SPEECH IN IFTHAR CAPE TOWN 2010

SPEECH IN IFTHAR[1]

AT CONSULATE GENERAL OF INDONESIA

CAPE TOWN, SEPTEMBER 5, 2010

Praise be to Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful

Hamdan lillah wa syukran lahu ‘ala ma an’amana min ni’amihi wa fadhlihi.

It is very happy this evening that we can meet in this residence of the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia to ifthar, namely to release our fasting after we fasted a full day from sunrise to sunset. All creatures of God do fasting. The animals do fasting in a certain period of their life. The snacks, for instance, eat their meal once a week, and after that they do fasting. The plants also do fasting, begin from spring until the end of the winter. Fasting is then something natural for all creatures of God. Fasting is the nature of the creatures. This is a miracle of fasting. It means that who do not do fasting he contradicts and destroys his nature

After fasting you see the animals grow bigger. After fasting you see the plants grow with their new leaves. So, fasting is good for health. Fasting gives our body an opportunity to recovery. Our prophet Muhammad pbuh is right when he said, “Fast, you will be health!” This is a miracle of fasting.

Hunger is an exciting experience. Hunger stimulates us to give our sympathy and empathy to the poor. What do you think about the poor. Are they the creatures of God or no? Or the only creatures of God are only you, and they are not? Remember that they are also His creatures. The existence of them is a test case. You can go to the paradise through them, and you can go to hell because of them. This is a miracle of fasting.

Hunger is an exciting experience. In the fasting we feel close to God. Closing to God brings us to obey what He instructs and to hinder what He forbids. Then we will become good beings. We will become righteous. The righteous consists of aspects: believe in God and good deeds. Who believes and does good deeds it is he who will become agents of the change to bring the world to a better condition. This is a miracle of fasting.

Those are the reasons, I belief, why Allah our God decreed shaum as one pillar of Islam beside four else, syahadat, shalat, prayer, zakat, charity, and hajj, pilgrimage to Makkah.

I am fasting. You are fasting. We are fasting. Shaum, fasting, then is one of many institutions in Islam which is intended to unite the Muslims in all over the world. Our God really said that the Muslims are brothers and sisters.

Innamal mukminuna ikhwatun.

And our prophet said that

A Muslim and a Muslim else like a body if one part of the body feels illness the other parts will feel illness.

This is a miracle of fasting, uniting the Muslims.

In fact Islam does not only call for the brotherhood and sisterhood among the Muslims, but also among human beings and mankind. He says in 49:13:

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“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”

O, mankind! It shows that He Almighty does not call only the Muslims but all of human beings.

We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female. Yes, we have become male and female, we are now man and woman. It means that man and woman in Islam are on the same level, man and woman in Islam are equel. No discrimination in Islam between man and women. Man has his right and woman has also her right. Allah says (4:32):

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Man earns what he initiates and woman earns what she initiates

And We made you into nations and tribes. Yes, we are now had become in our own national states. You are the people of the Republic of South Africa, we are the people of Indonesia, some people are from the United Kingdom of Britain, from Dutch, Germany, and so ford. National state is the concept of modern era. Islam has introduced the concept since 15 centuries ago. Islam introduced that there is no discrimination between nations in the world.

That ye may know each other. The purpose of creating male and female, nations, and tribes is to know each other. This must be noted with a bold character and underlined. Knowing each other is the main and the only basis for the good relationships between human beings of all aspects of their life.

Knowing between persons, for instance, at less you can borrow something you do not have from your friend you know. Or he gives you what you need. So an economical relationship exists.

If a family knows a family else better, maybe a son of yours will marry a daughter of his. So exists a social relationship.

If a nation knows a nation else better, may exist a good economical and political relationship between two nations.

The conclusion is that the purpose of differences of ganders, races, ethnics, tribes, and nations created by God is to know each other. The knowing aims to understanding, and understanding brings to cooperation and service. The differences of ethnics, nationalities and races, then, should be treated as differences in a family. This treatment will produce a mosaic that will beautify the world as beauty as a family.

To end this speech I would like to inform you that the nation of Indonesia has a philosophy of state what we name it Pancasila, namely five pillars that guide their conducts in national life:

1. Belief in One and Only God

The people of Indonesia follow 5 religions acknowledged and they live in harmony.

2. Just and Civilized Humanity

Based on this pillar Indonesia conducts the independent and active foreign policy.

3. The unity of Indonesia

Indonesia is an archipelagic country which the total number of 17,508 islands. The unity of this archipelagic country is recognized by UN Convention of 1982.

4. Democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations amongst representatives.

Pancasila democracy calls for decision-making through deliberations, or musyawarah, to reach a consensus. Our democracy is not liberal democracy and in other hand is not also communism one.

5. Social Justice for the whole of the people of Indonesia. This principle calls for the equitable spread of welfare to the entire population,

Indonesia is a stable country. And supported by natural resources and big populations who live in tolerance, harmony, and peace, it tends, I believe, to be a strong and welfare country in the future, insya Allah, may God helps.

Cape Town, September 5^th, 2010

Salman Harun

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[1] Scheduled to be presented in ifthar with representatives of Islamic organizations organized by Consul General of Indonesia in Cape Town, September 5, 2010.

BELIEVE IN HEREAFTER

BELIEVE IN HEREAFTER

(Material for lectures of Safari Ramadan Cape Town 2011)

Surah 36 Ya-sin

﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ - وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الْعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ - قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ - الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الاٌّخْضَرِ نَاراً فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنْه تُوقِدُونَ ﴾

(77. Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent.) (78. And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: "Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust'') (79. Say: "He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!'') (80. He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold you kindle therewith.)

The Denial of Life after Death, and the Refutation of this Idea

Mujahid, `Ikrimah, `Urwah bin Az-Zubayr, As-Suddi and Qatadah said, "Ubayy bin Khalaf, may Allah curse him, came to the Messenger of Allah with a dry bone in his hand, which he was crumbling and scattering in the air, saying, `O Muhammad! Are you claiming that Allah will resurrect this' He said: «نَعَمْ، يُمِيتُكَ اللهُ تَعَالَى، ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُكَ، ثُمَّ يَحْشُرُكَ إِلَى النَّار» (Yes, Allah, may He be exalted, will cause you to die, then He will resurrect you and will gather you into the Fire.)'' Then these Ayat at the end of Surah Ya Sin were revealed: ﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَـنُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ﴾ (Does not man see that We have created him from Nutfah.) -- until the end of the Surah. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Al-`As bin Wa'il took a bone from the bed of a valley and crumbled it in his hand, then he said to the Messenger of Allah : `Will Allah bring this back to life after it has disintegrated' The Messenger of Allah said: «نَعَمْ، يُمِيتُكَ اللهُ، ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكَ، ثُمَّ يُدْخِلُكَ جَهَنَّم» (Yes, Allah will cause you to die, then He will bring you back to life, then He will make you enter Hell.) Then the Ayat at the end of Surah Ya Sin were revealed.'' This was recorded by Ibn Jarir from Sa`id bin Jubayr. Whether these Ayat were revealed about Ubayy bin Khalaf or Al-`As bin Wa'il, or both of them, they apply to all those who deny the resurrection after death. The definite article "Al'' in ﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الإِنسَـنُ﴾ (Does not man (Al-Insan) see...) is generic, applying to all those who deny the Resurrection. ﴿أَنَّا خَلَقْنَـهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مٌّبِينٌ﴾ (that We have created him from Nutfah. Yet behold he (stands forth) as an open opponent.) means, the one who is denying the resurrection, cannot see that the One Who initiated creation can re-create it. For Allah initiated the creation of man from semen of despised fluid, creating him from something insignificant, weak and despised, as Allah says: ﴿أَلَمْ نَخْلُقكُّم مِّن مَّآءٍ مَّهِينٍ - فَجَعَلْنَـهُ فِى قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ - إِلَى قَدَرٍ مَّعْلُومٍ ﴾ (Did We not create you from a despised water Then We placed it in a place of safety, for a known period) (77:20-22) ﴿إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الإِنسَـنَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ﴾ (Verily, We have created man from Nutfah) (76:2). which means, from a mixture of different fluids. The One Who created man from this weak Nutfah is not unable to re-create him after his death. Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad that Bishr bin Jahhash said, "One day the Messenger of Allah spat in his hand and put his finger on it, then the Messenger of Allah said: «قَالَ اللهُ تَعَالَى: ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنَّى تُعْجِزُنِي وَقَدْ خَلَقْتُكَ مِنْ مِثْلِ هَذِهِ، حَتْى إِذَا سَوَّيْتُكَ وَعَدَلْتُكَ، مَشَيْتَ بَيْنَ بُرْدَيْكَ، وَلِلْأَرْضِ مِنْكَ وَئِيدٌ، فَجَمَعْتَ وَمَنَعْتَ، حَتْى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِيَ قُلْتَ: أَتَصَدَّقُ، وَأَنَّى أَوَانُ الصَّدَقَةِ؟» (Allah, may He be exalted, says: "Son of Adam, how can you outrun Me when I have created you from something like this, and when I have fashioned you and formed you, you walk in your cloak on the earth and it groans beneath your tread. You accumulate and do not spend until the death rattle reaches your throat, then you say, `I want to give in charity,' but it is too late for charity.'')'' It was also recorded by Ibn Majah. Allah says: ﴿وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِىَ خَلْقَهُ قَالَ مَن يُحىِ الْعِظَـمَ وَهِىَ رَمِيمٌ ﴾ (And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: "Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust'') meaning, he thinks it unlikely that Allah, the Almighty Who created the heavens and the earth, will re-create these bodies and dry bones. Man forgets about himself, that Allah created him from nothing and brought him into existence, and he knows by looking at himself that there is something greater than that which he denies and thinks impossible. Allah says: ﴿قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِى أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ ﴾ (Say: "He will give life to them Who created them for the first time! And He is the All-Knower of every creation!'') meaning, He knows about the bones in all areas and regions of the earth, where they have gone when they disintegrated and dispersed. Imam Ahmad recorded that Rib`i said: ""Uqbah bin `Amr said to Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, `Will you not tell us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah ' He said, `I heard him say: «إِنَّ رَجُلًا حَضَرَهُ الْمَوْتُ، فَلَمَّا أَيِسَ مِنَ الْحَيَاةِ أَوْصَى أَهْلَهُ: إِذَا أَنَا مُتُّ فَاجْمَعُوا لِي حَطَبًا كَثِيرًا جَزْلًا، ثُمَّ أَوْقِدُوا فِيهِ نَارًا، حَتْى إِذَا أَكَلَتْ لَحْمِي، وَخَلَصَتْ إِلَى عَظْمِي فَامْتُحِشْتُ، فَخُذُوهَا فَدُقُّوهَا فَذَرُّوهَا فِي الْيَمِّ، فَفَعَلُوا، فَجَمَعَهُ اللهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: لِمَ فَعَلْتَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ: مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ، فَغَفَرَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَه» (Death approached a man and when there was no longer any hope for him, he said to his family, "When I die, gather a lot of firewood, then set it ablaze until my flesh is consumed and it reaches my bones and they become brittle. Then take them and grind them, and scatter them in the sea.'' So they did that, but Allah gathered him together and said to him: "Why did you do that'' He said, "Because I feared You.'' So Allah forgave him.)' `Uqbah bin `Amr said, `I heard him say that, and the man was a gravedigger.''' Many versions of this Hadith were recorded in the Two Sahihs. One of these versions mentions that he commanded his sons to burn him and then grind his remains into small pieces, and then scatter half of them on land and half of them on the sea on a windy day. So they did that, then Allah commanded the sea to gather together whatever remains were in it, and He commanded the land to do likewise, then he said to him, "Be!'', and he was a man, standing. Allah said to him. "What made you do what you did'' He said, "The fear of You, and You know best.'' Straight away He forgave him. ﴿الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الاٌّخْضَرِ نَاراً فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنْه تُوقِدُونَ ﴾ (He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold you kindle therewith.) means, the One Who initiated the creation of this tree from water, when it has become green and beautiful, bearing fruit, then He changes it until it becomes dry wood with which fires are lit. For He does whatever He wills and He is able to do whatever He wills, and none can stop Him. Qatadah said concerning the Ayah: ﴿الَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الاٌّخْضَرِ نَاراً فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنْه تُوقِدُونَ ﴾ (He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold you kindle therewith.) this means, the One Who brought forth this fire from this tree is able to resurrect him. It was said that this refers to the Markh tree and the `Afar tree, which grow in the Hijaz. If one wants to light a fire but has no kindling with him, then he takes two green branches from these trees and rubs one against the other, and fire is produced from them. So they are just like kindling. This was reported from Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him. ﴿أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلَّـقُ الْعَلِيمُ - إِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُ إِذَآ أَرَادَ شَيْئاً أَن يَقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ - فَسُبْحَـنَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴾ (81. Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like of them Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator.) (82. Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!'' -- and it is!) (83. So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be returned.)

Allah points out His great might and power in that He created the seven heavens with all their stars and planets, and the seven earths with everything in them of mountains, sands, oceans and wildernesses, and everything in between.

He tells us to find the proof that He will re-create our bodies in His creation of these mighty things. This is like the Ayah: ﴿لَخَلْقُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ أَكْـبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ﴾ (The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind) (40:57). And Allah says here: ﴿أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم﴾ (Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth, able to create the like of them) meaning, the like of mankind. So, He will re-create them as He created them in the first place. Ibn Jarir said, "This Ayah is like the Ayah: ﴿أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَلَمْ يَعْىَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَن يُحْىِ الْمَوْتَى بَلَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴾ (Do they not see that Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and was not wearied by their creation, is able to give life to the dead Yes, He surely is able to do all things.) (46:33)'' And Allah says here: ﴿أَوَلَـيْسَ الَذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ بِقَـدِرٍ عَلَى أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلَّـقُ الْعَلِيمُ - إِنَّمَآ أَمْرُهُ إِذَآ أَرَادَ شَيْئاً أَن يَقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ ﴾ (Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator. Verily, His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!''-- and it is!) meaning, He only needs to command a thing once; it does not need to be repeated or confirmed. When Allah wants a thing to happen, He only says to it: "Be!'' once, and it is. Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said: «إِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ: يَا عِبَادِي، كُلُّكُمْ مُذْنِبٌ إِلَّا مَنْ عَافَيْتُ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُونِي أَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، وَكُلُّكُمْ فَقِيرٌ إِلَّا مَنْ أَغْنَيْتُ، إِنِّي جَوَادٌ مَاجِدٌ وَاجِدٌ أَفْعَلُ مَا أَشَاءُ، عَطَائِي كَلَامٌ، وَعَذَابِي كَلَامٌ، إِذَا أَرَدْتُ شَيْئًا فَإِنَّمَا أَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُون» (Allah, may He be exalted, says: "O My servants, all of you are sinners apart from those whom I protect from sin. Seek My forgiveness and I will forgive you. All of you are in need except for those whom I make independent. I am Most Generous, Majestic, and I do whatever I will. My giving is a word and My punishment is a word. When I want a thing to happen I merely say to it `Be!' and it is.'') ﴿فَسُبْحَـنَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴾ (So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him you shall be returned.) means, glorified and exalted and sanctified above any evil be the Ever Living, the Self-Sufficient, in Whose hand is the control of the heavens and the earth, to Whom all matters return. His is the power to create and command, and to Him all mankind will return on the Day of Resurrection. Then He will reward or punish each one according to his deeds, and He is the Just, the Generous Bestower, the Graciously Disposed. The meaning of this Ayah, ﴿فَسُبْحَـنَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ﴾ (So glorified be He and exalted (above all that they associate with Him), and in Whose Hand is the sovereignty (Malakut) of all things) is like the Ayat: ﴿قُلْ مَن بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ﴾ (Say: "In Whose Hand is the sovereignty (Malakut) of everything'') (23:88) ﴿تَبَارَكَ الَّذِى بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ﴾ (Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion (Al-Mulk)) (67:1) Al-Mulk and Al-Malakut mean the same thing, although some people claim that Al-Mulk has to do with the physical realm and Al-Malakut has to do with the spiritual realm. But the former view is the one which is correct, and this is the opinion of the majority of the scholars of Tafsir and others. Imam Ahmad recorded that Hudhayfah bin Al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah one night and he recited the seven long Surahs in seven Rak`ahs. When he raised his head from bowing, he said, «سَمِعَ اللهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَه» (Allah hears the one who praises Him.) Then he said; «الْحَمْدُ لله ِذي الْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَة» (Praise be to Allah, the Owner of Malakut, might, pride and greatness.) His bowing was as long as his standing position, and his prostration was as long as his bowing. Then he finished and my legs were nearly broken.'' Abu Dawud recorded that `Awf bin Malik Al-Ashja`i, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "I stood in prayer with the Messenger of Allah one night and he recited Al-Baqarah. He did not reach any Ayah that mentioned mercy but he paused and asked for it, and he did not reach any Ayah that mentioned punishment but he paused and sought refuge from it. Then he bowed for as long as he had stood, and while bowing he said, «سُبْحَانَ ذِي الْجَبَرُوتِ وَالْمَلَكُوتِ وَالْكِبْرِيَاءِ وَالْعَظَمَة» (Glory be to Allah, the Owner of might, Malakut, pride and greatness.) Then he prostrated for as long as he had bowed, and said something similar while prostrating. Then he stood and recited Al `Imran, then he recited one Surah after another.'' This was recorded by At-Tirmidhi in Ash-Shama'il and An-Nasa'i. This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah Ya Sin. All praise and thanks are due to Allah.