Islamic Focus Issue 117

P11 Gaza’s Rockets

1 1 1 0 0 9

P9 Beyond Death

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P8 Notes from Gaza

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P4 Beautiful Story

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P3 Tables of Mercy

P12 The Old Barn Bukhara Publications/Tel: 078 672 7797/Fax: 086 651 2125 Email: islamicfocus@gmail.com/Korsten/Port Elizabeth

Issue 117

Igniting the Spirit of Islam Jul 2014 taining lofty ranks in Paradise.

The Hadith assures us that every situation that a Muslim goes through has goodness in it, no matter how much outwardly it seems difficult: I am amazed by the believer. Verily, Allah does not decree anything for the believer except what is good for him. (Ahmad) APPEARANCES Many a time something looks like a difficulty, yet the results later prove that in actual fact it was a blessing in disguise.

When the incident of the slander against the noble wife of the Prophet , Aeysha radhiallahu anha, took place, it led to a period of sadness and worry for Aeysha radhiallahu anha and her family. Yet Allah Ta’ala describes it as being in actual fact a good thing for

the family of Aeysha radhiallahu anha.

Through this they got honorable mention in this world and raised status in the Hereafter.

Allah demonstrated the esteem with which He regarded the family of Abu Bakr radhiallahu anha when He defended Aeysha radhiallahu anah by revealing her innocence in the Quran.

NOBLE PERSONALITY Prophet Yusuf alaihis salaam was a Prophet, as was his father, grandfather and great grandfather. Yet Allah Ta’ala made him go through the trial of separation from his family, being sold into slavery and imprisoned unlawfully.

All this seemed like a bad thing, yet it was the means of Yusuf alaihis salaam eventually becoming the Minister of Finance in Egypt and at-

A BOY KILLED When Moosa alaihis salaam accompanied Khidr alaihis salaam on a quest for knowledge, Khidr alaihis salaam killed a boy. This was under Allah’s command.

Moosa alaihis salaam questioned this killing. The boy’s parents were in grief.

But Khidr alaihis salaam revealed that, had the boy lived, he would have led his parents astray, a disaster beyond imagining, for the eternity of the Hereafter.

Thus, this potential hazard was removed and Allah made a seemingly difficult act a means of blessing for the parents.

Trust Allah; He knows best.

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WORLD NEWS

PALESTINE - Israel’s month long genocide of the Muslims in Gaza saw schools, UN facilities, the harbour, Musjids, homes, hospitals and power plants ruthlessly bombarded. The UN Secretary General called Israeli aggression a criminal act and a gross violation of international law. Even Israel’s staunch ally, USA, was forced to call some of the massacres "disgraceful".

So far 1,868 Palestinians have been killed and more than 9,470 injured. Around 400 of the dead are children, 207 are women and 74 elderly. Over 80% are civilians. The 9,080 injured, include 2,744 children, 1,750 women and 343 elderly.

The world has protested Israeli terror with marches in countries from America to Australia and UK. Governments like those of Bolivia have broken diplomatic ties with Israel and even celebrities have condemned Israel in social and other media.

Governments of Arab countries like Egypt stand complicit in the murder of Muslims in Gaza by silence and even aiding in the siege of Gaza. Hamas has only targeted Israeli soldiers, killing 66 of them.

(News Reports, 3 Aug 2014) IRAQ - Islamic State fighters took over the town of Sinjar near Syria after taking over Zumar and two nearby oilfields from Kurdish forces. The Islamic State now controls a large swathe of territory in Iraq and Syria. It also took control of Mosul Dam, the largest in Iraq and controls several oilfields. (BBC, 3

Aug) EAST TURKESTAN - At least 59 Uighur Muslims

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killed by Chinese occupation forces after protesting against a Ramadan crackdown on Muslims, when Chinese authorities stopped Muslims fromm fasting.

(BBC, 3 Aug) LIBYA - Fighting between rival militias - one established by the outgoing parliament and one controlled by the defence ministry - has spread northwards in the capital. More than 200 people have been killed in Tripoli and Benghazi in the past two weeks. (BBC,

3 Aug) AZERBAIJAN - Clashes in the Christian Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan left 18 Muslim Azerbaijan troops dead. (BBC, 2 Aug) LEBANON - 13 Lebanese soldiers killed in clashes with Syrian freedom fighters who raided the border town of Arsal in Lebanon after Lebanese soldiers detained a member of the Syrian Islamist group Nusra Front. Fighting continued for three days as Lebanese troops tried to regain control of the town. (BBC, 3

Aug) INDIA - Bombay High Court found that 45 of 49 mosques in the area didn't have permission to use loudspeakers for Athan and directed police to remove "illegal" loudspeakers from mosques. (IOL, 4

Aug) BANGLADESH - Bangladesh banned marriages between Bangladeshis and Burma's Muslim Rohingya refugees. Marriage registrars cannot officiate any unions between Bangladeshis and Rohingya and also between Rohingya. Thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh are ill treated. (News, 4 Aug )

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Most Tables of the Merciful are simple, wellcooked meals offered humbly on newspaper.

