Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) Manifestation of God: Any ruler, not royalty alone, 24 February 2012
Former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin rebutted claims citing narratives about Prophet Muhammad that "the kings are manifestations of God on earth".
Mohd Asri argued that meaning of the hadith or prophet's saying could be extended to any ruler, not royalty alone.
"I heard some are more outspoken and use the original wordings of the hadith - al-sultan is bayangan Allah (Allah’s manifestation) on earth - to refer to a sultan of his choice.
"Some seem to want to revive Malay feudalism with the hadith.
"I jibed at those who are fond of using that hadith by saying: the king that becomes Allah’s manifestation, is it the king of Jordan or the king of Saudi Arabia? Or perhaps the king of Morocco?
"Or since it was too general, maybe it could be used for the Siamese king?" he wrote in a Malay language commentary published on Malaysiakini today.
During the launch of the pro-Islam NGO Jati last Tuesday, Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria urged Malays to defend the royalty, saying:
"The Prophet had said that kings are the manifestation of God on earth. Not on a single occasion, but in several tellings."
However, Mohd Asri said: “Actually there are many stories surrounding this hadith. Some are false, some are weak, some are acceptable or maybe approaching being considered ‘authentic’.”
In the Malaysian context
In his article titled 'Since when did the sultan became God’s manifestation?', Mohd Asri said that the term ‘al-sultan’ includes all rulers, regardless of their titles. Otherwise, the caliphs who succeeded the prophet would have called themselves sultan.
“Meaning that in the Malaysian context, the prime minister is also Allah’s manifestation on earth. So are the presidents of Egypt, Libya, and so on.”
However, he said, being “Allah’s manifestation” does not mean those in power are sacred to the point of being beyond question.
“Because, how many people had been installed as caliph (Allah’s representative), but did the opposite? Are we to defend him because he is the caliph?”
Mohd Asri quoted an alternative interpretation of the hadith, suggesting that bayangan (shadow) ought to mean ‘protection’.
“Because he (the ruler) protects people from harm, like a shadow that protects one from the sun’s heat,” he said.
He also cautioned against using religion as a political tool, because it would come at a cost to the religion itself.
“Manifestation of God can be misinterpreted, as in the history of many nations. As a result, a ruler’s greed and oppression becomes legitimised in the name of God,” he added.
(2) Bila pula Sultan jadi bayangan Allah?, 24 Februari 2012
oleh Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin
Minggu ini saya kembali ke Oxford, United Kingdom setelah beberapa minggu berada di Malaysia. Di samping menyambut kedatangan ‘puteri baru’, banyak juga aktiviti yang sempat saya sertai.
Bahang pilihan raya semakin kuat sehingga segala perkara berbau politik. Semasa seminar Islam dan Eropah di Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies (OCIS), baru-baru ini, pengarahnya Dr Farhan Nizami bersembang dengan kami. Beliau memberi pandangannya tentang Malaysia.
Katanya, betapa beliau tidak menyangka bahawa bangsa Melayu yang kelihatan sopan santun itu apabila tiba kepada bab politik, mereka berpolitik habis-habisan. Saya senyum sahaja mendengar ulasannya.
Berkaitan fenomena pilihan raya juga, beberapa hari lalu saya menerima begitu banyak soalan berhubung dengan kenyataan “Raja adalah bayangan Allah di bumi”.
Hadis ini katanya telah diwar-warkan oleh pihak tertentu dalam menjustifikasikan perjuangan tertentu.
Saya dengar ada yang lebih lantang lagi dengan menyebut lafaz asal hadis itu – “al-Sultan adalah bayangan Allah di bumi – bagi merujuk sultan pilihannya. Ada pula yang seakan ingin menyuburkan feudalisme Melayu dengan hadis tersebut.
Saya bergurau dengan sesetengah pihak yang berminat menggunakan hadis itu dengan berkata: “Raja yang menjadi bayangan Allah itu Raja Jordan ke, atau Raja Saudi? Atau Raja Moroko? Oleh kerana terlalu umum, apakah boleh juga digunakan oleh Raja Siam?
