Ratusan bahkan mungkin ribuan jika aliran kepercayaan diperhitungkan. Jika jalan yang lurus cuma satu, bagaimana kita bisa memastikan bahwa jalan yang kita tempuh adalah yang benar dan merupakan jalan yang lurus dan terpilih? Jika Tuhan itu satu, mengapa Dia terlihat ingin disembah dengan banyak cara?
Tuhan amat gemar bermain dadu, Dia membiarkan jalan menuju surga teramat banyak namun hanya satu sisi mata dadu yang akan keluar dari kocokan.
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Tampak egois dan senang menebak-nebak. Untung saja Tuhan masih bermurah hati. Dia menurunkan nabi dan bersabda memberi petunjuk melalui kitab suci. Ketika klaim bahwa jalan yang telah dipilih adalah jalan yang benar, ini tak lantas menjadikannya semakin mudah.
Ternyata jalan yang "tepat" itu memiliki cabang, dipenuhi dengan sekte dan aliran penafsiran, jalan yang "tepat" tak pernah mulus dan tak benar-benar lurus. Bagaimana kita bisa yakin bahwa jalan dan "aliran" yang kita pilih lah jalan yang benar menuju surgaNya?
Maka, hidup yang singkat ini diisi dengan "pencarian kebenaran yang hakiki" yang melelhakan dan merisaukan. Klaim bahwa "jalan yang saya tempuh adalah jalan paling benar" tak bisa dijadikan acuan. Berapa banyak petualang yang tewas tersesat karena dia yakin bahwa buku petunjuk yang dibacanya yang kemudian diolah informasinya berdasarkan pemahamannnya malah menjerumuskannya pada medan berbahaya?
Semuanya dipersulit dengan kenyataan bahwa "pencarian langit" terbentur kendala bahwa manusia "menjejak bumi". Agama yang menjanjikan kebahagiaan "di hari depan" mengalami benturan realitas sosial, politik, ekonomi "di hari ini". Tak heran, pencarian langit menimbulkan dampak beragam. Ada yang menyerah dan memutuskan tak memperdulikan mana jalan yang benar, ada yang berkeyakinan buta dan fanatik bahwa jalan yang dia tempuh adalah yang benar meski jurang menganga di depannya, ada yang kutu loncat bolak-balik mencobai jalan satu-satu yang kemudian sudah terlalu terlambat untuk berjalan di jalan yang benar.
Ada yang cuma untung-untungan memilih jalan yang benar seperti pada Pascal's Wager. Tuhan senang bermain dadu. Ziauddin Sardar, mungkin merupakan salah satu intelektual muslim modern terbesar saat ini, menjawab proses "pencarian kebenaran" itu dengan cara yang menarik. Dia start melangkah dengan membawa skeptisme yang besar di kepalanya. Tak hanya skeptik tentang jalan yang orang lain tempuh, tapi dia juga skeptik terhadap jalan yang dia sendiri tempuh. Kisah tentang pencarian memang selalu menarik bagi saya.
Some Impressions of an American Convert to Islam Jeffrey Lang, sebenernya dia nulis banyak buku yang bertema "pencarian jati diri", contoh lain yang direkomendasikan adalah Even Angels Ask: Dibandingkan buku-buku sejenis itu, buku Ziauddin Sardar ini lebih dekat ke bukunya Eboo Patel. Selain "pencarian kebenaran", mereka juga harus bertahan dari krisis identitas saat benturan peradaban dan kebudayaan yang mengalir dalam darah mereka bergesekan dengan kebudayaan asing di sekitar mereka. Meski tentu saja ada perbedaan jelas antara Patel dan Sardar, Sardar hidup di satu generasi yang lebih tua di atas Patel.
Dan Sardar mengalami pergolakan pemikiran yang lebih serius maklum, beliau kan calon intelektual muslim modern, hehehe Di buku Sardar, kita bakal melihat betapa tajamnya pemikiran Sardar dalam hal mengomentari segala hal yang berkaitan dg agamanya. Sardar membahas dan mengkritisi agama yang bukan sebagai "jalan menuju langit" saja tetapi juga sebagai "jalan menjejak di bumi".
