This is What I Do When I Give You Nothing in Your Birthday

"Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You."
— Dr. Seuss

10 Blog Terbaik yang Gue Ikuti di Tahun 2011

1. Nailul Huda (hoedamanis.blogspot.com)

Gue mengenal Hoeda pertama kali ketika kita sama-sama belajar di sebuah kampus di Jawa Tengah. Setelah drop out dari kampus itu, gue kehilangan jejak tulisan-tulisanya. Google yang biasanya tahu segala hal nggak bisa ngasih informasi apapun tentang dia. Baru setahun belakangan ini akhirnya gue menemukan blog tersebut.

Ini adalah salah satu blog yang rajin diupdate dan berisi banyak hal. Dari yang paling serius, paling porno sampai paling konyol. Berkunjunglah sekali-kali ke sana. Lo akan dibawa menjelajah melalui tautan-tautan pada sebuah tulisan yang membawa ke tulisan yang lain. Terus dan terus. Seperti labirin pikiran. Menyesatkan, juga mengasikan.

2. Wicaksono (ndorokakung.com)

Gue mengenal Bloger gaek ini dari bukunya yang berjudul Ngeblog dengan Hati. Sebelumnya, Mas Wicaksono atau lebih ngetren dipangil Ndoro Kakung memang sudah malang melintang di dunia per-blog-an. Dan gue memang terlambat mengenalnya juga mengenal dunia blog ini.

Dia menulis bahwa menjadi blogger itu bisa berarti siap memilih jalan yang sunyi. Berkarya untuk dirinya sendiri dan menghindar dari kemasyhuran. Sebab popularitas itu membelenggu. Ia bahkan rawan menjadi sasaran perli khalayak.

Tulisan-tulisan dalam blognya nggak mengurui dan nggak pernah lebih dari 500 kata. Dia bilang gemuruh di ranah blog mungkin mirip perjalanan kembang api. Seseorang dengan cepat terlontar bercahaya ke angkasa, bak bintang luncur dengan suara riuh. Tapi tak lama kemudian ia meredup, lalu menghilang di kegelapan malam, jatuh sebagai arang yang getas.

3. A. s. Laksana (as-laksana.blogspot.com)

Buku Creative Writing karya A. s. Laksana wajib dimiliki bagi yang butuh pencerahan tentang dunia penulisan. Mas Sulak, begitu ia biasa dipanggil, adalah seorang sastrawan yang punya pemikiran-pemikiran cerdas dan unik. Gue kagum. Kunjungilah blognya, gue jamin lo akan juga terkagum-kagum.

Kekaguman gue bukan hanya itu. Ia juga pembelajar sejati. Autodidak murni. Dia mungkin satu-satunya orang yang memahami metode Hipnosis Erickson hanya dari membaca buku.

4. Raditya Dika (radityadika.com)

Gue mengenal Kambing Jantan dari seorang kawan. Setelah membeli Cinta Brontosaurus, gue mulai mencari segala sesuatu tentang dia. Sampai akhirnya, kami bertemu pada sebuah pelatihan menulis yang dipelopori oleh Rotrac dan Gagas Media di Wahid Institute.

The rest of that is a history. Dia menelpon gue untuk menerbitkan karya gue yang pertama. Tulisan di blognya —walaupun akhir-akhir ini terlihat menurun tapi, tetap menghibur.

5. Panji Pragiwaksono (www.pandji.com)

Gue belajar tentang nasionalisme dari Panji. Penggiat stand up comedy ini juga punya pemikiran-pemikiran yang cemerlang yang sering dituangkan dalam blognya. Mengunjungi blognya terasa semangat optimisme yang sangat realistis.

6. Paulo Coelho (paulocoelhoblog.com)

Nggak perlu diperkenalkan lagi penulis kelas dunia ini, Paulo Coelho. Seperti buku-bukunya, blognya juga sangat menggugah dan inspiratif. Dan yang paling penting blog itu diupdate tiga hari dalam satu minggu. Penulis yang sungguh produktif.

7. Nanette (www.nannersp.com)

Nanette, ibu seorang putri ini tinggal di Amerika. Tanpa sengaja gue menemukan blog ini dan langsung menyukai tulisan-tulisannya. Ia bukan penulis, maksud gue belum pernah menerbitkan buku, tapi tulisan-tulisan dalam blognya menandakan ia seorang yang terbiasa belajar banyak hal.

Tulisan-tulisanya ringan. Tentang keseharian. Baju yang ia pakai. Pesta putrinya. Liburan. Pindah rumah. Yeah, all simple and ordinary thing. Sometimes wordless (as she said).

8. Fahd Pahdepie(fahd-isme.blogspot.com)

Nama penanya Fahd Djibran. Ia adalah pemikir yang serius. Pemuda peneliti ini sungguh mengagumkan. Gue mengenalnya dari goodreads.com. Buku-bukunya, walaupun gue belum memiliki semuanya, sungguh membuktikan keluasan wawasannya.

Berkunjung ke blognya, gue merasa disuguhi pemikiran-pemikiran optimis dan Islam yang damai. Anak muda yang keren.

9. Helvy Tiana Rosa (helvytr.multiply.com)

Sebelum berkunjung ke blog salah satu penulis Indonesia paling berpengaruh ini, gue nggak pernah tertarik untuk membaca tulisan-tulisannya, buku-bukunya. Tapi begitu baca salah satu postingan di blognya, gue ketagihan. Tulisannya begitu menyentuh. Humanis. Nggak mengurui dan tentang hal-hal yang sederhana yang luput dari pengamatan orang biasa. Helvy Tiana Rosa adalah wanita dengan hati malaikat.

10. Abdurahman Faiz (masfaiz.multiply.com)

Abdurahman Faiz adalah anak ajaib. Gue kehabisan kata-kata untuk mengambarkan keunikan anak kecil ini. Kunjungilah blognya lo akan tahua apa yang gue maksud. Anak dari pasangan Tomi Satryatomo dan Helvy Tiana Rosa ini lahir tahun 1995.

Gue hampir nggak percaya dia bisa nulis sebanyak dan sebagus itu. Benar benar anak ajaib. Di bawah ini gue kutipkan puisinya yang dia tulis untuk presiden penyair Sutardji Colzoum Bachri, padahal saat itu ia baru berusia 12 tahun.

MEMBACAMU

membacamu
kutemukan puluhan
bulan lonjong
tertawa
dan lumpur
membedaki
kakikaki
kuda luka

satu saja
teriakan matari
dan segala kata
mengejar merdeka!

18 Juli 2007

Ya, setelah banyak membaca, gue menyadari benar apa yang pernah dikatakan Voltaire, "Semakin aku banyak membaca, semakin aku banyak berpikir; semakin aku banyak belajar, semakin aku sadar bahwa aku tak mengetahui apa pun"

Percakapan Ngaco

“De, Samsul mau berenti.” Kata gue memulai pembicaraan. (note: Samsul itu kawan di pabrik)
“Kenapa emang?” Kata istri.
“Gak tahan disiksa Sari” (note: Sari itu Bos)
“Hahahaha”
“Sakit dia. Gak biasa begadang. Stress juga mungkin sama kerjaannya.” Gue kasih alesan yang lebih masuk akal. FYI, sebagai security amatir begadang itu jadi sarat utama.
“Kok abang enggak?” Istri gue heran.
“Kamu gak liat mukaku nih. Stress kan?” *Sambil nunjuk muka sendiri*
“Apaan? Naek sepuluh kilo gitu stress?” Kata istri gue enteng, “trus yang gantiin siapa?”
“Ya anak baru lah.”
“Mudah-mudahan bukan cewek.” Istri gue berharap.
“Mudah-mudahan kayak Britney Spears.” Gue berharap.
“Mudah-mudahan Britney Spears yang punya titit.”

Gue bengong.
Abis itu ngakak.

Pragmatism of Bilbo Baggins (Part II)

After he escapes from goblins’ cave, he is reunited with the dwarves and Gandalf and they continue their journey. They arrive in front of Mirkwood. Gandalf leaves them because he has an important thing to do. And the new adventure in the jungle begins without Gandalf.

Mirkwood is widely known because it has many dangers. It is very dark inside. The trees are very tall, big and seem tangled to one another so the sunshine cannot go through the leaves. The river is magically black spelled and cannot be drunk. And there are many creatures that they have never seen before. And again, in this situation Bilbo shows his pragmatism.

In the middle of the jungle, Bilbo and the dwarves are lost and meet the giant spiders. All dwarves are caught, made into some bundles and hanged in the branches. There is no other way, only Bilbo that can help them. And he decides to fight the spiders, using himself as a decoy instead of going away.

“’I am going to disappear,’ he [Bilbo] said. ‘I shall draw the spiders off, if I can; and you must keep together and make in the opposite direction. To the left there, that is more or less the way towards the place where we last saw the elf-fires.’” (The Hobbit, p.164)

It is not one time he helps the dwarves. After Bilbo rescues them from the giant spiders, the dwarves are caught by the elves of Mirkwood for trespassing the Elvenking. At that time, again Bilbo rescues them using the invisible ring.

When he is invisible, he follows the dwarves which lead him into a dungeon. His decision is very dangerous but not without his consideration. At the first he hesitates but finally decides not to leave their friends and enters to the Elvenking’s Halls to rescue them.

“Across the bridge the elves thrust their prisoners, but Bilbo hesitated in the rear. He did not at all like the look of the cavern-mouth and he only made up his mind not to desert his friends just in time to scuttle over at the heels of the fast elves, before the great gates of the king closed behind them with a clang.” (The Hobbit, p.172)

The doors of the halls can be opened and closed by magic. Even though Bilbo is invisible, it is still hard for him to find a way out to rescue the dwarves. But he finally finds one way out. He finds that the great gates in the Elvenking’s Hall are not the only entrance to the caves. A stream flows under part of the lowest regions of the palace. Where this underground watercourse comes forth from the hillside, there is a water-gate. But the portcullis is often open, for a good deal of traffic goes out and in by the water-gate.

Bilbo discovers the trapdoors and their use, and lurking there, listening to the talk of the king’s servants, he learns how the wine and other goods come up the rivers, or over land, to the Long Lake. When the barrels are empty, the elves cast them through the trapdoors, open the water-gate, and out the barrels floated on the stream. And Bilbo’s plan is using empty barrels, leaping into the stream after them.

From these two decisions, the thought of pragmatism is demonstrated. As it is delivered by James that pragmatism is not a stiff theory. It is an instrument that provides an umbrella for any thoughts as long as the thoughts can produce real and useful actions. Pragmatism also refuses theoretical argument, priority debate, ideological refute, moral value discussion, and so forth in order to take useful action immediately.

Bilbo’s acts that the writer describes previously are qualified in pragmatism view; real, immediate and useful actions. In addition, it strengthens the explanation that truth is made and expedient.

In Bilbo’s case, the benefit is for the dwarfs. This benefit is indeed partial. Not everyone gets the benefit from what has Bilbo done. For dwarfs, it is very useful, but it is not for the elves. At first, the elves would like to investigate the dwarfs about the reason they come to their forest. It is difficult —if we cannot call it impossibility, to provide benefit for everyone, for every side.

However, in The Hobbit the writer finds that in the end Bilbo is not selfish. He puts aside his own interest or benefit for a bigger and more important thing, which is for a common good. He arrives at Misty Mountain and Smaug is finally slain by Bard. Bilbo and the dwarfs take control of the treasure that once was under the dragon’s wings. Then the people of Lake Town helped by the elves demand to Thorin for their treasure that is also robbed by the dragon before, but Thorin refuses it arrogantly. So they warn that they will surround the mountain and will not let any dwarf pass. Of course Thorin does not give up easily. He asks for a help from Dain, his cousin in the Iron hills near the Lonely Mountain. Dain has more than five hundred well-armed dwarves.

At that time, again Bilbo shows his pragmatism. He takes Arkenstone, which belongs to Thorin’s father as one of his precious treasure, and gives it to Bard. Even to hide the stone is a dangerous act. Arkenstone “is worth more than a river of gold in itself, and to me [Thorin] it is beyond price. That stone of all the treasure I name unto myself, and I will be avenged on anyone who finds it and withholds it.” (The Hobbit, p. 268)

Bilbo’s decision to give Arkenstone to Bard, who is by right descent the heir of Girion of Dale, is basically because it is Bard who kills Smaug the dragon so Thorin’s treasure is free from the marauding dragon. Moreover, the treasure that the dragon has taken mostly comes from Girion and Esgaroth, the area of lake-men town. Further in the last battle Smaug destroys the dwellings of the men of Esgaroth. And the last but not least, Bilbo has thought for the sorrow and misery of Dale people. He does not want any clash occurred between the dwarfs and the alliance of the Lake Town people and the elves.

Arkenstone, in Bilbo’s thought, is capable to make Thorin talk it over and finally give the treasure that belongs to the Dale people. Therefore, a battle between the dwarfs and the alliance of the Lake Town people and the elves will not happen. Consequently, Thorin becomes very angry with him.

“’I gave it them!’ squeaked Bilbo, who was peeping over the wall, by now, in a dreadful fright.
‘You! You!’ cried Thorin, turning upon him and grasping him with both hands. ‘You miserable hobbit! You undersized-burglar!’ he shouted at a loss for words, and he shook poor Bilbo like a rabbit.
‘By the beard of Durin! I wish I had Gandalf here! Curse him for his choice of you! May his beard wither! As for you I will throw you to the rocks!’ he cried and lifted Bilbo in his arms.” (The Hobbit, p. 276)

In this situation Bilbo believes that peace will bring more benefit than a battle will. This is suitable with what William James says that a will precedes the truth where the will is accompanied by a desire to believe.

At first it seems that Bilbo’s act does not give him any benefit. He can even lose a fourteenth of Thorin’s treasure that will be given to him as payment for his service. In other words, what Bilbo has done inflicts such a loss for himself, but he believes that it will be useful for many people or sides and for peace. He puts the others’ benefit or common good over his own benefit. He says: “…Take it that I have disposed of my share as I wished, and let it go at that!” (The Hobbit, p. 277)

And finally, by his pragmatic act, the war between the dwarves and the alliance of the lake-town people and the elves can be avoided. The two groups unite to fight the evil goblins. The goblins can be defeated and the treasures are shared.

Through Bilbo’s decision, it seems that Tolkien wants to show that pragmatism is supposed to be able to give much benefit for many people instead of to one person. With that, it can be seen that good or truth is something that should be useful for many people.

Pragmatism of Bilbo Baggins (Part I)

The writer starts this finding by telling the basic theme of The Hobbit. Even the most common readers have to agree that the central theme of The Hobbit is struggling between good or truth and evil or wrong.

There have been many philosophers trying to explain the meaning of truth through their philosophical theories. The idealists say that ideas are true if the meaning of a sentence reflects the object adequately. While the rationalists believe that reason is the essential route to truth, which exists in the world of ideas.

In this study the writer shows the meaning of ‘good’ or ‘truth’ that might Tolkien tries to deliver in The Hobbit. The writer analyzes that there are some acts that indicate the meaning of truth as good by pragmatism view, especially the theory delivered by William James. He writes in his book Pragmatism: A new name for some old ways of thinking that truth as good is made and useful. Someone can say that something is true because it is useful or it is useful so it is true.

Moreover, the truth ideas are validated and verified through the real expedience or actions. The wrong ideas cannot be verified and validated through experience. It can be concluded that truth is every action that can bring the doer into good result and the result is useful and satisfying.

In The Hobbit the writer sees this useful-good is delivered by the author through Bilbo Baggins as the main character. Many Bilbo’s actions in the novel clearly show his pragmatism. This is the same thing with pragmatism that emphasizes on human actions. Pragmatism itself is taken from Greek 'pragma' which means action or work.

The writer finds that Bilbo’s decision in joining the adventure with thirteen dwarves is right in pragmatic view. At first Bilbo refuses Gandalf’s invitation because he considers there will be more bad things happened than the good ones.

“’I should think so - in these parts! We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty disturbing uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! I can’t think what anybody sees in them,’ said our Mr. Baggins.”(The Hobbit, p. 4)

But Gandalf makes such a sign on the Bilbo’s door which approximately means; burglar wants a good job, plenty of Excitement and reasonable reward. Because of that sign, the dwarves and also Gandalf get together in Bilbo’s house and have a meeting there. When Thorin, son of the dwarves’ king, explains the adventure and also the dangers that might happen, suddenly Bilbo screams and shudders. The dwarves become doubtful to Bilbo, even Gloin, one of the dwarves says that at the first time he comes to the house Bilbo looks more like a grocer than a burglar. Bilbo is offended with the words and finally decides to join the adventure.

“’Pardon me,’ he [Bilbo] said, ‘if I have overheard words that you were saying. I don’t pretend to understand what you are talking about, or your reference to burglars, but I think I am right in believing’ (this is what he called being on his dignity) ‘that you think I am no good. I will show you. I have no signs on my door-it was painted a week ago-, and I am quite sure you have come to the wrong house. As soon as I saw your funny faces on the door-step, I had my doubts. But treat it as the right one. Tell me what you want done, and I will try it, if I have to walk from here to the East of East and fight the wild Were-worms in the Last Desert…’“ (The Hobbit, p. 18-19)

Pragmatism of William James offers a new method in seeing truth. He refuses truth as a static thing in an idea. It implies that truth is not an absolute thing but changeable. Moreover truth can be made. This point of view also guides to see that ideas are only instruments or equipment for reaching the goals. Thus motivation of the subject can determine the truth in an idea.

In Bilbo Baggins, the motivation of his act to join the adventure is his resentfulness because the dwarves oversimplify him. Of course, the writer does not directly say through the motivation of Bilbo’s act becoming right. The writer adds with verification that also becomes a requirement to prove that the acts that Bilbo takes are right. As stated by James that truth needs verification.

In a brief explanation, verification process to an idea is divided into two views: prospective and retrospective. Prospectively, an idea is true if it directs to do an action. In this case, verification process starts and the idea might be proven to be right. Retrospectively, verification process has reached the result. If the result is useful, the idea is the right one. Further William James states that “True is the name for whatever idea starts the verification-process, useful is the name for its completed function in experience”.

Bilbo’s decision in joining adventure causes many troubles for himself, Gandalf and the dwarves, but finally, his decision proves to be right according to the result of the action. In the end of his adventure, he gets the goal of the adventure; takes the treasure deprived by the marauding dragon Smaug.

One of Bilbo’s decisions in the adventure is when he bravely sneaks into a group of troll for stealing. It is because of some reasons. One of them is because he and the dwarves are wet by rain. They are also lost most of their supplies because their ponies that carry their supplies get scared and soon run away. While nobody knows where Gandalf has gone away, Bilbo has already been trusted as their experienced burglar. He sees a bon fire and smoke that indicate there is assign of life. When he approaches to the fire, he sees trolls having roast lamb. With all those reasons in addition to his belief, he decides to pick the trolls’ pockets in order to get something useful for him and the dwarves. Even though, at first he is not sure of his action, but he does it anyway.

“Bilbo knew it. He had read of a good many things he had never seen or done. He was very much alarmed, as well as disgusted… So he stood and hesitated in the shadows. Of the various burglarious proceedings he had heard of picking the trolls’ pockets seemed the least difficult…” (The Hobbit, p. 35-36)

The idea of his act is exactly the same as what James writes.

“If I am lost in the woods and starved, and find what looks like a cow-path, it is of the utmost importance that I should think of a human habitation at the end of it, for if I do so and follow it, I save myself. The true thought is useful here because the house which is its object is useful.” (Pragmatism, p. 203)

One event that cannot be put aside relating to Bilbo’s act that shows his pragmatism is when Bilbo gets lost in goblins cave and meets Gollum. They play the riddle. In the game, they make a bet. If Bilbo wins, Gollum will give a way out of the cave, but if he loses Gollum will eat him.

Bilbo knows that the riddle-game is sacred and of immense antiquity, and even wicked creatures are afraid to cheat when they play at it. But he asks a question that is not supposed to be a riddle. He skews in the game. He asks the ‘real’ question. He asks about something in his pocket. He realizes his fraud —even at the first it accidentally happened. Gollum also tells about Bilbo’s fraud but he still gives the question as a riddle.

“’Not fair! not fair!’ he [Gollum] hissed. ‘It isn’t fair, my precious, is it, to ask us what it’s got in its nassty little pocketses?’
Bilbo seeing what had happened and having nothing better to ask stuck to his question. ‘What have I got in my pocket?’ he said louder.” (The Hobbit, p. 79)

Bilbo’s decision that seems to be a pragmatic decision is when he jumps over Gollum and crawl past the Goblins to squeeze through the closing door wearing the ring that can make him invisible. The ring actually belongs to Gollum. Bilbo accidentally finds it before he meets Gollum.

Skipping Gollum when he is angry because his precious ring is taken and passing the goblin that are very angry because their leader was killed by Gandalf, not only need the courage but also need encouragement that can motivate him. He also needs to consider the benefit and the loss. And that what he does. He thinks that whatever the dangers of passing Gollum and goblins are much better than he should live in the goblins’ cave alone. He realizes the danger threatening him and his pragmatism shows him to act and finally he is free from goblins’ cave.

Continue reading, please click here.

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Stay online, Man!

Selamat Hari Natal

Ini kisah Nabi Isa Alaihissalam yang diabadikan di dalam Al Qur’an Surah Maryam ayat 22-33:

Sakit perut menjelang persalinan, memaksa Maryam bersandar ke pohon kurma. Ingin rasanya beliau mati, bahkan tidak pernah hidup sama sekali. Tetapi Malaikat Jibril datang menghibur: "Ada anak sungai di bawahmu, goyanghan pangkal pohon kurma ke arahmu, makan, minum dan senangkan hatimu. Kalau ada yang datang katakan: 'Aku bernazar tidak bicara.'" "Hai Maryam, engkau melakukan yang amat buruk. Ayahmu bukan penjahat, ibumu pun bukan penzina," demikian kecaman kaumnya, ketika melihat bayi digendongannya. Tetapi Maryam terdiam. Beliau hanya menunjuk bayinya. Dan ketika itu bercakaplah sang bayi menjelaskan jati dirinya sebagai hamba Allah yang diberi Al-Kitab, shalat, berzakat serta mengabdi kepada ibunya. Kemudian sang bayi berdoa: "Salam sejahtera (semoga) dilimpahkan kepadaku pada hari kelahiranku, hari wafatku, dan pada hari ketika aku dibangkitkan hidup kembali."

(Terjemahan ringkas ini ditulis oleh Prof. DR. M. Quraish Shihab) 

Saya sadar pembaca blog ini sangat beragam, sehingga pasti akan ada perbedaan pendapat dalam menanggapi tulisan-tulisan di sini. Tapi, di sini saya tidak sedang ingin mengubah pendapat orang yang sudah punya pendirian. Saya hanya mau berbagi perspektif, dengan kedamaian. Saya dan setiap muslim percaya kepada Nabi Isa AS sebagaimana kami percaya kepada Nabi Muhammad SAW. Keduanya adalah hamba dan utusan Allah. Namun saya juga menghormati dan menerima kaum Kristen yang percaya bahwa Nabi Isa Al Masih (Yesus Kristus) adalah Tuhan. 

Saya sudah membaca banyak perdebatan dari kalangan Islam-Kristen tentang ketuhanan Yesus dari mulai yang ilmiah dan sopan sampai yang kasar dan hanya berisi caci maki. Oleh karenanya saya tidak akan melanjutkan perdebatan itu di sini. Sekali lagi, saya menghormati perbedaan. 

Semenjak kecil, saya banyak membaca dan diceritakan tentang Nabi Isa. Berikut adalah mukjizat yang diberikan Allah kepadanya: 

1. Lahir tanpa seorang ayah. (QS. Maryam: 27-33) 
2. Mampu berbicara dengan manusia saat masih bayi. 
3. Mengerti Taurat yang diturunkan kepada Nabi Musa dan Injil. 
4. Membentuk tanah seperti burung kemudian meniupnya, dan tanah itu menjadi burung. 
5. Mampu menghidupkan orang yang mati dari dalam kubur. 
6. Mampu menyembuhkan orang buta dan yang berpenyakit belang. (QS. al-Maidah: 110-111) 
7. Mampu menurunkan makanan dari langit. (QS. al-Maidah: 112-115)
8. Mampu mengetahui apa yang seorang makan dan yang mereka simpan di rumah. (QS. Ali ‘Imran: 49) 

Setiap nabi mempunyai mukjizat yang berlainan satu sama lain. Mereka dianugrahi mukjizat sesuai dengan keadaan zaman ketika mereka diutus. Nabi Isa diutus di tengah-tengah kaum materialis yang mengingkari ruh dan hari kebangkitan. Sehingga Allah memberikan mukjizat-mukjizat yang menunjukan kesalahan pemahaman mereka. 

Penghormatan saya kepada Nabi Isa sama seperti penghormatan saya kepada nabi-nabi yang lain. Saya percaya bahwa Rukun Islam yang lima yaitu Syahadat, Sholat Lima Waktu, Puasa di Bulan Ramadhan, Membayar Zakat, dan Pergi Haji adalah ibadah-ibadah yang dilakukan nabi-nabi sebelum Nabi Muhammad —tentu dengan beberapa perbedaan. Dan dengan menjalankan ibadah-ibadah tersebut berarti saya juga menghormati dan menjalankan ajaran Nabi-nabi yang lain. Bahkan Nabi Muhammad merayakan hari keselamatan Musa AS dari gangguan Fir'aun dengan berpuasa 'Asyura, seraya bersabda, "Kita lebih wajar merayakannya daripada orang Yahudi pengikut Musa AS." 

Dalam Al Quran, Allah mengabadikan ucapan selamat natal/harlah/ulang tahun Nabi Isa sebagaimana ayat yang saya kutip pertama kali di atas, "Salam sejahtera (semoga) dilimpahkan kepadaku pada hari kelahiranku, hari wafatku, dan pada hari ketika aku dibangkitkan hidup kembali." 

Apakah umat Islam juga seharusnya merayakan Natal Isa Al Masih atau Yesus Kristus? 

Ada dua pendapat dalam hal ini; melarang dan membolehkan. Yang melarang mengatakan bahwa walaupun berkaitan dengan Isa Al Masih, namun Natal dirayakan oleh umat Kristen yang pandangannya terhadap Al Masih berbeda dengan pandangan Islam. Jadi, mengucapkan "Selamat Natal" atau menghadiri perayaannya dapat menimbulkan kesalahpahaman dan dapat mengantar kepada pengaburan akidah. Golongan ini juga berpendapat bahwa tanggal 25 Desember bukan tanggal Isa/Yesus dilahirkan. 

Sekedar informasi tambahan, penolakan perayaan Natal pada tanggal 25 Desember ini juga terjadi di beberapa gereja. Mereka beranggapan bahwa Natal bersumber dari tradisi kafir. Encyclopedia Britannica 2000 dengan topik ‘Christmas’ mengatakan tanggal itu bertepatan dengan hari raya kafir Romawi yang menandai ‘hari lahir dari matahari yang tak terkalahkan’. Tapi orang Kristen yang merayakannya berpendapat bahwa perayaan Natal yang bertepatan dengan perayaan kafir itu bukan berarti bahwa umat Kristen waktu itu menyembah dewa-dewa kafir. Sebaliknya justru mereka ingin menjauhkan diri dari kekafiran. Lagipula belum ada peneliti yang mampu memberikan tanggal pasti kelahiran Yesus, maka tradisi perayaan Natal 25 Desember itu pun terus dilaksanakan. 

Sementara orang Islam yang berpendapat boleh mengucapkan “Selamat Natal”, memberikan sarat: jika mengucapkannya sesuai dengan kandungan "Selamat Natal" Qurani, dan mempertimbangkan kondisi dan situasi dimana hal itu diucapkan, sehingga tidak menimbulkan kerancuan akidah baik bagi dirinya ataupun Muslim yang lain. 

Hanya Allah yang tahu kapan Nabi Isa/Yesus dilahirkan. Namun hari ini saya ingin mengucapkan, “Salam sejahtera semoga tercurah kepada beliau, pada hari Natalnya, hari wafat dan hari kebangkitannya nanti.” 

Wallahu ‘alam bissowab

Oh My Boy Band!

Ini berita bagus: gue udah mulai suka nonton Boy Band Indonesia.

Ehm, awalnya gue menganggap Boy Band Indonesia itu hanya ngejual tampang, jogetnya nggak kompak, pakeannya kayak bencong dan lain sebagainya.

Tapi suatu hari, waktu lagi ganti-ganti channel, gue liat ada kumpulan ABG nyanyi lipsing sambil joget kejang. Istri gue bilang, “Udah ini aja, bang!”
“Apaan? Orang-orang homo begini ditonton.” Kata gue sambil mau pindahin channel.
“Jangan! Lumayan buat bahan celaan.”

Yeah, mulai dari situ gue tau cara menikmati Boy Band.

This is What the Girl Want to Hear from You

One day, in the afternoon, a wife starts a conversation with her husband.

Wife: do you still find me attractive?

(This is really damn question! If you say ‘NO’ it will hurt her. If you say ‘YES’ she will think, “Okay. I am still attractive. So it is still too long to be the unattractive one. BUT one day he will think that I’m not attractive! OH!”)

Husband: why do you ask?

(This is a question to make you know the motif)

Wife: just answer.

Husband: that’s not such a question I should answer.

(Don’t give up. Try harder to find the motif)

Wife: I think I’m not I used to be. I didn’t treat my self well.

(This is it the motif and also the stupidity! If you know you didn’t treat your self well so treat it well. Don’t ask someone to make you feel guiltless. Even she can answer her self)

Husband: just let it dark. You know, ignorance is blessing.

(This is how to avoid a major disaster)

Wife: and if I die in the next day, won’t you regret for the unspoken words I’d like to hear?

(This is what makes you feel guilty)

Husband: that’s not a question, even it’s a complexity!

Wife: I just asking am I still attractive or no? Is it so hard to answer?

Husband: what would you do with the answer?

Wife: Hmm… so it’s probably ‘NO’. Okay I get the answer then.

(SEE!)

Husband: that what I said a complexity. Not answering it makes you can justifiably the answer. Answering it makes you have argument to deny.

Wife: But this is not the question I’d like to deny. If you say yes then I’ll be smiling and more confident. If you say no that clarify a lot and I’ll try to improve my self. You make it complicated.

Husband: so which one do you prefer smiling without improving or improving without smiling?

Wife: The truth.

Husband: this is not a matter of truth or lie. Yes or no. true or wrong. This is not multiple choices. This is a marriage. Wider this is life.

Wife: I agree. However, sweet words and acts won’t hurt and even can sweeten the marriage life.

(This is what she needs from the beginning; SWEET WORDS!)

Moral of the conversation: What ever the question the girl only needs sweet words. So, be a liar guys!

What The Dark Tell to Me

Kamu tahu, Sayang. Kegelapan itu yang membuat bebintang menjadi cantik paripurna. Ia juga membuat lampu-lampu di bawah bukit berkedip-kedip. Dan di bawah sana, bebintang dan lelampu itu bertemu. Langit malam dan cahaya kerlap-kerlip itu seakan mengajarkan kita hukum semesta yang paling subtil bahwa kegelapan itu anugrah, ketidaktahuan itu hikmah. Dan hentikan pertanyaan-pertanyaan yang tidak bisa dijawab lelaki bodoh ini.

Search Box

I put the pointer in the search box and then type, "Nailal Fahmi"

The screen flashes briefly and then came the words, "Did you mean: Animal Farm"

Yeah! You’re rite, dumb!