Sebenarnya, perkataan yang digunakan dalam hadis ‘al-Sultan, bukan al-Malik (Raja). Jika ia difaham secara bahasa Melayu, mungkin para sultan seperti Sultan Qabos di Oman atau Sultan Brunei tergambar semasa membaca hadis ini.
‘Negara Pasir Berdengung’
Sudah pasti bukan Sultan Damsyik Jani dari ‘Negara Pasir Berdengung’ dalam filem Do Re Mi arahan allahyarham Tan Sri P Ramlee.
Sebenarnya hadis tersebut mempunyai banyak riwayat. Ada yang palsu, ada yang sangat daif (daif jiddan), ada yang daif dan ada yang hasan, ataupun mungkin boleh mendekati sahih.
Antara lafaz yang palsu atau sekurang-kurang teramat daif (bermaksud):
“Al-Sultan bayangan Allah di bumi. Jika mereka berbuat baik bagi mereka pahala dan wajib ke atas kamu syukur. Jika mereka jahat, mereka mendapat dosa, wajib ke atas kamu sabar. Janganlah kejahatannya itu menyebabkan kamu keluar dari ketaatan. Ini kerana, sesungguhnya kehinaan dalam mentaati Allah (dengan mentaati sultan yang jahat) lebih baik dari kekal dalam neraka (kerana menentang sultan). Jika tidak kerana mereka, manusia tidak akan aman”. (Hadis ini dihukum oleh al-Albani sebagai ‘terlalu daif’ dalam Silsilah al-Daifah/ no 1664.)
Namun secara kesimpulan penilaian hadis, setakat lafaz “al-Sultan bayangan Allah di bumi” adalah sahih disebabkan pelbagai riwayat.
Adapun tambahan selepas lafaz tersebut ada yang hasan, daif, sangat daif dan palsu.
Ada juga riwayat dalam al-Jami’ al-Saghir oleh al-Sayuti (meninggal 911H) yang menyebut (bermaksud):
“Al-Sultan bayangan Allah di bumi. Jika seseorang kamu memasuki sesuatu negeri yang tiada sultan padanya, janganlah dia tinggal dalamnya.”
Saya bimbang menjelang musim berkempen ini akan ada yang menggunakan riwayat yang daif ini untuk melarang orang tinggal di negeri-negeri yang tiada sultan seperti Pulau Pinang, Sabah dan Sarawak.
Kemudian, di negara Arab, hanyalah negara Oman yang boleh tinggal dalamnya sebab masih ada Sultan Qabos. Selainnya sudah tiada sultan. Indonesia pun tidak boleh tinggal dalamnya kerana sudah tiada sultan.
Hanya Brunei yang sesuai. Jangan sampai begitu pula tafsiran kita.
Apakah maksud al-Sultan?
Perkataan al-Sultan bukanlah bermaksud pemerintah yang memakai gelaran ‘sultan’. Jika tidak sudah pasti al-Khulafa al-Rasyidin menggunakan gelaran sultan. Sultan bermaksud pihak yang berkuasa.
Ertinya ia merangkumi semua mereka yang mempunyai kuasa pemerintahan tanpa mengira apa pun gelarannya. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq naik memerintah selepas Rasulullah memakai gelaran ‘Khalifah Rasulillah’.
Kemudian pada zaman ‘Umar mula diperkenalkan gelaran ‘Amir al-Mukminin. Selepas itu beberapa dinasti seperti Ayyubiah, Mamalik dan ‘Uthamaniyyah memakai gelaran sultan. Mereka itu kebanyakannya bukan arab. Ada juga yang memakai al-Malik iaitu ‘raja’ dan sebagainya.
Maka hendaklah jelas, perkataan sultan dalam hadis merujuk kepada ulul amri iaitu mereka yang berkuasa memerintah. Jangan putarkan hadis untuk pemainan politik.
Ertinya, secara literal dalam konteks Malaysia, perdana menteri juga zhillu Allah ataupun bayangan Allah di bumi. Demikian Presiden Mesir, Libya dan sebagainya.
Kini kita wajar bertanya apakah maksud bayangan Allah? Apakah kita memahami seperti golongan literalis yang akan melihat sultan atau raja atau penguasa atau presiden sebagai benar-benar bayangan Allah yang kemudian mungkin dijustifikasikan segala tindakannya.
Jika mereka itu berjudi di London ini sehingga tergadai balak dan minyak di negara mereka, apakah itu bayangan Allah? Jika mereka kejam seperti Assad di Syria, atau mereka rasuah dan bermewahan dengan harta rakyat jelata, apakah mereka tetap dimuliakan sebab mereka bayangan Allah?
Bayangan Allah
Jika kita faham makna khalifah, ia bermaksud pengganti ataupun wakil. Apabila kita menyebut manusia khalifah Allah bermaksud manusia mengganti Allah di bumi.
Ketika mentafsirkan Surah al-Baqarah ayat 30 berhubung manusia sebagai khalifah Allah di bumi, al-Imam al-Baidawi berkata:
“Khalifah itu dari bermaksud (segi bahasa) sesiapa yang menggantikan tempat pihak yang lain atau menjadi penggantinya. Yang dimaksudkan dengan khalifah dalam ayat ini adalah Adam AS kerana beliau merupakan khalifah Allah di bumiNya.
“Demikian sekelian nabi yang Allah utuskan mereka sebagai pengganti (khalifah) bagi memakmurkan bumi, menguruskan manusia, menyempurnakan keperluan mereka dan melaksanakan perintah Allah ke atas mereka.” (Al-Baidawi, Anwar al-Tanzil wa Asrar al-Takwil, 1/64).
Makna yang sama merujuk kepada sultan ataupun penguasa itu bayangan Allah di bumi. Bukan bermaksud kesucian penguasa sehingga tidak boleh dibahas dan dipertikaikan. Sama sekali tidak!
Sebab betapa ramai manusia ini yang Allah tabalkan menjadi khalifah telah melakukan kerja yang sebaliknya. Apakah kita tetap mempertahankannya atas nama khalifah Allah?
Justeru al-Imam al-Munawi dalam Faidh al-Qadir ketika menafsir maksud: “al-Sultan bayangan Allah di bumi”, beliau berkata:
“Kerana dia memelihara manusia dari keburukan seperti bayang memelihara dari panas matahari”.
Ya! Demikianlah tugasan penguasa!
Kepentingan politik
Dalam masa yang sama kita hendaklah sedar, bahawa berlebihan dalam menggunakan agama untuk kepentingan politik telah mengorbankan agama itu sendiri. Inilah yang berlaku di Barat yang diistilahkan sebagai secularism ataupun lebih mudah difahami sebagai a movement towards the separation of religion and government.
Walaupun secularism itu mempunyai akar yang lama sejak zaman Greek dan Roman tetapi di Eropah ia subur dan diperjuangkan pada era Enlightenment akibat dari kesedaran rakyat tentang betapa buruk peranan agama dalam politik. Saya akan bahaskan nanti.
Islam memandu politik supaya harmoni dan kudus. Islam bukan alat politik tetapi cahaya yang menerangi jalan politik yang dibina atas maslahah rakyat.
Sultan ataupun penguasa bayangan Tuhan boleh disalahtafsirkan seperti yang berlaku dalam sejarah politik pelbagai bangsa. Akibatnya, kerakusan penguasa mencengkam rakyat dan dihalalkan atas nama Tuhan.
Jika hendak memahami maksud penguasa bayangan Tuhan dalam Islam, fahamilah ucapan Abu Bakr al-Siddiq apabila menjadi khalifah:
"Wahai manusia, sesungguhnya aku telah dilantik menjadi pemimpin kamu, bukanlah aku yang terbaik dalam kalangan kamu. Jika aku betul, tolonglah aku. Jika aku salah, betulkanlah aku. Benar itu adalah amanah, bohong itu adalah khianat.
