THE CAUSES OF "ISLAMIC STATE " VIOLENCE

THE CAUSES OF “ISLAMIC STATE” VIOLENCE

THE RESOLUTION OF WHICH LEADS TO A NEW WORLD ORDER

By: Kassim Ahmad

27^th March, 2016

darul_hikmah333@yahoo.com.my

            I looked up all references and listened to all expert commentators on the subject, yet I failed to get a satisfactory answer. In this essay, I shall try to probe the matter.

There are some telling clues. Firstly, the perpetrators claim to represent Islam. Secondly, the targets are all Western countries whose populations are mostly Christians (United States, France and Brussels ), Thirdly, the latest targets were the Christian minority community in Pakistan.

Fourthly, look at present-day Iraq. It is chaos-in-chief, consequent upon three American-led coalition of 33 countries’ invasions of that country, thanks to the inducement by British Empire-created Irael (in  the midst of Arab countries) and imperial Iran. Remember Iraq was the home of the first human civilization, dating from Prophet Abraham in Ur of 5000 years ago.

Iraq and Syria, two ancient civilizations, is said to be the home of “Islamic State”, carrying the banner of Allah and Muhammad, a clearly mistaken banner.  The true banner of Islam is that of One True God, the God of all the peoples, Jews, Christians, Muslims  and others -- all believers in monotheism, openly declared or kept secret.

All these clues point to a long conflict extending from 15^th Century up to the present between Muslims and Christians.

Further, do not forget the Western crusades against Islam. There were nine crusades altogether, extending from 1095 of the first crusade, to 1271 of the ninth crusade. The crusades were ordered by the various popes who were then also kings sitting on the thrones of Medieval Europe.

The crusaders’ purpose was to retake the holy city of Jerusalem, which the Muslims conquered from the Byzantine Empire.  Jerusalem is known as Baitul-Maqdis to the Muslims, also one of their holy cities.

All these acts of Muslim violence against the Christian West, starting from the 9/11 attack on the New York World Trade Centre, through Paris, Brussels and the Christian community in Pakistan, must be looked upon as a whole as Muslim revolt against the Christians. As can be seen, it has a long history, from 16^th Century colonization of the Malay World, including the Philippines, most of which it has christianised, up to the 18^th Century.  In the 18^th Century European colonialism awakened Asian nationalism, resulting in new independent nation-states. But nation-states cannot unite the world that has become interconnected into a Global Village.

We need a philosophy, a new world-view for our interconnected world. As Islam is a “revolutionary, life-affirming and death-defying” world-view, as I have defined it in another location, that must have been the basis and reason for the rise of the “Islamic State” movement.  

That being so, what solution can we offer to resolve this deep psychological-cum-physical conflict? Let us ask ourselves what type of world we want to see emerge for our and for future generations. Surely a peaceful, secure and just world.

What type of world do we have now?

Firstly, it a non-Muslim dominated world. It is ruled by two non-Muslim blocs led by two self-appointed superpowers, the United States of America and the Russian Federation. Be it noted that they are both Christian. It is neither peaceful, nor secure, nor just. The Sword of Democles hangs over us. It is imperative the justice-loving peoples of the world must change it before we commit ourselves to a mutually-assured self-destruction!

The West for all its physical and apparent mental might – can it face this this challenge of “insane’ violence? Certainly it cannot. But the West is too proud to admit defeat, although defeated it will be. “Islamic State” violence in increasing by the day, as all can see. But even Muslims cannot tolerate this violence commited in the name of Islam. It is not Islam’s solution. (When I speak of Islam I means the Islam of all prophet-messengers from Adam to Muhammad, including Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

Thus both the Christian West and the Muslims must come to an amicable agreement in order to bring about a peaceful, secure and just world.  Firstly, the Christian West must openly apologize for their colonization of the world and pay token compensation. (Who has evaluated the costs in lives and property of colonialism and imperialism?) Secondly, all countries, Muslim and non-Muslim, which have been the victims of colonialism must openly forgive their colonisers and agree to live in peace with the countries that had colonized them. Thirdly, the non-Muslim superpower blocs, including and especially the so-called U.N. self-appointed Security Council must be democratized. Fourthly,  all countries must renounce and destroy all weapons of mass destruction. Fifthly, the “Islamic State” violence  and terror must cease immediately. Sixthly, all countries, big and small, must undertake to live in peace with one another, solve all their differences and conflicts peacefully, and cooperate and help one another to progress in all fields of human endeavour.

