Ramadan With a Smile

(published in The Jakarta Post on 26 August 2009)


Ramadan is not only a holy month but also a beautiful month for Muslims. It is beautiful because Ramadan offers peace and smiles. Imagine if we could see smiles everywhere, every day, every moment and on everyone, what more could we hope for in our lives today?

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. This is one of the five compulsory principles of Islam. Fasting is not only abstaining from food and drink, because the poor do that in their daily lives. "We don't need to wait until Ramadan, because fasting is our life. We have no option but to eat only once a day," they say. Fasting is not only to refrain from lust either, because lust can be controlled without fasting.

Ramadan, the holy and beautiful month, brings values into focus. Ramadan makes people wise and unselfish, because Ramadan teaches them to share with others. Share a part of their possessions, share happiness, share sympathy and share love and kindness.

Non-Muslims also respect this month and convey cordial greetings to Muslims in a spirit of goodwill and religious tolerance. This is demonstrated by the Manahan Javanese Christian Church (GKJ Manahan) in Surakarta (Solo) every year. This church sets us an example of how to live in harmony with people with different religions. This church provides meals as well as a place (in the church) for Muslims to break their fast - every day for the 30 days of Ramadan. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Ramadan is a time of contemplation, of introspection, to think and look at ourselves. Muslims believe this month is when heaven opens the door of forgiveness and mercy. Muslims do not let this happen in vain. That's why, for those who ask forgiveness from God in order to accept the blessings of this fasting month, should forgive others too, because those who forgive their neighbors will be forgiven by God.

People are blessed if they are given the ability to fast in Ramadan. However, those who fast should not despise Muslims who are still unable to practice it, moreover should not judge them, as just because they do not understand the purpose of fasting, does not mean they are not devoted Muslims.

A friend of mine confessed he was not a good Muslim, because he only fasts twice during Ramadan, i.e. the first day and the last day. He could not explain why, but he did say he would try to do it some day - if he is enlightened by a deeper understanding from his religious teaching. However, he feels uncomfortable when his friends make insinuations about his lack of fasting during Ramadan. They comment on the fact he only fasts for two days and stigmatize him as not a real Muslim. Although he is not a good Muslim, as he himself confesses, he is a friend who never hurts others.

Ramadan is a month of struggle, to fight against our lust and egoism, not to fight against our neighbors. Ramadan should create peace among people, including those who still live in the dark, and not create fear, by threatening those whom we judge as sinners just because they work in nightclubs.

There was parable about some people who believed they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: Two men came before God to pray, one a scribe and the other a tax collector (read: the usurer). The scribe, standing alone, was praying: "God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week. I donate some of my possessions to the poor." But the tax collector, standing far away, could not even look up to heaven, but was beating his chest and saying: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." The tax collector went home forgiven rather than the other way around, because all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.

Ramadan will be a beautiful month if people offer each other a smile. Let the smile become our home where we are able to be kind to one another, not only for a month, but for eleven months' onward. If there are smiles everywhere in Ramadan, everyone will miss Ramadan and look forward to it coming again soon.

Happy Ramadan, with smiles everywhere.

***
Serpong, 24 August 2009
Titus J.

Catch Me If You Can

(a message from Noordin M. Top)


I just imagine that Noordin M. Top watched TV when Densus-88 ambushed the house in Temanggung and Jatiasih Bekasi on 8 August 2009. He then sent a message to his accomplices said:


My fellow jihadists,

Just lay your face downward on the ground where you stand on right now. These days are tough days for us as we are now hunted with the utmost endeavor from the security forces. Be vigilant! Don’t let your eyes closed.

Some of our confidants had been killed and arrested within past few days, others are scattered. Don’t take risk by showing up yourselves in public. You see the ambush in Temanggung that ended with the killing of Ibrohim and raid in Jatiasih Bekasi last week? That’s because of carelessness. You knew that carelessness is unforgiven matter in this game. A bit of carelessness would crush our plan and kill us – one by one!

Don’t ever underestimate the Densus-88. They, the damned smart and brilliant counterterrorism squad of Indonesian police have improved their skills extraordinarily which surprising many people including me. Their skills in sniffing and tracking-down our trace are incredible within past four years. We are even not able to get any chance to take a deep breath after our bomb guru – Dr. Azahari killed by them during the raid in Malang in November 2005.

But, a bit glad for me. Some of Indonesian elites criticized their efforts, some said a mockery statements toward the Densus-88. They even accused the ambush in Temanggung and Jatiasih Bekasi just a cheap scenario to switch public attention from presidential election disputes. That’s a reality, you see? Indonesian elites like speaking talkatively. They are too difficult to appreciate achievement of their fellows whereas by contrast, I do appreciate them although they are our most dangerous threat. I hope such Indonesian elites continue to make negative comments on Densus-88 because it would make them frustrated.

Temporarily, the play of hide and seek is the only thing we can do to wait their inattentiveness. Putting our cadres as insiders in the target was proven very well. People would not know their close friends as well as their neighbors are enemies. This is how the terror works, and we’ve gained success in the last attack in JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels using our insider.

Now you should stay in still. Don’t move everywhere. Don’t be too aggressive. Just wait and see because our space is now narrowed. We would be difficult to contact each other during these days, but I trust you, my men. You have already known what you should do. When they are inattentive, just be quick to launch a counter attack then go into a hiding place. Thanks to some of our sympathizers for providing us safe houses and making themselves as shields to protect us. Thanks also to God for giving me a handsome face and elegant speaking to persuade people.

We’ve suffered a big loss of our several operative men less than a week. But I would encourage you, we will obtain others as substitution easily. Remember a method that I have taught you to recruit volunteers? Use a patriotic jargon says that we are in a holy war against the infidels. Offer a great reward for those who dare to die for the sake of jihad. Reminisce repeatedly about the three Bali bombers and how they were so brave to face the death execution. And for the suicide bombers, don’t forget to remember that they are chosen to be a bridegroom in heaven.

You think I do the jihad here without any reason? or just for amusement? You think I landed my feet in Indonesia without a smart consideration? It’s only here, in Indonesia, I can easily find out candidates to become suicide bombers. And you knew the last bombing in Mega Kuningan last month perfectly done by young boy, still 18 years old, my men! And I still have so many young boys in my pocket right now that already line-up to receive orders.

Luckily, we can get explosive materials without much difficulties in this country. Does anybody care who sell and who buy the explosive materials for that much volume? If we want, we can detonate bomb everyday in malls. You see how the satpam in malls works? They just perform the security check as a routine task halfheartedly, you know? Do they check precisely every car that entering mall? We can intrude malls easily with a bunch of bombs.

How the wonderful day. Our men’s bodies, Air Setyawan and Eko Joko Sarjono got a hero’s welcome from our supporters in their village few days ago. Allahu Akbar! Our respected spiritual hero, Abubakar Ba’asyir led the funeral ceremony and labeled the two men as martyr because they fought for Islamic sharia. He said he did not reject using bombs for Muslims to wage jihad. My country, Malaysia would definitely say no way for such ceremony as well as let such cleric to provoke radicalism sentiment.

Once again, that’s a favorable thing to us because Indonesian government so afraid to be condemned for human right violation. It is the same thing with what happened to our fellow three Bali bombers ahead of their execution. Only in Indonesia the convicted bombers allowed to receive extensive media coverage by which they could have proclaimed being “dizolimi” (persecuted) unjustly. Thanks to all of those things since it would raise deep sympathy, fanaticism and retaliation. This is Indonesia and I so love being here rather than play this game in my own country.

Finally, be prepare, my fellow jihadists! Densus-88 are now hunting us intensively to crack us down. They would not allow a failure anymore. But, I would say to all of my hunters “Catch me if you can!”

***
Serpong, 15 August 2009
Titus J.