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Weekly Comment |
HIV/AIDS: A Generation of
Immuno-Deficiency
December 1 marks the
day the world observes World
AIDS Day. Acquired Immunity
Deficiency Syndrome as AIDS is
known in full has left an
irreversible impact on human
society.
Yesterday,
UNAIDS, the branch of the United
Nations that coordinates
HIV/AIDS-related activities
released a report that suggests
that the pandemic is on the
decline. UNAIDS has reported
that there were 3.5 million new
reported cases in 1996 alone.
That figure, it is has been
claimed has gone down by 30% for
the year 2008.
Reason to
celebrate? Perhaps not too soon.
UNAIDS warns: "The HIV epidemic
has repeatedly defied
predictions... HIV is likely to
have additional surprises in
store that the world must be
prepared to address."
Besides the surprises this
epidemic may spring in the
future, the scars AIDS has left
on the human race will never be
comprehensively enumerated. Here
are just some sobering facts:
• People living with HIV
increased last year to 33.4
million. Four million people are
on drugs worldwide, a 10-fold
increase in five years. They
depend on anti-retrovirals
(ARVs) which health authorities
can barely afford. HIV/AIDS
expenditure constitutes up to
25% of development aid towards
health services.
• South
Africa remains with a high
prevalence rate of 23 %.
• It is estimated that more
than 15 million children under
18 have been orphaned as a
result of AIDS worldwide. Around
11.6 million of these children
live in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The social dislocation
caused by HIV/AIDS has put
strains on society where the
vulnerable, especially the young
and elderly, live without a
support structure as the
productive segment of society is
decimated by the disease.
• The premium on human
resource development has not
been accurately quantified.
However, the epidemic has not
spared even the highly qualified
personnel especially in
developing countries where
skilled human resources remain
in short supply.
It is
clear therefore that as the full
impact of the pandemic plays
out, there can never be room for
complacency. The efficacy of
different intervention methods
remains a topic of debate.
However, just as UNAIDS special
adviser Dr Karen Stanecki puts
it, a decline in infection rate
can only be ‘explained by
behavioural change.’
Behavioural change can take root
when moral values are inculcated
in everyone especially the youth
of our society.
It is
important that we continue to
educate our youth using
appropriate methods and
techniques that address even the
most sensitive of health
subjects in order to bring about
awareness of desirable social
norms, the dangers of a
permissive culture and risk
behaviour.
The Muslim
AIDS Programme, an umbrella
organisation comprising of the
Jamiatul Ulama, the Islamic
Medical Association and the
Islamic Careline advocates and
has promoted abstinence as the
cornerstone of HIV/AIDS
prevention.
Abstinence
is a product of modesty, a great
virtue of our faith. Other than
faithfulness within wedlock,
abstinence is an intervention
that should be promoted as a
Muslim’s ‘default’ response to
the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
As
a community, we also have a
responsibility of caring for the
sickly, the elderly and
importantly, orphans. Our Deen
teaches us that these are some
of the categories of people who
have rights over us. Within
families, they deserve care from
relatives. In wider community,
let us support initiatives that
seek to help these vulnerable
groups of society. |
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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 |
R163.41 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 8,170.48 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,268.19 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Visiting the Sick |
Abu Hurairah Radhi-Allahu
anhu reported: “I heard
Messenger of Allah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
saying, ‘Whosoever visits an
ailing person or a brother
of his to seek the Pleasure
of Allah, an announcer
(angel) calls out: “May you
be happy, may your walking
be blessed, and may you be
awarded a dignified position
in Jannah.”’”
(At-Tirmidhi)
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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The Woeful |
I have been told that it
used to be said, “Woe to
those who study [their
religion] for a purpose
other than worship, and
those who seek to permit
what is forbidden through
doubts and hollow
arguments.”
(Al-Awzâ’î – Rahmatullahi
alayhi)
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Point of Reflection |
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Sustainability |
To begin is easy, to persist
is art.
(German
Proverb)
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Q and A |
Question: I would
like to know if I could do
both the Aqeeqah and Qurbani
on the day of Eid as I am
financially able to perform
both.
Furthermore, I
would also like to know if
Aqeeqah should be done for
my spouse as she has
converted to Islam.
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Answer:
It will be permissible
to carry out both Qurbaani
as well as Aqeeqah on the
day of Eid. A revert to
Islam is not required to
carry out Aqeeqah
(Tahtawiyyah 108).
<Go to
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U P D A T E |
National Muslim Prisons Board
The
executive committee of the
National Muslim Prisons Board in
Gauteng met over the weekend to
discuss operations of the board.
The board, which offers
chaplaincy service to inmates
also helps the department of
correctional service is advisory
capacity to specific Muslims
needs such as halaal dietary
requirements.
The board
has an extensive field of
operation and requires
volunteers to assist in its
work.
Can War and Violence be Holy?
Moulana Ebrahim I Bham was one
of the panelists at the Young
Presidents’ Organisation event
that was held on Tuesday 24 Nov
2009 at the Constitutional Hill
in Johannesburg. Alongside him,
various religious leaders
answered the question: “Can War
and Violence be Holy?”
Moulana Bham put forward the
point that the presence of armed
forces in each and every country
is testimony that those who love
peace have to protect it with
force when necessary.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Now that
the Hujjaj are gone… |
There are several deeds
regarding which
Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam has said
that their reward is
equivalent to the reward
of performing Hajj. Now
that the Hujjaj have all
departed, those who have
been left behind can
take consolation from
the following Ahadith:
1. Umrah in
Ramadhan:
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas
radhiyallahu anhu has
reported that whilst on
his way for Hajj,
Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam passed
by a woman from the
Ansaar, Ummu Sinan
radhiyallahu anha, and
asked her, ‘What has
prevented you from
accompanying us on
Hajj?’ She replied, ‘We
(my husband) only posses
two camels, one he and
his son have utilized to
perform Hajj, while the
other is required for
transporting water.’
Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam said,
‘An ‘Umrah performed in
Ramadhan equals to the
reward of Hajj (or to
the reward of performing
Hajj with me).’ (Muslim)
2. Wudhu at
home and then going for
Salaah with Jama‘ah:
Abu Umaamah
radhiyallahu anhu
reports that Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi
wasallam said, ‘One who
purifies himself (i.e.
makes wudhu) and leaves
his home to attend the
obligatory Salaah in
congregation receives
the reward of a Hajji in
the state of Ihram, and
if he leaves his home to
perform Salaatu-Dhuhaa
(Chaast) receives the
reward of one who
performs ‘Umrah.
Following up one Salaah
with another without any
futile activity between
the two will be recorded
as reward by the angels
in the heavens.’ (Abu
Dawud)
3.
Salaatul Ishraaq:
Anas Ibn Maalik
radhiyallahu anhu
reports that Rasulullah
sallallahu alaihi
wasallam said, ‘Whoever
performs Fajr salaah in
congregation, thereafter
remains seated making
the Dhikr (remembrance)
of Allah until (a short
while) after sunrise and
then offers two Raka’aat
Salaah (Ishraaq), will
receive the reward of
one complete Hajj and
one complete ‘Umrah.’
Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam repeated
the word ‘complete’
thrice. (Tirmidhi)
4. Going to
the Masjid to acquire
Knowledge:
Abu Umaamah radhiyallahu
anhu reports that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam said,
‘Whosoever goes to the
Masjid for the purpose
of learning or teaching
(Islamic) knowledge,
receives the reward of a
Hajji whose Hajj was
perfect.’ (Tabarani)
5. Serving
one’s parents:
Anas
radhiyallahu anhu
reports that a man came
to Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam and
said, ‘I wish to
participate in Jihad,
but I do not have the
ability to do so.’
Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam
enquired, ‘Are any one
of your parents alive?’
He replied, ‘Yes! My
mother is alive.’
Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wasallam said,
‘Show to Allah how your
serve her with kindness.
If you do so (properly),
you will be like a:
Hajji, a Mu‘tamir (one
who performs ‘Umrah) and
a Mujaahid (One who
strives in Allah’s
path).’ (Abu Ya’la and
Tabarani) Some have
quoted the narration,
‘Whoever looks at his
parents with the eye of
mercy shall receive the
reward of a Haj and
‘Umrah…’ Due to certain
weakness in this
narration, the ‘Ulama
have debated its
accuracy and thus have
differed in its being
suitable or not.
• The promise of
‘gaining the same reward
as Hajj’ that has been
mentioned in the above
narrations, is confined
to the reward only. It
does not mean that one
upon whom Hajj is
obligatory can merely
suffice on these deeds
and that he will be
absolved of the
responsibility to
perform the actual Hajj.
• Imam Tirmidhi
rahimahullah has quoted
Imaam Is-haq Ibn Rahuyah
as saying that this
reward should be
understood in the light
of another hadith which
explains that Surah
Ikhlaas is equivalent to
one third of the Qur’an.
This means that one who
recites it will receive
the reward of having
recited one third of the
Noble Qur’an, but this
does not mean that he
actually did recite so
much. Furthermore, by
reciting Surah Ikhlaas
thrice, one does not
become a haafidh of the
entire Qur’an!
•
The purpose of these
narrations is not to
discourage one from the
actual performance of
Hajj. Rather, at this
time of the year, it
could serve as a means
of encouragement and
consolation for those
who have, for some
reason or the other, not
been afforded the
opportunity to perform
Hajj. As it is said,
‘There’s nothing like
the real thing...’
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Eidul Adha |
Friday will be the day
of Eidul Adha. It is a day
wherein we celebrate the
favours of Allah and, as per
His instruction, we
commemorate acts from the
life of Ibrahim (alayhis
salam).
Eid is a day
of happiness and delight; it
is a day of feasting and
celebration. It is a day
wherein we are commanded to
enjoy ourselves to the
extent that we are even
forbidden from fasting.
On occasions such as
these let us remember:
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to celebrate in such a way
that we remain amongst those
with whom Allah is pleased,
• to celebrate in such a
manner that we do not
infringe upon the
commandments of Allah,
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to celebrate in such a
manner where we learn the
lessons which are meant to
be learned on this day, and
• to celebrate but always
remember those from amongst
our brothers and sister
(around the world) whose
enjoyment is lessened or who
cannot really celebrate
because of the extreme pain
and suffering that they
continuously undergo.
May Allah Subhanahu wa
Ta’aala guide us in all that
we do. Aameen.
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