"I'm so tired"

"Tired of what?"

"Of all these people judging me."

"Who judged you?"

"Like that woman, every time I sit with her, she
tells me to wear hijab."

"Oh, hijab and music! The mother of all topics!"

"Yeah! I listen to music without hijab. haha!"

"Maybe she was just giving you advice."

"I don't need her advice. I know my religion. Can't
she mind her own business?"

"Maybe you misunderstood. She was just being
nice."

"Keeping out of my business, that would be
nice..."

"But it's her duty to encourage you do to good."

"Trust me. That was no encouragement. And what
do you mean 'good'?"

"Well, wearing hijab, that would be a good thing to
do."

"Says who?"

"It's in the Qur'an, isn't it?"

"Yes. She did quote me something."

"She said Surah an-Nur, and other places of the
Qur'an."

"Yes, but it's not a big sin anyway. Helping people
and praying is more important."

"True. But big things start with small things."

"That's a good point, but what you wear is not
important. What's important is to have a good
healthy heart."

"What you wear is not important?"

"That's what I said."

"Then why do you spend an hour every morning
fixing up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You spend money on cosmetics, not to mention
all the time you spend on fixing your hair and low-
carb dieting."

"So?"

"So, your appearance IS important."

"No. I said wearing hijab is not an important thing
in religion."

"If it's not an important thing in religion, why is it

mentioned in the Holy Qur'an?"

"You know I can't follow all that's in Qur'an."

"You mean God tells you something to do, you
disobey and then it's OK?"

"Yes. God is forgiving."

"God is forgiving to those who repent and do not
repeat their mistakes."

"Says who?" < BR>"Says the same book that tells
you to cover."

"But I don't like hijab, it limits my freedom."

"But the lotions, lipsticks, mascara and other
cosmetics set you free?! What's your definition of
freedom anyway?"

"Freedom is in doing whatever you like to do."

"No. Freedom is in doing the right thing, not in
doing whatever we wish to do."

"Look! I've seen so many people who don't wear
hijab and are nice people, and so many who wear
hijab and are bad people."

"So what? There are people who are nice to you
but are alcoholic. Should we all be alcoholics?
You made a stupid point."

"I don't want to be an extremist or a fanatic. I'm OK
the way I am without hijab."

"Then you are a secular fanatic. An extremist in
disobeying God."

"You don't get it, if I wear hijab, who would marry
me?!"

"So all these people with hijab never get
married?!"

"Okay! Wha t if I get married and my husband
doesn't l i ke it? And wants me to remove it?"

"What if your husband wants you to go out with
him on a bank robbery?!"

"That's irrelevant, bank robbery is a crime."

"Disobeying your Creator is not a crime?"

"But then who would hire me?"

"A company that respects people for who they
are."

"Not after 9-11"

"Yes. After 9-11. Don't you know about Hanan
who just got into med school? And the other one,
what was her name, the girl who always wore a
white hijab.ummm."

"Yasmeen?"

"Yes. Yasmeen. She just finished her MBA and is
now interning for GE."

"Why do you reduce religion to a piece of cloth
anyway?"

"Why do you reduce womanhood to high heals
and lipstick colours?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"In fact, I did. Hijab is not just a piece of cloth.
It is
obeying God in a difficult environment. It is
courage, faith in action, and true womanhood. But
your short sleeves, tight pants."

"That's called 'fashion', you live in a cave or
something? First of all, hijab was founded by men
who wanted to control women."

"Really? I did not know men could control women
by hijab."

"Yes. That's what it is."

"What about the women who fight their husbands
to wear hijab? And women in France who are
forced to remove their hijab by men? What do you
say about that?"

"Well, that's different."

"What difference? The woman who asked you to
wear hijab. she was a woman, right?"

"Right, but."

"But fashions that are designed and promoted by
male-dominated corporations, set you free? Men
have no control on exposing women and using
them as a commodity?! Give me a break!"

"Wait, let me finish, I was saying."

"Saying what? You think that men control women
by hijab?"

"Yes."

"Specifically how?"

"By te lling women how and what to wear,
dummy!"

"Doesn't TV, magazines and movies tell you what
t o wear, and how to be 'attractive'?"

"Of course, it's fashion."

"Isn't that control? Pressuring you to wear what
they want you to wear?"

Silence

"Not just controlling you, but also controlling the
market."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you are told to look skinny and anorexic
like that woman on the cover of the magazine, by
men who design those magazines and sell those
products."

"I don't get it. What does hijab have to do with
products."

"It has everything to do with that. Don't you see?
Hijab is a threat to consumerism, women who
spend billions of dollars to look skinny and live by
standards of fashion designed by men.and then
here is Islam, saying trash all that nonsense and
focus on your soul, not on your looks, and do not
worry what men think of your looks."

"Like I don't have to buy hijab? Isn't hijab a
product?"

"Yes, it is. It is a product that sets you free from
male-dominated consumer ism ."

"Stop lecturing me! I WILL NOT WEAR HIJAB! It
is awkward, outdated, and totally not suitable for
this societ y ... Moreover, I am only 20 and too
young to wear hijab!"

"Fine. Say that to your Lord, when you face Him
on Judgment Day."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Silence

"Shut up and I don't want to hear more about hijab
niqab schmijab Punjab !"

Silence.

She stared at the mirror, tired of arguing with
herself all this time.

Successful enough, she managed to shut the
voices in her head, with her own opinions
triumphant in victory on the matter, and a final
modern decision accepted by the society,
rejected by the Faith:

Yes to curls or blowed dried hair, no to hijab

Read more!

KATA - KATA HIKMAH KHULAFA' UR RASYIDIN

Syd. Abu Bakar rha. Berkata :

Orang yang bakhil itu tidak akan terlepas daripada salah satu daripada 4 sifat yang membinasakan, iaitu: 

 • Ia akan mati dan hartanya akan diambil oleh warisnya, laludibelanjakan bukan pada tempatnya.

• Hartanya akan diambil secara paksa oleh penguasa yang zalim.

• Hartanya menjadi rebutan orang-orang jahat dan akandipergunakan untuk kejahatan pula. 

• Adakalanya harta itu akan dicuri dan dipergunakan secaraberfoya-foya pada jalan yang tidak berguna.

Syd. Umar Al Khattab Rha. berkata :

• Orang yang banyak ketawa itu kurang wibawanya. 

• Orang yang suka menghina orang lain, dia juga akan dihina. 

• Orang yang menyintai akhirat, dunia pasti menyertainya.

• Barangsiapa menjaga kehormatan orang lain, pasti kehormatandirinya akan terjaga.

Syd. Othman Ibnu Affan Rha. berkata : 

Antara tanda-tanda orang yang bijaksana itu ialah:

• Hatinya selalu berniat suci 

• Lidahnya selalu basah dengan zikrullah

• Kedua matanya menangis kerana penyesalan (terhadap dosa) 

• Segala perkara dihadapainya dengan sabar dan tabah • Mengutamakan kehidupan akhirat daripada kehidupan dunia.

Syd. Ali Karramallahu Wajhah berkata :

• Tiada solat yang sempurna tanpa jiwa yang khusyu'.

•Tiada puasa yang sempurna tanpa mencegah diri daripada perbuatan yang sia-sia.

• Tiada kebaikan bagi pembaca al-Qur'an tanpa mengambil pangajaran daripadanya.

• Tiada kebaikan bagi orang yang berilmu tanpa memiliki sifatwarak (memelihara diri dan hati- hati dari dosa). 

• Tiada kebaikan mengambil teman tanpa saling sayang-menyayangi. 

• Nikmat yang paling baik ialah nikmat yang kekal dimiliki. 

• Doa yang paling sempurna ialah doa yang dilandasi keikhlasan. 

• Barangsiapa yang banyak bicara, maka banyak pula salahnya,siapa yang banyak salahnya, maka hilanglah harga dirinya,siapa yang hilang harga dirinya, bererti dia tidak warak.Sedang orang yang tidak warak itu bererti hatinya mati.

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WHY SCIENCE FAILS TO EXPLAIN GOD?

At an educational institution: Professing to be wise, they became fools .... "LET ME EXPLAIN THE problem science has with God."

The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. "You're a Muslim, aren't you, son?"

"Yes, sir."

"So you believe in God?"

"Absolutely."

"Is God good?"

"Sure! God's good."

"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"

"Yes."

The professor grins knowingly and considers for a moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help them? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."

"So you're good...!"

"I wouldn't say that."

"Why not say that? You would help a sick and maimed person if you could in fact most of us would if we could... God doesn't."

[No answer]

"He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Muslim who died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. How is this God good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

[No answer]

The elderly man is sympathetic. "No, you can't, can you?" He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. In philosophy, you have to go easy with the new ones. Let's start again, young fella."

