islamic focus issue 88
DESCRIPTION
Newsletter edited by Moulana Muhammad BadshaTRANSCRIPT
Islamic Focus
Issue 88 Igniting the Spirit of Islam Apr 2011 Bukhara Publications/Tel: 078 672 7797/Fax: 086 651 2125 Email: [email protected]/Korsten/Port Elizabeth
couraged in Islam: The
Prophet � passed by some persons of the tribe of
Aslam practicing archery (i.e. shooting arrows). The Prophet � said, ‘O offspring of Ismail! Practice archery as your father was a great
archer…’ (Bukhari) Training in the use of
sprays, firearms, knives, etc. is essential.
COURAGE
When confrontation is inevi-
table, do not shy away from defending yourself: ‘… Do
not wish to meet the en-emy, and ask Allah for
safety, but when you face the enemy, be pa-tient...’ (Bukhari) The fear
of dying should not be a de-terrent for the Hadith prom-
ises: ‘Whoever is killed while protecting his prop-erty then he is a mar-
tyr.’ (Bukhari) A similar re-ward is narrated for some-
one killed defending his family. �
It is acknowledged that we
in South Africa live in a high crime zone. Here are some
tips on preventing crime, or, when confronted with crime, on dealing with it:
PREVENTION
The use of effective means of protection is sanctioned in Islam. The Hadith
teaches us: One day the Prophet � noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bed-ouin, ‘Why don't you tie
down your camel?’ The Bed-ouin answered, ‘I placed my
trust in Allah.’ At that, the Prophet � said, ‘Tie your camel and place your trust in Allah.’ (Tirmidhi) Burglar guards, alarms and armed
security should be used to the best of ones ability.
Hijab is an effective means of saving women from har-
assment. Gary Simpson writing for Ezine Articles ad-
vises women in America: ‘Do
not wear revealing clothing in public places. Doing so will
ensure that you attract plenty of attention, including attention from those people
with evil intent.’
The Quraan informs us: ‘O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) over
their bodies (when out-doors). That is most conven-ient that they should be
known and not mo-lested.' (33:59)
The Prophet � arranged pa-trols in Madinah to look out for strangers or anyone in-tent on causing trouble.
TRAINING
Every person should train with weapons to use in self defence, or in some form of
martial arts so as to counter any threat. Training is en-
P3 Winter Warmth
P12 The Old Sock
P3 Financial Freedom
P8 Forced Conversion
P9 Queen Victoria
P10 Olympics Logo
2 Islamic Focus
WORLD NEWS
KENYA - Kenyan forces crossed into Somali territory for the first time to fight al-Shabab. (BBC, 24 Mar)
MALI - Thousands of Malians turned out to cheer on Libya's football team in an African Cup of Nations qualifier in Mali's capital. Many carried posters pro-testing against the Western military intervention in Libya. (BBC, 29 Mar)
CAUCASUS - Russian forces kill 17 Muslim freedom fighters in Russian-occupied Ingushetia. Three Rus-sians killed. (BBC, 29 Mar)
JORDAN - One dead after security forces used ba-tons and sprayed water to disperse a clash between pro-monarchy and pro-reform demonstrators in Am-man. (BBC, 25 Mar)
YEMEN - President negotiating departure from power in talks with the opposition. (BBC, 26 Mar)
SYRIA - Dozens killed in protests against the rule of President Assad. Cabinet resigned. (BBC, 29 Mar)
ARGENTINA - Israel is upset over reports that Ar-gentina proposed to Iran it would stop investigating bombings of the Israeli embassy and Jewish commu-nity centre in Buenos Aires in the 1990s if trade ties improved. (BBC, 28 Mar)
IRAQ - 41 killed after gunmen stormed a council building in Tikrit. (BBC, 29 Mar)
PALESTINE - Jews pass a law that allows courts to revoke the citizenship of anyone convicted of spying, treason or aiding its enemies. The law is discrimina-tory towards Palestinians. (BBC, 29 Mar)
PALESTINE - Facebook removed a page calling for a new uprising against Israel after the Jews com-plained. More than 350,000 people signed up for the
page called Third Palestinian Intifada. (BBC, 29 Mar)
YEMEN - 150 died from explosions at an ammuni-tion plant in Jaar. The explosion caused anger among locals, who accuse authorities of planning it to win more support from the US. The blasts oc-curred while residents were searching for ammuni-tion left by Islamist fighters, involved in clashes with government forces earlier. (BBC, 29 Mar)
AUSTRALIA - Australian troops in Aghanistan posted racist videos and comments about Afghans on Facebook. (BBC, 25 Mar)
PAKISTAN - 13 Pakistani soldiers killed by their own mortars during a battle with Taliban fighters in Khyber. (BBC, 28 Mar)
INDIA - The prime ministers of India and Pakstan attended the World Cup cricket semi-final between the two countries in India. (BBC, 30 Mar)
USA - Jesuit Catholic priests to pay $166m to hun-dreds of Native Americans sexually abused by priests at their schools from the 1940s-90s. (BBC, 25 Mar)
USA - New images emerge of US troops posing with bodies of Afghan civilians they killed. (BBC, 29 Mar)
LIBYA - Leaders of African countries, including Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Nige-ria as well as the AU, Arab League and Russia con-demned Western air strikes on Libya. (BBC, 22 Mar)
PALESTINE - Freedom fighters from Gaza including Hamas fired 50 mortars into southern occupied Pal-estine in their heaviest such barrage in two years. Two Jews injured. (BBC, 20 Mar)
BANGLADESH - One killed in protest against changes to Islamic inheritance laws. (BBC, 3 Apr) �
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FINANCE / S
OCIAL
Here is how Islam liberates one financially:
1. Matter of Choice. We came into this
world sustenance-guaranteed from our crea-tor. However, it is our choice to be enslaved by money. ‘And kill not your children for fear
of poverty. We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you.’ (Quraan 17:31) The
Prophet � said, ‘Let the slave of Dinar and dirham, of Quantify and Khamisa (i.e. money and luxurious clothes) perish for he is pleased
if these things are given to him, and if not, he is displeased!’ (Bukhari)
2. The Boss. Your boss can’t starve you. We have to deeply believe that the One who has
absolute control of our provision is Allah: ‘And know that if the whole nation gathered to
benefit you, they would not benefit you ex-cept by what Allah has decreed for you; and if
they gathered to harm you, they would not harm you except by what Allah has decreed against you.’ (Musnad Ahmad)
3. Backing. We are not abandoned. We are
backed by the Most Generous One: ‘That Al-lah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out
of His Grace. And Allah provides without measure to whom He wills.’ (Quraan 24:38)
4. Mental State. Financial freedom is a men-tal state: the feeling of satisfaction, regard-
less of your net income. ‘He is successful who has accepted Islam, who has been provided
with sufficient for his want and been made contented by Allah with what He has given him.’ (Muslim) �
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With the approach of winter, here are some handy
tips from the Sunnah:
1. Old Clothes. On receiving new clothes, the
Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam would do-nate his old clothes and say: ‘Whoever adorns
new clothes, recites the following Dua and thereafter donates his old clothing to a poor Muslim, remains in the protection, patronage
and Divine veil of Almighty Allah throughout his life as well as after his demise, as long as
even one thread (of the donated clothing) re-mains on somebody’s body.’ Dua: Alhumdu lillahillathi kasaani ma uwaary bihi owraty wa
atajammalu bihi fee hayaaty. (Tirmidhi, 3560)
2. Winter Warmth Program. The narrator of the previous hadith, Umar radhiallahu anhu would annually embark on a winter warmth
program. He would encourage the Muslims to keep warm and even ensure that they had suf-
ficient woolen socks, jerseys, etc. (Lataaiful Maarif, pg 564)
‘He who clothes any destitute Muslim, remains in the security of Allah as long as a single piece
remains on his body.’ (Tirmidhi, 2484) If this is the reward for donating old clothes, what
would be in store for the one who donates new clothing? Winter warmth can extend to donat-ing blankets, heater, soup kitchens, etc. to
draw non Muslims toward the warmth of Islam.
