Friday, September 16, 2016

KAU PERWIRAKU

KAU PERWIRAKU

Aku tidak menghampirimu kerana kau sentiasa dikelilingi lautan manusia,
Terlalu tinggi penghargaanmu, aku kerdil bak rumput dipadang ragut,
Kita tidak perlu banyak bicara, kita tidak perlu limpahan ucap kata,
Mata bertemu mata, tersemat azam yang sama.

Perwiraku, maafkan aku, kehilanganmu baru pedih ku rasa,
Aku selalu pohon restu doamu, kau tidak pernah mengabai permintaanku,
Kau ayah tempat aku laporkan diri, kau bahu tempat aku tangisi,
Kini kepada siapa harus aku mengadu, kau telah pergi menjumpaiNya

Kau sumber semangatku disaat aku dikelilingi lentur
Kau mera’ikan disaat tiada yang mahu mera’i
Kau mendoa keselamatanku, disaat getir aku menghadapi musuh
Aku tidak gentar, disemati doamu

Selamat jalan Perwiraku, kini kau bersama kekasihmu,
Aku masih berpaut kepada mimpi,
Mimpi yang serupa kita lalui,
Kupohon Jannah tertinggi untukmu Perwiraku,

Berehatlah dari lelah sumbangan baktimu.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

IMAGINE / BAYANGKAN


IMAGINE / BAYANGKAN


Imagine a yet to be developed country without money but with resources. We want the people to make and build things so that we become a developed country with lots of manufactured things. It’s not easy to do so without creating money. Money will ease the creation of more and more things in the country. However the amount of money must not be too high or too low, just adequate enough to promote economic development. However lets say we do not put a limit to the amount of money that can be created. If there is too much money prices of things will go up. Does our system allow for a systematic increase in wages of the poor so that they can continue to buy things? If not they will suffer when there is too much money. What if there is too little money? Economic development can be retarded if there are people who hoard money and keep it away from circulation.

What if we then create an institution called a bank who then collects everyone’s extra money and then lend it to other people who wants to create things. Seems fine but this bank is not an investor it is a money lender who do not want any risk. We will see that while other members of the economy has their ups and down this bank is getting richer and richer because of their “no loss business” formula. And when they create the checkbook system of payments this bank will begin to realize they can lend more money than they actually have and charge interest in the process. The bank gets richer and richer. As more and more cheque books are given to borrowers they increase the spending power in the economy without an equivalent increase in good and services. This glut of chequebook money pushes up the prices of things to the detriment of the poor. So we can see this money system is not good for the poor and low paid.

Now when they lend money they prefer to lend to people with collateral. The people who have collateral are rich people. When they lend to the rich people they are actually giving new money for the rich to spend. Remember these are new money being spent when goods and services are not yet created. Again this push up the price of things especially houses. This means the poor are being priced out of buying houses as we are seeing now. As too much money is being created this also contribute general inflation increasing generally the prices of things. Who again suffer? The poor and the low paid.

This is certainly an unIslamic system. So how come it is not declared unIslamic? This is because the majority of people do not understand the real evil of the system. Those who understand it say we have no choice but to use the current system because no one knows how to create an alternative. This is where they are wrong, there are so many people who knows how to create the alternative but do not have the chance to do so.

But do those who can change mindsets interact with these people? No they interact only with the bankers who don’t even understand the system they are in.

The central bankers also don’t understand the evils of the system we are operating in. They are too busy coping with the evil effects of the system to think about a permanent solution to solve the problem.

What about the political leaders, do they understand the system? No they are too busy coping with inflation, unemployment, falling exchange rates, budget deficit, ballooning government borrowing, trade deficit, to talk about solutions.

But that is what we are saying, we will remove inflation, deliver full employment, stabilize exchange rates, archive budget deficits, redeem all government borrowings and harmonise international trade.

But they can’t hear us because they are too busy coping with inflation, unemployment, falling exchange rates, budget deficit, ballooning government borrowing and trade deficit.