Like the drinking water dispensers found throughout the capital, they are gifts largely of anonymous people.

The tables provide the city's poor with an open invitation to Iftar. The tradition dates back to the Fatimid era. Prince Ahmed Bin Tolon invited his entourage to an iftar 4 years after he took over Egypt, asking them to show the poor of Egypt the same courtesy.

The squares within and outside the Holy Mosque of Makkah witness in Ramadan the biggest iftar in the world.

More than 12km of plastic tablecloths are stretched out on the marble floor, and pilgrims from every corner of the earth wait for the world’s largest iftar meal to begin.

Every day during Ramadan some 1.5 million people are served a complimentary iftar meal at a daily cost of around R3m. The meals are sponsored by various benefactors.

More than 3,000 young volunteers perform tasks including first aid, guidance, interpretation, pushing wheelchairs and serving iftar.

Tables of the merciful are charity Ramadan tables set up on the streets. A few well-off people living in the neighbourhood make food available to anyone for free. Volunteers serve.

Those who break their fast inside the Holy Mosque take only dates and water. Those in the square outside also consume juice, buttermilk, sandwiches, fruit, sweets and cake.

An example of a meal is chicken, rice and pickles. Some tables are spread featuring colorful plates of appetizing treats. On both sides of the tables people – both poor and rich – perch, rubbing shoulders, as they waited for the call to the Maghrib prayer to be made.

The number of dates consumed daily by worshippers in the Holy Mosque is estimated to be more than 5 million. More than two million bottles of Zam Zam water are consumed.

The Prophet was the most generous of people and he was even more generous during the month of Ramadan when Jibraeel visited him. Jibraeel would meet with him every night of Ramadan until the end of the month and the Prophet would recite the Quran to Jibraeel . When Jibraeel met him, he would be more generous than a swift wind bringing rain. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Consumption includes 50,000 litres of coffee, 300,000 bread rolls, 50,000 litres of yoghurt and milk, 50,000 litres of fruit juices and 40 tons of dates daily.

After having their iftar the worshippers do not linger as they go directly to perform the Maghrib prayer. As the worshippers disperse cleaning crews descend and in no more than 15 minutes from when the iftar was served the remains of the meal are cleared.

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IFTAR / RAMADAN

Throughout Cairo, the Tables of the Merciful (Maa’idah tur Rahman) spring up at Iftar in Ramadan. Here anyone can have simple meals without charge.

SUNNAH / SOCIAL

Social scientists estimate that 15 to 30%, or, as many as 600,000 to 1.2 million slaves in America were Muslims. These enslaved Muslims strove to meet the demands of their faith, most notably the Ramadan fast, prayers, and community meals, in the face of comprehensive slave codes that linked religious activity to rebellion.

Many enslaved Muslims demonstrated piety by choosing to fast while bonded. In addition to abstaining from food and drink, enslaved Muslims held holy month prayers in slave quarters, and put together iftars that brought observing Muslims together. These prayers and iftars violated slave codes restricting assembly of any kind.

For instance, the Virginia Slave Code of 1723 considered the assembly of five slaves as an "unlawful and tumultuous meeting", convened to plot rebellion attempts. Every state in the south codified similar laws barring slave assemblages, which impacted enslaved African Muslims observing the Holy Month.

Practicing Islam and observing Ramadan for enslaved Muslims in America, necessitated the violation of slave codes. This exposed them to barbaric punishment, injury, and oftentimes, even death. However, the courage to observe the holy month while bonded, and in the face of grave risk, highlights the supreme piety of many enslaved Muslims.

Muslims were among the first Americans to stand up for freedom.

Adapted from article by Khaled A Beydoun

Lessons from the life of Prophet Yusuf alaihis salaam as recounted in the most beautiful of stories in the Quran.

1. Be discrete When Yusuf alaihis salaam saw a dream of his brothers being subservient to him, he related it to his father Yaqoob alaihis salaam who told him not to relate it to his brothers, as they would plot against him.

Seek help in fulfilling your needs (and ambitions) by being discrete (and telling as few people as possible); for every person who has a blessing, there are others who harbour jealousy against him (and would love for him fail.)

Majmaul Zawaid 2. Forgiveness When Yusuf alaihis salaam’s brothers came to him after all they had done to ruin him, and he now had the authority to seek revenge, he displayed good character by pardoning them unconditionally.

The man who had been in jail with him, forgot to remind the king about Yusuf alaihis salaam languishing in jail. When the man came some years later to ask Yusuf alaihis salaam for help, he did not reproach him.

3. Good character Yusuf alaihis salaam was recognised as a good man while he was an imprisoned slave, from the lower levels of society. And he was recognised as the same when he was in the government. Our status in society or life circumstances should not allow us to lose good character.

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From various Ulama

www.shafiifiqh.com Q: According to the Shafi madhab can someone cut their own hair to come out of Ihram after performing Umrah?

A: The answer is yes. In the Shafi school it is permissible for one to cut one’s own hair.

It is also permissible for one to cut the hair of someone else who has completed their Umrah and is seeking to release themselves from the state of Ihram. Imam alNawawi mentions in alMajmu, “it would be permissible for a muhrim to shave the head of a person who has completed then rites of Hajj.” This is because a) it is not his or her own hair and b) the person whose head is being shaved is seeking release from Ihram and not in a state where cutting one’s hair or having it shaven is forbidden.

Also, if it was a requirement to have someone else cut one’s hair, then that would mean that one could not do Umrah alone. This is what some jurists have mentioned.

Q: Is there a specific recommended procedure for the disposing of nails and hair that have been cut?

A: The scholars generally concur that it is recommended to bury everything that is separated from a living human’s body, such as a limb, hair, nails, and the like.

[Shafii: Nawawi, al-Majmu` Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, 5.213; Hanbali: Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina 2.96; Hanafi: Turi, Takmilat alBahr al-Ra'iq 8.232].

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This is because every part of the human being has been honored by Allah Most High: “Verily we have honoured the Children of Adam.” [Quran, 17.70] This was from the habitual practice of many of the Companions of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and the early Muslims, as mentioned in works such as Ibn Abi Shayba’s Musannaf.

Some Hanafi works would seem to indicate that it is necessary (wajib) to bury the hair and nails, but other texts make it clear that what is meant is a linguistic usage of wajib, namely “highly recommended” because they follow it up by saying, “And if one throws it away there is no wrong in it (la ba’sa bihi), though if one throws it in the toilet or washroom it is disliked.” [Muhammad ibn Husayn al-Turi, Takmilat alBahr al-Ra'iq, 8.232, quoting al-Nawazil] Q: What is the ruling regarding prayer while carrying a baby according to the Shafi school? If the child’s diaper contains najasah, would that be considered as najasah on our body and therefore invalidate the prayer?

How about for a child who sits on you lap or hangs onto you during the prayer?

A: If one is directly attached to or carrying something najis (filthy) or mutanajjis (filthified) by touching, holding, carrying, or being tied to

it, one’s prayer becomes invalid. Thus, if a child hangs onto one’s clothes or body or sits on one’s lap during prayer, and one is certain that the child has a filthified mouth (due to vomiting), bottom or anything on his body or clothes, one’s prayer becomes invalid.

However, if one is uncertain as to whether the child has a filthified mouth, bottom or anything on his body or clothes, one’s prayer remains valid because the original state of all things is that they are pure unless one knows otherwise.

Q: How much hair must be cut after Sa’ee in order to lift the state of Ihraam?

A: The Shafi ruling is that cutting three strands of hair is sufficient, at a minimum length of one ‘unmula’ (i.e., from the fingertip to the first joint; about 1.5cm).

[Shirbini/Nawawi, Mughni alMuhtaj ila Ma'rifat Alfaz alMinhaj] Q: What is the proof of the permissibility of women leading one another in prayer?

A: Women leading other women in prayer is an established sunna. Both Aishah and Umm Salamah radhiallahua anhuma used to lead women in prayer, standing in the middle of the row of women, as has been narrated by Imam Shafi rahimahullah in his “Musnad” and Imam Bayhaqi in his “Sunan” with well authenticated (hasan) chains of transmission (cf. al-Majmu by Imam Nawawi, 4.188).

