Deen il Islam

Directions in Giving Naseeha [Repost]

2011-12-15T01:51:00.000-08:00

Directions to Giving Naseehah (Good Advice)
Kamil Mufti
Al Jumuah Magazine

"The religion is naseehah." The people asked, "To whom?" The Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) replied, "To Allah and to His Book and to His Messenger and to the leaders of the Muslims and the common folk." [Collected by Bukhari, Muslim]

It lurks in the deepest, darkest parts of ourselves and waits expectantly for opportunities to strike. It attacks our defences of eeman, strategically tears down our walls of taqwa and ruthlessly diminishes our ihsan, or perfection of worship. Struggling against the evil that is inherent in all of us, is a battle that is fought on a daily, even hourly basis, and like most wars it is seldom won alone. Allah, through His eternal mercy, has given the believers the most powerful weapon available to assure victory in this constant struggle between good and evil - each other.

How many of us have looked to our brothers and sisters in Islam and have seen them straying from the path of Allah, and have turned our faces away? How many of us have seen our brothers erring and said to ourselves, it is none of my business? Well, it is our business for the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has made it our business. In the hadith related by Tamim ad-Dari, the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "The religion is naseehah." The people asked, "To whom?" The Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) replied, "To Allah and to His Book and to His Messenger and to the leaders of the Muslims and the common folk." [Collected by Bukhari, Muslim]

The Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has equated the entire religion to giving naseehah, but what exactly is naseehah? Naseehah is an Arabic word that is usually translated to mean "sincerity" or "sincere advice", but actually embodies every type of virtue. As believers, this statement of the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) must be taken to heart. By learning what naseehah is, we can then act on it and bring about positive changes in ourselves and each other. Naseehah is a wonderful weapon, but like most weapons, if the user does not know how to use it properly, it can cause more harm than good.

How is Naseehah given to Allah?

i) By establishing His worship by offering the obligatory deeds with perfection.
ii) By believing in Him; negating partners from Him; not denying any of His qualities; describing Him with all the qualities of beauty and perfection; and declaring Him to be far removed from faults and qualities of imperfection.
iii) By establishing His obedience and turning away from His disobedience.
iv) By loving and hating for His sake; befriending and making allegiance to those who obey Him and taking as enemies those who disobey Him; and turning toward what He loves and distancing oneself from displeasing Him.
v) By appreciating His blessings, bounties and thanking Him for them by obeying Him out of love and drawing closer to Him through the heart.
vi) By calling to all of the above, teaching it and being sincere in it for His sake.

How is Naseehah given to the Book of Allah?
i) By firmly believing in the heart that it is the Speech of Allah and His revelation; it is not like the words of the creation; and none of His creation is capable of producing something similar to it.
ii) By respecting it.
iii) By learning and teaching it; reading, reciting, and writing it properly; understanding its meaning; staying within its bounds; acting upon what is contained in it.

How is Naseehah to the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) given?

i) By affirming his prophethood.
ii) By firmly believing in the heart in everything he came with; obeying him
in what he commanded and what he forbade.
iii) By aiding him while he was alive and after his death; taking his enemies as one's enemies, and befriending those who take him as a friend.
iv) By realising the greatness of his right upon us, honouring him, and reviving his Sunnah.
v) By practising his Sunnah by spreading and affirming it; refuting those who cast doubts upon it; spreading its knowledge and its understanding; not arguing about it without knowledge; calling others toward it; teaching it with gentleness; showing its greatness and the greatness of those who adhere to it by attaching oneself to them; and showing it its due respect when studying it.
vi) By loving the Ahl-ul-Bait (his family) and his companions; turning away from those who belittle his family or revile his companions.

Naseehah to the leaders of the Muslims

It is wajib (obligatory) to give naseehah to the leaders of the Muslims, since they have faults and are not protected from committing errors, but who are the leaders of the Muslims?

i) They are the Caliphs and others responsible for the affairs of the Muslims.
ii) They are religious scholars.

As for giving naseehah to the rulers of the Muslims, it includes:

i) Assisting and obeying them in the right.
ii) Reminding them if they err or forget.
iii) Making Jihad with them.

Giving naseehah to the scholars includes:

i) Spreading their knowledge.
ii) Spreading their virtues.
iii) Having good opinion about them.
iv) Accepting their rulings if they give sound proofs for their decisions.
v) Giving them the benefit of the doubt, or making excuses for them if they make mistakes.
vi) Honouring and respecting them.

Naseehah to the common Muslims

The following includes giving naseehah to ALL Muslims, be they black, white, Arab or Pakistani; be they sinful, ignorant or heedless. It also includes giving naseehah to Muslims, no matter which organisation or group they belong to or if one likes them or dislikes them.

How is Naseehah given to the common Muslims?

i) By guiding them to what will bring them benefit in this life and in the Hereafter.
ii) By removing harm from them and bringing them benefit.
iii) By teaching them what one loves for oneself and hating for them what one hates for oneself.
iv) By teaching them what will benefit them.
v) By commanding them what is right and forbidding them what is wrong with gentleness and sincerity.
vi) By being soft with them, honouring the elderly, loving and being merciful towards the youths.
vii) By not being deceptive and jealous toward them.
viii) Protecting their honour and wealth.

MANNERS OF GIVING NASEEHAH

Seeking the Pleasure of Allah by giving Naseehah

It is necessary that a person has the intention of seeking the pleasure of Allah when giving naseehah. Only such an intention deserves reward from Allah and acceptance from His slaves.

If the intention is other than that, then that person deserves the anger and wrath of Allah as well as the hatred and rejection of the people - including the one being advised.

Not slandering the one being advised

This is an affliction that has befallen many Muslims. Many times, after taking a closer look, we find that the person giving naseehah actually wants to slander the person he is advising because of personal hatred. This does not befit the one being advised and may lead to a worse situation with no benefit resulting from the naseehah.

Naseehah is to be given in secret

Naseehah is most likely to bear its fruit when given to a person when he is by himself, for in such a situation the person is less likely to be affected by the thoughts of others. The sincere advisor should not aid the Devil over his brother by publicly rebuking him and letting Shaitaan beguile his brother into not taking the naseehah. This closes the doors of goodness and acceptance, and reduces the chances of the naseehah from being accepted.

This is why our pious predecessors used to give naseehah in secret. Hafidh Ibn Rajab writes, "When the righteous predecessors intended to give naseehah to someone, they admonished him privately, to the point that some of them said, "The one who exhorts his brother between him and himself , then it is naseehah. The one who exhorts him in front of people, then it is merely scolding!"

Fudail Ibn Ayyadh, one of the pious scholars from our predecessors, said, "A believer covers up and gives naseehah, whereas an evildoer exposes and humiliates." Ibn Rajab commented on Fudail's saying, "It is naseehah if it is with a cover, while humiliating is with broadcasting."

Naseehah is to be given with kindness, gentleness and softness
A sincere advisor must be kind, soft and well-mannered in giving naseehah to others, as this might get the desired response from the one he is advising. One must understand that accepting naseehah is like opening a door, and that the door will not open without the proper key. The one who is given naseehah has a heart that has a lock in some matter - for he has abandoned something that Allah has demanded from him, or has committed something that Allah had forbidden him from. There is no better key to unlock the heart than kindness in giving advice, gentleness in exhortation and softness in speech as the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said, "Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty, and it is not withdrawn from anything but it makes it defective." [Muslim]

Do not compel others to follow one's Naseehah

It is wajib (obligatory) on the advisor to render sincere advice to others, but it is not his right to compel others to follow his advice as well. That is the right of the Muslim ruler upon his subjects or a Muslim Qadhi (Judge) in his jurisdiction. A sincere advisor is one who guides toward goodness, but he is not to command others to act upon it.

Ibn Hazm writes that one should not give naseehah on the condition that it must be accepted, otherwise if one goes beyond this, he will be oppressing not advising, and seeking obedience and control. In another passage, Ibn Hazm writes that if a person is mistaken in his advice, he would be expecting people to follow him in his mistake.

Choosing the proper time to give Naseehah
The one giving naseehah must choose the right time to give his advice, since a person is not always ready to receive naseehah.A person may be angry about something, upset about not getting what he wanted, grieved for something he may have lost, or there may be some other reason that might prevent him from responding to the naseehah.

Abdul Hamid Bilali writes, "Choosing proper time and place is one of the greatest causes for the acceptance of naseehah and eradicating evil", and as Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud said, "Hearts (sometimes) yearn and are attentive, but (sometimes) they go through lapses and feed repulsion. So take from them when they are (in a state of) yearning and are attentive, and leave them alone when they go through lapses and are feeling repulsion."

Naseehah that is against Islam is not to be followed

Giving naseehah is part of Sharia. Therefore, if someone gives advice to leave a deen demanded by the Sharia or to perform a forbidden deed, then it is not called naseehah. The one giving such should quit doing that and the one being advised should not accept it. For instance, if someone tells you to shave your beard, to expose some part of the body by taking off the hijab, to shake hands with women on job interviews, to date the girl you are interested in, to take a job at a gas station that sells alcohol, or to go see the latest movie, then you should not obey. These matters are not counted as naseehah which the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made part of the religion.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE ACCEPTANCE OF NASEEHAH
i) Naseehah must be given according to the proper manners which have been described above.
ii) One of the most important factors that contribute in one's rejecting a fellow Muslim's naseehah is arrogance. Arrogance prevents one from accepting naseehah and acting upon it. Whereas, the one who continuously strives to take arrogance out of his heart, finds it easy to accept naseehah. This is because the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "Arrogance is to reject the truth and despise the people."

