At regular intervals we, at the Jamiat Online Newsletter, intended to focus
the attention of the Newsletter on something other than the situations
around the world, especially those concerning the conditions affecting Muslims. Many a time, we sat down, in planning, and said that this week we
will write something completely and solely spiritual and positive. However,
the onslaught on Islam and Muslims, dismal conditions or intensely significant world-events left us with no choice other than to make some comment
relating to the respective situations.

This week too, we could have commented on a variety of issues including:

The debate on why Jack Straw chose to make his carefully worded statements regarding hijaab, and the related attacks on Islam and it’s principles from various sources. Why would a man who represents a constituency with over 30% Muslims choose to antagonize the Muslim community, especially when he was regarded by many Muslims to be among the few objective voices? … and it’s not strange that Blair speaks out publicly to back Straw on his statement.

The fact that the Education Department in Morocco deleted from their preparatory school curricula a Qur'anic verse, Hadith and a photo of a hijab-clad girl, which was part of the previous texts, claiming that it moved to nip extremism in the bud. What are they trying to achieve and why? If Islam is, as stated in the constitution of Morocco, ‘the official religion of the state and all laws should be in harmony with Shari`ah’, then does the action of the department make sense?

The strange events that are playing out in the ANC structures – Should it be a matter of concern or are these normal phenomena in a democracy, something we are still coming to terms with?

The tragic event of the death of an elderly Muslim man, on his way to Zuhr salah, killed by two youth ‘dicing’ or racing on an extremely busy street, in a period of high traffic. When all avenues of trying to guide these youth seem to be failing, could a person who suggests employing brute force as the only means left be accused of being irrational?

Or a host of other issues...

But,…. we will desist. Instead we will make comment on the aspect of I`tikaaf:

I'tikaaf:
Ibn Abbas Radiallâhu anhu relates that the Messenger of Allah Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, "The person performing Itikaaf remains free from sins and he is indeed given the same reward as those who do good deeds (in spite of not having done these deeds). (Ibn Majah)

It is related by Hazrat Abû Huraira Radiallâhu anhu that “Rasulullâh Sallallâhu ‘alayhi wasallam observed I’tikâf for ten days every year in the month of Ramadhân. In the year he passed away he observed it for twenty days.” (Bukhari)

It is vital for us to always be conscious of the knowledge and awareness of Allah. We must continuously strive to turn our attention towards Allah and to focus our intentions, attentions and actions towards attaining His pleasure. It is of paramount importance that we dedicate at least some of our time where we turn our attention away from the events aimed at providing for survival in the world of our every day lives, and focus only on our relationship and closeness to Allah. Salah is a means of doing this, as are the other ibadaat as well as different approaches. The occasion of i`tikaaf is, however, a sublime opportunity to engage in this. Allama Ibn Qaiyyim says: “The basic purpose of I’tikâf is that the heart gets attached to Allâh and, with it, one attains inner composure and equanimity. Through I’tikaaf the pre occupation with the mundane things of life ceases and absorption in the eternal Reality takes its place; the state is reached in which all fears, hopes and apprehensions are superseded by the love and remembrance of Allâh; every anxiety is transformed into the anxiety for Him and every thought and feeling is blended with the eagerness to gain His nearness and to earn His good favour; devotion to the Almighty is generated instead of devotion to the world and it becomes the provision for the grave where there will be neither a friend nor a helper. This is the high aim and purpose of I’tikâf which is the speciality of the most sublime part of Ramadhân, i.e., the last ten days.”

I`tikaaf also has other benefits, which include:
 

1.	Ensuring one performs all his salah.
2.	Providing one with the opportunity to perform more voluntary prayers.
3.	The mutakif gains the reward of waiting for salat.
4.	One benefit of Itikaaf is that it makes a person accustomed to staying in the masjid for a long period and creates an attachment between him and the masajid.
5.	Being alone with Allah, may He be glorified, and keeping away from people as much as possible, so that one may be entirely focused on Allah and on remembering Him
6.	Finding Laylat al-Qadr.
7.	Purifying one's heart.
8.	Devoting oneself completely to pure worship, praying, making du’aa’, remembering Allah and reading Qur’aan.
9.	Protecting one's fast from everything of one's selfish desires, that could affect it.
10.	Reducing one's involvement in permissible worldly matters and ignoring many of them at the time when one is able to deal with them.

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Summarized Jumu’ah Bayaan:

Ramadhan: Take Solace