Bismillah [IslamCity] "Fasting in Shawwal & Muharram" - from AlQuranic
ALQURANIC Mail [The Ultimate Guide AL QUR'AN] Assalam-u-Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu, == [6. Surah Al-An'am : Ayah 120] And abandon open and secret sin; surely they who earn sin shall be recompensed with what they earned. --- Fasting in Shawwal & Muharram [Sahih Muslim : Book 6 Kitab Al-Sawm, Number 2614] Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (Radi Allah Anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) as saying: He who observed the fast of Ramadan and then followed it with six (fasts) of Shawwal. it would be as if he fasted perpetually. [Sahih Muslim : Book 6 Kitab Al-Sawm, Number 2611] Abu Haraira (Radi Allah Anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) as saying: The most excellent fast after Ramadan is God's month. al-Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is prayer during the night. [Sahih Muslim : Book 6 Kitab Al-Sawm, Number 2612] Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu) reported that He (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) was asked as to which prayer was most excellent after the prescribed prayer, and which fast was most excellent after the month of Ramadan. He said: Prayer offered in the middle of the night and the most excellent fast after (fasting) in the month of Ramadan is the fast in God's month al-Muharram. == My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones. == <><><><>
Bismillah [IslamCity] Islamic history in Europe
Assalamualaikum wr.wb. Islamic history in Europe. http://alquran.blogku.net/2007/10/19/islamic-histroy-in-europe-1-9/ please spread it out to other brothers and sisters. Wasalamualaikum wr.wb. yusuf
Bismillah [IslamCity] Salat (Prayer)
ALQURANIC Mail [The Ultimate Guide ALQURAN] Assalam-u-Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu, Forward this message to as many people you can. [6. Surah Al-An'am : Ayah 120] And abandon open and secret sin; surely they who earn sin shall be recompensed with what they earned. Downloadable Audio Quran and Video Quran Refer this Group/Site to your friend/relative Refer Salat (Prayer) [Sahih Muslim : Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 144] It is narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu) that: "When, the son of Adam recites the Ayat of Sajdah (prostration) and then falls down in prostration, the Satan goes into seclusion and weeps and says: Alas, and in the narration of Abu Kuraib the words are: Woe unto me, the son of Adam was commanded to prostrate, and he prostrated and Paradise was entitled to him and I was commanded to prostrate, but I refused and am doomed to Hell." [Sahih Muslim : Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 146] It is narrated on the authority of Jabir (Radi Allah Anhu) that he heard the Apostle (may peace and blessings be upon him) saying "Verily between man and between polytheism and unbelief is the negligence of prayer." [Sahih Muslim : Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 147] It is narrated on the authority of Abu Zubair (Radi Allah Anhu) that he heard Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Radi Allah Anhu) saying. I heard the Messenger of Allah (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) observing this: "Between man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat." [Sahih Muslim : Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 151] It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud (Radi Allah Anhu) that he observed. I asked the Messenger of Allah (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) which deed was the best. He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Prayer at its appointed hour. I (again) said: Then what? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Kindness to the parents. I (again) said: Then what? He replied: Earnest endeavour (Jihad) in the cause of Allah. And I would have not ceased asking more questions but out of regard (for his feelings). [Sahih Muslim : Book 1 Kitab Al-Iman, Number 155] It is reported on the authority of 'Abdullah (Radi Allah Anhu) that the Apostle of Allah (sal-allahu-alleihi-wasallam) observed: "The best of' the deeds or deed is the (observance of) prayer at its proper time and kindness to the parents." My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones. Website URL: www.alquranic.com __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Bismillah [IslamCity] Photos: 2007 Ramadan Session - Chicago / Eid - Houston
http://picasaweb.google.com/cssharif/2007RamadanSession http://picasaweb.google.com/cssharif/2007EidAlFithr Photos by Curtis Sharif Bismillah, FYI Peace,Curtis Sharif Houston, Texas
Bismillah [IslamCity] News
25,000 trees destroyed in Israel's most recent incursion in Beit Hanoun
Ma'an News -Date: 18 / 10 / 2007 Time: 16:40
Khan Younis - Israeli forces bulldozed more than 500 dunams (500 square
kilometers) of farmland during Israel's most recent incursion into the northern
Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun on October 10th and 11th.
