By: Samsul Nizar
Professor & Head of STAIN Bengkalis
In psychology, normal humans generally behave according to their age range. The age of the children indeed acts according to the age and development of the children. Similarly, the behaviour of teenagers, adults, and even parents. From a scientific point of view, the behaviour of knowledgeable humans should be different from those of unskilled humans. Allah states this ideal of behaviour in His words: “Say (O Muhammad), are those who know and those who do not know equal? Only those possessed of reason will remember” (Surah Az-Zumar: 9).
The interpretation of the above verse is quoted in the treasures of the old Malay proverb “bagai buah kelapa, semakin tua semakin berminyak“. In another editorial, it is stated “tua-tua kelapa, makin tua makin banyak santannya“. The two passages convey the meaning that the older he gets, the more knowledge and experience he has as a torch that is useful for others.
However, at the implementation level, children’s behaviour is unwittingly universal (as if more eternal), sometimes occurs without limits, and moves beyond the appropriate age. When children behave according to their age will be considered normal. However, when adult humans behave like children regardless of their age and position, they slip into the level of abnormality. When the age of the old coconut fruit is getting coconut milk, strangeness appears when humans get older, they return to the beginning of their birth. This behaviour is exemplified by the old Malay proverb “tua-tua keladi, semakin tua semakin (men-) jadi“. The use of the term taro gives the meaning of getting older who do not know themselves because they act like the behaviour of young people.
There are several indications of children’s behaviour whacking the behaviour of adults and older groups, including:
First, fighting over a toy, even though you know it’s not yours, keeps trying to grab it, even if you justify any means. They no longer reflect on the development of the age. There is no longer any shame in the emptiness of what they did. All closed by, fighting each other for various toys to have what they want. To achieve the desire, all roads are taken. Selling self-esteem like a beggar is no longer taboo, let alone ashamed. Rules are limited to a collection of writings read like a string of meaningless poetry. Ethics is only a slogan and a play on words. Grey hair is no longer a sign. The title is no longer scary and thunderous. Intellectuality and belief are only symbols of formality. The only thing left is the hope of having everything one wants and misbehaving. If necessary, until the earth can be embraced and carried to be conquered and controlled. All forget their responsibilities before the Creator; the final embrace is limited to a lump of land in the barzah realm.
Second, they proudly show every new toy they own (show style leads to flexing style). However, the toys they own do not add value to civilization and only make the world laugh bitterly. What is displayed only shows the greatness of oneself and what is owned and not owned by others. However, everything is just camouflage. It is wise to satiate the Malay proverb to illustrate this typical behaviour parable, “bak si kudung (tak berjari *pen) mendapatkan cincin“. Everything is limited to pride, as if everything there is a nick of the achievement. As if forgetting that actually everything that exists is an accumulation of collective hard work and a long process beforehand.
Third, happy to tell simple and useless things. Talk about family, travel, or whatever their daily activities are. Publish trivial things that invite ridicule. It’s like children telling stories about having a new bike, a new bag, riding in a new vehicle, and so on. The story is nothing more than revealing his luck and greatness, the splendour of his house, the wealth of himself or his parents, the expensive clothes he wears, or sharing information without any benefit, even though all of this is just a cover for the sheer inability as well as the “senility of civilization” that is befalling them.
Fourth, be proud of what you have, even if it is trivial. Sometimes what is owned is only a loan. Proud to stay in luxury hotels, take private planes (only for selfies), eat at classy restaurants, line up with credit cards (essentially a line of debt books), and so on. All social media are decorated with activities aimed at self-publishing to get praise, admiration, and thunderous applause. No matter what is published, even elementary things are of no value. Often, make destructive criticism when behind, sweet-mouthed when confronted. Like the Malay proverb “lempar batu, sembunyi tangan“. Claiming to be a knight but, in fact, only a mere loser. This model reflects the identity of low civilizations who expect the recognition of high civilizations from others only to get praise, honour, and praise.
Fifth, cover with a large robe, not stand firm like a mountain to achieve self-ability. Even though they are getting older, they often cannot build a mental shame that should be built solidly. Even though they are getting older, they are willing to submit to something lower as long as expectations are obtained. All take refuge in the beautiful robes that exist to achieve fate, not change the future through the ability to maintain self-esteem so that their dignity is maintained.
Sixth, the flexing style is new to civilization. It does not escape all ages when recent trends emerge (TikTok fun, Citayam Fashion Week fever, and others). Everyone is fighting for the stage because they are afraid they will not update the new civilization. The movement of age is no longer a consideration for the action of behaviour. Out-of-bounds jokes have forgotten their age. Forget about the age that should be civilized qualified.
