“Orang Yang Arif Itu Berani, Bagaimana Ia Tidak Berani, Kerana Cintanya Akan Kebenaran Telah Menyebabkan Diri Tidak Takut Mati” - Ibnu Sina.

Introduction

Abu Hamid ibn Muhammad al-Ghazzali is one of towering figures in Muslim thought. His diverse knowledge in many scope of intellectual fields made him a special figure in Islamic thought. His originality in his struggle to distinguish truth from falsehood put him in par with; but with his own originality and uniqueness upon - certain Western philosophers such as Rene Descartes’s method of doubt, David Hume’s skepticism and Emmanuel Kant’s criticism of pure reason. Thus, it may be reiterated that the thought of al-Ghazzali was not only of his time but of all times. His courageous and energetic quest to find truth and falsehood and of uncertainties of sectarian conflicts during his time are not only attract past and contemporary Muslim scholars to study his thoughts, but also non-Muslim scholars to extensively study his thought in every field of knowledge.

According to MacDonald, he is the equal of Augustine in the philosophical and theological disciplines; by on his side the Aristotelian philosophers of Islam seem beggarly compilers and scholastics. However, Imam al-Ghazzali did not discard philosophy in toto, but he analyzed the practices of the Muslim philosophers of his time and elucidated the wrongdoings of their thoughts according to his religious understandings through the guidance of the Qur’an and the hadith or the tradition. Thus, Imam al-Ghazzali is not upholding the orthodox belief through dogmatic method, but through critical analysis and justification. This can be coined as a ‘dynamic orthodoxy.’ It also worth noted that the intellectual development of Imam al-Ghazzali was dynamic in progress in which, through his work, one can trace the complexity and diverse thought of Imam al-Ghazzali which may explained other elements of intellectual thought that may influenced the world view of al-Ghazzali such as Platonism and Neo-Platonism and even Aristotelian philosophy and logic to counter back to what he perceived as heterodox elements during his age. This notion has been suggested by scholars such as Hava Lazarus Yafeh. However, this is not within this brief essay which gives an emphasis on his life, thought and works.

His Background and Quest for True Knowledge

Abu Hamid Muhammad al-Ghazzali, known in the Western world as Algazel, surnamed Hujjat al-Islam. i.e., “the argument of Islam. He was born in 1058 A.D. at Tus in Khurasan. His father was a pious Sufi dervish who lived a simple and modest life by working as a wool spinner. He very often visited and sat in the company of the fuqaha’, and when he listened to their sermons, he wept and prayed to God to grant him a son that would be a faqih. Just before his death, he entrusted both of his sons, Muhammad al-Ghazzali and Ahmad al-Ghazzali to a pious Sufi dervish.

After being sometime with him, Imam al-Ghazzali went to Jurhan to study with Abu Nasr al-Isma’ili. Then he went to Nayshabur to study at the feet of Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni in the Nizamiyya Academy. He became a favourite student of Imam al-Haramayn due to his exceptional intellectual acumen. He soon began to serve under his master as an assistant teacher until the latter’s death in 1085 A.D. His studies were wide ranging and extensive in nature. Among them were theology, fiqh, usul al-fiqh, science, philosophy, logic, and mysticism. Due to his excellence reputation and vigor in the course of knowledge, Nizam al-Mulk al-Tusi, the governor of Baghdad appointed him as the president of the Nizamiyya Academy of Baghdad, which was the most prestigious higher education in Baghdad during that time when he was still 20 years old. His teaching life was so successful. In one time, there were three hundred students would attend his lecture. Al-Ghazzali has achieved the highest height in his career and his earnings were more than enough to let him to live an affluent life. However, during the course of this interval, Imam al-Ghazzali fell into a deep crisis of spiritual unrest, at the extent of his health, so much that he lost all his appetite and could not teach or even utter a word during his lecture or in expressing his mental torment. This spiritual crisis is no surprise to be understood as since his child, Imam al-Ghazzali was very inquisitive and passionate young man who search after truth and wanted to know the reality of nature as it is. In his autobiography Munqidh min al-Dhalal or Deliverance from Error, he elucidated his natural nature as an ardent seeker of truth since his childhood:

“From the period of adolescence, that is to say previous to reaching my twentieth year to the present time when I have passed my fiftieth, I have ventured into this vast ocean; I have fearlessly sounded its depths, and like a resolute diver, I have penetrated its darkness and dared its dangers and abysses. I have interrogated the beliefs of each sect and scrutinized the mysteries of each doctrine, in order to disentangle truth from error and orthodoxy from heresy. I have never met one who maintained the hidden meaning of the Qur’an without investigating the nature of his belief, nor a partisan of its exterior sense without inquiring into the results of his doctrine. There is no philosopher whose system I have not fathomed, nor theologian the intricacies of whose doctrine I have not followed out.””

