RayOfHope 2002-02

The Ray of Hope

Zul Hijjah 1422

Feb-Mar 2002

A Journal By The Students Of Darul Uloom Sabeelus Salam, Hyderabad, India

Visit www.scribd.com/musarhad for more articles on Islaam.

_____________________________________________________________________________ Vol.1 No.1 Zul Hijjah 1422 A.H. Feb-Mar 2002 PATRON: MAULAANAA RIZWAN AL QASMI ADVISORY BOARD

Under the guidance of: Master Ameeruddin Sb Chief Editor: Noamaan Bader Editor: Syed Rashid Hussain Sub-Editor: Shamsul Islam

Maulaanaa Akhtar Imaam Aadil Sb Qasmi Ml Abdul Basit Sb Nadvi Ml Khursheed Anvar Sb Nadvi Madani Ml Md Ayyub Sb Siddiqi Nadvi

C O N T E N T S 1

Editorial: The significance of sacrifice

Noamaan Bader

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Kaabah: the sacred house

Syed Rashid Hussain

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The farewell pilgrimage

Md Jamaluddin

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The Talbiyah

Md Hakeemuddin Khan

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What a great sacrifice!

Shamsul Islam

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Haj

Wasi Akhtar Nadvi

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The importance of Haj

Hafiz Shaik Imran

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Editorial

The Significance Of Sacrifice

Historical perspective

Since the dawn of humanity, offering of blood and animal sacrifice was the most popular system of approach to God. It was an ancient idea that sacrifice was made to appease an offended deity and served as atonement for sins. “Throughout the Semitic field,” observes Robertson Smith in his book The Religion of the Semitics, “the fundamental idea of sacrifice was that of communion between the God and His worshipper by joint participation in the living flesh and blood of a sacred victim.” The Greeks also looked upon sacrifice as a ‘Communion feast’ with the Divinity, in which the God and His people became of one flesh by partaking together of the flesh of the victim; the animal was regarded, in some degree, divine as having the divine spirit incarnate in it.

Islaamic perspective

The act of sacrifice in Islaam is the symbol of a Muslim’s readiness to lay down his life, and to sacrifice all his interests and desires in the cause of truth. The purpose of sacrifice is not fulfilled only by shedding the blood of an animal. Exterminating the wrong concepts of ancient sacrifice, the holy Qur’aan asserts in Soorah Haj, verse 37:

‫ﻮﻣ َﻬﺎ َوَﻻ ِد َﻣﺎ ُؤ َﻫﺎ َوﻟَ ِﻜ ْﻦ ﻳَـﻨَﺎﻟُﻪُ اﻟﺘﱠـ ْﻘ َﻮى ِﻣ ْﻨ ُﻜ ْﻢ‬ َ َ‫ﻟَ ْﻦ ﻳَـﻨ‬ ُ ‫ﺎل اﻟﻠﱠﻪَ ﻟُ ُﺤ‬

“It is not their (sacrificial animals’) meat or their blood that reaches Allaah: it is your piety that reaches Him.” This verse eloquently speaks of the fact that sacrifice in Islaam is nothing else than a natural expression of reverence and gratitude to the Creator. It is the spirit of wiling devotion and cheerful obedience underlying the sacrifices that is accepted by Allaah. It is only the piety of heart, nobility of soul and righteousness of conduct that is acceptable to Him. The above verse clearly shows that the idea of atonement is totally foreign to Islaamic sacrifice and Allaah is not pleased with the shedding of blood alone, rather He likes the deeper impression left by sacrifice on our hearts. What that deeper impression is can better be felt than expressed. It is the awakening of the latent moral

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faculties of man to greater sacrifice and deeds of action than mere animal slaughter.

It demands of a man that for the sake of establishment of God’s unity, propagation of truth, restoration of peace, freedom of conscience and preservation of the bonds of fraternity of mankind, the highest sacrifices be offered without demur and hesitation.

In a similar manner, the words “you have indeed fulfilled the vision” (Holy Qur’aan 37:105) show that it was not in fact the act of slaughtering which was needed for fulfillment of the vision, but it was the attitude of submission and surrender, an attitude of preparedness to sacrifice one’s all in the path of Allaah, that was demanded of Prophet Ibraaheem ‫ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬and his illustrious son, and they eminently stood this test.

