MY POST

1. Mengimani bahwa pencipta alam semesta ini adalah Ilah yang Maha Bijaksana, Maha kuasa, Maha mengetahui, dan Maha Berdiri Sendiri. (Q.S. Al-Anbiya’ : 22)
2. Mengimani bahwa Al-Kholiq menciptakan alam semesta ini tidaklah sia-sia, karena Allah adalah Dzat yang Maha sempurna. (Q.S. Al-Mu’minun : 115-116)
3. Mengimani bahwa Allah swt telah mengutus para Rasul dan menurunkan kitab-kitab untuk memperkenalkan Dzat-Nya kepada manusia, tujuan penciptaan, asal dan tempat kembali manusia. (Q.S. An-Nahl : 36)
4. Mengimani bahwa tujuan diciptakannya manusia adalah untuk mengenal dan mengabdi pada Allah swt. (Q.S. Adz-Dzariyat : 56-58)
5. Mengimani bahwa balasan bagi mu’min yang taat adalah jannah dan orang kafir adalah neraka. (Q.S. Asy-Syura : 7)
6. Mengimani bahwa manusia melakukan kebaikan maupun keburukan atas pilihan dan kehendaknya sendiri. Tapi untuk kebaikan juga dipengaruhi oleh Taufiq dari Allah dan keburukan tidak ada paksaan dari Allah . (Q.S. Asy-Syams : 7-10, Al-Mudatsir : 38)
7. Mengimani bahwa pembuat hukum hanyalah hak Allah yang tidak boleh dilangkahi, dan seorang muslim boleh berijtihad yang disyari’atkan oleh Allah . (Q.S. Asy-Syura : 10)
8. Mengetahui nama-nama dan sifat-sifat Allah .Dari Abu Hurairah ra : telah bersabda Rasulullah saw : “Sesungguhnya Allah memiliki sembilan puluh sembilan nama, tidak seorangpun menghafalnya melainkan ia pasti masuk surga. Dan Dia (Allah ) itu witir dan mencintai yang witir.”(Bukhari dan Muslim)
9. Merenungkan ciptaan Allah dan bukan Dzatnya.“Berfikirlah tentang ciptaan Allah dan janganlah kalian berfikir tentang DzatNya, karena kalian tidak akan mampu menjangkauNya.”(Abu Nu’am dalam Al-Hilyah, dan Al-Asbahany dalam At-Targhib wa Tarhib)
10. Meyakini bahwa pendapat salaf lebih utama diikuti untuk menutup peluang ta’wil dan ta’thil (tidak memberlakukan makna dari sebuah lafadz) serta menyerahkan makna hakiki dari nama dan sifat Allah itu hanya kepada-Nya. Ta’wil itu tidak boleh mengundang perdebatab yang berkepanjangan
11. Mengabdi kepada Allah dengan tidak menyekutukanNya. (Q.S. An-Nahl : 36)
12. Merasa takut olehNya dan tidak merasa takut oleh selainNya. (Q.S. An-Nur : 52)
13. Berdzikir kepadaNya secara kontiniu. Dzikir pada Allah merupakan obat spiritual yang ampuh dalam menghadapi tantangan zaman dan segala bencana yang menimpa kehidupan. (Q.S. Ar-Ra’d : 28, Az-Zukhruf : 36-37)
14. Mencintai Allah sampai hati saya dikuasai olehNya dan terkait erat denganNya sehinggan mendorong saya untuk lebih baik dan rela berkorban di jalanNya. (Q.S. At-Taubah : 24)
15. Bertawakkal kepada Allah dalam segala urusan saya. (Q.S. At-Thalaq : 3)
16. Bersyukur kepada Allah atas nikmatNya yang tak terhitung. (Q.S. An-Nahl : 78, Yasin : 33-35, Ibrahim : 7)
17. Beristighfar kepadaNya secara kontiniu (dawam), karena dapat memperbaharui taubat, iman, dan menghapus dosa. (Q.S. An-Nisa’ :110, Ali-Imran : 135)
18. Menyadari bahwa diri saya selalu diawasi olehNya kapan saja dan di mana saja berada. (Q.S. Al-Mujadilah : 7)
    Dari 18 hal yang wajib kita lakukan, yang paling utama adalah bagaimana semua hal tersebut mampu memperkuat komitmen kita terhadap Allah , Islam, dan hal-hal yang berkaitan dengannya sehingga akan membentuk karakter muslim yang berkomitmen tinggi sehingga apa saja yang menyangkut kebenaran dan kebaikan dapat dilaksanakan dan dipertanggungjawabkan sebaik-baiknya di dunia dan akhirat. Dan menjauhi segala perbuatan yang dapat menjerumuskan kita kepada hal-hal yang dapat membatalkan syahadatain kita seperti syirik, mendatangi dukun, atau percaya pada hal-hal tidak syar’iTujuan utama kita adalah Allah , maka mari kita luruskan niat dan perbaiki amal dan aktivitas kita hanya untuk Allah .

1. Menjadikan ibadah saya hidup dan bersambung dengan Allah
2. Menjadikan ibadah saya khusyu’
3. Beribadah dengan hati yang penuh kesadaran dan menjauhkan pikiran tentang kesibukan dunia dan problematika yang ada di sekitarnya
4. Tidak pernah merasa puas dan kenyang dalam beribadah
5. Memelihara qiyamullail dan melatih diri agar terbiasa melakukannya (Q.S. Al-Muzzammil : 6, Adz-Dzariyat 17-18, As-Sajadah : 16)
6. Mempunyai waktu khusus untuk mengkaji dan merenungkan Al-Qur’an terutama di waktu subuh (Al-Isra’ : 78, Al-Hasyr : 21)

Menjadikan do’a sebagai mi’roj kepada Allah dalam setiap urusan
Saya Harus Mengislamkan Akhlak Saya
Akhlak mulia adalah tujuan asasi dari risalah islamiyyah. Akhlak mulia harus dibuktikan dengan perbuatan dan merupakan buah dari iman. Akhlak yang mulia terlahir dari ibadah. Di antara sifat-sifat penting yang harus dimiliki seseorang agar dapat mengislamkan akhlaknya adalah :

• Bersikap wara’ dari segala hal yang syubhat
• Menundukkan pandangan (Q.S. An-Nur : 30)
• Menjaga lidah
• Rasa malu
• Lemah lembut dan sabar (Q.S Asy-Syura : 43, Al-Hijr : 85, As-Shad : 10, An-Nur 22, Al-Furqon : 63)
• Jujur
• Tawadhu’
• Menjauhi prasangka, ghibah, dan mencari-cari aib orang islam
• Murah hati dan dermawan
• Qudwah hasanah

1. Pernikahan yang saya lakukan harus karena Allah (Q.S. Ali-Imran : 34)
2. Hendaknya tujuan pernikahan adalah untuk menjaga pandangan , memelihara kemaluan, dan bertakwa kepada Allah
3. Saya harus pandai-pandai memilih pasangan
4. Saya harus memilih pasangan yang memiliki akhlak dan din yang baik
5. Saya tidak boleh menyalahi perintah Allah dalam masalah ini dan saya harus takut pada murka Allah

1. Rabbaniyah Manhaj IslamManhaj Islam yang bercorak ketuhanan adalah suatu sibghah (konsep agama) yang menjadikannya terdepan dibandingkan dengan seluruh sistem positif produk manusia dan memiliki spesifikasi unik untuk tetap bertahan dan memberikan manfaat di setiap zaman, tempat, dan di kawasan mana pun.
2. Universalitas manhaj IslamMerupakan perwujudan warna humanisme, konkretisasi dari warna keterbukaan dan kemampuan untuk memikul tanggungjawab keterbukaan ini. Warna ini menjadikannya meninggalkan sentimen sempit terhadap ras, nasionalisme, gender, atau keturunan.
3. Elastisitas Manhaj Islam
   Yaitu warna yang memberinya kemampuan untuk menampung segala problema kehidupan yang berubah-ubah, bervariasi, dan bermacam-macam. Warna yang melapangkan tempat untuk berijtihad dalam menyimpulkan hukum-hukum berkenaan dengan masalah-masalah yang tidak ada nashnya, melalui metode qiyas atau mempertimbangkan mashlahah mursalah, istihsan, dan argumen lain yang diakui syara’
4. Kelengkapan manhaj IslamYaitu warna yang membedakannya dari sistem “bumi” serta tatanan-tatanan buatan lainnya yang memiliki tujuan terbatas. Manhaj Islam adalah sistem yang diberikan oleh Al-’Alim dan Al=Khabir, yaitu Allah Yang Mahatahu segala urusan manusia, apa saja yang dibutuhkan manusia, apa saja yang merupakan maslahat manusia, dan sebagainya.
5. Keterbatasan Sistem-sistem “wadh’iyah” (buatan manusia)Sistem buatan manusia memiliki banyak keterbatasan dalam tataran aplikatifnya.

Yang dinamakan iman itu ialah apabila kau meyakini didalam hati, menyatakannya dengan lidah, dan melaksanakannya dengan perbuatan (Hadist)

Athibba kasbaka tustajab da’watuka.
Perbaikilah pekerjaanmu niscaya do’amu dikabulkan (Hadist)

Jangan sekali-kali kamu menganggap remeh kebajikan meski kelihatannya tidak berharga, yaitu seperti ketika kamu menyambut temanmu dengan menampakkan wajah berseri-seri. (Nabi Muhammad SAW).

Tanda cinta kepada Allah adalah banyak mengingat (menyebut) Nya, karena tidaklah engkau menyukai sesuatu kecuali engkau akan banyak mengingatnya. (Ar Rabi’ bin Anas/ Jami’ al ulum wal Hikam, Ibnu Rajab)

Barang siapa yang dibenci manusia karena mencari ridha Allah maka manusia (yang lain) akan mencukupinya (membelanya). Barang siapa yang mencari ridha manusia dengan murka Allah maka Allah akan serahkan dia kepada munusia juga. (Ummul Mu’minin Aisyah ra/ Az Zuhd, Imam Ahmad)

Rasulullah bersabda :“ Barangsiapa menunjukkan suatu kebaikan, maka baginya seperti pahala yang melakukannya” (HR. Muslim)

Allah yaitu yang paling bertaqwa, rajin mengerjaklan ibadah serta menerima apa apa yang telah di berikan Allah kepadaku. (Ali bin Abu Tholib).

Barang siapa tidak peduli terhadap nasib agama, berarti ia tidak punya agama, barang siapa yang semangatnya tidak berkobar-kobar jika agama Islam ditimpa suatu bencana, maka Islam tidak butuh kepada mereka. (Imam al-Ghazali).

Iman, ilmu, amal merupakan tiga serangkai yang akan memuliakan martabat manusia. ( KH Toto Tasmara )

Janganlah sekali kali diantara kalian ada yang duduk- duduk enggan mencari karunia Allah, sambil berdoa : Ya Allah, limpahkanlah karunia kepadaku, padahal ia telah mengetahui bahwa langit tidak pernah menurunkan hujan emas dan perak (Hadist).

Inginkan sesuatu dengan bakat yang kau miliki, dan jangan menginginkan sesuatu sesuai dengan nafsu atau seleramu. (Lukman Hakim).

Merenungkan tentang nikmat Allah sungguh merupakan salah satu ibadah yang utama. (Umar bin Abdul Azis).

Lihatlah orang-orang yang dibawahmu dalam usrusan harta dunia, dan jangan sekali-kali melihat yang berada di atasmu, supaya kamu tidak meremehkan karunia Allah yang diberikan kepadamu. (Nabi Muhammad SAW).

Bersikap sabar kepada kawan yang berbuat jelek kepadamu sungguh lebih baik dari pada mencacinya. mencaci lebih baik dari pada memutuskan talisilaturahmi. Dan memutuskan tali silaturahmi lebih baik dari pada bertengkar. (Ulama).


Perbanyaklah kamu mengingat mati, karena hal itu bisa membersihkan dosa dan menyebabkan kamu zuhud atau tidak cinta kepada dunia.(Rasulullah)

Keluarlah dari dirimu dan serahkanlah semuanya pada Allah, lalu penuhi hatimu dengan Allah. Patuhilah kepada perintahNya, dan larikanlah dirimu dari laranganNya, supaya nafsu badaniahmu tidak memasuki hatimu, setelah itu keluar, untuk membuang nafsu-nafsu badaniah dari hatimu, kamu harus berjuang dan jangan menyerah kepadanya dalam keadaan bgaimanapun juga dan dalam tempo kapanpun juga.(Syekh Abdul Qodir al-Jaelani)

Berteman dengan orang bodoh yang tidak mengikuti ajakan hawa nafsunya adalah lebih baik bagi kalian, daripada berteman dengan orang alim tapi selalu suka terhadap hawa nafsunya.(Ibnu Attailllah as Sakandari)

Orang yang suka berkata jujur akan mendapatkan 3 hal, yaitu : KEPERCAYAN, CINTA dan RASA HORMAT (Sayidina Ali bin Abi Thalib)

Ketahuilah bahwa sabar, jika dipandang dalam permasalahan seseorang adalah ibarat kepala dari suatu tubuh. Jika kepalanya hilang maka keseluruhan tubuh itu akan membusuk. Sama halnya, jika kesabaran hilang, maka seluruh permasalahan akan rusak. (Sayidina Ali bin Abi Thalib)

Kejahatan yang dibalas dengan kejahatan pula adalah sebuah akhlaq ular, dan kalau kebajikan dibalas dengan kejahatan itulah akhlaq buaya, lalu bila kebajikan dibalas dengan kebajkan adalah akhlaq anjing, tetapi kalau kejahatan dibalas dengan kebajikan itulah akhlaq manusia.(Nasirin)

Ilmu itu lebih baik daripada harta. Ilmu akan menjaga engkau dan engkau menjaga harta. Ilmu itu penghukum (hakim) sedangkan harta terhukum. Kalau harta itu akan berkurang apabila dibelanjakan, tetapi ilmu akan bertambah apabila dibelanjakan.(Sayidina Ali bin Abi Thalib)

Sabar memiliki dua sisi, sisi yang satu adalah sabar, sisi yang lain adalah bersyukur kepada Allah. (Ibnu Mas’ud)

Takutlah kamu akan perbuatan dosa di saat sendirian, di saat inilah saksimu adalah juga hakimmu. (Ali bin Abi Thalib)

Orang yang paling aku sukai adalah dia yang menunjukkan kesalahanku.(Umar bin Khattab)

Niat adalah ukuran dalam menilai benarnya suatu perbuatan, oleh karenanya, ketika niatnya benar, maka perbuatan itu benar, dan jika niatnya buruk, maka perbuatan itu buruk. (Imam An Nawawi)

Aku mengamati semua sahabat, dan tidak menemukan sahabat yang lebih baik daripada menjaga lidah. Saya memikirkan tentang semua pakaian, tetapi tidak menemukan pakaian yang lebih baik daripada takwa. Aku merenungkan tentang segala jenis amal baik, namun tidak mendapatkan yang lebih baik daripada memberi nasihat baik. Aku mencari segala bentuk rezki, tapi tidak menemukan rezki yang lebih baik daripada sabar. (Umar bin Kattab)

Dia yang menciptakan mata nyamuk adalah Dzat yang menciptakan matahari.(Bediuzzaman Said Nursi)

Penderitaan jiwa mengarahkan keburukan. Putus asa adalah sumber kesesatan; dan kegelapan hati, pangkal penderitaan jiwa.(Bediuzzaman Said Nursi)

Kebersamaan dalam suatu masyarakat menghasilkan ketenangan dalam segala kegiatan masyarakat itu, sedangkan saling bermusuhan menyebabkan seluruh kegiatan itu mandeg.(Bediuzzaman Said Nursi)

Menghidupkan kembali agama berarti menghidupkan suatu bangsa. Hidupnya agama berarti cahaya kehidupan.(Bediuzzaman Said Nur)

Orang yang terkaya adalah orang yang menerima pembagian (taqdir) dari Allah dengan senang hati.(Ali bin Husein)
Seseorang yang melihat kebaikan dalam berbagai hal berarti memiliki pikiran yang baik. Dan seseoran yang memiliki pikiran yang baik mendapatkan kenikmatan dari hidup.(Bediuzzaman Said Nur)

Pangkal dai semua kebaikan di dunia maupun di akhirat adalah taqwa kepada Allah.(Abu Sualeman Addarani)

Barang siapa tidak dicoba dengan bencana atau kesusahan, maka tidak ada sebuah kebahagiaan pun disisi Allah.(Adh-Dhahhak)

Allah SWT mungkin memberikan ujian berupa kegagalan dan kehilangan kepada kita untuk mengajarkan hikmah kepada kita.

Kawan pendamping yang sholeh ibarat penjual minyak wangi. Bila dia tidak memberimu minyak wangi, kamu akan mencium keharumannya. Sedangkan kawan pendamping yang buruk ibarat tukang pandai besi. Bila kamu tidak terjilat apinya, kamu akan terkena asapnya. (HR. Bukhari)

Keberhasilan Anda adalah ditentukan oleh Anda sendiri dan takdir Allah SWT. Bukan oleh orang lain.

Barangsiapa berhaji untuk kedua orang tuanya atau melunasi hutang-hutangnya maka dia akan dibangkitkan Allah pada hari kiamat dari golongan orang-orang yang mengamalkan kebajikan. (HR. Ath-Thabrani dan Ad-Daar Quthni).

Mungkin, kegagalan, masalah, dan lingkungan yang tidak menyenangkan adalah sebagian dari skenario Allah SWT dalam membina diri kita.

Kawan pendamping yang sholeh ibarat penjual minyak wangi. Bila dia tidak memberimu minyak wangi, kamu akan mencium keharumannya. Sedangkan kawan pendamping yang buruk ibarat tukang pandai besi. Bila kamu tidak terjilat apinya, kamu akan terkena asapnya. (HR. Bukhari)

Tiada keutamaan seperti jihad dan tiada jihad seperti menentang hawa nafsu

Tidaklah seseorang menyembunyikan sesuatu, melainkan Allah akan menampakkannya melalui raut mukanya dan ketergelinciran mulutnya. (Utsman bin ‘Affan/ al Adan asy Syar’iyyah, Ibnu Muflih)

Kesempurnaan yang paling sempurna adalah tafakkuh (mendalami) agama, sabar menghadapi musibah dan ekonomis dalam mengeluarkan biaya hidup

Apakah kamu mau tahu kunci-kunci surga itu ? Kunci Surga sebenarnya adalah “Bissmillahirraman nirrahim”.

sumber : radensomad.com & cokiehti.wordpress.com

The Monkey's Paw

W. W. Jacobs

Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlor of Lakesnam Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly. Father and son were at chess, the former, who possessed ideas about the game involving radical changes, putting his king into suchm sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the whitehaired old lady knitting placidly by the fire.

"Hark at the wind," said Mr. White, who, having seen a fatal mistake after it was too late, was amiably desirous of preventing his son from seeing it.

"I'm listening," said the latter, grimly surveying the board as he stretched out his hand. "Check."

"I should hardly think that he'd come tonight," said his father, with his hand poised over the board.

"Mate," replied the son.

"That's the worst of living so far out," bawled Mr. White, with sudden and unlooked-for violence; "of all the beastly, slushy, out-of-the-way places to live in, this is the worst. Pathway's a bog, and the road's a torrent. I don't know what people are thinking about. I suppose because only two houses on the road are let, they think it doesn't matter."

"Never mind, dear," said his wife soothingly; "perhaps you'll win the next one."

Mr. White looked up sharply, just in time to intercept a knowing glance between mother and son. The words died away on his lips, and he hid a guilty grin in his thin grey beard.