"Is God good?"

"Er... Yes."

"Is Satan good?"

"No."

"Where does Satan come from?" The student falters.

"From... God..."

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he?" The elderly man runs his bony fingers through his thinning hair and turns to the smirking, student audience.

"I think we're going to have a lot of fun this semester, ladies and gentlemen."

He turns back to the Muslim. "Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"

"Yes, sir."

"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? Did God make everything?"

"Yes."

"Who created evil?"

[No answer]

"Is there sickness in this world? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All the terrible things - do they exist in this world?"

The student squirms on his feet. "Yes."

"Who created them? "

[No answer]

The professor suddenly shouts at his student.

"WHO CREATED THEM? TELL ME, PLEASE!"

The professor closes in for the kill and climbs into the Muslim's face. In a still small voice: "God created all evil, didn't He, son?"

[No answer] The student tries to hold the steady, experienced gaze and fails. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace the front of the classroom like an aging panther. The class is mesmerised.

"Tell me," he continues,"How is it that this God is good if He created all evil throughout all time?" The professor swishes his arms around to encompass the wickedness of the world. "All the hatred, the brutality, all the pain, all the torture, all the death and ugliness and all the suffering created by this good God is all over the world, isn't it, young man?"

[No answer]

"Don't you see it all over the place? Huh?"

Pause.

"Don't you?"

The professor leans into the student's face again and whispers, Is God good?"

[No answer]

"Do you believe in God, son?"

The student's voice betrays him and cracks.

"Yes, professor. I do." The old man shakes his head sadly. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. You have never seen God, Have you?

"No, sir. I've never seen Him."

"Then tell us if you've ever heard your God?"

"No, sir. I have not."

"Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God or smelt your God... in fact, do you have any sensory perception of your God whatsoever?"

[No answer]

"Answer me, please."

"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."

"You're AFRAID... you haven't?"

"No, sir."

"Yet you still believe in him?"

"... yes..."

"That takes FAITH!" The professor smiles sagely at the underling. According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son? Where is your God now?"

[The student doesn't answer]

"Sit down, please." The Muslim sits... Defeated.

Another Muslim raises his hand. "Professor, may I address theclass?"

The professor turns and smiles. "Ah, another Muslim in the vanguard! Come, come, young man. Speak some proper wisdom to the gathering."

The Muslim looks around the room. "Some interesting points you are making, sir. Now I've got a question for you.

"Is there such thing as heat?"

Yes, the professor replies. "There's heat."

"Is there such a thing as cold?"

"Yes, son, there's cold too."

"No, sir, there isn't."

The professor's grin freezes. The room suddenly goes very cold. The second Muslim continues. You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat but we don't have anything called 'cold'.We can hit 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold, otherwise we would be able to go colder than
458 - - You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold.

"Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence. A pin drops somewhere in the classroom.

"Is there such a thing as darkness, professor?"

"That's a dumb question, son. What is night if it isn't darkness? What are you getting at...?

"So you say there is such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes..."

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something, it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, Darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker and give me a jar of it. Can you... give me a jar of darker darkness, professor?" Despite himself, the professor smiles at the young effrontery before him. This will indeed be a good semester.

"Would you mind telling us what your point is, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with and so your conclusion must be in error...."

"The professor goes toxic. "Flawed...? How dare you...!"

"Sir, may I explain what I mean?"

The class is all ears.

"Explain... oh, explain..." The professor makes an admirable effort to regain control. Suddenly he is affability itself. He waves his hand to silence the class, for the student to continue.

"You are working on the premise of duality," the Muslim explains. That for example there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science cannot even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism but has never seen, much less fully understood them. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

"Death is not the opposite of life, merely the absence of it." The young man holds up a newspaper he takes from the desk of a neighbour who has been reading it.

"Here is one of the most disgusting tabloids this country hosts, professor. Is there such a thing as immorality?"

"Of course there is, now look..."

"Wrong again, sir. You see, immorality is merely the absence of morality. Is there such thing as injustice? No."

Injustice is the absence of justice. Is there such a thing as evil?" The Muslim pauses.

"Isn't evil the absence of good?"

The professor's face has turned an alarming colour. He is so angry he is temporarily speechless.

The Muslim continues. "If there is evil in the world, professor, and we all agree there is, then God, if he exists, must be accomplishing a work through the agency of evil. What is that work, God is accomplishing? Islam tells us it is to see if each one of us will, choose good over evil."

The professor bridles. "As a philosophical scientist, I don't vie this matter as having anything to do with any choice; as a realist, I absolutely do not recognize the concept of God or any other theological factor as being part of the world equation because God is not observable."

"I would have thought that the absence of God's moral code in this world is probably one of the most observable phenomena going," the Muslim replies.

"Newspapers make billions of dollars reporting it every week! Tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolvedfrom a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, youngman, yes, of course I do."

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor makes a sucking sound with his teeth and gives his student a silent, stony stare.

"Professor. Since no-one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a priest?"

"I will overlook your impudence in the light of our philosophical discussion. Now, have you quite finished?" the professor hisses.

"So you don't accept God's moral code to do what is righteous?"

"I believe in what is - that's science!"

"Ahh! SCIENCE!" the student's face splits into a grin.

"Sir, you rightly state that science is the study of observed phenomena. Science too is a premise which is flawed..."

"SCIENCE IS FLAWED..?" the professor splutters. The class is in uproar. The Muslim remains standing until the commotion has subsided.

"To continue the point you were making earlier to the other student, may I give you an example of what I mean?"

The professor wisely keeps silent. The Muslim looks around the room.

"Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen air, Oxygen, molecules, atoms, the professor's brain?"

The class breaks out in laughter. The Muslim points towards his elderly, crumbling tutor.

Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain... felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain?"

No one appears to have done so. The Muslim shakes his head sadly. It appears no-one here has had any sensory perception of the professor's brain whatsoever. Well, according to the rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science, I DECLARE that the professor has no brain."

NOW IT IS EVERYONE'S CHANCE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ISLAM, ABOUT GOD, ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF Existence, creation & life, ABOUT THE PROPHETS OF GOD, & ABOUT HIS HOLY BOOKS, ESPECIALLY THE HOLY QUR'AAN. THEN IT IS YOUR CHOICE TO BECOME A MUSLIM, OR NOT. ALLAAH SAYS IN THE HOLY: "THERE IS NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION "

There is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has become clearly distinct from error; And he who rejects false deities and believes in Allaah(The God) has grasped a firm handhold which will never break. and Allaah is ALL-Hearing, All-Knowing(256)

Allah is the Protecting Guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light; As for those who disbelieve, their guardians are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness...(257)" AL-QUR'AAN (CHAPTER # 2, VERSES #
256-257) They are much nicer and more sound in Arabic)

The Muslim sits... Because that is what a chair is for!!!

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Dear Allah,

I feel sadness again today...
coz here I am, meshing up the garden again...

I try to talk about you like a crazy woman in love again...
but... they don't understand...
if they do... they don't really like to hear

Dear Allah...
I feel so secure and save with You
My heart is bleeding in misery of missing You every minutes
I whisper Your Name in every single breath I took....

I can't help it...
I can't hold my tongue from saying Your Greatness to me....

I feel bad when I talk about You and no one listen...
I feel so bad that those people will think that I am a hypocrite....

I am so afraid...if I've done something wrong to You......

I am so into You... and so few people can understand....

Dear Allah,
when they start to stop hearing me...
I go quite... and locked my self inside my little garden...

I better be alone to always whispering Your name...
I like it better when I cry because of You
I like it a lot when I wrote things about You...

Here I am, trying to be with You always...

Is there any word "Too Much!" on loving You??
If there is... Please forgive me, for I don't want to make You Mad....
If there is none, Please let me sink in this ocean of Loving You.....

Is it wrong dear Allah if I love You too much??
Is it wrong??

I can't help it to feel this way...
because I am so attached to You...
I need You more than the air I breath
I can't smile if I don't feel Your Greatness in me

Dear Allah....
If some one in love with a man,
they so proudly declare their love to the whole world!!
they will so excited to speak their feeling out loud...

but...
should I keep the urge inside my heart,
because the one I fall in love with is You???

if they could shout out loud about their love...why couldn't I???
just because the one I fall for is YOU...

Dear Allah....
You Have Promise me Heaven...
and my Heaven is Only YOU!!!

You warn me with Hell...
and my Hell is Without YOU!!!

Dear Allah...
My life is my devotion to You
My Heaven is You
My Hell is without You

am I being too much???

