran that He did not create all of this for any foolish purpose. He tells us that He created us for the purpose of worshiping Him, Alone and without any partners.

6. "Is God pure, good, loving and fair? - If so, then where does evil, hatred and injustice come from?"

Answer:
Allah tells us that He is Pure, Loving, and absolutely Just in every respect. He says that He is the Best of Judges. He also tells us that the life that we are in is a test. He has created all the things that exist and He has created all that happens as well. There is nothing in this existence except what He has created. He also says in the Quran that He created evil (although He is not evil). He is using this as one of the many tests for us.

7. "Does God really have power of things? - If so, then why does He let people become sick, oppressed and die?"

Answer:
Oppression is something that Allah forbids for Himself to do to anyone and He hates it when anyone oppresses someone else. He does have absolute power over everything. He allows sickness, disease, death and even oppression so that we can all be tested in what we do.

8. "Can you prove there is a God?"

Answer:
Can you prove that you exist? Yes, of course you can. You merely use your senses to determine that you can see, hear, feel, smell, taste and you have emotions as well. All of this is a part of your existence. But this is not how we perceive God in Islam. We can look to the things that He has created and the way that He cares for things and sustains us, to know that there is no doubt of His existence.

Think about this the next time that you are looking up at the moon or the stars on a clear night; could you drop a drinking glass on the sidewalk and expect that it would hit the ground and on impact it would not shatter, but it would divide up into little small drinking glasses, with iced tea in them? Of course not.

And then consider if a tornado came through a junkyard and tore through the old cars; would it leave behind a nice new Mercedes with the engine running and no parts left around? Naturally not.

Can a fast food restaurant operate itself without any people there? That's crazy for anyone to even think about.

After considering all of the above, how could we look to the universe above us through a telescope or observe the molecules in a microscope and then think that all of this came about as a result of a "big bang" or some "accident?"

(see also "Quran" below)

9. "Does God know everything that is going to happen? - Does He have absolute control on the outcome of everything? - If so, how is that fair for us? Where is our free will then?"

Answer:

Allah Knows everything that will happen. The first thing that He created was the "pen" and He ordered the pen to write. The pen wrote until it had written everything that would happen. And then Allah began to create the universe. All of this was already known to Him before He created it. He does have absolute and total control at all times. There is nothing that happens except that He is in control of if.

There is a mistake in the question: "Free Will." Allah alone, has Free Will, He Wills whatever He likes and it will always happen as He wills. We have something called, "Free choice." The difference is that what Allah "Wills" always happens and what we choose may or may not happen. We are not being judged on the outcome of things, we are being judged on our choices. This means that at the core of everything will always be our intentions.

Whatever we intended, is what we will have the reward for. Each person will be judged according to what Allah gave them to work with, how they used it and what they intended to do with it.

As regards the actual "Judgment Day" - Allah tells us that everything we are doing is being recorded and not a single tiny thing escapes from this record. Even an atom's weight of good will be seen on the Day of Judgment and even a single atom's weight of evil will be seen too.

The one who will bring the evidences against us will be ourselves. Our ears, tongue, eyes and all of our bodies will begin to testify against us in front of Allah on the Day of Judgment. None will be oppressed on that Day, none will be falsely accused.

He could have put everyone in their respective places from the very beginning, but the people would complain as to why they were thrown in Hell without being given a chance. This life is exactly that; a chance to prove to ourselves who we really are and what we would really do if we indeed had a free choice.

Allah Knows everything that will happen, but we don't. That is why the test is fair.

10. "If there is only one God, then why are there so many religions?

Answer:

Allah does not force anyone to submit to Him. He has layed out a clear path and then made it known to them the two ways (Heaven or Hell). The person is always free to make his or her own choice. There is not complusion in the way of "Islam."

Whoever choses to worship Allah without partners and is devoted to Him and is obeying His commands as much as possible, has grasped the firm handhold that will never break. Whoever denies God and choses some other way to worship or not to believe at all, for them there is an eternal punishment that is most horrible (Hell).

All religions originated with Allah and then people began to add or take away from the teachings so as to take control over each other. Man made religions are an abomination before the Lord and will never be accepted. He will only accept true submission, obedience and in purity and peace to His commandments.

11. "How do you know that the Quran is really from God?"

Answer:

Muslims have something that offers the most clear proof of all, The Holy Quran. There is no other book like it anywhere on earth. It is absolutely perfect in the Arabic language. It has no mistakes in grammar, meanings or context. The scientific evidences are well known around the entire world, even amongst non-Muslim scholars.

Predictions in the Quran have come true; and its teachings are clearly for all people, all places and all times. No one has been able to produce a book like it, nor ten chapters like it, nor even one chapter like it. It was memorized by thousands of people during the lifetime of Muhammad, peace be upon him, and then this memorization was passed down from teacher to student for generation after generation, from mouth to ear and from one nation to another.

Today every single Muslim has memorized some part of the Quran in the original Arabic language that it was revealed in over 1,400 years ago, even though most of them are not Arabs. There are over nine million (9,000,000) Muslims living on the earth today who have totally memorized the entire Quran, word for word, and can recite the entire Quran, in Arabic just as Muhammad, peace be upon him, did 14 centuries ago.

