TSUNAMI IN THE DESERT

Most of us followed what happened in the Middle East – TUNISIA, EGYPT, LIBYA, YEMEN, and SYRIA. We know that TUNISIA and EGYPT has fallen down, while the others are just waiting for its conclusion. I do not have any doubt that for the rest, it is just a matter of time.

Freedom is the basic requirement of humanity. They need to be freed, in order for them to determine their fate and future. Without freedom, human will not be able to make their own free choices, and hence hamper development and growth. However, the freedom that we seek always has its own costs and price. How much it will costs us to get our freedom? At what price we have to pay in order to gain freedom?

These countries, after decades of oppressive rules, will have to rise up from ashes. They will have to struggle for decades to come in order to rebuilt their nations. If we take two examples from South East Asia, namely the Philippines and Indonesia – after Marcos was booted out in the early 1980s, and Suharto regime fell down in 1998 – it took a long while before things settled down. If any general guide to be made – it will another decade (i.e. 10 years). The first few years (5 years) it will be a very rocky period of ups and downs, as various political groups and alignment being formed. Indonesia saw the establishment of more than 200 new parties of all sorts and groups. This same thing is happening in Egypt now – more than 100 new parties being registered.

The economic state of these countries will be in a major shamble – piles of foreign debts, left by the old regime, monopolies need to be broken, oligarch needs to be busted, severely backward infrastructure and public transports, banking systems that has to be improved, and so on. With unclear political directions and concentration of power, decision makings to reform the economy will be rather haphazard. The problems are at two fronts – to repair the damage done by the previous regimes, and to set up new things to take care the current and future needs of the Nation. The pull and push on these two fronts will take its own tolls.

What I can say for sure, is that there will be tremendous opportunities for the redevelopment of these Nations. However it requires helps and assistance from other Nations to play helping hand and roles. There will be major requirement for privatizations of various services and public infrastructure. FDI need to be garnered. The question is who will be giving them these supports and helps? I doubt if the United States and the Western World be playing a serious role in this. How about other Muslim Nations?

It is easy to get into the euphoria of throwing off corrupt and bad regimes – but it is another thing when you are entrusted with the task of building the Nation yourself. I pray that God will give them and us guidance during these turbulent times.

ENERGY

Energy is the major component of our living costs. Everything that we do, touch, and eat – are linked to energy. It is the source of the modern day life. We need energy to light up our house, buildings, streets, etc; we need energy to cook and prepare our food; we need energy to produce our them; we use energy to move around whether by automobile or public transport; and so on.

In fact energy is almost everything. Even the water that we use to bath and cleanse ourself, uses energy; every thing that we use such as clothings, chairs, tables, etc., requires energy to be produced. It is estimated that almost 40% to 50% of our disposal income is spent on energy. The only thing that we may not realize is that whether it is spent directly, such as buying gasoline and paying electric bills, or indirectly – when we use water, eat our food, etc.

That’s the reason why when the price of the major source of energy, which is oil or fuel, increase, everything else also went up. And for that reason, when the government increase the fuel price (i.e. reduces the subsidy), the impact on the costs of living is tremendous. The impact is even more severe on low income segment of the population, where the percentage of their spending on “energy” can be as high as 70%, in relative terms.

The impact of energy price increase on the economy is direct – when people have less percentage of their income left to be spent, they will purchase less of the “non-essentials” or they will even spend less on “essential” items, due to less money available in the hand. In another word, total consumption in the economy will be reduced, and similarly there will be less cash available for savings, and savings figures will also dropped. Both of these elements of reduced consumption and savings will have long term impact on the country’s economic growth. And on the same token, higher prices means higher inflation, which means people’s future purchasing power is also reduced.

We can go on and on relating the economic impact of energy prices, as per standard economic text book forecasts of cause and effects. Nothing of this should be new to anyone.