3. Spring. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sal-lam said: ‘Winter is the spring of a believer for its nights are lengthy so he offers (additional)
Tahajjud Salaah and its days are short so he is (easily) able to fast.’ (Musnad Ahmed 3:15) �
Adapted from Adopt a Sunnah No 12
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WORSHIP / SOCIAL
The Quraan instructs us: And fear Allah through
whose medium you ask one another (for your
rights) and be mindful of your relatives. (4:1) The
Hadith informs us: ‘Whoever believes in Allah and
the last day, let him maintain the bonds of kin-
ship.’ (Bukhari). Here are some factors to maintain
family unity:
1. Regular Visits Visiting family members regularly maintains family bonds. Relatives should be visited for
the pleasure of Allah. ‘Those who love one an-other for the sake of Allah will be under the
shade of Allah’s Throne, when there will be no shade on the Day of Resurrection except the shade of the Throne. Prophets and martyrs
will envy them for their status.’ (Ibne Hibban)
2. Mutual Assistance. Helping one’s relatives carries two rewards: ‘Charity given to a poor person is an ordinary charity, but charity given
to a relative serves two purposes: one is a charity and secondly, an act of upholding fam-
ily kinship.’ (Tirmidhi)
‘Whosoever desires to have expansion in his sustenance and a prolonged life, should treat his relatives with kindness.’ (Bukhari)
3. Exchanging Gifts. Showering relatives
with gifts is an effective method of generating love between people. ‘Exchange gifts with one another, you will create love and goodwill
amongst yourselves.’ (Abu Ya’laa)
‘Give presents to one another, for a present removes hatred from the chest…’ (Tirmidhi) �
Adapted from article by: Jamiatul Ulama KZN
Salaah (prayer) is an effective means of ener-
gizing a Muslim if it is read in the correct man-ner. Here are some hints on how to achieve
peace from Salaah: Comprehend the words and actions of Sa-
laah. When you are aware of what you are saying and doing then you remain focused.
Since Allah ordained Salaah for us then this is achievable. Everything in this world worships Allah around the clock, surely we can do 10
minutes. Just seek Allah’s help and you will reach a point where you’d wish Salaah never
ended! Ensure presence of heart. Your heart must
be in it if you want to feel the effects. This is not difficult to achieve. All you need is 10 min-
utes to focus on the love you hold for Allah.
Come to Salah with a feeling of hope. The more you know about Allah, the more your heart can feel this hope: hope for His Mercy,
for His forgiveness, His acceptance, His love, His closeness. ‘Hope’ is different from ‘wish’.
Hope is coupled with action, where you work for what you hope for.
Feel awe for Allah. A sense of fear and awe paired with a deep reverence that one feels
when standing in front of Allah. An example of a small element of Hayba is what is felt to-wards a parent or one in authority. Recall the
duaas the Prophet � taught us which arouses in us this awe: ‘There is no salvation from You
except through You.’ �
Adapted from: Sheikh Mishari Al Kharraz
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5 Islamic Focus
QUESTIO
NS & ANSWERS
Q: Is it permissible for a
follower to follow the Imam’s recitation in a
Mushaf (copy of the Quraan) while in the ta-raweeh salaah?
A: ‘If one does not know Surah Fatiha and is unable to
learn it due to insufficient time, dim-wittedness, and is unable to recite it from a
mushaf … one moves to the substitute (seven
verses).’ (Nihayat al-Muhtaj 1:484-485) ‘The fourth inte-gral of prayer is recitation of
Fatiha whilst standing or what substitutes standing in
every rakaat in both obliga-tory and optional prayer for
the person praying alone and the person praying with a group, in audible and inaudi-
ble prayers, be it from mem-ory, instruction, or looking at
a mushaf.’ (Bushra al-Karim 1:202) ‘If one ... reads from a mushaf even turning the
pages at times it will not nul-lify the prayer because such
movements are considered slight.’ (Nihayat al-Muhtaj 2:51) ‘Aishah radhiallahu
anha used to be led in prayer by her slave Dhakwan whilst
reading from the mushaf.’ (Abu Dawud) In Fath al-Bari, Hafiz Ibn Hajar
comments on the wording ‘from the mushaf’ as follows:
‘The permissibility of reading from the mushaf in prayer has been drawn from this
and some scholars forbade the practice due to the fact
that it constitutes extraneous movements in the prayer.’
Answer by: Sidi Mahmud Adams
Q: How many rakaats are there in witr and what is
its status? A: Imam Nawawi states that
the witr prayer is sunnah.
The witr prayer can be performed by one rakaat
alone, three, five, seven, nine, or eleven, which is the maximum upon the preferred
opinion of the Shafi school. The second opinion states
that its maximum is thirteen rakaats and that it is not per-mitted to exceed this num-
ber. If he does increase be-yond the maximum number
of rakaats his witr will be in-valid. It is sunnah for one who only makes three ra-
kaats that he recites in the first Surah Ala, in the second
Surah Kafirun, and in the third Surah Ikhlas, Surah Fa-
laq, and Surah Nas. (Mughni al-Muhtaj 1:451-52; Rawdah al-Talibin 1:328)
Answer by: Sidi Mahmud Adams
Q: Is it permissible to
profit from zakaat? E.g. a person is a wakeel
(representative) and is given zakaat for disburse-ment but rather than dis-
tributing immediately, he invests the money, re-
ceives a gain on it and distributes the original money at a deferred date.
