~SUPERSTITIOUS AMONG MALAY~

Old people was practiced a various of customs in the superstitions belief. Where the faith is specifically made for a particular rule among the Malays people or in other community.

There are some common superstitions as we always hear, young ladies should not singing while cooking because they will asking for aged husband. But despite the truth, When they are singing and not paying attention to cooking at the same time, might mix up and end up doing some kind of awful tasting dish or accidentally cause fire. That is why they not allowed to do so.

For kid, do not open an umbrella at home because A snake would came out from the inner centre of the umbrella. But the truly is to prevent someone from getting a poked-eye. The kid under the umbrella may accidentally use the tip of the umbrella to poke someone's eye behind him.

Beside that, we are not allowed to sit on the pillows to prevent from our backside would be swell. Well, pillows are for our heads, surely it will damage if we were sit on the pillow. When the pillow is damage at all it not comfortable like before.

    The common superstitious sounds like if you accidentally bite your tongue, it means that someone is speaking ill of you. But for me this showing that we should eat properly and slowly seems to be more polite and the food does not spill from plate.

Currently for muslim believe that they are not supposed to play outdoors especially for kids during Maghrib (during sunset). Because around that time is the time when there are the most ghosts wandering around and for ghost during sunset is a morning for them.

Generally, I do not trust in whatever superstitions comes, whether from others religion like Buddhist, Indian or Chinese. We should be very particular on what we do. In my opinion, most of the superstitions is such like a rules that include the thing that we should do or do not do it.

In Islam, we begin with the Quran because it is the revelation of Allah. Verse 2 of Al Rahman (Surah 55) states: ‘It is He Who has Taught the Quran’. At the outset, let me state that whilst I am not particularly religious or an expert on Islam, I do not think the Al-Quran is meant to be a specialist text only for scholars of Islam. Allah has made it for all and emphasized this four times in verses 17, 22, 32 and 40 of Al Qamar (Surah 54) and in verse 101 Al Ma’idah (Surah 5). All the wordings are almost the same except in verse 22 it begins with ‘But’. Verse 17 reads as follows:

“And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember: Then is there any that will receive admonition?”

With that out of the way, let us proceed. In Islam, Allah is the ultimate Creator of all things. The Al Fatihah (Surah 1) makes this abundantly clear:

“In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Praise be to Allah, The Cherisher and Sustainer of Worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek; show us the straight way, the way on those on whom thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.”

This verse also makes abundantly clear that aside from being the ultimate Creator of all, it is to Him that we worship, seek aid from and look to for the ‘straight way’. But if there is any doubt verse 153 of Al An’am (Surah 6) should be consulted:

“Verily, this is My Way leading straight: follow it; Follow not (other) paths: they will scatter you about from His (great) Path; thus doth He command you, that ye may be righteous.”

So this verse provides that there is no other Path except the Path of Allah. All other paths will scatter the believer from His Path. And His Path is to be found in the Quran. Verse 41 of Al Zumar (Surah 39) states:

“Verily We have revealed the Book to thee in Truth, for (instructing) mankind. He, then, that receive guidance benefits his own soul: but he that strays injures his own soul. Nor art thou set over them to dispose of their affairs.”

And should we require protection, we must seek it only from Allah. Verse 36 of Al Zumar (Surah 39) provides:

“Is not Allah enough for His servant? But they try to frighten thee with other (gods) besides Him! For such as Allah leaves to stray, there can be No guide.”

Yusuf Ali’s commentary on this verse is as follows:

“The righteous man will find Allah enough for all the protection he needs, all the rest and peace he craves for, and all the happiness he can imagine. If the evil ones wish to frighten him with false gods, he knows that it is mere superstition. In the case of idols to whom worship is paid, this is easily intelligible. But there are other false gods which men worship – wealth, power, science, selfish desire and so on. The idea may occur to them: “this is the right course, but what will men say?” or “shall I lose my case if I tell the truth?” or “will it ruin my chances if I denounce sin in high places?” All such false gods will only mislead and leave their victims in the lurch. The worship of them will lose them the Grace of Allah, which wants to guide and comfort all who seek Allah.”

Finally, to emphasize this point a little further, reference is made to Verse 38 of Al Zumar (Surah 38) which provides:

“If indeed thou ask them who it is that created ? the heavens and the earth, they would be sure to say, “Allah”. Say: “See ye then?” The things that ye invoke besides Allah – can they, if Allah wills some Penalty for me, remove His Penalty? – Or if He wills some Grace for me, can they keep back His Grace? Say: “Sufficient is Allah for me! In Him truth those Who put their trust.§”

Yusuf Ali’s commentary at ? states as follows:

“Most worshippers of false gods are neither atheists nor skeptics. They admit the existence of Allah as an abstract proposition, but it has not come into their hearts and souls: it has not been translated into their lives. They run after false worship on account of ancestral custom or on account of their thoughtlessness or false environment, or on account of their own selfish desires or limited outlook. …”

Yusuf Ali’s commentary  provides:

“Allah alone is He Who will and can discharge any trust you put in Him. All other things will fail. Therefore those who put their trust in anything should put their trust in Allah.”

From all the above Verses, it is clear that Allah’s Path is the only Way to Truth and Righteousness. There is no other way to it. And if protection is needed, Allah provides it as well. As Muslims, we must look to Allah for everything: “Is not Allah enough For His servant?”