ummtaalib

Juz Two The Middle Nation وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way, so that (with your lives) you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you. (Al-Baqarah 2:143) Ummatan Waṣaṭan can be translated as the middle nation, the best nation, and an Ummah justly balanced. The phrase captures the essence of Islam, which is to shun all excesses. At other places (e.g. Al-Mā’idah 5:12) the Qur’ān refers to the path it shows as sawā as-sabīl. Abdullah Yūsuf Ali explains: “The Arabic word sawā signifies smoothness as opposed to roughness; symmetry as opposed to want of plan; equality or proportion as opposed to want of design; rectitude as opposed to crookedness; a mean as opposed to extremes; and fitness for the object held in view as opposed to faultiness.” This āyah charters the Ummah to be a force against extremism. Extremism is a product of ignorance. Given two extreme points on a straight line, anyone can point out where the middle point lies. But a person who cannot see the entire line will also miss the middle point. He may be sitting on an extreme edge, yet congratulate himself for being in the middle. Our own instruments of observation and intellect, wonderful as they are, are simply not up to the task of finding the perfectly balanced course in the complex, ever-changing, multidimensional maze, which is the real life. Yet we know that we do need to find it. Our physical well-being requires that we eat a well balanced diet and follow the course of moderation. Our economic, social, and spiritual well-being similarly demands finding the balanced approach and the moderate course in all these spheres. Our total well-being requires finding the path of moderation for our entire life. Hence this charter. It says that the middle path is the one shown by the Messenger ﷺ to us so we can show it to the rest of humanity. Paths that deviate from it deviate toward extremism of one form or another—even though they may be slickly packaged as being paths of moderation. The Prophet’s Role, Our Responsibilities كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِّنكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُم مَّا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ As also We have sent in your midst a messenger from among you, who recites to you Our revelations, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and the wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know. (Al-Baqarah, 2:151) See the repeated reference to “you.” This āyah describes the assignments of the Prophet ﷺ regarding us. That automatically fixes our responsibilities regarding each one of these tasks. It was his job to teach; it remains our job to learn. It is our job to learn the recitation of the Qur’ān as he taught, to get purified, to learn the Book and wisdom, and learn whatever he came to teach us. For each discipline, there are unbroken chains of teachers going back to the Prophet ﷺ from whom we can learn. The Qur’ān teachers, sufi masters, scholars, Hadith experts, and jurists are all there as are the books they have produced for our education. This message is repeated in An-Nisā’ 3:164 where it begins by saying that “Allāh has surely conferred favor on the believers” by sending the Messenger ﷺ with these tasks. We need to ask ourselves whether we are showing gratefulness for this favor. When Calamity Strikes الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ Who, when a suffering visits them, say, “ Verily, unto Allāh do we belong and, verily, unto Him we shall return.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:156) While most of us may know these words and use them at the death of someone, their true significance escapes many. The preceding and subsequent āyahs give glad tidings to those who say these words at the time of any calamity declaring, “Those are the ones upon whom there are blessings from their Lord, and mercy as well; and those are the ones who are on the right path.” According to a hadith these blessed words are a special gift of Allāh for this Ummah. That is why we do not find even previous prophets using them. Their use should not be limited to the occasion of death. According to a hadith, everything that hurts a believer is the suffering mentioned here. Every instance of discomfort is an occasion for saying these words and getting the reward for being patient. The Prophet ﷺ showed by example that the scope of usage of these words extends to small things as well: a thorn prick, an insect bite, a lamp running out of oil, a shoe lace breaking. Finally we must say these words with full consciousness that everything indeed belongs to Allāh and must return to Him. When we lose a person or a thing, they have simply gone back to the One to whom they belonged. This consciousness will help us face any loss with dignity. Guidance and its Prerequisites لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ True piety does not consist merely in turning your faces towards the east or the west—but truly pious is he who believes in Allāh and the Last Day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets, and gives wealth, despite (his) love for it, to relatives, orphans, the helpless, the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and for the freeing of human beings from bondage and observes the Ṣalāh (prayers) and pays Zakāh; and (truly pious are) they who keep their promises whenever they make a promise, and are patient in misfortune and hardship and in time of peril. Such are the people of truth, the Allāh-fearing.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:177) Turning our face toward the Kaʿbah is a requirement in offering ṣalāh. Earlier āyahs in this sūrah detailed the commandments regarding this requirement. Here the issue is being put in proper perspective. The external forms of the prescribed acts of worship are important, but they should not distract us from focusing on the essence of piety which is described here. While paying attention to the external forms of worship, we should never lose sight of the attributes in this āyah. Other people have gone to two extremes in this matter. Some discarded the forms altogether. Others gave them so much weight, they lost the essence. The middle path of Islam requires that we avoid both extremes. Spouses: The Metaphor of Garments هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُن They are (like) a garment for you and you are (like) a garment for them. (Al-Baqarah 2:187) The first thing this āyah tells us is that both husbands and wives equally need each other. Each one needs the other just as they need their garments. Realizing this mutual dependency will mold attitudes which are exactly opposite of the attitudes generated by a notion of independence, which is so prevalent today and has been so disastrous. Further, the metaphor of garment defines the nature of relationship between spouses. It implies intimacy, comfort, covering, and protection. Our garments provide physical protection from the elements; the protection spouses provide is also spiritual and moral. The ideal husband and wife will help protect each other from sins. Wine and Gambling يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say, “In both there is great sin, and some benefit for people. But the evil which they cause is greater than the benefit which they bring.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:219) It is one of the Prophet’s ﷺ great miracles that he made an entire people kick their deeply rooted drinking habit in a short period of time. He turned the Arabian Peninsula and subsequently every Muslim land into a dry land. This is one of the earlier āyahs that started this unprecedented revolution. It just declared that the harms of wine far outweighed its benefits, without any discussion of its legal ruling. Then, the āyah that prohibited drinking around the time of the five daily ṣalāhs was revealed. Finally, a total prohibition of wine was declared. The Qur’ānic messages were amplified by the Prophetic statements and actions. He said: “Allāh has cursed wine, its drinker, its server, its seller, its buyer, its presser, the one for whom it is pressed, the one who carries it, and the one to whom it is carried.” When a total prohibition was proclaimed the Prophet ﷺ said: “Verily Allāh, the Exalted, has forbidden wine. So who hears this verse and he has anything of it with him, he should neither drink it nor sell it.” And this hadith goes on to report that after this, “The people then brought whatever they had of it with them and spilled it on the streets of Madinah.” The miraculous eradication of drinking with all its evils demands reflection. How was it done? This is how: Minds were prepared, commands were issued for restricting and then totally prohibiting all use of and trade in alcohol, and punishments were declared and strictly enforced for violators. It was all based on īmān, firm faith in Allāh and His promise of rewards and punishments, and sincere submission to His commands. The overwhelming majority stopped drinking upon hearing the command. A few people failed to do so and were brought into line through strict enforcement of Sharīʿah punishments. Education and enforcement is the winning mix of strategies for the eradication of all social evils. Today social evils proliferate because both are absent. Rights of Women وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ ۚ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ And women shall have rights, similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable. But men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And Allāh is Exalted in Power, Wise. (Al-Baqarah, 2:228) This is the foundation over which the entire structure of spousal relations is built by Islam. In one word that basis is equity, not equality. There are societies today that for centuries refused to consider women as human beings or to give them any rights. Now they have gone to one extreme from the other. Islam has nothing to do with such extremism. When women had no rights in the world, it made the above declaration. That remains its Command today and forever. Similar rights, not same rights. Equity, not a blind equality. Both men and women are equal in their humanity, in their accountability before Allāh, in their responsibility to perform their assigned tasks and be judged based on their performance. But their assigned tasks are not the same. They have been given different capabilities by their Creator and their tasks are based on those capabilities. This differentiation is not an error that needs to be corrected. It is the only basis for building a healthy and prosperous society. Islam liberates a woman from the modern tyranny of having to become a man in order to have a sense of self worth and achievement. If Muslims had done their job, they would be asking for universal rights for women as given by Islam and generally ignored in the world today. Based on our dismal performance, and the current discourse on the subject, that would be quite a revolutionary—and liberating—act. Islam’s universal declaration of women’s rights would include the following: Men and women have been given dignity by their Creator, but forces of immorality and darkness attack it in many ways. A prevalent form of this attack on women is pornography. Pornography is an affront to the respect and honor of women and produces an atmosphere where other crimes against them become possible. In many countries it has become an “industry” and they are exporting this filth to all parts of the world. Newer technologies, especially the Internet have become mediums of choice for the purveyors of filth, posing a serious threat to morality everywhere. Pornography must be condemned and all trade in porn banned universally in the same way that dangerous drugs are banned. Prostitution must be recognized as a despicable act of exploitation of women. No one who condones it can be taken seriously in their claims to respect women’s rights. It is the responsibility of the husband to provide for the family. Islam has freed the woman from this responsibility so she can take care of the home. All efforts to snatch this freedom and economic security from the women and forcing them out of the home into the labor force must be resisted. Homemaking is a very honorable job and a serious responsibility; it is the foundation on which healthy societies can be built. The societies that disrespect homemaking lose the homemakers and end up with broken homes as can easily be witnessed in many parts of the world. It should be recognized that the trend to belittle the task of homemaking is anti-family and anti-society and must be curbed. It is a Muslim woman’s right to dress modestly, wear hijab, and refuse to be put on display. This right must be accepted universally and any effort to restrict this right must be recognized for what it is: religious discrimination and/or persecution. There is only one legitimate form of the family, that created by the union between a man and woman as provided in all revealed religions. Any other form is not only immoral; it poses a serious threat to humanity. Families should be protected from outside intrusion, especially intrusion by governments as much as possible. This also includes intrusion in the name of help. For resolution of family disputes, Islam suggests a three phase procedure. A) Resolve the conflict within the home. B) Resolve it within the family by involving elders from the families of husband and wife. C) As a last resort resolve it through courts of law. Generosity in Dealings ۚ وَلَا تَنسَوُا الْفَضْلَ بَيْنَكُمْ And do not forget magnanimity towards one another. (Al-Baqarah 2:237) If we listened to this teaching, it would bring out a revolutionary change in our family and social relations. Healthy relationships require a healthy dose of generosity. When giving to others, we should be willing to give more than their due. When receiving, we should be willing to take less. It is also significant that this has been mentioned during a discussion of divorce when anger and resentment would be at a high level. If a person can be generous even at that time, they can certainly be expected to be generous at other occasions. In that environment difficulties would be resolved amicably. If a people have that attitude, divorce would be uncommon among them, and a bitter divorce would be unheard of. Today divorce attorneys work on an exactly opposite platform. They say, forget generosity. Get as much as you can from the other person. The more money you get the happier you would be. This false promise has filled the most affluent societies with walking wounded, people who appear to be doing fine, but are living with deep wounds in their souls. Unfortunately Muslims are also following in their footsteps, and are reaping the bitter harvest of broken homes and ruined lives.

Jazaakallaahu khayran for this excellent and comprehensive advice...please note I changed the title to indicate the nature of the post. Requesting your du'a

Qur'an Reflections Al-Balagh E-Journel is sending out reflections from selected verses from the taraweeh recitation for each night with lessons for our lives today. [Ramadhaan 1435 June/July 2014] Juz One Taʿwwudh أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطانِ الرَّجِيمِ "I seek protection from Allāh against the accursed Satan." We always begin our recitation of the Qur’ān by saying these words. This is not an āyah of the Qur’ān but the Qur’ān commanded us to seek this protection in the following āyah: فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ الْقُرْآنَ فَاسْتَعِذْ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ Now whenever you read this Qur’ān, seek refuge with Allāh from Satan, the accursed. (An-Naḥl 16:98) The first step in any successful communication is to make sure the communication link is solid and all external interference is eliminated. In receiving the communication from on High, the external interference that we have to be most concerned with is that of the whisperings and persuasions of our hidden enemy—the Satan. As the next āyah in Sūrah an-Naḥl makes clear, the way to protect ourselves from satanic influences is by entrusting our affairs to Allāh. (“He (Satan) is such that he has no authority over those who believe and place trust in their Lord,” An-Naḥl16:99) It is those who rely on their own powers, physical as well as intellectual, who become easy prey to the machinations of the Satan. Anyone who begins his interaction with the Qur’ān by seeking Allāh’s help has put himself in the right state of mind for benefiting from Allāh’s Words—provided this is a conscious and sincere act. He has established a secure communication link so he can begin to listen to the Words of Allāh as he reads or hears them. Bismillāh بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the name of Allāh the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. We begin every significant act by invoking the name of Allāh and remembering His mercy and kindness. It is a measure of the extraordinary importance of the right beginning that the very first revelation began with this command: “Read in the name of your Sustainer.” It was not just a command to read— as expropriated later by those who would use it to provide Islamic sanction for secular pursuits—but a command to read in the name of Allāh. Beginning in the name of Allāh helps filter out acts and intentions that are disapproved by Him. It makes us conscious that Allāh is watching so we do not take wrong turns after starting. It assures us of Allāh’s help in completing it successfully. Pagans in Arabia, as elsewhere, used to begin any task in the name of their idols. In the secular “enlightened” West many a time people begin important projects by saying “knock on wood.” This is how people ward off evils in the old and new worlds of superstition. In contrast a Muslim seeks guidance, help, and support from none other than Allāh— the Merciful Lord of the worlds. His day is filled with the calls of Bismillāh. It is Bismillāh before taking a shower, before putting on clothes, before eating, before getting on his ride, before starting his work, before starting a meeting, before signing an important paper, before taking a baby step, before taking a gigantic leap. And he can feel the blessings—the strength, the confidence, the peace of mind—this invocation brings throughout his days and nights. Sūrah al-Fātiḥah This sūrah is an extraordinary petition taught by the One to whom the petition is to be made. While ṣalāh is the most important act of worship in a Muslim’s life, Sūrah al-Fātiḥah is the most important part of ṣalāh. It is recited in every rakʿah (unit) of every ṣalāh. This sūrah deals with the fundamental questions of life. Where are we coming from? Where are we going? What is the purpose of life? These are the issues that humanity has been grappling with throughout its history. In seven short āyahs this sūrah answers these questions. This entire universe, and others that may be out there, are created by Allāh Most High, Who is the Sustainer of them all. He is the Benevolent and Merciful God. He alone deserves all the praise for all the goodness in the world and all thanks for all the blessings and favors that we have received and continue to receive throughout our lives. He is also the Master of the Day of Judgment when all the wrongs will be punished and right actions will be rewarded. It follows then that our greatest concern should be to know right from wrong and have both the willingness and ability to follow the former and avoid the latter. This is the Straight Path that leads one straight to eternal success. The petition is that He shows us the Straight Path and makes it easy for us to follow it. The Straight Path is not a theoretical construct. It is not defined by some nice principles or commandments which sound good as decoration pieces but cannot be put into practice. It refers to a road well travelled by real people who lived on this earth. They are referred to as blessed people here and fall into four categories as explained in an āyah in Sūrah al-Nisā’: “Those who obey Allāh and the Messenger are with those whom Allāh has blessed, namely, the prophets, the Ṣiddīqīn (those who never deviated from the truth), the Shuhadā’ (martyrs) and the righteous. And how goodly a company are these!” Followers of the Straight Path have company. And what a great company it is! Further, those who deviate from it are condemned in no uncertain terms as being either willful rejecters of Divine guidance or being careless about it. The point of this condemnation is to distance ourselves from them and their ways for our own protection. While Sūrah al-Fātiḥah encapsulates the essence of ṣalāh, this āyah encapsulates the essence of al-Fātiḥah: إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek succor. (Al-Fātiḥah 1:4) This āyah is the affirmation of tawḥīd as both an article of faith as well as an overriding principle in total control of our actual life. The word ʿIbādah, translated here as worship for lack of a better word, implies establishing an absolute master-slave relationship, which includes unquestioning obedience, total submission, and devotional acts like bowing and prostration. Pagans do worship idols by bowing and prostrating before them and treating them as gods. Others worship wealth, power, or celebrity in a figurative sense; they put them in the driver’s seat in their life. This āyah is a bold and loud rejection of all of these acts of worship meant for anyone except Allāh. It is also a reminder that we should not start serving other gods even without realizing it. The second part of this āyah is a corollary of the first part, but it needs an explanation. In our daily life we do offer and receive help from others. The Qur’ān itself mentions this help at many places. For example, it says: “Help each other in righteousness and piety, and do not help each other in sin and aggression.” thus regulating it by making righteousness or lack thereof as the basis for offering or withdrawing it. It praises the believers who help the Prophet ﷺ: “So, those who believe in him and support him, and help him and follow the light sent down with him,—those are the ones who are successful.” It reports that Prophet ʿĪsā (Jesus) asked his companions for help: “Who will be my helpers in Allāh’s cause?” Obviously this help is not negated here; it is offered and sought under the system of cause and effect, which itself has been created by Allāh for the normal running of this universe. What is negated (“We do not seek help from anyone except Allāh”) is the help from other beings (e.g. saints and dead men) that is thought to transcend the system of cause and effect. Also negated is any help that is supposed to work independent of—or worse in defiance of—the Will of Allāh. Allāh can help through means that we could not have imagined—even bypassing the system of cause and effect. And He also helps through the normal system of cause and effect. For every need we seek help from Him, and even when we call on other people for assistance we fully realize that they are not independent agents for providing that assistance. Lastly we seek Allāh’s help in performing the worship we promised in the first part. As a Ṣūfī master suggested, if one is finding it difficult to stay away from sins and to perform acts of worship, then reciting this āyah profusely will help greatly. Guidance and its Prerequisites ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِّلْمُتَّقِينَ That is the Book, wherein is no doubt, a guidance to the God-fearing. (Al-Baqarah 2:2) We asked for guidance in Sūrah al-Fātiḥah. The response is immediate. The entire Qur’ān provides that guidance. It is here. Further, guidance requires certain knowledge. And this is the Book that contains certain knowledge and absolute truth. There is absolutely no room for doubt here. If someone entertains doubts about this Book, the problem is with them—not with the Book. Right at the start we are being warned to shed our preconceived ways of discovering truth. With the proliferation and predominance of the secular and secularizing curriculum in the educational institutions throughout the world, this assumes even greater importance for us today. As Sayyid Naquib al-Attas writes: “(In rationalism) doubt is elevated as an epistemological method by means of which the rationalist and the secularist believe that truth is arrived at. But there is no proof that it is doubt and not something else other than doubt that enables one to arrive at truth. The arrival at truth is in reality the result of guidance, not of doubt.” But there are prerequisites for benefitting from this guidance. These are mentioned here and in the next two āyahs. If we are sincere in seeking guidance, then we must also be serious in satisfying the prerequisites. The first prerequisite is that the seeker must be a person of taqwā (translated here as “God-fearing”). If taqwā is the end result of guidance, how can it be its prerequisite? It is because taqwā is both an attitude and a state. The attitude is the prerequisite. The state is the result of a lifelong struggle. Ibn Abi ‘d-Dunyā notes, “The beginning of taqwā is the right intention.” It is the intention to follow Allāh’s command, to leave out whatever He forbids and carryout whatever He mandates. It is the intention to seek knowledge to translate it into action. It is a result of internalization of the knowledge that Allāh is the greatest so no one else can distract us from listening to Him and obeying Him. Only those with this attitude will be able to benefit from the guidance. The resulting state was described by someone in a letter of advice to Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr: “The people of taqwā are known by these signs: Patience in the face of hardships, contentment with the Will of Allāh, gratitude to Allāh for all the good things in life and humble submission to His commands.” الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ Who believe in (the existence of and the knowledge given by Allāh about) that which is beyond the reach of human perception, and are constant in prayer, and spend on others out of what We provide for them as sustenance. (Al-Baqarah 2:3) The visible spectrum is only a small fraction of the total reality. Everything beyond that is al-ghayb. While science, of necessity, deals only with the perceptible world, scientism insists that that is all there is to it. The successful guidance seeker is the one who is not blinded by this loud but false assertion. He is fully aware that the fundamental questions of life—about the existence of God and the purpose of creation, the life after death, the existence of spiritual forces, and so forth cannot be answered by science. He seeks them in revelation and finds them in the Qur’ān and its explanation in the Hadith. Since seeking guidance is not just an academic exercise, the true seeker has these two other qualities that encompass practical application of the guidance in all areas of life. He is always ready to follow the guidance, whether the demands are made on his body (e.g. ṣalāh) or his possessions (e.g. spending in the path of Allāh). وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ مِن قَبْلِكَ وَبِالْآخِرَةِ هُمْ يُوقِنُونَ And who believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you; and who are certain of the Hereafter. (Al- Baqarah 2:4) It is obvious that the Qur’ān will provide guidance to those who believe in it. But why the requirement of belief in the previous scriptures? It is so because we must believe in the historic continuity of the revealed guidance. The coming of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was not an historic anomaly but the culmination of a long chain of Prophets (124,000 in all according to a famous report), all of whom came with the same message. This is a fundamental point in Islam’s worldview. Humanity did not start its journey on this earth in the darkness of ignorance; it started it in full light of Divine guidance. By succumbing to temptations, human beings periodically deviated from that path and chose darkness over light. Spiritually and morally we have not been evolving, but rather deviating, and then being called back to the Straight Path by the Messengers of Allāh. We believe in them all, not to seek guidance from the previous scriptures or prophets (because according to the Divine plan they were not preserved), but to affirm our conviction about the system of guidance whose last manifestation is the coming of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ. With this worldview it is easy to see every new philosophy of life not as a mark of evolutionary progress but as another deviation, another failure, another move to darkness. This āyah also implies the finality of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, since it does not mention any upcoming prophets. This is in contrast to āyah 3:81, which says that the followers of the previous prophets were told about the coming of Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and asked to pledge that they would accept him as the Prophet and support him. Congregational Prayer وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ And be steadfast in Ṣalāh (prayer), and pay Zakāh, and bow down with those who bow down. (Al-Baqarah 2:43) The bowing mentioned here refers to the position in ṣalāh called rukūʿ. Of course what we are being required to do is to perform the entire ṣalāh, and not just rukūʿ, in congregation. This congregational ṣalāh is highly desirable; according to the majority of the jurists it is an emphasized sunnah. This applies to the five daily ṣalāhs and ṣalāh of Jumuʿah and ʿEīds, as they are all mandatory. It does not extend to the nafl ṣalāhs, which should be offered individually. Through this arrangement a balance is struck between public and private worship. By extension we can also understand the balance between individual and collective rights and responsibilities prescribed by Islam. Our accountability before Allāh will be on an individual basis. But we live and worship in a community. Sūrah al-Fātiḥah, the essential part of every ṣalāh, uses the plural form; It is we not I seeking the Straight Path. It follows that we will be travelling on it together. The four pillars of Islam, ṣalāh, zakāh, fasting, and ḥajj are all collective acts. All were ordained (zakāh, fasting, and ḥajj) or given final shape (ṣalāh) in Madinah where Muslims could live in a community. Even when travelling, for whatever reason, we are asked to choose an amīr so the travel will be an organized one. Both the individual and the group are controlled by the Sharīʿah, which makes sure we avoid all excesses in their interaction. The West has gone from the extremes of collectivism and totalitarianism to the extremes of individualism. It is important to remember that the middle course of Islam avoids both extremes.

