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Sabtu, 13 September 2014

how about Shari'a islam?

Shari'a is an Arabic word meaning “path” or “way.” Today the term is used most commonly to mean “Islamic law,” the detailed system of religious law developed by Muslim scholars in the first three centuries of Islam and still in force among fundamentalists today.

Shari'a tries to describe in detail all possible human acts, dividing them into permitted (halal) and prohibited (haram). It subdivides them into various degrees of good or evil such as obligatory, recommended, neutral, objectionable or forbidden. This vast compendium of rules regulates all matters of devotional life, worship, ritual purity, marriage and inheritance, criminal offenses, commerce and personal conduct. It also regulates the governing of the Islamic state and its relations to non-Muslims within the state as well as to enemies outside the state. Shari'a influences the behavior and worldview of most Muslims, even in secular states where it forms no part of the law of the land.

Islam teaches that shari'a, as God’s revealed law, perfect and eternal, is binding on individuals, society and state in all its details. By logical extension, any criticism of shari'a is heresy. Muslims who deny the validity of shari'a in any way are labeled as non-Muslims (infidels) or apostates (those who convert to another religion) by traditionalists and Islamists. As such, they face the threat of being prosecuted for apostasy, a crime that carries the death penalty in shari'a.

The mandates of shari'a are extremely harsh compared to modern Western standards. They infringe on many modern principles of human rights, religious freedom, and equality of all before the law. For example:

Hudud punishments are the severe penalities prescribed by shari'a for offenses defined as being against God himself. The punishments for these crimes are seen as divinely ordained and cannot be changed by humans. These include 100 lashes or stoning to death as punishment for adultery; 80 lashes for false accusation of adultery; amputation of limbs for theft; 40 or 80 lashes for drinking alcohol; imprisonment, amputation or death (by crucifixion in serious cases) for highway robbery; and the death penalty for apostasy from Islam. Methods of execution for apostasy can include decapitation, crucifixion, burning, strangling, drowning, impaling, and flaying. Apostates are denied a decent burial after their deaths, and the Muslims who participate in killing them are promised an eternal reward in paradise.

Discrimination on the basis of religion is fundamental to shari'a. By religious edict, Islam must be dominant; only Muslims are considered to be full citizens. Jews and Christians are defined as dhimmis (literally “protected” i.e. permitted to live). However this protection is on condition that they do not bear arms, know their lowly place in society, treat Muslims with respect, and pay a special poll tax (jizya).

Shari‘a divides the world into two opposing domains: the House of Islam (Dar al-Islam) and the House of War (Dar al-Harb). Muslims are supposed to wage jihad to change the House of War (where non-Muslims are dominant) into the House of Islam, dominated by Muslims. While some modern Muslims reject this aggressive understanding of jihad, and see it merely as a strengthening of personal faith, most agree that jihad includes defending Muslim territory and Muslims from any form of aggression; this leaves the door open to interpreting any conflict involving Muslims as a case of defensive jihad. Islamic terror groups justify their atrocities by references to the shari'a rules on jihad.

Shari'a discriminates on the basis of gender. Men are regarded as superior. Women are treated as deficient in intelligence, morals and religion, and must therefore be protected from their own weaknesses. Shari'a rules enforce modesty in dress and behavior and the segregation of the sexes. These regulations place women under the legal guardianship of their male relatives. Women are inherently of less value than men in many legal rulings. A man is allowed up to four wives, but women can have only one husband. A man can divorce his wife easily; a woman faces great obstacles should she want a divorce from her husband. A daughter inherits half as much as a son, and the testimony of a female witness in court is worth only half that of a male witness. In cases of murder, the compensation for a woman is less than that given for a man.

Shari'a courts often display a clear gender bias. This is seen in the widespread practice of accusing rape victims of illicit sexual relations (zina), an offense which carries punishments ranging from imprisonment and flogging to death by stoning.

Female genital mutilation is widespread among some Muslim communities, especially in Egypt, East Africa, Yemen, and Indonesia. Many Muslim leaders see the practice as essential for preserving women’s chastity on which family honor largely depends.

In shari'a there are differences between the various schools of law as to the extent of what a woman may reveal in public. The Hanafi and Maliki schools of law permit face and hands to be revealed in public, thus there is no need for a veil over the face. Among Hanbalis there are two opinions, some permitting the revealing of face and hands, others forbidding it. The Shafi‘is demand that a woman’s face and hands be covered in public, thus demanding some kind of veil over her face.

Both Qur’an and hadith urge modesty in women’s dress and command them to cover themselves in public. The problem is a matter of interpretation of the original Arabic words used.

Most Sunni Muslims believe shari‘a to be completely unchangeable, althoughShi'as allow for the possibility of interpreting and adapting it to new circumstances. Since the nineteenth century, there have been efforts at reforming shari'a in a liberal direction in order to accommodate it to the modern world, but in the contemporary Muslim world, the traditionalists and especially the Islamists -- upholders of the traditional view of shari'a -- are now dominating public opinion.

Of particular concern for Americans are cases where Muslim litigants seek -- sometimes successfully -- to have their cases in U.S. courts decided by principles of Sharia law. As of May 2011, the Center for Security Policy (CSP) had identified 50 examples in 23 states “where Muslim-Americans had their cases decided by Sharia Law against their will.” In one case, a Trial Court judge had ruled based on Moroccan Sharia law, even though those involved were not Moroccans or even Muslims. In Tampa, Forida, a judge had ruled that a dispute between two Muslim parties would be solved in accordance with Sharia, overruling the objections of one party. And in a notorious New Jersey case, a judge had exonerated a Muslim man of raping his wife because Sharia allowed him to do so. (The ruling was later overturned.) The 50 instances cited by CSP represented just a fraction of the total number of such cases.


Adapted mostly from "What Is Shari'a?" (published by the Barnabas Fund, January-February 2007).

Theories entry of Islam into Indonesia

       Theories entry of Islam into Indonesia-Islam came to Indonesia when Hindu and Buddhist influence is still strong. At that time, the Majapahit still control most of what is now Indonesia. Indonesian people acquainted with the religion and culture of Islam through the trade channel, the same as when acquainted with the Hindu and Buddhist religions. Through commercial activities, the Indonesian people who are familiar with the Hindu-Buddhist gradually familiar with the teachings of Islam. The spread of Islam was first occurred in coastal communities are more open to foreign culture. After that, then Islam spread to the countryside and mountains through economic activity, education, and politics. 
Islamic religion eventually spread to Southeast Asia and East Asia. This happens due to the increasingly crowded trade route, with the opening of the airport Hurmuz in the Persian Gulf. Indonesia as one of the areas that has many ports, is one of the objectives of the foreign merchants to obtain the merchandise sold in the international market, especially the spices. 

