ENCIRCLED BY OCEAN OF FIRE FOR RIDICULING ULAMAS

ENCIRCLED BY OCEAN OF FIRE FOR RIDICULING ULAMAS

AFTER completing tawaf around midnight, our group returned to the hotel. It was only when everyone had gone into their respective rooms that we realised one of them had yet to return.

     "Eh, hasn't Datuk Sulaimi back yet? He was so keen just now to do tawaf on his own," I said to one of the pilgrims.

     "No! His room is still dark," he replied.

     This was quite a normal behavior for Datuk Sulaimi, a well known businessman, when he was in my group. Despite performing Umra countless time, his arrogant and hard-headed behavior had never changed.

     Earlier at dusk, he bragged about doing tawaf by himself, seemingly because he was already so familiar with Mecca's intricacies.

     "Where has the Datuk gone?" I asked myself.

     I was getting worried as dawn was breaking and he had not returned. That morning, our group perform Fajr prayer at the Al-Masjid al-Haram without him. I couldn't say he was lost because he frequented Mecca almost every year. Of late, he even had becoming here twice a year. There was only one possibility - he could be hurt.

     So, I went looking for him at all the clinics and hospitals near Mecca. I searched for him the whole day. However, to no avail.

     Have completed Maghrib prayer, my friends and I looked for him around Al-Masjid al-Haram. After searching for so long, I accidentally caught sight of Datuk Sulaimi learning against the wall of a mosque, almost 10 metres from the place of Sayee.

     He looked lethargic. As soon as I approached him, I saw that the soles of his feet were cracked and bleeding. When I asked him, Datuk Sulaimi did not give a single reply. In a weakened state, his friends supported him back to the hotel. Throughout the night, Datuk Sulaimi could not sleep. He was always restless and was mumbling incoherently.

     "It's hot! Hot! Hot!" he yelled while furiously fanning himself with his hands. Sometimes, he would get up and take off his clothes. A blanket at the end of the bed was throw against the wall.

     "Hajah, I'm sick! My body is hot! Go and get me a doctor!" he said.

     I contacted the nearby clinic but unfortunately there was no doctor on duty then.

     After examined him, the doctor confirmed that Datuk Sulaimi was not sick. He body temperature was normal. Only his feet were cracked and continued to bleed since yesterday. Before he left, the doctor gave him some painkillers.

     Datuk Sulaimi became enraged when he heard the doctor said that he was not having a fever despite him feeling so hot. He complained incessantly and threw the medicines away. The pills strewn the floor.

     "My body is hot! Find another doctor, quick!" he screamed.

     Looking at his condition, the managing director of TM Tours, Haji Ridwan Abdullah and I, took Datuk Sulaimi to the hospital. Again they examined him. However, the diagnosis remained the same. There were no signs to show that Datuk Sulaimi was ill. Before we returned to the hotel, again the doctor gave him some painkillers.

     He immediately took the pills as soon as he reached the hotel. But, it didn't seem to have any effect.

     "It's hot! Hot! Hot!" Datuk Sulaimi continued to mumble. We were dumbfounded. The doctor had confirmed that he did not have a fever while the room was fully air conditioned 24 hours.

     Sometimes, he would take off his shirt and fanned his body. He also constantly went into the bathroom to cool himself. Nothing worked. Each time the water droplets on his body dried up, Datuk Sulaimi felt like he was in flames.

     He continued to complain that his body temperature had gotten higher even since he returned from the hospital. I was worried what was happening with Datuk Sulaimi. His condition was very unusual. Based on my many years of experience taking pilgrims to the Holy Land, I suspected that 'something' had occurred to Datuk Sulaimi. If not, how could he get this way.

     That night, together with Hajj Ridwan, I tried to pry the story from him. Slowly, we approached him. We discovered that Datuk Sulaimi could not perform his Tawaf and Sayee on the night that he disappeared.

     "I really don't know Naaimah. Many times I went up and down, and around the Kaaba looking for the exit to the Sayee but I couldn't find the door," Datuk Sulaimi sighed.

     "How could you not have seen it? The doors are right next to each other!" I said.

     "It's true Naaimah. I couldn't even see the Kaaba. The area was just empty. When I turned left, I saw fire. I turned right and I saw water."

     "At that time, I felt like I was on a small island. When I tried to run to the left, flames would engulf me. When I ran to the right, water, as vast as the sea, almost drowned me," said Datuk Sulaimi.

     To save himself, he ran around the Al-Masjid al-Haram, There, he still could not find the exit. Datuk Sulaimi did not know how many times he kept on circling the same place. According to him, whenever he turned back, he could see a vision of a door on the left hand corner of the mosque.

     He then, made a dash for it. But whenever he got anywhere, he would see yellowish light shooting throught. Eventually the lights got brighter. The lights, which he had thought some beautiful, turned out to be roaring flames. The nearer he approached it, the higher it rose until Datuk Sulaimi was engulfed in the angry flames.

     "I couldn't move. If I moved a step forward, I would be engulfed by the flames. I could only watch, transfixed, at the endless sea of fire that stretched as far as the eyes could see," he said.

     Datuk Sulaimi continued with his story. Because he couldn't stand the heat, he retreated step by step to distance himself from the rising flames. His profusely sweat, wetting his ihram clothing. He turned to the right and saw a wide open door. Without wasting any time, he quickly headed for it.

     "But, as soon as I got to the entrance, I saw so much water... like open sea. It was so strange. Where had the water come from? If I just went straight on, I would have drowned. When I retreated and looked for the exit, fire was stretching as wide as a football field and rose higher than a date tree," he said.