Sigh…………


Bayangkan

Bayangkan sebuah negara yang belum dibangunkan, belum dicipta sistem wang tetapi kaya dengan sumber semulajadi. Kita mahu rakyatnya membuat dan membina benda benda supaya negara menjadi sebuah negara yang maju dengan banyak barangan dan khidmat yang dihasilkan. Ia tidak mudah untuk berbuat demikian tanpa mencipta wang. Wang akan meringankan perwujudan lebih banyak barangan di negara ini. Walau bagaimanapun jumlah wang negara ini tidak boleh terlalu banyak atau terlalu sikit, hanya memadai cukup untuk menggalakkan pembangunan ekonomi. Namun katakanlah kita tidak meletakkan had untuk jumlah wang yang boleh dicipta. Jika terdapat terlalu banyak wang dicipta, harga barang akan naik. Adakah sistem ini membolehkan peningkatan pendapatan golongan orang miskin naik secara sistematik supaya mereka boleh terus membeli sesuatu? Jika tidak mereka akan menderita apabila terdapat terlalu banyak wang. Bagaimana pula jika jumlah wang terlalu sedikit? Pembangunan ekonomi boleh terbantut jika ada orang orang yang menyorok wang dan tidak membiarkan ia berputar dalam edaran.

Bagaimana jika kita kemudiannya menubuhkan suatu institusi yang dipanggil Bank yang kemudiannya mengumpul wang lebihan semua orang dan kemudian memberi pinjaman kepada orang lain yang mahu membuatkan sesuatu barang atau khidmat. Ini nampak seolah-olah suatu langkah yang bijak tetapi bank ini bukanlah bersifat pelabur; ia adalah “money lender” atau peminjam wang yang tidak mahu terima apa-apa risiko perniagaan biasa. Kita akan lihat bahawa ahli-ahli ekonomi lain turun naik dari segi untung rugi tetapi bank tetap untung dengan formula perniagaan wajib tak rugi mereka. Dan apabila mereka mewujudkan sistem cek bank ini akan mula menyedari bahawa mereka boleh memberi pinjaman wang lebih daripada jumlah wang yang mereka ada, dan mereka boleh mengenakan faedah dalam proses ini. Bank menjadi kaya dan terus kaya. Semakin banyak buku cek diberi kepada peminjam, mereka meningkatkan kuasa membeli dalam ekonomi tanpa peningkatan yang setara dalam jumlah barang dan perkhidmatan. Lebihan wang buku cek melonjakkan harga barangan menjejaskan golongan miskin. Oleh itu, kita boleh melihat sistem wang ini tidak baik untuk golongan miskin dan berpendapatan rendah.

Apabila Bank meminjamkan wang, mereka lebih suka untuk memberi pinjaman kepada orang yang mempunyai cagaran. Orang-orang yang mempunyai cagaran adalah orang-orang kaya. Apabila mereka memberi pinjaman kepada orang-orang kaya mereka sebenarnya memberikan wang baru cipta kepada yang kaya untuk berbelanja. Ingat, ini adalah wang baru yang dibelanjakan sebelum kenaikan barangan dan perkhidmatan tercipta. Sekali lagi ini menaikkan harga barangan, terutama rumah. Ini bermakna yang miskin terkeluar dari golongan yang mampu beli rumah seperti yang kita lihat sekarang. Kerana terlalu banyak wang dicipta ini juga menyumbang kepada inflasi umum meningkatkan harga barangan kepada orang ramai. Siapa yang sekali lagi menderita? Golongan miskin dan pendapatan rendah.

Ini pastinya satu sistem bertentangan dengan Islam. Jadi mengapa ia tidak diisytiharkan sebagai tidak Islamik? Ini adalah kerana kebanyakan orang tidak benar benar memahami kejahatan sebenar sistem ini. Mereka yang memahaminya mengatakan kita tidak mempunyai pilihan lain, jadi kita terpaksa mengguna sistem ini kerana tiada siapa yang tahu bagaimana untuk mencipta alternatif. Disini mereka salah, sebab terdapat begitu ramai cerdik pandai yang tahu bagaimana untuk mencipta sistem alternatif, tetapi mereka ini tidak diendah dan tidak beri peluang untuk berbuat demikian.