LAA ILLAAHA ILLAA ANTA SUBHANAKA INNII KUNTU MINAZZOOLIMIIN

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Agar Do'a Makbul

Pada suatu hari Saad bin Abi Waqqas bertanya kepada Rasulullah, "Ya Rasulullah, doakan aku kepada Allah agar aku dijadikan Allah orang yang makbul doanya." Rasulullah menjawab, "Hai Saad, makanlah yang baik, (halal) tentu engkau menjadi orang yang makbul doanya. Demi Allah yang memegang jiwa Muhammad, sesungguhnya seorang yang pernah melemparkan sesuap makanan haram ke dalam mulutnya (perutnya), maka tidaklah akan dikabulkan doanya selama selama 40 hari. Siapa saja manusia yang dagingnya tumbuh dari makanan yang haram, maka nerakalah yang berhak untuk orang itu." (HR. Alhaafidh Abubakar bin Mardawih dikutip oleh Alhaafidh Ibnu Kathin dalam tafsirnya).

Sudah lelah rasanya berdoa dan memunajat, namun mengapa Allah tidak pula memperkenankan. Permohonan dan permintaan tidak pula Dia kabulkan. Kadang kecewa dan putus asa bila demikian adanya. Bahkan timbul penilaian, Allah telah ingkar janji dengan perkataan-Nya sendiri. Padahal Dia telah menyatakan, "Ud'uunii astajiblakum", berdoalah kepada-Ku, niscaya Ku-kabulkan. Tapi mana buktinya!

Inilah ucapan orang-orang yang tidak pernah mempelajari Al-Qur'an dan Al Hadits. Mereka tidak mengerti bahwa berdoa itu tidak dikerjakan secara sembrono dan sembarangan, tetapi perlu adab-adab dan syarat-syarat tertentu. Mereka menganggap berdoa itu pekerjaan yang sepele dan gampang. Sehingga mereka sering meremehkan dan akibatnya doa tak pernah terkabulkan. Kemudian timbul persangkaan buruk kepada Allah.

Jadi, apa yang menyebabkan doa tidak dikabulkan? banyak hal yang menyebabkan permohonan dan permintaan tidak dikabulkan? Banyak hal yang menyebabkan permohonan dan permintaan tidak diperkenankan Allah. Sudahkan kita menghindari perut kita dari makanan dan minuman yang diharamkan Allah? Bila masih tatap saja perut kita terisi dengan hal-hal yang haram, tentulah doa yang kita panjatkan tak pernah Allah kabulkan.

Sesuap makanan saja, akan mengakibatkan doa kita selama 40 hari tidak terkabul, apabila bila makanan haram yang masuk ke perut kita lebih dari sesuap bahkan berkali-kali sehingga tak terhitung lagi, sudah tentu sampai matipun kita berdoa, Allah tak akan mengabulkannya.
Untuk itu agar doa dikabulkan Allah, perlu pengetahuan dalam tata cara berdoa yang diberitakan Rasulullah. Bagaimana sunnahnya agar permohonan dan permintaan diperkenankan.

Langkah pertama, hindari perut dari kemasukan barang-barang haram. Jangan sampai sesuap pun makanan haram yang kita telan. Jangan setegukpun minuman haram yang kita minum. Selektiflah dalam memilih makanan, yang meragukan sebaiknya ditinggalkan. Pilih saja makanan atau minuman yang benar-benar halal dan baik. Allah berfirman, "Hai sekalian manusia, makanlah yang halal lagi baik dari apa yang terdapat di bumi, dan janganlah kamu mengikuti langkah-langkah syetan, karena sesungguhnya syetan itu adalah musuh yang nyata bagimu." (QS. al-Baqarah : 168)
Memakan makanan yang halal dan baik merupakan salah satu bentuk dari ketaatan kita kepada Allah dalam memenuhi segala perintah-Nya. Bila kita selalu taat kepada Allah dan dalam mengarungi kehidupan ini senantiasa berada dalam kebenaran, tentulah segala apa yang kita mohon, kita panjatkan, dan kita minta pastilah Allah akan mengabulkannya.

"Aku mengabulkan permohonan orang yang mendoa apabila ia berdoa kepadaku maka hendaklah mereka itu memenuhi segala perintahKu dan hendaklah mereka berikan kepadaKu, agar mereka selalu berada dalam kebenaran." (QS. al-Baqarah :186)
Langkah kedua, Karena doa ini pekerjaan yang agung dan sangat utama, sebagai inti ibadah, maka dalam pelaksanaannya harus khusyu'dan serius tidak dengan main-main. Usahakan dalam berdoa ini dengan penuh keyakinan, penuh harap dan rasa takut. Merendahkan diri dengan suara yang lirih, tenang, tidak tergesa-gesa, dengan keimanan, dan tahu akan hakikat yang diminta. Allah telah menyatakan,
"Berdoalah kepada Tuhanmu dengan merendah diri dan suara yang lembut .." (QS. al-A'raf : 55)

Langkah ketiga, mengetahui waktu-waktu doa dikabulkan. Walaupun berdoa ini bisa dilakukan sembarang waktu, namun ada waktu-waktu yang memang disunnahkan. Insya Allah pada waktu-waktu ini segala doa akan diperkenankan dan dikabulkan.
Ditengah malam yang sunyi dimana orang-orang terlelap dengan tidurnya, ditemani mimpi-mimpi, kita terjaga, berdiri, ruku', sujud, dan memunajat kepada-Nya dengan penuh kekhusyukan dan penuh harap, tentulah Allah akan mendengar dan memperkenankan ratapan, permintaan, dan permohonan kita.
Di akhir-akhir shalat fardhu, di waktu tahiyyat akhir (sebelum), adalah waktu-waktu yang sangat tepat untuk berdoa. Doa apa saja, yang mengarah pada kebaikan, tentu Allah akan mengabulkannya. Rasulullah SAW ditanya, "Pada waktu apa doa manusia lebih didengar Allah?" Lalu Rasulullah menjawab, "Pada tengah malam, pada akhir tiap shalat fardhu." (Mashabih Assunah).

Selain tengah malam dan akhir shalat fardhu, ada juga waktu-waktu yang dimakbulkan doanya sudah tidak diragukan lagi, dan ini pun merupakan sunnah-sunnah Rasulullah SAW. Seperti di sepertiga malam sampai fajar, diantara adzan dan iqamat, di waktu sujud, di bulan Ramadhan, dan di malam lailatul qadar.
Langkah keempat, orang-orang tertentu yang dikabulkan doanya. Walaupun setiap orang yang berdoa kepada Allah dengan sungguh-sungguh dan memenuhi persyaratan-persyaratannya akan dikabulkan, namun ada orang yang doanya dijamin diperkenankan Allah. Setiap ratapan doanya didengar dan dikabulkan. Segala permintaan dan permohonannya mesti diberikan tanpa terkecuali. Allah ridha kepada mereka dan begitu menaruh perhatian yang sangat. Allah istimewakan mereka, karena pengorbanan dan pengabdiannya yang tiada tara, akhlak yang mulia dan juga ketabahannya dalam menapaki kebenaran.

Allah istimewakan kedua orang tua yang mengasuh, mendidik, dan menafkahi anaknya dengan penuh kasih sayang. Mereka bimbing anaknya menuju jalan yang diridhai Allah, sampai usia anak dewasa. Orang tua seperti inilah yang segala permintaan dan permohonannya dikabulkan.

Musafir yang bepergian untuk maksud baik dan tujuan mulia, orang yang menolong orang lain yang dalam kesempitan, seorang muslim yang mendoakan teman-temannya yang tidak hadir, dan orang shalih, doanya akan diperkenankan dan dikabulkan Allah SWT. Seperti halnya orang tua yang mangasuh anaknya tadi.
Di samping orang-orang yang telah disebut di atas yang dikabulkan doanya, ada juga doa orang-orang yang diangkat Allah ke atas awan, dibukakan pintu langit, dan Allah tidak menolak doanya, yaitu orang yang berpuasa sampai dia berbuka, penguasa yang adil dan orang yang teraniaya.
"Ada tiga orang yang tidak ditolak doa mereka: orang yang berpuasa sampai dia berbuka, seorang penguasa yang adil, dan doa orang yang teraniaya. Doa mereka diangkat Allah ke atas awan dan dibukakan baginya pintu langit dan Allah bertitah, 'Demi keperkasaan-Ku, Aku akan memenangkanmu (menolongmu) meskipun tidak segera." (HR. Attirmidzi)

Dari rangkaian ulasan tentang doa di atas, nyatalah bahwa berdoa itu tidak sembarangan dan main-main, tapi memerlukan syarat-syarat yang harus dipenuhi, sehingga janji-janji Allah yang akan mengabulkan doa-doa hamba-Nya akan menjadi kenyataan. namun harus diingat bahwa Allah dalam mengabulkan doa seseorang hamba, ada yang langsung terkabul di dunia, ada yang ditabung sampai di akhirat, dan ada pula diganti dengan mencegahnya dari bencana.
"Tiada seorang berdoa kepada Allah dengan suatu doa, kecuali dikabulkan-Nya dan dia memperoleh salah satu dari tiga hal, yaitu dipercepat terkabulnya baginya di dunia, disimpan (ditabung) untuknya sampai di akhirat, atau diganti dengan mencegahnya dari musibah (bencana) yang serupa." (HR. Atthabrani).

