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Weekly Comment |
The Siege of Gaza has to be
Broken
This
week, marks one year of the
start of Occupying Israel’s war
on Gaza dubbed “Operation Cast
Lead.” It comes as natural to
take stock at the end of a
cycle.
As the city of
Gaza sustained shelling, home
demolitions and population
condemned to death, destruction
and torturous phosphorus burns,
peoples of the world reacted
with protests to the carnage.
On the back of images of
world-wide solidarity amidst the
unfolding doom, Palestinians in
Gaza became forward-looking.
"We had more hope during the
attacks," Mona Al Shawa, a
Palestinian activist told author
Naomi Klein while visiting Gaza
recently. "At least then we
believed things would change."
This was an optimism
that the protests against the
war would continue to gather
momentum and add up to something
meaningful in the ending of the
long-suffering of Palestinian
people.
The trail of
destruction left by the
withdrawing occupation forces
was unbelievable. One would
remember the flattened home of
the extended Samouni family
whose 48 members were killed in
repeated Israeli shelling.
Then there was the bombing
of the UN-sponsored school where
civilians, women and children
realised too late that it was no
place for shelter from the
Israel’s aerial raids as they
had purported it to be…
A
toll of over 1400 Palestinian
lives with 5000 injured has
prompted human rights bodies to
call for investigations into the
conduct of the war. Amid
mounting evidence and
confessions of her soldiers,
Israel has largely, and
conveniently, remained in denial
of the facts of excesses of the
order of crimes against
humanity.
Regardless,
one year on, Gaza remains under
siege. The blockade that has
been aimed at smothering the
resistance to the occupation
denies Gaza a chance to rebuild.
In has been reported that in
eleven months, only 41 trucks
have been allowed delivery of
construction materials into the
territory.
Pledges of
reconstruction to the tune of $4
billion made by donor countries
remain that: unfulfilled
promises.
So far, it
seems to be working for
occupying power in succeeding to
project ‘Gazans’ as a certain
kind of people who deserve what
they have been subjected to as a
punishment accepting Hamas’
rule.
Production is
throttled if not stymied due to
power supply shortages.
Palestinians in Gaza wallow in
poverty and unemployment.
We commend those who have
taken the initiative to break
the illegal siege of Gaza under
Gaza Freedom March Campaign.
May this campaign be a
success and the beginning of the
end of the illegal occupation
and siege of Palestinian land. |
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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 |
R154.39 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 7,719.35
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,087.74 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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Virtuous Gathering |
Abu Hurairah
Radhi-Allahu ‘anhu reported:
The Messenger of Allah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
said, "Any group of people
that assemble in one of the
Houses of Allah to study the
Qur'an, tranquillity will
descend upon them, mercy
will engulf them, angels
will surround them and Allah
will make mention of them to
those (the angels) in His
proximity.''
(Muslim)
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Character is Supreme |
Learn manners before you
learn knowledge."
(Imam Maalik ibn
Anas Rahmatullahi alayhi)
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Point of Reflection |
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Displacing Sloth |
Let industry be rewarded
lest idleness get the
advantage. (Maori
Proverb)
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Q and A |
Question: Many
scholars have discouraged me
from seeking justice through
non-Shariah courts of law.
Under what circumstances can
I take recourse to the
courts by suing someone?
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Answer:
If by suing, you mean
initiating legal proceedings
to gain a right due to a
person in terms of Shari’ah
(and not more than the right
due to him) and after
exhausting all other
efforts, the only recourse
left to gain his right was
to go to court, then it will
be permissible to do so. If,
on the other hand, by
“suing” you mean suing a
person for defamation of
character and thereby
getting some monetary
compensation from the
opposite party, then that
will not be permissible.
May Allah Ta’aala grant
us the correct understanding
of His religion and make us
practice upon it.
And
Allâh Ta’âla Knows Best.
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U P D A T E |
Day of Ashura
The month of Muharram started on
Friday 18 December 2009. As
such, the Day of Ashura (10
Muharram 1431) falls on 27
December 2009.
