Mucho Mistrust (1)

The Moon said after greeting with a salaam, "Wise leaders are self aware; aware of their prejudices, their social conditioning, and thus, able to moderate the tendency to be over-optimistic with their intuitive instincts. A wise leader, assembles as much knowledge and understanding as possible, to empower them, to make the right decision, in a timely manner. This is why, wise leaders, surround themselves with the best people."

"And what the Fourth Judge narrated?" the Owl was curioused. The Moon unveiled, "The Fourth Judge described, 'Islam has ‘political dimension’ in addition to spiritual and social nature. Political issues are mentioned more than 100 times in the Quran, at least 73 of which concerned either denouncing unjust rulers or praising persons who protested against, opposed or confronted such rulers. A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ), “What is the best Jihad?” The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ

“A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler.” [Musnad Aḥmad; Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Nawawi]

The Prophet (ﷺ) stated that the best of all martyrs was a person who stand up to an oppressive ruler, demanding fairness and protesting against the ruler’s injustices and who, as a result, may lose his or her life.

The first day of the Islamic Calendar is the day when the Prophet (ﷺ) reached Madinah and was greeted as the new political leader of the city-state, not his birth or the beginning of the revelations. And among the first projects that the Prophet (ﷺ) started in Madinah was, the drafting of a socio-political contract, known as the Sahifat al-Madinah or the Charter of Medina, which acknowledged every tribe in Madinah, recognized other religions, and described how relations should be conducted among these tribal and religious groups. The Sahifat included a common defence agreement, a basic mechanism for inter-group conflict resolution, and autonomy for Jews with respect to their internal affairs.

In the political domain, Al-Hikmah, i.e. the Quran and the Sunnah, address certain broad themes regarding political issues. Since these two supreme sources of Islam, do not contain many political details, even when they address certain social, political, economic, punitive, personal and family matters, the creation of laws is a task for ijtihad or human agency.

When it comes to the concept of democracy,  there are two Islamic concepts that pertain to politics: Shura and Bay‘a. In Islamic political thought, Shura refers to deliberations conducted with the aim of collecting and discussing different opinions on a particular subject in order to reach a decision. The majority of classical jurists and contemporary scholars of Islamic studies consider Shura to be a fard. Scholars–particularly those from the classical era–perceived shura as being less than an obligation, but still deemed it to be mandub (recommended).

The Concept of Shura or mutual consultation, is understood as a tool of deliberate action to protect public interests and resolve public issues. So, what is mutual consultation? Mutual consultation means the act of discussing something with somebody before making a decision. Mutual consultation is not an isolated habit. The willingness to engage in it results directly from qualities like modesty, sincerity, caution and the spirit of learning. Without these qualities, no one can engage sincerely in mutual consultation. Belief in Allah, brings with it all these virtues and makes one absolutely sincere in all aspects of life. It is this sincerity as well as modesty that compels a believer not to decide upon anything without first consulting others.

The best form of mutual consultation is that in which one seeks others’ advice, while endeavoring to share experiences. Mutual consultation is important, not just for the individual but also for society. As far as the individual is concerned it is through consultation or discussion that he develops his personality. Mutual consultation makes one a better person and a society comprising individuals of this kind becomes a wise society.

Fruitful mutual consultation has two conditions attached to it. One precondition for effective mutual consultation is that both the parties should have open minds. The other condition is that both parties should be ready to accept opinions on their merits and without bias. It can be conducted between the rich and the poor, between seniors and juniors, between the educated and the uneducated, between the young and the old or between men and women. This all-encompassing nature of consultation makes it fruitful to the ultimate extent.

The habit of mutual consultation creates a degree of trust between the different members of society. Mutual trust and the spirit of cooperation is essential for building a good society, and mutual consultation is a vital part of that process. Mutual consultation, in one sense is a ‘give and take’ culture. When you discuss an issue with someone, it is not simply a verbal exchange. During a discussion, you take something from the other, and give something to the other as well. Indeed, the society becomes like a family where people trust and help each other. Here, consultation does not only mean addressing major issues. Issues of that kind no doubt warrant consultation but more important is personal consultation. Everyone needs others’ advice even in matters of daily life. 

In the Islamic political context, Bay‘a is defined as an oath of loyalty given to the nominated, would-be ruler, based on certain conditions. It can be described as a contract by which Muslims give their word that they will accept the nominated person as their leader, as long as that person abides by certain conditions. These may include a variety of different policies and promises about social justice, distribution of wealth, military defence and so forth. It is important to emphasize that Bay‘a is revocable. Thus, Bay‘a could be perceived as a basis for both a system of checks and balances, and the principle of the state’s accountability to the people.

The concept of Bay'a is closely related to the concept of Imamate. Imamate is prescribed to succeed prophethood as a means of protecting the deen and of managing the affairs of this world. There are several conditions regarding those suited to the Imamate, generally, among others, justice together with all its conditions; knowledge which equips them for ijtihad in unforeseen matters and for arriving at relevant judgements; good health in their faculties of hearing, sight and speech such that they may arrive at a sound assessment of whatever they perceive; sound in limb, free of any deficiency which might prevent them from normal movements; a judgement capable of organising the people and managing the offices of administration; courage and bravery enabling them to defend the territory of Islam and to mount jihad against the enemy. There is also a special requirements, i.e. of the family of the Quraysh, because of the text of a prophetic hadith on the matter, and by virtue of consensus.

The Imamate, in Sunni doctrine, have generally viewed as the historical caliphate as the legitimate leadership of Islam after our beloved Prophet (ﷺ). The imam, is thus identical with the ruling caliph. Actual rule, even if reduced to a minimum, is indispensable for the legitimacy of the imam. Classical Sunni theory considered the imamate as an institution necessary for the legitimacy of all acts of government. The imam could be either appointed by his predecessor or elected. In the case of election, there are three conditions regarding those eligible to make the election, first, that they be just and fulfil all the conditions implied in this quality; second, that they possess a knowledge by which they may comprehend who has a right to the Imamate and that they fulfil all the conditions implied by this knowledge; third, that they possess the insight and wisdom which will lead them to choose the person who is most fitting for the Imamate and who is the most upright and knowledgeable with respect to the management of the offices of administration.

The Imamate is called the Khalifah (successor) as he stands in for the Messenger of Allah at the head of his Ummah. However, the majority of the ‘ulama, do not permit to say "Khalifah of Allah," and treat those who do say this as corrupt, arguing that the Khalifah succeeds someone who is absent or dead and Allah is not absent and does not die. 

The majority of the fuqaha are of the opinion that seeking after the Imamate, is not a blamable quality, as the people involved in the council have contested each other’s right by their very involvement, while no one who has sought involvement has been rejected nor has anyone who desires it been excluded. There cannot be two Imams or Head of the State or leaders at one time, and there are ten matters regarding affairs of a public nature which are binding on him. First, he must guard the deen as it was established in its original form and about which the first generations of the Unimah are agreed; if an innovator appears, or someone of dubious character deviates from this deen, he should make clear to him the legal proof of his error, explain the right way to him and take the appropriate measures regarding his liability and his punishment such that the deen is protected from blemish and the Ummah is prevented from going astray. Second, he must execute the legal judgements between two contestants and bring to an end any dispute between two litigants so that equity prevails, the tyrant does not transgress and the weak are not oppressed. Third, he must protect the territory of Islam and defend the sanctuaries so that people may earn their sustenance and journey safe from any threat to their persons or belongings. Fourth, he must establish the hadd-punishments in order to protect what Allah has made inviolable from being violated and prevent the rights of His slaves from being abused. Fifth, he must fortify the border posts against attack and defend them with force against an enemy which might appear unexpectedly and violate what is sacred or shed the blood of Muslims or dhimmis protected by a pact. Sixth, He must make jihad against those who resist Islam after having been called to it until they submit or accept to live as a protected dhimmi-community-so that Allah’s rights, be made uppermost above all religion. Seventh, he must collect the fay and zakah taxes from those on whom the shari’ah and legal judgement has made it an obligation to pay, and this without fear or oppression. Eigth, he must apportion the stipends and whatever is due from the bait almal without wastefulness or meanness and make payments punctually, neither before their time nor after it. Ninth, he must ensure the employment of trustworthy persons and the appointment of worthy counsellors capable of undertaking those tasks delegated to them and of safeguarding monies made over to them. Tenth, he must personally take over the surveillance of affairs and the scrutiny of circumstances such that he may execute the policy of the Ummah and defend the nation without over-reliance on delegation of authority- by means of which he might devote himself to pleasure-seeking or worship - for even the trustworthy may deceive and counsellors behave dishonestly.

