The Shifting of Welfare in Society

Another unique outcome from last week national conference of Organisasi Shiddiqiyyah was a suggestion given to all members to plant vegetables. This was a recommendation from the Commission of Welfare. Some people were laughing in hearing this suggestion. Some people even thought that the Commission of Welfare were a commission of tofu, because there was a demonstration of making tofu given by the presenter. I didn't blame them for thinking that way.

From the beginning of preparing the material of discussion, I felt this kind of talks would come up. This was because I knew their expectation and what kind of discussion should come up during the commisssion council. I had tried to minimize them by filtering the material given by the presenters (I only printed two topics out of six topics given) and suggested the leader of steering committee to give a preface on the material of discussion. So at least the participants could have some understanding on what should be the outcome of their commission. I knew it was overlapping my responsible as the leader of organizing committee. At that time I used my capacity as a 'pseudo' member of steering committee in which I supported the steering committee members to ensure the topics of discussion were fitted for an event as big as national conference.

However, as the discussion unfolded and presentation after presentation were given, what we had tried to anticipated was still leaked because the board of the commission councils couldn't really direct the discussion to give the best result. Anyway, I couldn't blame them. At least some participants knew and tried to recondition the situation to give the best result.

And after the event's over and reading through Tao Te Ching as the book of ancient wisdom I realized its truth and essence of the once laughable acts / decision. There was a verse stated in the Way we should govern the worldly affairs in accordance to Nature:

53. Difficult Paths

With but a small understanding
One may follow the Way like a main road,
Fearing only to leave it;
Following a main road is easy,
Yet people delight in difficult paths.

When palaces are kepts up
Fields are left to weeds
And granaries empty;
Wearing fine clothes,
Bearing sharp swords,
Glutting with food and drink
Hoarding wealth and possessions
These are the ways of theft.
And far from the Way.

The shifting of Welfare state to the Difficult Pats -
The ways of theft

Reading through those verse, I realize it is a true suggestion for the members to plants vegetables. And it is alright to show people how to make tofu during the season of commission of welfare. For we should think of the substance and get something that is doable outcome instead of just a nice thought to have.

From the previous period, we had all a nice program to have but they are just nice thought but not a doable program. We learned from that to not make the same mistakes. Because the way our society act now shows the ways of theft and far from the Way.

People have tendency to accumulate wealth and build a palace as their assets. They turn the fields to become a building or left them to weeds for the sake of ownership instead of planting the vegetables to let mother nature giving its abundance thus lead the granaries empty. TV programs have left people to the state of dreaming by more concerned about wearing fine clothes (read: fashion), glutting with food and drinks (read: culinary) and bearing sharp swords (read: action movies) and hoarding wealth and possessions (read: corruption and info-tainment)

It is that situation that cause the true society welfare is far from being achieved. Instead of working on the substance most of us work on artificial things. I shuddered at the thought how wrongly government and we as part of the society led this world. We as the representative of God in this earth (khalifatul fil ardl) have mis-managed the earth by indulging our desire instead of letting the earth mother to giving its abundance in accordance to the Ways.

However, I'm also glad that the direction given by the great master of Thariqah Shiddiqiyyah as the Board of Custodian of Organisasi Shiddiqiyyah in establishing the welfare of his students are in accordance to the Ways. Though we are taught to wear clean clothes and allow to have wealth (read: being rich), but we are also taught to not follow the ways of theft. For in his mauidhoh hasanah (a good reminder) during the closing of National Conference, he reminded us about the greatness of Islam amongst other religions. It is because its greatness is dependent on Allah instead of external power (ruler such as king / kingdom).

He also reminded us that we should never dispirited with the failure of the previous effort in establishing the welfare program, just like Indonesian heroes never dispirited in fighting for Indonesian freedom. In due time, the aspiration will be answered in accordance to our effort. For " Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect." [QS 13: 11]

I am grateful that I have been chosen to be part of the-hands-and-foots for all this wonderful experience to manifest. I do not claim credits for its happening. All its success belong to Allah the Greatest Provider of All.

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