Alhambra

It is called, "a utopia, the brightest memory of a lost golden age of learning, art, poetry and tolerance". One Muslim poet wrote:

"A sun dwells in this palace and even its shadow is blessed. In this palace a multitude of pleasures capture the eye and suspend the intellect. Here a crystal world teaches marvels. Everywhere Beauty is carved, opulence manifest".

The Islamic civilization had reached its peak in the 10th century, and by 1100, the number of Muslims rose to 5.6 million. There existed in Cordoba alone, 200,000 houses, 600 mosques, 900 public baths, 10,000 lamps, 50 hospitals, lighted and paved streets. Muslims introduced public baths because of their need to to wash in preparation for prayer 5 times a day. Libraries and research institutions grew rapidly in Muslim Spain, while the rest of Europe remained illiterate.

Spain and the West stand forever in their debt. The Muslims were instrumental in making Spain a "Paradise on Earth" and issuing forth the Renaissance. Muslim Spain is hardly spoken of, while the works of Muslims in Al-Andalus remain unknown and unappreciated.

(Do) We have the potential to recreate the dynamic legacy which existed in Al-Andalus (?)

Proud to be Muslim

I have been invited to deliver an opening address to Perdaus' MIC camp on Sat 15 Mar 08. Perdaus' madrasah has introduced experiential-based learning and assessment including project work as an alternative to conventional examination.

This 2-days 1-night camp is organised and run by Secondary Four students of Madrasah Perdaus as their Semester One assessment for Aqidah, Akhlak and Hadith.

This camp will also provide students (as organisers) hands-on learning experience to apply knowledge and lessons in class to the everyday life of a typical Singaporean teenager.

What's the title given to me?
A simple title, yet a challenging task to say the least.
The title -- Proud to be Muslim.
The audience -- students about to go to post-secondary institutions, hence 16 to 18 years of age

Since the audience are teens who may not be terribly excited over a formal address -- I have decided to play the music video by Sami Yusuf (below) to set the stage for the opening.

The music video will show the singer performing everyday's life activities: travelling, working, playing the violin, playing football with the young, etc. to demonstrate his active participation in society and vibrant attitude to life.

A close and careful observation of his actions will also reveal his close relationship with Allah and his good character.

There are also several attributes demonstrated in the video --

A Muslim that is:

Pleasant, cheerful, helpful, fun ...
Multilingual --- English, Turkish, Hindi, Arabic
Cosmopolitan --- at home with different cities, from London to Cairo
Multiskilled -- corporate executive, violinist, teacher, craftsman

So how do we make our teenagers feel and act proud to be Muslim?
Not an easy question to answer,
but I hope the video will stimulate responses from the audience
for their insights on how they can be, and are Proud to be Muslim.

Opening for BRMY Camp

Talking Points for the Opening of BRMY Camp
NACLI, 16 Feb 07





Thank organizers for the opportunity to set the stage for the camp.

Welcome all participants – indeed this and other similar camps has brought about personal transformations of many participants who sought to understand the meaning and purpose of life and what it means to be Muslims.

The dialogue that took place between Allah and the angels on the creation of mankind is an important reminder for us as angels had asserted “will You place therein those who will make mischief and shed blood” [al-Baqarah : 30].

“Evil has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah, and begging His Pardon)” [ar-Rum : 41].

The angels have warned Allah of our potential to make mischief, shed blood, oppression and evil deeds.

But many of us are not even aware of the looming environmental crisis and a world of injustice resulting from ignorance, arrogance and disobedience.

How is it possible that human beings created as Khalifah (Vicegerent) yet disobey his Creator and caused destruction on earth? Put simply how could we destroy or burn the very house that we live in? How could we be indifferent to the Creator that creates us, make us in the best of fashion and honour us?

This camp is a journey into our world today – a world that neglects its Creator, and exploited by men (and women) who acted as the modern-day Pharaohs and ruthless masters of “dominion” instead of moral and legal trustees of the Creator.