Memorable Ramadan by Shaykh-al-Hadeeth Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat Sahib Hafizahullah Make this Ramadan a memorable one. Make it a Ramadan you will remember for the rest of your life. Make it such that, Insha'Allah, in Jannah you will say it was this Ramadan in which Allah Taala made you his wali, and from when your life changed forever. To make this Ramadan a memorable one you must follow the following five advices: 1. Abstain from sins. Don’t even think about sinning in the month of Ramadan. 2. Stay away from gatherings and mixing with people. Many sins take place when mixing with people, e.g. backbiting, slandering, wasting time etc. 3. Safeguard your eyes by only looking at what is permitted. 4. Safeguard your ears by only listening to what is permitted. 5. Safeguard your tongue by only speaking when it is absolutely necessary.

Few Common Mistakes to Avoid in Ramadan Without any doubt, Ramadan is one of the Holiest months in Islamic year. It is the month where Muslims change their regular routine, turn towards prayers seeking of forgiveness, and seek the blessings and mercy of Allah Almighty for the rest of the year. In the month of Ramadan, the goal of a Muslim is to make the best use of the month and seek as much blessings and mercy as possible and refrain from all such activities that spoil the fast and somehow make a Muslim lose all the reward and blessings, which he or she had earned. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” (Bukhari) From this hadith of the Prophet (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam), it is clear that in Ramadan there is no Satan, therefore, the element of luring towards evil is missing, thus, the chances of doing and being good increase. Therefore, if there is something that bad occurs from a Muslim, it is his or her personal doing. Therefore, it is imperative that during Ramadan a Muslim refrains from all such acts that are not worthy of fasting and are mistakes that should not be committed during the fast. Avoid Anger: The first thing that a Muslim needs to avoid during Ramadan is anger. It is the root cause of all the evils and the outcome of it is never good. When angry the judgment of a person gets clouded and he or she is not able to see clearly, and in such unclear situation a person commits mistakes that for which a person has to feel ashamed or repent upon later on. Moreover, one of the essences of fasting in Ramadan is that it teaches a Muslim to be patient and humble, which are the virtues which when present cause the vice of anger to flee. Therefore, it is more than imperative that a Muslim resorts towards patience and tolerance instead of getting angry during Ramadan. This anger leads to hurting other people emotionally, which definitely is not a good deed and should be avoided during Ramadan. Also, when you feel like getting angry, remember Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) advice of seeking refuge from Allah. The Prophet Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam said: I know a word which, if only he would say it, this (anger) would leave him. If he said, “A’oothu billaahi min al-shaytaan (I seek refuge with Allah from the Shaitan),”, this [anger] would leave him.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, 6/377). Sleeping All The Day: Each and every moment of Ramadan is precious and a Muslim must make full use of it by praising and praying to Allah Almighty in the maximum time possible. Although the sleep at night and a little nap in the afternoon is necessary for the health of the body, however, staying awake all night long and sleeping throughout the day is never a good ploy. In order to avoid the hunger and thirst that develops during the day, Muslims try staying awake during the night so that they could sleep through the day. This is wrong and against what fasting teaches us. The thirst and hunger during fast helps us understand what the less fortunate people go through, therefore, if one does not feel all that, then the essence of Ramadan is lost. Hence, it is imperative that a Muslim keeps fast whilst keeping the regular routine intact and continuous. Fasting Without Prayer: This usually happens in cases when Muslims stay awake during night and spend all day sleeping. Besides praying in fast, the prayers themselves are mandatory upon a Muslim and fasting or no fast, a Muslim is supposed to offer them regularly. Therefore, a day without prayers in normal circumstances is not complete, let alone the day of Ramadan. In Ramadan a Muslim is supposed to indulge in excessive prayers and seek forgiveness and blessings from Allah Almighty by offering regular prayers, therefore, if one does not do so and only remains hungry and thirsty throughout the day, then perhaps he is not keeping the fast in the way it deserves to be kept. Therefore, a Muslim must make sure that regular fast is accompanied with the mandatory prayers and Taraweeh Salaat at night to keep fast with true essence. Not Taking Care Of Speech: Another objective of fasting in Ramadan is to teach a person self control. In a fast, a person is supposed to control his or her desires and urges. Besides these urges and desires, a Muslim is also to control the way he or she is to behave and speak with others. In this regard, one needs to take care of any kind of vulgar speech. Whether its in terms of profane, derogatory or vulgar speech or in the form of backbiting and slandering, a Muslim is to refrain from them all in order to better be able to incorporate the spirit of Islam in his or her personality. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaahu Alaihi Wasalaam) says: “Fasting is a shield, so the one who fasts should avoid obscene speech and ignorant behavior. If someone abuses him or starts to fight with him, he should reply by saying: I am fasting, I am fasting.” (Bukhari) Therefore, a Muslim to observe fast as a shield and refrain from all such sorts of speech that provoke anger or caused derogation of the other person. Conclusion: In a nutshell, the emphasis or focus of a Muslim during Ramadan should be on gathering as much blessings as possible. In addition, one must take care of the things to do and things to avoid in Ramadan. Therefore, it is imperative that one refrains from any such deeds that spoil the blessings gained and is against the essence and spirit of fasting. Islaaminfo

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Long-Term Illness that Prevents Fasting Question: I was wondering if you could clarify the following matter regarding fasts. I am currently on medication, I have been taking it since I can remember. I take it twice a day and since it is very strong,I have to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. Most probably I will always be eating it all my life, as I already have been doing so. With regards to this problem, what do I do in compensating for my fasts, since I cannot fast? Please can you give me specific recommendations? Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah, I pray this finds you in the best of health and states. Please consult a reliable local scholar and physician to determine if there is any way to still fast despite your condition, such as by adjusting the medication dosage or times you have to take it, switching to another effective medication, seeking alternative modes of therapy, etc. Also, see if you are able to make up the fasts when the days are shorter, and then still take your medication and requisite water before and after the fast. If none of this is possible, then you would be considered someone with a chronic illness not expected to recover. The ruling for such a person is that if unable to fast, then for each missed day he must give fidya, i.e., roughly 2.2kg of wheat or its monetary equivalent to the poor. However, if at some point you get better and are able to fast, then you would have to make up all those days (even the days for which you paid the fidya). [ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar] SeekersGuidance

Taken from Here (Originally answered on the SeekersGuidance Ramadan Course Forum)

When are we exempt from fasting? <QUESTION> Due to the illness of diabetes, I missed many fasts. Do I have to make qadha now or a kaffara is necessary? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, It is a well-established principle of Shariah that, it is permissible not to fast or break an already kept fast due to reasons that are beyond one’s control, such as travelling, illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc, although a traveller may not enter into a fast, but it will not be permissible for him to break an already kept fast. (See: Radd al-Muhtar, 2/421) Allah Most High says: “(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) from days later.” (al-Baqarah, 184) Regarding illness, the great Hanafi jurist, Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states in the chapter of “excuses that permit not to fast” in his excellent work Durr al-Mukhtar: “(It is permissible not to fast) for an individual who is ill and fears that his/her illness will increase, or a healthy person who fears that he will become ill due to fasting.” (Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 2/422) Thus, there is no sin for not fasting or breaking a fast that was already kept due to illness such as diabetes in your case. The compensation will be (as mentioned in the verse of the Qur’an quoted earlier) making up for the fast on another day (qadha) when you are reasonably able to do so. And Allah Knows Best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

Fasts and Internal Examination Fasting Woman And A Check-Up With The Gynaecologist

