Ahlan Wasahlan ya Ramadhan!
aL-Qalam “Oh ye who believe! Seek assistance through patience and prayer; surely Allah is with the patient.� [2:153]
issue 3 | august 2010 | ramadhan 1431
a publication by UMIS
O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may guard (against evil). [al-Baqara: 183]
Editor’s Note “In the name of Allah; most Gracious, most Merciful”
How often do we ponder upon the sacrifices of our moth-
er? Sometimes, we forget to thank her for every ounce of unconditional love showered. Even more importantly, how frequently do we reflect upon the good health that Allah has bestowed on us? Do we remember to thank Allah every time we reach into our pockets to pay for the next hearty meal? Dear brothers and sisters in Islam, The Islamic companionship, silaturrahim that we hold dear will never perish if we are always thankful to Him. Thank we must, for by remembering our blessings, Allah will reward us even more. “That Allah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace: for Allah does provide for those whom He will, without measure.” [24:38] As the days wear on, our most honourable Guest draws near. If we welcome our Guest with open arms, we will be abundantly rewarded. If ignored, we face a potential loss because there is no guarantee we will ever meet this Guest again.
HIGHLIGHTS: Dear Diary: Ramadhan 1430H
4
Ramadhan Check-list
5
The Inner Dimentions of Fasting
6
Only Qur’an on Her Tongue
8
The Muslim’s Question in Europe
11
Fasting: Stronger or Sleepier?
12
Letter to A Disciple
22
La-Tahzan
24
The Guest presents ‘the Night of Decree’ in which the multitudes of rewards are promised by the Almighty. In broad daylight, we fast; in the wee hours of the night, we extend our prayers and supplication in fear and with sincerity. To Allah shall we be thankful, for with His Grace and Will, Ramadhan has come to visit us once more. So, let us fall in prostration and draw nearer to Allah. Ramadhan and fasting have always been inextricably linked, for the latter almost wholly defines the former. With every churn of an empty stomach, our hearts melt in thought of the less fortunate, the poor and needy, and their enduring plight for survival. In the Holiest of months, Allah prescribes us to feel what it is like to be hungry and thirsty, as a reminder to be thankful for whatever we have, however little it may be. Isn’t it a wonder that Allah gives us an abundance of rewards in this month, especially through charity, Zakat? Or that Ramadhan glorifies the revelation of the Quran and beholds Laylatul Qadr, the Night of Decree (al-Qadr) when all the supplication and prayers performed on that night are multiplied in great significance? Yes, Ramadhan al-Mubarak will only be meaningful if we treasure every grain of sand as it trickles down the hour glass; as even our Messenger made du’a to Allah in the month of Shaaban to see the Muslims safely into Ramadhan – only then would we be able to reap all the rewards promised by Him, and only then would we be deemed to have successfully exploited this golden opportunity. This Ramadhan, let us not take a single breath for granted – seize the moment and improve our inner spiritual selves. Let not even a tinge of hatred, selfishness or arrogance, taint the purity of our hearts. There shall be times when our eyes and body will long for rest after nights of ibadah, prayers, supplication and Quran reciting; but we continue to soldier on and persevere to seek Allah’s pleasure, for it is the ultimate goal of our existence. Truly, the eyes that stay awake now will sleep soundly in the grave.
SPECIAL THANKS TO SUB-EDITORS:
Again, Allahu akbar; let us fall in prostration to Allah.
Alev Girgin Noor Leena Haniffah Umairah Joffri Fatima Kurnaz
Hold on, have you done your Ramadhan check-list? Check out ours on page 5! Jazakallah.
Ibnu Othman
aL-Qalam Editorial Board
Dear Diary:
Ramadhan 1430H
Torn pages from an old diary...
your stomach shall be churning for a few more hours. And when Maghrib arrives, the tamar tastes the sweetest, and even plain water has an added ‘sweetness’ to it. Astaghfirullah, do our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who do not share the same rezeki keep going on in this physical state for days and weeks, till they die from this condition? From starvation and thirst? Is this how they feel? I made a silent du’a for the Palestinians, and the other Muslims around the world, every time I slipped a tamar into my mouth.
T
he Holiest of months crept up on me weeks before it started. Blame it on the many generous iftar invitations, which were handed out early to avoid time clashes. Or perhaps it was a bother brewing at the back of my mind: Raya (Eid-ul Fitr) away from Home. “Poor Leena - breaking fast alone. You’re always welcomed to join us at Baitul Hikmah every day!” Every iftar, I attended with the same excitement as the very first; full of joy and gratefulness. Prior to this, iftar was all about visiting bazaar Ramadhan, picking my favourite karipap (curry puff), my sister’s favourite tebu (sugar cane drink) and mamak Penang’s delectable beriyani. To my utmost delight, the food at iftars were so reminiscent of that found at home, I frequently forgot the 6000km of land and sea separating me from home. Of course, the precious and always cheerful company made iftar sessions one of the most unforgettable moments of Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah. Our new musollah had just been completed,
4 al-qalam
Once again, we raced with time, and the next thing I knew, we were already facing the last 10 days of Ramadhan, praying for the night better than a Thousand months, and we brothers and sisters were very much Laylatul Qadr. looking forward to our new ibadah meeting place. Entering the beautifully designed One’s soul is at such peace when one prays and completely facilitated musollah made in the early hours of the morning or recites everyone forget the gloom of walking down the Quran, but it’s even more beautiful the dark unnamed alley of Little Pelham St when you make the time to do ibadah Toleading to its front door, or how disappoint- gether. After all, we are but weak humans. ing it looks from the outside. As we low- If we truly love each other, then we must ered our forehead to the ground every night Help one another towards the Straight of Ramadhan during tarawikh, insya-Allah Path. The way of those whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) we added more berakah to our musollah. is not wrath, and who go not astray. After witr, as I enjoy my company during the walk home, I would frequently lift my Time flies, and before I knew it, I was being face up towards the heavens, to be greeted invited for Eid feasts! by the beautiful vast sky, the dark and mysterious universe. And I would search for Thank You, Ya Allah, for what has indeed the stars, and especially, the elegant Moon. been a Blessed Ramadhan, full of kindness, generosity, and ibadat. This Ramadhan has Subhanallah. been precious, and I was sad to send our Undeniably, there is a certain magic during noble visitor off. I desperately pray that I this period of the year, and you can almost shall be able to once again open my arms to feel the malaikats around you, think the this noble visitor, same time come next year. chirping of the birds are praying for your I pray we all would. Insya-Allah. Taqabpuasa, fasting. Indeed, fasting is not only balallahu minna wa min kum! about abstaining from eating and drinking, and I often think that there is a wonder- Noor Leena Haniffah ful state of peacefulness your mind achieves from accepting the fact that your lust for food shall not be entertained, and that
RAMADHAN
Check-list
al-qalam 5
The
Inner
Dimensions of
FASTING
Imam al-Ghazali, may God be pleased with him, is a celebrated 12th century scholar of Islam who made significant contributions in the fields of Islamic theology, jurisprudence, philosophy, cosmology and psychology, to name but a few. One of his most popular works is the ihya’ `ulum al-din or the ‘Revival of Religious Sciences’ in which he combined Islamic spirituality with practical everyday actions by emphasizing the underlying psychology of these practices and their ramification on life in this world and the Hereafter. This is an extract from the Imam’s ‘Inner Dimensions of Islamic Worship’ translated by Martin Lings.
Three Grades
I
t should be known that there are three grades of fasting: ordinary, special and extra-special. Ordinary fasting means abstaining from food, drink and sexual satisfaction.
keeping of all one’s organs free from sin and six things are required for its accomplishment.
See Not What Displeases God
Special Fasting means keeping one’s ears, eyes, tongue, hands and feet - and all other organs -- free from sin. Extra-special Fasting means fasting of the heart from unworthy concerns and worldly thoughts, in total disregard of everything but God, Great and Glorious is He. This kind of Fast is broken by thinking of worldly matters, except for those conducive to religious ends, since these constitute provision for the Hereafter and are not of this lower world. Those versed in the spiritual life of the heart have even said that a sin is recorded against one who concerns himself all day with arrangements for breaking his Fast. Such anxiety stems from lack of trust in the bounty of God, Great and Glorious is He, and from lack of certain faith in His promised sustenance. To this third degree belong the Prophets, the true awliya and the intimates of God. It does not lend itself to detailed examination in words, as its true nature is better revealed in action. It consists in utmost dedication to God, Great and Glorious is He, to the neglect of everything other than God, Exalted is He. It is bound up with the significance of His words: ‘Say: “Allah (sent it down)”: then leave them to play in their vain discussions.’ [al-An’am, 6:91]
A chaste regard, restrained from viewing anything that is blameworthy or reprehensible, or that distracts the heart and diverts it from the remembrance of God, Great and Glorious is He. Said the Prophet, on him be peace: ‘The furtive glance is one of the poisoned arrows of Satan, on him be God’s curse. Whoever forsakes it for fear of God will receive from Him, Great and Glorious is He, a faith the sweetness of which he will find within his heart.’ Jabir relates from Anas that God’s Messenger, on him be peace, said: ‘Five things break a man’s Fast: lying, backbiting, gossiping, perjury and a lustful gaze.’
Inward Requirements
Speak Not...
As for Special Fasting, this is the kind practised by the righteous. It means
Guarding one’s tongue from idle chatter, lying, gossiping, obscenity, rudeness,
6 al-qalam
arguing and controversy; making it observe silence and occupying it with remembrance of God, Great and Glorious is He, and with recitation of the Quran. This is the fasting of the tongue. Said Sufyan: ‘Backbiting annuls the Fast.’ Layth quotes Mujahid as saying: ‘Two habits annul Fasting: backbit-
i n g and telling lies.’ The Prophet, on him be peace, said: ‘Fasting is a shield; so when one of you is Fasting he should not use foul or foolish talk. If someone attacks him or insults him, let him say: “I am Fasting, I am Fasting!”’ According to Tradition: ‘Two women were Fasting during the time of God’s Messenger, on him be peace. They were so fatigued towards the end of the day, from hunger and thirst, that they were on the verge of collapsing. They therefore sent a message to God’s Messenger, on him be peace, requesting permission to break their Fast. In response, the Prophet, on him be peace, sent them a bowl and said: “Tell them to vomit into it what they have eaten.” One of them vomited and half filled the bowl with fresh blood and tender meat, while the
other brought up the same so that they filled it between them. The onlookers were astonished. Then the Prophet, on him be peace, said: “These two women have been Fasting from what God made lawful to them, and have broken their Fast on what God, Exalted is He, made unlawful to them. They sat together and indulged in backbiting, and here is the flesh of the people they maligned!”’
Hear Not... Closing one’s ears to everything reprehensible; for everything unlawful to utter is likewise unlawful to listen to. That is why God, Great and Glorious is He, equated the eavesdropper with the profiteer, in His words, Exalted is He: ‘Listeners to falsehood, consumers of illicit gain.’ [al- Ma’idah, 5:42]
Avoid Overeating Not to over-indulge in lawful food at the time of breaking Fast, to the point of stuffing one’s belly. There is no act of excessive indulgence more odious to God, Great and Glorious is He, than a belly stuffed full with lawful food. Of what use is the Fast as a means of conquering God’s enemy and abating appetite, if at the time of breaking it one not only makes up for all one has missed during the daytime, but perhaps also indulges in a variety of extra food? It has even become the custom to stock up for Ramadan with all kinds of foodstuffs, so that more is consumed during that time than in the course of several other months put together. It is well known that the
God, Great and Glorious is He, also said: ‘Why do their rabbis and priests not forbid them to utter sin and consume unlawful profit?’ [al-Ma’idah, 5:63] Silence in the face of backbiting is therefore unlawful. God, Exalted is He, said: ‘You are then just like them.’ [alNisa, 4:140] That is why the Prophet, on him be peace, said: ‘The backbiter and his listener are copartners in sin.’
Do Not... Keeping all other limbs and organs away from sin: the hands and feet from reprehensible deeds, and the stomach from questionable food at the time for breaking Fast. It is meaningless to Fast - to abstain from lawful food - only to break one’s Fast on what is unlawful. A man who Fast like this may be compared to one who builds a castle but demolishes a city. Lawful food is injurious in quantity not in quality, so Fasting is to reduce the former. A person might well give up excessive use of medicine, from fear of ill effects, but he would be a fool to switch to taking poison. The unlawful is a poison deadly to religion, while the lawful is a medicine, beneficial in small doses but harmful in excess. The object of Fasting is to induce moderation. Said the Prophet, on him be peace: ‘How many of those who Fast get nothing from it but hunger and thirst!’ This has been taken to mean those who break their Fast on unlawful food. Some say it refers to those who abstain from lawful food, but break their Fast on human flesh through backbiting, which is unlawful. Others consider it an allusion to those who do not guard their organs from sin.
object of Fasting is to experience hunger and to check desire, in order to reinforce the soul in piety. If the stomach is starved from early morning till evening, so that its appetite is aroused and its craving intensified, and it is then offered delicacies and allowed to eat its fill, its taste for pleasure is increased and its force exaggerated; passions are activated which would have lain dormant under normal conditions. The spirit and secret nature of Fasting is to weaken the forces which are Satan’s means of leading us back to evil. It is therefore essential to cut down one’s intake to what one would consume on a normal night, when not Fasting. No benefit is derived from the Fast if one consumes as much as one would usually take during the day and night combined. Moreover, one of the properties consists in taking little sleep during the daytime, so that one feels the hunger and thirst and becomes conscious of the weakening of one’s powers, with the consequent purification of the heart. One should let a certain degree of weakness carry over into the night, making it easier to perform the (tahajjud) and to recite the praises (awrad). It may then be that Satan will not hover around one’s heart, and that one will behold the Kingdom of Heaven. The Night of Destiny represents the night on which some-
thing of this Kingdom is revealed. This is what is meant by the words of God, Exalted is He:’We surely revealed it on the Night of Power.’ [al-Qadr, 97:1] Anyone who puts a bag of food between his heart and his breast becomes blind to this revelation. Nor is keeping the stomach empty sufficient to remove the veil, unless one also empties the mind of everything but God, Great and Glorious is He. That is the entire matter, and the starting point of it all is cutting down on food.
Look To God With Fear And Hope After the Fast has been broken, the heart should swing like a pendulum between fear and hope. For one does not know if one’s Fast will be accepted, so that one will find favor with God, or whether it will be rejected, leaving one among those He abhors. This is how one should be at the end of any act of worship one performs. It is related to al-Hasan ibn Abil Hasan al-Basri’s saying that he once passed by a group of people who were laughing merrily. He said: ‘God, Great and Glorious is He, has made the month of Ramadan a racecourse, on which His creatures compete in His worship. Some have come in first and won, while others have lagged behind and lost. It is absolutely amazing to find anybody laughing and playing about on the day when success attends the victors, and failure the wasters. By God, if the veil was lifted off, the doer of good would surely be preoccupied with his good works and the evildoer with his evil deeds.’ In too full of joy to indulge in idle sport, while for one who has suffered rejection laughter will be precluded by remorse. Of al-Ahnaf ibn Qays it is reported that he was once told: ‘You are an aged elder; Fasting would enfeeble you.’ But he replied: ‘By this I am making ready for a long journey, Obedience to God, Glorified is He, is easier to endure than His punishment.’ Such are the inwardly significant meanings of Fasting.
al-qalam 7
Only QUR’AN on her tongue T
Isra: he following story is very telling in showing the pi- “Glory be to Him who took His slave on a journey by ety of a woman who, when she spoke, spoke nothing night from the Masjid al-Haram to the Masjid al-Aqsa.” but verses from the Qur’an out of fear of falling into sin: I understood that she had made the pilgrimage and wanted to go to Jerusalem. I asked her: Abdullah Bin Mubarak narrates: “How many days have you been here?” One time I had set out with the aim of performing the hajj at Allah’s Sacred House, the Kaabah and visiting the She replied with the 10th verse of Chapter Mariam: tomb of the Prophet s.a.w, when I saw something black “For three nights despite the fact that you are perfectly in the middle of the road. I looked carefully and saw that able.” it was a woman with a cloak made of wool on her back “Don’t you have anything to eat?” I asked her. and a veil of wool over her head. I greeted her: “Salamu alaykum wa rahmetullahi wa barakatuhu (May She read the 79th verse of the chapter Shu’ara: “He who gives me food and gives me drink.” the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you)”. She replied from chapter YaSin of the Qur’an: “Peace!” A word from a Merciful Lord”.
“How can you perform the ablution in this dry desert?” I asked her.
“May Allah bring you good! What are you doing here?” I She replied with the 43rd verse of Chapter Nisa: “(If) you cannot find any water, then do tayammum asked. [cleanse yourself] with pure earth.” She replied with the 186th verse of Chapter A’raf: “I have something to eat with me. Would you like to eat?” “If Allah misguides people, no one can guide them.” I asked. She responded with a part of the 187th verse of chapter Baqara: I realised that she had lost her way. So I asked her: “Where do you want to go?” “... then fulfil the fast until the night appears.” She replied with a portion of the first verse of Chapter 8 al-qalam
“This is the month of Ramadan,” I said. She answered I understood that she had sons in the group. I asked: with a portion of the 158th verse of chapter Baqara: “What is their role in the pilgrimage group?” “If anyone spontaneously does good, Allah is All-Thank- She read the 16th verse of Chapter Nahl: ful, All-Knowing.” “As well as other means of orientation; for it is by the stars that men find their way.” “To break the fast is permissible when you are on a journey,” I said. She responded with a part of 184th verse of I understood that her sons were the guides of the carachapter Baqara: van. Indicating the tents I asked her: “Which of them are you sons?” “But that you should fast is better for you, if only you knew.” She answered: “Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend, and Allah spoke directly to Musa. Yahya, take hold of the “Why don’t you speak to me in the way that I am speak- Book with vigour.”* ing to you?” I asked her. She answered by reading he 18th verse of chapter Qaf: I then shouted to the caravan: “O Ibrahim, O Musa, O Yahya.” Three young men radiant as the moon came out. “He does not utter a single word, withWhen they came and sat down, their mother recited out a watcher by him, pen in hand.” to them from the 19th verse of Chapter Kahf: “Shall I let you mount my camel and take you to your tribe?” I asked her. She replied with a portion of verse 197 from chapter Baqara:
“Send one of your number into the city with this silver you have, so he can see which food is purest and bring you some of it to eat.” One of the young men went to purchase something to eat and placed it in front of them. The women read the following verse from Chapter Haqqah:
“Whatever good you do, Allah knows it.” I got my camel ready for her to mount it. She read a part of the 30th verse of chapter Nur: “Say to the believers that they should lower their eyes.”
did
“Eat and drink with relish for what you before in days gone by!”^
While she climbed up onto the camel, she read a portion of the 13th and 14th verses of chapter Zukhruf: I said to the sons of the woman: “May your food be unlawful for me if you do not inform me of your mother’s “Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us. We could state.” never have done it by ourselves.” Upon this the young men said: When we started moving she read from the 20th verse of “For 40 years now, our mother has spoken nothing but Chapter Muzemmil: verses from the Qur’an out of fear of falling into error be“Recite as much of the Qur’an as is easy for you.” fore Allah, the Most Merciful.”
Inspired by the 269th verse of chapter Baqara I then said: I then read from Chapter Jumu’ah: “He who has been given wisdom has been given great “That is Allah’s favour which He gives to whoever He good.” wills. Allah’s favour is indeed immense.”~ I said to her: “You have been given much good.” She finished this *Surah An-Nisa: 125, 164 & Surah Maryam: 12. verse: ^Surah Haqqah: 24 “But no one pays heed but people of intelligence.” ~ Surah Jumu’ah: 4 At last we reached her caravan. “Here is your caravan. Who do you have in it?” I asked. She read from the 46th Taken from Civilisation of Virtues by Osman Nuri verse of Chapter Khaf: TOPBAS, chapter of Faith and Worship. “Wealth and sons are the embellishment of the life of this world.” al-qalam 9
In Light of the Blessed Month of
Ramadhan
Assalamualaikum
, may peace be upon all of you, my dearest brothers and sisters of Islam. Hope all of you are in the best state of iman, taqwa and health. Alhamdulillah, all praises to Allah s.w.t for it looks as though He has allowed for us to experience yet another 30 days of the mystical month of Ramadhan. We ought to be thankful and fortunate for that.
and their only condiment is anguish and envy. Their only source of water can be found in the teardrops flowing from their eyes. Their garment by day is the burning sunshine, at night their bed and coverlet are made of moonbeams. And no, I am not exaggerating. We complain at times about our lack of quality or quantity in our daily neccessities such as food, but never do we realise how
Be prepared as well for the challenges and obstacles that will definitely come aplenty on this blessed month. Each and every one of us will definitely be given all sorts of trials and tests from Allah s.w.t. Thus it is important that we prepare ourselves spiritually and mentally for that. Trials and tests will come higher in difficulty and intensity the closer we move towards Allah s.w.t. But always remember that Allah s.w.t will never give us a problem which we could not handle, for He knows His slaves better than anyone else. Thus I would like to end with a philosophy which I strongly believe in and carry it throughout my life. That is if we really are sincere and determined in doing something for Allah’s cause, fortunate we are to even have them He will open up a path for us no in the first place. Thus Ramadhan is matter what the circumstances are. a month for all of us to really under- Insha-Allah. stand life through the books from some of our brothers and sisters who By Harith Spydee are not as fortunate as us.
However, as the days count by towards this month which is full of blessings, I feel that it is also time for us to do some self-reflection and also some planning. We should all reflect on what we have been doing for the past months, after the previous year Ramadhan. Just how many days and with how many of the poor, have we shared a meal? How many of the ill, have we helped to cure? How many people’s problems have been solved with our help and support? How many misguided people have received guidance from us to walk along the right path? How much of our income or salary have we used for Allah’s cause? More importantly, how much of our limited time have we used for Allah’s cause? Ramadhan is indeed a very special month. For every good deed that We must also ask ourselves what is we perform during this month, the the scope of our understanding of reward will be in multiples more. brotherhood, sharing, self-sacrifice Thus we should all grab this opporand charity while many of our broth- tunity and start planning now what ers and sisters are subjected to the we wish to achieve throughout the ravages of oppression, cold, hunger, month of Ramadhan. We should thirst, and homelessness. My dear start planning now, so that when brothers and sisters, we must always the first day of Ramadhan kicks off, remember that while we are living in we automaticaly will have the mohappiness, some of our other broth- tivation and direction to work at it. ers and sisters are suffering in pover- My dear brothers and sisters, allow ty and hardship. They have no bread, me to remind myself and all of you 10 al-qalam
that time is very short. 30 days will fly pass sooner than we feel it will. Thus I urge every single Muslim to really make the most of their time for good, especially during this month which comes only once a year.
Current affairs:
Of
M
osques & inarets
The Muslim’s question in Europe
Despite being a landlocked country, Switzerland has long been seen as a very fluid society. Often regarded as a beacon of neutrality, democracy and human rights, Switzerland’s cosmopolitan electorate recently voted for the banning of minaret construction. Fatima Siwaju argues that this is but a symptom of an increasingly uneasy relationship between Islam and Europe.
T
he surprise majority vote in favour of banning the construction of minarets in Switzerland is the latest dimension to the ‘Muslim Question’ in Europe. Like the headscarf ban in France, widespread European opposition to the wearing of the burqa in public, and debates over the construction of mosques in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark, the Swiss minaret ban throws into sharp relief Europe’s unease with the growing number of Muslims within its borders and its fears of a potential ‘Islamisation’ of European society. With only four minarets in a country of some two hundred mosques, the minaret could hardly be considered a threat to the architectural heritage of Switzerland. Yet, this debate has never been about architecture or urban planning. The minaret has been vilifi ed not for what it is - tall towers attached to a mosque from which the call to prayer is traditionally made – but for what it allegedly symbolises. The Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which led the campaign that brought the minaret ban to a nation-wide vote, opined that the minaret constitutes a symbol of political power, a prelude to the introduction of Sharia law and the subsequent Islamization of Switzerland. Its controversial campaign poster drove the message home: a burqaclad woman was portrayed in the foreground, with black minarets rising like missiles from the Swiss flag behind her.
The SVP approach even garnered support from feminists such as Julia Onken, who claimed that “mosques are male houses” and minarets were “male power symbols” which would signify the “the state’s acceptance of the oppression of women”. The minaret debate no doubt taints Switzerland’s popular image as the bastion of neutrality and humanitarianism. Certainly, the mainstream Swiss political establishment, along with all major confessional and human rights groups spoke out in opposition to the ban.
described the burqa as “not welcome on French soil”.
