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ISOC BULLETIN VOLUME 1 ISSUE 2
JUNE 1, 2013
Letter from Editor
Dearest readers, All praise is due to Allah, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful. With His will, we are able to publish ISOC second bulletin. I am very excited to share this with everyone! This issue highlights the activities organized by ISOC during the second study term of the year 2012/2013. Besides that, this issue features the light reading sections, namely the Verse and Hadith of the issue, Heroes of Islam, and Medicine in Islam. All of these sections are contributed by our dearest readers, whom we sincerely appreciate. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to the editorial team members; Hidayat, Izani, and Zulhilmi. Each of them had worked hard to ensure the success of this second bulletin despite the demanding workload of medical school. May Allah reward you with the best of rewards! Furthermore, this issue is the last publication for the study year of 2012/2013. Hence, I would like to thank everyone who has been supporting us; be it your kind words and encouragement, feedbacks or submissions. I hope that all of you will continue to show us your support in the future, and do email us your say regarding the ISOC Bulletin to isocbulletin@gmail.com. I hope that this bulletin brings you new knowledge and insights. Verily, with knowledge, one understands Islam and with the wisdom it brings, the beauty of this faith is portrayed in his actions, insya Allah. Hence “Read, in the name of your Lord [96:1]�. May we be among those who are always hungry for knowledge. Last but not least, may Allah give us strength to go through the ups and downs of medical school, and may He accept our effort in conveying the messages of ad-Deen.
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Happy reading and enjoy your summer break! Warmest regards,
Afiqah Moghni
EMAIL ADDRESS isocbulletin@gmail.com
From the President March 23, 2013
All praise is due to Allah, the Most Kind and the Most Merciful, for without His kindness and mercy, we are nothing. Over the past months, we watched the Islamic Society (ISOC) grew, and I am thankful to see the amount of support that each and every one of us gave. ISOC had organized a number of events throughout this semester and I am really glad to see that each of these event turned out to be a great success. From the bottom of my heart, I hope that these events gave us all a faith-increasing experience and help us to understand Islam better. Moreover, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate our publicity team for their effort in publishing the ISOC Bulletin. Even though facing the daunting task of studying medicine, they managed to pull through this second issue of the bulletin, for the benefit of everyone. Their commitment and hard work is something that all of us should learn from, in our effort to strengthen the Islamic community of NUMED, as well as in spreading the beauty of Islam to our fellow friends. Lastly, I hope that this second issue of the bulletin would be an enjoyable read for us all, and may its contents prove beneficial in one way or another. Let us pray that Allah guides us in the effort of becoming a better Muslim and in trying to live up to the purpose of life. May His gardens be our destination, insyaAllah. Shakir Mazalan, President, Islamic Society, Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia.
ISOC Highlights
Maulid-ar-Rasul Apple Giving
Tea Chat: The Syria Conflict
Syria: Silenced Brutality by Associate Professor Hamodon Musa
Da’wah in Multiracial Community by Muhammad Fitri Abdullah
History of Islam by Asmadi Ahmad
GO RaP: A Da’wah Workshop by Shakir Mazalan
Palestine in My Heart by Salima Habibi
The 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Hijr Calendar, is the date of birth of Muhammad (peace be upon him), also known as Maulud Nabi. The Islamic Society (ISOC) of NUMED had organized an apple giving event as an activity to commemorate the birth of the beloved prophet. Muhammad said, “The best man among you is the most beneficial for others” [Narrated by Bukhari]. Therefore, ISOC members manifested this teaching by giving presents to NUMED students and staffs, in the form of apples, drinks and handmade bookmarks to symbolize the love for charity.
Besides that, this activity is also aimed to portray the prophet’s teaching to love, regardless of faith and backgrounds. As mentioned in the Quran, “And we have not sent you but as mercy for all the worlds (all creations)” [21:107]. May this event answer the misunderstandings regarding Muhammad, and may the effort illustrates the prophet teaching of love for peace and brotherhood among mankind.
TEA CHAT: THE SYRIA CRISIS
“Surely our inaction with respect to Syria is a poor precedent if we're fighting a war on terror ” Bill Kristol
“It was an eye-opener. I don’t even know that this crisis was actually severe and heart-wrenching. I pray for the Syrian to live peacefully”
“The most meaningful tea time I had so far. Chilling out with friends while sharing stories and opinions is a perfect idea to spend my free time”
“An eye-opener towards this silenced brutality.... Everyone should know and act!”
