ummtaalib

wslm yes will have to type it up though...ia will post

wa'alaykumus salaam wishing you all the best too brother in Islam, May Allah ta'ala guide us all on the straight path and safeguard us from the ploys of shaytaan, aameen

March 7th, 2007 By Joanna Francis Writer, Journalist – USA Between the Israeli assault on Lebanon and the Zionist "war on terror," the Muslim world is now center stage in every American home. I see the carnage, death and destruction that have befallen Lebanon, but I also see something else: I see you. I can't help but notice that almost every woman I see is carrying a baby or has children around her. I see that though they are dressed modestly, their beauty still shines through. But it's not just outer beauty that I notice. I also notice that I feel something strange inside me: I feel envy. I feel terrible for the horrible experiences and war crimes that the Lebanese people have suffered, being targeted by our common enemy. But I can't help but admire your strength, your beauty, your modesty, and most of all, your happiness. Yes, it's strange, but it occurred to me that even under constant bombardment, you still seemed happier than we are, because you were still living the natural lives of women. The way women have always lived since the beginning of time. It used to be that way in the West until the 1960s, when we were bombarded by the same enemy. Only we were not bombarded with actual munitions, but with subtle trickery and moral corruption. Through Temptation They bombarded us Americans from Hollywood, instead of from fighter jets or with our own American-made tanks. They would like to bomb you in this way too, after they've finished bombing the infrastructure of your countries. I do not want this to happen to you. You will feel degraded, just like we do. You can avoid this kind of bombing if you will kindly listen to those of us who have already suffered serious casualties from their evil influence. Because everything you see coming out of Hollywood is a pack of lies, a distortion of reality, smoke and mirrors. They present casual sex as harmless recreation because they aim to destroy the moral fabric of the societies into which they beam their poisonous programming. I beg you not to drink their poison. There is no antidote for it once you have consumed it. You may recover partially, but you will never be the same. Better to avoid the poison altogether than to try to heal from the damage it causes. They will try to tempt you with their titillating movies and music videos, falsely portraying us American women as happy and satisfied, proud of dressing like prostitutes, and content without families. Most of us are not happy, trust me. Millions of us are on anti- depressant medication, hate our jobs, and cry at night over the men who told us they loved us, then greedily used us and walked away. They would like to destroy your families and convince you to have fewer children. They do this by presenting marriage as a form of slavery, motherhood as a curse, and being modest and pure as old-fashioned. They want you to cheapen yourself and lose your faith. They are like the Serpent tempting Eve with the apple. Don't bite. Self-Value I see you as precious gems, pure gold, or the "pearl of great value" spoken of in the Bible (Matthew 13: 45). All women are pearls of great value, but some of us have been deceived into doubting the value of our purity. Jesus said: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you" (Matthew 7: 6). Our pearls are priceless, but they convince us that they're cheap. But trust me; there is no substitute for being able to look in the mirror and seeing purity, innocence and self-respect staring back at you. The fashions coming out of the Western sewer are designed to make you believe that your most valuable asset is your sexuality. But your beautiful dresses and veils are actually sexier than any Western fashion, because they cloak you in mystery and show self-respect and confidence. A woman's sexuality should be guarded from unworthy eyes, since it should be your gift to the man who loves and respects you enough to marry you. And since your men are still manly warriors, they deserve no less than your best. Our men don't even want purity anymore. They don't recognize the pearl of great value, opting for the flashy rhinestone instead. Only to leave her too! Your most valuable assets are your inner beauty, your innocence, and everything that makes you who you are. But I notice that some Muslim women push the limit and try to be as Western as possible, even while wearing a veil (with some of their hair showing). Why imitate women who already regret, or will soon regret, their lost virtue? There is no compensation for that loss. You are flawless diamonds. Don't let them trick you into becoming rhinestones. Because everything you see in the fashion magazines and on Western television is a lie. It is Satan's trap. It is fool's gold. A Woman's Heart I'll let you in on a little secret, just in case you're curious: pre- marital sex is not even that great. We gave our bodies to the men we were in love with, believing that that was the way to make them love us and want to marry us, just as we had seen on television growing up. But without the security of marriage and the sure knowledge that he will always stay with us, it's not even enjoyable! That's the irony. It was just a waste. It leaves you in tears. Speaking as one woman to another, I believe that you understand that already. Because only a woman can truly understand what's in another woman's heart. We really are all alike. Our race, religion or nationalities do not matter. A woman's heart is the same everywhere. We love. That's what we do best. We nurture our families and give comfort and strength to the men we love. But we American women have been fooled into believing that we are happiest having careers, our own homes in which to live alone, and freedom to give our love away to whomever we choose. That is not freedom. And that is not love. Only in the safe haven of marriage can a woman's body and heart be safe to love. Don't settle for anything less. It's not worth it. You won't even like it and you'll like yourself even less afterwards. Then he'll leave you. Self-Denial Sin never pays. It always cheats you. Even though I have reclaimed my honor, there's still no substitute for having never been dishonored in the first place. We Western women have been brainwashed into thinking that you Muslim women are oppressed. But truly, we are the ones who are oppressed; slaves to fashions that degrade us, obsessed with our weight, begging for love from men who do not want to grow up. Deep down inside, we know that we have been cheated. We secretly admire and envy you, although some of us will not admit it. Please do not look down on us or think that we like things the way they are. It's not our fault. Most of us did not have fathers to protect us when we were young because our families have been destroyed. You know who is behind this plot. Don't be fooled, my sisters. Don't let them get you too. Stay innocent and pure. We Christian women need to see what life is really supposed to be like for women. We need you to set the example for us, because we are lost. Hold onto your purity. Remember: you can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. So guard your "toothpaste" carefully! I hope you receive this advice in the spirit in which it is intended: the spirit of friendship, respect, and admiration. From your Christian sister with love. * This article is published with the kind permission of the author. The original can be found on Crescent and the Cross. Joanna Francis is a writer and journalist. She manages her own blog.

The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam supplicated to Allah: "Make the last part of my life its best, and let my last action be my best, and let my best day be the day I meet You." Tabrani

wa'alaykumus salaam sis Yes the soldier may have served there but Muslims cannot do what this person did taking the law into his own hands and that's what we're condemning.

assalaamu 'alaykum I don't know where you got this translation you've quoted from brother but its incorrect.....the following is a pdf from here: sabr.com/.../1-the-holy-quran-text-and-translations?...3%3Apickthall...pd...‎ and this is the translation from the PDF by Pickthall: (note the "in" in red) Surah 103. Al-Asr 1. By the declining day, 2. Lo! man is in a state of loss, 3. Save those who believe and do good works, and exhort one another to truth and exhort one another to endurance. And also I have the same translation as above in my copy here My advice is to access translations from safe sites only as the Qur'an and Hadith can be changed on the internet.

The following are reliable translations and commentaries: Qur'an made Easy by Mufti A. H. Elias Illuminating Discourses on the Noble Qur'an' By Mufti Aashiq Ilahi https://nmusba.wordpress.com/2013/02/06/illuminating-discourses-on-the-noble-quran-tafseer-anwarul-bayan-5-vols-set-by-shaykh-ashiq-ilahi-madni-r-a/ Ma'ariful Qur'an By Mufti Shafi Download http://www.islamicstudies.info/quran/maarif/maarif.php?sura=1 The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an By Marmaduke Pickthall http://www.khayma.co...hall/index.html The Meaning of the Noble Qur'an By Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani http://www.islamicbu..._mufti_taqi.pdf http://freepdfhostin.../fbe989a93a.pdf

wa'alaykumus salaam w You have missed my point brother. Read this again I prefer to rely on the opinions of known and reliable scholars. if they say there exists mistakes in a certain translation then for my own safety it is best for me to not read that translation. Now how can I then discuss these issues being a layperson with no knowledge of Arabic or any of the sciences with another layperson? Brother we do not encourage such discussions here. Please refrain from posting links to sites, the content of which is unrelaibale. Jazaakallah

"I am as My Servant Thinks (expects) I am." The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alayhi wasallma) said, “Allah the Most High said, ‘I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, I mention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me in an assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.’” [sahih Al-Bukhari] Commentary: The Scholars (may Allah have mercy upon them) commented on the above Hadith Qudsi, where the Prophet (Salallahu 'alayhi wasallam) said that Allah said, “I am as my slave expects Me to be”: Ibn Hajar (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “meaning, I am able to do whatever he expects I will do.” [Fath al-Bari] Imam Nawawi (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “The scholars say that expecting the best of Allah is to expect that He will have Mercy on him and relieve him of hardship.” [sharh Sahih Muslim] Imam Nawawi (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “al-Qadi ‘Iyad said that this means He will forgive him if he seeks such, will accept his repentance if he repents, will answer him if he supplicates, and will suffice him if he asks for something. It is also said that it refers to having hope and longing for relief, and this is more correct.” [sharh Sahih Muslim] Ahmad bin ‘Umar al-Qurtubi (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “It is said that His Saying “I am as my slave expects Me to be” means if one expects an answer when he supplicates, his repentance to be accepted, something repugnant to be repelled from him, his deeds to be accepted that are performed with their proper conditions…And this is supported by his saying: “Call upon Allah while you are certain that you will be answered.” Likewise, it is incumbent upon the one who repents, seeks Forgiveness, and does good deeds to exert himself in fulfilling his obligations while he is certain that Allah will accept his actions and Forgive his sins, as Allah has promised that He will accept any truthful repentance and righteous deeds. So, whoever performs such a deed and believes and expects that Allah will not accept it and that it will not benefit him, this is despair from the Mercy of Allah, and is from greatest of the major sins. Whoever dies upon this will be delivered to that which he expected.” [Al-Mufhim li ma Ushkil min Talkhis Kitab Muslim] Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “Most people – in fact, all of them except those protected by Allah – assume other than the truth, and assume the worst. Most people believe that they are deprived of their rights, have bad luck, deserve more than what Allah gave them, and it is as if they are saying: ‘My Lord has wronged me and deprived me of what I deserve,’ and his soul bears witness to this while his tongue denies it and refuses to openly state this. And whoever digs into his soul and comes to know its ins and outs will see this in it like fire in a triggered explosion…And if you dig into anyone’s soul, you will see that he blames fate and would rather have something else happen to him than what actually did, and that things should be this way or that…So, dig into your own self: are you protected from this? If you are safe from this, you have been protected from something great. Otherwise, I do not see that you have been saved.” [Zad al-Ma’ad] Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “The more you have good expectations of your Lord and hope in Him, the more you will rely on and trust in Him. This is why some explained true reliance and trust to be having good expectations of Allah. In reality, having good expectations of Him leads to relying on and trusting in Him, as it is unthinkable that one can trust in someone that he has bad expectations of or no hope in, and Allah Knows best.” [Tahdhib Madarij as-Salikin] He (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “The one who hopes in Allah should always be optimistic, cautious, and hopeful in Allah’s bounty, expecting the best from Him.” [Tahdhib Madarij as-Salikin] Sayyid Qutb (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “As for the believers whose hearts are connected to Allah, whose souls are close to Him, who experience His constant bounty – they do not despair of the Mercy of Allah even if they are surrounded on all sides by disaster and severe hardship. The believer is in the mercy of the shade of his faith, the pleasure of his connection to his Lord, and the tranquillity of his confidence in his Guardian even when he is in the throes of hardship and disaster.” He (may Allah have Mercy upon him) also said: “The believing heart assumes the best of its Lord, and always expects the best from Him. It expects good from Him in times of ease and times of hardship, and it believes that Allah wants good for him in either situation. The secret of this is that his heart is connected to Allah, and the flow of good from Allah is never cut off. So, whenever the heart is connected to Him, it touches upon this fundamental reality and experiences it in a direct and sweet way.” [Fi Dhilal al-Qur’an] Some of the Salaf (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Whenever a crisis comes your way, utilise your good expectations of Allah in order to repel it. This will bring you closer to relief.” [al-Faraj Ba’d ash-Shiddah] Sa’id bin Jubayr (may Allah have Mercy upon him) would supplicate: “O Allah, I ask you to grant me true reliance on You and good expectations of You.” [siyar A’lam an-Nubala] ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (radi Allahu anhu) said: “By the One besides Who none is worthy of worship, the believer is not given anything good better than his good expectations of Allah, and by the One besides Who none is worthy of worship, no servant of Allah expects good of Him except that Allah gives him what he expected, since all good is in His Hand.” [Husn adh-Dhann bi Allah] Sufyan ath-Thawri (may Allah have Mercy upon him) would say: “I do not want to be judged by my father, as my Lord is better to me than my father.” [Husn adh-Dhann bi Allah] ‘Ammar bin Yusuf (may Allah have Mercy on him) said: “I saw Hasan bin Salih in a dream, and I said: “I was hoping to meet you! What can you inform us of?” He replied: “I give you the glad tidings that I see nothing better than to have good expectations of Allah.” [Husn adh-Dhann bi Allah] And Allah knows best! Taken from Here

Brother, I'm not a scholar so I cannot discuss and "compare" Qur'an translations and commentaries. It would be very foolish of me indeed if I start discussions on issues I have no knowledge of. Therefore it is best on to rely on Ulama who are pious and knowledgeable in many sciences of Islam. As far as the Maududi translation is concerned please read the first post. I do not make decisions while relying on my own understanding but on the verdicts of Scholars. I apologise for nor adding Maududi sahib Here but it has now been added. I hope this is helpful. The following are reliable translations and commentaries which I know of: Illuminating Discourses on the Noble Qur'an' Mufti Aashiq Ilahi Ma'ariful Qur'an by Mufti Shafi Qur'an made Easy by Mufti A. H. Elias The Meaning of the Noble Qur'an by Mufti Taqi Usmani The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an by Mohammad Pickthall inshaAllah will to the list

Mufti Taqi Usmani (Damat Barakutuhum) states in his discourses: "The modern culture and civilisation have a queer philosophy. If a woman is preparing food in her house for her husband and children, this is retrogression outmodedness. If the same woman becomes an, air hostess and serves the passengers becoming a target for their covetous glances, this is called freedom and modernism. If a woman stays in her house and manages the household affairs for her parents, sisters and brothers, this is called captivity and disgrace. On the other hand if she takes the job of a sales-girl in a shop and attracts the customers with her bewitching smiles and serves humbly her officers in an office is freedom and an honour. This is all condemnable."

