Ch 9: Inside the House

Leaving the auspicious and glowing meeting at the house of Ziad b.
Umar, Isabella took the road straight to her home which ran through
the Palace of Martyrs to Suqul Asafir. Isabella's house was just a few
paces away. The meeting had filled her with such joy that, unmindful
of everything around, she walked quietly and soberly with downcast
eyes. Half an hour later she reached home whereher mother was waiting
impatiently for her. On enquiry about the cause of her delay Isabella
named a friend of her's, at whose house she was delayed. On her
mother's order the dining table was set and she immediately sat down
and began to eat. Soon her father (the head priest) also arrived and
the night passed peacefully.
Early next morning the Muezzins called for the Fajr prayer from all
mosques of Cordova. Howpleasant is the sound andhow, in the salubrious
hour of morning, people were being roused for bowing and prostrating
for the Fajr prayer with the name of Allah. How enchanting is the
sound of Allah-o-Akbar, Allah-o-Akbar, (Allah is great, Allah is
great). Now the gongs of churches also began to toll. How jarring and
meaningless is the sound. Truly the condition of each community is
known from its rites. From mosques devotees beganto emerge. Labourers,
traders and cultivators took their respective ways to places of work,
markets and fields. The chirping of birds had somewhat subsided.
Hearing the call of prayerIsabella got out of her bed and went to the
library room of her houseand sitting at a table began to study a book.
Inthe meantime Peter and Michael also came there and Isabella stood up
andreceived them with respect. A little later Isabella's father also
came and took his seat inthe room and Isabella's mother was also
called in. Isabella was frightened at this unexpected, uncalled
andstrange gathering and suspected that these people had assembled
onher account and probably her association with Islam had come to
their knowledge . Colour went out of her face and her heart began to
throb quickly and so, taking theexcuse of thirst, she wentfor water to
another room.
The head priest, addressing Isabella's mother, Peter and Michael said:
Do you know what is the state ofIsabella and how is she trying to
humiliate and degrade us? It is to think about this matter that I have
given you the trouble to come over here.
Peter: Oh ! What is the matter!
Head Priest: It is all very serious. I have been hearing for some time
that Isabella has given upChristian creed and has secretly embraced
Islam.
Helena (Isabella's mother): Fie, fie ! What are you talking? Jesus
Christ may never do it. What is the matter that you are so enraged
todaythat, without any reason,you have made my daughter a Muslim ?
Head Priest: What I am saying is quite true. If nottoday, you will
learn it a few days after.
Peter: Holy father, you have said something strange. Isabella is a
very good girl. She has studied theology. She is not ignorant as to
accept the bloody religion of Islam.
Helena: Well, I am just calling the girl. I do not know what caused
this suspicion in you.
So saying Helena went to the room where Isabella was sitting horrified
in a corner. Helena at once caught the hand of Isabella and said to
her: Listen, daughter, your father calls you. Isabella who had
realised the situation rose up and followed her mother to the large
room and presented herself to the head priest.
Isabella's father beckoned to Michael and asked him to talk to her.
Michael: Daughter, we have heard that you haverevolted from
Christianity. Is it true? If anyone has given wrong report about you,
you may refute it.
Isabella heard this and kept quiet and, lowering her eyes, began to
weep. Warm tears began to drop on her rosy cheeks.
Helena: Just see. Did not I tell you that someone hasfalsely accused
my daughter. What refutation could she give!Her tears speak that the
allegation of her revolt from Christianity is quite false.
Head Priest: You just keepquiet for a while and let Isabella herself
reply. Yes,daughter, tell me what is this report about you?
Isabella continued to remain silent with bowed head. But on persistent
questioning from Peter and Michael she was compelled to open her lips.
