They Taught Me How Islam Being Practiced

I believe Islam is the way of life, more than a religion. In Islam, we are taught to bring blessings, prosperity, and love for the entire universe (according to one of the verses in Holy Book Al-Quran). Our Prophet, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his name means praiseworthy. Because he has a very commendable attitude to fellow human beings despite different groups and religions, animals, and environment.

I'm so grateful that I was be a part of EducatorCourse last week. I met many friends from different countries. I gained a lot of inspiration about how Islam is practiced which also inspired me to follow their acts.

Among the 25 participants from 13 different countries, there were friends from Depok and Hong Kong who choose not to drink cow's milk. The reason is because they know very well the process of how the cow was forced to produce milk. Cows suffer on dairy farms. They told me, “Cows produce milk for the same reason that humans do, but calves on dairy farms are taken away from their mothers when they are just 1 day old. They are fed milk replacers (including cattle blood) so that their mothers’ milk can be sold to humans.” One of them said to me firmly,”If we drink cow's milk, we took part in the cruel process.”

Another friend from Thailand is an activist who shows a great concern in saving elephant. She said, “Elephants skeletal structuring is not designed to carry weight on their backs, but rather weight from below. Many Elephants end up with deformed and broken backs as a result of years of long hours spent carrying tourists around. Walk beside elephants, it should be enough NOT riding them please! Just learn and stay with Giants.” Whoa! It changed my mindset. Before she told me, I didn't actually realize about that fact. She and her friends created a group: Cruelty Free Elelove. They created campaign for tourists to not riding elephants, and let them live freely in the forest. She also created and published a list of Cruelty Free Places Elephant Experiences to Visit Thailand.

I think she was very lucky, that she could do something meaningful with her love and passion for animals. And so does another one of my friend from Hong Kong.

Her father started an organic farm in Zhongshan, China, with a few companion animals and the intention to build a small petting zoo.

She managed to build a pretty solid team of animal caretakers, vet consultants, a stable population of around 100 animals - rabbits, pigs, dogs, turkeys, chickens, ponies, mules and cats - with a good standard of welfare and quality of life for each animal. She also scrapped the idea of a 'zoo' and instead made it into a sanctuary in the sense that the animals are NOT there for our entertainment, and they will be safe and protected in her care for the rest of their lives.

Actually I am neither an animal lover nor a hater. But what has been done by my friends made me realize about animal's rights.

The inspiration has not yet  finished. These ones about saving environment.

There was a friend from Jakarta who do not continuously use soap because of her concern about water pollution.  She choses to use coffee as a scrub as an alternative.

Green School also has a program Bio Bus. They had 3 buses which fuel is made from used cooking oil (UCO). On Wednesdays, they patrol the streets of Sibang, Ubud, Canggu and beyond, collecting UCO from local warungs and restaurants in exchange for their homemade Bio Soap. According to an article here, it is stated that: 

UCO is often used well beyond expiry and can be reheated 30+ times for frying food.  Making matters worse, middlemen may bleach or pump the UCO with chemicals before reselling to local eateries. This food is known to contain carcinogens and has been linked to pulmonary disease. River ways are another common and often final destination for UCO. Dumping UCO causes acidification and affects Bali’s watersheds and ecosystems. Polluted water threatens irrigation for growing staple foods and stresses coral reef ecosystems.Bio Bus saves the environment and health of Bali and provides their partner Lengis Hijau with a supply of UCO to be converted into Biodiesel.

Another one was Sanne, a member of the GS Events Team. When Educator Course was completed, she provide all workshop material, even those which we did not ask, but very useful. I asked her, why do I feel a very collaborative atmosphere in Green School, including her very hospitable attitude, I mean she was not exclusive about all the school's concept and documents. Then I got a wonderful answer, she said, “We like to involve our community as much as we can, because a sustainable future requires everyone, to take action by working together.”

Wow.

I learned a lot from them. I just realized many things.

My friends were very concerned whether their behavior causes damage to other beings or not. Whether their food choices would destroy nature or not. Whether her behavior could harm others or not. They actually calculated everything. In addition, they make the action to save the environment from the smallest thing that can be done, become an initiator and create movement to care about environment.

Everything they do has been taught in Islam. So I learned a lot how Islam being practiced from them. Like the spirit of bringing blessings and prosperity for the universe, including animals, plants, and fellow human beings. And the spirit of spreading the peaceful life. PEACE is one of the definition of Islam (Islam is derived from the Arabic root "Salema": peace, purity, submission and obedience). They also remind me about one verse in the Holy Book Al-Quran that God commands us to help one another, and to perform righteous and good deeds. They taught me how to be a good Muslim (a person who follows or practices the religion of Islam). If we can not become a useful person, at least not be the ones who make mischief.

Thank you, my friends. I learned a lot.

I just realize that to learn Islam; we need to learn from guru or ulama, 

To learn to be a good Muslim; it could be from anyone.

Thank you.
with love.

Nati Sajidah