Thursday, October 23, 2008

The Haj Story - Everybody Is An Imam ( leader )

Flashing back to an article in Berita Harian, 30th August 2008, Singapore's only Malay newspaper, where a marriage in Lucknow, India, was solemnised by a woman, Dr Saida Habib, last 13th August 2008, memories of misunderstood interpretation came fresh to mind.

It was December 2005, Haj season.

"Sembahyang kat mesjid?" A lady asked me.

"Ha ah. Kenapa tak pegi?" I asked them knowing everybody is spending at least RM10,000 to go to Makkah and be near to Kaabah in Masjidil Haram.

"Jauh sangat. Lagi pun kalang kabut nak ikut imam. Jadi kita sembayang sorang-sorang dalam bilik." The lady replied.

"Kenapa tak jema'ah dalam bilik?" I asked innocently.

A big opportunity had been missed.
Solat in Masjidil Haram will be rewarded 100,000 times more than back home if it's individually performed.
But when following an imam, it will be times 27.

A 2,700,000 reward for just a solat is what drives Muslims from all over the world to congregate in the Grand Mosque once a year in the month of Dzulhijjah.
The 2,700,000 reward likened to us praying for more than 7,000 years individually or more than 50 years when doing it together with at least 2 people.

"Mana boleh perempuan jadi imam. Nak jadi Aminah Wadud nombor 2 ke?" Relating to an incident happened in Manhattan, New York.
The answer pricked my ears. I was in, for a shock.

After all the life being a born Muslim, she is yet to know that Islam is not about restriction - Islam is about moderation.

How am I to tell her the reason why Aminah Wadud created a controversy is because she led a Friday prayer* and giving sermon to men and women in the jema'ah!
How am I to tell her that she too can get the more than 2,000,000 reward if 'tak payah kalang kabut nak ikut imam' but can take her own time walking to the mosque and perform her prayer together with her roommates. They too will get the same reward!

How am I to tell her that just sitting in any mosque will be rewarded? -What's more the Grand Mosque - Masjidil Haram.
The bigger reward is looking at Baitullaahil Haram. Ka'abah. The epicentre of Muslims all over the world.

But the biggest reward is when our deed, however grainy it seems, is being recognised by HIM.
Haji Mabruurah.
Amiin.

*Friday prayer: Wajib, a must to men but optional for women.
Women perform the usual Zohor.

No comments: