POSITION PAPER 2

NOR HANANI BINTI AHMAD TAJUDIN (0727412)
Position Paper 2: “Of course religion is important. But, I am a Malay first before I become a Muslim”.

From the above statement, I can see that this person is giving his/her most priority on his/her race as Malay compare to his/her religion as a Muslim. From what he/she had said, he/she does admit that religion is important, but then he/she prefers to be known and consider himself/herself as Malay rather than a Muslim believer. He/she seems to be more enjoying her life as Malay rather than live a life that according and practicing the Islamic lifestyle. It is a little difficult for me to mention him or her. Since there is not only this person who felt this way, as I believe there is quite a lot of Malay people who encounter the same issue as this person, I will discuss this as ‘they’. These people are confusing between Malay and Islam. Whoever born as Malay is automatically is a Muslim. For them if you Malay it is not necessary you also a Muslim and their race come first than goes Islam so they will lead a life much more according to the Malay cultures and customs compare to follow what Islam taught or order its believer to do as stated in The Quran and The Sunnah. But for me, as in Malaysia, it is well known from the years of our greatest grandfather that Malay peoples are embracing Islam as their religion and the ultimate beliefs as they practicing the way of Islam and according to the Prophet Muhammad. They did all the good deeds, worshiping Allah as the ultimate creator and leave all the wrong and bad deeds behind. This religion or beliefs is inherited in Malay peoples from generations to generations. So, if you like it or not, if you were born as Malay, automatically you are a Muslim that you should live a life according to what Islam have taught us. Yes of course there is a phrase in the Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, and the 256th sentence which the translation is “let there be no compulsion in religion..”. This means that in Islam there is no compulsion in accepting it and all those matters the sum total of which is called religion. In other words, there is no compulsion, or force in religion of Islam. We could not force anybody to follow or obey on a certain/particular religion. But, as I mention earlier, if you were born in Islam, there is compulsory or an obligation for you to worship Allah. As Ad-Din, Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allah. As a Muslim, we not act for the sake of any other man or sources but for the sake of Allah as our creator.
When such of this sensitive issue rose up, we will query and curious on why is this happened and to whom we should put the blame? For me, here comes the role of family institution and the role of the parents. Parents should nurture, teach, guide and rise up their children according to the religion of Islam. Children do not know anything that they are born as a white canvas, as fitrah. It is up to the parents to raise their children as a Muslim or Christian or Jewish or Nasrani. Parents should monitor and keep on eyes to their children from the moment them being brought into this world until they grown up. Do not let their children to seek the meaning of life by themselves. As we know, Malay people is easy to imitate others especially the Western’s lifestyles that are more freedom, entertainment, excitement and there are no boundaries that will tie us to some rules and regulations. It is very inviting and we are very excited to join the Westerners. Here, parents should control the sources of these excitements, the medium that connect us with those excitements. For instance, the media regardless electronics media or printed media, technology (internet), and so on. But undeniably, nowadays, there are also family who are making their own ways and do not close to each others, they are busy enough with their own businesses to have time to sit together even at the meal time. They do not have much time to discuss on any other things among them. What is even worse is that, the parents both father and mother have limited or no time to talk to their children. They are more interested in chasing and collecting the material things in such materialism world.
From all what I am saying, I not meant to put the total blame onto the parents’ shoulders. This is because there are cases that parents has already raised up their children well according to the syariah of Islam, but still the children behaving worse. This is all up to the individual’s faith (Iman). As we clearly know, iman could not be inherited from the pious father to his children. If the person has weak faith, it will easily make him or her to follow all the bad influences, commit crimes and sins and disobey to the Islam’s rules and regulations. But, if the person has already instilled the strong faith in him, then he will not allow any kind of negatives elements to ruin his life.
As for the conclusion, religion is a very important element in a human life. This is due to it will differentiate between human being with animals. Although you claim yourself is a Malay and has being a good Malay, lead a life according to the Malay’s cultures and customs, but you put Islamic taught and lifestyles at the second place, there is no use for you. This is because, you have to give your priority to Islam religion. Islam teaches us that Allah is the ultimate power and the creator of this world that we should obey, not to the other things. Above of all, it is up to the individual how to manage and govern their life as what they wish they want to. Last but not least, “tepuk dada tanyalah Iman”