EVALUATING YOUR PREPARATION FOR HAJJ

courtesy amazon islam pictures

1. EVALUATE WHERE YOU ARE NOW:

• WHAT IS THE STATE OF YOUR IMAAN?
• WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF YOUR SALAH?
• WHAT IS THE ACCURACY OF YOUR WUDU AND SALAH?
• WHAT ARE YOUR INTENTIONS FOR GOING TO HAJJ?
• WHAT IS THE DEGREE OF YOUR DESIRE FOR HAJJ E MABROOR?

II            EVALUATE YOUR DESIRES:

• WHAT DO YOU WORRY ABOUT LEAVING BEHIND?
• WHAT BODILY DISCOMFORTS DO YOUR WORRY ABOUT?
• WHAT OTHER THINGS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR PLAN WITH HAJJ?
• HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO CHANGE?

III            EVALUATE YOUR SPIRITUAL PREPARATION

• HOW OFTEN ARE YOU RECITING THE QURAN?
• ARE YOU READING THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET?
• HAVE YOU READ YOUR HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF MECCA AND MEDINA AND WHAT HAPPENED WHERE?
• HAVE YOU SUBMITTED YOUR SPIRIT TO ALLAH AND ENTREATED HIM TO INVITE YOU FOR HAJJ?
• HAVE YOU READ THE DESCRIPTION OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S HAJJ AND LAST SPEECH AT ARAFAH?

IV            EVALUATE YOUR PHYSICAL PREPARATION

• ARE YOU EXERCISING YOUR BODY TO BUILD STAMINA FOR IBADAH?
• ARE YOU EXERCISING YOUR MUJAHIDA TO CONTROL YOUR NAFS (LESS EATING, LESS SLEEPING, LESS TALKING, LESS SOCIALIZING)
• ARE YOU DOING ANY NAFIL FASTS ON MONDAY AND/OR THURSDAYS TO BUILD YOUR INNER SPIRITUALITY AND CONTROL YOUR NAFS
• HAVE YOU PRACTICED TO FOCUS ON PRAYER AND RECITATION WHILE IN A NOISY ATMOSPHERE?

V            EVALUATE YOUR EDUCATIONAL PREPARATION

*            HAVE YOU STUDIED AND IMPROVED ON YOUR NAMAAZ E NABVI?

*            HAVE YOU LEARNED TO PRAY NAMAZ E JANAZAH?

*            DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY NAMAZ E TASBEEH (OPTIONAL)

*            HAVE YOU MEMORIZED EXTRA SURAHS TO RECITE IN PRAYER IN THE HARAMAIN?

*            DO YOU KNOW HOW TO PRAY QAZA E UMARI?

*         HAVE YOU FAMILIARIZED YOURSELF WITH THE MANASAK OF THE HAJJ?

*            DO YOU KNOW WHAT INVALIDATES THE HAJJ?

*            DO YOU KNOW WHAT MANASAK CAN BE MADE UP AND WHICH CANNOT?

*            HAVE YOU MADE A LIST OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE ASKED YOU TO PRAY FOR THEM

*            HAVE YOU MADE A LIST OF WHAT YOU WANT TO PRAY FOR?

*      DO YOU KNOW THE THIRD KALIMA, RABBANA ATAIYNA FID DUNYA AND THE DUA FOR SAFA AND MARWAH?

*            ARE YOU MEMORIZING A NEW DUA EACH DAY THAT YOU WANT TO ASK ALLAH FOR (MASNOON OR FROM THE QURAN?)

• ARE YOU PRACTICING PATIENCE NOW?
• ARE YOU PRACTICING WEARING HIJAB AND PROPER CLOTHES FOR PRAYER?
• ARE YOU PRACTICING PRAYING EACH PRAYER ON TIME?
• ARE YOU PRACTICING SPENDING TIME IN RECITATION OF THE QURAN AND/OR HADITH?

VI            EVALUATE YOUR LOGISTICAL PREPARATION

• DO YOU HAVE COMFORTABLE, WASHABLE CLOTHES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE EXTRA CARE AND WHICH COVER THE AWRAH?
• DO YOU HAVE TOILETRIES WITH NO FRAGRANCE?
• DO YOU HAVE A SLEEPING BAG FOR ARAFAH AND MUZDALIFA?
• DO YOU HAVE A SMALL SEPARATE BAG FOR MINA?
• DO YOU HAVE A SMALL BACK BAG FOR SHOES, OR READING MATERIAL AND A WATER BOTTLE, WHILE IN TAWAF OR SAAII?
• HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THE MAP OF THE LAYOUT OF THE KAABA AND KNOW THE NAMES OF THE DOORS?
• DO YOU HAVE A LIST (FOR YOURSELF AND GIFTS) OF WHAT YOU WANT TO BUY AT HAJJ?
• DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF YOUR PASSPORT AND DOCUMENTS IN A PLASTIC BAG OR COVER TO TAKE WITH YOU?
• DO YOU KNOW THE CONVERSION RATE FROM DOLLARS TO SAUDI RIYAL?
• HAVE YOU DISCUSSED WITH YOUR MAHRAM, YOUR EXPECTATIONS AND HIS?
• HAVE YOU SHARED YOUR PREPARATIONS WITH HIM?
• HAVE YOU MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PEOPLE YOU ARE LEAVING BEHIND?
• DO YOU HAVE A WILL?
• DO YOUR CHILDREN HAVE GUARDIANS IN EVENT OF AN UNFORSEEN CIRCUMSTANCE
• HAVE YOU MADE A LIST OF PEOPLE YOU NEED TO APPROACH TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS OR GIVE FORGIVENESS?
• HAVE YOU PAID YOUR DEBTS THAT ARE DUE?
• WHO IS YOUR BUDDY WHILE IN THE HARAM (IT IS NOT POSSIBLE MOST OF THE TIME FOR YOUR MAHRAM TO BE YOUR BUDDY AS THE MEN AND WOMEN ARE SEPARATED AFTER TAWAF AND SOMETIMES IN TAWAF.

Inshallah you will do well, even if you are not perfectly prepared, but try and be as prepared as possible, then Hajj becomes the true spiritual journey you have imagined it to be!

FEAR & FAITH : Part One

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem, I begin with the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, and Most Merciful

FEAR is one of the most primitive instincts for survival. Fear is recognized in the thinking feeling part of the brain called the limbic system. It is then processed by the frontal lobes and if approved the hypothalamus is triggered to produces the hormones of fright, fight and flight.

Having placed the three checks and balances in our brains Allah Subhanawataala teaches us about Fear and how it will affect us, depending on what choices we make.

The word(s) “fear” appears 295 time(s) in 269 verse(s) in the Quran.

Allah Subhanawataala has taught us how to qualify, avoid and overcome FEAR. He has also taught us how to educate our frontal lobes to stop the reaction of the hormonal trigger of FEAR. In the complexity of the words of the Quran and the practices of our beloved Prophet lies the key to control Fear from Ghair Allah. (This is the topic for another day)

Allah Subhanawataala instructs us about our choices regarding fear:

1.    He says in the second ayah of Surah Al Baqarah: 2:2

ذَلِكَ ٱلتَـبُ لَا رَيبَ فِيهِ هُدًى لِّلمُتَّقِينَ
YusufAli’s translation: This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.
(Mutaqqeen: people of Taqwa)

Thus guidance will only be given to me in the Book of Allah’s words if I fear Allah.
Fear only Him and His words in His book (the Quran) will become guidance for us.

2. Those who reject His words they have to FEAR the FIRE

فَإِن لَّم تَفعَلُواْ وَلَن تَفعَلُواْ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱلنَّارَ ٱلَّتِى وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلحِجَارَةُ أُعِدَّت لِلكَـفِرِينَ (٢٤)
YUSUFALI: 2:24 But if ye cannot- and of a surety ye cannot- then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, – which is prepared for those who reject Faith.

Those who reject His Subhanawataala’s words have fear the FIRE of Jahannum

3. 002.038
قُلنَا ٱهبِطُواْ مِنہَا جَمِيعًا فَإِمَّا يَأتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوفٌ عَلَيہِم وَلَا هُم يَحزَنُونَ (٣٨)
In Surah Baqarah ayah 38 Allah Subhanawataala says:
002.038 YUSUFALI: We said: “Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there comes to you Guidance from me, whosoever follows My guidance, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

4. Who to fear?
002.040YUSUFALI: O Children of Israel! Call to mind the (special) favor, which I bestowed upon you, and fulfill your covenant with Me as I fulfill My Covenant with you, and fear none but Me.

Even though the example given here is of the Children of Israel but it is as applicable to each one of us….the command is succinct that we must Fear NO ONE but Allah Subhanawataala.

In summary Allah Subhanawataala outlines:
1.    That we should fear None but Him (ALLAH).
2.     He warns those who reject His words and commandments that they should fear the FIRE that eats up man and stones
3.    Those who obey Him shall never have fear or grief.

Usually when we read about people who disobey Allah Subhanwataala and the promise of the FIRE for them we have no fear because we never associate or include ourselves in those who disobey Him because we were born Muslims, or have a muslim name and thus we erroneously feel that we are naturally protected no matter what we do.

FEAR comes in many guises. There are small fears and large fears…………………….

To be continued in part two………….

DISOBEDIENCE OF ALLAH BY THE STRONGEST NATION IN THE WORLD: SURAH HUD 11:50-60

TAFSEER EXCERPTED FROM DR. FARHAT HASHMI

Once upon a time…………………….. there lived in the desert of the Middle East a nation stronger than every nation known to the face of man in those times.
It was a nation of men that were tall, strong and intelligent and refined in their art and science of architecture.
They had armies of able bodied, large men. The numbers in the army were so many that they occupied several miles of terrain.

The common people were ruled by a group of very strong and very intelligent leaders whose faith revolved around several hundred idols to whom they prayed for benefits and to whom they attributed the power of their nation.

THE MESSAGE
In that nation was a man named HUD (AS) who brought them the message of the oneness of God and that He the one God was Almighty and Powerful and had created everything and had power over everything”
The leaders of the nation discussed with him, and argued against his message. most of their reasoning  was laced with the arrogance of their power and their confidence in their what seemed to them,  impregnable strength
THE STALEMATE
When the discussions between HUD (AS) and the leaders stalemated, they accused him of keeping company with the abject and the poor and asked him to get rid of them, then they would consider his message. Hud AS refused as these were also the people of Allah and had accepted his message.
Finally they said that their gods had encircled him and that he was going insane. They then threatened him with their strength and power to which he said that “do what you may but you cannot hurt me, as Allah is my protector, and he has power over everyone” This level of tawakul in Allah in face of the powerful leaders enraged them.

REJECTION OF THE MESSAGE BY THE LEADERS
Despite HUD (AS’s) continued presentations of tawheed replete with proofs, the leaders of Ad turned him away with haughty arrogance of their strength and complete confidence in their own numerous gods. They completely discounted his warnings of the horror that awaited them if they continued to disobey Allah and join partners with Him.

WHAT ABOUT THE COMMON MAN?
When one lives in a nation of disobedient leaders and does not do anything to oppose the disobedience then they become party to acceptance of what their leaders believe, and whatever is the fate of the leaders is also that of the common man.
Thus when Allah Subhanawataala sent his azaab, it came upon each and every member of the nation of Ad including the leaders and the common man.

THE FINAL WARNING
HUD (AS) said, “If you turn your face away and do not want to listen to me, I have completed my duty and my mission, I have given you the message and Allah Subhanawataala will replace your nation with another people”

PROTECTING THOSE WHO HAD REJECTED SHIRK
HUD AS was instructed to leave with the few believers who were disenfranchised, poor and abject members of the nation of Ad, who had accepted the message of Tawheed.

an example of a tornado illuminated by the lightning

DESCRIPTION OF THE AZAAB
One morning when the people from the nation of Ad awoke, they saw a cloud, and were happy that perhaps it would bring rain for the crops.

Then came a wind so severe, with a very loud sound and a severe chill. It encircled the nation of Ad (sort of like a tornado) and picked up the people of Ad who were tall and strong like trees and slapped them to the ground. For seven days and seven nights this wind wrecked devastation on the nation of Ad and when it died down the tall strong humans who were so arrogant of the supremacy of their strength lay around like hollow tree trunks. Not a thing remained, the fields of crops lay waste and everything was destroyed!

ALLAH SUBHANAWATAALA SAYS:
These were the people of Ad! Disobedient to Allah and his messengers (if one is disobedient to the messenger then he is being disobedient to all the messengers as they all bring the same message of Tawheed from Allah Subhanawataala)

They were guilty of arrogance and in insisting on committing the worst of the disobediences of Allah Subhanawataala: SHIRK, and thus they were destroyed!

END TAFSEER

Itta KulAllah……FEAR ALLAH!

THE SILENT OPPRESSION (DHULM)

There are so many people out there living silently in pain, and have no hope or roadmap of how to get out of this complex life situation.

Unfortunately there are no quick fixes without an understanding of the basis and etiquette of the global relationship of the human race with each other individually and collectively.

Allah Subhanawataala guides us in the Quran modulating human behavior to avert the pain that humans afflict on each other:

It is not righteousness that ye turn your faces Towards East or West; but it is righteousness- to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the Allah-fearing. Quran:2:177

The believers are guided to what is good for fellow human beings on one hand and sternly warned against Oppression on the other hand by Allah (SWT). Repeatedly in the Quran the oppressors are given due notice that if they continue in this world to oppress the weak, there awaits for them in the Hereafter, the pit of fire from which there is no escape. It will burn their skin, baring the nerve endings, new skin will be replaced with all its sensitivity to burn again and thus the cycle will continue forever. A soul shaking warning for those who are cognizant and not blinded by arrogance.
The Arabic word for oppression, as I understand it is dhulm. Some how the translation into English as oppression just does not cut it. Dhulm on the other hand is not a single action, but a series of continuous acts to denigrate, dehumanize, and subjugate someone by encroaching indelibly on his or her rights and who is unable to resist this encroachment.
The means employed by the oppressor are not as important as the actual intention and act of oppression. The oppressor is called Dhalim and the oppressed is called Mazloom.

There are many types of oppression, but one thing is consistent in all forms: the oppressor is powerful and the oppressed is powerless against the onslaught of dhulm or oppression.

I have often wondered why Allah SWT repeatedly warns humankind to be kind to each other and not oppress each other and not take another’s right by force or fear? Aren’t human beings practicing humanity?

This stern warning in the Quran serves as the great balancer of life in this world. One person oppresses another one, and a third one comes to the rescue of the oppressed. Sometimes the oppressor begins oppression and then because of his fear of Allah retracts his behavior and lets go of the subjugation of the oppressed.
There are two formats of Oppression:
1. Deliberate: Inebriated with the arrogance of power the Dhalim (oppressor) rides rough shod over the weak and when he/she succeeds in usurping the rights of the weak continues to do so as he does not have any fear of Allah in this state of mind.
2. Ignorance: A Dhalim oppressor may be unaware that his actions may be a form of oppression and the obedience that he is extracting is at the expense of the rights of the mazloom or oppressed. This I call silent oppression.

The reason I call it silent oppression is because the oppressor conducts it silently and sometimes may even be unaware or may consider it his right to impose this form of Dhulm on the other individual.
On the other side there is silence from the mazloom or the oppressed who is slowly being “gaslighted” or chronically abused such that he or she begins to think that this is what he or she deserves and therefore no longer stands up to his or her rights anymore. And yet one day the mounting acts of oppression are no longer tolerable even with the rationalization noted above. The situation between the oppressor and the oppressed explodes into external violence. That is the day when the issue of oppression becomes a headline not as oppression but only the result of it.
Examples of silent oppression are seen in schools and the outcomes are seen in the actions of the carnage done by the two boys of Columbine High School or more recently the single shooter of Virginia Tech.
Silent oppression usually does not have the explosive outcome in the devoutly muslim people as it has in the non-muslim countries. The reason being two fold:
1. The oppressor in moments of cognizance recognizes his oppression and backs off due to fear of Allah, or someone in the muslim society puts pressure on the oppressor and puts the fear of God in him thus forcing him without violence to accede the rights to the oppressed.

2.The oppressed turn to Allah and it is a Hadith that a true heartfelt supplication to Allah from the lips of the oppressed is never turned away by Him ( SWT). Thus the ability to bear minor oppression is strengthened in a person who remains in Dhikr.

Factors propagating oppression in muslim societies:
Sometimes the veil of false facts invented from cultural religiosity is used to continue oppression. This is when both the oppressor and the oppressed believe this oppression to be right, as they are ignorant of the God given rights of the victim clearly outlined in the Quran and summarized in Surah al Baqara. The right of being treated with dignity by all irrespective of caste creed and gender given to human beings by Allah SWT are distorted by self serving, ignorant half baked but well intentioned wannabe scholars and Imams.
Where is silent oppression most evident?
1. Silent oppression is most overt in the beaurocratic organization where people are captive due to their dependence on the goodwill of their bosses for their jobs rather than their expertise. Their bosses if they are not God fearing, recognizing the helplessness of the people under them oppress them. Examples are the sexual advances towards female workers under male bosses. The male bosses do not feel that they are accountable to Allah SWT for their behavior. They are ignorant of the fact that making sexual advances to a woman working under them are punishable by the severest laws of the hudood. The laws of sexual harassment in secular countries are mild slaps on the hand for such people.
2. The other place where silent oppression is most evident and yet unrecognized is in the home. Here if each individual does not ask the question of himself or herself before demanding something from the other “ Am I asking her or him to do something which is beyond my right to ask for?” then oppression occurs and slowly builds creating a power structure in the heart and mind of the oppressor and suppressed anger and evolving passion of violence in the hearts and mind of the oppressed.
Again this wound festers and eventually boils over and the public sees it in a newspaper headline where a wife set fire to the bed in which her husband was asleep, or a husband kills his wife and children after she separated from him and went to live elsewhere. In society this factual report is only the tip of the iceberg.

In the second surah of the Quran, Surah Baqara it appears to me in my initial review that Allah SWT has given us a summary of the code of ethics and behavior to follow in our daily life. He (SWT) outlines the “Haqooq al Ebad” which means the rights of the humankind over each other.

I am confident that if we took a vote of how many muslim men and women entering matrimony have actually read and studied Surah Baqara and are well versed in the code of ethics of Haqooq al Ebad, I would say that the majority have not even cracked the book, leave alone studied it. I myself once belonged to that group. I would be happy if a reader dispels this assertion if they can.

How can one expect to have a smooth ride through marriage if both parties do not know the verbage and code of behavior that the contract warrants?

Why is there such a strict code of behavior in Islam? My non-muslim friends often ask me this question. The answer is, having a global code of ethics that is based on humanity makes for a peaceful and happy world.

Thus if everyone remains within the circle of being human with each other and constantly questions oneself “Have I fulfilled the rights of my relatives, my friends, my coworkers, my boss, my society………..etc etc? Then the chances of silent oppression become low in the household, and thus rare in society in general.

How about in school? Learning begins very early in childhood. A child learns by observing the actions of his or her parents. He cries and watches the response of the parent. The actions of the parents are indelibly engraved on the brains of the children long before they can put two words together.
How then can parents expect children to do as they say but not do as they do? A great example is when parents (hopefully not a muslim one) say to their children “ Alcohol is bad for you”, but then proceed not only to drink it but to visibly enjoy it and glamorize it by dressing up beautifully (cocktail dresses) to attend parties where alcohol is the main course (cocktail parties) and yet they tell their children it is not good for you….! It is an oxymoron.

The children’s action imitates the adult, thus school statistics in the US reveal that fifty percent of sixth graders (age 10-11 years) have imbibed alcohol, usually from their parents wine cabinet.

If the parents do not base their conduct with each other on the guidelines of the code of Humanity and children are not taught the code of ethics of humanity “Haqooq al Ebad” then they have no reason not to oppress their colleagues and feel powerful (popular) while doing so.

Thus in school there is little or no protection from oppression. It takes place everywhere, but most poignantly in the locker room where boys are teased about their private parts and girls are also, especially if they do not wish to undress in front of everyone. With time this continuous oppression creates an ever-increasing rage in the oppressed, which fueled by the continuous subjugation of words or acts of the oppressor then explodes into violence. The oppressed child then goes berserk and does damage to the oppressors. That is when I have to see the patient to evaluate them for their “ rage attack” to evaluate if they have a neuropsychiatric disorder. Silent oppression breeds rage. Continuous, unresolved injustice breeds’ rage, which begets violence.

For each individual there are three levels of evaluation of Oppression:

1. To look within oneself not once not twice but intermittently and continuously to keep ones behavior fair and just with all his/her contacts, neither oppressing them, nor being oppressed.
2. To look in ones immediate environment for signs of oppression and to assist the oppressed and desist the oppressor.
3. To look further away into society at large and if oppression is apparent, to assist the oppressed and desist the oppressor.
If the inner code of human ethics as taught by the words of God in the Quran coupled with a healthy fear of God is present it usually is enough to keep oppression in check both in adults and in children.

In summary: In this world progressively going crazily violent around us, we need to pause and let it sink into our psyches that an unshakeable belief in the Hereafter, of accountability on the Day of Judgment and living by the creed of One God and obedience to Him and His last messenger is imperative for the prevention of silent oppression and oppression of all kinds and in all scenarios.

Supplication: May Allah Subhana wa taala protect us from Dhulm and from becoming a Dhalim.

CHILD ABUSE

Why am I writing this today so many days after the news? ‘Father kills daughter’………..How many times I have heard that. If one works with children, one realizes that abuse is rampant. Initially I thought this was a western disease. I thought that it might be coming from lack of family values and lack of fear of God. Perhaps when people felt they were not accountable to God they became laissez faire.

Being afraid of the law is not enough to prevent child abuse and spouse abuse. The law has many loopholes for abusers, and thus abuse goes on till there is a homicidal or a suicidal conclusion.
Abuse in muslim families is not an unknown phenomenon; After all they are part of the human race with all its weaknesses. Abuse in muslim families just like in Christian, Jewish or Atheist families is more a sociologic disease rather than an outcome of a religious belief.

A husband who had beaten his wife several times was asked why he did that he replied ”she made me angry”. Eight to ninety percent of spousal abuse occurs under the influence of alcohol. Perhaps it was this fact that made me think that muslims would be immune from this act.
However here (The incident in Canada) we are faced with an abusive situation that culminated in homicide. This act will affect not only that particular family in which with this happened but the entire society this child lived in as well as everyone who reads about it like me.
I am sickened as always when I hear of abuse whether it is in a patient of mine or in the newspaper.
What are we to do as muslims…?
The chant is to denounce the perpetrator of the crime. The law will do that if it is just.
What can we do as muslims to prevent this type of a tragedy?
1. The first step is to look at our selves and the muslims we live with. Do we have signs of abuse in our own home or in our immediate environment; are we oppressing any one or taking their God given right in any manner?
If we find in ourselves that we are oppressing someone, even mildly we must do istighfaar and promise Allah that we will stop that oppression and ask Him to help us keep that promise.
2. In every Friday khutba it is read”that we should be kind to our families and deal with them with adal” Maybe it is time to try and understand what is said in Arabic in the khutba on Friday. Especially the sections that are repeated verbatim from the Sunnah. We need a self evaluation to figure out how we can bring that commandment “to be kind to our kin” into our life and the society around us.
3.Do not close your eyes to Dhulm (opression) in another family by saying “ it is none of my business” Befriend the family, try to ease their material difficulties, if they are ignorant of the commandments of Adal (being just with each other) then gently bring that to their attention. Encourage them to review and reflect on the Quran regarding Huqooq al Ebaad and Adal. Create opportunities for them to study these subjects with you. Instead of criticizing them, ease their burden whatever that may be: financial, educational or social.
Meanwhile teach the victims some tactics of self-protection and when to draw the line. Call in social services. The victims need to be aware that once a spouse lifts his hand to hit, he can only do so by reducing the other human being to the level of an animal. Thus after the first act of physical abuse, the victim must immediately leave with her prized belongings and go to a shelter for abused women and children, as there is no improvement after that only adjustment to taking abuse untill it culminates in homicide or suicide.

For mothers and wives this may be very difficult as they may not be well versed in the ways of earning a living and they may worry about how they will feed their children. I would like to remind them that we have to remember that Allah SWT is Razzak, and that all food and sustenance comes from Him, so trust Him and remove yourself from oppression as soon as possible.
Abuse is a learned disease passed on to the next generation. Some women think it will go away if they are “good” and not arouse anger in their spouse. This works for sometime but meanwhile children being raised in that household are becoming future abusers as they are learning the pattern of parenting which is laced with abuse. Both giving it and receiving it.
Failures of this Muslim Community:
In this case the muslim community in which this family lived failed them in many ways:
1. When the child complained about her fathers “strictness” someone, a friend of the family or the Imam should have made some visitations to check what was going on, and listened to both sides of the story. After that they should have kept a vigilant eye on the family.
2. Failure to follow the Prophets example……He (PBUH never raised his hand on any of His wives nor children. His wife Ayesha (RA) was slandered and yet Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) remained silent. He did not raise his hand, never in anger nor in hate nor just to demonstrate his power.
3. Failure to obey the Quran and provide and practice Adal (justice) as is explained in the Quran
4. Failure to provide support, help and Islamic knowledge on an ongoing basis to this family that obviously was in difficulty for some time.
5. Failure for the community to understand what are the rights of parents and children over each other, and to help protect the opressed from the opressor.

6. Failure of the community in turning a blind eye when abuse in the guise of religion was being used in this family.
Reasons:
It is difficult to help someone and also difficult to tolerate others if they do not immediately listen to your advice. unless one is humble and is in the continuous process of learning and reflecting on the Quran, only then can one develop the patience with people.

Most muslims look at the few Hudood (complex laws) and try to apply them without having the expert jurist knowledge or authority to do.
Finally:
There is no law in Islam that would allow one muslim to take the life of another muslim because they were allegedly not practicing ALL the tenets of the religion. If this was so none of us would be alive today.
There are no perfect muslims, we are all struggling to fulfill the tenets of Islam but fail to do so in one or another area.
It is for that reason of our weakness that every night we ask for forgiveness from Allah SWT and promise ourselves and Him (SWT) to do better the next day.
May Allah protect the weak from the opressors.

ONE HUNDRED THINGS ABOUT DHIKR (27-50)

Continued from:

What is Dhikr to me?

27. Subhanallah when I am faced with beauty
28. Subhanallah when I am faced with something unsual
29. Subhanallah when I am faced with someone amazing
30. Alhamdollillah when I think of the Naimahs given to me
31. Alhamdollillah when I think of what I did not get
32. Ayat el kursi after fard prayer
33. Ayat el Kursi when I see a dark figure following me in the parking garage
34. Ayat el Kursi when I have to take a cab in an unknown city
35. Shukr Alhamdollillah when I can walk along the river.
36. Shukr Alhamdollillah when I sleep soundly through the night
37. Aaoodubillahi minish shaytan nir rajeem when I don’t feel like getting up for fajr
38. Bismillah when I start my car
39. Ashadu an lailaha illallah when I complete my wudu.
40. Astigfirullah when I complete my salaat
41. Allah o Akbar when the mosque kids put on an Eid program
42. Allah o Akbar when Zidane made a goal in soccer.
43. Shukr Alhamdollillah when I see my face in the morning
44. Mashallah when I am informed of two muslims getting engaged

45. Subhanallah when I see a dedicated prayer room in someones house

46. Alhamdollillah when my husband shares some good news.
47. Durood and Astighfirullah when the tide of grief rises.
48. Asma e husna when the sun is setting on a sad evening
49. Bismillah when I start Farhat Hashmi’s tafseer with breakfast
50. Rabannas…when I think of my friends and family.

To be continued inshallah………………

COURAGE: REMEMBERING MARTIN LUTHER KING

Presented at the Interfaith meeting at the Presbyterian Church by Paul-Mehdi

Asalaam-o-Alaikum,

Martin Luther King was a man of rare courage – a man who was willing to live and die for his dream of human dignity – for those without power, for those without a voice, for those without hope.

Part of his legacy was his courage to fight American racism. This was a battle fought as much for whites as for blacks. As he said “If physical death is the price I must pay to free my white brothers and sisters from a death of the spirit, then nothing can be more redemptive.”

This battle against racism is largely won. Today modern genetics teaches us that none of us are black or white – we are a million shades of brown. The presidency of this country may soon by held by a black man – a change that Martin Luther King would not have imagined likely in a single generation. And for those of you who have spent time with the “text messaging generation”, you know that they are colorblind. Racism, they just don’t get it.

But there was more to Martin Luther King than the courage to fight racism. He wanted all men to sit down at the table of brotherhood. If he were alive today, he would fight for the powerless and against those with power. Given the global and technologic changes in the past half century, his stage would not be just America, but would be with the world.

He would be upset that we continue to let our religions divide us – just as we previously let the color of our skin divide us. Protestants and Catholics killing each other in Ireland. Sunni & Shia killing each other in Iraq. Jews and Muslims in the Middle East. Each worshiping the one God: the God of Abraham (AS) The God of Jesus (AS), The God of Mohammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and each believing the other to be ungodly.

We come to our religions from many paths. Some are born into their faith. Some search and find it. Others like me stumble upon it. Martin Luther King was a man devoted to his Christian faith and he stands as a beacon of what that faith can do to transform a man into a hero – a hero who understood that man is one. That God is one. Though we pray in a million ways, in a million tongues, all faiths at their essence unite in the oneness of God.

You have heard the crowds on the TV news chanting: “Allah o Akbar! Allah ho Akbar!” – God is great. “La illaha illallah” – there is one and only one God. These are your brothers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Allah Subhanawataala says in the Quran:

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

Quran 49:13 
English translation by YUSUF ALI

WHAT ARE EXCESSES IN DEEN?; THE ROLE OF ‘HAWA’ AND THE CONCEPT OF TRINITY

(In reference to Jesus (AS) & Christianity)
Adapted from the tafseer by Farhat Hashmi (www.alhudapk.com)

SURAH AL MAIDAH: (Translation by Yusuf Ali)
005.076 
: Say: “Will ye worship, besides Allah, something which hath no power either to harm or benefit you? But Allah, – He it is that heareth and knoweth all things.” 


005.077 
: Say: “O people of the Book! Exceed not in your religion the bounds (of what is proper), trespassing beyond the truth, nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by, – who misled many, and strayed (themselves) from the even way”.

Prohibition of Shirk: a rhetorical question: (i.e. How could we be so stupid as to worship something that is inert in its power)
In this ayah (5:76) Allah SWT gives Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) the examples of cultures that came before him and how they worshiped things, people and ideas that could neither benefit them not harm (punish) them, and i.e. they were inert in their power. The cultures before us gave these inert things the power of God thus committing shirk.

Excess in Religion (Stay in the middle)
He (SWT) follows with instructions to be neither excessive nor minimal in the practice of our deen.
What are the examples of excessive?
* Praying 24/7 & ignoring our daily responsibilities
* Fasting every day,
* Become a groupie to a religious personality
* Adoring a televangelist or a pious personality
* The most extreme being: Promoting Jesus (AS) a Prophet of Allah to the status of God, or His son (Astighfirullah)
* Ulemas (learned people of deen) given the status of Saints
* Reverence of the Quran to the extent of paralyzing action. E.g. “I can’t read it in case I make a mistake”
* Excessive taharah spending a lot of hours and water and time to perform simple taharah,
What are examples of minimizing?
* Disrespecting the elders, and the educated people in Deen because if they are given a lot of respect this might lead to excessive elevation of their status.
* Not extending the muslim greeting of salaam, as the other might get an inflated ego
* Not helping someone who is working for the sake of our Deen, incase he might think he is too good or I might elevate his status.
The Quran is a guide for everyone and for all times
The Quran is a guide for people of all levels and types of intellect and the Sunnah is a living example of how to implement the teachings of Allah in our life irrespective of level of education or intelligence. In the life of some of us there will be times when we neither understand nor agree with something said in the Quran. (Astighfirullah)
Allah SWT warns Prophet Muhammad by giving examples of the people in the past and commands muslims: “ nor follow the vain desires of people who went wrong in times gone by”:
What are vain desires (Hawa)? Hawa is defined as those desires of the ego that defy Allah’s commandment.

Who are the people who went wrong in times gone by?
Here the reference is about the Greeks (Unani). (As per Farhat Hashmi’s tafseer and Maulana Maudoodi’s tafseer):
When Christianity spread out of the land of Palestine into Egypt and Greece its teachings encountered civilizations with ancient cultures and philosophies. When Christianity was brought to these cultures, it was accepted in most of its tenets, but those things that either did not appeal to the intellectual elite or were in contradiction to their ancient philosophies were debated in the halls of the intelligentsia and a compromise was reached.
Putting their stamp on Christianity.
The elite intellectualized Christianity and stamped it with their own brand of philosophies. They presented this modified version to the masses as a religion encompassing their ancient traditions with Christianity as taught by Jesus (AS) the Prophet of Allah. Coming from the intellectual elite of Unaan (Greeks) it was accepted readily by the masses who were well entrenched in the ancient philosophies.
The evolution of the concept of Trinity:
This concept evolved from the quarters of the Greek (Unaani) intelligentsia in an attempt to marry the ancient philosophies and views on life with Christianity as preached by Christ(Jesus (AS) the prophet of Allah see earlier ayahs of Surah Al Maidah).

The concept of the world or worldview as contemplated by the intellectual elite in these civilizations particularly the Greek philosophers was based on three things:
1. Existence (Wujood)
2. Life (Hayat)
3. Knowledge (ilm)
Perhaps it was a challenge for those civilizations to accept the concept of One God and give up their philosophies and those aspects that attributed the world to be dominated by the above three philosophies.

Thus the concept of trinity evolved to absorb the above three philosophies into the religion of Allah brought to them by the followers of Jesus (AS) a Prophet of Allah,
Thus Existence was embedded into “the father”, Life was imbued into “the Son” and knowledge came from “the Holy ghost” This satisfied the elite intelligentsia who held a sway over the minds and education of the masses, as well as the people who had brought Christianity to these cultures.
There were sections of the Christian faith that did not appeal to or could not be explained in the light of the ancient philosophies. These sections were then modulated to suit the Greek philosophies and were thus accepted by the masses that looked up to the elite.
Why does Allah SWT give examples from the earlier times?
It is so that current generations may learn from the errors of the past generations and not repeat them. Here the example is in reference to the Nasara (Christians):
The examples given in the Quran regarding the behavior of the Bani Israel and the Nasara are not to demonize them or to elevate the Ummah of Rasool Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in any manner but to serve as examples of mistakes made by past civilizations and these examples are to serve as a warning for muslims not to repeat them.
What scenarios and ego types lead to mistakes?
Allah SWT also explains in the Quran what are the reasons that lead to these mistakes (Excessive reliance on the intellectual elite instead of following the Quran & and the sunnah).
We as muslims are not to look at the people of the past who made mistakes with glee or with a sense of superiority but with fear & humility and supplication to prevent us from going down the same path.
The guidance in these ayahs 5:76-77 which are flanked by ayahs with the story of Jesus AS) and Mary (AS) is to provide an illustration of what can happen to us if we follow our Hawa, and to prevent the repetition of the same mistakes by this new generation of the Ummah of RasoolAllah (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Lessons from these Ayahs:

1. Do not use other philosophies, or treatises of human thought to change the Quran. The Quran is for all times and for all people here and to come.

2. The Quran is the criteria and the validation for all the past events & Books

3. For Emaan we have to uphold the Quran as truth and believe in the entire Quran, not in bits and pieces that we like (i.e. what our intellectual ego (Hawa) likes), whether we agree with it intellectually or not.

4. As a muslim we believe that the Quran supercedes all human knowledge.

Human knowledge is finite and comes from research and research changes from day to day. Thus it varies with time and experience. Every one cannot understand everything all the time.

What to do if human knowledge collides with the knowledge in the Quran and the Shariah?
We as muslims believe the Quran & Shariah as the final truth.

Dua/supplicaiton: May Allah forgive my mistakes. If any good comes from this article it is from Him (SWT), and if there are any errors they are mine and I seek Istighfaar for them.
May Allah accept my effort to present the tafseer of these ayahs as I understood it from my review.
.

I LOVE TEDDY BEARS BUT…………

Teddy bears are a symbol of love, cuddliness, warmth and affection for all ages, especially for children. Unfortunately some malicious people have used these symbols of innocence for devious purposes.
In the war between Soviet Russia and Afghanistan, the Russian army dropped hundreds of toys and teddy bears on Afghan soil. When afghan children ran to pick up the toys and teddy bears they detonated in their hands, near their feet, or in their faces as they bent down to pick them up.

There is a whole generation in Afghanistan of one legged, one armed or blind children who were blown up by a teddy bear. When these children are shown a toy or a teddy bear they cringe with pain and terror. This should be called “the teddy bear syndrome” instead of the posttraumatic stress syndrome.

More recently a non muslim teacher employed by a school in Sudan used a teddy bear in a manner that caused hurt and anguish at an emotional rather than a physical level. It damaged the emotional state of the children and their parents no less than the detonating teddy bears.
She was given a contract to teach children, which behooved her to respect the laws of the land even though they were different from her country of origin. She agreed to abide by the laws of the country she was being employed in, and she got the job.
One day she introduced to the class the persona of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) as “The Teddy Bear Muhammad”.
This was not a live person named Muhammad such as used by Muslims to name their children in the hope that they would imbue some of the characteristics of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). This was an icon used for depicting Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) sort of like a like a toy character that portrayed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).
This is what I understand from what has been reported but Allah knows best, and may He forgive me if I have made a mistake in understanding the issue.
The perplexed congregation at our local church who could not fathom why someone would be offended by a little teddy bear asked the Imam of our local mosque why was the teacher put in jail? Here is what the Imam said:
“If I am German while I am in Germany I have the freedom to drive more than 100 miles an hour on the autobahn if I so desire. However when I come to the United States and get a license to drive, inherent in that license, is that I agree to abide by the rules of this country and state.
If I then decide to exercise my “freedom” and drive 100 miles an hour on the interstate, because that is what I did in my country, do you think that the US State patrol has the right to catch me, give me a ticket and or put me in jail? Is the State trooper doing his job by doing so?

The question is do I have to abide by the laws of the country I am living in or the country I am from?”

The teacher in Sudan whatever her intentions were (Allah knows best) did not abide by the laws of that particular country and therefore was arrested and put in jail.

Muslims believe that the Quran is the word of God and has to be obeyed. In the Quran Allah Subhanawata’ala while addressing Prophet Muhammad says:

“Say (to the people) if ye do love God follow me (i.e. Prophet Muhammad PBUH):
God will love you and forgive you your sins.
For God is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Quran 3:31

And again addressing Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Allah Subhana wa taala says:

“Say (to the people): Obey God and his Apostle (i.e. Prophet Muhammad PBUH)

But if they turn back,
God loveth not those
Who reject faith.”

Quran 3:32

Muslims do not make photos or icons of God (Allah) and muslims do not depict Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him in photos or icons.
Reducing the complex personality of Prophet Muhammad to an icon or a picture is a form of disrespect, thus it is strictly forbidden!
In light of the abovementioned verses of the Quran, as I understand them disrespect of Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings upon him is a statement of disobedience and is equivalent to “turning back”, i.e. turning away from the Love of God. Losing the love of God is a source of great anguish to the true believer.
Thus those who create, say or act in a disrespectful manner towards Prophet Muhammad peace and blessings be upon him knowingly or unknowingly create hurt and anguish in their fellow human beings.

Those who wish to live in muslim countries have to abide by the rulings of that country and avoid any action that could be construed as disrespect to Allah’s word or His Apostle.

Those who live in non-muslim lands and are truly civilized can demonstrate their respect for their muslim friends and colleagues and countrymen by abiding by the etiquette espoused in the Quran.

Allah knows best.