Which group are you from? Spiritually, in this world and well as the next, there will always only be three kinds of people; The very good ones, the very bad ones and those in between. In Surah Waqiáh Allah Taála categorizes the population of the hereafter as follows: (1) The forerunners (As-Sabiqoon)- the elite. (2) The people of the right (As-habul Yameen)- the moderate ones. (3) And the people of the left (As-habush shimaal)- the evil people. And in Surah Fatir (ayah:32), Allah Taála groups the inhabitants of the world in three as well: (1) The sinners (2) The Moderate group (3) And those who are foremost in doing good. The three groups in Ramadhan The famous hadith in which Rasulullah (sallallahu álaihi wasallam) is reported to have introduced Ramadhan to the Sahabah (radiyallahu ánhum) states that he also said: “…it (Ramadhan) is a month whose first part (first 10 days) are a mercy, the second part (second 10 days) brings forgiveness and the last part (last 10 days) guarantees emancipation from the fire” Shaykhul Hadith, Moulana Muhammad Zakariyya (rahimahullah) has explained this to be referring to three categories of people. 1. From all the people who witness Ramadhan there are some who are extremely pious, for them the mercy of Allah starts showering down from the first night of Ramadhan. 2. The second type are those who are not as pious as the previous ones. They have a mixture of deeds, good and bad too, although their burden of sins are not too heavy. These people engage in worship the first 10 days of Ramadhan and by the 11th of Ramadhan they become eligible for complete forgiveness. 3. The last group are the very sinful ones. Those who have far less good than bad in their account. Almighty Allah through his grace frees them too from Jahannam (Hell) by the time they reach the final stretch of the blessed month. Another three Some Scholars have drawn attention to another type of grouping in Ramadhan; 1. Those who are already spiritually charged and await this month in earnest. They use this as an opportunity to progress further in spirituality during Ramadhan. These ones maximize their benefit from this month. 2. Those who are aware of the auspiciousness of the month and prepare themselves to honour its sanctity as much as possible. They shun the sins that they usually engage in during the other eleven months of the year and even try to increase their ‘ibadat in Ramadhan. However, once the month departs, they revert to those wrongs! It’s as if they braced themselves for this month only & then release the “hand-break” once the crescent of Shawwal is sighted. This is the middle group and unfortunately the majority. 3. Those to whom Ramadhan makes no difference! They show no regard to it whatsoever and persist in the wrongs that they are so accustomed to. These are the deprived ones! They are the real losers! Which team we belong to is really up to us! May Allah Ta’ala protect us all and inspire us to accept this auspicious month with open arms, and to maximize our benefit therefrom. Ameen. Source

Below are letters sent to the Syrian Sisters… أخوات الحبيبة أسأل الله العظيم أن يفك أسركم ويجبر كسركم… نرسل لكم امنياتنا بالخير والسلام والمحبه… نصركم الله وكان في عونكم ….. ان جوهر الاخوة غير مرتبط بقرابه او دم …ولكن ما يربطنا هو رابط الدين جميعنا امهات واخوات وبنات وزوجات تربطنا معا الايمان بالله. فلا يفرقنا لون ولا لغة ولن تبعدنا حدود …عبر البحار والمحيطات والانهار وعبر الصحارى والجبال والوديان لن يبعدنا شيئ… فنحن نضحك الضحكه نفسها ونذرف الدموع نفسها ونقاوم نحارب لسبب واحد من اجل لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله أنتنّ في قلوبنا لا يُنسى أبداً اخواتكم من جنوب افريقيا Beloved Sisters, I ask Allah Almighty to take apart your shackles and restore your breakdown. We sent you wishes of goodness, peace and love. May Allah help you and come to your aid. The essence of sisterhood is not bound by the ties of or blood but what binds us are the ties of Deen (religion), all of us, mothers; sisters; daughters; and wives strengthened by faith in Allah. Colour cannot divide us nor language, boundaries cannot separate us, across oceans and rivers, across deserts; mountains and valleys- Nothing can keep us apart. We laugh the same laugh, weep the same tears and struggle in the same cause. United by One battle- LAA ILAA HA ILLA ALLAH, MUHAMMADU-R RASOOL-ALLAH! You are in our hearts, Never to be forgotten, Your Sisters of South Africa أختي الحبيبة اسمع عن مشقتك والدموع تسيل وقلبي يؤلم في حقك. لك يا أختي الجنة والريحاتها الحلوة. أحسدك، لأن من أجل آلامك والمشقة ستدخلين الجنة سريعا. يا أختي الحبيبة، كلما تبكين تلك دموع الدم، لا تنسي أن كل هذه الفتن ستنتهين لأن ربنا وعد أن بعد عسر يسرا. فلك ولأسرتك الجنة الفردوس. يا أختي الله فعل ما فعل بالحكمة. لن تكوني وحيدة، الله معك والله بكل شيء بصير. أختي ابتسامتك ابتسامي وضحكك ضحكي ودموعك دموعي أحبك بكل قلبي في الله. قلبي يشتاق أن يراك مبتسمة، وأملي أن يجدك في حالة السكينة وأعرف ستجدين كل ذلك لأن الله عادل وعدله يرفع كل شيء. أنت لست بدون أحد من القلب إلى القلب في أمان الله أختك في الإسلام Beloved Sister, I hear of you hardship and the tears flow and my heart pains from within it’s cavity. May Paradise be yours my sister with it’s sweet smell. I envy you. Because of your pain and hardship, you will most certainly enter Paradise swiftly. O Beloved Sister, each time you shed that tear of blood, don’t forget that each trial will surely come to an end because our Lord has promised ease after hardship. So May you and your families be blessed with al-Firdaws (Paradise). O Sister, Allah does what He does in His wisdom. You will never be alone, Allah is with you and Allah sees everything. O Sister, your smile is my smile; your laughter is my laughter and your tears are my tears. I love you with all my heart for the pleasure of Allah. My heart yearns to see you smile, and my hope is that tranquility finds you. And I know you will find all of that because Allah is Just and His Justice raises everything. You are not without one. From my heart to your heart, May you be in Allah’s safety, Your Sister in Islam. ummulhasanaat

THE QUALITY OF MERCY By Sister Jasmine We are approaching Ramadan, and this is a good time to pause and reflect on what this year’s month of fasting will mean to us. We know that Ramadan is made up of three sections, the first 10 days when we seek Allah’s mercy, the second period in which we double our efforts at repentance in order to gain forgiveness, and finally, the last 10 days when we seek Allah’s permission to enter Jannah(Paradise), Insha’Allah. Let us focus on the first 10 days, and explore the quality of mercy. Two of the names by which Allah is known are Ar-Rahmaan and Ar- Raheem. These are the attributes of Allah, and an oft repeated phrase in the Holy Quran. Allah is the most merciful, both in this Dunya (world) and the Hereafter. He bestows mercy on all of creation, and is the giver of mercy to each of His creations. Mercy as a quality is inherent in all of us; when Allah created mercy he divided it into 100 parts. He placed one part of it inside each of His creations, and kept back the other 99 parts. These 99 parts will be used by Allah to show us mercy on the Day of Judgment. Mothers have the greatest mercy for their children; even the wildest of beasts show tenderness to their off spring. As great as the mercy of the mother is for her child, Allah’s mercy is much greater. So important is this quality that Allah has made it incumbent on us to commence every action, every utterance, with ‘Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem’ (in the name of Allah, Most Merciful, The Most Beneficent). This is in order that Allah can bless us in whatever we do, whatever we say. Without the utterance of the Bismallah, the action is void of mercy; has no blessing in it, nor any good. It is when we, as the servants of Allah, and obedient to his commands, show mercy towards one another, that Allah sends His Mercy down on us. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has condemned the person who shows no mercy. He(pbuh) said: "The Most Merciful One shows mercy to those who have mercy on others. Show mercy to those on earth, and the One above the heaven will show mercy to you." In view of this it is just as important to show mercy to others, as it is to beseech Allah for mercy. In the period leading up to Ramadan, let us resolve to bestow our mercy, the quality we have been blessed with, on others. Do take care though, that in our rush to do so, we forget to be merciful to ourselves. Mothers especially are so eager to do even more for their families during Ramadan, that by day end she is run ragged and cannot reap any of the benefits of this Mubarak (blessed) month. Another mistake we make is to be over compensate with food and delicacies at the end of the day. When our bodies have had a welcome break from all the foods we consume normally, sometimes even to excess; it is a shock to the system to overload at the time of Iftar (fast breaking). With abstinence, harmful substances are purged, yet the body continues to function. How merciful is our body, that without the needed sustenance, blood continues to flow, lungs continue to take in air, and all other functions work perfectly. Should we not be grateful for the amazing piece of engineering that is our body? This is one of the Mercies of Allah. Let us have mercy on our systems and consume only healthy and sustaining foods, in sufficient quantity to keep our bodies working. Let us be merciful to our minds and take some quiet time for reflection, our minds process thousands of thoughts at any given moment. Find the time to sit quietly, close your eyes and just breathe. Breathe in with ‘La illaha’, and out with’ illalah.’ Your mind will become still, you will find peace, and most important, you will connect with Allah. Resolve to be a little more patient with your partner, with your children, and even neighbours. Allowing them to annoy or upset you only causes you to expend valuable energy and may even affect your blood pressure. The calmer and quieter you are, the more those around you will respond with similar energies. Reflect on the mercy Allah has already bestowed upon you, make a list of the things you are grateful for, give thanks for the gift of sight which allows you to see the wonders of nature, the gift of speech which allows you to communicate, and to recite the Quran. As you recite, use the ability to read what it means in translation so that you can truly live the Quran. Do, however remember the benefits of reciting, they are absolutely without measure. The gift of hearing allows you to listen to the recital of the Quran. This in itself is a great mercy, as listening to the Word of Allah brings a calmness to the soul, Alhamdulillah (All Praise to Allah). If we can truly bestow mercy on ourselves and our fellow humans, as easily as the rain falls, we will indeed be blessed, even as we bless others. Truly, the quality of mercy drops from the Heavens, because it comes from Allah. A Poet said it very eloquently: The quality of mercy is not strain'd, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest; It blesseth him that gives and him that taketh it. “O Allah, have mercy on us above the earth and below the earth and on the Day when our deeds will be presented to us. And cause us to be merciful to one another just as the Companions of Your Prophet(pbuh) were. And have mercy on our dead ones and put those who have mercy from amongst Your servants in charge over us, O Most Merciful!”…Ameen EISLAM

Q. I have a diamond necklace which my husband gave me as a gift. Do I have to pay Zakaat on it ? (Question published as received) A. No. There is no Zakaat on precious stones or metals besides gold and silver unless they have been purchased with the intention of resale. If your diamond necklace if for personal use, there is no Zakaat on the diamond itself. However, if the necklace is of gold or silver, Zakaat will have to be paid on the gold or silver content only. And Allah Knows Best Mufti Suhail Tarmahomed Fatwa Department Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