I hope through this camp, you will engage on issues confronting us as Muslims, find your place in the Divine order and inspired to act – to play your khalific role by being role models who turns to Allah in humility for guidance and forgiveness while giving his best for the service and good of mankind. His service to mankind is an act of ibadah – an articulation of his submission to His Creator.

But all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, or Jill a dull girl – and we will definitely infuse play into work and work by playing. Our playing will be the discussions and creative sessions to develop viable strategies and actions to lead, guide and motivate ourselves and others to become a God-conscious society and blessings to all.

Have a enriching and fulfilling camp ahead.

Festschrift for Syed Haroon Aljunied

A Muis Icon

Syed Haroon Aljunied, our longest serving secretary is, by all measure, an icon. He served Muis for 20 years, 3 Ministers, 5 Presidents and 7 Councils. Not many in Muis, and certainly not the post-65ers have gone through the thick and thin of Muis’ managing of Muslim affairs – but Syed Haroon had been instrumental for many of the what (we) Muis officers, and the Muslim community take for granted now.

From kampong mosque demolition to mosque development at HDB estates, exhumation of graves, different days of Eid Fitr in Singapore, amendments to AMLA, charter of planes for Haj pilgrims, non-arrival of kambing, Madrasah and the CE issue, SARS, JI and the list goes on – he had been there, and done it.

He is an icon – simply because for many of us, Syed Haroon is a walking encyclopedia of AMLA, Muis, and to a large extent, the historiography of Muslim organisations and the community.

Best Kept Secret

How many of us are aware that it was Syed Haroon who spearheaded the computerization of Muis administration to transform Muis from an electric typewriter outfit with a typing pool and stenos into what is now a fully computerized “every person with a PC on their desktop” organisation. How many in the community know that it was his idea to engage architects from the private sector to make our mosques architecturally superior.

What is that best kept secret that makes and moves the man? Allow me to offer my take – first, his soul partner and wife, Kak Saleha, and second, his missionary zeal that can be traced back to his WAMY-HBI Islamic work training during his younger days.

Syed Haroon has taught us that our spouse and children are a significant source of energy for our work in Muis – and their support and sacrifices are key and crucial to our well-being and organizational performance. For this, we can never adequately thank Kak Saleha and his children for their sacrifices and support and for sharing Syed Haroon’s 20 years of his working life with Muis.

Secondly, beyond the meetings, papers, functions, salaries and bonuses, Syed Haroon has always reminded us, that there is greater and higher purpose for working in Muis – to serve Allah as His vicegerent. And that we must never lose sight of this purpose or diminish it through bigger pay packets.

For this, we ask Allah to reward him with the best of rewards.

The Raging Flesh and Spirit

Physically, Syed Haroon is no Arnold Schwarzenegger. But this has not prevented him from long-distance air travel and trekking difficult terrains and climate – snow and sleet in Chicago to negotiate with IQRA Foundation and hot and dry weather in Saudi Arabia to serve as Head of Delegation for Haj in 2003. When I fetched him at the airport on his return from Saudi, I felt humbled by his strength – both his physical and spiritual strength, both in the flesh and spirit.

Syed Haroon never fails to amaze me with his delightful sharing of his overseas travel and holidays. His last sharing was about his trip to Geneva, Paris and Istanbul, although his last overseas trip was to Myanmar. Most of us do not know that he is almost a modern-day Ibn Battuta – he had traveled from one city to another across countries and continents, from New Zealand in the South, to Canada in the North, from Hawaii in the East, to Scotland in the West.

Syed Haroon has defied the age-old adage – the flesh is weak but the spirit is willing. Giving it a new twist – to him, I say, your flesh and spirit not only are willing, but also raging, my friend.

And A Big Heart

Syed Haroon despite his small frame has a big heart – if measurable, it may exceed the XXL size mark! Let me ask a question and cite an example: Whom do we see for approval when Muslim organisations appeal to us to buy a table for their charity dinner? More recently, Syed Haroon took upon himself to gather funds amongst friends to help a first year medical student when she wrote to Muis for a loan and donation to pay for her fees.

