Md Maruf Hasan

Abstract Action Fantasy

4  

Md Maruf Hasan

Abstract Action Fantasy

Tioman Island

Tioman Island

12 mins
259



Maruf was running across jungle with narrow path. He found two ways. One is down towards sea and another is upward to jungle. Maruf felt so depressed. He has been running for past 4 hours from Kampung Mukut. This is 5th sea beaches that he has to cross. This is private sea beach. One American took lease this sea beach for his private resort. Maruf and his friend Azfar wanted to come using this private resort but they were refused to enter and asked them to use mountainous road through jungle. It took for them half hour just to cross this place. This is so tiring. Maruf decided to talk and request them to use this resort. This would take only 5 minute to cross this seabeach. Maruf kept on walking and reached to the resort with sea site view. This is mind-blowing and amazing view compared to other sea beaches. Resort is attached with mountain. The sandy beach with crystal clear blue water and all you can see is dark blue water and blue sky as far as your eyes can observe. There are some paya boats for tourists. Maruf felt like he is within the heaven. He saw the owner and his daughter sitting together. The security was not this side this time. Maruf felt like he is lucky enough this time. He has to use this wooded path to cross this area. He slowly went near to the owner. As soon as Maruf went there, they looked at Maruf with surprise. Maruf initiated the speech.

‘ I am sorry Sir . I am too tired to use the different way that your security asked us when we cross previous time.’ Maruf said.

‘ From where are you coming?’ asked the owner.

‘ I am coming from Kampung Mukut using this track and I need to return Aman Tioman resort since I am working there’ answered Maruf.

‘ Damn ….that like you need to cross 9 sea beaches more or less’

‘Yes …sir we did it yesterday and my friend stays in Kampung Mukut while I am coming back today because I got to work tomorrow’

‘ Why so fast you returned?’

‘ I climbed dragon Hills mountain today 3:00 am and I went to Asha Waterfall in morning and then I decided to return’

‘ Are you crazy? This is insane’

‘ I am. I love to travel and explores Sir’

‘ Can you sit for while we can talk for a bit because if you took other track then it would take long time and you give me that time with me’

‘Sure Sir’ Maruf sat in wooden path.

The wind of sea is amazing. It does not make you feel cold rather it is just fine weather. That’s why so many tourists from West come to visit these beautiful islands.

‘ Can you tell me brief about yourself’

‘ Sure… I am Maruf from northern part of Bangladesh. I am writing my PhD thesis now in UIA but I got bored and took a part time work here just for refreshment and to get rid of from personal frustration. I will leave this job next week since monsoon starts here . That’s why I am travelling now and I finished scuba diving and snorkeling during this time. That’s my random brief about myself’

‘ Now it makes sense why are you such brave. How old are you? ‘

‘ 25 Sir’

‘ That’s so young’

‘ Yes sir. I have been here for 9 years and my bachelor, master and now PhD journey is nonstop’

‘ That’s insane. Did not you return to your country?’

‘Nope…not at all’

 ‘Which subject are you studying here?’

‘Well, my bachelor was in English literature and I was in love with American literature. Therefore, I came to theology for my master and PhD’

‘ What the hell are you talking about?’ He smiled

‘ Well, I wrote master thesis on the title ‘ The Scientific Worldview and Rejection of Soul” which allowed me to read western philosophy, literature as well as all the religious scriptures and Sufism, perennialism and spiritual writings.’

‘ Did you read Old man and Sea?’ The daughter of the owner asked.

‘ Yes … I do. In fact, I went with one 70 years old fisherman in Kampung Paya and felt like myself as character of that novel. The Oldman and I went to middle of the sea and caught fish and the technique he used was the birds.’

‘ The birds? How?’ Strangely asked the daughter.

‘YEEES… If the birds are circling in one place. That means the birds find the school of fishes there and Oldman used to go that place and we were able to caught fish. We did few times and this is not easy task to catch fish inside sea, but we both enjoyed. The Oldman asked me to get that fish ,but I did not take. I said I just wanted to feel something by coming with you. I meant this novel actually but he would not get obviously’

‘ You are amazing Maruf’

The owner asked again about his thesis

‘Why did you write that kind of thesis?’

‘ Well, the thesis is for myself actually. I was confused if God exists in the final year when I took American literature. I had to present about scientific enlightenment in Europe like how due to Darwinism, heliocentrism people started to turn from religious beliefs and how American literature turned into realism . Industrial revolution and this and that context. I did not understand much actually when I started my journey but now I am doing PhD and I am learning more actually. Have you read Faruqi’s Christian Ethics?’

‘No.. I am not… what is there?’

He criticized Christian ethics assuming God does not exist and he set Islam as pragmatic by giving 5 criteria in introduction part. I did not get till now but the issue seemed his book and my thesis has similar pattern. I used pragmaticism and claimed how Islamic spirituality can be used for practical benefits even if God does not exist.’

‘ What nonsense you are talking about?’

‘ Okey Sir… let me explain’

‘Sure…’

‘ Can I go and bring some food and drink for both of you ?’

‘ Sure…thank you’ said the Oldman to his daughter.

Maruf started

‘ We live in a society sir which is pure materialistic. You know that very well. All we care about if something works for me or not. We are nominal Muslims, Christians, Hindu, Jews but we do not care anything when we are in city especially when we are in job environment. The question is what working class does during weekend?’

‘ It depends actually’

‘ Exactly. Imagine in multicultural offices in Kuala Lumpur, in one office, when all staffs got weekends what do they do? Some stay with their families and that is common class and some goes to night club and some do outdoor activities like climbing. Some study to improve their quality in job. Some go to shopping, Cinema, meet up with friends, sex, church. Etc. They do so depending on what satisfy them.

