Filem Melayu : Agama dan Melayu?

Maka tersebutlah kisah pada satu petang, dalam keadaan penuh kebosanan, aku mencari-cari saluran tv yang menarik...memandangkan semua program amatlah membosankan jadi aku pon biarkan saja satu saluran tv yang menyajikan satu filem melayu terpapar di depan aku tanpa ditukar ke saluran lain.

Ini adalah dialog antara seorang suami dan isteri yang sedang membincangkan perihal anak-anak lelaki mereka.

Suami : Abang berharap kita dapat memberikan pendidikan agama kepada anak-anak kita, nanti bila kita dah mati, semoga doa mereka sampai pada kita.

Isteri : Betul bang, dengan pendidikan agama yang kita berikan, barulah melayu!

Aku terdiam seketika. Kemudian sambil menggelengkan kepala aku cuba untuk mengingat kembali pendidikan agama yang aku belajar masa aku kecil dahulu. Tak pernah aku jumpa konsep agama mencerminkan bangsa.

Konsep yang paling aku ingat masa di sekolah rendah dahulu yang sampai sekarang masih lekat dalam kepala adalah konsep kesamaraataan (equality) antara manusia. Konsep universal tentang kesamaraataan manusia ni dipetik dari khutbah terakhir Nabi Muhammad sebelum beliau meninggalkan kita, umat manusia.

Konsep kesamarataan.Tiada seorang manusia pun yang layak diletakkan di tempat yang lebih tinggi dari manusia yang lain. Kerana tempat yang tinggi itu hanyalah untuk Pencipta.

Yang menentukan ketinggian martabat seorang manusia adalah taqwa kepada Pencipta dan perilaku yang baik dalam menjalankan tugas mentadbir dunia yang diamanahkan oleh Pencipta.Bukan bangsa atau keturunannya.Bukan kaya atau miskinnya.Dan bukan juga betapa tinggi CGPA nya.

Jadi, dari mana datangnya konsep agama itu mencerminkan bangsa?

Green Day

I'm still caught up with Green Day fever after coming back from Singapore. I keep on playing American Idiot album over and over again since Monday while trying to ignore the annoying constant coughing and high fever.

Had a meeting at LAC yesterday and R asked why do I love the band so much. I've always loved Green Day since school. Hitching a ride, basket case and the list goes on. It's the kind of music that I would simply love, back then when I was younger.

But as I was growing old-ER, they came out with such brilliant albums-American Idiot and the latest one, 21st Century Breakdown. And now, when people ask me why do I like Green Day? My answer would be-they are very political...and that makes me love them even more.

And my favourite song would always be Holiday which heavily criticized Bush administration and Iraq war.There you go, a little review on the kinda music and band that I'm crazily into.

p/s: Dear ML, this entry is not morbid isn't it?:P

Knock in the Head

Since 2010 started, I kept having this somber mood hanging all around me...perhaps it's due to self-reflection mode I usually experience at the end of every year.

After being absent for quite some time for GMI meeting due to other engagements, I actually got some kind of reality check, yah, right there in the head.Somber mood is now over, now it's time to get cracking!

Last night was our first meeting for 2010. I promised myself earlier on to block last night's date for the meeting no matter what. Every one was happy that attendance was satisfactory. We ran through the campaigns and activities for the year 2009 and shared how we felt about last year's achievement, and what we need to do to improve ourselves. Before the meeting started, a conversation took place:

Tuan Syed :ISA has existed for 50 years!
Nalini : yalah, it's a long time. I think by 50 I might be dead by then.
Me: you still have some time to live then. I think I can hardly see 40. I might die in my 30s.Oh, there's so little time left.
Tuan Syed : "Ya Allah Ya Tuhanku, engkau panjangkan lah usia fadiah dan rahmatilah dia"

Ameen.

It's such a blessing to have such a wonderful family no matter where you are, no matter how hard things get and no matter how devastated sometimes you feel. Knowing that they will always be there, for and with you.

It's time to get started. No excuse!

And for this 2010, I promised myself to spend more time with the Mentari Kids too.

I hope 2010 will be a meaningful year. InsyaAllah.