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Weekly Comment |
India Bombings
The recent bombings in India
have confounded the Indian
Intelligence Bureau who cannot
state with any type of certainty
who the perpetrators of the
violent crime was/were. Indian
Mujahiddeen, who have supposedly
styled themselves along the
lines of the Lashkar-e-Taibah of
Pakistan or Huji of Bangladesh
and other similar groups, have
been blamed for the blasts on
the basis of e-mails that were
sent to local media.
Some commentators have said that
the situation is potentially
volatile with veiled threats of
retaliation allegedly being
issued by some groups. The
Gujerat carnage of 2002 is still
fresh in the minds and hearts of
people. The possibility of a
similar outbreak of violence
wherein Muslims were mercilessly
murdered, with cases of large
groups of them being burnt alive
also proven to have taken place.
One must ask what the Muslim
community could possibly have
benefitted or gained – what
motive could they have had – by
such an act. The likelihood of a
third force or some
trouble-making ploy with
sinister political motives
unbeknown to us cannot be ruled
out.
Muslims are urged to make du’aa
for peace and stability in that
part of the world and that a
situation similar that of 2002
must never come to be. Aameen.
How Free is Free Trade?
If free trade offers such
benefits as its advocates tout,
why do countries not just move
towards free trade then? This is
a classic question even those
not privileged with a nuanced
understanding of modern
economics often ask.
After the recent collapse of the
Doha Round on World Trade
Organisation, we are going to
see big nations continue to seal
deals with individual
‘preferred’ nations through
bilateral agreements as well as
limited trade arrangements with
other economic blocs. Trade is
hardly a set of neutral business
transactions but a loaded die
with which other countries,
mostly poor, are brought to
their knees. The preferential
arrangements are concluded not
with only welfare-enhancing
objectives for trading partners
but also to further political
interests, especially of
dominant powers, among other
things.
Teams at the table in these
rounds of negotiations
invariably tend to be more equal
than others. What bargaining
power can poor nations have to
move major states from their
entrenched positions on issues
that have high political price
tags such as farm subsidies?
Meanwhile, in the background,
slogans such as ‘trade not aid’
continue to reverberate… After
the ‘sunset’ clauses in the
preferential trade agreements
have matured, where will poor
nations be?
True Colours… Abbas and the
Freeing of Hamas Prisoners
It was always clear that Mahmoud
Abbas’s claim to represent all
Palestinians was not true. It
was no secret that he did not
have the support of the majority
of the Palestinians. Despite his
calls for the release of
prisoners imprisoned in Israeli
jails one could sense that he
was not passionate and maybe
somewhat artificial and possibly
not sincere in this call. Many
questioned whether he had the
real interests of the people at
heart.
Yesterday, Haaretz newspaper
reported: “If Israel releases
Hamas members of the Palestinian
parliament as part of a deal for
the return of kidnapped soldier
Gilad Shalit, PA President
Mahmoud Abbas will dismantle the
Palestinian Authority, Abbas
warned Israel last week. Abbas
sent the warning to GOC Central
Command Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni
via Hussein al-Sheikh, head of
the PA's civil affairs
department …”
Strange strong words from a man
in the position of Abbas.
Why would Abbas oppose the
release of Palestinians that
languish in Israeli prisons? Why
would he prevent the freedom of
his own Palestinian brothers who
are being tortured and oppresses
in extreme manners? Why indeed,
when he himself has been calling
for their release?
Maybe it has something to do
with the fact that many of those
to be released are members of
Hamas and some of them leaders
and politicians from the Hamas
membership. Maybe the desire to
maintain the power is so great
that it demands for such
behaviour that even exposes the
phony that Abbas is. |
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C O N
T E N T S |
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Summarised
Jumuah Bayaan |
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Question and
Answer |
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Update |
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Message from the Ameer |
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I N F
O R M A T I O N |
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Min. Mahr |
R 151.33 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 7,566.49 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,026.60 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Trustworthiness |
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Narrated Anas ibn Malik
Radhi-Allahu anhu: “Seldom
did the Messenger of Allah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
address us when he did not
say: ‘There is no faith in
him who is not trustworthy
and there is no religion in
him who does not respect his
covenant.’” (Tirmidhi)
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Quotation for the Week |
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Polished Heart |
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“Everyone sees the unseen in
proportion to the clarity of
his heart, and that depends
upon how much he has
polished it. Whoever has
polished it more sees more -
more unseen forms become
manifest to him.”