Masha-Allah, these talks do not just condemn the actions of 2 extremists in Woolwich so as to be accused of being "sellout Imaams" but take the issue head on with all the pertinent factors involved. They chide the media and the government in sidelining the devote Muslims who follow Islaam only to be labelled an extremist. The dreaded foreign policy for fomenting this hatred in the first place. Mawlana Shams (Ebrahim College) Sermon describing his meeting with the deputy prime minister - Woolwich Murder - Not in Our Name by Mufti Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Source

At IslamicTeachings we do not allow the tafseer of Maududi sahib. Please see below: http://maududiexamined.wordpress.com/ There is a brief review of Maududi’s life and works, by the late Muhaddith of Pakistan: Shaykh Muhammad Yusuf Banuri, ['The Maududi Calamity'] in the following words : “I admired many things about Maududi Saheb and detested many. For a long time I did not wish to degrade him. I felt that from his innovated style of presentation the modern generation could benefit. Although at times such compositions appeared from him that it was not possible to endure it, but taking into consideration the Deeni (religious) well being, I tolerated and kept silent. I did not foresee that this fitnah (mischief) would spread worldwide and have a detrimental effect on the Arab world; that every day from his master pen new buds would keep on blossoming, and indecent words would be used regarding the Sahabah kiraam Ridhwanullahi Alayhim and the Anbiyya (Prophets) Alayhimus Salaam. Later on, such things appeared commonly in the Tafhimul Quraan. Now it has become known without doubt that his writings and publications are the greatest fitnah of the present time, notwithstanding a few beneficial treatises that have appeared. It is the case of, ‘and the sin of them is greater than their usefulness.’[surah al-Baqara: 219] Now that stage has been reached where to keep silent seems to be a great crime. It is regretted that for forty years an offensive silence was kept. Now the time has dawned, where without fear of rebuttal and censure all his writings from A to Z should be thoroughly studied with a view to fulfill the demands for the preservation of the Deen with Haqq (truth) and justice.” May Allah accept this small effort and protect the Ummah from misguidance. Aameen.

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخُيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٍ Translation: There is no Lord except Allah. He is One and has no partners. His is the Kingdom and for Him are all praises. He gives life and gives death. He is eternal and everlasting In His control is goodness, and He has power over everything. (Tirmidhi) idealwoman.org

Question: Is fashion shows and high teas encouraged in islam where women leave their homes and dress up to participate in these events especially prior to Ramadaan. please advise me from both a taqwa as well as fatwa level. Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh. A woman is permitted to leave her home out of a necessity that is valid in Shari’ah. Attending to exhibit in a fashion show and high teas is not a valid excuse in Shari’ah for a woman to leave her home. Therefore, even from a fatwa point of view it is not permissible. Furthermore, we have heard of many unislamic factors in such shows. And Allah knows best; Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

By: Sheikh Mufti Ebrahim Desai (Hafidhahullah) Pregnancy is a great bounty of Allah Ta’ala. The condition of pregnancy is also a great act of Ibadah. When a woman is performing Salaah, she is engaged in Ibadah only while she is in Salaah. Once the Salaah is over, she is not engaged in the Ibadah of Salaah. Similarly when one is engaged in Zikr, that act of worship is confined to the time one is engaged in that act of worship. When one finishes the Tilaawat of the Quran or finishes Zikr, that form of worship has ended. The form of worship in pregnancy is unique. A pregnant woman carrying a child in her womb and overcoming all the challenges that come with the pregnancy, nausea, hormonal imbalances, mood swings, diet imbalances etc, are all acts of Ibadah throughout her term of pregnancy. In 10 months, which is translated to 300 days, 7, 200 hours, 432,000 minutes, 25,920,000 seconds, in every moment she is in Ibadah. Furthermore, a pregnant woman’s minor sins are forgiven. If she makes intentions of Taubah in her pregnancy, her major sins will also be forgiven. By the time she ends her pregnancy, she is like a newborn child just like her newly born child. It is just like she returned from an accepted Hajj, where she has said Labbayk and seen the Ka’bah Shareef. When a woman is pregnant, she says Labbayk to all the challenges that come with it and she witnesses the Qudrah (power) of Allah in her child.

Dear sisters, I would like to invite all women to join me on a quest to understand and acknowledge the beauty of Hijaab. In this article, I will point out: 1. Reasons for donning the Hijaab 2. Criteria to be met in fulfilling the requirements of Hijaab 3. Reasons for aversion from Hijaab 1. Reasons for donning the Hijaab:As Muslims, we submit ourselves to the commands of Allah Ta’ala and the guidance of Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam.Each person, regardless of age, gender or status will be judged on the Day of Reckoning according to his or her actions and intentions. NOBODY is exempt from the divine laws of Allah Ta’ala. The Hijaab is a divine injunction placed upon fellow sisters who have are regarded as adults in terms of Shariah, through attaining puberty or 15 years of age if puberty is delayed. Every woman needs to understand that it is a law of Allah Ta’ ala and to don the Hijaab. Through donning the Hijaab she will Insha’Allah: Earn Allah’s pleasure Define her role as a woman Maintain her modesty, dignity and honour Retain her identity as a ‘ Believing woman” Protect herself from the harsh elements Protect herself from the glances of men who are not her mahrams ( thus removing the fear of fitnah) Islam preserves the modesty, beauty and worth of women. We have been commanded in the Quran to lower our gazes and to draw our cloaks(veils) over our bodies (Hijaab). We have been commanded not to exhibit ourselves or to mix freely with non mahrams. A rose smelled too often loses its fragrance. It is mentioned In Abu Dawud Rasulullah Sallallāhu Alayhi Wasallam, indicated to Asma (Radi Allahu Anha) that when a girl reaches the age of puberty, she should cover herself except for 2 areas, to which he pointed to the face and hands. In these times of fitna when people’s passions are aroused in various ways, the Ulama have ruled that the Niqaab or Purdah (face covering) is Waajib. 2. Criteria to be met in fulfilling the requirements of Hijaab:Hijaab must be: Loose fitting Non revealing ie: thick and not transparent Not resemble that of men’s clothing or the disbelieving women Not for pomp or show Not be perfumed It may be of any colour. Many women opt for the black abayas as they are concealing, least attention seeking and easily available commercially. You are not wearing Hijaab if you: Beautify yourself with the curse of the ‘camel hump’ style Hijab/Scarve. Wear abayas or veils which are stretchy material, tie backs or tight fitting Wear transparent scarves or abayas Wear fitted leggings, short sleeves, deep necks, short tops etc with scarves and no cloak Wear ‘migrating’ scarves which sit on your head exposing a lot of hair, or which otherwise sits on the shoulders. 3. Reasons for aversion from Hijaab:Sadly, many sisters cite the following as ‘reasons’ for not donning the Hijaab: I’m not ready for it. Maybe when I’m older I don’t want to be a hypocrite and look holy when I am not It is so hot, so I am afraid that when I put it on I will not have the willpower to continue with it and will stop. How can I wear it to work? I don’t want to be labelled a fundamentalist! But if I cover up, then my husband will gaze at other women and what if he leaves me because of the Hijaab? And besides, where is the proof that we need to cover up anyway? All these excuses have no merit in them. We are ambassadors for our Deen. We are the flag bearers of Islam! We are the flag bearers of Haqq! As a professional, I can vouch that Hijaab can still be maintained at the workplace, as many sisters wear it with pride. It is hot in summer, yes. But surely we can choose to wear light cotton clothing underneath our non revealing abayas. Do not think about falling off the wagon, because if you do then you most likely will. Think positive thoughts that the Almighty will be pleased with you and that His pleasure is above all else. And to my dear sisters who will wait until after marriage to wear the Hijaab or who refuse to wear it because of fear of divorce, do not become a slave to your suspicion. Be stylish at home and ignore the whisperings of Shaytaan. Keep your faith strong and seek help from Allah Ta’ala. Written by: Sister Ayesha Vadia Moola for Idealwoman.org