I have the privilege of watching our local Television and News for the last few weeks; and what abhors me is the aloof nature of our media and leadership. There is nothing wrong to admit that the prices of oil and fuel are beyond our control, and are being determined internationally.And also there is nothing wrong to admit that fuel prices is a major concern of the government and the subsidy involves are huge, and causing a drain on the national budget. People are intelligent enough to understand all of these. What is more important that we (the people) need to know is what are the plans that the Government has. Is there any real efforts or strategies that government plan to undertakes to tackle the problem? Or do we have none? All that the government says – is that it will review the price and subsidy if the oil price went up to US110 or US120 per barrel. We all know that the possibility of such prices is not that far from happening. And what if the prices even when beyond US120 per barrel; what will the government do?

Let us stop from the charades of politics – the government is saying that they are doing the fuel subsidy as favor for the people, while the opposition is saying the government is not doing enough. The truth is – whether anybody from both divides can tell exactly what they plan to do. Or is it just simply throwing the balls to each other. While you are holding it, I blame you, and if I hold it, I find blame on you as well. That is what seems to be the case.

What is needed are far from rhetoric. Energy crisis is something that are serious and all encompassing in nature. Whoever is in position of responsibility must work actual strategy and plans. Unless we have a real concerted effort on this matter, the question of increase in energy prices (i.e. fuel prices) will for sure happen. It is just a question of by how much and how soon. People will have to suffer.

Good Soul vs. Bad Soul

It is very hard to say when any soul came down to this earth, whether he is by “design” to be a Good Soul or a Bad Soul (i.e. good person or bad person). There has been many theories by psychologists trying to interpret the nature of human beings. Is it by nature, all human beings are “good” but his education, environment, upbringing, etc., eventually mold him to be a good or bad person. Some even went in depth to study identical twins and observe them to see whether the “physical” nature of the person determines their character and whether identical physical character has a role to play with the “moral character” of the person.

Interestingly enough, non of the studies can conclusively point out which factor is the most dominant element in determining one’s character. While there are enough evidence to point out education, environment, upbringing, etc, as important; but by itself, it is insufficient.There are many examples of students being brought up under religious education and yet turn out to be rascals; and vice versa, many examples of children brought up under decadent environment and yet grew up to be of exemplary character. History is full of such accounts.

My own hypothesis would be that – the Soul and its character – is pretty much an “individual” matter. God is speaking “directly” to the Soul – as the Quran says: FA AL HAMAHA FUJUURAHA WA TAQWA HA” (He will send ILHAM (thoughts) to human being about the evil deeds and the good deeds). And those who follow the Good thoughts will succeed, and those follow the bad thoughts will be doomed. Therefore, regardless of the environment, upbringing, education, etc., the final choice will be that person’s own (soul’s) choice. And such choices determines the character of the person.

Therefore, an identical twin will take separate path, even though they share a lot of physical characteristics; similarly brothers and sisters from the same parent will go each own way; and so on. And in hereafter, as the Quran says – everyonw will face God “FARDA” (as his own self, alone). An on that day – YAWMA YAFIRRUL MAR’U MIN AKHIIH, WA UMMIHI WA ABIIH WA SOHIBATIHI WA BANIIH” – On that day everyone will avoid his own brothers, his mother and father, his close associates and children.

Every soul has journeyed on this earth on his own, and therefore, the day will come when he will face God alone, and he is alone to face all the consequences of his own deeds.

Body & Soul

Being alive means our Body & Soul are in one embodiment that is in the form of being as we are now. Once the Body and Soul are separated, then one part will be claimed back by the earth (the Body) and the other will continue his journey to the “next life”.

While being alive – which one is the one that dominates us? Is it the Body or the Soul? How does these two co-exist and functions as a human being? This is a very intriguing subject. Al Quran says “YAS ALUNAKA ‘ANIRRUUH, QULIRRUUH, MINA AMRI RABBI” (They inquire you (the Prophet) about the Soul; answer them that the Soul is a matter of God i.e. an affair that is solely in His knowledge alone).

