\r\n
\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n| \r\n QURAN \r\n |
\r\n\r\nTranslation:\r\n
Surah al-Ma'idah (The Table)
\r\n Chapter 5: Verse 2
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \"And do not let your wrath \r\n against the people who have barred you from the Holy Mosque move you \r\n to commit undue transgression; rather help one another in acts of \r\n righteousness [birr] and piety [taqwa], \r\n and do not help one another in sin [ithm] \r\n and transgression ['udwaan]\" \r\n \r\n
@ Commentary @
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBackground
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAt the time of this revelation, the non-Muslims of Quraysh \r\n in Makkah had prevented the Muslims from visiting the Ka'bah, in the \r\n most sacred Mosque of Muslims. In fact, in violation of the ancient \r\n tradition of Arabia, they even deprived the Muslims of their right to \r\n make Pilgrimage [Hajj]. As a result, the Muslims of Madinah \r\n felt inclined to prevent the non-Muslim tribes from making their pilgrimage \r\n by not letting them pass along the routes to Makkah, which lay close \r\n to the Islamic domains, and to attack their trading caravans during \r\n the time of Pilgrimage.
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThrough these verses, however, God prevented Muslims \r\n from carrying out this plan, and commanded them not transgress their \r\n limits, avoid the sin, and instead help one another only in acts of \r\n Birr (righteousness) and Taqwa (God-Consciousness). \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMeaning of Birr and Taqwa
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAbu al-'Aaliyyah (may Allah be pleased with him) has said \r\n that 'doing Birr' involves doing that what has been ordered \r\n by Islam and finding peace in it, and 'observing Taqwa' \r\n involves staying away from what has been prohibited and being content \r\n with it. Imam al-Qurtubi quotes al-Mawaridi (may Allah be pleased \r\n with them both): \"Birr involves doing deeds that please people \r\n (through helping them), while Taqwa involves those acts that \r\n please Allah. Someone who combines the two, has achieved true salvation!\"
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBirr: Satisfaction of Your Heart
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, \r\n \"Birr (rightouesness) is what satisfies the heart and the \r\n soul. And Ithm (sin) is what pricks in your heart, even if people \r\n assure you of its lawfulness\" [al-Bukhari and \r\n Ahmad]. In another Hadith, he said, \"Birr \r\n is upright behavior and Ithm is that which bothers your heart, \r\n and you dislike that people should know about it.\" [Muslim \r\n and at-Tirmidhi]
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\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTrue Righteousness: Interaction with \r\n Society....and It Ain't Easy
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThe fact that Allah commands us to 'Help one another in \r\n Righteousness' naturally implies that Muslims must be involved in \r\n the affairs of the community, take care of each other's needs, invite \r\n others to goodness, and help them give up transgression. The Prophet \r\n (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was himself known for solving \r\n the issues and disputes of the community by giving his time, advice, \r\n wealth, love, and warning to his community, on various day-to-day, real \r\n life, family, religious, and social issues. And he knew it wasn't easy!
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNo wonder why he told us, \"A Believer who intermingles with the people and is patient \r\n over the inconveniences (caused by serving and helping them), is better \r\n rewarded than the one who does not intermingle with them and does not \r\n bear the difficulties with patience.\" [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah]. On the contrary, in \r\n the same verse Allah commands us \"do not help one another in Sin and \r\n Transgression\". Its application could be found in a Hadith as well, \r\n \"Whoever strove with an oppressor to help him, \r\n while he knew that the man is an oppressor, has exited the fold of Islam.\" \r\n [at-Tabarani]
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n [compiled from \"Tafsir Ishraq al-Ma'ani\", Vol III by Sayyid \r\n Iqbal Zaheer \r\n
\r\n and \"Towards Understanding the Quran\", Vol II by Sayyid Abul A'la Mawdudi] \r\n
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n
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| \r\n DEALING \r\n WITH TEENAGERS: TIPS FOR PARENTS \r\n |
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSeries continued from Issue #155
\r\nAlthough no two \r\n families have exactly the same situation, there \r\n are some general guidelines for dealing with \r\n Muslim teenagers that might be useful.
