Princess Diaries

How Fortunate are we??

2012-01-27T14:37:00.000+02:00

Assalaamu ‘alaykum

As human beings we forever complaining, never make shukr for what we have.

Especially here in ZA, we are so lucky that Muslims are recognised, we have Masjids that we can pray our five daily Salaah & Halaal Certified Food is easily accessible, shukran to organisations like the Jamiatul Ulama South Africa, SANHA & other Muslim Jamaats for their efforts.

I have just come back from Warsaw, Poland & it’s sad that I could not come across Masjid or hardly met Muslims. By co-incidence I met one Muslim man who was intrigued to meet a South African Muslim with a beard & he was overwhelmed. When I enquired about a Masjid, he said he reads his everyday Salaah at home with his family and for Jummah they have to travel over a few 100km's to the closet Masjid.

Shukr to Allah we have many Masjids in every city & town in South Africa.

May Allah grant us the taufeeq to make shukr & may Islam grow further in South Africa as well in every other country in the world, Aameen.

May Allah give us all Hidaayah & keep us steadfast on Deen! Aameen.

Was-Salaam

I Want to Wear Hijaab....But....

2012-01-27T11:02:00.001+02:00

I Want to Wear Hijaab....But....

All praise is due to Allah ta'aala as is deserved by His Majesty and Great Power. I send prayers and ask for blessings upon His Noble Messenger who drew the path for us to the pleasure of Allah and His Jannah. This path is a straight one that is surrounded by virtue from all sides and attends to the best moral characteristics which are increased by the clothing of purity, concealment, and chastity. It is the path trod by the two halves of human society, namely the man and the woman, toward harmonious contentment and happiness in this life and the Hereafter.

This is precisely why the Protector, the blessed and above all imperfection, has made wearing hijaab an obligation upon the woman as a safeguard of her chastity and protection of her honour and sign of her faith (Eemaan). It is on account of this that societies (both Muslim and non-Muslim) that have distanced themselves from the way of Allah and deviated from His straight path, are ill societies in need of treatment that will lead them to recovery and happiness.

Among the pictures that point to the distance of society from that path and that make clear the level of its deviation and separation from it is the open spread of women making a display of their beauty. We find that this is manifested regretfully, in Islamic (Muslim) society despite that Islamic clothing is also widespread. So then, what are the reasons that have led to this digression?

We put this question to a varied group of women from whom we derived ten major excuses and upon examination and scrutiny, the frailty of the excuses became evident to us.

Stay with us dear Muslim sister in these few lines so that we can know through them the reasons for turning away from the hijaab and then discuss each.

Excuse One: I'm not yet convinced (of the necessity) of hijaab.

We then ask this sister two questions.:

One: Is she truly convinced of the correctness of the religion of Islam? The natural answer is: Yes she is convinced for she responds "Laa ilaaha illallah!" (There is no god but Allah), meaning she is convinced of the faith, and then she says: "Muhammadun rasoolullah!"sharee'ah). Therefore, she is convinced of Islam as a belief system and a law by which one governs and rules their life. (Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), meaning by that that she is convinced of its legislation or law)

Two: Is the hijaab then a part of Islamic Law (sharee'ah) and an obligation? If this sister is honest and sincere in her intention and has looked into the issue as one who truly wants to know the truth her answer could only be: ‘Yes’. For Allah ta'aala, Whose deity (Uloohiyyah) she believes in has commanded wearing hijaab in His Book (Al-Qur'aan) and the noble Prophet ('alaihi salaat wa salaam) whose message she believes in has commanded wearing the hijaab.

What do we call a person who says they believe in and are content with the correctness of Islam but who nonetheless does not do what Allah or His Messenger have ordered? Certainly they can in no way be described as those whom Allah speaks of in following verse: {The only saying of the faithful believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say 'we hear and obey' and such are the successful.} [Soorah An-Noor 24:51]

In summary: If this sister is convinced of Islam, how then can she not be convinced of its orders?

Excuse Two: I am convinced of Islamic dress but my mother prevents me from wearing it and if I disobey her I will go to the Fire.

The one who has answered this excuse is the most noble of Allah's creation, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in concise and comprehensive words of wisdom: "There is no obedience to the created in the disobedience of Allah." [Ahmed]

The status of parents in Islam, especially the mother, is a high and elevated one. Indeed Allah [ta'aala] has combined it with the greatest of matters, which is worshipping him, in many aayaat [verses]. He stated:{Worship Allah and join none with Him and do good to parents.} [Soorah An-Nisaa 4:36] Obedience to parents is not limited except in one aspect, and that is if they order to disobedience of Allah. Allah said:{But if they strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not.} [Soorah Luqmaan 31:15] The lack of obedience to them in sinfulness does not prevent being good to them and kind treatment of them. Allah said afterward in the same verse:{But behave with them in the world kindly.}

In summary: How can you obey your mother and disobey Allah, Who created you and your parents?

Excuse Three: My position does not allow me to substitute my dress for Islamic dress.

This sister is either one or the other of two types: She is sincere and honest, or she is lying to herself.

We will begin with an answer to the honest and sincere sister. Are you unaware my dear sister, that it is not permissible for the Muslim woman to leave her home in any instance unless her clothing meets the conditions of Islamic hijaab. If you have taken the time and effort to learn so many matters of this world how then can you be neglectful of learning those matters which will save you from the punishment of Allah and His anger after death?! Does Allah not say: {Ask the people of remembrance (i.e. knowledgeable scholars) if you do not know.} [Soorah An-Nahl [16]:43].

If you must go out, then do not do so without the correct hijaab, seeking the pleasure of Allah and the degradation of Satan. That is because the corruption brought about by you going out adorned and beautified is far greater than the matter which you deem necessary to go out for.

My dear sister, if you are really truthful in your intention and correctly determined you will find a thousands hands of good assisting you and Allah will make the matter easy for you! Is He not the One Who says:{And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty) and He will provide him from sources he never could imagine.” [Soorah At-Talaaq [65]:2-3]

Honour and position is something determined by Allah [ta'aala] and it is not due to embellishment of clothing, show of colours and keeping up with the trendsetters. It is rather due to obedience to Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and holding to the pure law of Allah and correct Islamic hijaab. Listen to the words of Allah: "Indeed, the most honourable amongst you are those who are the most pious." [Soorah Al-Hujuraat 49:35]

In summary: Do things in the way of seeking Allah's pleasure and entering His Jannah and give less value to the high priced and costly objects and wealth of this world.

Excuse Four: It is so very hot in my country and I can't stand it.

Allah gives an example by saying: {Say: The Fire of Hell is more intense in heat if they only understand.} [Soorah At-Taubah [9]:81] Dear Sister, how can you compare the heat of your land to the heat of the Hellfire?

Know, my sister, that satan has trapped you in one of his feeble ropes to drag you from the heat of this world to the heat of the Hellfire. Free yourself from his net and view the heat of the sun as a favour and not an affliction especially in that it reminds you of the intensity of the punishment of Allah which is many times greater than the heat you now feel. Return to the order of Allah and sacrifice this worldly comfort in the way of following the path of salvation from the Hellfire about which Allah says: {They will neither feel coolness nor have any drink except that of boiling water and the discharge of dirty wounds.}[Soorah An-Naba' [78]:24-25]

In summary: The Jannah is surrounded by hardships and toil, while Hellfire is surrounded by temptations, lusts and desires.

Excuse Five: I'm afraid that if I wear the hijaab I will take it off because I have seen so many others do so!!

If everyone was to apply this logic, they would have left the Deen [religion, Islaam the way of life] in its entirety! They would have left Salaah [the 5 compulsory prayers] out of fear of ‘maybe’ one day abandoning it. They would have left fasting in Ramadhan because so many are afraid of not completing the months’ fast..and the list goes on. Haven't you seen, dear Sister, how satan has trapped you in his snare again and blocked you from guidance?

Allah [ta'aala] loves continuous obedience even if it be small. Then, how about something that is an absolute obligation like wearing hijaab! The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: “The most beloved deed with Allah is the consistent one though it be little.” Why haven't you sought out the causes leading those women who offer such an excuse so as to avoid and work away from the dangerous situation they find themselves in. Why haven't you sought out reasons and causes to affirm truth and guidance until you can hold firm to them?

One way by which you can gain steadfastness is by means of much supplication to Allah (du'aa), asking him sincerely to make your heart firm upon the Deen, as did the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Secondly, by keeping up the prayers, being mindful of the deep meanings contained within the verses you recite, for Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) states, {And seek help in patience and the prayer and truly it is extremely heavy except for the true believers in Allah who obey Allah with full submission and believe in His promise of Jannah and in His warnings (Al-Khaashi'oon).} [Soorah Al-Baqarah: [2]:45]

Other methods by which to keep oneself steadfast upon guidance and truth is adherence to the laws of Islam and one of them is indeed wearing the hijaab. Allah said: {If they had done what they were told, it would have been better for them and would have strengthened their faith.} [Soorah Al-Baqarah: [2]:66]

In summary: If you hold tight to the causes of guidance and taste the sweetness of faith you will not neglect the orders of Allah after having held to them.

Excuse Six: If I wear the hijaab then nobody will marry me. I will wear the hijaab after marriage.

Any husband who desires that you be uncovered and adorned in public in defiance of and in disobedience to Allah, is not a worthy husband in the first place. He is a husband who has no feeling to protect what Allah has made inviolable, most notably yourself, and he will not help you in any way to enter the Paradise or escape from the Hellfire. A home which is founded upon disobedience to Allah and provocation of His anger is fitting that it be afflicted with misery and hardship. As Allah stated: {But whosoever turns away from My reminder (i.e. neither believes in the Qur'aan nor acts upon its teachings) verily for him is a life of hardship and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.} [Soorah Ta Ha [20]:124]

Marriage is a favour and blessing from Allah, which he gives to whom He wills. How many women who wear hijaab (mutahajibaat) are in fact married, while many who don't aren't? Dear Sister, remember: a pure goal or end is not attained through impure and corrupt means in Islam. If the goal is honourable then it must necessarily be achieved by pure and clean method. We say the rule in Islam is: ‘The means are according to the rules of the intended goals’.

In summary: There is no blessing in a marriage established upon sinfulness and corruption.

Excuse Seven: I don't wear hijaab based on what Allah says: “And proclaim the grace of your Lord." [Soorah Ad-Dhuhaa 93:11]. How can I cover what Allah has blessed me with of silky soft hair and captivating beauty?

So this sister of ours adheres to the Book of Allah and its commands as long as they coincide with her personal desires and understanding! She leaves behind those matters when they don't please her. If this was not the case, then why doesn't she follow the verse: {And do not show off their adornment except only that which is apparent.} [Soorah An-Noor [24]:31] and the statement of Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala): "Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks all over their bodies." [Soorah Al-Ahzaab [33]:59]?

With this statement my sister you have now made a shari'ah (law) for yourself , from which Allah [ta'aala] has strictly forbidden, namely beautification (at-tabarruj) and uncovering (as-sufoor), and the reason: Your lack of wanting to adhere to the order.

The greatest blessing or favour that Allah has bestowed upon us is that of eemaan (faith) and hidaayah(guidance) and among them is the Islamic hijaab. Why then do you not manifest and talk about this greatest of blessings given to you?

In summary: Is there a greater blessing and favour upon the woman than guidance and hijaab?

Excuse Eight: I know that hijaab is obligatory (waajib), but I will wear it when Allah guides me to do so.

We ask this sister on what plans or steps she will undertake until she accepts this divine guidance? We know that Allah has in His wisdom made a cause or means for everything. That is why the sick take medicine to regain health, and the traveler rides a vehicle or an animal to reach his destination, and other limitless examples.

Has this sister of ours seriously endeavoured to seek true guidance and exerted the proper means to get it such as: Supplicating Allah sincerely as He stated: {Guide us to the Straight Path.} [Soorah Al-Faatihah [1]:6]; Keeping company with the righteous good sisters- for they are among the best to assist her to guidance and to continue to point her to it until Allah guides her and increases her guidance and inspires her to further guidance and taqwaa [fear of Him]. She would then adhere to the orders of Allah and wear the hijaab that the believing women are commanded to wear.

In summary: If this sister was really serious about seeking guidance she would have exerted herself by the proper means to get it.

Excuse Nine: It's not time for that yet. I'm still too young for wearing hijaab. I'll do it when I get older and after I make Hajj!

The Angel of Death my Sister, is visiting and waiting at your door for the order of Allah [ta'aala] to open it on you at any moment in your life. Allah said: {When their term comes, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it and hour (or a moment).}

Death, my Sister, doesn't discriminate between the young or the old and it may come while you are in this state of great sinfulness disobedience, fighting against the Lord of Honour with your uncovering and shamelessly showing your adornment to men who have not right over you. My sister, you should race to obedience along with those others who race to answer the call of Allah [tabaaraka wa ta'aala]: "Race with one another in hastening towards forgiveness from your Lord and Paradise the width whereof is as the width of the heavens and the earth." [Soorah Al-Hadeed [57]:21]

You are forgetting your own soul by not fulfilling the right of your soul to obey Allah and proper worship of Him. Allah stated about the hypocrites (Al-Munaafiqoon): {And be not like those who forgot Allah and He caused them to forget their own selves.} [Soorah Al-Hashr 59:19]

My Sister, wear the hijaab in this young age; Allah is intense in punishment and will ask you on the Day of Resurrection about your youth and every moment of your life. [Soorah Al-An'aam [7]:34].

In summary: Stop presuming some future expectation in your life will indeed occur!! How can you guarantee your own life until tomorrow?

Excuse Ten: I'm afraid that if I wear Islamic clothing that I'll be labeled as belonging to some group or another and I hate partisanship.

My Sister in Islam, there are only two parties in Islam, and they are both mentioned by Allah Almighty in His Noble Book.

The first party is the party of Allah (hizbullah), the group to whom He gives victory to because of their obedience to His commands and staying away from what He has forbidden.

The second party is the party of the accursed Satan (hizbush-Shaitaan) which disobeys the Most Merciful and increase corruption in the earth. When you hold tight to and adhere to the commands of Allah, and among them is wearing the hijaab - you then become a part of the successful party of Allah. When you beautify and display your charms you are riding in the boat of Satan and his friends and partners from among the hypocrites and the disbelievers and none worse could there be as friends.

Don't you see how you are running away from Allah and instead running towards Satan, trading filth for good? Run instead my sister to Allah and follow His way: "So flee to Allah (from His Torment to His mercy). Verily I (Muhammad) am a plain warner to you from Him." [Soorah Adh-Dhaariyaat 51:50]

The hijaab is a high form of worship that is not subject to the opinions of people and their orientations and choices because the one who legislated it is the Most Wise Creator.

In summary: In the way of seeking the pleasure of Allah and in hope of His Mercy and success in His Jannah: throw the statements of the devils among both the humans and the jinn! Hold tight to the legislation of Allah and follow the example of the striving and knowledgeable Mothers of the Believers and the female companions (radiallahu 'anhum ajma'een).

In Conclusion

Sister, if you do not wear the hijaab, your body is on display in the market of Satan, seducing the hearts of men. The hairstyles, the tight clothing showing every detail of your figure, the short dresses showing off your legs and feet, the showy, decorative and fragrant clothing all angers the Merciful Allah (Subhaanahu wa ta'ala) and pleases the Shaitaan. Every day that passes while you are in this condition, distances you further from Allah and brings you closer to Satan. Each day curses and anger are directed toward you from the heavens until you repent. Every day brings you closer to the grave and the Angel of Death is ready to capture your soul. {Everyone shall taste death and only on the Day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the Hellfire and admitted into Al-Jannah, is indeed successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing)."[Soorah Aale 'Imraan [3]:185]

Get on the train of repentance my sister, before it passes by your station.

Deeply consider my sister, what is happening today before tomorrow comes.

Think about it, my sister - Now, before it is too late!

www.stunninghijab.com

New Halaal Watchdog

2012-01-27T11:01:00.000+02:00

Please Welcome Our New Halaal Watchdog: 3rd Degree

All hell broke loose last Tues.,17th Jan. 2012, when the hard-hitting documentary, 3rd Degree, was finally aired on E-TV. Hidden cameras planted by a disgruntled employee revealed imported pork being professionally relabeled as “Halaal Veal,” kangaroo meat relabeled as something else and reject meat unfit for even animal consumption was re-classified as A-Grade. The Culprit: Orion Meats. Wrong, the bigger

culprit: The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) who was supposed to be on watch at the time.

All the Muslims of South Africa were understandably shocked. Even some of the people who normally don’t watch TV watched the documentary from under the blanket!! What if my Ramadaan samoosa mince came from Orion?

How do I know if the chicken fillets used by Wrap-It-Up Café also comes from the Cape? Where do the Pakistanis who braai meat on every corner of Laudium and Johannesburg nowadays get their meat from? So, they had to channel their frustration to somebody, and MJC took the hardest blow. The purpose of this article is not to pronounce a verdict on the issue, but to reflect on some lessons we ought to learn from it:

Position of Halaal Bodies:

About 50 or 60 years ago, our grandfathers would wake up earlier than normal on a Sunday, sharpen their knife, and go to the nearest farm to slaughter a dozen chickens or maybe a sheep. They would personally say “Bismillah Allahu Akbar,” I doubt very much with tajweed, on each chicken, and come home just before 12:00 PM. That batch of meat would last for about a month, until poor grandpa would have to go again and slaughter. There was no SANHA, MJC or NIHT then.

Now in 2012, we have Nandos, Mochachos, Chicken Licken and 100s of other eateries. Our sisters no more only make the old-fashioned chicken tarkari at home, they make tandoori chicken, roast chicken, manchurian chicken, chicken roulade and even my favorite – butter chicken. Nowadays, no one wants to slaughter themselves, either because it’s too messy, or because Sunday mornings is reserved for the golf course, the gym or the mall. A family of five would live on 12 chickens a month back then, now the same family needs 50 chickens a month. Try saying “Bismillah Allahu Akbar” 50 times with speed. After the eighth time, it will sound something like “Bismahahi Huhuha” So why bother? Let Rainbow Chickens play a tape recording instead and slaughter 12 chickens every five seconds!

So our laziness and over-indulgence for poultry and meat has led to the establishment of halaal bodies. Who better to do such a messy job then our Shaikhs and Maulanas? After all, the community keeps them on call 24 hours a day, treats them like slaves, and even gives them a salary that equals roughly four fat meals a month at Adegas or Jimmy’s Killer Prawns. The muezzin’s entire salary is perhaps our bread and milk budget for the month! So, some ‘Ulama do a good job at slaughtering, whilst others are just used as a front for others.

