Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Dreams Yusuf (Joseph) Chapter 12: Verse 4 "Joseph said to his father: 'Father, I saw in a dream eleven stars, as well as the sun and the moon; and I saw them prostrate themselves before me." As we continue to read the rest of this Sura we must inevitably believe that some dreams prophesize something that will happen in the near or distant future. Two reasons may be identified here: the first is that Joseph's, his two fellow prisoners' and the King of Egypt's dream all came true. Secondly, in our own lives we find that some dreams come true and this is frequent enough to make it impossible to deny the relationship. So what is the nature of dreams then? The school of analytical and psychology considers them as the subconscious expression of suppressed desires. This accounts for some dreams, but not all of them especially the prophetic dreams. First of all we have to say that whether we know dream's nature or not does not affect the fact that there are such dreams and that some of them are true. We are here only trying to understand certain aspects of man's nature, and some of the laws God has set in operation in the universe. Time and place constitute barriers that prevent man from seeing what we call the past, the future or the whole of the present. The past and future are screened by a time factor, while the present that is not in our immediate vicinity is screened by a place factor. A sense which we do not know about in man's make-up may at times become alert or may at times have extra strength and go beyond the time factor to see vaguely what lies beyond it. This is not true knowledge, but rather a form of discerning, similar to what happens to some people while awake and to others while asleep, when they are able to go beyond the barriers of either time or place, or indeed both. We do not in fact know anything about the true nature of time, nor is the nature of place or matter known to us fully. Compiled From: "In The Shade of The Quran" - Sayyid Qutb, Vol. 10, pp. 41, 42

Understanding the Prophet's Life Candidacy Elections require several candidates from whom to choose for a position. Caliph Umar nominated six distinguished persons from whom one might be chosen as a candidate for the caliphate to succeed him. Some argue against such a procedure from an Islamic point of view, arguing that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "By Allah, we do not appoint in a public position one who had asked for it." [Muslim] According to scholars in this field and jurists, this is interpreted as a warning against asking for a public position merely for a personal benefit without considering its responsibilities and the required capabilities for fulfilling them. One who is capable for a public position, fully aware of its responsibilities, and thinks that he or she can fulfill them and commits himself or herself to do so, can ask for the position and mention his or her qualifications for it, as the Prophets Yusuf [Joseph] and Sulayman [Solomon] did. It goes without saying that presenting the candidate's merits and capability for the position, and criticizing other's incapabilities should follow the legal and ethical principles of Islam. The requirements for a candidate, or what may bar a person from a candidacy, can be decided in the light of Islamic legal and moral teachings and according to social circumstances. Compiled From: "Islam in a Modern State: Democracy and the Concept of Shura" - Fathi Osman

Blindspot! Islamic Call [.. continued from previous issue] The Five Results First: to attain the position of inheritors of the Prophets, for they were the first callers and beacons of light in the field of propagation. Second: to obtain prayers for your forgiveness from the creation for having taught the people goodness. Even the whale in the ocean will pray for the caller to truth. Third: to gain great rewards equivalent to that of those invited. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever calls to a good tradition will have the reward as the one who followed it without reducing from their reward.' Fourth: the development of the caller from being on who is called to one who calls. He influences others and is not influenced by others who call to evil. Fifth: the caller will become a leader among his people and they will follow him. Allah Almighty describes the righteous and notes that they call upon Him saying: 'Cause us to be foremost among those who are conscious of Thee!' (Quran 25:74) Compiled From: "Thirty Lessons For Those Who Fast" - A'id Abdullah al-Qarnee

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Personal Dignity Al-Imran (The House of Imran) Chapter 3: Verse 84 "Say: We believe in God and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes, and in the scriptures that God sent to Moses and Jesus, and the Prophets. We make no distinction between them and we are Muslims." The Quranic recognition of the truth and essential unity of the revealed faiths is not confined to Christianity and Judaism but extends to all the Prophets preceding Moses and Jesus and their teachings. Thus it is stated that belief in all of them is an integral part of the Muslim faith. Affirmative references to other revealed religions is one of the major themes of the Quran. These recur in several places in the Book and they consistently confirm that Islam does not deny the followers of other faiths the freedom, both within and outside the territorial domain of Islam, to choose, retain and practice the religion they wish to follow. This is precisely the conclusion that commentators have drawn from the totality of the Quranic evidence. Referring to these verses, Fathi Uthman writes that 'Islam rejects compulsion even if it be the only way to Islam itself ... for worshipping God and the enforcement of His law cannot be properly achieved unless man is free from fear ...'. The Quran is most explicit on the dignity and nobility of man, both individually and collectively, and it repeatedly expresses the theme that a person's dignity is ultimately related to his or her freedom - particularly freedom of conscience. In sum, the Quran is consistent in its affirmation of the freedom of belief and it fully supports the conclusion that the objective of the Shariah cannot be properly fulfilled without granting people the freedom of belief, and the liberty to express it. Compiled From: "Freedom of Expression in Islam" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 102, 103

