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Weekly Comment |
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Make the Count Matter
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Statistics South Africa is at
the busiest period of the
department’s ten-year cycle. The
once-in-a-decade census exercise
is underway.
This is the
census month. From 10 until 31
October 2011, thousands of
enumerators will be on the road
in the neighbourhoods capturing
statistics of numbers of people,
where they live, what they do,
age, their educational
attainments and many other
variables.
It has been
the wish of a number of
faith-based organisations to use
the results of the national
census in order to determine the
numerical strengths of their
adherents.
However,
according to Statistics South
Africa, in line with
internationally-adopted census
norms, during Census 2011,
religion will not be one of the
variables to capture on their
questionnaire.
Based on
this fact as well as the
reported incidents in which
criminals posing as numerators
have robbed households, there
has been a negative sentiment
towards the whole exercise in as
far as it would be useful to
those counted.
Census
results are used in a number of
ways. Even the variables such as
religion that are not directly
captured in the exercise are
often extracted and interpolated
from census results.
Furthermore, based on census
results, local government wards
are demarcated. This has a
bearing on the number of
officials that can represent a
specific municipal regional.
Social service delivery
planning in areas of education,
health, transport and other
amenities also hinge on the
numerical strength of the
inhabitants of an area.
Local authorities are better
equipped to access adequate
funding for infrastructural
development when the population
figures are well known.
Social welfare providers and
advocacy groups serving the poor
and needy are also better
informed of the areas requiring
their various interventions in
order to better the lives of the
wider public.
Census
result will not fix it all.
Historically, census results
have been notorious for taking
too long in coming after the
actual counting is long over.
However, our cooperation would
help in nudging the results to
give a fairer picture of our
population dynamics, so that
this expensive exercise which is
embarked upon using national
resources is worthwhile.
To this end, the Jamiatul Ulama
South Africa is encouraging
Muslim communities to
participate in the national
census as a civic duty toward
the land we call home.
Visit the official website of
Statistics South Africa
(www.statssa.gov.za) or any
civic offices in your area to
learn more about the census,
security measures that you can
take so that you are on your
guard as well as alternative
ways in which you can
participate in the census such
as self-enumeration at your own
convenience. |
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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 261.67 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 13 083.54 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 5 233.41 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Asking for
Forgiveness |
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Thauban Radhiallahu anhu
reported: Whenever the
Messenger of Allah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
finished his Salat (prayer),
he would beg forgiveness
three times [by saying,
`Astaghfirullah' (3 times)]
and then he would say:
"Allahumma Antas-Salamu, wa
minkas-Salamu, tabarakta ya
Dhal-Jalali wal-Ikram. (O
Allah! You are the Bestower
of security and security
comes from You; Blessed are
You. O Possessor of glory
and honour).'' Imam
Al-Auza‘i (one of the
subnarrators) of this Hadith
was asked: "How forgiveness
should be sought?'' He
replied: "I say:
Astaghfirullah,
Astaghfirullah (I seek
forgiveness from Allah. I
seek forgiveness from
Allah).'' (Muslim)
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Frustrated Hopes |
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“When hopes are frustrated
despair becomes the way of
life." (Ali bin Abu
Talib RA)
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Point of Reflection |
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Take Action |
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Man who waits for roast duck
to fly into mouth must wait
very, very long time.
(China)
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Q and A |
Question:
A
person was following the
Imaam in Salaah and the
Imaam happened to recite an
Aayah that necessitates
Sajadah Tilaawah. He
performed the Sajdah as is
required. However, the
follower just remained
standing and did not perform
the Sajdah with the Imaam.
What is the status of the
Salaah of the follower? Is
it necessary to repeat the
Salaah? If not, must a
Sajdah be made after
completing the Salaah?
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Answer:
In the enquired
scenario, your Salaah will
be valid if you just
continued your Salaah with
the Imaam after he came back
to Qiyaam. There will
neither be a need to repeat
your Salaah nor perform an
individual Sajdah Tilaawah
after the Salaah of the
Imaam.
Additional
references:
Hindiyyah
1/134
Al-Bahr 2/121
Al-Tabyeen 1/502
Haashiyyah Tahtawiyyah 1/492
Shaami 2/112
Hindiyyah
1/134
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U P D A T E |
Taalimi Board’s End of
Year Examinations
The Jamiatul Ulama’s Taalimi
Board will start end of year
oral examinations in
institutions that are affiliated
to it 18 October up to 2
December 2011. Oral examinations
are part of assessments the
board employs in order to ensure
that quality Islamic education
is maintained in the curriculum.
Meanwhile, almost 20,000
scripts for written examinations
have been reproduced and will be
ready for dispatch to all of the
affiliate institutes on whose
learners will sit between the
1st and 10th November 2011.
Oral examinations test
learners in Qur’an recitation
and memorisation while written
exams are available in Aqaaid,
Taarikh and Fiqh.
Rescue
786 Ambulance Service
Radio Islam International and
the The Jamiatul Ulama South
Africa are pleased to announce
the launch of their Ambulance
Service which is now fully
operational, Alhamdulillah.
The service has at the
moment 12 experienced paramedics
to serve the community of
Johannesburg especially in the
vicinity of Fordsburg and
Mayfair.
The service’s
hotline number is: 083 9000 786.
Gauteng AIDS Council
Meeting
Moulana As’ad Pandor represented
the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
at the Gauteng AIDS Council
meeting held at the premier’s
office on Tuesday 4 October
2011.
At the meeting, the
Premier Nomvula Mokonyane
outlined the role of the council
for the period 2011-2014. A
review of the work of the
council as well as its draft
strategy was discussed.
An overview of civil society
organizations, HIV counseling
and testing campaign as well as
provincial submission for the
national strategy plan
for2012-2016 were also presented
and discussed.
The
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa is
involved in the fight against
HIV/AIDS and is a founding
member of the Muslim AIDS
Programme alongside the Islamic
Careline and the Islamic Medical
Association of South Africa.
Educator Workshops:
Tas-heel Taalimil Atfaal Series
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
in conjunction with Me'raj
Publications will be having
exciting interactive workshops,
which will pay closer attention
to the series, and give greater
detail to the content of both
the pre-school textbooks as well
as the Teacher Guide.
This is a great opportunity for
teachers to get more first-hand
information on how to use the
series to its full potential.
Tomorrow, Thursday 13
October 2011, it will be an
opportunity for those in the
northern parts of the country
when Darus Salaams Centre in
Laudium hosts a workshop
starting from: 9:30am
More workshops will be carried
out on Thursdays throughout
October and November in the
following areas: Azaadville;
Lenasia Roodepoort and
surrounding as well as in the
East Rand region.
For
further info and date
confirmations, contact:
Sister Shanaaz - 011 622 0531 /
082 444 6056
Delegation to Gaza
Returns
A
delegation of ulama, businessmen
and professionals which visited
Egypt and Gaza returned to South
Africa on Monday morning.
The delegation which was led
by the Jamiatul Ulama South
Africa visited a number of
projects in the besieged
territory where they were amazed
by the resilience and tenacity
of the Palestinian people who
under the most trying of
conditions retain their
integrity and dignity.
The delegation visited schools,
homes of orphans and places of
interest which all bear
testimony to the long struggle
of the people of Palestine.
Various relief projects will
soon be undertaken for the
people of Gaza.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Prohibition
against mutual rancor
and hostility |
“Humble to the
believers, fierce to the
unbelievers.” (5:54)
“And do not spy on one
another,” (49:12)
“And those who abuse
believing men and woman,
when they have not
merited it, bear the
weight of slander and
clear wrongdoing.”
(33:58)
“O you who
believe! Avoid most
suspicion. Indeed some
suspicion is a crime.”
(49:12)
•
Abdullah ibn ‘Amr
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “A Muslim
is the one from whose
tongue and hand the
Muslims are safe. An
emigrant (muhajir) is
someone who abandons
what Allah has
forbidden.” (Bukhari &
Muslim)
•
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn
al-‘Ass radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
“Anyone who wants to be
far from Jahannum and to
enter Jannah must die
believing in Allah and
the Last Day, and should
only give to other
people what he would
like to be given to
himself.” [Muslim]
• Anas radhiyallahu
anhu reported Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “Do not
hate one another nor
envy one another nor act
in a hostile way towards
one another nor cut one
another off. Be slaves
of Allah, brothers. It
is not lawful for a
Muslim to cut himself
off from his brother for
more than three days.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “The
gates of Jannah are
opened on Mondays and
Thursdays and every
slave who does not
associate anything with
Allah is forgiven except
the man between whom and
his brother there is
rancour. It is said,
“Wait until these two
make it up! Wait until
these two make it up!”