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

SHAFI Q & A

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

HANAFI Q & A From various Ulama

www.askimam.org | www.askmufti.co.za | www.daruliftaa.net Q: What is the ruling for using mouthwash whilst fasting?

A: It is Makrooh (disliked) to use mouthwash whilst fasting.

Moreover, if the mouthwash is swallowed, the fast will be nullified and Qadha of that fast will be compulsory.

A Miswaak should be used instead to remove any odors from the mouth.

Q: In Islam is it permissible to use permanent hair dye, and are you allowed to do highlights in your hair just to please your husband?

A: Permanent hair dye is a long-lasting dye. When applied to the hair, it will last up to eight weeks.

Hair highlighting/lowlighting refers to changing a person's hair color, using lightener or hair color to color hair strands.

It is permissible to dye ones hair with a color other than black.

A woman may also highlight her hair in order to please her husband on condition it does not become the norm of immoral women and also imitating them.

Q: What is the correct pronunciation of Angel Jibraeel alaihis salaam? Is it Jibreel or Jibraeel?

A: There are various pronunciations for Jibreel (Alayhi Assalam). Both pronunciations, Jibreel and Jibraeel are correct.

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Q: I have been diagnosed with kerataconus and may need a corneal transplant in my left eye and was wondering if this is permissible in Islam.

A: It is permissible to undergo a cornea transplant.

Q: I calculated my zakat for the last year and have an amount to pay. For example calculated on 25th June 14 (for the last 12 months). How long do I have to pay off the due zakat?

Reason I am asking is because I heard that I have 12 months to pay from the date of calculation.

A: At the outset, the calculation of zakat should be based on the lunar calendar and not the solar calendar. In the example cited by you, if you owned the minimum zakatable amount on 25 June 2013, ascertain the Islamic date of that day last year and one day before the same date this year which is when one lunar year comes to an end and zakat is due.

In principle, upon the expiry of one lunar year, on your zakatable assets, zakat is due immediately. The concept of 12 months to pay from the day of calculation is upon attaining the nisaab (minimum threshold) of zakat. In other words, one may pay his zakat after attaining the nisaab of zakat before the expiry of one lunar year.

However, once one lunar year expires, zakat is due.

There is no further grace of 12 months to pay zakat. Za-

kat should be discharged as soon as possible. Any undue delay will be sinful.

Q: I work in a perfume shop. Does smelling fragrance break my fast?

A: Smelling fragrance does not invalidate the fast.

Q: Regarding halal meat.

The question was the animal has to be herbivorous to be Halal, and an animal becomes Haram if it consumes blood and/or meat (mammal feed). However, nowadays it is quite common for farmers to feed their livestock with animal protein and animal by -products, including animal food derived from pigs and dead animals.

What is the ruling with regard to this issue from Hanafi and Shafi schools?

A: In principle, it is not permissible to deliberately put impure or haram substances in the animal feed.

If, however, the main diet of the livestock consists of impure substances like pigs, dead animals, blood or anything derived from them, it will be impermissible (makrūh tahrīmī) to consume them according to the Hanafis. According to the Shafis , if the flesh of the animal changes as a result of its diet on impure materials, it is slightly disliked (makrūh tanzīhī) to consume. However, if their diet is altered to a pure diet several days before slaughter, they will be permissible according to both schools.

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It was the annual lumberjack competition and the final was between an older, experienced lumberjack and a younger, stronger lumberjack. Who could fell the most trees in a day was the winner.

The younger lumberjack worked through the day and night. He could hear the older lumberjack in another part of the forest and felt confident that he would win.

At regular intervals throughout the day, the noise of trees being felled coming from the other part of the forest would stop. The younger lumberjack took heart from this, knowing that this meant the older lumberjack was taking a rest, whereas he could use his superior strength and stamina to keep going.

At the end of the competition, the younger lumberjack felt confident he had won. At the medal ceremony, he stood on the podium expecting to be awarded the prize of champion lumberjack. Next to him stood the older lumberjack who looked surprisingly less exhausted than he felt.

When the results were read out, he was devastated to hear the older lumberjack had chopped down more trees than he had. He turned to him and said: “How can this be? I heard you take a rest every hour and I worked continuously through the night. What's more, I am stronger than you old man”.

The older lumberjack turned to him and said: “Every hour, I took a break to rest and sharpen my saw.” We all need breaks to freshen our enthusiasm and output.

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INTERNET / INSPIRATION

Enrich your web experience. Not all content on all sites Islamic-compliant. Consult Ulama

CURRENT / HISTORY

When people go through difficult times, if we cannot help them, then Islam guides us on what to do:

Life lessons that the noble Muslims of Gaza taught me as they went through yet another Zionist, Israeli genocide:

1. Don’t get happy “Do not rejoice over the misfortune of your brother, lest Allah have mercy upon him and subject you to trials.” (Tirmidhi 2506)

☑ "I always thought that Israel controls Gaza.

But today, I have realised that Israel controls all Muslim countries except Gaza." ~ Sheikh Abdul Jabbar

2. Offer moral support “There is no believer who consoles his brother at the time of a calamity but that Allah the Exalted will clothe him with noble garments on the Day of Resurrection.” (Ibn Majah 1601)

☑ Palestinian man in Gaza on being asked why he's gone back home: "I would rather die in my own home than in a UN school." #GazaUnderAttack

3. Give hope “When you enter upon a sick person, reassure him that he is going to live; that does not change anything, but it lifts his spirits.” (Tirmidhi 2087) 4. Offer condolence The Prophet wrote a letter of condolence to Muaz ibn Jabal on the death of his son highlighting the rewards in store for having patience at loss, and the fact that Allah Ta’ala knows why He puts one through loss. He also offered advice on not allowing the vicious cycle of grief to pull him into depression.

(Mu'jam Kabir) 5. Every bit counts The Prophet taught us to relieve the pain of people undergoing loss by seeing to some of their needs such as preparing food for them, visiting them and offering duas and verbal support to help them through their grief.

A phone call, a visit, a message, all help.

☑ @iFalasteen: “Palestinians have had the most privileged Ramadan this year. They did Sehri on earth and Iftaar in Jannah…” ☑ "Every side of #Gaza is blocked off, the only entrance open is the one to Jannah (Paradise)." ~ An Imam in #GazaUnderAttack ☑ "Their bombs are above us, but they forget Allah is above them." ~ A child in Gaza ☑ Gaza: birthplace of saints, burial place of Angels. ☑ "While the world buys Eid clothes, Gazans buy shrouds for the dead."

The indomitable spirit of the heroes of Gaza saw them come out to celebrate Eid under cowardly Israeli bombardment. The women wear cloaks and hijab day and night, not wanting to be without hijab if they are killed or wounded. They prayed in bombed Musjids.

Above all, they only attacked soldiers, not civilians as the Israelis did.

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1. Present “Death is a beloved liever.” (Tabrani)

Turgut was a Muslim seaman of Greek descent. He was captured and taken prisoner in his youth and converted to Islam. By 12 he was recruited in the Ottoman army and became a skilled sailor and outstanding gunner.

In 1517 he participated in the conquest of Egypt. Turgut went to Alexandria and began his career as a sailor. He became owner of a ship, and arming it with the most advanced cannons, operated in the Eastern Mediterranean.

3. Gentle The Angel of death assured the Prophet : “Gladden your heart, cool your eyes and be assured that I am gentle with every believer.” (Tabrani)

In 1520 he joined the fleet of Hayreddin Barbarossa and was promoted to chief lieutenant.

Turgut Reis captured and attacked numerous European cities in Italy, Albania and other European countries. He was captured for 4 years before being ransomed. After Barbarossa's death in 1546, Turgut succeeded him as supreme commander of Ottoman naval forces in the Mediterranean.

In 1548 he was appointed Chief Governor of Algeria by Sultan Suleiman and was awarded Tripoli and the surrounding territory. In 1552, he defeated the Spanish-Italian fleet. In 1565, during the bombardment of a fort in Malta, a cannon shot mortally injured him. He was buried in Tripoli.

A guide of some things that a believer can expect at death and beyond:

present

for

a

be-

2. Atonement “Death is an atonement for (the sins of) every Muslim. (For some, all sins are forgiven, and for others, part of their sins are forgiven).” (Abu Nuaim)

4. Souls meeting When a soul of a believer is taken out, then those who have passed away before him come to meet him, asking about the people still alive and who had got married and so forth.

(Ibn Abid Dunya) The souls speak among themselves and also visit one another. (Ibn Hibban in Kitabul Wasaaya) 5. Expanded grave In the Barzakh (world between this world and the hereafter), the grave of a believer welcomes him, expands as far as he can see, and it opens a door to Jannah (paradise) for him.

(Tirmidhi) 6. Mercy of Allah Ta’ala “Among all situations, Allah Ta’ala is most merciful with His slave when the slave is put in his grave.” (Ibn Mandah) Desire for the Aakhirah

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BIOGRAPHY / INSPIRATION

Turgut Reis (1485-1565) was an Ottoman Admiral and privateer who also served as Governor of Algiers; the Mediterranean; and Tripoli.