Impact of Muslim Rule in Spain It remains evident today that the period of Moorish rule, particularly in the region of Andalucía, has profoundly impacted Spain as a nation. The Moors, who derived largely from Arabia and Northern Africa, ruled huge swathes of Southern Spain for seven centuries, and had a widening impact on Spanish culture. The Muslim rule of Medieval Iberia (modern-day Spain) has heavily influenced Spain’s language, intellectual culture, and architecture. Although, the peace which existed at the beginning of the reign became increasingly challenged by the crusading Christian invaders. This blog will go on to demonstrate the lasting elements of the Islamic culture on Medieval Spain. Religious tolerance During their long reign over a large part of medieval Iberia, the Muslims were known to be a rather accepting group, tolerating and welcoming Jews who had been made outcasts by the ‘…northern invaders…’ of Spain. Indeed, one source suggests that the Jews were so highly valued by the Moors that they became ‘…merchants and ambassadors and were often taken into the leaders’ confidence.’ Islamic rule in Spain from the early eighth to the late fifteenth century featured ‘…a multi-cultural mix of the people of three great monotheistic religions: Muslims, Christians, and Jews.’ Furthermore, it is implied, that despite the restrictions imposed on Jews and Christians, such as higher taxes, this overall unity of the three faiths became an immensely successful settlement, ‘…that matched the heights of the Roman Empire and the Italian Renaissance.’ What is more, Blockmans argues that ‘…of course, there was a shrinking Christian majority who, like the Jews, were also treated with reasonable tolerance by the new rulers.’ It is not clear why the Christians were treated so well by the Muslim settlers, but Blockmans suggests that the Jews welcomed Islamic rule after being oppressed by the Christian Visigoth settlers. However, the centuries leading up to the taking over of Spain by the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, were not free from wars, even, it seems, amongst the Moors themselves. Although, the events of post 1492, when the last of the Muslim kingdoms in Spain was claimed by the Christian crusaders, certainly highlight the acceptance of the Muslim leaders, as opposed to the persecution of the Christian Inquisition. Language Although it is often assumed that the language of Spain derives from Latin alone, closer inspection of many words also reveals Arabic roots. Indeed, it has been argued that; ‘More than 4,000 words of Arabic origin are used in modern Spanish.’ Examples include words beginning with al, such as álgebra (algebra) or Allá (Allah) and other words relating to scientific or mathematical knowledge, as well as exotic words like azúcar (sugar). MacKay also points out that: ‘In the late 1940s …poetic fragments were discovered which, dating back to the tenth century, were composed in Mozarabic – that is, the dialect of Spanish which was spoken in al-Andalus.’ and goes on to emphasise the significance of Arabic poetry in al-Andalus during the Middle Ages. The effect on modern-day Spain is that even some existing place names also derive from Arabic. Architecture The architectural influence of the Moors remains perhaps the most recognisable in modern-day Spain, since it has remained largely untouched for several hundred years. MacKay argues that; ‘…the fact that the Mudejars virtually monopolised the crafts associated with building and ornamentation meant that they left their imprint on buildings all over Christian Spain.’ Indeed: ‘Moorish architecture can be found throughout Spain, with its slender columns, horseshoe arches, cupolas, and airy, colorful buildings.’ An example of a Moorish building (later altered after the Reconquista) is the Alcázar (palace) of Seville, which is believed to date back to the tenth century. Learning/Knowledge The following book review by Titus Burckhardt entitled ‘Moorish Culture in Spain’ is a great demonstration of just how brilliantly influential the Moorish reign of medieval Iberia was upon the nation: ‘The Arab contribution to human progress—astronomy, mathematics, cosmology, the variety and magnificent wealth of architectural form—is a remarkable legacy of a people who entered the land as conquerors and became peaceful masters. From the establishment of the first mosque in Cordova in 785 until the time of their expulsion by the Catholic kings in 1492, the Moors dominated the intellectual life of the area and had a profound impact on European civilization, which assimilated many of their ideas.’ Indeed, it seems that MacKay is more than justified in saying that ‘…the Islamic world improved a scientific tradition of which Latin Europe was largely ignorant.’ Therefore, it can be argued that without the Islamic conquest of Spain, Europe may have remained ignorant of a great many things. Overall, it is clear that ‘Islam was a bridging civilisation.’ and became ‘…a transmitter of culture to Europe. Islam also provided a cultural bridge linking Latin Europe with certain aspects of its Greco-Roman past…’ and can even be linked to the argument about the impact of the Islamic language. As MacKay explains how the majority of the scholarship supplied by the Moorish leaders, such as the learning of Greek science and philosophy, was ‘…within an Islamic and Arabic-language setting.’ In conclusion, for the majority of their period of rule, the Moors profoundly impacted the culture of Medieval Spain much of which remains recognisable today. However, this is, to some extent, overshadowed by the gradual process of the Christian Reconquista. Although, it can be argued that Muslim influence was good for Spain as it modernised knowledge/learning in Europe and encouraged a wider cultural awareness through its introduction of different architectural designs, style of religion and language structure. Finally, although the Moorish leaders no longer rule over Spain, the fact that they did so for seven hundred years is, alone, sufficient grounds for their success. Indeed the end was only an inevitable part of their rule, as it is for the existence of any Empire or regime. Bibliography Angus MacKay, Spain in the Middle Ages: From Frontier to Empire, 1000-1500 (Hampshire, 1977), pp 82, 83, 91 & 201 W.I. M. Blockmans and Peter Hoppenbrouwers, Introduction to Medieval Europe 300- 1550 (Abingdon, Oxon, 2010), p 102

Using Hair Dye <QUESTION> Is it permissible to use hair dyes, and which ones? <ANSWER> In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful, It is permissible, rather recommended (mandub) to dye the hair of the head (and beard for men) provided the ingredients used in the hair dye are Halal. Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “Change the old age (white/grey hair), and do not imitate the Jews.” (Sunan Tirmidhi, no.1752 & Sunan Nasa’i) The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) also stated: “The best dye to change your old age is Henna (a red plant dye) and Katm (type of grass).” (Sunan Tirmidhi, no. 1753 & others) There is a difference of opinion among the scholars on whether the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) himself dyed his hair. However Sayyiduna Abu Bakr and Sayyiduna Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with them both) did dye the hair of their head and beard, thus it will be classed as recommended (mandub), if not Sunnah. The great Hanafi Imam, Ala’ al-Din al-Haskafi states in his Durr al-Mukhtar: “It is recommended for men to dye their hair (of the head) and beard, even outside war.” (Durr al-Mukhtar, 5: 271) It is stated in the famous Hanafi Fiqh reference book al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah: “The scholars have all unanimously agreed that it is a Sunnah for men to dye the hair of their head and beard with red colour. It is also considered a sign of Muslims.” (5/329) Pure black dye The foregoing explanation was regarding using dye other than the colour of black. The ruling on using pure black hair dye will defer according to the reason one uses it for. 1) If a warrior (mujahid) used black hair dye in order to put awe and fear into the hearts and minds of the enemy, then all the scholars agree that it is permissible. (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 5/329) 2) To use pure black dye in order to deceive somebody, e.g. a prospective fiancé or in order to get a job, etc, then this (according to all) is impermissible. Sayyiduna Abd Allah ibn Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whosoever deceives us is not from us.” (Sahih ibn Hibban) 3) The third situation is when pure black dye is used for adornment, meaning the husband or the wife uses it in order to please the spouse. The scholars have differed with regards to the ruling in such a case. Many Hanafi jurists (fuqaha) have said that to use pure black dye is not permissible, even for the purpose of adornment. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “There will be people who will come later (in my Ummah) and apply black dye. They will not even smell the fragrance of paradise.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 2/578) In another Hadith the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “…Abstain from using black dye.” (Sahih Muslim) However other scholars including the great Hanafi jurist and student of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Abu Yusuf (Allah have mercy on him) permitted the using of black dye for adornment, especially the wife, to adorn herself for her husband. It has also been narrated from some of the companions such as: Sayyiduna Uthman, Sayyiduna Hasan, Sayyiduna Husain & others (Allah be pleased with them all) that they used black colour dye. Imam Abu Yusuf also permitted it for men in order to adorn themselves for their wives. His words are: “As I desire my wife to adorn herself for me, she also desires that I adorn myself for her.” (Radd al-Muhtar) Imam al-Haskafi states in Durr al-Mukhtar: “It is recommended for men to dye their hair and beard, even outside war according to the sounder opinion. The sounder opinion is that the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) did not do it. It is disliked with black, though some said it is not.” (See: Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar) My respected teacher, Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani (may Allah preserve him) says: “The final word regarding the using of black dye is that, it will not be considered unlawful (haram), although disliked (makruh). The prohibition in the Hadith will be explained as in when one uses it to deceive others.” (Taqrir Tirmidhi, 2/354) It should also be remembered here that the above discussion is when the dye is pure black. However, if it is not pure, rather it is dark or black-inclined; it would be permissible to apply it. Also, the dying of hair will not affect the validity of ablutions (wudu) or obligatory bath (ghusl), because the coating is not considered a perceptible barrier. In conclusion, it is recommended to dye the hair (for men and women) with other than pure black colour. To use pure black dye in order to deceive others is unlawful (haram), and totally permissible for a Mujahid engaged in Jihad. As far as using it for adornment purposes, it will be disliked. And Allah Knows Best [Mufti] Muhammad ibn Adam Darul Iftaa Leicester , UK

Question: Are Ladies permitted the use of Henna mixed with Black Dye for prermature gray Hair? Answer: It is permissible if used to beautify one’s self for her spouse only. (Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah Vol 5 Pg 123 Mazhari) Mufti Bilaal Cassim FATWA DEPT. CHECKED AND APPROVED: Mufti Ebrahim Desai Source (Above is part of a multi-question Fatwa)

Answered by Shaykh Ilyas Patel Question: Please give reasoning and evidence from ahadith and scholars. Are women allowed to dye their hair? If yes, is there any particular color recommended? If no, what is the reasoning behind it? I’ve heard that women are not supposed to color their hair anything other than the color of “black.” Why is that? Answer: Yes, women are allowed to dye their hair and the recommended colour is with henna (a red plant dye). (Fatawa Hindiyya V.6 pg 238) The reason for prohibiting the use of black colour to dye ones hair is that one is deceiving ones age and appearance. Shaykh Taqi Usmani mentions in his commentary on Sahih Muslim,Takmila Fath al-Mulhim, regarding women dying their hair: As for women dying their hair in order to beautify themselves for their husband, Qatada (May Allah be pleased with him) gives permissibility as mentioned in Musannaf Abdur Razzaq11:155. Also Ishaq gives permissibility as narrated by Ibn Qudama in his Mugni (1:76). Shaykh Taqi ends with saying, ‘I have not seen any other statement beside these two. Allah Knows Best (Takmila Fath Mulhim 4:150) Dyeing the hair with henna would be more recommended as was the practice, but other colours are also permissible. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) advised the father of Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with them both) to change and dye his hair. He said, ‘Change and dye your hair and refrain from using black’ (Abu Dawud 2.137) This hadith is with regard to advising a man in using a dye. As for women it gives permissibility as she is more urged upon and advised to beautify herself for their husbands. Source: http://www.SunniPath.com