Imam al-Ghazzali found out that to achieve certainty and to grasp the reality of all things, he has to free himself from taqlid or blind imitation which is the simple acceptance of religious truths on authority. Imam al-Ghazzali later wrote:

“The thirst for knowledge was innate in me from an early age; it was like a second nature implanted by God, without any will of my part. No sooner had I emerged from boyhood that I had already broken the fetters of tradition and freed myself from hereditary beliefs. Having noticed how easily the children of Christians become Christians, and the children of Muslims embrace Islam, and remembering also the tradition saying ascribed to the Prophet, “Every child is born in fitra, then his parents make him Jew, Christians, or Zoroastrian,” I was moved by a keen desire to learn what was this innate disposition in the child, the nature of accidental belief imposed on him by the authority of his parents and his masters, and finally the unreasoned convictions which he derives from their instructions.”

He later on examined the source of knowledge, namely the epistemological process of knowing. His first attempt was on sense-perception. His interrogation led him to question the validity of knowledge through sense-perception:

“I then set myself earnestly to examine the notions we drive from the evidence of the senses and from the evidence of the senses and from sight in order to see if they could be called in question. The result of a careful examination was that my confidence in them was shaken. Our sight for instance, perhaps the best practiced of all our senses, observes a shadow, and finding it apparently stationary pronounces it devoid of movement. Observation and experience, however, show subsequently that a shadow moves not suddenly, it is true, but gradually and imperceptibly so that it is never really motionless… I then set myself earnestly to examine the notions we derive from the evidence of the senses and from that of the sight in order to see if they could be called in question. The result of a careful examination was that my confidence in them was shaken. Then I said unto myself, ‘Since I cannot trust to the evidence of my senses, I must rely only on intellectual conceptions based on fundamental principles.”

In due course however, his conviction on the legitimacy of intellectual capacity to arrive to truth also started to fall down. The knowledge acquired from reasoning and intellectual discernment and process might be real in relation to the thinker’s present state. However, it might not be true outside the realm of this so-called reality or the present state that is the state of sleep. Thus al-Ghazzali questioned himself – How can we differentiate between the experience of the present state and the experience we perceived when we are asleep?

“Do you not see,” I reflected, “that while asleep you assume your dreams to be indisputably real? Once awake, you recognize them for what they are – baseless chimeras. Who can assure you, then, of the reliability of notions which, when awake, you derive from the senses and from reason? In relation to your present state they may be real; but it is possible also that you may enter upon another state of being which will bear the same relation to your present state as this does to your condition when asleep. In the new sphere you will recognize that the conclusion of reason is only chimeras.”

This is undoubtedly a real state of skepticism when one even questioned the validity of reason and rational deliberation. To this state, no knowledge can be comprehended in its true sense. This may led to total collapse on the ability to derive knowledge from the nature of present realm to find the reality behind it, even to the extent to question the existence of our own self. Thus al-Ghazzali believed that the only mean for human being to perceive reality is only when one is in the state of death. Al-Ghazzali quoted the saying of the Prophet: “Men are asleep; when they die, they wake.” He then quote the word of the Qur’an: “Today We have removed the veil from thine eyes and thy sight is keen.” (Qur’an; al-Qaf, 50:22).

According to al-Ghazzali, when his thought and rational faculties were at the brink of collapse, it is the light from God, which he believed, entered his heart by the grace of God. It brought him to the conviction that this life is real and reasoning should not be dismissed as mere hallucination. If one look to the thought of Descartes, one can see that there is a parallel initial conviction of these two figures on the experience of doubt that led to a confirmation of the legitimacy of reason as tool to perceive reality. However, Descartes stopped at reason, finding certitude in the notion, “Cogito argo sum, and made this conviction as the archetype of his philosophy. Al-Ghazali on the other hand went farther. He founded certainty on the will to believe, the will to accept Divine Grace from the source of all knowledge, i.e., in the proposition “Volo ergo sum. However, this Divine Grace should not lead to irrational or abandonment of the legitimacy of religious ethical values and article of faiths.

According to al-Ghazzali, this experience of doubt leads him to break away from the shackle of Taqlid. Even though Taqlid may offer him peace of mind, Taqlid will not lead him to the conviction of truth. Taqlid may offer a person a peace of mind to abandon the quest for truth and accepted religious conviction from the people surrounding him; parents, spouse, sectarian affiliation, and teachers. It will never offer satisfaction for those who want to grasp the true religious experience through his effort and deliberation. This is really a tall order for anyone to strive for even though it is to the expense of his own peace of mind and comfortable lifestyle.

His Thought

During his time, there was a massive disunity among the Muslims under the rule of the Abbasid Caliphate. The rule of Baghdad faced disintegration as the provincial governors gained power. At the time of Imam al-Ghazzali, authority has been questioned on who has the religious authority. In his time confusion was reigning. The political situation during that time can be described as fragile. The real political power at that time was at the hand of the Seljuqs which Nizam al-Mulk was the best example and the Caliph at Baghdad was just a titular ruler. In this confusion and dissension, Nizam al-Mulk was finding what sort of Islam should the state be patronized. Imam al-Ghazzali time and again stressed that the main veil that hinder one to experience the existence of God is religious fanaticism. Religion then thus according to him is not a tool to splinter the society into various sects and parties. Nizam al-Mulk could see that Imam al-Ghazzali is a figure that could bring stability to the state and could bring down the political and social dissension over his rule.

