Posted On June 13, 2009

Issues Raised at BizJihad Lecture Circuit - UniKL City Campus, 6th June, 2009.

(An edited version of this article was published in The Edge Malaysia, July 20, 2009, under the heading: “Business jihad for all”)

At the end of a talk I gave to a group of business students (and Malaysia’s future entrepreneurs among them) at UniKL City Campus on the subject of Business Jihad, as usual, many interesting questions were raised. Among those that I would like to discuss under FORUM was a question raised by Dinesh, a non Muslim student.

Dinesh, understandably, was under the impression that the call for Business Jihad implies exclusivity to Malays and Muslims, and hence not inclusive of others. In other words Dinesh was concerned about Business Jihad’s apparently “Islamic” agenda, that to him seemed to imply an uncaring or even a discriminatory attitude towards non Malay and non-Muslim interests and the problems and challenges faced by them.

Dinesh posed six other questions as well, and given the time constraint (not to mention the many other questions raised by other students that I had to respond to), I was quite positive that my quick reply to Dinesh had not satisfactorily and fully addressed all of his concerns. Hence I have taken this opportunity to expand upon the extremely important issue raised by Dinesh. I am positive that similar concerns would arise in the minds of other non-Muslim friends and visitors to this Blog (and I will not be surprised if they are also of concern to many Muslims as well!).

In other words, the six million dollar questions are: Isn’t Business Jihad partial to Muslims and therefore discriminatory? How will Business Jihad fit in with the need to build a just, equitable and prosperous Malaysia for ALL Malaysians?

In my immediate response to Dinesh’s query I chose to offer clear evidence of Business Jihad’s non-discriminatory and all inclusive intention by illustrating from real-life example as practised by JCorp and our Group of companies. As they say, “the proof ” has to be “in the pudding!” After all it was JCorp that initiated this Business Jihad idea and is at the forefront in championing for its materialisation. The real test whether or not it is discriminatory and racially partial can be evaluated from how JCorp had translated its Business Jihad ideal into practice.

I pointed out to Dinesh that in the JCorp Group of more than 250 member companies employing more than 55,000 people Group-wide today, there are clear examples of so many outstanding non Malay and non Muslim executives holding Directorships and other senior positions, including CEOs who head several strategic businesses.

As one example, in my lecture I had also introduced Madam Mah Lai Heng, who is today CEO of one of JCorp’s KPJ Healthcare Bhd’s many specialist hospitals and who is indeed very special. Madam Mah started her career as a nurse at the Ipoh Specialist Hospital some two decades ago, after qualifying as an SRN. She rose up the career ladder after sheer hard work and outstanding effort and she is today the General Manager or CEO of Kuching Specialist Hospital. (Mah has since mid-2009 moved on to assume greater responsibilities as the General Manager and CEO of the new and much bigger KPJ Penang Specialist Hospital in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.) As CEO, she is expected to provide leadership in a specialist hospital setting that involves coordinating the highly professional inputs of some of the best specialist doctors in Malaysia. She had also taken full advantage offered by KPJ to further her studies while working, culminating recently with her getting an MBA from Henley Management College, UK through a program sponsored by KPJ and JCorp.

We are indeed extremely proud of Madam Mah as well as so many other similarly outstanding colleagues in all sectors in our highly diversified business. Other examples of openings for non Muslims abound at the Kulim Malaysia Bhd Group, JCorp’s Palm Oils Division, at Natural Oleochemicals, at our Foods and Restaurants Division (KFC, Pizza Hut and Ayamas), as well as all others. In fact in our day-to-day operations, and in the context of JCorp Group’s highly participative work environment and dynamic corporate culture at all our business units, we are so performance-oriented that we hardly even have the time to think in terms of age, sex, race, ethnicity or religion!

Merit and Getting the Best from the Best

The total focus of our energies have always been on getting work done, and achieving breakthrough results and performance. This is especially the attitude we take when looking for leadership talent to ensure success in all our undertakings.

Furthermore, as I had often pointed out in my many lectures, Islam is extremely clear and uncompromising about equity and justice and regards them as higher virtues. Business Jihad therefore cannot be any less. Among the most important and fundamental Quranic injunction is for all those in leadership positions to conduct affairs justly and equitably.

The Quran is also emphatic about Amanah (as a concept that embodies trust, integrity and accountable ownership all rolled in one). To a Muslim, life as a whole is amanah, as is knowledge, skills and expertise, position, money, wealth and livelihood. The Quran clearly stated that amanah must be bestowed on those who are “ahli” - the rightful person most suitable to carry through the burden and responsibility of amanah, including especially leadership.

The Prophet of Islam (SAW - PBUH) had also been clear with his saying (Hadith) that if amanah, especially leadership, is not entrusted to a person who is best qualified or most suitable for the position (that is, if it is not given based on merit), then one can surely anticipate failure. In other words, disaster and doom awaits any enterprise that is not led and managed based on merit and the bestowing of the leadership responsibility to the best person for the task at hand!

I also highlighted that Business Jihad cannot but be fully aligned with all the fundamentals of Islamic teachings. Otherwise it is a hypocracy and mockery of such a noble enterprise, and will only result in conflict and contradiction. I did also state to Dinesh and others that, to my mind, clearly Islam was sent down “not only for the benefit and good of Muslims”, as there is a clear and unequivocal Quranic expression that stated that Islam was sent down as a mercy to all mankind and creation.

I had also pointed out Islam’s higher anti discriminatory standard by illustrating how the Jews, though also strictly banned from the practice of usury as Muslims are, were however allowed to charge exorbitant interest (or riba’) on non-Jews. This is totally the opposite of Islamic teaching where in all respects of a Muslim conduct, he has strictly to be just, equitable and absolutely non-discriminatory to Muslims as well as non Muslims alike, and that riba’, which is haram or absolutely forbidden to any Muslim client is no different from riba’ to any non-Muslim.

Why “Jihad”?

That brings us to the fundamental point that I would like to make in conclusion. That is, that there is obviously a need to explain the reason why an economic reform exercise or renewal agenda had to be aimed especially at the Malays and Muslims, and furthermore had to be articulated in the Islamic narrative of a Jihad. After all, the West had developed, progressed and modernised without the need to call for any equivalent of a religious crusade!

First, why does it have to be Malay-focused?

Among the many good reasons would be the compelling argument that so much had been done especially by the government to elevate the Malays and Bumiputeras, including a whole set of a focused policy drive, (namely the NEP). Yet the Malays and Bumiputeras, though relatively better off compared with their past position, still are lagging behind and continue to feel themselves as being dangerously alienated and threateningly disenfranchised. The facts and numbers are all there, though admittedly the same odds and challenges such as poverty and alienation also confront the Indian community as well as others.

Today, economic development debate is beginning to shift more towards the cultural dimension of the target communities involved, as values and culture are being identified as among the fundamental factors differentiating between success and failure. I am one of those who would fully subscribe to the view that culture and values are indeed critical deciding factors, especially when interpreted in terms of worldview, perception and outlook that influence and impact strongly on behaviour, choice of priorities, and preferences. All these therefore are indeed key, critical dimensions to reform, revival and renewal.

To my mind the Malay apparent lack of social dynamism and low economic drive are a reflection of their “tidak apa” (uncaring) attitude on one hand, and an extreme other-worldly or unbalanced religious bias in outlook and worldview (hence resulting in their disinterest and almost total neglect of the need to pursue “this-worldly” wealth creation), on the other. Ironically, Islam is perhaps the only religion that relates salvation, to other than purely spiritual pursuits, and in fact has a lot to say to encourage wealth creation and the pursuit for prosperity.

Omar Raji Alfaruqi (in his writing entitled “Al Tawhid, its implications for thought and life”), stated that “No religion, and no ideology has ever exorted man to work as much or as strongly as Islam did…”. In fact according to him “Islam expects every person to produce more than he consumes, to render more service than he is rendered. The individual’s life ought to terminate with a net gain which could count as his or her contribution to creation”.

The Prophet (SAW - PBUH) in a Hadith had stated that 9/10 of livelihood comes from business, and Muslims were urged to strive and work hard for worldly success as if they were to live forever, though they were similarly urged to strive hard for their Hereafter with the mindset as if they were to die tomorrow! The Prophet himself was a successful trader before prophethood. Thus the economic neglect and business disinterest must have occurred due to Muslims today having adopted a distorted and disjointed worldview that went against the fundamental dynamics of the teaching.

There is also a more pragmatic argument to the “Why Malay” question.

It is obvious that Malaysia’s national economic cake is not going to grow as fast as it should for so long as Malays, who are by far the majority, earn incomes and purchasing power that remain at such low levels. Worse, a sizeable Malay population that is so dependent on others will only be a nuisance to themselves and will only try to pull or drag everyone downwards.

Furthermore, there is a critical need, in the context of today’s post-crisis situation, for Malaysia to restructure its economy so as to become more domestically empowered and consumption-driven and to decouple the economy to become less export-driven or over-dependent on FDIs. Thus, failure to inculcate the spirit of enterprise, to bring the Malays into the economic mainstream and into business, and failure to elevate incomes and purchasing power of the largest segment of the Malaysian population can only mean delaying the shift to decouple the nation’s economic dependence on low-income jobs, and perpetuate dependence on declining export markets and diminishing FDIs.

Obviously a new economic reform agenda that is Malay-focused and business-focused is unavoidable - in fact necessary - if Malaysia is to march forward towards greater prosperity for all, including for those already well off. At the same time, similar culturally-aligned policy drives, the equivalents of an economic “jihad” for Indians and others, if you like, need also to be pursued. These are all critical strategic pre-conditions for future success in a business-driven economic climate.

But why “Jihad?” Simply because today, the cultural dimension of reform and instituting change demands that Malays and Muslims dig deep and delve back into the cultural roots of their belief systems and world view.

For too long so many among their own ulamas and preachers (pendakwah) had unfortunately diverted their energy and devotion away from seeking prosperity and economic betterment, regarding these pursuits only as of lesser merit, if not outrightly diminishing spiritual piety and compromising faith. Many Muslims have consequently and unfortunately gone to the unrealistic extreme of regarding their worldly life as inconsequential. Priority was therefore shifted to be totally focused on the akhirat, or after life, thus not helping them and the Muslim ummah generally in finding a solution to their real day-to-day problems of living and building a meaningful livelihood here on this earth.

There has therefore been a serious distortion of the teachings of Islam that needs correcting. The solution, however, cannot be found in going to the opposite extreme and getting Muslims to blindly jump on the materialistic and this-worldly bandwagon as encouraged by extreme capitalism, consumerism and the globally dominant greed-driven business, finance and corporate ways. Hence Business Jihad offers that just and equitable balance!

Indeed, I am of the conviction that any solution that will result directly or indirectly ( either in the form of collateral damage or unintended consequences) in making Malays become “lesser” Muslims, and that will diminish their Islamic faith or lead to a compromise on the fundamentals of their beliefs, will only result in rejection and ultimate failure.

In fact the opposite is more true. No agenda of change directed at Malays as Muslims can succeed if it is not delivered through a change narrative, strategic formulation or policy drive that will enhance their sense of faith and iman/taqwa or Islamic God-consciousness. Similarly, any attempt at making a success of a wealth-seeking shift in worldview to prosper Muslims cannot succeed without harnessing an Islamic-rooted source of motivational power that is fully aligned with the fundamentals of their faith and consisent with Islam’s clearly defined cultural dynamics.

I firmly believe that Jihad is such a God-given motivational force, and hence Business Jihad can form the basis for an organised and structured driving force that will not only prosper Malaysia and make Muslim Malays active contributors to that prosperity, but also make them better Muslims as well! JCorp’s outstanding corporate track record and business achievements as well as contributions to wealth creation, value addition and job creation are indeed clear examples of what can be achieved when Business Jihad is translated into reality.

I would like to end by quoting from an article posted under this Blog under the title: “Global Crisis, Business Jihad and JCorp’s Turnaround” under the paragraph headed “Business Jihad To Prosper The World”: -

“Business Jihad, though performed through an institution that is rooted in Islam, is definitely not exclusive. More so that it is undertaken through enterprise, as the end result must be economic prosperity for all. Furthermore, the highly integrative nature of business with profit and economic value increments as common denominators cannot but make the Jihad inclusive. The only difference compared with the conventional extreme capitalism is the substitution of divisive greed and avarice with Business Jihad’s selfless, altruistic and positive Islamic values that are also convergent and universal - namely equity and social justice for all.”

MuhammadAli,

13th June, 2009.

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FORUM: JIHAD BISNES – Ekslusif hanya untuk Muslim?

Soalan-soalan yang Diajukan di Ceramah Jihad Bisnes – UniKL, Kuala Lumpur, 6 Jun 2009

Di akhir ceramah saya kepada sekumpulan pelajar di UniKL, Kuala Lumpur bagi topik berkaitan Jihad Bisnes, sebagaimana biasa, saya telah diajukan beberapa soalan oleh para peserta. Antara yang menarik yang ingin saya kongsi melalui FORUM ini adalah soalan oleh salah seorang pelajar bukan Islam yang berbangsa India bernama Dinesh.

Jihad Bisnes pada anggapan Dinesh sudah tentu ekslusif kepada golongan Melayu dan Muslim semata-mata dan akan mengenepikan kaum atau penganut agama yang lain. Dalam erti kata lain, Dinesh menganggap Jihad Bisnes merupakan agenda Islam semata-mata, sekaligus mendiskriminasikan kepentingan bukan Melayu dan bukan Islam.

Dalam sesi soal jawab tersebut, Dinesh telah mengajukan enam soalan lain (selain dari beberapa soalan yang diajukan oleh pelajar yang lain). Kesemua soalan tersebut telah saya jawab dalam sesi tersebut. Namun disebabkan kesuntukan masa yang diberikan, saya percaya bahawa jawapan yang telah diberikan kepada Dinesh mengenai Jihad Bisnes masih tidak cukup untuk memuaskan hatinya. Justeru, saya merasakan bahawa saya perlu menjelaskan perkara ini melalui Blog ini memandangkan isu yang telah diajukan tersebut merupakan satu isu yang cukup penting yang perlu kepada penjelasan yang lebih mendalam dan perlu difahami oleh semua pihak termasuk Muslim sendiri.

Soalan berkaitan Jihad Bisnes yang telah diajukan oleh Dinesh adalah: Tidakkah Jihad Bisnes merupakan agenda Muslim dan merupakan satu diskriminasi? Bagaimana Jihad Bisnes mampu memenuhi keperluan semua kaum dan penganut agama di Malaysia?

Secara ringkas, saya telah menjawab soalan Dinesh dengan memberikan contoh pengalaman JCorp dan syarikat-syarikat dalam Kumpulannya sendiri yang membuktikan bahawa Jihad Bisnes tidak sesekali mendiskriminasikan mana-mana kaum dan agama.

Saya telah menjelaskan kepada Dinesh dan para pelajar bahawa Kumpulan JCorp terdiri daripada 250 buah syarikat dan lebih 55,000 anggota pekerja di mana sebahagiannya terdiri daripada bukan Melayu dan bukan Muslim yang telah diberikan kepercayaan untuk menerajui syarikat dan memegang jawatan utama termasuk CEO dalam beberapa Bisnes Strategik JCorp.

Sebagai contoh, dalam ceramah saya telah memperkenalkan Puan Mah Lai Heng, yang kini menjadi CEO salah sebuah hospital pakar di bawah KPJ Healthcare Berhad milik JCorp. Puan Mah Lai Heng memulakan kerjayanya sebagai seorang Jururawat di Hospital Pakar Ipoh kira-kira 20 tahun yang lalu selepas memperolehi kelayakan SRN. Beliau telah membina kerjayanya dengan baik dan kini menjadi Pengurus Besar atau CEO di Hospital Pakar Kuching. Sebagai CEO, beliau bertanggungjawab dalam pengurusan hospital tersebut sekaligus memimpin kalangan anggota pekerja termasuk Doktor-doktor Pakar (antara yang terbaik di Malaysia) yang berkhidmat di hospital tersebut. Beliau juga mengambil peluang pembangunan kerjaya dengan mengikuti program MBA di bawah Henley Management College, UK yang ditaja oleh KPJ dan JCorp.

