THE LAST TEN NIGHTS OF RAMADAN

THE LAST TEN NIGHTS OF RAMADAN

 

Ahmed Arwo

 

As we are in the last ten days of Ramadan which includes the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr), we have to reflect on their virtue and spiritual assets. There are many fictions and fabrications in relation to this night specifically and to the last ten days of Ramadan in general. There are stories about surprise encounters of saints and prophets in disguise, mostly as beggars in the most detesting and disgusting shape and clothing. There are others who celebrate the greatness of this night in worldly festive mood with music and dance, similar to the Christmas, and even distribute surprise gifts to children and poor families, in a manner near to that of Father Christmas.

 

I do not want to indulge myself into innovations and misinterpretation of this glorious night, lest I may distract those of weak hearts from this special night full of Allah's mercy and forgiveness. May Allah make us those who endorse this night in prayer and dikr, as prescribed by Allah and his Messenger. Let us commit ourselves to commemorate this ten nights in accordance to the conduct of the Prophet and his companions.

 

The following article by one of the greatest scholars of Islam, Sheikh Salman al-Aodah (may Allah reward him his mercy in respect of his unreserved efforts in spreading the correct principles and practices of Islam), will guide us to the proper way of honouring last ten days of Ramadan. The article is posted in its authenticity and entirety, without any change in shape and form from www.islamtoday.com.

 

Sheikh Salman al-Aodah said:-

     

The last ten nights of Ramadan are very special. The first of these nights occurs on the eve of the 21st day of Ramadan. In other words, it is the night that commences after the completion of the 20th day of fasting. Sometimes there are only nine nights, whenever the month of Ramadan lasts for only 29 days. Nevertheless, they are still traditionally referred to as "the last ten nights".

The last ten nights of Ramadan are very special. These are the nights that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would spend in constant worship. Among these nights is Laylah al-Qadr – a night more blessed than a thousand months.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to single these nights out for worship and the performance of good deeds. He would exert himself in worship during these ten nights more than any other nights of the year.

`Â'ishah tells us: "During the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would tighten his waist belt and spend the night in worship. He would also wake up his family." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1920)]

`Â'ishah also says: "I had never known Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) to read the entire Qur'ân in a single night, or to spend the whole night in prayer up until the morning, or to spend a whole month in fasting – except in Ramadan." [Sunan al-Nasâ'î (1641) and Sunan Ibn Mâjah (1348)]

When we say that the Prophet (peace be upon him) spent the whole night in worship, we should qualify it. This is because he would spend some time eating dinner, partaking of his pre-dawn meal, and other similar activities. However, he would spend most of the night in worship.

Waking Up the Family

`Â'ishah informs us that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to wake up his family during the last ten nights of Ramadan. Indeed, he used to wake up his wives for prayer throughout the year, but that was so that they could pray for a small fraction of the night.

We know this, because Umm Salamah relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) woke her up one night and said: "Glory be to Allah. What has been sent down of trials during this night? What has been sent down of treasures, so that the denizens of the bedchambers will be awakened? O Lord! To be clothed in this world by naked in the Hereafter." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1074)]

During the last ten nights of Ramadan, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would wake up his wives to pray for a much longer portion of the night than during the rest of the year.

Exerting Oneself in Worship

`Â'isha tells us: "The Prophet would exert himself in worship during the last ten nights more than at any other time of the year." [Sahîh Muslim (1175)]

The great jurist, al-Shâfi`î declares: "It is Sunnah for one to exert greater efforts in worship during the last ten nights of Ramadan." [al-Majmû` (6/397)]

When `Â'ishah tells us that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would "tighten his waistbelt", she is speaking figuratively. The phrase means to set about to devote oneself fully and wholeheartedly to the task at hand.

Seeking Out Laylah al-Qadr

One of the greatest distinctions of these ten special nights is that one of them is Laylah al-Qadr – the Night of Decree. This is the greatest night of the year – better than a thousand months. This means that a Muslim can earn more rewards on Laylah al-Qadr than he would if – excluding this special night – he were worship his Lord for eighty-four years straight. This is one of the immense favors that Allah has bestowed upon the Muslim community.

Ibrâhîm al-Nakha`î says: "Good works performed on this night are better than those performed consistently for a thousand months."

Abû Hurayrah relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever spends Laylah al-Qadr in prayer, believing in Allah and seeking His reward, will be forgiven all of his past sins." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1802) and Sahîh Muslim (760)]

Belief in Allah, in this hadîth, means not only to believe in Allah, but to believe in the reward that we are promised for observing prayer on this night.

Laylah al-Qadr is on one of the odd nights. `Â'ishah relates that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Seek out Laylah al-Qadr in the odd nights during the last ten nights of Ramadan." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1913) and Sahîh Muslim (1169)]

It is most likely one of the last seven odd nights. Ibn `Umar relates that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "Look for it in the last ten nights. If one of you falls weak or unable to do so, then he should at least try on the seven remaining nights." [Sahîh Muslim (1165)]

The most likely candidate for Laylah al-Qadr is the 27th night of Ramadan. This is indicated by the statement of `Ubayy b. Ka`b: "I swear by Allah that I know which night it is. It is the night in which Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) ordered us to observe in prayer. It is the night on the eve of the 27th of Ramadan. Its sign is that the Sun will rise in the morning of that day white without exuding any rays." [Sahîh Muslim (762)]

A Muslim should seek out this special night by spending the last ten nights of Ramadan engaged in various acts of worship. These include reciting the remembrances of Allah, reading the Qur'ân, and begging Allah's forgiveness.