The meaning of rabt-e-qalb bish-shaikh is to focus one’s heart towards the shaikh bearing in mind that the mercies of Allah Ta`ala are descending onto the heart of my shaikh by means of which they are transferred to my heart. With regards to material assets, a child receives these through the father. Be it money, food, sweets or clothing, the child receives them through his father even though it is Allah Ta`ala who has bestowed the father with these favours. Similarly, all the spiritual favours that a taalib experiences are through his shaikh. He even perceives that these feelings are coming via the heart of the shaikh. Perceivable items do not come directly to us. They come through some medium. One does not find bread coming baked directly from Allah Ta`ala. The same applies to matters of this nature as well. Lets discuss it from another angle. The mureed develops a liking for the shaik hwhich later advances to the level of `ishq (intense love) and thereafter reaching the level of fanaa’iyyat. The gist of fanaa’iyyat is that the mureed annihilates all his qualities and allows the qualities of the shaikh to be instilled within him. Once the qualities of the shaikh pass over to the mureed he now becomes a sahib-e-nisbat-e-qawiyyah (one whose link with Allah Ta`ala is firm and strong). Whatever passes the mind of the shaikh appears in his mind as well. The dislikes of the shaikh become his dislikes and this can be achieved without saying a word. However, note that If this was within the volition of the mashaayikh then their children would have never been deprived for they have the most amount of love for their own children, and as is quite obvious the mashaayikh do have children. Hadhrat Moulana Ilyaas Sahib rahimahullah mentioned, “I had once written to Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah: I desire spending a few days in your company. Hadhrat replied: “You do not need to come all the way to acquire something from me. For you to be near me or far away is the same for acquiring faiz from me.” This is rabt-e-qalb bish-sheikh The taalib will perceive that there is a certain feeling within his heart. Moulana Abdullah Gangohi rahimahullah , the author of Tayseer-ul-Mubtadi resided in Thanabawan. He was bay`at to Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah, though he was initially bay`at to Hadhrat Gangohi rahimahullah and later made rujoo`(turned) to Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah. At times, whilst sitting in Thana bawan he would feel an urge to go to Saharanpur. However, after looking at the time he would realise that the train to Saharanpur would have already left. Nevertheless, the urge of going to Saharanpur would still be bothering him and he would force himself to go. Upon reaching the station he would find a train heading for Saharanpur and in this way he would reach there. On reaching Saharanpur Hadhrat would tell him, “I was thinking of you.” This is rabt-e-qalb. Moulana `Aashiq Ilahi rahimahullah relates: Whilst I was asleep Hadhrat Saharanpuri came to the musjid and rested on the straw mats. After waking up for tahajjud Hadhrat lowered the bucket in the well. At that time, I saw a dream wherein Hadhrat came and lowered the bucket in the well. Immediately my eyes opened and I could actually hear the sound of the bucket falling into the well. (Moulana’s quarters were adjacent to the musjid.) Without wasting any time I headed for the musjid and found Hadhrat Saharanpuri there. This is rabt-e-qalb. A mureedof Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah lived a few miles from Muzaffarnagar. Once, he felt an urge to go to the Muzaffarnagar railway station. He left aside whatever he was occupied in and hurriedly set off for Muzaffarnagar railway station. Upon reaching the station, he saw Hadhrat Saharanpuri rahimahullah . Hadhrat told him, “The thought crossed my mind that it would be nice if I met you.” He replied, “Had I not met you I would have gone to the doctors to enquire the reason for having the pressing urge to come here.” May Allah Ta`ala forgive us, but nowadays the taalibeen (mureeds) have this very strong notion that it is only Allah who has the knowledge of the unseen and nobody else. The pious personalities know nothing of the unseen and therefore we (taalibeen) are able to do as we please. However, they don’t speak about themselves reaching those ranks. Hadhrat Moulana Husain Ahmad Madani rahimahullah received several complaints regarding a particular mureedof his. When this mureed came to Moulana, Moulana paid no attention to him. The mureed sensed the situation and wrote a note to Moulana Madani that stated: ‘If you have received complaints regarding me then you should first verify the matter. If it can be established with shar`ee proof then suggest some punishment for me.’ On seeing this note, Moulana mentioned, “Don’t you feel ashamed of writing this? You are demanding that shar`ee evidence be established. Before coming here at a certain place a certain incident in relation to yourself had transpired and at another place another incident had transpired.” After showing him many incidents of this nature, Hadhrat Moulana said, “Do you still have the heart of asking for shar`ee evidence. You feel satisfied within yourself that we have no knowledge and it is only Allah Ta`ala who has all the information. This is correct that Allah Ta`ala alone has the knowledge of the unseen, but through your facial expressions some of it can be perceived. After all, why is it stated: (Fear the firaasah(perception) of a mu’min for he sees with the noor(light) of Allah Ta`ala.) The effects of both good and vice are clearly displayed on one’s face.” Once, Moulana Ilyaas Sahib rahimahullah said, “One will be unable to realise the need of tableegh without total exposure of the sins and faults of the ummat. Together with that he has to develop such great concern for concealing these faults and sins that he becomes restless and makes an effort to conceal these sins. Until then the need of tableegh will not be understood.” (taken from Malfuzaat Faqihul Ummah) http://www.qafila.org/rabt-e-qalb-bish-shaikh/

Reciting Durud Sharif after Azaan There are a few types of intercession: 1. Intercession to save people from the difficulties of the plains of reckoning. 2. Intercession to save those people about whom judgement has been made that they will go to Jahannam. 3. Intercession for those who have already been put into Jahannam. 4. Intercession for those people who have been stopped from entry into Jannah due to sins, that they should be entered into Jannah. 5. Intercession to elevate the ranks of those in Jannah. 6. Intercession for the people who are buried in Madinah. 7. Intercession for those who visited the grave of Rasulullaah (S.A.W). 8. Intercession to open the doors of Jannah. 9. Intercession for those who replied to the Azaan. 10. Intercession to lessen the punishment for those disbelievers who served Rasulullaah (S.A.W). 11. Intercession for the special friends of Allaah I. Therefore, O reader, go ahead in sending Durud upon Rasulullaah (S.A.W). The intercession of Rasulullaah (S.A.W) is for the general believers. So, what importance does the intercession of Rasulullaah (S.A.W) hold for the people of Madinah who are patient when struck by a calamity? The answer to this is that the intercession for the general believers is for the sinners among them. The intercession for the people of Madinah is for being patient upon the calamities and difficulties like the battles, especially the battle of Uhud. It is also said that Rasulullaah (S.A.W) will be a witness for the people of Madinah and then intercede for the rest of the people. Witnessing will be for increase in stages and out of honour and grace. Intercession will be special for the sinners. For some people there will be both, e.g. to be in the shade of the divine throne, to be on pulpits of light etc. Alislam.co.za

From The Newham Recorder (newspaper) Muslim leaders in Newham have condemned the attacks in Woolwich yesterday and ask the community not to judge their faith by the actions of two murderers. Email Print A statement, signed by Imam Yunus Dudhwala and Imam Khalil Ibn Ilyas Laher on behalf of the Newham Ulama Forum, reads: “As Muslim Imams and Leaders, we begin by expressing our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. “There is no justification whatsoever of this kind of cold-blooded murder anywhere in the world. “And then to kill someone in broad daylight, apparently mutilate his body, something which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon Him) did not allow even in the battlefield, how can one justify this gruesome act? “It is very easy for some to muddle this barbaric act with the suffering of Muslims around the world and we really need to separate the two. Two wrongs do not make a right. “We condemn this killing unreservedly. As Imams and leaders in the UK, we stand up responsibly and are very clear in our condemnation and we will not peddle towards justifying this act because of the wrong that is happening elsewhere. “It should also be pointed out to those who will paint the whole Muslim community with the same brush. “While two men apparently from the Muslim faith were committing this heinous crime, hundreds and thousands of Muslim doctors, nurses and healthcare workers were helping people in this country, saving peoples lives, regardless of faith, colour or creed. “Many Muslim doctors were in theatres saving people’s lives at that exact time. “While these two men claiming to be Muslims were carrying out their calculated brazen murder on the streets of London, hundreds and thousands of Muslim men and women were educating our children in schools up and down the country, teaching them to be good citizens, living side by side, treating each other with respect. “Some Muslims were cleaning our streets, cleaning our hospitals to save people from infection, some were feeding the elderly, some were reporting on the incident as journalists. “Don’t tarnish a whole community because of the actions of two criminals. “Don’t tarnish a whole faith because of the actions of two murderers. “Muslims condemn this act unreservedly.”

British police are investigating the murder of a soldier who was attacked with a machete near an army base in South London. The victim was hacked to death with a machete-style knife in the Woolwich district in the southeast of the British capital on Wednesday before the attackers were shot by police. Aljazeera "Prime Minister Cameron condemns attack in London in which soldier was hacked to death and says Islam must not be blamed." Standing outside Downing Street, the Prime Minister said: “This was not just an attack on Britain – and on our British way of life. It was also a betrayal of Islam and of the Muslim communities who give so much to our country. “There is nothing in Islam that justifies this truly dreadful act" We as Muslims condemn all acts of violence on innocent men, women and children. Our sympathies to the family of the victim.

We all know that Islam commands women to dress modestly and to cover up. We call it hijab. Islam also commands the men to have this certain look; supporting a beard and dressing modestly. This is the Islamic norm. Simple. And this brings us to a very important word: fitnah. What is fitnah? Anything that takes us away from following our religion is a fitnah. And these days, the whole society around us is a fitnah - for the most part. And now here is a look into today's reality. Muslims today have forgotten their basics of religion. Hijab and beard (dress code), looking like Muslims, is only one facet of Islam; it's not the whole religion nor is it the first and the end of it. But it is an important part of our religion and following it is very much necessary. The Muslims of old used to dress up like Muslims; women in complete hijab, men with beard and modestly clothed. All OK, no prob! No body gave them odd stares; every one was dressed that way. It was the norm. In fact, anyone dressed otherwise was actually considered the odd one out. Totally opposite now. Now the norm is to sin and people will stare at you, ridicule you, look odd at you, what not only because you are wearing the hijab! The odd treatment given to you increases so much that one has to pause and remind oneself that in reality wearing the hijab is normal and taking it off is abnormal! Same goes with the brothers; you grow a little beard and that's it! Now you are the target of endless questions "What happened to you?" "Why did you grow this anyway?" They'll stop you every where and the security will check you more than they check others? Why? Because the Sunnah of the Messenger (upon whom be peace) is suddenly associated with terrorism or something so outdated! SubhaanAllah! Bottom line: Firstly, understand the basics of that religion which you claim to follow. Remember that right is right even with no one doing it and wrong is wrong even with every one doing it. Majority never justifies any sin. Be proud of your religion and don't fall victim to the false propaganda preached by the biased media. Look like a Muslim, live like a Muslim. And proudly so! Don't be ashamed to obey Allah, don't be ashamed to follow the Quran, don't cringe away from being a Muslim! Support those who stick to the Islmaic dress code. Don't be an obstacle in the way of good. Last word for those who are ridiculed for sticking to Islam: be patient, you are doing right, don't give up! Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone! No wonder, Islam began as something strange and has returned to being strange.

By Sultana Yusufali I probably do not fit into the preconceived notion of a “rebel”. I have no visible tattoos and minimal piercing. I do not possess a leather jacket. In fact, when most people look at me, their first thought usually is something along the lines of “oppressed female.” The brave individuals who have mustered the courage to ask me about the way I dress usually have questions like: “Do your parents make you wear that?” or “Don’t you find that really unfair?” A while back, a couple of girls in Montreal were kicked out of school for dressing like I do. It seems strange that a little piece of cloth would make for such controversy. Perhaps the fear is that I am harboring an Uzi underneath it! Of course, the issue at hand is more than a mere piece of cloth. I am a Muslim woman who, like millions of other Muslim women across the globe, chooses to wear the hijab. And the concept of the hijab, contrary to popular opinion, is actually one of the most fundamental aspects of female empowerment. When I cover myself, I make it virtually impossible for people to judge me according to the way I look. I cannot be categorized because of my attractiveness or lack thereof. Compare this to life in today’s society: We are constantly sizing one another up on the basis of our clothing, jewelry, hair and makeup. What kind of depth can there be in a world like this? Yes, I have a body, a physical manifestation upon this Earth. But it is the vessel of an intelligent mind and a strong spirit. It is not for the beholder to leer at or to use in advertisements to sell everything from beer to cars! Because of the superficiality of the world in which we live, external appearances are so stressed that the value of the individual counts for almost nothing. It is a myth that women in today’s society are liberated! What kind of freedom can there be when a woman can not walk down the street without every aspect of her physical self being “checked out”? When I wear the hijab I feel safe from all of this. I can rest assured that no one is looking at me and making assumptions about my character from the length of my skirt. There is a barrier between me and those who would exploit me. I am first and foremost a human being, equal to any man, and not vulnerable because of my sexuality. One of the saddest truths of our time is the question of the beauty myth and female self-image. Reading popular teenage magazines, you can instantly find out what kind of body image is “in” or “out.” and if you have the “wrong” body type, well, then, you’re just going to have to change it, aren’t you? After all, there is no way that you can be overweight and still be beautiful. Look at any advertisement. Is a woman being used to sell the product? How old is she? How attractive is she? What is she wearing? More often than not, that woman will be no older than her early 20s, taller, slimmer and more attractive than average, dressed in skimpy clothing. Why do we allow ourselves to be manipulated like this? Whether the 90s woman wishes to believe it or not, she is being forced into a mold. She is being coerced into selling herself, into compromising herself. This is why we have 13-year-old girls sticking their fingers down their throats and overweight adolescents hanging themselves. When people ask me if I feel oppressed, I can honestly say no. I made this decision out of my own free will. I like the fact that I am taking control of the way other people perceive me. I enjoy the fact that I don’t give anyone anything to look at and that I have released myself from the bondage of the swinging pendulum of the fashion industry and other institutions that exploit females. My body is my own business. Nobody can tell me how I should look or whether or not I am beautiful. I know that there is more to me than that. I am also able to say “no” comfortably then people ask me if I feel as though my sexuality is being repressed. I have taken control of my sexuality. I am thankful I will never have to suffer the fate of trying to lose/gain weight or trying to find the exact lipstick shade that will go with my skin color. I have made choices about what my priorities are and these are not among them. So next time you see me, don’t look at me sympathetically. I am not under duress or a male-worshipping female captive from those barbarous Arabic deserts! I’ve been liberated.