If I am limited to one trait to attribute Syed Haroon, it will have to be his generosity. He pays special attention to humanitarian efforts, the orphans and the poor and needy. For humanitarian effort, Syed Haroon traveled to Medan and Aceh on a Mercy Relief mission to deliver aids to Tsunami victims. For orphans, he sits on the MTFA board and through his generosity I got to travel on a sampan over choppy waters with the late Hj Sidek (Ust Mahmoud Matlub’s father) and Nazirin to deliver fidyah funds to feed poor students at a pesantren in Riau.

Minister in-charge of Indian Muslim Community

One of the many Syed Haroon’s achievement was undoubtedly his ability to lead and motivate leaders of the Indian Muslim community to produce the IMC plan with the intent to help the community. For this assignment, he earned the honorific title of Muis’ Minister in-charge of Indian Muslim Community.

One would expect that he deserved unqualified support from the leaders of the community, but the relationship is at best one of love-hate. Let me cite an incident – once I was on the MRT train on my way home from a dialogue session for community leaders chaired by PM Goh at Kallang Theatre, I bumped into a former chairman of an Indian mosque. It appeared that he too was at the session but instead of reflecting on the messages and issues discussed during the dialogue, I had a non-stop late night Syed Haroon bashing session from Kallang to Tampines MRT station for the redevelopment project of the mosque which he chaired.

But Syed Haroon never gave up on the IMC. He represented them and sought every opportunity to advance their interest, be it making our full-time madrasah Indian Muslim children friendly, aLIVE classes delivered in Tamil, ROSS for Indian Muslim students at Gontor and asatizah development and networking with imam and religious teachers of Indian Muslim mosques.

Like the icing on the cake, he demonstrated mastery when he answered a query from a participant during the recent Workplan Seminar. Syed Haroon’s convincing reply had a turnaround effect on the participant when he thanked Muis for all the efforts to help the Indian Muslim community. And for that, Syed Haroon deserved the man-of-the-match title for our Workplan Seminar 2007.

Syed Haroon will always be remembered as our “Minister in-charge” of Indian Muslim Community for his contribution and dedication to align and mainstream IMC.

Passion for Arabic

When I joined Muis some seven years ago, Syed Haroon was studying Arabic, every Wednesday evening after the Muis usrah, on the 7th floor – and out of ignorance, I asked a colleague who was working very closely with Syed Haroon, then – isn’t he an Arab? This colleague replied jokingly but affectionately – I quote, “Syed Haroon can only swear in Arabic!”

His unrelenting pursuit to master the Arabic Language is exemplary – he is still attending classes till today. But language, particularly Arabic is not for any Nazirin, Samad and Bakri (the Malay equivalent for the proverbial Tom, Dick and Harry, and by the way – they are also the dropouts from Ust Syed Mustafa’s Arabic class at Al-Falah Mosque sometime ago) and Syed Haroon gives us hope that someday we too will be able to converse and read in Arabic, if we persevere and emulate his passion for learning and for the language.

I thank him for giving us confidence that as dropouts, we can one day eventually speak Arabic, and for me, it reaffirmed my belief that I not stupid!

Festschrift

One of Syed Haroon’s many creative sparks in Muis is in the area of asset development and revenue generation. After corporatisation of Warees, Syed Haroon’s current interest is in social entrepreneurship. His concern over mosque financial sustainability drives him to think of ways to pool surplus mosque funds to create sustainable revenue streams in addition to public donations.

Social entrepreneurship indeed is one of the potential breakthroughs for financial sustainability but it requires creative capabilities including a kind of synthetic creativity. To quote Landry and Bianchini (1995), “…we need a completely different type of creativity, as increasingly we know more facts but understand less. In particular, we need the creativity of being able to synthesise, to connect, to gauge impacts across different spheres of life, to see holistically, to understand how material changes affect our perceptions, to grasp the subtle ecologies of our systems of life and how to make them sustainable”.

Many ideas are floating about – including pooling all available and unused mosque ancillary spaces particularly classrooms for rent to training providers. This idea is now realized when I saw Al-Nitak (Faizal’s company for learning astronomy and Islam) now based in one of the rooms at An-Nadhah mosque.

