وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلَأُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن قَوْمِهِۦ لَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتُمْ شُعَيْبًا إِنَّكُمْ إِذًۭا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ ٩٠
Dan berkatalah pula Ketua-ketua yang kafir dari kaum Nabi Syuaib (kepada orang ramai): “Sesungguhnya jika kamu mengikut Syuaib nescaya kamu dengan perbuatan yang demikian menjadilah orang-orang yang rugi” (7;90)
People of Madyan (Kaum Nabi Syuib) are known for business ethics. Especially in terms of cheating and lying to their customer. They are the kinds of people who find pleasure and profit by being dishonest when it comes to scaling. (eg: Benda 500g, di cas nya 1kg). This was obviously wrong. Yet they continued to do so, cuz
“Why Not? It’s free money. Plus everyone is doing it. If others can reap the benefits from cheating, then why shouldn’t I do the same?”
Eventually, cheating became the norm. The norm that they are proud of.
Then everything changed when Prophet Syuib AS came with a divine message, exposing their lies, and offered an alternative, which is HONESTY.
Oleh itu, sempurnakanlah sukatan dan timbangan, dan janganlah kamu kurangkan bagi manusia akan benda-benda dan perkara-perkara yang menjadi haknya; (7:85)
But we know how humans can get. Terutama bila ditegur benda yang salah. Instead of acknowledging their crime, obviously they rejected him. They even took a step further, that is to convince others not to follow him,
“Sesungguhnya jika kamu mengikut Syuaib nescaya kamu dengan perbuatan yang demikian menjadilah orang-orang yang rugi”(7:90)
Their main argument is, by following him, it would only lead to RUGI.
From a worldly and materialistic point of view, they could be right.
Honesty could lead to some losses in life. “Rugi dalam berniaga. Sebab peniaga lain menipu, mereka dapat untung lebih, tapi kita yang jujur, dapat untung biasa2 je, malah ada masa rugi”.
Here’s another example,
“Meniru dalam exam”. Orang tiru dalam exam, dapat A, kita jujur dapat C. Rugi atau tak? Macam rugi?
And come to think of it, it’s not just honesty that could lead to RUGI. For some, even adhering to the teaching of our deen is seen as a loss. Rugi sebab apa?
Cuz you’re missing out in life.
At times when most people can live as they desire (hidup sukati), eat whatever they want, and wear whatever they see fit, Muslims have to abide by the rules and regulations of Islam.
At times when most people can spend solely for their own selfish needs, Muslims are obligated to give some of their earnings to others and those who are in need.
And sadly, the more we are committed to this deen and its teaching, the more we are seen as RUGI.
When most people would enjoy their nightlife, dengan lepak and maksiat, a true believer would spend his night with Ibadah, remembrance of Allah, tilawatul Quran, refraining oneself from worldly temptation and desire.
When most people spend their leisure time with thoughtless entertainment, playing video games and watching movies for hours and hours, true believers would rather spend that time improving themselves via learning or serving this deen, putting Allah and Rasul as a bigger priority than themselves.
“Solatku, ibadahku, hidup dan matiku kerana Allah SWT”
Yet somehow, these are the people who are seen as losers, and unfortunately even by the Muslims themselves. They would argue,
“Ala, rilek la. Enjoy lah sikit”
“Weh, kau tak boring ke hidup macam ni?”
“Come on la, tak perlu lah islamik sangat, aku pun Islam, tak juga over mcm kau”
After all the comments, the judgment, and the mockery, eventually it starts to hit us.
“Betul ka cakap mereka? Rugi kah aku menjadi seorang Muslim yang taat dan setia kepada Allah dan Rasul? Patutkah aku menjadi Muslim biasa2 sahaja?”
I’m not gonna answer that, cuz here’s Allah SWT responding to your question,
“Orang-orang yang mendustakan Nabi Syuaib (punah-ranah) seolah-olah mereka tidak pernah mendiami negeri itu. Orang-orang yang mendustakan Nabi Syuaib, merekalah orang-orang yang rugi.“(7;92)
Mereka itu yang sebenarnya rugi. Bukan kita. And don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. As Rasulullah SAW once said,
“Islam dimulai dalam keadaan asing, dan akan kembali asing sebagaimana permulaannya. Maka beruntunglah orang-orang yang asing (ghuraba’).” (HR. Muslim no. 145)
Kita tidak akan rugi,
When we decide to become a devoted slave of Allah SWT, abiding by all of His commands and refraining from all of the prohibition.
Kita tidak akan rugi,
When we sacrifice our own desire to earn the pleasure and forgiveness from our Lord.
Kita tidak akan rugi,
When we leave behind all of our old habits and sins, determined to become a better person.
Kita sekali-kali tidak akan rugi.
Kita akan rugi hanya apabila …….
(as Nabi Adam AS taught us at the beginning of surah Al-A’raf)
Mereka berdua merayu: “Wahai Tuhan kami, kami telah menganiaya diri kami sendiri, dan kalau Engkau tidak mengampunkan kami dan memberi rahmat kepada kami, nescaya menjadilah kami dari orang-orang yang rugi”. (7;23).
Apabila kita tidak memperoleh kasih sayang dan pengampunan daripada Allah SWT. Itulah sebesar-besar kerugian. And the only lost that we should be concern of.
Rugi di mata manusia hanyalah sementara, tapi rugi di mata Allah SWT boleh menyebabkan syurga tidak dapat dirasa.
May Allah accept our deeds and repentance. And not make us among those who are lost (rugi). Lost in the eyes of Allah….