Now go to the lower class workers . What do they do after 12 hours of working ? They do in different way. They have lack access to enter like previous categories. These are extremely vulnerable to some extent and dangerous’

‘ What do you mean?’

‘ Brothel House since they do not have access to the privileged that previous category receives. Also, not legal relationship to some extent.’

‘ Who is to blame for this?’

‘ It is government…Of course’

‘ Then how your thesis is related to pragmatic approach?’

‘ Islam and Islamic spirituality is for practical living even if the message of Islam does not come from God’

‘How so?’

‘ I asked the question in PhD class saying if without Islam it is possible to establish justice , why do we need Islam? This question has relation with Islamic spirituality actually. Prof answered by saying this imagine Singapore established justice for its citizen, but they can not make same justice for all. Saudi Arabia, for instance, is taking benefit of all natural resources just because it is found under their territory, but every single member of this earth has right on those natural resources. If you want universal justice, you need a unified solution for all, not for only some particular individual. Nationalism is another form of capitalism. My point is Islamic spirituality has the elements like we see in perennialism and a person can benefit from this spirituality even if they do not believe in God. Obviously, you would not get unless you read my thesis’

‘ That’s interesting. I would read your thesis. Can you send a copy at my email?’

‘Sure ..Sir’

‘ Do you want Islam to be universal religion in the state?’

‘ No … I am not… It is not like I do not like Islam it is because it will happen same like Europe. When you put church as authority, nobody has right to ask question and that is very bad because even if church does hypocrisy and take wrong decision people have to accept and the decision is made by human by the name of God. That’s not right. Jesus was trapped by Jews rabbi by bringing a girl and ask to give verdict by stoning to death and Jesus saved her by saying the first person to stone the girl who never did sin in his life. The point is religion is to safeguard people not to destroy their life but these hypocrites’ leaders misuse religion. Look at the current context how politicians make fool its citizens by using religion and racial tactics. We bring other country as enemy just to get vote from citizens. Who live in other part of the worlds? They are humans too, but these leaders are very expert to tackle these things and nationalism is the most powerful tool for racism for these leaders. Actually, in every country only leading and powerful people are enjoy the facilities of that particular countries but the lower class has same fate in most of the countries. The interest of leaders come first. So many Russian soldiers died in this Ukraine war but these lives have no importance to Putin. These soldiers died for nothing actually. Can Putin secure heaven for these soldiers? The answer is no. They use nationalism trick and kill us. Cryptocurrency can be solution perhaps. I mean we want to see a world where everyone can practice their faith religion so long it does not harm and cause trouble to others. Islam gave the right to choose actually but Islam asks to read and understand before your reject Islam. That’s all Islam asks for and I think solving the issue of education and global money problem it is possible to create such world. Technology perhaps can turn the situation in future. We need to work and wait for that. It may not happen in this century but century is ahead to come’

The snacks and drink were brought and all of them joined.

‘ What are things you love to do beside education in Malaysia?’

‘ Well, I love to walk and do adventure with my friends. Like , I went to Bukit Tinggi and Genting Highland by walking from my university campus’

‘ Wait… you walked these places?’

‘ Yes… I actually asked my friends but they did not want to join, then I started at night walking along the highway and this is crazy experience, but I met with one old German tourist in Royal Belum state park in Perak. He was in houseboat at night and I met him in the morning. He is using his bicycle and going to Penang from Perak and he is travelling across Malaysia using his bicycle. Hence, I am nothing compared to that old man.’

‘ Damn… what are the places have you visited in Malaysia?’

‘I have been living here for 9 years. Therefore, I have been to almost every state except Sarwark, but I learned that Sarwark got a mountain that is recognized by UNESCO. I want to go to Samporna Island also as I heard that is the best island in Malaysia. I went to Penang Hills, Penang seabeach. I went to few islands like Langkawi, Redang, Perhentian, Pangkor, Pulau Besar in Melaka. I love Melaka city by the way due to old buildings as if I came to Europe. I went to Tasik Biru in Johor. I love Johor city especially the Singapore border view with that sea link. I went hot spring once in Pahang but I cant remember the place name. We also explored abandoned hunted building like Highland tower. We went night actually and climbed to the rooftop. We went to abandon theme park like mimaland. We climbed abandon Putrajaya bridge at night. Amazing view you can see there. We climb electric mast but that was dangerous of course. We went Sunagi Pisang waterfall and spent night with firewood. We climbed Bukit Tabur so many times and spent nights with firewood since this is near from my university. I swam across Kuala Kubu bahru lake. It took one hour to reach one small island and I returned and my friends thought I would die that day. We have quite few experiences. Malaysia is great place for adventure. City is normal for me like KL tower and KLCC I went to the top. The view is amazing actually when you see whole city. ’ Maruf stopped.

Both the owner and his daughter were staring at Maruf with amazed.

‘ You are crazy’

Maruf smiled

‘ Well, I need to start running. Thank you for allowing me to walk using this way. I encountered one big python already and one green snake. I just want to reach Kampung Paya now as soon as possible’

‘ Well… thanks a lot. We had great conversation. Wish you all the best for your future adventure’

‘ Where is your bag by the way?’

‘ I am sorry.. I came to walk for 5 minutes walking and I found the Malay Youngman from Penang and I started to walk and I did this adventure and I had only 1Rm in my pocket along the way. My Malay friend from Penang treated me dinner yesterday and today morning as well. Thank you so much. I am leaving’

‘Do not you scare about death?’ The daughter asked.

‘ I love to experience 2 more things in life. One is I yet to enter the jail and I want to embrace death, but I do not believe in committing suicide since Islam forbids that, but I am not scared about death at all even now on this spot. Thanks once again” Maruf again smiled and turned from them and started to walk and once he was able to hide him in jungle from them, he started to run fast.



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