We Need More Specialist, Not Doctors/ The Predicamen

by Cikgu Pencen

I have never have an ill intention or becoming prejudice to any parties or organization that want to spread their ideas. But, in the language of ‘fiqh awlawiyyat’ or the understanding of priority, there are many other things that are much better should be the priority in Malaysia.

Supposedly, they have to be taught of Islam clearly, not on the rigid support of certain sect of ideas or rigidly support the sect or ‘mazhab’ of rules and regulations (hukum)

One problem of the religious teacher that graduated from overseas is, they didn’t thoroughly understand the culture of the Malay world. Most of them just copy everything, and translating anything from their guru that came from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt or Riyadh, Qum or Iran.

In the early 70s, ideas of islah or reformation of Islamic movement form outside also were brought here.

That is why we have the teachings and ideas of Hassan al- Banna, Syed Qutub, al-Maududi, Said Hawa, etc. It was a good idea, if it can be filtered from its approach and to be adapted to the climate and environment of Malaysia.

But, those who were trapped with those ideas took the approach of denouncing other people from Islam, after they read the tafsir (translation) Fi Dzilal al-Quran and Ma’alim fi al-Tariq.

I always ask myself, it is denouncing (kafir) hukum or politically denounced from Islam?

Going back to the question above, I call to all the Muslims to go back to the original. The sayings, going back to al-Qur’an and al-Sunnah’ cannot just be understood on its surface only. If we only to take the meaning as it is, why we troubled ourselves to have different sects in religion?

A university student once asked me. I answered, as an analogy, what is the used of pipeline to your home if we have the clean water in the reserved up the hill already?

Sects is still important to comprehend the methods of deriving hukum and understanding from al-Quran and al-Sunnah.

Those who call to al-Qur’an and al-Sunnah, without having a sect (mazhab), is like refusing to go to school or university, but have the intention to obtain a degree. Can everybody do the same?

Ordinarily, everyone needs a school and teachers to be a learned scholar.

What troubles me is, the Muslims in Malaysia is having a leadership crisis, not only in politics, but in the field of intellectuals and knowledge.

It is becoming appalling, if whatever they are learning is halfway all the time, without concordance to its original source of different sects and beliefs.

Those people only learnt from a perspective, and giving the result of groundless ideas and opinion.

There are some that are master in al-hadith (prophet sayings), but lack in understanding of hukum fiqh, there are some who masters in fiqh, but there are ignorant in al-hadith.

There are few who aware of modern ideas, but knows nothing of Arabic. There are also very well versed in all the rules and regulations, but totally lost in technology .

Be them like three blind mice… They only take the understanding base on their own perspective and perception only.

Here, the ulama community and the religious group roles are very important. They should meet more often to discuss these predicaments. The publics need to be told and informed of any solution.

How can we believe the doctor if he himself is getting sick?