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Monthly Archives: February 2012
February 27, 2012
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Does Islamic Finance Prevent The Future Global Financial Crisis?
Does Islamic Finance Prevent The Future Global Financial Crisis?
Dr. Zulkifli Hasan
The collapse of long established industry players that assume to be immune or “too big to fail” such as Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and others is a clear indication of a systemic economic failure. This tension leads to numerous debates on the cause of the meltdown and the primary cause of the crisis. While Michael Spence claims that securities and derivatives like collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and Credit Default Swaps (CDS) are the main factors, Sachs and Stiglitz blame the credit markets deregulation as the root cause of the crisis. A renowned Islamic economist, Chapra views that the most important cause of current financial crisis was due to excessive and imprudent lending by banks and a so called founding father of modern Islamic economic, Siddiqi affirms that the crisis is rooted in a moral failure that leads to exploitation and corruption. All of these debates seem to suggest at one conclusion that the current financial architecture needs to have some reformation that would help to minimize the frequency and severity of such a crisis in the future.
The credit crunch has witnessed the failure of conventional finance markets to prevent the economic instability and inefficiency. In this regard, Islamic finance tends to offer very promising solution as IFIs has showed very strong resilience to the current financial turmoil. As evidence, the Moody expects growth in Islamic banking assets to achieve around 10 to 15 percent this year, one of the fastest-growing segments in financial services sector despite the crisis. In addition, Islamic banking assets are expected to rise from USD750 billion at the end of 2006 to more than USD1 trillion by 2010. This raises the question of whether adherence to Islamic finance principles would have prevented the future crisis.
To be clear, although Islamic finance is conceived to be inherently stable; in reality it is actually not immune from the financial crisis as it is part of the global financial system. Slowing sukuk issuance for the past two years and closure of Ihlas Finance House in Turkey in 2001 vividly demonstrate that the adherence to Islamic finance per se does not guarantee that this sector is safe from any economic crisis. In fact, Islamic finance will face significant challenges when it reaches to certain degree of complexity and sophistication of financial products and instrument such as derivatives that have been always the hallmarks of its conventional counterparts.
The key role of the IFIs in this aspect is therefore to ensure that it would be able to achieve a level of resilience that would ensure its sustainability. At this point, the mechanism that would protect the industry from the worst effects of any credit crisis is stern adherence to the core ethical principles of Islamic finance such as strict rules of conduct for all market participants, prohibition of interest and speculative behavior, risk sharing, money as potential capital, sanctity of contracts and Shari’ah approved transactions. This can only be materialized via strengthening the corporate governance practice in IFIs so as to promote transparency, accountability, fairness and equality.
The corporate governance of IFIs differs in several respects to that of its conventional counterparts since its governance framework is beyond the relationship between the owners and managers but it includes as to how to maintain the relationship with the God. This makes all organs in IFIs have fiduciary duties to observe the Shari’ah and ethical principles of Islamic finance as stipulated in al-Quran and al-Sunnah. With this respect the institutionalization of Shari’ah board as an additional layer of governance would play significant role to monitor and supervise the adherence of the institutions upon these principles.
To illustrate how important corporate governance is, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions and the Islamic Financial Services Board have issued several governance standards as guidelines for IFIs. As corporate governance leads to efficiency and stability, I firmly believe that sound corporate governance practice would enhance the potential role of Islamic finance in contributing toward global financial stability and adherence to Islamic finance alone will surely not prevent financial crisis to happen in the future.
Regards