Syed Haroon has repeatedly asked us to create VWO-type outfits for our kindergartens and part-time Islamic education classes so that we may benefit from national funding and insisted that all programmes should be self-funded.

Muis has benefited significantly from Syed Haroon’s synthetic creativity and his self-funding mantra.

Syed Haroon is a social entrepreneur before social entrepreneurship.


Albakri Ahmad
11 May 07

Reviving Da'wah On Campus

A Bygone Glory?

Circa 70s to early 90s hailed a period of vibrant student activism on campuses and within societies of universities and polytechnics. Many former student leaders and activists from that period are currently community leaders or holding offices in organisations and institutions.

Muslim societies on university campuses and polytechnics served as laboratories with thoughts and ideologies as chemicals and compounds to inflame idealism and the sense of purpose for the future.

However the situation on campuses and polytechnics today is bleak, at best. There is a dearth of ideas and the level of activism as well as sense of purpose both of individual students and of the student societies are much to be desired.

For the sentimental souls (now in their late 40s and early 50s) who benefited from the training programmes and activities on campuses, and enriched by these invaluable life experiences, the question utmost in their minds is whether that is now a bygone glory.

Ideological Lifeline

Student activism, the emphasis on cadre training and development and international affiliation as characteristics of societies then, were inspired by post-colonial Islamic revivalism and movements. There was neither fear nor stigma for student societies to ideologise overtly through circles, camps, talks and study visits. WAMY, IIFSO and regional student organizations provided the ideological lifeline to student societies.

Several local organisations and individuals later renewed that lifeline by way of providing training curriculum and materials. Former student leaders who were active in these organisations supported the office bearers and their student societies on campuses and polytechnics by leading study circles and conducting training camps.

When former leaders acting as mentors to student societies actively recruit and influence students for their organisations so as to ensure continued contribution, engagement and ideological dominance, the atmosphere degenerated into one of competition, suspicion, distrust and fear. The natural response of student leaders and societies to these negative atmospherics is to stay unaligned, independent, closed and self-creating.

The effect of this response has now created yet another negative atmosphere and a climate of malaise, indifference and stagnation on campuses and in student body politic.

Student Societies on Campuses and Polytechnics: A Requiem?

Student societies are finding it difficult to attract membership and activism among the students. This may be attributed to the prevailing indifference, lack of idealism and stagnation of student societies as well as the demands of shorter semesters, informal employment to pay for expenses and the pressures to succeed in exams, on the students.

Therefore it is inferred that students who are potential leaders and high achievers may not necessarily be members or affiliated to student societies. These individual students will need to be identified, befriended and supported to clarify purpose, sharpen skills and inject idealism for a lifelong contribution to the community and nation.

The assertion that intervention through support and assistance to student societies on campuses yields maximum return for da’wah may no longer be defensible. It is noted however that all efforts to strengthen and rejuvenate student societies must be supported to prevent its death.

Idealism and Value-Based Da’wah

This present reality of value propositions and pragmatic choices makes it an imperative for da’wah to extend beyond spiritual and intellectual development, although what is spiritual and intellectual differ among the philosophers and sociologists.

Students and societies will weigh their choices based on what they perceive to be of value for the present and their future. The content and curriculum to develop students must be comprehensive to include soft and emotional skills and competencies, including high-end innovation and futuristic plotting. The days of relying solely on books by Fathi Yakan, Maududi and Sayyid Qutb are over.

So what is the endgame?

There isn’t one. But if the question is about idealism and what is urgent and important for the Muslims and the Muslim world to do today, it must be none other than to restore and uphold the dignity and honour of Islam.

Students and student societies of various universities and polytechnics will need a great amount of convincing on the why, what and how to revive da’wah on campus, quite apart from the numerous excuses they can lay their hands on, to reject any move that is perceived to compromise their independence or add to their current social-educational predicament.

Da’wah on campus demands serious, concerted and consistent effort of many willing and capable contributors. It requires trust, confidence and integrity to revive it.

Are we up to it?