So if the Imam fulfils the rights of the Ummah, he will have executed the command of Allah, regarding their rights and their duties: in which case they have a duty to obey and support him as long as his state does not change. Two changes in a person’s state will exclude him from the Imamate: the first of these is a lack of decency and the second is a physical deficiency.

As for a lack of decency, that is a moral deviation, it is of two kinds: the first of them resulting from lust, the second from his holding dubious opinions.

As for the first, it is connected to physical action: he commits forbidden acts, pursues evil, is ruled by his lust and is subject to his passions; this counts as a moral deviation which excludes him from taking up the Imamate or from carrying on with it. Thus, if such behaviour befalls someone who has become the Imam, he is disqualified.

The second aspect, is connected to his creed and his dubious manner of interpreting contrary to the truth.

As for deficiencies in his capacity to act, it is of two kinds: control or coercion by others. “Control” here describes the situation when someone from his retinue gains authority over him and rules autocratically over affairs without appearing to commit any act of disobedience and without any manifest sign of opposition. This does not exclude him from Imamate and it does not impair the validity of his governance, but the actions of the person who has taken over his affairs, should be investigated: if they are in accordance with the judgements of the deen and according to the requirements of justice, he may be allowed to remain in order that the Imamate may continue to function and its rulings be executed, lest the affairs of the deen be interrupted and the Ummah is corrupted. If however, his actions are outside the rule of the deen and the requirements of justice, he may not tolerate his actions and he must seek the help of another in order to overcome him and put an end to his dominance.

The “coercion” referred to here means that the Imam has become the captive of an overpowering enemy force from which he cannot free himself: this prevents the contract of Imamate being concluded with him because he is incapable of examining the affairs of the Muslims. It is of no consequence whether the enemy is a mushrik or a rebel Muslim.The Ummah may choose another than him from amongst those who have power to act by themselves. If he is made captive after having become the Imam, it is up to the whole Ummah to save him as the office of Imamate obliges that he be saved; he remains the Imam as long as there is hope he will be released - either by force or by ransom. If there is no hope for him, consideration must be made of whether his captors are mushrikun or rebel Muslims.

It should be noted that all of the concept had been mentioned, is manifesting a strong tendency towards bureaucracy, to take the divine order to “command the good and forbid the evil”, which at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), was understood as a responsibility of each and every man, has now become institutionalised into the concept of Hisbah, an Islamic doctrine referring to upholding "community morals," based on the Quranic injunction to 'enjoin good and forbid wrong.'  There are some opinions, believe that the 'Ulama carry out the Hisbah with the 'tongue' and officials should use the 'hand.'"

[Part 2]

Bahasa

Omnes Pro Uno

"And what was the Third Judge said?" inquired the Owl soon after the Moon was greeting him with salam. The Moon replied, "I'll tell you what I've heard!

The third Judge mentioned, "Unity gives strength. Faction and feuds, will overturn the state, whilst union, renders flourishing and great. A kingdom divided against itself, cannot stand. And since Friendships and Alliances are of so great importance to our well-being and happiness, we cannot be too often cautioned not to let them be broken by tale-bearers and whisperers, or any other contrivance of our enemies.

Take notice on the following sketch,

A certain King had many Sons, and each of them, maintained their own flag. But they were forever quarreling among themselves about which one who had better flag. Day after day, they were stayed quarreling, until they split into two groups. The first group, composed of princes who were backed up by the nobles, and so, they had advantages. They were able to control the palace guards, viziers, security forces, judges and almost all the Palace officials. They called themselves, "the Flag Holders."

They managed to drive the second group, the princes who sided with the commoners, out of the palace circle. They put a second group, across the river, and they called them "the Antagonists."

The Flag Holders, did as they wished, even the Palace's custom, if it hindered their aims and objectives, were immediately, being changed. In fact, the whole rules had been altered to what was called "Unus pro Omnibus," that is, advantage for them, and the punishment, for all who refused their ways. Should a book, be judged by its cover? 

The King, could say nothing, he failed to heal their disputes by his exhortations, notwithstanding he used every means in his power to persuade them to cease their contentions. When the quarreling had been much more violent than usual, the King fell seriously ill, depressed of thinking about his Sons.

One day, on the point of death, the King, accompanied by his trusted Healer with his Young son, summoned the Prince's. The Antagonist's, unlucky, for, the only bridge, from where they were, had been destroyed, and the guards, deployed to block them, crossed the river. Therefore, only the Flag Holders attended the meeting with the King.

So, they were gathering around him, waiting for some parting advice. He told them a fable,

Four Bulls, which had entered into a very strict friendship, kept always near one another, and fed together. The Lion often saw them, and as often had a mind to make one of them his prey. But though he could easily have subdued any of them singly, yet he was afraid to attack the whole alliance, as knowing they would have been too hard for him. Therefore, contented himself for the present with keeping at a distance. At last, perceiving no attempt was to be made upon them as long as this combination held, he took occasion, by whispers and hints, to foment jealousies and raise divisions among them.

This stratagem succeeded so well, that the Bulls grew cold and reserved towards one another, which soon after ripened into a downright hatred and aversion, and, at last, ended in a total separation. The Lion had now obtained his ends; and, as impossible as it was for him to hurt them while it they were united, he found no difficulty. Now they were parted, to seize and devour every Bull of them, one after another.

Sadly, none of his Sons, understood the parable in question, they just looked at each other, when asked, what was the moral of the story. So, he ordered one of them to bring him a bundle of spears, then handing the bundle to each of his Sons in turn. He told them to try to break it. But although each one tried his best, none was able to do so. The King then demanded the spears untied, and asked each of them, to break it, one by one. This, they did very easily.

With a cheerful face, the King said, "Now, you guys, do you understand?" All of them, silent, they just looked at each other, and said to one another, "Nope!" "Can't imagine!" "Got a headache!" "Can't think!" "So tired!" "My ears are ringing!" "What was it?" "Could it be repeated?"

Hearing this, the King patted his forehead, "O Lord!" then suddenly gasped, and breathed his last, with mouth open and eyes wide.

On the way home, the Young son questioned the Healer, "O father, what was the King tried to tell about?" The healer related, "The moral of the four Bulls story, is so well known, and allowed that to go about to enlighten it, would be like holding a candle to the sun. Since friendships and alliances are of the greatest importance to our well-being and happiness, we cannot be too often cautioned against suffering them to be broken by any dark plots and contrivances of our enemies. When by such wicked means as these, or by our own imprudence, we lose a friend, we shake the very basis of our interest, and remove the pillar that contributed to support it. Whatever in cases of this kind is applicable to individuals, is equally so to kingdoms and states; and it is as undisputed a maxim as ever was, urged upon the attention of mankind, by the best man that ever lived, that the people are invincible, when united.

"As for the spears," the Healer went on, "A kingdom divided against itself, is brought to desolation; and the same holds good, in all societies and corporations of men, from the constitution of the nation, down to every little parochial vestry. Every private family, should consider itself a little state, in which the several members ought to be united by one common interest. Quarrels with each other are as fatal to their welfare, as factions are dangerous to the peace of the commonwealth. But indeed, the necessity of union and friendship extends itself to all kinds of relations in life, and they conduce mightily, to the advantage of those who cherish and cultivate them. No enemy will dare to attack a body of men firmly attached to each other, and will fear to offend one of the number, lest he should incur the resentment of the rest. But if they split into parties, and are disunited by quarrels, every petty opponent will venture to attack them, and the whole fraternity will be liable to wrongs and violence."