The process of introduction of Islam to Indonesia does not take place in a revolutionary, fast, and single, but evolved gradually, and very diverse. According to historians, the theories about the coming of Islam to Indonesia can be divided into: 

a. theory Mecca 
Mecca theory says that the arrival of Islam to Indonesia are directly from Mecca or Arabic. This process takes place in the first century Hijri or 7th century AD figure who introduced this theory is Haji Abdul Karim Amrullah or Hamka, one of the scholars at the same time Indonesian writers. Hamka express his opinion in 1958, when the oration delivered on the anniversary of the State Islamic University (PTIN) in Yogyakarta. He rejects the whole notion of Western scholars who argued that Islam came to Indonesia indirectly from Arabic. Materials argument is used as reference material source HAMKA local Indonesian and Arabic sources. According to him, the initial motivation of the arrival of the Arabs not based on economic values​​, but rather is driven by the motivation to spread the spirit of Islam. In view of Hamka, the trade route between Indonesia and Arabic has been going on long before the chronicle BC. 
In this case, the theory is a refutation of the theory HAMKA Gujarat are many weaknesses. He is even suspicious of the prejudices of Western Orientalist writers who tend to discredit Islam in Indonesia. Western writer, Hamka said, doing a very systematic effort to eliminate the Malay lands beliefs about intimate spiritual relationship between them and the Arab lands as the primary source of Islam in Indonesia in studying religion. In view of HAMKA, Muslims in Indonesian Islam of the people get the first (the Arabs), instead of just trade. HAMKA view is similar to the Sufi theory expressed by AH Johns who said that the musafirlah (the nomads) who has been doing initial Islamisation in Indonesia. Sufis usually wander from one place to another to set up a collection or university institutes. 

b. theory Gujarat 
Gujarat theory says that the coming of Islam to Indonesia from Gujarat in the 7th century H or 13th century AD Gujarat is located in any part of western India, berdekaran the Arabian Sea. People who socialize this theory is mostly scholars from the Netherlands. The first scholar who proposed this theory is J. Pijnapel of the University of Leiden in the 19th century According to him, the Arabs bermahzab Syafei have settled in Gujarat and Malabar since the beginning Hijriyyah (century 
7 AD), but the spread of Islam to Indonesia according Pijnapel of the Arabs is not direct, but Gujarat traders who had converted to Islam and trade in the eastern world, including Indonesia. In a further development, Pijnapel theory is justified and propagated by a leading Dutch orientalist, Snouck Hurgronje. According to him, Islam was first developed in the port cities of the Indian subcontinent. The people of Gujarat had earlier opened trade relations with Indonesia than with Arab traders. In view of Hurgronje, the arrival of the Arabs happen in the next period. The Arabs who come are mostly descendants of the Prophet Muhammad who use the title "sharif" or "sharif" in front of his name. 
Theory Gujarat then also developed by JP Moquetta (1912) who argue with tombstones Sultan Malik al-Saleh, who died on the 17th of Dhu al-Hijjah 831 AH / 1297 AD in Pasai, Aceh. According to him, gravestones and tombs in Pasai Maulanan Malik Ibrahim who died in 1419 in Gresik, East Java, has the same form as contained in Kambay headstone, Gujarat. Moquetta finally concluded that the tombstone is imported from Gujarat, or at least made ​​by a Gujarat or the Indonesian people who have learned calligraphy typical Gujarat. Another reason is that in the common schools of Syafei profess the Muslim community in Gujarat and Indonesia. 

c. theory of Persia 
Persian theory says that the coming of Islam to Indonesia comes from the Persian or Parsi (now Iran). Originator of this theory is Hoesein Djajadiningrat, historians from Banten. In giving his argument, Hoesein more focused analysis on the cultural similarities and traditions that developed between the Parsi community and Indonesia. Traditions include: a tradition of celebrating the 10th of Muharram or Asyuro as Shiite holy day for the death of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, as it developed in the tradition of the ark in Pariaman in West Sumatra. The term "ark" (coffin) is taken from the Arabic language are translated through Persia. Another tradition is the mystical teachings of the many similarities, such as between the teachings of Sheikh Siti jenar of Central Java with the teachings of Al-Hallaj Sufi from Persia. Not coincidentally, both were sentenced to death by the local authorities because its teachings are considered contrary to the monotheism of Islam (apostate) and political stability and social harm. Another reason put forward Hoesein Moquetta line with the theory, that there are similarities in the art of calligraphy carving gravestones used at the beginning of Islamic graves in Indonesia. Another similarity is that Indonesian Muslims embrace schools of Syafei, as-many Muslims in Iran. 

d. theory of China 
Chinese theory says that the coming of Islam to Indonesia (especially Java) is derived from the Chinese Diaspora. The Chinese have been in touch with the people of Indonesia long before Islam known in Indonesia. In the Hindu-Buddhist, ethnic Chinese or Chinese have mingled with the Indonesian-primarily through trade contacts. In fact, Islam has arrived in China in the 7th century AD, a period in which religion flourished. Sumanto Al Qurtuby in his book Flow Chinese-Javanese-Islamic states, according to the chronicles of the Tang Dynasty (618-960) in the area of ​​Cantonese, Zhang-zhao, Quanzhou, southern China coastal dams, there have been a number of Islamic settlement. 
The Chinese theory when viewed from some foreign sources (chronic) and local (and chronicle the saga), is acceptable. In fact, according to some sources lokat is written that the first king of Islam in Java, namely Raden Patah of Demak Bintoro, is of Chinese descent. His mother mentioned are from Campa, southern China (now including Vietnam). Based hist and Hikayat Hasanuddin Banten, the name and title of the kings and their ancestors Demak written using Chinese terms, such as "Check Ko Po", "Jin Bun", "Check Tire Cun", "Cun CEH", and "Cu-cu ". Names like "Munggul" and "Moechoel" is interpreted in other words from the Mongols, an area in northern China bordering Russia. 

Other evidence is the old mosques valuable Chinese architecture established by the Chinese community in various places, especially in Java. Important port throughout the 15th century such as Gresik, for example, according to Chinese records, first occupied by Chinese sailors and traders. All of the above theory each has its own advantages and disadvantages. There is no absolute certainty and clear in each of these theories. Borrowing the term Azyumardi Azra, the arrival of the real Islam to Indonesia came in complexity; meaning does not come from one place, the role of a single group, and not at the same time.

My Mother..., My Inspiration,.....

Robin Roberts’ mother, Lucimarian Tolliver Roberts, passed away not long after this story appeared in the August 2012 edition of Guideposts.
I’ve interviewed many inspiring people on Good Morning America—world leaders, sports legends, heroes.
Still, there’s one interview I’ve always wanted to do, one person I wish would sit down with me on the show, except she’d be embarrassed by the attention and insist there were far more deserving folks.

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My Story, My Song

My Story, My Song

The mother of Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts details her challenges, triumphs and how faith has given her hope.
That’s my mother, Lucimarian Tolliver Roberts. She’s led a remarkable life. Believe me, she’s truly deserving.
I’m not just saying that because she’s my mom and I love her. She has lived so many of the events that shaped this country—from the Great Depression to the civil rights era—and faced many challenges.
But Mom would much rather ask about you than talk about herself (maybe that’s where I get my interviewing skills from) and share an uplifting story she’s read than tell her own.
Whenever someone in our family wanted to hear more about her life, she’d say, “Someday I’ll write a book and put it all down.”
Now at age 88, she has. My Story, My Song was published this spring, and the title could not be more fitting. Music is my mother’s joy in times of celebration and her comfort in times of heartache.
She knows that “Wherever I am, God is,” just as the prayer of protection she taught me says (the prayer I start my day with).
Still she likes having a special place to meet with God. The piano has been that place for her ever since she taught herself to play by ear as a little girl in Akron, Ohio.
Mom grew up beyond poor. Her father lost his job in the Depression and turned to drinking.
One of her earliest memories was seeing strangers carting off her parents’ bedroom furniture. Then the living room sofas went, the crystal doorknobs, the rugs. The electricity and gas were turned off.