Many of our most pious and erudite scholars have never seen a R200- note in a long while, and here someone is willing to pay them 5c per halaal chicken at 200 000 chickens a day. I leave you to do the maths as to how much a month? The ‘Ulama are entitled to their due, but as our own consumption increase and we increasingly boycott our kitchens over the weekend, the industry has grown to such a level that not only is the local industry insufficient to meet our needs, poultry and meat needs to be imported. The Halaal industry is a multi-million industry, and wherever there is so much money, there must be a scandal, whether genuine or not, whether the ‘Ulama are involved or not.

So, if you want to ensure that whatever you eat is 100% halaal, then slaughter yourself or entrust your slaughtering to a close Aalim or friend in whom you have complete trust, not in unknown faces within huge organizations. Eat only from places where you have complete trust in the owners. If not, go back 50 or 60 years and once a month on a Sunday morning, sacrifice the mall and go to the farm. But please, practice the “Bismillahi Akbar” 50 times before you do!

All the Ulama are Fraudsters!

The MJC is an eminent organization of scholars who is responsible for the upkeep of Islam in the Cape and upon whom many depend for the monthly moon-sightings by the Maankykers on Signal Hill. Although their reputation may have been tarnished in the documentary for which they are trying very hard to reverse, the truth is that many people have taken the opportunity to once again indulge in a practice known as ‘Ulama-bashing.

The ‘Ulama-class are our tender children and a product of our society.

They didn’t land on earth from Jupiter and they haven’t come to invade our planet. Just like you have crooked doctors giving their patients wrong medication, or lawyers prolonging their cases to milk their clients, or accountants legalizing our ooplang (hot-money), you have some crooked ‘Ulama, but this not an indication of the entire fraternity. If you are not satisfied with one doctor, you will simply go to another. You wouldn’t start condemning all the doctors or question the philosophy of medicine. If one lawyer cons you, you wouldn’t lose faith in the law. You would simply get better legal counsel. Likewise, if one or two scholars made human mistakes, it gives us no right to condemn the entire fraternity; or even worse, try to create a new type of Islam based on a new understanding or form organizations in opposition to them.

Last week, many people suddenly added a new word to their vocabulary:

priesthood. “There is no priesthood in Islam, get rid of all those Shaikhs. We rest our case. See what they did!” they shouted. Firstly, priesthood is an office where the priests have the power to legislate or modify religion. The ‘Ulama do not modify the religion, they preserve it in its original form. Secondly, priests have the power to forgive sins, our ‘Ulama do not have such magical powers. So please, get rid of this fancy slogan. The ‘Ulama are merely scholars of Islam.

If you do not like the ‘Ulama, close all the Darul ‘Ulooms, Masjids, Madrasahs, Welfare Organisations and Muslim Schools. Shut all the counseling services and burn all Islamic literature. Shut down the hifz classes too and ask Mr Zuma to ban the topi and beard in South Africa. Regard all Camrys as unroadworthy and pollute all the dhall and potatoes in SA as those are the staple diet of the Maulanas! If you can’t do so, learn to live with them and give them due respect.

True, the ‘Ulama haven’t been able to unite on certain key issues like Muslim Personal Law and the Boycott Issue in South Africa. Both sides have strong justification for their stance, but this should not lower our estimation for them, just as a wife who has a quarrel with her husband doesn’t love him any less than before the argument.

Differences of opinion are natural and unavoidable. We should rather learn to accept the state of affairs and follow those ‘Ulama whom we trust.

Nowadays, our biggest weakness is to judge others. Only the Almighty is Al-Haakim, not us. Thanks to Facebook, BBM and WhatsApp, we can broadcast our opinions with no thought at all to millions within seconds. If someone makes a mistake, let him rectify it. Don’t let us play the part of Almighty and pronounce judgment! “You see what that man did. If I had it my way, I’ll demote him!” If you do so, there is Someone else who has a judgment for you, a more serious one on a more frightening day.

One of the aims of the West is to distance the ‘Ulama from the masses.

Once the masses lose faith in their religion and their scholars, they will turn to others for guidance. Instead of having Mufti Zakariyyah from Masjid Suhail as our local Mufti, we will have Mr Maroon from Mango Products as our Mufti. That really tickles the imagination!

According to a hadith, those “others” in today’s times will either be the ignorant leaders or the modern west who will blaze a path of deviation for us. As negative as our perception may be of our scholars at times, the duty of the masses is to set the situation right, rather than creating a further rift in the ummah. This is exactly what the west wants and we have played straight in to their hands in the meat issue.

The solution is for everyone to realise that only angels are perfect, and that human beings make mistakes. An incident like this should mobilize the entire community to find solutions to the halaal issue, rather than start accusing others and causing further rifts. Let us be advocates of the Almighty, rather than messengers of the devil.

That Jew Created a Division in the Ummah !!

In her interview with a local Muslim radio station, Debora Patta said the MJC is not answerable to 3rd Degree, but to the Muslim Ummah.

Debora herself is a no-nonsense journalist famous for her intimidating questions and direct approach. She didn’t cause a split amongst South African Muslims through her documentary as many think; she just woke up the Muslims as to what has been happening in the Halaal industry.

Whilst a lot of us may be calling for the disbanding of MJC for their alleged blunder, all the Muslims of SA must make a huge a collection and offer Deborah a comfortable retirement if we know what is good for us. We may have been quick to judge the Shaikhs on this one, but what about the Hajj industry famous for its corruption and fraud? Last year, Hajj visas from Botswana were sold at R5000- each. What about the Islamic Bank that collapsed which destroyed the pension of 100s of Muslims? What about those trustees who censor what the ‘Ulama speak on the pulpit which contributes to poor quality speeches and which blunts their creativity, or those who use Islam to promote their own agenda at Muslim Schools or Welfare Organizations due to their wealth, contributing to a lack of faith of the masses in these institutes?

Oh yes, Let us not forget the mafia in the meat industry who prevent the establishment of small-scale meat establishments that ensures halaal. What about the competition we have in building Masjids controlled by different organizations and the splits we have caused in the community for personal reasons. Can we also blame the ‘Ulama for that?

Do we want 3rd Degree to investigate all of the above, or are we going to set them right ourselves? If we do not, 3rd Degree will have many juicy stories for the next 100 years!

When we point a finger, three fingers are pointing back at us. Are our affairs all in order that we can sit in judgment of others? Sadly, our mindset is that of accuse and fragment, rather than identify a problem and work for a solution together. Instead of solving the halaal issue, we will throw suspicion on all of the other works of the MJC like the recent Africa1 Aid Gaza Convoy and throw the entire organization into disrepute. This is wrong.

Conclusion

It is our collective responsibility to work together – all stakeholders – to find solutions. Let the problems of the ummah bring us together, rather than further split us apart. Let us ensure that we do not see a repeat of the Orion meat saga, because if we do, then the Muslims of South Africa will be branded no. 1 suckers of the world!

Women

2012-01-27T10:59:00.000+02:00

As-Salaamu-Alaikum & Jummah Mubarak

When she is a DAUGHTER, she opens a door of Jannah for her father
When she is a WIFE, she completes half of the Deen of her husband
When she is a MOTHER, Jannah lies under her feet."

'If everyone knew the true status of a Muslim women in Islam, even the men would want to be women"

The MJC Orion Saga: The Pitfalls of Emotion

2012-01-20T09:54:00.001+02:00

The MJC Orion Saga: The Pitfalls of Emotion

Fight or Flight – From the awkwardness of the edge of my chair, little did I realise that the scenes and sounds that were rapidly unravelling before me that windy morning correlated perfectly with one of the most well established physiological responses in the Natural World. I doubt the behavioralists would have much trouble identifying it: Confronting a threat that is perceived dangerous, the human reacts with as many resources as needed, as much energy as possible, to minimise the risks.

And so, here was one of the oldest and most recognisable Muslim Theological Bodies in the country trying to hold its own against one of the nation’s most formidable media voices, let alone the wrath of a public dismayed. And its performance was hardly surprising. Sensing emergency, it shifted into self-perseverance mode, drawing on both its offensive and defensive instincts, all for the sole aim of survival. And just like the proverbial injured bear, few were spared its erratic rage. Media organisations, Halaal Certifying bodies and even Social Media platforms instantly became fair game.

In the other corner was a perturbed Muslim Public. Here too, the physiological response was unsurprisingly spot-on. Sensing betrayal, he too began venting his anger which quickly grew into repulsion for the perceived source of his tragedy, as can be evidenced by the avalanche of BBM and text messages, Facebook updates and tweets that soon began circulating.

Ultimately, as the emotions thawed, both proponents articulated a desire for justice.

So reads the story thus far of the fallout from a 3rd Degree investigation into Halaal Certification at a controversial Cape Town cold storage facility which has inflamed passions nationwide. As argued, such physiological responses are typical all over the Animal Kingdom.

But as the Best of Creation, surely there should be a point where our animalism stops, and our humanity begins.

In the emotional fracas that often surrounds such scandals, it is all too easy to lose perspective. Shameless name calling, Holier-than-thou judgement passing and bravado-induced threats become all too common, granting many a false sense of security. Snide comments (such as attributing the sickness of some MJC leaders to the consumption of pork) and ill-witted humour (the many contrived MJC acronyms doing the rounds) are propagated unchallenged, and respect for authority and learning is steadily eroded. In the haste, some have even been calling for the MJC to disband.

It however should legitimately be asked, how can we so impulsively allow ourselves to airbrush a 67-year legacy of service by an influential organisation merely on account of the uproar surrounding one(or perhaps a few more) scandals?

From its establishment in 1945, the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) could lay claim to being only the second Ulema body to be formed in South Africa. Among its stated aims at its founding was the consolidation of unity amongst the Ulema and striving to attain the spiritual, educational, intellectual, moral, social, cultural and economic aspirations of the Muslim community.

Throughout its history, the MJC counted among its membership, scholars of high repute and great activists including the anti-Apartheid stalwart and martyr, Imam Abdullah Haron who was elected its Chairman in 1959. In 1971 it took the pioneering step of initiating the Muslim Board for Prison Welfare and State Institutions, providing an invaluable and previously unheard of service to Muslim inmates. It took another bold step to defend the frontiers of the faith in 1982 when it declared the heretic Ahmeddiyya or Qadiyani sect to be non Muslim, also participating in legal proceedings to ensure the protection of Muslim institutions from their foreign elements. It was among a host of Muslim organisations that took a vociferous stand against the apartheid regime’s tricameral parliament and also played a leading role in providing the necessary assistance to the Black community at large during the 1985 upheavals and 1986 Crossroads crisis.

As it stands today, the MJC remains one of the most representative and influential religious organizations in South Africa. Overseeing the administering of some 160 Masaajid across the Western Cape, it is also the first religious port of call for the province’s one million plus Muslims.

Contrary to the sweeping generalisations in the wake of the current crisis, Halaal certification is but one of organisation’s areas of focus. The MJC boasts departments of social development, media, Fatawa, Da’wah and quite impressively, even an environmental affairs wing – an initiative few Muslim organizations would hardly consider.

For years, the MJC has been tirelessly championing the cause of the dispossessed Palestinians and highlighting the Zionist threats to Muslim and Christian Holy Places. Its activism gave rise to the inception of the Al Quds Foundation(SA) which in 2011 achieved the milestone of leading one of the first Aid Convoy’s from the African Continent to the besieged Gaza Strip.

The President of the MJC, Moulana Ighsaan Hendricks also represents South African Muslims on various international forums such as the Al Quds Foundation International and the International Union of Muslim Scholars, which is spearheaded by the highly respected Sheikh Yusuf al Qardawi. In 2011, Moulana Hendricks was listed among the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre in Amman, Jordan.

It is this rich reality that those dismissing the MJC as ‘Masti Judicial Clowns’ or ‘Must Just Chow’s’ so grossly fail to consider. These pernicious sentiments also feed into a dormant – though widespread – Malay-Indian racism that could very easily be inflamed, with devastating consequences.

For those of us further North, disjointed from the MJC’s core constituency, the organisation’s relevance can hardly be diminished either. Representatives from the MJC have consistently served on the leadership of the United Ulama Council of South Africa(UUCSA), which represents all mainstream Islamic organizations nationally. The MJC is also one of the founding members of the National Religious Leaders Forum(NRLF) which serves as a constituted forum for dialogue between government and the religious fraternity.

Failure to acknowledge the contribution of the MJC, and ill-considered calls for it to disband thus have the potential to deeply impair the functioning of the greater South African Muslim community. Additionally, it could shatter unities and consensus that took years of deliberation and compromises to achieve. A case in point would be the sighting of the moon. For years, the community was beset with controversies stemming from Transvaal Ulama bodies refusal to accept the testimony of sighting from the Ulama of Cape Town. It would truly be a sad day to see such hard earned gains ever reversed.

That said, the MJC should not imagine that the anger and betrayal felt by the Muslim community will simply dissipate. As the Arab Spring taught us, the awakening of masses is undoubtedly a powerful new force and its ability to bring about a more democratic future will be profound.

For one, raging against the use of social media is a bad starting point. Whilst there is absolutely no justification for paranoia and mistruths to be circulated by the public in their hunt for scapegoats, there is also a big need for organisations to become more media savvy and handle sensitive communications matters better.

The examples of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, both held in high esteem by the MJC, should also be instructive. The widespread success enjoyed by these sister movements in Egypt in Palestine can in part be attributed to the higher levels of internal transparency and accountability they aspire towards, in contrast to their political adversaries. In the shadow of the Arab Spring, these prominent organizations have also shown to be receptive, evolving structurally to become more democratic.

Instead of the MJC becoming defensive or antagonistic and the Muslim community distributing broadcast messages encouraging the burning of MJC offices, the Orion Crises should be recognized as possessing the potential to herald the Spring of Accountability for Muslim SA. As many have pointed out, the demands for accountability are not restricted to the MJC but can and should very well be extended to encompass other Halaal authorities, Hajj Operators, Theological Bodies and Media Institutions.

The physiological longing for vengeance is great, but the Islamic prerogatives of Nasiha and Amr bil Ma’ruf are greater. It has been reported by Nu’maan bin Basheer (RA) that the Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “There are people who do not transgress the limits (laws) of Allah, and there are others who do so. They are like two groups who boarded a ship; one of them settled on the upper deck, and the other, on the lower deck of the ship.

So, when the people of the lower deck needed water, they said: ‘Why should we cause trouble to the people of the upper deck when we can easily have plenty of water by making a hole in our deck.’ Now if the people of the upper deck do not prevent this group from such foolishness, all of them will perish – but if they stop them then they all will be saved.” (Bukhari & Tirmidhi)

Regardless of whom you deem the occupants of the upper and lower decks to be, this directive should be the Ummah’s sole motivator towards the amelioration of the Orion crises. Seen another way, if a brother’s house is about to burn down, the issue is to help him not to lose it, and not (at that time) to question why he got himself into the mess in the first place. In the aftermath of the 3^rd Degree expose’, this is precisely the challenge we are facing.

Will you be adding more fuel or putting out the fire?

Treating our Elders with Respect

2012-01-13T11:35:00.001+02:00

"The new 'state' of the art tv arrived at little Hamza's home". It was a complex Sony tv with a sophisticated remote control. Grandma was just getting used to the old tv before the family decided to change to a much modern expensive tv.

Grandma sat in the room, trying to work out how to put the tv on. Hamza was at school so she couldn’t ask him. She politely requests to her 'daughter in law', :

"Beti, can you show me how this remote works, what buttons to press and where the volume control is?"

Hamza's mother comes in too busy yapping on her mobile phone to her friends and rudely replies "Look, I am going to explain this once, if you understand fine, if not I am not your servant, I have things to do, so listen up once as I don’t have time for this"

Grandma feels hurt inside, but doesn’t reply. She thinks of her age and gives up on the remote, and silently returns to her room to read her Quraan. Inside, her heart is crying at her daughter in laws rudeness and ignorance, but she leaves it to Allah swt.

How often do you hear of stories like this? Sadly, this is the reality of the behaviour some people give to their elders. First of all it shows ignorance, because the young seem to think just because they have youth and energy, they are in ‘command’ such that their energy and youth will last forever.

How you treat others, it won’t be long before you too will be treated in the same manner. Have you heard of the saying , “What goes around, comes around”. ?

Well, it’s a true fact, and it won’t be long till your old age comes, you too will become less energetic, you will face a bit memory loss and you won’t be able to cope with technology advancement due to your old age.

Beautiful Women

2012-01-03T09:35:00.001+02:00

Beautiful Women

A beautiful & an inspiring article by an American woman who took the Shahaadah! ALLAHU AKBAR!

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

This post is dedicated to my sisters in Islam

Beautiful women are not those who appear on magazines or televisions. Beautiful women are those who have modesty, piety, simplicity and to top it all off, confidence.

That being said, one of the best examples are the women of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam’s time. What more can I say?

The more you listen and read about their stories, you will, Inshaa-Allah, feel more connected with Rasulullah Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam. These women are women who have met our Beloved Prophet Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, who have interacted with Him, who were inspired by Him! Mashaa-Allah!

Let’s ask ourselves, sisters.

Do we spend our time reading on the latest gossips about the celebrities or the life of these amazing Muslimah?

Do we spend our money on magazines or Islamic books?

Do we spend our time watching movies or listening to lectures?

Do we spend our time at concerts or Islaamic conferences?

Ask yourself these question sisters.

You know the answer. With that answer, let’s ask ourselves whether we will be able to stand before Allah on the day of Judgement and justify the money and time spend on these things.

Now, let’s reflect whether our love for Islaam is merely superficial or deep.

How much do you know about the female companions of Rasulullah Sallallaahu Alaihi Wa Sallam?

Do you know Kim Kardashian better than Amah Binti Khalid who was the last companion to pass away?

Do you know Selena Gomez better than Hafsa Binti Sirin who memorised the Qur'aan by the age of 12?

Do you know Miley Cyrus better than Fatima Binti Abdul Malik who was born and treated like royalty but sacrifised everything and only ate bread and onion when her husband became a Khalifah?

If you don’t, it’s nothing to be ashamed of because just yesterday, I have never heard of their names before until I heard this amazing lecture called ‘Women Inspired by the beloved’.

Click on this link, http://www.alghurabaa.org/lectures/hesham-awadi/

Every women should listen to the series.

Throw away those magazines, switch off the television, switch off the radio and get on with the Deen.

(FYI : Before I threw away all my magazine, I’ve calculated that it all cost me R836. What a waste.)

May Allah guide us all and keep us on the right path till our last breath. Aameen

The Teacup

2011-12-22T12:31:00.000+02:00

The Teacup

There was a couple who used to go to shop in the beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery and especially teacups. One day in this beautiful shop they saw a beautiful teacup. They said, "May we see that? We've never seen one quite so beautiful." As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke.

