· The Prophet said reciting this Surah carries the reward of reciting a quarter of the Qur’an.
· Reciting it drives away Shaitan and keeps one safe from Shirk.
· It is also among the 5 surahs recommended to recite during a journey, the others being Surah Nasr, Ikhlas, Falaq and Naas.
· Reciting Surah Kafirun and Ikhlas in compulsory prayers is a means for forgiveness of sins for the reciter, his parents and his children. If a person dies after reciting this surah, it is as if he has died a martyr. Recitation of this surah before sleeping keeps one safe the whole night.
Saturday 2 August 2008
Islam to be top UK religion?
by Arif Janmohamed
Muslims are becoming the UK’s biggest practising religious group. Figures show that Islam will have the most active following if current trends continue.
The number of Roman Catholic worshippers at Sunday mass will fall to 679,000 by 2020, while 683,000 Muslims will be praying in mosques on Fridays. The statistics, from Christian Research, also suggested that over the same period, the total number of practising Muslims would overtake Church of England members going to Sunday services.
The projections, based on Government and academic sources, were revealed after teaching leaders said that State Schools should allow children to study the Holy Qur’an and other religious texts as part of the National Curriculum.
Muslims are becoming the UK’s biggest practising religious group. Figures show that Islam will have the most active following if current trends continue.
The number of Roman Catholic worshippers at Sunday mass will fall to 679,000 by 2020, while 683,000 Muslims will be praying in mosques on Fridays. The statistics, from Christian Research, also suggested that over the same period, the total number of practising Muslims would overtake Church of England members going to Sunday services.
The projections, based on Government and academic sources, were revealed after teaching leaders said that State Schools should allow children to study the Holy Qur’an and other religious texts as part of the National Curriculum.
Infallible pieces of advice
Imam Ali’s (as) advice to his sons
"O my son, learn four things and (a further) four things from me. Nothing will harm you if you practise them.
1. That the richest of riches is intelligence;
2. The biggest destitution is foolishness;
3. The wildest wildness is vanity and
4. The best achievement is goodness of moral character.
"O' my son, you should avoid making friends with:
1. a fool because he may intend to benefit you but may harm you
2. a stingy person because he will run away from you when you need him most
3. a sinful person because he will sell you for nothing
4. a liar as he is like a mirage, making you feel far things near & near things far.”
"O my son, learn four things and (a further) four things from me. Nothing will harm you if you practise them.
1. That the richest of riches is intelligence;
2. The biggest destitution is foolishness;
3. The wildest wildness is vanity and
4. The best achievement is goodness of moral character.
"O' my son, you should avoid making friends with:
1. a fool because he may intend to benefit you but may harm you
2. a stingy person because he will run away from you when you need him most
3. a sinful person because he will sell you for nothing
4. a liar as he is like a mirage, making you feel far things near & near things far.”
Islamic Laws: Common mistakes in prayer
RECITATION OF SURAHS
1001. It is Wajib for a man to recite Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah loudly, while offering Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers, and it is Wajib for a man and a woman to recite Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah silently while offering Zuhr and Asr prayers.
1002. As a precaution, men must take care to recite loudly every word of Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah, including their last letters, in the prayers of Fajr, Maghrib and Isha.
1003. A woman can recite Surah al-Hamd and other Surah in Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers loudly or silently. But, if a na-Mahram hears her voice, she should, on the basis of precaution, recite them silently, especially if allowing him to listen is haraam.
1004. If a person intentionally prays loudly where he should pray silently, and vice versa, his prayer is void. But, if, he does so owing to forgetfulness, or not knowing the rule, his prayer is in order. And if he realises that he is doing a mistake while reciting the Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah, it is not necessary to recite again what he has recited not following the rule.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
1469. When a follower makes his niyyat, it is necessary for him to specify the Imam. But, it is not necessary for him to know his name. If he makes niyyat that he is following the Imam of the present congregation, his prayer is in order.
1470. It is necessary for the follower to recite all the things of the prayers himself, except Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah. However, if his first or second Rak'at coincides with third or fourth Rak'at of the Imam, he should recite Surah al-Hamd and Surah.
1475. The follower should not recite Surah al-Hamd and Surah in the first and second Rak'ats of Zuhr and Asr prayers and it is Mustahab that instead of them he should recite Zikr.
1476. The follower should not say Takbiratul ehram before the Imam. As an obligatory precaution, he should not say the takbir until the takbir of the Imam is completed.
1478. If a follower recites other parts of prayers other than Takbiratul ehram before the Imam, there is no objection. But, if he hears them being recited by the Imam, or if he knows when Imam is going to recite them, the recommended precaution is that he should not recite them before the Imam.
1498. It is Makrooh for the follower to recite the Zikr in the prayers in such a way that Imam hears them.
____________
Due to space restrictions, we have only been able to publish a limited number of laws.
We recommend you read the other rulings related to these topics in the book Islamic Laws or at: al-islam.org/laws to prevent confusion and to put the rulings into context.
All these laws correspond to the rulings of Ayatollah Sistani (may Allah protect him).
1001. It is Wajib for a man to recite Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah loudly, while offering Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers, and it is Wajib for a man and a woman to recite Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah silently while offering Zuhr and Asr prayers.
1002. As a precaution, men must take care to recite loudly every word of Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah, including their last letters, in the prayers of Fajr, Maghrib and Isha.
1003. A woman can recite Surah al-Hamd and other Surah in Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers loudly or silently. But, if a na-Mahram hears her voice, she should, on the basis of precaution, recite them silently, especially if allowing him to listen is haraam.
1004. If a person intentionally prays loudly where he should pray silently, and vice versa, his prayer is void. But, if, he does so owing to forgetfulness, or not knowing the rule, his prayer is in order. And if he realises that he is doing a mistake while reciting the Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah, it is not necessary to recite again what he has recited not following the rule.
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
1469. When a follower makes his niyyat, it is necessary for him to specify the Imam. But, it is not necessary for him to know his name. If he makes niyyat that he is following the Imam of the present congregation, his prayer is in order.
1470. It is necessary for the follower to recite all the things of the prayers himself, except Surah al-Hamd and the other Surah. However, if his first or second Rak'at coincides with third or fourth Rak'at of the Imam, he should recite Surah al-Hamd and Surah.
1475. The follower should not recite Surah al-Hamd and Surah in the first and second Rak'ats of Zuhr and Asr prayers and it is Mustahab that instead of them he should recite Zikr.
1476. The follower should not say Takbiratul ehram before the Imam. As an obligatory precaution, he should not say the takbir until the takbir of the Imam is completed.
1478. If a follower recites other parts of prayers other than Takbiratul ehram before the Imam, there is no objection. But, if he hears them being recited by the Imam, or if he knows when Imam is going to recite them, the recommended precaution is that he should not recite them before the Imam.
1498. It is Makrooh for the follower to recite the Zikr in the prayers in such a way that Imam hears them.
____________
Due to space restrictions, we have only been able to publish a limited number of laws.
We recommend you read the other rulings related to these topics in the book Islamic Laws or at: al-islam.org/laws to prevent confusion and to put the rulings into context.
All these laws correspond to the rulings of Ayatollah Sistani (may Allah protect him).
Words of wisdom
by Arif Janmohamed
· The bird of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation.
· Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
· When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.
· Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.
· When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.
· The bird of all companionship, whether in marriage or in friendship, is conversation.
· Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
· When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die the world cries and you rejoice.
· Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are.
· When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.
Najaf flies to new heights
The 9 million pilgrims that visit Najaf, Iraq every year were rejoicing on 20 July following the inauguration by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of Al Hamza Airport, Najaf.
The $250 million airport is expected to increase tourism, a word not usually associated with Iraq, by 10% each year.
Although to be used mainly by pilgrims visiting the shrine of Imam Ali (as), some are serious about the tourism industry. Robert Kelly, an American businessman, is opening a $100 million luxury hotel in Baghdad’s Green Zone.
The developers of Al Hamza Airport, Kuwaiti firm Al-Aqeelah, are also working on thousands of new homes and hotels in Najaf. Their head of marketing and public relations, Nazeh Khajah, silenced critics of the airport by saying “The question shouldn't be why we chose to invest in Najaf. The question should be why don't we choose Najaf? It's one of the most noble places in the world.”
Inshallah, better news is to follow. A similar airport is under construction in the holy city of Karbala, housing the shrines of Imam Husayn (as) and Hazrat Abbas (as).
The $250 million airport is expected to increase tourism, a word not usually associated with Iraq, by 10% each year.
Although to be used mainly by pilgrims visiting the shrine of Imam Ali (as), some are serious about the tourism industry. Robert Kelly, an American businessman, is opening a $100 million luxury hotel in Baghdad’s Green Zone.
The developers of Al Hamza Airport, Kuwaiti firm Al-Aqeelah, are also working on thousands of new homes and hotels in Najaf. Their head of marketing and public relations, Nazeh Khajah, silenced critics of the airport by saying “The question shouldn't be why we chose to invest in Najaf. The question should be why don't we choose Najaf? It's one of the most noble places in the world.”
Inshallah, better news is to follow. A similar airport is under construction in the holy city of Karbala, housing the shrines of Imam Husayn (as) and Hazrat Abbas (as).
Weighing up to obesity
I wish to start by asking you this: if you walk to your high street to find a place to eat, what ‘restaurants’ come to mind? The answer is simple–the likes of McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King and other fast food outlets are dominating the markets not only in the modern world but in third world countries. One may classify this privilege to be able to consume such food as a luxurious commodity but it seems now there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the costs of eating a high fat and cholesterol diet significantly surpluses the benefits.
From an Islamic perspective it is said to avoid exceeding limits. One must therefore consider the notion of a balanced nutritional diet, which encompasses the daily activities of a human and their stage in life. An adolescent will require more food than an elderly person due to their social, physical and biological development. This further provides reason as to why Muslims fast, especially during the month of Ramadan, to establish the respect that needs to be given to food.
A lack of clean and nutritional food can lead to malnutrition and starvation as seen by many third-world countries. Hence, when food is readily available and abundant it is important to ensure that sufficient quality food is consumed as per the body’s requirements.
It doesn’t take a doctor to list all the medical complications that may arise due to the overwhelming consumption of fast-food leading to obesity. The WHO predicts there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world by 2015 and more than 700 million of them will be obese. Fast-food outlets are not the only cause. Other causes include an increase of convenience foods, labour-saving devices, motorised transport and more sedentary occupations. Childhood obesity is another growing concern as not only will it put a burden on the health services but it can provide many ethical dilemmas.
Sure, everywhere you look, the problem of obesity is highlighted. There doesn’t seem to be a ‘cure’ for an ever-increasing technologically advanced world leading to a sedentary lifestyle. One must RESPECT food and only on occasion, when you’ve been ‘a good little boy’, treat yourself with a nice fatty burger.
From an Islamic perspective it is said to avoid exceeding limits. One must therefore consider the notion of a balanced nutritional diet, which encompasses the daily activities of a human and their stage in life. An adolescent will require more food than an elderly person due to their social, physical and biological development. This further provides reason as to why Muslims fast, especially during the month of Ramadan, to establish the respect that needs to be given to food.
A lack of clean and nutritional food can lead to malnutrition and starvation as seen by many third-world countries. Hence, when food is readily available and abundant it is important to ensure that sufficient quality food is consumed as per the body’s requirements.
It doesn’t take a doctor to list all the medical complications that may arise due to the overwhelming consumption of fast-food leading to obesity. The WHO predicts there will be 2.3 billion overweight adults in the world by 2015 and more than 700 million of them will be obese. Fast-food outlets are not the only cause. Other causes include an increase of convenience foods, labour-saving devices, motorised transport and more sedentary occupations. Childhood obesity is another growing concern as not only will it put a burden on the health services but it can provide many ethical dilemmas.
Sure, everywhere you look, the problem of obesity is highlighted. There doesn’t seem to be a ‘cure’ for an ever-increasing technologically advanced world leading to a sedentary lifestyle. One must RESPECT food and only on occasion, when you’ve been ‘a good little boy’, treat yourself with a nice fatty burger.
The Halal Revolution
by Mohsin Asharia
With a new halal Subway store open in Purley Way, we are witnessing a halal revolution from the popular sandwich retailer. Only one year ago, on 27 June 2007, the first halal Subway store in the UK opened in Walthamstow. A search of the website now indicates there are over 50 halal Subways in the UK, and, with aims to double stores in the UK to 2010 outlets by the year 2010, I wouldn’t be surprised if that number has risen further by the time this goes to press.
Of course, for many, Halal Subways are nothing new. Although a novelty in the UK, Subway has had a presence in Tanzania for over eight years. The owner of the four Subway stores in Tanzania, Mahmood Panju, who attends Dar es Salaam Jamaat, spoke to Federation Samachar, the magazine of the Africa Federation, saying that he aims to have ten stores by 2010 Inshallah.
Subway has hit the Middle East by storm too. There are 44 outlets in the UAE, 27 in KSA, 28 in Kuwait, and even 20 in Iraq. Of course, this is a far cry from the 1182 now in the UK, which is further overshadowed by over 20,000 in the US, but the figures demonstrate that Subway is the fastest growing franchise in the world. In fact, a brand new Subway outlet opens every 3 hours 20 mins somewhere across the globe.
So is this “Halal Revolution” reserved to Subway? Perhaps not. Nando’s already have dozens of Halal restaurants in the UK, and McDonalds recently ran a trial in Southall with a halal chicken menu. Halal McDonalds in the West are already present, such as in Melbourne, Australia.
Similarly KFC in Dearborn, Michigan, which has the highest concentration of Arabs outside the Middle East, recently made its stores there halal, and Dearborn’s Walmart went a step further, stocking Muslim greeting cards, employing 35 Arabic speaking staff, and even moving the pork section to a less prominent aisle, as well as providing halal meat.
It is evident the Muslim market has been identified as having potential. It therefore seems like we can look forward to a future of halal delights in the Western World.
With a new halal Subway store open in Purley Way, we are witnessing a halal revolution from the popular sandwich retailer. Only one year ago, on 27 June 2007, the first halal Subway store in the UK opened in Walthamstow. A search of the website now indicates there are over 50 halal Subways in the UK, and, with aims to double stores in the UK to 2010 outlets by the year 2010, I wouldn’t be surprised if that number has risen further by the time this goes to press.
Of course, for many, Halal Subways are nothing new. Although a novelty in the UK, Subway has had a presence in Tanzania for over eight years. The owner of the four Subway stores in Tanzania, Mahmood Panju, who attends Dar es Salaam Jamaat, spoke to Federation Samachar, the magazine of the Africa Federation, saying that he aims to have ten stores by 2010 Inshallah.
Subway has hit the Middle East by storm too. There are 44 outlets in the UAE, 27 in KSA, 28 in Kuwait, and even 20 in Iraq. Of course, this is a far cry from the 1182 now in the UK, which is further overshadowed by over 20,000 in the US, but the figures demonstrate that Subway is the fastest growing franchise in the world. In fact, a brand new Subway outlet opens every 3 hours 20 mins somewhere across the globe.
So is this “Halal Revolution” reserved to Subway? Perhaps not. Nando’s already have dozens of Halal restaurants in the UK, and McDonalds recently ran a trial in Southall with a halal chicken menu. Halal McDonalds in the West are already present, such as in Melbourne, Australia.
Similarly KFC in Dearborn, Michigan, which has the highest concentration of Arabs outside the Middle East, recently made its stores there halal, and Dearborn’s Walmart went a step further, stocking Muslim greeting cards, employing 35 Arabic speaking staff, and even moving the pork section to a less prominent aisle, as well as providing halal meat.
It is evident the Muslim market has been identified as having potential. It therefore seems like we can look forward to a future of halal delights in the Western World.
The Perfect Life
Below is some heedful advice from our Holy Prophet (saww) to lead a perfect life on being questioned upon by a traveller.
Traveller: I do not want punishment to be written in my account
Prophet: Behave well with your parents
Traveller: I want to be known amongst people as intelligent
Prophet: Fear Allah always
Traveller: I want to be counted amongst Allah's favorites
Prophet: Recite Quran every morning and evening
Traveller: I want my heart to always be enlightened (roshan & munawer)
Prophet: Never forget death
Traveller: I never want to be harmed by my enemies
Prophet: Always have faith in only Allah
Traveller: I never want to be humiliated
Prophet: Be careful of your actions
Traveller: I wish to live long
Prophet: Always do sile rahm (goodness towards blood relations)
Traveller: I want my sustenance to increase
Prophet: Always be in wudhoo
Traveller: I wish to stay free of adhaab in the grave
Prophet: Always wear pure (paak) clothes
Traveller: I never want to burn in hell
Prophet: Control your eyes and tongue
Traveller: How do I get my sins forgiven?
Prophet: Always ask forgiveness from Allah with a lot of humility
Traveller: I want people to respect me always
Prophet: Never extend your hands of need at people
Traveller: I want to be honored and never want to be away from Allah's blessing
Prophet: Never humiliate or put down anyone and treat fellow creatures well
Traveller: I don't want to be squeezed by fishare qabr (Squeezing in the grave)
Prophet: Recite Sura Mulk often
Traveller: I want my wealth to increase
Prophet: Recite Sura Waqia every night
Traveller: I want to be safe and at peace on day of judgement
Prophet: Do Dhikr of Allah from dusk to night
Traveller: I want to be in full attention and concentration during Salaat
Prophet: Always do wudhoo with concentration and attention.
Traveller: I do not want punishment to be written in my account
Prophet: Behave well with your parents
Traveller: I want to be known amongst people as intelligent
Prophet: Fear Allah always
Traveller: I want to be counted amongst Allah's favorites
Prophet: Recite Quran every morning and evening
Traveller: I want my heart to always be enlightened (roshan & munawer)
Prophet: Never forget death
Traveller: I never want to be harmed by my enemies
Prophet: Always have faith in only Allah
Traveller: I never want to be humiliated
Prophet: Be careful of your actions
Traveller: I wish to live long
Prophet: Always do sile rahm (goodness towards blood relations)
Traveller: I want my sustenance to increase
Prophet: Always be in wudhoo
Traveller: I wish to stay free of adhaab in the grave
Prophet: Always wear pure (paak) clothes
Traveller: I never want to burn in hell
Prophet: Control your eyes and tongue
Traveller: How do I get my sins forgiven?
Prophet: Always ask forgiveness from Allah with a lot of humility
Traveller: I want people to respect me always
Prophet: Never extend your hands of need at people
Traveller: I want to be honored and never want to be away from Allah's blessing
Prophet: Never humiliate or put down anyone and treat fellow creatures well
Traveller: I don't want to be squeezed by fishare qabr (Squeezing in the grave)
Prophet: Recite Sura Mulk often
Traveller: I want my wealth to increase
Prophet: Recite Sura Waqia every night
Traveller: I want to be safe and at peace on day of judgement
Prophet: Do Dhikr of Allah from dusk to night
Traveller: I want to be in full attention and concentration during Salaat
Prophet: Always do wudhoo with concentration and attention.
O Ali!
by Khadija Sheikh
Oh Ali! One of the fourteen Masumeen,
Oh Ali! One of the fourteen Masumeen,
Being able to meet you is every true Muslim’s dream.
With your amazing character and victorious ways,
'Whoever’s master I am Ali is there too' our prophet says.
Oh Ali, the husband of the Fatima (as), what a high status you’ve been given,
Wanting to be like you is the way our lives are driven.
You’re the father of the youth of Paradise Hassan and Hussein,
The killers of your children were so insane.
Oh Ali! You were born in the way of Qibla, the holy place.
‘Ana wa aliyun min nurin wahid’ said our prophet, sharing his nur on your face
The one that hid in the bed of our beloved Nabi
No-one in the world is like you with such bravery.
No-one will ever smell the fragrance of heaven if for you they have hate.
They should accept the truth before it too late.
Al zulfiqar your sword with a double end
Constantly upon your family we ask Allah for blessing to send
Oh Ali invite us to your shrine and your childrens too!
For we’d do anything to be close to you!
Because we know your message is nothing but true
We pray for the reappearance of imam Mahdi, for now that’s all we can do.
The lion of Allah! La fata illah Ali!
The grandfather of the awaited, imam Mahdi.
Together we pray for the arrival of Al-Mahdi,
To complete the progeny of our beloved Ali.
Send this to ten people else...
by Shahista Asharia
I received a very interesting email yesterday, talking of the importance of the Qur’an. But as I scrolled down, I cringed as I read what was next..
I didn’t mind the sender asking me to forward the email to 10 people. They were just doing Amr bil Maroof, right? But it didn’t end there.
Apparently, Ahmed only sent the email to nine friends. The next day, he lost his job and crashed his Bentley.
Abdullah was slightly more fortunate. Being more popular meant that he had 20 friends that he could educate about Islam! Naturally, a week later he won $10 million in a Las Vegas Casino. In a halal way, of course.
I could go on for years about Ayesha whose computer was infected by a virus, or Badr turning into an ape-like creature for laughing off the threats.
It is easy to ignore these emails, and some of the absurdities even put a smile on one’s face after a long day. But problems begin when we use tacky hoaxes to attempt to propagate Islam.
For example, a video entitled “Mojiza in Karbala” is being circulated, in which it is claimed a group of revellers died while dancing in a party. In fact, the video was of a Jewish wedding in Israel where the floor gave way. No relation to Karbala whatsoever. Maybe they confused it with Kabbalah.
Similarly, a video of a man in a Julus is being brandished as Imam Mahdi (aj), probably due to his resemblance to the imaginary paintings of some Imams.
These hoaxes are trivialising crucial matters and make us a laughing stock. Not only do we not need to resort to such cheap tactics to spread messages like Karbala, where just hearing the story is enough to make one weep, but they also have a negative effect on the youth regarding belief in miracles.
With the term being thrown around like a hot potato, and with many of the “miracles” nothing more than bored, overzealous individuals having a field day with Photoshop or MovieMaker, the true value of a miracle is being lost.
The shame is that many genuine miracles are ignored because of the sheer number of “fakes” circulating around. When anyone has the stomach to doubt a blatantly fabricated “mojiza” people are quick to accuse them of lacking belief.
I am in no way claiming that all the miracles are hoaxes. On the contrary, it is perfectly possible that many of them are manifestations of Allah’s (swt) power over Earth.
What I am saying is that we have a living miracle which we have with us in our own homes, that we can read and implement in our daily lives, and that is the Holy Qur’an. What greater miracle could one ask for?
I received a very interesting email yesterday, talking of the importance of the Qur’an. But as I scrolled down, I cringed as I read what was next..
I didn’t mind the sender asking me to forward the email to 10 people. They were just doing Amr bil Maroof, right? But it didn’t end there.
Apparently, Ahmed only sent the email to nine friends. The next day, he lost his job and crashed his Bentley.
Abdullah was slightly more fortunate. Being more popular meant that he had 20 friends that he could educate about Islam! Naturally, a week later he won $10 million in a Las Vegas Casino. In a halal way, of course.
I could go on for years about Ayesha whose computer was infected by a virus, or Badr turning into an ape-like creature for laughing off the threats.
It is easy to ignore these emails, and some of the absurdities even put a smile on one’s face after a long day. But problems begin when we use tacky hoaxes to attempt to propagate Islam.
For example, a video entitled “Mojiza in Karbala” is being circulated, in which it is claimed a group of revellers died while dancing in a party. In fact, the video was of a Jewish wedding in Israel where the floor gave way. No relation to Karbala whatsoever. Maybe they confused it with Kabbalah.
Similarly, a video of a man in a Julus is being brandished as Imam Mahdi (aj), probably due to his resemblance to the imaginary paintings of some Imams.
These hoaxes are trivialising crucial matters and make us a laughing stock. Not only do we not need to resort to such cheap tactics to spread messages like Karbala, where just hearing the story is enough to make one weep, but they also have a negative effect on the youth regarding belief in miracles.
With the term being thrown around like a hot potato, and with many of the “miracles” nothing more than bored, overzealous individuals having a field day with Photoshop or MovieMaker, the true value of a miracle is being lost.
The shame is that many genuine miracles are ignored because of the sheer number of “fakes” circulating around. When anyone has the stomach to doubt a blatantly fabricated “mojiza” people are quick to accuse them of lacking belief.
I am in no way claiming that all the miracles are hoaxes. On the contrary, it is perfectly possible that many of them are manifestations of Allah’s (swt) power over Earth.
What I am saying is that we have a living miracle which we have with us in our own homes, that we can read and implement in our daily lives, and that is the Holy Qur’an. What greater miracle could one ask for?
313 the movie: a review
The blessed month of Shaban is here and once again we shall witness the blessed night of 15th Shaban. Many of us would spend the night in prayer before our Lord and remembering the Imam of our time [aj]. Many of us would propagate awareness of the Mahdi [aj] to the masses through different resources and means. A group of people chose to propagate the message about the Mahdi [aj] by making a movie called '313'. The number 313 is significant to the return of the Mahdi [aj] as it is the number of commanders of his army as well as his closest companion.
When the trailer was released of the movie there was a huge outcry about the music it had used in the background and whether it was Islamic or not. Many of us took it upon ourselves to label it with the tag of 'Haram' before we even saw the full product. I am not here to discuss whether the music is acceptable or not but to simply give an overview of the movie. Despite the negativity that surrounds it the movie was actually quite good in its script and screening aspect.
The script, I thought, was brilliantly executed into a movie and the characters chosen matched in terms of roles. The storyline of the movie seemed quiet simplistic when watching the trailer however the finished product is far from simplistic. The messages, the small statements and other simple things included actually leave the viewer with a lot to ponder over after watching the movie. In my opinion, the production team deserves great credit for their hard work and given that this was their first time with such a project, it is an achievement in every sense. I am not going to write about the full movie however I will only talk about certain aspects which I found to be really great & the reason why I am doing this is to avoid spoiling it for others who have not seen it.
The idea of a journey undertaken by the youth who is lost to the materialistic aspects of the society and goes on to turn towards the Imam of our time [aj] and to uphold justice in his life by changing his wrongdoings and asking for forgiveness is not easy for everyone. However, what this movie does is give hope to people by an example. In this modern age, the means of conveying a message is not restricted to the pulpit alone. We have to take whatever means there are available and spread the message to the people, however it should be done in the right manner.
What struck me the most in the movie was two things; the way they tackled the questions relating to the Mahdi [aj] in the movie and the way they incorporated the signs before his return in the movie. Both of them are not easy to implement in a movie, they are much easier in a Documentary. The conversations between Sheikh Abbas Virjee who plays the role of Mohsin in the movie and the main character Layth Ali were simply the highlight of the movie. The way he enlightens the youth with the knowledge about the Imam [aj], the understanding the need of reflection and the answers to the complex questions about the Mahdi in a simplistic manner was something which I personally felt made the viewer think more about the Imam of our time [aj].
One of the best scenes for me was in one of the dreams Layth, he sees people praying and the turba turns to gold coins showing how in the time before the zuhoor people would be very much into their wealth rather than their faith. Another such example was when in another dream Layth sees people who come across as pious misusing religion for their desires. The way the director had included these messages into the movie was really great and I think many of these simple messages as a whole made the movie really great. The way of presentation not only opens the eyes of the viewers to reality but it also makes them ponder on whether they are falling in that trap or not.
I am however critical of certain aspects of the movie but overall it was good. What I would advice if the production team were to be start another project is that to work a bit on the camera technique. The changing of the camera angels during the scene was very quick, at times it was instantaneous. Small things like this could have an overall effect on the end product. Another thing I would like to see change in future projects is the aspect of music involved. Regardless of who we are portraying the movie to be for, our style should not mirror that of Hollywood films or otherwise. We should be unique and creative in our approach rather than trying to imitate others.
Lastly the thing which personally made me think was the relationship that I had with my Imam [aj]. In a part of the movie, the Sheikh is giving advice to Layth and he constantly stresses about the relationship of the follower of the Imam with that of the Imam. Further in the movie we do find an example of this when Layth turns to the Imam in his hour of need for help sincerely. This drives home the message for us Shias as to how many of us are sincere in our approach to our Imam [aj]. How many of us can truly say we are upholding the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt [a] in every aspect of our faith?
The movie gives food for thought on many points in it, it is upon us as to how much use we make of it. May Allah hasten the return of the Imam [aj] and may He give us the strength and the patience to endure every tribulation and hardship in the time of occultation and may He raise us to be in the army of Al Mahdi [aj]
_______________________
This post was originally posted by Ya Baqiyatullah. Visit their blog: http://yabaqiyatullah.blogspot.com/
When the trailer was released of the movie there was a huge outcry about the music it had used in the background and whether it was Islamic or not. Many of us took it upon ourselves to label it with the tag of 'Haram' before we even saw the full product. I am not here to discuss whether the music is acceptable or not but to simply give an overview of the movie. Despite the negativity that surrounds it the movie was actually quite good in its script and screening aspect.
