Alkitab Mengantarkan Rosalyn Rushbrook pada Islam

Alkitab Mengantarkan Rosalyn Rushbrook pada Islam

Kamis, 29 Juli 2010, 11:48 WIB

Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,JAKARTA–Rosalyn Rushbrook. Dia seorang yang cerdas dengan ijazah di bidang Teologi Kristen dari Universitas Hull, Inggris, tahun 1963 dan gelar master untuk bidang pendidikan dari perguruan tinggi yang sama. Sebagai seorang teolog dan penganut Kristen Protestan, pengetahuan agamanya sangat mumpuni.

Bahkan, pengelola selama 32 tahun program studi ilmu-ilmu keagamaan di berbagai sekolah dan perguruan tinggi di Inggris ini juga menulis beberapa buku tentang agamanya. Dia juga pernah menjabat sebaai kepala Studi Agama di William Gee High School, Hull, Inggris. Setiap hari, dia berkutat dan mendalami alkitab sebagai pegangan agamanya.

Namun, siapa yang menduga, semakin dia memperdalam alkitab yang muncul justru keraguan dalam dirinya tentang agamanya. Awalnya, dia mempertanyakan ajaran agamanya yang dinilainya telah mengalami banyak penyimpangan. Semakin dia membaca alkitab, keraguan itu kian membuncah. Dia merasa ada sesuatu yang telah menyimpang dari konsep ketuhanan Kristen yang dinilainya tak lagi murni saat pertama kali diturunkan Tuhan. Dia mempertanyakan konsep teologi trinitas dalam agamanya.

Sebagai seorang cendekiawan, dia lantas mencoba mencari jawabannya. Dia teliti kajian-kajian ilmiah dari berbagai penulis atau literatur termasuk alkitab. Dia bandingkan ajaran agama yang dipeluknya sejak lahir itu dengan agama lain termasuk Islam. Berawal dari keraguan atas Alkitab, dia kemudian mulai mengenal Islam. Tak sebatas membandingkan, dia pun perlahan mulai mendalami konsep ketuhanan dan pemikiran-pemikiran tentang agama yang diwahyukan melalui Nabi Muhammad SAW ini.

Rupanya, jalan pikirannya sependapat dengan konsep ketuhanan yang diajarkan Islam. Wanita kelahiran 1942 ini melihat teologi ketuhanan yang dibawa Alquran lebih rasional dan mengena. Hingga akhirnya di tahun 1986, di saat usianya menginjak 44 tahun, dia mantap memilih Islam sebagai agamanya yang sejati. Dia menyebut dirinya telah ‘kembali’ dengan menjadi Muslim. Tanpa ragu, dia pun mengganti namanya menjadi Ruqaiyyah.

Pilihannya menjadi muallaf menimbulkan konsekuensi bagi keluarganya. Rosalyn yang telah berganti menjadi Ruqaiyyah memutuskan untuk mengakhiri perkawinannya dengan penyair Inggris, George Moris Kendrick yang telah dijalani sejak 1964. Sebelumnya, dia telah memiliki dua anak, Daniel George lahir 1968 dan Frances Elisabeth Eva lahir 1969. Kemudian di tahun 1990, dia menikah lagi dengan pria keturunan Pakistan, Waris Ali Maqsood.

”Di negara-negara Barat, ada ajaran ilmu etika berintikan pada cinta dan kasih Tuhan dan tolong-menolong sesama manusia. Itu semua diajarkan juga oleh semua nabi, termasuk Nabi Muhammad SAW. Kami orang Islam juga meyakini Nabi Isa sebagai salah satu nabi yang diutus Allah,” kata Ruqaiyyah suatu ketika.

Meski telah menjadi Muslim, tak membuatnya berhenti berkarya. Dia melanjutkan hobinya menulis. Namun, dia tak lagi menulis tentang Kristen, tapi berganti dengan menulis tema-tema tentang Islam. Tak sekadar menulis buku, dia juga rajin menulis artikel untuk majalah atau pun koran di negaranya.

”Saat ini Islam dicap sebagai agama bermasalah. Sangat tidak adil. Karena itu, saya berupaya menulis untuk memperbanyak literatur-literatur Islam. Harapan saya, agar melalui tulisan-tulisan itu, dapat membantu memperbaiki atmosfer yang kurang berpihak ke Islam,” tuturnya.

Buku-buku mengenai Islam yang ditulisnya cukup beragam. Tidak hanya buku-buku kategori ‘berat’, seperti buku mengenai sejarah Islam dan isu seputar Muslimah, tetapi juga buku-buku tentang bimbingan konseling bagi remaja Islam. Juga ada beberapa buku saku, antara lain ‘A Guide for Visitors to Mosques’, ‘A Marriage Guidance Booklet’, dan ‘Muslim Women’s Helpline’. ”Saya sangat tertarik menggeluti sejarah Islam, terutama tentang kehidupan wanita-wanita di sekitar Nabi Muhammad. Saya acapkali meng-counter kampanye anti-Islam yang mendiskreditkan wanita Muslim,” jelasnya.

Oleh komunitas Muslim di Inggris, dia juga diminta untuk menyusun buku teks mengenai Islam. Buku-buku teks hasil karyanya ini dipakai secara luas di Inggris selama hampir 20 tahun. Buku-buku itu dipakai oleh kalangan pribadi, mualaf, dan pelajar-pelajar sekolah umum dan madrasah di Inggris dan beberapa negara lainnya. Ia juga membantu mengembangkan silabus bagi pelajar sekolah agama, bekerja sama dengan dinas pendidikan setempat.

