Policeman in Action

I always feel bad with a policeman since I have ever had a complex business with them. I don’t know why, but in my imagination a policeman are frightening, beside I hate them for their arrogant manner (not all). Today, as we passed solo baru (the way to my cousin’s house in sukoharjo), a policeman stood in a distance, their brown uniform waved me (so dramatic). I could feel their existence with their brown uniform. Oh, no, I thought we had a bad luck. They had a patrol to hunt those without driver license and vehicle document (I don’t know in english). Luckily, it was only for motorbike, so my father continued driving.

I feel that this kind of patrol sometimes makes me feel to be a wanted person or criminal. So, I think it will be my victory when they found nothing to attack me that I have my driver license and vehicle document.hhh

Recently, they do this patrol more often here in Solo.

Eating Time

Today was so busy, happy, and nervous (for my cousin and aunt), since my cousin will marry. The man, whom she will marry to, came with his family to ask “officially” my aunt’s permission to marry my cousin. For us it meant a very good news and a busy day, but for me, it meant “eating”!!!

Indonesians usually have many foods for this kind of meeting. Nothing special actually, we can serve every kind of food we want. Maybe for some traditional people, it will be different. They will serve many traditional and special foods, and it is different between one region and another region.

But, today we had this...You may don't see rice in the pic, but I quarantee that rice is the main "actor"!!

Brick Carts along the Road

The same day again and the same mobile phone, but It was in the road. This carts attracted my attention as I passed this road. I often pass these carts, but today I could not keep my hand of taking the picture.

These carts are brick carts which are pulled by a cow or horse. They load a bricks to the city; usually they come from village where the people make bricks. They stopped for having a rest before continuing their journey. It is a common view to see this cart in Solo, even in the main road. Solo is developing, but I think we will not leave our tradition since many old people still live in a village in Solo, and of course we need them. They produce many things with lower prices than in the city. And the carts, I hope they will exist forever. I mean, hopefully I will not lose this view since it represents the simple life of solonese. Of course, Solo needs to develop but I don't want it becomes a different city where I can only find machines!!!

Indonesian Hero

Still today with the same mobile phone and place. This is a picture of Indonesian hero. You know why? They are the one who keep us alive, hhh. They provide us rice, yup Farmers. It was a hard job when I saw them carried a back of rice on their shoulder (I’m not sure of that). Farmers have a hard job to cultivate land and to distribute the rice, but what they do are not worth it. Most farmers here are poor, especially those who do not have their own rice field, I mean they cultivate a person’s rice field. Thanks for they effort to keep Indonesian fuel!

Green Part of Solo

Today…Sooo green and fresh, that’s what I felt when I took this photograph. I rarely pass this road when I came to have my Arabic private course, but today I didn’t know what attracted me to pass this road. I took my mobile phone and decided to take the picture with my left hand as my right hand drove my motorcycle. So, I think the picture is not good enough. It was cloudy, but as far I could saw green rice field stretched and blended with the grey sky. Amazing!!

I can not imagine that we will lose this real view in the next few years. Housing was the main problem that will replace rice fields. This picture I took in Gentan, not far from Solo city. Like many other region, we still can see rice field spread along the road especially in the countryside. Once, the old people said that all this green stuff spread in a very large land and they usually enjoyed the view while they were riding their bicycle. Nowadays, in this area, houses are built on the land that used to be a rice field. Housing problem has driven people to sell and to buy rice field. The need of land for housing increases the demand of land so that the price of the land increases. That’s why some owner of rice field eager to sell the land for the profit.

I can not deny that it is a dilemma. On one side the population keep increasing that drive for the need of housing, but on the other side the area for rice field is decreasing that will cause the lack of rice producing. That’s mean Indonesian will have no rice to eat…ooohhh noooo!!!!

