~HAWA~

Friday, March 13, 2009

The Prophet: A Choice Offered To No One Else

www.iluvislam.com

The Prophet was an ordinary human being, but he attained his status when God chose him to deliver His final message to mankind. Thus, he became a prophet when he received his first revelation which started with the word, Read! Shortly afterward, he was given his message to warn people that they must worship God alone, associate no partners with Him and believe in His oneness. The Prophet spent the next 23 years of his life attending to the tasks assigned to him by God, fulfilling his responsibilities to which he dedicated all his time and efforts. When this final divine message was complete, the Prophet?s assignment came to its fullness. His role was over. God gathered his soul to His presence. He died the ordinary death that happens to all mankind.

The Prophet was ill during his last days. His illness was more severe at times, but he also felt better on occasions and could go out to the mosque and speak to his companions. One of these occasions is reported by Abu Saeed Al-Khudri: 'The Prophet came and sat on the pulpit. He said: "A certain servant of God was given a choice that he would get whatever he wished of the luxuries and comforts of this world or he would take what was with God. He chose what was with God." Abu Bakar was in tears and he said: "We sacrifice our parents for your sake, Messenger of God." We wondered at his reaction. Some people said: "Look at this old man: the Prophet speaks about a certain person given this choice, and he reacts by saying that we sacrifice our parents for the Prophet's sake." We later came to realize that the Prophet himself was God's servant who was given that choice, and that Abu Bakar knew him better than we all.

The Prophet then said: "One of the people who have done me the best favors in their companionship and financial sacrifice is Abu Bakar. If I were to choose a special friend, I would choose Abu Bakar, but I would rather have the brotherhood of Islam. All private doors to the mosque should be closed except that of Abu Bakar".' (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari, Muslim and others)This highly authentic Hadith speaks of a time when the Prophet was certain that he was about to die. In fact, it is one of the last occasions when the Prophet addressed his companions in the mosque.

He gave them a clear hint that he was departing this life, but only Abu Bakar took the hint and realized that the reference was to the Prophet himself. He wept and expressed his feeling that everything could be sacrificed for the Prophet?s sake. Other people did not understand what the Prophet was referring to. They thought that he was speaking in general terms and they were waiting to hear what happened to the man after he made his choice, preferring what was with God.The Prophet goes on to speak highly of Abu Bakar and his service to Islam and to the Prophet saw himself. We note that the Prophet did not wish to give a special kind of friendship to anyone, preferring to keep his relation based on faith, even with the one who was closest to him.

He, however, gives Abu Bakar a small privilege, which was to keep his private door to the mosque. When the Prophet's Mosque was built, shortly after the Prophet's arrival in Madinah, people who lived close to the mosque had their own private openings through which they came into the mosque. The Prophet wanted all these closed, keeping only Abu Bakar's door. Needless to say that even this one was closed later on.As his death approached, the Prophet was keen to make clear that he valued all his companions and he bid farewell to all, without informing them of his approaching departure from this life. He did not know the timing, as this is known only to God. Uqbah ibn Amir Al-Juhani reports: 'The Prophet prayed for those killed in the Battle of Uhud eight years after the battle. It was as if he was bidding farewell to the living and the deceased.

He then stood on the pulpit and said: "I am going ahead of you, and I will be your witness. Our appointment will be the basin (on the Day of Judgment), and I can almost see it while standing here. I do not fear that you may associate partners with God, but I fear that you may vie with one another for the comforts of this life." That was the last time I saw God's Messenger (peace be upon him).' (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and Muslim)The Battle of Uhud took place eight years earlier and ended in a heavy defeat for the Muslims. The Prophet always remembered those who died in that battle which provided a very important lesson to the Prophet's companions and to all Muslims in all generations.

His prayer for them at this time was a sort of bidding farewell to those whom he knew during his lifetime, whether dead or alive. He then told his companions that he was going ahead of them and that he will be their witness before God. He stressed to them the truth of the Day of Judgment, saying that he could almost see the basin which will be the place where believers will be able to drink, while unbelievers cannot come close to it. He is thus giving them an appointment to meet them there, implying that they will be among the ones given of its waters. Needless to say, this requires that they maintain their faith and remain true to it.It is important to note that the Prophet said that he did not fear that his community would revert to associating partners with God.

Anyone who realizes the full concept of God's oneness will never contemplate any thought of attributing partners to Him. Islam is the most monotheistic ideology mankind has ever known. Muslims will never substitute polytheistic creeds for their belief in God's oneness. However, looking up to the luxuries and comforts of this life may represent a great danger for them, as indulgence in these can take them away from Islamic beliefs and practices. Therefore, they need always to be aware of the triviality of this life and its lack of any real substance or value. Competition for such luxuries can drive people to disobedience of God and His messenger. Should that be the case, they run the risk of incurring God's punishment on the Day of Judgment.

This is something no one should ever willingly risk.Editor's note: As it will be the Maulid Nabi on the 12 Rabi'ul Awwal, let us all look back at the seerah and remember all the sacrifices that have been made for the ummah's sake. There should also be an effort to follow his footsteps especially in spreading the word of truth ie Islam. May we all be under his syafaat and to be able to meet him in the hereafter, the greatest person of all time. Ameen.

SCIENCE???

Sains Islam Dan Sains Barat

Islam tidak pernah mengetepikan sains. Sains mengikut Encarta Encyclopedia ialah, "Systematized knowledge in any field, but applied usually to the organization of objectively verifiable sense experience." Ia bermaksud, "Sains dalam skop yang luas bermaksud ilmu-ilmu yang diperoleh secara sistematik berdasarkan pengalaman deria yang dapat dibuktikan secara objektif."

Secara umumnya, sains boleh didefinisikan sebagai ilmu yang dihasilkan melalui cerapan (iaitu analisis dengan menggunakan panca indera) serta fahaman yang lahir daripadanya. Ia juga boleh diertikan sebagai huraian secara sistematik tentang fenomena tabii atau alam semula jadi. Huraian secara sistematik melibatkan penggunaan intelek di samping kaedah yang dapat diukur (quantitative). Jika diamati definisi-definisi ini, ia memang telah ditekankan oleh Islam berdasarkan dalil-dalil dan nas yang telah disebutkan sebelum ini.

Ilmu sains melahirkan teknologi. Teknologi (mengikut Merriam-Webster Dictionary, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition dan WordNet Dictionary), boleh didefinisikan sebagai, "Pengaplikasian atau penggunaan ilmu terutamanya ilmu sains secara praktikal dan digunakan terutamanya dalam bidang perdagangan dan industri untuk kemanfaatan manusia." Justeru, ilmu sains merupakan alat penting untuk membina teknologi namun ilmu sains bukanlah teknologi. Sebagai contoh, sains membicarakan tentang teori atom dan daripada itu lahirlah teknologi yang menghasilkan kuasa atom.

Keterbatasan Sains

Islam memberi kebebasan kepada para saintis untuk mengkaji, namun ia menyedari keterbatasan intelek yang dimiliki manusia. Justeru, sains Islam menjadikan wahyu sebagai sumber rujukan yang tertinggi. Dalam erti kata yang lain, dalam Islam, wahyu mengatasi akal kerana wahyu datang daripada kuasa tanpa batas sedangkan akal terbatas. Sains tidak boleh mengatasi wahyu. Apa-apa konklusi yang bercanggah dengan dasar-dasar wahyu dianggap sebagai konklusi sains yang salah dan apa-apa yang selari dengannya bolehlah diterima. Dalam hal ini Allah berfirman dalam surah al-Jathiyah ayat 20,

"Al-Quran ini adalah pedoman bagi manusia, petunjuk dan rahmat bagi kaum yang meyakini."

Justeru, sains dalam Islam ialah sains yang berkonsepkan tauhid. Sains dalam Islam tunduk kepada prinsip-prinsip yang ditetapkan Allah melalui rasulnya. Sains dalam Islam tunduk kepada al-Quran.

Di barat konsep yang merujukkan sains kepada Tuhan, wahyu dan kuasa ghaib dikenali sebagai creationism. Kadang kala ia dikenali juga sebagai intelligent design. Konsep-konsep ini ditolak oleh ramai saintis di barat. Sebagai contoh, para saintis daripada Akademi Sains Kebangsaan di Amerika (The U.S. National Academy of Sciences) menegaskan bahawa "sebarang kenyataan yang menetapkan bahawa asal usul kehidupan ini ada perkaitan dengan kuasa ghaib (supernatural intervention) tidak boleh diiktiraf sebagai sains." Hal ini dinyatakan dalam Science and Creationism: A View from the National Academy of Sciences, Second Edition, terbitan National Academy of Sciences tahun 1999.

Dalam kes Kitzmiller lawan Dover Area School District pada tahun 2005 (Case No. 04cv2688. December 20, 2005), sebuah mahkamah persekutuan di Amerika memutuskan mana-mana sekolah yang mengajar sains dan mengaitkan kejadian kehidupan dengan kuasa ghaib dan mengetepikan teori evolusi, ia dianggap telah melanggar perlembagaan Amerika.

