Status of Women in Islam

"Why is it that so many women who have been born and brought in Europe
and America are willing to reject their 'liberty' and 'independence'
to embrace a religion that supposedly oppresses them and is widely
assumed to be prejudicial to them?" This is a question that I found on
one of the siteswhile surfing around, and I found it an interesting
question andwhich I'd like to draw this article around.
Can Islam be prejudiced to women, and yet appeal to women? Can Islam
lower the status of a woman and still have more women embracingit as
their way of life than men? According to an article written by Lucy
Berrington in the Times Magazine (London) dated 9th Nov. 1993: "It is
even more ironic that most British converts should be women, given the
widespread view in the west that Islam treats women poorly. In the
United States, women converts outnumber men by four to one, and in
Britain make up the bulk of the estimated 10,000 to 20, 000 converts,
forming part of a Muslimcommunity of 1 to 1.5 million "
How can the case of those women be explained?! Well, I could say that
there are only one of two choices that one can decide upon. Either all
those women who choose Islam don't know what they are doing or that
they discovered Islam is not prejudice to them as others have yet to
discover. New convert toIslam since September 11, US Navy petty
officer,Heather Ramaha. "Islam gives us Elevation; not Degradation"
In the Noble Quran Allah (Arabic word for God) says:
"Mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you
into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the
most honorable of you in the Sight of Allah is the believer who has
Taqwa (i.e. piety and righteousness)and loves Allah most. Verily,
Allah isAll-Knowing, All-Aware." The Holy Qur'an(49:13)
"I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in My
way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other. The Holy
Qur'an(3:195)"
On the light of those verses, Islam declares that it has not come to
disadvantage women, but in fact has been revealed to elevate women
ever since 1400 years ago, when womenin many parts of the world and
especially in the western societies were considered objects that are
owned and withlittle to no rights in the society they live in.
Before any other religion or system in the world Islam gave a woman
the right to inherit, the right to vote and voice her opinion, the
right to trade invest and improve herself financially, the right to
own - buy and sell, the right to seek knowledge and have a good
education, the right to work and has even gonefurther to oblige the
males in every stage of her life, whether it was afather, brother or
husband ... It's their dutybefore God to take care of her, to spend on
her, to provide her with the food , clothing and shelter that she
needs, toprovide her with a good education, to protect herfrom
anything that can harm her and to never hesitate to put their livesin
stake for her if the need calls them to do so."As a modern westerner
with a career, of course Ihad to look into Islam's attitude to women -
I couldn't be oppressed allof a sudden. But I discovered that it is
pro-women and pro-men; in Islam, women had the right to vote in the
year 600. Men dress modestly, women dress modestly; neither should
flirt with the eyes, but rather they should lower their gaze. I think
it's unhealthy to flaunt your sexuality - it attracts the wrong energy
back." (MTV Presenter Kristiane Backer after being a Muslim) "Since I
called myself a feminist, my early reading centered around women in
Islam. I thought Islam oppressed women. In myWomen's Studies coursesI
had read about Muslim women who were not allowed to leave their homes
and were forced to cover their heads. Of course I saw hijab as an
oppressive tool imposed by men rather than as anexpression of
self-respect and dignity. What I discovered in my readings surprised
me. Islam not only does not oppress women, but actually liberates
them, having given them rights in the 6th century that we have only
gained in this century in this country: the right to own property and
wealth and to maintain that in her name after marriage; the right to
vote; and the right to divorce." (Karima Slack, an American feminist
from secular humanism to Islam)
Some Muslim societies today lack those values. Some people may
rightlyask then, why do we see some Muslim societies lacking those
values? There is a beautiful and very true example I heard from a
lecture by an American Muslim called Khaled Yaseen, who said that
every person can be a father; but if a father does not turn out to be
a good father then it's not fatherhood that we would blame. Similarly,
Islam is a rule and order.A Muslim who does not act according to that
rule and order then by all means its not Islam that should carry the
blame.
Karla, a young Blonde haired Blue eyed young American from Washington
DC who is a recent convert to Islam said in an interview made with
her: The mainquestion people seem toask, is "How could you, an
educated American woman convert to Islam--a religion that oppresses
women?" They are quick to try andequate the rights of women in
Afghanistan with the rights of Muslimwomen everywhere. Basically, what
I tell them, is that the Qur'an gives women more rights than the Bible
does--in print. That was one of the things that first drew me to
Islam. Unfortunately today, Islam is no longer the leader in women's
rights. I had a choice--deny what I believe (i.e. that There is only
one God, and that Muhammed is a Prophet of God)...or accept what I
believe, but work to change the problems that exist within the Muslim
community. I chose the latter.
In the world today, one could say that the Taliban government in
Afghanistan have been considered as the top example of Women
Oppression in Islam. But what's ironic is that evenwhen a woman falls
captive in the hands of those supposedly most hateful men in the
world, Islam does not fail to win her heart.
Yvonne Ridley is an award-winning journalist of more than 25 years
standing and author of two books, In The Hands of the Talibanand
Ticket to Paradise. She has spent the last 10 years working for
several prestigious Fleet Street newspapers including The Sunday
Times, The Observer, The Independent on Sunday and The Sunday Express.
She has also expanded into television and radioproducing several
documentaries from Iraqand Afghanistan. Yvonnehit the headlines in
September 2001 when while working for the Daily Express she
crossedillegally into Afghanistanand was subsequently held captive by
the Taliban for 11 days. Following her release, she read the Qur'an as
she had agreed to during her captivity, andconverted to Islam in
thesummer of 2003.
Last but not least I wouldlike to conclude by the blessed sayings of
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him:
"It is the generous (in character) who is good to women, and it is the
wicked who insults them."
"The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and best of you
are those who are best to their wives."
"Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners
and committed helpers."

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You Were Like Spit

One day the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) spat on his palm,
then putting his finger on it said: "Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) says,
'O son of Adam! How can you run away from Me, when I created you from
something like spit (semen). Then when I completed My creation ofyou
and molded you appropriately, you started walking around in two sheets
in such a way that your strut caused the earth to beginto shake. Then
you gathered wealth and hoarded it and when your soul reached your
collar bone then you began to say, 'Let me give in charity,' though
the time for giving in charity had passed.'" [Musnad Ahmed]
When Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) created his servant, the man's
condition was such that he understood nothing and could do nothing.
Hedid not bring anything with him of which he was owner, nor could he
give anything to anyone, nor could he prevent anybody from doing
anything. He could neither benefit nor harm anyone. In this condition
his complete dependenceon a perfectly powerful entity was obvious,
which everybody could witness. For a baby to be dependent this way is
true for every human that is born. He always remains dependent on the
One who created him. It does not happen that once he transfers to a
different condition where he can begin to feed himself and earn, heis
no longer dependent on his Creator.
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala),man's Creator, bestows His blessings upon
him, perfects His creation, dresses him in fine clothes, favours him
with the abilities to think, understand and see, gives him knowledge,
and gives strength to his arms and legs, till he begins to have other
people like him work for him. He makes animals subservient to his
command, and he begins to dig canals through outthe land. He begins to
plant orchards, cleaving the ground he lays the foundations of tall
buildings, and begins to contemplate and work out his problems, and he
implements procedures to protect himself from the harmful creatures of
the earth. He achieved allthis with the permission and help of Allah
(subhana wa ta'ala).
But what happens is that this poor creature beginsto think that he has
a share in the ownership of these things and he begins to think of
himselfas king along with Allah, even though he is well acquainted
with his priorcondition. He forgets his previous helplessness,
poverty, need and dependence, as though he were never a beggar and
totally dependent onAllah, as though it were someone other than him
who depended on Allah to be born without defect, to be clothed, fed
and established on earth.
Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) is "Al-Ghani." He is rich and you are poor.
Whatever you have, is from Him. He does not depend on you, you depend
on Him to satisfy your littlest needs. Don't forget that. Don't be
proud, don't hoard your blessings, and give charity generously in
gratitude to Allah.

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Building more houses than are needed and paying zakaah on them

I have read in one hadeeth that if a man builds houses more than what
is required then onthe day of judgement hewill have to carry those
houses a burden on his back. I would like to know that if one pays
proper zakat of the extrahouses then still he has to burden those on
his back on the day of judgement.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We do not know of this hadeeth to which you refer. The one who it is
proven will carry things on his back on the Day of Resurrection is the
one who took things unlawfully from others in this world, whether by
force or by stealth, or stealing booty from the battlefield before the
spoils of war were distributed.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood
before us and spoke about war booty and how serious the matter is. He
said,
"I should not like to see anyone amongst you on the Day of
Resurrection, carrying on his neck a sheep that will be bleating, or
carrying on his neck a horse that willbe neighing, saying: 'O
Messenger of Allaah! Help me!' and I will reply, 'I cannot do anything
for you, for I have conveyed Allaah's Message to you.' Nor should I
like to see a man carrying on his neck, a camel that will be grunting,
saying: 'O Messenger of Allaah! Help me!' and I will reply, 'I cannot
do anything for you, for I have conveyed Allaah's Message to you.' Or
one carrying on his neck gold and silver, saying: 'O Messenger of
Allaah! Help me!' and I will reply, 'I cannot do anything for you, for
I have conveyed Allaah's Message to you.' or one carrying clothes that
willbe fluttering, saying: 'O Messenger of Allaah! Help me!' and I
will reply, 'I cannot do anything for you, for I have conveyed
Allaah's Message to you.'"
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,2908; Muslim, 1831
Secondly:
With regard to a Muslim building a house that is bigger than he and
his family need, Ibn Hazm said:
(The scholars) are agreed that it is obligatory for a man to build
that which will shelter him and his family from prying eyes and from
cold, heat and rain, or to buy a house or dwelling that will cover him
in the mannermentioned. And they agreed that it is permissible to seek
to earn more money and build a more spacious house so long as that is
done by halaal means and he fulfils all his duties towards Allaah, but
they differed as to whether that is makroohor not."
Maraatib al-Ijmaa', p. 155
What the Muslim should do is not to go to excess in matters of this
world, and to limit himself to what he needs, based onthe general
meaning of the verses which forbid extravagance, such as the verse in
which Allaahsays (interpretation of the meaning):
"And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor
niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes)"
[al-Furqaan 25:67]
Al-Tirmidhi (4283) narrated from Khabbaab(may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "A person will be rewarded for all his spending except
what he spends on building." Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Tirmidhi. Also narrated by al-Bukhaari (5672) from Khabbaab (may
Allaah be pleased with him). Ibn Hajar said: This is understood as
referring to what exceeds one's requirements.
This is also indicated by the way the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) was: he rose above preoccupation with this world,
and warned his ummah against indulging in worldly pleasures, as he
said in the hadeeth: "By Allaah, Ido not fear poverty for you but I
fear prosperity in this world as those who came before you became
prosperous, andyou start to compete with one another in worldly gains,
as they did, then you will be destroyed as they were."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,3158; Muslim, 2961.
Thirdly:
There is no zakaah due on the houses that a Muslim builds for his
family or children, even if their value rises. And houses that he
builds to rent them out are not subject to zakaah themselves, rather
zakaah is due on the rent if it reaches the nisaab and one whole hijri
year has passed. Houses that he builds in order to sell them are
subject to zakaah, because they are a kind of trade goods, so after
one year has passed he should calculate their value and pay zakaah
onthem, one-quarter of one-tenth of the total value.

And Allaah knows best.