All of the above indications can happen to anyone, regardless of position. Taking advantage of age is limited to showing the spectacle of games that forget themselves and cannot be full of moral guidance. What a funny joke that lost its meaning as a guide. Allah reminds us of this through His words: If you ask them, they will say, “We were just joking and playing.” Say, “Were you making jokes about God, His revelations, and His Messenger?” (Surah At-Tawbah: 65).
In theory, the psychology discussing the correlation between age development and behaviour seems indisputable. Humans often follow the cycle of the wheel, not the standard graph. The wheel rotation cycle indicates that humans behave stagnant and monotonous. As a result, the Monkton civilization was born and stagnant as well. Unlike the case with dynamic and civilized humans. The spinning wheel moves dynamically, giving birth to an increasingly advanced society without neglecting human values. Unfortunately, the choice is often in the cycle of stagnant wheels (even backwards), which return to previous activities or behaviours, not dynamic civilized creatures towards maturity. The indications for the dominance of the wheel cycle include the following:
First, it behaves at the activity level below it. When the children age like to play, walk, eat and highlight the community they belong to or other. The same thing happens again in old age. Second, thinking and having a standardized culture (or several levels) below it. If, as a child, you are easily irritated, ask for attention, hold grudges or are easily offended because of the immaturity of your mind and heart, then this can happen again when you are old. Third, speaking and having a standard level below it. When you are a child, you talk and have negative thoughts due to a lack of knowledge and emotional maturity. The same thing happens again in old age.
Perhaps this is what Darwin’s theory of the origin of man meant. Although this theory is materially refuted, it is essentially accepted. When Darwinism fails to prove the continuity of the evolution wheel, it can quickly establish the continuity of the developing revolution. The proof of Darwinism-style theory can be seen in several pieces of behavioural evidence (visible logic):
(1) Level interaction. When the behaviour of babies, children, teenagers, adults, and parents turn out at its peak, it turns back into babies, children, and even teenagers. This rotation does not affect social strata, education, politics, economy, culture, etc. This wheel cycle will readily be seen when humans are at the community level. In this position, the process of behaviour and culture will be seen at a level below, even several levels below it. Meanwhile, when in the same level of community interaction, it wakes the subconscious brain to move behaviour at a level and several levels below it. Because when they are at the same level, humans often engage in strange behaviour and do not reflect the age they should be.
(2) Interaction at different levels. This cycle is also challenging to understand at different levels (up or down). Because the different levels move the brain to behave as if it is better to cover up its original behaviour. When dealing at a level below it, the activities are more encouraged to maintain self-respect and dignity. Meanwhile, when dealing at a level above it, activities are often conditioned on obedience and servitude to secure oneself.
The period is difficult to correlate with the level of maturity of thinking and usefulness of behaviour to others. Indeed, it turns out that it is strange that the maturity of human age is often uncorrelated when dealing with a certain level that is used as the object of communication. The Messenger of Allah declared a good human being through his words: “The best of humans are those who always remember Allah, and the worst of humans are those who like to play against each other like to divide people who love each other, love to do wrong, wants to scatter humans, and always cause trouble” (Hadith by Ahmad).
Based on the hadith above, in filling one’s age, life does not need to strive to become someone who is respected, adored, let alone feared. But be helpful to anyone (the universe), especially around yourself. Realize the soul of example in yourself to become someone who can inspire others, not cause antipathy and hatred to others. Even though you are getting older (counting rows), wisdom is getting harder and harder to find. It is easier to find the dominant drama of childhood behaviour that comes to the surface, along with age maturity, which is only a matter of numbers. Remember the message of the Messenger of Allah through his words: “The best among you is the one who has a long life and good deeds” (Hadith by At-Tarmdzi).
Such is the clear message of the Prophet for the life of his people. Age will run out over time, but humans can strive for a quality of life. It is not long life that is most important, but the blessings and benefits of age are more important. Acceptance is marked by the quality of faith, worship, and morality (Iman, Islam, and Ihsan). At the same time, usefulness is characterized by the birth of works that are beneficial to the entire contents of the universe. Nature misses the warrior warriors of the community who are sincere in managing the universe, not asking to be called heroes even though they are without struggle.
Then, how is the quality of each self’s age? Does the quality of the children’s age dominate the actual age series, or does the rate of self-increase in rhythm with age? Of course, no one knows whether each person’s age is strange, except for each one who can answer it through the quality of self-introspection and contemplation of God.
Wa Allahua’lam bi al-Shawwab
Translated by Ruzaini, M.Pd (Alumni of English Education Study Program of STAIN Bengkalis)
