Random Quotes

"حياة بلا زوجة كمطبخ بلا سكين"
(Life without a wife, is like a kitchen without a knife.)
- Arab proverb


"If you have an apple and I have an apple, and we exchange apples, we both still only have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea, and we exchange ideas, we each now have two ideas."
- George Bernard Shaw

"And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves, then he will gaze upon the light of the moon and the stars and the spangled heaven...Last of all he will be able to see the sun."
- Plato

Islam and the Environment

Salam Alaekum.

Islam Online's Fatwa on Islam and the preservation of the environment.

Sheik Speare on Irshad Manji

http://sheikspeare.blogspot.com/2007/03/irshad-manji-discussion.html

The Amman Message

Please endorse this message promoting Muslim unity.

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Dear Friend,

As-Salamu alaykum. We hope this message finds you well. In November 2004, King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan launched the Amman Message, a declaration aimed at clarifying the true nature of Islam and the nature of true Islam to the world. It is a message of devotion to God, love of the neighbor, goodwill, moderation and peace. Since then, the Amman Message has come to be epitomized in three major juridical and doctrinal points, each crucial to addressing the problems the Islamic world faces today.

1. The great traditional schools of jurisprudence, theology, and spirituality are valid from the point of view of Islam, and the followers of these schools, which include both Sunni and Shi‘i denominations, are all Muslims. Islam has fundamental tenets but is also diverse.
2. It is impermissible to declare any Muslim so defined as an unbeliever/apostate (a practice called takfir).
3. Only those with the proper moral and intellectual qualifications, and the proper methodology, may issue fatwas (religious edicts).

Since they were first introduced, these three points have been recognized and ratified universally, through fatwas and official statements, in meetings of the highest and most recognized authorities and scholars in Islamic law, from all denominations and schools of thought all over the world. This is a unique historical event. The statements and signatures from these religious leaders can be see on www.ammanmessage.com.

These three points are vital for the future of the Islamic world. We suffer from disunity and discord, and must reaffirm our unity as an Islamic ummah. We suffer from wounds and ignorant prejudice which would take us into conflict with many of those who would live at peace with us. We must denounce the practice of takfir (accusing Muslims of apostasy for interpretations and opinions different from ours), which too often opens the door to terrible crimes against our own brothers and sisters. Moreover, all such atrocities committed in the name of Islam are traceable to the fatwa of men totally unqualified, morally and intellectually, to issue one. It is thus imperative that the ummah speak with one voice in reaffirming true Islam.

We invite you to add your voice to this unique and historic international Islamic consensus. Please visit www.ammanmessage.com, where you can read more about the Amman Message and find many useful documents and links. Under ENDORSE you can add your name to the list of Muslims worldwide who have endorsed and supported the three points. Your endorsement is important for all our futures.

Yours Sincerely,
The Amman Message Committee.

The Story of Abu Ghayth al-Makki and his wife Lubabah

Dr. Abu 'Abd Ar-Razzaq
Translated by: Ibrahim Hindy

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

From the signs of truthfulness is fear of Allah and asceticism in life; for the truthful with conviction fears consuming from what is impermissible and bears poverty and hardship for the sake of Islam. If he commits sin then he does not sleep until he returns to his Lord and repents, in order to free himself from the sin, and its burden.

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari: I was in Makkah during the season of Hajj and I saw a man from Khurasaan calling out to the people: “Oh pilgrims, oh people of Makkah – from those who are present and those far off, I have lost a pouch that contains a thousand dinars. So whoever returns the pouch, Allah will reward them with good, save them from the hell fire, and His bounty and favors will be acquired on the Day of Accounting (Day of Judgment).”
An old man from the people of Makkah approached him and said: “Oh Khurasaani, our city is in a very tough condition, and the days of hajj are few, and its season is appointed, and the doors of profit-making are closed. This money might fall in the hands of a believer who is poor and old in age. Maybe he plans to give it if you make a promise that you will give him a little bit of money that is halal (permissible) for him to use.”
The Khurasaani said: “How much does he want?”

The old man said: “He wants one-tenth of the money (a hundred dinars).”

The Khurasaani said: "No. I will not grant him the money and instead I will take my case to Allah, and complain to Him on the day we meet Him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. “

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: “I realized that it was the old man is poor, and he was the one who took the pouch of dinars and wishes to have a little portion of it. So I followed him until he returned to his home. My assumptions were confirmed. I heard him calling onto his wife:”Oh Lubabah.”