It is best for us to strive hard on all ten nights, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The way we "look for" Laylah al-Qadr is by engaging in extra worship.

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Look for it in the last ten nights" he did not mean that we should literally "look for" signs and indications that distinguish Laylah al-Qadr from other nights. The things that distinguish Laylah al-Qadr from other nights are part of the Unseen.

Allah says: " Surely We revealed it on a blessed night. Surely We ever wish to warn (against evil) – On this night, every wise matter is made distinct." [Sûrah al-Dukhân (3-4)]

Allah says: "Laylah al-Qadr is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with every decree. (This night is) peace, until the rising of the dawn." [Sûrah al-Qadr (3-5)]

These are the ways in which Laylah al-Qadr is special. They are not things that we can see with our eyes. No one after the Prophet (peace be upon him) can see the angels.

Observing a Retreat in the Mosque (I`tikâf)

Observing a retreat in the mosque is of the best things we can do during the last ten nights of Ramadan. `Â'ishah tells us: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to observe a retreat in the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan up until he died. His wives continued to observe this practice after his death." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1922) and Sahîh Musli (1172)]

The practice of i`tikâf is a strongly recommended act. It is defined as remaining in retreat in the mosque for the express purpose of worship. The purpose of doing so is to devote one's heart exclusively to Allah. The person engaging in i`tikâf keeps this intention close to mind and seeks Allah's blessings. He should not forget the reason why he is observing this retreat.

A person observing i`tikâf does not leave the mosque except for what is absolutely necessary (like going to the bathroom). While in the mosque, he should busy himself with the remembrance of Allah. He should make sure to offer the remembrances of the morning and evening and the prescribed remembrances for the five daily prayers. He should perform all of the Sunnah prayers and all other recommended prayers, like the Duhâ prayer. He should read as much of the Qur'ân as he can.

He should spend less time eating and sleep as little as possible. He should avoid unnecessary talk. However, he should engage in advising his fellow Muslims and in enjoining them to truth and to patience.

Generosity

It is encouraged for us to be extra generous during the last ten nights of Ramadan, without being extravagant or ostentatious in our giving. Ibn `Abbâs relates that: "Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was the most generous of all people in doing good, and he was at his most generous during the month of Ramadan. Gabriel used to meet with him every year throughout the month of Ramadan, so the Prophet could recite the Qur'ân to him. Whenever Gabriel met with him, he became more generous than a beneficial breeze." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (1902) and Sahîh Muslim (2308)]

Al-Nawawî states [al-Majmû` (6/398)]:

Generosity and open-handedness are strongly encouraged in Ramadan, especially during the last ten nights. By doing so, we emulate the example of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as well as of our Pious Predecessors. Also, this month is noble, and good works carried out in this month are more blessed than they are at any other time. Also, during this month, people are preoccupied with fasting and worship, and this distracts them from their livelihood, so they might need some assistance during this time. END.

 

 

Let us pray for peace in our homeland and that of all Muslims.

 

 

Ahmed Arwo

samotalis@gmail.com

TURKEY, A MAJOR SHIP RECYCLING NATION, SIGNS UN CONVENTION

TURKEY, A MAJOR SHIP RECYCLING NATION, SIGNS UN CONVENTION
New York, Aug 27 2010  4:10PM
Turkey, one of the five major ship recycling nations in the world, has signed the United Nations-backed treaty promoting the environmentally friendly recycling of ships.

The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, adopted in May last year, is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled at the end of their operational lives, do not pose an unnecessary risk to human health and safety or the environment.

It was signed yesterday in London by Ünal Çeviköz, Turkey's Permanent Representative to the <"http://www.imo.org/">International Maritime Organization – the UN agency that developed the convention – at IMO's headquarters in London.

The convention deals with all major issues surrounding ship recycling, including the fact that ships sold for scrapping may contain environmentally hazardous substances such as asbestos, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, ozone-depleting substances and others.  It also tackles concerns about the working and environmental conditions at many ship recycling locations.

In addition, the convention regulates the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling – without compromising the ships' safety and operational efficiency.  It focuses on the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner, as well as on establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling – including certification and reporting requirements.

The text of the convention was developed over a three-year period, with input from IMO Member States and relevant non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (<"http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm">ILO) and the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

The Convention has been open for signature by any State since 1 September 2009 and will remain so until next Tuesday. Thereafter, it will be open for accession by any State.

It will enter into force 24 months after the date on which 15 States, representing 40 per cent of world merchant shipping by gross tonnage, have either signed it without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval, or have deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the IMO Secretary-General. The combined maximum annual ship recycling volume of those States during the preceding 10 years must constitute not less than 3 per cent of their combined merchant shipping tonnage.

To date, the Convention has been signed, subject to ratification or acceptance, by France, Italy, the Netherlands, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Turkey.

At the signing, IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos and Mr. Çeviköz expressed the wish that other major ship recycling nations would join the convention as soon as possible.
Aug 27 2010  4:10PM
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UN RIGHTS EXPERT URGES SOMALIS TO HELP PREVENT FURTHER BLOODSHED AFTER LATEST ATTACK

UN RIGHTS EXPERT URGES SOMALIS TO HELP PREVENT FURTHER BLOODSHED AFTER LATEST ATTACK

An independent United Nations human rights expert has called on all Somalis to help prevent the kind of bloodshed witnessed this week when 33 people were killed during a hotel bombing in the capital, and to assist in bringing those responsible to justice.

"I urge a grassroots effort to prevent a repetition of this atrocious act," said Shamsul Bari, the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia, referring to the 24 August attack on the Muna Hotel in Mogadishu.

Four members of Somalia's Transitional Federal Parliament died in the attack, which was strongly condemned by UN officials and the Security Council, and is the latest act of violence to hit the strife-torn Horn of Africa nation.

"This deplorable attack once again demonstrates that the extremists will stop at nothing in their desperate attempt to seize power by force," said Dr. Bari.

"However, the perpetrators of these desperate acts during the holy month of Ramadan will never win the hearts and minds of Somali people," he added.

Violence in Mogadishu has led to some 3,000 conflict-related casualties so far this year and uprooted around 200,000 people from the city, which has been the scene of ongoing clashes between Government troops and Islamist militant groups, including Al-Shabaab.

"I appeal to the international community, as a matter of urgency, to rethink and renew its commitment to giving the protection of civilians and their access to humanitarian assistance the highest priority in Somalia," said Dr. Bari.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER EXECUTIONS

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: UN HUMAN RIGHTS EXPERTS EXPRESS CONCERN OVER EXECUTIONS
New York, Aug 27 2010  6:10PM
Independent United Nations human rights experts today voiced serious concern at last weekend's execution in Equatorial Guinea of four men over their alleged involvement in an armed attack on the country's presidential palace last year.

Three former military officers and one civilian were executed after a military trial in which they were found guilty on charges of treason and terrorism, according to a <"http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=10293&LangID=E">statement issued in Geneva by two members of the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries.

The working group's Amada Benavides de Pérez (chairperson) and José-Luis Gomez del Prado, who visited Equatorial Guinea in the days before the execution, said they strongly condemned it, noting it "follows a summary trial that severely lacked due process."

Mrs. Pérez and Mr. Gomez del Prado also voiced concern that the sentence was carried out the same day as it was issued, denying the defendants – José Abeso Nsue, Manuel Ndong Anseme, Alipio Ndong Asumu and Jacinto Michá Obiang – any possibility of appeal.

"The [working] group could not obtain information on how the four men, who had taken refuge in Benin, were brought back into the country. They appear not to have been subjected to formal extradition procedures."

Mrs. Pérez and Mr. Gomez del Prado issued a series of preliminary recommendations to authorities in Equatorial Guinea, including "full information in a transparent manner" regarding all matters connected to the armed attack by alleged mercenaries on 17 February 2009.

Two other civilians were each sentenced in the same trial to 20 years' imprisonment, even though a civil court had acquitted them over the same events earlier this year.

Seven Nigerian nationals were arrested by the Government over the same attack and the working group said it had received information that two had since died in detention while the other five have been jailed for 12 years.

"It has also received information that the Nigerian embassy has not been granted access to them, nor officially been informed of their arrests, the charges held against them, the status of proceedings and the death of two of them."

The independent experts criticized the "lack of transparency regarding these trials," despite repeated requests from the working group to visit the detainees and access the judicial decisions.

The statement said this "points to severe shortcomings in the implementation of international human rights standards in the administration of justice by the Government of Equatorial Guinea."

Turning to the attempted coup d'état in 2004 and its aftermath, the working group members said they considered the case to be "a clear example of the link between the phenomenon of mercenaries and PMSCs [private military and security companies] as a means of violating the sovereignty of the State."

The mercenaries involved in the coup attempt were mostly former personnel of PMSCs or in some cases still employed by a PMSC.

While President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo last year pardoned all foreigners linked to the incident, "a number of reports indicated that [the earlier] trials failed to comply with international human rights standards and that some of the accused had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment."

During their five-day visit to Equatorial Guinea, Mrs. Pérez and Mr. Gomez del Prado held meetings in Malabo, the capital, with Mr. Obiang and numerous senior officials of the executive, judiciary and legislature, as well as with representatives of the UN, political parties, the diplomatic corps, civil society and PMSCs.

The two experts noted that Equatorial Guinea, which has important natural resources such as oil, has experienced several coup attempts involving mercenaries, paramilitaries and ex-combatants from neighbouring countries.

"In this regard the working group believes that in addition to the right and the duty of States to defend its borders and natural resources, the Government would reduce its vulnerability to mercenary attacks by promoting and strengthening democracy, economic, social and cultural rights and development in general as well as good governance.

"Therefore the group calls on the Government to ensure free political participation, the independence of the judiciary and a transparent and efficient administration of justice."

Other preliminary recommendations include: calling on the Government to develop laws criminalizing the presence of mercenaries; inviting the country to accede to a 1989 convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries; and grant both the Nigerian embassy and the Red Cross immediate access to the Nigerian detainees.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL MISSION ON FLOTILLA INCIDENT CONCLUDES VISIT TO TURKEY

UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL MISSION ON FLOTILLA INCIDENT CONCLUDES VISIT TO TURKEY

The United Nations Human Rights Council's international, independent fact-finding mission of high-level experts inquiring into the Gaza flotilla incident on 31 May has wrapped up a week-long visit to Turkey.

