:: Yang diajar ::

Antara hadith yang dipelajari beberapa minggu sudah, untuk subjek "Qiraah Nassiyyah fi Kutub al Hadith".

عن ابن مسعود قال،كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يتخولنا بالموعظة في الأيام
كراهة السآمة علينا


(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith no: 66, Bab Ma Kaana An Nabiy Sollallahu 'alaihi Wasallam, 1/121)


عن أبي وائل قال كان عبد اللهيذكر الناس في كل خميس فقال له رجل يا أبا عبد الرحمن لوددت أنك ذكرتنا كل يوم قال أما إنه يمنعني من ذلك أني أكره أن أملكم وإني أتخولكم بالموعظة كما كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يتخولنا بها مخافة السآمة علينا


(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith no: 68, Bab Man Ja'ala li Ahlil 'Ilmiy Ayyaaman Ma'luuman, 1/124)

Terjemahan hadith 1:


Daripada Ibn Mas'ud r.a katanya, Rasulullah (selawat dan salam ke atas Baginda) mengambil berat tentang kami dan telah menyediakan hari-hari yang tertentu untuk memberi peringatan & tadzkirah kepada kami, kerana takut kami berasa bosan (seandainya dilakukan setiap hari).


Terjemahan hadith 2:


Daripada Abi Waa'il katanya, Abdullah (ibn mas'ud) memberi tadzkirah/peringatan kepada orang ramai pada setiap hari khamis (sahaja), maka berkatalah seorang lelaki: "Wahai Abu Abd Rahman (Ibn Mas'ud), aku suka sekiranya kamu memberi kami peringatan pada setiap hari." (Kata Ibn Mas'ud), "Sesungguhnya apa yg menghalang aku daripada berbuat perkara itu (memberi peringatan setiap hari) adalah aku tidak suka untuk membuat kamu berasa bosan (oleh itu) aku memilih hari tertentu sahaja utk memberi peringatan, sebagaimana Rasulullah (selawat dan salam ke atas Baginda) memilih hari tertentu utk kami, (kerana) takut kami berasa bosan."


Pengajaran daripada dua hadith di atas:

1) Antara cara Rasulullah mentarbiyah sahabat, dengan tidak memberi peringatan (mengulang sesuatu -hal agama- yang sudah sedia diketahui) setiap hari kepada mereka kerana Baginda (selawat dan salam ke atas Baginda) amat memahami bahawa antara fitrah manusia adalah cepat bosan apabila sering diberi peringatan. Yang disampaikan oleh Rasulullah setiap hari adalah ilmu, iaitu sesuatu yg tidak diketahui sebelum ini.

2) Betapa sahabat amat syadid dalam mengikut sunnah & perbuatan Rasulullah (selawat dan salam ke atas Baginda).

3) Memberi peringatan itu tetap perlu, meski bukan setiap hari.


Kita sebagai ummat Muhammad (selawat dan salam ke atas Baginda), marilah mencontohi apa yang telah diajarkan kepada kita. Confirmed selamat dunia akhirat. :)

:: Coherence in the Quran (2) ::

Definition

An eloquent speech contains several components: 1) the central theme, 2) the preface, 3) the context, and 4) the conclusion. The Quran is undoubtedly the most eloquent speech. All of its surahs contain the above -mentioned four components.

Application of Nazm al-Quran in the interpretation of a surah requires the mufassir to identify these four elements through deliberation over each and single statement of the surah, on the one hand, and establish link among them, on the other.

The deliberation (tadabbur) needs to be done over and over again. Merely once or twice it may not do. As it appears from the term, Nazm al Quran is a theory advocating the fact that all the verses of a surah as well as the surahs of the Quran are closely connected to one another. The statements of the Quran, which, at times, appears to be incoherent as a matter of fact fully coherent. Nazm al-Quran may be defined as a theory confirming the existence of coherence in the Quran.


From Prof Israr Ahmad Khan's research paper.


To be continued...

:: Coherence in the Quran ::

An introduction

Hundreds of tafsir works have been produced by Muslims scholars with a view to make the message of the Quran accessible to the mankind. These works represent various trends, different approaches, diverse methodologies, multifarious objectives, and numerous schools of thought. Consequently, different, and at times, mutually conflicting interpretations of the words of Allah has caused Muslims to feel confused and dejected.

Interestingly, scholars who have applied one and the same methodology to unfold the truth of the divine speech have also miserably failed to maintain the unity of the message of the Quran, and come up with uncompromisingly contradictory interpretations. This situation serves as an obvious indicator that there is something wrong in the methodology of the interpretation of the Quran.

