Minhaj: A Guide to Becoming a Muslim, Believer, and Muhsin

At a Glance

MINHAJ. Islam from Ritual to Intellectual. Book of works Prof. Dr. Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi This tries to explain the understanding of how (minhaj) Islam from the ritual level  (sharia), up to the spiritual level (belief) and accompanied by maintaining kataqwaan and proof in social actions (Ihsan).

However, these three levels are not enough. Another level is needed: intellectual Islam, or Islamic thinking based on a worldview. (Worldview) Islam. Based on these four levels, it is hoped that a Muslim can practice Islam in the family, society, in the economic, political, social, cultural, educational and other fields with the totality of the correct principles and outlook on life.

The majority of Muslims do not practice the five pillars of Islam. Those who do, however, do so merely as rituals without a foundation of faith. Furthermore, those who believe in the five pillars of faith are not proven by good deeds. Yet, sharia aims to purify the soul and increase faith. Practicing the five pillars of Islam requires belief in the sixth pillar. This, too, must be proven through good deeds. Faith without good deeds is imperfect, and good deeds without faith are worthless.

As the title suggests, Minhaj: Islam from ritual to intellectual, Prof. Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi who was recently appointed as Islamic Book Figures in Islamic Book Fair (IBF) Award 2023, with a scientific and concise writing style, explaining the meaning of Islam and how to be a Muslim from sharia, faith, morals, until Afkar or thoughts. The author made ijtihad to present a book entitled Minhaj which means bright.

The aim is to present awareness about Islam, faith and ihsan in a clear and easy way, like what was done by the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, his followers. (tabiin) and the followers of his followers in understanding the religion of Islam.

The path that is easy to understand and clear is to become Muslim in a completeness started running sharia, believe faith, practice and realize it in form morals. Prof. Hamid further explained four fascinating stories from the journey of the Muslim community that deserve attention, concern, explanation, and answers from Muslim experts. These four stories took place in different places and at different times, but they all stem from the same issue.

Four Questions of Civilization

Story First This happened in 1884 when Sheikh Muhammad Abduh had the opportunity to visit Paris, France. At that time, Paris had become a well-organized, beautiful, and clean city. Its residents had a strong work ethic, meaning they were hardworking, hospitable to guests, friendly to their developing country, and clean and orderly.

From a visit to Paris, Muhammad Abduh drew conclusions about the city's performance and compared it with his home in Arabia, which was predominantly Muslim: "I saw Islam in Paris but I didn't see Muslims, and I saw Muslims in Arabia but I didn't see Islam." Muhammad Abduh saw that the practices that should be carried out by Muslims were actually carried out by Western society.

In fact, on the one hand, Sheikh Muhammad Abduh's impressions of that time are no longer relevant today. Many Islamic countries now have cities that are not significantly cleaner and tidier than European cities. In fact, Muslim societies also have a strong work ethic, professionalism, and well-organized management.

But on the other hand, that impression is irrelevant to the current situation, if the comparison is made to all Islamic countries. The proof is that not all European countries have clean, tidy, and beautiful cities. Their citizens' discipline is also not as high as in the West. The culture of queuing, traffic, littering, and other simple things in Islamic countries is still relatively low. All of these are reflections of Islam and faith in social life.

Story second happened half a century later, around 1940. It is said that around 1929 a writer named Amir Syakib Arsalan (1869-1946) after returning from Andalusia-Spain received an important letter from Sheikh Rasyid Ridho who was the editor-in-chief of the magazine al-Manâr. The important letter was actually written by a cleric from Sambas Pontianak, Indonesia, named Sheikh Muhammad Basuni Imran.

The letter contained questions about the decline of the Muslim community, and these questions echoed Muhammad Abduh's observations.; First Why are Muslims experiencing widespread weakness and decline throughout the world, both in religious and worldly matters? second, What is the cause of the progress of European, American, and Japanese nations? Is it possible for Muslims to progress while remaining steadfast in their religion?

Amir Syakib Arsalan then wrote his answer and it was published in the magazine al-Manar 1936. Four years later the answer was completed and edited and then published in book form entitled "“ Limadza Ta'akkhara al-muslimun wa Taqoddama Ghayrohum. Meaning: (Why do Muslims decline, while others advance?) Another interesting finding is Amir Syakib Arsalan's finding that the primary cause of the decline of Muslims is religious factors. The factors in question are the low level of faith and good deeds of Muslims.

As for the story third came from Sheikh Mutawali asy-Sya'rawi. When visiting San Francisco, America, he was asked by an orientalist, "Are the verses in your Qur'an all true?" The Sheikh answered firmly, "Yes, I am sure they are true." The orientalist asked again, "Then why did Allah make the infidels have power over you, even though in the Qur'an, Surah An-Nisa, Verse 141, it is stated that;

“And Allah will never give the disbelievers a way to prevail over the believers [Muk-minin].” Then the Sheikh as-Sya'rawi replied: “Because we are still Muslims, not yet Mukminin.” The orientalist asked again, “Then what is the difference between Mukminin and Muslims?“ “Muslims today only carry out Sharia/rituals, but they are very barren of knowledge. ”Why does this barrenness occur?” asked the orientalist again.

The Sheikh replied by quoting the Qur'an: "The Bedouins say: 'We have believed.' Say: 'You have not believed,' but say, 'We have become Muslims,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts." (QS. Al-Hujarat: 14). Sheikh as-Sya'rawi then concluded that a qualified Muslim believer that is what the disbelievers will not control.

Story fourth, happened when the author Prof. Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi visited Melbourne, Australia in 2012. At that time he met Nuaim Khayyat, an Australian Radio Broadcaster who was very famous in the 1980s. During the meeting he told stories and asked the writer;

“"Last Ramadan, I returned to Indonesia and witnessed the extraordinary excitement and joy of Muslims welcoming the holy month. Tarawih prayers, lectures, and other events were so vibrant, both in mosques and on the internet and on the streets. The number of Umrah (Hajj) pilgrims was increasing day by day. But why are corruption and criminal acts still rampant among Muslims?

In the next meeting, Prof. Hamid answered the question by citing a story immortalized in Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 14 of the Quran, exactly as Sheikh Mutawalli as-Sya'rawi answered. The story describes Muslims who claimed to believe, even though they had only recently converted.

This shows that among Muslims, the focus is still limited to practicing the pillars of Islam, but without the quality of faith. The rise in crimes such as corruption, murder, and adultery, among others, among Muslims is evidence of the low level of faith.

Recommendation

It cannot be denied that the four events mentioned above are events or questions of civilization that must be responded to critically, because apart from being questions that are always repeated in every century, they are also phenomena of the lives of Muslims in various Islamic countries that have become priority issues and are never finished being discussed.

If all these impressions are understood from the perspective worldview In Islam, we will find that within Muslims there is a gap between thought, belief, and behavior. In other words, the knowledge and beliefs of Muslims are transformed into Islamic practices.

Finally, this book reviews the trilogy; Islam-faith-ihsan or  Knowledge-Faith-Deeds which has been explained and supplemented with worldview as an Islamic perspective on everything, it is hoped that it will be sufficient to answer Muhammada Abduh's anxiety, Sheikh Mutawali Sya'rawi's defense of the truth of the Qur'an and the questions of Sheikh Syakib Arsalan and Nuaim Khayyat.

If the quality of Muslims today reaches the level of Muhsin, achieved through knowledge, then Muslims will not only be good in behavior but will excel above non-Muslims. Islam will develop from religion to religion. (dîn) become a civilization (tamaddun) Muslims will have a religious face and at the same time be able to be intellectuals.

Conclusion, this book highly recommended For consumption by Muslim intellectuals, students, teachers, and lecturers who embrace Islam as their way of life, given its dense content and critical messages that align with current developments.

Wallahu 'alam bish showab

Book Title: Minhaj: Islam from Ritual to Intellectual

Attendance: Fiqri Rabuna, literacy activist and book and coffee addict. 2022 Best Alumni of the University of Muhammadiyah Malang.