     When he got tired, Datuk Sulaimi leaned against the wall of a mosque. It was then that he felt the cracks on the bottom of his feet and was finally found by his friends.

     After telling us his story, Datuk Sulaimi looked pensive again. When the advice of some friends, I turned to Haji Shawal, an acquaintance of mine from Malaysia who had been living in Mecca for 30 years, to shed light on the problem. That afternoon, we took Haji Shawal to Datuk Sulaimi's room.

     "Who are you trying to cure me? What's so great about you? Even the doctors said that I am fine, not sick. What make you think you can do anything?" Datuk Sulaimi yelled. I told him of our intentions for bringing Haji Shawal.

     "Be patient Datuk, don't talk like that. It's not good to insult people," I tried to calm him down.

     "I have not come to cure you of your condition. I have no any powers. I only can try. God willing, then you will be cured," Haji Shawal interjected.

     "Enough, enough! Go, go! Don't talk so much. You think you're so smart?" yelled Datuk Sulaimi again.

     This time his voice sounded very fierce. Datuk Sulaimi's eyes never wavered from studying every move made by the man, who was in his late 50s.

     His anger heightened when Haji Shawal took a kettle of Zamzam water, read some holy verses from the Quran and blew into the water. When the water was offered to him, Datuk Sulaimi immediately swiped it away. The glass dropped and the water spilled onto the floor.

     "Are you trying to poison me? Enough, go and take the water with you! Do you think the water can cure me? If the doctor's medicine can't do anything, what makes you think this cold water is going to cure me?" Datuk Sulaimi said sarcastically.

     "No one is trying to poison you, Datuk. You know fully well that this is Zamzam water," I tried to convince him.

     "You think I don't know anything? All these are nonsense!" he said again.

     It took Haji Shawal and I more than two hours to persuade Datuk Sulaimi to drink the water. After sipping it, he immediately felt asleep. With Allah's will, his health got better. He was able to do Fajr prayer. That morning, he was livelier from the previous day and even greeted the other pilgrims. When he met me, he immediately told me about himself.

     "Hajah, I am ok now. I'm not sick anymore. I can walk," he told me happily.

     "Alhamdulillah that you are well," I said.

     Alhamdulillah, he did not raise his voice like before anymore. He concentrated more in carrying out his religious duties and paying his Dam (expiation) for missing some obligatory Umra rituals. He managed to carry out his ibadah perfectly. Before leaving for home, Datuk Sulaimi came to see me. Trying to contain his heaviness in his chest, he could not stop his tears from streaming down. From time to time you could hear his sobs. His sleeves were met with tears. His behavior was very strange.

     "What's wrong, Datuk? Has something happened?" I asked.

     After a long silence, he finally spoke. "Hajah... I truly regret everything. I've gone through a lot while carrying out the Umra this year. I can still feel the heart from the flames engulfing my body. This is my retribution for always looking down on people, especially ulamas and belittling them. I used to say everything they did was nonsense."

     "Everything the ulamas did was wrong, in my opinion. For my, their Fatwa (legal pronouncement in Islam) was all incorrect. I had the cheek to bring out my own Fatwa despite my own religious knowledge is little."

     "Not only that, I, too, made fun of religion. If the rules forbid it, I would find ways and reasons to make it possible because, of course, I am a businessman. I only ever thought of making profit," he said, sadly.

     I allowed him to pour his feelings. Datuk Sulaimi added: "Now I'm truly sorry. This is the punishment for everything I've done."

     "It is okay Datuk, Allah still loves you and that's why he's given you the chance to redeem yourself. Just remember, we cannot ridicule each other. Even though there may be those who lack in a lost of things, and we don't, we should just be thankful, not make fun of them. We're all the same in Allah's eyes," I said.

     Datuk Sulaimi nodded his head. He was truly sorry and prayed that his sins would be forgiven.

N / F : FROM "THE BEST COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM MECCA", BY MASTIKA.

HASAN AL-BANNA [ BAB 5 - KHUTBAH DI MIMBAR KOSONG ]

KHUTBAH DI MIMBAR KOSONG

"Ketika ayah sampai di Mahmodiyah, masjid ini masih belum dibina," kata Imam Ahmad Al-Banna kepada anaknya, Hasan Al-Banna. Ketika itu mereka berdua berada di dalam masjid Mahmodiyah.

     "Di mana orang ramai bersembahyang ketika itu?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna pula.

     "Mereka sembahyang di rumah masing-masing."

     "Mengapa boleh jadi begitu?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna lagi.

     Menurut Imam Ahmad Al-Banna, semua berlaku apabila Mesir dijajah British. Mereka menjadikan Mesir sebuah negara sekular dengan mencabut amalan beragama daripada rakyatnya.

     Kerana menganggap agama menyebabkan umat Islam lemah dan mundur, maka ada antara mereka melarang anak-anak belajar di sekolah agama, dan merobohkan masjid dengan alasan tempat itu dijadikan gerakan menentang British.

     "Bagaimana pula masjid ini boleh didirikan? Tidak ada yang yang menghalangnya?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna lagi.

     "Semuanya berlaku dengan izin Tuhan yang berkuasa," jawab Imam Ahmad Al-Banna. "Penduduk Mahmodiyah sanggup mengeluarkan perbelanjaan, dan mereka bergotong-royong bagi mendirikan masjid ini."

     "Pihak British tidak marah?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna lagi.

     Imam Ahmad Al-Banna menarik nafas panjang lalu menjawab, "Mereka pernah menghantar wakil bagi mempengaruhi penduduk Mahmodiyah bagi membatalkan kerja mendirikan masjid ini. Tetapi orang ramai tidak berjaya dipengaruhi. Kemudian mereka menghantar sepasukan tentera bagi menakutkan penduduk Mahmodiyah, namun mereka tidak gentar. Malah ramai yang sanggup mati syahid bagi mempertahankan masjid ini."

     Kemudian katanya lagi, "Kemudian timbul pula masalah untuk menjadi imam, kerana tidak ada yang sanggup memikut tanggungjawab itu. Akhirnya orang ramai melantik ayah menjadi imam di masjid ini. Ayah menerimanya kerana Allah, dan tidak takut kepada sesiapa."

     "Ayah seorang yang hebat, saya akan mencontohi ayah..." ujar Hasan Al-Banna.

     Mendengar kata-kata anaknya itu, Imam Ahmad Al-Banna segera menjawab, "Semua manusia dijadikan hebat. Cuma kadangkala manusia itu sendiri tidak tahu tentang kehebatannya."

     "Saya mahu menjadi seperti Sungai Nil, berjasa kepada rakyat Mesir dan dikenang hningga akhir zaman," kata Hasan Al-Banna pula.

     Imam Ahmad Al-Banna menyokong cita-cita anaknya itu, "Kamu pasti mendapatnya, sekiranya berusaha dengan bersungguh-sungguh."

     Hasan Al-Banna sering mengikut ayahnya pergi ke masjid. Dia sering disuruh mengumandangkan azan apabila masuk waktu solat. Saat yang paling disukainya adalah, apabila berada di atas menara masjid melaungkan azan dengan suara yang kuat.

     Pada hari Jumaat, Hasan Al-Banna dan ayahnya datang ke masjid lebih awal. Mereka adalah yang terawal datang ke masjid. Apabila masuk waktu solat Jumaat, Imam Ahmad Al-Banna naik ke mimbar membaca khutbah.

     Hasan Al-Banna sungguh tertarik melihat ayahnya yang berdiri dengan gagah di atas mimbar. Kata-kata yang diucapkan ayahnya kedengaran lancar dan petah. Lalu timbul keinginan hatinya untuk berdiri di atas mimbar, menyampaikan khutbah seperti yang dilakukan ayahnya.

     Namun, peluang itu sukar diperolehnya kerana hanya imam dan khatib yang boleh berada di atas mimbar. Tambahan pula dia masih belum dewasa, pasti orang ramai tidak membenarkan dia berkhutbah.

     Selesai sembahyang Jumaat, Hasan Al-Banna tidak pulang ke rumah. Dia terus berada di dalam masjid sehingga semua orang sudah keluar. Kini dia tinggal sendiri di dalam masjid itu. Dia melihat mimbar yang kosong. Hatinya melonjak mahu berada di atas mimbar masjid seperti ayahnya.

     Hasan Al-Banna menutup semua pintu dan tingkap masjid, supaya tidak siapa yang melihatnya, Hasan Al-Banna naik ke mimbar lalu meniru gaya ayahnya berkhutbah.

     Hasan Al-Banna terus berkhutbah dengan suara yang lantang. Dia membayangkan orang ramai memenuhi masjid itu, lalu mendengar khutbah yang dibacakannya.

     Selesai berkhutbah, Hasan Al-Banna turun dari mimbar lalu menunaikan sembahyang sunat dua rakaat, kemudian berdoa semoga lidahnya lancar berkhutbah. Kemudian dia naik ke atas mimbar sekali lagi dan berkhutbah. Dia melakukannya berulang kali dengan rasa gembira.

     "Di mana abang kamu Hasan Al-Banna?" tanya Imam Ahmad Al-Banna kepada Abdul Rahman Al-Banna, apabila mereka sampai di rumah.

     "Masa sembahyang Jumaat tadi dia ada di masjid. Selepas itu saya tidak lagi melihatnya," jawab Abdul Rahman Al-Banna, yang turut sama sembahyang Jumaat bersama ayah dan abangnya. Selesai sembahyang Jumaat dia terus mengikut ayahnya pulang ke rumah.

     Mereka terus menunggu, tetapi kelibat Hasan Al-Banna masih tidak kelihatan. Hati Fudhla mula dipagut kerisauan. Pelbagai sangkaan yang tidak baik menerpa fikirannya.

     "Biasanya, selesai sembahyang Jumaat Hasan terus pulang ke rumah. Mengapa hari ini dia masih belum pulang?" tanya Fudhla yang kelihatan risau.

     Imam Ahmad Al-Banna membuat andaian dalam usaha meredakan keresahan isterinya. "Mungkin dia singgah di rumah kawannya. Mungkin sekejap lagi dia akan sampai."

     Selepas sekian lama menunggu, Hasan Al-Banna masih belum nampak kelibatnya. Fudhla tidak dapat menahan sabarnya lalu menyuruh Abdul Rahman Al-Banna pergi ke rumah kawan-kawannya, mencari dan menjemput abangnya pulang.

     Abdul Rahman Al-Banna pergi ke setiap rumah kawan abangnya, malangnya tidak ditemui. Selepas penat mencari, Abdul Rahman Al-Banna segera pulang ke rumah memberitahu ayah dan ibunya.

     Sebagai seorang ibu, Fudhla semakin risau. Dia sudah mula hendak menangis. "Di mana anak kita? Mungkinkah dia sudah hilang?"

     Imam Ahmad Al-Banna berkata dengan tenang, "Mustahil dia hilang."

     "Mungkin abang tertidur di dalam masjid," kata Abdul Rahman Al-Banna.

     Imam Ahmad Al-Banna segera mengaka Abdul Rahman Al-Banna pergi ke masjid. Dari jauh, pintu dan tingkap masjid tertutup rapat. Tidak ada tanda-tanda ada orang di dalamnya. Mereka berdua terus menghampiri masjid dengan harapan Hasan Al-Banna berada di dalamnya.

     Imam Ahmad Al-Banna segera membuka pintu masjid, dan kelihatan Hasan Al-Banna sedang berdiri di atas mimbar sambil berkhutbah. Kerana khusyuknya berkhutbah. Hasan Al-Banna tidak sedar kedatangan ayah dan adiknya. Dia terus berkhutbah dengan disaksikan Imam Ahmad Al-Banna, dan adiknya Abdul Rahman Al-Banna.

     Selesai berkhutbah, baru dia turun dari mimbar dan ketika itu barulah dia perasan ada orang di dalam masjid. Hasan Al-Banna kelihatan terkejut apabila melihat ayah dan adiknya ada di dalam masjid.

     "Apa yang kamu lakukan wahai Hasan?" tanya Imam Ahmad Al-Banna.

     "Saya belajar berkhutbah di atas mimbar masjid. Saya mahu meniru ayah berkhutbah."

     Imam Ahmad Al-Banna mengusap kepalanya anaknya lantas berkata, "Apabila sudah besar nanti, kamu boleh naik mimbar membaca khutbah."

     "Tentu tidak menjadi kesalahan sekiranya saya belajar mulai sekarang. Bukankah begitu wahai ayahku?"

     "Lain kali beritahu ayah supaya kami tidak risau," jawab Imam Ahmad Al-Banna, lalu mengajak Hasan Al-Banna pulang ke rumah.

     "Saya rasa seronok berdiri di atas mimbar dan berkhutbah. Bolehkah saya melakukannya lagi pada hari Jumaat depan?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna semasa dalam perjalanan pulang ke rumah.

     "Boleh..." jawab Imam Ahmad Al-Banna.

     Jawapan ayahnya itu menggembirakan hati Hasan Al-Banna.

     "Minggu depan boleh saya melihat abang berkhutbah di atas mimbar?" tanya Abdul Rahman Al-Banna.

     "Tentu boleh," jawab Hasan Al-Banna dengan gembira kerana adiknya mahu melihat dia berkhutbah.

     Pada hari Jumaat berikutnya Hasan Al-Banna dan adiknya tidak segera pulang ke rumah. Selepas masjid itu kosong, Hasan Al-Banna naik ke atas mimbar membaca khutbah. Apabila pulang ke rumah, Abdul Rahman Al-Banna bercerita kepada ibu, ayah, dan adiknya mengenai Hasan Al-Banna yang pandai berkhutbah.

     Kemudian Abdul Rahman Al-Banna bercerita pula kepada kawan-kawannya. Mereka tertarik mahu melihat Hasan Al-Banna berkhutbah. Pada Jumaat berikutnya, Abdul Rahman dan beberapa orang rakannya tidak terus pulang ke rumah, kerana mahu melihat Hasan Al-Banna berkhutbah. Mereka tertarik melihat dan mendengar Hasan Al-Banna berkhutbah. Hari Jumaat berikutnya mereka semakin bertambah ramai.

N / F : DARIPADA "HASAN AL-BANNA", OLEH ABDUL LATIP TALIB.

PERFORMING THE HAJJ WITH A DJIN

PERFORMING THE HAJJ WITH A DJIN

IT was end of 1980s and our destination for the day was Jabal Thur, one of the significant mountains in history of Islamic spread during the Prophet's time. There is a cave in Jabal Thur where the Prophet and Abu Bakar As-Sidiq took refuge from the Quraish disbelievers.

     As soon as we reached the cave, 40 pilgrims and I got down from our bus. As the leader of the tour group, I took them to that mountain. As soon as we arrived at the foot of the mountain, I regaled the pilgrims on the background story of Jabal Thur.

     Then, I brought them around the mountain. At the end of the tour, we boarded the bus again and before leaving for Arafat, I did a quick head count. There were 40 people everybody was in. I was glad that nobody had been left behind. Our bus finally left Jabal Thur.

     However, when we arrived in Arafat, a woman came to me complaining that her husband was missing. His name was Khamis, a 60-year-old from Johor. I was upset at the fact that she had not come forward sooner to inform us of her husband's disappearance before we left Jabal Thur.

     "Don't worry, we will continue with our tour of Mina, then to Jabal Nur and other places. While the pilgrims are busy with the tour, we'll head back to Jabal Thur again to look for your husband," I reassured her.

     The pilgrims continued with their tour while one of my uncles and I went back to Jabal Thur to look for Khamis. However, despite looking everywhere for him, we still could not locate him. Then, we looked in the areas near Jabal Thur, and again, from afternoon until night, our efforts were in vain. We returned to Mecca. When my father found out about the man's disappearance, he immediately scold me.

     "How could you? Can't you even look after the pilgrims without anybody went missing? It's not like you've never done a tour before," said my father, angrily. My father had been living in Mecca for many years and conducted Hajj and Umra tours.

     "Go and find that missing pilgrim!" said my father.

     How could he be lost? It seemed really strange thinking about it. I had been doing this work for the last five years and never had anything like this happen before. The next day, I went to see his wife.

     "Has Khamis returned yet?"

     "Not yet, Mazlan. I wonder how he is now," his wife replied, her voice quivering will all the crying she had been doing.

     From that day on, I mounted my search for Khamis but to no avail. He could not be found and had not returned at all to his lodging. In short, Khamis was still missing as the Hajj month come to an end.

     But Allah is great. One night, after almost a month into his disappearance and barely a week before the pilgrims were due to return to Malaysia, Khamis suddenly appeared. We were having our dinner after performing 'Isya prayer and were taken by surprise. As soon as she saw her husband, Khamis' wife suddenly hugged him.

     "Where did you go? Where did your disappear to? Have you eaten?" The question poured incessantly from his wife, while sobbing at the same time.

     What had really happened to Khamis?

     Khamis started to regale us with his tale. His story was so peculiar that we didn't know whether to believe him or not. According to Khamis, he was left behind by the group during our tour of the areas around the foot of the mountain as he had chosen to climb the mountain instead. He never reached the peak, just half way. He was so excited that he was not aware that the bus had left Jabal Thur. As soon as he realised it, said Khamis, the group was no longer around.

     "While I was lost, I saw Mazlan looking for me." However, said Khamis, something strange happened to him. Suddenly he found himself unable to move. He was stupefied.

     "I saw you were looking for me. I was standing right in front of you, but strangely enough, you didn't even sense my presence. I asked myself, how can this be happening. Can't you see me standing right in front of you?"

     "Then I shouted out to you but no response, as if you couldn't hear me. I couldn't do anything else as I knew that I was already in another world... the unseen world," said Khamis.

     "So, what happened to you after that?" I asked.

     "After all of you had left, 10 men came out from that cave." Talking in Malay, they introduced themselves to Khamis as djins, one of Allah's creatures. They looked like humans and are Muslims. They were green robes with green turbans. These djins then took Khamis to Thur Cave. And there he remained - eating, sleeping and praying together.

     "That was the first time I ever saw djins."

     According to Khamis, the djins slept on rocks and ate animal bones. However, they served him fruits to eat, especially dates. In the cave, there was a djin who assumed the role of the leader. He was respected by Khamis and other djins.

     Apart from that, there was one other unseen creature called Abdul Wahid. He was not a descendant of the djins, and he had a single role - to look after the surah Al-Ikhlas. He was the expert for it. And djins, who wanted to truly understand that surah, would refer to Abdul Wahid. Throughout his stay with them, Khamis's heart was always calm and happy.

     "Did you perform your Hajj?" I asked.

     "I did. The djins took me," replied Khamis.

     He told me, on 8th Dhu al-Hijjah, the djins took him to Mina to perform the Al-Tarwiyyah as carried out by the Prophet when he performed his Hajj. They spent the night there. The next day, on 9th Dhu al-Hijjah, they walked to Arafat to wukuf.

     "Without realising it, we eventually arrived in Arafat."

     Now that sounded strange. If a normal person were to do it, it would take him four to five hours to walk there. We became even more engrossed listening to his story.

     "As soon as we arrived in Arafat, we did our wuquf in Jabal Rahmah. I saw many djins all of shapes and sizes on top of the mountain and below. There were some, which had many heads. The most was in Aqabah. After wuquf, before sunset, we walked to Muzdalifah," Khamis continued his story.

     As soon as they reached there, Khamis did his prayers, led by a djin by the name of Qurnain. Khamis and all the other djins then spent the night there. From Muzdalifah, they went on to Mina to throw pebbles at the stone pillar of Jamraat. According to Khamis, it was at that point tha the saw the devil with his own eyes.

     "Blood trickled out of him when hit by the pebbles thrown by the pilgrims. The devil had horns, and was really ugly and scary," he continued. There was a lot more that Khamis had told me about the devil's appearance, but I have forgotten them as it has been quite some time.

     "How could you throw? Wasn't it crowded with pilgrims at the time?" I asked.

     "We could penetrate the human bodies," replied Khamis.

     From Mina, Khamis and his new friends, the djins, retuned to Mecca to do the tawaf. They also jostled like the humans, but their way of doing the Tawaf was somewhat different compared to humans. Once that was completed, Khamis and the djins returned to Jabal Thur.

     "Now we have completed the Hajj together," said one of the djins. "Thank you so much Khamis."

     "You're welcome," I replied. Then, I enquired whether I could return to my own world. I miss my family, I told them. My wife must be very sad and be looking for me.

     "All right. May we meet again one day," replied the djin. Later they sent Khamis to the foot of Jabal Thur.

     When he arrived there, a taxi immediately came into view. Khamis got into the taxi and told the driver to take him to Al-Masjid al-Haram. When he reached there, the taxi stopped near a bridge where the pilgrims carried out their Sayee. Khamis got out of the taxi and put his hand into his pocket to get his money out to pay.

     Turning towards the car, Khamis was just about to ask about the fare but the taxi had disappeared!

     "Then, I went into the mosque to pray, do my tawaf as well as other rituals."

     Once that was completed, Khamis thought deeply about how he was going to get back to his lodging. He had forgotten where it was. But Allah is great, and while he was walking aimlessly. Khamis bumped into a somewhat religious looking old man. His face was white, and he had a long white beard and wore a white robe.

     "What's wrong brother? You look like you have a problem," greeted the old man in Malay with Arabic accent. Khamis explained his dilemma to the man.

     "Who are you staying with?"

     "With Abdul Rahman Dom," replied Khamis.

     "Oh, I know him. I live here, and I know all the people who organise the Hajj groups. Let me send you home."

     Khamis followed the man who then took him up some stairs, which led to a door.

     "Open the door," said the man. Khamis did as told. As soon as he opened it, he was so happy when he saw us, his Hajj group, enjoying our dinner. Excitedly, he turned to thank the old man who had sent him there but... he man had disappeared.

     "Are you sure about this?"

     "It's true Mazlan. How could I lie? We are in Mecca!"

     Does Khamis story ring true? That was the question playing on our minds when he told us about his experience. However, after questioning him so many times, we finally convinced that he was telling the truth. The reason? When we asked him about certain places around Jabal Thur, Mecca, Mina and others, his answers were accurate.

     His replies to our questions about djins, their appearance, their food, their practices, also convinced us. His answers were consistent as those told to us by the ulamas about the world of the djins.

     On top of that, Khamis never really had a deep religious knowledge prior to coming to Mecca. However, after his sojourn with the djins, he could answer any questions posed to him about any religious rules and regulations. He could also elaborate everything about the Hajj.

     If there weren't any great teachers, how could he know all those rules and regulations? To say that he had learnt from a religious teacher - a human was not possible - because everybody was so busy with their Hajj.

     His character, which had suddenly transformed to being religious, convinced us even more about his story. Khamis was just a regular guy. But throughout my acquaintance with him, I noticed that he was a noble person, and someone who respected others. He never engaged in gossiping and was pious.

     His background was also quite special. Maybe that was the reason why he was given the opportunity by Allah to undergo such a wondrous experience.

     Khamis was just a kampong guy, selling fruits from his orchard that stretched two to three acres. His house was small and was built on a paddy field. His daily routine basically comprised doing things to earn his livelihood and on religious duties. In the mornings, Khamis would go to his orchard, and when the azan sounded for Zuhr, he would return home to pray. Then, he would help his wife with the housework.

     Khamis was not the sort of person who like hanging out at coffee shops. If not for gatherings, he seldom went to other people's houses. This was probably because he was a rather quiet person. I was told that he detested lying and bad mouthing other people. Another thing, Khamis never owned anyone any money. He went to Mecca with the money he had amassed over six years, selling his produce.

     Apart from the, he also had several other noble traits, which I admire. Firstly, whenever the call to prayer came, Khamis would immediately pray, either at home or with the congregation in the mosque. He would never delay. And his ablution water never dried off his body. If ever it was annulled, he would immediately renew it. On top of that, he gave all fruits which had fallen in his orchard to the mosque and other villagers.

     "Those are extra from which my family and I picked up. It's true that the orchard belongs to me but these fruits do not belong to me alone. They all belong to Allah and I have to distribute them to other people who deserve them," said Khamis.

     As Khamis's story came to an end, I looked at my watch. It was almost time for Fajr!

N / F : FROM "THE BEST COLLECTION OF STORIES FROM MECCA", BY MASTIKA. 

HASAN AL-BANNA [ BAB 4 - SURAT UNTUK IMAM ]

SURAT UNTUK IMAM

Pagi itu selepas sembahyang subuh, Hasan Al-Banna dan adiknya Abdul Rahman Al-Banna berjalan kaki pergi ke sekolah. Jarak antara rumah mereka dan sekolah hanya dua kilometer. Setiap hari mereka berdua pergi dan pulang dari sekolah hanya dengan berjalan kaki. Di pertengahan jalan biasanya mereka akan bertemu dengan pelajar lain dan mereka bersama-sama berjalan kaki menuju ke sekolah.

     Di Madrasah Ar-Rasyad As-Diniyyah, Hasan Al-Banna dikenali sebagai pelajar yang paling pintar. Dia dengan mudah dapat memahami dan mengingati apa yang diajar oleh gurunya. Apabila ada soalan, dia dapat menjawabnya dengan pantas dan betul. Kerana itu Hasan Al-Banna disayangi oleh guru dan kawan-kawannya.

     Hari itu Syeikh Muhamad Zahran tidak berada di sekolah kerana ada urusan di luar. Penolongnya juga tidak datang kerana sakit. Hasan Al-Banna diminta rakan-rakannya menggantikan tempat guru. Dia membaca kitab fikah Imam Syafie. Semua rakannya berpuas hati dengan penerangan yang diberi oleh Hasan Al-Banna.

     Biasanya mereka sembahyang di surau dalam sekolah sahaja, tetapi tengah hari itu Hasan Al-Banna mengajak kawan-kawannya sembahyang berjemaah di masjid yang letaknya tidak jauh dari sekolah. Melihat Hasan Al-Banna dan kawan-kawan rapatnya mahu sembahyang di masjid, ramai kawan-kawannya yang lain mahu ikut hingga jumlah mereka seramai 20 orang.

     Apabila sampai di kawasan masjid, Hasan Al-Banna dan kawan-kawannya terus menuju ke tempat wuduk untuk mengambil air sembahyang. Kebetulan Syeikh Muhamad Sa'id, imam Masjid itu berada di tempat wuduk. Apabila melihat ramai kanak-kanak yang datang, dia pun marah lalu berkata, "Kamu pergi sembahyang di surau madrasah kamu. Jangan sembahyang di masjid ini. Nanti habis air di tempat wuduk kamu kerjakan."

     "Kami mahu sembahyang kerana itu perlu berwuduk. Adakah itu satu kesalahan?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna.

     "Kamu datang ke masjid ini hanya untuk membazirkan air. Apabila air kolah itu kering, orang dewasa yang datang tidak dapat mengambil wuduk," kata Tuan Imam lalu menghalau Hasan Al-Banna dan kawan-kawannya pergi dari situ.

     Dengan suara yang tegas, Hasan Al-Banna menjawab, "Tuan Imam tidak boleh menghalau kami kerana kami datang hendak bersembahyang."

     "Bukankah di sekolah kamu ada surau? Sembahyang sahaja di situ," marah Imam Syeikh Muhamad Sa'id.

     "Bukankah umat Islam bebas beribadat di mana sahaja? Bukankah masjid ini dibina untuk umat Islam bersembahyang? Kerana itu, kami mahu bersembahyang di masjid ini. Mengapa Tuan tidak membenarkannya?" tegas Hasan Al-Banna.

     Tuan Imam itu mula naik angin, "Kamu datang hanya untuk bermain air dan bergurau senda."

  

     "Adakah Tuan melihat kami bermain air dan bergurau senda? Kami hanya mahu mengambil wuduk untuk bersembahyang. Ini kali pertama kami datang ke masjid ini. Bagaimana Tuan Imam boleh menuduh kami hanya datang untuk bermain air dan bergurau senda?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna pula.

     Imam masjid itu naik marah lalu mengherdik Hasan Al-Banna dan kawan-kawannya serta menghalau mereka dari situ. Ada antara kawan-kawan Hasan Al-Banna berasa takut lalu segera meninggalkan kawasan masjid. Tetapi Hasan Al-Banna dan beberapa orang kawan rapatnya masih lagi tidak berganjak dari situ. Mereka yakin berada di pihak yang benar.

     Tidak lama kemudian, kedengaran bilal membaca iqamat. Imam masjid itu segera naik ke masjid. Hasan Al-Banna dan kawan-kawannya mengambil wuduk dan dapat sembahyang berjemaah.

     Selesai sahaja sembahyang, Hasan Al-Banna mengajak kawan-kawannya segera pulang ke sekolah tanpa sempat menunggu imam membaca doa. Apabila sampai di madrasah, Hasan Al-Banna berbincang dengan kawan-kawannya.

     "Saya berasa amat dukacita dengan apa yang dilakukan imam masjid terhadap kita. Dia tidak boleh menghalau kita ataupun sesiapa sahaja yang datang ke masjid mahu sembahyang. Kita perlu buat sesuatu supaya perkara yang sama tidak berulang lagi," kata Hasan Al-Banna sambil melahirkan rasa kesalnya.

     Hasif, kawan Hasan Al-Banna memberikan cadangan, "Itu mudah sahaja, kita jangan datang lagi ke masjid. Imam tidak marah dan kita tidak sakit hati."

     Hasan Al-Banna kurang bersetuju dengan cadangan itu. Dia menyatakan pendapatnya, "Perbuatan imam menghalau kanak-kanak datang ke masjid adalah salah. Kita perlu menegur perbuatannya yang bertentangan dengan kehendak Islam itu. Jika kita tidak menegurnya, sampai bila pun dia tidak sedar kesilapannya."

     "Sekiranya begitu apa yang patut kita lakukan?" tanya Khalid yang juga rakan Hasan Al-Banna.

     "Saya cadangkan kita jumpa imam itu dan terus menegurnya," cadang Osman pula.

     "Bukankah kita sudah berdepan dengan dia tadi? Bukankah kita sudah menegurnya tetapi imam itu tetap berdegil?" tanya Hasan Al-Banna pula.

     "Sekiranya begitu apa cadangan kamu?" tanya Khalid.

     "Saya mahu menegur imam itu melalui sepucuk surat. Semoga imam itu sedar kesilapannya selepas membaca sura itu," kata Hasan Al-Banna mencadangkan.

     Basit yang dari tadi hanya mendengar turut mencelah, "Tidakkah cara itu boleh menimbulkan kemarahan imam?"

     "Mungkin juga imam tidak membaca surat itu tetapi terus mengoyakkannya?" tanya Osman pula.

     Hasan Al-Banna memerhatikan kawan-kawannya lalu dia bertanya, "Apa lagi cara lain untuk menegur imam itu selain daripada menulis surat kepadanya?"

     "Kita seharusnya melakukan sesuatu untuk menarik perhatian imam terhadap surat itu lalu membacanya," kata Osman yang mula bersetuju dengan cadangan Hasan Al-Banna.

     Tiba-tiba Hasan Al-Banna mendapat satu idea. "Bagaimana sekiranya kita letakkan duit bersama surat itu? Saya yakin itu sahaja cara yang ada bagi menarik perhatian imam untuk membaca surat itu."

     "Saya setuju namun ada perkara lain yang perlu kita fikirkan. Siapa yang akan menulis surat itu? Apakah kata-kata yang sesuai ditulis pada surat itu?" tanya Basit pula.

     Hasan Al-Banna menawarkan dirinya sendiri. "Saya sendiri yang akan menulisnya. Kata-kata yang paling sesuai untuk seorang imam adalah kata-kata Allah daripada Al-Quran."

     Akhirnya mereka setuju lalu menyerahkan kepada Hasan Al-Banna supaya menulis surat itu. Hasan Al-Banna cuma menulis sepotong ayat Al-Quran daripada surah An'am ayat 52 yang bermaksud,

     "Dan janganlah kamu mengusir orang yang menyeru Tuhannya pada pagi hari dan pada petang hari, sedang mereka menghendaki keredhaan-Nya."

     Surat itu ditulis dengan tulisan yang cantik. Apabila surat itu siap ditulis, timbul pula masalah siapa yang sanggup memberikan surat itu kepada imam.

     "Jika tidak ada yang sanggup, saya sendiri yang akan melakukannya," ujar Hasan Al-Banna.

     Petang itu juga apabila masuk waktu solat asar, Hasan Al-Banna pergi seorang diri ke masjid dengan membawa surat yang ditulisnya. Ketika itu imam sudah berada di dalam masjid. Kemudian Hasan Al-Banna turut sembahyang berjemaah. Selesai sembahyang, Hasan Al-Banna segera mendapatkannya lalu memberikan surat itu.

     "Surat apa ini?" tanya imam.

     "Surat daripada saya. Harap Tuan Imam sudi membacanya," jawab Hasan Al-Banna.

     "Mengapa ada duit?" tanya Tuan Imam lagi.

     "Duit itu untuk disedekahkan kepada masjid. Surat itu untuk Tuan Imam membacanya," jawab Hasan Al-Banna.

     Tuan Imam segera membaca surat itu. Hasan Al-Banna terus menunggu bagi mengetahui apa reaksinya. Tuan Imam mebaca surat itu dengan suara yang agak kuat.

     "Dan janganlah kamu mengusir orang yang menyeru Tuhannya pada pagi hari dan pada petang hari, sedang menghendaki keredhaan-Nya." "Apa maksud ayat ini?" tanya Tuan Imam.

     "Tuan tidak boleh menghalau walau siapa sahaja yang mahu bersembahyang di masjid ini. Perbuatan Tuan yang menghalau kami semasa sembahyang zuhur tadi adalah melanggar ayat Al-Quran itu," jawab Hasan Al-Banna dengan berani.

     Wajah Tuan Imam tiba-tiba berubah. Dia tersenyum lalu berkata, "Saya tidak marah cuma bimbang sekiranya air di dalam kolah itu habis dan orang ramai tidak dapat mengambil wuduk."

     "Masalah itu mudah sahaja untuk diatasi. Saya dan kawan-kawan boleh bergotong-royong mengambil air dari sungai untuk dipenuhkan ke dalam kolah masjid itu. Tuan Imam cuma sediakan bekas untuk membawa air. Kami boleh lakukannya sebelum waktu solat zuhur dan sebelum asar kerana waktu itu kami tidak belajar," kata Hasan Al-Banna.

     Imam Muhamad Sa'id gembira mendengarnya lalu menyatakan persetujuan. Dia mengumpulkan bekas bagi mengambil air dari sungai. Keesokan harinya seperti yang dijanjikan sebelum masuk waktu zuhur, Hasan Al-Banna dan hampir 30 orang rakan-rakannya datang bergotong-royong mengambil air dari sungai lalu diisi ke dalam kolah masjid sehingga penuh. Sejak hari itu, kedatangan kanak-kanak di masjid tidak lagi menimbulkan kemarahan imam. Bahkan dia berasa amat gembira kerana tidak ada lagi masalah kehabisan air untuk berwuduk.

     Pada suatu hari ketika cuaca sedang panas terik, seorang ahli perniagaan berhenti singgah di masjid itu untuk sembahyang zuhur. Dia berasa kasihan melihat sekumpulan kanak-kanak sekolah sedang bekerja keras untuk mengisi kolah masjid itu dengan air sungai. Selesai bersembahyang, ahli perniagaan itu menemui Imam Syeikh Muhamad Sa'id.

     "Mengapa anak-anak itu dipaksa mengambil air dari sungai untuk di isi ke dalam kolah air masjid?" tanya ahli perniagaan itu.

     "Mereka melakukannya dengan sukarela dan kami tidak pernah memaksanya," jawab imam masjid.

     "Sekiranya begitu, saya akan dermakan sebuah pam air. Dengan itu kanak-kanak itu tidak perlu bersusah payah lagi mengangkat air dari sungai. Hidupkan sahaja enjin, air sungai itu akan disedut ke dalam kolah itu," kata ahli perniagaan yang dermawan itu.

     Keesokan harinya seperti yang dijanjikan, ahli perniagaan itu datang membawa pam air. Lelaki itu juga berjanji membekalkan minyak untuk kegunaan enjin pam air itu. Sejak itu Hasan Al-Banna dan kawan-kawannya tidak perlu lagi mengangkat air dari sungai.

     "Tuan Imam, kami mahu terus berbakti kepada masjid ini," kata Hasan Al-Banna kepada imam masjid.

     "Berbakti yang bagaimana kamu maksudkan?" tanya Tuan Imam pula.

     "Kami akan bergotong-royong membersihkan masjid. Harap Tuan Imam tidak mengecewakan permintaan kami," jawab Hasan Al-Banna.

     "Saya berjanji tidak menghalau sesiapa yang datang ke masjid mahu beribadat. Dan saya berjanji tidak melarang sesiapa yang mahu membersihkan masjid ini," kata Tuan Imam sambil tersenyum.

  

     Sejak itu Hasan Al-Banna dan kawan-kawannya bergotong-royong membersihkan masjid. Akhirnya penduduk kamu turut menyertainya. Mereka beramai-ramai membersihkan kawasan masjid.

     Beberapa hari kemudian, Hasan Al-Banna datang lagi menemui Imam Muhamad Sa'id lalu berkata, "Kami dapati lantai masjid di bahagian belakang tidak cukup tikar. Kerana itu kami sudah berpakat mengumpulkan duit untuk membeli tikar untuk masjid ini," kata Hasan Al-Banna.

     "Kamu masih belajar, di mana kamu dapat duit?" tanya Tuan Imam pula.

     "Kami kumpulkan duit belanja sekolah yang diberi ayah dan ibu. Duit itu cukup bagi membeli tikar," jawab Hasan Al-Banna.

     Tuan Imam masjid itu berasa amat terharu.

N / F : DARIPADA "HASAN AL-BANNA", OLEH ABDUL LATIP TALIB.