TMC Aguda_The Light They Followed (Muharram 1436 AH)

5/19/2018 TMC Aguda_The Light They Followed (Muharram 1436 AH)

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TMCAguda Branch | THE LIGHT THEY FOLLOWED | Muharram 1436 Vol. 1 No. 1 Page 1 of 40


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Table of Contents

Editorial....................................................................................................................................................................... 3

THE FAVOURS OF ALLAH ON THE BELIEVERS AND THE FRUITS OF GOD-CONSCIOUSNESS ....................................... 4

Written by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi .............................................................................................................................. 4

THE MARVELOUS WONDERS IN THE CREATION OF CAMELS ...................................................................................... 6

Compiled by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi ........................................................................................................................... 6

THE STRONG AND TRUSTWORTHY .............................................................................................................................. 8

Written by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi .............................................................................................................................. 8

THE RELIGION IS SINCERE ADVICE ............................................................................................................................. 10

Written by: Dawud Ayolo ...................................................................................................................................... 10

ARTS OF THE CALL (1) ................................................................................................................................................ 12

Written by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi ............................................................................................................................ 12THE FUNCTIONS OF A MOSQUE ................................................................................................................................ 14

Written by: Abdul Kabir Shotonwa........................................................................................................................ 14

PORTRAITS FROM THE LIFE OF HASAN AL-BASRI ...................................................................................................... 16

Written by: Yusuf Uthman..................................................................................................................................... 16

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS MY IDENTITY .............................................................................................................................. 18

Written by: Muhammad Issa ................................................................................................................................. 18

COPING WITH DIVERGENT SCHOLARLY OPINIONS ................................................................................................... 20

Written by: Ibrahim Ahmad .................................................................................................................................. 20HARD KNOCKS ON POVERTY ..................................................................................................................................... 22

Written by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi ............................................................................................................................ 22

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN MODERN TECHNOLOGIES ...................................................................................... 24

Written by: Abdul Azeez Banjoko .......................................................................................................................... 24

CAT-FISHING MONEY MADE EASY ............................................................................................................................. 26

- A PRACTICAL GUIDE" ............................................................................................................................................... 26

Written by: Ali Akintola ......................................................................................................................................... 26

PERSONALITY OF A MUSLIM ..................................................................................................................................... 30Taken from: 40 Hadiths on Islamic personality ..................................................................................................... 30

AL-AQSA MOSQUE..................................................................................................................................................... 32

Written by: Qasim - Abu Aishah .......................................................................................................................... 32

BIOMIMICRY .............................................................................................................................................................. 34

Culled from:Wikipedia .......................................................................................................................................... 34

PROPHET IBRAHIM IS OUR LEADER ........................................................................................................................... 35

Composed by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi ....................................................................................................................... 35

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD ..................................................................................................................................... 37


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ditorial

In the Name of Allah The Entirely Merciful The

Especially Merciful.

This magazine is an extension of our continuing

efforts to revive and reinforce the moral

foundations of Islamic cultures and civilizations

among members of our Muslim community

through awareness and practical demonstrations,

as well as to curtail the increasing rate of moral

decadence among our teaming youths.

Our intent with the word LIGHT in the title

chosen for this magazine is pristine Islam; while

the word THEY refers to our righteous

predecessors from the Sahabah downwards. It is

clear how we appreciate the true divine guidance

and how much we envy the sacrifices and

successes of those who preceded us with

Godliness and righteousness.

We have carefully divided this magazine into

fifteen sections, each section with an appropriate

topic. While the sections will remain same

through subsequent editions, the topics will

change with new release.

Three sections are dedicated to present some three

important aspects of the Quran; section one will

highlight some vital points from selected verses,

section two will define some points worth

reflecting upon while section three will extract

lessons from some verses that told a story.

The Sunnah seconds the Quran, a selection from

this second source of our glittering civilizations

will be discussed in section four; in section five,

some necessary tools will be handed over to the

Callers on the path and those who were keen to

learn the art of treading the noble path of Dawah;section six informs on why the mosque exists, in

an attempt to utilize it for the better.

Section seven will present some portraits from the

life of a Sahabah, a Tabieen or any of those who

have followed them in obedience to the divine

guidance. Section eight, Ar-Rabaaniyah is a

section dedicated for mobilizing the Muslims

towards righteousness. Section nine is for Fiqh.

Economy has been identified as the backbone of a

nation; section ten will explore some economic

opportunities and present them as applicable

locally to improve on the economic status of theMuslims and unshackle them from financial

slavery. Section eleven and twelve will present an

invaluable extract from the classical works of our

intellectual scholars and some notable aspects of

the blessed land of Palestine respectively.

The correlation between natural science and

Islamic civilizations; the relevance and

developments of child psychology in the light of

true Islamic cheer play and presentation/analysis

of some current global affairs will constitute

sections thirteen through fifteen to conclude the

carefully harmonized series.

Our sincerest appreciation goes to our honourable

writers who have generously contributed their

wealth of knowledge and experience to making

this quarterly magazine a success.

We present all of these and our well informed

brothers waiting in the mosques and centers listed

on the back cover to answer your questions and

bring more clarity to where there may be

obscurity. We assure you of our sincere prayers

while hoping to enjoy the company of the

prophets in Jannah together with you, and do not

forget us in the best of your dua.

Abdul Rasheed Idris,

Editorial Team Head, Education Committee,

TMC Aguda Branch


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THE FAVOURS OF ALLAH ON THE

BELIEVERS AND THE FRUITS OF

GOD-CONSCIOUSNESS

Written by: Abdul Jelil AdeyemiBA, Islamic Studies, Islamic Online University [Student]

O ye who believe! If ye fear Allah, He will grant you a

Criterion (to distinguish between right and wrong),

remove from you (all) evil, and forgive you: for Allah

is the Lord of Grace unbounded.1

Outline

Belief and piety. Piety motivates righteousness.

The Criterion and the benefits.

Forgiveness and pardon.

Highlights

1. Allah made true belief and piety as two

requirements for granting a Criterion,

wiping off misdeeds and overlooking

mistakes.

2. Belief in Allah is to truly accept Him as

the Creator and Sustainer of the whole

existence; to affirm the unity2 of His

Names and Attributes; and to affirm that

He is the only Lord worthy of worship

according to how it was described by His

messenger.

3. Belief in the messenger is inseparable

from the belief in Allah. The belief in the

1Surah Anfal 29

2To belief that the perfect names and attributes are

exclusively for Allah.

messenger is to accept that he was trulysent by Allah, and implementing the

message he brought without hesitation or

willful disobedience. The divine message

is perfect and superior. Innovation in the

religion is a deliberate sabotage to the

belief which will only lead to a dead end

and destruction. Religion is a complete

system of life, belief is the foundation of a

religion; history has proved from thedistant past to the present that humans are

unable to live successfully under any

system outside the divine guidance. Any

society that scored low on inner peace,

safety, orderliness and other basic

requirements for prosperity and success

should reconsider her stance on Godliness

and righteousness.

4. Taqwa or fear of Allah is the driving force

that motivates implementation of what is

believed in the heart. Taqwa is an internal

force but is evident and measurable by its

consequences when the divine guidance is

being implemented by the limbs.

Righteousness is powered by taqwa. A

pious Muslim will be keen on observing

the limits of Allah and obeying His

commandments in life.

5. A Muslim will demonstrate taqwa byobserving the five daily obligatory solats

in congregation at the prescribed periods,

he will improve his/her Godliness with lots


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of voluntary prayers, keep his tongue

moist with the remembrance of Allah and

share his knowledge and wealth with

others among other acts of righteousness.

Abstaining from acts of indecency andavoiding harms from reaching other people

remain the most evident manifestation of

taqwa.

6. Al-Furqaan translated as the Criterion is

defined as divine Help and Success. Some

recent scholars described it as correct

knowledge and superior wisdom or

manifest light and guidance capable of

distinguishing between right and wrong3.

It may also mean Taoraat, Injil or Al-

Quran, which were scriptures given to

prophets Musa, Isa and Muhammad

respectively. In any case, the Criterion is

always a right tool worthy of possession.

7. Humans have realized the reality of

weakness in their nature and have accepted

the necessity of divine intervention after

those they considered as most intellectual

failed with minor mistakes. It is regrettableand painful when a complex system turned

into a mess because of some avoidable

minor mistakes.

8. Allah has promised to intervene in the

affairs of Muslims and improve their

nature (by giving them knowledge and

wisdom and activating it when necessary)

to assist them avoid regrettable mistakes in

life. Muslims must strive to make theirbelief better and improve on their piety

with sincerity to enjoy this guaranty. A

Muslim condemned in sins and

transgressions will always worry of the

inconsistency of his belief with actions.

Indeed, sincere claim to belief will always

be followed with correct actions.

3Tafseer al-muneer, vol. 9 page 300, Dr Wahbatu Zuhaili

9. Multiple sacrifices deserve multiple

rewards. Maintaining true and correct

belief in the midst of disbelievers and

misbelievers is a difficult experience that

requires a lot of sacrifices anddetermination. Also, righteousness is not

attractive in a society that sponsors vices

and immoralities. Keeping the company of

truthful Muslims to seek beneficial

knowledge that will help to lighten up the

heart and teach practical implementation

of righteousness is an advice that cannot

be ignored.

10.In addition to the Criterion, Allah also

wipes off misdeeds and mistakes and hides

them from the people. No one loves to be

known for sins and mistakes except the

shameless criminals4.

11.Allah is indeed worthy of praise; He is

fully aware of the inner and outer self of

His creatures and rewards those who are

righteous and truly sincere.

4Flagrant display of immoralities and sins is worse than the

sins themselves.


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THE MARVELOUS WONDERS IN THE

CREATION OF CAMELS

Compiled by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi

Do they not look at the Camels, How They are

created?5

Outline

Description

Camels in Arabia

Anatomy

Uses / Advantages

Description

Nature's true nomads.

Camels have lived in some of the most desolate

corners of our planet, and not only do they live,

they thrive. Most large animals are unable to

survive in these kinds of desolate places. This is

because of their large requirement for resources

such as food and water. Camels are able to use

this to their advantage as a survival strategy. By

living in deserts, mountains, and other arid placesCamels are able to avoid predators, and others

who would compete for resources. Camels are

only able to do this because of their amazing

ability to efficiently use the resources their

environments provide. A camel can travel long

distances which allow them to take maximum

advantage of resources. They can withstand a

massive amount of dehydration which allows

them to survive not only between watering holes,

but sometimes between seasons.

5Surat-ul-Ghaashiyah 18

When at a watering hole camels are able to gorge

themselves and rehydrate quickly. For food,

camels are omnivorous. They can eat almostanything be it vegetation, meat, or bone, - salty or

sweet, a camels stomach knows no limits. But it is

their temperament that is truly endeared the camel

to man. Docile and sweet under a caring hand, but

stubborn and angry if ill treated; the camel wins

both your heart and your respect.

Arabian Camels

An overview of camels and man in Arabia.

Perhaps nowhere else on earth is more associated

with the camel than the Arabian Peninsula. Their

story is not one of a free population; however, but

of a domesticated animal. Throughout history,

Arabian camels have served the needs of humans,

and have benefited from that service as a species.

Humans have in fact assured the survival of

camels for thousands of years and quite literally

led them to success as a species that they probablywould never have had on their own. The camel

has played such an important role in Arab culture

that there are over 160 words for "camel" in the

Arabic language. The geography and climate have

combined to define an entire culture with the

camel at its core. This certainly must be seen as

high praise of this remarkable animal.

The camel's head, though small, is one of its most

interesting features. It has two large eyes on eitherside of the head. Each eye is shaded from the

noonday sun by a projecting ridge of bone with

thick bushy eyebrows.


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The eye itself is protected from sand by two rows

of extra long eyelashes, one on the upper eyelid,

and one on the lower eyelid. In addition to this,

each eye also has a very thin third eyelid that

moves in a side to side motion, front to back.These act as a windshield wiper brushing away

sand, or can close to protect the eye while still

allowing the camel to see.

In this way, a camel can often see well enough to

keep walking in the midst of a sandstorm. Glands

in the camel's eye supply a lot of water in order to

keep the eye moist under extremely dry

conditions. Located far back on the head are small

rounded ears. These ears are covered in hair,including the inside of the ear, which helps keep

out airborne sand and dust. The camel's valvular

nostrils are lined with hair and work on the same

principle as the ears to protect it from airborne

sand and dust. A camel's nose is also designed to

trap moisture from the lungs when the animal

exhales, thereby saving water.

Camels are capable of drinking 30 gallons (113.56

L) of water in 10 minutes. Scientists have even

found a camels stomach empty 10 minutes after

drinking 20 gallons (75.7 L) of water. In other

animals, drinking that much water would quickly

result in water intoxication. This is a dangerous

condition, where low electrolyte levels (sodium,

etc) in the blood serum cause water to be forced

into the body's cells and tissues through a process

called osmosis. In humans, this electrolyte

imbalance and tissue swelling can cause anirregular heartbeat, allow fluid to enter the lungs,

and put pressure on the brain and nerves, which

can cause behaviors resembling alcohol

intoxication. In severe cases, swelling brain tissue

can cause seizures, coma, and ultimately death.

This is probably what started the myth that if you

let a camel drinking as much as it wants, it will

drink itself to death.

But, where does the water go? The water first

goes into the bloodstream. The hemoglobins in a

camel's red blood cells are highly hydrophilic

(attracts water). This allows them to swell to

240% of their normal size. Amazingly, these

hemoglobins also resist hyperhydration, which

helps them avoid severe osmotic problems when

the camel drinks a larger amount of water. Theblood stream then quickly rehydrates the rest of

the body's tissues. Contrary to the popular myth,

only about a gallon and a half of water is stored in

special sacks within a camel's stomach. This is a

very limited amount of water and is not the

camelsmain storage device.

Camels minimize water loss through their waste.

The camel's kidneys can concentrate their urine to

the consistency of syrup with twice the saltcontent of sea water. And, their fecal pellets are so

dry that they can be used for cooking fuel

immediately after voiding.

The camel keeps as cool as it can by resting when

the weather is extremely hot, and feeding at night

or in the morning. It will lie down in a shady

place, if it can find one, or face in the direction of

the sun to minimize how much of its body is

exposed to the rays. During the heat of the day, a

group of camels may press against each other,

because their body temperatures are lower than

the air temperature. In captivity, a camel will

usually work only six months of the year. They

will become ill or die, if too much work is

demanded from them.

Although chicken is the most widely consumed

domestic meat in Saudi Arabia today, camel meat

could be the meat of the future especially in

health-conscious Western countries. This is

because camel meat has no cholesterol and hardly

any fat, since the fat is concentrated in the camel's

hump, which can weigh up to 80 lbs. (36 kg) and

can be easily discarded. If a camel's fat was

distributed over its body like in humans, it will

insulate the body and make it harder to cool down.

Other types of camel: Australian Camels,BactrianCamels,South American Camels.

