24 Ramadhan 1429 H

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim...

5-6 days to go. terasa berlalu begitu cepat, tak sempat merasai sepenuhnya Ramadhan kali ni.

apapun, cuba sedaya upaya untuk menghabiskan sebaik mungkin agar tidak rugi melepaskan sebulan ini. rite? =)

2 days ago, former US Army Muslim Chaplain, Capt. James 'Yusuf' Yee, came here as a speaker invited by VU Speaker Committee. and his main topic was to talk on his experience as a Muslim Chaplain in Guantanamo Bay which was really inspiring.

Cerita yang kita dengar seperti torchers, bersikap biadap terhadap Al-Quran, mungkin sangkaan ia hanya digembar-gemburkan oleh media. Hakikatnya, ia benar, dan sebagai Muslim Chaplain di sana, tak mudah untuk menghadapi situasi tsb setiap hari.

His contributions were great, mashaAllah. He was the place for the prisoners to tell their stories of torcher, he asked for appropriate meals during Ramadhan, he set the kibla direction. There were around 700 prisoners, many2 workers who are Muslims there, and his efforts were a huge impact for the whole camp in Guantanamo.

Capt Yee pernah ditahan sekali sewaktu mendapat kebenaran bercuti untuk pulang ke rumah. Telah mendengar kisah2 dari tahanan2 di Guantanamo, beliau juga mengalami perkara yang sama. Teknik "Sensory Deprivation" sudah diagak. Namun, ketika ditahan, beliau tidak dibenarkan tahu arah kiblat dan waktu solat. Malang sekali kerana di Guantanamo, beliaulah yang mendapat kebenaran untuk kemudahan2 tersebut. Begini seorang Muslim Chaplain yang masih dalam tempoh bertugas dilayan?

His last point, he wants us to think about freedom that we're talking. Is this the real freedom that we say? If that's true, how is the government knows our really personal information - bills, bank account, etc. It's between God and Patriotism.

Well, I'd say - beraninya dia menceritakan semua ni. Agak detail dan mendalam.

Anyway, that's a great input for this Holy Ramadhan. May Allah bless him to protect Islam and nation.

Allahummaghfirly wa liwalidayya warhamhuma kama rabbayani saghira.
Allahummansuril Islama wal muslimin wal mujahidina fi kulli makaan wa fi kulli zamaan.
Ameen ya Allah...

ps: Today's 24th Ramadhan. Um... tua dah rupanya. Baru sedar ke?