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Weekly Comment |
Iraq
The focus of the media has been
on many things in recent months.
Iraq has, however, seemed to
have vanished off the radar. It
is hardly ever mentioned and is
only sometimes reported on the
inner pages of newspapers where
no one would care to look. Just
to give an idea, the following
represents some events that have
been reported to have taken
place in the last ten days
alone. They are shocking and one
would definitely be left
wondering why the mainstream
media have not made any mention
of the situation in Iraq. The
fact is that even these probably
do not represent the full extent
of death and damage inflicted
upon the Iraqi people.
• January 14: 81 Iraqis, US
Soldier Killed.
• January 13: 6 Iraqis killed,
US Artillery Shells a Muqdadiya
Neighborhood.
• January 12: 1 US Soldier, 11
Iraqis Killed.
• January 11: 32 Iraqis Killed,
Including 21 by US Air Strikes
on Arab Jubour.
• January 10: 2 US Soldiers, 6
Iraqi Soldiers and Policemen
Killed, US Air Planes Drop
40,000 Pounds of Bombs on Arab
Jubour, South of Baghdad.
• January 9: 10 US Soldiers, 27
Iraqis Killed, Two Churches
Attacked in Kirkuk.
• January 8: 24 Iraqis Killed.
• January 7: 20 Iraqis Killed.
• January 6: 2 US Soldiers, 35
Iraqis Killed in War Attacks.
• January 5: 26 Iraqis Killed.
Press Conferences …
It would have been humorous had
it not been so sad. Arab News
reports on a planned
press-conference that ended up
not taking place because of the
absence of foreign journalists.
The article explains:
Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh
Al-Asheikh was scheduled to
arrive and address a press
conference at Riyadh’s Marriott
Hotel just one hour after
Petroleum and Mineral Resources
Minister, Ali Al-Naimi’s press
conference.
The officials arrived on time.
At 4 p.m. on the dot, Al-Asheikh
entered the hall with his
entourage. But something was
wrong: There were no foreign
journalists in the room. Instead
the room contained about a dozen
Saudi journalists representing
Saudi TV and seven national
daily newspapers. The minister
was in the room for about a
minute, then turned and left.
“Ya Shabab,” said one of the
minister’s minders. “The
minister apologizes...”
And so it went: The press
conference was cancelled.
The bottom line? No foreign
press, no press conference!
What’s the deal?
Some months ago (in July 2007),
when the US had agreed to sell
arms to Saudi Arabia, Israel had
initially objected and then
dropped their objections, after
the US promised to give Israel
military aid worth up to $30
billion over the next decade”.
Yesterday, the news that the US
are to supply Saudi Arabia with
sophisticated weaponry was
splashed over the front pages of
much of the mainstream media.
The US’s proposed arms supply
(not sale) of arms to Israel
went widely unreported. Reuters
carried a report wherein it is
explained that the US has agreed
to supply Israel with "smart
bombs" more sophisticated than
those supposed to be sold to
Saudi Arabia. The purpose of
doing this would be to maintain
Israel's military strength and
superiority in the region, as
well as to pacify and appease
the Zionist lobby in the US –
those who had expressed their
consternation at the US arms
sale to Middle Eastern ‘Muslim’
countries.
In the meanwhile, the carnage in
Palestine continues. According
to the Palestinian Center for
Human Rights, during the single
week ending on the 9th January
2008, 22 Palestinians were
killed and 117 injured by the
Israeli military. Yesterday
alone Israel killed at least 18
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,
among them the son of Hamas
leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar. About
45 other Palestinians, including
many civilians, were wounded. In
addition, a leader of the
Palestinian Community, Walid
Obeidi, and member of Islamic
Jihad was also assassinated. |
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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 115.02 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 5,751.00 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 2,300.40
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Love for
Wealth |
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Ka'b Bin Malik Radiyallahu 'anhu
narrates that the Prophet
Muhammad Sallallalahu ‘alayhi
wa sallam said: "Two hungry
wolves let loose in a flock
of sheep do not cause so
much damage to the flock, as
does the love of wealth and
vanity to one's Deen."
(Tirmidhi, Darimi).
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Quotation for the Week |
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Look at
Own Thoughts |
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Do not have evil thoughts
about anyone. Instead look
at your own faults and try
to put them in order.
(Maulana Ashraf Ali
Thanvi Rahmatullahi ‘alayhi
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Point of Reflection |
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No Excuse |
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Ignorance of the law is no
excuse for breaking it.