Culled from:http://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/
http://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/australian-camels.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/bactrian-camels.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/bactrian-camels.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/south-american-camels-1.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/south-american-camels-1.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/bactrian-camels.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/bactrian-camels.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/bactrian-camels.htmlhttp://fohn.net/camel-pictures-facts/australian-camels.html


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THE STRONG AND TRUSTWORTHY

[A balance between Strength and Humbleness]

Written by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi

MEANING

22. then, when he (Prophet Musa, alayhi salaam)

turned his face towards (the land of) Madyan, he

said: "I do hope that my Lord will show me the

straight path."

23.and when he arrived at the watering (place) In

Madyan, he found there a group of men watering

(their flocks), and besides them he found two girls

who were keeping back (their flocks). he said:

"What is the matter with you?" They said: "We

cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take

back (their flocks): and our father is a very old

man."

24.so he watered (their flocks) for them; then he

turned back to the shade, and said:"O my Lord!

truly I am in (desperate) need of any good that you

send me!"

25.afterwards one of the (girls) came (back) to him,

walking with shyness. she said: "my father invites

you so that he may reward you for having watered

(our flocks) for us." so when he came to him and

narrated the story, he said: "Fear not. You have

escaped from the unjust people."26.One of the (girls) said, "O my father, hire him.

Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and

the trustworthy."

27.He said, "Indeed, I wish to wed you one of these,

my two daughters, on [the condition] that you

serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it

will be [as a favor] from you. And I do not wish to

put you in difficulty. You will find me, if Allah

wills, from among the righteous."

28. [Moses] said, "That is [established] between meand you. Whichever of the two terms I complete -

there is no injustice to me, and Allah is Witness

over what we say Q28:22-28


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Outline

Preamble

Prophet Musa

Background to the story

A lesson for the Muslim youths A message to the Muslim ladies

Preamble

If you have skipped reading the above quoted

verses, please return back and read; and if you

have only glanced through, please go back and

read carefully; a secondary explanation can never

replace the core. The following paragraphs will

only emphasize the verses.

Prophet Musa

The story of prophet Musa is the most told in the

Quran. He was an Israelite Jew born to a second

class family but raised in the resplendent palace of

the king of Egypt (i.e. Pharaoh6). He is one of the

topmost five among the messengers7. His strong

will and determination; the ability to conquer self-

pity and inferiority complex; and the wisdom tomaintain balance between strength and

humbleness is an expensive potential that

lightened up his life to success.

Background of the story

After the unpleasant accident8 that caused the

death of a Qibt9man at the hand of prophet Musa

in Egypt, he was advised by a well-wisher to leave

the land in order to escape the hunt of Pharaohs

policemen. He heeded the advice and moved

toward the land of Madyan where he began

another chapter of his life.

6Pharaoh was the title of the kings in Egypt during the time

of prophet Musa.7The total number of the prophets was 124,000. The total

number of the messenger was 313. Prophets Nuh, Ibrahim,

Musa, Issa and Muhammad were the five topmost amongthe messengers due to the strongest will and determination

they demonstrated during their mission as messengers.8Refer to verses 15 & 16 of this surah

9The Egyptian tribe which the Pharoah belonged.

A lesson for the Muslim youths

Oh my dear Muslim brother! You have trained

your body until you become brave and powerful

enough to wrestle and defeat 10 other men.

Accept my congratulation that you just fulfilled a

Sunnah; you are now more beloved to Allah:

A strong believer is more beloved to Allah than a weak

believer, but both are good (Ibn Hibban 13/28)

But remember that every potential is capable of

both good and harm. Your success or destruction

in both life and hereafter depends on the choice

you make on how to dispose your potentials.

Allah has shared strengths and potentials such as

knowledge, wisdom, insights, eloquence andbravery among His servants in due proportion,

each of them will be responsible to Allah on how

he utilized it, either for the betterment or

destruction of the society. Do not turn your plus

into minus with ignorance and arrogance. Take

lessons from history.

Abu Jahl (i.e. the father of ignorance) was known

as Abul Hikam (i.e. the father of wisdom) before

the advent of Islam. When the prophet took themessage of Islam to him, he used his wisdom in a

negative way; he rejected the message of truth and

launched an ideological and physical war against

Islam. He did not have a successful end.

Umar ibn Kattaab was a wrestler before the

advent of Islam. When the message of Islam

reached him, he humbled himself and accepted the

true message. He used his strength in a positive

way; he defended Islam with his bravery. He was

successful in both life and the hereafter

A message to the Muslims ladies

Please note that the narration in verse 25 can be

completed without the description of shyness.

Allah explicitly added the adjective to qualify the

well-mannered and home-trained girls in order to

pass a subtle message into your hearts, perhaps

you may take lesson. Indecent dressings and freemixing with non-relative males are shameless

manners. Modesty is your civilization. Accept it.


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THE RELIGION IS SINCERE ADVICE

Written by: Dawud AyoloBA, Islamic Studies, Al-Madeenah International University [Graduate]

All praise be to Allah, the Sustainer of theuniverse. May the blessing of Allah be on our

noble prophet Muhammad bin Abdullah, his

household, his companions, and their followers

with goodness till the Day of Judgment.

"

". "

"

It was narrated that Tameem Ad-Dari said:"The Messenger of Allah said: 'The Reli gion is

An-Naseehah (Sincere Advice)'They10said: 'To

whom, O Messenger of Allah?' he said: 'To Allah,

to His Book, to His Messenger, to the leaders of

the Muslims, and to their common folk."'11

It was stated in Abu Dawood that this hadeeth is

one among the ahadeeth that Islamic

jurisprudence relied upon.

Naseehah is usually translated as Advice, but the

closest meaning of the term naseehah is Sincerity,

meaning that the entire religion is based upon

Sincerity.

Ibn Ulayyahexplained the statement Abu-Bakr is

not above other companions for his prayer or

fasting, but because of something firmly standing

on his mind: love for Allah and giving Naseehahto people.

10The companions present with him

11Sahih Muslim Book 39, Hadith 49

Ibn Mubarak was asked of the greatest deed; he

replied: Giving Naseehah for Allahs sake

The Meaning of the prophet statement The Deenis Naseehah is that the main pillar of the religion

and its straightness lies in Naseehah (Sincere

Advice).

The prophet mentioned in this hadeeth five

categories that Naseehah should be given of:

Allah, His Book, His Messenger, Muslim Leaders

and the common people.

1. Naseehah to Allah: This has been interpreted

to mean all of the following:

- To have sound belief in Allah and disbelief

in anything opposing him.

- Describing Allah with the most complete

and Perfect Attributes,

- Freeing Allah from all deficiencies.

- It further implies being firm upon obeying

Allah and keeping away from disobeying

Him;

- Loving and hating because of Him;- Recognizing His favours and being

thankful to Him on that.

- Devoting our sincerity to Him in all our

endeavors and making supplications to

Him with His Noble Names and

Attributes.

- It also means that we must know how to

implement the Shariah of Allah in our

lives.

- It also teaches us how to purify ourrelationship with Allah and be as true to

this relationship as much as we can.


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2. Naseehah to His Book: This include all the

following:

- Total belief that the Book (i.e. Quran) is

from Allah (wordings and meaning).

- The Book supersedes any other revealed

books.

- No one is capable of producing just a verse

like it.

- Recitation and glorification of the book as

it is supposed to be recited and glorified.

- Reading it with total concentration and

proper pronunciation.

- Defending the Quran from any false and

misleading translation of the innovators.

- Also, believe in all that it contained andunderstanding its sciences and parables.

- Supplicating to Allah with it.

- Implementing its commandments and

staying away from its prohibitions.

- Explaining it to others by recitation,

interpretation and so on.

3. Naseehah to His Messenger: This means

- Believing in his messengership from

Allah,

- Believing in all that he brought,

- Helping his way (sunnah) both in his

lifetime and after his death,

- Having enmity towards the enemies of his

sunnah, and those who oppose or insult

any of his companions, households and

others.

- Boycotting those who attack his noble

personality12,

- Honouring him, reviving his sunnah,

responding to his Dawah,

- Spreading his sunnah and understanding

its meanings and sciences,

- Calling to his way, and being eager to

study his sunnah,

- Making salawat13 when his name is

mentioned,

12Example is when Muslims boycott Danish products after one

of their major newspaper depicted a blasphemous cartoon on

the prophet, and their leader refuse to apologize.13

By saying: sallallahu alayhi wasallam

- Keeping away from speaking about his

sunnah without knowledge,

- Behaving with the characters in his

sunnah,

- showing love to his household and

companions and

4. Naseehah to Muslim Leaders:This involves

- Obeying them (on what Allah commands),

- Reminding them of the truth with gentle words

- Advising reminding them of what they have

neglected secretly.

- Not to rebel against them with the sword,

- To gather peoples heart upon obeying them

and fighting in Jihad along with them,- Making dua for them that Allah guides them,

protects them and makes them able to carry

out their responsibilities.

- To inform them of the rights of the Muslims,

also is to know about them, interact with them,

and get involved in their efforts in a

constructive way and not to sit back and

criticize what they are doing without helping

them.

5. Naseehah to Common people:This implies

- Guiding them to what will benefit them in

this life and the hereafter.

- Helping them in times of need,

- protecting them from harm,

- ordering them with good and forbidding

them form evil

- showing mercy towards them.

- It also means honoring and respecting the

elders, and showing mercy to the youngones.

- And supporting them with good and useful

advice.

- And to love for them exactly what we love

for ourselves of good, and to hate for them

what we hate for ourselves of bad.

- Also to protect their honour, wealth and

blood.

- It also involves encouraging them upon the

aforementioned forms of Naseehah.


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ARTS OF THE CALL (1)[A brief explanation to Dawah terms]

Written by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi

The Task of Establishing a Just Society,

Reforming Nations and Entrenching Lofty

Principles, requires at least, from the Community

that tries to achieve it, Great Internal Strength

characterized by:

- Strong will and determination that never

waver against any obstacles.

- Firm loyalty that never deplete nor permits

deception.

- Selflessness that is not overcome by false

hopes and miserliness, as well as

- Adequate knowledge of the principles,

conviction in them and proper appreciationof their values, which are capable of

safeguarding anyone that has them from

mistakes, deviation, compromise or

deception from an external source.

Imam Hassan Al -Banna

Outline

Preamble

Background to modern dawah The Task

Establishing a Just society

Preamble

Dawah literarily means calling (to something); a

supporting term will determine what is being

called to. However, the term has been technically

used in Islam to mean calling to Allah (i.e. Callingthe people to accept and live according to the

message of Allah; Islam).

Dawah is an obligatory responsibility of the

messengers of Allah, then the scholars, then their

students; the Muslims masses will support them.

The scholars inherit the prophets, the prophets neither leave

dinar(gold) nor dirham(silver), but they left knowledge,

whoever holds on to it has held on to abundantfortune14

While the messenger must fulfill the obligation to

the last letter of the message (i.e. he must deliver

the entire message15); the scholars are responsible

only to present and explain the message to their

population within the best of their abilities.

O Messenger (Muhammad)! proclaim (the Message) whichhas been sent down to you from your Lord. and if you do

not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allh will

protect you from mankind. Verily, Allh guides not the

people who disbelieve.16

Background to the modern Dawah

Dawah did not become a task for Muslim

organizations until the fall of the caliphate. The

enemies of Islam realized Dawah as the continuityof Islam and the caliphate as its major sponsor;

they launched series of carefully planned attacks

on the caliphate to weaken17it. The caliphate had

sustained the consequence internally until the

World War when the enemies from east and west

came together and forced the caliphate into

14Sunan Ibn Majah vol. 1 page 81Arabic ref.

15This was because the messengers were supported withdirect revelations, miracles and guaranteed protection.16

Surat-ul-Maidah 6717

It is not possible to destroy the caliphate from outside

without an existing internal instabilities and hypocrites.


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stagnation and decline; In 1924, a hypocrite with a

Western orientation, Mustapha Kamal, rose to

power in the capital, Turkey, and bid farewell to

the Ottoman Empire, bringing an end the twelve

centuries global Islamic rule.

The enemies quickly took the role of global

leadership, declared themselves as the new world

superpowers and started the spread of their

civilizations. Their civilization of oppression and

open immoralities did not gain acceptance by the

Muslims scholars and youths; they concluded on

effecting a change.

The Muslims were unable to restore the lost glory

but they were successful to regroup themselves

and work towards the restoration. The Muslims

differ among themselves on the strategy of

restoration. While some groups took the path of

armed resistance to knock down the enemies with

force, others considered a peaceful and gradual

approach. This peaceful and gradual approach

seems to be more correct and in conformity with

our history for two reasons:

- Education is the best tool for change:The

enemies were successful to destroy the

caliphate because the Muslims had lost

their Islamic civilizations and had

inadvertently accepted the enemies

civilizations. Thus, there is a need to first

revive the Islamic moral culture among the

Muslims through knowledge.

- Sustainable change is not sudden: The

foundation and establishment of Islam was

done gradually with education and public

engagement. The masses who will enjoy

the change must understand the reasons for

the change.

The Task

I hope that the above explanation is enough for

you to understand the task ahead. There is a needto change the current situation of the Muslim

Ummah through education in order to have the

caliphate restored.

Any Islamic organization or institution in the

world that understands the task ahead should

launch a massive campaign for Islamic education

in order to revive the Islamic knowledge, and

present themselves as practical examples forproper implementation.

The Islamic civilization is contained in the

Quran, the Sunnah, the Fiqh, the Seerah and the

Arabic language. This can be done through public

speeches and in writings. One group or

organization may not be capable of executing all;

they should fulfill their part according to the best

of their abilities and leave the rest for others until

their capacities have improved.

It is not foremost priority to seek unification of the

groups and organizations instead of renewal of

orientations and presenting a good work plan.

Yes, there is more strength in unity but unity does

not necessarily mean merger; the plurality of

organizations should not be a cause for worry

when each demonstrates focus and deliver their

responsibilities in the correct approach. We may

only be concerned when they are causing

unnecessary distractions to others, that which will

require a proper intervention

Some other groups may accept the devils

deception to campaign against the existence of

organizations altogether, this is a clear

demonstration of ignorance and loss of focus.

Establishing a just society

Education will help to give the proper orientation

to Muslims and facilitate the restoration of justice

in the society. A just society is where the people

live in peace both inward and outward, a society

governed with knowledge and wisdom under the

authority of competent and exemplary leadership.

Continuation in next edition, Insha Allah


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THE FUNCTIONS OF A MOSQUE

Written by: Abdul Kabir ShotonwaBA, Islamic Studies, Islamic Online University [Student]

Bismillahi Ar-Rahmani Ar-Raheem

Indeed, all forms of adorations and gratitude are

due to Allah the Lord of the universe and theCreator of everything which exist within it. The

fashioner of mankind and the director of their

affairs. May His blessings and mercies be upon

the noblest of mankind, Prophet Muhammad

(pbuh) his household, companions and those who

follow his path until the Day of Reckoning.

It is of great importance in our time to look deep

into the forgotten role of the masjid. The

masjid translated to English as mosque comes

from the Arabic verb sajada which means to

prostrate. The word masjid is therefore referred

to as place of prostration. The word masjid can

also refer to the parts of body used in prostrating

as it is found in Tafseer Ibn Katheer. Allah said -

the translation of which is:

and the Mosques (Masaajid) are for Allh (Alone), so

invoke not anyone along with Allh.18

In the above verse, Allah clearly declared that all

mosques are for Him and no act of worship is

allowed in them except that which is directed to

Him. It worth knowing that the first house (of

worship) ever erected on earth for humanity is

Bayt-ul-Haraam in Mecca. Allah said:

Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind

was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a

guidance for the worlds.