All these must be in the United Nations Charter, among others that are universal human rights.

Then a peaceful, secure and just world will come into being, and a new chapter in human life in this Universe will begin.

KASSIM AHMAD is a Malaysian author. His website is www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com   

  

THE RISE AND FALL OF ISLAM

THE RISE AND FALL OF ISLAM

By: Kassim Ahmad

17^th  January, 2016

Revised and expanded on 19^th March, 2016

darul_hikmah333@yahoo.com.my

            The Quran in Surah Ali-‘Imran (3) states that “The only religion approved by God is Islam.” The Arabic word ‘deen’ essentially mean ‘way of life’ rather that the restricted ritualistic meaning of the word ‘religion’.

This religion of strict monotheism is taught by all prophet-messengers from Adam to its completion and perfection by Muhammad, the last of all prophet-messegers. But, as it is wont with human beings, corruption and deterioration set in and complete their work in after about 300 years (10 generations) to change the original teachings. Thus, the monotheism of Prophet Moses became polytheism in Judaism, of Prophet Jesus polytheism in Christianity, and of Muhammad polytheism in Sunnism. Sunnism is polytheistic in that it has elevated Muhammad to a second god, against his will. [1]

Sunnism is sectarian “Islam”, worshipin two gods. [2] Two gods is one too many. It is polititeism.

Fortunately for mankind, the last of God’s scripture, the Quran, is divinely  protected so that all mankind can always refer to it as its guide. This divine protection lies internally in the scripture in a mathematically awesome and impossible to imitate structure called Code 19. This Code is stated in the Quran in Surah Al-Muddaththir  (74), verses 30-31. The verses go, “Over it is nineteen. We appointed angels to be guardians of Hell, and we assign their number (19) (1) to disturb the disbelievers, (2) to convince the Christians and the Jews (that this is a divine scripture), (3) to strengthen the faith of the faithful, (4) to remove all traces of doubt from the hearts of Christians, Jews, as well as believers, and (5) to expose those who harbor doubt in their hearts. The disbelievers will say, ‘What does God mean by this allegory?’ God thus sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is a reminder for the people.”

The rise of Islam, beginning with the reign of Prophet Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsular in early Seventh Century, within a short time of only sixty years shot up to be the Number One power in the then world, beating the two superpowers, the Byzantian Empire and the Persian Empire.

Historian Philip K. Hitti, in his book, History of the Arabs (1970), states, “If someone in the first third of the seventh Christian century had had the audacity to prophesy that within a decade some unheralded, unforeseen power from hitherto barbarous and little-known land of Arabia was to make its appearance, hurl itself against the only two world powers of the age, fall heir to the one -- the Sasanid – and strip the other – the Byzantine -- of its fairest provinces, he would have undoubtedly have been declared a lunatic. Yet that was exactly what happened. After the death of the Prophet sterile Arabia seems to have been converted as if by magic into a nursery of heroes the like of whom both in number and quality is hard to find anywhere. The military campaigns of Khalid ibn-al-Walid and ‘Amar ibn-al-‘As which ensued in al-Iraq, Persia, Syria and Egypt remain among the most brilliantly executed in the history of warfare and bear favourable comparison with those of Napoleon, Hannibal or Alexander.” (p. 142).         

