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Weekly Comment |
Common Courtesies
In some parts of the world, two
cardinal rules of the road (as
defined by general people) are:
"If your nose is in … you're
in", referring to the practise
of cutting into lanes,
especially in high traffic
situation; and "Do what you want
… just don't make eye contact."
South African drivers were
always considered to be very
courteous and considerate, as
well as appreciative of the
thoughtfulness of others.
Things seem to have changed
drastically. People seem to be
'cutting in' from every angle,
few people seem to request
permission to 'come in', fast
drivers 'flash their bright
lights' incessantly, hardly
anyone thanks others anymore,
and road rage has become more
and more common.
It doesn't take much to point
out with humble gestures, in
requesting the consent or
kindness of another person. It
surely isn't difficult to raise
one's hand in thanks. It doesn't
require much effort to offer a
simple smile.
Equally important is the fact
that every person must be
careful not to impinge upon the
rights of other drivers. He must
remember that as much as he
needs to be somewhere by a
specific time, every other
person on the road also has his
or her deadlines.
Is not patience and
understanding the key? Common
courtesies are important.
Islam is a complete Dîn [way of
life] and aspects such as these
form a definite part of Dîn.
In addition, as Muslims, our
manner of interaction with those
around us is judged by them as
representative of Islam. Our
actions will therefore be a
means of either inviting or,
Allah forbid, turning them away
from Islam.
Hidden costs of the war in Iraq
As the world is focussing on the
number of soldiers killed and
the financial resources attached
to the occupation in Iraq, the
humanitarian aspect of the war
is forgotten.
[Read the rest of the
article which appeared in The
Star newspaper edition of 11 Sep
2007
here]
‘More Equal than Others’
Yesterday was another 9/11.
Another day to ‘commemorate’ and
pay ‘tribute’ to the victims of
2001 who perished in the
‘attacks on America.’ Apart from
the families of the victims, how
sincere are those who
participate in the memorial
ceremonies? Has it not become a
campaigning platform for
political prize? How long in the
future are we going to see this
institutionalised ‘tribute.’
When will the world recognise
other crimes against humanity
perpetrated by those who claim
to be paragons of secular
virtues in their ‘War of
Terror’?
Does anyone really bother to
know how many were amputated in
Sierra Leone? Massacred in
Rwanda? Denied life beyond five
years in Baghdad…? When will
their names be called out?
Are lives of certain mortals
more sacred? When will the
monument of lesser mortals be
erected in their memory? |
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C O N
T E N T S |
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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 106.47
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 5,323.44 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 2,129.38 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Ramadan and Generosity |
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Abdullah Ibn
`Abbas Radhi-Allahu anhum
narrated that, "The Prophet
(sallallahu ‘alayhi wassalam)
was the most generous of all
the people, and he used to
become more generous in
Ramadan when Jibra`eel (alayhis
salam) met him. Jibra`eel
used to meet him every night
during Ramadan to revise the
Qur'an with him. Allah's
Apostle then used to be more
generous than the fast
wind".
(Bukhari) |
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Quotation for the Week |
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Caution |
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"I learnt
wisdom from the blind who do
not put their feet forward
without feeling the ground."
(Luqman 'alayhis
salam) |
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Point of Reflection |
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Palestinian People |
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Do not
measure another man's coat
on your body.
(Malaysian Proverb)
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Q and A |
Question: If I am in
the state of Janaabah and
there is not enough time for
me to have a bath and
eat Suhur before Suhur time
finishes, then will my
eating of Suhur and starting
of the fast be accepted if I
eat Suhur and start
the fast in the state of
Janaabah? |
Answer:
Yes, your eating of Suhur
and starting of the fast
will be accepted, but you
should have a bath as soon
as you can
thereafter.
AND ALLAH TA’AALA KNOWS BEST
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U P D A T E |
UUCSA Meeting
The quarterly meeting of the
United Ulama Council of South
Africa took place in Cape Town
on Saturday. Among the issues
discussed were:
• The Repercussions of a 'newly
reformed' Muslim Personal Law
Bill which is currently with the
Parliamentary Committee for this
purpose.
• The issue of the sighting of
the Hilal (the crescent) in
neighbouring countries.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan:
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TAQWAH
“Oh you
who Believe, Fear Allah
and speak words of
appropriate justice”.
(66:8)
The Best from amongst
you are those who have
the most taqwah (49:13)
“And we have instructed
those who were given the
scripture before you and
yourselves to have Taqwâ
(fear) of Allâh. But if
you disbelieve then to
Allâh belongs whatever
is in the Heavens and
whatever is on the
Earth. And ever is Allâh
free of need and
praiseworthy." (4:131)
Abî Umâmah reports: I
heard the Messenger of
Allâh Sallallâhu alaihe
wa-sallam giving a
sermon in the farewell
Hajj, saying, “Fear your
Lord, pray your five
prayers, fast the month
of Ramadân, pay your
Zakâh, and obey your
leaders, in doing so,
you will enter your
Lord‘s Paradise.” (Tirmidhi)
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud
Radiyallahu anhu said
when speaking about the
statement of Allâh: "O
you who believe, have
Taqwâ (fear) of Allâh,
as you should have of
Him and do not die
except as Muslims.”
(3:102) .. is that Allâh
is meant to be obeyed,
and not disobeyed;
remembered at all times,
and not forgotten; and
to be thanked, and we
are not to be ungrateful
to Him.”
• Taqwah is a something
Allah has commanded all
believers to instill and
develop within
themselves:
(66:8), (4:131), (3:102)
• Taqwah has been
described as a criterion
for obtaining the
guidance of Allah (2: 2)
• Taqwah has been
described as the
criterion for
establishing the
nobility and superiority
of people in the eyes of
Allah. (49:13)
• Taqwah bas been
mentioned as the purpose
of most ibaadah and also
most actions, including
fasting. (2:178).
• The converse of the
ibaadah contributing to
the establishment of
taqwah is equally true.
• Allah (subhanahu wa
ta`aala) has mentioned
many benefits for those
people who have taqwah.
Among them are:
• A perosn will obtain
guidance - "guidance for
the muttaqeen (the
people of taqwah)";
• The person with taqwah
will obtain the Help of
Allah - "Truly, Allah is
with the people who have
taqwah";
• He will be granted a
close friendship [with
Allah] - "Allah is the
close friend of the
muttaqeen";
• He will acquire the
Love of Allah - "Truly
Allah loves the
muttaqeen";
• His wrong actions will
be covered - "If you
have taqwah of Allah He
will make for you a
discrimination and He
will cover over for you
your wrong actions";
• Allah will provide for
those who have taqw a
way out of difficulty,
distress and unhappiness
- "Whoever has taqwah of
Allah He will make a way
out for him and provide
him from where he does
not expect";
• Allah will provide for
the one with taqwah from
sources he does not
expect because of His
words - "Whoever has
taqwah of Allah He will
make a way out for him
and provide him from
where he does not
expect";
• Allah will facilitate
ease in the affairs of
the person - "Whoever
has taqwah of Allah He
will make ease for him
in his affair";
• Allah will magnify the
rewards of a person with
taqwah - "Whoever has
taqwah of Allah He will
cover over his wrong
actions and magnify a
reward for him";
• The person with
taqwah’s actions will be
accepted by Allah -
"Allah only accepts from
the people of taqwah";
• Allah will make
successful the person
with taqwah - "Have
taqwah of Allah in order
that you might succeed";
• He who has taqwah will
be given glad tidings
for this world and the
hereafter - "For them
there is good news in
this world and in the
next";
• The person with taqwah
will gain entrance into
paradise - "Truly, there
are for the people of
taqwah with their Lord
Gardens of bliss";
• The person with tawa
will be saved from the
fire of hell - "Then We
will save the ones who
had taqwah".
• Taqwah can be defined
as, ‘Consciousness or
awareness of the
Knowledge and of Allah
and Fear of the
displeasure or
displeasing Allah’. Some
refer to it as piety,
Fear of Allah, or
God-consciousness. One
scholar said, “Very
simply it is knowing
that whatever I am doing
Allah is aware of, and I
do not want to upset Him
in any way.”
• A scholar writes that
there are ten things
that awaken one’s taqwah.
He says:
• Fear of punishment in
the next life;
• Fear [of punishment
in] this life;
• Hope of worldly
reward;
• Hope of the reward of
the next world;
• Fear of the reckoning;
• Shyness and
bashfulness before the
gaze of Allah, and this
is the station of
fearful watchfulness (muraqabah);
• Showing gratitude for
His blessings by obeying
Him;
• Knowledge, because of
His words, "They only
fear Allah, of His
slaves, the ones who
have knowledge";
• Exalting and honouring
His majesty, and it is
the station of awe;
• Sincerity in love
• He also says that
there are five degrees
of taqawa, as follows:
• That the slave should
protect himself from
kufr (covering over the
truth), and that is the
station of Islam;
• That he should protect
himself from acts of
disobedience and
forbidden things, and it
is the station of
turning or repentance (tawbah);
• That he should
protects himself from
doubtful matters, and
that is the station of
caution or carefulness (wara');
• That he should protect
himself from even those
things that are
permitted, and that is
the station of doing
without (zuhd);
That he should protect
himself from the
presence of other than
Allah in his heart, and
it is the presence of
witnessing (mushahadah).
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Ramadan
Last year, just before
Ramadan, we spoke on taking
full advantage of the month
of Ramadan. This year, on
the eve of the month of
Ramadan, the message remains
the same.
Ramadan is a great
opportunity to draw from the
treasures of Allah. Numerous
benefits of Ramadan have
been mentioned. Among them
are:
1. It strengthens one's ties
with Allah and trains the
soul to observe duties of
devotion in accordance with
the teachings of the Qur'an
and Sunnah of the Prophet
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam.
2. It enforces patience and
determination in the Muslim
individual.
3. It promotes the principle
of sincerity by keeping the
Muslim away from arrogance
and showing off, since it is
an act between the
individual and his Creator.
4. It promotes good
character, particularly
truthfulness and
trust-worthiness.
5. It encourages the Muslim
to do away with bad habits
and change his/her
circumstances for the
better.
6. It enhances generosity,
hospitality, and spending on
charitable causes.
7. It reinforces feelings of
unity and brotherhood among
Muslims.
8. It instils orderliness
and close observance of the
value of time.
9. It serves as an
opportunity for children to
perform acts of obedience
and to practice Islamic acts
of worship.
10. It offers a chance to
balance one's attention to
both physical and spiritual
needs.
Insha Allah, this month will
provide us all with the
opportunity to benefit in
this manner; the opportunity
to nourish our Dîn (Way of
life) and increase the nûr
(light) in our hearts; the
opportunity to fortify
ourselves for the challenges
of today, tomorrow, the next
day, the next month, and
beyond.
Also remember that Ramadan
has a specific and definite
relationship as well as a
close connection with the
Qur’an. Allah Subhanahu wa
ta`aala says:
“It is the month of Ramadan
in which the Quran was
revealed, a Guidance for
mankind with clear
teachings, showing the Right
Way, and a criterion of
truth and falsehood -
(Qur’an 2:185).
Ramadan is the month of the
Quran and the Quran has four
rights over us: to
read/recite it; to
understand and act upon its
instruction and guidance; to
comprehend its teachings;
and to preach and convey its
message.
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