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Israel’s Ben-Gvir enters Al-Aqsa: Why was it seen as provocative? The far-right Israeli national security minister had been warned by Israel’s former PM that his move would spark violence. Israel’s far-right national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem in a move Palestinians called a “deliberate provocation”, ignoring warnings from Israeli politicians that his appearance at the holy site would inflame tensions. Ben-Gvir said he would not “surrender to the threats of Hamas” after the Palestinian group warned that his entrance to the site on Tuesday would cross a “red line”. The minister, widely regarded as a provocateur, has previously called for the displacement of Palestinians. Let’s take a look at why his entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is so controversial: What is the status of Al-Aqsa? The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (also known as al-Haram al-Sharif by Muslims and the Temple Mount by Jews) is a wide, walled plaza in the heart of the Old City in occupied East Jerusalem. It incorporates the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock. It is considered holy by both Muslims and Jews and is a Palestinian national symbol. One of the walls of the compound, the Western Wall – also referred to as the Wailing Wall or the Buraq Wall – is a holy site for Jewish prayer. Jews pray undisturbed on the side of the wall that is outside the compound. Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967. The occupation is illegal under international law. The compound has been managed continuously by Muslims, under a waqf (religious endowment), for hundreds of years. The Jordanian-funded waqf has continued to administer the site since 1967, while Israel has security control. Under a longstanding agreement, the status quo of the site only permits Muslim prayer, and visits from non-Muslims are only permitted at specific times. Why is the site so sensitive for Palestinians? As a site that carries religious and national significance, Palestinians are alert to any attempts to change the status quo of Al-Aqsa. The increased number of ultranationalist Jews entering the compound, and the frequent storming of the site by Israeli security forces, including inside the prayer hall of Al-Aqsa Mosque, has increased Palestinian anger. Confrontations between Israeli security forces and settler groups on one side and Palestinians on the other have occurred numerous times over the past two years, particularly following storming incidents in Al-Aqsa. Palestinians see Al-Aqsa as one of the few national symbols that they retain some element of control over. They are, however, fearful of a slow encroachment by Jewish groups akin to what has happened at the Ibrahimi Mosque (Cave of the Patriarchs) in Hebron, where half of the mosque was turned into a synagogue after 1967, which has gradually increased in size. Palestinians are also worried about far-right Israeli movements that seek to demolish the Islamic structures in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and build a Jewish temple in their place. Do Jews pray at Al-Aqsa? Traditionally, ultra-Orthodox Jews, including senior religious authorities, have considered it religiously impermissible to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, let alone pray in it. This is because they consider the site too holy for people to step on. Ultranationalist Jews have increasingly attempted to pray in the compound, despite it being forbidden by Israeli authorities. Last May, an Israeli court upheld the ban after it was contested by three Jewish youths who had received a restraining order after praying at the site. However, Israeli security forces have often turned a blind eye to “silent” prayer by Jews being escorted by police at Al-Aqsa. What does Ben-Gvir want? Ben-Gvir is part of Israel’s “Religious Zionist” ideological movement, which emerged in an attempt to reconcile religious Jews and Zionism. Many religious Jews were suspicious of Zionism’s secular influences. He is also part of a growing movement in Israel that has challenged the traditional Jewish restrictions on prayer at Al-Aqsa and instead wants to encourage it. As a member of Israel’s far right, Ben-Gvir was seen by many Israeli politicians as too extreme to work with, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to seek allies from the far right, including Ben-Gvir, when many in Israel’s political mainstream opposed him. Ben-Gvir’s position in government, which includes control over the Israeli police, highlights the strength of the “Religious Zionist” movement, which wants to maintain and expand Israeli control over the occupied Palestinian territory. Ben-Gvir has been convicted for racist incitement against Arabs and support for “terrorism”. He has also expressed support for Baruch Goldstein, an Israeli American who killed 29 Palestinians at the Ibrahimi Mosque in 1994. What will the Palestinian reaction be? Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al Jazeera that Ben-Gvir’s “storming” of Al-Aqsa was “a continuation of the Zionist occupation’s aggression against our sanctities and its war on their Arab identity”. While general calls for a Palestinian response were made, no group has specifically called for attacks on Israeli targets yet. Analysts believe that Hamas and Fatah are keen to avoid an armed confrontation with Israel, with Netanyahu in a similar position. However, tensions in the occupied West Bank in particular could escalate, amid continued Israeli raids that made 2022 the deadliest year for Palestinians in the territory since 2006, and the growth of new armed Palestinian groups. Israel’s opposition leader and former prime minister Yair Lapid had warned on Monday that Ben-Gvir’s planned entrance to the compound would lead to violence, and called it a “deliberate provocation that will put lives in danger”. Al-Jazeera