En. Tanpa Nama, beberapa argument...

Maafkan saya kerana memetik daripada sumber kristian.

From a purely scientific standpoint, it is easy to demonstrate that matter cannot be eternal in nature. The universe is expanding from what appears to be a beginning point in space/time, which appears to be a one time event. Hydrogen is the basic fuel of the cosmos, powering all stars and other energy sources in space. If the fuel of the universe has been used eternally, that fuel will eventually be depleted; but the evidence is that the cosmological gas gauge, while moving toward “empty,” is yet a long way from being there—a condition incompatible with an eternal universe.

The second law of thermodynamics insists that the cosmos is moving toward a condition of disorder, sometimes referred to as “heat death.” Even in an oscillating universe, things ultimately run out of energy and “die.” All of these evidences, and several others we have not made reference to, show that matter cannot be eternal, as Dr. Sagan and his associates would like to believe. However, this does not mean that we automatically accept the hypothesis that God is the Creator. Why is it not equally invalid to suggest that God has always been?

The problem here is that many people have a mistaken concept of God. If we conceive of God as physical, anthropomorphic (like man) being, the question of God’s origin is valid. However, such a concept of God is alien to the Bible and to common sense. Consider the following descriptions of God from the Bible:

John 4: 24
God is a Spirit: ...

Matthew 16:17
... for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my father which is in heaven.

Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should ... ;

Obviously, the descriptions and concepts of God given in these passages are that God is a spiritual entity. He exists outside of the three-dimensional physical world in which we live. The Bible further supports this concept of God in the following passages:

Jeremiah 23:23-24
Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? ... Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

2 Chronicles 2:6
But who is able to build a house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? ...

Acts 17:28
For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; ...

Not only is God described as being outside space, but He is also described as being outside of time. Consider the following:

2 Peter 3:8
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Psalm 90:4
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Psalm 102:27
But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

Acts 1:7
...It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his power.

If God is a being that is unlimited in time, and if He has access to every piece of time as if it were now, the question of who created God is an invalid question. The problem is like asking a student to draw a four-sided triangle. The terminology is self-contradictory.

When asked “Who or what created God?” we are making the assumption that God was created. If God exists outside of time and space, and if He is the Creator of time and space, He obviously was not created! God began the beginning! This is why He says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13).

God created time. The statement of Genesis, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth,” is making reference to the creation of time. The reason that things like heat death, the expansion of the universe, and the depletion of hydrogen do not apply to God is because He is outside of time. God has always been. He did things before time began (see 1 Corinthians 2:7). He not only began time; He will also end it. When time ends, all matter and all mankind will enter eternity—a timeless condition free of the negative things that time brings upon us now.

2 Peter 3:10-11
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.

Revelation 21:4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The agnostic position that there is nothing that can be said to support God’s existence that cannot be said against that existence cannot, in the opinion of the author, stand in the face of this evidence.

© John N. Clayton
12/10/2008

another talk on Chrsitianity

Jesus said He came to restore the Law (Torah) and you should live by them but then, His self-appointed disciple Paul wrote,

"clearly no one is justified before God by the Law because the righteous will live by faith" Galatians 2:16,

i.e you dont have to obey the Law just have faith in Jesus(?) so Jesus lied?

Dzul: bro,i think its bettr if u keep it personal dude.
this is a very sensitive issue just so u know.heh

Me: It is? I dont think so, but if some of our christian brother think i'm wrong and they might have some explaination on this subject why dont they give it a shot. In that way we can have mutual exchange of thoughts..rite?

Dzul: yeah,but let us not make it in public okay?some might just be offended by this statements.everyone have their beliefs.in their own way.we'll just let them be.as we respect them.=)

Me: Appreciate that, and thanks for your concern too. =) i feel like kissing u now... Hahahak

Dzul: hahaha.ngok.we brothers',look for each others back.=D

Me: Yeah, but me still thinks that this one should not be keep personal...

Dzul: trust me.it should.

Me: Should not. I'm not making a provocative statement or slanderous piece of thought.

Dzul: but your questioning thier leader,jesus.the same as they question our prophets.its true that knowing facts from their side would just pleased us both parties,but again.we have no rights to question on what they believe.

Me: If they're questioning our prophet, we shouldn't feel offended. Why would we have to? We got the answers. As for my statement, if you set apart your prejudice or any negative thought. A good, decent christian will know right away that Jesus Christ didnt lied, Paul did. So technically i'm not desecrating their Master. =)

Dzul: so if u already know the answer,u shouldnt be questioning.plus,they way u asked,as if it is debatable.surely ppl would be offended.the same as ppl question our mighty lord,we have the answers,but still they questiond about it right?once u questioned something,surely ur doubtful of it.where's the respect in that?=)

Me: It is debatable, that was my intention. I do know the answer, but of course some would accused my answer of religious bias. So i just want to know how our christian BROTHERs tackle the question. If they're or even we are doubtful of what we believe,

its the time to consider your faith. We have many similarities with the christian, even Quran states that they are close to us. I just wanted to seek common ground between us. Then we we'll be living in harmony rite?

