Riba

"The Arabic word riba linguistically means “an addition to, or an increase of, a thing over and above its original size or amount.” In the Qur’an, the term riba signifies an unlawful and forced addition to the payback value of money or goods lent from one person to another."


I'm not gonna discuss about this whole thing in detail coz i lacked the knowledge on this issue. Nevertheless, it's an interesting issue to be discussed without going deeper among those who are not that familiar with economics and business. But i do have an interest to talk about this whole stuff in more detail with someone who has knowledge on this matter. I find it easier to grasp an idea if you talk face to face with a person rather than reading it from the net and slowly fall asleep zZZzz...

So Islam says that adding interest to a loan is wrong. That's understandable. I lend you RM 200 but asked you to pay me back RM 250. You as the borrower would demand why do you need to pay RM 50 extra? Logically me the lender, would give the reason that the RM 50 extra works as some kind of profit for me since i lend you the money. That RM 50 extra is the effort i put to lend you the money. I guess that's how money lending business work. If not how will they survive?

So initially i thought the interest were justifiable. But i soon realized it's actually unfair and it's an extra burden. But there's no point bitching bout the interest imposed since you took up the loan and you agreed to it. Yeah, we are forced to follow such system.

There is no money lending business that doesn't impose interest. Actually there is, when you borrow money from friends and family. You borrow RM 500 from them and promised to pay them back the RM 500 and they never ask any interest in addition to the money they lend you. Yet, despite not imposing interest, people still don't pay up money borrowed from friends and family. Hell, there's no additional charges when you fail to pay on time too! Had you, as a lender, made a contract, the borrower will be in deep shit.

So imposing interest is wrong, what about imposing reasonable penalty interest for LATE PAYMENT? I think it's justifiable because that person didn't pay on time! Islam definitely teach you to KEEP YOUR PROMISE and keeping a promise means PAYING ON TIME. Again, the penalty must be REASONABLE. Do you know how much loss you caused to the person who you borrowed money from by not paying on time?

And i would think giving security for the money you are going to borrow is ok. The purpose of the security is to ensure that you actually pay back and if you don't pay back, you can kiss that security goodbye.

Graduated!

Putting my empty scroll into good use... let my bear hold it. "Driving Dreams"... Did you drive my dreams? I guess you did since i managed to complete my degree while you keep increasing your fees every year... But what i miss most about KDU is the delicious pastries made by the Chef students (if only i had a chef bf back then... all the nice food i can eat!!) :-D~~~~ and the clean toilets (i mean at least it's cleaner compare to other colleges and universities)... Yes, i do miss my friends, lecturers, classes but not my ENEMIES and EXAMS...

We don't follow and do things blindly... unless you are a dumb zombie...

Some of us like to question a lot. We question to seek the truth and reason behind every fact. If you tell a person to do or not to something, there must be a reason to it. Religion wise, if we question a lot, we will be accused of not believing in the religion and it seems to be a fundamental rule that when it comes to religion, we must just accept everything the religion tells you WITHOUT QUESTIONING. That's BS. God gave us a brain to THINK and when we think we QUESTION.

You see, just because i don't look or sound Islamic, when i question something about Islam and the person couldn't answer me, he will get agitated and will start attacking me instead. Once i remembered a guy told me "why are you questioning if you aren't doing anything the religion tells you?". That's like a slap to my face but nevertheless, you still didn't answer my question and i don't see any reason for you to become upset just because you couldn't answer me.

I believe in Islam, my faith have always been with Islam but is it wrong for me to question certain things in Islam? I never question the Quran because it's the perfect book but what's wrong if i questioned a particular hadith? It's a fact that there are some real and fake hadiths. So you can't simply follow blindly whatever a hadith tells you.

"A hadith is a saying of Muhammad or a report about something he did. Over time, during the first few centuries of Islam, it became obvious that many so-called hadith were in fact spurious sayings that had been fabricated for various motives, at best to encourage believers to act righteously and at worse to corrupt believers' understanding of Islam and to lead them astray."

I got that from some website. Not that you can't question the Quran but whatever the Quran tells you to do, it makes sense and it's reasonable. Examples :

1. Why do we pray 5 times a day. Reason : so that whatever we do, we always remember Allah.

2. Why do we fast. Reason : to remember and feel those who don't have enough food to eat.

3. Why can't we eat pork and touch dogs? Reason : both of these animals are dirty and disease carriers. I mean there are scientific research done on how unhealthy pork can be. As for dogs, we can't touch them when they are wet. Dogs are also known for rabies. Of course you can get injection to prevent that. I love dogs coz some can be very cute.




