THE TARBIYYAH OF RAMADHAN: DO NOT STRAY FROM HUMAN NATURE
Ramadhan and worships are intended to nurture the believers to build their character according to their true innate disposition, in contrast to the creation of angels, animals, plants and rocks.
Human beings have body, spirit and mind, in addition to living in a family, a society and a nation. Therefore, they live with the purpose of worshipping and governing the world according to the vision of the hereafter, and it is not just for the purpose of eating to strengthen their appetite without any vision of life.
The nature of human as a creation differs from angels in that they have bodies and spirits, differs from animals for their intellect, and differs from trees and stones for their ability to move.
Man has his own role because of the nature of his creation which is different from that of other beings. Allah said:
﴿أَفَحَسِبۡتُمۡ أَنَّمَا خَلَقۡنَٰكُمۡ عَبَثٗا وَأَنَّكُمۡ إِلَيۡنَا لَا تُرۡجَعُونَ١١٥﴾
“Did ye then think that We had created you in jest, and that ye would not be brought back to Us (for account)?” (Surah al-Mu’minun: 115)
Selecting the best alternatives is the essence of life of all beings, especially for men to protect the pillars of life; safeguarding religion, life, intellect, dignity and wealth.
Human beings with sound mind will strive towards goodness and to help one another as a civilized society according to the level and necessity unless in a state of emergency.
Animals also have their own instincts, such as their preference in choosing delicious, safe and nutritious foods as well as a comfortable and safe place for themselves and their groups. Although they are lacking in intellect, animals do not consume food that is intoxicating or deadly by using their senses to see, smell and feel in order to make judgment. Similarly, animals build nests in a safe place for themselves, their youngs and their flocks.
Plants grow at certain types of soils and temperatures according to its characteristics and require fertilizers for continuous fertility development.
However, there are people who do not try to reap the benefit from Allah’s grace for themselves. Allah said:
﴿صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡيٞ فَهُمۡ لَا يَرۡجِعُونَ١٨﴾
“They are deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the truth).” (Surah al-Baqarah: 18)
Allah said:
﴿وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِي يَنۡعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسۡمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءٗ وَنِدَآءٗۚ صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡيٞ فَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ١٧١﴾
“The parable of those who reject faith is as if one were to shout like a goat-herd, to things that listen to nothing but calls and cries; deaf, dumb, and blind. They are void of wisdom.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 171)
Allah said:
﴿وَلَقَدۡ ذَرَأۡنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِۖ لَهُمۡ قُلُوبٞ لَّا يَفۡقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمۡ أَعۡيُنٞ لَّا يُبۡصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمۡ ءَاذَانٞ لَّا يَسۡمَعُونَ بِهَآۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ كَٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمِ بَلۡ هُمۡ أَضَلُّۚ أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡغَٰفِلُونَ١٧٩﴾
“Many are the Jinns and men We have made for Hell: they have hearts wherewith they understand not, eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not. They are like cattle nay more misguided: for they are heedless (of warning).” (Surah al-A’raf: 179)
Allah also said:
﴿وَلَقَدۡ مَكَّنَّٰهُمۡ فِيمَآ إِن مَّكَّنَّٰكُمۡ فِيهِ وَجَعَلۡنَا لَهُمۡ سَمۡعٗا وَأَبۡصَٰرٗا وَأَفِۡٔدَةٗ فَمَآ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُمۡ سَمۡعُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَبۡصَٰرُهُمۡ وَلَآ أَفِۡٔدَتُهُم مِّن شَيۡءٍ إِذۡ كَانُواْ يَجۡحَدُونَ بَِٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِۦ يَسۡتَهۡزِءُونَ٢٦﴾
“And We had firmly established them in a (prosperity and) power which We have not given to you (ye Quraish!) and We had endowed them with (faculties of) hearing, seeing, heart and intellect: but of no profit to them were their (faculties of) hearing, sight, and heart and intellect, when they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah; and they were (completely) encircled by that which they used to mock at!” (Surah al-Ahqaf: 26)
Indeed there are humans who become pests and are even worse than animals who steal good fruits. They take the approach of seeking someone else’s fault or mistake to bring them down and humiliate them.
What is even worse is that there are people who are too ignorant to seek the truth, instead only looking for evil and mischief to the extent that they shut their eyes from seeing any positive things. They look at negative things that come up and find every weakness to worsen the situation rather than offering constructive criticism as a mean of advise and correction.
Today, using the most sophisticated media, they have chosen every piece of information based on a theory from the West whereby the end justify the means that become their guidance and their pride. They are capable of making thing worse than it already is.
Islam teaches us to see every good thing from all sides whether it is from a friend or a foe. We should give advice for every offense and save as many people as possible without coercing them to embrace Islam. Next, we also have to be fair even to the enemy and do not be extreme even to the intruder.
Allah said:
﴿وَقَٰتِلُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُقَٰتِلُونَكُمۡ وَلَا تَعۡتَدُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ١٩٠﴾
“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.” (Surah al-Baqarah: 190)
Allah said:
﴿يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ كُونُواْ قَوَّٰمِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَآءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَلَا يَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنََٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُواْۚ ٱعۡدِلُواْ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرُۢ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ٨﴾
“O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to Piety: and fear Allah For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” (Surah al-Maidah: 8)
Allah said:
﴿ٱدۡعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلۡحِكۡمَةِ وَٱلۡمَوۡعِظَةِ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ وَجَٰدِلۡهُم بِٱلَّتِي هِيَ أَحۡسَنُۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُهۡتَدِينَ١٢٥ وَإِنۡ عَاقَبۡتُمۡ فَعَاقِبُواْ بِمِثۡلِ مَا عُوقِبۡتُم بِهِۦۖ وَلَئِن صَبَرۡتُمۡ لَهُوَ خَيۡرٞ لِّلصَّٰبِرِينَ١٢٦ وَٱصۡبِرۡ وَمَا صَبۡرُكَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِۚ وَلَا تَحۡزَنۡ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا تَكُ فِي ضَيۡقٖ مِّمَّا يَمۡكُرُونَ١٢٧ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّقَواْ وَّٱلَّذِينَ هُم مُّحۡسِنُونَ١٢٨﴾
“Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth, best who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance. (125) And if ye do catch them out, catch them out no worse than they catch you out: but if ye show patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are patient. (126) And do thou be patient, for thy patience is but from Allah; nor grieve over them: and distress not thyself because of their plots. (127) For Allah is with those who restrain themselves and those who do good (128).” (Surah al-Nahl: 125-128)
The obligation to fast during the month of Ramadan is intended to build the essence of piety which would be evident in worship and life in community.
ABDUL HADI AWANG
PAS President
Date: 5 Ramadhan 1441 / 28th April 2020
