The world is changed. I feel it in water.I feel it in the earth.I smell it in the air.Much that once was..is lost..For none now live who remember it..THE LORD OF THE RING..
It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Elves.Immortal, Wisest and fairest of all beings.Seven to the Dwarf-lords.Great miners and craftsmen of the mountain halls.And nine rings were gifted to the race of Men..who, above all else, desire power.For within these rings was bound the strength and will to govern each race.But they were all of them deceived.
For another ring was made.In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Sauron forged in secret a Master Ring to control all others.And into this Ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life.One Ring to rule them all.One by one the Free Lands of Middle-earth fell to the power of the Ring.But there were some who resisted.A Last Alliance of Men and Elves marched against the armies of Mordor.And on the slopes of Mount Doom, they fought for the freedom of Middle-earth.Victory was near.But the power of the Ring could not be undone.It was in this moment when all hope had faded that Isildur, son of the king, took up his father’s sword.Sauron, the enemy of the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, was defeated.The Ring passed to Isildur who had this one chance to destroy evil forever. But the hearts of Men are easily corrupted. And the Ring of Power has a will of its own. It betrayed Isildur to his death.
And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth, the Ring passed out of all knowledge.until. when chance came, it ensnared a new bearer.My precious, The Ring came to the creature Gollum, who took it deep into tunnels of the Misty Mountains, and there it consumed him.It came to me.My own. My love. My own.My precious.The Ring brought to Gollum unnatural long life. For 500 years it poisoned his mind. And in the gloom of Gollum’s cave, it waited.Darkness crept back into the forests of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the east, whispers of a nameless fear.
The ring of Power perceived , its time had now come. It abandoned Gollum. But something happened then the Ring did not intend.It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable. What’s this? A hobbit. Bilbo Baggins of the Shire. A ring Lost! My precious is lost! For the time will soon come when Hobbits will shape the fortunes of all. The 22nd day of September in the year 1400 by shire-reckoning. Bag End, Bagshot Row, Hobbiton, Westfarthing the Shire ..Middle earth. The Third Age of this world.THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING..there and back again, a hobbit’s tale, by Bilbo Baggins..
Such a very long introduction in the first edition of LORD OF THE RING- THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING.. I guess for the first viewers of this film, they must feel very hard in catching their meanings. As for me, I experienced it the same, especially when the words sound like in literature..I had watched it before and keep repeating it. It was a remarkable film and as any other person before,I watched it because I like that story much and I never do the analyzing jobs. Till one day, when I attended a 'special course' in Perak,brother Ryzal showed us this story and how he watched it via his worldview and teached us how it played in a role of a da'ie..
To me, the message is clear. There was a great fight over a ring. And those who won over the ring will be in absolute power, the power to govern and the power to master..The whole story was about the Great Ring..In the other part, the Ring also brought the negative and evil impact, thus, in order to destroy it, the bearers had to own a strong will. Otherwise, the ring would undermine their spirit and turn them to be evil and destroy themselves.But, it was not a mere battle.
In reality, that story sorts of implied its effects. Any layman would fight and struggle in their lives to own a comfort life- whether to have a big house, a big car or a great job. Those things symbolize the success in life. Just like in LOTR- to chase for a ring.
Anyhow, do they really represent for all the happiness in this world??.....well, probably yes for a certain people. For me, they are not. Speaking as muslim, I think, for all the great things made in this world are not the one we should grab for. I bear that we need to have those things to survive, but they are not the priority that we should seek for. Those great things are only a test for us, to see how we devote to Allah if at the same time, we are presented the wealth. Do our syahadah still witness that there is only one God to be obeyed and served? I’m sure all the times we tend to be ignorant rather than to be thanked.
To have wealth and good position in the eyes of society are seem to be anyone’s dream. That’s why we see all of us keep working hard. To have a luxury car, big house, good kids and great profession are likely haunting us. No matter how much we try to deny it, they are likely influencing us. Just like in LOTR i.e where the ring did has its great influence to its bearer to wear it, and everyone knew that once the ring was worn, the wearer would be evil and usually would misuse the power. Thus, only one who has a strong determination can endure the temptation.
Make it similar in our life. As muslims, sometimes we realize that those materials and powers are valueless in life and sometimes we don’t realize those are the things that we keep chasing for. Those sort of source of life. However, for those who claim themselves as jundi, servants of Allah and do preaching job, they can’t put those things to be in their top lists. If one dreams to have a life like a bed of a full roses, one day he or she would ‘retire’ from this challenging job. Preaching or dakwah do need a lot of sacrifice.
How many of da’ie suffers ‘futur’? and how many people change for the sake of Allah? In this case, we have to admit that, once we used to feel in those ‘temporary gift’, we never and ever want to go back to the life which full of tests and obstacles, though we do know that in Quran also stated that Allah do not see you whosoever you are unless you are the righteous one.
In the verse of al-A’raf: 10 stated that,
“It is We Who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided you therein with means for the fulfillment of your life : small are the thanks that you give!”
I seek for the forgiveness from Allah for all the doings…
May all of us are included in those who are righteous and in the right path..
Wallahu a’alam..