A Western philosophical historian, Robert Briffault, in his epoch-making book, The Making of Humanity (1919), after denouncing a conspiracy of silence by most Western historians on the contributions of Muslim science to modern Europe,  surmarised the contribution of Muslim science to civilization, thus: “The debt of our science to that of the Arabs does not consist in startling discoveries or revolutionary theories. Science owes a great deal more to  Arab culture , it owes its existence. The ancient world was, as we saw, pre-scientific. The astronomy and mathematics of the Greeks were a foreign importation never thoroughly acclamatised in Greek culture. The Greeks systematized, generalized and  theorized, but he patient ways of investigation, the accumulation of positive knowledge, the minute methods of science, detailed and prolonged observation, experimental inquiry, were altogether alien to the Greek temperament. … What we called science arose in Europe as result of a new spirit of inquiry, of new methods of investigation, of the method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs.” (p. 191)    

Muslim civilization lasted eight centuries. In that time, Baghdad became the capital of the world and Europe became students at the feet of Baghdad. When the rot set in, Europe took over the banner of civilization and what is known as the European Renaissance began. Will Western leadership last for ever? Only time can  tell. But basing ourselves on its truncated epistemology, we can say that it cannot last forever, at most another two or three decades.

One of two thing will happen. Either Europe and the United States will adopt the true revolutionary doctrine of Islam, which  I characterize as “revolutionary, life-affirming, and death-defying”, or the Muslims themselves will be reborn with that true spirit of the Quran and borne in the life Prophet Muhammad and the early republican-democratic Caliphates.

In the meanwhile, Muslim leaders must answer the question why the Muslim way of life, guaranteed by God, has collapsed, and how they can rebuild it. To answer this all-important question, they must re-study the Quran with a scientific methodology. I can suggest a few signposts.

Firstly, at a certain point in time, Muslim science froze and deteriorated, due to wrong teaching of certain so-called masters. These were made into masters by a new priesthood class adopted in imitation of medieval Hinduism and Christianity. In Islam there is no priesthood class.

Secondly, at a certain point in time, a certain attitude of fatalism developed in Islam due a new theology preached in accordance to hadith teachings. Hadiths are essentially fabrications falsely ascribed to the great name of Prophet  Muhammad.

Thirdly, that new theology also preached salvation in the Afterlife, in a nondescript Theologians’ Nirvana in imitation of Bhuddism. This led to Muslim apathy in a life waiting for death. At this point, roughly from the Fourteenth Century onwards, this false Islam died, with the false Muslims.

Fourthly and lastly, to rebuild, the Muslims must re-study the Quran (which is their and mankind’s book of guidance) and the examples of their great leaders in the republican democratic period we have alluded to, to find correct answers to their current plight. I have surmarised the teachings of the Quran as “revolutionary, life-affirming and death-defying”.  We must seek salvation in this life by raising our souls to a higher level. It is this raising of our souls to a higher level that is necessary for the coming Second Muslim Civilization, which must come.

KASSIM AHMAD is a freelance Malaysian author. His website is www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com

---

[1] See Quran (16: 51) which states: “Do not worship two gods. There is only one God.” Further Surah 63, verse I, invalidates the second syahadah which is uttered by hypocrites.

[2] God has proclaimed: “Do not worship two gods; there is only on god. Therefore you shall reverence Me.” (Quran, 16: 51).

GAJAH SAMA GAJAH BERJUANG, PELANDUK MATI DI TENGAH-TENGAH

GAJAH DENGAN GAJAH BERJUANG,

PELANDUK MATI DI TENGAH-TENGAH

Oleh: Kassim Ahmad

14 Mac, 2016

darul_hikmah333@yahoo.com.my

                Saya tidak pasti sama ada pepatah itu sesuai untuk menggambarkan pertelagahan di antara bekas perdana menteri Malayisa, Tun Dr. Mahathir dengan perdana menteri sekarang Datuk Seri Najib Abd. Razak. Dr. Mahathir berhak untuk meminta Najib berundur dari jawatannya kerana skandal-skandal kewanganpentadbiran Najib. Hakikat bahawa kedua-kedua skandal ini belum diselesaikan dengan memuaskan menyulubunyi integriti pentadbiran beliau.

                Ini belum termasuk pembunuhan wanita Monggolia, Altantuya Shariibuu yang dikaitkan dengan isteri Najib.

                Ini semua seolah-olah tali yang melengkongi leher Najib. Kelanjutan pentadbiran beliau bergantung kepada pembersihan kes-kes yang berat ini. Dalam masa itu, rakyat menderita dengan korapsi yang berleluasa, kenaikan harga barang-barang dan kejatuhan matawang kita.

                Sepatutnya, jika beliau jujur, beliau berundur seketika dalam masa penyesiatan bebas dilakukan. Jika beliau dibersihkan, bersihlah beliau, dan beliau boleh terus menjadi perdana menteri. Atau MajlisTertinggi UMNO patut memanggil satu Perhimpunan Agung Khas untuk menentukan sama ada Najib benar atau tidak. Atau Mahathir patut mencabar Najib melakukan sumpah laknat  (Lihat Quran, 3: 61). Ini satu sumpah yang berat. Kemungkinan kedua-dua pihak tidak berani melakukananya. Saya tidak tahu. Mungkin Mahathir berani.

                Langkah yang terbaik memanggil satu Perhimpunan Agung Khas Umno. Di sana Mahathir Muhiyuddin Yassin, Shafi’e Afdal dan pegawai-pegawai tinggi yang dibuang oleh Najib boleh bercakap. Saya fikir Najib tidak akan bersetuju. Ini bermakna beliau bersalah, dan perlu menerima hukuman.

                Namun demikian, saya fikir inilah jalan keluar yang terbaik untuk Najib. Lebih baik dia berjujur daripada menanggung beban ini lebih lama. Lama-kelamaan kebenaran akan zahir. Kalau salah, lebih mengaku dan memohon ma’af daripada berdegil.

KASSIM AHMAD seorang penulis bebas Malaysia. Laman web beliau www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com    

SIAPAKAH AHLI SUNNAH WAL-JAMA'AH?

SIAPAKAH AHLI SUNNAH WAL-JAMAAH?

Oleh: Kassim Ahmad

11 Mac, 2016

darul_hikmah333@yahoo.com.my

          Dalam beberapa lokasi lain, saya telah menyatakan bahawa tiap-tiap  agama atau falsafah atau pandangan hidup, selepas kira-kira 300 tahun, akan bertukar. Demikian yang telah berlaku kepada ajaran monoteisme Nabi Musa bila ia bertukar  menjadi agama polities Yahudi. Begitu juga agama monoteis Nabi Isa yang bertukar menjadi agama polities Kristian. Malah begitu juga yang berlaku kepada ajaran monotiesme Nabi Muhammad penyudah segala nabi, dengan  kitab sucinya Quran. Selepas kira-kira 300 tahun, ia bertukar menjadi agama puak Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah!

          Kala kita bertanya mengapa, saya boleh jawab begini. Dalam jiwa kita ada dua dorongan. Satu mendorong kita naik meningkat – kita sebut dorongan malaikat. Satu lagi meruntun kita turun ke bawah – dorongan syaitan.

          Pada pokoknya, semua agama (Islam) puak ini anak kepada kecerdasan fikiran Imam Shafi’e (767-820) dengan dengan doktrin barunya dua sumber utama (Quran dan Hadis). Sebelum beliau, hadis dalam ertikata buku-buku Hadis (enam buah semuanya bagi ASWJ) tidak wujud. Setelah doktrin palsu yang baru ini diterima umum, barulah hadis dikutip, ditapis dan dibukukan.

          Jadi, Hadis/Sunnah bukan warisan Nabi Muhammad. Ia warisan Imam Shafi’e. Demikian juga puak Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah bukan warisan Nabi Muhammad. Ia warisan Imam Shafi’e.  Warisan Nabi Muhammad Quran, dan tidak lain daripada Quran,  satu-satunya kita suci yang Tuhan pelihara.  dan agama Islam, monoteisme, yang Tuhan lengkap dan sempurnakan.

          Perhatikan bahawa kebanyakan umat Islam hari ini, di seluruh dunia, tergolong ke dalam puak Ahli Sunnah-Wal Jama’ah. Di Malaysia, puak ini termasuk pegawai-pegawai JAWI (Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan) dan JAKIM (Jabatan Kemajuan  Islam Malaysia).

Apabila Perdana Menteri Najib mengumumkan beliau akan meminda Perlembagaan Persekutuan untuk memasukkan doktrin Ahli Sunnah Wal-Jama’ah ke dalamnya, saya segera menasihati beliau supaya tidak berbuat demikian. Alhamdulillah, beliau mendengari nasihat saya.  

          Walaupun kebanyakan rakyat Malaysia tergolong ke dalam puak ASWJ, ada satu golongan kecil, termasuk saya, tetap mengikut ajaran Nabi Muhammad dalam Quran. Syahadah kami satu saja. Ia berbunyi, “Kami naik saksi tiada tuhan, melainkan Tuhan Yang Esa.” Ia disebut dalam Surah 3, (Ali Imran), ayat 18. Syahadah kedua, yang dilafazkan oleh orang munafik, dibatalkan dalam Surah 63 (Al-Munafiqun), ayat 1.

          Jadi, kita umat Islam, hendaklah kita beriman kepada semua nabi lagi rasul dari Nabi Adam hingga ke Nabi Muhammad, penyudah segala nabi. “Hendaklah kamu berpegang teguh kepada tali Allah, semuanya, dan jangan berpecah belah…” (Quran, 3: 103)

KASSIM AHMAD seorang penulis Malaysia bebas. Laman web bealiau www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com

  

THE RISE AND FALL OF ISLAM

THE RISE AND FALL OF ISLAM

By: Kassim Ahmad

17^th  January, 2016

Darul_hikmah333@yahoo.com.my

            The Quran in Surah Ali-‘Imran (3) states that “The only religion approved by God is Islam.” The Arabic word ‘deen’ essentially mean ‘way of life’ rather that the restricted ritualistic meaning of ‘religion’.

This religion of strict monotheism is taught by all prophets from Adam to its completion and perfection by Muhammad, the last of all prophets. But, as it is wont with human beings, corruption and deterioration set in and complete their work in after about 300 years (10 generations) to change the original teachings. Thus, the monotheism of Prophet Moses became polytheism in Judaism, of Prophet Jesus polytheism in Christianity, and of Muhammad polytheism in Sunnism.

Sunnism is sectarian “Islam”, worshipin two gods. [1] Two gods is one too many. It is polititeism.

Fortunately for mankind, the last of God’s scripture, the Quran, is divinely  protected so that all mankind can always refer to it as its guide. This divine protection lies internally in the scripture in a mathematically awesome and impossible to imitate structure called Code 19. This Code is stated in the Quran in Surah Al-Muddaththir  (74), verses 30-31. The verses go, “Over it is nineteen. We appointed angels to be guardians of Hell, and we assign their number (19) (1) to disturb the disbelievers, (2) to convince the Christians and the Jews (that this is a divine scripture), (3) to strengthen the faith of the faithful, (4) to remove all traces of doubt from the hearts of Christians, Jews, as well as believers, and (5) to expose those who harbor doubt in their hearts. The disbelievers will say, ‘What does God mean by this allegory?’ God thus sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is a reminder for the people.”

The rise of Islam, beginning with the reign of Prophet Muhammad in the Arabian Peninsular in early Seventh Century, within a short time of only sixty years shot up to be the No. One power in the world, beating the two superpowers of the then world, the Byzantian Empire and the Persian Empire.

Historian Philip K. Hitti, in his book, History of the Arabs (1970), states, “If someone in the first third of the seventh Christian century had had the audacity to prophesy that within a decade some unheralded, unforeseen power from hitherto barbarous and little-known land of Arabia was to make its appearance, hurl itself against the only two world powers of the age, fall heir to the one -- the Sasanid – and strip the other – the Byzantine -- of its fairest provinces, he would have undoubtedly have been declared a lunatic. Yet that was exactly what happened. After the death of the Prophet sterile Arabia seems to have been converted as if by magic into a nursery of heroes the like of whom both in number and quality is hard to find anywhere. The military campaigns of Khalid ibn-al-Walid and ‘Amar ibn-al-‘As which ensued in al-Iraq, Persia, Syria and Egypt remain among the most brilliantly executed in the history of warfare and bear favourable comparison with those of Napoleon, Hannibal or Alexander.” (p. 142).         

