WHAT IS ISLAM?
By: Kassim Ahmad
24 June, 2006
Although the question jars on some Muslims ears, to pose it in the context of the current international situation is both valid and acutely relevant. Not only Muslims, but the West, and therefore the world, for different reasons, of course, are confused as to what Islam is.
To put the answer first, succinctly, the answer is this: We must clearly distinguish the Islam as taught and propagated by the prophets, at least from the time Prophet Abraham right down to the last of the prophets, Muhammad, solely represented by the last perfected of God’s scriptures to mankind, the Quran. This is the true Islam. The other ‘Islam’ that most Muslims inherited from their great-grand fathers, is codified and falsely sanctified in the tombs of traditional theology and jurisprudence, from around three hundred years after Prophet Muhammad’s death. Simply put, it is the Islam of the Prophets versus the ‘Islam’ of the theologians.
What are the major differences between the two? It is extremely important that Muslims and the West understand this now in order to avoid further pain and disasters for both.
Firstly, the first and true Islam is first and foremost inclusive, whereas the second practices exclusivity. This is because Islam recognizes and acknowledges all the prophets and messengers of God, from Adam to Muhammad, including Moses and Jesus, to whom God gave the Old and the New Testaments. Verse 62 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2) of the Quran acknolwledges, among many other similar verses, the original monotheism of the Jews, Christians and other religions, whose adherents are promised salvation, as revealed in these verses.
Secondly, the first and true Islam accepts and practices toleration of other religions, whereas the second does not.. The verse “To you your religion; to me my religion.” ( Quran, 109: 6) unequivocally testifies to this.
Thirdly, the first and true Islam accords perfect and absolute freedom of belief, whereas the second does not. This is because the second ‘Islam’ interprets the Quran by the Hadith, the so-called Prophetic Traditions, made compulsory on Muslims after Imam Shafie so enunciated it in his book, Al-Risala, two hundred and fifty years after Prophet Muhammad’s death.
Fourthly, the first and true Islam proclaims itself the Religion of Truth (Quran, 48: 28; 9: 33; 41: 53 & 61: 9) and the Religion of God (Quran, 110: 2), which will naturally prevail over all false religions in the future. This will come about, not through force, but through the inevitable but natural triumph of truth over falsehood.
Fifthly, the first and true Islam propagates a world legal system based on justice and compassion, whereas the second’s legal system, the so-called Shariah is arbitrarily based on many mistaken perceptions by traditional legal practitioners, as witness the so-called fixed Hudud laws. The Arabic word ‘hudud’ (sing. ‘had’) actually means ‘boundary’. It has nothing to do with law. The word clearly refers to the parameters of the Islamic worldview, or in today’s terminology, ‘paradigm’.
Sixthly, the first and true Islam places human welfare as the highest priority on par with obedience to God, as witness God’s elevation of the human being to a status of His vicegerent in the Cosmos. Whereas the ‘Islam’ of the theologians almost crashes the human being beneath the weight of Divine Omnipotence, of course, under their self-proclaimed tutelage.
Seventhly, the first and true Islam has no priesthood, whereas the second has, giving themselves the false title of ‘Guardians of the Faith’. In the first and true Islam, the individual approaches God directly without any intermediary, for the very idea of intermediary automatically nullifies monotheism.
Eightly, the first and true Islam teaches and propagates democratic governance as opposed to a theocracy as propagated by the second ‘Islam’, as witness Iran under the mullah. Moreover, the first Islam teaches and propagates a humanistic and moral governance. It also advocates a just and fair economic and financial system, free from blood-sucking usury, the bane of the present bankrupt Anglo-American system. In Medina, Prophet Muhammad set up the first city-state (later to become the first nation-state to cover the whole of the Arabian Peninsula), with a written constitution in the history of the world. This nation-state is not to be counter-posed to the idea of either a universal Ummah or an international society, just as nationalism is not contradictory to internationalism.
Ninthly, the first and true Islam allows pluralism in religion, culture, politics and law, as it believes firmly in the triumph of truth, justice and compassion in the end, as this is actually the Grand Divine Plan for mankind. So the likes of George W. Bush, Tony Blair and the rest of their criminal gang of fascists, who are presently strutting the world presuming to police it, will soon disappear.
Tenthly, the first and true Islam, seeks, works towards and struggles for a just world, where as the second ‘Islam’ is a hotch-potch of confusion, leading mankind to nowhere. It also envisions an unending moral and spiritual ascent for Man. The first and true Islam had been that way at the time of the prophets and it has been that way since. It shall be realized, as this is God’s Grand Plan for His Humanity. None can frustrate it.
It is obvious that corrections must now be made to bring forth the first and true Islam to Muslims themselves and to the world. This clearly cannot be done by the detractors of Islam, the enemy from without and from within. The Muslims themselves must reclaim this Islam of the Prophets from the theologians who have falsely arrogated the power of God unto themselves. Muslims must also realize that there exist true believers in the One God in other religions and we must work closely with them to bring about a better and just world for our children and for posterity.
Kassim Ahmad is a Malaysian free-lance writer based in Penang. He can be contacted at kasmad172@yahoo.com.my. His website is www.kassimahmad.blopgspot.com
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
DEBAT DR MAHATHIR-KERAJAAN PAK LAH
MENANGANI MASALAH PERBEZAAN PENDAPAT
Oleh: Kassim Ahmad
27 Jun, 2006
Debat antara bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad dan Kerajaan Pak Lah, nampaknya, sukar dibendung. Apakah ini baik untuk UMNO, untuk Barisan Nasional dan untuk bangsa kita seluruhnya? Ini soalan yang patut kita fikirkan dengan teliti dan bijaksana.