Integration has become synonymous with invisibility – headscarves, burqas and minarets are outward manifestations of religious affiliation that are somehow incongruous with some European definitions of integration. It seems that when it comes to the ‘Muslim Question’ in Europe, liberal democratic values are often set aside. The fervent campaigning of the SVP stood in stark contrast to the relative political inertia of the left and other ideoDaniel Bolomey, head of Amnesty In- logically opposed groups. ternational Switzerland, stated that the antiminaret campaign “seeks to Likewise, a more assertive Muslim discredit Muslims and defames them, voice is needed. European Muslims pure and simple”. Nevertheless the appreciate the political freedoms and SVP was successful in its fear-mon- liberties they enjoy, and must be more gering campaign, which exploited outspoken against the circumscription the Swiss population’s reservations of such freedoms by discriminaabout the rising levels of immigra- tory laws. After all Muslims have a tion, particularly from the Muslim long heritage of living peacefulworld. Several right-wing political ly alongside other denominaparties in Denmark, Belgium and tional groups, from the the Netherlands have voiced their time of the Prophet (peace satisfaction with the result and be upon him), where the have called for similar referendums conquest of Mecca occurred in their respective countries. without any bloodshed), to societies as diverse as Following the vote, a local SVP rep- medieval Spain and modernresentative stated that the ban sent day Malaysia, Sene g a l a clear message that “the Muslim and Britain. After all, freecommunity must get on with inte- dom of speech and religrating itself right away”. Here we are gious expression are faced with another dilemma: what values which Muslims t o o constitutes ‘integration’? The ‘integra- hold dear. tion card’ has been manipulated not only in the case of the minaret ban, but Taken from Cambridge also in arguments for banning heads- University’s Ar-Ricarves in French public schools and salah. in the recent debate in which French P r e s i d e n t Nicolas Sarkozy
FASTING Stronger or Sleepier? “Y
ou neither eat nor drink the whole day?” Tan asked me. “Yes. The whole day. But not at night. Only from dawn to sunset”, I replied. “How can you survive? Can you survive?”, Tan asked again. I smiled.
VIEWING FASTING IN MANY WAYS If you see fasting as a way for better diet, you will benefit that from fasting. But fasting will only be a mechanism of improving your diet.
If you see fasting as a way to save your daily expense by breaking your fast daily in the mosque, then you will be “Well, it’s not just able to achieve that. But that’s it. No more than that. you. Even Habib Bourguiba, the late If you see fasting as a way for you to gain rewards or ‘paPresident of Tuni- hala’ from Him, then it is a good motive and sound insia who was also a tention. But, rewards and pahala are something that you ‘Muslim’, convinced can hardly measure in this physical and worldly life. You that fasting is don’t see someone obese out of pahala. It is something against productiv- else! ity. You know the history?” I took my And strangely, the last 10 days of Ramadhan are the turn asking Tan my most rewarded and full of pahala, but then you’ll see the mosques are empty. question.
So, what Ramadhan and fasting are all about? “How should I If you see fasting as abstaining one from eating, drinkknow? Tell me!” he ing, having sexual intercourse during the daytime, and reducing the wrongdoings of backbiting whatsoever… said. that is the definition of fasting. But it only explains the In 1961, Habib Bourguiba made a controversial state- mechanism of fasting as a ritual. ment claiming that fasting should not be observed for it reduces productivity. He then appeared on television Al-Qur’an says: with his cabinet, eating and drinking during Ramadhan. “O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the people with the quality of “Why so harsh?” Tan was shocked. Taqwa” (Al-Baqarah 2: 183) “I don’t know. Was it out of ignorance or arrogance? PerFasting is a mechanism to achieve Taqwa. You abstain haps a combination of both”, I replied. yourself from eating and drinking, in order to achieve Even though fasting is there in the name of Lent among Taqwa. How is that? Christians, it is always the Muslim’s version that incites TAQWA questions and debates. In order to understand about the real meaning of fasting, one should agree that it has something to do with our own paradigm and world view. The way we view things; like I always quote, “what you see is what you get”. 12 al-qalam
Taqwa can be defined in many ways. But the conversation between Ubay bin Kaab and Umar al-Khattab was a good summary about the essence of Taqwa. Once, Umar asked Ubay what he knows about Taqwa. Ubay replied by asking him, “Have you walked through thorny path?”
Umar answered, “Yes, indeed” Ubay then asked him, “What did you do?”
control, like a person who is good in controlling his car steering. This is the essence of fasting. You learn to exercise your self control.
Umar replied, “I tucked up (my garment) and did my best (to avoid thorns)”. If someone does not take his lunch because there is nothing to eat, then it causes him fatigue and anger. Thereupon Ubay said, “That is Taqwa!” But a believer who chooses not to eat while he has the means to do so, for the sake of obeying his Lord, then he Our life is a journey. Like someone who is driving from a is exercising his ability to control himself against some place to another. Throughout the journey, he will meet of his desires. many road signs that might instruct him to do against
“No, the limit is only 80km/h”.
You can eat, but you don’t eat. You can drink, but you learn not to drink, so that you can tell yourself that you are a proactive person. Not a reactive one.
He wants to arrive as early as possible but suddenly a red A reactive person will get mad when something prolight instructs him to stop and let others move first. vokes him into anger. He will be sad and out of control when something causes him sadness. Someone who is wise and on top of his rational thinking, would never ever see all the road signs as challenge He has no ‘pause’ button. He has no ability to control to his right exercising his freedom. The truth is, the road himself to choose a better reaction. His actions are designs are there to help him achieve safety throughout termined by things around him. He is not the one who the journey until he reaches the destination. controls himself. He is occupied by others. He is under the real occupation of others. The same thing applied to our big picture of this life. Do’s and don’ts of Islam are not the obstruction and challenge A Muslim is not an effective Muslim if he does not have to the access of his freedom of choice. They come from control over his own actions. He must be a proactive the Creator who knows better what is good and what is Muslim. Return your self control… you are the strongest! bad in this life. They are there for our safety, peace and Fasting makes us stronger, if we correct the way we view harmony. it. Someone who has the quality of Taqwa will take his jour- Fasting is a 30-day intensive training course for the 7 ney like someone who walks through thorny path. He is Habits of Highly Effective Muslim. a person full of consciousness about what is good and Courtesy of Saifulislam.com what is bad around him. He must also have good self
al-qalam 13
OMMY NONSE CORE
his will. He wants to drive at full speed, but a sign says,
Book Review:
Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin
food, water, or suitable sleeping gear. However, he is saved by a local porter, who brings him back to his village, where Greg spends time at the village head’s house, Haji Ali Korphe, mending his way back to health. Overwhelmed by the kindness the locals showered on an American stranger, Greg pledges to try and repay them. He asks to be shown the local village school, but to his bewilderment, is led to an open area at a mountain site, with 84 young children squatting on the cold ground, tracing numbers in the mud with sticks in their hands. He also learns that the Korphe village is so poor they not only have no school, but (even collectively) cannot afford the $1 per day fee to pay a local teacher from the south to teach their children.
O
ne need not be a huge fan of non-fiction books, or even be an avid reader before quickly realising that picking up ‘Three Cups of Tea’ off the bookshelf might be one of the best decisions you could have made while skimming aimlessly in a bookstore. If you want to put down that book about how a mortal falls in love with an immortal vampire, and travel to a place in the world so remote one might not even be aware of the existence of communities living in the harshest and poorest conditions; if you want to read of how one man can work towards joint efforts to promote peace in a place that the world is more accustomed to affiliating with terrorism and war, please sit down and have ‘Three Cups of Tea’. This is a story of an ordinary man who does extraordinary things. Recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Price in 2009 and 2010, Greg Mortenson is a man with a life-long passion for mountaineering, which brought him to ‘The Savage Peak’ of K2 in the Himalayas, Pakistan-China border (1993). He not only fails to summit the world’s secondhighest peak, but loses his way on his way back to base camp, forced to spend a potentially deadly cold night without
14 al-qalam
Greg takes the first step of a journey of a thousand miles (which goes on even till today) when he promises the locals that he will build them their first school, and he has more than fulfilled that promise. As of today, Greg, Director of non-profit organisation Central Asia Institute, has built over 70 schools in the world’s most remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
mit the deadly mountain of K2 to honour his late sister Christa, but his Failure has forced him to make a more meaningful climb, an effort more significant than conquering all the peaks on Earth. A journey tracing more than a mere footprint on a mountain path; the steep climb in combating illiteracy, mortality rates, terrorism, war and ignorance all at once: To promote peace through Education, one School at a time. ‘Three Cups of Tea’ will help change your perspective of Life, and remind you of all the pleasures of luxury and modern technology we so often take for granted. But more than that, you will learn to envy the Purity of Life the poorest people of Pakistan and Afghanistan lead, and all the precious simple elements in life we forget to pay attention to as we chase material, short-term pleasures of this world; of People, Values and Love. You shall be reminded of our brothers and sisters who do not share the same privileges as we do; be introduced to real people, and real lives.
