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Weekly Comment |
The Bombs continue to rain down
…
As
Barack Obama celebrated his
victory in the US elections, US
forces in Afghanistan
‘mistakenly’ raged an attack
upon a wedding party killing
over thirty people, twenty one
of which were women and
children. Last week a group of
over twenty people were killed
as suspected militants. Regional
leaders explained that they were
security officers offering
protection. The bombs in
Afghanistan continue to rain
down and attack follows attack,
with more and more lives being
lost every day.
No
different than the days of
ignorance, the fight is
inherited by new leaders who
often redefine the battle lines
and find that they have to shout
their loyalties by screaming out
their allegiance in more
intensified attacks, and never
once is there reason to question
the principle, point and purpose
that this entire episode was
embarked upon. Never mind the
patriotic rhetoric, why did Bush
go into Afghanistan in the first
place?
While most have
forgotten to ask the important
questions ….
hundreds of
thousands have been displaced,
thousands have lost their lives
and many maimed, havoc has been
wreaked in the lives of the
Afghani people at large;
foreign soldiers have given
their lives for the personal
agendas of the leaders of their
countries and aid workers found
themselves in the middle of a
battle initiated by their own;
neighbouring countries
such as Pakistan have been
thrown into disarray to the
extent that governments have
made the interests of their own
people second best by entering
into private agreements with
governments of other countries.
… and the bombs continue
to rain down – with Barack Obama
declaring that he has new
policies that will deal with
issue through a regional
approach that will include
looking at other countries in
the area. This does not include
taking his forces out of
Afghanistan; it does not include
abating the unjust war that is
being waged upon the people of
Afghanistan; it does not include
stopping the killing of innocent
people.
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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 120.76 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 6,037.77 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 2,415.11 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Moderation |
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From Abu
Hurairah Radhi-Allahu ‘anhu
who said: “Allaah’s
Messenger Salallaahu ‘alaihi
wasallam said: ‘Love the one
whom you love to a certain
degree (moderately), perhaps
one day he will be someone
for whom you have hatred,
and hate the one for whom
you have hatred to a certain
degree (moderately), perhaps
one day he will be one whom
you love.’” (at-Tirmidhî) |
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Quotation for the Week |
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Delicate
Balance |
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“Praise that is more than
deserved is flattery, while
less than is deserved
indicates incapacity of
expression or else
jealousy.”
(Ali
Radhi-Allahu ‘anhu) |
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Point of Reflection |
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Asking is no Disgrace |
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A
word from the mouth is like
a stone from a sling.
(Spanish Proverb) |
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Q and A |
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Question: I have a colleague
who would like to know if it
is haraam to listen to
rave/trance music. He says
it helps him enhance his
performance at work and it
contains no vocal. |
Answer:
Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam said: “Listening of
musical instruments (Malaahee)
is Ma'siyyah (sin) and to
sit down for it (i.e. to
specifically attend musical
concerts, festivals, etc.)
is Fisq (transgression) and
to relish it is Kufr. [Islam
and Music pg. 141]
In
another Hadeeth Rasulullah
Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam
said: “Music grows hypocrisy
in the heart like how water
grows vegetation.” [Ibid.
Pg. 67]
It is stated
in Khulaasatul Fataawaa
(Vol. 4, pg. 345):
“…listening to the sound of
musical instruments such as
the flute, etc. is Haraam...
[Ibid Pg. 262]
Note:
More detail on the issue of
music can be found in "Islam
Aur Musiqui" by Mufti
Mohammed Shafee'
Rahimahullaah and annotated
by Muhammad Abdul Mu-'iz.
This book is in Urdu which
contains 447 pages. It is
published by Maktabah Darul
Uloom Karachi. It may be
purchased from the online
bookstore of albalaagh which
may be found at:
<http://www.albalagh.net>
And Allâh Ta’âla Knows
Best.
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U P D A T E |
Meeting of Ulama of Johannesburg
to Meet
Over
a hundred Ulama residing in the
Johannesburg area met at the
Jamiatul Ulama offices on
Wednesday, 5 Nov 2008 evening.
