Law of Islam

Azhar Imam orders niqab off, wants ban

noreply@blogger.com (ridwanulhoque) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 08:52:00 -0700

The head of Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni world, has ordered a school girl to remove her niqab during a visit to an Al-Azhar school, saying he would seek an official ban for the face veil in schools, Al-Masri Al-Youm newspaper reported on Monday, October 5.

“Why are you wearing the niqab while sitting in the class with your female colleagues?” Al-Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Mohamed Sayyed Tantawi asked the 8th grader.

The young girl was shocked with the question coming from the country’s top scholar.

A teacher intervened to explain.

“She takes off her niqab inside the class, but she only put it on when you and your entourage came in.”

But Sheikh Tantawi was not satisfied and insisted that the young girl takes off the face cover.

“The niqab is a tradition and has nothing to do with Islam.”

After the girl complied he insisted she should not wear it any more.

“I tell you again that the niqab has nothing to do with Islam and it is only a mere custom. I understand the religion better than you and your parents.”

Most Muslim women in Egypt wear the hijab, which is an obligatory code of dress in Islam, but an increase in women putting on the niqab has apparently alarmed the government.

The ministry of religious endowments has recently distributed booklets in mosques against the practice.

The majority of Muslim scholars believe that a woman is not obliged to cover her face or hands.

They believe that it is up to every woman to decide whether to take on the face-cover or not.

Ban

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar imam vowed to issue a ban against the face-veil in all schools linked to Al-Azhar.

“I intend to issue a regulation to ban the niqab in Al-Azhar schools,” he said.

“No student or teacher will be allowed into the school wearing the niqab.”

Established in 359 AH (971 CE), Al-Azhar mosque drew scholars from across the Muslim world and grew into a university, predating similar developments at Oxford University in London by more than a century.

Al-Azhar, which means the "most flourishing and resplendent," was named after Fatima Al-Zahraa, daughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The first courses at Al-Azhar were given in 975 CE and the first college was built 13 years later.

Al-Azhar first admitted women students in 1961, albeit in separate classes.

Also in 1961, subjects in engineering and medicine were added to classes on Shari`ah, the Noble Qur’an and the intricacies of Arabic language.

Sheikh Tantawi’s remarks coincided with those of Higher Education Minister Hani Hilal who has banned the face-veil in student hostels.

“Face-veiled students are free to do what they want outside the hostels but there is no room for the niqab inside the women-only hostels,” he said earlier this week.

Many students demonstrated against the minister’s statements and the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights plans to take him to court.

“The minister’s decision violates the principles of privacy, personal freedom and freedom of faith, which are guaranteed by the constitution.”

Hamas: PA trades in blood of Gaza children

noreply@blogger.com (ridwanulhoque) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 08:49:00 -0700

The democratically-elected premier of Hamas government in Gaza has lambasted the Palestinian Authority over its decision to delay a vote on a report about the Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

Ismail Haniya also slammed as "reckless and irresponsible" the decision by the UN Human Rights Council to postpone consideration of the damning report. "The decision taken by Ramallah to withdraw the Goldstone report was reckless and irresponsible," Haniya said, referring to the Western-backed government of the acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas. The decision "trades in the blood of the children of Gaza." AFP quoted Haniya as saying on Sunday. Sixteen Palestinian human rights groups have also issued a statement condemning the decision made by the Palestinian Authority. It "denies the Palestinian people's right to an effective judicial remedy and equal protection of the law," the statement said. "It represents the triumph of politics over human rights. It is an insult to all victims and a rejection of their rights," the groups said. The decision made by the Western-backed PA is widely seen as the result of pressure from the US, which had claimed that the report is biased against Israel. The UN probe by the former international war crimes prosecutor Richard Goldstone had called for prosecution of Israeli authorities over thier war crimes and possible crimes against humanity during the three-week war earlier this year.

Engaging U.S. Muslim youth.. Re-Post

noreply@blogger.com (ridwanulhoque) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 05:22:00 -0700

Seeking to restore the Muslim confidence, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has met with young American Muslims to listen to their concerns in post 9/11 America.

