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@Glam.Halal
APRIL-MAY. 2019
may aff ect the credibility of Muslim speakers
as a whole. “For the more conservative, speak-
ers who appears on television such as myself
may not hold as much weight as the ones who
do not, and therefore the credibility of Muslim
speakers as a whole is somewhat tarnished.”
WAY OF THINKING
D
BEING A ‘CELEBRITY’
ON Daniyal bin Don Biyajid, or
more widely known by Malay-
sians as Ustaz Don, enters the
café with his smart-casual
dress-up, eloquent and eager
to share.
Ustaz Don addresses the question on being
a ‘celebrity Muslim speaker’, saying that the
term had never crossed his mind when he
started preaching as an ustaz.
According to Ustaz Don – who is also the
founder of Kuiscell, if the term celebrity is
used to describe a person who appears on tele-
vision, then he by default, is one. Although he
does not resonate himself as an ‘entertainer’.
To him, it was a blight of society nowa-
days. “People are prone to label, or to ‘brand’
someone with a title whenever they are in the
public eye. Thus the term ‘celebrity Muslim
speaker’ is used to describe me and what I
do, even though both words contradict each
other,” he says.
POSITIVE IMPACT ON PEOPLE
Although still adjusting to the whole label-
ling thing, Ustaz Don delineates the pros and
cons of carrying the title of ‘Muslim speaker’
as it is coupled with the term ‘celebrity’.
“To be recognised as a celebrity Muslim
preacher and speaker comes with extra
baggage. It has come to a point where people
would ask me for advice on deciding the name
of their company, as they think my input in
the name would steer their business into
success somehow.”
He does not condemn that specifi c way of
thinking, rather surprised at what a person in
his position can be of impact to other people.
He then says, “The services of a Muslim
speaker is for the society. I believe that
through preaching the ways of Islam, people
are inserting more of it into their daily lives.
That is the positive side I see through this
story.”
It seems that with him, and several other
Muslim speakers popular today, the job goes
beyond preaching in mosques. They have
become a premium source of reference for
society.
He believes that this issue is caused by a
‘thinking phenomenon’. “The cause for all
this, I believe, is the idea that we absolutely
have to follow a certain way of thinking dic-
tated by the newer generation. We shouldn’t.”
He takes the example from Sirah Nabawi-
yah, where the Prophet Muhammad SAW said,
“It would look strange for and old person to
act like the young ones, and vice versa.”
Ustaz Don believes that we should think
and act according to how we are.
“Take myself for instance. Being 34 years
old, I have to act like a 34 year-old human
being. I shouldn’t act and think like I am 50
years old.”
But to what degree should we act as we
are? What is the diff erence between acting
and thinking like a 34 year-old as oppose to
a 50 year-old? To this, he says to look at what
our current society defi nes age and the way
we act.
“This is what we call Uruf, the environ-
ment or the custom of a particular society. The
maturity is what shapes us. The condition, the
way of thinking, the physical interactions of
people, should adhere to the norm. It is totally
fi ne for a 50 year-old to feel young, but his way
of thinking should be that of what other 50
year-olds, and not otherwise.”
He then takes his explanation of Uruf and
ties it with the issue. “This applies to the
Asatizah (plural for Muslim speakers) as well.”
“If you identify yourself as a Muslim
speaker, then you should adhere to what a
Muslim speaker should act, feel, and think.
This is even more important for ones who
are deemed a ‘celebrity’, as they are aff ecting
more people at any given time.”
Therefore, the role of a Muslim speaker,
especially when he is labelled as a celebrity,
is a lot more important. They are to uphold
the values and teachings of a Muslim speaker
while also holding the baggage of ‘glamour’.
PERSONALITY IS KEY
As a mere commoner who enjoys Ustaz Don’s
sessions, I believe that there is a lot to carry
for being a celebrity Muslim speaker. As their
teachings and advice are highly regarded
by society, they must sustain a certain level
of authority while also being humble and
adhering.
For me, Ustaz Don is a prime example of an
exemplary Muslim speaker. His humbleness
to Allah as he speaks, and his mellow yet mag-
netic personality is what really made people
regard him highly. As do I.
Take myself for
instance. Being
34 years old, I
have to act like
a 34 year-old
human being.
I shouldn’t act
and think like
I am 50 years
old.”
CREDIBILITY OF SPEAKERS
MAY BE TARNISHED
Traditionally, people who become Muslim
speakers, to spread the teachings of Islam,
are the people who spends most of their life
in learning the ways.
“In earlier times, it would take years for
someone to learn and experience Islamic
teachings to fi nally become a Muslim speaker,
to be able to give advice and impact other
people. Whereas today, winning a competi-
tion on television can already make someone
fi t into the same stature.”
Ustaz Don believes that this phenomenon
Ustaz Don with Bro Amin.