Four wells and approximately 25,000 olive and fruit trees, as well as the roads
leading to the farms were destroyed. 50 farmers have been left without a source
of income.
Beit Hanoun used to be the principle producer of citrus fruits in the Gaza
Strip. Since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa uprising in September 2000, Israeli
forces have demolished approximately 4,500 dunams (of agricultural land.
Palestinians reclaimed 2,150 dunams of this land as of July 2006, but 30% of
the reclaimed land was then demolished a second time.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=25888
_
PoEtEsS
"Prayer is the stepping stone of rewards and success when my life has its
trials and my eyes has its tears"…Zohra Moosa
***
{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.} (Holy
Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
--
Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org
--
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Bismillah [IslamCity] Remaining steadfast after Ramadhan
Remaining Steadfast After Ramadhan Shaykh Saleh al-Fouzan Ahadeeth us-Siyam: Ahkam wa Adab © Huda Ramadhan 1419AH Sufyan ibn `Abdillah radhiallahu `anhu said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam, which I cannot ask anyone else besides you." He said: "Say: 'I believe in Allah' and then be steadfast (upon that)." [Saheeh Muslim (38)] The hadeeth is proof that the servant is obligated, after having eemaan in Allah, to persevere and be steadfast upon obeying Him by performing the obligatory acts and avoiding the prohibited ones. This is achieved by following the Straight Path, which is the firm Religion without drifting away from it, to the right or to the left. If the Muslim lives through Ramadhan and spent his days in fasting and his nights in prayer and he accustomed himself to doing acts of good, then he must continue to remain upon this obedience to Allah at all times. This is the true state of the slave, for indeed, the Lord of the months is One and He is ever watchful and witnessing over his servants at all times. Indeed, steadfastness after Ramadhan and the rectification of one's statements and actions are the greatest signs that one has gained benefit from the month of Ramadhan and striven in obedience. They are tokens of reception and signs of success. Furthermore, the deeds of a servant do not come to an end with the end of a month and the beginning of another, rather they continue and extend until he reaches death. Allah says: "And worship your Lord until the certainty (death) comes to you." [al-Hijr: 99] If the fasting of Ramadhan comes to an end, then indeed the voluntary fasting is still prescribed throughout the entire year. If standing in prayer at night during Ramadhaan comes to an end, then indeed, the entire year is a time for performing the night prayer. And if the Zakat-ul-Fitr comes to an end, then there is still the Zakah that is obligatory as well as the voluntary charity that lasts the whole year. This goes the same for reciting the Qur'an and pondering over its meaning as well as every other righteous deed that is sought, for they can be done at all times. From the many bounties that Allah has bestowed upon his servants is that He has placed for them many different types of righteous acts and provided many means for doing good deeds. Therefore, the ardor and zeal of the Muslim must be constant and he must continue to remain in the service of his Lord. It is unfortunate to find that some people perform worship by doing different types of righteous deeds during Ramadhan. They guard strictly upon their five daily prayers in the masjid, they recite the Qur'aan a lot and they give in charity from their wealth. But when Ramadhan comes to an end, they grow lazy in their worship. Rather, sometimes they even abandon the obligations, both generally, such as praying in congregation, and specifically, such as praying the fajr prayer. And they commit forbidden acts such as sleeping over the time of prayers, indulging in places of foolishness and entertainment, and mingling in parks, especially on the day of `Eed. Obtaining help from these evils is only through the grace of Allah. Thus, they demolish what they have constructed and destroy what they have established. This is an indication of deprivation and a sign of perdition. We ask Allah for His safeguarding and protection. Indeed, this type of people take the example of turning in repentance and ceasing from committing evil deeds as something specific and restricted to the month of Ramadhan. And they stop doing these (good) acts when the month stops. Thus, it is as if they have abandoned sinning for the sake of Ramadhan, and not out of fear of Allah. How evil are these people who do not know Allah, except in Ramadhan! Truly, the success that Allah grants His servant lies in the fasting of Ramadhan. His assisting him to do that is a great favor, thus the calls for the servant to be grateful to his Lord. This understanding can be found in the statement of Allah after completing the favor of the month of fasting: "(He wants that you) must complete the same number of days, and that you must magnify Allah (by saying Allahu Akbar) for having guided you, so that you may be grateful to Him." [2:185] The one who is grateful for having fasted, will remain upon that condition and continue to perform righteous deeds. Verily, the true way of the Muslim is that of one who praises and thanks his Lord for giving him the ability to fast and make qiyam. His condition after Ramadhan is better than it was before Ramadhan. He is more receptive to obey, desiring to do good deeds and quick to enforce the obligatory acts. This is because he has gained benefit form this prominent institute of learning. It is that of one who fears for having his fast not acce