The three experts interviewed Government officials and witnesses who provided first-hand information on the incident, according to a press statement issued today by the Council in Geneva.

Technical and legal experts accompanying the mission also held meetings with forensic and judiciary officials and inspected the ship Mavi Marmara, which was part of the flotilla.
The team now heads to Jordan on Sunday for a seven-day visit in which they will interview witnesses based in Jordan and neighbouring countries.

The 47-member Council voted in early June to dispatch the mission to inquire into the incident regarding the flotilla, which had departed Turkey and was bound for the Gaza Strip. It is slated to present its report at the Council's next session in September.

Judge Karl Hudson-Phillips, a former judge with the International Criminal Court (ICC), chairs the mission, and the other members are Sir Desmond de Silva, a former chief prosecutor at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL), and Shanthi Dairiam, a former member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.

Also expected to deliver a report in September is Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's panel of inquiry into the incident.

That four-member panel, which started discussions earlier this month on how to carry out its work, is not designed to determine individual criminal responsibility, but to examine and identify the facts, circumstances and the context of the flotilla incident.

As part of that, the panel will receive and review the reports of national investigations into the incident and request clarifications and information as it needs from national authorities.

UN AGENCY MOVES TO ASSIST CENTRAL AFRICANS UPROOTED BY REBEL ATTACKS

UN AGENCY MOVES TO ASSIST CENTRAL AFRICANS UPROOTED BY REBEL ATTACKS

The United Nations refugee agency has moved to improve the plight of about 1,500 Central African refugees scattered along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a spokesperson said today.

The refugees, who had been scattered following attacks between March and May by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a notorious Ugandan rebel group, are being moved to a newly constructed refugee camp where they will be at less risk.

In addition to protection and shelter, the new camp provides safe drinking water and allows better humanitarian access, said Adrian Edwards of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/4c77a0d39.html">UNHCR). It is located some 70 kilometres inside the DRC.

Following the attacks, the refugees had found shelter in several, isolated border villages in Bas-Uélé district in northern DRC, Mr. Edwards said. Yet their situation remained precarious, as the LRA has displaced some 280,000 people in DRC's Haut and Bas-Uélé districts since December 2008.

Owing to difficult access conditions where the refugees had settled, many have been compelled to move to the new camp by foot – although the most vulnerable are being transported on motorbikes.

Together with the Congolese authorities, UNHCR has set up way stations and a transit centre along the route, where refugees get cooked meals. On arrival at the camp, all refugees are registered and receive food and other aid.

The new site is located at Kpala-Kpala, where the rocky terrain had posed challenges in establishing the camp. However, in June and July, UNHCR and its partners were able to construct emergency shelters and latrines, as well as several water points. The operation is being run in close cooperation with UNHCR's partners and other UN aid agencies.

Unfortunately, owing to logistical challenges in gaining access to refugees along the border, it is feared that some may be beyond the agency's reach.

The LRA has been active in parts of the Central African Republic (CAR) since 1993 and in Uganda since 1986. It has left a trail of killings and mayhem, and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes in the DRC and other neighbouring countries. Since December 2008, it has forced nearly 20,000 Congolese to seek refuge in Sudan and the CAR.
Aug 27 2010  3:10PM

KENYA: BAN WELCOMES PROMULGATION OF NEW CONSTITUTION

KENYA: BAN WELCOMES PROMULGATION OF NEW CONSTITUTION

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated Kenyans and their leaders on the occasion of the promulgation of the country's new constitution, which was backed by a large majority of citizens in a referendum earlier this month.

Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, represented the Secretary-General at the historic promulgation of the new constitution in a ceremony today in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

Mr. Ban said that Kenyans and their leaders had shown vision and statesmanship, adding that the new charter had opened a hopeful fresh chapter in the country's democratic governance.

Mr. Pascoe will then proceed from Nairobi to Cairo, Egypt, for a meeting of Special Envoys, Representatives and other officials involved in African peacemaking, as part of events marking the African Union's Year of Peace celebrations.

He is also due to travel to Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia before returning to Kenya for discussions on peace and security issues in the Horn of Africa, including the situation in Somalia.

His trip to East Africa will conclude in Burundi, where he will have discussions on consolidating the peace process in that country.
Aug 27 2010  2:10PM

New Yorkers rally in support of Muslim taxi driver

New Yorkers rally in support of Muslim taxi driver

By BARBARA FERGUSON | ARAB NEWS

WASHINGTON: "Are you Muslim?" The answer: "Yes," led to the stabbing of a New York City taxi driver

Ahmed Sharif, a 43-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant, who was wounded in a stabbing said Thursday he believed he was attacked because of his religion but did not blame the public furor over a proposed Islamic center and mosque near the World Trade Center site.

The mayor of New York City acted quickly, inviting him and his family to meet with him on Thursday. 

"No matter how wonderful this country is, no matter how wonderful this city is, there's always somebody who acts disgracefully," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg. After Sharif, his wife and their four children met with the mayor, he told reporters: "Now I feel a little better than before."

"Our mayor is continuing to help and to make sure I'm safe, that my family is safe," he said. "This is the city of all color, races, all religions.  Everyone, we live here side-by-side peacefully."

The incident occurred Tuesday when a passenger in Sharif's cab Tuesday asked if he was Muslim and celebrated Ramadan and then slashed his neck, face and shoulders.

Sharif, who was treated at a hospital for his wounds, spoke at a news conference organized by the mayor at City Hall.

"Of course it was for my religion," he said of the incident. But asked if he thought it was related to the mosque debate, he said: "No, we didn't talk about the mosque."

The attack came amid increasingly heated debate over a proposal to build an Islamic center and mosque two blocks from the site of the September 11, 2001 attacks that toppled the World Trade Center and killed nearly 3,000 people.

Opponents say the plan is insensitive to families of the victims of the al-Qaeda suicide hijackers and the center could foster religious extremism.

Supporters include the mayor; David Paterson, the governor of New York; President Barack Obama; a group that lost their family members in the attack, the "September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows;" and at least 40 religious and civic organizations to form a coalition called "New York Neighbors For American Values."

New York is home to some 800,000 Muslims, about 10 percent of the population, and there are about 100 mosques throughout its five boroughs. One, the Masjid Manhattan, is four blocks from the World Trade Center site known as Ground Zero.

About half the city's cab drivers are Muslim, according to the head of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, who said the emotionally charged controversy helped fuel the violence.

"The rhetoric has risen to such a point that violence was inevitable," said Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the alliance. "Fearmongering leads to hate crimes. Fear-mongering is at the heart of what happened to Ahmed Sharif."

Imam Shamsi Ali of the Islamic Cultural Center of New York, which was the city's first building erected specifically to house a mosque, said: "When the incident happened two days ago it really created a lot of tension, fear, and worry in the community that this will happen to them ... especially the women who symbolize Islam through their dress. It's very, very scary, but we are working very closely with law enforcement," he said.

Suspect Michael Enright, 21, was charged with attempted murder as a hate crime, assault and criminal possession of a weapon, police said he was drunk when he was arrested near the scene of the attack in midtown Manhattan.

Enright is a college student who told police he recently traveled to Afghanistan and has volunteered with an organization that promotes interfaith dialogues.

Counterterrorism analysts worry that the rhetoric surrounding the mosque may provoke extremists to violence. 

What the Qur'an Teaches-2

What the Qur'an Teaches: What punishment for turning away

We adorned the sky nearest to the earth with lights, and made them secure. Such is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. If they turn away, say: 'I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck the Aad and Thamud.' There came to them, from all directions, messengers saying: 'Worship none but God.' They answered: 'If our Lord had wished, He would have sent down angels. We will never believe in your message.' (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 12-14)

What the Qur'an teaches: Universal willing submission

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Then, He applied His design to the sky, which was but smoke; and said to it and to the earth: 'Come, both of you, willingly or unwillingly.' They both said: 'We do come willingly.' So He decreed that they become seven heavens in two days, and assigned to each heaven its task. We adorned the sky nearest to the earth with lights, and made them secure. Such is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

What the Qur'an teaches

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Say: Do you indeed disbelieve in Him who has created the earth in two days? And do you claim others to be His equals? It is He who is the Lord of all the worlds. He it is who placed on the earth firm mountains towering above it, and bestowed His blessings on it, and measured out its varied provisions in four days, ensuring equity for all who seek (such provisions). Then, He applied His design to the sky, which was but smoke; and said to it and to the earth: 'Come, both of you, willingly or unwillingly.' They both said: 'We do come willingly.' (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 9-11)

What the Qur'an teaches

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful 
A book, the verses of which have been clearly spelled out as a discourse in Arabic for people of knowledge. It gives good news as well as a warning. Yet, most of them turn away, so that they do not hear. They say: "Our hearts are veiled from whatever you call us to, and in our ears is deafness, and there is a barrier between us and you. So do you what you will, and so shall we." Say: "I am but a human being like yourselves. It has been revealed to me that your God is the One and only God. Therefore, take the straight path to Him and seek His forgiveness. Woe to those who associate partners with Him and who do not pay the obligatory charity, and who refuse to believe in the life to come. Those who believe and do good deeds shall have an unfailing reward. Say: "Do you indeed disbelieve in Him who has created the earth in two days? And do you claim others to be His equals? It is He who is the Lord of all the worlds." (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 3-9)

What the Qur'an teaches: Moses' secret exposed

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Next morning, he was in the city, fearful, vigilant, when he saw the man who sought his help the day before again crying out to him for help. Moses said to him: 'Indeed, you are clearly a quarrelsome fellow.' But then, when he was about to strike the one who was their enemy, the latter exclaimed: 'Moses! Do you want to kill me as you killed another man yesterday? You want only to become a tyrant in the land, and you do not want to be one who sets things right.'  (The Story, Al-Qasas: 28: 18-19)

What the Qur'an says: Source of divine revelations

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Ha. Mim. A revelation from the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful: a book, the verses of which have been clearly spelled out as a discourse in Arabic for people of knowledge. It gives good news as well as a warning. Yet, most of them turn away, so that they do not hear. They say: "Our hearts are veiled from whatever you call us to, and in our ears is deafness, and there is a barrier between us and you. So do you what you will, and so shall we." Say: "I am but a human being like yourselves. It has been revealed to me that your God is the One and only God. Therefore, take the straight path to Him and seek His forgiveness. Woe to those who associate partners with Him."(Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 1-6)

The blessed month: Training children to fast

The blessed month: Training children to fast

By ADIL SALAHI- Arab News

Fasting becomes required as a duty when a boy or a girl attains puberty. Prior to that, it is not obligatory. This applies to all Islamic duties of worship. This is considered the age when a person can fulfill regular duties, such as prayers and fasting, because his or her sense of responsibility is deemed to have reached a sufficient stage of maturity.

