1 Voice Of Unity

A psychological

insight

PAGE 12-13

The associated sins

PAGE 7

[And united their hearts; had you spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united

their hearts, but Allah united them, surely He is Mighty, Wise] (8:63)

Volume 4, Issue 4 March-April 1999

“And proclaim to mankind (the duty of)

pilgrimage; they will come to you on foot and

on every lean camel; coming from every

remote path”. Holy Quran

(22:27)

One main attribute

of Islam is that it

raises the status of

man, and asserts

his high position

as the viceroy of

the creator and the

bes t o f a l l

c r e a t u r e s .

Mankind revives

the earth and the

souls by construction and faith, while honouring

the religiously ordained duties. Islam orders

fulfilling of divine obligations, and makes it

compulsory for the keeping of prayer, fasting,

and the performance of Hajj, and jihad..etc.

Hajj is indeed a source of guidance and

innumerable benefits and interests, and a

stronghold of defence and uprightness. Allah,

the Most High, ordains Hajj so that the ummah

of the Seal of the prophets remains the bearer of

the monotheistic

banner to achieve

the unity of

h u m a n i t y :

freedom, equality,

justice, security,

w e l f a r e ,

b r o t h e r h o o d ,

s t ab i l i t y and

prosperity.

Hajj is a

d i s ch a r ge o f

Allah‟s dues, and

for mankind a tour of the body, a journey of the

soul, a unification of the ummah and the

dissemination of monotheism. In it there are

short term benefits of this world, and the

everlasting benefits of the Hereafter. Extract from ‘The Hajj as worship and

Ruqqayah and Arifa

Mohammedi

PAGES 4-6

2 Voice Of Unity

vision that I offer thee in

sacrifice…’(The son) said:

‘Oh my father! Do as thou

art commanded: Thou will

find me, If God so wills one

practising patience and

constancy!’ 37:102 His son

Ismai l ‟ s unques t ion ing

acceptance proved (like that of

his father) to be that of a

sincere worshipper willing to

sacrifice this world for the

Hereafter. Allah (SWT)

rewarded this acceptance by

substituting a sheep for

Prophet Ismail (PBUH).

It is in remembrance of

this sincere accepting attitude

that Muslims at Hajj slaughter

a sheep. Whilst Hajj itself

bears witness to the devotion

of millions of Muslims world

wide in undertaking a

strenuous pilgrimage with the

sincere intention of pleasing

the Almighty.

Sacr i f i ce i s no t

uncommon to Imam Hussein

(AS) who (along with his

family) was slaughtered on the

desert plains of Kerbala in

Muharram. A tragic sacrifice

that is still revered today, has

in turn served to reaffirm the

Imam‟s sincere belief‟s in

Allah (SWT)‟s orders. Belief

in upholding the truth of

justice over oppression. By

annually remembering the

tragedy of Kerbala, Muslims

world wide are consciously

subscribing to the Islamic

notion of sincere and devout

truth conquering falsehood.

Sincerity and sacrifice

thus remain everlasting

Islamic concepts from time

immaterial , which are

incumbent on us to uphold

w h e n e v e r p o s s i b l e

Insha‟Allah.

Sr.Duha Al-Wakeel Editor

Editorial

The Virtues of Hajj

Selected Sayings of Imam Jaffer As-Sadiq (AS)

‘Hajj is the Jihad of the weak‟

‘He who is not prevented from the Hajj by an

obvious necessity, a tyrannical ruler or a disease

which confines him (or her) at home and dies

without having performed the Hajj, might as well die

a Jew or a Christian”.

“So long as the Kaba is secure, so is the religion”.

“And move into Allah's security, His shade and

protection, His help to you to attain your goal of

entering the sanctuary, and entering the House while

deeply knowing the greatness of its owner, His

Highness and Omnipotence”.

“If anyone of you had amounts of gold as huge as

Abu-Qubais (a mountain in Arabia) and spent it in

the way of Allah, its reward would never be equal to

the reward of Hajj (from Allah). A dirham disbursed

by the pilgrims is worth 2000 dirhams in the way of

Allah.”

A question asked to the Imam “Why does Allah

order His servants to perform Hajj, and

circumambulate around the Kaba?”

Imam(AS) replied “Allah has created His servants

and instructed them how to obey Him through the

performance of religious duties. He has made Hajj a

gathering in which people from the East and the

West participate and become acquainted with one

another, Every single one of them benefits from the

experiences of others who come from different

places”.

Assalamu alaykum brothers

and sisters and welcome to

your March/April issue of

Voice of Unity. The articles

this issue range from reports

on IUS events to articles

demonstrative of the Islamic

time of year, encompassing

different yet informative

angles on Hajj and Muharram.

Looking back into

history, this time of year is one

that is symbolic of sincerity

and sacrifice. Nevertheless

these notions of sincerity and

sacrifice are not to be left in

the past; rather it is our

adherence to them now that

reaffirms the eternal strength

of Islam as a way of life for all

people of all times.

P r o p h e t I b r a h i m

(PBUH)‟s sincere devotion to

the Almighty was so that he

was willing to sacrifice his

very own son in response to

Allah‟s commandments. “He

said: ‘Oh my son! I see in

3 Voice Of Unity

Sr. Shanaz Iqbal

International Relations simply put is the

study of interstate behaviour- covering

international obligations and ethics, diplomacy,

conflict and national interest. It is an

interdisciplinary subject, in that some knowledge

of history, geography, political theory,

economics, and international law, is always

regarded as necessary for a proper understanding

of the multi-dimensionality of international

relationships.

Its concern is with the general rather than

the unique; its methodology is more analytical

than chronological; and its approach more

diagnostic than prescriptive. It lacks the

linguistic precision of the physical and biological

sciences, and many of its key concepts are

ambiguous and/or personified abstractions. This

gives rise to a „level of analysis problem‟ (so you

study not just state and interstate behaviour but

also individual behaviour); and makes essential

the elucidation of concepts so there is

considerable linguistic analysis - for example,

what is meant by the „state‟, „power‟ or

‘International society‟.

IR is essentially examined through the

theories of three broad schools of thought;

Realism, Rationalism and Revolutionism. For

Realists IR is characterised by conflict and

struggle, as each state attempts to secure its

objectives often at the expense of others, with

the only constraints being superior force,

prudence and expediency. This school covers the

works of Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes and

Morgenthau. The Rationalists, such as Grotius,

Locke, Mills, and Woodrow Wilson, see IR as an

amalgam of conflict and co-operation, with

orderly and accepted procedures for regular

intercourse. For Revolutionists such as Kant,

Rousseau, Marx, and Lenin, IR is a reflection of

a transitional conflict between the supporters of a

potential community of humankind and their

opponents, whom it was necessary to convert or

destroy in the interest of „justice‟.

IR is not a subject that you can „learn‟,

there are no right

or wrong answers

only convincing

arguments. Thus a

lot of reading and

a n a l y s i s i s

involved. You

soon begin to

r e a l i s e t h a t

nothing is quiet as

clear as it might seem, as you begin to grasp a

concept as other perceptions and variables are

introduced and you begin the process of analysis

again.

Individual subjects covered within IR

include Public International Law; Structure of

International Society; Politics of International

Economic Relations; International Political

Theory; Foreign Policy Analysis; International

Institution etc. Issues such as feminism, post-

modernism; morality; change; intervention;

nationalism, development and war are also

covered.

For many, acquiring an understanding and

knowledge of the complexities of IR, as well as,

the ability to reduce such a study to manageable

proportions, presents an exciting intellectual

challenge. On a political level, a thorough

understanding of the political and economic

ways of the world can be put to the services of a

country, or cause, or be used to find an antidote

to some perceived ills such as war, Third World

debt, environmental degradation etc. On a

personal level with its twin focus on perceptions

as well as reality it can be a vehicle for greater

self awareness, an avenue towards a career in

diplomacy; international organisations or

businesses; the media; teaching and research.

Academic

4 Voice Of Unity

Syeda Tatheer Zahra Shamsi

“An essential condition for understanding the

Holy Quran is the knowledge of the language

of the heart.” The relationship of the human

heart with the Holy Book of Allah (SWT) was

the core of the lecture given by Brother Shams

Kanani at SOAS, University of London on

Friday 22nd January 1999. Br Kanani‟s address

was part of the dedicated effort of the IUS to

revere the Holy

words of the

Almighty. The IUS

Second Quranic

Seminar granted its

a u d i e n c e a n

opportunity to bear

witness to the

spectacular abilities

possessed by two

sisters, Ruqayyah

a n d A r i f a

Muhammadi.

The t r emendous under tak ing

coordinated by the IUS enabled these

scholarly young ladies to project the

extraordinary strength with which they are

blessed, to a large group of expectant

mo’mineen. In his opening speech the IUS

Chairman Brother Dr Zafar Naqvi noted the

good fortune of the organisation in being able

to host a forum with these distinguished guests

from Iran. Br Zafar also discussed the first

Quranic Seminar the IUS had arranged as well

as two notable Annual Conferences. After the

introductory recitation of the Holy Quran by

Bother Dr Mohsen al-Rashed, Br Shams

Kanani established the foundation for the illu

minating depiction of complete reliance on the

Holy Quran with his powerful glorification of

the Holy Book.

Br Kanani was successful in creating a

spiritual deference in all present, which

engaged them in the appreciation of what was

to come. Beginning with a du’a of Imam Zayn

-ul-Abideen (AS), Br Kanani introduced the

impact of the

governance of the

Holy Quran by

emphasizing its

status. Examples of

traditions from the

H o l y P r o p h e t

(SAW) and Imam

Ali (AS) ensued

which presided over

the discussion as the

definitive guidance

towards the fulfillment of the commands of

Allah (SWT). The speaker reiterated the

necessity of the study of the Holy Quran and

pointed to its dominance in world history. He

informed the participants of pivotal debates on

the unprecedented influence of the Holy Book

on the destiny of human society.

A particularly invigorating aspect of the

presentation was the elucidation of the very

pertinent articles of Shaheed Murtadha

Mutahhari published fifteen years hence in

Tauhid magazine. Elaborating on the topic,

Uniqueness of the Holy Quran, the brother

gave an authoritative account of the

classification adopted by the great a’lim. This

illustration encompassed the process of

authentication, analysis, and consideration of

Quran

5 Voice Of Unity

sources; as well as extending to the essential

precursors to the study of the Quran al-Hakim.

Captivating listeners with his

conscientious enthusiasm, Br Kanani

propounded the notion of one additional,

imperative requirement which would qualify

the faithful to assume study of the Holy

Quran. An exploration of the eminence of the

language of the heart was supported by many

Quranic revelations addressing the heart. Br

Kanani wondered

a t t h e

i n a u s p i c i o u s

current practices

ensconced in the

t r a d i t i o n o f

e d u c a t i o n

provision devoid

of the genuine

a r t i c l e . T h e

l e c t u r e

maintained its

distinction by

ending with the curative words of one who has

been endowed with the very mastery of the

Holy Quran, Imam Ali (AS).

