Thursday, 14/04/2011 11:08 pm | email | print
The name of Bilal Philips is becoming the talking point among Danish parliament and politicians, Muslim scholars related to the plan was coming to Denmark to be a speaker at the conference youth organization held in Denmark's Muslim community.
Several MPs and politicians in the country feel uneasy with the plan because it considers the arrival of Philips Philips is a hard-line Muslim leaders. Country United Kingdom and Australia, was banned Philips entered the second country, because of religious lectures by Philips which was considered inciting people to violence.
Philips in one of his lecture video recordings also once said that AIDS is divine punishment for the homosexuals, and he proposes death penalty for homosexuals. In another videotape, Philips defended suicide, and called a suicide attack as a legitimate weapon of war.
Who was Bilal Philips with a doctorate is and what his background so he was labeled as a hardliner Muslim scholars by Western countries?
Former "god" Guitar
Philips or full journey Doctor Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips to become a Muslim scholar who was well respected at this time, it was very interesting. Men born in Jamaica and grew up in Canada, was a convert to Islam and before he became a Muslim, he works as a musician, or rather a professional guitarist.
"When I lecture at Simon Frasier University in Vancouver, Canada, I play guitar in musical performances at night clubs. When I lived in Malaysia, I was performing on stage-the stage known as Jimmy Hendrix and his Sabah in East Malaysia," Philips said the Gulf Today.
"But once I became a Muslim, I do not feel comfortable doing it all, and I decided to stop playing music personally and professionally," he continued.
Philips decided to convert to Islam in 1972. Islam entered the process was fairly short, just six months after reading Islamic books and discussions about Islam.
A year after saying two sentences creed, Philips register with the department of Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Medina, Saudi Arabia.
"I want to learn Islam from classical sources, and not take away from cultural practices," said Philips.
He then continued his education at the University of Riyadh. While completing courses for his MA degree, Philips is set up and host the "Why Islam" in Saudi television station, Channel Two. The event was a program of interviews with new Muslims from various backgrounds, to determine why they chose to convert to Islam.
He also conducts research and poured it in his books, among others, entitled "Polygamy in Islam" and "Fundamentals of Islamic Monotheism."
Islamize U.S. Army
Having earned his MA degree, Phillips worked in the department of religion Air Force headquarters in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. When it is broken "Gulf War" and his job was to teach about Islam on U.S. forces in their military bases in Bahrain and in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.
"Because so distorted picture of Islam in the U.S., I and five other Americans, after the Gulf War, for five and a half months involved in the project to eliminate doubts about the Islamic religion in about half a million U.S. troops in the Gulf region. As a result, more than 3000 U.S. troops who eventually converted to Islam, "said Philips.
He then went to the U.S. to help provide spiritual guidance for the new soldiers who converted to Islam. With the aid organization "Muslim Members of the Miltary (MMM)", Philips held various conferences and activities that succeeded in urging the U.S. military to build a mosque facilities around military bases. The U.S. government is also obliged to ask the Muslim community of scholars who propose candidates will be spiritual pembimbin for a Muslim soldier in the U.S. military.
"Some Gulf War soldiers who converted to Islam, went to Bosnia to provide training to the people of Bosnia and join to fight with them against the cruelty of the Serbs," said Philips.
Establishing the Islamic Information Center
After living in the U.S., Philips moved to the Philippines and give lectures at various places in Mindanao. He emphasized the importance of Islamic education system for Muslims in every lecture and lecture, thus encouraging the establishment of Islamic-based University in Cotobato City. At this university, he opened the department of Islamic studies to the level to get an MA and prepare teachers in the Islamic-oriented.
In 1994, Philips immigration to the United Arab Emirates at the invitation of Sheikh Salim Al-Qasimi and join charity Dar Al Ber in Dubai. Philips also established the Islamic Information Center is now known as the "Discover Islam" in Karama. Center for information made to rectify the wrong views about Islam. He is aided by new Muslims from various countries such as Uthma Barry Irish origin Abalos Philippines Ahmed and Abdul Latif from Kerala, in managing the information center.
"Within five years after the establishment of the Islamic Information Center, about 1,500 people from America, Australia, Britain, Russia, China, Germany, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, converted to Islam in this Information Center," said Philips.
"The reason they converted to Islam because of frustration and dissatisfaction, in addition to the need for rational and spiritual foundation is strong. Some of them converted to Islam, since married to Muslims and others choose to convert to Islam because it encouraged their curiosity about Islam and Muslims, "said Philips.
