Amar Razali

Penulisan aku ini sekadar antara beribu-ribu pengalaman aku bersama almarhum papa dan sedikit buah fikiran aku sendiri. Tiada kaitan dengan situasi politik, ekonomi atau sosial semasa di mana-mana tempat.

Semasa aku pulang bercuti ke Malaysia akhir July 2008 baru-baru ini, aku teringat almarhum papa ada sekali pernah mengajak aku ke pejumpaan politik yang aku rasa sulit juga la sebab yang hadir pada malam itu tak ramai. Sekitar 8-9 orang saja. Mama pun ada sekali pada malam tu sebab seingat aku, perjumpaan politik itu berlaku selepas papa dan mama menghadiri majlis perkahwinan di Primula Park Royal di Kuala Terengganu. Aku pun tak tahu kenapa la almarhum papa beriya benar nak mengajak aku sekali, tetapi seingat aku, sebelum tu aku dan almarhum papa ada berbincang-bincang berkenaan politik wang. Almarhum papa memang sangat-sangat meluat/tak suka/benci dengan budaya politik wang yang busuk ni, dan seingat aku, aku pula yang jadi lebih emosi daripada papa i.e. aku jadi lebih tak puas hati la pula. Siap aku kata lagi dengan almarhum papa, "Papa, mari bawa Acik jumpa 'sekian sekian orang'. Meh Acik cakap sikit dengan diaorang ni. Apa ni main politik-politik wang ni!"

Haa.. baru aku teringat. Semasa tu ada pemilihan untuk jawatankuasa tertinggi UMNO untuk Kuala Terengganu. Tak silap aku, papa ada dicalonkan untuk menjadi Timbalan Pengerusi atau Naib Pengerusi - lebih kurang semacam itulah. Dan tak silap aku juga, ketua almarhum papa i.e. Menteri Pelajaran sendiri yang berharap agar kalau boleh almarhum papa dapatlah posisi tu. Sebab tu almarhum papa decide untuk bertanding. Kalau tak silap aku perjumpaan pada malam tu untuk berjumpa orang-orang yang menyokong kuat perjuangan papa - ikhlas, bukannya mengharapkan sebarang habuan wang ringgit daripada papa untuk pemilihan papa.

Yalah, sebab, kalau tak silap aku, ada juga sesetengah orang ni, yang menang posisi dalam pertubuhan-pertubuhan politik ni, sebab mereka membeli undi i.e. mereka bayar sesiapa yang mengundi untuk mereka. Orang macam almarhum papa, sedar bahawa betapa busuknya politik wang ni sebab kau menang bukan atas dasar kredibiliti, kualiti, kepercayaan, dignity, atau khidmat kau. Tapi kau menang sebab kau tabur duit! Aku faham benar akan almarhum papa, dia bukanlah orang politik, dia tak pandai 'kluk klek kluk klek' kata orang Terengganu.

Masih segar dalam ingatan aku akan kata-kata papa pada malam itu. Papa - apabila bercakap soal idealisme, wawasan, serta cita-cita beliau untuk bidang pendidikan, memang seolah-olah jadi orang lain. Maksudnya, dia jadi serius betul. Papa bercakap soal khidmat. Papa kata, "Saya tak menjual duit, saya menjual khidmat. Saya hanya memberi khidmat. Pemilihan saya ini, saya akan balas dengan khidmat, saya tak akan dan tak termampu membalas dengan habuan duit."

Dan seingat aku, almarhum papa tewas juga dalam pemilihan UMNO tersebut. Untuk lanjutan lihat sini. Semasa aku balik cuti kecemasan ke Malaysia baru-baru ini, hampir semua orang yang aku jumpa dan cakap berkenaan hal pemilihan ini kata, "Pitih belaka, Acik. Pitih belaka."

Seingat aku, almarhum papa agak terkilan jugalah. Tak penuhi harapan Menteri Pelajaran i.e. ketuanya satu. Kedua, aku faham, bahawa almarhum papa bukan mahu sangat posisi tu, tetapi posisi itu hanyalah sekadar "cukup syarat" atau orang Terengganu kata, "sedap duduk sikek" sebab almarhum papa sebagai ahli kabinet atau timbalan menteri pelajaran ketika itu, tetapi dia tidak ada sebarang jawatan dalam UMNO bahagian. Pelik juga kan? Ahli Parlimen Kuala Terengganu, tetapi hanyalah ahli biasa dalam bahagian UMNO Kuala Terengganu.

Bagi aku, isu ini sebenarnya agak dalam, sebab ialah, kita nak memilih ketua, atau orang yang memimpin kita, biarlah yang benar-benar berkualiti, yang benar-benar boleh membuat kerja, ikhlas, dan sebagainya. Bukanlah untuk kepentingan duit poket kita sahaja. Bagi aku, orang yang memancing undi dengan wang aku labelkan sebagai pengecut, dan orang yang sanggup membeli undi dengan wang aku sifatkan sebagai murah.

Tiba-tiba aku teringatkan almarhum papa pula ketika kini ketika bekerja di pejabat. Ah, menitis lagi air mata ini.

Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh;

Actually, for the past few years I have lived in US, I am very amazed and feel very proud of the Muslim women - who stand strong in practicing one of the parts of their religion, i.e. dressing properly. I mean, for the man, maybe there are no obvious sign or signature that can tell he is a Muslim, but for the woman, Masha Allah, their faith can be recognized easily by their dressing, i.e. the hijab.

A Muslim woman walks down the street covered up from head to toe. There are many layers and loose clothing that may have the non Muslims very confused. Let say it's warm outside. (I just realized maybe this situation is not very applicable with Nashville weather currently but anyway,) most people are wearing shorts and t-shirts. Yet, we find the Muslim woman going against the norm and sticking out from the rest. In America, where one is "free" to do, say, or even wear anything, why would a free woman choose to dress this way?

It's a logical question.

Although the Muslim woman is indeed free - free to make her own choices, free to dress as she wills - she finds satisfaction in this way of life. She prefers to wear more rather than less. This is where she finds her dignity, her grace, and her value. She values her inner self, and as such would rather not put herself on display for others. This display is solely reserved for her husband and family members close to her such as her brother, father, uncle, etc. Her husband has earned the privilege of her beauty. He "earns" this right by committing to her and signing a marriage contract. Thus, her splendor is not something to be tossed around; there's an elite class of people who have the honor of seeing it. Her beauty is exclusively for a few and it is not to be enjoyed by others as she walks down the streets and malls.

Muslim woman is not to be toyed or exploited.

Yes, the Muslim women are hidden from most of the world. Oppressed and hidden, however, are far from synonymous. Yet, Muslim women wearing this hijab or covering the parts of their body are working as doctors, engineers, lawyers, nurses, and professionals all around the world. A mere covering does not prevent a woman from being an active and contributing member of her society in any way that she chooses. Rather, it gives others a chance to value her spoken word, her intellect, and her ideas over anything that she may or may not be wearing. The clothes that she wears does not diminish her independence or ability to think freely. Rather, it is when she thinks freely that she chooses to dress in such a fashion.

So, next time when we see a Muslim woman dressed properly and covered up, feel proud of her, and make prayers that she will stand strong in practicing her beloved faith.

Also for the non-Muslim, when you see a Muslim woman all covered up, don't be confused, sad, or disappointed. Know that this woman is indeed beautiful, inside and out. Know that she is content and at ease. Moreover, know that she would rather wear this than anything else.

Allahu ta'ala a'lam.

Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh;

Abang Yu (my second brother in family) got married last week. The 'akd was held at his wife's house at Kemaman last week, and yesterday (Friday) their marriage ceremony was held at my house at Batu Burok, Kuala Terengganu. Papa gave me a very surprised call early yesterday morning and I didn't expect that since I was preparing for my midterm exam at noon on that day. For the first time yesterday I have a chat with Kak Madihah. I knew just a little about her, since I didn't have chance to meet or talk to her directly before, but I knew that Abang Yu got engaged with her early in February this year.

When I came back to Malaysia 3 months ago, mama did show me some pictures of her taken during the engagement ceremony. But I never have chance to meet with her since my holiday in Malaysia was too short.

I realized that I was the only member in family missing during the wedding ceremony. Same thing, again. When Abang Mir (my eldest brother) got married back in 2004, I could not present during his wedding ceremony because I had to be at Perlis for national debate competition. It should be a memorable wedding ceremony for me to remember since he is my eldest brother and he was getting married! It was a hard decision, my passion in debating was too much during those years, and it was my last year in high school. I hope that worth it since that year alhamdulillah we managed to go to the final stage in that competition which was the first in our school history. But the exchange for that was something priceless as well.

Now, this time, it's Abang Yu's turn. He was getting married this year. Congratulations to Abang Yu and Kak Madihah. Unfortunately for me, I could not make it again because it was too far away from my reach. I felt quite upset when both families decided to make the wedding ceremony during the time that I was not around. Although probably I am not important figure for this meaningful occasion, when it comes too family matters, then we are talking at something in different level. I wish to be there, to share the happiness, the love, and to show the support that we have towards each other in our family members.

I pray to Allah to bless Abang Yu and Kak Madihah marriage, and may He unite both of them in goodness. Ameen.

Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh,

I watched the second Presidential Debate just now, for number of reasons:

1. Since I have the weekly private discussions with Dr. Parlsey at Owen School. He is Professor of Management there, and after having around 4-5 meeting sessions with him, I think the world of economy, and US political situation are very interesting. Last week we were discussing about the VP debate and it was awesome!

2. I start to enjoy the Engineering Economy class taught by Prof. Ken. He always gives us some hot news, stories, updates about US Economy every time during the beginning of the class.

3. The Town Hall debate was held at Belmont University which is Vandy's neighbor.

After all, it was a very interesting presidential debate. Senator Obama, as you all know, is an eloquent speaker. There was no single time that I saw him wrote anything on paper unlike Senator McCain. He was very well-prepared and ready to answer any question given. But Senator McCain was good as well, and I could see the aggressiveness out of him when they talked about foreign policy and security issues. The first topics that they debated about were on financial markets and the US economy, perhaps the most discussed issues nowadays. The gas price hike, sub-prime loans, inflation, bailout bill, health insurances, taxes, and etc were some of the issues that they debated about.

It's still very interesting, though, to hear from McCain when he accused Obama of being the Senate's second highest recipient of donations from people who work at housing giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which had to be bailed out by Congress couple weeks ago. And then, Obama countered it with pointing out that McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, has been a lobbyist for Fannie Mae.

These are just small portions of what they were debating. 1 and half hours were spent very wisely since I think I gain a lot from this debate. I am looking forward for the next presidential debate at New Hampshire on October 15.

Click on the picture to see clearer image
Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh;

Vanderbilt Muslim Student Organization (MSA) is organizing a course entitled 'Lessons in Islam'. This course will be taught by Imam Gyasi Mckenzie and Dr. Awadh Binhazim (see below for more info on instructors). There will be 11 sessions conducted throughout this course starting from this weekend (September 27 2008) until January 31 2009 3-4pm, at Buttrick 202, Vanderbilt University.

The program is structured to educate Muslims on contemporary and relevant issues about Islam that are applicable to their daily lives through structured discourse on selected topics. There are 30 seats available in the classroom and it will be on 'first-come, first-serve' basis. We are expecting a lot of Vanderbilt Muslim students as well as Muslim youth around Nashville to join this program so if you would like to join this class, please contact me as quickly as possible. Consistent attendance and commitment are absolutely important. The class is ABSOLUTELY FREE!!

The class will be in Buttrick hall, Rm # 202 and the link to the map is here.This building will be unlocked during the weekend for convenience to non-Vanderbilt students. There are also some parking lots available near this building.

The topics that will be covered for this course are listed below:

1. The Rizq Management: Zakah 101 - (September 27 2008)
2. 7 Habits of Highly Effective Young Muslims - (October 4 2008)
3. Excelling as a Muslim Youth: Neighbor, Activist, Student (October 25 2008)
4. Young Da'ie: Preserving Moral Character (November 1 2008)
5. The Man of My Dream: Resisting Temptations (November 8 2008)
6. I Love My Family: Bringing My Family Closer to Allah (November 15 2008)
7. The Importance of Holding on The Qur'an (December 6 2008)
8. Relentless Pursuit of Perfection: Following The Prophetic Model (January 10 2009)
9. The Theology of Ahl as-Sunnah: Moderation Exemplified (January 17 2009)
10. Horrors/Pleasures of the Grave, Paradise & Hellfire (January 24 2009)
11. Ongoing Critical Issues in The Muslim World (January 31 2009)

About the Instructors:
Imam Gyasi Mckenzie was born and raised in America and having lived and studied in Madinah for seven years. He graduated with Da’wah and Usool Ad-Din degree from Islamic University of Madinah. He has extensive experience as an educator, chaplain, and counselor. He was former instructor for AlMaghrib Institute in 2005 to 2006, teaching History of the Khulafa and Fiqh of Love, and former Director of Youth and Da’wah Center for Muslim Community in Memphis, TN. He is currently doing his Master Degree in Theology at Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Dr. Awadh Binhazim is Vanderbilt University Muslim Chaplain. He is currently President of the Board of Directors of Olive Tree Education; an Islamic outreach and education awareness group. Professor Binhazim’s interest in Islam is in Comparative Religions and contemporary subjects such as the engagement between Islam and the west. He has given numerous lectures on Islam in theology classes, local churches, law enforcement agencies, diversity training and sensitivity at work places, and at many schools and universities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Kenya. He has appeared on Radio and TV programs to discuss various issues on Islam.

For more information, email khairul.a.razali@vanderbilt.edu. We will have special page for this program in our MSA Vanderbilt website soon. The poster of this program can be seen here. So if you are interested, please email me as quickly as possible!

Assalamu'alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh,

Khairul Amar Razali
Da'wah Chair
Vanderbilt Muslim Student Association
khairul.a.razali@vanderbilt.edu
615.579.1943

Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh;

It was quite a while since I updated my blog. Masha Allah, I think this is my best Ramadan ever! Hopefully I can continue persistently with my deeds, ibaadat, and the sunnah that I have done during this blessed month to other months In sha Allah.

Anyway I just finished creating poster for Vanderbilt Students' Halaqah for 2008. Spent nearly 5 hours after taraweeh seating in front of my computer, using Adobe InDesign CS3 to make this poster. Hopefully this will be the first step of promoting this program. Usually we start our halaqah during the month of Ramadan (we already have this program running since 2006!) until the end of Fall semester. This year the Fall semester started a little bit late, but still we managed to have this program ready, In sha Allah.

I also want to share my proposal that I made for this program with you all. Maybe this will be the last halaqah for me in US, who knows. So if there's anyone who wants to continue this work, feel free to get some ideas from my proposal.

Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh;

Iftar at Dr. Awadh Binhazims' house at Bellevue. Masha Allah delicious Kenyan's delicacies
Alhamdulillah, Ramadan Eman Rush program was held last week here in Nashville. Masha Allah, it was a hit! Shaykh Abdulbary, may Allah please with you and reward you with Jannatul Firdaus. He is an Imam (spiritual leader and adviser) of Masjid Jaamiul Muslimeen in Seattle, WA. Shaykh Abdulbary Yahya graduated from Islamic University of Madinah at College of Shariah. He arrived in Nashville on Friday morning and Dr. Awadh and I picked him up at the airport and bring him to the hotel.

From left: Amar, Nasir, Baba, Hasan, Hubab. Vanderbilt Muslim Student Association, Student Organization Fair
Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh,

Let me take a quick moment to wish all Muslimeen around the globe, Ramadan Kareem to all of you. We ask Allah subhana wa tala to make this month a source of forgiveness for all the Muslims around the world, shower his mercy on us, accept our deeds, alleviate our sufferings and unite the hearts of Muslim nation.

It is a big blessing when our own family know very well and support our works especially in da'wah, spreading the word of Islam at a place where Muslims are minority. Now since I am in Malaysia (well, it will end 48 hours from now) I did use some of my times here to sit and think how to improve the publicity of our works at Olive Tree Education. As for now, I have came up with ideas of having one big banner, 6 very beautiful buntings, and paper bags exclusively designed for Olive Tree Education.

Assalamu'alaykum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh;

Finally, we are united! Papa was over reacted =)
Papa just came back from Melbourne, Australia on Thursday night.

Acik just came back from Nashville, TN on Tuesday afternoon. Acik went back to Kuantan with his Mama to meet with his lovely granny and Mak Adek, as well as his naughty little nieces and nephew on Thursday evening. Friday evening Acik and Mama went back to their hometown at Batu Burok, Kuala Terengganu.

Papa arrived on Friday night, and when he came back home, Acik was already asleep (bertuah betul!)

Finally, today, we met! Welcome home, papa!