A Western philosophical historian, Robert Briffault, in his epoch-making book, The Making of Humanity (1919), after denouncing a conspiracy of silence by most Western historians on the contributions of Muslim science to modern Europe,  surmarised the contribution of Muslim science to civilization, thus: “The debt of our science to that of the Arabs does not consist in startling discoveries or revolutionary theories. Science owes a great deal more to  Arab culture , it owes its existence. The ancient world was, as we saw, pre-scientific. The astronomy and mathematics of the Greeks were a foreign importation never thoroughly acclamatised in Greek culture. The Greeks systematized, generalized and  theorized, but he patient ways of investigation, the accumulation of positive knowledge, the minute methods of science, detailed and prolonged observation, experimental inquiry, were altogether alien to the Greek temperament. … What we called science arose in Europe as result of a new spirit of inquiry, of new methods of investigation, of the method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs.” (p. 191)    

Muslim civilization lasted eight centuries. In that time, Baghdad became the capital of the world and Europe became students at the feet of Baghdad. When the rot set in, Europe took over the banner of civilization and what is known as the European Renaissance began. Will Western leadership last for ever? Only time can  tell. Already cracks are beginning to be seen.

The more important question for Muslim leaders to answer is why the Muslim way of life, guaranteed by God, has collapsed, and how they can rebuild it. To answer this all-important question, they must re-study the Quran with a scientific methodology. I can suggest a few signposts.

Firstly, at a certain point in time, Muslim science froze and deteriorated, due to wrong teaching of certain so-called masters. These were made into masters by a new priesthood class adopted in imitation of medieval Hinduism and Christianity. In Islam there is no priesthood class.

Secondly, at a certain point in time, a certain attitude of fatalism developed in Islam due a new theology preached in accordance to hadith teachings. Hadiths are essentially fabrications falsely ascribed to the great name of Prophet  Muhammad.

Thirdly, that new theology also preached salvation in the Afterlife, in a nondescript Theologians’ Nirvana in imitation of Bhuddism. This led to Muslim apathy in a life waiting for death. At this point, roughly from the Fourteenth Century onwards, this false Islam died, with the false Muslims.

Fourthly and lastly, to rebuild, the Muslims must re-study the Quran (which is their and mankind’s book of guidance) to find correct answers to their current plight. I have surmarised the teachings of the Quran as “revolutionary, life-affirming and death-defying”.  We must seek salvation in this life by raising our soul to a higher level. It is this raising of our soul to a higher level that is necessary for the coming Second Muslim Civilization.

KASSIM AHMAD is a freelance Malaysian author. His website is www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com

---

[1] God has proclaimed: “Do not worship two gods; there is only on god. Therefore you shall reverence Me.” (Quran, 16: 51).

ADAKAH MANUSIA BEBAS ATAU TIDAK?

ADAKAH MANUSIA BEBAS ATAU TIDAK?

Oleh: Kassim Ahmad

19 Jun, 2015

Darul_hikmaH333@yahoo.com.my

            Mengiku enam rukun iman yang diajar kepada kita oleh teologi tradisional, rukun ke-6 itu percaya kepada qada dan qadar, iaitu determinisme Tuhan. Anehnya, rukun iman ini berbeza dengan rukun iman yang terdapat dalam Quran. Dalam Quran (4: 136) rukun yang ke-6 (percaya kepada qada dan qadar, determinisme Tuhan) tidak ada.  Jadi, rukun iman itu lima saja.

            Walaupun Tuhan itu maha mengetahui, ini tidak bermakna manusi tidak bebas. Tuhan tahu dari azali segala apa yang berlaku. Umpamanya, dia tahu saya akan menulis artikel ini pada waktu ini, tetapi yang tulis itu saya. Kalau saya tidak mahu tulis pun boleh. Jadi, kita tidak harus mengelirukan dua perkara yang berbeza. Pertama, pengetahuan Tuhan; kedua, perbuatan Tuhan. Walaupun Dia tahu saya akan tulis artikel ini hari ini, yang tulis itu saya, bukan Dia.