To understand the bodily functions and actions is a lot easier than to understand how does the Soul influence our actions and functions. Our body has our brain and mind, which produces our intellect, which guides us in our doings. But how does the Soul direct and control over our brain and mind? We also have “character” or “KHULQ” in Arabic (i.e. akhlaq), which defines oneself in terms of his/her overall character and behavior. A person will be said as of “good character” and vice versa of “bad character”. In Islam, such character or Akhlaq, is defined to be linked to someones Belief (or Iman).The question is: does the character (or Akhlaq) defines one’s Soul? Logically, I would think so and has to be so.

We can define someones physical character, but that is far from defining a person’s Akhlaq. Even though physical appearance may at times be a reflection of a person’s character, but it is only an image. Many times, I saw people of having “Islamic dress” but yet, their actual belief and akhlaq are of the exact opposite.Similarly, I have met people who does not show any religious appearance, and yet their heart and feelings are totally full of consciousness about his being and God.

The Soul and its character are actually “quite deep” within a person, and hence it cannot be easily seen. The true character of the Soul only appears when they are tested; and under such severe tests,then its true character and form appears. It seems to me that the Soul resides in the deepest part of our subconscious and hence it will “jump into front action” only when the situation arises.

Let us take an example of someone who shoot and kills another human being: what when through his conscience when he pull the trigger? Does his Soul have any feeling when it is harming another fellow Soul? Or his Soul is “inert” with such feelings and therefore the action is done by just simply a quick pull of the trigger, without any remorse and emotions. This is an example, when such Soul is so corrupted and inert, that it never even get out from its subconscious state and let the bodily action act without even any thinking and at times may be just a simple pure reflex.And that’s why the punishment for such Soul as described in the Quran “MAN QATALA NAFSAN MUTA’AMIDDAN, FA JAZAUHU JAHANNAM KHAALIDINA FIIHA” (Whoever kills another person purposely, his punishment shall be the hell, and he will be permanent in there).In another meaning: the Soul is totally corrupted, such that it is already beyond any recompense.

The body & Soul not only co-exists, but always at odds over each other. The Body will always crave for the bodily pleasure and indulgence, while the Soul, by its nature of creation, should be longing and craving for the “spiritual nourishment and pleasures”. So the question is: in a person, which one dominates? His bodily needs and crave, or his spiritual needs? Understanding this, will give a better meaning of the fasting (Puasa) in the month of Ramadhan – when we are obligated to hold our bodily demands against the cleansing of our Souls (Taqwa). Similarly, our Body wants things that are defined as “haram” while the Soul wants tranquility in the Prayers and Zikr (remembrance of Allah).

But not all persons (in fact few), feels and realize the needs of his Soul. Most, if not all, will be busy from dawn to dusk everyday, engaged only in feeding his bodily needs and pleasures; and totally disregard any spiritual needs that his Soul requires. In fact, his Soul is totally “ignored” as if it is not even there.This is the state of affair that eventually make the Soul to be “blind” and “dead” (in Malay berhati buta dan mati).

If we understand this, then we will get the meaning of why we need to make our Prayers (Solah) five times daily. The Prayers are scheduled at pristine moments -the dawn, before we start our day; noon (Zuhr) for the mid-day, Asr (evening) – as the days wind down, Maghrib (Sunset), when the day is over, and Isha (late night) before we end the day and go to sleep. These are “scheduled feedings” of the soul, which are even more important than the “breakfast”, “lunch” and “dinner” in our daily schedule. Such nourishments will keep the Soul to be healthy, clean and pure. Which is the “FITRAH” (or original form) of the Soul from the day that it was created. “FIIRATALLAH ALLATI FATARANNAASA ‘ALAIHA” (The Fitrah of ALLAH, where he creates the human beings based on that).

And finally – the hadith in the following meaning: All sons of Adam are created based on his FITRAH, except that his parents (or environment) that makes him to be Jew, Christian or the Majusi (fire worshipper).