19

18Surat-ul-Jinn 18

19Suratu Al-Imraan 96

The role of a mosque in the society is unlimited.

The mosque when well utilized will coordinate

and organize the society within which it is present.

In order to get the importance of the mosque we

must look at its structure and roles among the first

generation of Muslims.

During the stay of the holy prophet in Mecca, they

were denied the opportunity of setting up a

standard mosque where worship and issues

concerning the society can be treated. They

performed their acts of worship secretly rather

than openly. At first the house of Arqam bnArqam was taken as a place of gathering where

knowledge and issues about Islam were being

taught to the believers. But after the holy prophet

departed to Medina, the first thing that was

established was the Majid Nabawi. This was

because he knew the importance of the mosque.

He knew the role which the majid will play in

establishing an Islamic state and in reforming the

society. He therefore established the mosque, and

through the mosque required knowledge of Islam

was disseminated to the masses.

Some of the functions of the mosque during the

era of the prophet are listed and discussed below:

1. I nstitution of learning: Since Islam attached

reward to seeking knowledge, the mosque

therefore was used as a place of learning. The

understanding of Quran and hadiths were

being taught within the mosque. Abu Hurayra,

Abdullah Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, Ali

(radiyallahu anhum), etc learnt the hadiths and

Quran in the mosque. Even the Al-Azhar


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University known today as the world first

institution of higher learning started as a

mosque.

2. Place of worship: Since the mosque was

named after prostration, this implies that act ofworship should be carried out in it. The

mosque was used as a place of worship where

all acts of worships are done, rather than a

place of business transactions which we use it

for today.

3. A place where moral conduct is taught: since

Islam teaches the best of character, the

mosque was taken as the place where these

characters were being taught to the people.

The mosque did not only breed people who

were religiously perfect but also those with

good character. Allah said:

Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and

giving (help) to kith and kin, and He forbids all

shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He

admonishes you, that ye may receive admonition.20

All these good characters were taught within

the mosque.

4.Place where laws, rules and regulationpertain ing to religion and society are being

decided: The mosque was also taken as a

place where social and religious rulings are

being decided. Since the rules of Allah are the

best, the house of Allah was chosen for it

decision. The companions of the prophet and

even the disbelievers always approach the

holy prophet to seek the ruling of different

matters from him.

5. Places of resolu tion:The mosque was used as

the place where social and religious issues

were being resolved. There are many

occasions where disputes were presented to

the prophet and which he resolved them in the

mosque.

6. Establi shment of I slamic brotherhood:Since

the mosque leaves no room for inequalities, it

serves as the best place where people of

different status can be brought together to actas brothers and sisters. The mosque helps in

20Surat-ul-Nahl 90

building the union which Allah emphasizes in

His Book, Allah said:

The believers are but a single Brotherhood: so

make peace and reconciliation between your two

(contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may

receive mercy.21

7. A place to teach the right faith:The mosque

is a place for teaching the correct creed of

Islam and its explanations. Since faith remains

the most important pillar of Islam, the holy

prophet used the mosque as a place where

people with correct faith were being raised.

Steadfastness, trust in Allah and other

important elements of faith were taught within

the mosque.It is therefore disheartening that the mosque

today has lost most of its roles due to the fact

that the Muslim community is not using the

mosque as it supposed to be used. Today, the

mosques are usually empty during times of

solats. Innovative acts are being practiced in

the mosque rather that those in line with the

Sunnah. The mosque today is no more raising

people with right creed, but instead peoplewith distorted creeds. The mosque today is not

used to give Dawah to the Muslim Ummah but

instead it is being used as places for business

transactions. The mosque no longer produces

people with good moral conduct but people

with immoral conducts. The brotherhood the

mosque was known to create among Muslim

Ummah doesnt really exist anymore. Dispute

resolutions, social contract and religious

matters are no longer discussed in the mosque.

These without doubt lead to the increase in

immoralities and indecency so rampant in our

societies today. So my dear brothers and

sisters, we need to understand the role of the

mosque, then try use the mosque justifiably so

that the mosque can really produce and perfect

the reason why Allah had established it.

I pray we the Muslim Ummah wake up to the

realization of the importance of the Masjid andmake proper use of it.

21Surat-ul-Hujuraat 10


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PORTRAITS FROM THE LIFE OF

HASAN AL-BASRI

Written by: Yusuf UthmanBA, Islamic Studies, Al-Madeenah Intl University, Malaysia [Graduate]

In the Name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful

Introduction

Imam Hasan was one of the most renowned

tabièen (the generation after the death of the

Prophet) and prominent figure of his time. He was

a jurist and a scholar. He was a pious and devout

person. He was famous for his eloquence,

inspiring speeches, wisdom, asceticism, and deep

knowledge. He is the revered tabièe and thescholar of the people of Basrah, Abu Saèed Al-

Hasan Ibn Abi Al-Hasan Ibn Yasaar Al-Basri .

Birth and early years

Al-Hasan Al-Basri was born in Al-Madeenah

in 21 A.H. (642 C.E.) during the caliphate of the

leader of the Believers, Ùmar Ibn Al-Khattaab.

Both his parents were slaves. His father became a

prisoner of war when the Muslims conquered

Misaan, an area between Basrah and Waasit

in Iraq. His father embraced Islam and lived in Al-

Madeenah where he married a bondwoman called

Khayyirah who was the maid-slave of Umm

Salamah the wife of the Prophet and Mother of the

Believers. Umm Salamah freed Khayyirah after

she gave birth to her son Al-Hasan.

Al-Hasan spent his early years with his family inWaadi Al-Qura near Al-Madeenah. Before he was

fourteen years old, he memorized the Glorious

Quran. He also learnt reading, writing, and some

mathematics. He heard many sayings of the

Companions of the Prophet and he used to listen

to the leader of the Believers, Uthmaan Ibn

Affaan whenever he delivered the Friday sermon.

Al-Hasan was fourteen years old at that time.

Moving to Basrah and seeking knowledge

When he was fifteen years old, Al-Hasan moved

to Basrah Iraq in 36 A.H. (656 C.E.) He began

learning Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), Hadeeth,and the Arabic language in the hands of a large

number of the companions of the Prophet who

were living in Basrah at the time. His tutor for the

recitation of the Glorious Quran was Hattaan Ibn

Àbdullaah Ar-Riqashi while his tutor for the

methodology of delivering sermons, religious

speeches, and recounting religious tales, was Ibn

Surayyi` At-Tameemi, the poet.

Delivering sermons and recounting religious tales

appealed to Al-Hasan and he took a place in the

mosque of Al-Basrah to teach people. Many story

tellers back then tended to exaggerate. They were

all banned from telling religious tales in the

mosque of Al-Basrah except for Al-Hasan who

adopted a different methodology. He used to talk

about the life after death, reminding people of

death, drawing their attention to the religious and

moral defects they may have, and how they couldovercome them according to what he had learnt

from the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the

Prophet, and the revered companions.


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His classes

Al-Hasan Al-Basri had a large class in the mosque

of Al-Basrah in which he taught people the

Prophetic Hadeeth, jurisprudence, the Glorious

Quran, the Arabic language, and rhetoric. He also

conducted a special class in his house to teach

people about asceticism and deliver touching

speeches.

