Islamic Focus

Issue 97 Igniting the Spirit of Islam Jan 2012 Bukhara Publications/Tel: 078 672 7797/Fax: 086 651 2125 Email: islamicfocus@gmail.com/Korsten/Port Elizabeth

overboard and engaged in

the crimes of slander and character assassination.

BIGGER PICTURE

In trying to correct issues

within our community, we should be aware of outside

forces exploiting these dif-ferences for their own ends. Many a time, in attempting

to correct a wrong, we ig-nore the dictates of wisdom

and end up causing even greater harm than the origi-nal wrong had done.

The way forward requires all

bodies involved in Halal cer-tification to work together in

formulating sufficiently high standards. Stringent checks and balances need to be put

in place to ensure the possi-bility of fraud in the Halal

industry is minimized. �

With the Orion saga unfold-

ing, certain lessons need to be learnt.

MEDIA

The first is that Muslims

cannot judge others solely on the basis of what is seen,

heard or read in the media. The Quraan emphasizes the need to verify information

before forming a viewpoint.

This is far more applicable when the news is derived from the media because:

a) Media is known to twist

the facts especially in the case of Muslims. For e.g.

Palestinian freedom fighters are labeled ‘militants’.

b) Media is motivated by the massive amounts of

money which flow in via ad-vertising. This means it needs to provide sensational

news constantly to stay ahead of the game.

The classic strategy of ob-

scuring the main issue saw the spotlight shift from the

real culprits to the Ulama body in the current saga.

ULAMA The second lesson is one

that comes through the pages of history: the ene-mies of Islam have regularly

employed the tactic of driv-ing a wedge between the

Ulama and the general Mus-lim population.

This was witnessed in the colonial era in India under

the British, and Indonesia under the Dutch. Ulama

were targeted in an attempt to set Muslims adrift from the law of Allah: the path to

everlasting salvation.

In attempting to correct Ulama (Ulama are not infal-lible, they do make mis-

takes) people threw respon-sible, mature responses

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P12 The Rotis

P4 Harry Potter

P7 The Gunmen

P8 Syria

P10 Singapore

P3 Love & Unity

Scan the QR code with

your cellphone to go to

our website:

www.islamicfocus.co.za

2 Islamic Focus

WORLD NEWS

EGYPT - 74 killed as home supporters in Port Said

invaded the pitch after a victory against Egypt’s big-

gest club, Al-Ahly. (BBC, 2 Feb)

IRELAND - Actor Liam Neeson is said to be consid-

ering converting to Islam following a working trip to

Istanbul. Neeson admitted that Islamic prayer got

into his spirit while he was filming in Turkey.

(Dailymail, 26 Jan)

SOMALIA - Red Cross operations were shut down

in Al-Shabab areas after nearly 1,000 tons of food

intended for distribution was found to be spoilt and

unfit for human consumption. (VOA, 2 Feb)

NIGERIA - Police arrested the spokesman of the

Boko Haram group which has carried out scores of

attacks recently and wants an Islamic state. (BBC, 1

Feb)

SOMALIA - al-Shabab, which controls much of So-

malia, has announced a merger with al-Qaeda and

pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda head Ayman al-

Zawahiri. (BBC, 10 Feb)

MALDIVES - Mohammed Waheed Hassan over-

threw President Mohamed Nasheed in a coup. (BBC,

11 Feb)

TURKMENISTAN - Polls have closed in Turkmeni-

stan's sham presidential election, with President Kur-

banguly expected to win another term. Turkmeni-

stan is ranked among the world's most repressive

states. (BBC, 12 Feb)

MALAYSIA - Authorities deported a Saudi journalist

accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad sallallahu

alaihi wa sallam in a tweet. Insulting the Prophet

sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is punishable by death in

Saudi Arabia. (BBC, 12 Feb)

TURKEY - Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel

targets in northern Iraq. (BBC, 12 Feb)

KOSOVO - A young 5 or 6 year old girl was pulled

alive from a house hours after it was hit by an ava-

lanche which killed nine people. She was found bur-

ied under 10 meters of snow. (BBC, 12 Feb)

LEBANON - There was heavy gunfire in Tripoli, as

supporters and opponents of Syria's President Ba-

shar al-Assad took to the streets. Rocket-propelled

grenades were also fired and a bystander was in-

jured. Hundreds of people attended an anti-Assad

demonstration after Friday prayers. RPGs were fired

from the Sunni Muslim district of Bab al-Tabbana

towards the Alawi district of Jabal Muhsin. (BBC, 10

Feb)

SAUDI - A man was shot dead by security forces at

a demonstration in eastern Saudi Arabia. Shias in

the east have been protesting recently. (BBC, 11

Feb)

PALESTINE - One man was killed and four

wounded in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza Strip. A rocket

fired from Gaza lightly injured a Jew in the Hof

Asheklon area. (BBC, 11 Feb)

SYRIA - Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri backed

the Syrian uprising, telling the opposition not to rely

on the West or Arab countries for support. More

than 400 people have been killed since security

forces launched an assault on opposition-held areas

in Homs. More than 7,000 people have been killed

by President Bashar’s Alawi government. (BBC, 13

Feb)

USA - Holidaymakers have been warned to watch

their words after two friends were refused entry to

the US on security grounds after an innocent tweet

on Twitter. (BBC, 31 Jan)

LIBYA - Two men were rendered to Gaddafi’s Libya

with the help of the UK have begun an action to sue

one of Britain's most senior former MI6 officers.

(BBC, 30 Jan)

SAUDI - 35 Ethiopian Christians face deportation

for illicit mingling of unmarried sexes. (BBC, 30 Jan)

KAZAKHSTAN - A state of emergency in Zha-

naozen ended. The state of emergency was instated

after 16 people were killed in the town during

clashes between striking oil workers and police.

MOROCCO - Anti-government protests turned vio-

lent in some cities, with security forces clashing with

demonstrators. (PressTV, 13 Feb) �

� Telephone, SMS line, Whatsapp: 078 672 7797

3 Islamic Focus

UNITY

/ HISTO

RY

Ways to create unity of hearts:

1. Making salaam common

‘You will not enter Paradise until you believe; and you cannot claim to believe until you love each other. Should I not direct you to some-

thing which if you do, shall promote love among you? Make salaam a common practice

among you.’ (Muslim) 2. Exchanging gifts

‘Shake hands, it will remove jealousy from your hearts, and exchange gifts it will remove

animosity.’ (Malik) 3. Positive view of others

‘To have a good opinion of a person is from the beauty of ibadah (worship).’ (Abu Da-

wood)

4. Foster family ties ‘Learn your lineage through which you could foster ties; for undoubtedly fostering ties cre-

ates love in the family, it increases wealth and gives you a longer lifespan.’ (Tirmidhi)

5. Speak less, listen more ‘When you befriend another person, ask him

his name and the name of his father and who he is. It is greater in fostering

love.’ (Tirmidhi) When meeting a stranger avoid the tempta-

tion of talking about yourself. Display an in-terest in learning about the person you be-

friend and do not sing your own song. Make people feel wanted and appreciated. �

Adapted from Jamiatul Ulama South Africa

Events that occurred in the life of the Prophet

� in Rabiul Awwal and lessons we learn:

Birth When we realize the Prophet � was born an orphan, our sentiments should be directed to the orphans and orphanages around us. We

should consider personally raising orphans as great virtues are mentioned in this regard.

Prophethood The Prophet � was bestowed with Prophethood in the cave of Hira while in

solitude. By spending time in solitude, ponder-ing over the creation of Allah and His great-

ness, one is elevated. Allah has described such people in the Quraan as ‘those of intelligence’.

First Verses The first verses of the Quraan were revealed. In these verses, Allah reminds

man of the fact that it is through knowledge that He raised the rank of man, and our source

of knowledge is Allah and His Prophet �. Migration The migration from Makkah to

Madinah took place. The hadith tells us: ‘A real Muhaajir (one who migrates) is he who mi-

grates from (abandons) sins.’ (Bukhari) Musjid Upon reaching Quba outside Madinah,

the Prophet � without delay established the first Musjid of Islam. A Muslim’s priority is the

Musjid wherever he may be. Demise The Prophet � said there is no greater calamity for a Muslim than my demise (Shamail). So if one is afflicted with any ca-

lamity, he should ponder over the calamity of the demise of the Prophet � which would lighten the burden of his current adversity. �

By Moulana Muhammad Abbasomar

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ULA

MA / LIFESTYLE

I’m not here to defend Harry Potter, but there

are many who have read the books or seen the movies. Here are some things they can

learn from the series: 1. Mudbloods

In the Potter series, there are pure-bloods: wizards who came from a pure wizarding fam-

ily, and mudbloods were wizards who were born from Muggle (human) parents. In the story, many of the pure blood wizards felt

they were better than the mudbloods.

Muslims from one background should not be looking down on other Muslims from a differ-ent background e.g. race, nationality, or tribe.

One of the best lessons learned from Potter is

that it’s perfectly okay to be a mudblood and a mudblood is often just as good a wizard as a

pure-blood. 2. Muggles are boring

Three of the most unlikeable characters in the series are Harry’s adopted family. They are

boring Muggles (non wizards). And they want Harry to be the same. They hate the fact he’s a wizard and try to suppress his identity.

Don’t be like them. It’s okay to be different.

Being a Muslim in the west is not easy. You dress differently. You eat different things. You don’t celebrate the same holidays. It’s much

easier to try to fit in with the rest of the Mug-gles. But Muggles are boring. And you’re not a

Muggle. Don’t be afraid to wear your hijab or grow your beard. Don’t be afraid to tell Mug-gles you don’t celebrate Christmas or drink

alcohol or deal with interest. �

Virtues of the Ulama (scholars of Islam):

Love. ‘Be an Alim (scholar of Islam) or a stu-

dent. And if you are unable to do so, then love the Ulama and do not bear hatred and malice against them.’ (Majma)

Difference. Once a person came to Ibn

Masood � to ask how a particular verse of the Quraan should be read. When Ibn Masood � recited it, the person said that Umar � recited it in a different fashion. Ibn Masood � began to weep and said: ‘Recite it as Umar � had recited it to you.’ He then mentioned Umar �’s contribution to Islam.

When differences arise, we need to respect the scholar’s contribution to Islam and his

knowledge.

Ignorance. Ali � said: ‘The ignorant ones are enemies to the men of knowledge.’

Fear of disbelief. Fatawa Alamghir: ‘There is fear of disbelief against that person who har-

bours hatred against any Alim (scholar) with-out any acceptable, clear reason.’

Hypocrites. ‘There are three persons whom none but hypocrites can look upon as insignifi-

cant … the second is the men of knowledge (Alim) …’ (Targheeb)

Enmity. ‘Be an Alim or a student or a listener to the discourses of knowledge or one who

loves the men of knowledge. And be not a fifth one (who bears hatred for the Ulama) for then you will meet with destruction.’ (Hadith) �

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5 Islamic Focus

QUESTIO

NS & ANSWERS

Q: What is the awrah

(parts of the body that need to be covered) of a

Muslim woman in front of a non-Muslim woman? A: The relied-upon opinion

maintains that a Muslim woman may not expose

herself to a non-Muslim woman. Other authorities maintained that they are

both merely considered as women; thus, belonging to a

different religion does not restrict the issue of looking. But this is not the relied-

upon opinion. The first opin-ion entails that she does not

expose herself beyond what is shown when working.

(Nihayah 6:195) Some Ulama included the head, neck, and parts of the shins

and forearms in the area that can be exposed, while some

restrict exposing the fore-arms and shins to half. This is for the case when the non-

Muslim woman is not related. Otherwise, then it is permis-

sible for her to look at the Muslim woman, except for that which is between the

navel and the knees. Answer by: Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept

Q: Do you recite Dua

Qunoot in every witr, no matter the time of year? And also after recitation

of Qunoot, is reciting Salawaat upon the

Prophet � permissible? A: The relied-upon view is that Qunoot is recited in

witr only during the second half of Ramadan. (Rawdat al-

Talibin 1:358) There is a dif-fering opinion which is the

preferred view of Imam Naw-awi.

It is recommended to recite

salawat (prayers on the

Prophet �) after the Qunoot. (Rawdat al-Talibin 1:359) Answer by: Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept

Q: I understand one can pray 3, 5 or even one ra-

kah as witr, but how is it prayed? How would I pray

a 3 rakah witr salah for example? A: The time of the witr

prayer is after Esha and be-fore Fajr.

The minimal number of ra-

kahs for witr is one and the maximum number is eleven. The minimal number for

witr’s optimal performance is three, and then the other

odd numbers until its maxi-mum.

One making witr in three should perform two rakahs

and intend them to be the prayers preceding witr. One should separate them from

the witr by salaam. Then, one should stand, intending

to perform a single rakah of witr, and perform the addi-tional rakah. It is sunnah to

recite Surah al-Ala in the first rakah, Surah al-Kafirun in

the second, and the last three surahs of the Quran in the third.

Making Salaam in between is

established by way of evi-dence, which is why it is the optimal way to do so. (Tuhfat

al-Muhtaj 2:225-226) Answer by: Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept

Q: Is it haraam to stand

up and urinate? A: In Rawdat At-Talibin 1:220, Imam Nawawi states

that it is disliked (makruh) to stand and urinate without a

valid excuse.

Q: I have an e-reader for

reading books, including the Quran. Sometimes I will not have wudhu while

carrying it. How should one treat the Quran in

electronic format? A: Shafi ulama discuss the issue of a slate upon which

the Quran is written for study. Two opinions are re-

lated and the relied-upon one is that it is unlawful to touch it without ablution

(wudhu). The ruling extends here as the digitally dis-

played text, on electronic paper for example, is written

and we consider it as Quran. Thus, if one is holding an e-reader to read the Quran

from it, then ablution is necessary. When the e-

reader is off, for example, and the Quran is merely preserved in the system’s

memory along with other books, then this would

not require ablution. Answer by: Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept

Q: Is Talaq (divorce) said

three times in anger valid?

A: A divorce is valid when given while angry. In the case above the ruling is that

such a couple is irrevocably divorced. If the husband was

angry until he was no longer duty-bound, then the pro-nouncements were not effec-

tuated. If he claims such, then it is upon him to bring

forth proof that establishes that he was in such a state; along the line of an insanity

plea. If he fails to bring such proof, then they are di-

vorced. � Answer by: Shafiifiqh.com Fatwa Dept

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

www.askimam.org | www.askmufti.co.za | www.daruliftaa.net

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Q: Is it permissible to run

a site about technology news and earn from

Adsense (Google ads which at times contain pictures of people)

A: It is permissible to run a website about technological

news. You may also adver-tise on your website. How-ever, you may only advertise

such adverts which are in conformity with Islamic law.

Pictures of animate objects, especially women are imper-missible. We would suggest

that you tweak and custom-ize your Adsense to display

only specific adverts which do not show any images.

This may inhibit your income levels but it will ensure that your income is completely

halal and full of blessing. Checked by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Q: Is Online Bullion (Gold)

trading permissible? A: Buying and selling gold is acceptable subject to the fol-

lowing:

A) The transaction of pur-chasing or selling the gold takes place on a spot basis

and the countervalues are exchanged on a spot basis.

B) The gold being traded in is marked clearly so that it is

known which gold is being purchased and is held on be-

half of the buyer. C) If the gold is sold by the

company itself or is being purchased by themselves

and they are not purchasing from a third party nor selling

to a third party, then the company may not charge a commission. The company

may, however, charge a fee

from the owner of the gold,

for keeping the gold in safe-keeping.

D) The company cannot act as a buyer and seller in a

single transaction. i.e. If the company is holding the gold

and they were told to pur-chase they cannot purchase their own gold on your be-

half. Similarly if they were holding your gold and are in-

structed to sell, they cannot sell on your behalf to them-selves as in both these in-

stances they would be both buyers and sellers in the

same transaction.

E) In the case where the company provides an interest free loan for the purchase of

gold, the administrative costs must not be more than in

the instance where the com-pany does not provide an in-terest free loan.

These are some basic condi-

tions for the validity of the contract. It is not possible for us to comment regarding the

precise transaction of the specific company without

studying their terms and conditions. It is also pre-ferred that companies that

trade in this manner seek the guidance of reliable Islamic

scholars and adhere to their guidance.

And Allah Knows Best Answer by: Mufti Shafiq Jakhura

Q: Why are Muslims not allowed to wear shoes in the house?

A: It is not prohibited to wear shoes in the house.

However, Islam emphasizes on cleanliness as it is

narrated in the Hadith:

Cleanliness is half of faith. It is advisable for one to make

sure that the shoes are clean from dirt and filth before en-tering the house.

Checked by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai

Q: Is it permissible to

throw away CD's or any forms of storage devices such as Flash drives,

DVD's or iPods which con-tain Qiraat?

A: When a Quran copy be-comes so old that it is no

longer legible, then it should be wrapped up in some cloth and buried like a deceased

Muslim. This is done to honor the Quran. CDs, DVDs and

other electronic mediums are not the same as a printed medium. Audio CDs like a

vinyl record make use of the grooved linings which are

digitally read by a laser and then encoded to reproduce audio frequency. Similarly in

flash disk drives, memory cards Data CDs and DVDs

and portable hard disk drive the Quran is not recorded in its original form. If we were

to microscopically view the data, we would not see the

Arabic script written. Hence the normal rules attached to a printed Quraan will not ap-

ply to these digital formats. It will be permissible to

throw such devices away provided that nothing from the Quran or the names of

Allah etc. is printed on it. However, since these devices

were used to record the Quran, they should be re-spectfully disposed off. �

Checked by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai

mortems be

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7 Islamic Focus

Enrich your web experience. Not all content

on all sites Islamic-compliant. Consult Ulama.

� www.ummahlinked.com - Muslim pro-

fessiona, business and social network � www.sawt.co.uk - Voice of the Youth, UK � http://apartheidweek.org/ - Israeli

Apartheid week � http://muftionline.org/ - Fatwas by Mufti Ebrahim Salejee

� www.nur.org - Nur web pages. Works of

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi � www.traditionalmuslimah.blogspot.co

m - Traditional Muslimah Homemaker � www.halalpharmaceuticals.blogspot.co

m - Halal Pharmaceuticals. Artilces on Halal � http://sulaimaanravat.com/ - Moulana

Sulaimaan Ravat � www.themuslimconsumer.com - Ameri-

can Muslim Consumer Conference � http://americanmuslimmom.com/ -

Blog � www.gm2j.com - Global March to Jerusa-

lem � www.closeguantanamo.org - Petition to

close Guantanamo prison � www.tsmmedia.net - Tri State Muslim,

USA � Support Sensible Surfing

INTERNET / IN

SPIRATIO

N

Imagine this happening to you:

One day, during Juma Salaah, a 1,000 mem-

ber congregation was surprised to see two men enter, both covered from head to toe in black, and both carrying sub-machine guns.

One of them announced: ‘Anyone of you will-

ing to take a bullet for Allah remain where you are.’

Immediately the congregation fled, and out of the 1,000 there only remained around 20.

The man who had spoken took off his hood, looked at the Imam and said: ‘Ok Sheikh, I

got rid of all the hypocrites. Now you may be-gin your sermon.’

The two men then turned and walked out.

It’s amazing how everyone wants to go to heaven, provided they do not have to believe,

think, say or do anything according to the teachings of the Quraan and Hadith.

Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene words pass freely through cyber space, but

the public discussion of the greatness of Allah is suppressed in our school and work environ-

ments. The real test of our belief and love in Allah and

His Prophet � is to follow their commands. Mere lip service without practical implementa-

tion is not what is expected of us. Let us start, in some small way, changing things in our life so that we do it in accordance with Islamic

teachings. �

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8 Islamic Focus

CURRRENT AFFAIRS / QURAAN

As the Syrian conflict drags on, here is some

background information:

Alawis. Since 1971, majority Sunni Syria has been under the control of the Alawis, a sect that claimed to be Shia. They control all gov-

ernment and senior army posts. When the French occupied Syria in 1920, they recog-

nized the Alawis, gave them autonomy and accepted them into their army to fight against the Sunnis. Shia Iran has supported the Alawis

creating a bloc stretching from Iran through Iraq, into Syria and Lebanon.

Massacres. The Alawis under Hafez al-Assad massacred thousands of Sunnis who stood up

against them. Some massacres include: Tad-mor Prison where 1,152 Sunni prisoners

were murdered in their cells, Souk al-Ahad where mainly women and children were killed

in Aleppo, al-Masharqah where mainly chil-dren were killed, some buried alive, Aqyol where 2,000 youth were executed, Tel al-

Zaatar where 3,000 Palestinians were killed at a refugee camp, October 13 when hun-

dreds of Lebanese soldiers were killed after surrendering, and the Hama massacre in 1982 when 40,000 Sunnis were butchered.

Today. Hafez al-Assad’s son Bashar is con-

tinuing the aggression against Sunnis. Over 7,000 people have been killed since 2011. Hundreds, including whole families, have al-

ready been killed in the ongoing shelling of Homs where over 400 people have been killed.

Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and UAE withdrew their ambassadors from Syria, and expelled Syrian ambassadors in protest at the

Homs bombardment. �

When we intend doing or saying something

that might hurt another person, we need to put ourselves in that person’s shoes and imag-

ine what we do if we were in his position: 1. Orphans

‘And let those (executors and guardians) have the same fear in their minds as they would

have for their own, if they had left offspring behind. So let them fear Allah and speak right words.’ (Quraan, 4:9)

Guardians of orphans, and others are taught

that as they desire good treatment for their children in their lifetime and after their death, so should they deal with other people’s chil-

dren who are orphans. We need to put our-selves in that situation and do the right thing.

2. Good charity

The Quraan teaches us to give good things in charity and makes us put ourselves in the beggar’s shoes by telling us that we would not

accept bad things except by closing our eys and tolerating it. (Quraan, 2:267)

3. Taking full measure People who demand their rights in full yet do

not give others their full due are made to imagine how upset they would be if they had

to be on the receiving end. (Quraan 83:1-3) 4. Adultery

A Sahaabi who asked permission to commit adultery was reminded by the Prophet � of how he would feel if it was his mother or sister with whom adultery was committed. Similarly, the lady with whom he intended to commit

adultery was someone’s daughter, etc. �

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9 Islamic Focus

BIOGRAPHY / S

OCIAL

Some points on how to achieve things and

reach our goals:

1. Stop fantasizing The biggest enemy of any goal is excessive fantasizing of what you want to achieve. Don’t

experience the future positively before you ac-tually achieve it.

One who hopes excessively impairs his deeds. Live in the present working towards entry into

Paradise. ‘Man dies while his heart still strongly longs for two things: the desire for a

long life and the love of money.’ (Bukhari) 2. Start starting

One weapon for beating procrastination is starting somewhere, anywhere. Just taking

that first step could be the difference between success and failure.

When Umar � became a Muslim he publicly proclaimed his Islam immediately to the non

Muslim leaders, prayed openly at the Kabah and paved the way for others to pray in public

as well. 3. Visualise process not outcome

We all think that everything will go smoothly when it hardly ever does, or not the way we

expected anyway. Visualising the process of reaching your goal helps focus attention on the steps you need to take.

A person asked the Prophet � when would the last hour would come. He was asked: ‘What have you prepared for it?’ shifting his focus on the process of getting there And being suc-

cessful on that day. �

Muhammad bin Dawood Chaghri (Born 1029,

Died 1072, Turkestan) was Sultan of the Sel-juq Empire. He assumed the name of Muham-

mad bin Dawood when he embraced Islam and for his military prowess, personal valour, and fighting skills he obtained the surname

Alp Arslan, which means ‘Heroic Lion’ in Turk-men. He succeeded his father as governor of

Khorasan in 1059 and became Sultan in 1064, ruling Iran from the river Oxus to the Tigris.

He was assisted by Nizam ul-Mulk, his vizier and one of the most eminent statesmen in

early Muslim history. Alp Arslan captured Ar-menia and Georgia and in 1068, en route to Syria, he invaded the Byzantine Empire. At

the battle of Manzikert he defeated the Byzan-tine troops and this was the starting point of

the Eastern Roman Empire’s demise. He cap-tured Emperor Romanus in this battle. Alp

Arslan's victories changed the balance in near Asia completely in favour of the Sunni Muslims and began Turkish ascendancy in Anatolia.

Military fiefs were established to provide sup-

port for the army. This allowed Alp Arslan to field a huge standing army, without depending on tribute from conquest to pay his soldiery.

The dominion of Alp Arslan extended over

much of western Asia. He prepared to conquer Turkestan, the original seat of his ancestors but was assassinated before he could accom-

plish it. From 2002 to 2008 under Turkmen calendar reform, the month of August was

named after Alp Arslan. He is buried in Merv, Turkmenistan. �

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HISTO

RY / SOCIAL

Islam brought to the world centuries ago what

the United Nations is purportedly trying to achieve regarding the universal sanctity of life.

Non Muslims were protected in the Islamic state. When they entered into a contract with

the state they were termed Thimmi. The Prophet � said: ‘On the day of judgement, I will remonstrate against whoever acts unjustly toward someone with whom a pact is agreed (like a Thimmi): cheats him, forces him to do

things beyond his capability, or takes some-thing away from him without his full con-

sent.’ (Abu Dawood) Al Qarafi said: ‘The Thimma contract entails

certain duties that we must observe. Under such contract we are obliged to treat (the peo-

ple of the pledge) as our neighbours. They are under our protection as well as the protection

of Allah, His Messenger � and the Muslim re-ligion. He who commits or partakes in an act of aggression against any of them by way of

slander or harm will be in the breach of Allah, His Messenger � and Islam.’ Once, when the Tartar armies ransacked Da-mascus, Ibn Taymiyya rahimahullah negoti-

ated the release of the captives with the Tar-tar king. The king agreed to release only the

Muslims, not the Thimmis. Ibn Taymiyya re-fused saying that the Jewish and Christian Thimmis were to be released as well as they

were under Muslim protection. On his insis-tence the king released them as well.

Islam protects every human’s possessions and honour. �

15% of Singapore's population are Muslims .

These consist of Malays, Indian and Pakistani communities as well as a small number of Chi-

nese, Arabs and Eurasians. Syed Sharif Omar al-Junied and his uncle, Syed Mohammed bin Haroon Al-Junied were probably the first Arabs

to come to Singapore in the early 1800’s. The Aljunieds are descendants of the Prophet �. Syed Omar commissioned the building of the first mosque in 1820.

In 1880, the British colonial authorities intro-duced the Mahomedan Marriage Ordinance

which officially recognized the status of Muslim personal law in Singapore. In 1915, they es-tablished the Mohammedan Advisory Board. In

1958, a Shariah Court with jurisdiction to hear and determine disputes pertaining to Muslim

marriages and divorce cases was established. In 1963, Singapore became part of Malaysia.

It separated from Malaysia and declared inde-pendence in 1965. In 1966, Parliament passed the Administration of the Muslim Law Act leg-

islating three key Muslim institutions: (i) the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, (ii) the

Shariah Court, and (iii) the Registry of Muslim Marriages.

The Islamic Religious Council administers Mus-lim affairs including Singapore’s 69 Musjids

and 6 full time Madressas. The Shariah Court is a court of competent jurisdiction with power and jurisdiction to hear and determine dis-

putes. There are also community self-help groups, voluntary welfare organisations and

civic groups including the Muslim Converts' Association of Singapore which provides sup-port for converts. �

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FINAL FO

CUS

The World’s First Annual English North Ameri-

can Muslim Spelling Bee will be held in March, April and May 2012 and will be open to Muslim

Children (ages up to 14 years). The Muslim Spelling Bee 2012 Competition is

open to students from home, private, public and Muslim schools.

The Spelling Bee competition is conceived and promoted by TMA Worldwide. The concept of

the competition is with the objective of con-necting communities through education.

The Muslim Spelling Bee would also be launched in other English speaking countries

such as Canada, UK, South Africa, Dubai, Sin-gapore, Australia and New Zealand. The win-

ners from each country will get an opportunity to participate in an International Muslim Spell-

ing Bee competition. TMA also plans to launch other educational

competitions such as Muslim Science Bee, Muslim Math Bee, Muslim Geography Bee and

Muslim Science Projects. � Islamic Focus is a media partner for the event

www.muslimspellingbee.com

A woman baked rotis daily for her family and

an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra roti on the window-sill, for whoso-

ever would take it away. Everyday, a hunchback came and took away the roti. In-stead of showing gratitude, he muttered: ‘The

evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!’

After many days the woman felt irritated. ‘Not a word of gratitude,’ she thought. She decided

to do kill him and added poison to the roti she prepared for him! As she was about to keep it

on the window sill, her hands trembled. ‘What am I doing?’ she said. She threw the roti into the fire, prepared another and kept it on the

window-sill. The hunchback came and took it. Daily, as the woman placed the roti on the

window-sill, she prayed for her son who had gone far away to seek his fortune. For months

she had no news of him. That evening, there was a knock on the door.

She saw her son hungry, starved and weak. He said, ‘Mom, it's a miracle I'm here. While I

was but a mile away, I was so famished I col-lapsed. I would have died, but an old hunchback passed by. I begged him for food,

and he gave me a whole roti. As he gave it to me, he said, ‘This is what I eat everyday: to-

day, I give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!’ As the mother heard those words, she felt faint and remembered the poisoned

roti she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it, it would have been eaten by her own

son, and he would have lost his life! It was then she realized the significance of the words: ‘The evil you do, remains with you:

The good you do, comes back to you!’ �

ISSN 2223 - 1110 (Print) | ISSN 2223 - 1129 (Online)