Genealogi Agama: Sumbangan H.O.K. Rahmat S.H. (1928-1993) dalam Buku ‘Dari Adam Hingga Muhammad’ (1976)

Abstract

Memahami agama dari perspektif pendekatan silsilah adalah salah satu sumbangan utama oleh beberapa sarjana Islam seperti H.O.K Rahmat. Sebagai satu disiplin yang luas, kajian perbandingan agama menggunakan banyak pendekatan yang banyak dikembangkan oleh para sarjana Barat seperti Friedrich Max Müller, salah seorang pengasas bidang pengajian agama terkemuka di Barat. Dalam konteks Malaysia, bidang kajian perbandingan agama masih berkembang tetapi beberapa penulisan dan buku mengenai kajian perbandingan agama telah memberi kesan yang signifikan dari segi pemetaan karya awal mengenai kajian perbandingan agama seperti dalam karya Muhammad Fauzi bin Haji Awang berjudul World Religions (1964), diterbitkan oleh Aman Press, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, serta karya Dr. HOK Rahmat S.H. berjudul From Adam To Muhammad (1976), oleh penerbit yang sama. Oleh itu, makalah ini bertujuan untuk mengetengahkan H.O.K. Rahmat dan sumbangannya dalam bidang kajian perbandingan agama melalui bukunya From Adam to Muhammad serta pentingnya penulisan beliau dalam penjelajahan awal bidang ini. Kajian ini dihasilkan dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif iaitu berlandaskan kepada kajian kepustakaan. Temu bual juga dijalankan kepada dua orang sarjana perbandingan agama untuk mendapatkan pandangan mereka mengenai tokoh dan buku beliau. Ia juga mengesan perkembangan kajian perbandingan agama di Malaysia dan mendedahkan faedah dan kesan buku ini dalam memupuk pemahaman agama dan membina keharmonian di kalangan masyarakat berbilang kaum dan agama di Malaysia.

Geneology of Religions: The Contribution of H.O.K. Rahmat S.H. (1928-1993) in ‘From Adam to Muhammad’ (1976)

Understanding religions from the perspective of genealogical approach is one of the main contributions by some Muslim scholars such as H.O.K Rahmat. As a broad discipline, comparative study of religions employs many approaches predominantly developed by Western scholars such as Friedrich Max Müller, one of the prominent founders of the field in the West. In the context of Malaysia, the field of comparative study of religion is still growing but some writings and books have had significant impact in terms of mapping earliest works on comparative study of religion as in the work of Muhammad Fauzi bin Haji Awang entitled World Religions (1964), published by Aman Press, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, as well as the work of Dr. H.O.K. Rahmat S.H. entitled From Adam To Muhammad (1976), by the same publisher. This paper therefore aims to highlight H.O.K. Rahmat and his contributions in the field of comparative study of religion through his book ‘From Adam To Muhammad as well as the importance of his writing in the early exploration of the field. This study is developed by using a qualitative approach based on literature study. Interviews were also conducted with two scholars of comparative religion in order to gain their views about the author and his book. It also traces the development of comparative study of religion in Malaysia and exposes the benefits and effects of this book in fostering religious understanding and building harmony among multiracial and multi-religious societies in Malaysia.