Islamic Focus Issue 73 by Islamic Focus

P3 The Bridge P4 Tools P7 Macaroni P8 Different Qiraat P9 Depression P10 The Farm Bukhara Publications/Tel: 078 672 7797/Fax: 086 651 2125 Email: islamicfocus@gmail.com/Korsten/Port Elizabeth

Muslims are becoming increasingly concerned about Halaal. As a result, the Muslim market is growing; a sign of a newly confident Muslim identity based on an Islamic lifestyle.

Issue 73

Igniting the Spirit of Islam

tor is worth well over $1 trillion a year.

MUSCLE The buying power of American Muslims alone is $170 billion annually. Muslims are the fastest-growing segment of the middle class in Britain; they have big families: an average of 3.4 children against the national average of 1.9; so they buy big cars; they spend money on home decoration and vacations. The Halaal food industry accounts for 16% of the global food industry.

Non-Muslim multinationals like Tesco and McDonalds are recognizing this fact and are designing products for the Muslim market. Domino's sources halaal pepperoni from a Malaysian company for the pizzas it sells; KFC is testing halaal-only stores in UK, and the Subway sandwich chain has halaal franchises across UK and Ireland. Swiss food giant NestlĂŠ set up its halaal committee in the 1980s, and has facilities to keep its halaal and nonhalaal products separated. Nestleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turnover in halaal products was $3.6 billion in 2008.

Throw in the fast-growing Islam-friendly finance sector and the myriad other products and services: cosmetics, real estate, hotels, fashion, insurance, and the sec-

The burgeoning Islamic finance industry, as well as other Islamic sectors, is winning non-Muslim customers. Investors are attracted by Islamic banking's more con-

Islamic Focus

Sep 2009

servative approach: Islamic law forbids banks from charging interest. The Islamic finance industry is growing at 15% a year, and could reach $4 trillion in five years. NON-MUSLIMS At hotels like Jawhara, an alcohol-free chain, 60% of the clientele are nonMuslims, drawn by the hotels' serenity and familyfriendly atmosphere. Dutchbased company Marhaba, which sells cookies and chocolates, gets 25% of its customers from nonMuslims; people concerned about food safety. Non-food companies like LG and Nokia are offering Islamic applications for their cellphones to win Muslim customers. Muslims modeling their life on Islam has seen them regaining their power to dictate terms. Adapted from Time Magazine article by Carla Power

...

WORLD NEWS

SOMALIA - Ethiopian troops invaded and seized control of the town of Beledweyne from Islamist fighters. (Aljazeera, Aug 29) Islamist fighters recaptured the town in a battle. (PressTV, Sep 6) SWEDEN - A diplomatic row between Sweden and Israel intensified after a report in Sweden's leading newspaper Aftonbladet accused the Israeli army of stealing body organs from Palestinian men after killing them. The article makes references to the New Jersey scandal earlier this year which involved rabbis, illegal organ trading and money laundering. (AJ,

65 and under 25 from travelling to Makkah for Umrah. (BBC, Aug 17) INDONESIA - Thousands left homeless after a major earthquake that killed 63 people on Java island. 10,000 homes, offices, schools and Musjids were destroyed. (AJ, Sep 4)

Aug 24)

IRAQ - 4 US soldiers sentenced to life for the gang rape and murder of a 14-year Iraqi girl and the killing of her father, mother and 6-year-old sister in Baghdad in 2006. They will eligible for parole in 10 years. (AJ, Sep 5)

SUDAN - The six-year war between forces loyal to the government and rebels in Darfur has ended, according to the UN's military commander there. 10,000 died in the fighting. (BBC, Aug 27)

EAST TURKESTAN (XINJIANG) - 5 killed after Chinese riots against Muslims in the Chineseoccupied Muslim country which has large reserves of oil, gas and minerals. (AJ, Sep 5)

PALESTINE - Hamas killed fighters of the Jund Ansar Allah in a Gaza Musjid after they declared an Islamic Emirate. The group wants an Islamic Emirate in the Middle East and calls for strict Islamic law. 28 killed in the fighting and 100 injured. (AJ, Aug 16)

YEMEN - Fighting between Shia rebels in the north and the army began again after a short-lived ceasefire. Over 100 Shia rebels have been killed in recent fierce fighting. (AJ, Sep 5)

INGUSHETIA - 20 killed and more than 70 wounded in attack on police station in Russianoccupied Muslim Ingushetia next to Chechnya. (AJ,

