In the midst of the pandemic situation that does not yet appear to be ended like this, social life is increasingly restricted. Space is getting narrower. Learning forums that gather a lot of masses are even almost gone. It is true that before the existence of the pandemic our society had become very attached to cellphones, let alone at this time; it is getting more inseparable. Life and all these trinkets are as if folded in a few inches cell phone screen. This condition makes all things related to digital world become increasingly needed and even well-sell.
The one who gets the great fortune is the world of digital writing. The call to write for Islamic students echoed everywhere, so that this virtual world is filled with the friendly colors of Islam. As it is commonly known, the large number of writings that are displayed for free in “Mbah Google” warehouse often makes many people slip in understanding religion. This is because the writings presented were not written by people who are competent in their fields. The slip of understanding religion can also be affected by the existence of people who are deliberately creating turbidity in religion. In this realm, the participation of santri (Islamic students) as the keepers of religious knowledge becomes absolutely necessary. Hence, their work in written form is one of the most effective choices.
Writing is a work for eternity. Our name will be remembered for all time even though the age is not up to the fifties. Our voices can continue to be heard even though the mouth is tightly shut. The body can be imprisoned behind the bars, but the writing can continue to roam to speak up the truth. The writing can also be a Jariyah charity whose the reward will still be harvested even though the author is already in the realm of death. So, in writing there are many benefits.
In fact, Imam Ali once said that one of two cases that could bind knowledge other than teaching is by writing. Science is eternal in memory because it is bound through writing. But then a question arises, “What about the writers who likes to write but his attitude is not correlated with their speech? Is it appropriate to write but not in accordance with their behaviors?”
Writing is like a sound, but it is received by the eyes, not the ears. So, a writer is the same as a preacher in term of the attitude. Then, how is the etiquette of a preacher?
To answer this question, we’d better to consider a story full of wisdom between Imam Hasan al-Basri and a slave who is eager to be free from the shackles of his master. This story is stated in the book Al-Fawaid al Mukhtaroh li Saliki Tariqil Akhiroh, which contains the wisdom of the words of Habib Zain bin Ibrahim bin Sumaith. In the book, it is told that the reason of Imam Hasan Al-Basri never obeyed the request of a congregation who asked him to deliver a sermon about freeing slaves.
“I postpone your request is none other than because at that time I had never owned a slave, and I did not have enough wealth to buy slaves, until one day God gave me fortune to buy slaves. After I bought it, I freed the slave. Since then I just want to convey the theme of the preaching according to your request. I just don’t want to preach about something that I haven’t experienced at all,” Imam Hasan al-Basri explained the reason to a man who was a former slave.
Is it still appropriate for us to advise through writing after reading the story of Hasan Al Basri above? The answer is certainly inappropriate. Then should we leave the world of writing because we don’t yet have a match between our behavior and our writing? Wait a minute. Indeed, behavior cannot be said to be complete. But should we wait to become a new Hasan Al-Basri to simply tell others that something is bad and another thing is good?
To become a preacher there is indeed a demand for moral compatibility with what is conveyed. Al-waidz or a preacher has moral responsibility to what they convey. In addition, a preacher with a bad moral is like a liar who likes to cover up his own disgrace by conveying holy sentences. Meanwhile, Allah says, “There is great hatred in the sight of Allah, that you say whatever you do not do.” – (QS.61: 3)
Then, is it a must for preachers / writers have to show his disgrace? Should they tell all their sins in front of those who are advised, so that they are not branded liars? Again, wait a minute. Gus Baha (KH Bahauddin Nursalim) once conveyed the sin of a father which is increasing unexpectedly because he told his children that in his youth he had been dating. Since, stories like this tend to inspire others (in this case children) to do the similar things.
So, exposing sins to others is also an unlawful matter because it can be a bad example for others. Even though every bad example that someone imitates will result in the sin being imposed on the person who gives the bad example. However, exposing the ugliness of the pious, for example to the teacher / kiai certainly cannot be equated with the above. Like a doctor, a cleric has the mandate to cure the heart disease of his students. It is because treating student ugliness cannot be done without knowing what ugliness the student has.
Actually, to be someone who can spread goodness does not have to be a perfect person, because not everyone is able to carry it out. Imam Ghazali in the book of Ihya ‘ulumuddin said that the one who is permissible to preach is only to those who has the clean behavior is extremely difficult to fulfill. Even this religion might be difficult to spread out if the people are not allowed to speak goodness.
However, the good that is spoken not by good people will be difficult to accept and tends to be ignored. One of the ways to continue broadcasting the goodness effectively is by telling stories. Exemplary stories are advices those are capable of breaking through the boundaries of the heart. Even most of the contents of the Qur’an are about the stories of previous people who are full of wisdom. Imam Abu Hanifah has stated that he prefers to trace the stories of the scholars rather than studying the sciences of jurisprudence, because in the stories are stored the foundations of science of jurisprudence and the virtues of the virtues of the pious.
In the book Ainul Adab Was Siyasah mentioned that Umar Bin Khattab RA. Once said, “You should hear stories about people who have virtue, because that includes the glory and there is position and enjoyment for the soul. The same thing was also conveyed by Ali bin Abdurrahman bin Hudzail in the same book, “You have to know that reading stories and histories about people who have virtue will give pleasure in one’s soul. These stories will relieve the heart and fill the void, forming a passionate character based on kindness, and eliminating laziness.”
Writing meaningful stories is a way to advice without patronizing. Hopefully, by keeping the message and having a will in goodness (whatever the way it is, and whatever the form is) we will be classified by Allah as the lucky people as stated in the Qur’an’s Surah Al-Ashr.
Wallahu a’lam bis showab.