Let the healing in Aceh begin

Let the healing in Aceh begin
To help residents get on with their lives, foreign aid groups must build up trust

By Albakri Ahmad
For The Straits Times


Straits Times Feb 2, 2005

OVER a month has passed since the tsunami tragedy struck Aceh province in Sumatra. For Banda Aceh and Meulaboh, rescue work is almost coming to an end; the emphasis now is on recovery and rehabilitation.

This second phase of relief work is as daunting as the first, if not more emotionally demanding. For this is the phase in which helpers try to assist survivors who are 'stuck in time' to disconnect from the trauma and reconnect with life.The landscape of action is now also a landscape of meaning. For many Acehnese, a typical response to offers of foreign aid or help during this phase would be 'leave us alone'.

They are grateful for the assistance and relief supplies but are wary of the long-term implications of the presence of international non-governmental organisations.Some Acehnese say cynically that these international communities and foreign governments are helping only so as to secure a 'piece of the pie' for reconstruction projects worth billions of dollars. What could be worse than the perception that foreign agencies are benefiting from the disaster and at the expense of victims or survivors? Adding insult to injury, media coverage has focused largely on the work of international relief agencies and the work of foreign governments. Local and Indonesian relief efforts did not get much media attention.

Continuous reporting of the presence of foreign military personnel does not help in recovery and rehabilitation efforts. It gives the impression that the locals and the Indonesians are helpless and must rely on foreign governments to provide manpower and resources to rebuild the affected areas. Negative sentiment against foreign presence - some Acehnese interpret it as a foreign invasion - may also hinder attempts by the Acehnese to disconnect from their trauma. Helping the Acehnese to recover from their trauma requires both mental and physiological treatment. The basic rule is to establish trust and safety, and earn the right to gain access to work with the survivors.

But emotional and trauma counselling will not be fully effective if survivors are not moved from their temporary shelters to permanent or at least semi-permanent homes. Connecting with life means to do the very things one used to do under normal conditions - going to work, earning a living, schooling, cleaning, cooking, evening chats with neighbours and village folks, etc. Connecting with life also means connecting with the future. While the Acehnese may need time to heal, they have demonstrated the will to live and to start anew. Many activities have resumed. The marketplace is buzzing with village traders and customers, schools are open, and mosques are filled with worshippers for the five daily prayers.

Banda Aceh and other affected areas are being redeveloped. Blueprints for housing and community development, including education and other essential services, are being drawn up by the respective Indonesian ministries and national agencies.These developments are timely to unify and strengthen the spirit and resolve of the Acehnese as they deal with their loss and create their collective future. The fruits of these efforts will not only redefine the landscape and demography of Aceh but also shape its socio-political future, especially in relation to the longstanding issue of self-determination and autonomy.

For us Singaporeans, from a distance, we can only contribute in cash and in kind, and work together with the locals in the recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction phase. We empathise, but we can never truly understand and feel what the survivors have gone through.We can define what trauma is, but we cannot pretend to understand the trauma of the survivors and its impact on their lives. If it is any comfort, there is evidence to show that the Acehnese are an emotionally strong people. Far from their grief being uncontrollable, many among them consider the earthquake and tsunami as timely reminders for them to renew their faith. For many Singaporeans who volunteered to do relief work, they too need help to connect back to life in Singapore.

Trauma is not a word found often in our life vocabulary, and therefore even short stints in those affected areas left indelible imprints on minds and souls. Even if not affected much by the trauma, many volunteers felt pangs of guilt as they boarded their planes home. There is a lingering guilt at not being able to spend more time with the survivors to ensure that they return to normal life. Or it may be a case of not giving up that seat on a flight to another person who pleaded for it in order to collect food supplies for affected communities. But guilt can have a positive outcome if it accelerates our efforts to assist the survivors to return to a normal life as soon as possible.

We must continue to extend helping hands so that what may take years to rebuild can be completed sooner. From that fateful day of Dec 26, 2004, the Acehnese people are finding and creating meanings to serve as psychological anchors to help them hold on to their past and at the same time navigate into the future. Far from losing perspective of reality, they offer a landscape for us to find meaning for our own existence and to discover ourselves in humanity.

Albakri Ahmad is director of corporate development and education at Muis, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore. The views expressed here are his own.