“The chat thoroughly discusses the history and issues surrounding Syria. Everybody shared their thoughts and how they reacted to those issues. It was nice to see that in the end, everyone agreed with the duty to inform others and to strive in making a difference for our brothers and sisters in Syria.”
“I believe that the tea chat on Syria is important to us; to know what is happening to our brothers and sisters in Syria.”
“The session was great—it makes us realize the importance of knowing the history of Syria as one of the cities prophesized by Rasulullah (pbuh). I learned that we, Muslims, need to help the people of Syria not just by praying, but also by donating and spreading the words. I think that joining this session really worth the time spent“
Syria: Silenced Brutality By Associate Professor Hamidon Musa
Syria: Silenced Brutality By Associate Professor Hamidon Musa
Da’wah I N M U LI T I R AC I A L CO M M U NI T Y
“We are not here to win debates, but to win hearts”
SPEAKER BIO
The Arabic word Da’wah means ‘a call’ or ‘an invitation’. In Islamic context, it means to strive for the propagation of Islam, thus Da’wah is conveying the message of Islam the mad’u (target of da’wah) and inviting them towards Islam. Understanding the duties of da’wah upon muslims, ISOC had organized a talk to aid the members in recognizing the challenges of da’wah in multi-racial settings, as well as to learn the methods to overcome these challenges. The event presented Muhammad Fitri Abdullah, a notable local preacher, to share his insights and experience in the field of comparative religion.
Muhammad Fitri Abdullah Previously a Hindu, reverted in 1991. A full time da’ie (preacher) and a part time consultant. Vice President II of PERKIM Selangor. .
“If you are interested in giving da’wah full-heartedly, here are a few tips; be consistent in your prayers (especially night prayers), be consistent in fasting, recite Quran, always do dzikir and observe good and halal foods.”
“We should look at Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a role model. He has attracted a lot of people using his inter-personal skills”
“Apply the three S’s in da’wah; smile, salam and sabr (patience). Be friends with everyone, and make positive impressions!”
“Convey, even just an ayah”
History of Islam By Ustaz Asmadi Ahmad
On the 18th of March 2013, the NUMED Islamic Society had organized a talk entitled the History of Islam. The talk was delivered by Ustaz Asmadi Ahmad, the principle of Mt. Safa International School. The talks covers the Islamic four periods starting with Muhammad and the birth ideals, through Islam's
history into the life of of Islamic phenomenal
geographical expansion and cultural development, right up to the creation of modern states and the current situation in Islamic societies. The interactive talk grasps the fascinating and inter-related cultural, political, and ideological developments of the faith-led civilizations.
GO RaP:
God, Oneness, Revelation and Prophethood
a da’wah workshop
The ISOC’s GORaP Workshop was aimed to establish a movement in dawah through the training of du'aat (Islamic preachers) among NUMED students. Conducted by our own president, Shakir Mazalan, this workshop utilized the da’wah framework proposed by Mission Da’wah [missiondawah.com].
And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am among the Muslims.” [Fussilat:33]
The interactive session began with the explanation of the duties of da’wah upon all Muslims, viewed in different perspectives; as a commandment [2:30], a mean of protection [5:7-8, 7:164-165, 8:25], a character of Mu’min (the believers) [2:143, 3:104, 3:110], an exclusion from the Munafiqs (hypocrites) [9:67], and as a sunnah (emulating Prophet Muhammad pbuh) [3:31, 33:45-46]. The session then discussed the targets of a da’wah, and subsequently the systematic framework of an effective da’wah named as GORaP (God, Oneness, Revelations, and Prophethood).
