ummtaalib

بئر سُقيا Well of Suqya Suqya was a land belonging to Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu). It was located at Ambariyyah and part of it lies within the enclosure of the Hijaz Railway Station in Madinah. ] Hijaz Railway Station in Madinah Masjid Suqya lies within the station. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) departed for the battle of Badr he stopped here, performed ablution and offered Salah. He then supplicated for the dwellers of Madinah and paraded his forces. Masjid Suqya (Picture on the left is from within the Railway Station) The Well of Suqya also belonged to Sa'ad bin Abi Waqqas (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu). The well was buried in plans to widen the road. Its approximate location is to the south of Masjid Suqya, just outside the boundary wall of the railway station. On his way to the battle of Badr Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam performed ablution with water which was drawn from it for him to drink.

wonderful lesson for all of us on how to talk to and deal with people!

بئر بُضاعَة Well of Budha'ah This well was located to the north of Saqeefah Banu Sa'eedah (Garden of Banu Sa'eedah). It belonged to the tribe of Banu Sa'eedah. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam used its water for ablution. It was removed during the development of the central area of Madinah. Ref: "Pictorial History of Madinah Munawwarah" by Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani The Garden of Banu Sa'eedah with the Minaret of Masjid Nabawi in the background From Al Miskeenah: The Prophet SallAllahu alaihi wasallam used to visit Saqeefa, offering Salat there, sitting in the shade with his Companions. Sahl ibn Sa’d RadhiAllahu anhu drew water for him from a nearby well called Bir Budha’ah. This well existed just north of Saqeefa until the second Saudi extension of Masjid Nabawi.

PART 3 Sometime in the early part of 2007, my father told me that he had been reading one of the books I left there and he had a great feeling of peace. He was living alone and had a lot of time on his hands, so it seems that it was a time for him to reflect. I used to keep a Quran, an easy hadith book, and a few other books that were easy reading there so I would have something to read and refer to whenever I visited. I always thought that if they were interested, they might pick one up to read, but forgot about them for the most part. For the next couple of phone calls, my father kept talking about the a Prayer book, which is very beautifully made and has chapters that tell the prayers of each of the prophets (alayhimus as salaam). He could see what Ibrahim (as) prayed with the direct quote from the Quran and explanation, as well as many other Prophets (alayhimus salaam). He mentioned that he was planning to visit the Islamic Foundation to see if they had some other book that he could read next. We took the initiative and put together a package of a couple of books by the same authors that I thought he would like, one an explanation of Surah Al Fatihah and the other on Surah Ikhlaas. I think we included another simple basic Islam book too and sent him a copy of the 'Lives of the Prophets' series, which we knew he had enjoyed hearing parts of during his visit. We sent them all off and I called after a week or so to see if he had received them. When I called to check he told me that he had just been to the Islamic Foundation and they gave him a big pile of material to read the day before he received our package. He didn't know where to start! I told him to simply have a look and see what interested him and just go from there. He returned to the Islamic Center again, to pick up a different translation of the Quran and have a little tour. He said that they told him he needed to learn to pray and gave him some paper to complete in the event he chose to embrace Islam. Finally, my husband had a chat with him and asked him what he believed. He stated that he was pleased with what he was learning and with Islam. I was about to faint! Later on we gave my father a call to see how he was. He told me he'd just gotten back from the Islamic Foundation and did the ceremony. I asked what he was talking about, and after a bit of real confusion on my part I realised that he had said his shahaadah! He said there was a group that gathered in the prayer hall and they all hugged him and he received all manner of welcome gifts and support. AlhamdulIllah! My father had embraced Islam, just a month before he turned 69 years old wa subhaanAllah wa bihamdihi! The person I thought would be too resistant to change to ever accept Islam, even if he thought it was right, had changed. Allah (subhaana wa taala) had shown me the reality of, "Kun fa ya kun!" (Be and it is!) Well, I'm crying now. It's been over three years since Daddy reverted and I'm still overwhelmed by it. We went to visit him over the summer and it was the first time to see him since he'd accepted Islam. To see my 72-year-old father pray was indescribable. Allah, yet again, has shown me His All-Encompassing Power. Anything is possible when Allah Wills it. We can never know His Plan or who He will gift with the faith of Islam next.

PART 2 Well, after I got married and we had our first daughter, my father and his wife decided to visit us. They came by the time she was turning one, in the summer of 2004, maashaa'Allah. I was wearing niqaab by then, but I didn't mention it at all and just went to pick them up at the airport. They didn't say anything about my face being covered initially and we got them home, settled down, and just let them relax. We had stocked the freezer and fridge with a variety of zabihah meats for their visit and for the first couple of days let them sleep in and recover from their flight. They enjoyed getting to know their granddaughter and we went to a couple of places for sightseeing and shopping. During their stay, we did a couple of things that exposed them to Islam. We used to sell Islamic clothing, accessories, lectures, etc. at different functions and we took them one evening to a masjid in Philadelphia while we were vending. As brothers and sisters passed by, gave salaams, and interacted with us, my father asked me what the response was to their salaams and then responded a couple of times. It was quite cute. The whole experience served to show them a large Muslim community, predominantly American, with focus and a good sense of brotherhood/sisterhood. The other thing we did was when we took them for drives, especially long ones, we played 'The Lives of the Prophets' by Imaam Anwar al-Awlaki in the van. I mentioned in passing that it is the one time when we have a chance to listen to the series without interruption, just so they understood that it was for us, not them. Well, every now and then my father would make a sound of agreement with something being said, so I knew he was listening at least some of the time. His wife commented that it was very relaxing and soothing to listen to while we were traveling. Well, you KNOW that hubby and I were just grinning away at each other about that! Of course, they saw us pray whenever and wherever we were for the duration of their stay, heard us refer to Allah throughout our day, and generally saw how our life was being lived. Our daughter was saying many words by then, so she would say "AlhamdulIllah" after she sneezed, "bismIllah" before she ate, etc. We also introduced them to black seed and black seed oil, explaining that the Prophet Muhammad, salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam, told us it is a cure for everything except death. That interested them greatly, as they like natural remedies and nutritional supplements. When the time came for them to leave, we gave them gifts including a framed ayah of Quran translated into English (the last ayah of Surah Al Baqarah) that we had made. My husband decided to slip two simple books into their gift bag as well about Understanding Islam and Muslims. He told them that it was just in case they had any questions or wanted to understand a little more. We hugged and kissed them goodbye at the airport and my father said, "May Allah keep you safe and blessed." On returning home, I talked to my father and he said that within a month of getting back they had to call someone to fix their hot water heater. The man who came was a Muslim and my father engaged him in conversation telling him about us. He talked to him about the black seed oil, which he liked to use. My father had taken us to the Markfield Islamic Foundation when we visited and had a look around with us, so he was familiar with it. He told me that he was planning to give them a call to see if they could tell him where to purchase more of the black seed. I thought to myself that at least it was some kind of connection with Islam. Qadr Allah, by 2006 my father and his wife divorced. He was 68 at the time and it was a huge life change for him. He started thinking of different options such as coming over to the the U.S.A. so he could be closer to us, moving to Portugal, etc. We just called him more often and remained supportive and loving. In the meantime, my mother came to visit for 2 weeks. By then I had a 5 month old daughter as well, so she got to see both her granddaughters, mashaa Allah. It was the last week of Ramadan, so we were fasting and she saw each day how we broke our fast and heard us get up early to have suhoor. My older daughter was 3 then, and she used to go downstairs to keep Grandma company in the early mornings while she had her cup of tea. One day my mother told me that she had sneezed and my mother said "bless you". She responded, "You can't bless me, only Allah can do that." My mother was taken aback, quite amazed at the clarity and focus. She saw us pray, saw the children living as Muslims, learned what we didn't do, and what we did. When Eid came, she was uncomfortable to come with us to the Eid prayer, so I tried to leave it open for her. She changed her mind and came, holding the baby and just sitting at the back. It was in a rented hall, so there were no issues of her entering a masjid. She even draped a shaylah over her hair for the duration. One or two mornings I played 'Quran for Little Muslims' for the children and checked to see if she was listening. She didn't really seem to be taking anything in, so I didn't take it any further. We enjoyed her visit, spent a lot of time letting her relax and do a little shopping. We gave her gifts from the girls that showed their love for Grandma and sent her home with hugs. Maashaa Allah, it was a good visit.

