General Guidelines for Internet Users

General Guidelines for Internet Users

By Sheikh: Hamed Ibn Abdullah El Aly

First:

When a Muslim hears the call for prayer, he should rise up to the remembrance of Allah and not let anything take him away from answering that call. The Lord SWT said: In houses that Allah ordered to be built and His name to be mentioned in them mornings and nights, men who are not diverted by trade or selling from the Remembrance of Allah, pray, give alms, fear a day where hearts and eyesight’s are diverted in all directions. (24:36-37)

Second:

The Internet is a way for communication that is considered a double-edged weapon. When it provides benefit, it becomes a gift. And when it provides evil, it becomes a disgrace. Muslim should use the good side of this facility to serve his religion and life, rather than its evil side that corrupts his religion and life.

Third:

It’s very important for internet users to protect their eyes from falling on prohibited scenes. The prohibited scene is considered Satan’s arrow, his weapon that he uses to spoil the Muslims heart by offering immediate pleasure, followed by long lasting feelings of remorse and regret. Watching scenes that Allah prohibited causes darkness in the heart, gloominess in the chest and heaviness and reluctance to perform actions of worshiping Allah. It deprives the soul of enjoying the sweetness of deep faith. By all means it is a tool that Satan uses to sugar coat sins with, and the moment one falls in this trap, Satan takes complete control of his heart, and play with it like a young boy who plays with a ball. The end is always a fatal loss.

Fourth:

Don’t let the internet consume your effort and time for no value. That happens when you navigate between the various sites and online groups for long hours. You waste your precious lifetime hours. That time that you should devote for people like your family, parents, children and relatives, or for your job where you earn the living for you and your dependants.

Fifth:

Visit the Islamic Sites frequently. Visit the useful sites that add to your useful information, and widens up your scales of knowledge. Stay away from the sites that promote corruption to Belief or Morals, those groups that seek the spread of Fitnah or controversy, even if this is over religious issues. Bad controversy is of no avail. Don’t interfere in conversations with the enemies of Islam unless you have the necessary knowledge and power that enables you to handle this task. And if not, ask a scholar to handle it instead.

Sixth:

Take caution against the chatting sites. They are traps for males and females to drag them into a prohibited relationship, which often starts by an innocent introduction and end up in mere pain and causes damage to life and faith.

Seventh:

Its either you control or you get controlled by the trap of the internet. If you put it under your control, you take its benefit and shed away its harm. Hence Internet becomes a gift from Allah for your welfare. And if you fall under its control, it blurs your eyes with its glittering charm and temporary pleasures, steals your money, time, life and the duties your have towards your family and beloved ones. You become the prey without being aware of it. Save yourself from this trap before you are lost, and before it is too late.

Opinion: Why I'm proud to wear the burqa

"Oumkheyr"-- who has asked CNN not to use her real name -- is a French Muslim woman in her 40s. Of Algerian origin, she is divorced and has a daughter. She tells CNN why she's proud to wear the burqa, also known as the niqab or full veil, and what she thinks of the law proposed by the French government to ban the burqa. A French parliament report has called for a ban on the burqa in schools, hospitals, government offices and public transport.

(CNN) -- I wear the burqa for the simple reason that I am a Muslim and the Koran says that I must wear the full veil in order to be modest.

I am proud of my Muslim faith and my modesty. I am proud to follow God's law.

Nobody ever forced me to wear the full veil and I have been wearing it for around 10 years now.

In fact, very few of my friends actually wear one. There are, of course, situations in which some men force their wives or daughters to wear the burqa but, believe me, these cases are a very, very small minority.

For those of us who are believers, we just want to do God's will and live by the sacred text, so what any man says has nothing to do with that.

I am testament to that as I don't have a husband and I practice my religion freely, that's why I'm always shocked when people say it's the husband who forces his wife to wear a burqa.

It is actually the case that a lot of men in France do not wish their wives to wear the full veil because when they go out, they are insulted or attacked and their husbands don't want them to be put in that situation.

I first started wearing the full veil when I was a teenager but I stopped for a while because when you're young, you don't want to be set apart, you want to look like everyone else.

But later after seeing what was happening with terrorist attacks involving Muslims all over the world, I decided to become more conscious and find out more about my faith.

In the process, I found myself becoming more spiritual and decided to start wearing the burqa.

Now, my liberty is being threatened with this law proposed by the French government. If this law is passed, it will be a great injustice. It is very unfair that they are even considering this law.

Perhaps the French authorities are terrified that women will start dressing like this, despite evidence to the contrary.

Why am I, as a Muslim woman, targeted unfairly, when there are less than 2,000 of us in France who wear the burqa? Where is my freedom of clothing or expression?

France prides itself as a country that upholds the rights of man but where are my rights? Why am I not free to wear what I want?

Many cite security reasons because they can't tell who is under the veil. But myself and a lot of women who wear the burqa are always happy to identify ourselves when asked.

In the past, I have taken off my veil when it is asked of me -- as long as it's a woman who does it. My religion demands that I cover my face in front of any man who is not either my brother, father or husband.

I have been wearing the veil in France for years and it has never been a problem, I use public transport like everyone else and I've never had any problems.

Although, it can be quite strange when I'm on a bus for example and people say to me: 'You poor thing, we feel sorry for you.' And I wonder exactly why they feel sorry for me.

I'm very happy wearing the veil and it makes me spiritually fulfilled as I'm practicing my religion, so I don't really see it as anything to pity me for.

I really believe that France is scared of Muslims, which is the motivation for this law, but people shouldn't generalize as not all Muslims are the same.

Yes, some have done terrible things, but it is done in the name of man, never in the name of God. I, as a French Muslim woman, have nothing but love in my heart towards all people.

And whatever the outcome, if France succeeds in banning the veil on its streets, I will never take mine off. My freedom means a lot to me and if this law is passed, I would rather move to another country where I can worship in peace.

I obey the laws of God not the laws of man.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Oumkheyr.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/02/04/france.burqa.ban/index.html?dsq=32770555#comment-32770555

The Month of Safar (3)

4. What happened in this month of military campaigns and important events in the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

There are many such events, some of which we will refer to below:

(1) Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Then he himself [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] went on the military campaign of al-Abwaa’, also known as Waddaan. This was the first military campaign in which he took part himself. It happened in Safar, twelve months after the Hijrah. The banner, which was white, was carried by Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib. He appointed Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah in charge of Madeenah (in his absence), and he went out with the Muhaajireen only, to intercept a caravan of Quraysh, but there was no fighting.

During this campaign, he made a peace treaty with Makhshiy ibn ‘Amr al-Dumari, who was the leader of Bani Dumrah at his time, agreeing that he would not attack Bani Dumrah and they would not attack him, that they would never join any group to attack him and that they would never help any enemy against him. The treaty between them was written down, and the Prophet was away for fifteen nights.

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/164, 165)

(2) And he said:

When Safar came (in 3 AH), some people from ‘Adal and al-Qaarah came to him and said that there Muslims among them, and they asked him to send with them someone who would teach them Islam and the Qur’aan. So he sent six people with them, according to the report of Ibn Ishaaq. According to al-Bukhaari, the number was ten. He put Marthad ibn Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi in charge of them, and among them was Khubayb ibn ‘Adiy. They went with them, and when they reached al-Rajee’ – which is water belonging to Hudhayl, somewhere in the Hijaaz – they betrayed them and sought the help of Hudhayl against them. So they came and surrounded them; they killed most of them and took Khubayb ibn ‘Adiy and Zayd ibn al-Dathinah prisoner. They took them to Makkah and sold them there, because they had killed some of the leaders of Quraysh at Badr.

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/244)

(3) And he said:

In the same month of Safar, in 4 AH, there was the battle of Bi’r Ma’oonah (the well of Ma’oonah), which may be summed up as follows:

Abu Baraa’ ‘Aamir ibn al-Maalik, who was known as Mulaa’ib al-Asinnah, came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Madeenah. He invited him to Islam but he did not become Muslim, but neither did he seem far away from doing so. He said, “O Messenger of Allaah, why do you not send your companions to the people of Najd to call them to your religion? I hope that they would respond.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “I fear that the people of Najd may harm them.” Abu Baraa’ said: “They will be under my protection.” So he sent forty men with him, according to the report of Ibn Ishaaq. According to al-Saheeh, the number was seventy, and what is narrated in al-Saheeh is correct. He put al-Mundhir ibn ‘Amr, one of the tribe of Bani Saa’idah which was known as al-Mu’annaq, in charge of them. They were among the best, most virtuous and foremost Muslims. They travelled until they stopped at Bi’r Ma’oonah – which is between the land of Bani ‘Aamir and the harrah (lava field) of Bani Sulaym – where they camped. Then they sent Haraam ibn Milhaan, the brother of Umm Sulaym, with the letter of the Messenger of Allaah to the enemy of Allaah, ‘Aamir ibn al-Tufayl. He did not look at it, and he commanded a man to stab him in the back with a spear. When he was stabbed and he saw the blood, he said, “I have won, by the Lord of the Ka’abah [i.e., attained martyrdom].” Then the enemy of Allaah immediately urged Banu ‘Aamir to kill the rest (of the Muslims), but they did not respond, because of the protection of Abu Baraa’. Then he urged Bani Sulaym, and ‘Asiyah, Ra’l and Dhakwaan responded to him. They came and surrounded the companions of the Messenger of Allaah, and they fought until they were all killed, except for Ka’b ibn Zayd ibn al-Najjaar, who was found wounded among the dead. He lived until he was killed at the battle of al-Khandaq. ‘Amr ibn Umayyah al-Dumari and al-Mundhir ibn ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir were looking after the animals of the Muslims, and they saw a bird hovering over the battle field. Al-Mundhir ibn Muhammad came and fought the mushrikeen until he was killed along with his companions, and ‘Amr ibn Umayyah al-Dumari was taken prisoner. When he told them that he was from Mudar, ‘Aamir shaved his head and released him on behalf of his mother who was obliged to free a slave. ‘Amr ibn Umayyah went back and when he reached al-Qarqarah min Sadr Qanaah (a place), he rested in the shade of a tree. Two men from Bani Kilaab came and rested there with him, and when they slept ‘Amr killed them. He thought that he had avenged the deaths of his companions, but they had a treaty with the Messenger of Allaah, of which he was unaware. When he came (to Madeenah) he told the Messenger of Allaah what he had done, and he said, “You have killed two people for whom I will certainly pay the diyah (blood money).”

