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Wednesday, 31 October 2018

What Ghazali’s Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din Means to Me

Sister Tuscany Bernier offers an insightful reflection on the very personal impact that the Ihya Uloom al-Din had on her.

The Ihya ‘Ulum al’Din ( The Revival of the Religious Sciences) is a 40-volume work, the mangus opus of the great scholar Imam Ghazali. The IGhazali's Ihyamam also compiled a Mukhtasir, or abridgement, which captured the essence of each volume into a chapter, making it a single, 40-chapter book.

The Ihya and I met in unique circumstances.  In April 2015, I bought a copy of the Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din…or at least I thought it was the whole Ihya. It wasn’t until last year that I realised it was actually the Mukhtasir, or abridged version.

As it happened, I did not open the book for several months. Looking in its direction, I would sigh at how much dust it was collecting.

Eventually, I joined a small women’s group, designed to explore leadership, feminism, and spirituality. Participating in the group inspired me to stretch my mind to explore what I didn’t understand. Thus, I picked up the book I had desired to read the most – the Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din. Before opening its pages, I made dua that Allah Most High grant me understanding and I aimed to clear my intentions.

Over the next nine months of the program, I poured over the 470+ pages in front of me. On the very first page, there was a hadith narrated from Allah’s Messenger, Blessings and peace be upon him, that said, “Belief is without clothing: its dress is piety, its beauty is modesty, and its fruit is knowledge.”

I was hooked.

The first quarter is titled “Al Ibada”, or worship, and the first chapter covers the virtues of seeking and imparting knowledge.The book then takes you through the second quarter based around or religious practices and onward into the third quarter, al-Muhlikat or moral vices. The final quarter brings the text to a close by focusing on the saving virtues, or al-Munjiyat. The final chapter is a reminder to take the time to remember death, which ultimately brings the entire book to a earnest, yet beautiful closure.

My mind felt simultaneously calmed by the constant invocation of Allah Most High, and stimulated by the diverse concepts brought up in each chapter.  I finished it over those nine months, but I often try to revisit the text that brought me so much happiness.

However, reading a translation by myself was nowhere as exciting as reading the original, or learning about it with esteemed scholars  through SeekersHub’s free on-demand course, Renewing Religion: Overview of Ghazali’s Ihya. But at the time I was reading it, I had no clue any of these resources existed.


Last year, I had the pleasure of reading a different translation – one much closer to the full Arabic original. It was at this point I realised that the book I’d initially read was only the Mukhtasir, and that every chapter of the Ihya could be considered a book on its own! In fact, the book I was reading was the first one of these books. It was called “
The Book of Knowledge” and was considered the backbone of the methodology course at the seminary that I was studying at.

The Ihya brought me closer to my understanding of the religion on a different level and for that, I thank the scholar who wrote it in the 11th century, Abu Hamid al Ghazali. Almost every topic within its pages was relevant to the human experience and thus, touched my heart centuries later.


Tuscany Bernier is from Indiana where she lives with her husband and two cats. She is passionate about cultural diversity and women’s studies. She published her first book in 2015 and hopes to write more in the future. You can visit her website for more information.


How the Ihya Overcame Apartheid–Shaykh Seraj Hendricks

Fatima bint Saad al Khayr –15 Centuries of Female Scholarship

Support “The Scholar Without Students” – Help Us Raise $200,000 to Support Women’s Islamic Scholarship Now (Zakat-Eligible)

 

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After Pittsburgh, the left must face down all forms of racism | Rachel Shabi

Words can be deadly. With 11 Jewish people killed at a synagogue, leftists had better ensure theirs don’t ring hollow

In the wake of the tragedy of Pittsburgh, the murder of 11 Jewish people at a synagogue in America’s most deadly act of antisemitism, we have heard a repeated cautionary refrain: that words have consequences. Donald Trump’s White House denies that the president’s rhetoric has any impact on reality. But others have noted that the “apparent spark” for the Pittsburgh murders was a “racist hoax” inflamed by the US president, who in the run-up to the US midterm elections has been scaremongering over a Honduran caravan of refugees fleeing violence and travelling to the US border to seek asylum, feeding antisemitic conspiracy theories that it has been funded by Jews.

That words have consequences is known viscerally to anyone whose identity is felt to be contested. Minorities, migrants and LGBT communities know all too well the terrible power of words to animate unconscious biases and rouse animosities; to poke at prejudices, stir hatreds and seed divisions. Words aren’t the only factor, but they create a context. Language is core to the architecture of antisemitism: words have, in recent memory, created the conditions for appalling violence and, ultimately, genocide.

Related: Trump, 'purveyor of hate speech', not welcome in Pittsburgh, says former synagogue leader

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Prophetic Parenting Part 4 – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

The Prophetic Parenting series, taught by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani,  covers 40 Hadiths on raising righteous Muslim children. This segment of the Prophetic Parenting series covers hadith relating to nurturing older children and teens.

When it comes to parenting, parents should act on what is clearly halal, as per the hadith, “The permissible is clear, and the impermissible is clear, and between them are matters that many don’t know about.”

This hadith is amazing not just because of the meaning, but also because it was narrated by Nu’man ibn Bashir, who was one of the first children to be born in Medina after the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. He narrated this hadith when he was only five years old, which shows that he was a product of his parents’ concern, who brought him to beneficial gatherings and raised him to care about them.