Understanding the Prophet's Life Ridicule One major cause of social discord is ridiculing others, especially in being contemptuous of others. One's superiority complex prompts one to belittle others. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has provided a graphic account of him who mocks others, as he will face a penalty in the Hereafter: "Those mocking others will be shown a door to Paradise and be asked to enter. As they reach the door it will be closed and the same will happen again. This will be done so many times that they will lose strength and spirit to approach any door." [Bayhaqi] Some resort to imitating others as a means of mocking them. The Prophet took strong exception to Umm al-Muminin Aisha's (may Allah be pleased with her) mimicry of someone, saying: "I do not approve of this, even if I am given any material thing as an incentive for doing so." [Tirmidhi] Compiled From: "Inter Personal Relations" - Khurram Murad, p. 24

Cool Tips! Islamic Call [.. continued from previous issue] The five means of propagation First: the individual method; that is, to invite the person individually if the matter pertains to him specifically. Second: public or mass propagation such as in lectures or exhortations that benefit the generality of people. Third: private lessons to students each in his specialty. This is the task of the scholars who specialize in their disciplines. Fourth: propagation through writing, correspondence and authorship with guidance and benefit for those who are called. Fifth: propagation using modern means of communication to advance the cause of truth or any means within your own individual capacity. [to be continued] Compiled From: "Thirty Lessons For Those Who Fast" - A'id Abdullah al-Qarnee

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Birr Al-Baqara (The Cow) Chapter 2: Verse 177 "The birr does not consist in your turning your faces towards the East or the West, but true birr is this, that one believes in God, and the Last Day, and the angels, and the Scripture, and the Prophets; that one gives one's own wealth howsoever cherished it may be, to kinsfolk, orphans, the needy, the wayfarer, and beggars, and also for the sake of slaves; that one performs the ritual prayer, pays the alms. And those who keep their covenant when they have once covenanted and who are patient in distress and hardship: there are they who are sincere; these are they who are Godfearing." The word Birr is perhaps among the most elusive of the Quranic moral terms. In any case, the usage of the word in Quran indicates that a very prominent place is given to factors relating to justice and love in human relations, so much so that - to take two representative elements - the act of rendering religious service to God and that of feeding the poor are made to stand almost on the same footing. This should not surprise us, for the Quran as a whole gives an outstanding emphasis to justice and love in social life. Piety, in other words, cannot be piety unless it manifests itself in various works motivated by the will to practice justice and love towards others. The word birr seems to lend further confirmation to this view. The above verse furnishes a contextual definition of the word. A glance at the elements here enumerated as constituting true birr would make us understand at once that there is practically nothing to distinguish it from true iman. We see at the same time why this term has been so variously translated in English. It may very well be rendered as 'piety'; it may no less justifiably be rendered as 'righteousness' or 'kindness'. But any of these translations taken alone, cannot possibly do justice to the original word which includes all these and perhaps still others in its complex meaning. Compiled From: "Ethico Religious Concepts in the Quran" - Toshihiko Izutsu, pp. 207, 208

Understanding the Prophet's Life Five Favours God is kind and gives favours to everyone. Whatever people have is from God. Nevertheless, He bestowed special favours on each Prophet (peace be upon them) and community according to the dictates of the time. For example, Adam was favoured with the knowledge of the names (the keys to all branches of knowledge). Noah was endowed with steadfastness and perseverance; Abraham was honoured with God's intimate friendship and being the father of numerous Prophets; Moses was given the ability to administer, and was exalted by being addressed by God directly; and Jesus was distinguished with patience, tolerance, and compassion. All Prophets have some share in these praiseworthy qualities, but each surpasses, on account of his mission, the others in one or more of these qualities. Prophet Muhammad has all of the qualities mentioned above, except for being the father of Prophets. Moreover, because of the universal nature of his mission, he is further distinguished in the following five ways. As related by Bukhari, he says: "I have been given five things not given to anyone before me: God helps me by implanting fear in the heart of my enemies at a distance of one month's walk; the Earth has been made a place of worship and means of cleansing for me, so whenever it is time to pray my followers can pray wherever they are; the spoils of war are lawful for me, although they were not lawful for anyone before me; I have the right to intercede (with God on behalf of believers); and, while every Prophet (before me) was sent to his people exclusively, I was sent to humanity." Compiled From: "The Messenger of God: Muhammad" - Fethullah Gulen, p. 119

