|
|
|
Weekly Comment |
ICC Seeks Arrest of Omar al-Bashir
The statement of the prosecutor
of the International Criminal
Court regarding Sudanese
President Omar al-Bashir is
strange, illogical and simply
without sense. His decision to
call for charges and the
indictment of al-Bashir on
charges of genocide, war crimes
and crimes against humanity must
be questioned in terms of its
timing, integrity, plausibility
and impact on the current
situation in the region and the
world. What he hopes to achieve
is simply obscure from the minds
of any sane or intelligent
person.
The move of the ICC can only
create problems on the ground.
The UN and AU currently have
forces on the ground in Darfur.
The widespread rallying of the
general people of Sudan behind
al-Bashir through marches and
protests show that the existence
and work of these UN and AU
forces could be negatively
affected and even threatened.
The ramifications of the call,
if transformed into an arrest
warrant are immense. Sudan is
not a signatory to the existence
and powers of the ICC and
therefore considers the actions
of the ICC to be beyond their
jurisdiction. It is for this
reason that the Sudanese refused
to hand over Sudanese persons
for whom warrants were issued by
the ICC in the past. In the
present scenario, if the ICC
issues a warrant of arrest for
al-Bashir, it is crystal clear
that he will not be handed over.
What then is the purpose of the
current move?
The implications of a warrant of
arrest, however, stride into
other areas. Countries
subscribing to the ICC would be
obliged to arrest al-Bashir if
he were to travel to their
shores. The relationship between
countries who have ties with
Sudan, under the leadership of
al-Bashir, would also come into
question.
While understanding the current
situation, the issue of the
Sudanese crisis must never be
put out of perspective. Even
though one may agree that the
numbers have been inflated and
killings made to look more
gruesome by the Western media
the truth cannot be concealed.
Wrong is wrong and can never be
condoned. The reality that there
has been a systematic ethnic
conflict of Arab Janjaweed vs.
those classified as African
tribes cannot be ignored. The
killing of innocent persons can
never be looked upon in any
light other than that it is a
crime. Allah azza wa jalla
states in the Qur’an “… if
anyone slew a person unless it
be in return for murder or for
spreading mischief in the land
it would be as if he slew the
entire humankind… (5:32).
In conclusion, it must also be
noted that this is the first
time that charges such as these
have been laid against a sitting
head of state. Finally, the ICC
should not stop with al-Bashir
as many would wonder why people
such as Bush have not been
questioned or called to book for
what his direct actions and
decisions have had in Iraq and
other parts of the world.
|
|
|
C O N
T E N T S |
|
Summarised
Jumuah Bayaan |
|
Question and
Answer |
|
Update |
|
Message from the Ameer |
|
I N F
O R M A T I O N |
|
Min. Mahr |
R174.04 |
|
Mahr Faatimi |
R 8,702.14 |
|
Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,480.85 |
|
Words of Wisdom |
|
Hadith of the Week |
|
State of the Ummah |
|
Narrated Thawban
Radhi-Allahu anhu: “The
Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam said: ‘The people
will soon summon one another
to attack you as people when
eating invite others to
share their dish.’ Someone
asked: ‘Will that be because
of our small numbers at that
time?” He replied: ‘No, you
will be numerous at that
time: but you will be scum
and rubbish like that
carried down by a torrent,
and Allah will take fear of
you from the breasts of your
enemy and cast wahn into
your hearts.’ Someone asked:
‘What is wahn The Prophet of
Allah Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam?’ He replied: ‘Love
of the world and dislike
for death.’”
(Sunan Abu Dawood)
|
|
|
Quotation for the Week |
|
Eternal Dimension |
|
Be not entangled in this
world of days and nights;
Thou hast another time and
space as well. (Allama
Muhammad Iqbal) |
|
|
Point of Reflection |
|
Temporal Reprieve |
|
They catch up with a liar
sooner than with a limping
dog. (Hungarian
Saying) |
|
|
|
Q and A |
Question: Is it
permissible for a person who
performs salaah on a chair to
put his chair next to the
muezzin immediately behind the
imam for the fardh salaah and a
masjid? This is in a situation
when the jamaah is big not a few
mussallees?
