From Science to Faith: The Remarkable Journey of Keith L. Moore

Credit: Rahyafteha

Keith L. Moore, a distinguished embryologist whose groundbreaking work reshaped our understanding of human development, found unexpected harmony between his scientific pursuits and his spiritual journey as he embraced Islam.

According to rahyafte (the missionaries and converts website):Keith L. Moore’s journey towards Islam is a remarkable story that highlights the intricate interplay between science and faith. Born in 1925 in England, Moore grew up in Canada and eventually became a prominent figure in the field of human embryology.

Moore’s academic journey led him to pursue a medical degree at the University of Toronto. It was during his medical education that he developed a keen interest in the study of embryology, particularly the early stages of human development. As he delved deeper into this field, he contributed significantly to the understanding of human embryology through his research and writings.

In the 1960s, Moore co-authored a groundbreaking textbook titled “The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology.” This textbook, which has undergone multiple editions, has been widely acclaimed for its comprehensive exploration of embryonic development and its clinical relevance for medical students and practitioners. Moore’s research and writings earned him recognition as a leading authority in the field.

While Moore’s contributions to embryology were substantial, his life took an unexpected turn when he encountered the Quran. During his academic pursuits, he came across Quranic verses that describe the stages of human embryonic development in astonishing detail. These verses outline the sequential development of the human embryo from conception to birth, using terminology and descriptions that align closely with modern embryological understanding.

The striking correspondence between the Quranic descriptions and the scientific knowledge he had accumulated intrigued Moore deeply. He saw the Quran’s account as remarkably accurate, especially considering that these verses were revealed over a millennium ago, long before the advent of modern medical technologies.

Moore’s encounter with these Quranic verses prompted him to explore Islam further. He began studying the religion, its teachings, and its history. In 1987, after a period of reflection and study, Moore publicly declared his conversion to Islam. His conversion was not merely a personal decision; it represented a convergence of his scientific inquiry and his spiritual quest.

Keith L. Moore’s story underscores the potential for harmony between science and faith. His transition from a distinguished embryologist to a Muslim is a testament to the idea that knowledge, whether scientific or spiritual, can lead individuals to a deeper understanding of the world around them and their place within it. Moore’s journey serves as an inspiration for those who seek to explore the intersections between scientific inquiry and matters of the heart and soul.

@rahyafte_en

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24 October 2025: 3.16 p.m

WHO INSPIRED KRISTIANE BACKER TO CONVERT TO ISLAM?

Credit: About Islam

“I was living the high life; I had everything a young person could dream of.” Kristiane Backer, a presenter on MTV Europe who interviewed rock stars and enjoyed the red carpet, simply felt that although she had everything, something was still missing.

She speculated that perhaps she was missing a romantic partner, but she soon realized that the inner void she felt would not be filled by any more fame, money, and even relations.

“It was a dilemma for me at that time; I was on stage with 70 000 person cheering, and it was as if I was on a cloud. But I felt lonely.”

Backer did not acknowledge at that period of her life that what she really needed was being reunited by her creator. Kristiane Backer expressed this dilemma using the exquisitely beautiful lines of Rumi from “The Song of the Reed”:

Listen to the song of the reed,

How it wails with the pain of separation:

Saying “Ever since I was taken from my reed bed

My woeful song has caused men and women to weep.

I seek out those whose hearts are torn by separation.

For only they understand the pain of this longing.

Whoever is taken away from his homeland.

Yearns for the day he will return.

The reed is a symbol of the soul and the reed bed signifies God, our Creator.

We long for Him, and wish to be united with Him, our Source.

She felt that despite the fact that she has read so many books, she failed to read herself. In the same breathe, she has reached the sky but failed to reach what is in her heart. This spiritual dimension was never pursued until her identity crisis culminated and become unbearably overwhelming.

At that moment, she was first introduced her to Islam; she explains: “not by a long- bearded Imam with a flowing robe, but by a sports star, Imran Khan.” Imran played Kristiane Sufi music and explained that the lyrics were addressed to the Ultimate Beloved; God.

Backer learned that Allah is Arabic for God, the Creator of the universe and the Center of our being. She found out that all the Muslims she had met were looking beyond themselves. It was faith that inspired them to spend time, energy, and even money to fulfill their aspirations and higher goals.

On her trip to Pakistan, she found that God played an important role in everyone’s life; and that “He was everywhere: in the beautiful architecture, in the music, and in the hearts of people.”

The generosity of Pakistani Muslims was overwhelming, and despite their miserable conditions, they were content. Kristiane realized that there was a stark contrast between the world from which she came, and the Pakistani culture.

Right after her trip, Backer attended the MTV music award in L.A. “The whole scene was so fake and superficial, I really missed the warmth and authenticity of the people I met in Pakistan.”

On the following years, Backer kept traveling back and forth to Pakistan. In addition to the humanity of the people and the culture, Backer was also captivated intellectually. Imran gave her books on Islam which they later discussed in depth.

The doctrine of Islam was more logical to her: People worship one God, they are held responsible for their own actions, and that babies are born pure rather than sinners, and that this life is only a bridge to the Afterlife.

“I missed all this intellectual stimulation, there was so much to discover. Having worked at MTV, where it was a matter of leaving your brain at home and have fun at work.”

To her surprise, Backer read about Prophets who were familiar. There were so many commonalities between the three religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. After all, they all came from the same Source. “Islam is only a continuation of Christianity.”

Backer continued to ask questions about the purpose of life and the big questions were only answered in Islam. She even started viewing the entertainment industry with a critical eye; which brought her to the issue of Islamic dress code of modesty.

“On the issue of youth; women from the entertainment industry are going under the knife all the time in pursuit for eternal youth. But of course, no surgeon, no technology can prevent the passage of time. Only our soul is everlasting. Thus, it only makes sense to beautify that.”

Islam indeed values women for their characters rather than their physical appearance. Western women, in contrast to Muslim women, were under a lot of pressure to comply to the ideals presented in the magazines. “What a liberation it is to worship nothing but God, not money, not fame, not fashion.”

She believes that Islam has changed her life. And even at times when she felt that there is so much pressure, the Quran encouraged her; it says that God does not burden anybody more than they can bear.

Backer pronounced in public that even though she was not yet a convert, she was a Muslim at heart. However, she wanted to “smell the perfume of Islam, and taste its savory fruits.” Thus, she decided to get down at the prayer mat and ultimately converted.

Her career immediately ended, but she never minded it. She regarded it as a test from Allah; and she learned that suffering is a purification for the soul, and that those who accept it gladly, win Allah’s gratification.

In 2009 Kristiane published her acclaimed biography “From MTV to Mecca” in Germany. The book is currently translated into Dutch, Turkish, Arabic, and English. Kristiane is engaged in interfaith and intercultural dialogue and is a Global Ambassador for the Exploring Islam Foundation.

Other readings:

1. From MTC to Mecca - Kristiane Backer

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24 October 2025: 2.21 p.m

MICHAEL HART: HERO OF ISLAM

Credit: Faith Browser

From Algeria to Indonesia to Pakistan, Muslims love Michael H. Hart.

In debates and online forums, Muslims appeal to the authority of Michael H. Hart as evidence for how great and remarkable their prophet is.

Although most Muslims really know next to nothing about Michael H. Hart ~ his nationality, his occupation, his books or probably even how he looks like ~ all Muslims know one thing about him. He produced a “sacred” list in his book “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History” in 1978.

The prophet of Islam, Muhammad was ranked at Number 1. Hart attributes this to the fact that Muhammad was “supremely successful” in both the religious and secular realms. This great accolade has been celebrated for decades and trumpeted for generations by Muslims and memes passed down from father to son.

