Anticipating (so called) Bad Luck

Some time ago my sister asked me to find out her 'weton' in the internet based on her birth date. As I found hers, I checked mine as well and read the characteristic of my 'weton'.

First moment entering the world

What is 'weton'?
Weton is a shortened javanese word of wektu and katon; wektu means time and katon means visible. So weton means the first time of which we become visible or entering this visible world (birth day). It is an ancient numerology based on Islamic calendar combined with the javanese philosophy and inner knowledge. It is comparable to The Book of I-Ching from China.

According to it, weton is very important for any person because using this weton, the elders try to see the good and bad characters, the good and bad luck, the compatible spouse, the best timing to start something and so on. All this information is kept in what is called as 'weton'. And the book contained this information is called An Almanac of Betal Jemur Adamakna by Kangjeng Pangeran Harya Cakraningrat, derived from the Book of Adamakna written by ancient javanese scholar through inner practices.

About this book, I used to think of it as an absurd theory because I thought how come the characteristics of human being was decided based on a simple thing called 'weton'. However, as I learned more about the mystic world, opened my mind to see it from different perspective and understand it from a higher level of knowledge, find its comparison on lower level of knowledge, and most importantly see its foundation from the islamic knowledge taught by prophet Muhammad SAW, I found something interesting in it. I have to do this to avoid any action or beliefs that would classify me to be someone which follow something without knowledge (taqlid) or refuse something without knowledge (dzalim).

My observation found that this weton (birth day) is indeed important considering that prophet Muhammad SAW was born and died at the same day i.e. Monday and same date 12 Rabiul Awwal and that He SAW gave example by fasting in his birth day (monday fasting). And in Qur'an, Jesus said "And peace is on me the day I was born and the day I will die and the day I am raised alive." [QS 19:33].

In lower level of knowledge (based on visible world) the scholars have also classified creatures based on their similarity of the form and the structure called Morphology, or of their origin, physical and cultural development called Anthropology. That even in Islamic rule (fiqhul Islam) when Muslim want to pick an animal for sacrifice ritual (Qurban) or a woman for wife or a leader for congregation praying (jamaah) there are some guidelines given for the best selection.

The book itself, I know that most of javanese families, the the javanese kingdom such as Ngayogjakarta Hadinigrat kingdom in Yogjakarta and Kasuhunan kingdom in Surakarta to the remote areas in java have used the books, so there must be some truth in its content that the book had been used as their reference in regulating their life. It also means that somehow through time, its truth has been preserved by Allah in the way most of javanese people living their life.

Good and Bad is in the Mind of Humanbeing

Faith and Destiny
So there I was looking at myself and see if I ever experience or own the general characteristics mentioned in relation to my weton (birth day) or not. And I particularly was interested in reading the bad luck in relation to my weton (birth day). I was interested in it because I thought any normal person would never want to have bad luck. Everyone hates being a victim in their life, everyone wants the goods in their life. Anything but bad luck. And there I was reading my bad luck in relation to my birth day.

My faith and attitude about bad luck is I don't take bad luck, though I am aware of its existence. Through Self Knowledge, I learned to condition my self to accept all that is happening in my life with the eyes of a student of life. It means that nothing that ever happened, is happening and will happen to me manifest without the knowledge of Allah, The Master of Universe. As written in Qur'an "No kind of calamity can occur, except by the leave of Allah. and if any one believes in Allah, ((Allah)) guides his heart (aright). For Allah knows all things" [QS 64:11]

In taking Allah The Most Compassion and Most Graceful as the Master of my life, I can only trust and know that anything happen which may not be as my liking and expectation is given for my own benefits, for advancement of my life quality and teaching me His infinite knowledge and wisdom. There will certainly be something happened that isn't in accordance to my expectation. As His Words itself said that "... it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good." [QS 4.19]

With that knowledge I tried to manage my mind, heart and soul - the whole of me to submit to the wills of Allah and take the pearl of wisdom in disguise of what so called bad luck and turn it into a great blessing by Allah's guidance. So when I read the information of the possible bad luck that may occur to me in relation to this birthday, I tried to think how to anticipate them, seek wisdom and find ways to turn them into a great blessing. The two of so called bad luck are 1. easily cheated and 2. when lost something they hardly return.


