Islamic Focus 119

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The solution for much of the ills of society lies with what is aptly termed the Golden Rule. This maxim is beautifully encapsulated in the teachings of Prophet Muhammad when he said: “Whoever wishes to be saved from the fire (of Hell) and enter the garden (of Paradise) ... should treat people as he wishes to be treated by them.”

Few prescriptions can match this simple formula in its power to make a person think before interacting with others.

Orphans When it is dealing with those less fortunate such as orphans, the Quran gives a guardian food for thought by encouraging him to put himself in the deceased’s shoes: “...And those who are concerned about the welfare of their own children

Islamic Focus

Issue 119

Igniting the Spirit of Islam Dec 2014

after their death, should have fear of God [Treat other people's orphans justly]...” (Quran 4:8-9) Charity Giving charity is sometimes taken as a form of refuse removal with our unsavoury scraps being transferred to the poor. The Quran asks us to “Spend of the good things that you have earned... and do not even think of spending [in charity] worthless things that you yourselves would be reluctant to accept.” (2:267) Trade Trade and commerce is no different. Conduct your business in the way in which you would want to be treated. It is unfair to exact every last bit of rights as a consumer, and then be unyielding as a trader or service provider.

“Destruction to those... who, when they have to receive by

measure from men, they demand exact full measure, but when they have to give by measure or weight to men, give less than due.” (Quran 83: 1–4) Pause a moment before doing anything in relation to someone else. Use the brain power for which we set much pride. And only go ahead if you would be pleased to be on the receiving end of your own actions.

Perfect faith in Allah is linked to wishing well for others. "The servant (man) does not reach the reality of faith until he loves for others what he loves for himself,” in the words of the Prophet .

There needs to be a general return to this universal principle.

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WORLD NEWS

CHECHNYA - Attackers set alight the office of one of the few human rights groups active in Chechnya after it criticised the pro Russian president Kadyroz.They attacked the Joint Mobile Group (JMG) office in the Chechen capital, Grozny and there are concerns over the safety of two activists.The JMG had criticised Kadyrov after he called for collective punishment of the families of rebels behind a recent attack in Grozny. Muslim fighters launched an assault on the city on 4 December, killing 14 police officers. In the wake of that attack Kadyrov called for relatives of the militants to be punished. Not long afterwards masked men burnt down civilian homes linked to Muslim fighters in the village of Yandi. The two activists called police to their flat to make a complaint about the arson attack in the office. Instead, the police searched the two men and confiscated their laptops, cameras and phones. (BBC, 14 Dec) SYRIA - Syrian Muslim fighters made gains in Idlib province against Bashar Assad's Shia-backed militia, killing 15 soldiers. In Idlib, freedom fighters seized three government checkpoints near two military bases. 200,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising against Assad began more than three and a half years ago. (BBC, 14 Dec) USA - Thousands of people have marched through the US capital, Washington DC, to protest against the recent killings of unarmed black people by white police. Grand juries decided not to bring charges against the white officers, sparking anger and unrest. The aim of the protestors is to stop the unlawful killings of unarmed black men and kids as young as 12 years old at the hands of the police. The deci-

sion not to prosecute killer policemen sparked riots in Ferguson and other US cities as far away as Oakland, California. (BBC, 13 Dec) URUGUAY - Six former Guantanamo detainees have received asylum in Uruguay. The group of four Syrians, a Tunisian and a Palestinian, were illegally detained in the US prison facility in Guantanamo Bay in 2002 - but were never charged. They had been cleared for release since 2009, but were waiting to find countries that would take them in. (AJ, 14 Dec) USA - It took the US Senate five years and $40m to release a damning 500-page report that confirmed that the CIA used extensive torture against Muslims under the Bush government. (AJ, 14 Dec) INDONESIA - Muslims and non-Muslims alike are now subject to strict Islamic law in the province of Aceh. It is the only one of Indonesia's 34 provinces to impose Islamic law in the most populous Muslimmajority nation in the world. Aceh province implemented Islamic law in 2001, but in September the religious "penal code" was extended to everyone.

Offences such as adultery, homosexual acts, and sex outside marriage are now punishable. No Christian has been punished for violating sharia law.(AJ, 14 Dec) KENYA - Kenya’s police squads admitted carrying out extrajudicial killings of Muslim Imams as part of the Kenyan government’s assassination programme targeting Muslims. Britain and the US have provided millions of dollars to Kenya’s police while Western security agencies know about the killings. (AJ, 14 Dec)

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HISTORY

Fatimah bint al-Mundhir ibn al-Zubayr ibn al Awaam Asma radhiallahu anha was the daughter of Abu Bakr, the sister of Aishah and the wife of the Sahabi Zubayr ibn al Awwaam .

One of her grandchildren was Fatimah bint al Mundhir (rahimahallah). Fatimah bint al Mundhir (rahimahallah) is respected as one of the leading people who had seen the Sahaaba of her time. She was a great scholar and was renowned as a Jurist. She was married to her cousin Hishaam ibn Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (rahimahullah). Hishaam was also a great scholar and narrator. Some of his leading students included Imam Abu Hanifah and Imam Malik rahimahumullah.

Although they were both cousins, Hishaam had not acquired from Asma radhiallahu anha the many ahaadeeth that his wife had acquired. Hence, he would ask her and learn them and in turn inform his students of what is wife had taught him.

Mufassireen say some animals will enter Paradise:

1. The Buraaq (an animal with wings, that is bigger than a donkey and smaller than a mule) which the Prophet rode on Meraj.

2. The she-camel of Prophet Saalih alaihis salaam.

3. The donkey of Prophet Uzayr alaihis salaam whom Allah caused to die for one hundred years and then revived.

4. The calf which Ebrahim alaihis salaam slaughtered for his angel guests.

5- The ram which Allah sent in place of Prophet Ismail alaihis salaam being slaughtered.

6. The hoopoe bird that brought news for Prophet Sulaymaan alaihis salaam about the Queen of Sheba.

7. The ant who’s words are related in Quran.

8. The dog of the people of the Cave.

For some of the most leading scholars of Islam, the likes of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim (rahimahumullah), to record these Ahaadeeth, in which women have narrated the hadeeth and man has narrated from his wife holds great lessons. The most reliable sources of Islamic knowledge contain ahaadeeth that contain chains which bear the names of women. These examples bear sufficient proof that men would narrate from their wives openly.

Part One: From Ideal Muslimah

9. The fish that swallowed Prophet Yunus alaihis salaam.

10. The cow of the Israelites that pointed to the killer when the slain man was hit with some of its parts.

Allamah Aaloosi rahimahullah mentions that all good animals in this world, like antelopes, peacocks and the animals from which a believer benefits, like sheep and goats, will enter Paradise in a suitable shape.

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SUNNAH / CURRENT

What happens to children who die? Where do they go? Here are some answers from the Hadith: With the Prophets The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam once narrated: ‘Last night two persons came to me (in a dream) and woke me up and said to me, Proceed! I set out with them … We proceeded and we reached a garden of deep green dense vegetation, having all sorts of spring colours.

In the midst of the garden there was a very tall man and I could hardly see his head because of his great height, and around him there were children in such a large number as I have never seen.’ The two angels said to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam: ‘The tall man whom you saw in the garden, is Ebrahim alaihis salaam and the children around him are those children who die with Al-Fitra (Islamic Faith).” Some Muslims asked the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam: “What about the children of pagans?” He replied, “And also the children of pagans.” (Bukhari) Gardens Narrated by Khalid al-Absi: “A son of mine died and I felt intense grief over his loss. I said O Abu Hurayra, have you heard anything from the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam to cheer us regarding our dead?’ He replied, I heard the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam say, ‘Your children are roaming freely in the Garden’.” (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad) Gone Ahead ‘The childless are those who have not sent any of their children ahead’ (i.e. none of their children have died). (Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)

Islam teaches that skin colour is no barrier.

This was practically demonstrated by the influence of black Muslims throughout history.

Here’s a sampling: Ubada ibn Samit radhiallahu anhu (d 654) An early companion of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, Ubada radhiallahu anhu participated in all the major battles of Islam including Badr and Uhud. Later, he became a successful commander of the Muslim army. He was one of the main field commanders during the Muslim conquest of Egypt.

