Let's Read The Quran Campaign Launch 2018 - Speech By Anas Zubedy

SPEECH BY ANAS ZUBEDY

#LRTQ2018 LAUNCH

In the name of God Most Gracious Most Merciful.

YTM Raja Dato’ Seri Eleena binti Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-lah

Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub

Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai

Dr Chandra Muzaffar

Prof Shad

Datuk Andy

Azree Anis

Friends from Yayasan Penyayang Stephen Doss and his team,

Contributors and supporters, friends from the media, zubedy’s clients and zubedyans

PEACE BE WITH YOU.

May I start with a Quranic Do’a from Chapter 20: verses 25-28

""O my Sustainer! Open up my heart [to Thy light], and make my task easy for me and loosen the knot from my tongue so that they might fully understand my speech”

Kindly allow me to continue by unpacking the reasons we organize the Let’s Read The Quran or in short #LRTQ campaign. A campaign encouraging Muslims as well as non-Muslims to read the Quran in the language they best understand.

Firstly, zubedy’s corporate vision. 

As a business organization, our corporate vision is to Unite People, that is “to get people to work together” – not just within business organizations but between Malaysians and humanity as a whole. Besides embedding our programs, services and products with shared values, we also outline 3 main campaigns that have the possibility and ambition to go global.

One, our #SSNC each year from Hari Kebangsaan 31^st August to Hari Malaysia September 16^th.

Two, the #LRTQ campaign, from March 1^st to March 31^st each year God willing,

And three, our #MLOL campaign, a campaign to bring together shared values between different traditions aimed each June during the World Interfaith Day – June 22^nd. We plan to kick start the #MLOL this June, if the time and condition is right.

Why the #LRTQ campaign? Here is reason number 2.

I noticed in my discussions both in face-to-face and through social media, that many of our brother and sister Muslims are not familiar with the meaning of the Quran. This is very unfortunate as the Quran is our hidayah, our guidance. This is not at all surprising because Muslims generally are preoccupied to khatam or to complete reciting the Quran in the Arabic form rather than understanding its meaning. We need to remedy this.

Furthermore, as I share Quranic gems on my Facebook, many of my non-Muslim friends are pleasantly surprised by the universal message and shared values found in the Quran. In fact, at times I have the feeling that the non-Muslims seems to react more positively to my Quranic posts!  I figured that it would be good if non-Muslims understand the Quran too. They can act as our mirror and feedback whenever we do not live up to the Quranic values.

The Third Reason is the Quranic example. Meaning, I learn from the Quran.

The Quran shows the way of engagement – that is we must make it easy by using the language of the people whom we address – making it accessible. The Quran chapter 14:4 reads

AND NEVER have We sent forth any apostle otherwise than [with a message] in his own people's tongue, so that he might make [the truth] clear unto them; but God lets go astray him that wills [to go astray], and guides him that wills [to be guided] -for He alone is Almighty, truly Wise. –

Also refer Quran 44:58 and 19:97

I consider myself one of the lucky ones as my late grandfather who was a Hafiz Al Quran not only taught me the Arabic Quran but took time to explain to me the Quran in the language I could understand – in broken Bahasa Indonesia. In fact, he went much further. He unpacked and explained the Quran in the language a kid can make sense and with real life examples, experience and role modelling.

YTM Raja Dato’ Seri Eleena, friends, ladies and gentlemen, the first 5 verses or shall we say commandment from God revealed to Prophet Muhammad guided men to read and the use of the pen.

Let me repeat that.

The first message God communicated to mankind through his final Prophet is to drive us to read and to write.

While language is native to our species where a child can learn to talk without instructions, reading and writing are unnatural acts. They are not innate talents in humans. Reading and writing are made possible only through the deliberate shaping of the mind. Reading and writing require practice. Reading and writing require schooling. Reading and writing requires a conscious act to change! Reading and writing necessitate transformation of a society.

To read, our minds need to be taught and trained how to translate symbolic characters into the language we can understand. That is why neurological studies have shown that the brains of a literate differ from the brain of the illiterate in many ways. The way they reason. The way they form memories. The way they process signals and how they interpret the world around them.

Learning to read and write, rewire our brain in a big way.

The Quran moved and transformed the Arabs from a society that was based on oral culture to a literary one. This change marked the start of one of the most far-reaching revolutions of human thoughts. Knowledge is exchanged more and more through writing instead of speaking. While oral culture is limited by the capacity of the human memory, literary culture freed them. Knowledge, human thoughts and information can be stored, shared and retrieved from books and libraries (and today hard drives and in the clouds).  The development of science, technology, economics, philosophy, cultural work and even history cannot have advanced without this change.

The natural state of the human brain is one of distractedness or non-linear as our senses are naturally attuned to change – fast paced shifting to reflex. This is important for survival to reduce the odds of being eaten up by predators or simply overlooking a source for dinner.

To read a book demands an unbroken sustained attention to one single static object – an unnatural process of thinking for humans for the most part of history. The brain has to practice ignoring everything else going on around them. To resist the natural sensory cues. The ability to focus on a single task over a long period of time is one of the biggest change in the history of human psychological development.

In the silence of deep reading, humans take trips in their own minds, draw ideas, inferences, analogies, play around with possibilities, visualize and dream – in short, we journey where the usual mind never has been before. Of mathematical formulas, economic models, scientific possibilities, astronomical expedition, fictional journeys and artistic beauty.

Reading is meditative. It calms the distracted mind. But while meditation seek to empty the mind, reading filled it up. Replenishing it with new ideas, new energy, new spirit. Deep reading is a form of prayer that connects one to himself, to his world and to his Creator.

Reading created the modern man.

Reading made us who we are today. Reading is the catalyst of modern history. You and I, we are here today with all that is around us because of the human capacity to read. We are here because God chose to sent us a clear message to Read and Write as his first call to his last Prophet. And thank God, the earlier Muslims took heed.

YTM Raja Dato’ Seri Eleena, friends, ladies and gentlemen … obviously I have oversimplified history. There are a lot more that had happened that cannot be explained in a short speech. For example, reading as a human activity could not have spread like wild fire if the Arab Muslims did not learn how to make paper from the Chinese in 751 AD. No paper, no books. No books, no reading - as the other alternatives like papyrus and animal skin is simply ineffective, too costly and inefficient. The Chinese have one of the best kept secret for 700 years. Paper was invented by Tsai Lun in the first century AD. And the West never knew the art of paper making until the 12 century AD when they learnt how from the Arabs. In the fourteenth hundred Johann Gutenberg of Germany innovated the modern printing machine which led to a complete process of mass production of books and printed materials.

History suggests the Islamic Golden Age traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 13th century. Western Europe domination of the world started in the fifteenth hundred. Do you see the connection?

Yet Prof Chandra and Prof Shad, if we ask the average person who Tsai Lun the inventor of paper was, the majority has no clue. Muslim history taught in schools and madrasahs and world History taught all over the world hardly stress about the contributions of the human intellect through reading, education and the development of the human mind. We focus on war and egoistical men expanding their territories. We ignore the most powerful weapon that God commands us to use – To Read, and the use of the Pen.

But today, YTM Raja Dato’ Seri Eleena, friends, ladies and gentlemen we can change that. We think big but will act small. We will promote READING. We encourage as many as we can to go back to basics. Read the Quran in the language you understand best. The language that you are familiar with.

Many have asked how? Just get a hard copy Quran or google the Quran and start. To join the campaign, just do it. Or you can choose themes like,

1.      31 short verses from the Quran

2.      31 short chapters of the Quran

3.      31 verses about women in the Quran

4.      31 verses about love in the Quran

5.      31 interesting facts about the Quran

6.      31 Du’as from the Quran

7.      31 verses of the Quran and taking ownership

8.      31 verses of the Quran and Creation

9.      31 favorite verses of the Quran

10.    Sedekah 31 verses to all your friends , etc

Or for those who are more inclined to write, please do write articles about the Quran – linking the values, concepts and ideas with yourself and the world around you.

