Article: Islamic Renaissance in 1970s
MMJ
UTAMA | Manusia | Komunikasi | Ilmu | Cabaran | Keluar || HOME | People | Communication | Knowledge | Challenges | Exit
Of Islamic Renaissance in Malaysia in 1970s, Unrecognised Westernised Thinking, and the Education Trap
One description of Islamic Renaissance in Malaysia in the 1970s by a friend.
The realisation towards Islam from the 1970s onwards had been a blessing by Allah swt on the population of Malaysia that is called "Muslims".
Many practices of the past that are alien to Islam or against Islam started to be eradicated.
Many of the injunctions of Islam as in the Qur'an and the Hadiths began to be infused into Muslim life in Malaysia, thereon.
No doubt there are shortfalls, shortcomings and mistakes done by individuals or groups of individuals, but the overall realisation and reformation to go back to Islam as Islam should be, was a plus point for Muslims in Malaysia, after the stronghold and influence of colonisation by the Christian powers of the Europeans on Muslim lands and later, the infusion of social values alien to Islam by the west led, esp. by America; as well as slackness of certain classes of Muslims of Tanah Melayu.
Many things and aspects could be listed of which the wave of change for Islam had brought good to Muslims of Malaysia, rather than bad.
Only those Muslims who struggled with their internal feelings and unsettled conscience and whatever limited knowledge, understanding and upbringing in Islam they had, would be up in arms against the realisation and reformation movements that pervaded the country from the 1970s decades onwards.
The movements (as in phenomena, not just in their physical organisations):
a) had rid off unIslamic practices such as open and organised consumption of alcohol in the officers' mess in the police and army and among civil servants (especially top and senior);
b) had rid off unIslamic practices, tendencies and promotion for Muslims like in officially government-supported Social Welfare Lotteries (Loteri Kebajikan Masyarakat), Sports Toto, ENE etc.;
c) had created rightful realisation about dressing for females (and even males) – as to dressing, proper headcovers;
d) had checked on free-mingling of sexes;
e) had created realisation for the needs and concerns for Muslims for halal food and avoiding non-halal food;
f) AND ON A SLEW of other practices, which were not according to Islam of the past in Malaysia – prior to the realisation and reformation movements (which included practices like mandi Safar, puja pantai and whatever superstitious practices).
As to the injunctions, enjoining, encouraging and promoting aspects:
A) the increasing applying of the teachings of the Qur'an and the Sunnah/Hadiths;
A) the true and rightful observances of Islam to the extents possible.
Two classes of Muslims (incl. Malaysian Muslim students who were in the thick of it, whether in local or overseas institutions of higher learning) emerged from the movements for realisation and reformation towards Islam:
1) One, the Malaysian Muslims who had understood the need to embark on and embrace the necessary changes according to the Qur'an and Sunnah/Hadith;
2) The other, Malaysian Muslims who had internal struggles, doubts and discomforts within them (for various reasons), to display distaste and sheer non-conformance, even to the extent of distaste (esp. in the 1970s-'80s) of their fellow Muslims:
i) using the "Assalaamu'alaikum" greetings;
ii) of men, wearing kopiah or serban and women wearing hijab;
iii) of men, sporting a beard or a goatee;
iv) of the insistence to do salat during Zuhur time and 'Asar time while at the office;
v) of the need for suraus in the office buildings;
vi) of the concerns for consuming only halal-declared food;
vii) and A STRING OF OTHER ISSUES that became such distastes and discomfort to these fellow Muslims in the early days of the realisation and reformation movements.
MUCH MORE COULD BE DISCUSSED ON THIS MATTER OF REALISATION AND REFORMATION TOWARDS ISLAM, IF DESIRED.
Response by MMJ
Excellent Summary. Captured and concise. We would just like to add what Prof Syed Najib AlAttas has contributed explosively to the international Muslim world via his reverberating book "Islam and Secularism". How our Education System carries the Western World View instead of the Quran and Sunnah World view. How it westernised our minds and make us unconsciously look down on the Quran and Sunnah as a Source of Knowledge for Science & Technology, Life Systems, Economic and Monetary systems,etc to fully lead our lives. When we then mastered Quranic Arabic as in the Golden Age of Islam, we did Scientific Research Direct from the Quran. End result, we were the Father of Medicine -Ibnu Sina, Father of Algebra - Al Karaji, Father of Chemistry - Al Jabr, Father of Calculus - Al Karaji, Father of Spherical Trigionometry - Sind bin Ali, Father of Logarithms- Al Khwarizmi, to name a few. Today we dont even realise the way we reason is also Westernised! For example we will not proceed with anything unless we feel a chance of success. That Beautiful Man s.a.w. in Gua Hira' receiving instructions from Jibril - what was his s.a.w. chance of success, applying the western method of thinking?! His Principle - Samiqna wa Athoqna - We Hear and We Obey. What if he s.a.w. applied the western concept of not doing anything unless there is a precedent?!
We also have an Education Trap.(Please watch appended video till the end). Next phase of the Muslim Reformation, well described above, is to drop our Western way of thinking, no?!
Sovereign Money by Movement for Monetary Justice ( including the Monetary and Education Trap)
UTAMA | Manusia | Komunikasi | Ilmu | Cabaran | Keluar || HOME | People | Communication | Knowledge | Challenges | Exit
Dikemaskini [Updated]: Sam Ahmad 20240819