Naseehah is from the truth and the advisor is from the people. The arrogant person, on the other hand, is one who rejects the truth and looks down on the people. As a result, neither the naseehah nor the one giving it suits him. On the contrary, a humble person will accept naseehah from others with an open heart, no matter where the advisor comes from, because he knows that a wajib (obligatory deed) is being conveyed.

Unfortunately, many are tricked by Shaitaan in this matter to accept naseehah only from those who are from the same country, or are of the same race, or hold affiliations with the same Islamic organisation / party as they do. The situation gets very sad when some of our brothers and sisters will not take naseehah because the one giving it has not been a Muslim for very long, or has not lived in America for very long, or is too young to be "telling people what to do." They pay no attention to the naseehah itself, or try to determine whether the naseehah itself is according to the Quran and Sunnah. Rather they are quick to reject their fellow Muslim's naseehah due to such baseless reasons. We must realise all these subtle forms of looking down on others and rejecting their beneficial naseehah. Remember that the Prophet (sallAllahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said that anyone with an atom's weight of arrogance in their heart will not enter Paradise.

BENEFITS OF NASEEHAH

i) It purifies the one being advised from some weakness. When one sees a fellow Muslim negligent in performing a good deed, or committing some wrong, he should take it upon himself to mend the shortcoming. The shortcoming may pertain to the rights of Allah or to the rights of His slaves.

ii) When a believer gives naseehah to his brother in Islaam, he helps him in a matter in which his brother has erred because the believer loves for his brother what he loves for himself.

iii) When a believer gives naseehah to his brother, he is disposing of the right that his brother has upon him. Just as you would not like to see a fault in yourself, and would work to remove it, likewise, you should not like to see that fault in your brother. You must hate to see in him what you hate to see in yourself, hence, you should give him naseehah to remove that fault as you would have liked to receive naseehah to have that fault removed from you. Give your brother naseehah and guide him toward goodness, and take him away from harm.

Giving naseehah is a sign of true brotherhood, a way of bringing the hearts closer, and of closing the doors of hatred and suspicion. This is why Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz said, "The one who grants naseehah to his brother in matters of this his religion and concerns himself with mending affairs of this life; then, he has granted an excellent gift and fulfilled a wajib that was due on him..." If someone were to ask, "How is naseehah a right of brotherhood, when one's faults are mentioned?" the answer is not to feel apprehension when your brother informs you of your faults. He may know something that perhaps you are unaware of, and is compelled to tell you about it out of sheer compassion. It is a way of winning over the hearts of those who are endowed with insight.

Shaitaan has declared war on all of humanity, and Allah has given the believers the tools necessary to win this war. Informing each other of ugly deeds we perform, or about loathsome characteristics that we may have is like pointing out where the land mines are on a battlefield. By pointing out these hidden dangers, we help to keep each other from destruction. In this war of conquering the self, the help, aid and guidance of our brothers and sisters is needed to assure that ultimate victory, insha'Allah, of true success in this life and in the Hereafter.

French Mother Jailed, For Wearing The Niqab

2011-12-15T01:40:00.000-08:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I know, it's been a while since I've made a post. It's the unfortunate result of life getting pretty busy around me. But fear not, this blog will certainly be continuing into 2012 insha'Allah.

Today, in my usual reading I came across the following article, on the DailyMail website.

French mother, 32, set to become first woman to be jailed for wearing banned Islamic veil

A 32-year-old mother from France is set to become the first woman ever to be sent to prison for wearing an Islamic veil.

Hind Ahmas refuses to accept the legitimacy of a Paris court which has ordered her to spend 15 days learning her civic duties.

She was sentenced by magistrates in Meaux, a Paris suburb, yesterday - after being arrested wearing an outlawed veil outside the Elysee Palace in the French capital on April 11.

(This is just an extract from the article, click the headline above for the full story.)

It's really quite, entertaining. 15 days in jail for wearing an article of clothing. I thought the whole point of the law was to protect society from legitimate dangers - rather than to ostracise a whole community and force assimilation. :/ A piece of clothing, a plain piece of clothing at that is both inoffensive and non-threatening. To be honest, I thought the French had gotten totally over their whole 'No niqabis allowed club' treehouse shenanigans by now.

The most humourous (well, it would have been if it was a joke) comment from Nicolas Sarkozy I think I've ever read also appeared in this article - and that is:
"Mr Sarkozy said the ban on head coverings was not aimed at persecuting Muslims, but merely to make France a more tolerant, inclusive society."
THAT'S RIGHT. They claim to be attempting to make France a more tolerant, and inclusive society...Only, the avenue towards their supposed goal is bigoted, discriminative and senseless?

Basically, I think it's time France's alarm clock goes off.

May Allah swt guide all who support this ridiculous laws, and us all. Ameen.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Mother, or Smother?

2011-11-29T01:41:00.000-08:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

This is only relevant because it's someone being smothered...

I'm going to post an anecdote, in this entry. One that I know to be very true.
There's a sister, with a very domineering mother. She got married, quite recently and when it came time for her and her husband to find themselves a house, the area that they were looking at was not to her parents liking, dsespite it being entirely their choice and the fact that the brother and his family were from there.

The debate went on and the brother and sister are not living where they wish to be (I know, spoilers, but that's okay.)

The issues with the scenario:

Islamically the husband is the wali of the wife. Not the parents. Therefore, they have no say in any decisions in the married couples lives.

The mother had the audacity to use the Hadith 'Heaven is under your mother's feet' as an argument for her daughter to listen to and obey her.

Clearly the latter being an awful, awful thing to say in an Islamic context (obviously).
Firstly, she has used a noble hadith from our Prophet Muhammad (saws) for the purposes of both blackmail and her own arrogance. She has not respected her deen, or her daughter, or her son-in-law.

Just thought this needed a post, as unfortunately, this is not the first time I have heard of a parent misusing their status in our deen to control their children.
It's a real, real problem - clearly it's required as Muslims that:
-More Sheikhs take on this topic, to remind our community.
-Children who know their deen talk to, and correct their parents in a respectful manner.
-We don't tolerate our deen being disrespected like this, just because they're our parents.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Off-Duty Policeman Charged With Drink-Driving

2011-11-18T01:28:00.000-08:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I saw a post on the @VictoriaPolice Twitter feed earlier today, and I'm surprised that there's now at least two incidences of this happening in Australia since the beginning of the year.

If you're interested, here is the earlier incident:
- Police Officer Charged with Drink-Driving

And now, today:

Off duty member detected drink driving
Friday, 18 November 2011 08:45

An off duty police member was allegedly detected drink driving in the west of the state last night.

The male member was spoken to at his home address by police after it is alleged he struck a railing around 8pm and left the scene before police arrived.

A positive PBT resulted in an evidentiary breath test being conducted, which returned an alleged reading of 0.111 per cent.

The senior constable, who is based in the Western region, was interviewed in relation to exceed prescribed concentration of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident and careless driving. He is expected to receive a summons at a later date.

The matter will be investigated by the Ethical Standards Department.

Sergeant Sharon Darcy
Media Officer
VP15896/2011

Seriously, one instance is far too many. To any other officer who has ever drunk drove - caught or not. You are enforcers of the law, so maybe even like follow it - or find a new job?

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Graffiti of the Salaf

2011-11-08T16:52:00.000-08:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I have just stumbled upon a blog entry on sayingsofthesalaf.com, with this image and translation. A historical evidence to Islamic history, masha'Allah.

Here is a picture of what is considered (to date) the oldest dated Islamic inscription, from 24H, when the Rightly Guided Caliph ‘Umar b. Al-Khattâb – Allâh be pleased with him – was assassinated. It is located at Al-’Ulâ in present day Saudi Arabia. It is one of a number of ‘graffiti’ inscriptions made by travelers and pilgrims from the first few centuries of Islâm.

UNESCO included this amazing archaeological find in its Memory of the World Register of Documentary Collections. An update entry states:

Saudi Arabia – Earliest Islamic (Kufic) Inscription. This very well preserved inscription is located on a red sandstone block of rock south of Qa’a al Muatadil, north of Sharma in al-Ula, northwest of Saudi Arabia on the ancient trade and pilgrimage route connecting the early Islamic city of al-Mabiyat with Madain Saleh. It is the oldest Islamic inscription found so far. It mentions the date of the death of the second Caliph of Islam, Omar bin al-Khattab and reads as follows: “In the name of God, I Zuhair wrote the date of the death of Omar the year four and twenty (Hegrah)”. Caliph Omar bin al-Khattab died on the last night of the month of Dul-Hajj of the year 23 Hegrah, and was buried next day on the first day of Muharram of the new year 24 Hegrah (corresponding to 644 AD).

Note: The discoverers and local experts say the script is Hijâzî, not Kufic.
Here’s a trace of the text:

What it says:
The inscription can be translated as follows:

In the Name of Allah
I, Zuhayr, wrote [this] at the time ‘Umar died, in the year four
and twenty [24H]

Next to this inscription, it reads:
I am Zuhayr, Mawlâ of the Bani Salamah [tribe]

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

MashaAllah - Creation is Beautiful #6: The Amazon Rainforest

2011-11-07T04:30:00.000-08:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

For my sixth entry about the beauty that Allah swt has created around us in this world, insha'Allah I will be posting all about the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil.
One of, if not THE most famous rainforest of the face of the Earth.