In the twentieth century some Muslims scholars such as al-Farahi and Islahi proposed and also practically demonstrated a new methodology of tafsir known as Nazm al-Quran. To them, it is not merely an excellent miraculous feature of the Quran but also a methodology. Application of this methodology in the Quranic tafsir leads to the unity of message in the Quran. This methodology may enable the commentators of the Quran to develop various meanings of verses but there is no possibility of conflict among scholars while interpreting the Quran in terms of ideas.


To be continued..

:: Ud'uuni astajib lakum ::

Assalamualaikum... Rasanya ramai antara kita yang ada buku himpunan doa-doa pilihan, betul tak? Alhamdulillah, bagus. Tanda kita sedar doa itu senjata kita. Meski tak kelihatan secara zahir, tetapi hakikatnya doa lebih kuat dari senjata-senjata canggih yang ada di dunia ini.. Tapi, lagi bagus seandainya doa-doa yang kita amalkan tu adalah doa yang ALLAH ajar untuk kita. Kan? :) Lebih indah bahasanya, lebih dekat dengan hati, lebih menggetarkan jiwa, dan yang penting lebih baik, kerana ia datang dari ALLAH. Bukan rekaan manusia.

Doa yang ALLAH ajar ada banyak dalam alquran & hadith-hadith. Bukanlah bermaksud kita tak boleh untuk berdoa selain yang ALLAH ajar. Kadang-kadang manusia ada macam-macam hajat. Cuma, bila saya fikir-fikir balik, rasanya doa yang tsabit dari alQuran & Sunnah tu dah merangkumi semuanya. Doa minta keampunan, kemudahan dalam urusan, hindari kezaliman, hilangkan kesedihan & ketakutan, mohon kesabaran, kebahagiaan ibubapa, dapat zuriat, mati dalam iman, dan banyak lagilah. Semua ada. Silap kita sendiri kerana tidak mencari.

Jom, kita sama-sama praktik doa-doa yang ALLAH ajar pada kita. ;) Di bawah ini saya senaraikan antara doa yg terdapat dalam alquran. (Rasanya ada banyak lagi yang saya terlepas pandang & tak tahu.) Cek sendiri terjemahannya dan berdoalah mengikut keadaan atau hajat yg diingini.

SUBHAANALLAH, BANYAKNYA SENJATA KITA!

p.s.: untuk lihat doa2 yang terdapat dalam hadith, boleh rujuk buku hisnul muslim. Ada banyak doa beserta sumbernya. Klik sini utk dapatkannya.

رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (البقرة: 127)

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ (البقرة: 128)

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ (البقرة: 201)

رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ (البقرة: 250)

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ (البقرة: 286)

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ (آل عمران: 8)

رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ (آل عمران: 16)

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا بِمَا أَنْزَلْتَ وَاتَّبَعْنَا الرَّسُولَ فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (آل عمران: 53)

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِي أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ (آل عمران: 147)

رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذَا بَاطِلًا سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ (آل عمران: 191)

رَبَّنَا إِنَّنَا سَمِعْنَا مُنَادِيًا يُنَادِي لِلْإِيمَانِ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِرَبِّكُمْ فَآمَنَّا رَبَّنَا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَكَفِّرْ عَنَّا سَيِّئَاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ الْأَبْرَارِ (آل عمران: 193)

رَبَّنَا وَآتِنَا مَا وَعَدْتَنَا عَلَى رُسُلِكَ وَلَا تُخْزِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ (آل عمران: 194)

رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا (النساء: 75)

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ (المائدة:83)

رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَا أَنْفُسَنَا وَإِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ (الأعراف:23)

رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ (الأعراف: 47)

رَبَّنَا افْتَحْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْفَاتِحِينَ (الأعراف: 89)

رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ (الأعراف:126)

رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ * وَنَجِّنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ (يونس: 85-86)

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ (إبراهيم:41)

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا (الكهف: 10)

رَبَّنَا آمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ (المؤمنون: 109)
رَبَّنَا اصْرِفْ عَنَّا عَذَابَ جَهَنَّمَ إِنَّ عَذَابَهَا كَانَ غَرَامًا (الفرقان: 65)

رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا (الفرقان: 74)

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ (الحشر: 10)

رَبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ (الممتحنة: 4)

رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (الممتحنة: 5)

رَبَّنَا أَتْمِمْ لَنَا نُورَنَا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (التحريم: 8)

:: Think in English or Arabic ::

Beberapa hari lepas, dapat mid term paper Coherence in The Quran. Soalannya hari tu sangat senang & sangat direct tapi jika jawapan tak menepati cara Sir, memang bahaya.. Siap adaa yang dapat 2/20. Sir pentingkan 3 perkara: 1) Point utama + metodologi jawapan 2) explanation + concrete argument (examples) 3) Language!