Dzul: i understand.i respect ur intention.but i still dont agree that u do it in public.as u aspect everyone would understand ur intention.not everyone is the same.even bile the word ALLAH digunakan by other relegions,us muslims made it an issue.the word actually means god in arab.it is open for any religion act.but hey,not everyone undertands their truly intentions right?

Me: Yap, as for the word Allah, i wrote something about it on my blog about a year ago. I'm not opposing the word Allah used by them, but really they have to understand that Allah must be used in the right context. And yes not everybody will get me right, i know that. But what else could be done on them? Would you retreat from a war only for a wounded soldier?

Dzul: in this context,if ur saying the party that would be offended is small,as if a wounded sodier,ur wrong.more like retreat b'coz of a massive number of soldiers.that would be fine.its for the greater good.

Me: We dont know how many of them but i do think it will not be half part of the christendom. Anyway thanks again. (kat dorm kerek ngan aku, cess!)

Dzul: haha,sure.its very subjective.mne ade sombong.di sini ade benda nk argue.lol.=)

(Session ends at 10 February at 19:33)

Very much confusing

Genesis 6:6 "and it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart"

didn't the omniscient Lord God knew man wickedness very well? Why he did created man in the first place then?

Genesis 6:7,"...I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth.."

Siapa Tuhan orang kristian?

Siapa Tuhan orang kristian?

Saya akan jadikan entri ini seringkas yang mungkin. Saya tidak akan menyentuh sejarah Kristian dan St. Paul secara terperinci tetapi saya masih akan membuat rujukan kepada dua subjek ini kerana ia merupakan asas kepercayaan Kristian moden.

Persoalannya siapakah Tuhan orang Kristian, isu yang ditimbulkan selepas keputusan Hakim Datuk Lau Bee Lan membenarkan penggunaan kalimah ‘Allah’ bagi gereja Katolik.

Selain dari fahaman Arian bahawa Tuhan itu satu. Kristian juga mempunyai doktrin trinity yang diasaskan ketika peristiwa ‘Council of Nicaea’. Pada waktu itu jugalah fahaman Arian ini dihumban dan diisytiharkan sesat oleh mereka (early church fathers).

Bersandarkan pada doktrin trinity itu mereka percaya bahawa Tuhan itu ialah tiga entity tetapi harus dianggap satu. Fahaman trinity ini begitu sukar untuk diterima logic akal, namun mereka berhujah ianya tidak mustahil kerana entity itu ialah Tuhan. Inilah yang akan saya bincangkan.

Lebih nyata dari terang matahari. Perkataan trinity itu sendiri tidak ditemukan dalam Holy Bible. Old Testaments langsung tidak membicarakan pemahaman pelik tersebut. Ini jelas mungkin kerana Old Testamens atau juga dikenali dengan Jewish Bible itu kitab asal pengikut Jesus pada awalnya. New Testaments pula ditulis hanya beberapa ratus tahun selepas ‘kematian’ dan ‘penyaliban’ Jesus Christ.

Jadi tidak mungkin bagi pengikut Jesus dan Hawariyyun atau ‘twelve elected disciples’ mengamalkan trinity. Namun, pada satu ayat dalam Holy Bible, teradapat satu ayat yang membawa makna terdekat kepada doktrin trinity,

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one” 1^st Epstle of John 5:6

Namun, kita hanya dapat temukan itu pada Authorised Versions atau lebih dikenali diseluruh dunia dengan King James Versions Bible, milik Protestant. Mengejutkan kerana pada Revised Standard Version 1952, Bible tersebut tidak mempunyai ayat itu kerana menurut Biblical Scholars, “they were not to be found in the oldest manuscript”.

Oh ya, sebenarnya sudah menjadi kebiasaan bagi mereka untuk membuat ‘revision’ terhadap Bible dan mengolah, menambah, atau mengurangkan bilangan Bab dan ayat dalam Bible mengikut kajian terhadap ‘Greek scriptures’.

Diringkaskan disini, Jesus = Word = God = Word = Jesus. Jadi saya hanya menyentuh tentang Jesus. Dapatlah difahami bahawa fahaman trinity itu mengangkat Jesus setara dengan Tuhan atau anak Tuhan atau Tuhan itu sendiri.

Tetapi, malangnya bagi orang kristian, tidak ada satupun ayat dalam Bible yang memerintahkan mereka supaya menyembah Jesus atau Jesus mengatakan “A am the God”. Jadi dimana kepercayaan Jesus itu Tuhan disandarkan?

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God” John 1:1

Ahmad Deedat telah membuat kesimpulan yang cukup baik. Dalam ayat ‘word was with God’, perkataan asal ‘God’ itu sebelum diterjemahkan kedalam bahasa Inggeris ialah HOTHEOS. HOTHEOS ialah perkataan Greek untuk ‘Tuhan’ atau ‘The God’. Manakala, ‘and the Word was God’, perkataan ‘God’ sebelum diterjemahkan kedalam bahasa Inggeris ialah TONTHEOS. TONTHEOS membawa makna ‘tuhan’ atau ‘god’.