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Doa Hajat..

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بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيْمِ

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ صَلاَةً تُنَجِّيْنَا بِهَا مِنْ جَمِيْعِ الأَهْوَالِ وَالأَفَاتِ وَتَقْضِي لَنَا مِنْ جَمِيْعِ الْحَاجَات وَتُطَهِّرُنَا مِنْ جَمِيْعِ السَّيِّئَاتِ وَتَرْفَعُنَا بِهَا عِنْدَكَ أَعْلَى الدَّرَجَاتِ وَتُبَلِغُنَا بِهَا أَقْصَى الْغَايَاتِ مِنْ جَمِيْعِ الْخَيْرَاتِ فِيْ الْحَيَاةِ وَبَعْدَ الْمَمَاتِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَص َحْبِهِ وَسَلَّم.

اللَّهُمَّ يَا جَامِعَ الشَّتَّاتِ وَيَا مُخْرِجَ النَّبَاتِ وَيَامُحْيِىَ العِظَامِ الرُّفَاتِ وَيَا قَاضِيَ الْحَاجَاتِ وَيَا مُجِيْبَ الدَّعَوَاتِ وَيَا مُفَرِّجَ الكُرَبَاتِ وَيَا سَامِعَ الأَصْوَاتِ مِنْ فَوْقِ سَبْعِ سَمَوَاتِ وَيَا فَاتِحَ خَزَائِنَ الْكَرَمَاتِ وَيَا مَنْ مَلأَ َنُوْرِهِ الأَرْضَ وَالسَّمَوَاتِ وَيَا مَنْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا وَأَحْصَى كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عَدَدًا وَعَالِمًا بِمَا مَضَى وَمَا هُوَ آتٍ. نَسْأَلُكَ اللَّهُمَّ بِقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَبِاسْتِغْنَائِكَ عَنْ جَمِيْعِ خَلْقِكَ وَبِحَمْدِكَ وَمَجْدِكَ يَا إِلَهَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ أَنْْ تَجُوْدَ عَلَيْنَا بِقَضَاءِ حَاجَاتِنَا ....

وَأَنْ تَتَقَبَّلَ مِنَّا مَا بِهِ دَعَوْنَاكَ وَأَنْ تُعْطِيَنَا مَا سَأَلْنَاكَ بِحَقِّ سُوْرَةِ يس وَبِحَقِّ قَلْبِ القُرْآنِ وَبِحُرْمَةِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم . اللَّهُمَّ لاَ تَدَعْ لَنَا ذَنْبًا إِلاَّ غَفَرْتَهُ وَلاَ عَيْبًا إِلاَّ سَتَرْتَهُ وَلاَ هَمًّا إِلاَّ فَرَّجْتَهُ وَلاَ عَزْبًا إِلاَّ زَوَّجْتَهُ وَلاَ كَرْبًا إِلاَّ كَشَفْتَهُ وَلاَ دَيْنًا إِلاَّ قَضَيْتَهُ وَلاَ ضَالاً إِلاَّ هَدَيْتَهُ وَلاَ عَائِلاً إِلاَّ أَغْنَيْتَهُ وَلاَ عَدْوًا إِلاَّ خَذَلْتَهُ وَكَفَيْتَهُ وَلاَ صَدِيْقًا إِلاَّ رَحِمْتَهُ وَكَافَيْتَهُ وَلاَّ فَسَادًا إِلاَّ أَصْلَحْتَهُ وَلاَ مَرِيْضًا إِلاَّ عَافَيْتَهُ وَلاَ غَائِبًا إِلاَّ رَدَدْتَهُ وَلاَ حَاجَةً مِنْ حَوَائِجِ الدُّنْيَا وَالأَخِرَةِ لَكَ فِيْهَا رِضَا وَلَنَا فِيْهَا صَلاَحٌ إِلاَّ قَضَيْتَهَا وَيَسَّرْتَهَا يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْن . وَاكْتُبِ اللَّهُمَّ السَّلاَمَةَ وَالصِّحَةَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَيْهِمْ وَعَلَى عَبِيْدِكَ الْحُجَّاجِ وَالْغُزَّاةِ وَالزُّوَّارِ وَالْمُسَافِرِيْنَ وَالْمُقِيْمِيْنَ فِيْ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَالْجَوِّ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَقِنَا شَرَّ الظَّالِمِيْنَ وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى اْلقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِيْنَ وَاخْتِمْ لَنَا يَارَبَّنَا مِنْكَ بِخَيْرٍ يَاأَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ . اللًّهُمَّ اكْشِفْ عَنَّا وَعَنِ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ الغَلاَءَ وَالْوَبَاءَ وَالْبَلاَءَ وَالطَّاعُوْنَ وَالْفَحْشَاءَ وَالْمُنْكَرَ وَالسُّيُوْفَ الْمُخْتَلِفَةَ وَالشَّدَائِدَ وَالمِحَنَ مَاظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ مِنْ بَلَدِنَا هَذَا خَاصَّةً وَمِنْ بُلْدَانِ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ عَامَّةً إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ .

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْلَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُوْنَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِيْنَ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُزِغْ قُلُوْبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الوَهَّابُ . رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِيْ الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ . وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ اْلأُمِّيِّ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِيْنَ وَالْحَمْدُ ِللهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِيْن.

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Finding Clue Words in Exam Questions

An exam is like a mental game in which the lecturers tell you what they want. To play the game successfully you need to be aware of the precise wording of questions and the precise meanings of the clue words. Once you have found the clue words and worked out exactly what they mean, you can answer the question as clearly as possible.

Exam Question: Compare the goals of liberal and socialist feminism

Clue Word: The clue word in this question is compare.

If the question asked you to "Evaluate the goals of...", a completely different answer would be required.

Below is a list of the most common clue words and their meanings in exam questions to help you prepare for essay exams. Because the list is long, it is a good idea to read through past exam papers to familiarise yourself with the most commonly used clue words in your discipline. Many schools have past exam papers in the library.
Table of Clue Words for Exams

Clue Word Meaning

Analyse........To find the main ideas, how they are related and why they are important.

Comment on.......To discuss, criticise, or explain its meaning as completely as possible.

Compare........To show both the differences and the similarities.

Contrast......To compare by showing the differences.

Criticise.......To give your judgement or reasoned opinion of something, showing its good and bad points. However, it is not necessary to attack.

Define........To give the formal meaning by distinguishing it from related terms. This is often a matter of giving a memorised definition.

Describe.......To write a detailed account or verbal picture in a logical sequence or story form.

Diagram......To make a graph, chart or drawing. Be sure to label it and add a brief explanation if necessary.

Discuss.......To present arguments for and against a point of view and reach a conclusion. The arguments must be supported with appropriate evidence.

Enumerate.......To list. Name and list the main ideas one by one.

Evaluate.......To give an opinion, supported by some expert opinions, of the truth or importance of a concept. Show the advantages and disadvantages.

Illustrate......To explain or make clear by concrete examples, comparisons or analogies.

Interpret......To give the meaning using examples and personal comments to make something clear.

Justify.......To give a statement of why you think something is so. Give reasons for your statement or conclusion.

List.....To produce a list of words, sentences or comments. Same as enumerate.

Outline.....To give a general summary. It should contain a series of main ideas supported by secondary facts. Show the organisation of the idea.

Prove.....To show by argument or logic that something is true. However, the word 'prove' has a very specific meaning in maths and physics.

Relate......To show the connection between things, telling how one causes or is like another.

Review......To give a survey or summary in which you look at the important parts and criticise if necessary.

State.....To describe the main points in precise terms. Use brief, clear sentences. Omit details or examples.

Summarise To give a brief, condensed account of the main ideas.

Trace.....To follow the progress or history of the subject.

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To My Friends

To My Friends Who Are...........SINGLE

Love is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you.But if you just let it fly, it will come to you when you least expectit. Love can make you happy but often it hurts, but love's only special when you give it to someone who is really worth it.So take your time and choose the best.

To My Friends Who Are............NOT SO SINGLE

Love isn't about becoming somebody else's "perfect person." It's about finding someone who helps you become the best person you can be.

To My Friends Who Are............PLAYBOY/GIRL TYPE

Never say "I love you" if you don't care. Never talk about feelings if they aren't there. Never touch a life if you mean to break a heart.Never look in the eye when all you do is lie. The cruelest thing a guycan do to a girl is to let her fall in love when he doesn't intend to catch her fall and it works both ways...

To My Friends Who Are............MARRIED

Love is not about "it's your fault", but "I'm sorry." Not "where are you", but "I'm right here." Not "how could you", but "I

understand." Not "I wish you were", but "I'm thankful you are."

To My Friends Who Are............ENGAGED

The true measure of compatibility is not the years spent together but how good you are for each other.

To My Friends Who Are............HEARTBROKEN

Heartbreaks last as long as you want and cut as deep as you allow them to go. The challenge is not how to survive heartbreaks but to learn from them.

To My Friends Who Are............NAIVE

How to be in love: Fall but don't stumble, be consistent but not too persistent, share and never be unfair, understand and try not to demand, and get hurt but never keep the pain.

To My Friends Who Are............POSSESSIVE

It breaks your heart to see the one you love happy with someone else but it's more painful to know that the one you love is unhappy with you.

To My Friends Who Are............AFRAID TO CONFESS

Love hurts when you break up with someone. It hurts even more whensomeone breaks up with you. But love hurts the most when the person you love has no idea how you feel.

To My Friends Who Are............STILL HOLDING ON

A sad thing about life is when you meet someone and fall in love,only to find out in the end that it was never meant to be and that you have wasted years on someone who wasn't worth it. If he isn't worth it now he's not going to be worth it a year or 10 years from now. Let go.....

TO ALL MY FRIENDS.......

My wish for you is a man/women whose love is honest, strong, mature,never-changing, uplifting, protective, encouraging, rewarding and unselfish.

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The Theory of Crime and Criminal Responsibility in Islamic Law: Sharia

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF ISLAMIC LAW

A. The Necessity for Islam

From ancient times, mankind has tried to reason beyond his ability and has been prey to wars and jealousies as a result. Religions, each in the wake of the one before, have attempted to face these ethical dilemmas. Each has had a limited number of followers and has been confined to a certain time period. Muhammad's mission was a necessity, particularly to the Arab countries.' to bring their world out of the darkness, error, and falsehoods into which it had fallen.

To understand the mission of Muhammad it is necessary to understand the broad background of the area where Islam was first revealed to Muhammad- Mecca in 622 A.D. At this time, Mecca was govemed by a strong tribe called Koraish. The Koraish people worshipped idols in the form of statues, which each person would touch before going on a journey and also on arrival back home to receive blessings' from them There was no single idol, each home having its own choice.

The society was ruled by the law of the jungle; that is. the strongest survived. There was no equality between master and slave, no equality between leaders and followers (korishee and nonkorishee), no equality between men and women (many families killed newborn females). This period is referred to in the Holy Qur'an as "ignorant times" (jahilliyah).

Muhammad received the Islamic religion from the Lord and tried to share it with the people of Mecca, asking them to believe in only one God; to stop worshipping idols; and to stop all discrimination based on origin, race, color, and sex. The people refused. They did not believe that he was God's messenger so they persecuted him and his followers. Eventually, Muhammad and his followers, with the Lord's blessings, left Mecca and went to Medina, 4 where the Prophet established the first Islamic government.

B. The Five Pillars of the Islamic Religion

Islam is based on five fundamental pillars (tenets) that all Muslims should believe.

1 . al-Shahada: The first pillar is the shahada, which means belief in one God, his angels, his apostles, and the hereafter. Muslims understand shahada as follows: I profess that there is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.

2. al-Salat (Prayer): The ritual of prayers has been from its very beginning one of the means of unifying all the different tribal and social sections of the community. There are five set daily times for prayer: dawn (fajr), noon (zuhr), afternoon (asr), sunset (niaghrib), and night (isha).

3. al-Si-vam (Fasting): Almighty God said, "You who believe, fasting is prescribed for you that you may learn self-restraint." Obligatory fasting, which means refraining from food, drink, smoking, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset, is expected during the month of Ramadan. Those who are sick or on a journey are required to fast an equal number of days later on.

4. al-Hajj (Pilgrimage): Pilgrimage to Ka'ba (in Mecca) is an obligation once in a lifetime for all Muslims who are able, both physically and financially, to do so.

5. al-Zakat (The Poor Due): Zakat is imposed on all Muslims in thirtytwo verses of the Qur'an. In most of these verses, zakat is coupled with prayer, which illustrates the importance the Qur'an places on it.5 Zakat means charity, taking from the rich and giving to the poor. It is an aspect of the social solidarity which must exist among Muslims throughout the whole world.

Zakat in Islam is divided into two main categories:

a. Zakat at-Fitr (the breaking of fast at the end of Ramadan6). According to our present estimate, the amount of zakat al-fitr is about ten Egyptian piastres per person. This should be paid before going to the feast prayer at the end of Ramadan.

b. Zakat of wealth. This zakat of wealth is imposed upon free, adult, sane Muslims who have a set amount of wealth for one year. Zak-at of wealth is levied on livestock (such as camels, cows, and goats), gold and silver, fruits, and productions. The percentage of zakat differs in accordance with the kind of wealth subject to it. Private abodes, personal clothing, furniture, weapons, animals used for transport, jewels and books not traded in, and equipment used in earning one's living are not subject to zakat of wealth.

C. The Relationship between Islam and Previous Religions

Change is the essence of mankind. New human needs and requirements will always develop as long as man exists on the earth. In order to meet the needs of the changing times, to satisfy the demands of the developing society, to enable mankind to lead a good life, God sent his messengers successively: Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

Islam is thus not a new and separate religion, but the culmination of God's spiritual and temporal commands made known to mankind through Moses and Jesus. Hence, Islam continues as the successor and final expression of the Judeo-Christian revelations. Islam therefore considers the spiritual provisions expressed by the Torah and the Bible. It also considers and protects the believers of these two divine revelations (the people of the book), as long as they live in an Islamic country, under a protective covenant known as Zimmi. According to Zimmi, Christian and Jewish people who live in a Muslim country have the right to practice their religious rituals and are equal to Muslim people in tenns of personal rights.

Moreover, the Islamic country, under this protective covenant, is obliged to defend and protect the Zimmis and their property against any external or internal attack. In return for this practice, the Zimmi are asked to pay jizva, which is a tax levied on able Zimmi men amounting to 10 percent of the income earned by them while in an Islamic country. If a Zimmi joins with the Muslims in protecting the country, then he is exempt from jizya

D. The Application of Islamic Law in Terms of Places and Persons

A question arises as to whether the application of Islamic law is based on territorial or personal criteria. If it is based on territorial criteria, all people within the boundaries of a Muslim country8 are governed by Islamic law, regardless of whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim. If the basis for application of Islamic law is personal, the law applies to Muslim people exclusively, wherever they are.

Muslim scholars are arguing over this issue. Most of them support a mixture of the two criteria. Thus, if a non-Muslim is in an Islamic country and breaks the rules of the country by, for instance, eating pork or drinking wine, that person will be punished according to Islamic precepts. At the same time, if a Muslim visits a non-Muslim country and eats pork or drinks wine, he is still governed by the Islamic law which prohibits such actions. The majority of Muslim scholars support this viewpoint by referring to the prophetic saying, "They [the Zimmi] have the same rights andobligations."

On the other hand, one of the most famous Muslim scholars, Abu Hanifa, says that Islamic law should be applied within the boundaries of Islamic countries to Muslim people exclusively. It does not apply to the non-Muslim in Islamic countries or to the Muslim in a non-Muslim country. This viewpoint is based upon religious freedom guaranteed by Islamic law to the non-Muslim.9

E. Islam-Theory and Practice

The practice and the theory of Islam were identical during the time of Muhammad and the four caliphs (iniam) succeeding him (Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman, and Ali). This was the time of "true Islam." It was during this time that Islam spread throughout the Arab countries and also into France, Spain, and other areas throughout the world.

At the present time, the practice of Islamic law is not identical to the theory described in the Holy Qur'an, the Surma traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, and the other traditional sources of Islamic law. Because the states that consider Islam as an official religion"' follow some practices that are not identical to the purest form of shari'a (Islamic law), the present practice of Islam has a cloudv relationship with the ideal theory of true Islam.

Very early in the history of Islam, particularly during the rule of Imam Ali, Muslims divided into two factions over the status of the ruler: the Sunni and the Shiites. Sunnis, who represent 85 to 90 percent of Muslims, believe that the Muslim ruler should be elected by the Muslim people. It is not necessary for the ruler to be a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, nor is it believed that this ruler has theocratic status. On the other hand, Shiites, who represent from 10 to 15 percent of the Muslim people, believe that the Muslim ruler should be appointed by the Prophet Muhammad and should be a descendant of his family. The people have no say in either the ruler's appointment or the ruler's discharge; it is absolutely a prophetic matter. (Iran is a current example of Shiites.)

