Money

"In Islam, paper was and could never be money!
In fact, paper as money is nothing less than Haram!
And the use of paper as money is fraudulent and absurd!"

The above was the three lines that I keep repeating to those that visited the PMBK booth at the Muktamar.
They're intrigued by my claims, maybe because they've never heard anything like it.
Most would start with skeptic eyes and a cynical scoff...Until they realize, the joke's on them!

"What is the difference between this note (an RM 10 in red) and this note (an RM 5 in green)...Isn't it just the colour and the number?
Take these coins in your hand, all 10 of them are different in terms of its weight, in terms of the sweat and toil that goes into producing each one...and that my friend, is value, is money!"

Different crowds reacted differently,
Some wanted to know the investment perspective of the coins...most actually,
To which, I had good answers and advices as well,
But the story doesn't stop there,
In fact, the story doesn't even begin there...well, at least for the Muttaquns and the Muhsins,
For them, the story begins in the battle!

"Did you know that there is no harsher a language in the Quran, more than that used on Riba? You're at war with Allah if you're not at war with Riba! Allah said:

O you who believe! Be afraid of Allâh and give up what remains from Riba if you are believers. And if you do not do it, then take a notice of war from Allâh and His Messenger - al Baqarah, 278-279

And paper money is Riba! Quite simply because, yesterday's dollars wouldn't buy tomorrow's goods, and so, there's disparity, which is wrong, which is evil, which is Riba!"

And some dropped tears and couldn't hide them from me,
And some wanted to do something right away, for fear of being at war with Allah!
Some asked if buying the coins would suffice.

"Buying the coins and keeping it int the safe-box is not enough, you gotta use them as money!"

To the above statement, I get a resounding "HOW???"
I said, quite as simply as how you do it now with the paper,
Offer the coins when you're exchanging the goods you bought,
And when people ask you of what it is,
Tell them what I'm telling you now,
That this is money!
That this is gold, and this is silver!
And in a thousand years, they'll remain gold and silver...scarce metal,
That would require one, hard labour to obtain it, either by mining them or exchanging them with something valuable, instead of blatant printing.

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There are more than 1 million things to be said about the Muktamar,
And a million more about the "leaders",
But I wouldn't bother, not here,
Allah has shaped every single thing to perfection,
There must be some role that ignorance play.
May Allah bless the man that prostrated and cried at the sight of the coins,
Knowing that his shoulders now bear the weight of the battle,
May Allah bless you and I, who wants nothing more, nothing more than His recognition.
Ameen.