Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Welcoming in the new muslim year.


Assalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Although this new year hasn't started on a good note for us muslims, as a result of the ongoing airstrikes on Gaza have left hundreds of muslims dead, there are ways in which we as individuals can help ourselves to improve. If we follow these few simple things we can avoid violence and crimes against other people, be them muslim or not.

I pray that Allah S.W.T Stops the violence in the Gaza soon. Ameen.
So far more than 270 muslims killed compared to only 4 on the Israeli side!!! and the air strikes are still ongoing!!! PLZ STOP this Massacre of innocent people!!!

The latest headlines on CNN as follows:

Gaza relief boat 'rammed' by Israeli vessel

An Israeli patrol boat struck a boat carrying doctors and supplies to Gaza early today in the Mediterranean Sea, witnesses and Israeli officials said. CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul was aboard the 60-foot Dignity when the boats collided. It was "very severely rammed" by the Israeli boat, Penhaul said. Also on the Dignity were several human rights activists, including former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney. full story

This is terrorism!!!





On a lighter note, the following are verses from the Quraan, if followed by any nation(esp the Israelis at this time), will bring peace Inshallah!

In the Quraan Surah 49 v 11 and 12 we are told as follows;

O ye who believe! Let not some men among you laugh at others:
It may be that the latter are better than the former:
Nor let some women laugh at others:
It may be that the latter are better than the former:
Nor defame nor be sarcastic to each other,
Nor call each other by (offensive) nicknames:
...

V12
O we who believe! Avoid suspicion as much as possible: for suspicion in some cases is a sin:
And spy not on each other,
Nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Nay, ye would abhor it ... But Fear Allah:
For Allah is Oft- Returning, Most Merciful.

Wa'salaam.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Odd proposals

Assalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Today i'll be ranting a bit. I've been gettin some odd proposals from guys who're already married and have kids, and when i ask them why they're considering taking a second wife, none of them seems to give me a straight answer, instead they just change the topic and or walk off.

I know i'm 30 and divorced. But does that mean i qualify only to be a second wife. Those that are single won't even consider me. I'm really upset...
Am i being unrealistic?

Have any of you been thru the same? And
On what conditions would you agree to be a second wife?

crochet necklace!!!

Assalaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Here is an easy and beautiful crochet necklace :)




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZMh1YqX8GE&feature=related

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Do Good Deeds Relieve the Pain of Calamities?

Question and Answer Details

Name of Questioner

MA - Canada


Title

Do Good Deeds Relieve the Pain of Calamities?


Question

As-salamu `alaykum. Can any of our good deeds eliminate or reduce the degree of calamities? Please explain.


Date

20/Nov/2008


Name of Mufti

Muzammil Siddiqi


Topic

Morals & Manners, Dhikr & Supplication

Answer

Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.


In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.


All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.


Dear brother in Islam, thanks for your interesting question. May Allah Almighty guide us all to the straight path of Islam.


It should be clear that doing good, helping others in distress, observing the religious duties, etc., bring about Allah's mercy and help. So, it is one of Allah's favors and blessings that He helps good people when they are in need or distress.


In his response to your question, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, President of the Fiqh Council of North America, stated,


Yes, indeed, good deeds, especially the deeds of charity, are very good in removing calamities and difficulties.


Allah has promised in the Qur'an that He will bless those who have faith and do righteous deeds both in this life and in the life to come.


Likewise, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) described three people who took shelter in a cave at night and in the morning they saw a big stone that blocked the mouth of the cave. They were in great distress and feared that they would die inside the cave. They then prayed to Allah and each person remembered some good deeds that he did. They prayed to Allah to bless them, because they did those deeds only for His sake. The hadith says that at every mention of a good deed, they saw that the stone was moving a bit until it finally moved enough for them to get out of the cave.


This is a beautiful illustration of the efficacy of good actions in bringing the mercy of Allah.





Taken from here



Monday, December 15, 2008

Sunday, December 14, 2008

What is Qurbaani?

Qurbani during Eid-ul Adha is an act to commemorate Prophet Ibrahim’s sacrifice as mentioned in the Quraan.


