KARTINI DAY

Assalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb.

First of all, let us praise to the Almighty Allah SWT, because of His Blessing we are able to attend
this English speech contest. Secondly, may peace be upon the prophet Muhammad Saw who has
guided us from the darkness into the brightness.

In this good opportunity, I would like to say many thanks to the adjudicators and MC who have
given me chance to deliver an English speech in front of you all.

My great appreciation also goes to all the teachers, students, and participants who have come to
this place.

Ladies and Gentlemen…

The title of my speech is “Kartini Day”.

We all know… every year, on 21st April, Indonesian people always celebrate Kartini Day. The
commemoration of Kartini Day is based on the life story of RA Kartini who is widely regarded as a
national Indonesian heroine in the women’s rights and emancipation.

RA Kartini was born on 21st April, 1879 in Jepara, Central Java. Her father, Raden Mas
Sosroningrat, was the chief of Jepara Regency. At the time, Java was still a part of Dutch Colonies.
Until the late 19th century and early 20th century, Indonesian women did not have the equal rights as
men obtained. Women could not get higher education. They were also forbidden to choose their
ways of life, such as expressing ideas or opinion and choosing husband.

Brothers and Sisters…

At the time, Javanese women could not attend school. Fortunately, because Kartini was born into a
family with a strong intellectual tradition, she was then allowed to attend school until she was 12
years old. She learned much, including Dutch Language. After she turned 12 years old she was
‘secluded’ at home, a common practice among Javanese nobility, to prepare young girls for their
marriage. During seclusion, girls were not allowed to leave their parents’ house until they were
married. Kartini continued to educate herself on her own. Because Kartini could speak Dutch, she
acquired several Dutch pen friends. One of them, a girl by the name of Rosa Abendanon, became
her very close friend. Kartini read many kinds of books, newspapers and magazines about feminist
thinking. They inspired and supported Kartini to improve the conditions of Javanese women who
had a very low social status.

The letters from Kartini to her friends, especially Rosa Abendanon, were mainly about her views
of the social conditions prevailing at that time, particularly the condition of native Indonesian
women. She protested the tendency of Javanese Culture to impose obstacles for the development of
women. She depicted the sufferings of Javanese women fettered by tradition, unable to study,
secluded, and must be prepared to participate in polygamous marriages with men they don’t know.

Seven years later after Kartini died, her letters were compiled and published into a book in 1912.
The book was titled: “Door Duisternis tot Licht” or known as “Out of Dark Comes Light” (Habis
Gelap Terbitlah Terang).…

Wassalamu’alaikum Wr. Wb.

 KASAIMBANGAN HIRUP

Assalamu’alaikum Wr.Wb.,
Puji syukur mangga urang sami-sami panjatkeun ka hadirat Alloh SWT anu parantos maparin
kanikmatan iman sinareng Islam dugi ka dangeut ieu urang sadayana masih dina kaayaan sehat
wal’afiat sahingga tiasa ngalaksanakeun salah sahiji kawajiban hirup urang sadayana nyaeta
ngalaksanakeun ibadah jum’at di masjid ieu.

Sholawat sinareng salam mugia tetep kacurahlimpahkeun kanggo junjungan urang sadayana, Nabi
Muhammad SAW., ka para sahabatna, ka para tabi’it tabi’in anu satia dugi akhir zaman anu insya
Alloh kalebet oge urang sadayana.

Dina kasempetan ayeuna khotib masihan wasiat khususna kanggo pribados nyalira sareng ka
jama’ah jum’at sadaya, hayu urang sami-sami ningkatkeun kaimanan sareng kataqwaan ka Alloh
SWT ku ngalaksanakeun sagala parentahna sareng ngajauhan sagala laranganna supados kenging
ridho ti mantenna. Alloh SWT nyiptakeun manusa teh kalayan makhluk anu panghadena di dunya
ieu, jeung dibere akal sarta nurani. Sajabi ti janten hamba Alloh oge janten kholifah di bumi anu
dipaparin kawajiban pokok nyaeta ibadah. Dawuh Alloh SWT dina surat adz-dzariat ayat 56 :

“Jeung Kuring (Alloh) henteu nyiptakeun jin jeung manusa teh teu aya lian pikeun maranehna
kacuali nyembah ka Kawula.”

Nyembah dina harti luas nyaeta sagala rupa bentuk pangabdian atawa ibadah nu hade didasaran
parentah Allah jeung sakumaha Rasulullah parantos nyontohkeun dina ngalaksanakeunna, boh
ibadah langsung ka Alloh (Hablu minalloh) atanapi ibadah kasasama manusa (hablu minannas).
Sajabi ti eta oge, manusa teh kudu bisa ngalola jeung ngamanfaatkeun naon-naon nu ku Gusti Alloh
ciptakeun di dunya ieu pikeun kasejahteraan hirup manusa sebab nu kitu teh masih keneh kaasup
kana ibadah.

Hadirin Rohimakumullah,
Urang sadayana yakin yen sagala urusan dunya nu disinghareupan baheula nepi ayena ieu, sanajan
urang ngadekul teu euereun-eureun beurang jeung peuting moal aya beakna jeung tungtungna salila
hawa masih kaluar tina irung, pagawean jeung pangabutuh teh bakal datang. Salaku jalma nu boga
iman mah kudu bisa ngatur jeung ngatasi perkara eta. Sabab lamun urang teu bisa ngatur jeung
ngabatasan pangabutuh hirup urang leuwih bahayana leungiteun kabahagian hirup jeung
kasaimbangan hirup dina kahirupan sapopoe.

Alloh Maha Adil nyiptakeun kabeh mahluk teh aya pasanganna samodel langit jeung bumi, daratan
jeung lautan, halodo jeung hujan, lalaki jeung awewe leuwih tina hal eta jasmani jeung rohani.
Patali tina sakian ciptaan nu hade, geus sakuduna urang bisa miara jeung ngatur sanajan sawareh
oge nu aya kaitan jeung hajat (pangabutuh) urang salaku manusa supaya bisa maju, lancar,
sauyunan tur saimbang, utamana mah pangabutuh jasmani jeung rohani eta. Kasaimbangan dina
pandangan Islam teh nyaeta mangrupikeun faktor nu penting, malahan jadi tujuan jeung cita-cita
hirup keur muslim. Sakumaha parantos ditetelakeun dina Al-Qur’an surat Al-Baqoroh ayat 201 :

“Jeung di antara maranehna aya jalma anu ngado’a : ‘Nun gusti, pasihan diri kami kasaean di
dunya sareng kasaean di akherat sareng piara diri kami tina siksa seuneu naraka’”.

Leuwih jelasna deui Rasululloh ngadawuh dina hadits nu diriwayatkeun ti Ibnu Asyakir :
“ Jalma nu niggalkeun urusan dunya ngan saukur pikeun akherat teh lain jalma nu hade, kitu oge
jalma nu ninggalkeun urusan akherat ngan saukur pikeun dunya kacuali lamun manehna
meunangkeun dunya jeung akherat babarengan sabab dunya teh jalan keur ka akherat jeung urang
teh ulah jadi beban keur batur”.

Hadirin Rohimakumullah,
Tina ayat Qur’an jeung hadits di luhur meunang kasimpulan sapertos kieu :
1. Urang sadayana dituntut kudu bisa nyaimbangkeun miwah kapentingan lahiriyah duniawiyah
jeung kapentingan ruhaniyah ukhrowiyah, ulah dugi kabeurat sabeulah komo lamun mentingkeun
salah sahijina. Duanana kudu saimbang, sajalan, sauyunan jeung saarah. Sakumaha conto saimbang
jeung saarahna rel kareta api teu bisa jangkung sabeulah, sabab bisa ngakibatkeun kareta api
nyangeyeng malahan bisa tiguling.

2. Dunya teh mangrupikeun jambatan keur nuju akherat. Dunya ieu lain tujuan sabab fana nu
sawaktu-waktu geus ditangtukeun ku Gusti Alloh pasti bakal ancur jeng binasa ka asup manusa nu
bakal balik nyinghareupan ka nu nyiptakeunana nyaeta Alloh SWT.

Hadirin Sidang Jum’at Rohimakumulloh,

Mung sakieu rupina khutbah nu tiasa didugikeun dina kasempetan ayeuna, mugia aya manfaat
khususna kanggo khotib sareng umumna ka para jama’ah salaku kaum muslimin. Mugia Alloh
SWT maparin kakiatan Iman tur kataqwaan dina ngalaksanakeun kahirupan urang sadayana
sahingga tiasa ngajalankeun parentahna sareng ngajauhan sagala laranganna nu akhirna Gusti Alloh
maparin karidhoan-Na. Amin Ya Robbal ‘alamin.

Wassalamu’alaikum Wr.Wb.