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Her mother, determined to keep a stable home for the children, got a job cleaning houses for a dollar a day.
My grandmother had, as Mom puts it, “the most marvelous way of taking what life served her and making the best of it.” She held the family together and showed her children that success wasn’t about money. What counted was your character and faith in God.
The family was in church every Sunday, and that’s where Mom learned to sing the spirituals and hymns that she says are “like a prayer with a melody.”
I knew Mom would be proud to share stories about her mother, but I was surprised to see how openly she wrote about her father’s troubles. I hadn’t realized the extent of it until I read a draft of her book.
“You’re really going to tell everyone your dad was an alcoholic?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “And I’m also going to tell them how he found the Lord and quit drinking.”
Faith definitely transformed my grandfather’s life. I don’t remember him as an alcoholic. What I remember is him counseling people and preaching the good word from the pulpit on Sundays.
In second grade Mom was assigned to Miss Schnegg’s class. The teacher saw something in the bright little girl with the lovely voice and mentored her all through high school.
Grandma valued education, but since her own didn’t extend beyond sixth grade, it was Miss Schnegg who pushed Mom to set her sights high and take college prep classes. Who helped her get a scholarship to Howard University and become the first in her family to go to college. Who inspired Mom to go into teaching and later chair the Mississippi Board of Education.

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My Story, My Song

My Story, My Song

The mother of Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts details her challenges, triumphs and how faith has given her hope.
At Howard, Mom fell for a handsome student named Lawrence Roberts. World War II interrupted their courtship. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps as a private and in 1944 entered the training program for the Tuskegee Airmen, our country’s first black military pilots.
“I had to wait till the war was over to marry your father,” Mom reminded us. “Any notion that a groom should not see his bride before the wedding we had to dismiss because we were too busy setting up chairs and tying crepe paper bows to the branches of the apple tree.”
From: http://www.guideposts.org/

Kamis, 11 September 2014

What is Love??

"What is love" was the most searched phrase on Google in 2012, according to the company. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the question once and for all, the Guardian has gathered writers from the fields of science, psychotherapy, literature, religion and philosophy to give their definition of the much-pondered word.

The physicist: 'Love is chemistry

Jim Al-Khalili
Jim Al-KhaliliJim Al-Khalili
Biologically, love is a powerful neurological condition like hunger or thirst, only more permanent. We talk about love being blind or unconditional, in the sense that we have no control over it. But then, that is not so surprising since love is basically chemistry. While lust is a temporary passionate sexual desire involving the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone and oestrogen, in true love, or attachment and bonding, the brain can release a whole set of chemicals: pheromones, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin and vasopressin. However, from an evolutionary perspective, love can be viewed as a survival tool – a mechanism we have evolved to promote long-term relationships, mutual defence and parental support of children and to promote feelings of safety and security.
• Jim Al-Khalili is a theoretical physicist and science writer.

The psychotherapist: 'Love has many guises'

Philippa PerryPhilippa Perry

Unlike us, the ancients did not lump all the various emotions that we label "love" under the one word. They had several variations, including:
Philia which they saw as a deep but usually non-sexual intimacy between close friends and family members or as a deep bond forged by soldiers as they fought alongside each other in battle. Ludus describes a more playful affection found in fooling around or flirting. Pragma is the mature love that develops over a long period of time between long-term couples and involves actively practising goodwill, commitment, compromise and understanding. Agape is a more generalised love, it's not about exclusivity but about love for all of humanity. Philautia is self love, which isn't as selfish as it sounds. As Aristotle discovered and as any psychotherapist will tell you, in order to care for others you need to be able to care about yourself. Last, and probably least even though it causes the most trouble, eros is about sexual passion and desire. Unless it morphs into philia and/or pragma, eros will burn itself out.
Love is all of the above. But is it possibly unrealistic to expect to experience all six types with only one person. This is why family and community are important.
• Philippa Perry is a psychotherapist and author of Couch Fiction

The philosopher: 'Love is a passionate commitment'

Julian BagginiJulian Baggini 

The answer remains elusive in part because love is not one thing. Love for parents, partners, children, country, neighbour, God and so on all have different qualities. Each has its variants – blind, one-sided, tragic, steadfast, fickle, reciprocated, misguided, unconditional. At its best, however, all love is a kind a passionate commitment that we nurture and develop, even though it usually arrives in our lives unbidden. That's why it is more than just a powerful feeling. Without the commitment, it is mere infatuation. Without the passion, it is mere dedication. Without nurturing, even the best can wither and die.
• Julian Baggini is a philosopher and writer

The romantic novelist: 'Love drives all great stories'

JojoJojo Moyes

What love is depends on where you are in relation to it. Secure in it, it can feel as mundane and necessary as air – you exist within it, almost unnoticing. Deprived of it, it can feel like an obsession; all consuming, a physical pain. Love is the driver for all great stories: not just romantic love, but the love of parent for child, for family, for country. It is the point before consummation of it that fascinates: what separates you from love, the obstacles that stand in its way. It is usually at those points that love is everything.
• Jojo Moyes is a two-time winner of the Romantic Novel of the Year award


Love in Islam

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem
Praise be to Allah. We bear witness that there is only one God who has no partners beside Him, and we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.
Praise be to Allah who blessed us with the guidance of His prophets and messengers. Praise be to Allah whose Mercy encompasses everything. Praise be to Allah who knows our needs and answers our calls and brings peace to our hearts.
Praise be to Allah who breathed into us of His Spirit and placed the light of His guidance in our inmost being. Whomever Allah guides, no one can misguide, and whomever Allah misguides, no one can guide. We put our trust in Allah and seek His forgiveness, aid, and support.
A man once came to the Prophet (puh) and asked him about the hereafter. The Prophet asked him, “And what have you prepared for that time?” The man replied, “Nothing, except that I love Allah and I love you.” The Prophet (puh) answered him, “You are with the ones you love.”
Dear brothers and sisters, the guidance of Islam is the guidance of love. The innate, natural and ancient religion that is Islam is the religion of love. The Prophet (puh) came to guide us to love and to make clear the love that is at the core of all religion. Our purpose as human beings is to consciously manifest Allah’s love in our lives. This is the most significant meaning of Khilafa and Ibada that can bring purpose to us and transform our lives. When we reflect upon the history of the Prophet (puh) and the spread of his message we will realize that Islam could not have taken root in the world without the love that filled the heart of the Prophet and was clearly manifest in his way of relating and interacting with people that brought out their own deep and profound love for him. Without this mutual and abiding love, none of us would be here today. Without this love Islam would not have been possible.
Today, it seems that we too often hear and read much that is harsh and heartless about Islam and not enough that is loving and beautiful. There seems to be too many messages of prejudice, literalism, legalism, violence, and oppression. The superficiality, ugliness and darkness that is too prevalent in today’s Islamic discourse is nothing like what the Prophet brought us.
I would like to share with you part of the first sermon ever given by the Prophet (puh) in Medina. This is what he had to say to his companions,

Verily, the best discourse is the Book of Allah. One is truly successful whose heart Allah has adorned with the love of His Book, and whom, after living in denial, Allah has caused to enter into submission to Him, and caused him to prefer His Book above any human discourse. The Book of Allah is the most beautiful and eloquent of discourses.
Love that which Allah loves! Love Allah with all your hearts! Grow not weary of hearing the Word of Allah. Do not stop remembering Him. Do not let your hearts grow hard toward Him. For verily, Allah has preferred His Book above all of Creation. Indeed, Allah has endowed it with guidance to the best of deeds, and made it an example for the elect of His servants, and filled it with righteous discourse, and has made clear in it what is lawful and unlawful for you.
So, serve Allah alone, and associate with Him no other. Be ever conscious of Him. Be truthful to Allah in what you utter from your mouths. Let the Spirit of Allah be the source of love between you.