Dhun Nun Misri (d 859) One of the most prominent early mystics in the Islamic world, Dhun Nun originated from Nubia and was a legendary alchemist.

Tariq ibn Ziyad (d 720) A Muslim general who led the Islamic conquest of what is now Spain and Portugal in 711–718. al-Jaḥiẓ (d 869) Abu Uthman Amr, aka al-Jaḥiẓ, is renowned as a writer. In addition, he was an accomplished theologian, poet, philosopher, grammarian and linguist. Known as “the first Islamic zoologist,” he authored 200 books.

Abu al-Misk Kafoor (d 968) With beginnings as an enslaved Ethiopian, Kafoor rose to become a military commander and eventually sultan of the Ikhshidid dynasty, which included territory encompassing modern-day Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Eritrea, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan and Hejaz.

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From various Ulama

www.shafiifiqh.com Q: I read that regular recitation of Sura Mulk is supposed to be a protection in the qabr. Is this authentic?

A: In Hada’iq al-Rawh wa alRayhan 30/6, Muhammad alAmin al-Harari cited some narrations that establish Surah al-Mulk is a protection for one in the grave.

Q: I have not memorized dua qunoot yet. Read in Fajar namaas. What can I read in the mean time until I memorized the dua?

A: In Nihayat al-Zayn p. 67, Nawawi Bentani mentioned that qunut is achieved even with a supplication such as, “Allahumma ghfir li ya Ghafur wa rhamni ya Rahim.”

And what is best is that one pray with the famously known qunut, “Allahumma ihdini fiman hadaydta….”

Q: Can you tell me how much gap should be between the feet whilst in salah?

A: In Rawdah 1/259, Imam Nawawi related from Imam Shafi’i and the As-hab alWujuh that it is recommended that one prostrating separate between their feet

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and knees. And he related from Qadi Abu al-Tayyib’s commentary on Mukhtasar al -Muzani that they should be separated the amount of a handspan. This ruling is also given by Ibn Hajar. (See: Tuhfat al-Muhtaj 2/76)

Fariqi, Badr al-Din alZarkashi, and others said it does not apply. While in Tuhfah and Nihayah it is related that according to the relied-upon opinion it applies to this situation too. (See: Tuhfah w/ Sharwani 7/206)

In regards to separating them while standing, Shaykh al-Islam related from Sahib al-Anwar that they should be: (1) separated to the extent of four fingers or (2) to the extent of a handspan analogously on what Imam Nawawi stated in Rawdah as aforementioned. (See: Sharh al-Rawd 1/145) Ibn Hajar preferred the second view in this instance. (Tuhfah 2/21) And so did Ramli. (Nihayah 1/456)

Q: What is Imam Shafi’s opinion regarding reciting the Fatihah behind the imam after he finishes?

Q: Kindly guide me to the most correct view regarding looking at the private parts of the spouse?

A: In Rawdah 7/27, Imam Nawawi said that it is permissible for the husband to look at the entirety of his wife’s body. In regards to the private part, the relied-upon opinion is that it is permissible but disliked. Some of the Shafis differed on if the ruling of disliked applies while making love. Abu ‘Ali al-

A: In Tuhfah 2/44, Ibn Hajar stated that reciting Surat alFatihah is obligatory in every rak’ah of every prayer. This applies if one is praying alone, leading another, or following another. The evidence for this ruling is the rigorously authenticated hadith, “There is no prayer for one who does not recite ‘Fatihat al-Kitab.’”

There are hadiths that indicate to the imam’s recitation being sufficient. Like the words ascribed to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, “Whoever has an imam, so the imam’s recitation is for him recitation. Man kana la imam, fa qira’at alimam lahu qira’ah.” However, many hadith scholars judged it weak, like Imam Daraqutni in his Sunan.

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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: Can someone do Umrah for another person who is still alive?

A: It is permissible to do umrah on behalf of someone who is alive.

Q: I want to know about the following hadith, is this a weak (da’eef) hadith? And is acting on a weak Hadith permissible?

“Whoever stands up (in worship) on the nights preceding the two Eids expecting reward from his Sustainer, his heart will not die when other hearts will die.”

