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Weekly Comment |
Peace Breaks Out!
Barring the violence in Kenya
and Zimbabwe in the past year,
Africa is holding her own
electoral transitions with
relative calm and peace.
As mainstream media focuses
on the strife in places like
Somalia, we on the continent
should be highlighting the
success stories of nations who
have shown that it is possible
to ballot without bullets.
Liberia has put her bloody
past behind. Power changed hands
in Ghana without a fight and
more recently, South Africa has
continued to confound
pessimists. In Malawi too, polls
closed last night. As results
trickle in, it is clear that the
country has delivered yet
another election without much
ado.
This is a good start
that gives hope. However is not
an end in itself. Rather,
elections are just a means to an
end. The end includes
service-delivery and
accountability. Leaders will
come and go but if the welfare
of the masses is not
prioritised, Africa shall remain
a continent whose children
chronically suffer from
malnutrition, disease and
ignorance.
Nations should
prioritise on socio-economic
development by strengthening
institutions that will
facilitate that.
Non-compromising policy regimes
that fight corruption, disease
and poverty should be put in
place.
Despots that loot
government coffers to acquire
Alpine chateaus while hospitals
of their countries run without
medicines should know that their
time is running out and it is so
archaic to keep the masses under
such bondage.
A renewal
of Africa has started but should
be deepened and sustained. It
should not be rich only in
symbolism but change the
realities of the masses.
Partnerships forged with the
developed world should be based
on genuine commitment to improve
the conditions of the continent.
It is possible.
Peace Breaks Out!
Yet another trip of an occupier
PM to the White House has been
concluded. Benjamin Netanyahu
met President Barack Obama and
never made a single commitment
to ending illegal settlements or
the creation of a Palestinian
State. How will the US deal with
it? |
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C O N T E N T
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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 139.08 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 6,954.15 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 2,781.66 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Brotherhood |
Allah's Messenger Sallallahu
alayhi wassallam said
"Beware of suspicion.
Suspicion is the most untrue
speech. Do not spy and do
not eavesdrop. Do not
compete with each other and
do not envy each other and
do not hate each other and
do not shun each other. Be
slaves of Allah, brothers."
(Imam Malik’s
Muwatta) |
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Today Only |
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The life of this world is
made up of three days:
yesterday has gone with all
that was done; tomorrow, you
may never reach; but today
is for you so do what you
should do today.
(Hasan al-Basri
Radhi-Allahu anhu) |
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Point of Reflection |
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Another Road |
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If you are on a road to
nowhere, find another road.
(Ashanti
Proverb) |
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Q and A |
Question:
Most or
all emails, letters, faxes
and general correspondences
we receive from fellow
Muslims begin with the
salaam. How do we respond to
this? Do we necessarily have
to respond to it?
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Answer:
In normal face to face
communications and
encounters with anyone,
Salaam is required. The same
applies to written
communication. Therefore,
when responding (whether
verbally or in writing) to
the correspondence, Salaam
would likewise be incumbent.
References: Fataawaa
Mahmoodiyyah Vol. 12 Pg.
307; Shaami Vol. 2 Pg.421;
Haashiyyah 5 Kanzud Daqaaiq
Pg. 490)
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U P D A T E |
Ulama Workshops
The Jamiatul Ulama will this
Saturday, 23 May 2009, host a
First Aid Workshop for ulama.
The workshop which shall be held
at the Jamiatul Ulama offices in
Fordsburg will be conducted by
Dr Khan of Oliver Tambo Memorial
Hospital. It will run from 09:30
to 13:00.
Meanwhile, a
presentation on archery has also
been arranged and attendees
interested in this art will be
shown the basics of archery. It
is envisaged that archery clubs
will be set up in various places
for Muslim youth.
Leadership Workshop for Ulama
The Jamiatul Ulama will host a
leadership workshop for ulama to
be held at Darus Salaam Centre
in Laudium on Saturday and
Sunday (30 and 31 May 2009). The
conductor of the workshop is
Brother Yawar Baig, a management
consultant from India.