Greg Mortenson is my hero, and the hero of the millions who have already read this book too. He will easily be yours once you make the time and effort The perfect marriage of an incredible to savour every sip of real-life inspiring, story of a Hero of this age, and the beau- endearing stories soaking every page tifully written narration by an award- of this beautiful book. And you too, will winning journalist, ‘Three Cups of Tea’ eagerly pass on the baton of this incredwill satisfy your every criteria of a great ible story! read. By Noor Leena Haniffah The book discusses obvious issues like poverty and hardship, and also issues of great current world interest, like terrorism, the Taliban, Islamic extremism, the world’s misunderstanding of Islam and the answer to these problems. However, even a simple idea of building schools lays many Everest-high challenges which Greg is forced to face. From raising funds, to being abducted by an extremist group, to battling local mullahs who are determined to stop Greg’s effort to educate young girls, ‘Three Cups of Tea’ is a proof of one man’s determination and perseverance to fight for Peace. Men eagerly plot plans, but God is the Best of Planners. Greg may have started off this journey with his Failure to sum-
The Ethical Dimensions of
the Hijab O
children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of God’s signs, that they may take heed. 7:26 *****
When one speaks of the ethical
nature and divine purpose of the hijab, or veil, we are confronted by many different strands of thought. Indeed, the hijab has been the subject of many challenges and heated debate in modern times, both within Muslim countries as well as non-Muslim Western countries with significant Muslim populations. For some Muslims, the importance of the hijab can be seen, in part, as an assertion of an Islamic identity and a subsequent rejection of Western values and interests that have dominated the Muslim world for centuries in some form or another. For others, the hijab represents one aspect of God’s Sacred Law, the shari’a or the way, and thus must be followed in the same way as the five daily prayers or fast during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Others, however, maintain that the relevance of the hijab as a means to modesty is no longer relevant in modern times where modesty can be achieved without its application. What unites these differing lines of thought is that they, and indeed many others, have been discussed in a great number of mediums by a variety of individuals. What then is the purpose of merely re-stating these arguments in much the same way that has been dealt before? Indeed, one must question the underlying rationale for the disproportionate
emphasis placed on the hijab which has caused it to be divorced from its meaning within Islam. The question to be asked is then: why is the hijab an object of such focus and what are the implications of this on Islam?
Islam is an all-encompassing religion that prescribes not only forms of worship to the one supreme God, but also how to live one’s life so as to make every act a form of worship of God. Indeed, Imam al-Shatibi, an Andalusion scholar believed that the I thus seek to explore the holistic intention of every human act must vision of Islam as a means in which be inline with the intention the Saone attains and maintains a relation- cred Law as provided by God: ship with God through usul al-fiqh and the maqaasid, and the value If the intention to obey the Lawgiver and role of the hijab within that very plays no role in one’s performance of system. Orientalism, a discourse that a given action, then it is nothing but sought to deconstruct the Orient in a response to one’s desires and lusts, order to reconstruct it according to and any action which meets this deits own stereotypes in order to main- scription is, without exception, unactain its position of power and supe- ceptable. riority over it, has been instrumental in breaking down this holistic word As to the Sacred Law, most scholview of Islam. As a consequence, the ars agree that there are three main hijab has been stripped of its ethical sources of Shari’ah namely, the and religious context and made into Qur’an, the sunna, and ijma. The a source of ethics in itself. This has re- Qur’an is considered the infallible, sulted in an over-moralisation of the immutable and unalterable word of hijab where its ethical dimensions God and Muslim scholars also conare reorganised so as to say some- sider the actions and sayings of the thing about Islam as a whole, name- Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon ly that it is oppressive and overly pa- him, or sunna, to be the second triarchal, which it did not originally source of Islamic law which can fill intend to do. the legal vacuums in the Qur’an with meaningful and accurate guideal-qalam 15
lines. This is supported in the Qur’an consists of ‘considerations which sewhich states: cure a benefit or prevent harm but which are, simultaneously, harmoSurely there is for you in God’s Messen- nious with the objectives (maqaager an excellent example for him who sid) of the Shari’ah’ consisting of the aspires to God and the Hereafter, and preservation of religion, life, intelmentions God oft. lect, lineage and property. Imam al33.21 Shatibi divided maslaha into three categories, namely, the essentials And so, the Qur’an and sunna are (al-darurat); exigencies (al-hajiyyat) seen as complimentary to one an- and embellishments (al-tahsiniyyat). The essentials are those whose absence would amount to imbalance and corruption to the spiritual and material well-being of human beings, while exigencies relate to the needs of the community which should be fulfilled to relive hardship. The embellishments are those interests that ‘enhance and complete’ the fulfilment of the essentials and exigencies, such as observance of rules of etiquette. The formulation of an interest would thus be subject to one of the three types of interests and then acted upon depending on its categorisation. other and one is seen to shed light into the meaning of the other, and vice versa. Ijma, or consensus of scholarly opinion, is the third source of Shari’ah which is supported by the Qur’an which states:
Thus, maslaha is a mechanism to implement the maqaasid of the Shari’ah and act as a moral compass for jurists whose role was to extract legal rulings and opinions from the relevant sources. This is central to the belief that every legal ruling in Islam:
O you who believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger and those in au- has a function which it performs, an thority from amongst you. aim which it realizes, a cause, be it 4:59 explicit or implicit, and an intention which it seeks to fulfil, and all of this in Usul al-fiqh then, or ‘the roots of the order to realize benefit to human belaw’, relate to the origins, study and ings or to ward off harm or corruption. practice of Shari’ah which involves the implementation of methods to It is in this context that the hijab, and extract the law from the Qur’an, sun- indeed other Islamic practices, must na and, to a lessor extent, ijma and be framed and thus understood. It thus govern Muslim etiquette and is not within the scope of this arworship. Doctrines employed in usul ticle to demonstrate whether or al-fiqh include qiyas (the rule of anal- not there is textual support for ogy), ijtihad (personal reasoning), is- the hijab. Nonetheless, one may tihsan (juristic preference), istihlah confidently conclude that there (equity) and importantly, maslaha, is a strong line of authority that the doctrine of the consideration of dictates that the hijab is a key aspublic interest. pect of Muslim woman’s religious obligation to God, that it is waajib. Maslaha is of particular interest here It represents a complete obedience as, in Imam al-Ghazali’s words, it of faith, of tasqid, and submission to 16 al-qalam
God and like ritual prayer, the hijab can be seen as a means to pious conduct and an end in itself as a divine requirement of the Muslim woman. As a means to piety, the hijab is one particular manifestation or ‘branch’ of the principle of modesty that is core to Islam and strives to take root in the heart of the Believer. Indeed, Muslims are constantly enjoined to ‘lower’ or ‘guard’ their gaze and minimise the excessive mixing of the sexes. Consequently, the hijab can be seen as an outward manifestation of the inner nature of the Believer, which strives to cultivate its primordial nature, its fitrah. Moreover, the inner nature of the Believer is cultivated through submission to God’s will, such as through the observation of hijab. As Saba Mahmood argues, ritualised actions contribute to the formation and crafting of the ethical subject. A young girl who has worn the hijab may only come to know of its value the more she emerges herself in and observes her religious duties. Thus, purification of the soul would be achieved when the Believer internalises the divine signs and virtues ‘in such a manner that the sign and the soul become indistinguishable’. This is what Aristotle called habitus, or malaka for Ibn Khaldun and is closely linked to Imam al-Ghazli’s tahdheeb al-akhlaq, or the purification of traits. Why then has the discussion on the hijab shifted so dramatically from being one aspect of Islam’s holistic world view of the Believer and her obligations, to the current dis-
pro-
portionate focus on it in modern times? In order to achieve this, it becomes necessary to understand the modern Western context which shapes these discussions. The West views itself as being the natural product of the Enlightenment, a period characterized by the idea that reason, and in particular, scientific reason, is the superior manner in which the nature or reality (and thus ‘truth’) can be attained. This entailled a rejection of the metaphysical, of God, since all inqiuiry was through the study of anthropology of the human as a source of knowledge in himself. This must be linked, as it was indeed inextricibly linked, with the rise of European military dominance in the Middle East or the ‘Orient’ and the upsurge of Orientalism which sought to perpetuate and reinforce Western perceptions of Muslims, Arabs and importantly, of Islam. Orientalism, fuelled by the Western colonial expansion onto Muslim lands and armed with the uncontested assumption that Western civilisation was ‘the pinnacle of historical development’, thus sought to deconstruct Islam into separate parts and make a discourse surrounding each
piece. The hijab was thus viewed as a practice that was distinct from its Islamic roots. To use an analogy, it is like detaching the steering wheel of a car and explaining its purpose without mention of the car at all. Yes, the steering wheel’s sole primary purpose is to direct, but without mention of the car, what is the wheel directing exactly? Like the steering wheel in a car, the hijab only makes sense within Islam and all that it encompasses. The West, however, exemplifies a highly analytical tradition that seeks to explain the world by breaking it down, in contrast to Islam which makes meaning of itself and of God through the inclusion of as many different aspects of life as possible.
