ummtaalib

Q: Could you please guide us on the method of raising funds for Islamic projects in present times. Are activities such as fund-raising dinners, fun walks, etc. acceptable? A. For guidance in this matter, we turn to the Seerah of Nabi (sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) for answers. We find that fund-raising for a valid Islamic cause is a thing which was practiced in the very era and times of Rasulullah (sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam). On the occasion of the Battle of Tabuk, a general appeal for contributions to the cause of Allah’s mission (Jihad) was undertaken. It is on this occasion that Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) outstripped Hazrat Umar (RA) by giving away all of his possessions for Islam. On another occasion, some poor persons came to Madinah Shareef in a very poverty stricken condition. Nabi (sallallahu- alayhi-wasallam) was visibly moved by their condition and ordered the Sahabah (RA) to render them assistance by making generous contributions to towards their needs. From the above, it is amply clear that the concept of contribution to the cause of Islam is not something new. It has existed from the very early days of Islam and is established from the Sunnah of Nabi (sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam). As such, we have a beautiful example to follow and emulate in the way of Rasulullah (sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) even as far as this aspect of our Deen is concerned. From the seerah of Nabi (sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) it is clear that fund-raising for Allah’s work was done in the most practical and sincere manner, and there is nothing to match the Sunnah way! The approach was simple and straight- forward; Nabi (sallallahu-alayhi-wasallam) would gather the Sahabah (RA) in the Masjid, address them, motivate them, recite the verses of the Qur’an to them regarding spending in the path of Allah and exhort them with various virtues. He would also lead by his own blessed example by contributing generously. This would spur the Sahabah on, young and old, men and women, who would vie with each other in contributing to Allah’s cause and reaping the rewards of the Hereafter. In this simple but effective way, Allah Ta’ala would fulfil the needs of all the missions undertaken. This traditional Sunnah method is the way that Muslims ought to follow and emulate when raising funds for a worthy Islamic cause. The Sunnah method of fund raising will certainly carry the greatest amount of blessing – Barakah. This in turn will cause those funds to ‘s-t-r-e-t-c-h’ so that all the needs could easily be fulfilled. Other forms of fund-raising are found, but these are generally shorn of blessing – Barakah because of not conforming to the Sunnah example and very little work is achieved with such funds. Furthermore, it also has to be understood that donations to the cause of Allah must be motivated solely by the pleasure of Allah and for ‘investment’ in one’s ‘bank account’ of the Hereafter. There must be absolutely no other motive at all. Any other motive or intention will destroy the rewards, nullifying it. If the contribution is given in lieu of any worldly ‘benefits’ such as a ticket for participation in some show or sporting/fun activity, or for a plate of food at some dinner function, then it is not motivated solely by the pure and selfless intention of rewards – Thawaab, but some ‘other reward’ in material form, no matter how small, is also being sought. Sadly, this mentality seems to be more prevalent by the day. The test of this is when such ‘donors’ or people are requested to give donations for a worthy Islamic cause, without any material ‘benefit’ or ‘pleasurable activity’, they are reluctant to fork out even a few notes. Yet when it entails buying a ticket for ‘a dinner’ or a ‘fun-filled event’, in the name of charity, they are willing to pay the price. Why the difference in attitude? This is a clear barometer to gauge the level of sincerity of the intention. A Mu’min is supposed to give only for the pleasure of Allah. He needs no other motivation of food, pleasure or prestige to motivate him to give. When the contribution is motivated by material gains, it is shorn of blessings. Little is achieved with such funds. In essence, the Ummah must go back to the original, the traditional or Sunnah way of fund-raising (as explained earlier). This is the tried and tested method. Other forms of fund-raising contain the dangers of insincerity and being motivated by certain ‘benefits’ rather than for the pleasure of Allah and for the nobility of the cause itself. May Allah Ta’ala grant a clear and true understanding of Islamic ways at all times. Mufti Shafiq Jakhura Iftaa Department, Darul Ihsan Islamic Services Centre I concur with the answer: Mufti Zubair Bayat Ameer, Darul Ihsan Islamic Services Centre

Dog Saliva By Mufti Ebrahim Desai Q.) Does dog saliva contaminate clothes? What if dog's body rubbed with the clothes? Is it okay to pray in those clothes? A.) The saliva and sweat of a dog is impure, therefore, if the saliva or sweat of a dog falls on anything pure (body, clothing, etc.) it will also become impure. If there is no sweat on the skin of a dog, the mere rubbing of the body of the dog does not make the body and clothing impure. And Allah Taãla Knows Best.

Question: If a dog touches you, does it break your wudu? And is it true that you have to wash that place seven times? Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. No, a person’s wudu does not break due to a dog touching him. A dog’s body is not impure. Therefore, if a dog’s body touches someone, there is no need for him to wash the affected area of his body. The saliva of a dog, however, is impure. Therefore, if a dog licks someone or its saliva comes on someone, he must wash the affected part of his body just as he would wash it if any other impurity came on it. There is no need to wash it seven times. (Raddul Muhtaar: 1/208, Saeed; Mirqaatul Mafatih: 2/193-194) And Allah knows best. Mufti Faizal Riza 8/11/2011 Darul Ifta Australia www.mufti-online.net

Question Why have any madhab or any "sunni" "shia" when niether of these concepts are in the quran? There is only one thing and that is muslims. If anybody thinks they have an answer then please share whatever thought you have. Answer Bismillahi Ta'ala, At the outset, "Sunni" and "Shia" are not schools of thoughts. Shia differ in their beliefs. The term "sunni" is used to differentiate Ahl Sunnah Wal Jama'a from those deviated beliefs which are ascribed by the "Shia" or "Rafidhi". Understand it as an easier way of communicating one's belief. When one is asked, "What is your belief?", Then instead of saying We are Ahl Sunnah Wal Jama'a , or We are non-Shia, it is more convenient to say we are "Sunni". Please read the following for more information on Ahl Sunnah Wal Jama'ah: --- 1. How any sects of the ummah has created till now as Prophet (saw) stated in a hadith that there will be 73 sects of his ummah? please mention the names. 2. Is ahle sunna wal jamaa is considered as one sect or four madhabs are considered 4 sect? as well as is ahle hadith are considered as different sect? are salafis and ahle hadith same? Answer In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh 1) At the outset, the Hadith referred to in your query is as follows: أخبرنا أبو العباس قاسم بن القاسم السياري بمرو ثنا أبو الموجه حدثنا أبو عمار : ثنا الفضل بن موسى عن محمد بن عمرو عن أبي سلمة عن أبي هريرة : أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : افترقت اليهود على إحدى و سبعين فرقة أو اثنتين و سبعين فرقة و النصارى مثل ذلك و تفترق أمتي على ثلاث و سبعين فرقة (المستدرك) “Abu Hurayrah (RadiyAllahu Anhu) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: ‘The Jews were divided into 71 or 72 sects as were the Christians. My Ummah will be divided into 73 sects.” (Al-Mustadrak) After Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) left this world, many ikhtilafaat (differences) began to arise amongst the Ummah. Within a period of time, the Aqeedah (religious creed, belief) of some who were misled changed from the haq (truth) and in turn they misguided others. As a result, different groups were formed. Those which had differences amongst themselves branched out into several other groups. The prediction of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) became true. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) clearly mentioned that 72 of these sects will go to the fire of jahannam whilst 1 will be admitted to paradise. The successful group will be the one who follows the Jama’ah. This group is the followers of Ahle-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, which will be explained further below. Hereunder are some of the known main groups and their branches (in no particular order), most of which do not exist anymore. The following is taken from the kitab Al-Farq baynal Firaq” (The Difference