PTPTN Study Loan

Since its launch on October 2012 I have been praying I would have saved enough to make full settlement and earn the 20% rebate offered. Alhamdulillah, I managed. I paid off in full earlier this month.

Reading The Simple Dollar by Mr. Trent Hamm helps in a way to find the courage to settle the debt. The 'Can I Really Afford This' lingers at the back of my mind. Even until now. The extra few zeros in case of emergency is no longer sitting in the bank account.

This encourage me to further settle my other debts including mortgage. Especially after reading few articles by Ustaz Zaharuddin.

Keadaan umat Islam menjadi memilukan apabila, aktiviti berhutang menjadi asas kehidupan masyarakat hari ini, ia mungkin tidak pelik bagi mereka yang tidak berkemampuan, tetapi ia telah menjadi kaedah dan teknik yang terbaik (sebagaimana didakwa) bagi mencapai keuntungan dan mengekalkan kekayaan sesebuah syarikat atau individu. Sila rujuk www.zaharuddin.com.

Maka lahirlah ramai individu yang berkemampuan untuk membuat pembayaran secara tunai, tetapi masih lagi suka berhutang dalam membeli kereta dan rumah. Hujah mereka mudah sahaja dalam hal ini, iaitu jika bayar tunai maka kita akan RUGI, RUGI dan RUGI. Inilah satu fenomena kurang sihat yang telah di anggap sihat oleh masyarakat hari ini.  Ia berpunca daripada kurangnya maklumat berkenaan bahaya hutang dalam keadaan berkemampuan. 

I considered to hold on my assets as investment tool. In actual fact I could sell it off to reduce the mortgages. Not to mention, refinancing has become another form of lifestyle tool to earn instant cash.

It really got me thinking hard. Am I being too attached to the things worldly possession Allah lent as trust and to test? Am I still going to behave according to the great Prophet guidance once being granted with more worldly possessions? Am I seeking more luxury while I do have enough and there are others who are barely making ends met?

Further in the article by the Ustaz,

Ya Allah, aku berlindung dari kekufuran dan hutang, Mendengar itu seseorang bertanya, " Apakah engkau menyamakan kekeufuran dengan hutang wahai Rasulullah ? ; " Benar " Jawab Rasulullah" ( Riwayat An-Nasaie, 2/316 ; Ahmad , 3/38 ; Al-Hakim berkata Sohih dan disepakati oleh Az-Zahabi; Menurut Albani : Dhoif )

Regardless one on debt due to one ability or otherwise to make the payment, one still in line with kufur if he/she are still in debt.

We are here in this world as servant, to perform every movement the way to please the master. We are at the period of end of the world. One of the biggest challenge being in this period is worldly possession. Unlike the previous ummah, the trials faced by them among other is in form of earth disaster which leads to starvation. We are being tested with having too much of all and yet still wanting more. 

As long as we are still hardworking, we should be grateful for the rezeki halal granted.

I am writing this merely to remind myself the purpose of my presence in this world own by Allah as his servant and at the same time, as a khalifah.