Q: Is it permissible in Islam to do zikr on a Tasbeeh because some one said that our Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) never used a Tasbeeh in his life. A: It is permissible to recite zikr on a tasbeeh. رقم 3554 – حدثنا محمد بن بشار حدثنا عبد الصمد بن عبد الوارث حدثنا هاشم وهو ابن سعيد الكوفي حدثني كنانة مولى صفية قال سمعت صفية تقول : دخل علي رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم وبين يدي أربعة آلاف نواة أسبح بها فقلت لقد سبحت بهذه فقال ألا أعلمك بأكثر مما سبحت ؟ فقلت علمني فقال قولي سبحان الله عدد خلقه (ترمذي 2/195) Answered by: Mufti Zakaria Makada Checked & Approved: Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

Question: Assalamualaikum , what is the proof of using a prayer bead? some say it is Bid'ah is this right? Wassalaam Answer: Fatwaa no. 227/05 Hazrat Sa’aad bin Abi Waqqaas (R.A.) reports that once, while accompanied by the Nabi of Allah (S.A.W.), he came across a lady who was using date pits or pebbles for making Tasbeeh (glorifying Allah). Nabi (S.A.W.) addressed her saying, “Should I not inform you of an easier or better way than that, SUBHANALLAHI ‘ADADA MA KHALAQA FIS SAMAAI’ WA SUBHANALLHI ‘ADADA MA KHALAQA FIL ARDHI WA SUBHANALLAHI ‘ADADA MA BAYNA THALIK WA SUBHANALLAHI ‘ADADA MA HUWA KHALIQ WALLAHU AKBAR MITHLA THALIK WALHAMDULILLAHI MITHLA THALIK WA LAILAHA ILLALLAHU MITHLA THALIK WA LA HAUWLA WA LA QUWWATA ILLA BILLAHI MITHLA THALIK.” In the commentary of this Hadith, the author of Mirqaat (a commentary of Mishkaat) explains that, the fact that Nabi (S.A.W.) did not disapprove of her action or show any resentment towards it, clearly proves that using beads, pebbles, etc. when making Tasbeeh is permissible. It would therefore be incorrect to classify an act which Nabi (S.AW.) approved of, as Bid’ah. Hazrat Umar (R.A.) once saw a person using beads for making Tasbeeh and he did not prevent him from doing so. Hazrat Abu Hurairah (R.A.) used a string, which consisted of a number of knots for making Tasbeeh. There are many Ahadeeth in which the Nabi of Allah instructed the Sahabah to recite a particular Zikr a certain amount of times, which naturally implies that something be used for counting. (Mirqaat, Vol. 5, Page 138-139, Hayaatus Sahabah, Vol. 3, Page 427) And Allah Ta’ala knows best Ebrahim bin Zainul Abedeen Backus Attested to as correct by: Mufti Muhammad Ashraf Darul Iftaa Jameah Mahmoodiyah Springs www.mahmoodiyah.org.za [email protected]

‘Abdullah bin Mas’oud (Radhiyallahu ‘Anhu) ‘Abdullah bin Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) was of the tribe of Banu Huzail. When he was still a youth, not yet past the age of puberty, he used to roam the mountain trails of Makkah far away from people, tending the flocks of Qurayshi chieftain, Uqbah ibn Abi Muayt. People called him “Ibn Umm Abd” meaning the son of the mother of a slave. His real name was ‘Abdullah and his father’s name was Mas’oud. The youth had heard the news of Muhammad, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) who had appeared among his people but he did not attach any importance to it both because of his age and because he was usually far away from Makkan society. It was his custom to leave with the flock of Uqbah early in the morning and not return until nightfall. One day while tending the flocks, ‘Abdullah (radhiyallahu anhu) saw two men, middle-aged and of dignified bearing, coming towards him from a distance. They were obviously very tired. They were also so thirsty that their lips and throat were quite dry. They came up to him, greeted him and said, “Young man, milk one of these sheep for us that we may quench our thirst and recover our strength”. “I cannot”, replied the young man. “The sheep are not mine. I am only responsible for looking after them”. The two men did not argue with him. In fact, although they were so thirsty, they were extremely pleased at the honest reply. The pleasure showed on their faces . . . The two men in fact were the blessed Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) himself and his companion, Abu Bakr Siddiq (radhiyallahu anhu). They had gone out on that day to the mountains of Makkah to escape the violent persecution of the Quraysh. The young man in turn was impressed with Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and his companion and soon became quite attached to them. It was not long before ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) became a Muslim and offered to be in the service of the Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He agreed and from that day the fortunate ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) gave up tending sheep in exchange for looking after the needs of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He was the sixth man to accept Islam. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) remained closely attached to Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He would attend to his needs both inside and outside the house. He would accompany him on journeys and expeditions. He would wake him when he slept. He would shield him when he washed. He would carry his staff and his siwaak (toothbrush) and attend to his other personal needs. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) received a unique training in the household of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He was under the guidance of the Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam), he adopted his manner and followed his every trait until it was said of him, “He was the closest to the Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) in character.” ‘Abdullah was taught in the ‘school” of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He was the best reciter of the Qur’aan among the Sahaabah (companions) and he understood it better than them all. He was therefore the most knowledgeable on the Shariah. Nothing can illustrate this better than the story of the man who came to ‘Umar ibn al Khattab (radhiyallahu anhu) as he was standing on the plain of ‘Arafah and said: “I have come, O Amir al Mu’mineen, from Kufa where I left a man filling copies of the Qur’aan from memory.” ‘Umar became very angry and paced up and down beside his camel, fuming. “Who is he?” he asked. “Abdullah ibn Mas’oud,” replied the man. ‘Umar’s anger subsided and he regained his composure. “Woe to you,” he said to the man. “By Allah, I don’t know of any person left who is more qualified in this matter than he is. Let me tell you about this.” Umar continued: “One night the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam), was having a conversation with Abu Bakr about the situation of Muslims. I was with them. When Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) left, we left with him also and as we passed through the masjid, there was a man standing in Prayer whom we did not recognise. Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) stood and listened to him, then turned to us and said, ‘Whoever wants to read the Qur’aan as fresh as when it was revealed, then let him read according to the recitation of Ibn Umm Abd.’ After the Prayer, as ‘Abdullah sat making supplications, Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, “Ask and it will be given to you. Ask and it will be given to you.” ‘Umar continued: “I said to myself, I shall go to Abdullah ibn Mas’oud straight away and tell him the good news of Rasoolullah’s (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) ensuring acceptance of his supplications. I went and did so but found that Abu Bakr had gone before me and conveyed the good news to him. By Allah, I have never yet beaten Abu Bakr in the doing of any good.” ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) attained such a knowledge of the Qur’aan that he would say, “By Him besides Whom there is no god, no verse of the book of Allah has been revealed without my knowing where it was revealed and the circumstances of its revelation. By Allah, if I know there was anyone who knew more of the Book of Allah, I will do whatever is in my power to be with him.” ‘Abdullah was not exaggerating in what he said about himself. Once ‘Umar ibn al Khattab (radhiyallahu anhu) met a caravan on one of his journeys as Khalif (caliph). It was pitch dark and the caravan could not be seen properly. ‘Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) ordered someone to hail the caravan. It happened that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) was in it. “From where do you come?” asked ‘Umar (radhiyallahu anhu). “From a deep valley,” came the reply. (The expression used fajj amiq meaning deep valley is a Qur’aanic one). “And where are you going?” asked ‘Umar (radhiyallahu anhu). “To the ancient house,” came the reply. (The expression used al bayt ul atiq meaning ancient house, is a Qur’aanic one.) “There is a learned person (alim) among them,” said ‘Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) and he commanded someone to ask the person: “Which part of the Qur’aan is the greatest?” “Allah, there is no god except Him, the Living, the Self-subsisting. Neither slumber overtakes Him nor sleep,” replied the person answering, quoting the Ayat al Kursiyy (the verse of the Throne). “Which part of the Qur’aan is the most clear on justice?” “Allah commands what is just and fair, and the feeding of relatives…” came the answer. “What it the most comprehensive statement of the Qur’aan?’ “Whoever does an atom’s weight of good shall see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil shall see it” came the reply. “Which part of the Quran gives rise to the greatest hope?’ “Say, O my servants who have wasted their resources, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. He is the Forgiving, the Compassionate.” Thereupon ‘Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) asked: “Is ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud among you?’ “Yes, by Allah,” the men in the caravan replied. ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) was not only a reciter of the Qur’aan, a learned man or a fervent worshipper. He was in addition a strong and courageous fighter, one who became deadly serious when the occasion demanded it. The Sahaabah were together one day in Makkah. They were still few in number, weak and oppressed. They said, “The Quraysh have not yet heard the Qur’aan being recited openly and loudly. Who is the man who could recite it for them?’ “I shall recite it from them,” volunteered ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) . “We are afraid for you,” they said. “We only want someone who has a clan who would protect him from their evil.” “Let me,” ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud insisted, “Allah shall protect me and keep me away from their evil.” He then went out to the masjid until he reached Maqaam Ibraheem (a few meters from the Ka’bah). It was dawn and the Quraysh were sitting around the Ka’bah. ‘Abdullah (radhiyallahu anhu) stopped at the Maqaam and began to recite: “Bismillah irRahman irRaheem. Ar-Rahman. ‘Allamal Qur’aan. Khalaqal insaan. ‘Allamahul bayaan… (In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. The Most Merciful (Allah). He has taught the Quran. He has created man and taught him the clear truth…)” – Quran: Surah Rahman 55:1-4 He went on reciting. The Quraysh looked at him intently and some of them asked “What is Ibn Umm ‘Abd saying?” “Woe to him! He is reciting some of what Muhammad brought!” they realised. They went up to him and began beating his face as he continued reciting. When he went back to his companions the blood was flowing from his face. “This is what we feared for you,” they said. “By Allah,” replied ‘Abdullah, “the enemies of Allah are not more comfortable than I at this moment. If you wish, I shall go out tomorrow and do the same.” “You have done enough,” they said. “You have made them hear what they dislike.” ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) would refrain from narrating Hadith for fear of mistakes. However when he did narrate a Hadith, he was very particular in what he attributed to Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). He would turn pale and quake in fear whenever he accidentally attributed something to Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam), even though Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) has said, “Whatever Ibn Mas’oud narrates to you, believe him”. Whenever he gave a verdict, he would attribute it to himself, saying that it was his own opinion and that it was from Allah if it was correct and that it was from himself and Satan, if it was incorrect. For this reason, many Fataawa have been attributed to ‘Abdullah (radhiyallahu anhu) instead of Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam). ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’oud (radhiyallahu anhu) lived to the time of Khalifah ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu anhu). When he was sick and on his death-bed, ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu anhu) came to visit him and said: “What is your ailment?” “My sins”, he said. “And what do you desire?” asked ‘Uthmaan (radhiyallahu anhu) “The mercy of my Lord.” “Shall I not give you your stipend which you have refused to take for years now?” Uthmaan (radhiyallahu anhu) asked him. “I have no need of it”. “Let it be for your daughters after you” Uthmaan (radhiyallahu anhu) said. “Do you fear poverty for my children? I have commanded them to read Surah al Waaqi’ah every night for I have heard Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) saying, “Whoever reads al Waaqi’ah every night shall not be afflicted by poverty ever”. That night in the year 34 A.H, Abdullah passed away, his tongue moist with the remembrance of Allah and with the recitation of the verses of His Book.