Berpandukan kitab suci kita, kita harus menyelesaikan semua masalah kita melalui perundingan. Nampaknya, dalam debat ini, tahap ini sudah berlalu dan mungkin kita tidak dapat berpatah balik lagi. Mengapa ia jadi begini perlu disiasat. Kemungkinan besar, perbezaan pendapat ini disebabkan oleh faktor yang asing. Faktor ini ialah komplot musuh. Jika ini sudah berlaku, ini tanda bangsa kita akan musnah.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Mohammed Nazri Abd. Aziz telah mengishtiharkan perang terhadap Tun Dr. Mahathir. Mengapa sampai begitu? Tidakkah ada cara lain untuk menyelesaikan perselisihan pendapat ini? Suara siapa yang beliau suarakan?
Sebagai pemimpin parti dan Kerajaan, Pak Lah mestilah bertindak tegas dan bijaksana menganjurkan penyelesaian melalui perundingan yang produktif, yakni perundingan ini mestilah dengan jujur untuk mencarai penyelesaian, selaras dengan kepentingan UMNO dan bangsa.
Kita semua tahu UMNO, dalam usianya 60 tahun sekarang, sudah banyak rosak, dirosakkan oleh semangat materislisme yang berlebihan. Namun demikian, ia masih boleh dan perlu diperbetulkan, kerana masih tiada parti lain, malangnya, yang boleh menggantikan UMNO dalam keadaan sekarang.
PAS dan Keadilan, sebagai dua buah parti yang ingin menggantikan tempat UMNO, memang boleh berbuat demikian, jika pemimpin-peminpin mereka jujur dan sanggup meletakkan kepentingan bangsa melebihi kepentingan ideologi dan ego pemimpin masing-masing.
Kita harus sedar siapa musuh kita sekarang dan kita mesti mempunyai kewaspadaan yang tinggi terhadap musuh itu. Lihat komplot musuh ini di Asia Tenggara. Lapan tahun Perang Iran-Iraq ialah komplot mereka yang besar. Ia suatu tragedi yang besar bagi umat Islam. Sekarang di atas nama Perang terhadap Keganasan Antarabangsa mereka melancar suatu lagi komplot – yang memecahkan masyarakat-masyarakat Iraq dan Pakestin. “Pecah-pecah dan perintah” ialah taktik klasik mereka yang tidak pernah ditinggalkan, dan kita tetap lalai dan terpeangkap di dalamnya! Di bawah komplot ini, mereka juga hendak menyerang Iran dan Syria, dan dengan demikian, mereka harap akan mengubah peta dunia untuk memberikan mereka “Tatadunia Baru” di bawah penguasaan A.S.-Britain-Israel.
Quran mengajar kita, jika dua puak orang mukmin berperang, hendaklah kita damaikan mereka. Tetapi jika suatu puak menceroboh yang lain, kita diperintahkan berperang dengan puak itu hingga ia patuhi perintah Tuhan. (Lihat Quran, 49: 9)
Tentu saja ada kalangan munafik di antara kita: berpura-pura beriman, tetapi sebenarnya kafir. Kumpulan ini mesti didedahkan, kerana mereka merupakan musuh dalam selimut yang sangat berbahaya.
Pak Lah sebagai pemimpin parti dan Kerajaan memikul tanggungjawab berat memegang amanah bangsa Malaysia. Tiada amanah lain yang harus beliau tatah kecuali itu. Baru-baru ini kita dapat tahu bahawa sebuah Kumpulan Tempur Angkatan Laut Amerika Syarikat, sebagian dari tiga Kumpulan Tempur, berlabuh di Pelabuhan Kelang kita, nyata untuk mengheret kita ke dalam komplot perangnya terhadap Iran, sebuah anggota NAM dan OIC yang masih kita pengerusikan. Juga timbul berita bahawa Malaysia akan mengiktiraf negara kolonial Yahudi di Palestin dalam tempoh terdekat. Ini semua tanda-tanda yang tidak baik dan amat berbahaya kepada kedaulatan negara dan bangsa kita.
Pak Lah, UMNO dan bangsa Melayu sekarang menghadapi suatu masa yang amat genting. Hanya ketakwaan kepada Allah, kesetiaan kepada bangsa dan kejujuran yang tinggi yang boleh menyelamatkan kita dari kehancuran yang menanti.
Kassim Ahmad seorang penulis bebas yang tinggal di Pulau Pinang. Beliau boleh dihubungi di kasmad172@yahoo.com.my Laman web beliau www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com
MENANGANI MASALAH PERBEZAAN PENDAPAT
Oleh: Kassim Ahmad
27 Jun, 2006
Debat antara bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad dan Kerajaan Pak Lah, nampaknya, sukar dibendung. Apakah ini baik untuk UMNO, untuk Barisan Nasional dan untuk bangsa kita seluruhnya? Ini soalan yang patut kita fikirkan dengan teliti dan bijaksana.
Berpandukan kitab suci kita, kita harus menyelesaikan semua masalah kita melalui perundingan. Nampaknya, dalam debat ini, tahap ini sudah berlalu dan mungkin kita tidak dapat berpatah balik lagi. Mengapa ia jadi begini perlu disiasat. Kemungkinan besar, perbezaan pendapat ini disebabkan oleh faktor yang asing. Faktor ini ialah komplot musuh. Jika ini sudah berlaku, ini tanda bangsa kita akan musnah.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Mohammed Nazri Abd. Aziz telah mengishtiharkan perang terhadap Tun Dr. Mahathir. Mengapa sampai begitu? Tidakkah ada cara lain untuk menyelesaikan perselisihan pendapat ini? Suara siapa yang beliau suarakan?
