Welcoming Ramadan!

The Peaceful Day in Islam – Ramadan

Composed by :

Rizky Harmiyanti 

Picture cited from : http://e2ua.com/WDF-809079.html

Ramadan is not unfamiliar event for Moslem people especially in Indonesia. Each year Islam celebrates the Eid Fitri in the first Syawal month.  Ramadan is days which is full of forgiveness, glory, and peaceful. This month is really special because Allah will multiply the rewards to someone who always comes closer. We will encounter many things which is not appeared in another months, for instance, fasting for 30 days, shalat Tarawih or Tarawih praying, Nuzulul Quran, Lailatul Qadr’s night and also improving our rewards and faith to our God.

Fasting for 30 Days

Fasting is holding not to eat from the sunrise up to sunset. There are many kinds of fasting in Islam, they are sunnah and fardhu. Sunnah means somebody has a freedom to choose whether he/she should fasting or not, it is a might. In contrast, Fardhu means someone has an obligation and responsibility on fasting. Fasting in the Ramadan month is belonged to Fardhu ‘ain, if he/she could not do it, they should change in another days. Islam is peaceful religion. It never incriminates everyone’s problems rather than simplify them as explained in the verses of Quran Al-Baqarah: 185.  

The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful. 

I remembered when I was eight years old and I was fourth levels of elementary school, I tried to fast in the first time. It was not an easy way to do it. I was failed at that time. At noon, I was so thirsty and I decided to drink. I gave up! However, in the following day, I tried so hard and finally did it. How happy I was although helpless and totally exhausted.

Tarawih Praying

            This kind of praying is really special and unique because we are not having this in other months. Tarawih praying is hold in the night after Isya’ praying. Even though it is sunnah, it was become fardhu for me since tarawih is one of characteristics of the Ramadan month. However, the teenagers’ awareness were decreasing from year to year. It can be seen that from some of the mosque, it will be crowded in the beginning of Ramadan rather than the ending. In this case, the teenagers should keep their consistency even improve their faith to Allah. Really we will get our own happiness when we could join the tarawih in the mosque.

Nuzulul Quran

            Islam has a guide book called Quran. The Holy Quran was revealed by angel through our Prophet Muhammad Saw-Nuzulul Quran. There were many disagreements when the Holy Quran was arrived to us, someone said that it was together with Lailatul Qadr’s night, other said that it was 17 of Ramadhan. No matter how, it should not be argued. As Moslem, we should respect and celebrate this event. Al-Quran is our guider to be a good man and woman. We should learn the contents and applied to our life. In addition, it will be a positive side if we can memorize the verses.

Lailatul Qadr’s Day

            Apart from Nuzulul Quran, there were also Lailatul Qadr’s night. This night relates to Nuzulul Quran day. Some of theologian said that the night is appeared in the last ten days (odd number) of Ramadan, in this manner 21, 23, 25, and so on. Lailatul Qadr is a night which is nobler than 1000 nights. Unfortunately, we could not determine when this phenomenon happened. The things that I always do to get this night are praying to our god and asking for forgiveness as much as I can, because no one is perfect in this world.      

Rewards

            Allah promise to everyone, someone who always comes closer and does good for everyone will get many rewards, yet in the Ramadan month. Fasting is a difficult way, because we should keep our temper or emotion. Here I will give some tips to you so that your Ramadan will be more beneficial:

1.      Read your Holy Quran as much as you can.

 I waste my time on reading holy Quran as much as possible. Mostly, I made a target to finish 30 juz in Ramadan, it means that I should finish one juz in a day.  

2.      Don’t spend your time for sleeping

Fasting is really hard for us, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t do anything in this month. Use your time to do some beneficial things, for example: helping your mother in the kitchen for girls and helping your father for boys.

3.      Join the Islamic discussion in the mosque

We can get many knowledge when we could join a discussion in some mosque, even we could get many friends to build brotherhood.

4.      Don’t forget to help and share to others

Our Prophet Muhammad Saw always asks us to help and share to someone who needs our aid. How happy we are if we could make strong relationship among them.

            On the whole, Ramadan, a peaceful month, is a really special for us. We should not miss some things which we do not encounter in other months, because Allah will give multiple rewards for us in this month. Let’s compete in the terms of goodness. Happy welcoming the month of Ramadan to everyone!

ARTIKEL ILMIAH

MENGENANG SEJARAH DENGAN MENGUNJUNGI MUSEUM RANGGAWARSITA

Rizky Harmiyanti

1403046052
UIN Walisongo Semarang
Rizkyharmiyanti@gmail.com

            Museum Ranggawarsita merupakan salah satu museum di Jawa Tengah yang menyajikan ribuan aset-aset sejarah. Museum ini terletak di jalan Abdurrahman Saleh No.1 Semarang, kurang lebih 4 km dari pusat kota ke arah barat, tepatnya di sebelah bundaran Kalibanteng. Nama museum ini berasal dari nama pujangga Jawa yang sangat terkenal akan hasil karyanya dalam bidang kebudayaan, yaitu beliau Bapak Ranggawarsita. Setiap pengunjung dikenakan tarif masuk sebesar Rp. 4000,00 untuk dewasa dan Rp. 2000,00 untuk kalangan anak-anak. Museum ini layak dikunjungi oleh seluruh lapisan masyarakat baik lokal maupun nasional karena memberikan banyak ilmu pengetahuan, terutama tentang sejarah yang ada pada masa silam.