The second half of the programme was

skillfully managed by Brother Mustafa Jaffer

in which he introduced the highlight of the

evening: the gifted young devotees of the

Holy Book of Allah. In fact the ladies were

keen to acquaint the listeners with their

background themselves. Sister Ruqayyah

delighted those present with her short message

prepared in English, as she had no knowledge

of the language only a week prior to the event.

She announced her age, ten years, and her

country, the Islamic Republic of Iran. She

revealed that she had started memorising the

Holy Quran at the age of three years and had

become hafizah by the age of six years

Alhamdulillah. Furthermore she declared her

knowledge of six hundred categories of the

Holy Quran. Sister Arifa, who is eighteen

years old, informed the audience of her

miraculous achievement in memorising the

entire Holy Quran in a space of five months.

She described how the impetus was provided

by her initial endeavour

in studying the Holy

Book to enable her to

assist her younger

sister.

Br Jaffer invited

the audience to

contribute to the

session which was to

feature the sisters

engaging in six

scrupulously testing,

variant manipulations

of their vast knowledge base. For the first

demonstration volunteers were required to

suggest any Surah and Ayah of the Holy

Quran. The sisters then proceeded to

alternately produce an exposition of the Surah

including where it was revealed, the position

of the selected verse on the page, the total

number of verses on that page and the verses

beginning and ending the page. The sisters can

successfully accomplish this exercise within a

span of one hundred pages. Brother

Mohammed al-Hilli and others facilitated

audience participation by operating

the computer system displaying the Holy

Quran on screen, proportionate to the one the

Quran

6 Voice Of Unity

young ladies have been used to revising from.

(continued from page 5)

The next stage constituted identification of the

Surah and Ayah from being advised of simply

the page number. Once again, an impeccable

parenthetic commentary preceded the

recitation, verifying the acclaimed stature of

the sisters.

As the observers of this extensive feat

uttered praise to the Almighty, the young

ladies offered further evidence of amazing

diversity which is integral to their exhaustive

capabilities. The task of methodically reciting

t h e

beginning

verse of

one page

a n d

b r i s k l y

m o v i n g

to the last

verse of

the next

page was

repeated

s e v e r a l

times.

Their remarkable capacity for flexibility

was rigorously tried in the next phase which

comprised stating the location of two verses

which would be given to them. Knowledge of

the top and bottom verse numbers on a page

will elicit the page number, information about

the number of verses on the page, and

recitation of the first few verses.

As the computer had only just caught up

with their speedy progression, they were

advancing apace with their subsequent

mission, affirming their mesmerising

adaptability. This involved chronological

forward and backward recitation of verses

from a given verse. As always this was

augmented by an interpretation of the verses

in Farsi, with Sr Ruqayyah commanding a

magnificent clarity of expression. Br Jaffer

provided the English translation, which also

appeared on screen.

Br Jaffer had adeptly channelled the

knowledge these young ladies brought with

them for the benefit of the faithful. He steered

the inordinate, often complex mechanisms in

action to a gradual cessation. The sisters

concluded with an inspirational classification

of Surah and Ayah relating to any requested

subject matter, general or specific.

Br Jaffer made explicit his desire for all

present to emulate these gifted young ladies

and aspire to train themselves for attaining

hafiz status. He prayed that Allah (SWT)

increase their abilities. The listeners marvelled

for the

final time

a t S r

Ruqayyah‟s perseverance as she executed the

physically demanding, immensely difficult

professional recitation of the Holy Quran. The

appreciation of effect and perspicuity

emanating from one so young was indicative

of the discipline and tenacity surely required

of her.

Sr Ruqayyah selected prize-winners

from the entries for the IUS Quranic quiz. Br

Zafar announced the winners and the correct

responses. He urged all present to circulate the

impression of the events they had seen and

heard, and communicated the need for

promotion of unity between Muslims.

Furthermore, Br Zafar left the audience with

the stark reminder that the recitation,

interpretation and memorisation of the Holy

Quran is widespread among followers of the

Ahlul-Bayt, with the honoured guests of the

day testifying to the potential of non-

ma’soomeen for excelling through this

practice.

Quran

7 Voice Of Unity Ethics

Unfortunately another common wrongdoing of

the tongue is that of bickbiting, that is to say

anything about one‟s Muslim brother/sister

which they dislike, even if it may be true.

Although common, backbiting is an extremely

grave sin because it is one that is not easily

forgiven. The messenger of Allah (SAW) said:

’Backbiting is worse than fornication‟ and it

was said „Oh Rasulullaah, why is that so?‟ he

said „The fornicator repents then Allah

forgives, and the person who backbites repents

but Allah does not forgive him until the one

who was being talked about first forgives‟.

It is often said that Islam has been sent

to protect against oppression and victimisation,

and this can be clearly seen in the case of

backbiting, as Allah (SWT) will not forgive he

who backbites unless the victim first forgives

him. Not only this, the victim of backbiting is

also given some of the good deeds of his

oppressor which are added to his scale. Allah

(SWT) considers the act of backbiting so vile

that He has likened it to eating the flesh of the

dead brother/sister. If a person backbites

another and what is said is not true then this

constitutes to Buhtaan or slander. Slander is a

truly malicious act for which there is no excuse.

This is because it is incumbent upon every

Muslim to safeguard the honor and reputation

of his Muslim brother/sister, no matter how

much stigma there may be between them. Like

lying, backbiting and slander have detrimental

effects on society, and ties of family and

friendship can be damaged as a result.

The only way we can distance ourselves

from the described sins of the tongue is if we

take heed of the advice given to us by the last

prophet (SAW), „Whoever believes in Allah

and the last day should speak good or keep

quiet‟. We should be wary of excessive vain

talk since it is under such circumstances that we

are likely to slip up. Secondly, it is important

that we are alert and remember that every word

said is registered and has a consequence. It is

necessary to think before speaking in order to

analyse whether our speech can be construed in

any way offensive. In this way we will slowly

be trained to speak more intelligently with

Sr. Oola Ajina

“Not a word is uttered except that there is a

watcher by him ready to record it” (Surat

Qaf 50:18)

Allah (SWT) has given mankind a small lump

of muscle with which words can be articulated

and speech is made possible. However with this

gift of speech, Allah (SWT) has warned humans

that everything uttered shall be recorded by the

two angels (Kiramal Katibeen), and man will be

rewarded accordingly: "…Then anyone who

has done an atoms weight of good shall see it,

And anyone who has done an atoms weight of

bad shall see it” (Suratul-zalzalah 99:7-8)

The tongue is a great blessing which has

the potential to be a key for obedience to Allah

(SWT), as well as being a tool of

communication. Nevertheless, if used

incorrectly, the tongue may also be instrumental

in individual and social breakdown since it may

be used for sins such as lying, backbiting and

slander. In either case, good or bad, the tongue

is an expression of ones heart, and so if a person

is in the routine of using foul language and

speaking ill of others then this is often a close

insight to their spiritual state.

Allah (SWT) has made the tongue very

easy to move, and so a lot of effort is required in

controlling it. Indeed many of the people that

shall enter hellfire will do so due to the

consequences of their tongues. One of the

misdeeds of the tongue is lying. A lie is any

untruth, and since Islam is the religion of truth,

lying is a major sin. The danger of lying is that

it only needs for a person to lie once and get

away it for that person to be drawn into the habit

of the sin. In Islam, the concept of a „white lie‟

does not exist, and so the principle of

punishment is the same no matter how

meaningless the lie may be. Many lies are

unintentional and often stem from exaggerations

of the truth. Although the precise reasons as to

why people lie are much varied, many lies can

be attributed to freeing ones self from blame or

in order to increase popularity. It has been

reported that the prophet of Allah (SAW) said:

‘Woe to him who speaks falsehood in order to

make people laugh. Woe to him!‟

8 Voice Of Unity

education” by Al-Balagh Foundation.

‘Hajj-My personal experience‟....Pages 8-9

When the idea of Hajj was mentioned to me, I

was a little apprehensive at first. I had never

visited an Islamic country before and knew not

what to expect. However, the more I read and

spoke to people, the more I began to warm to

the idea. Suddenly our tickets were booked and

we were going to the Holy Lands. I couldn‟t

believe that we were actually going. I kept

having to ask my parents if it was true, just in

case I was dreaming, but I was not. We were

really going to the House of God.

Once we had checked in at the airport,

we sat waiting for our flight to be announced.

As I sat, I noticed our group‟s banner. It read

“Al Asr Hajj Group - At the Service of Allah‟s

Guests”. I hadn‟t really thought of myself as a

guest of Allah until that point and the very

thought filled me with renewed excitement.

With du‟a book in one hand and

boarding pass in the other, we entered a waiting

lounge, but it was only a few minutes before we

could board the plane. I frantically searched for

my “du‟a when boarding a means of transport”

and recited it as we embarked. We quickly

found our seats, secured our hand luggage in the

compartments above us and strapped ourselves

in. At this point, I accepted that every Muslim‟s

dream was fast becoming my reality.

Two hours of standing in a queue at

Medina airport that was moving at a snail‟s

pace, having my passport checked over a dozen

times and waiting while our luggage was

searched left me exhausted. The next stop was

our hotel and I couldn‟t wait. After some

confusion, we finally got to what was to be our

home for the next few days: nine in a room with

eighteen women sharing one bathroom, no bed

to sleep on, just a thin mattress and a tiny fridge

to hold all the drinks we could squeeze into it.

Not exactly five star accommodation but I felt it

was luxury compared to that of pilgrims of

earlier years.

Sr. Sabera Bhimani The next morning I awoke to the sound

of Adhaan. It was such a wonderful feeling and

I wished that it was possible back home.

Hurriedly I got ready, and we proceeded to the

mosque for fajr namaaz. I saw people literally

running to answer the call of prayer, a great

advantage of living in an Islamic country, I felt.

The mosque itself was beautiful, with

domes and minarets at every corner. Of course I

realised that extensive reconstruction had taken

place, but still was mesmerised by the

magnificence of it all, particularly at night.

After some exploration, the group gathered to

pay our respects to the Imams buried at Jannatul

-Baqi. The extent of the damage to the

graveyard was clearly visible and it was

upsetting to see that the resting place of such

holy figures had been reduced to rubble.

Our time in Medina was spent visiting

the shrine of the Holy Prophet with morning and

evening prayers made at Masjid-un-Nabi, as

well as making as making excursions to holy

places of interest. These included Majlis-e-

Quba, the first mosque in Medina and Masjid-e-

Quiblatain. I was grateful for the scores of

History lessons that I had had at madressa which

provided me the background to the great

monuments.