Imam Zain al-Abideen, son of Imam Hussein, would teach his young children to regularly say, “Truly I have believed in Allah, and rejected falsehood. ” This indicates that he had taught them about the basics of the faith, and the pillars of Islamic beliefs. In the same way, parents should teach their children the tenants of their faith from a young age. prophetic parenting

Another hadith teaches us about the importance of having youth-focused teaching environments, while still being sensitive to their needs. Malik ibn al-Huwairith narrated that a group of youth would come to stay with the Prophet and learn from him, although their families were non-Muslim. They would stay for around twenty days. The Prophet would sense that they were missing their families, even though they hadn’t said anything. He would ask them about their families, and would tell them to return to their people and teach them what they had been taught.

This shows the Prophet’s deep concern for their well-being, and who saw them as adults-in-training rather than “just kids.” In addition, the training and teaching should be demonstrative learning, where the parents teach by example and not just through words.

About the Series

As Muslims, we take family and our children seriously. We seek clarity and prophetic parentingguidance to raise upright, righteous, successful Muslim children who love Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him. Shaykh Faraz Rabbani prophetic parentingwill cover 40 hadiths on parenting.

Beginning with how to choose a spouse while keeping in mind future parenting, to raising and educating children from when they’re small to when they are young adults. We will also see beautiful, faith-inspiring examples of the Prophet’s mercy, gentleness, wisdom, and excellence in his own parenting and dealing with children–while inculcating in them the highest of aspiration, discipline, curiosity, intelligence, and spiritual resolve.


Prophetic Parenting Part 3 – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

The Wisdom of Suffering – Why We Suffer

How Do We Fight Shaytan? By Getting Married – Imam Zaid Shakir

 

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UK believes China has interned about 1 million Uighur Muslims

Criticism is mounting over reports of mass camps in the western territory of Xinjiang

British diplomats have visited Xinjiang and confirmed that reports of mass internment camps for Uighur Muslims were “broadly true”, the foreign secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has told parliament.

Beijing faces mounting international criticism for its policies in Xinjiang, a far western territory of China where researchers believe an estimated 1 million Muslim minorities have been detained in a network of camps.

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Monday, 29 October 2018

Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community inaugurates Nasir Hospital in Guatemala

Landmark event as state of the art hospital built by Humanity First opens in Guatemala

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Nasheed Hub: Salawat al-Badriyya

The Nasheed Hub, an initiative of SeekersHub Global, aims to showcase the traditional Islamic art of nasheed, or Islamic devotional songs.

Salawat al-Badriyya (The Badran Praise)

The tradition of tawassul, or seeking Allah’s favours through the high rank of Prophets or the righteous, is a confirmed practice which has been done through the centuries of Islamic history. This nasheed seeks Allah’s many favours through the people who were present at the Battle of Badr,  one of the most miraculous events of the life of the Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace, and a pivotal moment for the Muslim community.

The poem begins by sending Allah’s peace and blessings on the Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah and the Beloved of Allah. Then, the author first seeks intercession through the blessed words Bismillah, or “in the name of Allah,” and through the Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace. After that, he begins tawassul through the people of Badr.

He asks Allah to protect the Muslim umma from calamities, worries, and trials, through the high spiritual rank of those at Badr. He recounts how many blessings have been granted and how many difficulties have been removed, because of the people of Badr.

He then says that hearts have felt constricted despite the vastness of the earth, and asks Allah to remove this sadness. He says that they have come to Allah, seeking to gain peace and happiness, and asks Allah to put them into a goodly state.

Click on the image below to scroll. 

صلوات البدرية-converted

 

About Nasheed Hub

Throughout the decades and civilisations of Islam, the vocal tradition, sometimes known as nasheed or devotional songs, were penned as a way of celebrating and giving thanks to Allah for the message of Islam, as well as for the Messenger himself.nahnu fi rawda
These nasheeds were a way for people to turn towards their Lord in joyful celebration, rather than stringent routine. They were also tools to spread the message of Islam in a non-confrontational way. These nasheeds were able to reach out to those who were alienated or indifferent to the religion and the Muslim community, as well as to teach children who were too young for academic study.nasheed hub Salawat al-Badriyya
These nasheeds originating from all corners of the Muslim world – from West Africa to Malaysia, from Turkey to Great Britian – mirror their own culture but all carry a common thread: love of Allah and His Messenger.
This series will explore the different nasheeds, penned by some of the great historical Muslim figures, poets, and scholars.


Nasheed Hub: Qasida Burda Part 6–On The Qur’an

Our Lady Fatima al Zahra

 

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Stark east-west divide in attitudes towards minorities in Europe

Report also flags gulf in attitudes on nationalism, abortion, gay rights and more

Europe is starkly divided between east and west on attitudes towards minorities and social issues such as gay rights and abortion, data shows.

Despite the fall of the iron curtain and the eastward expansion of the EU, the attitudes of people in central and eastern countries differ significantly from those in western Europe, according to surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center involving 56,000 adults.

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Sunday, 28 October 2018

Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community delivers Friday Sermon in Houston, Texas

In today’s materialistic world, his words hold even greater importance because people are moving away from faith and becoming increasingly materialistic.

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None of us should enjoy the right to have our beliefs shielded from abuse | Kenan Malik

We live in sorry times if hurt feelings have now become a matter for the lawmakers

Should it be illegal to call the prophet Muhammad a “paedophile”? That was the question in front of the European court of human rights (ECHR) last week.

In 2009, an Austrian woman, known as ES, held “seminars” on Islam in which she likened Muhammad’s marriage to six-year-old Aisha to paedophilia. She was convicted of “disparaging religion”. In keeping with a history of supporting blasphemy laws, the ECHR upheld the conviction. ES’s comments, it ruled, “aimed at demonstrating that Muhammad was not a worthy subject of worship”. Presenting objects of religious worship in a provocative way capable of hurting the feelings of believers, it added, “could be conceived as a malicious violation of the spirit of tolerance”.