Stay good
No one ever wants to be cheated in their life. For the nature of human being is having affinity to the truth, being true and loves anything that is true. And cheating is the devil's character that caused the first mankind Adam AS and his wife committed their first sin in heaven. So I'm sure not only myself but anybody will ever want to be cheated again and again. And there I was reading my bad luck that I was susceptible to being easily cheated. Of course denial arise inside but then I tried to reflect the information and compared it with my life experience to see its truth. In a way I had witnessed its truth in the past, but then something else also happened during that experience.

As I recalled I could clearly remember that I had all my good intention in the first place and along the way. In the middle of that episode of life things turned bad and eventually the truth revealed itself. At that moment I could only face the truth as the truth no matter how ugly, shameful and inglorious it may seem to others. I thanked Allah for His infinite guidance that the truth was finally revealed and had set me free of the falsehood. For at that time "Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish." [QS 17:81]

How did I gain my balance back? By the grace of Allah, I stayed true to myself and stayed good, held fast to the words of Allah. One of the verse in The Book of Tao Te Ching said that:
   49. People
The sage does not distinguish between himself and the world;
The needs of other people are as his own.

He is good to those who are good;
He is also good to those who are not good,
Thereby he is good.

He trusts those who are trustworthy;
He also trusts those who are not trustworthy,
Thereby he is trustworthy.

The sage lives in harmony with the world,
And his mind is the world's mind.
So he nurtures the worlds of others
As a mother does her children.

Such wisdom is sufficient to motivate me in conquering my lower self and let the higher consciousness to guide me to gratefully accept what so called bad luck of being easily cheated. For Allah knows all.


Be the richest yet the poorest servant
Having the bad luck that when I lost something it would hardly return, I am aware of the unpleasant feeling it brought. I believe any normal human being do not like having the feeling of loss. When they want something, they will do anything to have it, own it, keep it, preserve it, anything to make it last and if possible accumulate them and make it bigger, more, more prosperous, more abundant. So after taking all your effort to collect them but in the end you have to loose it without a trace is something that is really horrid according to the mind and for certain our ego.

That feeling comes up because we have built out attachment to them and to some the attachment become so strong that we depend our happiness, peace and harmony of life to them. Once they dominate our feeling they become the refuge, the centre of our life. And then one day, Allah take them away from us - for it is their nature to be temporary -through any bad experience called calamity, that's when the feeling of loss bring us misery. We all are susceptible to this separation. Because there is nothing that comes from this temporary world will forever stay the same or eternal. In the end of our time in this world, when we die anything that we have collected, owned and accumulated from this world must stay here. The wealth, family, and friends we have must stay here when we go to the beyond.

Knowing how temporary this world is, I have to find something that can not be taken away from me that even the death can't separate us. Something that once it is given to me by Allah it will stay with me where ever I go, in which ever situation I am. Something that can give me protection, make me the richest person in the world and stay with me even in my darkest, lowest and ugliest situation. And to make it stay with me eternally, it must be attached to the Most Eternal that is Allah Subhaanahu Wa Taala.

The question is: what is it that makes me rich? Because if I think what makes me truly rich is something that attached to this temporary world, then I surely have built my foundation of life in a very shaky ground. That once they are taken away and certainly one day be taken away, my house of life will be tumbling down. That's when the feeling of loss, sad, anxiety, depressed, poor, heart-broken and helpless bombarded me. That's why I know I can't rely on things that is very temporary.

The Richest Servant of Allah

To make things last forever and stay with me forever, they must be attached to Allah, the Most Eternal. And when they are given to us, they come with the quality of Allah's attributes such as wisdom, light, knowledge, virtues thus become our characters. The best example has been given to us in the form of the best man ever prophet Muhammad SAW. He is the embodiment of the wealth given by Allah that can make any man become the richest person in the world. And yet prophet Muhammad had also wish being poor and took a lifestyle of the poor.

