Ini kisah benar, berlaku di sebuah kem untuk bakal guru pada tahun 1991.
"Can I join you?"
Kami yang berbual-bual di meja terkejut.
Jejaka Melayu itu tidak ke surau bersama-sama peserta kem yang lain. Sebaliknya dia duduk semeja dengan kami yang sedang melakukan aktiviti berkaitan agama Kristian.
Kami berbual dengannya.
"Can I join you?"
Kami yang berbual-bual di meja terkejut.
Jejaka Melayu itu tidak ke surau bersama-sama peserta kem yang lain. Sebaliknya dia duduk semeja dengan kami yang sedang melakukan aktiviti berkaitan agama Kristian.
Kami berbual dengannya.
"Mengapa tak ke surau?"
"I told them I was sick."
"You bukan beragama Islam?"
"I am a Muslim but I don't get to choose my religion. I am born into Islam."
" You don't sound happy."
" Do I look happy?"
Rupa-rupanya jejaka kacak itu mahu menjadi penganut Kristian. Saya tidak berapa faham ketika itu kerana masih kurang berpengalaman. Bagi saya yang baru berusia 19 tahun, Melayu semuanya beragama Islam. Maka pengakuan jejaka Melayu bahawa dia tidak mempercayai ajaran agama yang menjadi ikutan keluarganya susah hendak diterima akal.
Kami terus menemubualnya.
Di samping jejaka Melayu itu, hanya kami peserta bukan Islam yang masih berada di kantin kerana semua jurulatih dan peserta kem yang beragama Islam sudah ke surau untuk mengerjakan solat subuh. Terdapat dua kumpulan lagi ahli kem iaitu yan gberagama Buddha dan beragama Hindu tetapi mereka berada di hujung kantin. Oleh sebab itulah, perbualan kami tidak dapat didengari kumpulan lain.
"Boring jadi orang Islam," katanya.
"Mengapa?"
"Tidak bebas melakukan apa sahaja. Terlalu banyak larangan dan halal haram. Tidak seperti agama Kristian."
"Apa yang istimewa dalam agama Kristian sehingga awak hendak meninggalkan Islam?"
"Seronok dan bebas jadi orang Kristian. Macam awak, tak perlu ke surau untuk sembahyang pada awal-awal pagi. Boleh minum dan makan apa sahaja, berkawan dengan siapa-siapa sahaja. Saya tidak suka diri dikongkong dengan ritual yang banyak dan menyusahkan."
Kami terkejut mendengar kata-katanya.
"Mengapa tidak memilih memeluk Kristian?"
" Saya tidak boleh."
"It's not fair, " kata jejaka kecak itu. " You get to enjoy life but I can't because I'm born into a Muslim family.
Dia segera bangun meninggalkan kami kerana peserta mulai keluar dari surau berdekatan.
"I told them I was sick."
"You bukan beragama Islam?"
"I am a Muslim but I don't get to choose my religion. I am born into Islam."
" You don't sound happy."
" Do I look happy?"
Rupa-rupanya jejaka kacak itu mahu menjadi penganut Kristian. Saya tidak berapa faham ketika itu kerana masih kurang berpengalaman. Bagi saya yang baru berusia 19 tahun, Melayu semuanya beragama Islam. Maka pengakuan jejaka Melayu bahawa dia tidak mempercayai ajaran agama yang menjadi ikutan keluarganya susah hendak diterima akal.
Kami terus menemubualnya.
Di samping jejaka Melayu itu, hanya kami peserta bukan Islam yang masih berada di kantin kerana semua jurulatih dan peserta kem yang beragama Islam sudah ke surau untuk mengerjakan solat subuh. Terdapat dua kumpulan lagi ahli kem iaitu yan gberagama Buddha dan beragama Hindu tetapi mereka berada di hujung kantin. Oleh sebab itulah, perbualan kami tidak dapat didengari kumpulan lain.
"Boring jadi orang Islam," katanya.
"Mengapa?"
"Tidak bebas melakukan apa sahaja. Terlalu banyak larangan dan halal haram. Tidak seperti agama Kristian."
