You don’t have to immediately accept one’s apology

Ini adalah salah satu kalimat yang paling ngena bagiku di sesi Nouman Ali Khan tadi malam. Ia mengisahkan seporsi kisah Nabi Yakub, yang sepanjang hidupnya mengalami cobaan demi cobaan, diperlakukan dengan buruk oleh ketujuh anak dari istri pertamanya sampai dianggap gila. Ketika Nabi Yusuf kembali, dan ia mengkonfrontasi saudara-saudara yang sudah menzaliminya, dan si saudara-saudara ini menghadap Nabi Yakub untuk meminta maaf dan meminta doa darinya untuk mereka, inilah jawaban Nabi Yakub:

“I will, soon, but not now.”

Waktu aku denger kalimat ini, rasanya kayak... terbebaskan. Selama ini, orang-orang yang (belum) mau memaafkan itu seringkali dipandang sebagai orang yang jahat. Bahwa harusnya kita paham betapa sulitnya meminta maaf, dan bahwa permintaan maaf itu harus diterima sesegera mungkin - if not, then we’re the bad guy. Padahal, butuh waktu yang tidak sebentar untuk menyembuhkan luka hati. Bahwa kadang kata maaf itu tidak cukup, karena yang sebenarnya lebih kita butuhkan adalah penerimaan diri sendiri. 

Kalaupun kita sudah menerima permintaan maaf seseorang, kita tidak berkewajiban untuk mengembalikan hubungan itu seperti semula. Kita tidak wajib menjadikannya teman baik - jika interaksi malah membuat luka kita kembali lagi, ya perlu ditanyakan bahwa sebenarnya untuk siapa kita memaksakan hal ini? Aku senang banget mendengar potongan kisah yang ini karena ya ini adalah sebuah persetujuan bahwa rasa sakit yang kita rasakan itu valid. Bahwa memaafkan itu tidak mudah, dan kita boleh memaafkan ketika kita merasa sudah benar-benar siap.

Mama aku juga nambahin bahwa sebenarnya kita juga nggak berkewajiban untuk menerima permintaan maaf seseorang, karena nanti di akhirat Allah akan bertanya lagi sama kita: Apakah kita akan memaafkan si X? Jika iya, maka Allah akan memberikan kita hadiah rumah di surga. Hadiah yang sangat berharga ini semakin menekankan bahwa memaafkan memang bukanlah hal yang mudah dan patut dihargai dengan ganjaran yang besar. 

Ust. Nouman juga menceritakan tentang Wahsy bin Harb, seorang budak yang membunuh Hamzah, nabi kesayangan Rasulullah. Ketika perang selesai dan para pasukan lawan berbondong-bondong masuk Islam agar mereka tidak dibunuh, Wahsy ikut mengantre dengan menyembunyikan wajahnya karena ia takut dibunuh. Ketika Wahsy sampai di hadapannya, Rasulullah berkata bahwa ia memaafkan Wahsy karena Allah sudah memaafkannya, tapi ia tidak ingin melihat wajahnya lagi.

Wahsy pindah ke tempat yang jauh agar Rasulullah tidak bisa melihatnya lagi. 

Menerima permintaan maaf seseorang, lengkap dengan semua syarat yang menyertainya, adalah 100% hak prerogatif kita sebagai seorang individu.

Please join Testify in welcoming Sam Rosen a to the Testify stage. He'll be sharing his story, "The Hunt," for our storytelling show, We Are Family.

You can get your tickets here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1953582441725141/

A criminal trial lawyer, when Sam is not fighting for justice he enjoys swimming, yoga, and hiking. He has told stories at events like Backyard Storynight, Hyde Park Storytelling, Austin Bat Cave, & Drinking with the Saints. Sam is a member of the Austin improv comedy scene and recently completed a Narrative Masterclass for graduates of the Hideout Theater in Downtown Austin.

