Why I Converted to Islam?

I grew up in a decidedly non-religious home. We never went to church, save for funerals and occasionally weddings. I knew who Jesus was, but I didn’t know any of the Bible stories.

I don’t remember feeling anything about religion at all, negative or positive. My parents never spoke of it. As I got older and started attending the weddings of friends, I would joke that I would be smoted (smited? I don’t even know) as soon as I entered the church. I felt uncomfortable being there.

When I met my fiancée, who is Muslim, I was at a point in my life where I felt disconnected from myself and that I perhaps needed something more. I wanted guidance, mostly, and a reason for why bad things kept happening in life.

It was my idea to convert to Islam. He never asked me to do so, but I knew I wanted to for a variety of reasons. I definitely wanted his parents to accept me, and it would be easier if I was Muslim. But mainly I did it because I needed to believe that someone, somewhere, was looking out for me.

I guess at this point I should tell you that I am a white girl from Canada.

I feel self-imposed guilt for this fact, because it is easy for me to look “non-Muslim.” I don’t experience the ignorance and bigotry that many Muslims unfortunately do. It shocks me how much vitriol is directed towards Muslims in Canada. The many misconceptions about the religion are spouted in the comments section of any news article about a person from the Middle East (even if they are not Muslim) and spread in email forwards.

Some of these email forwards come from my family, who I am sure mean well but don’t realize how offensive they are being by forwarding the lies. My mother was hesitant when I told her about my conversion. I think she was worried I was being forced into it. I have done my best to help my mother understand Islam during my conversion process, but she is agnostic and it has been hard for her to wrap her head around it. Luckily, her main concern is that I am happy.

I am pleasantly surprised when I do tell other people that I am Muslim. Most people think it is great and already know quite a lot about the religion itself, so they will ask me about if my eating habits changed and if I still drink alcohol. The answers are yes and no, respectively.

I became a vegetarian when I was 14, so I already didn't eat pork. I do eat chicken and fish now, but I am careful to eat only halal. Making that switch was easy, as halal meats are available at most large grocery stores nowadays. The reason I became a vegetarian was because I didn’t like the way animals were treated in traditional slaughterhouses, and I find that animals killed for halal meat are treated much more humanely and with more respect than their unfortunate non-halal friends. I still won’t eat beef, though. That shit’s gross.

Muslims are not allowed to drink alcohol and this worked out well for me because, frankly, I needed to stop. In my early 20s, I drank entirely too much, probably bordering on alcoholism. So I was beyond happy to cut that out of my life.

My conversion has been a great educational experience, as I’ve now read the Qur’an three times. I understand the stories now, even the ones about Jesus! I am in the process of learning to read Arabic so I can read the Qur’an the way it was intended to be read. 

I also plan to take the Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca that each able-bodied Muslim should take in their lifetime if they can) with my fiancée sometime in the future. I want to do these things because they give me a sense of personal well-being and accomplishment. They make me feel like I am becoming a better person, the person I want and need to be.

As a feminist, I will inevitably be questioned about how Islam treats women. From my perspective, Islam respects and reveres women. Children are taught that the most important person in the world is their mother. Women have been an integral part of Islam from the very beginning, as the prophet Mohammed greatly respected them and valued their input and contribution to society. The stuff you see about women not being able to drive, having to cover every inch of their bodies so as to not “tempt” men and other such idiocies are not a part of Islam -- they are a cultural thing.

I do not wear the hijab, but I understand why many Muslim women do. It's a choice we each need to make. I would not go to a predominantly Muslim country and not wear one. Many women choose to wear them because they feel closer to God, especially when praying. By the same token, I feel a burqa should be a woman’s right to wear IF she is not forced to do so and is wearing it under her own free will. Unfortunately, this is not yet the case in many countries where it is mandatory dress.

I never had any real concerns about being a feminist and a Muslim. I think there are many of us, but we are just not vocal enough yet. I am hoping to change this and, maybe it sounds presumptuous, but I hope that I can maybe inspire others to do the same. In the meantime, I will continue to correct the many, MANY errors incorrect assumptions about Islam and try to be a force for good in the world.

I guess that is really what Islam has brought to me -- a meaning to my life. And isn’t that what we are all searching for anyway?

(source: xojane)

Islam: Its Not What You Think

Why I converted to Islam.

by:  Dr. Jeremiah D. McAuliffe, Jr., Ph.D.
Because of historical occurrences and certain current events, Islam may be the most misunderstood-- and simply unknown-- religious tradition in the Euro-American West.
No, it is not a "religion of the sword," nor is it inherently violent. The overriding goals of Islam are:

• adl: balance
• ahsan: compassion
• ilm: knowledge
• sabr: patience

For the purpose of understanding we need to distinguish between two uses of the words "Islam" and "Muslim". Islam¹ and Muslim¹ mean "submission to the will of God" and "one who is in submission to the will of God", respectively. Islam² and Muslim² refer to the 1400 year tradition that goes by that name. Its foundation is the text of the Qur'an and the example of Muhammad, called the sunnah.
Thus, Islam¹ calls all people to monotheism and encourages all to strive to be Muslim¹ as best they can. It is not strictly necessary for all people to be Muslim²-- though of course we think it is the best way to be truly Muslim¹. We accept Jews and Christians as believers and accept that there are hanifs: legitimate monotheists outside of a tradition. We consider Abraham to be hanif.
The opening of the Qur'an is considered to contain its essence:

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful...
Glory to God! Lord of the worlds!
The Compassionate, the Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment!
You alone we worship,
You alone we turn to for help.
Guide us to the straight path,
the path of those whom You have favored,
not that of those with whom You are angry,
nor of those who have gone astray.
Muslims² pray this at least 17 times a day!

