Dr Kassim Ahmad September 9, 1933 - October 10, 2017

Here is The Star

Kassim Ahmad passes away 

Tuesday, 10 Oct 2017

Dr Kassim Ahmad died from lung problems at Kulim Hospital Tues

His son, Ahmad Shauqi Kassim, confirmed passing.

Dr Kassim's body will be sent home in Kulim in a few hours 

family will be making burial arrangements later in the evening.

fell into coma at around 4am Mon after complaining of difficulty breathing. 

He passed away at around 10am Tues at age of 84.

Born Sept 9, 1933 Kedah, Dr Kassim studied at Univ Malaya, S'pore 1950s. 

his dissertation arguing that Hang Jebat was true hero of Hikayat Hang Tuah

taught Malay studies at School of Oriental and African Studies, Uni of London 

returned to Malaysia in 1966.

chairman of Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia (PSRM) for 18 years 

joined Umno in 1986.

detained under (ISA) between 1976 and 1981 while with PSRM.

 

My comments :  

I spent a lot of time with Dr Kassim in the late 1980s and well into the 1990s.  We used to attend plenty of NGO meetings, seminars and conferences in KL. Dr Kassim tried setting up a Persatuan Falsafah Malaysia where I was involved.  I believe it never got approved. Later Dr Kassim set up the Jemaah Al Quran where I was the deputy chairman. Didnt get approved either.

I will forever remember Dr Kassim for his laughter. He was never a loud person, although he could get passionate when arguing a point. But he laughed at so many things in a quiet but explosive manner.

Once we attended some seminar where the religious fellows were talking. When one particular speaker stood up (the guy is still around) Dr Kassim whispered to me  "Akbar,  dengar bila dia habis cakap nanti, dia akan kata "wallahu a'lam". Dia sendiri tak tahu apa dia cakap." 

Wallahu a'lam means "and only Allah knows best".  Some religious people say this after they have finished speaking. I really dont know why they say this.

It goes without saying that Allah knows best, but we are also required to know what we are saying.

Indeed Allah is the best inventor and designer but we also as humans have to be inventive and creative. 

Anyway true enough at the end of his speech, as though on cue, the fellow did say 'wallahu a'lam' at which Dr Kassim broke out into that  explosive laughter.

Contrary to some views, Dr Kassim was not a thinker who was way ahead of his time.  Dr Kassim was from the generation of the 1950s, 60s and into the 70s. 

At that time there were less unnecessary rules and regulations blocking out the Malay intellect. There was no Jakim, jabatan agama and the muftis had no police powers.  Indeed that was the age of the Malay intellectuals. 

Not just Dr Kassim but Za'aba, Burhanuddin Helmy,  another fellow by the name of Mahathir Mohamed, Tun Dr Ismail and quite a few other Malay thinkers in literature, art, and politics were nurtured by that age.  

You could read what you wanted, you could think and write what you wanted and you could say what you wanted.   You would be least likely to be charged in a Syariah Court for your religious views. 

In very sad contrast the contemporary Malay cannot really think anymore.  The Malay intellectual is  often  a syiok sendiri  person  who feels some sense of  security  only if they have a  PhD.  And as for religious thinking, forget about it. Just leave your brains in the almari.

Circa 1990 (I think) I translated Dr Kassim's most famous book into English.  

The original Malay version of the book was banned.  

The English translation was not published until 1997 and I believe it is not banned either - simply because it was NOT published inside Malayaia.   It was published online from the United States (I think).  

You can still read it online here.

I undertook the translation of Dr Kassim's work for one main purpose - to understand better what he was trying to say and let the outside world know about it too. 

Here is a more contemporary picture of Dr Kassim, Tun Dr Mahathir and myself.  This was taken at a buka puasa with Tun Dr Mahathir about  a couple of years back.

With the invention of writing,  human beings are able to leave their thoughts behind.  In this way other human beings can read their thoughts and then use their own thinking to evaluate other people's thoughts. Take what is good and leave what is not good.

Here is a verse from the Quran which Dr Kassim Ahmad used to repeat as well:

Surah 39:18   "They are the ones who examine all words, then follow the best. These are the ones whom Allah has guided; these are the ones who possess intelligence."

Only those who possess intelligence will listen to all views without harrassing or harming the speakers.

Only those who possess intelligence will not be afraid to listen to all other views.

Only those who possess intelligence will listen to all views because they want to follow the best of what they hear.

Dr Kassim Ahmad's thoughts will live on, long, long after him.