Aktivitas mengajarnya juga padat. Banyak negara telah disambanginya, di antaranya AS, Kanada, Denmark, Swedia, Finlandia, Irlandia, dan Singapura. Ruqaiyyah juga mengajar di beberapa universitas yang ada di Inggris, seperti Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow, dan Manchester. Juga, mengajar di School of Oriental and Arabic Studies di London.

Berkat segudang kreativitasnya, Ruqaiyyah menerima Muhammad Iqbal Award pada tahun 2001. Dialah Muslim pertama Inggris yang pernah menerima anugerah bergengsi tersebut. Pada Maret 2004, dia juga terpilih sebagai salah satu dari 100 wanita berprestasi di dunia. Dalam ajang pemilihan Daily Mails Real Women of Achievement, Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood termasuk satu dari tujuh orang wanita berprestasi dalam kategori keagamaan.

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/dunia-islam/mualaf/10/07/29/127319-alkitab-mengantarkan-rosalyn-rushbrook-pada-islam

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Delivering Bible Rosalyn Rushbrook on Islam

Thursday, July 29, 2010, 11:48 AM
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Delivering Bible Rosalyn Rushbrook on Islam
Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA-Rosalyn Rushbrook. He is intelligent with a diploma in Christian Theology from the University of Hull, England, in 1963 and a master’s degree for education from the same university. As a theologian and Protestant Christians, his religious knowledge is very qualified.

In fact, the program manager during the 32-year study of religious sciences at the various schools and colleges in England also wrote several books about his religion. He also served sebaai head of Religious Studies at William Gee High School, Hull, England. Every day, he struggled and studied scripture as the handle of his religion.

But who could guess, the more he appeared to deepen bible instead of doubt in him about his religion. Initially, she questioned the religious teachings that have been judged a lot of irregularities. The more he read the bible, doubt was becoming upset. He felt there was something that had strayed from the Christian concept of divinity was no longer judged pure when first revealed God. He questioned the concept of the trinity in theology or religion.

As a scholar, he then tried to find the answer. He was careful scientific studies of various authors or literature including scripture. He compared that embraced the religious teachings since it was born with other religions, including Islam. Starting from doubts about the Bible, he then began to know Islam. Not limited to compare, he slowly began to explore the concept of divinity and thoughts about religion which is revealed through the Prophet Muhammad this.

Apparently, the way his mind to agree with the concept of the deity who taught Islam. Women born in 1942 this view of divinity theology that brought the Koran and wearing more rational. Until finally in 1986, at the age of 44 years, he confidently choose Islam as their religion is true. He calls himself had been ‘returned’ to be Muslim. Without hesitation, he also changed his name to Ruqaiyyah.

The options become converts have consequences for his family. Rosalyn who have replaced their Ruqaiyyah decided to end her marriage to British poet, George Morris Kendrick, who has lived since 1964. Previously, he already has two children, Daniel, George born 1968 and Frances Elisabeth Eva born in 1969. Later in the year 1990, she married a man of Pakistani descent, Ali Waris Maqsood.

“In Western countries, there are cored ethics of science teaching on love and God’s love and mutual help fellow human beings. That’s all well taught by all prophets, including Prophet Muhammad. We Muslims also believe in Prophet Jesus as a prophet sent from God, “said Ruqaiyyah one time.

Despite having become a Muslim, did not make it stop working. He continued his hobby of writing. However, he no longer writes about Christianity, but switched to writing about Islamic themes. Not just write a book, he also diligently writes articles for magazines or newspapers in his country.

“We condemned Islam as a religion problem. Very unfair. Therefore, I attempt to write to propagate the Islamic literature. I hope that through those writings, may help improve the atmosphere that is less aligned to Islam, “he said.

Books on Islam that he wrote quite diverse. Not only the books category of ‘heavy’, such as books on Islamic history and issues surrounding Muslim women, but also books on Islamic guidance and counseling for adolescents. There were also several booklets, among other ‘A Guide for Visitors to Mosques’, ‘A Marriage Guidance Booklet’ and ‘Muslim Women’s Helpline’. “I am very interested wrestle Islamic history, especially about the lives of women around the Prophet Muhammad. I often to counter anti-Islamic campaign to discredit the Muslim woman, “he explained.

By the Muslim community in England, she was also asked to compile textbooks on Islam. Textbooks of her work is currently widely used in England for nearly 20 years. The books are used by private circles, converts, and students of public schools and madrasas in the UK and other countries. He also helped develop a syllabus for students of religious schools, in cooperation with the local education office.

Teaching activities are also solid. Many countries have disambanginya, including U.S., Canadian, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Ireland, and Singapore. Ruqaiyyah also taught at several universities in the UK, such as Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow and Manchester. Also, teaches at the School of Oriental and Arabic Studies in London.

Thanks to a myriad of creativity, Ruqaiyyah accept Muhammad Iqbal Award in 2001. He was the first British Muslim who never received such a prestigious gift. In March 2004, he was also selected as one of 100 women achievers in the world. In the event the election mails Daily Real Women of Achievement, Ruqaiyyah Waris Maqsood, including one of seven women achievers in the religious category.

http://www.republika.co.id/berita/dunia-islam/mualaf/10/07/29/127319-alkitab-mengantarkan-rosalyn-rushbrook-pada-islam