Protective Jealousy is the Characteristic of the Noble

The Protective Jealousy of the Husband over his Wife
As stated previously, it was narrated that Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah said, "If
Iwere to see a man with my wife, I would strike him with a sword, and
not with the flat side of it." When the Messenger of Allaah heard
this, hesaid: "Are you surprised at Sa'd's jealousy over hishonor? By
Allaah, I am more jealous over my honor than he is over his,and Allaah
is more jealous than I am." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
It was narrated that when the rebels entered into the presence of
'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan his wife Naa'ilah, spread her hair out as she was
entreating the chivalry ofthe rebels. Thereupon 'Uthmaan shouted at
her, and said, "Cover yourself! By Allaah, death is easier for me than
the violation of the sanctity of your hair." Therefore, the husband's
protective jealousy over his wife motivates him to protect and
safeguard her from anything that might harm her honor or disrespect
her dignity.
The Protective Jealousy of the Wife over her Husband
One day the Prophet asked 'Aa'ishah : "Are you jealous?" She replied
in astonishment, "And how could someone like me not become jealous
over someone like you?" [Muslim] It was narrated on the authority of
Anas that he said,
While the Prophet wasin the house of one of hiswives, one of the
Mothersof the Believers sent a meal in a dish. The wife at whose house
the Prophet was, struck the hand of the servant, causing the dish to
fall and break. The Prophet gathered the broken pieces of the dish and
then started collecting the food on them which had been in the dish,
andsaid: "Your mother [my wife] felt jealous." Then he detained the
servant until an [unbroken] dish was brought from the wife at whose
house he was. He gave the unbroken dish to the wife whose dish had
been broken and kept the broken one at the house where it had been
broken. [Al-Bukhaari]
Incidents that Were Motivated by Manly Zeal
Narrating the events of the 286th Hirji year, Al-Haafith Ibn Katheer
quoted what was mentioned in Al-Muntathim,
From the wonders that occurred during that year, a woman sued her
husband before the judge of Ar-Rayy [a city inmodern day Iran]. She
claimed that she had 500 Dinars as her deferred portion of her dowry,
buther husband denied this. She managed to get proof to support her
plea. She was then told that she had to uncover her face in order to
makesure that she was the wife. When this was insisted upon, the
husband became jealous and said, "Do not uncover her face. She is
truthful in her claim." He confessed that her claim was true in order
to avoid other people seeing his wife's face. When the wife realized
what had happened and that he had confessed so that others would not
seeher face, she said: "I absolve him of the deferred portion of my
dowry in this world and in the Hereafter."
Al-Haafith As-Sam'aani added in Al-Ansaab, "Having admired their
jealousy, the judge said: 'This incident is to be added to the
historical record of noble manners.'"
Some historians mentioned the following incident as one of the good
deeds of Al-Hajjaaj ibn Yoosuf Ath-Thaqafi: Itwas narrated that a
Muslim woman was taken captive in India and she pleaded for the help
of Al-Hajjaaj, and said, "O Hajjaaj!" When the news reached him, he
replied, "At your call!" He spent seven million Dirhams to be able to
rescue her.
Then there is the story of a noble Muslim woman who was captured by
theRomans. The only relation between her andthe Caliph,
Al-Mu'tasim-billaah, was the brotherhood of Islam. When she was
tortured by the prince of 'Amooriyah, she cried for his help and
released a shout that was so huge that its echo was recorded in
history. She cried, "O Mu'tasim!" He received the news of her cry
while he was resting. He immediately responded, saying, "At your
call!" He mobilized ahuge army of Muslim soldiers, who set off
withhim. Each one of them was filled with pride and enthusiasm due to
the manly zeal over the honor of this woman. They defeated the enemies
and marched closer and closer to their country, breaking into their
fortresses until they reached 'Amooriyah and destroyed its fortresses.
They marched until they reached the captured woman and, thereupon,
Al-Mu'tasim said to her, "Iask you to testify before your great
grand-father, the Messenger of Allaah on the Day of Judgment that I
came to rescue you."