"(The point of the meeting) was to engage the Muslim community here," Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday, July 18.

Holder held discussions with over 200 young American Muslims at the Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation, a mosque and community center in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday.

The discussions took up challenges and concerns of the Muslim community in the post-9/11 America.

"For American Muslims specifically, these are times that pose serious civil rights and civil liberties challenges," Holder told the crowd.

Appealing to Muslim help in fighting extremism, Holder pledged to reinvigorate enforcement of civil rights and work to advance religious freedom.

He said Muslims have seen their "faith maligned and insulted by those who commit acts of hatred and violence in its name."

Since the 9/11 attacks, American Muslims, estimated at between six to seven million, have become sensitized to an erosion of their civil rights, with a prevailing belief that America was targeting their faith.

Restoring trust

Holder also sought to restore the confidence of American Muslims in the law enforcement agencies.

"(He) recognized that the department has to be sensitive to religion," said Sharaf Mowjood, 26, who attended the meeting.

The relationship between American Muslims and the Justice Department has come under increasing strain recently.

Muslims are particularly infuriated by the FBI's sending informants into mosques to provoke Muslim worshippers and trap unsuspecting youth.

Earlier this year, a coalition of America's largest Muslim organizations threatened to halt cooperation with the law enforcement authorities over the FBI practices.

Dafer Dakhil, Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation's director, said the meeting was a step forward to ease tension and restore the Muslims' trust.

"The attorney general got to meet face to face with a generation of Muslims born and raised in this country," he said.

But many American Muslims still want to see action, not words, from Holder.

"It was a good gesture for him to come out," said Adel Syed, a student, who is critical of the FBI's use of informants in mosques.

"(But) more telling will be what the attorney general does next and the DOJ does next."

IBN AL-BAITAR's Profiles. Re-Post

noreply@blogger.com (ridwanulhoque) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 05:22:00 -0700

Abu Muhammad Abdallah Ibn Ahmad Ibn al-Baitar Dhiya al-Din al-Malaqi was one of the best scientists of Muslim Spain and was the greatest botanist and pharmacist of the Middle Ages. He was born towards the end of the 12th century, in the Spanish city of Malaqa (Malaga), and he died in Damascus in 1248. He learned botany from Abu al-Abbas al-Nabati who is a well-learned botanist, and with him he started collecting plants from inside and outside Spain. In 1219 he left Spain on a plant-collecting expedition and traveled along the northern coast of Africa as far as Asia Minor. The exact modes of his travel (whether by land or sea) are not known, but the major stations he visited include Bugia, Qastantunia (Constantinople), Tunis, Tripoli, Barqa and Adalia. After 1224 he joined the service of al-Kamil, the Egyptian Governor, and was appointed chief herbalist. In 1227 al-Kamil extended his domination to Damascus, and Ibn al-Baitar accompanied him there, which gave him a great opportunity to collect plants. During his stay in Syria, his researches on plants extended over a vast area, including Arabia and Palestine, where he was able to collect plants from stations located there. Ibn Baitar's major contribution, Kitab al-Jami fi al-Adwiya al- Mufrada, is one of the greatest botanical compilations dealing with medicinal plants in Arabic. It enjoyed a high status among botanists up to the 16th century and is a systematic work that embodies earlier works, with due criticism, and adds a great part of original contribution. The encyclopedia comprises some 1,400 different items, largely medicinal plants and vegetables, of which about 200 plants were not known earlier. The book refers to the work of some 150 authors mostly Arabic, and it also quotes about 20 early Greek scientists. It was translated into Latin and published in 1758. His second major work is Kitab al-Mlughni fi al-Adwiya al-Mufrada is an encyclopedia of medicine. The drugs are listed in accordance with their therapeutic value. Thus, its 20 different chapters deal with the plants bearing significance to diseases of various parts of the human body. On surgical issues he has often quoted the famous Muslim surgeon, Abul Qasim Zahrawi. Besides Arabic, Baitar has given Greek and Latin names of the plants, thus facilitating transfer of knowledge. Ibn Baitar's contributions are characterized by observation, analysis and classification and have exerted a profound influence on Eastern as well as Western botany and medicine. Although his book al-Jami was translated and published late in the western languages as mentioned above, yet many scientists had long before that studied various parts of the book and made a lot of references to it.

Rules Related to a Dying Person.Re-Post

noreply@blogger.com (ridwanulhoque) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 05:21:00 -0700

539. A Muslim who is dying, whether man or woman, old or young, should, as a measure of precaution, be laid on his/her back if possible, in such a manner that the soles of his/her feet would face the Qibla (direction towards the holy Ka'bah)

540. It is recommended that the dead body should be laid facing the Qibla during the Ghusls. However, when Ghusls are completed, it is better to lay it the same way as it is laid when prayers are offered for it.

541. * It is an obligatory precaution upon every Muslim, to lay a dying person facing the Qibla. And if the dying person consents to it, there is no need to seek the permission for it from the guardian. Otherwise, the permission must be sought.

542. It is recommended that the doctrinal testimony of Islam (Shahadatain) and the acknowledgement of the twelve Imams and other tenets of faith should be inculcated to a dying person in such a manner that he/she would understand. It is also recommended that these utterances are repeated till the time of his/her death.

543. It is recommended that the following supplications should be read over to a dying person in such a manner that he/she would understand: Allahhummaghfir liyal kathira mim ma'asika waqbal minniyal yasira min ta'atika ya man yaqbalul yasira wa ya'afu 'anil kathir, Iqbal minniyal yasira wa'fu 'anniyal kathir. Innaka antal 'afuwwul Ghafur. Alla hum mar hamni fa innaka Rahim.

544. It is Mustahab to carry a person experiencing painfully slow death to the place where he used to offer prayers, provided that it does not cause him any discomfort.

545. If a person is in the throes of death it is Mustahab to recite by his side Surah Yasin, Surah as-Saffat, Surah al-Ahzab, Ayat al-Kursi and 54th verse of Surah al-A'raf and the last three verses of Surah al-Baqarah. In fact it is better to recite as much from the holy Qur'an as possible.

546. * It is Makrooh to leave a dying person alone or to place a weight on his stomach, or to chatter idly or wail near him or to let only women remain with him. It is Makrooh to be by his/her side in the state of Janabat or Hayz.

Rules to Follow After the Death:

547. * It is Mustahab that the eyes and lips of a dead person be shut, its chin be tied, its hands and feet be straightened and to spread a cloth over it. If a person dies at night it is Mustahab to light the place where he/she is, to inform Momineen to join the funeral, and to hasten the burial. But if, they are not sure of his/her death, they should wait till they are certain. Moreover, if the dead person is a pregnant woman and there is a living child in her womb, her burial should be delayed till such time that her left side is cut open and the child is taken out and then to sew her side.

The Obligation of Ghusl, Kafan, Namaz and Dafn

548. * Giving Ghusl, Kafan, Hunoot, Namaz, and burial to every dead Muslim, regardless of whether he/she is an Ithna-Asheri or not, is wajib on the guardian.The guardian must either discharge all these duties himself or appoint someone to do them. And if anyone performs these duties, with or without the permission of the guardian, the guardian will be relieved of his responsibility. And if the dead person had no guardian, or if the guardian refuses to discharge his duties, then these duties will be obligatory upon all equally, as Wajib-e-Kifaee which means if some people undertake to fulfil the obligation, others will be relieved of the responsibility. And if no one undertakes to do so, all will be equally sinful. And when a guardian refuses to discharge his duty, seeking his permission has no meaning.

549. If a person undertakes to fulfil the obligations to a dead body it is not obligatory on others to proceed for the same. However, if that person leaves the work half done, others must complete them.

550. * If a person is certain that others are fulfiling their obligations properly, then it is not obligatory for him to proceed for the purpose.However, if he is in doubt or has suspicion, then he should take necessary steps.

551. If a person is certain that Ghusl, Kafan, Namaz or burial of a dead body has been performed incorrectly, he should proceed to do them correctly again. But if he just feels that probably the duties were not correctly discharged, or if he has a mere doubt, then it is not obligatory to undertake the work.

552. * The guardian of a wife is her husband. And in other cases, men who inherit the dead person according to the categories which will be explained later, will take precedence over each other. However, to say that the father of the deceased takes precedence over the son, the grandfather over the brothers, or full brothers over half-brothers or the paternal uncles over the maternal uncles, is a ponderable issue, and one should act with caution as the situation demands.

553. * A minor or an insane person does not qualify for guardianship in matters related to the dead person; similarly, an absent person who can neither attend to the duties himself, nor appoint someone to do them, has no authority as a guardian.

554. * If a person claims that he is the guardian of the dead person, or that the guardian of the dead person has given him permission to carry out its Ghusl, Kafan and Dafn, or if he claims that he is the appointed executor of the dead person in the matter of its final rituals, his claim will be accepted, provided that he is reliable, or that the corpse is in his possession, or that two Adils testify to his statement.

Ghusl for Touching a Dead Body. Re-Post

noreply@blogger.com (ridwanulhoque) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 05:20:00 -0700

527. If a person touches a human dead body which has become cold and has not yet been given Ghusl (i.e. brings any part of his own body in contact with it) he should do Ghusl regardless of whether he touched it while asleep or awake, voluntarily or otherwise. Ghusl will also be wajib if his nail or bone touches the nail or bone of the dead body. However, Ghusl is not obligatory if one touches a dead animal.

528. If a person touches a dead body which has not become entirely cold, Ghusl will not be wajib, even if the part touched has become cold.

529. * If a person brings his hair in contact with the body of a dead person, or if his body touches the hair of the dead person, or if his hair touches the hair of the dead person, Ghusl will not become obligatory.

530. * If a person touches a dead child or a foetus in which life has entered, then Ghusl for touching it will be obligatory. Hence, if a still-born child whose body has become cold, comes in contact with the outer part of its mother's body, the mother should do Ghusl for touching the dead body. In fact, as an obligatory precaution, she should do Ghusl even if the child has not touched the outer part of her body.

531. * A child who is born after its mother has died, and her body has become cold, and if it touches any outer part of mother's dead body, it should do Ghusl on attaining the age of puberty. In fact, it should do Ghusl, as a precaution, even if it did not touch the mother's body.

532. If a person touches a dead body after it has been given three obligatory Ghusls, Ghusl for touching will not be wajib. However, if he touches any part of the dead body before the completion of 3 Ghusls he should do Ghusl for touching the dead body, even if the 3rd Ghusl of that part which he has touched may have been done.

533. If an insane person or a minor touches a dead body, the insane person would do Ghusl when he becomes sane, and similarly the minor child would do Ghusl when he attains the age of puberty.

534. * If a part is separated from a living person, or from a dead body which has not yet been given Ghusls, and a person touches that separated part he does not have to do any Ghusl even if that separated part contains bones.

535. * It is not obligatory to do Ghusl for touching a separated bone which has not been given Ghusl, whether it has been separated from a dead body or a living person. The same rule applies to touching the teeth which have been separated form a dead body or a living person.

536. The method of doing Ghusl for touching the dead body is the same as of Ghusl for Janabat. However, for a person who has done Ghusl for touching a dead body, the recommended precaution is that he should perform Wudhu if he wants to pray.

537. One Ghusl is sufficient for one who touches several corpses or touches the same corpse a number of times.

538. A person who has not done Ghusl after touching a dead body is not prohibited from halting or pausing in a masjid or from having sexual intercourse with his wife, or from reciting the verses of the holy Qur'an which have obligatory Sajdah. However, he should do Ghusl for offering prayers or for other similar acts of worship.

Engaging U.S. Muslim youth.

noreply@blogger.com (ridwanulhoque) — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 14:33:00 -0700