The script, I thought, was brilliantly executed into a movie and the characters chosen matched in terms of roles. The storyline of the movie seemed quiet simplistic when watching the trailer however the finished product is far from simplistic. The messages, the small statements and other simple things included actually leave the viewer with a lot to ponder over after watching the movie. In my opinion, the production team deserves great credit for their hard work and given that this was their first time with such a project, it is an achievement in every sense. I am not going to write about the full movie however I will only talk about certain aspects which I found to be really great & the reason why I am doing this is to avoid spoiling it for others who have not seen it.
The idea of a journey undertaken by the youth who is lost to the materialistic aspects of the society and goes on to turn towards the Imam of our time [aj] and to uphold justice in his life by changing his wrongdoings and asking for forgiveness is not easy for everyone. However, what this movie does is give hope to people by an example. In this modern age, the means of conveying a message is not restricted to the pulpit alone. We have to take whatever means there are available and spread the message to the people, however it should be done in the right manner.
What struck me the most in the movie was two things; the way they tackled the questions relating to the Mahdi [aj] in the movie and the way they incorporated the signs before his return in the movie. Both of them are not easy to implement in a movie, they are much easier in a Documentary. The conversations between Sheikh Abbas Virjee who plays the role of Mohsin in the movie and the main character Layth Ali were simply the highlight of the movie. The way he enlightens the youth with the knowledge about the Imam [aj], the understanding the need of reflection and the answers to the complex questions about the Mahdi in a simplistic manner was something which I personally felt made the viewer think more about the Imam of our time [aj].
One of the best scenes for me was in one of the dreams Layth, he sees people praying and the turba turns to gold coins showing how in the time before the zuhoor people would be very much into their wealth rather than their faith. Another such example was when in another dream Layth sees people who come across as pious misusing religion for their desires. The way the director had included these messages into the movie was really great and I think many of these simple messages as a whole made the movie really great. The way of presentation not only opens the eyes of the viewers to reality but it also makes them ponder on whether they are falling in that trap or not.
I am however critical of certain aspects of the movie but overall it was good. What I would advice if the production team were to be start another project is that to work a bit on the camera technique. The changing of the camera angels during the scene was very quick, at times it was instantaneous. Small things like this could have an overall effect on the end product. Another thing I would like to see change in future projects is the aspect of music involved. Regardless of who we are portraying the movie to be for, our style should not mirror that of Hollywood films or otherwise. We should be unique and creative in our approach rather than trying to imitate others.
Lastly the thing which personally made me think was the relationship that I had with my Imam [aj]. In a part of the movie, the Sheikh is giving advice to Layth and he constantly stresses about the relationship of the follower of the Imam with that of the Imam. Further in the movie we do find an example of this when Layth turns to the Imam in his hour of need for help sincerely. This drives home the message for us Shias as to how many of us are sincere in our approach to our Imam [aj]. How many of us can truly say we are upholding the teachings of the Ahlul Bayt [a] in every aspect of our faith?
The movie gives food for thought on many points in it, it is upon us as to how much use we make of it. May Allah hasten the return of the Imam [aj] and may He give us the strength and the patience to endure every tribulation and hardship in the time of occultation and may He raise us to be in the army of Al Mahdi [aj]
_______________________
This post was originally posted by Ya Baqiyatullah. Visit their blog: http://yabaqiyatullah.blogspot.com/
I am the best, better than the rest
by Ali Asger Sheikh
Pride or vanity is one of 33rd of the Greatest Sins as mentioned by Imam Reza (A.S) narrated by Fazl ibn Shaazaan. In both Christianity and Judaism there is significant burden on this sin. In Christianity, it is one of the seven deadly sins as told by Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th Century AD, and in Judaism it is mentioned in the Torah:
“Nor let arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." (I Samuel. 2:3).
From Satan to Firon, both have suffered from this great sin. There are three main types of pride: (1) Pride against Allah, (2) Pride against the Prophets and the Imams, (3) Pride against people.
Pride against Allah is where a person has the feeling of being powerful. They attribute all their achievements to their own capability and are oblivious of the supremacy of Allah. Their pride is expressed in words like “I have done this”, and “I will do that”. This person will refuse to recognize Allah’s supremacy.
The second type is the pride towards anything associated with Allah. For example, the pride
towards Ramadan or a mosque. One should not insult or disregard anything related to the Almighty.
The third type is towards people. To act superiorly and consider others lowly. For example people who are rich may prefer not to stand besides the ordinary people during congregational prayer or even mix with them.
The remedy for pride is that the person should contemplate upon his creation.
"So let man consider of what he is created, he is created of water poring forth" (Surah Tariq 86:5-6)
One should not forget he was born weak and helpless and whatever strength given is by almighty Allah. One should recite the ayat below:
“And your lord says, call upon me, I will answer you, surely those who are too proud for my service shall enter hell abased” (Quran 40:60)
In the above verse Allah has assured whoever seeks his help will receive an immediate response, according to Tafseer Kashaf.
Pride is a major sin and a one-way street to hell so it is important to contemplate upon creation and realize that Allah Almighty has the power and not you, and everything you have achieved is because of Allah’s blessings. So be careful and remember:
“It shall be said: enter the gates of hell to abide therein: so evil is adobe of the proud.” (Quran 39:72)
References :
BOOK: GREATER SINS VOLUME 3
AUTHOR: AYATULLAH ABDUL HUSAIN DASTAGHAIB SHIRAZI
Pride or vanity is one of 33rd of the Greatest Sins as mentioned by Imam Reza (A.S) narrated by Fazl ibn Shaazaan. In both Christianity and Judaism there is significant burden on this sin. In Christianity, it is one of the seven deadly sins as told by Pope Gregory the Great in the 6th Century AD, and in Judaism it is mentioned in the Torah:
“Nor let arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed." (I Samuel. 2:3).
From Satan to Firon, both have suffered from this great sin. There are three main types of pride: (1) Pride against Allah, (2) Pride against the Prophets and the Imams, (3) Pride against people.
Pride against Allah is where a person has the feeling of being powerful. They attribute all their achievements to their own capability and are oblivious of the supremacy of Allah. Their pride is expressed in words like “I have done this”, and “I will do that”. This person will refuse to recognize Allah’s supremacy.
The second type is the pride towards anything associated with Allah. For example, the pride
towards Ramadan or a mosque. One should not insult or disregard anything related to the Almighty.
The third type is towards people. To act superiorly and consider others lowly. For example people who are rich may prefer not to stand besides the ordinary people during congregational prayer or even mix with them.
The remedy for pride is that the person should contemplate upon his creation.
"So let man consider of what he is created, he is created of water poring forth" (Surah Tariq 86:5-6)
One should not forget he was born weak and helpless and whatever strength given is by almighty Allah. One should recite the ayat below:
“And your lord says, call upon me, I will answer you, surely those who are too proud for my service shall enter hell abased” (Quran 40:60)
In the above verse Allah has assured whoever seeks his help will receive an immediate response, according to Tafseer Kashaf.
Pride is a major sin and a one-way street to hell so it is important to contemplate upon creation and realize that Allah Almighty has the power and not you, and everything you have achieved is because of Allah’s blessings. So be careful and remember:
“It shall be said: enter the gates of hell to abide therein: so evil is adobe of the proud.” (Quran 39:72)
References :
BOOK: GREATER SINS VOLUME 3
AUTHOR: AYATULLAH ABDUL HUSAIN DASTAGHAIB SHIRAZI
A lesson from Ismailis?
by Mohsin Asharia
They make up less than a tenth of the Shia population, yet the Aga Khani (Nizari) Ismailis are one of the most influential and successful communities in the world.
Their leader, Karim Aga Khan IV, is a regular feature in the Sunday Times Rich List, however it is the development and forward thinking of the Ismailis that has yielded their success.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is one of the largest of its type in the world, and one learns a great deal when looking at its factions, including health, education, and technology. Nearly all of us have a relative who attended an Aga Khan school or was taken to an Aga Khan hospital back home in Africa. However much one disagrees with Ismaili beliefs or practices, one cannot help but admire their support to people regardless of faith, origin or gender.
But it is not just the AKDN that we can learn a lesson from. The progress of the Ismaili community in setting up institutions and centres is next to none. Recently, the Aga Khan opened a new £11 million Ismaili Centre in Dubai, making it the fourth hub of Ismailism in the world, with centres already present in Lisbon, Vancouver, and London, and more on the way in Toronto and Tajikistan.
With only 8,000 Ismailis in the UAE, most of the services the Ismaili Centre offers will be towards non-Ismailis, such as its 225-child capacity early learning centre, and neighbouring Islamic garden gifted to Dubai locals by the Aga Khan.
Meanwhile the £9.5 million Ismaili Centre in South Kensington is known to house one of the largest collections of Islamic art, and is aptly located in the midst of other museums.
One might view all this “advancement” as nothing except superficial materialism, and I wholly agree that progress should not be judged by how much wealth one has acquired. But one thing is for sure: the Ismaili community certainly has a vision for the future, something which many of our communities seem to be lacking.
They make up less than a tenth of the Shia population, yet the Aga Khani (Nizari) Ismailis are one of the most influential and successful communities in the world.
Their leader, Karim Aga Khan IV, is a regular feature in the Sunday Times Rich List, however it is the development and forward thinking of the Ismailis that has yielded their success.
The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) is one of the largest of its type in the world, and one learns a great deal when looking at its factions, including health, education, and technology. Nearly all of us have a relative who attended an Aga Khan school or was taken to an Aga Khan hospital back home in Africa. However much one disagrees with Ismaili beliefs or practices, one cannot help but admire their support to people regardless of faith, origin or gender.
But it is not just the AKDN that we can learn a lesson from. The progress of the Ismaili community in setting up institutions and centres is next to none. Recently, the Aga Khan opened a new £11 million Ismaili Centre in Dubai, making it the fourth hub of Ismailism in the world, with centres already present in Lisbon, Vancouver, and London, and more on the way in Toronto and Tajikistan.
With only 8,000 Ismailis in the UAE, most of the services the Ismaili Centre offers will be towards non-Ismailis, such as its 225-child capacity early learning centre, and neighbouring Islamic garden gifted to Dubai locals by the Aga Khan.
Meanwhile the £9.5 million Ismaili Centre in South Kensington is known to house one of the largest collections of Islamic art, and is aptly located in the midst of other museums.
One might view all this “advancement” as nothing except superficial materialism, and I wholly agree that progress should not be judged by how much wealth one has acquired. But one thing is for sure: the Ismaili community certainly has a vision for the future, something which many of our communities seem to be lacking.
______________
Photo credit: Ismaili Centre, Dubai: http://ismailimail.wordpress.com/2008/04/09/thousands-of-visitors-tour-ismaili-centre-in-dubai/
Fasting: a survival guide
by Sayyada Asharia
And we’re back to the month of Ramadan…except the fasting gets more difficult this year round. Iftar time is at nearly 8pm for 30 days! So how can we survive not eating nor drinking for this long? Here are a few tips:
1. Wake up for sehri. It’s the last time you can eat before you start your fast, so why not make the most of those last few minutes by eating till you’re full? The atmosphere during sehri is also great and it makes your fast seem so spiritual.
2. Sleep. It kills time, it helps you stay away from temptation and at the same time is an act of worship, as the Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: "The sleep of a fasting person is regarded as an act of ibaadah, his remaining silent is regarded as a tasbeeh, the reward for his good deeds is multiplied, his duas are accepted, and his sins are forgiven."
3. Tell the least number of people that you are fasting. Firstly, because they may think you’re crazy and put you off fasting, and secondly, it can cause the fast to become a law to your heart. When you are tempted to break the fast, you may think, “Dad, Mom, and half the mosque know I’m on a fast. If I quit now, I’ll be humiliated in front of all of them.” Your fast is between you and God. When you are being tempted to break, it is not you whole extended family you need to be concerned with!
4. Read Quran. It was revealed during the month of Ramadan, and that is the main reason why we fast during the month, so why not read the Quran to see the meanings laying underneath it? It also kills a lot of time and helps your fast finish quickly!
5. Stay away from the kitchen! All you’ll be able to smell are samosas being fried so stop getting yourself into needless temptation! Next thing you know, you’ll be stuffing yourself with everything you can eat!
6. Don’t keep checking the time. This just creates more pressure, especially when the fast is just about to finish. Maybe it’s just me, but have you noticed that the last few minutes of your fast, while you’re staring at the clock, go the slowest? So don’t wear a watch while fasting!
7. Keep yourself occupied. Doing other stuff takes your mind off your fast. And sometimes, you’re so preoccupied in keeping yourself occupied, that you forget that you’re fasting altogether!
And we’re back to the month of Ramadan…except the fasting gets more difficult this year round. Iftar time is at nearly 8pm for 30 days! So how can we survive not eating nor drinking for this long? Here are a few tips:
1. Wake up for sehri. It’s the last time you can eat before you start your fast, so why not make the most of those last few minutes by eating till you’re full? The atmosphere during sehri is also great and it makes your fast seem so spiritual.
2. Sleep. It kills time, it helps you stay away from temptation and at the same time is an act of worship, as the Holy Prophet (SAW) has said: "The sleep of a fasting person is regarded as an act of ibaadah, his remaining silent is regarded as a tasbeeh, the reward for his good deeds is multiplied, his duas are accepted, and his sins are forgiven."
3. Tell the least number of people that you are fasting. Firstly, because they may think you’re crazy and put you off fasting, and secondly, it can cause the fast to become a law to your heart. When you are tempted to break the fast, you may think, “Dad, Mom, and half the mosque know I’m on a fast. If I quit now, I’ll be humiliated in front of all of them.” Your fast is between you and God. When you are being tempted to break, it is not you whole extended family you need to be concerned with!
4. Read Quran. It was revealed during the month of Ramadan, and that is the main reason why we fast during the month, so why not read the Quran to see the meanings laying underneath it? It also kills a lot of time and helps your fast finish quickly!
5. Stay away from the kitchen! All you’ll be able to smell are samosas being fried so stop getting yourself into needless temptation! Next thing you know, you’ll be stuffing yourself with everything you can eat!
6. Don’t keep checking the time. This just creates more pressure, especially when the fast is just about to finish. Maybe it’s just me, but have you noticed that the last few minutes of your fast, while you’re staring at the clock, go the slowest? So don’t wear a watch while fasting!
