TEHRAN (AFP)--Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday urged Muslim states to punish Israel and deplored what he called some Arab leaders' silence in the face of deadly attacks on the Gaza Strip. "The Zionist regime should be punished by Muslim states.
This usurping regime's leaders should also go on trial and be punished for this crime," Khamenei said in a statement quoted by state-run television. "All Palestinian Mujahids (fighters) and believers in the Islamic world are required to defend in any way they can the defenseless women, children and people of Gaza," the leader said. "Anyone who is killed in this legitimate and sacred defense is a martyr.
" Condemning Israeli raids on Gaza, Khamenei said, "the greater catastrophe is some Arab governments that claim to be Muslims encouraging silence." More than 280 Palestinians have been killed since Israeli warplanes launched air strikes on a wide range of Hamas targets in the besieged Gaza Strip on Saturday morning. Israel responded initially to violence that erupted around Gaza in early November by tightening its blockade of the territory and blocking deliveries of humanitarian aid and other basic supplies. Tehran is a staunch supporter of Hamas but rejects allegations that it supplies arms to the movement, saying it provides moral backing only.
Iran does not recognize the Jewish state and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map and called the Holocaust a "myth."
AFP
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Translating the Friday Khutbah
Is it permissible to hold the Jummah Khutbah in English if the majority of the community does not understand Arabic? Have the scholars agreed on this issue or is there a difference of opinions?
Praise be to Allaah.
Some of the scholars said that it is not permitted to translate the khutbah given from the minbar on Friday and the two Eids into foreign (non-Arabic) languages. Their intention (may Allaah have mercy on them) was to maintain and preserve the Arabic language, and to follow the way of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them), which was to give the khutbah in Arabic in the lands of the Persians and others, and to encourage the people to learn Arabic and pay attention to it.
Other scholars said that it is permissible to translate khutbahs into other languages if most of the people being addressed do not know Arabic, based on the reason for which Allaah enjoined the khutbah, which is to teach the people about the rulings that Allaah has prescribed for them and to tell them of the sins which are forbidden, to guide them towards good characteristics and to warn them against bad characteristics. Undoubtedly paying attention to the aims and purposes is more important and takes precedence over paying attention to the words used, especially when the audience does not understand Arabic and the khutbah does not have any effect on them and does not motivate them to learn Arabic. (Especially in these times when the Muslims have fallen behind and others have advanced, and the language of the dominant people has become widespread and the language of the defeated is in a weaker position).
If the aim of conveying knowledge and Islamic teaching to the people can only be achieved among non-Arabs by translating the khutbahs into their languages, then the view that it is permissible to translate the khutbah into the prevalent language of the audience so that they may understand what is being said takes precedence and should be followed, especially if not translating the khutbahs will lead to conflicts and arguments. Undoubtedly translating the khutbah in such a case becomes essential to serve the people's interests and avoid mischief.
If there are some people in the congregation who do understand Arabic, then the khateeb should combine the two languages, giving the khutbah in Arabic then repeating it in the other language which the other people understand. In this manner he will achieve the two purposes, avoiding mischief and conflict among the people whom he is addressing.
There is a great deal of evidence to support that in the pure sharee'ah, such as the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them."
[Ibraaheem 14:4]
And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded Zayd ibn Thaabit to learn the language of the Jews so that he might send letters to them in their language and establish proof against them, and so that he might read their letters when they were sent, and explain to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) what they said. And when the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) attacked the Romans and Persians, they did not fight them until they had called them to Islam by means of interpreters. When they conquered the foreign countries they called the people to Allaah in Arabic and commanded the people to learn it. Whoever among them did not know Arabic, they called him in his own language and made him understand what was meant in the language that he did understand. Thus proof was established. Undoubtedly this is the only way, especially at the end of time when Islam is like a stranger and every people is clinging to its own language. There is a very real need for translation now, and the daa'iyah cannot convey his message without it.
The khateeb should do that which best suits the interests of the people he is addressing. If the best is to give the khutbah part by part, in Arabic and then translated, then he should do that. If the best is to translate the entire khutbah, after giving the khutbah (in Arabic) or after the prayer, then he should do that. And Allaah knows best.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 8/251-255
http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/984/jummahvia
Ummah.com - Muslim Forum
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
CLOSING GUANTÁNAMO BAY WILL END ‘DARK CHAPTER’ IN US HISTORY, STRESS UN EXPERTS
CLOSING GUANTÁNAMO BAY WILL END 'DARK CHAPTER' IN US HISTORY, STRESS UN EXPERTS
New York, Dec 22 2008 12:10PM
A group of independent United Nations human rights experts have welcomed United States President-elect Barack Obama's announced decision close the Guantánamo Bay detention centre, stressing it will end "a dark chapter in the country's history."
In a statement issued in Geneva today, four UN human rights experts stated that "the regime applied at Guantánamo Bay neither allowed the guilty to be condemned nor secured that the innocent be released," adding that it also opened the door for serious human rights violations.
Following his election in November, Mr. Obama publicly stated his commitment to lead his administration's efforts to close the Guantánamo Bay prison camp and to strengthen the fight against torture. Both of which are part, he said, of his efforts "to regain America's moral stature in the world."
The experts strongly support his commitment which they said, in addition to restoring the moral stature of the US in the world, "will allow a dark chapter in the country's history to be closed and to advance in the protection of human rights."
They added that "moving forward with closing Guantánamo is a strong symbol that will help to repair the image of the country after damage by what was widely perceived as attempts at legitimising the practice of torture under certain circumstances."
In addition to being illegal, detention there was "ineffective in criminal procedure terms," said the experts, adding that similar severe abuses also occur at places of secret detention. "Thus, with the same emphasis, the experts urge that all secret detention places be closed and that persons detained therein be given due process."
The experts also stressed that detainees facing criminal charges must be provided fair trials before courts that afford all essential judicial guarantees. "They emphatically reject any proposals that Guantánamo detainees could through new legislation be subjected to administrative detention, as this would only prolong their arbitrary detention," the statement said.
Further, they called on third countries to facilitate the closure through their full cooperation in resettling those Guantánamo detainees that cannot be sent back to their countries of origin and, in this regard, welcomed the recent announcement of Portugal to accept detainees and called on other States to follow.
Among those adding his name to today's statement is the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Martin Scheinin, who warned a couple of months ago that the US Government's system of military commissions planned for suspects detained at Guantánamo is not likely to reach international standards on the right to a fair trial.
He added that a visit to Guantánamo Bay in December 2007 confirmed his misgivings concerning the operation of the military commissions.
The US Supreme Court has in a series of cases pronounced itself on the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay. In its most recent decision, the Court found the Military Commissions Act unconstitutional and granted the detainees access to the federal courts' jurisdiction, including the right to habeas corpus.
Today's statement is also signed by the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy; the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak; and the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover.
The experts, who function in an independent and unpaid capacity, report to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
Dec 22 2008 12:10PM
________________
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
New York, Dec 22 2008 12:10PM
A group of independent United Nations human rights experts have welcomed United States President-elect Barack Obama's announced decision close the Guantánamo Bay detention centre, stressing it will end "a dark chapter in the country's history."
In a statement issued in Geneva today, four UN human rights experts stated that "the regime applied at Guantánamo Bay neither allowed the guilty to be condemned nor secured that the innocent be released," adding that it also opened the door for serious human rights violations.
Following his election in November, Mr. Obama publicly stated his commitment to lead his administration's efforts to close the Guantánamo Bay prison camp and to strengthen the fight against torture. Both of which are part, he said, of his efforts "to regain America's moral stature in the world."
The experts strongly support his commitment which they said, in addition to restoring the moral stature of the US in the world, "will allow a dark chapter in the country's history to be closed and to advance in the protection of human rights."
They added that "moving forward with closing Guantánamo is a strong symbol that will help to repair the image of the country after damage by what was widely perceived as attempts at legitimising the practice of torture under certain circumstances."
In addition to being illegal, detention there was "ineffective in criminal procedure terms," said the experts, adding that similar severe abuses also occur at places of secret detention. "Thus, with the same emphasis, the experts urge that all secret detention places be closed and that persons detained therein be given due process."
The experts also stressed that detainees facing criminal charges must be provided fair trials before courts that afford all essential judicial guarantees. "They emphatically reject any proposals that Guantánamo detainees could through new legislation be subjected to administrative detention, as this would only prolong their arbitrary detention," the statement said.
Further, they called on third countries to facilitate the closure through their full cooperation in resettling those Guantánamo detainees that cannot be sent back to their countries of origin and, in this regard, welcomed the recent announcement of Portugal to accept detainees and called on other States to follow.
Among those adding his name to today's statement is the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Martin Scheinin, who warned a couple of months ago that the US Government's system of military commissions planned for suspects detained at Guantánamo is not likely to reach international standards on the right to a fair trial.
He added that a visit to Guantánamo Bay in December 2007 confirmed his misgivings concerning the operation of the military commissions.
The US Supreme Court has in a series of cases pronounced itself on the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay. In its most recent decision, the Court found the Military Commissions Act unconstitutional and granted the detainees access to the federal courts' jurisdiction, including the right to habeas corpus.
Today's statement is also signed by the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy; the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak; and the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Anand Grover.
The experts, who function in an independent and unpaid capacity, report to the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council.
Dec 22 2008 12:10PM
________________
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
It is not permissible to eat foods that are prepared by the kuffaar for their festivals
Is it permissible for a Muslim to eat the foods that the people of the Book or the mushrikoon prepare for their festivals or accept such foods if they are given on the occasion of their festivals?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible for the Muslim to eat foods that the Jews, Christians and mushrikoon make for their festivals. It is not permissible either for a Muslim to accept such things that are given to them on the occasion of their festivals, because that implies honouring them and cooperating with them in manifesting their symbols and propagating their innovations and sharing their happiness on the days of their festivals.
That may also lead to taking their festivals as festivals for us too, or to exchanging invitations to meals or to give gifts on one another’s festivals at the very least. This is a kind of deviation and innovation in religion. It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it, will have it rejected.” And it is not permissible to give them anything on the occasion of their festivals.
Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 22/398.
source;islamonline.com
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible for the Muslim to eat foods that the Jews, Christians and mushrikoon make for their festivals. It is not permissible either for a Muslim to accept such things that are given to them on the occasion of their festivals, because that implies honouring them and cooperating with them in manifesting their symbols and propagating their innovations and sharing their happiness on the days of their festivals.
That may also lead to taking their festivals as festivals for us too, or to exchanging invitations to meals or to give gifts on one another’s festivals at the very least. This is a kind of deviation and innovation in religion. It was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it, will have it rejected.” And it is not permissible to give them anything on the occasion of their festivals.
Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 22/398.
source;islamonline.com
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Denmark: Proposal to ban child circumcision
Denmark: Proposal to ban child circumcision
Several parliamentary parties are considering creating legislation that would spare all children from circumcision - not just girls
A proposal to ban circumcision for boys may be on its way to parliament after intense discussions by MPs over the past week, reports Kristeligt Dagblad newspaper.
Although circumcision of girls was outlawed in response to the practice being common among immigrants from some Muslim countries, boys may still be circumcised if a certified physician is present.
Jewish traditions calls for the circumcision of newborn boys, and many Muslims and Christians support the practice as well. But both the Ethics Council and the National Council for Children have recently criticised the practice, stating that a boy should be able to decide for himself if he wants the procedure performed when he reaches the age of 15 - the legal age in Denmark for a child to have sole jurisdiction over his own body.
While the Social Democrats, Red-Green Alliance and Liberal Alliance have come out in support of a ban, the Danish People's Party called it 'tyranny'.
'It's completely ridiculous to compare the circumcision of girls - which is a barbaric mutilation - with that of boys, where it's just the removal of a skin flap,' said the party's Jesper Langballe.
But the party's own health spokeswoman, Liselott Brixt, said she supports a ban.
'A lot of parents want it done to their children because they themselves had it done. But we're living in the present and it isn't fair to expose healthy children to religious circumcision.'
via Islam in Europe
Source: Copenhagen Post (English)
Several parliamentary parties are considering creating legislation that would spare all children from circumcision - not just girls
A proposal to ban circumcision for boys may be on its way to parliament after intense discussions by MPs over the past week, reports Kristeligt Dagblad newspaper.
Although circumcision of girls was outlawed in response to the practice being common among immigrants from some Muslim countries, boys may still be circumcised if a certified physician is present.
Jewish traditions calls for the circumcision of newborn boys, and many Muslims and Christians support the practice as well. But both the Ethics Council and the National Council for Children have recently criticised the practice, stating that a boy should be able to decide for himself if he wants the procedure performed when he reaches the age of 15 - the legal age in Denmark for a child to have sole jurisdiction over his own body.
While the Social Democrats, Red-Green Alliance and Liberal Alliance have come out in support of a ban, the Danish People's Party called it 'tyranny'.
'It's completely ridiculous to compare the circumcision of girls - which is a barbaric mutilation - with that of boys, where it's just the removal of a skin flap,' said the party's Jesper Langballe.
But the party's own health spokeswoman, Liselott Brixt, said she supports a ban.