Breaking the News and Bringing my Family Closer to Islaam (1) By Sister Mai. {For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease, Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease} [Qur'aan, Al-Inshiraah, 94:5-6] I reverted to Islam 23 years ago while living in Bahrain. My parents live in England, and I told them over the phone, so they really didn't know what I was talking out. Islam was a far-off thing for them and they didn't know what it meant. I had a small piece of advice given to me just before my first trip back home to England after becoming a Muslimah. It was to simply be myself, let everyone see that I hadn't changed in any ridiculous way, and to answer questions (when and if they came) as simply as possible. So, that's what I did. I went home, asked for something to be kept in the bathroom so I could make istinjaaWashing the private parts with water after urinating or passing stool. , explained why I needed it and went about enjoying my visit with my father and his wife. The same went for my mother. When they asked a question, I answered as simply as possible so that if they wanted more information they could continue to ask questions and if that was enough then I hadn't overdone it. Well, the years passed and my parents became more accustomed to my lifestyle. They sometimes had some very specific questions for me when I went home for visits. I noticed that they were quoting things they'd heard on the radio or watched on television about Muslims, so I knew they were paying more attention to Islam in general. Then, perhaps 10 or 11 years after I embraced Islam, my father called me one New Year's Eve and told me he was proud of me, that I had good morals, lived a clean and decent life and had done well in my work MaashaaAllah The meaning of "Maa sha' Allah" is: "Whatever Allah wants." . I was in tears. It was a milestone in my life and in my da'wah; my father was proud of me and my faith. During the years that I went home to visit my parents, I told them these things in answer to their questions. -In Christianity, living together without being married is called "living in sin." I'm not doing something different by not having boyfriends and waiting for marriage, I'm just following the rules. Within a year, my father married his partner and my mother married hers. -In every movie you've seen about Biblical times, the women wore long loose clothes and their hair was covered. It has always been the way of religious people, I'm just going back to those ways. I gave them an analogy. question_brain.jpgThey get on a bus and a woman sits opposite them wearing a mini skirt, boobs all pushed up and cleavage out, make-up, long wild hair, high heels, perfume. She looks great. How does Daddy's wife feel about that woman? Does she check to see if my father is looking at her? Of course, my father has seen her and what will he do, put his hands over his eyes? Daddy's wife may be thinking, "She's thinner than me... she is more beautiful... she's younger." Daddy may be thinking, "She looks great!" Daddy's wife feels a resentment towards that woman for displaying herself in front of her husband. Then, when it comes to bedtime she has a little complex. I look fat in this nightdress. I don't want him to see me and compare me to that gorgeous woman. She has lost confidence in herself and her attractiveness to my father. A barrier has been placed between them. Now, if that woman had not displayed herself that way, Daddy's wife would not have anything to compare herself with. She would not have felt inferior or that my father had seen something he must, in her mind, prefer to her. She would have had no animosity towards that woman sitting opposite them and felt no threat. Well, after explaining that, they made a point to advise me when shopping if the thing I was trying on was suitably covering or not. They understood. -When asked about some horrible thing a Muslim had done, I said, "What about Son of Sam, the man down the road who killed his wife, and all these criminals in the prisons? Are they all Muslim? No, they are Christians, Jews, Athiests, etc. It has nothing to do with the religion, it has to do with the people. There are good and bad people. People with good judgment and intellect, and people without. I don't say the religion is bad because of a person who associates themselves with it; I call that person bad. " -When sitting with them on the evening of their Christmas, after leaving them to their day and just arriving back home, I was asked if I didn't believe in Jesus. I took the QuranThe final immaculate revelation sent to mankind from God (Allah) Almighty. and read the excerpt from SurahA chapter/section of the Qur'aan. Maryam about the Prophet Isa's birth, alayhis-salaam. Daddy's wife said, "Well, that Quran has it all so we don't need our Bibles do we?" Then, about 8.5 years ago, I got married. This was another milestone, because they now had an example of a Muslim man to observe as well. -When I got married they asked questions about my husband's short trousers (i.e. showing the ankles) and beard... which he answered used Prophetic Narrations from the Prophet Muhammad, salla Allahu 'alayhi waand sallam. My father could see that my husband was acting based on knowledge and commitment. For every question, my husband presented proof in his answer, wa al hamdulIllah ala kulli haal. -We had to handle the issue of not celebrating birthdays, Mother's Day, and Father's Day. Although I had explained previously that these things weren't celebrated in Islam. We sent letters to my parents explaining that we didn't need special days to commemorate our love and appreciation for them; every day was a testimony to that. We made a point to send them letters, gifts, and express our love throughout the year so they could see that they were always special and not feel that they were being ignored, just because we didn't share their holidays. We explained that the only gifts that would be accepted would be at neutral times of the year or on Eid. My mother started noting down the Eid dates so she could send cards and gifts. idealmuslimah.com