Al-Hasan was one of the most knowledgeable

people on jurisprudence and the lawful and

unlawful acts. He loved the religion of Allah and

was a pious man who used to refrain from

committing any illegal act. He adhered to thestraight path in all his affairs. He shouldered the

responsibility of guiding and advising people to

save his society from the deviations and

aberrations that were beginning to prevail. Al-

Hasan Al-Basri adopted the doctrine of the

companions. He was their student and he had the

pleasure of accompanying them. He was

influenced by their methodology and he steered

their course.

The judge of Al-Basrah

Al-Hasan Al-Basri used to frequently advise the

rulers and governors and he never feared anybody

except Allah. He was especially well-known in

the last years of the reign of the Umayyad caliph,

Muàawyah Ibn Abi Sufyaan. Al-Hasan lived

in Iraq when Al-Hajjaaj Ibn Yoosuf Ath-Thaqafi

was the ruler and Al-Hasan used to severely

criticize Al-Hajjaaj's harsh policies.

Al-Hasan Al-Basri was a close friend of the

Rightly-Guided Umayyad Caliph, Ùmar Ibn

Àbdul-Àzeez who loved him very much and

used to consult him in some affairs related to

administering the Muslim State. Al-Hasan became

the judge of Al-Basrah in 102 A.H. (720 C.E) and

performed this role on a voluntary basis.

Some of Al-Hassans sayings

Al-Hasan Al-Basri was a wise, eloquent man

whose words were just like pearls. For example,

he said: "Son of Adam, you are no more than a

few days. Whenever a day passes, a part of you

has gone."

He also said: "Son of Adam, never please anybody

if this entails the Wrath of Allah. Never obey

anybody if this entails disobedience to Allah.

Never thank anybody for something which Allah

granted you. Never blame anybody for something

which Allah did not grant you. Allah created

people and they steer the course pre-determinedfor them. Whoever thinks that extra care and

interest will increase his provisions, let him try

such extra care and interest in increasing his life

span, changing his color, or increasing the size of

his limbs and build!"

He also said: "Whoever gives money for

undeserved high esteem, Allah will humiliate

him."

His death

Al-Hasan Al-Basri died on the first of Rajab,

which was a Thursday night, 110 A.H. (728 C.E.)

His funeral was attended by a large number of

people. Before his death, he stated that the

following should be written down in his will:

This is what Al-Hasan Ibn Abi Al-Hasan believes:He testifies that none is worthy of being

worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is the

Messenger of Allah. Whoever sincerely believes

in this upon his death will enter Paradise."


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RIGHTEOUSNESS IS MY IDENTITY

Written by: Muhammad IssaBSc, Genealogy, Ahmadu Bello University [Graduate]

In the Name of Allah The Beneficent The Merciful

All praise be to Allah, May His peace and

blessings be on Prophet Muhammad.

Islam is the only perfect way of life and

righteousness is important to attain an Islamic

lifestyle. Islam enjoins the maintenance of a

refined standard of moral behavior and character.

It can solve all human problems. Righteousness

(i.e. Islamic way of life) is the only hope for

overcoming the present and future challenges that

we face in life. Righteousness guides a servant to

forbid what is evil and to encourage what is good.

The most valued among virtues of righteousness

include: truthfulness, justice, sincere Iman,

helping the poor and needy, respect for parents;

scholars, elders and even young ones, love for

Allahs sake and kindness to children. Allah

forbids vices such as, backbiting, slandering,

enmity, miserliness, graft, drug addiction,

corruption, interest (ribah), use of offensive

language, suspicion, arrogance (a quality ofshaytan) and all forms of evil deeds etc.

Allah said in the Quran:

O mankind! we created you from a single (pair) of a male

and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye

may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other).

Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he

who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full

knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).22

22Surat-ul-Hujuraat, 49:13

HOW CAN WE ATTAIN RIGHTEOUSNESS

We can attain righteousness through the following

means:

1. Purifying our heart.

2. Improving on our Iman.

3. Being conscious of Allah.

4. Remembrance of death always.

5. Struggle against the desire of the soul.

6. Keeping company of good friends.

7. Responsible parenthood.

8. Modest dressing.

9. Exemplifying the sunnah of prophet.

Insha Allah, emphasis will be on point number 6

and 7 as I deemed the rest of the points to be self-

explanatory.

FRIENDS AND COMPANIONS YOU

ASSOCIATE WITH

The kind of friends or company we keep

determines who we are, therefore, choosing the

right friends and keeping good companions is very

essential to improve and preserve our

righteousness and to maintain our identity as

Muslims. Most families strive hard to maintain

their Islamic identities within their homes and

family, but overlook who our youths associate

with in school, when outside the house or even on

social media, which goes a long way to determine

our success in this life and hereafter. We must

always abide by the wisdom of the Sharia in allaspects of our life to protect us from deviating

from the right path.


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Narrated by Abu Musa that the prophet (sallallahu alayhi

wasallam) said: The example of a good companion in

comparison to a bad one is like that of a musk seller and the

blacksmiths bellows (furnace) from the first you would

either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the bellows

would either burn your body or clothes, or you get a badsmell thereof

23

Allah said in the Quran:

O ye who believe! fear Allah and be with those who are

truthful (in words and deeds).24

Therefore, Islam recognizes that friends have

strong influence on Iman, righteousness and

uprightness of a Muslim, which in a long time can

affect our relationship with Allah (subhanahuwatahalah), hence, choosing righteous and rightly

guided friends who always advices and reminds

one of Allah and death is taken seriously in Islam.

The love between two Muslims is such that they

will confide in each other; strengthen each others

commitment to the deen of Allah.

PARENTS MUST FULFIL THEIR AMANAH

Parents and guardians are the custodian of theirchildren and wards as they are a trust which is a

responsibility on them before Allah. For parents to

succeed in the responsibility of bringing up their

children, it is compulsory on them to monitor who

their kids and wards associate with, who their

friends are, what they do at school or public

places, their devotion to the deen and modest

living. Parents must also learn to be good role

models to their children also.

Abu Huraira (radiyallahu anhu) narrated that Allahs

messenger said No child is born except on Al-fitrah (i.e.

Islam) and then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or

magian, as an animal produces perfect young animal: do

you see any part of its body amputated? Then he recited:

So direct your face toward the religion, inclining to truth.

[Adhere to] the fitrah of God upon which He has created all

people(Q30:30).25

23Sahih Bukhari, Book 34, Hadith 54

24Surat-ul-Tawbah, 9:119

25Sahih Bukhari Book 65, Hadith 4822

Parents should also instill the fear of Allah and

His love in their children, teaching them to know

what is halal and what is haram and how vital

these two determine their connectivity with Allah.

Teach them how to love and dislike only for thesake of Allah.

The prophet said: whoever would like to taste the

sweetness of Iman (faith) then let him love a

person only for Allahs sake (reported by Imam

Ahmad)

Parents are shouldered with the responsibility of

upbringing the servants of Allah under their care

with piety, uprightness, good behavior, sound

knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah, devoutness

to worship, fear and love of Allah, sympathy and

courage to support the cause of Islam. Family is

very essential to the growth and success of Islam.

O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a

Fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are

(appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not

(from executing) the commands they receive from Allah, but

do (precisely) what they are commanded.26

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, without

righteousness you have no true Islamic identity.

Because if we must be like the earlier Muslims,

those who lived a life of halal and worshipped

Allah day and night fulfilling the righteousness we

are trying to attain, then we must be willing to

sacrifice as they did also.

May Allah guide us to the straight path of

righteousness and we pray He make us and our

wives, children, parents, siblings united and

steadfast on Al-fitra till our last day and grant us

Aljanatul firdaus. Amin.

Asalaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa

barakaatuhu.