She said: “I am at your service, O Abu Ghayth.”

The old man said: I found the owner of the dinars calling for it, and he does not intend to give any reward to the person who finds it. I said to him “Give us a hundred dinars and he refused and said he would take his case to Allah. What should I do O Lubabah? I must return it, for I fear my Lord, and I fear that my sin is multiplied.

His wife said to him: Oh Man! We have been struggling and suffering from poverty with you for the last 50 years, and you have 4 daughters, 2 sisters, my mother and I, and you are the ninth. Keep all the money and feed us for we are hungry, and clothe us for you know better our situation. Perhaps Allah, the All-Mighty, will make you rich afterwards and you might be able to give the money back after you fed your children, or Allah will pay the amount you owe on the day when the kingdom will belong to the King (Allah).

He said to her: Will I consume haram after 86 years of my life, and burn my organs with fire after I have been patient with my poverty, and become worthy of Allah anger, even though I am close to my grave?! No, By Allah, I will not do so!

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: I left with amazement concerning his condition and that of his wife. At a later point during the day, I heard the owner of the pouch calling out...

Saying: “O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."

The old man said: Oh Khurasaani, I have addressed you the other day and advised you that our land is low on cultivation, so reward the person who found the pouch so that he is not tempted to break the laws of Allah. I have advised you to pay the person who finds it a hundred dinars but you refused. If your money falls into hands of a person who fears Allah the All-Mighty, will you give him 10 dinars at least, instead of a 100?

The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. “

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: The people dispersed and left. Later on during the hours of the day, once again, the Khurasaani made the same call, saying:

“O people of Makkah, O pilgrims, who ever of you find a pouch containing a thousand dinars, let him return it and they shall surely find great reward with Allah."

The old man came again and said: O Khurasaani, I said to you the day before yesterday to reward the finder a hundred dinars and you refused. Then I advised you to give him ten dinars and you refused, so will you give only one dinar so that he can buy with half of it things he needs and with the other half, sheep milk, so that he can give to the people and feed his children?

The Khurasaani said: I will not do so, and I will complain to Allah on the day I meet him, and Allah is sufficient for us and the best one to trust in. “

The old man angrily said: Come you, and take your money so that I can sleep at night, for I have not had a good mood ever since I found this money.

Ibn Jarir said: So the old man went with the owner of the money and I followed them until the old man entered his house, dug a hole and pulled out the money and said: Take your money and ask Allah to forgive me and bless me from His bounty.

The Khurasaani took the money and intended to leave, but when he reached the door he said: O old man, my father died, May Allah have mercy on him, and left behind three thousand dinars and said to me: Take out a third of this money and give it to a person from the people who is most deserving of it. Therefore I tied it in a pouch so that I may spend it on someone who is worthy of it. By Allah, I have not seen a person, since I left Khurasaan until now, who is more worthy of it then you. So take it, May Allah’s blessing be upon you, and May He reward for the trust you kept, and your patience during poverty. The Khurasaani man left without the money.

The old man wept and prayed to Allah, saying: May Allah bless the owner of the money in his grave, and May Allah bless his son.

Ibn Jarir said: I left after the Khurasaani but Abu Ghayth (the old man) followed me and brought me back. He asked me to sit down, and said: I have seen you following me since the first day; you have come to know of our situation yesterday and today. I have heard that the Prophet said: "If you are gifted from the provision of Allah, without begging or asking, then accept it and do not reject it." So this is a gift from Allah to all those attending.

The old man called: O Lubabah, O so and so, O so and so. He called on his daughters and his sisters and wife and her mother, and sat down and made me sit down. We were 10. He opened the bag, and said spread your clothing over your laps.

So I (Ibn Jarir) did, but the girls did not have proper clothing that would enable them to do that, so they extended their hands. The old man gave dinar by dinar in order until he reached me (Ibn Jarir) and said: "Here is a dinar." The process continued until the bag was empty and I received a hundred dinars.

Ibn Jarir at-Tabari said: So joy filled my heart because of the provision they received more then the joy I had because I received a hundred dinars.
When I was leaving the old man said: O young man. You are blessed; keep this money with you for it is halal. And know that I use to wake up for Fajr prayer with this wet shirt. After I was done I would take it off, and give it so that my daughters can pray - one by one. Then I would go to work between Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer and then I would come back at the end of the day with what Allah has given me from dates and dry pieces of bread. Then I would take off my clothes for my daughters and they would pray Dhuhr prayer and Asr prayer, and the same would happen for the Maghrib and Isha prayers. And we did not ever expect to see this kind of money. So may Allah make us make good use of them, and may Allah bless the person in his grave and multiply the reward for him.

Ibn Jarir said: So I greeted him goodbye, and took the hundred dinars and used them to write knowledge for two years! I used it to buy paper and pay rent and after sixteen years I returned to Makkah and inquired about the old man. I was told that he died a few months after the incident that occurred between us. His wife died, along with her mother, and his 2 sisters. The only ones that remained were the daughters whom, when I asked about, found that they were married to kings and Princes. I dropped by and they honored me as a guest and treated me kindly until they died also. So May Allah bless them in their graves.


{That will be an admonition given to him who believes in Allâh and the Last Day. And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty).

And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allâh has set a measure for all things. (At-Talaq 65: 2-3)

Source : Islamway.com

Homeless in Maninagar

Salam Alaekum. I'm part of a student group called Sambhav at my University. "Sambhav" is Sanskrit for "possible." The group aims at setting up a platform where youth can interact and exchange ideas, and think of ways to use their talents and skills for the benefit of society. Among our many initiatives towards realizing this aim is our work in Maninagar, a suburb near Ahmedabad, the capital city of the state of Gujrat (famous for the 2002 anti-Muslim riots) in India. For those who are familiar with the area and its politics, Maninagar is Chief Minister Narendra Modi's constituency. We have been working in Maninagar for over a year now, and our work is primarily focused on striving for the upliftment of members of four Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNT) who have been living in slums behind the railway station for the past forty years. Denotified and Nomadic Tribes are defined as tribes whose people are "addicted to the systematic commission of non-bailable offences." It is a classic example of "collective guilt", how it has been endorsed by law, and how people are made to believe that it has indeed been created in public interest. In simple words, anyone born into such tribes is considered a criminal, not just by authorities, but by the average person on the street too. The people belonging to DNTs in Maninagar are mostly illiterate and live under absolutely deplorable conditions. They do not have access to essential civic amenities, electricity, a proper water supply, or even basic health and sanitation facilities. They make a living cleaning people's ears, or selling maps, plastic toys, home-made ropes etc. They hardly have enough money to afford two meals a day, and most of their children do not attend school. As if this were not enough, they have been facing constant harassment from government officials over their "land." The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) wants to demolish their homes in order to go ahead with its "development initiatives" without making any promises of resettlement. They also have to deal with local police officials who take advantage of their helplessness, and often arrest some of their youth without reason, so that they can clear their pending FIRs. Members of Sambhav have been visiting the slums where these people live every week and are trying to help and support these people in every way possible. Among many initiatives, we have been organizing weekly classes for the children in these slums. We have been teaching them basic reading and writing skills, counting, elementary arithmetic, painting and coloring, and song and dance. We have been trying to make our classes as "fun" as possible for the children without taking too much of their time (since some of the children work, and others have to do household chores), and with minimum usage of crayons and paper (as we have to buy them for the kids, and availability of anything in the classroom leads to a riot). We have also been interacting with community members in order to understand what they feel about what they are being made to go through, and motivate them to keep their hopes alive. Also supporting us in our struggle is Budhan Theater, a theater group that comprises of youth from a DNT in neighboring Charanagar. Budhan Theater has been performing a street-play called "Bulldozer", which highlights the atrocities committed by the authorities on the tribal people of Maninagar. It is a very powerful play, and a great example of how art can be used to fight for just causes. A few days back, without warning, AMC officials destroyed the homes of these tribal people in order to go ahead with their "developmental plans." A meeting with the AMC Commissioner was held in order to discuss resettlement issues, but his response was disheartening to say the least. Link: Some pictures of the place (Anthropologist Kerim Friedman's Flickr Page) In protest against this robbing of homes, gross violation of human rights, and lack of concern for human dignity shown by the AMC in Maninagar, Sambhav has started an online petition. I've posted this here because it is a matter of concern for us as Muslims and responsible human beings, and it is our responsibility to condemn such acts, and to support those who are speaking out against it. Please take the time to go through the petition and sign it if you're convinced by our argument. May Allah accept our efforts. Ameen. -Saif

Salam Alaekum.

http://thetranslators.wordpress.com (A blog by some students of knowledge under the supervision of Shaykh Suhaib Webb)

http://shaukani.wordpress.com (Shaykh Yusuf Al-Azhari's blog)

:)