Mendidik Jiwa Remaja: The Debaters Way......

I got this info mostly from the Solusi magazine, 9th issue. it's a great magazine, although its not like mellinia or Al Islam which goes into recent issues about the current Islamic civilization, it makes you think about this beautiful world you live in and it mostly discuss about things people wouldn't have thought about (e.g that the world you live in is actually all a matrix) . One issue I found intriguing is about "Teen Identity".

I know, i know, maybe some of you have already talk to me about it, maybe some are still finding it, but the majority "thinks" they know it. What do I mean you "think" you know your identity.

Well to make a simple experiment, think of some kind of habit you do everyday, e.g you like to comment people a lot, you are very loyal to your parents, you like to read fiction - type novels, you like to post things in you blog even though you don't understand why or what you are posting, or you just like to smile every moment in your life (my treat).

Now once you thought about this habit of yours (make sure it's a habit, not a hobby); give me a simple reason why you're doing it in the first place and why other people aren't. Maybe the usual answer would be because it's a charity (smiling IS charity) or maybe it's the right thing to do (of course you have to be loyal to your parents, duh), but that's not a concrete reason, the answer should be what's in for you!? (what will you get directly) in my survey (when I was half prefect half BADAR, that's when I was F4) I found out that many people can't actually give me a good enough reason.

Someone once asked me a very sinister question: why do you make Islam as your religion? The answer was a quick: because it's the right way of life, then the reply was: so you wouldn't be in Islam if you haven't been born in it?

Really, answer me: if you haven't been born in Islam would you think Islam is that right? I'm not trying to make you loose your fate in Islam or anything, it's just that many of us do weird things like take a cigarette, take drugs, or think bad of other people and become a Hypocrite. It's a simple case where you don't understand Islam, and in some sense you don't understand yourself neither. (And although I may have found part of the answer for this, I'm still looking for more)

So now it's time to play IDENTITY (yep the one in TV where you need to identify who is who, just this time it's for real). I like this movie because it gives us an idea how people identify you in the world.

1. The first step is to understand your name, what people call you of course. In this game of IDENTITY, they firstly give out names for you to divide between the people you need to find. In some cases, just by knowing someones name you could already identify someone, without having to go through the details. In the early times of Islam, our prophet usually will rename those who have newly convert into Islam or give them nicknames, and he's best at naming people. The prophet once said, when someone converts into Islam or is born into Islam, you should give them a good name. The reason is because names, true names have power over people, if your trying to calm someone or someone is trying to kill you, the best thing to do is to say their name. Why? because it's their identity of course. that's what differentiate us from animals. Assassins are trained to not name their victims or else they'll have doubts (this is true, read: How to become an Assassin). it's no coincidence that someone is named Ariffudin, Syazwani , Rifqi or Muhammad. So first step is to understand why and what your name means.(seems hard? tell me about it)
2. Secondly is to understand your habits, there is a saying:

   Watch your thoughts, it will become your words; watch your words, it will become your actions; watch your actions, it will become your habit; watch your habits, it'll become your character; watch your character, it'll become your identity; watch your identity it becomes your destiny.................

   Simple habits differentiate us from other people. society is able to identify because they know your character, your habits. Good habits, e.g drinking water everyday, praying Qiamullail every night or always reading the Qur'an is in a way good. while bad habits, are just bad. the key is to understand your habits and why you do it. If you don't know what's the reason, the real reason why you like to read Qur'an or coming to debate training, then it's just the same with you not doing it at all. To understand, you need to think for a second. just like the old saying, everything starts with your thoughts. So in some way, your identity is your way of looking into the world. In the early crusaders, when the Christian's still hold Jerusalem and Baitul Maqdis, the knights would tell their apprentice:

   "God only wants two things from you, your mind and your heart, the rest is just a tool"

   On the day of judgment , Allah will firstly see your intention's, your niat of doing some good deed, if it is not for the right reason then it's as good as useless.
   

So there you have it, it might not be pretty much, but it's a start. The journey of finding an Identity is one you have to go through, either you will find it now or then, hopefully not the day after tomorrow.

Celik Mata Hati:

Pandangan mata, sifatnya menipu,
Pandangan akal boleh keliru,
Pandangan nafsu boleh meluru,
Tetapi pandangan yang paling tepat dan hakiki
ialah Pandangan MATA HATI.