'A lot of parents want it done to their children because they themselves had it done. But we're living in the present and it isn't fair to expose healthy children to religious circumcision.'
via Islam in Europe
Source: Copenhagen Post (English)
Friday, December 19, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
خطيب عرفات: الأمن أهم مطالب الحياة وأساس التسامح لكل المجتمعات
الحجاج يرمون الجمرات فى منى | |
بدأ حجاج بيت الله الحرام, مع الساعات الأولي من فجر اليوم, رمي الجمرات في مني, وذلك بعد قضائهم يوم أمس وقوفا بساحة عرفات أداء لركن الحج الأعظم. وقد بدأ ضيوف الرحمن مع إشراقة صباح أمس الوصول إلي ساحة عرفات, حيث قضوا يومهم مهللين ملبين ربهم عز وجل, مستغفرين. | |
الاتحاد الأوروبي يبدأ أضخم عملية بحـريــة لمواجـهـة القـرصنــة | |
يبدأ الاتحاد الأوروبي اليوم أضخم عملية بحرية لمحاربة ظاهرة القرصنة قبالة سواحل الصومال, وخليج عدن, وذلك من خلال دوريات قوامها ست بوارج, وثلاث طائرات استطلاع في مساحة مليون كيلومتر مربع, وتشارك في العملية ثماني دول هي: بلجيكا, وبريطانيا, وفرنسا, وألمانيا, واليونان, وهولندا, وإسبانيا, والسويد. | |
تدمير160 شاحنة نقل للناتو في بيشاور | |
شن نحو30 مسلحا هجوما علي مركز إمداد للناتو في مدينة بيشاور الحدودية الباكستانية, وأحرقوا160 شاحنة عملاقة. واستخدم المسلحون البنادق والقاذفات الصاروخية في الهجوم الذي يأتي ضمن سلسلة عمليات تستهدف طريق الإمداد اللوجيستي للقوات الغربية في أفغانستان, خاصة عبر ممر خيبر. |
Eid al-Adha - Celebration of Sacrifice
Eid al-Adha - Celebration of Sacrifice |
Eid al-Adha is the Celebration of Sacrifice or Slaughter which is to celebrate the Sacrifice made by the Prophet Abraham when God asked him to sacrifice his own son.
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| Ka'aba in the Great Mosque at Mecca |
It was with a heavy heart that Abraham agreed to do so but was ready to show his commitment and loyalty to his Lord.
Abraham's son, Ishmael, also recognised the importance of God's commandment and was happy to participate. Abraham drew his knife to slaughter his son but just as the knife drew near, God intervened and Abraham's child was replaced by a sheep.
Abraham was happy and relieved when he saw that his son was safe. God had asked him to sacrifice his son to test his faith and when Abraham proved that he was willing to do it, God did not need him to commit the slaughter of his own son, whom Abraham dearly loved.
The celebration of Eid al-Adha commemorates this event as Muslims all over the world sacrifice an animal during this Eid. This sacrifice is known as Qurbani.
A Muslim who performs or pays for a Qurbani to be performed shares the meat amongst fellow Muslims in three portions. One third is for the poor, one third for family and friends and the last third for his own household.http:/samotalis.blogspot.com/
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Hajj 2008:‘System in place to control crowds’
‘System in place to control crowds’
MAKKAH:Advanced technology is being used to control crowds in Makkah and the holy sites, according to a senior official responsible for crowd management at the holy sites.
“Geo information systems are in place and television cameras have been installed at all important locations to monitor surging crowds and any possible untoward situation,” Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Khelaiwi, assistant director for operations and assistant commander for crowd management, told Arab News yesterday.
About 1,500 cameras have been placed at prime locations, including on the Jamrat Bridge, at the Grand Mosque, in tunnels and all pedestrian roads and hilltops.
“The underlying principle of our strategy is never to allow people coming from different directions to converge. With this objective we have taken steps to guarantee that pedestrians move only in a single direction on a particular road,” Al-Khelaiwi said.
A number of security men posted at several locations on roads have been told to stop anyone moving in a direction that is counter to the flow of pedestrian traffic on any particular route. “Signs displayed on the roads advise pilgrims to travel in only one direction,” the assistant director added.
The measure to enforce one-way direction for pedestrians has been adopted following recommendations by domestic and foreign experts who took part in several crowd management workshops.
“With the help cameras placed on roads and other places in Makkah and the holy sites, particularly the Jamrat Bridge area, the Control and Command Center maintains a round-the-clock vigil. The greatest advantage of the system is that the control room gets a clear idea every moment of the number of pilgrims moving toward the Jamrat from different directions and the officials could be geared to handle any emergency. The cameras also spot the places where illegal pilgrims try to erect their makeshift camps,” he said.
The cameras also help the control room notice the activities of security forces working in a particular area and that helps in sending reinforcement in case of emergency, he added.
Speaking about the method of responding to reports at the command center, the assistant director said, “The personnel manning the center analyze the reports quickly and pass them to the relevant section responsible for handling that particular situation. Departments of police, Red Crescent, Civil Defense, Car Syndicate and utilities are working in concert with the command and control center.”
Badea Abu Al-Naja Arab News
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
MAKKAH:Advanced technology is being used to control crowds in Makkah and the holy sites, according to a senior official responsible for crowd management at the holy sites.
“Geo information systems are in place and television cameras have been installed at all important locations to monitor surging crowds and any possible untoward situation,” Maj. Gen. Saad Al-Khelaiwi, assistant director for operations and assistant commander for crowd management, told Arab News yesterday.
About 1,500 cameras have been placed at prime locations, including on the Jamrat Bridge, at the Grand Mosque, in tunnels and all pedestrian roads and hilltops.
“The underlying principle of our strategy is never to allow people coming from different directions to converge. With this objective we have taken steps to guarantee that pedestrians move only in a single direction on a particular road,” Al-Khelaiwi said.
A number of security men posted at several locations on roads have been told to stop anyone moving in a direction that is counter to the flow of pedestrian traffic on any particular route. “Signs displayed on the roads advise pilgrims to travel in only one direction,” the assistant director added.
The measure to enforce one-way direction for pedestrians has been adopted following recommendations by domestic and foreign experts who took part in several crowd management workshops.
“With the help cameras placed on roads and other places in Makkah and the holy sites, particularly the Jamrat Bridge area, the Control and Command Center maintains a round-the-clock vigil. The greatest advantage of the system is that the control room gets a clear idea every moment of the number of pilgrims moving toward the Jamrat from different directions and the officials could be geared to handle any emergency. The cameras also spot the places where illegal pilgrims try to erect their makeshift camps,” he said.
The cameras also help the control room notice the activities of security forces working in a particular area and that helps in sending reinforcement in case of emergency, he added.
Speaking about the method of responding to reports at the command center, the assistant director said, “The personnel manning the center analyze the reports quickly and pass them to the relevant section responsible for handling that particular situation. Departments of police, Red Crescent, Civil Defense, Car Syndicate and utilities are working in concert with the command and control center.”
Badea Abu Al-Naja Arab News
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Wheelchair-bound pilgrims have good reasons to be here
| Wheelchair-bound pilgrims have good reasons to be here Syed Faisal Ali Arab News | ||||||
MINA: Haj is obligatory for able-bodied Muslims but hundreds of pilgrims are in the holy places performing the pilgrimage on wheelchairs. Their loved ones push them through the streets. Both the wheelchair-bound pilgrims and their loved ones have many convincing reasons for what they are doing. One such pilgrim told Arab News that it has been her long-cherished dream to perform Haj, but due to economic and domestic constraints, it was not possible for her to do so until her son got a job in Jeddah last year. "For me, it was a dream come true when my son informed me that he had made arrangements for me to come here," said Danish Shambrela from Algeria. Shambrela, 65, is suffering from various ailments, including acute arthritis. Her son, Danish Isshac, is taking care of her not only as a son but also as a doctor. "My mother is on medication due to her illness. And frankly speaking I was little uneasy about bringing her for Haj. But her wish is my command and as a son, it is obligatory for me to fulfill her wishes. I'm sure Allah will accept her Haj and also reward her," a visibly contented and happy Isshac said. As a disabled person, Shambrela wanted very much to undertake the pilgrimage and visit the house of Allah. She is happy to have undertaken the journey and wishes that others with similar problems could also perform Haj. "I would like to share some of my experiences in the hope that this will help people with disabilities who are planning to perform Haj. No matter what your special needs, with a firm belief in Allah and a little bit of patience and planning, Insha'Allah you will be able to do just fine," Shambrela said. Mariyam Amo, another wheelchair-bound pilgrim, is pushed through the streets by her husband, Ahmad Ishkadev; they are also from Algeria. "Mariyam took care of me for my whole life and we are blessed with three children. They wanted to accompany her on Haj but she wanted only me as if she wanted to tell me it was my turn to take care of her. I agreed and we are here," Ishkadev said. "After deciding to perform Haj, the first thing we did was to pick a good Haj package that guaranteed accommodation close to the Jamrat. That is crucial," he said. Instead of picking a low-cost extended-stay package it is better to go for a high-end short package, Ishkadev felt. "We chose an express package and it has worked out just fine as it has allowed us up to now to perform the rituals properly without getting too tired. Dedicated transportation to and from Makkah to Mina to Arafat, Muzdalifa and the Holy Haram is assured in the package. We carried the wheelchair with us from our country so as not to have to spend the money for one here," Ishkadev said. "However, in case of an emergency, the people with special needs are the ones left behind and who become vulnerable. With a little bit of planning on their part, life could be so much better for people with special needs during Haj. What I'm trying to say is that you have to be proactive and be your own advocate. Just talk to the company to find out where you will be staying. It will keep you out of unnecessary hardships and loss of quality prayer time," Ishkadev said. A young man from Libya was pushing the wheelchair of a senior and infirm pilgrim, Ahmad Abdul Salam. Interestingly, the young man was not related to the old pilgrim. Then why was he doing this? And here is the reply — "For Allah's mercy, to atone for my sins," said the young man, Wahaj Abdullah, from Tripoli. "I met Abdul Salam in the group we are both a part of. Though he is old, he was all right when we started our journey. It was only in Madinah that he fell sick. And it was my duty to take care of him, despite the fact that we are not related," Abdullah said. He said Allah would accept the Haj of both of them and reward them with His bounties. Another point to be made concerning pilgrims with special needs is that there are people who, for a price, will take care of them. "I have engaged a young man from Makkah to push my mother's wheelchair. Certainly I will pay him but will not say the amount," said Bashir Muallad, a Jordanian pilgrim. Bashir said he hired the young man for the whole season for a premium price. "In fact, I wanted to be able to take care of my mother by myself but unfortunately due to my own illness, I can't and so we have taken the services of Sultan Al-Harbi." All pilgrims who are sick and infirm have strong arguments to support their coming to perform Haj. For some it is a dream come true. Some saved small amounts of money for many years so that they could make the journey. "In matters where sentiment is dominant, other issues become smaller," said Ishkadev, justifying his mother's pilgrimage. "After all, this is our chance to please Allah, by patiently enduring the hardships of Haj. It is said that there is a reward for every hardship," he said. http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
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Haj Reflections Day 1: New Jamrat complex has a commanding presence by Siraj Wahab
Haj Reflections Day 1: New Jamrat complex has a commanding presence
by Siraj Wahab
Haj 2008 welcomed us with a cool breeze as we entered Mina on Friday night. The place was still mostly deserted. Only the hectares and hectares of white tents provided an indication of the millions of pilgrims about to descend on the city. We hopped on a moped to take a tour of the site. The winds whipped at the tent flaps and the chill of a winter desert night bit into our bones. Meteorologists have predicted cool weather and perhaps even rain during the Haj rituals. This will certainly test the pilgrims, especially during their stay in the barren landscape of Muzdalifa tonight (Sunday night). In preparation for possible flooding, the authorities have dug culverts to try and channel rushing water away from the tent city. It is hoped that this will also reduce the danger from rock slides coming down the rocky hillsides.
* * *
The new Jamrat complex has a commanding presence, towering over all other structures in Mina. It is four levels now — ground floor, plus three additional stories. The area is fully floodlit and police were already on duty, securing the site. A few pilgrims had come out to discover the lay of the land per se. As the complex is so new it is an attraction in itself, aside from the role it will play in the Haj rituals. I have been covering the pilgrimage for a decade and the Jamrat complex is truly something to give every Muslim peace of mind. In times past, the small Jamrat bridge always seemed inadequate to cope with the flood of humanity. It was a source of anxiety to those of us who would watch tragedies unfolding near the pillars that symbolize Satan, again and again. There is confidence among all the Haj organizers now that every precaution has been taken to prevent loss of life during the stoning ritual.
* * *
The police are being extremely strict this year in controlling access to the holy sites. A Haj permit is a must. It was mandatory that pilgrims showed that they had accommodation before permits would be issued. The goal is to prevent squatters and improve the manageability of the event. It was announced that 1.7 million pilgrims will be coming from abroad and that half a million permits were issued to pilgrims from within the Kingdom. Since it is thought that about 2.5 million pilgrims can be accommodated at the Haj, those numbers are well within the acceptable limits.
* * *
Rulings have been issued by the religious authorities stating that coming to Haj without a permit is against the spirit of the event and is highly discouraged. Nevertheless, some Muslims feel that they must circumvent the laws. One Pakistani who works for a transport company in Jeddah stated that as he had performed Haj four years ago, he was ineligible for a permit this year. This was catastrophic for him since his aged parents had finally been able to make the journey of a lifetime. “Nothing in the world would stop me from standing at Arafat with my mother and father,” he said. “I tell them that I come to Makkah every Friday. How can I tell them that I will not assist them during Haj?”
* * *
He is definitely an exception thus far. Kunhavutty Abdul Khader, a pilgrim from Kerala, explained that he had paid SR1,000 for a permit. His mother is coming for the event and he will be staying with her. However, he needed to arrange his own transport to reach Makkah. “I went to Al-Nakhal Al-Jamayee (SAPTCO bus stop) to get a taxi,” he said. “During Haj it costs SR100 for the journey from Jeddah to Makkah. Normally the taxi driver will cram four people into his car. He was able to pick up three people easily but even after driving around for two hours he couldn’t find a fourth person to go on the trip. In past years this would never have been the case. There was always a huge shortage of transport at Haj time, but this year not so many people are going.” It remains to be seen if the authorities can halt the flow of illegal pilgrims into Mina. There still might be a last-minute rush to get over the barricades.
* * *
One area where improvement is still needed is in the use of technology to help pilgrims find their camps. Yesterday, hundreds of pilgrims were wandering lost through the tent city. We found Indians in the Algerian camp and Egyptian pilgrims in the Indian camp. We were as clueless as anyone about the location of the various camps and this is disappointing to many pilgrims. All Arab News team members are wearing fluorescent green vests, a bit similar to the ones worn by the traffic police. So all lost pilgrims think we are guides of some sort.
* * *
There are low-tech and high-tech ways of finding the camps in Mina. The Algerian pilgrims are being led by Samir Sharari, a guide wearing a bright yellow overall and yellow cowboy hat. He is carrying an Algerian flag. Amid the sea of white ihrams, he can’t be missed. Many pilgrims from Europe and the US are using GPS in their mobile phones to locate their accommodation. Some of the Haj authorities have standalone GPS devices. Turning to such technology is very smart in the vast whiteness of Mina. Meanwhile, the organizers of the pilgrim groups need to issue strict instructions to the men and women in their care not to leave the group. The pilgrims think that by walking from Makkah to Mina they can bypass the traffic and reach their tents earlier. Truth be told, they just spend hours and hours on foot exhausting themselves in the search for their tents.
* * *
And what can pilgrims expect in regards to accommodation in Mina? First, select from Categories A through D on a price basis. Remember that there is no authority to control prices or guarantee that the promised services will be delivered. For SR20,000 per head, a pilgrim can stay in a single-sex tent equipped with bunk beds — think college dormitory style. Category A pilgrims are provided with Western-style buffets for meals, plus coffee, tea, snacks, deluxe transportation and knowledgeable guides. The tents of these pilgrims are located as close as possible to the Jamrat complex, so they don’t have far to walk to perform the stoning rituals. However, there is a downside to choosing to pay for Category A accommodation and services. Since these tents are so close to the Jamrat, the area is unbearably noisy. Category A pilgrims get caught up in the same traffic jam as the Category D pilgrims on the way to Arafat and coming back from Muzdalifa. In fact, Category A pilgrims may be forced to abandon their luxury minibus if it gets stuck in traffic. Then they will be forced to walk the longest distance to their tents, which would not be on the outskirts of Mina — where the Category D pilgrims are housed. When things go wrong for those Category A pilgrims — perhaps their bus doesn’t come or lunch is delayed — what does the organizer tell them: “This is God’s will. Haj is about sacrifice. Let us not talk about worldly things at this time.”
* * *
The new Jamrat complex has a commanding presence, towering over all other structures in Mina. It is four levels now — ground floor, plus three additional stories. The area is fully floodlit and police were already on duty, securing the site. A few pilgrims had come out to discover the lay of the land per se. As the complex is so new it is an attraction in itself, aside from the role it will play in the Haj rituals. I have been covering the pilgrimage for a decade and the Jamrat complex is truly something to give every Muslim peace of mind. In times past, the small Jamrat bridge always seemed inadequate to cope with the flood of humanity. It was a source of anxiety to those of us who would watch tragedies unfolding near the pillars that symbolize Satan, again and again. There is confidence among all the Haj organizers now that every precaution has been taken to prevent loss of life during the stoning ritual.
* * *
The police are being extremely strict this year in controlling access to the holy sites. A Haj permit is a must. It was mandatory that pilgrims showed that they had accommodation before permits would be issued. The goal is to prevent squatters and improve the manageability of the event. It was announced that 1.7 million pilgrims will be coming from abroad and that half a million permits were issued to pilgrims from within the Kingdom. Since it is thought that about 2.5 million pilgrims can be accommodated at the Haj, those numbers are well within the acceptable limits.
* * *
Rulings have been issued by the religious authorities stating that coming to Haj without a permit is against the spirit of the event and is highly discouraged. Nevertheless, some Muslims feel that they must circumvent the laws. One Pakistani who works for a transport company in Jeddah stated that as he had performed Haj four years ago, he was ineligible for a permit this year. This was catastrophic for him since his aged parents had finally been able to make the journey of a lifetime. “Nothing in the world would stop me from standing at Arafat with my mother and father,” he said. “I tell them that I come to Makkah every Friday. How can I tell them that I will not assist them during Haj?”
* * *
He is definitely an exception thus far. Kunhavutty Abdul Khader, a pilgrim from Kerala, explained that he had paid SR1,000 for a permit. His mother is coming for the event and he will be staying with her. However, he needed to arrange his own transport to reach Makkah. “I went to Al-Nakhal Al-Jamayee (SAPTCO bus stop) to get a taxi,” he said. “During Haj it costs SR100 for the journey from Jeddah to Makkah. Normally the taxi driver will cram four people into his car. He was able to pick up three people easily but even after driving around for two hours he couldn’t find a fourth person to go on the trip. In past years this would never have been the case. There was always a huge shortage of transport at Haj time, but this year not so many people are going.” It remains to be seen if the authorities can halt the flow of illegal pilgrims into Mina. There still might be a last-minute rush to get over the barricades.
* * *
One area where improvement is still needed is in the use of technology to help pilgrims find their camps. Yesterday, hundreds of pilgrims were wandering lost through the tent city. We found Indians in the Algerian camp and Egyptian pilgrims in the Indian camp. We were as clueless as anyone about the location of the various camps and this is disappointing to many pilgrims. All Arab News team members are wearing fluorescent green vests, a bit similar to the ones worn by the traffic police. So all lost pilgrims think we are guides of some sort.
* * *
There are low-tech and high-tech ways of finding the camps in Mina. The Algerian pilgrims are being led by Samir Sharari, a guide wearing a bright yellow overall and yellow cowboy hat. He is carrying an Algerian flag. Amid the sea of white ihrams, he can’t be missed. Many pilgrims from Europe and the US are using GPS in their mobile phones to locate their accommodation. Some of the Haj authorities have standalone GPS devices. Turning to such technology is very smart in the vast whiteness of Mina. Meanwhile, the organizers of the pilgrim groups need to issue strict instructions to the men and women in their care not to leave the group. The pilgrims think that by walking from Makkah to Mina they can bypass the traffic and reach their tents earlier. Truth be told, they just spend hours and hours on foot exhausting themselves in the search for their tents.
* * *
And what can pilgrims expect in regards to accommodation in Mina? First, select from Categories A through D on a price basis. Remember that there is no authority to control prices or guarantee that the promised services will be delivered. For SR20,000 per head, a pilgrim can stay in a single-sex tent equipped with bunk beds — think college dormitory style. Category A pilgrims are provided with Western-style buffets for meals, plus coffee, tea, snacks, deluxe transportation and knowledgeable guides. The tents of these pilgrims are located as close as possible to the Jamrat complex, so they don’t have far to walk to perform the stoning rituals. However, there is a downside to choosing to pay for Category A accommodation and services. Since these tents are so close to the Jamrat, the area is unbearably noisy. Category A pilgrims get caught up in the same traffic jam as the Category D pilgrims on the way to Arafat and coming back from Muzdalifa. In fact, Category A pilgrims may be forced to abandon their luxury minibus if it gets stuck in traffic. Then they will be forced to walk the longest distance to their tents, which would not be on the outskirts of Mina — where the Category D pilgrims are housed. When things go wrong for those Category A pilgrims — perhaps their bus doesn’t come or lunch is delayed — what does the organizer tell them: “This is God’s will. Haj is about sacrifice. Let us not talk about worldly things at this time.”
source: Arab News
Pilgrims to stand in Arafat today
| Pilgrims to stand in Arafat today | ||||||
MINA: Millions of pilgrims spent the first day of this year's Haj (Yaum Al-Tarwiyah) in prayers and devotion while security forces and other government agencies were striving to guarantee a safe and peaceful stay for them in Mina. The pilgrims are expected to converge today on Mount Arafat, about 15 km east of Makkah, at the climax of this year's Haj after spending a night of meditation and introspection in the tent city of Mina yesterday. Chanting "Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik" (here I am answering your call, O God) the pilgrims wearing white robes walked or boarded buses to Mina yesterday at the start of the annual pilgrimage, the largest gathering of Muslims in the world. "The passage of pilgrims from the Grand Mosque to Mina, which began at dawn, was completed smoothly without any untoward incidents in the afternoon," said Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, who is also the chairman of the Central Haj Committee, at a press conference yesterday. Prince Khaled later congratulated all departments and agencies for successfully implementing the Haj plan and had a special word of praise for citizens who cooperated in making the "No permit, no Haj" project work. The prince revealed that he too was carrying a permit as the ambit of the regulations covered all. "This year the number of pilgrims coming from foreign countries broke all previous records," Interior Minister Prince Naif, who is also the chairman of the Supreme Haj Committee, said in a cable to Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, on the occasion of the completion of the arrival of foreign pilgrims for Haj yesterday. A total of 1,729,841 pilgrims from 178 countries entered the Kingdom through various land, sea and air entry points. They are 939,221 men, accounting for 54.3 percent of the total pilgrims from abroad, and 790,620 women, 45.7 percent, Prince Naif said. "While 1,575,645 pilgrims flew in by air, 131,353 came by road and 22,843 by sea," the minister said. Health Minister Dr. Hamad Al-Manie inspected the health facilities at Arafat to make sure that all arrangements to take care of the millions converging in Arafat today were in place. Three hospitals — Jabal Al-Rahmah, Namirah and Arafat General — have been built at Arafat with a total capacity for 671 beds. "The hospitals have intensive care units, X-ray machines and pharmacies, and will provide specialized treatments for diseases of heart, bones, thorax, abdomen and ENT," Al-Manie said in a press statement after an inspection tour yesterday. Al-Manie said Arafat would also have 46 medical centers in addition to 65 medical teams. "The medical teams for Arafat have been selected with care for specialized field work, as they will have to work under pressure. While 12 teams work around the Arafat hill and an equal number near the Namirah mosque, the remaining 41 teams will be stationed around Arafat General," the minister said. He added that so far not a single case of contagious disease was detected among the pilgrims. He also said that foreign pilgrims came fulfilling all health regulations and so nobody required quarantine at entry points. According to a statement of Dr. Rasheed Al-Eid, director of medical administration for Haj, four pilgrims died yesterday of natural causes. Various medical centers at Mina attended to 33 traffic accidents, 10 heart and breathing complaints, 11 nervous breakdowns, 14 stomach complaints, 11 falls and eight other cases, said Al-Eid. Col. Jamil Arbaeen, director of Civil Defense at the holy sites, said his administration executed their scheduled plans for the Tarwiyah day such as sending large number of patrols on motorcycles and mini jeeps at the Central Zone around the Grand Mosque and on the roads leading to Mina. "The Civil Defense did not receive any report of serious accidents. It was apparently because all the departments were meticulous in implementing the plans for the day. No entry point to Mina allowed vehicles carrying pilgrims illegally to Mina. Helicopters were also sent to detect illegal pilgrims sneaking into the holy sites on mud roads. Buses and other vehicles were instructed to carry stickers to prove that they had undergone strict inspection," he said. A police source said inspectors at various checkpoints aborted efforts by 16,000 people trying to enter Makkah without Haj permits. Thousands of disappointed Saudi and expatriate residents of Makkah, who were not allowed to enter the holy sites because they did not carry the mandatory permits, were seen crowded near the entry points, he said. The Health Ministry has also issued a warning that pilgrims should keep away from crowded areas as much as possible to minimize their exposure to various diseases. The crowds also constitute potential hazard for the elderly, disabled and sick pilgrims, a ministry statement said. According to a scout official, the Ministry of Commerce and scout members would monitor the prices and quality of items sold at various outlets. They would also ensure that vendors at the holy sites carry official permits, the official said. The quantity of desalinated water consumed in Mina region exceeded 125,000 cubic meters yesterday, according to a statement of Muhammad Baghdadi, an official at the Makkah Water Directorate, said.Badea Abu Al-Naja & Hamid Al-Sulami With input from Faisal Ali Source: Arab News http://samotalis.blogspot.com/ |
