Islamic Exhibition 07
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Archive for January, 2007
Islamic Exhibition 07
Wednesday, January 31st, 2007Muslim clerics emphasize Islam is religion of peace
Sunday, January 28th, 2007By EDD K. USMAN
Five top Muslim clerics or “muftis” in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) have reiterated that Islam, being a religion of peace, has nothing to do with terrorism as they asked those who link it with violence “to look deeply into its teachings…and peaceful message.”
The clerics, who head and serve as guardians of Darul Iftah (House of Opinion) in ARMM — three of them, Mufti Omar Pasigan (represented by Ustadz Esmael) of Maguindanao, Mufti Abdulwahab Tunggal of Basilan, and Mufti Abdulwahid Inju of Tawi-Tawi — stressed that “Islam is highly incompatible with violence in the wake of the continuing attempts to connect Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Allaihi Wassalam’s religion with terrorism. ”
Muslim clerics in the ARMM delivered the “khutbah” or sermon in mosques last Friday, Jan. 26, and will be read again in various mosques around the country, possibly in a simultaneous delivery.
The crafting of the “khutbah” was due to the unceasing linking of terrorism to Islam, which is also due to some misguided Muslims’ penchant for committing violence and justifying these un-Islamic acts as permissible.
ARMM muftis were also alarmed by a purported interview with slain bandit leader Khaddafy Janjalani, leader of the extremist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), where he said Islam’s prophet ordered the commission of kidnaping.
“Nothing is further from the truth,” Islamic religious leaders said. In the “khutbah” titled “Islam Condemns Terrorism,” the muftis said the phrase “Islamic terrorist” is a contradiction.
“Islam and terrorism should not even sit in the same sentence together. Islam has nothing to do with terrorism,” they said.
“Islam is, indeed, a religion spread all over the world, recognized and accepted by the world as a religion that always advocates peace, security, and harmony and has nothing to do with terrorism,” the Muslim clercis said.
“It is, therefore, high time for those who associate Islam with terrorism to look deeply into the teachings of Islam and peaceful message of Islam.”
The religious leaders lamented that in Western thought, Islam and terrorism have been closely tied together because of “people with ill agenda, who seek to discredit the good name of Islam, and who consider Islam as a threat to their global ambitions.”
Meanwhile, a Mindanao-based party-list said yesterday that President Arroyo’s pronouncements last Monday of the final days of terror in Mindanao undermines the real ‘‘peace’’ issues of the Bangsamoro people and the minorities of Mindanao.
“The portals leading to the end of what we were told as terror in our land would not greet the people of Mindanao and the entire archipelago until the root cause is understood and identified,” Deputy Secretary General of Suara Bangsamoro Party-list Zaynab Ampatuan said.
Ampatuan added that “it is becoming apparent that the Arroyo administration, as with its predecessors, is missing, once again, the point.”
“It’s as if the peace conflict in Mindanao is brought about by these ‘annihilated’ leaders of the Abu Sayyaff Group,” he said.
Ampatuan said that Mrs. Arroyo’s statements is subscribing to a very naive solution to a deeply rooted issue.
She also commented on attempts of the government to solve the peace conflict in Mindanao through “all-out war” campaigns, including joint military exercises with the United States.
“In these attempts, the government failed. The wars launched in Mindanao against so-called terrorists had only led to forced displacement of more civilian populace,” she said.
source: Manila Bulletin
Friday Khutbah (26 Jan 2007): The Day of Asyura and Its Lessons
Friday, January 26th, 2007The Day of Asyura and Its Lessons
Brothers,
I would like to call upon myself and my dear brothers, to instill in us taqwa to Allah s.w.t, by abiding all the He has commanded, by following Islam truthfully, and avoiding all that Allah has forbidden. And by doing all that, we pray to Allah that our taqwa will increase and be strengthened further, amen.
May brothers,
This Monday, the Day of Asyura will dawn upon us. Do we know what is the Day of Asyura? It is the tenth day of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.
The Day of Asyura is a day of historical significance. Many important events occurred on this day.
It was reported that Prophet Noah’s ark came ashore on Mount Judiy on the the Day of Asyura. It was reported also that Prophet Musa a.s was saved by Allah from Pharaoh on this day. And to remind them of this significant event and to glorify the Day of Asyura, the Jews fast on that day.
This tradition of glorifying the Day of Asyura was not limited among the Jews themselves. The Arabs before our Prophet’s time also glorified the Day of Asyura.
The Arabs used to change the Kaabah’s curtain on this day. They also fasted on the Day of Asyura. In a hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim, Rasulullah s.a.w wife, ‘Aisyah r.a said:
Which means: The Arabs used to fast on the Day of Asyura before the command to fast during Ramadan was revealed. They also will clothed the Kaabah on this day.
Brothers,
Is it proper for us to celebrate and glorify the Day of Asyura? To answer it, we must refer to Al-Quran and Sunnah.
Allah s.w.t says in surah At-Taubah, verse 36:
Which means: Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein, and fight against the idolaters collectively , as they fight against you collectively. But know that Allah is with those who are pious.
