Amalan yang baik dari ayat-ayat al-Quran untuk menyembuhkan penyakit, menghadapi kesulitan dan mendapatkan zuriat

1.    Doa untuk menyembuhkan penyakit:

Surah al-Anbiya (Surah ke 21: Ayat 83)

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ ۥۤ أَنِّى مَسَّنِىَ ٱلضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرۡحَمُ ٱلرَّٲحِمِينَ (٨٣) 

Dan (sebutkanlah peristiwa) Nabi Ayub, ketika dia berdoa merayu kepada Tuhannya dengan berkata: Sesungguhnya aku ditimpa penyakit, sedang Engkaulah sahaja yang lebih mengasihani daripada segala (yang lain) yang mengasihani.  (21:83)

Surah al-Anbiya (Surah ke 21: Ayat 84)



فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ فَكَشَفۡنَا مَا بِهِۦ مِن ضُرٍّ۬‌ۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُ أَهۡلَهُ ۥ وَمِثۡلَهُم مَّعَهُمۡ رَحۡمَةً۬ مِّنۡ عِندِنَا وَذِڪۡرَىٰ لِلۡعَـٰبِدِينَ (٨٤)

Maka Kami perkenankan doa permohonannya, lalu Kami hapuskan penyakit yang menimpanya, serta Kami kurniakan kepadanya: Keluarganya, dengan seganda lagi ramainya, sebagai satu rahmat dari Kami dan sebagai satu peringatan bagi orang-orang yang taat kepada Kami (supaya bersabar dan mendapat balasan baik). (21:84)

2.    Doa ketika ditimpa kesusahan:

Surah al-Anbiya (Surah ke 21: Ayat 87)

وَذَا ٱلنُّونِ إِذ ذَّهَبَ مُغَـٰضِبً۬ا فَظَنَّ أَن لَّن نَّقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ فَنَادَىٰ فِى ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتِ أَن لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى

ڪُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٨٧)

Dan (sebutkanlah peristiwa) Nabi Yunus, ketika dia pergi (meninggalkan kaumnya) dalam keadaan marah, yang menyebabkan dia menyangka bahawa Kami tidak akan mengenakannya kesusahan atau cubaan; (setelah berlaku kepadanya apa yang berlaku) maka dia pun menyeru dalam keadaan yang gelap-gelita dengan berkata: Sesungguhnya tiada Tuhan (yang dapat menolong) melainkan Engkau (ya Allah)! Maha Suci Engkau (daripada melakukan aniaya, tolongkanlah daku)! Sesungguhnya aku adalah dari orang-orang yang menganiaya diri sendiri. (21:87)

Surah al-Anbiya (Surah ke 21: Ayat 88)

فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ وَنَجَّيۡنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡغَمِّ‌ۚ وَكَذَٲلِكَ نُـۨجِى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ (٨٨) 

Maka Kami kabulkan permohonan doanya dan Kami selamatkan dia dari kesusahan yang menyelubunginya dan sebagaimana Kami menyelamatkannya, Kami akan selamatkan orang-orang yang beriman (ketika mereka merayu kepada Kami). (21:88)

3.    Doa untuk mendapatkan zuriat:

Surah al-Anbiya (Surah ke 21: Ayat 89)

وَزَڪَرِيَّآ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ ۥ رَبِّ لَا تَذَرۡنِى فَرۡدً۬ا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡوَٲرِثِينَ (٨٩) 

Dan (sebutkanlah peristiwa) Nabi Zakaria, ketika dia merayu kepada Tuhannya dengan berkata: Wahai Tuhanku! Janganlah Engkau biarkan daku seorang diri (dengan tidak meninggalkan zuriat) dan Engkaulah jua sebaik-baik yang mewarisi. (21:89)

Surah al-Anbiya (Surah ke 21: Ayat 90)

فَٱسۡتَجَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُ ۥ يَحۡيَىٰ وَأَصۡلَحۡنَا لَهُ ۥ زَوۡجَهُ ۥۤ‌ۚ إِنَّهُمۡ ڪَانُواْ يُسَـٰرِعُونَ فِى ٱلۡخَيۡرَٲتِ وَيَدۡعُونَنَا رَغَبً۬ا وَرَهَبً۬ا‌ۖ وَڪَانُواْ لَنَا خَـٰشِعِينَ (٩٠)

Maka Kami perkenankan doanya dan Kami kurniakan kepadanya (anaknya) Yahya, dan Kami perelokkan keadaan isterinya yang mandul, (untuk melahirkan anak) baginya. (Kami limpahkan berbagai ihsan kepada Rasul-rasul itu ialah kerana) sesungguhnya mereka sentiasa berlumba-lumba dalam mengerjakan kebaikan dan sentiasa berdoa kepada kami dengan penuh harapan serta gerun takut dan mereka pula sentiasa khusyuk (dan taat) kepada Kami. (21:90)

(Kaedah – sebaiknya berpuasa 3 hari, tidak banyak bercakap dalam tempoh tersebut dan berdoa Bersama pasangan – dengan izin Allah SWT jua).

OL for week 1:

Subject: Agribusiness Management (A192)

1. AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT: SCOPE, FUNCTIONS AND TASKS

The business of agribusiness

The key functions of management in Agribusiness

The three primary sectors of the food system

Please open this video from youtube:

Career in Agriculture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiD_P4RHzg8

 

What is Agribusiness Management video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHXzhpzbfdc

 

Agribusiness Management Program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th_V3QMcZF8

 

Discussion Questions:

1. List and define the four functions of agribusiness management
2. What are five reasons the agribusiness sector may be considered unique? How or why could agribusiness firms and firms outside the agribusiness sectors make different decision in similar situations?
3. What are three significant trends facing food retailers? How have these impacted the food retailing industry?
4. Why have away-from-home eating establishments become so popular? Do you expect this trend to continue? Why or why not?
5. Environmental regulations and public acceptance of biotechnology were mentioned as importance issues facing production agriculture, and hence input supply firms. Take one of these two issues, or the broader social issue of your choice, and outline some of the key implications of the issue for firms manufacturing and distributing inputs to farmers.

OL for week 2:

2.0 MANAGING THE AGRIBUSINESS

The importance of good management

The Four Functions of Management –Planning, Organizing, Directing and Controlling.

Management by exception

Please open this video from youtube:

 

Importance of good management

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n4josMijng

 

4 FUNCTION OF MANAGEMENT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6RObZecBHI

 

management by exception

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5vv66GtPFU

 

Discussion Questions:

 

1. Why is business management referred to as a profession rather than a discipline? What is the difference between a discipline and a profession?
2. Business managers practice management just as a physician practices medicine or a lawyer practices law. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your answer.
3. What is the difference between business management and leadership?
4. Describe the decision-making process.
5. List the four functions of management and describe how they interact to permit a firm to succeed.
6. Agribusiness management is described as a dynamic, continuous process. Do you agree or disagree? Explain your answer.
7. What is the difference between efficiency and effectiveness?
8. What is a manger? What are some roles of a manager?    What are some functions of a manager? What makes the manager position a continuous process?

 

 

 

 

Parliamentary Select Committee and the spirit of transparency

I’m quite surprised by the process of appointing the new Chief Commissioner of the MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission). Instead of appointing a person who is controversial in terms of its personality, I think it is better to appoint someone from the MACC office through the promotion process to hold this position. It is assumed by the public that internal officials must have a better understanding of the tasks of the MACC and proper procedures to carry out the task. Bersih 2.0 and the Malaysian Bar Council also questioned how the new Chief Commissioner of MACC was appointed. We know that we need a constitutional amendment to make the appointment of this important office be instituted, whereas the appointment process should go through a nominating committee, Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), Prime Minister (PM) and then to the King. However, before the constitution was amended, the PM was able to demonstrate the spirit of transparency in making decisions by allowing the PSC to carry out their duties in appointing the key appointments as promised in the 14th general election manifesto. If the appointments of important posts such as the Chief Commissioner of the MACC are made by an individual (e.g. PM), and not by a special committee, then this individual may be terminated by the PM without consulting anybody when he disagrees with this officer’s. I think the decision of the committee is better than an individual for important posts such as the Chief Commissioner of the MACC.

The Social Impact of Subsidy

Introduction

We know that the expenditure on food, education, and healthcare are the three major social spending for enhancing human development. It is quite simple to show that these three elements are interrelated, but food seems to be dominant in this interrelationship. Indeed, good and well balanced food is a prerequisite for good health and better educational achievements. Accordingly, policies and measures that prove to be efficient in providing people, particularly the poor and vulnerable groups, with adequate and well-balanced food are welcomed from the viewpoint of human development. To improve the standard of living of the poor and low income groups, the government implements direct and indirect subsidy programs. For example, in Malaysia, the essential food items like cooking oil, sugar and flour, healthcare, education, agriculture and fisheries, electricity, cooking gas, and the highway toll are being subsidize by the government.

For whom is the subsidy?

In general all subsidies benefit the consumers. By and large,  the purpose, of providing subsidies is either to make the prices of certain goods and/or services fall within the ability of consumers to pay, or to enable inefficient producers (i.e. high cost producers like rice farmers) to continue producing rice even when  the prevailing market price is less than their costs. In this case, it is the final consumers also getting benefits from the subsidy. The consumers get the benefits by buying rice a lower price because of the subsidy.

The redistribution effect of subsidies

It is widely accepted in most economies around the world that the initial distribution of income needs to be adjusted, for the purpose of ensuring equitable distribution. This is usually done through various income redistribution mechanism which includes the direct cash transfer and subsidy programs. However it is important to note that the redistribution effect is not the same for direct cash transfer and subsidies. For example, while  direct cash transfer as cash rebate of RM126 a year for car owners less than 1,000cc and RM54 a year for owners of motorcycles less than 250cc represent, in their totality, a redistribution of income in favor of certain targeted  beneficiaries as identified by the government. On the other hand, the redistribution effect of the indirect consumer subsidies such as fuel subsidy is usually shared by all consumers of the subsidized commodities regardless of whether they are eligible or not-eligible. Fuel subsidies are a costly approach to protecting the poor due to substantial benefit leakage to higher income groups. For example, in the case of the fuel subsidy in Malaysia, the benefits are enjoyed disproportionately by high-income households, who consume a larger amount of fuel as they are more likely to own multiple vehicles with larger engine capacities. It is estimated that the bottom 20% of households in Malaysia only receive 4% of the fuel subsidy, while the richest 20% receive 42% of the subsidy¹. Therefore, subsidies received by all societies regardless of their socioeconomic status are not a suitable one to be implemented.

Subsidies and economic efficiency

The relation between subsidies and efficiency is a controversial issue.  From the economic viewpoint, it is usually argued that whenever subsidies interfere with the functioning of the market price mechanism, they lead to inefficient allocation and waste of resources. Indeed, this argument holds true for the subsidies to producer, considering the purpose of this policy is to enable high cost or inefficient producers of certain commodities to continue their economics activities. Although, the argument for producer subsidies might be accepted within the context of ensuring the sustainability of the  important food sector, such as rice  and fishery sectors, this policy should not be a permanent policy as this would bring about negative impact in the long run.  

It is quite simple to prove that direct  cash transfer have no impact on the functioning of the price system given that when the government decide to make these transfers, it only provides additional purchasing power of targeted eligible individual or group to enable them to buy basic commodities at the prevailing market prices. By contrast, indirect consumer subsidies such as subsidies on food items such as cooking oil, sugar and flour may lead to inefficiency because of the price distortion associated with such subsidies. This argument is valid when low priced goods are irrationally consumed and used for purposes other than those targeted in the government subsidy scheme. For example,   the consumers from Singapore and Thailand buying these subsidized food items (cooking oil, sugar and flour) from Malaysia. Similarly, industrial sectors such as cordial beverage producers and bread producers also benefit from sugar and flour subsidies. What matters in this context is the efficiency of the consumer subsidy in itself, i.e. its efficiency as a tool of targeting low-income and disadvantaged groups of the population.