The
Sunnah way of keeping this fast
is to fast on 10th Muharram but
also on the day before it, 9th
Muharram (26 December) or the
day after it, 11th Muharram (28
December) as well.
New Jamiat Calendar for 2010
The Jamiatul Ulama Calendar for
2010 is now available from the
Jamiatul Ulama offices or
selected outlets. The theme of
the selected pictures collected
for this issue of the calendar
is Islamic centres of higher
learning. The calendar contains
both Hijri and Gregorian dates,
new moon information, prayer
times as well as monthly
messages of inspiration. The
price is R30.00 a copy.
Photographs for Official
Documents
The
Department of Home Affairs has
made it clear that other than
photograph specifications given
in their guidelines, there has
not been any requirement for
Muslim ladies to take off the
hijab (head-covering scarf) when
taking photographs for
passports, ID and related
documents.
This matter
became clear at a meeting with
the Jamiatul Ulama held at the
department’s offices in Pretoria
on 3 December 2009.
A
concern had developed when an
official from the department was
quoted on Radio Islam recently
suggesting that in the near
future the photographs with the
hijab on would be an issue. The
Jamiatul Ulama had sought
clarity on the matter.
The relevant guidelines on
photograph specifications as
used by the Department of Home
Affairs are available in a
brochure downloadable here.
www.home-affairs.gov.za/PassportIDPhotoSpecifications.pdf
Office
Closure
Please note that the Jamiatul
Ulama offices shall be closed
from Friday 25 December 2009.
The offices will reopen on
Monday, 4 January 2010.
Consequently, this is our last
edition of the online newsletter
this year. Our next edition
shall be published on 6 January
2010, insha-Allah. We thank all
subscribers for the patronage
and support. Jazakumullah
khairan.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Reward for good
deeds: Salaah with
congregation |
“And perform Salaah,
and give Zakah and bow
down along with those
who prostrate.”(2:43)
• Ibn Umar
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Salaah
offered in congregation
is twenty seven times
superior to salaah
offered individually.’
(Bukhari)
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu narrates that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
‘The salaah of a person
offered in congregation
is twenty five times
superior to his salaah
offered in his house and
in his business place.
This is because when he
performs a perfect wudhu
and then goes towards
the Masjid – leaving
solely for the pleasure
of Allah – then for
every step he takes, he
is elevated by one rank
and one sin is wiped off
him. Then when he offers
his salaah, the angels
continue praying for him
as long as he remains in
his place of salaah.
(The angels) say, ‘O
Allah! Send salutations
upon him. O Allah! Have
mercy upon him. And you
are considered to be
already in salaah as
long as you remain
waiting for the next
salaah (in congregation
to commence).’ Another
narration states (that
the angels pray for him
thus), ‘O Allah, Forgive
him. O Allah relent
him.’ They continue
praying thus so long as
he does not harm anyone
and as long as he does
not commit any evil
therein.’ (Bukhari)
• Umar radhiyallahu
anhu narrates: I heard
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam saying,
‘Surely Allah is most
pleased with salaah
offered in
congregation.’ (Musnad
Ahmad)
• Anas bin
Maalik radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Whoever
offers salaah with
congregation together
with the first takbeer,
then two securities are
written in his favour:
security from the hell
fire and security from
hypocrisy.’ (Tirmidhi)
• Thabit bin Ashyam
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘The
salaah of two people –
one leading and the
other following – is
purer in the sight of
Allah than the salaah of
four people each
offering it
individually. The salaah
of four people in
congregation is purer in
the sight of Allah than
the salaah of eight
people, each one
offering it
individually. The salaah
of eight people in
congregation is purer in
the sight of Allah than
the salaah of a hundred
people, each one
offering it
individually.’ (Tabrani)
• Uthman
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates: I heard
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam saying,
‘Whoever offers the esha
salaah in congregation
is as though he spent
half the night in
worship. And whoever
offers fajr salaah in
congregation is as
though he spent the
entire night in
worship.’ (Muslim)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘The most
difficult salaah on the
hypocrites is the esha
and fajr salaahs. Had
they known the rewards
that are in store for
them, they would have
attended them even if it
meant crawling on their
knees. I had decided
that the call to salaah
be made, the people
stand up for it and I
then order a person to
lead the people in
salaah, while I go,
together with some men
carrying bundles of
firewood to those people
who are not attending
the salaah in
congregation so that I
may burn their houses
onto them.’ (Bukhari)
• Abu Ummamah
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Whoever
offers the esha salaah
in congregation has
indeed taken his share
of reward from the night
of power (laylatul
qadr).’ (Tabrani)
• Abu Ummamah
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Whoever
performs wudhu, goes to
the Masjid, offers two
rakaats before the fajr
salaah, remains seated
until he offers the fajr
salaah, then his salaah
for the day is recorded
among the salaah of the
pious and he is recorded
among the delegation
that is going to visit
Ar Rahman (the Most
Merciful, Allah).’
(Tabrani)
•
Samurah bin Jundub
radhiyallahu anhu
narrates that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Whoever
offers the fajr salaah
in congregation in under
the protection of
Allah.’ (Ibn Majah)
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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The Muslim Ummah is
like one body |
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(This is a re-run of the
Amir’s message at the time
Gaza sustained bombing and
military raids by
occupational forces earlier
this year) |
The period of the last
twenty days has been an
extremely difficult and
distressing period. It was
period wherein the Israeli
Occupation Army went on a
pre-planned, unwarranted and
unjustified rampage of
murder and pillage in Gaza.
The offensive began with
indiscriminate aerial
bombings on every
conceivable type of
structure including schools,
hospitals, buildings from
which non-governmental
organisations were operating
from and even Masjids. The
assault continued with the
entering of ground troops,
but did not bring to end the
aerial battering. The
onslaught continued with the
troops then going full-force
into the built-up areas and
the wholesale killing
continued.
Over the
last less-than three weeks
over a thousand people have
been confirmed killed, more
than a third of them being
women and small children.
Thousands have been injured
and tens of thousands have
been left homeless. There is
little, if no, food and
there is hardly any
electricity. Hospitals are
finding it hard to continue
and often have to make
difficult choices between
life support machines and
just-born infants, medicine
is in short supply,
ambulances find it difficult
to travel to where the
critically injured lie
bleeding to death while many
ambulance have been damaged
and destroyed by the blanket
bombing.
The fact that
the Israeli offensive was
clearly pre-planned is
unmistakable and the
transparency of the lies is
more than clear for all to
see.
The world stands
by and looks on with
half-hearted attempts to
reach unfair agreements that
the Israelis still reject.
The leadership in the Muslim
world has not been
forthcoming and the people
of Gaza feel deserted.
In all this, we do, and
we must feel the pain. We
must remember the hadeeth of
the Prophet (sallallahu
`alayhi wa sallam) that
teaches us that the Muslim
Ummah is like one body. The
verses of the Qur’an are
also clear in this regard.
We must remember that it is
our duty to assist in the
best way possible. We must
support every effort that is
made. Our financial
assistance is also of great
importance and we must
create an awareness of the
true situation in Gazza and
the rest of Palestine. We
must make istighfaar and
correct our actions and most
importantly, we must make
du`aa to Allah, that He
changes the situation.
Every effort we make
(whether it be financial
assistance, writing of
letters, signing petitions,
boycotting of companies that
openly support the Israeli
army, etc) must be strongly
highlighted with the
realisation and
understanding that only
Allah can change the
situation – it must include
turning to ad putting our
trust in Allah, knowing and
believing with all our
hearts that Allah is Most
Just and His Justice must
prevail.
May Allah
(subhanahu wa ta`aala) grant
sabr and istiqaamat to our
brothers and sisters in
Palestine, may He protect
them and grant them success
in the fight to protect
themselves against the
flagrant oppression and may
He raise the status of the
shuhadaa. Aameen.
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