The Minbar of Masjid al-Haram Until 1978 a traditional Minbar built from white marble, originating from the Ottoman period, was placed near the eastern corner of the Kaaba. As it was too big an obstacle for the increasing number of pilgrims, it had to be removed like other constructions from the courtyard of the Masjid al-Haram. Subsequently a smaller, wooden Minbar was used as a mobile pulpit for the rendition of the weekly Friday sermon. In 2001 SL Rasch was assigned a contract for the design and manufacturing of a new Minbar. The challenge was to build it from marble, more than five meters high, but nevertheless mobile and to complete this complex structure in less than one year to be used in Ramadan 1423. The body, made of white marble and partially reinforced by glass-fiber laminate, is carried on a stainless steel frame by a battery-driven steerable chassis. The Minbar in the Mataaf -October 2013 The side panels and railings, richly decorated with floral ornaments and turquoise stones in gilded bezels, were carved by traditional masters in Rajasthan, India, on the basis of drawings provided by SL Rasch. To save weight, some structural elements of the cladding such as the dome and its base profile are made of Corian®. The space below the landing houses an airc onditioning system which provides cold air for the imam at his elevated seating. An adjustable support holds microphones for the transmission of the sermon, and a screen, allowing the reading of a stored text. Dimensions: 3,2 x 1,8 m, height 5,9 m Weight: 5,5 t Materials: Stainless steel frame; marble cladding with inlaid turquoise stones; glass-fiber reinforced epoxylaminate for inner dome; Corian® for the dome base and exterior. Completion: 2002 Source

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A man from a respectable background came to Balkh in Iran, accompanied by his wife and daughters. Shortly after their arrival the man fell ill and later died, leaving his wife and daughters. Without his support they became poor and suffered. So fearing the mockery of enemies, she fled Balkh with her daughters to another town. On the day she arrived the weather was very cold, so she left her daughters in a mosque and went out in search of food. She passed by two groups of people. One was gathered around a Muslim who was the Sheikh and the other group around a Zoroastrian (Majusi) who was the security officer of the city. She first went to the Sheikh and described her situation saying, "I am a woman of a respectable family, with daughters whom I have left in the local mosque, I have come in search of food." He asked her, "Bring me proof that you are from a respectable family." She replied, "I am a stranger in this town and therefore do not know anyone to testify for me " She departed from him broken-hearted. She then went to the Zoroastrian and explained her situation to him, telling him about her noble background and her orphaned daughters who were, waiting her return. She also mentioned to him how the Sheikh had treated her. The Zoroastrian stood up and sent some womenfolk to bring her daughters and took all of them to his house. There he showered them with honor and generosity. He fed them fine food and clothed them in rich garments. That night the Sheikh saw in a dream the Day of Resurrection and the banners were unfurled around the Prophet (Peace be Upon him). Ahead of him, was a green palace made of emeralds, its balconies of pearls and rubies and domes of pearls and corals. He asked the Prophet (Peace be Upon him), "Messenger of Allah, for whom is this palace?" The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) replied, "For a Muslim." The Sheikh replied, "I am a Muslim!" The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said, "Prove to me that you are a Muslim?" At that, the Sheikh was dumbstruck. The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) then said, "You asked a woman to produce proof of her respectability, and therefore my question to you, is can you produce proof that you are a Muslim?" At this point the Sheikh felt remorse about his treatment towards the woman and her orphaned daughters In the morning, he immediately set out to find the woman. He learnt she was staying with the Zoroastrian and so called for him. When the Zoroastrian arrived, the Sheikh requested that he sends the woman and her daughters to him. The Zoroastrian replied, "Under no circumstance! I have received great blessings from her." The Sheikh said 'Take a thousand dinars from me and bring them to me." He shouted, "Impossible! The one who showed you the palace in your dream has made it (the palace) for me. Are you surprised because I am not a Muslim? By Allah, I did not sleep last night, before I and my family accepted Islam at that noble woman's hand, and I dreamt something similar to what you dreamt; the Messenger of Allah (Peace be Upon him) asked me, "Is that noble woman and her daughters with you?" I replied: "Yes, Messenger of Allah." The Prophet (Peace be Upon him) said, "This palace is for you and your family Allah created you a believer in prc-eternity" At that the Sheikh remained sorrowful and grieved for the missed opportunity of earning a lofty position in Paradise, due to his neglect of the widowed woman and her daughters. Allah's Messenger (Peace be Upon him) has said, "The one who strives on behalf of the widow and the needy is like a warrior in the path of Allah".(Bukhari and Muslim ) muftisays.com

The Islamic year comes to an end in a few days. The beginning of the month of Muharram heralds the beginning of the new year and is a perfect time to contemplate on the past year as advised by our respected Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat (Hafizahullah)

By Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh Having just completed the year 2012 (soon 2013), the ‘New Year’ is seen and heard all around us. However, the question remains as to what should be a Muslim’s take on these events Upon the passing of a year, the common trend is to celebrate; people have birthday parties, wedding anniversaries etc. However, in certain spheres this is not the case; take the example of a businessman who at the end of the (financial) year will first take stock of the past year. He will meticulously go through the accounts of the past year taking into account every single penny. He will check to see if he made a profit, and if so then how can he make more in the coming year. He will check his expenses: where did he spend his money? Can he make further savings? All of this is done so that he can make the coming year more profitable than the one that has passed. This should be the case at the end of the year in every Muslim’s life for we too have been sent to this world as businessmen with the commodity of time; which is life. We will have to one day give account for every second in the Court of Allāh ta‘ālā, when our books of deeds shall be presented. We will bring forth a book for him that he will find wide open, (and We will say to him) ‘Read your book. Enough are you today to take your own account.’ (17:13-14) ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, emphasising the same, says: ‘Take stock of your own lives before Allāh ta‘ālā reckons you. And assess yourself before you are assessed by Allāh. And prepare yourselves for the great summoning. It is our belief that on the Day of Judgement Allāh ta‘ālā will reckon us for everything that we did in the world. On the day when everybody shall find present before him whatever good he did and whatever evil he did, he will wish there would have been a wide space between him and that (day). (3:30) No matter how minute or trivial an act we did, we will find that it is present in our book of deeds. So, whoever does any good act (even) to the weight of a particle will see it. And whoever does evil (even) to the weight of a particle will see it. (99:7-8) This will be to the extent that in awe people will say: ‘Woe to us! What a book is this! It has missed nothing, minor or major, but has taken it into account.’ Thus they will find whatever they did present before them, and your Lord will not wrong anyone. (18:49) We need to keep this reality in mind and spend our lives with regular reflection on our actions with Murāqabah and Muḥasabah. Murāqabah means to supervise and oversee oneself to ensure that he/she stays away from disobediences of Allāh ta‘ālā and spends every moment seeking the Pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā. Muḥasabah means taking account of one’s activities at the end of the day, week and year; and thanking Allāh ta‘ālā for the ability to have performed any good actions and seeking forgiveness for any sins one may have committed. Insha'allāh, if this is adhered to, then we will see a great change in our lives. We will find ourselves spending every second of our lives with great care. The end of a year is a time to reflect and say to yourself, ‘Another year from my precious life has passed. Who knows how many more years, if any, I have remaining?’ Let us spend them in those avenues that bring the pleasure of Allāh ta‘ālā and stay away from those things that bring His displeasure, so that we can meet Allāh ta‘ālā in a state that He is pleased with us. at-tazkiyah