The Amazon River is the second largest river in the world. Second to the Nile river - however it contains more water than the Nile, Mississippi and Yangtze combined.
The Amazon River is the widest in the world. Some parts are about five miles wide, and this can swell to 15 miles wide when flooded.
The Amazon River is home to over 2,000 different species of Fish.
The Amazon Rainforest has been nicknamed 'The Lungs of the Earth' - due to the amount of carbon dioxide that is turned into breathable oxygen. In fact, it provides us with more than 20% of the world's oxygen.
Over 3,000 varieties of fruit grow naturally in the rainforest, only 200 of these are used in the Western World.

Masha'Allah. Yet another place I'd love to visit before I pass.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Stories of the Prophets: Nuh

2011-11-06T02:08:00.000-08:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I know, I'm doing a lot of reposts of late. But inshaAllah it's to educate all who read (and I know there are many people who are reading) and myself on topics I feel unqualified to post about.
So, without further ado I would like to go ahead inshaAllah and post another story of a Prophet. This time, the Prophet Nuh. :)

Courtesy of IslamReligion.com

The Story of Noah

Who was Noah?

The accounts of the flood in the Jewish and Christian traditions acknowledge Noah as being a righteous man in a world crushed under the weight of sin and disbelief. The Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, teach us that Prophet Noah was a beacon of hope among the descendants of Adam in an era where sin and lawlessness had overtaken the people.

Mankind had been one community believing in the Oneness of God, but confusion and deviation had crept in. Noah was a calm, patient man who called his people to return to the worship of the One True God. He was an exceptional speaker, enjoining those around him to leave the worship of idols, and to hear his warning of a terrible punishment for those who venerated idols and statues.
“And indeed We sent Noah to his people and he said O my people! Worship God! You have no other god but Him.” (Quran 23:23)
Noah narrated stories about the mysteries of life and the wonders of the universe. He described how the day, which gives sunlight and activity, followed the night that gives coolness and rest. He spoke of God, the Divine Creator Who owned heaven and earth, and he pointed out the wideness and beauty of the earth. Noah explained that the creation of the world was for the well being of mankind; but that man also had an obligation to understand this and direct his worship to God, not false deities. When Noah began to speak of the punishment that awaited idolaters, his people became resentful and angry.
How Idolatry Began
Prophet Muhammad informed us that there were ten generations between Prophets Adam and Noah. We know that this was a very large period of time, as Noah himself lived over a century, and people before lived even longer.
In those years, between Adam and Noah there were generations of people that remembered the laws taught by Adam and worshipped God correctly. The years passed and the people forgot; at times, the righteous men amongst them reminded the people of their obligations to God. As time continued to move on, the righteous men began to die, and Satan came whispering to the people who had looked up to them, putting thoughts into their minds in his sly, cunning way.
Satan inspired the good people to make statues of the righteous men. In this way, Satan said, they would remember the righteous people and thus remember to worship God. The good people built statues in their meeting places and their homes, and Satan left them alone until everyone had forgotten the reason the statues existed. Many years later, the devious Satan appeared amongst the people again, this time suggesting that they worship the idols directly.
An authentic narration of Prophet Muhammad sums up the beginning of idolatry in the following way. Ibn Abbass, a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad said:
“The names (of the idols) formerly belonged to some pious men of the people of Noah, and when they died Satan inspired their people to prepare and place idols at the places where they used to sit, and to call those idols by their names. The people did so, but the idols were not worshipped till those people (who initiated them) had died and the origin of the idols had become obscure, whereupon people began worshipping them.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
Noah’s Call
The word Prophet (Nabi in Arabic) is derived from the word Naba, meaning news. Revelation is given by God and, in turn, the Prophet spreads the news amongst his people. A Messenger, on the other hand, is sent with a specific mission, usually to convey a new ordainment from God. Every Messenger is a Prophet, but every Prophet is not a Messenger. Since this was mankind’s first deviation from the correct worship of God as taught by Prophet Adam, God, in his infinite Kindness and Mercy, fulfilled His promise to Adam to send messengers as guidance for mankind. God sent Noah, the first of His Messengers. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad said: “On the day of Judgement, the people will come to Noah and say ‘Oh Noah, you are the first of the Messengers sent to earth, and God called you a thankful slave.’”(Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
Worshipping anything other than God has grave consequences, the least of which is a lack of freedom; for Satan enslaves man, destroys his mind and renders him unable to distinguish between right and wrong. When Noah warned his people of the torment that awaited them if they did not give up their idolatry, his warning fell mostly on deaf ears. Noah explained Satan’s deceit, but his people turned away and refused to listen. Noah warned them day and night; he announced his message in public and he spoke quietly to people privately; yet all, but a few, denied his words. Noah cried out to God.
“He said: ‘O my Lord! Verily, I have called my people night and day (secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islamic Monotheism), but all my calling added nothing but to their flight from the truth. Verily! Every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal), and magnified themselves in pride.” (Quran 71:5-7)
Those who responded to Noah’s call were the weakest and poorest of his people; the leaders and those with power responded arrogantly and rejected the call. They said:
“Verily we see you in plain error” (Quran 7:60)
Noah continued to appeal to his people, day after day and year after year. For 950 years he endured their taunts and mockery.
Noah Builds The Arc

Noah continued to appeal to his people and they became divided into two groups. His words spoke to the heart of the weak, poor, and oppressed, but the wealthy influential people distrusted those words and could think only of the possible erosion of their power and status. A war of words began between Noah and the disbelievers. They accused Noah of being nothing but any other human, of being nothing special. Noah agreed with this observation and said that, indeed, he was only a human being, but one who brought a clear warning. And God, the Almighty told us:
“Indeed We sent Noah to his people (he said): ‘I have come to you as a plain Warner that you worship none but God, surely, I fear for you the torment of a painful Day.’ The chiefs of the disbelievers among his people said: ‘We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they too followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit above us in fact we think you are liars.’” (Quran 11:25-27)
Noah explained to his rebellious people that they would receive benefits by turning to God and begging His forgiveness. He (God) would bestow rain on them, as well as children and wealth, He would grant them bounteous gardens and flowing rivers. However, the disbelievers rebuffed his words; they felt secure in their arrogance and pride.
The Conflict Intensified
Those against Noah and his call began to bargain with him. They told him, that these two diverse groups, the meek and poor and the rich and powerful, could not exist together in the same faith. Although continuously taunted and bullied by the disbelievers, Noah reacted in a kind gentle manner. He explained that he would never turn away the humble and weak believers who had heeded his call. These people, he would inform them, were the guests of God. Noah appealed to his people. He tried to reason with them and make them see the reality of their situation. Without personal gain and with a humble but heavy heart Noah refuted their arguments.
“O my people! I ask of you no wealth for it; my reward is from none but God. I am not going to drive away those who have believed. Surely, they are going to meet their Lord, but I see that you are a people that are ignorant. O my people! Who will help me against God if I drove them away? Will you not then give a thought? And I do not say to you that the Treasures of God are (only) with me or that I know the unseen, nor do I say I am an angel; and I do not say that God will not bestow any good on those whom your eyes look down upon. God knows what is in their inner selves (in regard to Belief). In that case, I would indeed be among the unjust.” (Quran 11:29-31)
The disagreements continued until the disbelievers had run out of arguments. They mocked Noah and the believers, but Noah continued to deliver his message. Finally, he could bear no more and turned to God with heartfelt supplication. Noah did not run out of patience; he remained a patient, kind and gentle man. But he had come to realise that the disbelievers would do nothing but spread corruption and disbelief throughout the land. They would mislead and corrupt the believers and deliver a legacy of disbelief to their children. Noah prayed to God. He said:
“My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth. If you leave them, they will mislead Your slaves and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers.” (Quran 71:27)
So God accepted Noah’s prayer.
The Ark
God instructed Noah to build the ark and passed judgement on the disbelievers in the form of a flood.
“And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Inspiration and address Me not on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned.” (Quran 11:37)
Noah chose a place outside the city and far away from the sea to build his ark. The disbelievers mocked and laughed, making comments about the ship’s location, far from any water source. The disbelievers had no comprehension of the power and magnificence of God, so they could not understand why Noah would build a ship, on the top of a hill, far away from the ocean. They called him crazy and laughed out loud. The ship began to take shape and when it was finished, Noah patiently waited for the command from God.
“Until when Our Command came and the lowlands gushed forth, overflowing, We said: ‘Load it with two of each kind of animal (male and female), and embark your family, except against whom the Word has already gone forth, and those who believe.’ And none believed him except a few.” (Quran 11:40)
When the water started to gush from the earth and fall from the sky, God instructed Noah to enter the ark with his family and the believers. God also commanded Noah to take a pair (male and female) of every animal, bird and insect with him. The disbelievers watched him incredulously, asking what he intended to do with all the animals.
Noah’s wife did not join him, for she had never believed in the message that Noah had been preaching; nor did his oldest son, who preferred to flee to a high mountain. The scholars of Islam hold different opinions about the number of people on the ark, but the highest estimate is 80. As the believers and animals entered the ark, the water gushed from every crack in the earth, and the rain fell from the sky in quantities never seen before. Hour after hour the water levels rose, and the seas and rivers invaded the land.

The Flood

The believers entered the ark in the name of God, just as Muslims today begin everything they do, in the name of God.

