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Weekly Comment |
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Climate Change: Matching Words
with Action
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The United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) sets an overall
framework for intergovernmental
efforts to address climate
change.
The framework
which came into force in 1994
entered its 17th year. The
annual Conference of the Parties
(COP), that reviews the national
policies and best practices
under the convention will this
year be held in Durban between
28 November and December 2011.
While climate change has
been empirically observable,
experts have not been unanimous
at projects which can viably be
undertaken to reverse its
impact.
It is however
acknowledged that human
activity, at least, accelerates
and aggravates the impact of
extreme climatic conditions on
the planet. There has been
phenomenal flooding, prolonged
droughts and extreme weather
systems such as cyclones
exacting untold human suffering
in all corners of the world.
In 2009, at what was billed
as the highest-ever level
meeting on climate change, the
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
warned that rising temperatures
would “increase pressure on
water, food, and land; reverse
years of development gains;
exacerbate poverty; destabilize
fragile states; and topple
governments.”
One of the
suggested responses to climate
change has been a campaign aimed
at reducing population growth.
It is a policy proposal born out
of a mechanical kind of thinking
that ‘more people means more
destruction.’
It is
however a matter of fact that
global pollution, especially
from greenhouse gases which are
believed to contribute towards
climate change, is mainly from a
minority of the inhabitants of
the planet.
To illustrate
the point, with a much less
population than that of Europe,
the USA has more carbon
emissions than that continent.
The developed world has
therefore to match the
challenges of the hour with
practical action rather than ask
the less-developed to subsidise
polluting habits of the advanced
nations.
Islam
establishes nature as having
sacred qualities. Just as
Muslims consider the verses of
the Qur’an as sacred, physical
features of the universe are
also sacred. The two share the
Arabic word ‘ayah’ (signs).
Appeals are made to humanity
to observe and contemplate over
creation, the manner in which
the Creator brought about,
harmonised and synchronised the
natural systems of the universe.
Humanity is often asked to look
for ‘signs’ from within
themselves and face the fact of
how relatively small humanity
is, in the ‘Bigger Scheme of
Things.’
Though
relatively very small, humanity
has been given a
disproportionately big
responsibility as a vicegerent.
The role of a vicegerent is that
of trust. It is a sacred role
which makes humanity privileged.
With privilege, however, comes
responsibility and
accountability.
Ours in
an obligation to play a role
that is within our powers and is
consistent with responsibility
of humanity. We have to conserve
nature and the environment, save
water, cut on waste and in as
far as possible recycle. |
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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 284.60 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 14,230.19 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 5,692.08 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Virtue: Big or Small |
.
Abu Hurairah Radhiallahu
anhu reported: Messenger of
Allah Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam said, "Iman has
sixty odd or seventy odd
branches. The uppermost of
all these is the Testimony
of Faith: “La ilaha
illallah” (there is no true
god except Allah) while the
least of them is the removal
of harmful object from the
road. And shyness is a
branch of Iman.”
(Al-Bukhari and
Muslim)
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Useless Endowments |
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“Uthman said that four
things were useless, and
these were: Knowledge
without practice; Wealth
without expenditure in the
way of Allah; Piety for the
sake of show prompted by
worldliness; Long life with
no stock of good deeds.”
(Uthman RA)
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Point of Reflection |
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Who is Clever? |
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“A clever person turns great
troubles into little ones
and little ones into none at
all.”
(Chinese
Saying)
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Q and A |
Question:
What is
the last moment within which
if a person joins the Imam
in congregational Salaah
then it is considered as
having performed Salaah on
congregation?
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Answer:
The Muqtadi (follower)
should be able to perform
the Takbeer Tahreemah whilst
standing as well as being
able to sit, thereafter, in
Qa'dah together with the
Imam, even for a small
duration, before the Imam
recites the 'Meem' in
'Assalamu'. In this instance
such a person will be
classified as a Muqtadi of
the Imam and will be
considered as being part of
the congregational Salaah.
However, if he
performed the Takbeer
Tahreemah but before he
could sit down (and be
together with the Imam in
the Qa'dah posture) the Imam
made the Salam (by already
uttering the 'Meem' in
'Assalamu') then he will not
be considered as being part
of the congregation of
Salah.
Reference:
Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah Vol. 6
Pg. 547-9 - Faruqiyyah
edition, Nizamul Fataawa
Vol. 1 Pg. 73
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U P D A T E |
Workshop for Graduating Alim
Students
The
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa
coordinated a week-long workshop
for mainly penultimate and
final-year students of Darul
Uloom Zakariyyah at Zakariyyah
Park from 11 to 15 November
2011.
During the
workshop, the students were
presented with various topics
such as teaching methodology and
the processes and work of
various departments of the
Jamiatul Ulama South Africa such
as the Taalimi Board,
Matrimonial and Social, Welfare
as well as the Darul Ifta.
Officials of the South
African National Halaal
Authority also presented to the
students the processes of halaal
certification and inspection of
plants producing and/or
distributing foods and beverages
in accordance with Islamic
dietary law.
The students
and the administration of Darul
Uloom Zakariyyah were
appreciative of the workshop
envisaged to empower students
who are mostly from overseas by
giving insights into the
practical aspects of the work of
the two organizations which they
would be able to implement once
they complete their studies and
start to work for their
communities.
Order your Textbooks Now!
JUT Publishing, the distribution
arm of the Jamiatul Ulama
Taalimi Board’s textbooks used
in makatib appeals to madrasah
committees and management to
start ordering books now in
readiness for the forthcoming
academic year.
Meanwhile, the full set of the
Tas-heel Taalimul Atfaal
comprising of two levels of
pre-school textbooks together
with a teacher’s guide are also
available.
Ordering
now will help to avoid the
bottlenecks that are created at
the beginning of the year when
everyone rushes to stock up.
Please make your enquiries on
011 373 8000 and orders via Fax:
011 373 8043 or email.
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.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Intermingling
between males and
females |
“Say to the
believing men that they
should lower their
eyes,” (24:30)
“He
knows the deceit of the
eyes and what people’s
breasts conceal,”
(40:19)
“When you ask
his (Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam) wives for
something ask them from
behind a screen.”
(33:53)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
“Prescribed for the son
of Adam is his portion
of adultery which he
must inevitably acquire.
The adultery of the eyes
is the glance. The
adultery of the ears is
listening. The adultery
of the tongue is speech.
The adultery of the hand
is the grasp. The
adultery of the foot is
the step. The heart
yearns and desires. The
genitals either confirm
this or deny it.”
(Bukhari & Muslim)
• Abu Sa’eed
al-Khudri radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
“Beware of sitting in
the roadways.” They
said, “Messenger of
Allah! We must have
places where we can sit
and talk together.”
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
“If you must sit there,
then give the roadway
its rights.” They asked,
“What are the rights of
the roadway, Messenger
of Allah?” He said,
“Lowering the gaze,
refraining from causing
annoyance, returning the
greeting, commanding the
right and forbidding the
wrong.” (Bukhari &
Muslim)
• Abu
Talha Zayd ibn Sahl
radhiyallahu anhu said,
“We were sitting in the
area in front of the
house, talking there,
when Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam, came and stood
over us and said, “What
have you to do with
roadside gatherings.
Avoid roadside
gatherings!” We said,
“We have only sat down
to do something which
has no harm in it. We
were merely conferring
and conversing.” He
said. “If you must do
it, then give it the
rights which are due to
it: lowering the gaze,
returning the greeting
and speaking well.”
(Muslim)
• Jarir
radhiyallahu anhu said,
“I asked Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam about the
unintentional glance. He
said, “Avert your eyes.”
(Muslim)
• Umm
Salama radhiyallahu anha
said, “I was with
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam when
Maymuna radhiyallahu
anha was with him. Ibn
Umm Maktum radhiyallahu
anhu came, and that was
after we had been
commanded to veil
ourselves. Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “Veil
yourselves from him.” We
said, “But Messenger of
Allah, is he not blind
and therefore not able
to see us or recognise
us?” Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “Are you
two blind? Do you not
see him?” (Abu Dawud &
Tirmidhi)
• Abu
Sa’eed radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “A man
should not look at
another man’s private
parts nor a woman at
another woman’s private
parts. Two men should
not lie naked under the
same cover nor two women
under the same cover.”
(Muslim)
• Ibn
'Abbas radhiyallahu anhu
reported Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “None of
you should be on your
own with a woman unless
there is a close
relative of hers present
(dhu mahram).” (Bukhari
& Muslim)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu said, “Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam cursed any man
who wears women’s
clothes and any woman
who wears men’s
clothes.” (Abu Dawud)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, “There
are two categories among
the people of the Fire
that I have not seen: a
people who have whips
like the tails of cattle
with which they beat
people, and women who
are both dressed and
naked, who are deviant
and make others deviant.
Their heads resemble the
humps of Bactrian
camels. They will not
enter Jannah nor even
smell its scent, and its
scent can be discerned
at such-and-such a
distance.” (Muslim)
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Honesty |
(This is a re-run on
one of Messages of the Amir
of the Jamiatul Ulama South
Africa)
Allah
Subhanahu wa ta’aala has
granted a most beautiful and
complete deen. It is a deen
that encompasses aspects of
ibaadah (worship),
mu’aasharah (social
interactions), Mu‘aamalaat
(monetary dealings), akhlaaq
(character), etc. If a
person strives to bring the
injunctions of Allah and
teachings of our dear
Prophet, Muhammad Sallallahu
‘alayhi wa sallam into
his/her life regarding these
different facets, then he
will be practising upon all
of Deen. If a person focuses
his attention on these
diverse fields, he will find
that his life will be more
full and wholesome and will
automatically become a
source of inspiration to
others – a means of da’wah.
If, on the other hand,
some of these aspects are
neglected or omitted from
the realm of the practical
life of a Muslim, then we
will find that he will not
be practising upon the whole
of deen, his life will seem
empty and, Allah forbid, he
could become a means of
turning others away from
this beautiful deen.
An aspect that has
somehow slowly ebbed out of
the life of the Believers is
a feature that our beloved
Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam was well known
for. It was also a
characteristic that the
Believers were recognized
by. This was the aspect of
truthfulness and honesty.
Allah exhorts us to hold
firm to it and our Prophet
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
has also laid great emphasis
upon it.
In over 100
places in the Qur’an, Allah
has mentioned the aspect of
honesty. Some of the
references are as follows.
Allah Subhanahu wa ta’aala
says:
• "So Allah may
reward the truthful for
their truthfulness "
[33:24].
• "O You who
believe, Have taqwa of Allah
and be of those who are
truthful " [9:119].
• "O
You who believe, guard your
duty to Allah, and speak
words straight to the point.
" [33:70] .
• "Believers
are... those who are
truthful ." [49:15].
•
Successful indeed are the
believers; those who offer
their prayers with all
solemnity and full
submissiveness. And those
who turn away from al-laghw
(false, impure, evil
falsehood, vain talk.)
[23:1-3]
• "Oh ye who
believe! Eat not up each
other's property by unfair
and dishonest means." (4:29)
• "Allah doth command you to
render back your trust, to
those to whom they are
due."(4:58)
The
Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam said:
• "Being
truthful is obligatory, for
truly truthfulness lead to
righteousness, and
righteousness leads to
paradise."
• Remember,
there is no faith in him who
is not trustworthy; there is
no place for him in religion
who cares not for his
pledged word or promise."
• " The signs of a hypocrite
are three: when he speaks,
he is false, when he
promises, he fails; and when
he is trusted, he plays
false."
• "He who cheats
is not of us. Deceitfulness
and fraud are things that
lead one to Hell."
Honesty must be present in
every vein of the Muslim. It
must be evident in every
sphere of his life and must
become prominent in his
belief, word ands action.
May Allah guide us to
bring honesty and
truthfulness into our lives.
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