Knowing and aware that everything exists inside this earth, above the sky and in between belongs to Allah make us human being as the poorest creature. Never forget who owns all that I think as mine, help me to stay in balance when what once was given to me is taken away. All I can do is following the command of Allah that when calamity come the best virtue to be done is "inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raaji'un" [QS 2.156] - "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return". It also means all we once owned also belong to Allah, it shall be returned to Allah when the time for them to leave us come, hopefully with patience, gladness and submission.


Perfect Container 

In singularity, we become the perfect container

And where can we keep those wealth so that they will stay with us forever? That no one can ever steal them from us, nothing can take them away from us. As mentioned above that the best man ever is prophet Muhammad SAW. He didn't keep his wealth outside. He kept his wealth inside, in his heart, in his mind, in his soul - in his inner being. Prophet Muhammad SAW is the perfect man; His body is the perfect container to keep his wealth that "left no lock to be closed". [TTC no 27. Perfection]. Another saying from Aisyah RA, said that "Prophet Muhammad SAW was the walking Qur'an". He SAW is the embodiment of Quranic teaching. As I learn more about Qur'an, I try to manifest its teaching in me as well. Not only by oral but importantly inward and even further so the teaching can reach my sub-consciousness and soul and become my characters.

The guidance has been given by Allah in reading my bad luck. That's why when what was once given to me were lost or taken away somewhere or somehow along the way, I could let it go wholeheartedly. Because inside I still own another wealth that is much more lasting and the dearest to me and make me be the richest yet the poorest servant I am; it is the company of Allah. In His company, I receive the blessings from Allah, and Mercy [QS 2.157] in the form of wisdom and knowledge of the Divine and His guidance in the form of light and virtues.

Alhamdulillahi Robbil Alamiin
All Praise belong to Allah, The Master of Universe. 

Hijrah toward The Light

Next Sunday 27 November will be the new year of Islamic calendar which is called Hijriah taken from the arabic word hijrah. The islamic calendar was commenced in the period of caliph Umar bin Khattab RA (may Allah sanctify his soul) and counted backward from the day Prophet Muhammad SAW left Mecca to Madinah accompanied by his beloved companion Abu Bakr Ash Shiddiq RA. 

Having their own calendar, not all Muslim take great pride in using their own calendar or celebrating their new year. It is so different from the way they celebrate the new year of Gregorian calendar. You can take this comparison and see it in Islamic countries including Indonesia which has the highest islamic population in the world. Even I myself, used to take this new year for granted, being ignorant and care less in welcoming the new year of hijriah, till I was made conscious of its significance by my great spiritiual master. By then I look into the new year of hijriah with different perspective and feel grateful for the wisdom of Umar ibn Kattab RA who first commenced its usage and more importantly to Prophet Muhammad SAW and Abu Bakr as Shiddiq RA the actors of hijrah. 

The Dawn of Islam

The Beginning of Emerging Light

The history of Islam was started with years of struggling during period of Mecca (about 13 years). From the moment Islam being known in Mecca, Prophet Muhammad SAW and his followers had to endure the oppression of Quraisy tribes. So much hardship and threat were experienced that some of them had to die as martyr such as Sumayyah bint Khayyat RA. When the threat had become more severe, prophet Muhammad SAW gave permit to his followers to migrate to Abbysinia, now known as Ethiopia. Some of them were his daughter Ruqayya RA, his son-in-law Utsman ibn Affan RA and his cousin Ja'far ibn Abi Thalib RA.

Till there came the time for the prophet SAW to leave Mecca accompanied by Abu Bakr RA. In their migration there was a time when they hid themselves in the cave of Tsur. And they were protected by Allah using 'little and weak' creatures, spider and dove. It was told that the spider was forming its home right at the door of the cave and the dove built its nest in front of it as camouflage to the Quraisy ban. Their way of thinking was made in such a way that they thought it was impossible for the two persons to hide inside the cave where there was those two animals having their nests intact. Never they knew that in their weakness, these two little animals had been the media in which Allah had taught the prophet SAW.