Cool Tips! Islamic Call The propagation of Islam was the mission of all the prophets and messengers of Allah. There was never a prophet who was not a preacher and teacher. All of them preached the same message: 'Worship Allah, you have no other god but Him.' They all called to their people saying: 'I do not seek any reward from you for this work.' There are five premises to the Islamic call, it has five approaches, and its results are also five. The five premises First: sincerity and truthfulness with Allah, and to seek His favour. Allah says: 'And, they were not enjoined aught but that they should worship God, sincere in their faith to Him alone.' (98:5) The Prophet (peace be upon him) foretold that the first with whom the fire of hell will be lit are three; among them a scholar who acquired knowledge so that people would say he is learned. Second: to practice what one preaches. Actually it is a scandal and disgrace that a person's actions contradict his words. Allah derides such people in His Quran: 'Do you bid other people to be pious, the while you forget your own selves - and yet you recite the divine writ? Will you not, then, use your reason?' (Qur'an 2:44) Third: gentleness in presenting the message. Allah advised Musa and Haroon (peace be upon them both) to adopt this measure with Pharaoh, the greatest tyrant of his time: 'But speak unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or [at least] be filled with apprehension.' (Qur'an 20:44) And to Prophet Muhammad, He also cautioned: 'And it was by God's grace that thou [O Prophet] didst deal gently with thy followers; for if thou hadst been harsh and hard of heart, they would indeed have broken away from thee' (Qur'an 3:159). Hence it was on this basis the Prophet, declared: 'Make matters easy and do not make them difficult. Give glad tidings and do not drive people away.' Fourth: adopt a gradual approach to propagation. Do as Prophet Muhammad did in his mission by beginning with the most important matters; then follow them up in order of priority. This was clearly demonstrated in the advice he gave to Muadh (may Allah be pleased with him) before he sent him to Yemen. "You will come upon a People of the Book (Jews and Christians), the first thing you should invite them to is to bear witness that there is no God save Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah. If they respond positively to this, then inform them that Allah had ordained for them five prayers each day and night.' Fifth: address every people with what is suited for them and their needs. There is a special approach to the people of the cities and another approach to the villagers. Similarly, there is a special approach to the Bedouin. The intellectual has his position and the ignorant has his position. So too, there is a style for the argumentative and an entirely different one for the submissive. 'And whoever is granted wisdom has indeed been granted wealth abundant.' [to be continued] Compiled From: "Thirty Lessons For Those Who Fast" - A'id Abdullah al-Qarnee

The Assumptions.

I guess it comes with the territory that when you have a large family, when you are an old Muslim woman in the shoe that people will assume certain things about you. I suppose you think this will be a negative post but au contraire! People have grand assumptions about me, positive to the max assumptions about me that don't fit me whatsoever. All I have to do is show up, not doing anything at all but people will think that I am a connoisseur of many talents. First of all is cooking. Everyone assumes that I am a master chef! That I spend most of my day cooking succulent feasts in a humid kitchen for my large sprawling family. That I cook foods from all Muslim ethnic groups. Sorry I rarely cook. What are my children starving? Not at all. My husband does the cooking. Gasp! This is unheard of right? I think I've mentioned many times how I hate cooking, no I loathe it. So I don't. Well I did cook a few times a week before but now maybe once a month. Why the decline? I got MS a few years ago if you have been reading my blog. I can't stand for long periods of time. I suppose if I LOVED cooking I would just sit and cook but nah. Even baking has taken a back seat which I love. Mostly my kids have taken over. Another assumption is that I sew all my own clothes and most likely my children's. Although I took a sewing course when I was pregnant for my 4th because Islamic clothes were so hard to find, I found I lacked the patience. Wash the material,measure the material, stretch the material,cut the material, sew the material..yadda,yadda...I got so frustrated with it. I love the idea of it but it takes a kind of soft,gentle type of woman for such pursuits and I'm the type to want things done yesterday! So sorry my clothes are off the rack. Third assumption; I embroider my own clothes. Wow! Another endeavour that takes patience. I don't even know how to embroider. Never thought of learning either although in all historical romance books that I read pre-Islam the ladies of the gentry would always be sitting around quietly embroidering. Nah, also not happening. Sorry my clothes are embroidered by lovely women overseas either by hand or by machine, not quite certain which. I don't have an eye for such things.

So I'm sorry to burst your bubble. I'm just a regular sort of person who happens to have a large family. You still love me though right?

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Knowing Another Al-Hujurat (The Chambers) Chapter 49: Verse 13 (partial) "Behold, we have created you all out of a male and a female and have formed you into tribes and nations so that you may get to know one another." The Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) greatest political achievement was to find a way of helping the Arabs to transcend the aggressive jahiliyyah that was tearing Arabia apart. Pluralisms and diversity are God's will; the evolution of human beings into national and tribal groups was meant to encourage them to appreciate and understand the essential unity and equality of the entire human family. But national and tribal chauvinism (asabiyyah), which regards one's own group as inherently superior to all others, is condemned as arrogant and divisive. Tribalism in this sense is still alive and well today. If we continue to make our national interest an absolute value, to see our cultural heritage and way of life as supreme, and to regard outsiders and foreigners with suspicion and neglect their interests, the interconnected global society we have created will not be viable. After the world wars, genocide, and terrorism of the twentieth century, the purpose of the tribe or the nation can no longer be to fight, dominate, exploit, conquer, colonize, occupy, kill, convert, or terrorize rival groups. We have a duty to get to know one another, and to cultivate a concern and responsibility for all our neighbours in the global village. Compiled From: "Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life" - Karen Armstrong, p. 144

Understanding the Prophet's Life Good Manners We should turn to Allah to seek His help in becoming a person of good character. It is recorded by Ahmad in different narrations from both Ibn Masud and Aisha that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say, "O Allah, You made my physical being beautiful, so make my character beautiful." Everyone should realize that good character is truly a great gift from Allah and it is only Allah who can bestow such a gift. Thus, the Prophet (peace be upon him) also used to make the following supplication, "Guide me to the best manners, no one can guide to the best of them but You. And turn me away from evil manners, no one can turn me away from them except you." [Muslim] Compiled From: "Commentary on the Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi" - Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo, p. 1025

Blindspot! Intangibles The depression brought the world to the very borderline of understanding of the forces which are intangible and unseen. Through the ages which have passed, man has depended too much upon his physical senses, and has limited his knowledge to physical things, which he could see, touch, weigh, and measure. We are now entering the most marvellous of all ages—an age which will teach us something of the intangible forces of the world about us. Perhaps we shall learn, as we pass through this age, that the “other self” is more powerful than the physical self we see when we look into a mirror. Sometimes men speak lightly of the intangibles— the things which they cannot perceive through any of their five senses, and when we hear them, it should remind us that all of us are controlled by forces which are unseen and intangible. The whole of mankind has not the power to cope with, nor to control the intangible force wrapped up in the rolling waves of the oceans. Man has not the capacity to understand the intangible force of gravity, which keeps this little earth suspended in midair, and keeps man from falling from it, much less the power to control that force. Man is entirely subservient to the intangible force which comes with a thunderstorm, and he is just as helpless in the presence of the intangible force of electricity— nay, he does not even know what electricity is, where it comes from, or what is its purpose! Nor is this by any means the end of man’s ignorance in connection with things unseen and intangible. He does not understand the intangible force (and intelligence) wrapped up in the soil of the earth—the force which provides him with every morsel of food he eats, every article of clothing he wears, every dollar he carries in his pockets. Compiled From: "Think & Grow Rich" - Napoleon Hill, pp. 212, 213

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Salih Al-Baqara (The Cow) Chapter 2: Verse 82 "Those who believe and do good works (salihat); such shall be the inhabitants of Paradise, to dwell therein forever." The strongest tie of semantic relationship binds salih and iman together into an almost inseparable unit. Just as the shadow follows the form, wherever there is iman there is salihat or, 'good works', so much so that we may almost feel justified defining the former in terms of the latter, and the latter in terms of the former. In brief, the salihat are 'belief' fully expressed in outward conduct. And so it comes about that the expression: alladhina amanu wa-amilu al-salihat, 'those who believe and do salih deeds', is one of the most frequently used phrases in the Quran. 'Those who believe' are not believers unless they manifest their inner faith in certain deeds that deserve the designation of salih. What are, then, these 'good works'? It is clear contextually that the 'good works' are those works of piety that have been enjoined by God upon all believers. Compiled From: "Ethico Religious Concepts in the Quran" - Toshihiko Izutsu, pp. 204, 205

Understanding the Prophet's Life Light In a hadith related by Abd Allah ibn Umar, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "God created His creation in darkness and then cast some of His light upon it. Those who were struck by that light were guided, those whom it missed went astray." [Tirmidhi] This great hadith is one of the foundations of faith and opens one of the greatest doors to the mystery of destiny and divine wisdom. God is the One who grants accord. This light which God cast upon them gave them both life and direction. Their pure God-given nature had its portion of this light, but by itself it was incomplete. So He completed it by way of the spirit, which He sent to the Prophets, and the light which He revealed to them. This is how God-given nature rediscovers the pre-existent light that reached it on the day the light was cast. The light of revelation and prophecy joined with the light of God-given nature. Hearts glow, faces shine, souls are vivified, the body inclines to His worship willingly and hearts add life to their life. Compiled From: "The Invocation of God" - Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, p. 77