(Jalal ad-Din Rumi) |
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Point of Reflection |
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Mental Stress |
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It is worms which destroy a
tree, it is worry which
destroys a human.
(Turkish Proverb) |
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Q and A |
Questions:
1. Is “time-share”
zakaatable?
2. Is the house that is
owned
by you (that you are living
in irrespective on whether
it is bonded or not)
zakaatable?
3. Is personal freehold
motor vehicle zakaatable?
4. Are company cars / car
allowance zakaatable?
5. What happens if you are
in possession of zakaatable
items but do not have the
means
(cash available) to pay the
zakaaat due.
Answers:
1) Time-share is not
zakaatable.
2) The house is not
zakaatable.
3) Your personal motor
vehicle is not zakaatable.
4) Company cars are not
zakaatable. If you receive a
car allowance in cash then
the
monies of the car allowance
that you have in your
possession on the day that
your zakaat
becomes due on you is
zakaatable.
5) You should sell the
zakaatable items and pay the
zakaat. If a person pays it
later, which
should be avoided, then you
should make a note in your
will that in the event of
your death the executor of
your estate
should first discharge your
zakaat.
And Allâh Ta’âla Knows Best. |
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U P D A T E |
Islam and Cultural Diversity
Members from the
Jamiatul Ulama were invited on
Friday, 25 July 2008, to attend
a seminar hosted by the Standard
Bank Corporate Division in
Johannesburg under the theme of
‘Islam and Cultural Diversity.’
The seminar was well attended by
staff of the company and
comprised of a majority of non
Muslims.
Interestingly, many doubts were
cleared in the minds of the
audience regarding common
misconceptions of Islam with
regards to terrorism, suicide
bombings, 9/11 and the status of
women in Islam. Alhamdulillah,
responses to questions about
Islam in general were also very
well received.
It is encouraging to note that
major corporate companies are
moving towards a better
understanding of Muslims and
their specific needs, with the
aim of creating a healthier
co-existence of diversity in
society. Hopefully, others will
make such initiatives.
A publication of the Jamiatul
Ulama entitled ‘Islam and
Muslims’, which deals
specifically with issues of this
nature, will be passed on to the
attendees, insha-Allah.
Jamiat Appeal for Funds
The Jamiatul ‘Ulama, South
Africa - the oldest ‘ulama
organization of South Africa -
has been serving the community
for the past 85 years. It has 7
provincial branches.
The Jamiatul Ulama has various
departments such as education,
relief, hilaal notification,
halaal supervision, social
welfare, da’wah, ifta and
counseling. It also responds to
local and international crises.
The Jamiatul Ulama ensures that
all zakaat monies are spent in
accordance with the laws of
shariah. All of our activities
are made possible by your
continuous generous
contributions.
We appeal, in this blessed month
of Ramadaan, for donations
towards the activities of the
Jamiat. You will, insha Allah,
share in the reward of all the
activities.
Kindly deposit your
contributions in to the
following account: Jamiat Ulama
Transvaal, Nedbank Fordsburg,
A/c No. 1953 285 937; Branch
code: 195305, and fax your
deposit slip to (011) 373 8022,
clearly stating whether the
contributions are Lillah or
Zakaat.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan:
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Mercy |
“My (Allah) Mercy
embraces all
things.”(7:156)
“Never give up hope in
the Mercy of Allah.
Certainly, no one
despairs in the Mercy of
Allah, except those who
disbelieve.” (12: 87)
• Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi
have recorded the
infamous narration of
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam, ‘Be kind
and merciful to those
who are on earth, those
who are in heaven will
show kindness and mercy
to you.’
• Mercy and compassion
is an attribute of Allah
Ta’ala and is one of the
most notable and highly
emphasized qualities of
Allah in the Noble
Qur’an. In fact the very
first chapter reads,
‘The Most Beneficent,
the Most Merciful.’
(1:3) Thus, Allah who is
gracious, compassionate
and merciful is the
source of all mercy.
• Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam did not
call people towards
Allah without first
establishing his
credentials of
truthfulness, integrity,
sacrifice and
humbleness. His people
knew him as a man of
compassion.
• Just as Allah is
merciful and
compassionate, we who
are the creation have
been commanded to
emulate and adopt the
character of Allah
Ta’ala by inculcating
this quality of
compassion and mercy and
kindness within us.
• A person becomes
blessed and deserving of
Allah’s mercy to the
extent that he shows
kindness and mercy
towards others. Just as
Allah’s compassion and
mercy be it in the form
of rain, crops, etc.
which He bestows upon
the entire creation,
Muslims are commanded to
show compassion to every
creation of Allah,
irrespective of colour
or creed. In fact we
have been commanded to
show kindness even to
animals.
• Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam is
reported to have stated,
‘Allah has recommended
kindness in each and
everything, therefore
when you hunt an animal,
do it in the proper
manner, and when you
slaughter, slaughter it
in a humane manner.’
(Muslim)
• A Muslim’s duty to
Allah Ta’ala is foremost
and then kindness to
one’s parents and
relatives, thereafter
towards Muslim
brotherhood. It further
extends to humanity in
general and even towards
animals.
• Abu Hurairah
radhiyallahu anhu has
reported a hadith
wherein Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasalam
said, ‘Verily Allah has
a hundred blessings, one
of them he has
distributed between the
human beings, the Jinn,
the animals and the
insects in all acts of
blessings that takes
place between them and
upon their offspring.
One portion of Allah’s
mercy is used in this
manner, while the
remainder ninety-nine
blessings will be
displayed by Allah upon
His bondsman on the day
of Qiyamah.’ (Muslim)
• Compassion as a human
attitude means being
sensitive towards others
not only in their pain
and worldly
difficulties, but also
to be concerned about
their spiritual well
being. It is to have
concern for those who
have been misguided, who
have no clear objective
and meaning of life, and
who are threading the
path of immorality,
transgression and
corruption. Physical and
economic benefits while
important in their own
right, however, they are
short lived. More
important is to worry
about that which is
everlasting and
permanent. So a Muslim
together with devoting
his energies to
alleviate from humanity
temporary suffering of
this world, he should
also strive towards
spiritual well-being of
others, so that they
attain salvation in this
world and in the
Hereafter.
• There are many
occasions when Muslims
can display the
beautiful humanitarian
principles of Islam by
taking an active role in
assisting the poor and
needy, particularly at
times of drought and
natural catastrophes.
This will together with
earning the love of
Allah Ta’ala, draw
people towards the
beauty of Islam.
• It is amongst the
desired qualities of a
believer, not to loose
hope in the mercy of
Allah, rather to always
yearn for His grace,
forgiveness and bounty.
This should however not
be overshadowed by
entertaining false hope
in Allah’s mercy, which
deceives a person into
neglect of virtue and
leads to committing sin.
• Imam Ghazali has
stated, ‘True hope in
Allah’s mercy is to sow
the seeds of Imaan in
the heart, to irrigate
it with the water of
worship and good deeds,
to purify the heart from
the thorns and weeds of
bad conduct and sin, and
thereafter to be hopeful
of acquiring the mercy
of Allah.’
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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To benefit you must
be … |
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`aala
has made various promises to
the Believers. He has
promised them gardens in
Paradise and protection from
the fire of Hell. He has
assured them of a high
position in his eyes in both
this world and the
hereafter. He has told them
that he will make them His
representatives on this
earth, make their religion
strong and powerful and
grant them security on this
earth. He has guaranteed
them various other virtues
and benefits.
Muslims often ask why it is
that we see Muslims in the
world today in a position
where it seems that these
promises have not been
fulfilled and they regularly
question why they undergo
such severe and testing
times and difficulties.
The answer, many scholars
have insisted, is simple.
For a person to benefit of
the perks of a managing
director, he must perform
the tasks of a MD and bear
the burden of fulfilling the
responsibilities of an MD.
This is true for all spheres
of life and existence.
Similarly, for a Believer to
expect the benefits promised
to the Believers, he must
acquire the qualities of a
Believer and live the life
of a Believer as described
in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
May Allah Subhanahu wa
Ta`aala make it possible for
us to understand this simple
concept and to bring it into
our lives. Aameen.
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