It is well known that we are recommended to train our children to pray when they become seven years old. A hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) directs us to tell our children to pray when they are seven and to use light corporal punishment for not praying when they are 10.

The question arises whether the same applies in the case of fasting. The question, then, is: Are children to be encouraged, or indeed ordered to fast before they attain the age of puberty when it becomes obligatory to them?

Generally speaking, the best answer to a question like this is that which is provided by an authentic hadith. In this respect, we have a hadith related by Al-Bukhari on the authority of one of the youngest lady companions of the Prophet, Al-Rubayie bint Mu'awwith.

She reports: "The Prophet sent messengers to the villages of the Ansar on the morning of Ashoura (i.e. 10 Muharram) with the message: 'He who has started the day not fasting, let him finish his day, and he who has started the day fasting, let him continue his fast.' We used to fast that day afterwards, and make our children fast as well. We would make them woolen toys. If a child cried of hunger, we gave it a toy to play with until it was time for ending the fast."

It should be noted that prior to making fasting obligatory during the month of Ramadan, it was a duty for Muslims to fast on the 10th of Muharram. When the Prophet emigrated to Madinah, he found out that the Jews fasted on that day. On questioning, they told him that they celebrated the anniversary of the event when Moses was saved by God from his enemies. The Prophet said that he and the Muslims have more in common with Moses and they were better entitled to celebrate that occasion. He ordered his companions to fast on that day. Although fasting on the tenth of Muharram is no longer obligatory since the obligation was transferred to fasting the month of Ramadan, it is still recommended as a sunnah of the Prophet.

The above quoted hadith makes clear that the Prophet's companions used to make their children fast. It is important to understand that fasting is not obligatory to children until they have attained the age of puberty. Most scholars agree, however, that children may be encouraged to fast, if they can bear the hardship of fasting. However, there are differences among scholars with regard to when to start the training of children to fast. Some of them suggest the age of seven or ten, as in the case of prayers.

Others, like Ahmad bin Hanbal, suggest beginning at ten, while other scholars mention the age of 12 as the starting point.

The Maliki scholars generally have a different view which suggests that children need not be encouraged to fast. However, that is a view which cannot be supported by valid evidence. I have already mentioned in the past that the Maliki school of thought considers "the practice of the people of Madinah" as a valid indicator of what is acceptable in Islam. Al-Bukhari  points out that the practice of the people of Madinah in this particular respect was to encourage children to fast. He relates that Umar, the second Caliph, saw a man who was drunk during one day in Ramadan. He rebuked him saying: "Confound you, how do you do this when our children are fasting?" He ordered him to be flogged.

This report suggests that it was common practice among the people of Madinah at the time of Umar, when Islamic practice was still perhaps at its purest, to encourage children to fast as a means of training. Umar's words to the drunken person suggest that it was common for young children to fast. He was certainly infuriated by seeing a drunken man during the day of Ramadan. To drink on any day is, from the Islamic point of view, to commit a grave sin which is punishable by flogging and exile.

To do so during the day, in the month of Ramadan, is to be doubly sinful, since the negligence of the duty of fasting is a grave sin as well. However, we note that Umar did not allow his outrage to get the better of him by increasing the punishment of that man. He only punished him for drinking, the punishment of which consists of flogging (80 lashes) and a year in exile. Umar sent the man to Syria.

We have thus established that encouragement of young children to fast is the weightier opinion to which most scholars subscribe. According to the hadith which we have quoted, the children who were encouraged to fast at the time of the Prophet must have been very young, probably less than ten years of age. This we can understand from the statement given by the Prophet's companion who reports this hadith, when she says that mothers used to make soft toys in order to use them as a distraction to their children who might cry from hunger. Such a toy does not provide much distraction for an 11 or 12 year old. Those children who cried must have been younger than that.

Needless to say that encouraging a child to fast does not mean forcing him or her to fast throughout the month. That is neither wise nor necessary. Parents should approach the training of their children to fast in an easy, relaxed way which makes fasting desirable to the child. Perhaps the encouragement to fast should be coupled with a reward which may be given at the end of the day and encouraging words by other members of the family which give the child a sense of joining the adults in the family.

That is bound to make the hardship of fasting much easier to bear. Moreover, a child may be encouraged to fast one or two days the first time around, perhaps when he is nine or 10. The number of days which he fasts may then be increased gradually so that when he attains the age of puberty, he finds that fasting the whole month, from dawn to dusk, presents no great difficulty. It is such an easy way which is characteristic of the Islamic approach to religious duties.

Mogadishu toll hits 83 as fighting continues

Mogadishu toll hits 83 as fighting continues

Somali militants take positions during clashes with government soldiers and African Union peacekeepers in southern Mogadishu's Hodon neighborhood on Wednesday. Fighting in Somalia's capital flared for a third straight day Wednesday, killing eight people and pushing the week's death toll past 80 as insurgents tried to force government troops back toward the presidential palace. (AP)

By ABDI SHEIKH | REUTERS

Published: Aug 25, 2010 22:47 Updated: Aug 25, 2010 23:48

MOGADISHU: Somali insurgents pushed toward the presidential palace late on Tuesday but were repelled by heavy shelling by government troops, an army officer said on Wednesday.

More than 80 people have been killed in the latest escalation of violence in the capital Mogadishu, which began on Monday when the Al-Shabab group vowed to intensify its holy war against the fragile government.

The Al-Qaeda-linked militants said they were behind a shooting rampage in a hotel on Tuesday that killed at least 33 people including members of parliament.

One military officer said the insurgents attacked government troops based near Villa Somalia, the presidential palace, in large numbers but were outgunned by the African Union's (AU) AMISOM peacekeeping force.

"They came close tonight but behind us are AMISOM tanks and at last we drove them away," army officer Issa Ali, who had been fighting in the frontline overnight, told Reuters.

Residents said bursts of automatic gunfire and the thuds of mortars could still be heard early on Wednesday morning.

"At least 83 people have died in the last three days, including the hotel blast, and 163 others were wounded," Ali Muse, the coordinator of ambulance service told Reuters.

Tuesday night's fighting was centered on the government-controlled neighborhoods of Hodan and Wardhiglry. Al-Shabab and a second militant group, Hizbul Islam, control much of the capital, hemming President Sheikh Sharif's beleaguered government into just a few blocks.

The AU's peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi concentrate their efforts on shielding the president and guarding the port and airport.

Gunmen Kill 31 in Somalia Hotel Attack

Gunmen Kill 31 in Somalia Hotel Attack

Somali ministry of information blamed the attack on al-Shabab, one of the Islamist militant groups trying to topple the governmen

Former Ambassador Calls Al Shabab Attack in Mogadishu Abhorrent

David Shinn says militant group successful in recruiting youth to carry out suicide missions

Al-Shabab vows 'massive' Somali war

Al-Shabab vows 'massive' Somali war

The fighters were disguised as security forces when they attacked the hotel [AFP] Al-Shabab fighters have attacked a hotel in Mogadishu, the Somali capital, killing at least 35 people, a day after declaring a massive war. Members of al-Shabab, disguised as government security forces, launched the attack on Tuesday at the Muna Hotel, which is known to host many Somali government officials and politicians. Eight parliamentarians were killed in the attack. "It happened when two suicide bombers detonated themselves," Abdirahman Yariisow, Somalia's information minister, who was at the hotel, told Al Jazeera. "The security was there, but for some reason, they managed their way in and started shooting. No one was expecting this kind of atrocity. "This shows how al-Shabab is brutal; they never respected our call [to stop the fighting] for the holy month of Ramadan." 'Final war' The attack came after al-Shabab fighters declared a "massive, final" war against what they called "invaders" and attacked army barracks in several districts of Mogadishu on Monday. IN DEPTH  Restoring Somalia  A long road to stability  Somali fighters undeterred  Profile: Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed  Somali Islamists: A potential ally? Sheikh Ali Mohamoud Rage, al-Shabab's spokesman, then said fighters were starting a new war against "invaders", an apparent reference to the 6,000 African Union troops deployed in the country to support government forces. At least 40 people were killed and more than 100 injured in the violence that followed, medics and witnesses said. There was an overnight lull before the fighting resumed on Tuesday morning. The fighting came days after hundreds of Ugandan troops began arriving in the Somali capital to strengthen the current AU peacekeeping force. "As long as these [AU] forces are in Mogadishu, I think it will be unlikely for al-Shabab to take over [the city]. But they can inflict huge damage," Dr Afyare Abdi Elmi, a professor of International Affairs at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera. Ugandan reinforcements Uganda said last month that it was willing to send 1,200 troops to Somalia, in addition to the 6,000 strong AMISOM mission sent by African Union countries. "The additional troops began arriving last Friday. They were airlifted to different areas and of course they will continue to arrive," Wafula Wamunyinyi, the AU deputy special representative for Somalia, said on Monday. Al-Shabab, which has been fighting Somalia's UN-backed government since the start of 2007, recently claimed responsibility for a twin bombing attack in Uganda, which killed more than 70 people who were watching the World Cup.   The group has said that it will continue to undertake strikes in Uganda and Burundi, in east-central Africa, as long as those countries provide troops for the AU peacekeeping force in Somalia. Somalia has not had an effective central government for nearly 20 years and al-Shabab controls significant portions of the country. The US and other countries say al-Shabab is linked to al-Qaeda and consider the group a terrorist organisation.   More than 21,000 Somalis have been killed in fighting since the start of the uprising, 1.5 million have been uprooted from their homes and nearly half a million are sheltering in other countries in the region. "Civil wars end either through military victory or through a negotiated settlement," Dr Abdi Elmi said. "In Somalia, at least for the short term, neither is likely to happen ... the goals of the opposing forces cannot be reconciled now," he said. "In the long run, building effective Somali security forces and functioning state is the answer."

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2010/08/201082464449278785.html  Source: Al Jazeera and agencies

The Wisdom of the Prophet Muhammed SAWS

    A youngster said to our master the Prophet, "I cannot quit these three sins." These three sins were lying, committing fornication, and drinking. Our master the Messenger of Allah stated, "Of these three sins, quit lying for me." That youngster accepted it and left. Then when he wanted to commit the other two sins, he thought to himself, "When I come before the Messenger of Allah after committing these sins, if I say that I did not commit them, I will be telling a lie. If I say that I committed them, he will punish me." Thus, he quit the other two sins as well. (Shir'a)

What the Qur'an teaches..1

Hope at the Ground Zero

By AIJAZ ZAKA SYED | ARAB NEWS

As if there were not enough issues already to drive America and Muslims apart, we had to invent this one. Look at the case of the proposed mosque in New York.

What the Qur'an teaches: Clear universal signs

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful 
Among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not prostrate yourselves before the sun or the moon; but prostrate yourselves before God, who has created them, if it is Him you really worship. If the unbelievers are too arrogant, those who are with your Lord glorify Him night and day and never grow weary of that. (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 37-38)

Health Solutions: The date — the superfruit from the Arabian desert

By MARIAM ALIREZA, MARIAM.ALIREZA@GMAIL.COM

Here comes Holy Ramadan, the month of fasting, prayers, charity, abstinence, spirituality, tolerance, family and social bonding, and other rewarding deeds.

UK Muslim youths in summer camp against extremism

By PAISLEY DODDS AND SYLVIA HUI | AP

LONDON: Britain's first "anti-terror" summer camp opened Saturday, with the goal of teaching Muslim youth how to rebuff extremists who try to recruit them at schools and in online chat rooms.

What the Qur'an teaches: Advocate of the divine faith

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Who speaks better than he who calls people to God, does what is right, and says, 'I am one of those who have surrendered themselves to God'? Good and evil cannot be equal. Repel evil with what is better, and he who is your enemy will become as close to you as a true friend. Yet none will attain this except those who are patient in adversity; none will attain it except those endowed with truly great fortune. If a prompting from Satan should stir you up, seek refuge with God. He alone is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 33-36)

Saudi mother says Indian cult brainwashed son

By ARJUWAN LAKKDAWALA | ARAB NEWS

JEDDAH: Umm Ali talks about her son's experience when he almost became a cult follower without knowing himself.

What the Qur'an teaches: Control over human souls

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful 
We have assigned to the unbelievers companions who made their past and present seem goodly to them, but the sentence has fallen due upon them together with bygone generations of jinn and humans. They will indeed be lost. The unbelievers say: 'Do not listen to this Qur'an, but drown it in frivolous talk, so that you may gain the upper hand.' We shall most certainly give the unbelievers a taste of severe suffering; and We shall most certainly requite them according to the worst of their deeds. Such is the requital of the enemies of God: the fire will be their lasting home: a fit requital for their having knowingly rejected Our revelations. The unbelievers say: 'Our Lord! Show us those jinn and men who have led us astray. We shall trample them under our feet so that they shall be among the lowest of the low. As for those who say: 'Our Lord is God,' and then steadfastly pursue the right way, the angels will descend on them, saying: 'Have no fear, and do not grieve, but rejoice in the good news of Paradise which you have been promised. We are your guardians in the life of this world and in the life to come. There you shall have all that your souls desire, and all that you ask for, as a ready welcome from Him who is much-forgiving, ever-merciful.' (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 25-32)

The issue of breastfeeding

By LISA KAAKI, LISAKAAKI@ARABNEWS.COM

Islam champions the need for children to be breastfed, yet despite its support, breastfeeding rates in Saudi Arabia are not what they should be. In fact, according to a 2005 UNICEF report, Islamic states have the world's highest child mortality rates. Sixty percent of Muslim children die from disease and malnutrition before their first birthday. Over 4.3 million Muslim children worldwide under the age of five also die every year and over one-third suffer from permanent malnutrition.

What the Qur'an teaches: Unusual Witnesses

By ADIL SALAHI

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful. On the day when God's enemies will be gathered together before the fire, they will be driven onwards until, when they reach it, their ears, their eyes and their very skins will bear witness against them, speaking of what they used to do [on earth].

What the Qur'an Teaches: The warning and its effect

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful. If they turn away, say: "I warn you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt that struck the Aad and Thamud." There came to them, from all directions, messengers saying: "Worship none but God." They answered: "If our Lord had wished, He would have sent down angels. We will never believe in your message." As for the Aad, they behaved arrogantly through the land, against all right, and said: "Who is mightier than us?" Did they not realize that God, who created them, was mightier than them? They continued to reject Our revelations. Therefore, We let loose upon them a howling gale raging through several days of misfortune, so as to give them, in the life of this world, a foretaste of humiliating suffering. Yet the suffering in the life to come will be even more humiliating, and they will have none to help them. As for the Thamud, We offered them guidance, but they chose blindness in preference to guidance. Therefore, the thunderbolt of humiliating suffering struck them in consequence of what they had wrought. And We saved those who believed and were God-fearing.  (Clearly Expounded; Fussilat: 41: 13-18)