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/246-248)

(4) Ibn al-Qayyim said:

When he set out for Khaybar, it was the end of Muharram, not the beginning, and he conquered it in Safar.

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/339-340)

(5) And he said:

Section on the campaign of Qutbah ibn ‘Aamir ibn Hadeedah to Khath’am.

This took place in Safar 9 AH. Ibn Sa’d said: they said: the Messenger of Allaah sent Qutbah ibn ‘Aamir with twenty men to a region of Khath’am at the end of Tibaalah, and he commanded him to launch a raid. They went out with ten camels, which they took turns riding. They captured a man and interrogated him, but he would not speak, then he started yelling, raising the alarm, so they killed him. They waited until the people had gone to sleep, then they launched their attack. There was intense fighting, resulting in many wounded on both sides. Qutbah ibn ‘Aamir killed whoever he killed, and they (the Muslims) took the cattle, women and sheep to Madeenah. It says in the story that the people regrouped and pursued them, then Allaah sent a great flood which came between them and the Muslims, so the Muslims drove the cattle, sheep and prisoners whilst they were looking on, but they could not cross the water until they had gone.

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/514)

(6) And he said:

A delegation from ‘Udhrah came to the Messenger of Allaah in Safar of 9 AH, consisting of twelve men, including Jamrah ibn al-Nu’maan. The Messenger of Allaah said: “Who are these people?” Their spokesman said: “Some people that you may know of; we are Bani ‘Udhrah, the brother of Qusayy on his mother’s side. We are the people who supported Qusayy and removed Khuzaa’ah and Bani Bakr from the valley of Makkah. We have relatives and families.” The Messenger of Allaah said: “Welcome to you, I know you well.” They became Muslim, and the Messenger of Allaah gave them the glad tidings of the conquest of Shaam (Syria) and the flight of Heraclius to a well-fortified part of his country. The Messenger of Allaah forbade them to consult fortunetellers, and to offer the sacrifices which they used to offer, telling them that they were obliged only to offer the udhiyah (sacrifice of Eid al-Adha). They stayed for a few days in the house of Ramlah, then they departed.”

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/657)



5. False ahaadeeth that have been narrated concerning Safar.

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Section of ahaadeeth which give the dates of future events.

This includes ahaadeeth in which it mentions such and such a date, for example, “In the year such and such, such and such will happen” or “In the month such and such, such and such will happen.”

This is like the words of the big liar: “When the moon is eclipsed in Muharram, there will be a rise in prices, fighting, and the ruler will be distracted from public affairs, and when it is eclipsed in Safar, such and such will happen… ” and so on, as the liar said concerning all the months.

All the ahaadeeth of this type are false and fabricated.

(al-Manaar al-Muneef, p. 64)

And Allaah knows best.

www.islamqa.com

The Month of Safar (2)

2. What has been narrated in Islam that contradicts the views of people of the Jaahiliyyah concerning this month

We have quoted above the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah narrated in al-Saheehayn, which explains that the belief of the people of Jaahiliyyah concerning Safar was reprehensible, and that is it simply one of the months of Allaah and it has no will of its own, it simply passes, subject to the control of Allaah.

3. Innovations and false beliefs concerning this month that exist among people who claim to be Muslims.

(1) The Standing Committee was asked:

Some of the scholars in our country claim that in the Islamic religion there is a naafil (supererogatory) prayer which is prayed on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar, at the time of Duha (mid-morning) prayer, (consisting of) four rak’ahs with one tasleem. In each rak’ah one recites Soorat al-Faatihah, Soorat al-Kawthar seventeen times, Soorat al-Ikhlaas 50 times, al-Mi’wadhatayn (the last two soorahs of the Qur’aan) one time each. This is done in each rak’ah, then one says salaam, and when one says salaam it is prescribed to recite “And Allaah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of men know not” [Yoosuf 12:21 – interpretation of the meaning] 360 times, and Jawhar al-Kamaal (the essence of perfection) three times, and to finish by saying,

“Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of honour and power! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him!

And peace be on the Messengers!

And all the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)” [al-Saaffaat 37:180-182 – interpretation of the meaning].

And they give charity to the poor, and they say that this aayah is especially for warding off the calamities which come down on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar.

They say that every year, 320,000 calamities come down, and all of that comes down on the last Wednesday of Safar, so that is the most difficult day of the entire year. But whoever prays this prayer in the manner described, Allaah will protect him by His generosity from all the calamities that come down on that day, and they will not come around him, but they will affect those who could not do this prayer, like small children. Is this true?

The scholars of the committee replied:

Praise be to Allaah, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger and upon his family and his companions.

We do not know of any basis in the Qur’aan or in the Sunnah for the naafil prayer mentioned in the question. We have no proof that any one among the salaf of this ummah or the righteous people of its later generations did this naafil prayer. Rather it is a reprehensible innovation.

It was narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does an action which is not in accordance with this matter of ours [Islam], will have it rejected.” And he said: “Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours that is not part of it, will have it rejected.”

Whoever attributes this prayer and the things that are mentioned with it to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or to any of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) is fabricating serious lies, and Allaah will give him the punishment for liars which he deserves.

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 2/354)

(2) Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam al-Shuqayri said:

The ignorant have the habit of writing down the verses of salaam such as “Salaam (peace) be upon Nooh (Noah) (from Us) among the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)!”” [al-Saafaat 37:79 – interpretation of the meaning] etc. on the last Wednesday of the month of Safar, then they put them in vessels and drink it and seek blessings from it, and they give it as gifts to one another, because they believe that this will take away bad things. This is a false belief and a blameworthy superstition, a reprehensible innovation which must be denounced by everyone who sees it.

(al-Sunan wa’l-Mubtada’aat, p. 111, 112)

Continued…

The Month of Safar (1)

The Month of Safar

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Praise be to Allaah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah.

The month of Safar is one of the twelve Hijri months, and it is the month which comes after Muharram. Some of the (scholars) said that it is so named because of the emptying (isfaar) of Makkah (i.e., its people would all leave) when they travelled during this month. It was also said that this month is named Safar because they used to raid other tribes at this time, and they would leave those whom they encountered bereft of their possessions (sifran min al-mataa’) – i.e., they would take all their belongings away and they would leave them with nothing.

(See Lisaan al-‘Arab by Ibn al-Mandhoor, part 4, p. 462-463)

Our discussion of this month will cover the following points:

1. What has been narrated concerning it from the Arabs of the Jaahiliyyah.

2. What has been narrated in Islam that contradicts the views of people of the Jaahiliyyah concerning this month.

3. Innovations and corrupt beliefs concerning this month that exist among people who claim to be Muslims.

4. What happened in this month of military campaigns and important events in the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

5. False ahaadeeth that have been narrated concerning Safar.

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1. What has been narrated concerning it from the Arabs of the Jaahiliyyah.

The Arabs were guilty of two serious wrongdoings concerning the month of Safar. Firstly, they played about with it, bringing it forward or postponing it, and secondly, they had superstitions concerning it.

(i) It is known that Allaah created the year and the number of its months is twelve, four of which Allaah has made sacred, in which it was forbidden to fight, out of respect for these months. These months are: Dhu’l-Qi’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab.

This is confirmed in the Book of Allaah, where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allaah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein…” [al-Tawbah 9:36]

The mushrikeen were aware of that, but they used to postpone it or bring it forward according to their whims and desires, such as putting Safar in place of Muharram!

They used to believe that ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj was one of the most evil of actions. There follow some of the comments of the scholars on that.

(a) It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “They used to think that ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj was one of the most evil of actions on earth. They would make Muharram Safar, and they used to say, ‘When the wounds of the camel's back heal up (after they return from Hajj) and the footprints of the camels vanish and the month of Safar passes away then (at that time) ‘Umra is permissible for the one who wishes to perform it.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1489; Muslim, 1240)

(b) Ibn al-‘Arabi said:

“The second issue: how postponing (al-nasiy) was done:

(i) It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that Junaadah ibn ‘Awf ibn Umayyah al-Kinaani used to come on this occasion each year, and he would call out that no one could criticize Abu Thamaamah or reject what he said, and that Safar in the first year would not be sacred, then we would make it sacred one year and not the next year. They were with Hawaazin, Ghatafaan and Bani Sulaym.

According to another version, he used to say, “We have brought Muharram forward and postponed Safar.” Then the next year he would say, “We will make Safar sacred and delay Muharram.” This was the postponement.

(ii) Adding. Qutaadah said: Some of the people of misguidance deliberately added Safar to the sacred months. Their spokesman would stand up on this occasion and say, “Your gods have made Muharram sacred this year,” and they would regard it as sacred that year. Then the next year he would stand up and say, “Your gods have made Safar sacred,” so they would regard it as sacred that year. And they would say (that there were) two Safars. Ibn Wahb and Ibn al-Qaasim narrated something similar from Maalik, who said: the people of the Jaahiliyyah used to have two Safars, hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “(There is) no Safar.” Ashhab also narrated something similar from him.

(ii) Changing the time of Hajj. Mujaahid said with a different isnaad: “ ‘The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief’ [al-Tawbah 9:37 – interpretation of the meaning] – they would perform Hajj in Dhu’l-Hijjah for two years, then they would perform Hajj in Muharram for two years, then they would perform Hajj in Safar for two years. They would perform Hajj in each month for two years until, when Abu Bakr performed Hajj that was in Dhu’l-Qi’dah, then when the Prophet performed Hajj it was in Dhu’l-Hijjah. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in his sermon, according to the saheeh hadeeth:

“Time has completed a cycle and assumed the form of the day Allaah created the heavens and the earth.” Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas and others. This version was narrated by him. And he said:

“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

‘O people, listen to what I say, for I do not know whether I will meet you again after this day in this place. O people, your blood and your wealth are sacred until the Day when you meet your Lord, as sacred as this day of yours in this month of yours in this land of your. You will meet your Lord and He will question you about your deeds. I have conveyed (the message). Whoever has had something entrusted to him, let him fulfil that trust.

All riba is abolished. You shall have your capital sums, deal not unjustly and you shall not be dealt with unjustly. Allaah decreed that there should be no riba. The riba of ‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib is abolished. All claims for blood-vengeance belonging to the jaahiliyyah period have been abolished. The first of those murdered among us whose blood-vengeance I remit is Ibn Rabee’ah ibn al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, who was suckled among Banu Layth and killed by Hudhayl.” He was the first one whose blood-vengeance of the jaahiliyyah was abolished.

“O people, the Shaytaan has despaired of ever being worshipped in your land, but he will be pleased to be obeyed in any matter other than that, in matters that you may think of as insignificant. So beware of him in matters of your religion. The postponing (of a Sacred Month) is indeed an addition to disbelief, by which the disbelievers are led astray… Time has completed a cycle and assumed the form of the day Allaah created the heavens and the earth. The number of months with Allaah is twelve, of which four are sacred, three consecutive months, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha’baan…” and he mentioned the rest of the hadeeth.

(Ahkaam al-Qur’aan, 2/503-504)

2. With regard to superstitions concerning the month of Safar, these were well known among the people of the Jaahiliyyah, and still exist among some of those who claim to be Muslims.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “(There is) no 'Adwa (no contagious disease is conveyed without Allah's permission), nor is there any bad omen (from birds), nor is there any Haamah, nor is there any (bad omen in the month of) Safar, and one should run away from the leper as one runs away from a lion.”

(narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5387; Muslim, 2220)

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

“The word ‘Safar’ was interpreted in several ways:

(i) that it refers to the well-known month of Safar, concerning which the Arabs were superstitious.

(ii) That it refers to a stomach disease of camels, which is passed from one camel to another, and that this mentioned in conjunction with the word ‘adwa (contagion) in the sense of mentioning something specific in conjunction with something general.

(iii) That ‘Safar’ means the month of Safar, and that what is referred to here is the postponing of Sacred Months by which those who disbelieved were led astray, when they would delay the sacred months and make Safar sacred one year and not the next.

The most correct of these views is that what is meant is the month of Safar, concerning which there were many superstitions during the Jaahiliyyah.

Times have no effect (on people’s lives) and Allaah never decreed that it should have any effect. Like any other month, both good and bad may be decreed during this month.

If a particular action is completed on the twenty-fifth of Safar – for example – some people note the date and say, “It has been finished on the twenty-fifth of this good month of Safar.” This is like refuting one innovation with another, because there are no good or bad months. Hence some of the salaf denounced those who, when they hear the hooting of an owl, say, “It is good, in sha Allaah.” It cannot be said that this is good or bad, it is simply the sound of a bird, like any other bird.

The four things which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) denied (in the hadeeth referred to above) indicate that we must put our trust in Allaah and be sincere and determined; the Muslim should not feel helpless when faced with these things.

If a Muslim does pay any attention to such things, one of the following must apply in his case:

Either he pays attention to them in deciding whether to go ahead or refrain, in which case he is basing his actions on something that is not real.

Or he does not pay attention to them with regard to deciding whether to go ahead or refrain, but he still feels some kind of worry or anxiety. Although this is not as bad as the first case, he should not pay any attention to these things at all, rather he should depend only on Allaah.

The denial of these four things is not a denial of their existence, for they do exist; it is a denial of their having any effect on things, for the One Who affects things is Allaah. If there is a reason that is known to have effects, then this is a real reason, and any reason which is merely imagined is a false reason. So we deny its effect and it has no effect. ”

(Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/113, 115)

Continued…

Study: American Women Are Not Happy

Study: American women are not happy

A recent study, titled The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness, conducted by professors Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers (University of Pennsylvania) for the Social Science Research Network (SSRN) – concludes that though American women are better off economically since 1970s – socially they feel more miserable than before….. The women who have been to a women shelter (there 300 of those in Canada as compared to none for the men) – will tell you how callously they are treated by the hags employed there. Distressed women are pressured to end their marriages and are offered help and resources to do so. Feminists are not interested in the welfare of women. They rely on domestic violence for their cushy jobs and to emasculate men – by portraying them as abusers….”

Could this be due to the American feminist movement, mostly run by Jewish communist women or women working for the CIA, such as Betty Friedan, Bella Abzug, Gloria Steinem, Gloria Allred, etc.? These so-called “women’s rights’ activists have made the American women to see themselves as the victim of oppressive patriarchy in which their true worth will never be recognized and any success is beyond their reach.

Heather MacDonald in her 2008 article, The Campus Rape Myth exposed some of the feminist hoaxes.

Canadian Jew academic Henry Makow PhD in his article titled Domestic Violence Hysteria is Political said:

“Even though the women initiate violence against men in almost equal numbers, most of the publicity is devoted to women as victims. This is because the feminist activists, funded and empowered by Rockefeller social engineers, want to stigmatize men and marriage in the eyes of young women. they want the young women to Eat at Lesbian Jill’s or Single Jane’s but definitely not at Joe’s. This is how mass behavior modification works.

Of all the major religion – Islam is the only religion which, though physically and psychologically different, sees both sexes share a common fate and are subject to the same existential conditions, with the same spiritual protection and same purpose of being. Holy Qur’an is the only divine book which in all its 114 chapters (Surahs), has one chapter ‘al-Nisa (The Woman)’ dedicated to women and deals with women’s rights and the family life. Interestingly, no chapter is named after men.

Islam is only religion which gave the women right to marry of her choice, right to divorce, entitled for inheritance from her parents and husbands, and right to testify in the court of law – and more over 1400 years ago when no women of other religion or society dreamed of those privileges.

Marriage and family life is the most important unit in Islam and a successful marriage and a loving-family is regarded as a charity with immense rewards in the life after. Islam (Holy Qur’an 4:34 prefers that decisions on family affairs to be taken inside the family – and as a rule, gives the husband – normally the earner and protector – the decisive vote. However, that doesn’t translate into husband being superior to wife. Holy Qur’an doesn’t reject birth control or family planning under certain conditions but it doesn’t give a mother the right to abortion. Islamic Shar’ah gives a Muslim wife an exclusive right to manage and dispose of her personal property, including her dowry – the right a western woman only got during the 20th century, if at all.

With all the hype by the feminist activists, the women situation in the American society is pathetic. To count a few – a woman is raped every 90 seconds; majority of the 2.1% population of Americans in jails is women; women are still paid 60% of the salary of men doing the same jobs; there are over seven million battered women, and the majority of annual murders (12,054, the highest in the world – are women).

“Of course Islam’s scheme of life is from another world. It is an alternative that confronts the so-called modern world, its values, agnosticism, and ‘anything goes’ mentality, with a genuine counter-project that only appears to be outdated because it is timeless,” – Murad Wilfried Hofmann, former German diplomat and NATO’s Director of Information (1983-87).

http://rehmat1.wordpress.com/2009/10/17/study-american-women-are-not-happy/

Jesus vs. Santa: Give back its true meaning to Christmas

Jesus vs. Santa: Give back its true meaning to Christmas



'Tis the Season of Deception


by Rick Watson


What do a decorated tree, Santa, St. Nick, the birthday of Jesus Christ and the 25th of December have to do with each other?


And why is the 25th of December a holy day (holiday)?


The pagan Babylonian sun worshipers didn't just worship the sun, but also 35 other pagan gods ~ one of which was the tree of life, and today we know this as the Christmas tree.


The Holy Bible gives us instructions on what NOT to do concerning this pagan practice in Jeremiah 10:


10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.


10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.


10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.


10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.


It "speaks not" because it is indoors and the wind is not whistling through it.


The Babylonian practice was to offer gifts unto their tree god by placing gifts of sacrifice under the tree.


There is a lighted Christmas tree at the Vatican in St. Peter's Square every midnight mass, or should I say Christ-Mass.


Catholic belief is that Jesus was born at midnight on the 25th of December but there is no basis for this belief in Christianity.


There simply is no history or Biblical scriptures to back this claim.



As for Santa and "St. Nick," this is a Catholic creation as well as the birth of Christ being the 25th of December. The 21st thru the 25th of December is the marked pagan worship days of Saturn, the winter solstice, praying to the sun god to return. Since the evergreen tree remained green throughout winter, it had power and therefore must have been a god, hence, the tree of life. The Roman Catholic church devised the deception of Christ being born on that day to emulate the pagan festival so the Pope blessed the 25th of December as a holy day (holiday). God only blessed and sanctified one day in the Bible, and this was the Sabbath Day (seventh day of the week.)



So why did the Pope allow such paganism as the tree to exist in the Roman Catholic church, when God Almighty instructed against it as demonstrated in Jeremiah 10?



This, my friend, is part of a bigger deception. Christmas (or "Christ-Mass) is using the name of Jesus in vain, or falsely, by saying it is His birthday so you will honor a pagan winter festival.



Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain (falsely); for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain (falsely).


Jesus Christ stated in Revelation 1:8,


"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending," saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.


People lie to their children about Santa, they bring a tree that belongs outside into their homes, and are told by the media to buy everything in the store for someone because its the day Jesus was born.


The suicide rate is higher during this time of year, as well as robberies and numerous other crimes. Alcohol consumption, depression and anxiety abound. Families fight about what gifts they were expecting but didn't get. Divorces and spousal problems occur over money and the lack thereof, while some spend more for Christmas than they can afford, sinking them more and more in debt. This is the joy and peace that is all supposed to be in the name of Christ?


Let's all wake up and smell the coffee.


Have you ever noticed that as soon as a "holiday" is over, all the stores start stocking up the shelves with the next holiday's junk?


Revelation 18:3 ... and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.


Friends, this is Satan at his best. These things are not of Christ.


1 James 2:15 Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him.


As a matter of fact, all holidays, or should I say "Holy days," are a deception of the Roman Catholic Church. For example, St. Valentine's day, St. Patrick's day, Halloween (the holy eve of all saints day.) Most do not know that Easter was a Babylonian fertility festival. Did you ever wonder what bunnies and eggs have to do with the resurrection of Christ? Most Easter egg hunts take place on church grounds, Catholic or not. Candy is passed out to kids on Halloween at most churches, who claim to be anything but Catholic.


What will happen to the deceivers of the world, who boldly think of themselves as more powerful than almighty God and create their own holy days?


Let's look in the book of Revelation:


Revelation 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.


So the next time that the 25th of December comes around, take a stand for Jesus Christ and separate yourselves from it. Stop following "man" instead of following Jesus. Jesus is the Master Teacher, all you have to do is listen to His Word.

http://www.helium.com/items/1377634-jesus-vs-santa-give-back-its-true-meaning-to-christmas?page=2

Was Jesus Born on the 25th of December?

Was Jesus Born on the 25th of December?

By AM - The Light (December 24, 1982; pages 7 and 8 & 48 and 49)


The twenty-fifth day of December, being the Christmas day is celebrated by millions all over the world as the birthday of Jesus Christ.


Was he born on the twenty-fifth December? No one knows exactly when Jesus was born.1


Exact Date of Christ's Birth:


"It is impossible to determine the exact date for the birth of Christ, either from the evidence of the Gospels or from any sound tradition."2 Did the disciples, who knew Jesus personally, celebrate his birthday (i.e., Christmas)3 on the 25th December? "Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt."4 The early Church had no fixed date for Christmas; "by some it was observed in May, by some in January, and by others combined with Epiphany."5 We learn from the Oxford Dictionary of Christian Church that "through speculation as to time of year of Christ's birth dates from the early 3rd Century … the celebration of the anniversary does not appear to have been general till the 4th century."6 The Encyclopaedia Americana says: "Christmas was, according to many authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian Church as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth. A feast was established in the memory of this event in fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated for ever on the day of the Old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed."7 Thus there is "no authoritative tradition as to the date or month of Christ's birth."8 The above historical authorities led us, as they have led Christian scholars to conclude that the "Christmas was not observed by Christians for the first two or three hundred years. It got into the Western or Roman Church by the fourth century A.D. It was not until the fifth century that Roman Church ordered it to be celebrated as an official Christian festival."9


Christmas Customs:


"Most of the Christmas customs now prevailing are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church. The Saturnalia in Rome provided the model for the most of the merry customs of the Christmas time."10 The pagan customs were so deeply entrenched in the daily life that the Christian influence could not get rid of them.


In fact "the pagan festival with its riots and merry-making was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ's birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun-worship for adopting this pagan festival."11 As to the origin of the date the World Book Encyclopaedia says: "In A.D. 354 Bishop Liberins of Rome ordered the people to celebrate it on December 25th. He probably chose the date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun."12 However, the choice of the 25th December in the West was chiefly due to the following considerations: "The Winter solstic was regarded as the birthday of the sun and at Rome a pagan festival of Sol invictus was introduced by the emperor Aurelian on 25th December 274. The Church unable to stamp out this popular festival, spiritualized it as the feast of the Nativity of the Sun of Righteousness."13 According to the Collier's Encyclopaedia, "The choice of December 25 was probably influencedby the fact that on this day the Romans celebrated the Mithraic feast of the Sun god (Natalis Solis invicti), and that the Saturnalia also came at this time."14


We have seen from the above evidence that Chraistmas has its roots in paganism and certainly did not originate in Christianity. The next question is, was Jesus born on 25th December? There is no historical evidence as to the day or month of Christ's birth and some uncertainty exists as to the actual year. "St. Clements of Alexandria refers to calculations which placed it in April or May. Some such dates would better accord with the Gospel statement that 'shepherds were watching their flocks by night' than 25th December which falls in the cold and rainy seasons in the hilly country of Judaea".15 The 25th December could not have been the birthday of Jesus. The Bible shows that at the time "Shepherds" were still in the fields at night. As the Encyclopaedia Britannia (1907, Vol. V, p. 611) acknowledges, they would not have been there in the cold, rainy season of winter (Luke 2:8-12)."16 Accordingly, Jesus was not born in the winter season. We have seen that when he was born "there were, in the same country, shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night."17


Could this have occurred in Judaea in the month of December? "The shepherds always brought their flocks from the mountain sides and fields and corralled them not later than October 15, to protect them from the cold, rainy season that followed that date. Notice that the Bible itself proves, in songs of Solomon 2:11 and Ezra 10:9, 13 that winter was a rainy season not permitting shepherds to abide in open fields at night."18 We read in Adam Clarke's Commentary19 that it was ancient custom among Jews to send out their sheep to fields and deserts about the Passover in early spring and bring them home at the commencement of the first rain. The same authority states, "During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to 'part of our October and November' (begins sometimes in October), we find that the sheep were kept in the open fields during the whole summer. And as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields, nor could He have born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground, the nativity in December should be given up."20
The facts produced in these pages may shock those who had faithfully believed that Jesus was born on the 25th December, but they are plain facts of history.


To conclude we shall summarise below the conclusions we have reached:


1. Jesus was not born on the 25th December.
2. The early Christians were neither aware of the "25th December" nor celebrated the Christmas.
3. The festival was borrowed from Pagans and spiritualised as Christmas in the fourth and fifth century - so it is against Jesus teachings.
4. As Jesus was born at a time when shepherds were abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night, Jesus could not have been born, later than September.


source: By AM - The Light (December 24, 1982; pages 7 and 8 & 48 and 49)

Footnotes:

1. The World Book Encyclopaedia, U.S.A. (1977) vol. 3, p. 409.

2. Colliers Encyclopaedia, Macmillan Educational Corporation, New York (1980), vol. 6, p. 403.

3. Christmas in Old English was called "Cristes Maesse" which means "the mass of Christ" later shortened to Christ-Mass and eventually became Christmas.

4. The Catholic Encyclopaedia, (1908), vol. III, p. 724.

5. Everyman's Encyclopaedia, (1978), vol. 3, p. 299.

6. The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Church, Oxford University Press, London (1977), p. 280.

7. Encyclopaedia Americana (1944 edition), quoted by Herbert W. Armstrong in "The Plain Truth About Christmas". Worldwide Church of God, California, p. 9.

8. Chambers Encyclopaedia, (1967), vol. 3 p. 538.

9. Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain Truth About Christmas, Worldwide Church of God, California, p. 9.

10. James Hastings, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, vol. 3, pp. 608-609.

11. New Schaff Herzog, Encyclopaedia of Religious Knowledge, quoted by Herbert W. Armstrong in "The Plain Truth About Christmas", a Worldwide Church of God publication.

12. The World Book Encyclopaedia, (1966), vol. 3, p. 416.

13. Chambers Encyclopaedia, (1967), vol. 3, p. 528.

14. Colliers Encyclopaedia, Macmillan Educational Corporation (1980), vol. 6, p. 403.

15. Chambers Encyclopaedia, London, (1955), vol. 3 p. 540.

16. The Truth that leads to Eternal Life, Watch Tower Bible Tract Society, New York, (1968), p. 148.

17. Luke, 2:8.

18. Herbert W. Armstrong, Supra, p. 9.

19. Adam Clarke, Commentary, New York, vol. 5, p. 370.

20. Adam Clarke, Commentary, New York, vol. 5 page 370 quoted by Herbert W. Armstrong in "The Plain Truth About Christmas", Worldwise Church of God, California, p.11.

Salutations at Graves

Salutations at graves


What are the salutations done at graves? Is there any difference in greeting the Prophets and Martyrs at graves?
Is it right to say As-salamu ^alaykum ya rasula Allah' on Prophet’s grave and Asslam-o-Alaikum ya Ahlol Quboor at the entrance of the graveyard or Does it count as Shirk?


Praise be to Allaah.


Visiting graves is mustahabb for men, because according to the hadeeth of Buraydah ibn al-Husayb, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I used to forbid you to visit graves, but now visit them.” (Narrated by Muslim, 977). According to another report, “… for they will remind you of the Hereafter.” (Narrated by Ahmad, 1240; Ibn Maajah, 1569; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh ibn Maajah).


When visiting the graves it is mustahabb to greet the occupants of the graves with salaam and to make du’aa’ for them saying the words that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach his companions. It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “O Messenger of Allaah, what should I say to them (i.e., to the occupants of the graves)?” He said, “Say: Al-salaamu ‘ala ahl il-diyaar min al-mu’mineen wa’l-Muslimeen, wa yarham Allaah al-mustaqdimeena minna wa’l-musta’khireen, wa innaa in sha Allaah bikum la laahiqoon (Peace be upon the inhabitants of the graves, believers and Muslims. May Allaah have mercy upon those who have gone ahead of us and those who come later on, and verily we will, in sha Allaah, join you).” Narrated by Muslim, 974.


It was narrated from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach them, when they went out to the graveyard, to say: “Al-salaamu ‘alaykum ahl al-diyaar min al-mu’mineen wa’l-Muslimeen, wa inna in sha Allaah lalaahiqoon. As’al Allaah lana wa lakum al-‘aafiyah (Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of the graves, believers and Muslims. Verily we will, in sha Allaah, join you. I ask Allaah for well-being for us and for you).””


With regard to the graves of the Sahaabah, he should say the same du’aa’s as described above; there is no special du’aa’ for that.


With regard to visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his two companions Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them), what was narrated from the Sahaabah is to greet them with salaam. Ibn ‘Umar used to say, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Rasool-Allaah, al-salaam ‘alayka ya Aba Bakr, al-salaamu ‘alayka ya abati (O my father),” then he would go away. This was classed as saheeh by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar.


Some of the scholars added to that: “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya kheerat Allaah min khalqihi, al-salaamu ‘alayka ya sayyid al-mursaleen, ash-hadu annaka ballaghta al-risaalah (Peace be upon you, whom Allaah chose from among His creation; peace be upon you O leader of the Messengers, I bear witness that you indeed conveyed the message).”

See al-Adhkaar by al-Nawawi, p. 174; al-Mughni, 5/466


Al-Tabari said: If the visitor says the above longer version, there is nothing wrong with that, but following the example (of the Sahaabah) is better, i.e., limiting oneself to what was narrated from the Sahaabah is better.


Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Manaasik al-Hajj wa’l-‘Umrah: After (the pilgrim) prays upon arrival in the Prophet’s Mosque as much as Allaah wills he should pray, he should go and send salaams upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his two companions Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them).


1 – He should stand in front of the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), facing the grave and with his back towards the qiblah, and say, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ayyuha’l-Nabiyyu wa rahmat-Allaahi wa barakaatuhu (Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy and blessings of Allaah).” If he wants to add something appropriate there is nothing wrong with that, such as saying, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya khaleel-Allaah wa ameenahu ‘ala waheehi wa kheeratahu min khalqihi, ash-hadu annaka qad ballaghta al-risaalah wa addayta al-amaanah wa nasahta al-ummah wa jaahadta fi Allaahi haqqa jihaadihi (Peace be upon you, O close friend of Allaah, the one with whom He entrusted His revelation and the one whom He chose from among His creation. I bear witness that you conveyed the message, fulfilled the trust, sincerely advised the ummah and strove with all your might for the sake of Allaah).


But if he limits himself to the first salutation, that is good. Ibn ‘Umar used to say “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Rasool-Allaah, al-salaam ‘alayka ya Aba Bakr, al-salaamu ‘alayka ya abati (O my father),” then he would go away


2 – Then he should take one step to his right so that he is in front of Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) and say, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Aba Bakr, al-salaamu ‘alayka ya khaleefat Rasool-illaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fi ummatihi, radiya Allaahu ‘anka wa jazaaka ‘an ummati Muhammadin khayran (Peace be upon you, O Abu Bakr, peace be upon you O successor of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his ummah, may Allaah be pleased with you and reward you with good on behalf of Muhammad).”


3 – Then he should take one step to his right so that he is in front of ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) and say, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya ‘Umar, al-salaamu ‘alayka ya ameer al-mu’mineen, radiya Allaahu ‘anka wa jazaaka ‘an ummati Muhammadin khayran (Peace be upon you, O ‘Umar, peace be upon you, O leader of the believers, may Allaah be pleased with you and reward you with good on behalf of Muhammad).


But he should send salaams upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his two companions with proper etiquette and in a low voice, for raising the voice in the mosque is forbidden, especially in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and at his grave.


Manaasik al-Hajj wa’l-‘Umrah wa’l-Mashroo’ fi’l-Ziyaarah, p. 107, 108


If a person says “al-salaamu ‘alayum” when visiting graves, and says, “Al-salaamu ‘alayka ya Rasool-Allaah” when visiting the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), this is not considered to be shirk, because it is not a prayer to the dead or seeking their help. Rather it is du’aa’ for them, praying that Allaah may keep them safe from all the dangers that a person may encounter after death, such as the torment of the grave, the resurrection, the reckoning and the horrors of the Hereafter.

We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound in this world and in the Hereafter.


And Allaah knows best.


See Zaad al-Mustanqi’, 5/473; Ashraat al-Saa’ah by Dr. Yoosuf al-Waabil, p. 337.

http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/34561

Al-Muhaddithat: the Women Scholars in Islam

Al-Muhaddithat: the Women Scholars in Islam

AbdulShaheed Drew

The book covers centuries of female scholarship from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and thereafter. Although women became scholars in all fields of knowledge, this particular book covers the prominent female scholars of Hadith. It should be noted that Al-Muhadithat is only the Muqaddimah or introduction to Akrams 40 volume biographical dictionary on this subject. That's right, 40 volumes dedicated to female scholars of Hadith. Only the Muqaddimah has been translated from Arabic into English and it consists of about 300 pages.

Al-Muhaddithat is a great source of reference for female scholarship in Islamic history. It is well indexed and divided into ten chapters dealing with a number of valuable subjects. The biographical examples I isolated [below] were done so in order to provide a feel for some aspects of the book. Overall, I am pleased that such a detailed work has been translated into English on this subject. Likewise, it is significant because it highlights the potential of female scholarship.

Classes could be held in various venues such as Mosques, houses, schools etc. The attendees would be male and female and likewise the teachers could be male or female. The lists of attendees were recorded in the students manuscripts which would display the names of many female students. Akram notes that women became proficient with the pen in the second year after the migration to Madinah (Hijrah). For the centuries that followed, women as well as men sought out the obligatory knowledge of their religion based on the Hadith, Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim.

Akram points out that much of the early education started at home with the parents and relatives. Afterwards they may continue further studies with a teacher in the Mosque etc. They would also learn from their husbands and there were situations where their husbands would learn from them. A man who had a Shaykhah as a wife could refer to her for difficult juristic issues. The author gives some examples of parents who passed their knowledge to their daughters such as Imam Malik. His daughter memorized the Muwatta from him -the best book at that time for Hadith and Fiqh issues. Likewise, Saeed ibn Al-Musayyab had a daughter who learnt all the Hadiths her father knew by heart. The Umayyad Caliph Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan asked if his son Al-Walid could marry Saeed ibn Al-Musayyabs daughter. Rather than marry the Caliphs son, Saeed refused and preferred for her to marry one of his impoverished students. Her husband said about her, She was among the most beautiful people, and most expert of those who know the book of God by heart, and most knowledgeable of the Sunnah of the Prophet, and most aware of the rights of the husband.

The author gives many examples of greatly influential female teachers. For example, Umm Kiraam, Kareema Al-Marwaziyyah who came from central Asia was considered to be the best women of the fourth Hijri century to learn the entire Sahih of Al-Bukhari from her teacher Abul-Haytham Al-Kushmihani. Kareema later traveled with her father and settled in Makkah where students would travel from far and wide to learn the Sahih of Al-Bukhari from her. Akram notes, Her version of it has always been particularly popular. Imam Al-Dhahabi stated about her, Whenever she narrated, she would compare with her original. She had knowledge and good understanding [combined] with goodness and worship.

Another famous Shaykhah was Fatimah bint Saeed Al-Khair (sixth Hijri century). Her father was a scholar and she married one of her fathers greatest students. Although she was born in China, her father migrated from Valencia (in the western side of the world) possibly due to the upheaval caused by the Christians of the Spanish region at that time. Her father took her to learn from many scholars in different places. In fact, the map that appears on the cover of this particular book under review shows the study journeys of Fatimah. Fatimah had too many students to mention, so Akram left them out of the Muqaddimah. Her teachings were very influential and far reaching. In Akrams biographic dictionary about the Muhaddithat, he composed 20 pages alone on Fatimah bint Saeed Al-Khair.

The author gives name after name such as Aasia bint Muhammad AlIrbili. She received Ijaazahs (permission to teach a text or subject) from over two hundred of her teachers male and female. Many of our great male Scholars such as Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn Al-Hajr had numerous female scholar teachers. For example, Al-Mizzi, Ibn Taymiyah and Al-Dhahabi had Zaynab bint Makki ibn Ali ibn Kaamil Al-Harrani as one of their teachers. Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan (the Caliph) used to attend Fiqh classes with Umm Ad-Dardaa (a Muhaddithah and Taabiiyyah) etc. Although it is only the introduction, this book demonstrates great research in isolating the significance of these invaluable scholars in our illustrious history. It is also very well referenced.

Akram also makes such points in his preface that the correct Islamic etiquette was present such as no intermixing which will lead to forbidden relationships and Islamic attire such as Hijab was worn -as it is commanded from the Most-High. These women were upright adherents to the way of Islam as it was revealed.

Out of 8000 biographical accounts, Akram notes that there were no complaints from any of these women with respect to the position of women in Islam. They did not get the impression of inferiority or show disdain for the teachings of Islam and family life etc. Rather, they were firm defenders of the Sunnah and their scholarship attests to that. One of the women considered to be one of the reformers of her time (seventh Hijri century) was Umm Zaynab, Fatimah bint Abbas Al-Baghdadiyyah. When we say reformer, it is not in reference to changing the religion, rather it is in reference to reviving it back to the way it was. She was praised by the scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaah such as Ibn Taymiyyah who said she was a great scholar, jurist, leader of the women of her time etc. Al-Dhahabi commented that the women of Damascus and Egypt were reformed by her. She had a lot of popularity and influence over the hearts [of people]. Ibn Kathir mentioned that she commanded good and forbade evil, spoke out and opposed deviant sects and opposed the people of bidah, in [all] that she did what men were unable to do.

The believing men and believing women are protecting friends (awliya) of one another, they bid to good (al-maruf), and forbid from evil (al-munkar); they establish the prayer and give the alms (zakah) and obey God and His Messenger. [Qur'an: 9:71]

Zamzam Water: The history & Significance

Zamzam Water: The history & significance

Introduction

Allaah has made all living creatures out of water. People require water for almost everything; for agriculture, construction, transportation, and for cooling and heating. But not all water carries the same value and significance? Muslims refer to the water of Zamzam as something revered and unique. They crave this mysterious liquid and love to drink it whenever they can. And for those who managed to go to the Hajj, they return home carrying it for thousands of miles as a prized possession and to give as special gift to their friends and families.

So, what is so special about Zamzam water? In a word: Everything.

There is nothing ordinary about it. The miracle of how it came to being in the middle of the desert, its consistency throughout thousands of years, the beneficial qualities it has, the fact that it never dries up. This water is special.

The fact is, this small 5 ft. deep well is far away from any other source or body of water. It is self-replenishing. It is constantly replenishing itself in order to produce gallons upon gallons of water for consumption of thirsty pilgrims plus the additional amount that is bottled and also the amount that is taken as gifts distributed worldwide to millions. Zamzam water has scientifically been proven to contain healing qualities due to its higher content of Calcium and Magnesium Salts and also the natural fluorides that encompass a germicidal action.

It is also an established scientific fact that pools or water wells tend to grow vegetation such as algae—especially in warm climates. Amazingly this is not the case in the well of Zamzam. It has remained free from biological contaminants.

From the time that Hagar wandered aimlessly through the desert in search of sustenance for her son and herself; to the moment that Ismaa'eel may Allaah exalt his mentionkicked his tiny feet on the sand and the well of Zamzam was born out of the great Mercy of Allaah, Muslims have been drinking from it. What is more fascinating is that it has never once dried up. To Muslims this blessed water is special in significance and history.

A Lofty History

Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himnarrated that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )said: "When Ibraaheem (Abraham) had differences with his wife, (because of her jealousy of Haajar, Ismaa’eel’s (Ishmael) mother), he took Ismaa’eel and his mother and went away. They had a water-skin with them containing some water, Ismaa’eel's mother used to drink water from the water-skin so that her milk would increase for her child. When Ibraaheem reached Makkah, he made her sit under a tree and afterwards returned home. Ismaa’eel's mother followed him, and when they reached Kada, she called him from behind, `O Ibraaheem! To whom are you leaving us?' He replied, '(I am leaving you) to Allaah's (Care).' She said, 'I am satisfied to be with Allaah.' She returned to her place and started drinking water from the water-skin, and her milk increased for her child. When the water had all been used up, she said to herself, 'I would better go and look so that I may see somebody.' She ascended the hill of the Safaa and looked, hoping to see somebody, but in vain. When she came down to the valley, she ran till she reached the hill of the Marwah. She ran to and from (between the two hills) many times. Then she said to herself, 'I would better go and see the state of the child,' she went and found it in a state of one on the point of dying. She could not endure to watch her child dying and said (to herself), 'If I go and look, I may find somebody.' She went and ascended the hill of the Safaa and looked for a long while but could not see anybody. Thus she completed seven rounds (of running) between Safaa and Marwah. Again she said (to herself), 'I would better go back and see how the child is doing.' But all of a sudden she heard a voice, and she said to that strange voice, 'Help us if you can offer any help.' It was Gabriel (who had made the voice). Gabriel hit the earth with his heel like this (Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himhit the earth with his heel to illustrate it), and so the water gushed out. Ismaa’eel's mother was astonished and started digging ... She started drinking from the water and her milk increased for her child..." [Al-Bukhaari]

In another narration of Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himthe Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )said: "May Allaah be merciful to the mother of Ismaa’eel! If she had left the water of Zamzam (fountain) as it was, (without constructing a basin for keeping the water), it would have been a flowing stream. Jurhum (an ancient Arab tribe) came to Hagar and asked her, 'May we settle at your dwelling?' She said, 'Yes, but you have no right to possess the water.' They agreed." [Al-Bukhaari]

It was thus how the dry and barren valley of Makkah became inhabited.

The Archangel Gabriel unearthed the water of Zamzam such that the life of Ismaa’eel, the great grandfather of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )maybe saved. Hagar, the wife of Ibraaheem the patriarch, restricted its flow and caused it to become a well. It is located next to the holiest of all holy places: the Ka'bah. Its water was the direct cause of Jurhum's settlement in Makkah, and hence the start of the Makkan era in the human history. No other water can claim this honor.

The Rebirth of Zamzam

With passage of time, the inhabitants of Makkah started to forego the ways of the pious ones. Jurhum, the core of the Makkan population, were driven out of Makkah when they became unjust and tyrannical.

They, being fully aware of the importance of Zamzam, hideously plugged it to deny their conquerors its blessings. Zamzam was not reopened and henceforth was forgotten.

Many generations passed in Makkah with Zamzam in complete oblivion, until Abdul-Muttalib (the paternal grandfather of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )) resurrected the dead well. Abdul-Muttalib himself was oblivious to Zamzam. With the approaching of the last divine message, a sequence of significant preludes was in order; the rebirth of Zamzam was one.

It so happened that for three consecutive nights, Abdul-Muttalib had a very clear vision about digging a well. During each vision, the name of the well was different and no location was mentioned. On the fourth night, however, both Zamzam and its location were communicated to Abdul-Muttalib so clearly that he attended to the appointed task on the morning of the very fourth night.

To the utter disbelief of the Makkans who ridiculed the seemingly futile attempt at finding water in such an arid place, Abdul-Muttalib found water in an ancient buried well so close to the Ka'bah. And it was only natural that the Makkans claim a share in this, obviously, special well. Abdul-Muttalib gave no concessions and rejected any such claim.

The Makkans and Abdul-Muttalib' s could not negotiate a middle ground, so both parties agreed to seek arbitration. They set out for a priestess whose judgment was accepted by both parties.

On their way, and while crossing the desert, the caravan ran out of water. The companions of Abdul-Muttalib all but gave up any hope of salvation. And when all seemed lost, water sprang out from the ever so small notch that Abdul-Muttalib' s camel made with its pad. Upon seeing this, the Makkans knew that He who saved Abdul-Muttalib from this eminent death on this very journey to settle the very question of Zamzam, had made Abdul-Muttalib the sole heir to this special water. The matter was settled and the family of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )was ennobled with a mark of clearest distinction.

It is of paramount importance to mention that Abdul-Muttalib' s possession of Zamzam was not an act of ownership where he would deny its water to others. Being the sole heir to Zamzam meant that Abdul-Muttalib alone was to provide Zamzam water to the pilgrims; no one else (save his family of course) could partake in this most honorable privilege.

Venerable Even Before Islam

After the rebirth of Zamzam on the hands of Abdul-Muttalib, the Makkans accorded Zamzam the veneration it deserved. They used to drink from Zamzam whenever they were about to engage in matter of grave importance.

Al-Haarith Ibn Khaleefah As-Sa'di narrated that Quraysh always commenced their preparation to fend enemies by drinking from Zamzam. This was so customary that one could easily infer the gravity of matters from the collection of pots near Zamzam.

The Makkans realized that Zamzam was blessed water. They sought its blessing in matters of gravity, and many a times it was the difference.

The Location of the Well

The well is located only few paces from the Ka'bah, behind the Maqaam (the stepping stone which Ibraaheem may Allaah exalt his mentionused while building the Ka’bah) to the left. Its location is now clearly marked on the marbles of the Mataaf (the nearly circular open space where the pilgrims circumambulate around the Ka'bah). The well itself was lowered below the ground to facilitate the modernization of water extraction from the well, and to remove all obstacles from the path of Tawaaf.

It is worth mentioning that there are other wells named Zamzam after the original one. Such a well can be found, for example, in Madeenah.

The Names of Zamzam

Like any object of reverence, Zamzam commands both love and respect. In addition to the sublime nature and the loft history of this unique water, its attributes have originated its many names. Some of its names that are related to its sublimity are `blessing' and `blessed'. Another beautiful name is 'Bushra' which signifies glad tidings for the believers.

Its lofty history contributed to its many names, such as 'sanctified' . Another set of names derive from the fact that the Archangel Gabriel (Jibreel) unearthed the water, such as 'Hamzat Jibreel' and 'Wat'at Jibreel', with both names referring to the act of knocking the ground open by the Archangel.

Zamzam's attributes, however, account for most of its names. Some of these attributes were learned from teachings of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ); others were coined as descriptive names for physical and spiritual attributes of the water. These names include, for example, 'a cure for illness', and 'a food for hunger'. It is also called 'sufficient' , 'beneficent' , and 'pure and sweet'.

The Heavenly Connection

Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himrelated that when a man drowned in Zamzam much of the water was removed out of the well in order to retrieve the body. After removing the body, Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himtold the man who was at the bottom of the well to collect water from the wellspring which flows from the direction of the Ka'bah. The source of this wellspring, said Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himis from Paradise. 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Amr may Allaah be pleased with himcorroborates the same reference to the heavenly connection. This gives Zamzam yet a further distinction whereby this earthly stream is mixed with water from Paradise. This is a most generous gift of Allaah.

A Clear Sign

Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (The Sacred Mosque in Makkah) is the first House of worship appointed for mankind. Along with this appointment, Allaah blessed this sacred place with many signs of distinction. Allaah Says (what means): "Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Aalameen (the mankind and jinn). In it are manifest signs (for example), the Maqaam (place) of Ibraaheem (Abraham); whosoever enters it, he attains security..." [Quran 3:96-97]

Zamzam is one of those signs. Chronologically it is the first, for when Ibraaheem, the Patriarch may Allaah exalt his mentionleft his wife and infant son at the barren valley, following Allaah's command, he made a humble request: "O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may perform salaah (prayer). So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allaah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks." [Quran 14:37]. Zamzam was the first among many fruits.

A Perpetual Water

One of the greatest attributes of Zamzam is that it will never dry up. This is a gift from Allaah to Makkah and to its pilgrims. Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himnarrated that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )said: "... May Allaah bestow his mercy upon her (Hagar, the mother of Ismaa’eel), had she let go (of the water of Zamzam) it would have become a spring (rather than a well) whose water shall never dry." [Ahmad]

Every year, millions upon millions of pilgrims drink Zamzam water, which has been around for thousands of years. It is fed daily to the Prophet's mosque in Madeenah in large quantities, and is packaged and shipped to millions of Muslims worldwide, without the slightest blemish in its flow. It is the epitome of munificence; the more we drink, the more it gives.

A Friend of the Believer

Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himnarrated that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )said: "One difference between us (believers) and the hypocrites is that they could not drink much from Zamzam." [Ibn Maajah]


A Muslim loves Zamzam and drinks it abundantly until he is full, whereas a hypocrite could not. This inability is caused by innate dislike to whatever the believers do in accordance with Allaah's wishes, which, in turn, causes the wretched one to forsake this divine gift for a mere mortal one.

The chemical analysis of Zamzam Water

Dr. Ahmad Abdul-Qaadir Al-Muhandiss indicates that the results of chemical analyses show that Zamzam Water is pure water, without color or smell, has a distinct taste, and its hydrogen exponent is 7.5, indicating that it is alkaline to some extent.


A study conducted in American laboratories showed that traces of thirty elements were identified in Zamzam water by means of energizing neutrons. Some of these elements scored less than 0.01.

After matching up the chemical analysis to international specifications, especially to the specifications of the World Health Organization (WHO), results proved the portability of Zamzam water as well as its beneficial effect on the body health. Additionally, sodium is very high in Zamzam water and the international specifications do not put a limit to the measurement of its composition.

Minerals Percentages Calcium I98 Magnesium 43.7 Chloride 335 Sulfur 37o Iron o.I5 Manganese o.I5 Copper o.I2

This is an Analysis of a study conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Water and Waste Water Treatment, the Western Province, Saudi Arabia (I4oo H.)

This is an Analysis of a study conducted in the laboratory of the Department of Water and Waste Water Treatment, the Western Province, Saudi Arabia (I4oo H.)

Zamzam water has also been treated by ultraviolet rays, and microbes have no place to survive in it, which means that Zamzam water preserves its taste and is not a congenial environment for bacteria.

According to various chemical analyses, dry weather make: Zamzam more saline through evaporation, which is, with Allaah's might, good for the human body.

In conclusion, it becomes clear that we should believe in the Prophet's miracles sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )and that he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )as described by Allaah (what meant): "Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only Inspiration that is inspired." [Quran 53: 3-41]

Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )said: "Zamzam water is a lavish meal and a great healer," and, "Zamzam water is what one intends to drink it for." Thus, it is a Sunnah to Drink Zamzam water, wash with it, and splash it on a sick person.

The Benefits of Drinking Zamzam Water

Ibn 'Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with himsaid: "The people of Makkah used to be the fastest when it comes to sprinting, and the most powerful when it comes to wrestling, but as soon as they stopped drinking Zamzam water, they started to suffer from a disease in their legs."

He also said that the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )had said: "Zamzam water is what one intends to drink for. When one drinks it to be healed, Allaah heals him; when one drinks it be full, Allaah makes him full; and when one drinks it to quench his thirst, Allaah quenches it." [Ahmad and Ibn Maajah]

There is no doubt that drinking Zamzam water is very beneficial. Thus, dear brothers and sisters! One should drink Zamzam water because it is the best water on earth. Ibn 'Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )had said: "The best water on earth is Zamzam water".

Ibn Khaytham may Allaah have mercy upon himsaid, "Ibn Wahb may Allaah have mercy upon himcame to us suffering from an illness. We, then, paid him a visit and found out that he had Zamzam water. We said to him, 'If you taste this water, you will find it crude (salty).' Then, he said: 'I'll drink from it till I recover. I swear by the One Who owns my soul that it is in the Book of Allaah, 'Zamzam neither drains nor can by vilified.' It is in the Book of Allaah, `... It is the drink of the pious.' It is in the Book of Allaah, 'Priceless perfume.' It is in the Book of Allaah, ‘It is a lavish meal and a great healer.’ I swear by the One Who owns my soul that if anyone drink his full from it, he recovers.' [Sa'eed Ibn Mansoor and Al-Arzaqi]

All the above proves the authenticity of the narration: "Zamzam water is what one intends to drink for." Additionally, many Islamic scholars drank it and experienced its dazzling effects. For instance, Imaam Abu Haneefah may Allaah have mercy upon himdrank from Zamzam water in order to be a knowledgeable scholar and he became the best among the scholars in his era.

Al-Bakri may Allaah have mercy upon himsaid: "I tried (Zamzam water) and sensed the truth about what had been said about it, and when I drank it, I had no doubt about its amazing effect."

It is also true that Imaam Shaafi'i may Allaah have mercy upon himfelt its tangible results when he drank Zamzam water in order to be a knowledgeable person and a good arrow shooter, fitting nine out of ten targets at a time.

Al-Ajmi may Allaah have mercy upon himsaid that when drinking Zamzam water one should ask for forgiveness from sins, one may say: "O Allaah! It came to my knowledge that your Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )said, 'Zamzam water is what one intends to drink it for.' O Allaah! I am drinking it to forgive me. O Allaah! Forgive me." Besides, when someone drinks it to be healed, it is good to say: "O Allaah! I am drinking it to be healed. O Allaah! Heal me."

The ruling of carrying Zamzam Water outside Makkah

Al-Imaam Al-Faarisi may Allaah have mercy upon himmentioned that it is permissible to carry Zamzam water outside Makkah according to the four juristic schools, and that it is even recommended by Imaam Maalik and Imaam Shaafi'ee may Allaah have mercy upon them.

'Aa'ishah may Allaah be pleased with heralso mentioned that the Prophet, salallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and herself used to do that. [At-Tirmithi] . Abu Hasan may Allaah be pleased with himsaid: "The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )wrote to Suhayl Ibn 'Amr may Allaah be pleased with him: 'If you receive my message at night, do not wait till the morning, and if you receive it in the morning do not wait till night; just immediately send me some Zamzam water.' Then, Suhail's wife with the help of his grandfather, Ayoob Ibn 'Abdullaah, and their maids carried Zamzam water at night…" [Abu Moosaa Al-Madeeni & Al-Azraqi]

Attaa may Allaah have mercy upon himstated that Ka'bah Al-Ahbaar used to carry it to ancient Syria.

'Aa'ishah may Allaah be pleased with hercarried Zamzam in bottles for sick people. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention )also carried it in leather bags and used to pour it on the sick and give it to them as a drink. [Al-Faakihi]

http://www.islamweb.net/ver2/archive/article.php?lang=E&id=138390

Muslim Pilgrimage: a journey toward tolerance?

Muslim Pilgrimage: a journey toward tolerance?

Imagine the power of standing at the geographical and spiritual center of your religious faith, together with millions of fellow believers. How would that experience change your life, your spirituality, your politics and your relationships?

In 2006, David Clingingsmith, PhD, of Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management, asked this question in the context of perhaps the most famous religious pilgrimage in the world-the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, called the hajj.

Every Muslim, if he or she is physically and financially able, is urged to participate at least once in the hajj, which consists of a series of rituals commemorating the life and struggles of the biblical prophet Abraham. The pilgrimage is one of the "Five Pillars of Islam," crucial religious duties that also include daily prayer, charity, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and professing Allah as the one true God.

Given that the hajj is a large-scale religious and community ritual, it is a powerful subject of study. Muslims pray five times each day facing Mecca and the Kaaba, a black, cube-shaped building at the center of the city's Masjid al-Haram mosque. Standing at this site of holy veneration with so many fellow Muslims (nearly 3 million attended in 2006), walking counter-clockwise around the Kaaba seven times and participating in other hajj rituals is surely life-altering.

But what exactly is its impact? Does it change the way Muslims think about their religion, or even lead to a radicalized form of the faith? In forging unity among Muslims, might the hajj inspire negative thoughts and opinions of non-Muslims?

These are the questions Clingingsmith asked in his study.

He and colleagues Asim Ijaz Khwaja and Michael Kremer, both professors at Harvard University, interviewed Pakistani Muslims who participated in a random lottery system to secure one of the 150,000 hajj visas allotted to Pakistan by Saudi Arabia. Half of those interviewed were granted visas and went on the hajj; the other half were denied and did not attend. Clingingsmith notes that this comparison lets researchers know that they are measuring a "real" effect of the hajj and not an erroneous correlation.

What Clingingsmith found was that participation in the hajj actually increased both connection within the Muslim community and positive regard for those outside the faith. Among the study's findings:

* Those returning from the pilgrimage (called hajjis) were 22 percent more likely to declare that people of different religions are equal, as compared with the non-hajji group.
* Hajjis were twice as likely as non-hajjis to openly condemn the goals of Osama Bin Laden.
* Male hajjis were 8 percent more likely than non-hajjis to express hope that their daughters and granddaughters would adopt professional careers.

These findings would not surprise anyone who has read the famous hajj account in Malcolm X's autobiography. "My pilgrimage broadened my scope," Malcolm X said. "It was in the Holy World that my attitude was changed...by what I witnessed there, in terms of brotherhood. ..between all men, of all nationalities and complexions."

The results of the survey also could be understood in terms of social identity theory, which says that when you share a positive experience within a group, you are more likely to think positively of others, even members of other groups, Clingingsmith says. Clingingsmith says his study should comfort the 45 percent of Americans that a 2007 Pew study showed believe that Islam encourages violence more than other religions.

"When you have extremist elements within a religious tradition, you should be careful not to let that color your view of the character of that belief system in a general sense," he says. "From the point of view of people who are non-Muslims, the experience that the pilgrims have of going on the hajj is something we should feel positive about."

http://www.case.edu/magazine/fallwinter2009/muslimpilgrimage.html

Study Finds Hajj Promotes Peace

Study Finds Hajj Promotes Peace

Published On Tuesday, May 06, 2008 12:32 AM

By AHMED N. MABRUK
Crimson Staff Writer

A study published by researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) last month found that the Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, makes pilgrims more peaceful and tolerant rather than fostering feelings of self-isolation.

After reviewing data from a 2006 survey to 1,600 Sunni pilgrims from Pakistan, researchers Asim Ijaz Khwaja of HKS, Michael R. Kremer of the Department of Economics, and David Clingingsmith of Case Western Reserve University, concluded that participation in the Hajj bolsters pilgrims’ observance of Islamic practices, including the five daily prayers and fasting, while decreasing their adherence to local customs, like the practice of dowry.

The study also found that the Hajj promotes “harmony among ethnic groups and Islamic sects and leads to more favorable attitudes toward women, including greater acceptance of female education and employment.”

And while the report recognizes that some observers have assumed that the pilgrimage serves to isolate Muslims from non-Muslims, the study concluded that, though the Hajj increases unity among Muslims, it doesn’t foster “antipathy toward non-Muslims.”

“So many Muslims getting together might change, in a negative way, their views [regarding] non-Muslims,” Clingingsmith said. “And I think that there’s sort of a view out there in the world that they might find an increased support for political Islam—in fact, we see the opposite of that,”

“That’s something the typical person might find surprising,” he added.

The researchers pointed to “exposure to and interaction with Hajjis from around the world” as the reason for increased tolerance.

After going on the pilgrimage twice, Na’eel A. Cajee ’10 said the study’s findings support his firsthand experiences.

He said the Hajj “is not just about tolerating the people next to you—it’s about having the differences but bonding.”

Though the two million pilgrims typically in attendance for the Hajj are logistically ordered by country, Cajee said the diverse backgrounds “weren’t obstacles.”

“I’d go into random tents—the American tents, the Indonesian tents, the South African tents—and it didn’t matter if they were poor or rich, people would invite me to eat,” he said.

The study’s authors echoed Cajee’s personal experiences.

“Social distance isn’t as large as you thought on Hajj, and maybe that’s the learning you come out with,” Khwaja said. “Once you think a Muslim European is good, then maybe all Europeans are, too. A famous example of this broader learning may have been Malcolm X and his letter from Hajj, [in which] he attributes rethinking his views on race to performing the Hajj.”

—Staff writer Ahmed N. Mabruk can be reached at amabruk@fas.harvard.edu

The Well of Zamzam

The Well of Zamzam
Mahmoud Isma`il Shil
`Abdur-Rahman `Abdul-Wahid

The Well of Zamzam that gushed forth underneath the footsteps of Isma`il, peace and blessings be upon him, is considered one of the important elements within the Sacred Sanctuary. Actually, this blessed Well had passed by several incidents which we are going to mention here as follows:

Zamzam Before Islam

It was reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that Abraham, peace and blessings be upon him, came to Makkah along with Hajar, the mother of Isma`il, who was a suckling baby. He left her and her son in a place on the spot of Zamzam with a water-skin containing some water, and set out homeward. She used to drink and then give suck to her son until the water had all been used up. Then, her child (Isma`il) became thirsty and she started looking at him tossing in agony. The mother of Isma`il thought that he was dying of thirst; so, she left him and went to the mountain of Safa (that was the nearest mountain to her on that land). She stood on it and started looking at the valley keenly so that she might see somebody, but she could not see anyone. Then she descended from Safa and when she reached the valley, she ran like a person in distress and trouble, till she crossed the valley and reached the Marwah mountain where she stood and started looking, expecting to see somebody, but she could not see any. She repeated that (running between Safa and Marwah) seven times. When she returned to her son, she heard a voice and she said, `O, (whoever you may be)! You have made me hear your voice; have you got something to help me?' Ibn `Abbas added, The Archangel Gabriel stroke (dug) the earth (at the place of Zamzam with his heel or his wing), till water flowed from that place. She started making something like a basin around it, using her hand in this way, and started filling her water-skin with water. Then she drank (water) and suckled her child." This incident was mentioned in detail by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih.

Zamzam was the First Sign of Permanent Settlement in Makkah

Al-Azraqi mentioned in his Akhbar Makkah and At-Tabari in his Tarikh Ar-Rusul wal-Muluk that some people from the tribe of Jurhum or a family from Jurhum passed by Hajar and her child, as they (i.e. the Jurhum people) were coming in a trading caravan from Ash-Sham (the Levant). They landed in the lower part of Makkah where they saw a bird hovering above the valley. Someone said, "This bird must be hovering over water (of a well), though we know that there is no water in this valley." They sent two men to see what is there. They came to Isma`il's mother and talked to her. Then, they returned to inform their people of the good news (that there is water). So, they all came and settled beside the water after getting the permission of Isma`il's mother. The whole story is mentioned in detail in Sahih Al-Bukhari. The narration cited that she granted them permission to dwell in this place without having any right to possess the water and they agreed to that.

The area of dwellings at Makkah had been increasing especially after Abraham and his son Isma`il, peace and blessings be upon them, built the Sacred House. (The tribe of) Jurhum continued to take charge of the Sacred House and (the Well of) Zamzam for a period of time until a Yemenite tribe so called Khuza`ah emigrated to this place after the collapse of the Ma'rib dam. Khuza`ah went into battle with Jurhum and at the end Khuza`ah were victorious and took charge of the Sacred House.

The Jurhumites were finally driven out from Makkah and they were separated in the province of Tuhamah. In the fifth century, Qusayy Ibn Kilab established himself in control of Makkah after a fierce battle with the tribe of Khuza`ah ending with their evacuation from Makkah and joining Kinanah under his authority. He thereupon brought people of Quraish to Makkah and divided it among its clans. The Well of Zamzam at that time was neglected since it had been buried and its landmarks were hidden completely. It continued to be so until `Abd Al-Muttalib Ibn Hashim, the grandfather of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, rediscovered it. One may wonder: how could people of Makkah and the pilgrims drink (water) after covering the Well of Zamzam?

The answer is: there were wells and springs that were dug after the disappearance of the Well of Zamzam such as the well of Al-Yusrah that was dug by Ka`b Ibn Lu'ayy and another well so called Ar-Rwua; they were opposite to the mount of `Arafah.

`Abd Al-Muttalib dug Zamzam following the Incident of the Elephant after he saw a spiritual figure in a vision saying, "Dig Zamzam." Then, it vanished and once again came to him and said, "Dig Zamzam which is located between dung and blood, an ants' nest, and pecking ravens."

When `Abd Al-Muttalib woke up, he went immediately to the Sacred House wherein he discovered the place, where a cow was to be slaughtered at Al-Hazurah (a market in the Pre-Islamic period of Ignorance) but it escaped from its slaughterer. Then, it was overcome by death in the Sanctuary in the very place of Zamzam. The cow departed life and its flesh was carried away. Then, a raven came to eat from it and it fell in the dung and then ants gathered around what remained of it.

`Abd Al-Muttalib rose and started to ding in the assigned location but people of Quraish came to him and asked him, "What are you doing, why do you dig in the Sanctuary?" `Abd Al-Muttalib replied: "I am going to dig this well and fight anyone who tries to bar me." He continued along with his sole son Al-Harith at that time to dig despite their vehement protest. Some Quraishites disputed with them while others stopped because they knew well `Abd Al-Muttalib' s high-ranked pedigree. `Abd Al-Muttalib was sharply harmed until he vowed that if he would have ten sons he would slaughter one of them (in sacrifice). Digging continued until he found golden swords. When the people saw the swords they said, "O `Abd Al-Muttalib, we should have a share in what you have found." He replied that these swords would go to the Sacred House. He afterwards continued to dig until water flowed in the bottom.

Then, he built a cistern beside it and used to fill it with water along with his son so that the pilgrims may drink thereof. But some people of Quraish used to break this cistern by night and when `Abd Al-Muttalib wakes up he reforms it. When their corruption to the basin increased, `Abd Al-Muttalib supplicated his Lord (against them), then a shadowy figure came to him in a vision and told him to say: "O Lord, I do not make it permissible for the one who wants to take a bath in it but it is permissible for anyone to have a drink (of water) from it." When `Abd Al-Muttalib woke up, he proclaimed what he had seen in the Sanctuary, then he went out. Afterwards, no one of Quraish corrupts his cistern unless he is afflicted with a malady in his body. So, they stopped corrupting it altogether.

Then, `Abd Al-Muttalib married another woman who bore him ten sons. He intended to sacrifice one of his sons, so he gathered them in the Ka`bah. The lots were cast, and it was `Abdullah's arrow that came out. But after consultation with people they suggested to put `Abdullah and ten camels side by side and cast lots between them. If the arrow falls against `Abdullah, he should add more ten camels and so forth until his Lord accepts them and the arrow falls against the camels. The lots were cast ten times until the arrow fell against the camels. At last `Abd Al-Muttalib became certain that God had accepted his expiation, and the camels were duly sacrificed.

Zamzam in the Islamic Era

After `Abd Al-Muttalib dug the Well of Zamzam, it became the main source for watering the pilgrims to the Sacred House of God. With the advent of Islam, its importance increased since many Hadiths were reported in its favor. We may cite in this regard some of these Hadiths as follows:

Ahmad reported that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Fever is from the heat of the Hell-fire; so, cool it with Zamzam water."

`Ali Ibn Abu Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, also reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, performed Tawaf (circumambulation) of Ifadah, then he asked that a bucket of Zamzam water should be brought to him. He afterwards performed ablution with this water and then said, "Draw water, O Banu `Abd Al-Muttalib; were it not that people would usurp this right of supplying water from you, I would have drawn it along with you."

Disappearance of the sources and springs of water before the Day of Judgment except that of Zamzam

`Uthman Ibn Saj narrated, "Muqatil informed me on the authority of Ad-Dahhaq Ibn Muzahim that Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, will take away the fresh water before the Day of Judgment. All sources and springs of water-supply will be lost except the water of Zamzam and the earth will issue (cast away) what is in its hollows of gold and silver. At that moment, the man will come with a sack full of gold and silver and offer it saying: is there anyone who accepts this from me? He will be replied: had you offered it to me yesterday I would have accepted it from you."

Description of the Well of Zamzam in the course of time

Ibn Juraij was reported as having said that `Ata' described to him the way of their watering from Zamzam saying: (The Well of) Zamzam had two cisterns in the first era; one between it and (Ar-Rukn) the Corner through which the pilgrims would have their drink of water and another cistern from behind for performing ablution. It had an attached reservoir to which water comes through the gate of As-Safa and it had no window at that time.

It was merely a well surrounded by a fence of stones that had been simply built. It continued to be so until the era of the `Abbasid caliph Abu Ja`far Al-Mansur who was the first to build a dome above the Well of Zamzam in the year 145 AH.

Zamzam was sixty cubits length. Its bottom included three springs: one facing the black corner, another opposite to mountains of Abu Qubais and As-Safa, and the third one facing Al-Marwah. The width of the mouth of Zamzam was 3.2/3 cubits.

The commander of the believers Abu Ja`far was the first to construct marbles on Zamzam, on the window, and to tile its floor with marble during his caliphate. Then, Al-Mahdi reconstructed them during his caliphate and roofed the room of Zamzam with teak at the hands of `Umar Ibn Faraj. The little dome was covered with mosaic as well as the building of Zamzam was restored and a large dome of teak was constructed above the room allocated for watering the pilgrims instead of the little dome that was above the Well of Zamzam. This was during the caliphate of Al-Mahdi in the year 160 AH. The Well of Zamzam and its dome was then restored and was covered with marble during the caliphate of the `Abbasid caliph Al-Mu`tasim in the year 220 AH.

A description for the cistern of Zamzam

This cistern is 39 cubits from inside and 40 cubits from outside. Its diameter is 12 cubits and is tiled with marble. Its walls are covered with marble. The length of its walls is 11 fingers and their width is 8 fingers. The area of this cistern through which the pilgrims have their drink of water is 28 cubits. This cistern is surrounded by 12 teak cylinder. The length of each cylinder is 4 cubits. Above the room there is a dome made of teak whose outside is green and its inside is yellow.

The most important repairs

The dome of Zamzam received several repairs and restorations in the course of time. The most important of these repairs are the following:

The Sacred Mosque was restored in the Mamluk era during the reign of Sultan An-Nassir Faraj Ibn Barquq after fire erupted in the Sacred Mosque in the night of 28 Shawwal, 802 AH. The dome of Zamzam was also restored in the year 815 AH at the hands of the Judge of Makkah Jamal Ad-Din Muhammad Ibn Abu Dhahirah. In the era of Sultan Qaitbai, the Well of Zamzam was restored and its marbles were replaced in 884 AH.

In the Ottoman era, the Sacred Mosque received great interest and several repairs were made to the building of Zamzam especially during the reign of Sultan Salim II, 982 AH. The dome of Zamzam was also restored in the era of Sultan Ahmad IV, 1083 AH. Then, the building of Zamzam was restored in the era of Sultan `Abd Al-Hamid I, 1187 AH and once again in 1203 AH.

Before nowadays, the greatest works of building that were made to the dome of Zamzam was accomplished during the era of Sultan `Abd Al-Hamid the Second 1300 AH. These works were made by the engineer As-Said Muhammad Sadiq. Eventually, during the modern era, the building of Zamzam was reconstructed but away from its original location since the old building that was located near the Ka`bah used to hinder Tawaf in the modern age because of the large number of the pilgrims. The water of Zamzam was conducted to its new location in the eastern part of the Sanctuary by way of engines for lifting water and pipes. There became an assigned place for men and another for women. Finally, it is worth mentioning that despite the passage of thousands of years on discovering the Well of Zamzam, its water remained and will continue to be a source of purity and cure.

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