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
السعودية: بيان لعلماء ودعاة يحذر المقاومة الصومالية من الانقسامات الداخلية
السعودية: بيان لعلماء ودعاة يحذر المقاومة الصومالية من الانقسامات الداخلية
دعا بيان لعدد من علماء ودعاة المملكة رجال المقاومة الصومالية إلى تجنب الانشقاقات والنزاعات الداخلية بينهم، بعد أن لاحت ثمار جهادهم باندحار الغزاة النصارى ومناصريهم، وجلائهم عن مدن الصومال واحدة تلو الأخرى.وووقع على البيان الشيخ العلامة عبد الرحمن بن ناصر البراك (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام محمد بن سعود الإسلامية سابقا)، ود / عبد الله بن حمود التويجري (رئيس قسم السنة بجامعة الإمام سابقا)، أ.د / ناصر بن سليمان العمر (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام سابقا) والمشرف العام على موقع "المسلم"، ود / عبد الرحمن الصالح المحمود (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام)، ود / سعد بن عبد الله الحميد (الأستاذ بجامعة الملك سعود)وتمنى الموقعون على البيان "أن يكتب الله للمرابطين الصابرين، العاملين لأجل الدين، الحادبين على أمر البلاد وأمنها فتحاً قريباً ونصراً عزيزاً، وأن يرفع عن أرض الصومال البأس والضر، وأن يمنَّ على أهلها بتحكيم كتابه وإقامة شرعه، وأن يعيذهم والمسلمين من الحالقة التي تحلق الدين، وتُذْهِبُ ريحَ المسلمين، ألا وهي فسادُ ذاتِ البين".وقال العلماء إنه "قد عُلم من واقع المجاهدين في بعض بلاد المسلمين أن من أعظم أسباب تأخر النصر عنهم، فسادُ ذات بينِهم وتنازُعهم"،
وتوجه البيان إلى المقاومين الصوماليين قائلا: "اتقوا الله معاشر أهل الرباط والجهاد، واعلموا أن المسلم أخو المسلم لا يظلمه ولا يخذله ولا يُسْلِمُه، فكونوا عباد الله إخواناً، وواقع الأمة وحال بلادكم يؤكد رعايةَ ذلك والتعاونَ عليه، ويتطلبُ أنْ يقدِّر بعضُكم اجتهادَ بعض، وأن يتعاون بعضكم مع بعض".ودعا العلماء المقاومين في الصومال إلى اعتماد مبدأ الشورى، وأضافوا: "يبقى التناصح فيما بينكم واجباً، واستشارة أهل النظر، والرجوع إلى أهل العلم لازماً"، وأكدوا أن ذلك "يرأب –بإذن الله- الصدع ويجمع الصف"، وتابع البيان: "فإن لم يكن ذلك فلا أقل من أن تجتمعوا على دفع العدو الصائل، وكفِّ بعضكم عن بعض، واعلموا أن كل اختلاف يكون بينكم أو شقاق فهو مكسب لعدوكم، ولا يُؤمن أن يَدْخلَ في الصفوف من يوسع دائرة الخلاف، ويغري بالتمسك بالآراء، لينشغل المجاهدون بعضهم ببعض، فتعظم المصيبة بالانشغال عن الغاية"
.واختتم العلماء بيانهم بتحذير المجاهدين في الصومال ممن يوقد نار الفتنة بينهم ويسعى إلى تعميق خلافاتهم، وأضافوا: "فاحذروا مَنْ يُوقد نار الفتنة، واقطعوا الطريق عليهم معتصمين بحبل الله، كما أمر سبحانه، وهذا يتطلب منكم صبراً على بعضكم، وحسن ظن بإخوتكم، وصـبراً على حرب عدوكم فإن الأيام دول، والعاقبة للتقوى".وفي ما يلي نص البيان:"الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، وعلى آله وصحبه ومن والاه، وبعد،فإن مما يَشْفي صدور المؤمنين ويذهب غيظ قلوبهم اندحار الغزاة النصارى ومناصريهم، وجلاؤهم عن مدن الصومال واحدة تلو أخرى، وإنا لنرجو أن يكتب الله للمرابطين الصابرين، العاملين لأجل الدين، الحادبين على أمر البلاد وأمنها فتحاً قريباً ونصراً عزيزاً، نسأل الله أن يُعجِّل به، وأن يرفع عن أرض الصومال البأس والضر، وأن يمنَّ على أهلها بتحكيم كتابه وإقامة شرعه، وأن يعيذهم والمسلمين من الحالقة التي تحلق الدين، وتُذْهِبُ ريحَ المسلمين، ألا وهي فسادُ ذاتِ البين، (يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا لقيتم فئة فاثبتوا واذكروا الله كثيراً لعلكم تفلحون * وأطيعوا الله ورسوله ولا تنازعوا فتفشلوا وتذهب ريحكم واصبروا إن الله مع الصابرين)
[الأنفال: 45-46]، (واعتصموا بحبل الله جميعاً ولا تفرقوا وذاكروا نعمة الله عليكم إذ كنتم أعداء فألف بين قلوبكم فأصبحتم بنعمته إخواناً)، الآية [آل عمران: 103]،
(ولا تكونوا كالذين تفرقوا واختلفوا من بعد ما جاءهم البينات وأولئك لهم عذاب عظيم) [آل عمران: 105].وقد عُلم من واقع المجاهدين في بعض بلاد المسلمين أن من أعظم أسباب تأخر النصر عنهم، فسادُ ذات بينِهم وتنازُعهم، فاتقوا الله معاشر أهل الرباط والجهاد، واعلموا أن المسلم أخو المسلم لا يظلمه ولا يخذله ولا يُسْلِمُه، فكونوا عباد الله إخواناً، وواقع الأمة وحال بلادكم يؤكد رعايةَ ذلك والتعاونَ عليه، ويتطلبُ أنْ يقدِّر بعضُكم اجتهادَ بعض، وأن يتعاون بعضكم مع بعض، ويبقى التناصح فيما بينكم واجباً، واستشارة أهل النظر، والرجوع إلى أهل العلم لازماً، يرأب –بإذن الله- الصدع ويجمع الصف، فإن لم يكن ذلك فلا أقل من أن تجتمعوا على دفع العدو الصائل، وكفِّ بعضكم عن بعض، واعلموا أن كل اختلاف يكون بينكم أو شقاق فهو مكسب لعدوكم، ولا يُؤمن أن يَدْخلَ في الصفوف من يوسع دائرة الخلاف، ويغري بالتمسك بالآراء، لينشغل المجاهدون بعضهم ببعض، فتعظم المصيبة بالانشغال عن الغاية.فاحذروا مَنْ يُوقد نار الفتنة، واقطعوا الطريق عليهم معتصمين بحبل الله، كما أمر سبحانه، وهذا يتطلب منكم صبراً على بعضكم، وحسن ظن بإخوتكم، وصـبراً على حرب عدوكم فإن الأيام دول، والعاقبة للتقوى، وقد قال الله تعالى: (وإن تصبروا وتتقوا لا يضركم كيدهم شيئاً) [آل عمران: 120]، وقال: (يا أيها الذين آمنوا اصبروا وصابروا ورابطوا واتقوا الله لعلكم تفلحون) [آل عمران: 200].كتب الله لنا ولكم الفلاح، والنصر على الأعداء، وأعاذنا وإياكم من مضلات الفتن، ووفقنا جميعاً لما فيه رضاه، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد، وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين
".الموقعون :1. الشيخ العلامة / عبد الرحمن بن ناصر البراك (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام محمد بن سعود الإسلامية سابقا)2. د / عبد الله بن حمود التويجري (رئيس قسم السنة بجامعة الإمام سابقا)3. أ.د / ناصر بن سليمان العمر (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام سابقا)4. د / عبد الرحمن الصالح المحمود (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام)5. د / سعد بن عبد الله الحميد (الأستاذ بجامعة الملك سعود)
المصدر: المسلم
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
دعا بيان لعدد من علماء ودعاة المملكة رجال المقاومة الصومالية إلى تجنب الانشقاقات والنزاعات الداخلية بينهم، بعد أن لاحت ثمار جهادهم باندحار الغزاة النصارى ومناصريهم، وجلائهم عن مدن الصومال واحدة تلو الأخرى.وووقع على البيان الشيخ العلامة عبد الرحمن بن ناصر البراك (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام محمد بن سعود الإسلامية سابقا)، ود / عبد الله بن حمود التويجري (رئيس قسم السنة بجامعة الإمام سابقا)، أ.د / ناصر بن سليمان العمر (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام سابقا) والمشرف العام على موقع "المسلم"، ود / عبد الرحمن الصالح المحمود (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام)، ود / سعد بن عبد الله الحميد (الأستاذ بجامعة الملك سعود)وتمنى الموقعون على البيان "أن يكتب الله للمرابطين الصابرين، العاملين لأجل الدين، الحادبين على أمر البلاد وأمنها فتحاً قريباً ونصراً عزيزاً، وأن يرفع عن أرض الصومال البأس والضر، وأن يمنَّ على أهلها بتحكيم كتابه وإقامة شرعه، وأن يعيذهم والمسلمين من الحالقة التي تحلق الدين، وتُذْهِبُ ريحَ المسلمين، ألا وهي فسادُ ذاتِ البين".وقال العلماء إنه "قد عُلم من واقع المجاهدين في بعض بلاد المسلمين أن من أعظم أسباب تأخر النصر عنهم، فسادُ ذات بينِهم وتنازُعهم"،
وتوجه البيان إلى المقاومين الصوماليين قائلا: "اتقوا الله معاشر أهل الرباط والجهاد، واعلموا أن المسلم أخو المسلم لا يظلمه ولا يخذله ولا يُسْلِمُه، فكونوا عباد الله إخواناً، وواقع الأمة وحال بلادكم يؤكد رعايةَ ذلك والتعاونَ عليه، ويتطلبُ أنْ يقدِّر بعضُكم اجتهادَ بعض، وأن يتعاون بعضكم مع بعض".ودعا العلماء المقاومين في الصومال إلى اعتماد مبدأ الشورى، وأضافوا: "يبقى التناصح فيما بينكم واجباً، واستشارة أهل النظر، والرجوع إلى أهل العلم لازماً"، وأكدوا أن ذلك "يرأب –بإذن الله- الصدع ويجمع الصف"، وتابع البيان: "فإن لم يكن ذلك فلا أقل من أن تجتمعوا على دفع العدو الصائل، وكفِّ بعضكم عن بعض، واعلموا أن كل اختلاف يكون بينكم أو شقاق فهو مكسب لعدوكم، ولا يُؤمن أن يَدْخلَ في الصفوف من يوسع دائرة الخلاف، ويغري بالتمسك بالآراء، لينشغل المجاهدون بعضهم ببعض، فتعظم المصيبة بالانشغال عن الغاية"
.واختتم العلماء بيانهم بتحذير المجاهدين في الصومال ممن يوقد نار الفتنة بينهم ويسعى إلى تعميق خلافاتهم، وأضافوا: "فاحذروا مَنْ يُوقد نار الفتنة، واقطعوا الطريق عليهم معتصمين بحبل الله، كما أمر سبحانه، وهذا يتطلب منكم صبراً على بعضكم، وحسن ظن بإخوتكم، وصـبراً على حرب عدوكم فإن الأيام دول، والعاقبة للتقوى".وفي ما يلي نص البيان:"الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله، وعلى آله وصحبه ومن والاه، وبعد،فإن مما يَشْفي صدور المؤمنين ويذهب غيظ قلوبهم اندحار الغزاة النصارى ومناصريهم، وجلاؤهم عن مدن الصومال واحدة تلو أخرى، وإنا لنرجو أن يكتب الله للمرابطين الصابرين، العاملين لأجل الدين، الحادبين على أمر البلاد وأمنها فتحاً قريباً ونصراً عزيزاً، نسأل الله أن يُعجِّل به، وأن يرفع عن أرض الصومال البأس والضر، وأن يمنَّ على أهلها بتحكيم كتابه وإقامة شرعه، وأن يعيذهم والمسلمين من الحالقة التي تحلق الدين، وتُذْهِبُ ريحَ المسلمين، ألا وهي فسادُ ذاتِ البين، (يا أيها الذين آمنوا إذا لقيتم فئة فاثبتوا واذكروا الله كثيراً لعلكم تفلحون * وأطيعوا الله ورسوله ولا تنازعوا فتفشلوا وتذهب ريحكم واصبروا إن الله مع الصابرين)
[الأنفال: 45-46]، (واعتصموا بحبل الله جميعاً ولا تفرقوا وذاكروا نعمة الله عليكم إذ كنتم أعداء فألف بين قلوبكم فأصبحتم بنعمته إخواناً)، الآية [آل عمران: 103]،
(ولا تكونوا كالذين تفرقوا واختلفوا من بعد ما جاءهم البينات وأولئك لهم عذاب عظيم) [آل عمران: 105].وقد عُلم من واقع المجاهدين في بعض بلاد المسلمين أن من أعظم أسباب تأخر النصر عنهم، فسادُ ذات بينِهم وتنازُعهم، فاتقوا الله معاشر أهل الرباط والجهاد، واعلموا أن المسلم أخو المسلم لا يظلمه ولا يخذله ولا يُسْلِمُه، فكونوا عباد الله إخواناً، وواقع الأمة وحال بلادكم يؤكد رعايةَ ذلك والتعاونَ عليه، ويتطلبُ أنْ يقدِّر بعضُكم اجتهادَ بعض، وأن يتعاون بعضكم مع بعض، ويبقى التناصح فيما بينكم واجباً، واستشارة أهل النظر، والرجوع إلى أهل العلم لازماً، يرأب –بإذن الله- الصدع ويجمع الصف، فإن لم يكن ذلك فلا أقل من أن تجتمعوا على دفع العدو الصائل، وكفِّ بعضكم عن بعض، واعلموا أن كل اختلاف يكون بينكم أو شقاق فهو مكسب لعدوكم، ولا يُؤمن أن يَدْخلَ في الصفوف من يوسع دائرة الخلاف، ويغري بالتمسك بالآراء، لينشغل المجاهدون بعضهم ببعض، فتعظم المصيبة بالانشغال عن الغاية.فاحذروا مَنْ يُوقد نار الفتنة، واقطعوا الطريق عليهم معتصمين بحبل الله، كما أمر سبحانه، وهذا يتطلب منكم صبراً على بعضكم، وحسن ظن بإخوتكم، وصـبراً على حرب عدوكم فإن الأيام دول، والعاقبة للتقوى، وقد قال الله تعالى: (وإن تصبروا وتتقوا لا يضركم كيدهم شيئاً) [آل عمران: 120]، وقال: (يا أيها الذين آمنوا اصبروا وصابروا ورابطوا واتقوا الله لعلكم تفلحون) [آل عمران: 200].كتب الله لنا ولكم الفلاح، والنصر على الأعداء، وأعاذنا وإياكم من مضلات الفتن، ووفقنا جميعاً لما فيه رضاه، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد، وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين
".الموقعون :1. الشيخ العلامة / عبد الرحمن بن ناصر البراك (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام محمد بن سعود الإسلامية سابقا)2. د / عبد الله بن حمود التويجري (رئيس قسم السنة بجامعة الإمام سابقا)3. أ.د / ناصر بن سليمان العمر (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام سابقا)4. د / عبد الرحمن الصالح المحمود (الأستاذ بجامعة الإمام)5. د / سعد بن عبد الله الحميد (الأستاذ بجامعة الملك سعود)
المصدر: المسلم
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
WHAT ALLAHU TA’ALA WILLS HAPPENS
WHAT ALLAHU TA’ALA WILLS HAPPENS
Allahu ta’ala does not have to do what is good and useful for His creatures, nor does He have to reward some people or torture some others. It would befit His superiority and benevolence if He would bring all the sinners to Paradise. And it would become His justice if He would put all of those who obey and worship Him into Hell. Yet He decreed and declared that He would put Muslims, those who worship Him, into Paradise and grant them favours, and that He would eternally torture disbelievers in Hell. He does not go back on His word. It would be of no use for Him if all the living creatures believed and worshipped Him, nor would it give Him any harm if all creatures became disbelievers, became excessive or disobeyed Him. If man wishes to do something, He creates it if He, too, wills it be so. He alone is the One who creates every action of His human creatures and all things.