Firstly, Michael H. Hart ranked 100 personalities based on his personal opinions on the most influential persons. Obviously someone else would rank them differently based on their own opinions. This is a subjective exercise and no one can claim that theirs is the definitive or one true list. There is a book on Amazon entitled “Hitler, Stalin, Muhammad: Who ranks as the most evil human ever?” written by Dov Ivry. You can buy the book and see for yourself if you want to but I’ll tell you who ranks at number 1 as “most evil human ever.” Muhammad. What does this prove? Only that it is merely someone’s opinion. To insist that a claim is true just because someone said it, is indulging in fallacy known as argumentum ad verecundiam or Appeal to Authority.

Secondly, Michael H. Hart is hardly the spokesperson of mankind. Hart has described himself as a white separatist. What is a white separatist? A racist. White separatists believe that white people are superior to those of other races and therefore should subjugate and dominate them. He proposed the partitioning of the United States to separate states for people according to their skin color. A white state, a black state, a Hispanic state, and an integrated mixed-race state (1).

Thirdly, most Muslims probably don’t even realize Michael H. Hart is a Jew. Muslims all over the world spew hatred on the Jews. The Quran labels them as “the worst of creatures” and insults them as “apes and swine” and “easily deceived.” Ironically, it is Muslims who have been easily deceived to embrace the words of a racist.

What exactly does a list of “most influential people” mean? Does it mean it is a list of the greatest people? Does it mean it is a list of good morally upright people? That’s what most Muslims think; that it’s a list of the greatest people. Or a list of the best people. That is not true. That’s only what they have been told.

Adolf Hitler was influential. His atrocities influenced the whole world. Hitler is on Michael Hart’s list. So is Joseph Stalin, who butchered millions of his own people. So is Genghis Khan, conquering barbarian warlord. They were all influential according to Michael Hart. Is it necessarily something to be proud of that you are at number one on a list together with Hitler and Stalin and Genghis Khan? It’s embarrassing. But what do Muslims care? As long as Muhammad is number #1, that’s all that matters.

Copy and paste:24/10/2025: 12.04 p.m

RECOMMENDED READINGS

Kitab-kitab lama yang saya beli ketika bertugas di SKTLDM Kuantan tahun 1992.

1. KItab Tafsir Al Azhar

Satu-satunya kitab Tafsir Al Quran karya ulama Nusantara Almarhum Prof. Dr. Hamka yang ditulis ketika beliau dalam penjara pada tahun 1964. Hebatnya Hamka, ulama Nusantara yang tidak tolok bandingnya.

2. Kitab Sahih Bukhary dan Muslim - 2 daripada 6 kitab Hadis utama (Kutub al-Sittah) dalam Islam Sunni. Kedua-dua kitab ini sangat dihormati dan dianggap paling sahih selepas al-Quran oleh majoriti umat Islam Sunni kerana ketelitian penyusunnya, Imam al-Bukhari dan Imam Muslim, dalam memilih hadis. Kitab Sahih al-Bukhari disusun oleh Imam al-Bukhari dan mengandungi kira-kira 2,602 hadis (7,275 jika dikira dengan ulangan), manakala Sahih Muslim disusun oleh Imam Muslim dan mengandungi kira-kira 9,200 hadis.

3. Ihya Ulumuddin - karya Imam Al-Ghazali, rujukan penting ilmu tasawwuf.

4. Kitab Riyadhus Shalihin adalah kumpulan hadis Nabi Muhammad SAW yang disusun oleh Imam Nawawi, yang bertujuan menjadi pedoman bagi umat Islam dalam membentuk akhlak dan meningkatkan hubungan dengan Allah SWT serta sesama manusia. Secara harfiah, namanya berarti "Taman-taman orang yang saleh," dan kitab ini mencakup berbagai topik penting seperti ibadah, akhlak, adab, anjuran dan ancaman, serta pemeliharaan jiwa.

5. Kitab Tanbihul Ghafilin ialah kitab klasik karya Abu Laits As-Samarqandi yang bermaksud "peringatan bagi orang yang lalai". Ia mengandungi nasihat dan hadis-hadis berkenaan dosa besar, pahala, dan hal-hal akhirat, disusun mengikut tema seperti meninggalkan sembahyang, derhaka kepada ibu bapa, dan amalan baik. Kitab ini sering dikaji di pesantren dan penting bagi sesiapa yang ingin peringatan tentang kehidupan dan akhirat, meskipun perlu berhati-hati dengan status hadis yang digunakan, terutamanya pada edisi yang belum disemak status hadisnya.

6. Kitab Durratun Nasihin adalah kitab yang berisi kumpulan nasihat, peringatan, dan kisah-kisah yang diambil dari Al-Qur'an dan hadis, disusun oleh Syekh Usman bin Hasan bin Ahmad Asy-Syakiri Al-Khubawi. Kitab ini sangat populer di kalangan pesantren di Indonesia dan terdiri dari 75 pasal yang membahas berbagai topik, seperti keutamaan bulan Ramadhan, puasa, ilmu, dan amal shaleh lainnya. Namun perlu berhati-hati kerana beberapa ulama memperingatkan bahawa kitab ini memuatkan beberapa hadis yang lemah. Jadi perlu kita semak terlebih dahulu.

Kata ilmu dalam bahasa Arab علم ("ilm")yang berarti memahami, mengerti, atau mengetahui. Dalam kaitan penyerapan katanya, ilmu pengetahuan dapat berarti memahami suatu pengetahuan, dan ilmu sosial dapat berarti mengetahui masalah-masalah sosial, dan sebagainya.

Ilmu adalah cahaya pengetahuan dari Tuhan yang membedakan kebenaran dan kebatilan, serta bertujuan untuk mendekatkan diri kepada Allah dan mengamalkan ajaran-Nya. Ilmu mencakup pengetahuan tentang wahyu (ilmu syar'i) yang didasarkan pada Al-Qur'an dan Sunnah, serta ilmu pengetahuan umum lainnya yang dapat digunakan untuk kebaikan dunia dan akhirat.

"Tuntutlah ilmu, Di saat kamu miskin, ia akan menjadi hartamu. Di saat kamu kaya, ia akan menjadi perhiasanmu."

(Luqman Al-Hakim)

Hj Zulheimy Bin Maamor

Lembah Keramat, K.L

20 Oktober 2025: 5.05 p.m

NASIHAT BUAT DIRI: DIAM-DIAM UBI BERISI, DIAM-DIAM BESI BERKARAT

NASIHAT BUAT DIRI YANG SERING LUPA......

"Diam-diam ubi berisi, diam-diam besi berkarat....."

Diam-diam ubi berisi: A quiet person who is secretly accumulating knowledge or skills.

Diam-diam besi berkarat: A quiet person who is simply wasting their time, like iron left to rust.

Diam orang berilmu berfikir, tetapi diam orang bodoh sia-sia sahaja.

Diam itu biarlah bertempat... bukan DIAM saja-saja....

Begitu juga Pandai dan Bodoh, biar bertempat....

Jangan bijak terpijak, biarlah bodoh bersuluh....

Maksud: Orang yang menyangka dirinya bijak selalu mendapat kehinaan, tetapi orang yang bodoh yang suka bertanya selalu mendapat kejayaan....

‘Bila orang-orang bodoh bercakap dengan kamu, maka hendaklah kamu diam kerana sebaik-baik jawapan kepada orang bodoh adalah diam.’

- IMAM SHAFIE

Kalau boleh... kita nak elak jumpa orang yang Pandai tak boleh di ikut..... Bodoh tak boleh di ajar..... orang macam ini tak boleh di bawa berbincang.....

Pandai atau bodoh itu biarlah bertempat.......

Sebenarnya dunia ini kalau tak ada orang bodoh, susah juga

Kalau dalam dunia ini semua orang pandai, tak ada orang bodoh, komputer pun tak laku, sebab semua orang otak komputer.... tak perlu google.... petik je ... jawapan dah tersedia dalam kepala otak...

Tidak orang yang boleh diangkat jadi pemimpin... sebab semuanya pandai-pandai belaka.... tidak ada orang yang boleh dikencing.... itulah sebab orang bodoh diperlukan juga.... yang akan ikut apa saja dia kata dan mengiyakan apa saja dia buat walaupun salah...