Should you be short of time to write but are able to translate, please do translate the contributions of others into the language of your people.

Before I end, let me say a million thank you to

1.   YTM Raja Dato’ Seri Eleena for officiating this launch.

2.  Datuk Hussamuddin Yaacub for offering to cover the campaign daily in Sinar Harian from March 1^st to 31^st via highlighting stories from the contributors

3. All contributors and supporters, not forgetting friends from UIA who recited the verses in their own language

4. The Media for giving us good coverage, GodWilling not just for the launch but the entire campaign

5.  And of course, the Zubedy team who has worked hard to make this campaign fruitful.

I end this speech with a favorite Quranic verse of mine,

So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith. Quran 3:139

Let's Read The Quran Campaign 2018 - How To Join?

Interested to join the Let's Read The Quran Campaign 2018, but don't know where to start?

Here's how :

Here's the link to our Share The Quran e-book, A Collection of Selected Verses from the Quran in 5 Languages.


For more info on the Let's Read The Quran Campaign, kindly follow the below link:
English
Bahasa Malaysia

INVITATION: Let's Read The Quran Campaign 2018 Launching Ceremony

We are glad to inform you that the Let’s Read The Quran Campaign 2018 will be launched by YTM Raja Dato’ Seri Eleena binti Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-lah on the 20th February 2018, 9.30 am. 

The LRTQ campaign was first initiated in 2009 by a group of friends. We received good traction and participation during the campaign. 

This year, we want to angle the campaign from a different viewpoint. We believe by getting our contributors to share their stories on how the Quran relates to them helps to inspire others, both Muslims and Non-Muslims, to connect to the Quran too. 
Come and join us in the launching ceremony of Let’s Read The Quran Campaign! 
Details as stated in the picture above. 

Kindly note that no walk-ins allowed.

Have a Meaningful Chinese New Year - Wednesday in The Star

Have a Meaningful Chinese New Year

Make Malaysia GREAT:

Let’s act with text and spirit*

In our last advertisement, we suggested that to be happy, we must make the Goal our goal. Be it the nation’s goal, the company’s, the superior’s or the family’s – make them our own. To take this approach to a higher level, we must learn to take action with text and spirit.

   

1. What is text and spirit?

Text is the technical part of our action. It is the task or job at hand – like writing a report, answering a call, giving a lecture, and feeding a child. At the office, it is usually detailed in a job description or Standard Operating Procedure. Spirit is the soul of the task - the part that add life and attractiveness to our action such as writing a report that begs us to read, answering a call with enthusiasm, giving a lecture with passion, and feeding a child with love. Text provides logic and reason – the Basics. Spirit provides passion and meaning – the Beauty.

2. Which is more important text or spirit?

Both are! When we act with text, we only use our head. With spirit, the heart gets involved. With only text, we give the minimum. Add spirit, we strive for the best. Together text and spirit multiplies our potentials, effectiveness, and productivity. Text may get the job done, but spirit makes you happy doing it. A group of people acting in tandem with text move like machines. A group of people acting with text and spirit is a united force moving forward that can move mountains.

3. Why we must pay more attention to spirit?

Because it is hard to codify the spirit. When you start a new job, the organization will give you a job description. By itself, it is a dead document. You will need to breathe in your spirit to make the document meaningful and create productive actions. It is the same with a marriage certificate, business contracts, our constitution, the lyrics to our national anthem, and our Cita-cita Rukunegara. They are all waiting for us to breathe in our spirit to make them meaningful and make a difference.

At zubedy, our programs and activities draw strength from our shared values and traditions. We believe that at heart, all Malaysians want good things for themselves and for their brother and sister Malaysians, simply because our nation cannot prosper as a whole if some of us are left behind.

