Fiery Lessons From The Place Where I Began Thinking On Islamic Reforms

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News of the devastating fires in Los Angeles came as a shock to me. Whole neighbourhoods were turned to ashes with not a building saved. There were massive evacuations and reports of water shortages to handle the fire.
How could this happen to the most technologically advanced people on this earth?
I admit that I have a soft spot for the USA. I spent six years there, studying for my bachelor’s degree and master’s in architecture, which made a good career for me. I also met my wife there.
We were both in the same batch of JPA scholarship students in 1980, two people who had never been overseas other than to Singapore, or ever flown in a plane.
We were both from low-income Malay families, given a chance for a seat at the big table with the haves by the then Barisan Nasional government. The day we flew off, Dr Mahathir Mohamad had already come to power.
Islamic reformists
It was also in the US that I met Islamic reformists in the manifestation of the Malaysian Islamic Study Group, which was close to Abim (the Malaysian Islamic youth movement) and PAS: my early introduction and indoctrination into the idea of political Islam began there.
Figures such as Anwar Ibrahim, Abu Urwah, Pak Imaduddin from Indonesia, Abdul Hadi Awang and Fadzil Noor were icons and heroes of the movement.
The US was also where I had cultivated my version of Islamic reforms, by incorporating the study of other faiths into my idea of a “larger spirituality”, which was not really favoured by the early Islamists at that time.
Caring for all
I pray for the safety of all firefighters and residents of LA. Some extremist Muslims might find that statement disturbing, as Muslims are sometimes frowned upon when they pray for others and not their own. Well, let them be lah.
Their idea of religion is small and tribal but my idea of spirituality is as endless and expansive as the cosmos itself.
Malaysia does not have the wildfire conditions of gusting winds that could spread a blaze over miles and miles. Ours is a blessed country that is always humid, and such kind of devastation will probably never occur here.
Building codes
We are also blessed that most of our houses are made of reinforced concrete and masonry while 90% of buildings in the US are of timber. The presence of dry trees, timber structures and fences and a forceful dry wind is a combination that is an absolute recipe for disaster.
I hope that the Americans, in rebuilding the LA suburbs and towns, would consider using concrete and masonry, and also for fencing – no more timber in fire-prone areas like LA.
The LA fire is a wake-up call for many things in the world.
It is firstly a time for humanity to close ranks without the divisiveness of politics, religious differences or economic lines. The fire was also an awakening for new city planning and building design policies as well as principles.
Science and safety
I was also surprised that the most technologically-advanced country, that’s at the forefront of artificial intelligence development as well as sending probes to Mars, could only fight fire with plain water.
Where is the new super technology to fight fire at this scale? This should serve as a wake-up call on how the commercialisation of science has dwarfed the pursuit of human safety.
Finally, let us Malaysians all pray for the safety of the people and firefighters of LA, and close our spiritual, political and humanitarian ranks following this harsh lesson of the primal power of nature. - FMT
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

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