The focus of the workshop shall
be understanding leadership
challenges, collaboration and
influencing, negotiating skills
and conflict resolution.
An invitation is extended to all
ulama and those interested are
kindly requested to contact
Moulana Muhammad Jeena on 012
374 2506. Sleeping arrangements
will be available for those
staying over.
Airport Musallah: Budget Target
Reached
Alhamdulillah the budget for a
new musallah at OR Tambo
International Airport’s new
terminal has been reached. The
Jamiatul Ulama would like to
thank all those who contributed
to this project which has
already started as reported in
the newsletter’s earlier
edition. May the Almighty reward
you all for the generous
contributions.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Importance of
Halaal |
“And we said: O
Adam, inhabit Jannah you
and your wife, and eat
from it freely,
but
do not come near to this
tree, for then you will
be of the wrong-doers.”
(2:35)
• Eating
of Halaal and abstaining
from Haraam is one of
the first commands
ordained by Allah. It
was promulgated in
Jannah, a place which is
free of almost any
restriction.
•
Abu Bakr radhiyallahu
anhu narrated that
Rasulullah
sallallahualayhi wa
sallam said, ‘That body
which has been nourished
by Haraam will not enter
Jannah.’ (Bayhaqi)
• Eating Halaal is
such an important
requirement that it
affects one even before
birth. Whatever the
mother consumes
nourishes the foetus and
thus affects the
physical, mental and
spiritual development of
the child.
•
Allah says in the Noble
Qur’an, “O people, eat
of the Halaal and
wholesome things of the
earth and do not follow
in the footsteps of
Shaytaan. Indeed he is a
clear enemy unto you.”
(2:167) The above verse
establishes a clear link
between consumption of
Halaal and the
performance of good
deeds. This is repeated
in another verse, “O
Messengers, eat of the
wholesome things and
perform good deeds.
Verily I am
well-acquainted with
what you do.” (135:51)
This is another all
encompassing command
directed to the elite of
the pious and to all
humanity in general.
• Conversely the
consumption of Haraam
encourages the
performance of evil
deeds. Among the
negative effects of it
is that children
nourished with Haraam
tend to be disobedient.
It results in
unhappiness among
families and in society
as a whole, which
eventually spurs out in
the form of crime,
delinquent children,
etc.
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu narrates that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said: ‘O
people, Allah is Pure
and does accept except
pure. Verily Allah has
commanded the believer
with what He commanded
the Messengers. He then
recited, “O Messengers,
eat of the wholesome
things and perform good
deeds. Verily I am
well-acquainted with
what you do,” (2:167)
and recited, “O you who
believe, eat of the
wholesome things which
we have provided you
with.” (135:51) He then
mentioned a (parable of
a) man on a lengthy
journey. His hair
dishevelled and his body
covered in dust, he
stretches his hands to
the sky (and calls out),
‘O my Sustainer! O my
Sustainer!’ However, his
food is Haraam, his
drink is Haraam, his
clothing is Haraam and
he is nourished with
Haraam. How then can
that (du‘a) be
accepted?’ (Muslim)
• Merely for gaining
temporary worldly
pleasure, consumption of
Haraam destroys our
worship, our Akhirah and
Allah rejects our du‘a.
Yet then we wonder why
our du‘a is not
answered!
• The
benefits of Halaal are
tremendous: Allah’s
command is fulfilled,
Allah’s pleasure is
attained, the zeal for
worship is created,
blessings in income are
secured, family and
society prosper, du‘as
and worship are more
likely to be accepted.
• Haraam has
physical, medical as
well as spiritual harms.
At-Tabrani stated, ‘The
seeking of Halaal is an
obligation upon every
Muslim after the other
obligations (i.e. after
Imaan and Salaah).’ (Ghazali)
Ihyaa has recorded the
following Hadith
narrations in this
regard, ‘He who eats
Halaal for forty days,
Allah will fill his
heart with Nur (light)
and make fountains of
wisdom flow from his
heart on to his tongue.’
