Alhamdulillah. In this day and age we see many people performing the ‘amal of qurbani. May Allah accept all those qurbani that are being performed. Ameen!
If we just take a glance at how our pious predecessors performed the ‘amal of qurbani. We will be able to understand how the qurbani can be made into a REAL qurbani (sacrifice). This way we can try to emulate it in our future qurbani. May Allah grant us the understanding of the reality of qurbani. Ameen!
Maulana Yusuf [Rahmatullahi Alayh]
Once when Hazrath Ji Maulana Yusuf [Rahmatullah Alayh] was very young, he reared a goat in his house and that goat was such that, every member of his family absolutely loved it, it even used to sit on the cot and not on the ground. It was so much loved that everyone in the family wanted to have a part of their food set aside from their own to feed the animal - such was the love everybody in the household had for the animal. A part of every fruit, bread, sweets etc, that was in the house had to have a part of it set aside for the goat, and because of this, it was even wonderfully healthy, even Hazrath Ji Maulana Yusuf [Rahmatullah Alayh] used to love it a lot.
Then the day of Qurbani arrived and members in his household asked him to get a sacrificial animal, to which Hazrath Ji replied: “The sacrificial animal is in the house itself! What’s the need of buying any other animal?!”.
The family members were shocked and replied: “No! It’s like our son! We are not going to sacrifice him!”.
Hazrath Ji Maulana Yusuf [Rahmatullah Alayh] replied: Prophet Ibrahim [peace be upon him] too reared his own son, not any others and then sacrificed him. It was his OWN son!
The WHOLE household of Hazrath Ji Maulana Yusuf [Rahmatullah Alayh] was crying profusely when the goat was being sacrificed, seeing which Hazrat Ji said “Now, THIS is REAL sacrifice!”
And then when its meat came into the house, nobody wanted to believe that the goat had been sacrificed, Hazrath Ji Maulana Yusuf [Rahmatullah Alayh] later said: “When we cooked its meat and sat down to eat, we were all crying thinking that this was the same goat that we so lovingly reared all these years, used to feed it and nurture it for all these years.”
Shaykh ul Hind [Rahmatullahi Alayh]
Shaikh ul Hind Hazrat Moulana Mahmood Hasan Deobandi [Rahmatullahi Alayh] would tend to his qurbani cow for the entire year. He would personally wash and feed the animal. The cow would also become very attached to Hazrat. When he would leave home to teach at Darul ‘Uloom Deoband, it would follow him right to the Madrasah gate where it would sit down. When Hazrat would return at noon after lessons, it would follow him back home.
When the days of qurbani drew near, Hazrat would lessen its normal feed, which was grass and substitute it with bucketfuls of milk and jalebi (sweetmeat). He would also apply mehndi (henna) to it, place flowers on its back and beautify it because Allah Ta‘ala commands that one's most beloved wealth should be spent in the path of Allah Ta‘ala. Thus, he would begin to love the animal very deeply.
After the ‘Eid ul Adha Salah, he would sacrifice it and cry a little as well. Then he would immediately purchase another cow for the following ‘Eid.
[Maslak-e-‘Ulama-e-Deoband aur Hubbe Rasul (Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Sallam)]
PS : That's why I suggest, buy the sacrificial animal that many days earlier from the day of Qurbani that you develop an attachment towards it, you develop love towards it and then you sacrifice it in order to gain the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala.
This audio extract about shaking/moving or pointing the finger in tashahhud or atthahiyaat proves that bigger and more reliable scholars narrated only the pointing of the index finger whereas only one student of one of reliable scholar introduced the word “shaking” the index finger. Since the latter student is authentic the hadith has been classed as sahih - apparently Nasirudheen Albani added the latter hadith to his book not the sahih narrations of the former more reliable and bigger scholars. So should we take the sahih narrations of bigger and more reliable scholars or an isolated opinion of just one sahih narrator?
Please click the link below to download the shocking report of many highly qualified doctors of why we shouldn’t inject either ourselves or our kids with vaccines.
It’s not about the numbers of people that are expected to gather in Roshnee this weekend, south of Johannesburg, for another of South Africa’s annual Tabligh Jamaat Ijtima or mass gatherings.
It’s not about whether there will be dhal and rice or mutton curry served after the Friday’s Jummah Salaah. It’s not about the vast arrangements and preparations, spanning months before, that have gone into hosting the thousands who will attend from the 3-6 April 2015.
In an Islamic world that increasingly sees brother Muslim ever so ready to derail the efforts of the next brother Muslim, where name, glory and expected praise is the way the tasbeeh (rosary) beads roll, the Ijtima and the works of the Tabligh Jamaat pedal in the total opposite direction.
Unlike the common practice where leadership is sort after, fought for and people are willing to get beaten up and even killed to keep a hold of it, the true Islamic manner of shunning and pushing away leadership, name, prestige and power is the banner under which the Tabligh Jamaat operates today.
No one wants to be at the helm, for fear that any miscalculation or mismanagement or a moment of weakness that could result in the entire ship steering in the wrong direction. And this fear ultimately transcends into a fear of the reckoning that the leader will face on the Day of Qiyamah.
There are no bank accounts, no fundraising campaigns, no elections. Each individual using their own health, wealth and time, often sacrificing the very things that are dearest to them; family time, recreational activity, their business life and even their workplaces for a single overriding purpose: to become part of the worry and concern of the final Messenger Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) by making an effort to bring conviction in the Oneness of Allah and practical Islam into their lives and passing this message on to others.
Without seeking any reward from next person or power or land or country of kingship, the effort has won of the hearts of millions of Muslims, both men and women, across the globe. There exists today not a single country where the group has not reached.
What is the Ijtima?
The Ijtima, or mass gathering, is simply to draw as many people as possible to a specific place for a set duration of time, creating the opportunity to speak to them about the importance of learning the Deen of Allah, imbibing and practicing the Deen of Allah and then creating the worry and concern in the hearts of all to see how the Deen of Allah can be passed on to every human being until the end of time in order for us all to be successful in this world and the next.
During the Ijtima, senior Islamic scholars will address the gathering encouraging people towards self-reformation and adherence to an Islamic way of life as espoused by the final Messenger, Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam).
People who attend will spend their time listening to lectures on Islam, learning through halaqahs of Taalim, speaking about Allah and the Sunnah or practices of Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam), sleep on the floor under simple structures and eat all together on one eating mat.
What happens in the Ijtima?
From the Ijtima groups of Muslims will then be called on to volunteer their time to spread the same message to the Muslim public throughout South Africa and the rest of the world.
They are constituted into a jamaat or group, with an ameer or responsible person, appointed as a leader from amongst them. They are then directed to head out along a predetermined route where they will meet other Muslims and pass on these key Islamic messages.
Regarding the Movement
The effort soon spread and the message reached out to Muslims across all social and economic strata.
The movement is viewed by many as one of the greatest tools that can unite the Muslim Ummah because of their policy of steering clear from any controversial issues and politics.
The followers of the group, commonly known as Tablighis, are encouraged to respect and be tolerant with Muslims who differ ideologically as well as with other religious groups. It is not uncommon to find followers of the different schools of Islamic jurisprudence in one active group or Muslims from different nationalities and cultural backgrounds moving from place to place. Europeans, Africans, Asians, Hanafis, Shafi’ees and even Salafi’s all work together and effectively for the upliftment of their faith.
The Shariah does not permit us to criticize the Arabs, so don’t speak ill of them, don’t criticize them. If we (Desis) had the kind of money that they (Arabs) have, we’d be such that we’d never set foot on earth (i.e., we’d be that full of pride and haughtiness). Yet, look at their humility (in-spite of their wealth), 8-10 Arabs when they sit down to eat, still eat from the same dish. They have moved far away from the Deen, so you live a life according to the Deen, and more importantly, practice upon the Sunnah’s of the Final Prophet (peace be upon him) so that they may see and recall their old glorious times.
A key difference between knowledge and information is, that knowledge creates respect in the heart for one’s tutor and institution. While the same does not necessarily apply in the case of information.
E-Numbers represent specific food additives, used by the food industry in the manufacture of various food products. These E-Numbers have been formulated by the European Economic Community (EEC) and are universally adopted by the food industry worldwide.
It is known that many E-numbers contain unlisted haraam ingredients in them. Generally additives derived from animals and insects.
