Bordeaux: Imam attacked after burka debate

 

 

Bordeaux: Imam attacked after burka debate

via Islam in Europe by Esther on 09/07/09

Bordeaux: Imam attacked after burka debate


Mahmoud Doua was attacked this past Sunday evening, while exiting a mosque in the Bordeaux suburb of Talence (France).  After prayer two men came up to him and started speaking to him about his appearance on the "Mots croisés" show.  They accused him of not defending the Muslims, Doua says, and then he found himself on the ground.  Doua was very lightly injured and was unable to work for a day, but the attack caused a great psychological shock to the victim and the local Muslim community.

It is the first time that radical Muslims got to this point.  Paradoxically, Mahmoud Doua didn't defend a 'legalistic' and repressive position.  The part-time lecturer of anthropology of the Arab-Muslim world at the University of Bordeaux says that legislation on this issue is not educational and that if there's oppression, one should turn to the social services.  In addition there's a risk of stigmatizing the Muslim community.  Finally, the spirit of secularism (laicite) according got its founders, such as Jaures and Brians, is against a state regulating religious visibility.  The arguments he used in the debate with minister Fadela Amara and Elisabeth Badinter were considered too open by some people.

Mahmoud Doua, who teaches and preaches on Fridays on the Cenon mosque, says that these are youth he knows, who live in the same district as he does.  For them, the discussion was too Republican. 

There are estimated to be 50 Salafists in Bordeaux (department of Gironde). Tareq Oubrou, rector of the Bordeaux mosque and imam of the Association of Muslims in Gironde (AMG), says that they're young, without a point of reference, working by the dynamics of a gang.  He says what happened was serious but unfortunately predictable.  An investigation is underway to identify the two young men.  Mahmoud Doua knows their first names.  After some hesitation, he filed a complaint and the AMG is a civil party in the case.  He says he has no anger or hatred, but he wants the law to be enforced.  Islam has to integrate into the laws of the republic. 

Jawad Rhaouti, president of AMG, concludes that as Badinter said during the debate, the Muslim community is the first victim of this issue.  Sultana, Mahmoud Doua's wife is probably the person most upset.  She says, with some humor, that she wants to be a widow, but not for the burka, and adds that she is concerned.  On Friday her husband would go to the Cenon mosque to preach, as usual.

France: Rioting after man dies in police custody

 

 

France: Rioting after man dies in police custody

via Islam in Europe by Esther on 09/07/09

France: Rioting after man dies in police custody


Youths in the southeastern French town of Firminy burned cars and destroyed a social centre on Wednesday night as protests over the death in police custody of a young man continued for a second night.


Around 200 riot police were deployed into the early hours on Thursday, with a helicopter circling overhead as groups of young people set fire to rubbish bins before moving on to torch cars and the social centre.


The protests followed the death on Wednesday of Mohamed Benmouna, a local man arrested for attempted extortion, who fell into a coma after what police said was a suicide attempt and died several hours later.


Benmouna's family have expressed scepticism over the explanation by police who said he had used cords from a mattress to hang himself.


(more)


According to the state prosecutor in Saint-Etienne, an examination of the body revealed no traces of violence.  The mother of the 21- year old man does not believe in the suicide theory.  The Benmouna family lodged a complaint and asked people to continue to remain calm.

Does she have to execute her father's will that she should marry her cousin

Does she have to execute her father's will that she should marry her cousin (son of her paternal aunt)
My father (may Allaah have mercy on him) left a will saying that I should get married to my paternal cousin, but my father did not ask me before he died about my opinion concerning this person, because he got sick and then he died, which prevented him finding out my opinion. As for the person concerned, I told him frankly when he brought up the subject with me that I had nothing for him but feelings of brotherhood and kinship. Am I going against sharee'ah? Is it disobedience to my father if I do not marry this man? Please note that my heart is inclined towards another relative who respects me and is kind to me.

Praise be to Allaah.
You do not have to execute the will mentioned, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: "A virgin should not be married until her permission is sought." According to another version: "The virgin should be asked for permission by her father, and her permission is her silence." We advise you to ask Allaah for guidance and pray istikhaarah, and consult those whom you trust among your relatives and others who know both people. May Allaah make all good easy for you. End quote.


Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 20/101

Fwd: NO EFFORT MUST BE SPARED TO AID DISPLACED PAKISTANIS, SAYS UN RELIEF CHIEF

NO EFFORT MUST BE SPARED TO AID DISPLACED PAKISTANIS, SAYS UN RELIEF CHIEF
New York, Jul  7 2009  6:10PM
The top United Nations relief official kicked off a four-day visit to Pakistan today, urging that no effort be spared to tackle the humanitarian crisis involving over 2 million people uprooted by fighting between Government forces and militants in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

"While it is not the largest crisis in the world, needs in Pakistan are the most immediate of any crisis in the world. The upcoming monsoon season makes meeting those needs an even more urgent priority," said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes.

"This will not be easy, and I fear it will be by no means perfect. But we must pull out all the stops to do as much as possible, as quickly as possible," he added.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (<"http://www.unhcr.org/4a51f4359.html">UNHCR) reported today that preparations continue in the displacement camps for the upcoming monsoon season, which is expected to start in mid-July.

The agency's spokesperson Ron Redmond told reporters in Geneva that, depending on the intensity of the monsoon, some families may have to be relocated to other areas less prone to flooding.

Some 260,000 of the more than 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) are in 21 camps, according to UNHCR. The vast majority of the displaced are outside the camps, living with host families and in school buildings.

During the course of his visit, the UN humanitarian chief plans to visit IDP camps, host families and spontaneous settlements where some of the displaced are taking shelter.

"Although we are making headway in delivering aid to people in formal camps, we need to find ways to reach more displaced in need – especially those staying in spontaneous settlements and with host families," he said.

Mr. Holmes, who is also UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, began his visit today by meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi and General Nadeem, head of the Special Support Group, as well as the humanitarian country team in Pakistan.

In a related development, UNHCR and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday signed a partnership agreement to support vital humanitarian operations in Pakistan.

The agreement will procure relief items like tents and blankets, to meet the needs of IDPs, mainly women and children, as well as facilitate the voluntary return of displaced people in the country's north-west.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS PROBE INTO GAZA CONFLICT WRAPS UP PUBLIC HEARINGS IN GENEVA

UN HUMAN RIGHTS PROBE INTO GAZA CONFLICT WRAPS UP PUBLIC HEARINGS IN GENEVA
New York, Jul  7 2009  5:10PM
The United Nations Human Rights Council's fact-finding probe into rights violations committed during the recent Gaza conflict heard from victims, witnesses and experts from southern Israel and the West Bank over two days of public hearings which wrapped up in Geneva today.

"The aim of holding these public hearings…was to show the human side of the suffering, to give a voice to the victims so that they are not lost among statistics," Justice Richard Goldstone, who leads the four-member mission, told journalists.

Mr. Goldstone said his team had listened to "moving stories" that were "very difficult to hear" concerning the impact of the fighting that took place between 27 December and 18 January, many from victims who had lost members of their families and their livelihoods.

"No written words can by themselves convey human stories the way people can do it in their own voice and words," he said.