26Surat-ul-Tahrim, 66:6


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COPING WITH DIVERGENT

SCHOLARLY OPINIONS

Written by: Ibrahim AhmadBA, Shariah, Azhar University - Cairo [Student]

Alhamdulillah, the God of all creatures, may His

perfect peace and blessings be upon the prophetMuhammad.

UNDERSTANDING THE REASONS FOR

DIFFERENECES AS A MEANS TO COPING

WITH IT

Allah had created the world in such a way that we

would always see more of the wisdom as time

goes on, He created us all man in flesh of different

colours, same tongue of different languages, weeven differ in culture, which is the characteristics

of a group of people and so many other things,

yet, we are still all human. We have considered

our diversity in nature and characteristics as a

blessing and recipes for the development of our

civilizations. You will agree with me if I say even

people of the same culture in fact husband and

wife do have misunderstanding among

themselves. In a nut shell, to differ amongst

ourselves is the nature of this world.

The universality and comprehensiveness of Islam

compelled the need for flexibility and diversity in

its Jurisprudence27 in order to survive the test of

time and types. These differences could be traced

back to the ages of the sahaba even while the

teacher of teachers (i.e. Prophet Muhammad) was

27While differences in Fiqh (Jurisprudence) may be necessary

or required, the case is opposite in matters of Aqeedah (Creed

or belief system). The Creed has been fixed with precise

interpretation. Any attempt to misinterpret any of it will be

innovation and misguidance that lead to destruction.

among them, so also is the time of the Aimatul

Madhaahib

28

. May Allah be pleased with them.

THE ROLE OF THE MADHAB

DIFFERENCES IN SOLVING REALISTIC

PROBLEMS

The difference of opinion amongst the great

scholars may be such an ease upon this Ummah as

the scholars live in different lands with unique

characteristics and cultural background. The

dilemma faced by scholars when the reality of

local culture came face to face with the ideality of

the religion has being conveniently resolved due

to the flexibility of the Jurisprudence which have

allowed the scholars to successfully apply the

religion wherever they were.

This divergence of opinion in Jurisprudence was

important in applying the religion and explaining

its compatibility with human nature, also, it serves

as a catalyst for the explosion of Islamiccivilizations, the world over.

However, at some time in the later part our

history, this blessing temporarily turned into a

curse; madhab rivalry brought the Muslims into

disorganization and disunity; this did not take too

long before the madhaaibregained its purpose.

28Aimatul Madhaahib:The founders of the various schools

of Islamic Jurisprudence.


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COPING WITH THE DIFFERENCES

1. Sincerity to Allah: Some Muslims and

mostly among the students of knowledge

purposely engage themselves in

unnecessary debate on issues of contention

beyond what is required to understand

practical matters. This is an abuse of

knowledge and a deception from shaytan

to divert attention away from what is

important and to sow discord that may lead

to disunity.

2. Avoid excessive emotions: When our

emotions become stronger than our

knowledge and capabilities it is certainthat we will do more harm than good.

Perhaps inadequate knowledge in the

hands of over emotional students is worse

than ignorance. Students of knowledge

should be calm and gentle in their

approach to guide the people. We are

required to respond to ignorance and not

react to it. The goal of Dawah is best

achieved when done through love andmutual understanding. When the people

live with a lesser opinion of the scholars,

we should try to explain the better

alternative as more correct with love and

patience until they understand the reason

why they should change.

3. Avoid bad suspicion: We are required to

think good about another Muslim by

default. Our scholars are not flawless but

they deserve the right to be respected with

their opinions which they derived throughhard gained knowledge and painstaking

efforts. While some Muslims may cover

their insincerity and laxity by shopping

around the madhabs for convenience29,

many others are sincerely genuine in their

adherence to a scholarly opinion.

Moreover, the correctness of a madhab

does not necessarily depend on its

strictness.

4. Develop the cultur e of acceptabil i ty: The

diversity in the views and choice of human

is a fact that cannot be avoided. You are

not capable of changing that fact through

your own will or knowledge. Disbelief is

the highest level of arrogance and

innovation. If the All-Capable Creator (i.e.

Allah) allowed the kuffar to live their

choice of disbelief until death, why will

you not accept the difference of anotherMuslim. After all, you are never capable of

changing the nature of man, choice is an

inseparable part of human nature.

29The reason for the madhabs is for suitability rather than

convenience.


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HARD KNOCKS ON POVERTYWritten by: Abdul Jelil Adeyemi

Outline

Preamble

Dont fear the devilsthreat.

Increase your sustenance with repentance

and seeking forgiveness from sins.

Avoid extravagant spending.

Dont give your wealth to the foolish.

Enrich yourself with contentment.

Make the hereafter your highest goal

Making lots of Dua.

Preamble

Poverty is defined as a state of being poor. Having

little or no sustainance.

Perhaps, a Muslim may consider some of his wise

economic investments as the ultimate passage way

out of poverty, but reality in the light of Islam is

that actual economic freedom and abundant

sustenance lies in the heart. Faith brings

contentment, contentment brings inner peace,

inner peace brings happiness, hapiness is the end

goal of riches. Many succesful world classbusinessmen who have conqured poverty with

abundant wealth still show symptoms of

unhappiness due to lack of contentment and inner

peace.

This article is not seeking to advise you away

from implementing your economic plans.

Implementing your economic plans is an

obligatory precondition to possession of wealth

and riches. Yet, the divine recommendations mustbe first on your economic recipes, in order to

attain viable and sustainable wealth and making

your success real and easy.

1. Fear not the devilsthreat

Shaytn (Satan) threatens you with poverty and

orders you to commit evil deeds, whereas Allh

promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty,

and Allh is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs,

All-Knower.30

Riches does not have a defined minimum

or maximum. The devil will whisper into

your mind to prevent you from generous

spending, and threaten that your

sustenance will become insufficent with

generous spending. Miserliness is

condemned by Allah and disliked by man.

Generousity is part of human nature, it is a

recipe for inner peace. Do not destroy your

internal freedom with miserliness.

2. Increase your sustenance with

repentance and seeking forgiveness

from sins

The following verses was reveleved about

the people of prophet Nuh. Nuh advised

his people to repent and seek the

forgiveness of their Lord as conditions to

access the bounties of Allah.

Sins prevent the sustenace of Allah from

reaching the sinners. Avoid sins and seek

forgiveness often to open the door to

Allahs bounties.

30Surat-ul-Baqarah 268


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10. "I said (to them): 'Ask Forgiveness from your Lord;

Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving;

11. 'He will send rain to you in abundance;

12. 'And give you increase in wealth and children, and

bestow on you Gardens and bestow on you rivers.' "31

The abundance of wealth in rain become evident

when the crops grow out. Children are indeed the

coolness of the couples eye.

3. Avoid extravagant spendings.

26. and render to the kindred their due rights, As (also) to

those in need, and to the wayfarer: but squander not (yourwealth) in the manner of a spendthrift.

27. Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the evil ones; and the

evil one is to his Lord (himself) ungrateful.32

:{ :{ .

Ibn 'Abbas said that "the spendthrifts" were those who

wasted money incorrectly.33

4. Dont give your wealth to the foolish.

And give not unto the foolish your property which

Allh has made a means of support for You , but

feed and clothe them therewith, and speak to them

words of kindness and justice.34

31Surat-ul-Nuh 10-12

32Surat-ul-Israa 26-27

33Al-Adab Al-Mufrad Book 25, Hadith 4

34Surat-ul-Nisaa 5

5. Enrich yourself with contentment.

"

"

Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah

(

) said: Richness is not in abundance of worldlywealth, rather richness is contentment with oneself.

35

6. Make the hereafter your highest goal

"

".

The Messenger of Allah () said:Whoever is focused

only on this world, Allah will confound his affairs and make

him fear poverty constantly, and he will not get anything of

this world except that which has been decreed for him.

