IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL .

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi Turkish Revolusiner

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL .

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi was born in the village of Nurs, a small hamlet in the province of Bitlis in eastern Turkey. The year was 1293 according to the Rumi calendar then in use in the Ottoman Empire, that is, 1877. The circumstances into which he was born were humble; the house, of sun-dried brick, one of twenty or so built against the south-facing slope of a valley in the towering Taurus Mountains to the south of Lake Van.

Even at his birth the child displayed signs of being exceptional. It is said that on coming into the world he peered around attentively, his look fairly frightening those present. It was as if he was going to speak. He did not cry, just clenched his fists. Then they chanted the call to prayer in his ears, and named him SAID.

Said's mother was called Nuriye, and his father, a villager with a small-holding of land, was Mirza. They were a Kurdish family. Said was the fourth of seven children. The two eldest were girls, Dürriye and Hanim, then came his elder brother, Abdullah. Said was followed by two more boys, Mehmed and Abdulmecid, and last was a girl, Mercan.

Mirza's forbears had come originally from Cizre on the Tigris. Also known as ‘Sufi’ Mirza, he died in the 1920's and was buried in the graveyard at Nurs. At the head of his grave stands a rough uncut stone with simply the name `Mirza' etched on it. Nuriye, Said's mother was from the village of Bilkan, three hours distant from

Nurs. Like her husband, she was devout and virtuous. She died during the First World War and was also buried in Nurs. In later years, Said was to say: "From my mother I learnt compassion, and from my father, orderliness and regularity."

Said passed his early years with his family in Nurs. Long winters in the village, short summers in the higher pastures or in the gardens and fields along the river banks in the valley bottom. A short growing season, but sufficient to meet the villagers' needs. A life close to the natural world, in harmony with its rhythms and cycles, full of wonders for an aware and responsive child like Said. He was unusually intelligent, always investigating things, questioning and seeking answers. Years later when explaining how scholarly metaphors may degenerate into superstition "when they fall into the hands of the ignorant", he himself described an occasion which illustrates this.

One night, on hearing tin cans being clashed together and a rifle being fired, the family rushed out of the house to find it was an eclipse of the moon. Said asked his mother: "Why has the moon gone like that?" She replied:

"A snake has swallowed it." So Said asked:

"Then why can it still be seen?"

"The snakes in the sky are like glass; they show what they have inside them."

Said was only to learn the true answer when studying astronomy a few years later.

Whenever the opportunity arose, and especially in the long winter evenings, Said would go and listen to any discussions being held by students and teachers of the medreses, that is, the religious schools, or by religious figures. These discussions, often about the famous scholars, saints, and spiritual leaders of the past, usually took the form of contest and debate. If any of the students or scholars displayed more intelligence than the others, or was victorious in debate, he was made much of by the others, and was held in great esteem. This appealed to the young Said, too.

In addition, more than being merely independent-minded, it was as though from his very earliest years, Said was reaching for or was being driven to discover a way other than that which those around him followed, as the following, written by some of his students, shows:

"Our Master himself said: `When I was eight or nine years old, contrary to my family and everyone else in the vicinity, who were attached to the Naksi tarikat and used to seek assistance from a famous figure called Gavs-i Hizan, I used to say: `O Gavs-ı Geylani!' since I was a child. if some insignificant thing like a walnut got lost, [I would say] `O Seyh! I'll say a Fatiha for you and you find this thing for me!' It is strange and yet I swear that a thousand times the venerable Seyh came to my assistance through his prayers and saintly influence. Therefore, however many Fatihas and supplications I have uttered in general in my life, after the Person of the Prophet (PBUH), they have been offered for Seyh-i Geylani. While I am a Naksi in three or four respects, the Kadiri way and love of it prevail in me involuntarily. But preoccupation [with study of the religious sciences] prevented my becoming involved with the tarikat."' Although, as is stated here, Said never joined a tarikat or followed the Sufi path - he was later to describe Sufism as being inappropriate for the needs of the modem age, his close relationship with Seyh Abdulkadir Geylani continued throughout his life; on many occasions throughout his life Said received guidance and assistance through his saintly influence.

· Said Begins His Studies

Said started his studies at the age of nine. He appears now as a pugnacious child. prone to quarrelling with both his peers and his elders. But this sprang not from any innate fault, but from the frustration at bearing within him a great and brilliant spirit which as yet could find no way to express itself, and at the incomprehension which he often met with, from both his teachers and his fellows.

It was his elder brother, Molla Abdullah's, example that first prompted the young Said to start studying. He had noticed how he had benefited from his studies. Abdullah had gradually improved and progressed so that when Said saw him together with his friends from the village who had not studied, his self-evident superiority awoke in Said a strong urge to study himself. With this intention, he set off with him for Molla Mehmed Emin Efendi's medrese in the village of Tag, near Isparit. However, he fought with another student called Mehmed, and did not stay there long.

For the young Said also held himself in great esteem. He could not endure even the smallest word spoken to him in a commanding tone, or to be dominated in any way. So he returned to his own village, where he told his father that he would not attend any more medreses until he was older, because the other students were all bigger than him. Due to its small size, Nurs had no medrese, so Said's lessons were then restricted to the one day a week that his elder brother, Abdullah, returned.

Let us see how in later years Bediuzzaman described himself at this age.

"When I was ten years old, I had great pride in myself, which sometimes even took the form of boasting and self praise; although I myself did not want to, I used to assume the air of one undertaking some great work and mighty act of heroism. I used to say to myself: `You are not worth tuppence, what is the reason for this excessive showing-off and boasting, especially when it comes to courage?' I did not know, and used to wonder at it. Then, a month or two ago [1944] the question was answered: the Risale-i Nur was making itself felt before it was written: `Although you were a seed like a common chip of wood, you had a presentiment of those fruits of Paradise as though they were actually your own property, and used to boast and praise yourself."'