In the seventh century after Hijrah, disunity struck the Muslims such
that they became weak. Therefore, the crusaders conquered parts of
their countries and aspired forfurther occupation. They sought the
help of one group of Muslims against the other until they almost
conquered Egypt. The Fatimide ruler of Egypt during that time,
Al-'Aadhid lideen-illaah, thought to seek the help of the governor of
Ash-Shaam, Noor Ad-Deen Zinki, but how could he accept when theking of
Ash-Shaam himself did not recognizethe caliphate of the Fatimide ruler
in Egypt and denied the legitimacy of his governance and rule? He was
an affiliate to the caliphate of the Abbasids in Baghdad, who were
struggling with the Fatimides. Al-'Aadhid decided to use manly
zealover Muslim women and their honor in order to solve the problem:
He sent a message to Noor Ad-Deen Zinki seeking hisaid and accompanied
it with the most influential summons: the locks of hair of his
womenfolk in the caliphate in Cairo. This had a strong impact on Noor
Ad-Deens's heart. It aroused feelings of jealousy and chivalry in the
hearts of the soldiers of Ash-Shaam as well as its people. To rescue
Egypt from the crusaders, they sacrificed the best of their soldiers
under the leadership of Asad Ad-Deen Shirkooh and Yoosuf ibn Ayyoob
(Salaah Ad-Deen Al-'Ayyoobi). That was theinfluence that a lock of a
woman's hair had, whichchanged the course of history. This was
followed by the battle of Hitteen during which the sacred land
(Palestine) was cleansed from disgrace and the crusaders were forced
to leave.
While Muslims live by andenjoy these feelings of jealousy and manly
zeal in their societies, which elevates their ranks way above the
stars and raises them to the most sublime of ranks in virtueand
purity, the non-Muslim societies in the East and the West experience
the life of weak men (Dayyooths) and procurers, filth and impurities,
indecency and disgrace, humiliationand shame. Indeed, someanimals
would refuse to experience such a life: Some male animals get jealous
over their females, and in order to protect her, the male fights
others until the strongest one of them finally wins. How truthfulour
prominent scholars were when they said, "Every nation whose menhave
weak manly zeal, itswomen do not properly maintain their chastity."

The Quran and community

Virtually every human language has a word for 'community.' Howcould it
be otherwise when community is of the core essenceof the human
experience? We arecreatures of community. To live as part of one
fulfills the most natural inclination to society thatthrives in every
one of us. This is the reason that the notion of community—simple,
innate, intuitively understood—never didcall for much discussion. It
was that fundamental.
Not so since the cesarean birth ofthe modern, when man was untimely
ripped from his natural social womb and delivered disoriented into
moral distortion,unmanageable materialism, greed, injustice and
arrogance. This has steadily led us to a grossreverence of
individualism and a near total disregard for the common weal of man.
The result has been much more than the mere loss of an abstract
communal sense among us (and its attendant avalanche of ugly ills). We
have been forced to endure the degradation and, in some cases, the
complete destruction, of the most essentialhumanizing component in
life: The family.
Still, 'community' remains in wide use among all people. We invoke it
at every turn because it is deep in our Fitrah (the natural
predisposition upon which AllaahAlmighty created mankind), our
inherent tendency toward virtue. For community alone holds all earthly
hope for our shared happiness and brotherhood.
It is a strange thing that something as ancient as community—a given
for the pre-moderns, despite their technological and
informational"deficiencies"—has become a cause of primary challenge in
our time and at what price?
This points up another importantnote on community: The lack of proper
understanding of what community means. This is the chief reason it is
so hard today toestablish and maintain one.
In this, there is, indeed, a sign forour confused times. It exposes a
certain unawareness among our Muslim leadership, which has shown
itself at a loss for identifying the wellsprings of community, though
the Quran is utterly unambiguous about this.
The first thing about community in the Quran that rivets you is its
massive emphasis. Aside from the topics of faith and Tawheed, Ummah
(in its various forms) is the most widely mentioned concept in it. It
establishes community as the standard by which we are to understand
and reflect upon man. Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "O mankind,
indeed We have createdyou from a male and a female and made you
peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most
noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most righteous of you.
Indeed, Allaah is Knowing and Acquainted." [Quran 49:13]
This is the most essential form ofcommunity intended by God Almighty
for man—a single fellowship commanded to come together for the common
good on the basis of monotheism. The Quran grants that material means
may allow man gain in worldly matters. Yet only one criterion (God's
reverence and worship—which the Quran refers to as Taqwa ) forms the
basis upon which man is to be judged. This makes Taqwa , reverencing
only One God, the sole guidance worth living by. This is no mere
abstraction. So let there be no ambiguity about it. Taqwa is entirely
concrete.
If people find it difficult to grasp the rope of God Almighty by which
Taqwa is represented, let's be frank, it is wholly due to one failing:
The fact that establishing a community based on exclusive reverence
for God Almighty alone means that some men cannot be lords over
others. All are equal and must, therefore, render unto others what
they expect from them in return. That is the reasonwhy Taqwa is the
only logical criterion of a just community. It is a direct measure of
our willingness to believe in Allaah The Most High and obey His
commands.
Strikingly, the Quran tells us that the most important ingredient
inestablishing a community depends not on space, time, matter, or any
other "chance" trait or relationship in the world. It is a bond of the
human heart. The naked truth is no amount of human will or earthly
means can bring it about. It is purely and explicitly an act of Divine
Grace. Allaah Says (what means): "…And remember the favor of Allaah
upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together
and you became, by His favor, brothers…" [Quran 3:103] Thus, it is
Allah, and Allah alone, who brings the hearts of a community together
and binds them.
We need to appreciate that this isnot an act of pure destiny but also
a function of whether a people consciously chooses to internalize and
live by the sterlingstandard of Taqwa , namely this: God is God. Man
is Man. The First is to be worshiped. The latter is His servant,
serving all others at His divine pleasure.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Responsibilities of parents

Parents' responsibilities for the care and upbringing of their
children are mentioned in severalverses of the Quran, as well as in
the Hadeeth.
Allaah Almighty Says (what means ( : "O you who have believed, protect
yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and
stones… " [Quran 66:6]
How do we ward off that fire from our families? We need to show to
them the right way and to teach them the difference between right and
wrong. An excellent example of this is foundin the words of Luqmaan to
his son, related in the Quran, where he admonishes him:
1. Not to ascribe divine powers toanything other than Allaah.
2. To be good and kind to parents.
3. To obey parents unless they command what is wrong.
4. To understand that all our deeds, however minor, are recorded and
will be brought to light.
5. To be constant in prayer.
6. To enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.
7. To bear what befalls him with patience.
8. To avoid pride, arrogance and boastfulness.
9. To be modest in manner and speech.
This is a model example of parental responsibility and advice. Luqmaan
guides his own son on the path to paradise with simple but memorable
words.
Children are a trust given to the parents. Parents will be held
accountable for this trust on the Day of Judgment. Parents are
essentially responsible for the moral, ethical and the basic and
essential religious teachings of their children.
If parents fulfill this responsibility, they will be free of the
consequences on the Day of Judgment. The children will become better
citizens and a pleasure to the eyes of their parents, first in this
life, and in the Hereafter.
Allaah, Almighty Says (what means): "And those who believedand whose
descendants followedthem in faith – We will join with them their
descendants, and We will not deprive them of anythingof their deeds.
Every person, for what he earned, is retained... " [Quran 52:21]
This parental responsibility belongs not only to the father. The
Prophet is reported to have said: "Take care! Each of you is a
shepherd and each of you shall be asked concerning his flock; a leader
is a shepherd of hispeople, and he shall be asked concerning his
flock; and a man isa shepherd of the people of his house, and he shall
be asked concerning his flock; and a woman is a shepherd of the house
of her husband and over their children, and she shall be asked
concerning them." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Indeed the mother's role may be even greater: while the children are
young they are very close to her and dependent upon her, andthey spend
more time with her than with anyone else. There is an Arabic saying:
"The mother is the first school" . She may be a good school, an
indifferent or even a bad school. She may even be unaware that she is
serving asa role model in her behavior, and her attitudes. Every
mother should be conscious of her role and do her best to make it
beneficial for the development of her children as they set out on the
journey of life.
Parental care and guidance are fundamental to child upbringing. Some
parents nowadays become so preoccupied with their jobs or with making
money or with theirsocial lives that children are oftenneglected. They
may be ignored or left for hours with the television or computer or
they may be sent to day-care centers at a very early age to be cared
for in groups by other people.
The parents' right to respect from their children is dependent upon
the children's right to loving care and guidance of their parents.
It is related that a man once came to 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, the
second Khaleefah (Caliph) of Islam complaining of his sons'
disobedience to him. 'Umar summoned the boy and spoke of his
disobedience to his father andhis neglect of his rights. The boy
replied: "O Ameer al-Mu'mineen (Prince of believers)! Hasn't a child
rights over his father?"
"Certainly", replied 'Umar.
"What are they, Ameer al-Mu'mineen?"
"That he should choose his mother, give him a good name and teach him
the Book (the Quran)."
"O Ameer al-Mu'mineen! My fatherdid nothing of this. My mother was a
Magian (fire worshipper). He gave me the name of Julalaan (meaning
dung beetle or scarab) and he did not teach me a single letter of the
Quran."
Turning to the father, 'Umar said: "You have come to me to complain
about the disobedienceof your son. You have failed in your duty to him
before he has failed in his duty to you; you havedone wrong to him
before he haswronged you."
Education and bringing up in Islam
Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "This day I have perfected for you
your religion and completed My favor upon youand have approved for you
Islam as religion... " [Quran 5: 3]
Education is the process by whichchildren are nurtured as they grow up
to develop the Islamic worldview and the Islamic virtues.
Education means to look after, tonurture, to nourish, to help growand
flourish. It implies certain sensitivity towards the child under your
care, his emotional and physical needs and capacities. It implies the
ability toinspire confidence. It implies the courage to allow and
promote creativity and innovation. It implies the ability to trust and
not to stifle, to be firm when needed and even to impose sanctions
when necessary.
The starting point for education is the example of parents. Small
children take their parents as models. If parents are lazy and
careless, the children will also take laziness and carelessness as
normal. If they tell lies, children will regard lying as normal and
acceptable. The same applies to smoking, drinking, rude manners,
swearing and all other bad habits. There is no way parents can
motivate their children to practice the Islamic virtues if they
themselves do not respect the values and try to practice them also. As
children grow up, they will only perceive the inconsistency or even
hypocrisy in their parents' approach.
It is important not to crush a child's spirit and joy about life by
terrorizing him/her, whether physically or psychologically. Children
must play. It is the way they learn, and is not in itself something
bad. Parents should give the child opportunities to play and to
experience the excitement of exploration, of learning and of growing
up.
At the same time, parents shouldteach children Islamic manners and
etiquette in accordance with the beautiful example of the Prophet .
Such habits include truthfulness and honesty, gentleness, politeness,
consideration for others, helpfulness, cleanliness and tidiness.
They also include:
1. Time management and doing things at the right time.
2. Physical exercise for fitness.
3. Mental exercise and developingan appetite for knowledge,
understanding and skills.
4. Learning to read and recite the Quran from an early age when the
child's memory finds it easy.
5. Development of regular performance of Prayer between the ages of 7 and 10.
6. Taking on responsibilities in the family.
7. Taking on responsibilities in the wider community as children grow up.
Above all, correct education should ensure that children develop a
love for Islam, a love for Allaah and His Prophet and that they
develop a feeling ofpride in being Muslim and willingness to strive
for the good of others. They need to realize the benefits of Islam,
the foundations on which it is based and their need for Islam. They
need to value Islam and live by Islamic values.
It is the responsibility of the parents to experiment with various
ways of achieving those goals.
Islamic education and Muslim schools
If parents are to get the best results for their children in Muslim
schools, they must know what the Muslim school is trying to do.
Parents need to understand that while the schoolbasically may be
following a National Curriculum (which in some countries may be
compulsory), the teaching approach is expected to be holistic.
Therefore it is not just a matter of teaching Islamic Studies, Quran
and Arabic under the same roof as Arts and Sciences, but of developing
an integrated Islamic perspective onall forms of knowledge right
across the curriculum. At the same time, the school is trying
tocultivate good attitudes, behaviorand manners in accordance with the
teachings of Islam.
'Aishah is reported to have said of the Prophet that: "His behavior
was the Quran (in practice)". [Ahmad] To take the Prophet as a
"beautiful example" means not just to imitate his outward actions or
practices but also to base our own motivation and actions on the Quran
as he did, in a way thatis appropriate to the place and time in which
we happen to live.
The approach of a modern Muslim School, which may be located in a
modern "secular" or non-Islamic type of environment, cannot be like
that of Islamic education of the recent past, when teaching relied
much on repetition and memorization anduncritical acceptance of the
teachers' word. The Islamic teaching must relate with the society in
which the pupils live, with the state of modern knowledge and with the
beliefs of other people (probably the majority) in the country where
the school is located. If Muslim children are to grow up as witnesses
to the truth in a non-Muslim society, they need to understand that
society and to develop an objective and critical approach, so that
they can appreciate whatever is good in it,avoid its evils and reach
out to the non-Muslims, presenting the truths of Islam in a way they
can understand Islam and relate to it.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
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Does not being allowed to give the adhaan over loudspeakers mean that the ritual of the adhaan is not being established?

If the Muslims are prevented from giving the adhaan over loudspeakers,
is this considered as being unable to manifest the symbols of Islam
and are they therefore obliged to migrate (make hijrah)and not remain
in that land?
Praise be to Allaah.
We put this question to Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen (may Allaah
preserve him), and he answered as follows:
This is not regarded as coming under that heading, because the use of
loudspeakers is a new thing. They can still give the adhaan with their
own voices and establish the symbols of their religion. And
Allaahknows best.And Allah knows best.