Between the Differences) by ‘Abd-al-Qahir al-Baghdadi (Rahimahullah) (d. 429 AH). This book should be referred to for a further, detailed explanation on the abovementioned Hadith and the various groups with their sub-groups, including their founders and differences in beliefs. Firstly, the Rawaafid after the time of Ali (RadiyAllahu Anhu) were divided into 4 groups: Imaamiyyah, Zaydiyyah, Kaysaaniyyah, and Ghulah. These 4 groups had sub-groups: 1) Imaamiyyah-Divided into 15 sects: a) Muhammadiyyah b) Baqiriyyah c) Nawusiyyah d) Shamaytiyyah e) Ammariyyah f) Ismailiyyah g) Mubarakiyyah h) Musawiyyah i) Qatiyyah j) Hishamiyyah k) Zarariyyah l) Yunusiyyah m) Shaytaniyyah n) Kamiliyyah o) Athnaa Ashriyyah 2) Zaydiyyah-Divided into 3 sects: a) Jarudiyyah b) Sulaymaniyyah (also known as Jaririyyah) c) Butriyyah 3) Kaysaniyyah-Divided into 2 sects 4) Ghulah-Divided into 6 groups: a) Bayaniyyah b) Mughiriyyah c) Janahiyyah d) Mansuriyyah e) Khattabiyyah f) Haluliyyah The Khawaarij were divided into 20 sects: a) Al-Muhkamatul Ula b) Azaraqah c) Najadaat d) Safriyyah e) Ajaradah f) Khazimiyyah g) Shu’aybiyyah h) Khalfiyyah i) Ma’lumiyyah and Majhuliyyah j) Sultiyyah k) Hamziyyah l) Thaalabah m) Akhnasiyyah n) Shaybaniyyah o) Rashidiyyah p) Mukarramiyyah q) Ibadiyyah r) Hafsiyyah s) Harithiyyah t) Shabibiyyah The Qadariyyah-Mu’tazilah ‘anil Haq were divided into 18 sects: a) Waasiliyyah b) Umrawiyyah c) Hadhliyyah d) Nizamiyyah e) Aswariyyah f) Muammariyyah g) Bishriyyah h) Hishamiyyah i) Murdariyyah j) Jafaerriyyah k) Iskafiyyah l) Thamamiyyah m) Jahidhiyyah n) Shahamiyyah o) Khayyatiyyah p) Ka’biyyah q) Jabaiyyah r) Bahshamiyyah The Murjiah were divided into 5 sects: a) Yunusiyyah b) Ghassaniyyah c) Tawmaniyyah d) Thawbaniyyah e) Marisiyyah The Najariyyah were divided into 3 sects: a) Barghuthiyyah b) Za’fraaniyyah c) Mustadrakah Finally, the 73rd group is the Ahle-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, which is the group on haq. Towards the end of the kitab, Abd-al-Qahir al-Baghdadi (Rahimahullah) defines the Ahle-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah as follows: Those who have completely mastered the principles of belief (Ash’aris and Maturidis), the mujtahid Imams of fiqh and their followers, the scholars of Hadith that steered clear of deviation, the scholars of Arabic grammar that steered away from deviation, the scholars of Tafsir that steered away from deviation, the Sufis, and the general masses of Muslims. Most define Ahle-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah as those who follow the Ash’ari and Maturidi schools of Aqeedah, which includes the followers of the 4 Imams of fiqh. Since every sect claims to be on the true path, the criterion to determine the true sect is as follows: a) Adherence to the Quran and Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) b) To believe in Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) as the final Messenger c) To have love for every companion of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) d) To follow the Shari’ah through the guidance of any of the four Imams of fiqh-Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi’ee, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal (Rahimahumullah) (Al-Farq baynal-Firaq, Maktabah Darul-Turath) 2) The second part of the query has been answered above. And Allah knows best Wassalam u Alaikum Ml. Asif Umar, Student Darul Iftaa Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai --- You may also read further at : http://www.deoband.org/2013/08/hadit...ing-of-jamaah/ Wallahu A'lam Taken from sunniforum.com

Astrology and Horoscopes By Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah) Posted: 1 Muharram 1430, 29 December 2008 Q.If a person shows his/her hand to a palmist, his/her 40 days' prayers are not accepted. Does this also apply to the case of someone only casually reading a horoscope? Also, back in school, I thought only believing in palmistry was forbidden in Islam. And I didn't know that your 40 days' prayers are not accepted if you show your palm to someone. So, out of ignorance, I showed my palm to a girl who claimed to know palmistry. I did it just for fun (and not because I believed in it). When I got to know about the punishment, later on, I offered nafil-i-tauba and sought Allah's forgiveness for the same. Will I be forgiven (since it was something I did out of ignorance)? Jazak-Allah Khairan [Sara] A. Palmistry, fortune-telling etc are acts which are absolutely abhored and forbidden in Islam. The degree to which these acts are forbidden could be grasped from the fact that the one who does the fortune telling has been classified as a kafir. Similarly, the one who believes in what the fortune teller says has also been mentioned to be a kafir. Thus we can see the severity of these acts and we can understand that showing the hand to the palmist is completely forbidden, regardless of whether one believed her or not. Now, if one showed the hand or read the horoscope INTENDING to accept what was to be told, then the salah of that person for the next forty days would go unrewarded ie. the salah would not have to be repeated, but no reward would be accrued for it. And if one did believe the fortune-teller or palmist, then the hadith clearly mentions this person to be out of the fold of Islam. As for your showing your palm to that girl, it was wrong to do so, but as you did repent we hope that Allah Ta'ala would forgive you for it. (References: Fatawa Mufti Mahmud 1/195, Ahsanul Fatawa 1/52, Khairul Fatawa 1/75, Nizamul Fatawa 1/81, Mirqaatul Mafateeh, Sharh Muslim of Nawawi) And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best http://www.albalagh.net/qa/0094.shtml

Journey of a lifetime ends successfully Haj Mabroor! HAJ MABROOR: After arriving in Makkah from Mina on Thursday, pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba marking the end of Haj. (AN photo by Khidr Al-Zahrani) 18 October 2013 The once-in-a-lifetime journey of faith, endurance and determination for hundreds of thousands of Muslims from nearly 200 countries came to a successful end on Thursday. Relief was writ large on the faces of pilgrims, many in the autumn of their lives as was evident from the deep furrows on their brows. Here at Mina, they were the personification of sheer determination. Many pilgrims woke up early on Thursday and straight after sunrise began throwing seven pebbles at each of the three huge concrete structures representing the devil. Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal described this year’s Haj as an overwhelming success. “All government institutions, security forces, volunteers, pilgrim establishments and men on the ground worked as one team to ensure the success of this year’s Haj,” he said. “You can call this a turning point,” he said, and praised Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Crown Prince Salman and Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Naif. “All the rituals were carried out in a calm atmosphere and free of any political demonstrations, proving that Islam is a religion of peace, civilization and progress,” he said. Outside the press conference venue, pilgrims echoed his words. “With God’s help and the Saudi government’s excellent arrangements, we could complete all the rituals,” said 69-year-old Athar Mohiuddin, from Pakistan’s Hyderabad. “The rituals were not really easy for me, especially because I had to push my wife in a wheelchair,” he said. “We know Haj is hardship, but now that we have done it we beseech Allah to accept it.” Mohiuddin and his wife performed the stoning ritual at 2 p.m. on Thursday before taking the bus out of Mina. “We are now heading to Makkah to our temporary residence before heading to Pakistan next week,” he said. “We want to rest now.” Other pilgrims, after living in spartan conditions for the past week, traveled to Jeddah to catch flights home or to Madinah. “This is a miracle,” gushed Mohammed Quraishi, from Agra, India. During Haj orientation camps in India, Quraishi was told that this year’s pilgrimage was going to be hard because of the paucity of space at the holy sites. “We were mentally prepared,” he said. “However, everything went so smoothly, we could hardly have imagined it,” he said. Quraishi’s acquaintance, Muhammad Farooq, nodded in affirmation. “Yes, we are very happy at having completed the Haj,” said Farooq. “We come from the city of Taj Mahal, but the real crown is here in this holy Kingdom,” he said, playing on the Urdu word “Taj” which means crown. Zafarullah Khan Faridi from Kabul was delighted at the completion of the Haj. Flashing an infectious smile, he was more than willing to talk to Arab News about his experience. “It was a great feeling to be part of this vast multitude of pilgrims,” he said. “All the depression that I found in my home country was washed away the moment I cast my eyes on the Holy Kaaba. I don’t know what I asked of Allah. He knows what I need and what's in my heart.” On the outskirts of Mina, bus drivers shouted, “Haram! Haram!” the Arabic name for the Grand Mosque as pilgrims piled aboard. Faridi boarded one of them. “Haj Mabrook to all,” he said waving a final goodbye. http://www.arabnews.com/news/468085 

Pilgrims Stoning Continues on12th & 13th Dhul Hijjah (Hajj 1434) "Why should I be left out?"

In search of Truth This book presents a story of a sincere search for the true religion and the Divine guidance, which led to the ultimate destination. Hazrat Maulana Yunus Patel Saheb narrated this incident, presenting detail and explanation in the lessons derived. The discourse leaves one with deep appreciation for the tremendous bounties of Imaan and Islam, and the great fortune of being followers of Nabi Muhammad (1). PDF or DOWNLOAD HERE

Door of Hope وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا فَعَلُوا فَاحِشَةً أَوْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا لِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَمَنْ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلَى مَا فَعَلُوا وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ Al-Imran - Chapter 3: Verse 135 “Those who, when they commit a gross indecency or wrong themselves, remember God and pray for the forgiveness of their sins - for who but God can forgive sins? - and do not knowingly persist in doing the wrong they may have done.” Never does Islam slam the door in the face of a weak sinner leaving him lost in the wilderness. Never does it let him feel permanently rejected, afraid to turn back. On the contrary, it holds for him the prospect of forgiveness. It shows him the way and holds his trembling hand, steadying him and giving him the light he needs to return to his secure refuge. It only requires one thing of him, namely, that his heart and soul are not so hardened so as to make him forget God. As long as he remembers God and keeps alive in his conscience the voice of guidance and maintains in his heart the yearning for God's grace, the light will shine again in his soul and the seed of faith will burst forth with a new plant. Islam knows that side by side with man's weaknesses and carnal desires there exist strength and sublime aspirations. For this reason, Islam is sympathetic to man in his moment of weakness, places him back on his way to a higher horizon, as long as he remembers God and does not knowingly persist with his wrongdoing. Thus, Islam combines its call to man to aspire to a higher horizon with its mercy and compassion, knowing man's weakness and capability. It ensures that the door of hope is always open in front of man as it motivates him to exert his utmost in his aspiration towards the sublime. Compiled From: "In The Shade of The Quran" Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians 223 Alpine Road, Overport, Durban

Sisters in the State of Menstruation while in Madinah This brings me to the final part of the Sisters' Ziyaarah posts. Many women find themselves in the state of menstruation during their stay in Madinatul Munawwarah, often for the entire stay. It can be very traumatic and even depressing for some while for others it is of no consequence and most of the time is spent in negligence, roaming the shopping malls. To the question of whether women in this state can recite Salaat and Salaam and enter the Masjid, the answer is, it is permissible to recite Salaat and Salaam however it is forbidden to enter any Masjid in the state of menstruation. To a question regarding what women should do if they find themselves in the state of Menstruation or Post-natal bleeding, Mufti Muhammad Faruq answers, "It is necessary to pray Salaam and Durood towards Rasulullaah sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam even if the woman is in this state. However as it is forbidden to enter the Masjid in this state, the woman will stand outside the Masjid near the green dome (under which the blessed grave is situated) and read Salaam and Durood" This picture shows the side of Masjid Nabawi where one can stand facing the green dome area. The objective is to recite Durood in abundance from near or far, be it from within the Masjid Nabawi or outside, with or without Wudhu. The reward will be the same. The only drawback (If one can call it that because every condition is from Allah subhaanahu wata'ala and we should remain happy) would be (as mentioned by Mufti Muhammad Faruq) that, "Women would be unable to maximise the opportunity of reward from Riyadhul Jannah, Masjid Nabawi or any other masjid. If it is at all possible, a serious effort should be made so that the whole stay in Madinah Munawwarah does not coincide with menstruation." As the following Hadith shows, the greetings will be conveyed no matter where we send them from. God, without any doubt, has angels that roam the earth and convey to me the greetings of my community.” [Hadīth, recorded by Tirmidhi] Even better on Fridays: “Verily, your best day is Friday, so invoke blessings upon me in abundance on this day, for your invocation is presented to me.’ They said, ‘O Messenger of God! How can our invocations be presented to you after your bones have turned to dust? He replied ‘Verily, God has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the Messengers.” [Hadīth, recorded by ibn Majah and others] Many Mashaikh advise visitors to the blessed city to set a target of a number of Salawaat and thereafter aim to complete that number. This keeps the mind and heart occupied while at the same time one avoids being negligent. This advise is general however for women in the state of menstruation, this could be one way of reciting Durood in abundance while avoiding negligence.

