I remember learning history during high school and hated it. So much. But not just me, even my classmates hates it too. Without knowing the real reason why I hate it so much. I don't get what's so important about history.
But something happened to me that changed my perspective towards that subject, which made me realize that history is actually very fun.
There was a Malay saying that says 'To know somebody is to love' or something like that. Translating these beautiful idiom to English doesn't sound really right but you get my point.
People fear or hate things they don't understand. That is why most students hated history - they lack understanding. The purpose of history is to preserve our identity, the story of our people, our ancestors. Without it, you're like someone who walk around without an IC.
My love towards history starts with anime - One Piece. It might seem a little bit far-fetched but if you go deeper in their story line, you'll notice that this anime was inspired by historical facts. You can relate many things happening in One Piece with real-life history. I will be telling you more about how history and One Piece correlates with each other here.
I was once a liberal. A strong-willed, dedicated and open-minded. But at the same time, I keep my ears sharp and observe my surrounding. After a few years, I realized my mistake.
One of the thing that made me understand about the importance of history was when I when I was observing the other country who was very proud of their own culture and nation, like Japan or United States.
And if we see them talking about the history of their country, protecting their values and are proud of it, we called them as someone highly cultured and educated.
But when the Malays did the same, we are called 'Malay Supremacist'? Give me a break.
There is a huge differences between someone who wanted to rule and conquer, and someone who just wanted to preserve their identity.
Another event which really opened my eyes towards the truth and have me think critically instead of emotionally about the importance of preserving our identity was from a friend I knew back in 2018. Since that, it changed my perspective and the way I think.
''The most effective way to destroy a people is to deny and obliterate their understanding of their history" - George Orwell.
I know George Orwell from a short novel - Animal Farm, which I find it fascinating. But that is not what I am focusing. Read again what he mentioned that.
Deny and obliterate their understanding of their history. If you don't have an identity, or forgot about your own culture and religion's history, you are finished. How can you protect your nation if you know nothing about it? This is what that friend of mine used to tell me.
He had made me realized about the importance of a nation's identity. Without it, we are just like a flying kite without strings. From below, it looked like you were flying free but in reality, you are just flying without any direction. Lost and will soon fall down the ground or stuck in a tree.
It is through this history that we can learn about the past and learn from it.
In Islam, Allah had spoke about the importance of history, especially the history of the Prophets, the Apostles, and the people of the past. That's why when we read the Quran, many historical stories have been told. You can literally say that history covers the most event in the Quran.
Allah said
Ibnu Khaldun had recorded the statement below:
"Know that history is a noble science of the sect, of great benefit and of great purpose. History enables us to know the behavior and morals of the ancient peoples, the traces of the Prophets, the kings and their governments and politics so that they can be taught by the people. for those who wanted to learn, either in the affairs of the world or in the hereafter "
If history wasn't that important, wouldn't America want to produce the History Channel, or series. They can be proud of their history, why not us?
I believe that if you really look at the history of Malaya, you will see just how great our ancestors were in the past. It all depends on you whether you are willing to learn from them, or remain oblivious like a lost flying kite.
Comments
Post a Comment