Thursday, December 29, 2005

Someday in my life

here from the top of a mountain
i see you there
in the cool night air
someday in my life

fear has no reason to doubt them
they tell me so
yet they will never know
you are here in my life

wherever i go now
i’ll follow you
and my heart will be true
i have never known someone
to stay right here
soon you will be right here
someday in my life

here from the top of a mountain
i see you there
in the cool night air
someday in my life

storms may rage on about them
they hail and snow
yet they will never know
you are here in my life

wherever i go now
i’ll follow you
and my heart will be true
i have never known someone
to stay right here
soon you will be right here
someday in my life

Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 12:12:55 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Innocent and lovely you

Odisseus has an innocent and lovely look

Starring at your photographs

I must admit all of them are beautiful

Not because of the professional photographer nor the high-tech camera

It’s all because of you, yourself my dear son

Your funny and innocent face

Your cheerful and friendly smile

Your lovely and spontaneous act

Nobody will ever deny that

My pray will always be with you

Though you already understand

That I won’t be able to be there with you

I am sure you will always be fine

My prays and thoughts will always be with you

My innocent and lovely boy, Odisseus

 

Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 15:51:18 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Friday, December 16, 2005

Surat cinta dari manusia-manusia yang malamnya penuh cinta

Assalamu’alaykum warohmatulloohi wabarokaatuh
 
Wahai orang-orang yang terpejam matanya,
Perkenankanlah kami, manusia-manusia malam menuliskan sebuah surat cinta kepadamu. Seperti halnya cinta kami pada waktu malam-malam  yang kami rajut di sepertiga terakhir. Atau seperti cinta kami pada keagungan dan rahasianya yang penuh pesona. Kami tahu dirimu bersusah payah lepas tengah hari berharap intan dan mutiara dunia. Namun kami tak perlu bersusah payah, sebab malam-malam kami berhiaskan intan dan mutiara dari surga.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang terlelap,
Sungguh nikmat malam-malammu. Gelapnya yang pekat membuat matamu tak mampu melihat energi cahaya yang tersembunyi di baliknya. Sunyi senyapnya membuat dirimu hanyut tak menghiraukan seruan cinta. Dinginnya yang merasuk semakin membuat dirimu terlena, menikmati tidurmu di atas pembaringan yang empuk, bermesraan dengan bantal dan gulingmu, bergeliat manja di balik selimutmu yang demikian hangatnya. Aduhai kau sangat menikmatinya.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang terlena,
Ketahuilah, kami tidak seperti dirimu! Yang setiap malam terpejam matanya, yang terlelap pulas tak terkira. Atau yang terlena oleh suasananya yang begitu menggoda. Kami tidak seperti dirimu! Kami adalah para perindu kamar di surga. Tak pernahkah kau dengar Sang Insan Kamil, Rasulullah SAW bersabda: “Sesungguhnya di surga itu ada kamar yang sisi luarnya terlihat dari dalam dan sisi dalamnya terlihat dari luar. Disediakan untuk mereka yang memberi makan orang- orang yang memerlukannya, menyebarkan salam serta mendirikan sholat pada saat manusia terlelap dalam tidur malam.” Sudahkah kau dengar tadi? Ya, sebuah kamar yang menakjubkan untuk kami dan orang-orang  yang mendirikan sholat pada saat manusia-manusia yang lain tertutup mata dan hatinya.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang keluarganya hampa cinta,
Kau pasti pernah mendengar namaku disebut. Aku Abu Hurairah, Periwayat Hadist. Kerinduanku akan sepertiga malam adalah hal yang tak terperi. Penghujung malam adalah kenikmatanku terbesar. Tapi tahukah kau? Kenikmatan itu tidak serta merta kukecap sendiri. Kubagi malam-malamku yang penuh syahdu itu menjadi tiga. Satu untukku, satu untuk istriku tercinta dan satu lagi untuk pelayan yang aku kasihi. Jika salah satu dari kami selesai mendirikan sholat, maka kami bersegera membangunkan yang lain untuk menikmati bagiannya. Subhanallah, tak tergerakkah dirimu? Pedulikah kau pada keluargamu? Adakah kebaikan yang kau inginkan dari mereka? Sekedar untuk membangunkan orang-orang yang paling dekat denganmu, keluargamu?
 
Lain lagi dengan aku, Nuruddin Mahmud Zanki. Sejarah mencatatku sebagai Sang Penakluk kesombongan pasukan salib. Suatu kali seorang ulama tersohor Ibnu Katsir mengomentari diriku, katanya, “Nuruddin itu kecanduan sholat malam, banyak berpuasa dan berjihad dengan akidah yang benar.” Kemenangan demi kemenangan aku raih bersama pasukanku. Bahkan pasukan musuh itu terlibat dalam sebuah perbincangan seru. Kata mereka, “Nuruddin Mahmud Zanki menang bukan karena pasukannya yang banyak. Tetapi lebih karena dia mempunyai rahasia bersama Tuhan”. Aku tersenyum, mereka memang benar. Kemenangan yang kuraih adalah karena do’a dan sholat-sholat malamku yang penuh kekhusyu’an.
 
Tahukah kau dengan orang yang selalu setia mendampingiku? Dialah Istriku tercinta, Khotun binti Atabik. Dia adalah istri shalehah di mataku, terlebih di mata Alloh. Malam-malam kami adalah malam penuh kemesraan dalam bingkai Tuhan. Gemerisik dedaunan dan desahan angin seakan menjadi pernak-pernik kami saat mendung di mata kami jatuh berderai dalam sujud kami yang panjang.
 
Kuceritakan padamu suatu hari ada kejadian yang membuat belahan jiwaku itu tampak murung. Kutanyakan padanya apa gerangan yang membuatnya resah. Ya Alloh, ternyata dia tertidur, tidak bangun pada malam itu, sehingga kehilangan kesempatan untuk beribadah. Astaghfirulloh, aku menyesal telah membuat dia kecewa. Segera setelah peristiwa itu kubayar saja penyesalanku dengan mengangkat seorang pegawai khusus untuknya. Pegawai itu kuperintahkan untuk menabuh genderang agar kami terbangun di sepertiga malamnya.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang terbuai,
Kau pasti mengenalku dalam kisah pembebasan Al Aqso, rumah Allah yang diberkati. Akulah pengukir tinta emas itu, seorang Panglima Perang, Sholahuddin Al-Ayyubi. Orang-orang yang hidup di zamanku mengenalku tak lebih dari seorang Panglima yang selalu menjaga sholat berjama’ah. Kesenanganku adalah mendengarkan bacaan Al Qur’an yang indah dan syahdu. Malam-malamku adalah saat yang paling kutunggu. Saat-saat di mana aku bercengkerama dengan Tuhanku. Sedangkan siang hariku adalah perjuangan-perjuangan nyata, pengejawantahan cintaku pada-Nya.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang masih saja terlena,
Pernahkah kau mendengar kisah penaklukan Konstantinopel? Akulah orang di balik penaklukan itu, Sultan Muhammad Al Fatih. Aku sangat lihai dalam memimpin bala tentaraku. Namun tahukah kau bahwa sehari sebelum penaklukan itu, aku telah memerintahkan kepada pasukanku untuk berpuasa pada siang harinya. Dan saat malam tiba, kami laksanakan sholat malam dan munajat penuh harap akan pertolongan- Nya. Jika Alloh memberikan kematian kepada kami pada siang hari di saat kami berjuang, maka kesyahidan itulah harapan kami terbesar. Biarlah siang hari kami berada di ujung kematian, namun sebelum itu, di ujung malamnya Alloh temukan kami berada dalam kehidupan. Kehidupan dengan menghidupi malam kami.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang gelap mata dan hatinya,
Pernahkah kau dengar kisah Penduduk Basrah yang kekeringan? Mereka sangat merindukan air yang keluar dari celah-celah awan. Sebab terik matahari terasa sangat menyengat, padang pasir pun semakin kering dan tandus. Suatu hari mereka sepakat untuk mengadakan Sholat Istisqo yang langsung dipimpin oleh seorang ulama di masa itu. Ada wajah-wajah besar yang turut serta di sana, Malik bin Dinar, Atho’ As-Sulami, Tsabit Al-Bunani. Sholat dimulai, dua rakaat pun usai. Harapan terbesar mereka adalah hujan-hujan yang penuh berkah. Namun waktu terus beranjak siang, matahari kian meninggi, tak ada tanda-tanda hujan akan turun. Mendung tak datang, langit membisu, tetap cerah dan biru. Dalam hati mereka bertanya-tanya, adakah dosa-dosa yang kami lakukan sehingga air hujan itu tertahan di langit? Padahal kami semua adalah orang-orang terbaik di negeri ini?
 
Sholat demi sholat Istisqo didirikan, namun hujan tak kunjung datang. Hingga suatu malam, Malik bin Dinar dan Tsabit Al Bunani terjaga di sebuah masjid. Saat malam itulah, aku, Maimun, seorang pelayan, berwajah kuyu, berkulit hitam dan berpakaian usang, datang ke masjid itu. Langkahku menuju mihrab, kuniatkan untuk sholat Istisqo sendirian, dua orang terpandang itu mengamati gerak gerikku. Setelah sholat, dengan penuh kekhusyu’an kutengadahkan tanganku ke langit, seraya berdo’a: “Tuhanku, betapa banyak hamba-hamba-Mu yang berkali-kali datang kepada-Mu memohon sesuatu yang sebenarnya tidak mengurangi sedikitpun kekuasaan-Mu. Apakah ini karena apa yang ada pada-Mu sudah habis ? Ataukah perbendaharaan kekuasaan-Mu telah hilang? Tuhanku, aku bersumpah atas nama-Mu dengan kecintaan-Mu kepadaku agar Engkau berkenan memberi kami hujan secepatnya.”
 
Lalu apa gerangan yang terjadi? Angin langsung datang bergemuruh dengan cepat, mendung tebal di atas langit. Langit seakan runtuh mendengar do’a seorang pelayan ini. Do’aku dikabulkan oleh Tuhan, hujan turun dengan derasnya, membasahi bumi yang tandus yang sudah lama merindukannya.
 
Malik bin Dinar dan Tsabit Al Bunani pun terheran-heran dan kau pasti juga heran bukan? Aku, seorang budak miskin harta, yang hitam pekat, mungkin lebih pekat dari malam-malam yang kulalui. Hanya manusia biasa, tapi aku menjadi sangat luar biasa karena doaku yang makbul dan malam-malam yang kupenuhi dengan tangisan dan taqarrub pada-Nya.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang masih saja terpejam,
Penghujung malam adalah detik-detik termahal bagiku, Imam Nawawi.  Suatu hari muridku  menanyakan kepadaku, bagaimana aku bisa menciptakan berbagai karya yang banyak? Kapan aku beristirahat, bagaimana aku mengatur tidurku? Lalu kujelaskan padanya, “Jika aku mengantuk, maka aku hentikan sholatku dan aku bersandar pada buku- bukuku sejenak. Selang beberapa waktu jika telah segar kembali, aku lanjutkan ibadahku.”
 
Aku tahu kau pasti berpikir bahwa hal ini sangat sulit dijangkau oleh akal sehatmu. Tapi lihatlah, aku telah melakukannya, dan sekarang kau bisa menikmati karya-karyaku.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang tergoda,
Begitu kuatkah syetan mengikat tengkuk lehermu saat kau tertidur pulas? Ya, sangat kuat, tiga ikatan di tengkuk lehermu! Dia lalu menepuk setiap ikatan itu sambil berkata, “Hai manusia, Engkau masih punya malam panjang, karena itu tidurlah!“.
 
Hei, sadarlah, sadarlah, jangan kau dengarkan dia, itu tipu muslihatnya! Syetan itu berbohong kepadamu. Maka bangunlah, bangkitlah, kerahkan kekuatanmu untuk menangkal godaannya. Sebutlah nama Alloh, maka akan lepas ikatan yang pertama. Kemudian, berwudhulah, maka akan lepas ikatan yang kedua. Dan yang terakhir, sholatlah, sholat seperti kami, maka akan lepaslah semua ikatan- ikatan itu.
 
Wahai orang-orang yang masih terlelap,
Masihkah kau menikmati malam-malammu dengan kepulasan? Masihkah? Adakah tergerak hatimu untuk bangkit, bersegera, mendekat kepada-Nya, bercengkerama dengan-Nya, memohon keampunan-Nya, meski hanya 2 rakaat? Tidakkah kau tahu, bahwa Alloh turun ke langit bumi pada 1/3 malam yang pertama telah berlalu. Tidakkah kau tahu, bahwa Dia berkata, “Akulah Raja, Akulah Raja, siapa yang memohon kepada-Ku  akan Kukabulkan, siapa yang meminta kepada-Ku akan Kuberi, dan siapa yang memohon ampun kepada-Ku akan Ku ampuni. Dia terus berkata demikian, hingga fajar merekah.”
 
Wahai orang-orang yang terbujuk rayu dunia,
Bagi kami, manusia-manusia malam, dunia ini sungguh tak ada artinya. Malamlah yang memberi kami kehidupan sesungguhnya. Sebab malam bagi kami adalah malam-malam yang penuh cinta, sarat makna. Masihkah kau terlelap? Apakah kau menginginkan kehidupan sesungguhnya? Maka ikutilah jejak kami, manusia-manusia malam. Kelak kau akan temukan cahaya di sana, di waktu sepertiga malam. Namun jika kau masih ingin terlelap, menikmati tidurmu di atas pembaringan yang empuk, bermesraan dengan bantal dan gulingmu, bergeliat manja di balik selimutmu yang demikian hangatnya, maka surat cinta kami ini sungguh tak berarti apa-apa bagimu.
 
Semoga Alloh mempertemukan kita di sana, di surga-Nya, mendapati dirimu dan diri kami dalam kamar-kamar yang sisi luarnya terlihat dari dalam dan sisi dalamnya terlihat dari luar. Semoga…
 
Wassalamu’alaykum warohmatulloohi wabarokaatuh,
 
Manusia-Manusia Malam
Sumber : diambil dari milis muslimsources
My special thanks to my dear sister Vivi Andasari in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 10:57:41 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Monday, December 12, 2005

Ody, one story from your father

Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

Dearest my soleh boy, Odisseus, your father wrote me an e-mail and asked me to put his mail attachment on my blog. He told you about the story of I La Galigo, which gives you a quite brief story about the biggest myth in Buginess. Here is the story:

Dear Odisseus,

 

This is a story from your father about I La Galigo Performance on December 11th, 2005 in TMII, where most of the attendances were not Indonesian.  The reason I write this story is your name, Odisseus, actually based in I La Galigo story—more than 8000 pages or the thick of the book about 1.5 m, the longest story in this world, a sacred story for Buginess, your father’s origin tribe among 600 tribes in Indonesia. The idea of your name is taken from the fact that your mother realized her pregnancy when She was in the Land of La Galigo, the Land of former Luwu Kingdom, the mother of all Buginess Kingdoms, or even the mother of all South Sulawesi Kingdoms (Buginess, Makassarese, Mandar, and Toraja; sometime just so-called Bugis).The other reason, that this story, concerning about power, love, and moral, inspire about millions of Buginess people to have an adventure as trader, sailor, conqueror, or even being a mean pirates, that sometime so-called “Boogieman” by the western world.  

 

Probably you will ask me, why Odisseus and not I La Galigo? I will answer your questions by using some reasons: First, your father realizes that in this small world, being chauvinist is a disaster for all. If I use I La Galigo in your name, I will not use Panennungi in your last name, because it will be “Over Buginess”. However, your father remembers that there is a story in the Western Land that also inspires most of the Western Civilization, named Odysseus by Homer (actually, Homer, the Greek story teller, only recorded the story into a book, not the writer. Fortunately, that story has a basic similarity: power, love, and moral. The differences in the expression, for example in Odysseus you will find his battles with monsters and other “strange creatures”, while in I La Galigo, you will just find the battle in sea and land with the common creatures. The difference also in the title itself and the centre of the story. In the I La Galigo, the centre of the story is Sawerigading (Opunna Ware), the father of I La Galigo, while in Odyssey, Odysseus himself as the center of the story and also the title, not his son.

 

Second, your mother also wants to add an “Islamic name” in your name, Alfatih. To balance the East and West in your name, we put Odysseus (West) and Alfatih (East) in yout name. And to make your name will be easier to be written in passport (as we know the standard name for passport is first name, middle or baptized name, and last name or family name), then your name is “Odisseus Alfatih Panennungi”, a good compromised between your mother and your father. The history of your name “When the east meat the west”, could be taken from my old blospot that I did not update (probably your mother will put here).

 

The first time I heard this story was from my mother. The are some differences between the story that I heard from my mother and the performance, I will tell you which part of the disagreement. Here the story which consist of 10 scenes (adapted from Grauner, 2005):

 

First Scene, the story begun with the prologue: Ending and Beginning. The middle world is emptied. I La Galigo objects,”Wait! If the Middle World comes to an end now, who will remember the legend of Sawerigading? I am his son, I La Galigo. Give me time to tell the story of my family and the God. ”So begin the book of I La Galigo.

 

The Buginess world divide world into three part: Upper World and Under World for the gods World. The gods create the Middle World to worship them and make them as Gods (gods with big g).

 

Second Scene, Birth of the Twins and the Omen. The golden twins is born: Sawerigading, destined to become a great warrior king, is born in full armour. We Tenriabeng, his sister, destined to become priest, is born in full Bissu regalia. The parents warned by an oracle that they were destined to be fall in love. They must be separated at birth, because incest will destroy the kingdom.

Third, Fourth, Five, Six, Seven,Eight, and Nine Scenes. This is the heart of the story.

Sawerigading and We Tenriabeng are sent to the separate place. Sawerigading is sent of to the sea exploring the world and We Tenriabeng is hidden in the secret place in the palace. Unfortunately, Sawerigading is told by the dead soul of the beautiful women about his sister, the most beautiful women in the middle earth, is hidden in his native island.

 

He return to the Kingdom and He fall in love with his sister; his parents object and said that his pleasure could not be put before Kingdom. Sawerigading become angry. He starts killing and punishing people, and the only one who could stop him and solve the problem is when We Tenriabeng appears. She then asks why Sawerigading like her. He replied,”It is your beauty, your face, the curve of your back, and the glow of your skin,”.  She said,”If just the desire of my body, I have a solution. We have a cousin just the same with me, named We Cudai in far away from here. If you don’t fall in love with her, just come back and we marry and broke the kingdom rule”. She use her thumb nail let him see We Cudai beauties. She also add, let just our children marry and our love will be united.

 

The adventures begin. With the help of gods, he builds the biggest fleet ship in the world from the mighty Welenrengge, an oldest, largest and sacred tree in the world. He travels to Cina . However, when he is in Cina, the destined denied. We Cudai’s rejected him. The Sawerigading start killing almost everyone in the We Cudai’s fathers’kingdom. Then her father convinces her to marry him and ask Sawerigading to bring the people whoever were killed back into life again. She agrees with certain condition, no public wedding and never receives her during the day or looks him in the face.

 

With that strange love, La Galigo is born. We Cudai send him to the river to let him go away. However, his father, Sawerigading brings him up.

 

The story of the Performance has differences with my mother’s story about I La Galigo. First, in the performance, is assumed to be the same with the what we know right now as People Republic of China . However, my mother story is totally different. Cina in the story is the in South Sulawesi, that known as   Pammana Kingdom (probably started BC), one of the oldest kingdom in the Sulawesi (and then united in the Wajo Kingdom (as federal state) in the early 16th centrury). Second, there are seven battles in the sea and seven battles in the land. This is actually the inspiration for many Buginess to become warrior. Last week, I read the book, A history of Malaysia. Incidentally I read one sub chapter about the influence of the Buginese in the Malay, especially in Johor. They used fleet ships to help the Kingdoms in the Selat Malaka to fight their enemies, then they were given part of the Kingdom and named Yang Dipertuan Muda, led by Daeng Marewa and Daeng Cella. The decendants of them could be easily recognized in such as Tun Abdul Razak and Dato Musa Hitam. Also in Riau (Indonesia province), we recognized the writer of Gurindam 12, Raja Ali Haji in Pulau Penyengat also stated as the ruler from the Buginess decendants.

 

Tenth Scenes, is the appearance of I La Galigo and Sawerigading in public arena: Cockfighting. We Cudai, who never see her husband and son is surprised to know that Sawerigading is not as She imagines before as barbar and super-ugly, but he is handsome and strong. The She fall in love, and happily ever after. Their son, I La Galigo have his own story as a rascal, womanizer, roaming from island to island, marry many women, stealing other man’s wive. But then Sawerigading ask all decendant of gods to Luwu for family reunion. The and and beginning. It is destined that the daughter of Sawerigading (sent to underworld) and the son of We Tenriabeng (sent to upperworld) are sent to the middle world (earth) to begin the human race without God’s intervention. The I La Galigo story has 7 generations to be told, that is the reason why the story become the longest story in the world.

 

Ok my son. That is the story of the performance & my mother’s story, and your name. Fortunately, I La Galigo story was my lullaby story. Let’s begin your story by your self.

Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 18:32:35 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Friday, December 9, 2005

La Tahzan

1. Cercaan musuh dan umpatan orang-orang yang dengki kepada diri Anda setara dengan nilai diri Anda.  Sebab kini Anda menjadi bahan perbincangan, dan seorang yang penting.

2. Jangan hidup dalam angan angan, tetapi hiduplah  dengan kenyataan.  Dengan hidup dalam angan angan Anda menginginkan dari orang lain apa yang tidak dapat Anda lakukan.  Karena itu jadilah orang yang objektif (dalam melihat kenyataan).

3. Ketahuilah bahwa orang yang menggibah Anda berarti memberi kebaikan-kebaikannya kepada Anda, menghapuskan kesalahan-kesalahan Anda dan menjadikan diri Anda orang yang terkenal.  Tentu saja yang demikian itu adalah nikmat.

4. Tuluskan tauhid Anda untuk Rabb agar hati terbuka. Sejernih mana tauhid Anda dan sebersih mana keikhlasan Anda maka sejernih dan sebersih itu pulalah kebahagiaan Anda.

5. Jadilah sosok pemberani yang berhati teguh dan berjiwa kuat.  Anda memiliki semangat dan tekad.  Jangan sekali-sekali Anda termakan  oleh rumor dan cerita-cerita yang tidak benar. Yakinlah bahwa dunia ini adalah tempat cobaan, ujian, dugaan, dan kesedihan.  Karena itu, terimalah ia apa adanya dan mintalah pertolongan kepada Allah. Belajarlah dari orang-orang yang telah terdahulu - yang pernah dipenjarakan, yang pernah dibunuh, yang pernah diuji dan yang pernah dibuang dan dikeluarkan dari negerinya.Pahala dari semua yang menimpa Anda ada pada Allah, baik itu kesedihan, keresahan, kelaparan, kefakiran, rasa sakit, hutang, dan musibah-musibah yang lain. Ketahuilah bahwa kesulitan itu akan membuka pendengaran, dan penglihatan, menghidupkan hati, mendewasakan jiwa, mengingatkan hamba dan menambah pahala. Jangan menerka-nerka peristiwa, jangan menunggu keburukan, jangan percaya terhadap semua kabar yang tidak jelas, dan jangan menelan mentah-mentah cerita-cerita yang tidak benar.

6. Bacalah secara berulang-ulang La haula wala quwwata illa billahi, karena bacaan ini akan membuat hati menjadi tenteram, memperbaiki keadaan, membuat yang berat menjadi ringan dan membuat Yang Maha Kuasa menjadi ridha.

7. Perbanyaklah membaca istighfar, sebab dengan istighfar akan ada rezki, akan ada jalan keluar,akan ada keluarga, akan ada ilmu yang berguna, akan ada kemudahan, dan akan ada penghapusan dosa.

8. Terimalah bentuk wajah, bakat , pemasukan, dan keluarga dengan kelegaan hati niscaya anda akan mendapatkan ketentraman dan kebahagiaan.

9. Ketahuilah bahwa setelah  kesulitan itu akan ada kemudahan, dan setelah kesulitan itu akan ada jalan keluar.  Ketahuilah bahwa keadaan seseorang itu tidak akan tetap selamanya, hari-hari itu akan senantiasa bergilir.

10. Optimislah, jangan pernah putus asa dan jangan pula menyerah tanpa usaha.  Berbaiksangkalah kepada Rabb. Dan, tunggulah segala kebaikan dan keindahan dari-Nya.

11. Terimalah pilihan ALLAH untuk Anda dengan gembira.  Sebab Anda tidak tahu tentang kemaslahatan.  Boleh jadi kesulitan itu baik dari pada kemudahan.

12. Ujian itu akan mendekatkan jarak antara diri Anda dengan Rabb, akan mengajarkan kepada diri Anda bagaimana berdo’a, dan akan menghilangkan kesombongan, ujub, dan rasa bangga diri dari diri Anda.

13. Jauhilah buruk sangka, buanglah angan-angan, khayalan-khayalan yang merusak, dan pikiran-pikiran yang sakit.

14. Bersyukurlah kepada Rabb atas nikmat agama, akal, kesehatan, penutup aib, pendengaran, penglihatan, rezki, keluarga, serta nikmat-nikmat lainnya.

15. Tidakkah Anda tahu bahwa diantara manusia itu ada yang hilang akalnya, terampas kesehatannya, dipenjarakan, dilumpuhkan, atau ditimpakan bencana?

17. Hiduplah bersama Al-Qur’an, baik dengan cara menghafal, membaca, mendengarkan, atau merenungkannya.  Sebab ini merupakan obat paling mujarab untuk mengusir kesedihan dan kedukaan.

18. Bertawakallah kepada Allah dan serahkan semua perkara kepada-Nya. Terimalah semua ketentuan-Nya dengan sepenuh hati, berlindunglah kepada-Nya, dan bergantunglah kepada-Nya karena sesungguhnya Dia cukup sebagai pelindungmu.

19. Maafkanlah orang yang pernah melakukan kezaliman kepada Anda, sambunglah tali silaturahmi orang yang memutuskan tali silaturahmi dengan Anda, berilah orang yang tidak pernah memberi  kepada Anda, dan bersabarlah terhadap orang yang berbuat jahat kepada Anda niscaya Anda akan memperoleh  rasa bahagia dan aman dalam diri anda.

Tips La Tahzan (Jangan Bersedih) DR. Aidh Al- Qarni. Hal. 486-487. My special thanks to: Mbak Khairina (Nina) di Salamaa yang udah bersusah payah mencari cuplikan ini.

Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 18:53:29 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Deep thinking

Have you ever thought about the fact that you did not exist before you were conceived and then born into the world and that you have come into existence from mere nothingness?

Have you ever thought about how the flowers you see in your living room everyday come out of pitch black, muddy soil with fragrant smells and are as colourful as they are?

Have you ever thought about how mosquitoes, which irritatingly fly around you, move their wings so fast that we are unable to see them?

Have you ever thought about how the peels of fruits such as bananas, watermelons, melons and oranges serve as wrappings of high quality, and how the fruits are packed in these wrappings so that they maintain their taste and fragrance?

Have you ever thought about the possibility that while you are asleep a sudden earthquake could raze your home, your office, and your city to the ground and that in a few seconds you could lose everything of the world you possess?

Have you ever thought of how your life passes away very quickly, and that you will grow old and become weak, and slowly lose your beauty, health and strength?

Have you ever thought about how one day you will find the angels of death appointed by Allah before you and that you will then leave this world?

Well, have you ever thought about why people are so attached to a world from which they will soon depart when what they basically need is to strive for the hereafter?

Man is a being whom Allah furnishes with the faculty of thought. Yet, most people do not use this very important faculty as they should. In fact, some people almost never think.

In truth, each person possesses a capacity for thought of which even he himself is unaware. Once man begins to use this capacity, facts he has not been able to realise until that very moment begin to be uncovered for him. The deeper he goes in reflection, the more his capacity to think improves, and this is possible for everyone. One just has to realise that one needs to reflect and then to strive hard.

Someone who does not think will remain totally distant from truths and lead his life in self-deception and error. As a result, he will not grasp the purpose of the creation of the world, and the reason for his existence on the earth. Yet, Allah has created everything with a purpose. This fact is stated in the Qur’an as follows:

We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them as a game. We did not create them except with truth but most of them do not know it. (Surat ad-Dukhan: 38-39)

Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us? (Surat al-Muminun: 115)

Therefore, each person needs to ponder the purpose of creation, first as it concerns him himself, and then as it pertains to everything he sees in the universe and every event he experiences throughout his life. Someone who does not think, will understand the facts only after he dies, when he gives account before Allah, but then it will be too late. Allah says in the Qur’an that on the day of account, everybody will think and see the truth:

That day Hell is produced, that day man will remember; but how will the remembrance help him?
He will say, “Oh! If only I had prepared in advance for this life of mine!” (Surat al-Fajr: 23-24)

While Allah has given us a chance in the life of this world to reflect and derive conclusions from our reflections, to see the truth will bring us great gain in our life in the hereafter. For this reason, Allah has summoned all people, through His prophets and books, to reflect on their creation and on the creation of the universe:

Have they not reflected within themselves? Allah did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them except with truth and for a fixed term. Yet many people reject the meeting with their Lord. (Surat ar-Rum: 8)

Source: http://www.harunyahya.com/deepthinking.php

Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 18:26:21 | Permalink | No Comments »

Sunday, December 4, 2005

The Missing Link?

Yup, this is the title of e-mail my husband sent me. From its content, even a fool can see that there is exactly no romantic words on it. But, without any logical explanation, this is the one thing which could put a smile again in my face after my bad and desparate feeling. I thank Allah SWT that my husband could still be productive in writing economic things article, this is one thing I admire from him as I always support him to keep on writing.  If we analyse it, it seems a little irony  and contradictive I think, where in one hand I failed my Economics exam, but on the other hand my husband is a good economic article writer (at least in my opinion :)). Perhaps this is another reason why I could smile again, I smile on this irony on one hand, and smile as my gratitude reflection to Allah SWT  that beside my failure there will still always be a way out and do better next time. 

My husband sent me sms on Saturday 2/12, “If you don’t mind, please put my article on your blog :)”. For me this is such an honor, I will do it immediately with no need for a second thought. My husband made this article as a discussion paper December 2005.

 Indonesian Macroeconomy

2004, 2005, and 2006  

Maddaremmeng Andi Panennungi[1]

 

A. The “missing link” in explaining Indonesian Macroeconomy 2004, 2005, and 2006

The political economy of general election could be used to understand the behavior of the macroeconomic during before and after the general election. Nevertheless, this is only suitable for around one year before and after the general election.

The missing link could explain why Indonesian macroeconomic in 2004 better than 2003, 2005 worse than 2004, and 2006 will better than 2005 (however, could not be tested scientifically due to lack of data series, because the theory usually applied in democracy country, and has started in 2004).

 

The rational government (politicians and the beurocrates) will maximize votes in general election (GE), as the consequences:

·        Before GE (about 1 year), the incumbent government will favor the expansion policies (both monetary and fiscal) for employment creation, this policies could bring inflation in the future

·        The incumbent government will not apply any policies that could make them unpopular, such as reduction subsidies or raising taxes

·        Soon after the GE (about 1 year), the new government (the winner, either the incumbent or the new entrant), will apply the opposite policies (contraction policies both in fiscal and monetary) to combat the inflation (anti-inflation policies)

·        The new government will take any policies without any popular consideration, including reducing subsidies and raising taxes. 

B. Indonesian Experiences 2004, 2005, and (2006?)

Even though the theory above could not be tested scientifically in , the Indonesian experiences during 2004, 2005, and (2006?) could be used to understand the theory.

 

In the year 2004, the incumbent government (Megawati Administration) postponed some unpopular policies such as reducing fuel subsidies, raising electricity price. It was also shown that the Central Bank (BI) kept downward trend of the interest rates. As the results, the economic growth in 2004, was higher compared to 2003 and inflation was also higher compared to 2003.

Soon after the GE, the new elected government (SBY-JK Administration), in the early of the year of their administration, reducing fuel subsidies (March and October) as the priority policy. There are also planning for “raising taxes” and electricity (probably in the early 2006).  The new government released “the burden–subsidy” in the first year.

 

The Central Bank also has shown the higher interest rate during the first year to fight inflation and rupiah depreciation. As the result, the growth in the year 2005, could be lower than 2004, and the worst is the inflation higher than 2004. If the inflation were kept below or at the same level with the 2004 inflation, the growth should be lower than 2004, although without any external shock such as fuel shock price.

 

C. Indonesia Macroeconomic Projection 2005 and 2006

The table below shows some estimation 2005 and 2005 

Institution

 

 

 

 

2005

2006

 

 

 

 

World Bank

 

 

 

 

5.7

5.5-6.0

 

 

 

 

JP Morgan

 

 

 

 

4.7

 

 

 

 

5.4

 

 

 

 

MAP*

 

 

 

 

5.0-5.4

5.8-6.1

 

 

 

 

  Sources: WB, JPM, * = personal opinion

Contrary to the JP Morgan estimation in 2005, World Bank has an optimistic estimation. If the BI were could kept inflation the same rate with the year 2004 with the strong monetary policy, the growth should be close to the JP Morgan estimation, however, BI allow the inflation reach double digits, then the growth will be between the World Bank and JP Morgan, approximately 5.0-5.4.  The first semester of 2005 reached the 5.9% economic growth. The second half is expected 4% and above of the growth.

 

The administered prices of fuel were raised by a weighted average 114%. The saving of the budget from the fuel prices in the year 2006 roughly USD 6-8 B (WB,2005). The saving could be used to inject the economy through the creation of labor intensive projects such as infrastructures, health, and education both in rural and urban (as the counter-cyclical policy).However, the inflation and high interest rate have also a “bad effect” to the budget, because it raised the nominal expenditure and also domestic debt.

In the year 2006, growth according to JP Morgan will be 5.4 and World Bank 5.5-6.0. It is estimated the growth could be in the range 5.8-6.1 with some assumptions below:

  • The fiscal policy inject the economy after “it released the burden from the fuel prices subsidy” by counter-cyclical policy as soon as possible. The money should be used for productive and mass job creation. This policy should regain the momentum of growth that was lost since October 1st, 2005. The growth momentum is expected in the second semester of the 2006.
  • The Central Banks should keep inflation below 10% with the downward trend of the interest rate. It is also assumed that the successor of Greenspan (the Fed) will apply a downward trend of interest rate during the year 2006.
  • The government could also manage the domestic politic. It is assumed that as long as Golkar and TNI support the government, the domestic politic will still stable.

 


[1] Lecturer and Researcher at the Institute for Economic and Social Research (LPEM FEUI), the opinion only reflects the personal opinion, not the Institute.
Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 15:09:32 | Permalink | No Comments »

Antisocial me…

I kept locking myself in my room for 2 days, torn by the fact that I failed in one of my exam. Every friend who was trying to asked what happen, knocking my door, buzzing my room, sending me e-mail and sms, could only got my silence. I cancelled one appointment with my friend Tono, saying I was not feeling well. I wanted to be alone without anyone else, except my husband and son, if only I was been able to. I did not go out to cook my food, I did not even want to eat. Until the second day, when Herni buzzed my room Thursday afternoon. She was not trying to ask me why and what happened, but only simply saying, “Endah, gw laper belum makan… Lo punya makanan ga?” And without I could explain, I simply replied her, “Do you bring porky with you?” Herni has a cute, stupid-innocent-face piggy doll which she received from Ita as her birthday present last October, she always brings this stupid face porky including to our vacation to German, and take it as her accompany in every moment. Herni said no to my question, but I let her went upstairs coming to my room.  

My room was a darkness, since I did not move the curtains up. I have no food, I let her open my fridge, occupy my kitchen, and do the cook for me. We had our late lunch that afternoon, she was still not trying what happen, only a simple word, “Gw denger lo lagi nggak enak badan, gw laper nih, mau masak ya.”  Thanks Herni.      

 At 6.30 pm once again Mirna knocked my door, asking me whether I was ok or not. I was so much better at that time, I said to her, I was feeling not well. She asked me to go to the centrum together to ease some tense and hard feeling. I refused her, I said I have to focus doing my assignment, which I actually did. I asked her to buy me some things from the centrum, and she said ok. Adrian and Ita kept sending me sms, and asking me to feel free if there is something I want them to do to ease my bad condition.

What made me really can smile again that day is one e-mail I received from my husband. It was totally not a romantic one, but amazing and strangely that piece of words from my husband can put a smile again in my face. I will let you know later what exactly his e-mail was about.    

Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 14:50:28 | Permalink | No Comments »

Again, my failure!

Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

My dear honey husband and Ody, I am very sorry I have no time to write you a lot lately. In the middle of last week, I was sad and mad knowing about the result of my Economics exam. Yup, as you already know about it, I am failed on that exam. I was very embarrashed at the moment I found that, for me it was ridiculous and embarrashing, I could not face the fact. I didn’t know what should I do, I lose my concentration during the 2nd session of Econometric class, and before that I also broke my nail careless and accidentally until it bleed a lot, and I was became busy to wipe my blood during the class. It was all happened right after I was given the fact that I am failed in Economics.

Ok, perhaps I made several mistakes out of 40 multiple choice questions, but I could not have made more than 45% mistakes on it, at least that was what I believed. Addition to my despair, I found out also from my convenor Mrs. Mooij that, I could do the re-exam on January, bu if only I am going to be succeed on that re-exam (for example I make only 30% or less mistakes),  my grade will not be higher than 60%. This already become the rule in our MA programme. I was given two shocks at one moment of time. I feel like I don’t given the best opportunity to improve my mark.

Mrs. Mooij was very kind, and agreed that the rules are very unfair,  while I was very shock and lose my words and clear thought. One thing, she could not approve my study plan to undertake the minor in quantitive economics on the third term. One reason is that, she doesn’t want me to be very much loaded at the third term, since both courses of that minor could only be done on third term, and in the mean time I also have to start to do my research paper. I could not deny that on the 3rd term I am going to carry a lot of loads for taking those courses, but I really want to learn and improve my skills in doing quantitative thing, etc. But  I admit that I have to be realistic also, I agreed Mrs. Mooij suggestion, I going to drop that minor since I only permitted to take one optional course for the 3rd term. So, I dropped SAM/CGE Modelling course switched it for Economics of Globalisation course which is going to be conducted on 2nd term, and kept Econometric Analysis for Dev’t Policies for 3rd term.

My friend Adrian, noticed during the Econometric class that I was very unconcentrated, he asked me why, and I could not give him an answer. One word I could say at that time was, “Something very embarrashing happen to me, and I could not understand why that could happened.” I became antisocial at that time. That day, Wednesday, 30/12 at 4 pm I left out the class with torn feeling, where in the meantime I still had to concentrate for the next 2 session (English course and group discussion for Econometric class). I could not tell everyone what exactly I feel. I left my campus at about 9.15 pm, after we (me and my group) finished working on 2 out of 5 questions of our Econometric assignment.

I stepped back to my dorm and meet Ara, she asked to visit to one our old batch from Indonesia who was going to to come home the next day. And there, me and Ara was spending about 2 hours at Mbak Musda’s room, saying goodbye and helping her removed uncarried things. We got several goodies which still in good condition. But I had to admit that my heart was broke facing the reality of my failure in exam, and I could not speak with everyone about it. All I wanted was share that broken feeling with my dearest husband.

When I went back to my room at 11 pm, Adrian called me to ensure that I am okay, I said to him that I was not ok, I wanted to cry but I said, I did not want to cry in front of him, I wanted to be alone in my room. I sent some sms to my husband. His replies reliefed my feeling for a little bit. I locked my self in my room, while Mirna was knocking on my door asking me whether I was ok. I could not replied her, I just left her on front of my door without any answer. Ita, sent me an e-mail, asking, “Are you feeling ok, dear?”, but same like Mirna, she didn’t have my answer. Well, it seemed that the news telling I was shock and sad had already came to my closest friends. I just needed some times to be alone and think about what had happened and the reasons why.

My feeling that night was a little reliefed by words from my husband. My husband didn’t think it was such a serious problem, he took it easily while giving me advise, “Tenang Sayang :), it is only a signal to focuse on your study and put the others as 2nd priority….” and “Coba diskusi sama dosennya, apa yang perlu diperbaiki.” and “Write ut down in your blog if you dare…. Santai ces.” and “Tenang aja, bisa dipelajari sendiri, nggak usah malu. Semua orang pernah gagal. Hehehe :) let it flows and just focus. the first year memang begitu, perlu kerja keras. It happens everywhere according to me and my friends experiences :), so just focus.” and ”Gimana kabarnya Sayang?” and “You could do better than what you think, don’t crack underpressure, honey. Jangan lupa baca Surat Yasin setiap malam supaya terhindar dari kezaliman makhlukNya.”

My dear honey, Maddaremmeng A. Panennungi and Odisseus A. Panennungi, both of you are my strength, I couldn’t have done so much without your honest and total support. I thank Allah SWT for having both of you in my life.

With luv, kisses and hugs,

Posted by Odisseus\' Mom at 13:40:02 | Permalink | No Comments »