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Weekly Comment |
Afghanistan: An Exit Strategy
for a Super Power
What was deemed far-fetched a
year ago is a likely prospect in
Afghanistan. The United States
will have to cut a deal with the
Taliban.
Regardless of the posturing and
express support of NATO for the
US, it is clear that the
continuation of the war is going
to be a hard-sell for Barack
Obama.
With a toll of 55 killed,
October has turned out to be
deadliest month for the US
troops. At such a rate, can the
US stay the course? In any case,
which ‘course’ has the US
charted and how can it sustain
it?
As it
stands, combined US-NATO troops
are reported to outnumber
Taliban fighters on a ratio of
12:1. Will additional troops
make any difference? It is no
wonder that Obama has been
averse to committing more troops
as General Stanley McChrystal,
has been pleading for.
What is
increasingly evident is that the
US has been stretched thin in as
far as manpower is concerned.
Afghanistan is also proving to
be a financial black hole for
the US treasury. An estimated
U$1m is required to keep one
soldier in Afghanistan per
annum. Add to that the Baghdad
bill then you have a real mess
to the fiscus.
As
Afghanistan unravels, Matthew
Hoh, a senior American diplomat
in Afghanistan has become the
first US official to resign in
protest of the war he says is
only being perpetuated by the
occupation and ‘international
support for a corrupt, unpopular
government’.
Unsavoury
stories of the occupation keep
coming too. Only today, the New
York Times has revealed that
Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother
of the embattled Afghan
president and a suspected drug
trafficker, has been on the CIA
payroll for most of the past
eight years.
About two
weeks ago, it was the story of
Italian soldiers who ‘paid
protection money to prevent
attacks on their troops.’
French
troops who took control of the
Sarobi district from the
Italians back in August 2008,
suffered ten fatalities due to
being unaware of the 'Sicilian
type of homage’ they had to give
to the locals to secure
protection.
The
government itself is also
faltering after a sham election
which is now heading into a
staged face-saving run-off
between Hamid Karzai and
Abdallah Abdallah after the
former had won with a ‘boosted’
margin in the first round,
thanks to stuffing of ballot
boxes!
It
is clear that no conventional
warfare will win it in
Afghanistan. No matter how much
more resources the US is going
to commit to stabilise
Afghanistan, a genuine peace
dividend will prove elusive.
White House
will have to accept the fact and
make peace with the Taliban. It
should not be through bribing of
‘moderate’ warlords to be made
viceroys without the consent of
the masses. An all-inclusive
process of national-building is
imperative.
Washington
would be better place for Obama
with a carefully executed
consensus-building initiative
that respects the people of
Afghanistan as capable of making
choices of how to run their
affairs as a sovereign.
Regardless,
a consensus-building exercise
will not be an easy way out.
However, it would prove more
durable at a much cheaper price
than to fight a war without end. |
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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 |
R154.68 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 7,733.97 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,093.59 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Pride |
.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Mas'ud
Radhi-Allahu anhu: “The
Messenger of Allah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
observed: ‘He who has in his
heart the weight of a
mustard seed of pride shall
not enter Paradise.’ A
person (amongst his
listeners) said:’ Verily a
person loves that his dress
should be fine, and his
shoes should be fine.’ He
(the Prophet) remarked:
‘Verily, Allah is Graceful
and He loves Grace. Pride is
disdaining the truth (out of
self-conceit) and contempt
for the people.’”
(Muslim)
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Faith, Certainty and
Knowledge |
.
Abű Al-Dardâ Radhi-Allahu
anhu used to say, “We ask
Allâh for a lasting faith
(îmân), true certainty and
beneficial knowledge.”
Mu’âwiyah ibn Qurrah
Rahmatullah ‘alayhi then
said, “So this indicates
that there is a type of
faith that does not last,
and a type of certainty that
is not true, and a type of
knowledge that is not
beneficial.”
(Ibn Battah Rahmatullah
‘alayhi)
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Point of Reflection |
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Risk-taking |
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“If you do not enter the
tiger's cave, you will not
catch its cub.”
