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Weekly Comment |
Liberal Secularism: Another
Fundamentalism?
When
Barack Obama spoke in Cairo
seeking a ‘new beginning’ with
the Muslim world, he did not
speak to Muslims only. He was
also speaking to another
audience of the world. He had
said at one point in his
delivery:
“…Likewise, it
is important for Western
countries to avoid impeding
Muslim citizens from practicing
religion as they see fit - for
instance, by dictating what
clothes a Muslim woman should
wear. We cannot disguise
hostility towards any religion
behind the pretence of
liberalism.”
In
response, weeks later, Nicolas
Sakorzy, who is said to have
something with Obama’s style,
had to say: "The burqa is not a
sign of religion, it is a sign
of subservience. It will not be
welcome on the territory of the
French republic.
France
is one place where secularism is
a sort of religious
fundamentalism. However, people
who opt to wear the burqa for
their religious convictions are
not welcome. How can we
reconcile such ‘liberalism’ with
the kind of prescriptiveness of
Mr Sakorzy?
Is it a case
of right-wing ideas taking root
in continental Europe due to
Islamophobia? The recent
European Parliament polls
results show this trend. Now and
again we are told of ‘influx’ of
Muslims in Europe who refuse to
integrate and are changing the
‘character’ of European cities.
Yet, at another level Europe
wants to champion the cause of
human rights…
Does it
occur to people like Mr Sakorzy
(whom we understand would still
prefer George W Bush in the
White House), that subservience
is one’s choice? Why then should
adherents of another faith be
forced to a subservience of
ideas like Mr Sakorzy’s and not
to the Almighty?
Where
will Europe then get the moral
high ground to preach virtues of
cultural tolerance elsewhere in
the developing world?
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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 132.76 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 6,637.81 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 2,655.12 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Repentance |
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Narrated by Abu Hurayrah
Radhi Allahu anhu who said:
Allah's Apostle Salallahu
alayhi wasallam said: He who
seeks repentance (from the
Lord) before the rising of
the sun from the west
(before the Day of
Resurrection), Allah turns
to him with Mercy.
(Muslim) |
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Actionable Turning Back |
“Tawbah is only through
action, and turning back
from what has been done.
Tawbah is not by mere
speech.”
‘Alî
ibn Husayn (Rahmatullah ‘alayhi) |
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Point of Reflection |
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Ubuntu |
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“A person is a person
through other persons "
(Nguni Proverb) |
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Q and A |
Question:
Is it
possible for me to keep my
name when converting?
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Answer:
Kindly note that acceptance
of Islam is not dependent
upon changing of the name of
a person. Therefore, if you
are not yet comfortable
about changing your name
then that should be deferred
to a later time. It is more
important is that one
embraces Islam immediately
so as to attain Paradise and
be successful.
Nevertheless, we state the
following with regard to
name-changing.
Names
do have an impact on the
personality of a person.
Good names have good
effects. Rasulullah
Sallallahu 'alaihi wasallam
also suggested to some
people to change their names
especially if they have a
negative connotation.
In this day and age,
Muslim names have, to an
extent, become a salient
feature of Islam in that
others (Muslim or
non-Muslim) would know that
this person is a Muslim.
When colonizing parts of
Africa, the colonialists
enforced upon poor Muslims
to change their names to
Christianised ones. Over a
period of time, the progeny
of these Muslims do not even
know that their ancestors
were once Muslims.
Therefore, while adopting a
Muslim name is not a
prerequisite for embracing
Islam, it is definitely
advisable to adopt a Muslim
name so that one may be
identified as a Muslim.
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U P D A T E |
Another sad day...Mufti
Hussain Bhayat Rahimahullah
Yesterday was yet another very
sad day for not only the Muslim
community of Lenasia, but for
Muslims of the country, with the
passing on of another stalwart
of the Ulama fraternity, Mufti
Hussain Bhayat rahimahullah.
After suffering a long illness,
he breathed his last in the late
part of Tuesday morning, 23 June
2009. Inna Lillahi wa Inna
Ilayhi Raji‘un...
Mufti
Hussain Bhayat acquired his
Deeni Education in Pakistan and
from his student made a
consistent effort to spend his
vacations in the company of
luminaries the likes of Mufti
Mahmood-ul-Hassan, Ml Abrarul
Haq Hardhohi and Maulana Hakim
Muhammad Akhtar. The days under
the tutelage of these pious
elders paved a future for him to
give over his life for the
service of the Ummah.
A
living memory of his desire to
serve the Muslim community is
the many activities of a relief
organisation based in Lenasia,
Crescent of Hope (COHSA). He not
only was among its founding
members but also served as its
Ameer until his last. COHSA has
been very active in a range of
relief and developmental
projects locally as well as
abroad.
May Allah grant
him the highest stages in Jannah
and utilize his efforts for the
upliftment of this Ummah as a
means of continuous reward onhis
behalf. Ameen.
Another Opportunity for Earning
Thawaab Jaariya
Alhamdulillah the budget for a
new musallah at OR Tambo
International Airport’s new
terminal was reached. The
Jamiatul Ulama would like to
thank all those who contributed
to this project which has
already started as reported in
the newsletter’s earlier
edition.
Meanwhile, an
appeal is hereby extended to all
Muslims to contribute to the
Jamiatul Ulama’s collaborative
initiative with Ikhwana Islamiya
in Soweto where an Islamic
centre is nearing completion.
The project, which is under
Siddiqi Trust shall comprise of
a mosque, imam’s house as well
as madrasah classrooms in
Orlando East, Soweto. This is
yet another opportunity for
earning thawaab jaariya.
