Hisyam Salleh

Morality Of Malay Muslim comunity

2008-10-23T15:26:00.003+08:00

I stumbled across a Talk show that was aired in the television few months back and it shows the latest styles and Hottest trends right now. Eventually the subject leads to the host’s mentioning trends like belly and Pole dancing training( which is basically stripper training in a(‘Fun’ ‘Clean’ environment) homosexual and experimental sex ( as in I kissed a guy/girl and I liked it) Everyone on that show including the host made it perfectly okay for young men and women engage in these activities.It’s new and hottest trend going around . I had to ask myself “ Is the world moving in an increasingly “anything goes” kind of direction? ( I am thinking the Latter)

It seems to me that the world is in moral peril. People nowadays are acting solely and completely off of their “nafsu” (their base desires.) It doesn’t seem to matter if their behavior will negatively impact others in the long run. In fact, it seems as if people don’t even care about themselves. Human life no longer has any value. People kill one another over a step on a sneaker or even a glance.

Women are disrespected left and right; trafficked, molested, prostituted and discarded like trash. People cuss out their parents and physically assault them. Babies and pregnant women are killed without a thought. I saw this article in the newspaper says that A Malaysian Woman had wrapped her newly born baby in a prayer mat and place it in a mosque.

Since I am a Malay , I have to say that I am all the more concerned about moral decline and how it is affecting both of my communities I have to say that one of the areas I’m most concerned about when it comes to morality is marriage and relationships. We’re in trouble people and I hope I am not the only one who sees it! I am appalled by some the activities I see taking place in the Malay community that have been completely normalized. Those activities include:

1. Having multiple sexual partners (in many cases not using protection.)
2. Rampant infidelity (again, not using protection.)
3. Men fathering children and walking away without a care in the world.
4. Women having baby after baby with different men (none of whom are responsible or interested in marriage or creating a family unit.)
5. The increasing amount of young women and girls engaging in prostitution (this includes the ‘you-got-to-pay-to-play’ mentality.)
6. The normalization of stripping/exotic dancing (which in many cases leads to prostitution.)
7. The complete lack of shyness when it comes to dress or behavior. (Yesterday I actually saw a young girl- no older than 12 or 13- walking down a very busy street in nothing but a tight t-shirt and a short tight fitting short. Sadly, grown men were leaning out their cars and honking at her).

I could go on but I will stop here.

About Blogging

2008-10-23T15:10:00.003+08:00

What do you think?

The other day I was having a conversation with a friend of mine about blogging and whether I have a responsibility to the people- you- who are reading what I write. He was saying that I do. I disagreed with him for the most part. I acknowledged that I have some degree of responsibility for the things I’m writing about but I also felt (feel) like I never posited myself as the resident mufti or advice columnist. I am merely sharing my thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and experiences with you. Sometimes my posts can be serious in nature, other times they are not. I argued that I didn’t start this blog so that I could create a bunch of hypocrites I’m not trying to control anyone’s mind.

From this blog’s inception I started out by saying that I knew my views would spark controversy at times. I felt (and still feel) the Muslim community is steeped in denial when it comes to certain issues. We do not want to talk about or deal with certain things so everyone falls back on the Islamic ideal. (This in turn causes many of us to behave as if we are perfect; like we always behave in accordance to Islamic principles).

Meanwhile, little is being been done to change the condition of our community. I’ve also felt (and still feel) that certain people’s voices have not been heard in the Muslim community. By addressing certain subjects on my blog I hoped to engage in an act of resistance. Speaking out by blogging can be a good way to do that.

Vengence..

2008-10-20T11:22:00.002+08:00

I’ve watched the Count of Monte Cristo on HBO over the last fortnight or so, and it got me thinking about revenge. There’s no need to start watching your backs or anything, unless you’ve actually done something to me which merits me reeking my revenge of course, but I’d like to take a little survey about what people think is the best revenge.
In that movie, the Count works to destroy the lives of three people who took everything from him, but regrets some of the outcomes of his efforts. His vengeance makes it difficult from him to seek happiness and so he suffers from it also. I generally think the best revenge is living well, that those who have wronged us shouldn’t even get to think they are worthy of our thoughts enough to plot and execute revenge, and we get to keep our moral integrity… although in specific cases I may sometimes think differently!