It is forbidden to go to war on these four sacred months. It is also encouraged for us to fast many days on these months. The Prophet s.a.w said in a hadith narrated by Ibn Majah:
Which means: Fast in those sacred months.
The four sacred months are Rejab, Zulkaedah, Zulhijjah dan Muharram. And the Day of Asyura occurs on the 10th day of Muharram.
With regards to the virtues of fasting on Day of Asyura, the Prophet s.a.w said in a hadith sahih narrated by Imam Muslim:
Which means: I hope that by fasting on the Day of Asyura, Allah will forgive last year’s sins.
This is reward that awaits those who fast with sincerity on the Day of Asyura. And it was reported in a hadith that before the fast in Ramadan was made obligatory, Rasulullah s.a.w told Muslims to fast on the Day of Asyura.
But fasting is encouraged not just on the Day of Asyura per se. In fact, it is also encouraged to fast on the first 10 days of Muharram, and on the 13, 14 dan 15 days Muharram. Allah s.w.t says in surah Al-Fajr, ayat 2:
Which means: And by the ten nights.
Some scholars of tafsir said that those 10 days belong to the first 10 days of Muharram.
Let us grasp this golden opportunity. We star the new year by showing servitude to Allah. And we hope by doing that, the rest of this year will see us getting closer to Allah.
Brothers,
The command to fast in the month of Ramadan was revealed by Allah on the second year of Hijrah. In the first year, the Prophet s.a.w command Muslims to fast on the Day of Asyura. This is supported be the following hadith narrated Bukhari and Muslim from Ibnu ‘Abbas r.a:
Which means: When the Prophet s.a.w reached Medina, he found that the Jews were fasted on the Day of Asyura. He asked them: What is the significance of this day that you all fast in it? They answered: “This is the day which Allah s.w.t saved Prophet Musa a.s and his people, and the day Allah drowned the Pharaoh and his army. So Prophet Musa a.s fasted on this day as a sign of gratefulness to Allah.†The Prophet s.a.w said again: “We have more rights on Prophet Musa a.s then you allâ€. So he fasted on the day of Asyura, and he commanded Muslims to do likewise.
In the hadith that I recited just now, it is clear that Rasulullah s.a.w did not feel shy to ask from other people about certain matter, event from the Jews. And the Prophet s.a.w did not shy from incorporating what is good in other community to Islam. There are two lessons that can be learned from.
First: We must push aside any feelings of embarrassment and shyness when we are studying and gleaning knowledge from other communities, regardless of race and religion.
Allah s.w.t gives knowledge to whomever He wishes, regardless of race and religion. So one community cannot look down on others. Each community has its own strength and weaknesses. WE learn from strength of other communities to lessen the weaknesses in our community. And if we do this, the racial gap can be minimized.
The second lesson is that we cannot be stingy from sharing knowledge to others, even though they are not of the same race or religion. The Jews themselves did not withhold information from our Prophet s.a.w on their reason for fasting on the Day of Asyura.
Thus, we are required to share with others, especially the non-Muslims, the beauty, purity and simplicity of Islam. This exchange of information will give rise to a worthwhile conclusion. The person either embraces Islam, or they will understand our religion, like we with theirs.
In the end, the community will live together harmoniously because the understanding between the different religions already existed.
These are the two lessons that can be learnt from the story on the Day of Asyura. We cannot shy away from asking for knowledge, and we must not refrain from sharing with others about Islam.
May Allah s.w.t accept our fast on the Day of Asyura, amen.
Friday Khutbah (26 Jan 2007): Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil: Combining The Foundation and the Methodology
Friday, January 26th, 2007All praise is due to Allah the Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allah to His Messenger Muhammad, his family and followers until the end of the World.
The foundation
In Islam enjoining good and forbidding evil is one of the duties of a Muslim. Allah said:
You [true believers in Islamic Monotheism, and real followers of Prophet Muhammad SAW and his Sunnah (legal ways, etc.)] are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden), and you believe in Allah. And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are Al-Fasiqun (disobedient to Allah – and rebellious against Allah’s Command).
Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful.
In his Tafsir, Ibn Kathir[2] said: Allah said, (Let there arise out of you a group of people) that calls to righteousness, enjoins all that is good and forbids evil in the manner Allah commanded, (And it is they who are the successful.) Ad-Dahhak[3] said, “They are a special group of the Companions and a special group of those after them, that is those who perform Jihad and the scholars.” The objective of this Ayah is that there should be a segment of this Muslim Ummah fulfilling this task, even though it is also an obligation on every member of this Ummah, each according to his ability Tafsir Ibn Kathir Vol 2 Page 232 (Darussalam English Translation)
This duty is so important such that neglecting on acting upon it is equated with the collective punishment of Allah upon the people, whether they are good or bad if those who are good amongst them neglect to implement it. Imam Bukhari collected a hadeeth narrated By Zainab bint Jahsh:
The Prophet got up from his sleep with a flushed red face and said, “None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. Woe to the Arabs, from the Great evil that is nearly approaching them. Today a gap has been made in the wall of Gog and Magog like this.” (Sufyan illustrated by this forming the number 90 or 100 with his fingers.) It was asked, “Shall we be destroyed though there are righteous people among us?” The Prophet said, “Yes, if evil increased.”
Vol 9, Book 88. Book of Afflictions and the end of the world. Hadeeth number 181[4]
And its fulfillment is connected to our safety:
O you who believe! Take care of your ownselves, [do righteous deeds, fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. If you follow the right guidance and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden) no hurt can come to you from those who are in error. The return of you all is to Allah, then He will inform you about (all) that which you used to do.
…and Allah will grant us power in the land:
Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) order for Iqamat-as-Salat. [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salat (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakat and they enjoin Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islam has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur'an as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allah rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures).
The methodology of enjoining good and forbidding evil is enshrined in a hadeeth collected by Imam Muslim:
It is narrated on the authority of Tariq b. Shihab: It was Marwan who initiated (the practice) of delivering khutbah (address) before the prayer on the ‘Id day. A man stood up and said: Prayer should precede khutbah. He (Marwan) remarked, This (practice) has been done away with. Upon this Abu Sa’id remarked: This man has performed (his duty) laid on him. I heard the Messenger of Allah as saying: He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith.
It is narrated on the authority ‘Abdullah b. Mas’ud that the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) observed: Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah towards his nation who had not among his people (his) disciples and companions who followed his ways and obeyed his command. Then there came after them their successors who said whatever they did not practise, and practised whatever they were not commanded to do. He who strove against them with his hand was a believer: he who strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and he who strove against them with his heart was a believer and beyond that there is no faith even to the extent of a mustard seed.
Sahih Muslim. Book 1. Faith. Hadith 0081.
It is done according to position and authority
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar had said, “I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, ‘All of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and the things under your care. The Imam (i.e. ruler) is the guardian of his subjects and is responsible for them and a man is the guardian of his family and is responsible for them. A woman is the guardian of her husband’s house and is responsible for it. A servant is the guardian of his master’s belongings and is responsible for them.’ I thought that he also said, ‘A man is the guardian of his father’s property and is responsible for it. All of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and the things under your care.”
Sahih Bukhari Vol 2, Book 13. Friday Prayer. Hadith 018
Implementing the Methodology with Wisdom
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is essentially inviting people to Allah. In this regard, Allah said in the Qur’an:
Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur’an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.
Surah/Chapter 016 – An-Nahl. Verse 125.
Implementing with wisdom means we must make sure according to the best of our abilities that when we enjoin good or forbid evil, the end result would be beneficial. In other words a greater good should be achieved or a greater evil is prevented.
There are many circumstances when we want to do good yet the result is harm. One example is praying the Tahajjud prayer but neglecting to pray the Fajr prayer due to exhaustion. One does not do the voluntary acts of worship in lieu of the Waajib. Because of this one does not pray the Sunnah prayer once the Iqaamah has been announced.
Likewise there are also circumtances where we want to avert harm yet the result is greater harm. To illustrate this point, we will mention the hadeeth narrated by Anas bin Malik in Sahih Muslim:
A Bedouin came and passed urine in one corner of the mosque. The people shouted at him but the Prophet stopped them till he finished urinating. The Prophet ordered them to spill a bucket of water over that place and they did so.
Vol 1 Book 4 Ablutions Hadeeth no. 234
Had the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam did not prevent the people from stopping the man from urinating, that man would have had splashed his urine all over the place, or in people’s clothings instead of confining it only to the place where he is urinating. Further, abruptly stopping the urination process could have other bad effects to a person’s health. Thus a greater harm was prevented by allowing some lesser harm to occur.
There is a Sunnah prayer called Istikhaara prayer. One is supposed to perform this prayer if he/she is going to decide on something.
Finally enjoining good and forbidding evil should be done for the sake of Allah alone. Further it should be done according to the way of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam.
We ask Allah that if we perform this obligation, we will be from those who are rewarded and be those whose scale of good deeds in the Judgment Day is heavy.
Narrated By ‘Amr bin Al-’As: That he heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “If a judge gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is correct (i.e. agrees with Allah and His Apostle’s verdict) he will receive a double reward, and if he gives a verdict according to the best of his knowledge and his verdict is wrong, (i.e. against that of Allah and His Apostle) even then he will get a reward.”
Summary Muslims are required to enjoin good and forbid evil. Its implementation and neglect are linked to our success and failure respectively. Its effectuation is done with wisdom and according to one’s authority. Finally it is Allah who grants success.
[1] All Qur’anic quotations are taken from islamsoft solutions. Downloadable free from http://www.islamtomorrow.com/
[2] A Great Scholar of Qur’an interpretation. http://www.tafsir.com/
[3] A Great Scholar amongst the early generations of Muslims.
[4] All Hadeeth quotations are taken from islamsoft solutions.
Source: albangsamori