My personal experienced in Kelantan in the 1970s, Madrasah or locally called Sekolah Pondok is a school for the dropouts. In the 1960s and 1970s, students whom can’t pass well either at the Primary Six and or Lower Secondary Level, they are not allowed to further their study at the formal schools. Thus, since they were still too young to earn a living, normally the parents will just dumb them to the Madrasah or Sekolah Pondok. The kids in fact, they were not really dumb, but due to the prevailing unfriendly circumstances, they simply couldn’t make it. Accordingly, due to educational infrastructural problem, the matter becoming worst as quota system being imposed.
(2) After spending about three days in this faraway socialist land of Laos, with some small experienced at the Al Azhar Mosque of the Vientien, as well as recalling back my experience in dealing with Madrasah Darul Ulum of Bintulu be it in Jepak and or Kg. Baru, which later giving birth to the Madrasah Artarbiah Al Islamiah Bintulu in short MARTABAT with the cost of RM3.50 million, I began to figure out where have we the Muslim had gone derailed in our pursuit as socio-economically strong community. We seem to be: itek mati kehausan di kolam, ayam mati kelaparan di kepuk padi.
(3) My personal encounter in Kelantan, Pattani, and Indonesia especially in Sumatera and those small Islands to the east, the modus operandi of the Madrasah had remained stagnant. Madrasah is a second choice place of education. It is a place for the dropouts, the poor, and to some extent for those who are looking for some solitude. Madrasah is run on voluntary basis. The whole system is run on commune with the main focus to develop one’s spiritual values. It is a spiritual educational place. The style probably had been copycat since the early spread of Islam to this part of the world. The teachers or uztaz and uztazah, they must look as one with certain code of conduct, be it in term of attitude and or dressing. They must be seen as the traditional uztaz or uztazah, probably a modified or adopted code of conduct of the early Arabic or Indian missionaries in the 13-16th centuries.
(4) Turban, veil, covered less decorated dressing, long beard, shadowed eyes lash, bare handed eating style, being in group, avoiding personal accessories especially excessively, etc are the physical emphasis norms. Any symbolism of materialistic characters is discarded or strictly prohibited. All are by reason to enable one to focus on one’s spiritual destiny, the heavenly world of hereafter. Today world is immaterial. Some seem to be indifferent of the earth under his feet and the sky above his head. Their dream just to be in heaven. I would say, they are death before they die!
(5) To me, I strongly believe, all these are not the real truth of the so called spiritual development precondition. Most I would believe are mere escapism if not a mean of seeking for recognition just as many others, say a doctor without a statoscope hanging from his neck in that long white dress would feel uncomfortable as he walked into the ward. There is no issue about it then, nonetheless, there are times, those inflict other withholding if not back tracking syndrome. The way we had been seeing the spiritual aspect of Islam need seriously revisiting.
(6) Let not dwell too much on those petty matters. My intent to write this is to explore the possibilities on how we could now work out a system that could traject us into the better future. Here let me sketch the paradigm of the better future as I meant. Kindly also note that while writing this article, I'm high in the Laos Mountain travelling on bumpy road with vomiting odour among the passengers. this is my thought at time of interesting harrasment.
(7) Allah had created us out of both the Angel and Satan objection. As we know, the Angel duty is nothing more than to glorify Allah, while the opposite for the Satan. Among both and the rest of His creations, He want someone to be in charged or to lead. Thus when He announced that He wanted another creation to take on the leadership role, thus the Satan just simply felt annoyed and rejected the idea. The Angel view of the human creation is rather different from the deviant Satan; they just could see some human being probably could bring more harms rather peace to the world. Thus the notion or foundation of my future is based on the role of leadership that humankind need to take. Basically, Allah tasked us to tadbir: manage this world. Under whatever logical sense, management is about making things better,even in time of worst, it is to manage the worst to a normal state and the worts is to keep this as they are.