A: When the conditions for paying zakaat are fulfilled,
and the one who must pay it delays, this has two reper-cussions: 1) it is a sin as he
is delaying an obligation past its time. This is oppressing
the recipients by withholding from them what is their right; and 2) One is liable for
the owed zakaat; it is obliga-tory to pay it. If any or all of
it is destroyed or lost, then it is a debt that one is held li-able for. Accordingly, if one
dies in this state, the obliga-tion of the zakaat debt re-
mains. In fact, it is obligatory
that it be paid out of the wealth left behind, similar to
other debts. Both of these repercussions apply to a wakeel appointed to distrib-
ute zakaat. If monies, etc., are given to a wakeel to dis-
tribute, and qualifying recipi-ents are found, then it is obligatory that those monies
are paid immediately, with-out delay. In the instance
that one delays, he is sinning and also liable for the money. (Dr. Muhammad al-
Zuhayli al-Mu’tamad fi al-Fiqh al-Shafi, 2:126-27)
Answer by: Sheikh Yaqub Abd al-Rahman
Q: How should one per-form sajdah sahu
(prostration of forgetful-ness)?
A: Sajdah sahu is recom-mended not obligatory. (Rawdah al-Talibin 1:404) It
consists of two prostrations and is performed just like the
prostrations in Salaah (prayer). When one is the imam or praying alone, it
should be intended i.e. one should have it in mind that
the prostration is for forget-fulness. This should be when he begins sajdah sahu. One
must not utter it. Intention is not necessary for a follower.
The supplications in sajda sahu are the same as what is
read during the prayer. (Ibid 1:420) There are several views as to when it should be
performed: According to Imam Shafi’s relied-upon
opinion, sajda sahu is made before salaam after the final tashahhud, prayer for the
Prophet � and his people, and the supplication. � Answer by: Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept.
SHAFI Q & ASHAFI Q & ASHAFI Q & ASHAFI Q & A From various Ulama
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HANAFI Q & AHANAFI Q & AHANAFI Q & AHANAFI Q & A From various Ulama
www.askimam.org | www.askmufti.co.za | www.councilofulama.co.za
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q: A boy and girl commit
zina (have extra-marital sex), and after five weeks
the girl comes to know she is pregnant. If she de-cides to have the baby
aborted, how will this be categorised Islamically?
A: In this case she may abort before 120 days. How-ever she should make repent
to Allah and never return to that sin again.
Answer by: Council of Ulama Eastern Cape
Q: Is it permissible for a doctor to charge a patient one amount if they are
paying cash, and inflate it if they are on medical aid?
A: Giving a discount to cash patients is permissible. At the same time medical aid
patients should not be un-duly exploited although they
could be charged a higher rate. Both doctor and patient should be aware of the appli-
cable rate prior to consulta-tion or treatment.
Answer by: Mufti Shafiq Jakhura
Q: Is it Sunnah to eat sweets before or after a
meal? A: During the time of the Prophet �, the luxury of eat-ing a sweet dish at every meal did not exist. There
were times at which months would go by in which the stove/fire did not burn in the
house of the Prophet �. Some narrations suggest
that at times the Prophet � had dates either before or
after the meal. Based on this, having something sweet could be considered to be es-
tablished at times before, and at times after the meal.
However, this is not a regu-lar or emphasized Sunnah or practice of the Prophet �.
Answer by: Mufti Shafiq Jakhura
Q: If a shelter for abused
women receives Zakaat must they use the Zakaat
only for the Muslim women residents at the shelter? The administra-
tion is run by Muslim women. A person in-
formed me that Zakaat given to the administra-
tion is Zakaat only in the hands of the person giv-ing it, and not Zakaat in
the hands of the receiver and it can thus be used
for non-Muslims at the shelter. Is this correct? A: Zakaat may only be given
to the eligible and deserving Muslim women at the shel-
ter. Such funds cannot be given to non Muslims. Tam-leek (making the recipient
the owner) is a condition for the discharging of one's Za-
kaat and a non Muslim can-not be a recipient of Zakaat.