Tapi tak semua orang pandai tu .... pandai dalam semua perkara.....

Seorang peguam yang bijak berhujah di Mahkamah, belum tentu pandai tukar tayar yang bocor..... seorang doktor yang hebat dalam bidang perubatan, belum tentu pandai repair atap yang bocor... kena juga panggil tukangnya....

Seorang ahli politik yang pandai menipu dalam semua perkara... sudah PASTI dia tidak dapat menipu ALLAH... yang MAHA MENGETAHUI segala-galanya....

Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga...sesiapa pun yang bijak atau mahir melakukan sesuatu, pasti akan ada silapnya juga pada suatu hari nanti.

**You can manage to hide whatever you are doing now, but eventually, one day it will be exposed.

Kalau dunia ini semuanya orang pandai-pandai tak ada orang bodoh.... dunia akan huru hara.... sebab masing-masing nak tunjuk siapa terpaling pandai....

Susah juga kan.... kalau pandai yang boleh di ikut dan dicontohi ...takpelah juga.... takut jenis yang pandai dia jenis yang memandai-mandai je.....

Jika kita rasa diri kita bodoh yang mana kita sendiri tidak sedar yang kita bodoh, bawalah bermuhasabah diri.

Akhir sekali, jika pandai jadilah pandai yang boleh diikut, jika bodoh pula, jadilah bodoh yang bersedia diajar dan diperbetulkan.

Hj Zulheimy Bin Maamor

Lembah Keramat, K.L

23 Oktober 2025: 3.59 p.m

ARAK DI UDARA: ANTARA PAS & DAP, YANG MANA LEBIH EKSTRIM?

Oleh Dr. Mazri Yahya

22 Oktober 2025

Cadangan Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) supaya arak tidak lagi dihidangkan dalam penerbangan Malaysia Airlines (MAS) mencetuskan perbahasan hangat dalam politik dan media. Bagi PAS, ia soal moral dan keselamatan, tetapi bagi sesetengah pihak seperti Ahli Parlimen DAP Kepong, Lim Lip Eng, cadangan itu dianggap keterlaluan.

Menurut laporan Malaysia Gazette (22 Oktober 2025), Lim Lip Eng menyindir PAS dengan berkata:

“Minum arak adalah hak orang bukan Islam. Kalau tak suka, tubuhlah syarikat penerbangan sendiri.”

(Malaysia Gazette, Hafiz Zaharuddin, 22 Oktober 2025)

Namun, jika isu ini dilihat dengan lebih luas dan rasional, larangan arak di udara bukan soal hak semata — tetapi menyentuh aspek keselamatan, kesihatan, dan maruah negara.

1. Arak dan Altitud — Gabungan yang Berbahaya

Kajian University College London (2018) menunjukkan bahawa alkohol bertindak dua kali lebih kuat di udara berbanding di darat kerana tekanan oksigen yang rendah dan kadar dehidrasi yang cepat. Dalam erti kata lain, dua gelas wain di pesawat bersamaan empat gelas di darat. Beberapa insiden dunia membuktikan betapa bahayanya alkohol di udara:

• British Airways (2023): Penumpang mabuk menumbuk pramugara dan cuba buka pintu kecemasan. (BBC News, 2023)

• United Airlines (2022): Lelaki mabuk mencarut dan mengganggu pramugari hingga pesawat berpatah balik. (CNN, 2022)

• Ryanair (2019): Pergaduhan akibat alkohol menyebabkan pendaratan kecemasan. (The Guardian, 2019)

• Qantas (2018): Penumpang mabuk cuba serang kru di kokpit. (Sydney Morning Herald, 2018)

Ini bukan lagi soal “hak menikmati minuman”, tetapi soal keselamatan nyawa ratusan orang dalam kabin tertutup.

2. Menghormati Nilai dan Sensitiviti Penumpang

PAS menegaskan bahawa penerbangan milik negara Islam seperti Malaysia seharusnya mencerminkan identiti, nilai, dan adab nasional.

Larangan arak bukan sekadar keputusan agama, tetapi satu bentuk tanggungjawab sosial dan kesopanan antarabangsa. Beberapa negara dan syarikat penerbangan utama telah berjaya tanpa menjual arak:

• Negara (Amerika Syarikat) Polisi Alkohol
• Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) Larangan penuh. (Saudi Gazette, 2022)
• Royal Brunei Airlines 100% bebas alkohol. (Brunei Times, 2021)
• Kuwait Airways Tiada alkohol sejak 2010. (Arab News, 2020)
• Iran Air Penerbangan bebas alkohol sepenuhnya. (Tehran Times, 2021)
• Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Larangan kekal. (Dawn, 2019)

Ini membuktikan bahawa industri penerbangan boleh kekal kompetitif tanpa perlu menyajikan alkohol.

3. Dari Sudut Kesihatan — Tiada Kebaikan, Banyak Keburukan

Menurut Aerospace Medical Association (2020), kombinasi alkohol dan tekanan udara rendah boleh menurunkan kadar oksigen dalam darah sehingga 30%.

Alkohol juga menyebabkan dehidrasi, peningkatan tekanan darah, dan risiko pengsan, terutamanya bagi warga emas atau penumpang dengan penyakit jantung.

Kajian Journal of Travel Medicine (2017) menunjukkan alkohol melambatkan proses adaptasi badan terhadap perubahan zon masa, menyebabkan jet lag lebih teruk selepas penerbangan jarak jauh.

Dalam erti mudah — minum arak dalam kapal terbang bukan menyegarkan, tapi memudaratkan.

4. Bila DAP Menentang — Dan Kenapa Ia Tidak Tepat

YB Lim Lip Eng (DAP) dalam Parlimen menyindir PAS dengan berkata kononnya mereka boleh “tubuh syarikat penerbangan sendiri” jika tidak suka arak dihidang di MAS.

Namun kenyataan itu bersifat politik ekstrim DAP, bukan praktikal. Arak bukan isu hak minoriti — ia isu keselamatan awam dan sensitiviti sosial.

Dalam ruang udara tertutup, hak individu untuk minum tidak boleh mengatasi hak keselamatan penumpang lain.

Tambahan pula, imej antarabangsa Malaysia tidak diukur melalui arak, tetapi melalui kualiti perkhidmatan, keselamatan dan nilai kemanusiaan.

Jika Arab Saudi, Brunei, dan Kuwait boleh menjadi contoh global penerbangan profesional tanpa arak, Malaysia tidak akan hilang maruah dengan langkah yang sama — malah akan menaikkan imejnya di dunia Islam dan Asia Tenggara.

5. Cadangan Realistik untuk Kerajaan dan MAS

Langkah ini tidak perlu dilihat sebagai “paksaan agama”, sebaliknya sebagai dasar keselamatan dan profesionalisme. Antara cadangan praktikal ialah:

1. Kajian Penggunaan Arak

MAS boleh menilai semula statistik sebenar penggunaan alkohol di udara. (MAS Annual Report, 2023)

2. Alternatif Pintar dan Sehat

Hidangkan minuman premium seperti mocktail tropika, kopi kampung premium, teh tarik klasik, dan jus tempatan. (Tourism Malaysia, 2022)

3. Kempen Kesedaran Penumpang

Jelaskan kepada umum bahawa dasar ini berpaksikan keselamatan dan kesihatan, bukan agama. (CAAM Malaysia, 2024)

4. Latihan Krew Kabin

Berikan latihan komunikasi supaya krew dapat menerangkan perubahan dengan diplomatik dan profesional. (Malaysia Aviation Academy, 2023)

5. Pelaksanaan Bertahap

Mula dengan penerbangan domestik sebelum diperluaskan ke laluan antarabangsa.

6. Dunia Sedang Bergerak Ke Arah Ini

Beberapa syarikat Barat juga mula mengehadkan arak di udara kerana peningkatan insiden mabuk:

• Jet2 (UK): Larangan penjualan alkohol sebelum penerbangan. (The Independent, 2021)

• EasyJet (Eropah): Hadkan jumlah alkohol dalam kabin. (BBC Travel, 2020)

• Qantas (Australia): Had dua gelas alkohol maksimum setiap penumpang. (ABC News, 2019)

• Japan Airlines: Galakkan minuman tradisional tanpa alkohol seperti yuzu juice dan matcha brew. (Japan Times, 2022)

Trend global jelas — dunia sedang beralih ke arah penerbangan bebas arak dan lebih beretika.

Kesimpulan

Cadangan PAS supaya arak dihentikan dalam penerbangan Malaysia Airlines bukanlah ekstrem. Ia praktikal, berpandangan jauh, dan berasaskan keselamatan.

DAP mungkin melihatnya sebagai sekatan terhadap hak individu, tetapi hak untuk selamat dan dihormati lebih besar daripada hak untuk mabuk di udara.

Malaysia mampu menjadi pelopor kepada konsep “Penerbangan Sejahtera” — terbang tinggi tanpa arak, tetapi penuh nilai, maruah dan tanggungjawab.

Rujukan

1. BBC News (2023). Airline passenger arrested after mid-air assault.

2. CNN Travel (2022). United Airlines flight diverted after unruly drunk passenger.

3. The Guardian (2019). Ryanair passenger fight forces emergency landing.

4. Sydney Morning Herald (2018). Qantas passenger drunk incident.

5. Malaysia Gazette (2025). Minum arak hak bukan Islam, kalau tak suka tubuh Pas Airlines – Sindir MP DAP Kepong.

6. Aerospace Medical Association (2020). Effects of cabin altitude on alcohol metabolism.

7. Journal of Travel Medicine (2017). Jet lag and alcohol consumption.

8. Saudi Gazette (2022). Saudia maintains alcohol-free service.

9. Brunei Times (2021). Royal Brunei Airlines’ alcohol-free flights.

10. Arab News (2020). Kuwait Airways’ no-alcohol policy.

11. Japan Times (2022). Japan Airlines promotes alcohol-free options.

12. Malaysia Aviation Academy (2023). Crew hospitality training report.

13. Tourism Malaysia (2022). Cultural drinks in Malaysian hospitality.

Disediakan oleh

Dr Mohd Mazri Yahya

Lajnah Kesihatan PAS Pusat

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24 Oktober 2025: 11.43 a.m

TAFSIR AL-AZHAR - KARYA AGUNG HAMKA

Oleh Mohd Masri Mohd Ramli

Pengenalan

Sejak Islam mula bertapak di kepulauan nusantara Melayu, telah wujud keperluan yang mendesak untuk memahami Al-Quran oleh golongan yang dipanggil Melayu Muslim. Ini disebabkan bahasa pertuturan mereka adalah bukan bahasa Arab sedangkan Al-Quran diturunkan dalam bahasa Arab. Realiti bahawa Melayu Muslim merupakan golongan terbesar bilangannya berbanding masyarakat Islam lain seperti Arab Muslim, India Muslim, Afrika Muslim dan Eropah Muslim menujukkan keperluan kepada suatu usaha yang segera untuk memastikan hidayah Al-Quran sampai ke benak dan jiwa setiap individu Melayu Muslim.

Usaha yang dipelopori oleh ulama-ulama nusantara, dulu dan kini untuk member tafsiran yang sahih tentang hidayah yang terdapat dalam setiap ayat Al-Quran, kebanyakannya lebih kepada usaha secara ‘verbal’, seperti melalui syarahan-syarahan agama atau kuliah-kuliah tafsir di masjid-masjid dan surau-surau.

Kitab-kitab tafsir berbahasa Melayu yang lengkap merangkumi ke semua 30 juzuk amat sedikit bilangannya. Tafsir Al-Azhar karangan Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah (HAMKA) merupakan kitab tafsir Al-Quran yang lengkap dalam bahasa Melayu yang boleh dianggap sebagai yang terbaik pernah dihasilkan untuk masyarakat Melayu Muslim.

Justeru, adalah penting bagi masyarakat Melayu Muslim yang tidak berbahasa Arab agar mengenali kitab Tafsir Al-Azhar ini terutama dari aspek metodologi tafsirnya untuk mereka lebih menghargai usaha yang dilakukan HAMKA kerana bukan semua ulama boleh mengusahakan apa yang telah beliau usahakan.

Sejarah penulisan

Usaha menghasilkan Tafsir Al-Azhar telah pun dimulakan secara tidak formal oleh HAMKA sejak tahun 1958. Beliau telah mengadakan kuliah tafsir Al-Quran setiap pagi selepas subuh di Masjid Al-Azhar dari hujung tahun 1958 hingga Januari 1964. Siri kuliah subuh itu turut ditulis dan diterbitkan dalam majalah Panji Masyarakat. Tetapi, usaha secara formal oleh HAMKA untuk menyiapkan Tafsir Al-Azhar bermula apabila beliau dipenjarakan dari tahun 1964 sehingga 1966. Nama Tafsir Al-Azhar adalah bersempena nama masjid di mana beliau mula menyampaikan kuliah tafsirnya itu iaitu Masjid Al-Azhar.

Tujuan penulisan

HAMKA sebagai seorang tokoh ulama yang merasai denyut nadi masyarakat sepanjang pembabitannya dalam kerja dakwah mendapati wujud keadaan mendesak bagi beliau untuk menulis tafsir Al-Quran dalam bahasa Indonesia yang lengkap. Pemangkin pertama yang membawa kepada penulisan tafsir ini ialah kebangkitan golongan muda yang ingin mendekati Al-Quran namun terbatas pengetahuannya kerana kekangan kemampuan berbahasa Arab. Pemangkin kedua ialah wujudnya golongan pendakwah yang boleh berbahasa Arab namun amat cetek pengetahuan umum dalam ilmu-ilmu berkaitan sejarah, sains dan lain-lain. Mereka hanya membawa fahaman tradisi yang keras sehingga kurang daya penarik di kalangan masyarakat yang semakin kritis dalam memahami sesuatu isu.

Manhaj Tafsir

1. Manhaj Umum:

HAMKA memulai tafsirnya dengan muqadimah yang agak panjang iaitu setebal 50 muka surat dengan 10 tajuk utama. Dalam Pengantar Tafsir Al-Azhar, beliau memberi penghormatan kepada 4 individu penting dalam penulisan tafsir ini iaitu Haji Abdul Karim, Ahmad Rashid Sutan Mansur, Siti Raham dan Safiah. Kemudian, dalam bab Pendahuluan, HAMKA menyebut keperluan menafsirkan Al-Quran dalam bahasa Melayu dengan syarat memenuhi syarat-syarat asas tafsir seperti yang telah ditetapkan oleh para ulama.

Dalam tajuk ini juga beliau telah menyebut 2 tujuan utama penulisan tafsir Al-Azhar ini. Dalam bab yang seterusnya, beliau secara panjang lebar membincangkan segala isu berkaitan Al-Quran dan tafsir, iaitu dalam bab Al-Quran, bab ‘Ijaz Al-Quran, bab Isi Mukjizat Al-Quran, bab Al-Quran Lafaz dan Makna dan bab Menafsirkan Al-Quran. Namun, bab yang paling penting ialah Haluan tafsir. Dalam bab ini, HAMKA menjelaskan manhaj beliau ketika menulis tafsir ini.

Terdapat 7 manhaj utama iaitu memelihara hubungan antara aqal dan naqal, mengurangi persoalan pertikaian mazhab yang tidak membawa faedah, pengaruh Sayid Rashid ridha, Syeikh Muhammad Abduh dan tafsir-tafsir moden dalam Tafsir Al-Azhar, pengaruh latar belakang pembaca tafsir yang pelbagai latarbelakang dan status mereka, merujuk kepada para ilmuwan dalam ilmu-ilmu fardu kifayah, menyebut riwayat tafsir yang lemah sekadar untuk pengetahuan menilainya dan sejumlah pendapat ulama Indonesia turut menjadi bahan untuk dimuatkan dalam tafsir yang besar ini.

