Saturday 9 June 2012

Status Program Pembelajaran di Kalangan Saudara Baru: Satu Kajian Kes di Negeri Melaka




In Malaysia, there are multiraces and multireligion who live together in same place and share multiculture. Here, we can see that majority of Malaysia`s residences are influenced by Malay lifestyle and Islamic culture. It is due to Malaysia is an Islamic country.  Hence, the preacher or ‘da`ie’ who are responsible to call Muslims to depend on Allah only and invite non-Muslims to Islam the true religion. Indeed, Muhammad Mahmud al-Sawwaf and Muhammad Husayn Fadlullah unanimously concluded that the main way of missionary or da`wah approach to invite the people to Islam mentioned in the Quran in chapter An-Nahl, verse 125.
Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.
Based on this verse, there are three methods to do the missionary activities with wisdom (bilhikmah), good advice and good teaching (mauizah al-hasanah) and debate with the great ways (mujadalah billati hiya ahsan). The explanation above is related to spread Islam to non-Muslims until they convert to Islam as ‘Muallaf’ and we must pay attention towards them how the learning program can help them effectively.
 Before I move forward to the content, it is better to know the meaning of newly Muslims. Usually, we call newly Muslims as Muallaf because they convert Islam from their original of religion after reciting the word of syahadah. They are willing to live their old religion to Islam is the noble one action in our life. Initially, we can refer the word ‘Muallaf’ in al-Quran, chapter 9 (al-Tawbah), verse 60. Allah mentions clearly about ‘Muallaf’can get zakat and Allah is very Fairness and Justice
In this jurnal, the one of PERKIM`s officer said the sum of them at Kuala Lumpur from year 1995 until 2000, they are 400 people in a year averagely. Their sum will ascending from years to years. This situation is needed to handle by us to concern their welfare including learning program to gain understanding of Islam and do the Islamic practical.
Furthermore, Non Government Organisations (NGOs) are starting to implement the great ways in handling them through the learning process. The one of government`s effort to help them, all states built Islamic hall to run learning activities about Islam among them. But, they cannot get the positive feedback because there are no study to survey the effectiveness of learning program. They are only survey their main problems towards program from previous study.
Additionally, we must focus on objective of program, contents of learning, the learning situation and conveying and operating program. After that, we can gain their knowledge and the others preacher can manage the learning program effectively. Hence, we must foster their feeling to learn, know, understand about Islam and practice it. Mohd Kamal pointed a view that the balanced of religion knowledge with science knowledge is a need in our life and not contrary each other. Both of them is related with eah other and become more perfection. We cannot deny it and separate them into two types likes dualism concept which is Westerners did. All knowledge come from Allah and the main thing is Tawhid.
According Mohd Azmi Mat Sah (2003), he stressed that three types of adult education from Islamic perspective. The first type is learning or education program is lifelong process. Secondly, the process of repeatance is the important one to remind us. The third and the last one is learning society is a need in Islam. We know that Islam emphasize us to gain the knowledge. Like our prophet Muhammad said, all of Muslims is compulsory to seek the knowledge.
Trustly, they have problem to follow Islamic education smoothly because they are new and not familiarize with Islamis practice before that. Ibrahim (1995) and Zainurin (1993) gave their opinions that there are some factors related with them. These problems come from their obedience of Islamic practice, be suitable with Islamic neighbours, their respond especially their family respond. The other problems are hard to learn because their place is quite far from the learning place and their kinds of jobs are not suitable for them after they convert.
From the journal entitled ‘Keperluan Memahami Psikologi Saudara Muslim’ by Nur A`thiroh Masyaa`il Binti Abdullah @ Tan Ai Pao and Fariz Md Sham had a conclusion the three challenges of Muallaf psichology in overcoming their life. Pressure from Islamic attention, depression from their own family, adopted family and society and tention to familiarize themselves surrounding their condition and situation. After we know and understand them, it is an obligation for us to settle down their problems and help them to face it together.
Both of them also recommended six suggestion to cover Muallaf problems. Firstly, give information and exploration to Muslim society and non-Muslims in Malaysia generally about Muslims and the challenges and obstacles that they will face it. Secondly, understanding the factors which are bringing into their Islam converts. Third, understanding level of psychology that they dealed in their daily life as a Muslim. Then, appointing the effectiveness of approachment to society in handling their welfares and guidance for them. After that, helping the commitees of government and NGOs in managing Muallaf from aspect of guidance, welfare and counselling. The last one is increasing study and survey to preach Islam in Muallaf field for a reference soon.