Palestine in My Heart By Salima Habibi
Fig & Olive
Verse of the Issue by AE
Hadith of the Issue by Encik Bananana
Heroes of Islam by Zulhilmi Ibrahim
Medicine & Islam by Afnan Morad
From My Islamic Lenses by Wan Azza Zainol Rashid
A Date Not To Be Missed by Asiyah in the Making
Al-A’raf : 179
V And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless. As medical students, we learned the human being from the biggest of organs to the smallest molecules; an opportunity that could be regarded as a gift that He has given us. But solely learning about these without reflecting their significance is not what we are meant for. Allah has chosen each and every one of us to use His gifts to remember, practice and be closer to His blessings. Physically, we use our senses to perceive; be it to see, to listen, to feel and to taste, and to smell. Nevertheless, we should perceive beyond that. We should use these gifts to “see” the miracles of what Allah has created, “listen” to His words and “feel” the tranquillity of performing ibadah. Each and every part of our body should be a “tool” to His oneness. The verse reflects those who are ignorant of these senses as worse than ’livestock’. Why is that so? Because the difference between us humans and animals is the “aqlun” the extraordinary cognition able to think of the Creator and His creations. So dear brothers and sisters, let us pray that everything which Allah has lent us will not be a fitnah once we are judged in front of Him. Hence, we should take this opportunity to maximise all these blessings to achieve our purpose of life.
By AE
E R S E O F
T H E I S S U E
HADITH OF THE ISSUE by Encik Bananana
HADITH OF THE ISSUE by Encik Bananana
TRANSLATION: Abu al-„Abbas „Abdullah bin „Abbas r.a reported, “One day I was behind the Prophet (pbuh), he said: O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]: Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you (have need to) ask, ask of Allah; and if you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that even if the Nation (or the whole community) were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with something, they would not be able to harm you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried." [Al-Tirmidhi]
We are vulnerable to many things in this world. Unfortunate events may happen to us, in one form or another. But then if we slip off the ground and fall down, do we start to whine and give up our hope to stand back up? The answer is of course not! The hadith described that if we feel insecure, despaired, worried, or puzzled because we are not confident to rise up after facing a great problem, we should ask refuge from Allah. Hence, “Be mindful of Him, and He will protect”.
HEROES OF ISLAM
By Zulhilmi Ibrahim
UMM SULAYM Bismillah ar Rahman ar Raheem This is a story of a sahabiat, whom perhaps less known to men but indeed an important figure during the Prophet’s time of which we can learn from. We often hear about
Anas b. Malik reported that Allah‟s Apostle used to come to our house and there was perspiration upon his body. My mother brought a bottle and began to pour the sweat in that. When Allah‟s Apostle got up he said:” Umm Sulaym what is this that you are doing? Thereupon she said: That is your sweat which we mix in our perfume and it becomes the most fragrant perfume” (Muslim Book 30, No. 5761)
companions of the prophets who are mainly men, but for this issue, let us hear the story of a woman, a heroine of Islam. Her name is Umm Sulaym binti Milhan. She is the mother of Anas ibn Malik, the servant of Prophet Muhammad SAW, whom, as we know are among the closest of Sahabah to the Prophet and narrated so many hadiths from Rasulullah SAW. There was even a hadith from Rasulullah mentioning about her. Prophet said: “I entered Paradise, and heard footsteps. So I said, „Who is this?‟ and they told me, „It is al-Ghumaysa‟, the daughter of Milhan, the mother of Anas ibn Malik (Umm Sulaym).” (Sahih Muslim) So what is it about her that Rasulullah mentioned her in his hadiths? She a woman of great character and strength, and there are a lot of inspirational stories about her worthy of telling but here are a few selected. Her marriage with Malik came to an end when she embraced Islam along with Anas. After that, she devoted her life to take care of 10-year-old Anas.
Abu Talhah, whom at that time was one of the best young men in Madinah – one of the richest, best-looking, and strongest, came to seek her hand in marriage. Young girls of Madinah adore him for his wealth, good look and strength and he expected Umm Sulaym to accept his offer joyfully. But to his disappointment, the only thing in his way was that he was not yet a Muslim at the time. She said, “Do you not feel ashamed to prostrate yourself to a piece of wood that grew in the ground and was carved by the slave of Banu so-and-so?” Abu Talhah was stubborn, and hinted to her of an expensive dowry and luxurious lifestyle, but she persisted in her point of view, and told him frankly: “O Abu Talhah, a man like you could not be turned away, but you are a disbelieving man, and I am a Muslim woman. It is not permitted for me to marry you, but if you were to embrace Islam, that would be my dowry (mahr), and I would ask you for nothing more.” [Reported by al-Nisa'i with a sahih isnad, 6/114, Kitab al-nikah, bab al-tazwij 'ala'l-Islam.]
