RITUALS IN SOCIETY LIFES

RITUALS IN SOCIETY LIFES
by : Zaharuddin, S.Th.I, M.Th.I

Hadith is the second source of Islam after the al-Qur'an. It can be said that for understanding the true of Islam, not only needs the Qur'anic instructions but also hadiths. Certainly, studying the hadith is necessary because it can lead to find new knowledge. Beside as the explanation of the al-Qur’an, hadith also mentions and talks about human issues whether it is abstract or not.

Talking about abstract is too general, for example Faith is something abstract in human mind and life as mentioned by the prophetic hadiths. Faith is also very influential on human activities. Being good in faith will lead to good actions, and muslims have no faith in their heart they will be careless of the Qur’anic instruction and prophet’s hadiths, and indeed, they can be out from the Islam and far from believing Allah.

Several rituals are practiced without instructions or guidance from the Prophet and it can lean out of Islam. One of such rituals, which is practiced in some places is RIWAS practice or “Ritual Wali Songo”, a term which is very popular in some parts of Indonesia.  This ritual is held at least once in a year. Everything they do in their live is just looking for financing that practice. When they are asked about this ritual and all practices they perform, There are many responses from them. The cause of their pray is from asking a high position, a high rank, a good fortune or many children in their family. Another question addressed is from whom they ask all these. They clearly answer that they ask from a religious man or a religious leader without any doubt. Although, some of them only ask to Allah but they believe that in order their praying will be quickly responded they come to a religious.

Another example is what the writer finds in one village in Wajo regency. Requesting to recover from a disease which is infected on their child’s body and disturbing the child health. They believe that the disease comes from his grandmothers or grandfathers who have died for several months or several years. They promise that if my son, for example, recovers from his disease, they will come to their mother’s grave and bring a red and black chicken. One to this believing, they come to their grandmother’s grave and bring some black and red chickens. At the grave, they request that their grandmother will not take her grandchild is disease by giving her a red and black chicken. It means, they believe his grandmother was making her grandchild became sick, or because of the requesting to his grandmother in the grave as a mediator to Allah so the child can be recovered from his disease.

There are many examples were found in several territories between are anak mallajang, mannomoro, mabboco-boco and many more which can’t be mentioned one by one. But, according to the writer that practices are not suitable with the hadith.

The examples above are suitable with the Arab behavior at Prophet period according to Muhammad Saw hadith, which is narrated by Ahmad that :

The meaning :
Sufyan told us from Hamzah Ibnul Mughirah from Suhail Ibnu Abi Shalih from his father from Abu Hurairah from prophet peace be upon him, he said that: "Oh God, don’t make my grave as an idol, Allah curses a group who makes their prophets grave, as mosques. (Achmad)"

And Bukhari says in his narrative that :

The Meaning:
'Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah told me that Aisyah and Abdullah bin Abbas said; when revelation was sent down to Allah’s messenger, He closes a piece of cloth to his face, and when he felt hard in his breath so we opned it, and he say :”Allah curses the Jewish and Christian, they make their prophet’s grave a mosque.”."

Sabab al-Wurud of the hadith above is Bukhariy mentions from Abdullah bin Abbas that he was with Aisyah Says : “ when an emptiness was in the Allah’s messenger’s face : and when the emptiness loses from his face : He said :” Allah Cursed the Jewish and Christian who use the   graves...till end”. In the light of the Sabab al-Wurud, Ibn Hamzah al-Husaini understands that Prophet remembers to be careful what they have done.

The cause of Allah’s fury to Jewish is that they use the Prophet’s and religious man’s graves as a direction for praying (kiblat). In part of Nashara’s argumentation says that when they don’t find a prophet’s grave they will look for a religious man’s grave.

Therefore, the writer Will explain the problems above by using any information from several sources, beside information from the hadiths and also from al-Qur’an instructions. So, Muslims understanding will be suitable with al-Qur’an and hadith, because the both of them are explaining and mentioning any kinds of information about this problem. Beside al-Qur’an and hadith instructions and also mention several information from religious perspectives about it.