Bab language tu memang susah la. Sir suruh jawab guna english 'level' sir. Susah tu... Apapun, sir ada bagi petua untuk kuasai sesuatu bahasa dengan cepat. Satu hari cuma perlu 10-15minit sebelum tidur, atau bila-bila. Caranya mudah sangat: Think in that particular language. Kalau bahasa Arab, fikir dalam bahasa Arab, dan seterusnya...

So, sebelum tidur, sebelum baca doa, cuba cerita balik apa yang kita lalui sepanjang hari tu dalam bahasa inggeris atau arab atau apa2 bahasa yang kita nak kuasai. Sebut kat mulut atau dalam hati. It really helps. terutamanya untuk kenal pasti vocabulary yang kita tak ada. :) Selamat mencuba!

:: Buat Isteri seorang pejuang ::

MONOLOG BUAT ISTERI SEORANG PEJUANG juga buat bakal isteri seorang pejuang... juga buat diriku...

Jelmaanmu merentas bongkah sendu
Mengorban naluri merungkai pilu
Mengharungi gurun tanpa bayu

Isteriku
Kehadhiranmu adalah mustika
Mengerlip cahaya sakinah
Laksana bintang membentuk arah burujnya

Isteriku
Saban waktu , dirimu abdi di gobokku
Senyum manismu menenang jiwaku
Kerlinganmu mengorak senyumku
Kesetiaanmu menyejuk mataku

Isteriku
Ketika kesejukan mataku
Memandang wajahmu duhai isteriku
Memori ini mengimbau zaman remajaku
Dikala kuhamparkan tangan ke awan biru
Merintih harap isteri yang solehah
Penyejuk mata dan penyeri rumahtangga

Isteriku
Di senjakala, ku menongkat resah
Dirimu tersangkar dalam kemiskinanku
Dirimu tak punya manikam permata untuk kukalungkan
Tiada nota ringgit untuk kuunjukkan
Tiada lambang kemewahan untukku hamparkan
Dirimu hanya ku langir debu
Ku balutkan jubah
Ku hilangkan dahagamu secangkir Cuma
Ku hambat bosanmu seketika sahaja

Isteriku
Di hening subuh ku merenung sayu
Dirimu kesepian dalam kesibukkanku
Hari - hari berlabuh kita berasingan
Kesedihanmu, sementara diriku di medan
Kesakitanmu pun tiada aku disisi
Rumahku, dirimulah penanti setia
Sementara bagiku, ia hanyalah dangau persinggahan

Isteriku
Dirimu masih setia dalam sangkar yang sepi
Demi nilai cinta dan ketaatanmu

Isteriku
Dongaklah wajahmu ke atas
Hulurlah tanganmu ke hadapan
Tabahlah duhai isteriku
Tidakkan ku sia siakan hidupmu
Kan ku hidangkan ilmu buatmu
Kan ku bawamu ke alam perjuangan
Kan ku hantarkan ke perlembahan hidayah

Isteriku
Bajailah cinta kita
Tenggelamkanlah kemelut rasamu

Isteriku
Diriku tetap setia disampingmu
Sungguhpun kita jarang bertemu

Sayang isteriku
sayang isteriku

nukilanUstaz Nasarudin Tantawi

p.s. sayu sangat baca lirik ni. walaupun belum ditujukan utk saya, tapi tetap terasa di hati. :'(

:: Misleading Images ::

The Misleading Images of Sociology.

Why do you think some people go to university and devote themselves to study sociology? Most people might have the perception that when you learn sociology, it indicates that you are truly concern to help the society, offering humanitarian services to them, as well as being benevolent. But, what many people will never think of it is that in the real life, some are studying sociology as a tool to equip themselves with countless information about society, so that they can plan a better criminal steps, or briefly, being malevolent.

In sum, Peter L. Berger mentioned this situation in one remarkable sentence: ‘working with people’ can mean getting them out of slums or getting them into jail, selling them propaganda or robbing them of their money, making them produce better automobiles or making them better bombing pilots.

