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In the name of Allâh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

A VOICE OF THE MUSLIM UMMAH

Asma ul Husna : Allâh’s beautiful names and attributescontinued on page 4

Muhammad : The Ideal ProphetA Historical, Practical, Perfect Model for Humanity

Sayyid Sulaiman Nadwi

AL-BARRU THE RIGHTEOUS

knowledge, the other bestowed riches. Theminds untrained in analytical thinkingimagined of a thousand deities performingthe tasks assigned to them but Islam toldthem that Allâh is the author of whatsoeverhappens in the universe.

The interpretation of diverse anddissimilar acts of Allâh into two broadcategories of good and bad presentedanother difficulty to the ancients; theybelieved that both could not emanate fromthe same source. Zoroaster offered asolution by developing the principle ofdualism. He made one god for everythinggood and righteous and another one for thebad and the evil. To these twin spirits, hegave the names of Ahura Mazda or Ormuzdand Angra Mainyu or Ahriman, whose age-long struggle went on perpetually in theworld. Zoroaster was misled because hefailed to understand the true nature of thegood and the evil. The fact is that there isnothing good or bad by itself, nor is thereany virtue or evil in anything: every actassumes the color of goodness orwickedness by the intention or purposebehind it. Take fire, for instance. If you cook

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06 Shawwaal 142506 Shawwaal 142506 Shawwaal 142506 Shawwaal 142506 Shawwaal 1425 November 19, 2004November 19, 2004November 19, 2004November 19, 2004November 19, 2004

Vol. 16Vol. 16Vol. 16Vol. 16Vol. 16 No. 11No. 11No. 11No. 11No. 11

Such is the Islamic concept of the Onenessor, rather, uniqueness of Allâh. He isessentially a Unitary Being, indivisible andinseparable from His attributes. Thereligions of old had separated the attributesfrom the Divine Being, and, in doing so, theyhad created numerous gods. The Qur’ânicverse: “Glorified be Allâh from all that theyascribe as partners unto Him” refers to thisvery mistake inherent in the polytheisticconcept of Allâh. Thus the last message ofAll-Merciful God brought forth byMuhammad told the wayward humanitythat the Supreme Being is Allâh, who aloneis the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, theKing, the Holy, the Faithful, the Mighty, theRepairer, the Merciful and theCompassionate. He is One; His attributesare countless.

Multifariousness of divine functions isyet another cause of polytheism. Theprimitive mind believed that there aredifferent celestial forces operatingsimultaneously – one kills, the other giveslife, the third sows the seeds of discord andyet another patches up the differences. Theythought that the god of love was differentfrom the god of enmity; if one gave

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EditorialEditorialEditorialEditorialEditorial

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MUSLIMS IN AMERICANow that the hypnotism of the Americannational election is over Muslims in Americaneed to evaluate once again the role they haveor have not; should have or should not haveplayed in this drama. Many Muslim thinkershave attempted to define the best way thatMuslims can interact with the present-dayrealities of deciding what is right and what iswrong in human endeavors. This debate is notan easy one. It affects our social, economic andphysical well being in this world but moreimportantly it will also decide our well-being inthe hereafter, when we stand in front of ourLord and Cherisher and face the question: didyou follow Allâh or the taghoot (false deities)in this world? Allâh has described His friendsand the friends of taghoot very clearly in thesewords: “There is no compulsion in religion.The right direction is henceforth distinct fromerror. And he who rejecteth false deities andbelieveth in Allâh hath grasped a firm handholdwhich will never break. Allâh is Hearer, Knower.Allâh is the Protector of those who have faith:from the depths of darkness He will lead themforth into light. Of those who reject faith thepatrons are the false deities: from light they willlead them forth into the depths of darkness.They will be companions of the fire to dwelltherein for ever.” Al-Baqara, 2:256-257.

We reprint an article on this subject thatevery Muslim should carefully evaluate todecide his or her future. The past is already withAllâh.

MUSLIMS INVOLVEMENT IN THEAMERICAN POLITICAL PROCESS

Zaik ShakirIntroduction

Before intelligently beginning a discussionof the “political process” we would be wellserved by defining that process. Put succinctly,the political process is the process by whichpublic policy is made. By public policy we meandecisions emanating from governmentalinstitutions, or the individual representatives

of those institutions, which affect mostmembers of the society under the control ofthat government -either directly or indirectly.Many institutions, groups and individualsare involved in this process. The relationshipbetween these actors unfolds on manydifferent levels. Even the most untrainedobserver will readily note that the politicalprocess, especially here in the United States,is extremely complex and involved.

Owing to the complexity of the Americanpolitical process, it would be extremely difficultfor an alert Muslim to issue either a blanketcondemnation or approval of a Musliminvolving himself in that process. Any givenaspect of that process would have to beanalyzed individually in order to ascertainwith any degree of accuracy its compatibilitywith Islamic principles and practices. Despitethis fact, many Muslims engage in a headlongrush to either uncritically involve themselvesin politics -oftentimes priding themselves intheir political maturity and sophistication;while others rush with equal enthusiasm tocondemn such involvement, usually basingtheir decision on overly simplistic arguments.

The purpose of this paper is to avoid eitherof these two extremes. While not outrightcondemning involvement in the politicalprocess in this country, we urge extremecaution and consideration before Muslimsengage themselves in it. Our caution emanatesfrom the considerations, which are listed below.Some of our arguments are rational (‘aqlii)while others are religious (deenii).The Rational ArgumentsFactionalization and Absolutist PoliticalAgendas

One of the definitive features of the Americanpolitical system is its factionalized nature.Countless groups, each articulating its distinctinterest, exist in the American polity. One ofthe virtues of the American political system,and the constitution which lies at its heart, hasbeen its ability to simultaneously encourageand control these factions. As outlined byJames Madison in his brilliant essay, whichhas become famous as the tenth Federalist

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Layout/Mailing ---------Brother Nadeem Abdul Hamid

Sister Aisha Sayed Alam(Cheshire)Dr. Abdul Hamid(Hamden)Sister Bonnie Lynn Hamid (Hamden)Dr. Shujaat Ali Khan (New York)

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is Published Monthly by Con-necticut Council of Masajid, IslamicCenter of Hamden, Islamic Centerof Connecticut, Islamic Center ofNew Haven, Faran Club, United Mus-lim Masjid, Islamic Society of West-ern Connecticut, and Islamic Cen-ter of New London.

continued from page 2

continued on page 12

Paper, the principle way of controlling thesefactions is through encouraging theproliferation of their number, a step achievedby extending the size of the polity1 while at thesame time severely limiting the size of thenational legislature. This was accomplished bythe establishment of a single national legislatureto take the place of the original thirteen.

