Haji Umar Ryoichi Mita of Japan

Dawn of Islam in Japan Among the countries of Asia, the advent of Islam in Japan is perhaps the most recent development in its history, which is only about 65 years old, that is Islam found its way into Japan nearly 40 years after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, the turning Point of the Japanese history from feudalism to modernization. In the wake of the Meiji Restoration, early modern Japan reorganized its industrial and educational systems in the European and American patterns. Together with these western pattern of modernization, Christianity also made its inroads. Notwithstanding this fact, also during this time Islam got its way into Japan and quite a few Japanese were influenced and inspired, ironically, through anti Islamic propaganda by the interested forces, not through any Islamic preaching. They became the nucleus to open the path of Allah in this country. But these pioneer Muslims, like those in other countries, lived a poor life and died a poor death. 0nly three of them are still alive. Among them is Haji Umar Mita, the most typical example of the early Muslims in Japan. In fact, Haji Umar Mita is the most outstanding figure in the annals of Islam in this corner of the world. Now at the time of 82, this Grand Old Man of Islam in Japan can rightly be called the pride of the Japanese Muslims.
Early life of Haji Umar Mita Haji Umar Mita whose Japanese name is Ryoichi Mita was born on19 December 1892 in a samurai(warrior) family of Chofu Town in Yamaguchi Prefecture, western Japan. Since childhood Ryoichi did not possess a strong health or physique. His weak and ailing physical constitution caused delay in completion of his education. Therefore, at an advanced age of 24, in March 1916, Ryoichi graduated from the Yamaguchi Commercial College, the forerunner of the present Yamaguchi University. Soon after graduation he proceeded to China, for which he had been yearning so long.
Ryoichi Mita in China China was a very familiar name to Ryoichi from his childhood because of the Sino-Japanese Wars in the midninties of the last century and the Russo-Japanese Wars in the turn of the Present century. Ryoichi reared a dream for going to China all through his early youth. After graduating from college, he crossed over to China. This event not only became the first step toward the fulfillment of his long-cherished desire of seeing the continent but also gave him the first chance to come in contact with Islam. Meanwhile, Ryoichi earned some skins in medical practice. He traveled through various regions of the Chinese mainland meeting people, learning the Chinese language and earning the experience of life. During those travels, his skills in the medica1 practice greatly helped him to strengthen the human contact. Specially through these personal contacts he started to know about the actual life of the Muslim, the Muslim way of thinking and the Muslim society. This opportunity could never be expected in Japan. Ryoichi became highly impressed by the lifestyle of the Muslims. In 1920, he wrote an article on “lslam in China” in a Japanese magazine called “TOA KEIZAI KENKYU”(Far-East Economic Research Journal Nos 1, 2,3.)
Ryoichi Mita happens to meet Haji Omar Kotaro Yamaoka, a Muslim forerunner in Japan Meanwhile, the first chapter of the history of Islam in Japan was opened by Haji omar Kotaro Yamaoka, who was the first Japanese Muslim to perform Hajj in 1909, accompanying Mufti Abdul Rashid lbrahim, a Turkish Muslim leader of Tartar origin who was then living in Japan. After returning to Japan in the following year, Haji omar Kotaro Yamaoka embarked upon a wide travel across the Japanese islands making lectures and holding discussions about his travel to the holy lands, thus introducing and explaining Islam and the Muslim world. In 1912, Haji Yamaoka wrote and pub1ished a number of books on his journey through Arabia and on the grand spectacles of the pilgrimage of Haji in Mecca. Young Ryoichi, still a student, became highly impressed by the accounts regarding the Islamic lands contained in these books. Thus, it can be assumed that even before going to China Ryoichi had already acquired some background know1edge of Islam. In 1921, Ryoichi Mita returned to Japan for a while. During his stay in Japan, he attended lectures as well as studied the writings of Haji Omar Kotaro Yamaoka. Then he met Haji Yamaoka for the first time in Kamakura near Tokyo, to learn more about Islam. At that time, Ryoichi Mita was 29 and Haji Yamaoka was 41. Ryoichi had not yet formally accepted Islam although his heart was gradually turning toward Islam.
Ryoichi Mita works for Manchurian Railways In 1922, Ryoichi Mita joined the Manchjrian Railway Company and was posted at the Company's headquarters in Dairen(Dalian), Manchuria. There Ryoichi entered into his married life. In the office, Ryoichi Mita was in charge of the Inspection Section relating to the industrial inspection in Manchuria. In course of time, along with his promotion to the higher posts, he was transferred from one place to another, which enabled him to see many places including Mukden(Shenyang), Hurbin and so forth and to come in contact with many people. Meanwhile, the Manchurian Incident occurred and the successive long-drawn Sino-Japanese war began, leaving many innocent people in distress. Though an official of the Manchurian Railway Company, Ryoichi Mita devoted himself to the relief of the distressed wherever he went around the northern China on his official duty. This gave him more chances to come in closer contact with the Muslims, thereby serving as incentives for strengthening his determination to embrace Islam. The year 1941 was the turning point in the life of Ryoichi Mita. Until then although for nearly 30 years he had known Islam, studied it, nurtured the fondness for Islam at heart, nay, although he was already a Muslim in his heart all through those years, he still did not embrace Islam formally. Maybe, this delay was due to the Buddhist religious tradition of a samurai family for generations, and his living environment up to that time was not quite favorable for a hasty change-over.
Ryoichi Mita becomes Umar Mita When Ryoichi Mita was transferred to Peking, he decided to make his faith in Islam public. Therefore, he met Imam Wang Reilan of Nyuchie Masjid of Peking and under his guidance Ryoichi Mita formally declared his faith in Islam in 1941, received the name of umar, and became a dedicated servant of Allah. Thirty three years later, even today, Haji Umar Mita recalls that great moment with serene joy of fulfillment and also expresses his hearty gratitude for Imam Reilan for his kind and inspiring guidance during the days after Umar Mita's formal declaration of faith. Ryoichi Mita's steps toward embracing Islam teaches us a very valuable lesson that it is not the preachings or observance of ceremonies but the love for humanity originated from the deep faith at one's heart and the personal experiences that guide one to find out the way toward the truth. True, Ryoichi Mita was impressed by what Haji Omar Yamaoka had told. But unless Ryoichi Mita's inner heart gave him the right direction, nobody's preaching could change his mind. However, in the year of his declaration of faith, Umar Mita was 49 years old. In his occupational field he was assigned with the job of Counselor to the Supreme Council of the Federation of the Chinese Muslim Associations as a recognition of his vast, first-hand knowledge and experiences in the Chinese Muslim affairs and his close relations with the Chinese Muslims. Umar Mita lived in Peking until the end of the wars in 1945 when he resigned from his official posts and returned to Japan.
Umar Mita after returning to Japan Leaving behind his 30 years of long life in China, Umar Mita returned to his native Japan. After returning home he took up the job of teaching Chinese, first at the Kansai University in Osaka and then at the Kita-Kyushu University in the island of Kyushu. But after some time, he met with the disaster of losing his wife. Therefore, he gave up his teaching job in 1952 and settled in Tokyo and decided to engage heart and soul in the religious activities of Islam. A1most during this time, the Japanese Muslims who had so far been leading their individual Islamic life, established the Japan Muslim Association in cooperation with the foreign Muslims living in Japan.
Ryoichi Mita in 1951; Front row, 2nd from right
Progress of Islam in Japan In the meantime, during the 30 years period when Umar Mita had been deepening his faith in Islam while in China, Islam was steadily taking root in Japan. The forces behind this progress was the initiative of Haji Omar Yamaoka who had all along been strenuously working for the building up a foundation for Islam in this country through lectures and publications; the Japanese evacuees from the South-East Asian Muslim countries where they came under the influence of Muslims there and became Muslim during World War II: and the Turkish Muslim refugees who settled in Japan after leaving their home in the Soviet Union. ln fact, the last group of Muslims, that is, the Tartar refugees played a very important role in influencing the Japanese Muslims in their Islamic life. Through their earnest and enthusiastic efforts and with the cooperation of some other friendly Japanese, the first Masjid in Japan was established in Kobe City in 1935 and the second in Tokyo in 1938.
Umar Mita devotes to Islamic activitiesin Japan When Umar Mita came to settle in Tokyo in 1952, he was then 60 years old. In those days, the marks of war destruction of cities throughout Japan still remained. The life of the Japanese people was still in great distress, to say, it was extremely difficult for the common people to make both ends meet in respect of food, clothing and shelter. Even during this toughest of time Umar Mita chose to devote himself to the cause of Islam and to the learning of the Arabic language. He was always at hand when foreign Tabligh groups visited Japan and participated in all their works. In 1957,he went to Pakistan on invitation and undertook various journeys in connection with Tabligh activities in that country and had exchanges of thoughts with the Muslims of an out and out Muslim society. These journeys were not at all easy and safe, specially for the frail health of Umar Mita. In spite of that, God-fearing but undaunted Umar Mita continued his journey in the path of Allah. In 1958, joining with a Pakistani Pilgrims group he went to Mecca and fulfilled his life-long desire of Performing Hajj. After that, Umar Mita returned home and started his work with new vigor, In 1960, after the sudden death of Sadiq Imaizumi, first President of Japan Muslim Association, Haji umar Mita was elected its second President. During his term as President of Japan Muslim Association, he published his works: “ISURAMU RIKAI NO TAMENI”（Understanding Islam）and “ISURAMU NYUMON” (An Introduction to Islam) and “SAHABA MONOGATARI,” the Japanese translation of Urdu book HEKAYAT-E-SAHABA by Maulana Muhammad Zakaria and specially translated into English for Haji Umar Mita by the late Hafiz Abdur Rashid Arshad.
Haji Umar Mita’s resolution for translating the Holy Quran into Japanese Exactly during this time, a new pocket book size Japanese translation of the Holy Quran was brought out by a renowned Japanese publisher and was circulated in a fairly large number. In this connection, it may be mentioned that three more Japanese translations of the Holy Quran were published in 1920, 1937 and 1950, respectively. A fourth translation from the origina1 Arabic was published in 1957. But all of these Japanese translations were rendered by non-Muslim Japanese scholars and obviously they lacked the Islamic stand-point. Moreover, the three previous ones were translated from English or other languages and more or less contained un-Islamic bias or absence of fairness. Therefore, Haji Umar Mita felt the need for a Japanese meaning of the Holy Quran prepared by a Japanese Muslim and from the original Arabic text. There was no other better person than Haji Umar Mita himself to undertake such a stupendous job. So he made up his mind to do the work himself. He was then 69 years old. He had the anxiety of his frail health and old age, but left the problem to Allah's mercy.
Progress in the translation with the support of Rabita-al-Alam-al'Islami, Mecca In 1961, at the age of 70, Haji Umar once again left for Pakistan and, for a time, settled in Lahore to continue the work of translation, simultaneously, studying Arabic with the Arabic and Quranic scholars there. During this time, he established contact with Rabita-a1-Alam-al-Islami , Mecca, through the good offices of the late Hanz Abdur Rashid Arshad. On invitation, he visited Mecca and there he received pledge of support from the Rabita for the publication of the Japanese meaning of the Holy Quran. While staying in Saudi Arabia, he made wide contacts with the Quranic scholars of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Taif, Riyadh and so forth, and made considerable progress in his work. All through this work the inspiring guidance from the late Hanz Abdur Rashid Arshad is an unforgettable memory for him. Yet the more unforgettable event during his stay in Saudi Arabia was the death of Hafiz Arshad in a traffic accident. Haji Umar Mita was also traveling in the same car but somehow he was safe. In fact, that he survived and was able to return to Japan was a miraculous event in his life. This was in 1963 when Hafiz Arshad, Haji Mita and some other companions were proceeding to Mecca from Medina by car. When the car reached Badr, it met an accident and turned turtle. Hafiz Arshad died instantly. Haji Mita escaped death but received serious injury. In course of time, he recovered from the injury and the shock of the accident. The Rabita extended its most generous help and hospitality all through the time of treatment and recovery after the mishap.
Haji Umar Mita presents a copy of the Japanese Quran to Ambassador Dejani of Saudi Arabia. From left: Usman Uenoya, Printer of the Japanese Quran, Abu Bakr Morimoto, Haji Umar Mita, Ambassador Dejani and Hideji Tamura, former Japanese ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
	A profile of the Arabic-Japanese Quran (now under revision)
Progress toward the publication of the Japanese meaning of the Holy Quran After returning home, Haji Umar Mita continued treatment, at the same time, he also went on with his translation work. During this period, he sometimes lived in Miyazaki in Kyushu and sometimes in Enzan city in Yamanashi Prefecture, for the purpose of recovering health as well as doing his work in a peaceful atmosphere away from the din and bustle of the big cities. During his stay in Enzan, he met with Abu Bakr Morimoto, another stalwart of the Japanese Muslims, for the first time, in 1965. It was a happy occasion in that Haji Umar Mita felt relieved of anxieties regarding printing of the Japanese meaning of the Holy Quran by availing of the cooperation of a Muslim printing expert such as Abu Bakr Morimoto. In 1968, the translation of the text was completed and its first revision was accomplished by a committee of revision and review, appointed by the Japan Muslim Association, after continuous study and review for about a year and a-half. Carrying the revised manuscript of the translation, Haji Umar Mita went to Mecca in June 1970, taking Brother Hussain Khan of Pakistan with him. At Mecca, the manuscript was again revised by a committee of scholars appointed by Rabita-al-Alam-al･Islami. After about six months of painstaking review, the work was finally came to the stage of printing. Haji Umar Mita then returned to Japan and the manuscript went to the printing press of Takumi Kobo Printing Company of Hiroshima, owned by another Japanese Muslim. At long last, on 10 June 1972, the printing of the Japanese meaning of the Holy Quran was complete and its first edition was published after 12 years of painstaking and strenuous efforts of Haji Umar Mita who was then already 80 years old. Even after the publication, Haji Umar Mita has continued to write notes of the translation.
Haji Umar Mita’s daily life as a Muslim Although busily engaged all the time in the work of writing the meaning of the Holy Quran, Haji Umar Mita did never forget his other duties as Muslim. While performing his normal duties, he takes time out to guide the activities of the Japan Muslim Association as its Counselor. Even at this age of 81, he commutes from his home in the suburb of Tokyo, a two hours distance, to the Tokyo Masjid and to the Association's office. This life pattern of Haji Umar Mita is really an example before the younger generation who are fortunate to receive his guidance regularly. In March 1974, he once again visited Mecca and in November of the same year, attended an Islamic conference held in New Delhi, India. Haji Umar Mita became 82 on 19 December 1974. Let us pray to Allah for his long and healthy life so that his living example can inspire and guide the Japanese Muslims, now and in the future, to enable them to become worthy of carrying on his noble mission.
NOTE: Many individuals and organizations sincerely cooperated with Haji Umar Mita in various ways in his work of the publication of the Japanese version of the Holy Quran, Special mention may be made of the generous support from Rabita-a1-Alam-al-Islami, Mecca, who sponsored the publication, the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tokyo, the Committee for Review and Revision of the Translation consisting of Imam Ainan Safa of Tokyo Masjid, Brother Hussain Khan of Pakistan, late Brother Ahmad Apanai of Turkey, Prof. Abdul Karim Saito and Abu Bakr Morimoto of Japan, and Dr. Salih Mahdi Al-Samarrai of Saudi Arabia, Brother Ahmed Suzuki of Japan, H. E. Mr.Hideji Tamura, former Japanese Ambassador of Japan to Saudi Arabia, Brother Mustafa Komura of Japan, Dr. Aly Hasan E1-Samny and Brother E1-Sebai, both of Egypt, and many others.

Sabit Januari Dzul Hijjah Di Nusantara

Sabit Januari Dzul Hijjah Di Nusantara  
Komentar Keatas Sajak Dr.Abdad al-Rauwi 
 
Alangkah indahnya jika sang pencari berbisik halus
Dimalam sejuk angin utara berhembus ke pulau mutiara
Gelora kasih tiada padam dek riak air telaga tujuh 
Dari setitis air Yunus dia menjadi danau dan laut

 Cintanya menderu dialunan jalal Diwan al-kamil 
 Ahmad Thomson sudah berkunjung ditaman zikir 
Dihadapan deru hempasan ombak Lakal Hamdu dikarang
Syahdunya angin malam bergema di Jabal Alam 
Setelah sampai ke Mekah dan Madinah disuruh pulang 
Demikian Abu Hassan Shadhili mendaki dan menuruni
 Gunung-gunung Timur Barat dan kilau ulamak duniawi 

Sinar fajar purnama bertebaran pada qalbu para Awliya 
Firasat Wali Bahlil pernah berguru kepada Shaykh Alawi
sudah membaca riak air muka fuqara Malaysia 
Tanya pada lima serangkai yang bertemu baraka itu 
Ahmad Atjie bersusah payah kembara dari Bandung 
Membawa dua sahabat terbang hingga ke Tangier 

Nakhoda Kapal sedang mengadakan perayaan besar 
Ayuh kamu naik semua ke Bahtera Nuh Zaman
 Makanlah sirr bijian dan tanaman yang akan bercambah 
Tidak boleh bertayamum jika menjumpai Air Segar 
Alangkah sukar berebut kasih dengan ratusan ribuan fuqara 

Dari negeri china hingga hujung benua di Chiapas
 Bersama Amir Nafia dan Hajji Issa, engkau lihat satu kampung
Dan zawiya kayu dan tanah hampir mencecah kepala 
Jambak suffina dirai kanak-kanak dan wanita 
Bukan hanya lelaki gah bicara dan membaca
 Para sarjana dan doctor falsafah tidak bisa mengalah
 Aku aku aku lebih bijaksana dan banyak ijazah.

Tapi mana bunga boi wangi setiap musim haji  
Pulau Bintan dan Penyengat seluruh Riau menyambut kami 
Tuhfah al-Nafis bagai bersinar kembali tatkala 
Melangkah masuk ke mesjid Sultan putih kuning hijau 
Hujan gerimis pagi 11 Disember 2005 menyatukan jiwa resah
Lima paksi atau makam Sultan dan Yam Di Pertuan Muda 
Disisinya kubur sang Wali Sheikh Habib Hussein al-Alawi
 Maka kami bacakan Fatihah dan Qul HuwaLlah  
Untuk roh shuhada para wali dan raja sultan beriman 
Termasuk al-marhum Raja Ali Haji Syahid bertempor Belanda.

Bukan naik kapal feri 200 penumpang atau perahu pompom 
Dari Stulang Laut merentas 150 km ke Tanjung Pinang  
Tatkala terlupa membawa naskah Diwan kerana disangka  
Singkat ziarah pagi Ahad namun jangan lupa doa banyak-banyak
Demikian pesan sang amir Johor yang pernah bersua fuqara tua 
Dipadang pasir ceruk Sahara, maka lagu Lakal-Hamdu jadi penyatu 

Semerbak Fansuri yang hilang akan harum lagi 
Diatas banjaran gunung , pulau dan tasik serata Nusantara
Begitu juga zikir Ala Ya Latifu dan Ya Hafizu 
Habis makam-makam dan istana dan kubu diterokai 
Membuka rahsia nur dan baraka dengan kunci al-Miftah  

Bergembiralah oh muridku, seru Guru kami suatu hari 
dia turun dari biliknya atas bangunan zawiya . 
Tidak pasti di Granada atau Norwich atau Achnairgn 
Sebab adanya Wali Allah dikalangan kamu semua ! 
Ini rahsia baru dibukakan sebentar tadi, bisik sahabatku
Satu malam selepas kembali dari Ribat Ukay Perdana 
Menjadi saksi kepada peristiwa ini dan kisah Imam Yasin Dutton 
Jika ingin tahu- kuncinya Istiqama sepanjang hayat. 

Amat jarang lima fuqara dijemput buka bicara
Seminar Pengakraban Malaysia- Riau.   
Syed Anwar menyingkap mesej Tarbiyya Islamiyya Asliyya.  
 Dr.Hakimi dengan rahsia amar Salat dan Zakat 
Berkelip mata Bapak Huzrin Hood pewaris raja riau   
Segera dicalonkan menjadi amir Riau selepas keluar penjara . 
 Diambang Shawal bahagia dari penjara Sukamiskin Bandung.  
 Satu kamar dengan Pak Sukarno ditahan tidak lama dulu 
Sempat dia mengarang buku Kerana Aku Bukan Robin Hood
Dan diizin keluar bertemu dan berbayat pada Rais Abu Bakr Rieger 

 Oh Nusantara, Oh Bandung, Oh Penang, Oh Patani, 
Oh Kuala LumpurOh Riau, Oh Singapura…
pemburuan ruh-ruh gersang dimulakan
 Lupakan sebentar Brunei dan Mindanao serta ribuan pulau rempah.
Apabila Shaykh Darqawi keluar dari gua khalwa di Tafilalet 
Atau Kota Fez penuh baraka dan misteri ahli sufi dan umara 
Kamu bebas sekarang, menyanyi atau berzikir sambil berdiri 
Berjalan dan berkenderaan atau pesawat moden tiada kisah 
Asalkan mendapat IZIN, SIRR dan  IRSYAD sang Murshid 

Seperti serangkai bayt dari Diwan :
Lakal-Hamdu Ya Dzal-Hilmi wa Afwi wal-Sitri  
Wa Zidna min Na’mai wa Nuri wa Kasyfi
Wa Makin-na fil-Irsyadi bi-Izni wal-Sirri  
Wa Salli bi-Anwai Kamalati Kulliha  
 Ala Ahmadi Hadi ila Hadrati Thuhri 

Ledak bumi lontar metamorphosis lihatlah Eropah 
Tiga puluh tahun dahulu, zawiya tanpa letrik di Bristol Garden 
Salat dan zikir di Hyde Park London, diceruk Copenhagen .
 Dimana seorang faqir Malaysia akhirnya bertemu lawan sebenar.  
Masjid dan ribat Granada masa itu terselit dihati lima pemuda 
Berkunjung ke London bertemu Sang Muqaddim.
 Kini tersergam indah setiap minggu ada saja pelawat 
Mengukir cinta dan melafaz kata Syahadah.

Kemudian, di Dresden, Weimar dan Berlin bangkit 
Bibit-bibit muzik, falsafah dan mutiara Goethe, Wagner, 
Nietzche, Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Heidegger dan Achilleus
  Siapa kenal nama-nama ini, Habib Dahigen, Osman Mossignon 
Abdal Basir Ojembara, Hasib Castiernera, Abdus Samad Kirke.

Pesan Hikam Athaillah : Benamkan wujudmu dibumi sepi.  
Supaya kelak tumbuh hikmah dan buah ilmu 
Dihari kemudian apabila pohon sudah matang dan kuat. 
Jika belum tiba musim, apa jua buah, bunga dan lagu
 Yang dipaparkan adalah metafora bahasa dan puisi saja.
 NurNya pancaran dihati kekasih tersembunyi melepasi bintang 
Sudah bersambung jambatan antara benua-benua sensori. 
 Dan bakti kita pada tariqa dan salikin sentiasa menaungi.

 Singgahlah fakir dan musafir, pintuku terbuka menanti
 Hidangan cangkir tea jasmin dan shushien pilih sendiri. 
 Dimana ada halaqah dan jalal selawat nabi, lupakan sebentar 
Jawatan professor, menteri atau pangkat gaji 
Atau jarak kilometer serta harga minyak atau tenaga zahir.
Debu-debu dijalanNya lebih mulia dari cahaya tivi 
 Kini tiba Musim bermusafir lagi dengan jemputan
 KenduriDi Gurun pasca moden memasang kereta dan motor
 Ayuh fuqara membuka tirai Miftah al-Wird 
Kemudian mendendang lagu Qasidah dan Salawat Burdah

Sejuta doa membangkitkan cucu cicit Alim Awliya

 Dikirim Angin hujan dan ribut Disember  
Bersua Nurnusantara dan anak Naga Benua Utara    
Insya’ Allah, dari kitab ke kitab, lembar ke lembaran dan  
Baris-baris sajak, diselangi Tsunami dan Gempa 
Merentangi lima Benua Asia, Afrika, Eropah dan Amerika 

Semuanya berasal dari setitis TintaNya 
Tiada kamu dikurniai Ilmu melainkan sedikit 

18 Januari 2006-Abu Zuhri Hakkawi

Putting Out Fire of Riba and To Be Singaporeans ?

How will I ever describe a people who cannot respond to a small fire that could be put off in two seconds? I thought of the Day of Judgement when the situation will be infinitely worse that what I had just witnessed. Then I thought, “How about Riba?” These people cannot life a finger to put out a fire, how will they ever do anything to fight Riba and establish the Deen. Riba is infinitely worse than the commotion that the small fire had just caused. Riba is far far  worse than prostitution and incest. Riba is far far worse than alcohol and what it has done to shatter families. How will we ever act to eradicate this greatest of all vices after shirk?

A middle-class society needs only courage. If Allah’s name is mentioned, those who love Allah will recognise the seriousness of the situation and come forward to act and respond to the call. Those whose lives are destroyed by a middle-class lifestyle beyond any treatment, some good words of hope and encouragement, and service to them and a little bit of education will help them to live on without complaining. Others who are hypocrites, who justify Riba and find no problem in the ruins it has caused all around the world, and yet call Allah without shame must be left alone to Allah. Those who stand by watching will come and join the struggle later and they will feel that they should have realised the urgency earlier that is much more than the urgency of a fire and should have acted on it.

Singaporeans are a unique people. I love them. But I do not belong to them. This is not a simple short story. This is the state of the people who surround us. Muslims do not have such a character. The over-reacting neighbour, the fellow wearing the fire-fighter T-shirt, the woman who was annoyed that she had to walk a longer way, the fire-trick watchers and those who were performing the fire-worship ritual are all Muslims. I still see them. What has caused them to be indifferent to a burning fire that had just damaged a lift lobby, let alone Riba, is without doubt the middle-class lifestyle the religion of Capitalism has imposed on them. 

The only way to free these people is to call Allah’s name to wake them up from the trance of Capitalism they are in, from the utterly despicable middle-class lifestyle they are stuck in and show the way of Islam and the re-establishment of Muamalat that is the very antidote to the cancer of Riba and Capitalism that is based on it.

TTN must expand and readers must make this a daily activity. Shaykh Umar Vadillo mentioned recently,

The activist is not the one who says “we have to clean the river”, but he who is busy cleaning the river. This is a time when people confuse “who they are” for “who they think they are”. If you ask a Muslim, especially those who claim to be most active, “what do you think about Riba?”, most will answer “it is haram”. But if you ask: “what have you done against Riba in the last week, in the last month, in the last year?” The answer is a look of perplexity, and if they have the courage, perhaps a mournful “nothing”.

Be aware of what Proudhon called “weekend revolutionaries”, he also called them melancholic revolutionaries. In today’s language we will call them “bipolar revolutionaries”, jumping form high to low, from mania to melancholy. These people shout loudly revolutionary slogans in the weekend, in their gatherings and in the streets, only to find themselves returning to their miserable job on Monday morning. 

It is all about blaming others –what Nietzsche called “the morality of the slave.” Their leaders will say, “the society is rotten and corrupt”. But the next week they will have to scale up their discourse to keep their followers attention: “the system is evil and rotten, and corrupt”; and then the following week, “it is evil, corrupt, rotten and insane”; and so on. Until they ran out of adjectives

 –Proudhon says. The true revolutionary is in “his doing”, not in “his saying”. Judge leaders for “what they do”, not for “what they say they do or will do”. And judge yourself for what you do, not for what you say you do.

Taqwa with sincerity leads you to see these things and act upon it.

And Allah Victory belongs to Allah.

This is an important message that I will from now tell myself everyday. We cannot live without dignity not being able to respond to one small fire. We have the greatest fire to put out that has been burning the last two hundred years in all the lands of the world – the fire of Riba and Capitalism.

Readers please come forward to take part in this struggle.

by Hasbullah Shafi’i, Singapore.

First Zakat of 542 Silver Dirham in Singapore Historical Revival Sunnah( 15th Sha'ban 1433)

Last Wednesday night, 15th Sha’ban 1433, was a night of great spiritual strength and benefits. On that night we made dhikr of Allah, recited Quran and asked Allah to give us strength and protect us in establishing the shari’ah of the Rasul sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Then something happened which must be recorded in the history of modern Singapore. For the first time in many many decades, a man, courageous and daring to submit to Allah after knowledge on the matters explained above had reached him some months ago, came forward to the man he had accepted as his leader and paid zakat to him amounting to 542 dirhams. ( 1 dirham=2.975 gm silver if the muslims forget)

He had known the matter and had waited for his financial year to end, declared his monetary wealth and paid zakat in dirhams. It was a simple act of submission to Allah, which did not require great knowledge and the necessity to go through study-courses on Islam. He had to pay zakat because the time had come and he knew he must pay in real, halal and shari’ah currency and he went to his leader, declared his wealth and paid in dirhams. Islam is as simple as that. But his action has now begun a new practice of throwing stones, the weight, gravity, accuracy and speed of every stone will kill three glass birds at every throw.

The dirhams will be distributed very soon with education on halal and shari’ah currency to people belonging to the eight categories of zakat recipients together with education on the imperative of establishing zakat as a communal pillar of the Deen. Keep your watch dear readers on the next Wariq Madinah program. Capitalism that is defending itself with glass shields is smashed once again. At the neighbouring Muslim lands – Malaysia and Indonesia – a few Sultans have pledged daringly and courageously to re-establish zakat in this way and have got their shari’ah currency readily minted to be thrown at the glass shields of Capitalism. But when Sultans throw their royal stones, the efficacy will be far more resounding for many many years to come.

Miuslims must start spending their dinars and dirhams. If they do not want to spend, of course they are permitted to save but then they must also give zakat on their monetary wealth in dinar and dirham, of course only if it reaches the nisab. This method of payment they are not permitted to change. When more Muslims give zakat in halal and shari’ah currency, they will throw strong stones at glass birds.

Laa Ghaliba illallah. We do not win. We do not have power. 

All victory and power belongs to Allah.

@Hasbullah Shafi’iy
Singapore, 7 July 2012

Six Prominent Chinese of Kedah Embraced Islam (1951) Witnessed by Hj.Ibrahim TY Ma

News reprint from Magazine The Islamic Review (November 1951, published in London):

A huge crowd consisting of all nationalities, male and female, assembled in and outside the famous big Mosque (Sultan Zahir) of Alor Star, Kedah (North of British Malaya then) to observe the conversion (Syahadah) of 6 prominent Chinese to Islam on 8th April 1951. All the high Government official and prominent persons of the Kedah State were present. The new and Chinese Muslims are :

1. Mr.Farouk Cheah (who has lived nearly 50 years in Kedah, is the proprieter of the biggest tailoring firm in Kedah).

2. N.M.B. Radwan, goldsmith in Kedah, a member of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Kedah.

3. Miss Minira Choy ( is the daughter of a planter at Taiping, state of Perak.

4. Mr.Lukman Ying Tok (formerly Principal of a big middle school in Johore, founder member of CCC Kedah and proprietor/owner of an aerated water/drinks company). He saved many people lives during the Japanese occupation of Malaya 1941-45).

5. Mr. Adnan Tseng (a writer and correspondent of Nanyang Siang Poh, the most important news paper in South East Asia then).

6. Mr.Raffian Chao ( is a principal/school grand master of a middle/secondary school in Jitra).

7. Miss Hafifa Ho ( from Hong Kong is a niece of Mr.Husain Ho, the manager of Remington Machines at Ipoh , Perak).

8.  Niss Minuira Ma (is a daughter of Hj Ibrahim TY Ma).

9. Mr.Abdullah Liew (a prominent miner from Perak).


The prominent officials of Kedah that are present and welcoming them are as follow:

1. YAM Tunku Yaakob (Regent of Kedah).
2. Hon. Tuan Hj.Muhammad Sharif (Menteri Besar/Chief Minister)
3. Shaikh Mahmood (chief Kadi who granted the certificates of syahadah)
4. Haj Ibrahim TY Ma (formerly Consul of China in Ipoh, Perak is devoting himself to the preaching of Islam. Mostly responsible for this addition to world brotherhood of Islam).
5. Mr.GV Day ( British Adviser at Kedah).
6. Tunku Ismail and Haji Muhammad Zain (State Secretary of Kedah)

MACMA are most appreciative if those descendants, children and grandchildren of the 6 Chinese Muslims can supply us with extra information and photos for our research and publication bureau. We hope to highlight and publish such important historical news for benefit of future Malaysian generations. Al-Kathrah fil-Wahdat (Diversity bring us back to Unity-Oneness of Divine Reality).

The gathering of Shadziliyya Darqawi fuqara

Haji Ibrahim TY Ma

Note to photo: Akad nikah wedding ceremony of Shukreen Ma (ex-TV3 newscaster, grand daughter of Ibrahim TY Ma. Her father is Nasir Ma Lee and mother Rosey Ma, dressed in light blue in photo)

 

In the more recent history of Malaysia, Haji Ibrahim Ma Tian Ying [馬 天 英] stands out as the person who contributed most in introducing Islam to the Chinese people, for the first time in the Chinese language. This writing will briefly highlight a few aspects of his life and work pertaining to propagating Islam.

 

Haji Ibrahim Ma, from a long-standing Muslim family in Beijing (originally from ShanDong) first came to Malaysia in 1938-1940 as head of a three member Chinese Muslim Goodwill Delegation to the Southeast Asia region. The two other members were Wu JianXun [誤建勳] and Ma DaWu [馬達吾]. During one and a half year’s period, the delegation covered many places and met many people. In Malaysia they went to all the States including Sabah and Sarawak. Everywhere they went they were accorded warm welcome and grand receptions both by the Malays and the Chinese. The local Chinese thus had first hand information about Islam and Muslims in China. During this successful trip, Haji Ibrahim secured many friendships among dignitaries and the general public which would prove to be very useful when he came again to this country.

Haji Ibrahim Ma came back to Malaysia in 1948, this time with his family and as the Consul General of Ipoh sent by the Kuomintang (Guo Min Dang) government. He had with him his wife Feng Yun Xia [馮雲霞 ], his three daughters and two sons. During the short period of his tenure at this office, Haji Ibrahim Ma not only played with great success his role as a diplomat, but, at every occasion he also showed to the local Chinese a very positive profile of a progressive Chinese Muslim. When China fell to communist rule, the Consulate closed down. Haji Ibrahim chose not to go to Taiwan to join the government, and stayed in Malaysia.

After a few years trying his hand in rice mill and other businesses, he joined his two daughters in Singapore and lived there for a couple of years. In 1957 Malaysia gained independence from the British. In 1961, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj extended Haji Ibrahim an invitation to come back to Malaysia to assist him in an important aspect of nation building. Tunku had the vision that if more Chinese were to understand Islam, or better still, became Muslim, this would help in bridging the racial gap between Malays and Chinese.

Thus, PERKIM [Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam Malaysia], a welfare association for Muslims was born, with Tunku Abdul Rahman, Haji Ibrahim Ma, Tan Sri Mubin Sheppard, and Tan Sri Ubaidullah as the founding members. With this, Haji Ibrahim Ma’s work in the path of Islam took another step, and did not stop until his last days.

With his position in Perkim, Haji Ibrahim started his rounds in every corner of Malaysia, giving speeches about Islam in Chinese. He talked on radio, on television, in schools, in non-governmental associations, and even in prisons. In a span of many years he wrote booklets in Chinese, introducing Islam in very simple language, easily understood by any non Muslim reader. These booklets were not sold. They were always, and even until today, are still given free in all the states, all the religious institutions. The titles include: 益斯蘭教問答 [Questions and Answers on Islam], 爲什麽穆斯林不吃豬肉], [Why Muslims Don’t Eat Pork], 伊斯蘭教義與中國傳統思想 [The Teachings of Islam and Traditional Chinese Philosophy], 什麽是伊斯蘭教? [What is Islam?]. His last book ‘Muslims in China’, which he started to write at the age of 75, was written in English.

 

Apart from these publications, Haji Ibrahim also started a Chinese-English bilingual, bimonthly newspaper called ‘The Light of Islam’, or in Chinese, 回教之光 [Hui Jiao Zhi Guang], later changed to 伊斯蘭之光 [Yi Si Lan Zhi Guang]. He was not only the publisher, but at the same time, the editor, and the main contributor of articles. Once every two months, when the new issue was ready, his gracious wife would sit with mounts of papers, address slips, sheets of stamps, scissors and glue, folding, cutting and sticking addresses and stamps to get them ready for posting to hundreds of subscribers within Malaysia and overseas. Many people will remember Haji Ibrahim and his wife, seated around the large dining table, engrossed in this labor for the love of God. Often, grandchildren who came for a visit would also be enrolled to help in the task. This first Malaysian Islamic newspaper in Chinese was a family commitment for Haji Ibrahim Ma’s family. 

In Perkim, Haji Ibrahim Ma was ably assisted by a few other Chinese Muslims, namely Zhao Guo Zhi [趙國治], Hu En Jun [胡恩君], Ma Zhi Bin, and a few others who came on shorter contracts … They were recruited from Taiwan, Libya, Saudi Arabia or other Middle East countries. They did missionary work, counseling for Chinese converts, and Islamic teachings in Mandarin. It is their combined work that is directly responsible to a very big extent, for a positive understanding of Islam by the Chinese in this country, and also for the conversion to Islam by hundreds or even thousands of Malaysian Chinese over the years.

Haji Ibrahim passed away almost two decades ago. But the legacy of his work in Islam is carried on by his children. His eldest daughter Aliya Tung Ma Lin [馬 琳], a lecturer and writer, has published a few books on Islam and is still actively taking part, at the ripe age of 75, in Islamic conferences in various states in the United States where she lives, to give information on Chinese Muslims and Islam in China. His third daughter Minuira Sabki Ma Min [馬 瑉] is actively involved with Wanita Perkim, the women’s branch of Perkim. She served as President of this organisation for many years. His elder son Mustafa Ma Chi [馬 琦 ] is also active in Perkim, and is also currently the President of MACMA, the Chinese Muslims Association of Malaysia. His younger son Nasir Ma Lee [馬 理] is often sought by Chinese friends with children who have embraced Islam, to give advice and clarification on the religion. 

 

In present day Malaysia, Ibrahim Ma and his children are known as a Hui Chinese family who have contributed to the advancement of Islam among the Chinese in Malaysia. They are also a fine example of selective acculturation towards Malay culture, without bordering on assimilation. All of them speak perfect Malay and Mandarin, in addition to English, and even Cantonese and Hokkian, and are very much at home among the Chinese as well as the Malays. They are knowledgeable about the Malay traditions blended in the local Islam, as well as the Chinese, especially Beijing culture, including food.

 

Among Haji Ibrahim’s children, Ma Min is the only one who married a Malay. Her husband speaks perfect Mandarin and is totally at ease within the Chinese community. The children understand some Mandarin, the daughter more than the sons, even though they shy away from speaking. Two of the sons and the daughter are married to Malays, and at their children’s level, assimilation may begin. But at least three of her grandchildren take Mandarin lessons and are very familiar and fond of the special home cooked Chinese food. However, they do not have any Chinese names. None of the other siblings’ children and grandchildren live in Malaysia, except for the younger son’s family.

The younger son Ma Lee’s children grew up in Kuala Lumpur with Mandarin as the mother tongue, and Chinese education at primary level followed by Malay secondary and high schools. Only one among the six pursued Chinese education up to high school. With both parents from Hui origin, and an environment that has become more favourable with time, these children may very well carry on the Chinese Muslim identity in Malaysia at least for a few more generations.

Author:-

Rosey Wang Ma (PhD in Socio-Anthropology). Retrieved from http://www.islam.org.hk/eng/malaysia/ChineseMuslim_in_Malaysia.asp). Chinese Muslims in Malaysia – history and development.

Rosey Wang MA is an independent academic researcher and writer on various aspects of Chinese Muslim communities. Of HUI parentage herself, she was raised in Pakistan and Turkey. She was a French language lecturer for more than twenty years before taking up a career in Education Counselling. She still conducts education training programmes. Her doctorate is on: Negotiating Identities: HUI, the Chinese Muslims.