Bismillah [IslamCity] Ziauddin Sardar on Pakistan
Outside powers have turned Pakistan into a powder keg The slaughter in Karachi is a brutal symbol of a nation blighted by political opportunism and western interference Ziauddin Sardar Saturday October 20, 2007 The Guardian The dreadful carnage in Karachi is a bloody but perfect metaphor for the politics of Pakistan. The country has shown once again that political opportunism, home grown and nourished by foreign interests, is deadly for ordinary Pakistanis. The media hyperventilation over the return of Benazir Bhutto is a clear indication not only that nothing has changed - but that no meaningful change is intended. An army general is entrenched as president for another five years. If the promised elections are held, they would be anything but fair and free, given that Bhutto is supposed to win and provide a democratic front for a military ruler. The Pakistani Taliban - whom many are blaming for Thursday night's assassination attempts - continue their reign of terror in the northern provinces of the country, complete with suicide bombings and beheadings, with increasing impunity. The vast majority of Pakistanis feel utterly impotent and the poor and the innocent suffer the brunt of the violence unleashed by the fanatics. Bhutto, the twice-failed prime minister, talks an impressive line about moderate Islam, development, and democracy. Her rhetoric is music to the ears of the White House, which has engineered her deal with General Musharraf. It allows her to evade the outstanding corruption charges which otherwise would have impeded her making another tilt for power. None of Bhutto's rhetorical qualities - liberalising Islam, genuine development or empowering democracy - were much in evidence during her previous administrations. The father of the Pakistani bomb, AQ Khan, whom she is now willing to hand over to international authorities, was diligently at work developing his weapons while she was in power. The opportunities to tackle endemic poverty were frittered away in corrupt feathering of the fortunes of favoured citizens, most notably her husband. Not a single development project, not even a motorway, was completed during her two administrations. And the morass of religious fervour fuelling political agendas was left to take its own toxic course. Over the six decades of its existence, Pakistan has functioned not as a nation but a geo-strategic utility. It has been picked up and put down as dictated by the proxy interests of outside powers. The latest Bhutto/Musharraf alliance enhances Pakistan's utility in the global war on terror, and more specifically acts as the base from which to curb the activities of the Taliban in Pakistan's northern provinces and Afghanistan. Thus, democracy has little to do with her return. As a consequence, Pakistan has suffered from all the unintended yet predictable effects of being a sideshow to other people's strategic interests. Its good-guy/bad-guy lurching has taken little account of the genuine interests of its citizens. Military dictators and elected politicians have been interchangeable, each accepted or rejected by the US and Britain without recourse to what their governance of the country actually meant for its citizens. Almost all financial assistance the country has received since the inception of the "war on terror" has found its way to the military to maintain the very problem that is the intractable heart of the country's nightmare. In Pakistan everything is owned either by the military or the feudal magnates - notably among them the Bhutto clan. Sustained investment in fostering the economy, creating employment, enterprise and hence hope for the majority, has been notable by its absence. In these bizarre conditions, the religiously inclined poor have proved to be an excellent recruiting ground for the Taliban. In the land created to be an Islamic nation, both the military and the politicians have used the murderous Taliban fanatics as pawns to further their opportunistic goals. Now the Taliban has turned on both. Pakistan contains some of the most articulate, literate and thoughtful critique and analysis of Islam. It also nourishes mindless fanaticism. It is both the problem and the solution. But the solution requires empowering the middle classes, the voices of change. To date, all forms of political opportunism entertained by western interests have signally failed to engage with, listen to or empower the mainstream of Pakistani middle class. Not surprisingly, they dream only of a green card to America, entry points to Australia, and the riches of the Middle East. The political opportunism of Bhutto is the shortest route to civil war and the break-up of Pakistan. Those who feel most powerless to affect the fate of Pakistan are the Pakistanis themselves. Until the capacities and interests of its own people set the national agenda, then hope, reform, change, moderation
Bismillah [IslamCity] Muslim students push for halal eatery--it has become a concern for a group of atheists
Dear members,
Assalamu Alaikum.Please see how a group of atheists ( some bearing Muslim names
,not sure whether of Muslim background )are trying to damage Muslim
cause.Muslims have been always careful of non-Muslim ( Hindu and Buddhist etc)
eating habits,in Bangladesh we have different halls for Non-Muslim students.The
enmity of these atheists and enemies of Islam have entered a very low level.We
should take note of this.
