islamicfocus

Juma Port Elizabeth June 19, 2009

World News in Brief

May 2009

CHECHNYA - Gunmen killed three Russian soldiers, less than a week after Russia announced an end to a decade of military invasions there. Low scale fighting between Islamists and Russians continue in neighbouring Ingushetia and Dagestan as well. (BBC, Apr 22)

TURKEY - Attackers raided a wedding party in Bilge Koyu killing 44 people, including 16 women and six children. Kurdish rebels are fighting the government in the area. (BBC, May 5)

IRAQ - According to several studies of the US military, 30% of US military women are raped while serving, 71% are sexually assaulted, and 90% are sexually harassed. (BBC, Apr 17)

USA - UN law expert says Obama's decision not to prosecute CIA agents who used torture is a violation of international law. The US is bound under the UN Convention against Torture to prosecute those who engage in it. Bush-approved torture against Muslim ‘terror’ suspects included simulated drowning, week-long sleep deprivation, forced nudity, painful positions and walling, where a detainee is slammed repeatedly into false wall. In sleep deprivation a detainee is shackled standing up. This was used often, once for 180 hours. (BBC, Apr 19)

PALESTINE - World Bank report blames Jewish restrictions for severe water shortages in Palestinian areas. Palestinians get only a quarter of the water Jews have access to. The West Bank and Gaza are completely dependent on scarce resources controlled by Jews. In Gaza 150,000 Palestinians have no access to tap water at all. Several wells were destroyed during the Jewish offensive this year. Since then only three out of 80 trucks with spare parts and pipes for the water system have been allowed to enter Gaza. (BBC, Apr 20)

IRAQ - Five US soldiers killed by a suicide bomber in Mosul, an Islamist stronghold. (BBC, Apr 10)

SAUDI ARABIA - Car number plates which are seen as offensive in English when Arabic letters are given in the Latin alphabet, have been banned. New Saudi plates include three Arabic letters that are also shown in the Latin alphabet. The list is topped by ‘USA’ and includes ‘sex’. (BBC, Apr 12)

PAKISTAN - Pakistan has launched air strikes against Taleban bases in Buner less than 100km from the capital, Islamabad. Tens of thousands of people fled their homes in Lower Dir, another area with heavy fighting. A peace deal between government and Taliban allowed Islamic law to be adopted in large parts of Swat valley, which Taliban control. Taliban banned music in cars and started regular patrols. Taliban fighters are now moving to control neighbouring areas. (BBC, Apr 28)

BANGLADESH - Conservationists are amazed that 6,000 rare Irrawaddy dolphins have been found in Bangladeshi waters when they were thought to be endangered. (BBC, Apr 10)

PAKISTAN - Thousands filled the Red Musjid to listen to Moulana Abdul Aziz, released from jail after the Red Musjid siege of 2007. His brother, mother and son were among 1,000 Muslim girl and boy students killed by the Pakistan army. Dozens of security forces were also killed. Before the siege, burka-clad female students started a campaign to rid Islamabad of prostitution. Government demolished a children's library and female Darul Uloom, Jamia Hafsa, after the siege. The Musjid still has bullet holes. Islamabad has 500 Darul Ulooms. (BBC, Apr 17)

INDONESIA - A previously unknown population of orangutans numbering 1-2,000 has been found on the island of Borneo. The orangutan is one of the most endangered great apes. Much of the orangutan's tropical forest habitat in Indonesia and Malaysia has been cut down for timber extraction and to create palm oil plantations. (BBC, Apr 12)

PALESTINE - Jewish police shot dead a Palestinian motorist in occupied East Jerusalem who tried to run over officers guarding the demolition of a Palestinian civilian home. Jews say the demolition of homes of freedom fighters is a deterrent. Jerusalem is regarded as occupied territory under international law and Jews cannot demolish homes. (BBC, Apr 7)

PALESTINE - A UK group, Cricket for Change, arranged cricket matches between Arab and Jewish children. Arab schoolchildren from Hura were bussed to the Jewish settlement of Beersheva. This was the first time these Jewish children had played with Arab children and vice versa. (BBC, Apr 26)

SOMALIA - Somali vigilantes captured 12 armed pirates in two boats, as coastal communities begin to fight back against sea raiders. (BBC, Apr 28)

Mother, What Can I Give You?
On reaching the height of his career a man felt a duty to repay his mother for all she had done for him. He asked, ‘Mother, what can I give you to repay the sacrifices you made for me?’ Mother looked surprised and said, ‘Why think about it? It was my duty so I did it, you don't have to repay me. Even if you want to, there is no way a man can repay his mother.’

Discover Islam

In 1999 the Muslim Judicial Council opened a Department of Da’wah headed by Dr Abdullah Hakeem Quick. This led to the Discover Islam Centre (DIC) being established in 2005. DIC is a non-profit organisation.

Money Matters

Some teachings of Islam regarding money:

Contentment
Wealth is not in having vast riches, it is in contentment. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Loans
If anyone would like Allah to save him from the hardships of the Day of Resurrection, he should give more time to his debtor who is short of money, or remit his debt altogether. (Muslim)

Islam in the Comoros

98% of the 798,000 population in the Comoros, a group of 4 islands in the Indian Ocean, are Muslim. Most are of Arab-Swahili or Persian descent, but there are also people of Indian descent. The name Comoros is derived from the Arabic Qamar, meaning moon. Arabic is one of the official languages.

Tech Watch: Islamic Organizer

With technology being an integral part of many people’s lives, here’s one way of making the indispensable cellphone help organize your Islamic life:

Nokia has designed an Islamic Organizer program that works on Nokia S-60 3rd Edition cellphones. The program either comes pre-loaded or can be downloaded free.

Musjids of the World 13
The Musjid serves as the focal point of any Muslim community and is the most important structure to Muslims.

Koutoubia Musjid, Marrakech, Morocco. Built in the Almohad style. Minaret (69m high)

completed 1184-1199 and was a model for the minaret of the Giralda Musjid in Spain which influenced thousands of church towers in Spain and Eastern Europe. 6 rooms (one above the other) form the interior; leading around them is a ramp by which the Muazzin could ride up to the balcony.

Islam’s Bill of Rights

Islam defended human rights for male, female, young, old, irrespective of status, even the other creatures which inhabit earth, hundreds of years before the Magna Charta (1215) or the Declaration of Human Rights (1948). Here is a glimpse into some of the rights established and protected by Islam:

Human Rights
Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul (as legal retribution for murder) or for corruption (done) in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. (Qur’aan 5:32)

Web Guide May 2009
Enrich your web experience. Not all content on all sites Islamic-compliant. Consult Ulama.

www.abouttajweed.com/

Tajweed

http://anisulislam.com/
Musjid Anisul Islam, UK

www.mwinstitute.co.uk/

Muslim Welfare Institute

www.monthly-renaissance.com/

Renaissance Magazine

www.reciter.org/

Qiraat reciter

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It’s Your Call

The Qur’aan mentions that a salient feature of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and of those who follow him is to call people to Allah.

By and large, this duty is being carried out by only a handful of Muslims. We all need to add this to our job descriptions of being professionals, tradesmen, housewives and students.

Naan

Naan is a round flatbread made of white flour. It is a staple accompaniment to hot meals in Central and South Asia, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, northern India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and the surrounding region. It bears a resemblance to pita, but is softer in texture.

Encouragement

Parents, with their comments or attitude can have a negative influence on their children. Here are a few ways of positively encouraging them:
‘Mom! Dad! Look at what I did!’ Kids, their faces beaming with joy, running to their parents to show them ‘something special’ is an everyday occurrence. Sometimes parents immediately start finding fault. ‘Don't interrupt! I'm busy!’ they might say. Or they might criticize the treasure. The heartbroken child walks away maybe to give up ever trying to improve his drawing, writing, or school work.

Earning Dua

It is a trend that people ask the pious or their parents for Dua. This is good, but more effective is to earn the Dua of people by affecting their lives in some way.ServiceAbdullah Ibn Abbas radhiallahua ahuma used to stay close to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam as a young boy. He would run to fetch water for him when he wanted to make wudhu.

Leadership Qualities Part 3

With elections in South Africa just over, we continue from our main article in the last issue, examining qualities of a good leader as opposed to a ruler:

A leader derives his appeal from humility, a ruler appeals for superiority

In his first speech as Khalifah (leader) of the Muslims, Abu Bakr said: ‘I have been appointed as ruler over you although I am not the best among you. I have never sought this position nor has there ever been a desire in my heart to have this preference to anyone else… If I do right, you must help and obey me; if I go astray, set me right…’

Eagle and Crow

Once a man saw a crow whose wings were cut. He thought: ‘Poor thing, how is it going to survive? From where shall it get its food?’ Hardly a moment had passed when that person spotted an eagle carrying some prey in its beak. The eagle came closer, landed and fed the crow.

Winning Hearts

Ways from the Hadith on winning people’s hearts:

SMILE: It is the first arrow and the fastest of all. ‘Smiling at your brother's face is charity’. Sahaaba report they had never seen someone smile at other more then the Prophet . The Hadith says: ‘Do not ever waste your good deeds, even by meeting your brother with a frowning face.’