Having successfully established the Islamic Information Center, he established a printing department to publish the Dar Al-Falah Islamic literature in various languages to educate people about the teachings of Islam for non-Arabic languages.
Of all the preaching activities to establish the religion of God, moments of the happiest in life Philips is when his parents, at the age of 70s last year also accepted Islam as their religion. Philips parents who are used to living in Muslim communities in various countries, including Nigeria, Yemen and Malaysia chose to convert to Islam after they witnessed the destruction of community life in America.
Until now, Bilal Philips is still active in education. He teaches Islamic history and study of the Hadith of the Prophet. (Ln / multiple sources)
http://www.eramuslim.com/berita/dakwah-mancanegara/bilal-philips.htm
==============
Bilal Philips, Mantan "Dewa Gitar" yang Membuat Ribuan Tentara AS Masuk Islam
Nama Bilal Philips sedang menjadi pembicaraan di kalangan parlemen dan politisi Denmark, terkait rencana kedatangan cendekiawan muslim itu ke Denmark untuk menjadi pembicara dalam konferensi yang digelar organisasi pemuda komunitas muslim di Denmark.Sejumlah anggota parlemen dan politisi di negeri itu merasa resah dengan rencana kedatangan Philips karena menganggap Philips adalah seorang tokoh muslim garis keras. Negara Inggris dan Australia, memang melarang Philips masuk ke kedua negeri itu, karena ceramah-ceramah keagamaan Philips yang dinilai menghasut orang untuk melakukan kekerasan.
Philips dalam salah satu rekaman video ceramahnya juga pernah mengatakan bahwa penyakit AIDS adalah hukuman tuhan untuk para homoseksual dan ia mengusulkan hukuman mati bagi kaum homoseksual. Di rekaman video lainnya, Philips membela aksi bunuh diri, dan menyebut serangan bunuh diri sebagai senjata perang yang sah.
Siapa sebenarnya Bilal Philips yang bergelar doktor itu dan apa latar belakangnya sehingga ia dicap sebagai cendikiawan muslim garis keras oleh negara-negara Barat?
Mantan "Dewa" Gitar
Perjalanan hidup Philips atau lengkapnya Doktor Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips hingga menjadi seorang cendekiawan muslim yang cukup disegani saat ini, ternyata sangat menarik. Pria kelahiran Jamaika dan besar di Kanada itu, adalah seorang mualaf dan sebelum menjadi seorang muslim, ia berprofesi sebagai musisi atau tepatnya seorang gitaris profesional.
"Ketika saya kuliah di Universitas Simon Frasier di Vancouver, Kanada, saya memainkan gitar dalam pertunjukan musik di klub-klub malam. Ketika saya tinggal di Malaysia, saya tampil di panggung-panggung dan dikenal sebagai Jimmy Hendrix-nya Sabah di Malaysia Timur," tutur Philips pada Gulf Today.
"Tapi, begitu saya menjadi seorang muslim, saya merasa tidak nyaman melakukan itu semua, dan saya memutuskan berhenti main musik secara pribadi maupun secara profesional," lanjutnya.
Philips memutuskan masuk Islam pada tahun 1972. Proses masuk Islamnya pun terbilang cukup singkat, hanya enam bulan saja setelah membaca buku-buku Islam dan berdiskusi tentang Islam.
Setahun setelah mengucapkan dua kalimat syahadat, Philips mendaftarkan diri ke jurusan studi Islam di Universitas Islam Madinah, Arab Saudi.
"Saya ingin belajar Islam dari sumber-sumber klasiknya, dan bukan mengambil dari praktik-praktik budayanya," kata Philips.
Ia lalu melanjutkan pendidikan ke Universitas Riyadh. Sambil menyelesaikan kuliah untuk meraih gelar MA-nya, Philips menjadi menyiapkan dan menjadi pembawa acara "Why Islam" di stasiun televisi Saudi, Channel Two. Acara itu berupa program wawancara dengan para mualaf dari berbagai latar belakang, untuk mengetahui alasan mereka memilih masuk Islam.
Ia juga melakukan riset dan menuangkannya dalam buku-bukunya antara lain berjudul "Polygamy in dalam Islam" dan "Fundamentals of Islamic Monotheism".
