Ramadan in Indonesia

Ramadan in IndonesiaIf there’s no sudden change of schedule during this week time, it’d be my first Ramadan (spelled in Bahasa either Ramadhan or Ramadlan) in Indonesia after so long time doing adventurous brouhaha in India during which I hadn’t returned home even once. Strangely during that “meditation time” I occasionally got time to met alll my sisters neither in Indonesia nor India. It’s in Saudi Arabia, instead.

So, now once again I have a look and feel of conditions preceding the month of fasting for Muslims which are typically Indonesia: price hike of certain commodities, controversies surrounding the start and the end of Ramadan all of which are unknown outside Indonesia which means that the fast of Ramadan has a lot of meaning to Indonesian Muslims.
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Successful Life

Successful Life in IslamThe Quran’s attitude towards suffering and adversity is not passive and resigned, but positive and dynamic.  The believers are told that they will surely suffer and to be patient and persevering in times of harrdship, but they are also to look forward and seek opportunities to improve their situation and rectify existing wrongs. They are told that while the risks and struggle may be great, the ultimate benefit and reward will be much greater.

Life was never meant to be easy. The Quran refers to a suffessful life as an “uphill climb,” a climb that most will avoid.

We certainly have created man to face distress. Does he think that no one has power over him? He will say: I have wasted much wealth. Does he think that no one sees him? Have We not given him two eyes, and a tongue and two lips and pointed out to him the two conspicuous ways? But he attempts not the uphill climb; and what will make you comprehend the uphill climb? [It is] to free a slave, or to feed in a day of hunger an orphan nearly related, or the poor one lying in the dust. Then he is of those who believe and exhort one another to patience and exhort one another to mercy. (Quran 90: 4-17)

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Karen Amstrong’s Muhammad

peace.jpgQuote of the Day:

Muslims have always understood this. Their scripture, the Qur’an, gave them a mission: to create a just and decent society, in which all members were treated with respect…

… As a paradigmatic personality, Muhammad has important lessons, not only for Muslims, but also for Western people. His life was a jihad: … this word does not mean “holy war,” it means “struggle.” … His life was a tireless campaign against greed, injustice, and arrogance.
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Crime and Religion

Salman Khan & Aishwarya Rai former Miss Universe and former Salman's long time girl friendSalman Khan, one of three major Indian film stars–a long time lover of Aishwarya Rai– beside Shakhrukh Khan and Amir Khan, was and still is a drinker, and is a non-practicing Muslim: one who never cares how to act in accordance with his religion . A few years ago, he got involved with a hit-and-run case. His appearance in the court sound as if he’s one of those devout Muslims you ever see: wearing white hat and white Muslim shirt. He often states that he’s just a victim of being a minority.
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Keith Ellison, Quran and “American Civilisation”

Keith Ellison Quran rowI wrote earlier on Keith Ellison the first American Muslim ever elected as Congressman which surprisingly spark much hype in America. Another (unnecessary)controversy seems to be in the pipeline now regarding his intention to take oath by Quran instead of the Bible.

Dennis Prager’s article first published in townhall.com I think is the one that sparks the controversy.

Important to note here that in American tradition is for all members of the Congress to be sworn in together on the House floor.
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Celebrating Eid the Blogger Way

Some Indonesian bloggers still talk about Eid ul-Fitr, or something to do with it, days after it passed for various reasons. Agus Setiawan at Blogonesia, for example, discusses the recent fatwa (religious decree) made recently by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Indonesian Muslim organisation, in which it stated that watching gossip program on TV is considered haram or ‘unlawful’.

Agus Setiawan agrees to such fatwa on the ground that (a) 80 percent of Indonesians are Muslim and (b) that doing or listening to gossip news are clearly forbidden or highly discouraged in Islam. Besides, he observes, that watching such program is highly time-wasting and unproductive.
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Ramadan from Monday in India

Ramadan India In India, the month of Ramadan starts from Monday which means we, any Muslim currently stay in the country, will resume our fast from 25th of September and end up (probably) on October 24. People in Indonesia and some other countries including Saudi Arabia have already started their fast on Sunday, September 24. In London Ramadan started even earlier on Saturday 23th.

Any day among those days is justified from Islamic jurisprudence point of view and therefore, should not be considered as contradictory views. The substance is observing the fasting, not conflicting the differences.
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The Limits of Freedom

Eversince the cartoon controversy sparks a furore in the Muslim world, I resist the tempation to comment on that matter as I intend to dedicate, and therefore confine, this page only for talking on human interest, universal values and sort of reflection note on my self, local culture and tradition: the weakness and strong side of it and how we can start a new beginning from there. Besides, I regularly write on political issues in print media op-ed columns. So, I think I have had enough of them.

But as the controversy refuses to dissipate, and so many misunderstanding on the part of the Western people regarding this issue–you can see their “colorful” commentaries scattered in blogoworld as well as here–I try to explain a bit about the freedom of speech and attitude.
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Christmas Greeting from Indonesian Muslim

On this special day for all Christian brothers and sister, I, a Muslim, would like to greet you all A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2006

If peace and love prevail among all different religious followers, the world will become one. Humanity will be much better. Prosperity and fraternity among mankind will be the talk of our daily life.
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