By ‘Allamah Ibn Rushd al-Qurtubi
Translated by Shaykh Hamzah Wald Maqbul

A Translation From the Bidayat al-Mujtahid of Ibn Rushd al-Hafid al-Qurtubi, An Authoritative Manual on the Fiqh of the Four Madhhabs and the People of the Sunnah.

[The people of knowledge] have differed about [what to do] when the ʿid and the Friday fall on the same day: would the ʿid [prayer] suffice [one who prayed it] in place of the Friday prayer? A group [of the people of knowledge] said: “The ʿid [prayer] suffices [one who prayed it] in place of the Friday [prayer], and such a person is not obligated to pray [after the ʿid prayer, anything] except ʿAsr.” This is the opinion of ʿAta’, and it has been attributed to Ibn Zubayr and ʿAli [may Allah be well pleased with them].

[Another] group said, “This is a dispensation meant for Bedouin nomads who come especially to a metropolis only for ʿidand the Friday prayer.” This is in accord with what has been attributed to Sayyiduna ʿUthman, [may Allah be well pleased with him,] that he gave the khutbah of ʿid on a Friday, then said, “Whoever of the people of ʿAliyah (1) wishes to await the Friday prayer, let him wait; whoever wishes to return, let him return.”

[This] was narrated by Malik in the Muwatta’, and similar has been attributed to ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz, and Shafiʿi has chosen it [as his fatwa, may Allah have mercy upon them all] (2)

Malik and Abu Hanifah said, when ʿid and Friday coincide, a legally responsible person is expected to perform both: ʿidbecause it is a sunnah (3) ), and the Friday prayer, because it is obligatory. [They maintain that] neither one takes the place of the other; this is the default assumption that is to be taken, unless there is some [explicit] legislation to the contrary which [is so strong that one] is obliged to change [one’s opinion] to it. (4)

Those who take the opinion of [Sayyiduna] ʿUthman [do so] because it is a matter that one cannot deduce by mere opinion; rather [according to them], it can be nothing other than [a fatwa] in accordance [to the Sunnah]. [Also] it is not totally outside the bounds of the default state [of the Shariʿah, as it still has most people obliged to pray the Friday prayer].

As for dropping the obligatory Zuhr and Friday prayers, which would be dropped in the place of the ʿid prayer, this would be very much against the default state [of the rulings of the Shariʿah and has no weight] unless there is some explicit legislation to the contrary, which [is so strong that one] is obliged to follow it. (5) [The scholars of this opinion further] differed about one who missed the ʿid prayer with the Imam. A group said that he should pray four [rakaʿat]. This is the opinion of [Imams] Ahmad and [Sufyan] al-Thawri. It is also attributed to [ʿAbdullah] ibn Masʿud, [may Allah be pleased with them all].

A group of them said that [such a person] should make up [the ʿid prayer], praying it like the ʿid prayer is prayed: tworakaʿat in which one makes the takbirs just as one would do so in the ʿid prayer, and one recites out loud just as one would do so in it. This is the opinion of Shafiʿi, [may Allah have mercy on him], and Abu Thawr.

[Another] group of them said that he should just pray two [normal] rakaʿat, in which he neither recites out loud, nor makes any of the [extra] takbirs of the ʿid prayer.

[Yet another] group of them said that if the Imam has prayed in the same place [that the one who missed the prayer is praying], then he should pray two rakaʿat; if he is praying in a place other than the musallah [of the Imam], then he makes up four rakaʿat.

[And yet another] group of them said that he is basically neither obliged to [nor is he able to] make up [the ʿid] prayer. This is the fatwa of Malik and his companions. [The great third century mujtahid] Ibn al-Mundhir [also] relates [from Malik] an opinion similar to that of Shafiʿi [may Allah have mercy on them all].

As for those who said that [he must make up] four [rakaʿat], he has made it [i.e. the ʿid prayer] the equivalent to the Friday prayer. This is a weak comparison.

Those who said that [he must make up] two rakaʿat in the way that the Imam prayed them go towards the position that the default state is that a make-up prayer should be performed in the manner of the prayer missed.

Those who said that [the ʿid prayer] cannot be made up, [say so] because it is a prayer [whose validity] is conditioned on [the presence of] the congregation and the Imam, similar to the Friday prayer. For this reason one is not obliged to make it up through two or four rakaʿat, as [even if he prayed them] they wouldn’t mean anything [as a true replacement to theʿid prayer]. These two rulings are the ones in which there is a [valid] difference of opinion, by which I mean the opinions of Malik (6) and Shafiʿi.

As for the rest of the rulings [mentioned] on this issue, they are weak, and meaningless, because the Friday prayer replaces, [however is different from] Zuhr, and these [i.e. the set of four rakaʿat] don’t seem to stand in the place of anything, [in that they are prayed before the time that Zuhr comes in, so they cannot validly be considered Zuhr, and since they are four, they don’t even resemble ʿid or the Friday prayer. This being so,] how can one construct the analogy of one to the other for the purposes of making the prayer up?

In reality even one who misses the Friday prayer and then prays Zuhr, isn’t making up the Friday prayer, as one cannot stand [equally] in the place of the other. Rather he is [only] praying [his normal] Zuhr as an [inferior] replacement for it, [i.e. the Friday prayer] which he missed, and which was obligatory upon him.(7)

And Allah is the One who gives the ability to find that which is correct.(8)

_____________________________

ʿAliyah here is a reference to ʿAwali, an area outside of the city of Madinah which extends from the border of the city, to about three miles out. The people of ʿAwali were expected to come to the city for the Friday prayer, except that Sayyiduna ʿUthman exempted them from having to do so, if they prayed ʿid on a Friday in Madinah (al-Baji, al-Muntaqa). [↩]
Note that Shafiʿi’s opinion is that missing the Friday prayer after having prayed ʿid is a dispensation for Bedouins like the people of ʿAwali only, and not those who actually live in the city. [↩]
It is a sunnah mu’akkadah according to the most correct fatwa of Malik (Khalil, al-Mukhtasar), and wajib according to Abu Hanifah (Quduri, al-Mukhtasar [↩]
Note that the Hanafis, Malikis and Shafiʿis are unanimous that residents of the city are obliged to pray both the ʿid and Friday prayers. This is the preponderant majority opinion of the People of the Sunnah. [↩]
Please see footnote no.8 [↩]
Abu Hanifah and Malik both have the same opinion. [↩]
Note that by this tract further Ibn Rushd emphatically restates his opinion that the ʿid prayer logically cannot replace the Friday prayer. [↩]
Ibn Rushd was considered to be a master of the rational sciences. It is for this reason that he digests the fiqh of the four madhhabs and the People of the Sunnah from a mostly rationalist perspective. It is from this perspective that he dismisses as baseless the opinion that the ʿid prayer can obviate the obligation of, or substitute for the Friday prayer.As for one who would say that there are hadiths that indicate that the messenger of Allah, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, allowed the people to(a) skip the Friday prayer, after having prayed the ʿid prayer, or that his blessed hadiths indicate that(b) the Friday prayer can be validly prayed in the time between after sunrise and noon, thus making the ʿid prayer, which consists of two rakaʿat and a khutbah, effectively into a valid Friday prayer; the response is as follows.

The obligation of praying the Friday prayer, as well as the valid discharge of the obligation of praying the Friday prayer in the time of Zuhr is established by tawatur, meaning that it comes through so many narrations and other channels that there is no denying or questioning their validity. One who does so is deemed to be outside of the pale of Islam. This is a point on which all of the People of the Sunnah agree.

If one wishes to modify either these two points they must either bring some kind of rational proof, which would be admissible as long as no hadith is explicitly contrary to it; or they must bring a hadith or narration that is at least as strong as those hadiths or narrations about the default rulings regarding the Friday prayer and its timings that they break (a) or modify (b).

Ibn Rushd is methodical in showing that a rational proof is not forthcoming. He also maintains, as do the Hanafis, Malikis, Shafiʿis that there is no hadith which is strong enough to prove the validity of breaking or changing the default rulings regarding the Friday prayers and its timings. This is what he means when he says “… unless there is some explicit legislation to the contrary, which [is so strong that one] is obliged to follow it.”

The Hanbalis don’t claim any rational backing for (a) or (b), rather they bring some hadiths and narrations which they feel fulfill the conditions necessary to either break or modify the default rulings about the Friday prayer and its timings. It is for this reason that the People of the Sunnah hold that the views of the Hanbalis regarding this issue are a valid difference of opinion, despite the majority of Sunni scholarship not accepting them as correct.

My reason for preparing this tract was not to categorically claim that the Hanbali opinion is totally baseless; rather I notice that the average Muslim in my area seems to be under the false impression that the Hanbali opinion is the only one, and that all others are incorrect. This is not only untrue, but it also ignores the fact that the obligation of praying both the ʿid and Friday prayers is established by the rulings of the overwhelming majority of the scholars of Islam throughout the ages.

For further reading on the Hanbali basis for the validity of not praying the Friday prayer after praying the ʿid prayer, please see al-Mughni of Ibn Qudamah al-Maqdisi.

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The mountain, known in Arabic as Jabal-al-noor or the Mountain of Light is the site of Hira Cave which is where Muslims believe Mohammed received his first revelations from God through the angel Gabriel.

Millions of pilgrims are set to descend on Mecca this week to perform the haj, the world’s largest annual gathering of any kind which authorities in Saudi Arabia insist will not be affected by instability shaking the region.

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Inside the Grand Mosque, scores of pilgrims continually circumambulate the cube-shaped Kaaba — in which direction Muslims worldwide pray — with many pushing their way through the crowds to kiss the walls of the structure that was first built by Abraham, according to the Islamic faith.

Others pray or recite verses of the holy book Koran, while many sleep in corners.

‘Right now, I’ve got all the good feelings you can think of,’ said an Iranian pilgrim, her voice quivering and tears welling up in her eyes.

Authorities said more than 1.6 million foreign pilgrims have already arrived and the numbers are set to grow by Wednesday. Around 750,000 domestic pilgrims are also expected to take part in the rituals.

Despite several checkpoints on the roads leading to Mecca to prevent illegal pilgrims, huge numbers of unauthorised devotees also join the hajj every year.

A bulk of pilgrims are from Asia, mostly from Indonesia which has the highest hajj quota.

It was unclear how many Syrians, whose country is being rocked by a civil war that began with a popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime 19 months ago, will make the journey.

Damascus claimed in September that Saudi authorities have barred Syrians from travelling to this year’s haj after the two sides failed ‘to reach consensus.’

But on Saturday Saudi Interior Minister Prince Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz insisted that pilgrims from Syria are not being barred, except those who sent in their applications too late.

The Saudi envoy to Lebanon said last week that the kingdom will also grant visas to Syrians in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, where thousands of refugees who have fled the violence are being accommodated.

Prince Ahmad also warned that Riyadh will not allow the haj to be ‘politicised’ and told reporters the kingdom was not worried that trouble in Syria and other Arab countries could affect the hajj or that pilgrims from its regional arch-foe Iran would cause any disturbance.

‘I don’t expect pilgrims or the pilgrimage to be affected by what is taking place elsewhere, whether Syria or any other place,’ he said.

‘We don’t expect any’ unrest to be caused by Iranians, he added.

Iranian pilgrims annually stage a ‘repudiation of polytheists’ rally — a ritual promoted by the late Islamic republic’s revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to denounce the West and Israel.

In 1987, police attempts to stifle the anti-US and anti-Israeli demonstration sparked clashes in which 402 people died, including 275 Iranians.

Iranian pilgrims have since held their rallies in tents without provoking clashes with security forces in the Sunni-dominated kingdom.

Trek: A devout Muslim pilgrim makes his way along the rocky path close to the top of Noor Mountain in Saudi Arabia

‘The Iranians have assured us that they are as concerned about the comfort of pilgrims as we are,” Prince Ahmad told a news conference that followed a military parade by security forces and civil defence.

Despite marred by deadly incidents in the past such as floodings, stampedes, and fires, hajj has become nearly incident-free over the past few years — thanks to the multi-billion projects being implemented every year.

This year alone, the kingdom spent more than 1.1 billion riyals ($293.3 million) on development projects in the holy sites of Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah, all outside Mecca.

Saudi authorities have also taken measures to deal with any epidemics that may break out during the hajj, and have downplayed fears over the spread of a mystery illness from the same family as the deadly SARS virus.

As We Send 1 Billion Blessings

of Peace to Our Beloved

Prophet on November 4, 2012

اللّهُمّ صَلّ عَلَى مُحَمّدٍ
Allahumma Salli ‘Alaa Muhammad

(O Allah! Bless Muhammad)

by Shaykh Omar Subedar
When walking into a mall or going to school at this time of the year, it’s quite difficult to not notice decorations of ghosts and goblins, vampires and witches displayed on walls and hanging from ceilings in an eye-catching manner. A ghoulish and demonic theme is set everywhere thus influencing society to get in the Halloween mood. In preparation for the night of October 31 adults purchase candies and chocolate, children buy costumes and plans are made for trick or treating and Halloween parties.

In the midst of all this commotion many Muslim children are left debating with one another over the permissibility of becoming involved in Halloween activities. While some deem it impermissible simply because their parents told them so others maintain there is absolutely nothing wrong with it and wholeheartedly embrace the occasion’s mood and events. This makes the religious minded child feel left out and leaves him somewhat confused. As he approaches his parents on this issue he seldom gets the attention and answers he’s looking for, which consequently leads him to eventually accepting what the mainstream is doing.

In order to understand whether getting involved in an event or activity is islamically permissible or not it is important to research its origins and objectives before arriving at a conclusion.

When conducting a bit of research on Halloween we find that this is not an event that was constructed recently in the western world but rather dates back thousands of years. According to the online encyclopedia, Britannica.com, Halloween has its origins in the festival of Samhain among the Celts of ancient Britain and Ireland. Samhain, which in Celtic means ‘end of summer’, was one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year. This event was held on November 1 and was considered the end of the summer period, the date on which the herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed. Contrary to the fundamental Muslim belief of tawheed the Celts believed that on this day the world of the gods would become visible to mankind, and the gods would play many tricks on their mortal worshipers. It was a time filled with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes. Sacrifices of every kind were thought to be vital, for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the hazards of the season or counteract the activities of the gods.

As Muslims, it is imperative that we do not become associated with notions that entertain shirk. Our God is one god; Allah, there is no god except He. In this world Allah has made it a policy that He will not make Himself visible to any being simply because they do not have the physical capacity to see Him. He mentions in the Holy Qur’än, “Vision perceives Him not but He perceives all vision.” (6:103). In His Final Testament Allah has related the story of Musa’s A.S. request to view Him which resulted in him falling unconscious. Allah explains, “And when Musa arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to Him, he said, “My Lord, show me (Yourself) that I may look at You.” (Allah) said, “You will not see Me, but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place then you will see Me.” But when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level and Musa fell unconscious. And when he awoke, he said, “Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and I am the first of the believers.” (7:143)

Bear in mind that Allah does not harass his creation in any way nor does He demand that sacrifices be made for Him in order to keep Him calm. Allah says, “Indeed Allah does not wrong the people at all…” (10:44)

The Celts also believed that on this day the souls of those who had died would return to visit their homes. People set bonfires on hilltops for relighting their fireplaces for the winter and to frighten away evil spirits, and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the ghosts thought to be present. It was in these ways that beings such as witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons came to be associated with the day. In Islam there is absolutely no concept of ghosts. A ghost is defined as: the supposed spirit of somebody who has died, believed to appear as a shadowy form or to cause sounds. When a person’s soul is taken away from this world it can never return to it again. Allah states, “…and behind them (i.e. the dead) is a barrier until the day they are resurrected.” (23:100)

From the information provided it becomes clear that the current day costume dressing during Halloween stems from a pagan practice that is founded on a pagan belief. In order to safeguard our tawheed and to protect us from adopting practices that are not approved by Allah or to develop any resemblance with them, the Prophet S.A.W. has emphatically ordered, “Oppose the Polytheists.” (Sahëh Muslim: 602)

In the 7th century A.D., Pope Boniface IV established All Saints’ Day originally on May 13. In the following century, perhaps in an effort to replace the pagan holiday with a Christian observance, it was moved to November 1. The evening before All Saints’ Day became a holy, or hallowed, eve and thus Halloween. By the end of the Middle Ages, the secular and the sacred days had merged. The Reformation essentially put an end to the religious holiday among Protestants, although in Britain especially Halloween continued to be celebrated as a secular holiday. When large numbers of immigrants, including the Irish, went to the United States beginning in the mid 19th century, they took their Halloween customs with them and in the 20th century Halloween became one of the principal U.S. holidays, particularly among children.

Throughout the years Halloween has come to be associated with a number of activities. Among the most famous of them is that celebrants wear masks and costumes for parties and for trick-or-treating, thought to have derived from the British practice of allowing the poor to beg for food, called “soul cakes.” Today trick-or-treaters go from house to house with the threat that they will pull a trick if they do not receive a treat, usually candy.

Halloween parties often include games such as bobbing for apples perhaps derived from the Roman celebration of Pomona. In Roman mythology, Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees, gardens, and orchards. She was particularly associated with the blossoming of trees versus the harvest.

Another symbol is the jack-o’-lantern, a hollowed-out pumpkin, originally a turnip, carved into a demonic face and lit with a candle inside. This practice is associated with an old Irish folktale of a person named Jack, a lazy yet shrewd farmer who used a cross to trap the Devil. Legend has it that Jack tricked the Devil into climbing an apple tree, and once he was up there Jack quickly placed crosses around the trunk or carved a cross into the bark, so that the Devil couldn’t get down. He only agreed to let the Devil go if the Devil agreed to never to take his soul, which he consented to. After a while Jack died. Unfortunately his life had been too sinful for him to go to heaven; however, the Devil had promised not to take his soul, and so he was barred from hell as well. He now had nowhere to go. He asked how he would see where to go, as he had no light, and the Devil mockingly tossed him an ember that would never burn out from the flames of hell. Jack carved out one of his turnips (which were his favourite food), put the ember inside it, and began endlessly wandering the Earth for a resting place. He became known as “Jack of the Lantern”, or Jack-o’-Lantern.

With a variety of shirk and false notions being the foundation of this event it becomes quite difficult for a Muslim to not see the impermissibility of becoming involved in it. The Prophet p.b.u.h. always distanced himself from all pagan practices and diverted his followers attention to Islamically acceptable observances.

A classical example is when the Prophet p.b.u.h. first arrived at Madinah and witnessed the locals holding a day of celebration. Upon being informed of it’s origin he dissuaded them from continuing this practice by introducing them to an Islamically acceptable one. Anas r.a. reported, “Allah’s Messenger p.b.u.h. came to Madinah while the (locals) had two (fixed) days in which they would have fun. He inquired, “What are these two days (about)?” The locals replied, “We used to have fun on these days in the pre-islamic era.” Allah’s Messenger p.b.u.h. explained, “Allah has substituted those two days for you with something better; the day of Adha and the day of Fitr.” (Abu Dawud: 1134)
According to Sh. Khalil Ahmad Saharanpuri these two days were Nowruz (the Persian New Year which is held annually on the vernal equinox, as the beginning of spring) and Mehregān (an Iranian festival celebrated in honor of Mithra, a mythical deity, which is held on the autumnal equinox every year). (Buth’lul Majhud vol. 2 p.200)

Although it hurts to feel left out when everyone is having a good time, a Muslim should take solace in the fact that the enjoyment of this world is temporary while the enjoyment of Paradise is everlasting. However earning Paradise requires sacrifice and abstaining from activities that are founded on shirk and false beliefs is just one of those sacrifices we are required to make. May Allah make it easy for us all. Ameen

READ FULL ARTICLE – MATHABAH.ORG

Saudi Arabia has announced that Tuesday will be the first day of Dhu Al Hijja, and hence Wednesday will be Arafat Day, and Thursday, October 25, will be the first day of Eid Al Adha.

Source: Gulf News (20 min ago)
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/general/thursday-the-first-day-of-eid-al-adha-1.1089840

The House of God.
built by Prophet Ibrahim (a.s)

“The Ka’aba is astronomically aligned to the star Suhayl. Suhayl is called Canopus, it’s in the constellation of Carina. Interestingly enough, spacemen & astronauts do not use the North Star when they go out of the Earth’s orbit, they use Suhayl. It’s the star that they use to make sure they are on course when they get out into the heavens. The Kaaba is ma’thaba, it’s a sacred place, it’s a sanctuary. It’s called al Haram- haram means sanctuary. Turks call their houses salaam lak and haraam lak. Salaam lak is where you greet people. Haraam lak is the sanctuary- where the family resides…Align your lives to the prayer.”

By Abdul Malik Mujahid

As the United States Supreme Court judges sit in their chamber, to their right, front, and the left sides are friezes depicting the 18 greatest lawgivers of the world.

The second frieze to the right features a person holding a copy of the Quran, the Islamic holy book. It is intended to recognize Prophet Muhammad as one of the greatest lawgivers in the world, along with Moses, Solomon, Confucius, and Hammurabi, among others.

Here is what the Supreme Court’s website says about this frieze:

Muhammad (c. 570 – 632) The Prophet of Islam. He is depicted holding the Qur’an. The Qur’an provides the primary source of Islamic Law. Prophet Muhammad’s teachings explain and implement Qur’anic principles. The figure above is a well-intentioned attempt by the sculptor, Adolph Weinman, to honor Muhammad, and it bears no resemblance to Muhammad. Muslims generally have a strong aversion to sculptured or pictured representations of their Prophet.
In the year in which the frieze of Prophet Muhammad was erected, Franklin D. Roosevelt was president, and Charles Evans Hughes was the Chief Justice. It is not known how the court deliberated on this architectural contribution. No one at that time thought it inappropriate to include Prophet Muhammad as one of the greatest lawgivers of the world at the chambers of the United States Supreme Court. This was despite the fact that American society at that time was not as diverse as it is today. Women had just acquired the right to vote, and Japanese-Americans were about to be sent to concentration camps.

While the learned people in our country knew of the contribution of Prophet Muhammad, our neighbors today are given regular doses of misinformation about the Prophet and Sharia, the path of the Prophet, more commonly described as Islamic law.

Prophet Muhammad’s Peace And Justice Movement

Prophet Muhammad envisioned a just and peaceful society. With a mass peace movement, he achieved this goal during his life. He hated war and always preferred a peace treaty with his opponents, even if it was not favorable to his and his followers’ interests. He established his first peace sanctuary in the city of Madinah without any war whatsoever. While he did fight to defend that peace sanctuary, it is critical to note that the total time of actual fighting defending his people was not more than six days in his life of 63 years. He struggled to secure a peace that ensured justice and liberation for all people, especially for those most marginalized and oppressed.

Here are some of the Prophet’s notable contributions:

• He taught that there is one God for all mankind.
• He taught Muslims to believe in all of the prophets and all divinely revealed scriptures, especially Biblical ones.
• As the Prophet established a peace sanctuary called Madinah after his migration from Makkah, he negotiated treaties with the Jews and the pagans of Madinah. Muslims consider these treaties to be the first written surviving constitution in the world. The constitution guaranteed freedom of religion, self-governance, and legal autonomy in all matters. It called for the common defense of Madinah, and declared the Jews, pagans, and Muslims of that treaty to be one nation, or “one Ummah.”
• He prohibited hunting and the cutting of trees in the peace sanctuary of Madinah.
• He declared killing non-combatants to be illegal, placed severe restrictions on how warfare could be conducted, and even paid compensation for the killing of some dogs by one of his commanders.
• The Prophet’s teachings and the Quran are the two major sources of Sharia. Some of his precepts include the following:
• Moral behavior: personal cleanliness; emphasis on preservation and nourishment of all life forms, including plants and animals; rituals and spirituality of prayers; fasting and charity; righteous conduct and good deeds; and rights of parents, children, spouses, and neighbors.
• Interpersonal relations: teaching to enhance human relations and to avoid breaking relationships; encouraging mutual consultation in all affairs; prohibiting bigotry and racism; and emphasizing kindness and hospitality toward others, especially the weak and the poor.
• Financial guidelines: encouraging charity, rights of the poor, respect for workers, and rejection of exploitation; and circulation of wealth among all classes.
• Personal rules and laws regarding privacy, gender relations, marriage, divorce, and inheritance.
• Criminal laws implementing the many of the Ten Commandments. (The only one of the Ten Commandments not having a parallel statement in the Quran is the one having to do with keeping the Sabbath.) Less than two percent of Quranic verses deal with the criminal law of Islam, which is a part of the Sharia but not the totality of it.
• The Prophet asked his judges to make things easy for people, not difficult.
• He declared all sins forgivable as long as a person asks God’s forgiveness and that of the one who has been wronged.
• The Prophet gave special emphasis to honoring treaties, standing up for justice, and opposing oppression.

Why Muslims Often Demand Sharia In The Muslim World

In the Muslim world, many Muslims are sick and tired of their corrupt leaders. As such, they demand Sharia, envisioning a return to a just and peaceful system like the time when a caliph would submit himself without any immunity to a judge on an equal footing with his accuser. The United Nations gives all nations the right to self-determination. That is how even in the U.S.-brokered constitutions of Afghanistan and Iraq there is importance given to Sharia principles.

Unfortunately, the brutal and often biased implementation of criminal law in some Muslim countries has given Sharia a bad name. The Prophet would be horrified to see this merciless brutality in the name of Islam by some Muslims.

It Is Against Sharia To Impose Sharia On Anyone!

Almost all the Sharia with which Muslim Americans deal relates to personal religious life, ethics, morality, and human relationships. Practicing Muslims live Sharia every day as they pray, fast, eat Halal (permissible in Islam) food, practice charity, raise families, and serve communities. Sharia is like Halacha, which is practiced by Jews in America. Jews in America even operate Jewish courts in the U.S., called Beth Din. Muslim Americans do not operate any such courts.

Muslim Americans are subject to U.S. laws, just like any other citizens. No Muslim has called for the replacement of the U.S. Constitution with Sharia. Sharia is neither a constitution nor is it all law. It is actually against Sharia to impose Sharia on anyone. Further, Sharia only applies to Muslims, not to non-Muslims.

Muslims have been demanding equal protection under the U.S. Constitution since their rights are regularly violated in the current Islamophobic environment in which we are living, where Muslims are continuously targeted and subjected to bigotry and prejudice.

America’s Founding Fathers were wise people. Today’s Islamophobes can learn a great deal from them. In the Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1796) between the United States and Tripoli they stated:

“As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion, as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen (Muslims)…”

FULL ARTICLE

http://www.deenup.com/

Join Mathabah on the weekend of October 13 and 14 for a series of spiritually motivational and transformational programs in the GTA.

For full information on events and registration: http://event.mathabah.org or http://www.mathabah.org.

REGISTER HERE —> http://www.roctraining.com/index.php?option=com_dtregister&Itemid=175

REGISTER NOW

event.mathabah.org

View our Trailer here.
Where: Calaway Park
When: Saturday, August 25, 2012
Time: 10:00AM – 7:00PM
Why: Simply to get together and feel the spirit and excitement of Eid!
Tickets: ONLY $20/person (regular $33.95) (Children 2 and younger are free)
Halal Lunch: $10/person, or $12 at the door. (limited quantities available)

Donate4Life in support of UNICEF asks you to join a Fund Raising Ramadan Grand Dinner on the 16th of August to support the Syrian Refugees.

www.wearehelp.org

Surah Al-Qadr
Surely We revealed it on the grand night.
And what will make you comprehend what the grand night
The grand night is better than a thousand months.
The angels and the spirit descend in it by the permission of their Lord
for every affair, Peace! it is till the break of the morning.  (97:1-5)
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Al-Qadr:
“We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power. And what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels and the spirit by God’s permission, on every errand: Peace! This until the rise of Morn.” (97:1-5)

Allah also says about this powerful night in Surah Dukhan (smoke, mist):
Ha. Mim. By the book that makes things clear. We sent it down during a blessed night. For We (ever) wish to warn (against evil). In that (night) is made distinct every affair of wisdom, by command, from Our Presence. For We (ever) send (revelations), as a mercy from Thy Lord: for He hears and knows (all things). (44:1-6)

Allah said in the Qur’an in Surah A 1-Baqarah (the Cow):
“Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur’an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong).”(2:185)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said about Lailatul-Qadr:
It as narrated by Abu Hurayra that Prophet said, “Anyone who stays awake for the Night Of Power with belief and for the pleasure of Allah, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

It has also been reported by Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (pbuh) who said:
“I asked the Messenger>Of A11ah if I knew which night was the Night of Power and what Prayer I should say during that night? He said to me: Say: “O Allah! You are forgiving and you love forgiveness, so you too forgive me.

From the foregoing verses of the Qur’an and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) I would like to mention to you the following:

The Night Of Power is better for you to live, to experience and to enjoy than one thousand months of your personal life. Even if you were to live one thousand months (83.3 years) with sincerity, dedication, and sacrifices and with good intentions and deeds, the Night Of Power is still far better for you to live and to enjoy.
The Revelation of the Qur’an started in the month of Ramadan and specifically on the Night Of Power. The Revelation of the Qur’an; a sign of Mercy, a guide and a blessing of Allah to mankind.
Anyone who is interested in finding the best guide, he/she should look into the teachings of the Qur’an.

The Night of Power is a night of blessings Allah has blessed this Night. Therefore whosoever is interested in receiving the blessings of Allah may look forward to the Night of Power.

Anyone who seeks the Night of Power and lives it, all his/her sin will be erased. This is, as if, he/she is, born again now free of all sin and mistakes.

I am sure every one of us would like to live a life free of sins an free of mistakes. Everyone would like to meet Allah on the Day of Judgment without sins. Every one of us would like to feel that he/she is reborn today. All of us wish to rejuvenate ourselves, and to start a new year with a fresh outlook and a fresh life. Every one of us wants to live a pure life and everyone wants to purify himself/herself without anguish or torment. The Night of Power is one of the best ways in which a person is to achieve all these ideals. For this reason may I suggest that you start looking for it, so you will be able to observe it and enjoy it.

As far as determining the Night of Power (Lailatul Qadr) is concerned, it has been reported to be during one of the odd numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan, i.e. 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. It has been emphasized that it is most likely to be the 27th night.

As far as the signs of Lailatul-Qadr are concerned:
1. The sun rises early in the morning without rays.
2. Rain may fall either during the night or during the day of that night.
3. During night the sky will be lightly foggy.
4. The sky will be slightly lighted without reflections and without rays.
5. The angels and Gabriel all descend down onto earth for many purposes.

If you are interested in living the Night of Power, let me remind you of some of the things that you might have to do:
1. Try to observe it during the last ten days of Ramadan, at the time of sunrise, during the days and the nights.
2. On the nights one may spend the time collectively and/or individually observing the following activities:
a. Recitation of the Our’an.
b. Prayers-Nafl after Taraweeh.
c. Remembrance of Allah or zikr
d. Supplication or Du’a for you and for others.
e. Pondering and contemplating into the universe, the creation of the Heavens and the Earth: “…and they contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heaven and the earth….”(3:191)
f. Reading books of Hadeeth so as to enjoy the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
g. Reading Tafseer of Qur’an.
h. Giving charity to others if you can afford it.
i. Trying to explain Islam, if you know something about it, to those next to you so they will benefit from you.

To summarize, I would like to mention the following:
The Night of Power is a very important occasion in Islam. Everyone is asked to live it and to enjoy it. This Night is a night of Mercy, a night of Blessing, a night of Peace and a night of Guidance. It is a night of Unification between the finite world of ours and the Infinite Universe of the Unseen.

Anyone who is interested in attaining the Mercy of Allah will strive very hard to look for the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested in receiving the blessings of Allah on the Blessed Night will work very hard to enjoy the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested in attaining peace of mind, peace of body and peace in society, he has to look for this Night and to live it.

May Allah give us the strength, the power, the courage and the effort to do our best to obey Allah and to follow His teachings. May Allah guide us and may Allah strengthen our Iman May Allah help us to live another year with sincerity and devotion. May Allah make us realize that one year of our life is over and that we are one year closer to our graves.

Let us wake up and do our best to please Allah in our daily life. Let us ask Almighty Allah forgiveness. Ameen

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