Eed-ul Azhaa commemorates this unparalleled act of devotion of the noble soul of Prophet Ibraaheem who in obedience to the command of his Lord, readily offered the life of his son Ismaa’eel ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬. This soul-stirring event of Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel ‫ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬is well-documented in the Noble Qur’aan.

But today, how far we are from these noble and great personalities! There is little that we have to face when compared to the trials and sacrifices that the noble Prophet Ibraaheem made throughout his life.

Now more than ever, we are in need of those who would guide us to the true and correct path, those who would show us compassion and understanding and who can correct us and reinforce the tradition of Ibraaheem and of his outstanding descendant, the last and greatest of all prophets and messengers, Muhammad ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ‬ ‫ﺍﻟﺼﻼﺓ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬.

Noamaan Bader (Jamaa’at e Khaas)

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Ka’bah: The Sacred House One of the major places of pilgrimage is the Ka’bah, which is called “the sacred house”, “the ancient house” and “the first house of divine worship”. It is a symbolic centre for the entire mankind. It came into existence on earth under the name of Ka’bah in the city of Makkah (Saudi Arabia), to provide a united order.

The Ka’bah is made of dark, rough stones laid in a very simple manner with white chalk filling the fissures. It is an open-squared empty room. It reflects no architectural skill, artistic beauty, art inscription or quality and no grave is found there. The building is very simple with no design or decoration involved.

The Ka’bah which is the first mosque on the earth, was built by prophets Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬, the father and the son respectively. The Qur’aan has declared Ka’bah as Qiblah i.e. the centre for mankind (Markaz e millaat). Such a centre does not mean to refer simply to the structure constructed in mud and stone. Rather it refers to the world-centre of that government which is established totally on the basis of Qur’aanic laws. The objective of declaring Ka’bah as the centre, it seems, is to bring together the entire humanity for universal peace. While declaring Ka’bah as the centre for world peace, the Qur’aan declares that “he who enters it has entered the abode of peace …” (Holy Qur’aan 3:97) On completion of the construction of Ka’bah, Prophet Ibraaheem prayed to Allaah: “My Lord! Make this a city of peace.” (Qur’aan 2:126) .‫ﺭﺏ ﺍﺟﻌﻞ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺑﻠﺪﺍ ﺁﻣﻨﺎ‬ and grant me and my progeny the power to withstand those forces which create obstructions in Your way.

Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ‬fulfilled this objective, and completed this mission by establishing a Qur’aanic state with Ka’bah as its centre during the seventh century C.E. Thus, Ka’bah began to serve as a centre for the world social order established as per the guidance of the Qur’aan, and the people who join this order will always remain secure and fearless.

The Haj gathering, commenced by Prophet Ibraaheem continued afterwards too, as per the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ‬. In

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the year 10 A.H. (632 C.E.), Hajj was performed in accordance with the Qur’aanic guidance under the direct leadership of Prophet Muhammad himself.

And this is the month in which all the pilgrims go there to perform pilgrimage.

Syed Rashid Hussain (Jamaa’at e Khaas) § § § § § § § § § §

The Farewell Pilgrimage In the 10 year of Hijrah, the Farewell Pilgrimage took place under the leadership of Prophet Muhammad ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ‬. In this pilgrimage, more than one hundred thousand people participated. On the 9th of Zul Hijjah, our prophet ‫ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ‬ ‫ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ‬addressed the large gathering of pilgrims in which he presented a summary of the whole concept of Islaam. th

It was our prophet’s last pilgrimage.

Md Jamaluddin (Jamaa’at e Khaas) § § § § § § § § § §

The Talbiyah If one wants to appreciate the feelings, emotions, zeal and enthusiasm of a Haajee (pilgrim) during the pilgrimage, it will be enough for him to understand the meaning and significance of “the talbiyah” which is as follows: .‫ ﻻ ﺷﺮﻳﻚ ﻟﻚ‬،‫ ﺇﻥ ﺍﻟﺤﻤﺪ ﻭﺍﻟﻨﻌﻤﺔ ﻟﻚ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻠﻚ‬،‫ ﻟﺒﻴﻚ‬،‫ ﻻ ﺷﺮﻳﻚ ﻟﻚ‬،‫ ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﻟﺒﻴﻚ‬،‫ﻟﺒﻴﻚ‬ “Here I am, O Lord, here I am! You are free from all partners. Truly, the praise and the gift are Yours and so is the dominion. You are free from all partners.”

Md Hakeemuddin Khan (Hifz ‘Jeem’) § § § § § § § § § §

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What A Great Sacrifice!