That is one of the misleading images of Sociology, starting almost a hundred years ago up to recent era. Another misleading image portrayed is, sociologists never attempt to understand the society, and instead they tend to practice more. This is what people say, but the truth is vice-versa. Sociologists are not social reformers which intend to change to whole society institution; indeed they strive to an uphill battle sequentially to understand the society better.

There’s another misleading perception which -for me- is quite interesting and appealing. It’s about a deceptive image toward sociology of more recent date and more recent development in discipline. It sounds a bit like this: sociologist is a gatherer of statistics about human behaviors. Yes, it is true that many sociologists use statistics in developing theories and to understand what’s actually happening. However, it is to be born in mind that statistics or numbers alone are not sociology. Numbers become a part of sociology only when they are interpreted sociologically. It can be explained using this example:

Today, in IIUM Gombak, the percentage of male students is only 35% whereas female students have reached 65% in quantity. Had this percentage is left with no interpretation from sociological views, it will remain as numbers and insignificant. However, to make it a part of sociology and possessing a bigger meaning, the above percentage has to be interpreted this way:

1. Now women got more chances to study even to a higher level education institution, compared to our ancestors’ time.

2. Women are predicted to get married late. Pursuing studies seems to become the prioritized event in life.

3. Late marriage means children will ‘come’ later.

4. Women with degree/master degree tend to involve in career world, living the housewife title behind, which usually will force them to not to have much children.

[Back then, for Malay women, when they are asked about the quantity of the children, and the answer is 6, people will react by saying, “only six???!!!” but nowadays, when the answer is 6, people are more likely to say, “Six???!!! How do you take care all of them simultaneously??” It normally happens in urban lives.]

5. Smaller amount of children will lead to the decreasing population of society.

Now 35:65 becomes more noteworthy and essential. :)

:: Saya paling takut... ::

Apabila ditanyakan… “Dalam hidup ini, apakah perkara yang kamu paling takut ia berlaku?”, apa agaknya jawapan kita…

Saya pernah terfikir jawapannya,

…Takut kehilangan mereka yg saya sayang…

…Takut ALLAH uji dengan perkara yg tidak mampu saya tanggung…

…Takut tak dapat A…

…Takut dibanjiri fitnah…

…Takut mati…

…Takut…

...Takut…

…Takut…

Macam2…. Tapi dalam kelas Tafsir Madhu’i (thematic exegesis) petang tadi, ada satu ayat Ustaz Layeth Su’ud yg sangat menyentuh jiwa saya. Juga pada saya. ayat itu yang sepatutnya menjadi jawapan kepada persoalan di atas. Saya, kamu, dia, mereka, kita & semua hamba ALLAH seharusnya memberi jawapan:

“SAYA PALING TAKUT ALLAH TIDAK MENCINTAI SAYA…”

(T_T)

:: Macam mana ::

Assalamualaikum...

Ke hadapan annur. chewah..

Annur, ingat tak dulu awak pernah cakap pada kita yg ada sorang kawan awak tanya, "Macam mana kita nak dapat cinta ALLAH..?" Kita tak tahulah apa yg kita membebel kat awak masa tu, tapi yang penting, jawapan kita tu tak memuaskan hati kan. *-*

Kita sekarang ni tengah buat term paper tajuk "Alhubbu baynALLAH wal 'abdi fil Quran" atau dalam bahasa Melayu, "Cinta antara ALLAH dan hamba di dalam alQuran"...

Dari situ baru kita tersedar yang sebenarnya jawapan pada persoalan tu straightforwardly dah diberitahu dalam alQuran. ALLAH kata, DIA cintakan hambaNYA yang:

1. Berjuang di jalan ALLAH dalam keadaan yang berbaris [teguh]

2. Muhsinun (yang jika dia buat sesuatu perkara, dia akan buat yang terbaik, seolah2 dia melihat ALLAH dan dia sangat merasakan ALLAH memerhati & mengawasi dia)

3. Tawwaabun (yang menyesal dgn kesilapannya dan sering bertaubat pada ALLAH)

4. Mutatohharun (yang menyucikan diri dari najis zahir & batin seperti akhlak yg buruk, penyakit hati, syirik, dll. )

5. Sobirun (yang menerima dengan redha setiap ketentuan ALLAH ke atas dirinya)

6. Mutawakkilun (yang apabila dia melakukan sesuatu perkara, dia menyerahkan seratus

peratus kepada ALLAH utk menentukan, dia bertawakkal pada awal+semasa+pada akhir proses usaha tu)