As countless groups have to push for thecreation of public policy through a smallnumber of representatives, the likelihood ofany one group completely controlling any onerepresentative, or a bloc of representatives, israre. They have to share him/her with numerousother groups. Even when a faction’s controlover a particular representative is more total,any policy this representative proposes hasto be approved by other representativescontrolled to greater or lesser degrees by othergroups.

One of the greatest results of this scheme hasbeen the elimination of the possibility that anextreme or absolutist political policy or agendacould be imposed on the entire Union. Theadvocates of extremist positions have to engagein a series of compromises if they are to becomepart of a large enough coalition to have theirissues and interests addressed by the system.After these compromises, their position on aparticular issue would no longer be consideredextreme. This scheme has had a tremendousimpact on both the nature of American politicsand the American political culture.

Politics in America has been characterized,more so than in any other polity, by compromiseand coalition building. This fact is vividlyillustrated during presidential elections as eachparty constructs its platform. The party’splatform is merely a statement, which attemptsto attract the support of as many factions orinterest groups as possible. Any groupsupporting the platform knows that it cannotpossibly have all items of its agenda acceptedby the party, as it inevitably would alienateother potential supporters of that party, henceit compromises in order to have a part of itsagenda represented.

This reality has significantly affected the

political culture of America. Extremist ideasand absolutist political agendas have beendistanced from the political process as theiradherents realize the likelihood of theseagendas or ideas being enacted into policy isvirtually nonexistent. Systemically acceptableideas and agendas are pushed to the center,and the parameters of political debate becomenarrowed to such an extent that the ideologicalspace between contending policies becomesvirtually nonexistent in most instances.Because ideas or agendas which differ fromthose located at the political center havevirtually no appeal to the overwhelmingmajority of the electorate, nor to their politicalrepresentatives, their adherents are pushedto further compromise or to drop out of theprocess altogether. As many groups come tosee that the choice between Democrats andRepublicans is really a non-choice, as eachparty sharpens its appeal to the center, theyare choosing the latter option -dropping out.

The relevant point for Muslims is that Islampresents an absolutist political agenda, or onewhich doesn’t lend itself to compromise, norto coalition building. The Islamic worldview

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continued on page 5

your food, or heat an engine, or allow thepoor to get warmth from it, then it would begood and virtuous, but it would be viciousif you burn the hut of a destitute. Fire isthus neither good nor bad, but the use towhich we put it makes it virtuous orunvirtuous. The sword is, likewise, neithergood nor bad by itself. So is darkness, for itwill be wicked to steal by taking advantageof the night, but it would be a means toattaining saintliness if you worship the Lordand do good to the poor in the darkness ofnight away from the sight of others.

Allâh has created this universe, theheavens and the earth and the matter andthe properties embedded in differentsubstances. He created man and also gavehim head and heart, intellect and wisdom.Every man can see order and symmetry inthe universe and its superb creation andworking as well as in different substancesand their qualities. All this is enough to takeone’s breath away who cries out inamazement “Glory be to Allâh, the best ofCreators.” He bows his head in reverencelike Ibrâhîm ( ) who had paid homage toAllâh with the words,“Lo! I have turned my face toward Him whocreated the heavens and the earth, as oneby nature upright, and I am not of theidolaters.” [Qur’ân, 6:80]

But, there is another man who takes matterto be self-existent and essence of everycreation, the cause of all causes, and doesnot hesitate in speaking out:“There is naught but our life of the world;we die and we live, and naught destroys ussave time.” [Qur’ân, 45:24]

The cosmic order is the same, as are itsmarvels and the working, but it leads one toacknowledge the Supreme Creator while theother is misled by it to deny Allâh altogether.The manifestation of Nature is one and thesame for both, but in one case it shows thepath of guidance; in the case of other itleaves him in sullen darkness. The truth isthat the universe neither offers guidance norit misleads anybody, for, it is the light of

one’s own intellect which edifies ormisguides him. Conversely speaking, onecan claim that the universe is both a guideand a deceiver. Same is the case with thescriptures brought by the prophets of Allâh.We see some receiving guidance and light,consolation and faith by reading the Qur’ânor the Gospels, while others begin toentertain doubts and end up as disbelievers.Verily, the message is one, but the hearts aretwo. Both these hearts have been createdby the One and the same God, not two,although the result is quite dissimilar. Thisgoes to show that the duality ofconsequences or actions does notnecessarily mean that the mover should alsobe more than one. All the multifariousnessof natural phenomena, thus, emanates fromthe same source; good and evil are boundby the same law, and the master of everythingis but one Lord, God of the whole universe.“He misleadeth many thereby, and Heguideth many thereby, and He misleadeththereby only miscreants;”“Those who break the covenant of Allâhafter ratifying it, and sever that which Allâhordered to be joined, and (who) makemischief in the earth: Those are they whoare the losers.” [Qur’ân, 2:26-27]“Allâh guideth not disbelieving folk.”[Qur’ân, 2:264]

These verses of the Qur’ân explicitly statethat the prime mover of everything, goodand evil, is the Ultimate Being, but in eachcase it is the upshot of one’s own goodnessor wickedness. Man disbelieves first,becomes perverted and wicked thereafter,and then goes astray. He never deviates fromthe right path unless he becomes depravedand corrupt. Allâh created man and showedhim the right path as well as the ways whichlead to viciousness and destruction. SaysAllâh in the Qur’ân:“Lo! We have shown him the way, whetherhe be grateful or disbelieving.” [Qur’ân,76:3]

Allâh is, beyond doubt, the Creator of allthat is nice and good as well as that which is

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This article is part of a compilation of lecturesgiven by the author in 1925 at Madras, India.English translation by Mohiuddin Ahmad. Re-printed with permission of Academy of IslamicResearch and Publications, Lucknow, India.

To be continued

evil and bad, for He Himself says:“Such is Allâh, your Lord, the Creator ofall things. There is no God save Him.”[Qur’ân, 40:62]“Allâh hath created you and what yemake.” [Qur’ân, 37: 96]

But, let it also be remembered that:“Our Lord is He who gave unto everythingits nature, then guided it aright.” [Qur’ân,20:50]

It is thus man who chooses the path ofvirtue or wickedness of his own free will: hecauses himself to be misled or guided arightof his own accord. If he takes to the wrongpath, he would obviously become depravedbut if he selects the right one, he wouldsurely be guided on the path of virtue. Thereis, thus, no vice or virtue except theconsequences of one’s own free will. Itfollows, therefore, that the good and the evilare not independent forces which need bedeified or should require separate deities.Allâh is one and He is the author of both:“Is there any creator other than Allâh whoprovideth for you from the sky and theearth? There is no God save Him! Whitherthen are ye turned?” [Qur’ân, 35:3]

Allâh has sent the guidance through hisprophets. Man is at liberty to accept or rejectit.“Then we gave the Scripture as inheritanceunto those whom We elected of Ourbondmen. But of them are some who wrongthemselves and of them are some who arelukewarm, and of them are some whooutstrip (others) through good deeds, byAllâh’s leave.” [Qur’ân, 35:32]“Whatever of misfortune striketh you, it iswhat your right hands have earned. AndHe forgiveth much.” [Qur’ân, 42:30]“And (He) inspired it (with conscience of)what is wrong for it and (what is) right forit. He is indeed successful who causeth it togrow, and he is indeed a failure whostunteth it.” [Qur’ân, 91:8-10]

Worship was, and still is, a fundamentaldiscipline of every religion. The olderreligions had, however, mistaken self-torturefor veneration of God. They had somehow

convinced themselves that the more onesuffers agony and subjects one’s body tosuffering and pain, the more one advancesspiritually towards piety and purity of soul.Yoga and monasticism of the ancient Indiawere the results of these misconceivednotions, for it was then thought that self-mortification opened the doors to spiritualelevation. Among the Christians, too,atrocious and sordid routines of self-torturehad spread in the medieval Europe in thewake of monastic movement. The anchoritesof medieval Europe had taken to strangepractices; some of them refrained from takingbaths throughout their lives, some cladthemselves in tatters or tunics made ofcoarse clothes or hemp, some remainedunclad even during freezing cold season,some had taken a vow to remain standingfor the rest of their lives, some lived in thedeserted dens of wild beasts, some alwaysremained in the sun, some dwelt on barerocks, some ate only leaves of the trees, somescrupulously avoided contact with womenand some even hanged themselves upsidedown from the trees. These ways ofworshipping God were deemed highlymeritorious all over the West during the darkages. Other countries of the world were nobetter, either. It was in this atmosphere,prevailing throughout the world, that Islamcame to set right these strange concepts inregard to payment of homage to Allâh. Itdelivered humanity from these fiendishpractices by telling it that self-torture andbodily exertions were neither demanded byAllâh nor they led to the union of thedevotee’s spirit with the Supreme Being.Allâh appreciates, man was told by Islam,not self-tortures but the purity of heart andintentions. In fact, Allâh never wants manto bear unnecessary hardships. The writ ofthe Lord is clear enough:“Allâh tasketh not a soul beyond its scope.”[Qur’ân, 22:286]

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Saum (Fasting): A Pillar of IslâmSyed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi

Virtues (Continued from last issue)In the words of Hazrat Shah Waliullah

[Hujjat, vol II, p. 39]: “One of the main objectsof fasting is to discourage unnecessaryspeculation and hairsplitting and to blockthe path of extremism. This mode of worshipwas known to and practiced by the Jews andChristians as well as the devout Arabs, and,thinking that the institution of fasting wasrooted in severe self-denial and asceticism,they indulged in excessive abstinence andinvented many devices of mortification ontheir own. This is where distortion of faithsets in which is sometimes of a quantitativeand sometimes of a qualitative nature. In thesphere of quantity, the discouragement ofextremism can be imagined from the fact thatthe Prophet forbade the Muslims againstfasting on one or two days immediatelypreceding the month of Ramadhân. Similarly,the disallowing of the fast of ‘Eid or ‘doubt’[some of the Muslims used to fast on the dayof ‘Eid when the moon of Ramadhân wassighted on the 30th of Sha’bân, thinking thatthere might have been a mistake in thesighting of the moon and the month ofRamadhân might have started a day earlier:this is known as the fast of ‘doubt’] “becausethere is no interval between it and Ramadhân”is based on the consideration that if theextremists will make it into a laudatoryobservance others also will follow theirexample and it will lead to perversion of faith.Extremism, in fact, is born out of over-cautiousness and the fast of ‘doubt’ belongsto the same category.

“In the sphere of quality, instances of thediscouragement of excess are furnished bythe prohibition of continuous fasting (i.e. oneach day of the year), the exhortationregarding Sehri and the command to make itlate because all this exaggeration andextremism is the product of Ignorance.”

Fasting denotes the fulfillment of a Divinecommand. Just as it is disallowed to eat anddrink and seek the satisfaction of other

sensual appetites after the break of day,however powerful the urge is for them,abstention from food and drink is prohibitedafter sunset, however strong the impulsemay be for self-denial and asceticism. Thedeciding factor is not one’s own inclinationbut the Word of Allâh, and the disregard ofHis will and the audacious display of one’scourage and spiritual stamina against HisJudgment is identical to defiance of faith.The more a fasting person is free from thehold of desire and resigned to the Divine Willthe more will he be true in his submission andremoved from the taint of vanity and self-conceit.

As Hazrat Mujaddid Alf-Thâni writes:“The humility of a person who fasts isestablished by the delay in Sehri andpromptness in Iftâr. It is in keeping with hisservitude and fulfils its objects.”[Maktoobât, letter no. 45]

I’tikâfI’tikâf [seclusion in the mosque during thelast ten days of Ramadhân] is for thecompletion of the benefits of fasting. If aperson has remained denied of inner peaceand tranquility and has been unable toconcentrate on prayer and supplicationduring the earlier part of Ramadhân he canmake amends for it through I’tikâf.