Sebagai pemimpin parti dan Kerajaan, Pak Lah mestilah bertindak tegas dan bijaksana menganjurkan penyelesaian melalui perundingan yang produktif, yakni perundingan ini mestilah dengan jujur untuk mencarai penyelesaian, selaras dengan kepentingan UMNO dan bangsa.
Kita semua tahu UMNO, dalam usianya 60 tahun sekarang, sudah banyak rosak, dirosakkan oleh semangat materislisme yang berlebihan. Namun demikian, ia masih boleh dan perlu diperbetulkan, kerana masih tiada parti lain, malangnya, yang boleh menggantikan UMNO dalam keadaan sekarang.
PAS dan Keadilan, sebagai dua buah parti yang ingin menggantikan tempat UMNO, memang boleh berbuat demikian, jika pemimpin-peminpin mereka jujur dan sanggup meletakkan kepentingan bangsa melebihi kepentingan ideologi dan ego pemimpin masing-masing.
Kita harus sedar siapa musuh kita sekarang dan kita mesti mempunyai kewaspadaan yang tinggi terhadap musuh itu. Lihat komplot musuh ini di Asia Tenggara. Lapan tahun Perang Iran-Iraq ialah komplot mereka yang besar. Ia suatu tragedi yang besar bagi umat Islam. Sekarang di atas nama Perang terhadap Keganasan Antarabangsa mereka melancar suatu lagi komplot – yang memecahkan masyarakat-masyarakat Iraq dan Pakestin. “Pecah-pecah dan perintah” ialah taktik klasik mereka yang tidak pernah ditinggalkan, dan kita tetap lalai dan terpeangkap di dalamnya! Di bawah komplot ini, mereka juga hendak menyerang Iran dan Syria, dan dengan demikian, mereka harap akan mengubah peta dunia untuk memberikan mereka “Tatadunia Baru” di bawah penguasaan A.S.-Britain-Israel.
Quran mengajar kita, jika dua puak orang mukmin berperang, hendaklah kita damaikan mereka. Tetapi jika suatu puak menceroboh yang lain, kita diperintahkan berperang dengan puak itu hingga ia patuhi perintah Tuhan. (Lihat Quran, 49: 9)
Tentu saja ada kalangan munafik di antara kita: berpura-pura beriman, tetapi sebenarnya kafir. Kumpulan ini mesti didedahkan, kerana mereka merupakan musuh dalam selimut yang sangat berbahaya.
Pak Lah sebagai pemimpin parti dan Kerajaan memikul tanggungjawab berat memegang amanah bangsa Malaysia. Tiada amanah lain yang harus beliau tatah kecuali itu. Baru-baru ini kita dapat tahu bahawa sebuah Kumpulan Tempur Angkatan Laut Amerika Syarikat, sebagian dari tiga Kumpulan Tempur, berlabuh di Pelabuhan Kelang kita, nyata untuk mengheret kita ke dalam komplot perangnya terhadap Iran, sebuah anggota NAM dan OIC yang masih kita pengerusikan. Juga timbul berita bahawa Malaysia akan mengiktiraf negara kolonial Yahudi di Palestin dalam tempoh terdekat. Ini semua tanda-tanda yang tidak baik dan amat berbahaya kepada kedaulatan negara dan bangsa kita.
Pak Lah, UMNO dan bangsa Melayu sekarang menghadapi suatu masa yang amat genting. Hanya ketakwaan kepada Allah, kesetiaan kepada bangsa dan kejujuran yang tinggi yang boleh menyelamatkan kita dari kehancuran yang menanti.
Kassim Ahmad seorang penulis bebas yang tinggal di Pulau Pinang. Beliau boleh dihubungi di kasmad172@yahoo.com.my Laman web beliau www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
IS FREEDOM RESTRICTIVE?
A COMMENT
By: Kassim Ahmad
6th June, 2006
Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad of IKIM, in his weekly Tuesday column (The Star, 6th June, p. 32), makes the provocative statement: “Man has no right to do wrong.” In a discussion on freedom, does this statement make sense? I think not.
In order to be free, man must be free to make mistakes. To learn by trial and error, a human trait, perhaps a trait of all forms of life, is a fact of life. A child cannot learn to walk unless he falls a few times before he can properly walk. This rule applies universally.
When God wanted to create Adam, a human being, His vicegerent on Earth, the angels protested, because the angels only knew the animal kingdom, peopled by havoc-making beings. God simply replied that He knew better, because God knows the future as the present – an Eternal Now. So the angels were ordered to bow down to Adam, an unheard of order, because Adam was only a creature, a servant of God, Only Whom all beings bow down to. One of the angles did not obey the divine order, and he automatically became the Devil, the perennial opponent of the Lord. The principle of rebellion against God is, hereby, introduced into the concept of freedom. Man’s freedom to believe in God must, ipso facto, include his freedom not to believe in Him. Therefore, the so-called Hadith punishment of apostasy is illegal in a true concept of divine law, or Syariah.
This allegorical story of the creation of Adam serves to show the complementarity of opposites. Even God, the Absolute Master, allows opposition to Him, because without opposition, the Truth, in fact He, God, cannot be revealed.
Wan Azhar, in that article, counterposed humanism to Islamic worldview. Is this correct? Is Islam against humanism? I think not. The concept of Adam, Man, as vicegerent of God on Earth, extended to cover the whole Cosmos or God’s creation, is a very strong Divine endorsement of Man and his place in the Universe. God Himself places the whole of His creation in the service of Man. This is confirmed by His order to the Angles to bow down to Adam.