Inti dari Koleksi Museum

            Terdapat empat gedung utama di dalam museum Ranggawarsita, masing-masing terdiri dari dua lantai. Gedung A memiliki banyak koleksi tentang palaeobotanika seperti, rekonstruksi keadaan hutan purba dan fosil kayu; palaeontologika seperti peta cagar budaya Sangiran dan fosil-fosil; paleozoologi seperti fosil tulang gajah purba, fosil tulang kepala banteng, rekonstruksi evolusi gajah, rekonstruksi kehidupan mamalia purba, juga biawak dan bunglon yang sudah diwetkan; geologi yaitu lapisan tanah dan batuan (batu kristal putih dan kecubung); dan yang terakhir ada palaeoantropologi yang membahas tentang manusia purba.

            Gedung B memiliki aset sejarah peradaban kebudayaan seperti kebudayaan Hindu, Budha, dan Islam. Adapun koleksinya seperti peralatan yang digunakan pada zaman dahulu seperti nekara, keramik lokal maupun asia. Ada juga koleksi keris, wayang dan rumah adat tradisional Kudus yang masih diminati oleh penggemarnya sampai saat ini. Selain itu juga terdapat replika Durga, Arca Gajah, Candi Kalasan, Candi Borobudhur dan Candi Prambanan. Banyak juga sejarah tentang kebudayaan Islam seperti sejarah dan replika Masjid Agung Demak, Maket Menara Masjid Kudus juga Replika Masjidnya, Mimbar Khotbah Masjid Ki Ageng Selo dan Al-Quran.

            Tidak kalah menariknya dengan gedung B, gedung C juga memiliki banyak dokumentasi tentang sejarah perjuangan bangsa seperti suasana perjanjian renville, demonstrasi menuntut tritura dan penyerahan anggota TKR yang ditawan oleh Belanda di Jawa Timur. Selain itu juga terdapat ukiran-ukiran, batik, replika properti di dalam rumah meliputi meja makan, replika tempat duduk saat perkawinan.

            Gedung yang terakhir yaitu Gedung D. Adapun koleksi yang dimiliki antara lain pakaian adat tradisional, gamelan dan properti yang terbuat dari emas.

Analisa Terhadap Koleksi Museum

            Setelah dilakukannya penelitian oleh penulis pada tanggal 24 April 2016, museum Ranggawarsita merupakan museum yang memiliki koleksi cukup lengkap dibanding dengan museum lain yang ada di Jawa Tengah, seperti yang telah dipaparkan oleh penulis diatas. Namun, sangat disayangkan karena penulis tidak dapat melihat keseluruhan koleksi yang terdapat di dalam museum dikarenakan adanya renovasi dan keperluan peminjaman untuk pameran di suatu tempat.  

Representasi Kandungan Islam dan Budaya Jawa

            Dengan ditampilkannya aset-aset sejarah pada masa lampau, kita dapat memperoleh kandungan makna yang begitu bermakna di dalamnya. Seperti makna yang terkandung pada Masjid Menara Kudus, masjid ini merupakan hasil akulturasi budaya Islam dan Hindu-Jawa. Masjid ini terlihat seperti sebuah candi, karena waktu Islam masuk pada zaman tersebut, masarakat dipengaruhi kebudayaan Hindu dan Budha dengan kuatnya. Dengan adanya akulturasi budaya dalam pembuatan Menara Kudus tersebut, masyarakat terdorong untuk menerima agama Islam yang begitu menghargai akan budaya.    

            Selain Masjid Menara Kudus, Masjid Demak juga merupakan hasil akulturasi Islam dan Hindu. Dengan dibuktikan dengan wujud arsitekturnya, bangunan yang runcing ke atas dan atap-atap penopangnya yang begitu kuat dan besar. Uniknya, motif hias yang terdapat pada tiangnya ini diperkirakan berhubungan dengan kerajaan Majapahit. Selain itu, konon katanya masjid ini merupakan tempat berkumpulnya para wali (Wali Songo).

Kritik Budaya Jawa

            Indonesia merupakan negara yang memiliki berbagai kebudayaan, khususnya kebudayaan Jawa. Akan tetapi, tidak semua warga negaranya mengenal kebudayaan dan sejarah-sejarah yang terkandung di dalamnya. Seiring dengan perkembangan zaman dan arus globalisasi, masyarakat mulai melupakan kebudayaannya sedikit demi sedikit. Banyak sekali kebudayaan yang kita miliki dan kebudayaan tersebut memiliki ciri khas dan nilai tersendiri. Sudah sepatutnya kita sebagai warga negara menjaga dan mengembangkan budaya tersebut.

Kesimpulan

            Akhirnya, begitu beragamnya kebudayaan yang ada pada negara kita, karena kebudayaan mencerminkan ciri khas setiap daerah. Dengan adanya koleksi di museum, penulis berharap budaya yang kita miliki dapat dikenang, dijaga dan dikembangkan oleh generasi penerus bangsa.

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