Where?

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamualaikum wbt.

1. One of the current news we are fed with by media these days is about a number of offensive tweets about our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW by a Saudi Arabian  who fled his home country to find refuge in Malaysia but only to be deported again by the Malaysian government.

2. What started as furious outrage from a certain group of Muslims condemning the offensive tweets by Hamza Kashgari (the man responsible for the tweets) has now developed into a dispute or disagreement between groups of people whom either support or against Hamza's deportation from Malaysia.

3. Observing this from far, I therefore would like to offer some personal commentaries over the issues.

4. It is undeniably correct that any act of showing disrespect to our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW is a humiliating act that is unacceptable and should be avoided by not only Muslims but also all people who have respect for religions of others.

5. But my greater concern is not on what Hamza has wrongfully done, but on how we Muslims at large respond to this.

6. Firstly, when sensitive issues related to us Muslims arise, how many of us automatically switch on our hatred and anger button?

7. I am not writing this to commemorate the Feb 14th celebration of love today, nevertheless it really surprises me as to how little love we have while carrying the identity of a Muslim, when we all aware that the greatest Muslim, Prophet Muhammad SAW transcends anyone when it comes to love for others (the whole mankind).

8. Love that I mean doesn't refer to accepting what Hamza has committed but how do we manage ourselves and bathe our heart with sense of love.
 

9. I am frankly not aware of the specific implication of his action as prescribed in our local or international (meaning, in other countries) shari'ah laws but what we Muslims should do is seek explanation from the authorities and support those that provide fair trials and serve for justice.

10. What I am against at is the emotional chant of "Go to hell!" to the accused and "Liberal Muslims" to those who prefer to be more forgiving towards Hamza.

11. I mean, who among us the Muslims want to become the solution now? Why do we take actions that always make things worse and further divide us among the ummah? Why do we prefer to be the added salt for the cuts others have made?

12. And one more thing, when we tend to label and name people, and then prescribe to them punishment that sometimes not even in the teaching of Islam but only a fruit of our own thought, do we not realize what is the true role of us as ordinary Muslims in the public?

13. Put it simple, leave the punishment and actions (that should come with justice) to the relevant authorities, it is their job. Then what about us? We pray!

14. Yes we pray and we can do so for many things. In this issues, we can pray that the government will give a fair trial and treatment or even punishment (where necessary) to Hamza, not so that he is punished and embarrassed to the whole world, but so that he realizes his mistakes, and repents, if Allah SWT wills.

15. Next, we also pray that we ourselves and our family, and our friends and many others will learn more about our Prophet Muhammad SAW so that we love him SAW more.

16. What I fear is that, when we are all up against liberalism, that is to interpret Islam in a free way that is beyond the true teaching of Islam, we may also fall to the other extreme end by portraying Islam as a religion that only knows how to punish and spread hatred between one another!

17. Between liberalism and extremism, both have no difference at all, as they both aren't the true way of Islam.

18. If we are really true Muslims, we should be the people of justice (that support fair treatment), the people of love (that prefer forgiveness over hatred) and the people of generosity (that offer prayers even to their enemies-so that they change).

19. I am very confident that most of us here have heard of a story about how an old Jewish lady whom Prophet Muhammad SAW fed her food with his SAW own hands, even when that lady spoke bad about him SAW right in front of him.

20. You know what change this lady has made after she knew that she was badmouthing this wonderful and gentle person she owed her entire life. And you know full well what Allah SWT has promised to those who repent.

21. I am not here to ask you my dear brothers and sisters to accept any misdeeds and disrespect people do to our Prophet Muhammad SAW, but I sincerely invite all of us to reevaluate our roles in the society as Muslims.

22. Which one do we help channel the most? Hatred and anger? Or love, prayers and forgiveness?

23. Stop the dispute. Come and join me spread the love.

24. Remember when Nabi SAW conquered Mecca, his great forgiveness, by will of Allah SWT, has allowed many people to enter Islam. This story is recorded in Surah An-Nasr, the 110th surah in the Quran.

25. In this age of great trials, some of us may describe it as an age of 'modern' jahiliyyah, where jahiliyyah in a simple way would translate to ignorance.

26. However if you ask me personally, jahiliyyah or ignorance in my life dictionary doesn't only refer to the lack of knowledge, but also the lack of love!

27. Question: We love Muhammad SAW. But does he SAW not teach us to love? Given the way we respond to many sensitive issues of Islam nowadays, if it's true that we still have LOVE somewhere in our hearts, then ask this to ourselves.

"Where?"

Wallahuaklam. Wassalamualaikum wbt..

P/S: All I want is fair trials even towards the enemies or haters of Islam, for Allah SWT always reminds us not to transgress our limits. May Allah SWT protect us all ameen, wa insya Allah ;-)