Friday, February 27, 2009

HALAL ATAU HARAM?

Youssef baru saja menelponku, menanyakan apakah aku ada rencana keluar hari ini. “Bagaimana kalau kita ngobrol, sudah lama kita tidak ketemu, kamu belum sarapan kan? Katanya sebelum menutup telpon.
Anak muda tampan dari Maroko ini kukenal sejak hari pertama aku datang di San Marcos, dan kami sama-sama tinggal di International Housing sebelum pindah ke apartemen kami masing-masing. Sekarang ia tinggal di sebelah gedung apartemenku. Dia banyak membantuku mengenalkan tempat-tempat disekitar kampus, dan bahkan sempat mengajariku mengaji untuk menghilangkan kegelisahan.
Kami berjalan menuju Subway fastfood restaurant. Tempatnya kecil, tapi nyaman, dan yang penting, burgernya murah tapi mengenyangkan. Maklum hidup bagaikan anak kos, yang harus selalu memperhitungkan setiap pengeluaran.
“Kamu tak pernah menelponku”, ujar Youssef.
“Ah bukan begitu, tapi aku tahu kamu sibuk dengan kuliah dan tugas-tugasmu. Lagipula kan kamu masih muda, banyak menghabiskan waktumu dengan teman-teman sebayamu selama weekend”
“Still, Tiwi, kita ini kan bersaudara, sama-sama muslim, kalau kamu butuh sesuatu, jangan segan-segan memberitahu”
“Well, ok, sorry kalau ini sedikit mengganggumu.”
“No problem, I’m just concerned about you.” Bagaimana kabarmu, dimana biasanya kamu makan, aku tidak pernah ketemu kamu di cafeteria manapun” tanya Youssef.
Yusuf, begitu aku lebih suka memanggilnya, lebih terasa Indonesianya di lidahku. “Sejak 2 bulan lalu kita sering sarapan di Subway ini semasa kita di International Office, aku tidak pernah lagi makan di luar. Aku masak sendiri kok”
“Hmm, jago masak ya! Jadi kamu belanja daging dan ayam dimana, siapa yang biasanya mengantarmu kesana?
Si Yusuf ini, kalau sudah bertanya tidak pernah bisa dihentikan lagi. Belanja bukanlah hal yang sulit, semua orang tahu itu. Ada HEB dan Wall-mart yang buka 24 jam, dan barang-barangnya lengkap . Lagipula kemana lagi orang mau berbelanja di kota kecil yang sepi ini. Pergi kesana juga bukanlah jadi masalah. Biasanya aku naik bis kampus route Bobcat Stadium yang berhenti tepat dibelakang HEB, dan pulang dengan bis yang sama. Tinggal nanti ganti bis di Student Centre, ambil route LBJ menuju apartemenku.
Yusuf memesan footlong sandwich isi sayuran dan daging, sedangkan aku seperti biasa, memesan porsi separonya dengan isi ikan tuna. Beberapa kali makan di Subway, aku tidak pernah memesan yang lain.
“Kenapa kamu tidak makan daging atau ayam, Tiwi. You’re so thin, kamu harus makan yang lebih bergizi dong!”
“No, Yusuf, aku tidak yakin apakah daging atau ayamnya halal. Asal kamu tahu, meski aku masak sendiri, aku tidak pernah membeli daging atau ayam di HEB atau Wall-mart. Kamu kan tahu, kalau kamu ragu, sebaiknya dihindari. Kamu lebih pinter tentang agama dari aku, kamu paham Qu’an karena itu bahasamu sendiri. So, you tell me, seharusnya bagaimana?”
Halal atau haram? Selama 2 bulan tinggal di Amerika ini, pertanyaan ini selalu menggangguku. Kedekatanku dengan 2 muslimah di kampus, Shazia dan Zeenat, membawaku pada pemahaman bahwa banyak produk di supermarket yang tidak halal. Kalau mau membeli sesuatu, cek betul komposisinya, kamu tidak ingin tubuhmu dimasuki barang haram kan,” begitu jelas Shazia suatu kali. Cek di situs-situs Islami, bahan apa saja yang seharusnya dihindari.
Suatu kali kutemukan daftar panjang produk di pasaran yang dilabeli haram oleh Asosiasi Muslim di Amerika, dan yang meragukan. Aku jadi miris, jadi barang-barang atau cookies yang aku makan ini juga haram? Sejak itu aku amat membatasi diri dengan segala konsumsi yang aku beli, dan ini diprotes Yusuf.
“Tiwi, we live in America, kamu tidak bisa menghindarkan diri dari barang-barang yang barangkali mengandung minyak babi or something. Lagipula, aku sudah pernah bertanya pada ulama di Maroko. Kalau tidak ada pilihan, makan daging dan ayam di Amerika tidak berdosa. Yang penting baca Bismillah dulu, itu sudah menghalalkan makanan itu.
“Do you really think so? Well, I don’t buy that Yusuf”. Aku tidak sependapat dengan pandangan itu. Masalahnya disini banyak pilihan untuk tidak makan daging. Masih banyak ikan laut, telur, atau kalau mau, ya jadi vegetarian sekalian. Buat aku, tidak apa aku tidak makan daging selama aku tinggal disini” Aku berusaha membela.
“Ya sudah terserah, but I’m telling you, it’s ok”
“Ya tak apa, kita sepakat untuk tidak sepakat”.
Alhasil, sudah sembilan bulan aku hidup di San Marcos. Hanya sekali aku sempat pergi ke Halal Store milik orang Pakistan di Austin, dan saat itu pula aku bisa beli beberapa produk daging. Lumayanlah, satu bulan bisa merasakan nikmatnya rending daging dan ayam goreng tepung buatan sendiri. Begitu habis, ya kembali ke rutinitas diet tanpa daging.
Aku masih tetap berbeda pendapat dengan Yusuf, dan bahkan suamiku juga mengingatkan aku untuk tidak mempersulit diri. “Aku rasa Yusuf benar, yang penting berdoa dulu sebelum makan. Aku juga pernah mendengar khotbah tentang hal ini kok di mesjid.” Lalu tambahnya, “Lihat dirimu, sembilan bulan disana kok tidak tambah gemuk? Ya sudah, mumpung pulang kampung, kamu minta makan apa saja akan aku turuti.”
Halal atau haram? Aku sudah menanyakan ke banyak orang tentang boleh tidaknya makan daging atau ayam di Amerika, dan selama itu pula, beberapa pendapat juga berseliweran. Akhirnya aku menetapkan diri, karena aku punya meyakini ayat di Qur’an jelas menyebutkan, sementara disini masih banyak pilihan, antara lain pilihan untuk tidak makan daging, aku teruskan rutinitasku dengan ikan laut. Toh aku masih bisa sehat sampai saat ini. Semoga saja Yang Maha Menatap meridhoi niatku ini. Pendapat mana yang benar, Wallahu ‘alam.