"There he is," said Herbert White, as the gate banged to loudly and heavy footsteps came toward the door.

The old man rose with hospitable haste, and opening the door, was heard condoling with the new arrival. The new arrival also condoled with himself, so that Mrs. White said, "Tut, tut!" and coughed gently as her husband entered the room, followed by a tall, burly man, beady of eye and rubicund of visage.

"Sergeant Major Morris," he said, introducing him.

The sergeant major shook hands, and taking the proffered seat by the fire, watched contentedly while his host got out whisky and tumblers and stood a small copper kettle on the fire.

At the third glass his eyes got brighter, and he began to talk, the little family circle regarding with eager interest this visitor from distant parts, as he squared his broad shoulders in the chair and spoke of strange scenes and doughty deeds, of wars and plagues and strange peoples.

"Twenty-one years of it," said Mr. White, nodding at his wife and son. "When he went away he was a slip of a youth in the warehouse. Now look at him."

"He don't look to have taken much harm," said Mrs. White politely. "I'd like to go to India myself," said the old man, "just to look round a bit, you know."

"Better where you are," said the sergeant major, shaking his head. He put down the empty glass, and sighing softly, shook it again.

"I should like to see those old temples and fakirs and jugglers," said the old man. "What was that you started telling me the other day about a monkey's paw or something, Morris?"

"Nothing," said the soldier hastily. "Leastways, nothing worth hearing."

"Monkey's paw?" said Mrs. White curiously.

"Well, it's just a bit of what you might call magic, perhaps," said the sergeant major offhandedly.

His three listeners leaned forward eagerly. The visitor absentmindedly put his empty glass to his lips and then set it down again. His host filled it for him.

"To look at," said the sergeant major, fumbling in his pocket, "it's just an ordinary little paw, dried to a mummy."

He took something out of his pocket and proffered it. Mrs. White drew back with a grimace, but her son, taking it, examined it curiously.

"And what is there special about it?" inquired Mr. White, as he took it from his son, and having examined it, placed it upon the table.

"It had a spell put on it by an old fakir," said the sergeant major, "a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. He put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it."

His manner was so impressive that his hearers were conscious that their light laughter jarred somewhat.

"Well, why don't you have three, sir?" said Herbert White cleverly.

The soldier regarded him in the way that middle age is wont to regard presumptuous youth. "I have," he said quietly, and his blotchy face whitened.

"And did you really have the three wishes granted?" asked Mrs. White.

"I did," said the sergeant major, and his glass tapped against his strong teeth.

"And has anybody else wished?" inquired the old lady.

"The first man had his three wishes, yes," was the reply. "I don't know what the first two were, but the third was for death. That's how I got the paw."

His tones were so grave that a hush fell upon the group.

"If you've had your three wishes, it's no good to you now, then, Morris," said the old man at last. "What do you keep it for?"

The soldier shook his head. "Fancy, I suppose," he said slowly. "I did have some idea of selling it, but I don't think I will. It has caused enough mischief already. Besides, people won't buy. They think it's a fairy tale, some of them, and those who do think anything of it want to try it first and pay me afterward."

"If you could have another three wishes," said the old man, eyeing him keenly, "would you have them?"

"I don't know," said the other. "I don't know."

He took the paw, and dangling it between his front finger and thumb, suddenly threw it upon the fire. White, with a slight cry, stooped down and snatched it off.

"Better let it burn," said the soldier solemnly.

"If you don't want it, Morris," said the old man, "give it to me."

"I won't," said his friend doggedly. "I threw it on the fire. If you keep it, don't blame me for what happens. Pitch it on the fire again, like a sensible man."

The other shook his head and examined his new possession closely. "How do you do it?" he inquired.

"Hold it up in your right hand and wish aloud," said the sergeant major, "but I warn you of the consequences."

"Sounds like the Arabian Nights," said Mrs. White, as she rose and began to set the supper. "Don't you think you might wish for four pairs of hands for me?"

Her husband drew the talisman from his pocket and then all three burst into laughter as the sergeant major, with a look of alarm on his face, caught him by the arm.

"If you must wish," he said gruffly, "wish for something sensible."

Mr. White dropped it back into his pocket, and placing chairs, motioned his friend to the table. In the business of supper the talisman was partly forgotten, and afterward the three sat listening in an enthralled fashion to a second installment of the soldier's adventures in India.

"If the tale about the monkey's paw is not more truthful than those he has been telling us," said Herbert, as the door closed behind their guest, just in time for him to catch the last train, "we shan't make much out of it."

"Did you give him anything for it, Father?" inquired Mrs. White, regarding her husband closely.

"A trifle," said he, coloring slightly. "He didn't want it, but I made him take it. And he pressed me again to throw it away."

"Likely," said Herbert, with pretended horror. "Why, we're going to be rich, and famous, and happy. Wish to be an emperor, Father, to begin with; then you can't be henpecked."

He darted around the table, pursued by the maligned Mrs. White armed with an antimacassar.

Mr. White took the paw from his pocket and eyed it dubiously. "I don't know what to wish for, and that's a fact," he said slowly. "It seems to me I've got all I want."

"If you only cleared the house, you'd be quite happy, wouldn't you?" said Herbert, with his hand on his shoulder. "Well, wish for two hundred pounds, then; that'll just do it."

His father, smiling shamefacedly at his own credulity, held up the talisman, as his son, with a solemn face somewhat marred by a wink at his mother, sat down at the piano and struck a few impressive chords.

"I wish for two hundred pounds," said the old man distinctly.

A fine crash from the piano greeted the words, interrupted by a shuddering cry from the old man. His wife and son ran toward him.

"It moved," he cried, with a glance of disgust at the object as it lay on the floor. "As I wished, it twisted in my hand like a snake."

"Well, I don't see the money," said his son, as he picked it up and placed it on the table, "and I bet I never shall."

"It must have been your fancy, Father," said his wife, regarding him anxiously.

He shook his head. "Never mind, though; there's no harm done, but it gave me a shock all the same."

They sat down by the fire again while the two men finished their pipes. Outside, the wind was higher than ever, and the old man started nervously at the sound of a door banging upstairs. A silence unusual and depressing settled upon all three, which lasted until the old couple rose to retire for the night.

"I expect you'll find the cash tied up in a big bag in the middle of your bed," said Herbert, as he bade them good night, "and something horrible squatting up on top of the wardrobe watching you as you pocket your ill-gotten gains."

In the brightness of the wintry sun next morning as it streamed over the breakfast table, Herbert laughed at his fears. There was an air of prosaic wholesomeness about the room which it had lacked on the previous night, and the dirty, shriveled little paw was pitched on the sideboard with a carelessness which betokened no great belief in its virtues.

"I suppose all old soldiers are the same," said Mrs. White. "The idea of our listening to such nonsense! How could wishes be granted in these days? And if they could, how could two hundred pounds hurt you, Father?"

"Might drop on his head from the sky," said the frivolous Herbert.

"Morris said the things happened so naturally," said his father, "that you might, if you so wished, attribute it to coincidence."

"Well, don't break into the money before I come back," said Herbert, as he rose from the table. "I'm afraid it'll turn you into a mean, avaricious man, and we shall have to disown you."

His mother laughed, and following him to the door, watched him down the road, and returning to the breakfast table, was very happy at the expense of her husband's credulity. All of which did not prevent her from scurrying to the door at the postman's knock, nor prevent her from referring somewhat shortly to retired sergeant majors of bibulous habits, when she found that the post brought a tailor's bill.

"Herbert will have some more of his funny remarks, I expect, when he comes home," she said, as they sat at dinner.

"I daresay," said Mr. White, pouring himself out some beer; "but for all that, the thing moved in my hand; that I'll swear to."

"You thought it did," said the old lady soothingly.

"I say it did," replied the other. "There was no thought about it; I had just-- What's the matter?"

His wife made no reply. She was watching the mysterious movements of a man outside, who, peering in an undecided fashion at the house, appeared to be trying to make up his mind to enter. In mental connection with the two hundred pounds, she noticed that the stranger was well dressed and wore a silk hat of glossy newness. Three times he paused at the gate, and then walked on again. The fourth time he stood with his hand upon it, and then with sudden resolution flung it open and walked up the path. Mrs. White at the same moment placed her hands behind her, and hurriedly unfastening the strings of her apron, put that useful article of apparel beneath the cushion of her chair.

She brought the stranger, who seemed ill at ease, into the room. He gazed furtively at Mrs. White, and listened in a preoccupied fashion as the old lady apologized for the appearance of the room, and her husband's coat, a garment which he usually reserved for the garden. She then waited as patiently as her sex would permit for him to broach his business, but he was at first strangely silent.

"I--was asked to call," he said at last, and stooped and picked a piece of cotton from his trousers. "I come from Maw and Meggins."

The old lady started. "Is anything the matter?" she asked breathlessly. "Has anything happened to Herbert? What is it? What is it?"

Her husband interposed. "There, there, Mother," he said hastily. "Sit down, and don't jump to conclusions. You've not brought bad news, I'm sure, sir," and he eyed the other wistfully.

"I'm sorry--" began the visitor.

"Is he hurt?" demanded the mother.

The visitor bowed in assent. "Badly hurt," he said quietly, "but he is not in any pain."

"Oh, thank God!" said the old woman, clasping her hands. "Thank God for that! Thank--"

She broke off suddenly as the sinister meaning of the assurance dawned upon her and she saw the awful confirmation of her fears in the other's averted face. She caught her breath, and turning to her slower-witted husband, laid her trembling old hand upon his. There was a long silence.

"He was caught in the machinery," said the visitor at length, in a low voice.

"Caught in the machinery," repeated Mr. White, in a dazed fashion, "yes."

He sat staring blankly out at the window, and taking his wife's hand between his own, pressed it as he had been wont to do in their old courting days nearly forty years before.

"He was the only one left to us," he said, turning gently to the visitor. "It is hard."

The other coughed, and rising, walked slowly to the window. "The firm wished me to convey their sincere sympathy with you in your great loss," he said, without looking around. "I beg that you will understand I am only their servant and merely obeying orders."