Kejayaan Puan Mah amat kami banggakan sama seperti rakan-rakan dalam JCorp yang lain. Ini termasuklah kejayaan mereka yang bukan Muslim di dalam segmen Bisnes Sawit JCorp, menerusi Kulim Malaysia Berhad, Oleokimia (Natural Oleochemicals Sdn Bhd), Rangkaian Restoran Makanan Segera (KFC, Pizza Hut dan Ayamas) dan sebagainya. Tegasnya, kami di JCorp menumpukan sepenuh perhatian terhadap menjayakan kerja seharian dan berkerja dengan penuh semangat demi mencapai kejayaan yang cemerlang tanpa mengira atau menyedari terdapatnya perbezaan umur, jantina, agama dan etnik!

Merit dan Mendapatkan yang Terbaik di Kalangan yang Terbaik

Fokus kami adalah memastikan segala tugas kami terlaksana dengan sebaik mungkin dan berusaha untuk mencipta lebih banyak kejayaan. Ianya termasuklah mencari kalangan pemimpin yang terbaik di kalangan kami untuk menjadi barisan hadapan organisasi kami.

Saya sering menyatakan dalam ceramah-ceramah saya bahawa Islam amat mementingkan dan mengutamakan prinsip keadilan. Jihad Bisnes juga tidak pernah terkecuali. Al-Quran juga sering mengingatkan kita agar berlaku adil sesama kita.

Amanah telah ditekankan di dalam al-Quran sebagai sesuatu yang perlu dijaga. Bagi Muslim, terdapat ayat al-Quran yang telah menyatakan dengan jelas bahawa apabila menyerahkan sesuatu amanah itu hendaklah diserahkan kepada yang benar-benar ahli – iaitu orang yang benar-benar mampu memikul dan melaksanakan tanggungjawab tersebut.

Rasulullah S.A.W sendiri juga telah menyatakan dengan jelas bahawa sesuatu amanah terutamanya kepemimpinan hendaklah dipertanggungjawabkan kepada yang dipilih di kalangan mereka yang benar-benar ahli dan layak, jika tidak pasti ianya akan menemui kegagalan. Dalam erti kata lain, kehancuran pasti akan menimpa sesuatu organisasi yang tidak dipimpin oleh pemimpin yang ahli!

Saya seringkali mengingatkan bahawa Jihad Bisnes perlu sentiasa selari dengan ajaran Islam. Saya telah menyatakan kepada Dinesh, Islam telah diturunkan bukan untuk kebaikan umat Islam semata-mata kerana telah jelas dinyatakan di dalam al-Quran bahawa Islam telah diturunkan sebagai rahmat kepada seluruh alam.

Saya juga telah merujuk kepada Islam yang lebih tinggi darjatnya dalam menentang diskriminasi dan ketidakadilan, tidak seperti kaum Yahudi yang telah mengharamkan riba’ sesama kaum mereka tetapi menghalalkannya dengan kaum yang lain (bukan Yahudi). Ianya sama sekali bertentangan dengan ajaran Islam yang telah mengharamkan riba’ tanpa perbezaan di kalangan Muslim dan juga bukan Muslim.

Mengapa “Jihad”?

Justeru persoalan membawa kita kepada perkara asas iaitu mengapa kaum Melayu dan Muslim perlu melakukan pembaharuan kepada sistem ekonomi kita dengan cara berjihad. Sedangkan Barat telah melakukan pembaharuan, pembangunan dan pemodenan tanpa perlu lagi menjalankan crusade dan penjajahan!

Pertama, mengapa ianya perlu difokuskan kepada Melayu?

Di antara jawapan terbaik adalah kerajaan telah melakukan banyak perkara untuk memperbaiki taraf hidup Bumiputera dan kaum Melayu termasuk melalui Dasar Ekonomi Baru (DEB). Walaupun tahap Melayu dan Bumiputera itu berjaya ditingkatkan, mereka masih dilihat jauh ketinggalan di belakang, miskin serta mundur jika dibandingkan dengan pencapaian kaum-kaum lain di negara ini.

Pada hari ini, perbincangan berkaitan pembangunan ekonomi juga melibatkan nilai dan budaya kerana ia juga merupakan salah satu faktor yang akan menentukan kejayaan sesuatu bangsa. Saya juga bersetuju dengan pendapat yang mengatakan nilai dan budaya adalah merupakan faktor kritikal yang akan menentukan sifat-sifat, sudut pandangan, pilihan keutamaan dan sebagainya. Semua ini merupakan kunci kepada dimensi untuk pembaharuan.

Pada pendapat saya, kelemahan kaum Melayu adalah berpunca daripada sikap mereka sendirin dan sifat ‘tidak apa’ yang akhirnya menyebabkan mereka hilang minat dan mengabaikan kepentingan untuk berjuang mempertahankan hak dan mengejar kekayaan.

Omar Raji Alfaruqi (dalam penulisannya yang bertajuk “Al Tawhid, kesannya kepada pemikiran dan kehidupan”), menyatakan bahawa “Tiada agama, dan tiada ideologi yang begitu menggalakkan seseorang untuk berkerja dengan gigih sebagaimana yang dinyatakan oleh Islam”. Menurutnya ”Islam mengharapkan setiap penganutnya untuk melakukan lebih daripada apa yang ia termampu dan menjadi orang yang berguna atau bermanfaat, iantu yang memberi khidmat lebih dari khidmat yang dia terima. Hayat se-seorang Muslim perlu berakhir dengan sumbangan yang lebih darinya sebagai manfaat kepada seluruh makhluk dan kehidupan.

Selanjutnya, Rasulullah SAW dalam sebuah hadis telah menyatakan bahawa 9/10 daripada sumber rezeki adalah datang daripada bisnes, dan Muslim digalakkan untuk berkerja kuat untuk mencapai kejayaan untuk dunia mereka seolah-olah mereka akan hidup buat selama-lamanya, dan beribadat untk akhirat mereka seolah-olah mereka akan mati pada keesokan harinya! Rasulullah SAW sendiri merupakan seorang peniaga sebelum baginda diangkat menjadi Rasul. Sehubungan itu, kegagalan Muslim dalam ekonomi pada hari ini dilihat sebagai berpunca dari kegagalan mereka mengamalkan ajaran Islam dan Rasulnya itu sendiri.

Terdapat satu lagi alasan kukuh kepada persoalan “Mengapa Melayu”?

Adalah jelas pada hari ini perkembangan kek kekayaan ekonomi negara tidaklah sepantas sebagaimana yang diharapkan dan kaum Melayu, sebagai majoriti di negara ini, memperolehi pendapatan dan mempunyai kuasa yang masih terlalu rendah.

Lebih teruk, sebilangan daripada mereka amat bergantung kepada orang lain sekaligus hanya akan turut melemahkan yang lainnya pula.

Tambahan lagi, terdapat keperluan yang begitu kritikal dalam konteks situasi pasca-krisis, untuk Malaysia menstruktur semula ekonominya agar lebih mempunyai kuasa secara domestik dan tidak lagi bergantung kepada eksport dan FDI (Pelaburan Asing Secara Terus).

Oleh itu, kegagalan untuk menjiwai semangat keusahawanan, untuk membawa kaum Melayu kepada dunia Bisnes, serta kegagalan untuk menjana pendapatan dan mengekalkan kuasa akan menjadikan mereka terus bergantung kepada pekerjaan yang rendah pendapatan, peningkatan export dan FDI.

Jelas, satu agenda pembaharuan ekonomi yang mensasarkan kaum Melayu dan bisnes yang bersendikan Islam tidak lagi dapat dielakkan dan wajib untuk dilaksanakan jika mahu menjadikan Malaysia sebagai sebuah negara yang lebih maju dan kaya. Dalam masa yang sama, dasar ala Jihad yang selari dengan corak budaya India untuk kaum India dan lain-lainnya, perlu juga diperkenalkan. Inilah pra-syarat strategik kepada kejayaan di masa akan datang dalam iklim ekonomi yang dipacu oleh bisnes.

Tetapi mengapa “Jihad”?

Secara ringkasnya, perubahan dimensi budaya dan institusi memerlukan kaum Melayu dan Muslim untuk pergi lebih jauh dan kembali kepada akar umbi pegangan dan kepercayaannya.

Untuk satu tempoh yang lama, terdapat di kalangan para ulama dan pendakwah yang telah meremehkan dan memandang sepi usaha mencari kekayaan dan kemajuan ekonomi untuk hidup lebih maju.  Memburu kekayaan dianggap sangat negatip dan hanya akan melemahkan keimanan umat Islam yang terlibat dalam bisnes.

Dengan demikian, kebanyakan Muslim hanya memfokuskan diri mereka kepada akhirat semata-mata serta menafikan kepentingan untuk mengejar kekayaan di dunia. Ianya sama sekali bertentangan dengan ajaran Islam itu sendiri. Namun, penyelesaiannya pula bukanlah dengan cara membabi-buta mengejar kekayaan sebagaimana yang dianjurkan oleh kapitalisme, konsumerisme dan dunia yang dipengaruhi bisnes, kewangan dan entiti korporat yang tamak dan rakus. Oleh itu, Jihad Bisnes telah menganjurkan keseimbangan yang lebih adil dan saksama!

Justeru, sebarang bentuk penyelesaian yang melemahkan Melayu dan Muslim serta penyelesaian yang memberikan ruang kompromi kepada asas keimanan dan kepercayaan mereka hanya akan membawa kepada kegagalan.

Jelas, tiada kejayaan akan dicapai oleh kaum Melayu dan Muslim sekiranya tidak melalui perubahan, rancangan strategik atau polisi yang akan meningkatkan iman dan taqwa mereka kepada Allah SWT. Begitu juga, sebarang usaha untuk memperkayakan Muslim tidak akan mampu dilaksanakan sekiranya mereka tidak berpegang kepada asas ajaran agama dan iman yang mampu memberikan mereka kuasa motivasi untuk lebih berjaya.

Saya percaya bahawa Jihad, yang merupakan satu sumber motivasi yang dianugerahkan oleh Allah SWT, dan Jihad Bisnes boleh dijadikan pemangkin kepada kuasa yang lebih tersusun dan kukuh yang bukan hanya akan memperkayakan Malaysia dan menjadikan Melayu Muslim sebagai penyumbang yang aktif kepada kekayaan tersebut, tetapi juga menjadikan mereka sebagai seorang Muslim yang lebih bertaqwa! Alhamdulillah di atas pencapaian luar biasa JCorp dalam bidang korporat dan bisnes.  Semua pencapaian ini serta sumbangan kepada penjanaan kekayaan, penambahan nilai dan pewujudan peluang-peluang pekerjaan oleh JCorp merupakan satu contoh yang jelas kejayaan Jihad Bisnes yang boleh dicapai oleh semua.

Saya akhiri artikel ini dengan memetik salah satu artikel yang disiarkan di dalam Blog ini yang bertajuk “Global Crisis, Business Jihad and JCorp’s Turnaround” di bawah sub-topik “Jihad Bisnes untuk memperkaya dunia”:-

“Jihad Bisnes, yang dijayakan melalui institusi sebagaimana yang dianjurkan oleh Islam, bukanlah sesuatu yang ekslusif. Ianya dijayakan melalui keusahwanan, yang akhirnya akan membawa kepada kekayaan untuk semua. Tambahan pula, sifat bisnes yang menjana keuntungan dan nilai ekonomi menjadikan Jihad Bisnes sebagai sesuatu yang jelas membawa manfaat kepada semua.  Satu-satunya perbezaan di antara kapitalisme melampau konvensional adalah sifatnya yang tamak dan sama sekali bertentangan dengan Jihad Bisnes yang bukan untuk kepentingan peribadi tetapi bersandarkan kepada nilai-nilai ajaran Islam serta mementingkan keadilan dan kesaksamaan untuk semua”.

MuhammadAli,
13 Jun, 2009.