Minggu lalu, di dalam bas semasa perjalanan pulang dari Blackrock untuk peperiksaan, aku berkenalan dengan seorang pakcik Irish yang sangat ramah. Pada awalnya, dia bertanya pada aku dari manakah aku datang dan apakah agamaku.Mengetahui aku seorang Muslim, dia dengan cepat mengajukan pertanyaan tentang kontroversi kartun Nabi Muhammad SAW yang diterbitkan oleh akhbar Denmark.

" Did you agree with what the Muslims did around the world?Attacking the Danish embassies and burning Danish flags?", tanyanya

"No. I never agree with any of that.What fruit can we gain from torching the flags or embassies?These acts are not helping Muslims at all. Our Muslim scholars prohibited the actions.Even in Syria and Lebanon, few scholars were standing in front of the embassies and asked the public to adhere the concept of tolerance and be more civilised than acting crazy to harm innocent people"

" So you don't mind when they were mocking your Prophet?"

"Of course it was not acceptable.For the Muslims, Prophet Muhammad is not like prophets in other religion.The Christians think it is okey to potray his image or even make jokes on him.But we Muslims, honour him and love him even more than ourselves. It is necessary to teach Denmark a lesson, but not by violence because it is never taught by our religion."

Pakcik Irish tadi mengangguk-ngangguk tanda berpuas hati dengan penjelasan aku. Dia merasakan sememangnya tidak wajar akhbar tersebut menyiarkan kartun yang menyentuh sensitiviti umat Islam, namun dia agak kesal dengan tindakan sebilangan umat Islam yang terlalu cepat mengikut perasaan. Jauh dari sudut hatinya, dia mempunyai rasa hormat kepada umat Islam kerana begitu kasih dan cinta pada Rasul mereka.Kecintaan sebegini tidak begitu terserlah dalam kepercayaan mereka.

Sepanjang perjalanan, dia tidak putus-putus bertanya tentang Islam. Kebetulan beberapa classmates aku turut berada di dalam bas dan mereka semuanya bertudung.Lantas, persoalan hijab turut dibangkitkan.

Dia bertanya," Is it a sin not to wear hijab for Muslim women?"

"Yes, it is a sin"

"So, is it lawful to beat women without hijab in Islam because the are sinful, like what the Talibans did?"

Aku cuma ketawa. Taliban bagiku bukanlah golongan yang sesuai untuk mewakili Islam.Mereka membuat perhitungan Islam tanpa merujuk kepada mana-mana ulama Islam.Seringkali pendakatan keras mereka menyebabkan timbulnya salah faham terhadap Islam sendiri.

"No, we have no rights to beat them up.Nobody have the rights.I have so many friends who do not wear hijab although they are raised as Muslims.I have never been judgemental and regard them as evil-doers.Of course, it is an obligation to cover up certain of their body parts.But if they refuse, advice should be given accordingly, not straight away beating them.And I never see myself better than the Muslims that are not wearing hijab.Beating women is not a culture in Islam.What Taliban did is merely actions from shallow interpretation of Islamic rulings.So many Muslim scholars condemned the act.Plus, Taliban was not led by scholars.They are movement represented by students who are not deeply rooted in Islamic traditions."

Pakcik Irish itu cuma ketawa "Well, it was a good explaination.Actually, I have been in few Muslim countries and I love them so much.It is only few things about Islam that hold me back.How about polygamy?As a Muslim man, you can marry 4 wives, can't you?"

"The Koran said that we are encouraged to take only one wife.But under few circumstances, we can marry more than one. Let's say your first wife could not bear any child for you.You have 2 options, first to let her go (divorce her) and marry another women.Or second, you can still keep her because you still love her but at the same you want children so badly.So what usually people do?"

"Take a mistress instead?"

"Yeah.....And it is even unfair for the first wife and your mistress.If you have illicit relationship and child, what good can it be?Most of children from these kind of relationship will end up neglected.So, the best way is not to divorce the first wife and marry another.It will ensure the rights of the wives and the children."

Pakcik tadi tersenyum lebar mendengar penjelasan aku.

"It makes sense"

Sebelum beredar, dia bertanya," What is good boy in Malaysian language?"

Aku menjawab," Budak baik."

Dan sebelum dia turun di destinasinya, dia berpaling padaku dan sambil melambai,

"See you again, budak baik!"