There was divine wisdom for those who want to ponder and see beyond the appearance for they were the two great men with the highest rank in their proximity to Allah. In them the embodiment of Islamic teachings; and to protect the them Allah had given the web of a little creature such spider. This is to show that we, the Muslim as a whole community and society if we want to protect the integrity of what we believe to be true must also use the web (read: network).

A network can't be establish without a system to support it. That's why once the Prophet SAW arrived in Yatsrib (now Madinah) the first place he went to and built was mosque. Then from the mosque he started to organize the Muslim people and made agreement with the Jews and Christian community there. If we read through the history of Islam, never he SAW mentioned the naming of his ruling as Islamic country. Even in the Qur'an it was only said "baldatun thoyyibatun wa robbun ghofuur" a good land and a forgiving Lord (QS 34:15)

And in front of the spider web was a nest of doves. Dove as we know is the symbol of love and peace. So it was to say that in making the network he would use love and peace in facing anyone who opposed his main mission. This is in accordance to the Qur'an " So by mercy from Allah , [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah . Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him] " [QS 3;159] From that experience on the teaching of Islam spread to the whole world, thus Hijrah had been the dawn of Islam. 

Into the Light

From darkness into the Light

I remembered in my biology class long ago, it is mentioned that one of the signs of living creatures is their response towards the light. And we were given this laboratory practice to prove it by isolated a plant in an isolated box with a small hole. After a week we opened the box and saw that the plant growth toward the small hole from which the light came through. This is similar to human being both inward and outward. There is not any single human being likes to be in the dark because it isn't their innate nature All these vampire and underworld movies are just their mind creation.

Hijrah is a conscious act of human being in their love and tendency towards the light. Mecca under the sovereign of the one against the teaching of Islam in that culminating time before hijrah was in their darkest time and Yatsrib with their welcoming brotherhood of Anshar was a prospective light for prophet Muhammad SAW. Hijrah was then a sign given by Allah to be taken in the dire situation that he SAW had faced at that time for he SAW knew very well that " Allah is the ally of those who believe. He brings them out from darknesses into the light. And those who disbelieve - their allies are Taghut. They take them out of the light into darknesses. Those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide eternally therein [QS 2:257]

So it wasn't by mistake that by then prophet Muhammad SAW changed the name of Yatsrib to be Madinatul Munawwarah. For indeed that place had been the city where the light of hope, love, peace and strength came from. And it was by no mistake that the three great men involved in this history of mankind, Rasulullah Muhammad SAW, Abu Bakr ash Shiddiq RA and Umar ibn Khattab RA were honored to have their tombs in this city of light.

Taking the example given by Prophet Muhammad SAW, we then should do the same in anything when we intend to make the next move for the betterment of our self since the light of Islam has been given to us to see what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is bad. We ask Allah's guidance and support along our way toward His Light in a prayer " And say, "My Lord, cause me to enter a sound entrance and to exit a sound exit and grant me from Yourself a supporting authority. " [QS 17:81] and as Prophet SAW gave example through his action (al Hadist) the prayer taught to us before we started our journey is Bismillahi tawakkaltu 'alallah. Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billah. In the name of Allah I rest my self to Allah for there is no power and strength save from Allah 

My deepest gratitude for them as their efforts had reached me and make me as I am.

All Praise belongs to Allah, The Master of Universe.
 

HAPPY NEW ISLAMIC YEAR 1433H.

MAY ALLAH BLESS OUR LIFE SPAN, KEEP US IN TRUE FAITH 

AND SHOWER US WITH A BLESSING PROSPERITY

Pendidikan Akhlak

Cahaya Ilmu dalam Al Qur'an

Malam ini (19 Dhulhijjah 1432H / 18 November 2011M) saya menghadiri acara Tasyakuran selesainya pelajaran siswa-siswi Madrasah Linailil Maqoshidul Quramil Mubiin angkatan ke-6 di Pesantren Majmaal Bahrain Shiddiqiyyah, Losari - Ploso Jombang. Acara ini bisa dikata hampir sama dengan prosesi wisuda mahasiswa yang telah menyelesaikan pendidikan mereka di institusi pendidikan formal umumnya. Diantara rangkaian acara wisuda tersebut ada bagian yang menarik dan agak berbeda dibanding prosesi wisuda yang banyak digunakan di lingkungan akademisi formal.

Perbedaan itu adalah pada tata cara pengukuhan yang dilakukan. Di institusi pendidikan yang umumnya dilakukan pengukuhan dilakukan dengan memindahkan tali kuncir yang berada pada topi dari set toga dari sebelah kiri ke kanan dilanjutkan dengan penerimaan ijazah yang dimasukkan dalam tabung tempat gulungan dokumen berwarna gelap. Hingga kini, meskipun saya pernah menjalani prosesi tersebut, saya tidak tahu persis makna dari gerakan tersebut apa. Ada yang bilang itu adalah tanda bahwa saya resmi mengantongi gelar sarjana dan telah menamatkan pendidikan. Tapi saya tidak ingat ketika menjalani itu saya merasakan sesuatu yang istimewa yang bisa saya kenang. Bahkan saya tidak ingat lagi apa pidato akademis yang disampaikan pada waktu acara wisuda saya saat itu.

Sungguh berbeda dengan malam ini, ketika saya menghadirkan diri saya lahir batin hadir untuk menangkap makna pengalaman hidup yang membuat saya harus tinggal di sana dan untuk sementara meninggalkan pekerjaan kantor di tempat saya biasa bekerja. Di acara wisuda yang saya hadiri malam ini pengukuhan dilakukan dengan cara sungkem kepada guru besar Pesantren Majmaal Bahrain Shiddiqiyyah yaitu Bpk. Kyai Moch Muchtar Mu'thi dan Ibu Nyai dilanjutkan penerimaan Ijazah dan buku induk yang berisi pelajaran pokok khas Shiddiqiyyah yang disusun khusus oleh Bpk. Kyai Moch Muchtar Mu'thi. Sungkem dilakukan dengan si murid bersimpuh di depan Sang Guru dan mencium tangan Beliau saat bersalaman.

Karena saya mengalami hal yang sama pula meski dalam status agak berbeda, bagi saya sungkem menunjukkan sikap patuh dan memuliakan kepada guru yang telah mengajarkan ilmu kepada murid. Sebuah perlambang rasa terima kasih pemberian cahaya penerang dalam menjalani kehidupan. Sehingga saya melihat ritual wisuda yang saya hadiri malam ini menjadi istimewa. Wisuda tidak hanya menjadi sekedar pesta tetapi sesuatu yang harus disyukuri. Wisuda adalah pelajaran akhlak bagi murid untuk mengukuhkan nilai kebaikan yang telah diterima selama ini. Wisuda menjadi pelajaran akhlak bagi murid untuk menata niat menjadikan cahaya ilmu yang telah diserap selama ini menjadi sesuatu yang bermanfaat dan menerangi melalui perilaku tawadhu (rendah hati) yang ditunjukkan dalam tindakan.

Apalagi dipertegas dengan lagu untuk para guru dan dosen yang telah mengajar mereka dari kecil:

          Terima kasihku kuucapkan
          Pada Guruku yang tulus
          Kan kuingat selalu nasehat Guruku
          Untuk bekalku nanti
          Setiap hariku dibimbingnya
          Agar tumbuhlah bakatku
          Kan ingat selalu nasehat Guruku
          Terima kasih kuucapkan. 

Dilanjutkan dengan mauidhoh hasanah dari Mursyid Thariqah Shiddiqiyyah yang sekaligus menjadi Guru Besar Madrasah Linailil Maqoshidul Quramil Mubiin terkait keutamaan sholat fajar yang menjadi rahasia awal mula perkembangan Islam dan Ilmu sehingga dalam Hadist Nabi yang diriwayatkan Siti Aisyah ra disebutkan bahwa dua rakaat sholat fajar lebih utama dibanding dunia dan segala isinya.

Jadilah acara wisuda yang saya hadiri malam ini sesuatu yang tidak hanya sakral dan mengandung nilai pendidikan akhlak tetapi juga mengandung pendidikan ilmu tasawuf dan ilmu hakikat.

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

Segala Puji hanya bagi Allah, Rabb segala alam.