I think the confusion arise in the concept of humanism. The term “secular humanism” that Wan Azhar uses in that article refers to a defective concept of humanism, a humanism that is sectarian and not universal, and therefore devoid of moral and spiritual dimensions – a materialist humanism, if you like, that has led to worldwide European colonialism, two disastrous World Wars, and great chaos in the world, climaxing in what is now called globalization.
Wan Azhar makes the same mistake, equating the present mostly man-made extra-Quranic Syariah with the true divine-based Law.
As in all things, freedom should be understood in its entire sweep of cosmic movement. Man, of course, came from an unfree state. He originates from the bowels of the Earth, coming through the ladder of evolution, up and up until at a historical point he became human (at which point this story of Adam’s creation takes place), yet going further up and up, eons from now, till this honoured and perfected creature of God meets Him to achieve the great destiny of Man that God has planned for him.
Although Wan Azhar does not does not consider philosophical determinism as opposed to the concept of freedom, it is pertinent that we should briefly refer to it. God’s creation is said to be done in exact measure, apparently meaning that everything has been decided from beginning to end. Since philosophical determinism goes counter to the concept of man’s responsibility and punishment, the Muslim theologians have constructed a half-way house, called in Arabic ikhtiyar or to strive. This term, however, does not connote real freedom, but simply an attempt to apply a freedom that is somehow limited. To understand the matter clearly, we have to clearly distinguish between the comprehensive knowledge of an All-Knowledgeable God, on the one hand, and His actions or His desires, on the other. God, being Perfect, simply does not originate or propagate evil. Evil, as we have seen, is the result of the principle of rebellion born out of the concept of freedom given to Man.
In that story, God forbids Adam and his wife, Eve, from approaching the Tree of Knowledge. This is God’s way of telling us that knowledge is highly dangerous, but He did not really stop Adam and Eve from doing that. In fact, He allows the Devil to entice them to do just that. So today we understand the terrible meaning of that censure. We are in possession of such great power, nuclear energy, that we can literally wipe the human race from the face of the Earth, or create a paradise on it! This grand story serves to show that only the morally fit among mankind can and should bear the awesome burden of responsibility.
Now, look at how the opposites have come into play to salvage the situation. We know that George W. Bush and his gang of neo-conservative thugs (I wish I can use better words to describe them!) would like to obliterate the Earth, if they can ensure their survival. This they obviously cannot.
Now we can understand God’s wisdom when He silenced the opposition of the protesting angels by simply saying He knew better. Many of us, throughout the ages, never believed that a better world was going to be born and we remained loyal to or compromised with the oligarchical slave system of oppression. But the prophets, since the time of Noah, if not earlier, up to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, did and fought to change it, and they were and are right. The slave leader, Spartacus, who rose against the might of Rome, believed in that and fought. Had they not fought, would we be here today?
Of course, the good people of the world want to see a moral world being born tomorrow to replace the system of immorality of Bush and his worldwide gang of fascists. But, if these good people are free, and they are free, how can they get that world without fighting for it? Having misbehaved themselves these last ten years and more down the years and ages, this gang of thugs have thoroughly exposed the devilish intent of their minds? Now that that lies exposed to the world, the world can and will make the final inevitable judgement!
That is how Man progresses morally and spiritually. Therefore, to be truly free, we must be free to do wrong, so that the wrong can be exposed, contained and eliminated by the willing actions of free men.
Kassim Ahmad is a Malaysian free-lance writer living in Penang. He can be contacted at kasmad172@yahoo.com.my). His website is: www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com
A COMMENT
By: Kassim Ahmad
6th June, 2006
Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad of IKIM, in his weekly Tuesday column (The Star, 6th June, p. 32), makes the provocative statement: “Man has no right to do wrong.” In a discussion on freedom, does this statement make sense? I think not.
In order to be free, man must be free to make mistakes. To learn by trial and error, a human trait, perhaps a trait of all forms of life, is a fact of life. A child cannot learn to walk unless he falls a few times before he can properly walk. This rule applies universally.
When God wanted to create Adam, a human being, His vicegerent on Earth, the angels protested, because the angels only knew the animal kingdom, peopled by havoc-making beings. God simply replied that He knew better, because God knows the future as the present – an Eternal Now. So the angels were ordered to bow down to Adam, an unheard of order, because Adam was only a creature, a servant of God, Only Whom all beings bow down to. One of the angles did not obey the divine order, and he automatically became the Devil, the perennial opponent of the Lord. The principle of rebellion against God is, hereby, introduced into the concept of freedom. Man’s freedom to believe in God must, ipso facto, include his freedom not to believe in Him. Therefore, the so-called Hadith punishment of apostasy is illegal in a true concept of divine law, or Syariah.
This allegorical story of the creation of Adam serves to show the complementarity of opposites. Even God, the Absolute Master, allows opposition to Him, because without opposition, the Truth, in fact He, God, cannot be revealed.
Wan Azhar, in that article, counterposed humanism to Islamic worldview. Is this correct? Is Islam against humanism? I think not. The concept of Adam, Man, as vicegerent of God on Earth, extended to cover the whole Cosmos or God’s creation, is a very strong Divine endorsement of Man and his place in the Universe. God Himself places the whole of His creation in the service of Man. This is confirmed by His order to the Angles to bow down to Adam.
I think the confusion arise in the concept of humanism. The term “secular humanism” that Wan Azhar uses in that article refers to a defective concept of humanism, a humanism that is sectarian and not universal, and therefore devoid of moral and spiritual dimensions – a materialist humanism, if you like, that has led to worldwide European colonialism, two disastrous World Wars, and great chaos in the world, climaxing in what is now called globalization.
Wan Azhar makes the same mistake, equating the present mostly man-made extra-Quranic Syariah with the true divine-based Law.
As in all things, freedom should be understood in its entire sweep of cosmic movement. Man, of course, came from an unfree state. He originates from the bowels of the Earth, coming through the ladder of evolution, up and up until at a historical point he became human (at which point this story of Adam’s creation takes place), yet going further up and up, eons from now, till this honoured and perfected creature of God meets Him to achieve the great destiny of Man that God has planned for him.
Although Wan Azhar does not does not consider philosophical determinism as opposed to the concept of freedom, it is pertinent that we should briefly refer to it. God’s creation is said to be done in exact measure, apparently meaning that everything has been decided from beginning to end. Since philosophical determinism goes counter to the concept of man’s responsibility and punishment, the Muslim theologians have constructed a half-way house, called in Arabic ikhtiyar or to strive. This term, however, does not connote real freedom, but simply an attempt to apply a freedom that is somehow limited. To understand the matter clearly, we have to clearly distinguish between the comprehensive knowledge of an All-Knowledgeable God, on the one hand, and His actions or His desires, on the other. God, being Perfect, simply does not originate or propagate evil. Evil, as we have seen, is the result of the principle of rebellion born out of the concept of freedom given to Man.
In that story, God forbids Adam and his wife, Eve, from approaching the Tree of Knowledge. This is God’s way of telling us that knowledge is highly dangerous, but He did not really stop Adam and Eve from doing that. In fact, He allows the Devil to entice them to do just that. So today we understand the terrible meaning of that censure. We are in possession of such great power, nuclear energy, that we can literally wipe the human race from the face of the Earth, or create a paradise on it! This grand story serves to show that only the morally fit among mankind can and should bear the awesome burden of responsibility.
Now, look at how the opposites have come into play to salvage the situation. We know that George W. Bush and his gang of neo-conservative thugs (I wish I can use better words to describe them!) would like to obliterate the Earth, if they can ensure their survival. This they obviously cannot.
Now we can understand God’s wisdom when He silenced the opposition of the protesting angels by simply saying He knew better. Many of us, throughout the ages, never believed that a better world was going to be born and we remained loyal to or compromised with the oligarchical slave system of oppression. But the prophets, since the time of Noah, if not earlier, up to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, did and fought to change it, and they were and are right. The slave leader, Spartacus, who rose against the might of Rome, believed in that and fought. Had they not fought, would we be here today?
Of course, the good people of the world want to see a moral world being born tomorrow to replace the system of immorality of Bush and his worldwide gang of fascists. But, if these good people are free, and they are free, how can they get that world without fighting for it? Having misbehaved themselves these last ten years and more down the years and ages, this gang of thugs have thoroughly exposed the devilish intent of their minds? Now that that lies exposed to the world, the world can and will make the final inevitable judgement!
That is how Man progresses morally and spiritually. Therefore, to be truly free, we must be free to do wrong, so that the wrong can be exposed, contained and eliminated by the willing actions of free men.
Kassim Ahmad is a Malaysian free-lance writer living in Penang. He can be contacted at kasmad172@yahoo.com.my). His website is: www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com
Saturday, June 10, 2006
THE MAHATHIR-PAK LAH GOVERNMENT DEBATE
A COMMENT
By: Kassim Ahmad
10 June, 2006
It has been brewing for some time and it has now come out fully in the open. This debate is healthy and good. Everybody knows what mettle Mahathir is made of. Says Tengku Razaleigh, “Mahathir cannot be influenced by anyone, no one can silence him. He is not afraid of anyone and I admire a man like that.”
Pak Lah’s so-called “quiet elegance” about Mahathr’s criticism of his administration cannot resolve the matter. Most government ministers’, ex-ministers’ and some veteran UMNO politicians’ statements and comments, unfortunately, do not help also. Like everybody else, Tun Dr. Mahathir has a right to make comments on the way the Government is running the country. Nobody should say that he should not “interfere” or criticize him for making his unhappiness public. As he rightly said, “I want answers to my questions.” Have these questions been answered? No, they have not.
Apparently, deeper questions that may affect the country’s independence and sovereignty are at stake. These have to be properly and wisely resolved. Tengku Razaleigh’s statement (The Sun, June 8, p. 2) plus Dr. Mahathir’s own answer (The Star, 10 Jun, pp. 1& 3) throw some light on the matter. It boils down to two things. The economy is not moving. Some sinister hands with a different agenda are at work behind Pak Lah.
It is, of course, correct that Pak Lah is the head of the party and the Government, and he should be allowed to lead the country as well as he can. He himself has said so, albeit sometime boasting about his huge mandate, which he should not have done, being the unassuming man that we know him to be. But man can change. Pak Lah should guard against this danger.
We can thank our lucky stars that Malaysia is a blessed country. This does not come all by accident. It is the result of wise leadership, a supportive and loyal citizenry and, of course, some luck. But we cannot push our luck too far. We must dare to confront important questions of policy and resolve them in the proper manner, and not let them fester for fear of “confrontation”, or worse still, distract the attention of the people to trivial issues and thereby let down our guard and allow the enemy to ruin our nation.
We must not forget that we are still living in a very dangerous world of Anglo-American unilateralism. In Washington and London, seats of power are filled by veritable fascists. The world economy and financial system are collapsing around us. While we should befriend everyone and work together with our neighbours, the United Nations, and the big powers, including China, Russia and India to build a better, just and more peaceful world, we should be extremely wary and vigilant against Anglo-American hegemony manifesting in various guises.
As leaders of the party and the Government, Pak Lah and the other UMNO and Barisan leaders must understand the awesome responsibility that they shoulder towards the nation. They must be highly vigilant and stand resolutely on principle in matters of the country’s sovereignty and independence. Tun Dr. Mahathir, many of our enlightened intelligentsia, and our good citizenry are invaluable assets to our country. Do not leave any of these important elements out. Use them wisely.