(8) Then here, we could just narrow down our schematic of the future as the better future for all His creations. In a human perspective, one can’t be truly generous if one is too poor. One can’t be in peace if things are chaotic. One can’t be truly healthy if one doesn’t feed well. One can’t help others if one is helpless. Nobody will take us as leader if we are poor, weak, uneducated, naïve, etc. We can list on and on. The chore of the matter is, we have to be better to make others better. We simply can’t escape from our worldly management responsibility. We must manage the world, we must lead, we must be truly us, the way Allah want us to be. We can’t be a Satan for He has that. We can’t be an Angel, because there are there. We can’t be an animal, doesn’t matter what it may: lion, tiger, chicken, rat, pig or any others. We just have to be a human being, the created leader to all.
(9) Most importantly, we the Muslim, our religion, Islam had been declared as the perfect discipline that we must uphold. Thus, as a Muslim, we must be a human being, a leader of all His creation under the guidance of His discipline ie Islam. Thus it is basic, we must be an Islamic Leader. Short and simple. Crystal clear. But what does that mean?
(10) Definitely many want to throw their ideas or views. Many will say, let just emulate what Muhammad SAW had done and behave. The argument is based on Aishah, his youngest wife, saying that Muhammad is Islam and Islam is Muhammad. Thus, emulate him. I’m not interested in definition. I’m here wanting ideas on how to build that Muhammad’s SAW characters and spirit among the Muslim. Let work on the holistic values of him. Let facilitate that. We had been arguing what and what for too long. To this end, none have really able to truly demonstrate the true Muhammad’s SAW characters and spirit. Thus, let have a relook at how we do thing and move on from there.
(11) Taking the Muslim Champa society as a case of argument, I would love to throw this idea and see how this could later match with our effort to develop the minority Muslim of Sarawak, not only as the Muslim Community but a community that would able to stand for everybody. Can we not be a successfull Muslim that care for others? Is that not our role and responsibility? Why others care for us, and not the reverse? Probably we had ignored too much of Allah task on us!
(12) There are about 60 families of Champa Muslim in Vientien. As compared to the 700,000 Buddhist dominant population, they are just a dust on a nib of a pen. Allah is great, though there are really outnumbered, but still He implants them there. Why? Others may see their existence as cancerious, but let remember, the true purpose of human creation in the first place. Surely we must also be mindful of the declaration of Islam as the perfect discipline. If we combine both, the answer is crystal clear. He just want a leader among all his creation. I can't remember, I have read, there is this saying if not mistaken either by Muhammad SAW or Islamic scholar: "There is always somebody among you, whom had been choosen to lead"
(13) One should also must remember, even if onely two of you, Muhammad SAW urged us to: "Choose a leader among you. If there is only you, listen to your heart". Thus as a Muslim, we must take the task as a leader, doesn't matter how small it be, and wherever we are. It is a responsibility.
(14) I believe, the existence of super minority Champa within the larger Laos community is not an isolated case. There are many of such cases world wide. Even in the mountain high in Sarawak, yet there still a family or two among the Kelabit in Bareo. I have in my childhood days, studied together with Muslim aborigine who came from the deep jungle of Pahang, Trengganu nad Kelantan. Allah, His wisdom, His plan, He created potential leaders among all, and those who realise this will be the victor. Yet the Muslim, hard from understanding if not taking this role.
(15) The Cham, they are the Chambodian of origin. They once have their own Kingdom, but when Buddhism spread in South East Asia about 4,000 years ago, they diminished into unwanted community be they be in Chambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. Some even settled in Kelantan. Nowaday, Laos is a socialist state. Islam, the very religion that the Cham embraced,in one way or another doesn’t really work with socialist ideology. Thus, religiously and politically, the Laos Cham are in a very disadvantage position. Economically they could be easily sideline. The Laos Cham are really as telur dihujung tanduk. Thus, they have to be different. They have to have their own survival plans and way of life.
(16) To me, the Pattani, the Moro, the Sarawak Muslim, as being a minority, we ought to have our own way of managing the future of our society. We can’t be too liberal. We can’t either be orthodox. We can’t be an eel or a snake just like the Jews. We can’t simply be a buffalo, pig, tiger or elephant. Not an owl, vulture, cat or rabbit. Thus, what we should be then?
(17) We must be we. But what’s that constitute we? Again let don’t quarrel over definition. Let take the spirit of the Completion of the Quranic Revelation. Though it came from Allah, He purposely got it done within 22(?) years of Muhammad SAW prophecies. If He want, He could just make it in less than even a micro-second:Kun Fa Ya Kun, and done!
(18) Muhammad SAW did suggest, one must never stop learning even if one in the verge of death (liang lahad) or if one even have to go to China. The question is, why did he suggest China? To learn from the communist which is not at all in tandem with Islam? Or do we really need physically going to China? Can’t we just go to China Town or even dash out into the Street and see whether there is China there? In fact we can go to China. We can also visit China Town be it in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Manila, Darwin, Los Angeles or anywhere. We can just also learn from the Chinese in our homeland. The only issue is how sharp are we to pick, learn and move on?
(19) In Malaysia in particular, why are the Chinese so adamant about their vernacular school? What is so special about this school? What were their basis of having these schools? Why is such a struggle only persist in Malaysia, not in Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Chambodia, America or even Singapore? My suggestion here, why should we be busy working hard to find the answer if we have all the intent to eliminate the system? The Malays past educationist have seen the existence of the Chinese Vernacular schools as a challenge to a National Integrity, I was also bit of influenced originally, but can't we now see that as something that Muhhad SAW has asked us to study? Why are we not just work hard to understand the system, and find out how it has reinforced the strength of the Chinese Community? Which is smarter and much productive? It that not the possibilities why Muhammad SAW not suggesting that we should learn from the Chinese?
(20) Our Madrasah should come along or probably modified or even make some adoption to the Chinese vernacular school. Chinese school initially is about nurturing and sustaining culture. In Malays there is that saying: Indah bangsa kerana hahasa. Bahasa adalah jiwa bangsa. Mati bahasa matilah bangsa., and another saying: Indah rupa kerana bahasa. Budi bahasa pekerti bangsa. In fact most of the Malays, not only they have forgotten about these, but worst they have never heard about these. For those Malays' Culturist and Educationist whom were in the past so adamant about these, they seem to withdraw in their struggle even before they being defeated. I hardly heard their voice anymore. One could blame Mahathir Mohamed Educational System that had killed the Malays interest to pursue the Excellency of the Malays Literature and Culture, but one must also be blame for not able to make Mahathir to realise that the sustenance of the Malays good culture is paramount to the survival of the Malays.
(21) What would be the Cham, if all of them, over 3,000-4,000 years ago had surrendered and be all Buddhish? Same goes with the Javanese and the Rhiau Malays. The same applied to the Sulus. See what happen to the Balinese? See what happen to the Manados. An adamant attitude over one culture doesn’t mean we are in the verge of collapse. What needed is the strategic mindset that could turn all those which are at our heart to our advantage. If we want to win a gold in Olympic, let have top spinning contest. Surely, the Gold will be ours.
(22) Here in Laos, the ladies look slim and cute. I really appreciate their physical look as compared to most Malaysian nowadays seem to don’t bother about their mobility. When I shot them a question: Would you like if I take you as a wife?. With no hesitation they just say: Yes. Are you serious?. Then when the issue: You follow me to Malaysia was raised, a very definite answer was: No. I’m muang Laos. I stay here. They are deadly Laos-centric. Why? Their lives to our standard is in misery in fact!
(23) Now back to the Madrasah. In today life, parents are so busy earning for a living. Kids are virtually on their own from 0600 to 2100 hours daily. For the middle class, the kids are mostly attended by the maids. The maids are now the guidance of our kids, not us the parents. Educational wise, Mahathir had made our system to be able to benefit all at least to the High School or even Polytechnic level. Thus, the issue of dropout is no more our main concern.