Sejarah penulisan Tafsir Al-Azhar ditulis dalam dua tajuk yang akhir iaitu Mengapa Dinamai Tafsir Al-Azhar dan Hikmat Ilahi. Keunikan tafsir Al-Azhar berbanding kitab-kitab tafsir yang lain ialah penyusunan kelompok-kelompok ayat Al-Quran mengikut tema ayat-ayat Al-Quran berdasarkan Surah tertentu.

HAMKA berjaya menunjukkan tema ayat-ayat Al-Quran yang ditafsirkan. Hasilnya, pembaca dapat memahami maksud tafsiran ayat-ayat tersebut dengan jelas serta kesinambungan yang wujud antara ayat tersebut. Ini merupakan suatu bentuk tafsir maudui (tafsir tematik) yang membahagikan Surah kepada tema-tema ayat yang lebih khusus. Selain itu, kebanyakan Surah dimulakan dengan memberi tafsiran pendahuluan yang membincangkan tema umum Surah tersebut serta isu-isu yang akan dibincangkan dalam tafsir Surah tersebut.

2. Manhaj Khusus:

Sebagai sebuah tafsir yang besar dan lengkap, pendekatan HAMKA dalam memberi tafsiran ayat-ayat Al-Quran ialah dengan memasukan sebanyak mungkin maklumat yang diperlukan untuk pembaca mendapat maklumat dan dapat berfikir secara kritis serta mampu menilai segala maklumat yang dibentangkan secara rasional. Beliau tidak mahu pembaca hanya menerima secara membuta tuli segala yang ditafsirkan beliau. Berdasarkan pendekatan tersebut, beberapa manhaj khusus dalam tafsiran beliau telah digunakan:

Tafsiran Al-Quran Dengan Al-Quran: HAMKA meletakkan keutamaan untuk mentafsir ayat Al-Quran dengan ayat Al-Quran yang lain. Kerana baginya, tiada yang lebih tepat penafsirannya melainkan menggunakan ayat Al-Quran sendiri disebabkan nilai ayat tersebut yang qat’ei. Bahkan, segala pendapat yang diberikan beliau mengenai sesuatu ayat akan disokong dengan membawa ayat lain yang akan mengukuhkan dan menjelaskan lagi ayat dan pendapat yang dibincangkan.

Penggunaan Hadith: Selain menggunakan ayat Al-Quran sebagai rujukan utama, HAMKA turut memberi penekanan penggunaan hadith-hadith yang diambil dari kitab-kitab hadith yang muktabar dalam tafsirnya. Sebagai contoh, ketika menafsirkan ayat berkaitan kemuliaan akhlaq Rasulullah SAW dalam Surah al-Qalam ayat 4, beliau membawa sejumlah hadith yang berkaitan kemuliaan akhlaq baginda. Hadith-hadith ini ada yang disalin matan dan sumber kitabnya serta ada yang disebut sekadar makna hadith tanpa matan dan sanadnya.

Kebanyakan hadith hanya disebut matannya tanpa rantaian sanadnya yang panjang kerana HAMKA lebih mementingkan kefahaman hadith tersebut berbanding pengetahuan rantaian sanad hadith tersebut. Beliau turut menyebut samada hadith itu sahih atau tidak dalam sesetengah hadith yang disalin beliau. Beliau hanya menyebut ulama yang meriwayatkan hadith tersebut.

Sumber rujukan hadith dalam Tafsir al-Azhar kebanyakan dari Kutub Al-Sittah dan Musnad Ahmad disamping Mustadrak Al-Hakim dan sunan-sunan yang lain. HAMKA amat prihatin dengan status hadith samada sahih atau dhaif. Hadith-hadith yang dhaif turut disalin sebagai ilmu untuk pengetahuan dan penilaian pembaca. HAMKA juga menuruti manhaj Syeikh Muhammad Abduh dalam isu hadith ahad yang sahih tetapi dinilai beliau sebagai bertentangan dengan dalil yang jelas dari Al-Quran.

Pengaruh Syeikh Muhammad Abduh: Pemikiran pembaharuan yang dibawa Syeikh Muhammad Abduh turut mempengaruhi pendapat HAMKA dalam mentafsir ayat-ayat Al-Quran. Secara umumnya, banyak pendapat Syeikh Muhammad Abduh dan muridnya iaitu Sayid Rasyid Ridha dalam Tafsir Al-Manar yang disalin HAMKA samada sebagai salah satu riwayat tafsir dari sejumlah riwayat atau sebagai penguat kepada pendapat beliau sendiri. Khususnya proses salinan ini banyak terdapat dalam juzuk terakhir Al-Quran dan dalam isu-isu yang berbentuk merasionalkan suatu kisah sejarah. Walaubagaimanapun, terdapat juga keadaan di mana HAMKA tidak sependapat tafsiran dengan Syeikh Muhammad Abduh. Namun perbezaan pendapat ini tidak dinyatakan secara jelas dengan perkataan. Tetapi, HAMKA menggunakan ayat yang halus untuk menyatankan pendapatnya sendiri.

Penggunaan Kitab Tafsir Klasik Dan Moden: HAMKA berkesempatan untuk mengkaji semua riwayat kitab tafsir klasik dan moden untuk membuat penilaian sendiri sehingga mampu memilih pendapat yang dipersetujuinya atau beliau memberi pendapat beliau sendiri sesuai dengan situasi semasa masyarakatnya.

Dalam tafsiran sesuatu ayat Al-Quran, HAMKA akan membentangkan banyak riwayat tafsir klasik khususnya untuk dinilai. Beliau tidak sekadar menyalin tanpa penilaian. Kerana baginya perbuatan tersebut adalah ‘textbook thinking’ yang menjumudkan pemikiran masyarakat. Beliau juga menggunakan kitab tafsir yang tidak semazhab dengan beliau seperti tafsir golongan muktazilah dan syiah.

Riwayat Israiliyyat: HAMKA turut menyebut dalam tafsirnya banyak kisah kisah Israiliyat bersama sumber riwayatnya dan mendidik masyarakat menilainya dari perspektif Al-Quran dan Sunnah serta logik aqal yang sihat. Sekiranya riwayat tersebut tidak bercanggah dengan Al-Quran dan tidak memberi apa-apa kesan terhadap aqidah seseorang maka beliau akan menyalinnya dan diingatkan pula kepada pembaca agar jangan mempercayainya. Contohnya dalam isu nama-nama individu yang didiamkan oleh Al-Quran. Namun, jika riwayat itu terlalu teruk sehingga menjatuhkan aqidah seseorang maka beliau akan turut menyalinnya dan diulas dengan tegas agar berhati-hati dengan kisah sebegini.

Ayat Al-Kawniyyah: Keunikan yang terdapat dalam tafsir Al-Azhar ialah perhatian yang mendalam terhadap ayat-ayat Al-Kawniyyah. Perbincangan berkenaan ayat-ayat ini amat terperinci dengan disokong fakta-fakta sains dari buku-buku sains. Terdapat juga kajian-kajian saintis kontemporari yang disalin dalam tafsirnya sebagai bukti kehebatan Allah SWT. Kesemua perbincangan sains ini bukan bertujuan untuk membuktikan Al-Quran itu bertepatan dengan sains kajian manusia yang terhad ilmunya, tetapi fokus utama beliau adalah untuk menguatkan tawhid manusia kepda Allah SWT. Sebab itu, setiap kali fakta sains ini dibincangkan maka di akhirnya akan dikaitkan dengan Kehebatan, Kebesaran dan Kebijaksanaan Allah SWT dalam mencipta dan mengatur alam ini.

Selain itu, tujuan HAMKA menekankan perbincangan fakta sains dalam ayat Al-Kawniyyah adalah untuk memotivasi pemuda dan pendakwah agar sentiasa berfikir secara objektif dan kritikal seperti pemikiran saintis dalam kajian mereka.

Persoalan Fiqh: Seperti yang beliau sebutkan dalam Haluan Tafsir sebelum ini, beliau mengelak dari perbincangan fiqh yang akan mewujudkan puak-puak dalam isu perbezaan mazhab. Untuk itu, beliau menjelaskan bahawa beliau bermazhab salaf yang berpegang kepada Sunnah Rasulullah SAW, sahabat-sahabat baginda dan ulama-ulama yang mengikuti jejak baginda. Beliau tidak bertaqlid kepada mana-mana mazhab, tetapi lebih banyak meninjau pendapat ijtihad para ulama yang lebih dekat dengan kebenaran. Oleh itu, kita akan dapati, setiap kali HAMKA membincangkan ayat-ayat hukum, beliau akan terlebih dahulu membentangkan pendapat para ulama berbeza mazhab. Disertakan juga hujjah dan dalil ijtihad para ulama tersebut. Kemudian beliau memberikan penilaian dan hujjah beliau sendiri terhadap semua pendapat ulama tersebut. Akhirnya, beliau akan memilih pendapat mana yang lebih kuat dalilnya dan dekat dengan maqasid Al-Quran dan al-Sunnah.

Rujukan Tafsir: HAMKA juga merujuk kepada kitab-kita suci agama lain dalam melengkapkan tafsiran beliau ke atas ayat Al-Quran. Namun, rujukan tersebut hanya sekadar memberi maklumat tambahan kepada pembaca untuk dinilai dan dibuat perbandingan. Ayat-ayat berkaitan agama Kristian dan Yahudi khususnya akan turut disertakan dalil-dalil dari Taurat dan Injil. Rujukan ini dilakukan sebagai medium dakwah khususnya dalam keadaan masyarakat yang berbilang agama di Indonesia yang kadang-kadang menyebabkan berlaku salah faham antara penganut agama Islam dan Kristian.

Penutup

Membaca kitab tafsir sebesar ini menimbulkan rasa kagum terhadap ketokohan HAMKA dalam segenap ilmu pengetahuan. Dari pembacaan ini juga membuktikan bahawa HAMKA merupakan seorang ulama, sejarawan, sasterawan, ahli falsafah, ahli politik, aktivis sosial, yang faham tanggungjawab dakwah beliau yang diamanahkan Allah ke atas beliau. Sudah menjadi suatu kemestian pada zaman ini bagi orang Melayu yang ingin memahami Al-Quran untuk memiliki tafsir ini, memahaminya, dan menghargai usaha HAMKA ini. Perubahan yang dibawa beliau sepatutnya perlu diterima dengan hati dan minda yang ikhlas dan bersih kerana perbezaan setiap pendapat tafsir oleh ulama hakikatnya bukan bercanggah, tetapi perbezaan yang mempelbagaikan kefahaman dan ilmu tentang Al-Quran.

Sumber:

http://abusyahmin.blogspot.com/.../tafsir-al-azhar-karya...

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22 Oktober 2025: 11.11 p.m

Judaism, Zionism and Israelism

Credit: Mission Islam

Zionism is not synonymous to Judaism. Not all Jews are necessarily Zionists. There are the assimilationists who see themselves as an integral part of the nations among whom they live. They also consider the countries in which they live as their homeland. In fact, many Jews are anti-Zionists. On the other hand, as a result of the complex relationship between the Zionist movement and the imperial and colonial powers especially Great Britain and the USA, many non-Jewish politicians and fundamentalist religious leaders in the West were very enthusiastic Zionists.

In the years before WWI, political Zionism was rejected by many Jews. While many religious Jews supported spiritual Zionism, which saw Palestine as the cultural center of Judaism, they remained convinced that political Zionism was heretical. It was opposed by practically every rabbi in Europe, many of whom denounced political Zionism as a vile heresy since religious Jews at that time believed that only the Messiah could resurrect the Kingdom of Israel. It was not until well into the twentieth century that a number of religious Jews was converted to political Zionism. Herzl, Max Nordau and many of the other early Zionist leaders were non-believers. Religious objections to political Zionism did not concern them. Assimilated Jews, on the other hand, were offended by the suggestion that their loyalty must by divided between a Jewish state and the land of their birth. But Zionism had surprising support among the non-Jewish population in most Western countries. 

(Michael Palumbo, "The Palestinian Catastrophe: The 1948 Expulsion of a People from their Homeland", pp. 5 - 8)

Orthodox rabbis had learned over the centuries to believe that the Jews should stay in the Diaspora until the Messiah led them back home and established a religious state in "Eretz Yisrael". To establish a secular state there seemed blasphemous. Some rabbis even refused to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem lest they condoned the Zionists. Thus Zadok of Lublin (1823 - 1900) wrote: "I fear lest my departure and ascent [aliyah] to Jerusalem might seem like a gesture of approval of Zionist activity. I hope unto the Lord, my soul hopes for his word, that the Day of the Redemption will come. I wait and remain watchful for the feet of his anointed. Yet though three hundred scourges of iron afflict me, I will not move from my place."

Religious Jews, who were living in Palestine before the advent of Zionism, had lived a devour life according to the Torah. They were horrified by the chalutzim (the pioneers), and claimed that when Herzl had entered the Holy Land "evil entered with him". For their part, the Zionists turned away from their Orthodox brethren in disgust. These religious people clinging to the Wailing Wall in their archaic clothes and long beards seemed to symbolize everything that was wrong with the Jews. They wanted to liberate their people from anachronistic religious traditions that shackled them to attitudes of hopeless dependence and they created a new "secular religion" of their own - a religion of labor. The new Labor Zionists replaced religious Judaism with a cult of work in "Eretz Yisrael", but expressed themselves in traditional Jewish terms. For them, "the redeemed Jew of chalutzism does not need God, he is the creator". (Karen Armstrong, "The Holy War: The Crusades and their Impact on Today's World", p. 62).

Equating Zionism with Judaism and Israelism is a myth purposefully created by the Zionists to confuse everyone and to use as an excuse to accuse anyone who criticizes Zionism or Israeli policies as an "anti-Semite". This myth is also abused by the Zionists to confuse Jews and lead them to believe that "non-Jewish people (the Goyim) were hopelessly anti-Semitic. Their anti-Semitism was based on the existence of Jews among them. The solution was 'separation' (apartheid)." Accordingly, Zionism claims that it is "hopeless to fight against racism and anti-Semitism. Anti-Jewish prejudices were so to speak imminent features of a non-Jewish mind". Such a perverted myth have led many Jews to the wrong conclusion that only a "Jewish State" would guarantee the personal safety of Jews and ensure their "emancipation". (The quotations are taken from a paper written by an anti-Zionist Jew, Elias Davidsson, in April 1998: A Progressive Vision for Palestine. Davidsson introduced the paper by a "personal background" giving his experience as an "Israeli" child who was "subjected to a systematic Zionist indoctrination").

Consequently, it is of utmost importance that no one, Jew or non-Jew should ever be caught by such illusions advocated for cheap political reasons. Ethnic hatred as we have witnessed in Kosovo and in Palestine, anti-Semitism in Czarist Russia and Western Europe, and all kinds of discrimination based on color, religion or ethnic origin, are all man-made and have nothing to do with God or religion, any religion. Such illusions obscure vision and keep us caught in a vicious circle of hatred, violent conflicts, and endless bloodshed. God is much, much greater, merciful, and loving creator who calls for peaceful co-existence and love among his creatures.

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22 October 2025: 3.22 p.m

HANG TUAH BUKAN DONGENG - PENYELIDIK UPM

Kredit: Mstar

Oleh Ariffuddin Ishak

27 November 2015

KUALA LUMPUR: Pertikaian mengenai kewujudan Laksamana Melaka - Hang Tuah akhirnya terjawab apabila Penyelidik Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) mendedahkan empat bukti bertulis selain satu artifak mengenai pahlawan Melayu itu.

Pendedahan tersebut dibuktikan menerusi buku Hang Tuah: Catatan Okinawa hasil kajian dua pensyarah Fakulti Bahasa Moden dan Komunikasi UPM iaitu Prof Emeritus Dr Hashim Musa dan Dr Rohaidah Kamaruddin.

Menurut Hashim, buku setebal 204 halaman itu dihasilkan bagi membuktikan kewujudan Hang Tuah berdasarkan bukti primer daripada sumber asing yang belum didedahkan kepada masyarakat negara ini.

“Demi membuktikan sesuatu watak itu wujud dalam sejarah, sumber primer atau sumber sahih yang sezaman dengan watak itu harus ditemui dan dipaparkan dengan jelas.

“Jadi menerusi buku ini kami paparkan empat data (termasuk satu artifak) daripada luar alam Melayu yang boleh dianggap sebagai bertaraf sumber primer iaitu dari Jepun, Portugal dan China,” katanya ketika ditemui pada majlis pelancaran buku Hang Tuah: Catatan Okinawa di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra (PWTC) di sini, Khamis.

Katanya, empat sumber bertulis tersebut adalah dokumen rasmi daripada kerajaan Ryukyu yang kini dikenali sebagai Okinawa, Jepun; catatan pengembaraan Alfonso de Albuquerque yang diterbitkan pada 1774 dan dua sumber China yang menghuraikan mengenai hubungan diplomatik dan perdagangan antara Maharaja Dinasti Ming dengan Sultan Melaka sekitar awal abad ke-15.

Sementara itu, menyentuh mengenai penemuan dokumen Empayar Ryukyu iaitu Rekidai Hoan yang mencatatkan hubungan kerajaan bebas itu dengan Korea dan negara Asia Tenggara, kata Rohaidah, terdapat sekurang-kurangnya 19 surat daripada kerajaan Ryukyu kepada Melaka dan 11 surat lagi daripada Melaka kepada Ryukyu.

“Namun ditemui tiga surat daripada pihak Melaka yang mempunyai kaitan langsung dengan Laksamana Hang Tuah bertarikh 1480 dan 1481,” kata Rohaidah yang berkunjung ke Okinawa pada Oktober lalu bagi mengumpul bukti-bukti berkenaan.

Rekidai Hoan dijumpai pada 1932 dan dikaji serta diterjemah ke bahasa Inggeris oleh Prof Dr Atsushi Kobata dan Dr Mitsugu Matsuda yang diterbitkan pada 1969.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (tengah) bersama kedua-dua penulis buku "Hang Tuah" Prof Emeritus Dr Hashim Musa (kiri) dan Dr Rohaidah Kamaruddin (kanan) selepas melancarkannya pada Majlis Perasmian Anugerah Buku Negara dan Ekspo Buku Malaysia 2015 di PWTC, Khamis.

Menerusi buku Hang Tuah: Catatan Okinawa turut dimuatkan fotokopi salinan tiga surat berkaitan Hang Tuah dalam bahasa Cina iaitu bahasa asalnya serta terjemahannya dalam bahasa Inggeris dan bahasa Melayu.

Kata Rohaidah lagi, surat-surat berkenaan antara lain menyentuh mengenai hubungan diplomatik, perdagangan dan berkaitan hadiah atau sumbangan Melaka kepada kerajaan Ryukyu.

“Antara barang bingkisan hadiah daripada Melaka kepada Ryukyu ialah keris. Sebilah keris tanpa hulu dan sarung dijumpai di pekarangan Kuil Diraja Enkakuji Ryukyu berhampiran Istana Shuriji.

“Keris itu mempunyai sembilan lok menandakan ia bagi kegunaan rasmi dan bukannya untuk berjuang,” katanya.

Ditanya mengenai siknifikan buku Hang Tuah: Catatan Okinawa terbitan UPM Press itu kepada negara pada hari ini, Hashim berkata ia sebagai bukti bahawa Hang Tuah sebagai wira Melayu bukan hanya cerita dongeng.

“Hang Tuah memang wujud dalam sejarah. Bagi orang Melayu beliau adalah wira bangsa. Hang Tuah juga adalah lambang sifat orang Melayu iaitu kepahlawanan, berani, taat setia kepada raja, berilmu serta berdiplomasi tinggi.

“Beliau mempunyai karakter Melayu global. Kita nak tonjolkan bahawa Hang Tuah adalah wira Melayu,” katanya.

Selain itu menurut Hashim, pihaknya juga berhasrat untuk menjadikan Hang Tuah sebagai tokoh sejarah dalam buku teks pembelajaran di sekolah.

“Sekarang ini tak ada, yang ada hanya cerita dongeng. Jadi untuk permulaan kami merancang untuk menghasilkan naskhah mudah untuk peringkat kanak-kanak, menengah rendah dan atas.

“Saya tak mahu Hang Tuah hilang dalam lipatan sejarah, kita mesti tonjolkan,” katanya.