Rejoinder to Project Zip! @ Daman's Blog

It is human instinct to feel with the time, but also move with the time, but there are some extraordinary individuals who remained steadfast on the cause ...


The Tsunami of Dec 04 taught us many important lessons on and about ourselves as well the nature of human instincts.

It brought with it sufferings and the lost of human lives. But it also created opportunities for love and friendship to bloom among strangers.

Many individuals came together to help humanitarian efforts, and to demonstrate the human spirit of sharing and caring.

While many humanitarian agencies collected hundred of millions of dollars for aid for various affected places, groups of individuals took upon themselves to contribute in their own creative ways.

The human instinct works in unexpected ways – in response to human tragedy such as the Tsunami.

When I was in Banda Aceh with Br Damanhuri, Br Helmy and Ustaz Jakfar, two weeks after the Tsunami to deliver several containers of supplies from Project Zip, we met an Indonesian lady at a school-turned-medical base to provide medical services to survivors.

She had traveled alone from Germany where lives with her husband with a container full of medical supplies to set-up a medical base to assist the survivors.

When she heard the news of the Tsunami and its impact, she raised funds to purchase medical supplies in Germany and airfreight it to Jakarta.

But it was not to be an easy journey.

When she arrived at Jakarta, the immigration and customs formalities were overwhelming. She had no necessary papers and therefore had to convince all government officers she had to deal with, of her intentions and her cargo, and to allow her passage to Banda Aceh by land.

Single-handedly, she braved her way from Germany to Aceh with a container load of medical supplies and eventually set-up a medical base.

What is more intriguing is that she is not even a medical doctor or a person of any form of medical training – what she had was pure human instinct. Her story is but one of many more moving and enriching human stories on the Tsunami.

We also have a story of a group of concerned individuals who work together to find sponsors in Singapore for Aceh orphans for their education and daily expenses.

This group expands and contracts as time passes and indeed it is extremely difficult to keep the momentum and the passion going year after year.

Whilst many will come forward to volunteer at the point of time when tragedy strikes and when pictures of human suffering comes to live, very few will continue to work on the cause.

It is human instinct to feel with the time, but also move with the time.

Three years on, very few special individuals remain attached to the Tsunami survivors and are working to improve their human condition.

One of these special individuals is Kamariah Ahmad. To say that Kamariah is a volunteer-extraordinaire is even an understatement.

She has traveled numerous times to Medan and Banda Aceh to help orphans and needy families to recover and resume life.

And from her travels she brought back with her interesting and exciting ideas to uplift the human spirit.

Her book titled Ombak Samudera is a testimony of her passion to document the orphans’ inner thoughts and encounters with the Tsunami and to present Aceh’s religious historiography.

This book contains chapters and pages of the works of orphans and affected children. It is a book of art, a book of poetry and a book of spirituality combined.

But apart from history and the past, Kamariah attempts to ensure that the orphans and the affected children have a future.

Ombak Samudera is Kamariah’s contribution to uplifting the human spirit and the condition of the orphans, affected children and parents in Medan and Aceh.

She has done, and is still doing her part, selflessly and with utmost generosity.

What about us?

Seperti ikan di laut ... by Helmy Isa

...walaupun hidup di air masin, isinya tetap lemak..

(Like the fish in the seas, its flesh remains tasty even though it lives in the saltish seas)

Just a few days ago, we witnessed another death of a person who have made a lasting impression on me..

Allahyarham Ahmad Sirat or more affectionately known as 'Pak Mat Sirat' passed away on 4 Mar 2008. Allahyarham were among those who were active in nurturing and helping young people like me then, to rediscover ourselves, who we are, why are we on this earth, what is our aim and purpose oin life and how do we live as Muslims. I first knew Allahyarham Pak Mat when I was 16.

Many will remember him by the above-mentioned phrase. Indeed very profound, meaningful and especially relevant to this very challenging times. We must remain pure and true despite living in this age.

I will always remember Pak Mat by the words... "Kita ni mesti jadi seperti ikan di laut. Isinya tetap tawar dan sedap, walaupun hidup di laut yang masin'

As people who work with young people, how do we like to be remembered by? What phrase (s) we want the people to associate with us?. What words wd we want people to have as they watch our jenazah being lowered into the grave? .... I wonder..