At the meeting the ulama
discussed matters of common
interest. There were calls for
closer cooperation among ulama
in order to serve the community
better.
Areas in which
improved coordination was called
for include hilaal.
Voter Registration
The Jamiatul Ulama would like to
appeal to all Muslims eligible
to vote but have not yet
registered or verified their
details on the voters’ roll to
do so. They may call the
Independent Electoral Commission
on a toll free number 0800 11
8000 during office hours or log
on to www.elections.org.za for
details. One can also contact
electoral officers at municipal
officers in their own towns.
We can make our voices heard
by exercising the right to vote.
Medical Equipment for
Rent
The
Jamiatul Ulama in Fordsburg is
now offering a service whereby
members of the community can
hire medical equipment such as
wheelchairs, crutches, bed pans,
drip stands, etc from our
office.
Anyone wanting to
hire these items can come in to
our office on 32 Dolly Rathebe
Road, 1 Floor, Baitul Hamd,
Fordsburg. For further info
contact our offices on: 011 373
8000.
The Jâmi‘ah al-‘Ulûm al-Islâmiyyah
The Jâmi‘ah al-‘Ulûm al-Islâmiyyah
was established by the Jamiatul
Ulama with the aim of providing
quality Islamic education within
a social context; such a social
context which challenges the
notion of practicing Islam in
its unadulterated form. The
formation of the Jaami`ah is
driven by the desire to rekindle
scholarship within the Ummah and
provide sound leadership so as
to elevate the Ummah to its
former glory.
The
institute currently offers the ‘Aalim
Fâdhil which is a six-year
direct-contact and full-time
course which will be taught
through the medium primarily
English and Arabic together with
a limited amount of Urdu.
Some of the subjects that
are taught include:
Arabic
and the various branches of
Arabic grammar and literature,
Qur'anic sciences and
exegesis,
Hadith and Hadith
sciences,
Fiqh and Usul al-Fiqh,
History.
Other subjects
include a focused programme on
functional Arabic and Urdu as
well as English for Effective
Communication.
Skills
development is also given
importance,
Computer Studies
is a compulsory subject with the
intention to register all future
students for the ICDL.
A
programme on Islamic economics,
Research methodology and writing
forms and skills are covered as
is speech and elocution,
Students are exposed to guest
speakers who address them on a
range of issues, on a
fortnightly basis.
Learners will be awarded a
certificate upon completion of
the course.
The institute
also motivates students to
further their knowledge in other
fields and facilitates their
registration and study at
tertiary institutes in
accordance with their academic
aptitudes.
No boarding
and lodging is provided to
students.
Admission
Requirements:
Aspiring
learners must be mature persons,
of upright character, have a
basic Islamic education, be in
possession of a matriculation
certificate, versatile in
English and any other official
language of the country and be
dedicated to self-study.
Learners will be accepted
only after an interview.
Applications for 2009 close on
the 28th November 2008. The
academic year begins in January
and ends in December.
For
more information, contact:
Ml. Abdullah Jeena
Jâmi‘ah
al-‘Ulûm al-Islâmiyyah
Tel:
011 373 8040, Fax: 011 373 8022
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan:
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Ibrahim alayhis salaam &
His People (II of IV) |
“And recite to them the
story of Ibrahim.
When he said to his
father and his people:
‘What do you worship?’
They said: ‘We worship
idols, and to them we
are ever devoted.’
He
said: ‘Do they hear you,
when you call (on them)?
Or do they benefit you
or do they harm (you)?’
They said: "Nay, but we
found our fathers doing
so.”(26:70-71)
• Nabi Ibrahim
alayhis salaam is
considered to be the
father of all the
Abrahamic faiths, thus
the Jews, Christians,
and even the disbelieves
of Makkah regard him in
high esteem. All have an
affinity towards him and
his creed, and also
attribute themselves to
him. Even though some of
their (Jews and
Christians) existing
practices are in stark
conflict with the
original creed of Nabi
Ibrahim alayhis salaam,
yet they ascribe
themselves to it.
However, the Ummah of
Nabi sallallahu alayhi
wassalam has a true
claim to be following on
the ways of Nabi Ibrahim
alayhis salaam and they
should feel proud of it.
(Ma’ariful Qur’an)
• In the
aforementioned verse
Allah recollect the
incident of His servant,
Messenger and Close
Friend, Nabi Ibrahim
alayhis salaam, who was
the leader of the
monotheists. Allah
commanded Nabi
sallallahu alayhi
wassalam to narrate this
story to the Ummah, so
that they could follow
this example of
sincerity, trust in
Allah, worshipping Him
Alone, and renouncing
polytheism and its
people. From a very
early age Nabi Ibrahim
alayhis salaam was
guided by Allah and he
denounced the practice
of idol worship.
• In explaining the
Oneness of Allah to his
people, Nabi Ibrahim
alayhis salaam used
various methods to
introduce the qualities
of Allah and to
illustrate the
helplessness of the
deities that were being
worshipped by his
nation.
• He
asked pertinent
questions to raise the
conscience of his people
to think correctly.
Allah mentions this in
the following verse,
“(Allah) who has created
me and it is He who
guides me. And it is He
who feeds me and gives
me to drink. And when I
am ill, it is He who
cures me. And who will
cause me to die, and
then will bring me to
life (again). And who, I
hope will forgive me my
faults on the Day of
Recompense, (the Day of
Resurrection)."
(26:78-82)
• In
logically arguing the
reason why the other
deities like the sun,
the moon and the stars
should not be
worshipped, Nabi Ibrahim
alayhis salaam mentions
three things:
a.
Things that are subject
to change.
b. Things
which keep alternating
in their condition.
c. Things which in their
movements are
subservient to some
other power can never
become deserving of
being taken as anyone’s
Lord.
All these
creations are not free
from fault and thus not
worthy of being
worshipped. Allah, the
Lord of the Worlds, is
above all and the only
being worthy of worship.
This has been described
in the following verse,
“Thus did we show
Ibrahim the kingdom of
the heavens and the
earth that he be one of
those who have Faith
with certainty. When the
night covered him over
with darkness he saw a
star. He said: ‘This is
my lord.’ But when it
set, he said: ‘I like
not those that set.’
When he saw the moon
rising up, he said:
‘This is my lord.’ But
when it set, he said:
‘Unless my Lord guides
me, I shall surely be
among the erring
people.’ When he saw the
sun rising up, he said:
‘This is my lord. This
is greater.’ But when it
set, he said: ‘O my
people! I am indeed free
from all that you join
as partners in worship
with Allah. Verily, I
have turned my face
towards Him Who has
created the heavens and
the earth Hanifa
(worshipping none but
Allah Alone) and I am
not of Al-Mushrikoon
(polytheists).”
(6:75-79)
• An
Urdu Poet says:
If
the Imaan of Ibrahim AS
were to be rekindled
today
We would be
able to turn fires into
serene gardens
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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The Post Exam Period |
Schools are busy completing
their year-end examinations.
Alhamdulillah, most students
are studying hard to excel
in their examinations.
Examinations are followed by
the receipt of results,
which will tell the students
how well they have
performed. The final
examinations are followed by
the annual summer holidays
which span a period in
excess of six weeks.
Results are mostly followed
by celebrations and the
vacations are periods
wherein parents and their
children travel to various
national and even
international locations for
their annual summer break.
There is no harm in
being happy that exams have
been concluded or expressing
joy at good achievements. It
is, however, important for
Muslims to guard against
celebrating the end of the
exams or good results in a
manner which is contrary to
the rules or spirit of the
injunctions of Allah, the
Sunnah of the Prophet
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
or even the spirit of what
the Islamic character,
identity and ethos is
supposed to portray. The
same principles must be
considered when considering
a holiday choice. Parents
should also ensure that
their children are occupied
in beneficial activities
during the vacation.
As many people would
say, let them make their
'holidays', 'holy days'.
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