Perbezaan makna itu terjadi apabila huruf ‘T’ itu diubah kepada ‘t’. Seperti bezanya antara ‘Tuhan’ unutk merujuk kepada Tuhan yang di atas, ‘tuhan’ digunakan unutk merujuk kepada obejk yang dianggap sebagai tuhan.

Contoh, Allah itu ‘Tuhan’ kami, batu itu ‘tuhan’ mereka.

Kesimpulannya, GOD pada kali pertama dalam John 5:6 itu merujuk kepada Tuhan tetapi untuk GOD yang kedua merujuk kepada tuhan atau ‘a godly person’ kerana ilmunya atau perlakuannya.

“God is not a man, that he should lie…” Book of Numbers 23:19

Saya petik dari Old Testaments, secara jelas menyatakan bahawa Tuhan tidak boleh secara fizikal ataupun rohaninya seorang manusia.

Namun andia kita masih mahu menerima doktrin Jesus itu Tuhan,

“now in the morning as he returned into the city, he HUNGERED” Matthew 21:18

“and he was in the hinder part of the ship, ASLEEP on a pillow” Mark 4: 38

“Then the men that held Jesus MOCKED him, SMOTE him. And when they had BLINDFOLDED him, they

STRUCK him on the face” (a helpless God?) Luke 22:63-64

“Jesus was a carpenter by trade” Mark 6:3

Serta banyak lagi petikan dari Bible menyatakan Jesus itu sememangnya seorang manusia. Jadi tidak mungkin apabila The God menyatakan kepada Moses bahawa “God is not a man” tetapi kemudian 600 tahun atau lebih, memberitahu penulis Gospel melalui

‘Divine inspiration’ bahawa Jesus itu Tuhan. Adakah mungkin bagi Tuhan menipu Moses? Atau Tuhan telah lupa dengan wahyunya kepada Moses? Naudzu billah!

Tetapi, saya pernah disanggah. Mereka menyatakan Jesus ‘is the God in humanly form’.

Jadi tidak sepatutnya menjadi persoalan andai dia berkelakuan sebagai seorang manusia. Jadi maknanya Tuhan orang Islam itu lebih ‘power’ dari tuhan orangf Kristian? Kerana Tuhan orang Islam tidak perlu berpuasa 40 hari 40 malam, tidak perlu ‘melawat’ neraka, dan tidak perlu bekerja untuk menyara hidup!

Kesimpulan dari penjelasan ringkas ini, andai jesus itu bukan Tuhan jadi siapa tuhan orang Kristian? Apabila kita menolak Jesus dan the Word dari Oknum trinity, yang tinggal hanyalah the Father.

Siapa the Father? Itulah Allah s.w.t. Apabila Dia telah menjanjikan bahawa kebatilan akan lenyap, maka janji Allah itulah yang saya dan anda patut pegang.

Perbincangan tentang the Faher telah dikupas (di sini) dahulu.

Walau bagaimanapun kita berusaha, tetap sahaja mereka akan menidakkan kebenaran agama Islam. Serahkan segala usaha kepada Allah dan berdoalah untuk kebaikan kita semua. Amin!

we are muslim.

Religion under siege. What was with that. Have malaysian been liberated enough to accept the fact that there are many muslim out there that convert. And if really is islam the true path to god. Why people leave islam. There must be some deficiency in the religion or the muslim themselves. Why did god let people go astray.

Does He not the most loving of all. Are the muslim to be blamed. Lets just think about that. Plus, many malaysia students studying abroad are unceasingly approached by the missionaries, converting to the trinity law. Yet, we never take heed to this matter.

for story on pic, visit here

Another rant from a top of my tree.. (ranting's ranting)

Have you ever been to heaven?

Neither i have. But i got some friends whom said they have. I urge them to tell what it was like. They said, there is nothing like heaven that you can compare to on earth.

And then i just like, wow! Is there really a place like that. So far as i always knew, the christian depicted heaven a...s living up above sky with the clouds and everybody got a pair of wings. Muslim say heaven is a place so beautiful that you cant find a word to describe it.

Even you are not allowed to imagine how it was like, as if you had committed a heresy in religion. No matter how it was like, heaven must be really nice place that people always dreaming of. I do believe in heaven and after life.

Do you? It is not about they really exist or not. It is about the faith that keep you going in life despite of all the oppression of people or under the soviet or even U.S. occupation. That is the only thing you have to do, believe.

p/s: still struggling with lots of books, SPM had just ended yet my comparitive study on religion is not. instead me is taking a long way through.

Came across History of God by Karen Armstrong, but didnt have the urge to buy that one. I grabbed Allah in science by Sallina Ismail.

Everybody around me start giving attention on what i am doing. Though not every single feedback is a pleasant one. A friend told me not to read about God written by the christian, I said what is wrong with that. and then bla bla bla. sigh..

CONVERT: MUSLIM AND CHRISTIAN BETWEEN TWO

I found my Answers
My name is Tarmizi and I am an ethnic Malay from Malaysia. I am presently working in the private sector.

I came to know about Christianity on my own. Many years ago I took up a correspondence course on Christianity on my own initiative and without ANY external inducements because I wanted to know more about the Christian religion. I must acknowledge that the environment and friends around me at that time did influence me to inquire about Christianity. I was rather uncomfortable with my Muslim friends because I found certain things in Islam unacceptable for example prayers having to be made in a set pattern and be uttered in a language that is not clearly or commonly understood. The course helped me know the basics of Christianity and also the similarities it shared with Islam (like the belief in hell). I received a certificate when I completed this correspondence course.

After this study I attended a worship service somewhere in Kuala Lumpur. I went to church on my own initiative. Before going, I called the church to introduce myself as well as to inform them of my intentions to know more about Christianity. I was told that I was welcome to attend the service. I was happy when I attended the service. The people were friendly and I felt welcome. I also did not see any statues, which made me glad. The church was one big hall and it look just like a Mosque.

I was expecting Holy Communion to be served because I was told that that was the way Muslims were "trapped" - once they had eaten the bread, their hearts would become darken and they would forget everything. I was glad that this did not happen - Communion was not served that day! At the end of the meeting I was given a prospectus and encouraged to consider seriously what I wanted to believe.

In my heart I wanted to believe but I had my doubts. I asked myself, "What good would this bring to me?" I asked this question because I believed (at that time) that in Malaysia there was "no way a Muslim could become a follower of 'Isa". Questions like, "What would it cost me? What will I have to face? Am I making the right move?" plagued me. With so many questions unanswered, I put it off (i.e. believing in Hazrat 'Isa).

I became a religious Muslim again after this event. Family and friends encouraged me to pray and I joined them whenever I was asked to. Then I began to relax again. This happened a couple of times. For 6 months I would be enthusiastic in carrying out my Islamic obligations and then I would cool off. I was also quite influenced by my surroundings. Just before I got married, I was on a religious high. I never missed my five times of prayer. My wife (then my fiancée) had a great influence on me. Whenever I called her, she would ask, "What time did you wake up?" I usually woke up late so she knew I had not woken up to do my morning prayers. She then would ask me, "Why didn’t you get up early to pray?" With her constant encouragement I reached a stage where I was on a spiritual high.

It was at this time that I went to Mecca for the umrah. While observing the activities of the many people and races from all parts of the world who were there, I could clearly see the different types of schools in Islam from the different types of prayers that were being made. Though same in focus and direction, their prayers were different in method. These differences became a dilemma for me. I had been taught that the pattern for prayer was set and it had to be strictly followed. Yet here in Mecca itself, I was seeing different patterns of prayer being followed. I wondered which pattern was the right one and whether the pattern of prayer I had being observing all this while was right. If it was not, all my prayers so far would have been unacceptable to God! If it were right, then the prayers I saw being performed before my own eyes were actually unacceptable to God. This was a very disturbing conclusion.

The style of prayer is not mentioned in the Quran, only in the sayings of the prophet. How one interprets these sayings would determine how one prays. When one becomes so accustomed to a set pattern of prayer, there is bound to be questions when different patterns are observed elsewhere. For example, hand positions. Is the hand stretched out straight, or can it be moved to the left or the right? What about pauses in between - are there any or none? Matters like these are all not mentioned nor confirmed in the Quran. Islamic scholars would interpret the sayings of the prophet differently, each scholar giving a different interpretation. I witnessed and experienced different and new expressions of prayer because of these different schools of thought (almost, if not all were not subscribed to in Malaysia). In Malaysia we subscribe to the Shafie school of thought. So I prayed the Malaysian way!

Deep in my heart, whilst in Mecca, I had questions. I asked myself, "Why are we doing what we are doing? Why should we imitate what a Prophet did more than a thousand years ago?" I questioned the logic of this whole exercise. I struggled in my mind. "These things were done so long ago. Am I doing what is actually RIGHT?" I asked. When I rushed in after competing with many others to kiss the black stone I asked myself, "Why? Why? Why? What is this FOR?"

When I came back from Mecca I began to relax my observation of prayer times. I then began to think about Christianity again. Even so, there was still nothing significant happening because nobody told me anything (about Christianity) - what it really was and what’s the difference (between Islam and Christianity).

Suddenly a thought struck my mind. I took the Yellow Pages and I called up a church at random. I spoke to an Indian person who invited me to come out and meet her. So I went to see her. I asked her a few questions. One was concerning the use of statues. Previously, a Filipino friend had given me a small statue of Jesus. I brought it with me and mentioned it to this lady. She said, "This is not right". That was the first time I had heard such an answer. I was happy to hear it. She then explained more, gave me a leaflet and asked me to go home and read it. After reading the leaflet, I met with her again and informed her that I was interested in accepting Hazrat 'Isa as my Savior. I asked her, "Can you teach me to accept 'Isa as my personal Saviour?" On that day she helped me receive Jesus as my own Saviour by saying a prayer with me. I simply followed her in a prayer that she prayed, a simple prayer of repentance and dedication to Hazrat 'Isa. I was also given a copy of the Bible.

She then said that it would be inappropriate for her as a lady to continue guiding me. It would be better if I had a brother to guide and teach me instead. She gave me M’s contact and he has been very helpful since then.

I don’t ask why nowadays because I’ve found the answers. After my conversion, a friend gave me a book that helped answer all my doubts. It was a book with answers from the Bible on the common questions a new believer would ask. It was a very helpful book.