ZULKIFLI HASAN
Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
Islamic finance news
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February 25, 2012
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Towards an Arms Trade Treaty: What are our Roles?
Isu Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata Dunia: Apa Peranan Kita?
Zulkifli Hasan
Pendahuluan
Baru-baru ini dilaporkan bahawa Rusia dan China telah menggunakan kuasa veto untuk membatalkan resolusi Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) yang menyokong pelan Liga Arab untuk mendesak Presiden Syria Bashar Al Assad supaya berundur dan mengutuk keganasan kezaliman yang berlaku. Hingga kini dilaporkan lebih 6000 rakyat Syria telah terkorban semenjak Mac 2011 dan ribuan lagi telah tercedera, ditangkap dan hilang tanpa dapat dikesan.  Ramai yang tertanya-tanya mengapa dan kenapa negara-negara ini berbuat demikian. Sudah pasti mereka mempunyai sebab dan justifikasi terhadap tindakan mereka ini. Dilaporkan bahawa Rusia merupakan pembekal senjata dan rakan dagang utama Syria dalam membekalkan pelbagai jenis senjata kepada rejim Al Assad. Begitu juga di Bahrain, dalam keghairahan media barat mengutuk Iran untuk membangunkan tenaga nuklearnya, Amerika dalam masa yang sama telah membekalkan senjata yang besar jumlahnya kepada Bahrain.
Dunia telah menyaksikan bahawa abad ke 20 merupakan abad yang paling kejam dalam sejarah manusia dengan dua peperangan dunia, diikuti lebih 30 tahun perlumbaan senjata, perang teluk, perang Afghanistan, Perang Vietnam, Perang Iran-Iraq termasuk konflik dalaman, revolusi dan sebagainya. Program Penyelidikan Keamanan, Cornell Universiti di Amerika dalam laporannya “Deaths in Wars and Conflicts in the 20th Century’ telah menganggarkan bahawa seramai 231 juta manusia telah terkorban melalui peperangan dan konflik sepanjang abad ke 20. Di antara faktor utama sejarah tragis manusia ini adalah kesan daripada perdagangan senjata. Perdagangan senjata yang sering kali dilihat sebagai langkah memperkuatkan sistem pertahanan dan perbelanjaan persenjataan atas dasar keselamatan sebenarnya hanya mencetuskan konflik dan pertumpahan darah.
Bagi membincangkan topik ini, penulis akan cuba berkongsi sedikit pengetahuan dan pengalaman mengenai peri pentingnya umat Islam untuk memberikan respon positif terhadap usaha-usaha ke arah pengawalan perdagangan senjata. Artikel ini akan menelusuri gerakan-gerakan di seluruh dunia yang giat memperjuangkan undang-undang pengawalan perdagangan senjata. Artikel ini juga akan meninjau realiti perdagangan senjata termasuk menampilkan aktor-aktor pengeluar senjata dan pelanggan tetap kepada saudagar senjata ini di seluruh dunia. Di samping itu, penulis juga akan berkongsi maklumat berkenaan dengan institusi dan badan yang aktif dan komited mengawal dan memantau perdagangan senjata dan juga entiti yang secara komperehensif merekod dan menyimpan data serta statistik perdagangan senjata di seluruh dunia. Di akhir penulisan, artikel ini secara ringkas akan membincangkan peranan umat Islam itu sendiri terhadap isu pengawalan perdagangan senjata ini.
Kenali Pengeluar dan Pelanggan Perdagangan Senjata
Adalah tidak mengejutkan bahawa, Amerika merupakan peneraju perdagangan senjata diikuti oleh Rusia, Britain dan Perancis. Maklumat mengenai Perdagangan Senjata dunia boleh diperolehi menerusi Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) sebuah badan bebas antarabangsa berpengkalan di Sweden yang mengkhusus kepada penyelidikan mengenai perdagangan senjata yang memantau dan mempunyai pengkalan data yang komprehensif mengenai perdagangan senjata dunia. Menurut SIPRI, direkodkan bahawa antara 1996-2000 perdagangan senjata dunia dipelopori oleh Amerika, Russia, Perancis yang mewakili 30%, diikuti oleh Britain dan Jerman, 20% dan Belanda, Ukraine, Italy, China, Belarus, Sepanyol dan Israel, 15%. Apa yang menarik dan dalam masa yang sama agak mengejutkan ialah negara-negara pengeluar senjata ini merupakan ahli tetap Majlis Keselamatan PBB iaitu mewakili 85% perdagangan senjata dunia. Sudah pasti fakta ini menimbulkan persoalan mengenai keberkesanan dan keadilan dalam Majlis Keselamatan PBB.
Dari aspek pengeluar senjata, terdapat tujuh syarikat  utama pengeluar senjata di dunia iaitu Lockheed Martin (Amerika) BAE Systems (Britain), Boeing (Amerika), Raytheon (Amerika), General Dynamics (Amerika) dan Thomson-CSF (Perancis). Syarikat-syarikat ini secara aktif mempromosi dan membekalkan senjata di seluruh dunia. Terdapat juga individu pengusaha dan pembekal senjata yang beroperasi membekalkan senjata secara penyeludupan. Victor Bout seorang ikon saudagar senjata dunia yang telah membekalkan pelbagai jenis senjata di serata dunia akhirnya telah ditangkap di Thailand dan diekstradisi ke Amerika. Di antara 2005-2009, direkodkan bahawa negara utama pengguna dan yang melanggan senjata ialah Taiwan, Arab Saudi, Turki, Korea Selatan, India, Mesir, Israel, Pakistan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Greece, Singapura dan Algeria. Menurut ‘Congressional Research Service’, institusi yang menjalankan penyelidikan untuk kongres Amerika, nilai perdagangan senjata antarabangsa bagi 2010 sahaja telah mencecah USD35 bilion.
Selain daripada senjata berat, isu perdagangan senjata kecil juga perlu diambil perhatian kerana ianya juga sangat mempengaruhi dan kerap kali kematian diakibatkan oleh senjata sebegini. Panel Pakar PBB mengkategorikan senjata kecil ini kepada senjata yang digunakan oleh pihak polis dan tentera seperti pistol, rifel, bom tangan, mortar, gas pemedih mata dan lain-lain. Senjata kecil ini pada dasarnya bertujuan untuk menjaga ketenteraman awam dan memelihara keamanan. Namun demikian, dunia menyaksikan senjata ini akhirnya sering kali digunakan oleh pihak berkuasa menindas dan menzalimi orang awam. Pengeluar utama senjata seumpama ini ialah China, Russia dan Amerika. Kajian yang dibuat oleh ‘Graduate Institute of International Studies’ di Geneva menganggarkan bahawa sekurang-kurangnya 550 juta pistol dan senjata seumpamanya yang terdapat di dunia iaitu mewakili satu senjata bagi setiap 11 penduduk dunia. ’Small Arms Survey’ yang dijalankan oleh institusi ini pula melaporkan bahawa nilai perdagangan senjata kecil ini adalah melebihi USD7 bilion setahun. Ironinya ialah sebanyak USD2.4 bilion telah diperuntukkan pada 2010 untuk pembelian senjata kecil ini seperti gas pemedih mata, kereta perisai dan senjata lain telah dijual kepada Negara yang mengalami krisis dan konflik seperti Bahrain, Mesir, Libya, Syria dan Yaman. Ini menunjukkan bahawa oleh kerana tiadanya undang-undang antarabangsa pengawalan perdagangan senjata yang boleh menghalang penjualan senjata kepada negara-negara yang secara jelas melanggar hak asasi manusia telah mengakibatkan krisis dan konflik yang berterusan di negara-negara berkenaan.
Implikasi Perdagangan Senjata
Persepsi yang selalu menjadi tanggapan umum terhadap persenjataan ialah senjata adalah untuk keselamatan. Bagi negara pengeluar senjata, industri ini dapat menjana ekonomi dan memberi hasil kepada negara termasuk mencipta peluang pekerjaan. Tetapi tahukah anda bahawa sekitar 2,000 orang mati setiap hari akibat dari perdagangan senjata ini. Industri pembuatan senjata juga tidak banyak menyumbang kepada ekonomi dan sebenarnya tidak menjana peluang pekerjaan yang signifikan. Ini memandangkan industri senjata ini dikategorikan sebagai industri berteknologi tinggi dan tidak memerlukan pekerja yang ramai. Sekiranya dibandingkan antara maslahah dan mafsadah industri ini, didapati terlalu banyak implikasi negatif secara langsung atau tidak langsung melalui urusniaga perdagangan senjata ini.
Jika diteliti dan dianalisis secara telus, hakikatnya perdagangan senjata ini boleh memberikan implikasi yang sangat negatif dan amat berpotensi untuk mencetuskan konflik. Umpamanya pada 1998, terdapat 11 konflik senjata di Afrika. Bagaimana hal ini boleh berlaku? Di antara faktor utama konflik ini ialah pihak yang bermusuhan memiliki armada tentera dan persenjataan yang mencukupi. Dilaporkan antara 1989-1998, Amerika telah memperuntukkan USD227 juta untuk latihan ketenteraan dan senjata bagi tentera-tentera di beberapa negara di Afrika. Daripada jumlah ini sebanyak USD111 juta digunakan untuk peperangan yang berlaku di Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Burundi, Chad Namibia, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda dan Zimbabwe.
Perdagangan senjata ini juga boleh mempengaruhi dasar dan peruntukan kewangan negara. Peruntukan perbelanjaan untuk persenjataan yang berlebihan akan menjejaskan agenda pembangunan sesebuah negara. Menurut Laporan Setiausaha Agung PBB kepada Majlis Keselamatan berkenaan dengan senjata kecil (S/2008/258) melaporkan bahawa perbelanjaan senjata terutamanya di negara dunia ketiga dan membangun menyebabkan kekayaan negara tidak dapat disalurkan kepada pembangunan sosial. PBB merekodkan bahawa lebih 1 bilion penduduk hidup di bawah paras kemiskinan iaitu pendapatan kurang daripada USD1 sehari sedangkan USD184 setahun diperuntukkan bagi perbelanjaan senjata bagi setiap individu di muka bumi ini. Amat malang kerana fenomena perbelanjaan persenjataan yang keterlaluan ini juga berlaku di negara membangun dan mengalami krisis kemanusiaan. ‘Global  Fire Power’, sebuah laman sesawang yang mempunyai pengkalan data mengenai maklumat umum pertahanan negara di dunia, merekodkan tatkala Pakistan dan Mesir dilanda krisis pengangguran dan masalah ekonomi, kedua-dua negara ini telah memperuntukkan jumlah wang yang besar untuk ketenteraan dan masing-masing kini menduduki tangga ke 15 dan 16 dunia dari segi kekuatan angkatan tentera. Lebih mengejutkan lagi ialah daripada jumlah pasaran senjata dunia, 10 negara membangun yang mengalami masalah ekonomi dan kemanusiaan adalah mewakili 60% daripada jumlah pasaran senjata bagi tahun 2003-2010.
Perkembangan perbelanjaan senjata yang berlebihan untuk tujuan keselamatan juga mengakibatkan peruntukan yang sepatutnya disalurkan kepada sektor pembangunan dan kebajikan tidak dapat dimanfaatkan. Sebagai contoh, harga bagi 30 buat jet Sukhoi-30 MKI buatan Rusia ialah USD1.8 bilion. Peruntukan sebanyak ini sebenarnya boleh disalurkan untuk membiayai persekolahan rendah selama setahun bagi 20 juta kanak-kanak. Harga bagi 310 kereta kebal T-90S buatan Russia ialah USD600 juta dan sekiranya wang ini digunakan untuk tujuan kesihatan ianya boleh dibelanjakan untuk membiayai pembelian 200 juta ‘insecticide-treated nets; yang mampu mengurangkan kematian akibat malaria. Nilai bagi 6 buah kapal selam buatan Perancis ialah USD1.8 bilion. Peruntukan sebanyak ini mampu untuk membantu dalam proses rawatan 1.7 bilion kanak-kanak yang mengidap ‘debilitating intestinal worms’ selama 3 tahun. Harga bagi sepuluh jet pejuang Mirage-2000E buatan Perancis ialah USD325 juta. Dianggarkan wang ini cukup untuk membekalkan vitamin dan mineral yang diperlukan bagi 1 bilion orang selama 10 tahun. Peruntukan untuk membeli 66 Jet Pejuang Hawk fighter buatan Britain ialah USD1.7 bilion. Perbelanjaan ini hakikatnya mampu untuk membiayai ‘antiretroviral AIDS drugs’ bagi lebih 11 juta pesakit AIDS selama setahun. Fakta dan angka ini kadang-kadang amat menggerunkan kerana kita dapat menyaksikan betapa rakusnya manusia terhadap kuasa hingga sanggup mengenepikan keperluan yang lebih mendesak seperti kesihatan, pendidikan dan pembangunan sosio ekonomi masyarakat.
Di antara implikasi negatif yang sering juga terjadi berikutan kegiatan perdagangan senjata ialah meningkatnya indeks rasuah. Perdagangan senjata sering melibatkan pihak tengah, tidak telus, bersifat rahsia dan sangat berpotensi menyumbang ke arah amalan rasuah. Dilaporkan bahawa terdapat lebih 50% tuduhan rasuah melibatkan perdagangan senjata. Amalan industri perdagangan senjata yang tidak telus dan keghairahan pihak tertentu untuk memiliki senjata berteknologi tinggi dan terkini menyemarakkan lagi anasir rasuah yang akhirnya menelan perbelanjaan yang besar bagi bajet sesebuah Negara. Berdasarkan kepada faktor ini, seharusnya sesuatu perlu dilakukan bagi memantau industri senjata dan juga mewujudkan satu undang-undang antarabangsa untuk mengawal perdagangan senjata di dunia. Sekurang-kurangnya, undang-undang antarabangsa yang bersifat universal ini akan sedikit sebanyak dapat mengurangkan perdagangan senjata yang tidak bertanggungjawab dan beretika.
Perkembangan Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata
Pada hari ini, didapati tiada satu perjanjian yang bersifat global dan mengikat mengenai pengawalan perdagangan senjata. Gerakan dan aktivisme pengawalan perdagangan senjata ini secara rasminya bermula pada 1997 di New York hasil inisiatif  sekumpulan Pemenang Nobel Perdamaian dan ‘International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War’ (IPPNW) yang mengesyorkan untuk mewujudkan Kod Etika Perdagangan Senjata. Selepas kempen dan promosi oleh pelbagai badan bukan kerajaan dan masyarakat sivil antarabangsa, saranan ini kemudiannya diterima oleh PBB dalam resolusi 61/89 pada 18 Disember 2006.
Tarikh 30 Oktober 2009 menjadi detik sejarah apabila Perhimpunan Agung PBB dengan 151 undi akhirnya telah bersetuju mengguna pakai Resolusi A/Res/64/48 untuk menerima usul ke arah mewujudkan Perjanjian Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata (Arms Trade Treaty). PBB juga bersetuju untuk meneruskan proses memperincikan Perjanjian ini dengan menganjurkan beberapa mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pemandu pada 2010 dan 2011. Kini Perjanjian ini berada diperingkat akhir pengemaskinian dan PBB akan menganjurkan konferen khas pada Julai 2012 bagi menggubal Perjanjian atau Instrumen yang bakal mengikat semua negara sama ada pengeluar atau pengguna senjata mengenai undang-undang pengawalan perdagangan senjata.
Secara umumnya, Perjanjian Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata ini bertujuan untuk menghentikan pertambahan perdagangan senjata, menghalang penyalahgunaan senjata dan menyediakan peruntukan undang-undang bagi mengawal perdagangan senjata. Perjanjian ini akan memastikan senjata tidak berpindah kepada pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab. Di antara kandungan utama Perjanjian ini ialah sebarang perdagangan senjata adalah tidak dibenarkan sama sekali dan melanggar undang-undang antarabangsa sekiranya ianya melibatkan pihak-pihak yang boleh menjejaskan pembangunan sosial dan bertentangan dengan hak asasi manusia. Di antara mekanisme untuk merealisasikan matlamat ini, Perjanjian ini akan menyediakan garis panduan perdagangan senjata secara komprehensif yang perlu dipatuhi oleh semua pihak. Perjanjian senjata ini juga akan memastikan bahawa tiada perdagangan senjata yang melibatkan risiko kemanusiaan dan ini termasuk sekiranya perdagangan senjata tersebut bertentangan dengan hak asasi manusia antarabangsa, tergolong dalam jenayah kemanusiaan atau ‘genocide; potensi untuk menjana jenayah terancang dan boleh menjejaskan kedudukan ekonomi sosial dan pembangunan.
Setakat ini, gerakan ke arah penggubalan dan termeterainya Perjanjian ini hinggi kini dimainkan oleh badan bukan kerajaan terutamanya institusi keagamaan. Di Sweden, ‘Swedish Fellowship of Reconciliation’ (SWEFOR) dan ‘Church of Sweden’ sangat giat mengatur strategi dan program bagi memberikan kesedaran terhadap peri pentingnya isu pengawalan perdagangan senjata ini. Di Amerika, ‘Global Youth Network of Religions for Peace’ secara aktif terlibat dalam gerakan mempromosi Perjanjian Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata ini dan menganjurkan pelbagai program berkaitan. Di Malaysia, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia telah menjalinkan kerjasama dengan pelbagai badan bukan kerajaan dari seluruh dunia dan merangka beberapa agenda gerakan bagi tujuan mempromosi inisiatif Pengawalan perdagangan Senjata ini. Di India, ‘Asian Muslim Action Network’ di antara organisasi yang serius mengatur program bagi tujuan yang sama. Satu Deklarasi menyokong Perjanjian Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata ini juga telah ditandatangani oleh 40 pimpinan agama dan 70 institusi keagamaan dari seluruh dunia hasil inisiatif SWEFOR, ’Caritas France’, ‘CCFD-Terre Solidaire’ dan ‘Interfaith Working Group of the Control Arms Coalition’ pada 21 September 2011. Di peringkat Asia Pasifik, satu bengkel intensif telah dianjurkan pada 26-27 Januari di Bangkok dengan melibatkan perwakilan dari seluruh dunia untuk merangka gerak kerja seterusnya. Ini diikuti dengan konferen di Manila yang akan diadakan pada 11-13 Mac 2012. Usaha-usaha sebegini semakin giat dijalankan oleh masyarakat antarabangsa dan sehingga kini ianya mendapat sambutan yang amat baik di seluruh dunia.
Respon Terhadap Isu Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata
Mahu tidak mahu, umat Islam di dunia perlu mengakui bahawa negara-negara Islam merupakan di antara pelanggan dan pengguna terbesar senjata. Arab Saudi, Bahrain, UAE, Malaysia termasuk negara-negara miskin seperti  Pakistan, Syria, Mesir dan Yaman merupakan negara yang berbelanja besar bagi maksud persenjataan. Kerap kali alasan yang sering diberikan atas pembelian senjata ini ialah atas faktor keselamatan. Ada juga yang memberikan justifikasi keselamatan dan ancaman Israel, konflik sempadan dan keperluan pertahanan negara.
Namun sekiranya dilihat dan diperhatikan, bahawa sebenarnya tidak terdapat keperluan yang menghambat untuk membeli persenjataan ini secara besar-besaran hingga mengabaikan tangungjawab yang lebih utama. Bahkan, apa yang berlaku ialah senjata-senjata ini kerap kali digunakan untuk hal ehwal dalaman malahan menzalimi rakyat dan orang awam. Umpamanya di Libya, Mesir dan Syria, pihak kerajaan telah menggunakan senjata yang dibeli bukan untuk tujuan keselamatan negara tetapi atas dasar ingin mempertahankan kuasa dan telah menelan ribuan nyawa rakyatnya sendiri. Oleh itu, alasan faktor keselamatan negara untuk berbelanja besar dalam pembelian senjata tidak boleh diterima secara bulat bahkan boleh dipertikaikan. Sebagai contoh, Amerika merupakan pengeksport utama senjata kepada Mesir termasuk memberikan dana ketenteraan dan persenjataan sebanyak USD1.3 bilion setahun. Manakala 10 negara pengeluar senjata telah membekalkan senjata kepada Libya semenjak 2005 hingga sekarang iaitu Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain and the UK.  India, Perancis, dan Rusia telah membekalkan bahan letupan dan pelbagai senjata lain ke Syria. Kesannya apa yang dapat dilihat ialah, tragedi kemanusiaan yang telah berlaku di mana kehilangan nyawa ribuan orang awam termasuk kanak-kanak dan wanita serta kerosakan infrastruktur awam yang hanya memburukkan lagi keadaan di negara-negara yang mengalami konflik dalaman ini.
Di antara prinsip utama yang sangat ditekankan oleh Islam ialah pro kepada keamanan, maslahah ummah, pembangunan, hak asasi manusia dan keadilan. Dalam konteks perdagangan senjata ini, umat Islam juga dituntut untuk memperjuangkan keamanan dan menolak sebarang bentuk keganasan. Ini bertepatan dengan firman Allah di dalam surah al Baqarah ayat 190 yang bermaksud: ”Dan perangilah kerana (menegakkan dan mempertahankan) ugama Allah akan orang-orang yang memerangi kamu, dan janganlah kamu menceroboh (dengan memulakan peperangan); kerana sesungguhnya Allah tidak suka kepada orang-orang yang menceroboh”. Bahkan dalam ayat yang lain, al Quran jelas menggariskan kepentingan memelihara keamanan dan memperjuangkan keadilan seperti firman Allah di dalam surah al Maidah ayat 32 yang bermaksud: ”Dengan sebab (kisah pembunuhan kejam) yang demikian itu kami tetapkan atas Bani Israil, bahawasanya sesiapa yang membunuh seorang manusia dengan tiada alasan yang membolehkan membunuh orang itu, atau (kerana) melakukan kerosakan di muka bumi, maka seolah-olah dia telah membunuh manusia semuanya; dan sesiapa yang menjaga keselamatan hidup seorang manusia, maka seolah-olah dia telah menjaga keselamatan hidup manusia semuanya. Dan demi sesungguhnya, telah datang kepada mereka Rasul-rasul kami dengan membawa keterangan yang cukup terang; kemudian, sesungguhnya kebanyakan dari mereka sesudah itu, sungguh-sungguh menjadi orang-orang yang melampaui batas (melakukan kerosakan) di muka bumi”. Bersesuaian dengan intipati ayat di atas, bolehlah disimpulkan bahawa usaha-usaha ke arah menjamin keamanan melalui sokongan terhadap inisiatif Perjanjian Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata adalah selari dengan ajaran Islam bahkan ianya merupakan perkara yang sangat dituntut.
Setelah memahami topik Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata ini, timbul persoalan mengenai pendekatan atau langkah yang boleh dilaksanakan bagi tujuan ini. Bagi menjawab persoalan ini, perkara utama yang perlu diberikan perhatian ialah usaha-usaha memupuk kesedaran yang tinggi terhadap isu perdagangan senjata ini. Ini boleh dimulakan di antaranya melalui program untuk mempromosi Perjanjian Perdagangan Senjata di segenap peringkat termasuk perkongsian maklumat mengenai implikasi negatif berikutan tiadanya undang-undang khusus antarabangsa dalam hal ini. Selain daripada itu, masyarakat juga perlu sentiasa memantau perbelanjaan dan bajet negara terhadap peruntukan bagi maksud persenjataan. Perbelanjaan yang besar untuk pembelian senjata hingga menjejaskan peruntukan sektor utama negara seperti pendidikan, kesihatan dan lain-lain seharusnya dielakkan. Oleh kerana isu keamanan ini merentasi sempadan agama, bangsa dan ideologi, kerjasama yang berbentuk universal untuk melobi dan mempengaruhi masyarakat antarabangsa menerima Perjanjian Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata di segenap peringkat dan lapisan masyarakat perlu dipergiatkan.
Kesimpulan
Isu perdagangan senjata sama ada secara sah atau haram merupakan perkara yang perlu diberi perhatian oleh semua pihak. Di antara punca keganasan dan pembunuhan serta penindasan yang berlaku di seluruh dunia adalah berpunca daripada perdagangan senjata yang tidak beretika. Negara-negara kaya menjadi pengeluar senjata dan menikmati keuntungan yang berlipat ganda melalui penjualan senjata terutamanya kepada negara-negara membangun dan dunia ketiga. Hasil negara yang sepatutnya digunakan untuk tujuan pembangunan terpaksa digadaikan untuk tujuan pembelian senjata atas nama keselamatan. Bahkan dalam konteks negara-negara Islam, alasan ancaman Israel juga kerap kali menjadi justifikasi untuk berbelanja secara besar-besaran membeli kelengkapan senjata. Alasan ini sebenarnya kadang kala adalah bersifat delusi dan khayalan, pada hakikatnya dunia menyaksikan kerap kali senjata yang dibeli ini telah digunakan untuk menzalimi dan menindas rakyat sendiri seperti apa yang berlaku di Mesir, Libya dan Syria. Sudah sampai masanya, umat Islam untuk bangun dari dibuai mimpi ini. Gerakan pro-keamanan dan mendesak adanya Perjanjian Perdagangan untuk mengawal perdagangan senjata ini perlu diberikan perhatian dan sokongan. Di samping teruja dengan inisiatif Perjanjian Pengawalan Perdagangan Senjata ini, masyarakat antarabangsa juga perlu memastikan bahawa pelaksanaan undang-undang antarabangsa ini adalah berpaksikan kepada keadilan dan tidak bersifat partisan serta berpihak. Ianya harus terpakai kepada semua negara di dunia termasuk negara pengeluar senjata dan perhatian serius dan khusus sewajibnya diberikan kepada negara-negara yang kerap kali melanggar hak asasi manusia, mencetuskan konflik serta sering melancarkan keganasan seperti Israel yang secara terus terang tidak menghormati kehormatan negara lain.
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ZULKIFLI HASAN
Workshop on Faith-based Advocacy and Arms Trade: Asia-Pacific Perspectives in Bangkok, Thailand
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February 23, 2012
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Turkey to overcome secular qualms with Islamic bond
Turkey to overcome secular qualms with Islamic bond
By Seda Sezer and Nevzat Devranoglu Available at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/22/turkey-sukuk-idUSL5E8DD5Z520120222
ISTANBUL, Feb 22 (Reuters) – Turkey’s government plans its first-ever issue of Islamic bonds this year, overcoming sensitivities about Islamic finance in the secular republic as it seeks to tap a rich pool of investors flush with oil money.
A sovereign sukuk issue from an economy regarded as one of the most progressive and successful in the Muslim world would signal intent on Turkey’s part to play a bigger role in Islamic finance. The size of the global sukuk market is estimated at more than $100 billion.
“It will be like ringing a bell and attracting all the attention,” said Murat Cetinkaya, deputy chief executive for treasury at Kuveyt Turk, an Islamic bank that has been a trend-setter for corporate sukuk issues in Turkey.
“Other issuances will follow the sovereign and Turkey will be on the agenda in this market constantly…as a frequent issuer.”
Despite espousing Islamic values, Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s government shied away from taking the plunge with a sukuk issue during its first decade in power, out of fear of giving ammunition to critics who accuse the ruling AK Party of seeking to roll back state secularism by stealth.
“For a few billion dollars of funding there could be negative results in domestic politics,” said a deputy chief executive at a leading Turkish bank, who declined to be named because of the political sensitivity of the subject.
In 2008, the Supreme Court came close to shutting down Erdogan’s AK Party after ruling it was a centre of Islamist activity. But since then, the government has won the upper hand over old foes in the military and judiciary.
Few Turks question the AK Party’s economic management, and having overseen a near tripling in per capita income, the party was re-elected for a third term in office last June.
Moreover, even borrowers outside the Islamic world have entered the sukuk market in the last few years, giving less reason for Turkey to hold back.
“Now the sukuk has become an instrument that even Germany and France are using,” the banker said. “And in domestic politics, Erdogan is much stronger.”
So there was hardly a murmur of dissent when Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan, who oversees the economy, announced last month that the government planned to issue a sovereign sukuk this year, using legislation already in place.
“Turkey could very easily issue a couple of billion dollars worth of sukuk. It will probably issue $500 million or $1 billion at first and see how it goes,” said Osman Akyuz, secretary general of the Participation Banks’ Association of Turkey.
“An issuance by the Treasury would provide depth to the instrument and it will be sold with confidence.”
Royal Bank of Scotland economist Timothy Ash, a Turkey watcher, was also upbeat. “The market is potentially big – guess the sovereign could easily raise several billion.”
Islamic finance bans the use of interest, so theoretically, investors in a sukuk acquire partial ownership of an asset and share in its returns rather than receiving a stream of coupon payments.
BY ANY OTHER NAME
Although the sukuk market is tiny compared to the trillions of dollars of conventional international bond issuance, sukuk have been a relatively stable source of funding during the global financial crisis because of their conservative Islamic investor base.
Because of secular sensitivities, Islamic banks are called “participation banks” in Turkey and sukuk are referred to as “participation certificates”.
The country has used Islamic finance methods since the late 1980s through private financial institutions that were recognised as participation banks in 2006. There are four participation banks now operating in Turkey: Albaraka Turk , Bank Asya, Kuveyt Turk and Turkiye Finans. Kuveyt Turk, a unit of Kuwait Finance House, issued the country’s first sukuk in 2010.
Last October, following legislative changes to accommodate sharia-compliant transactions, Kuveyt Turk issued another sukuk for $350 million, and the strong demand demonstrated Turkey’s potential to become a major fresh source of Islamic bonds for investors keen to diversify their portfolios.
Albaraka Turk, the Turkish unit of Bahrain’s Albaraka Banking Group, and Bank Asya have formulated plans for sukuk issues of as much as $500 million, but have so far held back because of weak market sentiment globally due to the European debt crisis.
Despite that, the Turkish economy’s buoyancy, which produced growth of over 8 percent last year, and high yields compared to other emerging markets have increased investor appetite for Turkish assets, including sovereign debt issues.
POSSIBLE PROP FOR BRIDGE PROJECT
Ratings agency Fitch said last month that plans by sovereign borrowers outside the Middle East and other largely Islamic regions to tap the sukuk market could meet pent-up demand from Islamic institutional investors and banks to diversify their bond holdings.
That is good news for Turkey as it needs backing for huge infrastructure projects, having run into difficulties due to an international financing crunch. The government was forced to cancel a tender in January for the North Marmara Motorway Project, which involves a highway looping north of Istanbul and includes construction of a third bridge across the Bosphorus strait dividing Turkey’s European and Asian sides.
In April, the government will launch a fresh tender, and some bankers see the sukuk market providing a possible solution to the financing problem.
“Turkey needs investments and the sovereign sukuk could be used for financing of some projects, especially the third Bosphorus Bridge and highway projects,” said Akyuz of the Participation Banks’ Association.
Not only could a sukuk be specifically designed for the project, according to Is Investment Strategist Ugur Kucuk, it would also pull in investors who want to avoid international capital market volatility.
“A sovereign sukuk issue which is indexed to revenues to one of the Bosphorus bridges, or to some highway revenues, could be both attractive for investors and for the Turkish Treasury doing its first issue,” said Kucuk.
Regards

ZULKIFLI HASAN
With Professor Faris Kaya (Secretary of The Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture) in Istanbul, Turkey
Islamic finance news
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February 22, 2012
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
GCC urged to follow unified Islamic finance regulations
GCC urged to follow unified Islamic finance regulations
By Santhosh V Perumal Available at:
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=488098&version=1&template_id=48&parent_id=28
The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) should have a unified rule under one regulator for Islamic investment products for ensuring lower cost of funds, according to Islamic Wealth Management (IWM) Report 2012.

“The GCC countries could take a leadership role by establishing standards for the registration of Islamic investment products with one regulator,” the Bank Sarasin report said.
The report was launched by Bank Sarasin managing director and head of Islamic Finance Fares Mourad and Monzer Kahf, a leading Islamic finance scholar.
Such unified rule would allow asset managers to market the product to clients across the region, it said.

Currently any offering needs to comply with different regulations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and the UAE, resulting in a lengthy and expensive registration process, the report said. “Reducing expenses and increasing the availability would increase competition, benefiting local investors and further the GCC’s development as a centre of excellence for Islamic finance.”
Although unified rules could be done either a state, region or Arab league level, it would be better to have a centralised agency that could interpret the legislations regarding Shariah investments, Mourad said.
Asked whether there was a need for a separate entity for the regulation and supervision of Islamic investments and products, he said “I really would like to have this” but it was for the regulators in the respective jurisdictions to decide.
Kahf said the Islamic Financial Services Board could take the lead in the centralised agency as it consisted of central bankers in the Muslim countries. “Once you have such an agency, there is no need for separate Shariah boards as lawyers specialised in the field could suffix its role,” he added.
The report also took note of the constant criticism of certain Islamic finance structures such as the ‘Tawarruq’, which involves purchasing a commodity with deferred payment and selling it to a third party for cash, hence replicating the effect of a loan.
“Regulations need to be adjusted to allow financial institutions to engineer products that fit the spirit of Islam while meeting legal and regulatory requirement,” it said.
In this regard, the report cited an example of recent co-operation between the halal industry (mostly foodstuffs) and Islamic finance – two sectors with similar goals that have had little contacts.
With issues related to the environment and social practices as well as corporate governance getting more attention, it said there has been more reporting on corporate social responsibility, which is important to Islamic finance.
“There is still much room for improvement with higher standards and a more strategic approach required at the state, company and private level. The Muslim countries face the greatest challenges,” the report said.
Regards

ZULKIFLI HASAN
Milan, Italy
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February 19, 2012
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
American Muslim Thinkers are Influencing the Muslim World
American Muslim Thinkers are Influencing the Muslim World
Faiza Elmasry Available at:
http://www.turkishweekly.net/op-ed/1145/american-muslim-thinkers-are-influencing-the-muslim-world.html
Muslims constitute only a small minority in the United States and an even smaller percentage of the 1.4 billion Muslims worldwide. However, American Muslim scholars are having an impact on contemporary intellectual life throughout the Muslim World.
Muslim scholars immigrating to the United States have contributed to the emergence of a productive Islamic intellectual life. According to Tamara Sonn, Religious Studies professor at the College William and Mary, several factors have helped them flourish in America. “One of the things that they appreciate about being here is obviously the economic advantages,” she says. “So, they can take care of their families and have the time to do their work in a non rushed, non pressured way the freedom to express themselves and being able to express their commitment to the Muslim world without the pressures of political or other kinds of religious filters.”
Before the 1950s, most studies of Islam were conducted by non-Muslim scholars in the West. Later, Muslim thinkers in Europe contributed to the studies in this area. Osman Bakar of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University says the work of American Muslim scholars is very recent. “We don’t really have American Muslim scholarship until the 1970s, when professors who migrated from a number of Muslim countries came to the United States,” he says. “In particular, I’m talking about Professor Ismail Faruqi, Professor Fazlur Rahman and Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr. These three are the most famous Muslim scholars in the Muslim world.”
These 3 men were the focus of discussion at a conference held earlier this month in Washington D.C. (5-11-05). Ibrahim Kalin, from the College of the Holy Cross, says their ideas spread as they published and taught in the United States.
“Faruqi was of Palestinian origin,” he says. “Faruqi died in the beginning of the 1980s. He’s best known for his work on Islamization of knowledge, interfaith relations and the Palestinian question. The second important figure, Fazlur Rahman was from Pakistan originally. He was known for his modernist ideas, especially his concept of the Sunnah, the traditions of the Prophet. Because of these ideas he was criticized in Pakistan and he ended up in Chicago. He taught at the University of Chicago until his death almost 10 years ago. He produced a number of works on Modern Islam, Islamic intellectual history, Islamic philosophy and also Islamic education.”
The Islamic Studies professor says the third scholar is perhaps the most influential and is still teaching: Seyyed Hossien Nasr, a Professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University. “He continues to have a lot of influence across the Islamic World today, including the United States – among the American Muslim community as well as the larger American public and scholars,” he says. “Nasr is of Iranian origin. He has been very influential and has been so prolific in his scholarship. He has produced work on environmental crisis, religion and science debate, Islamic history, Sufism, Islamic Arts, sciences, etc. His works have been translated into almost all Islamic languages and at least 5 or 6 European languages.”
Their knowledge of Western society and Islam places American Muslim scholars in a powerful position. As Professor Kalin explains, they can influence how Americans think about Islam, which can affect how Muslims elsewhere in the world perceive the United States. “For example, in the aftermath of the events of 9/11, you know this negative perception of Islam, and misgivings about the Islamic traditions have been commonplace,” he says. “These Muslim intellectuals, I believe, did play a significant role in dispelling some of these misgivings. This has a very positive impact on how people look at the variety of opinions in the United States. Although there are serious criticisms of the policies of the United States and there will probably continue to be so. People still appreciate the opportunities, the freedoms given to people who study here, especially to Muslims.”
The most serious challenge American Muslim scholars face, according to Ibrahim Kalin, is doubts in the Muslim world about their authenticity and religious devotion. Religion Professor Tamara Sonn agrees that credibility represents a great challenge, but she points to another, perhaps more daunting one: spreading their ideas beyond U.S. borders. “The only real vehicle for them to express themselves outside of America is through books,” she says. “But if the books aren’t translated into the languages of the Muslim world, or if the people in the Muslim countries are not able to access their books either through a lack of literacy, or a lack of financial means, or a lack of the leisure to study, then their impact isn’t felt.”
No matter what challenges American Muslim thinkers must overcome, Georgetown University Professor Osman Bakar says their impact on Muslims everywhere is growing. In fact, he’s so optimistic about the potential for tremendous intellectual contributions he says he can imagine the United States in the near future becoming a major world center for Islamic learning and intellectual life.
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ZULKIFLI HASAN
Kyoto, Japan
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Shari'ah, Law, Islamic Finance and Muslim News
Monthly Archives: August 2011
August 26, 2011
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Understanding Ramadhan and Appreciating Independence
MEMAHAMI RAMADHAN HAYATI KEMERDEKAAN
Zulkifli Hasan
1.0	Pendahuluan
Pada 1961, Presiden Habib Burguiba mengejutkan seluruh rakyat Tunisia apabila mengiystiharkan larangan berpuasa di bulan Ramadhan bagi semua penjawat awam. Bagi menunjukkan komitmen larangan ini, seluruh anggota Kabinet telah mengadakan majlis makan tengahari dan ditayangkan secara langsung di media elektronik. Arahan tegahan untuk berpuasa di bulan Ramadhan ini di buat berdasarkan andaian bahawa ianya akan mengurangkan produktiviti dan ini tidak baik untuk negara.
Tindakan yang dibuat oleh Presiden Habib Burguiba ini jelas menunjukkan kejahilan dan ketidaktahuan sejarah Islam. Sejarah telah mencatatkan banyak peristiwa penting umat Islam berlaku pada bulan Ramadhan. Ramadhan bukan menjadi penghalang kepada produktiviti mahupun penyebab kemunduran bahkan ianya adalah bulan kemenangan bagi umat Islam. Bermula dari penurunan wahyu pertama kepada Rasulullah Sallallahualaihiwasallam diikuti kemenangan umat Islam dalam peperangan Badar, Khandaq dan Hunain, penaklukan kota Mekah serta kejayaan mendapatkan kembali bumi Al Aqsa semasa era Salahuddin al Ayubi. Pada bulan Ramadhan juga empayar Rome ditakluki dan seterusnya menjadikan negara Islam sebagai salah satu kuasa besar.
Berbanding dengan zaman kegemilangan umat Islam terdahulu, pada masa ini, sesungguhnya umat Islam melalui masa-masa getir dengan pelbagai peristiwa dan tragedi yang berlaku di serata dunia. Walaupun kesemua negara Islam telah mencapai kemerdekaan setelah dijajah puluhan atau ratusan tahun, umat Islam masih berada dalam keadaan yang menyedihkan. Dengan mengenang nasib umat Islam di Afghanistan, Palestine, Iraq, Selatan Thailand dan Filipina, Sudan, Bosnia, Chechnya, China dan lain-lain yang tidak dapat ditulis dalam ruangan yang kecil ini, terdetik sejenak mengapakah peristiwa ini berlaku sedangkan umat Islam telah dianugerahi dengan nikmat Islam dan iman. Bahkan Ramadhan sudah semestinya menjadi institusi paling berkesan mendidik dan melatih umat Islam untuk kemajuan dan pembangunan. Sehubungan dengan itu, artikel ini serba sedikit akan mengupas intipati Ramadhan dan mengaitkannya dengan penghayatan kemerdekaan sempena sambutan yang ke-54.
2.0	Carta Prestasi Umat Islam Seiring Dengan Sambutan Ramadhan 1432H
Seiring dengan sambutan Ramadhan yang sudah melebihi 1400 tahun, artikel ini cuba memberikan sedikit gambaran tentang status umat Islam pada hari ini. Dalam konteks Malaysia, penulis juga ingin berkongsi fakta mengenai keadaan umat Islam setelah 54 tahun kemerdekaan.  Fakta-fakta ini bakal menimbulkan satu persoalan mengapa umat Islam pada hari ini termasuk di Malaysia masih ketinggalan, mundur dan miskin. Penulis berpandangan bahawa salah satu punca kemunduran umat Islam pada hari ini adalah kerana gagal untuk memahami dan menghayati intipati dan aspirasi Ramadhan.
Berkenaan dengan pendidikan, laporan yang dikeluarkan oleh Yarmouk Universiti mengenai kedudukan universiti dan penyelidikan umat Islam sesuai dijadikan rujukan untuk membuka minda mengenai status umat Islam. Laporan ini mencatatkan bahawa di 57 negara OIC, hanya terdapat lebih kurang 1000 universiti. Jika dibandingkan dengan negara lain, Jepun misalnya mempunyai 1000 universiti manakala di Amerika sahaja, terdapat 5,758 universiti.
57 Negara OIC ini juga ketinggalan dari aspek penyelidikan di mana hanya keluarkan lebih kurang 500 PhD setahun berbanding di UK sahaja melahirkan 5,000 graduan PhD. Didapati tiada negara Islam yang memperuntukkan lebih dari 0.5% daripada GDP untuk penyelidikan berbanding di Jepun, Amerika dan Jerman yang memperuntukkan sekurang-kurangnya 2.5% daripada GDP mereka. Begitu juga yang berlaku dari sudut penerbitan apabila direkodkan bahawa negara Islam hanya menerbitkan kira-kira 100,000 buku dan artikel penyelidikan daripada jumlah 2.1 juta naskhah yang telah diterbitkan di seluruh dunia. Bahkan, hingga kini tiada universiti di negara Islam yang tersenarai sebagai antara 100 terbaik di dunia.
Dari sudut ekonomi, direkodkan bahawa hampir separuh daripada 57 negara OIC diklasifikasikan sebagai ’Negara Berpendapatan Rendah’  dan ’Negara Miskin dan Tinggi Keberhutangn’. 70-85% daripada 1.6 billion orang Islam ini juga dikategorikan sebagai ’non-bankable’ dan 50% hidup di bawah garis kemiskinan serta 25% tiada akses pada kemudahan perubatan dan air bersih. Sebagai contoh revolusi di Tunisia tercetus akibat kesempitan hidup iaitu lebih 40% kadar pengangguran dan lebih 25% dilaporkan sebagai miskin tegar. Situasi yang sama berlaku di Mesir iaitu dengan 80 juta penduduk dan lebih 90% adalah Muslim, direkodkan hampir 50% penduduk adalah miskin dan kadar pengangguran juga mencecah lebih 10%.
Dari aspek GDP, walaupun negara OIC mewakili 70% daripada pengeluaran minyak dunia, GDPnya hanyalah 4.7% daripada GDP dunia, eksport hanya 7.9% daripada jumlah eksport dunia dan 1.3% daripada perdagangan dunia. GDP negara OIC melainkan Turki dan Indonesia adalah kecil daripada syarikat di senarai bursa saham di barat. Umpamanya, GDP Malaysia pada 2009 hanya US$193 billion hanya bersamaan dengan ’market capitalisation’ Google.
Kegagalan Menghayati Aspirasi Ramadhan Antara Punca Permasalahan
Merenung kepada fakta dan angka tersebut di atas, jelas menunjukkan umat Islam kini menghadapi krisis yang perlu ditangani segera. Persoalannya di sini, mengapa dan kenapa ianya berlaku sedangkan disepakati bahawa Islam itu agama yang syumul, sempurna dan merupakan cara hidup. Lebih-lebih lagi Islam memperuntukkan sebuah institusi pembersihan jiwa mendidik rohani dan jasmani yang perlu dilalui oleh setiap umat Islam selama sebulan setiap tahun.
Institusi Ramadhan merupakan sebuah institusi yang diperuntukkan khusus oleh Allah untuk melatih, mendidik, menyucikan jiwa dan fizikal umat Islam. Ia umpama sebuah kem, sekolah, universiti atau institusi lain yang menyediakan modul untuk membina kekuatan diri. Bagi memotivasikan umat Islam, Allah menjanjikan pelbagai insentif yang hampir mustahil untuk ditolak umpamanya malam ’lailatul qadr’ yang hanya ditawarkan kepada umat Nabi Muhammad Sallallahualaihiwasallam. Sekiranya ruh Ramadhan ini dihayati, umat Islam pasti selepas ini akan dapat mengembalikan kegemilangan Islam sepertimana yang dikecapi satu masa dahulu. Dengan itu, penulis berpandangan bahawa antara punca utama permasalahan yang berlaku hari ini ialah kegagalan umat Islam untuk menjadikan institusi Ramadhan sebagai medan membentuk syahsiah diri mencapai darjat ketaqwaan.
3.0	Memahami dan Menghayati Intipati Ramadhan
Kenapa Ramadhan?
Timbul persoalan mengapa Ramadhan amat penting sebagai institusi mendidik diri. Jawapannya sudah pastilah kerana ianya arahan Allah kepada hambanya agar dapat membina kekuatan jiwa dan iman melalui proses pentaqwaan diri. Kenapa pula Ramadhan dipilih sebagai institusi latihan dan ujian? Ini berkemungkinan amat berkait rapat dengan hadis Nabi Sallallahualaihiwasallam yang menyebut bahawa apabila Ramadhan menjelang tiba maka pintu syurga dibuka, ditutup pintu neraka serta dibelenggu para syaitan (Al-Bukhari dan Muslim).
Bertepatan dengan makna Ramadhan yang bermaksud panas iaitu bulan menghanguskan dosa, Allah telah memberikan peluang kepada umat Islam untuk beramal dan beribadah tanpa gangguan hasutan syaitan. Segala kelakuan dan perbuatan di bulan Ramadhan menjadi cermin sebenar tatkala syaitan dirantai daripada menghasut dan membisik. Allah telah memberikan peluang yang sangat tinggi nilainya ini untuk umat Islam membentuk dan membina syahsiah diri dengan hanya perlu berhadapan dengan hawa nafsu tanpa dipengaruhi oleh bisikan syaitan.
Taqwa Sebagai Objektif Ramadhan
Tidak dapat dinafikan pelbagai hikmah Ramadhan dan puasa yang dapat dibuktikan melalui kajian saintifik sehinggakan terdapat di Amerika, ‘Fasting Centre International Incorporation’ sebuah institusi yang mempromosikan puasa sebagai cara untuk mencegah dan memulihkan penyakit. Namun begitu, kelebihan berpuasa sama ada dari sudut kesihatan mahupun dari aspek yang lain bukanlah merupakan matlamat utama Ramadhan. Objektif utama Ramadhan dirakamkan oleh Allah dengan jelas di dalam al Quran iaitu untuk mencapai darjah ketaqwaan.
“Hai orang-orang yang beriman, diwajibkan atas kamu berpuasa sebagaimana diwajibkan atas orang-orang sebelum kamu agar kamu bertakwa” (Al-Baqarah: 183)
Melalui ayat di atas tersangatlah jelas bahawa melalui kalimah ‘la’alla’ itu yang bermaksud, ‘agar’ atau ‘semoga’ atau ‘mudah-mudahan’ menunjukkan matlamat sebenar puasa Ramadhan iaitu tidak lain dan tidak bukan mencapai makam taqwa. Kelebihan taqwa ini dinukilkan Allah di dalam surah al A’raf ayat 26 yang bermaksud “Hai anak Adam, sesungguhnya Kami telah menurunkan kepadamu pakaian untuk menutupi auratmu dan pakaian indah untuk perhiasan. Dan pakaian Taqwa itulah yang paling baik. Yang demikian itu adalah sebahagian dari tanda-tanda kekuasaan Allah, mudah-mudahan mereka selalu ingat”.
Sekiranya dirujuk kembali, pengertian taqwa bukan sahaja bererti takut namun ianya juga membawa maksud yang lebih luas. Ibn Kathir manyatakan taqwa berasal daripada perkataan tawaqqi, iaitu menjaga diri daripada perkara yang tidak diingini. Imam Ibn Kathir menerangkan Taqwa di dalam tafsirnya dengan merujuk kisah dialog Umar al Khattab dan Ubay bin Kaab. Dalam kisah ini Ubay memberikan analogi Taqwa dengan perumpamaan orang melalui jalan berduri di mana sudah pastinya seseorang itu berhati-hati bagi mengelakkan terpijak duri.
Bagi merumuskan makna taqwa, kata-kata daripada Ali Bin Abi Talib sangat relevan untuk dirujuk. Beliau merumuskan ciri taqwa itu kepada empat iaitu takut kepada azab dan murka Allah, yakin dengan al Quran, redha dengan sedikit nikmat dan sedia menghadapi hari kematian. Keempat-empat ciri inilah yang menjadikan seorang yang bertaqwa itu mempunyai peribadi unggul dan jiwa yang merdeka.
Di samping memahami taqwa sebagai matlamat Ramadhan, ianya juga membuktikan keadilan Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah menilai seseorang itu melalui kaca mata taqwa dan bukan dari kualiti yang lain. Taqwa itu boleh dicapai oleh sesiapa sahaja sama ada individu itu kaya, miskin, gemuk, kurus, cantik, kurang upaya, ternama dan sebagainya. Melalui penilaian taqwa ini Allah jelas menunjukkan keadilanNya di mana semua manusi berpotensi untuk mencapai makam taqwa dan seterusnya mendapat kasih dan rahmat Allah.
4.0	Ruh Ramadhan Hayati Kemerdekaan
Tahun ini genap kita mencapai kemerdekaan yang ke-54 dengan tema “1Malaysia: Transformasi Berjaya, Rakyat Sejahtera”.. Kemerdekaan tahun ini adalah lebih manis kerana ianya jatuh sejurus selepas bulan Ramadhan yang mulia. Seiring dengan ruh Ramadhan ini, penghayatan kemerdekaan kali ini sepatutnya menjadi lebih bermakna dan menerbitkan kefahaman yang mendalam kepada konsep mencapai kemerdekaan dan juga mengisi kemerdekaan. Kemerdekaan lebih 54 tahun lalu bukanlah satu perkara yang mudah dicapai. Namun begitu, agenda mengisi kemerdekaan itu adalah perkara yang lebih sukar. Ini bersesuaian dengan nukilan para hukama’ yang menyatakan jihad melawan nafsu adalah lebih besar dari jihad melawan musuh Islam.
Di Mana Umat Islam Malaysia Selepas Kemerdekaan?
Dengan bilangan penduduk Malaysia yang mencecah 28.3 juta, bilangan penagih dadah juga meningkat setiap tahun. Direkodkan setiap hari akan ada 12 penagih baru dan kini bilangan penagih dadah telah melebihi 1.3 juta orang. Lebih menyedihkan umat Islam mewakili 80% angka ini iaitu 1.04 juta manakal Cina, 149,000 dan India, 101,000. Kos penyelenggaraan mereka ini juga menelas kos yang amat besar iaitu mencecah RM8.65 bilion.
Dari sudut ekonomi, walaupun Malaysia telah berjaya menurunkan kadar kemiskinan sejak kemerdekaan, namun didapati umat Islam masih lagi mendominasi statistik penduduk miskin. Sebanyak 5.3% umat Islam dikategorikan sebagai miskin berbanding Cina, 0.6% dan India, 2.5%. Dianggarkan lebih 75% orang miskin di Malaysia adalah umat Islam.
Merujuk kepada fenomena jenayah, Statistik Yayasan Pencegahan Jenayah Malaysia melaporkan statistik kes rogol membabitkan pelajar kian meningkat dan pada tahun 2008 sebanyak 309 kes direkodkan di mana majoriti yang terlibat adalah orang Melayu. Selain daripada itu, PDRM juga merekodkan seramai 8,809 pelajar berusia antara 7 dan 18 tahun terlibat dalam kes-kes jenayah yang mana sebanyak 72..7% adalah umat Islam berbanding India, 10% dan dan Cina, 7.3%. Lebih menyedihkan, kes buang bayi juga didominasi oleh umat Islam apabila PDRM melaporkan lebih 80% yang didakwa terlibat adalah umat Islam.
Taqwa Sebagai Asas Penghayatan Kemerdekaan
Ketaqwaan merupakan satu bentuk penghambaan diri hanya kepada Allah iaitu membebaskan diri secara total dari perhambaan dengan manusia. Apa guna kemerdekaan dicapai sekiranya jiwa, pemikiran dan cara berfikir masih lagi berada di bawah ruang lingkup yang tidak merdeka. Kemerdekaan itu amat sia-sia jika ianya tidak diisi dengan agenda umat. Lebih malang lagi apa yang berlaku ialah kemerdekaan yang dicapai selepas penjajahan itu diganti dengan bentuk penjajahan lain seperti pemerintahan diktator yang dilihat lebih kejam sebagaimana yang berlaku di Tunisia yang diperintah secara zalim oleh rejim Habib Borguiba dan Ben Ali dan di Mesir yang dizalimi  puluhan tahun oleh rejim Anwar Sadat, Gamal Nasir dan Husni Mubarak.
Dalam konteks Malaysia, walaupun tidak dinafikan negara telah mencapai kemajuan namun begitu, masih terdapat banyak permasalahan dan krisis sosial yang berlaku pada umat Islam. Berdasarkan fakta yang tersebut di atas, jelas menunjukkan umat Islam di Malaysia masih lagi dibelenggu masalah sosial, ekonomi dan lain-lain. Permasalahan penagihan dadah, jenayah, kemiskinan, pendidikan dan sebagainya masih menghantui dan membelenggu umat Islam. Penulis berpandangan di antara punca permasalahan ini ialah kerana kegagalan menghayati ruh Ramadhan dan juga umat Islam menghadapi krisis taqwa. Sekiranya taqwa itu dijadikan sebagai dasar pembangunan diri, bangsa dan negara sudah pasti umat Islam akan kembali dihormati dan mendapat kedudukan yang sewajarnya.

Bagaimana Mencapai Ketaqwaan?
Di dalam berbicara mengenai matlamat ketaqwaan, persoalan yang besar diajukan ialah bagaimana atau apakah formula untuk mencapai darjat ketaqwaan. Sepertimana perkara yang lain, usaha untuk mencapai taqwa perlu melalui satu proses. Proses ini perlu dilaksanakan satu persatu secara konsisten, ikhlas dan itqan. Penulis membahagikan proses mencapai makam ketaqwaan ini kepada empat fasa seperti berikut: –
Fasa Pertama: Berilmu.
Ketaqwaan tidak akan dapat dicapai melainkan dengan ilmu. Hanya dengan ilmu yang sahih dapat memberi petunjuk kepada kita mengenai cara dan amalan yang boleh mendekatkan diri kepada Allah.
Fasa Kedua: Beramal
Taqwa itu sangat berkait rapat dengan amalan. Tanpa amalan walaupun berilmu tidak akan dapat membuatkan seseorang mencapai darjat ketaqwaan. Begitu juga amalan yang dibuat sambil lewa juga tidak mendapat perhatian daripada Allah. Dalam hal ini setiap amalan itu perlu mempunyai ciri-ciri Itqan, Istiqamah dan Ikhlas.
(i)	Itqan: Rasulullah bersabda: Allah mengasihi seorang hamba kalau ia melakukan sesuatupekerjaan ia melakukannya dengan sempurna (Al-Tabarani).

(ii)	Istiqamah: Dan sesungguhnya amal yang paling dicintai Allah adalah yang terus menerus meskipun sedikit.(Muttafaq ‘alaih)

(iii)	Ikhlas: Amirul Mu’minin, Abi Hafs Umar Al Khattab, dia berkata: Saya mendengar Rasulullah bersabda: Sesungguhnya setiap perbuatan tergantung niatnya.  Dan  sesungguhnya  setiap  orang  (akan dibalas) berdasarkan apa yang dia niatkan. Siapa yang hijrahnya karena (ingin mendapatkan keridhaan) Allah dan Rasul-Nya, maka hijrahnya kepada (keridhaan) Allah dan Rasul-Nya. Dan siapa yang hijrahnya karena dunia yang dikehendakinya atau karena wanita yang ingin dinikahinya maka hijrahnya (akan bernilai sebagaimana) yang dia niatkan (Bukhari dan Muslim).
Fasa Ketiga: Berdoa dan Bertawakkal
Berdoa merupakan senjata orang mukmin. Sebagai hamba kepada Allah, amalan berdoa dengan sepenuh hati tanpa jemu akan menjadikan diri merasa sangat kecil di hadapan Allah. Doa ini pula mesti diikuti dengan tawakkal iaitu konsep berserah pada ketentuan Allah. Konsep doa dan tawakkal ini yang akan menambahkan ciri ketaqwaan kepada Allah di mana ianya memperlihatkan peranan kita sebagai hamba Allah yang menyerahkan sepenuh jiwa raga kepadaNya.
Fasa Keempat: Syukur dan Redha
Setelah melalui ketiga-tiga fasa di atas, setiap individu yang ingin mencapai darjat ketaqwaan perlu memenuhi ciri-ciri fasa terakhir iaitu syukur dengan nikmat dan anugerah Allah dan redha dengan apa sahaja ujian, pemberian dan penentuan Allah. Konsep syukur dan redha ini merupakan natijah dari ilmu, amal, doa dan tawakkal. Melalui institusi Ramadhan yang menguji keimanan melalui pembentukan jiwa menerusi amalan ibadah yang disyariatkan akan dapat mendidik diri ke arah pembinaan insan yang bertaqwa.
5.0	Penutup
Ruh dan intipati Ramadhan perlu diberi penghayatan dan diterjemahkan ke dalam hidup umat Islam sepertimana hidupnya Ramadhan sewaktu zaman Rasulullah. Penghayatan Ramadhan melalui penterjemahan ruh dan intipatinya merupakan pencetus kepada matlamat ketaqwaan. Makam Taqwa itu pula penentu kepada harga diri kita di mata Allah. Hanya dengan pakaian taqwa kita akan mendapat rahmat dan berkat Allah serta mempunyai harga di mata Allah. Apabila kita mendapat rahmat Allah ini, maka dengan itu jugalah segala usaha ke arah pembangunan diri, negara, bangsa dan umat akan mendapat keberkatan dan tidak akan menjadi sia-sia. Sesuai dengan sambutan kemerdekaan yang ke-54 ini juga marilah kita jadikan Ramadhan sebagai titik tolak dan asas pengukuhan Taqwa demi kesejahteraan umat Islam. Hayatilah roh Ramadhan al-Mubarak hanya untuk mendapat keredhaan Allah dan hidupkanlah semarak semangat kemerdekaan melalui penghayatan Ramadhan serta jadikan taqwa sebagai dasar pembangunan ke arah kecemerlangan dunia dan akhirat.
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August 22, 2011
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Israel’s Convenient War on Gaza
Israel’s Convenient War on Gaza
By Richard Lightbown Available at:
http://palestinechronicle.com/
Two terror attacks in southern Israel on Thursday 18 August caught the army by surprise despite having received a large number of warnings. The official story is that members of the Popular Resistance Committee in the Gaza Strip entered Egypt through tunnels from the Strip and travelled nearly 200 kilometres to near the north of Eilat where the crossed the border. Significantly, no organization in Gaza has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The driver of the first of two buses attacked was reported in Haaretz as saying that two of the gunmen were dressed in Egyptian army uniforms. The second bus was blown up by a suicide bomber. Fourteen people were killed and 31 wounded. In addition Israeli forces shot five gunmen while Egyptian border police killed two more. Many of the attackers, perhaps as many as ten, escaped.  It appears that an Israeli military helicopter attempted to give chase and crossed into Egypt territory where it mistakenly attacked an Egyptian army unit, killing five and wounding several others.
A large variety of weaponry is reported to have been used in the attacks including mortar fire, an anti-tank missile and an RPG device that was fired at a pursuing helicopter. Explosives were laid alongside the road. In a further shooting attack in the same area later that afternoon two Israeli soldiers were wounded and three gunmen died. The sophistication and success of this attack demonstrate an unusual level of competence.
Israel’s response has been to launch at least 50 air strikes into civilian areas in the Gaza Strip since Thursday. While the Secretary General of the Salah Ed Deen Brigades and a member of the Popular Resistance Committees are reported killed the total number of casualties on 20 August was 15 dead and 45 wounded. Two of the dead were two years old and another was thirteen. Ten children, eight women and two elderly are amongst the injured, one 15-year-old is said to be seriously hurt. A Facebook account showing photographs depicting some of the truly horrific injuries from these attacks had gone down on Sunday morning, but many of the photographs were still available on the Europalestine website.
In a diplomatic response the Israeli ambassador to the UN lobbied members of the Security Council in an attempt to get a Security Council Presidential Statement condemning the terror attack. The Jerusalem Post said that the US, European members and India were strongly in favour of the statement. At an unofficial discussion of the US draft held on Friday Lebanon asked for the inclusion of an amendment citing the “the escalation in Israeli bombardment of Gaza”. The US and European members are reported to have opposed this but there was no record of any opposition from Indian or from other members which include Russia, China and Brazil. Rather than face criticism in a UNSC Presidential Statement Israel arranged for the proposal to be withdrawn. Their UN ambassador, Ron Proser, made acrimonious comments about the UN’s failure to condemn terror against Israelis, but avoided any comment on the children and other civilians killed by Israeli retaliatory airstrikes.
Meanwhile the more compliant Quartet of the Middle East was prevailed upon to issue strong condemnation of the attacks in southern Israel, which it incorrectly described as “cowardly” (hardly an accurate word for a person who risks death or deliberately blows themselves up, whatever the morality of the action). Token concern was expressed for the situations in Gaza and Sinai. The Quartet’s special representative, Tony Blair also condemned the attack in Israel but made no comment on the attacks in Gaza which have caused a higher toll of dead and injured.
The authenticity of claims of a Gaza link to the attacks in Israel has been questioned by Joseph Dana who pointed out that the Haaretz account was based entirely on anonymous sources and government hearsay accounts. (Nonetheless most of the international media outlets published the same line.) IMEMC has referred to a denial by the North Sinai Governor who said that the claims of Palestinians infiltrating into Egypt through the border were impossible to believe.  He added that Egypt has full control over the border with Gaza and the security presence was not affected by the regime change in Egypt. It should also be remembered that previous attacks on the Sinai gas pipeline from Egypt to Israel (there have been five such attacks this year) have usually been accredited to Bedouin.  So IDF Spokesperson Lt. Colonel Avital Leibovitz did not instil much confidence when she told the Real News that intelligence information from the bodies showed that the gunmen used Kalashnikov bullets and rifles and that these are very common in Gaza. The Kalashnikov after all is the most widely available weapon on the planet, and accounts for an estimated 20% of all firearms available worldwide.
An Israeli government unpopular at home because it cannot or will not face up the cause of social protests must at least show that it can act with determination to protect Israel’s security. And who better to blame than the residents of the Gaza Strip, whom the international community has shown over decades to be unwilling to help or defend? So it was that two-year-olds in Gaza died to atone for the death of Israeli citizens, who perhaps may have been victims of Al-Qaeda terror, so what? Israel can no longer attack Egypt with impunity, so the usual suspects will have to suffice.
However this still leaves the problem of the Egyptian soldiers who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and an Egyptian public that has more of a voice on Egyptian foreign policy that it did under the Mubarak dictatorship. While an adventurer in Cairo scaled the fifteen storey-building to remove the Israeli flag from the embassy roof protesters outside demanded that their ambassador be recalled and also protested the bombardment of Gaza. The interim government itself seems undecided as to whether it will or won’t recall its ambassador from Tel-Aviv after Jerusalem refused to issue an apology for the killings. Most governments would probably have honoured such a demand under the circumstances, but the Israeli government is not well practiced in the art of diplomacy. (Later Israeli Minister of Defense Ehud Barak expressed ‘regrets’ for the killings). t is also contemporaneously being pressured to give an apology to Turkey over the assault on the Mavi Marmara; an apology it is most unwilling to give for fear of facilitating the prosecution of members of its armed forces. Quite possibly that piece of international arrogance and contempt has come round yet again to embarrass and impede Mr Netanyahu. Notwithstanding, the longer this row continues, the more the Egyptian stance is likely to harden.
As the anger in Gaza personifies itself by mortars and rockets fired at southern Israel the target population is learning that the much-vaunted Iron Dome is not a guaranteed defence against projectiles fired from Gaza. The 200,000 people in Beersheva along with the populations of Sderot and Ashdod remain at risk and in fear from these attacks. But Israeli options are not so straightforward. Launching Cast Lead 2 could trigger an onslaught from Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is reputed to have up to 30,000 missiles at its disposal for a war with its southern neighbour. Meanwhile Israel’s Southern Command remains at a low strength following years of cold peace with Egypt.
As terrorists aim sparks at the tinder box that is the Near East the time has come for wise heads to prevail. Yet with a high proportion of fanatics in the Knesset, Benjamin Netanyahu more interested in political survival that statehood, AIPAC puppets controlling the White House and Congress, and a weak Palestinian leadership in Ramallah there appears to be little cause for hope. Unless Israelis on the streets can take the lead and join with those who advocate an end to violence the options for regional peace currently appear to be very remote.
Notes: Let us pray for our brothers and sister in Gaza.
“O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle — be Thou near them! With them — in spirit — we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved fire sides to smite the foe.
O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells;

help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead	help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain;

help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire;

help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst,

sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.” By Mark Twain
Best Regards

ZULKIFLI HASAN
Palestine
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August 16, 2011
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Kebabnomics and Dates Index
Ramadan-inspired Dates Index
By Rushdi Siddiqui Available at:
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20110815234034/Article/index_html
As a student of Islamic finance, there are a number of important lessons captured over the years, and today’s focus will be why there is no real need to “Islamicise” everything.
I have been fortunate enough to be involved in many interesting conversations over the years from the potentially practical (Islamic stock exchange, Islamic LIBOR, convergence between Islamic finance and Halal industry), to potentially flawed (Islamic inflation, Islamic unemployment, consumer price index (CPI), Islamic car, Islamic washing machine), and the potentially feasible (Islamic currency, Dinar).
While some of these topics are ideally suited as conference panel sessions, research topics for academic papers, and even awards for innovation, we need to reflect on the source of ideas that connect to the roots of Muslims in a meaningful manner. Concurrently, these same ideas should also click and tick with the non-Muslim community.
Big Mac Index
Today, I would like to speak about the theory of purchasing power, but present it as something relatively simple and relevant that not only attempts to capture the purchasing power of (Muslim country) consumers, but also with something that is closely linked to historical Arabia and referenced in the Qu-ran.
A purchasing power theory index has been around since 1986, and it’s linked to one of the most recognised global brands around the world. McDonald’s, the golden arches company, has made the “Big Mac” into a trademarked asset class, much like “Xerox” equated to photo-copying. Its signature product, Big Mac, is known worldwide and is often used as a symbol of American capitalism.
Why doesn’t the Muslim world, consisting 57 countries and nearly 25 per cent of world’s population, have something comparable? Are brands like Mecca Cola fit for purpose or is it pushing religion and confining to only Muslims?
In 1986, The Economist published the oversimplified burgernomics, as a tongue-in-cheek example of Big Mac PPP. It examines the purchasing power parity between nations, using the cost of a Big Mac as a benchmark. Obviously, this is the language utilised by a lay man and not an economist, but it conveys the essence of the index intent.
Put differently, the Big Mac index is about the amount of time that an average worker in a given country needs to earn to purchase a Big Mac.
Intuitively, intellectually, and practically the Big Mac index appeals to the common sense of the man on “any” street, Arab or Bumiputra or Main. Obviously, the Big Mac is not applicable to many Muslims, be it costs, halal certification, taste, or availability.
Kebabnomics
The million dollar question has two parts: 1. Does the Muslim world need to develop a Halal Big Mac equivalent index? 2. If so, what type of “food” could command the same brand recall as the Big Mac among the Muslims?
Yes, there is a desire to have a comparable (food) index that relates “more” to the Muslims due to its availability, acceptability, historical and religious significance. More importantly, it neither requires detailed explanation nor justification of the chosen “food”.
In going through the process of selecting the right food for the proposed index, obviously, it is worth looking at the various options considered to rival the Big Mac.
A rojak or oxtail soup index lacks the universality, as such cuisine may not be available or in demand outside of Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Biryani is probably a better bet than rojak or oxtail at a global level, but should it be chicken, lamb, beef, or prawns based? A corresponding issue is the availability of the “flesh”, a luxury for many people living in the least developed countries, which coincides with them being Muslim countries.
Honorable mention needs to be made for bukhara rice, shawarmas, baklava, curry, bread, lentils, as index barometers, but somehow they do not quite encapsulate the notion of halal Kebabnomics.
Dates Index
Hence, the closest Big Mac match for Muslims could be the date. Obviously, there will be disagreements, not an uncommon trait found among Muslims, on comparing dates (natural food) to processed food (Big Mac) and the relevance of dates outside of Ramadan.
Dates are mentioned in the Quran as most beneficial for health, encouraged to be consumed at Iftar (breaking of fast) during the month of Ramadan, used as ingredient in a variety of foods, and are subject of economic scientific discussions, as its health components strike discourses at conferences and festivals.
Some of the references from the Quran include:

“…Would any of you like to have a garden of dates and grapes, with rivers flowing underneath and containing all kinds of fruits, then to be stricken with old age and have children who are weak, and then for a fierce whirlwind containing fire to come and strike it so that it goes up in flames?..” 2:266
“…Then we make grain grow in it, and grapes and herbs and olives and dates and luxuriant gardens and orchards and meadows, for you and your livestock to enjoy….” 80:25-32.
In Surah Maryam, the date has labour and post pregnancy replenishing benefits:

The pains of labour drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She [Maryam] said, “Oh if only I had died before this time and was something discarded and forgotten!” A voice called out to her from under her, “Do not grieve! Your Lord has placed a small stream at your feet. Shake the trunk of the palm towards you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you. Eat and drink and delight your eyes…” (Quran, 19:23-26)
It is in the holy month of Ramadan, that the sale of dates reaches its peak as Muslims worldwide abide by the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ( PBUH ) to break fast with dates or water — as he said, this is undoubtedly the best thing for the health of our bodies.
The variants of date products include pickled dates, date ice cream, date cola, etc, modelled into different delicacies. The utilisation of dates today, have grown by leaps and bounds as it was once a upon a time, used as a provision to nourish Prophets and Messengers in their long missions and nomadic lifestyle.
Evolving from basic nutrition, the popularity of dates have now reached championship level with the birth of Liwa Date Festival, a ten-day affair, organised in July, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The competition showcased education on date farming as well as dishes and handmade products made from palm and dates. Visitors came in droves to discover the world of ripe dates and hear stories about the tree that bears the noblest fruits.
The proposed Dates Index may be stated as: how much time is required for a person to work to purchase 5 kilogram of Medina dates. In knowing fellow Muslims, there may be differences of opinion of the appropriate dates, but we need to have an indicator, which we can call our own.
The Dates Index is more relevant than a Big Mac as it ryhmes with all Muslims regardless of their race/ethnicity, geographical and/or cultural differences.
May I now pass the challenge to Malaysia’s INCEIF and ISRA for a meaningful applied research on my Dates Index to be carried out?
Regards

ZULKIFLI HASAN
Islamic finance news
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August 15, 2011
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Nukilan Ramadhan
RAMADHAN DAHULU DAN SEKARANG
Dahulu, pada zaman Rasulullah SAW bulan Ramadhan adalah bulan kemenangan bagi umat Islam. Sejarah telah mencatatkan banyak peristiwa penting umat Islam berlaku pada bulan Ramadhan. Bermula dari penurunan wahyu pertama kepada Rasulullah SAW diikuti kemenangan umat Islam dalam peperangan Badar, Khandaq dan Hunain serta penaklukan kota Mekah. Pada bulan Ramadhan juga empayar Rome ditakluki dan seterusnya menjadikan negara Islam sebagai salah satu kuasa besar. Pada masa ini umat Islam dipandang mulia dan dihormati. Semua golongan dari pelbagai bangsa, tidak mengira agama, warna kulit dan status berbondong-bondong memeluk Islam dengan keinginan dan pilihan mereka tanpa paksaan dan sebarang ugutan. Alangkah indahnya Ramadhan pada waktu itu.
Pada masa kini, sesungguhnya umat Islam melalui masa-masa getir dengan pelbagai peristiwa dan tragedi yang berlaku ke atas mereka di serata dunia. Dengan mengenang nasib umat Islam di seluruh dunia sepanjang 50 tahun yang lampau kezaliman di Palestine, Libya, Yaman, Tsunami di Indonesia, gempa bumi di Pakistan, mangsa kekejaman pihak berkuasa di Selatan Thailand dan Selatan Filipina, kemiskinan dan kepapaan umat Islam di Darfur, Sudan, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, mangsa perang Bosnia, kemunduran dan kebuluran di mana-mana dan bermacam-macam lagi yang tidak dapat ditulis dalam ruangan yang kecil ini. Terdetik sejenak mengapakah peristiwa ini berlaku sedangkan umat Islam telah dianugerahi dengan nikmat Islam dan iman yang tidak dianugerahkan kepada semua umat manusia di dunia ini. Alangkah sayunya Ramadhan pada masa ini.
Dahulu, para sahabat Rasulullah Sallallahualaihiwasallam menanti-nantikan dan merindui Ramadhan. Mereka bergembira menghidupkan Ramadhan dengan tarawih, tadarus, tahajud, qiyamullail dan sebagainya. Selawat dan tasbih sentiasa basah di bibir. Amalan bersedekah menjadi lumrah dan kebajikan golongan tidak berkemampuan diambil berat dan dibela. Di kala Ramadhan meninggalkan mereka, para sahabat menangis dan bersedih kerana takut tidak ketemu lagi Ramadhan yang mulia. Alangkah indahnya suasana Ramadhan ketika itu.
Kini, syawal lebih dinantikan berbanding Ramadhan. Suasana Ramadhan hanya meriah tatkala di permulaannya. Masjid dan surau hanya penuh di awal Ramadhan dan hampir lengang diakhirnya. Di sepanjang jalan kelihatan bazaar Ramadhan yang dihadiri ribuan umat Islam membeli juadah berbuka walaupun waktu Maghrib hampir menjelang tiba. Lagu-lagu raya dimainkan di mana-mana tatkala selawat dan salam lebih utama. Paling menyedihkan jumlah kehilangan nyawa akibat kemalangan jalanraya terus berleluasa tiada kurang angka statistiknya. Alangkah longlainya Ramadhan pada masa ini.
Bersempena Ramadhan yang mulia dan penuh dengan keberkatan ini, marilah kita mengambil iktibar segala peristiwa yang menimpa umat Islam masa kini dan bersama-sama menghayati makna sebenar Ramadhan. Ramadhan merupakan satu institusi penyucian rohani dan jasmani umat Islam. Madrasah Ramadhaniah perlu diberi penghayatan dan diterjemahkan ke dalam hidup umat Islam sepertimana hidupnya Ramadhan sewaktu zaman Rasulullah Sallallahualaihiwasallam. Melalui penghayatan dan perlaksanaan Ramadhan bakal dapat menentukan umat Islam samada mereka lulus dengan cemerlang atau sebaliknya di institusi Ramadhan dan seterusnya menjadi asas kepada usaha mengembalikan kegemilangan Islam di persada dunia. Hayatilah roh Ramadhan al-Mubarak.
ZULKIFLI HASAN
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August 15, 2011
DR. ZULKIFLI HASAN
Christian groups  oppose the establishment of Islamic Banking
ECWA says no to Islamic Banking
By SAM Eyoboka & OLAYINKA LATONA Available at:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/ecwa-says-no-to-islamic-banking/
EVANGELICAL Church Winning All (ECWA) has joined other Christian groups in the country to oppose the establishment of Islamic Banking in Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen in Lagos, national president of ECWA, Pastor Anthony Farinto dismissed the proposal as “a poison mixed with honey”.
Arguing that nothing is free of interest in the true sense anywhere in the world, Farinto said the real intention of the proposed Islamic Banking is the Islamisation of the country.
The ECWA president also accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi of working for the Islamisation of Nigeria, pointing out: “There is nothing free of interest or profit anywhere in the world. This project is all about the islamisation of Nigeria. I believe it is a poison mixed with honey”.
Farinto further alleged that the recent crisis in some commercial banks might have been orchestrated to give Islamic Banking a boost, arguing:: “How come there are crises in some banks? Could it be that someone somewhere is behind it so that we can have what looks like a viable option?”
He said Islamic Banking will discriminate against Christians if it becomes functional.
Farinto wondered: “Will they give loans to build churches and cathedrals? Will they give loans for pilgrims to Jerusalem? Will they also allow Christian ventures like piggery and others to enjoy such facilities?
“These are the issues involved and we say a capital NO to Islamic Banking under any guise”, he maintained. He also called on the Federal Government to arrest the Boko Haram menace up North to save Nigeria from disintegration, stating that the group is up in arms against Christians.
“What they are fighting for really is Islamisation of Nigeria. If they are against Western education, why target churches and Christians? The group is a terrorist organisation that must be stopped now,” he said.
Regards

ZULKIFLI HASAN
Islamic finance news
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