(24) Spiritual education nowadays has spread beyond basic. In the past, spiritual education mean merely learning how to read the Quran and all those basic requirements to enable one to fulfil the execution of the five pillars of Islam: Shahadah, Shalat, Fasting, Zakat and Fitrah, Hajj. The handling of the death, marriage or any other forms of ritual matters are left to the so called expert ie the imam or khadi.
(25) Today, learning the true Islamic teaching and practices had becoming a commercial business. Either the have or the poor, they would love to have their kids to be properly nurtured with all the great Islamic values. Everybody know, well behave and responsible kid, is a pride of a family and surely a relief of a parent. The wealthy or upper middle class are now becoming the great believer in this, except, their ego, their down looking at the Madrasah and Pondok makes them shy away. Why? Are we just want to keep Islam to the poor? Why then apart from Bilal and Ali, Muhammad had the rich Khadijah, Abu Bakar, Othman and Omar with him? Can't we think? Or our egoism is equally stuborn as those we see as one?
(26) Accordingly, our current elder generation are much educated and quite independent. They basically are still quite healthy and have own income. Their worldly outlook also had much changed. In the past, they are, just like me, they don’t really have the chance to attend to a proper spiritual classes or schools. Thus, with their ample free times, they are searching for much solitude retreat, hunting for a much rewarding activities for the dayafter. But they don't want to be just as those monk and priest! They still want to be a living community, still part of the active community.
(28) Young educated, busy, much sophisticated generation, are now also had viewed Islam from a very different perspective. They just not interested to know how to read the Quran. They want to understand the meaning of their reading. They are in search of the true knowledge that had been long buried in the Quran. They want to master the Arabic. They want to do research. They want to learn in a very different mode. They need interactive learning experience but at their own mercy. Later they want to communicate their ideas, right or wrong. Accepted or rejected. They just want to be scholar just like Ibn Battuta, Ibn Khaldum, Shafie, Ghazali, Bukhari, and many others to explore, to build and to spread.
(29) Did we clearly understand this new voices? These wind of change?
(30) Are we facilitating these new knowledge demand? Did we now not realise, the knowledge of Islam is a commodity. We can make the high urge among Muslm to deepen the true capturing of Islam as a rewarding entities, not only from the pahala searching vantage point, but would be financially feasible as well.
(31) One may ask ”Doesn’t that being the role of the Universities?”. Partly yes, and partly no. Yes, for those are universities students. As long as our universities are exclusive in nature, the general public won’t have the benefit of such facilities. If the universities could had taken up such a position, definitely the Malayan University, The National University and the International Islamic University would have impacted direct and greatly to the neighbouring societies. As far as I know, they have not.
(32) Madrasah should remain public and voluntary. It should be a true public places. Having a Madrasah close to the Mosque would be the best. The facilities should be integrated, upgraded and diversified. Madrasah should go beyond spiritual. Madrasah must be a Community Centre of Excellent. It is a Community Islamic Centre of Excellent. It should nurture and enhance the true conquest of Islam, the religion, the Way of Life, not merely the spiritual race for hereafter. All the modern communiqué must be established. We can’t be just who we are, while others are pursuing far and fast we just in hatred with all sort of prejudice.
(33) Allah had set the Law of Nature, everything is created in pairs. The rich and the poor. The tall and the shortie. The big and the small. The black and the white. The good and the bad. Thus, let expand from there. Let the universities be as the highest hierarchy of the Madrasah system. The second lower level should be an academy. Then only the Madrasah. A properly Islamic Educational system then should emerge out of this Madrasah institution. The academy down ward should be made public, which blends the requirement of private part time individual pursuit and those of fulltime academic targeting.
(34) I now having a dream, and I hope if I can't make it due to circumstances, those friends whom had been working and traveling with me, they could see what I see and I pray, they have the strength to work on this dream, even if it is going to be modified.
(35) I initiated this writing on the mountain, this morning I launch the article at Luang Prabang Water Front over seeing the fast moving Mekong River, a view just like Kapit is not Song.
luang prabang, laos
1 Sept., 2011
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