Look at the above. It's a ban on a particular fashion of a head cover. The ban comes from a hadith. For those who don't understand Malay, sorry that i can't translate it for you because it's quite difficult to translate it to English. But what i can say is that the statement says you can't wear a head cover where it shapes like the back of a camel (okay, that sounds a lil stupid when you translate it literally) but what i'm staying is that you can't wear a head cover like as shown in the pictures.

Since i don't wear a head cover, i don't know what kind of fashion is that where they try to make the back of your head look like a mountain or something. First i thought it must be a hair bun but i doubt it can be that high. I've seen some girls with that kind of fashion and i don't see it as a problem?

So my question is why are you not allowed to wear such kind of head cover? It's not like your hair can be seen, your chest is covered, your neck is covered. Obviously that mountain like thing on the back of your head isn't the real shape of your real head.

The only possible reason i can think of is that it turns MEN ON? That's why it's wrong? God only knows why do men think that alien kind fashion of a head cover is sexy. But this is not a strong reason either. If men find your eyes is mesmerizing and sexy, does the woman have to close her eyes then?

http://www.derafsh-kaviyani.com/english/hadith.pdf

Above is an interesting site that i came across discussing about hadiths.

Is it wrong for me to use my common sense? I have a friend who only followed the Quran and he gave me sensible reasons why he didn't follow any hadiths although majority in Malaysia will find him totally at wrong. As for me, i don't totally discard hadiths but if a hadith says something, i expect it to be for a reason and a sensible one.

If you can't explain something with a reason, how are you suppose to explain to a non Muslim if they were to ask something like this? Are we suppose to answer "Oh, it's just like that". "Oh, coz it's stated like that".

TV 3's Hari Raya Controversial Advertisement

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1245600230#!/video/video.php?v=1275079176949&ref=mf

The link above will direct you to the video... I will like to thank my friend for highlighting this to me. He was asking me whether the advertisement looks like a Christmas ad. There was also some elements of Buddhism.

Okay, so what's the problem? A Hari Raya ad is to wish the Muslims happy celebrating Raya, a festival for Muslims. It is also known as "Eid al -Adha". I just google up why we celebrate hari raya and it says and i quote :

is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God, but instead was able to sacrifice a ram (by God's command). Eid is also about spending time with family and friends, sacrifice, and thanksgiving for being able to afford food and housing.

OOO, now i actually know why we celebrate Hari Raya... Luckily i bothered to ask myself that question. Kindda embarrass though. Anway...

Looking at the controversial video, i did see elements of Christianity and Buddhism. Christianity because of the "bicycle like vehicle (i think it's a trishaw?)" flies across the sky like santa claus on a sledge and Buddhism because of the lotus flower. It also has some connection with Hindu.

All these can't be a coincidence. Of all the flowers in Malaysia, you picked a lotus? Why not the hibiscus, it's the national flower right? As for the santa claus sledge thing, the first thing that came across my mind is that why don't they make a flying magic carpet? I don't know why that crossed my mind, maybe i was thinking about Aladdin? I think if it was a magic carpet, people would be less suspicious and won't associate it with santa clause sledge. Aladdin is based on Arabic culture so it's less offensive?

Since Najib became the Prime Minister, Malaysia has this strong motto of "1 Malaysia", to build racial unity. Everything is 1 Malaysia now. 1 Malaysia this, 1 Malaysia that. It's a great motto actually. So perhaps this video was based on the concept of 1 Malaysia, assuming there was no ill intention when this video was made.

So who made the video? Weren't there Muslim people involved? Didn't they notice the controversial parts? If truly the person making the video made it based on the 1 Malaysia concept, he probably tried to combine elements of Christianity, Buddhism and Hindu and Islam together. Good and creative intention but not the smartest move since you can't really mix religions together.

You can show racial unity by showing non muslims visiting the muslims house for the raya celebration. But definitely not combining elements of each religion together.

But personally i think the santa claus signifies culture rather than religious elements while the lotus flowers definitely has something to do with the religion :

In Buddhist symbolism, the lotus represents purity of the body, speech, and mind as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire. According to legend, Gautama Buddha was born with the ability to walk, and lotus flowers bloomed everywhere he stepped.

So is it wrong to combine something from culture into a religion? In Islam, it's not wrong provided it's not against the teachings of Islam.

