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Weekly Comment |
For
Empire, Old Habits Die Hard
Given the vociferous and
insistent stance of Obama on the
need for Israel to halt
settlements completely – it is
indeed strange how Hillary
Clinton came out in support of
Israel on the issue of illegal
Israeli settlements, earlier
this week.
Precisely how
Israel is ‘exercising restraint’
in their increased establishment
of settlements is indeed
puzzling and how they have taken
‘unprecedented steps’ in this
regarded is baffling, and
dumbfounding.
Yesterday’s
decision by the US House of
Representatives condemning the
Goldstone UN report and
labelling the report as
‘irredeemably biased and
unworthy of further
consideration or legitimacy’ is
shocking, scandalous, deplorable
and even frightening.
The fact that the bill proposing
the condemnation enjoyed such a
wholehearted majority support in
the US House of Representatives
(344 – 36 vote), brings into
serious question the integrity
of the entire US House of
Representatives.
As
Obama’s term of Office comes
close to one year, promises and
expectations of his presidency
must be questioned. Many would
now argue that, surely, the
Nobel Peace Prize was at the
least, premature, and probably
even unwarranted.
The
escalation of the killings in
Afghanistan, the façade of an
election that has established a
‘recognized and legitimate
leadership’, and the shambles of
almost everything in the
country, is an indication of
Obama’s lack of success in a
country which he identified as
amongst his primary missions.
Additionally, the gory
consequence of his failure in
Afghanistan has seen the
Pakistan situation become
appalling, horrifying and
unbearable.
The situation
in Iraq has also deteriorated.
Obama had to backtrack on his
early interpretations and
election promises regarding the
situation on the ground, and he
has never been consistent,
emphatic or decisive in his
policies there.
The
Middle East is a most glaring
example of Obama’s disappointing
performance. The speed of the
turnaround in policies regarding
conditions and pre-conditions
for discussions casts serious
doubts about the strength of the
man and even makes questionable
the veracity of the superpower
of the world.
Is it still
too early for the Obama
Administration to make tangible
difference? Probably. However,
the hesitant, timid and
tentative steps of the
administration in taking the
necessary steps to effect
fundamental reversals in
American foreign policy do not
inspire as much confidence
anymore.
The goodwill of
the Muslim world which Barack
Obama had earlier in the year
worked hard for is all but gone.
(In)actions do not match the
words and everyone can see
through it. |
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C O N T E N T
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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 |
R152.00 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 7,600.22 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,040.09 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Rewardable Fear |
.
Abu Dharr
Radhi-Allahu anhu reported
the Messenger of Allah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
as saying: “He knew a verse
which would suffice men if
they would but apply it,
‘For him who fears Allah, He
will appoint a way out and
He will give him provision
from an unimagined source.’”
(Ahmad, Ibn Majah,
Darimi).
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Advisable |
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He that lends a listening
ear to reproach is one of
those that deserve reproach.
(Ali
Radhi-Allahu anhu)
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Point of Reflection |
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Cause and Effect |
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If you love your cow, tie it
up. If you love your child,
discipline him/her.
(Thai Proverb)
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Q and A |
Question:
As a
young man who is looking to
get married soon,
Insha-Allah, and will be
going to see few girls for
proposals, I would like to
know how long should one
speak to the girl for and
what questions should one
ask and what shouldn't be
asked?
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Answer:
When going to see a
girl with the intention of a
marriage proposal, certain
Ulama have allowed that the
boy may ask certain relevant
questions to the girl in the
presence of her Mahram. The
questions that may be asked
would depend on aspects that
are important to the boy.
Others, however, are of the
view that the boy is not
allowed to speak to the girl
at all as the Hadith makes
mention of looking at the
girl and not of speaking to
her. None of the Ulama,
however, give permission for
the boy and girl to
communicate thereafter. If
the boy requires any
information from the girl he
may ask his sister, aunt,
etc. to speak to the girl
and get the information that
he requires.
Thinking
that by courting the boy
will get to know the girl
better is fallacious.
Getting to know one another
better before marriage is
the mindset of the
disbelievers and experience
has proven what a dismal
failure this ideology is.
The Shari’ah has given
criteria that we should
follow when choosing a
spouse and upon these
criteria a decision can be
made. A person may also seek
assistance from Allah
Ta'aala in his
decision-making through the
means of Salaatul
Istikhaarah.
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U P D A T E |
Qurbani
Qurbâni arrangements have been
made by the Jamiatul Ulama.
Kindly forward your payments not
later than Wednesday, 25th
November 2009 to any of the
Jamiat Offices
OR Deposit
directly into our
Jamiatul
Ulama
Nedbank Fordsburg;
Account No: 1953 285 937
Please earmark your payment
“QURBANI 2009”
COST PER
SHARE: R950.00 (Local) R225.00
(India)
Jumuah at the New Airport
Musallah
Note
that the musallah at the airport
now has a Jumuah prayer session.
The time of the adhaan is 12h30
and khutbah starts at 12h50.
Location: International
Arrivals Terminal. Take
escalator down to Parkade 1,
Level 1. It will be on the right
hand side.