(Muslim)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
“Beware of envy. Envy
devours good actions as
fire devours wood.” (Abu
Dawud)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
“Beware of suspicion.
Suspicion is the falsest
kind of speech. Do not
spy or pry. Do not be
rivals nor envy one
another. Do not hate one
another nor show enmity
to one another. Be
slaves of Allah,
brothers, as you have
been commanded to be.
The Muslim is the
brother of the Muslim.
He does not wrong him
nor disappoints him nor
despise him. Piety is
here,” and he pointed to
his chest. “It is enough
evil for a man that he
should despise his
Muslim brother. The
blood, honour and
property of every Muslim
are sacred to another
Muslim. Allah does not
look at your bodies or
your forms, but He looks
at your hearts and your
actions.” In one
variant, “Do not envy
one another nor hate one
another nor spy nor pry
nor bid against one
another to raise the
price and be slaves of
Allah, brothers.” In one
variant, “Do not cut one
another off nor show
enmity to one another.
Do not hate one another
nor envy one another. Be
slaves of Allah,
brothers. In one
variant, “Do not
separate from one
another nor should any
of you sell against the
sale of someone else.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “Beware
of suspicion. Suspicion
is the falsest kind of
speech.” (Bukhari &
Muslim)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu reported that the
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
"It is enough evil for a
man to despise his
brother Muslim."
(Muslim)
• Ibn
Mas'ud radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, "Anyone
who has an atom's weight
of pride in his heart
will not enter the
Garden!" A man said, "A
man likes his garment to
be good and his sandals
to be good." He said,
"Allah is beautiful and
loves beauty. Pride is
to disregard the truth
and to despise people."
(Muslim)
•
Wathila ibn al-Asqa'
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, "Do not
delight in someone
else's misfortune. Allah
may have mercy on him
and put you to the
test." (Tirmidhi)
• 'Iyad ibn Himar
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam the Messenger
of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him
peace, said, "Allah
Almighty has revealed to
me that you should be
humble in such a way
that no one is either
overbearing or boastful
towards another person."
(Muslim)
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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True Wealth |
The treasure of
knowledge and the lessons
that we derive from the
traditions of Rasulullah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam
never ceases to amaze in its
propensity to provide
solutions and guidance.
The relevance and
practicality of ahadith
remain timeless.
In
a hadith found in both
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah,
Sayyidina Thouban
Radhi-Allah anhu narrates
that when the verse
regarding those who hoard
gold and silver without
spending it in the path of
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’aala
was revealed, the companions
enquired as to what wealth
is superior to gold and
silver. Rasulullah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam
replied: “The wealth of a
tongue that remembers, a
heart that is filled with
gratitude and a believing
wife who would assist and
help in the faith of the
husband.”
What we
understand is that when our
tongues are in involved in
the remembrance of Allah and
our hearts are filled with a
sense of gratitude. This
sense goes a long way in
creating the very important
quality of contentment.
By extension,
contentment becomes an
antidote for despondency and
depression. It is very
possible that when we do not
reflect on the bounties that
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’aala
has lavished upon us we can
fall into a rut of feeling
hopeless and despondent.
Another lesson of this
hadith is the worth of a
believing wife that becomes
a spiritual companion to her
husband. It is perhaps an
indictment on us that we
tend to trivialise the
importance of nurturing a
spiritual dimension in our
marriages. Often, great
emphasis is placed on
becoming materially secure
and comfortable. Of more
importance would be ensuring
that our eternal abode is
also comfortably secured.
Let us appreciate
what we have and work
towards marital relations
that are filled with
remembrance of the Almighty
so that we can reap eternal
rewards.
May Allah
guide us all. Ameen.
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