Electronic fund transfer details
are as follows:
Name of
Account: Siddiqi Trust
Bank:
HBZ Bank Ltd
Branch:
Fordsburg
Code: 570105
Account No.: 11 901 121864
Via ABSA
Name of Account:
HBZ Bank Ltd
Branch Code:
632005
Account No.: 0101 323
1601
Ref: 21008105 (MUST
Quote. Very Important.)
Via Standard Bank
Name of
Account: HBZ Bank Ltd
Branch
Code: 00520508
Account No.:
002 502 410
Ref: 21008105
(MUST Quote. Very Important.)
Kindly fax deposit slip for
record purposes to: 011 373 8022
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Hope |
“Say: O my Servants who
have transgressed
against their souls!
Despair not of the Mercy
of Allah:
for Allah
forgives all sins: for
He is Oft-Forgiving,
Most Merciful. Turn ye
to our Lord (in
repentance) and bow to
His (Will), before the
Penalty comes on you:
after that ye shall not
be helped.” (39:53-54)
• Forgiveness in
Islam is very important
in a Muslim’s personal
day-to-day life. This
concept of hope in the
forgiveness and mercy of
Allah goes hand-in-hand
the fear of retribution
from Allah. These two go
simultaneously with each
other so as to train a
person to be stable in
his mind and in his
personal life.
•
While Allah has prepared
a grave penalty for the
disobedient, by the same
token Allah is most
forgiving to those who
seek it from him.
• As far as the idea
of hope is concerned,
Allah informed us in
words of the Noble
Qur’an, “Say: O my
Servants who have
transgressed against
their souls! Despair not
of the Mercy of Allah:
for Allah forgives all
sins.” (39:53) This
quality of Allah is
further expounded in the
following words, “...but
my mercy extends to all
things. That (mercy) I
shall ordain for those
who do right, and
practise regular
charity, and those who
believe in our signs.”
(7:156)
• It is
the concept of hope that
allows everyone of us to
try his best for a
better future and strive
harder. In a Hadith
narrated by Abu Hurairah
radhiyallahu anhu, Nabi
sallallahu alayhi
wasalam is reported to
have said, ‘When Allah
created the creation, he
wrote in a Book found
with Him above the
Throne: Indeed My Mercy
surpassed My Anger.’ (Bukhari)
In another narration, he
stated, ‘Allah has a
hundred types of mercy.
He sent down only one of
His mercy. In this mercy
there is compassion
among the Jinn, Mankind,
animals and the birds.
From it they express
mercy among themselves
and even the wild
animals show mercy to
their offspring. Allah
delayed the other ninety
nine portions of his
mercy, so that He will
use them for His
creation on the Day of
Qiyaamah.’ (Bukhari and
Muslim)
• The
idea of forgiveness of
sins through the concept
of hope is well taken
into consideration in
Islam. This subject
matter is mentioned in
the following narration
reported by Abu Musa
radhiyallahu anhu, Nabi
sallallahu alayhi
wasalam is reported to
have said, ‘Indeed Allah
extends His Hand during
the night so that the
sinner during the day
will repent. And He
extends His Hand during
the day so that the
sinner during the night
will repent, till the
sun comes up from the
west.’ (Muslim)
•
If a disbeliever does
any form of good, he
will be rewarded in this
world; while a believer
will be recompensed both
in this world as well as
the next. Anas
radhiyallahu anhu
reports that Nabi
sallallahu alayhi
wasalam has said,
‘Indeed when a
disbeliever does
something good he will
receive through reward
in this world. However,
for a believer, Allah
delays the reward of his
good deeds till the Day
of Judgement, but he
will receive sustenance
in this world for his
obedience.’ (Muslim)
• All of us do
commit mistakes daily,
and we are given the
opportunity to repent
and to ask Allah for His
forgiveness. He
instructed us to pray
Salaah five times a day,
to fast in Ramdhaan, to
discharge Zakaah, and to
perform Hajj. He opened
the door of repentance
and the door of
forgiveness. The door of
hope is wide enough for
every human being.
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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The Curse of
Interest |
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(This is a re-run of one
of the Ameer's previous
messages) |
Many Muslims believe that in
the present day and age the
Muslims cannot progress
economically without
involving themselves in
interest. However, in the
eyes of the Shari‘ah, it is
a vile economic crime.
Even if we do not make
any material progress but
manage to fulfil our primary
object on earth, we are
successful.
If we fail in
our primary objective we are
dismal failures even if we
own the world.
According to a hadith, riba
(interest) has seventy
categories, the lowest of
which is equal to having
committed incest with one's
mother" (Mishkaat) Hazrath
Jaabir Radhi-Allahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa
sallam also said: "Allah
Ta'aala has cursed the one
who consumes interest, the
one who gives it, the one
who records the transaction
and the one who witnesses it
- and all are equal in the
sin" (Sahih Muslim).
When the prohibition of
interest was revealed, many
Sahaaba Radhi-Allahu anhum
were deep in debts which
they owed to the kuffaar.
There were those who had
stones tied to their bellies
due to hunger. Some Sahaaba
Radhi-Allahu anhum would
faint due to starvation.
Many could not afford even
two pieces of cloth to cover
their bodies. A Sahaabi
Radhi-Allahu anhu wished to
get married but did not have
anything to give even as the
mehr. Rasulullah Sallallaahu
‘alayhi wa sallam himself
had to keep his armour as
security, with a Jew, for a
debt to fulfil the needs of
his household. Yet in these
conditions transacting in
interest, whether taking or
giving, was forbidden.
In the light of the
prohibitions of the Qur'an
and Hadith, we should
harbour a deep aversion and
hatred for interest and all
that is associated with it.
The very thought of
indulging in interest should
make us shudder out of fear
of incurring Allah Ta'ala's
punishment.
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