Our Soul is pure – except that when we enter this body of ours, and overtime it got corrupted and eventually may even loss all of its original character; unless it is constantly being fed with the necessary “food and nourishments”, to maintain its true character – which is actually the behavior of people of the Paradise (JANNAH).

Life and Death

We are alive today because our body still function as its supposed to be: the heart is pumping the blood, the brain is working and functioning as its supposed to be, and so on. Once the heart stop, and the brain is dead (i.e. stop to function), due to whatever physical reasons that happened to the body – then we are dead and cease to be alive.

Our life started when the soul (or Ruh) being brought into our body when we are about three months old in the womb of our mother. At that point of time, we are neither aware and conscious of what happened , and gradually as we grew, our sense of realization of our surroundings became clearer and clearer. However, if look back very carefully, the whole episode of our life till present just passing by like a “dream”. We are helpless to “touch” the Past, and neither we know what exactly is in the Future. We are just like “floating” in this life, and strive to do what we think we can. Neither we can set our fate, nor we can alter anything that has been given to us, definitively. We can try and exert our efforts; but these efforts will never guarantee the results that we might wish. We will keep on doing these, until the time comes, when our “time is up” – and death meet us, when our bodily faculties stop from functioning – and the physical part of us will be returned back to the earth, where it supposedly originated from.

It seems to me that our life, from the point of the entry of our soul into our body, and the time of its parting, is just like a temporary abode for our soul. It enters this world, through temporal control over our body, till the time when it can no longer stay, because the body has stopped from being a place that it can stay (i.e. dead). This match the hadiths that says “KUN FID DUNYA KA ANAKA GHARIIBUN AW ‘AABIRU SABEEL” (You are in this world as if a stranger of a person on a journey). Similarly when our soul is asked: How long we you in the dunya (or life). It answer: it seems to be like a day or two. (YAWM AW YAUMAIN).

Such is our journey into this world. Our soul must have come from a domain that where the current Space and Time might not be the same (or applied). But for it to be presence in this space and time, it must enter into a body, where such body is subjected to the space and time, as we know now. We do not have a choice which body to enter, and neither to which ancestors that we will born under, and nor we have a choice of when our end will be. These has been fixed and planned for our soul. The ONLY choice that left to us, is how to live and conduct our affairs in our life, within this allowable span of space and time. And not only that these choice are given to us, we will also be accountable for it, in this life as well as after our death ( as explained in the Quran).

Let us go back to the subject of our consciousness of our SELF, as we grew up. As our mental faculty developed (from motor functions when we are babies, knowledge and experience as we mature), we begin to understand this life bit by bit. However, this development are limited to just the surroundings and events that we can sense (see, hear, etc), but very little of our awareness is about our own soul and the Creator. This knowledge, comes only through revelations (Wahyu) via the Prophets to whom which God has sent down His messengers and knowledge to tell us what we do not know (‘ALLAMAL INSAAN M LAM YA’ LAM – to teach human beings what they do not know).

However, our body and soul, in this mix has its own ways of being attracted to what is “near” and “sensed” – and easily rejects anything that are “superfluous” and “hazy” in nature. Hence, almost all human beings focused their life on what is in front of them – that is to seek pleasure in this world, and could not care less about what is supposed to be more important for the soul. Eventually, the body (and its desire), will take full control over the soul, and it will become fully intoxicated with the life, and forget anything else, until the day when the angel of death descended upon him, then only the soul realizes that it has been residing in a place (body) that are temporal in nature, and its journey must then be continued. By that time, it is already too late to do anything to change what have been done.

My view on the above subject and discussions are for sure non-definitive and still requires a lot of deep thinking and contemplations. There are still many gaps of understanding, and too many questions which requires answers – that I do not have. Many of these are hidden in the messages of the verses of AL Quran, and the meaning of it may be obtain as we can better understand all the messages that God has revealed to us.