Answer: We
advise that Musallis that are
validly unable to make Qiyaam
read their Salaah whilst sitting
on the floor. Furthermore, if a
person is not at all in a
position of performing his
Salaah whilst sitting on the
floor and making Sajdah on the
ground then he will be
permitted, as a last resort, to
read his Salaah in any other
position that is bearable for
him.
In the enquired instance, we
would advise that such a person
(whose medical condition validly
allows him to perform Salaah in
this manner) performs his Salaah
at the sides of the congregation
due to them inconveniencing
fellow Musallis. Added to this,
there is also apprehension that
the position behind the Imaam
with a chair should become a
common trend and eventually a
hallmark of congregational
Salaah. According to Mufti 'Abdur
Raheem Lachpori Rahimahullah it
is preferable for the Mu-adh-dhin
to offer the Takbeer whilst
standing behind the Imaam.
[Shaami Vol. 1 Pg. 532 & 786,
Fataawaa Raheemiyyah Vol. 7 Pg.
264, Vol. 5 Pg. 145]
And Allâh Ta’âla Knows Best.
<Go to
Top> |
|
U P D A T E |
Overcoming the Torment of Drug
Addiction
The East Rand Branch office of
the Jamiatul Ulama based in
Benoni will host a Ladies’ Only
symposium on “Overcoming the
Torment of Drug Addiction.”
The programme is scheduled to
start at 2:15pm on Friday 18
July 2008. The venue of the
programme in Bazme’ Adab Hall on
Loonat Street in Actonville,
Benoni.
All women are invited to attend.
Third International Halaal
Conference
South African
National Halaal Authority
(SANHA) will be hosting the
Third International Halaal
Conference under the theme
"Raising Halaal to new heights."
The conference is scheduled for
Monday, 21 July 2008 at
Gallagher Estate, Midrand which
is running concurrently with the
Africa Big 7 Exhibition.
The conference is a perfect
opportunity for individuals to
meet other certifying bodies,
organisations, industry,
scholars and Ulama, insha-Allah.
Contact SANHA on 011 870 8000
for details about the
conference. |
|
Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan:
|
|
Marriage |
“And among His (Allah)
Signs is this, that He
created for you wives
from among yourselves,
that you may find repose
in them, and He has put
between you affection
and mercy. Verily, in
that are indeed signs
for a people who
reflect. (30: 21)
“Marry women of your
choice, two, three, or
four; but if you fear
that you shall not be
able to deal justly
(with them), then only
one or (the captives and
the slaves) that your
right hands possess.
That is nearer to
prevent you from doing
injustice.” (4:3)
• Allah Ta’ala has
created men and women
from the same matter,
but they are different
in terms of character,
habits, and physical
features. The wisdom for
this is so that they may
find tranquility in each
other.
• The aforementioned
verse has declared that
the object of married
life is the acquisition
of peace of mind. This
could be achieved only
when there is a mutual
recognition of each
others rights and a
sincere effort to
fulfill them.
• For this reason,
wherever the Qur’an
cites any injunction
relating to the social
life of Man, it is
coupled with the command
of ‘Fearing Allah’ as a
complement to such
injunctions.
• Ibn Abbas radhiyallahu
anhu is quoted to have
mentioned that no divine
service becomes complete
without marriage. To
marry for the correct
reasons assists one in
completion of religious
responsibilities. In a
hadith Rasulullah
salallahu alayhi wasalam
is reported to have
stated, ‘When a man
marries, he has
fulfilled half of his
religion, so let him
fear Allah regarding the
remaining half.’ (Baihaqi)
• Another narration of a
hadith reads, ‘Nikah
(marriage) is a practice
of my Sunnah.’