Aug 18) KUWAIT - The ex-wife of a groom at a wedding party admitted starting a blaze that engulfed a tent, killing 43 women and children. (AJ, Aug 18) HOLLAND - The Arab European League is to be put on trial for cartoons on its website that question the Holocaust. The cartoons are deemed offensive to Jews. This is double-standards as Dutch MP Wilders who made a film with blasphemous cartoons attacking Prophet Muhammad which were offensive to Muslims will not be charged. (BBC, Sep 2) BANGLADESH - PM orders male government employees not to wear suits, jackets and ties to work to save electricity by using less air-conditioners. Bangladesh suffers daily power cuts. (BBC, Sep 2) KASHMIR - Indian troops kill 5 Muslim freedom fighters after Mujahideen kill 2 Indian soldiers in occupied Kashmir. (BBC, Sep 2) EGYPT - Hundreds staged a sit-in at Cairo airport after authorities implemented a ban on anyone over

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AFGHANISTAN - Nato air strike kills 56 civilians including children in Kunduz. (AJ, Sep 5) USA - 216,000 jobs lost in August, pushing the unemployment rate to a 26-year high. Since the start of the recession in December 2007, US economy has shed 6.9 million jobs with total unemployment at 14.9 million. (BBC, Sep 4) WEST AFRICA - Heavy flooding has affected 350,000 people across West Africa, killing 30 in Ghana and Burkina Faso. (BBC, Sep 5) AFGHANISTAN - 295 foreign troops killed this year, the deadliest year since the US invasion. (BBC,

Aug 25) INTERNET - A new search engine, ImHalal, launched that claims to filter out content based on Islamic principles for Muslim users. (PressTV, Sep 3) PALESTINE - Jewish tanks and bulldozers invaded eastern border areas of Gaza destroying Palestinian cultivated agricultural land. (PressTV, Sep 3) BAHRAIN - A Bahraini businessman plans on giving his Merc limousine to the Iraqi journalist who threw a shoe at former US President Bush. (PressTV, Sep 2)

... 2

Surah Ikhlaas. ‘Whoever recites Surah Ikhlaas (chapter 112 of the Qur’aan) when entering the house, it will distance poverty from the inhabitants of the house and the neighbours.’ (Tabraani) Durood. A Sahaabi asked the Prophet , ‘How will it be if I only recited salawaat (Durood, asking Allah to bestow mercy on the Prophet ) instead of all other devotions and dua?’ The Prophet replied, ‘If you do so, Allah will take responsibility for all your needs of this world…’ (Musnad Ahmad) Washing Hands. ‘Whoever desires his sustenance to be increased by Allah, should regularly wash his hands before and after partaking meals.’ (Ibn Majah) Salaah. Thabit narrates that whenever the family of the Prophet faced the difficulties of poverty, he would call out to them, ‘Perform Salaah, perform Salaah.’ (Kitaab Az-Zuhd) Repentance. ‘Whoever adopts Istighfaar (seeking repentance from Allah) Allah will grant him salvation from every type of problem and calamity.’ (Abu Dawood) Serving Allah. Allah says, ‘O son of Aadam, spend your time in My service and I shall enrich you with independence and freedom, and I shall remove poverty from you…’ (Hadith, Virtues of Ramadaan, pg 52) Adapted from Ar Rasheed Vol 12 No 2 Email or SMS us for the complete articles in this series

Once upon a time two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery and trading labour and goods. Then this collaboration fell apart. It started with a small misunderstanding, grew into a major difference and finally exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence. The younger brother decided to build a dam between the two farms, increasing the divide between the two. One day a man with carpenter’s tools came looking for work at the elder brother’s farm. This brother told the man, ‘Look at that dam. My younger brother bulldozed the meadow between our farms and built the dam. But I’m going to go one better. Take the timber by the barn and build a high fence between the farms so I don’t see my brother’s face again.’ The carpenter agreed to do the work and said, ‘I’ll do a job that pleases you.’ The older brother was gone to town for the day. When he returned at sunset, his jaw dropped. There was no fence between the farms. There was a bridge stretching across the dam, joining the farms. And his younger brother was coming across, hand outstretched. ‘You’re quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done,’ he told the elder brother. They met and made up. They saw the carpenter leaving. ‘Stay,’ said the elder brother, but the carpenter said, ‘I have many more bridges of love to build.’ Join ties with those who break them. And pardon those who oppress you. (Hadith)

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INSPIRATION / SOCIAL

We continue our series of articles on ways to increase wealth and ride out the financial crisis from the Qur’aan and Hadith.

