What Is in a Number?

A quiet revolution is takingplace in the Arabic language; it is fast
losing the character set used to represent numbers. Arabs gave the
Arabic numerals to the world, thereby making the tremendous advances
in mathematics and science possible. But today they are giving themup
in favor of the Europeanones.
The Arab contribution was the symbols for numbers one through nine,
the concept of and the symbol for zero, and the idea of the place
value of numbersthat made it possible to write all numbers, no matter
how big or small, using these ten symbols alone. All of these remain
valid today and are the essential elements of the Arabic numbering
system. However the symbols themselves changed upon their arrival in
Europe. While the European numerals are Arabic in theirgenesis, their
shapes are not the same as those of the Arabic numerals that have been
used for centuries in the Arabic world.
First it was the newspapers, magazines, and web sites. Then textbooks.
And now even the religious books --- the last refuge of the historic
numerals --- are slowly giving way to the European onslaught. There
are notable exceptions but the general trend is very clear.
The same is true of Urdu. Its numerals, which are thesame as the
Arabic ones (with the exception of 4 and 7), have rapidly joined the
endangered species list.Today they are absent from all printed matter
in mass circulation. In religious books one finds a hodgepodge of the
Urdu and European symbols sitting uneasily next to each other,
symbolizing the confusion of the writers or publishers.
While Farsi is holding its ground better than either Arabic or Urdu,
signs of change are visible there as well.
The computers and the Internet, with their built in bias in favor of
English at the current state of their evolution, have a lot to do with
this cultural sea change. But there is also a misconception that the
European numerals are actually Arabic or that this is a change for the
better or at least that it does not matter.
In 1403 AH, the organization of senior ulama in Saudi Arabia, in
its21st congress (Riyadh, 17-28 Rabiul Akhir 1403) reviewed the then
emerging trend and passeda resolution addressing these misgivings. It
declared that changing Arabic numerals to the prevalent European ones
inArabic was not right. Among the reasons it cited were the following:
1. The claim that the presently used European numerals are the real
Arabic ones is neither well known nor true. Centuries of use give
legitimacy and authenticity to the Arabic symbols that are now being
replaced.
2. The change will have ill consequences as it is a stepin the
direction of Westernization of the Islamic society.
3. It is a reflection of the blind following of the West.
4. The Arabic numerals have been used in all written works for
centuries. If they are now replaced, it will handicap the new
generation in benefiting from this great treasure, and cut it off
fromits history.
A year later (1404 AH) the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Makkah reviewed the
issue and issued a fatwa fully supporting the resolution of the ulama.
It declared it impermissible to use the European symbols while writing
Arabic and warned about very serious consequences of this move.
Today the fears expressed by the Islamic Fiqh Academy can be seen in
stark reality. In Pakistan, people are not only using the new symbols
for writing, they are increasingly using English when expressing
numbers in words in everyday usage. (Example: "Yeh Jora aap ko four
seventy five main laga donga."). This Urdish language now evolving is
a seriously handicapped language thatcannot count, do math, express
colors, name an organization, or discuss politics, business or culture
without resorting to English. The resulting chaoshas not improved
their command of English, but it has seriously endangered their
language, culture, andcivilization.
A similar fate may await Arabic if steps are not taken to reverse the
trend. Writers and publishers in Urdu and Arabic need to pause,
reflect, and stop thismad rush into numerical disaster. Twenty years
laterthe call of the Islamic Fiqh Academy remains as relevant as ever.
And even more urgent.

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2b. Oh Travelers to the Haram!

2b.
3. Praying forty salats with congregation in the two Harams is a very
virtuous act, but it is not obligatory. Those who are far from the
Haram orare sick or weak should not tire themselves hoping to achieve
this blessing.
4. If a king commands someone in his court to ask him for something,
asking him for lowly things is disrespectful. So,ask Him for
forgiveness and His pleasure. Along with that also ask Him foryour
worldly needs, because that is too His command; had it not been His
command, it would have been disrespectful.
5. It is not obligatory on those who are residing far from the Haram
to offer every salat with congregation in the Haram. Rather, they
should pray in a mosque close to their place of residence and plan
according to their convenience.
6. Abstain to the utmost from hurting other servants of Allah. Doing
so is a greater act of worship.
7. While living in Makkah, the most meritorious act of worship is
Tawaf, so do as many Tawafs as possible.
May you enjoy being the guests of Allah and return to your homes with
His pleasure and forgiveness. Amin. If you can rememberthen please do
a favor by making dua for the forgiveness of this helpless servant./

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2a. Oh Travelers to the Haram!