Before the birth of Imam al-Ghazzali until his time, the different sects of Islam often came to a heated dispute among themselves. The disciples of one Imam would be ardent enemies of the followers of another. No sect would tolerate the beliefs of other sects. Al-Ghazzali himself was persecuted at the hands of the theologians, and even his books were burnt in Spain because they preached freedom of thought. Religion became dry and didactic and just for the sake of performing formal practices and rituals. The rationale, ethical significance and wisdom behind these religious practices were ignored and belittled. Some of the theologians taught Islam in order to extract money and gain popularity.

Al-Ghazzali found all the religious sects of his time to be extremely biased, uncompromising and exclusive in nature. Members of one sect hurled other sects as heretics on the ground if slight differences of opinion. Every sect claimed that it alone was in possession of the truth. Al-Ghazzali analyzed each sect in his various works. In the Munqidh, he examined the position of the Batinis or the Ta’limites of the Shi’ite Isma’ilis, the theologians, the Sufis and the different sects of the philosophers. To pacify the different sects he showed in Ihya’ that each of the four great Imam of the fiqh madhhab was a model of pious conduct.

Imam al-Ghazzali in his work Munqidh scrutinized the different sects during his time. There are the theologians, the philosophers, the Ta’limites or the Batiniyyah of the Isma‘ilite Shi‘ite, and the Sufis.

Imam al-Ghazzali categorized the philosophers during his time into three main categories. They are the Theists or Illahiyyun, the Naturalists or the Tabi‘iyun, and the Materialists or the Atheists or the Dahriyun. In his book entitled Tahafut al-Falasifah (Incoherence of the Philosophers), he gave his critics on the thought of the Muslim philosophers particularly al-Farabi and Ibn Sina. In this work, as MacDonald outs it he smote the philosophers hip and thigh, he turned the philosophers’ own weapon against them as was done by al-Ash‘ari earlier and proved that which their premises and methods no certainty could be reached. He argues that many of the philosophers doctrines were oisitively false and baseless such as: the eternity and everlastingness of the world; emanation from God intelligences and souls of the celestial spheres and these spheres’ possessing the knowledge of the particulars; delimitation of God’s knowledge merely to universals; denial of miracles based on a view of causation; the denial of bodily resurrection in the life hereafter, etc.

According to Imam al-Ghazzali, he achieved his contentment in his pursuit of knowledge in Sufism:

“I learnt from a sure source that the Sufis are the true pioneers on the path of God: that there is nothing more beautiful than their life, or more praiseworthy than their rule of conduct, or purer than their morality.”

He continued his assays on some of the controversial concept in the world of Sufism:

“The degree of proximity to Deity which they (the Sufis) attain is regarded by some as intermixture of being, (hulul), by others as identification (ittihad), by others as intimate union (wasl). But all these expressions are wrong, as we have explained in our work entitled The Chief Aim. Those who have reached that stage should confine themselves to repeating the verse: What I experience I shall not try to say: Call me happy, but ask me no more.”

In Mishkat al- Anwar (Niche of the Light), al-Ghazzali regarded Mansur al-Hallaj as a great Sufi, but according to him al-Hallaj should not uncover the secret of ecstasy experience to the masses.

Isi-isi yang akan saya bentangkan di bawah ini berdasarkan pembacaan saya melalui buku Al-Ghazzaliyy: A Study in Islamic Epistemology karangan Dr. Mustafa Abu-Sway, terbitan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). Dr. Mustafa merupakan Profesor Madya di Universiti al-Quds, Jerusalem.

Terdapat dakwaan daripada sesetengah pihak yang mendakwa Imam al-Ghazzali telah ‘bertaubat’ daripada menjadi seorang sufi di akhir hayatnya. Mereka mengatakan bahawa Imam al-Ghazzali telah bertaubat daripada kekurangan ilmunya dalam bidang hadith dan meninggalkan bidang tasawwuf yang menjadi pegangan hidupnya dalam memperoleh ilmu yang pasti yang dicari-carinya sejak zaman remaja.