MOTIVATION / SUNNAH

‘The most liked food of the Prophet was Thareed of bread and Thareed of Hays.’ (Abu Dawood) In the last issue we had a recipe for lamb Thareed. Here we have a recipe for chicken Thareed. These recipes may not be the exact Thareeds of the Hadith, but nevertheless are Thareeds and part of the Muslim heritage. Chicken Thareed An Arabic cookbook written about 2 -3 centuries after the Prophet contains this recipe: Ingredients 2 cups chickpeas | 8 cups water | 5 lbs. chicken, cut up | ½ cup (1 stick) butter | 2 tsp. dried ginger | 2 cinnamon sticks | 1 tbsp. salt | 2 cups milk | 2 cups finely chopped onion | 6 cups carrots, cut into 1/4" slices | 2 cups blanched and ground almonds | ¼ cup vinegar | 2 tsp. ground coriander | 1 tbsp. pepper | 2 tsp. cumin | 8 eggs (optional)

Put chickpeas into large bowl, cover with cold water and soak overnight. The next day, drain chickpeas and set aside. Put chickpeas into a pot, cover with 8 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for an hour. After the chickpeas have cooked for 30 minutes, put the chicken into another large pot, add just enough water to cover by ½", and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove foam that floats to the top, add ginger, cinnamon and salt, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain chickpeas and put in the pot with chicken. Add onions and carrots and enough water so that everything is covered. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add more water as needed to keep everything covered. Stir in milk, then add ground almonds and vinegar, coriander, pepper and cumin. If desired, break eggs into the pot, one at a time. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Adapted from SANHA article

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Hammer served as the chairman. The other members of the tool belt informed him that he must leave, because he was too noisy. But Hammer said, ‘If I have to leave this carpenter's shop, then Gimlet must go too. He's insignificant and makes a very small impression.’ (A gimlet is a small tool with a screw point, grooved shank, and a cross handle for boring holes). Little Gimlet arose and said, ‘All right, but Screwdriver must go also. You have to turn him around and around to get anywhere with him.’ Screwdriver turned to the other tools and said, ‘If you wish, I will go, but Plane must leave too. All his work is on the surface; there's no depth to what he does.’ To this Plane replied, ‘Well then, Saw will have to depart too. The changes he proposes always cut too deep.’ Saw complained, ‘Ruler will have to withdraw if I leave, for he's always measuring other folks as though he were the only one who is right.’ Ruler then surveyed the group and said, ‘Sandpaper doesn't belong here either. He's rougher than he ought to be, and is always rubbing people the wrong way.’ In the midst of the discussion, the carpenter walked in. He put on his tool belt and went to the workbench to make a mimbar. He employed the ruler, saw, plane, hammer, gimlet, screwdriver, sandpaper and all the other tools. When the day's work was over, the mimbar was finished. All the accusations against each of these tools were true, yet the carpenter used every one of them. We are all tools in life’s tool box, individually made by Allah. Each has a purpose, ability and a task to perform despite all our weaknesses. Working together we can achieve much.

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Q: Does having injections or blood tests invalidate the fast? A: Hijamah (taking blood from the body) does not break the fast. This is according to Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Malik and Imam Shafi and the majority rahimahumullah. In another narration of Imam Shafi and Imam Malik it is Makruh (disliked). (Bidayatul Mujtahid Vol.1 Pg.212) Imam Ahmad, Imam Is’haq and other scholars rahimahumullah says that Hijamah makes the fast invalid. (Ma'alimus Sunan Lil Khattabi Vol.3 Pg.242) Therefore, taking a blood test or applying injection does not affect the validity of fasting. (Darse Tirmidhi Vol.2 Pg.608-612 and 622) Answer by: Moulana Qamruz Zaman

Q: Does the water that remains in the mouth after rinsing affect the validity of the fast if the mouth was rinsed for any reason other than the ablution (Wudhu)? A: From the words of Shaykh Shabramallisi who quotes from Ibn Abd al-Haqq, it seems that the water that remains in the mouth after rinsing it for any reason

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other than the ablution does not invalidate the fast. He said, ‘It does not harm one's fast to swallow one’s saliva after rinsing the mouth even if one is able to spit it out because it is difficult to avoid.’ He did not qualify rinsing the mouth by stipulating that it must occur during ablution. And Allah Knows Best Q: Zayd, while fasting in Ramadan, is performing an obligatory wudhu and washing his face for the third time. During this water accidentally reaches the inside of his ear. Is the fast nullified? A: Zayd’s fast is not broken. The jurist's rule on water accidentally entering the body cavity during purification is that water which inadvertently goes down from something which is requested by Islamic Law, even a sunnah, does not invalidate the fast, and water that goes down from something which is not requested does. Washing the ears along with the face is sunnah, so this water would not break the fast. Q: During the first days of Ramadaan, my body

wants to expel something from my stomach (I think it’s bile). If I don’t take this substance out by vomiting, I feel lightheaded; if I do take it out by vomiting, I feel much better. Is my fast invalidated if I deliberately vomit out this substance for medical reasons? A: The fast is invalidated by deliberate vomiting, even when one needs to vomit for medical reasons. It is permissible to invalidate one’s fast through deliberate vomiting if not doing so would constitute unbearable hardship and it is necessary to make it up later on. (Tuhfa, 3.403) Examples of hardships that are normally unbearable are: 1. loss of life or limb, 2. severe illness, 3. delay in recovery from a severe illness, or 4. prolonged delay from a severe illness. Q: Can I pay sadaqatul fitr in a staple food which is not the main staple of the area I live in? A: There are three positions about food that must be given to the poor as sadaqatul fitr: 1. the most correct is that one is has to pay it in the main staple that people of the area are accustomed to; 2. one can pay in the main staple that one is personally accustomed to; 3. one may pay in any staple food even if the people of the area are accustomed to a different staple. Thus it is permissible to pay in a different staple food. It is also permissible to follow the Hanafi school and pay in money.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

SHAFI Q & A

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

HANAFI Q & A From various Ulama

www.askimam.org | www.askmufti.co.za Q: Can I put food down on the table for non-Mahram males if I have my periods during Ramadaan? A: A woman in the state of Haidh (menses) or Janabat (major impurity) can serve food etc, for her husband or Mahrams. However, it would not be permissible to serve food, etc, in the presence of non-Mahrams whether a woman is in the state of Haidh (menses) etc, or not. Answer by: Moulana Qamruz Zaman

Q: Are Anca chickens Haraam? A: The Aalim who is an inspector of the plant assured us all Anca chickens in the Eastern Cape are Halaal. We accept this unless someone brings proof to the contrary.

the disbelievers not seen that the heavens and the earth were compact, then We separated them? In this case the verse will refer to an event of the early creation, meaning thereby that the heavens and the earth were originally a single body. Thereafter Allah separated the earth from the heavens. Contemporary research about the Big Bang is close to this description. But it should always be kept in mind that the Quranic descriptions are independent of any scientific theory and the Qur’aan should not be made subject to ever-changing theories. (Ma’aariful Quran vol. 6 pg. 188) Answer by: Moulana Abrar Mirza

Checked by: Mufti Siraj Desai

Q: What does Qur’aan say about the big bang theory? A: Consider the following verse of the Qur’aan: Have the disbelievers not seen that the heavens and the earth were closed, then We opened them? And We created from water every living thing. Would they yet not believe? (21:30) The verse may also be translated as: Have

Q: What is the difference between Zakaat, Sadaqh and Lillah? A: Zakaat is one of the five pillars of Islam. For those who have nisaab (minimum zakaatable wealth), it is an obligation to pay 2.5% of their wealth, minus any expenses due, at the end of each lunar year. Zakaat has to be given in the ownership of needy Muslims who are non-Sayyids (those from the

Banu Hashim lineage). Sadaqah is any amount of money donated for the pleasure of Allah and intended for the poor. However, the term sadaqah also applies to money donated for any noble cause, as well. It is not necessary to give sadaqah in the ownership of the poor and both, Sayyids and non-Sayyids, are valid recipients of it. Lillah simply means ‘for the pleasure of Allah.’ It is any good act done with the intention of seeking the pleasure of Allah. Answer by: Moulana Abrar Mirza

Q: I am a newly married man living in USA. My wife lives in India. We normally talk 2-3 hours a day over phone. In Ramadaan if a husband and wife become sexually excited during the phone talk, and they experience wetness in their private areas (not ejaculation) as a result, does that break their fast? A: If a husband and wife experience wetness, whether ejaculation or pre-ejaculatory fluid, by simply speaking on the phone, the fast will not break. The ruling is the same for men and women. Answer by: Moulana Abrar Mirza