(Japanese Saying)
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Q and A |
Question: Upon whom
is Qurbani Waajib? Also,
what is the ruling
pertaining to Qurbani of a
minor?
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Answer:
Besides the necessity of
being a free Muslim and a
Muqeem (not travelling), it
is also necessary for one to
be in possession of surplus
wealth equivalent to the
value of Nisaab (Shaami
6/312). Surplus wealth
refers to wealth that is
over and above the basic
needs of a person. When this
requisite is met, Qurbani
will be Waajib, whether a
complete year has past since
one acquired the wealth to
the value of Nisaab or not.
(Aalamgiriyyah 5/294)
Qurbani is not Waajib
upon minors. However, it is
Mustahab (preferable) for a
parent to slaughter at his
own expense on behalf of his
minor children. (Shaami
6/315). However, if the
minor children possess
sufficient cash, then the
parent/guardian will be
allowed to carry out
Qurbaani from the cash
accumulated by the minor.
(Aalamgiriyyah 5/294)
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U P D A T E |
Qurbani
Qurbâni arrangements have been
made by the Jamiatul Ulama.
Kindly forward your payments not
later than Wednesday, 25th
November 2009 to any of the
Jamiat Offices
OR Deposit
directly into our
Jamiatul
Ulama
Nedbank Fordsburg;
Account No: 1953 285 937
Please earmark your payment
“QURBANI 2009”
COST PER
SHARE: R950.00 (Local) and
R225.00 (India)
‘Ideologies that Shape Minds in
the Modern World’
This is the theme of this
quarter’s Ulama workshop which
is scheduled to take place at
the Jamiatul Ulama’s auditorium,
Baitul Hamd 32 Dolly Rathebe
Road, Fordsburg on Saturday 31
October 2009.
The
workshop will start at 9:00 and
end at 12:30pm. Enquiries should
be directed to Moulanas
Obeidullah Bhoja and Abdul-Hamid
Varachia on 011 373 8000.
HIV/AIDS Workshop
The Jamiatul Ulama participated
in a HIV/AIDS capacity building
and sensitising of religious
leaders workshop hosted by the
World Conference on
Religions for Peace South
Africa, KZN Inter-Religious
Council HIVAN and the Religious
Sector on HIV AIDS Task Team
(RSHATT).
The focus of
the workshop was reproductive
health; gender- based violence;
HIV/AIDS stigma, discrimination
and hate crimes.
Mufti MY
Minty was the Jamiatul Ulama’s
delegate to the conference which
was held in Durban between the
26 and 27 October 2009.
Jâmi‘ah al-‘Ulűm al-Islâmiyyah
The Jâmi‘ah
al-‘Ulűm al-Islâmiyyah was
established by the Jamiatul
Ulama with the aim of providing
quality Islamic education within
such a social context which
challenges the notion of
practicing Islam in its
unadulterated form. The
formation of the Jaami`ah is
driven by the desire to rekindle
scholarship within the Ummah and
provide sound leadership so as
to elevate the Ummah to its
deserved glory.
The
institute currently offers the
‘Aalim Fâdhil programme which is
a six-year direct-contact and
full-time course and will be
taught primarily through the
medium of English and Arabic
together with a limited amount
of Urdu.
Some of the
subjects that are taught
include:
Arabic and the
various branches of Arabic
grammar and literature,
Qur'anic sciences and exegesis,
Hadith and Hadith sciences,
Fiqh and Usul al-Fiqh,
History.
Other subjects
include a focused programme on
functional Arabic and Urdu as
well as English for Effective
Communication.
Skills
development is also given
importance,
Computer Studies
is a compulsory subject with the
intention to register all future
students for the ICDL.
A
programme on Islamic economics,
Research methodology and writing
forms and skills are covered as
is speech and elocution,
Students are exposed to guest
speakers who address them on a
range of issues, on a
fortnightly basis.
Learners will be awarded a
certificate upon completion of
the course.
The institute
also motivates students to
further their knowledge in other
fields and facilitates their
registration and study at
tertiary institutes in
accordance with their academic
aptitudes.
No boarding
and lodging is provided to
students.
Admission
Requirements:
Aspiring
learners must be mature persons,
of upright character, have a
basic Islamic education, be in
possession of a matriculation
certificate, versatile in
English and any other official
language of the country and be
dedicated to self-study.
Learners will be accepted
only after an interview.
Applications for 2010 close on
the 9th October 2009. The
academic year begins in January
and ends in December.
For
more information, contact:
Ml. Abdullah Jeena
Jâmi‘ah
al-‘Ulűm al-Islâmiyyah
Tel:
011 373 8040, Fax: 011 373 8022
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
Dhu Al-Qa’dah
Week Two:
Stories of
the Qur’an - The
Dwellers of the Town |
“And put forward to them
a similitude: the (story
of the) dwellers of the
town, when Messengers
came to them. When We
sent to them two
Messengers, they belied
them both; so We
reinforced them with a
third, and they said:
Verily we have been sent
to you as Messengers.”
(Ya-sin, 13-29)
•
Abdullah ibn Abbas, Ka’b
Al-Ahbar, Wahb ibn
Munabih and many others
narrated that the
aforementioned verses
refer to the story of a
town called Antioch
(Antakiyah), governed by
the king Antikhis ibn
Antikhis, who was
idolater. Allah sent
three Messengers to him,
whom he had severely
belied, they were:
Sadiq, Masduq and
Shalom. It is apparent
that they were
messengers sent by
Allah.
•
According to Qatadah
they were messengers of
Isa alayhis salam to the
dwellers. However,
scholars like Ibn Kathir
have strongly refuted
this interpretation
citing various
substantiations in this
regard as well as the
apparent context of the
verse which indicates
that they were separate
Messengers of Allah.
• Allah says: “And
put forward to them a
similitude (i.e. for
your people O Muhammad).
The (story of the)
dwellers of the town,
when Messengers came to
them. When We sent to
them two Messengers,
they belied them both,
so We reinforced them
with a third. And they
said: Verily we have
been sent to you as
Messengers.” The people
of the town said that
the Messengers were only
human beings and they
refuted the idea that
Allah may send human
beings as His Messengers
to mankind. The
Messengers asserted that
Allah knows that they
have been sent to them
and that if they belie,
Allah would certainly
send down upon them the
severest of punishment.
They added: “Our duty is
only to convey plainly
(the Message). They
(people) said: For us,
we see an evil omen in
you. If you cease not,
we will surely stone you
and a painful torment
will reach you from us.
They (Messengers) said:
May your evil omens be
with you! (Do you call
it ‘evil omen’) because
you are admonished? Nay,
but you are a people who
transgress all bounds.”
• Allah says: “And
there came a man running
from the farthest part
of the town” to support
the Messengers and to
declare his faith in
them. “He said: O my
people! Obey the
Messengers. Obey those
who ask no wages of you
(for themselves), and
who are rightly guided.”
In other words, they
invite you to the
absolute truth without
asking wages or reward
for themselves of you.
Then he invited them to
worship Allah Alone, and
not to worship any other
than Him that can do
nothing in this present
life nor in the
Hereafter. After his
people refused to listen
to him, he resigned
himself saying that if I
abandoned the worship of
Allah and worshipped
anything else besides
Him, “Then verily, I
should be in plain
error”. Thereafter, the
believing man said to
the three Messengers:
“Verily! I have believed
in your Lord, so listen
to me!” and bear witness
to this fact before your
Lord or he meant, O my
people! Listen to my
declaration of faith of
these Messengers.
• Thereupon, the
evil people of the town
killed him either by
stoning him to death or
making one sudden
assault against him. Ibn
Ishaq narrated on the
authority of ‘Abdullah
Ibn Mas’ud radhiyallahu
anhu that the people
stepped over his body
till they broke his
neck.
•
Ath-Thawri narrated: The
name of that believing
man was Habib ibn Murriy
who was said to be a
carpenter, a rope-maker
or shoe-maker. It is
also narrated that he
would observe his
religious rituals in an
isolated cave. ‘Abdullah
ibn ‘Abbas radhiyallahu
anhu said: He was Habib,
the carpenter who was
afflicted with leprosy.
He was charitable, but
was killed at the end
upon the hands of his
own people.
•
After he had been killed
by his people and was
admitted into Jannah,
Allah addressed him
saying: “Enter
Paradise…” When he
witnessed the pleasures
and joys therein, he
said: “Would that my
people knew? That my
Lord (Allah) has
forgiven me, and made me
of the honoured ones!”
Ibn ‘Abbas radhiyallahu
anhu said: He advised
his people during his
life saying: “O my
people! Obey the
Messengers”, and after
his death also he was
concerned for their
welfare by saying,
“Would that my people
knew? That my Lord
(Allah) has forgiven me,
and made me of the
honoured ones!” In
addition, Qatadah said:
The believer always
gives counseling because
of what he sees of the
rewards granted by
Allah. By Allah! Allah
did not admonish or even
blame those people after
killing him (the
believing man), rather,
“It was but one Saihah
(shout) and lo! They
(all) were still
(silent, dead,
destroyed).” Allah says:
“And We sent not against
his people after him a
host from the heaven,
nor was it needful for
Us to send (such a
thing).”
•
Various lessons can be
derived from this
incident, inter alia,
o Firm desire and
resolve to propagate the
Oneness of Allah.
o
Utilizing various
methods and mannerisms
in convincing people of
the message of truth.
o Steadfastness in
the face of difficulties
which comes as a result
of uplifting the name of
Allah.
o Supporting
those who devout
themselves to the Cause
of Allah.
o Reliance
on Allah and the
promises that have been
made for those who
devout themselves to
Allah.
o Eventual
triumph of the people of
truth.
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Palestine |
We have written on many
occasions about the
heartbreaking and
catastrophic situation in
Palestine, and we have even
drawn attention to the clear
audacity of the Zionists in
their total disregard for
all, in their oppression in
Occupied Palestine.
Currently, the situation is
extremely horrendous. A
glance of some of the recent
events reveal shocking
details.
The current
onslaught on the Masjid
al-Aqsa and the musallis of
Masjid Alqsa has escalated
in recent weeks. It is
important to note that the
attempts to strike at the
foundation of the Sacred
Masjid is a real and not
perceived threat and the
excuses of worshippers
attacking tourists is a lie
shaped to create a reason
for attacking innocent
worshippers and subsequently
taking control of Masjid
al-Aqsa. The violent attacks
of the Israeli forces upon
worshippers at the Masjid is
frightening and shows an
intent to stop at nothing in
the attainment of their
baseless objectives. It is a
reflection of malicious
intentions of the Zionist
Israelis that they use
devious methods in creating
false impressions and then
sadistically, brutally and
viciously assault, strike
and violently attack
worshippers in the Blessed
Masjid of Alqsa.
The
Israeli settlers’ attacks on
Palestinians attempting to
harvest crops of olives and
the wanton destruction of
olive farms by the settlers
under the watchful eye of
the Israeli army is equally
terrifying and shows the
injustice and efforts to put
a stranglehold upon the
Palestinians.
The
most recent report of
Amnesty International shows
how Palestinians are being
deprived of basic needs such
as water – where many are
subjected to conditions
where the amount of water
available to them is way
less than the minimum
provided in even refugee
camps. To make matters
worse, the water that they
are allowed to access is
filthy and dangerous for
consumption. In addition
Palestinians are even
prevented from digging wells
to source water themselves.
Finally, the lack of water
has wreaked havoc with the
sewage and waste disposal
systems.
The
audacious moves of the
Israelis to try and change
International Law to suit
their ends in their stubborn
approach to the Goldstone
Report – where they believe
that current legislation
considering the war and war
crimes are not suited to an
environment such as the
present one.
These
are just a few examples of
broad events taking place.
The situation on the ground;
on a personal level is
extremely severe and
Palestinians are made to
suffer untold sufferings and
oppressions.
It is
important that we understand
our responsibility to Masjid
al-Aqsa and to our fellow
brothers and sisters in
Palestine and assist in
every way possible. It is
important that we make du`aa
to Allah for the alleviation
of their sufferings and for
the protection of His
Beloved House.
May
Allah (subhanahu wa ta`aala)
guide us in all that we do.
Aameen.
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