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A Description of Hellfire

God will blacken the faces of the people of Hell:
"On the Day (some) faceswill turn white and (some) faces will turn
black. As for those whose faces turn black. (to them it will be
said), 'Did you reject faith afteryour belief? Then taste the
punishment for whatyou used to reject.'" (Quran 3:106)
Their faces will be such as if the night has covered them:
"But they who have earned (blame for) evil doings – the recompenseof
an evil deed is its equivalent, and humiliation will cover them. They
will have from God no protector. It will be as if their faces are
covered with pieces of the night – so dark (are they). Those are
thecompanions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally." (Quran
10:27)
The Fire will surround the unbeliever on all sides just as sins
surrounded him like a sheet wound around his body:
"Theirs will be a bed of Fire and over them coverings (of Fire)…" (Quran 7:41)
"On the Day when the torment (of Hell) will cover them from above them
and from underneath their feet." (Quran 29:55)
"…and surely Hell will surround the unbelievers…" (Quran 9:49)
The Fire of Hell will leap up to the hearts. The Fire will penetrate
their super-sized bodies and reach the innermost depths:
"No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher. And what can make you
know what is the Crushers? It is the fire of God, (eternally) fueled,
which mounts directed at the hearts." (Quran 104:4-7)
The Fire will split the entrails as mentioned bythe Prophet:
"A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and throwninto the
Fire. Then his entrails will be spilled out into the Fire and he will
be forced to walk around and around like a donkey in a treadmill. The
people of Hell will gather around him and say, 'O so-and-so, what
iswrong with you? Did you not enjoin us to do good and forbid us to
dowrong?' He will say, 'I used to order you to do good, but I did not
do it and I used to forbid you to do evil, but I used to do it
myself.' Then he will walk around and around like a donkey in a
treadmill." [1]
God has described the chains, yokes, and fetters of Hell. They will
be tied up with chains and dragged with yokes on their necks:
"for the rejecters We have prepared iron chains, yokes, and a blazing
Fire." (Quran 76:4)
"With Us are fetters (to bind them), and a Fire (to burn them), and a
food that chokes, and a penalty grievous." (Quran 73:12-13)
"We will put yokes on the necks of the unbelievers. It would only be
requital for theirevil deeds." (Quran 34:33)
"when yokes will be put round their necks and the chains, they will be
dragged along." (Quran 40:71)
"(The stern command will say): seize him and bind him, and burn him in
the blazing Fire, further, make him marchin a chain, whereof the
length is seventy cubits."(Quran 69:30-32)
The pagan gods and all other deities that were worshipped besides
Godwho people thought willbe their intercessors with God and bringing
them closer to Him will be thrown into Hell with them. This will be
to humiliate and demonstrate that these false gods have no power,
"Indeed, you (disbelievers), and that which you worship other than
God, [2] are but fuel for Hell. Verily, you will enter it. Had these
(false deities) been(actual) gods, they would not have entered there,
but all will eternally abide therein." (Quran 21:98-99)
When the unbeliever will see Hell, he will be filled with remorse, but
it will not be of any benefit:
"And they will feel regretwhen they see the punishment; and they will
be judged in justice, and they will not be wronged." (Quran 10:54)
The unbeliever will pray for his death when they sense its heat,
"And when they are thrown into a narrow place therein bound in chains,
they will cry out thereupon for destruction. (They will be told), 'Do
not cry this Day for one destruction but cry for much destruction.'"
(Quran 25:13-14)
Their screams will get louder and they will call onto God hoping He
will take them out of Hell:
"And they will cry out therein, 'Our Lord, remove us; we will do
righteousness – other than what we were doing!'" (Quran 35:37)
They will realize theirs sins and the error of stubborn disbelief:
"And they will say, 'If only we had been listening or reasoning, we
would not be amongthe companions of the Blaze.' And they will admit
their sin, so (it is) alienation for the companions of the Blaze."
(Quran 67:10-11)
Their prayers will be rejected:
"They will say, 'Our Lord, our wretchedness overcame us, and we were a
people astray. Our Lord, remove us from it, and if we were to return
(to evil), we would indeed be wrongdoers.' He will say, 'Remain
despised therein and do not speak to Me.'" (Quran 23:106-108)
After that, they will call the keepers of Hell asking them to
intercedeto God on their behalf for reduction in torment:
"And those in the Fire will say to the keepers ofHell, 'Supplicate
your Lord to lighten for us a day from the punishment.' They will
say, 'Did there not come to you your messengers with clear proofs?'
They will say, 'Yes.' They will reply, 'Then supplicate (yourselves),
but the supplication of the disbelievers is not exceptin error.'"
(Quran 40:49-50)
Their will even plead for their own destruction to relieve themselves
of thepain:
"And they will call, 'O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!' He
will say, 'Indeed, you will remain.'" (Quran 43:77)
They will be told the punishment will never be reduced, it is eternal:
"Then be patient or impatient – it is all the same for you. You are
only being recompensedfor what you used to do.'" (Quran 52:16)
They will weep for a long time:
"So let them laugh a little and then weep much as recompense for what
they used to earn."(Quran 9:82)
They will weep until no tears are left, then that they will weep
blood, which will leave its traces as described by the Prophet:
"The people of Hell will be made to weep, and they will weep until
theyhave no tears left. Then they will weep blood until they have, as
it were, channels in their faces, if ships were put in them, they
would float."

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Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah) - Abdullah ibn Abbas

Abdullah was the son of Abbas, an uncle of the noble Prophet. He was
born just three years before the Hijrah. When the Prophet died,
Abdullah was thusonly thirteen years old.
When he was born, his mother took him to the blessed Prophet who put
some of his saliva on the babe's tongue even before he began to
suckle. This was thebeginning of the close and intimate tie between
Abbas and the Prophet that was to be part of a life-long love and
devotion.
When Abdullah reached the age of discretion, he attached himself to
the service of the Prophet. He would run to fetch water for him when
he wanted to make wudu. During Salat, he would stand behind the
Prophetin prayer and when the Prophet went on journeys or expeditions,
he would follow next in line to him. Abdullah thus became like the
shadow of the Prophet, constantly in his company.
In all these situations he was attentive and alert to whatever the
Prophet did and said. His heart was enthusiastic and his young mind
was pure and uncluttered, committing the Prophet's words to memory
with the capacity and accuracy of a recording instrument. In this way
and through his constant researches later, as we shall see, Abdullah
became one of the most learned companionsof the Prophet, preserving on
behalf of later generations of Muslims, the priceless words of the
Messenger of God. It is said that he committed to memory about one
thousand, six hundred and sixty sayings of theProphet which are
recorded and authenticated in the collections of al-Bukhari and
Muslim.
The Prophet would often draw Abdullah as a child close to him, pat him
on the shoulder and pray: "O Lord, make him acquire a deep
understanding of the religion of Islam and instruct him in the meaning
and interpretation of things."
There were many occasions thereafter when the blessed Prophet would
repeat this dua or prayer for his cousin and before long Abdullah ibn
Abbas realized that his life was to be devoted to the pursuit of
learning and knowledge.
The Prophet moreover prayed that he be granted not just knowledge and
understanding but wisdom. Abdullah related the following incident
about himself: "Once the Prophet, peace be upon him, was on the point
of performing wudu. I hurried to get water ready for him. He was
pleased with what Iwas doing. As he was about to begin Salat, he
indicated that I should stand at his side. However, I stood behind
him. When the Salat was finished, he turned to me and said: 'What
prevented you from being at my side, O Abdullah?' 'You are too
illustrious and too great in my eyes for me to stand side by sidewith
you,' I replied.
Raising his hands to the heavens, the Prophet then prayed: 'O Lord,
grant him wisdom." The Prophet's prayer undoubtedly was granted for
the young Abdullah was to prove time and again that he possessed a
wisdom beyond his years. But it was a wisdom that came only with
devotion and thedogged pursuit of knowledge both during the Prophet's
lifetime and after his death.
During the lifetime of the Prophet, Abdullah would not miss any of his
assemblies and he would commit to memory whatever he said. After the
Prophet passed away, he would take care to go to as many companions as
possible especially those who knew the Prophet longer and learn from
them what the Prophet had taught them. Whenever he heard that someone
knew a hadith of the Prophet which he did not know he would go quickly
to him and record it. He would subject whatever he heard to close
scrutiny and check it against other reports. He would go to as many as
thirtycompanions to verify a single matter.
Abdullah described what he once did on hearing that a companion of the
Prophet knew a hadith unknown to him: "I went to him during the time
of the afternoon siesta and spread my cloak in front of his door. The
wind blew dust on me (as I sat waiting for him). If I wished Icould
have sought his permission to enter and he would certainly have given
me permission. But I preferred to wait on him so that he could be
completely refreshed. Coming out of his house and seeing me in that
condition he said: 'O cousin of the Prophet! What's the matter with
you? If you had sent for me I would have come to you.' 'I am the one
who should come to you, for knowledge is sought, it does notjust
come,' I said. I asked him about the hadith and learnt from him."
In this way, the dedicated Abdullah would ask, and ask, and go on
asking. And he would sift and scrutinize the information he had
collected with his keen and meticulous mind.
It was not only in the collection of hadith that Abdullah specialized.
He devoted himself to acquiring knowledge in a wide variety of fields.
He had a special admiration for persons like Zayd ibn Thabit, the
recorderof the revelation, the leading judge and jurist consult in
Madinah, an expert in the laws of inheritance and in reading theQuran.
When Zayd intended to go on a trip, the young Abdullah would stand
humbly at his side and taking hold of the reins of his mount would
adopt the attitude of a humble servant in the presence of his master.
Zayd would say to him: "Don't, O cousin of the Prophet."
"Thus we were commanded to treat the learned ones among us," Abdullah
would say. "And Zayd would say to him in turn:"Let me see your hand."
Abdullah would stretch out his hand. Zayd, taking it, would kiss it
and say: "Thus we were commanded to treat the ahl al-bayt members of
the household of the Prophet."
As Abdullah's knowledge grew, he grew in stature. Masruq ibn alAjda
said of him: "Whenever I saw Ibn Abbas, I would say: He isthe most
handsome of men. When he spoke, I would say: He is the most eloquent
of men. And when he held a conversation, I would say: He is the most
knowledgeable of men."
The Khalifah Umar ibn al-Khattaboften sought his advice on important
matters of state and described him as "the young man of maturity".
Sad ibn abi Waqqas described him with these words: "I have never seen
someone who was quicker in understanding, who had more knowledge and
greater wisdom than Ibn Abbas. I have seen Umar summon him to discuss
difficult problems in the presence of veterans of Badr from among the
Muhajirin and Ansar. Ibn Abbas would speak and Umar would not
disregard what he had to say."
It is these qualities which resulted in Abdullah ibn Abbas being known
as "the learned man of this Ummah".
Abdullah ibn Abbas was not content to accumulate knowledge. He felt he
had a dutyto the ummah to educate those in search of knowledge and the
general masses of the Muslim community. He turned to teaching and his
house became a university - yes, a university in the full sense of the
word, a university with specialized teaching but with the difference
that there was only one teacher Abdullah ibn Abbas.
There was an enthusiastic response to Abdullah's classes. One of his
companions describeda typical scene in front of his house: "I saw
people convergingon the roads leading to his house until there was
hardly anyroom in front of his house. I went in and told him about the
crowds of people at his door and he said: 'Get me water for wudu.'
He performed wudu and, seatinghimself, said: 'Go out and say to them:
Whoever wants to ask about the Quran and its letters (pronunciation)
let him enter.'
This I did and people entered until the house was filled. Whatever he
was asked, Abdullah was able to elucidate and even provide additional
information to what was asked. Then (to his students) he said: 'Make
way for your brothers.'
Then to me he said: 'Go out and say: Who wants to ask about theQuran
and its interpretation, let him enter'.
Again the house was filled and Abdullah elucidated and provided more
information thanwhat was requested."
And so it continued with groups of people coming in to discuss fiqh
(jurisprudence), halal and haram (the lawful and the prohibited in
Islam), inheritance laws, Arabic language, poetry and etymology.
To avoid congestion with many groups of people coming to discuss
various subjects on a single day, Abdullah decided to devote one day
exclusively for a particular discipline. On one day, only the exegesis
of the Quran would be taught while on another day only fiqh
(jurisprudence). The maghazi or campaigns of the Prophet, poetry, Arab
history before Islamwere each allocated a special day.
Abdullah ibn Abbas brought to his teaching a powerful memoryand a
formidable intellect. His explanations were precise, clear and
logical. His arguments were persuasive and supported by pertinent
textual evidence and historical facts.
One occasion when his formidable powers of persuasion was used was
duringthe caliphate of Ali. A large number of supporters of Ali in his
stand against Muawiyah had just deserted him. Abdullah ibn Abbas went
to Ali and requestedpermission to speak to them. Alihesitated fearing
that Abdullah would be in danger at their hands but eventually gave
way on Abdullah's optimism that nothing untoward would happen.
Abdullah went over to the group. They were absorbed in worship. Some
were not willing to let him speak but others wereprepared to give him
a hearing.
"Tell me" asked Abdullah, "what grievances have you against the cousin
of the Prophet, the husband of his daughter and thefirst of those who
believed in him?"
"The men proceeded to relate three main complaints against Ali. First,
that he appointed men to pass judgment in matters pertaining to the
religion of God - meaning that Ali had agreed toaccept the arbitration
of Abu Musa al-Asbari and Amr ibn al-Asin the dispute with Muawiyah.
Secondly, that he fought and didnot take booty nor prisoners of war.
Thirdly, that he did not insist on the title of Amir al-Muminin during
the arbitration process although theMuslims had pledged allegiance to
him and he was their legitimate amir. To them this was obviously a
sign of weakness and a sign that Ali was prepared to bring his
legitimate position as Amir al-Muminin into disrepute.
In reply, Abdullah asked them that should he cite verses from the
Quran and sayings of the Prophet to which they had no objection and
which related to their criticisms, would they be prepared to change
their position. They replied that they would and Abdullah
proceeded:"Regarding your statement that Ali has appointed men to pass
judgment in matters pertaining to Allah's religion, Allah Glorifiedand
Exalted is He, says: 'O you who believe! Kill not game whilein the
sacred precincts or in pilgrim garb. If any of you do so
intentionally, the compensation is an offering, of a domestic animal
equivalent to the one he killed and adjudged by two just men among."
"I adjure you, by God! Is the adjudication by men in matters
pertaining to the preservation of their blood and their lives and
making peace between them more deserving of attention than
adjudication over a rabbit whose value is onlya quarter of a dirham?"
Their reply was of course that arbitration was more important in the
case of preserving Muslim lives and making peace among them than over
the killing of game in the sacred precincts for which Allah sanctioned
arbitration by men.
"Have we then finished with thispoint?" asked Abdullah and theirreply
was: "Allahumma, naam - O Lord, yes!" Abdullah went on:"As for your
statement that Ali fought and did not take prisoners of war as the
Prophet did, do you really desire to take your "mother" Aishah as a
captive and treat her as fair game in the way that captives are
treated? If your answer is"Yes", then you have fallen into kufr
(disbelief). And if you say that she is not your "mother", you would
also have fallen into astate of kufr for Allah, Glorified and Exalted
is He, has said: 'The Prophet is closer to the believersthan their own
selves and his wives are their mothers (entitledto respect and
consideration).' (The Quran, Surah al-Ahzab, 34:6).
"Choose for yourself what you want," said Abdullah and then he asked:
"Have we then finishedwith this point?" and this time too their reply
was:"Allahumma, naam - O Lord, yes!" Abdullah went on: "As for your
statement that Ali has surrendered the title of Amir al-Muminin,
(remember) that theProphet himself, peace and blessings of God be on
him, at the time of Hudaybiyyah, demanded that the mushrikin write in
the truce which he concluded with them: 'This is what the Messenger of
God has agreed...' and they retorted: 'If we believed that you were
the Messenger of God we would not have blocked your way to the Kabah
nor would we have fought you. Write instead: 'Muhammad the son of
Abdullah.' The Prophet concededtheir demand while saying: 'By God, I
am the Messenger of God even if they reject me." At this point
Abdullah ibn Abbas asked the dissidents: "Have we then finished with
this point? and their reply was once again:
"Allahumma, naam - O Lord, yes!"
One of the fruits of this verbal challenge in which Abdullah displayed
his intimate knowledge of the Quran and the sirah of the Prophet as
well as his remarkable powers of argument and persuasion, was that the
majority, about twenty thousand men, returned to the ranks of Ali.
About four thousand however remained obdurate. These latter came to be
known as Kharijites.
On this and other occasions, the courageous Abdullah showed that he
preferred peace above war, and logic against force and violence.
However, he was not only known for his courage, his perceptive thought
and his vast knowledge. He was also known for his great generosity and
hospitality. Some of his contemporaries said of his household: "We
have not seen a house which has more food or drink or fruit or
knowledge thanthe house of Ibn Abbas."
He had a genuine and abiding concern for people. He was thoughtful and
caring. He once said: "When I realize the importance of a verse of
God's Book, I would wish that all people should know what I know.
"When I hear of a Muslim ruler who deals equitably and rules justly, I
am happy on his accountand I pray for him...
"When I hear of rains which fail on the land of Muslims, that fills me
with happiness..."
Abdullah ibn Abbas was constant in his devotions. He kept voluntary
fasts regularly and often stayed up at night in Prayer. He would weep
while praying and reading the Quran. And when reciting verses dealing
with death, resurrection and the life hereafter his voice would be
heavy from deep sobbing.
He passed away at the age of seventy one in the mountainous city of Taif.

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Who made you a Qadi/Judge?

We have a lot of sectarian problems at the moment and these are adding
to the confusion of this time. Just imagine that you are an outsider
and you see groups of Muslims attacking each other. It's certainly not
a pretty sight nor does it attract one to the religion.
I am criticised a lot for stepping back and not involving myself and
sometimes not even voicing my opinion. I simply do not wish to be
involved in fighting people or even refuting people unnecessarily.
There are times when people need tobe refuted because they are causing
tribulation. But does that have to be done every time we speak? In
every Khutba? Even during Ramadan when we need spiritual advice
instead we a treated to a barrage of abuse aimed at particular groups.
I for one agree with the reliable opinion of the Hanafi school and the
reliable opinions of the Maturdi and Ashari school of doctrine. (Most
people are a mix of these schools of doctrine even thought they claim
to be otherwise!) Yet within these schools sectarianism has occurred
and I refute those who insult their Prophet whether intentional or not
but I do not make it my lives work!
I prefer taking a step back from all this tribulation andrefrain from
comment. The average person is now repeating the mistakes of their
Imams and purposely chasing those people who they think are wrong. It
is almost relentless and the zeal in which these average people are
chasingscholars for their 'errors' is something repugnant. They also
attack people who know the scholars andtheir students. In the most
Unislamic way imaginable with swearwords and speech full of hate.
Where has their Islamic manners gone?
No one likes to be told thatthey are doing a bad job orthat they do
not know what to do. Yet groups of people who do not know their own
Aqida correctly are attacking those who know their doctrine much
better than them.
Some groups claim that some things are disbelief when they are clearly
not and it is only their group who think it is! This is problematic
because the Awwam (the average person) should not be doing anything
but concentrating on their worship. This basic fact is something they
have failedto do. Many do not know what breaks their ablution nor do
they know what breaks their prayer but because they are Muslim they
think this gives them a divine right to correct scholars.
Who made you a Qadi?
If someone pronounces a word of disbelief then the case is brought
before a Qadi/Judge who asks the person if he realises the
ramifications of his words. If he does not recant then he is
imprisoned a scholar is brought to him to explain the issues and he
isgiven time to reconsider. Only when he does not after a given period
is the apostate killed. Just like if someone committed treachery to
the Crown who that person be killed ifconvicted. Now that we do not
have judges we have people who do their own vigilante style court in
which they apostate who they hate and give excuses to those they love!
So when one of their own imams commits apostasy on the pulpit because
he has tried to respect the Prophet (may Allah bestowpeace and
blessings upon him) by disrespecting the other Prophets. He is given
an excuse but when others do the same, then that person is attacked
and hounded. This happens in more instances than you can imagine.
We have misguided loyalties in that we think we are defending Islam
butinstead we are defending the politics of our group and not Islam at
all. We also think that everyone is astray except our group and we
claim to be Ahl-Sunna wa Jammah. Well, your group has only been around
for a hundred or so years, how can it just be you that are right? So
does that mean that there was no Ahl-Sunna until your group came? How
canthat be right? The Ahl-Sunna wa Jammah wasnot a specific group of
people from a certain place. Rather is it the corpus of rulings and
the followers of the scholars from the beginning of Islam until its
end. Those that fit into the four schools of Fiqh and the Ashari and
Maturdi schools of doctrine.
A popular singer once wrote love is blindness andit truly is when
people are not willing to look at their own errors yet jump upon the
errors of others like lions after their prey. Our love has made us
blind andthis misleading others.
What do we do then?
Overlook, like we used to and we refer case or situations to scholars
who will correct scholars. When this is done then the scholar who
corrected him should not make the discussions public. They should
discuss the problemand come to a resolution then put the issue to bed.
...

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Quraishi Women Praised

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "How excellent are the
women of the tribe of Quraish! They are most affectionate towards
children and most efficient guardians of their husbands' homes."
[Bukhari]
Safeguard the home, property, goods and reputation of your husband.
After marriage consider your husband's home as your own and spend the
wealth of your husband wisely and economically. Your prestige is based
on your husband's prestige.
Shower your children with love and affection. Make your home a warm
and secure place for them.

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The Fourth Caliph, Ali (656-661 A.C.)

"You [Ali] are my brother in this world and the next." (Hadeeth)
Ali's Election
After Uthman's martyrdom, the office of the caliphate remained
unfilled for two or three days. Many people insisted that Ali should
take up the office, but hewas embarrassed by the fact that the people
who pressed him hardest were the rebels, and he therefore declined at
first. When the notable Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him)
urged him, however, he finally agreed.
Ali's Life
Ali bin Abi Talib was the first cousin of the Prophet (peace be on
him). More than that, he had grown up in the Prophet's own household,
later married his youngest daughter, Fatima, and remained in closest
association with him for nearly thirty years.
Ali was ten years old when the Divine Message came to Muhammad (peace
be on him). One night he saw the Prophet and his wife Khadijah bowing
and prostrating. He asked the Prophet about the meaning of their
actions. The Prophet told him that they were praying to God Most High
and that Ali too should accept Islam. Ali said thathe would first like
to ask his father about it. He spent a sleepless night, and in the
morning he went to the Prophetand said, "When God created meHe did not
consult my father, so why should I consult my father in order to serve
God?" and he accepted the truth of Muhammad's message.
When the Divine command came, "And warn thy nearest relatives"
[26:214], Muhammad (peace be on him) invited his relatives for a meal.
After it was finished, he addressed them andasked, "Who will join me
in the cause of God?" There was utter silence for a while, and then
Ali stood up. "I am the youngest of all present here," he said, "My
eyes trouble me because they are sore and my legs are thin and weak,
but I shall join you and help you in whatever way I can." The assembly
broke up in derisive laughter. But during thedifficult wars in Mecca,
Ali stood by these words and faced all the hardships to which the
Muslims were subjected. He slept in the bed of the Prophet when the
Quraish planned to murder Muhammad. It was he to whom the Prophet
entrusted, when he left Mecca, the valuables which had been given to
him for safekeeping, to be returned to their owners.
Apart from the expedition of Tabuk, Ali fought in all the early
battles of Islam with great distinction, particularly in the
expedition of Khaybar. It is said that in the Battle of Uhud he
received more than sixteen wounds.
The Prophet (peace be on him) loved Ali dearly and called him by many
fond names. Once the Prophet found him sleeping in the dust. He
brushed off Ali's clothes and said fondly, "Wake up, Abu Turab (Father
of Dust)." The Prophet also gave him the title of 'Asadullah' ('Lion
of God').
Ali's humility, austerity, piety, deep knowledge of the Qur'an and his
sagacity gave him great distinction among the Prophet's Companions.
Abu Bakr, 'Umar and Uthman consulted him frequently during their
caliphates. Many times 'Umar had made him his vice-regent at Medina
when he was away. Ali was also a great scholar of Arabic literature
and pioneered in the field of grammar and rhetoric. His speeches,
sermons and letters served for generations afterward as models of
literary expression. Many of his wise and epigrammatic sayings have
beenpreserved. Ali thus had a rich and versatile personality. In spite
of these attainments he remained a modest and humble man. Once during
his caliphate when he was going about the marketplace, a man stood up
in respect and followed him. "Do not do it," said Ali. "Such manners
are a temptation for a ruler and a disgrace for the ruled."
Ali and his household lived extremely simple and austere lives.
Sometimes they even wenthungry themselves because of Ali's great
generosity, and none who asked for help was ever turned away from his
door. His plain, austere style of living did not change even when he
was ruler over a vast domain.
Ali's Caliphate
As mentioned previously, Ali accepted the caliphate very reluctantly.
Uthman's murder and the events surrounding it were a symptom, and also
became a cause, of civil strife on a large scale. Ali felt that the
tragic situation was mainly due to inept governors. He therefore
dismissed all the governors whohad been appointed by Uthman and
appointed new ones. All the governors excepting Muawiya, the governor
of Syria, submitted to his orders. Muawiya declined to obey until
Uthman's blood was avenged. The Prophet's widow Aisha also took the
position that Ali should first bring the murderers to trial. Dueto the
chaotic conditions during the last days of Uthman it was very
difficult to establish the identity of the murderers, and Ali refused
to punish anyone whose guilt was not lawfully proved. Thus a battle
between the army of Ali and the supporters of Aisha took place. Aisha
later realized her error of judgment and never forgave herself for it.
The situation in Hijaz (thc part ofArabia in which Mecca and Medina
are located) became so troubled that Ali moved his capital to Iraq.
Muawiya now openly rebelled against Ali and a fierce battle was fought
between their armies. This battle was inconclusive, and Ali had to
accept the de facto government of Muawiya in Syria.
However, even though the era ofAli's caliphate was marred by civil
strife, he nevertheless introduced a number of reforms,particularly in
the levying and collecting of revenues.
It was the fortieth year of Hijra. A fanatical group called
Kharijites, consisting of people who had broken away from Ali due to
his compromise with Muawiya, claimed that neither Ali, the Caliph, nor
Muawiya, the ruler of Syria, nor Amr bin al-Aas,the ruler of Egypt,
were worthy of rule. In fact, they went so far as to say that the true
caliphate came to an end with 'Umar and that Muslims should live
withoutany ruler over them except God. They vowed to kill all three
rulers, and assassins were dispatched in three directions.
The assassins who were deputed to kill Muawiya and Amrdid not succeed
and were captured and executed, but Ibn-e-Muljim, the assassin who was
commissioned to kill Ali, accomplished his task. One morning when Ali
was absorbedin prayer in a mosque, Ibn-e-Muljim stabbed him with a
poisoned sword. On the 20th of Ramadan, 40 A.H., died the last of the
Rightly Guided Caliphs of Islam. May God Most High be pleased with
them and grant to them His eternal reward.

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History The Brindavan Gardens, a celebrated beauty spot in this part of India is world famous for its symmetric design. It is one of the most beautifully laid out terrace gardens in the world. Thecreation of this garden in the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam s

History
The Brindavan Gardens, a celebrated beauty spot in this part of India
is world famous for its symmetric design. It is one of the most
beautifully laid out terrace gardens in the world. Thecreation of this
garden in the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam site has been the achievement of
Sir MirzaIsmail, the then Dewan of the princely State of Mysore. The
beautification of the whole dam complex was conceived by Sir Mirza
Ismail. Modeled on the design of the Shalimar Gardens ofKashmir in the
Mughal style, the garden is enriched with a number of terraces,
parterres, fountains, running and cascadingwaterchannels, water
chutes, lush green lawns, flower beds, shrubs and trees. Today, the
Brindavan Gardens is world famous for its ethereal beauty, grandeur
and illumination/ musical fountain.
Located in the Krishnaraja Sagar dam site in Srirangapatna taluk of
Mandya district, the Brindavan Gardens is at a distance of 24 Km.from
the famous cultural heritage centre of Karnataka � the city of Mysore,
and 143 Km. from Bangalore, the capital city of Karnataka. The
Krishnaraja Sagar dam is built across the riverCauvery, one of the
principal rivers in South India. The Cauvery rises in the hills of
Brahmagiri � in Talacauvery, Kodagu District in the Western Ghats and
traverses Eastwards in Karnataka for about320 Km. before entering
Tamil Nadu and finally joining the Bay of Bengal. The dam is named
after Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV during whose rule the Chief Engineer, Sir
M. Vishveswaraya engineered the construction of the dam. The River
Cauvery belowthe giant dam divides the garden into two parts.
The Garden
The Brindavan Gardens, primarily a terrace garden is laid out
immediately behind the Krishnaraja Sagar dam site. The Department of
Horticulture in 1927 started the work of laying out this garden, then
called the Krishnarajendra Terrace Garden. Today, the garden extends
over an area of 60 acres and it is laid out in the three terraces,
which ends in a horseshoe shape. The slopes are planted with colourful
Bougainvilleas and ornamental plants. This garden is a public park and
it is one of the important tourist spots of India. The garden is
enriched with innumerable fountains decoratedwith coloured lighting.
The illuminated running waters and fountains with changing colours of
lights is an event that the tourists can look forward to in the
evenings. The garden has many open spaces, lawns, illuminated flower
beds and ornamental plants. It also has well laid out roads and
pathways.The Brindavan Gardens is the best-illuminated terrace garden
in India. The boating pond in the midst of the garden is a location
where the visitors can enjoy a boat ride. The whole garden when
illuminated is an enchanting site to see.
Fountain
The Musical and dancing fountain, is the main attraction of the
visitors. The water, coloured light and music are harmonized in the
fountain to create a water ballet controlled by an aquatic organ
operated through a controller. Water is pumped to the fountain and the
operation is computerised. All the other fountains run due to the
water pressure from the dam. A laser vision has also been developed
for visitors� attraction The illumination timing is the same as that
for the garden. The musical and dancing fountain is located in the
North Brindavan Garden. A gallery and rain shelter are provided for
the viewers.

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* What are the situations in which a promise may be broken?

* What are the situations in which a promise may be broken?
-
We know that breaking promises is one of the attributes of the
hypocrites, but if a Muslim is unable to keephis promise for some
reason that is beyond hiscontrol, is he regarded as doing something
haraam and as having one of the attributes of the hypocrites, or is he
excused?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Undoubtedly keeping promises and keeping one's word are attributes of
the believers, and breaking promises is one of the attributes of the
hypocrites, as was narrated from 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "There are four (characteristics),whoever has them is
a hypocrite, and whoever has one of the four has acharacteristic of
hypocrisy unless he givesit up: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes
apromise he breaks it; what he makes a pledge he betrays it; and when
he disputes he resorts to foul language." Narratedby al-Bukhaari,
2327; Muslim, 58.
The believer who makes promises to people and breaks his promise may
have an excuse or he may not. If he has an excuse then there is no sin
on him, but if he does not have an excuse then he is a sinner.
There is no text – as far as we know – that makes any exception
regarding the prohibition of breaking promises, but it may be that
promises are broken in situations where the believer is excused. For
example:
A – Forgetting
Allaah has forgiven us for forgetfulness whereby obligatory actions
are omitted or haraam actions are committed. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
And Allaah has said: "Yes." – Narrated by Muslim, 125, from the
hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. According to another version, He said:"I will
do that." Narratedby Muslim, 126, from the hadeeth of Ibn 'Abbaas.
Whoever makes a promise to someone then forgets the promiseor forgets
to do it at the time stated, there is no sin on him.
B – Being forced to break one's promise.
Being forced is one of the impediments that make it permissible for
aMuslim to break his promise, such as one who is detained or is
prevented from fulfillinghis promise, or who is threatened with a
painful punishment.
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas that the Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has forgiven my ummah for their
mistakes, what they forget and what they are forced to do."
Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 2045, and this hadeeth has many corroborating
reports; classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami',
1836.
C – A promise to do something haraam or not to do something obligatory.
Whoever promises someone that he will do something haraam for him, or
that he will not do something that is obligatory, it is not
permissible for him to fulfil that promise.
This may be supported by the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah – which is also
known as the hadeeth ofBareerah – which is narrated in al-Saheehayn.
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) had promised Bareerah's
former masters [?} that the wala' of Bareerah [the right to inherit
from her when she died – which is the right of the one who sets a
slave free – Translator] would belong to them even though 'Aa'ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her) was the one who was going to set
Bareerah free. But she did not keep this promise because they had gone
against the sharee'ah and they knew that the right of wala' belonged
to the one who set the slave free, so how could 'Aa'ishah set her free
and then the wala' of Bareerah belong to them?
Al-Shaafa'i said:
When news of that reached them, the one who had stipulated a condition
that was contrary to the ruling of Allaah and His Messengerwas a
sinner, and there are hudood punishments and discipline for the
sinner. One of the ways in which the sinners are disciplined is that
their conditions are rendered null and void so as to deter them and
others from doing likewise. This is one of the best forms of
discipline.
Ikhtilaaf al-Hadeeth, p. 165.
D – If something unforeseen happens to the one who made the promise,
such as sickness, the death of a relative or breakdown of his means of
transportation, etc.
There are many excuses, which all come under the heading of the verse
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
And Allaah knows best.

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Dhu al-Qa'dah (Dhul Qa'dah)

Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah) is the twelfth and final month in the
IslamicLunar Calendar, marking the end of the year. This is the last
sacred month in which fighting was forbidden. It is also known as
Zilhaj, Zulhijjah, Zul Hijjah.
Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah): Literally means 'Lord of the Pilgrimage'.
It is during this month in which the Hajj Pilgrimage takes place and
pilgrims from all around the world congregate at Makkah to visit the
Kaaba. The Hajj Pilgrimage is performed on the eighth, ninth and the
tenth of this month. Eid ul-Adha, the 'Festival of the Sacrifice' is
held onthe tenth day.
First ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah): Days of virtue and
righteous deeds
The sacred month of Dhu al-Hijjah (Dhul Hijjah) is one of the highly
blessed months. The pious and upright companions of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (saw) and their first generation followers used to spend this
month in prayers andsupplications, particularlythe first ten
noteworthy days which have also been distinguished in Glorious Qur'an.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) had said that supplications made in these
10 days get a positive reply from Allah (SWT).
Ibn Abbas says about the Ayah in Surah Al-Baqarah, "Remember Allah
during the well known days," (2:203) thatit refers to the first ten
days of Dhul Hijjah. [This is related by al-Bukhari]
Allah (SWT) swears an oath by them, and swearing an oath by something
is indicative of its importance and great benefit. Allah (SWT)says in
Glorious Qur'an:"By the dawn; by the ten nights" [Surah Al-Fajr,
89:1-2]. Ibn Abbas, Ibn al-Zubayr, Mujahid and others of the earlier
and later generations said that this refers to the firstten days of
Dhul Hijjah. Ibn Katheer said: "This is the correct opinion." [Tafseer
Ibn Katheer, 8/413]
Praise be to Allah (SWT) Who has created Time and has made some
timesbetter than others, some months and days and nights better than
others,when rewards are multiplied many times, asa mercy towards His
slaves. This encourages them to do more righteous deeds and makes them
more eager to worship Him, so that the Muslim renews his efforts to
gain a greater share of reward, prepare himself for death and supply
himself in readiness for the Day of Judgement.
This season of worship brings many benefits, such as the opportunity
to correct ones faults andmake up for any shortcomings or anything
that one might have missed. Every one ofthese special occasions
involves some kind of worship through which the slaves may draw closer
to Allah (SWT), and some kind of blessing though which Allah
(SWT)bestows His favour and mercy upon whomsoeverHe will. The happy
personis the one who makes themost of these special months, days and
hours and draws nearer to his Lord during these times through acts of
worship; he will most likely be touched by the blessing of Allah (SWT)
and will feel the joy of knowing that he is safe from the flames of
Hell. [Ibn Rajab, al-Lataaif, p.8]
1. Makkah at the center ofthe earth
2. Makkah during ProphetAbraham (pbuh)
3. Makkah during Qosai, great Grandfather of Holy Prophet Muhammad
(saw), year 157 before Hijrah .
4. Makkah during Quraish,year 12 before Hijrah.
5. Makkah during Omayied Era, year 91 Hijrah.
6. Makkah during Abbasied Era, year 310 Hijrah.
7. Makkah during Ottoman Empire, year 1215 Hijrah.
8. Makkah during King Fahd bin Abdul-Aziz, year 1412 Hijrah.
The approximate locationof a hundred countries inrelation to Kaaba.
They classified into three categories with respect to their proximity
to the Kaaba.

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The Guard Who FoundIslam

From the magazine issuedated Mar 30, 2009
Army specialist Terry Holdbrooks had been a guard at Guantanamo for
about six months the night he had his life-altering conversation with
detainee 590, a Moroccan also known as"the General." This was early
2004, about halfway through Holdbrooks's stint at Guantanamo with the
463rd Military Police Company. Until then, he'd spent most of his day
shifts just doing his duty. He'd escort prisoners to interrogations or
walk up and down the cellblock making sure they weren't passing notes.
But the midnight shifts were slow. "The only thing you really hadto do
was mop the center floor," he says. So Holdbrooks began spending part
of the night sitting cross-legged on the ground, talking to detainees
through the metal mesh of their cell doors.
He developed a strong relationship with the General, whose real name
is Ahmed Errachidi. Their late-night conversations led Holdbrooks to
be more skeptical about theprison, he says, and made him think harder
about his own life. Soon,Holdbrooks was ordering books on Arabic and
Islam. During an evening talk with Errachidi in early 2004, the
conversation turned to the shahada, the one-line statement of faith
that marks the single requirement for converting to Islam ("There is
no God but God and Muhammad is his prophet"). Holdbrooks pushed a pen
and an index card through the mesh, and asked Errachidi to write out
the shahada in English and transliterated Arabic. He then uttered the
words aloud and, there on the floor of Guantanamo's Camp Delta, became
a Muslim.

Junaid Baghdadi and Love for Allah

Once at the time of Hajj, there was a gathering inMecca of some
friends ofAllah; the youngest among whom was Junaid Baghdadi (ra). In
that gathering, there was a discussion on the subject of 'Love for
Allah'and as to who is the lover of Allah. Many of them expressed
their views on the subject, butJunaid (ra) kept quiet. He was pressed
to say something.
With his head bowed down and tears in his eyes, he said, "The lover of
Allah is he who forgets his own self, remains engaged in Allah's
remembrance with due regard to all itsrequirements; sees Allah with
the eyes of his heart, which is burnt by the heat of Allah's fear;
Allah's remembrance affects him like a cup of wine, he speaks the word
of Allah as if All-Mighty Allah speaks through his mouth; if he moves,
he does so underthe command of Allah; he gets peace of mind only
through the obedience of Allah; and when such a stage is reached, his
eating, drinking, sleeping, awakening and, in short,all his actions
are for thepleasure of Allah; he neither pays heed to the worldly
customs, nor does he attach any importance to unfriendly criticism by
people."

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