Is revenge a dish best served cold, but always which always leaves a bitter aftertaste? Or is retribution something we should leave out of our actions for reasons of lack of knowing the bigger picture, karma, our own sanity, or some other spiritual, moral or practical reason? Or perhaps there is some middle ground where we get back a little but not too much? Just enough to make us feel better, not quite enough to be anything really bad… I, personally, have always loved the idea of putting a stock cube in someone’s showerhead, or pour fish oil into the bonnet of their car… but maybe that’s just very juvenile.
I want your thoughts and stories about revenge

Hello!

2008-10-20T11:06:00.002+08:00

Asalaamualaikum,

I’m still alive. (In case you’re wondering where I am). I’ve been busy working my attachment job and been making my cv's to be sent to companys, trying to lay some temp job while waiting for my graduation next year. I’m also trying to complete the 6 days Shawwal (my sunnah's,kinda having a hard time with that one!) and doing some spiritual reflection/assessment.

Being a Muslim

2008-09-23T05:57:00.003+08:00

Being a Muslim in Perspective: Part 1

“I could never wear ‘Tudong’ on my head”…”It’s hot and it ruins my hairdo”.

“I couldn’t imagine fasting for the month of Ramadan” I couldn’t bear not eating for hours…!

“I like to go clubbing”,“Carnival is my life”

“I don’t think I could pray 5 times a day” I’m busy with my work..

“I love women/men too much”

“I have to drink a glass of wine every now and then”

etc. etc. How many times has someone uttered the aforementioned phrases to me? And how many times have I thought to yourself, Is this person really serious? Believe me, I’ve heard a thousand and one reasons why family members and friends have a hard time in practicing the Basic Islamic practices which are considered as “Fardhu or “Wajib”. For some reason those practices are cramping their current lifestyle.

The way I see it, when you combine faith and dedication, you can give up or do anything (even the things you previously said you could not do or give up.) I cannot imagine standing before Allah on judgment day and saying, “Well, I couldn’t at least make the effort to submit to you because I enjoy life too much or being busy with it.” I realize that trying to be a religious person, a person who lives a God-centered life, means that I will have to give up some of the things I used to love. I realize that I will have to make small changes in my life or even drastic ones. After all, how is there growth or improvement if my lifestyle and my behavior stays exactly the same as it did before I committed myself to Allah S.W.T? One of the things I’ve had to accept is that I won’t be able to partake in everything that goes on in the world. And “Alhamdulilah” for that!

However, that is not to say that a person will not have struggles. Being a muslim or any religion for that matter, you have and would still have things to struggle with. I think that is the nature of a faith. In some matters we will struggle and then succeed. In others matters we will find ourselves succeeding one moment and then right back where we started. As frustrating as it is, I believe that Allah recognizes the effort and judges us by the intention to improve and not just by the success itself.

A SURVEY

2008-09-13T18:03:00.001+08:00

How does Blogging change People?A Survey

I actually find blogging to be therapeutical. It sort of dissipates the feeling of displeasure I have over anything so I don’t remain harboring anger or annoyances (even if I don’t blog about the issue at hand) but most blogs does it and it’s quite amusing reading their reviews.

Another thing I noticed (and this may be slightly negative) is that most bloggers have become awfully quiet recently, and I think it’s because they have ‘talked’ so much on their blog. It’s like when people ask you how you are, and you just don’t want to discuss it because you’ve already written on your blog, and you just asked them to go and read your blog. So most of them might just say, “I’m good” without further elaboration

It’s ridiculous, and when you’re quiet, people think you’re tired, or sad or something you’re not.
So, I figured I’d make this slightly interactive for a change, and therefore ask those of you who read this: How has blogging changed you and your life?

BLOG IS LIKE A GARDEN, HOW DOES YOUR'S GROWS?

2008-09-13T16:28:00.000+08:00

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROWS?

It may be a strange analogy, but I feel that blogging is similar to gardening in the sense that they both kind of grow when nurtured. And when it comes to gardening, if neglected weeds will grow, and for blogging, when neglected, spam will collect or someone might take over your url. I’ve read about it! He He!

Anyway, analogies aside, I’ve been spending some time thinking about my blog, although I am newbie at this but I will try to improve it as I go along with it. Insyallah.

When I first started on this blog, I only had a very vague idea about what a blog was. I only enjoy reading my friends blogs however most of them are photo bloggers and I am not into those things. So I thought I gave it try then this blog come into existence.

I actually wanted to narrate about my life, my experience during the yesteryears with my family and friends but I find it a bit difficult. Firstly, there’s a limit to the misadventures that could occur to a bunch of young people, and secondly, it seems much harder to narrate things from the past, code name everyone with initials to protect their identities that even I forget who is who at times. But who knows, I may always go in that direction, since there are no proper rules in blogging (and the fact that I will not attempt submitting my blog to ruthless reviewers who will tear apart every single thing - though I must admit, the one and only review I have submitted this few days didn’t have much to complain other than the lack of visuals to work with!) I will just stick to current stories and daily complaints. Ha! Ha!

Ramadan Aspirations, Looking Back.

2008-09-13T06:09:00.000+08:00

RAMADAN ASPIRATIONS, LOOKING BACK

I have started thinking my Ramadhan Aspirations. Overall, what I really want is to keep moving forward in improving my understanding about Islam. I want to successfully implement Islamic practices into my lifestyle and keep them. I want to move to another spiritual level and not find myself trying get back there again come next Ramadan. Although that’s the only time when im actively indulging myself in reading the Quran. Alhamdulillah, I have successfully maintained some of the goals I set for myself last Ramadan. I’m doing all of the Fardhu and Sunnah prayers (alhamdulillah), I pray Tarawih/Witr almost every night and I read few pages of Quran everyday, not accounting the Tadarus. Goals I haven’t successfully achieved? Reducing my “dunya intake” (less TV, less magazines, less STUFF) and spending some quiet time doing dhikr.

Needless to say, I will be working on the aforementioned goals from last Ramadan and one new one. So, here are my goals:
(1) Dedicate at least a half an hour per day to the remembrance of Allah (dhikr).

(2) Not to miss Tarawih prayers. Insyallah.

(3) Read atleast two pages of The Quran.

(4) Reduce my “dunya intake” by replacing it with Islamic activities or self-development activities. (Connects to number 1)

More than anything I want to use the month of Ramadan as time to strengthen my iman. May Allah help us all to achieve our goals. Amin!

Works keep piling up!

2008-09-10T12:57:00.000+08:00

hmm.. i guess the picture says it all.

Jogging

2008-09-10T12:40:00.000+08:00

I finally weighed myself today and I have lost, drum roll please.....
4 POUNDS! Hip, hip, HOORAY! Hip, hip, HOORAY! Four down, 12ish to go. I've been working out, and boy do I feel like this guy! I don't know how I managed to get this weak, but I know I'll never do this to myself again! I've been trying to jog a little... I did try it again the other day and made it about 5 minutes farther.. baby steps. So, I'm working really hard at just trying to workout. At least my efforts are paying off. I'm allowing myself one or two times a week to really 'cheat' on my healthier eating. Typically during nights of ramadhan right after tarawih and tadarus(small group.. always lots of good food!) and Sungkai. I have to have some fun here! (at least until my weight loss stalls.. then I'll have to get more strict. Not now though!) Am I the only one that is realizing how much they totally suck fitness wise right now? I feel like I've got such a long way to go before I get to where I want to be. I'm glad I started when I did... it sure wasn't going to get any better on its own!

Prologue

2008-09-08T00:28:00.000+08:00

“Life’s a series of pulls back and forth. You want to do one thing, but you are bound to do something else. Something hurts you, yet you know it shouldn’t. You take some things for granted, even when you know you should not take anything for granted”.

-taken from “Tuesday with Morrie"

I like to acknowledge my thanks to a very wonderful person, whose been there the whole time in creating this blog. Thank you......:)