If He does not will or create, nothing can move. If He does not wish, no one can become a disbeliever or revolt. He creates disbelief and sins, yet He does not like them. No one can interfere with His works. No one has the strength or the right to ask the reason why He has done this or that or to comment on how He must do. He will forgive, if He wills, a person who has committed any grave sin and has died without repentance, except if it is polytheism or disbelief. He will torture him, if He wills, for a merely venial sin. He declared that he would never forgive disbelievers and apostates and that He would torture them eternally.
A Mu’min (Believer) that dies on Friday or Friday night night between thursday and friday attains the reward of being a martyr and is protected from the torture of the grave. Hadith-i sharif
For your questions about Islamic knowledge:
serenity.fountain@gmail.com
source:www.serenityfountain.org
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Allahu ta’ala does not have to do what is good and useful for His creatures, nor does He have to reward some people or torture some others. It would befit His superiority and benevolence if He would bring all the sinners to Paradise. And it would become His justice if He would put all of those who obey and worship Him into Hell. Yet He decreed and declared that He would put Muslims, those who worship Him, into Paradise and grant them favours, and that He would eternally torture disbelievers in Hell. He does not go back on His word. It would be of no use for Him if all the living creatures believed and worshipped Him, nor would it give Him any harm if all creatures became disbelievers, became excessive or disobeyed Him. If man wishes to do something, He creates it if He, too, wills it be so. He alone is the One who creates every action of His human creatures and all things.
If He does not will or create, nothing can move. If He does not wish, no one can become a disbeliever or revolt. He creates disbelief and sins, yet He does not like them. No one can interfere with His works. No one has the strength or the right to ask the reason why He has done this or that or to comment on how He must do. He will forgive, if He wills, a person who has committed any grave sin and has died without repentance, except if it is polytheism or disbelief. He will torture him, if He wills, for a merely venial sin. He declared that he would never forgive disbelievers and apostates and that He would torture them eternally.
A Mu’min (Believer) that dies on Friday or Friday night night between thursday and friday attains the reward of being a martyr and is protected from the torture of the grave. Hadith-i sharif
For your questions about Islamic knowledge:
serenity.fountain@gmail.com
source:www.serenityfountain.org
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
via Ummah.com - Muslim Forum by Umm Amatullah on 30/11/08
Asalamu Alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
InshaAllah you are all well.
I got this from an e-mail, and I thought i'd share because it is very good, Alhamdulilah. It's quite long but worth the read.
There are many chances for spiritual rejuvenation throughout the year, and the blessed month of Dhul-Hijjah is one of them. As they renew their pledges with Allah, pilgrims become as pure as newborns once they complete the rituals of Hajj. Those of us at home can build up our relationship with Allah, too, by pledging to be better Muslims and asking Allah to forgive our previous sins and shortcomings.
Those who are able to perform Hajj during the blessed month of Dhul-Hijjah have a known reward that makes them as sinless as newborns, and it is one of the best deeds a Muslim can do over the course of a lifetime. But what about those of us staying home this year?
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits and remembers Allah (makes Dthikr) until the sun rises, then prays two Rak'as, will have a reward like that for Hajj and 'Umrah, complete, complete, complete." [At-Tirmidthi]
Do not miss out on the blessings of Dhul-Hijjah just because you are at home. Use this unique window of opportunity to read more Quran, repent to Allah, and supplicate as much as you can.
Fasting at regular times throughout the year is a wonderful way to keep our faith in check. Following the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him), fasting is especially recommended during the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah. He (peace be upon him) said:
"Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years." [Bukhari]
Reciting Takbir on the morning of Eid with a huge congregation of Muslims at the mosque is a great and memorable experience - but did you know that Takbir is not just for Eid? That's right. It is actually recommended to recite the Takbir during the whole first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and you can even do it while you are alone! Invest in supplication wherever you happen to be – at the market, laying down in bed, or during a quiet moment during a busy day. Takbir may be recited silently or aloud.
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha illal-Lah
wa Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahil-hamd
Allah is the greatest, He is the greatest. There is no god except Allah.
Allah is the greatest, and to Him belongs all Praise
The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah provides an excellent environment for increasing good deeds. Why not use this time to become more familiar with the Book of Allah? Challenge yourself to read as much as the Quran as you can. Hint: You can finish reading the Quran in ten days if you read three parts (juz') each day, but it is also important to understand what you read. On your mark, get set, GO!
"Whoever reads one letter of the Book of Allah will have one hasanah for it, and each hasanah is a tenfold reward. I do not say that alif-laam-meem is a letter, rather alif is a letter, laam is a letter and meem is a letter." [At-Tirmidthi].
Seeking forgiveness for our sins and shortcomings is something we should strive for constantly throughout the year, but there is a special day we should all take note of.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"There is no day when God sets free more servants from Hell than the Day of 'Arafa. He draws near, then praises them to the angels, saying: What do these want?" [Muslim]
Tawbah (repentance) means to descend back to Allah, abandon what He hates in public and in secret, regret the past, leave the disobedient act, resolve not to do it again, and keep firm on the Straight Path.
One of the unique features of Islamic prayer is the way it brings the Muslim community together several times each day. Although men should do their best to pray in the mosque, prayer can be performed in congregation wherever you happen to be: at home with your children, at school with Muslim classmates, or even with friends on a picnic. There is something undeniably special about the feeling of unity that comes with a prayer performed in congregation, so don't miss out on this opportunity for increased Ajr (reward from Allah).
"He who went towards the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah would arrange a feast for him morning or evening in Paradise." [Muslim]
Sacrificing animals on Eid Al Adha commemorates the sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made when Allah ordered him to sacrifice his only son Isma'il. A ram was brought by the Angel Jibreel and was sacrificed instead. The purpose of slaughtering animals in Islam is, first, an act of obedience to Allah's decree and, second, a means of feeding the poor. All Muslims who are financially able should offer a sacrifice on the Eid and distribute the meat to the poor and needy.
"It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right." [Noble Quran 22:37]
What do you think about on a typical day – when you are doing dishes, making the commute to work, or waiting patiently at the doctor's office? If you counted all those minutes of free "thinking" time, you might be surprised to find you have several hours available for increased supplication to Allah. Supplication is one of the best ways to improve your relationship with Allah and to keep your mind focused on the positive. It can be something as simple as thanking Allah for his bounties, seeking His mercy and forgiveness, or making very specific requests about the state of your life, your health, and your wealth.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahlil, takbir and tahmid during them." [Ahmad]
Getting up from a warm bed to pray in the middle of the night has special rewards in Islam and is perhaps one of the most sincere forms of worship when it is done purely for His sake. You can often see the glow of faith on a night-worshipper's face. Why not give it a try and see if it makes a difference in your own life?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If anyone prays at night reciting regularly ten verses, he will not be recorded among the negligent; if anyone prays at night and recites a hundred verses, he will be recorded among those who are obedient to Allah; and if anyone prays at night reciting one thousand verses, he will be recorded among those who receive huge rewards." [Abu Dawud]
Loving each other for the sake of Allah is an integral part of Islam that brings excitement to our days. A simple good deed we can all do during the blessed first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is to remind others about the virtues of these days. Encourage people to do good deeds by pointing them to specific projects where their help is needed. Invite them to iftar after a day of fasting, and have some fun listening to DVDs or tapes with Islamic themes. Don't forget to look for Muslims who are isolated or do not interact with the community on a regular basis.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are people from the servants of Allah who are neither prophets nor martyrs; the prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection for their rank from Allah, the Most High." They (the people) asked: "Tell us, Apostle of Allah, who are they?" He replied: "They are people who love one another for the spirit of Allah (i.e. the Quran), without having any mutual kinship and giving property to one. I swear by Allah, their faces will glow and they will be (sitting) in (pulpits of) light. They will have no fear (on the Day) when the people will have fear, and they will not grieve when the people will grieve." He then recited the following Quranic verse: "Behold! Verily for the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve." [Abu Dawud]
It's a well-known fact that people with strong family ties live happier, healthier lives, yet family relationships can be hard to negotiate. Use the blessed days of Dhul-Hijjah to examine your own family relationships and see if any gaps exist. It does not matter whether or not your relatives are Muslims. We should all be good to our parents and strengthen the ties of kinship whenever possible. A ten-minute phone call or brief e-mail to show you care can do wonders in this department.
Ayshah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: "The tie of kinship is suspended to the Throne and says: He who unites me Allah would unite him and he who severed me Allah would sever him." [Muslim]
The Day of Arafah is a special day with many blessings, and fasting on this day carries an extra-special reward: expiation for two years worth of sins. Do the math, and you're sure to find that this is a day you can't afford to ignore. But don't keep this knowledge all to yourself…make sure to tell family and friends so they can benefit, too.
Prophet Muhammad was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah), whereupon he said: "It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year" [Muslim]
The Eid prayer is a fundamental part of celebrating the Eid - a time to worship Allah and be thankful for all of His bounties. It is also an opportunity to join with the whole community in prayer, catch up with old friends, and meet new people. It is especially important to seek out those who are new to Islam or seem lost in the midst of the crowd. Greet them warmly, and share your best Eid smile with everyone you can. Bringing joy to the Muslim community is something everyone can do on the Eid.
This is one piece of real estate you can afford: a house in Jannah. But you must be willing to work for it through your good deeds and correct practice of Islam. One narration of the Prophet (peace be upon him) states that you will have a house in Jannah if you perform twelve Sunnah units of prayer each day. Why not work on this aspect of worship during the blessed first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah? It takes just minutes of your time and, unlike a house in Dunya, won't sink you into debt.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If any Muslim servant (of Allah) prays for the sake of Allah twelve Rak'as (of Sunan) every day, over and above the obligatory ones, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise" [Muslim]
While people tend to emphasize the importance of fasting during Dhul-Hijjah, the actual sunnah is to increase all good deeds during the first ten days of this blessed month. So, make it a point to look for easy good deeds that you are capable of doing, whether it is donating to charity, visiting a shut-in, removing something harmful from the road, or reading extra Quran. No good deed is off-limits during these blessed days, and almost anything can be a good deed when it is done with a pure intention for the sake of Allah.
The Prophet said, "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah)." Then some companions of the Prophet said, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things." [Bukhari]
From: http://www.performhajj.com/checklist/index.php
JazakAllah Khair
Wa Alaykum Salam
InshaAllah you are all well.
I got this from an e-mail, and I thought i'd share because it is very good, Alhamdulilah. It's quite long but worth the read.
Not going to Hajj this year? Following are tasks you can still do in Dhul-Hijjah.
Renew Your Pledge with Allah
There are many chances for spiritual rejuvenation throughout the year, and the blessed month of Dhul-Hijjah is one of them. As they renew their pledges with Allah, pilgrims become as pure as newborns once they complete the rituals of Hajj. Those of us at home can build up our relationship with Allah, too, by pledging to be better Muslims and asking Allah to forgive our previous sins and shortcomings.
Perform Hajj and Umrah
Those who are able to perform Hajj during the blessed month of Dhul-Hijjah have a known reward that makes them as sinless as newborns, and it is one of the best deeds a Muslim can do over the course of a lifetime. But what about those of us staying home this year?
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits and remembers Allah (makes Dthikr) until the sun rises, then prays two Rak'as, will have a reward like that for Hajj and 'Umrah, complete, complete, complete." [At-Tirmidthi]
Do not miss out on the blessings of Dhul-Hijjah just because you are at home. Use this unique window of opportunity to read more Quran, repent to Allah, and supplicate as much as you can.
Fasting
Fasting at regular times throughout the year is a wonderful way to keep our faith in check. Following the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him), fasting is especially recommended during the first nine days of Dhul-Hijjah. He (peace be upon him) said:
"Indeed, anyone who fasts for one day for Allah's Pleasure, Allah will keep his face away from the (Hell) fire for (a distance covered by a journey of) seventy years." [Bukhari]
Takbir
Reciting Takbir on the morning of Eid with a huge congregation of Muslims at the mosque is a great and memorable experience - but did you know that Takbir is not just for Eid? That's right. It is actually recommended to recite the Takbir during the whole first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, and you can even do it while you are alone! Invest in supplication wherever you happen to be – at the market, laying down in bed, or during a quiet moment during a busy day. Takbir may be recited silently or aloud.
Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, la ilaha illal-Lah
wa Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, wa lillahil-hamd
Allah is the greatest, He is the greatest. There is no god except Allah.
Allah is the greatest, and to Him belongs all Praise
Recite the Quran
The first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah provides an excellent environment for increasing good deeds. Why not use this time to become more familiar with the Book of Allah? Challenge yourself to read as much as the Quran as you can. Hint: You can finish reading the Quran in ten days if you read three parts (juz') each day, but it is also important to understand what you read. On your mark, get set, GO!
"Whoever reads one letter of the Book of Allah will have one hasanah for it, and each hasanah is a tenfold reward. I do not say that alif-laam-meem is a letter, rather alif is a letter, laam is a letter and meem is a letter." [At-Tirmidthi].
Seek Forgiveness
Seeking forgiveness for our sins and shortcomings is something we should strive for constantly throughout the year, but there is a special day we should all take note of.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
"There is no day when God sets free more servants from Hell than the Day of 'Arafa. He draws near, then praises them to the angels, saying: What do these want?" [Muslim]
Tawbah (repentance) means to descend back to Allah, abandon what He hates in public and in secret, regret the past, leave the disobedient act, resolve not to do it again, and keep firm on the Straight Path.
