POLITICAL DISTANCING THIS RAMADAN BENEFITS MUSLIMS

Ramadan is here – when Muslims fast for a month from dawn to dusk to fulfill one of the pillars of Islam. I believe it is spiritually uplifting for each with their own experience.

There are also many “non-spiritual” benefits such as discipline, dieting and self-awareness.

The Ramadan experience this year, however, will be dramatically different due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There will be no Ramadan buffets in hotels, which together with others in the food and beverage sector, will be badly hit.

The positive side in this whole episode is the reduced politicising of the religion which has unfortunately become accepted behaviour in Malaysia.

It is an open secret, in the capital city at least, that politicians often use the fasting month to further their political presence by organising “iftar“. Hopefully, in the absence of such politically motivated sessions, our attention can return to the actual spirit of Ramadan.

Furthermore, most of those invited to such Ramadan buffets can afford their own food. Maybe this time around, the money saved can be used to feed the poor and needy.

Also, since much time will be saved from not socialising or networking, hopefully there will more thinking and introspection by our leaders on how to improve the collective happiness in the country.

I often wonder if politicians have the time to think, reflect and read since they are often busy attending programmes.

Continue reading by clicking here.

Peace !

Ramadan reflections: Do Not Insult The religion of Others

Quran: Surah Al Anaam (6) Verse 108:

And do not insult those that they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge. Thus we have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord is thier return and He will inform them about what they used to do".

The Muslim is taught by Allah not to insult the gods that others may worship. 

Peace/Salam.

Ramadan a month of self reflection

June 6 — The Ramadan month is here again as it does every year. Every Sunni Muslim knows that fasting is required during the month of Ramadan, it is one of the five pillars of his faith. He knows how to fast, when to break fast and what to do during the fasting month so that his fast fulfils the requirements of the fast.

This is the time when Muslims undergo disciplinary training of abstinence from food, drinks, lust and management of emotions for the love of Allah. The month is also filled with nightly ritual prayer of terawih, a special prayer which is much longer than the normal five times per day prayers.

Correctly practised, Ramadan is capable of being a month that transforms the caterpillar into a butterfly, change of bad habits into good ones. It can cause the hijrah or migration of  a person from a lower state into a higher state, a poor character into an exemplary one.

Whether Ramadan serves the purpose of transforming a person into a better human being or it only serves as a mere religious ritual depends on many factors, primarily how the individual Muslim sees it. It will be a sad state if good character emerges only for one month to be replaced by poor character for the next 11 months.

One of the significance of the Ramadan month is that Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed during this month. The first verse revealed was said to be the following in Surah Al Alaq: Read (O Muhammad!) in the name of your Lord who created (96.1). He created man from a clot (96.2). 

“Read, and your Lord is the Most Honorable (96.3) who taught with the pen, (96.4) taught man what he did not know.’’

Hence, the month of Ramadan is also a month of learning and relearning. In line with the first verse of the Quran, Muslims can use this month to revisit the contents of the Quran and to reach out to its messages. To read in the name of the Lord who teaches humans what they know not. This will be the best opportunity to evaluate how far we may have moved away from the teachings in the Quran and accepted other teachings of men as divine.

To the believer, there are many pearls of wisdom in the Quran and guidance for mankind in many areas of our life, particularly how to be a human being useful to His creations and to ourselves. The most basic and fundamental teachings of Islam comes from the Quran.

If a Muslim takes the trouble to allocate a mere one hour a day in the month of Ramadan to study the Quran, he may emerge more knowledgeable about Islam as contained in the Quran at the end of the Ramadan month.

Reading sincerely leads to self-reflection and hopefully, leads us nearer to Allah in our actions and we become useful human beings on earth so that those who do have the benefit of the Quran can see its mercy through our actions of kindness and industry. 

Reading the Quran will make us aware that there are many approaches of peace that Allah has taught us when we are faced with potentially hostile situations.

Reading the Quran also teaches us to preempt potentially aggressive or hostile situations in our dealings with other fellow human beings. As I mentioned earlier, reading the Quran will lead to self-reflection which is very important in life, like spring- cleaning our house or our cupboard. There could have been many mental cobwebs and dirt that may need to be dusted in our minds and our hearts.

Allah has clearly stated in the Quran that he will not change our state until we change what is within us. In other words, He requires those who want to improve to take stock of themselves — their diligence level, their mindsets, their thirst and quest for knowledge and so on.

I would invite my Muslim brothers and sisters to look inwards at ourselves during this Ramadan and see whether we are responsible for the state and condition that we are in. I find that too often we are busy blaming everyone from the Jews to anyone else who does not sound like us for our woes.

The story of Prophet Yunus in the Quran is an excellent example to critically evaluate myself when things go wrong. More likely than not, I must have erred in some way for me to receive “negative” response from the world.

“And remember Zun-nun (Yunus), when he departed in wrath: He imagined that We had no power over him! But he cried through the depths of darkness. There is no God but You: glory to You: I was indeed wrong! 021.088. So We listened to him: and delivered him from distress: and thus do We deliver those who have faith.” (Al Anbiya 87 – 88).

Salam Ramadan to all and may you each be blessed with what you sow.

*Jahaberdeen is a senior lawyer and founder of Rapera, a movement that encourages thinking and compassionate citizens. He can be reached at rapera.jay@gmail.com.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Malay Mail Online.

- See more at: http://m.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/ramadan-a-month-of-self-reflection-jahaberdeen-mohamed-yunoos#sthash.TfLX3UGg.dpuf

Ramadan Thoughts: Ramadan is Here Again.

I am repeating last year's post as it is still relevant.

Salam Ramadan

1. The Ramadan month is here again. This is the time where the Muslims undergo disciplinaryTRAINING of abstinence from food, drinks, lust and management of emotions for the love of Allah.

2. The month is also filled with nightly ritual prayer of terawih, aSPECIAL prayer which is much longer than the normal five times per day prayers.

3. Correctly practiced, the Ramadan month is capable of being a month that transforms the caterpillar into a butterfly, change of bad habits into good ones. It can cause the Hijrah or migration of a person from a lower state into a higher state, a poor character into an examplary one.

4. Whether Ramadan serves the purpose of transforming a person into aBETTER human being or it only serves as a mere religious ritual depends on many factors, primarily how the individual Muslim sees it.

5. On the one hand, Ramadan also witnesses many hypocritical, commercial and purely selfish behaviour.  The business entities, especially the food industry seems to ironically have a boost in sales!CORPORATE and political personalities also use this period to network for commercial and political purposes.

6. The most basic and fundamental teachings of Islam comes from the Quran.  If the Muslim takes the trouble to allocate a mere one hour a day in the month of Ramadan to study the Quran, he mayEMERGEmore knowledgeable about true Islam as contained in the Quran at the end of the Ramadan month.

7. With the knowledge gained from the Quran,he may then use it as a criterion to evaluate his life, the life in the society he lives in, the values and the events that he has witnessed in his society - and decide whether it reflects the mercy, blessings, and teachings thatBENEFIT human kind as contained in the Quran.

8. It will be sad and futile if the Ramadan month is turned into pure ritualistic exercise for the sake of a tradition or religion without the spirit. Then there will be no migration or Hijrah of the person's character and perspectives.

9. Salam Ramadan to all and may you each be blessed with what you sow.

Peace !

Iqra in the Month of Ramadan

1. One of the significance of the Ramadan month is that Muslims believe that the Quran was first revealed during this month.

2, The first verse revealed was said to be the following:

"Read [O Muhammad!] in the name of your Lord who created. (96.1) He created man from a clot. (96.2) Read, and your Lord is the Most Honorable (96.3) who taught with the pen, (96.4) taught man what he did not know. (96.5)"

3. Hence, the month of Ramadan is also a month of learning and relearning. In line with the first verse of the Quran, Muslims can use this month to revisit the contents of the Quran, to reach out to its messages. To read in the name of the Lord who teaches humans what they know not.

3. There are many pearls of wisdom in the Quran and guidance for mankind in many areas of our life, particularly how to be a human being useful to His creations and to ourselves.

4. Reading sincerely leads to self reflection.

5. Self reflection, hopefully leads us nearer to Allah in our actions and we become useful human beings on earth so that those who do have the benefit of the Quran can see its mercy through our actions of kindness and industry.

6. Reading the Quran will make us aware that there are many approaches of peace that Allah has taught us when we are faced with potentially hostile situations.

7. Reading the Quran also teaches us to preempt potentially aggressive or hostile situations in our dealings with other fellow human beings.

8. Islam after all means peace and it is this peace that we wish to share.

9. Hopefully, this Ramadan is the month where the Muslims will spread the message of peace to all in the world.


Peace !

Salam Ramadan

1. The Ramadan month is here again. This is the time where the Muslims undergo disciplinary training of abstinence from food, drinks, lust and management of emotions for the love of Allah.

2. The month is also filled with nightly ritual prayer of terawih, a special prayer which is much longer than the normal five times per day prayers.

3. Correctly practiced, the Ramadan month is capable of being a month that transforms the caterpillar into a butterfly, change of bad habits into good ones. It can cause the Hijrah or migration of a person from a lower state into a higher state, a poor character into an examplary one.

4. Whether Ramadan serves the purpose of transforming a person into a better human being or it only serves as a mere religious ritual depends on many factors, primarily how the individual Muslim sees it.

5. On the one hand, Ramadan also witnesses many hypocritical, commercial and purely selfish behaviour.  The business entities, especially the food industry seems to ironically have a boost in sales! Corporate and political personalities also use this period to network for commercial and political purposes.

6. The most basic and fundamental teachings of Islam comes from the Quran.  If the Muslim takes the trouble to allocate a mere one hour a day in the month of Ramadan to study the Quran, he may emerge more knowledgeable about true Islam as contained in the Quran at the end of the Ramadan month.

7. With the knowledge gained from the Quran,he may then use it as a criterion to evaluate his life, the life in the society he lives in, the values and the events that he has witnessed in his society - and decide whether it reflects the mercy, blessings, and teachings that benefit human kind as contained in the Quran.

8. It will be sad and futile if the Ramadan month is turned into pure ritualistic exercise for the sake of a tradition or religion without the spirit. Then there will be no migration or Hijrah of the person's character and perspectives.

9. Salam Ramadan to all and may you each be blessed with what you sow.

Peace !

Korean Muslims Preparing For Ramadan

Peace !

PAS, Entertainment Outlets and Ramadan

1. Every sunni Muslim knows that fasting is required during the month of Ramadan - it is one of the five pillars of his faith. He knows how to fast, when to break fast and what to do during the fasting month so that his fast fulfills the requirements of the fast.

2. I know that it has been customary (not sure if it is the law) that restaurants owned by Muslims are usually shut from morning and only start operations sometime in the evening. I really do not know whether it is because of some religious reason or because it is not economical to open for breakfast and lunch. I really can never understand why a person who is fasting cannot open his food business. I have been overseas where the operators observe thier fast while serving food. Their faith is unshaken and so is thier business.

3. If it is true that PAS in Kedah wants to close certain entertainment outlets during Ramadan, I also cannot understand thier rationale. Is it to prevent Malays from patronising these places duirng Ramadan?

4. Does that mean that during other months it is okey for the Malays to patronise these places?

5. If the entertainment is intrinsically bad in some way, why not just ban it forever under the law? If it is not intrinsically bad, then what is this double standard all about? Something that is good or bad according to the month is something that I cannot understand.

6. I know that it is a criminal offence under the syariah laws in most, if not all States for Malays to eat in public restaurants during the day in the month of Ramadan. I do not think it will help if the person who is not fasting for whatever reason hides at the back of the restaurant and eats away from the public eye.

7. I personally have never understood the need to compel people to fast or to deny the non-faster from eating if he wants to. I hold that faith is a personal matter.

8. Nevertheless,  the law is the law and it is reflective of the society that upholds it.

9. Anyway, for those who are going to fast because they want to fast, I wish them all happy fasting and may God bless you all.

 Salam.

What Do I write about the Quran?

Now that the Let’s Read The Quran Campaign is on, I thought that it is incumbent upon me to write something about the Quran or something Quran related. I wanted to write something about it for the past two days but my mind went blank. I could write nothing even though my friends and clients have always “complained” that I could not hold a conversation without invoking verses from the Quran or from alluding to God. That is my one of my weakness for a very longtime.

This is not the first time something like this happened. Many times before, even when I was writing for Berita Harian some years back. I could never write when I wanted to such that, I told BH not to give me a deadline to meet. Just publish when I write and they agreed. When I cannot write on Quran related topics, the following verse always pops into my mind automatically:

“High above all is God, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to you is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." (Quran: 20.114)

Speaking for myself, when I am forcing myself to write for a “dateline” or a “task” I feel uncomfortable deep within my heart. I cannot write for any other purpose on the Quran other than circumstantial relevancy. I envy those who can write on Quran and related topics for a salary or a wage or a purpose other than to share (and self learn) the messages of the Quran. I also cannot imagine myself earning wages out of the Quran. The following verses have always been uppermost in my mind whenever I want to write or speak on the Quran:

“And verily your Lord knows all that their hearts do hide. As well as all that they reveal” (Quran: 27:74)

I do not wish to fall into the trap of the Satan that may make me write or speak on the Quran for purposes other than ‘pure’. For example, to show-off or to proclaim self-righteousness, or ‘syok sendiri’. Ego is a deceptive devil that can cause you to syirik.

“Have you seen the one who took his ego (desire) as his god, and God led him astray, despite his knowledge, and He sealed his hearing and his heart, and He made a veil on his eyes? Who then can guide him after God? Will you not remember?” (Quran 45:23)

It is a real problem, especially with knowledgeable people or people who think they are knowledgeable, they can become arrogant, egoistic and forceful in nature. That to me is worship of the ego. I sincerely have no desire to force my understanding on anyone. I consider myself a student of the Quran and hopefully, before I die I can have the opportunity to understand most of it.