13 Juli 2003

15 comments:

lila said...

Subhanallah.....
betapa indahnya dirimu,mam...
ketegasan dan keteguhan iman menambah jelas aura keindahan mam...

Absolutely, I go with you. Allah gives us rule in Islam is not for nothing. It has a big function and hikmah (i don't know it in English, mam). While we are warned to do something, actually it gives a bad effect for us.
Since we are just human being who is full of weakness, we really need rule to get a better life. While we are living in this world, we will face many problems. Thus, Islam has rules to lead us pass this life safely.
If i were you, I will do what you have done. Because there is no reason to break the rule, moreover there are still many choices to get halal food. And we still can eat another healthy food.
Our prophet also asked us to stay away from haram food, even it is needed as a medicine. While there are still many halal medicines, we have to choose these.
I think that's all of my comment. Thank's a lot for your attention.

lila said...

Subhanallah.....
betapa indahnya dirimu,mam...
ketegasan dan keteguhan iman menambah jelas aura keindahan mam...

Absolutely, I go with you. Allah gives us rule in Islam is not for nothing. It has a big function and hikmah (i don't know it in English, mam). While we are warned to do something, actually it gives a bad effect for us.
Since we are just human being who is full of weakness, we really need rule to get a better life. While we are living in this world, we will face many problems. Thus, Islam has rules to lead us pass this life safely.
If i were you, I will do what you have done. Because there is no reason to break the rule, moreover there are still many choices to get halal food. And we still can eat another healthy food.
Our prophet also asked us to stay away from haram food, even it is needed as a medicine. While there are still many halal medicines, we have to choose these.
I think that's all of my comment. Thank's a lot for your attention.

veny gunadi said...

