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  1. Am I a leader?

    Wednesday 18 March 2015

    This Is How I am a leader
    by: Irghalim

    I have been wondering in my whole life how to interpet the beauty of life. Life contains so many treasures that God bestows to His creatures that I myself find it difficult to understand their essences. one of its magnificence I like most lies in the quality of leadership. Humanist may say that humanity is the notion to define human nature, and socialist may also say that social is the way of to understand coexistence. I, however, want to say that leadership is the idea that embraces both of perspectives because I could understand the notion of humanist and socialist through the study of leadership.

    As my turning point to define leadership, in my 15th, I have encountered the biggest fear of human could have, the fear of oblivion. I had had to break up with my dearest girlfriend, and that was the hardest time I have ever been through. With all the immaturity, I did nothing but crying and whining why was the life so unfair. But one day, after so much desperation I suffer for over a year, I realized something that there was noone could assist me but myself, so I tried anything to resist any temptation to be stucked in disadvantages time. Therefore, by that time, It is my very first time to demonstrate the quality of leadership, independency.

    Furthermore, by the time I entered university, I did realize that life is so precious that my life will be vain if I care about no other but myself. In consequence, without dismissing the independency I have learned, I began to adapt with my new surrounding that consist of many different perspectives. By means of adapting, I learn how to suppress my ego, and thereby I tried to put others point of view and mine altogether, then blended it into harmony. Hence, That is the time I learned the second quality of leadership, multidimensional perspective.

    To these days, my desire to be useful to my surrounding have motivated me to join campus senate as my preference to taste the atmosphere leadership. Having experienced under many leaderships, I notice that the core idea required most to be a leader is to be insightful to others. As a leader, It takes an extra effort more than independency and multidimensional perspective to have a wide knowledge of others so that the leader could empowers people around them. For that reason, I start fascinating on how to be friendly in order to have a deep insight to my friends and to be tender-hearted person. At least, this is my third time of observing the quality of leadership, sense and sensibility.


    As for the conclusion, due to my limitation as human being seeking for divine treasure, I acknowledge that there are many other qualities of leadership which is my duty to look after them. Nevertheless, these three qualities are my principles of leadership. I cannot own such multidimensional perspective without independency, and, vice versa, it is impossible for me to have sense and sensibility without the presence of these others two qualities.

    Posted by Irfan Ghani Alim at 17:52 | 0 comments | |

  2. The Art of Empowering Others and Global Population Issue
    By: Irfan Gani Alim


    The world global population is now growing in enormous number of people due to the failure to meet the need for contraception and continuity of preference for large family. The analysis, with 70% accuration, shows that the human population by the year 2100 approximately will be 11 billion from today which is 7 billion.[1] By this concern, we have a serious problem to maintain the quality of the population which is to turn this growth into something productive, so there will be no such waste of human societies. This issue arises many challenges to anyone, especially to the rising generations, the future world leader. Are they capable, or not, to optimize the quality of the population?

    The leaders are not the people who are merely setting a goal, telling instruction on how others should behave, and shouting a tanturm to them if they are not doing as planned. Instead, it is a boss. On the other hand, to be real leaders, it requires more effort on leading someone towards achievement. One of which is the ability to be a charismatic and inspiring figure by empowering others. In addition, as Bill Gates once said, "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”. Consequently, what does it mean by empowering others? It is about time we initiated to seriously clarify this intangible understanding.

    From the affix appending to the term, the prefix em– (the form used for the prefix en– before b, m, or p) means to make someone or something be in a particular state or have a particular quality.[2] If the prefix is attached to the free morpheme, power, then it will be the term used to describe a condition of encouraging someone to have more quality of power or any relation to the authority. Therefore, the term empower results in the understanding of giving someone more responsibility upon something. In other word, when leaders empowers someone, they put trust to those who are competent to have control in specific area.

    The essential notion the leaders should achieve is the insightful perspective of each fellows of the team. Empowering someone implies not only give the other peers ability to control but also put them in the right position. The leaders need to regard each others’ need and hope, and thereby give them specific value that distinct one to another by means of persuasive words and actions. Thus, the leaders will have record that show the uniquenesses of the member so that they could imply specific maintenance to each one of them. The leaders ought to concern this carefully because incorrect arrangement may have an effect on the failure leadership, or even worse, the leaders will be outwitting the rest of the member instead of empowering them.

    Furthermore, as my personal experience, leaders who are failed in the leadership are those who unable to build a friendly atmosphere to their surrounding, and therefore people will lose their trust. The impact of losing trust is huge because the leaders will gradually loose their integrity. Accordingly, the leaders ought to inspire others to develop more meaningful perceptions of their dedication towards achievement. Empowering someone without reflecting a good way to lead is nonsense. In order to gain people’ interest and trust, personal identification and appreciation are necessary. The leaders could conduct a regular meeting engaging the whole participation of the members to clarify the importance of achieving goals, and to have intimate conversation communicating personal opinion on workflow issue and giving constructive feedback one to another. As the consequence, not only the members are able to discover common concern, but also the leaders can encourage others by sharing motivation that convinces them that they are valuable to be part of the team.

    Nevertheless, it is highly recommended not to overextend on monitoring the team. Even though the leaders are about to be a figure guiding the rest of the group by empowering them, have an eye on every movement that the group make is a threat to their endeavor. They might sense this as the antithesis to their effort and thereby affect their performance. To prevent this, giving some independency is optional. The flexibility could be given by creating some spaces in order to provide discretion.

    In addition to the implementation of empowerment, as far as I notice, the idea of empowerment is always be the major concern in Ahmadiyya society. The society has held many gatherings requiring the whole member participation. Most of activities are not merely restricted to religious event, yet, through team building activities, they underline the significance of internal bonding regardless the status of seniority. The goal is to strengthen the sense of belonging that each members has as the part of the society. Moreover, these days, there are several community services held by the society, one of which is Al-Hidayah School – Non-profit organization that have a concentration in tutoring the students who is disadvantaged in economics. The program empowers youth member of Ahmadiyya to volunteer themselves as the teacher of certain subjects. The youth put their concern to this program as their devotion to the community. However, in every activities, the society always uphold the integrity of Muslim, especially the norm of purdah.

    As for the conclusion, with appreciating other members’ needs, and creating supportive atmosphere, hopefully, the leaders could be charismatic and inspiring figure and attain the notion of empowering someone. In addition to rapid population growth, I have a dream that this essay could inspire every youth around the world to have awareness of the art of empowering others in leadership, so there will be 11 billion high-quality population by the beginning of 22th century.


    [1] Carrington, Damian. "Sustainable Development." World Population to Hit 11bn in 2100 – with 70% Chance of Continuous Rise. The Guardian, 18 Sept. 2014. Web. 5 Feb. 2015. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/world-population-new-study-11bn-2100>.
    [2] "Cambridge Dictionaries Online." En- Prefix Definition, Meaning. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/en_2#translations>

    Posted by Irfan Ghani Alim at 17:51 | 0 comments | |

  3. Human Rights

    Monday 9 March 2015

    Insistence in Human Right

    by. Irghalim



    Born into existence, mankind have their own rights to live in dignity, and therefore, in view of humanism, on no account, does one possess more special nor higher standard among the rest, they are all equal, instead. Thus, in order for the coexistence of this equality, all the people around the world, through the political view, have established human rights – the notion justifying the right that fundamentally belong to human.

    Nevertheless, where human rights are not yet declared, back in 19th century, there was an absolute abomination history to human race history. Massacre, bloodshed, and slavery had been the most common phenomenon both in first and second world war. The level of humans’ life was so puny that torturing others was categorized not as an notorious deed. Due to many necessity owned by some parties that thirst for political expansion, humanity was nothing but the target of the slaughter. Under no circumstance, did the victim of apocalypse stop hailing the freedom outcry for their own sake. During the time, to live in such vigorous life were the utopia that required them to champion themselves in desperation.

    As the result of the experience of the war, the world created the United Nation in order to uphold justice and mankind morality. In addition, because of the people’ pursuit to arise the document capturing aspirations, dream, and protection, United Nations established the Universal Declaration of Human Right (UDHR) in 1948 as the attempt ensuring the quality of humanity and keeping the liberty of human right away from the scourge of atrocity.[1] However, the declaration is not kind of treaty and have lack in its enforcement provisions. It is merely a set of principles to be committed by the member states of United Nation in effort to provide people around the world a good quality of life of human dignity.

    Human Right, in the form of treaties, general principles, and other source of international law, is instituted by human rights law. United Nation recognized human rights’ existence as customary international law due to its importance as the prime sources of international law.[2] Therefore, human rights have grown into a custom for most of country to be adopted in the treaties, bodies of principles, and constitution even though human right is not officially written as the law of the states.[3] In addition, International human rights law creates legal obligation to the government of the states to act in particular way or to refrain towards certain acts so that human rights and the independence of both individuals and groups could be carried out. Consequently, any state which allows the idea conflicting the notion of human right in the constitution, for instance discrimination, should be considered as a country that violates the customary international law which is Human Rights.

    According to Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Human right is the right universally belong and inherent to all human beings, since their birth to the end of lifetime. The rights acknowledge the notion that regardless nationality, residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, birth, religion, language, or any other status, people are human and equal one to another in rights and dignity[4]. In regard to equality, we are all empowered to human right with no distinction because every one born into the world deserve a vigorous and safety life. Thus, on no account, shall human rights accept discrimination in any form.

    In addition to equality, Human Rights are inalienable. Human Rights will under no condition be taken away by any necessity but law. On the other words, people will not lose their rights as human. For example, in the age of slavery of America around 17th and 18th centuries, many colonists withdrew the freedom of African who were imported to America and began the slavery. In today life, these circumstances shall not be tolerated by any law.

    On the other hand, should anyone, in some occasion, be the actor of crime in accordance to due process and thereby judged guilty by the court of law, they will have their right to liberty restricted. However, due to legal egalitarianism, each person has equality in the eyes of the law – subject to the same laws of justice are all people. To maintain the fairness of law, all are qualified with appropriate legal action without the presence of discrimination, privilege, or bias. People are entitled to equal protection against injustice.

    Not only do human rights address the prohibition to discrimination, but also promote the value of mankind in view to reach the vigorous life. Therefore, through human right, states need to pay their obligation to fulfill their citizens’ quality of humanity. Education and health care to all people regardless ages, gendre, race, and religion is the example of the contribution of human right. They ensure that all people could obtain the equal gain in every aspect of life.

    Furthermore, human rights are interrelated, interdependent, and indivisible. None of the rights have higher priority over another, yet they are all equal. One cannot degrade particular rights merely because of the prejudice determining certain rights have weaker position beneath others. In addition, human rights are all the complementary framework. Therefore, one idea may supports another idea in the fundamental notion it preserves. For example, the ability of the youth to utter their opinion in university is in consequence of the freedom of expression that human rights offer. As the result, everyday rights such as right to life, rights to development and self-determination, equality before the law, freedom of expression, freedom of religion, the rights to work, social security and education are dependent on each other and thereby unable to be separated.

    The implementation of human rights results the guarantee of the honor of mankind. The rights consist of several pledges and commitment embracing any element of human being for the sake of the equality that lies in humanity. Since its first establishment, human rights have been the answer to seek the protection for those who feel marginalized by some parties causing them to live in such miserable life. Over time, human rights have inspired people in the way of addressing conflict in societies that suffers repression and underlining the concern of injustices such as racial discrimination, torture, enforced disappearances, disabilities, and the rights of women, children, migrants, minorities, and indigenous peoples.[5] Human rights are the measure towards championing universal pleasure of living in dignity.

    The presence of human rights have become the reference that require mankind to live in togetherness. Through the principles preserving the quality of freedom, fairness, and peacefulness, human rights do empower all people on how they should behave to treat each others so that the wish to live in peaceful and dignity could be achieved. As a result, not only could all the people be grateful for being born as a human, but they also shall understand how to appreciate one to another.