Another gentleman Mr Jahed Ahmad has sent a mail in this regard to Muktomona
group to circulate and protest Please see both the items below
Shah Abdul Hannan
- Original Message -
From: Name deleted
Considering how many "Muslims" drink under the table anyway, this "bhoRongbaji"
('hypocrisy' in Bengali) of religious bullyism should not be heeded. Wherever
Muslims go, they seem to ask for special accommodations as they grow in number.
They are unique about that, most likely. And then some of you have the gull
to claim they also wish to ASSIMILATE.yes, by way of "Islamic" separatism! So
long as nobody is forcing anyone to eat and drink anything against their faith,
why is this "Muslim" need to bend the world to conform to their faith? What
cracks me up is their wanting it both ways: In Islam-majority countries there
is no special accommodation for anything non-Islamic; instead, non-Muslims must
conform to "Muslim" rules. The time has come for people to take a united
secular stand against this posturing hypocrisy of some Muslim in the West. ~TLW
[This is quite an alarming situation. Muslims should understand that they can
not have it both ways. They should not impose their dogmatic values in secular
societies. If this trend continues, who knows someday pious Muslims may ask for
banning eating in public places during Ramadan. That may not stop there; they
may ask Western women to wear hijab or to put on "modest" outfit. I think this
got to stop. Liberal Muslim leaders should try to stop this monkey dancing.
Otherwise, the backlash in the Western countries may not be good for anybody. -
J H]
Friday » October 19 » 2007
Muslim students push for halal eatery
Alcohol makes U of T campus bar unsuitable
Zosia Bielski
National Post
Thursday, October 18, 2007
TORONTO - With a recent vacancy at the campus cafetaria, the Muslim
Students Association at U of T Scarborough is once again pushing for a
halal-only restaurant, arguing that Bluff 's, a bar downstairs that offers a
halal menu, is unsuitable for Muslims because it serves alcohol.
The case is once again spotlighting the thorny issue of religious
accommodation for a growing community of Muslim students at Canada's secular
academic institutions.
"It doesn't have to accommodate us ... but we're still going to go ahead
and push for these things," said Scarborough campus MSA president Emad Alarashi.
Mr. Alarashi does not eat at Bluff 's, even though the restaurant
separates its deep fryers, does not use meat stock in its vegetarian dishes and
offers soy-based dairy alternatives.
The problem is the booze, says Mr. Alarashi, pointing out that his MSA --
now 500 strong -- has been demanding more halal options for more than a decade.
He would welcome a halal-only eatery, one free of alcohol, but would just
as soon frequent a fast-food sandwich shop with halal dishes.
He would even eat kosher, since it shares many of the same tenets as
halal, which forbids pork and sets other conditions on the slaughter of animals
for meat, including that the animal face Qibla, or the direction that Muslims
pray.
"It's not a matter of segregating. We don't mind integrating with the
school," said Mr. Alarashi, noting the MSA's fast-a-thon for orphans, which has
raised $6,000 to date.
The story has again stirred discussion about the status of religion at
universities in a country that separates its institutions from its faiths.
About 20 Canadian universities offer prayer space for Muslim students,
including Memorial University in St. John's, the University of British
Columbia, Concordia University, York University and the University of Toronto,
which has offered part of Hart House up for Friday prayer for 40 years.
From its Web site, where it advises the university's sizable Muslim
population, the MSA accuses Aramark, which provides food and catering on
campus, of a "halfhearted effort at halal food" and complains that Muslims are
denied a "doubt-free halal food option" because of "profit measures."
This month, a former MSA vice-president sparked debate when he decried
the halal-certified chicken and beef options at Bluff 's, which is supported by
student fees.
Even though Muslims have been eating there since the menu appeared in
spring, Ahmad Jaballah said the offering is simply not enough.
"If it was meant to be an accommodation, then it is se
Bismillah [IslamCity] O Muslims, Allah swt has Promised you Victory
To: islamcity@yahoogroups.com From: Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:31:08 -0700 Subject: Bismillah [IslamCity] O Muslims, Allah swt has Promised you Victory O, Dear Muslims. I give you my salam and my well wishes. Even though its late but i still wish you Eid Mubrak, wish you happiness, wish you the LOVE OF THE ONES YOU LOVE, wish you unity, prosperity, wish you peace and tranqulity in your imaan and acceptance of your fast, your salah and your dua. I am here to give the glad tidings of Victory that Allah swt has promised you in the Quran. This article or the Glad tidings, when I wanted to publish it for the news letter of our local Majid on the day of eid, i was told that I am "radical in thoughts", I was told that I am "anti - west", i was told that my article is "controvercial" . My dear Muslims, in todays world of deceipt, speaking the truth has become revolutionary. Speaking for your own brothers and sisters in Iraq, Falesteen, and other countries has become "radical in thoughts, and "controvercial. " My dear Muslims, I request you to be my witness on the day of judgement that I have delivered or have had tried to deliver the pleasant glad tidings of Victory that Allah swt has promised us. My Article, however was rejected. It was very sad, indeed a very very sad that i was not able to speak for my Muslims brothers and sisters on Eid ul Fitr. The sad part was this news letter is called The Voice. "The Voice"? what Voice? when you censor Muslims from speaking up for their Muslim brothers and sisters. Its not A Voice, its suffocation. I am sure if i am willing to volunteer for that News letter anymore. Dear Muslims, I have come with a Message that will give you hope and remind you of the One of the Promises of Allah swt in these worst times that Muslim Ummah has afflicted off. Please read it and Give me your feedback. Ma-salama Your Brother in Islam Prince of Destiny Allah (swt) promised the Muslims the Ultimate Victory Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their Deen - the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: 'They will worship Me alone and not associate aught with Me (an-Noor: 55) Today, Islam and Muslims are made sole victims of war on terror. We have experienced the true nature of democracy - our sisters are gang raped by US soldiers, occupying our countries, arming Sunnis and shias to fight amongst each other, horrific crimes committed by US Soldiers in Abu Ghuraib, Millions of Muslims killed and Millions more made refugees in their very homelands, Muslims living in public bathrooms and eating from dumpsters. This is the state of the Muslims when western forces have been defeated in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and etc. Had these forced won these wars our situation would be like that of the Muslims when they were invaded by Mongols or like what Bishop Desmond Tutu summarized the British invasion of African countries in this quote: When missionaries came to Africa, they had the bible we had the land. They said, 'Let us pray. We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land. You might argue that how can Muslim Ummah be victorious when the whole Ummah is under autocracy of Western colonial powers? Sahabah (raa) asked Prophet (saw) the similar question. Allah (swt) revealed "Do not be dejected nor grieve; you shall be the successful if you are Believers." (Ar Raad13:139). In these ayats not only Allah (swt) promises Muslims victory but also punishment for disbelievers who have tortured Muslims. Since a Muslim does not bow to anyone but to Allah (swt); for any need he asks HIM for them. A Muslim does not follow the desires of men; he depends on the firm balance of Huqq. The inspiration of his soul comes from strong belief he has in Allah (swt). This by itself creates in him a sense of dignity, purity, cleanliness, modesty, piety, desire for good deeds, and ambassador of Islam on earth. This belief gives him the assurance that the reward is in the Hereafter, the reward before which the troubles of the world and all its sorrows become insignificant. The heart of the Believer is content with it. Then there is no way Allah (swt) will leave Muslims dejected with grief in their hearts and give Kufr victory over Iman. Sayyid Qutb in his book "Fi Dhilal ul Quran" (In the shades of the Qur'an) says that Allah does not give victory to Muslims unless he test them in their iman and unless it is clear to Him who is on his side and who is not and Allah (swt) also punished the kuffar at the hands of Believers. Here are few Historical evidences. A. Allah (swt) tested Prophet
Bismillah [IslamCity] "The Wolves within ......." - from AlIslaahPublications
The Wolves within ... An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great 'hate' for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way." "But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my soul." The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?" The Grandfather solemnly said, "The one I feed." *** The Meaning of Nafs by Muhammad 'Afifi al-'Akiti Ibn Kathir says: "The Mu'min are a people who have been prevented through the Qur'an from indulging in the pleasures of this world; it comes between them and what might destroy them. The Mu'min is like a prisoner in this world, who tries to free himself from its shackles and chains, placing his trust in nothing in it, until the day he meets his Creator. He knows full well that he is accountable for everything that he hears, sees and says, and for everything that he does with his body." (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 9 pg. 276, Cairo 1352) There are two kinds of people, one are those whose Nafs have overcome them and led them to ruin because they yielded to them and obeyed their impulses. The other kinds are those who have overcome their Nafs and made them obey their commands. Nafs (pl. Anfus or Nufus) lexically means soul, the psyche, the ego, self, life, person, heart or mind. (Mu'jam, Kassis) Although some scholars have classified the Nafs up to 7 stages, there is agreement among Ulama' that in the Qur'an, Allah (s.w.t.) has described at least 3 main types of the Nafs. And these are in rank from the worse to better: Nafs al-Ammara Bissu' (the Nafs that urges evil), Nafs al-Lawwama (the Nafs that Blames) and Nafs al-Mutma`inna (the Nafs at Peace). A summary of these states of the Nafs are given by Imam Tabari in his Tafsir of Surah Yusuf verse 53: 1. Nafs al-Ammara Bissu' (The Soul which Commands): This is the Nafs that brings punishment itself. By its very nature it directs its owner towards every wrong action. No one can get rid of its evil without the help from Allah. As Allah refers to this Nafs in the story of the wife of al-Aziz (Zulaikha) and Prophet Yusuf (s): "The (human) soul is certainly prone to evil" (12:53). Allah also says: "And had it not been for the grace of Allah and His Mercy on you, not one of you would ever have been pure; but Allah purifies whomever He wishes, and Allah is Hearing, Knowing." (24:21) This Nafs resides in the world of the senses and is dominated by earthly desires (Shahwat) and passions.. Evil lies hidden in the Nafs and it is this that leads it on to do wrong. If Allah were to leave the servant alone with his self, the servant would be destroyed between its evil and the evil that it craves; but if Allah grants him success and help, then he will survive. We seek refuge in Allah the Almighty, both from the evil in ourselves and from the evil of our actions. 2. Nafs al-Lawwama (the Soul that Blames): Allah refers to this Nafs, "And I do call to witness the Nafs that blames" (75:2). This Nafs is conscious of its own imperfections. Hasan al-Basri said, "You always see the believer blaming himself and saying things like 'Did I want this? Why did I do that? Was this better than that?".. 3. Nafs al-Mutma`inna (the Soul at Peace): Allah refers to this Nafs, "O Self, in complete rest and satisfaction!" (89:27). This Nafs is tranquil as it rests on the certitude of Allah. Ibn Abbas (r) said, "It is the tranquil and believing soul". Al-Qatadah (r) said, "It is the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised. Its owner is at rest and content with his knowledge of Allah's Names and Attributes, and with what He has said about Himself and His Messenger (sallallahu alaiyhi wasallam ) , and with what He has said about what awaits the soul after death: about the departure of the soul, the life in the Barzakh, and the events of the Day of Qiyamah which will follow. So much so that a believer such as this can almost see them with his own eyes. So he submits to the will of Allah and surrenders to Him contentedly, never dissatisfied or complaining, and with his faith never wavering. He does not rejoice at his gains
Bismillah [IslamCity] 1O Year Anniversary!