Great Women of Islam By: Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar This book is about the life stories of the Mothers of the Believers and 16 other Sahabyat who had been given the good news of the paradise in this world by Prophet Muhammad (S). There are good examples in the lifestyle of the Mothers of the believers and women Companions especially for the Muslim women. It is necessary for all of us to study the Seerah of these noble and fortunate women. Besides the Mothers of the believers, the compiler of the book has included the description of those sixteen women who had been given the good News of the Paradise in this world by the Prophet Muhammad (S). Although the original book is in the Urdu language but the efforts of the translator had made it more beneficial for the readers. DOWNLOAD

Muslim influence in Spain still felt in daily life By Habeeb Salloum (The Milli Gazette - Indian Muslims' English Newspaper -2001) No one who has been so fortunate as to be invited to an Andalusian farmer's home will ever forget the hospitality of his hosts. This hospitality has historical roots. It goes back to the 900 years of Muslim presence in the Iberian Peninsula. When a Spanish host smiles and makes his guest feel at home with the phrase, Esta casa es su casa, he is translating the words of his Muslim ancestors, who would say Al-bayt baytak (this home is your home). Similarly, Hasta manana, si Dios qiuere on departure is an echo of the words of Muslims, who said, Ila'l-liqa, insha'Allah (until we meet again, if Allah wills). These and other Muslim inherited phrases in the Spanish way of life are a testimony to the influence the Muslims left on the culture of the Iberian Peninsula. The Muslims poured out of their homelands with the zeal of their faith and spread far and wide. From the heart of China to the borders of France, Arabic became the language of intellectual and scientific expression. This is attested to by the countless Arabic words which were borrowed by other languages in all fields of human activities. This impact of Arabic is best exemplified in the Iberian Peninsula where the sons of Islam built a dazzling civilization that bequeathed to Europe the basis of its future development. According to WJ Entwistle in The Spanish Language, the Mozarabs, arabized Spanish Christians under Muslim rule, were responsible for the easy passage into Spanish of a considerable Arabic vocabulary. The administrative, intellectual and scientific language in Spain was Arabic, and a large number of words dealing with administration, agriculture, architecture, crafts, commerce, industry, science and place names are today of Arabic origin. The Spanish Christians, in turn, gave these words, along with the associated technology, to other countries in Europe. To this day the influences of this Muslim Spanish State, called by the Arabs Al-Andalus, permeates all aspects of Spanish life-best reflected in the agricultural sector, the pillar of Muslim Spain. In its days of glory, farmers in Muslim Andalusia produced more, and were more prosperous, than in most of the other Islamic countries, which , in their turn, were the most advanced in the medieval world. In his book, The Splendour of Moorish Spain, Joseph McCabe states that the Arabs described Al-Andalus as a glorious garden of terraced hills where every acre of cultivable land was tilled. Muslim Spain reached its zenith in the tenth century. Ibn Hawqal wrote that the major part of AL-Andalus was fertile and was watered by many rivers, the cost of living was reasonable and the people lived a happy and prosperous life. It is said that during its golden age in the tenth and eleventh centuries. Al-Andalus had 12,000 town and villages along the banks of the Guadalquiver alone-a density unknown in any other part of the world. What made this westernmost country in the Muslim world flourish was the hard work of the peasants, rendering the countryside fertile. Estates tilled by slaves were very few. The land was almost all owned by small landowners. Tilling the soil was a proud profession and a person was not looked down upon if he was a farmer. Work was a moral duty and an Islamic ideal. Agriculture was greatly developed by this attachment to the soil, which led to the introduction of new crops, advanced techniques of cultivation, preservation of fruits and vegetables, and the use of fertilizers. These were complemented by an excellent irrigation system with a tight control of inspection and enforcement-still followed in parts of the Iberian Peninsula. A wide variety of foods were cultivated, of which the people in the rest of Europe had no conception. Among the important crops, many in Spanish still carrying their Arabic names, were: sugar (azucar / al-sukkar), saffron (zafaran / al-zafran) rice (arroz / al-ruzz), and many citrus fruits and vegetables, including lemon (limon / laymun), orange (naranja /Naranj) and spinach (espinaca- / sbanikh). In addition, the Muslims increased on a large scale the production of almonds, asparagus, dates, figs, grapes, strawberries, wheat and olives: the last still called aceitunas in Spanish from its Arabic name al-zaytun, and its oil is acetic from al-zayt. Today Spain produces half the world’s supply of olive oil. Besides the food crops, the Muslim brought to the Iberian Peninsula the cotton plant, which in Spanish is called algodon from the Arabic alqutn. They also developed the silk industry, to make Al-Andalus one of the major silk manufacturing countries of the medieval world. The fine fabrics of which Europe was to be proud in later centuries had their origin in this land of the Moors. The wealth generated by agriculture would have been insignificant were it not for the excellent irrigation system the Muslim constructed throughout Al-Andalus. When these former sons of the desert first came to the peninsula, they found a primitive form of a Roman irrigation network. After making a scientific study of the land, they improved this network greatly, completing many hydraulic projects for irrigating their whole domain. There is little doubt that the intricate canal network was responsible for producing the thriving crops in the Muslim era. The lush huerta surrounding Valencia has fascinated engineers and historians for centuries. The Moorish irrigation system, which made this garden full of orchards and rice fields possible, is still regulated by a thousand-year-old tribunal established by the Moorish khalifah Al-Hakam II. Every Thursday at midday it holds its sessions to adjudicate land disputes among the farmers. The code laid down by the Muslims is still the basis of judgement by this Tribunal of the Waters. The Valenican huerta was only one of the areas in Spain which benefited from the agricultural techniques of the Muslims. In the southern part of the country, they created what some historians have called an earthly paradise. M Defourneaux in his book, Daily Life in Spain in the golden Age, wrote: The most admirable area is around Granada, where the Moors for a long time occupied the kingdom. They brought water from the snowcapped Sierras, by means of canals and tunnels, to fertilize the plains and the blossoming hills which surround them to make it one of the most beautiful sights in the world. The excellent land-watering system constructed by the Muslims throughout Al-Andalus is attested to by the Spanish language, rich in Arabic loan words in the field of irrigation from names of the waterways to the laws and administration of the system irrigation ditch (acequia-al-saqiya), pool (alberca-al-birka) and irrigating duty (alfarda or farda-alfarda). More than the pen of any historian, these words tell the story of the Arab impact on the irrigation system in Spain. They are a living testimony to the Muslims' technical achievement in the agricultural field. The introduction of new crops with the accompanying irrigation generated a great deal of wealth. This gave rise to an affluent society which appreciated the beauty of nature and that created by man. The forests were protected, new types of trees and flowers were cultivated and number of wild flowers, grasses and shrubs were identified and named. Many of these still carry their Arabic-derived names: safflower (alazor-al-asfur), alfalfa (al-fasfasa) and acorn (bellota-balluta). The famous botanists of Muslim Spain, Ibn Bassal, Ibn al-Wafid, Ibn al-Hajjaj and Ibn al-Awwam, have left us a great deal of material on the productivity and fertility of plants and general agricultural practices. In the twelfth century Ibn al-Awwam wrote a treatise on agriculture which was translated into the Romance languages of the Middle Ages. It lists 584 species of plants and gives precise instructions regarding their cultivation and use. He also wrote about methods for grafting trees and how to produce hybrids, stop the blight of insects, and create floral essences of perfume. With flowers, shrubs and trees, the Muslims built gardens to a grand artistic perfection. The passion for gardens and flower-filled courtyards was a deep love in the heart of every Muslim. This is reflected in the words of chroniclers who have left us first hand and precise knowledge about the Moorish courtyards during the Muslim era. As a result of this legacy, Spain today has some of the most charming homes and gardens in the world. Flowers dripping down from window-boxes against walls which beautify the streets and plazas are a true leftover form the days when the sons of Islam ruled. Next of importance to the produce of the land in the Muslim age was sheep raising and the wool industry it generated. The head-shepherd (rabadan-rabb al-da'n), a flock of sheep with different owners (rehala-rahata), a head of cattle (res-ra's), and a young shepherd playing his flute (zaga playing his alboque-zaghlul playing his al-bug ) are Spanish words directly taken form the Arabs. Perhaps even more interesting are the names and words derived form Arabic which permeate Spanish rural life. These tell their own story of how great the imprint the Muslims left in the land of EI-Cid (Al-sayyid). From the 8,000 basic Spanish words derived from Arabic, a large number relate to farming and the countryside: village aldea-al-day's), flour-mill (tahona-tahuna) and mule-driver (almocrebe-al-mukari), for example. Of all the facets of country life in which one sees the mark of the Muslims, the home is the place where they left their greatest imprint. The beauty and comfort of the Andalusian abode of today is no different than that of the Muslim home in Arab Spain. A Spanish housewife goes about her tasks (tarea-tarihah) cleaning the tiles (azulejos-al-zulayj) and door-knocker (aldaba-al-dabba. As the masons (albaniles-al-banna toil, they drink from a water-jug (jara-jarrah) by letting a stream from the spout fall through the air into their mouths- a method of drinking brought into Spain by the Muslims. The Spanish words of Arabic origin relating to rural life and the home are only one side of the coin. The countryside, especially in southern and eastern Spain, is dotted with place names of Arab origin: Medinas (medina-city), Alcalas (al-qasr-the palace). There are well over a thousand names of Arab origin found in every part of the country. They have become as Spanish as bullfighting, which is also believed to have been initiated by the Moors. The expulsion of the Muslims from Spain deprived the land of its prosperity and led to a huge drop in agrarian production. This was especially true in the Valencia region and the last Moorish heartland of the Alpujarrs Mountians edging Granada. According to A Boyd in The Road from Ronda, when Philip II expelled the Moriscos (Muslims forced to convert to Christianity) from the Alpujarras, and repopulated it with Christians from the north, he ordered that two Morisco families must stay in each village to show the newcomers how to irrigate the land. In the Valencian huerata, after the expulsion of the Muslims, the cultivation of sugarcane was almost extinguished and the yields of citrus fruits declined drastically. Muslim Spain, which covered a little more than 50 percent of the Iberian Peninsula, by its advanced farming techniques supported a population of 30 million-more than the inhabitants of all the European countries in that era. It was many years before that remainder of Europe reached the affluence once found in AL-Andalus. In that earthly paradise the Muslims had created the flower of the medieval world. Today what they left behind tells its own story. Not only the flourishing, rich Spanish countryside of our times, but the magnificent Mosque of Cordova, the Alcazar of Seville, and the majestic Alhambra of Granda all still stand-glorious examples of visual splendour attesting to the greatness of the Muslim civilization of Spain.