"You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a teacup. There was a time when I was red and I was clay." My master took me and rolled me and patted me over and over and I yelled out, "let me alone", but he only smiled, "Not yet."

"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the teacup said, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!" I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not yet."

Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I wondered why he wanted to burn me, and I yelled and knocked at the door. I could see him through the opening and I could read his lips as He shook his head, "Not yet."

Finally the door opened, he put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. "There, that's better," I said. And he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. "Stop it, stop it!" I cried. He only nodded, "Not yet."

Then suddenly he put me back into the oven, not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I knew I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. All the time I could see him through the opening nodding his head saying, "Not yet."

Then I knew there wasn't any hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up. But the door opened and he took me out and placed me on the shelf. One hour later he handed me a mirror and said, "Look at yourself." And I did. I said, "That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful."

"I want you to remember," then, he said, "I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled.

I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened; you would not have had any color in your life.

And if I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't survive for very long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. You are what I had in mind when I first began with you."

Allah swt knows what He's doing (for all of us).He is the Potter, and we are His clay. He will mould us and make us, So that we may be made into a flawless piece of work To fulfill His good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Surah At-Tin ["The Fig"] verse 4, Allah said: "We moulded man into a most noble image."

And Allah asks "O man! What evil has enticed you from your gracious Lord, Who created and proportioned you, and moulded your body to His will?" (Surat Al Infitar)

Next Time YOU Complain about ANYTHING in life..Have a Look at this Picture...

2011-12-19T10:42:00.001+02:00

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"O God, grant me life as a poor man, cause me to die as a poor man and resurrect me in the company of the poor.." His wife asked him why he said that, and he replied: "Because (the poor) will enter Paradise (before) the rich. Do not turn away a poor man...even if all you can give is half a date. If you love the poor and bring them near you..God will bring you near Him on the Day of Ressurrection."

Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1376.

Have a very good stare at the above picture. Immediate observations are:

1. The wood sticks from which the house is made.

2. The old clothes and plastic bags which are put around the man made house to give privacy to these people

3. The children don’t have shoes

4. Its only one room in some camp. Just one room.

5. No electricity supply or gas supply

6. No running tap in this ‘house’

7. No carpet or fancy flooring

8. How do they sleep? What do they sleep on?

9. No fridge or freezer

10. Finally. ‘Patience and Acceptance’ They are used to this life, they hardly moan. For them, anything they get, they accept without a moan. Look at the state of kids nowadays, if they don’t get anything, into an immediate mood swing or parents are just over spoiling the kids due to their demands.

Five Important Beauty Tips

2011-12-15T14:56:00.000+02:00

Five Important Beauty Tips

Beauty does not necessarily come from the usage of expensive cosmetics and skin treatments. You can use these easy to follow beauty tips and bring out your natural beauty with the help of these excellent beauty tips which will allow you to look your best!

Get enough sleep: 8 hours of sleep every night is a must. The body needs this time period for the production and regeneration of many substances which cannot take place otherwise. Ample amount of sleep every night will also prevent the formation of dark circles or eye bags, which in some cases cannot be concealed even with the help of makeup. The key to looking fresh and healthy is as simple as getting a good night’s sleep.

Drink plenty of water: For a healthy, glowing skin you must drink plenty of water. Drinking eight glasses of water daily can give you a perfect, flawless skin which will not require any artificial beauty enhancement.

Cut down on oils and fats: A balanced diet which consists of all basic nutrients and minerals required by the body is absolutely essential, but for a perfect, acne free skin, cut down on fried and oily foods entirely. This will prevent oily skin and acne.

Protect your skin: Always wear sun block that suits your skin when out in the sun in order to prevent sun burns and uneven tans. Apart from looking unattractive, these tans take a considerable period of time in vanishing. Also, avoid direct exposure to dust, dirt and pollution.

Include plenty of greens in your diet: It is true that every single fruit and every single vegetable has unique benefits of its own. Fruits and vegetables are full of important minerals and vitamins that can do you a world of good

Conversation with the D e v i l

2011-12-09T12:56:00.002+02:00

Deep at night, I had this dialogue with Satan.

Shortly, I heard the Fajr prayer call. I wanted to go to the mosque.

* He said: "The night is still long, so take a nap."
* I said: "I'm afraid I'll miss my obligatory prayer!"
* He said: "There is much time to go "
* I said: "I'm afraid I'll miss praying in congregation."
* He said: "Don't be too harsh on yourself in worship."
Then, I didn't wake up until the sun had already risen.

* He whispered to me again saying: "Don't feel sorry for what you have missed. The day is still full of many other chances."

As soon as I started mentioning Allah, he brought to my mind all kinds of thoughts.
* I said: "You are diverting me from making Dua'a."
* He said: "Just delay it until the night." Shortly, I intended to repent.
* He said: "Enjoy your young age before it comes to an end"!
* I said: "I'm too afraid of death."
* He said: "But your life will not end now."

I started to memorize Qur'aan
* He said: "Entertain yourself with songs."
* I said: "But it's an unlawful thing to do."
* He said: "Scholars differed on that matter
* I said: "The evidences from the Prophet's sayings (peace be upon him) are with me"
* He said: "But you know their sources are weak!"

A beautiful lady passed by, so I lowered my gaze.
* He said: "What's wrong? It's just a gaze"!
* I said: "A gaze puts me in a dangerous place."
* He said: "It's lawful to contemplate in grace."

I went to the Kaaba (The Ancient House of Allah). There he was with me on the way.
* He said: "What's the reason behind this trip?"
* I said: "To make 'Umrah'."
* He said: "You have risked dangers (on your travel) to do this Umrah.

Don't you know that good deeds have plenty of other doors?!!"
* I said: "But my life needs a change for the better"
* He said: "Don't you know that you can't enter Paradise through your deeds?

I went to give advice to people.
* He said: "Don't put yourself in an embarrassing situation.
* I said: "But, my only aim is to benefit others."

* He said: "That's a trap of self-admiration, and it is indeed the head of corruption."
* I said: "Tell me your opinion about some people."
* He said: " I can answer you of the private, as well as the general."
*

I said: "Ahmed Ibn Hanbal?"
* He said: "His calling to follow Qura'an and Sunnah was killing me."
* I said: "Ibn Taymeyah?"
* He said: "His words hit my head like a daily beating."
* I said: "Al-Bukhari?"
* He said: "I can even burn my house with his book."
* I said: "Al-Haggag?"
* He said: "I wish 1000 of men are like him. His way is cure and happiness to my colleagues of Satan's."
* I said: "Pharaoh?"
* He said: "Oh, to him victory and support we owe."
* I said: "Saladin, the Hero of the battle of "Hetteen"?"
* He said: "Let us not talk of him…he brought humiliation to my sons, and buried our heads in mud."
* I said: "Mohamed Ibn Abdul Wahab?"
* He said: "His messages were like the heavenly fiery stars that were burning my heart"

* I said: "Abu Jahl?"
* He said: "The best kinship and brothers we are."
* I said: "Abu Lahab?"
* He said: "We are together in every step forever."
* I said: "Lenin?"
* He said: "Bounded by me, with Stalin on fire."

* I said: "Nude Magazines?"
* He said: "Are my holy books."
* I said: "Satellites?"
* He said: "Make people diabolical."
* I said: "Coffee Shops?"
* He said: "Welcome everyone who is diverted from Allah and the right way."

* I said: "What is your dua'a (athkaar)?"
* He said: "Songs."
* I said: "What is your job?"
* He said: " False Hopes."
* I said: "What do you think about the Markets?"
* He said: "Clubs where my friends meet."
* I said: "What do you think of the Socialist party?"
* He said: "It is with which I have shared all my belongings, to whom I taught all my thoughts, intentions and prayers."

* I said: "How do you misguide people?"
* He said: "By desires, doubts, distracting amusements, hopes and songs."
* I said: "How do you misguide women?"
* He said: "I tempt them towards showing off their beauty, and favoring the prohibited over the lawful.

* I said: "How do you misguide the Scholars?"
* He said: "By paving the way for them to admiration and showing off, and by planting envy and pride in their hearts."

* I said: "How do you misguide people as general?"
* He said: "Through back-biting, tale-fabrication, wasting their times in things of no value and in useless cheap conversations."

* I said: "How do you misguide merchants?"
* He said: "By tempting them to deal with bribery, making them hate paying charity and by making spendthriftness beloved."
* I said: "How do you misguide young people?"
* He said: "By making them fall in the trap of love, reckless in following Allah's orders and committing the prohibited."

* I said: "What do you think of "Israel", the Jewish state?"
* He said: "Oh, don't try to backbite and speak ill of my beloved home country, the most dear to my heart."
* I said: "What do you think of Abu Nawwas?"
* He said: "Such a respectful character. His poems really inspired me."
* I said: "And "modernity"?"
* He said: "The inheritors of our satanic knowledge."
* I said: "Secularity?"
* He said: "That's my belief, and its believers are the cheating magicians and creators of false hopes. We all bear same names."

* I said: "What do you think of Washington?"
* He said: "The state of my beloved ones and the base for my army. Indeed it is my nation."

* I said: "What do you think of those people who call to the word of Allah?"
* He said: "They are torturing me! They inflict a lot of pain and misery on me. They made me an old man with gray hair! They destroy all what I build! They make noise when I speak, read when I sing, and seek refuge from me when I show up."

* I said: "What do you say about newspapers?"
* He said: "Means for wasting people's time, especially that of the elite, and means for stealing money."

* I said: "What do you think of the BBC?"
* He said: "It's my weapon. Through it I put the poison in the honey, ignite wars between Arabs & the other nations and flatter both the oppressor and oppressed."

* I said: "What did you do with the Crow?"
* He said: "I made him kill his brother and bury him under earth till he disappeared."

* I said: "What did you do with Karoon?"
* He said: "I whispered to him: You son of the old man. Save the treasuries to win. You are one of the greatest men."

* I said: "What did you say to Pharaoh?"
* He said: "I told him: You are the greatest one in the palace. To win say: "Isn't it me who possess the power over Egypt?"."

* I said: "What did you say to the one who drinks wine?"
* He said: "I told him you should drink this grape's juice. It is the answer to all your problems. It wipes out your troubles. And don't worry, you know the way to repentance and its doors are always opened for you."

* I said: "What kills you?"
* He said: "Reading the verses of "Al Kursy" (Ayat-ul-Kursi - the Chair). It prevents me from breathing and makes me feel I'm in an eternal prison, in a night full of misery."

* I said: "Who are the most beloved people to you?"
* He said: "Singers, poets that aim at misguiding people, sins doers, and every cunning person who goes astray."

* I said: "Who is the most hateful person to you?"
* He said: "Mosque-goers, everyone who kneels and prostrates to Allah, every pious and sincere worshipper, and every fighter in the cause of Allah."

* I said: "I hereby seek refuge in Allah from you."

The moment I said so, he disappeared as though melting into the sand - and this is the liar's end!

Is it too deep not think about? Answer me oh dear one...What will you do?

The Unforgetable Love Story of A'isha RA and Nabi Muhammed Sallallahu Alahi Wasallam

2011-12-08T10:58:00.002+02:00

We all have a certain image of lovers, a star-crossed pair, love at first sight, living happily ever after…

Normally, we associate these ideas of love with couples who meet, date, and fall head over heels for each other. Very rarely do we relate these images to married couples.

Moreover, we almost never connect this perception to Muslim couples, who marry according to purely Islamic customs. Although this link is quite rare, there actually exists an example in Islam's own history, which not only depicts this kind of love but goes far beyond it.

This is the pure, married love between the Prophet Muhammad and his beloved, Lady Aishah.

The two came together in circumstances that are a stark contrast to today's conventional love story. He was a devoted Messenger of God, embarking on the third year of prophethood; she was the daughter of his best friend and companion, Abu Bakr.

The early years of their marriage began quite innocently. Although Aishah was a young bride, she was in the standard marriageable age that the Arabian culture approved of and encourages at that time.

The clear evidence is that Aishah had already been engaged to another man before her engagement to the Prophet.

Though Aishah was ready for marriage life, the Prophet preferred to grant her extra support in her transition to life as a married woman. She carried on with the many joys of childhood and fortunate for her, as she had a husband gentle and kind enough to understand this.

Rather than throwing all the responsibilities of a wife on her at once, the Prophet made the marriage and its duties a gradual process for Aishah and ensured that she made a smooth transition into her new life. The compassionate nature with which he nurtured Aishah in her early years as a wife made a tremendous impact on the strong woman she went on to become.

As the so called "honeymoon period" between the couple came to an end, many challenges and trying moments began to arise. In the midst of all the mayhem, this blessed couple still took time out for simple fun and laughter.

Aishah fondly recalls memories of racing with the Prophet and even winning the race when she was young and fit (Ibn Al Jawzy 68).

They enjoyed these races so much that the couple even raced to the Battle of Badr which was one of the most important battles in the Islamic history.

The romance in this marriage was not limited to just fun and games. As their marriage continued, intimacy was ultimately inter-woven in their daily affairs.

They would sit and eat together and Aishah would take a sip and then the Prophet would do so from the same spot her lips touched.

She would have some meat or chicken, and then he would eat from the same spot she ate from. This is just one of many ways they infused romance and affection in even the simplest of acts. These small gestures show that in this marriage, romance was not a superficial bouquet of roses. Rather, it was natural and existed in their everyday life.

Love has several expressions. However, it is known to all and sundry that for a woman, nothing expresses love like the words a man simply speaks from his heart.

The Prophet was most forthcoming in expressing his love for Aishah and this is evident in multiple sayings (hadith) in which he publicly declares that Aishah is the most beloved to him.

Such profound love he held for his wife that he referred to her as one with the complete qualities of a believing woman. This is a clear sign of the kind of respect he held for his wife.

This respect was possible because he actually put forth the time and effort in getting to know and understand his wife enough to recommend her as an example for other women to follow.

The Prophet and his beloved connected as soul mates, as he received divine revelations often when he was with her. The fact that God blessed and ordained this marriage is evident in that the Prophet confessed to Aishah that before marrying her, he saw her twice in his dreams.

Both times, Angel Gabriel carried her to him in a silk cloth and said to him, that Aishah would be his wife in this world and in the Hereafter (Al-Bukhari). Their blessed companionship came to a peaceful end after nine years, when the Prophet drew his last breath in Aishah's arms.

The Prophet's demise may have ended their companionship in this world. However, it did not put a stop to his mission nor did it end Aishah's role in carrying out her beloved's message.

It was after the Prophet's demise that one can truly see the divine purpose behind this marriage. Because she spent the most formative years of her life with the Prophet, she was able to learn and imbibe all of his teachings.

The love story between the Prophet Muhammad and Lady Aishah may not be what epic romances are made of, but it certainly provides a more realistic perception of how true love can be found within a marriage.

The sole purpose of marriage in Islam is to fulfill an individual's need for companionship and true love. Islam emphasizes and encourages this fulfillment but only within the bond of marriage.

The Prophet's marriage to Aishah shows that intimacy and romance is not necessarily limited to rosy-eyed young dating couples. This blessed couple exemplified that the true love and companionship we all seek, is entirely possible within marriage and moreover, within the Islamic way of life.

Today, this is a marriage which many may choose to slander or demean. Yet one needs only to take a look at the evidence Prophet Muhammad and Lady Aishah left behind, in the form of numerous sayings they related, which testify so dearly to the love and intimacy they shared.

They lived it, cherished it and practiced it, down to earth in their daily life. He loved her dearly and passionately, and she loved him back.
She — like any normal, loving woman — felt jealous for him and expressed that obviously. He also felt jealous —like any normal, loving man — and expressed it obviously. They were human in their love, not angelic.
Yet, despite his deep love to her, and his genuine passion towards her, he never permitted this love to make him neglect his duties or role as a prophet and worshipper. He would leave her warm side in the middle of the night and take her permission to pray. He would tenderly ask her: "Let me stand for my God an hour in prayers." And, she would let him willingly and lovingly.

They lived love in their daily moments and they practiced it in every action. Their story of love did not stop at their lively moments, but continued till they departed.

Again, it has always amazed me and touched my heart deeply the moment of the Prophet's death. It was when he chose to depart the world from her house. He chose to go there when he felt death approaching.

And, then, at the moment of death, he chose to lean his head between her arms and to depart from there. Her hugging arms were the last he encountered in our world.
And not only did he die in her arms, but he was also buried in a grave dug in the floor of her room, in the house next to the mosque. The spot became known as the Haram al-Nabawi

Master Your Life and Have Fun Doing It

2011-12-07T09:31:00.000+02:00

As 2011 is finding it's way to completion. Many of us are thinking about the holidays - and joy-filled moments with those we love most. This is also a superb time to carve out some solo time and begin reflecting on what you did well in 2011 and what you need to improve so that the new year is guaranteed to become your absolute best year yet. Please remember: success doesn't just show up via luck. No, success is the inevitable result of doing a number of specific things, in a consistent way.

So as you reflect+deliberate on+journal your 2011 wins and record your "Opportunities for Improvement" (along with your 2012 Mission+Values and Goals), I invite you to remember the following 6 Insights to Master Your Life:

1. IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU! What I mean by this is that the #1 reason you may not be where you want to be in your career and personal life is who you currently are vs the external conditions you might be blaming. It's stunning how our limiting beliefs and core fears sabotage us and keep us small. And here's the thing: because most of them are subconscious, we can't even see the mess they are creating for us.

The key here is to clean up the self-deception in your life. And take a good hard look at why you are where you are. Is the truth that you're scared of failure or rejection or the unknown or success? The more aware you become of how you're the one standing in your own way, the more you'll move into choice. And have the power to make the new choices that drive new results.

2. YOUR NET WORTH NEVER EXCEEDS YOUR SELF WORTH. We get from life not all we want but who we are. To have more, we must become more. The more you can learn, grow and provoke the highest display of your potential on a daily basis, the more all you want will begin to show up. (How do you start this growth? Journaling, affirmations, reading the books of world-class people, associating with superstars, attending seminars+webinars, listening to inspirational audiobooks etc).

3. FOCUS IS MORE VALUABLE THAN INTELLIGENCE. You're smart enough to master your life - and play in the big leagues of success. Here's another thing that may be holding you back: you're really busy being busy. But what's the point of being uber-productive doing useless things?

So much of the leadership presentations I delivered across the planet in 2011 for clients like Starbucks and The Coca-Cola Company and KPMG involved showing people how to make the leap from being busy to achieving results. Two quick ways: turn off your technology for a few hours each day and do Real Work. And second, make your Stop Doing List more important than your To Do List.

4. DISRUPT OR BE DISRUPTED. OK, so here's the reality: the next 20 years will be nothing like the last 20 years. You and your team and your organization can "wait for the up cycle to return". But I think you'll be waiting a long time. I don't think we're in a down cycle. I think the way the global economy+society currently is, is the new reality. And if you agree with me, there's only one choice for any one of us: innovate - or become obsolete.

So, to win in 2012, out-think who you were this year and out-learn what you learned and outwork the way you worked. Read constantly. Iterate daily. And ferociously improve every part of the way you think, work and live.

5. SHATTER YOUR STANDARDS. It's stunning how many people - built to play at wow with their lives - accept mediocrity in their health, finances, work, relationships and mindset (the problem with letting a little mediocrity into your orbit is more starts to creep in until eventually it becomes your new normal).

Right now, I challenge you with my usual respect and affection, to raise your standards. Don't tolerate any form of average. Don't accept Dis-excellence. Don't stand for mediocre. If you're going to settle, then please settle for the absolute best.

6. HAVE SOME FUN. Life's a short ride when you really think about it. Yes, do your dreams while you change the world. But do it with a smile. And a festive heart. Make time for life's simple pleasures (the other day my daughter and I shared Chinese food in the food court of a shopping mall; the laughter and joy we experienced - priceless). Savor life's gifts. Embrace all that's good in your life.

Christiano Ronaldo donates to the Palestinian children in Gaza

2011-12-06T09:58:00.003+02:00

In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful May Greetings and Salutations of Peace be upon the Most Beloved of Allah, Muhammad Sallalahu `alaihi wasallam

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

Real Madrid forward Christiano Ronaldo has donated 2,400 euros ($3,273) to Palestinian children in Gaza, the Arabic site of the club's 'Classico' network has revealed.

Ronaldo gave away sports shoes to the foundation, which in turn sold the boots at a public auction and will now dedicate the funds to schools in Gaza.

According to the network, bidding began at 700 euros ($954) and was finally concluded at 2,400 euros.

During his spell at Manchester United, Ronaldo was photographed wearing the Palestinian head cover, the kufiyyeh, which was seen as support for the Palestinian cause.

'No matter how softly we whisper a prayer, ALLAH surely listens and knows the hopes & fears we carry in our hearts. For when we trust HIM, our Dua'as will definitely be answered!'

BlackBerry App for Muslims - App World

2011-12-02T10:03:00.000+02:00

Salaams & Jummah Mubarak!

Muslim ‘BB’ users will be on cloud nine with the launch of a new mobile application for Blackberry, tailored to meet the needs of the South African Islamic community. With the app, phone users can search for the contact details and directions to the nearest masjid to their current location. The app uses GPS to display highly accurate results but can also triangulate your position between cellphone towers to provide you with detailed directions even if your phone does not have GPS.

In addition, users can search through an extensive database containing the details of hundreds of halal bakeries, butcheries and restaurants. These searches can be filtered by name, address, suburb or simply by what is near a user’s current location. A new added feature is the salaah prayer time calculator that gives the user daily prayer times

based on the his or her exact position as well as the option to save these times as an alarm. The Islamic Way App is South Africa’s newest app for the Muslim community and is designed for all Blackberry Curve, Bold and Torch

devices running Blackberry OS5 and above.

It was developed in South Africa by a local app development company called TEQDAS. Islamic Way has been designed to be deeply integrated with the functionality of any Blackberry device to allow users to easily launch the phone’s dialer or view directions in Blackberry Maps directly from the app.

While Islamic Way is currently South Africa’s most advanced Muslim Lifestyle app, TEQDAS is already planning to add additional features to the app over the next few months. The TEQDAS team are already testing a number of new features, including a Zakaat (tax) calculator and a number of live community features that will send news, events

and other religious communication straight to the Blackberry device. The app is currently available for download on Blackberry App World. Just search for ‘Islamic Way’ and download it.

Aishah bint Abi Bakr

2011-11-29T10:52:00.000+02:00

Aishah bint Abi Bakr

The life of Aishah is proof that a woman can be far more learned than men and that she can be the teacher of scholars and experts. Her life is also proof that a woman can exert influence over men and women and provide them with inspiration and leadership. Her life is also proof that the same woman can be totally feminine and be a source of pleasure, joy and comfort to her husband.

She did not graduate from any university there were no universities as such in her day. But still her utterances are studied in faculties of literature, her legal pronouncements are studied in colleges of law and her life and works are studied and researched by students and teachers of Muslim history as they have been for over a thousand years.

The bulk of her vast treasure of knowledge was obtained while she was still quite young. In her early childhood she was brought up by her father who was greatly liked and respected for he was a man of wide knowledge, gentle manners and an agreeable presence. Moreover he was the closest friend of the noble Prophet who was a frequent visitor to their home since the very early days of his mission.

In her youth, already known for her striking beauty and her formidable memory, she came under the loving care and attention of the Prophet himself. As his wife and close companion she acquired from him knowledge and insight such as no woman has ever acquired.

Aishah became the Prophet's wife in Makkah. Before and after her wedding she maintained a natural jollity and innocence and did not seem at all overawed by the thought of being wedded to him who was the Messenger of Allah whom all his companions, including her own mother and father, treated with such love and reverence as they gave to no one else.

About her wedding, she related

They dressed her in a wedding-dress made from fine red-striped cloth from Bahrain and then her mother took her to the newly-built house where some women of the Ansar were waiting outside the door. They greeted her with the words "For good and for happiness may all be well!" Then, in the presence of the smiling Prophet, a bowl of milk was brought. The Prophet drank from it himself and offered it to Aishah. She shyly declined it but when he insisted she did so and then offered the bowl to her sister Asma who was sitting beside her. Others also drank of it and that was as much as there was of the simple and solemn occasion of their wedding.

Marriage to the Prophet did not change her playful ways. Her young friends came regularly to visit her in her own apartment.

"I would be playing with my dolls," she said, "with the girls who were my friends, and the Prophet would come in and they would slip out of the house and he would go out after them and bring them back, for he was pleased for my sake to have them there." Sometimes he would say "Stay where you are" before they had time to leave, and would also join in their games. Aishah said: "One day, the Prophet came in when I was playing with the dolls and he said: 'O Aishah, whatever game is this?' 'It is Solomon's horses,' I said and he laughed."

Aishah's early life in Madinah also had its more serious and anxious times. Once her father and two companions who were staying with him fell ill with a dangerous fever which was common in Madinah at certain seasons. One morning Aishah went to visit him and was dismayed to find the three men lying completely weak and exhausted. She asked her father how he was and he answered her in verse but she did not understand what he was saying. The two others also answered her with lines of poetry which seemed to her to be nothing but unintelligible babbling. She was deeply troubled and went home to the Prophet saying:

"They are raving, out of their minds, through the heat of the fever." The Prophet asked what they had said and was somewhat reassured when she repeated almost word for word the lines they had uttered and which made sense although she did not fully understand them then. This was a demonstration of the great retentive power of her memory which as the years went by were to preserve so many of the priceless sayings of the Prophet.

Of the Prophet's wives in Madinah, it was clear that it was Aishah that he loved most. From time to time, one or the other of his companions would ask:

"O Messenger of Allh , whom do you love most in the world?" He did not always give the same answer to this question for he felt great love for many for his daughters and their children, for Abu Bakr, for Ali, for Zayd and his son Usamah. But of his wives the only one he named in this connection was Aishah. She too loved him greatly in return and often would seek reassurance from him that he loved her. Once she asked him: "How is your love for me?"

"Like the rope's knot," he replied meaning that it was strong and secure. And time after time thereafter, she would ask him: "How is the knot?" and he would reply: "Ala haaliha in the same condition."

As she loved the Prophet so was her love a jealous love and she could not bear the thought that the Prophet's attentions should be given to others more than seemed enough to her. She asked him:

"O Messenger of Allah, tell me of yourself. If you were between the two slopes of a valley, one of which had not been grazed whereas the other had been grazed, on which would you pasture your flocks?"

"On that which had not been grazed," replied the Prophet. "Even so," she said, "and I am not as any other of your wives. "Everyone of them had a husband before you, except myself." The Prophet smiled and said nothing. Of her jealousy, Aishah would say in later years:

"I was not, jealous of any other wife of the Prophet as I was jealous of Khadijah, because of his constant mentioning of her and because God had commanded him to give her good tidings of a mansion in Paradise of precious stones. And whenever he sacrificed a sheep he would send a fair portion of it to those who had been her intimate friends. Many a time I said to him: "It is as if there had never been any other woman in the world except Khadijah."

Once, when Aishah complained and asked why he spoke so highly of "an old Quraysh woman", the Prophet was hurt and said: "She was the wife who believed in me when others rejected me. When people gave me the lie, she affirmed my truthfulness. When I stood forsaken, she spent her wealth to lighten the burden of my sorrow.."

Despite her feelings of jealousy which nonetheless were not of a destructive kind, Aishah was really a generous soul and a patient one. She bore with the rest of the Prophet's household poverty and hunger which often lasted for long periods. For days on end no fire would be lit in the sparsely furnished house of the Prophet for cooking or baking bread and they would live merely on dates and water. Poverty did not cause her distress or humiliation; self-sufficiency when it did come did not corrupt her style of life.

Once the Prophet stayed away from his wives for a month because they had distressed him by asking of him that which he did not have. This was after the Khaybar expedition when an increase of riches whetted the appetite for presents. Returning from his self-imposed retreat, he went first to Aishah's apartment. She was delighted to see him but he said he had received Revelation which required him to put two options before her. He then recited the verses:

"O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire the life of this world and its adornments, then come and I will bestow its goods upon you, and I will release you with a fair release. But if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter, then verily Allah has laid in store for you an immense reward for such as you who do good."

Aishah's reply was:

"Indeed I desire Allah and His Messenger and the abode of the Hereafter," and her response was followed by all the others.

She stuck to her choice both during the lifetime of the Prophet and afterwards. Later when the Muslims were favored with enormous riches, she was given a gift of one hundred thousand dirhams. She was fasting when she received the money and she distributed the entire amount to the poor and the needy even though she had no provisions in her house. Shortly after, a maidservant said to her: "Could you buy meat for a dirham with which to break your fast?"

"If I had remembered, I would have done so," she said. The Prophet's affection for Aishah remained to the last. During his final illness, it was to Aishah's apartment that he went at the suggestion of his wives. For much of the time he lay there on a couch with his head resting on her breast or on her lap. She it was who took a toothstick from her brother, chewed upon it to soften it and gave it to the Prophet. Despite his weakness, he rubbed his teeth with it vigorously. Not long afterwards, he lost consciousness and Aishah thought it was the onset of death, but after an hour he opened his eyes.

Aishah it is who has preserved for us these dying moments of the most honoured of God's creation, His beloved Messenger may He shower His choicest blessings on him.

When he opened his eyes again, Aishah remembered Iris having said to her: "No Prophet is taken by death until he has been shown his place in Paradise and then offered the choice, to live or die."

"He will not now choose us," she said to herself.

In the floor of Aishah's room near the couch where he was lying, a grave was dug in which was buried the Seal of the Prophets amid much bewilderment and great sorrow.

Aishah lived on almost fifty years after the passing away of the Prophet. She had been his wife for a decade. Much of this time was spent in learning and acquiring knowledge of the two most important sources of God's guidance, the Quran and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Aishah was one of three wives (the other two being Hafsah and Umm Salamah) who memorized the Revelation. Like Hafsah, she had her own script of the Quran written after the Prophet had died.

So far as the Ahadith or sayings of the Prophet is concerned, Aishah is one of four persons (the others being Abu Hurayrah, Abdullah ibn Umar, and Anas ibn Malik) who transmitted more than two thousand sayings. Many of these pertain to some of the most intimate aspects of personal behavior which only someone in Aishah's position could have learnt. What is most important is that her knowledge of hadith was passed on in written form by at least three persons including her nephew Urwah who became one of the greatest scholars among the generation after the Companions.

Many of the learned companions of the Prophet and their followers benefitted from Aishah's knowledge. Abu Musa al-Ashari once said: "If we companions of the Messenger of God had any difficulty on a matter, we asked Aishah about it."

Her nephew Urwah asserts that she was proficient not only in fiqh but also in medicine (tibb) and poetry. Many of the senior companions of the Prophet came to her to ask for advice concerning questions of inheritance which required a highly skilled mathematical mind. Scholars regard her as one of the earliest fuqaha of Islam along with persons like Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ali and Abdullah ibn Abbas. The Prophet referring to her extensive knowledge of Islam is reported to have said: "Learn a portion of your religion (din) from this red colored lady." "Humayra" meaning "Red-coloured" was an epithet given to Aishah by the Prophet.

Aishah not only possessed great knowledge but took an active part in education and social reform. As a teacher she had a clear and persuasive manner of speech and her power of oratory has been described in superlative terms by al-Ahnaf who said: "I have heard speeches of Abu Bakr and Umar, Uthman and Ali and the Khulafa up to this day, but I have not heard speech more persuasive and more beautiful from the mouth of any person than from the mouth of Aishah."

Men and women came from far and wide to benefit from her knowledge. The number of women is said to have been greater than that of men. Besides answering enquiries, she took boys and girls, some of them orphans, into her custody and trained them under her care and guidance. This was in addition to her relatives who received instruction from her. Her house thus became a school and an academy.

Some of her students were outstanding. We have already mentioned her nephew Urwah as a distinguished reporter of hadith. Among her women pupils is the name of Umrah bint Abdur Rahman.

She is regarded by scholars as one of the trustworthy narrators of hadith and is said to have acted as Aishah's secretary receiving and replying to letters addressed to her. The example of Aishah in promoting education and in particular the education of Muslim women in the laws and teachings of Islam is one which needs to be followed.

Because of the strength of her personality, she was in the forefront in every field in knowledge, in society, in politics and in war. She often regretted her involvement in war but lived long enough to regain position as the most respected woman of her time. She died in the year 58 AH in the month of Ramadan and as she instructed, was buried in the Jannat al-Baqi beside other companions of the Prophet.

Source Lessons from Sahabiyat

Fatimah bint Muhammed

2011-11-29T10:50:00.000+02:00

Fatimah bint Muhammad

Fatimah was the fifth child of Muhammad and Khadijah. She was born at a time when her noble father had begun to spend long periods in the solitude of mountains around Makkah, meditating and reflecting on the great mysteries of creation.

This was the time, before the Bithah, when her eldest sister Zaynab was married to her cousin, al-Aas ibn ar Rabiah. Then followed the marriage of her two other sisters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum, to the sons of Abu Lahab, a paternal uncle of the Prophet. Both Abu Lahab and his wife Umm Jamil turned out to be flaming enemies of the Prophet from the very beginning of his public mission.

The little Fatimah thus saw her sisters leave home one after the other to live with their husbands. She was too young to understand the meaning of marriage and the reasons why her sisters had to leave home. She loved them dearly and was sad and lonely when they left. It is said that a certain silence and painful sadness came over her then.

Of course, even after the marriage of her sisters, she was not alone in the house of her parents. Barakah, the maid-servant of Aminah, the Prophet's mother, who had been with the Prophet since his birth, Zayd ibn Harithah, and Ali, the young son of Abu Talib were all part of Muhammad's household at this time. And of course there was her loving mother, the lady Khadijah.

In her mother and in Barakah, Fatimah found a great deal of solace and comfort in Ali, who was about two years older than she, she found a "brother" and a friend who somehow took the place of her own brother al-Qasim who had died in his infancy. Her other brother Abdullah, known as the Good and the Pure, who was born after her, also died in his infancy. However in none of the people in her father's household did Fatimah find the carefree joy and happiness which she enjoyed with her sisters. She was an unusually sensitive child for her age.

When she was five, she heard that her father had become Rasul Allah, the Messenger of God. His first task was to convey the good news of Islam to his family and close relations. They were to worship God Almighty alone. Her mother, who was a tower of strength and support, explained to Fatimah what her father had to do. From this time on, she became more closely attached to him and felt a deep and abiding love for him. Often she would be at Iris side walking through the narrow streets and alleys of Makkah, visiting the Kabah or attending secret gatherings off, the early Muslims who had accepted Islam and pledged allegiance to the Prophet.

One day, when she was not yet ten, she accompanied her father to the Masjid al-Haram. He stood in the place known as al-Hijr facing the Kabah and began to pray. Fatimah stood at his side. A group of Quraysh, by no means well-disposed to the Prophet, gathered about him. They included Abu Jahl ibn Hisham, the Prophet's uncle, Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and Shaybah and Utbah, sons of Rabi'ah. Menacingly, the group went up to the Prophet and Abu Jahl, the ringleader, asked:

"Which of you can bring the entrails of a slaughtered animal and throw it on Muhammad?"

Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt, one of the vilest of the lot, volunteered and hurried off. He returned with the obnoxious filth and threw it on the shoulders of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, while he was still prostrating. Abdullah ibn Masud, a companion of the Prophet, was present but he was powerless to do or say anything.

Imagine the feelings of Fatimah as she saw her father being treated in this fashion. What could she, a girl not ten years old, do? She went up to her father and removed the offensive matter and then stood firmly and angrily before the group of Quraysh thugs and lashed out against them. Not a single word did they say to her. The noble Prophet raised his head on completion of the prostration and went on to complete the Salat. He then said: "O Lord, may you punish the Quraysh!" and repeated this imprecation three times. Then he continued:

"May You punish Utbah, Uqbah, Abu Jahl and Shaybah." (These whom he named were all killed many years later at the Battle of Badr)

On another occasion, Fatimah was with the Prophet as he made; tawaf around the Kabah. A Quraysh mob gathered around him. They seized him and tried to strangle him with his own clothes. Fatimah screamed and shouted for help. Abu Bakr rushed to the scene and managed to free the Prophet. While he was doing so, he pleaded: "Would you kill a man who says, 'My Lord is God?'" Far from giving up, the mob turned on Abu Bakr and began beating him until blood flowed from his head and face.

Such scenes of vicious opposition and harassment against her father and the early Muslims were witnessed by the young Fatimah. She did not meekly stand aside but joined in the struggle in defence of her father and his noble mission. She was still a young girl and instead of the cheerful romping, the gaiety and liveliness which children of her age are and should normally be accustomed to, Fatimah had to witness and participate in such ordeals.