Isabella: I have not yet accepted Islam but continue to remain Christian.
Michael: If you have not yet accepted Islam, do you intend to accept
it in future?
Isabella: Why do you ask me about future? I can put the same question to you.
Michael: Then tell me what is your opinion about Islam?
Isabella: I do not abuse Islam like others for in the Muslim sacred
Books Christ is praised and Muslims speak well of him.
Michael: Then you love Islam and Muslims?
Isabella: You may call it love or anything else. Anyway I am not
ungrateful. If Muslims respect our Christ, then I also must respect
their Prophet and their Sacred Book.
Peter: So it is clear now that in your heart you have become a Muslim,
otherwise you would nothave so praised Islam andMuslims. But now tell
me what do you think about the religion you have been believing, that
is Christianity.
Isabella: I have faith in the Bible and all revealedbooks, but I do
not accept the flaws which later Christians have introduced in
religion.
Head Priest (addressing Michael, Peter and Isabella's mother): Now you
have known her ideas. There is no other remedy to it except the sword.
Peter: Please give me time. I will explain to her and she will surely
be reformed. I will remove her misunderstandings. Anyway, she has
studied books on theology.
Head Priest: Well, you may try and see, otherwise I will think of some
other remedy for her.
After this talk the meeting dispersed and the head priest, taking
Peter and Michael with him, left for the great church as there was a
large crowd of Christians of Spain to see the relics (bones, etc.) of
Prophets and the head priest. Theyhad come from long distances to
participate in the ceremony and the head priest had gone to bless
thousands of Christians.
The priests having left, Isabella went to her room and silently
thought about her future. She was now convinced that she was sure to
be put to torture and she will have to face severe trials. Yet she
found her mind at ease and heart strong and prepared to meet all
troubles.
She took out a paper from her table and wrotea letter to her friend
Mirano (daughter of Priest Michael) to the following effect:
"My dear sister!
"Last night at nine I attended the meeting of Muslim divines at which
my spiritual father Umar Lahmi and other divines were present. How can
I describe its atmosphere, my sister ! A wonderful spiritual assembly
it was. My participation in it greatly fortified my heart. I wish you
were also present there. I have made a promise with their spiritual
leader Ziadb. Umar to take you with me tomorrow or day after to them.
A strange thing happened today. It appears that I am going to be put
to trial. Pray that God may keep me ever on the right path. It so
happened that my father got some information about me that I have
embraced Islam and so he called your father [Michael] andPeter to his
house and many questions were asked from me. Now, justfancy with my
father on one side and Michael andPeter on the other, in what
difficult position I was placed. But I also gave them stunning
replies. Now, Peter has given promise to my father that he will make
me understand. If any such occasion comes you must also be present
along with other three friends . Other details I will give you
verbally.
"Your sister, Isabella."
After finishing the letter she called her maidservant and told herto
go to Mirano and bring from her a book. She also gave her the letter
which, she said, was lying with her for some time and asked her to
deliver it to Mirano. The maid-servant did as she was ordered and,
going to Michael's house,gave the letter to Mirano,who immediately
openedand read it and said to the maid-servant that shewill herself
bring the book in the evening.
Isabella and her other friends met together in the evening in the same
garden in which Isabella had first heard the talk ofUmar Lahmi. She
informed her friends all that had happened and consulted them. It was
also decided that next evening they should all go to attend the
meeting of Ziad b. Umar and also inform him of everything. After
enjoying the evening walk of the garden all the girls left for their
respective homes.
Isabella – A girl of Islamic Spain