As a follower of Hazrat 'Isa in a Muslim community, I have to be careful in expressing my belief. The Muslim community can be quite belligerent toward those who leave Islam, and terribly unreasonably so. Fearful, oppressive and punitive repercussions are all brought to bear upon detractors of Islam and those who even dare to consider alternatives to Islam! All kinds of terrible consequences are conjured up for those who are considered 'apostates'.

There have been some significant changes in my beliefs since I started following Isa Al-Masih. When I was a Muslim, God was a feared Being, a Punisher. Now I see Him differently. He is still most supreme but He is also someone loving I can talk to and share things with. I know He is listening and he is very close to me. For me, Isa Al-Masih is Savior and God. This I always remember when I pray.

I believe the greatest blessing I have received from God is to be chosen by Him for salvation. God has chosen me and I believe His plan for me is to share what I know to other Malay Muslims. Recently I had the opportunity to talk to a Malay girl. We talked about many things - her Christian friends, the Bible, and the identity of 'Isa Al-Masih - but she was not prepared to take the step of faith. She, however, agreed that to be Malay does not necessarily mean one has to be a Muslim.

It is my sincere hope that the Malaysian government would be more open about conversion of Muslims to other religions. I hope that there will be no threats and that they would be consistent in their decisions. So far they have been lax one day and tough the next, especially when they come under pressure from certain quarters. I would like the government’s decision to be in black and white, allowing the people to decide whom they want to worship. I look for the day when there would be a freedom to chose ones faith and be respected by friends, family, society and workplace for the choice that has been made.


NOW WATCH THIS!!!








WHAT WOULD THE CHRISTIANS SAY THEN?

AKHIRNYA YANG MURTAD SEMUANYA SAMPAH, TAPI YANG CONVERT SEMUANYA PRIEST AND PREACHERS...PADAN MUKA KO LINA JOY

Selamat Menyambut Ramadhan Kah Kah Kah Kah!!!

MURTAD!!! kAH kAH KAH

Gadis enggan pulang ke rumah dakwa keluarga ancam keselamatannya

ORLANDO: Seorang remaja perempuan Muslim yang lari dari rumah dan murtad untuk memeluk agama Kristian mencetuskan perebutan hak penjagaan di mahkamah Florida di antara mubaligh Kristian dan keluarga Islam remaja itu.

Kes membabitkan hak penjagaan remaja berusia 17 tahun yang berasal dari Sri Lanka itu akan diputuskan di mahkamah Florida esok.

Kumpulan mubaligh Kristian terbabit menganggap kes itu membabitkan isu kebebasan beragama, manakala kumpulan Islam berkata ia hanyalah masalah keluarga.

"Kami kesal (kes ini diperbesarkan) kerana ia hanyalah satu masalah keluarga,” kata pengarah Pusat Islam Orlando,” Imam Tariq Rasheed kepada akhbar Orlando Sentinel kelmarin.

"Cara ia dipaparkan media lebih mirip kepada usaha memburukkan Islam dengan memberi gambaran negatif mengenai agama ini,” katanya.

Remaja berkenaan, Rifqa Mohamed Bary, meninggalkan keluarganya di Ohio Julai lalu dan pergi ke Orlando untuk memeluk agama Kristian.

Rifqa yang kini tinggal di rumah keluarga seorang paderi berkata beliau bimbang tentang keselamatannya jika pulang ke pangkuan keluarganya.

Bagaimanapun, bapa remaja itu berkata anak perempuannya itu tidak perlu bimbang kerana beliau bebas untuk mengamalkan agama barunya. Katanya, keluarga itu hanya mahu remaja itu pulang.

Aktivis Kristian di Florida sedang melancarkan kempen untuk membenarkan remaja itu tinggal di negeri itu dengan menyatakan ia membabitkan isu kebebasan beragama kerana mereka mendakwa Al Quran memerintahkan hukuman mati terhadap mereka yang murtad.

Kumpulan Islam menafikan hujah berkenaan.

"Tidak ada satu ayat pun dalam Al Quran menghalang seseorang daripada menggunakan haknya untuk memilih agama yang dianutinya,” kata Imam Rasheed.

"Juga tidak disentuh mengenai hukuman terhadap yang murtad."

Seorang profesor madya dalam bidang agama di Universiti Florida, Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, berkata isu itu mungkin berpunca daripada kebimbangan yang tidak rasional di kalangan mereka yang tidak memahami Islam.

"Apa yang lebih memalukan dalam isu ini ialah mereka yang sepatutnya lebih berilmu dan mempunyai nilai yang tinggi, sanggup menggunakan tanggapan salah untuk memperdayakan yang jahil dan menggalakkan keganasan.” - Agensi.

Baliklah nak, siapa yang nak masak gulai tempoyak untuk buka puasa nanti?

Mak kamu tu bukannya kenal dapur pun, baliklah.

Kah Kah Kah!!

Baca lagi: Menilai Kehidupan, di sini

Tuhan itu wujudkah?

Soalan lazim yang saya biasa terima daripada teman-teman.

"Benarkah Tuhan itu wujud?"