Salah satu hujah kaum ateis itu pengeliruan antara dua perkara ini. Jika Tuhan ada dan Dia maha berkuasa, mengapa Dia tidak menghalang kejahatan daripada berlaku? Memang Tuhan mengajar kita supaya tidak melakukan kejahatan, tetapi kalau Dia juga bertindak menghalang kejahatan yang manusia lakukan, bermaknalah manusia tidak bebas. Ini bersalahan dengan kehendak-Nya memberi kebebasan kepada manusia.

            Perhatikan apabila Tuhan memberitahu para malaikat Dia hendak menciptakan seorang khalifah di Bumi, malaikat bantah dengan berkata, “Adakah Engkau hendak meletakkan di sana seorang yang membuat kerosakan serta menumpahkan darah, sedangkan kami bertasbih memuji Engkau dan mengkuduskan nama-Mu? Jawab-Nya, ‘Aku tahu apa yang kamu tidak tahu.’” (Lihat Quran, 2: 30)

            Nyatalah dialog di atas sebuah kiasan. Ia tidak berlaku seperti itu. Ia mengkiaskan  penciptaan manusia sesuatu yang amat hebat, tetapi lagi amat  berbahaya – seolah-olah Tuhan mempertaruhkan reputasi dan prestij-Nya di situ! Bolehkan manusia melaksanakan tanggungjawab dan amanah yang Tuhan berikan kepadanya untuk memerintah dunia dengan baik? Kalau dia gagal melaksanakan misi yang diberi oleh Tuhan kepadanya, bagaimana? Bukankah in akan membuktikan kegagalan Tuhan pula? Dengan segala akibatnya kepada seluruh alam? Siapa akan menyembah-Nya lagi selepas itu? Tiada siapa boleh membayangkan hal ini. Mesti inilah sebabnya failasuf Perancis Jean-Paul Sarte dilaporkan berkata, “Man is condemned to be free!”  (Manusia tidak ada pilihan kecuali menjadi bebas!)   

            Jadi, pengetahuan Tuhan harus dibezakan dari perbuatan-Nya.

            Ambil frasa “dengan izin Allah”. Tiada satu pun boleh berlak, kecuali dengan izin Allah. (Quran 10: 100; 6: 59). Ini bermakna semuanya dalam pengetahuan Dia. Allah izin sesuatu perkara berlaku, kerana itu sudah termaktub dalam Lohmahfuz  atau pengetahuan Dia, atau jika di alam manusia, kerana ia dikendaki manusia. Jika Dia tidak izin, maka tidak ada kebebasan bagi manusia. Maka itu, lahirnya manusia di dunia satu peristiwa yang besar dan menggerunkan, kerana ia boleh menghancurkan dunia, seperti yang didakwa oleh malaikat. Tetapi, jawapan ringkas Tuhan kepada bantahan ini: “Aku lebih tahu daripada kamu.” Yakni, Tuhan optimis tentang manusia.

Di satu lokasi lain, Tuhan menawarkan amanah (memerintah dunia) kepda langit, bumi dan gunung, dan mereka tidak menerima amanah ini kerana takut tidak upaya menanggungnya,   tetapi manusia terima, dan Tuhan menyindir manusi sebagai zalim dan jahil. (33: 72). Kalau kita bandingkan sindiran Tuhan ini, ia Nampak semacam bercanggah dengan optimisme Tuhan terhadap kebolehan manusia di atas. Ini bermakna sindiran ini merujuk kepada segi negatif manusia, yakni kerosakan yang boleh dia lakukan.

            Sejarah manusia di bumi menajdi saksi. Walaupun manusia telah membuat kerosakan dan menumpahkan darah dalam dua peperangan besar, dia juga telah membina tamadun-tamadun yang hebat silih-berganti, dan sekarang di ambang kehidupan di angkasa lepas.

            Satu soalan: mengapa umat-umat bukan Islam (Amerika Syarikat dan Rusia) yang telah berjaya menghantar roket ke angkasa lepas? Jawapannya dalam Quran juga. “Jika kamu beralih, Dia akan menggantikan kamu dengan kaum lain, dan mereka tidak akan bertindak seperti kamu.” (47: 38)

KASSIM AHAMD seorang penulis Malaysia bebas. Laman webnya www.kassimahmad.blogspot.com