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Eid al-Adha and its connection with Hajj

The relationship betweenEid al-Adha and Hajj is a hotly-debated issue
among Muslims all over the world. A small minority of Muslims argue
that Eid al-Adha must be celebrated a day after the Wuquf of Arafah in
an attempt to centralize Islam and dictate the Islamic calendar from
Makkah. The majority argue that Eid al-Adha is not linked to the Day
of Arafah or rituals of Hajj but is a separate Islamic event.
Therefore Eid al-Adha must be observed in accordance with local moon
sighting. Here is the simple evidence to support the majority view of
the Ahl Sunna.
1. When Eid al-Adha and Hajj were initiated.
The Prophet (PBUH) initiated the two Eids after observing that the
inhabitants of Madinah celebrated their two local festivals. He
introduced the two Eids as the alternative Islamic festivals. The
Hadith recorded by Abu Daud reports:
"Anas ibn Malik reports that the Prophet came to Madina and saw they
hadtwo days of festivity. He asked, 'What are these two days?' They
said, 'Weused to celebrate these days in Jahiliyya. The Prophet (PBUH)
said, 'Allah has replaced them with better two days: theday of Fitr
and the day ofAdha."
There are some reports that the Prophet (PBUH) offered the first Eid
prayer at Madinah in the first year of migration. The more authentic
and widely accepted report, on the other hand, indicates that the
first Eidprayer was observed in the second year of the Hijrah.
Hajj, on the other hand, was made obligatory in the ninth year of
Hijrah. The Prophet sent Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as
the head of the Hajj convoy in this year . If Wuquf of Arafah (Hajj)
and Eid al-Adha were so closely intertwined then they would have been
ordained by Allah and the Prophet simultaneously.
2. Hajj Date Confirmation
The Prophet (PBUH) connected Eid al-Fitr withthe completion of the
month of Ramadan, namely the first day of Shawwal. Eid al-Adha was
connected with the 10th of Zil-Hajjah. There is no report that the
Prophet (PBUH) ever triedto find out the day of Hajj or Arafah during
his stay in Madinah in an effort to make Eid al-Adha coincide with day
of Arafah or Hajj.
During the time of the Prophet (PBUH) it was possible to travel
between Makkah and Medinah with ease within ten days. The Prophet
(PBUH) never dispatched anybody to find out exactly when was the day
of Arafah so as to connect the Eid with Arafah. It was quite possible
for him to find out when the Moon of Zil-Hajjah was sighted in Makkah
as the Hajj was performed on the 10th ofZil-Hajjah. Ten days were
sufficient to establish theexact sighting date in Makkah. This
historical fact proves that the day of Arafah is not directly
connected with Eid al-Adha. Eid al-Adha is connected with the 10th of
Zil-Hajjah and not withthe observance of Hajj.
3. After Hajj became obligatory.
Even after the Hajj was made obligatory, Eid al-Adha remained an
independent institution. There is no report that the Prophet (PBUH)
madeany conscious effort to find out the Day of Arafah or to correlate
Eid al-Adha with the Day of Hajj or 10th of Zil-Hajjah in Makkah. Had
it been a significant religious issueto link the Adha with Hajjthen
the Prophet (PBUH) would have made efforts to search for the Day of
Arafah in Makkah. Instead he went with thelocal sighting of Madinah.
4. Practice of Muslims since the Prophet's (PBUH) time
The Muslim Ummah for the last fourteen centuries has been following
this tradition of separating the Adha from Hajj. History tells us that
no Caliph or scholar has ever tried to search for the Day of Arafah in
Makkah and connect Eid al-Adha with it. Actually doing so would have
been an unsurpassable challenge as Islam is spread across the world
and it would have causedundue hardships for the Ummah. That is why the
classical jurists have not worried about this issue at all. They seem
to be content with the local moon sighting and connecting Eid al-Adha
with the locally agreed upon 10th of Zil-Hajjah, rather than Makkan
10th of Zil-Hajjah.
5. Differences between those performing Hajj and those who are not
The scholars of Islamic Fiqh have clearly established a distinction
between the rules and rituals of the Hujjaj (pilgrims) and rules and
rituals for the non-Hujjaj.
For instance Mina is actually classed as part ofMakkah and falls
within its city limit. As such Eid al-Adha is Wajib (incumbent) upon
all those in Mina and yet no Hujjaj who is present in Mina on the
tenth of Dhul-Hijjah offers the Salah of Eid-ul-Adha. If Eid al-Adha
was the celebration of Hajj and was so closely linked then one would
expect the actual people who have performed this spiritual journey to
offer the Salah of Eid-ul-Adha -but they do not.
Furthermore, the sacrifice of Eid-ul-Adha is Wajib (incumbent) upon
all those who posses enough wealth to satisfy the least condition of
Nisab. However, such a sacrifice is not required by the Hujjaj in Mina
according to most Fuqaha (jurists). The sacrifice made by the Hujjaj
is not the result of them being Sahib-al-Nisab but rather by them
combining umrah with Hajj in the Hajj of Tamattu or Qiran. If the
Umrah is not combined with Hajj, then even this sacrifice is not
required.
Conclusion
Unity in the Ummah does not come from centralization. Hajj is the key
pillar of Islam and an event of great power and spirituality but this
isfor the Hujjaj (pilgrims) who are actually performing the Hajj in
Makkah and the surrounding areas. It is clear that no attempt wasbeen
made to directly intertwine Hajj and Eid al-adha in Islamic
history.Eid al-Adha should be marked on the locally agreed upon 10th
of Zil-Hajjah rather than Makkan 10th of Zil-Hajjah.