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22/10/2025: 1.23 p.m

MUSLIM SCHOLARS

1. Abbas Ibn Firnas: "Father of Medieval Aviation" > Cordoba, Spain - the first to study the mechanics of flight and made the first attempt at flight. He constructed a famous planetarium in Spain.
2. Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi: wrote the book about the Stars - his book was translated into Spanish by Alfonso X el Sabio.
3. Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi: the most famous surgeon of the Middle Ages and "Father of Modern Surgery". An author of the Tasrif, translated into Latin, became the leading medical text in European Universities during the  later Middle Ages. He was also a pioneer in the use of Anesthesia. 
4. Abu Bakar al-Razi: Father of Pediatrics - wrote the first book which specialised in chilhood diseases and intiated the use of antiseptics to clean wounds.
5. Abu Bakar Ibn Wahshiyya: an alchemist at the end of the 9th century.He managed to decipher about half of all Egyptian hieroglyphic symbols. He was the first real Egyptologist in History.
6. Abu Dawud : commonly known as Abu Dawud al-Sijistani > a scholar of prophetic hadith who compiled the "Sunan Abu Dawud" 
7. Abu Hanifa ad-Dinawari: Father of Arabic Botany > a Persian polymath and the author of the "Book of Plants". He is notable for his contributions to mathematics, astronomy and botany.  One of the first Muslim scientists to examine the relationship between astronomical concepts and plants.
8. Abu Nasr Al-Farabi (872-950) : One of the greatest Ancient Islamic Philosophers.
9. Abu'l Fath' Abd al-Rahman al-Khazini: study the center of Gravity as applied to balance.
10. Ahmad ibn Fadlan : a 10th century traverl from Baghdad. His account is most notable for providing a detailed description of the Volga Vikings. His detailed writings was adapted in the film "The 13th Warrior".
11. Ahmad ibn Hanbal : Arab jurist and founder of the Hanbali School, memorised the most Hadiths.
12. Ahmed Zewali: Egyptian-American Chemist - won the Nobel Prize in Chemitry in 1999 for his work on femtochemistry. 
13. A'ishah bt Yusuf al-Bauniyyah: sufi master and poet, one of the female medieval Islamic mystics.
14. Al-Battani: The first person to discover how the solar eclipse occurs. improved existing values for the length of the year and of the seasons. He was considered the Ptolemy of the Arab World.
15. Al-Biruni: Abu Raihan al-Biruni : Muslim mathematicians who established trigonometry as a distinct branch of Mathematics. 
16. Al-Bitruji: from Cordoba -  developed a new theory of Stellar Movement, based on Aristotle's thinking. 
17. Al-Buzjani @ Abul Wafa Muhammad al-Buzjani: (940-988) : gave knowledge on movements of the moon. 
18. Al-Idrisi: Muslim scholar at the Sicilian court > produced very accurate maps, including a world map with all the continents and their mountains, rivers and famous cities. 
19. Al-Kashi: invents and analog computer instrument used to determine the time of day at which planetary conjunctions will occur, and for performing linear interpolation. 
20. Al-Khalil (717-786): the first known Arab cryptologist, he wrote the "Book of Cryptographic Messages".
21. Al-Muqdishi: The first Muslim geographer to produce accurate maps in color. 
22. Al-Razi: Physician - wrote many books including a textbook of Medicine "'Kitab al-Tibb al-Mansuri'. The first to use opium as anaesthesia and established the use of alcohol in medicine.  
23. Ali Ibn Isa al-Kahhal: Pioneer in Ophthalmology > His book"Memorandum of the Occultists" was one of the most influential texts during his time..
24. Ali Moustafa Attia Mosharrafa: Egyptian theoretical physicist - contributed to the development of Quantum Theory as well as Theory of Relativity. 
25. Ammar Ibn Ali Al-Mawsili: Inventor of the Hypodermic Syringe. 
26. Anousheh Ansari: the first Muslim woman in space, traveling to the ISS in 2006. 
27. Armen Firman: developed the world's first document parachute at Cordoba in 852. 
28. At-Tabarani: (874-971) : a Sunni Muslim scholar and traditionist know for the extensive volumes of narrations he published .
29. Aziz Sancar: a Turkish-American molecular biologist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2025 for his work on DNA repair mechanisms.
30. Banu Musa Brothers: son of Musa ibn Shakir, 9th century Persian scholars of Baghdad, active in House of Wisdom. The 3 brothers are Abu Ja'far Muhammad Ibn Ibn Musa, Ahmad Ibn Musa and Al-Hassan ibn Musa.
31. Erdal Arikan: a Turkish Professor > invented the polar codes - a key component of 5G technologies. 
32. Farouk El-Baz: from Egypt > worked for NASA and was involved in the first Moon landings with the Apollo program. 
33. Fatima al-Fihriya: founder of the World's first degree-granting University in Fez, Morocco. 
34. Hafsa binti Sirin: an early female scholar of Islam (651-719). The pioneers in the history of female asceticism in Islam. 
35. Hezarfen Ahmet Celebi: the first aviator to have made a successful flight with artificial wings betwee 1630-1632. 
36. Hunayn Ibn Ishaq: Muslim scholars of the 9th century who make the first accurate anatomical diagrams of the eye.
37. Ibnu Abbas: (619-697 CE): the cousin of the Prophet s.a.w > considered to be the greatest muffassir of the Quran. 
38. Ibnu al-Baithar (1197-1248): The most famous Andalusian botanist - he wrote a book called "Simple Drugs and Food."
39. Ibnu al-Haytham (Alhazen) (965-1040) : Father of Modern Optics - made significant contributions to optics, including explaining how vision works and the principles of refraction, and is credited with the first camera obscura.
40. Ibnu al-Nafis :Father of Pulmonary Circulation of Blood >  the first to discovered the pulmonary circulation of blood in the 13th century, well before William Harvey described the systemic circulation in the 17th century. 
41. Ibnu Battutah: Muslim traveler > travelled for 28 years and produced a travel book. The only medieval traveller who is known to have visited the lands of every Muslims ruler of his time. 
42. Ibnu Ishaq al-Kindi (801 - 873) : Arab philosopher and scientist, known as the first of the Muslim peripatetic philosopers. 
43. Ibnu Kathir (1300-1373): historian and scholars, an expert on tafsir (Quranic exegesis) tarikh (history) and fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), a leading authority on Sunni Islam.
44. Ibnu Khaldun (1332-1406): the first historian to develop and explicate laws governing the rise and decline of civilisations. He was also the first Modern Philosopher of history. 
45. Ibnu Rushd: (1126-1198) - Arab Philosopher, known in the West as Averroes > produced a series of summaries and commentaries on most of Aristotle's works and on Plato's Republic.
46. Ibnu Samh: considered as the ancestor of the mechanical clock.
47. Ibnu Shuhayd: Al-Andalus physician > recommended drugs to be used only if the patient did not respond to diet. 
48. Ibnu Sina: famous Muslim surgeon - "Father of the Medicine" - compiled 14 volume of medical encyclopedia "The Canon of Medicine".His book remained a medical standard in the West up until the  early 19th century. 
49. Ibnu Taymiyyah: (1263-1328): Sunni Muslim scholar, proved to be a controversial figure among both his contemporaries and in later centuries.
50. Ibnu Tufail: 1105-1185): an Arab Andalusian Muslim polymath, a writer, philosopher, Islamic theologian, physician and astronomer. Famous for writing the first philosophical novel "Hayy ibn Yaqdhan".
51. Ibnu Zuhr (1091-1161) : the first to describe pericardial abscessed and to recommend tracheotomy when necessary as well as being a skilled practical physician. 
52. Ismail al-Jazari: Father of Robotics and Inventor. He was inventor who developed the first elephant clock and other devices that were used during the Arab civilisation. 
53. Jabir Ibn Hayyan: Father of Chemistry > his work in alchemy and chemistry. 
54. Kerim Kerimov: from Azerbaijan - one of the most important key figures in early space exploratioin. He was one of the founders of the Soviet space Program. He was also one of the lead architects behind the first satellite, Sputnik 1.
55. Lagari Hasan Celebi: the first aviator reported to have made a successful manned rocket flight. 
56. Malik bin Anas: (711-795): also known as Imam Malik > a Muslim scholar, jurist, muhaddith and traditionalist. 
57. Maslamah al-Majriti: Cordoban Mathematician > the first original mathematician and astronomer of Al-Andalus. He wrote a number of works on mathematics and astronomy, studied an delaborated the Arabic translation of Ptolemy's Almagest. 
58. Mohamed M. Atalla (1924-2009): Egyptian-American Engineer > led a research team to introduced the HP Model 5082-7000 Numeric Indicator by Hewlett-Packard in 1969.
59. Mohammad Abdus Salam: Pakistani theoretical physicist - who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 for his role in developing the electroweak theory. 
60. Muhammad al-Fazari: the first person credited for buildingthe brass astrolabe in the Islamic world in 796.
61. Muhammad Ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi: "Father of Algebra" - Developed Algebra and Algorithms. The word 'Algorithm' is derived from his name. 
62. Munir Nayfeh: A Palestinian - noted for his pioneering work in Nanotechnology and in 1974 published a milestone paper with one of the 2005 Nobel Prize Laureat in Physics. 
63. Nasiruddin al-Tusi: built an observatory for astonomical researches at Maraghe. 
64. Nora Almatrooshi: the first Arab woman to graduate from the NASA Astronaut training program in 2024. 
65. Omar Khayyam (1048-1131) : Persian mathematician, astronomer and poet - known for his scientific achievements and Rubaiyat. 
66. Piri Reis (1465-1553): Turkish Navigator and Cartographer > he makes one of the oldest maps known today, which detailed the coastline of Africa and Europe. 
67. Rufayda Al-Aslamia @ Rufayda bt Sa'ad: first female nurse in Islam. She practice medical treatment durign the time of the Prophet s.a.w.
68. Sara Sabry: the first Egyptian, African and Arab woman to reach space in 2022. 
69. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor : first Malaysian astronaut, first comprehensive guidebook for Muslims in space.
70. Sulaiman Al Mahri: 1480-1550) : a 16th century Arab Navigator > he noted the islands off the west coast of Malay Peninsula.
71. Sultan bin Salman Al Saud: the first Arab and Muslim to fly in outer space. 
72. Thabit ibn Qurra (826-901) : Arab mathematician, physician and astronomer who was the first reformer of the Ptolemaic system and the founder of Statics.
73. Wan Wardatul Amani Wan Salim, Dr. : the first Malaysian to launch a NASA satellite into space in 2014. 

Reference:

1. Zulheimy Maamor : Ilmuan Islams & Sumbangan kepada Tamadun.
2. Facts and Details : Famous Arab and Muslim Scientist and their Achievements.
3. Wikipedia: List of Scientists in Medieval Islamic World
4. Wikipedia : List of Pre-Modern Arab Scientists and Scholars
5. Islam Fandom: Timeline of Science and Technology in the Islamic World.

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

Lembah Keramat, KL

21 October 2025: 7.35 p.m