About a year passed in this way, then, once again, Said set off to continue his studies full-time. But his needs were not be to answered by any of the teachers or medreses he visited. He went first to the 

Village of Pirmis, and then to the summer pastures of the Hizan Seyh, the Naksibendi Seyyid Nur Muhammed. There, his independent spirit and the fact that he could not endure being dominated in any way made him fall out with four other students in particular. They would join forces and harass him constantly. So, one day Said went to Seyyid Nur Muhammed and said: “Seyh Efendi! Please tell them that when they fight me to come two at a time and not all four at once.” This courage on the part of the ten-year-old Said pleased the Seyh greatly, who smiled and said: “You are my student, no one shall bother you !” And from then on Said was known as ‘the Seyh’s student’.

· Visit to Nurs

Seyh Nur Muhammed was intrigued by Said's ability and courage, and one day set out together with him and some others of his students on the six or seven hour journey to Nurs in order to meet his parents. A short time after arriving, Mirza appeared, driving before him two cows and two oxen with their mouths bound. After the introductions, Said's teacher asked him the reason for this. Mirza replied in a modest manner:

"Sir, our fields are a fair way off. On the way, I pass through the fields and gardens of many other people. If these animals' mouths were not tied, it is possible they would eat their produce. I tie them up so that there is nothing unlawful in our food."

Having seen how upright Said's father was, Seyh Nur Muhammed asked how she had brought up Said. Nuriye Hanim replied;

"When I was pregnant with Said. I never set a foot on the ground without being purified with ablutions. And when he came into the world, there was not a day when I did not suckle him without being purified by ablutions."

Said's teacher had now discovered what he had come to learn. Of course such parents should expect to have such a son. They spent that night in Nurs and returned the following morning to Hizan.

"One of the Nurs students will revivify the religion of Islam"

After remaining a while longer with Seyyid Nur Muhammed, Said went together with his elder brother, Abdullah, to the village of Nursin. Since it was summer, they then left the village together with the villagers and other students for the high pastures of Seyhan. Once there, Said quarreled with his elder brother, and they fell out. The teacher of the Tag medrese, Mehmed Emin Efendi was angry with Said and asked him why he opposed his elder brother. But Said did not recognize the teacher's authority either, and told him that since the medrese where they were at the time belonged to the famous Seyh Abdurrahman Tagi, he was a student like himself, and did not have the right to act as a teacher. Then he left the medrese immediately for Nursin, passing through a dense forest that was difficult to penetrate even by day.

It was later related from Bediuzzaman himself that the owner of the Tag Medrese, Seyh Abdurrahman Tagi, used to show a close interest in the students from Nurs, rising at night during the winter to make sure they were all covered and would not catch cold. Moreover, he used to say to the older students:

"Look after these students from Nurs well, one of them will revivify the religion of Islam, but which of them it will be I do not know at present."

· Young Said's Independence

At that time in eastern Anatolia any scholar who had completed the course of study in a medrese and could demonstrate his mastery of the subjects obtained his diploma (icazet), and could then open a medrese in a village of his choice. If he was able, he would himself meet the needs of the students, such as food, heating and clothing, and if he was not able, they were met by the villagers either through zekat or some other way. The teacher asked for no payment for his teaching.

Young Said would in no way accept zekat or alms. To accept assistance meant becoming obliged to others. and he felt that to be an unbearable burden on his spirit.

One day, his fellow students went to the neighboring villages to collect zekat, but Said did not accompany them. The villagers, being impressed by this and appreciative of his independence, themselves collected a sum of ; money and tried to give it to him. But Said thanked them and refused it. Whereupon they gave it to Molla Abdullah in the hope that he would persuade him to accept it. The following exchange then ensued:

Said said: "Buy me a rifle with the money!"

Molla Abdullah: "No, that is not possible."

"Well, in that case, get me a revolver."

"No, that is not possible, either."

So, smiling, Said said : "Well, get me a dagger, then."

At which his elder brother laughed and said: "No, neither is that possible. I'll only buy you some grapes; then we will make sure the matter remains sweet!"

· Said Dreams of the Prophet (PBUH)

That winter Said spent in Nurs. In the course of it, he had a powerful dream which impelled him to return to his studies. It was like this: it was the Last Day and the Resurrection was taking place. Said felt a desire to visit the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH). While wondering how he could achieve this, it occurred to him to go and sit by the Bridge of Sirat, because everyone has to pass over it. While the Prophet is passing, he thought, I shall meet him and kiss his hand. So he went and sat by the Bridge and there met with all the prophets and kissed their hands. Finally, the Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) came. Said kissed his hands and asked for knowledge from him. The Prophet said: "Knowledge of the Qur'an will be given you on condition you ask no questions of any of my community." Upon which Said awoke in a state of great excitement. And indeed, he

thereafter made it a personal rule never to ask questions of other scholars. Even when he went to Istanbul, he adhered to it; he only ever answered questions put to him.

So following the dream, Bediuzzaman left Nurs going first to the village of Arvas and from there to Seyh Emin Efendi's medrese in Bitlis. Because of Said's tender years, the Seyh did not teach Said himself, saying he would appoint one of his students to do so. This wounded Said's self-esteem. One day while Seyh Emin was teaching in the mosque, Said rose to his feet objecting to what he was saying with the words: "Sir! You are wrong, it is not like that!" The Seyh and his students looked at the young Said in amazement. Then, Said remembered that the Seyh did not even condescend to teach him.

Shortly after this Said set off for the Mir Hasan Veli Medrese at Müküs [Bahceseray], whose principal was Molla Abdulkerim. When he saw that the new, lower grade students were given no importance, he ignored the first seven books, which should have been studied in sequence and announced he would study the eighth. He remained there only a few days then went to Vastan [Gevas] near Van. After a month in Gevas, he set off with a companion called Molla Mehmed for [Dogu] Bayezit, a small town in the province of Erzurum and it was here that his real studies commenced. Until this time, he had only studied the principles of Arabic grammar and syntax.'

· Bayezit

Said's period of study in the Bayezit Medrese under Seyh Mehmed Celali lasted only three months, but it was to provide him with the foundations of or key to the religious sciences on which his later thought and works would be based. Also, it was once again to show what he had instinctively displayed from the very beginning of his studies, namely, his dissatisfaction with the existing education system and his awareness of the urgent need for its reform. Moreover, the astonishing number of works that Said read, memorized and digested in this short period of time was to demonstrate his remarkable power of memory, and exceptional intelligence and understanding, both of which were developed to a degree far exceeding the average for boys of his age. He was fourteen years old.

During his time in Bayezid, Said completed the entire course of study then current in medreses. The works studied were heavily annotated, with commentaries, commentaries on commentaries, and even commentaries on those commentaries and further expositions, so that to complete the course under normal conditions took the average student fifteen to twenty years. The method was to completely master one book and one subjeet before passing onto the next.

Said began from `Molla Cami', and completed all the works in the course in turn. This he did by ignoring all the commentaries and expositions, and by concentrating on only a certain number of sections in each work. On being asked by a displeased Seyh Mehmed Celali why he was studying in this way, Said answered thus:

"I am not able to read and understand this many books. But these books are caskets of jewels, treasure chests, and the key is with you. I only implore you to show me what is in them so I can understand what these books are discussing, and then I shall study those that are suitable for me."

Said's aim in replying thus was to point out the need for reform in medrese education and to prevent time being wasted through the inclusion of so many commentaries, annotations and expositions. And in answer to his master's question: "Which subject, which of the sciences studied is suitable for you?", Said replied:

"I cannot distinguish these sciences one from the other. I either know all of them or none of them."

Whichever of the books Said studied, he would understand it without seeking the assistance of anyone else. He was able to study and master the most difficult works of two hundred pages or more, like Cem'u'1-Cevami’, Serhu'l-Mevakif, and ibnu' 1-Hacer in twenty-four hours. He gave himself over to studying to such a degree that all his ties with the outside world were cut. On whichever subject he was questioned, he would give the answer correctly and without hesitation.

While in Beyazid, Said passed much of his time, and even the nights, in the mausoleum of the Kurdish saint and literary figure Ahmed Hani, so that the people said he was specially privileged with Ahmed Hani's spiritual radiance. One night Said's friends from the medrese missed him and started searching for him. Finally they looked in the mausoleum and found him there studying by the light of a candle. But he rebuked them saying: "Why are you disturbing me in this way?" On the one hand Said thus plunged himself into studying, while on the other he started to follow the way of the Illuminist (israkiyyun) philosophers and to practice extreme self-discipline and asceticism. The Illuminists had accustomed their bodies to such practices gradually, but Said ignored the necessary period of adjustment and suddenly undertook the most rigorous ascetic exercises. His body could not support it and he grew progressively weaker. He would make one piece of bread last three days, trying to emulate the Illuminists in their practice of the theory `asceticism serves to expand the mind'.

Not being content with this, he followed Imam Gazzali's Sufistic interpretation of the Hadith, `Give up what you are doubtful about for that about which you have no doubts' from Ihya 'Ulumi'd-Din, and for a time gave up eating bread, even, and existed on grasses and plants. Furthermore, he rarely spoke.

At the end of three months, Said obtained his diploma from Seyh Mehmed Celali, the Principal of the Beyazid Medrese, and  was then known as Molla Said. Having received it, he donned the simple garb of a dervish and set out for Baghdad, intending to visit its famous religious scholars and the tomb of Seyh Abdulkadir Geylani. Avoiding roads, traveling at night over mountain and through forest, he came after some time to Bitlis. There, for two days he attended the lectures of Seyh Mehmed Emin Efendi. The Seyh proposed that he wear the dress of a scholar. In eastern Anatolia at that time the turban and scholar's robe were not worn by students, but only presented when the diploma (icazet) was obtained. The scholar's dress was the right only of teachers (muderris). But Molla Said did not accept the Seyh's proposal, answering that since he was not yet mature, he did not think it was fitting for him to wear the dress of a respected teacher. How could he be a teacher while still a child? And he put the gown and turban away in a corner of the mosque.

· Sirvan

Molla Said then travelled on to Sirvan to his elder brother, Molla Abdullah. The following exchange took place at their first meeting:

Molla Abdullah: "I have finished Serh-i Semsi since you were here. What have you read?"

Molla Said: "I have read eighty books."

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, I have finished eighty books. And I have read a lot of books not included in the syllabus."

Molla Abdullah found it hard to believe that his brother had read so many books in such a short time and wanted to test him. Molla Said agreed so Abdullah tested him and was left in admiration and astonishment. Then hiding it from his own students, he accepted his younger brother as his master who only eight months before had been his student, and started to take lessons from him. But peering through the keyhole, Abdullah's students finally discovered him being taught by Molla Said. However, in order not to let them learn the truth. Said told them that he was doing so in order to avert the evil eye.

· Siirt

Molla Said remained with his brother a while longer and then made his way to Siirt. It was here that Said was challenged by the local `ulema for the first time and was successful in debating with them and answering all their questions. His reputation now became firmly established. On his arrival in Siirt, he went to the medrese of the famous Molla Fethullah Efendi, who was to experience the same astonishment as Molla Abdullah at the number of books Said had read and learnt. He also examined Molla Said, who again gave perfect answers. So he then decided to test Said's memory and handed him a work called the Makamat-i Haririye. Molla Said read one page once, memorized it, then repeated it by heart. Molla Fethullah expressed his amazement by saying: "For this degree of memory and intelligence to be combined in one person is indeed rare."

While there, Molla Said memorized the whole of a work on the principles of jurisprudence of the four schools of Islam by the Shafi'i scholar Ibnii'1- Subki, the Cem'u' 1-Cevami', by reading it for one or two hours every day for a week. Whereupon Molla Fethullah wrote in the book, in Arabic, "He memorized the whole of the Cem'u'l-Cevanti' in a week".

From a letter written by Bediuzzaman in 1946 while in exile in Emirdag, it is learnt that it was at this time as a result of these feats of learning that he was first given the name of Bediuzzaman -Wonder of the Age- and by Molla Fethullah Efendi. He wrote to one of his important students:

"My Cbrious Brother, Re'fet Bey, You want information about Bediuzzaman-i Hamadani's duty and written works in the 3rd century [Hicri]. I only know about him that he had an extraordinary intelligence and power of memory.

"Fifty-five years ago one of my first masters, the late Molla Fethullah of Siirt, likened the Old Said to him and gave him his  name...."

News of these events spread around Siirt and on hearing it, the ulema of the area gathered together and invited Said to a debate and to answer their questions. Said accepted, and both defeated them in debate and was successful in answering all their questions. Those present were full of praise and admiration for him and when the people of Siirt came to hear of it, they regarded Molla Said as something of a veli, or saint. However, all this aroused the jealousy of the lesser scholars and students in the area, who, since they were unable to defeat him in argument or in learning, tried to do so by force. They set upon him one day, but the people intervened and prevented any harm coming to Said, who told the gendarmes who arrived on the scene, having been sent by the Governor:

"We are students; we fight and make it up again. It is better if no one outside our profession interferes. The fault was mine."

Said answered in this way out of his extreme respect for the learned profession, which he felt would be slighted by the interference of the ignorant and uneducated, although it was to assist him.

After this incident, Said always carried a short dagger with him in order to deter those tempted to fight him. He was strong and agile and now came to be known as Said-i Meshur, Said the Famous. He challenged all the ulema and students in Siirt to debates, letting it be known that he never asked questions, but answered anyone who chose to put questions to him. He also competed in sports and physical feats, and demonstrated his superiority in these too. One day in Siirt, he challenged a friend, Molla Celal, to jump a water canal. He himself cleared the broad canal successfully, then stood back to watch his friend. Molla Celal took a running jump, but alas, not being as athletic as Said, landed in the mud at the edge of it.

· Bitlis

Molla Said remained some while in Siirt, then, rather than continuing his journey to Baghdad returned to Bitlis and the medrese of Seyh Emin. There, as before, the Seyh dismissed Said as too young to understand anything. Unable to endure being treated in this way; Molla Said requested once again that he be given the opportunity to prove himself.

So Seyh Emin asked him sixteen questions on various most difficult subjects, all of which Molla Said answered correctly and without hesitation. The Seyh then set him a literary riddle in the form of three letters from the Arabic alphabet written without diacritical points thus: [ A1] Said had to compose a twelve-word sentence using only letters of those shapes and adding the points. They contain a total of ten possibilities with regard to the points distinguishing the different letters, and twelve with regard to the vowels, making a total in all of one hundred and twenty. Molla Said found all those possibilities within three days and composed the sentence accordingly, proving once again his intelligence. He then went to the Kureys mosque and began to preach to the people.

Said became very popular, drawing a large number of the people of Bitlis to listen to him. But it resulted in two factions forming in the town, those who supported him and those who supported Seyh Emin. To forestall any trouble arising from this situation, the Governor expelled Molla Said from Bitlis, and he made his way from there to Sirvan.

· Sirvan

As Said's fame grew so did his difficulties. Some teachers and lesser scholars whom he had previously defeated in debate constantly sought opportunities to reduce his prestige in the eyes of the people. They had him watched and followed, and one day when he missed the time for the morning prayer and performed it late, they started a rumour among the people saying: "Molla Said has given up performing the obligatory prayers." When asked the meaning of this, Said said:

"Something that has no basis does not spread among the people so quickly. The fault was mine, and I suffered two punishments: one was God's reprimand, the other insinuations against me by the people. The true reason for this was as follows: I gave up the prayers I was in the habit of reciting at night. If the world's spirit perceived this fact, it made them describe it wrongly, because they did not grasp the matter entirely."

While in Sirvan, someone came to him from the Siirt area saying that a fifteen year old youth had silenced in argument all the ulema of the region and that he had come in order to invite Molla Said to come and challenge this youth to a debate. Molla Said responded favourably to this request, made some preparations for the journey, and they set out together. After some two hours on the road, Said asked the description of this youth, his dress, behaviour, and such matters. The man from Siirt said:

"I do not know his name, but when he first arrived he was wearing the dress of a dervish with a sheepskin over his shoulders. Then later he put on student's dress and silenced in argument all the learned men of Siirt."

On listening to this, Said realized that the man was talking about himself and that news of the events of the previous year had now spread round all the surrounding villages. He turned back the way they had come and did not accept the invitation.

.... read more from the website .

God's Promise

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL .

God promises to the people of sincere faith "to make them successors

in the land, as He made those before them successors." This

promise is related as follows:

God has promised those of you who believe and do right actions

that He will make them successors in the land, as He made those

before them successors; will firmly establish for them their religion,

with which He is pleased; and give them, in place of their

fear, security. "They worship Me, not associating anything with

Me." Any who disbelieve after that, such people are deviators.

(Surat an-Nur, 24:55)

Arab Billionaires Hold 3.9% of Global Wealth

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL .

By Wael Mahdi, Arab News

JEDDAH, 19 March 2006 — The number of billionaires in the world is increasing thanks to the recent global economic boom. Their number in the past year rose by 15 percent to 793 billionaires, according to Forbes. The combined net worth of the 793 billionaires on the Forbes’ list is $2.6 trillion with American billionaires accounting for almost half of the global wealth. The total number of Middle Eastern billionaires on the list is 48. The combined fortune of the Middle Easterners is $146.6 billion; this is 5.6 percent of the entire wealth of all the 793 billionaires. The total net worth of the 21 Arab billionaires on the list is $103.2 billion. They hold 3.9 percent of the $2.6 trillion of the total worldwide billionaires’ wealth. Out of the 21 rich Arabs, 18 reside in the Gulf with 11 in Saudi Arabia, four in the United Arab Emirates and three in Kuwait. The only Arab billionaires outside the Gulf are Onsi and Nagib Sawiris and Lebanese Hind Hariri, the youngest billionaire in the World. Hind’s brothers Saad and Ayman, who joined the list after inheriting their father vast wealth, are both Saudi citizens and they are residing in the Kingdom. The 11 Saudi billionaires have a combined net worth of $67.6 billion. This is 46 percent of the entire fortune of all Middle Eastern billionaires. The eldest Saudi billionaire is 94 years old and the youngest is the 27-year old Ayman Hariri, the son of the assassinated Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The average age of the Saudi billionaires is 59 years. However, if the two young sons of Rafik Hariri are excluded, the average age of Saudi billionaires increases to 68 years. In Egypt, the Sawiris family dominate the scene with Onsi and his son Nagib the only two Egyptians on the list with net worth of $7.4 billion. Onsi, the founder of Orascom Group, serves as non-executive board director of Egypt’s largest telecommunication and construction group. Most of Orascom Group’s success comes from its telecommunication division. Orascom Telecom invested in the cellular business in Iraq and it has 11 million mobile phone subscribers throughout the Middle East, Africa and Pakistan. According to Forbes, Nagib bought a $1.3 billion stake in Hutchison Whampoa causing concerns among some Israelis who didn’t like the idea of Arabs holding a stake in Hutchison’s Israeli cellular carrier, Partner Communications.

Napoleon Bonaparte dan Islam

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL .

 

"AGAMA-agama itu selalu didasarkan pada hal-hal yang ajaib, seperti halnya Trinitas (Thriniti) yang sulit difahami. Yesus (Jesus) didakwa dirinya sebagai Anak Tuhan, padahal baginda berasal daripada keturunan Daud. Maka saya lebih meyakini agama yang dibawa oleh Muhammad (Rasulullah) . Islam terhindar jauh daripada kelucuan-kelucuan ritual seperti yang terdapat di dalam agama kita (Kristian). Bangsa Turki juga menyebut kita sebagai orang penyembah berhala dan dewa."

"Dengan penuh kepastian saya harus memperjelaskan kepada anda dalam setiap ucapan saya bahawa saya adalah seorang muslim dan saya memuliakan Nabi Muhammad serta mencintai orang-orang Islam."

Mungkin anda tertanya-tanya, siapakah yang begitu berani menuturkan kata-kata di atas? Atau mungkin anda lebih tidak percaya kerana yang berkata demikian ialah Napoleon Bonaparte!

Tokoh itu begitu terkenal dalam sejarah sehingga namanya berada dalam urutan ke-34 daripada Seratus Tokoh Yang Paling Berpengaruh Di Dunia (Buku tulisan Micheal H. Hart yang meletakkan Rasulullah s.a.w menduduki tempat teratas dalam senarai itu).

Sebagai Kaisar atau Raja Perancis, Napoleon mengukir sejarah yang begitu hebat sebagai jeneral tentera yang berjaya menundukkan dan menawan banyak negara Eropah sehingga ke Asia Barat, termasuk Mesir dan Palestin.

Istilahnya beliau menyapu bersih, sehingga menjadikan Napoleon sangat berkuasa dan berdaulat penuh terhadap negara Perancis. Malah sesetengah pihak menganggap dalam bidang ketenteraan dan strategik Napoleon ialah jeneral yang paling genius.

Napoleon dilahirkan di Ajaccio (Aiacciu) atau disebut Ajax dalam bahasa Latin di Pulau Corsica yang terletak di bahagian tenggara Perancis pada 15 Ogos 1769 sebagai Napoleone Buonaparte. Pulau Corsica yang berada di bawah jajahan Perancis merupakan pulau keempat terbesar selepas Pulau Sicily, Sardinia dan Cyprus di Laut Mediterranean.

Kariernya sebagai anggota tentera yang paling digeruni bermula apabila beliau menyertai Tentera Revolusi Perancis pada lewat 1790-an.

Sehingga tahun 1799, Napoleon memerangi hampir seluruh Eropah sehingga beliau kembali ke Perancis sebagai raja selepas kempennya selesai di Mesir.

Pada 1800, Napoleon kembali semula ke medan perang dengan mengalahkan Austria. Pada 1802, Napoleon memperkenalkan sistem Perundangan Perancis yang baru yang dikenali sebagai Napoleonic Code.

Pada 1804 beliau ditabalkan sebagai Maharaja Perancis di Gereja Notre Dame Cathedral. Sehingga 1807, keluasan empayarnya bermula dari Sungai Elbe di bahagian utara Perancis menganjur sehingga ke Itali di bahagian selatannya atau dari Pyrenees sehinggalah perairan Dalmatian.

Kejatuhan

Tetapi selepas 1812, Napoleon mula mengalami kejatuhan apabila beliau menerima kekalahan pertama ketika cuba menakluk Rusia. Beliau juga terpaksa melepaskan Spain (Sepanyol) kepada Duke Of Wellington daripada tentera British dalam Peninsular War. Beliau mengalami kekalahan yang teruk pada 1814.

Napoleon terpaksa melarikan diri ke Pulau Elba dan kembali semula ke Perancis pada 1815 untuk mengumpulkan kembali kekuatan tentera yang dikenali Grand Army. Tetapi beliau terpaksa mengaku kelemahan apabila mengalami kekalahan teruk dalam Perang Waterloo di tangan tentera Wellington.

Sebagai hukuman, Napoleon dinafikan haknya untuk menetap di Perancis. Malah beliau dibuang negeri ke Pulau Saint Helena yang terletak di bahagian timur Afrika. Enam tahun kemudian, iaitu pada 1821 beliau meninggal dunia di pulau itu dipercayai akibat kanser perut. Sehinggalah pada 1840, barulah mayatnya di bawa pulang semula ke Paris.
Tetapi dalam satu ujian didapati rambut Napoleon mengandungi kandungan racun arsenik yang tinggi.

Ini menjadi teori kepada punca kematian beliau yang sebenar. Beliau dipercayai diracun oleh Count of Montholon bagi pihak British yang tidak mahu melihat Napoleon kembali berkuasa.

Namun persoalan besarnya benarkah pemimpin tentera yang digambarkan sebagai seorang yang kejam dan rakus ini benar-benar memeluk Islam?

Jika benar, adakah kerana ada muslihat di sebalik itu bagi membolehkan apa yang beliau hajati tercapai?

Pengislaman Napoleon didedahkan oleh penulis David M. Pidcock dalam sebuah bukunya yang memetik kembali keratan sebuah akhbar rasmi Perancis, Le Moniteur, yang menyebut mengenai pengislaman Napoleon pada 2 Julai 1798. Ia berlaku hampir 23 tahun sebelum beliau meninggal dunia pada 1821.

Apabila tokoh ini memeluk Islam, beliau dikenali sebagai 'Aly (Ali) Napoleon Bonaparte'.

Peristiwa ini dipercayai berlaku ketika Napoleon berada di Mesir. Napoleon tertarik kepada Islam ketika dijemput menghadiri suatu majlis memperingati ulang tahun kelahiran baginda Rasulullah s.a.w yang dihadiri oleh begitu ramai umat Islam.

Majlis itu menyedarkan Napoleon kepada kata-kata Voltaire yang mempercayai bahawa manusia memerlukan agama dalam hidup mereka. Manusia tidak boleh hidup tanpa agama atau tanpa mempercayai tuhan.

Pengalaman di Mesir itu dikatakan memberikan satu perjalanan rohani kepada Napoleon.

Tetapi apakah yang membuatkan tokoh perang ini dapat menerima Islam?

Napoleon berkata, Rasulullah s.a.w. berjaya memandu kehidupan kaum Arab yang jahil kepada jalan yang benar. Mengajar kepada mereka mengenai keesaan Allah. Allah yang satu. Tuhan yang tidak mempunyai bapa, tidak mempunyai anak dan tidak mempunyai pendamping.

"Sedangkan menyembah pelbagai jenis tuhan merupakan satu budaya yang sangat kabur tetapi tidak lebih satu aspek pemujaan kepada berhala yang merupakan hanyalah patung-patung yang kosong," katanya.

Napoleon juga sangat mengagumi kitab suci al-Quran setelah beliau membandingkan isi kandungannya dengan Alkitab (Injil). "Saya menemukan kebenaran-kebenaran yang unggul di dalam al-Quran yang selama dikelirukan oleh kitab-kitab terdahulu yang manusia itu campur tangan di dalamnya melalui kata-kata mereka sendiri, bukannya kata-kata Tuhan," katanya.

Malah yang lebih menarik adalah ucapan Napoleon ketika beliau mula-mula sampai di Palestin pada tahun 1799 sebelum bertempur dengan tentera Othmaniah.

Sambil mengenakan serban di kepalanya, Napoleon mengaku mengenai pengislamannya dan berkata: "Dengan Nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah Lagi Maha Mengasihani. Saya Bonaparte, Amir dari tentera Perancis. Kepada semua pemimpin tempatan, para mufti dan penduduk Gaza, Ramla dan Jaffa, semoga Allah melindungi kita semua," katanya.

Pengislaman Napoleon mungkin dapat diketahui lebih lanjut melalui sebuah lagi buku, iaitu Napoleon and Islam atau Bonapart et Islam oleh C. Cherfils. ISBN: 967-61-0898- 7

Dalam buku itu, Napoleon dipetik sebagai berkata: "Dalam masa terdekat ini, jika berpeluang, saya ingin menyatukan semua umat manusia melalui budaya yang baik (Islam) dan kerajaan yang memimpin rakyatnya melalui prinsip yang tertulis dalam al-Quran al Karim."

Undang-undang

Menyebut mengenai undang-undang, Napoleon sendiri mengakui akan keagungan undang-undang Islam iaitu syariah.

Lalu beliau mengguna pakai undang-undang itu semasa memerintah Perancis dan dipercayai hingga sekarang pengaruh dan elemen undang-undang syariah masih diguna pakai di negara itu.

Contoh yang paling ketara adalah apabila berlaku tragedi kemalangan jalan raya yang meragut nyawa Puteri Diana dan teman lelakinya, Dodi Al Fayed pada 1997.

Mengikut undang-undang lama Perancis, jurugambar yang sempat mengambil detik-detik berlakunya kemalangan dan kematian Puteri Diana itu dijatuhkan hukuman. Mereka disabit kesalahan kerana tidak membantu mangsa dan lebih mengutamakan untuk mengambil gambar.

Bentuk undang-undang dan hukuman ini jelas diambil daripada perundangan syariah Imam Malik.

Bagaimanapun, pensyarah di Jabatan Sejarah dan Tamadun Manusia, Kulliyyah Ilmu Wahyu dan Sains Kemanusiaan, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Gombak, Zuraini Nordin berkata, terdapat pelbagai pendapat mengenai status agama dan pengislaman Napoleon.

Beliau berkata, pada asalnya panglima dan maharaja Perancis itu seorang yang berpegang kepada ajaran Deism iaitu tidak percaya kepada ajaran-ajaran Kristian seperti Original Sins (Dosa Warisan), mukjizat dan sebagainya.

"Dia mengkritik ajaran Kristian itu sebagai hanya mementingkan aspek spiritual individu berbanding dengan Islam yang dia sendiri iktiraf sebagai agama yang rasional dan mementingkan ilmu - sains," katanya.

Maka tidak hairan jika Napoleon sangat-sangat menghargai agama Islam, menghormati orang Islam dan mengagumi keperibadian Nabi Muhammad itu sendiri.

"Ini kerana beliau percaya Rasulullah bukan sahaja seorang pemimpin agung tetapi juga seorang 'penjajah' yang ulung,

"Jadi ia sangat sesuai dengan jiwanya sebagai seorang maharaja dan penjajah Perancis yang sangat bercita-cita tinggi," katanya.

Kata Zuraini, Napoleon ialah seorang yang banyak membaca mengenai Islam, al-Quran dan hadis Nabi dan beliau memupuk hubungan baik dengan para mufti dan ulama-ulama Al-Azhar semasa ekspedisinya di Mesir. "Napoleon mengiktiraf Islam sebagai satu sistem kepercayaan yang unggul dan beliau banyak mengadaptasikan undang-undang syariah ke dalam kod sivilnya yang dikenali sebagai Code Napoleon."

"Dengan kod atau undang-undang itu Napoleon rasakan beliau dapat memberi manfaat kepada empayarnya dan rakyat Perancis."

"Sebagai seorang raja, tidak dinafikan Napoleon seorang yang agak berjiwa rakyat dan semasa pemerintahannya banyak reformasi dilakukan untuk kepentingan rakyatnya," katanya.

Namun, menurut Zuraini, ada juga pihak yang menaruh rasa sangsi dan mempertikaikan mengenai pengislaman Napoleon itu.

"Walaupun ada direkodkan mengenai pengislaman Napoleon, dipercayai tokoh ini hanya menaruh minat terhadap Islam."

"Malah beliau mempergunakannya demi kepentingan diri dan meluaskan empayar," katanya.

Dakwaan ini tidak menghairankan kerana pengislaman seseorang di Eropah sering kali tidak disenangi oleh sesetengah pihak yang ada kepentingan masing-masing.

Pertikaian ini sebenarnya membuka lembaran kepada kajian yang lebih mendalam bagi menentukan status agama anutan Napoleon.

Kepada Barat, mungkin terlalu sukar untuk mereka menerima hakikat ada tokoh sehebat Napoleon yang menerima kebenaran Islam.

Sedikit sebanyak ia memberikan tamparan kepada pelbagai sikap negatif mereka terhadap Islam selama ini.

Muslims' Characters Taught By The Prophet Muhammad (saw)

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL .

The superiority of good character:

Hadrat Abu Darda, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Nothing is heavier in the scales of a believer on the Day of Judgement than his good behaviour. Allah detests a person who is obscene and shameless”. (Tirmidhi)

1. Be truthful in everything, don’t lie.
2. Be sincere and straightforward, don’t be hypocritical.
3. Be honest, don’t be corrupt.
4. Be humble, don’t be boastful.
5. Be moderate, don’t be excessive.
6. Be reserved, don’t be garrulous.
7. Be soft-spoken, don’t be loud.
8. Be refined and gentle in speech, don’t curse and use foul language.
9. Be loving and solicitous to others, don’t be unmindful of them.
10. Be considerate and compassionate, don’t be harsh.
11. Be polite and respectful to people, don’t be insulting or disrespectful.
12. Be generous and charitable, don’t be selfish and miserly.
13. Be good natured and forgiving, don’t be bitter and resentful.
14. Share and be content with what Allah has given you, don’t be greedy.
15. Be cheerful and pleasant, don’t be irritable and morose.
16. Be chaste and pure, don’t be lustful.
17. Be alert and aware of the world around you, don’t be absent-minded.
18. Be dignified and decent, don’t be graceless.
19. Be optimistic and hopeful, don’t be cynical or pessimistic.
20. Be confident and have deep faith, don’t be doubtful and wavering.
21. Be spiritually oriented and not materialistic.
22. Be confident of the mercy of Allah, don’t be despairing and lose heart.
23. Be diligent and vigilant of your duties, don’t be negligent.
24. Be thankful to Allah and constantly pray to Him, don’t be forgetful of His innumerable blessings.

And Allah alone gives success.

ALLAH: Bukan Bahasa Bible

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH THE MOST MERCIFUL .

Isu berkenaan tuntutan pihak Kristian terhadap kerajaan Malaysia untuk membenarkan mereka menggunakan kalimah Allah bagi tujuan penerbitan bahan bercetak mereka masih lagi hangat diperkatakan. (Rujuk The Sun, Ruangan Herald The Catholic Weekly ) Pihak yang menuntut mendakwa bahawa kalimah Allah ialah terjemahan dari bahasa Inggeris yang mengunakan kalimah God di dalam bible Versi English mereka.

Sekiranya tuntutan ini dipenuhi kita akan melihat di dalam bible Kristian ayat-ayat berbunyi seperti berikut:-

“Engkau adalah Messias anak Allah yang hidup “
( Matius 16 : 16 )
“..Kerana ia telah berkata :Aku adalah anak Allah.”
( Matius 27 : 43 )
“ Kasih kurnia menyertai kamu dan damai sejahtera
dari Allah, bapa kita dan dari Tuhan Yesus ( Jesus )
Kristus. (Galatia 1 : 3 )

Serta banyak lagi ayat-ayat lain yang tidak perlu diperincikan di sini. Jelasnya, dalam menangani isu ini, kita perlu merujuk kembali kepada fakta sebenar. Iaitu, apakah bahasa asal penulisan kitab Taurat dan Holy Bible?

Berdasarkan fakta, bahasa asal kitab Taurat adalah bahasa Hebrew manakala bahasa yang digunakan bagi penulisan kitab Holy Bible ialah bahasa Greek. Kalimah tuhan dalam bahasa Hebrew ialah El, Eloh, Elohim dan juga Yahweh. Ini dapat diperhatikan menerusi Perjanjian Baru, di dalam The Gospel of St. Matthew bab 27 : 46 yang menyebut :

Kira-kira jam tiga berserulah Yesus dengan suara nyaring:
“Eli,Eli, lama sabakhtani?”Ertinya: Allah-Ku, Allah-Ku, mengapa Engkau meninggalkan Aku ?”

Manakala di dalam bahasa Greek pula perkataan yang membawa maksud tuhan ialah Theos. Orang-orang Rom yang menyembah Tuhan yang disepakati oleh mereka sebagai Tuhan yang sebenar memanggil Tuhan ini sebagai Hotheos. Manakala sekiranya ada di kalangan mereka yang menyembah Tuhan palsu, mereka akan memanggil Tuhan tersebut sebagai Tontheos.