Dakwaan pertama mereka tidaklah tepat apabila kita meneliti kitab-kitab karangan Imam al-Ghazzali di akhir hayatnya. Memang benar Imam al-Ghazzali ada menyebut di dalam perenggan akhir kitabnya yang bertajuk Qanun al-Ta’wil bahawa ilmunya dalam ilmu hadith adalah sedikit. Menurut al-Subkiyy di dalam kitabnya Tabaqat al-Shafi’iyyah al-Kubra, di akhir hayatnya, Imam al-Ghazzali mula belajar kata-kata Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. melalui Sahih Bukhari dan Sahih Muslim. Menurut Abu al-Qasim Ibn ‘Asakir, Imam al-Ghazzali mempelajari Sahih Bukhari di tangan Abu Sahl Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Hafsiyy. Juga, al-Sam;aniyy melaporkan bahawa Imam al-Ghazzali mempelajari Sahih Bukhari dan Sahih Muslim di tangan Abu al-Fityan ‘Umar Ibn Abu al-Hasan al-Rawasiyy al-Tusiyy. ‘Abd al-Ghafir Ibn Isma’il al-Khatib a-lFarisiyy melaporkan bahawa imam al-Ghazzali mempelajari Sunan Abu Dawud al-Sijistaniyy di tangan Abu al-Fath al-Hakimiyy al-Tusiyy.

Dakwaan mereka yang menyatakan Imam al-Ghazali ‘bertaubat’ daripada menjadi Sufi di akhir hayatnya adalah tidak benar.

Dr. Mustafa Abu-Sway menulis:

It is apparent, then, that al-Durrah al-Fakhirah, Iljam al-’Awam ‘an ‘Ilm al-Kalam and Minhaj al-’Abidin, written during the last stage of al-Ghazzaliyy’s life, contain clear manifestations of his continue acceptance of Sufism as the path for true knowledge.

In al-Durrah al-Fakhirah, he held that the Sufis, whom he describes as ‘Arifin (Gnostics) are the only people who upon death could proceed through the seven Heavens to reach Allah. In Iljam al-’Awam he employed the concept of “common people” to divide every other kind of scholar from the Sufis. He ranked the Sufis higher and he described them as scholars of the hereafter. Finally, in Minhaj al’Abidin, he defended Sufi schools and lodges. In addition, he described the knowledge of the Sufi in terms of divine light which is typical of “unveiling” (kashf).

All of these Sufi themes, which were also using Sufi terminology, leave no room for any doubt or hesitation that Al-Ghazzaliyy’s epistemology was Sufi in its essence. It should be noted that this is not a defence of Sufism against the Salafiyyah movement which tried to present Al-Ghazzaliyy in his final days as someone who abandoned Sufism. What I am tring to say that they need a better argument for their position.

Jadi, dengan mengatakan Imam al-Ghazzali telah ‘bertaubat’ daripada menjadi seorang Sufi berdasarkan kesungguhan Imam al-Ghazzali mempelajari Sahih Bukhari dan Sahih Muslim pada akhir hayatnya adalah tidak tepat.

Imam al-Ghazzali merupakan seorang tokoh Islam yang banyak memberi sumbangan dalam memakmurkan masyarakat Islam. Kitabnya Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din, ditulis untuk mengembalikan masyarakat Islam agar mengetahui apakah yang perlu diperlakukan orang orang Islam untuk memperoleh ilmu yang pasti, iaitu melalui disiplin dan membersihkan hati daripada sifat mazmumah. Dalam Bab Ilmu Imam al-Ghazzali menegur sikap umat Islam di zamannya yang terlalu menyibukkan diri dengan permasalahan fiqh dan perdebatan hingga melupakan ilmu akhirat. Beliau jelas merupakan seoarang pengikut mazhab Syafi’i tetapi beliau menolak sifat ta’assub mazhab yang berlaku di zamannya. Di dalam Bab Ilmu Ihya’, Imam al-Ghazzali menerangkan keperibadian yang tinggi imam-imam mazhab iaitu Imam Syafi’i, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Imam Abu Hanifah dan Imam Sufian al-Thawri. Imam al-Ghazzali menegur mereka yang hanya bersungguh-sungguh mempelajari ilmu fiqh kelima-lima Imam mazhab ini tanpa mengambil teladan sifat mereka yang zuhud dan menolak kemasyhuran dan pangkat. Imam al-Ghazzali menyebut di dalam Bab Ilmu di Ihya’ bahawa tujuan agama adalah untuk menghapuskan kejahatan.

Jelas, isi Bab Ilmu Ihya Ulum al-Din masih relevan hingga ke hari ini. Kita melihat ada di antara kita (termasuk diri sendiri) terlalu sibuk memperdebatkan hal-hal agama hingga lupa tentang ilmu akhirat, ilmu untuk mengenal Tuhan, malaikat, seksa kubur dan keburukan sikap takabbur, riya’ dan sebagainya. Ada di antara kita (termasuk diri sendiri) terlalu sibuk tentang ilmu-ilmu fardhu kifayah, belajar pelbagai ilmu pengetahuan, sains, astronomi, fizik, falsafah dan sebagainya yang memang penting untuk umat Islam tetapi terlupa untuk mempelajari ilmu fardhu ‘ain, ilmu mengenal Tuhan, malaikatnya, hari akhirat, keburukan banyak makan dan bercakap, dan tiada masa untuk duduk berzikir dan menangisi dosa-dosa kita. Dan, oleh kerana itulah Imam al-Ghazzali menulis Ihya’ Ulum al-Din, untuk membangkitkan kembali ilmu-ilmu agama yang sebenar yang semakin dipinggirkan di zamannya.

Wallahu a’lam.

Kata Imam al-Ghazali: “Makna fakir itu ‘ibarat daripada ketiadaan mendapat barang yang berhajat kepadanya. Adapun tiada mendapat barang yang tiada berhajat kepadanya, maka tiada dinamakan fakir. Dan jika ada yang berhajat kepadanya maujud lagi kuasa atasnya, tiada dinamakan yang berkehendak itu fakir.”

Orang Miskin Masuk Syurga Mendahului Orang Kaya

Dan adalah Rasulullah s.a.w. berkata pada do’anya:

“Hai Tuhanku, hidup olehmu akan daku miskin, dan mati olehMu akan daku miskin, dan himpunkan olehmu akan daku di dalam himpunan segala orang miskin.”

Maka kata ‘A’isyah r.a. baginya: Kerana apa ya Rasulullah?” Maka sabdanya: “Bahawasanya mereka itu masuk syurga dahulu daripada orang kaya dengan 40 tahun. Hai ‘A’isyah, jangan engkau tolak akan orang miskin dan jikalau dengan sebelah buah tamar sekalipun. Hai ‘A’isyah, kasih olehmu akan segala miskin, dan hampirkan olehmu akan mereka itu, nescaya hampir akan dikau Allah Ta‘ala pada hari qiamat.”

Dan pada hadith Tirmidhi, daripada hadith Abi Hurairah, katanya: Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w.: “Masuk syurga orang fakir dahulu daripada orang kaya dengan 500 tahun, dan iaitu nisfu hari.”

Maka jika dikata orang: “Betapa dua hadith itu?”

Jawabnya: Dengan dihimpunkan antara dua hadith itu, bahawasanya 40 tahun itu dikendak dengan dia terdahulu fakir yang loba atas orang kaya. Dan dikehendaki dengan 500 tahun itu fakir yang zahid atas orang kaya yang gemar kepada dunia.

Sabda Nabi s.a.w.:

“Bermula fakir itu terlebih perhiasan atas orang mu’min daripada tali di atas pipi kuda.”

Dan dikehendaki dengan dia fakir, yang tiada berhajat kepada manusia.

Dan sabda Nabi s.a.w.:

“Bermula kepapaan itu kecelaan dan kehinaan pada manusia, dan terlebih perhiasan dan kemuliannya pada Allah Ta‘ala pada hari qiamat”, yakni; kerana sejahtera taulannya pada dua negeri.

Nabi Dan Sahabat Yang Terakhir Masuk Syurga

Dan tersebut pada khabar: “Bermula akhir anbiya’ masuk syurga itu Nabi Sulaiman bin Daud ‘Alahimassalam, kerana tempat kerajaannya. Dan akhir sahabatku masuk syurga, ‘Abdul Rahman bin ‘Auf, kerana kayanya.

Dan sabda Nabi s.a.w.:

“Bagi tiap-tiap suatu itu anak kunci. Dan anak kunci syurga itu kasih akan segala miskin dan fuqara’ kerana sabar mereka itu. Mereka itulah yang sekedudukan serta Allah pada hari qiamat,” yakni; yang hampir kepadaNya.

Dan kata Yahya bin Mu‘adh: “Kasih engkau akan fuqara’ itu daripada perangai mursalin (para rasul). Dan memilih engkau duduk serta mereka itu daripada ‘alamat orang salihin, dan lari daripada bersahabat dengan mereka itu daripada ‘alamat orang munafiqin.”

Dan sabda Nabi s.a.w.:

“Bahawasanya Allah Ta‘ala kasih akan hambaNya yang mu’min yang faqir yang terpelihara ia, yakni daripada yang haram, dan daripada meminta-minta kepada manusia lagi mempunyai ‘iyal,” yakni; ahli (tanggungan).

Tanbih (Peringatan)

(more…)

Telah menulis Habib Abdullah Alawi al-Haddad di dalam kitabnya ‘Nasihat Agama Dan Wasiat Iman’ (kitab di tangan saya merupakan edisi terjemahan dan ringkasan oleh Shaykh Muhammad Nuruddin Marbu al-Banjari al-Makki) di dalam bab ‘Keutamaan Berkumpul Untuk Berzikir’:

Jika zikir yang kuat itu dilakukan dalam sebuah jemaah yang mereka berkumpul untuk berzikir, sesuai dengan apa yang telah kami sebutkan, seperti ikhlas dan tidak menganggu orang yang sedang solat, membaca al-Qur’an dan seumpamanya, maka hal itu sangat dianjurkan dan ada beberapa riwayat yang menyatakan keutamaan hal itu.

Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda, “Tidaklah berkumpul suatu kaum di satu rumah dari rumah-rumah Allah untuk berzikir kepada Allah, hanya mengharap ridha-Nya kecuali Dia pasti mengampuni mereka dan menggantikan kejahatan mereka dengan kebaikan.” (HR. Imam Ahmad, Abu Ya’la, al-Bazzar dan ath-Thabrani).

Untuk hadith-hadith yang berikutnya, sila rujuk kitab tersebut.

Kemudian, telah menulis lagi Habib Abdullah di dalam bab ‘Amalan Harian Zikir Para Sufi’:

Sekelompok dari ahli tariqat tasawuf memilih cara zikir yang kuat dan berkumpul untuk melakukan zikir, sementara sekelompok yang lainnya memilih cara zikir yang perlahan. Namun kedua kelompok itu berada dalam kebaikan dari Tuhan mereka dan kebenaran. Semoga Allah merahmati mereka dan memberi manfaat dengan sebab mereka.

Sila baca riwayat hidup Habib Abdullah Alawi al-Haddad, seorang ‘ulama’ berketurunan ahl al-Bait di sini

Telah berkata Sayyid Ahmad Bin Idris r.h, pengasas Tariqah Ahmadiyyah Idrisiyyah di dalam Risalah al-Qawaid:

Hendaklah seseorang itu menyematkan dalam hati sanubari perasaan belas kasihan terhadap semua orang Islam sama ada kaya atau miskin, berpangkat atau tidak dan hendaklah ia menunaikan hak-hak yang telah ditetapkan oleh Islam seperti memuliakan dan menjaga kedudukan mereka.

Maka apabila prinsip ini sudah bersemadi teguh dalam sanubari, ketika itu Allah mengurniakannya rahmat Illahiyah melimpahi seluruh tubuh badannya dan ia dapat merasakan kemanisan rahmat Illahiyah itu, maka dengan itu bererti ia mendapat sebahagian besar pusaka yang ditinggalkan Nabi iaitu rahmatnya, seperti yang ditegaskan oleh Allah dalam firmannya:

“Kami tidak mengutus anda menjadi Rasul (wahai Muhammad) melainkan rahmat untuk sekalian alam.” (Surah al-Anbiya’: 107).

Dan inilah juga maksud sabda Rasulullah s.a.w.:

“Allah mempunyai tiga kehormatan, sesiapa menjaganya nescaya Allah mempermudahkan urusan agama dan urusan dunianya. Sesiapa yang tidak menjaganya nescaya Allah tidak memberi apa-apa kemudahan untuknya. Tiga kehormatan itu ialah: Kehormatan Islam, kehormatanku dan kehormatan keluargaku.”

Dan inilah juga maksud sabda junjungan s.a.w. kepada Sayyidina Abu Bakar r.a.:

“Jangan kamu anda menghina sesiapa pun orang Islam kerana orang Islam yang kerdil dan hina pada pandangan dunia itu adalah besar dan mulia di sisi Allah.”

Sekian Risalah al-Qawaid.

Diriwayatkan daripada ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Umar bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w. telah bersabda:

“Seorang wanita telah diseksa dan dimasukkan ke dalam neraka kerana seekor kucing yang telah dikurung oleh wanita tersebut sehingga kucing itu mati kelaparan.” Kemudian telah bersabda lagi Rasulullah s.a.w., (Allah lebih mengetahui) Allah berkata (kepada wanita itu), “Kamu tidak memberinya makan dan minum ketika kamu mengurungnya, dan kamu tidak membebaskannya untuk makan serangga di bumi.” (Hadith Riwayat al-Bukhari, Jilid 3, Bab 40, Hadith nombor 553).

Diriwayatkan daripada Abu Hurairah bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w. telah bersabda: “Seorang lelaki sedang berjalan lalu dia berasa haus dan pergi ke dalam sebuah perigi dan minum air daripada perigi tersebut. Ketika keluar dari perigi tersebut, dia terlihat seekor anjing termengah-mengah dan makan lumpur kerana sangat haus. Lelaki itu berkata, ‘Anjing ini menderita masalah yang sama seperti aku.’ Jadi dia (turun ke dalam perigi itu), mengisi kasutnya dengan air, menggigit kasut itu dengan giginya dan memanjat naik dan memberi minum anjing itu. Allah berterima kasih atas kebaikannya dan memaafkannya. Orang bertanya: “Wahai Rasulullah! Adakah pahala untuk kami kerana memberi layanan baik kepada binatang?” Baginda menjawab. “Benar, ada pahala kerana memberi layanan baik kepada mana-mana binatang.” (Hadith Riwayat al-Bukhari, Jilid 3, Bab 40, Hadith nombor 551).

