Sayyidina Bilaal RA: Muezzin of the 3 Harams

Sayyidina Bilaal RA: Muezzin of the 3 Harams

In a narration it is mentioned that Bilal (radiallahu anhu) would often give the adhaan and then he would call Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) hadn’t come out so he went to call the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and he saw that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) was becoming conscious and unconscious and Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) said “What grief (Wa Huznaa).” He said, “I wish my mother had never given birth to me that I see this day,” or that he had died before seeing this day. Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) went to give the adhaan and he became unconscious.

When Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) passed away the narration mentions that the blessed body of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) had still not been buried and Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) gave the adhaan and when he reached the words, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, often when he would reach these words Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would come out of the house adjacent to the Masjid, and he looked and there was no Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The narration mentions that Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) began to choke and he began to cry and all those around him began to cry and for the next three days that Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) tried to give the adhaan, every time he would reach the words, bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, he would begin to choke.

He went to Sayyidina Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu), he couldn’t bear to remain in Madina without Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and he asked Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) to allow him to leave. He said he had heard Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) mention the virtue of jihad and he wants to go out and do jihad. Sayyidina Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) said, “No Bilal stay with me, I need you.” Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) responded, “Oh Abu Bakr, if you freed me for yourself then keep me but if you freed me for the sake of Allah then let me go.” Sayyidina Abu Bakr (radiallahu anhu) allowed him to go out on jihad.
One night Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) was sleeping and he had a dream in which he saw Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) saying to him, “Oh Bilal, what is it that you never come to visit us?” Bilal (radiallahu anhu) woke up and travelled to Madinah at a hurried pace and when he reached Madinah he lay on the blessed grave of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) remembering his habib (love). Sayyidina Hassan and Husain (radiallahu anhum) came and they saw him and they asked him to give the adhaan. This was a request from the grandchildren of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) got up and he gave the adhaan and when he recited the Takbeer (Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar), the narration mentions that Madina erupted. It erupted because it brought back the memory of the time of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The men and women came out of their houses and were emotional.

Bilal (radiallahu anhu) tried to remain in Madinah but he found it difficult because everywhere that he would look reminded him of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and he couldn’t bear to remain in Madinah so he left. Then came the conquest of Masjid al Aqsa and the patriarch said that he would only give the key to Sayyidina Umar ibn al Khattab (radiallahu anhu) and Sayyidina Umar (radiallahu anhu) travelled from Madinah to Masjid al Aqsa and the Sahaabah (radiallahu anhum) who were there went up to Sayyidina Umar (radiallahu anhu) and they asked him to request Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) to give the adhaan and he did.
The narration mentions that when Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) reached the words, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, the beards of those Sahaabah who embraced Islam which were black and had now turned grey, became drenched with tears. There was not a Sahaabah whose beard was not drenched. They had to console Sayyidina Umar ibn al Khattab (radiallahu anhu) because it reminded him of being in the company of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). This was the amazing virtue of Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) for he gave the adhaan in the Haram in the Makkatul Mukarramah, in the Masjid of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and also in Masjid al Aqsa. All three of the most blessed places.

On the twentieth year after Hijrah Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) passed away. He was in Damascus at the time and the narration says that as he was passing away his wife said, “What grief (Wa Huznaa),” and Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) said, “No, say Wa Furhaa (what happiness). Tomorrow I will meet Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the companions.” Can you imagine the level of Imaan that you’re dying, you’re leaving this dunya, and you’re happy to leave this world (dunya) because you want to meet the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that this world (dunya) is a prison for the Believer (Mu’min) and a Jannah for the disbeliever (kaafir). The Ulama say one of the reasons it is a prison for the believer is because it stops the believer from meeting Allah SWT and His Rasool (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and it is a heaven for the disbeliever because this is all that they have.

Can you imagine the state that you are dying but you are happy to die because you want to meet Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Sayyidina Bilal (radiallahu anhu) passed away in 20AH. He is buried in Damascus, Makrab Bab as Sagheer. This was a man who may be buried in Damascus but he is destined for Jannah. Allah SWT and His Rasool (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) gave testimony and there were many other testimonies. In one narration Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is recorded to have said, “Jannah longs for Bilal. We long for Jannah and Jannah longs for Bilal.”

Loving Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the companions (radiallahu anhum) is part of the belief of a Mu’min. Our capacity to love is endless. We can love many people and even things. Love is something we can give to new people without losing love that we have given to others. But the most important love a Mu’min can have is love for Allah SWT and Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

The destruction of religious sites in Arabia

Islamic perspectives and possible actions

The Makkah Clock Royal Tower - Second Tallest Building in the World

Compiled by adamslist and edited by Dr Irfan al Alawi of the Islamic Heritage Foundation

The city of Istanbul is among the worlds most popular destinations among Muslims, largely because of the legacy of the Ottoman period and the numerous mosques and other monuments that survive there, through which Muslims can relate to a golden period of Islamic culture. Other popular destinations include Andalucia in southern Spain, where reminders of Muslim rule survive even though it is nearly 500 years since Muslims were forced from the region and cities such as Cairo, Damascus, and Baghdad.

But in all the history of Islam, the period and personages to whom Muslims owe the greatest debt and for whom we have the greatest respect are undoubtedly those of the time of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) and the places where he and his Family and Companions lived and worked. Yet those, far from being preserved as an invaluable and irreplaceable cultural resource for Muslims now and in the future, are actually being systematically destroyed by the rulers of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia who claim to be Guardians of the Holy Places.

Historical sites already destroyed

These are the sites already destroyed by the Saudis:

1. Jannatul Baqi graveyard in the holy city of Medina: Among the graves and mausoleums which were razed to the ground were those of several of the Prophets (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) wives, his infant son Ibrahim, his daughter Ruqayyah, his grandson Imam Hasan ibn Ali, and his descendants Ali ibn Husain, known as Zain al-Abedin, Muhammad al-Baqir and Jafar al-Sadiq. So too were the graves of numerous companions, including Uthman ibn Affan, the third Khalifah. Today, Jannatul Baqi is no more than an empty space, the significance of which is not even evident to many who visit Madinah.

2. Mosques: The mosque of Fatima Zahra, the Mosque of al-Manaratain; four mosques at the site of the Battle of the Trench in Madinah and the Salman al-Farsi Mosque in Madinah. The kings palace stands on the bones of the Abu-Qubays Masjid.

3. The historical cemetery in Makkah Jannat al-Muallah where rests Khadija, the wife of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family), the grave of Aminah bint Wahb, the Prophets (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) mother, bulldozed and set alight in 1998 with gasoline; the graves of Banu Hashim in Makkah and the tombs of Hamzah and other martyrs were demolished at Uhud.

4. The houses where Muhammad (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) is believed to have been born in 570ce, was demolished to make way for the library. The house of Khadijah, the Prophets (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) first wife, and where several of his children were born is now a public lavatory, and the house in Madinah where he lived after the hijrah, have also been destroyed, as has Dar al Arqam, the first meeting place of the pioneering Muslims and the first Islamic school where the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) taught now hosts the escalators of al Haram Mosque. Abu Bakr As-Siddiqs house which was also demolished is now the Makkah Hilton Hotel.

5. To build the skyscraper city, the authorities dynamited an entire mountain and the Ottoman era Ajyad Fortress that lay on top of it.

Mimar Sinan, the famous Turkish architect who renovated the Haram in the 16th century, was so in awe that he refused to build anything higher than the Kabah. Yet today Saudi developers boast about a multi-million dollar clock, a monstrous wart looming 1,000 metres over the Haram. It seriously begs the question: wheres the spiritual respect, the old-fashioned adhab (respect) towards the sacred environment?

Indeed, the developers have kept quiet for years about the ecological havoc theyve wreaked in the Holy Cities. Sewage now flows into Makkahs oldest cemetery, the Jannat ul-Maala, where Khadijah, the wife of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family), lies buried.

Destruction of the geography of the Seerah

Besides the structures materializing memories of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) and his Companions, the historical sites of the Sirah have been wiped away. The routes followed by the Muslims to the battlegrounds of Badr and Uhud have also been cleared.

How many pilgrims visiting Makkah nowadays know that developers, deaf to the ears of experts, damaged the well of Zamzam when rock-blasting? The BBC conducted chemical tests on Zamzam last year and discovered that it now contains traces of arsenic.

Historical sites that are under threat

Bayt al-Mawlid

When the Wahabis took Makkah in the 1920s they destroyed the dome on top of the house where the Prophet Mohammed (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) was born. It was then used as a cattle market before being turned into a library after a campaign by Makkan's. There are concerns that the expansion of the Grand Mosque will destroy it once more. The site has never been excavated by archaeologists.

Ottoman and Abasi columns of the Grand Mosque

Slated for demolition as part of the Grand Mosque expansion, these intricately carved columns date back to the 17th century and are the oldest surviving sections of Islam's holiest site. Much to the chagrin of Wahhabis, they are inscribed with the names of the Prophet's companions. Ottoman Makkah is now rapidly disappearing.

Al-Masjid al-Nabawi - The mosque of the Prophet (pbuh)

For many years, hard line Wahhabi clerics have had their sights set on the 15th century green dome that rests above the tomb holding the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family), Abu Bakr and Umar in Medina. The mosque is regarded as the second holiest site in Islam. Wahhabis, however, believe marked graves are idolatrous. A pamphlet published in 2007 by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, endorsed by Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, stated that "the green dome shall be demolished and the three graves flattened in the Prophet's Masjid". The destruction of the Prophets (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) grave is something beyond the imagination of most Muslims, yet it must be regarded as a very real possibility under the current rulers of the Hijaz. The removal of the iconic Green Dome from over the graves is a preliminary step to this plan.

Jabal al-Nour

A mountain outside Makkah where Mohammed (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) received his first Quranic revelations. The Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) used to spend long periods of time in a cave called Hira. The cave is particularly popular among South Asian pilgrims who have carved steps up to its entrance and adorned the walls with graffiti. Religious hardliners are keen to dissuade pilgrims from congregating there and have mooted the idea of removing the steps and even destroying the mountain altogether. Visiting the mountain, one can find a signpost with a fatwa, The Prophet Muhammed (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) did not permit us to climb on to this hill, not to pray here, not to touch stones, and tie knots on trees

In short, keep away dont get too close to site of the first Quranic revelation, the place that first witnessed the communication between God and the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) that was to alter the geography of the world.

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Islamic Perspectives

Imam Muhammad al Asi (Washington, USA)

Glossary:

Bidat: A negative modification; this term in Islamic jurisprudence refers to additions or subtractions from the Prophets (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) lifestyle pattern

Haram: The sacred Mosque in Makkah, within which is the Kabah

Aqeedah: The belief system that is based upon a firm conviction in all the fundamentals of faith and of the Oneness of God

Tarbiyah: It means "to cause something to develop from stage to stage until reaching its completion (full potentiall)

Salafi: Someone who died within the first four hundred years after the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family). The Salafi movement advocates a return to a shari'a-minded orthodoxy that would purify Islam from unwarranted accretions, the criteria for judging which would be the Qur'an and hadith

Ayat: A verse of the Holy Quran

Munafiq: A dual loyalist; Muslims who outwardly perform the rituals of Islam but when they are required to honour this Islam with struggle and sacrifice they show inclination towards the anti-Islamic camps, states or powers around

Sahabah: A companion of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family)

Shuhadah: A martyr

Jahili: Term used to describe the era that preceded the revelation of the Qur'an, a period of ignorance

Hadith: A verbal or practical precedent of the Prophet Muhammad (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family); whatever the Prophet said, did or decided

Suffice it to say that the Saudi regime has been implementing policies internally and externally that are toxic and detrimental to Islam. Their whole rationalization of destroying or "levelling" Islamic historical sites is their obsession with bid'at. So they explain their destruction of particular grave-sites (adrihah) as a means to prohibit Muslims from worshiping such grave-sites or offering prayers at such places. One of their "scholars" wrote his Ph.D. thesis arguing for the demolition or even the elimination of the Prophet's (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) grave in al-Masjid al-Nabawi as it has become a meeting place for bid'at promoters! With this bid'at phobia they try to justify much of what they do.

Therefore, if you ask them why are you building a clock-tower just adjacent to the Ka''ba, or why are you constructing high-rises next to the Haram , or why have you embarked on a grand construction project that will have a metropolis around the Holy Precinct of the Ka'bah which will make the Ka'bah diminish into insignificance, they will either not answer these questions or they will pepper their response with their defence of bid'at as this is their 'aqeedah and tarbiyah, and whatever else they have in their 'salafi' vocabulary. No ayats, no hadiths.

They are undoing a history that should be cherished and celebrated by all Muslims. If we were to enlist in their "modernistic" drive to change and virtually mutilate the environment of Makkah we would be accomplices to a crime against the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family), his intimate circle and followers. If bid'ah is what they are afraid of, then combat bid'ah at its source: ignorance and calcified traditions. This bid'at that they talk and write about is in the hearts and minds of some individuals not in the grave-sites of Sufis, or in the house of Khadijah the Prophet's wife, or in the cemetery of Al-Baqi' where the famous companions of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) are buried, or in other similar places.

Remember, the Saudi Americanized family is doing everything it pleases in Makkah and al- Al Madinah Al Munawwarah without consulting with the rest of the Muslim world. They behave as if Makkah and Al- Al Madinah Al Munawwarah is their personal property. No Muslim dare call them munafiqs.

UNESCO has designated jahili sites in Makkah as historical and off bounds to Saudi bulldozers. But when it comes to Islamic sites then the Saudis have the green light to bulldoze the homes of the sahaaba and the landmarks of our precious history defended by the blood of the shuhada in that first and second generation of Muslims.

The love of Allah's Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) is enshrined in ayahs in the Quran and hadiths of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family). Therefore if you have a choice between preserving anything belonging to the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) out of love for him or pulverizing everything belonging to him out of fear of a "bid'at" you would certainly opt for the former, if you are a truly committed Muslim, something that the Saudi royals are proving with their policies and politics not to be.

Hassan Ghani (Press TV, London)

Some religious leaders say destruction of the most precious sites in Islam for fear of idolatry is like killing a child for fear that he may grow up to be less than pious. In effect, they say, behind the obsessive fear of idolatry lies a complete lack of understanding and total fanaticism of radical Islam, unable even to appreciate its own past.

It should also be noted that the Muslims attachment to these places stems from the realisation that some of these places are the sites where Quranic revelation took place. For example the house of Sayiddinah Khadija, the wife of the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family) is the site where the Angel Gabriel visited for the purpose of revealing verses of the Quran to the Prophet (may blessings and peace be upon him and on his family). (Ed)

The preservation of heritage sites connected with the ruling Saudi family

It is difficult to explain this behaviour, especially as the Saudis are clearly not oblivious to the importance of historical monuments and heritage. A few years ago, the Saudi General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities announced plans to restore 200 historical sites around the country, include the pre-Islamic site of Madian Saleh and numerous palaces and other buildings in Diriyyah associated with the Saudi family, and old houses in the old area of Jeddah. The suggestion that these have greater value than Islamic sites is deeply offensive to Muslims everywhere. Of the three sites the Saudis have allowed the UN to designate World Heritage Sites, none are related to Islam.

Muslim response

There are many reasons why this issue does not get the attention that it deserves. One is undoubtedly the Saudis patronage of many Islamic organizations around the world in recent decades. Another may be that there are so many other issues confronting Muslims, not the least of which are the genocides of Muslim populations and the oppression of Islamic activism in almost every Muslim country, compared to which the destruction of a building may arguably appear of lesser importance. Nonetheless, it is important that every effort be made to prevent the Saudis from destroying what little remains of the heritage of Islam, for it is largely through such monuments that peoples historical memories are stimulated and sustained, and the destruction of these memories will have profound implications for future generations understanding and knowledge of Islam itself.

Possible actions by Muslims globally

1. Muslims and Muslim organization should lobby U.N.E.S.C.O by writing letters to them to protect the religious sites in Makkah and Medina. It is sad that Muslims have to turn to a body like UNESCO to prevent a Muslim government from desecrating these sites.

2. Presenting letters of objection to Saudi embassies on a global scale.

3. Engage and exert pressure on Saudi delegations and religious scholars on this issue when they visit our mosques. The issue of certain Muslim activists not being granted visas to perform the pilgrimages to Makkah and the reports of human rights abuses in Arabia are also important issues that should be raised.

4. Networking with NGO's in Muslim countries and Muslim minorities in the UK, USA, etc so that these NGOs can exert pressure on the Saudis.

5. Refrain from accepting Saudi funding for religious or any other projects. The acceptance of Saudi funds will ultimately have the effect of impairing ones independence and sense of justice.

6. Lobby the Arab League, OIC, GCC and Muslim majority governments to engage the Saudis on this issue.

Concluding remarks

The house of Saud enjoys the dubious distinction of being one of the only regimes in history to have overseen its own cultural genocide, and to have consciously obliterated its sacred spaces in the name of a religious demagogue, ibn Abd ul-Wahhab.

Globally, communities and religious groups are going to great lengths to preserve their religious and cultural heritage. Sadly the Muslim community is the only community, barring the efforts of a handful of sincere individuals, remains passive whilst its heritage is being destroyed by a small deviant sect within the Ummah (the global Muslim community).

This article was compiled by adamlist from the sources below and edited by Dr Irfan al Alawi of the Islamic Heritage Foundation.

Further information available on the heritage via the link below:

www.islamic-heritage.org

Email: info@islamic-heritage.org

Sources:

1. The Saudi record of violence against the historical heritage of Islam by Iqbal Siddique, Crescent International

2. Mecca for the rich: Islam's holiest site 'turning into Vegas', Jerome Taylor, The Independent UK, 24 September 2011

3. Saudi Arabias war of steel and concrete on Islam by Zainab Cheema , Crescent International, November 2010

4. Saudi destruction of Islamic sites raises concern by Hassan Ghani, Press TV, London, January 2011

5. Hajj crisis: yearning for the traditional values by Shafiq Morton, Surfing behind the wall blogspot, October 18 2011

6. Inputs by Dr Irfan al Alawi ( Executive Director, Islamic Heritage Foundation), Imam Muhammad al Asi, Washington USA and Professor Sulayman Dangor (South Africa)

Jummah Mubarak

Hajj 1432

Submission - Al Hijjah

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.

Hajj: A Celebration of Peace

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.

Advanced Zamzam Dispensers

Advanced Zamzam dispensers to replace orange drums in holy mosques

The new Zamzam dispensers being installed in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah

MAKKAH: Technologically advanced and highly hygienic dispensers and filling machines will be used to distribute Zamzam water to worshippers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah during Ramadan, an official said on Monday.

According to the Umm Al-Qura calendar the month of fasting is to begin on Aug. 1.

“New Zamzam water dispensers with the highest standard of hygiene will be placed at various locations in the two holy mosques. The drums are easily movable for refilling,” Director of Studies and Projects at the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques Abdul Mohsen bin Humaid told Arab News.

The drums could not be opened except by its operators, Humaid said.
As part of the presidency's efforts to guarantee the highest level of hygiene when handling Zamzam water, the authorities will also install smart filling machines shortly, he said. The machines will identify the capacity of containers and fill them without wasting a drop, the official said.

Advanced Zamzam dispensers to replace orange drums in holy mosques

The new Zamzam dispensers being installed in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah