Reality check : Buat salah, tak buat salah,...jadi?

The crime scene : Teenages caught sleeping together in Masjid

"There was body contact but the two were fully clothed and they were not embracing" - Star 12th May 2009

“Ini menunjukkan remaja sekarang sudah hilang nilai murni dan semakin kurang ajar hingga sanggup menjadikan masjid sebagai tempat pasangan bukan mahram tidur bersama sedangkan masjid tempat beribadah dan dihormati,” - Harian Metro 11th May 2009

1. It is not easy to start when it touches sensitive issue. Sensitive because it concerns Islam and it is not easy because it involves our youth. So, where do we begin...?
2. Harian metro, post dated 11th May 2009, reported that a teenage couple aged 16 and 17 years old were caught sleeping in the main prayer hall of a masjid in Kedah at 5 am. Another MSM, Star, pick up the news and published in their newspaper on 12th May 2009.
3. The teenage boy claimed that he stumbled on the teenage girl walking alone in the early morning towards a village, 7 km away. The teenage boy further claimed that he is too sleepy to send the teenage girl home and decided to stop and rest at the masjid.
4. That's the teenage boy story and for that both of them were caught and handed over to the police and reprimanded for desecrating the purity of the masjid.
5. Let me clarify myself by saying out now that I am not saying what the teenage couple did were right, at least from the religous perspective. However, let us rationally think of the possibilities why it happened...
6. First, if the teenage boy claimed that he is sleepy is right, and if he chose to stop and sleep elsewhere and if , god forbids, rowdy youths or men came and harmed the teenage youth, then who will the society blamed? We will blame the teenage boy for not giving and providing adequate protection to the teenage girl.
7. Second, if what the teenage boy say is true that he stumbled on the girl walking alone in the early hours, will you stop to give her a lift? Honestly, I think I won't. I might not be superstitous but I will not take any chance to meet spirits from the "fourth" dimension. That said, where is the your best protection to protect from all those spirits? Yes, it will be the place of worship and in this case is the masjid. Hopefully, the spirit will not harm me there.
8. Third, if the teenage boy send the girl home and knocked on her home, what is the first impression of the girl's parents? I think it goes without saying that the first "hello" is either a stunning slap or bare knuckle fists. And do you think that the parents will accept the boy's explaination? I seriously doubt it.
9. Fourth, if the boy decides to bring the girl back to his home what will happen? Either he get a good bashing from his parents or he will be charged of kidnaping the girl. So what choice do the boy has? Bear in mind that this happens in kampung not in urban city! And as teenagers, they minds are still unpolluted like those of certified adults...
   
10. As I said earlier, I am not protecting the boy but think of the reasons. Society is super fast in branding youths of misdeeds, no respects etc. Respect must be earned. Counselling should be done so that the truth can be revealed. If the couple did wrong, by all means, punish them. But, do not jump the gun to accuse them of desecrating the masjid or desecrating the purity of the main prayer hall.
11. To me, if the couple has bad intentions, they will not choose the masjid as their venue. Any place, but the masjid, will do...Is this teh case of "buat salah, tak buat salah, jadi semuanya serba salah?"
    
12. Society is fast in dispensing opinions, especially if that did not involve them personally. Accusing people is easy, judging them is easier, condeming them is the easiest. And if by chance, what the teenage boy did is for reasons acceptable to us, I am sure the same society who branded them as problematic couple will immediately disappear in thin air. No apologies given...
13. It is time for us to really think on ways to help wayward youths. Maybe, we should be providing halfway houses and shelters so that they can check in when they are out in early mornings so that society can monitor them as well as contact their parents, informing them that their children are safe in teh halfway house. It may cost money and time but for the benefit of our future leaders, we have to safeguard them from harms' way...

Say what you want, our youth needs our guidance and protection. At least, our youths are still open for counselling and guidance. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing to our politicians...whatever advise you give to politicians is just "saperti mecurah air didaun keladi"...

Think about it...

Till then...G'nite M'sia...wherever u are... Read More