I still remember what you have told me few times ago. You said that everyone would bring their own cultural bag when thay moved to other place. This really appear in your post. The problem of deciding the food which is going to eat is so important ( especially for moslem ) like us.
Other people may not really care about this problem. And the way people thinking can be changed only because the situation. It needs time to adapt with the situation around like when to shake hands and what to say when we meet people, when and how to give tips, how to give order to servants, when to accept and refuse invitation and etc. People need to have a brave in order to get what he or she wants. In this case if you are not asking then you will get what it is called uncomfortable. Everything will become so strange and probably you will blame the condition. Those problems of adaptating is happened mostly because one does not really struggle in getting along and sharing his or her condition.
Probably food is not the main problem that has enough preparation in the home country. But then it becomes one of serious problem when someone does not know which one is halal and which one is haram. I do not judge your problem of food is a serious one but it comes as an important problem for me. I really consist with my religion and i have no difficulty in choosing the food in Indonesia. But something funny was happened just now. I have an invitation from one of paper company in East Java to attend their Chinese ceremony. I forgot what the name of the ceremony is. Something surprising me there, yes of course about the food. Chinese people do not have a prohibitation to eat pork. So all of the food there was consisted of pork. And right after that, someone came to me and offer me a food with has a taste almost the same with pork but it did not consist of any pork inside. I was so hungry and eat it. Then I was so curious to ask about this to my kyai and he told me that it was makruh.
From that experience i realize that not only in America but that important problem can also happen in Indonesia. So i just want to emphasize that bringing our cultural bag everywhere is important in order to defend ourself from something which is new and probably also forbidden to do so.

Anonymous said...

hai ma'am..
based on your articles "halal atau haram?", i agree with you mam. cause if there is another way to keep our body from haram food and it can make us more healthy, why not?. we can make it as a habit. if i were you, I'll do the same way as you are or I'll gonna be a vegetarian. because i have a problem with my weight. if I'm a vegetarian, i believe it can keep me slim and healthy. maybe I'll meet no difficult cause i ain't meat consumer anymore since i was in junior high school. (Resty ayuningrum, 062154047)

hangz yeah said...

Moh. Fuadul Matin
062154038
Actually Allah does not make difficult in life, but human can not make it easy. Allah makes regulation to manage and make a good life for human. People will be broken if they do not obey the rule. There are many choices of food that can be eaten according to Islam, but if they are in dangerous condition they can eat that Allah forbids but this is in exception. if they say bismillah before eating haram food but this always continues, it can not be justified because it is habitual activity. it mixes between haram and halal. wherever we live in the world, there is a halal and haram so we can not blame the condition, but we still follow the regulation of Islam. thanks

Princezz said...

Actually this case almost same with what Ibrahim did in the case of “Religious Beliefs
: Discrimination”. Because not only about the food that forbidden or not but also, praying on time is the important thing to do for every Muslim. And the same things are, Tiwi and Ibrahim are a Muslim in a city where Muslim is a clan minority. And they were in the difficult condition to do with them beliefs. But there are have differences between them. Tiwi has optimism with what she beliefs and she can decide her choice and what she must do. Whereas Ibrahim, he don’t know what he must do because it’s a complicated choice and he can’t find someone that can support his opinion and give him suggestion, unlike Tiwi got. Tiwi have friends like Shazia and Zeenat who was support and give her suggestion with her problem. In my opinion, maybe Ibrahim have to find out some other Muslim students to share what he has to do.
“Halal atau Haram” make me thinking about this case. How if I was in Tiwi’s condition? What should I do? Because for me what Tiwi did is a difficult to do. But after I thinking more and more, maybe I will do with what Tiwi done. Because when we are convinced about something, it can make us better and easy to do. And this case I really give standing applause for you mam because you have more optimism to decide something that you beliefs even many people surrounding you suggest about something more easily but you still in your decision although what your decision is difficult thing to do. Thanks.
Dekinda Puspita P. 062154240

rosenerry said...