Mengislamkan Tentara AS
Setelah berhasil meraih gelar MA-nya, Philips bekerja di departemen agama markas besar Angkatan Udara Arab Saudi di Riyadh. Saat itu sedang pecah "Perang Teluk" dan tugasnya adalah mengajar tentang agama Islam pada pasukan AS di basis-basis militer mereka di Bahrain dan di provinsi bagian timur Arab Saudi.
"Karena gambaran tentang Islam begitu terdistorsi di AS, saya dan lima orang Amerika lainnya, setelah Perang Teluk, selama lima setengah bulan terlibat dalam proyek untuk menghilangkan keraguan terhadap agama Islam pada sekitar setengah juta pasukan AS yang ada di kawasan Teluk. Hasilnya, lebih dari 3.000 tentara AS yang akhirnya masuk Islam," ungkap Philips.
Ia kemudian pergi ke AS untuk membantu memberikan bimbingan rohani bagi para tentara yang baru masuk Islam. Dengan bantuan organisasi "Muslim Members of the Miltary (MMM)", Philips menggelar berbagai konferensi dan kegiatan yang berhasil mendesak militer AS untuk membangun fasilitas-fasilitas mushola di seluruh basis-basis militernya. Pemerintah AS juga berkewajiban untuk meminta komunitas Muslim mengajukan kandidat ulama yang akan menjadi pembimbin rohani bagi tentara yang muslim di kemiliteran AS.
"Beberapa tentara Perang Teluk yang masuk Islam, pergi ke Bosnia untuk memberikan pelatihan pada rakyat Bosnia dan ikut berjuang bersama mereka melawan kekejaman tentara Serbia," ujar Philips.
Membentuk Pusat Informasi Islam
Setelah tinggal di AS, Philips pindah ke Philipina dan memberikan kuliah di berbagai tempat di Mindanao. Ia menekankan pentingnya sistem pendidikan yang Islami bagi umat Islam dalam setiap ceramah dan kuliahnya, sehingga mendorong didirikannya Universitas berbasis Islam di Cotobato City. Di universitas ini, ia membuka jurusan studi Islam sampai level untuk mendapatkan gelar MA dan menyiapkan tenaga guru-yang berorientasi pada Islam.
Tahun 1994, Philips imigrasi ke Uni Emirat Arab atas undangan Syaikh Salim Al-Qasimi dan bergabung dengan lembaga amal Dar Al Ber di Dubai. Philips juga membentuk Pusat Informasi Islam yang sekarang dikenal dengan nama "Discover Islam" di Karama. Pusat informasi dibuat untuk meluruskan pandangan-pandangan yang salah tentang Islam. Ia dibantu oleh para mualaf dari dari berbagai negara seperti Uthma Barry asal Irlandia, Ahmed Abalos asal Philipina dan Abdul Latif dari Kerala, dalam mengelola pusat informasi itu.
"Dalam kurun waktu lima tahun setelah dibentuknya Pusat Informasi Islam, sekitar 1.500 orang dari Amerika, Australia, Inggris, Rusia, Cina, Jerman, Philipina, Sri Lanka, India dan Pakistan, masuk Islam di Pusat Informasi ini," kata Philips.
"Alasan mereka masuk Islam karena frustasi dan rasa tidak puas, selain kebutuhan akan landasan rasional dan spiritual yang kuat. Beberapa di antara mereka masuk Islam, karena menikah dengan muslim dan yang lainnya memilih masuk Islam karena terdorong rasa ingin tahu mereka tentang Islam dan muslim," jelas Philips.
Setelah sukses mendirikan Pusat Informasi Islam, ia membentuk sebuah departemen percetakan Dar Al Falah untuk menerbitkan literatur-literatur Islam dalam berbagai bahasa untuk memberikan edukasi tentang ajaran Islam bagi masyarakat non-bahasa Arab.
Dari seluruh kegiatan dakwahnya menegakkan agama Allah, saat-saat yang paling membahagiakan dalam hidup Philips adalah ketika kedua orangtuanya, dalam usia 70-an tahun akhirnya juga menerima Islam sebagai agama mereka. Kedua orangtua Philips yang sudah terbiasa hidup di lingkungan masyarakat Muslim di berbagai negara, antara lain Nigeria, Yaman dan Malaysia memilih masuk Islam setelah mereka menyaksikan bagaimana rusaknya kehidupan masyarakat di Amerika.
Sampai sekarang, Bilal Philips masih aktif dalam dunia pendidikan. Ia mengajar sejarah Islam dan studi Hadis Rasulullah Saw. (ln/berbagai sumber)
Posts
.jpg)