on Takdir - some weird concepts.....

            I remember a discussion a few of us had years ago. 5 Muslims sitting at a table in a place where good Muslims wouldn't dream of setting foot in. I was the only woman there - at least, the only woman "brave" enough to be in the discussion.
            There was Mr Millionaire Hot Shot Engineer and his entourage of Mr Sidekick who called him God and Mr Business Partner . Then there was Mr Champion Pool Player, Mr Private Banker and me. It was after midnight and we were having a bite before going home.
            Mr Millionaire Hot Shot Engineer [MHSE] started it all.
MHSE: "You know...if our takdir is already written, then why bother doing anything? We can't change it."
Me     : "What do you mean?"
MHSE: "Yelah. Takdir is fixed kan. So we don't have to do anything lah since we can't change it."
           Mr Champion Pool Player [CPP] jumped into the conversation with, "Betullah. But, mana kita tau what our takdir is. So kita kena berusaha."
MHSE: "Why bother to do anything if it's already fixed?"
          Mr Sidekick [MS] nodded and quipped, "True. But we should still go ahead and do whatever we think is right for us."
Me     : "And what IS right for us? What yardstick are we using to gauge right and wrong here?"
MHSE: "Normal yardstick that people use lah. We all know the definition of right and wrong kan."
Me     : "Then are we doing the right things you think? All these things that we do regularly?"
           Mr Business Partner [BP] remarked, "Kita bukan kacau orang pun!"
Me     : "Does that make it right? Look, I'm Muslim. I know what I'm doing is wrong. Kacau orang ke tak kacau orang ke is besides the point. It's wrong by God. My yardstick is God."
CPP   : "Alah we're not as bad as some others."
Me     : "Ish kalau nak compare dengan those who are more haprak than us then we're doomed! Why not compare with those who are wayyy better than us? At least, takder loser sangat kita ni."
MHSE: "But ini takdir kita apa."
Me     : "God sent you your file in Lauh Mafuz is it? How come I didn't get mine?"
BP     : "Eh relaxlah!"
Me     : "Relax apabenda! This is not something you play at. I refuse to accept that God throws me into this world just to amuse Himself."
MHSE: "I still think it's our takdir."
Me     : "Then what's the point of berdoa? What's the point of doing good? I STILL refuse to believe that Allah sent us here just to prance around doing whatever our hearts desire, then die. Mesti ada purpose kan. Otherwise apasal ada Quran, ada hadith?"
MHSE: "You tak tau takdir you kan. You may be destined for hell for all you know."
Me     : "If I die right this minute, I'm pretty sure I'll end up in hell. Nauzubillahminzalik. Okay I'll play along with you. Why do you work so hard to get the things you want if sudah ditakdirkan you jadi millionaire? Why are you always chasing the next big job? Apasal you tak duduk aja kat rumah and tunggu bungalow you, BMW you etc datang aja kat depan you?"
MHSE: "Of courselah kena do something if I nak senang."
Me     : "So...samalah juga if you want to get to heaven. Kenalah do something. Pray, fast, bayar zakat blablabla....kan!"
MS    : "Ya...but our takdir is still fixed. We may work our butts off and still be fakir miskin."
Me    : "Agree! Sebab kita tak tau takdir kitalah we have to do everything possible to get whatever we want. Bukan like he said, tak payah buat apa-apa."
CPP  : "You guys are so seriouslah."
Me    : "It is a serious matter pun. Look...if I do nothing but sleep and eat for a whole year, I'd still be a year older. But would I still have a job you think? Can I put it down to takdir that I'm jobless?"
MS   : "Alah! That's just being stupid!"
Me   : "Tau pun stupid! So mesti ada effort kan? I rest my case. Allah is not cruellah suka-suka hati nak tulis bukan-bukan kat file kita kat Lauh Mafuz tu."
MHSE: "Okaylah...you win."
Me     : "Eh...this is not about winning tau. This is about faith. I may be a lot of things...but I don't fool around with faith."