No Valentine

Valentine’s day, yup that’s what we can hear and see on this February and the other February. The euphoria of that day is spread everywhere, include here in Indonesia. Everything is wrapped on pink, which symbolize love and affection. Although we are the biggest Muslim country, we can see the euphoria of Valentine everywhere, it’s been a tradition. I think it’s like a campaign to spread an ideology rather than just an advertisement. TV, radio, pamphlets, banner advertise many events that will be held on that day. Some people are excited, some others do not care, and the others are concern to speak up about what inside Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day is a religious celebration which is wrapped into the form of international love celebration. Many people use this moment to show their love to everyone, and for business it is time to get more profit by using valentine as the way to attract buyers. Everything is so lovely and so pinky, but inside the lovely stuff of valentine there is an agenda to spread an ideology. I think what make this celebration is so happening is from advertisement. Every banner I saw along the road was so valentine. They advertise about an event, product, sale, and everything. The advertisement about this celebration is a trap for Muslims. It is a medium to spread an ideology which will make muslim to be far from the deen and lead us astray. Some people do not realize that this is a religious celebration since like what I said before it is wrapped into international love day. It forms our mind that valentine is a lovely day that should be celebrated for the peaceful of the world.

It had a religious history beyond that jargon. Valentine’s day is closely related to the ancient “martyrs” of the Christian Church, Saint Valentine, most of us know the story. I knew that now many people concern to speak up about the history beyond valentine especially for muslims, because innocently some of us join the celebration which are not belong to Islamic celebration, and valentine is one of them.

“To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah 5:48]

“For every nation We have ordained religious ceremonies which they must follow” [al-Hajj 22:67]

I am so excited to see the battle between those who concern about the agenda beyond this celebration and those who advertise this celebration. I can see a banner about valentine celebration and a banner to stop joining the celebration for Muslims. That’s a good way that we should explicitly show that Muslims can not join a celebration which do not belong to Islamic celebration. We must fight this because unconsciously this can lead us to not obey the rule of Allah. Of course for Muslims this celebration is forbidden. It is not our celebration and it is an innovation (bid’ah).

“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Awliyaa’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Awliyaa’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa’), then surely, he is one of them. Verily, Allaah guides not those people who are the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers and unjust)”[al-Maa’idah 5:51]

Well, some friends of mine said that they did not care about this celebration, but still I can see that they are busy with valentine’s stuff like what they will give to their boyfriend or girlfriend in that day. It’s ironic sometimes, people say that they are muslim but they do not follow islam, otherwise they follow other religion. Whereas follow kuffars is bid’ah, and every bid’ah lead us to Jahannam (hell). Islam is rahmatan lilalamin, so it spreads love everyday for all believers for the sake of Allah.

May Allah guide us to the right path.
“Guide us to the Straight Way, The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray” [al-Faatihah 1:6-7]

Beyond The Great Wall

I was so excited about someone whom I met in a cyber chat few weeks ago. What made me surprise is that I met an Uyghur brother. I read a lot about the struggle of Muslims in china land, and there is a part called Xin Jiang which is inhabited by the Uyghur. Most of them are Muslims. I couldn’t get much information about people’s struggling for independence there. It seems that the problem is a very sensitive issue in China. I will not write about specific issue here, but I will start with general view of mine about this part of the world.

XinJiang or East Turkestan is an old city beyond the great wall. Everything seems Middle Eastern rather than Chinese. People in this part of the world are struggling to get free life and to get right to express their pious as Muslim. Some stories I read, Chinese government oppresses and forces their communist policies in XinJiang. Muslims can not do pray and other religious activities, even Islam can not be thought in school. I am not sure whether or not this land belongs to China, because some article says that the china’s border is the Great Wall and Xin Jiang is out of that border.

XinJiang is a very beautiful and interesting region, naturally and culturally. It is located between china and Afghanistan. Desert, hill, lake, and culture are a blending between two big cultures. I can see XinJiang in You tube video is like a middle east in china. The people also seem Middle Eastern rather than Chinese, or we can say they are like hazara in Afghanistan, the blend between Arabs and Chinese. That’s only my conclusion for an opening. The cities in XinJiang are blending too between uyghur’s culture and Chinese. Arabics, Uyghur, and Chinese letters spread in the buldings along the road there. The food also I can say again it’s blending. Ok, I conclude that XinJiang is a unique blending region between East and Middle East.

My friend told me that Chinese government calls the Uyghur is an artist, why? It’s because they like singing and dancing. Yeah, although most of them Muslims but some people still, they can not be separated by their old culture. According to a video made by Serene Fang, most Muslims, in Kashgar especially, are Sufi Muslims. Maybe that’s why they are called artist, because in Sufism it’s a common to sing and to dance.

Today XinJiang is in progress especially in the center of islam, Kashgar. The city is developing very much without leaving the old culture. I can still see an old cart between cars in the main road of Kashgar. I can see an old city there with their traditional bazaar where people sell vegetables, cattle, and handicrafts.

Soooooo interesting, it makes me wanna see that place with my own eyes. I always interested in Middle East culture that’s why I like this place, but in XinJiang, I can see something different, the cultural blending between two big cultures.

Inside the beauty of XinJiang, the silenced of the people are underground. People are afraid to speak about the oppression. My friend said that it is true that children do not get religious lesson (Islam) in school, since it is forbidden. Some parents who concern about this teach Islam in home, like my friend’s family. I don’t know the real condition of the people there actually, but every article I read talk about the oppression. Muslims are caught for terrorism, a woman caught just because thought Quran to the children, sterilizes forces for women, even abortion for those who pregnant after having 2 children. It’s horrible. It seems that the government doesn’t want this region to develop, they try to stop new Uyghur baby to born. XinJiang is not only beautifu, but also rich for mineral. The reason is logic to make the government want this land for Chinese not for the Uyghur.

That’s why Uyghurs are unique, I can spend my time to browse about it all day.

I’ll try to write more about Uyghur, InshaAllah. The place that make me in love and the suffering of my brothers and sisters there that make me feel so bad.

Salute for You, Mr. Erdogan

The world got big news after a few days we only heard common and silly news about Israel and world leaders. The accident in world economic forum in Davos few days ago was a slap for some muslims leaders. Recep tayyip Erdogan, muslim prime minister from secular country, was doing a walk out after the panelist didn’t give him time to talk in a spat with Simon Perez. It was, I can say, fantastic news for us in the middle of silly news about Arabs leader and Israeli government. Time distribution in the forum was not fair; it seemed that the panelist gave more time to Simon Peres than Erdogan.

The disrespectful of the panelist and Peres shown us that the world has closed their eyes about what Israel had done in Palestine. Peres talked too much about Israel’s fantasy world that they are not the one who had to be blamed for the death of over 1500 civilians. On the other side, Erdogan had shown the world that Israel can be defeated and we can be arrogant too toward that pathetic Zionist. 

Many people especially in muslim world saluted him, even hamas leader gave him praises. Here is the transcript of the talk

Of course it’s became ironical, when most of leader from Muslim country afraid to bother Israel or even laugh with them, the leader from secular country did that in front of the other world’s leader. Erdogan attacked Perez with many facts that Israel is a barbarian constitute to their attack to Palestine. Only he, after Israeli’s attack, who talked explicitly about what the world had seen in Gaza. The funniest part was when erdogan walked to leave the forum, Secretary General of Arab League stood to shake his hand with a very confuse manner, but after that he back to sit. What we can see here is that Arabs are in dilemma. They are afraid of Israel, but on the other hand they are surprised by erdogan’s walk out. It’s of course is a slap for them. What role they have done in this problem, nothing, only curse but not did it explicitly just for a formality as a leader toward the problem in Palestine. Erdogan was also the one who ask the world to respect Hamas who won the election in Palestine. It’s Palestinian choice to leave the government to Hamas. Contradict with most of world leaders who blamed Hamas for Israeli’s attack.