‘Verily Allah has an
angel upon Baytul
Muqaddas who proclaims
every night, ‘He who
eats Haraam will have
neither his dealing nor
his fairness accepted.’
• The acquisition of
knowledge is compulsory
upon every Muslim. This
includes knowing that
which is Halaal and
Haraam. Not learning
about this important
aspect of Islam results
in a double sin - not
learning and thereafter
eating Haraam. It is
essential for Muslims to
consult the learned
regarding the modern
complexities of food
technology.
•
Halaal and Haraam also
include ones earnings
and income, and does not
only refers to
consumables. A Muslim
must ensure that every
transaction is carried
out in accordance with
Shariah and that the
dues owed upon ones
wealth are paid up in
the form of Zakaah,
Sadaqah, etc.
•
Very often Muslims are
negligent with regard to
simple items. Basting
brushes are sometimes
manufactured from pork
bristle, thus making
food impure and Haraam.
Sweets and other food
products could contain
insect derivatives.
Flour and hence bakery
products possibly have
amino acid which is
extracted from human
hair. At times, bread is
baked with animal fat,
while milk may well be
fortified with
animal-derived vitamins.
Dairy products, like ice
creams, occasionally
have Haraam ingredients
like wine. Caution
should also be exercised
with cheeses and
yoghurt.
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Recession |
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Present discussions are
monopolized by talk about
the economy and the
financial crisis in the
world. Recent news
broadcasts spoke about the
issue of whether South
Africa is in a recession or
not. The world economy is in
crisis. The South African
economy, whether technically
in a recession or not, is
extremely tight and not very
healthy.
Effects of
a financial crisis are
indeed severe. Recent
reports from the US explain
the effects of the financial
crisis there. A friend has a
company that had in its
employ eleven technicians.
He has had to downscale to
four (one of which is his
own son). Previously, he was
so swamped with work that he
had to find openings for
clients; now he actively
searches for clients. Some
people had to downscale form
renting homes to apartments.
Still others found
themselves without rent
money and subsequently
shared accommodation, while
others moved into their
cars. Marriages have been
broken and children taken
out of universities because
of the financial crisis.
These are stories from
within the Muslim community.
It is important to
understand that nobody is
immune to the loss of
wealth, difficult
circumstances and even
poverty. Allah gives wealth
and Allah can make one a
pauper. The fact that one is
even extremely wealthy today
does not mean that it will
always be that way. (Surah
3, verse 26)
In
addition, whatever we have
is a favor and blessing of
Allah given in trust to us.
If we appreciate the
blessings and use the
blessing carefully, as Allah
desires than Allah will
increase them. If we are
ungrateful and wasteful of
these blessings, than we
will find that Allah can
take these blessings away
from us. Allah (subhanahu wa
ta`aala) warns us against
wastage or israaf. Simply,
israaf is spending more than
what is necessary.
Allah says:
“ … eat and
drink, but be not excessive.
Indeed, He likes not those
who commit excess.” [7,31]
“Do not spend
unnecessarily, nor devour,
eat away or waste away
Allah's bounties. Allah does
not approve of the
extravagant or the wasteful”
[6:141]
“[Surely those
will attain a good
recompense] who , when they
spend, are neither
extravagant nor niggardly,
but hold a medium way
between these two extremes
“[25:67]
“Do not be
extravagant in dissipating
or squandering wealth or
property in a way that is
not right or on objects that
are vain” [17:26]
“Verily, the extravagant are
the brethren of SHAYATEEN
and SHAYTAN is very
ungrateful and
unappreciative of his Lord
[spending not his resources
where they ought to be spent
and squandering them on the
wrong objects]” [17:27]
May Allah make it
possible for us to
understand, may He guide us
in all that we do. Ameen.
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