With the conclusion of the hearings in Geneva, as well as those held last week in Gaza City, the mission is moving towards the end of its investigative phase, Mr. Goldstone said.

In addition to their investigations on the ground in Gaza, the team had also travelled to Amman, Jordan, to hear from Israelis and people from the West Bank. Mr. Goldstone said that he would be sending questions soon to authorities from Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, asking for input on areas where his team had been unable to gather sufficient information.

The mission's final report is due to be completed early next month and will be presented in September to the Human Rights Council.

Rick Warren to Muslims: Talk is Cheap, Let's Work Together

Evangelical pastor Rick Warren told a crowd of some 8,000 Muslim Americans that he wasn't satisfied with just talking to them.

Sun, Jul. 05, 2009 Posted: 11:18 AM EDT

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WASHINGTON – Evangelical pastor Rick Warren told a crowd of some 8,000 Muslim Americans that he wasn't satisfied with just talking to them.

"I will tell you that I am not interested in interfaith dialogue. I am interested in interfaith project. There is a big difference," said Warren to attendees of the 46th annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) convention Saturday evening.

"Talk is very cheap. You can talk and talk and talk and never get anything done. Love is something you do," Warren maintained. "It is something we do together."

Warren, the founding pastor of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif., was the only Christian invited to speak at Saturday's evening main session, which organizers described as the "cornerstone" of the convention.

Warren was warmly received by the Muslim audience, many of which could be seen snapping photos of the popular evangelical pastor, taking notes of what he said, or breaking into applause whenever he said something to their liking.

Before Warren stepped on stage, Dr. Ingrid Mattson, president of the Islamic Society of North America, gave a flattering introduction for the megachurch preacher, highlighting how he reverse tithes, giving away 90 percent of his income and living off 10 percent.

The audience, who had been pressed to donate the whole night by the group's fundraising committee, broke out into applause.

"I am very much an admirer of his, Pastor Warren's organization and as someone who has increased his interfaith outreach in the last number of years," said Mattson, a Canadian-born convert to Islam from Catholicism.

But despite the praises, Warren maintained his religious differences with the Muslim crowd and encouraged audience members to also not compromise their conviction.

 "You know as an evangelical pastor, my deepest faith is in Jesus Christ," Warren stated. "But you also need to know that I am committed not just to what I call the good news, but I am committed to the common good."

He called on the members of the two largest faith communities in the world to not only figure out how to live in peace and harmony with each other, but also to find a way to work together for the greater good without compromising each group's convictions.

In his speech, Warren suggested that Muslims and Christians work together to challenge the mischaracterizations and stereotypes in the media about each other's faith; to restore civility in America by showing that people can "disagree without being disagreeable;" and to promote peace and freedom, particularly freedom of speech and religion, together.

"Let me just say this to those of you who have been in America for many generations now," Warren said, noting that they were gathered on the Fourth of July, America's Independence Day. "Part of your responsibility is to help the newcomers learn what it means to be Americans.

"America is a country not built on race, not built on a creed, but built on an idea – liberty and justice for all and freedom for all," Warren said as he called for citizen education.

He also gave a practical example of how Muslims and Christians can work together by pointing to his PEACE plan, a massive effort to mobilize one billion Christians to combat the five biggest problems in the world – spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, extreme poverty, pandemic diseases, and illiteracy and lack of education.

In a western province in Rwanda, the PEACE plan has been implemented where imams and pastors are invited to attend healthcare training sessions. Those religious leader in turn help mobilize their congregants to also receive healthcare training. By the end of this year, Warren said, a province where there was only one doctor for 750,000 people will have over 1,500 trained healthcare workers.

The acronym PEACE stands for promote reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.

Warren acknowledged that it will not be easy to work together because of the criticism from conservatives from both religions, but he urged both groups to work together for the common good.

"You know what I discovered is when you walk down the middle of the road you get hit coming and going," the evangelical pastor said. "Actually, it is easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you. But if you actually try to build relationships, like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering, you'll get criticize for it, so will I. But that is not what matters," he said.

Warren was among a number of Christian leaders who were invited to participate in the ISNA convention. Other Christian leaders were invited to speak at the smaller sessions during the July 3-6 event.

ISNA is an umbrella organization for Muslim groups in North America. Its annual conventions usually draw tens of thousands of people. The hall containing the Saturday session with Rick Warren was filled to capacity.

Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter

Malaysia Sikhs lose fight against man's conversion

Malaysia Sikhs lose fight against man's conversion

By JULIA ZAPPEI – 5 hours ago

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — A Sikh family lost a court battle Monday in Muslim-majority Malaysia for the right to cremate one of their relatives after officials said the man had converted to Islam years before his death.

The case threatens to revive complaints among non-Muslims that their religious rights are being sidelined — a grievance that has sparked interfaith tensions and severely eroded minority support for the government.

The family of Mohan Singh has been fighting Islamic authorities for custody of his body after Mohan, 41, died of a heart attack on May 25.

Officials from the Islamic government department of central Selangor state insisted Mohan converted to Islam in 1992, but the family said he practiced the Sikh religion until his death.

Malaysia's secular High Court ruled Monday that it had no jurisdiction in the case, saying that the matter of Mohan's conversion to Islam had already been decided by the Islamic Shariah court, said the family's lawyer, Rajesh Kumar.

Islamic authorities were expected to bury the body later Monday according to Muslim rites, since the Shariah court had already declared Mohan as a Muslim last month, Rajesh said.

Malaysia has a double-tier court system for civil matters — Muslims go to the Shariah court; non-Muslims go to secular courts. But in interfaith disputes, non-Muslims complain they lose out as Shariah courts get the final say and rarely rule in their favor.

The government has pledged to tackle legal ambiguities related to religious conversions. Authorities recently said minors can no longer be converted without both parents' consent, but the decision has not been made legally binding.

Officials have not announced any new proposals to resolve disputed conversions in cases where someone has died.

Ethnic Malay Muslims comprise nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 28 million people. Minorities include ethnic Chinese and Indians who are mainly Buddhists, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs.

 The Associated Press. .

do you know what to do if someone dies???

do you know what to do if someone dies???

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On receiving the news of death, recite 

"Inna Lillahi wa inna ilaihi raajeoon." 
"Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." 

2. Instead of wasting time in unnecessary inquiries about how the death took place, concentrate on doing the following: 

* Immediately, close the eyes and straighten the hands and feet of the deceased. 

* Pass a broad strip of cloth from under the chin and tie it over the head so that the mouth is closed. Bring both feet together and tie with another strip. Untie these strips later while giving the bath. 

* Cover the deceased with a sheet of cloth. If there is any change in the appearance of the deceased due to an accident or the severity of death and if people want to see the body repeatedly, do not allow them to do so and keep the body covered. 

* Inform the immediate neighbours at once. Possibly, they will help you in the funeral and burial arrangements, and in informing your close relatives and those of the deceased. 

* Depending on your condition, offer "nafal" prayers (at least 2 raka'ahs) and pray to Allah (SWT) humbly that He may grant you strength and fortitude to bear this loss and grief. 

* Make burial arrangements from the money left behind by the deceased. 

* After this, if you know of any debts, loans or any other payments the deceased owed to anyone, pay them off from the money left over by the deceased. 

* If in case the deceased has not left behind enough money to cover these expenses, then his relatives and other Muslims must make these payments on his behalf. 

* If the deceased has left a will, it must be read as soon as possible in case there is something that has to be done immediately according to his wishes. For example, the deceased may have wanted to be given the final bath by a particular child of his. Or he might have requested that a particular Muslim brother or relative should lead his funeral prayers. Or it may be that he had forbidden his family from performing any un-Islamic rituals on this occasion etc. 

* If any wish has been expressed in the will that is contradictory to the Shariah, it should not be carried out. 

* On the timely arrival of close relatives, the place of burial and time of the funeral prayers can be decided with mutual consent. But delaying the burial simply to wait for the arrival of relatives who live in distant places, and placing the body in the mortuary is not recommended. Instead, make arrangements for a quick burial. Preferably the deceased should be buried in the very area where he died. 

* If the deceased had wronged anyone in the past or he had usurped anyone's rights, request the participants of the funeral to forgive him with an open heart. Keep repeating this request, bearing in mind those who join the gathering later. Moreover, besides praying yourself for the forgiveness of the deceased, also request visitors to pray for his "forgiveness"

http://mail.google.com/mail/#compose

TACSI GEERIDA MARXUUMAD KHADRA JIRDE XUSEEN

TACSI GEERIDA MARXUUMAD KHADRA JIRDE XUSEEN

Inaalilaah wa innaa ileyhi raajicuun,

Anigoo ka wakiil ah reer Cabdi Carwo iyo xaaskeyga Amaal Cumar Carte, waxaan tacsi u diryaa Reer Jirde Xuseen iyo reer Yuusuf Odawaa (reer Carmiye) oo ah ubadka ay ka geeriyootay habarwadaagtay marxuumad Khadra Jirde Xusseen oo maanta oo Jimce ah Taar. 03/07/2009 ku geeriyootay magaalada London U.K. Waxaan sidoo kale tacsideynayaa waalidka marxuumada , duriyadooda, ehel kale, asxaab, qaraabada, xigto iyo xigaal meel kasta ooy joogaanba, waxaan leeyahay samir iyo iimaan.

Marxuumad Khadra Jirde, waxay u jiiftay xanuun ayna ka kicin oo haleelay duqeentii iyo qaxii Hargeysa ee 1988, waxay ahayd ruux adkeysi badan oo wajigeeda farxad iyo soo-dhoweyn ku salaami jirtay cid kasta oo soo siyaarata. Waxaan ILLAAHAY uga baryayaa inuu dhibta soo martay iyo samirkeeda ugu deeqo naxariistiisa oo uu ka yeelo kuwa uu ku manaysto Janatul fardows. Waxaan si gaar ah ugu ducaynayaa Sucaad iyo Maryam oo muddadaas xanaano iyo adkeysi u lahaa xanuunka marxuumada oon habeen iyo maalin ka daalin xanaano joogta ah. ILLAAHAY waxaan uga baryayaa inuu samirka iyo kheyrka ay hooyo Khadra u fidiyeen ka abaal mariyo if iyo aakhiraba. Aamiin.

AASKA WAXAA LA XAQIIJIN KARAA ISNIINTA KU-TALAGALKU SE WAA SALAASADA 07/07/2009 IYO MAGAALADA LONDON .

Ahmed Arwo

Cardiff, U.K

07961 600 896

samotalis@gmail.com

http://samotalis.blogspot.com

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Posted By Samotalis to SAMOTALIS at 7/04/2009 01:24:00 AM

Somalia: Three Swedish citizens die in Jihad

 

Somalia: Three Swedish citizens die in Jihad

via Islam in Europe by Esther on 31/05/09

Somalia: Three Swedish citizens die in Jihad

According to Swedish newspaper Nerikes Allehanda three Swedish citizens have died fighting Jihad in Somalia.  It is known that a couple of Swedish-Somalis are heading the Hizb ul-Islam group.  According to this article there are about 20 Swedish citizens fighting Jihad in Somalia.  Previous news reports mentioned at least 15 Danish and 60 British citizens involved in the fighting.  Tundra Tabloid reportsthat many of today's leaders in Somalia are Finnish citizens.

The news story below adds another interesting fact: not all the JIhadists are Somalis.


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Several young men who left Sweden to join the radical Islamic militant group al-Shabaab in Somalia have been killed in battle, according to Sweden's security service Säpo.

Säpo estimates that about 20 people have left Sweden to train and fight with al-Shabaab, a militant group with alleged ties to al-Qaeda.

So far, a handful of people with Swedish passports have also been killed in the fighting, Säpo reports.

"For the time being, it is believed there are ten or so Swedes on the ground in Somalia. They are either taking part in the violence or in training camps, but there may be more as of yet unknown cases. What worries us is that it's ongoing and growing," said Säpo counterterrorism analyst Malena Rembe to the Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) newspaper.

The recruits aren't only Swedes with Somali backgrounds, but are also individuals of mixed ethnicity, according to Rembe.


(more)


Source: The Local (English)

See also:
* UK: 60 British youth fighting Jihad in Somalia
* Somalia: Discussions of Swedish-Somali terrorism
* Somalia: Somali-Swedes heading terror group
* Denmark: Somalis leaving to fight in Somalia

A Christian woman is close to becoming Muslim and is married to a (Muslim) man who does not pray. What is the ruling on her marriage?

A Christian woman is close to becoming Muslim and is married to a (Muslim) man who does not pray. What is the ruling on her marriage?

There is a Christian woman who lives in Canada and is married to a Muslim man. She wanted to find out about Islam, and she has learned a lot at close hand and wanted to embrace it some day, but she was frustrated because she sees that her husband is careless about prayer, and the matter is so bad that he stopped praying a few months ago, until now. After he lost his job, he started to stay at home and his wife is the one who works and spends on household expenses. He just sits at the computer, talks to women and watches permissive movies on the net. To make matters worse, the wife found out about that by means of spy programs.  
What advice can you offer them? Please note that scholars differ as to whether the one who does not pray is a kaafir. I hope that you can explain this issue to us according to both views. May Allaah bless you. And I hope that you could send us the answer in both Arabic and English. May Allaah reward you with good.

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly: 

The scholars are unanimously agreed that the one who does not pray because he denies that it is obligatory is a kaafir who is doomed to remain eternally in the fire of Hell if he dies in that state, but they differed concerning the one who does not pray, not because he denies that it is obligatory, but because he is lazy and heedless. The majority of them said that he should be asked to repent, and if he repents all well and good, otherwise he is to be executed as a hadd punishment. Others said that he should be given a disciplinary punishment (ta'zeer) and imprisoned until he starts to pray. So there are three opinions concerning this issue: 

The first opinion: that the one who does not pray is a kaafir, without differentiating between the one who denies it and the one who is lazy. This is the view of the Sahaabah, and no difference of opinion is known among them. Among those who hold this view are: Imam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) according to the more correct of the two opinions narrated from him, Ibn al-Mubaarak, Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh and Mansoor al-Faqeeh among the Shaafa'is. It was also narrated from Abu'l-Tayyib ibn Salamah among the Shaafa'is. 