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Q: Can a Sunni Muslim lady marry a Shia man who proposed to her? A: There are several different types of Shias, many out of the boundaries of Islam. Marriage with such a Shia is invalid. The lady should look for a good proposal from a boy of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah (Sunni Muslims) and not marry a Shia. Answer by: Moulana Abrar Mirza

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Popular belief holds that Marco Polo brought macaroni from China to Europe. This is a myth. Research shows macaroni originated with Muslim Arabs. Macaroni or pasta secca is the dried pasta made from the kind of wheat known as hard wheat, semolina, or durum wheat, which is different from soft wheat known by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Earliest evidence of a true macaroni made of hard wheat occurs in medieval Sicily in Italy, which was ruled by Muslims.

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Early recipes for pasta secca (macaroni) are Arab influenced. Italian cookery works of the 1300’s mention pasta secca as tria, derived from the Arabic word itriya. This was the word used by Idrisi, the Arab court geographer of the king of Sicily Roger II, in his book in 1154, 150 years before the Marco Polo legend. Lasagne is one of the earliest forms of pasta secca or macaroni. The word lasagne may be derived from the medieval Arabic word lawzinaj: a thin cake of pastry. There are many medieval Arab recipes for lawzinj. Perhaps the inventor of macaroni was an Arab general who had to feed the large and rapidly moving armies of early Islam across the arid reaches of North Africa and the Middle East, as macaroni may have been a wheat product to replace the then common barley products. Muslim Spain could also have invented macaroni as Ar Razi, the Muslim geographer describes hard wheat in Toledo, and Spanish Muslim cookbooks of the 13th century have some of the earliest references to macaroni. The word macaroni could have come from the Arabic maqrun, a very old form of pasta secca still known in Tunisia today.

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HISTORY / INTERNET

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QUR’AAN / TECH WATCH

The Hadith mentions: ‘The Qur’aan was revealed in seven dialects.’ When Jibraeel came with revelation he would recite the verses in their different forms of dialects (Qiraat). These seven dialects comprise different Qiraats which go up to twenty. The Arabic used in the Qur’aan is that of the Quraish tribe who spoke the most eloquent and classical Arabic. After the Sahaaba the different Qiraats developed into a science of its own. The Sahaaba learnt the seven different forms from the Prophet and then taught them to their students. These students taught it in great detail to others, producing thousands of Qaaris. Of these, seven Imams became famous for their teaching and reading just as four Imams became famous in Fiqh. Each of the seven Imams has two famous students who narrated one particular Qiraat from his Imam. The Qiraat of Imam Hafs rahimahullah is most widely read in the world today, South Africa included. This Qiraat ultimately comes from Uthman, Ali, Zaid ibn Thaabit, Abdullah ibn Mas’ud and Ubay ibn Ka’b radhiallahu anhum. The first book comprising all the different Qiraats was Kitabul Qira’aat by Imam Abu Ubaid Qasim ibn Salaam (d 224 AH). Today Islamic institutes teach a Sab’ah (seven Qiraats) and Ashrah (10 Qiraats) course. Uthman oversaw a compilation of the Qur’aan which incorporated the seven dialects. This is the format which all Qur’aans up to today follow. Adapted from The Glorious Quraan, Mufti Siraj Desai

Most people have thought about death and who would inherit from them and in what amounts. The shares of heirs has been ordained by Allah Ta’ala in the Qur’aan. We’ve found a simple-to-use program for the computer that calculates the shares of heirs in percentages. It’s called the Mirath Program and was designed by Bits and Bytes of Sri Lanka. There are some flaws in certain case studies we’ve tried, but overall it’s a handy guide. Consult with local Ulama to get a certified inheritance certificate in the case of death, detailing precise amounts of shares. Using a simple questionnaire type input, the program takes you through the stages, requiring your input on things like:

Whether the deceased is a male or female; Is the deceased’s father alive; Is the mother alive; How many wives the husband has; Number of sons and daughters, etc.

After gathering the information, the program calculates the shares in a table form, giving the percentages of each heir. A handy little program to give a glimpse into how Islamic inheritance works and how much one’s heirs will inherit in any given situation. Get your download from www.islamicfocus.co.za. Go to our Downloads section and click on the Software folder. You can also find a ready-to-use Islamic Will under the Islamic Documents folder. Disclaimer: Use this program as a guide only.

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Some Solutions: As a family; try to do activities together like eating, going to the park, taking a walk, etc. Help the relative admit there is a problem. Husband and wife should make a list of their grievances and share it with each other. Focus on your responsibilities, rather then your rights. Keep a journal and/or find a hobby. Help someone; especially someone in your situation. Take a holiday trip together. Focus on succeeding in the life to come. Emphasizing the transitory nature of this worldly life makes most problems of this life lose their importance and their power of a having negative impact on us. Develop gratitude for the blessings that Allah has given you. You will feel less frustrated. A depressed person needs a source to turn to, turn to Allah. Talk to Him. Get involved with Islamic religious organizations, charities, or some other social work. Spend time in nature.

Draughts or checkers is a group of abstract strategy board games between two players which involve diagonal moves of uniform pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over enemy pieces. The game might seem simple, but it took hundreds of computers running continuously for 20 years to ‘officially’ solve it. In fact, checkers is the most challenging popular game computers have solved to date. The most popular forms are international draughts, played on a 10×10 board, followed by English draughts (American checkers) played on an 8×8 checkerboard, but there are many other variants. A similar game has been played for thousands of years. Modern draughts developed from an Arabic game called Quirkat or al-qirq, with similar play to modern draughts. Al-qirq was played on a 5x5 board. It is mentioned in the 10th century Kitab al-Aghani by Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani. Alqirq was also the name for the game that is now called Nine Men's Morris. Al-qirq was brought to Spain by the Muslims, where it became known as Alquerque. The rules are given in the 13th century book Libro de los juegos. In about 1100, probably in the south of France (which was ruled by Muslims at one stage), the rules and pieces of Alquerque were merged with the 8x8 chessboard resulting in modern checkers. The Arabic al-qirq is thus the parent of draughts (checkers) and Fanorona. Spanish settlers in America introduced a variant of Alquerque to the Zuni Indians. From Muslim Spain it spread around the world.

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SOCIAL / MUSLIM INFLUENCE

Problem: One of the causes of depression is family problems. These include marital problems, parent-child relationships and lack of affection and acceptance within the family. When marriage is not working, it produces stress which can lead to depression and substance abuse. Depression of one spouse usually affects the other. Even if the depressed spouse recovers, he/she is likely to relapse due to an unsatisfying marriage. Marital discord often leads to depression and vice-versa. It may also lead to verbal, physical and emotional abuse.

HISTORY / STORY

Islam came to modern Turkey with the capture of Crete in 840. By the 11th century Muslim Turkmen tribes invaded Byzantine regions. They continued expanding until the rise of the Turkish Ottoman Empire (Uthmani Khilaafat). The Ottomans revived the title of Khalifah and Islamic law was state policy. They led the Muslim world for 500 years ruling North Africa, parts of Europe, the Middle East and Caucasus. In 1924 the secularist regime abolished the Khilaafah. For the first time, no ruler claimed spiritual leadership of Muslims. The Sultan of Turkey was the last Muslim to rule Makkah, Madinah and Jerusalem together. In the 1920’s government cracked down on Islam. Islamic education was restricted; Sharia law was replaced; religious schools closed; the Islamic calendar abandoned and the fez outlawed. The enemy of Islam Atatürk attempted using Turkish rather than Arabic in prayers, replaced the Arabic script with a Roman one and restricted the building of Musjids. By 1950 some political leaders supported proIslamic policies. In the 1980s a new generation of Islamist leaders emerged and sparked a revival in Islam. Recently a pro-Islamic party won elections and the Prime Minister and President are pushing for Islam in Turkish life. The secular army is opposed to this. There are more new Musjids, Qur'an schools and Islamic centers. When private broadcasting was legalized after 1990, several Islamic radio stations were organized. The headscarf is making a return to public life. 99.8% of Turkey's population is Muslim. There are 75,000 registered Musjids in Turkey. The Tokapi museum in Turkey contains the relics of the Prophet and the Sahaaba.

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family. On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, ‘How was the trip?’ ‘It was great, Dad.’ ‘Did you see how poor people live?’ the father asked. ‘Oh yeah,’ said the son. ‘So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?’ asked the father. The son answered: ‘I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a pond that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.’ The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, ‘Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.’ Wealth and poverty are life’s tests. We are only as rich as the contentment we have with what Allah Ta’ala, the Provider of wealth, has decreed for us. True wealth lies in the contentment we have with what we own, not with how much we own.

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MUSLIMAHS & TOTS WORKSHOPS ON THE TARBIYA OF CHILDREN

Much of Africa is not as advanced as the West with poverty and suffering abounding. This came about through the oppression of European colonialism which left the continent devastated. Contrary to the myth that Africa was primitive before Europeans came, a look at history shows that Africa under the Muslims was advanced and living in comfort. Here’s a glimpse into this Africa in the words of the Muslim traveler Ibn Battuta:

A new Islamically orientated workshop for toddlers has opened countrywide. These workshops on the Tarbiya of children offer an Islamically educational programme based on principles developed by top child psychologists, early childhood development specialists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, aalimahs and teachers for toddlers in the 1-4 year age group. The word Tarbiya means to nurture rear or take care of a child from stage to stage until he/she becomes obedient and righteous. The workshop offers an Islamically compliant environment for mothers and their toddlers to interact and is designed to stimulate the love of learning, increase self confidence, enhance co-ordination & perception and most importantly to connect and praise our Creator.

Ibn Battuta visited Muslim East Africa in 1331. He reached Mogadishu, capital of present-day Somalia, and described it as a town of enormous size. Upon arrival in the harbor, it was the custom for small boats to approach the vessel and offer food and hospitality. He said Mogadishu’s merchants had vast resources; they owned large numbers of camels, of which they slaughtered hundreds daily for food, and also had quantities of sheep. Mogadishu was also famous for its cloth, which were unequalled and exported as far as Egypt.

The first 3 years of life is when 80% of brain potential is developed and it is in those crucial years that the child may undergo influences that alter his mental and physical development. This is a critical time to enhance perceptive skills by introduction to colours, sizes, shapes, number concepts, spatial awareness, fine motor and gross motor skills. The marked distinction between this workshop and any existing workshop of its kind is that it inculcates a firm belief in Allah and the knowledge of our Deen, which should take preference as these are the crucial years for laying firm foundations, Insha-Allah. Mothers and toddlers meet once a week to get in touch and to stimulate the love of learning into their little ones. Children play with a large selection educational equipment designed to stimulate intellectual and physical development. Activities at the workshop include: • guided play with age appropriate toys and easy exercises which encourage milestones • activities to develop hand-eye co-ordination and fine motor development • sensory experiences through tactile play • outdoor exercises to enhance gross motor development • rhymes, stories and Anasheeds with weekly themes designed to stimulate the Child’s love for Allah

Ibn Battuta described some of the food as rice topped with butter (ghee) and a sauce containing meat, chicken, fish and vegetables. They also served unripened banana cooked in milk, sour milk with pickled lemon, bunches of pickled chillies with vinegar and salt, green ginger, and mangoes. He described Salaah at the Musjid and the fine clothes, as well as the fact that the country was ruled by Islamic law. Ibn Battuta also visited other Muslim cities in East Africa and described them all as advanced. Today, after British, Italian and French colonialism as well as American interference, the same city of Mogadishu lies in ruins, with abject poverty and war.

We are all here on earth as Khalifahs of Allah, to praise him and gain beneficial knowledge which is paramount to deen. Muslimahs are able to play with their tots and introduce them to Allah as our Creator and Sustainer and toddlers are exposed to a social atmosphere thus enabling them to relate to a group experience with the security of mom. In modern day society we are so eager to seek what is ‘best’ for our children, exposing them to situations where our Islamic identity is jeopardized. We have to be proudly Muslim and through attending Muslimahs & Tots Workshops on Tarbiya of children we provide the Islamic alternative while still having the fun and enjoyment, Insha-Allah. For further information, contact Lutfiea 041 586 2648 / 082 772 4438

Muslimahs & Tots Workshops on Tarbiya of Children

Do you want to improve your child’s brain potential? Do you want to lay their foundation for academic success? Do you want to have fun while stimulating the love of learning in your baby/ toddler in an Islamic way? THEN JOIN US FOR WEEKLY ACTIVITIES THAT COVER EVERY AREA OF DEVELOPMENT WITH AN EMPHASIS ON:

2 - 7 Months 8 - 12 Months

For more information contact Lutfiea at: 082 772 4438 / 041 586 2648 | Visit us at www.muslimahsandtots.co.za

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