\r\n1- \r\n We should teach them from an early age about Allah, the Prophets, \r\n the Sahaba, and the great heroes of Islam:
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\r\n- \r\n
If we develop \r\n in them a love for Islam and provide them \r\n with righteous examples for their heroes, \r\n they will be much less likely to go astray. \r\n A person wants to be like his heroes. If \r\n he admires Prophet Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and \r\n Ali, he will try to follow their example. \r\n If he admires a rock star or a gang leader, \r\n he will want to be like them.\r\n- \r\n
If we inspire \r\n our children with good examples, when they \r\n are tempted to do wrong, they will, insha-Allah, \r\n remember these examples and remain steadfast. \r\n\r\n- \r\n
Although I \r\n was raised as a Christian and didn't embrace \r\n Islam until I was in my 20s, I was greatly \r\n influenced by the Biblical stories of Prophets \r\n like Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, and 'Isa (peace \r\n be upon them all). Although the Biblical \r\n stories were not in their pure form, they \r\n still inculcated in me a love and respect \r\n for the way of the Prophets.\r\n- \r\n
\r\nI fell into \r\n many of the temptations of youth but, al-hamdulillah, \r\n I always felt something within me holding \r\n me back from going too far. While many \r\n of my friends went headlong into a highly \r\n destructive way of life, I believe that \r\n my knowledge of, and affection for, the \r\n Prophets helped me to return to a better \r\n path.\r\n2- \r\n We should encourage our children to participate in wholesome Islamic, \r\n social, community, volunteering, and sports \r\n activities:
\r\n\r\n
\r\n- \r\n
\r\nBored teenagers \r\n are more likely to look for fun and excitement \r\n in the wrong place. \"Idle hands are the \r\n devil's workshop\", someone once said. If \r\n teenagers' lives are full of good and exciting \r\n things to do, they will not have the time \r\n or the desire to get involved in bad things.\r\n
\r\n[compiled from \"8 Tips for Dealing With Your Child's Teenage \r\n Years\"
\r\n
\r\n @ www.SoundVision.com]
| \r\n SHARIAH: THE \r\n WAY OF JUSTICE \r\n |
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nShari'ah is the Islamic \r\n Law: the final, perfected and universally-applicable form \r\n of the divinely revealed code of life and conduct for all \r\n humanity. This series seeks to inform and educate both Muslims \r\n and non-Muslims about the place of Shari'ah within Islam, \r\n its fundamental principles, objectives, and methodology for \r\n implementation in the day-to-day civic life of society. It \r\n will also aim to remove some of the misconceptions built around \r\n the various rulings in Shari'ah that distract from its main \r\n purpose - safeguarding human life, family, dignity, wealth, \r\n and intellect hence creating an environment that nurtures \r\n the soul!
\r\nSeries continued from Issue #155
\r\nPlace of The Individual in Shari'ah
\r\nThe overall scheme of the Shari'ah \r\n and its various specific provisions are largely determined \r\n by the way Islam resolves the perennial question of tension \r\n between the individual and society and the fundamental and \r\n crucial role it assigns to the family.
\r\nThe concept of the \r\n individual and the emphasis on his achievement is not the \r\n product of modern Western thought, as many people have tried \r\n to make the world believe. The individual has always been \r\n the cornerstone in Islam's total scheme and plan of justice, \r\n though in a way fundamentally different from the Western concept. \r\n His status and achievement neither depend upon nor can be \r\n measured by the standards of 'consumption'. In the sight \r\n of God, real human progress is moral, not material; its real \r\n measure is possible in the life Hereafter, not in this world.
\r\nThis theme is so patently obvious and prominent \r\n in the Qur'an that it requires no substantiation. On the \r\n Day of Judgement, it will be individuals in their personal \r\n capacities, and not groups and societies, who will be held \r\n fully responsible and accountable for what they have done \r\n in their earthly lives. \"Everyone \r\n of them will come to Him on the Day of Resurrection, all alone\" \r\n [Maryam 19:95]. And: \"Now \r\n you have come to Us, alone, just as We created you the first \r\n time!\" [al-An'am 6:94].
\r\nThis is because it is \r\n the individual who has been given free will, a moral sense \r\n and the knowledge of right and wrong. \r\n It is therefore also important that he should be fully enabled \r\n to achieve his purpose and realise his potential. This seems \r\n to be the primary thread running through the entire fabric \r\n of the Shari'ah. His life, person, freedom, possessions \r\n and honour are sacred and inviolable: no human being, \r\n not even the most powerful ruler, has the right, privilege \r\n or authority, unless acting in accordance with the law of \r\n God, to take anyone's life, harm anyone physically, take away \r\n their possessions or violate their honour.