Alhamdulilah.. we still have an obstination to keep and convince with our faith, that is islam. After read that article, i can see that Mam Prat was very loyal with islam as her religion. as we know, someone who never live in America then live there should be ready to accept any culture shock including foods as Mam pRat said in that article. for someone who has big faith with her/his religion, especially islam here, to eat something must be appropriate with any rules which are exist in islam it self. and Mam Prat show this. wonderful Mam.. i am so proud with your great faith which is prefer not to eat something that make us doubt about the condition of the food itself. In this case that food is allowed or not in our religion. Thats great Mam.. you can show us the lofty example about how to keep or maintain our self in strength our faith. If we still have chance to choose the other option of food like Mam said in that article, why should we eat food that make us doubt about the condition of that food it self which is allowed or forbid in our religion? you are great Mam.. you can give us many experience to learn.. hopefully, Allah always give Us bless to be a better person..

rosenerry said...

Alhamdulilah.. we still have an obstination to keep and convince with our faith, that is islam. After read that article, i can see that Mam Prat was very loyal with islam as her religion. as we know, someone who never live in America then live there should be ready to accept any culture shock including foods as Mam pRat said in that article. for someone who has big faith with her/his religion, especially islam here, to eat something must be appropriate with any rules which are exist in islam it self. and Mam Prat show this. wonderful Mam.. i am so proud with your great faith which is prefer not to eat something that make us doubt about the condition of the food itself. In this case that food is allowed or not in our religion. Thats great Mam.. you can show us the lofty example about how to keep or maintain our self in strength our faith. If we still have chance to choose the other option of food like Mam said in that article, why should we eat food that make us doubt about the condition of that food it self which is allowed or forbid in our religion? you are great Mam.. you can give us many experience to learn.. hopefully, Allah always give Us bless to be a better person. (Ika Indah Septikasari 062154225)

Anonymous said...

From:
Yosia Irawanti
062154035

I agree with your decision to avoid meat or chicken that sell in American's shop. There are a lot of foods which contain protein as much as fish. Thus, the necessary of protein can be fulfilled through the other "safety" foods.
Everybody has own way of life. However, the way of life itself must be concerned carefully, so that it does not break the rules which are stated in the Holy Bible.
Everybody also has right to ask and believe about the religion's rule that is said by the leader of the religion, but if we're still doubt with them, we can be back to the pure and highest rule, the Holy Bible. People sometimes can be mistaken, but Holy Bible always tells us the truth.
Almost everyone knows that America is a free country. There are a lot of new and interesting are available there, include food, drink and the entertainment. However, some of these things can lead us become a sinner.
When we go to the American's party, we may be served with a lot of haram foods and drinks. On that moment, our faith and obedience to the Holy Bible's rule will be examined. If we decide to say "No" for that kinds of food and drink, the others party guest, especially American, will consider us as the strange person. But, it's OK, because it's just a trifle consequence of our great decision.
We obey the rule in the Holy Bible not only because we're afraid of our family or other people who know about the Holy Bible's truth, but also because we're afraid of the "Invisible Eyes" that always gaze us 24 hours.
I like your life style in America Mam. Actually, I am a Christian, so I'm allowed to eat pork, but in this case I try to put myself in your position. That's all my comment. Thank you very much.

Yosia Irawanti
062154035

Lisma Cristianti said...

lisma cristianti
062154228
i think how to decide to eat and how food will be halal or haram for a muslim in The US depends on our needs, for example, if a muslim is still a child who always needs meat in his growth, i'm sure it will be halal for the muslim to eat meat there because the muslim is still a child and it will be hard for him to be vegetarian. The another example is that if a muslim is sick, then he needs meat to be consumed to get better soon. In the urgent condition, Allah will give discreetness.
Ma'am, if i had been you, i would have done the same thing because you were in the healthy condition and be able to be vegetarian. Ummm but i'm wondering is it true all meat and chicken in a muslim country like Indonesia is always cut by a halal way if a rancher got many demands from consumers and if a rancher is not muslim?? i'm not sure about that so what Youssef said was not wrong to say Bismillah before eating to make it halal.
that's it my comment. thank you..

Anonymous said...

Wow.....
it is hard to live in foreign country where having so many diversities..
but, I am admiring you to still have strong faith of holding on Islam's roles.
i never imagine how u struggle with the customs there. sometimes i myself wonder what to do when my non-moslems friends invite me to have a tea at her home or joining some celebration at her home. I hardly eat what meals are halal.
she occasionally cooks porks or other haram foods...
and finally i decide to drink syrup a lot....
hehe

FieR_p0eNya said...

this is such a good article I think...