There was no reply; the old woman's face was white, her eyes staring, and her breath inaudible; on the husband's face was a look such as his friend the sergeant might have carried into his first action.

"I was to say that Maw and Meggins disclaim all responsibility," continued the other. "They admit no liability at all, but in consideration of your son's services they wish to present you with a certain sum as compensation."

Mr. White dropped his wife's hand, and rising to his feet, gazed with a look of horror at his visitor. His dry lips shaped the words, "How much?"

"Two hundred pounds," was the answer.

Unconscious of his wife's shriek, the old man smiled faintly, put out his hands like a sightless man, and dropped, a senseless heap, to the floor.

In the huge new cemetery, some two miles distant, the old people buried their dead, and came back to a house steeped in shadow and silence. It was all over so quickly that at first they could hardly realize it, and remained in a state of expectation, as though of something else to happen--something else which was to lighten this load, too heavy for old hearts to bear. But the days passed, and expectation gave place to resignation--the hopeless resignation of the old, sometimes miscalled apathy. Sometimes they hardly exchanged a word, for now they had nothing to talk about, and their days were long to weariness.

It was about a week after that that the old man, waking suddenly in the night, stretched out his hand and found himself alone. The room was in darkness, and the sound of subdued weeping came from the window. He raised himself in bed and listened.

"Come back," he said tenderly. "You will be cold."

"It is colder for my son," said the old woman, and wept afresh.

The sound of her sobs died away on his ears. The bed was -warm, and his eyes heavy with sleep. He dozed fitfully, and then slept until a sudden cry from his wife awoke him with a start.

"The monkey's paw!" she cried wildly. "The monkey's paw!"

He started up in alarm. "Where? Where is it? What's the matter?" She came stumbling across the room toward him. "I want it," she said quietly. "You've not destroyed it?"

"It's in the parlor, on the bracket," he replied, marveling. "Why?"

She cried and laughed together, and bending over, kissed his cheek.

"I only just thought of it," she said hysterically. "Why didn't I think of it before? Why didn't you think of it?"

"Think of what?" he questioned.

"The other two wishes," she replied rapidly. "We've only had one."

"Was not that enough?" he demanded fiercely.

"No," she cried triumphantly; "we'll have one more. Go down and get it quickly, and wish our boy alive again."

The man sat up in bed and flung the bedclothes from his quaking limbs. "Good God, you are mad!" he cried, aghast.

"Get it," she panted; "get it quickly, and wish-- Oh, my boy, my boy!"

Her husband struck a match and lit the candle. "Get back to bed," he said unsteadily. "You don't know what you are saying."

"We had the first wish granted," said the old woman feverishly; "why not the second?"

"A coincidence," stammered the old man.

"Go and get it and wish," cried the old woman, and dragged him toward the door.

He went down in the darkness, and felt his way to the parlor, and then to the mantelpiece. The talisman was in its place, and a horrible fear that the unspoken wish might bring his mutilated son before him ere he could escape from the room seized upon him, and he caught his breath as he found that he had lost the direction of the door. His brow cold with sweat, he felt his way around the table, and groped along the wall until he found himself in the small passage with the unwholesome thing in his hand.

Even his wife's face seemed changed as he entered the room. It was white and expectant, and to his fears seemed to have an unnatural look upon it. He was afraid of her.

"Wish!" she cried, in a strong voice.

"It is foolish and wicked," he faltered.

"Wish!" repeated his wife.

He raised his hand. "I wish my son alive again."

The talisman fell to the floor, and he regarded it shudderingly. Then he sank trembling into a chair as the old woman, with burning eyes, walked to the window and raised the blind.

He sat until he was chilled with the cold, glancing occasionally at the figure of the old woman peering through the window. The candle end, which had burned below the rim of the china candlestick, was throwing pulsating shadows on the ceiling and walls, until, with a flicker larger than the rest, it expired. The old man, with an unspeakable sense of relief at the failure of the talisman, crept back to his bed, and a minute or two afterward the old woman came silently and apathetically beside him.

Neither spoke, but both lay silently listening to the ticking of the clock. A stair creaked, and a squeaky mouse scurried noisily through the wall. The darkness was oppressive, and after lying for some time screwing up his courage, the husband took the box of matches, and striking one, went downstairs for a candle.

At the foot of the stairs the match went out, and he paused to strike another, and at the same moment a knock, so quiet and stealthy as to be scarcely audible, sounded on the front door.

The matches fell from his hand. He stood motionless, his breath suspended until the knock was repeated. Then he turned and fled swiftly back to his room, and closed the door behind him. A third knock sounded through the house.

"What's that?" cried the old woman, starting up.

"A rat," said the old man, in shaking tones, "a rat. It passed me on the stairs."

His wife sat up in bed listening. A loud knock resounded through the house.

"It's Herbert!" she screamed. "It's Herbert!"

She ran to the door, but her husband was before her, and catching her by the arm, held her tightly.

"What are you going to do?" he whispered hoarsely.