Actually no, I don't remember it as being covered. Jazaakillaahu khayraa. Please do post other relevant facts you find or think of to add. (You'll notice I edited your post to make the text bold so the subject stands out)

Alhamdulillah you've found it helpful...I pray many more sisters find the information helpful inshaAllah....and may we soon be amongst the visitors of the Haramayn Sharifayn!

The following is very helpful information from Al-Miskeenah (Click on picture to enlarge) This post is in response to Sister Shahida’s inquiry about the conditions of Ziyarah for sisters when visiting our Blessed Al-Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam in this Luminous City of Light and Radiance. Information is not only relevant for sisters but also for brothers to understand, as many visit with their female family members who need the basic information on where and when to go. Sisters often arrive at the wrong section assuming they can access the Rowdha Shareef from there, or some arrive towards the end of visiting times and are prevented from entering. In some cases some miss visiting altogether due to not knowing the routine. Also, the conditions vary according to the time of the year, between the few months when there are no Umrah visa issued, the low and the peak Umrah seasons culminating in Ramadhan and Hajj. There are only two prayer areas for sisters; the north western corner (orange line) accessed through doors 13-15, and the north eastern corner (pink line) through doors 25-28. In both sections the areas on the Qiblah side of the light blue lines are for sisters without children with a barrier separating the area for sisters with children. Security sisters are positioned at the openings of this barrier ensuring this rule is abided by. However during the busy times of Hajj and Ramadhan this division usually does not apply as the number of children at these times is far less. Access to Rowdha Shareef for sisters is ONLY through the eastern section, by following the blue path. The sisters prayer area is separated from the men’s area by a tall finely decorated “mashrabiyah”, the traditional wooden Arabic screen, which allows air to still circulate, but limits visibility either way. The purple dotted line indicates where the huge doorways are for gaining entrance to the Rowdha Shareef. These are only opened during the Ziyarah times for sisters. The main session being after Ishraq until approximately 10.30am, but it is advisable to arrive by 10am the latest as the entry doors will be shut, even though sisters will still be inside the visiting area. During the crowded seasons it is best to remain in the Masjid from after Fajr Salat making your way to as near to the mashrabiyah (purple dots) as possible. The wait may be an hour or so as brothers need to be vacated from the area allocated for sisters and the white canvas fence to be erected. This demarcates the pathway to be followed to reach the visiting area and the greater men’s section of the Masjid, brothers are still able to access the Masjid and cross the sisters’ pathway during their visiting times. The actual position of this barrier tends to change, especially in and immediately around the Rowdha Shareef area, maybe according to the numbers, maybe trying various configurations, as the whole arrangement is far from satisfactory. The second time for sisters’ ziyarah is after Salatul Zuhur. This session is only very short compared to the morning session so once again wait at the mashrabiyah soon after Salat has finished. During peak times they have tried to implement a one way system….the lime green line represents the exit pathway, which is a separate fenced area. Many do not realize this and leave their shoes in shelves on their way into the Rowdha Shareef, and then find they have to walk all the way back to the main sisters area to enter the way in again. Shoes and bags can be a hindrance in the crowds, and yet leaving them somewhere also can cause distress in locating them again, and the issue of “lost” shoes has also become rife! I always recommend you come with a shoe bag….one that has a strap that is across the chest so your hands are free. The other “feature” employed when the crowds are great is the marshalling into groups according to nationality. Various “security” guards are given placards on sticks with the name of the main different countries on them…they stand in certain places on a chair waving these placards for the sisters to assemble around them. They are given a lecture on the Adab of