Amal Soleh

We always hear that word mentioned every now and then, saying that we must aim to become a person who is "beriman dan beramal soleh". The first is quite clear - faith. The second one is not so. What is it exactly? It's probably one of the most used word but not many people really understand what it means.

Last friday the Khutbah was delivered by Sofyan Djalil , an Acehnese, now an Indonesian cabinet minister resposible for government's corporations such Pertamina. He didn't have a previlige background but managed to progress in his studies until obtaining PhD in the States. He delivered an excellent sermon. He compared the advanced nations and the poor state of Islamic nations overall.

He explained that 'beramal soleh' is doing good deeds but in the broadest sense. It is both rituals such as prayer, fasting, donating and reciting the holy Quran which are individualistic acts, but also advancing our knowledge and developing value-added innovations, which are for the benefit of others, taking care of the world and respecting the environment we live in. Thus Islam is not a religion which is merely based on rituals alone. Most Islamic nations lack learners, innovators and real developers. More often than not the state of the nations are quite harrowing. The economies are stagnant with mostly oil being their saviour (but for how long?). Roads and public infrastructure hardly being built and people still live in conditions as if the world has not moved on except for the big mansions and luxurious cars for a select few.