Pray in Congregation
One of the unique features of Islamic prayer is the way it brings the Muslim community together several times each day. Although men should do their best to pray in the mosque, prayer can be performed in congregation wherever you happen to be: at home with your children, at school with Muslim classmates, or even with friends on a picnic. There is something undeniably special about the feeling of unity that comes with a prayer performed in congregation, so don't miss out on this opportunity for increased Ajr (reward from Allah).
"He who went towards the mosque in the morning or evening, Allah would arrange a feast for him morning or evening in Paradise." [Muslim]
Offer Sacrifice
Sacrificing animals on Eid Al Adha commemorates the sacrifice that Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made when Allah ordered him to sacrifice his only son Isma'il. A ram was brought by the Angel Jibreel and was sacrificed instead. The purpose of slaughtering animals in Islam is, first, an act of obedience to Allah's decree and, second, a means of feeding the poor. All Muslims who are financially able should offer a sacrifice on the Eid and distribute the meat to the poor and needy.
"It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that ye may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do right." [Noble Quran 22:37]
Supplication Project
What do you think about on a typical day – when you are doing dishes, making the commute to work, or waiting patiently at the doctor's office? If you counted all those minutes of free "thinking" time, you might be surprised to find you have several hours available for increased supplication to Allah. Supplication is one of the best ways to improve your relationship with Allah and to keep your mind focused on the positive. It can be something as simple as thanking Allah for his bounties, seeking His mercy and forgiveness, or making very specific requests about the state of your life, your health, and your wealth.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are no days that are greater before Allah or in which good deeds are more beloved to Him, than these ten days, so recite a great deal of tahlil, takbir and tahmid during them." [Ahmad]
The Night Prayer
Getting up from a warm bed to pray in the middle of the night has special rewards in Islam and is perhaps one of the most sincere forms of worship when it is done purely for His sake. You can often see the glow of faith on a night-worshipper's face. Why not give it a try and see if it makes a difference in your own life?
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If anyone prays at night reciting regularly ten verses, he will not be recorded among the negligent; if anyone prays at night and recites a hundred verses, he will be recorded among those who are obedient to Allah; and if anyone prays at night reciting one thousand verses, he will be recorded among those who receive huge rewards." [Abu Dawud]
Brotherhood Project
Loving each other for the sake of Allah is an integral part of Islam that brings excitement to our days. A simple good deed we can all do during the blessed first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah is to remind others about the virtues of these days. Encourage people to do good deeds by pointing them to specific projects where their help is needed. Invite them to iftar after a day of fasting, and have some fun listening to DVDs or tapes with Islamic themes. Don't forget to look for Muslims who are isolated or do not interact with the community on a regular basis.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are people from the servants of Allah who are neither prophets nor martyrs; the prophets and martyrs will envy them on the Day of Resurrection for their rank from Allah, the Most High." They (the people) asked: "Tell us, Apostle of Allah, who are they?" He replied: "They are people who love one another for the spirit of Allah (i.e. the Quran), without having any mutual kinship and giving property to one. I swear by Allah, their faces will glow and they will be (sitting) in (pulpits of) light. They will have no fear (on the Day) when the people will have fear, and they will not grieve when the people will grieve." He then recited the following Quranic verse: "Behold! Verily for the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve." [Abu Dawud]
Preserve the ties of kinship
It's a well-known fact that people with strong family ties live happier, healthier lives, yet family relationships can be hard to negotiate. Use the blessed days of Dhul-Hijjah to examine your own family relationships and see if any gaps exist. It does not matter whether or not your relatives are Muslims. We should all be good to our parents and strengthen the ties of kinship whenever possible. A ten-minute phone call or brief e-mail to show you care can do wonders in this department.
Ayshah reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: "The tie of kinship is suspended to the Throne and says: He who unites me Allah would unite him and he who severed me Allah would sever him." [Muslim]
The day of Arafah
The Day of Arafah is a special day with many blessings, and fasting on this day carries an extra-special reward: expiation for two years worth of sins. Do the math, and you're sure to find that this is a day you can't afford to ignore. But don't keep this knowledge all to yourself…make sure to tell family and friends so they can benefit, too.
Prophet Muhammad was asked about fasting on the day of 'Arafah (9th of Dhul-Hijjah), whereupon he said: "It expiates the sins of the preceding year and the coming year" [Muslim]
Attend the Eid prayer
The Eid prayer is a fundamental part of celebrating the Eid - a time to worship Allah and be thankful for all of His bounties. It is also an opportunity to join with the whole community in prayer, catch up with old friends, and meet new people. It is especially important to seek out those who are new to Islam or seem lost in the midst of the crowd. Greet them warmly, and share your best Eid smile with everyone you can. Bringing joy to the Muslim community is something everyone can do on the Eid.
Pray the Sunnah Prayers
This is one piece of real estate you can afford: a house in Jannah. But you must be willing to work for it through your good deeds and correct practice of Islam. One narration of the Prophet (peace be upon him) states that you will have a house in Jannah if you perform twelve Sunnah units of prayer each day. Why not work on this aspect of worship during the blessed first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah? It takes just minutes of your time and, unlike a house in Dunya, won't sink you into debt.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If any Muslim servant (of Allah) prays for the sake of Allah twelve Rak'as (of Sunan) every day, over and above the obligatory ones, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise" [Muslim]
Increase your overall good deeds
While people tend to emphasize the importance of fasting during Dhul-Hijjah, the actual sunnah is to increase all good deeds during the first ten days of this blessed month. So, make it a point to look for easy good deeds that you are capable of doing, whether it is donating to charity, visiting a shut-in, removing something harmful from the road, or reading extra Quran. No good deed is off-limits during these blessed days, and almost anything can be a good deed when it is done with a pure intention for the sake of Allah.
The Prophet said, "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these (first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah)." Then some companions of the Prophet said, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things." [Bukhari]
From: http://www.performhajj.com/checklist/index.php
JazakAllah Khair
Wa Alaykum Salam
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Mutawef Your Guide To Hajj
Thank God the first place that enabled us to complete the second edition of the "Mutawef" program after the two-year effort.
It started before that the idea of studying the reality of Hajj and Umrah for the visitors and ended the findings and recommendations pleased thanks to God and generosity that has been adapted all went out in the form of "Mutawef" program, which is in reality several programs into one program it contains ritual legitimacy, maps, housing and extension services and governmental actors And we will show you the "Mutawef" programs to make it clear how it's valuable and important for every visitor to the holly kaaba.
We have released the First version of "Mutawef" in preceding year 9 days before Hajj and was downloaded in installed on about 500,000 mobile although it was in Arabic language only and no advertisement have been made for it, but it have bean spread in a wonderful way that proves the urgent need in market for such tool for Hajj and UmrahAbout Mutawef
• Handles an Urgent need of users.
• Guide for the most large and important annual event in the world.
• Addresses the place where people from all Islamic countries and the world.
• Deals with a device hold by everyone (Mobile phone) so it gives the value for every person
.• Guides the Hajj and Umrah ritual in a very simple innovative way , and give strong advices for avoiding common mistakes and the desirable prayer in every step in Hajj and Umrah and visitation.
Advantages of Mutawef
• Easy accessibility of program functions using the options lists and standard Mobile buttons.
• easy to deal with maps and the possibility of movement and easily browse through the arrow buttons.
• ease of download and installation on the device.
•All screens and maps of the program can be controlled and magnified depending on the preferences if the user (Hajj)• The program is compatible with all Java Enabled Mobiles, such as Nokia and Sony Ericson and others.for more information visit:
http://www.mutawef.com/
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
It started before that the idea of studying the reality of Hajj and Umrah for the visitors and ended the findings and recommendations pleased thanks to God and generosity that has been adapted all went out in the form of "Mutawef" program, which is in reality several programs into one program it contains ritual legitimacy, maps, housing and extension services and governmental actors And we will show you the "Mutawef" programs to make it clear how it's valuable and important for every visitor to the holly kaaba.
We have released the First version of "Mutawef" in preceding year 9 days before Hajj and was downloaded in installed on about 500,000 mobile although it was in Arabic language only and no advertisement have been made for it, but it have bean spread in a wonderful way that proves the urgent need in market for such tool for Hajj and UmrahAbout Mutawef
• Handles an Urgent need of users.
• Guide for the most large and important annual event in the world.
• Addresses the place where people from all Islamic countries and the world.
• Deals with a device hold by everyone (Mobile phone) so it gives the value for every person
.• Guides the Hajj and Umrah ritual in a very simple innovative way , and give strong advices for avoiding common mistakes and the desirable prayer in every step in Hajj and Umrah and visitation.
Advantages of Mutawef
• Easy accessibility of program functions using the options lists and standard Mobile buttons.
• easy to deal with maps and the possibility of movement and easily browse through the arrow buttons.
• ease of download and installation on the device.
•All screens and maps of the program can be controlled and magnified depending on the preferences if the user (Hajj)• The program is compatible with all Java Enabled Mobiles, such as Nokia and Sony Ericson and others.for more information visit:
http://www.mutawef.com/
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Journey to Makkah
When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), the intimate friend of Allah, was commanded all those years ago to proclaim the pilgrimage to Makkah, he did so in faith. Standing in what was little more than a barren, inhospitable desert, he called out for men and women to come on pilgrimage to the holy Ka`bah at Allah’s command. He was astonished at the response. From the north, south, east, and west, he heard voices calling out, "I respond to Your call, O Allah! I respond to Your call," and people began to come from all the corners of the earth in praise of Almighty Allah.
Thousands of years later, people are still coming from every corner of the globe to worship at Allah’s command. I have just returned from performing `Umrah, the lesser pilgrimage for the first time, and I share these thoughts with my Muslim brothers and sisters to encourage their faith and that Allah’s name be glorified even more.
But what can I say? How can I describe an experience so profound and so beautiful? Shall I say that it was the most blessed experience of my life? Shall I say that Almighty Allah touched my heart and gave me a feeling of peace I had not known before? Shall I describe the tears that flowed freely from my eyes, affirming my Muslim faith, as I walked around the holy Ka`bah with thousands of others, begging Allah’s blessings for myself and for those I love? Perhaps the best way is just to start at the beginning, and to allow Almighty Allah to use my poor words as He wants.
But what can I say? How can I describe an experience so profound and so beautiful? Shall I say that it was the most blessed experience of my life? Shall I say that Almighty Allah touched my heart and gave me a feeling of peace I had not known before? Shall I describe the tears that flowed freely from my eyes, affirming my Muslim faith, as I walked around the holy Ka`bah with thousands of others, begging Allah’s blessings for myself and for those I love? Perhaps the best way is just to start at the beginning, and to allow Almighty Allah to use my poor words as He wants.
Preparing for any journey is, in many ways, almost as important as the journey itself. As I prepared for my journey to Makkah, my heart already began to stir at the enormity of what I was about to do. I had read all the books and consulted all the manuals so that my `Umrah, in sha’ Allah, would be accepted. I learned the prayers in Arabic that I would need to say at different parts of the pilgrimage.
Good Muslim brothers had told me not to worry too much about all this, because it would be my heart that would speak when I reached the holy Ka`bah. I know that Almighty Allah has placed within the heart of every Muslim a deep longing to visit Makkah, to return home to where we belong, to that first house built on Earth in worship of Allah.
Good Muslim brothers had told me not to worry too much about all this, because it would be my heart that would speak when I reached the holy Ka`bah. I know that Almighty Allah has placed within the heart of every Muslim a deep longing to visit Makkah, to return home to where we belong, to that first house built on Earth in worship of Allah.
Some say that it was Prophet Adam (peace and blessings be upon him) who first built the Ka`bah. Others suggest it was first built by angels beneath the throne of Allah in heaven. Others still attribute the first building of the Ka`bah to Prophet Idris (peace and blessings be upon him). Whatever its origins, we know that over time this first building fell into disrepair and ruin and that by the time of Prophet Ibrahim (peace and blessings be upon him), there was nothing left of it except a small mound of earth. Allah commanded Prophet Ibrahim and his first-born son Ismail (peace be upon them both) to rebuild the Ka`bah.
I had written all these things before and had a good knowledge of the history of the Sacred House, but now it was real to me. This time I was leaving my home in Cairo, wearing the simple white garments of ihram. Upon leaving, I was showered with good wishes and prayers by family and friends who so happy for me as I prepared for the journey of a lifetime. Even during the drive to the airport and the arrival at the airport itself, many Muslims showed on their faces the delight they felt at seeing a brother setting off to perform `Umrah.
I had written all these things before and had a good knowledge of the history of the Sacred House, but now it was real to me. This time I was leaving my home in Cairo, wearing the simple white garments of ihram. Upon leaving, I was showered with good wishes and prayers by family and friends who so happy for me as I prepared for the journey of a lifetime. Even during the drive to the airport and the arrival at the airport itself, many Muslims showed on their faces the delight they felt at seeing a brother setting off to perform `Umrah.
What a blessed religion is ours, that brothers and sisters we don’t even know should care for us so much! Throughout the journey, I was repeating in Arabic those sweet words which Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), first heard all those years ago as follows:
I respond to Your call, O Allah!I respond to Your call and I am obedient to Your Orders.You have no partner.I respond to Your call.All the praises and the blessings are for You.All the sovereignty is for You.And You have no partners with You.
As the plane took off, I said these words. As we flew across the Red Sea and landed in Jeddah, I continued to say them. As I said them, my heart filled with excitement as I traveled by car through the Makkan hills and approached the city. More tears came as I arrived in Makkah and saw the sanctuary for the first time from a distance.
I respond to Your call, O Allah!I respond to Your call and I am obedient to Your Orders.You have no partner.I respond to Your call.All the praises and the blessings are for You.All the sovereignty is for You.And You have no partners with You.
As the plane took off, I said these words. As we flew across the Red Sea and landed in Jeddah, I continued to say them. As I said them, my heart filled with excitement as I traveled by car through the Makkan hills and approached the city. More tears came as I arrived in Makkah and saw the sanctuary for the first time from a distance.