Tidaklah Engkau ciptakan dan jadikan segala sesuatu dengan sia-sia.

Menjadi Abdi

Sering kali kita melihat status abdi sebagai sesuatu yang rendah dan minor. Orang lebih bercita-cita menjadi pengusaha sukses atau dokter atau insinyur atau pilot atau sekedar menjadi majikan bagi diri sendiri. Sangat jarang sekali kita dengar seseorang bercita-cita menjadi abdi atau pembantu atau pelayan. Karena mereka melihat pekerjaan dan status itu sebagai sesuatu yang proletariat (rakyat jelata) dan berkesan tidak menjanjikan masa depan yang penuh kemakmuran.

Namun dalam pendidikan di Shiddiqiyyah, cita-cita tertinggi yang hendak dituju Sang Mursyid adalah justru hamba (abdi) dengan sifat yang melekat pada pribadi tersebut yaitu bersyukur. Sehingga menjadilah priibadi tersebut sebagai abdan syakuro.

Ini tentunya sangat menarik untuk dikaji. Karena ternyata tidak semua orang bisa memiliki dan menjalankan perilaku seorang abdi, pembantu, pelayan, hamba. Sedangkan pada masa perkembangan ekonomi sekarang ini, jenis usaha yang banyak berkembang dan sangat menjanjikan justru adalah jenis usaha yang bergerak di sektor jasa (layanan). Dan mereka memiliki kriteria mereka sendiri sebagai standard mutu layanan yang diberikan agar bisa mempertahankan dan meningkatkan jumlah pelanggan atau penerima jasa (layanan) mereka. Tolok ukur semua standard layanan itu berpangkal dari satu pertanyaan kunci 'Puaskah pelanggan dengan layanan kita?'. Semua potensi yang dimiliki oleh penyedia jasa (baca: manusia) ditujukan pada pencapaian sebesar-besarnya atas pendapatan (baca: harta) dan pangsa pasar (baca: kekuasaan).

Bagaimana jika potensi yang sama dari gerak manusia tersebut diarahkan kepada sesuatu yang tidak menjanjikan ketiga hal tersebut? Adakah yang masih mau melakukan dan mengambil peran menjadi abdi? Mungkin akan sangat jarang sekali. Kalau toh ada, akan menjadi suatu keanehan di tengah mayoritas orang yang lebih mengejar tiga keuntungan duniawi tersebut. Karena itulah Allah menyebutkan 'amat sedikit sekali hamba-hambaKu yang bersyukur'.

Tapi seperti itulah halnya ketika kita berhadapat dengan organisasi yang bersifat sosial untuk pelayanan masyarakat dan nirlaba. Secara khusus kita bicara tentang organisasi-organisasi di Shiddiqiyyah. Sebagai organisasi sosial yang bernafaskan tasawuf, organisasi yang ada di lingkungan Shiddiqiyyah sama sekali tidak menjanjikan keuntungan duniawi (baca:harta). Malah sering kali para pengurusnya harus mengeluarkan biaya sendiri untuk bisa menghidupkan dan menjalankan fungsi sosial organisasi tersebut. Organisasi juga tidak menjanjikan kekuasaan. Karena sistem yang ada tidak memungkinkan seorang pengurus memegang jabatan seumur hidup mereka. Maka apa yang bisa mendorong seorang pengurus untuk memperjuangi diri mereka, mendorong diri mereka agar bangkit, bergerak dan memperjuangkan pelaksanaan visi dan misi organisasi tersebut?

Kalau bukan karena Allah yang Maha Perkasa, yang memberi dan memunculkan kesadaran pada para pengurusnya, tentu organisasi itu telah mati dan tidak berkembang. Karena sebuah cita-cita mulia suatu organisasi hanya bisa hidup melalui hidupnya para pengurusnya. Hidupnya para pengurus organisasi agar benar-benar sesuai dengan visi 'Manunggalnya Keimanan dan Kemanusiaan' tentulah gerak langkahnya dalam berorganisasi harus disandarkan pada Laa ilaaha illa Alloh.

Dalam melaksanakan pengabdian melalui organisasi kesadaran para pengurus perlu untuk dimunculkan. Yaitu kesadaran bahwa saat menjalankan fungsi organisasi mereka tidak sedang melayani manusia, tapi pada hakikatnya mereka sedang melayani Allah. Jika kesadaran itu muncul, maka mereka akan berusaha sekuat tenaga untuk memberikan yang terbaik. Karena upah peran serta kita dalam mengabdi melalui organisasi nilainya jauh lebih besar dari sekedar pendapatan dan pangsa pasar.

Dalam surat Al Maidah 35 disebutkan "Hai orang-orang yang beriman, bertakwalah kepada Allah dan carilah jalan yang mendekatkan diri kepadaNya dan berjihadlah pada jalanNya, supaya kamu mendapat keberuntungan". Dalam konteks pengabdian melalui organisasi bisa dikatakan organisasi-organisasi yang muncul di Shiddiqiyyah adalah jalan yang diberikan oleh Sang Guru untuk mendekatkan diri kepadaNya melalui penyampaian Kalimatullah kepada masyarakat. Para murid diajak dan diorganisasi agar bisa saling tolong menolong dalam menyampaikan kebaikan dan mestinya hal disambut para murid dengan gembira dan sungguh-sungguh agar mereka mendapat keberuntungan sebagaimana yang dijanjikan. Dan siapakah yang lebih benar janjinya dibanding Allah Pemilik segala perbendaharaan di langit dan di bumi?

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The Teaching Method of The Divine

In our way of seeking and try to understand the Knowledge of The Divine, so many times people used their commonly approach just like the way they use at school. They questioned the situation or things they are given to understand the Knowledge of The Divine. This way of approach then lead them to be either an agnostic or an atheist. So often, when they do not find "the right" answer as their (mind) wish, they were burdened by the question that lead them into deep stress thus craziness. I mean so often people commented or warned me that I shouldn't take 'the road that is less traveled' because usually only older people who is about to die took it or because some people who take the lesson wrongly became depressed instead of being alive.


It is because the approach they used isn't quite right. Here, I'd like to tell some of qualities we need to have and why it is so, based on The Holy Scripture Qur'an. Hopefully by having some understanding about them we can act in the right way.


Finding a Teacher
The story of seeking The Knowledge of The Divine was given in The Qur'an in Surah Al Kahfi (The Cave) verses 60 - 82. It was started by Prophet Moses pbuh went on a journey to seek the Knowledge of The Divine.


I ever read in one of the books, the reason behind the journey of Prophet Moses pbuh was because he was questioned by his people about who was the most knowledgeable person in this world. And Prophet Moses pbuh answered that he was the one. Allah then reminded him by giving him the information about the existence of a man with higher knowledge. Feeling a shame of himself, prophet Moses pbuh then asked Allah to tell him where this man was. Then he pbuh was given the clue how to find the man, i.e. he pbuh would have to go to the junction of the two seas and that when he reached the place the dead fish that brought with them would become alive. Having the clue, Prophet Moses pbuh then made a journey accompanied by one of his attendant.

We all know that someone with a prophet title is someone we consider as having the highest rank in their proximity to God and they are man of knowledge. But even so, the story told that Prophet Moses pbuh which had been given The Torah (Taurah) and had spoken with Allah directly (as his title Kalimullah)  went on a journey to seek this person to learn something from him i.e. The Knowledge of The Divine. As mentioned in Qur'an "And [mention] when Moses said to his servant, "I will not cease [traveling] until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period." [QS 18:60] 


It is to say that Knowledge of The Divine is a very important (in case I am not allowed to say the most important) knowledge for human being to be seek and that it can't be learned only through books as most people do nowadays. We need to seek a teacher to learn it. And not just any kinds of teacher. Because we are seeking the knowledge of the Divine, we then need a teacher that has Knowledge of The Divine. With the vast information available nowadays, people think they can gain knowledge of The Divine by reading books, e-books, article on websites or anything while sitting in their room. This is not quite true. They need a living experience with a living teacher to have living interaction that touches their heart. With those dead media, they won't be able to experience some living and humanly feeling for the teaching to make sense.