Blindspot! Fear Nurturing collective fears can directly affect the right of individuals, and equality of treatment. Centres of power (political, economic, military-industrial or media-based) sometimes decide to fuel, or even create, threats and dangers for national, international, economic and/or geostrategic reasons. The climate of fear and insecurity makes citizens accept measures that restrict the rights they have won, or even differential forms of treatment that are justified by the threat itself. There is nothing new about this strategy, but its strength is amplified by the power of modern means of communication. An enemy is created, his ability to do harm is demonized and the public is encouraged to draw the logical consequences from the situation: ‘You are afraid. We will guarantee your security, but in order to do that we must take exceptional measures – keep you under surveillance, keep the enemy under surveillance – and may sometimes have to encroach upon your rights, dignity or equality.’ The exceptional nature of the threat justifies the suspension of existing laws: fear is indeed the enemy of law. All dictators have, to varying degrees, used – and use – this method to justify their policies. What we are witnessing today with the ‘war on terrorism’ is of a similar nature and produces similar consequences: when fear rules and when security is under threat, rules no longer apply and rights can be reconsidered, personal integrity can be violated. Equality becomes a matter of wishful thinking, and the majority of the population, which is subjected to psychological and media brainwashing, gradually comes to accept the implications of the threat. Compiled From: "The Quest for Meaning" - Tariq Ramadan, pp. 78, 79

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Responsibility not Superiority Al-Nisa (The Women) Chapter 4: Verse 34 (partial) "Men shall take care of women with what God has bestowed on the former ..." This verse does not state a "superiority" of man over woman; rather it explains the "responsibility" of a man for sustaining the family. Since the woman is physically restricted from earning a living during the late stage of her pregnancy and the first year - or more- of her child's life, it is essential to show who is responsible for supporting the wife, mother and the children. This is the "care" that is mentioned in the above verse of the Quran. In Arabic, the verb (qama) with the preposition (‘ala) means to "take care of". But, this responsibility of taking a care of "qawama," is within the family as the Qur'anic verse shows clearly, and cannot be extended to be a general rule in the whole society. Besides, the man's obligation to support the family does not contradict or restrict the woman's right to work if she likes to do so, and a coordinated timetable for both spouses can be reached after a constructive discussion that ends in mutual consent. When a man does not work and cannot secure for himself and his family a decent living for any reason, he cannot assume "qawama" just because he is related to the gender of men. However, his wife who works and earns money and secures for the whole family its needs should treat the non-workingman respectfully. Each believer - male or female - has to observe the divine teachings in mutual relations, whether one may be more or less powerful. This is the main difference between a God-conscious society and a jungle of selfish materialist. A view that makes a man superior to a woman because he is physically 'stronger' lacks the support of the Quran and authentic Sunna. The divine sources mention "care" and "responsibility" within the family, but not superiority. Muslim men and women are equal in their individual and social responsibilities. They have to support each other in maintaining human rights and attaining moral and material development of each and of the whole society, being in charge (protectors) of one another and of the whole society "awaliya", and enjoining the doing of what is right and forbidding the doing of what is wrong. Compiled From: "Muslim Women - The Family and the Society" - Fathi Osman, pp. 27, 28

Understanding the Prophet's Life Standing Up "Every one of you should desist from walking with every traveler. He should not say that he is with the people, and that if people would do good deed, he would also do the good deeds; and that if they would do wicked deeds then he would cooperate with them. You should prepare yourself to cooperate with them if they do righteous deeds and to keep away if they do wicked deeds." (Tirmidhi) When faith finds a place in a man's heart and takes deep roots in it, it fills a man's heart and mind with such power and strength that cover and influence all his dealings. Accordingly, when he opens his mouth, he talks with confidence and certainty. When he undertakes a work, he attends to it with full interest and sincerity. When he starts on a journey, his destination is before his eyes. If he enjoys the wealth of the correct and firm thinking, the world of the heart too is inhabited by the enthusiasm and restless courage. Hesitation and ambivalence do not find a place in his heart, and high-velocity winds do not move him from his path or make him deviate from his objective. However, one who is weak, the current customs and habits make one their slave. On such a man's conduct rule the things which are current in the society. If these customs and practices are wrong and destructive, then he carries the burden of the troubles of this world as well as of the next. Among the people, various kinds of innovations have become customary on the occasions of celebrations and mourning. They pay more attention to performing these innovative acts than on the realities of the religion. But a straight-going believer does not take any interest in these things, for which there is no supportive proof in religion. He is confronted with opposition and experiences difficulties in opposing the popular and customary rituals, but it is obvious that he need not care for any condemnation from anybody in the affairs of Allah. He has to achieve his ideal. No weapon of criticism and fault-finding and no injuries from tongue can obstruct his way. Compiled From: "Muslim's Character" - Muhammad Al-Ghazali

Blindspot! Reform Having prescribed punishments and imposed strict and meticulous, though not impossible, conditions of evidence, Islam has built in a whole range of principles and precepts which reflect not a frenzied desire to flog and stone but a compassionate urge to avoid and eschew. Islam does not allow either the state or individuals to spy upon people unless well-founded suspicion exists that a crime is being committed or a fellow human being's rights or interests are in jeopardy. Nor is it obligatory to report every crime. Where possible, settlements outside court are preferred. The punishment is swiftly over; the guilty man and his family do not have to live with the kind of lengthy public stigma that they would have had to endure in the case of a prison sentence at the end of a trial. The imposition of divinely prescribed hudud enhance, and do not diminish, the individual’s dignity and stature in society and before God. As to the alleged cruelty of physical penalties, one wonders if to deprive a man of his freedom - his most precious and valuable possession - and his right to act and continue to make moral choices, to live with his family, to work and support them is not more cruel. Indeed, a prison term can inflict untold misery on innocent people whose lives are intertwined with the life of the prisoner. Prison becomes a school for hardening criminal behavior and a breeding ground for recidivism. Why should it be considered more cruel for a man found drug trafficking to be given ten lashes than to be sent to languish in prison for, say, ten years. Why does Islam want to punish and not reform? The question is fallacious, for in Islam every institution of society is value oriented and owes a responsibility towards the moral development of every person from the cradle to the grave. Reform is therefore a pre-crime responsibility and not a post-crime syndrome and nightmare. Islam makes every effort to ensure that inducement to commit crime is minimal. Once the crime is committed, the best place for reform is in the family and in society, where a criminal is to live after punishment, and not in a prison where every inmate is a criminal; unless of course a society considers itself to be more corrupt and less competent to effect reform than a jail! Against this, the ‘modern, enlightened’ approach is to provide every inducement to crime by building a society based on conspicuous consumption; to make society, education and every other institution ‘value – free’ and then to try to reform a criminal by segregating him and keeping him in a prison. Compiled From: "Shariah - The Way to Justice" - Khurram Murad

Trip to Malaysia part 14

After the bathroom fiasco it was our last stay in the hotel and before we left we got a special guest; a doctor friend who is married to a Russian convert and their little baby. It was nice to chat for awhile and take pictures. I gave her some Islamic magazines in English as a gift. Next we were suddenly brought to a wedding! I had no idea that would happen but apparently our last day in KL coincided with my sister-in-law's husband's relatives wedding. I felt under dressed! Nevertheless we were on our way. The wedding was outside and it was nice to see the couple promenade before everyone and my daughter loved the drum playing. Unfortunately though it started to rain! Just before that the adhan sounded and I was wondering why the wedding wasn't held before or after the prayers. (that was the first time I had attended a wedding in Malaysia).  After this we went to the airport to wait for our flight back to KB and there I met an old friend at McDonald's and we had a quick visit. We could have visited longer if we had known our flight would be late. Air Asia is not always prompt apparently. But they are cheaper. We found Dunkin' Donuts here and had a little treat.

The next two days we went shopping at the KB mall and stocked up on clothes as we knew we wouldn't be back for a long time. After that we took a final visit to my in-law who is my husband's maternal uncle's wife. We bonded quite well when I came to live there in 2000 and it was sad to see that she had become blind due to cataracts. It was nice though that her daughter was taking care of her at home.  After going to the Blind Quran Institute and seeing my in-law blind it gave me a lot to think about and of which to be grateful. Alhumdullilah. May Allah help all those who are handicapped. Amin.

Our final day was spent collecting some stuff we had left behind from 2000 that we had shipped there. Sadly many of my books were eaten by cockroaches. Who knew cockroaches ate books? Not me! But amazingly they had not eaten any of my Islamic books! What a sight to behold! A true miracle right before my eyes! Alhumdullilah.

My trip to Malaysia part 13

After going to the Braille Quran Institute we headed to the Central Market in KL. This was chosen by my husband who likes to stock up on t-shirt souvenirs there. I found the place to be interesting but really overpriced. I saw a lot of those fishermen pants that all the tourists were wearing and it was funny because locals don't actually wear them. As I was walking along female merchants kept calling out to me "Madame,madame" which became annoying after awhile. I did get into a conversation with one though that led to me sharing my conversion story. This happened to me too before in KB with a Chinese male merchant and I still remember him asking me "Did your parents scold you?". Yeah pretty much but I remember thinking scold is such an old-fashioned, unused word in Canada and its funny how the same language is used differently in different countries but I know that's because the British of course brought the language to Malaysia and they don't seem very influenced by American/Canadian tv and movies.

After this shopping adventure where I saw things I liked but didn't buy; a dress and a learn Malay cd we went on to Sogo Mall to eat at Nandos. This was my first time ever to eat at Nandos (chosen by my in-laws) even though it exists in Canada but 3 hours north of me. We had fun there and I really liked the dessert but one thing was wrong. The mall bathrooms. Ok you can't talk about Malaysia without mentioning it. When we went to the bathrooms there was a lady sitting outside at a table asking for money. I was not impressed but fine,
we paid. When we got in we found a bathroom with NO amenities. I saw other bathrooms that were missing things but this bathroom had nothing. We had to use the bathroom again unfortunately and this time I got upset when she asked me for money. This is not my usual demeanour at all but I had had it. I asked her why do we have to pay when we are getting nothing in return (and why the heck isn't the mall rich enough to cover their costs). So the woman timidly offered me some toilet paper. What? now? so here is a little piece of advice and this is a secret all Malays know; always carry your own kleenex. Why because often there will be none in the bathroom for any use not even to dry your hands and no hand dryer either as an option. I can't say I didn't appreciate the water hoses in the bathroom for istinjah but the water all over the floor is so annoying and was my number one reason at the end of the trip for feeling homesick.

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran True Believer Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War) Chapter 8: Verses 2-4 (partial) "Only those are [true] believers who, whenever God is mentioned, their hearts quiver, and when His signs are recited to them, they increase them in belief, and upon their Lord they place reliance, those who attend divine service steadfastly, and expend [in alms] of what We have bestowed upon them. These are the believers in the true sense." Iman, 'belief' or 'faith', is the very centre of the sphere of positive moral properties. 'Belief' is the real fountainhead of all Islamic virtues; it creates them all, and no virtue is thinkable in Islam, which is not based on the sincere faith in God and His revelations. In the above passage, 'belief' is considered exclusively in its religious aspects. This passage furnishes an almost perfect verbal definition of the 'true believer'. This verbal definition pictures 'the believer in the true sense of the word' as a genuinely pious man, in whose heart the very mention of God's name is enough to arouse an intense sense of awe, and whose whole life is determined by the basic mood of deep earnestness. Compiled From: "Ethico Religious Concepts in the Quran" - Toshihiko Izutsu, pp. 184, 185

Understanding the Prophet's Life Blessings in Food The two Shaykhs have narrated from Ibn Abbas who said, "God's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, 'When one of you eats, let him not wipe his fingers until he has licked them or had them licked.'" Muslim narrated from Kab ibn Malik who said, "I saw God's Messenger eating with three fingers, and then he finished off licking them". He has also narrated from Jabir that God's Messenger commanded licking the fingers and the bowl, he said: "Surely you do not know in which part of your food the blessing is". One who looks at on the wording of these hadiths will not understand other than that eating with three fingers, and licking them after eating, and licking the bowl or cleaning it out or wiping it, is the sunnah of the Prophet. So he may, at times, look with disgust at someone eating with a spoon because, in his opinion, that person is opposing the sunnah, behaving as unbelievers do! The reality is that the spirit of the sunnah that should be taken from these hadiths is his modesty, his acceptance of God's blessing in the food, and the anxious wish that he should not leave from that blessing anything to be wasted without benefit, such as the remnant of food left in the bowl, or the morsel that falls from some people and they are too proud to pick it up, showing themselves as being in affluence and plenty, and distancing themselves from looking like the poor and indigent, who strive for the smallest thing, even if it be a crumb of bread. If the Muslims would act upon it, we would not see the waste that is met with every day – rather, at every meal – in every wastebasket and rubbish bin. If the Muslim community calculated the level of this waste, its economic value every day would amount to millions or tens of millions. Then how much would it be by month or in a whole year? This is the inner spirit behind these hadiths. Compiled From: "Approaching the Sunnah" - Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, pp. 142, 143

Blindspot! Invitation Invitation is not only a step in bringing people together, it is also a fundamental way of being in community. It manifests the willingness to live in a collaborative way. This means that a future can be created without having to force it or sell it or barter for it. When we believe that barter or subtle coercion is necessary, we are operating out of a context of scarcity and self-interest, the core currencies of the economist. Barter or coercion seems necessary when we have little faith in citizens' desire and capacity to operate out of idealism. A commitment to invitation as a core strategy is betting on a world not dependent on barter and incentives. It is a choice for idealism and determines the context within which people show up. For all the agony of a volunteer effort, you are rewarded by being in the room with people who are up to something larger than their immediate self-interest. You are constantly in the room with people who want to be there, even if their numbers are few. The concern we have about the turnout is simply an expression of our own doubts about the possibility that given a free choice, people will choose to create a future distinct from the past. Invitation is a language act. "I invite you." Period. This is a powerful conversation because at the moment of inviting, hospitality is created in the world. Compiled From: "Community: The Structure of Belonging" - Peter Block, pp. 117, 118

Sick of winter, Veilkini on my mind!

