Rabu, 26 November 2008

SUPPLY BAHAN BAKAR KAYU YANG BERKELANJUTAN DI NEGARA-NEGARA YANG SEDANG BERKEMBANG

Abstrak
Umumnya penduduk di negara miskin dengan pendapatan yang rendah akan terus menggunakan sumber energi dari kayu untuk pemenuhan kebutuhan energi domestic dan sebagai sumber pendapatan. Diperkirakan bahwa 1,700 juta ton bahan bakar kayu dihasilkan secara global. Tingkat konsumsi yang sangat tinggi terhadap kayu bakar di negara miskin berpotensi terhadap penurunan sumberdaya hutan. Selain itu, keterbatasan supply kayu bakar dewasa ini juga diprediksikan akan memberikan konsekwensi sosial ekonomi yang sangat serius bagi penduduk miskin di dunia (Danish et al, 2003:279).
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memberikan kontribusi terhadap keberlanjutan dari supply bahan bakar kayu dengan penekanan beberapa kebijakan untuk memenuhi permintaan akan bahan bakar kayu tanpa menimbulkan kerusakan lingkungan. Penelitian pustaka ini dilaksanakan dari bulan Maret sampai bulan Juni 2008 termasuk di dalamnya adalah wawancaralangsung dan jarak jauh dengan beberapa pakar kehutanan dan lembaga kehutanan. Study ini khususnya difokuskan kepada sumber-sumber bahan bakar kayu dan kebijakan yang menunjang tercapainya keberlanjjutan supply bahan bakar kayu. Dari hasil penelitian ini ditunjukkan bahwa pelibatann penduduk local dalam pengelolaan supply bahan bakar kayu melalui pentuan tingkat harga dan penerapan kebijakan pajak telah berhasil dipraktekkan di beberapa negara berkembang. Kebijakan lainnya adalah agroforestry dan konservasi energi melalui pengenalan kompor yang hemat energi.

Abstract
Many people in developing countries will continue to depend on wood energy whether as fuel for their daily energy needs or as a source of income. It is estimated that 1,700 million tons fuel wood now harvested each year globally. This huge consumption of fuel wood in the developing world has led to predictions of potentially devastating depletion of forest resources. Besides that, the perceived widening shortages of fuel wood are also expected to have serious negative socio-economic consequences for the rural poor.
This report aims to give a contribution to the sustainability of fuelwood supply by emphasizing some policies in order to fulfill the demand of fuelwood without degrading the environment in developing countries. Library research was carried out from March to June 2008 and included direct and long-distances interviews with foresters and forest institutions. The study focused especially on the types of fuelwood sources and enhancing the sustainability of fuelwood supply. This research has shown that involving the local community in fuel wood supply management trough pricing and taxation systems has been successfully implemented in some developing countries. Other policies which help are agroforestry or tree plantation and energy conservation through introducing improved stoves.
Keywords: fuel wood, sustainable, developing countries.



INTRODUCTION
Two billion people or about 40 percent of the total world population depend on fuel wood as their primary energy source (Arnold and Persson, 2006:379). The majority of households in poor countries, especially those in the low-income bracket, rely entirely on fuel wood, either firewood or charcoal for cooking and space heating. Many of them face a daily struggle to find enough fuel to warm their homes and cook their food (Ellegar, 2004:2).
The dependency on fuel wood by people in developing countries as their principal domestic fuel is not only for household consumption but also for rural industry consumption. For rural industries in most parts of the developing world, including the Asia and Pacific region, energy in the form of heat is an important input to the production processes, such as brewing processes in Africa, brick kilns in India and coconut processing industries in Sri Lanka (FAO, 2000:28).
A number of countries have launched programs to address these problems in terms of achieving sustainability in fuel wood supply. This paper provides an overview of the experience of and lessons learnt from some programs, such as local participatory approach, taxation systems and energy conservation. I will argue that the programs that have been implemented have better managed the natural wood resources and ensured the rural population benefits more from wood resources. It means the demand for fuel wood in developing countries can be achieved without degrading the environment.
METHODOLOGY

Developing countries are the research focus due to their dependency on fuelwood as a energy resource and income resource. This research was conducted in 2008 under the direct supervision of the School of Resources, Environment and Society (SRES) at the Australian National University. While collecting qualitative data in some libraries, searching internet, additional information through interviews with foresters and forest institutions can add important relevance to research. The process of analysis begins at the beginning of the research project and continues through the writing process. There is an ongoing dialogue between the researcher’s understandings of the social actions studied. The diversity of data collection methods I used enriched the research itself.