Sunnats and Aadaab of Ramadhaan – Part 4 1. Ensure that you perform the twenty rakaat taraweeh salaah every night. The taraweeh salaah is an emphasised sunnah. In the era of Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), all the Sahaabah had consensus on performing twenty rakaat taraweeh. At least try to complete one khatam of the Qur’aan in the taraaweeh Salaah. عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : من قام رمضان إيمانا واحتسابا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه (ابو داود رقم 1373) Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “The one who stands in Taraweeh salaah in Ramadhaan with Imaan (complete belief and faith) and with the hope of reward, all his past (minor) sins will be forgiven.” عن عبد الرحمن بن عوف رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إن الله تبارك و تعالى فرض صيام رمضان عليكم و سننت لكم قيامه فمن صامه و قامه إيمانا و احتسابا خرج من ذنوبه كيوم ولدته أمه (سنن النسائي 1/308) Hadhrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Verily Allah Ta`ala has ordained the fast of Ramadhaan upon you and I have prescribed for you standing during its nights in Taraaweeh Salaah. Whosoever fasts during the days and stands up during the night in Taraaweeh Salaah with true faith and hope of reward from Allah Ta’aala, he will be cleansed from all his sins like the day his mother bore him.” عن ابى الحسناء أن علي بن أبي طالب أمر رجلا أن يصلي بالناس خمس ترويحات عشرين ركعة – باب ما روي في عدد ركعات القيام في شهر رمضان (سنن الكبرى للبيهقي رقم 4805) Abul Hasana says, “Hadhrat Ali (Radhiallahu Anhu) ordered a person to perform twenty rakaats of Taraweeh with the people during Ramadhaan.” عن الأعمش عن زيد بن وهب قال كان عبد الله بن مسعود يصلي لنا في شهر رمضان فينصرف عليه ليل قال الأعمش كان يصلي عشرين ركعة و يوتر بثلاث (عمدة القاري 11/127) A’amash says, “Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (Radhiallahu Anhu) used to lead the taraweeh salaah during the month of Ramadhaan for the people and he used to perform 20 rakaats and would perform 3 witr.” روى البيهقي بإسناد صحيح انهم كانوا يقيمون على عهد عمر بعشرين ركعة و علي عهد عثمان و علي (و هكذا هو في عمدة القاري) (فتح الملهم 2/320) Allamah Ayni says, “The illustrious Sahaabah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had performed twenty Rakaats during the reign of Hazrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhu), and Hazrat Uthmaan and Hazrat Ali (Radhiallahu Anhuma).” (Ayni's Sharh-e- Bukhari Vol.7 P.178) 2. Form the habit of performing good deeds in the month of Ramadhaan and shun the habit of committing evil deeds and vices. عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم إذا كان أول ليلة من شهر رمضان صفدت الشياطين ومردة الجن وغلقت أبواب النار فلم يفتح منها باب وفتحت أبواب الجنة فلم يغلق منها باب وينادي مناد يا باغي الخير أقبل ويا باغي الشر أقصر ولله عتقاء من النار وذلك كل ليلة (ترمذي رقم 682) Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiallahu Anhu reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “When the first night of Ramadhaan enters, the Shayateen and rebellious Jinnaat are chained, the doors of Jahannum are closed and no door remains open, the doors of Jannat are opened and no door remains closed, and a caller announces: ‘O the one seeking piety and good, advance. O the one seeking evil, restrain (from your evil).’ And Allah Ta’ala emancipates many souls from the fire of Jahannum, and this transpires every night throughout the month of Ramadhaan." 3. Sit for i`tikaaf during the last ten days of Ramadhaan if you are able to. عن ابن عباس الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال في المعتكف هو يعتكف الذنوب ويجري له من الحسنات كعامل الحسنات كلها (ابن ماجة رقم 2108) Hadhrat ibn Abbaas (Radhiallahu Anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said regarding the one sitting in I’tikaaf: “The mu’takif (remaining in the Musjid) stays away from committing sins, and every moment he receives the reward for carrying out the various forms of ibaadat that he would have been able to carry out had he not been in the state of I’tikaaf. عن ابن عباس الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال من اعتكف يوما ابتغاء وجه الله تعالى جعل الله بينه وبين النار ثلاث خنادق أبعد مما بين الخافقين رواه الطبراني في الأوسط والبيهقي واللفظ له (الترغيب رقم 1650) Hadhrat ibn Abbaas (Radhiallahu Anhuma) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: Whoever sits in I’tikaaf for a day seeking the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, Allah Ta’ala will place between him and the fire of Jahannum three trenches, each trench as far as the distance between the East and the West. 4. Search for Laylat-ul-Qadr during the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadhaan. عن أنس بن مالك قال : دخل رمضان فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : إن هذا الشهر قد حضركم وفيه ليلة خير من ألف شهر من حرمها فقد حرم الخير كله ولا يحرم خيرها إلا محروم (ابن ماجه رقم 1644) Hadhrat Anas (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that when Ramadhaan began Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Certainly this month (of Ramadhaan) has dawned upon you, and within it there is a night greater than a thousand months. The one who is deprived of this night, has certainly been deprived of all good. And only the truly deprived ones will be deprived of the good of this night.” 5. On the odd nights, perform some ibaadat and then go to sleep with the intention of awakening later at night. Do not sleep without making ibaadat, perchance one may not get up in time. 6. On the night of Qadr recite the following du`aa: اَللّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنّيْ O Allah, Indeed You are most forgiving, You love to forgive, so please forgive me. عن عائشة قالت : قلت يا رسول الله أرأيت إن علمت أي ليلة ليلة القدر ما أقول فيها ؟ قال قولي اللهم إنك عفو كريم تحب العفو فاعف عني قال هذا حديث حسن صحيح (ترمذي رقم 3513) Hadhrat Aaisha (Radhiallahu Anha) reports that on one occasion she asked Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) what duaa to recite if she finds Laylatul Qadr. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) taught her to recite the following duaa: اَللّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ عَفُوٌّ تُحِبُّ الْعَفْوَ فَاعْفُ عَنّيْ 7. Spend some time on the night of Eid in ibaadat. عن أبي أمامة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال من قام ليلتي العيدين محتسبا لم يمت قلبه يوم تموت القلوب رواه ابن ماجه ورواته ثقات إلا أن بقية مدلس وقد عنعنه (الترغيب و الترهيب رقم 1655) Hadhrat Abu Umaamah (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever stands up in ibaadat on the two nights of Eid with the hope of attaining reward, his heart will not die the day the hearts (of the sinners) will die. 8. The one who performs Esha salaah and Fajr salaah with jamaat and he performs twenty rakaats of the Taraweeh salaah with the imaam, Allah will reward him with the reward of standing throughout the night in ibaadat, and if the night was Laylatul Qadr, Allah Ta’ala will reward him with reward of Laylatul Qadr. عن عثمان رضي الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : من صلى العشاء في جماعة فكأنما قام نصف الليل ومن صلى الصبح في جماعة فكأنما صلى الليل كله . (مسلم رقم 656) Hadhrat Uthmaan (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “The one who performs his Esha salaah with jamaat (in the Musjid), then it is as though he has spent half the night in ibaadat. (And if he follows it up) and performs the Fajr salaah with jamaat (in the Musjid), Allah Ta’ala will reward him with the reward of spending the entire night in ibaadat. عن أبي ذر: قال … فقام بنا حتى ذهب ثلث الليل ثم لم يقم بنا في السادسة وقام بنا في الخامسة حتى ذهب شطر الليل فقلنا له يا رسول الله لو نفلتنا بقية ليلتنا هذه ؟ فقال إنه من قام مع الإمام حتى ينصرف كتب له قيام ليلة (ترمذي رقم 806) It is reported from Abu Zar (Radhiallahu Anhu) that during the month of Ramadaan on the 25th night Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) led us in the Taraweeh salaah until half the night had passed. We (enjoyed performing the Taraweeh salaah) that after the completion of the salaah we said to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam): ‘If only you could have continued till the end of the night?’ Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “The one who stands with the Imaam and performs the Taraweeh salaah, Allah Ta’ala writes for him the reward of standing the entire night. 9. After the month of Ramadhaan, one should endeavour to observe the six sunnah fasts of Shawaal. عن أبي أيوب الأنصاري أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : من صام رمضان ثم أتبعه ستا من شوال كان كصيام الدهر. (مسلم رقم 1164) Hadhrat Abu Ayoob Ansaari (Radhiallahu Anhu) reports that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Whoever observes the fasts of Ramadhaan and follows it up with keeping six fasts in Shawaal, then (he will get the reward) as though he fasted the entire year.”

Aameen!..Allah ta'ala removed your confusion through the post so your respected father continues to receive thawaab...glad to have been the means my sister. For a number of years, Alhamdulillah, I have had the practice of consulting Ulama whenever I'm told something and about the practices of our Indo-pak culture. That way InshaAllah there is no misconceptions or misunderstandings and Alhamdulillah we're holding on to the rope of the Qur'an and Sunnah! Many a time I was advised that a certain practice was a Bid'at and so Alhamdulillah we would stop the practice in our family and advise others too....May Allah ta'ala safeguard and elevate our Ulama and keep us on the straight path!