“No pains, no gains.” “No rose without a thorn.” Often have we heard this said. But did we ever try to know its truthfulness? If not, let us at least try to know the men who had the determination to suffer all pains for one God i.e. to please Allaah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds in the light of the above maxim.

Out of many such heroes, there is one whose great sacrifice is commemorated every year by more than one-fifth of the world’s population. This great hero is Prophet Ibraaheem whose heroic character did not remain confined to him alone, but was transmitted to his son, Prophet Ismaa’eel ‫ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺼﻼﺓ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬too as is obvious from the following incidence.

After long years of separation from his son Ismaa’eel and his spouse Haajirah, Ibraaheem ‫ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬returns to Makkah to cool his eyes by meeting his beloved ones. It is a moment of great happiness for Prophet Ibraaheem to meet his near and dear ones whom he had not seen for years. But alas! This was not destined to be a lasting pleasure. Ibraaheem’s love for Allaah is put to a test severer than that of any other lover by his beloved. Allaah commands Ibraaheem to sacrifice his only little boy and the command is conveyed through dreams. So, what happens next? Does his paternal love deter him from moving the knife over his son’s throat? Does his love for his son prove to be greater than his love for his Lord Allaah? And moreover, does the son agree to get slaughtered?

Let us look into the holy Qur’aan for answers. The glorious Book says:

ِ ‫ﺎل ﻳﺎ أَﺑ‬ ‫ﺖ‬ َ َ‫ﺴ ْﻌ َﻲ ﻗ‬ ‫ﻓَـﻠَ ﱠﻤﺎ ﺑَـﻠَ َﻎ َﻣ َﻌﻪُ اﻟ ﱠ‬ َ ‫ﺎل ﻳَﺎ ﺑُـﻨَ ﱠﻲ إِﻧﱢﻲ أ َ​َرى ﻓِﻲ اﻟ َْﻤﻨَ ِﺎم أَﻧﱢﻲ أَ ْذﺑَ ُﺤ‬ َ َ َ َ‫ﻚ ﻓَﺎﻧْﻈُْﺮ َﻣﺎذَا ﺗَـ َﺮى ﻗ‬ ِ ‫اﻓْـ َﻌﻞ َﻣﺎ ﺗُـ ْﺆَﻣﺮ َﺳﺘَ ِﺠ ُﺪﻧِﻲ إِ ْن َﺷﺎء اﻟﻠﱠﻪُ ِﻣﻦ اﻟ ﱠ‬ (102) ‫ﻳﻦ‬ َ ‫ﺼﺎﺑ ِﺮ‬ َ َ ْ ُ

“Then when (the son) reached (the age of) (serious) work with him, he said: “O my son! I have seen in a dream that I offer you in sacrifice, now see what is your view!” (The son) said: “O my father! Do as you are commanded: you will find me, if Allaah so wills, one of the steadfast.” (Qur’aan 37:102) Neither is inferior to the other in his willingness to bow to Allaah’s will. The father agrees to slaughter his son to please Allaah and the son too agrees to get slaughtered for the same purpose.

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This is not a story of Shakespeare’s play The Merchant of Venice, where each of the two friends Antonio and Bassanio attempts to sacrifice himself for the other’s sake where Bassanio, overwhelmed by emotion, says to Antonio: “The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all, Ere (before) thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.”

The difference is obvious. In Antonio-Bassanio’s case, the cause is worldly (Bassanio’s quest for a woman) whereas in Ibraaheem-Ismaa’eel’s ‫ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬case, the cause is holy.

The father-son duo now leaves for the altar. The father prepares to slaughter his son whom he loves more than his own heart and the son prepares to part with that which is, to all creatures, dearer than anything on the earth i.e. life. The son prostrates himself on the ground. The father is about to draw his knife across his dear son’s throat. The atmosphere is overwhelmed. Islaam (submission to Allaah’s will) is priding itself. Satan is finding no place to hide his face. Good stands triumphant while Evil stands routed. The earth and the sky are unable to hold back their emotions. Even the mountains find it difficult to witness such a momentous event.

The Most Gracious too cannot remain undisturbed now. He calls out:

ِ ‫ﻳﺎ إِﺑـﺮ‬ .‫ْﺖ اﻟ ﱡﺮْؤﻳَﺎ‬ ‫اﻫ‬ َ ‫ﺻ ﱠﺪﻗ‬ َ ‫ﻴﻢ ﻗَ ْﺪ‬ ُ َْ َ

“O Ibraaheem! Surely you have fulfilled the dream.” (Qur’aan 37:104-105) Allaah, the Beneficent, sends a fine ram from Heaven, through Jibreel to be slaughtered in place of Ismaa’eel ‫ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬. Undoubtedly, the Merciful never intended to deprive Ibraaheem ‫ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬of his only son. The All-Kind just wanted to see what His khaleel (intimate friend) does in such an outstanding trial. And lo! The khaleel does succeed in this big test.

Shamsul Islam (Jamaa’at e Khaas)

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Haj One of the most important duties of a Muslim is to perform Haj once in his lifetime if he is capable of it. It is performed in accordance with certain regulations of which everyone has a special significance. During this pilgrimage, all male Muslims wear Ihraam i.e. white garments. They go round the Ka’bah seven times and kiss – actually or through gesture – Hajar e Aswad (Black Stone) every time. Then, they run between the hills of Safaa and Marvah seven times. After that, they go to Minaa and ‘Arafah and on the 10th of Zul Hijjah, they sacrifice the animals to commemorate the heroic acts of Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel ‫ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻡ‬They also cast pebbles at the Jamaraat (pillars).

Haj is a very important pillar of Islaam.

Wasi Akhtar Nadvi (Kulliyat-ul Hadeeth) § § § § § § § § § §

The Importance of Haj Allaah, the Most Gracious, has said:

ِ‫ﺿﻊ ﻟ‬ ِ ٍ ِ َ‫ﱠﺎس ﻟَﻠﱠ ِﺬي ﺑِﺒ ﱠﻜ َﺔ ﻣﺒﺎرًﻛﺎ و ُﻫ ًﺪى ﻟِﻠْﻌﺎﻟ‬ ِ (96) ‫ﻴﻦ‬ ‫ﻤ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ َ ‫إِ ﱠن أ ﱠَو َل ﺑَـ ْﻴﺖ ُو‬ َ َ َ َ َُ َ

“The first house (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakkah (i.e. Makkah): full of blessing and of guidance for all the worlds.” (Qur’aan 3:96) The importance of the pilgrimage of the first sacred house is obvious.

ِ ‫ﻮل اﻟﻠﱠ ِﻪ! ﻧَـﺮى اﻟ‬ ِ ‫ﺸﺔَ أُ ﱢم اﻟْﻤ ْﺆِﻣﻨِﻴﻦ ر‬ ‫ﱠ‬ ‫ﱠ‬ .‫ﻀ َﻞ اﻟ َْﻌ َﻤ ِﻞ‬ ‫ﺳ‬ ‫ر‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻳ‬ : ‫ﺖ‬ ‫ﻟ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻗ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻬ‬ ‫ـ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ َ ‫أ‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﻬ‬ ‫ـ‬ ‫ﻨ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ‫ﻪ‬ ‫ﻠ‬ ‫اﻟ‬ ‫ﻲ‬ ‫ﺿ‬ َ َ َ ْ َ ِ‫َﻋ ْﻦ َﻋﺎﺋ‬ ْ َ ْ‫ﺎد أَﻓ‬ َ ‫ْﺠ َﻬ‬ َ ُ َ َ َُ َ َ َ َ​َ ُ ِ ‫أَﻓَ َﻼ ﻧُﺠ‬ ِ ‫ْﺠﻬ‬ .‫ور‬ َ َ‫ﺎﻫ ُﺪ؟ ﻗ‬ ‫ﺎد َﺣ ﱞ‬ َ ْ‫ َﻻ! ﻟَ ِﻜ ﱠﻦ أَﻓ‬:‫ﺎل‬ َ ِ ‫ﻀ َﻞ اﻟ‬ ٌ ‫ﺞ َﻣ ْﺒـ ُﺮ‬ َ

‘Aaishah ‫ ﺭﺿﻲ ﷲ ﻋﻨﻬﺎ‬narrates that she said, “O Prophet of Allaah! We consider Jihaad to be better than all (other) good acts. So shouldn’t we women too go for Jihaad.”

Prophet ‫ ﺻﻠﻰ ﷲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ‬said: “For you women, the best Jihaad is that Haj which is free from all sins.” (Bukhaaree 1423)

Haafiz Shaik Imran Jamaa’at e Khaas (I/V) § § § § § § § § § §

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