A: The Hadeeth mentioned in the query is as follows: “Whoever spends the nights of the two Eid in praying voluntary prayers, seeking reward from Allah, his heart will not die on the Day when hearts will die.” (Sunan ibn Majah 1782) After mentioning the Hadeeth, Imam Al-Nawawi (rahimahullah) further elaborates: “It is a da’eef Hadeeth which we have narrated ...

However, in virtues da’eef Hadith are accepted.”

Imam Al-Nawawi (rahimahullah) mentions in al -Majmoo: “Our companions said: It is mustahabb to spend the nights before the two Eid’s in prayer and doing other acts of worship.”

Being da’eef does not mean that it is not recommended to spend the night before Eid in prayer, rather it’s preIslamic Focus

scribed on all nights. Hence the scholars agreed that it is mustahabb to spend the night before Eid in prayer, as is mentioned in the commentary of Muslim shareef by Imam Nawawī rahimahulah.

It is permissible to practice on a da’eef Hadeeth if the following three conditions are found as mentioned by Hafiz ibn Hajar Al- Asqalāni (rahimahullah): 1 – It should not be very weak, and one should not act upon a Hadeeth which was narrated only by one of the narrators who are accused of lying, or whose mistakes are serious.

2 – It should mention a good deed for which there is a basis in Islamic law.

3 – When acting upon it one should not believe that the action is well-founded, rather he should do it on the basis of erring on the side of caution.

Q: Is it permissible for a Muslim businessman to sell fireworks?

A: There is a leeway for Muslim to sell fireworks. (Fatawa Darul Uloom Zakariya 5:147; Kitabul Fatawa 5:203) In general, the principle in selling items is that if there is a valid usage of an item in Islamic law, its sale is permissible. Fireworks can and are used for SOS signals.

one Surah in different rakats of fardh salah. It is permissible to repeat the same Surah in different rakats of sunnah and nafl salah.

Q: Is a woman in haidh (menstruation) allowed to recite surahs from the Quraan from memory?

A: A woman in menstruation may not recite surahs from the Quran whether from memory or looking into a copy of the Quran. She may listen to the Quran being recited.

Q: Is it compulsory for females to wear pants when performing salaah?

A: Wearing pants ensures that no part of a woman’s awrah (the part of the body which must be covered) is exposed. If a woman wears a dress that also covers the lower part of her body, then the salah is valid.

Q: Rewards are multiplied in the haramain. Does this mean qadhaa (missed) salaah performed in the Haramain will be made up as many times as the virtues mentioned?

A: No, the reward of salaah performed in Haramain are multiplied. Each Salaah which was missed must be performed individually.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Q: Can the same surahs be read in multiple raka'ats?

A: It is undesirable to repeat YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/IslamicFocus

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A wealthy man requested an old scholar to wean his son away from his bad habits.

The scholar took the youth for a stroll through a garden. Stopping suddenly he asked the boy to pull out a tiny plant growing there.

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The youth held the plant between his thumb and forefinger and pulled it out. The old man then asked him to pull out a slightly bigger plant.

The youth pulled hard and the plant came out, roots and all. “Now pull out that one,” said the old man pointing to a bush. The boy had to use all his strength to pull it out.

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“Now take this one out,” said the old man, indicating a guava tree. The youth grasped the trunk and tried to pull it out. But it would not budge.

“It’s impossible,” said the boy, panting with the effort.

“So it is with bad habits,” said the sage.

“When they are young it is easy to pull them out but when they take hold they cannot be uprooted.”

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The session with the old man changed the boy’s life.

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Moral: Don’t wait for Bad Habits to grow in you, drop them while you have control over them or else they will get control of you.

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INTERNET / SUNNAH

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HISTORY August 1016 CE seems to have been a singularly unfortunate month in Muslim lands.

Methods of teaching from the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam:

It all began with the Shia commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussain radhiallahu anhu in Karbala, Iraq. The mourners went about their lamentations while two bonfires which they had lit ran amok. The Shia shrine of Hussain radhiallahu anhu was burnt.

1. Teaching by Excellent Character One of the greatest teaching methods of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam was to teach by his actions. When he issued an order, he would first carry it out himself. On the occasion of Hudaibiya, when the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam issued the order for the Sahaba to come out of Ihram and slaughter their animals, he did it first and the Sahaba rushed to comply on seeing this. (al Fikr al Sami fi Tarikh al Fiqh al Islami, 1:154)

Fire seemed to have been the in-thing that month. Baghdad’s Cotton House went down that road as did several areas in Basra, Iraq.

Samarra University followed suit. Fire was, as can be seen, a tad bit common that month in Iraq.

The Kabah in Makkah suffered some damage to the Rukn Yamani corner. And in the other holy city of Islam, Madinah, there was a report of the wall in front of the blessed grave of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam collapsing.

These two happenings could be connected with the earthquake which struck Jerusalem and the third Haram in Palestine also in that month, causing the partial collapse of the landmark golden Dome of the Rock in the Aqsa complex.

If these incidents had to take place two years short of a thousand years later there would have been a plethora of conspiracy theories on how Islam’s holy places were under attack.

Suffice to say that the famous Muslim historian Ismail bin Umar popularly known as Ibn Kathir, merely brushed it off as “one of the strangest of coincidences.”

Ref: Al-Bidayah Wan-Nihayah Vol 12 Pg 4

On another occasion, the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam asked for a container of water and practically demonstrated the method of Wudhu for a man who had asked. (Abu Dawud) 2.Teaching in Stages The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam used a gradual approach in teaching. He would present the most important lessons first then the less important. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam taught a group of youth what was Iman (belief) before they learnt the Quran.

(Ibn Majah) 3. Moderation and Preventing Boredom The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam used to take into consideration the times and circumstances of the Sahaba when advising and teaching them so they would not get bored.

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam used to take people into consideration when giving advice out of fear that they become bored.

(Bukhari) Sheikh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah

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1. Loving this life makes the servant obsessed with it. “He whose ultimate goal is the Hereafter will be endowed with richness in their hearts by Allah, will be granted a closeknit, protected familial environment, and will gain as much as they want from this life despite its unwillingness. On the contrary, Allah will make those who are obsessed with this life see poverty in front of their eyes and break up their family ties, and they will not gain from it except what they have been destined for.” [Tirmidhi] 2. When someone loves something, he/ she is tortured by that type of love.

“Losers are the servants of the Dinar; losers are the servants of the Dirham,” referring to money. (Hadith) Some scholars of Islam said, “They (lovers of this life) suffer the agony of collecting money and their love towards money continues till the moment of breathing their last.”

3. Whoever loves this life and prefers it to the hereafter is considered one of the most ignorant and unwise people. He/she has preferred the unreal to the real, slumber to wakefulness, and a perishable house to an ever-lasting one. Yunus Ibn Abdul Aa’la rahimahullah said, “This life can be compared to a man who sleeps and dreams of what he likes and hates. Then, he wakes up.”

Adapted from work of Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah

Islam encourages protection of wealth and employing it in such a way so it is not wasted.

“Allah has detested for you three things: useless talk, wasting of wealth and asking too much (useless questions).” (Hadith) Wasting wealth also means not keeping it safely or not managing it properly so that it goes to waste.

“Whoever sells a house or piece of land and does not put its price into something similar, will not be blessed in it.” (Hadith) This means that it is not recommended to sell houses or immovable property and put its price into something movable. This is because immovable property (real estate) has a lot of benefits such as that it cannot be stolen. As a result it is better not to sell a property, and if it is sold then its best for the money to be put into another piece of property.

Safeguarding one's wealth properly (while being generous and avoiding miserliness) is an important aspect of thanking Allah for the blessing of wealth. In the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) the default currency was dinar (gold) and dirham (silver).

Paper currency did not exist.

Since paper currency is no longer backed by a gold standard, investing in gold or silver is today seen as one of the better ways of safeguarding one's wealth.

One should consider all possible halal avenues of investment, make istikharah (salaah for guidance), consult and then proceed relying on Allah. Adapted from article by Mufti Ebrahim Desai

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BIOGRAPHY / HADITH

The life of this world is fleeting and is often focused on materialism – it is so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of it all – but how does that affect our faith?