‘Ideologies that Shape Minds in
the Modern World’
The workshop with the
above-named theme took place as
scheduled on Saturday 31 October
2009 at the Jamiatul Ulama’s
auditorium.
It was
attended by over 50
participants. Moulana Dawood
Cassim and Moulana Muhammad
Ashraf Dockrat made
presentations that traced the
historical development of
ideologies and how they shape
thought in modern world.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
Dhu Al-Qa’dah
Week Three:
Reward
for Good Deeds - Purity |
“Allah loves those who
repent and who purify
themselves.” (2:222)
• The Love of Allah
is dynamic in that it
calls for a complete
change in the life of
Man. Man has to purify
his soul from belief in
all besides Allah, so
that only Allah can
reside therein. This
form of purity also
includes purifying
oneself from sin and
other types of spiritual
maladies of the heart.
Purification is known as
Tahaarah in Islam. When
enjoining cleanliness of
the body, Islam awakens
us to the fact that when
impurities on the body
of a man have an
unhealthy effect on both
physical and mental
health, how miserable
life is when the soul is
polluted with
impurities!
•
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
‘Cleanliness is half of
faith.’ (Muslim)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘When a
Muslim servant or
believer performs wudhu,
and washes his face,
every sin which he
committed with his eyes
leaves his face with the
water or with the last
drop of water. Then when
he washes his hands,
every sin which his
hands committed leaves
his hands with the water
or with the last drop of
water. Then when he
washes his feet, every
sin towards which his
feet walked leaves his
feet with the water or
with the last drop of
water. This continues
till he is completely
purified of sin.’
• Humran narrates
that Uthman radhiyallahu
anhu asked for water to
perform wudhu when he
intended to go out on a
cold night. I brought
the water to him. Then
washed his face and
hands. I said to him,
‘That is sufficient
because it is extremely
cold tonight.’ He
replied, I heard
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam saying,
‘When a person performs
a complete wudhu his
past and future sins are
forgiven.’
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu narrates, ‘I heard
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam saying,
‘My followers will be
summoned on the Day of
Resurrection while their
foreheads and limbs will
be glowing white due to
the effect of wudhu, so
whoever from amongst you
is able to lengthen his
whiteness should do so
(through constant
wudhu).’
• Jabir
bin Abdillah
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Should I
not inform you of an
action by which Allah
wipes out mistakes and
with which he expiates
sins?’ He said,
‘Performing complete
wudhu despite
difficulties, taking
many steps to the
Masjid, and waiting for
the next Salaah
immediately after the
present Salaah is
completed.’
•
Ali radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Whoever
performs a complete
wudhu in severe cold
shall receive double
reward.’
• Abu
Umamah radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Use the
miswaak for it purifies
the mouth and earns one
the pleasure of Allah.
On every occasion that
Jibra-eel alayhis salaam
came to me, he strongly
advised me to use the
miswaak, to such an
extent that I feared
that it might be made
compulsory upon me and
my followers. Were it
not for my fear of
causing difficulty on my
followers, I would have
made the use of miswaak
compulsory upon them. I
use the miswaak to such
an extent that I fear
losing my front teeth.’
• Aisha
radhiyallahu anha
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘The
superiority of Salaah
before which the miswaak
is used is 70 times more
in reward than Salaah
without miswaak.’
• Thauban
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Remain
steadfast and you will
never be able to
encompass the rewards
that in store for you if
you remain steadfast.
You should know that the
best of your deeds is
Salaah. None but a true
believer can safeguard
the wudhu.’
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Examinations |
Schools and Universities
have commenced their
year-end examinations.
The examination period
is a period of concentrated
study and hard work. The
period is filled with
occasions of frantic
last-minute cramming and
desperate measures to ensure
that relevant sections of
work are all covered.
Students will often be found
to attend extra tuition
sessions in particular
subjects and form study
groups. They will often miss
many meals and regularly
burn the midnight oil.
At the end it will be
found that the best results
are attained not by those
students who studied
extremely hard at the end of
the year but rather by those
who worked diligently,
patiently and consistently
throughout the year.
The examination period
should be a reminder to us
of the greater examination –
the examination that will
determine our ultimate
success, in the Court of
Allah.
For success
in this true and great
examination there is no
opportunity to cram for the
finals – for one knows not
when it is to come; there is
no opportunity for any tips
– for the examiner is not an
ordinary teacher; there is
no possibility to cheat –
for the invigilator is Most
Aware; there is no chance of
favouritism – because the
assessor is Most Just; and
there are no supplementary
exams – a pass is a pass and
a fail a fail for all of
eternity.
Let us
remind ourselves that the
life we have been given is
an opportunity to earn
rewards, that death must
come to all and that true
success is success in the
Eyes of Allah. Let us urge
one another to prepare for
the life hereafter. Aameen.
May Allah (subhanahu wa
ta’aala) grant us and our
children success in our
examinations – in all our
examinations. May Allah
(subhanahu wa ta`aala) guide
us in all that we do.
Aameen.
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