“Orang yang lemah dalam kalangan kamu adalah kuat di sisi sehingga aku mengembalikan haknya. Orang yang kuat dalam kalangan kamu, lemah di sisiku sehingga aku mengambil daripadanya hak (menghalang apa yang bukan haknya), insya-Allah. Jangan kamu meninggalkan jihad, kerana tidak ada kaum yang meninggalkan jihad, melainkan Allah timpakan mereka dengan kehinaan.
“Taatlah aku selagi aku taatkan Allah dan Rasul-Nya. Jika aku derhakakan Allah dan Rasul-Nya, maka tiada ketaatan untukku." (Ibn Athir, Al-Kamil fi al-Tarikh, 1/361).
Inilah insan yang paling faham maksud sultan itu bayangan Allah di bumi. Jangan kita gadaikan Islam untuk suatu pentafsiran nas yang akhirnya akan menimbulkan syak manusia terhadap Allah dan Rasul-Nya.
・Prof Madya Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin merupakan bekas mufti Perlis. Beliau kini bertugas sebagai zamil di Universiti Oxford.
・Artikel ini pandangan peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya menggambarkan pendirian rasmi Malaysiakini.
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(3) PAS Youth and NGOs protest over Quran burning, 24 February 2012
by Bernama
PAS Youth today handed over a memorandum to the United States embassy in Kuala Lumpur condemning the recent disposal and burning of copies of the Quran in Afghanistan by US troops.
Its chief, Nasruddin Hassan, said the movement wanted the US government to take firm action against the soldiers involved and not just dismiss the matter with an apology to Muslims worldwide.
“We want firm action to be taken because it constitutes an insult to Muslims around the world. An apology is not enough,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
The memorandum was handed over after several members of PAS Youth and non-governmental organisations marched to the embassy following Friday prayers at the Tabung Haji Mosque in Jalan Tun Razak.
US President Barack Obama apologised to Afghans yesterday for the burning of the holy books at a US military base in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, Cheras police chief Asst Comm Mohan Singh Tara Singh, when contacted, confirmed that about 200 people took part in the march to the embassy.
- Bernama
(4) Jingga 13 leads protest against Israeli ships, 22 February 2012
by Jimadie Shah Othman
Several NGOs, including student activists, today protested at Westport near Port Klang against the access of Israeli ships to the port.
The group of about 80, led by PKR-linked NGO Jingga 13 chief coordinator Fariz Musa, demonstrated by yelling out anti-Israel slogans for about an hour.
However, the peaceful assembly was under watch by about 20 uniformed police personnel.
Also at the demonstration was PKR Youth vice chief Azmizam Zaman Huri and student activist Adam Adli.
When contacted, Fariz said the assembly was held as they had received information that another Israeli ship was to dock at the port today.
“We regret the fact that Malaysia has trade relations with Israel as this is akin to helping the illegitimate nation of Israel buy ammunition to kill Palestinians,” he said.
Palestinian embassy next venue
He added more demonstrations will be held over the issue, with one scheduled to take place in front of the Palestinian embassy on Feb 29.
He said that a memorandum containing evidence on Israel trade relations will be submitted to the embassy.
“We chose Feb 29 because we have information that another Israeli ship will dock at Port Klang on that day,” he said.
Malaysiakini’s checks on Haifa-based shipping company Zim Integrated Services Ltd’s website found that the company’s ship HS Chopin which departed Haifa on Feb 13 is due to arrive at Port Klang on Feb 29.
Jingga 13 had earlier this week revealed that ships belonging to Zim Intergated Services Ltd have had free access to Port Klang, despite the government’s claim that it does not have any diplomatic relations with the Zionist state.
However, Minister of International Trade and Industry Mustapa Mohamed said the government does not endorse or encourage trade with Israel, but cannot stop private companies from doing so, even through direct means.
(5) Umno Youth stages protest against 'Israeli agent' PKR, 24 February 2012
by Leven Woon
A group of Umno Youth members today held a noisy pro-Palestine rally outside the PKR headquarters in Petaling Jaya, condemning its de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim's support for Israel's security.
