Muharram 06, 1433 A.H, Friday, December 02, 2011

The Soccer final match between Indonesia vs Malaysia last night leaves behind many questions for every Muslim who cares about his Dien. Starting long before the match even started, since 14:00 hr, perhaps there might already people who turned up at the venue as they were hoping to get good seatings, and later when they had gotten into the stadium, the possibility of coming back out is very minimal, considering the very jam-packed Glora Bung Karno Stadium. Now, what becomes the question is, when did they perform the zuhur and 'asr, maghrib and 'isha prayer??? Can we say that all those fans are non-muslims, whereas we know that the majority in this country are Muslims!

The Greatness Of Soccer

Here's where we see the greatness of soccer, where the majority of the soccer lovers totally submit and are obedient to the soccer match, they cannot be late in answering the call, they cannot miss every moment of it, even if they have to jostle and go through a long journey. Because as we know, the soccer lovers who attended last night's game were not just from around the vicinity (as there are only office buildings and apartments in the vicinity of Senayan, which if all are gathered, they cannot even pack the stadium), but many of the fans came from outside Jakarta, maybe even from areas where the football stars came from.

Another greatness of soccer that we can see is when the whistle of the referee was first sounded at the first kick-off, the roaring of the fans who crowded the stadium gave support and unbelievable zeal to the players in the field, as a form of appreciation and motivation of victory for them, at the same time providing exceptional pressure and heavy burdens on the players. Extraordinary energy was released through the yelling and screams from the soccer fans, in order to support the stars into getting the ball past the goalkeeper, and at other times cries full emotions burst out when the goal of the beloved team was penetrated by the ball form the opposing team, causing the defeat of the beloved team. Such great is soccer, to the point that these human beings were able to degrade themselves before “the round cowhide thingy”…

Such great is soccer, it is capable of bewitching millions of its lovers to sit transfixed for 90 minutes in front of the television, watching the 'betting game' (so the fans call it, heaven knows what's in the bet?). For 2 hours, the soccer lovers follow the process of the game second by second, they witness frantic event after event throughout the game, glued and unconcerned with the surrounding circumstances, ignoring the parents' calls, denying the good advices. So amazing is the greatness of soccer.

So great is soccer that it is able to deepen the boundary of the gap of the two teams that are brothers, able to separate the ties of kinship and sharpen the feud. Not sure if soccer only serves as the detonator in the embers of enmity which all these while has been glowing in the chest of every Young Garuda (Indonesian team – ed.) or there indeed had been a fire in the previous cases, that they are not willing if the Malaccan Tiger (Malaysian team – ed.) outmatches the Garuda, an excessive abhorrence which is not shown to the other teams, to the extent that an expression appeared in the society, “it's okay to lose to Vietnam or Thailand, as long as it's not Malaysia”. Soccer is indeed powerful. We can witness, the Glora Bung Karno Stadium was as if so quiet and empty, akin to being uninhabited, in the midst of the thousands of the Garuda fans, as they could not believe that the Young Garuda have lost. But imagine the time when the Young Garuda won the match, the roaring sound of happiness drummed every centimeter of the earth around it, in fact even the plants could not stand to join in feeling the happiness... so they said.

The greatness of soccer is extraordinary, it is able to create a blind fanaticism that is not realized by its every supporter. In the name of love for the motherland, upholding the integrity of the national culture, they are willing to be in enmity with fellow brothers, don't care if they are Muslims or non-muslims as long as they are Malaysian nationals, they are enemies. Extraordinary!!! But it is ironic, when at the same time much of the land and wealth of this country are plundered and looted openly, not even one of those nationalists made a sound, all words are shut up, all national elements are silenced… How many leaders of this Country have plunged their citizens into the pit of humiliation and destruction, be it moral or spiritual, but not even one mouth is speaking to prevent it, let alone to fight it… Thus, the phrases of anarchism, terrorism, racism, fundamentalism and other “ism”s are opinionated for those who attempted to straighten the crooked and rectify the wrong.

The Irony Of Soccer Denying The Creator

Just a reminder to myself and all readers, it must be admitted that soccer matches are much favoured by our society, this writer is no exception. It's just that what needs to be reconsidered as Muslims, we are required to implement the obligations that have been given to us. The reason Allah SWT creates us is no other than to worship Him, profess His Oneness (Tawheed) and to not ascribe partner to Him. Allah SWT exists for us to worship, we obey Him with a full obedience, we love Him with a full love, there is no obedience that is above the obedience to Him, no love that is above the love for Him, even our love and obedience for both parents could not exceed the love and obedience for Him. And whoever does it, then he has sunken into the abyss of shirk which sometimes led him to apostasy (being murtad). Wal ‘iyyadzubillah.