7. Muqsitun (yang adil, memberi hak kepada yg sepatutnya)

8. Muttaqun (yang takut kepada ALLAH, dan yang jika dia beramal, dia beramal semata2 kerana ALLAH)

Ni 8 golongan yang ALLAH sebut dalam alquran bahawa ALLAH cintakan mereka. Penjelasan tentang golongan tersebut sebenarnya panjang lagi, tapi kita cuma buat khulasah je. Selain berusaha jadi golongan di atas tu, ALLAH ada jugak beritahu tentang orang2 yang ALLAH tak cintai. Antaranya, yg zalim, khianat, membazir, bangga dengan kekayaan, kafir, yang melampaui batas, yang berdosa dan banyak lagi.

ALLAH beritahu semua ni bukan sekadar nak beritahu, tapi beri petunjuk kepada kita tentang cara untuk jadi manusia yang dicintai ALLAH. :)

Jadi, inilah jawapan yang sebetulnya buat persoalan hari tu. :) Malu sebab tak melazimi diri dgn alQuran, & tak mampu bercakap di bawah naungan alQuran.. :(

Moga ALLAH beri hidayah kepada kita.. Amin.

Yang benar,

sajidah

My love may not be perfect, but it's true.. picture by barca

:: Vocab (3) ::

Together (adj.): Mentally and emotionally stable

Sentence: He's really together.

Ihsan :)

:: What should be taught (1) ::

The data in this section concerning dates, names and topics of Western advances has been derived from three main sources: World Book Encyclopedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica and Isaac Asimov's 700 page book, Chronology of Science and Discovery. Supportive data for the accomplishments of Islamic scholars is derived from the miscellaneous references listed in the bibliography of this book.

What is Taught: The first mention of man in flight was by Roger Bacon, who drew a flying apparatus. Leonardo da Vinci also conceived of airborne transport and drew several prototypes.
What Should be Taught: Ibn Firnas of Islamic Spain invented, constructed and tested a flying machine in the 800's A.D. Roger Bacon learned of flying machines from Arabic references to Ibn Firnas' machine. The latter's invention antedates Bacon by 500 years and Da Vinci by some 700 years.

What is Taught: Glass mirrors were first produced in 1291 in Venice.
What Should be Taught: Glass mirrors were in use in Islamic Spain as early as the 11th century. The Venetians learned of the art of fine glass production from Syrian artisans during the 9th and 10th centuries.

What is Taught: Until the 14th century, the only type of clock available was the water clock. In 1335, a large mechanical clock was erected in Milan, Italy. This was possibly the first weight-driven clock.
What Should be Taught: A variety of mechanical clocks were produced by Spanish Muslim engineers, both large and small, and this knowledge was transmitted to Europe through Latin translations of Islamic books on mechanics. These clocks were weight-driven. Designs and illustrations of epi-cyclic and segmental gears were provided. One such clock included a mercury escapement. The latter type was directly copied by Europeans during the 15th century. In addition, during the 9th century, Ibn Firnas of Islamic Spain, according to Will Durant, invented a watch-like device which kept accurate time. The Muslims also constructed a variety of highly accurate astronomical clocks for use in their observatories.

What is Taught: In the 17th century, the pendulum was developed by Galileo during his teenage years. He noticed a chandelier swaying as it was being blown by the wind. As a result, he went home and invented the pendulum.
What Should be Taught: The pendulum was discovered by Ibn Yunus al-Masri during the 10th century, who was the first to study and document its oscillatory motion. Its value for use in clocks was introduced by Muslim physicists during the 15th century.

What is Taught: Movable type and the printing press was invented in the West by Johannes Gutenberg of Germany during the 15th century.
What Should be Taught: In 1454, Gutenberg developed the most sophisticated printing press of the Middle Ages. However, movable brass type was in use in Islamic Spain 100 years prior, and that is where the West's first printing devices were made.

What is Taught: Isaac Newton's 17th century study of lenses, light and prisms forms the foundation of the modern science of optics.
What Should be Taught: In the 1lth century al-Haytham determined virtually everything that Newton advanced regarding optics centuries prior and is regarded by numerous authorities as the "founder of optics. " There is little doubt that Newton was influenced by him. Al-Haytham was the most quoted physicist of the Middle Ages. His works were utilized and quoted by a greater number of European scholars during the 16th and 17th centuries than those of Newton and Galileo combined.

What is Taught: Isaac Newton, during the 17th century, discovered that white light consists of various rays of colored light.
What Should be Taught: This discovery was made in its entirety by al-Haytham (1lth century) and Kamal ad-Din (14th century). Newton did make original discoveries, but this was not one of them.

What is Taught: The concept of the finite nature of matter was first introduced by Antione Lavoisier during the 18th century. He discovered that, although matter may change its form or shape, its mass always remains the same. Thus, for instance, if water is heated to steam, if salt is dissolved in water or if a piece of wood is burned to ashes, the total mass remains unchanged.
What Should be Taught: The principles of this discovery were elaborated centuries before by Islamic Persia's great scholar, al-Biruni (d. 1050). Lavoisier was a disciple of the Muslim chemists and physicists and referred to their books frequently.

:: Vocab (2) ::

Stoking: Putting fuel on, strengthening, etc.

Synonyms: Stirring up

Sentence: If I ever feel weak you would come to me, riding my weakness and stoking my spirit.

Note: It sounds a bit similar to a kelantanese word, stokeng which means socks. Hihi…

:: Jawapan 2 ::

Jawapan teka-teki (2):

Surah almujaadalah.

Sila buka sendiri surah tersebut untuk melihat kesahihannya. :)

:: Vocab (1) ::

Vocabulary for today:

Comeliness: The quality of being good looking and attractive.

Its synonyms: beauteousness, gorgeousness, loveliness

Note: It’s not from the word ‘comel’ in Malay though the meaning is almost similar. :) Pronoun ‘come’ as the word come which means ‘datang’.

Sentence: My comeliness decreases as my age increases… ;p

:: Equality vs Equity ::

More about my gratifying sociology lessons in class. I did grasping during the lessons, trying assiduously to figure out the meanings beyond all the theories and becloud fragments of social life. However I will just write a short ‘note’ this time, as for me to recall what have been taught as well as to acquaint them with my everyday life.

Karl Marx is one of the theorists which join the camp of conflict theory. He is also the initiator of communism theory (A political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society). He lived in poor, and died in poor, within a capitalist society. He did not even get the opportunity to see how his theory of communism is being applied as well as how it crumbles day by day. For him, economy affects everything in life. It plays a vital role in decision-making, family institutions, country, personal problems and lots more. He even stated that “if you change the economy, the whole social institution will change”. See how economy is considered as everything for him? Here are some examples to support his theory:

1. When a woman is choosing a life-partner, she will pick a business tycoon rather than a taxi driver.

2. When you are being given options of jobs, between a lecturer, cleaner, financial executive, etc, you’ll probably select the job with the highest rate of wage.

3. When you are to choose between sweeping the path and making business, you will undoubtedly choose the second one.

It’s all about money, and it proves that economy really affects your life.

However there are flaws in this theory. Max Weber, who came after him, did correct some elements in his ideology. Karl Marx forgotten that despite of economy, there are many other things which affects someone’s decision-making, such as religion, power, love, and more. Examples:

1. Teaching is the noblest job but the least salary does it gain. However there are still numerous people who choose to be a teacher, regardless of his/her ability to get other jobs in other fields. Why? More often than not, the reason is love as well as family. Some love teaching so much & some had to become one since for him/her; teacher will have more time to be spent at home compared to other careers.

2. Rearing pigs are easier than to rear cows. However, if a Muslim were given chance to choose between these two occupations, he’ll kindly decline the pig-rearing. The reason here is not economy, indeed it is Islam (religion).

So that’s the preface of Karl Marx theory. Actually the point that I want to stress much from his theory is about his goal behind it; a classless society & equality.

Equality sounds to be like a very nice and prominent value in life. However, in most situations, equality is less important than equity. Equality means: The quality of being the same in quantity or measure or value or status, whereas equity means: to go for the need. Exercising equality can sometimes lead to atrocious impacts. For example:

1. There are 4 siblings. Their parents spend lots of money to send them to a medical school even though the last one hate it and is more into architecture. There’s equality (giving the same amount to all parties) here but rarely does it brings good aftermath.

2. Once in a month, each person in the society is given RM500 from the government, regardless of the status. Yes, there’s equality here but no equity. How bad it will be. Money reaches even to the hands of those who are not in need of them.

3. In one class, there are 20 female and 3 male. One day, the lecturer assigned his students to complete a task, which is to write summaries of books. 47 books were given to the female group as well as to the male group. That’s equality, but real far from fairness.

That are some of the example to show how equality cannot be considered as synonym to justice and fairness.

Got to go… I’ll write more on equality-equity in my next Malay entry. Insha ALLAH…