And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said: "O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offer you in sacrifice to Allah), so look what you think!" He said: "O my father! Do that which you are commanded, Insha' Allah (if Allah will), you shall find me of As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.)." Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead. And We called out to him: "O Abraham! You have fulfilled the dream (vision)!" Verily! Thus do We reward the Muhsinun (good-doers).Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram). And We left for him (a goodly remembrance) among generations (to come) in later times. (Sura Saffat, verses 102-108.)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught Muslims the way of remembering the act of Ibrahim. He stayed 10 years in Madina and performed sacrifice at Eid-ul-Adha. (Tirmidhi)


Qurbani in Islamic terms means the slaughtering of an animal with the intention of getting close to Allah (SWT) by giving some or all of the meat to the poor and destitute. Animals that can be sacrificed are goats, cows and camels. They are sacrificed on the day of Eid-ul-Adha and also on the three days after (the 11, 12 and 13th of Dhulhijjah).


Benefits of Qurbani

Doing charity to the poor by contributing and distributing the meat to them and the destitute. These acts would spread happiness and cheers amongst them especially during the festival of Eid-ul-Adha where Muslims are in the spirit of festivities.


Who should give Qurbani

Person who possesses Nisab (zakatable asset) should give Qurbani. It is not obligatory (fard) but is highly recommended (wajib)*, according to the Hanafi school of thought. However, Qurbani is a Sunnah act according to the Shafi, Hanbali, Maliki, and Jafari schools of thought.

Requirements of Qurbani

The animals to be slaughtered must be a goat, sheep, cattle (cow, ox, water buffalo), or camel. Goats and sheep have to be at least one year old ( 2 Teeth) .For cows the age must be at least two years old. Camels must be at least five years old. Goats and sheep count as one share per animal. Cattle and camels count as seven shares per animal.

They must be free from any form of handicap such as blind, sick, limp and undernourished. It also must be free of any defects such as a cut-off ear, tail, broken teeth,or broken horn. However, the goat/sheep can be used if only a few teeth are broken and most teeth are still intact. In addition, if its horn is broken midway and not from the root, it is permissible to use such an animal. Injuries sustained during the qurbani do not invalidate the qurbani.

The animals must be slaughtered in the appropriate humane ways. It has to be done by a Muslim adhering to the Islamic way of slaughtering the animal.


Time of Qurbani

The time for Qurbani starts from sunrise after the performance of the Eidul Adha prayers which falls on the 10th of Zhulhijjah till the sunsets on the 12th of Zhulhijjah. The best time is to perform the acts of Qurbani immediately after the completion of the Eid-ul-Adha prayers.

It was reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
The first thing that we do on the day of Eid is to perform the prayers. Then we go home and carry out our Qurbani.Thus whoever does those acts has conformed to our sunnah. And for those who slaughtered before it, then the meat is for the family members and not as an act of Qurbani. (Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 2, Book 15, Number 82)

Distribution of the Qurbani meat
It is preferable that the meat from Qurbani be divided in three equal parts: one for the home, one for relatives and friends, and one for the poor and needy. The meat from qurbani can be distributed to the poor, rich, Muslim or non-Muslim.

*Wajib, in the Hanafi school, is an obligation which is almost Fard, except that there is some (margin of uncertainty, which may occur in the form of counter-evidence, which suggests non-obligatory nature of the deed), and the scholars have therefore refrained from pronouncing a decisive verdict of "fard" on it. Nevertheless, for purposes of action, a wajib is treated like a fard, in that it should not be deliberately discarded, and it must be made up if it was missed for some reason. For this reason, 'wajib' of the Hanafi school is also known as "fard `amali" (i.e. an 'action fard') as opposed to fard i`tiqadi ('belief fard'), the normal fard, which one is required not only to act upon, but also to believe with full certainty and conviction that it is without doubt a duty.

It is not their meat, nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him (QURAAN Surah al-Haj 22:37)

Monday, December 8, 2008

Eid Mubarak




















Assalaamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu!!

Wishing all my Muslim brothers and sisters a very Blessed EID!