Matlamat dan Metodologi Sains

Dalam Islam, sains mempunyai matlamatnya. Matlamat jangka pendek ialah mengenali hakikat kejadian alam serta manusia dan memanfaatkan ilmu itu untuk kebaikan semua. Sebagai contoh, melalui sains kita mengetahui bahawa seks kromosom lelaki menentukan kejantinaan seseorang bayi, kejadian bayi bermula dengan persenyawaan antara sperma lelaki dan ovum wanita, kejadian bumi berlaku selepas kejadian bintang-bintang di langit dan yang seumpamanya. Namun akhirnya yang menjadi keutamaan ialah matlamat jangka panjang iaitu mengagungkan dan membesarkan Allah. Hal ini terserlah dalam surah al-Mukminun ayat 14 yang bermaksud,

"Kemudian Kami menjadikan benih nuthfah itu alaqah. Kemudian daripada alaqah Kami jadikan mudghah. Kemudian daripada mudghah Kami jadikan tulang dan Kami tutup tulang itu dengan daging. Kemudian Kami jadikannya makhluk berbentuk lain. Maha suci Allah, sebaik-baik Pencipta."

Perhatikanlah ayat ini dengan baik. Selepas Allah menceritakan fasa-fasa kejadian bayi (dan hal ini dapat disahkan oleh sains), Allah mengakhiri ayat itu dengan ungkapan, "Maha suci Allah, sebaik-baik Pencipta." Inilah matlamat asasi sains, iaitu untuk mengagungkan Allah.

Untuk mencapai matlamat ini metodologi yang digunakan perlulah betul. Sains berkonsepkan tauhid melahirkan metodologi atau pendekatan yang mengambil kira syariat. Kepatuhan kepada syariat tidak menghalang kreativiti dan inovasi kerana kebebasan untuk mengkaji telah pun diberikan Islam berdasarkan sabda nabi yang bermaksud, "Kamu lebih tahu tentang urusan duniamu." Yang dituntut ialah kepatuhan kepada prinsip-prinsip syariat yang akan mencantikkan sains. Sebagai contoh syariat mengutamakan nyawa manusia. Justeru kajian sains dan teknologi yang terhasil daripadanya tidak boleh digunakan untuk memusnahkan nyawa. Syariat juga melarang kemudaratan dilakukan berdasarkan sabda nabi yang bermaksud,

"Tidak boleh melakukan kemudaratan dan tidak boleh membalas dengan kemudaratan." Hadis ini diriwayatkan oleh Imam Malik, Al-Hakim, Baihaqi dan Ibn Majah.

Islam juga menekankan tentang akhlak. Antara akhlak yang wajib dihayati ialah sikap bertanggungjawab ataupun amanah. Amanah ini melibatkan individu, alam sekitar dan masyarakat secara amnya. Lihatlah apa yang berlaku pada hari ini apabila sains dan teknologi terbabas daripada nilai-nilai amanah dan agama. Sebagai contoh, bidang bioteknologi telah melahirkan satu konsep baru yang dikenali sebagai kejuruteraan genetik (genetic engineering). Teknologi ini mampu memindahkan bahan genetik yang bernama DNA dari satu spesies ke spesies yang lain. Walau bagaimanapun untuk berjaya, proses ini memerlukan bantuan virus tertentu agar DNA daripada spesies yang berbeza dapat mengenali antara satu sama lain. Penggunaan kuman-kuman virus ini akhirnya menyebabkan kelahiran pelbagai kuman serta penyakit baru yang mampu membunuh manusia. Mengikut Dr Mae-Wan Ho, pengarah Bioelectrodynamics Laboratory di Open University, United Kingdom, kejuruteraan genetik telah menyebabkan wabak kolera menyerang India pada tahun 1992, wabak kuman streptococcus di Tayside pada tahun 1993 dan wabak kuman E. Coli 157 di Scotland.

Justeru, kepatuhan kepada syariat adalah penting agar sains tidak terbabas daripada landasan kebenaran dan kesejahteraan.

* Dr.Danial Zainal Abidin merupakan seorang pengurus dan pengamal perubatan di klinik Syifa' Gelugor, Pulau Pinang. Beliau juga adalah pengarah urusan kepada Syarikat Danial Zainal Consultancy. Di samping itu beliau juga merupakan seorang pakar motivasi undangan di radio,penceramah dan penulis buku yang berkaitan Islam dan Sains.

Sumber artikel : www.danialzainalabidin.com