E-numbers are reference numbers used by the European Union to facilitate identification of food additives. All food additives used in the European Union are identified by an E-number. The “E” stands for “Europe” or “European Union”. Normally each food additive is assigned a unique number, though occasionally, related additives are given an extension (“a”, “b”, or “i”, “ii”) to another E-number.
The Commission of the European Union assigns e-numbers after the additive is cleared by the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), the body responsible for the safety evaluation of food additives in the European Union. The convention for assigning E-numbers is:
100-199 : Food Colourings
200-299 : Preservatives
300-399 : Antioxidants, Phosphates and Complexing Agents
E-numbers are only used for substances added directly to food products, so contaminants, enzymes and processing aids, which may be classified as additives in the USA, are not included in the E-number system.
There is an EU directive on food labeling which requires food additives to be listed in the product ingredients whenever they are added for technological purposes. This includes coloring, sweetening and favor enhancement as well as for preservation, thickening, emulsifying and the like. Ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight, which means that are generally found close to the end of the list of ingredients. However, substances used in the protection of plants and plant products, flavorings and substances added as nutrients (e.g., minerals, trace elements or vitamins) do not need to be included in the ingredient list. Because of this, some substances that are regulated as food additives in other countries may be exempt from the food additive definition in the EU.
Additives which are ALWAYS of animal origin, such as (HARAAM):
E120 Cochineal : a red colour obtained from female insects.
E441 Gelatine : derived from the bones and/ or hides of cattle and/ or pigs.
E542 Edible Bone Phosphate : an extract from animal bones.
E904 Shellac : a resin from the lac insect.
Whilst some additives with a common code such as E47, can be either of animal or plant origin and this latter type needs to be investigated on a case-by-case basis per product/ manufacturer.
The main additives you need to be aware of are:
Glycerol / Glycerin / Glycerine (E422) - haraam if obtained from pork or non-halal meat sources.
Emulsifiers (E470 to E483) - haraam if obtained from pork or non-halal sources.
Edible Bone Phosphate (E542) - haraam if obtained from pork or non-halal meat sources.
When I was lecturing at the Rand Afrikaans University, a professor, who was head of the department, mentioned to me, during a conversation:
“The day the Primary Level Religious Institutions (Makaatib) do not exist, the Muslim community will exist as a professional community and as a business community – but they will not exist as a Muslim community anymore.”
It was at that point that I realized the agenda and planning of the enemies of Islam. They were systematically trying to break down the structure of Deen, which had been established in South Africa. Their foremost effort was and is drawing the Muslims to their secular institutions – primary, secondary and tertiary - where they would further break down the individual’s Deen – until the mind-set, the lifestyle and the beliefs become secular!
Then we would be Muslim in name, but not in identity and not in our outlook – perhaps not even in belief. May Allah Ta’ala protect us all.
And this is what we see today: The modern secular-educated Muslim lives a life which is not aligned to the Qur’aan and Sunnah, in the true sense. There is a wide chasm created between the individual and
true
Islam. This is the effort of secularists in their quest to alienate all of mankind from religion. For many, a modern and “moderate” Islam is accommodated, where the trends and whims of the non-Muslim society are also adopted. Many customs, which have no affiliation with Islam and which may even be prohibited, are legitimized. Intermingling of sexes, adopting the dress and the ways of the disbelievers, etc. are proof of the outcome of secular education. The Ulama are considered outdated and orthodox and are criticized for holding onto what has passed on from generation to generation of the pure and pristine Deen of Islam. On listening to the professor, I understood that the university – and other such western secular institutions of learning – had a specific and detailed strategy to harm the Muslim community. I thus resigned from the post of lecturing. It should be understood that worldly education is permissible in Islam. This is not objectionable. It is a fact that Muslims have been pioneers and forerunners in the field of science, medicine, mathematics, etc. They were great inventors. Their contribution to the progress and advancement of mankind is distinct.
The knowledge that is being rejected is that knowledge which deliberately aims at cutting man off from religion, from his Creator. And this is the knowledge which has been given the name, “secular” – by its architects.
If a person had to do a little research, then just the definition of secularism exposes the aim of secularists.
Secularism is a system which removes and even rejects all forms of religious faith and worship. Secularism demands that religion - if it believed in – should be a private affair and not a public one – and that religion should play no part in education or politics.
Most secularists are themselves atheists.
One article also explained:
“They (Secularists) think that religious schools are divisive (disruptive/incompatible), and damage the prospects of a harmonious and diverse society.”
So it follows that their efforts will be to eradicate religious institutions. This is being done by engrossing man in the pursuit of materialism, entertainment and anything that diverts his attention away from religion or wanting to be religious. Man thus becomes far removed from the religious institutions until he sees no need for religion and no need for such institutions.
The Darul Ulooms are the bastions, the strongholds of Deen. They are the forts of Islam. It is in the Darul Uloom that we find Deen being taught, comprehensively, meticulously and fully. The Ulama are the shields of Islam; they are a great means of protection for the Ummah, preserving Islam in its pristine purity.
The Maktab is the backbone of the Ummah and establishes a strong faith in Allah Ta’ala. Tauheed [1], Risaalat [2] and Aakhirat [3], which are the principles of Deen, are well-grounded in our children. This is what assists in making them firm Believers in Allah Ta’ala. …Wherever, in the world, there is no establishment of the Maktab system, the people there, easily lose their direction in Deen. We see, in our own society, how the secular institutions – that is, the non-Muslim institutions of learning - keep our children occupied
fully
in everything other than religion. They have extracurricular and extramural activities. They have various events and functions which consume time.
Our Muslim children are thus greatly hindered from attending the Maktab and Madrasah on a regular basis. In this manner, our children are kept away from connecting with Dien and improving in their Deen.
Parents look to give their children the best secular education; they may consider the prestige and status of attending such institutions, but sadly, they do not look at the repercussions to the Deen and Imaan of their children. And there is no doubt that this kind of education is at the great cost of our children’s Deen – if only we would take understanding. We are dealing with different cases and we are seeing the results.
Huge amounts of money are being paid for the destruction of our children’s Imaan.
We may not see this today or tomorrow. Secularists have a long-term strategy. Over the twelve years of schooling and thereafter the years of tertiary education, they groom, they tutor and they prepare students in such a way, that when they complete their education or when they graduate, they leave the institution with a secular mind, with material aspirations and ambitions, and generally, with an aversion to religion – because religion is played out as a system that restricts, and secular education promotes freedom on every level.
They train them to fit into a western secular society, into a system where they are just pawns – used to support and strengthen the system, where religion is not allowed to feature.
Very recently, I met a young Muslim brother who is studying at a tertiary institution. In conversation, I enquired of him, what subjects he studied – and he mentioned history. So I asked regarding the history of mankind. He replied:
“Darwin’s theory of evolution. We come from an ape…”
He honestly believed that his ancestors were apes or monkeys. When I asked him about the creation of the universe, he responded :
“The big bang theory…”
Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi ra’jioon. These beliefs are in total conflict with Imaan and Islam. In fact, it is Kufr – because Allah Ta’ala has already explained the creation of man in the Qur`aan Shareef. Darwin’s theory is a rejection of the Qur’aan Shareef. Sadly, the brother did not see anything wrong with what he explained. This is one of too many cases that we have dealt with. Many are Muslims from good Muslim homes but this secular education has indoctrinated in their minds, the false belief that they have evolved from a monkey or ape.
Today, Darwinism, evolution and the big bang theory are taught in pre-schools, in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. These ideologies are impressed in the minds of our children and as a result, many Muslims are very confused in their beliefs.
Hadhrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) had said that the people censure and slate the Ulama regarding their stance on secular education. However, the Ulama are looking at the consequences of the modern secular curriculum and have therefore adopted this position.
They are against that education which leads to rejection of religion and which leads to atheism.
Hadhrat Moulana (Rahmatullahi ‘alayh) had said that were we to take note of what is actually happening, we would observe that generally, the modern secular-educated people are unconcerned about Salaah, about maintaining the identity of the Muslim, and they do not heed the other commands of the Shari’ah. They may go against it, criticize it, and even proclaim Islam to be regressing and out-dated. Na’uzu Billah.
…Of course, there are some exceptions. Those Ulama were blessed with foresight and understood the purpose of the introduction of western secular education.
Without Deeni education, the western secular system asserts and establishes an “Anti-God”, “Anti-Religion” frame of mind. And we should understand that without Deen and without Imaan, Jannat is lost.
The consequences are far reaching and extremely grave. The Hereafter is the destination and there are only two places of residence: Jannat or Jahannum.
