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Weekly Comment |
Welcome Back
After a break of two weeks, we
take the pleasure of welcoming
you back to the Jamiatul Ulama
Online Newsletter.
Alhamdulillah, the Online
Newsletter has been sent out on
a weekly basis consistently for
the last two years. The number
of subscribers has increased
steadily and presently stands at
around 7000. There has been
regular and positive feedback
and comments from readers, as
well as suggestions and
constructive criticism. On
occasion issues have been raised
in animated and passionate
manners.
Alhamdulillah, through all of
this, the Jamiatul Ulama staff
has continued to strive to
provide relevant comment on
contemporary issues that are
significant to us as Muslims.
The Newsletter has also provided
an opportunity to provide
guidance on a wide range of
issues. Finally, it has served
to keep you informed at what is
happening at the Jamiatul Ulama.
We make du'aa that Allah Azza wa
jalla guide us in this path and
keep us in the service of His
deen. Your du'as a are also
requested. Comments and
suggestion from readers are
always welcome and subscribers
are encouraged to invite others
to benefit by subscribing via
the Jamiatul Ulama website –
www.islamsa.org.za.
AmBush in the Middle
East
Now that his term at the White
House is about to come to an
end, George Bush has finally
decided to travel to the region
of Palestine and its surrounds
and meet with leaders there. It
is the first time he is coming
to the region during the period
of seven years as President of
the USA.
While there he will meet with
‘leaders’ of opposing groups in
an effort to help resolve the
problems here. While there he
will also find time to visit
religious and historical sites.
The Israeli government will in
honor of him turn off all lights
lighting the walls of the ‘Old
City’ so that Bush is afforded
the honor of witnessing it under
the natural moonlight. He will
visit the Church of Nativity and
engage in various other
ceremonial engagements. He will
also travel to Quwait, Bahrain,
the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
He will be greeted at the
airport by the Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert, President Shimon
Peres, Supreme Court President
Dorit Beinisch, Israel's chief
rabbis and other Israeli
dignitaries. He will also be
holding meetings with Foreign
Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense
Minister Ehud Barak. He will
travel to the West Bank to meet
with Mahmoud Abbas.
There does not seem to be any
mention of him finding the time
to schedule a meeting with
Hamas.
Kenya: Take a Leaf from
Sulayman Alayhis Salaam
It has been reported that Mwai
Kibaki has offered to form a
government of national unity
(GNU) with Raila Odinga, the
opposition leader who has
rejected the recent election
results in Kenya on the grounds
that they were rigged. Odinga’s
claim has so far been supported
by a number of international
electoral observers. The
national electoral chief himself
has even admitted to have been
put under pressure to declare
Kibaki a winner and has
reportedly been quoted as saying
that he was not sure if Kibaki
won at the polls!
One of the strangest aspects of
the whole saga is the apparent
‘magnanimity’ of Kibaki in
offering a GNU. If he is a clear
winner, why would he sacrifice
‘total’ presidency by entering
into a GNU arrangement with his
opponent who is supposed to have
lost? The story of Sulaiman’s
Alayhis Salaam ruling over two
women that were fighting for a
baby is instructive in this
case.
When two women fought for a baby
each one claiming the baby as
her own, the chronicles say
Sulaiman’s Alayhis Salaam
through the inspiration from the
Almighty, suggested slicing the
baby into two. The motherly
instinct of one said ‘no’ while
the deceptive one failed the
test by quickly accepting the
fatal suggestion. Sulaiman
Alayhis Salaam saw through it
and ruled in favour of the
former as the true mother of the
child.
Kibaki is the deceptive one
ready to slice the presidency he
does not deserve for himself!
Compulsory Premarital
AIDS Test
Saudi Arabia has, as from the
beginning of the year 1429 Hijri,
declared that pre-marital AIDS
tests would now be compulsory
upon prospective marriage
partners wishing to get married.
Engaged couples were already
required to undergo tests for
genetic compatibility and blood
genetic diseases such as
Thalassemia. The Saudi
Government has now included HIV
and Hepatitis (B and C) as part
of the mandatory tests.
The issue of pre-marital testing
and specifically compulsory
testing was discussed at length
at the recent conference
‘Islamic Consultations on Islam
and HIGV AIDS”, held in South
Africa, last year.
From various perspectives, it is
an extremely complex issue. It
raises issues such as rights of
prospective partners regarding
consequences of marrying HIV
positive persons as opposed to
the privacy rights of an
individual. Various other issues
are also raised in the debate
surrounding the question. |
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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 125.45
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 6,272.59 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 2,509.04
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Wastefulness |
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Mugheerah ibn Shu`bah
Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu narrates
that Allah's Messenger
Sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam
said: "Allah Ta'ala detests
that you destroy wealth
(i.e. by means of wasting)."
(Bukhari, Muslim).
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Quotation for the Week |
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Grieve Not |
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"Don't grieve. Anything you
lose comes round in another
form." (Maulana
Jalaluddeen Rumi)
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Point of Reflection |
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Subtlety of Kindness! |
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“Kindness
is not often recognised, so
don't expect gratitude
immediately."
(Swahili Proverb)
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Q and A |
Question:
Is Life Insurance
permissible
in Islam?
What about in a situation
where one is compelled to
have a life insurance policy
as part of a remuneration
package? |
Answer:
Life Insurance will
not be permissible in any
circumstances unless one is
compelled by government or
there are extreme pressing
circumstances. In that event
too, when one takes out
insurance, one should give
the excess interest money as
Sadaqah to the poor people.
Therefore, taking of
insurance will not be
permissible as it comprises
of interest and gambling and
both these are
not permissible in Shari’ah.
We pray unto Allaah to guide
us and safeguard us from all
acts contrary to his
commands and contrary to
Shari’ah. Aameen.
And Allah Ta'aala knows
best.
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U P D A T E |
New Jamiat Calendar for
2008
The Jamiatul Ulama Calendar for
2008 is now available from the
Jamiatul Ulama offices or
selected outlets. The theme of
the selected pictures collected
for this issue of the Calendar
deals with Palestine and its
surrounds. The calendar contains
both Hijri and Gregorian dates,
new moon information, prayer
times as well as monthly
messages of inspiration.
From the Ta’limi Board -
Madrasah Year 2008
The schooling/madrasah year 2008
has begun across the nation.
With overall success from last
year’s report, much enthusiasm
and prosperity is hoped for
throughout this year.
Currently, through the help of
Allah, the Taalimi Board offers
educational consultations,
teaching supervisions and class
audits The number of Madrassahs
that are currently affiliated to
the Jamiatul Ulama Ta`limi Board
is in excess of 100 and are
located in areas ranging from
Tzaneen/Louis Trichardt to
Kimberly and from Malalane to
Amersfoort, including parts of
the Eastern Cape, the Free
State, Gaberone and the Reef.
Any new area, Madrasah or Muslim
School who wishes to register
with the program, is invited to
please contact the Talimi Board
at the Jamiat head-office in
Johannesburg for further
queries.
Hilal Moonsighting
The hilal (New Moon) was not
sighted on Tuesday the 29th of
Dhul Hijjah (8 January), which
means that the 1st of Muharram
1429 will therefore be on
Thursday (10 January).
The 10th of Muharram will
therefore be on Saturday the
19th of January, meaning that
the Sunnah fasts of Muharram
could be kept on Friday (18
January) and Saturday (19
January), or Saturday (19
January) and Sunday (20
January).
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan:
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Islamic New Year
Message: 1429 |
Allah (azza wa Jalla)
says in the Holy Qur’an:
But as for those who
disbelief— their deeds
are like a mirage in a
deserts, which the
thirsty mistakes for
water, until when he
approaches it he finds
it to be nothing…”
(24:39)
The Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam: “My Sustainer
has given me nine
commands: to remain
conscious of Allah in
private and in public;
to speak justly whether
angry or pleased; to
show moderation when
poor or rich; to re
kindle friendship with
those who have broken it
off with me; to give to
him who refuses me; that
my silence should be
occupied with thought;
that my looking should
be an admonition; and
that I should command
what is right.”
As the crescent of
Muharram ushers in yet
another new year we need
to reflect and take
stock of our lives and
see if our conduct,
aspirations and
lifestyle is in keeping
with our faith, values
and beliefs. Life in
itself is a positive
gift from Allah which
loses its positive
quality if it is
indulged in recklessly,
blindly and with
disregard for the
hereafter. “But as for
those who disbelief—
their deeds are like a
mirage in a deserts,
which the thirsty
mistakes for water,
until when he approaches
it he finds it to be
nothing…” (24:39). Those
who live their lives
without any
consideration for the
hereafter are like
lonely travellers in a
scorching desert
suffering unquenchable
thirst. They are lured
on and on by the sight
of the distant mirage,
which seems so full of
promise, so alluring,
and so compelling yet
they gain nothing and
eventually die in
protracted agony!
As we begin our new
year, we need to look at
the reality of the
‘elusive mirage’ that
lures us on and on.
Where are we going to?
What have we really
achieved? Are our
‘achievements’
commensurate with our
beliefs and values?
Spiritual Dearth
“The purpose of life
is to live a life of
purpose”
The Holy Quran says:
“Those who believe love
Allah intensely” Where
is the love of Allah in
our lives? Do we really
desire to gain closeness
to Allah and earn His
pleasure? Are we
motivated to do good by
the promise of reward…
are we at all deterred
from sin by the threat
of punishment? “When
your good deeds please
you and when your sins
distress you; you are a
believer.” Does the
pleasure and wrath of
Allah influence our
likes, dislikes and our
conduct in general? Are
we driven on and on
enticed by the glitter
of the distant mirage?
Have our hearts hardened
with the passing of time
to the extent that we no
longer find relish in
obedience and no longer
abhor and detest vice?
Consequently we find no
reason to invite people
to virtue and prohibit
them from vice.
Dwindling level
of Morality
“It is strange that
physical courage is so
common in the world and
moral courage so rare”
Morality is one of the
fundamental sources of a
nation's strength, just
as immorality is one of
the main causes of a
nation's decline. The
moral behavior of a
committed Muslim can be
summarized by the
following statement of
the Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam: “My Sustainer
has given me nine
commands: to remain
conscious of Allah in
private and in public;
to speak justly whether
angry or pleased; to
show moderation when
poor or rich; to re
kindle friendship with
those who have broken it
off with me; to give to
him who refuses me; that
my silence should be
occupied with thought;
that my looking should
be an admonition; and
that I should command
what is right.”
We live in an age
characterized by fraud,
deceit and dishonesty.
An age characterized by
dwindling levels of
morality. Modesty has
become an outdated
virtue replaced by
sexual promiscuity. The
proliferation of lewd
and immoral material via
various technological
gadgets has cast its
influence on our
societies and left them
vulnerable. Incidents of
vice and evil never
heard of in the Ummah
are now sadly becoming
commonplace. Apart from
the devastation on close
family units and the
resultant heartaches, it
has brought to our very
doors the frightening
spectre of Aids and
other related illnesses.
Political
Indifference
As citizens living in
this country it is
indeed sad to note the
lack of active
involvement of Muslims
in the political arena.
Whilst Muslims actively
participated in the
fight against the
repressive apartheid
regime we have failed
miserably to echo the
Muslim voice in the new
political dispensation.
Given the current
scenario of Muslim
minorities elsewhere in
the world, it is too
ghastly to even imagine
what our lot would be in
the future without a
single voice to
represent us in
government circles.
Our participation will:
• Contribute to the
general welfare of
Muslims and non Muslims
• Help facilitate
support of fellow
Muslims around the
world.
• Aid in spreading the
message of Islam
• Help to convey the
universality of Islam
Economic Naivety
“Wealth was disliked in
the past. As for this
day it is a shield of a
believer. Had it not
been for these gold
coins these kings would
have used us as
handkerchiefs. He who
owns any of it let him
invest it. For (we live)
in a time if a person is
in want, he will be the
first to sacrifice his
Dîn. Halaal does not
permit extravagance” (Sufyan
Thouri)
Wealth is a shield
against humiliation and
dependence. Muslims need
to widen their
traditional forms of
earning a livelihood and
reorganize themselves to
become competitive role
players in a global
economy which has
transfigured wealth
creation to such an
extent that small
business is becoming
increasingly unviable.
The unskilled labour
market is equally
saturated. We need to
maintain our adaptive
balance between crass
capitalism and Halaal
innovative business
enterprise which
encourages social
responsibility.
Our Salvation
We have with us Divine
guidance, we have with
us the formula for
salvation, it will be
indeed short-sighted and
foolish on our part to
follow the present path
of ruin and destruction.
As we enter into the new
year, let us deeply
reflect upon the
Qur’ânic reminder that
our salvation lies in us
strengthening our link
with Allah. Our link
with Allah will
determine our prosperity
and future goodness. We
need to acknowledge and
thank Allah for each of
His numerous Blessings
and bounties upon us and
know that ingratitude in
the form of extravagance
and sin is in fact the
path to deprivation.
“Allah will never change
a bounty which he has
bestowed on a people
until they change what
is in themselves. (8:53)
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
Welcome Home to the Hujjaaj!
This
is the first Newsletter
since the completion of Hajj
1428, and it is therefore an
opportune moment to
congratulate the hujjaaj on
the completion of their Hajj
and offer the du`aa that “
May Allah grant each of you
a Hajj Maqbool.” Aameen.
Hajj provides one with the
best training grounds for
the revitalization and
stimulation of one’s faith.
It is also the most sublime
manifestation of the
universal brotherhood of the
Ummah. It is a journey of
intensified devotion and
discipline; an exercise of
spiritual enrichment and
moral rearmament. Returning
Hajis should have
experienced this, and pledge
to continue their daily
lives, post-Hajj, in the
same spirit that they
maintained throughout the
Hajj.
Those welcoming the Hujjaaj
must also take advantage of
the pure and sinless state
of the Hujaaj by requesting
them to make du’a for them.
Abû Hurairah Radhi-allahu
anhu states that the Prophet
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam
said: “The Hajî and one who
performs Umrah are the
Ambassadors of Allâh. If
they beseech Him, He would
respond to them, and if they
seek His forgiveness He
would forgive them.” (Ibn
Majah). In fact, the Prophet
had encouraged people to ask
the returning Haji to
supplicate for them before
they reach their homes. In
our case, if we meet the
Haji at the airport,
irrespective of whether he
is a family member or
relative or not, we could
reap the benefit of the
Haji’s spirituality. Ibn ‘Umâr
Radhi-allahu anhu states
that Nabî has said: “When
you meet the Hâjî, greet
him, shake his hands and
instruct him to seek
forgiveness for you before
he enters his home, for
undoubtedly he is forgiven.”
(Ahmed)
To the Hajjis: May the
Almighty accept your Hajj,
make it a source of your
salvation in the two worlds
[Dunya and Hereafter] and
grant you the ability to say
“Labbaik” to the call of
Allâh in all situations and
circumstances. May you be
ready to sacrifice your
wealth, time and life as you
have for hajj, in the path
of Allah for the rest of
your life. Aameen.
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