Sardar membuka buku ini dengan kisah mesjid kaum imigran di Inggris--kumuh, tersembunyi, menjadi tempat tinggal sementara kaum perantauan, terbelenggu identitas para perantaunya. Dengan lugas, Sardar mengkritisi gerakan Jamaah Tabligh yang sempat dia ikuti, sebuah gerakan Islam yang "menyerukan umat Islam agar kembali ke ajaran yang murni dan aktif menyebarkan kebaikan" namun sangat jomplang saat berinteraksi sosial. Sebagai gerakan yang "murni sesuai ajaran Nabi", JT tidak menawarkan solusi terhadap kemiskinan, dunia politik, dsb.
JT seolah cuma punya misi: Mereka selamat dari kepedihan di dunia ini melalui kilau kepuasan dan ketenangan total. Meski aktif berdakwah, JT menghindari politik mereka selalu golput di setiap pemilu. Surga cuma ada di langit. Sardar, gelisah menghadapi kenyataan ini. Sardar berpendapat bahwa agama juga harus membuat "surga" di bumi. Kalau dunia menjadi lebih baik, maka kita akan lebih mengharagi surga di akhirat. Agama bukan saja harus menjawab pertanyaan-pertanyaan personal, tapi juga harus menjawab tantangan-tantangan sosial.
Sikap skeptisme sekaligus kritis yang diperlihatkan Sardar terhadap gerakan Islam tak hanya terhadap JT, tapi juga akan mempertemukannya dengan gerakan "revolusi" Ikhwanul Muslim hingga "totalisme vertikal"-nya Sufi, yang menjadi bab paling menarik dalam buku ini. Dengan jenial, Sardar memandang konflik "abadi" Suni vs Syiah yang tak terelakan. Gaya penceritaan Sardar yang bak novel biografi menjadikan semua hal di atas menjadi sangat runut, terang, terasa emosional namun tetap jernih dan bernas. Sardar sadar, bahwa kalau dia "cuma mengkritik" doang, dia bakal sama "jeleknya" dg yang dikritik.
Maka, secara aktif, dia berikrar untuk tidak diam dan menjadi solusi dan konsisten untuk mencari kebenaran. Lewat buku ini, Sardar membuka pikiran picik kita bahwa "surga seolah tak ingin diketemukan".
Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim by Ziauddin Sardar
Membuka wawasan, mencerahkan iman dan menantang secara intelektual, Sardar menyeru untuk menciptakan "surga" di bumi, menghapus sikap inferior yang membelenggu kaum muslim, dan menjadi solusi bagi perkembangan zaman. A must read book for every muslim who searching paradise and for every other person who wants to have a closer look at islam and its struggles. Ada sebuah hadist terkenal yang menyatakan betapa mudahnya masuk surga.
Ia dengan terus-terang meminta izin untuk sementara menjalankan kewajiban-kewajiban Islam yang pokok saja, tidak lebih dan tidak kurang. Beberapa Sahabat Nabi menunjukkan kekurang-senangannya karena menilai si Badui enggan mengamalkan yang sunnah. Tapi dengan tersenyum, Nabi Saw. Seolah dengan hanya melaksanakan kewajiban pokok ajaran agama, maka otomatis kita masuk surga tanpa perlu menjadi solusi sosial. Surga, mungkin bisa digapai dengan semudah itu. Tapi, apa anda mau masuk surga sendirian? View all 42 comments. Apr 27, John rated it it was ok Shelves: One of the more disappointing reads I can recall.
At first there was promise that Sardar has a sense of humor, along with indications of travel throughout the muslim world. The author describes himself as a "muslim intellectual", which means lots and I mean lots of chat with other similar folks with conversations important to them at the time, but not, unfortunately, for most anyone else. If you are interested in rehashings of grant p One of the more disappointing reads I can recall. If you are interested in rehashings of grant proposals for muslim-focused projects c.
He does travel to Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and Malaysia his praise for the government's "granting citizenship" to non-Malays at Independence I found either disingenuous, or wildly naive, given their enshrined second class status , but here again, it's pretty much all about intellectualism. I wasn't expecting an Islamic Bill Bryson; the problem stems from Sardar's limited observations, as opposed to Another serious problem is that the book is quite dated; though published in , most of the "action" takes place in the 70's and 80's, the Salman Rushdie affair being the most "current" discussion, and that was over a decade ago.
I really can't recommend this one for anyone, except those who might be interested in the angst of a late 20th century bicultural intellectual muslim. A better book for outsider western observations on travel in the state of the current muslim world would be Journey to the End of Islam. Sep 30, Alanoud rated it liked it Shelves: As the title suggests, the concept of Paradise is being examined with an intellectual magnifying glass of a Pakistani British Muslim, Zaiuddin Sardar. Describing himself as a skeptical Muslim, Sardar decides to embark on a journey around the Middle East, Islam place of birth, as well as notions, beliefs and opinions to answer his question; what does a Paradise really mean?
Throughout his journey, he puts his hands on some significant findings on why such a paradise is almost impossible to be materialized on earth. Injustice, fanaticism, oppression, intolerance…etc, are all major drawbacks before building the sought-after Paradise. Starting from the Iranian Revolution to modernity and demolishing cultural properties in Madina and Mekka, globalization, Turkish Revolution and secularism, Muslim Brotherhood and Jamal Abdul Naser, September 11 to……endless interesting topics! Almost each chapter tackles a certain reflection upon a certain experience from a certain place in a certain journey!
You can imagine how intoxicating the experience the reader would be put through!
In addition to the interesting topics and thoughts this book enfolds, the completely fascinating writing style of the author is no less breath-taking! Sardar is definitely one skilled writer. The way he communicates his thoughts and the way he describes things, especially the exotic places he visited, can be considered as nothing but an astonishing talent. Lol add to this his delightful sense of humor! Now although I have fallen for the book, I gotta say I have lots of problems with it! I disagree with the author on a considerable number of his views, some even on the critical points he discusses in the book.
Plus I find the accuracy of some events mentioned to be quite questionable! Finally, I believe such a rich, heavy book needs to be at least read twice! It really requires time to digest the content and let it sink in!
Jul 05, Emily Iliani rated it liked it Shelves: I read it while I was literally searching for paradise; I was a little neglectful of my deeds and a little careless with my speech. The search, written by Mr Sardar was funtastiq. It reflected my own confusions, reservations and longing. A good travelling book to remind us all that there is a reason for living and a purpose to fill. Update Having reread this, 6 years apart, I still feel the same longing I felt the first time reading it; longing for paradise, for historical magnificence, for ce I read it while I was literally searching for paradise; I was a little neglectful of my deeds and a little careless with my speech.
Update Having reread this, 6 years apart, I still feel the same longing I felt the first time reading it; longing for paradise, for historical magnificence, for certainty. This is a must read even if you disagree with everything Sardar stands for. Jul 28, Tariq Mahmood rated it it was amazing Shelves: Extremely funny and striking book on British Muslims. The author talks about his own experiences of life in UK and other Muslim countries. Though you have to be careful when considering the definition proffered by the author of a 'sceptical Muslim' as it is contradictory I think.
For how can you be sceptical and a Muslim at the same time? Jan 04, Sarah rated it really liked it. To me a painfully tragic journey, but a fulfilling one nevertheless: Sardar expressed issues with contemporary streams of Islam in ways that I always felt but could never quite express. I loved his conclusion that paradise is a journey as opposed to a destination. Aug 27, ayani rated it it was amazing. Aug 07, Valerie Ihsan rated it really liked it Shelves: I did not complete this book. Finishing books I've started has always been an unwritten law for me.
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If I start one, I have to finish it. It's only been recent in the last five years or so that I've allowed myself to not finish a book. I had conceded that my time was precious and that if I was not riveted to what I was reading So, I didn't complete "Desperately Seeking Paradise. Powell's City of Books with the I have failed. Powell's City of Books with the understanding that it was a memoir. What originally sold me on it was the quote on the back by James Buchan of the Guardian.
Desperately Seeking Paradise: Journeys of a Sceptical Muslim
He said, "Desperately Seeking Paradise draws on an old Muslim literary tradition in which a man sets out from home and friends, ostensibly to make his pilgrimage to Mecca, but really to indulge his spiritual restlessness Interspersed through these adventures are meditations on episodes in Islamic history and other political and religious movements. This was more an odyssey of the author's spiritual enlightenment. Which, I have to say, I don't know if he ever found. My guess is no.
I stopped reading about 50 pages from the end. I just couldn't get past the poor man's angst.
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I have angst, too. Or, I used to. And I went through a soul searching time where I discovered my personal brand of spirituality, but It was just a natural extension of me. But this guy took many decades. It was painful to slog through. No offense to him. I'm sure it was important work for him to do Have you ever had a friend that could never get over a wrong that was done to him or her? Or one that sat in bitter victimhood instead of moving forward and using their misfortune to make a difference?
For instance, maybe a woman's sister died of leukemia and forever after runs marathons to raise money for the Foundation to research a cure. Or maybe becomes an oncologist. Those would be examples of using your anger and sadness and grief and passion towards something good. Well, I had a friend once that had some of that persnickity misfortune, and he dealt with it the best he knew how. But while I remained friends with this person, he seemed to be so immersed in his bitterness that every time we got together, "somehow" the topic of his misfortune and all the wrong that had been done to his family, his friends, and neighbors came up.
It was all very dramatic. And I never saw him do anything about it. I didn't fault him for talking about it. Of course you need to tell your story and get it off your chest. That's how you start to heal. And I don't fault him for being angry, or even feeling victimized. In fact, I don't fault him for anything. But I will say it was challenging to be around him for long periods of time. While the author of this book didn't play the victim, and he definitely took every opportunity to go on adventures and work hard and help his brothers and the ummah, and he definitely tried everything in his power to make a difference, I just couldn't stomach the constant restlessness and angst.
He was always so disappointed and at odds with the way Islam was being "defined" around him. It seemed to me that he kept looking for a mentor, someone that would tell him what to do to settle his soul and dissatisfaction. And -- as far as I know -- he never found one. Everyone he encountered ultimately disappointed him because of this particular "leader's" view on I admit that it is quite likely I have just missed the point of this book because, well, I'm not Muslim, and I'm of European descent -- different culture completely.
I understand that those two things could throw off my whole perspective regarding this book.
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Like so many other Muslims from Niger to Afghanistan at that period, Sardar responds by touching the Saudis for money. The money was used to buy properties in London and dabble in the Iranian revolution. Somehow the biography never appeared. Sardar's enthusiasm for the Iranian revolution did not last beyond Mehrabad airport in Tehran, where he gives a Hojjat ul-Islam a piece of his mind. Expelled from Iran, breaking with Siddiqui, Sardar shuffles between conferences and editor's chairs, always sustained by a group of lively and argumentative friends known as Ijmalis meaning something like "the generalists".
Mostly beardless - one is even a woman - the Ijmalis believe, it seems, that Islamic civilisation can be saved by Islam. It is not a matter of adding Islamic dress to western culture and inventions, but of going back into the ethical and scientific teaching of Islam itself. They reject the attribution of divinity to manmade institutions, including the body of medieval law known as the sharia. Above all, in the admirable phrase of Sardar's friend Parvez Manzoor, "the west needs to stop seeing Islam as its opposite, and vice versa".
Such sweet reasonableness clearly had no chance. As a young student in London he set out to grasp the meaning of his religion, and, hopefully, to find 'paradise', his quest leading him throughout the Muslim world, from Iran to China to Turkey. Along the way he accepts that he may never reach paradise - but it's the journey that's important. At a time when the view of Islam in the West is so often distorted and simplistic, Desperately Seeking Paradise - self-mocking, frank and passionate - is essential reading.
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