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Weekly Comment |
The Moral Dilemma: Setting the
Record Straight
The South
African nation has yet again
been challenged by a moral
question. Much more
uncomfortably challenged have
been the ruling party, the
African National Congress and
her alliance partners.
“How do
you condemn ‘a comrade’ and a
president for a conduct likely
to tarnish the image of your
organisation?” “How do you
publicly renounce such conduct
without withdrawing support for
such a leader?”
If we
discount it as only ‘private
matter,’ what signal does it
send to the rest of the country,
especially the youth, at a time
when they need practical role
models in society?
It is no
wonder that when the news of
President Jacob Zuma’s fathering
of a child out of wedlock first
surfaced, you could hardly hear
anything decisive as a position
held by the relevant government
or party spokespersons.
Save for
members of the opposition
parties who had one thing or
another to say, those charged
with spin-doctoring almost went
underground, surfacing only to
parry questions using evasive
sound-bites if not double-speak.
As the
story developed, it emerged that
those throwing stones from the
opposition were themselves
characters also living in
proverbial ‘glasshouses.’
Judging by
the many voices of censure we
have heard, one naturally
wonders if at all we ever had a
moral filter for choosing our
leaders. Has there been an
established moral standard which
our leaders have to pass before
they qualify for public office?
In the
absence of such a standard,
where do we draw the line?
Our
society is grappling with a
myriad of issues in matters of
identity, class, nationhood and
development. As South Africans
have the liberty of choosing the
kind of leaders we want to take
us through the challenges. These
are leaders who project our
image as a nation to the whole
world.
Given that
leaders are a reflection of our
society, are we nurturing such
leaders in our homes,
communities and organisations so
that those with desirable
qualities are not short in
supply? If we are not, then we
have to live with the fact as a
matter of our reality in which
we lose the right to demand high
moral standards of our leaders.
As events
unfold, it is interesting to
note that the society seems to
have a fair degree of what is
tolerable beyond which eyebrows
are raised and patience
evaporates. However, why are we
are afraid to take the next step
of defining where we draw the
line? |
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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 143.67 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 7,183.57 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 2,873.43 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Reward for a
Reconciler |
Narrated Abū Hurairah
Radhi-Allahu anhu: The
Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam said: "There is a
Sadaqa [charitable gift] to
be given for every joint of
the human body; and for
every day on which the sun
rises there is a reward of a
Sadaqa for the one who
establishes justice among
people."
(Al-Bukhari)
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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The Tongue |
“The tongue is the
posting of the heart. It
shows man his intellect.”
(Ibn Mubarak)
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Point of Reflection |
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True Friends |
Only your real friends
will tell you when your face
is dirty.
(Sicilian)
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Q and A |
Question:
A
woman started menstruating.
Shortly after that, her
husband issued Islamic
divorce. I know that three
cycles must be passed but
would like to know if this
one would be counted as the
first.
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Answer:
If the Talaaq was
issued after the menses had
started then that particular
menstruation would not be
counted as the first period.
The next period, after
becoming clean from the
current one, would be
counted as the first
menstrual period.
It
should be borne in mind that
issuing divorce in the
manner described is contrary
to the teachings of Nabi
(Sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam).
<Go to
Top> |
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U P D A T E |
Taalimi Board
Supervisors Visit Limpopo
Supervisors of the Taalimi Board
of the Jamiatul Ulama went to a
number of towns in the far north
of the country visiting areas
such as Venda, Tzaneen and
Musina.
Rural communities
have challenges faced in the
imparting of Islamic knowledge
to children. These challenges
include high turnover of
teaching staff. This militates
against sustained quality
education. New teachers have to
be trained and apprised with
teaching techniques and
curriculum, necessitating
frequent visits to those
affected institutes.
It
remains encouraging however that
congregations are able to manage
the diversity that exists in the
communities, and are
facilitating the imparting of
Islamic knowledge with
dedication.
Ulama Workshop on Education
Ulama are invited to attend a
workshop on Education. This
workshop is scheduled for
Saturday, 5 Rabi’ul Awwal 1431 /
20 February 2010 at Baitul Hamd,
32 Dolly Rathebe Avenue,
Fordsburg. It will commence at
9:00am and end at 12:30pm.
The workshop will address
the following two topics:
“Current Learning Trends, Themes
and Perspectives,” and “A
Child’s World: Infancy to
Adolescence.”
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Steadfastness |
“We will test you with a
certain amount of fear,
hunger and loss of
wealth, life and fruits.
But give good news
to the steadfast.”
(2:155)
“The
steadfast will be paid
their wages in full
without any reckoning.”
(39:10)
• Suhayb
ibn Sinan radhiyallahu
anhu said: Rasulullah
sallallahu alyhi
wasallam said, ‘What an
extraordinary thing the
affair of the believer
is! All of it is good
for him. And that only
applies to the believer.
If good fortune is his
lot, he is grateful and
it is good for him. If
something harmful
happens to him, he is
steadfast and that is
good for him too.’
(Muslim)
• Usama
ibn Zayd radhiyallahu
anhu said: A daughter of
Rasulullah sallallahu
alyhi wasallam sent a
message to him saying,
‘One of my sons is
dying, so come.’ He sent
his greetings to her and
said, ‘What Allah takes
is His and what He gives
is His. Everything has a
fixed term with Him, so
she should show
fortitude and expect a
reward.’ She sent to him
imploring him to come to
her. He got up with Sa’d
ibn ‘Ubada, Mu’adh ibn
Jabal, Ubayy ibn Ka’b,
Zayd ibn Thabit and some
other men. The child was
brought to Rasulullah
sallallahu alyhi
wasallam and he was
shuddering. The eyes of
Rasulullah sallallahu
alyhi wasallam were
flowing with tears and
Sa’d radhiyallahu anhu
said, ‘Messenger of
Allah, what is this?’ He
said, ‘This is an aspect
of mercy which Allah has
put in the hearts of His
slaves.’ One variant
has, ‘In the hearts of
whomever He will of His
slaves. Allah is
merciful to those of His
slaves who are
merciful.’ (Bukhari and
Muslim)
• Suhayb
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alyhi
wasallam said, ‘Among
those before you there
was a king who had a
sorcerer. When he was
old, he said to the
king, ‘I am old, so send
me a lad to whom I can
teach sorcery.’ He sent
him a lad for him to
teach. When the boy was
on the way, he came upon
a monk. He sat down to
listen to his words and
liked what he heard.
Whenever he went to the
sorcerer, he would pass
by the monk and sit with
him. When he came to the
sorcerer, the sorcerer
would beat him. He
complained about that to
the monk who said, ‘When
you are afraid of the
sorcerer, say, ‘My
family kept me.’ And
when you are afraid of
your family, say, ‘The
sorcerer kept me.’ While
all this was going on,
he came upon a great
beast which was barring
the people’s way on the
pathway and said, ‘Today
I will find out who is
better, the sorcerer or
the monk.’ He took a
stone and said, ‘O
Allah, if what the monk
does is preferable to
You to what the sorcerer
does, then turn this
beast aside so that the
people can pass.’ He
threw it and killed the
animal and the people
went on. He went to the
monk and told him and
the monk said to him, ‘O
my boy, today you are
better than I am. I see
the point that your
affair has reached. You
will be tested and when
you are tested, do not
point me out.’ The boy
used to heal the blind
and the lepers, and
treat people for all
their ailments. A
companion of the king
who was blind heard this
and brought him many
gifts. He said, ‘All
that I have gathered for
you here is yours if you
heal me.’ He said, ‘I do
not heal anyone. It is
Allah Almighty who
heals. If you believe in
Allah Almighty, I will
pray to Allah to heal
you.’ So he believed in
Allah Almighty and Allah
Almighty healed him. He
went to the king and sat
with him as he used to
do. The king said to
him, ‘Who has returned
your sight to you?’ He
said, ‘It was my Lord.’
He said, ‘You have a
Lord other than me?!’ He
said, ‘My Lord and your
Lord, Allah.’ So he
seized him and did not
stop torturing him until
he pointed out the boy.
The boy was brought and
the king said to him, ‘O
boy, your sorcery has
reached the point where
you heal the blind and
the lepers, and you do
such-and-such and
such-and-such.’ He said,
‘I do not heal anyone.
It is Allah Almighty who
heals.’ He seized him
and did not stop
torturing him until he
pointed out the monk.
The monk was brought and
told, ‘Renounce your
religion.’ He refused.
He called for a saw and
placed the saw on the
centre of his head and
split it until the two
halves fell apart. Then
the companion of the
king was brought and
told, ‘Renounce your
religion!’ He refused,
and the saw was placed
on the centre of his
head and split it until
the two halves fell
apart. Then the boy was
brought and told,
‘Renounce your
religion,’ and he
refused. He handed him
over to a group of his
companions and said,
‘Take him to
such-and-such a
mountain, and take him
up the mountain. When
you reach its summit, if
he has not renounced his
religion, throw him
off.’ They took him and
brought him up the
mountain and he said, ‘O
Allah, save me from them
in whatever way You
will.’ The mountain
shook and they fell. He
walked to the king and
the king said to him,
‘What has happened to
your companions?’ He
said, ‘Allah Almighty
saved me from them.’ He
handed him over to a
group of his companions
and said, ‘Take him and
put him in a ship and
take him to the middle
of the sea. If he does
not renounce, then throw
him into it.’ They took
him and he said, ‘O
Allah, save me from them
in whatever way You
will.’ The ship capsized
and they were drowned.
He walked back to the
king and the king said
to him, ‘What has
happened to your
companions?’ He said,
‘Allah Almighty saved me
from them.’ He said to
the king, ‘You will not
kill me until you do
what I command you.’ He
said, ‘What is that?’ He
said, ‘You should gather
the people together on
one plain and crucify me
on a palm trunk. Then
take an arrow from your
quiver and put the arrow
in the centre of your
bow and say, ‘In the
name of Allah, the Lord
of the boy,’ and then
shoot it. If you do
that, you will kill me.’
So he gathered the
people together on one
plain and crucified him
on a trunk and then took
his arrow from his
quiver and placed the
arrow in the middle of
the bow and then said,
‘In the name of Allah,
the Lord of the boy,’
and then shot it and the
arrow struck his temple.
He put his hand on his
temple and then died.
The people said, ‘We
believe in the Lord of
the boy.’ The king was
brought and told, ‘Do
you not see that, by
Allah, your fear has
brought about the very
thing you were afraid
of! The people have
believed.’ So he
commanded that a trench
be dug with openings
onto it and had fires
lit in it. He said,
‘Throw into it, anyone
who does not renounce
his religion or tell him
to jump.’ They did that
until a woman came with
one of her children. She
hesitated to jump into
it and the child said to
her, ‘Mother, be
steadfast! You have the
truth.’ (Muslim)
• Anas radhiyallahu
anhu said: I heard
Rasulullah sallallahu
alyhi wasallam say,
‘Allah the Mighty and
Exalted says, ‘When I
test My slave regarding
the two things he loves
and he shows fortitude,
I repay him for them
with Jannah.’ He meant
his two eyes. (Bukhari)
• ‘Abdullah ibn
Mas‘ud radhiyallahu anhu
said, ‘It is as if I
could still see
Rasulullah sallallahu
alyhi wasallam talking
about one of the
Prophets alayhis salaam
whose people beat him,
making his blood flow.
While he was wiping the
blood from his face, he
said, ‘O Allah, forgive
my people. They do not
know.’ (Bukhari and
Muslim)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alyhi wasallam said, ‘No
fatigue, illness,
anxiety, sorrow, harm or
sadness afflicts any
Muslim, even to the
extent of a thorn
pricking him, without
Allah wiping out his
mistakes by it.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)
• Anas radhiyallahu
anhu said: Rasulullah
sallallahu alyhi
wasallam said, ‘None of
you should wish for
death because of some
harm which has befallen
him. If he has got to do
something, he should
say, ‘O Allah, make me
live if life is best for
me and make me die if
death is best for me.’
(Bukhari and Muslim)
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Proper Upbringing of
Children |
Many a time, parents
complain about the
disobedience of their
children, their rebellion
and desire to indulge in
unlawful activities. Is this
because parents themselves
have faltered in their
Islamic responsibility to
their children? Is it due to
their own oversight and lack
of proper Islamic upbringing
that they are the first to
taste the bitter fruit of
their negligence?
Children are, in reality, an
enormous blessing for their
parents. If the proper
Islamic etiquette is taught
to them, they can become one
of the fragrant flowers of
paradise and a means of
enhancing the honour of
their parents. They will
look after their parents in
their old age, always honour
and respect them and be the
“coolness of their eyes” as
mentioned in the Qur’an. On
the other hand, if proper
Islamic character is not
taught to them, they will
become a veritable coal of
hellfire and their behaviour
will turn their parent’s
world into a living hell.
There are many
guidelines in the shari’ah
regarding the proper
upbringing of children.
Rasulallah Sallallahu
'alayhi wasallam said that
the best gift a parent can
give his child is proper
Islamic education and
nurturing. Rasulullah
Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam
also said that that when a
child becomes seven years
old, the habit of performing
salaat should be inculcated
within them, and when they
reach ten years of age, they
should be warned for
neglecting salaat. (Tirmidhi
vol. 1, no: 39) In another
tradition, Rasulullah
Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam
has said that one should
encourage ones children to
do three things:
(i)
to have love for Rasulullah
Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam,
(ii) to have love for
the household of Rasulullah
Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam,
and
(iii) to recite the
Qur’an Majeed regularly.
The minds of children
are ripe and mature. Thus,
whatever teachings, lessons
and habits are imbibed from
an early age, will last till
old-age. If one wishes one
children to tread the
straight path, the first
step in achieving this is
that his/her parents should
first be on the right path
and set the correct example
themselves. They can not
expect to rectify their
children if they do not set
an example of beautiful
character themselves.
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