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Weekly Comment |
Useful Knowledge… with a Right
Attitude
“It is
only those who have knowledge
among His servants that fear
Allah." (Qur'an, Fatir 35:28)
As a new academic year has
just gotten underway, Muslim
parents have the responsibility
of ensuring that their children
do not only go to school but
also attend madrasah for their
Islamic education.
Seeking of knowledge is an
obligation of each and every
Muslim, male and female. A
believer has to acquire
knowledge that is useful. Allah
Subhanahu wa Ta'aala in His
Majesty guarantees seekers of
useful knowledge guidance and
protection.
Knowledge is
therefore sacred. Seeking it is
an act of worship and the
virtues of it are
well-documented from the
teachings of the Messenger of
Allah Sallallahu alayhi
wasallam.
The
preservation of the Deen hinges
on the imparting of knowledge to
succeeding generations. Its
importance is central to Islam
as a way of life and its rewards
accrue to all those involved in
its imparting.
Muadh ibn
Jabal (RA) said: “Seek knowledge
as to do so for the pleasure of
Allah is the fear of Allah;
acquiring it is an act of
worship; studying it is
remembrance of Allah; going out
in search of it is equivalent to
jihad; teaching it is an act of
charity and spending on its
related activities is a virtuous
deed.”
There are
prerequisites to the acquiring
of knowledge. Mu'amar bin
Raashid (RA) said, “Verily a man
seeks knowledge, but knowledge
is denied to him until it is for
Allah's Pleasure.”
Knowledge is therefore for those
who pursue it with the correct
and singular intention: “For the
Pleasure of Allah.”
Good
manners are another prerequisite
of a student of knowledge.
Knowledge that is devoid of
manners is detrimental. Abdullah
bin al-Mubarak (RA) is reported
to have said: “I spent thirty
years learning manners, and I
spent twenty years learning
knowledge.”
It is
lamentable however that the
experience of our teachers in
our madaris is an unpleasant
one. Children are often
disruptive and disrespectful.
Parents have to
facilitate children's learning
by cooperating with teachers in
instilling discipline and good
manners in their children.
Teachers deserve great
respect from learners. Imam
Ash-Shaafî'i (RA) would show
great reverence for his teachers
and he said of himself, “I would
turn the pages very gently in
front of Imam Malik (RA), out of
respect for him, so that he
would not hear it.”
The
Messenger of Allah Sallallahu
alayhi wasallam, said, “He is
not of us who does not respect
our elderly, (is not) merciful
to our youth, and knows (not)
the rights of those who teach
us.” (Tirmidhi)
As the
Moroccan saying goes:
“Instruction in youth is like
engraving in stone.” Habits tend
to persists and the bad ones
should be nipped in the bud
before they define a child’s
character.
May Almighty
protect and reward our children
and their teachers in the noble
efforts of seeking and imparting
knowledge. May He guide the
Ummah to that which is good.
Âmîn. |
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C O N T E N T
S |
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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 |
R161.72 |
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Mahr Faatimi |
R 8,086.06 |
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Zakaat Nisaab |
R 3,234.42 |
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Words of Wisdom |
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Hadith of the Week |
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.Superiority of Dawn |
Abu Hurairah Radhi-Allahu
‘anhum reported: The
Messenger of Allah
Sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam
said, "He who goes to the
mosque at dawn or dusk (for
Salah), Allah prepares a
hospitable abode for him in
Jannah, every time when he
walks to it or comes back
from it".
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim) |
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Quotation
of
the Week |
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Check your Motive |
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"Nothing was harder for me
to treat than my intention."
(Sufyaan bin Sa’eed
Ath-Thawri) |
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Point of Reflection |
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Catch 'em Young |
Instruction in youth is like
engraving in stone.
(Morocco) |
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Q and A |
Question:
Are we allowed to
place our beds in the
direction of the Ka’aba?
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Answer:
It
is Makruh to face one's feet
in the direction of Qiblah
without a valid reason.
[Shaami Vol. 1 Pg. 655, 341
- H M Sa'eed edition]
Therefore, it would be
incorrect to place a bed in
the direction of Qiblah if
the person lying on it would
be facing his feet towards
Qiblah.
And Allâh
Ta’âla Knows Best.
<Go to
Top> |
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U P D A T E |
Haiti Quake Disaster
The world has
yet again been reminded of the
Power the Almighty manifesting
itself through the earthquake
that shook Haiti a week ago.
A number
of organisations including
Muslim-based ones have since
rushed in to help in this
catastrophic humanitarian
disaster which has rendered
close to 2 million homeless,
tens of thousands more injured
and has left survivors living
with the dead by the thousands
on streets and under rubble,
unable to bury them even in mass
graves.
We encourage
Muslims in South Africa and the
world over to support the
humanitarian relief efforts of
organisations in helping our
brothers and sisters in
humanity.
Meanwhile, the
Jamiatul Ulama will be exploring
ways of assisting the people of
Haiti in the longer term and
will appeal to the generosity of
the community to support such an
initiative once identified.
Taalimi
Board Plans the Year Ahead
The Jamiatul Ulama’s Taalimi
Board had a planning session
meeting where operations for the
year ahead were discussed.
Meanwhile the board has 6
new affiliate institutes bring
the tally to 116. Information is
available for new madaris
wishing to affiliate with the
Board by tel: 011 373 8000.
By affiliating with the
board, institutes implement the
Tasheel Series curriculum which
is backed by supervision,
training of teachers as well as
administration of examinations
that help the enhancement of the
quality of education imparted to
children.
Jamiatul Ulum al Islamiyyah
Reopens
Jamiatul Ulum al Islamiyyah has
reopened for the new academic
year. Fifteen students have
enrolled in the first year. This
brings the total of students in
this institute of Islamic higher
learning to 45.
Students
of the institute also enroll for
various programme with UNISA as
well as undertaking various
extracurricular programmes that
enhance a balanced scholarship
gearing them towards community
service.
Jamiatul Ulama’s Bursary Fund
Applications for the Jamiatul
Ulama’s Bursary Fund remain open
until 31 January 2010.
Prospective applicants may
obtain forms from any of the
Jamiatul Ulama branches.
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.
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Summarised Jumu’ah
Bayaan: |
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Social
Etiquette: Good
Character |
“And verily, you (O
Muhammad sallallahu
alayhi wasallam) are on
an exalted standard of
character.” (68:4)
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
narrated that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘By the
One in whose control is
my soul, and you will
not enter Jannah until
you submit. You will not
be able to completely
submit (to Allah) until
you love one another.
Extend greetings to one
another and you will
love one another. Beware
of hatred, for it is the
razor. I do not tell you
that it shaves the hair,
but it shaves away the
Deen.’
• Abdullah
ibn 'Amr ibn al-‘Aas
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘The
souls of two believers
should meet in the
course of a day even if
they do not actually see
each other.’
•
‘Umayr ibn Ishaq said,
‘We used to say that the
first thing to be
removed from people
would be friendship.’
• Abu Darda
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘There is
nothing which weighs
heavier in the balance
than good character.’
• ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr
radhiyallahu anhu said,
‘Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam was
neither harsh (in
speech) nor loud. He
used to say, ‘The best
of you is the one who
has the best character.’
• Anas radhiyallahu
anhu said, ‘I served
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam for
twenty years. He never
said ‘uff’ to me and he
never said about
anything I had not done,
‘Why didn’t you do it?’
or about something I had
done, ‘Why did you do
that?’
• Abu
Hurayrah radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
‘The dust of the path of
Allah and the smoke of
Hellfire are never
joined together in the
heart of a slave. Belief
and avarice are never
joined together in the
heart of a slave.’
• Abu Sa’id
al-Khudri radhiyallahu
anhu reported that
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
‘Two qualities are not
found together in a
believer: miserliness
and ill-temper.’
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘A man
who is known for his
good character has the
same degree as someone
who stands at night in
prayer.’
•
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr
radhiyallahu anhu said,
‘There are four
qualities such that if
you were to be given
them, you will not be
harmed even if the world
were to be taken away
from you. They are: good
character, restraint in
food, truthful words,
and upholding a trust.’
• Abu Hurayrah
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Do you
know what it is that
makes most people enter
the Fire?’ ‘Allah and
His Messenger know
best,’ they said.
Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam said,
‘The two empty ones: the
private parts and the
mouth. Do you know what
it is that makes most
people enter the Garden?
Taqwa of Allah and good
character.’
• Abu
Mas’ud al-Ansari
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Before
your time a man was
called to account and it
was found that the only
good thing he had done
was that he was easy in
his business dealings
with people. He used to
order his slaves to go
easy with people who
were in difficulty.
Allah Almighty said, ‘We
are more entitled to do
that than he is, so
forgive him.’
•
Jabir radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam said, ‘Every
act of kindness is
sadaqa. Part of kindness
is that you offer your
brother a cheerful face
and you pour some of
your bucket water into
his water vessel.’
• ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr
radhiyallahu anhu
reported that Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam used to
supplicate, ‘Oh Allah, I
ask You for health,
restraint,
trustworthiness, good
character and
contentment with the
decree.’
• Yazid
ibn Yabnus said, ‘We
went to ‘A‘isha
radhiyallahu anha and
said, ‘Umm al-Mu'minin,
what was the character
of Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam like?’
She replied, ‘His
character was the
Qur’an. Can you recite
the surah entitled ‘The
Believers?’ She said,
‘Recite: “It is the
believers who are
successful: those who
are humble in their
prayer; those who turn
away from worthless
talk; those who actively
pay zakat; those who
guard their private
parts.” (23:1-5) She
said, ‘That was the
character of Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi
wasallam.’
[Adabul Mufrad -
Bukhari]
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Message from the Ameer of
the Jamiatul Ulama |
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Our Actions will
Speak Louder |
We have begun the new
year of 2010, and the hype
and frenzy surrounding the
football world cup is
escalating daily in fervour
and intensity.
It is
natural then that we too
will become caught up in the
excitement surrounding the
World Cup. However, it is
essential that as Mu’mins we
should remain focused upon
our Deen at all times.
The hadith of the
Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi
wasallam says: “The believer
is such a person that does
not get involved in anything
that doesn’t benefit him.”
The World Cup brings
with it more than simply
prestige, income and
excitement; it also brings
forth a host of other
challenges and an onslaught
upon our Imaan.
Thus,
we should constantly remind
ourselves and our fellow
Muslims of our
responsibility to Allah
first and foremost, and to
what our Deen prescribes and
disallows.
By the
same token however, the
influx of visitors to our
country will include a great
many Muslims, and in this
regard it is of great
importance that we make
khidmah of our fellow
Muslims wherever possible,
particularly with regard to
making it easier for them to
fulfil their religious
obligations.
Similarly, if the
opportunity to do Da’wah
arises, we should embrace it
wholeheartedly and with
correct niyyah. We should
also remember that the best
form of Dawah is through
setting the right example.
And Allah knows best.
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