Tetapi adakah yang berwajib berinteraksi dengan golongan ini? Tidak. Mereka hanya berinteraksi dengan orang orang bank dimana orang orang bank sendiri tidak faham kepincangan sistem yang mereka amalkan.

Bank-bank pusat pula juga tidak memahami kejahatan sistem bank yang mereka kelola. Mereka terlalu sibuk menangani kesan buruk dari sistem tersebut untuk berfikir tentang penyelesaian muktamad yang boleh tercapai untuk selesai kepincangan sistem mereka.

Bagaimana pula dengan pemimpin-pemimpin negara, adakah mereka memahami kejahatan sistem ini? Tidak. Mereka terlalu sibuk menangani inflasi, pengangguran, kejatuhan kadar pertukaran, defisit bajet, pelambungan pinjaman kerajaan, defisit perdagangan, untuk bercakap tentang penyelesaian.

Tetapi itulah yang kami katakan, kami in sya Allah akan menghapus inflasi, menghapus pengangguran, menstabilkan kadar pertukaran, mensejarahkan defisit bajet , menebus semua pinjaman kerajaan dan menyelaraskan perdagangan antarabangsa.

Tetapi mereka tidak dengar semua ini, sebab mereka terlalu sibuk menangani inflasi, pengangguran, kejatuhan kadar pertukaran, defisit bajet, pelambungan pinjaman kerajaan dan defisit perdagangan.

Hmmm …………

Sunday, April 3, 2016

STAROBA

Assalamu Alaikum,

Today I entered the den of lions and praise be to Allah when I left they were as friendly as kittens. When Bro Ali Karim, my schoolmate not only from MCKK but even from primary school in KL, said to me would I like to deliver a Talk at a STAROBA gathering in conjunction with the launching of my maiden book “The Foams of the Waves of the Sea – The Case for an Islamic Monetary System’ I gladly accepted and did not baulked. http://realmoney.com.my/2016/02/27/book-launch-the-foams-of-the-waves-of-the-sea/

However I would be lying if I said I had no apprehensions whatsoever for STAR or Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman is the nemesis for MCKK in rugby and many things. Even today they are always there to snatch away glory from MCKK at the last gasp of football matches or whatever. As if their sole purpose in life is to deny celebrations for MCKK and  Mcobs. I said to Ali I do however have sentiments for STAR and STAROBA as my late eldest brother was a STAROB.

So there I was at this Surau in Setapak with my friend cum “body guard” Ustaz Asman, A PhD Thesis Student on the evil of Fractional Reserve Banking. Ustaz Asman was hounded by lecturers in a certain university faculty for even suggesting there is evil in Fractional Reserve Banking but that’s another story. This Shariah Graduate from Baghdad University holds an MBA from our Management Science University and is a stalwart supporter of my cause.

What is my cause? Explaining to the ummah how we are what we are today. The Foams of the Waves of the Sea as predicted by a famous Hadith narrated by Thauban r.a. Allow me to quote from my previous post’s entitled Belum http://zahidsay.blogspot.my/2014/07/belum.html (posted on July 26 2014)

“I am just an ordinary citizen of this world. If ever there is a legacy I wish to leave to the Muslim ummah when I part this world, is to urge my Muslim brothers and sisters to study and contemplate the historical events that brought them to where they are today. As predicted by our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, we are plentiful, like foams of waves in the ocean, but weak.

We are nation states instead of under one Muslim Caliphate. We hold no strength in terms of technology nor inventions relying almost in total on everyone else. God gave some of us untold wealth but we allow others to manipulate us, to control and defuse the potential use of our wealth to defend ourselves.