2a.
Neither will I mentionits rites and rulings, because you can get all
of this from books and training sessions for Hajj. Rather I want to
point out something else.
You are going to the great Court of the King of kings. When a person
is a guest of a king then he learns themanners of the court long
before he goes there. Then when he reaches there, he monitors every
deed of his making sure that it does not result in disrespect.
Oh travelers to the Haram! I wish to share with you anextremely
beneficial recipe-one that you will neither find in books nor
inlectures. I know that pilgrims are subject to numerous difficulties
and hardships. In this journey, there are many trying moments, no,
rather many trying hours and days. Sometimes there is the immigration
obstacle. There are the difficulties in finding lodging and in getting
to the Haram. There are the hardships encountered in Tawaf and Sa'ee.
But, my brothers! To achieve any big goal, you must undertake
hardships. Those who are mentally prepared for this are the successful
ones.
The recipe that I am presenting is called"tafweed", which means
entrusting your matters, i.e. entrusting your intentions and desires
to Allah. The opposite of this is "tajweez" which means relying on
your own plans and actions.
Tajweez is the root of all of our worries in our normal course of
affairs and especially during the journey to Hajj. On the other hand,
tafweed resultsin complete contentment. The person who in his
difficulties leaves matters into the hands of Allah finds that Allah
shows him ways out of his difficulties. When you reach the court of
the King, then entrust your matters to the King. If he makes you sleep
on the floor, then sleep happily onthe floor. And if he makes you sit
on the throne then sit on the throne remembering that you are in the
court of the King. He has invited you here to honor you.
Never lose sight of the trueBeloved for even a blink of the eye
Lest the king glance at you with mercy and you be unaware.
Many people return from Hajj and tell stories about the unmannerly
behavior of the people there and magnify the difficulties they
encountered there. One time I received a letterfrom an old man who
said that: while you give peoplegood tidings of Jannah, I went to Hajj
but found no trace of the fear of God in the people therein. Then the
man mentioned his difficulties in such words and talked about other
pilgrims and the Saudi people in such a way that I felt sorrow over
the way he mentioned this.
We are not going there to have a picnic. When millions of people
gather ina city of three or four hundred thousand, then due to the
crowd there willbe pushing and shoving. The paths will be narrow and
difficult. So undertake this journey as an ardent devotee. Whoever is
ardentin the love of someone finds enjoyment in the difficulties he
encounters on the way and contentment in these worries.
One time I went with my respected father Hazrat Mufti Muhammad Shafi
Rahmatullah alayhi for Umrah in Ramadan. We were sitting in the Haram
in front of the Rukn Yamani. The crowd was immense. People were
jumping our shoulders. OneSudanese man jumped my shoulder and his leg
hurt my neck. It slipped from my mouth, how rude thesepeople are! I
turned and saw that my father's face had changed color and there were
signs of anger. He stayed silent for a whileand then said: Would you
rather that these shoves strike another person who is sitting
somewhere else desperately wishing to be here and enduring them, but
could not get here? This was around 1974. Thisstatement of my father
changed my world completely. Now I wished to encounter more of
theseshoves.
Now some useful advice that Insha-Allah will be of benefit:
1. There are two types of actions during Hajj: wajibaat, obligatory
duties, which must be performed and Mustahibbat, virtuous actions that
are not required by Shariah. If you can do the Mustahibbat without
incurring sin then that is a favor of Allah, otherwise you do not need
to worry about them. For example, kissing the Black Stone has great
blessings. But ifin order to get this blessing you must push and shove
and fight or mix with women then this blessing is of no use. If you
sin in order to obtain that blessing than you have actually incurred a
loss.
2. Women coming into the rows of men disrupt boththeir salats and the
salat of their neighbors. Women should come early enough to the Haram
to pray in the women's sections. Otherwise, it is better for them to
pray in their residence.
:->

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2. Oh Travelers to the Haram!

2.
Originally published in Urdu in Daily Ummat Karachi on 12 December 2004
Oh guests of the Most Merciful! Oh fortunate ones! Oh travelers to the
Haram! Congratulations on being invited by the Lord of the worlds! Be
glad that He has invited you to His House! Not only that, but He has
given you the provisions for travel and lodging. And not only that,
but He has also filled your hearts with such love of Him and His House
that today you leave your homes, your cities, your countries and
embark on this journey solely for the pleasure of your Lord. Had this
desire not been there then you would have neverplanned to undertake
this journey.
How many a millionaire are there who travel throughout Switzerland,
England, America, and so on - who spend their children's vacations
over there - but never receive this invitation: Come, visit Our House!
Live in Our city! Act according to the Sunnats of Our beloved
servants! Run between the hills of Safa and Marwa justas a wife of a
prophet and a mother of a prophet did! We love this running of yours.
Hurl rocks against Satan just as Our Prophet Ibrahim (alayhi salam)
did! Perform sacrifice just as a loyal servant of Ours laid his son
and ran the knife over his throat because of Our Command! But we had
prohibited the knife from even scratching the throat. Our servant did
as he was told and the knife did as it was commanded (i.e. it did not
cut); both acted under our command. Those who claim to love Us - We
test them to see whether their claim is true.
Hazrat Thanwi Rahmatullahi alayhi has written that when Prophet
Ibrahim, alayhi salam, got tired running the knife, he said to the
knife: Why don't you cut? The knife responded: You have been commanded
to cut, and I have been ordered not to cut; do your job, I am doing
mine. Then a ram was sent from the heavens and the test was complete.
We were pleased with this act of Our friend - now you also imitate
him. We have provided you with animals - otherwise where would you
have wandered in search for animals? We have also provided their food
- otherwise where would you find food for them in this dry, arid land?
Now the animals are there,the knife is ready, just run the knife and
your work is done! Then, We will do Ourwork: We will accept this
sacrifice just as We accepted the sacrifice of Our friend and We will
endow you with such rewards as never could even occur to you in your
thoughts.
This is Our city and Our House. Come here as a devotee; if you are not
a devotee, then take on the appearance of a devotee! Be content in
whatever condition We keep you in. Here there are crowds of devotees.
You will be pushed and shoved; your hair will fill with dirt and dust,
and your feet will tirefrom walking. Be it pushingor shoving, dirt and
dust, or difficulties in Our alleys -Our devotees are proud of such
difficulties and consider them as the treasures of their lives.
Whoever thinks of these hardships and pains as calamities should not
come. He should stay at hishome. But those who comeas devotees - We
will wipe out their sins and return them to their homes as if they
were just born today. This is a bathing of bodies and souls rotten and
spoiled due to sins - washing these sins will require rubbing. Without
rubbing how is cleanliness obtained?
Oh travelers to the Haram! Hajj is no small blessing. This is a great
act of worship - very different from all the other forms of worship.
All sorts of outward and inward worships are combined in this. Money
is spent in the path of Allah and great effort is exerted; it is a
purification of the soul of the highest degree; it contains spiritual
exercises;there is patience and gratitude, love and ma'rifah . It is a
witnessing of the favors of the Almighty and of the acceptance of
duas. There is both outward and inward closeness. In a hadith,
Rasoolullah addressed those performing Hajj and Umrah- and today you
are his addressees:
Sayyidna Abu Hurairah Radi-Allahu anhu narrates that Rasoolullah said:
(translation) The travelers of Hajj and Umrah are Allah's special
guests; if they supplicate to Allah, Heaccepts their supplications and
if they seek forgiveness, He forgives them. (Hisn-e-Hasin, Ibn Majah
and Nasai)
Oh travelers to the Haram! Years of spiritual exercise and training
may not yield the benefits that can be obtained from this, if only we
understand them and have a will to seek them. Oh guests of Allah! I
will not discuss with you the merits of Hajj, because if you did not
know its merits than you would have never made this blessed intention
(to go to Hajj). Neither will I mentionits rites and rulings,
:->

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