Kenapa merokok? Pelbagai alasan yang diberikan oleh perokok seperti dorongan atau peniruan perbuatan sama oleh ayah atau abang, pengaruh rakan-rakan, menangani stress, mengikut trend semasa, keseronokan, tertarik dengan iklan rokok atau aksi dalam drama/filem yang mempaparkan aksi merokok dan pelbagai lagi. Namun yang pasti jika ianya tidak bermula tentunya ketagihan tidak akan berlaku. Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa Majlis Kebangsaan Bagi Hal Ehwal Ugama Islam Malaysia Kali Ke-37 yang bersidang pada 23 Mac 1995 telah membincangkan Hukum Merokok Dari Pandangan Islam. Muzakarah itu telah memutuskan bahawa perbuatan merokok adalah haram dari pandangan Islam kerana ianya terdapat kemudaratan.

Allah berfirman, “Dia menyuruh mereka dengan perkara-perkara yang baik dan melarang mereka dari melakukan perkara-perkara yang keji, dan dihalalkan atas mereka apa-apa yang baik, dan diharamkan atas mereka apa-apa yang buruk (kotoran).” (al-A’raf: 157). Pengharaman rokok atas dasar banyaknya kemudaratan berbanding kebaikan. Jika diteliti pun, tiada kebaikan yang boleh diambil dengan perbuatan merokok. Bila dibaca di mana-mana forum di internet, sebilangan besar perokok cuba menyangkal dakwaan fatwa bahawa merokok adalah haram. Mereka berikan pelbagai alasan termasuk alasan yang bersifat kebudak-budakkan seperti kenapa tidak haramkan minum kopi padahal meminum kopi juga boleh memudaratkan kesihatan dan ketagihan.

Saya yakin, semua perokok tahu risiko negatif menghisap rokok, terutamanya untuk kesihatan diri. Malah pihak kerajaan juga telah mewajibkan syarikat pengeluar rokok supaya mempamerkan gambar-gambar yang ‘agak menakutkan’ kesan merokok. Persoalannya, kenapa masih ramai yang terus merokok? Setiap hari ada sahaja perokok baru yang muncul termasuk kanak-kanak dan remaja.

Merokok bukan sahaja memudaratkan diri si perokok, tetapi ianya juga mengancam kesihatan orang di persekitaran termasuk keluarganya. Kajian juga mendapati kesan asap rokok lebih mudarat kepada orang lain berhampiran yang menghidu asap rokok tersebut berbanding si perokok itu sendiri. Ini bukan sahaja cubaan membunuh dirinya sendiri, malah perokok juga mampu membunuh orang lain kerana perbuatan ‘kotor’ yang dilakukannya. Sabda Rasulullah s.a.w, “Tidak boleh (menimbulkan) bahaya dan tidak boleh pula membahayakan orang lain.” (Riwayat Ibnu Majah).

Perbuatan merokok berdasarkan 6 fasa perkembangan iaitu fasa pemerhatian, fasa induksi, fasa peneguhan (reiriforcement), fasa menikmati, fasa terbiasa (terlazim atau menjadi tabiat) dan fasa ketagihan. Seorang ayah yang melarang atau memarahi anaknya merokok sedang dia seorang perokok, fasa pemerhatian ini boleh mendorong anaknya merokok walaupun secara sembunyi tanpa pengetahuan ayahnya.

Secara kesimpulannya, fasa-fasa perkembangan ini boleh dikelaskan kepada tiga tahap iaitu fasa prakeinginan dengan melihat orang lain merokok, fasa membuat keputusan dengan berfikir, menilai, dan membuat keputusan untuk merokok dan fasa penerusan iaitu menjadikan perbuatan merokok sebagai tabiat rutin dan peningkatan pengambilan rokok.

Antara keburukan merokok dari segi kesihatan ialah ianya boleh merosakkan paru-paru, mengakibatkan sakit jantung, lelah, batuk, mulut berbau, gigi rosak, penyakit barah, mati pucuk, memendekkan usia dan lain-lain. Firman Allah, “Dan belanjakanlah (apa-apa yang ada pada kamu) kerana (menegakkan) agama Allah, dan janganlah kamu sengaja mencampakkan diri kamu ke dalam kebinasaan dan baikilah (dengan sebaiknya segala usaha) perbuatan kamu, kerana sesungguhnya Allah mengasihi orang yang sentiasa memperbaiki amalannya.” (Al-Baqarah: 195).

Manakala amalan merokok juga mengundang kepada sikap pembaziran masa dan wang ringgit. Harta yang tidak dibelanjakan di tempat yang halal adalah termasuk dalam konteks membazir kerana tiada manfaat yang boleh diperolehi daripadanya. Firman Allah dalam Surah Al-Isyra ayat 27, “Sesungguhnya orang-orang yang membazir itu adalah saudara-saudara syaitan, sedang syaitan itu pula adalah makhluk yang sangat kufur kepada Tuhannya.”

Malangnya masih ramai di kalangan ahli atau ilmuan agama sendiri (sepatutnya menjelaskan penghukuman halal dan haram kepada masyarakat) yang terlalu tegar dengan ketagihan merokok ini. Apakah usaha pihak kerajaan menaikkan cukai rokok atau menakut-nakutkan perokok dengan meletakkan gambar ngeri dan jijik di kotak-kotak rokok mampu mengatasi amalan merokok di kalangan rakyat, terutama umat Islam? Secara peribadinya saya rasa gagal kerana jalan terbaik yang patut dilakukan pihak berwajib ialah dengan cara mengharamkan terus penjualan rokok dan menutup terus kilang-kilang rokok dari beroperasi. Tapi adakah ianya mungkin jika kerajaan terus memikirkan keuntungan cukai yang diperolehinya hasil dari syarikat-syarikat rokok? Atau adakah mungkin pengharaman secara menyeluruh menjadi realiti jika para ustaz atau ahli-ahli agama sendiri masih menghembuskan asap rokok daripada bibir-bibir mereka?

Jadikanlah Ramadhan nanti sebagai tempoh bermuhasabah diri secukupnya. Fikir-fikirkan.

Takut & bimbang!

Saya rasa hanya dua ungkapan itu yang mula-mula timbul dari benak fikiran saya setelah membaca laporan di dada akhbar dan mendengar berita di radio/tv tentang status halal di Malaysia sejak akhir-akhir ini. Wajarkah negara Malaysia yang diwacanakan sebagai sebuah negara Islam yang menjadi contoh ikutan negara Islam lain di dunia masih lagi bergelora dengan ketidaktentuan kesahihan status halal? Sejauhmanakah peranan yang dimainkan oleh pihak kerajaan amnya dan khususnya JAKIM yang dipertanggungjawabkan meluluskan status halal di Malaysia?

Sebagai sebuah negara berteraskan agama rasminya Islam, bukankah lebih baik jika mewajibkan perlesenan sesebuah syarikat perniagaan termasuk hotel (tidak kiralah berapa bintang), restoren (termasuk kopitiam yang menjadi kegilaan penggemar kopi) atau mana-mana premis dimestikan dan diwajibkan mendapatkan terlebih dahulu sijil halal daripada JAKIM sebagai syarat sah beroperasi. Apatah lagi jika perniagaan tersebut melibatkan pelanggan-pelanggan yang beragama Islam.

Saya bukan nak salahkan mana-mana pihak, cuma sekadar keliru.  Selamatkah kita berada di Malaysia untuk menjamu selera tanpa keraguan sama ada ianya halal atau haram? Jika selama ini kita bergantung harap kepada logo halal JAKIM sebagai keyakinan dan sandaran, bagaimana halnya pula jika ‘logo halal JAKIM’ seperti itu pula boleh diragui dengan alasan ianya dipalsukan atau direka-reka? Sangat mendukacitakan apabila pengguna/pelanggan dipersalahkan dengan alasan sepatutnya pelanggan siasat terlebih dahulu sama ada premis itu sah logo halalnya atau tidak. Di manakah pihak pemantau sijil halal, di manakah pihak berwajib yang bertanggungjawab, masih sibuk berpolitik? Apa hak kuasa seorang pengguna sehinggakan terpaksa  memantau semua tempat yang dikunjungi itu sama ada logo halalnya palsu atau tidak? Adakah kurang kakitangan di JAKIM boleh menjadi alasan atau penyebab kurangnya atau tiada pemantauan?

Persoalannya… penting atau tidak status HALAL? Jawapannya ya, sebagai umat Islam.. semestinya penting.

Firman Allah s.w.t, “Wahai manusia, makanlah dari makanan yang HALAL dan baik yang terdapat di bumi, dan jangan kamu mengikut langkah-langkah syaitan, sesungguhnya syaitan itu musuh yang nyata bagi kamu.” Al-Baqarah: 168

Halal adalah satu perkataan bahasa Arab yang bermaksud sah atau dibenarkan. Lawan istilah halal ialah haram, maksudnya tidak sah atau tidak dibenarkan. Istilah halal dan haram digunapakai secara global kepada semua perkara dalam kehidupan kita. Tapi apa yang saya utarakan dientri kali ini ialah berkaitan dengan makanan dan minuman yang pastikan menjadi darah daging sampai kepada keturunan yang takkan habis-habis. Banyak perkara halal dan haram dinyatakan secara jelas, tetapi masih terdapat beberapa perkara yang tidak jelas. Untuk mengklasifikasikan perkara-perkara ini sebagai halal dan haram tentunya memerlukan perbincangan dan penjelasan. Ini yang digelar sebagai ‘Mashbuh’ atau ‘Syubhah’ iaitu perkara yang diragukan, mencurigakan atau dipersoalkan.

Allah berfirman lagi, “Dan makanlah dari apa yang telah diberikan oleh Allah s.w.t kepada kamu sebagai rezeki yang halal dan baik, dan bertakwalah kepada Allah tuhan yang kamu beriman kepada-Nya.” Al-Ma’idah: 88

Sebenarnya semua makanan boleh dianggap halal kecuali perkara-perkara berikut (yang dikategorikan haram):

1. Babi atau apa sahaja yang berkaitan dengannya.
2. Binatang yang tidak disembelih mengikut syariat Islam atau mati sebelum disembelih.
3. Minuman beralkohol (arak).
4. Binatang-binatang pemangsa, burung-burung pemangsa dan sepertinya.
5. Makanan/minuman yang dicemari perkara-perkara di atas.

Makanan yang mengandungi bahan-bahan seperti gelatin, enzim-enzim, pengemulsi dan perisa itu menjadi perkara yang dipersoalkan (syubhah), kerana asal bahan-bahan tersebut tidak dipastikan. Ianya perlukan pengkajian dan penjelasan. Islam menggalakkan supaya umatnya menghindarkan diri daripada perkara syubhah kerana dibimbangi boleh mengundang kepada kelompok haram. Mengelak adalah jalan terbaik. Jika ia diragui, tinggalkan.

Anda boleh semak sama ada mana-mana syarikat mempunyai sijil halal JAKIM atau tidak melalui SMS:

HALAL<>SEMAK<>No. Pendaftaran Syarikat (ROC)
Contoh: HALAL SEMAK 12345X
hantar ke 15888

Mutiara kata sebagai renungan, “Good intention and naive doesn’t mean HALAL”. Wallahu’allam.

Gambar di atas kredit buat Ustaz Annamir.

I’m very busy lately. However this time I want to share tips in childcare and its impact to create great generation when they grow up later. I hope you are a mother.

It should be as like the breast-milk as possible. This is obtained by a mixture of cow’s milk, water, and sugar, in the following proportions. Fresh cow’s milk, two thirds; Boiling water, or thin barley water, one third; Loaf sugar, a sufficient quantity to sweeten. This is the best diet that can be used for the first six months, after which some farinaceous food may be combined.

In early infancy, mothers are too much in the habit of giving thick gruel, panada, biscuit-powder, and such matters, thinking that a diet of a lighter kind will not nourish. This is a mistake; for these preparations are much too solid; they overload the stomach, and cause indigestion, flatulence, and griping. These create a necessity for purgative medicines and carminatives, which again weaken digestion, and, by unnatural irritation, perpetuate the evils which render them necessary. Thus many infants are kept in a continual round of repletion, indigestion, and purging, with the administration of cordials and narcotics, who, if their diet were in quantity and quality suited to their digestive powers, would need no aid from physic or physicians.

In preparing this diet, it is highly important to obtain pure milk, not previously skimmed, or mixed with water; and in warm weather just taken from the cow. It should not be mixed with the water or sugar until wanted, and not more made than will be taken by the child at the time, for it must be prepared fresh at every meal. It is best not to heat the milk over the fire, but let the water be in a boiling state when mixed with it, and thus given to the infant tepid or lukewarm.

As the infant advances in age, the proportion of milk may be gradually increased; this is necessary after the second month, when three parts of milk to one of water may be allowed. But there must be no change in the kind of diet if the health of the child is good, and its appearance perceptibly improving. Nothing is more absurd than the notion, that in early life children require a variety of food; only one kind of food is prepared by nature, and it is impossible to transgress this law without marked injury.

There are two ways by the spoon, and by the nursing-bottle. The first ought never to be employed at this period, inasmuch as the power of digestion in infants is very weak, and their food is designed by nature to be taken very slowly into the stomach, being procured from the breast by the act of sucking, in which act a great quantity of saliva is secreted, and being poured into the mouth, mixes with the milk, and is swallowed with it. This process of nature, then, should be emulated as far as possible; and food (for this purpose) should be imbibed by suction from a nursing-bottle: it is thus obtained slowly, and the suction employed secures the mixture of a due quantity of saliva, which has a highly important influence on digestion. Whatever kind of bottle or teat is used, however, it must never be forgotten that cleanliness is absolutely essential to the success of this plan of rearing children.

Te quantity of food to be given at each meal ust be regulated by the age of the child, and its digestive power. A little experience will soon enable a careful and observing mother to determine this point. As the child grows older the quantity of course must be increased.

The chief error in rearing the young is overfeeding; and a most serious one it is; but which may be easily avoided by the parent pursuing a systematic plan with regard to the hours of feeding, and then only yielding to the indications of appetite, and administering the food slowly, in small quantities at a time. This is the only way effectually to prevent indigestion, and bowel complaints, and the irritable condition of the nervous system, so common in infancy, and secure to the infant healthy nutrition, and consequent strength of constitution. As has been well observed, “Nature never intended the infant’s stomach to be converted into a receptacle for laxatives, carminatives, antacids, stimulants, and astringents; and when these become necessary, we may rest assured that there is something faulty in our management, however perfect it may seem to ourselves.”

The frequency of giving food must be determined, as a general rule, by allowing such an interval between each meal as will insure the digestion of the previous quantity; and this may be fixed at about every three or four hours. If this rule be departed from, and the child receives a fresh supply of food every hour or so, time will not be given for the digestion of the previous quantity, and as a consequence of this process being interrupted, the food passing on into the bowel undigested, will there ferment and become sour, will inevitably produce cholic and purging, and in no way contribute to the nourishment of the child.

The posture of the child when fed: It is important to attend to this. It must not receive its meals lying; the head should be raised on the nurse’s arm, the most natural position, and one in which there will be no danger of the food going the wrong way, as it is called. After each meal the little one should be put into its cot, or repose on its mother’s knee, for at least half an hour. This is essential for the process of digestion, as exercise is important at other times for the promotion of health.

As soon as the child has got any teeth, and about this period one or two will make their appearance, solid farinaceous matter boiled in water, beaten through a sieve, and mixed with a small quantity of milk, may be employed. Or tops and bottoms, steeped in hot water, with the addition of fresh milk and loaf sugar to sweeten. And the child may now, for the first time, be fed with a spoon.

When one or two of the large grinding teeth have appeared, the same food may be continued, but need not be passed through a sieve. Beef tea and chicken broth may occasionally be added; and, as an introduction to the use of a more completely animal diet, a portion, now and then, of a soft boiled egg; by and by a small bread pudding, made with one egg in it, may be taken as the dinner meal.

Nothing is more common than for parents during this period to give their children animal food. This is a great error. “To feed an infant with animal food before it has teeth proper for masticating it, shows a total disregard to the plain indications of nature, in withholding such teeth till the system requires their assistance to masticate solid food. And the method of grating and pounding meat, as a substitute for chewing, may be well suited to the toothless octogenarian, whose stomach is capable of digesting it; but the stomach of a young child is not adapted to the digestion of such food, and will be disordered by it.

It cannot reasonably be maintained that a child’s mouth without teeth, and that of an adult, furnished with the teeth of carnivorous and graminivorous animals, are designed by the Creator for the same sort of food. If the mastication of solid food, whether animal or vegetable, and a due admixture of saliva, be necessary for digestion, then solid food cannot be proper, when there is no power of mastication. If it is swallowed in large masses it cannot be masticated at all, and will have but a small chance of being digested; and in an undigested state it will prove injurious to the stomach and to the other organs concerned in digestion, by forming unnatural compounds. The practice of giving solid food to a toothless child, is not less absurd, than to expect corn to be ground where there is no apparatus for grinding it. That which would be considered as an evidence of idiotism or insanity in the last instance, is defended and practised in the former. If, on the other hand, to obviate this evil, the solid matter, whether animal or vegetable, be previously broken into small masses, the infant will instantly swallow it, but it will be unmixed with saliva. Yet in every day’s observation it will be seen, that children are so fed in their most tender age; and it is not wonderful that present evils are by this means produced, and the foundation laid for future disease.”

The diet pointed out, then, is to be continued until the second year. Great care, however, is necessary in its management; for this period of infancy is ushered in by the process of teething, which is commonly connected with more or less of disorder of the system. Any error, therefore, in diet or regimen is now to be most carefully avoided. ‘Tis true that the infant, who is of a sound and healthy constitution, in whom, therefore, the powers of life are energetic, and who up to this time has been nursed upon the breast of its parent, and now commences an artificial diet for the first time, disorder is scarcely perceptible, unless from the operation of very efficient causes. Not so, however, with the child who from the first hour of its birth has been nourished upon artificial food. Teething under such circumstances is always attended with more or less of disturbance of the frame, and disease of the most dangerous character but too frequently ensues. It is at this age, too, that all infectious and eruptive fevers are most prevalent; worms often begin to form, and diarrhoea, thrush, rickets, cutaneous eruptions, etc. manifest themselves, and the foundation of strumous disease is originated or developed. A judicious management of diet will prevent some of these complaints, and mitigate the violence of others when they occur.