We are impeccable Muslims in rituals but abject failures in the implementation of the Quran. I have exhorted before and I exhort again, we have to begin by recognizing ourselves. Recognising first of all that our problems begun with the fall of our last caliphate, and the ensuing colonization of our lands. Where the colonialists destroyed our souls and sapped our strength by the secularization of our religion.

The strength of our religion in days gone by was when our religion was wholesome or syumul, especially when our leaders were masters of both world, our citizens were nearly masters of both worlds and our education produces children who will be masters of both worlds. We had amongst others Ibn Senna (Avicenna) as Master of Medicine, and AlJabr the Founder of Algebra to name  a few. In other words masters of Quran and Sunnah, as well as masters of worldly knowledge.

The Quran and Sunnah was our lives and our law, and we always begin our scientific research by first researching the verses of the Quran. The colonials ripped out Quran and Sunnah from our lives, replaced Quranic laws with their man made laws, and imposed their godless subjects in our education system, imposed riba in our economy and perpetuate an economic system that makes them perpetually enriched by our support of their system.

Allah and His Rasul declared war on the practitioners of riba; we embraced riba as an article of faith in our lives. We began to look to the west for everything and we need not invent anything for there are always others to do it for us. When we placed such a high regard for another civilization in our lives, little by little our self confidence is destroyed.

We also embraced a system of electing our leaders which ensures there is constant disputes at national levels, which distracts our minds from working on Muslim unity at international level, which is crucial for our defence against like what is happening in Gaza. We made deals with the devil to ensure we win over local national rivals, and in so doing sell away our Deen.

We are now in the 21st century clueless about the source, origin and cause of our present weaknesses. We watch the holocaust over Gaza with total impotence.

If there is anything we can begin to do to change things is to ensure we choose as our next batch of leaders, people who understand this heritage. People who understood what our recent history has done to us.

People who are masters of both worlds or at least offer themselves with a political structure that ensure as a group they are masters of both worlds i.e masters of Quran and Sunnah, and masters of worldly knowledge. We cannot be led by Scholars alone, nor can we be led by Worldly people alone, who places no value on the advice of scholars.

We must be led by a grouping of Islamic Professionals, who are at all times guided by Scholars.

Where can we find this group? That is our common task and challenge at hand.”

As I left STAROBA today, it rekindled a fiery hope I once held for the likes of MCOBA, STAROBA and similar. To rise to the occasion in moments of need, to answer the call of a nation in distress.

Do we rise as the lions we are trained to be or meekly retire to the bosom of our disattachment as pussy cats?

This morning  I entered a den of lions; I have a dream, a dream of dens of lions rising and answering the call of our nation in distress.

Zahid
MCKK Class of 72





Saturday, January 23, 2016

Question this System Please / Soal lah Sistem Ini




Yesterday our central bank, we are informed, reduced statutory reserves requirement from 4% to 3.5 %. The whole idea is our central bank thinks, as the whole world is thinking, that the nation’s economy is going to go down in the near future. So the rationale is leave more money in the banks’ hands so they will lend to companies who will then generate more employment and output in order to counter the falling economy.
Towards a Just Monetary System have very serious reservations against the current economic and banking system. Especially in the light of the required Muamalat system to be practiced by Muslims as expounded in the Quran and Sunnah. But let’s leave that be for the time being and address things as they are.
First of all is it true the banks will lend more to corporates when they have more funds in their hands? Yes this is what Western knowledge believes, this is what the Economics and Banking subjects we learn at universities say, this is what the Professors of Harvard and London School of Economics say, but is it true?

Sunday, October 25, 2015

The Other Side of Paradise

Assalamu 'Alaikum,

The Other Side of Paradise

If you earn RM700 a month would you spent RM400 to rent a room? Would you?! The homeless are not beggars and vagabonds, they are collateral damage of an insidious monetary and economic system. An economic system that divides a millionaire’s RM1 million monthly income ,with a poor’s monthly income of RM200 and announce to the whole world that the nation’s  per capita income is half a million ringgit per month!

Would you spent RM400 a month for a room, when it could be sent and well used by wife and kids at home in the kampong? We have a new breed of homeless now. Yes there are still the family discards due to the individuals’ past mistakes, and the unfortunates who found themselves at the wrong end of a twist of fate. But increasingly we are observing the new breed of working homeless. Yes, people with jobs but living on the streets.

Friday, September 11, 2015

DIMANA TAHAP FAHAMAN KITA?



DIMANA TAHAP KEFAHAMAN KITA?
(Source : FB PAGE Towards a Just Monetary & Financial System)
Assalamu ‘Alaikum,
Tidak ramai orang faham sistem monetari kita mengkedanakan yang sudah miskin dan memperkayakan yang sudah kaya. Sistem monetari kita jelas menentang surah AlHasyr ayat 7 yang mafhumnya menuntut supaya kekayaan tidak hanya mengalir diantara yang kaya. Sistem monetari kita secara automatis merompak kuasa beli yang miskin dan dhaif untuk memperkayakan yang sudah kaya.
Cuba buat kajian berapa ramai rakyat bergaji rendah dan penuntut bergantung atas mi segera sebagai makanan harian. Sudah terbukti mee segera diseliputi lilin antara lain, dan memerlu penyucian 3 hari oleh sistem badan kita sebelum ia boleh dimakan semula. Berapa banyak orang bergaji rendah termasuk penuntut makan mi segera setiap hari?
Berapa ramai yang masuk kedai mamak dan makan hanya nasi dengan kuah? Berapa banyak warung yang menjual hanya nasi kosong dan kepala ikan kembong goreng kepada rakyat yang tidak mampu selebih itu? Ini adalah disebabkan pukulan inflasi kekal sistem monetari kita yang sentiasa melonjakkan harga bahan2, meletak harga sepinggan nasi berlauk biasa, diluar kemampuan yang miskin.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Let It Be Known We Still See The Emperor As Naked



Let It Be Known We Still See The Emperor As Naked

A hilarious story that’s making the round in this strange times.
"A very cold winter.
It was autumn, and the Red Indians asked their New Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild.
Since he was a Red Indian chief in a modern society, he couldn't tell what the weather was going to be.
Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his Tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared.
But also being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked 'Is the coming winter going to be cold?'

Thursday, July 23, 2015

How many understand Greece as the tragedy of interest based lending as opposed to equity investing?

How many understand Greece as the tragedy of interest based lending as opposed to equity investing?
In Islam The Quran prohibits lending with interest, in fact in Surah AlBaqarah Allah and His Rasul declare war on the practitioners of riba.
Riba is usury and it is not about excessive interest, it is about interest in any lending and a debt which is never forgiven to those unable to pay.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

LESSONS ON GREECE

LESSONS ON GREECE

I) IS IT POSSIBLE FOR GREECE TO EXIT EURO AND PRINT ITS OWN CURRENCY?
Based on the article here
and the belief of many commentators it may be the only option open to Greece
Let’s dismiss certain myths about money. Money is not pegged to gold. Money is not scarce that Greece have to beg or borrow from other countries. It is perfectly possible for Greece to ignore current monies, exit Euro and print new currency.
Yes they may make it tough on Greece but if we digest the thrust of the article above, the European banks imposed additional loans on Greece not to save Greece but to save their own banks.

Monday, July 6, 2015

Dear Greece

Dear Greece

Kudos to you we just learnt you said no to the banksters. Allow me to suggest a path your nation might take. Do not negotiate with the Euro banksters, exit the den of thieves. Issue a new currency. But you have to be prepared and be resolute the banksters might use big bully Uncle Sam against you. Time to make new friends. How does GBRICS sound?

Sunday, June 21, 2015

What every Muslim in colonised countries must know


Assalamu 'Alaikum,

A lot of angst has been thrown at a Mufti in Malaysia for saying what is only right about the dressings of a certain victorious Muslimat gymnast in the recent Sea Games. I do not wish to say much except to make the point that a wrong is a wrong in Islam. Hideous name callings at a respectable Mufti still does not make a wrong, right.

That is why it is so so important for all of us, Muslims in Malaysia, and Muslims all over the world who has lived in colonised countries, to read the writings of Professor Syed Naguib AlAttas on "Islam and Secularisation". 

Before we dismiss Prof Syed Naguib do take note that he began life in the Prasantren of Indonesia before being amongst the best Phds in today's academic world. He is one of the few world class academia, acknowledged by the world, that hails from this land. Learn and find out about the man and his thoughts before dismissing him, or we will forever remain unlearned.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Employers looking at cutting staff as GST starts to bite businesses

Assalamu Alaikum,


In the article below Bank Negara replies "but there has been growth." Yes 
there might have been growth in the same way huge increases in a country's wealth does not make the poverty stricken, millionaires. A 
quadrupling of the per capita income of a country does not change the 
rock bottom poor. In the same way growth does not translate into 
employment. Growth may even occur with a cut in employment.

It is about time the clever people running the economy dump the western model and start looking at the more humane economic model. The most important factor in an economy is not profits of organisation but jobs for its citizens. What is the joy of an 8% economic growth when we have half a million graduates unemployed and non graduates earning pittance at menial jobs. Is the problem with MAS the 20,000 humans about to be dumped? 

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

‘Debt is a cleverly managed reconquest of Africa’ – Thomas Sankara

‘Debt is a cleverly managed reconquest of Africa’ – Thomas Sankara


By  on July 23, 2012 — 

A week before he died, Sankara said, “revolutionaries as individuals can be murdered, but you cannot kill ideas”. And so, for us today, the final challenge rests not in finding more Sankaras, but in becoming them – in bringing these ideas to life

Thomas Sankara. Photo: AFP
Thomas Sankara. Photo: AFP
Thomas Sankara, former leader of Burkina Faso, was the apparent opposite of everything we are often told that success should look like. Mansions? Cars? Who? What? Get out of here. As Prime Minister and later as President, Sankara rode a bicycle to work before he upgraded, at his Cabinet’s insistence, to a Renault 5 – one of the cheapest cars available in Burkina Faso at the time. He lived in a small brick house and wore only cotton that was produced, weaved and sewn in Burkina Faso.
Going by his lifestyle, Sankara was the antithesis of success, but it is this very distinction that enabled him to become the most successful president Africa has ever seen, in terms of what he accomplished for and with his people. Sankara would not have chopped P-Square’s money given twice a chance – in fact, he might have sat him down and taught him a thing or two about the creeping menace of pop culture patriarchy – because Thomas Sankara, “The Upright Man”, was a feminist. In this and many other ways, Sankara was the African dream come true, the only living proof that hopes of African independence are not dead on arrival.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Refocussing the Valid Criticism on Islamic Banking


Refocussing the Valid Criticism on Islamic Banking

There has been a lot of criticisms on Islamic banking but it has to be addressed correctly.

Criticisms of Islamic banking includes it being too expensive and just a mirror image of conventional banking.

To get credibility of the criticisms we must address the Shariah issues of Islamic banking whether Islamic banking in practise contradicts Shariah.

We cannot say Islamic banking is wrong because it is too expensive. It is a makruf (known) principle in Shariah not to interfere in normal market pricing. If that is our line of criticism we have to prove the point with statistics and be sure we are comparing like with like. For example are we comparing fixed rate Islamic finance with floating rate conventional finance? In which case is our conclusion conclusively proven with numbers to support?
We must also be cognisant that Islamic banking is not meant to operate in a dual environment and in a real Islamic economy it is haram for Muslims to frequent conventional banks. In today’s economy Muslims are allowed to also use conventional banks and conventional banks do not have to abide rules Islamic banks have to. This means Islamic banks by default have to be “like” conventional banks to survive and thrive.
In this case it is not appropriate to level criticism only at Islamic banks; the bigger criticism have to be levelled at the government for allowing conventional banks to continue operating at a distinct advantage over Islamic banks. Governments have also failed in their duty to prevent the Muslim ummah from using riba institutions.