The Third Judged added, "Nothing is more necessary towards completing and continuing the well-being of mankind, than their entering into, and preserving friendship and alliances. The safety of a government depends chiefly upon this; and therefore, it is weakened and exposed to its enemies, in proportion as it is divided by parties. A kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation. And the same holds good among all societies and corporations of men, from the constitution of the nation down to every little parochial vestry. But the necessity of friendship extends itself to all sorts of relations in life; as it conduces mightily to the advantage of particular clans and families. Those of the same blood and lineage have a natural disposition to unite together, which they ought, by all means, to cultivate and improve. It must be a great comfort to people, when they fall under any calamity, to know that there are many others sympathise with them; a great load of grief is mightily lessened, when it is parcelled out into many shares. And then joy, of all our passions, loves to be communicative, and generally increases, in proportion to the number of those who partake of it with us. We defy the threats and malice of an enemy, when we are assured, that he cannot attack us single, but must encounter a bundle of allies at the same time. But they that behave themselves so as to have few or no friends in the world, live in a perpetual fear and jealousy of mankind, because they are sensible of their own weakness, and know themselves liable to be crushed, or broken to pieces by the first aggressor."

The Moon combined, "All For One? Unity is indeed necessary, but uniting for the sake of defending evil, tyrannical rulers, bad leaders, or something leads to destruction, needs to be questioned. In Islamic perspective, the concept of Frienship and Alliances, contained in the doctrine of Al-Walaa' Wal Baraa.' Frienship and Alliance for a Muslim, is to be for Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), and the Believers, through a deep-rooted belief—‘aqeedah—and upon a firm basis. He does not form alliances based upon groupings, interests or goals, nor upon a way, which contradicts with Allah's Book. Virtus omnia in se habet; omnia assunt bona, quem penes est vertus—Virtue has all things in herself; he who has virtue, has all things that are good attending him. The Ummah, just sufficient with the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and it is not appropriate for any of them, to hostile to each other, as to think that the truth is, what his group holds, and other than that, is rejected. And Allah knows best."

Citations & References:
- Muhammad Saeed Al-Qahtani, Al-Walaa' Wa'l-Baraa', Al-Firdous Ltd
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco

- Thomas Bewick, Bewick's Select Fables, Bickers & Sons

Bahasa

Beauty Is Not Only Skin Deep (2)

The Second Judge told a story, "A certain man had a Son and a Daughter. The Son was very handsome, and the Girl, was only moderately so. They happened to be one day sitting near the looking-glass, which stood on their mother’s toilet. The Son, pleased with the novelty of the thing, viewed himself for some time, and in a wanton roguish manner, observed to the Girl how handsome he was. She resented it, and could not bear the insolent manner in which he spoke, for she understood it—as how could she do otherwise—to be intended as a direct affront to her. Therefore, she ran immediately to her Father, and with a deal of aggravation, complained of her Brother, particularly of his having acted so effeminate a part as to look in a glass, and meddle with things which belonged to women only.

The father embraced them both, with much tenderness and affection, and told them that he should like to have them look in a glass every day. He added, addressing himself to the Son, "To the intent that you, if you think that face of yours handsome, may not disgrace and spoil it by an ugly temper, and a foul behaviour. Handsome is as handsome does."

"And that you," he spoke to the Girl, "may make up for the defects of your person, if there be any, by the sweetness of your manners, and the agreeableness of your conversation.  Beauty is not only skin deep. Inner beauty is better than outer beauty. The best beauty, is bred in the heart and mind."

And he gave them encouragement, "O my children, we should every day view ourselves considerately in a looking-glass, with the intent of converting it to a better purpose than that of merely observing and admiring our persons. Let those on whom nature has been liberal of her bounties, in bestowing a fine countenance, with symmetry of person, health, and strength, always remember that these are the gifts of providence, for which we ought ever to be thankful, but never vain. These qualifications ought only to act as a spur, to induce us to cultivate the mind, by study, by reading, and reflection, so as to cause it to correspond in its beauties, with those of our outward appearance.

Let others again, who have not any thing in their personal appearance, to attract the attention of the world, strive also to improve the faculties of the mind, and to excel in the beauties of a good temper, and an agreeable conversation, the charms of which, notwithstanding a rough exterior, cannot fail to endear the possessor to all men of sense, who will readily discover intrinsic worth, whether it be made up of a lively imagination, clear perceptions, or the transparent sincerity of an honest heart.

Listen to these consecutive sayings!

Treat all human beings with respect. Human dignity is an inherent, inalienable and inviolable right of every human being. Allah has honoured all the Children of Adam. All human beings are the Children of Adam. So, all human beings must be treated with honour, respect and regard, without distinction of any kind, such as the colour of their skin, their race, descent, social background, national origin, gender, age, language, religion, political or other affiliation and opinion, education, occupation, job, wealth, property or any other status.

Give highest honor the other person of highest integrity. While a certain level of respect and honour, is due to all human beings, those who demonstrate the highest level of integrity deserve the highest degree of honour. The criteria for greater honour, do not include wealth, property, race, ethnic background, skin colour, gender, nationality, social background, language, occupation or anything else but integrity; It is neither any academic degree nor any level of education or religious affiliation, which does not translate into integrity of the character.

The concept of Equality before the law is different from the concept of equality in condition, constitution, composition or conduct. The Quran has pointed out the following contrasts regarding inequality of condition, constitution, composition or conduct: The blind—metaphorically—is not equal to the one who sees; The deaf—metaphorically—is not equal to the one who listens; Darkness of any sort is not equal to the light; Fresh and sweet water, is not equal to salty and bitter water; The living, is not equal to the dead; A man of knowledge, is not equal to the ignorant; Goodness is not equal to evil; The vile is not equal to the good, even though the abundance of the vile is impressive; Those who have conviction and do righteous deeds, are not equal to those who are evil doers; Those who live a hellish life are not equal to those who live a paradisiacal life.

Say with your words, same as is in your heart. It is hypocritical to say with your mouth, something different than what is in your heart and mind. Truth is when you say with your mouth as is in your heart and mind. If you have something different in your heart and mind, than that what you say, then even if you state a fact, you cannot be considered truthful. As long as you do not have conformity of your words with your thoughts, you remain a hypocrite and cannot be considered a truthful and veracious person.

Always speak the truth. You should not make any false or misleading statements, which are not in accordance with the fact, reality or actuality. And do not confound truth with any falsehood. You should not speak partial truth but the whole truth, and not mix the truth with falsehood. Nor you should present a lie in the guise of truth. You should not only appear to be speaking the truth, but you should be actually speaking the truth. Telling half-truth or mixing truth with falsehood is deception and you should not deceive others in any case. Misinformation is all about (unintentional) inaccurate or incorrect information, which arises from ignorance. Disinformation is intended to deceive and designed to mislead others. You should neither spread any misinformation nor disinformation.

Talk straight, without any ambiguity or deception. Speak nice word, in a nice manner. Speak with a soft and gentle voice. Words, written or spoken, have great power to transform the world around us. Good words can inspire good feelings—e.g. happiness, contentment, love or affection—and desirable actions, including heroism. Bad words, can invoke bad sentiments or undesirable actions or reactions—e.g. fear, hatred, anger or enmity. Not only the choice of words affects the attitudes and behaviours of the people whom we talk to, but the way we say the chosen words, also plays a significant role in this regard. Hence, you should always try to choose best words to speak and say those in the best possible manner. Depending on place and time, if possible, avoid using slang words. Slang words are those which are not considered standard in the speaker’s language or dialect, particularly in formal occasions. It may sometimes include socially taboo or vulgar language, which should be avoided at all circumstances. You should talk in a civilized manner, in a language that is recognized by the society as socially and morally appropriate. Avoid cheap and slangy street-talk; speak in a language that is dignified and decorous.

