True Story From Muslim Albanian

"Don't build mosques, build schools ! We need education not arabization"...

I don't know since when my beloved country Kosovo with 96% of Muslims,has started to feed anger and hatred against Islam in such a scale as they see Islam like an Arab culture and not like the most beautiful religion on earth in the back in time, my country has accepted Islam during 12th century, while long caravans of trading passed through our lands. Than after Ottoman Empire came and invaded us, Islam started to spread really fast. Majority of Albanians refuse to admit but, Islam was the religion that took them away from the darkness of ignorance.

After the fall of the Ottoman Empire, Kosovo was invaded by the Slavic nation Serbia. For around 90 years we were occupied by this violent nation who, forced Albanian Muslims to leave their lands and go to Turkey, just because we were Muslims and Europe had to wipe out every single Muslim. It didn't matter if these Muslims were autochthonous in these lands before ancient empires founded. Those left Albanians in my little Kosovo, during these years of invasion and occupation, had been threatened, tortured, killed, and persecuted for practising Islam. This nation installed fear in Albanians lives, such as fathers were afraid to follow Islam to their kids, out of fear that serbian police might found out about them practising and kill every single member of their family. After World War 2, Slavic nations like Serbia, Slovenia, and Croatia founded the "Yugoslavia". Under Serbia occupation, Muslim Albanians couldn't practice Islam, teach others about Islam and, whoever tried to do so, they were arrested, tortured, and threatened. Lots of Muslim Albanians practiced Islam secretly, others who were more afraid of enemy than Allah, stopped practicing and following Islam to their children. Under socialist communist rule, Islam started to fade away. When Kosovo's war occurred in 1999, thousands of Albanians (majority Muslims), were forced to leave their homeland, were killed, slaughtered, rapped, and even burned alive. Young, old, men and women, children, even babies. Muslim Albanians eyes were on Muslim countries. Waiting for help, waiting for intervention, waiting for something that could stop all those massacres. No Muslim country heard our cry for help. Was the U.S.A who saw what was happening in Kosovo and didn't want to pretend like nothing is going on. They sent their war airplanes, bombed Serbia, and with Allah's will, permission and help, gave to Albanians their freedom.

After war, majority of Muslim Albanians were upset, sad, and felt abandoned by our Muslim brothers of other countries. They knew what was going on, but chose to remain silent and neutral while lots of Muslim lives were unjustly taken by serbian military forces. Islam started to fade away even more. Other Christian/Catholic countries used this opportunity and started to preach their religion. Albanians started to feel inferior towards Islam. When 9/11 occurred, Albanians of Kosovo started to have doubts and fear of Islam. Lots of foreign non Muslim organization, were sent here masked like tourists and workers, but their job was to brainwash Albanians who were already emotionally hurt from war and from Muslim countries who didn't care about us. Those who followed the Sunnah of our Prophet Sal'Allahu Aleyhi wa Salam, and grew their beards, those who covered and wore Hijab for Allah's sake, those who prayed, fasted, read Qur'an were tagged as extremists, terrorists, and, they were called "Arabs" non Albanians. As years passed lots of young Muslim Albanians went to study Islam in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries. When they came back, started to teach Islam to our youth. Generations who were born and raised on Communism didn't like when our youth started to practice Islam. It had cases when parents fought with their children because they started to pray, go to Majid, fast, talk about Islam and spread Islamic knowledge. Kosovo is a secular state with majority of Muslims. As youth was being guided to Allah's straight path old generations stood against them. Lots of Hijabi girls were not allowed to continue their school. Girls who came half naked were allowed to go to school dressed in the most provocative ways but, girl who covered not. One day on news I heard that our Parliament wanted to lower Adhan sound all around Kosovo. Lots of Muslims stood against this senseless act. The hate that Muslim Albanians had for Islam was something that broke my heart. Our minority of catholics never took a step against any Islamic activity. In my country boys have it easier to learn everything abouts Islam, because they gather on Majid and the imam gives lectures to them, teach whoever wants to learn Qur'an letters, how to read and recite. As for girls it is pretty hard to find a female teacher who could teach them Arabic letters, how to read, write, recite Qur'an, how to behave like a Muslimah. Majority of Imams wives they know Arabic, but they never took the initiative to organize courses for girls who want to learn. This lack of interest to spread Islam from Muslims who have studied Islam, made this religion fade away and not taken seriously. What concerns me a lot, is the way Hijabi girls and women look and judge other girls who are Muslims but yet didn't take the step to cover. I have some neighbors who wear Hijab, my dentist is a Hijabi but these girls and women I know are the most amazing people I ever met. They don't judge you, they are kind, warm and always ready to answer any question you have about Islam. On the other side, most of Hijabi girls/women are pretty judgmental. I don't know were they take the right to judge you, to look you in a way you feel like you're the lowest kind of creature. Some even dare to say that if you pray, fast, read Qur'an, but you are not covered, none of your deeds are not accepted, you are going straight to Jahannam.

These kind of people are taking others far away from Islam. 

As I mentioned up, Kosovo is a secular country. Public and private institutions, companies, businesses whom you work on, they don't give you "Salah break". You only have lunch break for 20 to 30 mins and during that time is up to you how you spend it. Or you have lunch, or you skip lunch and pray. But even if you want to pray, first there's no place were to take wudu except on toilets (who majority of them are not clean enough), than second,you don't have a place to pray. Working schedules are from 8 to 12 hours with a low salary. If you don't have conditions to pray at work, you'll be missing lots of salah whom you will have to pray after you come home from work. 

This beautiful religion changed my life. I am a born Muslim who started to pray just 3 years ago. An Albanian saying says : Better later than never ! Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'Ala guided me, and honored me. My parents are born Muslims, their parents, grand parents and grand grand parents as well but, my parents don't pray, fast, read Qur'an, or know anything about Islam. Their parents took them to Masjid when they were kids, but as kids are immature, they joked and made fun so my grandparents never took them again to Masjid and gave up immediately. So my parents grew up knowing nothing about Islam and they never were interested to get to know and learn. I grew up in a family who didn't practice Islam but, Alhamdulillah Allah sent me pious friends who were non stop talking to me about Allah, Islam, our beloved Prophet Sal'Allahu Aleyhi wa Salam. One day I took the first step towards Allah. As an Albanian I found hard to memorize Arabic surah of praying but Allah is The Greatest ! For a short period of time I memorized them and started to pray. I changed a lot Alhamdulillah. My parents didn't expected good this change. They were ashamed to tell people that I started to pray and became religious. When I mentioned Hijab and covering, my own mother threatened me that if I cover with Hijab she's going to torn my Hijab while I'll be sleeping. "You can cover only if you live on your own house, or at your husband's house. Not in my house !" -I remember she made it clear to me. As for my father he is against anything that has to do with Islam. I thank Allah that they didn't stop me from praying. Our youth day by day is getting to know more about Islam Alhamdulillah but we still are facing hardships and obstacles. Even though 96% Muslims, I can say that maybe only 10-15% of our population are religious. Who is to blame ? We Albanians say : "The guilt is orphan" , no one wants to take it. In Shaa Allah things are going to change in the future and, I hope and pray that Muslim Albanians see Islam as a beautiful religion that it was sent to lead and guide them to Allah's straight way, and not like an "Arab culture". 

May Allah guide and lead all misguided and misleaded Muslims all around the world.

Ketika Sang Kekasih Telah Meminta

Hari raya kurban atau biasa kita sebut Idul Adha yang kita peringati tiap tahun tak bisa terlepas dari kisah Nabi Ibrahim sebagaimana terekam dalam Surat ash-Shaffat ayat 99-111. Meskipun, praktik kurban sebenarnya sudah dilaksanakan putra Nabi Adam yakni Qabil dan Habil. Diceritakan bahwa kurban yang diterima adalah kurban Habil bukan Qabil. Itu pun bukan daging atau darah yang Alloh terima namun ketulusan hati dan ketakwaan dari si pemberi kurban. 

”Daging-daging unta dan darahnya itu sekali-kali tidak dapat mencapai (keridhaan) Alloh, tetapi ketakwaan dari kamulah yang dapat mencapainya. Demikianlah Alloh telah menundukkannya untuk kamu supaya kamu mengagungkan Alloh terhadap hidayah-Nya kepada kamu. Dan berilah kabar gembira kepada orang-orang yang berbuat baik.”(Al-Hajj (22): 37) 

Kendati sejarah kurban sudah berlangsung sejak generasi pertama umat manusia, namun syariat ibadah kurban dimulai dari cerita perintah Alloh kepada Nabi Ibrahim untuk menyembelih anak kesayangannya, Ismail ‘alaihissalâm. Seorang anak yang ia idam-idamkan bertahun-tahun karena istrinya sekian lama mandul. Alloh lalu memberi kabar gembira dengan anugerah kelahiran seorang anak yang amat cerdas dan sabar. Hanya saja, ketika anak itu menginjak dewasa, Nabi Ibrahim diuji dengan sebuah mimpi. Kisah ini dapat dilihat pada surat ash-Shaffat ayat 99-111

Ia berkata, "Wahai anakku, dalam tidur aku bermimpi berupa wahyu dari Alloh yang meminta aku untuk menyembelihmu. Bagaimana pendapat kamu?" Anak yang saleh itu menjawab, "Wahai bapakku, laksanakanlah perintah Robbmu. Insya Alloh kamu akan dapati aku termasuk orang-orang yang sabar." 

Tatkala sang ayah dan anak pasrah kepada ketentuan Alloh, Ibrâhîm pun membawa anaknya ke suatu tumpukan pasir. Lalu Ibrâhîm membaringkan Ismail dengan posisi pelipis di atas tanah dan siap disembelih. Atas kehendak Alloh, drama penyembelihan anak manusia itu batal dilaksanakan. Alloh berfirman : “Sesungguhnya ini benar-benar suatu ujian yang nyata. Dan Kami tebus anak itu dengan seekor sembelihan yang besar. Kami abadikan untuk Ibrahim itu (pujian yang baik) di kalangan orang-orang yang datang kemudian, (yaitu) ‘Kesejahteraan dilimpahkan atas Ibrahim’. Demikianlah Kami memberi balasan kepada orang-orang yang berbuat baik. Sesungguhnya ia termasuk hamba-hamba Kami yang beriman.”

Sungguh luar biasa pelajaran yang dapat dipetik dari kisah nabi Ibrahim dan keluarga nya, dengan kesabaran, kerelaan dan ketaatan kepada Alloh lah semua ujian itu terlewati. Oleh sebab itu Nabi Ibrahim pun dijuliki dengan “khalilullah” (kekasih Allah). Ia rela memberikan apapun yang berharga kepada kekasihnya. Karena kekasihnya yaitu Allah swt adalah segalanya. mendapat ujian berat pada saat rasa bahagianya meluap-luap dengan kehadiran sang buah hati di dalam rumah tangganya setelah menanti bertahun tahun. Lewat perintah menyembelih Ismail, Alloh seolah hendak mengingatkan Nabi Ibrahim bahwa anak hanyalah titipan. Anak betapapun mahalnya kita menilai tak boleh melengahkan kita bahwa hanya Allohlah tujuan akhir dari rasa cinta dan ketaatan. 

Sementara Nabi Ismail, meski usianya masih belia, mampu membuktikan diri sebagai anak berbakti dan patuh kepada perintah Robbnya. Yang menarik, ayahnya menyampaikan perintah tersebut dengan memohon pendapatnya terlebih dahulu, dengan tutur kata yang halus, tanpa unsur paksaan. Atas dasar kesalehan dan kesabaran yang ia miliki, ia pun memenuhi panggilan Robbnya. Ia rela untuk disembelih oleh ayahnya sendiri jika itu perintah dari Alloh seorang anak muda yang begitu pasrah akan takdirnya di tangan Alloh.

Dan tak kalah penting adalah peran pendidikan dari seorang ibu yang mendidik anak nya seorang diri saat ditinggal oleh suaminya untuk berdakwah. Yaitu Hajar wanita hebat dan sholehah yang mampu membentuk seorang anak yang takut akan Robb nya, berbakti kepada orang tua nya. Inilah seharusnya peranan para orang tua atau khusus nya ibu yang harus benar dalam mendidik anak nya kelak dan menjadi generasi yang terbaik. 

Secara pengertian sendiri Kurban idul adha diambil dari bahasa Arab, yaitu qaruba, yaqrabu, dan qurban wa qurbaanan di mana artinya adalah mendekati atau menghampiri. Sementara itu, arti kata qurban secara harfiah berarti hewan sembelihan yang diambil dari kata udhhiyah atau dhahiyyah. Udh-hiyah adalah hewan ternak yang disembelih pada hari Iedul Adha dan hari Tasyriq dalam rangka mendekatkan diri kepada Alloh karena datangnya hari raya tersebut (lihat Al Wajiz, 405 dan Shahih Fiqih Sunnah II/366)

Sebagaimana arti kata qurban yang bermakna dekat kepada Alloh, maka hakikat kurban adalah mendekatkan diri kepada Alloh dengan menjalankan segala perintah dan menjauhi larangan-Nya. Karena itu, makna qurban dalam pengertian Islam adalah bentuk pendekatan diri kita kepada Alloh melalui lantaran hewan ternak yang dikurbankan atau disembelih. Dengan begitu, kita merelakan sebagian harta kita yang sebetulnya milik Alloh untuk orang lain. Ini menjadi bagian dari ketaatan kita kepada Alloh. Syaratnya, dalam qurban kita harus benar-benar untuk mencari ridha Alloh, bukan untuk yang lain.

Menyembelih qurban termasuk amal salih yang paling utama. ‘Aisyah radhiyallahu’anha menceritakan bahwa Nabi shallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallambersabda, “Tidaklah anak Adam melakukan suatu amalan pada hari Nahr (Iedul Adha) yang lebih dicintai oleh Alloh melebihi mengalirkan darah (qurban), maka hendaknya kalian merasa senang karenanya.” (HR. Tirmidzi, Ibnu Majah dan Al Hakim dengan sanad sahih, lihat Taudhihul Ahkam, IV/450)

Keutamaan berkurban sangatlah besar bagi setiap muslimin. Ia dapat berbagi kebahagiaan kepada saudara-saudara yang lain yang membutuhkan. Sungguh islam merupakan agama yang indah. Kurban menurut mayoritas ulama adalah Sunnah Mu’akkadah (ditekankan) dan ada yang mengatakan berkurban adalah wajib bagi yang berkecukupan. Namun dengan perselisihan tersebut para ulama menasehati untuk berkurban jika memang ia sanggup karena hal itu merupakan pahala yang besar di hadapan Alloh SWT.

Hewan qurban hanya boleh dari kalangan Bahiimatul Al An’aam (hewan ternak tertentu) yaitu onta, sapi atau kambing dan tidak boleh selain itu. Dalilnya adalah firman Alloh yang artinya, “Dan bagi setiap umat Kami berikan tuntunan berqurban agar kalian mengingat nama Alloh atas rezki yang dilimpahkan kepada kalian berupa hewan-hewan ternak (bahiimatul an’aam).” (QS. Al Hajj: 34)

begitulah beberapa ketentuan yang islam perintahkan dalam hal berkurban. kita tahu bahwa dalam segala aspek nya dan sekecil apapun, Islam telah mengatur segala ketentuan nya. itulah tanda sayang Nya Alloh kepada hamba nya.

Marilah ikhwah fillah Sudah seharusnya kisah-kisah yang terdapat pada Al Quran menjadi pelajaran bagi umat-umat sesudahnya. Berkurban memiliki banyak faedah nya. Jadikan momentum hara raya kurban ini untuk lebih mendekatkan diri kepada Alloh SWT dan sebagai bahan renungan agar nilai-nilai ketaatan dan ketaatan semakin meningkat. Wallahualam bishowab.