Can you hear the love in his words? Can you hear his urgent call to our hearts? Can you sense the profound purpose in his teaching?
Love is so central to Islam that without it there can be no real faith. The Quran tells us clearly what following the Prophet is about,
3:31 Say, if you love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you greatly and forgive your sins for Allah is forgiving and merciful.
And even more decisively it says to the people of faith that,

5:54 O you who have faith whoever among you turns back from his religion Allah will surely bring forth a people He loves and who love Him who are humble before the faithful and exalted before the deniers. They strive in the way of Allah and fear no blame from any blamers. This is the favor of Allah, He bestows it on whomever He wills. For Allah is all-encompassing, all-knowing!

In these two tremendous verses we can understand some remarkable things. We can understand that faith and faithfulness are defined as love between God and the people of faith. A Mu’min is one who is deeply and profoundly in love with God. It is this love that motivates us to strive, to seek, to turn back to Allah, to give up our worldly attachments and return to our Rabb. It is this love that gives us the power and strength to face the various trials of our faith throughout our lives. It is this love that teaches us humility, compassion, trust, obedience and honesty. It is this love that enables us to sacrifice, to give of ourselves and of our possessions for the sake of God. It is this love that opens us to submission, to Islam. We can also understand that this relationship of love is a special, precious gift bestowed by God upon us. Without His will and generosity we would be heedless of His love in our hearts. We can also understand that the abandoning of religion in the context of this Ayah is to turn away from love because the consequence of this abandonment is that God promises to replace us with people who have this relationship of love with Him. And we can understand that the way to God’s love is to follow the Prophet (puh), to be in his footsteps, to strive to be like him and in this striving our love is made greater and greater by God.
In a Sacred Tradition Allah says,

I was a hidden treasure and I loved to be known so I created heaven and earth that I may be known.

One of Allah’s names, one of His attributes, is Al Wajid. This word has several meanings among them is to bring into existence. It also has the meaning of intense, existential love. Reflecting upon this divine name, we can see that there is a relationship between love and creation. And reflecting upon the sacred tradition we can see that God’s love to be known is the primary reason for creation. In this way we can come to a truly profound insight; Allah’s love is the very cause of existence. We are alive today because of His love, the whole Universe is here because of His love.
The relationship of love between us and Allah, between us and others, and between us and all of creation is essential to reaching our full potential as human beings. When we nourish our hearts with love, when we manifest Allah’s love in our lives; with our families, with our friends, in our work, in our prayers, in everything that we do, the entire meaning of life changes for us and our own experience of our humanness is transformed; we become adorned with the beautiful characteristics of the Prophet.
This is the meaning of following in the footsteps of the Prophet (puh); we follow him by adorning ourselves with the qualities of his noble character. We follow him by striving to become like him in our humanness, in our quality of relationships, in our conduct in society, in our service to humanity.
The noble character of the Prophet (puh) has been best explained by his cousin, Jaffar Ibn Abu Talib, when he was asked by the King of Abbysinia to explain his religion. Jaffar replied:

We were a people lost in ignorance. We worshipped idols, we back-stabbed one another in gossip, we committed sins without shame, we severed the bonds of mercy among us, and we were unkind neighbors. The strong among us devoured the weak. Thus we were until Allah sent to us a messenger from among ourselves, well-known to us in his nobility, honesty, trustworthiness, and tenderness. He called us to unity and to devoting our worship to Allah alone and to removing the idols from our hearts. He commanded us to be truthful when we spoke, and to fulfill our trust, and to preserve the bonds of mercy among us, and to be kind neighbors, and to desist from violating what is sacred. He called us to turn back from our sins, and from falsehood, and from devouring the wealth of orphans, and from defaming honorable women. So we believed in him and in his message and we followed what he received from his Lord.


Brothers and sisters, the Sunnah of the Prophet is about the kind of character that manifests God’s love in existence. His Sunnah is that which ennobles us, that which transforms us into better human beings. It’s about becoming kind and tender human beings who are deeply and profoundly in love with God.
The Prophet’s love, awe, and longing for Allah comes through with overwhelming clarity when we reflect upon his prayers. Here is just one example:

O my God, make me love You, make me love those who love You, make me love all things that bring me closer to loving You. O my God, make me love You, and Your angels, and Your prophets, and all of Your creation. O my God, make my love for You dearer to me than myself, and my family, and my wealth, and my children, and from cool, pure water to the thirsty.
May Allah bless us with His love, and the love of those who love Him. May Allah fill our hearts with love. Allah bless Prophet Muhammad, his family, and companions. Peace be with you and Allah’s mercy.

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem
Praise is to Allah the Merciful, and the Compassionate. I bear witness that there is only one God and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Prophet. Peace and blessing upon him, his family and companions. We bear witness that he fulfilled his mission and delivered his trust and made the path of surrender clear to us.
In the Quran it says,

2:165 Among people there are those who take others as equal besides Allah. They love them as they would love Allah. But those who have faith love Allah more than anything else.

You remember in the first part of this Khutba that the Prophet (puh) told the man who came to him, “You are with those you love.” The Prophet wasn’t just being nice to this man, he was teaching him and us something very important. He was making clear that love is the ultimate test of our worthiness as human beings. And he was giving us a way to understand about our own love. To know what it is that we really love.
We are with what we love. Whatever we love is what is closest to us. What is most often thought of and remembered by us, what is most sought by us, that’s what we love. So, what is it that we remember the most? What occupies our attention the most? What do we wish for the most? Let us be honest with ourselves, do we think of Allah most of the time? Or are we thinking of other things most of the time. Where is our attention? Is it on God or is it on the countless other things that occupy us and distract us from our real purpose?
If we can examine ourselves honestly and know what we love then we have taken a major step forward. If we find that what we love is Allah then we are blessed with a great gift for which all praise is due to Allah. But if what we love is other than Allah, then at least we know and we have the opportunity to seek to change what is in our hearts.
A reliable test of how true our love is for Allah is to see how much we are able to serve others and to give of ourselves generously and openly for Allah’s sake. This is one of the most important truths: The quality of our faith is reflected in our intention, attitudes, and behavior.
How do we do this? How do we clear our hearts of our love and attachment for all these things that are other than Allah? How do we get rid of our pre-occupation with all the other captivating distractions that compete for our attention? How do we become among those who love Allah more than anything else ? We can find the answer in the Quran and the way of our Prophet (puh) and it is the remembrance of God because it is in the constant remembrance of God that our hearts can find stillness and intimacy can develop. As we are guided in the Quran:

13:28 It is through remembrance of God that hearts find rest.
In the Quran Allah promises us,

2:152 Remember Me, I shall remember you.
Our remembrance of Allah is His remembrance of us. Our call to Him is His answer to us. Remembrance is the way of intimacy with Allah.
In a Sacred Tradition, Allah says, “I am as my worshipper thinks I am. I am with him when he remembers Me if he seeks closeness to Me by as little as an inch, I come closer to him by a yard. And if he seeks closeness to Me by a yard, I come closer to him by a mile. And if he comes to Me walking, I come to him running.”
In another Sacred Tradition Allah says, “My worshipper can get close to me with nothing better than what I have made obligatory. And as he continues to get closer with selfless acts of giving I love him. And when I love him, I become his hearing, his sight, his hands, and his feet. And whatever he asks of Me, I shall give him and whatever aid he seeks of Me, I shall aid him.”
So, Allah’s grace multiplies with our sincere efforts and honest intention to come closer to Him. Whatever we give to Him comes back manifold to us. In this way, little by little, our love for Allah grows and develops and it transforms us into loving, noble human beings.
We get close to Allah by serving Him, by being for His sake, by learning to make our intentions purely for Him, by learning to become a little less selfish and a lot more giving.