By Zulhilmi Ibrahim
HEROES OF ISLAM He returned the following day to try to tempt her with a larger dowry and more generous gift, but she stood firm, and her persistance and maturity only enhanced her beauty in his eyes. She said to him, “O Abu Talhah, do you not know that your god whom you worship was carved by the carpenter slave of so-and-so? If you were to set it alight, it would burn.” Her words came as a shock to Abu Talhah, and he asked himself, Does the Lord burn? Then he uttered the words: “Ashhadu an la ilaha
ill-Allah
wa
ashhadu
anna
Muhammadan
“O Abu Talhah, a man like you could not be turned away, but you are a disbelieving man, and I am a Muslim woman. It is not permitted for me to marry you, but if you were to embrace Islam, that would be my dowry (mahr), and I would ask you for nothing more.”
rasul-Allah.” Then Umm Sulaym said to her son Anas, with joy flooding her entire being, “O Anas, marry me to Abu Talhah.” So Anas brought witnesses and the marriage was solemnized. Abu Talhah was so happy that he was determined to put all his wealth at Umm Sulaym’s disposal, but hers was the attitude of the selfless, proud, sincere believing woman. She told him, “O Abu Talhah, I married you for the sake of Allah (SWT), and I will not take any other dowry.” She knew that when Abu Talhah embraced Islam, she did not only win herself a worthy husband, but she also earned a reward from Allah (SWT) that was better than owning red camels (the most highly-prized kind) in this world, as she had heard the Prophet (PBUH) say: “If Allah (SWT) were to guide one person to Islam through you, it is better for you than owning red camels.” [Fath al-Bari, 7/476, Kitab al-maghazi, bab ghazwat Khaybar.] She was also among those who participated in the many battles of Islam. In fact, in two of the most ferocious battles of Islam when defeat was close, she stood firm like a rock while many courageous man flee due to shock of the surprise attack by the enemy. She and A’isha bint Abu Bakr helped to provide drink to the people in the Battle of Uhud. These are few of her great stories but suffice to tell how great a woman she is. Her perseverance, firmness and dedication in Islam, her bravery surpassing even men in the battlefield and her patience (which is also another great story mentioned in the Book of Patience in Riyadhus-Salihin) indeed are characters worth admiring and should be inspirational especially for the women of Islam.
Medicine & Islam - an ethical perspective Afnan Morad How important one soul has ever been? Islam implants morals and values into the world, urging all believers to be giving towards mankind. The holy Qur’an mentioned: Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. [5:32]
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), said: “Seek treatment, for God the Exalted did not create a disease for which He did not create a treatment, except senility.� [This hadith encourages individuals with illnesses to seek treatment, simultaneously implanting health care professionals with the motive to treat.]
[This emphasizes on the sanctity of human life, where killing a soul is equalized to killing the entire mankind! (Unless this soul has done something wrong worthy of this punishment) At the same time, to save a soul is like saving all people.] And spend in the way of Allah and do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [by refraining]. And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good. [2:195] [From this, up rises the universality of the Islamic message, which includes helping oneself, and others.] These two verses introduce us with the responsibility towards humanity, so we as future doctors aim to help save as many people as we can.
Therefore, when it comes to Islamic medical ethics, the principles of protection and preservation of life, intellect, and progeny are applied.
Medicine & Islam - an ethical perspective Afnan Morad How important one soul has ever been? In addition, the general rule in Islam teaches that, “You were sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult.” and “Necessity overrides prohibition.” These illustrate that under dire necessity, actions/resources that were prohibited under normal conditions are permissible, for the sake of saving a life.
Harm has to be removed at every cost possible. Accept the lesser of the two harms if both can’t be avoided. Public interest overrides individual interest.
“Thus, when a Muslim physician is making a decision about patient care, that decision should be in the best interest of the patient, whether Muslim or non-Muslim. Further, that decision should not only be based on his/her own knowledge and experience, but as a Muslim, he/she
has to consider the Islamic teaching in regards to the situation, but without imposing his/her religious views on the patient.” - IMANA Therefore, Islamic Medical Ethics has long recognize the four basic principles of biomedical ethics. Autonomy of the patient. Beneficence. Non-maleficence. Distributive Justice. Source: http://jima.imana.org/article/ view/5502.
I One day, my friend asked me, “Have you ever noticed the difference between the images formed by our eyes and the ones formed by cameras?” I answered, „Yes, of course! Our eyes produce better images than the pictures taken from the camera. I am always annoyed when I look at my old pictures. They don‟t reflect the memories that I have in my mind. Err...and so what?” “Don‟t you realise how urgent and important it is to really be grateful of His ni‟mah? Our camera might have 2.0 megapixel or 8.0 megapixel but comparing them to our eyesight? How many megapixel or gigapixel, terapixel or even petapixel has He already given us? There are no exact words to describe how accurate, spectacular and stunning the views from our eyesight are!” This lesson has been very valuable to me, where I learned to appreciate the gift of extraordinary lenses and the different ways we can perceive.
Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High, Who created and proportioned . [87:1-2]
FIG AND OLIVE From My Islamic Lenses by Wan Azza Zainol Rashid
II Yesterday, my friend shared with me the need to renew our niat or intention every time we perform a task. We must remember that every single thing comes from Allah. We should also say bismillah (in the name of Allah) before beginning a task. Even when we turn on the tap, we should remember that the water comes from Allah. Today, I woke up at 5.05 am. I left my comfortable and fluffy bed to perform Qiamullail. As usual, I turned on the tap. But no water came out. I tried again and again, but still, nothing came out. In my frustration, I then remembered to say “Bismillah, in the name of Allah.” I believe that everything happens with a reason. The simple occasion occurred today reminds me with the lesson I learned yesterday, and indeed it will be a lesson I shall never forget.
FIG AND OLIVE
A DATE NOT TO BE MISSED By Asiyah In The Making Since primary school, my grandmother had always been reminding me to try to practice Qiyamullail (qiyam: stand up, al-lail: night. Qiyam-ul-lail: to wake up at night to worship). She said, “Those who perform Qiyamullail, Allah will grant them Jannah (garden/paradise) and their wishes will be fulfilled.” Bless her, these words had been etched in my heart and I really want to be someone who make Qiyamullail a routine. Nevertheless, I failed to give the commitment. Until the age of 16, I started to practice Qiyamullail, a medium for me to pray to Allah with the hope of getting a good result in my SPM examination. So, I worked hard to make sure I wake up for Qiyamullail regularly, solely for this purpose; and all praise is due to Allah, my wish was granted. It was during my years in college that I learned and understand the verses of Surah Al-Muzammil. Since that moment, I decided to make Qiyamullail a part of my life.
“O’ you wrapped in garments (1) Stand (to pray) all night, except a little (2) Half of it, or a little less than that (3) Or a little more; and recite the Quran (aloud) in a slow, pleasant tone and) style (4) Verily, We shall send down to you a weighty Word (5) Verily, the rising by night (qiyamullail) is most potent for governing (the soul), and most suitable for (understanding) the Word (of Allah) (6) Verily, there is for you by day prolonged occupation with ordinary duties (7) And remember the Name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with a complete devotion (8) (He Alone is) the Lord of the east and the west, none has the right to be worshipped but He. So take Him Alone as your Protector (9)” [Al-Muzammil:1-9]
The life of a medical student is hectic and tiring; which sometimes I feel reaching a level that does not make sense. Medical students may loose themselves in this challenging field, if they are not prepared mentally and physically. Practicing Qiyamullail is one of the most challenging disciplining. This is because it takes a lot of strength, both mentally and physically, to leave the warmth and comfort of your blanket in the middle of the night and then perform a series of ibadah (worshipping). Hence, making Qiyamullail a routine moulds you with a great deal of patience and perseverance; the key traits one must possess to get through challenging paths, such as the life of a medical student. Moreover, to communicate and interact is a human’s fitrah (nature). When the going gets tough, sharing the deepest of feelings and concerns is one of the most effective ways to relieve stress and revive your confidence. Some may prefer to speak to their partners while others may share with their closest friend. This is where qiyamullail serves as a mean to speak to Allah, the All Knowing and the All Hearing. “In heart, there is a hollow and dry space that cannot be filled except with zikr (remembrance) to Allah subhana wataa’la” - Ibnul Qayyim Al-Jauziyyah
Last but not least, let us make qiyamullail the intimate moment between a creation and its Creator, between a weak being and the best of protectors, and between a soul and his Lover. “Our relationship with Allah is a love story” - Prof. Tariq Ramadhan
May Allah ease our efforts to practice Qiyamullail; a date not to be missed!
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