Our prayer

Ya Allah, how weak is our hearts. Show us the truth as truth and then we could follow it . Ya Allah, show us falsehood as falsehood and then we could stay away.

Photo Gallery

THE WISDOM OF INDONESIAN ISLAM

This image criticizes the legislative candidates who nowadays are busy campaigning generally just only for their narrow and pragmatic interests. The image is so good since it has done the critique wisely, subtly, but still very sharp. It represents Indonesian Islam, picturing wise pesantren Islam, but critical one. Indonesian Islam is contextual Islam where noble values of Islam contextualized to the real history. In the photo, such wisdom looks strongly. For example, kopiah, genuine Indonesian cap lies peacefully with the mobile originated from the West.

The photo is from M. Faizi email in which he allowed it to be published

Photo Gallery

COMMON PREJUDICE

It is very common for some little groups of Muslims to accuse simply people who cooperate with Westerners especially the American though for promoting humanitarianism, peace, intellectualism, and such, as a zionist or the US agent. On the contrary, they often assume someone laden with symbols of Islam as a pious and good Muslim; despite amount of his/her deeds are amoral.

Note
The 1-st picture is personal collection and the other is downloaded from indonesian daily Jawa Pos , on April 1, 2009

Letters

Here another letter from a Jewish Student. I think the letter very important for us to know the Israelis holistically



Dear Abd A'la,

I am Sahar Vardi. I am 18 years old, a senior in high school in Israel. As you probably know, all Israelis must serve in the Israeli Defense Forces, starting right after our last year of high school. I and dozens of other students, on examining our values, International Law, and what we believe is best for Israel, refused to serve in the Occupied Territories and be a part of a mechanism that suppresses millions of Palestinians.

Read more »

Photo Gallery

INDONESIAN DEMOCRACY (?)

Campaign for the 2009 Indonesian legislative general election has been in progress. The big question behind it, would this election bring changes for improvement of the people's fate? The historical record has been showing the most of representatives with their very big salary always sleep very well during their meeting. They manipulate democracy for their pragmatic interests. This phenomenon diametrically opposite the democracy and religion values.

(The picture was downloaded from Zamiel al-Muttaqin's email on March 20, 2009)

Letters

Dear All,
Due to many works I have to deal with at Graduate Studies of IAIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya, I must apologize to all of you. I cannot update my blog for the time being. Thanks a lot for your attention

Letters

SPREADING THE PEACE

Below is another letter from Jewish Voice for Peace. Please join in it to spread peace.
This is the letter:

Sign the Open Letter.
Tell Obama and Mitchell they must to talk with everybody.

(You can also download posters of these images.)
Dear Abd A'la,
A long-standing conflict divided people according to their religion and nationality, causing enormous pain and claiming many civilian lives. The US sent an envoy with a strong conviction…
"a conviction that there is no such thing as a conflict that can't be ended. Conflicts are created, conducted and sustained by human beings. They can be ended by human beings."
Sen. George Mitchell needed patience and determination to help broker an agreement in Northern Ireland. And he did.

Read more »

Photo Gallery

THE DEMORALIZING CONTEMPORARY LIFE
While some people waste money to give their passion free rein, the poor people are still very difficult just to survive. These pictures represent mostly the condition. The question, then, what have the believers done to solve the problem?. Ironically, some of them, even, have been engaged in worsening the condition.

The pictures were downloaded from Indonesian daily, Jawa Pos, published on February 14, 2009