You and I, we need to act with both text and spirit and to Make Malaysia Great!

Let us add value,

Have a meaningful Chinese New Year.

*The idea presented in this message is part of our Making A Difference through P3 program’s core concept.

Benny Loh Kee Seng (1947 - 2017) was a friend, a mentor, and a National Sales Manager of a multinational company. He was a living example of a leader who led with both text and spirit. During his leadership, the team worked hard, played hard and always delivered results over and above targets.

Salam Tahun Baru Cina - Rabu di Sinar Harian

Salam Tahun Baru Cina

Jadikan Malaysia Negara Cemerlang

Bertindak dengan TEKS dan SEMANGAT*

Iklan kami yang lalu mencadangkan; langkah untuk mencapai kebahagiaan adalah dengan menjadikan matlamat kita selari dengan matlamat syarikat, negara, majikan dan keluarga. Untuk membawa langkah ini ke tahap yang lebih tinggi, kita haruslah mempelajari untuk mengambil tindakan melalui teks dan semangat.

1. Apakah teks dan semangat?

Teks adalah aspek teknikal tindakan kita. Ia adalah sesuatu tugas atau kerja yang diberi – seperti menyediakan laporan, menjawab panggilan telefon, mendidik dan juga menyuap anak makan. Di pejabat, biasanya teks terkandung dalam skop pekerjaan atau Piawaian Prosedur Operasi.  Semangat adalah jiwa sesuatu tugasan tersebut – pencetus yang menghidupkan dan menambah daya tarikan kepada tindakan kita seperti menyediakan laporan yang menarik untuk dibaca, menjawab panggilan dengan ceria, mendidik dengan hati yang ikhlas, dan menyuap anak makan dengan penuh kasih sayang.

2. Mana yang lagi penting, teks atau semangat?

Kedua-duanya adalah penting! Apabila kita bertindak dengan teks, kita hanya menggunakan minda. Suntikan semangat dapat membuka hati. Dengan teks, kita hanya akan memberi tahap minima. Bila semangat turut serta, kita beri yang terbaik. Bila teks dan semangat bersatu, ia akan merealisasikan potensi, membawa keberkesanan, dan meningkatkan produktiviti. Teks boleh menyelesaikan kerja, tetapi dengan adanya semangat kita  akan seronok bekerja.  Bila manusia bekerja bersama menggunakan hanya teks, mereka bergerak seolah-olah sebuah mesin. Tetapi apabila teks dan semangat disatukan, mereka boleh menghasilkan satu perpaduan yang boleh menggerakkan gunung.

3. Kenapa kita perlu memberi lebih perhatian kepada semangat?

Ini kerana, adalah amat sukar untuk mengkodifikasikan semangat. Sebagai contoh, senarai tugasan kerja yang diberikan kepada kita hanyalah satu dokumen yang tak bernyawa. Dengan suntikan semangat, kita menghidupkan senarai tugasan tersebut, memberi makna kepada kerja, dan menjadi produktif.  Begitu juga dengan sijil perkahwinan, kontrak-kontrak perniagaan, Perlembagaan Persekutuan, lirik Negaraku dan juga cita-cita Rukun Negara. Semuanya menunggu suntikan semangat kita untuk menjadikan setiap satu penuh makna.

Di zubedy, sumber kekuatan program latihan kami ialah nilai-nilai murni dan tradisi yang dikongsi bersama. Kami percaya dalam hati rakyat Malaysia, kita mahukan yang terbaik untuk setiap anak-anak Malaysia kerana negara kita tidak akan berjaya jika ada yang tertinggal.

Marilah kita bertindak dengan TEKS dan SEMANGAT, dan menjadikan Malaysia negara CEMERLANG.

Usahakan yang terbaik,

Hayatilah Tahun Baru Cina.

*Idea dalam mesej ini adalah sebahagian daripada konsep teras program “Making A Difference through P3“ (Laksana Perubahan melalui P3) kami.

