|
|
|
Weekly Comment |
|
Inequality: The Heart of Social
Discontent
|
There has been widespread
discontent among people of the
world from the Americas to South
East Asia through Africa and
Europe.
At the heart of
this discontent accompanied by
massive upheavals is the issue
of social justice. Delivery of
social justice has evaded
regimes in polities where the
masses remain impoverished and
increasing exposed to the
vagaries of unstable financial
markets.
The
manifestation of social
injustice is through the
inequities that characterise
many economies. Reports indicate
that the USA has 1% of the
population controlling 40% of
the national income.
GP
Klein, an economist reported in
his 2006 paper ‘Why
Intellectuals Still Support
Socialism’ about a survey which
found that over 80% of Americans
believed that income
redistribution was a legitimate
role and mandate of the
government.
Yet,
capitalism, the hallowed system
of the western world represents
a denial of such role of
government. Governments are
supposed to leave everything in
the Hidden Hand of the market.
According to this thinking,
profit should be maximised so
that entrepreneurs can get their
return. What goes to the rest of
the participants in the economy,
be it labour or the unemployed
is by way of a ‘trickle down.’
One wonders why it should
only be a trickle-down and not a
steady flow of resources which
should be redistributed in a
many that does not only
perpetuate dependency but
economically empowers the masses
so that they become active
participants of every economy.
Cyril Ramaphosa, a member of
the National Executive Committee
of the ruling ANC and
businessman with interests in
mining added his voice to the
nationalisation debate through a
comment in the 7 August edition
of the Sunday Times.
In
his argument, Ramaphosa
basically appealed to a better
understanding on Julius Malema,
ANCYL president on his advocacy
for nationalisation of mines.
Furthermore, Ramaphosa
acknowledged the challenges that
exist and the need for business
to seriously consider activities
and programmes for the promotion
of social welfare through direct
interventions.
It still
read like the same
‘trickle-down’ propositions.
However, the fact that more
and more attention is being
given to the search for ways of
addressing the stark disparities
that exists in the distribution
of national income is
encouraging.
We might
have started late. The many
service delivery protests that
take place around the country
have shown that the masses are
impatient and may not want to
wait any longer.
We have
to improve on our capacity to
deliver and also look at long
term social investment through
education which has proven to be
an effective tool for bridging
inequity and participation in
the modern economy.
Muslims too have an ever more
important role in providing
models that address the mass
poverty and inequality.
Institutions such as Zakaah and
other forms of charity need to
be used to bring about a society
devoid of a sense of deprivation
whose consequences we already
feel at the moment. |
|
|
C O N T E N T
S |
|
Summarised
Jumuah Bayaan |
|
Question and
Answer |
|
Update |
|
Message from the Ameer |
|
I N F O R M A
T I O N |
|
Min. Mahr |
R 282.52 |
|
Mahr Faatimi |
R 14,126.04 |
|
Zakaat Nisaab |
R 5,650.42 |
|
Words of Wisdom |
|
Hadith of the Week |
|
Signs of the Time |
.
Narrated Abu Huraira
Radhiallahu anhu: Allah’s
Messenger Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam said, “Allah said,
‘All the deeds of Adam’s
sons (people) are for them,
except fasting which is for
Me, and I will give the
reward for it.’ Fasting is a
shield or protection from
the fire and from committing
sins. If one of you is
fasting, he should avoid
sexual relation with his
wife and quarreling, and if
somebodyshould fight or
quarrel with him, he should
say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him
in Whose Hands my soul is’
The unpleasant smell coming
out from the mouth of a
fasting person is better in
the sight of Allah than the
smell of musk. There are two
pleasures for the fasting
person, one at the time of
breaking his fast, and the
other at the time when he
will meet his Lord; then he
will be pleased because of
his fasting.”.
(Bukhari)
. |
|
|
Quotation
of
the Week |
|
Face and Honour |
.
“Whoever limits his speech
to be in accordance with his
actions will (surely) lessen
his speech on that which
doesn't concern.”
(al-Fudayl ibn
'Iyaad)
. |
|
|
Point of Reflection |
|
Pecking Order |
.
Nature, time, and patience
are the three great
physicians.
(Bulgaria)
. |
|
|
|
Q and A |
Question:
Does
vomiting a mouthful nullify
a fast? Is there a
difference if the vomit is
induced?
|
Answer:
If a person vomits while
fasting, then although the
vomit may be a mouthful, the
fast will not be
invalidated.
However, if a person
actively induces vomit, then
if it is a mouthful, the
fast would be invalidated.
Haashiyah Tahtaawi 'Alaa
Miraaqil Falaah Pg. 662 &
677 - Qadeemee edition
<Go to
Top> |
|
U P D A T E |
Hajj Seminar
This year’s Hajj Seminar of the
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa for
the Johannesburg has been
scheduled to take place on
Sunday 14 August 2011 at the
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa’s
Auditorium (2nd Floor Baitul
Hamd) at 32 Dolly Rathebe Road
in Fordsburg from 10h00 until
14h30.
The seminar will
look at the journey of Hajj, its
virtues, Ihram, Umrah and five
days of Hajj. Ulama will give
tips on how to fruitfully spend
your time during the journey and
Ziyaarah of Madina.
There
will be a break for Zuhr Salah
between 12h30 and 13h00. Ladies
accommodation will be arranged,
insha-Allah.
Africa 1 Convoy
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
hosted Africa 1 Convoy on their
Gauteng leg of a tour which is
aimed at fundraising and
highlighting the plight of the
people of Gaza under siege.
Between Monday and Tuesday,
the convoy’s delegation has had
awareness programmes at the new
Ansar Masjid in Orlando East,
Maponya Mall in Soweto, Hamidia
Masjid in Newtown as well as
Mayfair Masjid.
The
convoy is an initiative which
will deliver needs of the people
of Gaza towards the end of
Ramadan. It is expected that the
first batch of supplies to Gaza
will be delivered by
Eid-ul-Fitr.
The
Muslim Judicial Council has
played a pivotal role in the
mission.
Sadaqatul Fitr
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
has determined this year’s
Sadaqatul Fitr minimum amounts
for 1432AH as follows:
Hanafi: R16.00 per
person
Shafi’î: R21.00 per
person
Timely
payment of Fitra facilitates
distribution before Eid in
accordance with the Sunnah.
Ibn Abbas radhi-allâhu ‘anhu
narrates that Rasulullâh
sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam has
made obligatory Sadaqatul Fitr
as a means of cleansing the
fasts from idle and lewd talk
and in order that it provides
food for the poor and destitute.
(Abû Dawûd)
Pay your
Sadaqatul Fitr, Kaffarah and
Fidya to any of the Jamiatul
Ulama South Africa’s office or
deposit into Jamiatul Ulama
Transvaal JHB Branch Account 1;
HBZ Bank Ltd; Branch: Fordsburg;
Branch Code: 570-105 Account
No.: 1953 285 937
Letter of Recommendation: Notice
to Donors
The
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
would like to inform the Muslim
community that the features of
the Letter of Recommendation
which is issued to fund-raisers
has changed.
The new
letter incorporates the new
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
logo. Other features of the
letter include: an embossed
seal, original signature of the
Ameer of the Jamiatul Ulama
South Africa, date of expiry and
applicable category of funds,
e.g. ZAKAAT and/or LILLAH.
Donors are advised the
following:
•To ask for
positive identification and
compare it with the name in
which the letter is issued. If
the names do not correspond,
confiscate the letter and inform
the Jamiat immediately
•To
check if the letter presented is
an original one. Only original
colour letters are acceptable.
If it is a photocopy, confiscate
it immediately and inform the
Jamiat
•Letters whose
validity date has expired should
be confiscated. Please inform
the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
immediately
•Always call the
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
office to verify before making
any donations
Dawood Cassim
(Moulana)
Treasurer
Somalia Famine
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
has issued an appeal for the
assistance of the people of
Somalia where famine has been
declared. So far, thousands of
women and children are reported
to face starvation as millions
are undernourished due to food
shortages that have resulted
from the drought in the Horn of
Africa.
Please help the
“Somalia Drought Relief” by
depositing contributions into:
Name: Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal
Relief Acc.
Bank/Branch:
Nedbank-Fordsburg
Branch
Code: 195305
Account Number:
1953 285 937
Please earmark
deposits with ref: “Somalia
Drought Relief” and fax
confirmations to: 011 373 8022
|
|
Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
|
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam and
Ramadan (II of IV) |
|
Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasalam
& his Wives |
“Indeed in the
Messenger of Allah
(Muhammad salallahu
alayhi wasalam) you have
a good example to follow
for him who hopes in
(the Meeting with) Allah
and the Last Day and
remembers Allah much.”
(33:21)
“And live
with them (your wives)
kindness…” (4:19)
• If one studies the
life of Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasalam
during the month of
Ramadan, it will become
apparent the balance he
maintained in fulfilling
the rights of his
beloved wives while at
the same time not
falling short in his
devotions to Allah. This
was despite the fact
that he said, ‘I am the
most Allah-consciousness
among you and I am the
most knowledgeable of
Allah from all of you.’
(Bukhari). At the same
time in another
narration he said, ‘The
best among you is the
one who is the best to
his wife and I am the
best to my family.’
(Tirmidhi)
•
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam displayed
this exemplary side of
his character too in the
most unique manner:
1. His
salallahu alayhi wasalam
teaching them
Many of the narrations
which depict the life of
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam during
Ramadan have been
narrated to us on the
authority of his beloved
wives. This is a clear
indication of how he
attempted to involve
them to be part of his
daily activity and to
educate them. Aisha
radhiyallahi anha
narrated that she asked
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam, ‘If I
happen to find the night
of power, what should I
say in du’a?’ He
replied, ‘Say: O Allah!
You are the Most
Forgiving, the Most
Generous, You love to
forgive, so please
forgive me.’ (Muslim)
2. His
salallahu alayhi wasalam
wives being informed
about him
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam did not
live a life wherein he
excluded his family
members from the
activities of his
mission of Prophethood
and his acts of worship.
Once, Aisha radhiyallahi
anha was asked, ‘How was
the (tahajud) salah of
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam during
Ramadan?’ She replied,
‘He would not perform
more than eleven raka’ah
of salah neither in
Ramadan nor out of
Ramadan. He would first
perform four raka’ah, do
not ask of how wonderful
and how long it was!
Thereafter he would
perform another four
raka’ah, do not ask of
how wonderful and how
long it was! Thereafter
he would perform three
raka’ah (witr).’
(Bukhari)
3. His salallahu
alayhi wasalam intimate
relations with his wives
The wives of Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasalam
serve as the greatest
source of reference for
the Ummah to come to
know of this aspect of
his noble life. Aisha
radhiyallahi anha
narrated regarding
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam, ‘When
the last ten days (of
Ramadan) arrived, he
would tightly fasten his
lower garment (i.e.
refrain from intimate
relations), spend the
nights in the worship of
Allah and awake his
family members (to join
in the same).’ (Bukhari)
In another narration,
she reports saying,
‘Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam would
kiss his wives whilst he
was fasting.’ Aisha
radhiyallahi anha was
asked, ‘Was it the
compulsory or the
optional fast?’ She
replied, ‘In both, the
compulsory and optional
fasts.’ (Muslim) As the
scholars have stated, if
a person has a fear that
such an action will lead
to invalidating the
fast, then one should
refrain completely from
it.
4.
His salallahu alayhi
wasalam encouragement to
exert in worship
In as much as the noble
Messenger salallahu
alayhi wasalam busied
himself in the worship
of Allah, he was always
concerned of the
spiritual welfare of his
household and never
lagged in this duty. Ali
radhiyallahi anhu says
that during the last ten
days if Ramadan,
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam would
awake his family members
(to engage in the
worship of Allah).
(Tirmidhi) Similarly,
when Aisha and Hafsa
radhiyallahi anhun
sought his permission to
sit in I’tikaaf during
the last ten days of
Ramadan, he permitted
them to do so. (Bukhari)
5. His
salallahu alayhi wasalam
marriage during Ramadan
What better
example can there be of
the moderation in the
personality of the most
beloved of Allah
salallahu alayhi
wasalam, in spite of his
apparent preoccupation
only with His creator
and the mission he had
at hand! Tarikh Tabari
has cited a narration
that Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasalam
married Zainub bint
Khuzaimah radhiyallahi
anha, the mother of the
poor, in the Ramadan of
the third year of hijra
and he consummated the
marriage in the very
same month.
•
These are but a few
glimpses of the life of
Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam during
this great month, more
so with reference to how
he interacted with his
wives and family members
during these days. A
keen observer will find
many more such examples
recorded in the books of
Seerah and Hadith. May
Allah bestow us with His
love and the love of His
Beloved salallahu alayhi
wasalam. Ameen
<Go to Top> |
|
Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
|
The Haafiz of the
Qur’an |
Ramadan is the month
wherein the Muslim community
engages in the important
ibaadah of fasting or sawm.
It is also the month wherein
taraweeh salah is performed
each night. During the
course of the taraweeh the
Qur’an is recited in its
entirety by those who have
memorized the Qur’an – the
huffaaz.
People often
speak about many huffaaz in
our communities as Ramadan
Huffaaz - such huffaaz who
do not focus strongly on the
revision of their
memorization during the
entire year but then work
hard on it during Ramadan,
to be able to recite it in
the taraweeh salah. This
reflection is made by
observers in a negative
light and is levelled as a
criticism against the
respective huffaaz. While it
is of utmost importance to
maintain a regular programme
of tilaawah and also
revision of the
memorization, maybe it would
be more constructive to look
at things in a positive
light. The huffaaz should be
commended for the tremendous
effort they make to prepare
for their recitation of the
Qur’an in the taraweeh
salah. They should be
encouraged to recite more
Qur’an in Ramadan and also
learn the sections allocated
them as best they can. They
should be persuaded to
strive hard in their efforts
relating to the recitation
and memorization of the
Qur’an, especially in
Ramadan. After all, Ramadan
is the month of the Qur’an.
At the same time the
huffaaz should then be
advised to maintain a
programme for the entire
year. Teachers of the Qur’an
often say that it easy to
become a hafiz, the real
test is in remaining a
hafiz. Hufaaz should
therefore be advised, with
wisdom, to structure
programmes for the
continuous and regular
revision of the Qur’an.
Huffaaz should also be
advised that the Qur’an they
have memorized is a trust
and they should never allow
this trust to slip away from
them.
In the same way
the responsibility of the
noble position of hafiz is
also a trust. It is a trust
that requires a person to
make every effort to
understand, practice, teach
and preach the Qur’an; a
trust that demands of the
hafiz that he becomes an
example; a trust that calls
upon him to be a leader not
only in salah but also in
all aspects of life. The
position of the hafiz is
most high and his
responsibilities are also
many.
May Allah
accept the huffaaz of our
communities, may He accept
our children to become
huffaaz and may He grant us
and them the guidance,
desire and inclination to
become such knowledgeable
persons of the Qur’an who
act upon the Qur’an and the
Sunnah. Aameen.
<Go to Top> |
|
|
|