Perhatikan! Bagi kedua-dua bahasa yang dijadikan penulisan bagi kedua-dua kitab suci ini, tidak terdapat satu pun yang menyebut kalimah Allah Sesetengah sarjana Kristian menyatakan bahawa alasan yang paling kukuh bagi mereka untuk dibenarkan penggunaan kalimah Allah ialah berdasarkan penggunan kalimah Allah di dalam kitab Bible versi Arabic.

Sememangnya diakui kalimah Allah digunapakai di dalam Bible berbahasa Arab. Bible versi bahasa Arab tidak dikenali sebagai Holy Bible tetapi Al-kitab Al-Muqaddas. Begitu juga Bible berbahasa Melayu yang menggunakan nama yang sama? Di dalam terjemahan Bible bahasa Melayu mereka menamakannya sebagai Al-kitab berita baik.*

Perlu dinyatakan bahawa kalimah Allah wujud di dalam Bible bahasa Arab adalah kerana sesetengah Kristian Arab (seperti Syria, Mesir dan lain-lain) yang wujud sebelum kedatangan Islam meyakini konsep Unity (Keesaan Allah). Ia berbeza sama sekali dengan konsep Trinity (tiga dalam satu) sepertimana doktrin kebanyakan Kristian pada hari ini termasuk mereka yang terlibat dengan tuntutan isu kalimah Allah ini.

Maka hujah yang dijadikan sandaran sebagai alasan untuk membenarkan mereka menggunakan kalimah Allah ini adalah tidak masuk akal kerana golongan Kristian Trinity sendiri mengkafirkan golongan Kristian Unity. Terdapat juga sarjana mereka yang menyatakan bahawa kekeliruan tidak akan sekali-kali timbul jika penggunaan kalimah ini dibenarkan kerana kalimah Allah yang hendak digunakan tersebut adalah merujuk kepada penterjemahan dari kalimah God dalam Bible bahasa Inggeris sedangkan kalimah Tuhan adalah terjemahan dari kalimah Lord.

Pandangan mereka ini juga mengelirukan malah bertentangan dengan apa yang dinyatakan dalam Bible mereka. Persoalannya, apakah perbezaan antara Allah dan Tuhan dalam agama Kristian?

Sekiranya mereka mendakwa bahawa Tuhan adalah merujuk kepada Nabi Isa sedangkan Allah adalah merujuk kepada Tuhan Bapa di dalam syurga maka mereka perlu mengetahui bahawa ayat yang akan dinyatakan di bawah ini membuktikan bahawa kalimah Tuhan dan Allah adalah dua perkataan yang merujuk hanya kepada Allah sahaja! Perhatikan di dalam The Gospel Of St. Mark 12:29 menyebut :

Jawab Jesus : “Hukum yang terutama ialah : Dengarlah wahai Bani Israel, Tuhan Allah kita, Tuhan Yang Esa”

Saya bertanya kepada orang-orang Kristian, siapakah Tuhan Yang Esa yang dimaksudkan di dalam ayat di atas? Adakah Nabi Isa? Tidak! Lafaz Tuhan yang dimaksudkan di atas adalah merujuk kepada Allah semata-mata.

Sekali lagi bertentangan dengan apa yang telah dinyatakan oleh sarjana mereka bahawa kalimah Lord (Tuhan) di dalam Bible adalah merujuk kepada Nabi Isa!

Sekiranya mereka berhujah dengan menyatakan bahawa dalil yang paling jelas menunjukkan kalimah Tuhan adalah merujuk kepada Nabi Isa sedangkan kalimah Allah adalah merujuk kepada Tuhan Bapa, iaitu seperti dinyatakan di dalam The Gospel Of St.Matius 16:22 yang menyebut :

Tetapi Petrus menarik Jesus ke samping dan menegur Dia, katanya :“Tuhan, (Jesus) semoga Allah (Tuhan Bapa) menjauhkan hal itu”.

Maka mereka perlu menyelesaikan dahulu percanggahan di antara kedua ayat yang telah dinyatakan tadi. Sama ada Tuhan itu adalah Nabi Isa sahaja ataupun Tuhan juga adalah Allah!

Di samping itu, kita juga tidak lupa untuk menyeru agar mereka memerhatikan kata-kata Jesus sendiri terhadap keesaan Allah. Perhatikan The Gospel Of St.John 20:17 yang menyebut :

Kata Jesus kepadanya: Janganlah engkau memegang aku, sebab aku belum pergi kepada Bapa, tetapi pergilah kepada saudara-saudaraKu dan katakanlah kepada mereka bahawa sekarang Aku akan pergi kepada BapaKu dan Bapamu, AllahKu dan Allahmu.”

Dalam The Gospel Of St. Matthew 22:37 :menyebut :

Jawab Jesus kepadanya: “ Kasihilah Tuhan Allahmu dengan segenap hatimu dan dengan segenap jiwamu dan segenap akal budimu.

Dalam erti kata lain Nabi Isa bukannya Allah ataupun Tuhan Yang Maha Berkuasa kerana Nabi Isa sendiri menyatakan bahawa Tuhan yang sebenar ialah Allah!

Kesimpulannya, larangan terhadap penggunaan kalimah Allah yang diwartakan menerusi keputusan kabinet yang bersidang pada 16 Mei 1986 adalah amat wajar. Empat perkataan dikhususkan hanya buat umat Islam dan sama sekali tidak dibenarkan penggunaannya oleh Non Muslim iaitu Allah, Solat, Kaabah dan Baitullah. Sesetengah negeri pula contohnya selangor, telah menambah lagi beberapa perkataan yang dianggap mengelirukan sekiranya digunakan oleh Non Muslim.

Jelaslah di sini kewajaran kerajaan Malaysia melarang penggunaan kalimah Allah digunakan oleh Non Muslim yang bertujuan untuk mengelakkan kekeliruan di kalangan masyarakat apabila terminologi yang tidak tepat digunakan oleh mereka yang mempunyai kepentingan tertentu.