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Weekly Comment |
Malaysia: Striking a Delicate
Balance
Malaysia has been gripped by a
raging debate since the
country’s high court ruling of
December 31 that the Catholic
weekly Herald had a
constitutional right to use the
word “Allah” to describe the
Christian God in its Bahasa
Malaysia section.
The
ruling sparked protests from
Muslim groups and has been
linked to a series of
firebombing and arson attacks
against at least eight churches
in the past few days.
Back in 2007, the former home
minister of Malaysia, Tan Sri
Syed Hamid Albar, had banned the
Catholic weekly from using the
term, citing national security
and “to avoid misunderstanding
and confusion among the
populace.”
The ruling was
an outcome of a judicial review
the Catholics had applied for in
order to overturn Albar’s
ministerial decree.
Those
surprised by the unrest, have
argued that elsewhere in the
world especially in the Middle
East, both Christians and
Muslims use the name “Allah.”
Next door to Malaysia, Muslim
and Christian communities use
the name “Allah” without much
ado.
What is different
about it in Malaysia?
Muslim groups in Malaysia think
that Christians are taking
advantage of the name “Allah” as
some sort of “sugar-coated”
medicine with which to lure
adherents of the Islamic faith
to Christianity.
They
argue that “Allah” in the Muslim
sense does not have connotations
that the Christian concept of
God has. As such, they want a
reserved use of the word “Allah”
for Muslims only.
The catch
remains that the name can be
found in any modern standard
language dictionary such as
English or even Malay. In this
case, how can the name be
reserved for exclusive Muslim
use?
Malaysia has been
ruled for decades by a national
front of Malay, Chinese and
Hindu community based
organisations. United Malay
National Organisation (UMNO) is
mainly Muslim-based.
Critics
believe that the whole matter
has been stirred up by
UMNO-dominated governing
alliance to shore up support
from the majority Muslims in the
country.
Regardless
of the veracity of this argument
of political posturing, the
violent reaction is deplorable
and damaging.
Malaysia has
been a fairly stable country
that has been advancing
economically, as well as
technologically. Her diverse
communities have lived together
over the years in relative
harmony.
It is hardly
convincing that firebombing
places of prayer of other faiths
can actually yield the desired
results without breeding
widespread instability in this
country. |
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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 |
R 162.63 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 8,131.54 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,252.62 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Fear Allah |
Abu Dharr and Mu`adh bin
Jabal Radhi-Allahu ‘anhuma
reported that: Messenger of
Allah Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam said, "Fear Allah
wherever you are, do good
deeds after doing bad ones,
the former will wipe out the
latter, and behave decently
towards people".
(At-Tirmidhi)
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Lasting Shield |
"Worshippers of Allah, be
patient and steadfast for
indeed patience and
steadfastness is a salvation
from unbelief...”
(Abu Ubaydah
Radhi-Allahu ‘anhu)
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Point of Reflection |
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The Average Man |
The wallet of the timid man
neither increases nor
decreases. (Malta)
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Q and A |
Question:
What is the ruling
with regard to the
performance of Salaah with
short sleeves or without a
topi?
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Answer:
It is Makrooh
to perform Salaah without a
Topi or with short sleeves.
(Fataawaa
Mahmoodiyyah Vol. 6 Pg. 651,
661/2; Tahtaawee 'Alaa
Durril Mukhtaar Vol. 1;
Fataawaa Raheemiyyah Vol. 3
Pg. 41, Vol. 4 Pg. 372/3,
Vol. 6 Pg. 351/2, Vol. 8 Pg.
150/1]
And Allâh
Ta’âla Knows Best.
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U P D A T E |
Presentation: Introduction to
Islam
Mufti
Muhammad Haffejee of the
Jamiatul Ulama’s Darul Ifta made
a presentation on Introduction
to Islam to 24 members of staff
of the International Air Travel
Association (IATA) in Sandton
yesterday.
After the
presentation, the attendees were
taken to Marlboro Masjid for a
‘field trip’ so as to
familiarise themselves with the
nature of the facilities of a
Muslim place of prayer.
The group was eager to know more
and had found interesting the
emphasis on aspects of hygiene
and openness in solemnisation of
marriages in particular.
At the masjid, the
discipline of timely observing
and following of the imam in
five-daily prayers as well as
taking off of shoes in
preserving the sanctity of a
prayer place fascinated the
group.
IATA, operates
from Sandown Mews. They had
requested the presentation from
the Jamiatul Ulama as part of
their staff training. IATA draws
membership from the airline
industry which it ‘represents,
leads and serves.’
Jamiatul Ulama’s Bursary Fund
Applications for the Jamiatul
Ulama’s Bursary Fund remain open
until 31 January 2010.
Prospective applicants may
obtain forms from any of the
Jamiatul Ulama branches.
JUT Publishing Book Orders
The
management of JUT Publishing,
the book distribution arm of the
Jamiatul Ulama’s Taalimi board
would like to advise those
responsible for purchase of
textbooks for madaris to place
their orders timely to avoid
last minute rush. Orders can be
forwarded to JUT Publishing by
Fax: 011 373 8043 or email:
tasheel[at]islamsa.org.za
(Replace ‘[at]’ with ‘@’).
New Jamiatul Ulama
Calendar for 2010
The Jamiatul Ulama Calendar for
2010 is now available from the
Jamiatul Ulama offices or
selected outlets. The theme of
the selected pictures collected
for this issue of the calendar
is Islamic centres of higher
learning. The calendar contains
both Hijri and Gregorian dates,
new moon information, prayer
times as well as monthly
messages of inspiration. The
price is R30.00 a copy.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Tawakkul |
Allah Ta'ala says:
"Upon Allah should the
Believers have Tawakkul
(trust)."
Whoever
relies on Allah (has
Tawakkul), He is
sufficient for him
(At-Talaaq 65:3)
Rasulullah Sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said:
"When you ask, ask
of Allah and when you
seek aid, seek from
Allah . … If the entire
creation were to gather
to benefit you in any
way, they would not be
able to do so, accept
that which Allah has
writtenb for you, and if
the entire creation were
to gather to harm you in
any way, they would not
be able to so, except
that which Allah has
written down for you."
• Tawakkul is
one of the evidences of
imaan. A person with
true faith will always
rely on Allah / have
Tawakkul. Lack of
Tawakkul indicates lack
of true faith. Allah
describes tawakkul as a
quality of the
Believers:
The
believers are only those
who: when Allah is
mentioned, their hearts
become fearful; when His
verses are recited to
them, they increase
their faith; and only on
their Lord they rely
(have Tawakkul).
• Tawakkul has been
enjoined upon people
through the ages by
different Ambiyaa
(alayhis salam):
When Moosa `alayhi
invited Bane Israel to
enter Palestine, they
refused to do so, being
scared of the strength
of the enemy. Two of the
believers endowed with
true faith spoke up and
said, (Al-Ma'idah 5:23)
/ (Younus 10:83-85)
A person with tawakkul
will bravely,
unflinchingly and
steadfastly continue
working for Islamic
objectives regardless of
the impediments, threats
and hardships
encountered.
When
Nooh `alayhissalaam was
rebuked and threatened,
this is how he
responded: (Younus
10:71)
During
resistance from his
people, the Messenger
Hood `alayhissalaam said
to them: (Hood 11:56)
Shu’aib
`alayhissalaam said to
his people: (Hood 11:88)
Ibrahim
`alayhissalaam and his
people’s struggle and
Tawakkul are presented
as a model:
(Al-Mumtahinah 60:5-6)
This has been the
way of all prophets,
messengers and Islamic
workers:
(Ibrahim14:11-12) /
(Ar-Ra’d 13:30)
• Tawakkul is an
attribute that results
from a true Eeman in
Allaah Subhaanahu wa
Ta`aala and the
hereafter and continual
remembrance of both. It
is an attitude that
emanates from the
conviction that
everything come sfrom
Allah.
• The real
meaning [haqiqa] of
absolute trust
[tawakkul] is delegating
all one's affairs to
Allah (Almighty and
Glorious is He), making
a clean escape from the
concept of personal
choice and
self-management, and
advancing to the arenas
where the [divine]
decrees [ahkam] and
foreordainment [taqdir]
are experienced
directly.
•
‘Umar Bin Khattaab,
radhiallahu `anhu heard
the Messenger of Allah,
Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa
sallam saying, “If you
trust Allah with right
kind of Tawakkul, He
will provide you
sustenance as He
provides for the birds –
they go out in the
morning with empty
stomachs and come back
in the evening with full
stomachs.” (Tirmidzi).
• Tawakkul must
also not take on wrong
connotations.
• A
person asked the Prophet
(sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam), “Should I tie
my camel and have
Tawakkul (trust in Allah
for her protection) or
should I leave her
untied and have
Tawakkul.” The Messenger
replied, “Tie her and
then have Tawakkul.”
(Reported by Tirmidzi
from Anas)
• Is
it not time that we
stopped focusing on the
strength of the locks on
our doors, bit rather
focused on the strength
of our imaan and trust
in Allah?
•
Nobody does, only Allah.
Nobody can do anything
accept with the Will and
Permission of Allah.
Everything takes place
in the Wisdom of Allah.
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Live Islam |
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(This is a re-run of one
of the Amir’s previous
messages) |
Muslims in South Africa, as
a minority face many
challenges, but are also
presented with many
opportunities.
Among the
greater challenges that they
face is the aspect of
raising their children in
such a manner that they can
co-exist with their
religious and other
counterparts and still
maintain their dignity,
respect and identity.
The greatest fear that
every parent has is that of
his child assimilating and
being absorbed into the life
and way of the non-Muslim
majority to such an extent
that the child loses all
trace and sense of what it
really means to be a Muslim.
Trends from the general
society are creeping into
the homes of Muslims, who
quickly find themselves
grappling with the ills and
evils of a free lifestyle; a
lifestyle which is at odds
with the Islamic life of
modesty, discipline,
self-restraint and obedience
to the command of Allah, at
all costs. Muslims find
themselves having to deal
with drug-abuse, gambling,
intoxication, increasing
divorce rates, child abuse
and other such problems.
While examining ways of
circumventing the problem
from within, in the context
of these ‘challenges’ we, as
Muslims, need to see
opportunity.
As
Muslims, we have no doubt
that the cure to all the
evils of the world rests in
the Islamic way and manner.
It is our duty and
responsibility to convey
this message to all and
sundry.
With the
difficulties that the people
of the world face, they are
desperately searching for
solutions. They are prepared
to accept even the
outrageous, ridiculous,
bizarre and insane
suggestions as a possible
spark of a light at the end
of the tunnel. It is for
this reason that we see the
flurry of outlandish cults
that would make no sense to
any sane mind.
In such an
environment, the ground is
fertile for planting the
seeds of imaan, and
presenting Islam as the way
of life that would save and
protect them from the
dangerous devices and trends
of the current world.
It is however, most
important to remember that
Islam has to be presented to
them in a way that they
understand. People want to
see results. Unfortunately,
the examples that we wish to
be able to rely on in
presenting Islam, on a
global level, are few and
far between. We can and must
show them Islam through the
life of the Prophet Muhammad
Sallallahu `alayhi wa
sallam, but we must also
begin to illustrate this
Islam in our own lives. It
is then that they will
believe.
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