Postpartum Depression: When It’s More Than Just The Baby Blues By Sister Abez. idealmuslimah.com The first apartment where my husband and I lived had six stories, and we lived on the sixth floor. I remember this clearly because in the months after my first son was born, I spent way too much time hanging out laundry and hoping that somehow, just somehow, I would accidentally fall off our sixth floor balcony and die. Astaghfirullah I ask Allaah's forgiveness – there wasn't anything really wrong with my life, and I had no reason to contemplate suicide even in such an indirect way. My husband was loving and supportive and adored our new son. I had very few responsibilities other than taking care of the baby, the house, and myself. I had enough food, enough money, and comfortable shelter over my head, but unfortunately, I also had postpartum depression. Our well-meaning, traditional matriarchs might ask what all this postpartum depression nonsense is all about. After all when your baby is a newborn you're SUPPOSED to be miserable – they call that the baby blues. You're sleep-deprived, learning how to feed your baby for the first time, constantly worried about temperature, safety, illness, and of course, the routine running of the household. You can be expected to feel a little challenged – that's what new motherhood is all about – but suicidal? There are differences between the baby blues and postpartum depression, and these differences are important. Both postpartum depression and the baby blues can leave you feeling out of sorts in a variety of ways, but the baby blues usually get better on their own within two weeks. Postpartum depression doesn't. Postpartum depression can last for months, and it can take away your ability to eat, sleep properly, interact with family and friends, or even bond with your baby. This is all made worse by anxiety, feelings of guilt and inadequacy given the task at hand, as well as dangerous thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. In my case, PPD meant that I alternated between wishing I would die and then feeling terrified that something would happen to me, leaving my newborn son without a mother. I was chronically sleep deprived, but when my son finally went to sleep, I lay in bed wide-eyed, jittery, and unable to sleep or stay asleep for very long. I would hear him crying for me -even if he was dozing peacefully in his bouncer or out for a walk with his father- and the sound of his wailing haunted me. Sometimes people tell you that there is no depression in Islam. I'm not sure why they say this, because Allāh would not tell us that our hearts would find rest in remembering Him if our hearts were not restless in the first place. Allāh would not give us a healing for our hearts if our hearts did not need healing -but from a cultural point of view, admitting to depression is taboo. So, I told no one but my husband, and all I told him was that I was struggling a bit. Alḥamdulillāh as the weeks passed slowly into months my son grew, I slowly regained control, got over the insomnia, and stopped wishing I would die. I told no one else though, until a year later when a friend of mine called and said, straight to the point, "I'm taking a survey on postpartum depression. My mother in law says it doesn't exist, but I can't sleep, am mentally paralyzed and don't eat for 36 hours at a time. How about you?" When the baby cried, I did too. And babies cry alot. How about me? Well, I had PPD after my daughter was born as well, and this time it was so severe that I would have sudden panic attacks, complete with chest pain, overwhelming hopelessness, and the feeling that life would never, ever be normal again. When the baby cried, so did I. I love my children -after Islam I consider my children to be the biggest blessings Allāh has bestowed on me- but the combination of fluctuating post-pregnancy hormones, sleep deprivation, and newborn stress does something to my brain that is not normal. How did I get out of PPD? Alḥamdulillāh, I never needed medication, but I did need my husband's help and understanding. And of course, I needed healing for my heart- I needed Qur'anThe final immaculate revelation sent to mankind from God (Allah) Almighty. . When I felt like the walls were closing in on me and I could feel anxiety closing tightly around my throat- I would start reciting Qur'an, and I wouldn't stop until I felt better. Sometimes, I recited Qur'an for a VERY long time, but I knew that was the only thing that would let me breathe more freely, remember Allāh's blessings upon me, and calm my heart in a way that reason cannot ever begin to explain. I began to memorize new surahs, and I began to fall in love with ayahs that spoke directly to my pain. Two years after my daughter's birth, I had a miscarriage. Outwardly, I managed to keep things together, but I spent months crying alone and feeling guilty for wanting something that Allāh had not decreed for me. I found myself needing more than Qur'an to pick up the broken pieces of my well-being. Alḥamdulillāh, my husband pushed me to start attending Islamic classes, and the light of new knowledge pushed the darkness away, even if the darkness had more to do with loss than a crisis of faith. Here I was struggling with my own depression as well as raising two young children- I was in pain that had nothing to do with 'Ilm, but the more 'Ilm I sought, the smaller my pain became. Eventually, it was replaced with joy and lightness in my heart that I have only ever felt when my īmān is on a high, and to this day, I know that if I start to feel darkness creeping in on me, I need to look for light. Whether I find it in the Qur'an or in 'Ilm, I need to find it and hold on to it until the darkness goes away. That's my experience with postpartum depression, and every mother who struggles with it will probably have a different story to tell. The blessing of being a Muslim though, is that every one of us can benefit from the healing that Allāh has placed in the Qur'an. "Verily in remembering Allāh do hearts find rest." The Holy Qur'an, surahA chapter/section of the Qur'aan. 13 Ar-Ra'ad, āyah 38 If you are a new mother, you're probably over-worked, exhausted, and damp with baby body fluids of one kind or another at any given moment- but you should not feel hopeless, depressed, afraid or resentful of your baby, or worse -suicidal. You shouldn't be afraid of reaching out for help, whether to your husband or to a close friend. You would be surprised how many people have gone through postpartum depression, and the support that an experienced friend can offer you is priceless. Most importantly, you should not underestimate the power of du'ā' and Qur'an on a bruised and broken heart. If you're a new father, please be aware that postpartum depression is real, and so is the social stigma and shame that might prevent your wife from telling you that she needs help. Please take a moment to learn more about it, because the healthier your wife is, the happier and healthier your entire family will be. May Allāh strengthen us all and give us the patience to see our hardships through to the ease He has promised, and help us to remember Allāh's promise that no soul will be burdened than more than it can bear.

بئر حا Well of Haa North of Masjid Nabawi was the Orchard of Abu Talha al-Ansari (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) and in it was the Well of Haa. In 1994, during the second Saudi extension, it was included in the Masjid. Its position is a few metres to the left upon entering Masjid Nabawi through Door number 21. Site of the Garden of Abu Talha (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) Anas bin Malik (Radhiyallaahu 'anahu) narrates: "Out of all the Ansaar living in Madinah, Abu Talha (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) had the largest number of gardens and the most beloved of his property to him was the garden of Bir Haa which stood opposite the Prophet's Masjid. He sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam used to enter it and drink of its fine water. When the verse; " By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you spend (in charity) of that which you love." (Surah Aal Imraa: 92) was revealed, Abu Talha (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) got up and said, "O Allah's Apostle, Allah says, "By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you spend (in charity) of that which you love" and the most beloved of my property to me is the garden of Bir Haa, so I give it in Allah's cause and hope to receive good out of it and to have it stored for me with Allah. So O Allah's Apostle! Dispose of it in the way Allah orders you." Allah's Apostle sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said, "Bravo! That is a fruitful property! That is a fruitful property! I have heard what you have said and I think that you should distribute that (garden) amongst your relatives." Then Abu Talha (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) distributed that garden amongst his relatives. (Bukhari) "Pictorial History of Madinah Munawwarah" by Dr. MUhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani

بئر اريس Well of Arees This well was located to the east of Masjid Quba. At the end of the 14th century Hijri it was buried in view of plans to widen the road. Its water was extremely sweet and exquisite. In various narrations it is mentioned that the reason for this is that the Prophet 's sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam mubarak saliva was mixed with the water. Before this incident the water had no traces of sweetness. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam once sat on its edge with the lower part of his legs uncovered, dangling in the well. The following Hadith from Bukhari describes the wonderful scene. It is related from Abu Musa al-Ash'ari that he did wudu' in his house and then went out. [He said,] "I said, 'I will stay close to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and be with him on this day.'" He said, "He went to the mosque and asked where the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was and they said, 'He went there,' indicating the direction he had gone. I followed after him asking about him until he entered the Well of Aris. I sat at the gate, which was made of palm branches, until the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had finished his need and was doing wudu'. I went up to him and he was sitting at the Well of Aris on the middle of the rim with his legs uncovered dangling into the well. I greeted him and then went and sat at the gate. I said, 'I will be the doorkeeper of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, today.' Abu Bakr came and knocked at the door. I said, 'Who is it?' He said, 'Abu Bakr.' I said, 'Hold on!' I went and said, 'Messenger of Allah, it is Abu Bakr asking permission to come in.' He said, 'Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden.' I went and said to Abu Bakr, 'Enter and the Messenger of Allah gives you the good news of the Garden.' Abu Bakr went in and sat at the right side of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, on the rim and dangled his feet in the well as the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had done, uncovering his legs. Then I went back and sat down. I had left my brother at home doing wudu' intending to join me. I said, 'If Allah desires good for someone' - meaning his brother - 'He will bring him.' Then a man moved the gate and I said, 'Who is it?' He said, ''Umar ibn al-Khattab.' I said, 'Hold on!' Then I went to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and greeted him and said, 'It is 'Umar asking permission to come in.' He said, 'Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden.' I went to 'Umar and said, 'Enter and the Messenger of Allah gives you the good news of the Garden.' 'Umar went in and sat at the left side of the Prophet* on the rim and dangled his feet in the well like the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Then I went back and sat down. I said, 'If Allah desires good for someone' - meaning his brother - 'He will bring him.' Then a man moved the gate and I asked, 'Who is it?' He said, ''Uthman ibn 'Affan.' I said, 'Hold on!' Then I went to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and told him. He said, 'Let him in and give him the good news of the Garden as well as an affliction which will befall him.' I came and said, 'Enter and the Messenger of Allah gives you the good news of the Garden as well as an affliction which will befall you.' He entered and found the rim fully occupied, so he sat opposite them on the other side." Sa'id ibn al-Musayyab said, "I interpreted it as their graves." This well is also known as the Well of Khaatam (Ring). The silver ring of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam bearing the seal which he used was worn by the first Khalifah, Abu Bakr (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) after the demise of the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam. Thereafter it was worn by 'Umar (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu). It was then worn by Uthmaan (Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) and while he was sitting at the well of Arees, it fell out of his hand in to the well. For three day the Muslims continuously searched for it, eventually emptying the water yet to no avail. The ring was lost! To think that it still lies at this place! An old picture of the Well of Khaatam

Al-Muharram: A Common Misconception by Shaykh Mawlānā Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullāh Islām is a way of life sent by Allāh ta‘ālā for the guidance of mankind, and it is the key to success in both worlds. Something that holds such significance holds great importance; hence, it is of great value and therefore needs to be protected at all costs. For the protection of the religion of Islām, scores of Muslim individuals have contributed through their wealth, their lives, and many other ways and forms, the like of which cannot be found in history. Thousands have sacrificed their lives for the protection of this sacred religion. Islamic history is filled with the names of martyrs, and for the irrigation of Islamic values, much blood of Muslims has been shed. From the first generation of Muslims, the great Sahābah radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, there are many who put all their possessions, even their lives, on the line for the sake of Islām. Sumayyah, Hamzah, Ja‘far, ‘Abdullāh ibn Rawāhah, ‘Abdullāh ibn Az-Zubayr radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, are just a few of the many famous ones that fall under this category. In the sacred month of Al-Muharram, much is heard about one of the great martyrs of Islām, Husayn ibn ‘Alī radhiyallāhu ‘anhu. Without doubt, his martyrdom had a great role to play in fortifying the causes of Islām; but a mere few days before the tenth of Al-Muharram, on which his martyrdom is mourned with much importance by certain people, the martyrdom of another of Islām’s greats took place. This was, of course, the martyrdom of the second in rank and virtue from all Muslims after Abū Bakr radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, the leader of the believers, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattāb radhiyallāhu ‘anhum. The incident of his martyrdom is recorded in great detail in the books of ahādīth and history. In the 23rd year after of the Islamic calendar in the month of Dhū-al-Hijjah, ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu entered the masjid to lead the Fajr prayer. He made sure the rows were complete and straight, keeping alive the teachings of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam in this regard. ‘Amr ibn Maymūn rahimahullāh, the narrator of the incident, says, ‘‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu had just said the first takbīr, when suddenly I heard him say, ‘A dog has killed (or eaten) me!’ The lout then attempted to flee with his double-edged dagger, and in doing so stabbed everyone in his way, to the right and left. As a result, he wounded 13 people, 7 fatally.’ The narration is lengthy, and many lessons are to be learnt from it. The blow was fatal, and ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu departed as a martyr just as he had desired. He would continually supplicate, ‘O Allāh, grant me martyrdom in your path, and make my death occur in the City of your Prophet.’ (Al-Bukhārī) The martyrdom of ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu was imminent, as the Prophet of Allāh sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam had given glad tidings of this bounty. Anas ibn Mālik radhiyallāhu ‘anhu narrates that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam once climbed Mount Uhud, along with Abū Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān radhiyallāhu ‘anhum, and it trembled. The Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam said, ‘O Uhud! Be calm, for there is a Nabī, a Siddīq and two martyrs on you.’ (Al-Bukhārī) ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu was an outstanding personality, and the amount he benefited Islām can be gauged from what is narrated about him in the books of ahādīth. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu relates that the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam prayed, ‘O Allāh, strengthen Islām with either Abū Jahl ibn Hishām or ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattāb, and in the morning ‘Umar came to the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam and accepted Islām’. (At-Tirmidhī) ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd radhiyallāhu ‘anhu would say, ‘We (Islām and the Muslims) went from strength to strength since ‘Umar accepted Islām’. (Al-Bukhārī) Once, upon ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu asking regarding a ḥadīth of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam regarding trials and tribulations which were to fall upon the Ummah, Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yamān radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, who knew the ḥadīth, remarked, ‘Why do you worry about such a fitnah, O Amīr-al-Mu’minīn, when there is a closed door between it and yourself?’ When asked who this ‘door’ was, Hudhayfah radhiyallāhu ‘anhu replied, ‘‘Umar.’ (Al-Bukhārī, Ibn Mājah) It was due to this prophecy of the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wasallam, that Sa‘īd ibn Zayd radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, one of the Al-‘Asharah Al-Mubashsharah, upon the demise of ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu said: ‘I cry upon the state of Islām, indeed the death of ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu has wounded Islām, a wound never to be healed until the Day of Qiyāmah.’ (At-Tabaqāt) Despite such sufferings to its rank, Islamic teachings do not favour mourning the martyrdom of any individual. If there was such a thing, not a single day of the calendar year would remain void in which someone great had not given his life for the cause of Islām. What Islām does teach is that one should always remain conscious of the sacrifices of these accepted souls, continue praying for them, and make them our role models in that whatever sacrifice is required from us for Islām, at whatever time, we should be ready to offer it. At this time, we are not being asked to offer our lives; we are only being asked to sacrifice our unlawful desires. How great a difference is there between us and those blessed individuals who gave their lives for Islām, and we cannot sacrifice a single transient enjoyment from harām sources. It is this lesson that we should learn from the martyrdoms of ‘Umar radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, Husayn radhiyallāhu ‘anhu, and all the other martyrs of Islām. Courtesy: Riyādul Jannah Islamic Da'wah Academy

WELLS OF MADINAH MUNAWWARAH According to Dr Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani there are seven historically significant wells of Madinah. Mufti Muhammad Faruq says almost all the wells are either covered up with no signs remaining or entry is restricted بئر رَوْمَة Well of Rawmah (or Well of Uthmaan Radhiyallaahu 'anhu) Entry is restricted The Well Plantation near the Well of Uthmaan It is located at a distance of 3.5 km from Masjid Nabawi and 1 km from Masjid Qiblatain in the suburb of Azhariy on the banks of the Valley of Aqeeq. When the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam migrated to Madinah there was no readily available drinking water except from the well of Rawmah which was owned by a member of Madina's Jewish community who used to charge a high price for the water. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said, "He who buys the well of Rawmah for the Muslims shall be rewarded with that which is better in the Hereafter." Uthman Radhiyallaahu 'anhu purchased the well for a high price and made the water available for free to the people of Madina. Visitors are not allowed access. Masjid adjacent to the well

Man ‘Arafa Nafsahu faqad ‘Arafa Rabbahu Whosoever knows himself knows his Lord

Question Salaam: A few questions raised in this regard. 1. Authentic hadith that the Prophet ordered people to fast on the day of ashura. (Not hadith quoted during the rule of the ummayad dynasty and the abbasid dynasty). 2. Is the Jewish calendar and the Islamic calendar the same? Do days that occur on one particular day in the jewish calendar re occur the same time in the Islamic calendar. — The Jews had their own calendar and months. There is no logic in saying that they fasted on the 10th of Muharram – unless it could be proved that this date always coincided with a Jewish day of fast. 3. Can you quote hadith (with factual proof) that all the great attonment days you have specified fell on the day of ashura.The month in which God delivered the Israelites from Pharaoh was Abib (i.e. Rajab), as the Bible clearly says: “Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.” (Deut., 16:1) The question is: How could the Jews transfer an event of Abib (originally coinciding with Rajab) to Muharram, in open defiance of their Torah? here is a point to ponder for the Muslims: The Prophet (s.a.w.) was sent with a religion to abrogate all previous religions and shari’ah. How was it that he deigned to imitate the custom of the Jews? Answer 1. The definition of an authentic hadith is : “That which is narrated by an Adil (Just), Dhabit (those with good memories), without any breaks in the chain of narrators and which is not Shaaz (Rare) neither is it Muallal(defective).” This is the definition of an authentic narration and it is a definition which is agreed upon by all the authorities of Hadith. None of them mention a condition that it was not narrated during the Umayyad or Abasid rule. The ahadith quoted in the answer 5269, fulfil these conditions. 2 & 3. The Jewish calendar and the Islamic calendar are both different, however both are lunar calendars, thus a day could appear on the same date on both calendars every year, even though this is not the case here. In fact what really happened was the ignorant Jews began using the solar calendar and calculated their festivals and holidays accordingly, thus their Passover, now began to rotate throughout the solar year. When Nabi (SAW) came to Madina, he found them fasting on the day they said is the day wherein Moosa (AS) was saved, so Nabi (SAW) said that we will fast on the day in which Moosa (AS) was saved, which happens to be the 10th of Muharram. This does not mean that both the Muslims and the Jews were fasting every year on the same day and that both calendars had to match. As for Nabi (SAW) fasting on the same day as the Jews and thus imitating them, it should be remembered that Nabi (SAW) and the Quraish were in the habit of fasting on Aashuraa, even before Islam.(Bukhari No.2002-With Fathul Bari .Darul Manaar) Now when the Jews said that they are fasting as Moosa (AS) was saved, Nabi (SAW) said that we are closer to him than you, thus this is all the more reason to fast on this day. thus the reason for fasting wasn’t to imitate the Jews, as Nabi (SAW) had been keeping the fast before. Nabi (SAW) later ordered the Sahaba (RA) to fast on the 9th or the 11th as well, to show that we are not imitating them.(Fathul Bari Vol. 4 Pg.290-Darul Manaar,Faidhul Bari Vol.3 Pg.177) and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best Mufti Ebrahim Desai askimam.org

Pebbles Collection at the Jamaraat More than a hundred million pebbles weighing more than twenty tons thrown at the Jamaraat! Al-Jazeera.com Pebble collecting mechanism at the Jamaraat Bridge

Hajj 1434 Cleaning Up (Mina) Source

The Dam of Aaqool & the Fire of Hijaz The dam is an important recreational area of the people of Madinah. After rainfall, the valley of Qanaat flows and millions of cubic meters of its waters gather at the Aaqool Dam. It is a fascinating view; water as far as the eye can see. Experts say that Aaqool has the largest store of underground water in Madinah. The formation of the Aaqool Dam is linked to the historically significant "Fire of Hijaz". The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam professed of the Fire of Hijaz, which was witnessed in 654 A.H. This fire threw volcanic lava and rocks into the Valley of Qanaat, blocking the water flow and forming a natural dam. In 690 A.H. water gradually eroded through the dam and the valley once again began to flow. Effects of the Fire of HIjaz; basalt and black rocks are still visible today at the site of the dam. Water in the Dam of Aaqool Click on Picture to enlarge The Fire of Hijaz Allah's Apostle said, "The Hour will not be established till a fire will come out of the land of Hijaz, and it will throw light on the necks of the camels at Busra." Sahih Bukhari Hadith no. 7118 He further stated; "The Hour will not be established till a valley of the land of Hijaz will not flow with fire, throwing light on the necks of the camels at Busra." Fath ul Bari 13/80 Busra (Vowel led "u" not "a") i.e. a city between Tabuk and Syria, not the city of Basra in Iraq. Allamah Samhoudi states, "The fire mentioned in this hadith appeared in 654 A.H. This fire was visible from Makkah, Yanbu, Taimaa and Busra. This proved that it was the very 'Fire of Hijaz' which the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam had foretold so that the people may take heed. Allamah ibn Hjar states, "The fire referred to in this hadith is the one witnessed on the outskirts of Madinah as is explained by Qurtubi and others" Allamah Qastalani (who was in Makkah at the time of the fire) states, "On the day of Friday in the afternoon this fire rose and the skies were blackened with its smoke and darkness prevailed. By night its flames could be seen. The fire looked like a big city south east of Madinah. It moved to Banu Quraidhah then spread to the east and finally went into Waadi Qanaat. It moved on the surface of the ground pulverizing and melting mountains and rocks which stood in its path. Its flames were like towering mountains and extended ranges, throwing molten rocks in to the air like waves of the sea. It would move like a storm in the ocean. Its sound was like thunder of lightening. It lasted for three months so that people may take heed and fear the fire of the Hereafter. This fire was visible from Makkah, Yanbu, the mountains of Sayah and Taimu, and Busra. It drove a large river of molten rock into the waadi which gathered at its end forming a natural dam. When water flowed in to the waadi it gathered at this dam in huge quantities until it formed a sea of water as far as the eye could see. In 690 A.H. the force of water gradually broke its way through the dam making it flow normally once again". The Saudi Government built a number of dams on the river of Qanaat at Aaqool to efficiently utilise its water for agriculture and to protect Madinah from flood in case of over flow. "Pictorial History of Madinah Munawwarah" by Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani

A NEW BID'AH - THE GIFT-CUSTOM OF 10TH MUHARRAM by Maulana A S Desai, Mujlisul Ulama of South Africa Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "He who expands on his family in the matter of nafqah (house expenses) on the day of Aashuraa', Allah will expand on him throughout the remaining part of the year." Aashuraa' is the 10th of Muharram. In the aforementioned Hadith the term 'was-sa-ah' derived from the root word tausee', has been translated as 'expand'. The words 'lavish' and 'generous' do not convey appropriately its meaning. In the context of this Hadith, the term means: spending more than usual. In other words, a bit lavishly, with greater generosity but without waste. FOOD The authorities of the Shariah, (the Akaabir Ulama) have restricted the lavish expenditure of this day to food. We are required to spend a bit more on food and provide delicious dishes for the family on this day. The issue of providing more delicious food or spending more than usual on food on this day, has different meanings for different communities and for even different families in the same community. Most nations have what is called a staple food which they consume throughout the year. The overwhelming majority of people live in poverty and cannot afford sumptuous dishes. For such people the meaning of the Hadith is quite simple and clear. The man in the house should endeavour to bring more than the usual staple diet. Poor people who perhaps eat meat a couple of times a year, will truly appreciate and relish the sumptuous meal. As far as the vast majority of the Ummah is concerned, the Hadith is fully relevant. The father/husband should endeavour to bring extra food home for the Day of Aashuraa'. However, in the context of an affluent society which daily enjoys Bid meals and sumptuous food, the question of bringing in extra food and more delicious food does not apply. Every day we eat the best of food. Delicious food has become such a norm on a daily basis in our affluent society that there is a dilemma on the day of Eid -- what should be prepared on Eid days? Since we eat lavishly and luxuriously and gluttonous every day of the year, the question of 'expanding' in the matter of food or serving lavishly or having more sumptuous dishes does not relate to us whether on Aashuraa' day or on Bid days. EMULATION It is on account of the inability to become 'lavish' in the matter of food on the Day of Aashuraa' that shallow-minded learned men and learned men with pecuniary and commercial interests have taken advantage of the ignorance and gullibility of the public. Their worldly and nafsaani interests and motives have constrained them to invent a new bid'ah. They have now introduced the bid' ah of buying and exchanging gifts for the family on Aashuraa' day. This is a new custom which people have introduced in emulation of kuffaar practices. And, they have done so solely for worldly motives. The kuffaar serve their pecuniary and worldly interests by the introduction of practices which they hoist on gullible consumer4ndoctrinated public. People have become the slaves of their nafs. Mass advertising has taken a disastrous toll on the brains of ignorant and unwary people driven like dumb animals by the nafs. In this regard the kuffaar started off with birthdays and gradually progressed to mother's day, father's day, this day and that day. All these days are commercial days to strip stupid people of their money. Following this kuffaar trend, radio molvis of baatil are now advertising 'Aashuraa' Day' as a day of gifts like Christmas day, Valentine's day, Mother's day, Father's day, Uncle's day and Shaitaan's day. After all, what better can be expected of shaitaan's radio appendages? BID'AH Muslims should understand that this bid'ah of Aashuraa' being a day to buy gifts is a haraam custom executed in emulation of the kuffaar. It is not permissible to indulge in these un-Islamic practices. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that Muslims will emulate the kuffaar so thoroughly that if they (the kuffaar) had to creep into a lizard's hole, Muslims too will follow them into the hole thinking that it is an act of honour, This is precisely what is happening in this age. Every baseless and nafsaani custom of the kuffaar is imitated. An Islamic hue is given to the kuffaar practice to hoodwink the masses into acceptance Muslims who due to their affluence are unable to increase the lavishness of their food, should think of their poor and less fortunate brothers and sisters in other parts of the world or in their own towns and cities. Spend on them lavishly on the Day of Aashuraa' and gain their heartfelt dua as well as the thawaab of Sadqah. But to indulge in the haraam and wasteful gift custom is a deception of shaitaan and a new bid'ah. At least all adult Muslims will understand that a couple of years ago there never existed this confounded 'gift-custom' on 10thMuharram. The senior Ulama had never propagated this custom Worldly molvis who are destroying the morals of the community are the originators of this custom of giving and exchanging gifts on the Day of Aashuraa'. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Whoever clings to my Sunnah at the time of the corruption of my Ummah will obtain the reward of a hundred martyrs (shuhada)." Issued By: Mujlisul Ulama of South Africa PO Box 3393, Port Elizabeth, 6056 Rep. of South Africa

9 Hot Tips For Winter Souls By Umme Ammarah (For our readers in the Northern Hemisphere save this article for later in the year when winter creeps in!) It is said winter is a time when people suffer from so called winter blues. But it is interesting to see how many people welcome winter because they see it in a different light. Instead of being down and in active you can be pro active revive your energy in ibadah (worship), increase your good deeds, take care of your obligations and earn the pleasure of Allah all at the same time. Here are some tips to benefit from winter: 1. FASTING Winter is the best season for the believer because Allah Ta’ala makes worship easy for him. This is because in winter, the believer can fast during the day with ease without suffering from hunger and thirst. The days are short and cold, and he therefore doesn't feel the hardship of fasting… It is reported The Beloved Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: "Fasting in the winter is the easy prize’ 'Umar bin al-Khattab(RA) said: "Winter is the prize of the worshippers." 2. QADHA (missed)FASTS We all know that making up the days of missed fasting is fardh (compulsory) on every adult Muslim man and woman and not doing so is a sin. So if we have missed a fast for a valid reason (travel, sickness etc) we need to "catch-up". Thus, we should hasten to fast the number of days we missed and what better opportunity than this? How much easier could it get? The days are short and the weather is cool, so you don't really get thirsty or even feel hungry 3. SALAAT The Noble Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) is reported to have said: "Winter is the best season for the believer. Its nights are long for him to pray in, and its days are short for him to fast in." [Hadith-Majma' az-Zawa'id' (3/203)] As for praying at night in the winter due to its long nights, one can have his share of sleep and then get up to pray afterwards and recite all that he usually recites of the Qur'an while he has enjoyed enough rest. 4.WARM WOOLIES The Noble Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: "Whoever feeds a hungry believer will be fed by Allah on the Day of Judgement from the fruits of Paradise, and whoever quenches his thirst will have his thirst quenched from the Sealed Nectar, and whoever clothes him will be clothed from the green silk of Paradise.” Try and involve our own family in these activities. Buy some blankets, gloves and warm hats and take your kids along to distribute it to the needy. There is so much good we can do if we just put ourselves forward. 5. HOT SOUPS We can prepare some nutritious soups for our family and also hand out to the poor in and around our neighbourhood. I’m sure a hot cup of soup would definitely be appreciated on a cold winter day. The Noble Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Worship the Most Compassionate, Feed people and spread salaam (greetings) and you will safely enter paradise.” (Hadith –TirmidhiI) 6. COZY FAMILY TIME Allah says in the Noble Qur’aan :”Oh you who believe save yourselves and families from the fire.” (Quran 66:6) .So plan such activities that will bring us closer to Allah. Be innovative and have fun within the confinements of Shariah. As it is cold, we can enjoy quality time indoors with our family which we often find difficult because we are so "busy"! Plan and do such activities that will bond the family and bring us closer to Allaah. Let the kids be involved in what you plan. Ask them for suggestions so they feel they are part of it. Sit around the warm fire/heater and read some stories of the Sahabah (RA) to the children and introduce them to the true heroes of the world or engage them in any such activities that will be beneficial. Mums and dads… use these long nights to re-kindle that flame of love. 7. KNOWLEDGE AND WORSHIP Allah Ta'ala says in verse of Quraan: “verily, in the Remembrance of Allah hearts find peace and satisfaction.” (Qur’aan 13:28) Use this time indoors to learn duas (prayers) from the sunnah, in recitation of Qur’aan, make the Zikr of Allah etc..The Noble Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said; “everyday Allah showers kindness and charity on his slaves and no kindness is better than inspiration of His remembrance that Allah grants to his slaves.(Hadith-tabarani) Choose a good Islaamic book and increase your Islaamic knowledge. A Believers thirst for knowledge is never quenched. He continues to hear and learn until he enters Paradise Hadith-Tirmidhi. It was narrated that Ibn Mas’ud (RA)said: “Welcome to winter! Blessings descend in it, its nights are long to pray in, and its days are short to fast in.” This is why Mu’adh(RA) wept on his deathbed and said: “I weep because I will miss the thirst I felt when I fasted, praying at night during the winter, and sitting knee to knee with the scholars during the gatherings of knowledge.” 8. PONDER OVER ALLAH'S GREATNESS & THANK HIM FOR HIS BLESSINGS Actually, if you think about it, winter is a big blessing from among the innumerable, uncountable blessings of Allah. He is honoring us by the bounty of His Giving, His Gracious Blessing and His Great Favour, so that we may be able to pray at night, fast during the day and worship Him 9. REMEMBER REALITIES OF HELL The Noble Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)said: “Hell complained to its Lord, saying: “Parts of me have consumed the other parts.” So, He allowed it two breaths of exhalation: one in winter and one in summer. As for its breath in winter, that is the bitter cold, and its breath in the summer is the extreme heat.” Among the virtues of winter is that it reminds one of the extreme cold of Hell and pushes one to seek refuge from it and to do such noble actions that will ensure one is protected from Jahannam (Hell)! May Allaah Ta’ala, Most High enable us all to make best use of our winters. Ameen. EISLAM

Valley of Qanaat وادى قنات This valley runs from Taif through to Aaqool near Madinah and then enters Madinah from the north-eastern district and passes near Mount Rumah and flows towards Ghabah (Khulail) where it meets its end. It is also known as "Waadi Shazah". The tribe of Banu Haarithah and Banu Abdal Ash'hal populated its southern banks just east of the plains of Uhud. Waadi Qanaat passed on both sides of Mount Rumah in such a way that Mount Rumah was in the middle of this valley. The graves of Hamzah (RA), his foster brother Abdullah bin Jahsh (RA) and Mus'ab bin Umaiar (RA) were on the northern bank of this valley. In the period of Muawiyyah (RA) the water level of the water rose and its flow became fierce. This posed a danger to the graves. The blessed bodies of these martyrs were exhumed and reburied at a safer spot, now within the enclosure of the cemetery of the martyrs . The northern meander of this valley, which passed north of Mount Rumah was present up to recently. In view of further distancing the graves from the valley and to widen the plain between Mount Rumah and the cemetery to further accommodate visitors, the Saudi Govenment filled and blocked the northern meander only leaving the southern meander open. "Pictorial History of Madinah Munawwarah" by Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani