The Wonder of Questions: Series 1: Part 2

InsyaAllah, we continue with the second part now:

One question: WHY would Allah sent us Islam?

Because our mind have limitation, that's why.

I was doing neuroscience last semester and I was so fascinated by human brain. It only weighs around 1.2 to 1.5 kg, but it’s called the 'higher centre' of our body system. It governs every system in our body: our heartbeat and circulation of blood (cardiovascular), our inspiration and exhalation (respiratory), our digestion (gastrointestinal), our reproduction, temperature and hormones (reproductive and homeostasis), the excretion of waste product from our body and metabolism (renal), and how our muscles work and our mobility (musculoskeletal). And all the systems are controlled by nervous system and mediators (neurotransmitter, hormones etc) that subconsciously in return, controlled by the brain. [In a way, Islam is like that. Allah is the higher centre, alQuran and Sunnah are the nerves and mediators and the components of our lives are the different systems we have on our body]

And I’m doing psychology at the moment, and I keep on being amazed at how mysteriously our mind works, and how there are so much more that human don’t know and yet to be discovered. Some things are just left unexplained because they cannot be explained by human minds.

Now, this is the role of Islam: to answer all the questions that human cannot think simply by using their minds because it’s our fitrah, which is Allah had limited out mind to certain limit only. Beyond that is beyond our territories.

And that’s the reason why I keep on reminding myself that if something bad came up in my life, it’s not an excuse to throw fits, show my temper and tantrums, because I don’t know what’s good will it bring for me; because my mind have limitation and because He knows the best.

In the book, there are 3 questions that human will keep on searching and looking for the answer. And yet, human without the right guidance will not be able to answer them:

Where did we come from?
Why do we exist?
Where are we going later/soon?

to be continued...

Author's notes: Think about the questions and think about how human (without Islamic knowledge) think and how would a person with akidah answer? How would ISLAM answer?

The Wonder of Questions- Series 1: Part 1

I'm reading a book on aqidah/tauhid at the moment, and as I go along, I decided to do a short summary of what I've learned through the book, what I've learned through experiences and through various lectures I've been to. Thus, I'm starting this series: The Wonder of Questions. Series 1 have 3 parts. Today I put on Part 1:

Islam. Just hearing the name brings peace to human, whether they admit it or not. I've been to a lecture called Islam: A True Religion. And according to the lecturer, definition of true and religion is so subjective that people can take it whichever direction they wanted. I agree.

But let's be realistic here: when we say religion, we only think about spiritual relationship between human and the God. Full stop.

However, Islam holds more definitions, deeper meaning than that. Linguistically, Islam means surrender or submission. Broader approach, Islam means a complete submission to Allah. For me, it's ad-Deen, which means my WAY OF LIFE which underlies rules, regulation, limitation, liberation of how I should live. And according to Syeikh Khalid Yasin, it's a SYSTEM (to put it simply) which has many components that complete it.

Whichever way you put it, it is something: a guideline, a path, an-nur (light) and a way, which is given by Allah through his messengers to bring human back into the right way to return to Him one day.

This is the basis of syahadah: I believe there is no God except Allah, and I believe Muhammad (peace be upon him, p.b.u.h) is His messenger.

Thus, when we realize this, it's clear that everything in the Quran and Sunnah are the ways of life, guideline of living, advices, warnings, and good news that Allah has given to us via His messenger: Muhammad (p.b.u.h).

If we take the SYSTEM approach, hence, the components would be guidelines of how to submit oneself to Allah (fiqh), solid belief to Allah (tauhid), how one should behave (akhlak), what have happened in the past (seerah), laws, rules, regulation, limitation on our daily lives that include on economics, science, law, philosophy, arts, history and everything. It touches our life from the moment we open our eyes in the morning till we close our eyes to sleep, and in between those periods.

One question: WHY would Allah sent us Islam?

to be continued...

One Step At A Time

The 'buzyness' of last 2 weeks activities disabled me to think about the new house and everything that comes with it. Now that I'm starting to slow my pace, I can see that there are a lot more things that I need to settle before I can really reach the place I want have in the house. Unexpected problems and issues only make me halt, whine and sigh. A tap on the shoulder by my mom made me realize these are the issues that I'm dealing at the moment while I stand as a student, not yet working, let alone having a family. I always wonder how my dad can endure all the housing issues in the past. At times my mind reasoned with me that men have stronger mental strength when dealing with problems; yet at the same time I'm thinking if he could do it, why don't I?

And I realize I need to take one step at a time, not too rush everything because in doing so, I only added the pressure. Okay, breathe in... breath out... :p

I came early this morning to uni (which ironically I'm no longer in campus anymore, so I prefer to call it the 'hospital', alothough it's not in the hospital, but the classes located near the hospital). I met Manju in Phramacology Building Computer Room and later we went up to the cafeteria to have lunch. "I really like staying out of the college. At least I'm at uni the whole day and can concentrate on studying, rather than going back to my room and doing something else" I commented. She agreed. I guess it depends on how you view your house- a place to relax, or a place to study.
When I was still at the library after the class have all finished, Branden came at the table I was on and greeted me, "Welcome to the Club," He says... Alas, finally after 2 years trying to join "The Branden's Club", now only I achived it :p

I went to watch 'Playboy of the Western World' at His Majesty's Theatre on Saturday night. Along with Farid, Nazli, Shila, Diana and Zura we walked there since it's near to our place. It was nice... except for the Irish accent that I'm not used to and had to really listen to understand the storyline. I wonder how Tini, Abadi and Huda coping with their accent; it's not something easy to understand in a short time. But for a one-stage-non musical-play, I think it was interesting. At least I've seen different type of theatre compared to the ones I've been in Malaysia.

But to compare that with Syeikh Khalid Yasin's lecture on Sunday night entitled Islam: The True Religion, I think the 7.50 bucks ticket is more worth it than the 40 bucks one I paid for the play. It's much more satisfying. And at the moment, I learned there are many ways of spreading words of Islam. And I also learned to see things from different perspective. Learning is great. There's never too much room for learning...

It's time to go home now. Travelling alone at night is not adviceable I guess...

Ja'