    In contrast, even though human being is expected to maintain the equilibrium of the mother nature realm and therefore be its guardian, we have several problematic issue concerning human right. To these days, the number of inequity addressed to humanity is never about to be done. After the world wars were terminated, human right remain vulnerable to threat. In view of situation that every creature were born equal, one party seems to possess so much power over others that enact the atmosphere of endless flounder. For instance, at the time, one party may be the official protecting humanity, but they afterward could betray its principles due to several necessities. The concern of religion recognition, freedom of expression, and political issue are the well-known issue requiring global attention to hail the integrity of human rights.

    Ultimately, it is essential for us to uphold the presence of human right in this paradoxical life. Collaborating in the spirit of freedom to live in peace is the main purpose of why human right was constituted. Human rights are the collective framework of forsaken dream of mankind in past imparting utopia life notion into existence. Moreover, their quintessences encourage people to carry out the equality through daily life. In consequence, it will arise the circumstance of global constuctive community among people where distributing tolerance and upholding humanity are mandatory. As a result, the obligation of nurturing the congruence of the coexistent rights shall be complied.

    *If you find this article helpful please comment and respect the author by citing the quotes.


    [1] University of Minnesota. What Are Human Rights?. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/hreduseries/hereandnow/Part-1/whatare.htm
    [2] United Nation Human Rights. What are human rights? Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Pages/WhatareHumanRights.aspx
    [3] International Committee of the Red Cross. Customary international humanitarian law.  Retrieved March 3, 2015, from https://www.icrc.org/eng/war-and-law/treaties-customary-law/customary-law/overview-customary-law.htm
    [4] United Nation. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml#a5
    [5] United Nation. THE FOUNDATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW. Retrieved March 1, 2015, from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/hr_law.shtml

    Posted by Irfan Ghani Alim at 06:25 | 0 comments | |

  4. me, my country, and pluralism

    Friday 15 August 2014

    Pluralism Outcry
    by. iGhani


     Indonesia, by the medieval age to globalization era, is nothing but an archipelago nation. Indonesia has such enermous island consisting its own uniquenes that has been well-known for the diversity it preserves. On the other hand, Indonesia, behind its success retaining the natioal heritage of diversity, possess a flabbiness toward one of the diversity itself–freedom of religion–whereas the constituion guarantees those. This issue has been a disease requiring a proper remedy among the rainbow of the legacy. Enhance, I should agree in case some parties demand that Indonesia need something extraordinary persistence to behond the national entity, one of which is pluralism. I believe that the absence of pluralism concept must be the key point triggering the cause and therefore we need to evoke pluralism from its eternal sleep.

    First of all, Pluralism is not synonymous with diversity[1]. Pluralism is the term that is used to unite the diversity. In accordance to human-right concept, pluralism is the ability to embrace any other perspectives beyond ours either it is minority or majority and understand those rather than just offering our tolerance upon them. Diversity wihout the presence of pluralism will mean nothing but an increasing tension in a society[2]. The pluralist society will not try to impose one believe into others but the opposite; They shall make an effort to seek the meaning of the difference by way of critism and self-critism. Furthermore, in the religious point of view, the pluralist believe that all religions, inspite of the diverse deity one another, has the same goal which is to reach the sacred contentment. Unfortunately, Indonesia has different answer to the pluralism. We merely understand the notion as the significance of tolerance and often leave the ignorance to last deep inside our heart so that we are still stereotyped by the old assumption that makes us to believe that our current faith is the truest and most magnificent religion whilst others are not. These concepts thereby create such chaotic circumstance that causes the presence of religon becomes sensitive.