“Embark therein; in the Name of God will be its course and its anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft Forgiving, most Merciful. So it sailed with them amidst waves like mountains...” (Quran 11:41)
Noah had built the ark according to God’s instructions, from planks and nails, and it kept the believers safe from the deluge of rain and from the water gushing out of the earth. Then the earth’s interior moved in unusual ways, and the bottom of the oceans rose in sudden bursts causing waves to flood the earth. These waves, as big as mountains, submerged everything; they lifted up the ark, making it appear as fragile as a matchbox tossed in the ocean. This construction, made of wood, became a ship of safety and security, for its passengers had true belief and trust in God.
From his secure place on the ark, Noah could see one of his sons overwhelmed by the water. Noah cried out to his son, imploring him to come aboard the ark and to leave the non-believers to their fate. The son, however, was thinking in terms of this world, and not with heartfelt trust in God. He replied that he would take himself to a mountain, never imagining that waves could swallow a mountain. Noah pleaded with his son saying “nothing can save you on this day except the mercy of God”. The son refused, and he drowned.
“And Noah called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart), ‘O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.’ The son replied, ‘I will betake myself to a mountain; it will save me from the water.’ Noah said: ‘This day there is no saviour from the Decree of God except him on whom He has mercy.’ And a wave came in between them so he (the son) was among the drowned.” (Quran 11:42-43)
The Flood Ends
“‘O Earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).’ The water was diminished (made to subside) and the Decree (of God) was fulfilled (the destruction of the people of Noah). And it (the ship) rested on Mount Judi, and it was said: ‘Away with the people who are wrongdoing.’” (Quran 11:44)
Unlike Christian and Jewish traditions Islam, does not mention Noah sending a bird (neither a dove nor raven) to search for dry land. Rather, at God’s command, the rain stopped and the water ceased to gush from all the cracks in the earth. Calm returned and the sun began to shine. The flood had cleansed the earth of idolatry and disbelievers. Not a single person who had disbelieved in God remained on the earth. The earth swallowed up the water and the ark rested upon Mt. Judi (what is believed to be in present day Turkey).
Noah was a Prophet and leader of men, but he was also a father. He turned to God with sadness and cried,
“O my Lord! Verily my son is of my family! And certainly your promise is true and you are the Most Just of the judges.” (Quran 11:45)
Noah remembered that God had promised to save his family. Noah did not doubt the word or promises of God, but he wanted to understand. Thus God taught Noah a lesson.
As human beings we use words to mean certain things, but God can often give them new, more comprehensive meanings. For instance, the word prayer originally meant making supplication to God, but Islam came and gave it new meaning – it became the ritual prayer preformed five times a day. When we use the word family, we think of blood ties and relationships, and Noah was imploring God that his son was of his family. God told Noah that his son was definitely not part of his family because he was unrighteous. True family are the righteous believers in God.
“He said: ‘Oh Noah! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you be one of the ignorants.’” (Quran 11:46)
Noah understood. He said;
“O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking from You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers.”
(Quran 11:47)
Noah released the animals, the birds and the insects and they scattered over the earth. Noah and his family (the believers) disembarked, whereupon Noah touched his head to the ground in prostration. At this point the Quran and the narrations of Prophet Muhammad leave the story of Noah. We do not know how his affairs with his people continued, nor do we know what happened to his family. All we can ascertain is that on his death bed Noah drew his sons close to him and called on them to worship One God: The Creator and Sustianer of the Universe.
Prophet Muhammad said:
“When the death of the Messenger of God, Noah, approached, he admonished his sons: ‘Indeed I would give you far reaching advice, commanding you to do two things, and warning you against doing two things as well. I charge you to believe that there is no god but God and that if the seven heavens and the seven earths were put on one side of a scale and the words “there is no god but God” were put on the other, the latter would outweigh the former. I warn you against associating partners with God and against pride.” (Sahih al Bukhari)

Most of Noah's people rejected his message, but the message survives in the hearts and minds of Muslims to this day. The comforting words, and the hopes of salvation Noah conveyed to his sons while on his death bed, remain part of a Muslim's belief and confirm his attitude towards God. For the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, also told us that God undertakes a covenant with the believers: If we do not worship other gods beside God, then He will not refuse us heaven.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Eid Mubarak!!

2011-11-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

'Drunkorexia' - Teens Starving Themselves to Binge Drink

2011-11-05T11:11:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Just before I begin, if you click the source link for this story - beware of a graphic image.
I've posted before, about the stupiditiy alcohol seems to instill in otherwise everyday people before [link] (yes, just alcohol itself - not human nature, we as Muslims are proof that humans do not need alcohol.) but the stupidity just seems to be hitting new lows with every single news report that is posted.

The most disturbing thing I think I have read in a long, long time is that a lot of university aged women in Australia are substituting their kilojoule intake from food in favour of alcohol. to food, in that they are skipping meals to be able to drink heavily and stay thin. It's a simple result of the mixture of peer pressure to stay thin, and the peer pressure to drink.

May Allah swt guide them, and us all. Ameen.

Drinking in itself is bad enough - but a trend like this, is just ridiculously stupid.

Drunkorexia: girls starving to drink more

IT'S a new dangerous drinking fad dubbed "drunkorexia" and gripping NSW -- women starving themselves so they can booze and not gain weight.

Medics say the growing craze is most common among university students faced with the challenge of staying slim and peer-pressure drinking.

Research shows substance abuse like binge drinking co-exists with eating disorders - 50 per cent of women with eating disorders will have a drinking problem.

Read more...

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Revert Sister, Domineering Father

2011-11-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I found this Fatwa on IslamQA that really touched my heart.
May Allah (swt) bring this sister much ease, and keep her firm upon the straight path. Ameen.

Question:

I embraced Islam four months ago and my father does not know yet. I live with my father and my brother only, and my relationship with my father is not good. He says bad words to me and sometimes hits me. I cannot tell him that I am a Muslim, firstly because we do not speak or communicate with one another and secondly because he would go crazy and the situation at home would become even worse. Last week I found out that he booked a stupid holiday for us at the beginning of August, for two weeks during Ramadan, and I cannot tell my father that I do not want to go because he has paid for it and will never let me not go, because he has actually booked it. I do not know what to do and I feel that this test I am facing is very difficult and I cannot do anything about it, and it is making my faith decrease. I hope that you can help me.

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah

We ask Allah to make things easy for you and grant you relief from this distress. We congratulate you on embracing Islam, the religion of the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them), apart from which Allah does not accept any other religion from anyone. It is a great gift and immense blessing from Him. What you are suffering of trials and tribulations, you will come to know that it is not equivalent to even a moment in which you taste the sweetness of faith and the comfort of certainty and trusting Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. With regard to the reward in the Hereafter, what Allah has prepared for the one who is patient and steadfast, and puts up with hardships for the sake of His religion, and gives precedence to loving and pleasing Him, is something that cannot be described. Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do”
[as-Sajdah 32:17].
And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and it has not entered the mind of man.” Narrated by Muslim, 312.
Dear sister, if you live your whole life in this world in hardship, misery, worry and distress, one dip in Allah’s Paradise – may Allah make us and you among its people – will make you forget all the hardships and difficulties you encountered even if you were the most miserable of people on earth, to such an extent that you would swear that you never went through any calamity or problem or misery! If that is the case for one who is merely dipped once in Allah’s Paradise, how about if Paradise itself is to be your eternal abode?
So we advise you to be patient and steadfast. The blessing that you have been given of embracing Islam requires you to make sacrifices and be patient in doing so. We assure you that this problem will not last for the rest of your life; rather we are certain that our Lord, may He be exalted, will answer your prayers and those of the Muslims who read your story and relief from the situation you are in will come soon. Who knows, perhaps Allah will guide your father and brother and they will be a help to you in following your religion.
What we advise you to do is to show kindness to your father; show him love and let him think that you are obeying him, even if he insists on travelling in Ramadan, until his attitude changes and he begins to treat you fairly. It is important that your thinking should focus on preserving your capital, which is staying in Islam and adhering to it until you get the opportunity to declare your religion and show it openly, and adhere to all its rituals and rulings and also call people to it.
Whether you stay at home or travel with your father, you can avoid going out of the house as much as possible and give excuses such as sickness and so on. You can also avoid mixing with strange men (non-mahrams), and avoid staying up late and seeing and listening to haraam things. Seek the help of Allah in all your affairs, for Allah is the best of supporters and helpers. Fear Allah as much as you can and remember that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not burden any soul with more than it can bear. He is too merciful to His slaves to hold you accountable for something you were unable to do and could not do.
We advise you to go to the nearest Islamic centre in the city where you live and tell them about your situation; they will be more able than us to evaluate the circumstances you are going through and will be better able to give you advice as to what you should do, whether you should announce your religion openly or continue putting up with the situation you are in for a little while longer. Praise be to Allah, there are many trustworthy Islamic centres in your country.

And Allah knows best.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

How Loon Came to Islam

2011-11-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

To add to the celebrity section of the Revert Stories page, I'd like to post this video I have just came across of another prominent revert brother to the deen of Islam. Loon, now Amir Junaid Muhadith.

Masha'Allah.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Prophet Muhammed's (saws) Last Khutbah

2011-11-02T03:04:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatu

h brothers and sisters in Islam.

As I promised in yesterday's post - I would like to make this repost from IslamiCity.com.
The Prophet Muhammed's (saws) last Khutbah:

The Prophet Muhammed's (saws) Last Sermon

This sermon was delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H. in the 'Uranah valley of Mount Arafat' (in Mecca).

After praising, and thanking Allah he said:

"O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY.

O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib (Prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived...

Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things.

O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.

O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to.

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone.

O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray.

All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people".

