Remembrance of Al-Quds

Hikmah Kembara

Hikmah Kembara

Album : Hikmah Kembara
Munsyid : Mirwana
http://liriknasyid.com

Di sini kau berdiri

berpijak di bumi
menjunjung langit yang luas
Pernahkah kau berfikir
alam penuh rahsia
anugerah yang maha esa

Berjalan,bermusafirlah
melihat kebesaran tuhan
yang diciptakan untuk
mereka yang berfikir
dan bersyukur di atas nikmat
dan kurnianya
nilai harganya,iman dan taqwa
bagi hamba yang setia

Tiada beza warna,kulit atau rupa
yang ada hanya insan yang lemah
dengan satu tujuan mencari keredhaan
dan berbudi di bumi tuhan

Fikirkanlah..dimana arah kita
Renungilah..hikmah kembara
menuju kasih
buktikan cinta kita..
kepadanya..
ini kembara kita

Berjalan dan bermusafirlah
untuk melihat kebesarannya
lantas berfikir dan bersyukur
diatas nikmat dan kurnianya
nilai harganya iman dan taqwa
bagi hamba yag setia

I- Quest (15th – 17th August 2008)

This is my first week in 2^nd posting as a final year medical student. But this time was not as difficult as before to get start and ‘on the go’. I rather reserve my experience in Psychiatry posting till the end of this 7 weeks posting coz I’m sure there will be lots of interesting and lessons could be taken from this unpopular posting.

What is going on in our campus IIUM Kuantan, which I like to highlight here. We are having an open day, called I-Quest. I supposed it stands for Islamic Kuantan Festival. But the letter ‘Q’ is more suitable for the name (Quest) than the letter ‘K’. It is a big program, though not as big as in Gombak Campus. But the crowd and activities are lot better than last year, a very encouraging improvement. I’m glad how this isolated and quiet place becoming merrier and well-known to the society. As all the courses in this campus are science based, a theme was created: ‘Reviewing the Science, Revival of Islam’. Initially I thought this theme will be too high ambitious and may be difficult for outside people to understand and digest. But Alhamdulillah, after attending the forum last night, I’ve understand the spirit it tries to convey. Well done to all the committee in charge!

In International Islamic University of Malaysia, we have been exposed with Islamic Input and very familiar with term of islamization and islamicization. It means that we correlate the science knowledge we’ve gained (mainly from the west nowadays) with Islamic knowledge toward better understanding our nature, the environments and most important of all: our Creator, Allah s.w.t. So it is true that by learning science, we are actually getting closer to Him rather than deviate and becoming arrogant. Allah s.w.t mentioned in the Holy Book of Qur’an:

“We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur’an) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?” (Fussilat: 53)

Maybe this sounds a bit theoretical and academic, but how to apply? I’ve once read a very interesting story from the internet in this matter of science and faith:

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty. He asks one of his new Muslim students to stand and.....
Professor: You are a Muslim, aren't you, son?
Student : Yes, sir.
Prof: So you believe in God?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Prof: Is God good?
Student : Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student : Yes.
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student :Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student : No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?
Student : From...God.. .
Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)
Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?
Student :Yes, sir.
Prof: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student : No , sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student : No sir. There isn't. (The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where theargument is going.)
Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavour, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class is in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? (The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it?....No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )
Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.
Student : That is it sir.. The link between man & god is FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

So, is science is the ultimate answer for everything in this life? Does evidence based medicine is the explanation for all diseases and ailments of the people? Let us ponder and reflect then…

What money will buy:

A bed but not sleep
Books but not brains
Foods but not appetite
Finery but not beauty
A house but not a home
Medicine but not health
Luxuries but not culture
Amusements but not happiness
Religion but not salvation

(Poem from book: ‘Kuliah Tauhid’)

Season In the Sun

Few days ago, I accompanied my friend to distribute her wedding cards to our previous high school teachers.. The funny thing about me is, I tend to call them Dr coz it has been a routine for me to call my lecturers back at Kuantan as Dr (well they are medical doctors). This shows that I have the same impression and respect to all that has taught me, regardless their background of education, Thank You Teachers and Doctors.

When I step back to my school, looking at the same building but with some add up here and there (especially the plants and ponds, Well done Pn Fuziah!), it seems like a playback for me, when I was at the school 7 years ago. Time past away very fast, it seems just like few years back I was still wearing the school uniform and going to biology labs and doing experiments with my fellow friends. When I met the teachers, it was like a new spirit and courage for me to go on and be success in this life, realizing how big their hope toward us. Some of my friends said that I was the teacher’s pet back then but I don’t think so. I wish I could rejuvenate myself and gather back all the energy and courage I’ve had when I was young… have passion with what I’m doing…Cayo!

Home Sweet Home

There’s no place like home…Even if your home is not as big as a mansion or as beautiful as those in magazines, as long as it is home, it is the place where the heart lays. For me, my home gave me a lot of memories as I grew up in this place and it has the same age as me, 24 years. Lots of change it has been underwent same as me. What make it so special is, the people inside the house: my BIG family. I think this will be the same with other people. For example, a small village house with 10 people inside will still be happy as long as they got each other and be together.

In my house, I feel secure and comfortable. I can hold myself from going outside to the city or shopping at Kuala Lumpur coz I have soldiers of the house, he…they are very reliable, yeah right. Just look at the pictures, what are they doing to make the house become the noisiest one in Lorong Mawar Putih 1. But now, they all grow up already, and going into the phase of manhood, but still acting like small kids occasionally.

There are lots of differences in the area of my house nowadays compared to when I was kid. Previously, our row will be filled with laughing and shouting of children from the neighborhood, playing ‘sukaneka’ at my house’s field every evening. But now, as most of us are grown up, the place became very busy occasionally only when wedding ceremonies are held. How I miss my childhood time. No stress no worries…