Unfortunately our time in Medina soon

came to an end and after a farewell visit to the

Prophet‟s mosque, our group mounted a coach

on its way to Mecca via Masjid-e-Shajara where

we would don our Ihram. Washing facilities

were available so that we could perform our

ghusals. Once in Ihram, the famous “25 things”

were now forbidden to us as our pilgrimage had

begun. The rest of the journey to Mecca took

several hours. The men had to ride in an open

air bus and recitation of the talbiyah continued

for most of the way.

On our first night in Mecca, we

performed the first part of our wajib Hajj - Umra

-e-Tamattu. As we approached one of the many

entrances to the holy Ka‟ba, our group leader

explained meeting points and times to us, but I

did not hear him, I was too busy remembering

Hajj

9 Voice Of Unity

my niyyats, various du‟as and supplications as

well as trying to contain my excitement.

Once the group was ready, we proceeded

through “Baab-us-Salaam” the “gate of peace”,

considered the best entrance into the Haram. I

noticed that below us was a long corridor and

people were running up and down it. I later

found out that they were performing Sa‟iy as

they ran between Safa and Marwa. I

remembered as a child imagining the two

mountains to be in a desert area with hot sand

under ones feet and even hotter sun in the sky

above. I became a little disheartened, for the

cool marble floor, air conditioning and elaborate

lighting made me feel as if I was cheating in

some way. Nevertheless, I continued walking

and them my eyes fell upon it…The House of

God.

I was filled with indescribable feelings.

No picture I had ever seen captured the beauty

and magnificence of that was now before me but

there was no time to dwell on the grandeur of it

all, as we were all eager to begin the tawaf.

The tawaf was harder than I had thought

and my movements were often the result of

being swept along with the crowds. I felt that

those who were alone were most peaceful as

they did not have to worry about chains being

broken or losing members of their group.

Following the tawaf, two raka‟ats of namaaz

must be offered as near as possible to Maqam-e-

Ibrahim but it was difficult to find a place where

your head would not be accidentally stepped on

whilst in sajdah. The next act was to perform,

was Sa‟iy. This again was difficult and I was

indeed grateful for the smooth floor and

ventilation. The paths were packed from wall to

wall and it was near impossible to touch Safa or

Marwa with your foot. On the seventh length,

ending at Marwa, Taqseer is performed. That

snipping off a few hairs from my head or

clipping a nail or two, marked the end or Umrah

-e-Tamattu and incurred a great sense of

satisfaction, joy and immense well being within

me.

On my second evening visit to the

Haram, I went exploring. Several flights of

escalators took me to the very top and I

witnessed an almighty sight. Waves of people

floated around the Ka‟aba and I realised that I

was another drop in that great white sea.

On the third night, amazingly, I was able

to touch the Ka‟aba and offer two raka‟ats of

namaaz there. The space just seemed to appear

and I had plenty of room to perform sajdah with

no one trampling on my head or feet. It was

also tonight that I saw and touched Maqam-e-

Ibrahim. This was very important to me, but

unfortunately I didn‟t quite make it to Hajr-e-

Aswad.

The rest of the days were spent in much

the same way, in ibadaat and exploration. We

often spent the entire night at the Haram, just

praying and watching and then sleeping it off

the next day.

The time soon came for the second part

of our pilgrimage, Hajj-e-Tamattu, and after

Ihram, the next wajiba‟at was to stay at the plain

of Arafa‟at from Zohr until sunset. I had heard

stories of intense heat here, but our shelter was

very effective in providing shade, and our diet

of fresh fruit and cold juices was refreshing. I

had read that it was mustahab to stand for the

entire wuqoof and intended to do this, but I

often found myself sitting on the floor and

having to pick myself up again.

Dawn to sunrise is spent collecting

stones at Muzdalifah. I had read that this was

the place where elephants of Abraha had been

struck down by birds sent by Allah (SWT) as

narrated in Suratul-feel and thought that maybe,

those were the very stones.

I needed to strike the “big Shaytan”

seven times, then each of them seven times, then

seven times again, that meant forty nine. As I

was collecting for my mother, who was not well

enough to do so, this number was doubled to

ninety eight, but ever cautious I added a few

more to account for any “misses”.

Our next stop was Mina. The first task

was to strike the Jammarat-al-Aqba (the big

Shaytan) seven times. Huge crowds surround

the Jammarat and in an attempt to get closer, I

lost one of my slippers. I could not see over the

tall men in front of me and did not want to waste

my stones, but I was determined to strike the

Shaytan myself and followed one of the sisters

in the group. The trick was to keep your head

down and suddenly I was as close to the Shaytan

as I had been to the Ka‟aba. With perfect aim

Hajj

10 Voice Of Unity Ethics

Sr. Duha Al-Wakeel

London Paddington, seven thirty am

on a Saturday morning – that sounded too

early for my liking! Who would have

thought that after a typically long strenuous

week I would have the energy to be there at

such an early hour? Well I made it there

alhamdulilah (just about!) as did the thirty

five or so other IUS members who had

decided to swap the smog of London for the

salt sea air of Swansea for a day.

The train journey was pleasant full of

country sights, with tea, coffee and chats

among friends. Arriving at Swansea we were

taken by coach to a local mosque, where we

had an opportunity to pray Zuhr and Asr

prayers and have some lunch.

With the brothers downstairs eating,

some of us sisters decided to sneak off up the

road to the reputable „Joe‟s‟ ice cream parlour

that was conveniently situated a stone throw‟s

walk away. As according to one of the IUS

members no visit to Swansea was complete

without a visit to „Joe‟s‟ so we had to test out

her claim and thus we returned to the mosque

bearing chocolate and vanilla sundaes.

After lunch provided by our hosts (and

our ice cream!) we set off in the coach to the

coast of Rhossili Bay. Most surprisingly the

weather was quite good alhamdulilah and it

was not as cold or dreary as I had expected.

There was some mist, though that seemed to

fade in finely as part of the setting.

The view of the horizon in itself was

relaxing, though trekking up and down the

cliff edge was not so. The sandy shores and

misty mountains reminded us of the

tranquillity to be found outside of inner

suburbia; whilst also demonstrating the variety

of Allah (SWT)‟s creation.

Whether taking photo‟s, paddling,

collecting shells, drawing shapes in the sand

or merely strolling up and down the beach

everyone was at ease and grateful for a day

away. Too soon though it was time to go, we

had a train to catch and it was back to

Swansea Railway station for the six thirty to

London Paddington.

Exhausted but content it

had been a pleasing opportunity

to enjoy a subsidised day out

with other IUS members. A

mentally rejuvenating Eid trip

symbolic of Eid as a day away

f r o m t y p i c a l m a t e r i a l

commitments, a day in the

company of other Muslim

friends, demonstrated in the

conversation and laughter to be

heard amongst IUS members.

11 Voice Of Unity Psychology

Allah(SWT) says in the Quran:- „We shall

show them our signs in the horizons(universe)

and within themselves until it becomes clear to

them that He is the Truth, the Real’ . Allama

Iqbal, the greatest philosopher and thinker of

century, wrote in his poem “Asrar-I-

Khudi” :„…A person who knows and controls

himself rules the world‟

We must really think about these things

as followers of the Ahlul-Bait, as followers we

must set the best possible example when we

are spreading the deen of Allah. To guide

others to the truth and the path of true light,

we must be correct ourselves first, be like the

Imams(AS) as they are undoubtedly

exemplary human beings. If we cannot do this

then we cannot call ourselves „followers‟, as

Imam Jaffer As-Sadiq (AS) called those

people „Rafidaa’ or „rejecters‟ who didn‟t

follow the teachings of the Imams in its

entirety. So it is very important that we equip

ourselves, utilise, ponder over and understand

the teachings of the Ahlul-Bait in all aspects

and all dimensions, by doing so we will

Inshallah be elevated to the highest of spiritual

values.

The above information that I have

provided is only general information as each

aspect of the topics involved only is covered

briefly. The object of this article is provide

some insight and an angle of approach (and

only a personal opinion) of how we can aim

to become better human beings through

understanding ourselves though understanding

our minds, and hence our goal in our lives is

to ascend toward the most natural and humane

state, that is , to practise our deen in its

entirety and to worship the Almighty, who

provides us with inspiration:

‘Oh my servants! Obey me and you can be like

me. You can say to a thing ‘be’ and it is’.

_ _ _

Br. Zileyh Hassnane Shah

Level of beliefs is determined by how

much work is done on nurturing the mind/

intellect through the type of knowledge that is

Haq (truth). One of the laws of Physics states

that „work is done when an application of force

moves an object through distance x‟. i.e. work

is done in order to move an object from an

initial position to a final position, destination,

goal. The literal meaning is intact but if we

analyse this law and apply it specifically, we

see that work has to be done to increase our

power of intellect; and work has to be done

when a soul strives towards submission, haq

and to establish his/her final and ultimate goal:

connection and close proximity to Allah

(SWT).

Psychological investigations have been

made show that man at certain point of his

lifetime is able to understand something by

intuition. In Islam this kind of intuition is

known as inspiration from Allah (SWT). At

this state the human mind is able to discover

certain facts without logical reasoning or

thinking and without guidance from someone

else. Every individual has been given this

power in different degrees according to his/her

capacity. It is thought that every individual has

the ability to reach the highest degree of this

state. The power of the Imams to receive

inspiration have reached the highest degree of

excellence and this is Divinely given power.

With this Divinely given power the Imams are

able to maintain and understand information

about anything, anywhere at anytime without

any methodological reasoning or guidance from

teacher. The Imams knew every atom of the

universe. Therefore they were in total harmony,

the most natural and humane state possible.

This indeed brings us closer to being in he

natural state as were the Imams of the Ahlul-

Bait.

12 Voice Of Unity

Syeda Tatheer Zahra Shamsi

Alhamdulillah the month of Muharram-ul

-Haraam is once again to be commemorated

world-wide by believers congregating to pay

homage to the beloved grandson of our Holy

Prophet (SAW). We experience a unique revival

of our faith every year with the details of the

historical tragedy relayed to us. However, this

timeless narrative never fails to awaken and

inspire us. The media attention and academic

research attracted by this annual phenomenon

bears witness to the thought-provoking nature of

this grief which is embedded deep within our

psyches (derived from the Greek meaning of

‘essence‟ or „soul‟).

The very fact of our expression of

mourning can easily be overlooked by ourselves

or taken for granted as a necessary tradition

inherited from generations of forefathers. In

fact, to assign the singular label of intrinsic

tendency to this process would have the effect

of denying ourselves the opportunity of

understanding the development of our own

consciousness. Furthermore, the limit applied

would be discordant with the remarkable and

expansive facets attributed to the process of

mourning for our Imam (AS). The complexity

of this multidimensional process is to be revered

in its own right as it places our achievements as

individuals in understanding the sacrifice at

Kerbala within the context of the miracle of

‘development‟ in every sense of the word

bestowed by our Creator.

The cognitive-developmental theory of

human development views children as

constructivists - that is, as curious, active

explorers who respond to the environment

according to their understanding of its essential

features. The majority of us born into the faith

have been brought up within an environment

which has produced an awareness of the impact

of the tragedy of Kerbala from a very young

age. However, how would we, as children,

perceive the significance of those acts of

mourning upon our own lives? The theory holds

that a child‟s constructions of reality

(interpretations of the environment) would

depend on his/her level of cognitive

development. A schema is a central structure in

our cognitive development as it refers to a store

of information about previous experiences

which is used to evaluate future experiences and

make decisions about them. So from very early

on we would have a schema (a mental

framework) about attending majalis for

example. To begin with, the schema could

consist of the knowledge that one has to sit very

quietly at these gatherings - he/she is not

allowed to talk or play, and that people cry a lot

here. At this stage in our cognitive development

we would be dependent upon models to provide

information to make sense of our environment.

We would then begin our process of attempting

to understand by following the social norms,

that is, the ways of thinking or behaving which

are considered appropriate for members of a

group.

The process of socialisation (the process

of acquiring the knowledge, values and social

skills that enable the individual to become a

member of their society and behave

appropriately within it) would be vital in the

formative stages in introducing to us the concept

of mourning for our Imam (AS).

The relationship between social

interaction and cognitive development forms a

basis for the process of maturation which moves

us towards the direction we take. Social

Learning Theory stresses the influence of

parents, peers, siblings, teachers and the media

in providing models and outcomes for

behaviour. Observational learning has a crucial

role in determining how behaviour is shaped.

We have already seen how from very early on

our behaviour would follow set patterns defined

by the environment of mourning. However,

what is of greater interest here is how our

attitudes towards our environment would be

Muharram

13 Voice Of Unity

developing along with the

codes of behaviour which

we would have begun to

recognise. The principles

of social learning theory

also help to explain how

attitudes are formed.

Certainly throughout

the earlier stages of

socialisation, it is our

parents who are likely to

be the most powerful

source of influence on the

attitude formation of their

children. With regards the

philosophy of mourning,

the development of our

own thoughts and attitudes

towards this notion is a

progressive, dynamic

feature comprising a number of levels of

intellectual advancement, and beginning with the

process of internalisation. This is a type of social

influence which is born out of our desire to be

right in our opinions and values. If we consider

another person both to be trustworthy and also of

good judgement, then we are more likely to

accept their opinions and values and to integrate

them into our own. Over time these would

become dissociated from their source, and

become a stable part of our own cognitive world.

To arrive at this stage would have required an

independent meditation of the story of Kerbala

and an attempt to understand its connection to our

own lives. This unfolding realisation is

continuous, with the manifest reasons for the

process of mourning becoming increasingly

apparent. Clearly the sincerity of our belief would

be strengthened with the acquisition of

knowledge.

But what is the role played by our

emotions in the midst of our behavioural and

cognitive development? Our history of sorrow

and lamentation evokes essentially an emotional

response. We are equipped with the gift of

emotional expression from birth. However the

range of functions it fulfils will again, expand

and progress as the infant matures, from the

initial cries of distress serving a

communicative function in the absence of

language.

We cannot grow to embrace the sacrifice

of our Imam (AS) without its appeal to our

hearts as well as to our logic. Within the

multilateral nature of our process of mourning

exist many different ways of remembering and

honouring our Imam (AS). But constant and

sturdy, through national, sociocultural and

lingual variations remains the position of

eminence attributed to the Imam (AS) and His

companions within our own lives. The process

of mourning then, as we have seen is an

accumulative one, guiding us along novel

paths. Behavioural, intellectual and emotional

enrichment, for us forms the more tangible

aspect of this process in our current lives, with

the conviction of having gained the pleasure of

our Creator for the Hereafter.

Muharram

14 Voice Of Unity Whats On....

Br. Mohammed Al-Hilli

With reliance on Allah (SWT), the

IUS has progressed a step further into the

establishment of a nation-wide expansion

here in the UK. With this in mind, eleven

brothers and sisters from London attended

the IUS Birmingham Conference, held at

Imambaragh on Saturday the 6th of

February. They were warmly welcomed by

their hosts, and were shown around the

impressive new nursery built next to the

Centre as well as the growing Imam Al-

Mahdi Hawza.

Chaired by Dr

Mohsen Al-Rashed, the

programme began with a

recitation of the holy

Quran, followed by an

introductory speech from

Sr. Shelina Kurji. Sr.

Shel ina greeted the

audience, and briefly

described the importance of

continuing on the path of

the Holy Month of

Ramadhan in all aspects of our lives. This

was followed by joint speeches made by Dr

Farhan Zaidi and Br Hasan Bokhari on

Imamat. The speakers presented a well-

organised approach to the concept of

Imamat, giving much evidence from the

Quran and the hadith of the Prophet

(PBUH).

The next part of the programme was

a detailed review of the achievements and

future aims of the IUS by Br Mohsen and

Br Ammar Hasan. Through the computer-

animated presentation, the brothers gave a

clear picture of the importance of the IUS

as an organisation catering for students and

young professionals.

The next speaker, Moulana Sheikh

Arif Abdulhussain, thoughtfully explored

the concept of unity, outlining its

importance and great relevance in our

everyday lives. Sheikh Arif also

expressed his hope that one day a clear

distinction between culture and religion

is drawn.

Sr. Shanaz Iqbal then presented a

quick speech on the „role of sisters in the

IUS‟, where she highlighted the

important part played by the

sisters in the day-to-day running

of various departments in the

society. After a short break and

refreshments, where the

attendants had a chance to view

the IUS stalls, Sr Fatim Kurji

presented an inspiring talk

entitled „Hajj - a spiritual

awakening‟. Sr Fatim stressed

the significance of this

important act of worship, and

the spiritual enlightenment a

Muslim enjoys when taking part

in the pilgrimage.

The programme then drew to a

close with the recitation of Dua-e-Wahda

and a vote of thanks to all from Dr Al-

Rashed.

The Islamic Unity Society was

greatly received by the various

communi t i e s i n B i r mingha m,

commending the organistaion for its

work and giving their full support in the

establishment of IUS Birmingham.

Alhamdullilah, the day was seen as a

great success.

We would like to thank all the

organisers, especially Sr Shelina Kurji

15 Voice Of Unity Trips

COMPETITION!!!!!

There are two brothers, Mudassar and Kamal.

Kamal is three times as old as Mudassar. If you

square Kamal's age you arrive at the same total

as when you cube Mudassar‟s age. If you

subtract Mudassar‟s age from Kamal‟s you

arrive at the number of steps in the path to their

front door. If you add Mudassar‟s age to

Kamal‟s you arrive at the number of palisades

in the house‟s fence. If you multiply their ages

you arrive at the number of bricks in the

House‟s front wall.

If you add these last three numbers together

you have their house number, which is 297.

How old are Mudassar and Kamal?

Please send your answers either by post, e-mail

(ius@ius.org.uk) or telephone. The first three

correct answers drawn from the hat receive a

free book of their choice from the IUS library.

Closing date for answers: 1/04/99

Brain Teasers

(continued on page 15)

Hajj: My personal experinec...continued

(well maybe just a few misses) I struck the Jammarat seven times for myself and

seven times for my mother, and with each one an “Allahu Akbar”. It was immensely

satisfying and I hoped that the symbolism of this act would ring true.

Sacrificial slaughter - Qurbani is then required of us and is performed by the men

on the women‟s behalf. Followed by the throwing of stones again and the men

performing Halaq, that is shaving their heads.

When we returned to Mecca, we received the sad news that one of the sisters in our

group had passed away, but there is something inspiring about the place in which she died.

She had been too ill to make the wuqoofs and so had stayed in the hotel in Mecca, her

ghusl was performed by some of the other ladies and she was buried in Jannatul Maulla.

After we had performed our final tawafs, with their namaaz‟s, sa‟iy and Taqseer,

our Hajj-e-Tamattu was Alhamdulillah complete. Our remaining time was spent at the

Haram and visiting places such as the mountain where the prophet received his message

and Ghadeer, where the first Imam was pronounced successor. We also took a bus ride

retracing our steps to Arafa‟at and Mina. The tents had all disappeared and we were able

to drive through the place where the Jammarats had been.

When I hear that others are going for Hajj, I feel overjoyed. It is an experience

that I shall forever cherish and Inshallah hope to repeat. I pray that Allah (SWT) makes it

possible for all those who have not yet been able to perform the sacred pilgrimage to do

Answers to last issue’s teasers:

1- You enter the switch room,

switch one bulb one for 30 minutes,

then turn it off, and then switch a

second bulb on. Go to the bulb

room, the hottest bulb is the first

switch, the bulb on is the second

switch, and the bulb off is the third

switch.

2-The smallest number is 2520

( 7 X 360). The Imam multiplied

the number of days in the week by

the number of days in a lunar

calendar.

3- Divide the oranges to three

groups. Weigh two groups

separately, then if one set weighs

16 Voice Of Unity

* IUS Trips: Alhamdullilah, the IUS staged its eid trip to

Swansea successfully, with over 37 brothers and sisters taking

part. This was followed a week later by the Birmingham conference. For details of the

trips see inside articles. We would like to thank all the participants and helpers who made

these trips possible, and look forward to organising more in the future inshallah.

* Weekly Meetings: The Ramadhan programmes were very well attended, which

contained iftars and very informative lectures. After Ramadhan, very good lectures by Dr

Haider Abbas, Sayyid Mohammed Mousawi, Br Sayyid Shabbar followed.

* Eids: The IUS would like to wish all a very happy Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Ghadeer.

Ius News

Shahadat Imam Taqi (AS) 29 Dhul-Qada Thu 18th March

Shahadat Imam Baqir (AS) 7 Dhul-Hijja Thu 25th March

Arafat 9 Dhul-Hijja Sat 27th March

Shahadat Hadhrat Muslim 9 Dhul-Hijja Sat 27th March

VEid-Ul-Adha 10 Dhul-Hijja Sun 28th March

Wiladat Imam Naqi (AS) 15 Dhul-Hijja Fri 2th April

VEid-Ul-Ghadeer 18 Dhul-Hijja Mon 5th April

Eid Mubahalah 24 Dhul-Hijja Sun 11th April

Ashura Imam Hussain (AS) 10 Muharram Tue 27th April Subject to the sighting of the moon

Islamic Unity Society

Registered Charity No. 1066910

Mail Address: Telephone: 0171 436 4786

c/o IUS Box 145 Email: M.Al-Rashed@ucl.ac.uk

37 Store Street ius@ius.org.uk

London WC1E 7BS Internet: http:/www.ius.org.uk

Wednesday General Meetings

Wed 24/02: Philosophy of Ibadat (1) Sayyid Makki

Wed 3/03: Philosophy of Ibadat (2) Sayyid Makki

Time: 5 PM Place: Dar Al-Hikma (45 Chalton St)