Eid al-Adha

" festival of sacrifice "), also called Feast of the Sacrifice , the
Major Festival , [ 1 ] the Greater Eid and Bakrid , [ 2 ] is an
important 3-day religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to
honour thewillingness of the prophet ʾIbrāhīm (Abraham) to sacrifice
his young first-born son Ismā'īl (Ishmael) a as an act of submission
to God's command and his son's acceptance to being sacrificed, before
God intervened to provide Abraham with a ram to sacrifice instead. [ 3
]
Eid al-Adha is the latter ofthe two Eid holidays , the former being
Eid al-Fitr . The basis for the Eid al-Adha comes from the 196th verse
of the 2nd sura of the Quran . [ 4 ] Theword "Eid" appears once in the
5th sura of the Quran, with the meaning"solemn festival". [ 5 ] The 3
days and 2 nights of Eidal-Adha are celebrated annually on the 10th,
11th and 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah , the twelfth andlast month of the
lunar Islamic calendar . [ 6 ] In the international Gregorian calendar
, the dates vary from year to year, drifting approximately 11 days
earlier each year.
Like Eid al-Fitr , Eid al-Adha begins with a Sunnah prayer of two
rakats followed by a sermon ( khuṭbah ). Eid al-Adha celebrations
startafter the descent of the Hajj from Mount Arafat , a hill east of
Mecca . Ritual observance of the holiday lasts until sunset of the
12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah. [ 7 ] Eid sacrifice may take place until
sunset on the 13th day. [ 8 ] The days of Eid have been singled out in
the Hadith as "days of remembrance". The days of Tashriq are from the
Fajr of the 9th of Dhul Hijjah up to the Asr of the 13th of Dhul
Hijjah (5 days and 4 nights). This equals 23 prayers: 5 on the
9th-12th, which equal 20

Eid al-Adha: The Festival of the Sacrifice

The Festival of the Sacrifice (Eid al-Adha) is one of two major
Islamic celebrations and takes place on the tenth day of the Islamic
month Dhul-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic calendar in which
millions of Muslims from around the world make an annual pilgrimage to
Makkah in order to worship Allah and to commemorate the willingness of
the Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) tosacrifice his son Ishmael in
response to a command from God. Satisfied with Abraham's devotion, God
replaced Ishmael with a sheep at the last second, and the sheep was
slaughtered instead. While pilgrims in Makkah re-enact this scene by
slaughtering sheep of their own,Muslims who can afford it in the rest
of the world also participatein this rite by slaughtering sheep,
camels and cows. One third of the meat is distributed to the poor, one
third to neighbors and relatives while one third is kept by the person
who offered the sacrifice for use within his or her own family.
India is home to approximately 150 million Muslims who celebrate the
Eid in the same way as their non-Indian brothersand sisters in faith.
It is a very happy time which is marked by special prayers, visits to
family and friends, gifts to children and, of course by food. For
manyfamilies, it may be one of the few times during the year that they
have the opportunity to enjoy meat, and only the best dishes are
served. The following are some recipes for Indian dishes which are
popular on Eid al-Adha: