MARILAH SHALAT

... dan kebahagiaanku adalah shalat. (Al-Hadits)

Shalat. Lima kali dalam sehari semalam. Jika kita berani jujur dan pandai berhitung, maka 24 jam dari seluruh kegiatan hidup kita sehari-hari, waktu yang dibutuhkan untuk ibadah ini hanyalah sedikit. Ibadah ini tak perlu begitu banyak menyita waktu. Selain itu, tidaklah terlalu sulit untuk menemukan ruangan yang pas untuk menjalankannya.

Ironisnya, kebanyakan dari kita tetap konsisten untuk mengabaikannya. Walaupun pada akhirnya -- alhamdulillah -- kita mau menjalankannya, lebih sering kita melakukan ibadah ritual ini dengan penuh rasa keterpaksaan. Mirip tawanan perang usai kalah dalam sebuah pertempuran. Jiwa dan raga kita tak menyatu. Hanya tinggal badan saja, sementara nyawa kita melayang-layang entah kemana. Sedikit saja diantara kita yang menyambut panggilan adzan dengan senyum kemenangan dan diliputi perasaan bahagia yang tiada terkira.

Banyak dari kita yang meninggalkan shalat. Tapi, penulis yakin, walaupun kita sering tinggalkan ibadah ini, tidaklah terbersit dalam dalam benak kita untuk terang-terangan menentang perintah Allah SWT, tak mau mengikuti teladan suci Nabi Muhammad SAW, apalagi keinginan untuk membenci ajaran agama kita sendiri (naudzu bilah min dzalik). Umat Islam tetaplah menempatkan ibadah shalat pada posisi yang tinggi, sebagai cermin kesucian diri dan bukti dari kemantapan iman seseorang. Jadi, alasan utama dari umat kita yang meninggalkan shalat hanyalah semata-mata karena kemalasan.

Adalah amat sulit, dan hampir-hampir tidak mungkin, kita mampu mengungkapkan dengan bahasa amat berjiwa sekalipun, bahwa shalat itu amat bermanfaat bagi orang yang melakukannya secara tertib dan teratur.

Kepercayaan kita akan Kasih Sayang Allah SWT tidaklah akan cukup berpengaruh pada tindak dan laku kita, apabila kita tidak meyakini dari bahwa Allah SWT adalah Maha Mengetahui segala sesuatu, seluruh perbuatan kita sampai yang sekecil-kecilnya, bahkan yang terdetik dalam hati. Keyakinan akan Kemahasucian Allah tidak akan mengakar dalam jiwa, kecuali jika kita juga meyakini bahwa Allah sangat membenci segala dosa, perbuatan keji, maksiat dan munkar; dan hanyalah dengan kesucian hati dan kebaikan amal kita mampu menghampiri Allah.

Adalah hanya apabila kita dapat mencurahkan rasa hati kepada Pencipta kita, mengungkapkan pujian yang memuncak tinggi dan kerinduan yang membakar jiwa, maka kasih sayang Allah yang tak pernah kering-keringnya itu baru akan berpengaruh pada tindak dan laku kita.

Shalat bukanlah ibadah ritual yang bertujuan untuk meredakan amarah dewa-dewa yang sedang mangamuk. Bukan juga perintah dari para thagut yang gila hormat. Ia juga bukan pula ingin menjadikan kita bagai seorang pertapa yang melarikan diri dari kebisingan dunia. Shalat bertujuan semata-mata hanyalah untuk kebaikan bagi orang yang mendirikannya sendiri.


Marilah Shalat, Marilah mencapai Kebahagiaan
(Haya Alas Shalah, Haya Alal Falah)


Wallahu a'lam bishawab
(sebagian dikutip dari buku Marilah Shalat karya M. Natsir)

NASREDDIN THE CLEVER MAN

A learned foreign scientist came to Aksehir and said he wanted to challenge the wits of the most knowledgeable person in the city. And of course, the townsfolk called for our Nasreddin.

When Nasreddin arrived, the scientist drew a circle in the sand with a stick. Nasreddin frowned, took the stick, and divided the circle in two.The scientist then drew another line through the circle that divided it into four equal parts. Nasreddin pretended to gather three parts toward himself and to push the remaining part toward the scientist.
The scientist then raised his arm above his head, and wiggling his extended fingers, he slowly lowered his hand to the ground. Nasreddin did exactly the same thing but in the opposite direction, moving his hand from the ground to a height above his head.And, that completed the scientist's tests, which he explained privately to the city council.

"Your Nasreddin is very clever man," he began. "I showed him that the world is round and he confirmed it but indicated that 'it also has an equator'. And when I divided the world into 4 parts, he indicated that it is '3 parts water and 1 part land', which I can't deny. Finally, I asked what is the origin of rain? He answered quite rightly that 'water rises as steam to the sky, makes cloud, and later returns to earth as rain."

When they got him alone, the ordinary townsfolk asked the Nasreddin what the challenge was all about? Nasreddin said, "Well, that other fellow first asked, 'Suppose we have this round tray of baklava*? So, I said, 'You can't eat it all by yourself, you know. So, I'll take half'. Then he got a little rude, saying, 'What will you do if I cut it into 4 parts?' That upset me, so I said, 'In that case, I'll take three of the parts and only leave you one!' That softened him up, I think, because then, with the motion of his hand, he said, 'Well, I suppose I could add some pistachio nuts on top of the baklava.' I cooled down too and said, 'That's fine with me, but you'll need to cook it under full flame, because an ash fire just won't be hot enough'. When I said that, he knew I was right, and gave up the game."
________

*Baklava is a dessert, a sweet pastry which tastes very nice with pistachio nuts.

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One day a very brilliant professor visited a town where Nasreddin lived. The professor was very famous throughout the country for his knowledge about many things. Not like other citizens, Nasreddin doubted him and wanted to test him.
He met a professor and said, "Professor, I want to ask you a question."

"Go ahead," answered the professor.
"We have to make deal first. If you cannot answer my question, you have to pay me 10 coins. Then you can ask me a question. If I cannot answer your question, I will pay you one coin," explained Nasreddin.

The professor said quickly,"It's not fair!"
"Yes, it's quiet fair because you are highly educated and know much of everything. While I am not educated and not a professor," said Nasreddin.

The professor thought for a while and finally he agreed.
Nasreddin smiled and said, "What do you call an animal that has three legs?"
The professor thought for quiet long time while his his right hand was rubbig his bald forehead. At last he quitted, "I don't know. I quit, Nasreddin".
He gave Nasreddin 10 coins. Then he asked Nasreddin the same question, "Now it's my turn. Nasreddin, what do you call an animal that has three legs?"

"I don't know either, Professor," answered Nasreddin quickly, handing one coin to the professor. He put the rest into his pocket and went away.