The opportunity of this worldly life is not given to us to secure the worldly life - but it is to secure the Pleasure of Allah Ta’ala and salvation in the Hereafter. Reflect for a while: What accompanies us when we depart from this world? With the exception of a shroud, none of our material possessions, no matter how beloved, will be taken with us. What will be taken are our deeds. When the reality of death manifests itself and the door to the Hereafter is opened, then our worldly qualifications and degrees won’t matter,
but our faith will be all that matters.
We need to prioritize here and now and without any delay, if we want the best of the next life – for ourselves and for our children.
May Allah Ta’ala give us the understanding. May Allah Ta’ala grant us the concern regarding our Deeni education and that of our children.
- by Hadhrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Is`haq Saheb [DB]
There are certain Muslim’s in our communities that are poisoning the minds of the public into thinking that any one who reads the Fazail e A’maal becomes deviant, whereas in fact the very same book has changed the lives of millions of people around the world. In this lecture Mufti Asad Waqas sheds some light into what the allegations against this book are and its reality.
Beware of the commitments that you make in this world, for the world has a way of consuming a person. A person makes a commitment to one thing only to find himself involved in ten other commitments.
In both Deoband and Saharanpur, there were many Ahlul-Hadith/salafi students, but they never disclosed their adherence to the Ahlul-Hadith.
I told them not to hide their mazhab from me. They could come to my house at any time to discuss their problems. Some students (may Allah reward them) came to me to be connected in bay’at.
Some people suggested that I should demand of them, they should stop ‘raf-ul-yadayn’, ‘ameen-bil-jahr’ etc., but I told them: “These people are doing those things in their earnest desire to implement Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam’s) commands and practices. How can I ever prohibit them from doing so?”
Subhan’Allah! Our Akabir in general were so moderate and didn’t condemn people for interpreting Islam a different way. Indeed as long as someone is trying to please Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) through his actions, he shouldn’t be stopped or criticised as long as his action aren’t against Shari’ah, harm other people or fall in the category of bid’ah (innovations).
A few pages later Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Zakariya Sahab (RA) writes down his thoughts in general about “the Ahle Hadith/Salafis and us”.
I have no enmity with any Ahul Hadith scholars, so long as they do not use any insulting or degrading words against the four Imams.
In my understanding, ‘Shari’at’ is only that which is contained in Allah’s word and the words and practices of His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam.) But in acting on the Hadith and in cross examining the Hadith, the research of the Imams is much more preferable to the research of a novice like myself. Then also, the era of the Imams was nearer to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam than the era of the scholars of Hadith. For this reason the verdict of the Imams are more acceptable in the rejection and acceptance of Hadith than even the verdict of Muhadditheen, let alone our research.
Imam Ahmed Hanbal is Imam Bukhari’s most noted teacher and Ustadh, while Imam Ahmad is Imam Shafi’ee’s most prominent student. Imam Shafi’ee again is the most famous student of Imam Malik. Imam Shafi’ee is on record as having said that he became a Jurist after studying the kutub of Imam Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Shaybani the famous student of Imam al-Azam Abu Hanifa.
Furthermore, there are twenty two thulaathiyyat, chains of transmissions of Hadith in Bukhari Shareef, each consisting of three narrators only, leading up to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam). Of these twenty two, twenty of them contains transmitters, who are either students of Imam Abu Hanifa or students of his students.
As for us of this era, we are like a monkey who sits down with a piece of ginger and then calls himself a green-grocer…”
One elderly Aalim would put his hands on the ground first when falling into sajdah. A person approached him saying “I have read in a Hadith that we should put the knees down first, then the hands and then the forehead.” The Aalim asked have you read the whole collection of Hadith? He replied in the negative. The Aalim said “Well there is another Hadith which explains that when Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam aged, he would often put his hands on the ground first. I am old and I have that Hadith in mind. So stop objecting on Ulema by studying the translations of a few ahaadith”.
Imam Shatibi, the famous imam of Gira’at, once mentioned a Hadith. Someone said “I’ve never read this Hadith.” He asked: “Have you read the whole collection of ahaadeeth? He replied “No” Imam Shatibi asked “Then half of the collection “he replied “No” Imam Shatibi said: “Then this Hadith is in the other half which you have not studied”.