"Apa yang istimewa dalam agama Kristian sehingga awak hendak meninggalkan Islam?"
"Seronok dan bebas jadi orang Kristian. Macam awak, tak perlu ke surau untuk sembahyang pada awal-awal pagi. Boleh minum dan makan apa sahaja, berkawan dengan siapa-siapa sahaja. Saya tidak suka diri dikongkong dengan ritual yang banyak dan menyusahkan."
Kami terkejut mendengar kata-katanya.
"Mengapa tidak memilih memeluk Kristian?"
" Saya tidak boleh."
"It's not fair, " kata jejaka kecak itu. " You get to enjoy life but I can't because I'm born into a Muslim family.
Dia segera bangun meninggalkan kami kerana peserta mulai keluar dari surau berdekatan.
Just would like to share something. I have an uncle yang selalu keluar masuk hutan melawat kampung2 orang asli. His (and his team) main purpose was not only to help them improve their quality of life, but more importantly, untuk menyebarkan Islam. He told me of the challenges they had to face, one of them being to beat the mubaligh2 kristian who also had the same mission.
ReplyDeleteHe said, orang2 Islam approached the orang asli dengan cara yang sungguh berbeza dgn mubaligh2 kristian tu. They mostly gave ceramah. But the christians? They came bearing gifts, loads and loads of them. And instead of ceramah, they had a singing session, main gitar etc. In short, they had some fun.
So, which one is more attractive? Esp. to the younger ones?
In the end, it all depends on hidayah Allah, don't you think?
Not what you think I need but what I actually need.
ReplyDeleteImagine two birthday cakes. One beautifully decorated and looks tempting delicious.The other is actually more delicious and nutritious but is unattractive to the eyes. Which would you choose?
It's true that in the end it's Allah's choice but don't the approaches we use make a huge difference too?
"Never judge a book by its cover"
ReplyDeleteBut most people usually judge a book by its cover.
So what do we do ???
Make a nice cover.
Funny u wrote about this, being a muallaf.
ReplyDeleteI know a few free-spirited people who were born into Muslim families.
Some of them are not too happy about being a Muslim.
One of them was an Indonesian girl. She went to Catholic school and told me how much more freedom she had back then. But not much choice unfortunately. She even tried to date non-muslim guys but her family objected.
I'd say you, being a muallaf by your own choice, would agree with me that religion should be one's personal choice.
If non-muslims can choose to embrace Islam, why is it such a sin for Muslims to embrace other religion ??
What happen to freedom of faith ??
Is there a problem here? This is my blog, so I think I'm free to write about my own observations. And mind you, I didn't make any judgement about the born-Muslim young man's views about wanting to be a Christian. I let the readers think and make their own judgements.
ReplyDeleteFreedom can be interpreted in many ways.The Islamic definition of freedom is different from the Western beliefs, so you can't say that Islam doesn't give any freeedom to its followers. Just different.
If non-muslims can choose to embrace Islam, why is it such a sin for Muslims to embrace other religion ??
Unlike other religions, Islam as a religion already has rules about apostasy. It is the duty of every Muslim to explain about Islam to the 'lost ones', and guide them back to Islam.
Of course you are FREE to write anything in YOUR blog.
ReplyDeleteI just find it funny that a muallaf wrote about a born Muslim who was not happy about being a Muslim and didn't have much choice.
'Lost ones' huh ??? What makes you so sure that they are 'lost' ??? It's up to them to decide. Maybe they found something else they find more suitable. ( Just like you found something else more suitable for you )
Like more freedom maybe ??? :)
Kak Aliya, I just feel sympathy to those who still do not get Hidayah from Allah.. they will never understand on things that we are trying to say.. and i guess they also try not to understand too.. Hmm.... just take it as challenge.. and try to overcome it in a better way.. so that one day they'll understand that the light of Allah is there.. for everyone who really seek for it..
ReplyDeleteMOga Allah memberi Hidayah kepada mereka jua... Ameen..
Wallahua'lam..