Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Management of Shahwah (1)
at 11:46 PM
People in general regard shahwah (or syahwat in Indonesian) as the same as sex, so that one will be embarrassed if others say that he/she has a big shahwah. Actually shahwah is one of subsystems in a soul system (system of nafsani) of man, together with mind, heart, and conscience. Shahwah is fitrah (natural dispostion), humane, blameless. We even need it, since one who doesn’t have shahwah any longer will also lose his spirit to live. We need, however, to have the capacity to manage shahwah so that it is controllable and becomes proportional motive of our behaviours. Uncontrollable shahwah may become a destructive hawa (passion or lust).Definition of Shahwah
The word “shahwah” originates from Arabic syahiya-syaha yasyha – shahwahan, which in the perspective of lughawi means “to like”. Meanwhile, shahwah itself means soul tendency to what it desires, nuzu' an nafs ila ma turiduhu..
In a verse of Al Quran, the word “shahwah” denotes the desired object, but in other verses the word is used to mention man’s potential desires or wishes. Shahwah is used in Al Quran to mention things having something to do with sexual shahwah (Q: 7:81 and Q: 27:55), with following others’ opinion blindly (Q: 4:27) and with man desires of delicacy and enjoyment (Q:3:14 and Q:19:59).
One of verses mentioning the existence of shahwah within man is (the translation in English):
“The love of desires, of women and sons and hoarded treasures of gold and silver and well bred horses and cattle and tilth, is made to seem fair to men; this is the provision of the life of this world; and Allah is He with Whom is the good goal (of life)” (Q: Ali Imraan[3]: 14). The verse above mentions shahwah as potential man desires. In the verse, it is confirmed that basically man tend to love women/the opposite sex (sexual), children (pride), properties (pride, arrogance, utility), good vehicles (pride, convenience, and utilities), cattle (enjoyment and utility), and tilth (enjoyment, utility). Thus, according to Al Quranman tendency to sexual enjoyment, properties, and convenience, is humane.
If man loves to posses the things mentioned above, then the failure in possessing them is a misery for one really desires them, let alone if those things had been possessed and enjoyed by one but suddenly they are disappearing from his hands. If one’s shahwah is insatiable, especially if he is a narrow-minded person, then his behaviours may deviate.
Nature of shahwah
Since having shahwah is man’s nature and man will be delighted if his shahwah is satisfied, then shahwah should be a motive of his behaviour. If a man is hungry or thirsty then his behaviour is always oriented to how to get foods and drinks. If sexual shahwah is in dominance in his self, his behaviour is oriented to things giving sexual satisfaction. Hence, man’s behaviour is highly influenced by shahwah dominant within his self, such as sexual shahwah, political shahwah, shahwah of property, shahwah of convenience, shahwah of self-esteem, shahwah of delicacy, and so on. Shahwah is like a child, if he is released he will do anything uncontrollably, since a child only follows his satisfaction drive. He doesn’t understand any responsibility. If they are educated, children’s behaviours and even animal’s behaviours can be controlled. Indulged shahwah will lead to glamorous and hedonistic ways of life.
Post a Comment