|
|
|
Weekly Comment |
|
The Russell Tribunal on
Palestine
|
District Six in Cape Town hosted
the Russell Tribunal (RT) on
Palestine between 5 and 6
November 2011.
The RT
was convened to consider the
question of whether Israel's
practices in the occupied
Palestinian territory (OPT)
constitute the crime of
apartheid within the meaning of
the 1973 International
Convention on the Suppression
and Punishment of the Crime of
Apartheid.
In the run up
to the sitting, during the two
days of the tribunal as well as
the period of its aftermath, the
edgy actions of the state of
Israel as well as its supporters
showed that Zionist forces will
never leave at anything in their
efforts to cover up the conduct
of Israel in the OPT from which
an increasing number of people
draw parallels with an Apartheid
system.
Even if Israeli
authorities had been invited to
give their testimony, they never
availed themselves to state
their case. Perhaps they feared
that doing so would give the RT
some ‘credibility’ or
legitimacy.
However, the
stated objectives of the sitting
of the RT clearly showed that it
was not an exercise that was
embarked upon to seek
credibility. Rather, in the same
way civil society rises up,
using freedom of expression to
highlight social ills and
inequities, the RT was meant to
highlight the long subjugation
of the OPT.
Furthermore,
Israel refuses jurisdiction of
bodies even those established by
international treaties for the
enforcement of peace and justice
in the world such as the
International Criminal Court as
well as United Nations Security
Council, whose many resolutions
it ignores. It was therefore
expected that the RT would not
matter too to Israel.
It
is sufficient to say that Israel
does not need to match Apartheid
South Africa, act-for-act for,
it to be considered an Apartheid
state. However, as John Dugard
has observed, “Both regimes
were/are characterised by
discrimination, repression and
territorial fragmentation (that
is, land seizures).”
In
some respects, Israel has done
worse that Apartheid in
systematically discriminating
against Palestinian people in
favour of illegal settlers in
the provision and supply of
amenities and services such as
water or even some roads which
are segregated for exclusive use
of settler populations.
Israel is therefore a peculiar
case of colonisation that also
doubles as a malignant military
occupation and has hallmarks of
Apartheid.
The RT has
done a good job in highlighting
the plight of Palestinians and
we have the hope that through
it, as it the case with many
other initiatives, the
Palestinian Question will remain
on the agenda at international
forums in the efforts of making
the state of Israel accountable.
The onus remains on Israel
to end the occupation and seek
durable peace emanating from and
augmented by a just settlement. |
|
|
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 254.98 |
|
Mahr Faatimi |
12,748.83 |
|
Zakaat Nisaab |
R 5,099.53 |
|
Words of Wisdom |
|
Hadith of the Week |
|
Moderation |
Anas Radhiallahu anhu
reported: “Three men came to
the houses of the wives of
the Prophet Sallallahu
‘alayhi wasallam to inquire
about the worship of the
Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam. When they were
informed, they considered
their worship insignificant
and said: "Where are we in
comparison with the Prophet
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
while Allah has forgiven his
past sins and future sins".
One of them said: "As for
me, I shall offer Salah all
night long.'' Another said:
"I shall observe Saum
(fasting) continuously and
shall not break it". Another
said: "I shall abstain from
women and shall never
marry". The Prophet
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
came to them and said, "Are
you the people who said such
and such things? By Allah, I
fear Allah more than you do,
and I am most obedient and
dutiful among you to Him,
but still I observe fast and
break it; perform Salat and
sleep at night and take
wives. So whoever turns away
from my Sunnah does not
belong to me."
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim) |
|
|
Quotation
of
the Week |
|
Avoid Sin |
|
Avoidance of sin is lighter
than the pain of remorse.”
(Umar RA) |
|
|
Point of Reflection |
|
Beware of a Flatterer |
|
“Beware of one who flatters
unduly; he will also censure
unjustly.” (Arab
Saying) |
|
|
|
Q and A |
Question:
Should
one stand and drink Zam Zam
water and if so, what is the
reason behind such a
practice?
|
Answer:
The following is mentioned
in Zubdatul Manaasik Pg.
137: "The method of drinking
Zam Zam water is to face the
Ka'bah, and whilst standing,
to drink it with the right
hand..."
One should
understand that the reason
for this is that a person is
encouraged to fill his belly
with Zam Zam and this is
achieved more by standing
rather than sitting.
Therefore, if a person is in
Makkah, for example, and he
has access to drinking Zam
Zam from the source (by
means of a bucket, tap,
etc.) then he may stand and
drink it since there is
generally no restriction in
how much he is allowed to
drink. On the other hand, if
a person is a guest of
someone who has returned
from Hijaaz and the host
provides Zam Zam to his
guests in small drinking
glasses, etc. (since he in
possession of a limited
amount of Zam Zam) then it
is obvious that with that
small amount of Zam Zam he
is not able to fill his
belly so there is no point
of standing and drinking.
Standing and drinking is to
facilitate filling of the
belly and this is not the
case here.
Furthermore, those Kitaabs
that mention the standing
posture of drinking Zam Zam,
generally do so in the
scenario of a person that is
at the Zam Zam well.
<Go to
Top> |
|
U P D A T E |
Qari Abdul-Hamid Panoli Passes
On
Qari
Abdul-Hamid passed in the
morning of Monday 7 Nov 2011 in
his home town of Panoli in
Surat, India.
He was once
the Imam of Kerk Street Masjid
in central Johannesburg where he
became known for his work among
the youth. Qari Abdul-Hamid was
also one of the founding members
of Darul Uloom Zakariyyah.
Apart from being
instrumental in the work of
Tabligh Jamaat, many memorised
the Qur’an under the tutelage of
Qari Abdul-Hamid.
We pray
to the Almighty to grant the
deceased Jannatul Firdaus and
also the patience of bearing the
loss to the bereaved family.
From Allah we came and to Him is
the return.
Qurbani 1432/2011
The Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
are pleased to announce that the
undertaking to perform Qurbani
on behalf of the those who
contributed towards the project
was successfully honoured.
Qurbani was performed
locally as well as in India as
advertised.
May the
Almighty accept the spirit of
sacrifice following the Sunnah
of our father, Ibrahim alayhis
Salaam.
Rescue 786 Ambulance Service
Radio Islam
International and 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.
|
|
Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
|
Prohibition
against showing-off |
“Do not nullify your
sadaqah (charity) by
demands for gratitude or
insulting words, like
him who spends his
wealth, showing off to
people.” (2:264)
“Showing off to
people, and only
remembering Allah a very
little.” (4:142)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu said,
“I heard Rasullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam say: Allah
says, “Of all those to
whom association is
attributed, I am the
furthest removed from
what is associated with
Me. Anyone who does an
action in which he
associates other than Me
with Me, I abandon him
and what he associates.”
(Muslim)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu said: I heard
Rasullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam say,
“The first of people to
be judged on the Day of
Qiyaamah will be a man
who was martyred. He
will be brought and will
be informed of the
blessings he had and
will acknowledge them.
Allah will say, “What
did you do with them?”
He will say, "I fought
for You until I was
martyred.” Allah will
say, “You lie. Rather
you fought so it would
be said, “A bold man!”
And so it was said.”
Then the command will be
given and he will be
dragged on his face
until he is thrown into
the Fire. There will
also be a man who
studied knowledge and
taught it and recited
the Qur’an. He will be
brought and informed of
his blessings which he
will acknowledge. Allah
will say, “What did you
do with them?” He will
say, “I studied
knowledge and taught it
and I recited the Qur’an
for You.” He will say,
“You lie. Rather you
studied so that it would
be said, “A scholar!”
And you recited so that
it would be said, “He is
a reciter!” And so it
was said.” Then the
command will be given
and he will be dragged
on his face until he is
thrown into the Fire.
There will also be a man
to whom Allah gave a lot
of wealth and all sorts
of property. He will be
brought and informed of
his blessings which he
will acknowledge. Allah
will say, “What did you
do with them?” He will
say, “There was no path
in which You like
spending to be done but
that I spent in it for
You.” He will say, “You
lie. Rather you did it
so that it would be
said, “He is generous.”
And so it was said.”
Then the command will be
given and he will be
dragged on his face
until he is thrown into
the Fire.” (Muslim)
• Ibn ‘Umar
radhiyallahu anhu stated
that some people said to
him, “We visit our
leaders and speak
differently to them than
we do when we leave
them.” Ibn ‘Umar
radhiyallahu anhu said,
“In the time of Rasullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam we used to
consider this
hypocrisy.” (Bukhari)
• Jundub ibn
‘Abdullah ibn Sufyan
radhiyallahu anhu said
that Rasullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
“Whoever wants his
action to be known,
Allah will make him
known (i.e. on the Day
of Rising), and whoever
wants to be seen, Allah
will make him be seen.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “Anyone
who learns knowledge
which should be learned
for the sake of Allah,
the Mighty and Majestic,
only to obtain by it
goods of this world,
will not experience the
scent of Jannah on the
Day of Qiyaamah.” (Abu
Dawud)
• Abu Dharr
radhiyallahu anhu said,
“Rasullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam was
asked, “What do you
think of a man who does
a good action and people
praise him for it?” He
replied, “That is the
immediate good news of
the believer.” (Muslim)
<Go to Top> |
|
Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
Honouring One’s
Neighbour
|
In a hadith, Abu Hurairah
Radhi-Allahu anhu reported:
‘The Prophet Sallallahu
‘alaihi wa sallam said, “By
Allah, he is not a believer!
By Allah, he is not a
believer! By Allah, he is
not a believer.” It was
asked, “Who is that, O
Messenger of Allah?” He
said, “One whose neighbour
does not feel safe from his
evil.”’ (Al-Bukhari and
Muslim)
Along with
prescribing the various
forms of worship in Islam,
Islam also stipulates that
one be good to ones family,
neighbours, relatives,
friends, acquaintances and
every person, whether known
to him or not. In this
regard, special emphasis has
been placed upon having
extra good relations with
one’s neighbour.
Our
Noble Rasulullah Sallallahu
‘alaihi wa sallam said: “I
swear an oath in that Being
in Whose Hand is my life,
only those can fulfil the
rights of their neighbour on
whom is the Mercy and Grace
of Allah.”
It is
mentioned that the rights of
the neighbour were
emphasised so firmly by the
Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam that the
companions of the Prophet
thought it would reach a
stage where neighbours would
actually inherit on the
basis of being a neighbour.
If a neighbour needs
assistance, assist him. If
he needs anything, give it
to him. If he requires a
loan, oblige him.
Congratulate him on his
achievements, visit him when
he is sick and offer him
condolences on his grief and
loss.
It is
important to not that this
applies to non-Muslim
neighbours as well. In fact,
if one has a Muslim
neighbour, or family member
as a neighbour, then one’s
right upon them is greater.
A special point to
note is that ones right upon
a neighbour is not only to
avoid harming him or
greeting them in the
morning, but if some
difficulty befalls him, he
should support him and help
him. Do not allow a
neighbour to go hungry, sick
or in difficulty, even for
the period of a night.
Further, as human beings
are prone to err, a person
who is harmed or
inconvenienced by his
neighbour should exercise
patience and seek ways of
solving the problem, rather
than worsening it.
May Allah grant us all the
ability to live in peace and
harmony with our neighbours.
Aameen.
<Go to Top> |
|
|
|