Of course, she was not alone in this. The whole of the Prophet's family suffered from the violent and mindless Quraysh. Her sisters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum also suffered. They were living at this time in the very nest of hatred and intrigue against the Prophet. Their husbands were Utbah and Utaybah, sons of Abu Lahab and Umm Jamil. Umm Jamil was known to be a hard and harsh woman who had a sharp and evil tongue. It was mainly because of her that Khadijah was not pleased with the marriages of her daughters to Umm Jamil's sons in the first place. It must have been painful for Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum to be living in the household of such inveterate enemies who not only joined but led the campaign against their father.

As a mark of disgrace to Muhammad and his family, Utbah and Utaybah were prevailed upon by their parents to divorce their wives. This was part of the process of ostracizing the Prophet totally. The Prophet in fact welcomed his daughters back to his home with joy, happiness and relief.

Fatimah, no doubt, must have been happy to be with her sisters once again. They all wished that their eldest sister, Zaynab, would also be divorced by her husband. In fact, the Quraysh brought pressure on Abu-l Aas to do so but he refused. When the Quraysh leaders came up to him and promised him the richest and most beautiful woman as a wife should he divorce Zaynab, he replied:

"I love my wife deeply and passionately and I have a great and high esteem for her father even though I have not entered the religion of Islam."

Both Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum were happy to be back with their loving parents and to be rid of the unbearable mental torture to which they had been subjected in the house of Umm Jamil. Shortly afterwards, Ruqayyah married again, to the young and shy Uthman ibn Allan who was among the first to have accepted Islam. They both left for Abyssinia among the first muhajirin who sought refuge in that land and stayed there for several years. Fatimah was not to see Ruqayyah again until after their mother had died.

The persecution of the Prophet, his family and his followers continued and even became worse after the migration of the first Muslims to Abyssinia. In about the seventh year of his mission, the Prophet and his family were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in a rugged little valley enclosed by hills on all sides and defile, which could only be entered from Makkah by a narrow path.

To this arid valley, Muhammad and the clans of Banu Hashim and al-Muttalib were forced to retire with limited supplies of food. Fatimah was one of the youngest members of the clans -just about twelve years old - and had to undergo months of hardship and suffering. The wailing of hungry children and women in the valley could be heard from Makkah. The Quraysh allowed no food and contact with the Muslims whose hardship was only relieved somewhat during the season of pilgrimage. The boycott lasted for three years. When it was lifted, the Prophet had to face even more trials and difficulties. Khadijah, the faithful and loving, died shortly afterwards. With her death, the Prophet and his family lost one of the greatest sources of comfort and strength which had sustained them through the difficult period. The year in which the noble Khadijah, and later Abu Talib, died is known as the Year of Sadness. Fatimah, now a young lady, was greatly distressed by her mother's death. She wept bitterly and for some time was so grief-striken that her health deteriorated. It was even feared she might die of grief.

Although her older sister, Umm Kulthum, stayed in the same household, Fatimah realized that she now had a greater responsibility with the passing away of her mother. She felt that she had to give even greater support to her father. With loving tenderness, she devoted herself to looking after his needs. So concerned was she for his welfare that she came to be called "Umm Abi-ha the mother of her father". She also provided him with solace and comfort during times of trial, difficulty and crisis.

Often the trials were too much for her. Once, about this time, an insolent mob heaped dust and earth upon his gracious head. As he entered his home, Fatimah wept profusely as she wiped the dust from her father's head.

"Do not cry, my daughter," he said, "for God shall protect your father." The Prophet had a special love for Fatimah. He once said: "Whoever pleased Fatimah has indeed pleased God and whoever has caused her to be angry has indeed angered God. Fatimah is a part of me. Whatever pleases her pleases me and whatever angers her angers me."

He also said: "The best women in all the world are four: the Virgin Mary, Aasiyaa the wife of Pharoah, Khadijah Mother of the Believers, and Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad." Fatimah thus acquired a place of love and esteem in the Prophet's heart that was only occupied by his wife Khadijah.

Fatimah, may God be pleased with her, was given the title of "az-Zahraa" which means "the Resplendent One". That was because of her beaming face which seemed to radiate light. It is said that when she stood for Prayer, the mihrab would reflect the light of her countenance. She was also called "al-Batul" because of her asceticism. Instead of spending her time in the company of women, much of her time would be spent in Salat, in reading the Quran and in other acts of ibadah.

Fatimah had a strong resemblance to her father, the Messenger of God. Aishah, the wife of the Prophet, said of her: "I have not seen any one of God's creation resemble the Messenger of God more in speech, conversation and manner of sitting than Fatimah, may God be pleased with her. When the Prophet saw her approaching, he would welcome her, stand up and kiss her, take her by the hand and sit her down in the place where he was sitting." She would do the same when the Prophet came to her. She would stand up and welcome him with joy and kiss him.

Fatimah's fine manners and gentle speech were part of her lovely and endearing personality. She was especially kind to poor and indigent folk and would often give all the food she had to those in need even if she herself remained hungry. She had no craving for the ornaments of this world nor the luxury and comforts of life. She lived simply, although on occasion as we shall see circumstances seemed to be too much and too difficult for her.

She inherited from her father a persuasive eloquence that was rooted in wisdom. When she spoke, people would often be moved to tears. She had the ability and the sincerity to stir the emotions, move people to tears and fill their hearts with praise and gratitude to God for His grace and His inestimable bounties.

Fatimah migrated to Madinah a few weeks after the Prophet did. She went with Zayd ibn Harithah who was sent by the Prophet back to Makkah to bring the rest of his family. The party included Fatimah and Umm Kulthum, Sawdah, the Prophet's wife, Zayd's wife Barakah and her son Usamah. Travelling with the group also were Abdullah the son of Abu Bakr who accompanied his mother and his sisters, Aishah and Asma.

In Madinah, Fatimah lived with her father in the simple dwelling he had built adjoining the mosque. In the second year after the Hijrah, she received proposals of marriage through her father, two of which were turned down. Then Ali, the son of Abu Talib, plucked up courage and went to the Prophet to ask for her hand in marriage. In the presence of the Prophet, however, Ali became over-awed and tongue-tied. He stared at the ground and could not say anything. The Prophet then asked: "Why have you come? Do you need something?" Ali still could not speak and then the Prophet suggested: "Perhaps you have come to propose marriage to Fatimah."

"Yes," replied Ali. At this, according to one report, the Prophet said simply: "Marhaban wa ahlan - Welcome into the family," and this was taken by Ali and a group of Ansar who were waiting outside for him as indicating the Prophet's approval. Another report indicated that the Prophet approved and went on to ask Ali if he had anything to give as mahr. Ali replied that he didn't. The Prophet reminded him that he had a shield which could be sold.

Ali sold the shield to Uthman for four hundred dirhams and as he was hurrying back to the Prophet to hand over the sum as mahr, Uthman stopped him and said:

"I am returning your shield to you as a present from me on your marriage to Fatimah." Fatimah and Ali were thus married most probably at the beginning of the second year after the Hijrah. She was about nineteen years old at the time and Ali was about twenty one. The Prophet himself performed the marriage ceremony. At the walimah, the guests were served with dates, figs and hais ( a mixture of dates and butter fat). A leading member of the Ansar donated a ram and others made offerings of grain. All Madinah rejoiced.

On her marriage, the Prophet is said to have presented Fatimah and Ali with a wooden bed intertwined with palm leaves, a velvet coverlet, a leather cushion filled with palm fibre, a sheepskin, a pot, a waterskin and a quern for grinding grain.

Fatimah left the home of her beloved father for the first time to begin life with her husband. The Prophet was clearly anxious on her account and sent Barakah with her should she be in need of any help. And no doubt Barakah was a source of comfort and solace to her. The Prophet prayed for them:

"O Lord, bless them both, bless their house and bless their offspring." In Ali's humble dwelling, there was only a sheepskin for a bed. In the morning after the wedding night, the Prophet went to Ali's house and knocked on the door.

Barakah came out and the Prophet said to her: "O Umm Ayman, call my brother for me."

"Your brother? That's the one who married your daughter?" asked Barakah somewhat incredulously as if to say: Why should the Prophet call Ali his "brother"? (He referred to Ali as his brother because just as pairs of Muslims were joined in brotherhood after the Hijrah, so the Prophet and Ali were linked as "brothers".)

The Prophet repeated what he had said in a louder voice. Ali came and the Prophet made a du'a, invoking the blessings of God on him. Then he asked for Fatimah. She came almost cringing with a mixture of awe and shyness and the Prophet said to her:

"I have married you to the dearest of my family to me." In this way, he sought to reassure her. She was not starting life with a complete stranger but with one who had grown up in the same household, who was among the first to become a Muslim at a tender age, who was known for his courage, bravery and virtue, and whom the Prophet described as his "brother in this world and the hereafter".

Fatimah's life with Ali was as simple and frugal as it was in her father's household. In fact, so far as material comforts were concerned, it was a life of hardship and deprivation. Throughout their life together, Ali remained poor because he did not set great store by material wealth. Fatimah was the only one of her sisters who was not married to a wealthy man.

In fact, it could be said that Fatimah's life with Ali was even more rigorous than life in her father's home. At least before marriage, there were always a number of ready helping hands in the Prophet's household. But now she had to cope virtually on her own. To relieve their extreme poverty, Ali worked as a drawer and carrier of water and she as a grinder of corn. One day she said to Ali: "I have ground until my hands are blistered."

"I have drawn water until I have pains in my chest," said Ali and went on to suggest to Fatimah: "God has given your father some captives of war, so go and ask him to give you a servant."

Reluctantly, she went to the Prophet who said: "What has brought you here, my little daughter?" "I came to give you greetings of peace," she said, for in awe of him she could not bring herself to ask what she had intended.

"What did you do?" asked Ali when she returned alone.

"I was ashamed to ask him," she said. So the two of them went together but the Prophet felt they were less in need than others.

"I will not give to you," he said, "and let the Ahl as-Suffah (poor Muslims who stayed in the mosque) be tormented with hunger. I have not enough for their keep..."

Ali and Fatimah returned home feeling somewhat dejected but that night, after they had gone to bed, they heard the voice of the Prophet asking permission to enter. Welcoming him, they both rose to their feet, but he told them:

"Stay where you are," and sat down beside them. "Shall I not tell you of something better than that which you asked of me?" he asked and when they said yes he said: "Words which Jibril taught me, that you should say "Subhaan Allah- Glory be to God" ten times after every Prayer, and ten times "AI hamdu lillah - Praise be to God," and ten times "Allahu Akbar - God is Great." And that when you go to bed you should say them thirty-three times each."

Ali used to say in later years: "I have never once failed to say them since the Messenger of God taught them to us."

There are many reports of the hard and difficult times which Fatimah had to face. Often there was no food in her house. Once the Prophet was hungry. He went to one after another of his wives' apartments but there was no food. He then went to Fatimah's house and she had no food either. When he eventually got some food, he sent two loaves and a piece of meat to Fatimah. At another time, he went to the house of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari and from the food he was given, he saved some for her. Fatimah also knew that the Prophet was without food for long periods and she in turn would take food to him when she could. Once she took a piece of barley bread and he, said to her: "This is the first food your father has eaten for three days."

Through these acts of kindness she showed how much she loved her father; and he loved her, really loved her in return.

Once he returned from a journey outside Madinah. He went to the mosque first of all and prayed two rakats as was his custom. Then, as he often did, he went to Fatimah's house before going to his wives. Fatimah welcomed him and kissed his face, his mouth and his eyes and cried. "Why do you cry?" the Prophet asked. "I see you, O Rasul Allah," she said, "Your color is pale and sallow and your clothes have become worn and shabby." "O Fatimah," the Prophet replied tenderly, "don't cry for Allah has sent your father with a mission which He would cause to affect every house on the face of the earth whether it be in towns, villages or tents (in the desert) bringing either glory or humiliation until this mission is fulfilled just as night (inevitably) comes." With such comments Fatimah was often taken from the harsh realities of daily life to get a glimpse of the vast and far-reaching vistas opened up by the mission entrusted to her noble father.

Fatimah eventually returned to live in a house close to that of the Prophet. The place was donated by an Ansari who knew that the Prophet would rejoice in having his daughter as his neighbor. Together they shared in the joys and the triumphs, the sorrows and the hardships of the crowded and momentous Madinah days and years.

In the middle of the second year after the Hijrah, her sister Ruqayyah fell ill with fever and measles. This was shortly before the great campaign of Badr. Uthman, her husband, stayed by her bedside and missed the campaign. Ruqayyah died just before her father returned. On his return to Madinah, one of the first acts of the Prophet was to visit her grave.

Fatimah went with him. This was the first bereavement they had suffered within their closest family since the death of Khadijah. Fatimah was greatly distressed by the loss of her sister. The tears poured from her eyes as she sat beside her father at the edge of the grave, and he comforted her and sought to dry her tears with the corner of his cloak.

The Prophet had previously spoken against lamentations for the dead, but this had lead to a misunderstanding, and when they returned from the cemetery the voice of Umar was heard raised in anger against the women who were weeping for the martyrs of Badr and for Ruqayyah.

"Umar, let them weep," he said and then added: "What comes from the heart and from the eye, that is from God and His mercy, but what comes from the hand and from the tongue, that is from Satan." By the hand he meant the beating of breasts and the smiting of cheeks, and by the tongue he meant the loud clamor in which women often joined as a mark of public sympathy.

Uthman later married the other daughter of the Prophet, Umm Kulthum, and on this account came to be known as Dhu-n Nurayn - Possessor of the Two Lights.

The bereavement which the family suffered by the death of Ruqayyah was followed by happiness when to the great joy of all the believers Fatimah gave birth to a boy in Ramadan of the third year after the Hijrah. The Prophet spoke the words of the Adhan into the ear of the new-born babe and called him al-Hasan which means the Beautiful One.

One year later, she gave birth to another son who was called al-Husayn, which means "little Hasan" or the little beautiful one. Fatimah would often bring her two sons to see their grandfather who was exceedingly fond of them. Later he would take them to the Mosque and they would climb onto his back when he prostrated. He did the same with his little granddaughter Umamah, the daughter of Zaynab.

In the eighth year after the Hijrah, Fatimah gave birth to a third child, a girl whom she named after her eldest sister Zaynab who had died shortly before her birth. This Zaynab was to grow up and become famous as the "Heroine of Karbala". Fatimah's fourth child was born in the year after the Hijrah. The child was also a girl and Fatimah named her Umm Kulthum after her sister who had died the year before after an illness.

It was only through Fatimah that the progeny of the Prophet was perpetuated. All the Prophet's male children had died in their infancy and the two children of Zaynab named Ali and Umamah died young. Ruqayyah's child Abdullah also died when he was not yet two years old. This is an added reason for the reverence which is accorded to Fatimah.

Although Fatimah was so often busy with pregnancies and giving birth and rearing children, she took as much part as she could in the affairs of the growing Muslim community of Madinah. Before her marriage, she acted as a sort of hostess to the poor and destitute Ahl as-Suffah. As soon as the Battle of Uhud was over, she went with other women to the battlefield and wept over the dead martyrs and took time to dress her father's wounds. At the Battle of the Ditch, she played a major supportive role together with other women in preparing food during the long and difficult siege. In her camp, she led the Muslim women in prayer and on that place there stands a mosque named Masjid Fatimah, one of seven mosques where the Muslims stood guard and performed their devotions.

Fatimah also accompanied the Prophet when he made Umrah in the sixth year after the Hijrah after the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In the following year, she and her sister Umm Kulthum, were among the mighty throng of Muslims who took part with the Prophet in the liberation of Makkah. It is said that on this occasion, both Fatimah and Umm Kulthum visited the home of their mother Khadijah and recalled memories of their childhood and memories of jihad, of long struggles in the early years of the Prophet's mission.

In Ramadan of the tenth year just before he went on his Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet confided to Fatimah, as a secret not yet to be told to others:

"Jibril recited the Quran to me and I to him once every year, but this year he has recited it with me twice. I cannot but think that my time has come."

On his return from the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet did become seriously ill. His final days were spent in the apartment of his wife Aishah. When Fatimah came to visit him, Aishah would leave father and daughter together.

One day he summoned Fatimah. When she came, he kissed her and whispered some words in her ear. She wept. Then again he whispered in her ear and she smiled. Aishah saw and asked:

"You cry and you laugh at the same time, Fatimah? What did the Messenger of God say to you?" Fatimah replied:

"He first told me that he would meet his Lord after a short while and so I cried. Then he said to me: 'Don't cry for you will be the first of my household to join me.' So I laughed."

Not long afterwards the noble Prophet passed away. Fatimah was grief-striken and she would often be seen weeping profusely. One of the companions noted that he did not see Fatimah, may God be pleased with her, laugh after the death of her father.

One morning, early in the month of Ramadan, just less than five month after her noble father had passed away, Fatimah woke up looking unusually happy and full of mirth. In the afternoon of that day, it is said that she called Salma bint Umays who was looking after her. She asked for some water and had a bath. She then put on new clothes and perfumed herself. She then asked Salma to put her bed in the courtyard of the house. With her face looking to the heavens above, she asked for her husband Ali.

He was taken aback when he saw her lying in the middle of the courtyard and asked her what was wrong. She smiled and said: "I have an appointment today with the Messenger of God."

Ali cried and she tried to console him. She told him to look after their sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn and advised that she should be buried without ceremony. She gazed upwards again, then closed her eyes and surrendered her soul to the Mighty Creator.

Fatimah, was just twenty nine years old.

Source Lessons from Sahabiyat

Deepak Chopra's 'Muhammad: A Story of the Last Prophet' - Review by Dalia Mogahed

2011-11-23T11:26:00.001+02:00

It was befitting that I began reading Deepak Chopra's fictionalized account of the life of the Prophet Muhammad after dawn prayer during the last precious days of Ramadan. Starting with the Author's Note, I was engrossed. I found beloved figures from my history come to life through the eyes of an outside observer, all the more compelling for me as a believer. His approach is as engaging as it is informative and deeply humanizing. The first-person narratives each paint a new layer onto the picture of the Beloved of God, in all his humanity and complexity and perfection.

I appreciated how Chopra deals with the issues toward which he may feel ambivalence, most notably the call for jihad and the execution of the men found guilty of conspiracy and treason among Banu Quraidha. He reports and allows each side a chance to be heard, silently allowing their voice, not his judgment, to speak.

The stories of the Most Beloved are riveting, capturing his many dimensions: the orphaned child, the young businessman, the loving husband and father, the seeker of truth, the self doubter, the believer, the Prophet, the oppressed, the Statesman and Commander-in-Chief, the transformer of the world for all time –

all familiar but with the touch of an outside observer's fresh eyes and creativity.

I was often moved to tears and felt that reading the manuscript was a spiritual experience. Chopra captures the Messenger's sweetness and his strength. I love the Prophet with all my soul, and I saw a glimpse of his beauty in Chopra's writing. Among the most striking themes of the book is that of redemption and return to who we really are, seekers of truth, needers of God. I think this, my favorite line, captures the essence of the story: "He appeals to me most because he remade the world by going inward. That's the kind of achievement only available on the spiritual path." How simple and profound a truth.

Though some Muslims may be uneasy about this, I very much appreciated Deepak's gentle treatment of doubt within the community. I don't mean the hypocrites, but the doubt of the believers, their questions, their disagreements even with the decisions and opinion of the Prophet. Their struggles and uneasiness were evidence, paradoxically, of the utmost strength of their faith. This was a community of individuals -- his "companions," as he lovingly and respectfully called them -- not his disciples or yes-men. This was proof not of a weak and fractured community but of unbreakable enduring bonds of faith. They were also, like their leader, men among men. I wonder if it is Islam's raw and unapologetic embrace of humans as we really are, not a fairy tale ideal of who we are, that makes some who treat all doubt as ruin, and all flesh as sin, so uncomfortable?

I appreciated that Chopra allows some of the many women who surrounded the Prophet as friends, advisors and family members to be heard on their own terms. His women companions included the sophisticated elegance of Khadijah and the warm simplicity of Halimah. The rich and the poor alike made up Muhammad's inner circle, all showing another dimension of his character and beauty.

It is important, however, to understand the book properly. It is a novel and therefore not an attempt at an exact account of history. Muslims scholars have an incredibly well developed science of authentication when it comes to what the Prophet said and did. Scholars scrutinize books about the life of the Prophet in a way that would make our modern academic standards for fact-checking and references look horribly sloppy. It is very important that this book not be seen as attempting to meet this standard. It is not a book recounting Muhammad's life, but a beautiful story inspired by it. There is editorial license and creativity, and while many of the words and events have been recorded in authentic sources, many have not.

If I could suggest one change, it would be the timeline. Chopra's portrayal of the trial and execution of the Jewish tribe is fair, allowing both those who hated and those who loved Muhammad to describe it. However, by calling it a "massacre" in the timeline, he seems to depart from his consistent methodology of presenting and not prejudging. Whether the event is a massacre is, I believe, a judgment best left for the reader to make. Those executed on that day were given a trial by an arbitrator that they agreed was fair and impartial. It was not the Prophet's decision.

They were found guilty of treachery and giving aid to the enemy -- crimes met by similar punishments in modern democracies, for offenses that those punished did not deny. At least one of the Banu Quraidha came to the Prophet and said that he did not directly engage in the conspiracy with his brothers, and he was pardoned and lived the rest of his days as a Jew in Medina. It was not ethnic persecution but a punishment for a crime. Calling it an "execution," which is factually what it was, would be more consistent. Also, the timeline implies that all the Jews were driven out of Medina, which is also not true. There is a well documented case in which Omar, as Caliph, had a dispute with a Jew and Ali, the grand Jurist at the time, judged in the Jew's favor.

Finally, I admire the way stories are told to be true to the self-understanding of those who tell them. The one exception is the story of Haggar. Chopra seems to have formed a hybrid between the Muslim and Jewish versions of the story. Muslims do acknowledge that Sarah was unhappy with Haggar and Ismael's presence and could not help her jealousy and may have wanted them to go.

However, Ibraheem (Abraham), according to Islam's telling of the story, took them into the Arabian desert in obedience to God, not Sarah.

This distinction is of the utmost importance to Muslims.

This is why Muslims harbor no ill will toward Sarah and love her as they do our mother Haggar.

Sarah is a very popular and common name in Muslim communities. God ordered Ibraheem to take Haggar and Ismael to the desert. When he took them and was leaving, Haggar demanded from him, "To whom are you leaving us?" He did not answer. She then said, "Did your lord order you to do this?" Ibraheem replied, "Yes," to which she said with all the confidence of a woman of her level of faith, "Then go, He will not leave us." It was divine will that Haggar be brought to the desert to be the founder of the holiest place on earth. The difference is paramount.

I believe Deepak Chopra's novel about the Prophet does the world a great service. In the midst of escalating suspicion of Islam, the book humanizes the religion's leader for those who do not yet know him, a man adored by billions.

A version of this review appears in the Washington Post

What once was...

2011-11-23T08:01:00.001+02:00

As the secrecy bill has been passed and we will now never know the truth as to what really goes on in government.

This is indeed the blackest of days yet in the New (but certainly not, necessarily better) South Africa.

Foul cry over Halaal uproar

2011-11-18T10:16:00.003+02:00

Orion Meats’ Patrick Gaertner denied they sold pork and other meat as halaal.

Outraged Muslims turned up in their numbers at the Cape Town High Court yesterday, protesting and carrying posters expressing their anger over the possibility that Muslims may have consumed meat that is not halaal.

The Muslim community and the South African National Halaal Authority (Sanha) expressed their shock and anger outside the court yesterday. Sanha and the Red Meat Industry Forum of South Africa applied for an interim interdict yesterday.

The interdict asks that Orion Cold Storage be prevented from distributing meat.

This comes after allegations that the company imported pork, water buffalo and kangaroo meat and relabelled it as halaal beef.

The case could not resume yesterday as there was no judge available to hear the matter.

The case will resume today.

Moulena Mohamed Saeed Navlakhi from Sanha said yesterday: “We understand because this matter will need much attention.”

Outside the court protesters were carrying placards saying: “This case is no pignic”, “Kangaroo in court” and “To beef or not to beef”.

Abu-bakr Jacobs, 20, from Grassy Park, one of the protestors, said they were very shocked when they found out about the alleged relabelling.

“So this means that you do not know what you are putting into your mouth. It is really sad that this thing can happen in this day and age.

“As a Muslim it is only through eating Halaal meat that you will get the strength that you need.

“But we as Muslims should also make a concerted effort to find out if the meat your butcher or supermarket is selling is Halaal.

“We have accepted and taken it too much for granted that if the meat which contains the Halaal certificate, is indeed Halaal.

“People should also ask their butchers where they get their meat from,” Jacobs said.

Patrick Gaertner the managing director of Orion Cold Storage, again denied the allegations and said that they would defend their position.

“We have been blackmailed and sabotaged,” he said.

Point to Ponder

2011-11-17T08:56:00.002+02:00

As Salaamu Alaikum w.w.

Nike, Adidas, Armani, Gucci, Polo, Swarovski, Rado, Seiko, Cartier, Gautier, Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal etc etc etc!

From top to toe, we arr all very happy to sport the latest designer wear, letting our bodies become advertisement boards for the various fashion houses – indeed – we pay “THEM” for the privilege of doing this for them!! Yet, we are not happy to sport any Islamic clothing on our person, least it should attract attention!

We are not happy to wear Kurta, Topi, Scarf, Niqab, Abaya or even grow a beard, least anyone queries us “why/what/how/who?”, yet, we are happy to tell all & sundry about our latest acquisition of the latest fashion range. Indeed, we regale them as to how many hours we had to queue up to get it!!

Why? We are so cowed by “secular” world view that we are unable to declare our love for our beloved Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Aasalam and Allah clearly & openly. We can wear our badges to show our support for other causes in full public view, but never can we wear our Islamic garb.

I am not suggesting that people change their dress code overnight or don’t support good causes – there is rules & regulations that we need to abide to, but apart from that, why are we not happy to declare our love for our Nabi Sallallahu Alayhi Wasalam and Allah? Do we keep a Masjid, Kabah or any thing Islamic on our desktop or screen saver? Ashwariya Rai & Katrina Kaif, is OK, but Islam is not!

Could this be a status thing, we wear d name to get d status but don’t realise there is no better status the been a Muslim & been proud of it. We rather be branded as a Tommy, Joe, Moe, Shabs, Amy instead of our Muslim names & promoting our Muslim identity, We, as Muslims, have become too scared to declare our faith / identity openly. We often do not declare ourselves “religious” – afraid to be branded as a “Terrorist”! It’s a great shame!

Sadly, a lot of these branded names mock your religion, some of the manufacturers (originators) of these designers are atheists, Satan worshippers, some of them have the devil or the cross on them etc etc. & we assist them by promoting the products. What’s more sad is that leave alone the skippers or the blouses now you get kurta’s & abaya’s with these branded names printed in large writing and we perform our prayers in these garbs. May Allah save me as well as all who receive this email and keep me on the straight path & give us all Heedayah. Aameen

Islamic Perpective

2011-11-16T11:08:00.004+02:00

As-Salaamu-Alaikum

Many times we hear of women who have given birth have to remain at home for 40 days. What is / was the significance behind this?

Does a women have to be indoors for 40 days after giving birth? There is no law that she has to remain indoors for a certain amount of days after giving birth, whether cesarean section or normal birth.

There is a superstition among people that after birth a woman has to remain indoors for forty days. This is not a law of Islam.

The forty day period is the maximum flow of blood after birth that a woman can experience, according to the Hanafi math-hab. Sometimes the blood can stop before forty days. Even during this period the woman is allowed to come out of the home.

Questions answered by the Ulama of askmufti.co.za

SABC documentary to focus on “South African Muslim Identity”

2011-11-15T13:03:00.000+02:00

A documentary to be screened as part of SABC2′s ‘Issues of Faith’ series on Sunday, November 20th at 09h00, will investigate the changing face of Muslim identity within the South African landscape.

Written and directed by freelance journalist Fatima Asmal-Motala and producer Shaffee Shaik of New Wave Productions, ‘Muslim Identity’ investigates the impact of globalisation on young Muslims who are becoming increasingly exposed to a diversity of interpretations of Islam primarily due to the advent of technology.

‘Traditionally many Muslims, particularly those living in KZN and Gauteng, have been heavily influenced by Indo-Pak interpretations of Islam,’ says Asmal-Motala.

‘This is fast changing in a post-apartheid context, with many of them searching for a more contexualised interpretation.’

The documentary looks at how young Muslims view their identities and investigates several related issues including: Muslim bloggers, the increased participation of women in hijab in the public sphere, creative expression of identity and challenges faced by White and Black Muslims.

‘These issues are unpacked in the form of interviews with several well known South African personalities like Zain Bhikha, the author Shubnum Khan, women’s rights activist Quraysha Sooliman, blogger MJ Khan and several others,’ says Shaik.

The interviews are interspersed with scholarly perspectives from European intellectuals Tariq Ramadan and Anas Altikriti, as well as local Imam, Hafiz Fuzail Soofie.

‘Muslim Identity’ will be screened on SABC 2 at 9am on Sunday, November

Jummah Mubarak

2011-11-11T10:53:00.002+02:00

Hajj 1432

Please Be Aware

2011-11-10T10:31:00.000+02:00

Eyewitness News has learnt a Cape Town-based frozen foods distributor has allegedly been importing pork products, kangaroo and water buffalo meat, and relabelling the products as beef and halaal.

It is also claimed that Orion Cold Storage is repackaging non-food grade milk powder for animal feed and is selling it as skim milk powder for human consumption.

The South African Meat Industry Company, the Red Meat Industry Forum and the South African National Halaal Authority Trust are set to go to the Cape High Court on Thursday to apply for an urgent interdict to prevent the company from altering information of products.

It is alleged that Orion imported pork hearts from Belgium and Ireland, relabelling and selling them as beef or sheep veal hearts, marked as halaal.

Undercover footage shows employees using heat guns to remove original labels and replacing them with halaal stickers.

It is unclear at this stage which items on shop shelves have been affected.

Orion has not responded to requests for comment.

Undecover Footage of how the company Oriental Cold Storage changed d packagng, http://www.ewn.co.za/MultimediaVideo.aspx?filename=111109halaal1ewn

Picture Worth a thousand words...

2011-11-09T14:23:00.001+02:00

Picture Worth a thousand words...

Hijab support group event titled "Branches Of Faith"

2011-11-09T09:35:00.001+02:00

Who is a Muslim woman?

Ask a woman who bears witness

Ask a woman of substance

Ask a Muslim woman

Hijab Support Group in association with the Islamic Careline presents:

Branches of Faith

ناميالا نم ةبعش

As women, we have long been the living thread that binds the tapestry of our communities, and indeed our world, together. Our significance can never be doubted. Join us as we present a glimpse of the many abilities and strengths Islam encourages in its women. From self-awareness to style, poetry to positive reinforcement – come and get a dose of inspiration.

Hijab Support Group hosts this event to showcase the beauty, talent and intelligence of Muslim women.

Date: 19 November 2011

Venue: UJ Auditorium, Auckland Park

Time: 1.30pm – 5.00pm

Cost: R100.00

This symposium is open to women of ALL races, religions and social backgrounds.

HSG is a project of the Jamiatul Ulema JHB and Islamic Careline.

Why do Marriages fail

2011-11-08T13:47:00.002+02:00

Why do Marriages fail?

Satan is the best destroyer of marriages and hates married couples the most. His best feast is when he manages to split a married couple. He causes doubts between them and make it seem that there is no way out of a particular situation. Satan is very much aware of peoples' weak spots, and so approaches them from these angles. People who listen to Satan's whisperings follow him instead of following Allah's commandments and live in fear and anxiety. Allah states that only one type of fear that will lead a person to the right path is the fear of Allah. The Qur'an proclaims that Allah, the Possessor of Infinite Knowledge, will give people the ability to distinguish between right and wrong if they fear Him. This is one of the most important characteristics for a person to have. Discerning people who have faith know the difference between right and wrong, and thus are not fooled by Satan's games.

Below are some suggestions to wives in light of Islam to maintain a happy married life:

Never Argue
Avoid arguments. An argument is a fire in the house. Extinguish it with a simple 'I'm sorry' even if it is not your fault. When you fight back, you are only adding wood to the fire. Below is a very good story which provides a beautiful example of tolerance and patience which is essential for any successful marriage.

A man and woman had been married for more than 50 years. They shared everything. and kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoebox in the closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about. For all of these years, he never thought about the shoebox, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover. In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoebox and took it to his wife's bedside. She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the shoebox.

When he opened it, he found two hand made dolls and a bag of money totalling $20,000. He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said, "my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and make a doll."

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the shoebox. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness "Honey," he said, "that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?" "Oh," the little old woman said, "That's the money I made from selling the dolls."

Be attentive to the comfort and wellbeing of your husband
A good Muslim wife should always be trustworthy and kind. She should strive to be cheerful and encouraging towards her husband and family, and keep their home free from anything haram (haram covers all aspects of harm, including bad behaviour, abuse and forbidden foods).

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - taught us that any women who dies in a state where her husband is pleased with her, shall enter Jannah. Always treat him the way you would like to be treated. If you follow this rule, your marriage will have a much greater chance for success and if discarded then failure is just around the corner.

Be obedient
Regardless of her skills or intelligence, a wife should accept her man as the head of her household give him full respect and carry out his wishes with a clear conscience. She should take into consideration the needs and abilities of her husband and attempt to make him happy, even if she has to compromise sometimes. It is because men are given an extra degree of responsibility.

Allah says: “Men are the protectors and maintainers [qawwamun] of women, because Allah has given the one more [strength] than the other, and because they support them from their means . . .” (Qur’an 4:34)

The purpose of obedience in the relationship is to keep the family unit running as smoothly as possible. The man has been given the right to be obeyed because he is the leader and not because he is superior. If a leader is not obeyed , his leadership will become invalid.

Be thankful and show appreciation
Appreciate and thank your husband for what he does for the family. Never make him feel that he is not doing good enough for the family or that you are not satisfied with his work or his efforts, unless, of course, he is truly lazy and not even trying to provide for the family. The Prophet (sallallahu alaiyhi wasallam) was reported to have said: ‘On the Day of Judgment, God will not look upon the woman who has been ungrateful to her husband.” Thank your husband constantly for the nice things he does as this is one of the most important techniques and to be the opposite is a characteristic of the women of hellfire.

Be Careful of Your Words and maintain good relation with in-laws:
Be very careful what you say when you are upset. Sometimes you will say things that you would never say when you were not angry. If you are angry, wait until you calm down before continuing the conversation. Maintain good relation with your in-laws especially his mother. Do not say anything bad about his family.

Be polite kind and patient and confess your Mistakes
Treat your husband like you would treat your best friend. With our best friends we try to be polite kind and patient. With our spouses we often do not show these courtesies. Good marriages require patience kindness sacrifice love understanding forgiveness and hard work. Moreover, consider the reward in the hereafter for those who show patience:

Allah says, “Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full without reckoning (or measure).” (Qur’an 39:10)

When you make a mistake, admit it and when your husband commits a mistake, excuse him easily and if possible, never go to sleep angry with each other.

Be contended with what you have and lead an easy life:
Don’t be jealous of those who seem to be living a more luxurious life than your family. The ‘rizq” is from Allah (SWT). In order to develop the quality of contentment, look at those people who have less than you, not those who have more. Thank Allah (SWT) for the many blessings in your life.

Have a sense of humour
Men seek women who are light-hearted and have a sense of humour. As Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - told Jabir to marry someone who would make him laugh and he would make her laugh.

Pray to allah
Make dua’a to Allah for the well being of your husband and for your successful married life. By doing this daily you will notice increased love between you and your husband.

REMEDIES FOR ILLNESS FROM SUNNAH
The Sunnah, according to the scholars of Hadeeth, is everything that has been related from the Messenger, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, of his statements, actions, tacit approvals,...

DUA’A SOLVES ALL MY PROBLEMS AND CHANGED MY LIFE

Masjid-ul-Aqsa

2011-11-08T12:10:00.000+02:00

http://prisonerofjoy.blogspot.com/2010/05/masjid-al-aqsa-sinister-plans-exposed.html

Be Happy

2011-11-02T10:48:00.001+02:00

Happiness is a journey not a destination. If you wait until you arrive at a happy place, you are going to be sorely disappointed. Happiness comes from within and is a process of creating a foundation of gratitude and appreciation. When you are tapped into your inner happiness, it is easier to connect with the external things in life that add to your happiness. Things as simple as a sunset or finding 5c on the sidewalk can add to your sense of happiness.

Happiness comes from within and any happiness you gain externally is icing on the cake. The secret to happiness is to begin appreciating what you have. Most of us take for granted what we have and drive ourselves to depression, regret and frustration focusing on what we don't have. What you focus on expands, so if you want to be happier, begin appreciating what you already have in your life. Appreciation and gratitude increase happiness exponentially.

Happiness comes from within and is expanded by appreciating and being grateful for what you already have. Happiness is an inside job. Nothing on the outside will make you happy, although it might contribute to your happiness. If you choose not to be happy - and it is a choice - then nothing, no matter how wonderful it is, will make you happy.

Choose to be happy. Appreciate what you already have and be grateful in the moment and you will begin to drive yourself happy.

Are you ready for a drive to happiness?

Allah's infinite mercy & blessings

2011-10-31T14:06:00.000+02:00

O Allâh swt,

I told you: I'm in pain...

You said:► 'Do not despair of the mercy of Allâh' (39:53)

I told you: Nobody knows what is in my heart...

You said:► 'Verily, in the remembrance of Allâh do hearts find rest' (13:28)

I told you: Many people hurt me...

You said:► 'So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them' (3:159)

I told you: I feel I'm alone...

You said:► 'We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein' (50:16)

I told you: My sins are so many...

You said:► 'And who can forgive sins except Allâh' (3:135)

I told you: Do not leave me...

You said:► 'So remember Me; I will remember you...' (2:152)

I told you: I'm facing a lot of difficulties in life...

You said:► 'And whoever fears Allâh He will make for him a way out' (65:2)

I told you: I have many dreams that I want to come true...

You said:► 'Call upon Me; I will respond to you.' (40:60)

How could this slave not love You with his body and soul?

♥ I LOVE YOU, ALLÂH SWT !!! ♥ Alhamdulillâh for Your infinite blessings!

Submission - Al Hijjah

2011-10-28T09:30:00.002+02:00

Submission

The days of Haj are with us. Those who undertake this momentous journey will be constantly reminded of Sayyidina Ebrahim (alaihis salaam), his wife Hazrath Hajra (alaihas salaam) and his son Hazrath Ismail (alaihis salaam). The Ka’ba Shareef that the Haji will perform tawaaf of was built by this illustrious father and son. The seven rounds between mount Safa and Marwa is the living reminder of the anxious running at that very pace by Hazrath Hajra (alaihas salaam) in search of water for her infant son. The precious water of zam zam makes one ponder over the thirst of Hazrath Ismail (alaihis salaam) and the extreme concern of his mother - until finally this miracle was granted to them. These are but just a few of the reminders of this illustrious family. Nevertheless, one tremendous lesson that shines extra-ordinarily in the lives of these great personalities is the level of their unquestioning submission to the command of Allah Ta’ala. In these blessed days of Haj we should be learning especially this lesson from them and enacting it in our lives.

BARREN LAND
Consider the command of Allah Ta’ala to Hazrath Ebrahim (alaihis salaam) to leave his wife and infant child alone in a barren land. No amount of human intelligence can fathom the wisdom behind this command. A solitary innocent woman and an infant child being left alone in a desert without any apparent means of survival is something that seems senseless. Had it been one of our liberal thinkers of today, he would have readily “re-interpreted” this command of Allah Ta’ala. Many would have at least asked: “But why must I do this?” Hazrath Ebrahim (alaihis salaam) however responded very differently. He responded by doing exactly what he was told. Without any question he leaves his wife and child in the barren land and quietly turns to return. He lived up to his declaration which the Glorious Qur’an has preserved for eternity. Allah Ta’ala says: “And remember the time when your Lord said to him (Ebrahim alaihis salaam) ‘Submit!’ He (Ebrahim alaihis salaam) replied “I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds” (2:131). And indeed he submitted without any hesitation and did what many today would have termed senseless - he left his wife and child in a desert without any apparent means of survival.

COMMAND OF ALLAH TA'ALA?As he turns to leave, his wife Hazrath Hajra (alaihas salaam) asks in utter astonishment: “Are you going to leave us here?” This was the response of a normal human being. Anyone would have been perturbed at being left in a desert totally exposed to the elements. But her question is met with silence from Hazrath Ebrahim (alaihis salaam) who was commanded not to say anything. His silence in this trying situation was also an act of submission. Hazrath Hajra (alaihas salaam) repeated the question, but to no avail. She finally rephrases the question and asks: “Is this the command of Allah Ta’ala?” Hazrath Ebrahim (alaihis salaam) indicates positively. That was all she needed to know. Without any further question she exclaims: “In that case He will not allow us to perish.” Subhanallah. What absolute submission to the command of Allah Ta’ala. No cries of “discrimination” were heard from her - as many women of our times would have done. No question was raised about whether this was “democratic.” There was no clamour for "equality". No sooner did she come to know that she was being left in that barren place on the command of Allah Ta’ala, she fully submitted to it. No “ifs” and “buts.” No “I cannot understand this” or “it doesn't make sense.” Nothing of the sort. Only total submission was to be seen.

SLAUGHTER SON
When Hazrath Ebrahim (alaihis salaam) was commanded to slaughter his son, he again submitted without any question and prepared himself to carry out the task. Consider this command at face value and it seems to be totally illogical. Had it been one of our enlightened modern thinkers of today, he would have certainly asked: "But what did my son do? How can I slaughter an innocent child?" Or, perhaps, he would have just gone ahead and "re-interpreted" the command. But this was Khalilullah, Hazrath Ebrahim (alaihis salaam). He proceeded to carry out the command of Allah Ta'ala without any question. When his son, the young Hazrath Ismail (alaihis salaam) becomes aware that he is soon to be slaughtered on the command of Allah Ta’ala, he immediately submits and responds: “O my father, do what you have been commanded. You will soon find me to be among the patient” (37:102). No protest. No rebellion. No question. Just total submission to the command of Allah Ta’ala.

MUSLIM
We also have claimed to have submitted ourselves to Allah Ta’ala. Islam means “submission.” A “Muslim” is one who submits. The time has come for some sincere soul searching. To what extent have we submitted to the clear commands of Allah Ta’ala and His beloved Rasul (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)? When Allah Ta’ala has declared: “O you who Believe; fear Allah and forsake what is left of interest (2:278),” do we stop and submit? When the Qur’an-e-Kareem exhorts the Believing men and women to lower their gazes, how do we respond? When Allah Ta’ala commands the women: “And remain firmly within your homes (33:33)” do we see the example of the unquestioning submission of Hazrath Hajra (alaihas salaam) being implemented? The same question should be asked about the command of Allah Ta’ala to the Believing women to "bring close upon them their jilbaab (hijaab)” (33:55).

MUSIC ON HOLD
When we are informed that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) closed his ears at the sound of music and that he declared: “I have been sent to destroy musical instruments,” do we submit and eradicate all music out of our lives? Or do we just ignore these Ahadith and instead promote music by playing it ourselves in our homes and businesses, by having music on hold on our telephones, by installing musical doorbells, etc? Similarly, what about the injunctions pertaining to all our ibaadat, monetary affairs and social interactions?

MAKES SENSE?
The time has come to fully submit to the commands of Allah Ta’ala in the manner that Ebrahim (alaihis salaam) and his family have displayed. No questions about “why this?” and “why that?” No re-interpretations and no waiting to see if it “makes sense” to us. All we need to establish is what the command of Allah Ta’ala and His Rasul (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is. Then we merely need to submit to His command.May Allah Ta’ala make us true Muslims - those who submit totally unto Him. Aameen.

The amazing ant - Brilliant New version

2011-10-27T11:08:00.000+02:00

To all the ANTS that I know… We can make a difference!

The ANT

AND THE GRASSHOPPER This one is a little different .......Two Different Versions .....

There are Different Morals

The amazing ant - Brilliant New version

OLD VERSION:

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and
laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.
The grasshopper has no food or shelter,
so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE OLD STORY:

Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN VERSION:
The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house
and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.

CNN, SABC TV1, 2 & 3, M-Net and Carte Blanche
show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with
a table filled with food.
The country is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is
allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Rian
with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Black..'

The ANCYL stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, We shall overcome.

Then Rev. Desmond Tutu
has the group kneel down to pray for the grasshopper's sake.

President Zooooma condemns the ant
and blames President de Klerk, President PW Botha, HF Verwoerd and Apartheid for the grasshopper's plight.
Julius Malema exclaim in an interview with TV News that the ant has
gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper,
and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the Government drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act
retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of black bugs (BBE) and,
having nothing left to pay his retroactive
taxes, his home is confiscated under the Government Land Repo Act and given to the grasshopper.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant’s old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it.

The ant has disappeared to Australia,
never to be seen again.

The grasshopper is found dead in a Drugs related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of Nigerian spiders who terrorize and ramshackle, the once prosperous and peaceful, neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest
of Africa with it.

MORAL OF THE STORY:

Be careful how you vote in 2012

Are you an ant or grasshopper?

You may wish to pass this on to other ants, but don't bother sending it on to any grasshoppers because they wouldn't understand it, anyway.

Hajj: A Celebration of Peace

2011-10-24T08:17:00.000+02:00

More than two million people surround me. We all have one common goal, one purpose for being here together. I do not stand out from anyone else. There are no signs of wealth or greatness upon me. No Rolex watch or Nike shoes to mark me as a rich person. I am one person alone, in a sea of humanity.The people around me are young and old, male and female, rich and poor. We represent humankind in our diversity, yet we are united. We are an embodiment of unity in diversity. Where am I? I'm at hajj.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims declare that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His messenger. They pray, they fast, they pay obligatory charity, and they go to hajj. Hajj is a pilgrimage to the city of Makah in Saudi Arabia.

People make this journey prepared to stand at the House of God, the Kabah, and affirm their love for God and His religion of Islam.

(And proclaim to humankind the hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform hajj)) (Al-Hajj 22:27)

Hajj commemorates Prophet Abraham, his wife Hajar, and their son Ismail (Ishmael), and the sacrifices and hardships they endured to establish the city of Makkah and the house of God.

More than two million Muslims stand in one place, wearing the same simple clothing, following the same rituals, and saying the same words. They are united in their devotion to God. The black man stands next to the white man, and they call on God with one voice. The king stands beside the pauper, and they declare their submission to the will of God using the same words.

Muslims from every corner of the globe are united in their submission to the will of God. They cry out as if with one voice, "Here I am O God, here I am at your service, and You have no partner. Here I am. All praise, grace, and dominion belong to you. You have no partner."

This supplication is said repeatedly by the pilgrims. It is their answer to God's call for the Muslims to perform Hajj. These words are repeated with joy and reverence by all, regardless of status or class.

Islam is the religion of unity. Repeatedly throughout the Quran, God reminds the believers that they must remain united and seek strength through unity. Hajj epitomizes this unity. People from every race and color come together in submission to the will of God.

Muslims are one brotherhood and they come together with a sense of purpose and a desire for peace.

(The believers are nothing else but brothers (in Islam). So make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear God, that you may receive mercy.) (Al Hujurat, 39:10)

(And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of God (this Quran), and be not divided among yourselves, and remember God's favor on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islam), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus God makes His signs clear to you, that you may be guided) (Aal `Imran 3:103)

Muslims at hajj are one people, they are a soothing sea of humanity, gathered together to worship One God. Muslims turn their faces in one direction and submit to the will of God. They are united by their love of God, and united in their diversity.

An Insightful Story...

2011-10-21T11:45:00.001+02:00

An insightful analogy of Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape:

"I bought a bird feeder. I hung it on my back porch and filled it with seed. What a beauty of a bird feeder it was, as I filled it lovingly with seed. Within a week we had hundreds of birds taking advantage of the continuous flow of free and easily accessible food.

But then the birds started building nests in the boards of the patio, above the table, and next to the barbecue. Then came the poop. It was everywhere: on the patio tile, the chairs, the table . everywhere! Then some of the birds turned mean. They would dive bomb me and try to peck me even though I had fed them out of my own pocket. And others birds were boisterous and loud. They sat on the feeder and squawked and screamed at all hours of the day and night and demanded that I fill it when it got low on food.

After a while, I couldn't even sit on my own back porch anymore. So I took down the bird feeder and in three days the birds were gone. I cleaned up their mess and took down the many nests they had built all over the patio. Soon, the back yard was like it used to be .. quiet, serene.. and no one demanding their rights to a free meal.

Now let's see.
Our government gives out free food, subsidized housing, free medical care and free education, and allows anyone born here to be an automatic citizen. Then the illegals came by the tens of thousands. Suddenly our taxes went up to pay for free services; small apartments are housing 5 families; you have to wait 6 hours to be seen by an emergency room doctor; your child's second grade class is behind other schools because over half the class doesn't speak English. Corn Flakes now come in a bilingual box; I have to 'press one' to hear my bank talk to me in English, and people waving flags other than our flag are squawking and screaming in the streets, demanding more rights and free liberties.

Just my opinion, but maybe it's time for the government to take down the bird feeder. If you agree, pass it on; if not, continue cleaning up the poop."

The spiritual journey of a lifetime

2011-10-19T14:54:00.001+02:00

The spiritual journey of a lifetime

Madinah – October 15, 2011

I was so pleased for having the opportunity to pour zam zam for an old Turkish woman in Masjidun Nabawey. She looked at me almost surprised, but accepted the offer graciously. I like the Turks. Despite what people have told me about them before this trip to Medina and Mecca. People said that the Turkish women are rough, that they will push you and trample you even. I guess there is some truth to what they say, but they do it not without their reasons.

They care for their old, they have a strong sense of sisterhood, and they have an unprecedented love for the Beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be upon him). So how different are they from us?

Turks are just one of the highlights of Medina. Of course, the main one being the Kabr of the blessed Rasull (PBUH), his companions; Abu Bakr and Umar (RA), and the piece of Heaven on earth: Rawdatul Jannah. One can never get enough of the Rawdah!

The Arab women are nice too, Malaysians are very polite, kind of remind me of South Africans, and I say that with as much modesty as possible!

I haven’t seen much of Medinah yet, going between the Movenpick hotel and the Haram, but already it seems so peaceful, calm and serene. I don’t think any other words can describe the city of the Prophet.

I’ve been largely on my own, not being a ‘groupie’ and all, and I’m glad for it, as I got to interact with the women from other countries a lot. People are all warm toward each other here. It’s amazing how the love for one person can unite such diverse nations. We speak different languages but our hearts beat with the same tune.

On entering Medinah I was so afraid of being deadened to the beauty of the place. Being in transit for nearly 2 days can wreak havoc on one’s emotions. I think I probably used all 12 bags of sabr on the way here!! But immediately after immigration I felt the coolness. It was amazing and all the voices of people back home kept replaying in my head: “Once you get off the plane in Medinah, you will forget everything back home.”

The bus drive to the hotel was awesome too - as we drove closer to the haram, the tears kept welling until my eyelids could no longer contain them and they came pouring down. I could feel my heart being cleansed already.

Once we received the keys to the room I immediately wanted to go to the haram- how can one sleep knowing that the Prophet (PBUH) is just outside? SubhanAllah! He is here now!
But that plan was crushed as the doors to the ladies section closes at 11pm. In hindsight I suppose it was better to have been fresh and clean when greeting the Prophet for the first time.

We went in at 7am the next morning and waited for about two and and half hours before we could make salaah on the Rawdah and do our greeting.
It was surreal- as I made sujood I could actually feel my body lifting-defying gravity, in a non-physical sense. And my shoulders just shook- my whole body shivered. I didn’t think I would have that kind of reaction-crazy-crowd and all-but I did.

I think what helped me a lot was the dua’s I made as a traveller: I asked Allah to make me worthy of this experience, to make my heart permeable to the barakah of it, so to speak.

The power of dua’ is something that I struggle to comprehend. I’m not a dua’ person. But this trip has taught me a thing or two about making dua’ and its importance. I’ve seen this manifested in the dua’ I made about being blinded to all evil, ugliness and negativity- on the advice of two colleagues. It really works- I love everyone here! Even if they don’t love me that much when they nearly push me to the ground and trample on my head whilst making sujood! But I love them non-the-less. I love the air, the cleanliness, the truthfulness and the people of Medinah! May Allah bring me back again and again, let me live here, die here and resurrect me with those who are buried here, Aameen.

Experiencing Madina

2011-10-19T14:49:00.002+02:00

Experiencing Madina

The following blog is written by former VOC reporter, Alia Limbada, now presently performing her first hajj.

MADINA ENTRY - Today was a heart-wrenching one as we visited mount Uhud and the burial-ground of the 70 martyrs who were killed in the battle of Uhud. I kept remembering how Hamza (RA), the lion of Allah, was brutally murdered and mutilated- the thought was more than overwhelming. I kept hoping that I too, my family and progeny can be of those who are the fighters of this deen. I kept asking Allah not to make us of those who disobey the khalifah/ruler, like those 50 archers who disobeyed our beloved Rasool (PBUH) and left their post to run for the booty of this world.

The drive to Masjidul Quba was equally emotional - I imagined the beloved Prophet and Abu Bakr (RA) riding into Quba, the very same ground that I was standing on, and the people of Medinah chanting: “Taala-al Badru Alayna…” SubhanAllah! I pictured the prophet carrying heavy bricks with his own hands to build this masjid. He was the leader of the Muslims, yet he worked like your regular Jack. What humility.

And thinking of that made me realise that coming to Medinah is not only about making 40 consecutive salaahs in Masjidun Nabawey, praying on the Rawdah and greeting the blessed kabr of the prophet (PBUH). It’s about emulating his (PBUH) lifestyle- and what a perfect time to do so, when there are thousands of Muslims to help, hundreds of thousands to greet, to speak to, to smile at and to share with.

I was especially pleased today, because I was touched so much by the history of Medinah that I managed to, for a day, polish my character. I shared my salaah mat with 2 Indonesians, I helped a Malaysian old woman with her cellphone, I was able to help a Turkish woman with her Quran and I gave some naseeghah to a fellow South African, alhamdullilah.

I also managed to converse with a young lady from Medinah - she is studying Computer Science and so can speak English. Upon parting we wished each other well and I said to her: “Ini Uhibuka Fillahi - I love you for the sake of Allah”...and I did, I really did. I love everyone here for that reason.

I think my favourite people so far are the Turks. I have this spot in the masjid and it is usually occupied by Turkish women. Even though we don’t understand a word of each other’s language, we manage to communicate some way or other and they always share their food with me - they always have food with them!

The air of Medinah has crept into my heart and I think a part of me will never cease to yearn to be here. But I doubt that I would be able to live here - the people are too beautiful. I think Allah reserves this place for special people; beautiful people. I may be too corrupted to be of those. My Sheik always says that Medinah will spit you out if you are evil, if you are not worthy. It cleanses itself in a sense.

One of the hardest things I have to endure though is being away from my husband most of the time. Many people said that I was lucky to be embarking on this journey with my husband; that we will grow in love and toward Allah, like a second honeymoon (well, in my case a first!) But I find that I am hardly with him.

Between every waqt I am rushing to get a place in the Masjid. The women’s section is far too small to accommodate all the women who frequent the masjid during the haj period. We have about 3 sections/doors earmarked for women, the rest are for men. Most of the time we sit outside on the mataaf (area just outside of the masjid).

Sometimes I get angry...Why can’t they open up another section for us? The men can leave their rooms while the athan is going and still get a place inside the masjid while we women have to leave an hour before the waqt or we will be outside. Then I remember that I am not in South Africa, particularly in Cape Town. We Cape Town women are spoilt when it comes to the masjid - we have our own places for worship, proper wudu facilities, places for studying and learning and places for halaqah and ‘itikaaf, alhamdullilah.

I suppose I just have to get acclimatised to the way of life here. I love Medinah, and would love to come to study and live here one day, insha Allah. The deen is so pure and pristine here - there is no difference of opinion, no bi’dah, no following of sheikhs and people, just the sunnah, in its perfect form.

Beautiful Hadith on Hajj

2011-10-19T12:41:00.000+02:00

Beautiful Hadith on Hajj

Ibn 'Umar - Radiyallahu 'anhuma is reported to have said, "I was sitting with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in a mosque in Mina when a man from the Ansar and a man from the Thaqeef came and greeted the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, we have come to ask you a few questions."

So the Messenger said: "If you want I can inform you why you came and what you want to ask, and I will do so, and if you want I will hold back and you can ask me and I will answer you."

They said: "Tell us O Messenger of Allah!"

The Messenger of Allah said: "You have come to me, to ask about the rewards of leaving your house and aiming for the Bait-ul-Haram for the spiritual journey of Hajj and the rewards for praying two Raka'ahs after Tawaf; rewards for going between as-Safa and Marwa; rewards for spending the evening in Mina, and stoning the Jamarah and the rewards for slaughtering an animal and the rewards for performing Tawaf al-Ifadah."

The man said: "I swear by the One who sent you with the truth! This is what I came to ask you about."

The Prophet said: "For leaving your homes aiming for the Bait-ul-Haram, Allah writes for you a reward and wipes off one of your sins.

As for the rewards for performing two Raka'ahs after Tawaf, then it is equivalent to freeing a slave from the children of Ismaeel.

For circuiting of as-Safa and al-Marwa, the rewards are the same as freeing 70 slaves.

As for your staying till the evening in Arafah, Allah descends to the sky of the earth and He boasts about you to the Angels, and says: "My slaves have come to Me, hoping for My mercy, so if your sins were equivalent to the amount of sand or the drops of rain or like the foam of the sea, I will forgive them. So go forth My slaves! Having forgiveness and for what or who you have interceded for."

As for stoning the Jamaarah (the pillars), then for every stone that you throw, it removes a big sin from among the deadly sins.

For slaughtering an animal, the reward will be given by your Lord.

As for shaving your head, there is a reward for every strand of hair that you shaved, and a sin is wiped off by it.

As for you performing Tawaf of the House after all these rituals of Hajj, by the time you are performing Tawaf, no sin will be upon you and an Angel comes and places his hand between your shoulders saying: "Perform good deeds in what you face of the future for verily your past sins have been forgiven."

(Reported by at-Tabarani in his book "al-Kabeer" and by al-Bazaar. Shaykh Al-Albaanee graded it Hassan. Taken from 'Saheeh al-Targheeb wa Tarheeb'. Volume 2, Page 9-10, Hadith number 1112).

---

'Do not look at how small the sin is but instead look at how great is the One that you have disobeyed.'

"I have often regretted my speech - never my silence"

Hajj Operators - The Saga Continues

2011-10-17T10:51:00.002+02:00

What is this world coming to …………

11 Hajj tour operators probed in scam

Moegsien Bucks - The Cape imam allegedly at the centre of the Hajj visa scandal. The Daily Voice can reveal that Imam Yusuf Pandy and 11 Hajj tour operators are now being investigated in connection with the scam. Up to 1 000 Cape Muslims have lost around R33 million in the Mecca rip-off.

Imam Pandy – from Al Anwar operators – flew to Mecca on Thursday, leaving behind a trail of angry pilgrims and unanswered questions. It is alleged Al Anwar wrongfully obtained visas from a neighbouring state and sold them off at R3 000 each to unsuspecting South African pilgrims.

These hujjaaj also forked out an average of R30 000 on packages to visit the holy city. The Daily Voice managed to track down Imam Pandy before he boarded his Saudi-bound plane. “People are spreading a lot of lies about me and I’m going to sue them. I’m a spiritual leader and not a director,” he claims. “Go speak to Al Anwar.”

Despite this, the imam earlier publicly apologised on local radio for his role in the scandal. Several Cape Muslims Thursday night claimed they were robbed of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Mecca as a result of Al Anwar’s “bad dealings”. Another Cape Flats tour operator – Faizal Moos from Al-Sabireen – has also been implicated in the Hajj scam. He refused to respond to queries from this newspaper on Thursday night. “I will call you at the time when I’m ready to speak to the media,” he told the Daily Voice. Moos admitted earlier this week that he tried to obtain 500 visas via a contact in Saudi Arabia’s Hajj Ministry, but claimed these were blocked at the last minute.

The scandal has caused widespread dismay among the Cape’s massive Muslim community. The Daily Voice has also learned no fewer than 11 operators have been linked to the scandal. All of these are accredited operators from the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc). Sahuc spokesman Shaheen Essop Thursday night refused to give any details about their probe into the matter. “We are investigating a number of operators, but we cannot identify them at this stage. These operators have violated Sahuc’s code of conduct,” says Essop. “I’m busy consulting with our legal team to prepare for an internal hearing.” Essop said Sahuc, the Saudi embassy in Pretoria and the Hajj Ministry are all working together on the investigation.

“We need to determine the extent of the scam and the damage it caused,” he says. “It is too early to make any speculation. But if the investigation reveals that a member of the Hajj Ministry in the Kingdom is involved, it could have widespread implications.”

However, Imraahn Mukaddam – the spokesperson of the newly-formed group, Friends of the Hujjaj (FotH), last night called for Sahuc to be scrapped. He confirmed FotH has evidence that reveals 11 operators accredited by Sahuc are part of the visa scam. Muslim groups on Thursday night called on the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) to intervene and take control of the entire Hajj industry. However, repeated calls to MJC president, Moulana Igsaan Hendricks, went unanswered on Thursday night. No one at the MJC has been prepared to go on record since news of the scandal first broke in the Daily Voice earlier this week.

* If you have been a victim, call FotH on 086 111 5008 or email info@hajjwatch.org.za or SMS the Daily Voice on 32832.

Muslims lose a fortune in Hajj scam

2011-10-13T14:00:00.002+02:00

Muslims lose a fortune in Hajj scam

Up to 1 000 Cape Muslims have lost around R33 million in a Hajj visa scam.

The full extent of the scandal is unmasked in a Daily Voice investigation into the Mecca rip-off.

A senior local imam is under investigation for his role in the scandal and a Flats tour operator – Faizal Moos from Al-Sabireen – has been implicated.

The scandal has devastated hundreds of Muslim families.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and each year millions of Muslims around the world undertake the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca, many spending their life’s savings to fulfil their duty to Allah.

In the scam, each individual paid an exorbitant R3 000 to tour operators for ill-sourced visas. But before they could qualify for the visas, they had to fork out between R25 000 and R40 000 on Hajj packages.

This means each of the 1 000 or so pilgrims caught in the scandal lost an average of R33 000 to cover the cost of the failed trip to Mecca.

Now the victims have vowed to bring the unscrupulous Hajj operators to justice.

They have formed The Friends of the Hajj (FotH) to pursue a class action against those responsible.

More than 100 angry victims gathered at a heated meeting on Tuesday night in Silvertown to discuss their options.

The group is led by Imraahn Mukaddam – the shopkeeper who took on the bread giants in a price-fixing scandal.

He told the Daily Voice the scam operators must be held liable.

“Those responsible for throwing the Hajj industry into turmoil, misrepresenting Muslims and robbing them of their holy journey must be held accountable,” he says.

And he urged all of those who have lost money in the scandal not to be afraid to tackle the Hajj operators in court.

“Please people, this is a very sensitive case. Don’t turn your back on us when you are called to testify,” Mukaddam says.

“This whole scandal is unacceptable and despicable.

“If irregularities are uncovered, those responsible must be charged criminally. We will also ask the Competition Commission to investigate any price-fixing in the Hajj industry.”

Notably absent from Tuesday night’s meeting were the implicated Imam, Moos, the Muslim Judicial Council and the SA Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc).

Moos admitted this week to the Daily Voice that he had dealings with a source in Saudi Arabia who had arranged Hajj visas. But the deal flopped and the visas Moos applied for were blocked.

Pilgrims who paid their packages are now demanding Moos refund their money.

“I’ll pay back every cent to Hujjaj,” Moos vowed.

Sahuc, who administer and keep a watchful eye over the whole visa process with the Saudi embassy in Pretoria, say they are investigating.

“The cases are sub judice and we cannot give comment at this stage,” Sahuc secretary general Shaheen Essop tells the Daily Voice.

Every year the Saudi embassy allocates 3 000 Hajj visas free of charge to South African Muslims. But this year, more applications kept flowing in – even after this number of visas had been allocated.

Irregularities soon became clear and the embassy placed a moratorium on the issuing of visas.

Initial investigations revealed two Cape Town operators bypassed Sahuc and the embassy to obtain Hajj visas.

One operator allegedly got hold of foreign Hajj visas and sold them at R3 000 each to unsuspecting pilgrims.

The Daily Voice has learned a second Cape Town operator had direct dealings with a source in Saudi Arabia.

Now Sahuc, along with the Saudi Embassy and authorities, are trying to get their hands on the Saudi Ministry source.

The Sahuc also came under fire at Tuesday’s meeting.

The Daily Voice has learned Sahuc do not have permission from the SA government to negotiate on behalf of South African Muslims with the Saudi Hajj Ministry.

“FotH will ask the South African government to suspend the recognition of Sahuc and that a transparent body for the entire Southern Africa be established,” Riyaad Bosch from Hajj Watch told pilgrims at the meeting.

“The Public Protector informed us that the protocol document that Sahuc is waving about [stating] they have the right to negotiate on behalf of Muslims with Saudi Arabia, is not a legitimate document.”

At this stage there is no police investigation into the matter.

* If you’ve been a victim, call FotH on 086 1115008 or email info@hajjwatch.org.za

Or SMS the Daily Voice on 32832.

* This article was published on p4 of the Daily Voice

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/hajj-public-protector-called-in-1.1156561

Lesson to be taught

2011-10-13T10:04:00.000+02:00

Protect your kids , friends & family from ..... Ouija

2011-10-12T11:15:00.004+02:00

Playtime for Kids and It's Called Divination

I was planning to write about a current event issue when this story hit my in-box. I am no longer shocked by issues like what I am about to report. Our kids and teens have been seduced for decades. Harry Potter hasn't helped nor has Twilight. Both kids and adults have been introduced to the paranormal in dozens of TV programs and movies. So much so, in fact, that the paranormal is the new normal. This Ouija board was mentioned in the movie Paranormal Activities, it created a lot of havoc for people using this board game.

So now ToysRus in the USA has a cute little pink Ouija board and one that glows in the dark, both marketed for children. They advertise that kids as young as 8 need to have these new sorcery objects! (Well, they don't call them "sorcery objects") I know it is billed as a "toy" but I have enough personal experience that I can tell you it is blatant divination.

ToysRus children's Ouija board

Entire civilizations have been wiped out because of sorcery. Those perpetrating this are aiming at younger kids every day. Serious reproach against witchcraft and divination should be given.

Are parents going to say that this new kids' Ouija board is "just a game," just like they say Harry Potter and Twilight are "just fiction" and can't hurt anyone? You can bet some will!

Jane’s* personal ordeal with a Ouija board.

I was 23 years old. (I know that was back in the Bronze Age, but divination hasn't changed.) I was addicted to a Ouija board. I had people driving 100 miles to put their hands on the glass object, ask the board questions, and have it spell out answers. I was so good at it that the glass object could move with no hands on it.

It made predictions and many of them came true. It instilled power in me that was stunning. The glass object that spelled out words would often spin around the board in a frenzy, and it was always talking about dark, evil things. All predictions were negative. It scared many participants. It has supernatural power, but since it is of the devil, not all predictions came true because the devil does not know the future.

When I asked the board where it got its power, it spelled S-A-T-A-N.

One evening I put the board away and felt a presence in my apartment. I did not want to open my eyes because I knew I would see a demon. If you think I am doing this for sensationalism, I can tell you that it has not been easy reliving my experience. I do it only to spare some of you from my mistakes.

I had roots in a solid church in my teenage years and I sensed I had crossed a line. I seriously repented, took the board and glass object out to a bonfire and forever said good-bye to its evil. That was in accordance with Acts 19 which says that those who practiced magic gathered up their instruments and burned them.

Sadly, I had obtained almost a lust for the paranormal from the Ouija board and that is why most participants then move to deeper and darker occultic practices. The Ouija board is stepping stone number one.

But isn't this just a game like Monopoly you ask? Going back to my personal experience -- the glass object was profane, cursed God, and sometimes flew off the board in a rage. Evil spirits were present to be sure. So no, it's not just like Monopoly. This is playing with FIRE.

If anyone you know, child or adult, is playing with this force of evil, warn them. March on over to ToysRus and register a complaint.

There are many Web sites that speak of people getting obsessed/addicted to this so-called game. Others say this was the start of their paranormal journey. Sadly, most toy stores will put profits before protecting children, but speak up nonetheless.

This is just another sign of the times and of the lateness of the hour. In these last days, evil will wax worse and worse. That is why we as believers are called to be salt and light in a dark world. If a person feels they can dabble in darkness and still be "light," they are seriously deceived.

This game is not yet available in South Africa - best to be aware of these things.

May Allah save us from all sorts of Fitnah, Aameen

Steve Jobs

2011-10-11T10:59:00.000+02:00

Steve Jobs:
A tribute to the cousin I never met
http://gulfnews.com/business/technology/steve-jobs-a-tribute-to-the-cousin-i-never-met-1.887022

Dubai: I woke up yesterday to learn the devastating news of Steve Jobs' death. He was a close cousin of mine, but we had never met or chatted.

Steve was the son of my uncle Abdul Fattah Jandali, who left Homs in Syria and went to the US to study in the early 1950s. Soon, my uncle, born in 1934, grew fond of the American way of life and culture. He decided to live and work in the US after graduating in political science.

Sad news always spreads far and fast. As I was getting ready to come to work, one of my cousins called from Homs to tell me that Steve had passed. But I already knew that. Another cousin from the US had broken the news early in the morning. Reem, my cousin from Homs , told me the Jandali family is shattered. Steve had convinced several family members to go to the US and pursue academics.

And as the news sank in, I remembered how happy I was late last month when my uncle Abdul Fattah called me, remembering my family back in Homs and telling me how proud he was of me as a journalist. He said to me he would come to Dubai in the not too distant future. We chatted about our family roots and his memories of Homs , but we also talked about Steve's health and the future of Apple. It was then that I realised that Steve was not going to live much longer.

My uncle said to me that it was now a matter of time, and pointed to the fact that he already stepped down as the CEO of the company that he established, led and loved for a long time. Yesterday, he said: "I really don't have anything to say, I know [Steve is dead]."

When we were children growing up in Homs , my mother Bushra Jandali Rifa'e, always mentioned a branch of the Al Jandali family who had decided to live in America . I never paid any attention.

Another uncle, Abdul Wahid, who lives in Homs , told me that Abdul Fattah had a baby boy out of wedlock with an American woman, Joanne, and they gave him up for adoption. Abdul Fattah could not return to Syria because of this "scandal". Abdul Fattah married Joanne and they then had a daughter Mona Jandali Simpson, now a famous American novelist.

Abdul Fattah John Jandali belongs to a prominent Sunni family from Homs . The family is a direct descendent of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

Steve was born on February 24, 1955, and was named Abdul Lateef Jandali. Abdul Fattah is now the vice president and general manager at Pinnacle Entertainment, and a former professor of Political Science and Economics.

I reflected on our connection this morning, about the family and about how scattered we all are. But even though some of us have never met, we share a bond, a connection.

That got stronger yesterday. I wished that I had met Steve. I wished I could have said goodbye.

Pilgrims are Guests of Allah, the Almighty

2011-10-06T09:39:00.000+02:00

Pilgrims are Guests of Allah, the Almighty

“And perform properly the Hajj and Umra for Allah” (Surah 2 Verse 196)

It happened during the course of the week in a place called “Blikkies Dorp.” so named because all the homes in the area are constructed of tin and corrugated metal. It was on the eve of the departure for Hajj of an elderly couple who reside in Blikkies Dorp when virtually the entire populace converged on their humble home to bid them Al-Wida. Perhaps they are the first residents of that locality that have been afforded this blessed opportunity. We can but imagine the fervour, excitement and sheer joy that transpired that night.

Hajj still remains the ultimate spiritual journey. Modern travel, state of the art facilities and five star packages have made no impact on the auspiciousness and sacredness of this journey, especially for those who will only have one single opportunity to travel there. This spiritual journey which is undertaken solely and only for the pleasure of Allah must feature as the pinnacle of our spiritual quests. This most definitely underpins the aura and fervour of this magnificent journey.

We can only empathise and feel for the many that are still waiting for their accreditation. The reality is that no civil servant or for that matter diplomat can prevent anyone from going. If the Almighty has invited then rest assured His guests will reach the blessed lands. This agonising waiting period should serve only to increase our desire and enhance our ability to remain steadfast and patient.

It is our du’aa that Allah facilitates and makes easy for those who have made the intention of Hajj. May Allah return them cleansed and elevated and may the Harmain Shareefain remain safe from those that have evil intents. (Aameen)

May teh Almighty grant each of us to visit this Mubarak places, Aameen

Inspiration of the Day

2011-10-05T10:21:00.001+02:00

Self doubt

Even the most successful people in the world are never completely satisfied with themselves. In fact, dissatisfaction can be a powerful driving force, compelling us to greater and greater levels of achievement. The problem comes when self dissatisfaction turns into self doubt. Often, we feel frustrated or disappointed about the past, and we project those feelings into doubt about the future.

The future, however, has not happened yet. And so it makes no sense to be negative about it. The future is full of limitless possibilities. Your own future is largely under your own control. Your future is not determined by your past. It is determined by you, and by the actions you take from this point on.

Use your past disappointments not as an excuse to doubt yourself, but as a guide to improving your future. There is no reason to doubt yourself or your own abilities. In fact, the very impulse to doubt yourself is an indication that you know you can do better. Look past the doubt, past previous shortcomings, and you’ll discover a bright future.

The envious man thinks that if his neighbor breaks a leg, he will be able to walk better himself.- Helmut Schoeck

The Best Advice I Received

2011-10-04T09:36:00.002+02:00