\r\nImportance of Society
\r\nHaving said that, it is important to recognise \r\n that the individual lives in a society without which he or \r\n she can neither survive nor find fulfillment. Social order \r\n and its good are not separate from or in conflict with individual \r\n good. Both should stand together – fused and harmonious, \r\n co-operating and assisting – in the service of their One God. \r\n Both are inter-dependent and in equilibrium. Both have their \r\n well-defined functions and orbits to follow. \r\n \"It behooves not the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the \r\n night outstrip the day. Each floats in its orbit\" \r\n [Yasin 36:40].
\r\nAlso the balance is provided by divine guidance \r\n in the tensions between various components of human life – \r\n between the individual and society, between man and woman. \r\n The congregational nature of all forms of worships – \r\n whether prayers, charity, fasting or pilgrimage – and great \r\n stress on the formation of the Ummah as an integrated whole \r\n amply reflect Islam's concern for society and its employment as a means of the individual's development, purification and self-realization.
\r\n \r\n... to be continued next week \r\n ...
\r\n[compiled from \"Shari'ah: The Way of \r\n Justice\" by Ustadh Khurram Murad (rahimahullah)]
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| \r\n MAINTAINER'S \r\n MESSAGE \r\n |
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nValentine's Day... Who Cares?
\r\nHere it goes again. Another 'fun' \r\n day full of reminders of 'love', flowers, candies, and cards. \r\n More love? Get more chocolate, more expensive card(s), better \r\n quality candy, an extra dozen flowers, and throw in a teddy \r\n bear for good luck. Ahhh... how much more materialistic and \r\n ritualistic can we make 'love' for a day's enjoyment?
\r\nHere is a qoute from one thinking \r\n teenager about what she thinks of Valentine's Day:
\r\n\"There's no doubt about \r\n it. Valentine's Day sucks. What a bunch of trite trash \r\n it is. Everyone runs around frothing, proclaiming their love \r\n and pledging their eternal allegiance to one another. It makes \r\n me sick. If someone truly cared about you, I think you'd \r\n hear it more often than once a year, presented with a heart \r\n shaped cardboard box picked up from CVS filled with cheap \r\n chocolates made with oils and lard and a card picked up for \r\n $2.95. This will supposedly cover all wrongs and faults \r\n in the relationship with one fell swoop, leaving the giver \r\n allieved of all sins committed within the past year. Don't \r\n get me wrong. I'm not a single young woman bent on giving \r\n grief to everyone else who is dating. I'm a stark realist. \r\n I want someone to tell me if I'm loved of their own volition, \r\n not because some fabricated greeting card holiday sponsored \r\n by Hallmark compels them.\"
\r\nHow about this qoute that is supposed \r\n to convince us of why we should be celebrating it:
\r\n\"There are three \r\n basic needs in life: money, food and sex. And combining \r\n the last two can be lots of fun! In that spirit, we offer \r\n you a feast of love to satisfy your most passionate appetite \r\n this Valentine's Day.\"
\r\nAnd lastly, a story that sums \r\n up the 'true spirit of Valentine' especially the all-important \r\n 'shopping spirit':
\r\nA young man was looking \r\n for a greeting card sometime before Valentine's Day. After \r\n searching diligently for just the right card, he came upon \r\n one that impressed him greatly. It read, \"To my ONE true \r\n love, the most beautiful woman in all the world\". \"This \r\n brings tears to my eyes,\" he commented to the clerk standing \r\n at the cash register nearby. \"This is a message that any woman \r\n would love to receive... I'll take SIX!\"
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\r\nMay Allah allow us to experience \r\n and share true love and intimacy in our lives, today and everyday \r\n - love which is based upon faith, purity and mutual counsel \r\n that only comes from The Most Compassionate and from those \r\n who love each other for His sake. May He protect us from the \r\n acts, influences, and people who degrade and distort the dignity \r\n and inherent goodness of human bonds of love. We pray to Allah \r\n to guide us to acts of righteousness, mutual benefit and productivity \r\n that elevate us and not be swept and distracted by all that \r\n goes on around us without purpose or meaning! Ameen.
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