CURRENT / ENVIRONMENT

Listing every horrifying detail in the US Senate Intelligence Committee's summary report on the CIA's torture program would be impossible. There's just too much. To get a sense of the gravity of the abuses, however, here are some of those detailed in the report:

Many of us do not realise how and nature friendly is our Deen (religion of Islam). With the earth’s resources increasingly under threat, its perhaps time to reacquaint ourselves with this important aspect of our religion.

1. CIA put food in a detainee's rectum Majid Khan’s “lunch tray” of hummus, pasta with sauce, nuts and raisins was pureed and rectally infused.

Plant a tree even if it is your last deed

2. Interrogators forced detainees to stand on broken feet Detainees with broken feet and even prosthetic limbs were shackled in a standing position for sleep deprivation.

3. CIA interrogators threatened to sexually assault the mother of a detainee CIA placed detainees in ice water baths. Detainees were threatened with harm to their kids and sexual assault on their mothers.

4. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded at least 183 times Waterboarding brought detainees to neardrowning.

5. Detainees were kept awake for as long as 180 hours — over a week Sleep deprivation involved detainees shackled with hands above their heads in stress positions. In cases this led to hallucinations.

US try for so.

and international law states that if a counis unwilling to prosecute its own officials torture, an international tribunal may do However, prosecution is unlikely.

Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “If the Hour (the day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you is holding a palm shoot, let himtake advantage of even one second before the Hour is established to plant it.” (Ahmad) Planting trees is a renewable source of reward Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a Sadaqah (charity) for him.” (Bukhari) Conservation at all times Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam once passed by Saad ibn Abi Waqqaas radhiallahu anhu and (noticing his excessive use of water in Wudhu) asked him, “What is this wastage?”

Saad radhiallahu anhu replied “Is there wastage in Wudhu also?” Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, “Yes, even if you are at a flowing river.” (Ahmad) From: Jamiatul Ulama KZN

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FINAL FOCUS

Children of Jannah was launched 2011 by Hafizah Ismail to support grieving Muslim parents and families following the devastation of the death of a child or baby, whether through illness, miscarriage or stillbirth. Believing that children who die enter Paradise, or Jannah as it is known in Arabic, is a key message used in helping bereaved parents and families heal from grief.

Children of Jannah is a registered charity in the UK. Their vision is for Muslim bereaved parents and families to have access to relevant support and information from appropriately trained people.

Among the advisors is Shaykh Waleed Basyouni. One of the sponsors is Al Imdaad UK. They provide support to parents and families when a child dies through a variety of ways, We educate bereaved parents, families, professionals and the public on many areas surrounding Muslim child death, including miscarriage, stillbirth and termination of pregnancy; and we offer training to mosques, organisations and the NHS to enable them to support Muslim bereaved families better.

Support includes Telephone Support and Information Line, Bereavement Support Group, Bereavement Support Pack, Counselling, Email Support Service, Mothers and Fathers Online Groups and Publications.

Contact: Email: support@childrenofjannah.com UK Helpline: 0161 480 5156 www.childrenofjannah.com

A crow lived in the forest and was absolutely satisfied. But one day he saw a swan. “This swan is so white,” he thought, “and I am so black. This swan must be the happiest bird.”

He expressed this to the swan. “Actually,” the swan replied, “I felt that I was the happiest bird around until I saw a parrot, which has two colors. I now think the parrot is the happiest bird.” The crow then approached the parrot.

The parrot explained, “I lived a very happy life until I saw a peacock. I have only two colors, but the peacock has multiple colors.”

The crow then visited a peacock in the zoo.

“Dear peacock,” the crow said, “you are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. When people see me, they immediately shoo me away. I think you are the happiest bird on the planet.”

The peacock replied, “I always thought that I was the most beautiful and happy bird on the planet. But because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have examined the zoo very carefully, and I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage. I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could happily roam everywhere.”

That’s our problem too. We make unnecessary comparison with others and become sad. We don’t value what Allah has given us. This leads to the vicious cycle of unhappiness. Learn to be happy in what you have instead of looking at what you don’t have. There will always be someone who will have more or less than you have. Person who is satisfied with what he/she has, is the happiest person in the world.

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