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Weekly Comment |
Crime Statistics: Protecting our
Children
The recently released crime
statistics have to be
interpreted as an ‘improvement’
of sorts, when weighed against
previously reported figures of
the phenomenon.
One thing that is troubling,
however, is the revelation that
more and more children are
becoming victims of crime. As
the national homicide rate is
reported to have decreased by
4.7 percent, there was a 22.4
percent increase in the murders
of children!
Children are witnessing crimes;
involved in criminal activity,
and exposed to violence both in
the home and outside. Their
innocence is taken away early in
their lives and they are turning
out to be victims too.
The face of the recent
xenophobic attacks included
children who were either misled
or seemed to enjoy the violent
stalking of foreign nationals in
a number of townships. What
norms can they internalise under
these circumstances? What
society do we think we are going
to have if they are the future?
It is the responsibility of the
whole society to protect
children. The relevant legal
instruments, agencies and whole
communities should protect the
children from juvenile
delinquency as well as
victimisation whether
domestically or outside. What is
lamentable, however, is the loss
of a sense of supportive
community in our society.
Instead, we have to install
alarms, build high fences,
double-bolt our doors, and work
hard to ensure that we live
‘independently’ (read isolated).
There is wisdom, nevertheless,
in the West African saying which
goes, “It takes a village to
bring up a child.”
A society which cannot protect
her children has no future.
Strange Bed-Fellows
They come in different shapes
and sizes. They reason in a
warped manner. They preach
‘love’ but it’s exclusive to
their kind.
Their likeness is Kenneth Meshoe,
the African Christian Democratic
Party’s president who
‘prophesised’ his ascendancy to
power in parliament courtesy of
his pledged support of an ethnic
entity that was established on
occupied land and denies equal
rights for her occupied
citizenry.
Reading between the lines,
Meshoe could as well have
supported Apartheid in South
Africa since that regime lived
up to the ‘divinely’ inspired
biblical directive which has
just dawned on him and now wants
to live up to. In any case, very
few would dispute that Israel
itself is an Apartheid state.
If support for Israel was a
recipe for success for any
regime, why did then Apartheid
South Africa crumble? What
happened to the blessings the
regime earned by her support for
Apartheid Israel?
Did it ever occur to Meshoe that
Christianity can’t be in bed
together with Zionism?
As for his Islamophobic remarks,
Kenneth Meshoe deserves no
response as he is just not so
good at it.
A
‘Plan B’ for Our Nation
The recent announcement by
FIFA’s Sepp Blatter of an
existing alternative plan in
case South Africa fails to host
the world soccer event has sent
shivers down the spines of many
a compatriot.
The possibilities of a ‘Plan B’
being set in motion have however
been discounted by officials.
However, it must be noted that
this will go down as a first in
the history of the world cup
that such a suggestion should
openly come from the FIFA
president. If it is not an
indication of doubt on his part,
it is at least a warning of a
kind. It should also be a
reminder of the danger in
staking all our hopes in this
single event, albeit big. The
hosting of the event should not
be an end but rather a means to
an end.
Our national goals should be the
building of an equitable society
that is united in diversity. If
the World Cup hosting cannot be
the catalyst for that, what’s in
it for the common man?
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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 162.63 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 8,131.65 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,252.66
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Win-Win |
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Abu Yahya Suhaib b. Sinan
said that Rasulullah
Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam
said: "Wondrous are the
believer's affairs. For him
there is good in all his
affairs, and this is so only
for the believer. When
something pleasing happens
to him, he is grateful, and
that is good for him; and
when something displeasing
happens to him, he is
enduring (sabar), and that
is good for him."
(Muslim)
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Quotation for the Week |
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The True Light |
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The verses of the Qur'an, in
relation to intelligence,
have the value of sunlight
in relation to the eyesight,
to wit, it is by this
sunlight that the act of
seeing is accomplished.
(Imam Abu Hamid
Muhammad Al Ghazali) |
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Point of Reflection |
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Own Trumpet |
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Let someone else acknowledge
your virtues. (Maori
Saying) |
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Q and A |
Question: Is there
is any indication in the
Qur’an or Hadith which
states that a woman has to
change her surname to that
of her
husband after marriage?
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Answer: In terms of Islamic
Principles, it would be
incorrect for a woman to
change her surname to that
of her husband after
marriage.
Allah Ta’aala says in the
Qur’an: ‘Call them with
reference to
their (biological) fathers.
It is more just in the sight
of Allah.’ (33:5) Rasulullah
Sallallahu
‘alayhi wasallam mentioned
in a hadith, ‘The one who
attributes himself (family
lineage) to
anyone besides his father
knowingly will be prevented
from entering Jannah.’
(Muslim)
In the time of Rasulullah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
there was no practice among
the
female companions of
changing their tribal names
after
marriage. Their ‘surnames’
in those days were basically
the connection and lineage
which
they had with their
ancestral tribes.
And Allâh Ta’âla Knows Best.
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U P D A T E |
Muslim AIDS Programme Holds AGM
The Muslim AIDS Programme (MAP)
held its annual general meeting
(AGM) on Saturday 28 June 2008
at the Suliman Nana Memorial
Centre in Crosby Johannesburg.
MAP is an initiative of the
Jamiatul Ulama, Islamic Careline
and the Islamic Medical
Association of South Africa.
At the AGM, among other things,
MAP elected a new executive
committee as well as adopting
amendments to the constitution.
MAP endeavours to fight against
the spread of HIV/AIDS using
Islamically acceptable means
such as the promotion of
abstinence. Through outreach
programmes, awareness
initiatives are carried out.
MAP also has a care centre where
mothers and orphaned children
affected by the HIV/AIDS
epidemic are taken care of.
Southern Africa Ulama Meet in
Lusaka
Ulama from the Southern Africa
region will be meeting in
Lusaka, Zambia under the
Southern Africa Ulama Conference
(SAUC). The conference will run
from 5th July to 7th July 2008.
At the conference, Ulama will
discuss issues pertaining to
Media Networking, certification
of foods and beverages according
to the Islamic dietary code;
issues affecting youth, HIV/AIDS
as well as coordination of
moonsighting for the
determination of hijri months.
SAUC is a forum established over
5 years ago and aims at forging
better relations of ‘ulama of
the region through coordinated
efforts. It is envisaged that a
secretariat would be established
in the future for the
coordinating matters affecting
Muslims of the region.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan:
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The Role of a
Father towards Children
Part II |
The responsibility of
the father with regards
to the nurturing of the
child is of utmost
importance. His concern
regarding the affairs of
his children, especially
their religious affairs
should be his priority.
Were you witnesses when
death approached Ya`qub
(Jacob) When he said
unto his sons, "What
will you worship after
me?'' They said, "We
shall worship your AIlah
(God) the Allah of your
fathers, Ibrahim
(Abraham), Isma`il
(Ishmael), Ishaq
(Isaac), One Allah, and
to Him we submit (in
Islam)) (Surah Baqarah,
verse 133)
Advice
Allah brings forth
another aspect to
fatherhood in the
example of Luqman
Alayhis Salaam when
wisdom oozes out from
the sage advising his
son. These pieces of
advice covered many
aspects namely: prayer,
obedience, character and
inter action with
people.
Oh my son! If it be
(anything) equal to the
weight of a grain of
mustard seed, and though
it be in a rock, or in
the heavens or on the
earth, Allah will bring
it forth. Verily, Allah
is Subtle, Well-Aware.''
(Surah Luqman, Verse16)
Ibn Katheer explains
this verse of the Qur’an
in his Tafseer that The
Almighty will bring
forth on the Day of
Resurrection, when it is
placed in the Scales of
justice and everyone is
rewarded or punished for
his actions -- if they
are good, he will be
rewarded and if they are
bad he will be punished.
This is like the Ayat:
And We shall set up
Balances of justice on
the Day of Resurrection,
then none will be dealt
with unjustly in
anything.
“O my son! Perform
Salaah, enjoin the good,
and forbid the evil, and
bear with patience
whatever befalls you.
Verily, these are some
of the important
commandments.” (Surah
Luqman verse 7).
There are many
obligatory deeds, and
but the greatest and
most important of these
is Salaah. Not simply
that by itself it is
important, but it also
happens to be the master
deed that becomes the
catalyst changing other
deeds towards the better
as Allah says in the
Holy Qur’aan: “Surely
Salaah restrains from
shamelessness and evil.”
(Ankabut verse 45 and
Maa’riful Quraan, vol.
7, p45)
“And turn not your face
away from men with
pride, nor walk in
insolence through the
earth. Verily, Allah
likes not any arrogant
boaster.” (Surah Luqman
verse 18)
"And be moderate in your
walking, and lower your
voice. Verily, the
harshest of all voices
is the braying of the
asses.'' (Surah Luqman,
verse 19)
These are simple yet
beautiful guidelines for
the upbringing of a
child.
Financial
responsibility
Allah has
honored us by making us
the bread winner of the
house.
Abu Hurairah
Radhi-Allahu anhu
reports that the
Messenger of Allah
mentioned: “A dinar you
spend in Allah way, or
to free a slave, or as
charity you give to a
needy person, or to
support your family the
one yielding the
greatest reward is that
which you spend on your
family.” (Muslim)
A Muslim is required
first of all to spend on
his wife, children and
their food and clothes.
There is greater reward
for him in this because
it is his obligation on
him, whilst the former
is optional on him.
Umme Salamah
Radhi-Allahu anha
reported: “I asked the
Messenger of Allah,
‘Would I be rewarded for
what I spend on Abu
Salamah’s sons? For I
can’t let them go here
and there (to beg
people). “The Messenger
of Allah replied: ‘Spend
on them and you will be
rewarded for what you
spend on them.’” (Bukhari).
Consistency
It is important
we should try to be
consistent with our
children. We should not,
for example, stop them
from something bad when
we angry and tolerate it
when we are in a good
mood.
Be Positive
While
addressing our children
we should always use the
positive connotation. Do
not do wrong, do not
dirty your room etc.
Rather we should speak
positively, for example
clean your room for
Allah loves cleanliness.
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
Ad-Deen An-Nasihah
(This is a re-run of the
Amir’s Message originally
sent on 20 July 2006) |
The essence of Islam is “Ad-deen
an-nasihah.” (Religion is
good counsel). This hadith
pertains to matters
affecting our spiritual life
and the hereafter. It also
covers worldly matters such
as earning a livelihood,
studying, giving a marriage
recommendation, our
impression of others and a
host of other matters.
Indeed it affects every area
of our life.
The hadith can be found
actively demonstrated in the
lives of the illustrious
Sahabah, whose character was
in fact, a reflection, of
the character of none other
than our beloved Nabi
Muhammad Sallallahu ‘alaihi
wa sallam. The sahabah, as a
whole, demonstrated this
high degree of character to
the world, and this is why
the world quickly embraced
Islam, and was positively
influenced by it.
It is important to always
have an exemplary, before
us, from whose life we can
take examples and be
constantly guided to the
straight path. There are
many pious people in the
world today to whom we can
align ourselves to in order
to preserve our imaan and
take good counsel from. Such
people are living examples
and an inspiration to all;
their mere presence in our
lives makes it such that it
becomes difficult for us to
deviate from the straight
path. By associating with
such people we will be
identified with those who
are pious and Allah-fearing
on the day of judgment.
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