For all me know, this is just a sad mistaken move in making a video. I hope people don't simply jump to conclusion this video was aimed to hurt the Muslims...

Disrespectful Young People

Above is one of the many examples of racist or religion rudeness which i have come across. Previously, there was a young boy, who is a Muslim, who made fun of the fasting month in a very rude way, using the F word because he thinks he shouldn't fast and nobody can make him and he has an ambition to make a cult of his own. *sigh*... the dreams of YOUNG RETARDS now a days... very laughable.

Issue 1: THE ISSUE

a bunch of young people (assuming in their teens) who make very rude remarks on race and religion on their social networking. Actually to call it "rude" remarks is not enough because rude sounds too tame. The better choice of words to describe it is demeaning, humiliating, degrading etc. You see how the bitch humiliate Islam (above).

I really don't know what are people's problems with Islam. What did the religion do to you to make you say bad things about it? Did it hurt you? humiliate you? Kill your family? Or do you hate Islam because those who profess to Islam are mostly the MALAYS. And you hate the Malays because you think they are spoiled and pampered and you as a non Malay and non Muslim just hate their guts because there is no fairness in Malaysia. So you hate Malay, and you hate Islam and humiliating Islam gives you satisfaction because you will know you will provoke the Malays and degrade them. This is just a possible theory why people hate Islam in Malaysia. Another reason is you are an uncivilized atheist.

Looking at their choice of words, when i was a teen, i never say those stuff to insult another religion. Hell, i don't insult other people's religion. And when im that young, i'm not even concern with religion because i have other better things to be concerned about, like studies and BOYS ;-D.

Teens now a days want to be an adult so much. They try to dress like one and talk like one by discussing so called important stuff which they themselves don't understand. When they don't understand and they lacked maturity, this is the kind of nonsense that take place.

Issue 2 : ARE THEY MENTALLY ILL?

Perhaps not. Just lacked discipline and respect. They are not sensitive enough to other people's feelings, hence the choice of words which are humiliating and degrading. Just because they are so called young and stupid, doesn't mean they can get off the hook easily.

Issue 3 : TA DA... THE APPROPRIATE PUNISHMENT

Of course people want to kill such bitch and bastard but that's anger talking. Because they are young and brainless, we need to give them time to repent and regret what they did (although we believe these sickos won't change. I don't know, if God opens their heart, maybe they will change). Besides, these people didn't murder another being nor do they pose a threat to the religion, thus they can't be killed. But they must be PUNISHED. Severe punishment that acts as a DETERRENT.

What they did is a SERIOUS crime and OFFENSIVE. It can create racial and religion tension. If a teen murders, he won't get off the hook. He will still be punished but less severe of a punishment compared with an adult who suppose to have a more mature thinking. The same situation here.

So what's the punishment? I recommend FINE, COUNSELING and CANNING (ROTAN). If you can FINE couples for "khalwat" a.k.a close proximity, why can't you fine these kind of offenders? Of course the parents need to pay for it i guess but it's a reminder for the parents to teach their children manners and respect. If can't pay, then detention at juvenile centres or community service.

Counseling is necessary because it's suppose to give awareness to offenders. Teach them and tell them why what they did is wrong, perhaps they have some kind of internal probs which make them very racist.

Canning. Another better option than death right... But if im not mistaken, there's no canning for women. Perhaps for this kind of offences, go for light canning i guess since they are suppose to be young offenders. But if adult, the normal pain in the ass canning. But if because of health purpose canning is not allowed for women, then someone need to figure out other proper punishments.

CONCLUSION :

Because this kind of shit keeps on occurring and getting serious, that's why authorities need to SEVERELY PUNISH THEM. No matter which race or whose religion they degrade, all deserved to be punished. Saying they are young and don't know what they said or did is utter crap and BS. Why don't you use that same crap of an excuse for all offences committed by young teens.

If the offender is an adult, it will be a even more severe punishment.

Making fun of race and religion is no joke. You may do it in other countries, but not in Asian countries and DEFINITELY not in MALAYSIA. You get upset if someone bitch and degrade your parents, so why do you tell people to take chill pill when someone insult your religion? Religion is not as serious as your parents? It is as serious as your parents if you love your religion.

Freedom of speech you say? freedom of speech comes with a LIMITATION. With freedom, comes responsibility and that means exercise your freedom carefully and respect other race and religion and don't discriminate them.