7. Keep yourself occupied. Doing other stuff takes your mind off your fast. And sometimes, you’re so preoccupied in keeping yourself occupied, that you forget that you’re fasting altogether!
Merits of Shab e Barat
The Prophet (saw) has said that during the night of 15th Sha’ban Allah (swt) makes decisions concerning sustenance, life and death and welfare of the people over the next year.
After Laylatul Qadr, the night of 15th Sha’ban, or Shab e Barat, is the most auspicious night
According to Imams Muhammad Baqir and Jafar Sadiq (as), Allah has promised to fulfill every legitimate desire put forward to Him on this night.
Special Prayers and Amaal:
· Do Ghusl with the thought of washing away sins as if it is your last Ghusl
· Keep awake for the full night in prayer
· Astaghirullah Tasbih and Dua Tawba (Repentance)
· Surah Yaseen
· Ziyarat of Imam Husain
· Recite Dua-e-Kumayl
· Recite Dua-e-Nudbah
· Dua Imam Mahdi (aj)
· Recite: Subhanallah 100x
· Recite: Alhamdulillah 100x
· Recite: Allahu Akbar 100x
· Recite: La ilaha ilallah 100x
After Laylatul Qadr, the night of 15th Sha’ban, or Shab e Barat, is the most auspicious night
According to Imams Muhammad Baqir and Jafar Sadiq (as), Allah has promised to fulfill every legitimate desire put forward to Him on this night.
Special Prayers and Amaal:
· Do Ghusl with the thought of washing away sins as if it is your last Ghusl
· Keep awake for the full night in prayer
· Astaghirullah Tasbih and Dua Tawba (Repentance)
· Surah Yaseen
· Ziyarat of Imam Husain
· Recite Dua-e-Kumayl
· Recite Dua-e-Nudbah
· Dua Imam Mahdi (aj)
· Recite: Subhanallah 100x
· Recite: Alhamdulillah 100x
· Recite: Allahu Akbar 100x
· Recite: La ilaha ilallah 100x
The Month of Sha'ban
by Hasnain Asharia
Significance
Sha’ban is the month of the Holy Prophet (saw), in which believers are told to increase their remembrance of the Prophet, and send blessings on him. The Prophet has said that whoever loves him will fast in this month.
Sha’ban is the only month of the Islamic calendar which does not have a single wafat, or day of mourning. It is truly a blessed month, with auspicious occasions of the birth of many great Imams (as).
Imam Ali’s (as) advice on the first day of Sha’ban
Imam Ali (as) once saw some Muslims arguing among themselves on the topic of fate and destiny, on the first day of Sha’ban. He discouraged them from their preoccupation and instead drew their attention to the merits of this month. He said that the Lord has called it Sha’ban because His favours and bounties were scattered (sha’aba) all over during it.
Allah presents His great bounties in this month which are easy to achieve, and inexpensive, said Imam Ali (as). This could mean that performing acts of worship, performing good deeds and abstaining from evils will carry manifold benefits. Then he enumerated some of the good actions which should not be overlooked in this month. These include Salaat, Zakaat, enjoining towards good, forbidding evil, goodness to parents, relatives and neighbours, mutual reconciliation and giving charity to the poor and destitute.
There are also narrations that fasting the last three days of Sha’ban reaps the benefits of fasting the whole year.
Please brothers and sisters, let us take advantage of these three consecutive holy months (Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadhan) to urge reform within ourselves. Let us not be those that change for these three months and then go back to our bad habits. If you stop listening to music, start wearing hijaab or stop gossiping, whatever the flaw, let us keep it for the rest of our lives. Why change only for these months and Muharram, and go back again. Surely that is hypocritical. What, Allah (swt) is not aware in the other months? Surely not!
Significance
Sha’ban is the month of the Holy Prophet (saw), in which believers are told to increase their remembrance of the Prophet, and send blessings on him. The Prophet has said that whoever loves him will fast in this month.
Sha’ban is the only month of the Islamic calendar which does not have a single wafat, or day of mourning. It is truly a blessed month, with auspicious occasions of the birth of many great Imams (as).
Imam Ali’s (as) advice on the first day of Sha’ban
Imam Ali (as) once saw some Muslims arguing among themselves on the topic of fate and destiny, on the first day of Sha’ban. He discouraged them from their preoccupation and instead drew their attention to the merits of this month. He said that the Lord has called it Sha’ban because His favours and bounties were scattered (sha’aba) all over during it.
Allah presents His great bounties in this month which are easy to achieve, and inexpensive, said Imam Ali (as). This could mean that performing acts of worship, performing good deeds and abstaining from evils will carry manifold benefits. Then he enumerated some of the good actions which should not be overlooked in this month. These include Salaat, Zakaat, enjoining towards good, forbidding evil, goodness to parents, relatives and neighbours, mutual reconciliation and giving charity to the poor and destitute.
There are also narrations that fasting the last three days of Sha’ban reaps the benefits of fasting the whole year.
Please brothers and sisters, let us take advantage of these three consecutive holy months (Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadhan) to urge reform within ourselves. Let us not be those that change for these three months and then go back to our bad habits. If you stop listening to music, start wearing hijaab or stop gossiping, whatever the flaw, let us keep it for the rest of our lives. Why change only for these months and Muharram, and go back again. Surely that is hypocritical. What, Allah (swt) is not aware in the other months? Surely not!
The Beloved 12th (aj)
by Hasnain Asharia
We are proud to call ourselves Shia Ithna Asheris yet some of us doubt the presence & reasoning behind the occultation of the Awaited Imam (as)
Common queries:
1.What is the benefit from the occultation of the Imam (as)?
Even though His Emininece is concealed from public view, his existence is the cause of security for Earth’s inhabitants. Here are some particular narrations: The Prophet has said: “My Ahlul Bayt are security for the inhabitants of the earth. If my Ahlul Bayt are not there, the inhabitants of the earth shall be destroyed.” He (saw) also said: “This religion shall always be upright till there are twelve chiefs from Quraish. When they pass away, the earth shall swallow all its inhabitants.”
The occultation of the Imam is so because the people do not deserve him and also because of prevailing evils among the people. It is useless that we read the dua for a hasty return like parrots when in our hearts, we are not reforming. Were we all righteous and deserving and has not deviated from the path of truth, His Eminence would have appeared.
The Imam mentioned a benefit of his occultation and said: “Taking benefit from me during my occultation is like getting benefit from the sun while it is hidden from the view.” This echoes the words of Imam Sadiq (as) who said: “just as they benefits from the sun when a cloud comes over it.”
Allama Majlisi (ra) explains these narrations: “Just as people gain benefit from the sun hidden behind clouds and wait for the cloud to move away so that they could gain more benefits, in the same way the real awaiter and the sincere Shias wait for His Eminence during the occultation every moment that when His Eminence reappears there may be greater benefit from him.”
It is ordinarily not possible to see the sun directly when it is not behind a cloud. It can lead to blindness if one sees the sun with the naked eye. In the same way the sun of the existence of His Eminence may cause the incapable people to be blinded of truth. Moreover, sometimes the sun comes out from behind the clouds and some people see it. In the same way, during the period of occultation some people see His Eminence and are honoured to be in his service. His Eminence, like the sun, gives benefit to all, although one who is blind is not able to take benefit from him. Allah says in the Quran (17:72): “And whoever is blind in this, he shall be blind in the hereafter, and more erring from the way.”
The above ayaat is explained in this way. Just as the rays of the sun enter the house according to the space of slits and windows and by it gives light and energy, in the same way are the hearts of the people. As much as they remove the curtains of sensuality and physical attachments and open up the slits and windows of the heart for the recognition of Allah, the same proportion of the light of guidance of those great personages would benefit them. In the same way they must remove from them the obstacles and curtains like one who stands below the shining sun and the rays of the sun surround him. By this, eight doors of Paradise of spirituality are opened up for him and the rays of guidance and Wilaya cover him...” (Muntakhabul Athar, pp271-272)
Imam Sadiq (as) explains the wisdom behind occultation beautifully: “The cause of the wisdom shall be known after the reappearance just like the wisdom behind the actions of P.Khidr regarding the damaged boat, the killing of the boy and repairing the wall. It was not clear to P.Musa until they were about to part ways. This is an affair of Allah and the secret and mystery of the occultation is from the secrets and mysteries of Allah. Just as we have faith Allah is the wisest, we must have patience.”
2. Longevity of the Imam. How can He live for so long and how have natural affects not affected him?
Just as the Quran says that Prophet Nuh lived among the people for 950 years, if Allah wills, he can apply the same to our Imam. How do we accept that long age of Nuh but not accept the long age of Imam even though both of them were appointed for the reformation of humanity? Just as Allah says in Surah Yaseen 36:82: “Verily, his command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, ‘Be!’ And it is!” Just as he split the sea for Musa, allowed Isa to walk on water, cooled the fire for Ibrahim, hence He can also protect and shield His Wali from natural disasters and ageing factors.
3. Why does the Imam of the age not reappear?
The reappearance of His Eminence is not in the control of man and the will of humanity. It is in the hands of the Almighty Allah. The Almighty Allah raised the great Prophet of Islam after five centuries of ignorance and he was raised only when the conditions were suitable for his advent had been fulfilled. Similarly, the same applies for our Imam. Till the world and all the conditions of the world are not eligible for reformation and the atmosphere is not conducive for his reappearance, his reappearance will not occur. When time would mature and the worldly systems would not be able to lead humanity, such is the time when His Eminence would arise and install the system of divine religion in human society, which is presently incapable of guiding the people.
4. How would the Imam of the Time reform the world?
How can one man reform the whole world and introduce equality and justice once more. How can He rid of oppression, deprivation and poverty while protecting the rights of all human beings, to whichever religion they may belong. Well, the greatest systems and events that changed the world were caused at the hands of a single individual and not by a group of people. For example, the Prophet of Islam was a single individual who had such influence that he destroyed the systems of the period of ignorance and replaced it by a heavenly and illuminated system. The same was the cause of Prophet Musa and Prophet Isa, each fluffing their message to establish a divine system without the help of others. The Awaited Imam would arise like his holy great grandfather to establish peace, justice, truth and prosperity and save humanity from all difficulties and evils and spread love and brotherhood and unity of mankind. The time of his reappearance is not in control of anyone except that it is at the discretion of the wise will of the Almighty Lord.
We are proud to call ourselves Shia Ithna Asheris yet some of us doubt the presence & reasoning behind the occultation of the Awaited Imam (as)
Common queries:
1.What is the benefit from the occultation of the Imam (as)?
Even though His Emininece is concealed from public view, his existence is the cause of security for Earth’s inhabitants. Here are some particular narrations: The Prophet has said: “My Ahlul Bayt are security for the inhabitants of the earth. If my Ahlul Bayt are not there, the inhabitants of the earth shall be destroyed.” He (saw) also said: “This religion shall always be upright till there are twelve chiefs from Quraish. When they pass away, the earth shall swallow all its inhabitants.”
The occultation of the Imam is so because the people do not deserve him and also because of prevailing evils among the people. It is useless that we read the dua for a hasty return like parrots when in our hearts, we are not reforming. Were we all righteous and deserving and has not deviated from the path of truth, His Eminence would have appeared.
The Imam mentioned a benefit of his occultation and said: “Taking benefit from me during my occultation is like getting benefit from the sun while it is hidden from the view.” This echoes the words of Imam Sadiq (as) who said: “just as they benefits from the sun when a cloud comes over it.”
Allama Majlisi (ra) explains these narrations: “Just as people gain benefit from the sun hidden behind clouds and wait for the cloud to move away so that they could gain more benefits, in the same way the real awaiter and the sincere Shias wait for His Eminence during the occultation every moment that when His Eminence reappears there may be greater benefit from him.”
It is ordinarily not possible to see the sun directly when it is not behind a cloud. It can lead to blindness if one sees the sun with the naked eye. In the same way the sun of the existence of His Eminence may cause the incapable people to be blinded of truth. Moreover, sometimes the sun comes out from behind the clouds and some people see it. In the same way, during the period of occultation some people see His Eminence and are honoured to be in his service. His Eminence, like the sun, gives benefit to all, although one who is blind is not able to take benefit from him. Allah says in the Quran (17:72): “And whoever is blind in this, he shall be blind in the hereafter, and more erring from the way.”
The above ayaat is explained in this way. Just as the rays of the sun enter the house according to the space of slits and windows and by it gives light and energy, in the same way are the hearts of the people. As much as they remove the curtains of sensuality and physical attachments and open up the slits and windows of the heart for the recognition of Allah, the same proportion of the light of guidance of those great personages would benefit them. In the same way they must remove from them the obstacles and curtains like one who stands below the shining sun and the rays of the sun surround him. By this, eight doors of Paradise of spirituality are opened up for him and the rays of guidance and Wilaya cover him...” (Muntakhabul Athar, pp271-272)
Imam Sadiq (as) explains the wisdom behind occultation beautifully: “The cause of the wisdom shall be known after the reappearance just like the wisdom behind the actions of P.Khidr regarding the damaged boat, the killing of the boy and repairing the wall. It was not clear to P.Musa until they were about to part ways. This is an affair of Allah and the secret and mystery of the occultation is from the secrets and mysteries of Allah. Just as we have faith Allah is the wisest, we must have patience.”
2. Longevity of the Imam. How can He live for so long and how have natural affects not affected him?
Just as the Quran says that Prophet Nuh lived among the people for 950 years, if Allah wills, he can apply the same to our Imam. How do we accept that long age of Nuh but not accept the long age of Imam even though both of them were appointed for the reformation of humanity? Just as Allah says in Surah Yaseen 36:82: “Verily, his command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, ‘Be!’ And it is!” Just as he split the sea for Musa, allowed Isa to walk on water, cooled the fire for Ibrahim, hence He can also protect and shield His Wali from natural disasters and ageing factors.
3. Why does the Imam of the age not reappear?
The reappearance of His Eminence is not in the control of man and the will of humanity. It is in the hands of the Almighty Allah. The Almighty Allah raised the great Prophet of Islam after five centuries of ignorance and he was raised only when the conditions were suitable for his advent had been fulfilled. Similarly, the same applies for our Imam. Till the world and all the conditions of the world are not eligible for reformation and the atmosphere is not conducive for his reappearance, his reappearance will not occur. When time would mature and the worldly systems would not be able to lead humanity, such is the time when His Eminence would arise and install the system of divine religion in human society, which is presently incapable of guiding the people.
4. How would the Imam of the Time reform the world?
How can one man reform the whole world and introduce equality and justice once more. How can He rid of oppression, deprivation and poverty while protecting the rights of all human beings, to whichever religion they may belong. Well, the greatest systems and events that changed the world were caused at the hands of a single individual and not by a group of people. For example, the Prophet of Islam was a single individual who had such influence that he destroyed the systems of the period of ignorance and replaced it by a heavenly and illuminated system. The same was the cause of Prophet Musa and Prophet Isa, each fluffing their message to establish a divine system without the help of others. The Awaited Imam would arise like his holy great grandfather to establish peace, justice, truth and prosperity and save humanity from all difficulties and evils and spread love and brotherhood and unity of mankind. The time of his reappearance is not in control of anyone except that it is at the discretion of the wise will of the Almighty Lord.
Has the Qiblah changed for a second time?
by Mohsin Asharia
The largest building in the world. Its main tower will be one of the tallest on earth, two and a half times taller than One Canada Square at Canary Wharf, and a fair deal higher than Taipei 101.
The Abraj al Bait Complex in Makkah, composed of seven towers, is well on the way to completion, and has sparked a flurry of debate over its legitimacy and need.
Luxury
Towering above the Ka’aba, which is less than 40 times the height, residents and pilgrims can boast breathtaking views, whilst enjoying the luxuries of the Fairmont Hotel.
Towering above the Ka’aba, which is less than 40 times the height, residents and pilgrims can boast breathtaking views, whilst enjoying the luxuries of the Fairmont Hotel.
The main attraction of the complex is the mall, described by its owners as “Makkah’s most prestigious retail address”, home to over 600 stores, with familiarities such as The Body Shop, Topshop and lingerie store La Senza in a special “Ladies-only” part of the mall, not to mention the entertainment complex including a bowling alley and ice rink.
Of course, the complex has huge benefits, accommodating 65,000 people and greatly reducing the accommodation burden experienced during Hajj.
Anxiety
However, there are serious qualms about the project. One can’t help but be anxious about the largest building in the world being literally on the doorstep of Masjid al-Haram, thereby hindering further extension of the Masjid, which, those who have been to Hajj or Umrah during a busy period will agree, is definitely necessary. The scale of the situation can be put into context when one realises that Masjid al-Haram is only a quarter the size of Abraj al Bait.
However, there are serious qualms about the project. One can’t help but be anxious about the largest building in the world being literally on the doorstep of Masjid al-Haram, thereby hindering further extension of the Masjid, which, those who have been to Hajj or Umrah during a busy period will agree, is definitely necessary. The scale of the situation can be put into context when one realises that Masjid al-Haram is only a quarter the size of Abraj al Bait.
Many feel that the presence of the complex will steal the spotlight from Masjid al-Haram, especially with its disproportional focus on leisure and entertainment. As newspapers put it, “These days it’s easier to find a Cinnabon in Mecca than the house where the Prophet Muhammad was born.”
The logistics of the building are also perplexing. It is mystifying to understand why a 4000 capacity prayer room is being built when one could roll out of bed and end up in the largest mosque in the world.
Disregard
There are also further questions raised regarding the continued disregard to historical sites. In building the towers, the house where the Prophet (saw) was born will now be a car park. Bibi Khadija’s (as) house has become a public lavatory.
There are also further questions raised regarding the continued disregard to historical sites. In building the towers, the house where the Prophet (saw) was born will now be a car park. Bibi Khadija’s (as) house has become a public lavatory.
It is somewhat ironical to some that building Abraj al Bait does not seem to be a problem, but mausoleums in Jannatul Baqi and Mu’alla are still out of the question.
With 130 high-rises on the way in Makkah, one thing is for sure: the skyline of Makkah is rapidly changing; the debate continues as to whether it is for better or for worse.
______________
Photo credits:
Welcome
Introduction
Welcome to Kawthar Magazine Online Edition. We are pleased to announce the release of Kawthar Magazine, the new face of the Hyderi Youth Newsletter. This online edition allows for an easy read and access for those who do not have a copy of Kawthar Magazine. Here you will find the main articles from Kawthar Magazine and from past issues of the Hyderi Youth Newsletter, for you to read, ponder, and comment on.
Hyderi Youth Newsletter gets a makeover
All good things come to an end...but no complaints when they lead to something better.
Hyderi Youth Newsletter had passed its sell-by date. We had suggestions to remove its claustrophobic nature and lack of ease of navigation.
Hence the change you see before your eyes. We have tried our best to make Issue 4 of what is now called “Kawthar Magazine” more aesthetically pleasing than its predecessor, and we welcome any comments or suggestions for future changes.
Just comment here, send us an email at hyderiyouth@gmail.com or speak to any of us.
Issue 4 is packed with interesting features, including a look at the film “313”, a look at the halal restaurant industry and obesity, as well as pieces of advice for the coming months of Sha’ban and Shahr Ramadhan, as well as much more.
Enjoy!
Welcome to Kawthar Magazine Online Edition. We are pleased to announce the release of Kawthar Magazine, the new face of the Hyderi Youth Newsletter. This online edition allows for an easy read and access for those who do not have a copy of Kawthar Magazine. Here you will find the main articles from Kawthar Magazine and from past issues of the Hyderi Youth Newsletter, for you to read, ponder, and comment on.
Hyderi Youth Newsletter gets a makeover
All good things come to an end...but no complaints when they lead to something better.
Hyderi Youth Newsletter had passed its sell-by date. We had suggestions to remove its claustrophobic nature and lack of ease of navigation.
Hence the change you see before your eyes. We have tried our best to make Issue 4 of what is now called “Kawthar Magazine” more aesthetically pleasing than its predecessor, and we welcome any comments or suggestions for future changes.
Just comment here, send us an email at hyderiyouth@gmail.com or speak to any of us.
Issue 4 is packed with interesting features, including a look at the film “313”, a look at the halal restaurant industry and obesity, as well as pieces of advice for the coming months of Sha’ban and Shahr Ramadhan, as well as much more.
Enjoy!
Tuesday 1 January 2008
Imam Husayn: Life of struggle
by Imran Janmohamed
Imam Husayn was born on 3 Shaban 4AH. As soon
as he was born, the Prophet recited Adhan and
Iqama into his ears and then began to weep. Asma
bint Umays, who would go on to be the wife of
Imam Ali (as), asked the Prophet why he was crying
and the Prophet replied that after him a party
would kill Imam Husayn (as) but she should not tell
Fatima (as). Some historians also say that the
Prophet gave Asma a twig/sand and he said that
when the sand goes red, Husayn will have been
murdered.
From a young age Hazrat Abbas and Imam Husayn
were inseparable. Imam Ali (as) had told Abbas that
he should protect Imam Husayn (as) no matter
what. Whenever Imam Husayn (as) needed water
he would run to get it. And only until the day of
Ashura did Hazrat Abbas call Imam Husayn (as)
brother; before that he used to call him master.
Leading up to Ashura the Imam had the centre of
his teaching in Medina. But Yazid had made Medina
impossible for him to preach. So he left for Makkah
to perform Hajj. Whilst he was there Yazid had
threatened to kill people so the Imam didn’t complete
the Hajj, instead doing Umra and leaving, not
wanting bloodshed in the holy city.
So he left for Kufa as many people had sent a letter
to the Imam to fill the void left by his brother. The
Imam sent his 3rd cousin Muslim bin Aqeel to Kufa,
telling him to take his sons Muhammad and Ibrahim
to show that he came in peace. According to some
reports his sons were so young they couldn’t tie
their buttons. At Kufa thousands of people (some
say more than 18,000) pledged their allegiance to
Muslim, praying behind him. Hence Muslim sent a
letter to the Imam telling him to come to Kufa.
Yazid, after seeing the support for Muslim, sent Ibn
Ziyad to be governor. When Muslim finished the
prayers, no-one was left. Muslim hid as Ibn Ziyad
called for his capture. He also tried to send a message
to Imam Husayn telling him not to come to
Kufa, but the message never reached. As Muslim
stopped over at a woman’s house for some water,
her son, wanting the reward, told Ibn Ziyad.
Eventually he was caught and along with his sons he
was killed, thrown of the roof of a building in Kufa.
But Imam set off for Kufa, and was led to Karbala, a
barren land, by Yazid’s army led by Hur (he would
eventually fight for Imam Husayn (as)).
The Imam was brutally butchered by Yazid’s army
on 10th Muharram 61 AH along with 72 men who
stuck by him having been given the choice to leave.
“Surely Allah the Exalted has cleaned and purified
him.”-Prophet Mohammed, the day Husayn was born.
Although Allah had purified and cleaned the Imam
at birth, who was there to clean and purify his mutilated
body which was soaked in blood on the day
of Ashura?
Imam Husayn was born on 3 Shaban 4AH. As soon
as he was born, the Prophet recited Adhan and
Iqama into his ears and then began to weep. Asma
bint Umays, who would go on to be the wife of
Imam Ali (as), asked the Prophet why he was crying
and the Prophet replied that after him a party
would kill Imam Husayn (as) but she should not tell
Fatima (as). Some historians also say that the
Prophet gave Asma a twig/sand and he said that
when the sand goes red, Husayn will have been
murdered.
From a young age Hazrat Abbas and Imam Husayn
were inseparable. Imam Ali (as) had told Abbas that
he should protect Imam Husayn (as) no matter
what. Whenever Imam Husayn (as) needed water
he would run to get it. And only until the day of
Ashura did Hazrat Abbas call Imam Husayn (as)
brother; before that he used to call him master.
Leading up to Ashura the Imam had the centre of
his teaching in Medina. But Yazid had made Medina
impossible for him to preach. So he left for Makkah
to perform Hajj. Whilst he was there Yazid had
threatened to kill people so the Imam didn’t complete
the Hajj, instead doing Umra and leaving, not
wanting bloodshed in the holy city.
So he left for Kufa as many people had sent a letter
to the Imam to fill the void left by his brother. The
Imam sent his 3rd cousin Muslim bin Aqeel to Kufa,
telling him to take his sons Muhammad and Ibrahim
to show that he came in peace. According to some
reports his sons were so young they couldn’t tie
their buttons. At Kufa thousands of people (some
say more than 18,000) pledged their allegiance to
Muslim, praying behind him. Hence Muslim sent a
letter to the Imam telling him to come to Kufa.
Yazid, after seeing the support for Muslim, sent Ibn
Ziyad to be governor. When Muslim finished the
prayers, no-one was left. Muslim hid as Ibn Ziyad
called for his capture. He also tried to send a message
to Imam Husayn telling him not to come to
Kufa, but the message never reached. As Muslim
stopped over at a woman’s house for some water,
her son, wanting the reward, told Ibn Ziyad.
Eventually he was caught and along with his sons he
was killed, thrown of the roof of a building in Kufa.
But Imam set off for Kufa, and was led to Karbala, a
barren land, by Yazid’s army led by Hur (he would
eventually fight for Imam Husayn (as)).
The Imam was brutally butchered by Yazid’s army
on 10th Muharram 61 AH along with 72 men who
stuck by him having been given the choice to leave.
“Surely Allah the Exalted has cleaned and purified
him.”-Prophet Mohammed, the day Husayn was born.
Although Allah had purified and cleaned the Imam
at birth, who was there to clean and purify his mutilated
body which was soaked in blood on the day
of Ashura?
Benefits of Ziyarat Ashura
by Sayyada Asharia
“If you recite this Ziyarat, then the angels
who visit my shrine will pray for you.”
Imam Baqir (as)
Hardships and afflictions, no matter how severe,
can be remedied by reciting Ziyarat Ashura for
forty consecutive days. Reports of people’s experiences
testify to the authenticity of this tradition.
Renowned scholars have recited this Ziyarat
regularly. They have reaped countless
benefits through its recitation and have always
resorted to it in moments of distress:
Ayatollah Shirazi (ra) reports an incident relating
to Agha Fareed: “I was concerned in a hopeless
situation, when I remembered the ziyarat that
was emphasized especially for the people of
Samarra. I commenced reciting the ziyarat from
the 1st of Muharram. Incredibly, by the 8th of
Muharram, my problem was solved.” (Al kalam
bahrul kalam vol.1 p54.)
Sheikh Abdul Hadi Ha’ere Mazandarani (ra) recounts
from his father, Abdul Hassan Mazandarani;
“I once saw Mirza Ali Naqi Tabatabai (ra) in
a dream. I asked him, “Do you sense remorse for
anything?” He replied, “Yes! I regret not having
recited Ziyarat Ashura everyday.” (Tazkera-e-
Zaakereen.)
Syed Ahmed writes: “I was sitting in a corner of
Masjid Sahla. Suddenly, a man entered the room
wearing a turban and a black cloak. He looked
around and then he walked towards me. He
remarked, “Since you recite Ziyarat Ashura
every morning, collect your expenses from me,
so that you don’t have to depend on anyone.”
Then he gave me some money and said, “This
should suffice you for this month.” He left after
that. I was completely baffled and felt as though
my feet were stuck to the ground. Afterwards, I
started looking for him all over but could not
find him.”- Abqariyy-ul-hisaan
Sheikh Murtadha (ra) used to regularly recite
Ziyarat Ashura every morning and late afternoon.
After his demise, a person saw him in a
dream, and inquired from him, “Which action has
benefited you the most?” Sheikh Murtadha replied
thrice,, “Ziyarat Ashura.”-Shaksiyate Shaykh
Ansari, p330)
So, let us ask Allah (swt) for the ability to recite
this ziyarat daily till the last moment of our lives,
so much so that our last statement should be,
“Peace be on you, Ya Aba Abdillah.” And as soon
as the Angel of Death takes our soul from our
bodies, may Imam Husayn (as) reply: “Peace be
upon you, O my Shia, my lover and my visitor.”
“If you recite this Ziyarat, then the angels
who visit my shrine will pray for you.”
Imam Baqir (as)
Hardships and afflictions, no matter how severe,
can be remedied by reciting Ziyarat Ashura for
forty consecutive days. Reports of people’s experiences
testify to the authenticity of this tradition.
Renowned scholars have recited this Ziyarat
regularly. They have reaped countless
benefits through its recitation and have always
resorted to it in moments of distress:
Ayatollah Shirazi (ra) reports an incident relating
to Agha Fareed: “I was concerned in a hopeless
situation, when I remembered the ziyarat that
was emphasized especially for the people of
Samarra. I commenced reciting the ziyarat from
the 1st of Muharram. Incredibly, by the 8th of
Muharram, my problem was solved.” (Al kalam
bahrul kalam vol.1 p54.)