Answer by: Mufti Shafiq Jakhura
Q: When we (husband and wife) pray Salaah at home, our one year old
baby sometimes comes in front of us and even sits
at the place of sajdah. What should we do? A: The Salaah will not break
by the baby coming in front or sitting in the place of sa-
jdah. Take turns praying so one person can take care of the baby while the other
prays, enabling you to offer Salaah without distractions. Answer by: Moulana Sohail Bengali
Q: I have a skin disorder on my face. The skin peels
off quite often especially when sweating and apply-ing water. I am seeing a
dermatologist. I can’t use
anything on my face ex-
cept for a little amount of oil to keep it moist. How
do I complete my wudhu? A: If both warm and cold wa-ter are harmful for your face
then you should make masah (wipe) over your face with a
wet hand. If even making masah on the face is harm-ful, then you may leave out
the face and complete the rest of your wudhu. Your
wudhu will be considered complete and you may then perform any act of worship
which requires wudhu. When your wudhu breaks and you
want to do wudhu again, just repeat the same procedure.
When the treatment pre-scribed by your dermatolo-gist begins to take effect,
you must go back to using water for your face. Answer by: Moulana Sohail Bengali
Q: Is it permissible to sell a video phone which can
be used to talk, for inter-net and applications like other mobile phones?
A: It is permissible to sell a video phone as it has several
permissible uses, such as making telephone calls and browsing the internet.
Answer by: Moulana Abrar Mirza
Q: After a caesarian birth, is the bleeding Nifaas?
A: If the bleeding is from the private part it would be Ni-
faas, but if it is from the inci-sion only then it would not be Nifaas. Answer by: Mufti Abdool Kader Hoosen
Q: Is Stimorol Infinity Ha-laal?
A: In terms of information at our disposal Stimorol Infinity variants are Halaal. �
Answer by: SANHA
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INTERNET / IN
SPIRATIO
N
The Moghul Emperor, Akbar, was one day out
hunting in the forest. When it was time for evening prayer he dismounted, spread his mat
on the earth, and knelt to pray in the manner of devout Muslims everywhere.
Now it was precisely at this time that a peas-ant woman, perturbed because her husband
had left home that morning and hadn't re-turned, went rushing by, anxiously searching for him. In her preoccupation she did not no-
tice the kneeling figure of the Emperor and tripped over him, then got up and without a
word or apology rushed farther into the forest. Akbar was annoyed at this interruption, but he
observed the rule of speaking to no one during the prayer. At just about the time that his
prayer was over, the woman returned, joyful in the company of her husband, whom she
had found. She was surprised and frightened to see the Emperor and his entourage there. Akbar gave vent to his anger against her and
shouted, ‘Explain your disrespectful behaviour or you will be punished.’
The woman suddenly turned fearless, looked into the Emperor's eyes and said, ‘Your maj-
esty, I was so absorbed in the thought of my husband that I did not even see you here, not
even when, as you say, I stumbled over you. Now while you were at prayer, you were ab-sorbed in One who is infinitely more precious
than my husband. And how is it you noticed me?’ The Emperor was shamed into silence
and later confided to his friends that a peasant woman, who was neither a scholar nor a Mul-lah, had taught him the meaning of prayer. �
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INTERNET / COMPARITIVE
One of the charges against Muslims is that people
were forced to convert to Islam. This is completely
untrue. In fact, there are widely documented inci-
dents of people being forced to convert to Christi-
anity:
Sami. The Sami people inhabit areas of Swe-den, Norway, Finland and Russia. In order to
convert them, the church employed punish-ments of various kinds: fines, imprisonment or
the death penalty. The Sami's holy places were desecrated and their drums were
burned. In Norway, a major effort to convert the Sami
was made around 1720, when their sacred drums were burned and people force con-
verted. Their sacred sites were destroyed. Spanish Inquisition. A tribunal established
in 1480 forced Jews and Muslims to convert or leave. This was backed by Pope Sixtus IV in
1478. Courts employed physical torture to ex-tract confessions. 40,000 Jews were forcibly baptised while around 5,000 people burnt at
the stake by the Inquisition (including all cate-gories such as Protestants and Jews).
Muslims in the Crown of Aragon were obliged to convert by Charles I's decree of 1526. Many
were forcibly baptized during the Revolt of the Brotherhoods (1519–1523).
