Islamic Focus

Issue 120 Igniting the Spirit of Islam Apr 2015 Bukhara Publications/Tel: 078 672 7797/Fax: 086 651 2125 Email: islamicfocus@gmail.com/Malabar/Port Elizabeth

out burial as an act which should be done as quickly as possible. “When anyone

dies then do not hold him

back, and hasten him to his

grave.” (Tabrani) Paying Debts: “Delay in

payment on the part of a rich man is injustice/

oppression.” (Bukhari) The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam emphatically or-dered a Sahaabi to pay his debt he owed to a Jew which in today’s terms amounted to a small sum of around R80. Good Deeds: When the im-pulse to do a good act strikes, act on it as quickly as possible. The Quran uses words like “hasten”, “race” and “flee” in encouraging good deeds. �

The worldwide trend is to aim for increase in speed. Is this a good thing?

DEVIL SPEED

“Calmness and patient de-liberation is from Allah and

has te i s f r om Sa -

tan.” (Tirmizi) Our food is increasingly be-coming instant and with that comes attendant health problems. A myriad of sick-nesses find their root in the chemicals added into food to ensure faster production. Communication is instant and with it the issues of a flood of hoaxes, unverified information and the like: "A person utters a word

thoughtlessly (i.e., without

thinking about its being

good or not) and, as a re-sult of this, he will fall down

into the fire of Hell deeper

than the distance between t h e ea s t a nd t h e

west." (Bukhari) Marketing is designed to tempt us make impulse buys and part with our money with such speed that we spend it before actually hav-ing gained it. Shopping is now the draw card for holi-days overseas and billions are being invested in adver-tising and shopping malls: “The most beloved places on

Earth to Allah are its

mosques, and the most de-spised places on Earth to Al-

l a h a r e i t s m a r -

kets.” (Muslim)

ANGELIC SPEED

So the default is to take ones time, weigh the pros and cons and deliberate before doing things, except in situa-tions where Islam encour-ages being quick. Among these are: Burial: The hadith singles

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P12 The Wasp

P8 Learn Arabic

P9 Vasco Da Gama

P10 Xenophobia

P10 Shia Politics

P4 Simple Words

2 Islamic Focus

WORLD NEWS

YEMEN - A Shia rebel artillery strike killed 40 people

at a refugee camp in northwest Yemen. A Saudi Ara-

bian-led coalition has been targeting Shia Houthi re-

bels across the country in support of Yemen's presi-

dent. Saudi naval forces have begun blockading

Yemen ports to stop the movement of rebels and to

prevent them bringing in arms. Rebel forces shelled

the town of Daleh. There was also heavy fighting in

Aden after rebels pushed into the city's north-

eastern suburbs. Shia power Iran is backing the re-

bels, adding to its support of other Shia groups

causing unrest in Muslim lands. (BBC, 30 Mar)

SYRIA - Syrian Sunni freedom fighting groups Ahrar

al-Sham, Jund al-Aqsa and Nusra Front took control

of Idlib, the second provincial centre to fall into lib-

eration force’s hands, after Raqqa was seized by Is-

lamic State. Syria's civil war, which began four years

ago, has killed more than 200,000 Syrians and dis-

placed 11 million as Shia Iran continues to support

the brutal regime of Bashar Assad. (BBC, 28 Mar)

IRAQ - Iranian-backed Shia militia in Iraq are lead-

ing the operation to recapture Tikrit from Islamic

State fighters. US has given support to the Shias

with air strikes. The operation to retake Tikrit had

stalled. The city fell to Islamic State last June. (BBC,

26 Mar)

KASHMIR - 15 killed in landslides following floods

in Indian-occupied Kashmir. 200 families have been

evacuated after torrential rain and a surge in the

water level of the Jhelum river. (BBC, 31 Mar)

BANGLADESH - A blogger has been killed in Dhaka

for anti-Islamic writingd, a month after a prominent

atheist writer was killed in a similar attack. Two stu-

dents at an Islamic seminary were arrested. (BBC,

30 Mar)

INDONESIA - A new law banning the sale of alco-

hol in small shops has come into force in Indonesia.

Alcohol can still be sold in supermarkets, hotels and

food outlets, but 70,000 local stores will no longer

be allowed to stock it. The government says the re-

strictions are necessary to protect young people in

the Muslim-majority country. Two Islamic parties

proposed going even further by outlawing alcohol

altogether. (BBC, 16 Apr)

YEMEN - Fighters from al-Qaeda in the Arabian

Peninsula (AQAP) have seized an airport in southern

Yemen. AQAP has exploited the chaos gripping the

country, overrunning Mukalla earlier this month. A

Saudi-led coalition has been bombing Shia Houthi

rebels, who have been advancing across the coun-

try. The Houthis swept into the capital Sanaa, forc-

ing the President to flee abroad. AQAP fighters have

also taken control of a sea port and an oil terminal in

southern Yemen. (BBC, 16 Apr)

IRAN - Iran suspended flights for pilgrims to Saudi

Arabia after an alleged sexual assault of two Iranian

boys. This deepens tensions between the two coun-

tries. They are currently at odds over the conflict in

Yemen, where a coalition led by Sunni Saudi Arabia

is carrying out air strikes on Shia Houthi rebels, who

are receiving military assistance from Iran. Hundreds

of people protested outside the Saudi embassy in

Tehran and demanded that Iran "end Umrah". (BBC,

13 Apr) �

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HISTO

RY/HADITH

Fatimah bint Muhammad ibn Ahmad

She was one of the greatest Faqeehah (woman-scholar of Islamic Jurisprudence) of her time. She was renowned for her grounded knowledge of Hanafi Jurisprudence and was the daughter of the great scholar and jurist, Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Ahmad Ala' al-Din al-Samarqandi, whose book ‘Tuhfat al Fuqaha’ is well-known by the scholars. Not only did she learn Fiqh from her father, but she memorised his book ‘Tuhfat al Fuqaha’. Being a jurist in itself is no small matter; one needs to be well-acquainted with the Qur’aanic verses, ahaadeeth of the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and the principles of the Madhab they wish to base their ruling on. Further they need to have knowledge of the circumstances and needs of the contem-porary world. Her knowledge was such that it exceeded her husbands, who would consult her for her opinions, especially when he erred in passing a fatwaa. She married Alaa’ al Din Abu Bakr ibn Mas’ud al-Kasaani, who was a highly distinguished scholar. Before her marriage, Fatimah used to issue fatwas along with her father, and the fatwas would be written in her handwriting and that of her father. After she married, the fatwas would appear in her handwriting and that of her father and her husband. Her hus-band would make mistakes, and she would correct them. �

Part Two: From Ideal Muslimah

Here are some of the blessings for a Muslim in the difficulties he or she faces in life: Sins

Any Muslim who experiences any hardship, discomfort, worry, sorrow, grief, or distress, even a thorn prick, Allah Ta’ala will make it an atonement for his sins. (Bukhari) Do not curse fever, for it removes the sins of mankind in the manner in which a furnace re-moves rust from iron. (Muslim) Paradise

Allah Ta’ala says: When I afflict my servant with regard to his two beloved possessions, and he then exercises patience, I will grant him Paradise in exchange for them. (A per-son’s eyes are meant here). (Bukhari) Continued Good

If a Muslim is afflicted with a bodily affliction (illness, etc), it is said to the angel (who re-cords his good deeds): continue recording the good deeds he used to do is his state of good health. If Allah grants him recovery, He will cleanse him. If Allah grants him death, He will forgive him and have mercy on him.” (Sharhus Sunnah) Magnificent Reward

When the afflicted ones are rewarded on the Day of Judgment, the healthy ones will wish that their skins were cut with scissors in the world (so that they may also attain the same rewards). (Tirmidhi) �

Desire for the Aakhirah pg 6-7

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Islam teaches that skin colour is no barrier. Here’s a sampling of Sahaba of African/black origin: Abu Bakrah radhiallahu anhu: Former slave. His sons grew to be very influential and wealthy in Basrah Saalim radhiallahu anhu: Freed slave of Abu Hudhaifah radhiallahu anhu, and an expert Qari who used to often lead the Sahabah in Salaah. He held the standard in the Battle of Yamamah and was martyred there Shuqran radhiallahu anhu: Abyssinian slave potentially purchased and freed by Nabi sallal-lahu alaihi wa sallam. Served Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and played a role in his burial Muhja radhiallahu anhu: Muhajir who was the first Muslim martyred in the Battle of Badr. Yassar al Aswad radhiallahu anhu: Used to clean the Masjid of Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam who praised him as one whom Allah would use to defend the people of the earth. Ayman al Habshi radhiallahu anhu: Son of Umm Ayman and half brother of Usama bin Zaid radhiallahu anhum. Martyred in the Battle of Hunain Anjashah radhiallahu anhu: Camel driver for Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam who had a very sweet voice Asim al Habashi radhiallahu anhu: Servant who was named personally by Nabi sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. �

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SUNNAH / HISTO

RY

Abdullah al-Qaffāl al-Marwazī was the unpar-alleled scholar of his era in knowledge. He be-gan his study of jurisprudence at the age of 40 after this incident: Al-Shāshī designed a lock and key weighing 0.5g. People were impressed due to which he gained fame. The news reached Abū Bakr al-Qaffāl, so he prepared a lock and key the weight of 0.125g. Although people were im-pressed, he did not gain fame as did the for-mer. He told his friend, “Al-Shāshī prepared a lock weighing which became the talk of the town, while I prepared a more marvelous one yet no one even mentioned me!” His companion said, “Fame is acquired through knowledge,

not by making locks!” He was so moved by these words that he began his pursuit for knowledge. Imām Abū Hanīfah rahimahullah said: One day I passed by al-Sha’bī. He called me and asked, “Whom do you frequent?” I said, “I frequent the marketplace”. He said, “I was not referring to your frequenting the marketplace; I was asking about the scholars whom you frequent.” I told him, “I hardly go to them.” He said, “Do not be negligent. You must pursue knowledge and seek the compan-

ionship of scholars because I see within you diligence and competence.” I was so moved by his words that I stopped frequent-ing the marketplace and began my journey for knowledge. Never underestimate the impact of words of encouragement towards good. �

5 Islamic Focus

QUESTIO

NS & ANSWERS

Q: Is it permitted Islami-

cally to perform cosmetic surgery to correct a birth

defect? If not, will the

surgeon be equally culpa-

ble in the eyes of Shariah? A: The Shar'i position on cos-metic surgery depends upon the motivation for undergo-ing such surgery. When the patients decision to undergo cosmetic surgery is moti-vated by reasons which are recognized as valid by the Shariah, surgery will be re-garded as permissible. If the motive for undergoing cos-metic surgery is one that is in itself disallowed by the Shariah, the surgery would be deemed unlawful. 1. Cosmetic surgery per-formed in order to correct unusual physical and func-tional deformities. Deformi-ties of this kind are usually such that they cause pain and discomfort, either physi-cal or psychological, to the patient. 2. Cosmetic surgery per-formed upon a normal face or body. This would include surgery performed for the purpose of altering apparent or conventional unattractive-ness. Undergoing cosmetic surgery

is lawful and permissible when it is done for the sake of correcting abnormal or un-usual deformities. Cosmetic surgery done for the purpose of enhancing physical beauty through al-tering features of the face or body that are perceived to be unattractive, will be unlawful. Q: What is the shafi ruling

on using synthetic alcohol

in food products like ice

cream, biscuits etc? A: The fact that alcohol is synthetically produced is of no consequence in determin-ing whether or not it is khamr (unlawful alcohol). That fact is to be determined simply through the presence or absence of the quality of iskar (bringing about intoxi-cation). Scholars have ruled that the presence of khamr in medici-nal compounds is overlooked when two conditions have been met: a need for the medicine, and obliteration to the point of untraceability of the khamr. Alcohol was used in medi-cine, not as a primary ingre-dient intended to intoxicate, but as a solvent intended to bind ingredients into a single

substance. The same is true for its use in composite foods today. It is true that most compos-ite foods are not necessities. As such the element of need cannot be invoked. However, alcohol, specifically ethanol, as a solvent has a very wide-spread presence, not only in composite foods but in many other substances with which people commonly come into contact: dyes, paints, inks etc. The factor of need of such substances is thus re-placed by the element of common affliction. Both these factors create excep-tion from the rule. The second condition of un-traceability is satisfactorily met in that the alcohol con-tent tends to be a very small fraction of a percentage. In light of the above we are persuaded that the consump-tion of foods in which ethanol has been used as solvent, and remains in microscopic quantities, is permissible. Should the solvent happen to be any alcohol other than ethanol, it is permissible without having to resort to the rule of exception. �

SHAFI Q & ASHAFI Q & ASHAFI Q & ASHAFI Q & A From various Ulama

www.shafiifiqh.com

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6 Islamic Focus

HANAFI Q & AHANAFI Q & AHANAFI Q & AHANAFI Q & A From various Ulama

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QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q: Is there any concrete

evidence which states that Prophet Yusuf

(alaihis salam) married

Zulekha?

A: According to some com-mentators, when Qitfīr (Potiphar), the husband of Zulaikhā passed away, the king of Egypt arranged her marriage with Yūsuf (‘alayhis salām). Furthermore, accord-ing to other narrations, they were blessed with two sons, named Afrā’thīm (or Afrā’īm) and Manshā. However, although there are certain historical evidences that prove to show that Yū-suf (‘alayhis salām) married Zulaikhā, we are unable to ascertain or deny such infor-mation. Nevertheless, it is best not to delve in such issues as it does not relate to our funda-mental beliefs as Muslims, nor to any obligation of Shar‘īah. It is best to focus on matters which will benefit us in this world and in the hereafter. And Allah Ta‘āla Knows Best

Q: Can we read the Eng-lish translation of the

Quran and which does not

have any Arabic Quranic

verses during our men-strual cycles? And can we

do zikr of memorized

surah during menstrual cycle?

A: In essence, an only Eng-lish translation of the Quran in which there is no Arabic is not permissible to publish. Furthermore, there is con-

sensus of all the Fuqaha (jurists) on this. It is not permissible to recite the Quran in the state of Janabah (impurity), regard-less of whether the state of uncleanliness be due to sex-ual defilement, or menstrual/post partum bleeding. If a woman has memorized the Quran, and there is fear of her forgetting the Quran, due to not being able to re-cite during the menstrual pe-riod, then she has two op-tions: a) She may use a cloth to hold the Quran and recite in her mind without moving her lips. b) She may listen to some-one reciting the Quran, or she may listen to a CD re-cording of the Quran. Q: 1. Can I sell my plot to a bank?

2. I deal in importing

kitchens. Can I sell kitch-ens to a banker if some-

how I get to know that

buyer is a banker? What if

I don't know that buyer is a banker?

A: 1. It is permissible to sell a plot of land to the bank. 2. It is permissible to sell goods to a banker. Q: Is it permissible to

adopt a child in Islam? Do

the rules of hijab apply when one has adopted a

child? Also, is inheritance

and other issues the same as with a biological child?

A: It is permissible to adopt a child according to Shari’ah.

The following points should be taken into consideration. The child should not take up the name of the parents who have adopted him. His line-age should be separate and not joined with the parents. He should keep the name of his biological father if the biological father is known. Strict observance of hijab should be done when the child reaches the age of pu-berty. The hijab is between the mother and the child if it is a boy and between the fa-ther and child if it is a girl. The method to avoid this is to adopt the child in infancy and the mother breastfeeds the child. In doing so, they will become the foster par-ents and hijab will not be necessary. Nevertheless, breastfeeding will still not make him a real son and his lineage will still be separate. The adopted child will not in-herit from the adoptive par-ents. The adoptive parents are allowed to bequeath one-third of their wealth to the adopted child in their will if they wish to do so. The child may be adopted from any ethnicity group. When the child is old enough to understand, he should be informed with wisdom about the reality of the issue. Spe-cial care should be taken in ensuring that the foster par-ents do not cause any emo-tional harm to the adopted child when addressing such sensitive matters. �

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A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment. Then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered. The crashing percussion contin-ued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action. The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists. Stopping them, he said, "You kids are a lot of fun. In fact, I use to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I'll give you each a dollar if you'll promise to come around every day and do your thing." The kids were elated. After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again. "This recession's really putting a big dent in my income," he told them. "From now on, I'll only be able to pay you 50 cents." The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon ruckus. A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again. "Look," he said, "I haven't received my Social Security check yet, so I'm not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?" "A lousy quarter?" the drum leader exclaimed. "If you think we're going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you're nuts! No way, mister. We quit!" And the old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of his days. �

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8 Islamic Focus

SUNNAH/HADITH

Umar radiallahu anhu said: "Learn Arabic for it is part of your Religion..." The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Love the Arabs for three reasons: Because I am an Arab, the Quran is in Arabic, the lan-guage of the people of Paradise is Ara-bic.” (Shuabul Iman)

"Whoever has the ability to speak correct Ara-bic should not speak another language be-cause it creates hypocrisy.” (Iqtidaus Siratil Mustaqem, p. 205)

"I take an oath in that Being in whose Hand is my life, Allah revealed to every Messenger in Arabic, after which he (the Messenger) used to convey the message to the nation in their lan-guage.” (Majmuaz Zawaaid, p. 52)

Umar radhiallahu anhu was once making Tawaaf of the Ka’bah when he heard two men speaking in a language other than Arabic be-hind him. He turned to them and said, "Find some way to learn Arabic.” (Musannaf 5:496)

Imam Shaafi rahimahullah said: ‘The language which Allah favoured was the Arabic language as He revealed his Noble Book in (Arabic) and He made this the language of the seal of the prophets Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sal-lam. And that is why we say that it is befitting for everyone who has the ability to learn Ara-bic – that they learn it, as it is the best lan-guage.’ (Iqtidaus Siratil Mustaqem 1:521)

Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah said: “The Arabic language is the symbol of Islam and its peo-ple.” (Ibid 1:519) �

Methods of teaching from the Sunnah Part 2:

4. Interactive

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam used dialogue and questioning in order to capture the attention of the listeners ad to stimulate their minds. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam asked: “Tell me, if there was a river at one of your doors, and you were to bath therein five times daily, would any dirt remain on him?’ The Sahaba replied: “No dirt would remain on him.” The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: “That is like the five Salahs. Allah Ta’ala wipes away sins through them.” (Bukhari)

5. Visual Aids

At times the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sal-lam used to explain a concept by drawing on the ground or the sand. Jabir radhiallahu anhu said: “We were sitting with the Prophet sallal-lahu alaihi wa sallam when he drew a line on the ground in front of him with his hand like this and said: “This is the Path of Allah.” He then drew two lines to the right and two lines to the left, and said: “These are the paths of Satan.” He then placed his hand on the centre line and recited this verse: ‘This is My straight path. Follow it, then, and do not follow other paths which would deviate you from the path of Allah…’” (Ahmed)

3. Considering Individual Students

The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam was watchful of the individual differences of the students whom he addressed. He addressed each person according to the level of his un-derstanding and in a manner appropriate to his status. � Sheikh Abdul Fattah Abu Ghuddah

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HISTO

RY

First Afrikaans Book

In 1856, a treatise on Islam in Arabic-Afrikaans, Kitab Al-Qawl al-Matin Fi Bayan

Umur al-Din [The Book of the Firm Declaration regarding the Explanation of the Matters of Religion], by Shaykh Ahmadul Ishmuniyu [Ahmad al-Ishmuni] was published by M C Schonegevel in Cape Town. Professor A van Selms of the University of Pretoria described “Al-Qawl al Matin as the oldest book in Afri-kaans”. This, it is said, was the first Arabic Af-rikaans publication. The lithographed copy of this book [25 pages] was published in 1910. Afrikaans was written in the Arabic script [with Afrikaans sounds]. AI-Qawl al-Matin preceded the first printed Afri-kaans book, in Roman script, Zamespraak

Tuschen Klaas Waarzegger en Jan Twijfelaar, by L H Meurant, which appeared almost six years later. First Muslims in the Bay

By 1799 the Cape Malay community had grown sufficiently for the government to send an entire regiment – known as the Malay Regi-ment – of soldiers to the Eastern Cape to help the colonial army fight against the Xhosas. In 1846, the Malay Corps arrived in the Port Elizabeth area to fight in what eventually be-came known as the ‘Battle of the Axe’. Once the fighting subsided, many of these soldiers chose to stay on in the area that became known as Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth (now Nelson Mandela Bay) and build lives for them-selves when they heard that the Governor of Cape Town had not supported their families with food. �

Western history books have made out the 15th century Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama as a hero. But a study of his life shows him to be a cruel Islamophobe who carried out acts of merciless brutality: On reaching India in October 1502, Gama's fleet set about capturing any Arab vessel he came across in Indian waters, most notori-ously the Miri, a pilgrim ship from Makkah, whose passengers he had massacred in open water. During his second voyage to Calicut, da Gama intercepted a ship of Muslim pilgrims at Madayi travelling from Calicut to Makkah. De-scribed in detail by eyewitness Thomé Lopes and chronicler Gaspar Correia as one that is unequalled in cold-blooded cruelty, da Gama looted the ship with over 400 pilgrims on board including 50 women and kids, locked in the passengers and an ambassador from Egypt and burnt them to death. They offered their wealth but were not spared. Da Gama looked on through the porthole and saw the women bringing up their gold and jewels and holding up their babies to beg for mercy. It took four days for the ship to sink, killing all men, women, and children. When da Gama arrived in Calicut in 1502, he hung 38 fishermen; cut off their heads, feet, and hands; and floated the dismembered corpses onto the shore. In Muslim Mombasa in 1497 Da Gama forced some Muslims on board and tortured them with boiling oil. In 1498 he indiscriminately fired at civilians on Muslim Mozambique Island. �

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CURRENT / HISTO

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Xenophobia is becoming an increasingly com-mon feature in South Africa. Here are some tips on how to cope with it: 1. Acknowledge

We need to first acknowledge that we may consciously or unconsciously be Muslim com-munity and outside our community. 2. Watch our Words

Guard against making sweeping statements that smack of arrogance and are demeaning to people of other ethnic origins. Attribute wrong to the person not his race or national-ity. 3. Challenge Attitudes

If someone is guilty of racist conduct in your presence, do not become a passive spectator. You are bound to invite people to good and prevent them from evil. 4. Share in the Sorrow

Have we visited a sick colleague or a neighbor of another ethnic group? “Allah will not show mercy to one who is not merciful to (fellow) men.” (Bukhari) 5. Guard against Exploitation Those in your employ must be treated with dignity and respect. Pay them enough so they are able to maintain themselves with dignity. 6. Smile

It’s an act of charity. Don’t limit your cheerful-ness to your own ethnic and cultural group. Facial expression also indicate racial intoler-ance. �

Adapted from Jamiatul Ulama South Africa

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Shias are in the news on nearly every front

where Muslims are under attack. From the Houthis in Yemen to the Alawis in Syria and

the Twelvers in Iran:

In 1258 the Mongol forces of Hulagu de-stroyed the seat of the Muslim Empire, Bagh-dad bringing down the Khilafah. Thousands were slaughtered and the Khalifah killed. Shias were involved in a multi-faceted deceit with Islam’s enemies to bring down Muslims: 1. The Khalifah’s chief minister was a Shia ibn al-Alqami who conspired with the Mongols. Al-Alqami wrote to the leader of the Mongols, Hulagu, inviting him to invade the land, prom-ising his support and offering intelligence on the Khalifah's armies, their strengths and weaknesses, and the overall lay of the land. 2. Al-Alqami used his position to influence the Khalifah to reduce the size of the army thus ensuring that the Mongol invasion would meet little resistance. 3. Another Shia, Nasir-al-Din Tusi, became a minister in Hulagu's army. 4. Shias volunteered help to the Mongols in Mosul and other places along their march. 5. Hulagu, acknowledging the importance of Shia support, posted guard detachments of a hundred Mongol horsemen at the most sacred Shia shrines in Najef and Karbala. 6. For Nasir-al-Din Tusi, who had abetted the Mongols, Hulagu built a costly observatory. �

11 Islamic Focus Web: www.islamicfocus.co.za | Blackberry group: 28BC2F31

12 Islamic Focus ISSN 2223 - 1110 (Print) | ISSN 2223 - 1129 (Online)

73 DURBAN ROAD KORSTEN PH. 041 451 3060

FINAL FOCUS

With sixty years’ experience in social welfare community service and due to the ever-increasing rate of unemployment and poverty in KwaZulu-Natal, the Jamiatul Ulama KwaZulu-Natal has embarked on a mission to intensify our efforts to accomplish much more local welfare relief efforts amongst our fellow impoverished South Africans within our indige-nous communities. To help us achieve this, the Jamiat KZN launches its new initiative called PROJECT H.E.L.P., which will be an ongoing project un-dertaken at various schools, orphanages, old age homes, homeless shelters, etc. The assistance rendered will in the form

of:

� Self-help schemes � Feeding schemes � Distribution of hampers � Distribution of clothing � Distribution of blankets, etc.

Banking Details for PROJECT H.E.L.P. Jamiatul Ulama KZN (Lillah Projects)

FNB Umgeni Junction (200913) Account Number: 5089 1141 828

Reference: PROJECT HELP & Your Name

Contact Tel: 031 306 7786 Fax: 086 552 4270

email: welfare@jamiat.org.za

LILLAH ONLY. NO ZAKAAT Donations to this project are Section 18A ap-

plicable and therefore tax deductible

This morning I saw a wasp on my patio, ex-hausted from relentlessly seeking plants. But tracing the same paths again and again, had left it trapped on the concrete. It snapped out of this trance and veered left discovering a dy-ing potted plant. No doubt it was delighted with its discovery; even a single wilting flower felt lavish in comparison to the seemingly end-less tiles on the ground. I knew it would be far happier at the back of the garden, where there are beautiful flowers. I tried to encourage it off the sickly flower, in-tending to carry it to the lush greenery further back, but it would not cooperate. I wished I could communicate with it to tell it to trust me, because I could see much further. I was taking it to a better place. The wasp reminded me of myself; short-sighted, content to settle for what seemed like the safer option. Eventu-ally, the wasp gave in and sat still on the leaf while I took it and set it down amongst its family, in what was a paradise compared to my patio. In the end, it was gently given more than its tiny mind could have ever imagined. All because it trusted and let me carry it there. We are told to place our trust in Allah Ta’ala but how many of us fully submit in certainty that He can see further than us and He knows better? He knows of all the gardens we may be seeking, in this life and the next. We are short-sighted; we can only see the flower we are currently on, and often cannot fathom the beauty He may be pushing us towards in-stead. “And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him.” (Quran 65:3) �