In general Malaysia is among the major countries that implementing subsidies policy to help reduce the cost of living of its people. In year 2013, government expenditure on subsidies equated to nearly 16 per cent of its operating expenditure, which is about 5.1 per cent of the total Gross Domestic Product². This figure also does not account for the cost of implicit subsidies in terms of revenue foregone by public enterprises and the Government under price controls, such as the provision of natural gas below market prices to electricity generation companies to enable lower electricity tariffs. Ultimately, this reduces the funds available for the Government to spend on other key development areas that would significantly benefit the nation over the long term, such as infrastructure, health, education and social protection³. The authorities took vital steps to shore up fiscal management and policy in the second half of 2013, and signaled their commitment to secure medium-term fiscal targets in the 2014 Budget. Fiscal management and institutions were strengthened substantially by the establishment of a high-level Fiscal Policy Control. In addition, subsidies on fuel, electricity, and sugar are being rationalized, and a GST has been introduced in April 2015⁴.

How successful is the food subsidy policy?

Three criteria are used to assess how successful is the subsidy system in targeting the low-income people in Malaysia. Those criteria are: the level of necessity of the subsidized commodities as consumer goods(since subsidy should be directed to necessary commodities); the relative share of the subsidized   commodities  to the overall budget of the low income groups, since the higher is the relative share of the household budget spent on those commodities, the more the poor are benefiting from the subsidy; and how efficient is the subsidy system in reaching the low-income people in Malaysia. In Malaysia, the four subsidized food commodities (flour, rice, sugar, and cooking oil) are present in the consumption patterns of almost all socioeconomic groups.  Based on several studies conducted using  the Household, Income and Expenditure Surveys for  different years, the findings showed that these four food items are considered necessary commodities regardless of the socioeconomic groups and location (i.e. either rural or urban).   According to the most recent Households Expenditure and Income Survey, households in rural areas spent around 30 per cent of their expenditure on food, while this percentage falls to about 20 per cent in urban areas⁵. In addition, the same surveys showed that the four subsidized food items are relatively more important for the lower income group as compared to the higher one.

Based on the statistics, for the last 10 years, Malaysia has been running a fiscal deficit, which has been growing progressively from RM5 billion in 1998, to a record high of RM43.1 billion in 2017⁶. The escalating government expenditures including subsidies which do not keep pace with the growth of government’s revenue explains this phenomenon.  The dependency of the Malaysian economy on tax revenue from petroleum production and petroleum royalty affects the ability of the government to spend when the revenue from Petroleum declined from RM66.27 billion in 2014 to only RM43.87 billion in 2015. As to counter the problem of declining revenue from petroleum, the government has however introduced GST. Through GST the government was able to collect around  RM34.64 billion as oppose to sales tax for the year 2014 which was only RM17.22 billion.

Key Takeaways

A subsidy serves as an important  tool to ensure social equality and help the poor to have the chance  to live a respectable life. Nonetheless, too much allocation for subsidies may give an adverse impact to the economy especially when the deficit is getting larger.  As mentioned earlier, subsidy will create price distortion and thus lead to inefficiency. In essence, balancing between efficiency and equity objective is rather tricky and proper implementation and monitoring must be put in place as to ensure that the cost of subsidy can be minimized.   

As Malaysia embarked on the initiative to gradually reduce the subsidy through the subsidy rationalization policy, it is important for the government to properly evaluate the impact of such move. While subsidy rationalization may improve the government’s balance sheet, the impact to the poor and middle income group may be substantial. In summary, it is agreeable that subsidy should not be a long term solution and selective subsidy that targeting the poor should not be completely abolished but the improvement on its implementation need to be carried out.  

References:

¹ Malaysia, Household Income and Basic Amenities Surveys (2012), Department of Statistics, Malaysia.

² Malaysia, Economic Planning Unit (2016), the Malaysian Economy in Figures.

³International Monetary Fund (2013), Energy Subsidy Reform: Lessons and Implications. https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Books/Issues/2016/12/31/Energy-Subsidy-Reform-Lessons-and-Implications-40410.

⁴ International Monetary Fund (IMF) (2014), Country Report No. 14/80.

⁵Fatimah, K., Masud, M. M., and Saifullah, M.  K. (2017). Subsidy rationalization for general purpose flour: market and economics implication. Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business, 4(2), 25-36.

⁶Malaysia, 2017 Budget, Ministry of Finance.

Baiknya Bersedekah

Saya sangat tertarik dengan tafsir Al-Quran berkaitan dengan 'dustur sadaqah' - Surah al-Baqarah ayat 274 (2:274) yang dibuat tafsiran oleh Sayyid Quthb dalam buku Tafsir Fi Zhilalil Quran, ms 372.

Diterangkan maksud keumuman ayat berkaitan maksud harta sebagai sebarang jenis harta, tidak hanya melibatkan wang ringgit sahaja, Diikuti masa bersedekah meliputi semua waktu, siang atau malam, secara terang-terangan atau secara tersembunyi, semuanya akan mendapat pahala dari Allah SWT.

Saya makin tertarik dengan maksud 'tidak ada kebimbangan dari berlakunya keadaan yang tidak baik terhadap mereka'. Diterangkan maksudnya sebagai orang yang bersedekah tersebut akan dilipatgandakan hartanya, berkah umur, balasan di akhirat dan keridhaan Allah SWT.

Terdapat keterangan juga ada kalanya orang miskin itu tidak meminta-minta walau pun mereka sangat memerlukan kerana mereka termasuk dalam kumpulan orang yang menjaga harga dirinya. Mereka ini juga patut diberi sedekah dan boleh dikenalpasti dalam masyarakat.

Ada dalam satu khutbah Rasullullah SAW yang berbunyi:

"Barangsiapa yang memelihara harga dirinya maka Allah akan memeliharanya. Barangsiapa yang mencukup-mencukupkan diri, maka Allah akan mencukupinya. Dan barangsiapa yang meminta-minta kepada orang lain padahal dia mempunyai harta bernilai lima 'uqiyah', maka sesungguhnya dia telah meminta-minta kepada manusia dengan mendesak". (Rujukan: Tafsir Fi Zhilalil Quran, Sayyid Quthb, ms 372).

Ayat 274, Surah Al-Baqarah:

ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمۡوَٲلَهُم بِٱلَّيۡلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ سِرًّ۬ا وَعَلَانِيَةً۬ فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرُهُمۡ عِندَ رَبِّهِمۡ وَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ ((٢٧٤

"Orang-orang yang membelanjakan (mendermakan) hartanya pada waktu malam dan siang, dengan cara sulit atau terbuka, maka mereka beroleh pahala di sisi Tuhan mereka dan tidak ada kebimbangan (dari berlakunya kejadian yang tidak baik) terhadap mereka, serta mereka pula tidak akan berdukacita. (274)"

Timbul juga persoalan mengenai pandangan sama ada sedekah yang hendak diberikan itu bolehkah dibuat secara terang-terangan, atau secara sembunyi seperti ada istilah Melayu mengatakan "tangan kanan memberi, tangan kiri tidak mengetahui berapa yang diberi oleh tangan kanan". Berkaitan hal ini ada disebut dalam Ayat Surah al Baqarah (2:272) yang menerangkan "Kalau kamu zahirkan sedekah-sedekah itu (secara terang), maka yang demikian adalah baik (kerana menjadi contoh yang baik) dan kalau pula kamu sembunyikan sedekah-sedekah itu serta kamu berikan kepada orang-orang fakir miskin, maka itu adalah baik bagi kamu dan Allah akan menghapuskan dari kamu sebahagian dari kesalahan-kesalahan kamu dan (ingatlah), Allah Maha Mengetahui secara mendalam akan apa yang kamu lakukan. (271) " dan seterusnya hadis Bukhari no. 504 maksud tangan kanan memberi tangan kiri pun tidak tahu itu ialah Sadaqah dengan ikhlas, kerana Allah SWT semata-mata dan bukannya untuk diketahui orang ramai dan bermegah-megah.