What I will attempt to write here, is a lesson of something that happened in social media on the early morning of Labour Day/International Workers Day 2017.
Since English isn't my mother tongue and I felt I'm still not proficient with it, I feel it's a challenge to write it in English, and a challenge that I shall undertake.
And so the story goes like this.
There's a Facebook page I recently followed, which I shall not name here.
There are some good things there (his opinion on things), there are some things which I don't agree, but then, it's just about reading casually.
And so, this guy, we shall refer it to as X, once commented on another person's FB page, This second person we shall refer it to as Y.
Y wrote something that concludes that some anime, like Naruto for instance, is not good for Muslims, on the basis that it promotes "shirk", or the idea that challenges the monotheism aspect of Islam.
Personally I think what Y wrote is absurd, but then, nevermind, we go on with the story.
X, famous for being critical, gave a harsh comment, and soon counter-arguments and a Facebook debate followed. Somehow, strangely yet somehow, the issue become sidetrack to a question whether God posseses the feeling of envy or not. Internet is strange, doesn't it?
Things got heated up when X then said that only an intoxicated guy would say that God feels envy towards its creatures.
Y, feeling angry because he felt X was calling him a drunk, started to give Quran texts, Hadith texts and all other religious arguments.
The "debate" then goes on with more Quran, Hadith and ulama texts being thrown into the debate.
I then interrupted, because I felt what happening here is somehow indirectly making those religious texts look cheap, without these people realising it.
I commented to Y, give a praise to him for his understanding of religious text, however, I told him, there is something call "hikmah", wisdom in saying religious text to people.
I summarise my idea to a simple analogy.
When you deal with a farmer, you don't talk complicated religious text, you say simple things. With PHD student, you can say complicated religious things, but you really have to check your facts.
Simply, don't simply throw off religious knowlege, but learn to speak appropriately.
Y thanked me, but commented X's idea is wrong, so he wanted to correct things.
I told Y, just give a simple explaination, what you doing is excessive and make religious text look cheap. Whether you said simple or complicated things, it's God who changes people's heart, just do things wisely. If it is not accepted, nevermind, move on, you did your part.
Y still bla bla bla with TLDR (too long don't read) wall of text when I realised, what actually happen is this Y fella is actually being pissed off and not satisfied until he could cut X's head into pieces.
I then told Y, look, it's 2.30am in the morning, if you wait another 30 mins, it'll be 3am, and it's a good time for supplication and tahajud prayers. Drop the issue, move on, a godd Muslim should take this chance for tahajud as it is holiday the next day.
Y replied back with his religious arguments, but I did not reply back. Since I had slipped my tongue, I had to pray tahajud myself or if not, because Quran said,
O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? - As Saff Verse 2
Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.- As Saff Verse 3
Whether it is ikhlas (sincere) or not, I leave it to God, I just do my best.
The good thing about it, is I stayed awake until Subuh the morning prayer, and I took the opportunity for sahur (pre-dawn meal) which enable me to fast today (fasting),
I slept at 11am and woke up around 1.30pm until now.
When I checked FB, I realised that the debate goes on until Subuh, except it was Y with other guys who came up with screenshot of religious books, texts.
I felt a bit consciously sad. (Insaf).
After I watched the above video, I felt a deepening silence while pondering few points.
Point 1
X, Y and myself were wasting our time online while other people were sleeping. In fact, by the time I and X log off, while Y were still not satisfied and still arguing online with other guys, X were actually sleeping.
Sleep is a rest, and should be done at that time while we were online, but we wasted it due to our un-necessary need to speak and talk, when we actually should enjoy resting that night so we can fully enjoy the holiday the next day.
Point 2
Despite having good religious knowledge, X should be spending time on tahajud and supplication rather than being keyboard warrior on that early dawn.
Point 3
X slept and rested, and today, he enjoyed his May 1st holiday going to book festival PBAKL, taking photos and posting at FB, while Y, still not being satisfied and still posting about the goodness of his argument, still bla bla bla.
I prayed to God, what a pity. Despite having good Islamic knowledge, one can still being deceived and acted badly. For me, it's not much about X and Y, but about this lesson which I underline.
If the knowledge, does not make you act good, then what good is that? It's like an ass carrying lots of books at his back, but doesn't really take much lesson from the books, and worst of all, he spent carrying the burden and telling the people around how good he is at carrying these loads.
What a pity.
Do you see the way that tree bends?
Does it inspire?
Leaning out to catch the sun's rays
A lesson to be applied
Are you getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?
You can spend your time alone, re-digesting past regrets, oh
Or you can come to terms and realize
You're the only one who can't forgive yourself, oh
Makes much more sense, to live in the present tense
Have you ideas on how this life ends?
Checked your hands and studied the lines
Have you the belief that the road ahead, ascends off into the light?
Seems that needlessly it's getting harder
To find an approach and a way to live
Are we getting something out of this all-encompassing trip?
You can spend your time alone re-digesting past regrets, oh
Or you can come to terms and realize
You're the only one who cannot forgive yourself, oh
Makes much more sense, to live in the present tense