1O Year Anniversary! The Islamic Human Rights Commission cordially invites you to join us in our 10 year anniversary, celebrating a decade of fighting against injustice. As the only human rights organization to employ Islamic principles in our endeavor to abrogate injustice, IHRC has dedicated years of hard work to ensure the rights of Muslims and people of other beliefs alike, are acknowledged, respected and upheld. In attendance will be a variety of prominent guest speakers discussing the various levels of injustice around the world, how IHRC has addressed these issues and how it continues to provide solutions to alleviate them. With a variety of great guest speakers and a nasheed concert with performance by Kamal Uddin and Blackstone, this night holds the promise of an event not to be missed! Be a part of our event Join us in the struggle for justice, join IHRC Date: 11th November 2007 Time: 3.40pm Venue: London Muslim Centre Entry: FREE To register a place please send your name and contact information to [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Confirmation of attendance will be required) __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
Bismillah [IslamCity] The Real Iraq We Knew ---12 Former Army Captains
The Real Iraq We Knew ---12 Former Army Captains The Washington Post Wednesday, October 17, 2007 Today marks five years since the authorization of military force in Iraq, setting Operation Iraqi Freedom in motion. Five years on, the Iraq war is as undermanned and under-resourced as it was from the start. And, five years on, Iraq is in shambles. As Army captains who served in Baghdad and beyond, we've seen the corruption and the sectarian division. We understand what it's like to be stretched too thin. And we know when it's time to get out. What does Iraq look like on the ground? It's certainly far from being a modern, self-sustaining country. Many roads, bridges, schools and hospitals are in deplorable condition. Fewer people have access to drinking water or sewage systems than before the war. And Baghdad is averaging less than eight hours of electricity a day. Iraq's institutional infrastructure, too, is sorely wanting. Even if the Iraqis wanted to work together and accept the national identity foisted upon them in 1920s, the ministries do not have enough trained administrators or technicians to coordinate themselves. At the local level, most communities are still controlled by the same autocratic sheiks that ruled under Saddam. There is no reliable postal system. No effective banking system. No registration system to monitor the population and its needs. The inability to govern is exacerbated at all levels by widespread corruption. Transparency International ranks Iraq as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. And, indeed, many of us witnessed the exploitation of U.S. tax dollars by Iraqi officials and military officers. Sabotage and graft have had a particularly deleterious impact on Iraq's oil industry, which still fails to produce the revenue that Pentagon war planners hoped would pay for Iraq's reconstruction. Yet holding people accountable has proved difficult. The first commissioner of a panel charged with preventing and investigating corruption resigned last month, citing pressure from the government and threats on his life. Against this backdrop, the U.S. military has been trying in vain to hold the country together. Even with "the surge," we simply do not have enough soldiers and marines to meet the professed goals of clearing areas from insurgent control, holding them securely and building sustainable institutions. Though temporary reinforcing operations in places like Fallujah, An Najaf, Tal Afar, and now Baghdad may brief well on PowerPoint presentations, in practice they just push insurgents to another spot on the map and often strengthen the insurgents' cause by harassing locals to a point of swayed allegiances. Millions of Iraqis correctly recognize these actions for what they are and vote with their feet - moving within Iraq or leaving the country entirely. Still, our colonels and generals keep holding on to flawed concepts. U.S. forces, responsible for too many objectives and too much "battle space," are vulnerable targets. The sad inevitability of a protracted draw-down is further escalation of attacks - on U.S. troops, civilian leaders and advisory teams. They would also no doubt get caught in the crossfire of the imminent Iraqi civil war. Iraqi security forces would not be able to salvage the situation. Even if all the Iraqi military and police were properly trained, equipped and truly committed, their 346,000 personnel would be too few. As it is, Iraqi soldiers quit at will. The police are effectively controlled by militias. And, again, corruption is debilitating. U.S. tax dollars enrich self-serving generals and support the very elements that will battle each other after we're gone. This is Operation Iraqi Freedom and the reality we experienced. This is what we tried to communicate up the chain of command. This is either what did not get passed on to our civilian leadership or what our civilian leaders chose to ignore. While our generals pursue a strategy dependent on peace breaking out, the Iraqis prepare for their war - and our servicemen and women, and their families, continue to suffer. There is one way we might be able to succeed in Iraq. To continue an operation of this intensity and duration, we would have to abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service. Short of that, our best option is to leave Iraq immediately. A scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war, and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition. America, it has been five years. It's time to make a choice. This column was written by 12 former Army captains: Jason Blindauer served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Elizabeth Bostwick served in Salah Ad Din and An Najaf in 2004. Jeffrey Bouldin served in Al Anbar, Baghdad and Ninevah in 2006. Jason Bugajski served in Diyala in 2004. Anton Kemps served in Babil and Baghdad in 2003 and 2005. Kristy (Luken) McCormick served in Ninevah in 2003. Luis Carl