The Prophet (puh) once told his dear companion, Muazh Ibn Jabal, “Muazh, I do love you!” Muazh replied, “And I love you, Messenger of Allah, more dearly than my own father and mother!” The Prophet then instructed Muazh, “Do not end a prayer without asking Allah to help you remember Him, to be thankful to Him, and to serve Him in the best of ways.”

As we continue to live our lives in remembrance of Allah our capacity for love will grow, our hearts will expand and we will reach our full human potential inshallah.
The intimacy and love that develops in us with our remembrance and other selfless acts of service is a mystery and a wonder.
Allah says in a Sacred Tradition, “I have prepared for my righteous servants what no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor been imagined by any human heart.”
May Allah bless us with His merciful guidance to His straight path. May He bless us with His love. Allah we seek refuge in You from hearts that are not humble, and egos that are never satisfied, and eyes that do not weep, and prayers that are not answered, and works that are not elevated.
Allah, bless us with wholesome hearts, grateful tongues, and obedient bodies. Do not let us forget You. Do not deny us loving You. Allah, preserve us and protect us. Be merciful with us. Increase our blessings and support us. O You who has ability over all things.
Allah, bless Your beloved servant, and the light of our hearts, our master and friend Muhammad, the noble and pure Prophet and bless his family, companions, and followers. May we become his companions in this world and in the other world, and peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
Rise to prayer that Allah may have mercy on us all.

 


 




Inspiring Quotes About Loving Your Work

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

 Steve Jobs

“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”

 Patanjali

“The secret of joy in work is contained in one word – excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.”
Pearl S. Buck

“Yes, I’ve made a great deal of dough from my fiction, but I never set a single word down on paper with the thought of being paid for it … I have written because it fulfilled me … I did it for the buzz. I did it for the pure joy of the thing. And if you can do it for joy, you can do it forever.” (Stephen King)

Rabu, 10 September 2014

SALAH SATU CARA MUDAH MENGHAPAL NAMA2 SURAH DALAM AL QUR’AN



Assalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi
Wabarokaatuh
Al Qur’an adalah Kitab Suci agama Islam yang wajib di baca dan dipelajari oleh setiap umat Muslim.Namun faktanya , sangat jarang umat muslim yang bisa menghapal seluruh isi Al Qur’an ( Tahfidz ). Jangankan hapal isinya , urutan nama-nama surah yang ada dalam Al Qur’an saja tidak banyak yang hapal. Nah untuk lebih meningkatkan motivasi kita semua agar nantinya mampu menghapal seluruh isi Al Qur’an , maka saya coba memulainya
dengan memberikan satu cara yang menyenangkan untuk menghapal nama-nama surah dalam Al Qur’an. Salah satu metode menghapal yang
cukup efektif adalah dengan membuat
cerita dari urutan surah sehingga kita mudah mengingatnya.
Cobalah baca Cerita-cerita di bawah ini, dan perhatikan kata-kata yang berhuruf besar. Kata- kata tersebut adalah nama-nama surat dalam Al Qur’an. Hafalkan ceritanya, dan kemudian tuliskan kata-kata tersebut secara berurut.Maka akan kita dapatkan nama surat
dan nomor urutnya. Silahkan mencoba :
Cerita I ; (Surah 1 – 10)
Paman membaca AL FATIHAH sebelum memasak SAPI BETINA milik KELUARGA IMRAN yang punya anak wanita bernama AN NISA. Sebagian HIDANGAN itu diberikan untuk BINATANG TERNAK. Kemudian paman menuju TEMPAT-TEMPAT YANG TINGGI, untuk mencuri HARTA RAMPASAN PERANG. Namun akhirnya paman ber-TAUBAT seperti taubatnya Nabi YUNUS.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
1.AL-FATIHAH
2.SAPI BETINA – AL-BAQOROH
3.KELUARGA IMRAN – ALI IMRON
4.AN NISA
5.HIDANGAN – AL MAIDAH
6.BINATANG TERNAK – AL AN ‘AM
7.TEMPAT-TEMPAT YANG TINGGI – AL A’ ROF
8.HARTA RAMPASAN PERANG – AL ANFAL
9.TAUBAT – AT TAUBAH
10.YUNUS
Cerita II; (Surah 11 – 20)
HUD dan YUSUF melihat PETIR.Sementara itu IBRAHIM sedang berada di PEGUNUNGAN HIJR. Ia mencari LEBAH, untuk kemudian memulai PERJALANAN MALAM menuju ke GUA untuk menemui MARYAM dan TOHA.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
11.HUD
12.YUSUF
13.PETIR – AR RA’D
14.IBRAHIM
15.PEGUNUNGAN HIJR – AL HIJR
16.LEBAH – AN NAHL
17.PERJALANAN MALAM – AL ISRO
18.GUA – AL KAHFI
19.MARYAM
20.TOHA
Cerita III ; (Surah 21 – 30)
PARA NABI pergi HAJI diikuti oleh ORANG-ORANG BERIMAN. Mereka seperti CAHAYA. Inilah yang menjadi PEMBEDA ANTARA YANG BENAR DAN BATHIL. Sementara itu, PARA PENYAIR bercerita tentang SEMUT.
Cerita itu terangkum dalam buku KISAH –KISAH. Dalam buku itu juga diceritakan tentang LABA-LABA yang menyerang BANGSA ROMAWI.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
21.PARA NABI – AL ANBIYA
22.HAJI – AL HAJJ
23.ORANG – ORANG BERIMAN-AL
MU’MINUN
24.CAHAYA – AN NUR
25.PEMBEDA ANTARA YANG BENAR
DAN BATHIL – AL FURQON
26.PARA PENYAIR – ASY SYU ‘ARO
27.SEMUT-AN NAML
28.KISAH2 – AL QOSHOSH
29.LABA-LABA – AL ‘ANKABUT
30.BANGSA ROMAWI – AR RUM
Cerita IV ; (Surah 31 – 40)
LUKMAN tidak berSUJUD di kaum yang terkena AHZAB dan tidak juga kepada kaum SABA’. Sementara itu FATHIR dan YASIN berdiri bersama orang YANG BERSHAF-SHAF dan membentuk huruf SHOD. Mereka teramasuk ROMBONGAN – ROMBONGAN yang memohon ampunan kepada YANG MAHA PENGAMPUN.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
31.LUKMAN – LUQMAN
32.SUJUD – AS SAJDAH
33.AL AHZAB
34.SABA’
35.FATHIR
36.YASIN
37.YANG BERSHAF2– ASH
SHOOFFAT
38 SHOD
39.ROMBONGAN-ROMBONGAN – AZ
ZUMAR
40.YANG MAHA PENGAMPUN –
GHOFIR
Cerita V; (Surah 41 – 50)
YANG DIJELASKAN dalam MUSYAWARAH itu adalah tentang
PERHIASAN. Bukan tentang KABUT. Sementara itu banyak orang YANG BERLUTUT di BUKIT-BUKIT PASIR. Saat itulah MUHAMMAD mendapat KEMENANGAN. Hal ini ditandai dengan KAMAR-KAMAR bertuliskan huruf QOF.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
41.YANG DIJELASKAN – FUSHSHILAT
42.MUSYAWARAH – ASY SYURA
43.PERHIASAN – AZ ZUKHRUF
44.KABUT – AD DUKHAN
45.YANG BERLUTUT – AL JATSIYAH
46.BUKIT2 PASIR – AL AHQOF
47.MUHAMMAD – MUHAMMAD
48.KEMENANGAN – AL FATH
49.KAMAR2– AL HUJURAT
50.QOF
Cerita VI ; (Surah 51 – 60)
ANGIN YANG MENERBANGKAN
membawa awan ke bukit THURSINA.Ini terjadi saat BINTANG dan BULAN bersinar. Sementara itu pak RAHMAN sedang berceramah tentang HARI KIAMAT. Dimana BESI hancur, WANITA YANG MENGAJUKAN GUGATAN mengalami PENGUSIRAN, dan banyak PEREMPUAN YANG DIUJI.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
51.ANGIN YANG MENERBANGKAN –
ADZ DZARIYAT
52.THURSINA – ATH THUR
53.BINTANG – AN NAJM
54.BULAN – AL QOMAR
55.AR RAHMAN
56.HARI KIAMAT – AL WAQI ‘AH
57.BESI – AL HADID
58.WANITA YANG MENGAJUKAN
GUGATAN – AL MUJADILAH
59 PENGUSIRAN – AL HASYR
60.PEREMPUAN YANG DIUJI – AL
MUMTAHANAH
Cerita VII ; (Surah 61 – 70)
BARISAN orang beriman pada HARI JUM’AT berbeda dengan ORANG – ORANG MUNAFIK. Demikian juga pada HARI DITAMPAKAN KESALAHAN -KESALAHAN. Ketika aku di-TALAK, aku MENGHARAMKAN dia untuk masuk rumah ini. KERAJAAN yang indah, PENA yang mahal, pada HARI KIAMAT tidak lagi berharga. Disinilah
TEMPAT-TEMPAT NAIK bagi amal sholih.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
61.BARISAN – ASH SHOF
62.HARI JUM’AT – AL JUMU’AH
63.ORANG-ORANG MUNAFIK – AL
MUNAFIQUN
64.HARI DITAMPAKAN KESALAHAN-
KESALAHAN – AL TAGHOBUN
65.TALAK – ATH THOLAQ
66.MENGHARAMKAN – AT TAHRIM
67.KERAJAAN – AL MULK
68.PENA – AL QOLAM
69.HARI KIAMAT – AL HAAQQAH
70.TEMPAT2 NAIK – AL MA
‘ARIJ
Cerita VIII ; (Surah 71 – 80)
NUH diganggu JIN disaat ORANG YANG BERSELIMUT dan ORANG YANG BERKEMUL tertidur pulas. Ia tidak menyadari datangnya KIAMAT. Sementara itu, ketika MANUSIA bertemu dengan MALAIKAT YANG
DIUTUS untuk menyampaikan BERITA
BESAR tentang kematian, MALAIKAT-
MALAIKAT YANG MENCABUT nyawa
sedang melihat IA BERMUKA MASAM.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
71.NUH – NUH
72.JIN – AL JINN
73.ORANG YANG BERSELIMUT – AL
MUZAMMIL
74.ORANG YANG BERKEMUL – AL
MUDATSTSIR
75.KIAMAT – AL QIYAMAH
76.MANUSIA – AL INSAN
77.MALAIKAT YANG DIUTUS – AL
MURSALAT
78.BERITA BESAR – AN NABA’
79.MALAIKAT2 YANG
MENCABUT – AN NAZI ‘AT
80.IA BERMUKA MASAM – ‘ABASA
Cerita IX ; (Surah 81 – 90)
Ombak MENGGULUNG, bumi TERBELAH, ORANG-ORANG YANG
CURANG pun ikut TERBELAH. Mereka
seperti GUGUSAN BINTANG YANG DATANG DI MALAM HARI. Mereka berada di tempat YANG PALING TINGGI. Pada HARI PEMBALASAN tidak akan muncul FAJAR di NEGERI manapun.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
81.MENGGULUNG – AT TAKWIR
82.TERBELAH – AL INFITHOR
83.ORANG-ORANG YANG CURANG –
AL MUTHOFFIFIN
84.TERBELAH – AL INSYIQOQ
85.GUGUSAN BINTANG – AL BURUJ
86.YANG DATANG DI MALAM HARI – ATH THORIQ
87.YANG PALING TINGGI – AL A ‘LA
88.HARI PEMBALASAN – AL GHOSYIYAH
89.FAJAR – AL FAJR
90.NEGERI – AL BALAD
Cerita X; (Surah 91 – 100)
MATAHARI tenggelam saat MALAM tiba. Dan ketika WAKTU DHUHA, Allah MELAPANGKAN rizki dan menumbuhkan BUAH TIN. Sementara itu manusia yang berasal dari SEGUMPAL DARAH tidak mempunyai KEMULIAAN sedikit pun. Ini adalah BUKTI akan terjadi KEGONCANGAN di dunia. Hingga KUDA PERANG YANG BERLARI KENCANG pun mati.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
91.MATAHARI – ASY SYAMS
92.MALAM – AL LAIL
93.WAKTU DHUHA – ADH DHUHA
94.MELAPANGKAN – AL INSYIROH
95.BUAH TIN – AT TIN
96.SEGUMPAL DARAH – AL ‘ALAQ
97.KEMULIAAN – AL QODR
98.BUKTI – AL BAYYINAH
99.KEGONCANGAN – AZ ZALZALAH
100.KUDA PERANG YANG BERLARI
KENCANG – AL`ADIYAT
Cerita XI ; (Surah 101 – 110)
HARI KIAMAT, hari dimana manusia
tidak bisa lagi BERMEGAH-MEGAHAN.
Pada MASA itulah si PENGUMPAT mati diinjak-injak GAJAH. Sementara itu SUKU QURAISY bertengkar dengan
pak MA’UN di tepi telaga KAUTSAR. Saat itu ORANG-ORANG KAFIR tidak mendapatkan PERTOLONGAN.
NO.KRONOLOGI CERITA
101.HARI KIAMAT– AL QORI ‘AH
102.BERMEGAH-MEGAHAN – AT
TAKATSUR
103.MASA – AL ‘ASHR
104.PENGUMPAT – AL HUMAZAH
105.GAJAH – AL FI-L
106.SUKU QURAISY – QURAISY
107.MA’UN – AL MA ‘UN
108.KAUTSAR – AL KAUTSAR
109.ORANG-ORANG KAFIR – AL KAFIRUN
110.PERTOLONGAN – AN NASHR
Cerita XII (Surah 111-114)
Insya Allah 4 surat terakhir ini semua
dari kita sudah menghafalnya.
NO.SURAT
111.AL LAHAB
112.AL IKHLASH
113.AL FALAQ
114.AN NAAS

Senin, 08 September 2014

Kurikulum 2013

Oleh Mohammad Nuh
Menteri Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan RI
Artikel ini Sudah Dimuat di Harian Kompas, Kamis, 7 Maret 2013


Dalam beberapa bulan terakhir, harian Kompas memuat tulisan dari mereka yang pro ataupun kontra terhadap rencana implementasi Kurikulum 2013. Saya menyampaikan ucapan terima kasih dan penghargaan yang tinggi atas berbagai pandangan tersebut. 