Says Allama Ibn-i-Qaiyyim [Zâd-al-Ma’âd,p. 176]: “The basic purpose of I’tikâf is thatthe heart gets attached to Allâh, and, with it,one attains inner composure and equanimity,and preoccupation with the mundane thingsof life ceases, and absorption in the EternalReality takes its place, and the state is reachedin which all fears, hopes and apprehensionsare superceded by the love and remembranceof Allâh, every anxiety is transformed intothe anxiety for Him and every thought andfeeling is blended with the eagerness to gainHis nearness and to earn His good favor, anddevotion to the Almighty is generated insteadof devotion to the world and it becomes theprovision for the grave where there will beneither a friend nor a helper. This is the highaim and purpose of I’tikâf which is the

continued on page 7

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specialty of the most sublime part ofRamadhân, i.e. the last ten days.”

Similarly, Hazrat Shah Waliullah remarks[Hujjat, vol. II, p.43]: “Since I’tikâf in themosque is a means to the attainment of peaceof the mind and purification of the heart, andit affords an excellent opportunity for forgingan identity with the angels and having ashare in the blissfulness of the Night ofPower, and for devoting oneself to prayerand meditation Allâh has set apart the lastten days of the month of Ramadhân for it andmade it a Sunnah for His pious and virtuousslaves.”

The Prophet always observed I’tikâfand the Muslims have, on the whole, adheredto it. [All the schools of jurisprudence areagreed that I’tikâf is not obligatory but aSunnah. According to the Hanafi school it isSunnat-i-mu’akkadah (a religious practicewhich, though not obligatory, was observedregularly by the Holy Prophet and one isliable to be questioned for neglecting itwithout a valid reason) and Sunnat-i-Kifâyah (meaning such religious practiceswhich, if they are observed by a few persons,are considered to have been observed byall).] It has become a regular feature of themonth of Ramadhân and a confirmed practicewith the devout and the faithful. HazratAyesha relates that “the Prophet regularly observed I’tikâf during the last tendays of Ramadhân till the end of his life. Afterhim, his wives maintained the traditions.”[Shaikhain]

It is related by Hazrat Abu Huraira that“the Prophet observed I’tikâf for ten daysevery year in the month of Ramadhân. In theyear of his death he did it for twenty days.”[Bukhâri]

Night of PowerThe pre-eminence of Lailatul Qadr (the

Night of Power) has been repeatedly stressedin the Qur’ân and the Traditions.

The Qur’ân says:Lo! We revealed it on the Night of Power.Ah, What will convey unto thee what theNight of Power is!

The Night of Power is better than a thousandmonths.The angels and the Holy Spirit (Gabriel)descend therein by the permission of theirLord, with all decrees.The Night is Peace until the rising of thedawn. [Sûrah 97]

The Holy Prophet has said, “Whoeverwill offer prayers with faith and trust in Divinerecompense during the Night of Power, allhis previous sins will be forgiven.”[Shaikhain]

Allâh has concealed the Night of Power inthe last ten days of Ramadhân so that theMuslims may seek it, their keenness (for faithand worship) may grow and all their nightsduring the concluding part of the month bespent in prayer as was the case with thesacred Prophet . It is related by HazratAyesha that “when the last ten daysof Ramadhân began the Prophet used toprepare himself for prayer; he stayed awakethroughout the night and also wakened themembers of his family.” [Bukhâri]

That the Night of Power occurs during thelast ten days of the month of Ramadhân or,rather, during the last seven days, and in theodd nights in them, is borne out by numeroustraditions. It is related by Ibn-i-‘Umar that“to some of the holy Companions the Nightof Power was revealed in a dream to fallduring the last seven days (of Ramadhân)upon which the Prophet remarked thatsince their dreams coincided as regards thelast seven days those who wanted to seek itshould do so during the last seven days.”[Ibid]

It is further related by Hazrat Ayseha that “the Prophet observed I’tikâf

and went into seclusion during the last tendays of Ramadhân and he advised the peopleto look for the Night of Power during theseven days.” [Shaikhain]

It is also related by her that “the Prophet used to say that one should seek the Night

of Power in the odd nights of the last ten daysof Ramadhân).” [Bukhâri]

Writes Hazrat Shah Waliullah [Hujjat,


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DAY FAJR SHURUQ ZUHR ASR———— MAGRIB ISHADWN SUNRISE Shafi’i Hanafi SNSET NGHT

NOV-DEC PRAYER TIMES, NEW HAVEN

Your (real)friend can

be onlyAllâh; and

His messen-ger and

those whobelieve--

who estab-lish prayerand pay the

poor dueand bowdown (inworship).

And whosoturns (for

friendship)to Allâh andHis messen-

ger andthose whobelieve: lo!the party ofAllâh, they

are thevictorious.(5:55-56)

November19 5:08 6:45 11:37 2:09 2:48 4:29 6:0620 5:09 6:46 11:37 2:08 2:47 4:28 6:0521 5:10 6:47 11:38 2:08 2:47 4:28 6:0522 5:11 6:48 11:38 2:07 2:46 4:27 6:0423 5:12 6:49 11:38 2:07 2:45 4:27 6:0424 5:13 6:50 11:38 2:06 2:45 4:26 6:0325 5:14 6:51 11:39 2:06 2:44 4:25 6:0326 5:15 6:53 11:39 2:06 2:44 4:25 6:0327 5:16 6:54 11:39 2:05 2:44 4:25 6:0228 5:17 6:55 11:40 2:05 2:43 4:24 6:0229 5:18 6:56 11:40 2:05 2:43 4:24 6:0230 5:19 6:57 11:40 2:05 2:42 4:23 6:02

December1 5:20 6:58 11:41 2:04 2:42 4:23 6:012 5:21 6:59 11:41 2:04 2:42 4:23 6:013 5:21 7:00 11:41 2:04 2:42 4:23 6:014 5:22 7:01 11:42 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:015 5:23 7:02 11:42 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:016 5:24 7:03 11:43 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:017 5:25 7:04 11:43 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:018 5:26 7:05 11:44 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:019 5:26 7:06 11:44 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:0110 5:27 7:07 11:44 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:0211 5:28 7:07 11:45 2:04 2:41 4:22 6:0212 5:29 7:08 11:45 2:05 2:41 4:22 6:0213 5:29 7:09 11:46 2:05 2:42 4:23 6:0214 5:30 7:10 11:46 2:05 2:42 4:23 6:0315 5:31 7:10 11:47 2:05 2:42 4:23 6:0316 5:31 7:11 11:47 2:06 2:42 4:23 6:0317 5:32 7:12 11:48 2:06 2:43 4:24 6:0418 5:33 7:12 11:48 2:06 2:43 4:24 6:0419 5:33 7:13 11:49 2:07 2:44 4:24 6:0420 5:34 7:14 11:49 2:07 2:44 4:25 6:0521 5:34 7:14 11:50 2:08 2:44 4:25 6:0522 5:35 7:15 11:50 2:08 2:45 4:26 6:0623 5:35 7:15 11:51 2:09 2:45 4:26 6:0624 5:36 7:16 11:51 2:09 2:46 4:27 6:0725 5:36 7:16 11:52 2:10 2:47 4:28 6:0726 5:36 7:16 11:52 2:11 2:47 4:28 6:0827 5:37 7:17 11:53 2:11 2:48 4:29 6:0928 5:37 7:17 11:53 2:12 2:49 4:30 6:0929 5:37 7:17 11:54 2:13 2:49 4:30 6:1030 5:38 7:17 11:54 2:13 2:50 4:31 6:1131 5:38 7:18 11:55 2:14 2:51 4:32 6:12

L U N A RDAT E S

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Prayer timesare for theNew Haven

area and arebased on 18°for Fajr andIsha. Check

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ence.

��

To establish foundations of world Khilafah anew?

First search the courage and heart of your ancestors��

9

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20 Church St, East Hartford, CT 06108 860-282-0786Juma’ prayer time 12:30 PMContact: Br. Sajid Bhura (860)830-4453

ISLAMIC CENTER OF HAMDEN60 Connolly Parkway, Wilbur Cross Commons, Unit 17-

212, Hamden, CT 06514 (203-562-2757)Juma’ prayer time 12:30 PMThursday Halaqa 8:00 - 9:00 PMFriday Dars 8:00 - 11:00 PMMadrasah:Every Sunday 9:55AM - 1:30 PM Daily Afternoons, 5:00 - 7:00 PMCommunity Dinner 1st Sunday of each month.Contact: Dr. Abdul Hamid 203-562-2757

ICFC MASJID (JAMIA KARAM)57 Pepper St, Monroe. CT06468 (203-261-6222)Juma’ prayer time 1:15 PMContact: Br. Ahmed Reza 203-746-0683

MASJID AL-ISLAM624 George St. New Haven, CT 06511Juma’ prayer time 1:15 PMContact: Br. Dawood Yaseen 203-777-4008ISLAMIC CENTER OF NEW LONDON16 Fort St, Groton, CT 06340, (860) 405-8006Juma’ prayer time 1:00 PMContact: Br. Imran Ahmed 860-691-8015

AL-MADANY ISLAMIC CENTER OFNORWALK

4 Elton Court, Norwalk, CT 06851 (203-852-0847Juma’ prayer time 1:00 PMContact: Syed Mahmoud Hussain Qadri. 203-852-

0847).STAMFORD AREA INFORMATION

CENTER77 Judy Ln. Stamford, CT 06906 , (203) 327-5878)Contact: Br. Akhtar Usman 203-327-5878

STAMFORD ISLAMIC CENTER10 Outlook St. Stamford, CT 06902 (203-975-2642)Juma’ prayer time 1:00 pmContact: Br. Akhtar Usman 203-327-5878

ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF STAMFORD82 Harbor Dr, Stamford, CT 06902

Juma’ prayer time 1:00 pmContact: Hafiz AbdulSalam Sumra 203-255-4327

UNITED MUSLIM MASJID(MASJID RAHMAN)

132 Prospect Ct. Waterbury, CT. 06704 (756-6365).Juma’ prayer time 1:00 PMContact Br. Majeed Sharif. 203-879-7230.

WEST HAVEN MASJID2 Pruden St., West Haven, CT 06516, (203) 933-

5 7 9 9Juma’ prayer time 1:00 PMContact: Br. Mohammad Taroua 203-287-7561.

MADINA MASJID1 Madina Drive, Windsor, CT 06095, (860) 249-0112Juma’ prayer time 1:30 PMContact: Br. Anis S. Shaikh 860-533-1808Madina Academy:Full time School (860)524-9700ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF WESTERN

MASSACHUSETTS337 Amostown Rd. W. Springfield, MA01105

(413)788-7546Juma’ prayer time 1:15 PMContact: Dr. Mohammad Ali Hazratji(860-749-8859).

Visit Connecticut Council of Masajid website:ccminc.faithweb.com

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Say: O People of the Scripture. Come to an agreementbetween us and you: that we shall worship none but Allâh,and that we shall ascribe no partners unto Him, and thatnone of us shall take others for lords beside Allâh. Andif they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they

who have surrendered (unto Him). Al-i’Imran, 3:64

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THE CHILDREN’S CORNERTHE CHILDREN’S CORNERTHE CHILDREN’S CORNERTHE CHILDREN’S CORNERTHE CHILDREN’S CORNER


DATES AND INVITATIONSFollowing the banishment of the Jews of

Bani Nadir to Khaybar and beyond, therewere two groups of people who would haveliked nothing better than to have seen theMuslims wiped off the face of the earth. Oneof these was the Quraish of Macca, and theother was the Bani Nadir, lately of Madina.Huyai, a leader of the Bani Nadir, met with theleaders of the Quraish and formed an alliancewith the Maccans, with the sole aim of de-stroying Muhammad and the Muslims.

The two allies made their plans carefullyand they never doubted the outcome. Theywere building an invincible force. Two armies,which would approach Madina from oppo-site directions, would be formed. The westernarmy was to be made up of the Quraish andtheir nearby allies. The eastern army would bea loosely knit group of the Bani Nadir and allthe nomads who lived in the plain of Najd tothe east of Madina. Some of those nomadictribes had grievances against the Muslimsand others could be enticed by bribery to jointhe alliance. Altogether, the two groups wouldcomprise an army of about ten thousand men.But the best part of this huge force was thatthere would be nearly six hundred horsemen.The horsemen would provide an immenseadvantage in battle against the smaller num-ber of Muslims, most of whom would not bemounted.

At about the same time that the huge armyof the Quraish left Macca on its slow marchtowards Madina, some messengers on swift-footed horses also slipped out of the city.These messengers, dispatched by Muslimsympathizers within Macca, hastened toMuhammad with news of the approachingarmies. The messengers arrived in about fourdays, leaving the Muslims less than a week tomake plans and prepare to meet the enemy.

The Prophet , as was his custom, imme-diately called for a council of war to decide onthe best means of meeting the enemy. After

the near disaster at Uhud, everyone was inagreement that Madina should be defendedfrom within this time. But how? It was Salman

the Persian who suggested digging atrench around the city. It would have to bedeep enough and wide enough so that thehorses of the enemy would balk at crossingit. It would be easy to defend with a limitednumber of men. Parts of the town were alreadyprotected by the walls of buildings or bynatural outcroppings of rocks. The trenchwould just have to be dug to connect theprotected areas. It would be an ambitiousundertaking, but it could be completed in arelatively few number of days.

The plan was accepted with enthusiasmand work was begun immediately. Shovelsand baskets were borrowed from the BaniQuraizah, a Jewish tribe in Madina which hada treaty with the Muslims. The longest stretchof trench lay in front of a broad open areawhich would be used as a campsite for theMuslim army. Each section of the trench wasassigned to a part of the community. Soon ahealthy competition developed as each groupattempted to finish more quickly than itsneighbors. The Prophet seemed to beeverywhere, assisting the various groups,especially whenever a particularly difficultsituation would arise, such as a boulder thatwould not budge.

It was strenuous, heavy work. They workedfrom daybreak until dark. The dirt had to behauled away in the baskets. Stones whichwere the right size to be hurled as weaponswere piled up along the inner edge of thetrench for later use by the defenders. Evenyoung boys who had been turned away whenthey had wanted to fight at the battle of Uhudwere allowed to join the older men in their raceagainst time.

But hunger was a constant companion ofmany of the diggers. In normal times they justbarely had enough to eat. Now their strenu-ous labor intensified the pangs of hunger.

11

One day a girl entered the camp carrying ahandful of dates for her father’s lunch. TheProphet saw her and asked her to give himthe dates. He took them and scattered themon top of a shirt that had been spread out onthe ground. Then he called all the diggers tolunch. Despite the large number of men, therewere enough dates to satisfy everyone’shunger.

On another occasion, Jabir wished toinvite the Prophet to dinner after the day’swork. He asked his wife to prepare the oneewe and the measure of barley which were allthat they had. However, when he invited theProphet to drop by his house for dinner,the Prophet extended the invitation to allthe diggers working on the trench. Jabir hur-ried home in a state of extreme agitation towarn his wife that every able-bodied man inMadina would be coming for dinner. Howwould they ever manage? But his wife tookthe news very calmly. She simply asked whohad invited the workers. When he replied thatit was the Prophet who had issued theinvitation, she declared that the Prophet knew best, and continued with her prepara-tions.

That evening the Prophet sat down fordinner at the house of Jabir with ten othermen. After they had eaten their fill, they roseand went home, giving way to ten more men.This continued until all the workers from thetrench had been fed. And even then there wassome mutton and bread remaining. Jabir’swife’s trust in the Prophet had not beenunfounded.

In six days the trench had been completed.The Muslims were ready, and just in time, tomeet the enemy. Bonnie L. Hamid


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AllâhAllâh is oneHe has no sonAllâh has no partnerI am His worshipperOther than Allâh worship none.

Lubna Ahmed2nd Grade, Hamden, CT

*He who kneels before*He who kneels before*He who kneels before*He who kneels before*He who kneels beforeAllâhAllâhAllâhAllâhAllâh

can stand before can stand before can stand before can stand before can stand beforeanyone*anyone*anyone*anyone*anyone*

DECLINING MARRIAGEPoints to assist a declining marriage...

Amidst busy schedules and tasks on theparts of both women and men, Muslimhusbands and wives tend to forget the realreasons behind marriage and likewise therights of each other. Subsequently, theydeprive themselves, their mates and theirchildren of the happiness and tranquilitythat is the bedrock of a successful family.This unbalanced vision towards a couple’sideal relationship is bad enough to plungethe family into a situation laden with troublesand worries.Negative Relationship between Husband &Wife: Some Muslim spouses relate to eachother like adversaries rather than lifetimepartners. The husband assumes the positionof dictator, and whatever he says is law. Thewife on the other hand feels that she mustsqueeze everything she can out of herhusband. Some wives do not express theirgratitude to their husbands irrespective ofhow much the man may do for her. Insteadthey adopt an attitude of ‘never enough’ andmake the husband feel like a failure if he doesnot provide every want and desire theirextravagant lifestyles dictate. Somehusbands speak very harshly to their wives,humiliate them, and even physically abusethem. Their wives have no voice or opinionin family matters. Moreover certain husbandsbecome so cold and miserly that even thebasic expenditure for the house is difficult tocome by.Nikah - A divine institution: The nikah bondhas been divinely established for the welfare


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To be continued

presents the world as a place where there is astruggle between forces, which are diametricallyopposed to each other. The befriended of Allâhoppose the dupes of Satan. Truth opposesfalsehood. Allâh’s true din challenges thefalse beliefs and systems innovated by man.The Qur’an gives no indication that acompromise is possible between these forces.2One should consider the nature of the followingverses:“Those who believe fight in the way of Allâh;those who disbelieve fight in the way of falsedieties (At-Taaghuut). Therefore, fight youaltogether the dupes of Satan, verily the schemeof Satan is weak.”(Al Qur’an, 4:76)“Say, truth has come and falsehood perishes,verily falsehood is bound to perish!” (Al Qur’an,17:81)“It is He who sent His Messenger with guidanceand the Religion of Truth that it may show itselfsuperior to all religion, even though the idolatershate it.” (Al Qur’an, 61:9)“Allâh is the supporting friend of those whobelieve, He brings them forth from darknessinto light. As for those who disbelieve, theirpatrons are the false gods; they lead them fromlight into darkness. These are the companionsof the Hellfire, they will dwell therein forever.”(AlQur’an, 2:257)“Say, are the blind equal with the seeing? Or isdarkness equal with light? Or have they madepartners unto Allâh who have created as Hehas created and then these creations appear thesame to them (causing them confusion)? Say,it is Allâh who has created everything and Heis the the One, the Compelling.” (Al Qur’an,13:16)

The worldview encouraged by these verseswas clearly demonstrated in the life of ProphetMuhammad (pbuh). When presented by theQuraish with a political compromise which wouldhave accepted a watered down version of Islamand a ruling coalition between the Prophet andthe non-Muslims, he uttered his famousresponse:“If you were to place the sun in my right handand the moon in my left, I won’t turn back in thisaffair until Allâh makes it triumph or I die in its

path!” (Seerah Ibni Hishaam)As is well known, the Prophet and His

companions were to suffer tremendoushardship because of this uncompromisingstand. They suffered persecution, exile, socialand economic boycotts and numerous otherhardships. All of these things are consistentwith what was endured by the Messengers ofAllâh and their followers in every epoch. Stillthey patiently endured these things ratherthan involve themselves in the ungodlysystems they were opposing. Steadfastnessin enduring these hardships is also one of thecrucial features of the Islamic personality.Allâh says in His noble book:“We will surely test you with something offear, and hunger, and loss of wealth, and lives,and the fruits of your labor. Therefore, giveglad tidings to those who patiently persevere.”(Al Qur’an, 2:155)

The avoidance of these difficulties is one ofthe principal motivations pushing Muslims inthis country to involve themselves in thepolitical process, a process whose primaryraison d’etre is to maximize the materialbenefits attained by groups contending overscarce resources. This raises very criticalissues for Muslims.

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Or think ye that ye will enterParadise while yet there hathnot come unto you the like of(that which came to) thosewho passed away before you?Affliction and adversity befellthem, they were shaken aswith earthquake, till themessenger (of Allah) andthose who believed along withhim said: When cometh Allah’shelp? Now surely Allah’s helpis nigh. Al-Baqara, 2:214


Editor’s notes:Footnotes at the end

13

continued from page 11and upkeep of a healthy and progressivecommunity. This divine prescription has beenunjustly utilised as a vehicle to perpetrateoppression, deception, humiliation, andabuse.Allâh Ta’ala describes marriage verydifferently in the Noble Quran: ‘ And from hissigns are, He created for you mates fromamong yourselves, so that you may live intranquility with them, and instilled love andmercy between your (hearts) . . . “ (30:21)Head of the Home: The position Islam hasaccorded to the man as the head of the homeis a responsibility which will be accountedfor, rather than a privilege which should beabused. We are taught to treat our wiveswell. Rasulullah (sallAllâh u alayhiwasallam) is reported to have said: ‘Theperson possessing the most perfect faith isone who has excellent behaviour, and thebest among you are those who are besttowards their wives” (Mishkat)Be Partners in Decision Making: Follow theprinciple of “Shura” (consultation) and makedecisions as a family. Implementing thisSunnah within the home increases harmonyand love between family members. It will alsoassist in enhancing trust and loyalty betweenspouses and the children.Abuse: Abstain totally from every form ofemotional, mental, or physical abuse to yourspouse. The Hadith questions the manhoodof a person who beats his wife up during theday and derives pleasure from her during thenight.Watch Your Words: Be very careful whatyou say when you are upset. The woundsafflicted to the heart of a person by words willnever heal and remain a lifelong memory.Sometimes you will say things that you wouldnever say when you were not angry. Applythe directives found in the Hadith forsuppression of anger.Work Together in the House: Rasulullah(sallAllâh u alayhi wasallam) consistentlyassisted his wives with household chores.When Rasulullah (sallAllâh u alayhiwasallam) did not consider the houseworktrivial, how can we today obligate our wives ��

�� ALLÂH ��

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to all the house work and much more.Communication is Important: Talk to eachother, communicate, have a dialogue, but doit respectfully. Husbands and wives need totalk to each other. It is better to deal withproblems early and honestly than to let thempile up until they explode.Live Simply: Do not envy or cast your gazetowards those spouses who seem to be livinga more luxurious life than your family. Bepleased with what you have. The grass willalways look greener on the other side.Thewealthiest person is the one who has attainedcontentment of heart. To develop the qualityof contentment, look at those people whohave less than you, not those who havemore. Repeatedly thank Allâh Ta’ala for themany blessings in your life.Admit Your Mistakes: When you make amistake, admit it. When your mate makes amistake, excuse him or her easily. If possible,never sleep angry with each other.Past Problems: Everything that has happenedis history. Repent for the past and live for thefuture. Do not focus discussion on the pastunless it is something that will make both ofyou laugh. Good marriages require patience,kindness, humility, sacrifice, empathy, love,understanding, forgiveness, and hard work.Following these basic principles should helpany marriage to improve. The essence ofthem all can be summed up in one sentence:Always treat your spouse the way you wouldlike to be treated.Duaa for a blissful marriage: “Allâh hummarabana hab lana min azwaajinaa wazurriyyatina qurrata a-ayun waj-alna lilmuttaqeena imaama”(O Allâh ! grant ussuch wives and offspring who will be a sourceof coolness for our eyes, and make us leadersof the Allâh -Fearing)

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

14

DISUNITY AND DECLINE:A DIRECT PROPORTIONALITY

Today the defense system (immune system)of the Muslim ummah has become very weak.It seems as if it is suffering from animmunodeficiency disease. One of the featuresof a healthy body with good defense systemis that the anti-bodies (defense army of thebody) learn from the past. It is not wise toblame non-Muslims for the condition ofMuslims today. If a virus enters four peopleand one of them gets sick, we cannot justblame the virus for it. Why did the other threepeople not get sick? Because they had a strongimmune system and the person who had a weakdefense system got sick. Imam -Shaafi hasrightly said in one of his poetic verses inDiwaan ash-Shaafi which is translated as:

“We blame time and the fault is in us,There is no fault in time except us.”

The companions of Prophet Muhammad(peace be upon him) had very strong immunityand defense system and they were unitedbecause they had vaccinated themselves withthe Qur’an. The Muslims of today also need avaccine of Qur’an and Sunnah at least once aday. In Qur’an, Allah says:“And hold fast, all of you together, to the Ropeof Allah (i.e. this Qur’an) and be not dividedamong yourselves.” (Al-’Imran [The Familyof Imran] 3:103)In addition, in Surah An-Nisa, Allah has said:“If you differ in anything amongst yourselves,refer it to Allah and His Messenger (i.e. Qur’anand Sunnah)” (An-Nisa [The Women] ) 4:59Rasool Allah (peace be upon him) has furtherclarified this prescription in the followingauthentic hadith:“I am leaving with you two things. If you holdthem tight, you will never go astray. They arethe Book of Allah (Qur’an) and my Sunnah(Hadith).” (Sahih Hadith)If the Muslims of today begin to understandand act upon the message of unity given inthe Qur’an and Sunnah and become united,they will be able to uplift themselves from thestate of decadence they are in today. Thismessage applies to Muslims all over the world.

Today, Muslims have to cultivate tolerancetowards their fellow Muslims who differ fromthem. We, as a Muslim ummah, have to learnto sacrifice our ego in our community, toleratedifference of opinions within the boundariesof the Qur’an and Sunnah and we should notcompete in raising our level of living and wealth.Only then we will be successful by the Will ofAllah. Dr. Gohar Mushtaq

Nasiha Fahmi, M.D.Board Certified Physician in Internal

MedicineWWWWWelcomes new & eelcomes new & eelcomes new & eelcomes new & eelcomes new & existing patientsxisting patientsxisting patientsxisting patientsxisting patients

WWWWWalk-Ins Walk-Ins Walk-Ins Walk-Ins Walk-Ins WelcomeelcomeelcomeelcomeelcomeFamily Practice & Internal Medicine

of Orange, LLC339 Boston Post Road, Suite 311Orange, CT 06477 203-795-3617

ROADS TO PEACE OR WAR?Have you known the price of peace?Abandoned houses, deserted fields,Dying relatives, mounting needs,Orphaned nephew, deserted niece,Mother in chains, father in sheets.Sorrow plentiful, abundant grief,Is this the price of secular peace?

This is not a road to peace but warThe dove you worship leaves a scar,The men of wisdom know your willSave a few, the rest you kill,The moral behind a secular warNumerous casualties, abundant scarsIs this the price of peace or war?

Allâh knows your intent quite well,When in the holiest book He tells,Peace they say, but war they mean,Good they say, but harm they deem,Allâh wishes the believers to knowWar they make and they do not know. Dr. Abdul Hamid

15

continued from page 7vol.II, pp.41-42], “Know that the Night ofPower is of two kinds: one is in which decisionsare made in the heavens. It is the Night inwhich the Qur’ân, the whole of it, was sentdown (to the firmament of the world) and,thereafter, was revealed little by little (tomankind). This Night comes only once in ayear and it is also not necessary that it shouldbe in the month of Ramadhân. But mostprobably, it is so. On the occasion of therevelation of the Qur’ân the Night was inRamadhlân.

“The other Night of Power is that in whicha kind of spirituality is felt and the angelsdescend upon earth. The Muslims devotethemselves to prayer during this Night andthey are benefited by each other’s spiritualexaltation and blissfulness. The angels comeclose to them, the devils run away, and theirdevotions are accepted. The Night occursevery year in the odd nights of the last tendays of Ramadhân. It can occur a little sooneror later, but it is always in the month ofRamadhân. Thus, when a person speaks ofthe former Night of Power he says that itrotates in the year and when he speaks of the

To be continued

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Taken from “The Four Pillars of Islâm” by SyedAbul Hasan Ali Nadwi, translated into English byMuhammad Asif Kidwai [Da’wah Academy,International Islâmic University, Islamabad,Pakistan].

Madina Academy, a private elementary and middle school located in Windsor, CT The students of Madina Academy need your financial assistance to make their building projecta reality. This is an opportunity to create a sadaqah jariyah for yourself.Madina Academy offers financial aid to deserving students. Please donate generously for thebuilding fund. Target: $600,000

10/04

Please make checks payable to: Madina Academy, One Madina Drive,P.O Box 564,

Windsor, CT 06095-0564Phone: (860) 524-9700

www.MadinaAcademy.orgDonations are tax deductible:Federal Tax ID # 06-1589428.

later he says that it is found in the last tendays of Ramadhân. The Prophet has said,‘I see that your dreams coincide as regardsthe last seven days of Ramadhân, sowhosoever wants to find it should look for itduring the last seven days.’ On anotheroccasion he said, ‘The Night was shown tome. I saw that I was bowing low in water andclay and it was the twenty-first night (ofRamadhân).’ The difference of opinionamong the holy Companions in respect of itis, in fact, the difference of intuition.”

16 is issued on the 3rd Friday of each month. ISSN # 1062-2756

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Important Islamic daysASHURAH (Fast on 9th and 10th, or 10th and 11th of Muharram.)MAULUD-UN-NABI Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (Rabiul Awwal) - Death of the Prophet (12 Rabiul Awwal).ISRA and MIRAJ (The anniversary of the Night Journeyof the Prophet Muhammad to Jerusalem & his Ascensionthen to Heaven)(27 Rajab).NESFU SHABAAN (Shub-e-Barat)(middle of the monthof Shabaan)(night between 14 &15).BEGINNING OF THE MONTH OF Ramadan.LAILA TUL QADER (NIGHT OF VALUE) A night duringthe last 10 days of Ramadan.EID UL-FITR (1st. Shawwal)WAQFATU-ARAFAT (Pilgrims assemble on Arafat Plain,Makkah)(9 Zul-Hijj).EID UL-ADHA (Feast of sacrifice)(10 Zul-Hijj).

ABC’s OF ISLAMsent by Ismail Satia

[email protected] Y is for Yunus Peace be upon him, a good man in awicked town, He ran to the sea and a whale gobbl-ed him down By the mercy of Allâh he was savedto tell, His people to become good and obeyAllâh well Z is for Zero-sinIt is the way we each begin,Free from wordly sinSo, don’t let yourself forget,Keep out of the devil’s threat

My Lord!Increaseme in knowledge. (20:114)

A l l a hAllah is the only deity,He doesn’t share His majesty,Everything in the universe says,To Allah belongs all praise,So submit to the sustainer ofhumanity.Books of Al lahAllah gave us books,The best of books,Qur’an, Injeel, Zabur, and Torah,To guide us to Jannah,But Qur’an is the ultimate of Hisbooks.Call to IslamThe call to Islam,Is the most holiest one to man,So bear witnessAnd make a promise,To become pious and filled with Iman.

Obaid Ahmed5th Grade, Hamden, CT

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06 shawwaal 1425 november 19, 2004 øøø§§ r×øøøccm-inc.org/oldsite/iqra/pdf/0411nov.pdfyou...

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