Enliven the dead
The clue given to Prophet Moses pbuh was that the dead fish when reaching the junction between two seas become alive and will return to its source. This is to symbolize about the possibility and potency given in the Knowledge of The Divine to enliven the dead. Most people live their life in the 'dead' state of Knowing Allah that their life is comparable to the living of animals instead of being a true human being. Some of the believers are also in that kind of state. Otherwise, Allah will not state in Qur'an "O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.... " [QS 8:24] 


If all human being who have believed were alive, the verse would be such a waste, which certainly incorrect for Allah is The Most Known of All. If the verse is true, then it is certainly that there must be some who have believed that need something to give life. What is to be enlivened? The faculty that can apprehend the Knowledge of The Divine. The faculty in this kind of teaching is quite different from the one we usually use when we go to school. At school we are taught to enliven our five senses to comprehend the wordly sciences, something that is very tangible. The faculty to apprehend the Knowledge of The Divine is related with the heart and the soul, something intangible, unseen, mystical to apprehend The Unseen. 



Personal Journey 
After finding the man of higher knowledge, Prophet Moses pbuh then asked his attendant to leave him with the man. It was implicitly explained in the following sentence: Moses said to him: "May I follow thee, on the footing that thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth which thou hast been taught?" [QS 18: 66]. Even Prophet Moses pbuh had traveled with his attendant, in the end the purpose of seeking Knowledge of The Divine is very personal. He was to be left alone with the man to have his teaching process.


This is very different from the method in which we are seeking a scholarly knowledge. As we go to school, the lesson given to the students have been made and standardized in such a way that one day they will graduate in certain time with certain degree of knowledge called achievement and marks. This isn't wrong and I do not complain about it. I merely show that there exists a different method where every individual is respected based on their uniqueness.




No questioning till it is explained
As the story goes, it was said that the man with higher knowledge told prophet Moses pbuh: The other said: "If then thou wouldst follow me, ask me no questions about anything until I myself speak to thee concerning it." [QS 18: 70] This is another different approach in teaching method compare to school. So often when we give chances to students and they hardly have any, we doubt if they really understand us or they have their minds somewhere else.


This no question attitude was instructed because so often question was coming from curiosity and doubtful minds. It's not that question aren't important. It is important but more important is patience. For questions so often are answered and found its significance in the right moment and right situation. Another reason for this attitude is because Divine Wisdom is difficult to be grasped by human mind. They can only be understood by the heart in the attitude of trust and acceptance. As a creation we are susceptible to the wills of The Creator. Our limited mind which is bordered by relatively a short period of time and our five senses affect our way of thinking and understanding whilst Divine Wisdom is as vast as the universe itself. It is why questioning in a way need to be restrained to let the other faculty of human being i.e. the heart and the soul to rule and guide the person.




Self-detachment
How can we do something that seemed to be egotistical and wrong to become so true and right? It is because of self-detachment. Self detachment is mostly known as the truest sincerity when people act on something. How do you measure self detachment? It is that outwardly we do something (either very seriously and purposefully or 'as if' not so seriously and purposefully) and people see it was you that have all the intention and the one that do the work, but inwardly we know that it isn't our personal self that gain anything from the work. It is the other person or society or community or even the whole humanity that gain benefits from our actions. It is the higher consciousness that rule the person in doing their action, as was said by the other person when he told Prophet Moses pbuh about his action " ... And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience." [QS 18: 82]


In another verse of Qur'an Allah also stated that "And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not, [O Muhammad], when you threw, but it was Allah who threw that He might test the believers with a good test. Indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing." [QS 8:17] In their higher consciousness, the person has become the medium in which Allah had moved and guided them to do as His Wish. 


Those are some qualities that I learned along my journey in seeking The Knowledge of The Divine. There are certainly other things that still not mentioned here but hopefully it is sufficient. My deepest gratitude to both of my inner teachers in giving me the guideline and keep me afloat in this vast ocean of worldly affair. I hope people find this article informative.


Alhamdulillahi robbil alamiin.
All Praises is due to Allah, The Master of The Universe