I am interested to highlight the word of ‘Guidance’ which means da`ie must guide and teach the newly Muslims as a whole task in learning program. This is very important to ensure them maintain on one Tawhid , Islamic religion. Then, to make them appreciate the obligatory in Islam and lastly, making Islam as a way of their lifestyle.
If we seek their problem why some of them are not interested or not involved in learning program came from ourselves. We do not know how to attract them based on their needs. For examples, we must know how to interact or communicate with them using their language. From that, we understand what they want and reacts. In addition, we need to use other alternatives as a tool to teach such as audio-visual, radio nd so on.
While Mahfuz (1992) suggested to prepare the education  silibus from basic to deep the contents. Next, he preferred to seperate the class among them to differentiate the old and newly Muslims. In fact, Nor Patimah (1990) gave her recommendation and had agreed to built a library for them and held the class there and  made it as an Islamic information centre. On the other hand, she viewed to use teaching helping tools such as audio-video, having courses in far distance and evaluation systematically along their learning activities among them.
Maziah (1995)  informed us that the facilitators must prepare their techniques of  conveying knowledge by starting the things which is their favourite or enjoyment or preference such as fishing, clean the house, cooking activities and many more. All activities have to relate with our religion. Moreover, the facilitators must speak leniently and polite to touch their heart. Then, they must be sensitive towards the targets that they want speak straight forward. Lastly, they had encouraged to empowered their skills to use many languages likes English language, Tamil language, Mandarin language and so forth. 
The other group from research group, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) (2009) prepared a book guidance of managing Muallaf. They are concerning about their education, guidance and courses by holding courses, Islamic education class and Islamic guidance centre.
Here, I noticed that the researcher emphasized the three aspects are needed to make the successful of this program such as the comfort of class , the ability of teachers in using the variety of language and learning contents.
While Knowles (980), Brazziel (1989) and Garelli (1996) made four importance of components in learning program to mke it smoothly. First, the program objective. Second, the learning situation. Third, the contents of education. Lastly, conveying and managing learning program. 
Findings from this journal, the researcher found the three main problems in learning program are Islamic hall assumed as a reference place to tell their problems, officer job`s status at this place and the curriculum is not complete yet. First, they expected this place as to express their feeling and ask sympathy for their problems. For examples, they know can get Zakat. So, they came here to ask their rights besides telling their problem as a poor life. The next problem is officer job`s status had divided into three aspect, the sum of officers, position status and expertise or skills that they had. Last but not least, based on the curriculum is not complete, the officers found that the module is too general and not specified towards background of students differently and having the difference of problems and complicated. Therefore, the teachers are forced to use the books that existed at marketing. This situation need our high level of effort to understand it.   
In a nutshell, from this journal, it tells us about the importance of learning program status to newly Muslims. All people must co-operate to make the learning program change and modified effectively and get the positive impacts.
The writer suggested five implementation based on his findings. There are a group of people to create and write the detailed silibus accordance the students` background and their abilities. Holding ‘Islamic Information Centre’ (IIC) in library at the strategic places sucha as at mid town. The religious officers likes Imam, Ustaz and commitees of security village should to take them as their adopted family to ease them as reference to settle down their problems. Jabatan Agama Islam Melaka (JAIM) should hold networking and linkage with the other private companies to give the suitable job for Muallaf. Recommendation for future research to give more attention towards the ways of learning process effectively among newly Muslims as proffesionaljob such as doctor, lawyer, engineer, and many more.
Initially, there are many methods to make the learning process  effectively depending on creativity and perseverance by looking for the chances and alternatives. I think and hope Muslims as a whole are concerning about the effective and achievement of learning program towards newly Muslims become a real, good Muslim. Besides that, NGOs need to gain effort in helping them to strengthen their aqidah especially Muallaf in rural places.  God willing, we are going to excel and achieve the common goals or desires according to Quran and Sunnah. We are the combatant of Islam, our religion. We cannot judge and blame others without ourselves doing it together.

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