By Shaykhul-Hadīth, Hadrat Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat dāmat barakātuhum Having just completed a year, the ‘New Year’ is seen and heard all around us. However, the question remains as to what should be a Muslim’s take on these events. Upon the passing of a year, the common trend is to celebrate; people have birthday parties, wedding anniversaries, etc. However, in certain spheres this is not the case; take the example of a businessman who at the end of the (financial) year will first take stock of the past year. He will meticulously go through the accounts of the past year taking into account every single penny. He will check to see if he made a profit, and if so then how can he make more in the coming year. He will check his expenses: where did he spend his money? Can he make further savings? All of this is done so that he can make the coming year more profitable than the one that has passed. This should be the case at the end of the year in every Muslim’s life for we too have been sent to this world as businessmen with the commodity of time; which is life. We will have to one day give account for every second in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā, when our books of deeds shall be presented. We will bring forth a book for him that he will find wide open, (and We will say to him) ‘Read your book. Enough are you today to take your own account.’ (17:13-14) Sayyidunā ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, emphasising the same, says: Take stock of your own lives before Allāh ta‘ālā reckons you. And assess yourself before you are assessed by Allāh ta‘ālā. And prepare yourselves for the great summoning. It is our belief that on the Day of Judgement, Allāh ta‘ālā will reckon us for everything that we did in the world. On the day when everybody shall find present before him whatever good he did and whatever evil he did, he will wish there would have been a wide space between him and that (day). (3:30) No matter how minute or trivial an act we did, we will find that it is present in our book of deeds. So, whoever does any good act (even) to the weight of a particle will see it. And whoever does evil (even) to the weight of a particle will see it. (99:7-8) This will be to the extent that in awe people will say: ‘Woe to us! What a book is this! It has missed nothing, minor or major, but has taken it into account.’ Thus they will find whatever they did present before them, and your Lord will not wrong anyone. (18:49) We need to keep this reality in mind and spend our lives with regular reflection on our actions with Murāqabah and Muhāsabah. Murāqabah means to supervise and oversee oneself to ensure that he/she stays away from disobediences to Allāh ta‘ālā and spends every moment seeking the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Muhāsabah means taking account of one’s activities at the end of the day, week and year; and thanking Allāh ta‘ālā for the ability to have performed any good actions and seeking forgiveness for any sins one may have committed. Inshā’allāh, if this is adhered to, then we will see a great change in our lives. We will find ourselves spending every second of our lives with great care. The end of a year is a time to reflect and say to yourself, ‘Another year from my precious life has passed. Who knows how many more years, if any, I have remaining?’ Let us spend them in those avenues that bring the pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā and stay away from those things that bring His displeasure, so that we can meet Allāh ta‘ālā in a state that He is pleased with us. © Riyādul Jannah

Palestinian children under home arrest

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Israeli Atrocities in 2022

What is Islam? What is ISLAM (A4 Document)-1.pdf

New Israeli government Let’s be clear: Israel’s incoming extremist government should alarm everyone for its overt racism against Palestinians. But the continuation of Israel’s violent apartheid rule is nothing new—and neither is the fact that Palestinians deserve their basic rights and freedom.

Every person’s idea of the ideal holiday is different. Some people find the idea of caravanning across the country to be appealing, while others are attracted by the concept of camping in the wilderness. Others may feel inclined to recline on a quiet, picturesque beach, while there are yet others who spend their holidays commuting from mall-to-mall, in search of the best bargains and most extraordinary deals. Regardless of the form in which the holiday is enjoyed, the underlying concept is the same – to find happiness and joy. However, the reality of the matter is that nothing in this world is stable, constant, reliable and predictable. How many people embarked on their dream holiday, only to have a nightmare unfold? Tsunamis… Delayed flights… Interrogation or detainment by immigration officials… Lost luggage… Inclement weather… Being mugged or robbed… Losing passports… Even if one’s holiday does not deteriorate into a horror story, the fact still remains that when the holiday is over, all that remains are fading memories and a few mementos. There is no lasting happiness achieved through a holiday, which is why before one holiday can even end, the next holiday is already anticipated and planned. Now, what if someone was to tell you that you can LIVE EVERY DAY LIKE A HOLIDAY? You would probably think that they were joking, but the reality is that you absolutely can! Furthermore, it won’t cost you a single cent! To find happiness and joy, we must identify the source of happiness and joy. We tend to think that good food, luxury items and clothing, attractive scenery, exotic holiday destinations, etc. are the sources of happiness. However, we could not be further from the truth. The true source of happiness and joy is Allah Ta‘ala, and the key to acquiring this happiness is to attach and link our hearts to Allah Ta‘ala. Everything else that we attach our hearts to will either depart from us, or we will depart from it. However, Allah Ta‘ala is the Eternal Being who is constant and unchanging. If we attach our hearts to Him, our hearts will ‘live stream’ His love with such speed that there will never be a ‘buffer’. The ecstasy and joy that we will perceive will be such that every luxury of the world which we ever enjoyed will pale and seem insignificant in comparison. Ebrahim bin Ad-ham (rahimahullah) was once the king of an empire, living in absolute luxury. However, he voluntarily ‘divorced the world’, left his kingdom and dedicated his life to the worship of Allah Ta‘ala. On one occasion, Ebrahim bin Ad-ham (rahimahullah) ate a simple meal of dried bread, and then thanked Allah Ta‘ala exclaiming, “Alhamdulillah!” Then, using his hands, he scooped some water from a river and drank it, also thanking Allah Ta‘ala exclaiming, “Alhamdulillah!” After consuming this simple meal, which most people would struggle to swallow, let alone enjoy, he remarked, “If the kings and princes knew the comfort and happiness that we enjoy, they would fight us with swords, throughout their lives…” Hearing this, his companion, Ebrahim bin Bash-shaar (rahimahullah), remarked, “People are chasing behind comfort and luxury, and this is where they have gone astray.” (Hilyatul Awliyaa vol. 6, pg. 218) May Allah Ta‘ala bless us with His Divine happiness, and such happiness of the heart that we will feel as though every day is a holiday, aameen. uswatulmuslimah

Q. I have a niece and nephew who are mute and baligh. How should they pray salaah? (Question published as received) A. Salaah of a Mute person In principle, a mute person will perform Salaah in accordance with their ability and capacity of fulfilling the obligation of Salaah. A mute person will fulfil their Salaah simply by performing the postures of Salaah as is normally done. The recitation of Qiraat and the various other recitations in Salaah will not be required of them. It is Mustahab (preferable) for them to move their tongues assimilating recitation if they can. (Namaaz ke Masaa’il Ka Encyclopaedia 3/362-363) Salaah of a Deaf person The same ruling as above applies to a deaf person. However, if a deaf person can recite the required Qira’ah for Salaah then that will be compulsory. If they are unable to recite the minimum required Qira’ah for Salaah then they will recite whatever amount they can. If they can recite the Takbeer-e-Tahreemah (the first Takbeer through which one begins his Salaah), the Tashahhud and the end Salaam, they will be required to do so as well. (Namaaz ke Masaa’il Ka Encyclopaedia 1/236) Note: Sign language has become common means of communication with people who have such disabilities. This can be used to teach them about Islam and its injunctions. And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Moosa Salie Mufti Taahir Hansa (The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِيْ دِيْنِيْ وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِيْ وَمَالِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِيْ وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِيْ ، اَللّٰهُمَّ احْفَظْنِيْ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِيْ ، وَعَنْ يَّمِيْنِيْ ، وَعَنْ شِمَالِيْ ، وَمِنْ فَوْقِيْ ، وَأَعُوْذُ بِعَظَمَتِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِيْ O Allah, I ask You for well-being in this world and the next. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my religion, in my worldly affairs, in my family and in my wealth. O Allah, conceal my faults and calm my fears. O Allah, guard me from in front of me and behind me, from my right, and from my left, and from above me. I seek protection in Your Greatness from being unexpectedly destroyed from beneath me. Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿāfiyata fi-d-dunyā wa-l-ākhirah. Allāhumma innī as’aluka-l-ʿafwa wa-l-ʿāfiyata fī dīnī wa dunyāya wa ahlī wa mālī, Allāhumma-stur ʿawrātī wa āmin rawʿātī. Allāhumma-ḥfaẓnī mim bayni yadayya wa min khalfī, wa ʿay-n yamīnī wa ʿan shimālī wa min fawqī, wa aʿūdhu bi-ʿaẓamatika an ughtāla min taḥtī. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar (raḍiy Allāhu ʿanhumā) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ never failed to say these words in the morning and in the evening.” (Abū Dāwūd 5074) Brief Commentary • In this duʿā’, we seek Allah’s forgiveness and ask Him for wellbeing. This is a very important thing to ask Allah, as the Prophet ﷺ said, “Ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing, for no one is given anything after certainty that is better than wellbeing” (Tirmidhī 3557). • When seeking Allah’s forgiveness, we are asking Him to forgive our sins and also wipe them off our record of deeds. • Wellbeing in this life includes protection from physical, mental and spiritual ailments, including sins. • When we ask for wellbeing, we are asking Allah to save us from all trials and tribulations, to strengthen our heart and our physical state so that we meet Him free from sins. • We ask Allah for wellbeing ‘in this world and the next’. This encompasses all the states that we will be in. • Wellbeing in the next life includes protection from the punishment of the grave, terrors of the Day of Judgement, and the torments of the Hellfire. • To strengthen our request, we repeat it again, clarifying that we want wellbeing in our religion, our life, our family, and wealth. • Wellbeing in our ‘religion’ means to be saved from committing sins or having incorrect beliefs; and ensuring our tawḥīd of Allah is complete. • Wellbeing in our ‘worldly affairs’ means to be saved from calamities and errors that cause us to be heedless of the remembrance of Allah or completing acts of worship. • Wellbeing in our ‘family’ means that we are all saved from trials and evil, including being saved from having problems with each other. • Wellbeing in our ‘wealth’ is protection from it being lost or stolen; and to be saved from spending it in a way that displeases Allah. • As a supplement to asking Allah for wellbeing, we also ask Him that He conceals our faults. This includes everything we dislike for others to know about us. • We also ask Him to calm our fears, so that we can live peacefully. • For the final part of the duʿā’, we ask Allah to protect us from all angles. This includes the four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, as Allah mentions in the Qur’ān that Shayṭān says, “And then I shall come to them from in front of them, from behind them, from their right, and from their left…” (7:17). • In addition to these four angles that Shayṭān promised to attack us from, we also ask Allah to protect us from the remaining two angles, which are from above us and from beneath us. • The request to be saved from beneath us is a stronger request (i.e. the addition of ‘from being unexpectedly destroyed’ instead of just ‘beneath me’; and asking through Allah’s ‘Greatness’). This could refer to being swallowed up by the earth as a punishment by Allah, just as Pharaoh and Qārūn were destroyed, and will happen to people towards the end of times. It could also refer to unexpected difficulties. Thus, we are asking Allah to protect us from committing something that deserves for us to be punished in this life by Him. Action Points • Always ask Allah for forgiveness and wellbeing as it is from the greatest gifts you can receive. • The whole duʿā’ is all-encompassing within the first few words. However, we repeat this request and detail our requirements further so that we show insistence in our request – and this is something that Allah loves. • We also repeat and expand on this request so that we actually ponder over what we want and therefore request it from our heart. • Shayṭān tries to attack you from all angles so ensure you are always aware of his plots, and ask Allah to protect you from him. lifewithallah

Hey BBC, who killed the Palestinian child Jana Zakarneh?!

Israeli forces kill Palestinian teen in occupied West Bank raid Jana Majdi Zakarneh, 16, was shot dead while standing on the roof of her home during an Israeli military raid on Jenin. Zakarneh was standing on the roof of her home when she was shot dead, according to local media. The ministry said she was shot in the head. The Associated Press later reported that the Israeli military had acknowledged that its troops fatally shot a teenage Palestinian girl during an operation in the occupied West Bank, saying she was unintentionally hit by fire aimed at gunmen in the area. In a statement, the Israeli military said an initial inquiry found the girl “was hit by unintentional fire aimed at armed gunmen” on a nearby rooftop. “It appears the girl who was killed had been on the roof of one of the houses near the gunmen,” it said. The statement added the forces opened fire after local militants hurled firebombs and opened fire at the soldiers. The army said that its commanders “regret any harm to uninvolved civilians”, but said that it would press ahead with its operations. Full article

Israeli journalists lie at World Cup The condemnation of the "#Israeli" occupation and its crimes at #Qatar World Cup 2022 has forced "Israeli" media reporters to face a harsh reality they were not expecting. Some of them have even pretended to be from a different country. Media correspondent at @yedioth Raz Shechnik claimed to be Ecuadorian for a day, in an attempt to avoid being shunned by football fans upon trying to interview them. "We feel hated, surrounded by hostility, and unwanted," Raz Shechnik, the media and music correspondent for Hebrew news outlet Yedioth Ahronoth, wrote in an op-ed published on Sunday, November 27. "After a while, we decided to claim we were Ecuadorian when someone would ask us where we were from," Shechnik went on to admit, claiming the experience has definitely not been "fun." He also alleged that his crew is "followed at all times by Palestinians, Iranians, Qataris, Moroccans, Jordanians, Syrians, Egyptians, and Lebanese – all giving us looks full of hate." This is all happening, according to Shechnik, despite his explanation to fans that the "Israelis" "come in peace." "They would truly like to see us wiped off the face of the earth, and any notion of Israel evokes their complete disgust," the reporter concluded. www.instagram.com/p/ClgbQDmI4uE/

On the 23rd of November the IOF demolished newly built Isfey al-Fauqa school. It provided education to 22 students up to 5th grade (6-11 year olds).The next nearest school is 4 kilometres away and also at risk of demolition.Demolition commenced while students were still inside the building. Sound bombs were used on the children.This is a normal day in Masafer Yatta. The people here are subject to meticulously planned ethnic cleansing. The occupation cuts power. The occupation cuts water pipes. The occupation cuts education and it cuts lives short.The army not only destroyed their school but confiscated furniture including the students chairs. Solidarity With Palestine (@palestinian.brigade) • Instagram photos and videos

Israeli journalists have been ignored by Arab fans in Qatar this week. Videos have gone viral on social media One video shows an Egyptian football fan smiling serenely as an Israeli broadcaster introduces him live on air. Then he leans into the microphone with a message: “Viva Palestine.” Another clip from the streets of Doha this week shows a group of Lebanese men walking away from a live interview with a reporter they have just learned is Israeli. One shouts over his shoulder: “There is no Israel. It’s Palestine.”