RESULTD AND DISCUSSION
1. Types of fuel wood sources
Leach and Mearns (2005:11) clarify that generally there are five main sources of fuel wood; the relative importance of each various greatly from place to place.
1.1. Tree cutting directly for fuel
This source is exploited especially to make charcoal and occurs around some cities where close to main roads or railway lines. The cutting system may be intensive, but is usually more selective, in that only larger trees or suitable species are felled. This system prevails around Blantyre, Malawi and has seriously degraded the woodland (FAO, 2005:1). The larger trees have gone, leaving a dense patchwork of smaller trees interspersed with patches of maize and vegetable crops. The sustainability of this source depends on whether trees are replanted and on cutting rates compared with the rates of natural regeneration in the affected areas (Roberts et al., 2004:80).
2.2. Dedicated fuel wood plantations
This system is common only in Asia as a source of urban fuel wood and in a few cities in Africa, such as in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia (FAO, 1997:167). Their economic viability depends mostly on whether single-purpose industrial or mixed small holder methods are used and on the price structures of urban fuel woods transport and markets (Neth et al., 2004).
2.3. By-product wood
This source stems from various tree growing activities, for example, multi purpose farm trees, commercial forestry for timber or specialized farm tree crops such as Gum Arabic in Sudan and tannin from small woodlots of wattle in Kenya (Leach and Mearns, 2005:11). The complexities of urban market structures and prices are some factors that influence the amount of fuel wood supply to urban people.
2.4. Dead branches and twigs
Generally dead branches and twigs are picked off the ground or cut from the tree. Many surveys confirm that these sources are non-destructive sources (Remedio, 2002:13). It can sometimes be taken from state-owned forests and woodlands or from managed tree and other woody resources on farmlands and village commons as well (Kirubi et al., 2000:49).
2.5. Surpluses arising from agricultural land clearances
These sources usually greatly exceed local fuel wood needs, even though many trees may be left standing as part of the farming system, while others are burned to provide soil nutrients or simply to clear the land (Leach and Merns, 2005:25). Farmers think that it is normally much more profitable to use land within of urban markets to grow food for the city than to leave it under tress and sell the wood. The pressures to clear such land of trees, sell any salvage wood to the city, and then farm it, are almost irresistible (Bembridge, 2000:46).
2. Fuel wood Consumption Trends

Table 1 shows the FAO projections of fuel wood consumption in the main developing regions. As shown in this table, aggregate consumption of fuel wood and wood for charcoal in Africa is growing from year to year. Even in some African countries, such as Mauritania, Rwanda and Sudan, fuel wood demand is already ten times the sustainable yield. Arnold and Person (2003:380) estimate that the consumption of fuel wood in this region is growing at a rate close to that of population growth.

Table 1. FAO projections of fuel wood and charcoal consumption to 2030 in the main developing regions.


1970 1980 2000 2000 2010 2020 2030
Fuel wood (million cubic metres)
South Asia 234.5 286.6 336.4 359.9 372.5 361.5 338.6
Southeast Asia 294.6 263.1 221.7 178.0 139.1 107.5 81.3
East Asia 293.4 311.4 282.5 224.3 186.3 155.4 127.1
Africa 261.1 305.1 364.6 440.0 485.7 526.0 544.8
South America 88.6 92.0 96.4 100.2 107.1 114.9 122.0
Charcoal (million tons)
South Asia 1.3 1.6 1.9 2.1 2.2 2.4 2.5
Southeast Asia 0.8 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.9 2.1 2.3
East Asia 2.1 2.3 2.3 2.2 2.1 2.0 1.8
Africa 8.1 11.0 16.1 23.0 30.2 38.4 46.1
South America 7.2 9.0 12.1 14.4 16.7 18.6 20.0
Source: Arnold and Persson, 2003:380

Several factors are responsible for increasing consumption of fuel wood and wood for charcoal in most developing countries. Rapidly growing population in many developing countries creates increasing demands for firewood and charcoal. Another factor that has resulted in increasing fuel wood demand is low income per capita of society. The World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) has undertaken a survey in 46 cities in 12 developing countries (Arnold and Persson, 2003:382). This survey found that income per capita has an important influence on the level of fuel wood use. Consumption of both fuel wood and charcoal usually decreases with an increase in income as people can afford to pay for electricity, gas or petroleum products (Arnold and Persson, 2003:383).
In this survey, it can be noted that the lower income per capita in many developing countries contributes to increasing demand for fuel wood (Neth et al., 2004:57). The reason is their income is not enough to switch energy demand of fuel wood into another energy source that is absolutely much more expensive, such as LPG. However, based on my own experience in Indonesia, even though rural people have enough income to use LPG, they prefer using fuel wood for certain occasions.
In Indonesia, when they have a party that requires much energy to cook many dishes with large portions, such as a wedding party, the cooks always use fuel wood to save money. The high demand for fuel wood for a wedding party is not only for cooking fuel, but also for preparing fires traditional ceremonies that need much fuel wood. Furthermore, many households could use multiple fuels for the same end (such as fuel wood and LPG for cooking). Regarding saving money on cooking fuel, rural people are more likely to use fuel wood to cook food that needs a longer cooking time and LPG to cook food with a shorter cooking time, such as just preparing tea in the morning and cooking sauces.
3. Potential Impacts of fuel wood energy resource

In many places fuel wood resources are dwindling because of deforestation which is caused to varying degrees by the need for farming land, and by over grazing, commercial logging, uncontrolled fires and tree cutting for fuel (FAO, 1997:167). As wood resources diminish and recede, millions people that obtaining fuel woods whether in cash or time for gathering them have suffered, especially for marginal households. These impacts are greatest for the poor and for women, who normally bear the responsibility for fuel provision and use.
The sale and trading of fuel wood provide an income for huge numbers of people. Plas and Hamid (2003:2) explain that in 1991, in Chad, a Sub-Saharan African country, there were at least 9000 persons active in the fuel wood supply chain, from cutting to transforming, transporting and selling. Likewise there were about 125,000 people producing or selling charcoal for use in the city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in the 2000s (Rolf et al., 2006:9)
However, besides creating jobs and providing an income source for rural people, using fuel wood had negative impacts on the health of household members and environmental aspects as well. The most serious direct health impacts, especially for women and children, are respiratory infections and chronic lung disease (Ellegard, 1994). These occur when fuel wood is burned indoors without either a proper stove to help control the generation of smoke or a chimney to vent the smoke outside. Besides deforestation, increasing fuel wood energy consumption would result in reduced agricultural productivity by depriving the soil of recycled nutrients that would have been available from trees, crops and animal residues (FAO, 2006).
Great efforts will be needed to reduce these impacts, prevent them spreading, and provide sustainable and adequate energy supplies at affordable costs for fast-growing populations.
4. Enhancing the sustainability of fuel wood supply

Fuel wood supply as part of sustainability issue has led to a number of many responses that can be categorized into supply- and demand-side measures or interventions. The supply-side measures are implemented independently or integrated with a participatory local community approach, the taxation system and agroforestry projects. The objective of these projects would be to increase fuel wood supply from existing tree plantations or develop new policies for the same purpose.
The sustainability problems have also been addressed indirectly through demand-side measures, that is, by promoting energy efficiency and conservation. In particular, in the case of fuel wood, efforts have focused on the design and dissemination of improved cook stoves.
5.1. Participatory local community approach

A sustainable solution for fuel wood supply will be difficult to conceive and implement unless the local community truly benefits from these resources. Many trees, typically forests on public land, are controlled by government agencies in order to extract revenues from legalized commercial extraction and to protect them from illegal over exploitation (Fleuret, 1983). However, generally, the government agencies, such as in Chad and Niger, face many problems in managing all the resources in their country, such as location of resources and poor road construction to reach the location (FAO, 2002)
Given public institutional weaknesses to properly manage forestry resources, it was decided by the government in Chad in 1994 through the new law (No. 36/PR/94) that this management would be transferred from the national to the village level (Plas and Hamid, 2003:1). Involving the local community in management of natural resources is undertaken to address this shortcoming and create a capacity to manage wood resources at the village level and enable villages.
Several community forestry projects have been successfully established in India, Africa and Niger (Bembridge, 2000:43). India is possibly the global showcase for joint forest management and forest policy reform. According to the World Bank, some 40,000-village communities are now protecting about 4,5 million hectares of forest, under a wide range of land -lease or land-sharing arrangements with state forest department (Cunningham and Cunningham, 2002:285).
In India, the source of wood for timber and pulp production was switched to farm plantations in 2005, while forests were managed, not to earn revenue, but for their environmental and ecological benefits and to meet the minimum needs of local people for fuel wood (Sonaton et al., 2004:159).
Plas and Hamid (2003:1) explained that villages in Chad have signed a long-term contract with the Ministry of Environment to manage their own territory, under a program called Village Exploitant Rationellement son Terroir (VERT). There were 55 villages, which became village VERT in 2002 and are managing 350,000 ha, based on management plans. In practice, they work on and allow cutting of only one out of ten parcels each year and the total volume to be cut is guided by a quota system. The quota is based on the estimated Mean Annual Increment (MAI) for the standing stock in that village (Plas and Hamid, 2003:5).
As a result, many forest areas that have implemented a local community participatory approach are apparently now stabilized and this is a huge relief from the worries of total deforestation and the fuel wood crisis. This has been achieved not by government intervention, but by mental revolution followed by the creation of new market, patterns of ownership and institutional environments (Remedio, 2002:18).
5.2. Taxation systems
Another strategy used by governments to avert the fuel wood crisis has been the imposition of a tax system to prevent the right of villagers in terms of setting up small fuel wood business. The tax system that has been introduced by Law 36 in Chad allows villages to prevent encroachment by outsiders and to benefit from fuel wood business and the fuel wood transport levy (Plas and Hamid, 2003:5).
Plas and Hamid (2003:6) show the benefits obtained by villages. Before the village became a VERT, the local communities would not receive amounts anywhere near as much. However, after implementing villages VERT the 55 villages collected about F.CFA 29 million as their part of the tax, and they also earned an estimated F.CFA 112 million for the 90,000 bags of charcoal they produced in January to June 2003 (Robert et al., 2004:163).
The tax was imposed for a unit of either one bag of charcoal (of about 40 kg) or one stere of wood (about 350kg). A bag of charcoal is sold in town for about F.CFA 4000, and a tax of F.CFA 600 would increase the price by 15% (Plas and Hamid, 2003:7). The consumers can buy fuel wood cheaper at a lower tax in village VERT. The preferential tax is 50% lower for a villages VERT than for all other fuel wood production zones in the supply basin of N'Djamena.
5.3. Agroforestry
"Agroforestry is the collective name for all land use systems and practices in which woody perennials are deliberately grown on the same land management unit as crops and/or animals" (Arnold and Persson, 2003:8). This type of land use system gives direct economic benefit in terms of the availability of fuel wood and increases the quality of environment as well, such as preventing erosion and increasing soil nutrients.
The Koro Village Agroforestry Project (VAP) in Mali's fifth Region, Africa was implemented in mid 1986 (Leach and Mearns, 2005). The Koro VAP engaged in extension for tree planting activities, which included windbreaks, interspersed field trees, fruit and shade trees and live fences. The biggest challenge for this program is the management of live fences during the project. Rural people could reject this project because the potential of loss of grass fields to feed their livestock (Danish et al., 2003:280).
Another agroforestry projet is Gia Lai Agroforestry Extension Project in Vietnam, funded by the New Zealand Overseas Development Administration (ODA) since 1997 (FAO, 2002). The objective of this project is improve the ability of female and male smallholder farmers to better organize grassroots-level resource management and build the response capacity to rural development needs and opportunities within the Extension Service, Gia Lai Women's Union and the farming community
5.4. Wood energy conservation: promotion of improved stoves
One strategy that has been introduced to decrease the demand for fuel wood is promoting new cooking stoves in the rural sector of developing countries (Ellegard, 1994). Traditional stoves and fireplaces that commonly used in developing countries are believed to have low cooking efficiencies and are detrimental to women's health because of smoke they produce in the kitchen (Salariya, 1983).
In order to reduce consumption of fuel wood and eliminate smoke from traditional kitchens, much effort has been devoted to designing and distributing stoves, which are both smokeless and more efficient. Gill (1985:3) argued that such stove programs would improve women's health and reduce time spent cooking and in collecting fuel. If this stoves program could be adopted on a widespread scale, then firewood consumption would fall, thereby reducing pressure on forests.
The nafacama stove that has been introduced in Chad, has reduced fuel consumption by saving about seven bags of charcoal per household per year (Ellegard, 1994). Furthermore, introducing this improved stove has created job opportunities for rural people. More than 50 stove makers have received training and blueprints of the stove model.
Like wise, the lorena stove in Srilanka has been promoted to rural people with expected lifetime is about 2 years. About 10,000 have been sold at a level of about 200-500 per month (Inglis, 2005:7).
However, it has been discovered that many problems arise regarding the implementation of this program. Stove users regard cooking speed as a very important factor rather than fuel efficiency. Gill (1985) argues that the rural people in Tanzania were more concerned about being able to cook quickly than about fuel efficiency.
Besides that, people are likely to be more attracted to a new stove if it offers a variety of benefits. Bembridge (2000:45) argues that rural households in Ciskei, South Africa have apparently not been exposed to the possibilities of using wood to economize on fuel wood. They thought the designers of the fuel economy-cooking stove ignored the need for internal heating in winter, as well as the light thrown out by stoves.
Based on that reason, people prefer using traditional stoves that produce light, heat and smoke all of which may be considered useful. Heat from the fire can be used for cooking food, brewing beer, providing space and heat and drying. In Zimbabwe, for example, the 3-stone fireplace is used to support a large oil drum for brewing beer as well as for cooking (FAO, 2005:2).
Rural people in Indonesia also prefer using traditional stoves because traditional stoves and fireplaces are often highly versatile and can burn different fuels, such as crop residues. Generally, women use the traditional 3-stone fireplace outside the house, but have specific kitchen at the back of the house to avoid smoke coming inside and reducing the potential respiratory diseases.
CONCLUSION
Many people in developing countries will continue to depend on wood energy whether as fuel for their daily energy needs or as a source of income. Even if rising national incomes and urbanization drive the shift towards using modern fuels, the fact is people in developing countries with lower income per capita can not afford to buy other alternative fuels.
Addressing the high demand for fuel wood, some policies have been implemented to achieve sustainability of fuel wood supplies, either from the demand side or the supply side. Involving the local community in fuel wood supply management trough pricing and taxation systems has been successfully implemented in some developing countries. Other policies are that help are agroforestry or tree plantation and energy conservation through introducing improved stoves.
However, there are some remaining challenges in implementation of these policies, such as superstitions which still remain in society, lack of women's participation and lack of tenure security. Greater efforts are therefore required to achieve the sustainability of fuel wood supply by removing these constraints from government, environment and energy associated agencies and society itself.