Carry yourself around in a modest, decent and dignified manner characterized by humility, repose and sedateness. On the way, you should restrain your gaze from any lecherous leers and salacious stares. You should ‘walk the talk’ and learn to ‘lead by example’. Always remember that ‘actions speak louder than words’. Model yourself the behaviour that you wish to see in others instead of giving them oral lectures on good behaviour. All the great leaders of the world, have been the role models who set the standard by which other people calibrate their own behaviour. Hence, be a role model instead of a chatterbox. Live your values, in addition to just believing therein.

Never exceed any legal, moral, ethical, decorous or other appropriate limits in your daily life. Avoid aggression, transgression and extravagance, which may be quantitative—i.e. Israf—or qualitative—i.e. tabzeer. Never commit any aggression in enmity, hostility or hatred. Similarly, never transgress any legal or moral limits imposed by the Almighty in any matter. Furthermore, you should not be extravagant in satiating your hunger, thirst or lust. You should neither be extravagant in your expenditures nor you should be parsimonious but should hold a just balance between these two extremes. Instead of spending lavishly for ostentation and show-off, it is better to spend on the welfare of family, relatives, needy and the homeless.

The concept of personal cleanliness and purity, pertains not merely to the body, but also to mind, heart and soul. It is not just the cleanliness of body that is important, but in addition to regularly cleansing your body you should work on having a wholesome mind, a guiltless conscience and an inculpable set of emotions. There is no nicety in just having an immaculate appearance but a dirty mind, a guilty conscience and contemptible passions.

You should dress well because the purpose of dressing is not just to cover your shame but to make you look decent and graceful. However, you should always keep in mind, that elegant dressing, adorns only your body and outer personality, and not your inner character. Your real character lies underneath your first and second skin, i.e. it lies in your mind, heart and soul, and is exhibited in your behaviour with others. Hence, in addition to elegant dress-up, you should also grace your character with an attire of integrity and raiment of righteousness.

Exhibit Ihsan in general conduct. The Quran combines the concept of justice ('adl) as ‘giving what is due’ (adl) with the concept of ‘care’ or Ihsan.

Ihsan includes,

• ‘Doing what is good or beautiful, intrinsically or extrinsically’;
• ‘Doing what is visually pleasing, or perceptually pleasing’;
• ‘Acting or behaving nice and well’;
• ‘Exhibiting excellence in work and in general conduct’; and,
• ‘Creating balance, symmetry and just proportions’.

Whereas ‘adl’ means ‘giving what is due’, ‘ihsan’ means ‘giving more than what is due’ or ‘taking less than that is owed to you’. For example, you do ‘adl’ if you pay agreed upon wages, that are due to a worker whose services you hired.

But if you feel that the amount of wages would not be enough for him to make his both ends meet, then you give him more than what is due or agreed-upon, that is ‘ihsan’.

When supplies and provisions to a person match his needs, his life remains beautifully balanced. In other words, there is ‘husn’ in his life. If the needs exceed the supplies and provisions, then his balance of life or beauty of life is disturbed.

Similarly, if some people in a society have too much and others have too little, the economic balance of the society is disturbed. To bring the balance back is also ‘ihsan’. ‘Infaq’ or spending in the way of Allah, is a key mode of creating this economic balance—or ihsan—in a society.

Do ‘ihsan’ to:

• Your parents;
• Zav-il-Qurba, i.e. family and relatives;
• Al-Yatama, i.e. orphans, widows and those who are left alone in the society;
• Al-Masakeen, i.e. the disabled; those who have lost their jobs; whose business have stalled; whose income fails to meet their needs; the near neighbours and the farther neighbours; the colleagues or companions at the side;
• Ibn-e-sabeel, i.e. the needy wayfarer; son of the street; the homeless; Ma malakt aymanukum—“those whom your right hands possess”—i.e. servants, subordinates, workers or wives.

Be among the ‘muhsineen’. Some of the attributes linked to the muhsineen include: Infaq, i.e. spending in the way of Allah; restraining negative emotions such as anger; and having compassionate feelings that support willingness to forgive others.

Remember! The worst of the living creatures in the sight of the Creator are the deaf and the blind, who do not make use of their sensory perception and the faculty of thinking and reasoning. Hence, you should not follow blindly anything of which you have no direct knowledge. Using your faculties of perception and reasoning, you must verify it for yourself. Even if something is presented to you as Divine, you should not fall deaf and blind thereat.

Never cooperate in immoral and illegal acts. You should evaluate your options in such cases on the touchstones of morality and legality. You should help and support others, in deeds which are morally upright, noble, honourable, ethical, legitimate and lawful. You should never cooperate in cases of crime, corruption, crookedness, fraud, deceit, aggression, immorality, illegality or anything vicious or wicked. The same principles are applicable to cooperation among the individuals, communities, political or other parties as well as among the nations. Surely, it is Allah’s help that should be sought."

"Those were the words spoken by the second Judge. The following night, I'll tell you what the Third Judge spoken, Insha Allah," said the moon. Before sailing to another part of the world, the Moon added, "O Owl! The perfection of man is based on these two abilities: Knowledge and love. The best knowledge is the knowledge about Allah, and the highest love is the love for His Sake. A wise person, is he who places the correct matter in the most suitable place or situation. The wiser a person is, the more he fears Allah. There is a relationship between the fear of Allah and good character, because fearing Allah, improves the relation between the servant and Allah, and good character improves the relation between a person and others. Therefore, fearing Allah makes it possible for Allah to love him, and good manners makes it possible for people to love that person.

If you fear Allah, He will suffice you against people, and if you fear people, they will not avail you whatsoever against Allah. He who fears Allah never feels loneliness. Whoever fears Allah, people will love him even if they hated it. Truly, Allah is the only One who grants success. And Allah know best."

Citations & References:
- Marwan Ibrahim Al-Kaysi, Morals and Manners in Islam, The Islamic Foundation
- Tanveer Hussain, PhD, The Islamic Ethics and Behavior, The Islamic Teaching Series
- Ibn Al-Qayyim, Al-Fawaid, Umm Al-Qura
- Thomas Bewick, Bewick's Select Fables, Bickers & Sons
[Part 1]

Bahasa

Beauty Is Not Only Skin Deep (1)

"Last night, I had delivered the sayings of the First Judge, about Wisdom and Aqeedah. Tonight, I'll tell you the words of the second Judge," said the Moon after greeting with a salaam.

The second Judge, proclaimed, "Manners, in many cultures, are determined by local conditions, and are therefore, subject to changes in those conditions. Human societies, even primitive tribal communities, since the beginning of history, have all developed rules to regulate the conduct of personal and social relations. The Instructions of Ptah Hotep, the oldest book on manners, attributed to the ancient Egyptians, records the instructions of a father to his son about proper behaviour. Every people has observed its own rules and norms; manners have changed tremendously over the centuries, indeed, even within a single people, they have varied considerably from one place to another, at one and the same time.

In Islamic perspective, manners, will never change, because it is based on the Qur'an and Sunnah. The broad principles needed to negotiate the problems that arise in human societies in different ages, contained in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. As a complete way of life, Islam orders economic, political and devotional activity as well as manners, relating to everyday human exchanges and routines. Islam is not confined merely to devotional and legal manners; it embraces criteria and values, attitudes, customs and manners in all reaches of human concern and relationship. As a portion of this whole, Islamic manners are derived from the broad objectives of Islam and reflect its broad ideas and values.