India. Religious persecution took place by the Portuguese in Goa, India from 16th to the
17th century. The natives of Goa, mostly Hin-dus were subjected to severe torture and op-
pression by Portuguese rulers and missionar-ies and forcibly converted to Christianity. �
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BIOGRAPHY / M
USLIM
INFLU
ENCE
At a time when the British empire was at its
height, a young Muslim occupied a central po-sition of influence over its sovereign, Queen
Victoria. This was Hafiz Abdul Karim (1863-1909), the Munshi (teacher in Urdu). He was an Indian who was one of Queen Victoria's
closest confidants despite the abhorrence of the royal circle.
Abdul Karim was 24 when he arrived in Eng-land to wait at table during Queen Victoria's
golden jubilee in 1887. Within a year, he was established as a powerful figure in court, be-
coming the queen's teacher and instructing her in Urdu and Indian affairs. He taught her how to write in Urdu and Hindi, introduced her
to curry, which she loved and which became a daily item on the royal menu, and eventually
became her highly decorated secretary. He and his wife were given residences on all of
the main royal estates in the UK and land in India. He was allowed to carry a sword and wear his medals in court and was permitted to
bring family members from India to England. He was named in court circulars, given the
best positions at operas and banquets, al-lowed to play billiards in all the royal palaces and had a private horse carriage and footman.
Abdul Karim's influence over the queen be-came so great that she stipulated that he be
among the principal mourners at her funeral. The queen appointed him Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire and Commander of
the Royal Victorian Order.
Barely a few hours after the queen's funeral, her son Edward VII unceremoniously sacked Abdul Karim and ordered all records of him be
destroyed. �
Sheikh Mahmood Khaleel Husri was born in
1917 in the village of Shibrun Namlah in Tanta, Egypt. By 8 he had memorized the
Quraan at the Madrassah in his village. At 12 he began learning the different styles of Qiraat. He studied at Al Azhar University. He
was reciter at the Ahmadi Musjid in Tanta ini-tially. He is reported to be the first to record
the Quraan on cassette. He recorded in the narration of Warsh an Nafi in 1964 and in the narrations of Qaloon and Doori in 1968. He
began initiating Madrassahs for Hifz (memorization) of the Quraan.
He came to Cairo in 1944. He passed the test to recite on state radio and was approved. In
1948 he was Muazzin at Sidi Hamza Musjid then a reciter. He was appointed chief of
Qaaris in Tanta in 1947, then supervisor of Qaaris in the Western Province. From 1949-
1955 he was reciter at Musjid Ahmad Al-Badawi. In 1960 he was appointed reciter at Musjid Hussain radhiallahu anhu in Cairo.
Later he was appointed Secretary General for Qaaris in Egypt. In 1963 he was appointed a
member of Quraan affairs in Wazaaratul Awqaaf, in 1964 head of the Research and Correction of the Quraan committee and in
1967 the Grand Aalim in the Islamic Research Centre. He is regarded as among the three
most famous Qaaris of our times. He authored books on the Quraan and was involved in the Azhari printing of the Quraan. He was known
for his accuracy of Tajweed. He undertook over 50 journeys to places like USA, UK, India
and Pakistan. Many Americans and Europeans accepted Islam at his hands.
He passed away in 1980 at the age of 63. �
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HISTORY / CURRENT
Iran complained to the International Olympic
Committee that the logo for the 2012 London Olympics resembles the word ‘Zion’ a Biblical
term for Israel. The racist Jewish movement Zionism, which called for and established a Jewish state in Palestine, is named after Zion.
In another twist, the mascots for the 2012
Games are creepy, one-eyed creatures making a connection with the one-eyed Dajjal who will lead the Jews towards the Last Day. The name
of one is Mandeville (man devil) aptly describ-ing Dajjal, who will have one eye. �
And Allah Knows Best
The island of Madagascar was originally set-
tled by migrants from Indonesia in the 3rd century. Islam has been established for centu-
ries and today Muslims are 10 to 15 percent of the population or 3 million. The name Mada-gascar was first used by Marco Polo in the
13th century as a corrupted form of Moga-dishu, the Somali port with which he confused
the island. In the 7th century Muslim Arabs and East Africans established trading posts along the northwest coast. The Zafiraminia
were ancestors of the Antaimoro, Antanosy and other ethnic groups. The Antaimoro es-
tablished a kingdom in the south in the Middle Ages. The last wave of Arabs were the Anta-laotra who immigrated from East Africa.