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Becoming Muslim in an Area with no Muslims/Mosque

2011-11-02T00:34:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I'd like to begin by making it clear that I'm writing this blog for the benefit of someone in particular who sent me a tweet [@IslamAware] with the question - How does one become a Muslim in an area with no Muslims/Mosque?

Before I go, I would like to insha'Allah point out that I am not a Sheikh, nor am I a scholar - I'm just an everyday brother in Islam. Therefore, any good I say is from Allah (swt) and any bad I pass on is simply from my own human short comings.
If I say anything in this blog that you know to be wrong, any comments that you leave will be greatly appreciated.

When it comes to becoming a Muslim in an area with little or no Muslims, or little or no Islamic resources. While it may be difficult, it does happen.

A shahada does not need witnesses:
There is no requirement as to how many witnesses one should have for their shahada, nor are any witnesses necessary.
The reason that a witness to the shahada is probably a better option is that whoever is present to witness the shahada is likely to provide a new Muslim with their du'aa, but also with more worldly help. Such as, education, gifts, or even just friendship (brotherhood/sisterhood, it's a part of our deen.)

The only requirements are as follows:

The person saying the shahada must have sincere belief in the shahada and all that it stands for.
The shahada must be said in Arabic - "Ashadu an la ilaha ill-Allah, Muhammadur rasool-ullah"

If you're scared of being outcast:
A lot of new Muslims, live in fear of the reactions of their friends and family.
If the idea of telling people straight out makes you uncomfortable, take your time, hint at it for a while, just don't put too much pressure on yourself and try to take too much in at once.
So long as you're not doing anything haraam and maintaining your salah (five daily prayers) you're doing just fine.

Another thing that I would recommend is that you take trips away to more Muslim populous areas as often as you can. Get to know your brothers and sisters, spend time with them, learn from them.
And if you're comfortable with it, even use the internet to make contacts.
That is, if moving isn't an option for you.

Conclusion:
I guess my advice overall would be, if you feel close to Islam and know you wish to become a Muslim, no matter who you are, or where you are, give yourself no excuses. Say the shahada, gain contacts by any means possible (internet, phone - ensure you find some knowledgeable people to turn to for advice when needed.) Keep your intentions clear, be sure to maintain your prayers, and also always, always continue your research - Islam is a complete way of life, a lifetime is nowhere near long enough to learn everything there is to learn.

I hope this helped.
I'm also sorry if this blog is a bit poorly written, it was admittedly written in a bit of a hurry.
May Allah swt continue to guide, and make your path easy. Ameen.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

"Doesn't He Know Our Colour Is Expensive?"

2011-11-01T02:53:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

This post, is about a comment that was told to my wife probably about three weeks prior to our marriage in July.
So, the story begins with a lady (of the same culture as my wife) visiting her and her family to 'congratulate' her on her recent engagement to myself (a revert brother.)
As I've been told all was going well and the visitor was very pleasant in the beginning of the meeting, but slowly the whole incident progressed from the pleasantries to an utter lecture - a racist one at that.
An encouragement for my wife to stick to her culture, and about how she should have never accepted my proposal for the very fact I was a revert. This is a truly, truly ugly fact that some members of our Ummah seem to hold. A certain prejudice against their own brothers and sisters - Muslims marry Muslims, clearly. Everyone knows that Islamically culture is totally irrelevant to whether or not two people are a good match.

Anyway, instead of continuing on with the rant maybe I should just cut to the chase, and get to the point. There is one quote, that my wife has passed onto me, that this lady said, that still has me totally disgusted and offended to this day (despite having no idea who she is.) and that is "Doesn't he know our colour is expensive?"

What's that to say? Your Muslim brother is not good enough for your Muslim sister? Other 'colours' aren't as 'rich' as yours?

And I sign out, with the following words of our Prophet (saws) in his last Khutbah, which I will also post:

"All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselve."

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Halloween: An Islamic Perspective [Repost]

2011-10-31T02:16:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

As today, in the West is apparently Halloween - right now I'm looking forward to a night of being harassed by children asking for lollies. :(
It's sad having to tell children no, but I suppose it's for the best.

For all who are wondering, I'd just like to repost this from the Islamic Society of British Columbia:

Halloween: An Islamic Perspective

Where Does 'Halloween' Come From?

Halloween has evolved and been influenced by a number of different cultures and religions, the most notable of which are paganism, the Romans, the Celts (the people of Ireland, Scotland, Britain, Wales) and Christianity. However, almost all of the traditions surrounding Halloween as we know it today can be traced back to the festival of Samhain - the Celtic Day of the Dead - a pagan holiday. Samhain was the name of the Druid god of the dead. The Druids were a religious order amongst the pagan Celts. On this day, they would try to appease their god of death. These Druids also believed that witches rode on broomsticks and that ghosts were the cause of supernatural occurrences. The belief was that on the eve of the Celtic New Year (which, for them, was October 31), the souls of dead people roamed among the land of the living. The devil, evil spirits and witches were also believed to be moving about and at the height of their power. Halloween was also a time for MAJOR Shirk (associating partners with Allah). There were games and rituals which involved fortune telling. Young people, for instance, would try to see what their marriage prospects were, using omens like apple pairings that were thrown over their shoulders or burning nuts in a fire. In the eighth century, the Pope decided to Christianize this pagan holiday, since he wanted people to abandon the occult and idolatrous practices associated with it. He declared November 1 as "All Saints' Day" or All Hallows' (Holy) Day. This is a day to remember all of the Christians who died for their faith. October 31 was then considered All Hallow's Eve, and this word later evolved into the modern day Halloween.

Origins of Certain Halloween Traditions

Most of the Halloween activities participated in today can be traced back to occult symbolism. For example:

1. Dressing up in costumes:

This was done so that the spirits of the dead would not recognize the people who are living. The Druids would actually sacrifice animals, sometimes even humans, and dress themselves up in their skins. They would then engage in fortune telling wearing these morbid costumes. Another explanation is that today, children who dress up in costumes are carrying on the tradition of representing these spirits.

2. Trick-or-treating:

The Druids would go from house to house on October 31 and demand specific types of food. If their demands were not met, it was believed the people and their homes would be cursed with trouble, sickness and death. Prosperity was promised to those who generously donated. Today, when kids are offered treats by their neighbours, the tradition represents the time when people would offer food to the Druids to appease evil spirits.

3. Jack-o'-Lantern:

This started off as a legend associated with a man of Irish origin named Jack who supposedly enjoyed playing pranks on the devil. After his death, the legend says that Jack did not go to heaven or hell and therefore, had to wander the earth carrying a lantern, which gave him some light to see where he was going. Pumpkins that were hollowed out and had candles lit inside did the job and they were also supposed to scare evil spirits away. Some consider them as symbols of the torches of Halloweens past.

Dealing with Halloween: Tips for Parents

So your kids are begging you to go trick-or-treating on Halloween night (October 31)? They can't wait for all of the bubble gum, lollipops and jawbreakers, not to mention dressing up in a Pokemon or witch costume like the rest of their friends. You watch all of this in dismay, knowing that Halloween is an un-Islamic ritual about Shirk (making partners with Allah) and Shaitaan. You want to put your foot down once and for all and not let the kids go out that evening. As Muslims, it is very important that we refrain from participating in the festivals and rituals of the non-Muslims. But we must also use wisdom in educating our children about why we do not participate in such things. On reverse are some tips about how Muslim parents can intelligently deal with the Halloween hoopla:

Tip #1: Find out Exactly What Halloween Is

Too often, parents themselves are in the dark about the background of occasions and holidays like Halloween and Christmas. Muslims are NOT permitted to participate in such festivals. This is not a trivial matter. Once you find out why these festivals are celebrated, you will think twice about getting your kids involved. In fact, any parent who is trying to raise his or her child as a God-conscious individual will object to the celebration of these occasions. If you discuss it with your kids using correct information, and they sense that you know what you are talking about, they will agree with you about not participating in such rituals.

Tip #2: Talk to Them at Least a few Weeks in Advance

This is made easier by the fact that Halloween sales of candy and costumes are already underway and the yearly ritual of horror movies being released in theatres or shown on television. So the atmosphere is right to have a talk about Halloween. Talking to your kids now as opposed to on the morning of October 31 will give them some time to think about it too, and get used to the concept of not having to go trick-or-treating just because some of their friends are.

Tip #3: Rationally Explain That we Have our own Celebrations

Talking about Halloween in the context of a fiery speech will not help convince kids why they should not participate. Instead, explain that every group or culture has its own celebrations, and we Muslims have our own. Halloween is a pagan celebration. But Eid is just a couple of months away, and that is our celebration. Explain calmly what Halloween is, point out some of its dangers, and let them think about it.

Tip #4: Mention the Other Dangers of Halloween

Horror stories about razor blades in apples, laxatives given in place of chocolate to trick-or-treaters, and even the dangers of being on the street should also be mentioned, but not as the main focus why Muslims object to Halloween.

Tip #5: Explain That Every one of our Islamic Festivals has a Good Meaning

Remind your kids that for Muslims, our holidays always have a good, positive meaning. For example, at Eid-ul-Fitr, we celebrate our joy of fasting during the blessed month of Ramadan, which is a time we strive to get closer to Allah and be better Muslims. Halloween, on the other hand, is celebrated partly as a reminder of Shaitaan, who is evil, and from whom everyone should avoid and seek refuge in Allah from.

Tip #6: Emphasize That There is Nothing Wrong With Being Different

This is crucial because there will be other occasions later on in their lives when Muslim children must not participate in school activities (for example, the Prom.) This does not mean permanent exclusion from all school and/or peer activities, but it means that as Muslims, they can take what is good, but they also have to learn to reject what is bad in a wise manner.

Tip #7: Turn off the Lights, Close the Windows and Educate Your Neighbours

Turning off the lights will give the message that your home isn't participating in the Halloween festival. Closing the windows may be necessary, since throwing eggs at the homes of those not participating is not uncommon. Educate your neighbours about Halloween by posting a brief polite note that, as Muslims, you are not celebrating the occasion.

Tip #8: Keep Your Promise About Eid

For a number of Muslim youth who have grown up in North America, Eid is sometimes just another day, with parents not even taking a day off work. In other cases, while parents may take the day off, the ritual is the same: get up, put on new clothes, drive to a mosque or fancy hall, pray, not understand what's really going on, hug Eid Mubarak with one another, go back home, eat "ethnic" food, get money (as Eid gifts). It's no wonder our kids' eyes light up when they see Christmas lights, brightly wrapped gifts and hear of Halloween fun and treats. Make Eid special. Don't just hype it up during Halloween to convince the kids not to participate and then break your promise. On Eid, give the kids candy; take them out to dinner or to an amusement park. Organize a party and invite their friends over. The possibilities for Halal fun are endless. We owe this to our kids if we want them to stay Muslim and to be proud of it. We owe it to them to celebrate the occasions in life that really matter to us as Muslims, like the two Eids. Finally, we must always keep in mind the warning of our Prophet (PBUH), who said: "Whoever imitates a nation is one of them." (Bukhari).

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Ayen's Law

2011-10-31T00:18:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I have been following this story since the incident occurred - here are my past posts:

I would just like to share some news, that I believe to be a huge step forward in the prevention of the recent trend of aggressive Dogs attacking people (most particularly children, and the elderly) it has been passed that Dog owners, who's Dogs attack people will be charged on behalf of their dog.

Dog owner charged over fatal mauling of Ayen Chol

THE owner of a dog which fatally mauled a four-year-old girl to death has been charged. Ayen Chol was killed on August 17 when a pit bull entered the St Albans house where she was staying.

Police have charged a 57-year-old St Alban’s man on summons under the Domestic Animals Act.

A police spokeswoman said the man was charged to appear at the Sunshine Magistrate’s Court on December 6 in relation to the attack.

"He has been charged with eight offences under the Domestic Animals Act,’’ she said.

The charges include owning a dog which attacks a person causing death, two counts of owning a dog which attacks a person causing serious injury, three counts of owning a dog that chases/worries a person, owning a dog found at large and failing to register a dog.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Qur'an While Commuting

2011-10-30T01:26:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

How many times have you thought of doing this?
Reading the Qur'an on the way too or from work (well, so long as you're not driving.)
I'll be totally honest, my car stereo hasn't been working all year. Odds are, if it worked I'd be listening to anasheed to and from work (for me, an hour's drive there and another hour to get back.) But this image has inspired me - when I do have my car stereo working again, insha'Allah I want to listen to recitations of the Qur'an - and I want to use this blog to inspire others to do the same.

Anyway, I'll stop ranting and get to the point insha'Allah.

If you drive to work: Listen to the Qur'an.
If you commute to work: Read the Qur'an.

Insha'Allah - doing this every day will bring you good deeds, but also help us all to familiarise ourselves with the Qur'an more and more by the day. Not to mention help to build our imaans.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

The Catholic college with a Muslim School Captain [Repost]

2011-10-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

I just found an article on MuslimVillage, that I thought was very interesting - so thought I would share for the sake of Allah (swt).
While I do disagree with sending a Muslim child to a Catholic school, I'm not here to judge his parents or himself.

My personal thoughts are, though, that while it has clearly done this students imaan a lot of good, it could have just as easily gone the other way.

May Allah swt continue to develop his interfaith skills, and make him a shining beacon of light for our Ummah. Ameen.

Now, to share the article:

The Catholic college with a Muslim School Captain
Like any captain of a Catholic college, Adam Refki plays a leading role in the religious life of the school.
The difference is that he is a Muslim.

As the popularly elected school leader of Canberra’s St Mary MacKillop College, Adam has found his Muslim faith has opened opportunities for interfaith dialogue.

From his exposure to Christianity through his Catholic education, he said, ”There are great parallels between the two religions”.

”I find there are a lot of similarities. It kind of makes me wonder why it seems like there is such a difference out there in the world.”

The 18-year-old said that as a Muslim with a Catholic education, he had experienced acceptance first hand.

”And having received acceptance I can now offer acceptance.”

He has found many of the students at the college are intrigued by his faith. ”I attend masses and I am reverent but I don’t participate.”

His role as captain includes reading at the college’s masses. Though he takes part in prayers, he does not make the sign of the cross, which has caused other students to ask why.

”I tell them I am Muslim. … The advantage here is that I can tell them about my faith.” Similarly, when he fasts during Ramadan, he has a further opportunity for interfaith dialogue.

College principal Michael Lee said that when Adam was elected, ”he very beautifully approached me and said, ‘What is it you would want of me in terms of the faith life of the school?”’ He took part to the extent he was comfortable. Mary MacKillop had worked with people of all faiths.

Mr Lee said Adam’s role as captain was a tangible sign of the tolerance and inclusion of this Catholic school.

”I thought it was a great honour for us.

”I think Adam’s election to our school is a gift also to the Islamic community and I was pleased our school in a small way could make that further understanding between the two communities.”
He had been elected because he was Adam, not because he was Muslim, Mr Lee said. ”In no way did we feel our Catholic identity was diluted. We were always comfortable about that.”
The male and female captains of the college are elected by Year 11 students and staff.

”It was a huge honour that I was voted as college captain,” Adam said. ”I don’t see that I was voted as a token Muslim.”

He is concerned the impression given by the media is that Muslims are terrorists.

”Seeing me, they see Muslims are just like us. They are in our school; they study hard; they can be elected in leadership positions at St Mary MacKillop College.”

He plans to begin studying civil engineering at the University of NSW next year.

He also hopes to contribute the leadership skills he has developed at the college to university life. This might include an Islamic group, but he said, ”I wouldn’t want to limit myself to that.” ”I know I will be comfortable in seeking some kind of interfaith dialogue at university.”

He also hopes one day to complete the Hajj – the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

The Disease of Gambling

2011-10-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

A suicide as a result of problem gambling seems to be a recurring incident. In fact, I once personally knew someone who walked that exact path, it's always a shame - but until gambling is at least outlawed by more than consensus very little is going to happen.

Obviously putting ads on TV about a gambling help line is not the solution to the problem - and when the results include, but are not limited to:

Breaking up families.
Putting people/families in debt.
Suicide.

Then it's pretty clear that for the sake of society something really needs to be do.
What I wish to share in this blog post is an article I came across on news.com.au about a single mother in Adelaide, Australia who spent 29 minutes on a pokie machine, in that time lost $4,000 and then committed suicide.

But, before that I would like to provide you all with these Ayat from The Holy Qur'an:

They ask you about wine and gambling. Say, "In them is great sin and some benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they should spend. Say, "The excess." Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses that you might give thought."
[Surah Al-Baqarah: 19]

O you who believe, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, sacrificing on stone alters, and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.
[Surah Al-Ma'idah: 90]

Now - on with the story:

Problem gambling: 'Our family paid the ultimate price'

KATHERINE Natt had just 30c in her purse after losing $4000 in 29 minutes in a pokies binge. The same day, the SkyCity Casino worker and single mother of two took her own life.

Her mother, Chris Matthews, says imposing controls on pokies could have stopped her plunge that day five years ago - and might have saved her life.

"I don't know if mandatory pre-commitment will work, but something needs to be done to stop people losing these huge amounts of money," she said.

"Families are suffering, our family paid the ultimate price.

"There are families out there paying every day.

"Many are falling apart. People are losing their homes."

Read more...

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

MashaAllah - Creation is Beautiful #5: Thunder & Lightning Storms

2011-10-27T22:13:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Image from: http://slow-motion.ca

So, word on the street is that we will be experiencing a reasonably strong storm in Melbourne tonight, insha'Allah. In fact, the BOM has issued a severe weather warning [click]. Pretty amazing stuff. I will admit, mash'Allah there are few things I enjoy more than sitting at home and watching the lightning show roll past, or sitting at home and just listening to the thunder (even sometimes letting it put me to sleep - yes, it works for me.)

Before I continue, I'd like to share with you the du'aas for when one hears thunder:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي يُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةٌ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ

SubhanAllaahil ladhii yusabbihur ra’du bi hamdihi wal malaa-ikatu min kheefatihi

“Glory is to Him Whom thunder and angels glorify due to fear of Him.”

May Allah swt protect and reward you all.
Ameen.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Convert Story: How Malcolm X Came to Islam. [Repost]

2011-10-24T01:43:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Just a quick repost, of one of the most prominent converts to Islam within the last 100 years.
Courtesy of IslamReligion.com

So, without further ado - I will get on with posting the story insha'Allah.

The Story of Malcolm X

“I am and always will be a Muslim. My religion is Islam.”

-Malcolm X

Early Life

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. His mother, Louis Norton Little, was a homemaker occupied with the family’s eight children. His father, Earl Little, was an outspoken Baptist minister and avid supporter of Black Nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. Earl’s civil rights activism prompted death threats from the white supremacist organization Black Legion, forcing the family to relocate twice before Malcolm’s fourth birthday. Regardless of the Little’s efforts to elude the Legion, in 1929 their Lansing, Michigan home was burned to the ground, and two years later Earl’s mutilated body was found lying across the town’s trolley tracks when Malcolm was only six. Louise had an emotional breakdown several years after the death of her husband and was committed to a mental institution. Her children were split up amongst various foster homes and orphanages.

Malcolm was a smart, focused student and graduated from junior high at the top of his class. However, when a favorite teacher told Malcolm his dream of becoming a lawyer was no realistic goal for a nigger, Malcolm lost interest in school and eventually dropped out at the age of fifteen. Learning the ways of the streets, Malcolm became acquainted with hoodlums, thieves, dope peddlers, and pimps. Convicted of burglary at twenty, he remained in prison until the age of twenty-seven. During his prison stay he attempted to educate himself. In addition, during his period in prison, he learned about and joined the Nation of Islam, studying the teachings of Elijah Muhammed fully. He was released, a changed man, in 1952.

The ‘Nation of Islam’

Upon his release, Malcolm went to Detroit, joined the daily activities of the sect, and was given instruction by Elijah Muhammad himself. Malcolm’s personal commitment helped build the organization nation-wide, while making him an international figure. He was interviewed on major television programs and by magazines, and spoke across the country at various universities and other forums. His power was in his words, which so vividly described the plight of blacks and vehemently incriminated whites. When a white person referred to the fact that some Southern university had enrolled black freshmen without bayonets, Malcolm reacted with scorn:

When I slipped, the program host would leap on the bait: Ahhh! Indeed, Mr. Malcolm X -- you can’t deny that’s an advance for your race!

I’d jerk the pole then. I can’t turn around without hearing about some ‘civil rights advance’! White people seem to think the black man ought to be shouting ‘hallelujah’! Four hundred years the white man has had his foot-long knife in the black man’s back - and now the white man starts to wiggle the knife out, maybe six inches! The black man’s supposed to be grateful? Why, if the white man jerked the knife out, it’s still going to leave a scar!

Although Malcolm’s words often stung with the injustices against blacks in America, the equally racist views of the Nation of Islam kept him from accepting any whites as sincere or capable of helping the situation. For twelve years, he preached that the white man was the devil and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad was God’s messenger. Unfortunately, most images of Malcolm today focus on this period of his life, although the transformation he was about to undergo would give him a completely different, and more important, message for the American people.

The Change to True Islam

On March 12, 1964, impelled by internal jealousy within the Nation of Islam and revelations of Elijah Muhammad’s sexual immorality, Malcolm left the Nation of Islam with the intention of starting his own organization:

I feel like a man who has been asleep somewhat and under someone else’s control. I feel what I’m thinking and saying now is for myself. Before, it was for and by guidance of another, now I think with my own mind.

Malcolm was thirty-eight years old when he left Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam. Reflecting on reflects that occurred prior to leaving, he said:

At one or another college or university, usually in the informal gatherings after I had spoken, perhaps a dozen generally white-complexioned people would come up to me, identifying themselves as Arabian, Middle Eastern or North African Muslims who happened to be visiting, studying, or living in the United States. They had said to me that, my white-indicting statements notwithstanding, they felt I was sincere in considering myself a Muslim -- and they felt if I was exposed to what they always called true Islam, I would understand it, and embrace it.

Automatically, as a follower of Elijah, I had bridled whenever this was said. But in the privacy of my own thoughts after several of these experiences, I did question myself: if one was sincere in professing a religion, why should he balk at broadening his knowledge of that religion?

Those orthodox Muslims whom I had met, one after another, had urged me to meet and talk with a Dr. Mahmoud Youssef Shawarbi...Then one day Dr. Shawarbi and I were introduced by a newspaperman. He was cordial. He said he had followed me in the press; I said I had been told of him, and we talked for fifteen or twenty minutes. We both had to leave to make appointments we had, when he dropped on me something whose logic never would get out of my head. He said, No man has believed perfectly until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself. (a saying of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

The Effect of the Pilgrimage

Malcolm further continues about the Hajj:

The pilgrimage to Mecca, known as the Hajj, is a religious obligation that every orthodox Muslim fulfills, if able, at least once in his or her lifetime.

The Holy Quran says it:

“..Pilgrimage to the House (of God built by the prophet Abraham) is a duty men owe to God; those who are able, make the journey…” (Quran 3:97)

“God said: ‘And proclaim the pilgrimage among men; they will come to you on foot and upon each lean camel, they will come from every deep ravine.’” (Quran 22:27)

Every one of the thousands at the airport, about to leave for Jeddah, was dressed this way. You could be a king or a peasant and no on e would know. Some powerful personages, who were discreetly pointed out to me, had on the same thing I had on. Once thus dressed, we all had begun intermittently calling out Labbayka! (Allahumma) Labbayka! (Here I come, O Lord!) Packed in the plane were white, black, brown, red, and yellow people, blue eyes and blond hair, and my kinky red hair -- all together, brothers! All honoring the same God, all in turn giving equal honor to each other...

That is when I first began to reappraise the white man. It was when I first began to perceive that white man, as commonly used, means complexion only secondarily; primarily it described attitudes and actions. In America, white man meant specific attitudes and actions toward the black man, and toward all other non-white men. But in the Muslim world, I had seen that men with white complexions were more genuinely brotherly than anyone else had ever been. That morning was the start of a radical alteration in my whole outlook about white men.

There were tens of thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all colors, from blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans. But we were all participating in the same ritual displaying a spirit of unity and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to believe never could exist between the white and the non-white... America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion that erases from its society the race problem. Throughout my travels in the Muslim world, I have met, talked to, and even eaten with people who in America would have been considered white - but the white attitude was removed from their minds by the religion of Islam. I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespecitve of their color.

Malcolm’s New Vision of America

Malcolm continues:

Each hour here in the Holy Land enables me to have greater spiritual insights into what is happening in America between black and white. The American Negro never can be blamed for his racial animosities - he is only reacting to four hundred years of the conscious racism of the American whites. But as racism leads America up the suicide path, I do believe, from the experiences that I have had with them, that the whites of the younger generation, in the colleges and universities, will see the handwriting on the wall, and many of them will turn to the spiritual path of truth -- the only way left to America to ward off the disaster that racism inevitably must lead to.

I believe that God now is giving the world’s so-called ‘Christian’ white society its last opportunity to repent and atone for the crimes of exploiting and enslaving the world’s non-white peoples. It is exactly as when God gave Pharaoh a chance to repent. But Pharaoh persisted in his refusal to give justice to those who he oppressed. And, we know, God finally destroyed Pharaoh.

I will never forget the dinner at the Azzam home with Dr. Azzam. The more we talked, the more his vast reservoir of knowledge and its variety seemed unlimited. He spoke of the racial lineage of the descendants of Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, the Prophet, and he showed how they were both black and white. He also pointed out how color, and the problems of color which exist in the Muslim world, exist only where, and to the extent that, that area of the Muslim world has been influenced by the West. He said that if on encountered any differences based on attitude toward color, this directly reflected the degree of Western influence.

The Oneness of Man under One God

It was during his pilgrimage that he began to write some letters to his loyal assistants at the newly formed Muslim Mosque in Harlem. He asked that his letter be duplicated and distributed to the press:

“Never have I witnessed such sincere hospitality and the overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this ancient Holy Land, the House of Abraham, Muhammad, and all the other Prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have been utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see displayed all around me by people of all colors...

“You may be shocked by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I have seen, and experienced, has forced me to rearrange much of my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts, and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every form of intelligent search for truth.

“During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same rug) - while praying to the same God - with fellow Muslims, whose eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the “white” Muslims, I felt the same sincerity that I felt among the black African Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana.

“We were truly all the same (brothers) -- because their belief in one God had removed the “white” from their minds, the ‘white’ from their behavior, and the ‘white’ from their attitude.

“I could see from this, that perhaps if white Americans could accept the Oneness of God, then perhaps, too, they could accept in reality the Oneness of Man - and cease to measure, and hinder, and harm others in terms of their “differences” in color.

“With racism plaguing America like an incurable cancer, the so-called “Christian” white American heart should be more receptive to a proven solution to such a destructive problem. Perhaps it could be in time to save America from imminent disaster -- the same destruction brought upon Germany by racism that eventually destroyed the Germans themselves.

“They asked me what about the Hajj had impressed me the most... I said, “The brotherhood! The people of all races, color, from all over the world coming together as one! It has proved to me the power of the One God... All ate as one, and slept as one. Everything about the pilgrimage atmosphere accented the Oneness of Man under One God.”

Malcolm returned from the pilgrimage as El-Hajj Malik al-Shabazz. He was afire with new spiritual insight. For him, the struggle had evolved from the civil rights struggle of a nationalist to the human rights struggle of an internationalist and humanitarian.

After the Pilgrimage

White reporters and others were eager to learn about El-Hajj Malik’s newly-formed opinions concerning themselves. They hardly believed that the man who had preached against them for so many years could suddenly turn around and call them brothers. To these people El-Hajj Malik had this to say:

“You’re asking me ‘Didn’t you say that now you accept white men as brothers?’ Well, my answer is that in the Muslim world, I saw, I felt, and I wrote home how my thinking was broadened! Just as I wrote, I shared true, brotherly love with many white-complexioned Muslims who never gave a single thought to the race, or to the complexion, of another Muslim.

“My pilgrimage broadened my scope. It blessed me with a new insight. In two weeks in the Holy Land, I saw what I never had seen in thirty-nine years here in America. I saw all races, all colors, -- blue-eyed blonds to black-skinned Africans -- in true brotherhood! In unity! Living as one! Worshipping as one! No segregationists -- no liberals; they would not have known how to interpret the meaning of those words.

“In the past, yes, I have made sweeping indictments of all white people. I will never be guilty of that again -- as I know now that some white people are truly sincere, that some truly are capable of being brotherly toward a black man. The true Islam has shown me that a blanket indictment of all white people is as wrong as when whites make blanket indictments against blacks.”

To the blacks who increasingly looked to him as a leader, El-Hajj Malik preached a new message, quite the opposite of what he had been preaching as a minister in the Nation of Islam:

“True Islam taught me that it takes all of the religious, political, economic, psychological, and racial ingredients, or characteristics, to make the Human Family and the Human Society complete.

“I said to my Harlem street audiences that only when mankind would submit to the One God who created all - only then would mankind even approach the “peace” of which so much talk could be heard...but toward which so little action was seen.”

Too Dangerous to Last

El-Hajj Malik’s new universalistic message was the U.S. establishment’s worst nightmare. Not only was he appealing to the black masses, but to intellectuals of all races and colors. Now he was consistently demonized by the press as “advocating violence” and being “militant,” although in actuality he and Dr. Martin Luther King were moving closer together in outlook:

“The goal has always been the same, with the approaches to it as different as mine and Dr. Martin Luther King’s non-violent marching, that dramatizes the brutality and the evil of the white man against defenseless blacks. And in the racial climate of this country today, it is anybody’s guess which of the “extremes” in approach to the black man’s problems might personally meet a fatal catastrophe first -- ‘non-violent’ Dr. King, or so-called ‘violent‘ me.”

El-Hajj Malik knew full well that he was a target of many groups. In spite of this, he was never afraid to say what he had to say when he had to say it. As a sort of epitaph at the end of his autobiography, he says:

“I know that societies often have killed the people who have helped to change those societies. And if I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America - then, all of the credit is due to God. Only the mistakes have been mine.”

The Legacy of Malcolm X

Although El-Hajj Malik knew that he was a target for assassination, he accepted this fact without requesting police protection. On February 21, 1965, while preparing to give a speech at a New York hotel, he was shot by three black men. He was three months short of forty. While it is clear that the Nation of Islam had something to do with the assassination, many people believe there was more than one organization involved. The FBI, known for its anti-black movement tendency, has been suggested as an accomplice. We may never know for sure who was behind El-Hajj Malik’s murder, or, for that matter, the murder of other national leaders in the early 1960s.

Malcolm X’s life has affected Americans in many important ways. African-Americans’ interest in their Islamic roots has flourished since El-Hajj Malik’s death. Alex Haley, who wrote Malcolm’s autobiography, later wrote the epic, Roots, about an African Muslim family’s experience with slavery. More and more African-Americans are becoming Muslim, adopting Muslim names, or exploring African culture. Interest in Malcolm X has seen a surge recently due to Spike Lee’s movie, “X”. El-Hajj Malik is a source of pride for African-Americans, Muslims, and Americans in general. His message is simple and clear:

“I am not a racist in any form whatever. I don’t believe in any form of racism. I don’t believe in any form of discrimination or segregation. I believe in Islam. I am a Muslim.”

Did Michael (Mikaeel?) Jackson Actually Convert to Islam?

2011-10-24T01:31:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Source: http://www.startrip.tv

It has often been speculated. Some saying Michael's brother Jermaine has said that he was interested in Islam, others saying that Jermaine and even Michael himself before his death confirmed his conversion.

Just for the sake of conversation, I'd like to post this article from "The Daily Top 10"

The buzz was loud in November, 2008, when reports came out that one of the world’s most famous celebrities was no longer to be known as Michael Jackson, but as Mikaeel, following the King of Pop’s conversion to Islam. The former Jehovah’s Witness reportedly took the shahada, or oath of Islamic faith, in Los Angeles at the home of a musician friend, after being encouraged to embrace Islam by Canadian-Muslim Dawud Wharnsby and producer Phillip Bubal. His brother, Jermaine Friday, who had converted to Islam in 1989, is also reported to have helped his brother to the fold. Wharnsby and Bulbul told UK’s The Sun that they had been speaking to Jackson about their Muslim beliefs and felt they had become better people after converting. Perhaps that was the impetus for Jackson, who had gone from the highest of musical highs to the lowest of the lows when he faced scrutiny over his marriages, plastic surgeries, and charges of child molestation. Conversion to Islam served some of his fellow musicians well, like Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) who recently returned to music with favorable reviews. Tragically, Jackson’s conversion came too late to help him find renewal. Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009. At a press conference announcing his brother’s death, Jermaine said, “May Allah be with you, Michael, always.”

Pop superstar Michael Jackson has confirmed his conversion to Islam, according to reports in the Middle East.

he Arab-Israeli newspaper Panorama claims Jackson has announced the move and revealed plans to move to Bahrain, where he has bought property.

The singer’s Muslim brother Jermaine yesterday claimed the Thriller hitmaker had taken interest in the religion since he converted in 1989 – and had been considering converting himself following his acquittal on child abuse charges in 2005.

So - comments welcome.
What information do you have? What sources do you have?
What are you thoughts? What is your speculation? What are your reasons?

Allahu alim, I suppose. I guess we, as the public, will never know.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

7.3 Magnitude Earthquake hits Eastern Turkey

2011-10-24T00:38:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Source: http://news.com.au

Inna lillahi wa inna illahi raji'oon.

To Allah (swt) we belong, and to him we return.

Subhan'Allah. Another massive Earthquake hits our planet and take much life with it. This time in Van, Eastern Turkey (near the Iranian border.) Truly a tragedy for all of the lives lost and all of the families/people affected in a negative light.
It's truly heartbreaking to hear that over 1,000 lives are feared lost - with 217 deaths already confirmed.

I'd like to use this blog to encourage one and all who are able to donate what they can live without in order to help alleviate the situation for all affected. It's both an Islamic, and human obligation.

Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Problem: Aldi To Stock Discount Alcohol

2011-10-22T16:48:00.000-07:00

SeAsalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Image from: News.com.au

I'll start by saying, my wife and I love Aldi - while we won't buy anything and everything there, it's right next door to the market where we get our fruit and veg, and also halal butcher (and a few other bits and pieces). In other words, the convenience of their location and the price of what they offer is hard to ignore.
Alas, yes, they do have a very very openly displayed alcoholic aisle. One that my wife and I have to walk past each and every time we are in the grocery store (so too with every other Muslim we see in there.) Despite this, to Aldi's credit they are on the whole quite halal friendly (Yes, I mean halal certified Marshmallows.)

As an adovacte against drinking, when I saw this article on News.com.au I was naturally pretty outraged. It's almost like all of the taxes they have put on alcohol as an 'appeal to the hip pocket' or a deterrant to stop drinking/drink less means nothing to Aldi providing bargains (on all facets, apparently)

Before I go on with the article, I would like to remind people of my old post, Alcohol: Exempt From Due Scrutiny?

Anger at Aldi's booze for a buck
DISCOUNT supermarket giant Aldi will begin stocking its shelves with $1 beers - including 80c cans of light - across New South Wales from next year, despite objections from NSW Health.

The state's licensing authority has shrugged off warnings against selling super-cheap alcohol in supermarkets to give Aldi the green light for 34 outlets to stock beer for $1 a can and wine for as little as $2.25 a litre.

Health officials formally objected to the issuing of the new liquor licences, particularly in some regional and rural areas, insisting the increased access will "contribute to further alcohol-related harm and negative health outcomes".

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Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.

Dangerous Dog Owners Could Be Jailed For Attacks

2011-10-15T22:46:00.000-07:00

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmahtullahi wa barakatuh brothers and sisters in Islam.

Image from: petcaregt.com

Just before I begin, in August I posted two blogs about the tragic death of 4 year-old Ayen Chol.For this blog to make sense:

As the title of this blog says, Dangerous Dog owners could be jailed for attacks in the near future, and rightfully so I believe.
I also feel that no one has any true argument against such a punishment, especially after the detrimental affects dangerous Dogs have had over the course of many years.

During recent dialogue there has been something of a divide as to who is at fault when it comes to those attacks. One opinion saying that certain breed of Dog are simply aggressive by nature and will attack simply because of what they are, the other opinion saying that the owner is wholly at fault. That maybe they should have treated their Dog better, or have supervised it better with others around.

Either way, honestly, I do blame the owners. If the argument that certain breeds of Dog are aggressive by nature is indeed correct, well then it was the owners choice to own such a Dog in the first place. If it's correct that it's an issue of nurture, or supervision, once again it comes down to the owner (more obviously) in this case. For the sake of society, really, I can see why owners should be help culpable in any case.

Now, I will share the article with you all.

Dog owners could be jailed for attacks
OWNERS of dangerous dogs that maim or kill could face up to 10 years jail under a draft amendment to the Queensland Criminal Code.
The Queensland Government has released the draft amendment to deal specifically with serious injury or death caused by dogs.

Attorney General Paul Lucas said the recent death of Ayen Choi in Victoria had sparked debate about Queensland's dangerous dog laws.

He said the proposed amendment to introduce a Dangerous Management of a Dog offence to the Criminal Code would make it clear that owners of dangerous dogs who attack or kill could be criminally liable.
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Wasalaam.
Abu Khadijah.