I want draw your attention to another person who have made a lasting impression on the people he come into contact with. Please click on the link below to know more about him.. See what the youths described him at the end of the video..

http://alivesg.multiply.com/video/item/10/Allahyarham_Ustaz_Rafiq_Yahya

May Allah s.w.t. bless the souls of Allahyarham Pak Mat Sirat and Allahyarham Ustaz Rafiq bin Yahya.

Ameen, ya rabbal 'alamin.

ps. Allahyarham Pak Mat Sirat is the father of Dr Albakri Ahmad

{by Helmy Isa, 7 March 08}

Tazkirah Yang Tidak Ternilai

Ikhwah/Akhawat yang ana kasihi
Assalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh

Ana bagi pihak ibu dan adik-adik serta zaujah sekeluarga ingin merakamkan ribuan terima kasih atas semua do'a, ucapan takziah serta kehadiran antum sehingga jenazah ayahanda kami selamat dikebumikan.

Kami sekeluarga bersyukur kepada Allah (swt) kerana digolongkan bersama antum di dalam saff jamaah dan dakwah, dan dengan do'a antum, kami yakin Allah (swt) akan memberi rahmatNya keatas arwah ayahanda kami.

Antum bukan saja telah memberi kami kekuatan untuk tabah menghadapi pemergian ayahanda kami, malah bermurah hati memberi kami tazkirah untuk terus beriltizam menjadi anak anak yang soleh untuk ayahanda mendapat tempat bersama para syuhada' dan syodiqqin.

Jazakumullahu khairan kathiran jiddan jazak.

Salam ukhuwwah,

By Your Love, Care and Concern ..

Dear brothers/sisters
Assalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh

Everytime I attended a funeral of the loved ones of friends and families, I shivered at the thought when I have to face the loss of my own parents. Many "what ifs" were rehearsed and each permutation of the decision tree were played out to mentally prepare myself for the eventual day.

Yes, such preparation did help, but the single most important factor that gave my mum, my siblings, my family and I, the much needed strength to overcome our grief and accept the will of Allah, was you - your do'a, comforting words, presence and contributions can never be reciprocated by my mum and her children.

Our thanks are beyond words. In fact, we are deeply indebted to you.

May Allah strengthen our resolve to become anak anak yang soleh so that our parents are granted Allah's mercy by our iman and good deeds.

Jazakamullahu khairan kathiran jiddan jazak.

Salam ukhuwwah,

A'zhomAllahu ajrakum ...

INNA-LILLAH WA INNA ‘ILLAIHI ROJI’UN

HAJI AHMAD BIN SIRAT
Kembali ke Rahmatullah
pada 4 March 2008 bersamaan 25 Safar 1429H

Kami sekeluarga mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada saudara-mara dan sahabat handai di atas semua do’a, kehadiran dan sumbangan.

Penghargaan khas kepada:

Menteri Negara Kanan, Tuan Hj Zainul Abidin Rasheed
Presiden, Mufti dan staf Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis)
AP En Masagos Zulkifli serta Jawatankuasa Palmspring RC
Para Doktor dan Jururawat wad MICU, 25 dan 29 Changi General Hospital
MSW Puan Noriana dari CGH
Pengerusi, Imam dan staf Masjid Darul Ghufran
Pimpinan Fellowship of Muslim Students Association (FMSA)
Pimpinan Persatuan Muhammadiyah Singapura
Presiden dan staf PERGAS
Pimpinan SAMRAH Family Club
Pimpinan Perdaus
Asatizah Masjid (MROs)

Kami sekeluarga mohon maaf atas segala kesilapan Allahyarham semasa hayatnya. Semoga ALLAH S.W.T mencucuri rahmat ke atas rohnya. Amin.

Dari:

Hjh Rukiah Hj Nurdin Lubis
Dr Albakri Ahmad sekeluarga
Noraini Ahmad sekeluarga
Hjh Alwiah Ahmad sekeluarga
Aljefreen Ahmad sekeluarga
Sabariah Kassim sekeluarga

{Berita Harian, 7 March 08}

A Tribute to the late Pak Amat Sirat

Life & Death, by Damanhuri Abas

Someone remarked, "Its amazing how death can pull people together." For it is one of those rare moment in life when we suddenly realise what life is really all about.

Pak Amat Sirat, the late father of Dr Albakri, was the first President of the Muslim Fellowship of Singapore, the forerunner of what became FMSA in 1994. He was remembered by many for his laborious patience in listening to the young minds and their fervour for Islam. Seeing his face for the last time at the cemetary bring back fond memories of the man who has seen through all the difficult times of the early struggles of the Jamaah. It needed his generational wisdom and fatherly fortitude to bring together such a diverse group of young people with such energy and unique set of individual characteristics and ideas.

When I prayed at his open grave after the soil has been laid on his wooden coffin, I uttered instantaneously the following words in my heart, "O Allah, be kind and merciful to Pak Amat, I do witness that he has done a wonderful job to bring us together in Your cause. He was a father to all of us in our little-little struggles in life. We will continue the work he started and may he be continously rewarded for inspiring us to do Your work, O Allah. Forgive him O Allah and let us meet again in Jannah one day. Amin

I am pleased to see so many brothers who are part of the Jamaah in one way or another through the years of our struggles and dakwah. Through the hugs I see hope for ukhuwah Islamiah and it must be heartening for the memory of Pak Amat to witness in his passing, the coming together of hearts that remain apart for a while ....

The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. in his final sermon made a truly remarkable reminder of keeping ourselves as one. He said among other things, " ... All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. ..." At death, we all will wish and hope to see again the ones that we have left behind someday. The door has closed for the moment and we seek for the future when we will be reunited again with all our brothers who share the path of our journey before.

Like Pak Amat, when we die one day, we would by now has seen the truth of life beyond this material world. We would have been shown the prelude of our life to come and hopefully it is one that offers a rewarding tear in our eyes and a smile in our face. We too would have had a glimpse of the agonising pain of those who defied the nikmah of his Creator. In that state, we will surely hope that those still living get over the trivialities of divisive words of differences, as what matters at death far exceed such issues in the eyes of our Creator.A life of a beloved fatherly brother has just ended .... let those still alive rise up to live life again.

Let Allah s.w.t. unite our hearts to work together through the diversity of where we are and strive for Him in a unified way to bring our small ummah in Singapore to be a living embodiment of the shinning spirit of the akhlak of Rasulullah s.a.w. "And hold fast, all together, unto the bond with God, and do not draw apart from one another. And remember the blessings which God has bestowed upon you: how, when you were enemies, He brought your hearts together, so that through His blessing you became brethren; and [how, when] you were on the brink of a fiery abyss. He saved you from it. In this way God makes clear His messages unto you, so that you might find guidance," (Surah Al-Imran 3:103)

{by Damanhuri Abas, 5 March 08}

A One More Knowing

Wa fawqa kulli dhi 'ilmin 'alim

"So he searched their saddle-bags before his brother's, then produced the cup from his brother's bag. This is how We planned for Yusuf, for he could not take his brother under the law of the king unless Allah so willed. We raise in status whom We please. And over everyone endowed with knowledge is one/One more knowing."

Does it mean that over everyone endowed with knowledge is a person more knowing, or that over everyone endowed with knowledge is the One who is All-Knowing?

The one does not exclude the other.

In either case, the impact upon us is the same.

When it comes to knowledge we are tormented by our status, taunted by the status of others,
and confronted by the status of God.

Knowledge belongs to God, and we carry the burden of lucidity in understanding and expressing God's knowledge. The infinite ability of human beings to produce absurdities only reminds us of our status. Over everyone endowed with knowledge is The One who is more knowing. The burden of lucidity taunts and torments us. The knowledge of the All-Knowing comforts us.

And we pray, "God ease the burdens of my heart and lift the impediments of my tongue so that they may understand what I say" (20:25-28)

{Khaled Abou El-Fadl, Conference of the Books}