We should no more support secular versions of blasphemy laws than the old religious variety

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Saturday, 27 October 2018

Justice in the Islamic Paradigm – Social Justice Series

In this series, Shaykh Walead Mosaad speaks about defining social justice in the Islamic paradigm. This segment covers the Islamic methodology for defining social justice.

Muslims are enjoined to command the good and forbid the wrong. In addition, we are called upon to fulfil the rights of individuals, as well as the general rights of entire communities. Fulfilling the rights of communities is a unique Islamic concept, since most of the social rights we are taught today have a greater focus on individual rights.

We also have methodologies for upholding what’s right and removing what’s wrong. One of our main methodologies, is that we believe that the means by which we alleviate wrong, must be also sound and good, rather than having “the end justifies the means’ idea.

We are not defined by other people’s impressions of us. We seek validation and recognition form institutions and member of society, but we should focus on Allah’s impression of us, which is the ultimate empowerment.

Another part of our methodology for attaining justice, is defined by the hadith, “Help your brother, whether he is the oppressor or the oppressed.” What is meant by that, is that we should help the oppressed to get their justice, but help the oppressor by doing our best to stop them form doing their actions. This also means that we should not resort to name-calling, insulting, or other similar actions, because it cuts off the possibility of redemption. By putting people into a box, such as “he’s a racist,” etc, we lose the opportunity to meaningfully engage them and work for a better future.

About the Series

Social justice has been the focus in recent times of Muslim activists and communities. More often than not, the methods and objectives employed in Muslim social justice work has drawn from practices of other communities and traditions not necessarily rooted in Islamic principles. Does the Islamic tradition contain relevant principles that can be drawn upon to inform social justice work?

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Friday, 26 October 2018

Reception held to mark inaugration of Baitus Samad mosque in Baltimore

“Now is the time to show our humanity and to spare no efforts in developing peace in our communities, in our nations and indeed throughout the world”

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The Guardian view on China’s detention camps: now we see them | Editorial

Courageous personal testimony and painstaking research are giving us an increasingly detailed and shocking view of the centres in Xinjiang where hundreds of thousands have been held without arrest, charge or trial

The courage of former inmates and relatives, and the diligence of academics, journalists and other researchers, has brought a terrible secret into plain view. As the evidence piled up of the mass extrajudicial detention of Muslim Uighurs, Kazakhs and others in China’s north-western region of Xinjiang, it was met with silence or denial from Beijing. When experts told a UN panel this August that as many as a million could be held, a Chinese official insisted that: “There is no such thing as re-education centres.”

Still the satellite imagery, public documents and frightening personal testimonies amassed. With a UN human rights council meeting approaching next month, China suddenly announced that under revised legislation, local governments in Xinjiang could “educate and transform” people influenced by extremism at “vocational training centres”. This does not make the detentions themselves lawful, says one expert on Chinese law: “People are simply taken away.” But Beijing is now actively promoting the programme as an altruistic attempt to improve lives as well as stabilising the region, preventing further violent attacks. State media has shown “students” in uniforms playing ping pong and folk dancing, and learning skills such as hairdressing. The chairman of the regional government enthuses that the centres are air-conditioned, offer nutritious free meals and show that “life can be so colourful”.

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Prophetic Parenting Part 3 – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

The Prophetic Parenting series, taught by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani,  covers 40 Hadiths on raising righteous Muslim children. This segment of the Prophetic Parenting series covers hadith relating to good conduct with children.

 

It is narrated that the Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace, send Anan ibn Malik to run an errand for him. Anas, who was still a young boy, ran into some children on the way and forgot. When the Prophet found him, he asked him whether he had done what was asked of him. Anas replied, “Yes, I am going!”prophetic parenting

This hadith teaches us many lessons. For example, if a child makes a mistake, a parent can work with them to fix the mistake rather than focus on what went wrong, which will not necessarily solve the problem.

In another hadith, one of his grandchildren entered the room where charity was kept for distribution, and took one of the dates and began to eat it. The Prophet removed the date form his mouth and gently reminded him that the charity was a trust to give to others, not for personal consumption, and that the family of the Prophet were prohibited from taking charity. In this way, he taught his grandchild in a gentle, yet firm way, correcting him without harshness.

Within the teachings of the blessed Prophet, we are taught to make good intentions when spending time with them, and having high aspirations for them. For example, the Prophet Muhammad once prayed for his cousin, Ibn Abbas, Allah be pleased with him, to become learned in the religion. Ibn Abbas then became the leading teacher of the Qur’an, although he was one of the younger companions. Parents should have high hopes for their children, and make a lot of supplications for them.

About the Series

As Muslims, we take family and our children seriously. We seek clarity and prophetic parentingguidance to raise upright, righteous, successful Muslim children who love Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Shaykh Faraz Rabbani prophetic parentingwill cover 40 hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) on parenting.

Beginning with how to choose a spouse while keeping in mind future parenting, to raising and educating children from when they’re small to when they are young adults. We will also see beautiful, faith-inspiring examples of the Prophet’s mercy, gentleness, wisdom, and excellence in his own parenting and dealing with children–while inculcating in them the highest of aspiration, discipline, curiosity, intelligence, and spiritual resolve.

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Queen Aminatu –15 Centuries of Female Scholarship

In this series, Shaykha Tamara Gray narrates the stories of great Muslim women through the centuries, who excelled in fields of Islamic knowledge, science, and philanthropy. This segment female scholarshipfeatures Queen Aminatu from the 10th century.

Queen Aminatu ruled a place called Zaria, which is now a province of Nigeria. Queen Aminatu’s mother ascended the throne when Aminatu was 16. She learned to ride horseback for military campaign, to wield weapons, and military strategy. When her mother and brother died, Aminatu took the reign at age 34.queen aminatu

Leading Zaria was very difficult at the time, because there was a lot of tribal unrest and very little unity. Queen Aminatu is credited as being the first ruler to unite the area and bring peace and security to the land. She did this not through just the military expeditions that she led, but also through her strategy. When settling up a military camp, she would build a clay wall around the boundaries of the camp. After the military left, cities would form within those protective walls.

The political stability that Queen Aminatu’s leadership, allowed the opportunity for safer trade and new imported goods, including the cola nuts which came from Sudan. She is known as being a fierce leader, who bought peace to the Hausa land, bringing safety and economic prosperity. She ruled Zaria for a total of 34 years.


Inspiring Women to Inspire Us

Heroes and Heroines of Islam: Part Three – Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf

 

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Sinéad O'Connor sings call to prayer after converting to Islam – video

Singer, who has taken name of Shuhada’ Davitt, posted a video of herself singing the Azan, or Islamic call to prayer. She made the announcement in a Twitter post in which she said she was ‘very, very, very happy’ and thanked her Muslim brothers and sisters for welcoming her

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One man’s (very polite) fight against media Islamophobia – podcast

For three years, Miqdaad Versi has waged a quixotic – and always scrupulously courteous – campaign against the endless errors and distortions in news about British Muslims. But can a thousand polite complaints make a difference?

Read the text version here

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Sinéad O'Connor converts to Islam, taking new name Shuhada' Davitt

The singer says she is ‘very, very, very happy’ and thanks Muslims for welcoming her

The singer formerly known as Sinéad O’Connor has converted to Islam, changing her name to Shuhada’.

She made the announcement on Twitter, saying her conversion was “the natural conclusion of any intelligent theologian’s journey. All scripture study leads to Islam. Which makes all other scriptures redundant.”

Happy pic.twitter.com/VkJsj2IFAi

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Wednesday, 24 October 2018

Prophetic Parenting Part 2 – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

The Prophetic Parenting series, taught by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani,  covers 40 Hadiths on raising righteous Muslim children. This segment of the Prophetic Parenting series covers hadith that relate to interacting with children, as well as how to nurture a good upbringing.

The Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace, told us that each child is born on the fitra, or its  natural disposition. This does not mean that each child is born a Muslim, but that each child is born with potential for honestly, good, and uprightness, as well as potential for corruption and waywardness. Therefore, the parents have a transformative role rather than a marginal one. Rather, it’s the parents that will influence the children either way. Results are in the hands of Allah, but parents are responsible for taking the means to raise their children well.

To help us attain this purpose,  the following dua appears in the Qur’an:

                                                   رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا 

“Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous”. (25:74)

The righteous people are the best of Allah’s servants. We aren’t just asked to make dua for simple righteousness, but rather we are encouraged to ask Allah to make us the best of His servants.

In addition, we are told that one of the good deeds that will continue to multiply after our deaths, is a righteous child that prays for us. This should encourage parents to persist in their efforts, even at times when they feel discouraged, exhausted, or even if they feel that their children are not achieving their purpose. A parent will be rewarded for every moment of hardship they experienced if they deal with it patiently, and will be rewarded even more if their child prays for them, long after they have passed away. This should be a source of inspiration and comfort for all parents.

About the Series

As Muslims, we take family and our children seriously. We seek clarity and prophetic parentingguidance to raise upright, righteous, successful Muslim children who love Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Shaykh Faraz Rabbani prophetic parentingwill cover 40 hadiths of the Prophet (peace be upon him) on parenting.

Beginning with how to choose a spouse while keeping in mind future parenting, to raising and educating children from when they’re small to when they are young adults. We will also see beautiful, faith-inspiring examples of the Prophet’s mercy, gentleness, wisdom, and excellence in his own parenting and dealing with children–while inculcating in them the highest of aspiration, discipline, curiosity, intelligence, and spiritual resolve.


Prophetic Parenting Part 1 – Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

The Wisdom of Suffering – Why We Suffer

Mercy, the Stamp of Creation

 

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Rohingya genocide is still going on, says top UN investigator

Head of fact-finding mission said Myanmar’s leaders are denying abuse of Muslim group

Genocide is still taking place against Rohingya Muslims remaining in Myanmar and the government is increasingly demonstrating it has no interest in establishing a fully functioning democracy, according to UN investigators.

Marzuki Darusman, chair of the UN fact-finding mission on Myanmar, said thousands of Rohingya are still fleeing to Bangladesh, and the estimated 250,000 to 400,000 who have remained following last year’s brutal military campaign in the Buddhist-majority country “continue to suffer the most severe” restrictions and repression. “It is an ongoing genocide that is taking place at the moment,” he told a news conference on Wednesday.

Related: ‘Tied to trees and raped’: UN report details Rohingya horrors

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Our Lady Fatima al Zahra

Sister Nurulain Wolhuter has written a moving, concise, and loving portrait in praise of our Lady Fatima al Zahra, highlighting her flawless and noble character.

She is Fatima al Batul, al Zahra, the radiant Lady of Paradise, the daughter of the Beloved, Allah bless him and give him peace. She is the mother of the prophetic progeny, Allah be pleased with her. She is also called al Siddiqa, the truthful; al Tahira, the pure; and al Zakiyya, the flawless.

She has become my mother, due to the love between her and the followers of her beloved father. Through her I have come to know him more intimately, and to strive to tread his path more faithfully, Allah bless him and give him peace. Encountering her changed my life from one dominated by worldly things to one focused on the hereafter. Her way is a sword of protection and a rope of victory. It is my bastion in times of difficulty and my strength in times of need.

The Essence of the Sunna

She is our role-model as Muslim women. Our beloved Prophet said: “Fatima is part of me. So whoever angers her, angers me.” (Bukhari) Al Habib Muhammad al Saqqaf says this means Fatima is a piece of the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, not separate from him. So, if a Muslim woman emulates Fatima, she is emulating “the essence of the Sunnah” of Allah’s Messenger. (Our Liege Lady Fatimah the Resplendent)

Our lady Fatima was known for her utmost modesty. She covered herself completely. Her outer clothes were the abaya, a loose long dress; the khimar, a garment covering the head and upper body; and the niqab, a face veil. She always wore black. On the day of judgment she will receive the highest of commendations for her modesty.

It is narrated that our master Ali, Allah be pleased with him, said he heard the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, say that on the day of judgment an announcer will call upon the people to lower their gazes until Fatima has passed. (Hakim)

Worldly Matters Were Meaningless to Her

However, our lady was also the bearer of other noble attributes, such as asceticism and generosity, to which men, as well as women, should aspire. Fatima is called al Batul because she was devoted to worship, and this to the extent that all worldly matters were meaningless to her. She lived in the simplest of houses, with the barest of essentials.

Her bed was a thin mat and her only covering was a short blanket that, if it covered her feet, left her upper body open and, if it covered her upper body, left her feet exposed. Her beloved father, Allah bless him and give him peace, encouraged her to abstain from worldly things. Once he refused to enter her house because he saw a colorful decorated curtain on her door, saying “I am not interested in worldly things.” Fatima immediately dispensed with it. (Bukhari)

Our lady Fatima was generous to the point of self-sacrifice. She and her family once fasted for three days, breaking their fast on water, because they gave the only food they had to the needy. Allah Most High praised this nobility of spirit in the holy Qur’an:

They fulfill their vows. They fear a day of widespread woes. They give food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive, though they love it themselves, saying, ‘We feed you for the sake of God alone: We seek neither recompense nor thanks from you. We fear the Day of our Lord – a woefully grim Day. (Sura al Insan 76:7-10)

So our lady Fatima is truly a part of her beloved father. She has bequeathed us the best, and most faithful, way of following him, Allah bless him and give him peace. May Allah grant us the grace to emulate even the smallest part of her pure and flawless way.


Ustadha Zaynab Ansari on Amazing Muslim Women: Fatima al-Fihri

Ala Ya Allah Bi Nadhra – Imam Haddad’s Poem at His Wife’s Death

Support “The Inspiration”– Help Us Raise $200,000 to Support Women’s Islamic Scholarship Now (Zakat-Eligible)

 

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Nasheed Hub: Qasidah Salamiyya

The Nasheed Hub, an initiative of SeekersHub Global, aims to showcase the traditional Islamic art of nasheed, or Islamic devotional songs.

Qasidah Salamiyya (The Poem of Blessings)

This poem is another one written by the famous spiritual sage, Shaykh Muhammad Ibn al-Habib of the Darqawi spiritual path. Like Nahnu Fi Rawda, it carries his deep love for the Prophet Muhammad, Allah bless him and give him peace, and his attachment to the Rawda, his blessed resting place. This poem is in the form of a prayer, where Shaykh Ibn al-Habib sends peace on the Prophet Muhammad, naming everything that he loves about him.

He begins by sending peace in the grave of the Prophet, and the Rawda. He describes his heartfelt connection to the Rawda, and the many virtues that his Beloved has been adorned with, such as being called to Allah’s presence in the night of the Ascension, and having a lizard testify to the truth of his prophethood.

His Beloved is also the one to whom Allah has granted such splendid beauty, and special virtue and majesty. He mentioned the great news to being able to visit the Rawda, and asks people who are going to convey his greetings. Unfortunately, he says that he is not able to visit himself, but the image of the Rawda stays in his mind, the most beautiful image he has ever seen.Qasida Salamiyya

Click on the image below to scroll.

قصيدة السلامية-converted

 

Nasheed Hub: Nahnu Fi Rawda

Nasheed Hub: Qasida Burda Part 6–On The Qur’an

 

Mercy, the Stamp of Creation

 

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Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Reception held to mark Inauguration of Baitul Aafiyat Mosque in Philadelphia

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad says the Mosque “will prove a beacon of light and hope to all peace-loving people”

The post Reception held to mark Inauguration of Baitul Aafiyat Mosque in Philadelphia appeared first on Khalifa of Islam.



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Historic Day in History of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad travels to Central America for the very first time

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Support “The Seeker”– Help Us Raise $200,000 to Support Women’s Islamic Scholarship Now (Zakat-Eligible)

Give your zakat and charity, urgently, to raise $200,000 to support deserving and needy women scholars and students of Islamic knowledge around the world.Women's Islamic Scholarship

Our goal is to raise $200,000 USD in a Zakat friendly campaign in order to support six female seekers of knowledge: two students and four female scholars. It is imperative that we support female scholarly voices who are experts on dealing with women’s issues in Fiqh, Islamic social sciences, and more.

“The Seeker”

Ustadha graduated from a Canadian University but the urge to seek knowledge compelled her to study abroad for more than ten years in one of the great cities of Islamic knowledge. There, she has become a respected teacher– and one of the senior instructors at an esteemed Islamic seminary.
SeekersHub is supporting her in the role of dedicated teacher and assisting in the transition back to a community in her home country, where she can teach and serve those most urgently in need of her deep knowledge and guidance.
 