So, when am I able write about the Quran?

Well, actually, almost everyday for about half hour to relax but I write it for myself. Those are not meant for the world. When I do publish articles or thoughts on the Quran, they are those that I have a deep feeling that I have to write and most of them are written from my heart. It is a kind of feeling that if I do not write or speak, I am either ‘playing safe’ or being untrue to myself or to God and that my head will soon explode.

All my life, there are many “Quran projects and religious activities" I shun from because you are expected to contribute”. My good friends sometimes find this attitude of mine exasperating. Some of them understand my fear that belonging to a “committee” or a “club” may make me like the desert Arabs who have to make an impression and become a hypocrite.

“The desert Arabs who lagged behind will say to you: "We were engaged in (looking after) our flocks and herds, and our families: do you then ask forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: "Who then has any power at all (to intervene) on your behalf with God, if His Will is to give you some loss or to give you some profit? But God is well acquainted with all that you do”. (Quran: 48:11)


Well, I am actually writing for myself trying to sort out why I cannot write. If this is published on the blog, then it is meant to be so.


Peace !

Ramadan Thoughts7: The Power of One

Tribute to a man who raised consciousness without raising his voice.



The Power of One by Donna Summers.

Make some time to view the whole video.

Ramadan Thoughts6: Be Kind and charitable

“Serve God, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and what your right hands possess: For God does not love the arrogant, the vainglorious” ( Quran 004.036)

Ramadan Thoughts5: Don’t make mischief on earth!

The Quran, surah 2 verses 11 to 12:

“When it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "Why,
we only want to make peace!" [002.011]

Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realise (it) not”. [002.012]

Surely, our life on earth is transient. We should try to leave as little harm as we possibly can before we return to the Maker, if to contribute positively is not possible?
How often have we heard that war is necessary to maintain world peace? Does that make sense?

How often do we experience misery from the mischief caused by the “noble actions” of others?

Images from http://www.chris-floyd.com/war/. (Thank you for the sad education).

Visit http://mindprod.com/politics/iraqwarpix.html to know more about the great American Government’s contribution to world peace. Americans have killed over 100,000 civilians, mostly children in Iraq. You must have a very strong stomach to see the photos of “collateral damage” there. Yup, Politicians Again!

Ramadan Thoughts4: Investigate, Verify, Use your brains.

Quran surah 17 verse 36 :

“And pursue not that of which you have no knowledge; for every act of
hearing, or of seeing or of the heart will be enquired into (on the Day of
Reckoning)”.

For you and you alone will be accountable for your actions on earth:

"And behold! you come to us bare and alone as We created you for the first time: you have left behind you all (the favours) which We bestowed on you: We see not with you your intercessors whom you thought to be partners in your affairs: so now all relations between you have been cut off, and your (pet) fancies have left you in the lurch!" [006.094]

Ramadan Thoughts3: Ethics of Discussion

Quran, surah 16 verses 125 to 127:
“Invite (all) to the Way of the Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for your Lord knows best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. [016.125]

And if you do catch them out, catch them out no worse than they catch you out: But if you show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient. [016.126]

And do you be patient, for your patience is but from God; nor grieve over them: and distress not yourself because of their plots”. [016.127]

Will I therefore be right in saying that there is no room for mad, irrational screaming and mobs demonstrating to the streets in Islam where avenues of discussion are available? Muslims must learn to engage in discourse with wisdom and grace, the Quran says.

Correct me if I my understanding is wrong

Ramadan Thoughts2: Justice is next to piety

Surah 5 verse 8 of the Quran:

“O you who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do”

Hatred of others, if any, should not make Muslims swerve to wrong doing and be unjust to them.

Ramadan Thoughts1: Show me the straight Way

Quran surah 1 verses 3 to 7:

“Most Gracious, Most Merciful; 001.003

Master of the Day of Judgment. 001.004

You do we serve, and Your aid we seek. 001.005

Show us the straight way, 001.006

The way of those on whom have bestowed your Grace, those whose
(portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray”. 001.007


The above is part of the surah called “Fathiha” which every Muslim recites every time he prays five times a day

He says that he serves God and asks God to show him the straight Way.

Does he serve any other than God – for example, his ego, vested interests, leaders, clergy, etc?

Does he try to find out what is the straight way? If he prays 5 times a day for a year, he would have asked God to show him the straight way 17 x 365 = 6,205 times!!!

Having asked 6,205 times in a year, does he make an effort to find the Way? If he does not, is he not taking God in jest?

Learning.