(Greek Proverb) |
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Q and A |
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Question: What should one do
after discovering that he
has eaten something which is
haraam? |
Answer: If
while eating or just after
eating it, a person finds
out that he has consumed
some haraam substance then
he should immediately try to
vomit it out. This is
substantiated from an
incident of Hazrat Abu Bakr
radhiallâhu 'anhu, as
mentioned in Sahih Bukhari
[also see Fazail-e-A’maal]
If, however, the person
finds out after some time
that he has consumed some
haraam substance then he
should perform two rakaats
of taubah salaat and
sincerely seek forgiveness
from Allah Ta’ala. Allah
Ta’ala will forgive him for
his mistake. In the future,
however, caution should be
exercised before consuming
anything.
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.
Bursary Fund
The Jamaitul Ulama strives to
serve and uplift the spiritual
as well as the social potential
of the Muslim Ummah. It is in
light of this that the Jamiatul
Ulama has a bursary fund through
which the costs of studies for
numerous students are provided
for annually.
Bursaries are provided for
students in a wide range of
fields, but six categories of
study have been identified as
priority categories. The six
categories are; Education,
Media, Agriculture, Life Skills,
Tradesman, Natural Sciences.
Applications for the bursary
fund closes on the 31st January
2008. Applicants are advised to
contact the Jamiatul Ulama
Bursary Department at 011 373
8005.
School Dress-Code
At the beginning of the
school year, many parents
experience difficulties in terms
of the dress-codes that their
children are instructed to
adhere to at their respective
schools. In some cases the
dress-code is found to be in
conflict with Islamic
injunctions, and parents thus
find themselves in confusing
situations. The Jamiatul Ulama
offers guidance and assistance
to parents in this regard.
SAfm
Maulana Abdullah Jeena
of the Jamiatul Ulama was the
guest on the SAfm ‘Faith to
Faith’ show, last Sunday. The
topic of discussion was
Eid-ul-Adha. SAfm has scheduled
another show on Hajj for Sunday
the 27th of January on the same
show which takes place between 7
and 8PM.
10th of Muharram
As per notice in last
week’s online newsletter, the
1st of Muharram 1429 was 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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The Significance
of ‘Aashura (10th
Muharram) |
Allah (azza wa jalla)
says:
“The number of months in
the sight of Allah is
twelve (in a year): so
ordained by Him the day
He created the heavens
and the earth; of them
four are sacred; that is
the correct way. So
wrong not yourselves
therein …”. (9:36)
The Noble Prophet (Sallallâhu
'alayhi wa sallam) said:
"The best fasts after
the fasts of Ramadhan
are those of the month
of Muharram."
These four months,
according to the
authentic traditions are
the months of
Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijjah,
Muharram and Rajab.
The sanctity of these
four months was
recognized from the time
Allah created the
heavens and the earth.
Even the pagans of
Makkah observed the
sanctity of these four
months to the extent
that despite their
frequent tribal battles,
they held it unlawful to
fight in these four
months.
In the Shariah of our
Noble Prophet (Sallallaahu
Alayhi Wasallam) the
sanctity of these months
was upheld and the Holy
Quran referred to them
as the "sanctified
months".
The month of Muharram
has certain other
characteristics peculiar
to it. Our Noble Rasul
(SAW) said: “The best
fasts after the fasts of
Ramadhan are those of
the month of Muharram."
Although the fasts of
the month of Muharram
are not obligatory, yet,
the one who fasts in
these days out of his
own will and choice is
entitled to a great
reward by Allah
Almighty.
The Hadith does not
mean that the award
promised for fasts of
Muharram can be achieved
only by fasting for the
whole month. On the
contrary, each fast
during this month has
merit. Therefore, one
should avail of this
opportunity as much as
S/he can. It is also
reported in a number of
authentic traditions
that in the beginning,
fasting on the day of 'Ashura'
was obligatory for the
Muslims. It was later
that the fasts of
Ramadhan were made
obligatory and the fast
on the day of 'Ashura'
was made optional.
'Aisha Radhi-Allâhu ‘anha
has said: "When the Holy
Prophet Sallallâhu 'alayhi
wasallam came to Madinah,
he fasted on the day of
'Ashura' and directed
the people to fast it.
But when the fasts of
Ramadhan were made
obligatory, the
obligation of fasting
was confined to Ramadhan
and the obligatory
nature of the fast of 'Ashura'
was abandoned. Whoever
so desires should fast
on it and any other who
so likes can avoid
fasting on it." (Sunan
Abu Dawud)
However, the Holy
Prophet Sallallâhu 'alayhi
wasallam used to fast on
the day of 'Ashura' even
after the fasting in
Ramadhan was made
obligatory. Abdullah ibn
Musa Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu
reports that the Holy
Prophet Sallallâhu 'alayhi
wasallam preferred the
fast of 'Ashura' on the
fasts of other days and
preferred the fasts of
Ramadhaan on the fast of
'Ashura'. (Bukhari and
Muslim)
According to another
Hadith, it is more
advisable that the fast
of 'Ashura' should
either be prefixed or
suffixed by another
fast. It means that one
should fast two days:
the 9th and 10th of
Muharram or the 10th and
11th of it. The reason
of this additional fast
as mentioned by the Holy
Prophet Sallallâhu 'alayhi
wasallam is that the
Jews used to fast on the
day of 'Ashura alone,
and the Holy Prophet
Sallallâhu 'alayhi
wasallam wanted to
distinguish the Muslim
way of fasting from that
of Jews. Therefore, he
advised the Muslims to
add another fast to that
of 'Ashura'.
According to other
traditions, one should
be more generous to his
family by providing more
food to them on this day
as compared to other
days.
A wrong practice
related to this month is
to hold the lamentation
and wailing ceremonies
in the memory of
martyrdom of Husain
Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu. The
event of Karbala is one
of the most tragic
events of our history,
but the Holy Prophet
Sallallâhu 'alayhi
wasallam/ has forbidden
us from holding the
mourning ceremonies on
the death of any person.
The people of
jahiliyyah [ignorance]
used to mourn over their
deceased through loud
lamentations, by tearing
their clothes and by
beating their cheeks and
chests. The Holy Prophet
Sallallâhu 'alayhi
wasallam stopped the
Muslims from doing all
this and directed them
to observe patience and
said: "He is not from
our group who slaps his
checks, tears his
clothes and cries in the
manner of the people of
jahiliyyah." (Sahih
Bukhari)
Even Husain
Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu
shortly before his
demise, had advised his
beloved sister Sayyidah
Zainab Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu
not to mourn over his
death in this manner. He
said, "My dear sister, I
swear upon you that you,
in case I die, shall not
tear your clothes, nor
scratch your face, nor
curse anyone for me or
pray for your death". (ibn
Kathir vol. 4 pg. 24).
It is evident from this
advice of Husain,
Radhi-Allâhu ‘anhu that
this type of mourning is
condemned even by the
blessed person for the
memory of whom these
mourning ceremonies are
held.
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
The New Year
It is the beginning of a new
academic year for students
at school, universities and
various other educational
institutes. It is also the
beginning of a new working
year for many in various
professions. This year, the
Gregorian calendar and the
Hijri were close to
coinciding in the dawn of
their new years.
At the time of the end of a
year and the beginning of a
new year, people normally
look back at the last year
in terms of notable events,
progress, achievements and
even setbacks. People also
look forward into
possibilities and plans for
the coming year, and engage
in making ‘new year’
resolutions.
For Muslims, the ‘new year’
has other points of
significance. Among them
are:
1. The new year begins with
the month of Muharram, and
this month has been accorded
a position of great honor in
Islam (as explained in the
Summarised Jumu’ah Bayan of
this issue of the Online
Newsletter). The month of
Muharram also contains the
day of ‘Aashurah (10th of
Muharram), which is a day of
substance and importance in
every Muslim’s life.
Great care however should be
taken that issues are not
confused, and certain events
that took place at the time
of `Aashurah not be
considered to be the actual
basis of the significance of
`Aashurah.
2. The Hijri new year is
also a reminder to us of the
hijrah of the Prophet
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,
and together with the hijrah
the various lessons that can
be learned from it.
3. In addition, there would
be no harm in using the
beginning of the new year,
(as one does with the end of
a day), for reflecting on
how one fared, in spiritual
and other ways, during the
previous year, and
thereafter establishing how
one can work towards
improving oneself. It is
important, however, that
this type of reflecting and
resolving be done on a
regular basis throughout the
entire year.
Allah Subhanahu wa ta’aala
says:
“O you who believe! Fear
Allah, and let every soul
look to what (provision) he
has sent forth for the
morrow. Fear Allah: Allah is
well-acquainted with (all)
that you do.” (59:18)
May Allah Azza wa jalla
protect and guide us, and
may He keep us on the
straight path, always.
Aameen.
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