I agree with you mam...
even we are in foreign country which having different culture with ours, that doesn't mean we can break the rule or faith that we have...
just like what you said, if we are not sure of what we eat then you should avoid them...furthermore there is other choices...

even though maybe I'm not as strong as your faith...but,I like your spirit...

so,two thumbs up for you mam to still keep up on your belief...

habib mustofa said...

After reading your article, I remembered when I was in senior high school, third grade. At that time, when a teacher of Fiqih (a lesson of Islamic rule in daily activity) did not attend, our friend sometimes held discussion about problem in fiqih. One upon time, part of my friends pointed at me to be key note speaker at the discussion. The topic of the discussion was about the haram and halal. one of my friends, Siti Wafiroh, the smartest student in my school, asked about meat in the market. She thought that meat in market was not clear about haram and halal. buyers did not know how butcher slaughtered the cow, goat and so on so haram and halal were doubtful. Because I was a key note speaker, I tried answer that question. I answer that question by quoting Prophet Muhammad' words. One day, his wife, Siti Aisyah consulted to Prophet Muhammad SAW about haram and halal. She said to Muhammad SAW that there was a person that came to the house and gave meat, whereas, she did not know his status and also if the meat was from allowed way in slaughtering or not and how he cooked the meat. She doubted about the meat. After hearing it, Prophet Muhammad SAW just said read basmallah and eat the meat. then siti wafiroh nodded agrement of that. I think the case in your life in USA is similar case that Siti Aisyah underwent. I agree with the Yusuf that Islamic religion is religion that does not want the Moslem getting difficulties in facing some problems. Islam gives simple way not simplifying and not giving something difficult. In the other words, the ways in running life according to Islam is in the middle, not so simple and not so difficult. That is all, mam, my view or comment to the article, sorry mam, late.

imakuni? said...

INDRA KUSUMA
062154031

Goodday Ma'am

For me, one among the thousand things that make us a human being different with animal is "to eat is not to think, as well as to think is not to eat" one may say that hungry keeps men sharp, it is true for some reasons. But later pronounced: eating is the beginning of thinking; it is true again since some people need well prepared breakfast. Your experience is surely something, practicing to think is not to eat at the same time with “religion justifies the action”. For you, ma’am, it is the real dilemma of basic principle, and no longer about attitude but belief and discipline. A basic thing like eating for human to survive, Islam’s veto for eating pork deliberately, and discipline to obey it. But you keep your faith and only eat tunas for a long time. I swear I can’t do that and if I can, still I prefer chicken than meat.

What if you desperate and decided to eat those porky-things? It has nothing to do with your belief, since it may didn’t have MUI certificate or unlabeled ones, you didn’t know whether it is haram or halal, just say Bismillah!
But the point is you break your principle, the idea of being discipline. That is something for being a good Moslem. Stay within Qoran. Your friend Yusup maybe a better Moslem than you, but he failed to walk along the course. In my humble thought, he did that for man’s sake not for trespassing Islam’s rule on purpose. Perhaps he needs loads of protein to keep his health and good-heavy lunch to start his brain’s engine.

Oh yeah, one last thing ma’am.
I’m an agnostic persons, I decide it purposely and consciously, I believe in God and Heaven and Hell and I do it for my own sake, though there is no one can force me to fill vacant mosque. I think its ridiculous when after praying I still cannot shun committing sins intentionally, and I see it happen to people every time. Seems like God is only toy to them, and in my opinion their love to God is fake. I will seek God if I already satisfied with all the things man can done in this world (though it’s vain) after that sure I’ll be a wise man in God’s way. Know what’s bad and what’s better.
And if I die after I write this sentence maybe Hell is the answer of my life, I’m not challenge it, but it is my “human’s risk.” And for food I cannot avoid haram things anyway, in Indonesia perhaps people can blindly believe instant noodle with halal certificate on the wrapper, and sure that makes a sense. Because MUI sometimes means everything. But can we trust delicious ribs cooked by Pak Mahfud restaurant for example? We ain’t see how he proceed and the ingredients right?

imakuni? said...
This comment has been removed by the author.