most mundane) can assist in the cultivation of an ethical Believer, then the discussion on the hijab is deceptive. Ironically, after it has been deconstructed (like the steering wheel) the hijab is nonetheless used as a signifier of Islam so that the West may use it as a comparison to the manner in which Western, nonMuslim women are valued in such societies. The Muslim woman’s body thus becomes the ‘battleground’ upon which these power relations are played out so that the ‘image of the West of Muslim women has been the anti-thesis of the prevailing perception of Western women’. Here, the Muslim woman, and fundamentally, Islam by association, is constructed to become a symbol of oppression and marginalisation. This is in complete contrast to the view of Western women as liberated and empowered even though women in such societies are viewed and valued according to the manner in which they look and have thus been placed in positions as ‘desirable objects of the male gaze’. Nonetheless, the result of this is process of ‘knowing’ the Orient, of ‘knowing’ Islam is clear. The hijab has been scrutinised in such a way that it is now over-moralised. Its ethical dimensions have been deconstructed and re-organised in such a manner that it now ‘says something’ about Islam that it initially did not intend to. It is this divorce of the Islamic world view from the hijab that framed the dominant discourse surrounding the hijab in Western countries and has had profound consequences on Muslims around the world.
To put it simply, the hijab has become a discourse, ‘a coherent and strongly bounded area of social knowledge’, and a ‘system of statements by which This article was submitted by an Arts the [Islamic] world could be known’. student from the University of MelIt has been stripped off its context bourne. and designated a new position and importance outside of Islam. If one does not grasp the totality of Islam, its requirement that Believers submit to God’s will and His Sacred Law, and the belief that rituals (even the al-qalam 17
Sorrow of the Sun,
“This world is done.” Sorrow of the Moon, “Too soon. Too soon.” The Earth cries her plea For her beasts and her trees, “Who blocked out the stars? Who raped land and sea?” Whispers the Wind, “Man, who was told ‘Just take what you need’ Always to fall To the altar of greed. To give up contentment, To run after dreams, To always want more Of what glitters and gleams. Manufacturing tinsel He covered up the stars.”
What says the Land? “It was Man, It was Man, Who sold his soul For oil and gold. It was Man, It was Man, Who squandered the old And destroyed the whole. He burned all the oil And polluted the skies. He mined all the coal. He failed to be wise.” The Ocean sighs, “It was Man, It was Man, Cruelty means nothing In his cost analyses. It was Man, It was Man, Who turned oceans acid Made glaciers unfreeze Warmed up the seas Caused catastrophes. Look at Man, Look at Man, Who read all the warnings And then took no heed. Whose vision is clouded By short-sighted greed.”
by Rabia Saida Spiker Republished from Cambridge University’s arRisalah 18 al-qalam
“Look at Man, Look at Man Master of water And master of land. Look at Man, Look at Man, Who commands the air Because he can. Who dominates beast And plant and tree, Who forgot it was he Who was Guardian.” “Will he repent?” Ask the Planets and Stars. “Will he remember That he was in charge?” “Just wait a little,” Calls Time, through the night, “His one last chance To put things right.”
10 Tips for:
YOUNG MUSLIM YOUTH
W
lah. That of course means this should not be connected arrogance, thinking you are the teacher and everyone hy should you, a young Muslim, help bring your to else should be lucky you have embarked on a crusade to friends closer to Allâh? save them. Guidance is from Allah. Make Dua and make After all, you have got your own struggles to deal with: sincere efforts and remember Allah. trying to explain to hostile teachers why you pray, hijab discrimination, standing up in class when the Professor Tip # 2 : Practise What You Preach attacks Islam, dealing with parents who think you have gone nuts because you’re growing a beard, or all the Not practising what you preach is wrong and you will other difficulties faced by a number of practising Mus- lose the confidence of anyone, young or old, once they lim youth? Islam was never meant to be an individual- figure you out. Don’t do it. istic faith, reserved for the ‘chosen few’. Muslims have a duty to spread the Deen; and practising Muslim youth, Tip # 3 : Use The Qur’an, Seerah of the Prophet and Ahwhether beginners, activists or leaders, have a crucial lulbait (peace be upon them) role to play. As Tabligh guides, reads and understands those chap“Allah has put them in a position that perhaps no one ters of the Qur’an that talk about how the Prophets else is in,” notes Sheema Khan, former Muslim Youth of presented the message of Islam to their people, read the Seerah to see especially how the Prophet MuhamNorth America (MYNA) advisor for eastern Canada. mad and Ahlulbait (peace and blessings be upon them) “They have the means to communicate with their peers, brought Islam to so many different people, including they have an understanding of what they’re going young people. through, plus they have the guidance of Islam.” Also, talk to Tabligh workers, and check out manuals Who is your childhood friend going to listen to? Who is they may have written, like Yahiya Emerick’s ‘How to Tell your childhood friend, who would rather spend Fridays Others About Islam’. at McDonald’s than the Masjid, or your classmate who is Muslim in name but only knows that ‘Muslims don’t eat Tip # 4 : Talk To People As If You Really Don’t Know Them pork’ is going to listen to: the nice Imam of the Masjid who would freak out if he saw the way they were dressed Don’t assume you know someone just by looking at and talked or you who may have grown up with them, them. You don’t know that the Muslim girl in your classroom who walks through the school’s hallways as if they joked with them, or seen them everyday in school? were fashion show catwalks, is not someone you can talk to about Allah because she looks like a snob. Or that the The answer is obvious: You. Muslim guy whom you’ve never seen at Juma’ at your Don’t panic. Here are some tips and advice which can university is a “bad Muslim”. Maybe he was never really help. These are advices from other Muslims, many of taught Islam and has no idea what importance Friday prayers have in Islam, especially for Muslim men. whom have been there and done that: Tip # 1 : Make Your Intention Sincere
Tip # 5 : Smile
All work we do should ideally be for the sake of Allah. Did you know the Prophet was big on smiling? But many That includes the task of bringing someone closer to Al- ‘practising’ Muslims seem to have ‘their faces on upside down’ as one speaker once said - frowning and serious.
al-qalam 19
Smiling, being polite and kind are all part of the manners of the Prophet, which we must exercise in our daily lives. If we want to approach others with Islam, we have to make ourselves approachable. Smiling is key to this. But note that being approachable does not mean being flirtations with the other gender. There are Islamic rules for how men and women should deal with each other which have to be respected. Tabligh is no excuse to have long and private conversations and meetings with the other sex, for example. Set up a system where someone expressing an interest in Islam is referred to someone of the same sex. Tip # 6 : Take The Initiative & Hang Out With Them Take the first step and invite someone you may have spoken to a couple of times to sit down for lunch together, to check out a hockey game or invite them over for iftaar in Ramadhan.
and keep their secrets. There are few things as annoying as a snitch and a backstabber. But an important note: if the problem is of a serious nature (i.e. your friend is thinking of committing suicide or is taking drugs), notify and consult an adult immediately. Tip # 7 : Show Them Islam Is Relevant Today, Right Here, Right Now Young people may think Islam is too ‘old fashioned’ and not in tune with the modern age. Prove them wrong. Show how Islam is really about relating to Allah, which any human being can do, anywhere, anytime. Allah is always closer to you than your jugular vein and He hears and knows everything. Encourage friends to ask Allah’s help during tests, exams, and in dealing with problems at home with parents and siblings. Also point out how Islam relates to teenagers: Islam gives you focus and an understanding of who you are and where you are going, which most of ‘teen culture’ do not.
Also, share difficulties, sorrows and frustrations. Help with homework, be a shoulder to cry on Tip # 8 : Get Them Involved In Volwhen depression hits, or just be unteer Work With You a listener when your friend is upset, discuss common problems If you are already involved in the
20 al-qalam
community, get your friends to help out. Ask them to make a flyer for one of your youth group’s events or brainstorm for ideas about activities to hold during this school year. This involvement makes them feel a part of the Muslim community and deepens your friendship, since you are now working together on something beneficial for both of you. Make sure you thank them for their contribution. Tip # 9 : Ask Them 4 Fundamental Questions As your friendship develops, you will notice the topics you discuss may become more serious. You may be discussing, for instance, future goals and plans. We recommend four questions to ask that can steer the topic to Allah and Islam:
Tip # 10 : Emphasize Praying 5 Times A Day Before Any Other Aspect Of Islam A person’s main connection with Allah, on a daily basis, is through prayers five times a day. Don’t emphasize any other aspect of Islam until your friend starts making a real effort to pray five times a day. Emphasize the direct connection one has with Allah in prayer. If they are facing a problem, tell them to pray, and to ask Allah for help in Salah and outside this time. When possible, make it a point to pray together during your ‘hang out time’. If your friend begins to pray, that is the first step to other aspects of Islam like giving up swearing, treating parents with respect or dressing in accordance to Islam.
a. Where am I going in life and what would make Taken from ILoveAllah.com me really happy deep down inside? b. What do I believe? c. Who should I be grateful to? d. Did I get to where I am today without the help of anyone?
al-qalam 21
Letter to a Disciple by Imam al-Ghazali This is a short extract from one of the most important parts of Imam al-Ghazali’s ‘Letter to a Disciple’ or ‘Ayyuha’l-Walad’. One of the key advices he gives is that one ought to ‘work for your terrestrial life in proportion to your location in it, and work for your afterlife in proportion to your eternity in it’ and the book serves as a short treatise on religious and spiritual action and on putting into practice the knowledge that one has acquired.
Hatim
al-Asamm was one of the companions of Shaqiq al-Balki (may Allah shower His mercy upon them both), and one day al-Balkhi asked Hatim, “You have kept company with me for thirty years. What have you got out of them?” He replied, “I got eight useful lessons by way of sound knowledge and they are enough for me, for I hope my deliverance and salvation because of them.” So al-Balkhi said, “What are they?” Hatim replied: “The first useful lesson is that I observed humans and saw that everyone had an object of love and infatuation which he loved and with which he was infatuated. Some of what was loved accompanied him up to his sickness of death and some even up to his grave. Then all went back and left him solitary and alone, and not one of them entered his grave with him. So I pondered and I said: the best of what one loves is what will enter one’s grave and be a friend to one in it. And I found it to be nothing but good deed! So I took them as the object of my love, to be a light for me in my grave, to be a friend to me in it and not leave me all alone. The second useful lesson is that I saw humans being guided by their pleasures and hurrying to what their
22 al-qalam
egos desired, so I meditated on His, the Exalted, saying: ‘But as for he who feared standing before his Lord and prevented the soul from unlawful inclination – their abode will be the Garden.’ [79:40-41] I was certain that the Qur’an is the genuine truth, so I hurried to what my ego was opposed to, and I set to work combating it and restraining it from pleasures, until it was satisfied with obedience to Allah Ta’ala and it gave up the pleasure. The third useful lesson is that I saw every individual in mankind exerting himself in accumulating the extremely temporary wreckages of this world, then clutching on them, holding on to them, and I mediated on His saying: ‘Whatever you have will end, but what Allah has is lasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.’ [16:96]
tribes, so they were cheated because of them. Others had the opinion that it lay in their wealth of their possessions, and the numerosity of sons, so they were proud of them. Some reckoned nobility and standing law in forcibly acquiring property of others, in tyrannizing them and spilling their blood. A group held that it enjoined in wasting money, spending it lavishly and squandering it. I meditated on His saying: ‘O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may become acquainted with one another. Surely the noblest of you with Allah is the one who is most conscious of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.’ [49:13] So I chose God-consciousness, believing that Qur’an to be the accurate truth and others’ opinion and evaluation utterly empty and falsehood.
So I sacrificed the gains I got from the world to Allah Ta’ala, and I distributed them among the poor so that they might become a treasure for me with Allah Ta’ala.
The fifth useful lesson is that I saw some people blaming others and some slandering others, and I found that was through envy regarding money, fame and knowledge. So I meditated on His saying:
The fourth useful lesson is that I saw that some of the humans believed in nobility and standing to be on the side of their nations and
‘Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised
[65:3] So I relied on Allah for every matter and He is my sufficiency and the best trustee!” Al-Balkhi then said, “May Allah Ta’ala agree with you in success! I have examined the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel and the Furqan, and I discovered that the four books revolve around these eight useful lessons. Whoever acts on the basis of them, acts in accordance with these four books.”
some of them above others in degrees, that they make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.’ [43:32] And I understood from this that the distribution was from Allah Ta’ala who exists in eternity. So I did not envy anyone and I was content with the distribution of Allah Ta’ala. The sixth useful lesson is that I saw some people acting with hostility towards others due to some motive or cause. So I meditated on His saying: ‘Indeed, Satan is the enemy to you; so take him as an enemy. He only invites his party to be among the companions of the Blaze.’ [35:6] And I understood enmity towards anyone but Satan was not allowed. The seventh useful lesson is that I saw everyone striving in earnest and working intensely in quest of their food and livelihood to the point that they thereby fall into what was dubious and forbidden, degrading them-
selves and lowering their worth. So I meditated on His saying: ‘And there is no creature on earth but that his sustenance is dependant upon Allah, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register.’ [11:6] And I understood that my provision is dependent upon Allah Ta’ala and that He guaranteed it. So I occupied myself with responding to His Command only and severed my hope from other than Him.
‘O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may become acquainted with one another. Surely the noblest of you with Allah is the one who is most conscious of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.’ [49:13]
The eight useful lesson is that I saw everyone relying on something created – some on the dinar and dirham, some on wealth and property, some on their business and trade and others on some similar created thing. So I meditated on His saying: ‘And He will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a decreed measure.’