The second opinion: that the one who does not pray because he is lazy and heedless, not because he denies it, is one of the evildoers among the Muslims, but he is not a kaafir. However, he should be asked to repent -- although they differed concerning the time that should be allowed for that -- then if he repents, all well and good, otherwise he is to be executed as a hadd punishment! Like the married adulterer, but he should be executed with the sword. This is the view of Maalik and his companions, and it is the view of al-Shaafa'i and most of his companions. 

The view that someone like this should be executed as a hadd punishment is subject to further discussion. We have explained the error of this opinion in the answer to question number 6035. 

The third opinion: that the person who does not pray deliberately, because he is lazy and heedless, although he acknowledges that it is obligatory, is not a kaafir and should not be executed, rather he should be given a disciplinary punishment (ta'zeer) and imprisoned until he begins to pray. 

This is the view of Imam Abu Haneefah (may Allaah have mercy on him) and his companions, and of a number of the people of Kufah, Sufyaan al-Thawri, and of al-Mazani the companion of al-Shaafa'i, but it is the weakest of the opinions. 

Many practical rulings are based on the difference in opinion on the ruling on one who does not pray, such as: whether he inherits, inheritance from him, whether he is to be washed and buried in the Muslim graveyard, whether the funeral prayer is to be offered for him, ruling on meat slaughtered or hunted by him, whether his marriage remains valid and other rulings. 

For those who say that the one who does not pray is a kaafir -- even if he does not deny it is obligatory -- all the rulings on apostates apply to him. So he cannot inherit or be inherited from, he cannot be washed (after he dies), he cannot be buried in the Muslim graveyard, the funeral prayer cannot be offered for him, meat slaughtered by him is not halaal and his marriage contract becomes invalid. 

For those who ruled that he is not a kaafir, the rulings mentioned above do not apply to him; rather he is regarded as an evildoer among the Muslims and one who is committing a major sin, but the majority of them say that he should be asked to repent, then if he does not pray, he is to be executed as a hadd punishment! Similarly -- in their view -- if he is married to a Christian or Jewish woman, then his marriage contract is deemed to be valid, and is the marriage contract between a Muslim man and a woman from the People of the Book. 

The more correct of these two opinions is the first one, because of the apparent meaning of the evidence from the Qur'aan and Sunnah, and because of the consensus of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) concerning that. 

This is what was stated in fatwas by shaykhs such as: Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem, 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen, the scholars of the Standing Committee and others, despite the difference of opinion concerning the hadd punishment which the one who does not pray is thought to deserve. 

Based on that: the marriage contract between this man and that woman is a marriage contract between an apostate and the Christian woman -- if she is still following her religion -- and her situation is less serious than his, because she is a woman of the People of the Book, whilst he is an apostate from his religion. 

See also the answers to questions number 2182, 5208, 33007 and 10094. 

Secondly: 

With regard to the woman asked about, if she has become Muslim, it is not permissible for her to stay with a man who does not pray. The ruling on that has been discussed above in detail. 

But if she is still a nonbeliever, then their are no rulings that have to do with her marriage to him, because they are both not Muslim. Neither of them is Muslim so that the rulings of sharee'ah would apply to their marriage. 

We advise her to leave this man and marry a man who is really a Muslim. Because he does not pray, he is not regarded as a Muslim, and the evils and sins that he commits are not part of the Muslim's attitude. Moreover, as seems to be the case to us from the question, he is lacking in chivalry and decency, because he agrees to his wife going out to work and bearing the burden of earning a living, whilst he sits at home. By Allaah, his attitude would be wrong even if he were staying home to read Qur'aan and pray, whilst his wife goes out to work and support him, so what should we say about him when he is staying home to commit sin and evil? 

What we say to this wife is: O female slave of Allaah, do not look at the religion on the basis of its people or on the basis of one of them; rather look at what there is in it of truth, goodness, honesty and righteousness. As for the people, if your husband is as you describe, then among the Muslims there are people who adhere to its etiquette, rulings and morals and manners apart from this man. There are still people, among both Muslims and non-Muslims, who are sincere, righteous and decent, and there are some who are not like that. But the attitude of the Muslim, if he still follows his religion properly is more sublime and more righteous and purer than the attitude of others. Think about it and you will find that this is true. Remember that most of the Muslims around you are interested in worldly gains and greed, and they have gone against the rulings of their religion which forbid living in the lands of the kuffaar for the sake of worldly gains and greed, so what kind of attitude do you expect from them? Very few of them adhere to the commands of their religion, or they are living there for a reason which makes that permissible. 

O female slave of Allaah, hasten and do not delay; do not let people and their attitudes be a barrier between you and light from your Lord. Every soul is a pledge for that which it has earned, and people will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection one by one, and no soul will bear the burden of another: it will get what it deserves, good or bad. So come to the light that you have seen, and beware of delaying, lest darkness overwhelm you and the light of guidance disappear. 

If there is something that is keeping you away from the light, remove it from your eyes no matter what it is, and hasten towards your Lord on His straight path. 

And Allaah knows best.

Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity

Summary of Friday Sermon

Delivered by Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad ^at, the Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

May 29 ^th, 2009

NOTE: Alislam Team takes full responsibility for any errors or miscommunication in this Synopsis of the Friday Sermon

Huzur cited verse 287 of Surah Al Baqarah. The translation reads: 'Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity. It shall have the reward it earns, and it shall get the punishment it incurs. Our Lord, do not punish us, if we forget or fall into error; and our Lord, lay not on us a responsibility as Thou didst lay upon those before us. Our Lord, burden us not with what we have not the strength to bear; and efface our sins, and grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us; Thou art our Master; so help us Thou against the disbelieving people.'  

Huzur delivered today's Friday Sermon in light of the elucidation of this verse as given by the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace).

Huzur explained that in the above verse the word 'wus'aha' (capacity) is used for humans to connote their limited capacity. However, generally speaking, for God the word Wasi (The Bountiful, the All-Embracing) is used to connote His boundless and limitless capacity. He is the Master of all powers, His knowledge is ceaseless therefore man cannot comprehend it. God does not give any such commandment which man cannot put in practice. It is man's duty to abide by the commandments. In Islam the commandments are in accordance with man's natural capacities therefore each person is answerable for his/her actions. Islam does not present the irrational concept that a pure Prophet of God was given an accursed death for the sake of negligent people. The Holy Qur'an declares that in accordance with the nature of man the commandments given are in line with human capacities and weaknesses. Man tries to do good works but that does not purify him completely as Hadith relates that the presence of Satan in us is like blood running through veins. As a result, any inadvertent sins, followed by genuine repentance and seeking God's forgiveness lead man towards piety. Man has to continually endeavour to bring about pious changes in himself. God's mercy is expansive and His forgiveness is all-embracing; He forgives. This is the teaching of the Holy Qur'an for which no penance is required.

In explaining the aforementioned verse Huzur gleaned/garnered twelve points from the elucidation of the Promised Messiah's (on whom be peace) writings. He said that God does not burden beyond their intellectual/mental capacity. However, He also teaches us the prayer of 'O my Lord increase my knowledge' (20:115). This is a prayer that was taught to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who was given knowledge the breadth of which even encompassed the Day of Judgement. At the time the Qur'an was being revealed God had full knowledge of the further treasures that were to be revealed. He therefore taught the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) this prayer so that he would continue to pray for increase in the sea of spiritual knowledge and cognisance that he already had.  When the Quranic revelations were complete the Prophet's prayer was that his followers would be in great need of this particular prayer.  Without doubt God states that He does not burden a soul beyond its capacity, does not hold it accountable until He has granted the requisite capacity, however, the teaching also entails that a believer should increase his/her knowledge and should augment his/her capacities.

Huzur said from the kind of knowledge that God gives to His Prophets the best and the most was given to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), yet he was also taught the prayer 'O Lord increase my knowledge'. If seeking of knowledge did not entail endeavour then the Hadith relating travel to China in search of knowledge would have been meaningless. However, despite the implied endeavour, knowledge cannot be attained without God's grace.

Mental capacity varies from person to person, depending upon one's natural ability to childhood factors, environment etc. God has assigned grades in this matter. If one attains knowledge in accordance with one's capacity, one will increase it. It must not be implied that one does not naturally or due to one's circumstances attain knowledge.

God is aware of everything because of His expansive knowledge. Therefore when God makes man liable [for His commandments] He does so in view of His knowledge. If man does not utilise his/her God-given capabilities he/she will be answerable for this. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that the words 'Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity' suggest that if man employs all his capacities to attain knowledge he will be the recipient of God's pleasure. Knowledge that increases one's perception of God causes one to further turn to Him. The Holy Quran states, '… Only those of His servants who possess knowledge fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Mighty, Most Forgiving.' 35:29. Huzur explained that the term 'who possess knowledge' does not refer to the so-called religious scholars of today. Rather, it denotes those who increase in their insight of God with every single boost to their knowledge; those on whom the [Urdu] poetic verse of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) applies: 'Whichever direction we look, it is a way [leading to] Your sight.'Huzur said this explain the true significance of the verse 'Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity' from an intellectual perspective.

Huzur said the second point he has garnered from the writings of the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) regarding the verse is that God only presents those creeds which are within the capacities of human comprehension. The verse before 2:287 cites the various beliefs; in angels, Books and Messengers. A Hadith relates that a white-clad person came to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and asked him what belief was.  To which the Prophet responded, 'That you affirm your faith in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and that you affirm your faith in the Day of Judgement and in Divine decree.' Huzur said if one is pious of nature one does not even have to look beyond this earth to affirm one's faith in God. The Holy Qur'an is a compilation of the truths revealed in previous scriptures as well as a correction of any flaws/interpolation they had. God Himself declared to safeguard the Qur'an, strengthening one's belief in its authenticity. He has also stated that there is nothing in the Qur'an that cannot be put in practice.  It was the misfortune of earlier people that they did not believe in the Prophets who came to them. Huzur said if the mental capacity of earlier people was less, the teaching that was revealed in their time was in accordance.

Huzur said God does not inconvenience anyone regarding the liability of the commandments of Salat and fasting. The ailing is allowed to offer Salat lying down; the traveller is allowed to shorten Salat. Similar concessions are in place for fasting. Indeed, Zakat is only obligatory on those with discretionary income/property and Hajj is also obligatory for those who can afford to travel, who have good health and can do so with peace. The commandments for all these aspects are in accordance to one's capacity and people of all sections of life have put these in practice.

The third factor that the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) has stated in this reference is that the practice of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) is a blessed model for us. The Qur'an states, 'Verily you have in the Prophet of Allah an excellent model, for him who fears Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah much.' (33:22). The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said we should try and follow the Prophet in everything. He said that had God not granted us the capacities to adopt the model of the blessed Prophet on a subordinate (shadow-like) level He would not have ever commanded us as above. Huzur said the excuse that as we cannot attain the lofty standard of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) we need not try does not free us from our obligations. There have been tens of millions in the ummah who have thus endeavoured and presented an example.  An ordinary believer can definitely follow the blessed model in accordance with his/her capacity.

The fourth aspect with reference to the verse 2:287 is that the advent of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) took place for the entire mankind. It is thus commanded to accept his teachings and he alone is now the source for salvation. However, if his teachings are not conclusively comprehended by one then that person would not be held accountable.  Huzur said even if such a person is a non-believer in accordance with the verse 2:287 he will not be accountable. Indeed, we are not allowed to interfere in this matter, it is entirely up to God to forgive whomsoever He chooses. We are not aware of the inner feelings of anyone and therefore we do not know who has not conclusively comprehended the teachings of Islam.

The fifth matter in this instance is that God does not compel man to do anything irrational. The Qur'an repeatedly mentions the word 'wisdom'. Each commandment is based on complete wisdom. In Quranic phraseology wisdom signifies to implement fairness and justice, to perfect knowledge and to present a proof for everything. Citing verse 220 of Surah Al Baqarah, the translation of which reads, 'They ask thee concerning wine and the game of hazard. Say: 'In both there is great sin and also some advantages for men; but their sin is greater than their advantage.' And they ask thee what they should spend. Say: 'What you can spare.' Thus does Allah make His commandments clear to you that you may reflect.' (2:220), Huzur said the commandment forbidding consumption of alcohol was revealed because intoxication prevents one from worship of God and it disturbs societal peace.  It is now a proven scientific fact that it affects brain cells. The addiction of gambling is similar in waste. Alcohol consumption and gambling also leads to volatility in temperament. When used in extremely low quantities for medicinal purpose, alcohol can be beneficial to man. However these amounts do not result in intoxication.

Explaining the sixth factor Huzur cited verse 174 of Surah Al Baqarah, 'He has made unlawful to you only that which dies of itself, and blood and the flesh of swine, and that on which the name of any other than Allah has been invoked. But he who is driven by necessity, being neither disobedient nor exceeding the limit, it shall be no sin for him. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.' (2:174), and said that Islamic Shariah does not put anyone is needless difficulty. In a situation of life and death one is allowed to consume what is otherwise forbidden. 

The seventh point is that all commandments of God are well within human capacities. They have not been sent down to put man in difficulty. God is Holy and High far above than to have done this.

The eighth aspect is that the conditions laid down for the implementation of the commandments are in accordance with the physical and mental capacities of everyone. It is therefore the obligation of each person to put them in practice in accordance to his/her capacity.

The ninth factor is that the entire commandments of the Holy Qur'an are practicable and none is a burden. Hadhrat 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the life and morals of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) were a practical depiction of the Holy Qur'an. Each person must try and put them in practice according to his/her capacity.

The tenth aspect is that God shows true dreams to people so that they may have an insight into the claims of Prophets. Huzur said God has put a trust in the nature of every person to understand the message of a Prophet of God. True dreams can be shown to the biggest of sinners.

The eleventh point is that non-compliance to commandments during childhood and due to mental disability is exempt from accountability.

The twelfth aspect is that if God's commandments are not put in practice in the prime of one's youth one will be held accountable. This is the age when one is capable of doing one's best, however, this is also the time when Nafse Ammara (the self that incites to evil) attacks one most frequently. Despite the fact that God does not burden a soul beyond its capacity if a person decides not to put His commandments in practice then he/she determines his/her own 'limits' or scope and is thus disobedient to God.

Hadhrat Musleh Maud, Khalifatul Masih II (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'from among evils only that evil will be punished which will have an implication of acquisition.'