Furthermore, ‘He who
shuns my Sunnah is not
of me.’ (Muslim)
• Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam while
advising the youth said,
‘O young people! Whoever
among you can support a
wife should marry, for
that is more modest for
the gaze and safer for
your private
parts.’(Muslim and
Bukhari)
• Among the many advices
of Rasulullah salallahu
alayhi wasalam delivered
during the Final Hajj
(Pilgrimage), he said,
“…O people, it is true
that you have certain
rights with regard to
your women, but they
also have rights over
you. If they abide by
your rights, then to
them belongs the right
to be fed and clothed in
kindness. Do treat your
women well and be kind
to them, for they are
your partners and
committed helpers. And
it is your right that
they do not make friends
with anyone whom you do
not approve (of), as
well as never to commit
adultery …”
• Imam Ghazali makes
mention of five salient
benefits of marriage:
1. To have children.
2. To control ones
carnal desires.
3. To acquire peace of
mind.
4. To increase ones
divine servitude to
Allah.
5. To earn the reward of
fulfilling the rights of
a family.
• A marriage could be
compared to a beautiful
and well-maintained
garden which is well
appreciated and valued.
However, weeds often
become a problem and
threaten to spoil the
beauty of the garden. If
these weeds are ‘nipped
in the bud’ i.e. removed
as soon as they become
apparent, they can
easily be uprooted and
the garden will continue
to thrive. But, if they
are left unattended and
allowed to invade the
garden, they will become
deep-rooted and spoil
the garden. Even if they
are removed later, when
they have already grown
into ‘small trees’, the
roots will remain
embedded and they may
occasionally rear their
ugly heads. Similar is a
marital relationship, no
matter how rosy it may
seem at the outset, the
couple will at times be
faced with challenges
like weeds in an
unattended garden. If
these initial problems
are nipped in the bud,
through discussion and
an attempt to resolve
them when they surface,
a happy married
relationship can be
fostered and that bond
of love can be further
strengthened. However,
if we ignore the initial
stumbling blocks and
pretend that they do not
exist, these problems
may increase and become
a threat to the
marriage. Even if, they
are resolved, it could
still taint the love and
affection of the couple
for many years to come.
<Go to Top> |
|
Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
|
Drug Abuse: A
worldwide Problem |
Almost two months ago the
Imam of Masjid al-Aqsa began
his Friday khutbah by
specifically addressing the
youth. He spoke to them on
issues such as alcohol,
drugs, un-Islamic dress
(especially of women) and
immodesty. He lambasted the
youth for falling prey to
these foul acts and
behaviors which are the
cause of the downfall of the
Ummah.
Four weeks ago, the Imam of
the Masjidul Haram in Makkah
focused his entire Friday
khutbah on alcohol, drugs,
intoxicants and other causes
of the destruction of the
youth in particular and the
Muslim community at large.
The interesting point of
note is that these issues
were considered so important
by these shuyukh, in such
Blessed places, that they
were accorded the importance
of being addressed from the
pulpit of the Friday khutbah.
They were considered to be
serious evils that were
infiltrating the youth of
such regions of the world to
which we accord a position
of blessedness and
sacredness. If these aspects
have affected the youth of
these blessed places than
surely we, living in an
environment which is so much
more susceptible to the
development of such
problems, cannot consider
ourselves immune to them.
Many a time, parents in our
society prefer to look at
things through glasses
colored in the fuzzy way
they prefer to see things.
They tend to fall into the
trap of the ‘not my child’
syndrome and slump into the
denial syndrome which only
allows the problem to become
bigger.
We must understand that if
we live in a society which
is drenched in the
overpowering manifestation
of such evils, then we are
bound to be touched by it,
especially if we choose to
live by the rules and
standards of that society.
It is important to realize
the dangers that our
children face, and it is
equally fundamental to admit
the possibility of our own
children becoming victims of
these evils. It is equally
essential to stand up to the
problem by thwarting the
permeation and widespread
practice of such practices
within and outside of our
communities.
A good starting point would
be the testing of our
children for the use of
drugs. It is important to
remember that testing them
does not mean not trusting
them. It is simply an
acknowledgement of the
existence of the problem. It
is also recognition of the
fact that your child could
be on drugs. Identifying the
problem is the first step in
the process of addressing
the problem and working
towards resolving it.
May Allah (subhanahu wa
ta’aala) guide us to do the
right thing, as difficult as
it may be. Aameen.
<Go to
Top> |
|
|
|