Under his naval command the Ottoman Empire's maritime power extended across North Africa. He made Tripoli one of the most impressive cities in North Africa. Known in different languages under such names as Dragut or Darghouth, the name in Turkey is Turgut Reis.

HISTORY / TECHNOLOGY

Islam is the second most widely professed religion in Austria, practiced by 7.0% of the total population. Most Muslims came to Austria during the 1960s as migrant workers from Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina. There are also communities of Arab and Pakistani origin.

Turks are around 300,000.

Austria is unique among Western European countries because it granted Muslims the status of a recognized religious community.

This dates back to the times following the Austro-Hungarian occupation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878. Austria has regulated the religious freedoms of the Muslim community with the Act of Recognition in 1912 and was the first Western European country to do so.

The Community of Muslim believers in Austria was founded in 1979. The Federation of Turkish-Islamic Associations runs some Musjids.

With the occupation of the former Ottoman provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1878, Austria incorporated a large number of muslims into their domain. With the annexation a convention with the Ottoman empire was signed, which guaranteed the religious communities of the newly conquered terretories freedom of religion.

During its peak, the Ottoman Empire threatened to conquer the Austrian capital of Vienna twice: in 1529 and 1683. After the second Ottoman defeat, Austria captured Hungary and Croatia from the Ottomans. After these gains, Austrians were not able to annex any new territory until Bosnia in 1908. Austria and Turkey

It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold.

The hedgehogs, realizing the situation, decided to group together to keep warm. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions.

After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.

The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

The hadith encourages us to overlook the slings and hurt that others hurl our way. It motivates us to pardon those who hurt us and join ties with those who break them.

Life is never a bed of roses. We need to take ride over the rocks to get to our destination, or we will end up going nowhere.

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FINAL FOCUS

They are homemade. They cost R8,000 to make, which makes them incredibly primitive.

They do not use any advanced technology and cannot be guided, directed, or controlled. They are largely ineffective and have a very limited range.

In 9 years, about 6,000 homemade Qassam rockets were fired from Gaza by various groups. Of those, 90% landed in uninhabited areas, causing no injuries or damage.

Israel’s rocket defense system is set up to intercept rockets fired into Israel. If a rocket is projected to land in a populated area, a R400,000 guided-missile is launched to destroy the R8,000 Qassam rocket. This means that very few rockets from Gaza ever land in civilian populated areas.

Qassam rockets fired from Gaza have resulted in fewer than 25 deaths in 9 years. For comparison, Israeli forces killed 1,400 Palestinians in less than one month in 2008/9 and almost the same amount in 2014.

Groups in Gaza that rely on Qassam rockets do so because they are the only available options. They do not have access to $40,000 guided missiles. They use crudely made, ineffective, and unreliable homemade rockets because that is simply all they have access to.

The Israelis are clearly in violation of both the Geneva Conventions and Just War Theory.

They are recklessly targeting civilian populated areas and, as a result, killing civilians.

They are relying on extra-judicial executions.

They are using disproportionate force. And

A stranger came by with an offer that set me to thinking. He wanted to buy the old barn that sits out by the highway. I told him right off he was crazy. He was a city type. He said he was driving by and saw that beautiful barn sitting out in the tall grass and wanted to know if it was for sale. I told him he had a funny idea of beauty.

Sure, it was a handsome building in its day.

But then, there's been a lot of winters pass with their snow and howling wind. The summer sun's beat down on that old barn till all the paint's gone, and the wood has turned silver gray. Now the old building leans a good deal, looking kind of tired. Yet, that fellow called it beautiful.

The stranger said he planned to use the lumber to line the walls of his den in a new country home he's building. He said you couldn't get paint that beautiful. Only years of standing in the weather, bearing storms and scorching sun, can produce beautiful barn wood.

It came to me then. We're a lot like that. It's on the inside that the beauty grows with us.

Sure we turn silver gray too, and lean a bit more than when we were young. But Allah knows what He's doing. As the years pass the hard times of our lives, the dry spells and the stormy seasons, do a job of beautifying our souls that nothing else can.

They took the old barn and hauled it away to beautify a rich man's house. And someday you and I'll be hauled off to Heaven and we'll be more beautiful then for the seasons we've been through here.

73 DURBAN ROAD KORSTEN PH. 041 451 3060 Islamic Focus

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