Hari ini baru saja menyadari satu kebersyukuran yang harus beneran disyukuri sebelum menyadarinya terlambat,

Saya rasa saya sudah mengucap dengan energi yang baik dan kesadaran yang baik tadi pagi, eh tapi sorenya saya mendapati kabar yang cukup membuat terkejut dari peristiwa yang sy syukuri tadi pagi, kaget, tapi buru-buru saya sadar, bahwa yang menurut si diri ini tidak baik padahal menurut Allah belum tentu tidak baik dan sudah diukur oleh-Nya. Ternyata memang tetap harus disyukuri bagaimanapun keadaannya. Memberikan respon terbaik.

Lucu memang ya hidup ini, buru-buru saja saya menyadari respon dan menertawai hidup 😂

Ya Allah lucu amat ya. Alhamdulillah

7.11.22

#JurnalBersyukur #storynight

Story Night Jakarta, Sabtu 28 Maret 2020

https://youtu.be/ZTo75GC6qJc

Get your ticket NOW!!!

bit.ly/SNmarchAM (Jam 10 Pagi)

bit.ly/SNmarchPM (Jam 7 Malam)

Jam segini sudah pada mengantri StoryNight: Whisper Jakarta bersama ustaz Nouman Ali Khan . 1300 peserta, insya allah semua dapat tempat duduk kok . #storynight #storynightjakarta2019 #nakindonesia #nakvisitjakarta #nakvisitjakarta2019 https://www.instagram.com/p/B5MvChhnMYt/?igshid=j5fnc1iy74c5

Rosemarri’s story. 

Note: I did not write this, its a folktale.

“Once upon a time, there was a soldier who had served through three campaigns but had never earned as much as an addled egg before he was put on the retired list. Frustrated with his retirement but there wasn’t much he could do -- he went on the road marching on and on, looking for a place to settle.”

  “He became tired and sat down by a lake. And, as he rested, he began thinking things out, "Where shall I now betake myself, and how shall I feed myself, and how the devil shall I enter into any service as an old man..? I am old now, poor and have no one to speak for me.” 

“As soon as he had spoken these words a little imp rose up at once in front of him and said, "Hail, soldier, what do you wish? Did you just now not say that you wished to become one of our servants? Why, soldier, come up and be hired; we will pay you well."

"What is the work?" He was curious. Was he really considering the offer? It was an imp and where there are imps there are demons. Big demons.

"’Oh, the work is easy enough: for fifteen years you must not shave, you must not have your hair cut, you must not blow your nose, and you must not change your garb. If you serve this service, then we will go to the king, who has three daughters. Two of them are mine, but the third shall be yours.’ The imp danced about him, little arms waggling.”

"Very well," said the soldier, "I will undertake the contract; but I require in return to get anything my soul hankers after." To the soldier’s surprise, the imp agreed: "It shall be so; be at peace; we shall not be in default."  

"Well, let it befall at once. Carry me at once into the capital and give me a pile of money; you know yourself how little of these goods a soldier ever gets." The soldier demanded, his eyes watchful. So the little imp dashed into the lake, got out a pile of gold, and instantaneously carried the soldier into the great city, and all at once, he was there!”

“‘What a fool I have been!’ said the soldier. ‘I have not done any service, no work, and I now have the money!’ So he took a room, never cut his hair, never shaved, never wiped his nose, never changed his garb, and he lived on and grew wealthy, so wealthy he did not know what to do with his money. What was he to do with his silver and gold? ‘Oh, very well, I will start helping the poor; possibly they may pray for my soul.’  The soldier began distributing alms to the needy, to the right and to the left, and he still had money over, however much he gave away! His fame spread over the whole kingdom, came to the ears of all.”

“So the soldier lived for fourteen years, and on the fifteenth year, the King summoned the soldier. So the soldier came to him unwashed, unshaved, uncombed, with his nose unwiped and his dress unchanged. ‘Health, your majesty!’ He called out. -- ‘Listen, soldier. ‘ The king spoke. “‘You, they say, are good to all folks; will you lend me some money? I have not enough to pay my troops. If you will, I will make you a general at once.’”

“‘No, your Majesty, I do not wish to be a general; but if you will do me a favor, give me one of your daughters as my wife, and you shall have as much money as you wish for the Treasury.’ The soldier braved. So the king began to think. He was very fond of his daughters, but still, he could not do anything whatsoever without money. ‘Well,’ he said, ‘I agree. Have a portrait taken of yourself; I will show it to my daughters and ask which of them will take you.’”

“The soldier returned, had the portrait painted, which was feature for feature, unshaved, unwashed, uncombed, his nose unwiped, and in his old garb, and sent it to the King. Now, the King had three daughters, and the father summoned them and showed them the soldier's portrait. He said to the eldest, ‘Will you go and marry him? He will redeem me from very great embarrassment.’”

“The princess saw what a monstrous animal had been painted, with tangled hair, uncut nails, and unwiped nose. ‘I certainly won't!"’ she said, ‘I would sooner go to the devil."’ And from somewhere or other the imp appeared, stood behind her with pen and paper, heard what she said, and entered her soul on his register. Then the father asked the next daughter, ‘Will you go and marry the soldier? ‘ -- ‘What! I would rather remain a maiden; I would rather tie myself up with the devil than go with him.’ So the imp went and inscribed her soul as well.”

“Then the father asked his youngest daughter, and she answered, ‘Evidently this must be my lot. I will go and marry him and see what the titans shall give.’ Then the King was very blithe at this, and he went and told the soldier to make ready for the betrothal, and he sent him twelve carts to carry the money away.”

“Then the soldier made use of his Imp. ‘There are twelve carts; pile them all high at once with gold.’ So the imp ran into the lake and the unholy ones set to work. Some of them brought up one sack, some two, and they soon filled the carts and sent them to the King into his palace. The King looked, and now summoned the soldier to him every day, sat with him at one table, and ate and drank with him. When they got ready for the marriage the term of fifteen years was over. So the soldier called the little Imp and said, ‘Now my service is over. Turn me into a youth.’” Rose grinned quickly at them and leaned forward, her voice softer. 

“So the imp cut him up into little bits, threw them into a cauldron, and began to brew him -- brewed him, washed him and collected all his bones, one by one, in the proper way, every bone with every bone, every joint with every joint, every nerve with every nerve. Then he sprinkled them with the water of life, and the soldier arose, such a fine young man as no tale can tell and no pen can write. He then married the youngest Princess, and they began to live a merry life of good. But… -- “ 

“-- the little imp ran back into the lake, for his master hauled him over the coals to answer for what he had done with the soldier. ‘He has served out his period faithfully and honorably: he has never once shaved himself, nor cut his hair, nor wiped his nose, nor changed his clothes.’ The demon was very angry. He said, ‘In fifteen years you were not able to corrupt the soldier! Was all the money given in vain?’ And he had him thrown into the burning pitch.

“ ‘Oh no, please..’ said the Imp, ‘I have lost the soldier's soul, but I have gained two others.’ This made the demon pause. ‘What?’ Demons have little patience, honestly, so the imp continued on. ‘Look: the soldier thought of marrying a princess; the two elder daughters both declined and said they would rather marry a devil than the soldier. So there they are, and they belong to us.’ The imp babbled. And so.. not only did the imp avoid torture, he too got to live a merry, semi-good life. -- The end!”

#storynight 📚♥️ (at Lexington, North Carolina) https://www.instagram.com/p/B46FvhwBzOq/?igshid=8wz2vo3izjp0

Look at the empty bench out there? Isn't they look so lonely? When we were child, no one told us how to made a friends with someone else, we just naturally be friend with them. But now, grown up teach us that we will traped in someone else memories. Grown up teach us that, how we traped in other's dream. Lost the passion we had before all of this. Before I fought my way to be the one who will have the dream will come true, but now I'm start asking again, is it the one? The one I want when my heart aching with longing stare. . . .#storynight #instastory #poetry #poem #peoplestory #instagood .📷 Z00VD .🏡 White Ranger's story

I once chased love. Now love is there wherever I go. This is me. #thisisme #betterme #storynightscebu #storynights @tribes.ph https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp9h3usAvu6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=upssts7qbzt9

Anyways this is off topic but I'm trying to distract myself and just looking around my room and saw this special edition The Sound Of Music thing that we have, and it reminded me of when I first met the Von Trapps. Like the real family the story is based on- a group of their grandchildren/descendants have formed their own contemporary music group and I've had the privilege to see them perform live in an intimate setting and I must say that they are amazing. Musical talent really does run in that family. Everyone should check them out. They're amazing.

Storynight story

Once upon a time, there lived a clever boy.  He was smart and witty but he wasn’t intelligent enough to be accepted into Dalaran - though it is rumored that he would send an application daily to be taken in as an apprentice. Rejected. ‘What have you done that is great?’ They would ask and he had no answer. He hadn’t done anything that could be considered great. 

One day, he was reciting a spell which once cast would make anyone subdue to the caster.  Over and over he practiced the inflection with the intent of persuading the mages into accepting him by his will.. but what he didn’t realize was that a jackal was hiding nearby. Listening. 

Off the boy went and what he left behind was a jackal that learned the spell as well.  With it, the sly creature overpowered all of the beasts in the forest of stranglethorn and became their king. Then, amassing all of the animals together he perched himself on top of a lion which stood upon two elekks and marched towards the town. 

When the town guards saw the animals coming, they closed the town gates.  Once the mass of animals reached the gates the jackal shouted. “Give up your town or fight.”  Hearing this, the townspeople were troubled and hid within the town’s hall. Perhaps they could slay the animals? Too many.  Perhaps they could call for help? No one could get out! 

To their luck, the clever boy returned! He climbed to the top of the highest tower and cried. “How will you conquer this town?” The jackal had to answer and so he shouted. “I will cause the lions to roar and their roar shall frighten all. That is how I will take the town." With the answer, the boy rushed to the town hall and told all of the townspeople to stuff their ears with flour. 

The proud jackal at once commanded the lions to roar. Hearing the lions roar the elekk were terrified and they dropped the lions from their back and the jackal fell also! Trampled and dead. The scared animals rushed back to the forest and the people of the town were free from the threat of a jackal ruler but also had to dig flour out of their ears.  And our clever boy? Took the story back to Dalaran to see if that was good enough to get him in - saving an entire town. It wasn’t. The end.

Normalize expressing love with words

Kemarin malem aku nonton Story Night-nya Nouman Ali Khan bareng mama dan adik. Jujur aku ngga terlalu ngikutin lectures-nya di Youtube sih, hehe, jadi ngga ada ekspektasi apa-apa juga pas kemarin dateng. Baru tau juga kalau ciri khas dia adalah membawakan kisah-kisah dalam Quran dalam cara yang lebih “dekat” aja gitu.

Kisah yang dipilih untuk diceritakan tadi malam adalah kisahnya Nabi Yusuf AS, dibagi menjadi 4 episode yang masing-masingnya fokus akan tema tertentu. Di episode pertama, Ustad Nouman meng-highlight kata sapaan Nabi Yusuf kepada bapaknya - Nabi Yakub. “Yaa Abati”. Ust. Nouman bilang bahwa meskipun dalam terjemahan frasa ini lebih sering diterjemahkan menjadi “My beloved father”, sebenarnya frasa ini juga bisa diartikan menjadi “Hi Dad, I love you.” 

Lalu beliau fokus pada kenapa Nabi Yusuf bisa menggunakan sapaan itu pada ayahnya, ya pasti karena Sang Ayah-pun menggunakan sapaan yang sama. Bahwa sudah sepatutnya kata ‘I love you’ atau pembahasaan rasa cinta dan sayang itu dijadikan hal yang lumrah dalam keseharian ayah dan anak. Tidak seharusnya kata sayang dan cinta dipandang menjadi hal yang aneh - karena bagaimana kita bisa saling tahu dan paham bahwa kita saling sayang dan cinta, kalau kita tidak pernah mengatakannya?

Ust. Nouman membahas bahwa ada 5 macam cara untuk menunjukkan cinta - ini sejujurnya mirip banget sih sama 5 love languages-nya Gary Chapman, cuma ada beberapa modifikasi. Words, Service, Gifts, Hugs (kalau versi Gary Chapman - Physical Touch), dan Space. Words ya ucapan (”I love you”), Service itu adalah masakan yang dibuatkan ibu kita, tali sepatu yang diikatkan, antar-jemput, Gifts adalah kado-kado kecil yang bisa mengakhiri pertengkaran tanpa kata maaf, Hugs adalah sentuhan-sentuhan fisik. 

Kalau Space? Waktu pertama kali aku dengar, karena udah lebih familiar sama 5 love languages-nya Gary Chapman, ya, aku otomatis mengasosiasikannya dengan Quality Time - terus sebenernya dalam hati agak nggak setuju karena Space, dalam perspektifku, lebih ke memberikan ruang, mundur beberapa langkah dan mungkin berhenti mengganggu. Membiarkan orang ini untuk menyendiri, berpikir, dan menyelesaikan apa yang perlu ia selesaikan.

Tapi lalu Ust. Nouman melanjutkan ceritanya, dan aku jadi paham bahwa Space yang dia maksud adalah menjadi 100% hadir, membuat si lawan bicara yakin bahwa kita siap mendengarkan, tanpa penghakiman, tidak untuk membantah, tidak untuk menggunakan apapun itu yang mereka ucapkan sebagia senjata di kemudian hari. Sebuah safe space. Dimana seseorang bisa menjadi 100% candid, vulnerable, and honest. 

Kemarin sih selama ngedengerin si episode 1, aku jadi banyak-banyak refleksi aja, haha. Future note aja sih untuk nanti ketika insyaAllah diberikan kesempatan untuk menjadi orang tua, bahwa ya memang kita harus membiasakan ucapan-ucapan sayang dan cinta ke anak dan juga pasangan. Jangan sampe lah saking ngga pernah membahasakannya, sekalinya ngomong langsung berurai air mata karena satu kalimat itu mungkin sebenarnya menampung jutaan kata cinta yang tidak pernah kita ucapkan dari dulu. 

Firelight Storynight

"Thank you for lending me your ears tonight. I'm W'amarok of the Howling Blade from the Moon Singers tribe. Now gather 'round for a tale shared among my pack about the cycle of life in the woods."

W'amarok clears his throat and looks over his audience. He begins tapping his foot to a beat within his head until travels up to a more exaggerated motion with his leg following his body and chest. Suddenly, he spreads out his arms speaking in a bold clear tone.

"Give me your stray young calves, your aged long in the tooth, your dead and departed. A sacrifice torn away from your body with tooth and fang." He looks to each member, thrusting an arm out with each beat and his hands in a grasping curl.

He lowers his voice with a growl, rumbling the words, "Let the sight fill your heart with terror, burn the image of our bloodstained snarls into your mind- run."

Suddenly W'amarok stomps down upon the ground taking an aggressive stance as he bursts into a booming chant, "Run! Take flight! Run until you cannot hear our howls and feasting no more!"

He beats a fist upon his chest, "For as we devour your sacrifice, we grow strong together. My belly is full-" Then he throws his arm out with a pointing finger, tracing along the arc of the listeners.

"-As your shoulders grow lighter from the loss of a burden. Your fit and robust live on until we come once more with our song."

W'amarok tosses his arms out wide, crying out to the sky with a howl, "Our song of feast and joy."

"Run. Run! Take flight!"

He turns his piercing gaze back to the audience, studying each and one of them. His stomping a steady beat for his declaration. "For only the strong and healthy escape the snap of our fangs. For we are the guardians of the wild herds, not the butchers."

The hunter's body begins to crescendo once more, each word a strike of the drum. "As the moon chases the sun, we will always be stalking. Devouring your fading glimmers of light."

W'amarok roars out at the height of his performance, baring his teeth in a bestial snarl. "So run. Run! Take flight!" A howl tears out of his throat filling the sky until it dies down, body still but panting.

He hits a fist upon his chest and bows down, "Thanks for listening."

Story Night Memang Beda . Salah satu yang membedakan adalah, performance Ustadz lebih maksimal. Lebih ekspresif. Sehingga lebih membantu pemahaman. Juga lebih me-maintain audience's interest . Untuk beberapa orang termasuk rekan kantor saya seperti yang dia share semalam sepulang dari SN, dia suka denger kajian Ustadz tapi kadang-kadang masih tertidur sebelum kajian berakhir. Itu karena dia cuma mendengar. Tapi semalam, dia berapi-api . Apalagi ini SN. Di mana Ustadz bisa menerangkan sambil berjalan di atas panggung. Menyisir sayap kiri dan sayap kanan. Mencari sepasang mata yang mengantuk. Yang sepertinya Ustadz tidak menemuinya, semalam . Ustadz juga tidak cuma berdiri. Bisa duduk dengan kaki menggelantung di bibir panggung. Tapi bisa juga tiba-tiba bangkit berdiri untuk lebih memahamkan audience tentang kisah seorang anak yang jadi imam. Yang membaca salam saat i'tidal. Yang membuat jamaah makmum di belakangnya tidak bisa menahan tawa. Terpingkal-pingkal di raka'at kedua. Gara-gara sekolah ingin mencetak leaders dan mempersiapkannya sedini mungkin. Dan ketika sang guru meminta semuanya untuk takbir, ada yang berteriak "Abubakar!" instead of "Allahu Akbar!" . Atau saat Ustadz memperagakan bagaimana beliau merasa terganggu dengan passenger di bandara, tepat di belakang beliau, yang seperti mau menyundul-nyundul beliau, dan bersiap menyalip di tikungan. Dan ketika Ustadz menyerah, 30 saudara sepupunya menyusul. Ustadz jadi tertinggal 31 antrian. Betapa umat Islam masih harus belajar antri . Performance Ustadz seperti itu tidak bisa kita dapati di khutbah Jumat, atau di kajian di mana Ustadz "terkunci" duduk di depan sebuah meja . SN memang beda . Resume oleh Heru Wibowo #NAKINDONESIA #STORYNIGHT https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu2iyQEF3hH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=tdjm4kw36zi9

Bismillah... We got so many requests for Story Night again! . So... This is it! . Story Night "Whisper" Friday, 29 Nov 2019 Balai Kartini, Jakarta . Who am I? Who is God? What on earth am I doing on this planet? Why I've been created? What is my purpose? . Find the answer through story telling by Nouman Ali Khan. . Thousand of Muslims, non-Muslims, people who are new to Islam, and children have attended Story Night programs and walked away with a new appreciation for Allah's Book. . The focus of Story Night isn't just to tell a story. Rather, it's to help us appreciate the style and method Allah uses to teach us stories in the Quran. . 🎟️Reserve your spot at http://doku.com/u/U0mSvcL . Grab your ticket now! . #noumanalikhan #nakvisitjakarta #nakvisitjakarta2019 #storynightjakarta2019 #storynight https://www.instagram.com/p/B5UcRE9H_Pn/?igshid=1alxuacn0ptfx

She didn’t want to miss story night, she had taken pains to invite those who Sir Varsen called new friends and battle allies.  She had heard their voices, but now she wanted to meet them in person. 

“Sir Varsen?”

“My Lady?”

“I am going to come to the city for a short time - I want to be there for Storynight and then I will come home.”

“I will protect you.”

“My thanks.”