They chanted anti-PKR slogans and critcised Anwar’s recent statement in Wall Street Journal that supported a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine issue.
About 100 Umno Youth members converged at the PKR headquarters about 4pm, after a heavy downpour.
They held up flags of Umno, BN and Palestine and carried banners that read, among others, 'Anwar, you have Palestianian blood on your hands' and 'PKR + Anwar = keldai Israel'.
Accompanied by a delegation of four, Umno Youth secretary Megat Firdouz Megat Junid then tried to submit a memorandum to PKR.
However, the office was closed, for the PKR headquarters personnel had begun their journey to Kuantan for the party retreat that begins tomorrow.
They then approached two PKR Subang Jaya municipal councillors, Michael Tamilarason and Keshvinder Singh, who were at the gate to the office, but the two refused to accept their memorandum.
Megat Firdouz finally placed the memorandum on the gate and left.
Umno Youth in the memorandum calls Anwar a “fork-tongued leader” for recognising the Israeli regime in an interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), despite proclaiming himself to be a fighter for the Islamic struggle.
“We are upset by his statement that is equal to supporting the killing of Palestinians and the cruel regime of Zionists.
Repent, Anwar told
“Now, the entire PKR has become an Israel agent,” Megat Firdouz said, urging Anwar to “repent in the soonest possible time”.
Anwar has come under fire from within and outside the Pakatan Rakyat coalition parties for telling WSJ that he supports “all efforts to protect the security of the state of Israel”.
However, he claimed that the Umno-owned media slandered him by omitting a key part of the interview where he said, “it remains contingent on Israel to respect the aspirations of the Palestinians”.
Asked about this today, Megat Firdouz said Anwar only twisted his words after the issue was exposed.
“Now, he is playing with words. We only saw the words that ‘he supports Israel by all efforts’ in the report,” he said.
On the issue of Israeli ships being allowed to dock at Malaysian ports, Megat Firdouz said the Customs Act allowing this was relaxed by Anwar when he was deputy prime minister and finance minister.
“If they really want to cut off trade ties with Israel, they should ask the Penang government to shut down Intel and the Selangor government to shut down Motorola (both of which trade with Israelis)," he said.
The crowd dispersed peacefully after 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, PKR Youth information chief Rozan Azen Mat Rasip, who arrived at the scene later, said he was puzzled on the motive behind the Umno members’ protest.
“I don’t know why they chose today to come, for we have said that our office is closed today,” Rozan said.
He added that it was up to the PKR secretary-general to respond to the memorandum.
(6) PAS would ban Israeli trade if it comes to power, 24 February 2012
by Kuek Ser Kuang Keng
Highlighting the ‘hypocrisy’ of the government in allowing Israeli trading ships to dock in Malaysian ports, Selangor PAS today declared that the Islamic party would ban all trade with Israel, including letting its ships enter Malaysian waters, should it take over the federal government.
"If we govern the nation, there will not be such double standards. PAS' stand is that Israeli ships cannot dock at our ports because our waters also belong to the people.
“I believe other component parties will accept our stand," Selangor PAS deputy commissioner Khalid Samad told a press conference today.
The press conference in Shah Alam was jointly called by four PAS MPs in Selangor, but only Khalid and Hulu Langat MP Che Rosli Che Mat were able to attend.
Khalid urged the BN government to stop its hypocrisy on the issue of Israel as the Malaysian government continues to turn a blind eye on local trade with Israeli, making Malaysia the 20th largest trading partner of Israel with palm oil being our major export to the country.
"The Felda settlers may feel betrayed by the BN government because their products have been sold to Israel without their knowledge.
"We think that this is not acceptable and we demand a serious explanation from the government," said the Shah Alam MP.
On the differing stands between PAS and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim - the former not recognising Israel while the latter supporting a two-state solution - Khalid described it as an "academic dispute".
"The two-state solution will only be viable if Israel recognises Palestine. At the moment it is an academic dispute.
“If Israel recognises Palestine, then only it will become a real dispute. Now it is just an intellectual dispute," he added.
(End)