If you live in Canada you will know how long and horrible this winter has been. Toronto even had an ice storm. Its spring now but it sure doesn't feel like it; it keeps snowing and there are hardly any days over 0 degrees. So all winter long all I could think about was swimming but alas the last time I did was in October in a hotel pool while I went to the BeingMe conference in Toronto. Why? Because sadly my bathing suit and my daughter's got some kind of grease on it when I was in Malaysia (boat engine oil?) from a dock I swam out to and held onto. So now with spring here and summer approaching its time to order new bathing suits. My suit of choice is Alsharifa Veilkini as you can see from my review here. Won't you join me in getting a new bathing suit? They even have little girls bathing suits now and they are hot pink! My youngest who is almost 5 fell in love with it the minute she saw it. You might want to get that too..just sayin'.

Speaking of Malaysia and oil,on my mind always also is the flight MH370 which most likely crashed,we are still waiting for real proof. Seeing is believing. Its sad all around especially how they have slandered the pilots. My prayers go out to all who have been affected by this tragic news. May Allah give everyone comfort and closure. Amin.

Friday Nasihah

Living The Quran Humble Origin Al-Muminun (The Believers) Chapter 23: Verse 12 "Now, indeed, We created man out of the essence of clay." The frequent Quranic reference to man being 'created out of clay' or 'out of dust' or 'out of the essence of clay', point to the fact that man's body is composed of various organic and inorganic substances existing on or in the earth. There is also a continuous transmutation of these substances, through the intake of earth-grown food into reproductive cells. Allah stresses man's humble origin and the debt of gratitude which he owes to Him. What should be noted is that the Quran is not a book of science which mentions the process of creation scientifically and then leaves it. The process of humans coming into being clearly points to the creative activity of Allah, hence to His existence. The lack of gratitude on the part of human beings is according to the Quran, 'giving the lie to the Truth.' The purpose of providing this information is to use this as evidence and further proof of Resurrection Day. The main concern of the Quran is to improve the lifestyle of an individual through firm belief in the attributes of Allah and the Day of Resurrection. Compiled From: "Words That Moved the World" - Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad, pp.121, 122

Understanding the Prophet's Life Controlling Tongue We should be careful how we use our tongue for its misuse is the fastest way to hellfire. Lying, slandering, backbiting and obscenity should never be part of our speech. We should be exceedingly careful with what we say about others. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: None of my Companions should tell me anything about anyone, for I like to meet [any one] of you with a clean heart. [Abu Dawud] Janna has been promised for those who are careful with their speech. The Prophet said: Whoever can promise me that he will be virtuous with what is between his lips, and what is between his thighs; I promise that he will go to the Garden. [Muslim] The key to control of the tongue is to infuse our conversations with remembrance of Allah. The Prophet said in this regard: Do not talk for long without remembering Allah, for talking much without remembering Allah is hardness of the heart. The most distant among man from Allah is one with a hardened heart. [Tirmidhi] Compiled From: "In The Early Hours" - Khurram Murad, p. 80

Blindspot! Empowering Belief There are many reasons women have difficulty standing up for themselves. They often find it hard to say 'no' because they feel selfish if they refuse to help someone - even when their own needs are more important at the moment. In addition, they are often afraid people will dislike them if they aren't cooperative. Women often have a fear that if they stand up for themselves, they will be seen as overbearing, domineering, or bitchy. It takes a lot of courage and self-respect to act on your own behalf. It takes a strong belief that you deserve something better. Unfortunately, many women don't have this kind of self-respect and don't believe they deserve to be treated better. Many are afraid to hope for better treatment because they have yet to receive it. To be able to stand up for yourself, you need to give up waiting for someone else to come to rescue you and your belief that you have no power to change your circumstances. You will need to reach out - ever so tenuously - toward accepting that you have more power to change your circumstances than you think you do. Fortunately, when women focus their considerable strength and will to change something, they are often surprised at how much power they actually have. You have the right to live your life the way you choose, as long as you are not stepping on someone else's rights. But rights don't mean much if you don't have the courage to claim them. Unfortunately, many women have had their courage stripped away by societal expectations and messages and domineering parents, or from having been emotionally, physically, or sexually abused in childhood or adulthood. Compiled From: "The Nice Girl Syndrome" - Beverly Engel, pp. 137, 138