As we know that so far only one muslim leader who is very controversial regard to the state of Israel (is it state??). Mahmud Ahmaddinejad is the only one who is brave to attack Israel explicitly about their corrupt in this world. Erdogan did that, although it’s probably just an emotional reaction, but he sure gave a good lesson for other muslim leaders. 

My opinion about Turkey was changing a lot after the accident. It was not a secular country which I see now, but a country in changing. Some people predict that the rise of Islam won’t come from Arab land but one of the places is Turkey. Under the rule of Erdogan and Abdullah gul, Turkey progresses a lot, but still religious issue became the one that is sensitive in this country although the new government comes from religious background. Some elements from secular party are worry about the influence of Islamic values brought by the new government. Erdogan is still working under the secular system, but he made some changes especially in education and economic. It has become one of powerful muslim country in the west especially and in the world generally.

The accident has shown the world that not all Muslim leaders are afraid and loyal to Israel and their alliance. Turkey has shown it explicitly in front of the world that they stand for Palestine. This should make the other muslim leader shy and realize that what Muslims world need is a brave and unity to beat all kuffar for the glory of Islam and for the peace of the world. It also has shown the world that Turkey is now developing to be a great power in international world.

Here is poem which landed Erdogan in jail.
“The mosques are our barracks, the domes our helmets, the minarets our bayonets and the faithful our soldiers...”

Women's Jihad

“In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful”

Dear, sister
I don’t know where I have to start this. Yesterday, I read a magazine, a jihad magazine. It’s so horrible to see that today islam is being attacked everywhere, not only in Palestine but also in many parts of the world. Muslims are struggling to keep their imaan and their land. In Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq, Moro, Xin Jiang, etc Muslims also struggle to free themselves from kuffar. What makes me to have so much concern about this is “the sister”. Our sisters in some part of the world in which kuffar take control of their land are struggling. It’s hard to say but the reality now is that the sisters are facing a very hard time, they have to see kuffar kill their husband, their children, and even rape them. I realize that I am so lucky that I live in my place now, but I as a muslimah and of course the other muslimah have a charge of what is happening. We, by the will of Allah, have a big role to save the ummah.

Muslimah have a big role in this ummah, we have a big contribution in the field of Jihad. I read an article which has opened my eyes about this. The maintenance of the ummah is based on the right and strong foundation. Strong foundation comes from the ummah itself. We as a woman have a big responsibility to set this foundation. Muslimah give birth new mujahid and mujahidah everyday. That is our role to be the first madrasah(school) for our children. Muslimah has a responsibility towards their husband and the family. It’s not only how we take care of our family, but also how we educate our children so that they grow to be the servant of Allah and to be a good khalifa in this world and in hereafter.

The first education of children will be at home and the parents have a big responsibility to what they have to teach to their children, of course based on Qur’an and Sunnah. The role of woman is very important because we are the closest person for them. We are with them everyday since they are still an embryo. The first education begins when they are an infant inside the womb. Children feel the love of Islam inside it, which is tied in mother’s love and sincerity towards the deen, and the implementation of the teaching of Islam. When a mother read Qur’an children will hear it through their heart before their ears, everything that is felt by the mother will be felt by the children either, InsyaAllah. What we teach can influence them so much especially in the early age. Since they are born, the first word that they hear is the words of Allah. It’s a base for them to know the reason why they are born, that is to be the servant of Allah and to be khalifah in this world.
It is no doubt that woman bear a big responsibility in the family. It is bigger than just giving a service toward the husband and feed the children. This responsibility is how we can educate our children and control their akhlaq so that they grow to be a tough Muslims with strong imaan that will lead this ummah.

“The Messenger of God, may God bless him and give him peace, also said: "Each child is born in a state of fitrah, but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian." (Reported in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).”

 I haven’t married, but I see today woman prefer to work outside the house pursuing career whereas the husband can fulfill their need rather than staying at home taking care of the family. That’s why some children who lack of attention turn to be uncontrolled and transgress the limit of the deen. Of course, we don’t wanna this happen. We have to plant the best quality of seed, watering them with imaan so that they grow to be strong muslims who will inherit the world.
Sometimes, I feel that this is gonna be hard for me since I am not a perfect muslimah, but I realize that this job is the way we show our pious to Allah swt. This is our job and jihad sisters, to produce the next generation of the ummah through our madrasah, unite the things that we will fight for together. We will teach the warriors of Allah so that they will be our mediator on the day where wealth and children is unuseful for us.

“They may destroy the first madrasah of mujahiddin, but another madrasah will be built and there will be many new mujahiddin born to lead this ummah in the way of Allah, because Allah promises us victory.”

(Thank 4 JihadMagz t give me the idea)

Pemboycotan yang dilematis

Masalah boycott produk2 israel memang dilematis. Kemarin saja saat saya membawa daftar produk yang harus diboikot, teman-teman ada yang ragu apakah dengan memboycot produk-produk tersebut akan berpengaruh terhadap Israel. Toh, kita hanya membeli nama dan keuntungan yang dihasilkan tidak akan masuk ke kantong mereka.Yang ada nanti malah perekonomian indonesia yang akan ambruk.

Pendapat orang boleh berbeda-beda, tetapi menurut saya cara ini adalah satu jalan paling mudah yang bisa kita tempuh untuk memberikan dukungan kita terhadap saudara-saudara kita di Palestina dan gaza pada umumnya. Kita mungkin hanya membeli nama, tapi uang yang digunakan untuk membeli nama tersebut yang telah membangun kekuatan Israel untuk menghancurkan Palestina. Uang yang kita keluarkan untuk membeli McD misalnya, adalah uang yang digunakan untuk menutup uang yang dikeluarkan oleh pemilik McD di Indonesia untuk membeli nama. Itu sama saja kita memberikan uang kita kepada para pendukung Israel.

Masalah boycott yang malah akan merugikan negara kita sendiri sbenarnya tidak seratus persen benar. Bagaimana tidak, dengan boycott akan memacu pertumbuhan ekonomi lokal. Masyarakat yang dulu lebih suka membeli produk-produk asing akan beralih menggunakan produk dalam negeri yang dipercaya. hal itu akan memacu masyarakat Indonesia untuk membuka lapangan usaha baru. Misalnya saja kosmetik, saat ini banyak wanita yang lebih suka menggunakan kosmetik produksi asing (termasuk saya,hehe), dengan adanya pemboycotan ini maka kita bisa beralih untuk mencoba kosmetik buatan dalam negeri. Dengan begitu produk dalam negeri juga bisa berjaya di Indonesia, begitu pula dengan perekonomian rakyat.

Hal itulah yang selama ini menjadi dilema beberapa orang untuk ikut dalam aksi boycott. Hal kecil seperti ini akan meruntuhkan israel sedikit demi sedikit jika kita bersatu untuk mendukung saudara kita yang bahkan di ytanahnya sendiri tidak dapat hidup damai. Tetapi, semua ini memang individual. Bagi yang percaya bahwa boycot merupakan jalan yang terbaik maka marilah sama2 kita boycot. Bila tidak, tidak masalah. Toh, manusia punya hak asasi untuk mengatur barang apa yang ingin dia gunakan.

Wallahualam bissawab.

Yes we can help...Boycott Israeli Products!!!

Again...again...I'm late to post

Let's see...I wanna talk about what had happened in the last 13 days. Holly land is being attackted, of course we know that. I has been 13 days and about 800 people died, the other 3000 injured. So far, nothing happened to help them inside their land. What do we wanna see? a massacre?another holocoust? We can do something, don't wait for the world leader to stand together against Israel. We can do ourselves. Pray to Allah everyday,and boycott every product which support Israel!!!