Her passion for teaching is admirable. Her expertise in Islamic Studies is a benefit to Muslims worldwide as she encourages women to engage in and pursue traditional Islamic learning.

Support “The Inspiration”– Help Us Raise $200,000 to Support Women’s Islamic Scholarship Now (Zakat-Eligible)

Support “The Scholar Without Students” – Help Us Raise $200,000 to Support Women’s Islamic Scholarship Now (Zakat-Eligible)

Al Adar Al Karima –15 Centuries of Female Scholarship

 

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Podcasts: Minority Fiqh and Aqida with Mufti Taha Karaan

Mufti Taha Karaan lectures on Minority Fiqh and Citizenship, and gives a two-part synoptic presentation of Islamic aqida based on a classic text.

Mufti Taha Karaan is a Shafi‘i scholar born in Cape Town, South Africa, to a family renowned in both its maternal and paternal lineage for Islamic scholarship. His father, the late Mufti Yusuf Karaan, may Allah have mercy on his soul, was one of the most distinguished Islamic scholars in the Cape.

Mufti Taha completed his Qur’anic memorization in one year at the Waterfall Islamic Institute, the oldest Islamic seminary in South Africa. During his stay, he assisted in the editing of the Qur’anic prints that the Institute has become famous for the world over. After finishing four years of the ‘alim course in two years, he journeyed to the Indian sub-continent and Dar al Uloom Deoband, graduating from there in 1991 with the highest of distinctions, as did his father, in a class of over 700 students. He then travelled to the Middle East and completed a two-year graduate diploma at the Higher Institute for Islamic Studies in Cairo, Egypt.

Mufti Taha is the recipient of numerous chains of transmission (ijazaat), from well-respected scholars in India, Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, among others, in numerous fields of the Islamic sciences.

Currently, Mufti Taha is the Mufti of the Muslim Judicial Council. He is a sought-after speaker at Islamic symposia and conferences but attends them sparingly, preferring to spend most of his time at the Islamic seminary, Dar al Uloom al Arabiyyah al Islamiyyah, that he founded in 1996. The educational thrust of the seminary reflects Mufti Taha’s own pioneering vision and commitment to squarely interface with the challenges of the modern age through the twin objectives of preservation and progress.

In his teaching, writing and legal verdicts (fatawa), Mufti Taha regularly addresses contemporary issues such as the challenges of post-modernity, feminism, Islamic economics and finance, the old and new Orientalisms, and fiqh issues affecting Diaspora Muslim communities.

His students describe him as divinely-gifted with encyclopedic knowledge; possessed of a near photographic memory; an insatiable bibliophile within the Islamic sciences and without; a teacher that never ceases to inspire; endowed with an elegant calligraphic hand and a penchant for poetry; thoroughly unassuming, pleasant, brilliant and tender-hearted.

Muslim Minorities and the Fiqh of Citizenship in the Modern World

How do Muslim minority communities in various parts of the world create meaningful spaces and environments to flourish as religious communities, and as beneficial members of their societies? The intersection between religious identity and citizenship is a nuanced and complex topic for many Muslims living in Non Muslims countries.

In this lecture, Mufti Taha Karaan provides an insightful overview of how Muslim minority communities engaged with the geo political realities of their times in order to consolidate their presence and growth in various locations around the world. By analyzing and discussing the critical topics of migration, citizenship and the preservation of faith, in a coherent historical chronology and context, Mufti Taha Karaan proffers a refreshing and inspirational approach of understanding the Fiqh of Citizenship and Minorities in contemporary times.

The Muslim community of South Africa, specifically Cape Town, has a rich and dynamic history which spans more than 300 years. Mufti Taha Karaan proposes that Muslim minority communities around the world should scrupulously analyse how the Muslims of the Cape preserved their faith when confronted with the various challenges of slavery, colonialism and apartheid, and how they succeeded in developing into a vibrant, confident and socially contributing community within South African society.

Link to podcast:
Muslim Minorities and the Fiqh of Citizenship in the Modern World.

A Synopsis of the Science of Aqida based on the text of Al Hawi al Qudsi of Al Qadhi Jamaluddin Ahmed ibn Mahmud Al Qabisi Al Ghaznawi Al Halabi

Since the enlightenment period, belief in God and organized religion has come under significant attack. The unremitting question regarding the compatibility of revelation and reason continues to plague us in current times. Atheism as a “belief” system or worldview is on the rise, and many individuals feel obfuscated and confused amidst the high levels of intellectual skepticism.

How should Muslims face and immunized themselves from these ideological challenges? How did our luminous scholars of the past respond to the various intellectual and doctrinal quagmires of their age so that they were able to preserve sound belief in the integrals of Islam?

In this lecture, Mufti Taha Karaan succinctly articulates a systematic overview of the various components that contribute to the Islamic science of belief (Aqida) and dialectical theology (Kalam). By contextualizing the various challenges that historically confronted Islamic doctrine, he provides a lucid methodology in comprehending the integral epistemic avenues that contribute to correct belief in Islam.

Link to podcasts:
A Synopsis of the Science of Aqeedah, part 1.
A Synopsis of the Science of Aqeedah, part 2.


Questions & Answers – Why We Suffer Series

Find Islam Difficult? Here Are Some Easy Good Deeds, by Mufti Taqi ‘Uthmani

How the Ihya Overcame Apartheid–Shaykh Seraj Hendricks

 

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Sunday, 21 October 2018

Anti-Muslim rhetoric 'widespread' among candidates in Trump era – report

Sharp rise in tactics that echo attempts to inflame fears around immigration and minorities ahead of midterm elections

The 2018 midterm elections have seen a dramatic rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric, a new report has found, as political campaigns are emboldened by Donald Trump’s ascent to the White House.

Related: Trump was 'playful' in praising assault on Guardian reporter, Ben Sasse says

Related: Republican attacks take aim at non-white congressional candidates

Continue reading...

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From denial to pride: how China changed its language on Xinjiang's camps

Beijing now proudly parades ‘humane management and care’ at internment camps, after denying their existence for months

China’s state broadcaster CCTV last week offered a look inside Xinjiang’s controversial internment camps.

In the 15-minute segment journalists visit the Hotan City Vocational Skills Education and Training Centre where they teach students Mandarin, China’s various legal codes, and job-relevant skills, according to a city official, reciting almost verbatim a description previously given in Chinese state media.

Related: Internment camps make Uighurs' life more colourful, says Xinjiang governor

The ultimate aim is the creation of a vocational, patriotic education system for adult minorities.

Seeing this video again, it appears there are at least five cameras monitoring this classroom of a so-called "vocational skills training center", as seen on @CCTV.https://t.co/8Xvneh85hI pic.twitter.com/uKewVUR56g

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Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community opens first purpose-built Mosque in Philadelphia

Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad delivers the Friday Sermon from Baitul Aafiyat Mosque

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There are some people whom

There are some people whom Allah has given wisdom based on that they will work but normaly people will blame them  based on their knowledge as mosa pbuh blame him 
So we must not only reli on eye witness and proof but we must check their wisdom behind that act .
As in this case khadir pbuh dont get any profit in any case yet he acted what Allah taught him 




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Saturday, 20 October 2018

Row over Muslim scholar's invitation to preach at Anglican service

Blog claims sermon by imam at Oxford church contrary to ‘sacred act of divine worship’ in keeping with C of E rites

An invitation to a distinguished Muslim scholar to preach at a eucharist service in an Oxford church on Sunday has triggered complaints from traditionalists.

Monawar Hussain, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours last year for services to interfaith relations and the community, will deliver a sermon at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin, following a request from Oxford University’s vice-chancellor, Louise Richardson.

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Friday, 19 October 2018

Al Adar Al Karima –15 Centuries of Female Scholarship

In this series, Shaykha Tamara Gray narrates the stories of great Muslim women through the centuries, who excelled in fields of Islamic knowledge, science, and philanthropy. This segment female scholarshipfeatures Bibi Raji from the 9th century.

 

Bibi Raji was from Delhi, and lived in the 9th century of the Islamic calendar. She is known for her establishment of buildings and institutions, some which are still standing today, including the Dargha Suleman. By doing this, she was leaving a legacy that would remain for years to come.bibi raji

She was deeply concerned about the accessibility of education, and would give scholars stipends and awards for their work. She would also give students scholarships and pay for their expenses.  This was a far cry from today’s education system, where teachers make low wages and students fall to huge loans. Bibi Raji was dedicated to giving to both educators and students, so that could concentrate on the quality of their work.

Bibi Raji was also dedicated to uplifting women’s education. She opened a girls’ school with the ethos of ensuring that women could access education and the resources that came with it. She was a trailblazer for women’s education and female representation, centuries before the Western societies caught on.


Support “The Scholar Without Students” – Help Us Raise $200,000 to Support Women’s Islamic Scholarship Now (Zakat-Eligible)

 

 

Maryam al-Istirlabiyya –15 Centuries of Female Scholarship

Fortifying Faith in an Age of Faithlessness: Dr Ali Ataie

 

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Deaf, Mute, and Blind – Parables and Similitudes in the Qur’an 1


Shaykh Jamir Meah discusses the parable of the deaf, mute, and blind who reject the truth of revelation in this first part of his series on Parables and Similitudes in the Qur’an.

There are various ways a human being gains knowledge. For a special few among humanity, chosen by God, revelation or spiritual inspiration can descend upon them, be transmitted, or cast into the heart. The other paths to knowledge are more general. Through the process of reflection and thinking, being informed, and via the outwards senses. From the five senses, two are crucial in understanding the world around us and our existence: hearing and seeing.

Without these two senses, gaining any meaningful knowledge and understanding is near impossible without further aid. Without these two senses, one cannot learn human speech. If we do not have the faculty of vision to witness and observe, nor hearing to receive information, then the only way to acquire knowledge is through the limited senses of touch, smell and taste. In terms of gaining religious and spiritual understanding, these restricted senses do not suffice. For this reason, there is no outward responsibility for a person who is both blind and deaf to have faith.

In Sura al Baqara, God begins the chapter by describing the God-fearing believers. Next, our attention is turned to the description of the disbelievers. And then to the description of the hypocrites: those who feigned their faith from the start, or those who first believed and then rejected the truth. In the description of these two latter groups, Allah Most High highlights the faculties of hearing and seeing, as well as the capacity of the heart to understand and believe, because it is through these faculties that understanding is achieved and faith is made possible.

Similitude

The human faculties possess not only physical forms, but spiritual dimensions as well. And it is by using the external and internal meaning of vision, hearing, and the heart, that Allah Most High furnishes us with a similitude of those who reject faith.

They are the ones who trade guidance for misguidance. But this trade is profitless, and they are not [rightly] guided. Their example is that of someone who kindles a fire, but when it lights up all around them, Allah takes away their light, leaving them in darknesses, unable to see. They are [willfully] deaf, dumb, and blind, so they will never return [to the Right Path]. (Sura al Baqara 16:18)

Spiritually Deaf, Mute, and Blind

Those who reject the truth, although they may have the physical organs and faculties for believing, seeing and hearing, are akin to the blind and deaf person, only worse, because “seals” are placed over the spiritual insight of the heart, eyes and ears, due to their obstinate rejection of the truth. As Allah Most High tells us in a preceding verse, “Allah has sealed their hearts and their hearing, and their sight is covered. They will suffer a tremendous punishment.” (Sura al Baqara 2:7)

Unlike the physically born blind and deaf person who is not held into account for not having faith, the spiritually blind and deaf person is held accountable on the Day of Reckoning and is subject to the most grievous of punishments, as testified in the above verse. On that Day, the rejecter’s eyes, ears, heart and even skin, will testify against him for what he saw and heard to be true, yet stubbornly denied. Indignantly, he will desperately cry out to his body parts: “‘Why have you testified against us?’ They will say, ‘We have been made to speak by Allah, Who causes all things to speak.’” (Sura Fussilat 41:21)

In this similitude of the hypocrites, God gives us the image of a people who light a fire in the dark. The light of the fire affords them the ability to see, to ward away danger, and the fire provides warmth and protection against the elements. They take comfort from it and find safety in it – able to see any approaching danger beforehand. Then all of a sudden, the light is totally extinguished! They are left in pitch-black and fearing for their lives. They have no recourse to restart the fire, nor any other source of light, so they remain there, in darkness, in the cold, and vulnerable to imminent danger.

There are layers of meaning in the picture. These are those who “trade guidance for misguidance” (2:175), who after seeing the light and security of truth and believing in that which was revealed to them in the Qur’an and through the blessed Prophet, turned away, preferring social standing, the status quo, personal gain and interest, and other worldly benefits. They turned from belief to disbelief, from spiritual insight to spiritual blindness, from guidance to misguidance, from safety to peril, and from light to darkness.

The light which the fire afforded, and that they took for granted, is symbolic of the light they were given by the Qur’an, the noble Prophet sent to them, Allah bless him and give him peace,and of the light of faith ignited in hearts.

Darkness, cold and danger represent the evil which comes from rejection of the truth, and the misguidance and confusion that ensues. What path to safety in the wilderness can a person in pitch black find? How different is the person who bears a bright torch to see the way and the one who gropes and stumbles blindfolded in the dark?

Yet, it is such a person who extinguishes the light by their own hands and willfully chooses darkness over light, so “They are [wilfully] deaf, dumb, and blind.” Deaf because they can no longer hear the good, mute because they cannot say that which would benefit them nor call for help, and blind because they are unable to see the straight path and follow it.

While fire provides light and warmth, it is also a tremendous destructive force and serves as a reminder of the great Fire that awaits all persistent rebels and sinners.

Ibn Qayyim extracts a few gems of understanding in the similitude worth mentioning. “Notice the words of God Most High ‘Allah takes away their light’ and not ‘their fire.’ Fire consists within it light and burning, so Allah causes only the ‘light’ of the fire to be taken away and what is left is only burning! … And notice how He says ‘Allah takes away their light;’ ‘light’ being in the singular, and then He says ‘leaving them in darknesses.’ ‘Darknesses’ being in the plural. This is because truth is only one and it is the straight path of Allah, of which no path arrives except it, in contrast to erroneous paths, for they are many and divergent.’”

Lesson

Fire is a physical element and only affords physical light. It flickers and flames, dances and blazes for a time, but eventually, as is inevitable with all temporalities, it must die. Like the fleeting fire, all worldly gains and success will inescapably fade away, and each person is left alone, both in the darkness of the grave and on the Day of Resurrection, when one will have no helper. In these “moments of truth,” those who rejected the truth will remain in their abject state, never knowing what awaits them next, groping in the dark; deaf, dumb, and blind.

The light of truth, on the other hand, is very different. Far from being a physical light, it is a spiritual force, and with every word and deed that confirms the truth, it grows and rises until the whole person is imbued with the light of truth and encompassed by the Divine Love and Mercy, at which point God becomes, in a sense, his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks.’ (Bukhari)

While the similitude discusses the sorry state of the hypocrites, believers can also reflect upon it. Believers come in many states and levels of faith and practice. Even to the most heedless or sinful believer, God often inspires in the heart the urge to reconnect with Him, to repent from bad habits and heedlessness, and instills in him a desire for change.

This inspiration is a light that should never be ignored, suppressed, or put out, for one does not know when or if ever, God will cast it into the heart again, in the same way, one does not know if one will live to see tomorrow.

Instead, when the believer becomes aware of this light within them, and the inclination to change and turn towards God arises in his consciousness, he must nurture it through shunning bad thoughts, acts, and deeds, and turning to good works with sincerity. The one who earnestly continues on such a path becomes overtaken by the light until it guides him to see, hear, speak, and do, only that which is pleasing to God. The light grows in the heart until it becomes a flame, and the flame grows into a fire which burns and yearns for God, and the heavenly abode.

In contrast to those who turned away from the light of truth, those who let their hearts sincerely be guided by it are never alone nor despair. When dark times occur, whether in the tumults of earthly life or the darkness and loneliness of the grave, they are guided by the very same light of truth they held firm to previously.

It is this light that will keep the believer safe and comforted when all other lights go out.


Similitudes and Parables in the Qur’an – Intro

Mercy, the Stamp of Creation

The Woman: a parable – Shaykh Nuh Keller

 

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