The good manners adopted by Islam, which is derived from its teachings and instructions, is called Adab al-Islam. Adab, is an Arabic term meaning custom; it denotes a habit, an etiquette, a manner of conduct derived from people considered as models. During the first two centuries following the emergence of Islam, the term ‘adab’ carried ethical and social implications. The root 'db' means marvellous thing, or preparation, feast. Adab in this sense, was the equivalent of the Latin 'urbanitas,'—civility, courtesy, refinement of the cities in contrast to bedouin uncouthness. So, adab of something, means good manner of that thing.

Islam determines every aspect of the life of a Muslim. This essential fact, is very difficult for non-Muslims to grasp. For the believer, Islam gives the criteria for judging all of his behaviour and conduct; it determines his relationship with other individuals, with society as a whole, with the physical world, and it determines also his relationship to his own self.

The various aspects of Islam—ideological, spiritual, legal, social, economic, political, etc.—are mutually consistent and supplement each other. The breadth of adab al-Islam, contrasts sharply with the limitations of ‘etiquette.' The origin of ‘etiquette’ can be traced to the French word ‘une etiquette (a ticket), a list of elaborate rules prescribing acceptable behaviour for every situation, that might be encountered at court’. The manners of Islam, are not merely rules of courtesy for various occasions, but cover the whole range of human relations, from the simplest actions, to the most elaborate of social occasions.

The true purpose of adab al-Islam, lies in their religious character and nature. They derive from and sustain man’s need to remember Allah, in his daily routine; they are designed to keep up his remembrance of Allah, and to help him act rightly and correctly. This is conspicuous in the invocations of Allah that accompany most everyday incidents of behaviour in Islam.

One of the chief foundations of adab al-Islam is, morality, the cornerstone of a nation’s self-confidence and strength, as surely as corruption and immorality are one of the main causes of a nation’s decline and disintegration. Given the importance of morality to the health of a nation, normative Islam is surely right to block all ways leading to corruption. Material comforts should not be at the expense of human virtues, individual and collective; politics also must conform to the goals of Islam, i.e. the development of human character, the humanity of man.

The ideal of the humanity of man is grounded in the concept of al-‘amal al-Salih' or virtuous deeds. The term, extends beyond what is normally understood as the ‘religious’ domain and covers a wide range of human activities—in relation to others, to the animate and inanimate environment—sanctioned within Islamic faith and law. The Prophet’s (ﷺ) life, provides many concrete instances: to act justly between two people, to help a man onto his mount, to help load his belongings, to speak good words, to remove nuisances from paths or roads, to give food and water to stray dogs and cats, to be forward in greeting others, to visit relatives, etc.; even the act of making love within marriage, is valued as a good deed.

The most inclusive characteristics of the ideal Muslim personality are humility, modesty and simplicity or naturalness (lack of affectation). Pride and arrogance in any aspect of conduct, are not accepted, as no individual is superior to another except in his degree of faith and contribution of good deeds. Thus, clothes that show haughtiness, that flaunt social status, are forbidden. Manners in eating should demonstrate humility, before the occasion as well as respect for the meal: leaning on a cushion while eating is forbidden. Sitting on the floor when eating is a sign of humility, and therefore recommended. Furnishings should show modesty and restraint; for example, the bed should not be set too high above the ground. Gait in walking, manner of address in greeting and in speech generally, should avoid any taint of arrogance.

Islam requires and demands moderation and naturalness in all aspects of life, worldly and religious. Exaggeration, eccentricity and affectation, caprice and complicatedness, are rejected. The insistence on a certain informality in adab al-Islam is intended to ease their use by the vast majority of the members of the Muslim society. Naturalness of manners is valued as a means of relieving social tension, of enabling and strengthening social relations.

Adab al-Islam, are not designed to divide society according to social classes. The rules, revealed through the Qur’an and the Sunnah , were not formulated by certain groups, i.e. the rich and powerful, in order to subdue or distance other groups. Islam attaches great importance to the adherence of the whole of Muslim society to its adab. It does not consider these manners as the privilege or preserve of a certain group, but as a privilege open to every member of the Muslim society. A variety of etiquette levels is non-existent in Islam.

The function of adab al-Islam in unifying Muslim communities, as well as being an expression of their unity, is clear. But adab al-Islam are not just about coherence or consistency of behaviour; they are about coherence or consistency of right behaviour. The notion of ‘proper’ conduct may not, in Islam, be separated from the notion of ‘good’ deeds, nor from ‘faith’ and ‘devotion’. Faith and good deeds are both necessary in this world for a prosperous and ideal society in which there is mutual and shared responsibility. And in the Hereafter, faith and good deeds are the necessary conditions for forgiveness and salvation, for admission to Paradise. A large number of verses in the Qur’an link faith and good deeds as defining characteristics of a true Muslim.

In Islam, what is ‘central’ and ‘essential’ is determined by its broad relation to the goals of Islam, among which is the civilization or advancement of human society, the promotion of happiness and prosperity, material as well as moral. On examination, the prescriptions and prohibitions which form part of Islamic teachings, will be seen to be not arbitrary decrees but an ordered system of commandments whose purpose—besides testing man’s obedience and loyalty to Allah—is the advancement of man, according to a safe, proper and perfect course, at the individual, family and societal levels. The details of adab al-Islam are not meaningless formalities, unwelcome to the individual, because they are unrelated to the actual needs of his personal or social life. On the contrary, they directly address the different basic functions that concern all members of society at almost every moment of their lives. They are intended to concentrate attention on the central and essential, to rescue man from the peripheral and distracting. They distinguish means from ends and help individual and community to administer personal and collective resources effectively. It may be helpful to illustrate this general point, by listing the basic human needs and functions as they are viewed within the perspective of adab al-Islam:

• Clothes are primarily intended to protect the wearer against the climate, and to conceal parts of the body;
• The purpose of housing is to provide shelter from the climate and to secure necessary privacy and safety;
• Cleanliness, as well as protecting man from disease, expresses his humanity;
• Adornment, make-up, etc. are a woman’s means to look attractive and pleasant before her husband;
• Speech is important as a means of communication, serving in the essential functions of exchange and relationship with other people, such as buying, selling, etc;
• Humour reduces tension and relaxes people at a gathering;
• Gifts are meant to express goodwill and to foster good relations with others;
• Inviting others to eat, sharing food with others, makes and strengthens social bonds;
• Social relations themselves are valued because they prevent or limit isolation of the individual. Social customs are valued because they create stability and harmony in social relations.
• Graves are primarily for honouring the dead, but also to protect the living from the decaying corpse;
• Animals, in direct relation to man, are intended to be used only for specific purposes such as provision of food, labour, transport. They are not meant to be used by man for his entertainment as, for instance, when animals are set against each other.

The rules of conduct for a Muslim life contain sound wisdom, whether viewed in religious, cultural, social, economic, psychological or even medical terms. It follows that, for a healthy, balanced life, individual and community should apply these rules comprehensively and conscientiously. Wherever they are applied, two things must always be borne in mind, namely kindness and consideration. Among the root meanings of ‘Islam’—besides surrender or submission—is peace; a ‘Muslim’ is one who has submitted to the decrees of Allah, who has sought to make peace with Allah and His creatures. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) defines a ‘Muslim’ as one who does not harm others by hand, or tongue.

The following story, illustrates about a father's advice, to his son and daughter.

[Part 2]

Bahasa

The Five Judges

"Last night, I saw five judges, were sitting in a circle. Every Judge, was talking about something," began the Moon, "But before going on, first, listen to these words,

Antiquae paginae narrant

[Ancient pages tell]

Fabulas de antiquis temporibus

[Fables from the ancient times]

Spei et virtutis, devotionis et amoris

[Hope and virtue, devotion and love]

Antiquae paginae narrant

[Ancient pages tell]

Fabulas de antiquis temporibus

[Fables from the ancient times]

Mea manus moratur super

[My hands linger over]

Antiquos versus tamen nihil reddit

[The ancient words but offer nothing in return]

Sola gutula in lacu temporis

[A single drop in the pit of time]

Perveniat litora nostrorum progeniorum *)

[Arrive at the shores of our progenitors]

The first Judge, torched, "Knowledge is like water. And the water, is divided into oceans, straits, gulfs, bays, rivers and lakes. The deepest lakes, are most silent; the greatest noise is ever found where, there is the least depth of water. In the human imagination, deep lakes, hold a special place.