Ziarah and can be “held” in these holding areas for ages. I have seen physical fights with this arrangement, and there are many cases of broken bones and sisters taken to hospital! Another aspect of trying to organize the crowds is the use of megaphones! Yes….megaphones in the Masjid, as well as under the umbrella area, so close to our Beloved Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam! And then there is the moving canvas tactic! Two “security” guard sisters hold a piece of canvas about one meter wide and five long…they “wrap” this around a group of sisters….and “pull” them into place! And during Ramadhan and Hajj , this holding place is literally a fenced in area positioned in front of one of the doors of the mashrabiyah. Once it is full it is shut. Sisters have to wait in these pens until space is made available under the umbrella area. If all this sounds like a disgrace it is because it is! It is a shambles. The emotions are high. Thousands of sisters have come to pay their respects, to give their Salam, some having waited decades for this opportunity. Many just sit and cry, Many are too weak or incapacitated to sustain this treatment. Hundreds resign themselves to never making it to the Rowdha area and convey their Salam from the back of the Masjid, or from the other sisters prayer area where it is calm and quiet. (Click on picture to enlarge) This is a detail of the visiting area. The smaller green section is the green carpet area of Rowdha Shareef available for the sisters. The darker green lines represent the fence that is erected prior to our visiting times. The blue arrows indicate the direction one is to follow, the central green line is the fence separating the going in area to the exit area. It is almost impossible to offer two Raka’ts now, the crowds being too dense, and the "security" guards are on high stools yelling directions, and madly gesturing the whole time. At no time are sisters in the area where the Mihrab or the Minbar are, and as can be seen the closest we can be to our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam is at the far end of what was the house of our Lady Aishah RadhiAllahu anha. The line of purple dots indicate where the barrier is erected when it is high season, which is the majority of the year now, other times sisters can enter into this larger green area to be near the place of Tahujjud, to have access to the raised platform, which some narrations say was the Suffah, others as written on this diagram. The narrow area is most sought after to offer Salam as it it as the Mubarak feet of our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam and those of his blessed companions, Abu Bakr and Umar RadhiAllahu alahi wasallam. The red lines represent what are like wooden counters, reaching about waist high that are placed there during the sisters visits, the "security" guard ladies walk up and down this narrow area looking for "bida’h" and soon pounce on any one they feel is facing the "wrong" way or reading the "wrong" book of Du’a. From this area you can look ahead to the corner of Bab Baqi, and the Qiblah wall….the pink dot indicates where we have been told, is one of the places where Jibreel Alaihis Sallam would come when visiting Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Brothers can see this as a small wire grill with a beautiful flower design on it, and sisters fortunate enough to be here during the off season can see this, as well as use Bab Jibreel and Bab An-Nissa’. It is not that long ago when sisters could enter and exit from this side of the Masjid for Ziyarah, but for some reason we no longer can access this side. It makes it a very long walk for those staying, or living on the southern side, as you have to walk to the back of the Masjid and then all the way to the front again to be in the visiting area. “A group of Angels travel throughout the earth to convey greetings of my Ummah to me.” How blessed we are that these Angels are not confined to only those who are blessed to be in the immediate vicinity of our blessed Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam. Alhumdulillah. By saying one Durood as you read this, wherever you happen to be on the face of the earth, an Angel will immediately carry this to our Beloved Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam as he rests under the splendid Dome of Felicity. Alhumdulillah! And this is for everyday….EXCEPT Yaumul Juma’ah….when, wherever you are Al-Mustafa SallAllahu alaihi wasallam hears your greetings himself! SubhanAllah!