In the area of interpreting and applying Islamic rules and provisions to current events, four main schools of thought emerged from the Sunnis: Shafi'i, Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali. Each of these schools tried to simplify and explain the general rules included in the Qur'an and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad in order to make shari'a capable of meeting the new requirements, needs, and demands of the changing times. Within these four schools, some discord occurred regarding the interpretation of some topics, but this discord did not affect the substance of Islamic rules. Various Islamic countries have adopted different schools of thought, which explains why there are some differences in the application of Islam in these countries.

The subjugation of Muslim and Islamic states to the colonialism of Western Christian countries since the Middle Ages resulted in an actual stagnancy, or rigidity, of Islamic law and the declination of its impact on the law applied by Islamic states. Most of the Islamic states, under colonialism, have enacted their positive laws, particularly penal codes, in accordance with Western models. That may be the prime reason there are gaps between shari'a in theory and its practice in Islamic states at the present time.

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SHARIAH: THE WAY OF JUSTICE

TOWARDS BETTER UNDERSTANDING

I do not intend to convince everyone, for this is humanly impossible; nor offer excuses, for they are neither necessary nor convincing. What I therefore wish to attempt is to discuss the place of justice in the Shari’ah and the basis and nature of the provisions regarding women and criminal punishment in a way that may at lest generate understanding and tolerance, if not agreement. It should be recognised that the discussion here can be only brief and general, and perhaps will not do full justice to Islam’s position on important and complex issues like the place of women in Muslim society.
SHARI’AH: THE TRUE EMBODIMENT OF JUSTICE

Specific provisions of the Shari’ah can be properly understood only in the context of its total scheme – its conceptual basis, primary objectives and goals and overall framework.
CONCEPTUAL BASIS

Shari’ah literally means ‘way to water’ – the source of all life – and signifies the way to God, as given by God. It is the Way which encompasses the totality of man’s life. Being God-given, the Sharia’ah is the manifestation of His infinite mercy. It is thus also the only true embodiment of, and the best way to, justice.
THE SOURCE OF JUSTICE

Man’s quest for justice without recourse to divine help, and failure to find it, is the most persistent and tragic theme of human history. For justice, an ideal deeply cherished, ardently desired and ceaselessly pursued by mankind from the very first day of its existence on this planet, can never be truly conceptualised nor practiced unless it is rooted in the belief in One God.

He, the infinitely Merciful and Absolutely Just, has created everything with a purpose and in perfect harmony and balance. He has also guided every creation so that it fulfils that purpose. The whole universe and all creation is sustained on this foundation. Justice for man, therefore, as for everything else in creation, lies in obeying God by doing what He has laid down as ‘right’ and avoiding what He has laid down as ‘wrong’. It is only God who can establish in the intricate network of interrelationships and roles, mutual rights and obligations and consequent rewards and punishments on the basis of absolute standards of justice. That is the reason divine guidance is frequently called the ‘Balance’ in the Qur’an (al-Rahman 55: 1 - 9). All other sources of knowledge and modes of determination, whether scientific enquiry, pure reason or empiricism, suffer from one deficiency or another, being rooted in human imperfection.
JUSTICE: THE SUPREME PURPOSE

Justice is the supreme purpose and ruling spirit of the Shari’ah. It provides the framework for the entire corpus of Islam, shaping and moulding its beautiful configurations. The paramount purpose for which the Prophets were sent and struggled all their lives was to guide man to achieve justice.

‘We sent our messengers with clear signs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance so that men may conduct themselves with justice’ (al-Hadid 57:25)

This is also the very ideal for which the community of Islam, the Ummah, exists as a separate entity. ‘Thus We made you a just community, that you be witnesses to mankind’ (al-Baqarah 2:143). And again: ‘O Believers, be you upholders of justice, witnessing for God alone’ (al-Nisa’ 4:135).

Indeed, no conception of Islam and Muslim should be possible without justice. Justice, in Islam, lends meaning and colour to all human endaevours, both on an individual level and as a societal ideal, extending from now into eternity. It servers as the ultimate criterion for the internal ordering of the soul and the external regulation of relationships. The Qur’an repeatedly emphasises that Zulm – wrongdoing – has absolutely no place in Islam.
ULTIMATE CRITERION OF JUSTICE

The Shari’ah itself is therefore the ultimate criterion of justice and mercy, and cannot and ought not to be measured against changing human standards.

‘And perfect are the words of your Lord in truthfulness, and in justice; His words cannot be changed; He is the All-hearing, All-knowing’ (al-An’am 6:116).

Having been given by God, through the last of His prophets, and, therefore, for all time to come, it could not be otherwise.

Changes in human understanding, progress in standards of civilization, which is considered to be linear in time, and advances in technology are all supposed to generate genuine pressures on the Shari’ah to change or to give up those parts which do not seem to rhyme with the late twentieth century time. But what has really changed? Has man changed? Essential human nature, its motives and drives, its emotions and desires have remained virtually unchanged throughout the ages. Technology has certainly advanced and some ways of looking at the world have altered but no new definitions of concepts like ‘cruelty’, ‘civilized’, ‘justice’, ‘equality’ have emerged to command universal adherence. Man’s lusts and fears, hopes and anxieties, loves and hates, aspirations, yearnings and longings remain what they have always been. Similarly, the idea that something which evolves later in time is necessarily superior to that which preceded it is also untenable. The only absolute and universal criteria can be those given by God, the All-knowing, whose words are above any change.
OBJECTIVES AND FRAMEWORK

PLACE OF THE INDIVIDUAL

The overall scheme of the Shari’ah and its various specific provisions are largely determined by the way Islam resolves the perennial question of tension between the individual and society and the fundamental and crucial role it assigns to the family.

The concept of the individual and the emphasis on his achievement is not the product of modern Western thought, as many people have tried to make the world believe. The individual has always been the cornerstone in Islam’s total scheme and plan of justice, though in a way fundamentally different from the Western concept. His status and achievement neither depend upon nor can be measured by the standards of ‘consumption’. In the sight of God, real human progress is moral, not material; its real measure is possible in the life Hereafter, not in this world.

This theme is so patently obvious and prominent in the Qur’an that it requires no substantiation. On the Day of Judgement, it will be individuals in their personal capacities, and not groups and societies, who will be held fully responsible and accountable for what they have done in their earthly lives. ‘Everyone of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection, all alone’ (Maryam 19:95). And: ‘Now you have come to Us, alone, just as We created you the first time!’(al-An’am 6:94).

This is because it is the individual who has been given free will, a moral sense and the knowledge of right and wrong. It is therefore also important that he should be fully enabled to achieve his purpose and realise his potential. This seems to be the primary thread running through the entire fabric of the Shari’ah. His life, person, freedom, possessions and honour are sacred and inviolable: no human being, not even the most powerful ruler, has the right, privilege or authority, unless acting in accordance with the law of God, to take anyone’s life, harm anyone physically, take away their possessions or violate their honour.
IMPORTANCE OF SOCIETY

Having said that, it is important to recognise that the individual lives in a society without which he can neither survive nor find fulfillment. Social order and its good are not separate from or in conflict with individual good. Both should stand together – fused and harmonious, co-operating and assisting – in the service of their One God. Both are inter-dependent and in equilibrium. Both have their well-defined functions and orbits to follow. ‘It behooves not the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. Each floats in its orbit’ (Yasin 36:40). Also the balance is provided by divine guidance in the tensions between various components oh human life – between the individual and society, between man and woman. The congregational nature of all forms of worships – whether prayers, charity, fasting or pilgrimage – and great stress on the formation of the Ummah as an integrated whole amply reflect Islam’s concern for society and its employment as a means of the individual’s development, purification and self-realization.
THE FAMILY

The family is the most fundamental unit in the total scheme of social order in Islam. It enjoys the highest status and the most prestige. It is the fount of the human race, its culture, society and civilization. Procreation is made possible because of sexualisation and it is institutionalised in the family. Similarly the family achives the development of the individual and his transition into society.

The family is a divinely inspired institution in the sense that it came into existence with the creation of man. ‘O Mankind, remain conscious of your duty to your Lord, who created you of a single soul; and, of like nature, created its mate; and from the pair of them created and spread many men and women’ (al-Nisa’ 4:1). A man and woman, only because they are different and yet complementary, are capable of forming the unity of family, which is essential for the fulfillment of the individual and the realization of the common good. The family is thus the cradle of the individual and the cornerstone of society.

The family is Islam cultivates and strengthens faith in One God. It preserves and communicates values and culture. It provides a stable environment for the development and fulfillment of the individual and enriches the lives of all its members, providing each the caring and sharing which he or she needs.

However, like any other social institution, the family can survive only if the roles within it are clearly differentiated and strictly followed.

As only women are capable of bearing children, even if no other differences between men and women are accepted, Islam assigns to the female the primary responsibility for home and family; while man is assigned the primary responsibility for life outside the home. Every institution needs a head and the role of head of the family and responsibility for its economic support also devolve on the male. Despite this primary division, men have the duty to share household burdens and women are not debarred from roles outside the home. And within the home, the woman shares the power and responsibilities of the head of the family, and may even become one if circumstances so require.
NATURAL SEQUELS

It therefore follows that any act which vitiates against the individual or which tends to weaken or isrupt the social order, especially the family, is no less a serious crime than, say, high treason against the state. The Shari`ah has accordingly made every possible arrangement to ensure, within the constraints of human limitations and imperfections, that the individual is not hampered in seeking in his fulfillment and carrying out the purpose of his creation; that the two pillars of the family, man and woman, continue to participate in and strengthen the family in accordance with the roles assigned to them; and that the social fabric is not damaged by any single person’s vandalism.

The role assigned to both man and women by the Shari’ah and the arrangements it makes to protect and reinforce these roles, can only be appreciated in the above perspective. Similarly, the severe penalties for extra-marital sex, theft, libel and drinking, and the prescription of requital, or qisas for murder and physical injury, must be seen in the context of this overall scheme of life.
WOMAN

ROLES WITHIN THE FAMILY

The social roles assigned by the Shariah to man and woman within the family emanate from one simple but profound reality: the two are biologically and sexually different; only the woman can bear children. Other important psychological, physical and social differences follow from this. But even if, for the sake of argument, these other genuine difference are dismissed as having been ‘socially caused’, the reality of this biological and sexual difference is impossible t deny.

Obviously the role of bearing children is one that the woman can neither shirk nor transfer, unless the ear of test-tube babies is ushered in or mankind decides to extinguish itself. Sex difference, reproduction, role of differentiation, sexual morality, survival of the family, healthy child development and the health and strength of society are closely inter-linked and mutually dependent phenomena, in which sex-based role differentiation is the key to the stability of the entire system. If it is abandoned, the whole chain will snap: sexual morality will collapse, personality disorder will be rampant, anarchy and chaos will the order of the day. In short, the family will vanish.

There is no convincing case however for saying that role differentiation is socially caused; on the contrary, the cumulative weight of all evidence, whether from pre-history or history, indicates unmistakably that every society has chosen to do things the same way, even the contemporary West, which is so vociferous in professing ‘equality of the sexes’. No society is on record which has ever progressed without placing woman in full charge of the home.
DIFFERENT BUT NOT INFERIOR

Hence the principle in the Shari'ah: the woman's place is in the home. However, it is very important to note that to be different is NOT to be inferior. Islam attaches no stigma to being a woman; there is no inferior nature, no myth of Fall and no responsibility for original sin. To bear and rear children is no disgrace either. To rule over and manage the kingdom of home - that haven of human happiness and progress - is no mean achievement. Home and children can be degrading and a burden only in a society which chooses to make them so. In Islam, domesticity is not a devalued sphere of human life, nor is home in any way inferior to public life. Indeed, the very epithet 'confined to the four walls of the home' is absurd to a Muslim, as the home in Islam, far from being a place to be looked down upon with contempt, is more important and sacred than even a parliament building or a university, and certainly more prestigious, creative and rewarding than the shop floor or secretarial desk, where two thirds of 'emancipated' women finally end up working.
EQUALITY, NOT SIMILARITY

Equality is one of those human yearnings which usually elude definitions. Its translation into roles, rules and norms has always been subjective. Unfortunately, it is being used by modern feminists as a slogan in their campaign to erase all role differentiation. It is being used, too, as a smokescreen from behind which to direct the barrage of attacks against the Shari'ah for its various provisions regarding women.

That equality is a profound human urge and a genuine human ideal is beyond doubt. What is equally true and obvious is that equality of role does not necessarily mean similarity of role. Once equality is confused with similarity, the only possible conclusion is: 'A truly equal two-sexed society is unimaginable'. Ending role differentiation is bound to have catastrophic consequences as already noted, for the interlinked phenomena of sexual morality, the family, reproduction, child-rearing, personality development and society, as is already evident in the West. Even such an apparently relatively minor phenomenon as the spread of contraceptive techniques has been profoundly instrumental in promoting extra-marital sex, changing sex values, upsetting and confusing roles, disrupting the family and devaluing child-rearing and home life. Population control may have been achieved but a glaring questing mark over the final destiny of the human race has appeared.

Islam recognizes the obvious differences between man and woman and shapes their social roles accordingly, but it lays no less emphasis on the similarity of their essential natures as human beings and on their right to equality of opportunity to find fulfillment through their roles in this world and, finally and more importantly, in the eyes of their God in the life hereafter. According to the Shari'ah, man and woman are equal as human beings and have an equal number of mutual obligations and rights. The family unit has the man as its head, for no institution can survive without a head,; but this is no way makes the woman unequal to man. She is not obligated even to take her husband's name and lose her identity. Her share in inheritance is one-half of the male share, but she is under no obligation to make any financial contribution to the maintenance of the family.

Many specific provisions of the Shari'ah regarding the rights and obligations of women, their conduct and behaviour, their dress and segregation, marriage and divorce laws and work outside the home can be better understood in this light. But, what is equally important to bear in mind is that some of the prevalent practices in the Muslim societies today, that have come into vogue as a result of centuries of decadence and stagnation as well as un-Islamic influences, should not be used to understand and judge Islam.
SEX OUTSIDE MARRIAGE

Sex, in Islam is not a taboo to feel guilty about. It is a natural and creative urge, a God-given gift. But the bond of marriage must be tied before enjoying the pleasures of sex, which are the rewards for the responsibilities that the man and woman bear in rearing a family; these joys lighten the burden and cement and bind the relationship. To seek sex outside the limits set by God is a sin, to seek it within these limits is therefore an act of worship.

If sex inside and outside marriage were equally legitimate or easily available, the sacred institution of the family would be gradually destroyed. Islam therefore not only completely prohibits all forms of sexual deviation and pre and extra-marital sex; it arranges to make them highly inaccessible and also severely punishable. Hence the regulations about covering various parts of the body and the social mixing of the sexes.
POLYGAMY

Polygamy is permitted by the Qur'an; though it is not enjoined, as some people apparently believed. Justice is enjoined, as far as is humanly possible, otherwise one should remain monogamous. Thus, disadvantages of a polygamous marriage are recognized, but not to the extent of prohibiting it legally. This legal provision can be properly understood only in the context of Islam's position on two important issues, as already explained. Firstly, that the family is the cornerstone of human society and any extra-marital sex is completely prohibited. Married life is the most desirable way of life - Islam wants a woman to be a wife and never a mistress. Both man and woman have to make some sacrifice to make a success of family life. Secondly, Islam's law is for all times to come and should therefore, as far as is practical, cater for all possible social and individual situations. Legal provision, like a total ban on divorce or polygamy may indeed result in far more serious consequences than they may solve. Even in countries where polygamy is illegal, it may be argued, monogamy is fairly rare, so sex outside marriage is considered as polygamy, as it should be.

It is left to the societies and individuals , within the freedoms and prohibitions laid down by Islam, to regulate their conduct as they may desire. What is important to note is that it takes a woman, in addition to a man, to make a polygamous marriage; for no marriage in Islam can never take place without her consent. And the first wife can also claim a divorce if she cannot live with the situation. Hence it is entirely within the power of individuals virtually to eliminate polygamy without recourse to law.
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE

Women's consent is an essential legal condition for marriage in Islam. If such consent is not being obtained in Muslim societies today, the problem is a result of social circumstances, not of the legal provisions of the Shari'ah. The situation must change once the Shari'ah is implemented.

It is certainly simple in theory for a man to divorce his wife in Islam. But it is found to be very difficult for him to do so in practice; the very low rate of divorce is enough to prove this. Indeed, the power to divorce is more of a responsibility to save the marriage. Among the things permitted by God, divorce is the most disliked by him, said the Prophet. On the other hand, while the woman cannot pronounce divorce like the man, it is not difficult for her to obtain one, even on the ground of her husband's physical appearance not being to her liking.
WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME

To preserve the role differentiation and to retain the incentives for strengthening the family, Islam discourages women from working outside the home. This discouragement in no way prejudices a woman's right to own property, to conduct business, to receive and impart education, to engage in cultural and creative activities, and even take up job when necessary. Yet to ask woman to work outside the home is indeed to make her unequal; it is to ask her to take on the enormous stress of doing two jobs.

The urge to work is only natural, but work as the center of life is one product of a society which is consumption-oriented and where status depends on earning capacity. Women work today, not only through economic necessity, but because they are under other subtle pressures; accusations of wasting their talents on 'degrading' domestic chores, lack of status, boredom and isolation. In Islam, as we have already noted, the whole orientation of the individual and society is radically different. Work is still very important, but the real goal in life is to please God.
PUNISHMENTS

Punishments have always been considered an integral part of the concept of justice. Indeed, a common man would find it hard to think of justice as something very different or separate from rewarding or punishing people according to how well or badly they observe the body of the mutual rights and obligations obtaining in their society. But if the concept of punishment is universal, the controversies surrounding it are nonetheless intense. We shall now look at some basic Islamic principles concerning punishments.
BASIC PRINCIPLES

Man is responsible for his actions: this simple truth provides the whole basis for the justification of punishment. For, to fulfil the purpose of this creation, he has been granted the freedom to choose and act, and the moral sense to distinguish between right and wrong. Responsibility goes with knowledge and freedom. Punishment cannot therefore be meted out to anyone for someone else’s actions, for acts intended but not performed or for acts done under duress or while not of sound mind. Everyone must be equal before the law and their guilt must be established by the due process of justice.
REPENTANCE AND PUNISHMENT

Punishment in Islam has nothing to do with the notions of atonement, expiation or wiping away of sin. A crime is essentially an act of injustice to one’s own self, a sin against God. It can be wiped away only by God, and that He does when a person turns to Him, truly repentant and seeking forgiveness. Between man and God, therefore, the total emphasis is on repentance, and punishment can be no substitute for it. But a crime is also an act against the social order and in this sphere mere repentance cannot be a substitute for punishment which is a means of protecting and strengthening the society.
PROPORTIONAL JUSTICE

It is important to note that there is no concept in Islam of the punishment being exactly and justly proportional to the crime. Absolute and truly proportional justice would require the exact and complete evaluation of such complex factors as intentions and motives, the surrounding circumstances, the causes and repercussions- factors which human judges must consider but cannot evaluate fully and which only God, in the new moral order to be set up in the life after death, can measure. Islamic punishments are not therefore to be judged on the scales of proportional and full retribution. They are however laid down by the Being who is infinitely Merciful and Wise, and are therefore more suitable for the particular crimes than what can be prescribed by any human legislatures or judges.
PART OF A WHOLE

Most importantly, punishments are only a part of a vastly larger integrated whole. They can neither be properly understood, nor successfully or justifiably implemented in isolation. First, law is not the main, or even major, vehicle in the total framework for the reinforcement of morality; it is the individual’s belief, his God-consciousness and taqwa, - that inherent and innate quality which makes him want to refrain from what displeases God and do what pleases Him. Second, justice is a positive ideal which permeates and dominates the entire community life; it is not merely an institutionalized means of inflicting punishment. Third, and consequently, a whole environment is established where to do right is encouraged, facilitated and found easy and to do wrong is discouraged, inhibited and found difficult. All men and women are enjoined, as their foremost duty, to aid, exhort and commend each other to do good and to avoid evil.
FUNCTIONAL NATURE

Penalties in Islam are more of a functional nature, to regulate and deter. God has laid down a body of mutual rights and obligations which are the true embodiment of justice. He has also laid down certain bounds and limits to be observed and maintained for this very purpose. If men and nations desire to move in peace and safety on the highways of life, they must stick to the ‘traffic lanes’ demarcated for them and observe all the ‘signposts’ erected along their routes. If they do not, they not only put themselves in danger, but endanger others. They therefore naturally make themselves liable to penalties –not in vengeful retribution – but to regulate the orderly exchanges in man’s life in accordance with justice.

It is a significant contribution of Islam that these penalties are called hudud (boundaries) and not punishments: they are liabilities incurred as a result of crossing the boundary set by God. An important consequence of these hudud having been laid down by God, and not by man, is that it is beyond human authority to reduce or supercede them out of a sense of mercy greater than that of God; nor can a tyrant or autocrat add to them out of a greater sense of strict justice. For no one can be more merciful or wiser or more just than God himself.

Another important function which these punishments serve is educative, and thus preventive and deterrent. The Qu’ran alludes to this aspect when it describes them ‘as exemplary punishment from God’ (al-Ma’ida 5:38). Punishments are thus designed to keep the sense of justice alive in the community by a public repudiation of the acts violating the limits set by God. They are expected to build up in the society a deep feeling of abhorrence for transgression against fellow human beings, and therefore against God - a transgression which, according to the Qur’an, is the root cause of all disorders and corruption in human life.
RETRIBUTION - QISAS

Apart from punishments for transgressions like extra-marital sex, theft, libel and drinking, the Qur’an also provides for the principle of qisas – retribution. When a person causes physical injury or harm to a fellow human being, Islam gives the injured party the right of equal requital – the well-known principle of ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’. This procedure is persistently labeled by critics as primitive and uncivilized. In the Islamic view of history, it is worth pointing out, what is primitive has never been necessarily uncivilized. The first man was given all necessary knowledge and guidance, and though he may have been technologically backward compared to the twentieth century, he definitely was not humanly backward. Uncivilized is what man thinks and does in deviating from the divine order.

In the eyes of the Qur’an ‘in retribution (qisas) lies the source of life for you’. The reasons are obvious. First, the right of retribution belongs to individuals, not society or the state; this simple shift in responsibility results in a profound and far reaching change in the whole system of implementing justice. The state does not have to intervene every time two human beings are involved in a dispute. Thus, instead of starting an irreversible process of trial and punishment, it leaves the ground open for settlement between individuals, without interference by impersonal bureaucratic machinery, though under no circumstances can the individual take the law into his own hands.

The injured person in his turn may forgo his right to retribution by forgiving, or may agree to accept a monetary or token recompense instead. The Qu’ran, in fact, highly recommends the act of forgiving. Thus, under qisas punishment is avoidable without burdening the executive or judiciary with the dilemma of whether to exercise mercy. As against a court which must act according to law once a case is brought before it, an individual is free to act as he wishes. Justice has to be blind, but an individual may take circumstances into account, and suspend judgement in the hope of being forgiven by God in the hereafter. Very few realize hat the principle of qisas even allows capital punishment to be avoided.
MERCY AND LENIENCY

Having prescribed punishments and imposed strict and meticulous, though not impossible, conditions of evidence, Islam has built in a whole range of principles and precepts which reflect not a frenzied desire to flog and stone but a compassionate urge to avoid and eschew. Islam does not allow either the state or individuals to spy upon people unless well-founded suspicion exists that a crime is being committed or a fellow human being’s rights or interests are in jeopardy. Nor is it obligatory to report every crime. Where possible, settlements outside court are preferred. The punishment is swiftly over; the guilty man and his family do not have to live with the kind of lengthy public stigma that they would have had to endure in the case of a prison sentence at the end of a trial. The imposition of divinely prescribed hudud enhance, and not diminish, the individual’s dignity and stature in society and before God.
ALLEGED CRUELTY

As to the alleged cruelty of physical penalties, one wonders if to deprive a man of his freedom -- his most precious and valuable possession – and his right to act and continue to make moral choices , to live with his family, to work and support them is not more cruel. Indeed, a prison term can inflict untold misery on innocent people whose lives are intertwined with the life of the prisoner. Prison becomes a school for hardening criminal behavior and a breeding ground for recidivism. Why should it be considered more cruel for a man found drug trafficking to be given ten lashes than to be sent to languish in prison for, say, ten years.
REFORM SYNDROME

Why does Islam want to punish and not reform? The question is fallacious, for in Islam every institution of society is value oriented and owes a responsibility towards the moral development of every person from the cradle to the grave. Reform is therefore a pre-crime responsibility and not a post-crime syndrome and nightmare. Islam makes every effort to ensure that inducement to commit crime is minimal. Once the crime is committed, the best place for reform is in the family and in society, where a criminal is to live after punishment, and not in a prison where every inmate is a criminal; unless of course a society considers itself to be more corrupt and less competent to effect reform than a jail! Against this, the ‘modern, enlightened’ approach is to provide every inducement to crime by building a society based on conspicuous consumption; to make society, education and every other institution ‘value – free’ and then to try to reform a criminal by segregating him and keeping him in a prison.
PROCEDURAL JUSTICE

Sentences in Islam are certainly harsh, but still more strict and severe are the procedures laid down to be observed before a man may be convinced. These procedures are modeled on the paradigm of the Day of Judgement, when even God, though he is All-knowing, and Just, will not punish anybody unless He establishes his guilt. To let nine criminals go free is preferable to convicting one innocent man, said the Prophet.

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