But nothing can describe the feeling of entering the sacred mosque and seeing the holy Ka`bah. I was choking with tears, the mosque left me breathless and filled me with an immense joy. Not even the hardest of hearts could be left unmoved by the grace, simplicity, and majesty of the Ka`bah, which has been on this spot since the beginning of time itself. I kept telling myself that in this very place our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) walked and prayed, as well as countless millions of other good Muslims through the centuries.
And so I performed the rituals of `Umrah, my heart beating with joy and tears running down my cheeks. For something so profound, the rituals were really very simple. They basically involved walking around the Ka`bah seven times and then running or walking seven times between the hills of As-Safa and Al-Marwa, in imitation of that desperate search for water made by Hagar, which culminated in the spring of Zamzam gushing from the ground. Our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to say just one prayer as we encircle the Ka`bah as follows:
May Our Lord grant us blessings in this life,Blessings in the life to come,And save us from the torment of the hell-fire.
And so I performed the rituals of `Umrah, my heart beating with joy and tears running down my cheeks. For something so profound, the rituals were really very simple. They basically involved walking around the Ka`bah seven times and then running or walking seven times between the hills of As-Safa and Al-Marwa, in imitation of that desperate search for water made by Hagar, which culminated in the spring of Zamzam gushing from the ground. Our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to say just one prayer as we encircle the Ka`bah as follows:
May Our Lord grant us blessings in this life,Blessings in the life to come,And save us from the torment of the hell-fire.
All of this seemed like a dream. While my lips were saying what I had learned to say, my mind was racing with thoughts and my heart was pouring out everything within it. I had come to the very center of the world in response to the call of Allah. What love He shows to us, and yet how ungrateful we are. What blessings He showers upon us each day, and yet how slow we are to respond to the call of the Adhan and to utter His praises.
We can gladly spend hours sitting in front of a television set or talking idly on a mobile phone, and yet we hardly find the time to spend a few minutes in prayer, even though our life in the hereafter depends on it. The experience of `Umrah is like a piercing sword. It cuts through all the rubbish we surround ourselves with and it shows us our lives in their real perspective — we come from Allah and it is to Allah that we will return. The experience of `Umrah is also like being soaked in love. Our heartfelt response is one of thanks.
We can gladly spend hours sitting in front of a television set or talking idly on a mobile phone, and yet we hardly find the time to spend a few minutes in prayer, even though our life in the hereafter depends on it. The experience of `Umrah is like a piercing sword. It cuts through all the rubbish we surround ourselves with and it shows us our lives in their real perspective — we come from Allah and it is to Allah that we will return. The experience of `Umrah is also like being soaked in love. Our heartfelt response is one of thanks.
As if all this were not enough, most pilgrims usually finish their pilgrimage to Makkah by spending a few days in Madinah, the city of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the first Muslim state ever. In Madinah, the mosque was at the center of the city and Allah was at the center of every Muslim’s life. I finished my own pilgrimage in the same way, walking the very paths trod by Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and falling in prostration on the ground in the same places where he prayed. I met Muslims from almost every nation on earth and was welcomed to the city by Muslims for whom Islam is everything.
If Makkah, then, is the place of powerful emotions that shake a person to the core, Madinah is truly the city of peace. The Prophet’s Mosque is a place of calm and quiet. With its salmon-colored walls, grey and cream Moorish arches, and its floors and pillars of white, polished marble, the mosque is breathtakingly beautiful. Although it is immense and holds thousands at a time for prayer, the Prophet’s Mosque is a place of peace. The gentle personality and the presence of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is everywhere. Madinah is such a privileged place to end one’s journey of a lifetime.
If Makkah, then, is the place of powerful emotions that shake a person to the core, Madinah is truly the city of peace. The Prophet’s Mosque is a place of calm and quiet. With its salmon-colored walls, grey and cream Moorish arches, and its floors and pillars of white, polished marble, the mosque is breathtakingly beautiful. Although it is immense and holds thousands at a time for prayer, the Prophet’s Mosque is a place of peace. The gentle personality and the presence of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is everywhere. Madinah is such a privileged place to end one’s journey of a lifetime.
Now that I am home, the real challenge of living out my `Umrah begins. It is not difficult to pray for long periods of time and to focus all your thoughts on Islam when you are looking at the Ka`bah or are near the final resting place of Allah’s final messenger to mankind (peace and blessings be upon him). The routine of daily life, though, with all its distractions, is less easy.
I cherish the memories of those days in Saudi Arabia in my heart, and I say al-hamdu lillah. I pray that Almighty Allah will give me the strength to be a good Muslim. I pray that I will always be prompt and faithful to prayer. I pray that I will now learn and recite more of the Qur’an every day. And, after the experience of a lifetime, I pray that I will always give good examples to my Muslim brothers and sisters, and that I can show to non-Muslims how sweet and beautiful the message of Islam is. Ameen. Ameen. Ameen.
I cherish the memories of those days in Saudi Arabia in my heart, and I say al-hamdu lillah. I pray that Almighty Allah will give me the strength to be a good Muslim. I pray that I will always be prompt and faithful to prayer. I pray that I will now learn and recite more of the Qur’an every day. And, after the experience of a lifetime, I pray that I will always give good examples to my Muslim brothers and sisters, and that I can show to non-Muslims how sweet and beautiful the message of Islam is. Ameen. Ameen. Ameen.
You can visit his website at http://www.idristawfiq.com/.
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Dubai desert dream: it's not all fireworks and Kylie By John Arlidge
Thursday night's £15m launch party of Dubai's latest resort, The Atlantis, on the man-made Palm Jumeirah island in the Gulf, is enough to make recession-weary, sun-deprived Brits want to pack their bags and head for the United Arab Emirates. But despite the spectacular launch, complete with a million fireworks and a guest list that included Kylie Minogue, Dame Shirley Bassey, Robert De Niro, Janet Jackson, Denzel Washington and Lindsay Lohan, life for ordinary expats is not quite so glamourous. Indeed, the attitude towards the ex-pat population borders on derisory.
Eighty per cent of Dubai's population is made up of expatriates, including Europeans, Australians, South Africans and Americans, but the majority comprises labourers from Asia.
Brits living and working in Dubai number 100,000. Foreigners - rich or poor - are all classified as"guest workers" and, as such, enjoy few freedoms and little protection.
There is no parliament where they can make their voice heard, no political parties, no elections, no free trade unions, no minimum wage, no charter of human rights, no right to trial by jury, little consumer protection and no free press. Thursday night's £15m launch party of Dubai's latest resort, The Atlantis, on the man-made Palm Jumeirah island in the Gulf
"This is a feudal society," complains one local."Sheikh Mo," he says, referring to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, leader of Dubai's autocratic government, "is the lord of the manor and everyone else is a peasant of sorts." Dubai has got away with mixing the medieval and the modern by playing its trump card: cash. By paying westerners fat tax-free salaries, it knows that however much they might whinge in private, they will not rock the boat.
The problem for Sheikh Mohammed is, the bribe is no longer working. Dubai is getting very, very expensive and wages are failing to keep pace with inflation.
Its currency, the dirham, is pegged to the dollar. As the greenback has weakened, so has the dirham, making imports more expensive and forcing up prices. advertisement
Officially, inflation is around elevent per cent but locals say the real figure is double that. When it comes to rent and property prices, they say, the rate exceeds 30 per cent - if, that is, you can find anywhere to live at all. The price rises have sparked riots by construction workers, which have delayed major residential projects. Chuck in chronic traffic congestion, worsening pollution, limited cultural attractions, complaints about the poor build quality of the homes that have been built, and rising crime - notably the shocking rape of a young French boy by three two men, which, critics claims, local police tried to cover up - and many argue that Dubai has gone from being an adult playground to a congested, polluted, soul-less, risky place.
Leslie Davies, who left her IT job in Maidstone two years ago to join her boyfriend, Jason, a personal trainer, is fed up with the daily grind.
"When I first arrived Dubai felt so easy. Things worked. It was cheap. Now it's like: ‘Whoops, I swallowed your salary!' And, oh, check under your car in the morning, why don't you?" she adds, referring to the first heightened terror alerts in the UAE earlier in the year which sent a chill through Dubai's expat community. The white tribe of Arabia abandoned England for Blingland in search of sun and tax-free fun. Terrorism wasn't part of the deal. Nevertheless, to some, the reaction of the likes of Davies is laughable.
One local resident says:"Did she never stop and think that she's in the Middle East, not Happy Valley?" He has a point. Dubai has some decidedly iffy neighbours and has suffered terror attacks before - notably a petrol bomb attack on a western hotel. The money and men behind the 9/11 attacks in New York passed through Dubai. "When terrorists need a place to meet, they head to Dubai," US News and World Report noted recently. John Cassara, author of Hide and Seek, a book on the financing of terrorism, says: "All roads led to Dubai."
For those who have decided to make Dubai their home, they can at least enjoy a a remarkably tolerant attitude towards westerners from their Muslim leaders.
Christians can build their own churches and worship freely, alcohol is available, women can dress how they wish and do any job, foreigners can own freehold property, prostitution is tolerated and, while homosexuality is not, ‘Brokeback Mountain' is available to rent in Blockbuster.
As Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum, boss of Emirates airline and uncle of Sheikh Mohammed, likes to say: "We are half-way between East and West."
But at the back of their minds, skilled foreigners have always had a nagging doubt that Dubai tolerates them as a necessary, temporary evil - it needs western expertise to fuel its growth - but, in fact, values them little more than the construction workers who build skyscrapers and earn as little as $10 a day. The sense of unease grew recently when one local official questioned the number of foreigners moving to Dubai, saying:"I'm afraid we are building towers but losing the Emirates."
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Eighty per cent of Dubai's population is made up of expatriates, including Europeans, Australians, South Africans and Americans, but the majority comprises labourers from Asia.
Brits living and working in Dubai number 100,000. Foreigners - rich or poor - are all classified as"guest workers" and, as such, enjoy few freedoms and little protection.
There is no parliament where they can make their voice heard, no political parties, no elections, no free trade unions, no minimum wage, no charter of human rights, no right to trial by jury, little consumer protection and no free press. Thursday night's £15m launch party of Dubai's latest resort, The Atlantis, on the man-made Palm Jumeirah island in the Gulf
"This is a feudal society," complains one local."Sheikh Mo," he says, referring to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, leader of Dubai's autocratic government, "is the lord of the manor and everyone else is a peasant of sorts." Dubai has got away with mixing the medieval and the modern by playing its trump card: cash. By paying westerners fat tax-free salaries, it knows that however much they might whinge in private, they will not rock the boat.
The problem for Sheikh Mohammed is, the bribe is no longer working. Dubai is getting very, very expensive and wages are failing to keep pace with inflation.
Its currency, the dirham, is pegged to the dollar. As the greenback has weakened, so has the dirham, making imports more expensive and forcing up prices. advertisement
Officially, inflation is around elevent per cent but locals say the real figure is double that. When it comes to rent and property prices, they say, the rate exceeds 30 per cent - if, that is, you can find anywhere to live at all. The price rises have sparked riots by construction workers, which have delayed major residential projects. Chuck in chronic traffic congestion, worsening pollution, limited cultural attractions, complaints about the poor build quality of the homes that have been built, and rising crime - notably the shocking rape of a young French boy by three two men, which, critics claims, local police tried to cover up - and many argue that Dubai has gone from being an adult playground to a congested, polluted, soul-less, risky place.
Leslie Davies, who left her IT job in Maidstone two years ago to join her boyfriend, Jason, a personal trainer, is fed up with the daily grind.
"When I first arrived Dubai felt so easy. Things worked. It was cheap. Now it's like: ‘Whoops, I swallowed your salary!' And, oh, check under your car in the morning, why don't you?" she adds, referring to the first heightened terror alerts in the UAE earlier in the year which sent a chill through Dubai's expat community. The white tribe of Arabia abandoned England for Blingland in search of sun and tax-free fun. Terrorism wasn't part of the deal. Nevertheless, to some, the reaction of the likes of Davies is laughable.
One local resident says:"Did she never stop and think that she's in the Middle East, not Happy Valley?" He has a point. Dubai has some decidedly iffy neighbours and has suffered terror attacks before - notably a petrol bomb attack on a western hotel. The money and men behind the 9/11 attacks in New York passed through Dubai. "When terrorists need a place to meet, they head to Dubai," US News and World Report noted recently. John Cassara, author of Hide and Seek, a book on the financing of terrorism, says: "All roads led to Dubai."
For those who have decided to make Dubai their home, they can at least enjoy a a remarkably tolerant attitude towards westerners from their Muslim leaders.
Christians can build their own churches and worship freely, alcohol is available, women can dress how they wish and do any job, foreigners can own freehold property, prostitution is tolerated and, while homosexuality is not, ‘Brokeback Mountain' is available to rent in Blockbuster.
As Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum, boss of Emirates airline and uncle of Sheikh Mohammed, likes to say: "We are half-way between East and West."
But at the back of their minds, skilled foreigners have always had a nagging doubt that Dubai tolerates them as a necessary, temporary evil - it needs western expertise to fuel its growth - but, in fact, values them little more than the construction workers who build skyscrapers and earn as little as $10 a day. The sense of unease grew recently when one local official questioned the number of foreigners moving to Dubai, saying:"I'm afraid we are building towers but losing the Emirates."
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Russia: Muslims should copy from Jewish lobbying
Russia: Muslims should copy from Jewish lobbying
Instead of blaming Islamophobia for their problems and waiting for someone else to solve them, Russia's Muslims should do what Russia's Jews have done and create an institution to lobby the Russian government on their behalf, according to a leading Muslim commentator.
In an article posted on the Islam.ru portal, Abdalla Aminov notes that there are nearly 100 times as many Muslims in the Russian Federation as there are Jews and that "the overwhelming majority of Muslims belong to the indigenous population of our country".
But despite that, he continues, the Jewish community has a far greater impact on the Russian government because its members, unlike those of the Muslim community, do not simply blame others for their problems and wait for someone to solve them. Instead, Aminov writes, they organize and work for their co-religionists.
The latest example of their efforts, he continues, is the formation of a Jewish Social Chamber, which is charged with defending and advancing the interests of the 230,000 Jews in Russia. And 20 million plus Muslims, instead of ignoring what the Jews are doing, should copy them and create a Muslim Social Chamber to do the same thing for the Islamic community.
Such a body, Aminov argues, will help the Muslims of Russia to overcome their "passivity" and their current "unwillingness or inability to defend their legal and inalienable rights" by providing a venue for regular and intense communication between the Muslim community as a whole and the various components of the Russian state.
Among the tasks such a body could take up, he continues, are "the spread among ethnic Muslims and other strata of the population of the spiritual values of the umma, the awakening of interest in live in Islamic countries, and operational reporting on manifestations of Islamophobia in Russia."
Given that the Russian government has welcomed the creation of the Jewish Social Chamber, the Muslim commentator says that he is "certain that such an initiative would find support and understanding from the Russian authorities," who are increasingly aware that "the size of the Muslim population of our country will only grow in the future.
(more)
Source: Georgian Daily (English)
via Islam in Europe by Esther
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Instead of blaming Islamophobia for their problems and waiting for someone else to solve them, Russia's Muslims should do what Russia's Jews have done and create an institution to lobby the Russian government on their behalf, according to a leading Muslim commentator.
In an article posted on the Islam.ru portal, Abdalla Aminov notes that there are nearly 100 times as many Muslims in the Russian Federation as there are Jews and that "the overwhelming majority of Muslims belong to the indigenous population of our country".
But despite that, he continues, the Jewish community has a far greater impact on the Russian government because its members, unlike those of the Muslim community, do not simply blame others for their problems and wait for someone to solve them. Instead, Aminov writes, they organize and work for their co-religionists.
The latest example of their efforts, he continues, is the formation of a Jewish Social Chamber, which is charged with defending and advancing the interests of the 230,000 Jews in Russia. And 20 million plus Muslims, instead of ignoring what the Jews are doing, should copy them and create a Muslim Social Chamber to do the same thing for the Islamic community.
Such a body, Aminov argues, will help the Muslims of Russia to overcome their "passivity" and their current "unwillingness or inability to defend their legal and inalienable rights" by providing a venue for regular and intense communication between the Muslim community as a whole and the various components of the Russian state.
Among the tasks such a body could take up, he continues, are "the spread among ethnic Muslims and other strata of the population of the spiritual values of the umma, the awakening of interest in live in Islamic countries, and operational reporting on manifestations of Islamophobia in Russia."
Given that the Russian government has welcomed the creation of the Jewish Social Chamber, the Muslim commentator says that he is "certain that such an initiative would find support and understanding from the Russian authorities," who are increasingly aware that "the size of the Muslim population of our country will only grow in the future.
(more)
Source: Georgian Daily (English)
via Islam in Europe by Esther
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Monday, November 17, 2008
Withholding inheritance from a daughter so that her husband will not take it
Some people withhold inheritance from their daughters for fear that the daughter’s husbands will take the daughters’ share of the inheritance. Is this permissible?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has described the heirs and the share that each of them has in Soorat al-Nisa’. These heirs include daughters. Allaah enjoins giving each person who is entitled to something his right, and the first passage on inheritance ends with the words (interpretation of the meaning):
“These are the limits (set by) Allaah (or ordainments as regards laws of inheritance), and whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad) will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success.
14. And whosoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment”
[al-Nisa’ 4:13-14]
Then He ended the last verse of the same soorah with the words (interpretation of the meaning):
“(Thus) does Allaah make clear to you (His Law) lest you go astray. And Allaah is the All-Knower of everything”
[al-Nisa’ 4:176]
Whoever deprives a daughter or anyone else of the right granted by Allaah, without her consent, has disobeyed Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and followed his own whims and desires, and is overwhelmed by tribalistic feelings and jaahiliyyah. His abode will be Hell, if he does not repent and give people their rights.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’,
16/493.
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has described the heirs and the share that each of them has in Soorat al-Nisa’. These heirs include daughters. Allaah enjoins giving each person who is entitled to something his right, and the first passage on inheritance ends with the words (interpretation of the meaning):
“These are the limits (set by) Allaah (or ordainments as regards laws of inheritance), and whosoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad) will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success.
14. And whosoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall have a disgraceful torment”
[al-Nisa’ 4:13-14]
Then He ended the last verse of the same soorah with the words (interpretation of the meaning):
“(Thus) does Allaah make clear to you (His Law) lest you go astray. And Allaah is the All-Knower of everything”
[al-Nisa’ 4:176]
Whoever deprives a daughter or anyone else of the right granted by Allaah, without her consent, has disobeyed Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and followed his own whims and desires, and is overwhelmed by tribalistic feelings and jaahiliyyah. His abode will be Hell, if he does not repent and give people their rights.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’,
16/493.
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
His relative is in jail and he sits with his wife and children in order to look after them
I have a distant relative who is in jail, and I am taking care of his family’s needs such as teaching his children, buying what they need for the house and advising my relative’s family. I sit with them without a mahram, but I show them all respect in a spirit of Islamic brotherhood. She (the wife) covers her head and shows her face and hands. What has made me do that is the fact that her mahrams do not care about her or her situation. I want to know my position according to sharee’ah. Is what I am doing halaal or haraam? Please note that what I am doing is for the sake of Allaah and because I am aware of my duty towards my absent relative.
Praise be to Allaah.
What you are doing for the family of your absent relative is good and is to be appreciated, because taking care of the weak by meeting their needs is a righteous deed. But it is not permissible for you to be alone with the wife, because she is a stranger (non-mahram) to you, and it is not permissible for her to uncover her face in front of you, because you are not one of her mahrams.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth wa’l-Ifta’,
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Praise be to Allaah.
What you are doing for the family of your absent relative is good and is to be appreciated, because taking care of the weak by meeting their needs is a righteous deed. But it is not permissible for you to be alone with the wife, because she is a stranger (non-mahram) to you, and it is not permissible for her to uncover her face in front of you, because you are not one of her mahrams.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth wa’l-Ifta’,
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Hajj without husband’s permission
There is a married woman whose husband promised to take her to Hajj, but he did not keep his promise. Her family came to her on their way to Makkah and took her with them without the husband’s knowledge or approval. Is her Hajj valid?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Before replying, I would like to point out that it is not permissible for a woman to go out without her husband’s permission, even if that is in the same city, so how can she go for Hajj without his permission? This is haraam and it is not permissible for her to do this. The husband who promised to take his wife for Hajj has to fulfil his promise and take her for Hajj, especially since this promise is stated as a condition in the marriage contract. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most deserving of conditions to be fulfilled are those by means of which intimate relations become permissible for you.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2729; Muslim, 1418.
If this promise was made after the marriage contract, the scholars differed as to whether it should be fulfilled. The correct view is that it must be fulfilled so long as that will not cause harm to the one who made the promise, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described breaking promises as one of the attributes of the hypocrites, as a warning against breaking promises.
See Daleel al-Akhta’ allati yaqa’ fiha al-Haaj wa’l-Mu’tamir.
Islam Q&A
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Before replying, I would like to point out that it is not permissible for a woman to go out without her husband’s permission, even if that is in the same city, so how can she go for Hajj without his permission? This is haraam and it is not permissible for her to do this. The husband who promised to take his wife for Hajj has to fulfil his promise and take her for Hajj, especially since this promise is stated as a condition in the marriage contract. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most deserving of conditions to be fulfilled are those by means of which intimate relations become permissible for you.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2729; Muslim, 1418.
If this promise was made after the marriage contract, the scholars differed as to whether it should be fulfilled. The correct view is that it must be fulfilled so long as that will not cause harm to the one who made the promise, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described breaking promises as one of the attributes of the hypocrites, as a warning against breaking promises.
See Daleel al-Akhta’ allati yaqa’ fiha al-Haaj wa’l-Mu’tamir.
Islam Q&A
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Saturday, November 15, 2008
WHAT IS IMAN?
Hadrat [1] Imam-i Rabbani says in the 67th letter of the second volume of his Maktubat:
Iman means to believe the teachings coming from our Prophet, which are written in the books of Ahl as-sunnat [2] savants, and to express one’s belief. Worships are not from iman. But they perfect and beautify iman. Imam-i a’zam Abu Hanifa ‘alaihirrahma’ said that iman does not increase or decrease. For, iman means the heart’s confirmation, admitting and believing.
There is not scarcity or abundance in iman. Belief which has its decrease and increase is not called iman, but it is called supposition and illusion. Iman’s being much or little means muchness or scarcity in worships. When a person worships much, he is said to have much perfection in his iman.
Then, the imans of all Believers are unlike the imans of prophets. For, prophets’ iman has reached the summit of perfection on account of worships. The iman of other Believers cannot reach there. But both have the common quality of being iman.
The former has become different through worships. It is as if there were no resemblance between them. All Believers and prophets share the property of being human. But other values, superiorities have made prophets reach high grades. Their humanity has become sort of different. In a way, they are higher human beings than the common humanity. Perhaps, they only are human beings. Others, as it were, are not human beings.
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Iman means to believe the teachings coming from our Prophet, which are written in the books of Ahl as-sunnat [2] savants, and to express one’s belief. Worships are not from iman. But they perfect and beautify iman. Imam-i a’zam Abu Hanifa ‘alaihirrahma’ said that iman does not increase or decrease. For, iman means the heart’s confirmation, admitting and believing.
There is not scarcity or abundance in iman. Belief which has its decrease and increase is not called iman, but it is called supposition and illusion. Iman’s being much or little means muchness or scarcity in worships. When a person worships much, he is said to have much perfection in his iman.
Then, the imans of all Believers are unlike the imans of prophets. For, prophets’ iman has reached the summit of perfection on account of worships. The iman of other Believers cannot reach there. But both have the common quality of being iman.
The former has become different through worships. It is as if there were no resemblance between them. All Believers and prophets share the property of being human. But other values, superiorities have made prophets reach high grades. Their humanity has become sort of different. In a way, they are higher human beings than the common humanity. Perhaps, they only are human beings. Others, as it were, are not human beings.
http://islaamdoon.blogspot.com/
Friday, November 14, 2008
Good beginning for humanity
NEW YORK: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah yesterday urged world leaders to open a new era of peace, leaving behind the bloody past, and mobilize their resources to fight poverty, provide treatment to patients and boost development. The king made this comment while speaking to leaders of different faiths during a special General Assembly session on interfaith dialogue at the United Nations headquarters here. "I hope that this dialogue would be a good beginning for humanity ... The days and years that have passed will not come back ... We had enough of killings, enmity and rights violations," the Saudi Press Agency quoted the king as saying. "If countries in the world had turned to peace and kept away from wars and conflicts and spent their time and energy to fight poverty and engage in humanitarian work we would not have seen these diseases and poverty," the king said. He said all religions call for brotherhood and harmony and encourage doing good deeds for the elderly, the poor, the needy and the sick. "The world has now started thinking about the reasons behind bloodshed and enmity. Religions promote kindness. They have nothing to do with violence. "The humanity is in need of people like you to guide them and make them understand the facts," the king said and emphasized the need to preserve the family system intact. The participants representing various faiths commended King Abdullah's efforts to promote interfaith dialogue. "The dialogue Your Majesty started in Madrid as well as your presence in New York reaffirm your commitment to religious moderation," a Jewish leader said. Responding to a comment made by another participant on the election of a biracial African-American as president of the United States, King Abdullah said the election of Barack Obama proved that the people of America are democratic. "We hope the new president would do good for the whole humanity and I expect the same from all world leaders," the king added. One delegate announced the plan to establish an Islamic peace foundation in the US by the end of this year, adding that the foundation would work for translating the king's initiative into action. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised King Abdullah, calling the conference "a truly inspiring initiative for global harmony." An international effort was needed to confront the rising tide of communal strife and religious extremism, Ban said. "Extremist ideologies are on the rise. Societies are more polarized. Anti-Semitism remains a scourge. Islamophobia has emerged as a new term for an old and terrible form of prejudice," the UN chief said. Jordan's King Abdallah said it was impossible to talk about interfaith harmony without resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. "I can think of no more effective way to ease East-West and interfaith tensions than to end this divisive conflict," he said. A string of Arab leaders said Islam was falsely accused of backing terrorism. They said their religion calls for moderation and tolerance and eschews extremism, violence and bigotry. "As leaders and peoples, we must assume our historical responsibilities to examine our painful reality through a serious and sincere dialogue between people, religions and cultures," Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah said. In her speech, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of the Philippines rallied world leaders to pursue a "broader interfaith dialogue" to foster solidarity among civilizations, citing the gains of her country's policy. Arroyo, however, gave a stern warning to extremists saying: "We must not mistake tolerance and understanding of other faiths and belief systems as a blank check for abuse. We will never accept violence cloaked in religion by anyone at anytime." Introducing a draft resolution on "promotion of inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, understanding and cooperation for peace," Arroyo said one of the resolution's most relevant points was the affirmation that mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue were important components of the culture of peace. The high-level Culture of Peace Conference, convened by General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, sought to promote a global dialogue about religions, cultures, and common values. Cardinal Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue of the Holy See, extended the good wishes of Pope Benedict XVI, who said the international community needed the gathering. "The United Nations must be a school for peace," said Tauran, adding that all member states were equal at the United Nations. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said turning to dialogue to settle existing conflicts, or defuse simmering ones, would not yield results unless trust had been woven into the process. "Ongoing oppression in the occupied Arab territories questioned the credibility of any dialogue," he added. | ||||||
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