Saya berkesimpulan, mereka yang mempertanyakan kurikulum 2013 adalah karena ada perbedaan cara pandang atau belum memahami secara utuh konsep kurikulum berbasis kompetensi yang menjadi dasar Kurikulum 2013.

Secara falsafati, pendidikan adalah proses panjang dan berkelanjutan untuk mentransformasikan peserta didik menjadi manusia yang sesuai dengan tujuan penciptaannya, yaitu bermanfaat bagi dirinya, bagi sesama, bagi alam semesta, beserta segenap isi dan peradabannya.

Dalam UU Sisdiknas, menjadi bermanfaat itu dirumuskan dalam indikator strategis, seperti beriman-bertakwa, berakhlak mulia, sehat, berilmu, cakap, kreatif, mandiri, dan menjadi warga negara yang demokratis serta bertanggung jawab. Dalam memenuhi kebutuhan kompetensi Abad 21, UU Sisdiknas juga memberikan arahan yang jelas, bahwa tujuan pendidikan harus dicapai salah satunya melalui penerapan kurikulum berbasis kompetensi. Kompetensi lulusan program pendidikan harus mencakup tiga kompetensi, yaitu sikap, pengetahuan, dan keterampilan, sehingga yang dihasilkan adalah manusia seutuhnya. Dengan demikian, tujuan pendidikan nasional perlu dijabarkan menjadi himpunan kompetensi dalam tiga ranah kompetensi (sikap, pengetahuan, dan keterampilan). Di dalamnya terdapat sejumlah kompetensi yang harus dimiliki seseorang agar dapat menjadi orang beriman dan bertakwa, berilmu, dan seterusnya.

Mengingat pendidikan idealnya proses sepanjang hayat, maka lulusan atau keluaran dari suatu proses pendidikan tertentu harus dipastikan memiliki kompetensi yang diperlukan untuk melanjutkan pendidikannya secara mandiri sehingga esensi tujuan pendidikan dapat dicapai. 

Perencanaan Pembelajaran

Dalam usaha menciptakan sistem perencanaan, pelaksanaan, dan pengendalian yang baik, proses panjang tersebut dibagi menjadi beberapa jenjang, berdasarkan perkembangan dan kebutuhan peserta didik. Setiap jenjang dirancang memiliki proses sesuai perkembangan dan kebutuhan peserta didik sehingga ketidakseimbangan antara input yang diberikan dan kapasitas pemrosesan dapat diminimalkan.

Sebagai konsekuensi dari penjenjangan ini, tujuan pendidikan harus dibagi-bagi menjadi tujuan antara. Pada dasarnya kurikulum merupakan perencanaan pembelajaran yang dirancang berdasarkan tujuan antara di atas. Proses perancangannya diawali dengan menentukan kompetensi lulusan (standar kompetensi lulusan). Hasilnya, kurikulum jenjang satuan pendidikan.

Dalam teori manajemen, sebagai sistem perencanaan pembelajaran yang baik, kurikulum harus mencakup empat hal. Pertama, hasil akhir pendidikan yang harus dicapai peserta didik (keluaran), dan dirumuskan sebagai kompetensi lulusan. Kedua, kandungan materi yang harus diajarkan kepada, dan dipelajari oleh peserta didik (masukan/standar isi), dalam usaha membentuk kompetensi lulusan yang diinginkan. Ketiga, pelaksanaan pembelajaran (proses, termasuk metodologi pembelajaran sebagai bagian dari standar proses), supaya ketiga kompetensi yang diinginkan terbentuk pada diri peserta didik. Keempat, penilaian kesesuaian proses dan ketercapaian tujuan pembelajaran sedini mungkin untuk memastikan bahwa masukan, proses, dan keluaran tersebut sesuai dengan rencana.

Dengan konsep kurikulum berbasis kompetensi, tak tepat jika ada yang menyampaikan bahwa pemerintah salah sasaran saat merencanakan perubahan kurikulum, karena yang perlu diperbaiki sebenarnya metodologi pembelajaran bukan kurikulum. (Mohammad Abduhzen, “Urgensi Kurikulum 2013”, Kompas, 21/2 dan “Implementasi Pendidikan”, Kompas, 6/3). Hal ini menunjukkan belum dipahaminya secara utuh bahwa kurikulum berbasis kompetensi termasuk mencakup metodologi pembelajaran. 

Tanpa metodologi pembelajaran yang sesuai, tak akan terbentuk kompetensi yang diharapkan. Sebagai contoh, dalam Kurikulum 2013, kompetensi lulusan dalam ranah keterampilan untuk SD dirumuskan sebagai “memiliki (melalui mengamati, menanya, mencoba, mengolah, menyaji,  menalar, mencipta) kemampuan pikir dan tindak yang produktif  dan kreatif, dalam ranah konkret dan  abstrak, sesuai dengan yang  ditugaskan kepadanya.”
Kompetensi semacam ini tak akan tercapai bila pengertian kurikulum diartikan sempit, tak termasuk metodologi pembelajaran. Proses pembentukan kompetensi itu, sudah dirumuskan dengan baik melalui kajian para peneliti, dan akhirnya diterima luas sebagai suatu taksonomi.

Pemikiran pengembangan Kurikulum 2013 seperti diuraikan di atas dikembangkan atas dasar taksonomi-taksonomi yang diterima secara luas, kajian KBK 2004 dan KTSP 2006, dan tantangan Abad 21 serta penyiapan Generasi 2045. Dengan demikian, tidaklah tepat apa yang disampaikan Elin Driana, “Gawat Darurat Pendidikan” (Kompas, 14/12/2012) yang mengharapkan sebelum Kurikulum 2013 disahkan, baiknya dilakukan evaluasi terhadap kurikulum sebelumnya.

Mengatakan tidak ada masalah dengan kurikulum saat ini adalah kurang tepat. Sebagai contoh, hasil pembandingan antara materi TIMSS 2011 dan materi kurikulum saat ini, untuk mata pelajaran Matematika dan IPA, menunjukkan, kurang dari 70 persen materi TIMSS yang telah diajarkan sampai dengan kelas VIII SMP.
Belum lagi rumusan kompetensi yang belum sesuai dengan tuntutan UU dan praktik terbaik di dunia, ketidaksesuaian materi matapelajaran dan tumpang tindih yang tidak diperlukan pada beberapa materi matapelajaran, kecepatan pembelajaran yang tidak selaras antarmata pelajaran, dangkalnya materi, proses, dan penilaian pembelajaran, sehingga peserta didik kurang dilatih bernalar dan berfikir. 

Kompetensi Inti

Kompetensi lulusan jenjang satuan pendidikan pun masih memerlukan rencana pendidikan yang panjang untuk pencapaiannya. Sekali lagi, teori manajemen mengajarkan, untuk memudahkan proses perencanaan dan pengendaliannya, pencapaian jangka panjang perlu dibagi-bagi jadi beberapa tahap sesuai dengan jenjang kelas di mana kurikulum tersebut diterapkan.

Sejalan dengan UU, kompetensi inti ibarat anak tangga yang harus ditapak peserta didik untuk sampai pada kompetensi lulusan jenjang satuan pendidikan. Kompetensi inti meningkat seiring meningkatnya usia peserta didik yang dinyatakan dengan meningkatnya kelas.

Melalui kompetensi inti, sebagai anak tangga menuju ke kompetensi lulusan, integrasi vertikal antarkompetensi dasar dapat dijamin, dan peningkatan kemampuan peserta dari kelas ke kelas dapat direncanakan. Sebagai anak tangga menuju ke kompetensi lulusan multidimensi, kompetensi inti juga memiliki multidimensi. Untuk kemudahan operasionalnya, kompetensi lulusan pada ranah sikap dipecah menjadi dua, yaitu sikap spiritual terkait tujuan membentuk peserta didik yang beriman dan bertakwa, dan kompetensi sikap sosial terkait tujuan membentuk peserta didik yang berakhlak mulia, mandiri, demokratis, dan bertanggung jawab. 

Kompetensi inti bukan untuk diajarkan, melainkan untuk dibentuk melalui pembelajaran mata pelajaran-mata pelajaran yang relevan. Setiap mata pelajaran harus tunduk pada kompetensi inti yang telah dirumuskan. Dengan kata lain, semua mata pelajaran yang diajarkan dan dipelajari pada kelas tersebut harus berkontribusi terhadap pembentukan kompetensi inti. 

Ibaratnya, kompetensi inti merupakan pengikat kompetensi-kompetensi yang harus dihasilkan dengan mempelajari setiap mata pelajaran. Di sini kompetensi inti berperan sebagai integrator horizontal antarmata pelajaran.

Dengan pengertian ini, kompetensi inti adalah bebas dari mata pelajaran karena tidak mewakili mata pelajaran tertentu. Kompetensi inti merupakan kebutuhan kompetensi peserta didik, sedangkan mata pelajaran adalah pasokan kompetensi dasar yang akan diserap peserta didik melalui proses pembelajaran yang tepat, menjadi kompetensi inti. Bila pengertian kompetensi inti telah dipahami dengan baik, tentunya tidak akan ada kritikan bahwa Kurikulum 2013 adalah salah dengan alasan pada “Kompetensi Inti Bahasa Indonesia” tidak terdapat kompetensi yang mencerminkan kompetensi Bahasa Indonesia, karena memang tidak ada yang namanya kompetensi inti Bahasa Indonesia, sebagaimana yang dipertanyakan Acep Iwan Saidi, “Petisi untuk Wapres” (Kompas, 2/3).

Dalam mendukung kompetensi inti, capaian pembelajaran mata pelajaran diuraikan menjadi kompetensi dasar-kompetensi dasar yang dikelompokkan menjadi empat. Ini  sesuai dengan rumusan kompetensi inti yang didukungnya, yaitu dalam kelompok kompetensi sikap spiritual, kompetensi sikap sosial, kompetensi pengetahuan, dan kompetensi keterampilan.

Uraian kompetensi dasar sedetil ini adalah untuk memastikan bahwa capaian pembelajaran tidak berhenti sampai pengetahuan saja, melainkan harus berlanjut ke keterampilan, dan bermuara pada sikap. 

Kompetensi dasar dalam kelompok kompetensi inti sikap bukanlah untuk peserta didik, karena kompetensi ini tidak diajarkan, tidak dihafalkan, tidak diujikan, tapi sebagai pegangan bagi pendidik, bahwa dalam mengajarkan mata pelajaran tersebut, ada pesan-pesan sosial dan spiritual yang terkandung dalam materinya. Apabila konsep pembentukan kompetensi ini dipahami, dapat mengurangi bahkan menghilangkan kegelisahan yang disampaikan L. Wiliardjo dalam “Yang Indah dan yang Absurd” (Kompas,  22/2)

Kedudukan Bahasa

Uraian rumusan kompetensi seperti itu masih belum cukup untuk dapat digunakan, terutama saat merancang kurikulum SD (jenjang sekolah paling rendah), tempat dimana peserta didik mulai diperkenalkan banyak kompetensi untuk dikuasai. Pada saat memulainya pun, peserta didik SD masih belum terlatih berfikir abstrak. Dalam kondisi seperti inilah, maka terlebih dahulu perlu dibentuk suatu saluran yang menghubungkan sumber-sumber kompetensi, yang sebagian besarnya abstrak, kepada peserta didik yang masih mulai belajar berfikir abstrak.

Di sini peran bahasa menjadi dominan, yaitu sebagai saluran mengantarkan kandungan materi dari semua sumber kompetensi kepada peserta didik.

Usaha membentuk saluran sempurna (perfect channels dalam teknologi komunikasi) dapat dilakukan dengan menempatkan bahasa sebagai penghela mata pelajaran-mata pelajaran lain. Dengan kata lain, kandungan materi mata pelajaran lain dijadikan sebagai konteks dalam penggunaan jenis teks yang sesuai dalam pelajaran Bahasa Indonesia. Melalui pembelajaran tematik integratif dan perumusan kompetensi inti, sebagai pengikat semua kompetensi dasar, pemaduan ini akan dapat dengan mudah direalisasikan.

Dengan cara ini, maka pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia dapat dibuat menjadi kontekstual, sesuatu yang hilang pada model pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia saat ini, sehingga pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia kurang diminati oleh pendidik maupun peserta didik.

Melalui pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia yang kontekstual, peserta didik sekaligus dilatih menyajikan bermacam kompetensi dasar secara logis dan sistematis. Mengatakan kompetensi dasar Bahasa Indonesia SD, yang memuat penyusunan teks untuk menjelaskan pemahaman peserta didik, terhadap ilmu pengetahuan alam sebagai mengada-ada (Acep Iwan Saidi, “Petisi untuk Wapres”), sama saja dengan melupakan fungsi bahasa sebagai pembawa kandungan ilmu pengetahuan.

Kurikulum 2013 adalah kurikulum berbasis kompetensi yang pernah digagas dalam Rintisan Kurikulum Berbasis Kompetensi (KBK) 2004, tapi belum terselesaikan karena desakan untuk segera mengimplementasikan Kurikulum Tingkat Satuan Pendidikan (KTSP) 2006. Rumusannya berdasarkan pada sudut pandang yang berbeda dengan kurikulum berbasis materi, sehingga sangat dimungkinkan terjadi perbedaan persepsi tentang bagaimana kurikulum seharusnya dirancang. Perbedaan ini menyebabkan munculnya berbagai kritik dari yang terbiasa menggunakan kurikulum berbasis materi. Untuk itu ada baiknya memahami lebih dahulu terhadap konstruksi kompetensi dalam kurikulum sesuai koridor yang telah digariskan UU Sisdiknas, sebelum mengkritik.