    United States, at least, is the instance where pluralism is uphold. Through the concept “E Pluribus Unum”[3], America has indicated themselves as a plural nation. In the same way, Indonesia also values the pluralism among its diversity along with “Bhineka Tunggal Ika”[4] within Pancasila. Indonesia is such unique nation that requires real contribution of its citizen in order to maintain the diversity, but the term remains a utopia. To these days reality, the diversity in the freedom of religon is in jeopardy. It is no longer like it was written in constitution of 29th subsection and first verses of Pancasila. In the society of Indonesia, we acknowledge only the fift of religions; Islam, Christ, Budhism, and Hindu, and hence left big question to those affiliating with other believes. How their life are going to be? What religion they will have to select in the field of religion form? The religion issue has become so testy to discuss that any other believes beyond the commonence can be judged as a cult belief. Ahmadiyyah, for example, is the International moslem organization whose the existance considered diverged in our country. The presence of Ahmadiyya is a strong evidence that even Indonesian government also supports contributing to the purification of its own through the joint decree that consist of the ministers of religion, interior, and attorney general in 2008[5]. Therefore, if the problem lasts, the freedom of religion can be excluded from the term of pluralism and we, as the citizen of Indonesia, will not longer find these phenomenon as the prejudice.

    Possibly, some parties may consider the side-effect of pluralism that the minority’s power might goes beyond the majority due to the human rights policy that spoils their presence. They afraid that someday within the policy, they might grow steadily and thereby become stronger with a million of followers. Nevertheless, have we already adjusted pluralism to the core of society? Or we, all the time, only admit the pluralism as the sense of tolerance? Often I find many incidents demonstrating that either personal or communal necessity vanguishs the public benefit. Back in 2012, Islamist mob whose penchant belief pelted HKBP Filadefia with plastics bag filled with urine and wastewater[6]. I am afraid this phenomenon obviously not reflects neither the pluralism nor the beauty of religion. In addition, is this the very evidence that Indonesia is such beautiful country and the enermous diversity within?

    To conclude, Indonesia has already enriched with an amazing heritage lies from its natural resources to humanism diversity, but it is inevitable that misery always comes after the happiness in order to derive the wheel of life. Therefore, we should evoke the dream we have made back in time to our independence years. We, as the good citizen of Indonesa need to appreciate and practice the notion of nationalism by the way we understand the beautiful notion of pluralism rather than remain ignorant and apathetic to our surrounding. Regardless what necessity we currently hold, pluralism has constantly need to be the prior task that we have to obey.

    Bumper Sticker Theology for a New Age…. To borrow from Rodney King during the 1992 Los Angeles riots, “Can we all get along?”



    [1] The Pluralism Project; Harvard University. Pluralism Challenge. http://pluralism.org/encounter/challenges (Retrieved on 6 July 2014)
    [2] Ibid
    [3] Great Seal. E Pluribus Unum. http://www.greatseal.com/mottoes/unum.html (Retrieved on 6 July 2014)
    [4] Identitas Nasional Indonesia. Identitas Nasional. http://identitas-nasional-indonesia.blogspot.com/2011/11/identitas-nasional.html (Retrieved on 6 July 2014)
    [5] Okezone.com, Apa Saja Isi SKB 3 Menteri, http://news.okezone.com/read/2011/02/11/337/423732/337/apa-saja-isi-skb-3-menteri (Retrieved on 6 July 2014)
    [6] Indonesia Ucanews. Jemaat HKBP Filadelfia di Lempari Tinja dan Urine. http://indonesia.ucanews.com/2012/05/18/jemaat-hkbp-filadelfia-dilempari-tinja-dan-urine/ (Retrieved on 6 July 2014)

    Posted by Irfan Ghani Alim at 09:00 | Labels: , , , | 0 comments | |

  5. Once upon a time in the dynasty of Xin, lived a warrior apprentice, Liu Tzu. He was still in young age, yet has an extraordinary talent that astonish every boys in his age. His father once was one of the best general among the age, so it was undeiable that Liu Tzu obtained the skills through his father. One day in the academy, he has made a big mistake that cost him the trust of his martial arts master, ThiHuan. 


     The story took a place when he was absent from training for the fifth time. Indeed, Liu was an extraordinary student among others, but he was also the laziest. By the begining of the academy, ThiHuan has already declared such strong statement that fears most of the student but Liu,

    “You may absent from my training session four times, but I will strongly forbid you to join the major trial training and admit none of your excuses if you absent from my session for the fifth time unless you bring me a special permission from high emperor Xin Zhao”. 

    Liu Tzu was constantly late to join the class where ThiHuan teached. His parents and friends have told him not to come late to class, but Liu did nothing but behave arrogantly. In addition, Often his behaviour made him absent from the class because he was not allowed to join the class. " I don't care about their arguments about my life not even my parents because I am the one who steer my own life not them, not my parents. Besides, my master give me a chance to not to join the class four times, and yet, It's 2 chance left." Said him after receiving many complain from his surrounding.

    He still enjoyed joining the class late until one day he got no more chance to absent from class. As a result, he became suddenly so diligent that he never miss a chance to be the first student attending the class. Everyone was surprised due to the the miracle that fell upon Liu's heart and made him realize how important to come on time.

    However, miss fortune did not always accompany him all along. One time in the way to the academy, he got an accident making him unable to come on time. His bicycle he usually use was all of a sudden broken on the chain and Liu was not able to fix the chain. Furthermore, he have no time to think but rushing himself to get his pants joined the class that time. 

    Once he successfully managed to come to class, he had no idea that his master would reject him entering the class. He tried explaining all the occurrence to his master but he still need to leave. Then, he felt sorry because he did not mean to be late and it was a pure accident approaching him. 

    He had apologized with his master several times, but he always encountered himself lost in darkness with no hopes to reach the way out. “I was wondering why my master still shows her rage at me even though I have delivered my apologize to her." Complained him, "was my mistake so severe that unforgivable?" 

    Moreover, he tried to talk about his flounder to his academic supervisor, Wuan WhaThaow. Liu told her every detail of the incidents. Unfortunatelly, he found nothing but complain from his supervisor. "It is the correct decision that your master have taken for you in view of your privous behaviour in class. Though you have improved to be more diligent in class, it won't change her commitment he made in the begining of the semester and give you another chance to be absent from class. She is one of our best rule-obedient teachers. I feel pity to you Liu" 

    In the end, Liu Tzu felt great sin because all of his efforts found a deadlock. Neither the apologize to ThiHuan nor the communication with the supervisor were works. Afterward, He wish that he could be better for the next semester, and he stated to himself that he will not be on the same occurrence with the same failure.



    Posted by Irfan Ghani Alim at 20:27 | Labels: | 0 comments | |

  6. Thursday 25 April 2013


    It happened....... what's ur choices?

    Posted by Irfan Ghani Alim at 17:49 | 0 comments | |

  7. The story start when my friend billy celebrated his 20th birthday. It was at 12:00, the time when my bestfriends and I went to mosque for praying, suddently I met my others friends in the way to mosque then they told me about billi's celebrating party and they asked us to join, so my friends and I decided to join after we fnished our praying. 

    Unfortunatelly, when my friends and I have finished our praying, they refused to came to the party because they were tired, so all the decision was only last in my own. I was literally tired of thinking about which decision should I took. I noticed that if I join to the party I will be lonely due to both of my bestfriend refused to came, but there was the others of my friends who joined the party also. I thought if I join the party, perhaps I will get  many new friends there perhaps, therefore I prefered to join the billi's birthday party.


    At the Billi's house I met the family of billy and a girl. The girl is friends of my friend and her beauty was alured my attention. Her name is Aisyah, she is smart and good-looking. Her eyes was shiny like sun in  nightfall, her charm was like a dreamland princess with a tiara jewel as her crown, and her voice was like a thousand leaves singing through the freedom wind. And then, I decided to get acquainted with her for my heart sake, so I reached her with all my heart and began to handshake. She was very happy to acquainted with me, it can be seen from her nightfall eyes sight. After that, Aisyah and I were joking happily through the Billi's birthday party, and I also took many pictures with her with my Ipod.

    The night had begun to appear, it means the party was going to end, so my friend and I were farewell with billy and his family. In the end, I got many new friends and got acquainted with Aisyah. I was so tired during that day because I had to spent the rest of my stamina for the bili's birthday party, after all it was an awesome day.






    Posted by Irfan Ghani Alim at 08:29 | 0 comments | |