Biasanya jawapan saya Tuhan itu memang benar wujud. Hinggalah pada suatu hari, ketika saya berada dalam darjah empat, seingat saya dahulu ada tiga orang rakan India yang beragama Hindu. Ada suatu ketika di perpustakaan sekolah rendah, saya memberanikan diri untuk bertanya soalan yang sepatutnya bukan untuk dibuka kepada khalayak umum awam kerana menimbulkan sensitiviti keagamaan.

Namun, mungkin pada masa itu saya masih terlalu mentah untuk memahami apa yang dinamakan dengan toleransi antara kaum.

"kenapa awak sembah patung?"

Dua orang rakan India itu agak terkejut dengan soalan saya yang agak terbuka menyentuh soal agama.

"habis yang kamu sembah diding tu?", maka dipendekkan ceritanya berlakulah perdebatan antara agama yang pertama buat saya. Saya dengan tegasnya menyatakan kekeliruan mereka dengan konsep kiblat. Manakala, mereka pula menghentam saya bertubi-tubi dengan alasan saya tidak memahami konsep perantaraan mereka.

Kemudian, selapas beberapa tahun saya sendiri terlupa dengan peristiwa tersebut.

Seorang pemikir Inggeris, Webber pernah menyatakan konsep antara agama yang bersifat tradisional dan rasional. Selalunya agama yang tradisional akan mencari satu alasan untuk menyabitkan kepada satu kejadian.

Contohnya, apabila seluruh tanaman untuk tahun tersebut tidak mengeluarkan hasil. Maka mereka kan membuat andaian bahawa tuhan telah murka. Selalunya pendekatan yang akan diambil untuk menyelesaikan masalah sebegini terlingkup dalam satu ruang keterbatasan kehendak yang dicipta untuk tuhan itu.

Menyembelih korban sebagai persembahan untuk tuhan. Secara jelas mengikut hukum akal menolak sifat tuhan yang tidak terbatas. Apabila memperkatakan tentang korban, seolah-olah tuhan itu merupakan satu makhluk yang terbatas sifatnya oleh kehendak. Sedangkan tuhan sepatutnya tidak terikat dengan suatu apapun sifat yang bertentangan dengan semulajadi Nya.

Agama yang mendukung falsafah sedemikian dikatakan merupakan sisa daripada sifat manusia primitif. Kemudian lahir pula agama yang bersifat rasional. Konsep bahawa wujudnya satu penjelasan yang munasabah terhadap seluruh kejadian menjadi asas yang terpenting.

Seorang teman saya memberi contoh kenapa wujudnya tuhan kerana rasionalnya adalah dengan wujudnya ciptaan. Logiknya mengikut hukum akal, setiap yang terwujud akan ada daya yang mewujudkan atau menyumbang kepada wujudnya secara tidak langsung. Dalam kes tanaman yang tidak menjadi, agama rasional akan berusaha boleh sahaja mempunyai sebab yang sama dengan agama tradisional, iaitu tanaman tidak menjadi kerana tuhan telah murka.

Namun dalam mengambil pendekatan untuk menyelesaikan masalah tersebut mereka cenderung untuk mencari langkah yang sesuai. Jadi daripada menyembelih lembu atau kambing boer (haha) mungkin mereka akan membina saliran yang lebih baik.

Konsep penciptaan
Kita mengandaikan bahawa bukti wujudnya tuhan kerana ada penciptaan di bumi. Jadi setiap penciptaan akan ada yang mencipta. Dahulu ada orang pernah menyatakan bahawa ini bukanlah alasan yang kukuh unutk membuktikan kewujudan tuhan.

Kelemahan pernyataan diatas kerana ia akan menimbulkan persoalan, kenapa hanya penciptaan yang terikat dengan konsep 'ada penciptaan kerana ada pencipta'. Mengapa tuhan yang sedia wujud itu tidak terikat dengan konsep itu. Juga soalan lazim, adakah andainya manusia diatas dunia ini tidak menyembah tuhan (walau apa agamanya) kuasa tuhan akan berkurang.

Jawapannya sudah tentu tidak kerana tuhan itu tidak terikat dengan konsep keterbatasan. Jadi mengapa tuhan mahu mencipta manusia dan seluruh alam semesta. Soalan sama saya ajukan pada seorang rakan dari ras Caucasean.

"maybe He got nothing to do up in the heaven, He felt boring and created us..."

Apabila saya ajukan kepada teman Muslim, dia akan segera berdalil dengan nas-nas dari al-Quran yang menyatakan dengan jelas kewujudan Tuhan. Apabila ditanya kepada orang Kristian mereka juga akan berdalil dengan Holy Bible (sambil menyerang agama lain yang tidak relevan katanya).

Persoalan yang timbul, penganut dari setiap agama masing-masing mendakwa agama mereka yang paling betul. Selalu saya nyatakan kepada adik-adik saya, jangan sesekali beredalil dengan al-quran untuk melawan orang Kristian. Mudahnya kerana, jikalau kita tidak menerima walau secebispun dalil mereka yang dikutip dari Holy Bible untuk membuktikan Jesus itu oknum dariapda trinity. Begitulah halnya orang kristian tidak akan menerima dalil kita daripada al-quran.

Setiap penganut agama masing-masing yakin dengan kebenaran agamanya. Jadi agama siapa pula yang benar. Saya bukanlah mahu menanamkan fahaman pluralis dalam minda pembaca. Analogi yang selalu digunakan mereka, Tuhan itu cahaya, dan seluruh umat manusia diselubungi oleh selimut, setiap lubang yang di selimut itu mungkin berbeza tetapi sumber cahayanya masih dari yang sama. Langsung tidak masuk akal.

Asas kewujudan agama.
Bagaimana agama mula-mula timbul dalam pemikiran umat manusia. Berbalik kepada persoalan asas, agama itu sendiri sebenarnya satu bentuk sistem kepercayaan asas yang mengikat manusia kepada peraturan atau sebagai perlambangan kebergantungan kepada sebuah entiti (Tuhan).

Asas kepada kewujudan agama ialah adanya satu Kuasa yang tidak terbatas yang mengatur segala kejadian, mudahnya kita namakan Tuhan. Agama mungkin sekali terwujud kerana kebergantungan manusia kepada alam suatu ketika dahulu (rujuk artikel) .

Benarkah Tuhan itu wujud.
Suatu persoalan yang sangat besar. Bagaimana untuk kita membuktikan kewujudan tuhan. Seperti yang saya nyatakan sebelumnya, kita tidak boleh menggunakan ayat-ayat daripada kitab suci agama kerana setiap orang mempunyai pegangan yang berbeza.

Dahulu saya pernah disuakan dengan pendapat yang mengatakan, kita semua berpegang kepada kepercayaan agama masing-masing hanya kerana minda kita dibentuk untuk berfikir sedemikian.

Contohnya, andai saya membesar dalam keluarga muslim, dikelilingi masyarakat yang bergama Islam. Maka secara automatik saya akan menerima secara total dengan kewujudan Tuhan kerana minda saya telah dibentuk dengan sedemikian rupa. Boleh jadi andai saya dilahirkan dalam keluarga yang tidak beragama saya akan mendapati amat sukar untuk menerima konsep keTuhanan yang kedengaran terlampau imaginatif.
(agama siapa yang benar?)

Jadi adakah sebenarnya agama dan tuhan itu sebenarnya tidak lebih daripada suatu konsep pemikiran yang kita warisi daripada generasi ke generasi. Bagaimana untuk membuktikan kewujudan tuhan yang sebenarnya. Ada segelintir daripada ahli falsafah barat menyatakan yang, agama itu sebenarnya hanyalah sistem kepercayaan yang diwujudkan untuk menangani kelemahan manusia dengan secara tidak langsung meletakkan punca kejadian kepada sesuatu yang lain. Contohnya apabila tanaman tidak menjadi kerana tuhan murka, bukan kerana teknik penanaman yang salah.

Pada pandangan mereka, segala kitab suci yang terdapat dalam agama tidak lebih daripada peraturan untuk memastikan masyarakat sentiasa berpegang kepada sistem agama tersebut. Agama itu pula dibentuk oleh masyarakatnya dan keadaan sosial mereka.

Contohnya apabila Moses menerima 'ten commandments' daripada Tuhan, 'Thou shalt not kill'. Peraturan sepuluh yang asas dalam agama yahudi itu tidak lebih daripada usaha untuk membendung perlakuan sosial mereka. Komposisi masyarakat yahudi ketika itu, petempatan mereka yang masih lagi dilereng gunung yang dipenuhi dengan puak-puak bertelagah. Maka 'thou shalt not kill' diwujudkan unutk membendung mereka berbunuhan. Soalnya adakah ia masih lagi relevan ditengah-tengah penduduk New York atau Sydney yang tersedia pasukan keselamatan awam untuk membendung masalah pembunuhan.

Agama itu sebenarnya sesuatu yang fleksibel sifatnya dan tidak statik. Agama boleh menerima perubahan dan menyesuaikan perubahan supaya relevan dengan trend semasa. Sebab itulah dalam agama sekarang telah terpecah kepada fahaman masing-masing, seperti juga agama lainnya. Semua ini berlaku kerana tuntutan perubahan masyarakat.

Jadi samada Tuhan itu wujud atau tidak, bergantung kepada individu itu sendiri untuk menilai sistem kepercayaan agama yang bersifat primitif atau menerima kepercayaan secara bulat-bulat.

Masalah yang dihadapi umat Islam ialah kerana kita sebenarnya hanya yakin dengan kewujudan Allah kerana minda telah dibasuh semenjak dari kecil untuk menerima kewujudan-Nya. Umat Islam takut untuk membuktikan kewujudan Allah. Akhirnya, seperti kisah saya ketika darjah empat tadi, kita akan tersepit antara 'kebenaran' dua agama. Apabila saya gagal untuk membuktikan secara rasional mengapa tuhan saya itu wujud.

Nietzsche berkata tuhan telah mati. Jadi mungkinkah tuhan 'pernah' wujud, tetapi kerana tuhan telah 'mati' dalam diri kita maka apa yang tinggal hanyalah konsep keagamaan yang bercelaru untuk menjaga kepentingan mereka yang terbabit menggunakan agama untuk kesenangan.