Apakah Agama Tanpa Nabi? What is religion without the Prophet? - Our Hari Raya cards....

Our office is finalizing our Eidul Fitri greeting cards to be sent to our friends and clientele to mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan and the 1st day of Syawal. Here in Malaysia such cards are commonly known as 'Hari Raya' cards, meaning 'Day of Festivities / Celebration' in Malay. Our girls have chosen the design and I was asked to do the inlay text, but this time in Malay. I initially had an idea and the first line of the prose to be printed in the greeting card went like this -

Apakah hidup tanpa mati?

(What is life without death?)

I emailed out the suggestion to Aeenzy, who is organizing the printing of the cards. Immediately I got a call from our latest (and youngest) addition to our office, who asked me earnestly, "TK? Are you SURE you want this in the Raya card?" I answered in the affirmative. Why not? After all, isn't death also an event worthy to be celebrated? When we are united with our Maker? But I guess it depends on how you die. He he he.

But sometimes there is no need to share ALL truths. And I think most people are less keen to be reminded of their mortality when they open a greeting card, especially a Hari Raya greeting card. So after some thought, I amended the prose, and the poem inside of our card will now read thus...

Apakah...?

Apakah jasad tanpa hati?

Apakah jantung tanpa nadi?

Apakah iman tanpa erti?

Apakah agama tanpa Nabi?

What is...?

What is a body without a heart?

What is a heart without a pulse?

What is faith without understanding?

What is religion with the Prophet?

..............

It sounds better in my native Malay, I guess. It rolls off the tongue quite well, don't you agree? But then again, I am biased. He he he.

I like bringing the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) into the picture. I think he is a one-Prophet-fit-for-all-occasion-kinda-divine-emissary. It is not protocol or spiritual etiquette. It just feels good. Like breathing.

I guess we all have our own way of breathing. But whatever creed you may be holding, may your own breath that you exhale glorify the Lord, and may the next breath that you inhale give thanks to His all-encompassing Mercy and Compassion.

Have a lovely night, sunshine. For it is night here and the fast is over for today.

wa min Allah at-taufiq

Hate has no place in Islam

Love will show the Way