Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Controlling Shahwah
Buddhism teaches man to control shahwah through the concept of samsara. The formulation is as follow: Life is a samsara (misery). Samsara is caused by desires, then samsara is eliminated by eliminating desires and to eliminate desires one has to follow the method of eight paths of the truth: correct understanding, correct mind, correct utterance, correct behaviour, correct livelihood, correct effort, correct attention, and correct semedi (contemplation).

Meanwhile, in Islam the method of controlling shahwah is implemented systematically by means of teachings of shariah and akhlaq.

1. Sexual shahwah is controlled by marrying, closing aurat, and fasting. Free socialising among the opposite sexes is forbidden. living unmarried (celibacy) is not recommended although it is a human right.

2. Shahwah of stomach is controlled by not eating unless one is hungry, and stopping eat before one is satisfied, in addition to doing obligatory and sunah fasting..

3. Shahwah of properties is controlled by implementing a modest way of life and paying obligatory zakah, and paying recommended infaq and sadaqah. Modest isn’t identical with poor, modest in this respect is consuming things according to universal necessity standards. Therefore, we may have things as much as possible, but we should only consume things (foods, clothes, vehicles, housings, and so on) as required by universal necessity standards. A lot of rich people implement modest way of life, which some poor people live wastefully and luxuriously.

4. Shahwah of politics is controlled by stressing that basically a leader is a servant of people he/she leads (sayyid al qaum khodimuhum). Politic is a field of dedication; a leader is a struggler holding on to a principle of providing protection and well-being to people he/she leads.

5. Shahwah of prestige is controlled by realising that a car is a transportation device, a cloth is a body protector and closer of awrah, a house is a place to live and to rest, property is a means to reach excellence. In short, each thing has its own utility.

Shahwah and Passion
Our interest to the other sex is normal and blameless. If one follows up that interest by approaching, applying, and marrying the person he interests to and loves, then those things he does are excellent, and religious services, and will be rewarded by God. However, if he follows up his interest by seducing, deceiving, and raping the person or committing extra-marital intercourse with her, then the shahwah had changed into a thing called hawa in Al Quran (hawa nafsu in Indonesian and passion/lust in English).

We are also allowed to be rich, a regent, a member of House of Representatives, or even a president. Those desires are political shahwahs that are normal, humane, and blameless. It is also only normal that some people desire to be millionaires or tycoons. If a shahwah drive followed by obeying moral values, then it is a positive thing. If the shahwah drive is followed uncontrollable by moral, then it becomes a destructive hawa or passion. Becoming rich by corrupting and deceiving, becoming official by bribing, those will eventually lead to destruction.

Nature of Passion
Shahwah controlled by conscience and clear mind, let alone if it is also based on sharp conscience (nurani), will function as a motive of behaviour that leads to life’s excellence. In this circumstance, shahwah is like energy making a machine to be still in motion and warmth. This balance of shahwah cause one is able to suppress his shahwah when required (like putting on a car’s brakes), and to give the shahwah its right according to what it needs.

Meanwhile, one’s passion demands fulfilment at once without considering its impacts on other and him. The passion’s drive is so strong that Al Quran symbolises hawa of one who can’t control it as a god that is worshipped (ittakhodza ilahahu hawahu). One who serves his passion will do anything required to satisfy it, however it may be disgusting. One who indulges his shahwah will fall in glamorousness and hedonism, while one who always follows his passion’s drives will certainly fall in criminality and humiliation.