Sheikh Abdul Hadi Ha’ere Mazandarani (ra) recounts
from his father, Abdul Hassan Mazandarani;
“I once saw Mirza Ali Naqi Tabatabai (ra) in
a dream. I asked him, “Do you sense remorse for
anything?” He replied, “Yes! I regret not having
recited Ziyarat Ashura everyday.” (Tazkera-e-
Zaakereen.)
Syed Ahmed writes: “I was sitting in a corner of
Masjid Sahla. Suddenly, a man entered the room
wearing a turban and a black cloak. He looked
around and then he walked towards me. He
remarked, “Since you recite Ziyarat Ashura
every morning, collect your expenses from me,
so that you don’t have to depend on anyone.”
Then he gave me some money and said, “This
should suffice you for this month.” He left after
that. I was completely baffled and felt as though
my feet were stuck to the ground. Afterwards, I
started looking for him all over but could not
find him.”- Abqariyy-ul-hisaan
Sheikh Murtadha (ra) used to regularly recite
Ziyarat Ashura every morning and late afternoon.
After his demise, a person saw him in a
dream, and inquired from him, “Which action has
benefited you the most?” Sheikh Murtadha replied
thrice,, “Ziyarat Ashura.”-Shaksiyate Shaykh
Ansari, p330)
So, let us ask Allah (swt) for the ability to recite
this ziyarat daily till the last moment of our lives,
so much so that our last statement should be,
“Peace be on you, Ya Aba Abdillah.” And as soon
as the Angel of Death takes our soul from our
bodies, may Imam Husayn (as) reply: “Peace be
upon you, O my Shia, my lover and my visitor.”
If mum were...
by Safiya Panju
If mum were a colour, she would be pink
Because she is always warm and loving
If mum were a food, she would be lasagne
Because she is always hot and bubbly
If mum were a plant ,she would be a bluebell
Because she appears everywhere and spreads her love around
If mum were a form of transport, she would be a limousine,
Because she is enjoyable to sit on
If mum were a place, she would be Dubai
Because she is always bright and rushing around
If mum were a type of water, she would be a slow-flowing lake
Because she is always lovely and calm
If mum were a piece of furniture, she would be a leather sofa
Because she is lovely to lie on
If mum were a piece of clothing, she would be high-heels
Because they are trendy
If mum had a wish, It would be that ……
WE ALWAYS LIVE PEACEFULLY TOGETHER!
If mum were a colour, she would be pink
Because she is always warm and loving
If mum were a food, she would be lasagne
Because she is always hot and bubbly
If mum were a plant ,she would be a bluebell
Because she appears everywhere and spreads her love around
If mum were a form of transport, she would be a limousine,
Because she is enjoyable to sit on
If mum were a place, she would be Dubai
Because she is always bright and rushing around
If mum were a type of water, she would be a slow-flowing lake
Because she is always lovely and calm
If mum were a piece of furniture, she would be a leather sofa
Because she is lovely to lie on
If mum were a piece of clothing, she would be high-heels
Because they are trendy
If mum had a wish, It would be that ……
WE ALWAYS LIVE PEACEFULLY TOGETHER!
The Embodiment of Perfection
by Insha Mirza
I am writing in regards to a very famous personality,
whom we speak of regularly. In fact I think that
we speak of her so much in the context of her
mourning and suffering that we forget to admire
the true majesty and charismatic qualities of lady
Zainab (AS). To this day she has been the most
dynamic and proactive political figure to have ever
stepped on this Earth. I will address three key
points about the life of Lady Zainab (AS) and the
lessons we learn from them.
At the tender age of five she had the once in a life
time opportunity to listen to the dramatic and
earth shaking khutbah of Lady Fatema, she had to
deal with her grandfather Mohammed’s (saw) death
followed by her own mother’s death. She survived
the trauma. This proved to be a learning ground.
We learn two lessons from this; firstly, what is
childhood? It’s a place of security that we have
invented for ourselves; did any of the Prophet’s
progeny have a childhood? Barbies, cars? No, I’m
afraid not. Instead they were constantly learning
important lessons of life so that when faced with
such calamities in the future they would be able to
live with sanity, through suffering and distress. Secondly,
people always say that a mother is responsible
for the nurturing of a child, but lady Zainab lost
her mother at a very young age. We need strong
mothers, yes, but stronger parents; a two way
force so that it is balanced. She learnt from her
father’s political situations, moves and tactics that
the people were taking against him. She thus inherited
the oratory eloquence from him which would
help her further on in life.
Moving on from that we see that role Bibi Zainab
played, was more than just of a sister, she was a
preacher. She preached to women in her society to
ensure that they too gained the knowledge of religion.
She discussed with them and propagated Islam
to them with such perfection, that she became
famous for her logical and practical approach to
problems. Even though she was not infallible, she
was spiritually perfect, unlike any mortal being. The
lesson we learn from this, is that it is essential -
that a woman preach to women because only a
woman can relate to another woman.
Never underestimate a woman. In Sham, Yazid
thought he had won, he thought Zainab (AS) was
desperate, depressed and distraught. He thought he
had broken her hopes, that Karbala had disoriented
her, as it would have any ordinary woman. He was
lulled into a false security and thought there was
nothing to fear in her addressing the court in his
palace–but she proved otherwise. At the courts of
Yazid where he had prepared a gathering for all
people to witness his triumph over Imam Husayn,
she baffled him with her strength and her faith in
Allah (swt). With her confidence in her righteousness
and her imperturbable eloquence, she said
checkmate in his game of chess and on his board.
Victory was hers. Even as she was surrounded by
the enemy she could make Yazid shake with fear.
She turned the tables on him in such a way that
history still commemorates her victory while
Yazid’s glory has been lost and in rubble in dirt.
Let us stop here for a moment and think – she was
more skillful than any politician and more fearless
than any warrior. Where did Lady Zainab (as) acquire
these skills?
When the caravan of Imam Zainul-abedin was finally
freed Lady Zainab first asked for a place
where she could honor the memory of Imam Hussain.
Was it to share the grief and sorrow? Possibly,
but moreover it was to inform all these witness the
truth of the journey of Karbala. The camels held
black curtained. Why did she do this? She was
spreading the message of Imam Hussain to the
world – teaching them, showing them that Imam
Hussain and Karbala was what Islam was about –
that Islam was all about making the right choices
and the right decisions and standing by those decisions
to the very end. What does this prove? We
learn that she was not simply a person who spent
her life keeping home and bringing up children –
yes she did all of that - and much more. She was
more of a modern woman than the modern
woman is today!
I am writing in regards to a very famous personality,
whom we speak of regularly. In fact I think that
we speak of her so much in the context of her
mourning and suffering that we forget to admire
the true majesty and charismatic qualities of lady
Zainab (AS). To this day she has been the most
dynamic and proactive political figure to have ever
stepped on this Earth. I will address three key
points about the life of Lady Zainab (AS) and the
lessons we learn from them.
At the tender age of five she had the once in a life
time opportunity to listen to the dramatic and
earth shaking khutbah of Lady Fatema, she had to
deal with her grandfather Mohammed’s (saw) death
followed by her own mother’s death. She survived
the trauma. This proved to be a learning ground.
We learn two lessons from this; firstly, what is
childhood? It’s a place of security that we have
invented for ourselves; did any of the Prophet’s
progeny have a childhood? Barbies, cars? No, I’m
afraid not. Instead they were constantly learning
important lessons of life so that when faced with
such calamities in the future they would be able to
live with sanity, through suffering and distress. Secondly,
people always say that a mother is responsible
for the nurturing of a child, but lady Zainab lost
her mother at a very young age. We need strong
mothers, yes, but stronger parents; a two way
force so that it is balanced. She learnt from her
father’s political situations, moves and tactics that
the people were taking against him. She thus inherited
the oratory eloquence from him which would
help her further on in life.
Moving on from that we see that role Bibi Zainab
played, was more than just of a sister, she was a
preacher. She preached to women in her society to
ensure that they too gained the knowledge of religion.
She discussed with them and propagated Islam
to them with such perfection, that she became
famous for her logical and practical approach to
problems. Even though she was not infallible, she
was spiritually perfect, unlike any mortal being. The
lesson we learn from this, is that it is essential -
that a woman preach to women because only a
woman can relate to another woman.
Never underestimate a woman. In Sham, Yazid
thought he had won, he thought Zainab (AS) was
desperate, depressed and distraught. He thought he
had broken her hopes, that Karbala had disoriented
her, as it would have any ordinary woman. He was
lulled into a false security and thought there was
nothing to fear in her addressing the court in his
palace–but she proved otherwise. At the courts of
Yazid where he had prepared a gathering for all
people to witness his triumph over Imam Husayn,
she baffled him with her strength and her faith in
Allah (swt). With her confidence in her righteousness
and her imperturbable eloquence, she said
checkmate in his game of chess and on his board.
Victory was hers. Even as she was surrounded by
the enemy she could make Yazid shake with fear.
She turned the tables on him in such a way that
history still commemorates her victory while
Yazid’s glory has been lost and in rubble in dirt.
Let us stop here for a moment and think – she was
more skillful than any politician and more fearless
than any warrior. Where did Lady Zainab (as) acquire
these skills?
When the caravan of Imam Zainul-abedin was finally
freed Lady Zainab first asked for a place
where she could honor the memory of Imam Hussain.
Was it to share the grief and sorrow? Possibly,
but moreover it was to inform all these witness the
truth of the journey of Karbala. The camels held
black curtained. Why did she do this? She was
spreading the message of Imam Hussain to the
world – teaching them, showing them that Imam
Hussain and Karbala was what Islam was about –
that Islam was all about making the right choices
and the right decisions and standing by those decisions
to the very end. What does this prove? We
learn that she was not simply a person who spent
her life keeping home and bringing up children –
yes she did all of that - and much more. She was
more of a modern woman than the modern
woman is today!
Life is like a box of chocolates
by Ali Walji
Yes, when Forest Gump said this he was right, in
that each chocolate is different in its own way but
special also. The Quran agrees with the fact that
yes we were made into different tribes and nations
(49:13) but equal in the sight of Allah. The only
difference we have is in our deeds. Surely if we
were all alike how boring life would be. Now when
it comes to judgement day what will our book of
deeds say for us, along with our bodily features
who will witness against us as well. Imagine what
would the walls says if they could speak!
Just remember the life of this world is an allurement
to those who reject faith, and then scoff at
the believers. But the righteous will be above them
on the day of resurrection, for Allah bestows His
abundance to whom He wills. You will not truly
enjoy life unless you treat each day as if it’s the last.
There are men who say “Our Lord, give us your
bounties in this world”, but they will have no portion
in the hereafter. And then there are those
who ask for good in this world and in the hereafter
and for these will be allotted what they have
earned: for surely Allah is quick to take account.
The way I see life is like a train journey in that
there is only 1 destination at the end, but it’s up to
you on which route you take. On some routes
there are delays like the ‘district line’ and this may
hold you back and take you longer to reach your
ultimate goal. Some routes may even take you in
the wrong direction. That’s why before you start a
journey read your map (the Holy Quran). Your
ticket (Prophet saw and his family) is already
bought but the question is do you use it? You have
been given the tools to succeed and all you need to
do is stay on the ‘central line’ (the right path- siratal
mustaqeem). Once on the central line you need to
jump on the ‘northern line’ (to progress yourself
consistently), and keep away from the ‘southern
trains’ as they pull you away from siratal
mustaqeem. InshAllah you will arrive safely. It’s
your journey; choose the line you take wisely!
To improve your life, revive the mind by reading,
relax the body by prayers, and soothe the soul by
reciting Quran. Take time for yourself and put back
a little of what you take out of life. Control your
anger, and don’t give up hope. You must stop wasting
time worrying as all of these are whispers from
shaytan trying to distract you from the remembrance
of the One, true God, who shows you love
and blesses you. But what do we give in return?
Half hearted efforts, rushed prayers, little or no
thanks. Will our efforts really help us and be on
our side on judgement day or will it witness against
us?
One day we all will depart on a journey free of
cost. Don’t worry about seat reservations; it’s confirmed
and the flight is always on time. Our good
deeds will be our luggage, Islam will be our passport,
kalima will be our visa, and the grave will be
our waiting lounge. May you all travel to heaven 1st
class InshAllah.
Yes, when Forest Gump said this he was right, in
that each chocolate is different in its own way but
special also. The Quran agrees with the fact that
yes we were made into different tribes and nations
(49:13) but equal in the sight of Allah. The only
difference we have is in our deeds. Surely if we
were all alike how boring life would be. Now when
it comes to judgement day what will our book of
deeds say for us, along with our bodily features
who will witness against us as well. Imagine what
would the walls says if they could speak!
Just remember the life of this world is an allurement
to those who reject faith, and then scoff at
the believers. But the righteous will be above them
on the day of resurrection, for Allah bestows His
abundance to whom He wills. You will not truly
enjoy life unless you treat each day as if it’s the last.
There are men who say “Our Lord, give us your
bounties in this world”, but they will have no portion
in the hereafter. And then there are those
who ask for good in this world and in the hereafter
and for these will be allotted what they have
earned: for surely Allah is quick to take account.
The way I see life is like a train journey in that
there is only 1 destination at the end, but it’s up to
you on which route you take. On some routes
there are delays like the ‘district line’ and this may
hold you back and take you longer to reach your
ultimate goal. Some routes may even take you in
the wrong direction. That’s why before you start a
journey read your map (the Holy Quran). Your
ticket (Prophet saw and his family) is already
bought but the question is do you use it? You have
been given the tools to succeed and all you need to
do is stay on the ‘central line’ (the right path- siratal
mustaqeem). Once on the central line you need to
jump on the ‘northern line’ (to progress yourself
consistently), and keep away from the ‘southern
trains’ as they pull you away from siratal
mustaqeem. InshAllah you will arrive safely. It’s
your journey; choose the line you take wisely!
To improve your life, revive the mind by reading,
relax the body by prayers, and soothe the soul by
reciting Quran. Take time for yourself and put back
a little of what you take out of life. Control your
anger, and don’t give up hope. You must stop wasting
time worrying as all of these are whispers from
shaytan trying to distract you from the remembrance
of the One, true God, who shows you love
and blesses you. But what do we give in return?
Half hearted efforts, rushed prayers, little or no
thanks. Will our efforts really help us and be on
our side on judgement day or will it witness against
us?
One day we all will depart on a journey free of
cost. Don’t worry about seat reservations; it’s confirmed
and the flight is always on time. Our good
deeds will be our luggage, Islam will be our passport,
kalima will be our visa, and the grave will be
our waiting lounge. May you all travel to heaven 1st
class InshAllah.
Turbah or not?
We’ve all been faced with the situation. You’ve
finished praying and are just about to leave, when
someone innocently asks what you were prostrating
on. Of course, praying on a piece of dust may
seem to some like a form of Shirk, stone worshipping,
or just the classic Bid’ah. I mean, what’s wrong
with carpet? Isn’t Allah everywhere? This article
hopes to clear up all these misconceptions.
WHAT DID THE PROPHET (SAW) PRAY ON?
Our aim in life is to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The Prophet always prayed on earth, even
having a special mat, a “Khumra”, to prostrate on.
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 7, No 331 (part):
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: The Prophet said…
“The earth has been made for me (and for my followers)
a place for praying and a thing to perform
Tayammum."
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 12, No 798:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: I saw Allah's Apostle
prostrating in mud and water and saw the mark of
mud on his forehead.
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 8, No. 376:
Narrates 'Abdullah bin Shaddad: Maimuna said,
"Allah's Apostle was praying while I was in my menses,
sitting beside him and sometimes his clothes
would touch me during his prostration." Maimuna
added, "He prayed on a Khumra (a small mat sufficient
just for the face and the hands while prostrating
during prayers).”
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 8, No. 378:
Narrated Maimuna: Allah's Apostle used to pray on
Khumra.
WHAT IS A KHUMRA?
Ibn al Athir describes a Khumra as “a small mat
made from palm fibres or other material” and describes
it further as “like that which the Shi'ah use
for prostration.” [Talkhis al-Sihah, p. 81]
WHY THE SOIL FROM KARBALA?
Today, many of us carry Turbahs made of dust
from the land of Karbala. This is not obligatory
(you can pray on anything originating from earth
that is not edible or wearable), but this dust has a
special reverence described by the Prophet.
Umm Salma says: ‘I saw Husayn sitting in the lap
of his grandfather, the Prophet, who had a red
block of soil in his hand. The Prophet was kissing
the dust and weeping. I asked him what that soil
was. The Prophet said: "Gabriel has informed me
that my son, this Husayn, will be murdered in Iraq.
He has brought this earth for me from that land. I
am weeping for the suffering that will befall my
Husayn."’ Then the Prophet handed the dust to
Umm Salama and said to her: "When you see this
soil turn into blood, you will know that my Husayn
has been slaughtered." Umm Salama kept the soil in
a bottle and kept watch over it until she saw on
Ashura day, 10 Muharram 61AH, that it turned to
blood. Then she knew Husayn had been martyred.
[al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, v4, p398]
[al-Dhahabi, Siyar alam al-nubala, v3, p194]
[Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wal-nihayah, v6, p230]
[al-Suyuti, Khasais al-kubra, v2, p450
[al-Suyuti, Jamal-Jawami, v1, p26]
[IbnHajr Asqalani, tahdhib altahdhib v2p346]
RESPECT TO THE TURBAH
As the hadith above shows, the land of Karbala is
more than just a piece of dust, rather a sign of Allah
(swt). And as the Qur’an says, “That (shall be so);
and whoever respects the signs of Allah, this surely is
(the outcome) of the piety of hearts.” (22:32)
Such is the importance of this sign of Allah (swt),
that Ayatollah Dastaghaib Shirazi includes disrespecting
the soil from Karbala in his book Greater
Sins. One might question how a piece of dust can
be a sign of Allah (swt). However, the Qur’an says:
“Surely the Safa and the Marwa are among the signs
appointed by Allah” (2:158) Hence if Safa and Marwah,
which are pieces of rock, are signs of Allah
(swt), why not the dust where the greatest sacrifice
took place?
In conclusion, as for kissing the turbah, this is again
seen by many as Shirk. However, this is analogous
to kissing Hajr al Aswad, which everyone agrees
was a Sunnah of the Prophet, as this hadith shows:
Sahih Bukhari Vol 2, Bk 26, No. 667:
Narrated 'Abis bin Rabia: 'Umar came near the
Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I
know that you are a stone and can neither benefit
anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's
Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you."
finished praying and are just about to leave, when
someone innocently asks what you were prostrating
on. Of course, praying on a piece of dust may
seem to some like a form of Shirk, stone worshipping,
or just the classic Bid’ah. I mean, what’s wrong
with carpet? Isn’t Allah everywhere? This article
hopes to clear up all these misconceptions.
WHAT DID THE PROPHET (SAW) PRAY ON?
Our aim in life is to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
The Prophet always prayed on earth, even
having a special mat, a “Khumra”, to prostrate on.
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 7, No 331 (part):
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: The Prophet said…
“The earth has been made for me (and for my followers)
a place for praying and a thing to perform
Tayammum."
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 12, No 798:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: I saw Allah's Apostle
prostrating in mud and water and saw the mark of
mud on his forehead.
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 8, No. 376:
Narrates 'Abdullah bin Shaddad: Maimuna said,
"Allah's Apostle was praying while I was in my menses,
sitting beside him and sometimes his clothes
would touch me during his prostration." Maimuna
added, "He prayed on a Khumra (a small mat sufficient
just for the face and the hands while prostrating
during prayers).”
Sahih Bukhari Vol 1, Bk 8, No. 378:
Narrated Maimuna: Allah's Apostle used to pray on
Khumra.
WHAT IS A KHUMRA?
Ibn al Athir describes a Khumra as “a small mat
made from palm fibres or other material” and describes
it further as “like that which the Shi'ah use
for prostration.” [Talkhis al-Sihah, p. 81]
WHY THE SOIL FROM KARBALA?
Today, many of us carry Turbahs made of dust
from the land of Karbala. This is not obligatory
(you can pray on anything originating from earth
that is not edible or wearable), but this dust has a
special reverence described by the Prophet.
Umm Salma says: ‘I saw Husayn sitting in the lap
of his grandfather, the Prophet, who had a red
block of soil in his hand. The Prophet was kissing
the dust and weeping. I asked him what that soil
was. The Prophet said: "Gabriel has informed me
that my son, this Husayn, will be murdered in Iraq.
He has brought this earth for me from that land. I
am weeping for the suffering that will befall my
Husayn."’ Then the Prophet handed the dust to
Umm Salama and said to her: "When you see this
soil turn into blood, you will know that my Husayn
has been slaughtered." Umm Salama kept the soil in
a bottle and kept watch over it until she saw on
Ashura day, 10 Muharram 61AH, that it turned to
blood. Then she knew Husayn had been martyred.
[al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, v4, p398]
[al-Dhahabi, Siyar alam al-nubala, v3, p194]
[Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wal-nihayah, v6, p230]
[al-Suyuti, Khasais al-kubra, v2, p450
[al-Suyuti, Jamal-Jawami, v1, p26]
[IbnHajr Asqalani, tahdhib altahdhib v2p346]
RESPECT TO THE TURBAH
As the hadith above shows, the land of Karbala is
more than just a piece of dust, rather a sign of Allah
(swt). And as the Qur’an says, “That (shall be so);
and whoever respects the signs of Allah, this surely is
(the outcome) of the piety of hearts.” (22:32)
Such is the importance of this sign of Allah (swt),
that Ayatollah Dastaghaib Shirazi includes disrespecting
the soil from Karbala in his book Greater
Sins. One might question how a piece of dust can
be a sign of Allah (swt). However, the Qur’an says:
“Surely the Safa and the Marwa are among the signs
appointed by Allah” (2:158) Hence if Safa and Marwah,
which are pieces of rock, are signs of Allah
(swt), why not the dust where the greatest sacrifice
took place?
In conclusion, as for kissing the turbah, this is again
seen by many as Shirk. However, this is analogous
to kissing Hajr al Aswad, which everyone agrees
was a Sunnah of the Prophet, as this hadith shows:
Sahih Bukhari Vol 2, Bk 26, No. 667:
Narrated 'Abis bin Rabia: 'Umar came near the
Black Stone and kissed it and said "No doubt, I
know that you are a stone and can neither benefit
anyone nor harm anyone. Had I not seen Allah's
Apostle kissing you I would not have kissed you."
Justice in the struggle
by Miqdaad Versi
Understanding the struggle of Imam Husayn (AS),
and the concept of justice in Islam, is all the more
important in Muharram, when truth and righteousness
were involved in an epic battled against tyranny,
oppression and injustice. "Was the struggle
of Imam Husayn (AS) just", although seemingly
simple and straightforward, is thus a pertinent
question that merits more discussion than one may
initially think. First, we must consider the definition
of justice and then distinguish between different
types of justice. Only when we have grasped the
basics of this concept, can we answer this question
with any level of confidence.
Justice is one of those rare concepts in life, which
everyone agrees upon: politicians and economists
(left or right wing), sociologists and philosophers,
as well as secular liberals and religious scholars.
Unfortunately, semantics is the only real common
ground, and justice, even in its most basic definition,
is a highly contentious issue.
Let us consider, for example, the idea that given the
existence of heaven and hell, “God”, in whatever
way you would describe Him, will put good people
into heaven. In actual fact, this simple idea is the
source of scholarly and intellectual discourse within
Islamic academia. One point of view states that
justice is actually defined by what Allah does and
were Allah to put a good person in the hellfire, that
would be just. On the other hand, others believe
that justice is an abstract, rational and deducible
notion, which Allah’s “actions” comply with. This,
however, then leads to the problematic inference
that Allah is constrained by His justice! It is thus
very clear that on a theoretical level, justice is neither
simple, nor straightforward but is actually very
complex.
What about on a practical level, which may in fact
be more relevant to the question at hand?
Throughout the world, justice is the banner under
which politicians rally their constituents. Social
justice in the UK is a prime example, and is
(theoretically at least) the backbone of the Labour
movement. In Iran, Ahmedinejad won the elections,
calling for justice for the poor. Islamist groups
throughout the world base their resistance movements
on their quest for justice. There is thus at
least an understanding of what justice means to
them. However, regrettably we almost always have
two opposing groups claiming justice is their territory.
Israel, for example, claims that its incursions
and assassinations, are part of its quest for justice
for the Jewish diaspora. At the same time, the Palestinians
use the slogan: “No justice, no peace”, as
the legitimacy for their continuing, military struggle.
If one were to give credence to both these points
of view, or to analogous struggles throughout the
world, we would be forced to conclude that justice,
at least to a certain extent, is a subjective concept.
Simplifying the problem to its fundamentals, consider
the situation of two people dying: a Muslim
and a non-Muslim. For Muslims, it is a compulsory
duty to save the Muslim – that is the just course of
action. For liberal humanists, their concept of justice
would not necessarily lead to the same solution.
Does this apparent lack of objectivity in understanding
justice mean that all those who claim justice
is on their sides, are in fact referring to their
subjective perception of justice, or is there in fact
some objective basis for justice? The “Declaration
of Human Rights” is part of the United Nations
legal framework, and internationalists would argue
that objective justice does exist and that these
rights constitute at least one part of it. The consensus
on these being fundamental rights, does give
some weight to this argument. The problem, however,
is that although all countries of the UN agree
to these principles, and most even claim to champion
justice, their actions with regards to human
rights are often inconsistent. How is this seeming
contradiction solved in world politics? It seems
that in practice, semantics plays an important role
and in most situations the argument is moved to an
area of subjective justice. Let me give two examples
to clarify what this means:
The whole world agrees that torture is unjust.
However, the US justifies “waterboarding” and
other so-called interrogation techniques in two
ways. Firstly, it claims that the definition of torture
is misunderstood and that their actions do not
constitute torture. This is pure semantics. Secondly,
they claim that their actions are justified
because, although it might be unjust to that individual,
this limited injustice results in safety for its
citizens, and is thus in an “overall sense” just. This
is an example of subjective justice.
The infamous former Prime Minister, Tony Blair
might argue that human rights are an essential
objective entitlement of any just people, and injustice
[contravening this “Declaration of Human
Rights”] would be an objectively just cause for war!
However, the obvious flaw in this logic is that although
the cause might be objectively just, aggressively
fighting others for it cannot be, as that infringes
on other people’s rights. It is therefore,
only subjectively just (consequently subjectively
unjust for opponents of the war).
The resultant conclusion is therefore, that the
existence and observance of objective justice does
not in fact have any consequence in reality, as semantics
and subjective justice take over. In light of
the above discussion, maybe a more astute question
would be:
“Was the struggle of Imam Husayn (AS)
objectively or subjectively just?”
[it must be noted that not being objectively just
does not detract from its moral legitimacy]
Further to the discussion on Tony Blair, one may
infer that although the cause may be objectively
just, fighting for it cannot be. However, this inference
would be logically flawed, as in fact the sensible
and rationally sound implication is that attacking
others to enforce objective justice cannot itself
be objectively just. This leaves an interesting question
with regards to defending oneself. There cannot
be a doubt that if someone was actively and
illegally, physically assaulting you, then defending
yourself is objectively justified. The extent of your
defence would be the next source of contention.
However, it would be reasonable to deduce that if
forced to choose between killing the aggressor
and being killed in this situation, the objectively
just course of action would be that which preserves
your innocent life.
What would be the implication of this for the third
Imam (AS)? It is indisputable that it was not Imam
Husayn (AS), together with his followers and family,
who started a war against the corrupt leadership
of the Muslim Ummah, rather it was Yazid
who ordered the forced pledge of allegiance and
refused them an alternative to being killed. The
popular Shi’i view portrays Imam Husayn (AS) as
an infallible leader who was not seeking political
power. Based on this, if one were to infer that he
did not constitute a threat to the security of the
state, then there is no doubt that the slaughter of
Imam Husayn (AS), together with his family and
supporters, represents one of the most striking
examples of objective injustice in Islamic history.
Understanding the struggle of Imam Husayn (AS),
and the concept of justice in Islam, is all the more
important in Muharram, when truth and righteousness
were involved in an epic battled against tyranny,
oppression and injustice. "Was the struggle
of Imam Husayn (AS) just", although seemingly
simple and straightforward, is thus a pertinent
question that merits more discussion than one may
initially think. First, we must consider the definition
of justice and then distinguish between different
types of justice. Only when we have grasped the
basics of this concept, can we answer this question
with any level of confidence.
Justice is one of those rare concepts in life, which
everyone agrees upon: politicians and economists
(left or right wing), sociologists and philosophers,
as well as secular liberals and religious scholars.
Unfortunately, semantics is the only real common
ground, and justice, even in its most basic definition,
is a highly contentious issue.
Let us consider, for example, the idea that given the
existence of heaven and hell, “God”, in whatever
way you would describe Him, will put good people
into heaven. In actual fact, this simple idea is the
source of scholarly and intellectual discourse within
Islamic academia. One point of view states that
justice is actually defined by what Allah does and
were Allah to put a good person in the hellfire, that
would be just. On the other hand, others believe
that justice is an abstract, rational and deducible
notion, which Allah’s “actions” comply with. This,
however, then leads to the problematic inference
that Allah is constrained by His justice! It is thus
very clear that on a theoretical level, justice is neither
simple, nor straightforward but is actually very
complex.
What about on a practical level, which may in fact
be more relevant to the question at hand?
Throughout the world, justice is the banner under
which politicians rally their constituents. Social
justice in the UK is a prime example, and is
(theoretically at least) the backbone of the Labour
movement. In Iran, Ahmedinejad won the elections,
calling for justice for the poor. Islamist groups
throughout the world base their resistance movements
on their quest for justice. There is thus at
least an understanding of what justice means to
them. However, regrettably we almost always have
two opposing groups claiming justice is their territory.
Israel, for example, claims that its incursions
and assassinations, are part of its quest for justice
for the Jewish diaspora. At the same time, the Palestinians
use the slogan: “No justice, no peace”, as
the legitimacy for their continuing, military struggle.
If one were to give credence to both these points
of view, or to analogous struggles throughout the
world, we would be forced to conclude that justice,
at least to a certain extent, is a subjective concept.
Simplifying the problem to its fundamentals, consider
the situation of two people dying: a Muslim
and a non-Muslim. For Muslims, it is a compulsory
duty to save the Muslim – that is the just course of
action. For liberal humanists, their concept of justice
would not necessarily lead to the same solution.
Does this apparent lack of objectivity in understanding
justice mean that all those who claim justice
is on their sides, are in fact referring to their
subjective perception of justice, or is there in fact
some objective basis for justice? The “Declaration
of Human Rights” is part of the United Nations
legal framework, and internationalists would argue
that objective justice does exist and that these
rights constitute at least one part of it. The consensus
on these being fundamental rights, does give
some weight to this argument. The problem, however,
is that although all countries of the UN agree
to these principles, and most even claim to champion
justice, their actions with regards to human
rights are often inconsistent. How is this seeming
contradiction solved in world politics? It seems
that in practice, semantics plays an important role
and in most situations the argument is moved to an
area of subjective justice. Let me give two examples
to clarify what this means:
The whole world agrees that torture is unjust.
However, the US justifies “waterboarding” and
other so-called interrogation techniques in two
ways. Firstly, it claims that the definition of torture
is misunderstood and that their actions do not
constitute torture. This is pure semantics. Secondly,
they claim that their actions are justified
because, although it might be unjust to that individual,
this limited injustice results in safety for its
citizens, and is thus in an “overall sense” just. This
is an example of subjective justice.
The infamous former Prime Minister, Tony Blair
might argue that human rights are an essential
objective entitlement of any just people, and injustice
[contravening this “Declaration of Human
Rights”] would be an objectively just cause for war!
However, the obvious flaw in this logic is that although
the cause might be objectively just, aggressively
fighting others for it cannot be, as that infringes
on other people’s rights. It is therefore,
only subjectively just (consequently subjectively
unjust for opponents of the war).
The resultant conclusion is therefore, that the
existence and observance of objective justice does
not in fact have any consequence in reality, as semantics
and subjective justice take over. In light of
the above discussion, maybe a more astute question
would be:
“Was the struggle of Imam Husayn (AS)
objectively or subjectively just?”
[it must be noted that not being objectively just
does not detract from its moral legitimacy]
Further to the discussion on Tony Blair, one may
infer that although the cause may be objectively
just, fighting for it cannot be. However, this inference
would be logically flawed, as in fact the sensible
and rationally sound implication is that attacking
others to enforce objective justice cannot itself
be objectively just. This leaves an interesting question
with regards to defending oneself. There cannot
be a doubt that if someone was actively and
illegally, physically assaulting you, then defending
yourself is objectively justified. The extent of your
defence would be the next source of contention.
However, it would be reasonable to deduce that if
forced to choose between killing the aggressor
and being killed in this situation, the objectively
just course of action would be that which preserves
your innocent life.
What would be the implication of this for the third
Imam (AS)? It is indisputable that it was not Imam
Husayn (AS), together with his followers and family,
who started a war against the corrupt leadership
of the Muslim Ummah, rather it was Yazid
who ordered the forced pledge of allegiance and
refused them an alternative to being killed. The
popular Shi’i view portrays Imam Husayn (AS) as
an infallible leader who was not seeking political
power. Based on this, if one were to infer that he
did not constitute a threat to the security of the
state, then there is no doubt that the slaughter of
Imam Husayn (AS), together with his family and
supporters, represents one of the most striking
examples of objective injustice in Islamic history.
My Chest is Redder than Yours!
by Mohsin Asharia
I would like to take this opportunity to offer my
condolences to the whole Muslim community on
the anniversary of the merciless killing of Imam
Husayn (as) and his pious family and companions,
about which the Prophet (saw) said:
“Surely, there exists in the hearts of the believers,
with respect to the martyrdom of
Husayn (as), a heat that never subsides”
(Mustadrak al ‑ Wasail v10 p318).
Hence we must old onto this tradition of remembering
Imam Husayn (as) and his companions, for
no-one has, or will, suffer the way they did.
It is perfectly valid, and desirable, to mourn for
Imam Husayn (as) during Muharram. After all, several
narrations speak of the reward of doing so,
such as the following by Imam Ridha (as):
“Should you weep for Husayn (as) in the
measure that tears roll down your cheeks,
Allah would forgive all the sins committed by
you, whether they be the great sins or the
small sins and whether they be meagre or
immense.” (Amali Saduq, p111)
Thankfully, we often see this mourning of Imam
Husayn (as) accompanied with the reduction in our
sins. Backbiting, music and haram gatherings are out
of bounds, and a more serious and humble tone
overcomes us. I think it is fair to say that we all
become better people during this period. What we
now need to work on is retaining these advantageous
traits within us for the whole year.
You know what I’m talking about. As soon as the
40 days are up, the dust is wiped off the CD player
and we can forget about Imam Husayn (as) for
another eleven months. It goes against the whole
essence of the sacrifice. That is what the 6th Imam
(as) meant when he said “Every day is Ashura,
every land is Karbala”. The Imam died so we
could practise Islam in its true form for the whole
year, yet what we seem to be doing is following
Yazid for eleven months of the year and Imam
Husayn (as) for one!
It is extremely saddening to see that we beat ourselves
so hard and complain when Matam ends 23.4
seconds early, then go and commit sins throughout
the rest of the year! Sure, Matam for Imam Husayn
(as) is extremely beneficial, but what is much more
beneficial is to make a positive change in ourselves.
On the Last Day, we won’t be judged on how red
our chests became on Ashura night, rather on how
well we followed the life of the Imams (as).
I would like to take this opportunity to offer my
condolences to the whole Muslim community on
the anniversary of the merciless killing of Imam
Husayn (as) and his pious family and companions,
about which the Prophet (saw) said:
“Surely, there exists in the hearts of the believers,
with respect to the martyrdom of
Husayn (as), a heat that never subsides”
(Mustadrak al ‑ Wasail v10 p318).
Hence we must old onto this tradition of remembering
Imam Husayn (as) and his companions, for
no-one has, or will, suffer the way they did.
It is perfectly valid, and desirable, to mourn for
Imam Husayn (as) during Muharram. After all, several
narrations speak of the reward of doing so,
such as the following by Imam Ridha (as):
“Should you weep for Husayn (as) in the
measure that tears roll down your cheeks,
Allah would forgive all the sins committed by
you, whether they be the great sins or the
small sins and whether they be meagre or
immense.” (Amali Saduq, p111)
Thankfully, we often see this mourning of Imam
Husayn (as) accompanied with the reduction in our
sins. Backbiting, music and haram gatherings are out
of bounds, and a more serious and humble tone
overcomes us. I think it is fair to say that we all
become better people during this period. What we
now need to work on is retaining these advantageous
traits within us for the whole year.
You know what I’m talking about. As soon as the
40 days are up, the dust is wiped off the CD player
and we can forget about Imam Husayn (as) for
another eleven months. It goes against the whole
essence of the sacrifice. That is what the 6th Imam
(as) meant when he said “Every day is Ashura,
every land is Karbala”. The Imam died so we
could practise Islam in its true form for the whole
year, yet what we seem to be doing is following
Yazid for eleven months of the year and Imam
Husayn (as) for one!
It is extremely saddening to see that we beat ourselves
so hard and complain when Matam ends 23.4
seconds early, then go and commit sins throughout
the rest of the year! Sure, Matam for Imam Husayn
(as) is extremely beneficial, but what is much more
beneficial is to make a positive change in ourselves.
On the Last Day, we won’t be judged on how red
our chests became on Ashura night, rather on how
well we followed the life of the Imams (as).
Muharram Editorial
by Sajida Alidina
So with every passing year this month comes
back again and again where our mosques and
centres are swathed in black, where we commiserate
and mourn where we cry and grieve
for the personality’s integral to our faith. But
what does Muharram mean for each of us on
a personal level?
Muharram for me is a time for activity. A time
where we need to get up and implement what
we know. Where we learn from the tragedy
of Kerbala - this great landmark in history and
then go out there and put all the different
messages into practice.
Let me explain - Ramadhan has come and
gone, where we’ve cleansed our bodies and
minds, been revived physically, we’ve spiritually
elevated our souls to move forward. After
this we go through the Hajj period, where on
Arafat we repent, we purify our souls, we
connect to our Lord realise our existence and
then celebrate our rebirth and clean slate after
this – we come to Muharram.
This Muharram where we listen to the stories
of our Aimmah, about their bravery, their
struggle for truth, their submitance to the
Almighty and their personal struggle towards
excellence of character. It is then incumbent
on each and every one of us to take these
very messages into our lives, embed them into
our souls and move forward, with each step
emulating the examples of these personalities.
And yes, surely Muharram comes and yet
again our centres are filled. Youth and elders
alike flock to shed tears over the Ahlul Bayt
(as). For 10 days we struggle to find parking,
we struggle to find places to sit in lectures, we
mourn together, we elevate our souls together,
we eat together, we pray together,
and then the Majalis are over and so is our
participation to our Deen.
What happens to us as soon as the black
clothes come off? Do we forget the remembrance
of Husayn (as)? Does the tragedy disappear
only to come to light again when the
dark moon of Muharram once again rises? Do
tears form in our eyes over our divine role
models for simply 1 or 2 months? When did
we become such seasonal Muslims?
Are these questions ones that are in our
minds? Yes they should be for without questioning
ourselves we have no room for progression
and of course the very essence of
being a Muslim is being one who develops
themselves and progresses.
With the central theme of the message of
Kerbala being that of Jihad it is imperative that
we realise our role in this jihad. It’s been
rightly said, Every day is Ashura, Every land is
Kerbala – it is with this in mind that we realise
that the jihad is not over simply by the sacrifice
of Imam Husayn and his pure progeny.
Moreover this jihad is a reminder for us to
pull our socks up and to keep the struggle
going both on an individual level as on a community
level.
So as we come together as a community, as
the youth of Imam Mehdi (may Allah hasten
his reappearance), let us come together as
one – with the same aim- that being to put
into practice all that comes from the messages
of Kerbala. Remember this is our time to act
– let’s stop being seasonal Muslims and bring
about our own revelations within ourselves.
Illtemase dua
So with every passing year this month comes
back again and again where our mosques and
centres are swathed in black, where we commiserate
and mourn where we cry and grieve
for the personality’s integral to our faith. But
what does Muharram mean for each of us on
a personal level?
Muharram for me is a time for activity. A time
where we need to get up and implement what
we know. Where we learn from the tragedy
of Kerbala - this great landmark in history and
then go out there and put all the different
messages into practice.
Let me explain - Ramadhan has come and
gone, where we’ve cleansed our bodies and
minds, been revived physically, we’ve spiritually
elevated our souls to move forward. After
this we go through the Hajj period, where on
Arafat we repent, we purify our souls, we
connect to our Lord realise our existence and
then celebrate our rebirth and clean slate after
this – we come to Muharram.
This Muharram where we listen to the stories
of our Aimmah, about their bravery, their
struggle for truth, their submitance to the
Almighty and their personal struggle towards
excellence of character. It is then incumbent
on each and every one of us to take these
very messages into our lives, embed them into
our souls and move forward, with each step
emulating the examples of these personalities.
And yes, surely Muharram comes and yet
again our centres are filled. Youth and elders
alike flock to shed tears over the Ahlul Bayt
(as). For 10 days we struggle to find parking,
we struggle to find places to sit in lectures, we
mourn together, we elevate our souls together,
we eat together, we pray together,
and then the Majalis are over and so is our
participation to our Deen.
What happens to us as soon as the black
clothes come off? Do we forget the remembrance
of Husayn (as)? Does the tragedy disappear
only to come to light again when the
dark moon of Muharram once again rises? Do
tears form in our eyes over our divine role
models for simply 1 or 2 months? When did
we become such seasonal Muslims?
Are these questions ones that are in our
minds? Yes they should be for without questioning
ourselves we have no room for progression
and of course the very essence of
being a Muslim is being one who develops
themselves and progresses.
With the central theme of the message of
Kerbala being that of Jihad it is imperative that
we realise our role in this jihad. It’s been
rightly said, Every day is Ashura, Every land is
Kerbala – it is with this in mind that we realise
that the jihad is not over simply by the sacrifice
of Imam Husayn and his pure progeny.
Moreover this jihad is a reminder for us to
pull our socks up and to keep the struggle
going both on an individual level as on a community
level.
So as we come together as a community, as
the youth of Imam Mehdi (may Allah hasten
his reappearance), let us come together as
one – with the same aim- that being to put
into practice all that comes from the messages
of Kerbala. Remember this is our time to act
– let’s stop being seasonal Muslims and bring
about our own revelations within ourselves.
Illtemase dua
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