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Closed Doors and the Illusions That Blind Us By Imam Suhaib Webb
“Don’t be Sad”
Yesterday
my 22-month-old sought to exercise his independence. After climbing out of his car seat, he wanted to shut the car door like a big boy, so I stood there watching over him. Realising that if I left him to shut the door, his little head would have gotten slammed in the process, I lifted him away, and shut the door myself. This devastated him, and he broke down in tears. Why did I prevent him from doing what he so badly wanted to do? Watching the incident, a strange thought crossed my mind. I was reminded of all the times this had happened to us in life—when we want something so badly, but Allah does not allow us to have it. I was reminded of all the times we as adults felt this same frustration when things just wouldn’t work out the way we so desperately wanted them to. And then suddenly, it was so clear. I had only taken my son away from the door to protect him. But he had no idea. In the midst of his mourning, he had no idea that I had actually saved him. And just as my son wept in his naivety and innocence, so often we too bemoan events that have actually saved us. When we missed a plane, lost a job, or found ourselves unable to marry the person we wanted to, have we ever stopped to consider the possibility that it may have been for our own good? Allah tells us in the Quran: “…But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah
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Knows, while you know not.” (2:216) Yet it is so difficult to look beyond the surface of things. It takes great strength to see beyond the illusions, to a deeper truth—which we may or may not understand. Just as my son could not understand
how my depriving him of what he most wanted at that moment was in fact my looking out for him, we are often just as blind. As a result, we end up staring indefinitely at the closed doors of our lives, and forget to notice
the ones that have opened. When we cannot marry the person we had in mind, our inability to look beyond may even blind us from someone who is in fact better for us. When we don’t get hired, or we lose something dear to us, it is hard to take a step back and notice the bigger picture. Often Allah takes things away from us, only to replace them with something greater. Even tragedy may happen in this way. One can imagine few calamities more painful than the loss of a child. And yet, even this loss could happen to save us and give us something greater. The Prophet said: If the child of a servant (of Allah) dies, Allah says to His Angels: ‘Have you taken the child of My servant?’ The Angels reply: ‘Yes.’ Allah says to them: ‘Have you taken the fruit of his heart?’ They reply: ‘Yes.’ Then Allah says to them: ‘What did my servant say?’ The Angels reply: ‘He praised Allah and said: ‘To Allah do we return.’ Allah tells them: ‘Build a home for my servant in Paradise and call it Baytul Hamd (the House of Praise).’ [Tirmidhi] When Allah takes something as beloved from us as a child, it may be that He has taken it in order to give us something greater. It may be because of that loss, that we are admitted into Paradise—an eternal life with our child. And unlike our life here, it is an everlasting life where our child will have no pain, fear, or sickness. But in this life, even our own sicknesses may not be what they seem. Through them Allah may be in fact purifying us of our sins. When the Prophet was suffering from a high fever, he said: “No Muslim is afflicted with any harm, even if it were the prick of a thorn, but that Allah expiates his sins because of that, as a tree sheds its leaves.” [Bukhari] In another hadith the Prophet explains that this applies even
to sadness and worry. He says: “Whenever a Muslim is afflicted with a hardship, sickness, sadness, worry, harm, or depression – even a thorn’s prick, Allah expiates his sins because of it.” [Bukhari] Or consider the example of poverty. Most people without wealth would never consider that a possible blessing. But for the people around Qarun, it was. Qarun was a man who lived at the time of Prophet Musa who Allah had endowed with such great wealth, that even the keys to his wealth was itself wealth. The Qur’an says: “So he came out before his people in his adornment. Those who desired the worldly life said, ‘Oh, would that we had like what was given to Qarun. Indeed, he is one of great fortune.” (28:79) But Qarun’s wealth had made him arrogant, ungrateful, and rebellious against Allah. Allah says: “And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves. And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, ‘Oh, how Allah extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it! If not that Allah had conferred favour on us, He would have caused it to swallow us. Oh, how the disbelievers do not succeed!’” (Qur’an, 28:81-82). After seeing the fate of Qarun, the same people became grateful that they had been saved from his wealth. But perhaps there is no better example of this lesson, than in the story of Musa and Al-Khidr that were are told about in Surat Al-Kahf. When Prophet Musa was traveling with Al-Khidr (who commentators say was an angel in the form of a man), he learned that things are often not what they seem, and that the wisdom of Allah cannot always be understood from the surface. AlKhidr and Prophet Musa came upon a town whereupon Al-Khidr began to damage the boats of the people.
On the surface, this action would seem to have been harmful to the poor owners of the boats. However, Al-Khidr later explained that he was in fact protecting the people, and saving the boats for them. Allah tells us in the Qur’an: “[Al-Khidhr] said, ‘This is parting between me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience. As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.’” (18:78-79) In damaging the boats, Al-Khidr was actually protecting the people by making the boats undesirable to the king who had been seizing them by force. And sometimes in life, that’s exactly what happens. In order to save us, something is taken away from us, or given to us in a way we do not want. And yet to us—as it did to a 22-month-old boy—it looks only like a closed door. Taken from: http://www. suhaibwebb.com/personaldvlpt/ closed-doors-and-the-illusionsthat-blind-us/ Credits to: Siti Mahirah Malek
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RAMADHAN What is Ramadhan?
(permissible) foods can be eaten in prayers directs Muslims towards immoderate quantities. Fasting is not proving their interpersonal and ina protein-only or no-carbohydrates trapersonal skills. Ramadhan is the ninth month of the diet in which is harmful for the body. Islamic lunar calendar. In this month Remembering God at all times is Allah has ordered Muslims to fast. The purpose of fasting is not to lose especially recommended in this They abstain from eating, drinking weight. Those who are overweight month. Performing Zikr, in the many and intimate relations from sunrise however, can take this opportunity forms possible brings peace to the to sunset. Muslims try to devote to gradually lose a few pounds. We individual. Asking for forgiveness, their time to worshipping God and should be able to maintain our nor- praising the greatness of Allah, increasing their knowledge about mal weight, neither losing nor gain- thanking Him for all his blessings; all Islamic teachings in this month. Ra- ing. throughout the day, in times of hapmadhan is the month of purification piness and distress is rewarded in and cleansing the body and the soul. Does everyone have to fast? the holy month of Ramadhan. When is Ramadhan?
No, only healthy adults are obliged to fast. People who suffer from severe diseases, for example diabetes and coronary artery disease are exempted from fasting and should not try to fast. Even people not suffering from severe diseases who feel that fasting is harmful for them temporarily may not fast for a day and make up for it when better. “I get hungry when I fast” does not cut it. Healthy adults should realise that fasting improves their health and stamina. Others with medical issues should fast under direct medical supervision.
Study circles and groups reciting and contemplating on the verses of the Holy Quran are popular in this month. Helping others, giving charity and feeding the less fortunate can also be seen in the month of Ramadhan.
What do Muslims do in Ramadhan?
A fresh look at a person’s life can be gained in this month. Reflection is one of the first steps of improvement. Beyond the individual level, a person’s compassion increases in this month. After a month of being around friends and family members,
Ramadhan is a lunar month; obviously you cannot find it between January and December. Each year it starts about eleven days earlier. The beginning and end of the month are determined with the sighting of the moon. For the year 2008, Ramadhan is approximately from the second of September to the first of October. In the winter the days are shorter and fasting is easier. The fact that this month cycles through the seasons throughout a Muslim’s lifetime causes the difficulty of fasting to be evenly distributed between Muslims In Islam everything harmful is living in the northern and southern banned for human beings. Fasting is hemispheres. beneficial, but if it is harmful under certain circumstances, it too is not Fasting = crash diet? allowed. No, fasting is not like a crash diet. There is no huge drop in a person’s calorie intake that causes malnutrition. The distribution of those calories is different from our daily schedule though. During Ramadhan, our diet should not differ greatly from normal. Unlike crash diets, all halal 26 al-qalam
Other than fasting, Muslims worship Allah and stay away from sinning during this holy month. Attending congregational prayers as well as performing midnight individual
What do Muslims take home in Ramadhan? At the end of the month, one should be able to have created the power of self-regulation and self-discipline. Hopefully, this will last the person a whole year. Whether regarding dietary intake or righteousness, this is the time to learn to manage our body and soul. The lessons we take with us are beneficial and necessary in all aspects of our life.
one also appreciates the feeling of togetherness and tries to continue it throughout the year. Does fasting affect the society? The physiological effects of fasting are intertwined with the psychological effects. The lowering of blood sugar, cholesterol and the systolic blood pressure on one hand; and the increase in peace and tranquility on the individual and social level on the other hand lead to a better society.
Iftar and feeding them causes t h e family to get to-
Dr. Shahid Athar mentions a possible reason for the decrease in individual hostility and crime rates in Ramadhan in an article ‘Medical Benefits of Ramadhan’. “This improvement could be related to better stabilization of blood glucose during fasting as hypoglycemia after eating, aggravates g e t h e r behaviour changes.” which is valuable in all months especially this month. At Iftar the fastWhat is Iftar? ing individual has a special feeling. It is a mixed feeling of compassion, Iftar is the meal by which the Mus- fatigue, desire to eat and regain lims break their fast with at sunset. strength, and a sense of being puriMuslims usually break their fast with fied all at once. dates or a pinch of salt. Milk, hot water and tea are popular too. The im- What is Laylatul Qadr? portance of Iftar is to pray for those in need while still fasting. Praying It is the anniversary of the night the Maghrib prayer is also highly on which the Prophet Muhammad recommended before breaking your (p.b.u.h.) first began receiving revfast. elations from Allah. Muslims believe Laylatul Qadr is one of the last oddGiving Iftar to Muslims in need is numbered nights of Ramadhan. highly rewarded in the month of Ra- Which one exactly is not clear, theremadan. Inviting family members to fore they hold Laylatul Qadr ceremo-
nies on the three possible nights. On these nights Muslims worship Allah in mosques and pray for everything good to come in the upcoming year. How can non-Muslim friends help someone who is fasting? Realising the significance Muslims hold for this month is plenty. Special considerations and minor allowances can be made for physically demanding tasks. The time schedule of most Muslims in this month will be off; so flexible work schedules would be great. Non-Muslims should try to understand that the month of Ramadhan and Eid-ul Fitr that follows is something along the lines of Christmas and Hanukkah. A card or a ‘Happy Eid!’ would be greatly appreciated. Courtesy of www.PressTV.ir
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aL- Qalam http://issuu.com/alqalam The University of Melbourne Islamic Society, UMIS