"It's my boy; it's Herbert!" she cried, struggling mechanically. "I forgot it was two miles away. What are you holding me for? Let go. I must open the door."

"For God's sake don't let it in," cried the old man, trembling.

"You're afraid of your own son," she cried, struggling. "Let me go. I'm coming, Herbert; I'm coming."

There was another knock, and another. The old woman with a sudden wrench broke free and ran from the room. Her husband followed to the landing, and called after her appealingly as she hurried downstairs. He heard the chain rattle back and the bottom bolt drawn slowly and stiffly from the socket. Then the old woman's voice, strained and panting.

"The bolt," she cried loudly. "Come down. I can't reach it."

But her husband was on his hands and knees groping wildly on the floor in search of the paw. If he could only find it before the thing outside got in. A perfect fusillade of knocks reverberated through the house, and he heard the scraping of a chair as his wife put it down in the passage against the door. He heard the creaking of the bolt as it came slowly back, and at the same moment, he found the monkey's paw, and frantically breathed his third and last wish.

The knocking ceased suddenly, although the echoes of it were still in the house. He heard the chair drawn back and the door opened. A cold wind rushed up the staircase, and a long, loud wail of disappointment and misery from his wife gave him courage to run down to her side, and then to the gate beyond. The streetlamp flickering opposite shone on a quiet and deserted road.

The Importance Of Education For Human life


Ladies and gentlemen whom I respect,

We know that we as human being can not live without knowledge and knowledge can be gotten from education process,.
Education is a process of teaching, training and learning to improve knowledge and develop skills.
There are 3 kinds of education. Those are formal education, non formal education and informal education.
The first is formal education. Formal education Is a kind of education which carried out by the government institution. It is usually carried out in schools and colleges. Formal education gives us universal knowledge begin from social science until natural science , earth science, life science and also political science.

The second is non formal education. Non formal education is a kind of education which carried out by non formal institution like course. In non formal education, education process happens in a short time, because we master one skill there.

And the third is informal education that is education which carried out in family or environment society. In the house, we can get knowledge from our parents in basic skills, like how to walk, how to speak, etc.

Ladies and Gentlemen whom I respect,

We have known that there are 3 kinds of education that we use in our life. And now, the question is, what is the importance of education for our life??
Education is really needed for us to able to go through our life. All of our ability is gotten from education process. Begin how to walk until how to depend our life. With education we can live easily. We can get job easily, look for money easily, get health easily, etc.

In informal education there is religion education that really important for human life. Religion education is needed to give human morality, values and knowledge about relation between human and his God. By religion education we know the good things and the bad things. Lets think, what happen to this world if the people don’t have any religion knowledge in their life ?? I’m sure that this world would be broken.

Happy audiences,

As we know that on 2015, we will face a global problem in our country, there will be free trade and competition on that time. We not only compete with Indonesian people to depend life, but also with Australian, Japanese, Chinese, and people from the other countries which have higher education than Indonesia.
So that, now education is really needed for us especially for young generation to depend our life in the future.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

From my speech above, we can take conclusion that :
First, there are 3 kinds of education that we use in our life, those are formal education, non formal education and informal education.
Second, education is really important for human life especially for young generation to able to go through life easily in the global era.

1. Bubu (dalam bahasa sunda disebut buwu) yaitu alat untuk menangkap ikan atau perangkap ikan yang terbuat dari anyaman bamboo yang digukan sebgai badab Cingcowong.
2. Gayung (dalam bahasa sunda di sebut siwur) sebagai kepalanya dan didandani sehingga menyerupai wajah wanita cantik, dalam ungkapan lain sebagai jelmaan wajah bidadari dan pakaian yang digunakan yaitu pakaian kebaya panjang sebagai sabuknya yaitu kain putih dan sebagai hisan dileher atau kalung yaitu memakai bungan kamboja yang dirangkai dan bunga tersebut dirangkai dan bunga tersebut diambil dari kuburan.

1. Jambangan yang terbuat dari kuningan (disebut dengan bokor), kuningan yang dipukul sebagai ketukan (disebut dengan cneng)
2. Tempayan (buyung) untuk pengatur irama yang dipukul dengan kipas yang terbuat dari anyaman bambu.
3. Tangga yang terbuat dari bambu yang berfungsi untuk membawa atau menyambut turunya arwah lelembut atau dalam peribahasa untuk menyambut turunya bidadari.
4. Tikar pandan atau tikar yang terbuat dari anyaman pandan yang biasa digunkan untuk alas orang yang meninggal dunia atau mayat, yang berfungsi sebagai alas tempat duduk pagelaran tersebut.
5. Ruas bambu yang dipukul-pukul untuk mengiringi irama.

• 1 orang pemukul jambangan atau bokor
• 1 orang penabuh tempayan
• 2 orang pembawa tangga
• 4 orang pembawa kain panjang
• Ibu Nawita sebgai pemeran utama, yang memegang peranan penting dalam pagelaran Cingcowong.
• Seorang kakek-kakek, ketua adapt (dukun) yang membawakan kemenyan