While the Malagasy language shares 90% of
its basic vocabulary with the Ma'anyan lan-guage of Indonesia, Malagasy names for sea-
sons, months, days, and coins are Arabic in origin, as is the practice of circumcision and different greetings. Sorabe, an alphabet based
on Arabic, was first used to write Malagasy.
In the Middle Ages, the island's kings traded with Muslim Arab, Persian and Somali traders who connected Madagascar with East Africa,
the Middle East and India. Western Madagas-car has a large Muslim population mostly from
Zanzibar, Yemen and Iran. They own virtually all the restaurants there. There 50,000 Muslim refugees from India, Comoros and Somalia.
Many locals are converting and coming back to Islam and there are now about 50 Musjids and
Islamic centres in Madagascar. Muslims have built medical clinics, schools and social centres and Islam is propagated on national TV and
radio. �
16 April: Qiraat Jalsah @ Musjid Abu
Bakr, Darul Uloom. Asr to Esha. Fan-tastic prizes to be won. Guest Judges:
Qari Ayoob Ishaaq of Darul Uloom Za-kariyya and Moulana Masud Mewati,
Imam of Musjidus Saaliheen, Lenasia. Refreshments served
Check www.islamicfocus.co.za for more
events and updates
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Left The logo for the 2012
Olympics in London in 2012
Above The logo spelling the
word ‘Zion’
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1 2 3
4
5
6
7 8
9
10 11
12
CLUES DOWN
1 Name of graveyard in Madinah: Jannatul … 2 Arabic word for meat 3 Name of first Musjid in Islam 4 Country formerly known as Persia 5 Name of a country that means two seas in Ara-bic 8 Liberator of Musjidul Aqsa: Salahuddeen … 9 This country’s capital is Doha
ACROSS 1 Name of first Muazzin in Islam 5 First battle of Islam 6 Name of graveyard in Makkah: Jannatul … 7 Word for Peninsula in Arabic (A TV station is named after it) 10 Arabic for John 11 Original name of province where Makkah and Madinah are found 12 Conqueror of North Africa: … ibn Nafi
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FINAL FO
CUS
The United Ulama Council of South Africa
(UUCSA) was established in 1994 to unify, co-ordinate and represent the Muslims of South
Africa on a national and international level, especially in matters concerning the South Af-rican government.
UUCSA represents the major Ulama bodies of
South Africa. The founder members were the Muslim Judicial Council, Jamiatul Ulama South Africa (formerly Transvaal), Jamiatul Ulama
KZN, Sunni Ulama Council, Sunni Jamiatul Ulama. These were later joined by the Eastern
Cape Islamic Congress and the Council of Ulama Eastern Cape.
Among the objectives is to foster unity and co-ordinate Muslims.
Some Activities
� Visit of Ulama to China and hosting Ulama from China
� Engaging with government on the Muslim
Marriages Bill � Dealing with the national call for compul-
sory HIV testing for marriages � Interacting with UNISA to accommodate Muslim students with regards to exams on
Fridays � Serving as a member on the National Reli-
gious Leaders Forum � Having direct access to the President
Contact: PO Box 38311, Gatesville, 7764
Tel: 021 684 4600 / 013 243 2423 Fax: 021 696 5154 / 013 243 2423
www.uucsa.co.za
A wise and pious rich man, sensing his ap-
proaching death, called his son and instructed him: ‘I shall die soon. When I die and my body
has been washed and is about to be shrouded, I want you to put one of my socks on my foot. This is my final request.’
Soon after the man died, leaving behind prop-
erties and wealth. Family and friends attended his funeral. The body had been washed and almost completely enshrouded when the son
remembered his father’s wish. Finding one of his old socks, he handed it to the person who
washed the dead and said: ‘In accordance with my father’s last request, please put this sock on his foot.’
‘That is impossible,’ said the man, ‘Such a
thing is not allowed in Islam.’ The son insisted that, as it was his father’s final wish, it must
be carried out. The washer was unmoved and told the boy to consult with the scholars. They all agreed it was not allowed. Just then an old
friend of the deceased interrupted and said to the son: ‘My boy, your late father entrusted
me with a letter to give to you at such a time. Here it is.’ He handed the son the envelope and the boy read:
‘My son, all this wealth and property I have
left for you. Now you see, at the last moment they won’t even let you give me one old sock. You will also one day only take a shroud. So
use the wealth wisely and increase in good deeds, the only thing you can take with you
on the journey beyond death.’ �
Adapted from: The Muslim Woman, 12:3