Benny Loh Kee Seng (1947-2107) adalah seorang sahabat, mentor, dan juga seorang Pengurus Jualan Nasional dalam satu syarikat multinasional. Beliau adalah seorang contoh pemimpin yang memimpin dengan teks dan semangat. Dibawah kepimpinan beliau, pasukan beliau telah berkerja keras, dan ceria serta tidak pernah gagal untuk melangsaikan tugasan mereka melebihi sasaran yang ditetapkan.­

Let's Read The Quran 2018 Campaign

Let’s Read The Quran 2018 Campaign

From 1^st March to 31^st March 2018

BACKGROUND

The Let’s Read The Quran campaign was first initiated in 2009 by a group of friends. We received good traction and participation during the campaign where more than 50 bloggers carried our logo and articles. In 2016, the campaign was taken to the next level with the involvement from the media and with a larger pool of supporters.

This campaign is to encourage people to read the Quran in a language they best understand. It is opened to both Muslims and Non-Muslims. We encourage everyone to join this campaign.

This year, we want to angle the campaign from a different viewpoint. We believe that by getting our contributors to share their stories on how the Quran relates to them helps to inspire others, both Muslims and Non-Muslims, to connect to the Quran too.

Our vision is to make this campaign a biennial effort and after that, it will be a recognized campaign that will spur Muslims and others to read and understand the Quran. We hope Malaysia becomes a leader in encouraging the world to read, understand and appreciate the Quran at the grassroots, too.

VISION

To make the Quran read and understood.

MISSION / WHY?

1.    To democratize the Quran

2.    To make every Muslim a student of the Quran

3.    To encourage non-Muslims to look at the Quran as a universal document

4.    To bring the Quranic values closer to the day-to-day living of Muslims

5.    To encourage people to read the Quran daily, even if it is one verse per day

6.    To invite non-Muslims to join Muslims to discuss the Quran.

WHEN WILL THE CAMPAIGN START AND END?

 1^st March 2018 – 31^st March 2018.

HOW?

Here are the main activities during the campaign:

1.    Through social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blogs etc.

2. 31 featured stories of 31 prominent individuals such as politicians, social activists,celebrities, athletes, religious and business leaders including non-Muslims.

3.    Post interview videos of the 31 featured contributors on social media.

4.    The sharing of articles through social media.

5.    Share daily Quranic verses on social media by prominent individuals and social media influencers.

6. Create discussion groups to discuss on simple Quranic verses with friends and acquaintances.

Here are the supporting activities during the campaign:

1.    Share daily Quranic verses on social media.

2.    Post pictures on Instagram with Quranic verses and explanations.

3.    “Sedekah” a translated Quranic verse through Whatsapp and social media.

4.    Encourage everybody to share their favourite Quranic verses.

5.    Share Quran Indexes with friends and family.

6.    Encourage participation from individuals and groups internationally.

7.    Write, post, share short Quranic articles; both original and articles you have read.

8.    Ask questions about the Quranic message, ponder, reflect and suggest your thoughts and feelings.

SCOPE OF THE CAMPAIGN

1.    A Malaysian initiated campaign.

2.    Based on social media with people encouraging, sharing their opinions of the Quran and how can the Quran be applied in their daily lives.

3.    Targeted at all levels right down to the lay people.

4.  A hashtag #LRTQ2018 to be used on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during the campaign period.

WHO CAN JOIN?

    Everyone – the more the merrier!

LET’S READ THE QURAN CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

Date	:	20th February 2018
Time	:	9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Venue	:	zubedy (m) sdn bhd, 5-7, Level 5, Oval Tower Damansara, Jalan Damansara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur

SOCIAL MEDIA SITES

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/letsreadthequranlrtq/

Instagram:

letsreadthequran

Twitter:

@LReadTheQuran

Blog:

www.letsreadthequranlrtq.blogspot.com

Please hashtag #LRTQ2018!