Constellations

Crowd-Sourced Car-Pool System

May 10, 2013 in Peace Meal by Zain

In 2009, when RandomAlphabets was organizing Glee Flashmob Dance, I noticed that the young people who attended rehearsals had difficulty going home.

So we organized a system where, those who need transport home would pass their name and location. We’d then flash it on the projector for all to see. Then whoever is going or, passing the location, could offer a free ride. As a result, not just those in need were helped, but friendships were born and the energy for the project was even more positive.

Last year, I introduced the same system to Darul Murtadza. A weekly Majlis Ta’lim (Gathering of Knowledge), at Muaz bin Jabal mosque in Setiawangsa that takes place every Friday night. Ganee, also from Peace Meal did the prototype with them and those guys improved it even more in time for Beta testing. Click here to read more about that project.

It was finally time to introduce the same concept to Peace Meal and we finally did so few weeks ago. For the size, we didn’t need a Google Docs like system. So during a discussion with Ai’syah Mei Chen, also a Peace Meal volunteer, we came up with the card you see above – which we distribute at the beginning of the event.

Perhaps to add, this is what is meant by finding solutions for real problems. In today’s age of active participation in the social public sphere, there needs to be an increase in the thinking and exploration to solve real problems faced by the Muslim community too. Adapting with times is not just about fancy posters, or discussing gender issues, but can be as simple as sorting out something that people need.

I think this similar thinking is what is meant when he says Islamization of knowledge as propounded by Prof Al-Attas, although I could be quite inaccurate.

Saya Mahu Picnic

May 10, 2013 in RA by Zain

So earlier this week, 2 days after the election, Utusan Malaysia writes ‘Apa Lagi Cina Mahu?’ as their headline as a response to the immediate analysis of the results indicating that a large percentage of that demographic did not vote for the winning side.

Public outrage ensues, albeit at the same time some people didn’t get what the big deal was with the headline many deem racist in nature. I don’t intend to discuss that issue or my stand on it.

But myself and some others are doing an event via RandomAlphabets, to bring the good vibe back in KL after tiring and eventful month, preceding the elections. Click here to know more.

Event – Islam & Secularism: What, Why

April 28, 2013 in Discourse, Events, Knowledge, Peace Meal by Zain

Looking at a number of things, including the Contemporary Western Christian Background, and the genrally the why and not just the what of Islam. Click on image above to enlarge. Based on a world renown book, find out more about this project here.

Kasian Manuskrip Jawi – Islam Dalam Sejarah Kebudayaan Melayu

April 8, 2013 in Knowledge, Religion & Faith by Zain

This should be interesting.

Pendaftaran boleh dibuat secara atas talian di pautan berikut: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1GW4boYHvXPsqY0yqHD2IGXXzcL5bpWuPue6sjnKner8/viewform

Sila kemukakan bukti pembayaran kepada emel kami:
klasika.media [at] yahoo.com - sertakan dengan nama dan nombor telefon pada resit pembayaran.

Tags: CASIS, UTM

Video – Keretapi Sarong 2013

April 8, 2013 in Events, RA, Video by Zain

Video from a recent project I was part of. Glad to see it go a little international this year.

Tags: Keretapi Sarong, Random Alphabets

Twinkle Little Star English Qasida by Muhammad Mendes

April 7, 2013 in Art, Religion & Faith, Video by Zain

I received multiple requests for this poem from those who attended the event on Wednesday 4 April 2013, at Mukha – Poetry with Percussions and Tea with Shaykh Yahya Rhodus that Peace Meal organized with the support of Radical Middle Way Asia. Click here for details, and for pictures click here.

The event did 5 qasidas (poems/hymn) with accompanying hijr marawis (percussions), and in between each Shaykh Yahya would expand upon its author – Imam Al-Haddad (1634-1720), the poem and other relating topics. Before the close, someone requested that Shaykh Yahya himself did a qasida, which is how this blog post came to being.

Click here for the PDF format of the text for the qasida (poem/hymn) - La ilaha ill Allah hymn by Shaykh Muhammad Mendes

He chose an English one ‘La ilaha ill Allah’ composed by his friend, Shaykh Muhammad Adeyinka Mendes (Abdul-Haqq Mendes) – who wrote it in English so people could understand (as most qasidas are in Arabic), secondly he composed it for his children (so that they’d have something to attached to their hearts to), hence why it is in the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

Shaykh Yahya gave permission to circulate the text of the qasida, and I’ve also added in some interesting media I’ve found online on Shaykh Mendes. Peace Meal will be releasing a video recording of that qasida (La ilaha ill Allah), being recited at that event soon. I’ll put it up here once it’s ready or keep a lookout on Peace Meal’s FB page.

Travelling Light – Dakar (Film Trailer) featuring Shaykh Mendes

Part one of three video of Shaykh Mendes expanding on the history of Black Contribution to Islam. Click here to watch part two, and here for part three.

April 2013 Peace Meal Programs

April 1, 2013 in Events, Knowledge, Peace Meal, Religion & Faith by Zain

A little tied up now putting together these programs for Shaykh Yahya Rhodus, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and Imam Afroz Ali. As well as some interviews and meetings. Do google to find out more about the speakers. See www.peacemeal.my for info. Help spread the word yo.

Tags: Afroz Ali, Faraz Rabbani, LifeMakers, Mukha, Radical Middle Way, Seekers Guidance, Yahya Rhodus, YMP, Young Muslims Project

Course – Worldview on Islam Series 2013

January 25, 2013 in Discourse, Knowledge, Religion & Faith by Zain

I’m joining this course in 2013, on Saturday mornings. I highly recommend it, because the knowledge and discussion is one I find not only refreshing, but absent in public discourse. It also tackles and addresses many of the questions and issues that people at large grapple with little direction to no end, in a totally different worldview – which is what makes it enlightening I suppose.

If I were to illustrate, the reason why sometimes Muslims, or its scholars, come out with a totally different answer, one that might be unexpected, when addressing an issue is because from the crux of it, the Islamic worldview is different than that is commonly perceived today, which is mostly though not necessarily, secular/Western.Because people only see the end results of answers to issues from two sides, they endup questioning or commenting on areas that don’t matter, or are irrelevant.

What needs to be recognized is that, the reason why the answers differ so much is because not just the fundamentals, but the understanding towards those fundamentals are different and at times, clash/contradict with each other.

If I were to pick a light example, there’s a common saying today’s world, that when a person commits a mistake, in defence he might say, ‘I’m a mere human being. I’m no good like an angel.’ This worldview accepts that angels are better than human beings, where as the Islamic worldview accepts that the humans were a better creation than that of angels. Many sources of Islamic text affirm this, which I will leave you to lookup with diligence.

*Click on the images to enlarge.

Mawlud & Love for the Prophet PBUH

January 15, 2013 in Knowledge, Religion & Faith by Zain

Above is a video of renown scholar Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, explaining about the Mawlud, its reason, purpose and history. I urge those interested in the matter, and Muslims alike, to watch this. Below is a video of Cambridge Professor TJ Winter @ Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad also speaking on the matter.

As this is the month of Rabi’ulawal in the Islamic calendar, the month the Messenger PBUH was born, Muslims around the world celebrate his birth in many ways. The Mawlid (eulogy of the Prophet), is a significant tradition which has existed for many centuries across many places practiced by renown and venerated scholars and Muslims alike.

What the Mawlid is also able to do, is a tool for both the spread of the faith, and also instilling love of Muslims toward the Prophet PBUH, which they have be taught and understood to continuously make effort to be as close to him as possible, as did his Companions, people who knew the Companions, people who knew them, and so forth the as the chain works linking them one another to the Prophet PBUH.

It’s like imagine trying to get to know your favourite celebrity, and if contact with him/her directly is impossible, you reach out for his/her family and friends who knew him/her, and if not them, then the people who knew them. This of course on top of other efforts in trying to learn and exemplify the celebrity you admire. Except in this case it’s the Messenger PBUH.

Below is a fantastic video explaining the concept of Bid’ah (not just in relation to Maulud), which is often misunderstood. It’s a brief one, but do listen.

Below is an interesting video worth sharing. A response video, of a statement, against the Maulid sentiment, which is one shared by many due to silly/strict understanding of tradition and scholarship. It’s not the best explanation, but it does address certain angles which are key and puts certain modern references context.

Click here to read the article above.

Tags: Abdal Hakim Murad, Hamza Yusuf, Maulud, Mawlid

Allah and the Bible – Between Ignorance & Truth

January 11, 2013 in Discourse, Religion & Faith by Zain

Click here and here to read the article above. Click on the image to enlarge.

I have generally abstained from speaking about this matter, of whether or not Allah should be used to replace God in the Bahasa Malaysia Bible. There are many things to consider in arriving at a decision for oneself. And because of other elements, even if I’ve decided my stand, I may not even share it.

The former is of course the issue that people tend to talk about one aspect, expecting to arrive at a sound conclusion even for themselves. The most common one is legal. My issue with that is, legal right is often that bottom most pit we scrape. In order to excel, in many things, we don’t work at a minimum and fight the barrier there. If that’s the order of the day, let us all do what’s sufficient and no more than that. Throw good deeds out.

The other part is that I feel it seems we’ve come to a culture where it’s apt to seek, count, consider the opinions of those irrelevant background when talking up an issue in a certain field. For example, you don’t ask a mechanic for a professional opinion on your heart condition, do you? The same goes all around. But we seem to ignore this concept, and quite commonly in matters of theology. Additionally, to what extent does someone’s view, bounds the other?

And the latter (in reference to first para), that having a stand and an issue on one matter is something. How you go about dealing it is another. Now I don’t expect everyone, regardless on which side of the fence you are, to agree with one another. However we must acknowledge not so much the sensitivity of another, but more so our respect for the other. I believe this is demanded of the faithful people in whatever theology.

I’ve taken the effort to do a little bit of reading here and there, trying to find the voices that offer a different reasoning by those who at least some may accept to having theological scholarship background. I’ve shared links to their articles below, and the excerpts reflects my stand and bias.

If there is a final note I could add, is that, in considering points and reason to solve a certain matter (this or otherwise), certain realities must be taken into account. However, certain ones can’t. This is where one has to evaluate whether the principle or the reality is either superior, equal or not relevant at all – as far as the context of arriving at a conclusion.

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