Our Beloved God does not burden any soul and does not give difficult commandments, rather He forgives. He has thus taught us a prayer in the latter part of the verse 2:287.  Explaining this Huzur said despite the fact that the verse states 'Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity' a true believer should supplicate to God with reference to his/her humility and pray that no action of his/her should lead him/her to God's displeasure. Huzur said we should pray for steadfastness and development of faith. We should pray that may we never be the cause of any loss or harm to our Community. Huzur explained that the prayers towards the end of the verse are made in the plural thus drawing our attention to our communal responsibility. Huzur prayed that may we continue to employ all our God-given capacities as we traverse progress and advancement.

Ex-Soldier Spared Execution Over Iraq Rape

• A former US soldier who raped an Iraqi girl before killing her and her family has been spared the death penalty. Skip related content

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Private Steven Green was convicted of 16 counts of murder, rape and obstructing justice earlier this month.

But the jury in Kentucky were unable to agree over whether to execute him after 10 hours of deliberation.

Without a unanimous decision, the judge will have to sentence him to life in jail without the possibility of parole.

Abeer al-Janabi, 14, was targetted by a group of soldiers who plotted over beer and card games in Baghdad.

After the brutul sexual assault in March 2006, she was killed along with her parents and six-year-old sister.

They set Abeer's body on fire to destroy the evidence.

Three other soldiers are serving life sentences for their role, another is serving a 27 month term for acting as a lookout.

Green's lawyer had described him as a victim of the stresses of combat and a "broken warrior" who had been "failed" by the US.

He will be formally sentenced on September 4.

The Islamic Concept Of Money

The Islamic Concept Of Money

Dr. Nabulsi

Man is keen on his provision as much as he is keen on his life, so how does he get rid of worry about provision? How can he protect himself from committing sins for the sake of provision? How can he safeguard himself from being in a humiliating position for the sake of provision?

 

What is the Islamic concept of money? Who owns it? How is man entrusted with it, and why should he maintain it?  Why has Allah prohibited squandering and wasting money? Why has Islam imposed upon a Muslim to gain his provision by himself? Are there unlawful  ways of earning provision unknown to a great many Muslims? How does provision increase according to the Quran and the Prophetic Sunna? I hope that the following paragraphs will have decisive answers to these questions.

 

Allah has created the heavens and the earth and all the things existenting therein. He is the Only Owner of all things in existence. Allah says: "To Him belongs what is in the heavens and the earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil." [XX ; 6] According to this verse, money, which is in people's hands, belongs only to Allah. Another evidence is Allah's Words: "And give them something out of Allah's money which He has given to you." [XXIV ; 33]

 

In the above Verse, Allah calls money which is in people's hands Allah's money, but Allah, the Almighty, favoured His servants by making them heirs thereof. Allah says: "Believe in Allah and his Messenger, and spend (in charity) out of the (sustenance) whereof He has made you heirs. For those of you who believe and spend (in charity) – for them is a great Reward." [CVII ; 7]

 

According to the teachings of Islam, Ownership belongs to Allah, Alone; and man has only the right for disposal with the things that Allah bestows upon him including money. Allah, the Almighty, will ask him about this money: how he earned it, and how he spent it. In this context, Imam Muslim narrated on authority of Abu Sa'id Al-Khoudri (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (PBUH) said: "The present world is delightful and verdant, and Allah has made you heirs thereof in order to see what you do."

 

But when ownership of money is attributed to mankind, as in Allah's Words: "You shall certainly be tried and tested in your possessions and yourselves, and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Book before you and from polytheists. But if you preserve patiently and guard against evil, then that will be a determining factor in all affairs." [III ; 186], this does not mean that man is the owner of money, but rather that he has the right to utilize it as a kind of trial and test for him.

 

According to the Holy Quran, money is one of Allah's Favors which indicate His Mercy upon man. Allah bestowed it upon His Prophet (PBUH), saying: "Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter (and care)? And He found you straying, and He gave you guidance. And He found you in need, and made you independent." [XLIII ; 6-8]

 

Money is a Grace of Allah; and He called money Good. Allah says: "It is prescribed, when death approaches any one of you, if he leaves any Good that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable usage; this is due right on the pious." [II ; 180]

 

The Prophet (PBUH) commended money when he said: "It is very good that a righteous man has righteous money."[1]

 

It was narrated that some of the Prophet's Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) said that the Prophet (PBUH) said "I like to have money whereby I can preserve my honour and draw nearer to my Lord."

 

Allah, the Almighty, made clear that money is the essence of life and that peoples' lives depend thereon. To this effect, He, All-Mighty, says: "And give not unto the foolish your property, which Allah has made a means of support for you, but feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them words of kindness and justice." [IV ; 5]

Some interpreters of the Holy Quran said: this means that you live by it, and if you lose it, you will be lost. Thus, your life depends on it.

 

Since money is a great Divine Favor and the essence of human life, we should preserve it in order to fulfill our needs thereby. The Verse of Ad-Dain (i.e. debt), (II; 282), which is the longest verse in the Quran, affirms the necessity of preserving money by notarizing debts, calling upon witnesses, and taking mortgages.

                                                                                          

Islam prohibits wasting money, with which Allah has entrusted people. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Allah has prohibited three things: gossip, much questioning, and wasting money."[2]

 

In explanation of the above Hadith, Imam An-Nawawi said that wasting money means: spending it unlawfully or exposing it to damage. The reason for this prohibition is because that is conducive to corruption - and Allah does not like those who corrupt - and because whosoever wastes his own money, he is apt to transgress against people's money, which is utmost corruption.

 

Allah, All-Mighty, strongly prohibits At-Tabtheer (squandering); and He describes squanderers as brothers of Satan. Allah says: "And render to kindred their due right, as (also) to those in want, and to the wayfarer; but squander not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily, spendthrifts are brothers of the Evil One (Satan); and the Evil One is to his Lord ever ungrateful." [XVII ; 26-27]

 

At-Tabtheer (Squandering) can be precisely defined as: spending money unrightfully and in ways of disobedience to Allah. To this effect, narrated Imam Al-Boukhari: Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) said: "Do not squander" means "do not spend money in vain". Ibn Masa'oud also said: "Do not squander" means "do not spend money unrightfully". Imam Ash-Shawkani said that Satan is ungrateful, and a squanderer is Satan's brother; and consequently, a squanderer is ungrateful. If people comprehend and hearken to this fact, and abstain from squandering money in ways of disobedience and corruption, there will be plentiful money to satisfy the essential needs of all mankind. This is At-Tabtheer (squandering), but what about Al-Israf (wastefulness)?

 

One may not spend his money in ways of disobedience but rather in lawful ways, like food, drink, dwelling, clothes, decoration and ornaments …etc. yet one may go beyond bounds of moderation, whether in quantity, quality, or both. Allah says: "O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer, eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loves not those who are wasteful." [VII ; 31]

 

Allah has legalized eating and drinking, but He has prohibited wastefulness. In his interpretation of the Holy Quran, Ibn 'Abbas said: "In this verse, Allah has legalized eating and drinking unless wastefully or boastfully." Some exegetes also said: Grammatically, omitting the object in the phrase "but waste not by excess" indicates generalization, which means "do not be wasteful in anything, not only in eating and drinking. Also, Allah says that he does not like those who are wasteful because they wrong themselves, do harm to their bodies, waste their money, and lose their Hereafter. Moreover, Allah has prohibited stinginess which results in blame. Allah says: "Make not your hand tied (like a niggard's) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that you become blameworthy and destitute." [XVII ; 29]

 

In his interpretation of the above Verse, Al-Baidawi said: It comprises a couple of exemplifications that are meant to dispraise and forbid both stinginess and wastefulness and replace them by something moderate and laudable standing in the middle of both extremes, namely generousity.

 

Ibn kathir also said: Allah's Words "so that you become blameworthy and destitute" mean that if you are stingy, you will become blameworthy by people; and if you stretch your hand more than your ability, you will become destitute with nothing to spend, just like a riding animal that has become too weak to move on.

 

Safety is to be found in Moderation. Narrated Al-Baihaqi on authority of Abu Houraira: The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Three things are deliverers, and three things are destroyers. The deliverers are: fearing Allah secretly and openly, speaking the truth in content and discontent, and moderation in riches and poverty. The destroyers are: a followed caprice, an obeyed stinginess, and  self-admiration, which is the most dangerous of them all."[3]

 

Moderation in exspenditure is one of the good traits of Allah's righteous holy servants who, when they spend, they are not extravagant, nor are they niggardly, but they are moderate. Allah says: "Those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes)." [XXV ; 67]

 

Islam bids Muslims to work and exert every effort for earning livelihood, and considers seeking lawful livelihood as an obligation upon every Muslim, which comes directly after religious obligations such as prayer, fast, pilgrimage, and Zakat (almsgiving). Some scholars hold that an amount which is necessary for  man to perform obligations is an obligation in itself, because the thing without which obligations can not be performed is an obligation. Hence, earning money is an obligation for paying debts, because paying debts is an obligation. Earning money is an obligation for spending upon one's wife, children, and parents, because spending upon them is an obligation. Ibn Al-Jawzi narrated that Muhammad Ibn 'Asem said that whenever Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) saw a young man that called for his admiration, he would ask whether he had a job or not. If Omar was informed that the man had no job (i.e. idle), he would not show enough respect for him. Ibn Masa'oud (May Allah be pleased with him) said: I hate the man who lazes about doing nothing for the present world or the Hereafter.

 

Now, what about the perfect exemplars of earning livelihood? In fact, the Holy Prophets and Messengers of Allah, (PBUH), were the perfect exemplars of earning livelihood. This is because no human being, even a Holy Prophet or Messenger is above the need of earning a living. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, says: "And the Messengers whom We sent before you were all (men) who ate food and walked through the streets; We have made some of you as a trial for others, will you have patience? And Allah is One Who sees (all things)." [XXV ; 20] This means that the Holy Prophets and Messengers are mere human beings that have the same human qualities like other fellow humans, and, being as such, they are good exemplars of human beings. One of their human qualities is that they are in need to have food, and in order to gain it, they are in need to work.

Narrated Imam Al-Boukhari on authority of Al-Miqdam Ibn Ma'd Yakrib (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (PBUH) said: "No one has ever eaten any food better than eating from the work of his own hand; and Allah's Prophet David ate from the work of his own hand."

 

Our Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), the leader of all Prophets and Messengers and the most honoured and beloved of all mankind in the sight of Allah, All-Mighty, used to pasture sheep, for a little money, for the people of Mecca. In this context, narrated Imam Al-Boukhari on authority of Abu Houraira: The Prophet (PBUH) said: "All of the Prophets whom Allah has sent forth did pasture sheep." His companions asked him: "Even you, O messenger of Allah!" He said: "And I used to pasture them (i.e. sheep) for Qarareet (i.e. a little money) for the people of Mecca." Hence, work is an honour for man.

 

Through his directions and attitudes – not as a Prophet and Messenger of this nation, but as the leader thereof – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made clear that it is the duty of Muslim rulers to provide jobs for the unemployed, to habilitate them psychologically and physically. Narrated Abu Dawoud on authority of Anas Ibn Malik (May Allah be pleased with him): A man of the Helpers came to the Prophet (PBUH) and asked him for some money. But the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Is not there anything in your house? He said: "Yes, there is a rug on which we sit, and a vessel by which we drink water." He (PBUH) said: "Fetch them to me!" So the man  fetched them, and the Prophet (PBUH) took them and said to his Companions: "Who wants to buy these things?" A man said: "I'll buy them for one Dirham?" The Prophet (PBUH) called out: "Who pays more?" twice or three times, when a man said: "I'll take them for two Dirhams!" So the Prophet (PBUH) gave him the things, took the two Dirhams and gave them to the Helper man sayig: "Buy food by one Dirham and give it to your family, and buy an axe by the other, and bring it to me." So the man went and brought an axe; and the Prophet (PBUH) fixed a stick into it by his holy hands; and then he said: "Go and gather firewood, then sell it, and do not come back to me until fifteen days are up!" So the man went, gathered and sold some firewood. Then he came back after he had earned ten Dirhams, by some of which he bought clothes and food. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "This is better for you than coming on the Day of Judgment with a mark of mendicancy on your face. Mendicancy is appropriate only for three (kinds of) people: an extremely poor man, a man heavily endebted, and a man charged with heavy blood-money."

 

By virtue of the above Hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) habilitated this unemployed man psychologically when he ordered him to bring food to his family in order not to worry about them for a while and to devote himself to work. He also habilitated him materially, when he provided him with a tool to work thereby, after having fixed a stick to the axe the man had bought. The more important thing the Holy Prophet did was that he (PBUH) waited to see the consequences of the man's work, as he gave him fifteen days in order to see the extent of his success or failure.

 

Some of the directions that Omar Ibn Al-Khattab used to give to the governors that he appointed were: "Allah has made us His Viceroys over His creatures in order to provide food for them, to preserve their honour, and to provide jobs for them. If we accomplish such things for them, we deserve their gratitude and thankfulness. These hands have been created in order to work; but if they do not find a (decent) work of obedience, they seek (evil) works of disobedience. Therefore, get them involved in (decent) works of obedience before they get you involved in their (evil) works of disobedience."

 The above-mentioned was about the Islamic concept of money and the lawful ways of earning and spending it. But what about unlawful ways of earning money and eating up people's money unrightfully. Allah says: "And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that you may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property." [II ; 188]

 

The Verse "Do not eat up your property…" indicates a serious fact, namely sincere brotherhood, which Muslims should enjoy among themselves. This brotherhood is substantiated by the feeling that your brother's property is yours; and that it is your duty to preserve it and safeguard it from being wasted or damaged as if it were yours, and, hence, more deservedly, to abstain from eating it up unrightfully.

The Verse also indicates that if you eat up your brother's property, you weaken him, and, hence weaken your own self as well. It was narrated in "Sahih Al-Boukhari" And "Sahih Muslim" that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Every Muslim is sacrosanct for another Muslim: his property, his blood, and his honour."

 

Allah says: "And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that you may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property." [II ; 188]

 

One example of eating up people's property in vanities is usury, whereby money produces money, work is hindered, unemployment spreads, prices go up, money becomes monopolized by rich people, and the gap between the poor and the rich becomes wider. Imam Muslim narrated that Jabir said: "The Prophet (PBUH) damned the one who eats up usury and the one who helps him eat up usuary, the one who writes (contracts) of usuary and the two witnesses thereof. Then he said: they are all alike (in evil and punishment)."

 

Onother example of eating up people's property in vanities is cheating, which is of many kinds and forms, most of which are attributed to deception by showing something and concealing another within it, as when one lies in describing something, like, for instance, to describe a bad thing as being good or a cheap commodity as being expensive. It is cheatful to mingle a bad commodity with a good one and to sell them as if they were both good, or when a seller claims falsely that he has bought a commodity for so-and-so in order to conceal his real profit thereof. It is cheatful to conceal defects or to defraud in weights, measures, numbers, length, or size…etc. It is cheatful to hide place of manufacture or production of a commodity or its date of expiry, or to change its qualities. It is cheatful to show a certain commodity in such a way as to make it seem better than it really is or to hide the bad qualities thereof. It is cheatful to allure a customer to buy a bad out-of-date or little-in-demand commodity or overcharge him, which is a most grievous kind of injustice and transgression.

 

Islam also strongly prohibits customers to underestimate commodities or eploit the seller's ignorance of the real value or price of his commodity. That is why the Messenger of Allah, (PBUH), forbade receiving new comers to the market-place because they might be ignorant of the real price of their commodities.

 

A third example of eating up people's property in vanities is monopoly, which can be defined  as: withholding a commodity and abstaining from selling it until its price becomes higher than usual because of its scarcity, non-existence or bad need thereof. Imam Abu Yousuf said: "Everything whose withholding causes harm to people is monopoly." Some scholars also hold: "Every deception which results in increasing the demand for a certain commodity and scarcity thereof, in order to increase its price, is monopoly." This is because the extra profit, which a monopolist gains, is unlawful, for it is not in return for an extra amount of commodity, improvement of the qualities thereof, or an extra service offered by the seller. Also, this extra price is not charged out of the real contentment of the buyer but rather his urgent need of the commodity, which he is forced to buy for more than its real value.

 

By virue of a great many Prophetic Hadiths, a monopolist is cursed, wrongful and deprived of the Mercy of Allah, All-Mighty, Who promises him to enter Hell-Fire. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "No one monopolizes unless one is wrongful."

 

A Provider is well repaid, but a Monopolizer is cursed. And whosoever monopolizes food in order to raise its price and gain extra profit is disconnected with Allah and deprived of His Mercy. How evil a monopolist is! If Allah decreases prices, he is discontented; and if He increases them, he is pleased. Whosoever abstains from monopolizing, out of fear from Allah and mercy to fellow humans, attains the sublime qualities that Muslims should enjoy in both manners and transactions.

 

Some unlawful ways of earning livelihood might be unknown to many Muslims; but such evil ones as gambling, stealing, Ghulul (taking something unlawfully from booties before distribution thereof), bribery, usurpation, and plunder, are common and well-known examples of eating up people's property in vanities.

 

 Now, the question is: Is there any means to increase provision mentioned in the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Sunna?! Taking into consideration that every man is keen on increasing his provision, I put forward some texts and leave it up to dear readers to deduce the relevant rules.

 

First Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and Uprightness?

Allah, Most Gracious, says: "If they had only remained on the Right Way, We should certainly have bestowed on them rain in abundance." [CXXII ; 16], "If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah, We should indeed have opened out to them (All kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth; but they rejected (the truth), and We brought them to book for their misdeeds." [VII ; 96]

 

Second Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and Prayer?

Consider Allah's Words: "Enjoin prayer on your people, and be constant therein. We ask you not to provide sustenance; We provide it for you. But the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for righteousness." [XX ; 132]

 

Third Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and Asking Allah's Forgiveness?

Contemplate Allah's Words: "So I said: 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord, for He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance. And give you increase of wealth and sons, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water)." [CXXI ; 10-12]

 

Fifth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and being grateful to Allah?

Deliberate Allah's Words: "And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicity): 'If you are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you; but if you show ingratitude, truly My Punishment is terrible indeed." [XIV ; 7]

 

Sixth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and maintenance of kinship ties?

Consider the Holy Prophet's words: "Whosoever likes that his provision be increased and his lifetime extended, let him maintain ties with his kin."[4]

 

Seventh Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and giving charities?

It was narrated in Prophetic Tradition: "Seek increase of Provision by giving charities, for charities increase Provision."

 

Eighth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and honesty?

Consider the following Hadith: "Honesty is Riches". In the every sense of the word, Honsty is the best policy; and an honest person wins not only people's money but their trust and confidence as well.

 

Nineth Question: Is there a relationship between Provision and perfection of one's work?

Contemplate the following Hadith: "Allah loves that if a slave (of His) does something to do it well."  In other words, he who does his job well is loved not only by Allah, All-Mighty, but by other fellow humans as well; and, consequently, his provision is enlarged.

   

To wrap up, principles, values, and ideals do not exist except through a living model that substantiates them and turns them into actual realities. In other words, a living model is an eternal human pattern and model for the forthcoming generations.

 

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[1] - It was narrated by Ahmad, and it is a True Hadith.

 

[2] - It is a True Hadith, narrated by Al-Boukhari and Muslim.

 

[3] - It was narrated by Al-Baihaqi in "Sho'ab Al-Iman"  (7252).

 

[4] - It is agreed upon.

Appeals court refuses to ratify khulwa verdict

Appeals court refuses to ratify khulwa verdict Laura Bashraheel | Arab News

JEDDAH: The Court of Cassation has refused to ratify a sentence handed to a 75-year-old widow who was accused of khulwa (illegal seclusion) with two young men, who were reportedly bringing her bread. Khamisa Sawadi and the two men, including her late husband's 25-year-old nephew, were sentenced to 40 lashes and four months in prison by a court in Al-Shamli town in Hail province. Sawadi, a Syrian national who was married to a Saudi, was convicted and sentenced in March. She previously told the court that she considered her late husband's nephew, Fahd Al-Anzi, her son because she breast-fed him when he was a baby. But the court rejected her claim, saying she had no evidence. In Islamic law, breast-feeding establishes a degree of maternal relation. Sawadi met the men last June after she asked Al-Anzi to bring her five loaves of bread. Al-Anzi and his friend and business partner, Hadiyan bin Zein, were arrested by members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice when they came out of Sawadi's home after delivering her bread. Sawadi's lawyer, Abdul Rahman Al-Lahem, said the verdict was against the principles of Shariah. "Islam has given women different and simpler rules to follow when they become old," he said, citing the example of covering the face. "The judge was supposed to deal with this woman on that basis," the lawyer added. The Court of Cassation has returned the case to Al-Shamli court with several observations on the previous verdict, including the rejection of her breastfeeding claim and the fact that she is old. The court said it based its March 3 ruling on information from citizens and the testimony of Al-Anzi's father, who accused Sawadi of corruption. "The villagers confirmed that he is her breast-fed son," Al-Lahem said, adding that khulwa takes place in a closed place where there are no other witnesses. "Sawadi's house is only a tent. Everyone could see her," the lawyer said. Sawadi now lives in Riyadh with her daughter and refuses to speak to the press.