The Qu'ran

The Qur'an is the compilation of utterances by Muhammad following certain episodes of unique experience. Muslims² believe that during these times the text of the Qur'an was dictated to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel. We consider it to be the verbatim Word of God-- the same Deity referred to by Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Here is what Karen Armstrong, a non-Muslim², wrote about the first of these experiences:

Muhammad had had that overpowering apprehension of numinous reality which has devastated prophets and seers in most traditions. In Christianity it has been described as the mysterium terrible et fascinans and in Judaism it has been call kaddosh, "holiness", the terrifying otherness of God. ...The Hebrew prophets had also cried out against the vision of holiness, fearing that they were close to death: "What a wretched state I am in!" Isaiah had cried when he saw his vision of God in the Temple, "I am lost!" Even the angels shielded themselves with their wings from the divine presence but he had looked on the Lord of Hosts with his own impure eyes. Jeremiah had experienced God as an agonizing pain that filled his every limb; like Muhammad in the embrace of the Angel, he experienced revelation as a sort of divine rape. It invaded his being with a fearful force, doing violence to his natural self... What all these prophets had experienced was transcendence, a reality that lay beyond concepts and which the monotheistic faiths call "God".

These "episodes of revelation" continued periodically for 23 years. Muhammad was about 40 when they began and he died about age 63. Before this began his nickname was al-Amin, "the trustworthy". He was an orphan, made a living as a merchant, and grew to be a good-looking, responsible, and well-liked man. Before these episodes began he would have been considered a hanif.

Interpreting the Qu'ran

As we all know, any religious Scripture may be interpreted in a way that satisfies one's own whims or desires. Indeed, some seem to engage in actual evil and then use religious Scriptures to rationalize their behaviors! The Qur'an is no different. Here are some guidelines for a proper understanding:
1. Linguistic Integrity. It is only considered "the Qur'an" in the original Arabic. Arabic translates poorly into English and so this must be taken into account. Often, there is no English equivilent for an Arabic word.
2. Historical Context. Each "episode of revelation" was in response to a specific question or specific situation. When it comes to Qur'anic interpretation "context is everything".
3. Reference to Muhammad's Actual Behaviors. Called the sunnah. It is derived from the hadith ("sayings") literature and the practice of Muhammad's companions. The foundations of Islam-as-religious-tradition (Islam²) are comprised of the Qur'an and the sunnah of Muhammad. Muhammad is considered to be a "walking Qur'an". His example displays or embodies Qur'anic principles.
4. The Totality of the Message. Any particular interpretation must fit within the total ethos presented by the Qur'an as a whole.

The Qur'an describes itself as having both clear and ambiguous passages. Thus, there are differences among Muslims² about its proper interpretation. There are also differences concerning the interpretation of the hadith literature from which we derive the sunnah. Because thousands of people came to accept Muhammad's claim to be a messenger from God the hadith literature contains detailed, and sometimes graphic accounts of his words and deeds. Some of today's Muslims² seem to emphasize aspects of the sunnah such as beards for men and certain types of clothes. Some consider these of foundational importance for Islam¹. Others consider these accounts to be of secondary or no importance for Islam¹. They look more to Muhammad's character and personality-- taking into account his cultural context as a sixth century Arab-- more so than others. The personality characteristics exemplified by Muhammad are listed by one author as:

• Politeness
• Kindness
• Love and Mercy
• Forgiveness
• Generosity
• Hospitality
• Sacrifice
• Simplicity
• Humility
• Modesty
• Sincerity
• Honesty and Truthfulness
• Fair Dealing
• Justice
• Fulfillment of Promises
• Piety and Righteousness
• Moderation
• Perseverance
• Courage and Bravery
• Humor.

Muhammad, in general and especially early on, did not permit the writing down of his extra-Qur'anic sayings during his life-time, being fearful they would become confused with the text of the Qur'an. Many intra-Muslim² fights are over the sunnah.

JIHAD!

Jihad is not properly translated as "holy war" but as "struggle of good against evil". Jihad is the attempt to fully establish Islam¹ on the planet, in our communities, and in ourselves. It contains Islam²'s theory of just war, but also contains much, much more.
Because Islam² is firmly wholistic (the Field Model), it encourages jihad in all arenas of human expression: psychological, social, physical, political, and economic as well as spiritual. It is wrong to reduce jihad to but one area of life as we often see some Muslims² doing today.
Islam² allows physical warfare only against aggressors after attempts at change, treaty and reconciliation have failed. If peace is offered it is to be accepted.
from "Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet" by Karen Armstrong:

The Qur'an began to urge the Muslims of Medina to participate in a jihad. This would involve fighting and bloodshed, but the root JHD implies more than a 'holy war'. It signifies a physical, moral, spiritual and intellectual effort. There are plenty of Arabic words denoting armed combat, such as harb (war), sira'a (combat), ma'araka (battle) or qital (killing), which the Qur'an could easily have used if war had been the Muslims' principal way of engaging in this effort. Instead it chooses a vaguer, richer word with a wide range of connotations. The jihad is not one of the five pillars of Islam. It is not a central prop of the religion, despite the common Western view. But it was and remains a duty for Muslims to commit themselves to a struggle on all fronts-- moral, spiritual and political-- to create a just and decent society, where the poor and vulnerable are not exploited, in the way that God had intended man to live. Fighting and warfare might sometimes be necessary, but it was only a minor part of the whole jihad or struggle. A well-known tradition (hadith) has Muhammad say on returning from a battle, "We return from the little jihad to the greater jihad," the more difficult and crucial effort to conquer the forces of evil in oneself and in one's own society in all the details of daily life.

Tawheed

Tawheed is an untranslatable term that contains within it the Muslim² understanding of the implications of strict monotheism. According to some writers who bridge the gap between East and West tawheed is not easily grasped by those coming out of Euro-American traditions. It expresses a radical monotheism that severely restricts symbolic, figurative or anthropomorphic language to explain the relationship between Deity and creation. The Qur'an contains descriptions of God's activities and attributes often compiled as "The 99 Names". Prime among these is an absolute and total Uniqueness and Unity.
Tawheed anticipates the current fascination with "wholistic" thought or health. Tawheed is the means by which Islam² expresses a wholistic conception of human life and the cosmos; integrating physical, social, psychological and spiritual concerns into a consonant whole. The parts of experience "fit together".
According to Isma'il Faruqi, tawheed implies the following about reality:

1. God and creation are ontologically separate. There is no pantheistic, panentheistic, or anthropmorphic tendencies permitted in our discourse about God.
2. Human beings can comprehend what God wants us to do.
3. Human life and all of creation is imbued with meaning and purpose.
4. Human beings are capable of molding life and the world according to the dictates of Islam¹.
5. The individual is responsible for molding life and the world according to Islam¹.

Tawheed also contains within it a foundational scientific approach to reality containing three principles:

1. Rejection of all that does not correspond with reality.
2. There are no ultimate contradictions.
3. Openness to new and/or contrary evidence.

  
Under Muslim Rule
Ahmad Hashem, a great guy I'm glad to know, has written in reference to Muslim writer Jawdat Sa'id:

A fundamental principle of Islam is that Islam is fairness and mercy to all--Muslims and non-Muslims. The Prophet (SAW) was sent "not, but as a Mercy for all creatures" (21:107). This Mercy extends even to non-Muslims, who will continue to co-exist with Muslims forever. After all, "If it had been your Lord's Will, they would all have believed, -- all who are on earth!" (10:99). Thus, Muslims are one of many nations. The verse "Nay, you are but humans, --of the humans He has created" (5:18) applies equally well to Muslims and non-Muslims. Muslims cannot give themselves special privileges or favor themselves just in virtue of their being Muslims. Muslims are supposed to be "witnesses over the nations" (2:143). A "witness" must be fair. "Say: 'My Lord has commanded justice'" (7:29).
The political system in Islam has justice for all as its supreme principle. "When you judge between mankind, judge with justice" (4:58). "If you judge, judge in equity between them. For God loves those who judge in equity" (5:42). Note that one principle of justice is spelled out in Quran as "No compulsion in religion" (2:256). Now, only the person who rejects the principles of justice for all mankind is considered an apostate. According to Sa'id, if a person converts out of Islam we should congratulate the group that s/he joined, for apparently they had something to offer that we Muslims didn't. BUT, if a person rejects the political Islam, i.e. rejects the principles of justice which include "no compulsion in religion", then (and only then) this person is an apostate and must be dealt with as such.
An important lesson must be learnt from the verse that permitted Muslims to use force for the first time in their history: "To those against whom war was made, who were subject to injustice, permission is given (to fight)" (22:39). Note that these people were subject to injustice. Further, note the "compulsion in religion" part: the verse goes on to describe those to whom permission was granted to fight as "those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right, (for no other cause) except that they say 'Our Lord is God'."Only when we stick firmly to these principles of justice", Sa'id claims, "would we fulfill the role of "witnesses over the nation."

Sexism & Violence?

There is no doubt that some Qur'anic passages, especially in translation, are very disturbing and might seem to the person of good will to contradict Islam¹. This is especially the case with gender relations. There are passages that seem to allow domestic violence and sexism, and there are certainly men who use those passages to justify and rationalize various attitudes that are abhorrent to men and women of good will. However, a proper approach to the passages show these to be empty rationalizations and misinterpretations, not to mention a blindness to the totality of the Islamic ethos.
The Qur'an addresses human behavior as it is, and strives to improve it. It does not deny the presence of various types of behavior. So, it acknowledges that people who are harmed may want some kind of revenge or retribution. This is allowed, but "it is better" to forgive. It acknowledges that slavery exists and so then directs slave-holders to feed, clothe and treat them as brothers. It also continuously encourages the freeing of slaves. So, we can't say that Islam² necessarily approves of slavery-- the ethos is against it-- but IF a culture has slaves it gives ennobling guidelines on their treatment and encourages change. The Qur'an does not deny human behavior, but seeks to change it.
The same is true for passages that seem to encourage sexist and violent behavior. The Qur'an directly addresses the bottom line in human behavior-- there ARE men who beat their wives, so the Qur'an says this can only be done lightly (Muhammad explained with a toothbrush, not on the face or head, not to leave a mark) and only AFTER arbitration and separation have been tried. Essentially, it is addressing the situation of a couple who are not very Muslim¹ to begin with. ALL social relations are to be based on mutual consultation, kindness, courtesy, good-will, and regard for justice.

Muslims Today

Islam² could certainly make use of a good PR consultant these days, couldn't it? More often than not, Muslims² appear far, far from Islam¹ and thus engage in inappropriate behaviors towards our Jewish and Christian cousins. Some reasons for extremism are given by Yusuf al-Qaradawi in Islamic Awakening Between Rejection and Extremism.

• Extreme irreligion will produce extreme religion.
• Lack of knowledge of, and insight into, the purpose, spirit and essence of religio-spirituality.
• Failure to contemplate Qur'an and sunnah in their entirety. Unable to see relation between the parts and the whole. ("grasp the ethos")
• An inability to differentiate between the figurative or metaphoric, and the literal meanings of texts. (the "fundamentalist-gnostic" duality)
• Partial knowledge. This can show as failing to take into account original purposes and circumstances.
• Intellectual shallowness showing as an intense interest in marginal issues and as excessive extension of prohibitions.
• Emphasis upon allegorical texts-- inappropriate conjecture.
• Failure to recognize the sunnan (patterns or natural law) of God's creation. (failure to engage in science)

Often, when we view Islam through the eyes of the popular media, we are seeing complaints of social-political-economic injustice that are being expressed in religio-spiritual language. It would be a grave error to presume that the majority of Muslims² share the sentiments portrayed in the popular media, though they may be sensitive to the cause of the complainants. But much of the extremism is our own fault: a centuries-long decline in intellectual engagement with the sources of the tradition and with God's creation. This decline can be represented by the phrase "closing the door to ijtihad" and the concurrent rise in taqlid over the course of centuries. "Ijtihad" is the interpretation of the Qur'an while "taqlid" is a blind following of past modes of interpretation. Many are beginning to recognize this problem.

True story: My path to Islam

Why I converted to Islam

I didn't even know Islam existed. I did not know it was a religion, the only religion I knew was Christianity, due to my mother's side of the family being Catholic and Christian.

I was oblivious to what Islam was. SubhanAllah I was obviously caught up in this world way too much. Shaytaan had seriously veiled my heart from seeking the True Path.

SubhanAllah I went from being an atheist to (Alhamdulilah) being a God fearing person who implements Islam into every aspect of my life. I converted September the 21st 2011. Islam was the total opposite of how I lived my life before. It was a HUGE turning point in my life.

How I Did It:

My Mom's side of the family are Christian and Catholic. They've never been religious, only taking me to church occasionally on Christmas Eve. My dad's side of the family are all non-practicing Muslims. However, due to my parents breaking up I was never close to my Dad. My dad would tell me to not eat pork or reveal myself, but never told me why, so I ignored it.

Before I converted, my life was chaos. It was all about ME. In year 9, I had many problems which eventually led me to nearly killing myself, accidentally. Family problems, problems at school, bullying, self image... you name it. I decided to self harm, and ended up cutting too deep, just missing my artery on my left arm. I had to stay in hospital and have 4 stitches. Alhamdulilah Allah gave me life when I did not deserve it. I was 13 and had been through SO much.

Towards the end of year 9, I had a Muslim person on my BBM. I would always see them post words such as 'InshaAllah' and 'MashaAllah'. This intrigued me, as they would send broadcasts etc about Islam. I became interested and started to seek answers.

My friends at the time were all Caucasian or Jamaican.I approached a Muslim girl in my year, who had been in my class since year 7. I told her I wanted to convert. I didn't know why, it was so confusing. I never even knew what the religion was. Something was just telling me to convert!

Another sister in my year, would speak to me every science lesson and decided to take my number. At first I was interested, I was at the point of converting, then I told my Mom.

She told me that I wouldn't be able to conform to the rules of Islam, due to how different it was. This hurt me. Then some serious family problems arose which was when I decided to not convert.

I then went on holiday to Spain, as it was the 6 Week Holiday! I was a proper western girl and lived life to the fullest; wearing my bikini, eating bacon, an occasional drink of Lambrini or Malibu. When I came back I was surprised to see messages from this sister. She was still trying to help me convert (Ahamdulilah). Not once did this sister give up on me!

I started to challenge the religion, trying to pick flaws, but it was too perfect, their were no flaws SubhanAllah!

When we went back to school, the sisters were trying so hard. One day, they brought me some Chocolates; this is what changed my heart. I was noone to these girls yet they were so passionate about my hereafter. The love they showed towards me was beautiful and unique. I converted later that day!

Advice

• Ensure that you have good company, leave any bad influences.
• Learn the basics of the religion before trying to rush into the deeper aspects of it.
• Do things in your own time with pure intentions for the sake of Allah, do not aim to please the creation, please the Creator.
• Try to use your experience to help others to convert. Share the message of Islam.
• Put your trust in ALLAH. I know times can get hard, with family, society, friends not agreeing or mocking your religion or choices of life. Just know that Allah is testing you. Hold firm to your religion and know that Allah chose you to be amongst his beloveds.

Reaction From Non-Muslim Friends and Family Members

My mom's family was disappointed and still are. I lost all my old friends.

Changes I Had to Make in My Life

I don't speak to most my family. Morals,friends,choices&life are for Islam

Holidays

I spend most Eids alone. The warming, loving atmosphere of Eid is beautiful.

(source: about islam)

Riwayat Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (lahir di Porbandar, Gujarat, India Britania, 2 Oktober 1869 – meninggal di New Delhi, India, 30 Januari 1948 pada umur 78 tahun) (aksara Devanagari: मोहनदास करमचन्द गांधी) juga dipanggil Mahatma Gandhi (bahasa Sanskerta: "jiwa agung") adalah seorang pemimpin spiritual dan politikus dari India.

Pada masa kehidupan Gandhi, banyak negara yang merupakan koloni Britania Raya. Penduduk di koloni-koloni tersebut mendambakan kemerdekaan agar dapat memerintah negaranya sendiri.

Gandhi adalah salah seorang yang paling penting yang terlibat dalam Gerakan Kemerdekaan India. Dia adalah aktivis yang tidak menggunakan kekerasan, yang mengusung gerakan kemerdekaan melalui aksi demonstrasi damai.

Gandhi lahir pada 2 Oktober 1869 di negara bagian Gujarat di India. Beberapa dari anggota keluarganya bekerja pada pihak pemerintah. Saat remaja, Gandhi pindah ke Inggris untuk mempelajari hukum. Setelah dia menjadi pengacara, dia pergi ke Afrika Selatan, sebuah koloni Inggris, di mana dia mengalami diskriminasi ras yang dinamakan apartheid. Dia kemudian memutuskan untuk menjadi seorang aktivis politik agar dapat mengubah hukum-hukum yang diskriminatif tersebut. Gandhi pun membentuk sebuah gerakan non-kekerasan.

Ketika kembali ke India, dia membantu dalam proses kemerdekaan India dari jajahan Inggris; hal ini memberikan inspirasi bagi rakyat di koloni-koloni lainnya agar berjuang mendapatkan kemerdekaannya dan memecah Kemaharajaan Britania untuk kemudian membentuk Persemakmuran.

Rakyat dari agama dan suku yang berbeda yang hidup di India kala itu yakin bahwa India perlu dipecah menjadi beberapa negara agar kelompok yang berbeda dapat mempunyai negara mereka sendiri. Banyak yang ingin agar para pemeluk agama Hindu dan Islam mempunyai negara sendiri. Gandhi adalah seorang Hindu namun dia menyukai pemikiran-pemikiran dari agama-agama lain termasuk Islam dan Kristen. Dia percaya bahwa manusia dari segala agama harus mempunyai hak yang sama dan hidup bersama secara damai di dalam satu negara.

Pada 1947, India menjadi merdeka dan pecah menjadi dua negara, India dan Pakistan. Hal ini tidak disetujui Gandhi.

Prinsip Gandhi, satyagraha, sering diterjemahkan sebagai "jalan yang benar" atau "jalan menuju kebenaran", telah menginspirasi berbagai generasi aktivis-aktivis demokrasi dan anti-rasisme seperti Martin Luther King, Jr. dan Nelson Mandela. Gandhi sering mengatakan kalau nilai-nilai ajarannya sangat sederhana, yang berdasarkan kepercayaan Hindu tradisional: kebenaran (satya), dan non-kekerasan (ahimsa).

Pada 30 Januari 1948, Gandhi dibunuh seorang lelaki Hindu yang marah kepada Gandhi karena ia terlalu memihak kepada Muslim.

Selain tokoh-tokoh perjuangan anti kekerasan, keadilan dan perdamaian di tingkat dunia, di Indonesia pun ajaran Gandhi menemukan lahan yang subur. Ibu Gedong Bagoes Oka, misalnya, menemukan inspirasi perjuangannya di dalam ajaran Gandhi. Ia mendirikan Ashram Gandhi di Candi Dasa, Bali sebagai pusat pendidikan dan pengamalan ajaran-ajaran Gandhi tersebut.

Gelar Mahatma sering disalahartikan di Barat sebagai nama kecil Gandhi. Mahatma merupakan sebuah kata dalam bahasa Sanskerta yang berasal dari maha (berarti besar) dan atma (berarti Jiwa). Rabindranath Tagore disebutkan sebagai orang yang pertama kali memberikan gelar tersebut untuk Gandhi.^[2] Dalam otobiografinya, Gandhi mengatakan bahwa dia tidak pernah menyukai gelar dan sering terluka oleh hal itu.^[3]

Kisah hidup Mahatma Gandhi telah banyak dituangkan ke dalam film, sastra, dan teater. Ben Kingsley yang memerankan Gandhi dalam film tahun 1982 Gandhi, memenangkan Academy Award untuk Aktor Terbaik. The Making of the Mahatma yang dirilis pada tahun 1996 mendokumentasikan kehidupan Gandhi di Afrika Selatan. Gandhi juga merupakan tema sentral dalam film Bollywood tahun 2006 Lage Raho Munna Bhai. Pada tahun 2007, sebuah film berjudul Gandhi, My Father menceritakan hubungan antara Gandhi dan putranya Harilal.

Gandhi tidak pernah menerima Penghargaan Perdamaian Nobel, meski dia dinominasikan lima kali antara 1937 dan 1948. Beberapa dekade kemudian, hal ini disesali secara umum oleh pihak Komite Nobel. Ketika Dalai Lama dianugerahi Penghargaan Nobel pada 1989, ketua umum Komite mengatakan bahwa ini merupakan "sebuah bentuk mengenang Mahatma Gandhi".

Museum elektronik Nobel mempunyai artikel mengenai hal tersebut. [1]

Sepanjang hidupnya, aktivitas Gandhi telah menarik berbagai komentar dan opini. Misalnya, sebagai penduduk Kerajaan Britania, Winston Churchill pernah berkata "Menyedihkan...melihat Mr. Gandhi, seorang pengacara Kuil Tengah yang menghasut, sekarang tampil sebagai seorang fakir yang tipenya umum di Timur, menaiki tangga Istana Viceregal dengan badan setengah-telanjang." Begitu juga dengan Albert Einstein yang berkomentar berikut mengenai Gandhi: "(Mungkin) para generasi berikut akan sulit mempercayai bahwa ada orang seperti ini yang pernah hidup di dunia ini."

Karya Mahatma Gandhi tidak terlupakan oleh generasi berikutnya. Cucunya, Arun Gandhi dan Rajmohan Gandhi dan bahkan anak cucunya, Tushar Gandhi, adalah aktivis-aktivis sosio-politik yang terlibat dalam mempromosikan non-kekerasan di seluruh dunia.

Kata kebajikan yang dikenang Mahatma Gandhi:

“

Cinta tidak pernah meminta, ia sentiasa memberi, cinta membawa penderitaan, tetapi tidak pernah berdendam, tak pernah membalas dendam. Di mana ada cinta di situ ada kehidupan; manakala kebencian membawa kepada kemusnahan.

”

“	Jadilah kamu manusia yang pada kelahiranmu semua orang tertawa bahagia, tetapi hanya kamu sendiri yang menangis dan pada kematianmu semua orang menangis sedih, tetapi hanya kamu sendiri yang tersenyum.

(sumber: wikipedia.org)

Ternyata burungmu gemar selingkuh

LONDON - Bila filosofi buaya adalah salah satu hewan yang memiliki perilaku setia pada pasangannya, berbeda pada burung. Berdasarkan penelitian mengungkapkan bahwa burung kerap bercerai dan gonta-ganti pasangan.

Penelitian yang dilakukan oleh University of of Sheffield dan University of Bath menyatakan bahwa pasangan burung tak jarang berselingkuh, bercerai, dan kemudian mencari pasangan lain untuk kawin. Terlebih pada kawanan burung yang jumlahnya banyak, semakin tinggi pula kemungkinan untuk kawin dengan banyak burung lainnya.

Kawanan burung yang didominasi oleh betina akan lebih besar kemungkinannya si betina meninggalkan sang jantan untuk mencari pejantan lain. Ilmuwan melakukan penelitian dan menemukan dari 197 spesies burung yang berbeda tetap memiliki kemungkinan bercerai yang tinggi.

Ketika dalam kawanan burung si pejantan lebih banyak dari betina, kemungkinan si pejantan berselingkuh dengan burung betina lain sangat tinggi. Namun tidak 'menceraikan' atau meninggalkan betina yang dikawininya pertama kali. Namun ketika betina lebih banyak dari pejantan, kemungkinan bercerai yang lebih tinggi.

Jika situasinya pejantan dan betina sama-sama banyak, kemungkinan yang terjadi adalah burung-burung tersebut berganti-ganti pasangan lebih dari satu.

"Jika satu jenis kelamin lebih banyak dari jenis kelamin lainnya, maka burung dengan jenis kelamin yang lebih sedikit memiliki kemungkinan tinggi untuk kawin dengan pasangan baru," kata profesor Andras Liker dari University of Sheffield, seperti dikutip DailyMail, Selasa (25/3/2014).

"Pada dasarnya, burung dengan jenis kelamin yang lebih sedikit di kawanannya akan memiliki kesempatan besar untuk 'bermain' dan bahkan berselingkuh untuk mendapatkan pasangan baru untuk kawin," tutupnya.

Jawaban elegan seorang tukang bakso

Di suatu senja sepulang kantor, saya masih berkesempatan untuk ngurus tanaman di depan rumah, sambil memperhatikan beberapa anak asuh yang sedang belajar menggambar peta, juga mewarnai. Hujan rintik rintik selalu menyertai di setiap sore di musim hujan ini.

Di kala tangan sedikit berlumuran tanah kotor,...terdengar suara tek...tekk.. .tek...suara tukang bakso dorong lewat. Sambil menyeka keringat..., ku hentikan tukang bakso itu dan memesan beberapa mangkok bakso setelah menanyakan anak - anak, siapa yang mau bakso ?

"Mauuuuuuuuu. ...", secara serempak dan kompak anak - anak asuhku menjawab.

Selesai makan bakso, lalu saya membayarnya. ...

Ada satu hal yang menggelitik fikiranku selama ini ketika saya membayarnya, si tukang bakso memisahkan uang yang diterimanya. Yang satu disimpan dilaci, yang satu ke dompet, yang lainnya ke kaleng bekas kue semacam kencleng. Lalu aku bertanya atas rasa penasaranku selama ini.

"Mang kalo boleh tahu, kenapa uang - uang itu Emang pisahkan? Barangkali ada tujuan ?" "Iya pak, Emang sudah memisahkan uang ini selama jadi tukang bakso yang sudah berlangsung hampir 17 tahun. Tujuannya sederhana saja, Emang hanya ingin memisahkan mana yang menjadi hak Emang, mana yang menjadi hak orang lain / tempat ibadah, dan mana yang menjadi hak cita – cita penyempurnaan iman ".

"Maksudnya.. ...?", saya melanjutkan bertanya.

"Iya Pak, kan agama dan Tuhan menganjurkan kita agar bisa berbagi dengan sesama. Emang membagi 3, dengan pembagian sebagai berikut :

1. Uang yang masuk ke dompet, artinya untuk memenuhi keperluan hidup sehari - hari Emang dan keluarga.

2. Uang yang masuk ke laci, artinya untuk infaq/sedekah, atau untuk melaksanakan ibadah Qurban. Dan alhamdulillah selama 17 tahun menjadi tukang bakso, Emang selalu ikut qurban seekor kambing, meskipun kambingnya yang ukuran sedang saja.

3. Uang yang masuk ke kencleng, karena emang ingin menyempurnakan agama yang Emang pegang yaitu Islam. Islam mewajibkan kepada umatnya yang mampu, untuk melaksanakan ibadah haji. Ibadah haji ini tentu butuh biaya yang besar. Maka Emang berdiskusi dengan istri dan istri menyetujui bahwa di setiap penghasilan harian hasil jualan bakso ini, Emang harus menyisihkan sebagian penghasilan sebagai tabungan haji. Dan insya Allah selama 17 tahun menabung, sekitar 2 tahun lagi Emang dan istri akan melaksanakan ibadah haji.

Hatiku sangat...... .....sangat tersentuh mendengar jawaban itu. Sungguh sebuah jawaban sederhana yang sangat mulia. Bahkan mungkin kita yang memiliki nasib sedikit lebih baik dari si emang tukang bakso tersebut, belum tentu memiliki fikiran dan rencana indah dalam hidup seperti itu. Dan seringkali berlindung di balik tidak mampu atau belum ada rejeki.

Terus saya melanjutkan sedikit pertanyaan, sebagai berikut : "Iya memang bagus...,tapi kan ibadah haji itu hanya diwajibkan bagi yang mampu, termasuk memiliki kemampuan dalam biaya....".

Ia menjawab, " Itulah sebabnya Pak. Emang justru malu kalau bicara soal mampu atau tidak mampu ini. Karena definisi mampu bukan hak pak RT atau pak RW, bukan hak pak Camat ataupun MUI.

Definisi "mampu" adalah sebuah definisi dimana kita diberi kebebasan untuk mendefinisikannya sendiri. Kalau kita mendefinisikan diri sendiri sebagai orang tidak mampu, maka mungkin selamanya kita akan menjadi manusia tidak mampu. Sebaliknya kalau kita mendefinisikan diri sendiri, "mampu", maka Insya Allah dengan segala kekuasaan dan kewenangannya Allah akan memberi kemampuan pada kita".

"Masya Allah..., sebuah jawaban elegan dari seorang tukang bakso".

Mengapa saya masuk agama Islam?

MENGAPA SAYA MENGAKUI MUHAMMAD SEBAGAI RASUL DAN NABI ALLAH
 
    Tidak  dapat   disangkal   lagi,   bahwa   Yesus   disamping
    mengajarkan tentang keesaan Tuhan, Hukum Taurat, Cinta kasih
    dan Kebenaran,  maka  jangan  lupa  pula  bahwa  Yesus  juga
    mengajarkan  tentang  "Akan  datangnya  Dia,  sesudah  aku."
    Didalam  Perjanjian  Baru  pemberitaan  ini   sangat   jelas
    kalimat-kalimatnya  dan  bahkan  didalam  Perjanjian Lamapun
    tiada  ketinggalan.  Baiklah,  kita  baca  sekarang  didalam
    Perjanjian Baru dahulu, yaitu dalam Injil Yahya 14: 16-17:
 
    "Aku,  Yesus  akan  memintakan  kepada  Allah,  supaya  kamu
    diberinya Paraclet yang lain, supaya tinggal  diantara  kamu
    selama-lamanya.  Yaitu  Rokh  Kebenaran,  maka isi dunia ini
    tiada mengenalnya, adapun kamu ini kenal  akan  dia,  karena
    dia ada tinggal bersama-sama dengan kamu selamanya."
 
    Jelas  saya  kira, bahwa nabi Isa akan mengirimkan Dia, Rokh
    Kebenaran, yang akan dikenal oleh  murid-muridnya.  Didalam
    kata-katanya  yang asli, maka yang dipakai Isa bukannya Rokh
    Kebenaran ataupun Rokhulkudus, tetapi ia menggunakan istilah
    Paraclet.  Paraclet  atau  Para-Cletos  artinya  ialah  Yang
    Ikhlas atau Yang Terpuji. Kata-kata atau  ayat  inilah  yang
    kemudian ditafsirkan oleh orang-orang Kristen dengan istilah
    Rokhulkudus, sebagai penggenap bagi oknum Allah yang ketiga.
 
    Benarkah  Paraclet  berarti  Rokhulkudus?   Untuk   mengkaji
    persoalan  tersebut,  baiklah  kita lanjutkan pembacaan kita
    pada Injil Yahya 16:5-14 yang bunyinya:
 
     5. Tetapi sekarang itu Aku pergi kepada Dia yang menyuruh
        Aku. Tiada seorangpun diantara kamu yang bertanya kepadaku:
        Hendak kemana?
     6. Oleh sebab Aku mengatakan kepadamu perkara itu,
        penuhilah hatimu dengan duka-cita.
     7. Tetapi Aku ini mengatakan yang sebenarnya kepadamu,
        bahwa berfaedahlah bagi kamu jika Aku undur daripadamu,
        karena jika Aku tiada undur, tiada juga penghibur itu akan
        datang kepadamu, tetapi jikaIau aku pergi kelak, Aku akan
        menyuruhkan Dia kepadamu.
     8. Setelah Dia datang akan menerangkan isi dunia ini dari
        hal dosa, dan kebenaran dan hukuman.
     9. Dari hal dosa, sebab tiada orang percaya akan Daku.
    10. Dari hal keadilan, sebab Aku pergi kepada Bapa dan tiada
        kamu melihat Aku lagi.
    11. Dan dari hal hukuman, sebab penghulu dunia ini sudah
        dihukumkan.
    12. Maka banyak perkara bagi yang hendak kukatakan kepadamu,
        tetapi sekarang tiada kamu boleh menanggung akan dia.
    13. Melainkan apabila ia datang, yaitu Rokh Kebenaran, maka
        ia akan membawa kepada segala jalan kebenaran, karena
        tiadalah Dia berkata-kata daripadaku atas dari Yesus ini
        sehingga olehnya bolehlah kami mengetahui rahasia-rahasia
        yang sebenarnya. Dengan perkataan lain yang susunannya
        lebih sederhana tetapi tidak pula menyimpang dari isinya
        maka dapatlah disusun sebagai berikut:
 
        a. Kalau Isa tidak pergi maka dia tidak datang (ayat 5)
        b. Nabi itu amat penting, sehingga olehnya Isa akan
           pergi (ayat 7)
        c. Nabi itu datang membersihkan dunia ini dari
           dosa (ayat 8)
        d. Nabi itu datang menempelak dunia sebab manusia
           tidak percaya Isa lagi (ayat 9)
        e. Nabi itu menghukumkan seluruh dunia (ayat 11)
        f. Nabi itu berkata-kata karena diperintah (ayat 12)
        g. Ia mengabarkan perkara-perkara yang akan datang dan
           kebenaran kebenaran (ayat 13)
        h. Ia memuliakan Yesus (ayat 14)
        i. Dia mengambil apa yang dipunyai Isa yaitu kerasulan
           dan kenabiannya (ayat 14)