Membaca ayat al-Kursi selepas solat adalah kebiasaan masyarakat Islam termasuklah di Nusantara amnya dan di Malaysia ini khususnya. Mungkin ramai di antara kita sudah tahu bahawa wirid-wirid yang lazim dibaca selepas solat ini sebenarnya disusun oleh ‘ulama’-'ulama’ alam Melayu kita dan khasnya ‘ulama’-'ulama’ tasawwuf. Telah menulis al-Ustaz Sulaiman bin Ibrahim, pensyarah Jabatan Pengajian Da’wah dan Kepimpinan, Fakulti Pengajian Islam, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, dalam buku yang bertajuk: Wirid Selepas Solat, oleh Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rauf Singkel terbitan Jabatan Mufti Kerajaan Negeri Sembilan Darul Khusus:

“Adalah dipercayai dalam konteks Tanah Melayu, wirid-wirid yang diamalkan selepas sembahyang lima waktu telah dibawa oleh golongan ahli tasawwuf secara umumnya, namun susunan yang ada kemungkinan berbeza antara satu sama lain. Banyak kitab-kitab agama yang ditulis oleh ‘ulama’-ulama’ Melayu dalam tulisan Jawi mengandungi wirid-wirid selepas sembahyang lima waktu, termasuklah kitab عمدة المحتاجين إلى سلوك مسلك المفردين karangan al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rauf Singkel dan kitab المفردين تنبيه المشي المنسوب إلى طريق القشاشي juga karangan al- Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rauf Singkel. Dalam kedua-dua kitab ini al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rauf Singkel telah menuliskan wirid-wirid selepas sembahyang yang diambil daripada gurunya al-Shaykh Ahmad al-Qushashi yang kemudian dikenali sebagai al-Awrad al-Madaniyyah atau al-Awrad al-Qushashiyyah.”

Imam Jalaluddin al-Suyuthi ada menaqalkan beberapa buah hadith tentang kelebihan membaca ayat al-Qursi selepas solat di dalam kitab Al-Durru al-Manthur fi al-Tafsir bi al-Ma’thur:

Dari al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali mengatakan: “Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: “Barang siapa membaca ayat al-Kursi setiap selesai solat wajib, maka ia akan berada di bawah jaminan Allah hingga solat berikutnya.” (Hadith Riwayat al-Tabrani, al-Dailami, Abd al-Razzaq al-San’ani dan Ibn al-Sunni). Imam Jalaluddin al-Suyuti meriwayatkan hadith ini dalam kitabnya Jami’ al-Kabir dan menyandarkan hadith ini kepadanya secara mutlaq.

Dari Anas berkata: “Saya mendengar Rasulullah s.a.w. bersabda: “Barang siapa membaca ayat al-Kursi pada akhir setiap solat, maka tidak ada yang menghalanginya untuk masuk syurga selain kematian. Kemudian barang siapa yang membacanya ketika beranjak ke tempat tidur, maka Allah akan mengamankan rumahnya, rumah jirannya dan penghuni rumah-rumah yang ada di sekitarnya.” (Hadith Riwayat al-Baihaqi).

Berkata Imam mazhab kita, Imam Syafi’i r.h.:

“Aku telah mendampingi ahli sufi, maka aku telah mendapat faedah daripada mereka dua kalimah:

“Sekiranya diri kamu tidak disibukkan dengan perkara kebenaran, maka ia akan menyibukkan kamu dengan perkara-perkara yang batil” (Imam al-Suyuti, Ta’qid al-Haqiqah al-’Aliyyah).

Berkata Imam Malik:

“Sesiapa yang belajar ilmu feqah tetapi tidak belajar ilmu tasawwuf, maka ia adalah fasiq. Sesiapa yang belajar ilmu tasawwuf tetapi tidak belajar ilmu feqah maka ia adalah zindiq, dan sesiapa yang mengumpulkan kedua-duanya, maka ia adalah ahli haqiqat.” (Shaykh al-Fasi, Qawaid al-Tasawwuf).

Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal r.h. berkata kepada anaknya Abdullah:

“Wahai anakku! Hendaklah kamu duduk bersama kaum ini (ahli sufi) kerana mereka telah melebihi kami dengan banyaknya ilmu, muraqabah, khashyah, zuhud dan tinggi himmah.” (Shaykh Amin al-Kurdi, Tanwir al-Qulub).

Mungkin tajuk ini adalah tajuk ulangan sebelum ini. Tapi saya merasakan penting untuk diri saya dan sahabat-sahabat semua. Jadi, saya ingin berkongsi sedikit ‘ilmu dengan sahabat semua tentang perkara ini.

Junjungan Rasulullah s.a.w. telah bersabda yang bermaksud:

“Apakah kamu mahu aku ceritakan kepadamu berkenaan amal perbuatanmu yang terbaik dan yang paling bersih dalam pandangan Allah S.W.T., serta orang yang tertinggi darjatnya di antara kamu, yang lebih baik dari bersedekah emas dan perak serta lebih baik dari memerangi musuh-musuh kamu semua dan memotong leher mereka, dan mereka juga memotong lehermu?” Kemudian para sahabat bertanya, “Apakah itu wahai Rasul?” Beliau menjawab: “Zikir kepada Allah S.W.T.” (Hadith Riwayat al-Baihaqi).

Nabi panutan kita telah bersabda lagi yang bermaksud:

“Kiamat tidak akan berlaku selagi masih ada orang yang menyebut perkataan “Allah, Allah.” (Hadith Riwayat Imam Muslim).

Bersabda lagi Sayyidina wa Maulana Muhammad s.a.w.:

“Zikir yang paling baik ialah kalimah لا إله إلا الله” (Hadith Riwayat al-Tirmidhi).

“Bahawasanya seorang Badwi bertanya kepada Rasulullah s.a.w.: Bahawasanya syari’at Islam sudah banyak saya terima, maka terangkanlah kepada saya sesuatu yang mudah dikerjakan. Nabi menjawab: Hendaklah lidahmu basah dengan zikir Allah.” (Hadith Riwayat Ibnu Majah).

Bersabda Rasulullah s.a.w.:

“Tidak berkumpul sesuatu kumpulan dalam rangka berzikir kepada Allah melainkan memeluk akan mereka itu malaikat-malaikat, dilindungi atas mereka rahmat, dan turun ke atas mereka ketenangan dan mereka dingat akan Allah Ta’ala di hadapan makhluk yang banyak pada sisiNya.” (Hadith Riwayat Imam Muslim).

Berkata Ibnu Ata’illah al-Sakandari di dalam kitab al-Hikamnya:

“Janganlah engkau meninggalkan zikir kerana semata-mata engkau belum benar-benar ingat kepada Allah sewaktu berzikir, sebab kelalaianmu kepada Allah ketika tidak berzikir lebih berbahaya daripada kelalainmu terhadap Allah ketika kamu berzikir. Semoga Allah menaikkan darjatmu melalui zikir yang kamu lakukan dengan lalai, kepada zikir yang penuh sedar kepada Allah. Kemudian ia meningkat pula kepada zikir yang penuh sedar serta ingat kepada Allah kepada zikir yang disertai rasa hadir. Selepas itu ia terus meningkat daripada zikir yang disertai rasa hadir kepada martabat zikir sehingga lupa terhadap sesuatu selain Allah. Hal yang demikian adalah tidak sukar bagi Allah.”

Semoga kita dapat mencapai martabat zikir yang terakhir itu.

…dan tiadalah pesananku kepada warith-warith dan qarabat-qarabat dan irhamku melainkan hendaklah bersungguh-sungguh mereka itu di atas berdoa bagi keselamatan diriku di alam barzakh dan akhirat kelak dan hendaklah bersungguh-sungguh mereka itu pada jalan ilmu dan ibadat dan carilah daripada dunia barang yang memadai dan janganlah memperdaya akan mereka itu oleh dunia sehinggalah lupa mereka itu akan Allah dan lalai mereka itu daripada mati demikianlah wassalam.

Dipetik daripada buku cenderamata “Memperingati Tokoh Ulamak Silam Yang ke-V: Al-Shaykh al-Haj Ahmad bin al-Shaykh al-Haj Muhammad Said Jamal al-Din al-Dandarawi.”

Oleh Prof. Dr. Burhanuddin al-Helmi

Saya diminta bercakap berkenaan tasawwuf dan tariqah tasawwuf dalam persidangan ini. Bagaimana saya hendak mencakapkan tasawwuf kerana ia adalah jenis jiwa ruh kebatinan? Bagaimana hendak diceramahkan kerana ia cahaya dan keimanan? Kita sekarang sedang hidup dalam dunia yang berserabut dengan gejala-gejala kebendaan fikiran dan usaha-usaha yang berlumba-lumba untuk hawa nafsu syahwat dan keinginan syaitan, hati yang dinoda tamak haloba angkara murka kejahilan dan kekeliruan melainkan orang yang arif bijaksana dan beriman.

Untuk tahu dan mengenal tasawwuf itu, cuba buang dan jauhkan diri (akan) sebarang larangan Allah Ta‘ala. Hampir dan kerjakanlah apa-apa yang disuruh Allah Ta‘ala. Bersihkan dan heningkan fikiran dan hati dengan nur dan petunjuk Tuhan. Jauhkanlah dari fitnah dunia dan bisikan syaitan. Amalkan sifat-sifat mahmudah (terpuji). Buangkan sifat-sifat mazmumah (tercela). Bangunkanlah insan kamil. Tinggalkanlah dunia yang fana ini dan berhadaplah kepada negeri akhirat yang kekal. Hadaplah dunia ini dengan penuh rasa kemanusiaan dan persaudaraan sejagat. Isilah budi pekerti dengan timbang rasa keadilan dan ihsan. Hiasilah diri dengan adab akhlaq yang bersih baik; taat mengerjakan ibadah. Kasih kepada Allah Ta‘ala dan mahluknya, asyik bercinta dengan kecantikan kesempurnaan Tuhan Yang Maha Tinggi Maha Besar, berkecimpung di lautan rahmat dan keridaan Tuhan. Peranglah nafsu dan syaitan. Kenalah diri yang sebenarnya. Dengan demikian, nampaklah kesucian dan kebenaran tasawwuf itu.

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