Kassim Ahmad is a Penang-based free-lance writer. He can be contacted at kasmad172@yahoo.com.my. His website is
A COMMENT
By: Kassim Ahmad
10 June, 2006
It has been brewing for some time and it has now come out fully in the open. This debate is healthy and good. Everybody knows what mettle Mahathir is made of. Says Tengku Razaleigh, “Mahathir cannot be influenced by anyone, no one can silence him. He is not afraid of anyone and I admire a man like that.”
Pak Lah’s so-called “quiet elegance” about Mahathr’s criticism of his administration cannot resolve the matter. Most government ministers’, ex-ministers’ and some veteran UMNO politicians’ statements and comments, unfortunately, do not help also. Like everybody else, Tun Dr. Mahathir has a right to make comments on the way the Government is running the country. Nobody should say that he should not “interfere” or criticize him for making his unhappiness public. As he rightly said, “I want answers to my questions.” Have these questions been answered? No, they have not.
Apparently, deeper questions that may affect the country’s independence and sovereignty are at stake. These have to be properly and wisely resolved. Tengku Razaleigh’s statement (The Sun, June 8, p. 2) plus Dr. Mahathir’s own answer (The Star, 10 Jun, pp. 1& 3) throw some light on the matter. It boils down to two things. The economy is not moving. Some sinister hands with a different agenda are at work behind Pak Lah.
It is, of course, correct that Pak Lah is the head of the party and the Government, and he should be allowed to lead the country as well as he can. He himself has said so, albeit sometime boasting about his huge mandate, which he should not have done, being the unassuming man that we know him to be. But man can change. Pak Lah should guard against this danger.
We can thank our lucky stars that Malaysia is a blessed country. This does not come all by accident. It is the result of wise leadership, a supportive and loyal citizenry and, of course, some luck. But we cannot push our luck too far. We must dare to confront important questions of policy and resolve them in the proper manner, and not let them fester for fear of “confrontation”, or worse still, distract the attention of the people to trivial issues and thereby let down our guard and allow the enemy to ruin our nation.
We must not forget that we are still living in a very dangerous world of Anglo-American unilateralism. In Washington and London, seats of power are filled by veritable fascists. The world economy and financial system are collapsing around us. While we should befriend everyone and work together with our neighbours, the United Nations, and the big powers, including China, Russia and India to build a better, just and more peaceful world, we should be extremely wary and vigilant against Anglo-American hegemony manifesting in various guises.
As leaders of the party and the Government, Pak Lah and the other UMNO and Barisan leaders must understand the awesome responsibility that they shoulder towards the nation. They must be highly vigilant and stand resolutely on principle in matters of the country’s sovereignty and independence. Tun Dr. Mahathir, many of our enlightened intelligentsia, and our good citizenry are invaluable assets to our country. Do not leave any of these important elements out. Use them wisely.
Kassim Ahmad is a Penang-based free-lance writer. He can be contacted at kasmad172@yahoo.com.my. His website is
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
SENJATA NUKLIER – MENGAPA A.S-BRITAIN-ISRAEL
BOLEH ADA DAN IRAQ DAN IRAN TIDAK BOLEH ADA?
Kassim Ahmad
6 Jun, 2006
Nampaknya, senjata nuklier, kalau dimiliki oleh kuasa-kuasa besar Barat, termasuk anak emas mereka Israel, dibolehkan dan sah, tetapi kalau dimiliki oleh Iraq, Iran dan Korea Utara, sudah menjadi bahaya dan perlu dicegah oleh “masyarakat anatarabangsa” (baca: kuasa-kuasa besar). Baru-baru ini A.S. sudah berjaya mendapatkan sokong semua anggota Majlis Keselamatan PBB untuk memujuk Iran menamatkan usaha membangunkan teknologi nukliernya sendiri dengan mendapat ganjaran dari kuasa-kuasa besar Barat.
Soalan di atas soalan pokok yang patut kita tanya. Dunia tahu bahwa negara kolonial Israel yang dipaksakan ke atas dunia Arab oleh kuasa-kuasa besar ini memiliki senjata nuklier, di samping mereka sendiri mempunyai senjata itu. Senjata ini memang sangat merbahaya, kerana ia boleh membunuh dan merosakkan secara besar-besaran. Senjata ini merupakan suatu ancaman dan ugutan kepada semua negara lain yang ingin bebas dari konkongan Empayar A.S.-Britain-Zionis.
Dunia juga tahu bahawa negara pertama yang telah menggunakan senjata ini ialah A.S. sendiri ke atas Jepun pada penghujung Perang Dunia Kedua. Tidak ada sebab A.S. menggugurkan bom-bom atom ini ke atas Hiroshim dan Nagasaki, kerana pada waktu itu, perundingan menyelah kalah oleh Jepun sedang pada peringkat akhir. A.S. menggugurkan bom-bom pembunuh besar ini semata-mata sebagai ugutan dan amaran kepada mana-mana kuasa lain (pada ketika itu Kesatuan Soviet) yang mahu mencabarnya. Dari sini, kita boleh melihat sifat kerakusan sistem kolonial Barat, yang bermula kira-kira pada abad kelima belas dan yang sekarang berada pada peringkat akhirnya.
Sistem ini tidak mengerti kerjasama antarabangsa. Ia hanya mengerti kekerasan dan paksaan. Tentunya kekerasaan dan paksaan ini dibungkus dalam pakej “demokasi”, “kebebasan” dan “hak asasi”. Inilah yang menghalang ramai orang mengenali sifat jahatnya yang sebenar. Dalam cerita mithos Islam, ia dikenal sebagai Dajjal, yakni penipu. Dalam cerita itu, pada Akhir Zaman, Dajjal akan muncul dan mengandar syurga dan neraka di bahunya. Sesiapa yang mengiktirafnya sebagai Tuhan akan diberi ganjaran syurga. Sebalikya akan dicampaknya ke dalam nerakanya.
Bersalahan dengan fahaman kebanyakan orang, kita dengan tegas mengiktiraf hak semua bangsa yang merdeka memiliki senjata nuklier. Ini sama sekali bukan kerana kita sukakan peperangan. Sebalikya, kita mahu menghapuskan peperangan. Tetapi, hakikatnya dan anehnya, jalan kepada perdamaian abadi ialah dengan kita bersedia untuk mempertahankan diri kita dengan senjata nuklier. Apabila lebih banyak negara di luar blok imperialis A.S.-Britain-Israel memiliki senjata nuklier dan boleh mempertahankan diri mereka dari pencerbohan kuasa imperialis ini, pada waktu itu, senjata nuklier dengan sendirinya tidak boleh dipakai lagi! Imperialis yang gila seperti George W. Bush-Tony Blair dan gerombolan neokonnya juga mahu hidup! Dulu mereka fikir mereka saja patut hidup dan orang lain boleh mati! Sekarang mereka akan mati! Oleh itu, mereka akan berdamai! Inilah logik imperialis.
Satu pelajaran untuk umat Islam ialah mereka harus bersatu untuk menjadi kuat supaya mereka boleh menjadi umat yang bebas “menyerukan kebaikan” dan “melarang kejahatan”. Baru dengan demikian akan wujud sebuah dunia yang aman dan adil.
Setelah menggulingkan pemimpin Iraq Saddam Hussein secara haram, A-S-Britain-Israel mahu menyerang Iran pula. Apa kata dunia? Sepatutnya, dunia mesti menuntut Bush dan Blair dibawa ke Mahkamah Antarabangsa untuk dibicara atas tuduhan penjenayah perang dan Saddam Hussein dibebas dan dinobatkan balik sebagai Presiden Iraq. Belum kedengaran suara demikian. Apa yang sedang berlaku di Iraq, tiga tahun setelah George Bush dengan angkuhnya mengisytiharkan menang, ialah perang gurila dalam bandar. Perang gurila ini sudah pun mengalahkan “gergasi” militer dunia ini. A.S. hari ini sukar hendak menyerang Iran, persis kerana tentangan hebat yang telah bangkit di Iraq.
Di antara 1981-1988, kerana hasutan kaum imperialis ini, Iran dan Iraq berperang. Mengikut rekod, Iraq tidak mahu berperang dengan Iran, dan meminta berdamai sebaik saja perang itu berlaku. Permintaan damai ini diulang tiap-tiap tahun oleh Iraq dan tiap-tiap tahun ditolak oleh Iran. Perang ini suatu tragedi besar bagi umat Islam.
Umat Islam sepatutnya menolong satu sama lain. Yang salah, kita tolong betulkan kesalahan itu. Yang betul, kita tolong perkuatkan dia. Apabila Saddam Hussein mengajak Teheran, sebelum Perang Teluk Pertama, mengadakan satu Pakatan Strategik untuk menentang pencerobohan A.S-Britain-Israel, mengapa Teheran tolak? Ini satu kesilapan besar. Selepas itu apa jadi? Libya menyerah kepada telanan kuasa-kauasa Barat dan melepaskan haknya untuk membuat senjata nuklier. A.S. dan sekutunya ketawa, tetapi apa yang Libya dapat? Selepas itu Saddam Hussein digulingkan dan mereka jangka suatu halangan besar kepada kemaraan cita-cita hegemoni mereka di Asia Barat dan di dunia terhapus. Hakikatnya tidak!
Apa akan jadi sekarang? Apapun akan jadi, umat Islam harus berpegang teguh kepada perjuangan yang hak dan berjuang dengan tabah untuk mewujudkan sebuah dunia yang aman dan adil. Dunia yang aman dan adil ialah sebuah dunia tanpa imperialisme dan kolonialisme dan tanpa penindasan dalam apa bentuk pun.
Kassim Ahmad seorang penulis bebas yang tinggal di Bandaraya Tanjung, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Beliau boleh dihubungi di kasmad172@yahoo.com.my. Laman web beliau: www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com
BOLEH ADA DAN IRAQ DAN IRAN TIDAK BOLEH ADA?
Kassim Ahmad
6 Jun, 2006
Nampaknya, senjata nuklier, kalau dimiliki oleh kuasa-kuasa besar Barat, termasuk anak emas mereka Israel, dibolehkan dan sah, tetapi kalau dimiliki oleh Iraq, Iran dan Korea Utara, sudah menjadi bahaya dan perlu dicegah oleh “masyarakat anatarabangsa” (baca: kuasa-kuasa besar). Baru-baru ini A.S. sudah berjaya mendapatkan sokong semua anggota Majlis Keselamatan PBB untuk memujuk Iran menamatkan usaha membangunkan teknologi nukliernya sendiri dengan mendapat ganjaran dari kuasa-kuasa besar Barat.
Soalan di atas soalan pokok yang patut kita tanya. Dunia tahu bahwa negara kolonial Israel yang dipaksakan ke atas dunia Arab oleh kuasa-kuasa besar ini memiliki senjata nuklier, di samping mereka sendiri mempunyai senjata itu. Senjata ini memang sangat merbahaya, kerana ia boleh membunuh dan merosakkan secara besar-besaran. Senjata ini merupakan suatu ancaman dan ugutan kepada semua negara lain yang ingin bebas dari konkongan Empayar A.S.-Britain-Zionis.
Dunia juga tahu bahawa negara pertama yang telah menggunakan senjata ini ialah A.S. sendiri ke atas Jepun pada penghujung Perang Dunia Kedua. Tidak ada sebab A.S. menggugurkan bom-bom atom ini ke atas Hiroshim dan Nagasaki, kerana pada waktu itu, perundingan menyelah kalah oleh Jepun sedang pada peringkat akhir. A.S. menggugurkan bom-bom pembunuh besar ini semata-mata sebagai ugutan dan amaran kepada mana-mana kuasa lain (pada ketika itu Kesatuan Soviet) yang mahu mencabarnya. Dari sini, kita boleh melihat sifat kerakusan sistem kolonial Barat, yang bermula kira-kira pada abad kelima belas dan yang sekarang berada pada peringkat akhirnya.
Sistem ini tidak mengerti kerjasama antarabangsa. Ia hanya mengerti kekerasan dan paksaan. Tentunya kekerasaan dan paksaan ini dibungkus dalam pakej “demokasi”, “kebebasan” dan “hak asasi”. Inilah yang menghalang ramai orang mengenali sifat jahatnya yang sebenar. Dalam cerita mithos Islam, ia dikenal sebagai Dajjal, yakni penipu. Dalam cerita itu, pada Akhir Zaman, Dajjal akan muncul dan mengandar syurga dan neraka di bahunya. Sesiapa yang mengiktirafnya sebagai Tuhan akan diberi ganjaran syurga. Sebalikya akan dicampaknya ke dalam nerakanya.
Bersalahan dengan fahaman kebanyakan orang, kita dengan tegas mengiktiraf hak semua bangsa yang merdeka memiliki senjata nuklier. Ini sama sekali bukan kerana kita sukakan peperangan. Sebalikya, kita mahu menghapuskan peperangan. Tetapi, hakikatnya dan anehnya, jalan kepada perdamaian abadi ialah dengan kita bersedia untuk mempertahankan diri kita dengan senjata nuklier. Apabila lebih banyak negara di luar blok imperialis A.S.-Britain-Israel memiliki senjata nuklier dan boleh mempertahankan diri mereka dari pencerbohan kuasa imperialis ini, pada waktu itu, senjata nuklier dengan sendirinya tidak boleh dipakai lagi! Imperialis yang gila seperti George W. Bush-Tony Blair dan gerombolan neokonnya juga mahu hidup! Dulu mereka fikir mereka saja patut hidup dan orang lain boleh mati! Sekarang mereka akan mati! Oleh itu, mereka akan berdamai! Inilah logik imperialis.
Satu pelajaran untuk umat Islam ialah mereka harus bersatu untuk menjadi kuat supaya mereka boleh menjadi umat yang bebas “menyerukan kebaikan” dan “melarang kejahatan”. Baru dengan demikian akan wujud sebuah dunia yang aman dan adil.
Setelah menggulingkan pemimpin Iraq Saddam Hussein secara haram, A-S-Britain-Israel mahu menyerang Iran pula. Apa kata dunia? Sepatutnya, dunia mesti menuntut Bush dan Blair dibawa ke Mahkamah Antarabangsa untuk dibicara atas tuduhan penjenayah perang dan Saddam Hussein dibebas dan dinobatkan balik sebagai Presiden Iraq. Belum kedengaran suara demikian. Apa yang sedang berlaku di Iraq, tiga tahun setelah George Bush dengan angkuhnya mengisytiharkan menang, ialah perang gurila dalam bandar. Perang gurila ini sudah pun mengalahkan “gergasi” militer dunia ini. A.S. hari ini sukar hendak menyerang Iran, persis kerana tentangan hebat yang telah bangkit di Iraq.
Di antara 1981-1988, kerana hasutan kaum imperialis ini, Iran dan Iraq berperang. Mengikut rekod, Iraq tidak mahu berperang dengan Iran, dan meminta berdamai sebaik saja perang itu berlaku. Permintaan damai ini diulang tiap-tiap tahun oleh Iraq dan tiap-tiap tahun ditolak oleh Iran. Perang ini suatu tragedi besar bagi umat Islam.
Umat Islam sepatutnya menolong satu sama lain. Yang salah, kita tolong betulkan kesalahan itu. Yang betul, kita tolong perkuatkan dia. Apabila Saddam Hussein mengajak Teheran, sebelum Perang Teluk Pertama, mengadakan satu Pakatan Strategik untuk menentang pencerobohan A.S-Britain-Israel, mengapa Teheran tolak? Ini satu kesilapan besar. Selepas itu apa jadi? Libya menyerah kepada telanan kuasa-kauasa Barat dan melepaskan haknya untuk membuat senjata nuklier. A.S. dan sekutunya ketawa, tetapi apa yang Libya dapat? Selepas itu Saddam Hussein digulingkan dan mereka jangka suatu halangan besar kepada kemaraan cita-cita hegemoni mereka di Asia Barat dan di dunia terhapus. Hakikatnya tidak!
Apa akan jadi sekarang? Apapun akan jadi, umat Islam harus berpegang teguh kepada perjuangan yang hak dan berjuang dengan tabah untuk mewujudkan sebuah dunia yang aman dan adil. Dunia yang aman dan adil ialah sebuah dunia tanpa imperialisme dan kolonialisme dan tanpa penindasan dalam apa bentuk pun.
Kassim Ahmad seorang penulis bebas yang tinggal di Bandaraya Tanjung, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. Beliau boleh dihubungi di kasmad172@yahoo.com.my. Laman web beliau: www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)