If you paddled a boat into the middle of a lake, that's where the deepest part was. And when you tried to use your artistic vision, let it go, and guess, what was in such bodies of water. In your inventiveness, you might find, monsters, lost cities, treasures, mermaids, realms of the dead, and so on. It was where the mind and heart played their role, forming critical thinking power, accumulating into wisdom and producing various policies.

Then, assumed, you returned back to the shore. What would you find there? Of course, your artistic vision could't work. All you find was, water hyacinth and frogs. The more you stepped aside, you would encounter, toads and even, trash. That was the simple rough comparison between the depth and shallowness of knowledge.

Knowledge, is information of which someone is aware. Knowledge is also used to mean the confident understanding of a subject, potentially with the ability to use it for a specific purpose. Knowledge attained from learning, education, science, reflection, reasoned and logical thought.

Knowledge becomes wisdom when we have the ability to assimilate and apply this knowledge to make the right decisions. As the saying goes, 'knowledge speaks but wisdom listens'.

Wisdom is the ability to make correct judgments and decisions. It is an intangible quality gained through our experiences in life. Wisdom implies more than merely being able to process information in a logical way. Wise people are blessed with good judgement. Wisdom is built upon knowledge. That means, you can be both wise and knowledgeable, but you can't be wise without being knowledgeable.

Wisdom arrived from self, intuition, personal experience. Wisdom defines and refines our character, "Character is simply who we are and is the persona and identity of everything we do."

In Islamic perspective, Wisdom is placed at the apex. At the highest meaning of the term, Wisdom corresponds to one of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah itself, which is al-Hakim or the Most Wise. It is an attribute that reflects perfection in divine essence, which bears its stamp in this wonderful creation of Allah. So, Wisdom is relied on Allah, and for this reason it is called Allah's Hikmah. The Hikmah of Allah, is His Book, the Quran, and the wisdom of his Rasool (ﷺ), is his Sunnah. Knowledge or 'Ilm, may open the doorways to Hikmah, but Hikmah is distinct from 'ilm. Knowledge and information provides means for enlightenment. Al-Hikmah constitutes one of the three major teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ), The knowledge of the Qur'an, al-Hikmah and al-Tazkiyah (the inner-self purification). Each category is dependent upon the other. These three fundamental teachings combined, are the foundations required to make up the character of a true Muslim.

The pinnacle of knowledge is knowing Allah. A person is said to be successful in learning or studying if he gets to know Allah more, and gets closer to Him. Knowledge will surely be obtained by those who want to seek it. But wisdom is given by Allah only to those He chooses. Knowledge can be explored, Wisdom is absolutely a divine gift. In terms of Calling people to Allah—an obligation upon all Muslim at different levels—it differs according to the level of knowledge, wisdom, way, rank, profession and time. One of the things that reflect the wisdom of the caller to Islam, is his basing his call on knowledge, because wisdom is derived from knowledge.

There are two conditions of faith, Aqeedah, which is deeply rooted in the heart, and deeds, which manifest themselves in a person's actions. If either of these two essential components is missing， eemaan is lost or becomes unbalanced. Hence, the connection between these two elements is very important. Eemaan is like a good, strong tree, that is firmly rooted in good soil with its branches reaching up into the sky, bearing abundant fruit, producing its fruit for everyone bythe grace of its Lord. Thus eemaan is like the tree; 'aqeedah is rooted deeply in the heart, and its trunk, branches and fruits, are deeds and actions.

Undoubtedly, if the roots are removed or turn rotten or driedup, they will no longer exist. Similarly, eemaan will no longer exist, if 'aqeedah is taken away. If the trunk or branches are cut off, or some of them, are cut off， the tree will weaken, and may die altogether, because the presence of branches and leaves, are essential to the tree's continued existence. Similarly, if deeds are neglected, in part or in whole, then eemaan will be reduced or destroyed.

The first principle of ‘aqeedah is belief in Allah. This is the most important principle of belief and action, and it is the focal point of Islam and the essence of the Qur'an. We would not be exaggerating if we said that the whole of the Qur'an speaks about this belief, because the Qur'an either speaks directly about Allah, and His Essence, Names, Attributes and Actions. Or, it calls mankind to worship HimAlone, with no partner or associate, and to give up the worship of false gods, all of which has to do with telling about Allah, calling for the fulfilment of our duties toward Him, and forbidding the direction of worship to anyone else. Or, it commands us to obey Him, and forbids us to disobey Him, which are the obligations of faith.

The entire Qur'an speaks about belief in Allah. This explains why we find that Allah is mentioned in the Qur'an, by one or another of His Names and Atributes, 10,062 times; on every page of the Qur'an, He is mentioned approximately twenty times on average. We can say that belief in Allah, in relation to all the other principles and minor matters of faith, is like the root of a tree in relation to its trunk and branches. It is the basis of all other principles, the foundation of the religion. The more a person has faith in Allah, the more he is progressing in Islam. 

In this point of view, we need men of 'aqeedah, not men of opinions. We need people who can deal with the ailments and problems of this ummah, and those who have lots of opinions, cannot do that. There is a great difference between holding an opinion, and believing in something. If you have an opinion, it simply becomes part ofthe information that you have retained; but if youbelieve in it, it flows with your blood and sinks deep into your heart and mind.

The one who follows 'aqeedah—creed—is definite and certain; he has no doubts and does not engage in speculation. His 'aqeedah is true and does not change, and it will still be true tomorrow. It is no longer subject to evidence. It is above doubts and conjecture.

The one who holds an inference and thinking—opinion—is emotionally frigid, and unenthusiastic. If what he thinks is proven to be true, he merely smiles in a restrained manner, and if it is not proven to be true, it doesn't matter, for he has already taken the precaution of noting that, whilst he believes his opinion to be correct, it may be wrong, and that another person's opinion, which he believes to be mistaken, may be right. But the one who follows 'aqeedah is warm and enthusiastic, and does not feel content, unless his 'aqeedah is fulfilled.

The one who has merely opinions, may easily change his mind and adopt new ideas, because he only follows evidence, or his own interests when they come in the form of evidence. Mere opinion, is like a dead body; it is lifeless unless it is infused with the breath of ‘aqeedah. Mere opinion is like a dark cave, which remains unlit unless 'aqeedah shines its rays into it. Mere opinion is like a stagnant pond in which mosquitoes lay their eggs. 'Aqeedah, on the other hand, is like a vast ocean, where insignificant insects are not allowed to multiply. Mere opinion is an unformed nebula, whilst 'aqeedah is a brightly shining star. Mere opinion creates problems and obstacles, pays attention to physical desire, creates doubts and fosters hesitation, whilst 'aqeedah pays no heed to danger, causes mountains to rumble, changes the course of history, wipes out doubt and hesitation, and engenders strength and certainty; it permits nothing but the fulfilment of the aims of the soul.

One can be learned but not wise. The following case, being served as an afterthought,

A formal, solemn Bubo had for many years made his habitation among the ruins of an old shrine, and had pored so often over some mouldy manuscripts, the senseless relics of an ascetic library. He, that grew infected with the pride and pedantry of the place, and mistaking gravity for wisdom, would sit whole days with his eyes half shut, fancying himself profoundly learned.

It happened, as he sat one evening, half buried in meditation and half in sleep, a Nightingale, unluckily perching near him, began her melodious warble. He started from his reverie, and with a horrid screech interrupted her song. “Begone,” cried he. “Thou impertinent minstrel, nor distract with noisy dissonance my sublime contemplations; and know, vain songster, that harmony consists in truth alone, which is gained by laborious study, and not in languishing notes, fit only to soothe the ear of a lovesick maid.”