REFERENCES
Arnold, M., Kohlin, G., Persson, R. and Stepherd G., 2003. 'Fuelwood revisited: what has changed in the last decade?', CIFOR Occasional Paper, 39:35.
Arnold, M. and Persson, R., 2003. 'Reassessing the fuel wood situation in developing countries', International Forestry Review, 5(4): 379-383.
Bembridge, T., 2000. 'Woodlots, woodfuel and energy strategies for Ciskei', South African Forestry Journal, 155:42-50.
Cunningham, W. and Cunningham, M., 2002. Principles of environmental science: Inquiry and Applications, McGraw-Hill, New York.
Danish, M., Romel, A. and Mohammad B., 2003. 'Biomass fuel use by the rural households in Chittagong Region, Bangladesh', Biomass and Bioenergy, 24(4-5):227-283.
Ellegard, A., 1994. 'Stoves in Zambia: pollution or efficiency?', http://www.sei.se/red/red9408e.html. (21/4/2008)
FAO, 1997.'Regional study on wood energy today and tomorrow in Asia', No.50:167
FAO, 2005. The Use of Wood Fuels in Rural Industries in Asia and Pacific Region, Field Document, Bangkok.
FAO, 2002. 'Wood energy and environmental security', http://www.fao.org/docrep/v9728e/v9728e06.htm. (11/03/2008).
Fleuret, A., 1983. Factors affecting fuel wood use in Taita, Kenya, Working Papers in African Studies Association Meetings, Boston
Gill, J., 1985. 'Stoves and Deforestation in Developing Countries', http://www.odifpeg.org.uk/publications/greyliterature/fuelwood/gill/gill.pdf. (20/05/2008)
Inglis, A., 2005. Rural women and urban men: fuel wood conflicts and forest sustainability in Sussex village, Sierra Leone. ODI-Social Forestry Network, London.
Kirubi, C., Wamicha,W. and Laichana, J., 2000. 'The effect of wood fuel consumption the ASAL areas of Kenya: the case of Marsabit forest', African Journal of Ecology, 38(1):47-52.
Leach, G, and Mearns, R., 2005. Beyond the woodfuel crisis: people, land and trees in Africa, Earthscan Publication Ltd, London.
Neth, T., Nobuya, Shigetako and Toshio, 2004. 'Variation in woodfuel consumption patterns in response to forest availability in Kampong Thom Province Cambodia', Biomass and Bioenergy, 27(1):57-68.
Plas, R. and Hamid, A., 2003. "Can the woodfuel supply in sub-Saharan Africa be sustainable? The case of N'Djamena, Chad", Energy Policy.
Remedio, M., 2002. 'Wood energy and livelihoods patterns: a case study from the Philippines', Unasylva 53(211):13-18.
Robert, N., Louis, S. and Bjorn E., 2004. 'Woodfuel yields in short rotation coppice growth in the north Sudan savanna in Burkina Faso', Forest Ecology and Management, 189(1-3):77-85.
Sonaton G., Tuhin, K. and Tushar, J., 2004. 'Sustainability of decentralized woodfuel based power plant: an experience in India', Energy, 29(1):155-166.

3 komentar:

  1. Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

    Saudaraku…,
    Tidak terasa, 1 tahun telah berlalu.
    Tidak terasa maut semakin dekat menjemput kita.

    Semoga Allah senantiasa membimbing kita,
    sehingga kelak kita dapat mengakhiri hidup ini,
    dengan husnul khotimah.

    Selamat tahun baru 1430 H / 2009 M!

    Saudaraku... ,
    Tanpa kita sadari, ternyata hidup ini teramat singkat. Mungkin tulisanku berikut ini dapat kita jadikan sebagai bahan renungan bersama.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    TERNYATA HIDUP INI SANGAT SINGKAT!

    Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

    Saudaraku…,
    Tanpa kita sadari, sebagian diantara kita mungkin telah memasuki usia sekitar 37 tahun. Jika memang demikian, maka hal ini berarti bahwa tak terasa 37 tahun telah berlalu. Jika kita melihat data tentang rata-rata usia harapan hidup bangsa kita yang hanya berkisar 65 tahun, berarti kita telah melampaui separuh perjalanan. Padahal, masa 37 tahun yang telah kita lalui tersebut, ternyata terasa begitu cepat. Itu artinya masa yang belum kita lalui tentunya akan terasa lebih cepat lagi dibandingkan dengan masa yang telah kita lalui tersebut. Jadi..., nampaklah bahwa hidup ini ternyata teramat singkat. Dan pada akhirnya kita baru menyadari, bahwa ternyata maut itu begitu dekat di depan mata kita!!! Allah berfirman: "Kamu tidak tinggal (di bumi) melainkan sebentar saja, kalau kamu sesungguhnya mengetahui". (QS. Al Mu’minuun. 112-114).

    Saudaraku…,
    Lalu bagaimanakah keadaan kita saat ini? Sudahkah kita mempersiapkan diri kita untuk menghadapi masa yang telah pasti itu? Yaitu ketika kita harus meninggalkan dunia ini untuk selama-lamanya? Dimana kita harus mempertanggung- jawabkan semua yang telah kita perbuat selama masa hidup kita di dunia yang teramat singkat ini?

    Atau malah sebaliknya? Apakah kita masih terus saja disibukkan oleh urusan-urusan yang hanya bersifat keduniawian semata? Apakah kita masih menyibukkan diri untuk mengumpulkan harta sebanyak-banyaknya dengan berbagai cara? Apakah kita masih menyibukkan diri untuk mengejar karier setinggi-tingginya tanpa mengindahkan norma-norma agama? Apakah kita masih ..., apakah kita masih ..., dst. yang kesemuanya itu (tanpa kita sadari) kita lakukan dalam upaya untuk menambah modal kita, agar kita dengan mudah dapat membanggakan diri kita, agar kita dengan mudah dapat menyombongkan diri kita, agar kita dengan mudah dapat ..., agar kita dengan mudah dapat ..., dst.? Na’udzubillahi mindzalika! Semoga bermanfaat.. .! {Tulisan ini diambilkan dari: www.imronkuswandi. blogspot. com Maaf, jika kurang berkenan}.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Oleh karena itu, alangkah bijaknya jika kita senantiasa mengingat kematian. Demikian pesan Rasulullah, pemimpin kita yang teramat kita cintai. Mungkin beberapa tulisanku berikut ini juga dapat kita jadikan sebagai bahan renungan bersama.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    ORANG YANG CERDAS

    Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

    Saudaraku…,
    Saat ini, kita masih bisa bersenda gurau, kita masih bisa saling bertegur sapa, kita masih bisa saling berkirim kabar, kita masih bisa saling bertukar cerita. Dan yang pasti, kita masih bisa bersama-sama.

    Namun, dibalik itu semua, sadarkah kita, bahwa pada saat yang bersamaan, satu per satu saudara-saudara kita telah dipanggil kembali untuk berpulang menghadap kepada Sang Kholiq, Pemilik seluruh alam semesta ini? Sementara yang lain (termasuk kita), baik disadari atau tidak, sedang menunggu untuk mendapatkan giliran yang sama. Yah…, cepat atau lambat, pada akhirnya kita akan kembali jua kepada-Nya, untuk selama-lamanya.

    Saudaraku…,
    Sadarkah kita, bahwa jika masa itu telah tiba (yaitu masa ketika kita harus meninggalkan dunia ini untuk selama-lamanya, ketika kita telah tutup usia), maka kita akan berjalan seorang diri, segala sesuatunya harus kita urusi sendiri?

    Pada saat itu, tidak ada seorangpun yang peduli dengan urusan kita, sekalipun itu adalah orang tua kita, istri/suami kita, anak-anak kita, saudara kita, sahabat kita. Karena masing-masing sudah teramat sibuk dengan urusannya sendiri-sendiri.

    Pada saat itu, sudah tidak ada kesempatan untuk bersenda gurau lagi, untuk saling bertegur sapa lagi, untuk saling bertukar cerita lagi. Dan yang pasti, kita sudah tidak bersama-sama lagi, seperti saat ini.

    Saudaraku…,
    Sudahkah kita mempersiapkan diri kita untuk menghadapi masa yang telah pasti itu? Dimana kita harus mempertanggung- jawabkan semua yang telah kita perbuat selama masa hidup kita di dunia yang teramat singkat ini? Dimana kita harus sendiri? Dimana tidak ada seorangpun yang peduli dengan kita? Sekalipun itu adalah orang tua kita, istri/suami kita, anak-anak kita, saudara kita, sahabat kita?

    Atau, apakah kita masih saja terlena? Seolah-olah kita akan hidup untuk selama-lamanya? Seolah-olah maut itu tidak akan pernah menyapa kita? Seolah-olah kita akan terus bersama-sama? Na’udzubillahi mindzalika!

    Saudaraku…,
    Ingatlah, bahwa: “Orang yang paling banyak mengingat kematian dan yang paling sibuk mempersiapkan bekal untuk menghadapinya, dialah (orang) yang paling cerdas. Dia pergi dengan kemuliaan dunia dan akhirat.” (H. R. Ibnu Majah). {Tulisan ini diambilkan dari: www.imronkuswandi. blogspot. com Maaf, jika kurang berkenan}.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    MENGINGAT KEMATIAN (I)

    Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

    Saudaraku…,
    Orang yang selalu mengingat kematian itu tidaklah identik dengan orang yang selalu murung, frustasi dan penuh dengan keputus-asaan karena serasa maut sudah benar-benar di depan mata!

    Yang terjadi justru sebaliknya. Kepada siapapun, dimanapun, kapanpun, dia akan selalu berusaha untuk berkarya dan memberikan persembahan terbaik. Karena dia khawatir, jangan-jangan hari ini adalah kesempatan terakhir!

    Di sisi lain, dia juga senantiasa bekerja keras mempersiapkan bekal untuk menghadapinya. Seolah tidak ada waktu untuk tidak mengingat-Nya (dzikrullah) . Seolah tidak ada waktu untuk bersantai, apalagi sampai bermaksiat kepada-Nya. Karena dia tahu, bahwa maut bisa datang menjemputnya, kapan saja, di mana saja!

    Pada saat yang sama, dia juga tidak mudah silau oleh gemerlapnya kehidupan dunia ini. Karena dia tahu, bahwa masa depannya yang sesungguhnya bukanlah di sini, di alam dunia ini. Tetapi nanti, di alam akhirat, dimana dia akan tinggal untuk selamanya di sana!

    Saudaraku…,
    Ketahuilah, bahwa: “Orang yang paling banyak mengingat kematian dan yang paling sibuk mempersiapkan bekal untuk menghadapinya, dialah (orang) yang paling cerdas. Dia pergi dengan kemuliaan dunia dan akhirat.” (H. R. Ibnu Majah).

    “Dan tiadalah kehidupan dunia ini, selain dari main-main dan senda gurau belaka. Dan sungguh kampung akhirat itu lebih baik bagi orang-orang yang bertakwa. Maka tidakkah kamu memahaminya?” . (QS. Al An’aam: 32). {Tulisan ini diambilkan dari: www.imronkuswandi. blogspot. com Maaf, jika kurang berkenan}.

    {Bersambung! }

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    MENGINGAT KEMATIAN (II)

    Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

    KEMATIAN PASTI TERJADI PADA SEMUA MAKHLUK HIDUP

    Saudaraku…,
    ”Di mana saja kamu berada, kematian akan mendapatkan kamu, kendatipun kamu di dalam benteng yang tinggi lagi kokoh, dan jika mereka memperoleh kebaikan, mereka mengatakan: "Ini adalah dari sisi Allah", dan kalau mereka ditimpa sesuatu bencana mereka mengatakan: "Ini (datangnya) dari sisi kamu (Muhammad)". Katakanlah: "Semuanya (datang) dari sisi Allah". Maka mengapa orang-orang itu (orang munafik) hampir-hampir tidak memahami pembicaraan sedikitpun?”. (QS. An Nisaa’. 78).

    Saudaraku…,
    “Allah menciptakan kamu, kemudian mewafatkan kamu; dan di antara kamu ada yang dikembalikan kepada umur yang paling lemah (pikun), supaya dia tidak mengetahui lagi sesuatupun yang pernah diketahuinya. Sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui lagi Maha Kuasa”. (QS. An Nahl. 70).

    Saudaraku…,
    Katakanlah: "Sesungguhnya kematian yang kamu lari daripadanya, maka sesungguhnya kematian itu akan menemui kamu, kemudian kamu akan dikembalikan kepada (Allah), yang mengetahui yang ghaib dan yang nyata, lalu Dia beritakan kepadamu apa yang telah kamu kerjakan". (QS. Al Jumu’ah. 8).

    Saudaraku…,
    ”Sekali-kali jangan. Apabila nafas (seseorang) telah (mendesak) sampai ke kerongkongan, dan dikatakan (kepadanya): "Siapakah yang dapat menyembuhkan? ", dan dia yakin bahwa sesungguhnya itulah waktu perpisahan (dengan dunia), dan bertaut betis (kiri) dengan betis (kanan)**, dan bertaut betis (kiri) dengan betis (kanan)”, (QS. Al Qiyaamah. 26 – 30). **) Karena hebatnya penderitaan di saat akan mati dan ketakutan akan meninggalkan dunia dan menghadapi akhirat.

    ”Kemudian, sesudah itu, sesungguhnya kamu sekalian benar-benar akan mati”. (QS. Al Mu’minuun. 15). “Semua yang ada di bumi itu akan binasa”. (QS. Ar Rahmaan. 26). ”Dan datanglah sakaratul maut dengan sebenar-benarnya. Itulah yang kamu selalu lari daripadanya”. (QS. Qaaf. 19).

    KETAKUTAN PADA KEMATIAN

    Saudaraku…,
    Di mana saja kamu berada, kematian akan mendapatkan kamu, kendatipun kamu di dalam benteng yang tinggi lagi kokoh, dan jika mereka memperoleh kebaikan, mereka mengatakan: "Ini adalah dari sisi Allah", dan kalau mereka ditimpa sesuatu bencana mereka mengatakan: "Ini (datangnya) dari sisi kamu (Muhammad)". Katakanlah: "Semuanya (datang) dari sisi Allah". Maka mengapa orang-orang itu (orang munafik) hampir-hampir tidak memahami pembicaraan sedikitpun? (QS. An Nisaa’. 78).

    Saudaraku…,
    Katakanlah: "Lari itu sekali-kali tidaklah berguna bagimu, jika kamu melarikan diri dari kematian atau pembunuhan, dan jika (kamu terhindar dari kematian) kamu tidak juga akan mengecap kesenangan kecuali sebentar saja". (QS. Al Ahzab. 16).

    Saudaraku…,
    Katakanlah: "Sesungguhnya kematian yang kamu lari daripadanya, maka sesungguhnya kematian itu akan menemui kamu, kemudian kamu akan dikembalikan kepada (Allah), yang mengetahui yang ghaib dan yang nyata, lalu Dia beritakan kepadamu apa yang telah kamu kerjakan". (QS. Al Jumu’ah. 8).

    MEMPERSIAPKAN DIRI MENGHADAPI KEMATIAN

    Saudaraku…,
    ”Dan dirikanlah shalat dan tunaikanlah zakat. Dan kebaikan apa saja yang kamu usahakan bagi dirimu, tentu kamu akan mendapat pahalanya pada sisi Allah. Sesungguhnya Allah Maha Melihat apa-apa yang kamu kerjakan”. (QS. Al Baqarah. 110).

    Saudaraku…,
    ”Isteri-isterimu adalah (seperti) tanah tempat kamu bercocok-tanam, maka datangilah tanah tempat bercocok-tanammu itu bagaimana saja kamu kehendaki. Dan kerjakanlah (amal yang baik) untuk dirimu, dan bertakwalah kepada Allah dan ketahuilah bahwa kamu kelak akan menemui-Nya. Dan berilah kabar gembira orang-orang yang beriman”. (QS. Al Baqarah. 223).

    Dan peliharalah dirimu dari (azab yang terjadi pada) hari yang pada waktu itu kamu semua dikembalikan kepada Allah. Kemudian masing-masing diri diberi balasan yang sempurna terhadap apa yang telah dikerjakannya, sedang mereka sedikitpun tidak dianiaya (dirugikan). (QS. Al Baqarah. 281).

    Saudaraku…,
    ”Tiap-tiap yang berjiwa akan merasakan mati. Dan sesungguhnya pada hari kiamat sajalah disempurnakan pahalamu. Barangsiapa dijauhkan dari neraka dan dimasukkan ke dalam surga, maka sungguh ia telah beruntung. Kehidupan dunia itu tidak lain hanyalah kesenangan yang memperdayakan” . (QS. Ali ‘Imran. 185).

    Saudaraku…,
    ”Sesungguhnya Kami telah menjadikan apa yang ada di bumi sebagai perhiasan baginya, agar Kami menguji mereka siapakah di antara mereka yang terbaik perbuatannya” . (QS. Al Kahfi. 7).

    “Hai orang-orang yang beriman, bertakwalah kepada Allah dan hendaklah setiap diri memperhatikan apa yang telah diperbuatnya untuk hari esok (akhirat), dan bertakwalah kepada Allah, sesungguhnya Allah Maha Mengetahui apa yang kamu kerjakan”. (QS. Al Hasyr. 18).

    “Dan belanjakanlah sebagian dari apa yang telah Kami berikan kepadamu sebelum datang kematian kepada salah seorang di antara kamu; lalu ia berkata: "Ya Tuhanku, mengapa Engkau tidak menangguhkan (kematian) ku sampai waktu yang dekat, yang menyebabkan aku dapat bersedekah dan aku termasuk orang-orang yang saleh?" (QS. Al Munaafiquun. 10). {Tulisan ini diambilkan dari: www.imronkuswandi. blogspot. com Maaf, jika kurang berkenan}.

    {Bersambung! }

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    MENGINGAT KEMATIAN (III)

    Assalamu’alaikum wr. wb.

    Saudaraku…,
    Sesungguhnya orang yang sekarang sangat mencintai kehidupan dunia, dimana dia merasa bahwa seolah-olah akan hidup untuk selama-lamanya, seolah-olah maut tidak akan pernah menyapanya, seolah-olah semua perbuatannya tidak akan pernah dimintai pertanggung- jawaban kepada-Nya kelak dikemudian hari, maka nantinya (di alam akhirat) justru malah berharap mati/kematian/ kebinasaan. Dia sangat berharap pada kematian/kebinasaan agar terlepas dari siksa yang amat besar yaitu azab di neraka yang amat panas serta berharap dikembalikan lagi ke dunia.

    “Dan apabila mereka dilemparkan ke tempat yang sempit di neraka itu dengan dibelenggu, mereka di sana mengharapkan kebinasaan** )”. (QS. Al Furqaan. 13). **) Maksudnya ialah mereka mengharapkan kebinasaan, agar terlepas dari siksa yang amat besar, yaitu azab di neraka yang amat panas dengan dibelenggu, di tempat yang amat sempit pula, sebagai yang dilukiskan itu.

    “Mereka ingin ke luar dari neraka, padahal mereka sekali-kali tidak dapat ke luar daripadanya, dan mereka beroleh azab yang kekal”. (QS. Al Maa-idah. 37).

    “Dan berkatalah orang-orang yang mengikuti: "Seandainya kami dapat kembali (ke dunia), pasti kami akan berlepas diri dari mereka, sebagaimana mereka berlepas diri dari kami." Demikianlah Allah memperlihatkan kepada mereka amal perbuatannya menjadi sesalan bagi mereka; dan sekali-kali mereka tidak akan ke luar dari api neraka”. (QS. Al Baqarah. 167).

    “Dan jika kamu (Muhammad) melihat ketika mereka dihadapkan ke neraka, lalu mereka berkata: "Kiranya kami dikembalikan (ke dunia) dan tidak mendustakan ayat-ayat Tuhan kami, serta menjadi orang-orang yang beriman", (tentulah kamu melihat suatu peristiwa yang mengharukan)” . (QS. Al An’aam. 27).

    Saudaraku…,
    Sedangkan orang yang sekarang senantiasa mengingat kematian, dimana dia bisa merasakan bahwa hidup ini ternyata teramat singkat, dan maut bisa datang menjemputnya setiap saat, sementara semua perbuatannya (selama masa hidupnya di dunia yang teramat singkat ini) akan dimintai pertanggung- jawaban kepada-Nya kelak dikemudian hari, dan dia juga mengetahui bahwa sesungguhnya kehidupan dunia ini tidak lain hanyalah kesenangan yang memperdayakan, maka nantinya (di alam akhirat) justru berbahagia karena mereka tidak akan pernah berjumpa lagi dengan kematian. Mereka akan kekal di sana.

    ”Tiap-tiap yang berjiwa akan merasakan mati. Dan sesungguhnya pada hari kiamat sajalah disempurnakan pahalamu. Barangsiapa dijauhkan dari neraka dan dimasukkan ke dalam surga, maka sungguh ia telah beruntung. Kehidupan dunia itu tidak lain hanyalah kesenangan yang memperdayakan” . (QS. Ali ‘Imran. 185).

    ”Dan dimasukkanlah orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal saleh ke dalam surga yang mengalir di bawahnya sungai-sungai, mereka kekal di dalamnya dengan seizin Tuhan mereka. Ucapan penghormatan mereka dalam surga itu ialah "salaam" (QS. Ibrahim. 23).

    “(yaitu) orang-orang yang diwafatkan dalam keadaan baik*) oleh para malaikat dengan mengatakan (kepada mereka): "Salaamun`alaikum* *), masuklah kamu ke dalam surga itu disebabkan apa yang telah kamu kerjakan". (QS. An Nahl. 32). *) Maksudnya ialah wafat dalam keadaan suci dari kekafiran dan kemaksiatan; atau dapat juga berarti mereka mati dalam keadaan senang karena ada berita gembira dari malaikat bahwa mereka akan masuk surga. **) Artinya: selamat sejahtera bagimu.

    Saudaraku…,
    Demikianlah gambaran keadaan kita sekarang (selama masa hidup di dunia yang teramat singkat ini) serta keadaan kita di masa yang akan datang (yaitu di alam akhirat, dimana kita akan hidup selamanya di sana). Jika saat ini kita teramat mencintai dunia dan melupakan kematian, maka nantinya (di alam akhirat) justru akan berharap pada kematian/kebinasaan . Na’udzubillahi mindzalika! Sebaliknya, jika saat ini kita senantiasa mengingat kematian, maka nantinya (di alam akhirat) kita justru teramat berbahagia karena kita tidak akan pernah berjumpa lagi dengan kematian, karena kita akan kekal di sana.

    Saudaraku…,
    Tentunya, semuanya akan kembali pada diri kita masing-masing, jalan mana yang akan kita pilih. Ya, Allah... ” Tunjukilah kami jalan yang lurus, (yaitu) jalan orang-orang yang telah Engkau anugerahkan ni`mat kepada mereka; bukan (jalan) mereka yang dimurkai dan bukan (pula jalan) mereka yang sesat”. (QS. Al Faatihah. 6-7). {Tulisan ini diambilkan dari: www.imronkuswandi. blogspot. com Maaf, jika kurang berkenan}.

    BalasHapus
  2. terima kasih atas kiriman postingannya...sangat bermanfaat untuk pencerahan jiwa dan spritualitas...subhanalloh

    BalasHapus
  3. Saudaraku...,
    Sebagai sesama muslim, memang sudah semestinya jika diantara kita saling mengingatkan serta saling memberi nasehat. Dengan saling memberi dan mengingatkan, semoga kita tidak termasuk golongan orang-orang yang merugi. sebagaimana penjelasan Al Qur’an berikut ini: “Sesungguhnya manusia itu benar-benar berada dalam kerugian, kecuali orang-orang yang beriman dan mengerjakan amal saleh dan nasehat menasehati supaya mentaati kebenaran dan nasehat menasehati supaya menetapi kesabaran.” (QS. 103. 2-3).

    BalasHapus

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