If even towards the parents, who love us and have compassion on us, we don't dare to dispute their orders, then how can we afford to refute the command the Creator, Who has given us everything we need??? Didn't Allah SWT, when creating mankind, also created the world and all its contents? The water, land, plants, livestocks, air, etc.

If towards the leaders who always give us kindness and rewards every single month, we do not feel nice to refuse their invitation, then how can we afford to refuse the invitation of The Sustainer, Who in fact does not only give us the enjoyment and facilities of the world, but also the pleasures of the akhirah??? Whereas, Allah SWT never neglect and forget to fulfill His promises.

If towards a friend who always listen to the outpouring of our heart and our laments, we can't afford to decline his request, then how can we afford to reject the request of the Dzat Who always listen to our laments and even grant our request with pleasure and without complaints??? The Dzat Who never sleep to listen to our request, never get tired to continue to bestow His grace. Even a friend sometimes gets bored and tired with our laments.

But friends, what has the “round cowhide thingy” given to us, does it listen to our laments? Has it provided us any benefit? Does it give mercy and loving kindness to us? Is it able to harm us? Is it then going to be angry when we neglect it? Or instead we will dump it after it no longer can be used? If it cannot do all those, then why are we so headstrong for its cause??? Why are we so fervent to hear its call??? Why are we willing to fight just to defend something that does not give the slightest benefit for our religion???

O MANKIND WHO HAVE THE UNDERSTANDING, WHERE HAVE WE PLACED OUR CONSCIOUSNESS, WHERE IS OUR WISDOM, WHERE IS OUR IMAN??? WAKE UP!

Aren't we better than livestock animals??? Allah SWT gives us the blessings of the vision, hearing and the heart no other than to dedicate ourselves to Him, professing His Oneness (Tawheed), hearing His calls, obeying His commands, avoiding His prohibitions and following His Rasul.

Do we want to disbelieve after we have believed??? Just taking a portion of the commands and leaving the others??? Friends, let's do a self-evaluation, that whatever we glorify in this world will not provide us any benefit at all if Allah does not will it, even if all the humans in the entire world make plans to destroy us, if Allah does not will it, it would not happen, then what about a ball which is incapable of resisting when are kicking it? What's the difference between the ball and the idols that were worshiped in the time of jahiliyyah??? Think about it…

The Fanaticism Of Ilahiyyah

Friends, brotherhood and kinship ties in Islam is only one, namely in the bond of the kalimah of tawheed of “laa ilaaha illallaah”, whoever he is, where ever he is from, if he professes the Tawheed of Allah SWT, then he is our brother. The bond in the name of the worldly matter is illusory, whether it be in the scope of territorial localism, or nationalism, let alone if it is simply of ethnicity or certain groups. All that is batil and misleading. Enough are the facts that exist around us, how many injustices have happened in the name of races, how much destructions have been done on the basis of the skin color.

Islam came to eliminate the blind fanaticism that will carry one towards destruction, Islam came at a time when fanaticism was a typical trait of the mushrikeen, wars in the name of the tribe and clan became the daily menu, oppressions against other clans also became the news of the day that had no end. Then Islam fixed everything, that fanaticism on things that reek of the worldly matter is illusory, Islam teaches that Allah alone deserves to receive the love absolutely, because He has given us everything we need to live in this world, whereas mankind only needs to fulfill their needs, if the needs are met then that relationship is complete.

Islam teaches that Allah is the only One Who is entitled to receive the absolute obedience, because he is the One Who gives the assurance of salvation of the world and the hereafter, whereas mankind can't even save themselves from diseases, how then are they able to give salvation to the rest. This is what this author refers to as the fanaticism of ilahiyyah, whatever Allah's command is, we just hear and obey Him, simple isn't it??

Islam also teaches that the law that deserves to be defended and championed is only Islam, because it was sent down based on the wahyu ilahi (divine revelation) and it adapts to the needs of human beings, thus it is sufficient when the Islamic Shari'ah is implemented, then the human affairs would be like what is expected. Peace, tranquility and happiness of life will be achieved. In contrast to the man-made laws, which always follow the trend and progress of the times, that it is bound to the time that will be outdated, compounded with the interests of a handful of people who want to take a one-sided gain without a care for the benefit of the masses. And a law like this just does not deserve to be defended and championed, even by spending which is worth a mosquito's wing !!! How are we going to dispose our body to that which has no right, doesn't this body and soul belong to the Creator???

Thus Islam teaches us the good, it indeed gives us a guideline that is well suited with the fitrah of mankind, so let's return to it and leave the rest. Get to know and learn Islam more closely, then we will find true happiness. Wallaahu alam.

Asr Maghrib

Jakarta, 22nd November 2011