“Conceited pedant,” returned the Nightingale, “whose wisdom lies only in the feathers that muffle up thy unmeaning face; tone is a natural and rational entertainment, and, though not adapted to the ears of a Bubo, has ever been relished and admired by all who are possessed of true taste and elegance.”

The moon closed, "O Owl! There are still words from the four judges, and I will convey them in subsequent nights. Insha Allah. And Allah knows best!"

Citations & References:
- 'Umar S. al-Ashqar, Belief in Allah - In the Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah, IIPH
- J.B. Rundell, Aesop's Fables, Cassell, Petter and Galpin

*) "Secret Library Daquerreo" written by Kate Covington and Chaeley

Bahasa

Dead Men, Tell No Tales (2)

"Secondly," the Moon resumed, "It's all depends on the point of view, and who tells the story. Difficulties would occur in writing the history of nations, both ancient and modern. Some of those who flourish at certain day, and to be consider as having reached perfection in civilization and polished manners, will perhaps, be branded in after-times, with cruelty, injustice, and oppression, in having confounded all simplicity of manners, and disturbed the peace of whole nations, by carrying the horrors of war, of murder, and desolation, into regions formerly blessed with uninterrupted tranquillity.

On the contrary, those who really did the evil things, shouted, "We are victims, we were attacked, we know nothing!" Like a child, who broke a plate, because his wishes was not granted, causing his brother, sister, grandfather and grandmother, found their legs bleeding, stepping on glass. The boy ran under his mother's armpit, holding her baby boy, saying, "It wasn't me, the cat did it!"

Later, when the baby boy grown up to be a teenager, when asked about the events of that day, he would be confused, because the boy, who had became an adult, arguing such and such, maybe even denying the testimonies of his brother and sister.

Such is the partiality of mankind in favour of themselves and their own actions, that it is extremely difficult, nay almost impossible to come at any certainty, by reading the accounts that are written on one side only. The simple truth is still perverted, as prejudice, vanity, or interest warps the mind, and it is not discovered in all its brilliancy, till the mists which obscure it are sw ept away by the most rigid investigation.

Fair treatment is indeed necessary, but being careful of the bad side and dreadful intentions of men, is not something should be reproached. The apple would not fall into the sky, but on the head of Isaac Newton, who was leaning against the trunk of the apple tree, and the apple, would not roll far away from its tree. The proof, Newton could still reaching it.

Let me tell you an illustration about a Lion and a Man.

In a certain space and in a certain time, where beasts were allowed to talk with men, a Man and a Lion were discussing the relative strength of Men and Lions. The Man contended, he and his fellows, were stronger than lions by reason of their greater intelligence. “Come now with me and I will prove that I'm right,” said the man.

He took the Lion into a room, where a bust of a man, was placed on a big large marble. "Amazing, isn't it?" The Lion nodded while asking, "Is this place a tomb?" "No, it's a monument, kind of!" said he. The Lion commented, "As far as I know, the word bust, "sculpture of upper torso and head," from Latin bustum "funeral monument, tomb," originally "funeral pyre, place where corpses are burned." Or from Italian busto "upper body," the sense development in Italian probably is from the Etruscan custom of keeping the ashes of the dead in an urn shaped like the person when alive. But something interesting about the word "bust" in todays meaning." The man was curious, "What is it?" Calmly, the Lion described, "The phrase is definitely slang, but refers to something that ended in failure, with no chance of recovery." The man silenced.

A few moments later, they arrived at a garden, where a large statue appeared, a man sitting on a chair. The Lion examined, "Is it Lincoln's statue?" "Nope," said the man. The Lion reacted, "I know one of Lincoln's jokes, '"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens." The man was irritated, because the lion hasn't yet admitted. "Come on, let's go somewhere else, I'll show you an extra ordinary statue!"

They arrived at a monument, they saw a statue of a man riding a horse all four hooves were on the ground. The Lion analysed, "Statues of men and women mounted on horses are often associated with battle, valor, and conquest. These statues try to capture the powerful dynamism of a horse. The sculptors of these statues have posed them rearing on two legs, walking forward with one hoof raised, or arching upward with a single hoof planted on the ground.

A repeated story about these horses is that the number of legs raised indicates the fate of the rider. Believers of this story, say that if an equestrian statue’s horse has one hoof raised, the rider died of wounds received in battle. The rider died in battle if their horse is rearing up on its hind legs. And if the horse has all hooves on the ground, the rider died of natural causes. So, do you still declaring it, extraordinary?"

"O come on! Why don't you just admit it? Alright, let's see another statue!" the man responded. 

Later, they were in a garden where a statue of a man stood, standing tall and quite tall. "Well?" asked the man. The Lion observed and commented, "I'd prefer the Marine on the East coast, not cult, but reminiscent!"

At last, they reached a clearing in the forest and there stood a statue. It was a representation of Heracles in the act of tearing the jaws of the Nemean Lion. “See,” said the man, “That’s how strong we are! The King of Beasts is like wax in our hands!” declared the man. “Ho!” laughed the Lion, “That proves nothing at all,” the Lion remarked, “If a Lion had been the carver, he would have made the Lion striding over the Man.”

"Come on Buddy!" said the Lion, "Instead of arguing and wasting my vacation off regarding all about this, please, take me to a more pleasant place!" The Man smiled, "Okay! Follow me!"

Thus, in a horse-drawn carriage, they rode toward the East Coast, chanting,

I look at the world

And I notice it's turning

While my guitar gently weeps

With every mistake

We must surely be learning

Still, my guitar gently weeps *)

The Moon wrapped up, "One story is good, till another is told. A beast cannot sculpture a stone if he tries, otherwise, dead men, tell no tales. And Allah know best."

Citations & References:
- Fran S. Dobbins, False Gods; or the Idol Worship of the World, Hubbard Bros
- Colonel J. Garnier, The Worship of the Dead, Chapman and Hall
- James Northcote, RA, One Hundred Fables, Originals and Selected, J. Johnson
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
*) "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" written by John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul James Mccartney
[Part 1]

Bahasa

Dead Men, Tell No Tales (1)

"First of all, I'm going to tell you, an illustration about Opportunity. It was started when a Traveller, met a Statue of man," the Moon mentioned. "And a discussion ensued, between the Traveller and the statue, about how it got there.

The Traveller enquired, "The ancient Greeks's stories, are jumble, nevertheless, this dissaray, makes them interesting. Tell me, O image, what statue are you?" The statue narrated, "The religious system of the Greeks, is the embodiment of beauty. No other worship that has ever existed so encouraged the taste for art as this. Its literature, its mythological stories, its idols and its temples, still control and to a great extent, shape the art ideas of the world. Its devotees, have above all other people possessed a perception of beauty of form and a fondness for representing it.

The people of Greece, appear to have originally come from the North-western part of Asia Minor. They were called the Hellenes. The Worship which they brought from Asia, was the worship of the "Heaven-Father," the unseenpone who dwells in ether, whose temple is the sky, and whose altar is properly placed upon the mountaintop. The Hindus called the same being Dyaus-pitar; the Romans, Diovis-pater or Jupiter; the Greeks, Zeuspater. One can readily see the resemblance between these names, and the evidence they bear to the fact that, these nations, all came originally from one common stock.

As the primal Greek race separated into various parts of Greece different forms, began to arise. As sailors from other lands arrived on their shores, they brought their own gods with them, and thus many new gods, were introduced into Greece.

The lively imagination of the Greeks and the out-door life of their primitive state, produced a number of tales and legends about the gods. Some of these were based on the tales with which their forefathers were familiar in their early home in Asia. The people lived in separate villages. Wandering minstrels and merchants, carried these tales of gods and heroes, from village to village. Poets then caught them up, and adorned them with the touches of a livelier fancy. Thus soon, a rich and luxuriant system of legendary lore, was in possession of the whole people.

Just as is the case with other nations, the beings called gods by the Greeks, are but the personifications of the powers and objects of nature, and the legends but represent the courses of nature and its operations. To these primitive notions imagination, afterwards added, and poetry clothed the whole with a warm glow. Thus was formed the popular Greek faith.

I was Caerus, the personification of opportunity, luck and favorable moments, the same as Kairos, an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical, or opportune moment. Kairos has a qualitative, permanent nature."

The Traveller was curioused, "Thus, why did you stand on tip-toe? Say, if the cause you may reveal!"

The statue disclosed, "I was represented as a young and beautiful god. Opportunity obviously never got old, and beauty was always opportune, flourishing in its own season. I stood on tiptoe, because I was always running."

"And why you had a pair of wings on your feet?" the Traveller wanted to know more, "I had wings in my feet, to fly with the wind. I was prone to soar, if neglected, I returned no more." the statue uncovered. "And why did you hold a razor in your right hand?" added the Traveller. "I hold a razor, or else scales balanced on a sharp edge—attributed illustrating the fleeting instant in which occasions appear and disappear. As a sign to men, that I am sharper than any sharp edge." the statue explained. 

"Why does your hair hang over your face?" the Traveller urged. "I was shown with only one lock of hair. I could easily be seized by the hair hanging over my face—creeping down over the eyebrows—when I was arriving."

"And why, was the back of your head, bald?" the Traveller investigated. "Once I had passed by, no one could grasp me, the back of my head, being bald. The moment of action was gone with my hair: a neglected occasion, couldn't be recovered." 

"Why did the artist fashion you?" the Traveller interrogated, "For your sake, O stranger, and he set me up in the porch as a lesson. Just as Hermes had been taken to be the protector of thieves, Opportunity had been called their maker. I had a bad influence in the matter of thefts, humans spent huge resources and efforts in perfecting locks and keys and passwords, and every kind of safety measures, with the help of which they hope to outwit Opportunity. But as they lock some doors, they inevitably leaved others open. And as expected, I went on flying as swiftly as ever, providing amazing surprises to everyone, and making not only thieves, but also lovers. In addition, I produced every kind of such humans as were nicknamed "opportunists," on account of their ability to quickly seize, whatever advantage, I, Caerus, the great seducer, appeared, to offer them.

On the other hand, a man or woman of judgment, usually thinks that things such as "opportunity" are not entities, or powers, let alone divinities, but the produce of diligent men. And being such their nature, they could be arranged or put under control." 

The statue notified, "Men of old invented this particular image, so that our efforts would not be undermined by laziness or hesitation.

Though often, other things happened. In history, there were righteous people who lived in the period between Adam and Noah, alayhimussalam, and who had followers, held them as models. After their death, their friends who used to emulate them said, 'If we make statues of them, it will be more pleasing to us in our worship and will remind us of them.' So, they built statues of them, and, after they had died and others came after them, something evil crept into their minds saying, 'Your forefathers used to worship them, and through that worshipping, they got rain.' So they worshipped them! In this manner, O stranger, careful and good judgment, was required if you were dealing with statues."

[Part 2]

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One Swallow, Does Not Make a Summer!

"Yesterday," said the Moon to the Owl, "I looked down upon a small office on the side of the highway, and as it turned out, was a police station. From the window, I saw Bonobo, a policeman, and Carabao, was seemingly talking about something. Carabao stated his intent and purpose, "Mr. Bonobo, I'd like to report someone, spreading false news." Bonobo responded, "Okay, hold on a minute, let me get a form and a note."

A few minutes later, Bonobo came back and sat down, thereupon querying, "Mr. Carabao, first of all, I'm going to verify the case you're going to report," while taking out a form. "Let's see! So, are you reporting someone's spreading fake news?" Carabao replied, "Yes, I thought so, fake news!" Bonobo responds, "Alright, let's take a closer look." Writing on the form, again Bonobo was wanting to know, "Mr. Carabao, was this man, the source of the news or informing a news?" “Mmm, he delivered a news,” Carabao replied. "When the man, transported it, did he say something, kind of informing truth or fake of the news?" asked Bonobo. "Yes, he said, he didn't believe it, even though the person delivered the news, conformed it would 100% valid!" replied Carabao.

"Then, had he clarified to other sources?" asked Bonobo. “Yes, some people,” Carabao replied. "Then what was their answer?" asked Bonobo. "Some didn't know, other didn't comment, and one confirmed, but it's rather vague." Bonobo asked, "Then what was his attitude?" "He said, it's better to wait a reliable source, because he was sure that, the authorities, would provide clarification." "Then, are there any clarification from the authorities?" asked Bonobo. "Yes!" replied Carabao. "Thus, what did he do?" "Uh, he directly broadcasted the facts from the authorities, denying the news." Bonobo commented, "So, indirectly, he had clarified the news?" "Yes of course!" replied Carabao.

Bonobo sighed, leaned back on his chair, and said, "Mr. Carabao, would you like to hear an apologue?" "What was it?" asked Carabao. "Yeah... some sort of ... a short moral story." Carabao replied, "Yes, I'd like to!"

A young fellow, who was very popular among his boon companions as a good spender, quickly wasted his fortune trying to live up to his reputation. Then one fine day, in early spring, he found himself with not a penny left, and no property save the clothes he wore.

He was to meet some jolly young men that morning, and he was at his wits’ end, how to get enough money to keep up appearances. Just then a Swallow flew by, twittering merrily, and the young man, thinking summer had come, hastened off to a clothes dealer, to whom he sold all the clothes, he wore down to his very tunic.

A few days later, a change in weather brought a severe frost; and the poor swallow, and that foolish young man in his light tunic, and with his arms and knees bare, could scarcely keep life in their shivering bodies.

Mr Carabao! Let me explain about this apologue. They who frequent taverns and gaming-houses, and keep bad company, should not wonder if they are reduced in a very short time to penury and want. The wretched young fellows, who once addict themselves to such a scandalous course of life, scarcely think of or attend to any thing besides, they seem to have nothing else in their heads but how they may squander what they have got, and where they may get more when that is gone. They do not make the same use of their reason as other people, but like the jaundiced eye, view every thing in a false light, and having turned a deaf ear to all advice, and pursued their unaltered course until all their property is irrecoverably lost, when at length, misery forces upon them a sense of their situation, they still lay the blame upon any cause but the right one–their own extravagance and folly; like the Prodigal in the apologue, who would not have considered a solitary occurrence, as a general indication of the season, had not his own wicked desires blinded his understanding.

Let me tell you another apologue,

A Fisherman, in the month of May, stood angling on the bank of a river with an artificial fly. He threw his bait with so much art that a young Trout was rushing towards it, when she was prevented by her mother. “Never,” said she, “My child, be too precipitate where there is a possibility of danger. Take due time to consider, before you risk an action that may be fatal. How know you whether yon appearance be indeed a fly, or the snare of an enemy? Let some one else make the experiment before you. If it be a fly, he will very probably elude the first attack, and then the second may be made, if not with success, at least with safety.” She had no sooner uttered this caution than a Gudgeon seized upon the pretended fly, and became an example to the giddy daughter of the great importance of her mother’s counsel.

The man you are going to sue, didn't spread false news, but rather, he showed the public, that, if there was something like this, let us acted wisely.  He had taken steps to avoid mistakes as the young man did. He had followed the caution the mother Trout ordered as well. If he had taken the right steps, then, what do you expect me to do? Looking for his other faults, is it?" Carabao was silent, he stared at the wall. Then, Bonobo concluded, whispering, "Mr. Carabao, don't rush into things, study them first wisely. One swallow, does not make a summer!"

"And Allah knows best." 

Citations & References :
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
- J.B. Rundell, Aesop's Fables, Cassell, Petter and Galpin

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