Whoever is focused on the Hereafter, Allah will settle his

affairs for him and make him feel content with his loss, and

his provision and worldly gains will undoubtedly come to

him.36

7. Making lots of Dua

--:{ -

-: ,

, ,

,

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated that the Messenger of Allah

() used to say, O Allah! Set right for me my religion,

which safeguard of my affairs. And set right for me the

affairs of the world wherein is my living. Decree the

Hereafter to be good for me. And make this life, for me, (a

source) of abundance for every good and make my death (a

source) of comfort to me and protection against every

evil.37

35Sunan Ibn Majah Vol. 1, Book 37, Hadith 4137

36Ibn Majah Vol. 1, Book 37, Hadith 4105

37Bulugh Muraam Book 16, Hadith 1607


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ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN

MODERN TECHNOLOGIES

Written by: Abdul Azeez BanjokoBSc, Science and Technology Education, University of Lagos [Graduate]

Salaam Alaykum Warahmotullahi Wabarakatuhu

There are many career options in the technology

industry, especially as the digital world continues

to develop and improve in all major industries.

Careers focus on the physical life, earth applied,

and engineering sciences. Some of the fields that

support IT professionals include: Medicine,

Computers and Information Technology, Finance

and Banking, Educational Services, Military

Defense, Textiles, Food Services, GovernmentEngineering, Telecommunications,

Manufacturing, e.t.c

Depending on your area of interest, you can focus

your studies on the necessary courses to prepare

you for a specific career. You might be surprised

to discover how many fields need qualified IT

professionals to fill a number of positions! If

youre still unsure, do as much research as

possible before enrolling in a program. There are

so many online job platforms to offer a wealth of

information about various careers in the

Technology industry.

HOW TO START A CAREER IN

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Many people love the people in IT (Information

Technology). This is a good field but it does not

mean that you work with computers only. Helping

others use their computers is often a big part of

the job. The opportunities in IT are broad: ATM

Technicians, PC Techies, Network

Administrators, Webmasters, Blogger, Social

Media Expert and many more are all potential

jobs in the IT field.

STEPS

Discover if you are already skilled in IT:-

If you have a PC and use it for more than

just typing and basic office work, doing

homework, playing games and casuallybrowsing the web, then you have the right

stuff for the job.

Make a list of what types of IT work you

might be interested in:- For example, if

you love computer games, you can list

"game testing," or "writing game

software." If you enjoy designing, "graphic

design" or "software design" should go on

your list. If you are interested in how the

internet works and how computer connect

to each other, "network administration or

network design" will work for you.

Choose something that will make you

happy:- If you really enjoy it as a pastime,

you will progress in the skill much faster.

Get to know the right people:- Many IT

gurus love to assist people. Look into a

formal or even casual apprenticeship.

Make a geek your new best friend, as the

popular saying Your Network Is Your

Networth.


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Search for educational opportunities in

your area or online, and determine what

the entry requirements are for each field of

study. Make comparisons.

Supplement self-taught skills with a fewclasses or an associate degree, and move

right into the job market. The more

education you get in the field, the better

your income will probably be in the long

run, but there are entry level jobs even for

people with little education.

Look into professional certifications:-

Even without a college degree, an MCSE

or A+ certification can gain you significant

credibility.

Seek internships at reputable companies:-

An internship at a reputable IT firm will

open a lot of doors for you later when you

are ready to enter the labour market.

Spend time making research on the

internet, there are lot of materials that

would help you horn your skills (e.g.

Youtube, Google, e.t.c). I learnt so many

things I know in the IT industry on my

own, so why cantyou?

SOME CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Computer Engineer

Cyber Threat Analyst

Chief Information Officer (CIO) Systems Engineer

Web Designer

Blogger

Computer Programmer

Network Engineer

Computer Administrator


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CAT-FISHING MONEY MADE EASY

- A PRACTICAL GUIDE"

Written by: Ali AkintolaBSc, Computing and its Practice, Open University, UK [Graduate]

All praises and adorations are due to Allah, the

uncreated Creator, who has made trade a means

of livelihood and sustenance for mankind.

Verily, there are two important aspects of

aquaculture that should make a Muslim happy:

Water game (fish) being permissible food and a

scale based transaction. This is explained in two

verses as follows: Lawful to you is water game

and its food as provision for you and thetravelers38 and Fill the measure when ye

measure, and weigh with a right balance; that is

fair, and better in the end.39

Aquaculture can be referred to as breeding of

fishes in a domesticated manner. It is also referred

to as fish farming. Typical species that are found

in aquacultural systems include oysters, salmon,

trout, hard and soft-shell clams and other shellfish.

Presently, fish farming is a highly regardedindustry in Nigeria, with prawn, catfish and tilapia

being some of the more popular fish. Catching

fish from the wild may not yield enough products

to meet consumers demand and simultaneously

keep the natural ecosystem in balance.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the

United Nations estimates that by 2030, about 40

million tons of seafood will be necessary to keep

up with demand.

38Surat-ul-Maidah 96

39Surat-ul-Israi 35

The ocean's ability to produce enough fish has

diminished over the years, leaving aquaculture as

the only method to keep up with this increasing

demand. Many farm-raised fish are more

nutritious than their wild brethren. On farms, fish

are often fed a variety of protein- and nutrient-rich

foods and pellets that make them far healthier than

wild fish, which may have been exposed to

dangerous chemicals or pesticides. Despite giantstrides by catfish farmers in Nigeria to meet the

demand for the consumption of catfish, only about

50% of the market has been satisfied giving room

for more investment in catfish farm-production.

In the course of this article, I will be making use

of my farm, which is a modern wooden pond

construction. The secret of success to stop wishing

and start doing a comprehensive summary of the

requirement to start up a small scale catfish farmwould be discussed. It has been grouped into pre-

production, production and post-production

stages.

PRE-PRODUCTION STAGE

This is the initialization stage of the farm,

requirement to be considered are:

Feasibi l ity Study:A proper viability study of the

project should be carried out showing suitability

of the project for the targeted location.


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Capital: A strong capital base for the project

should be sought, while capital estimate can only

be known by having a sound feasibility report. It

is essential to cut your cloth according to your

size. This is to avoid been bankrupt during theproduction level.

Land: It can be acquired, rented or leased, a

plot or 1 plot is enough to accommodate six large

ponds depending on the size of pond.

Pond: Various types of ponds are employed

ranging from earthen, plastic tank, concrete to

wooden pond. Presently I am using a constructed

and sophisticated modern wooden pond

considering space, mobility and durability.

Water source:No water no Fish. Some catfish

farmers have been chased out of business because

of the nature of water. Some water cannot

accommodate catfish based on their alkalinity or

acidity level and results in killing the fishes. The

pH value of 6.5 - 7.5 is recommended for good

production in earthen pond, water is dammed to a

desired level considering other forms of pondused, water is pumped using MUD PUMP OR

ELECTRIC PUMPfrom borehole or well.

PRODUCTION STAGE

In the production stage, great technical expertise

is required; it involves some in-depth skill and

knowledge to avoid causality and failure. The

following should be scrutinized properly:

Stock: Stages of fish that can be stocked includes

fingerlings, juvenile, jumbo and table size (for

broodstock), juvenile should be employed for a

starter to create avenue for easy management and

tension reduction. Get your stock (fish) from a

reputable and trustworthy hatchery. Look before

you leap.Clariesgariepenusis most economical.

Feeding: This accounts for 70% of variable cost

of production. Ensure you have sourced for 90%of your feeding cost before embarking on the

production stage.

Research has shown for a fish to give maximum

output, 250-300 should be spent per fish for a

4 - 6 months production cycle. Feed your fish to

satisfaction and avoid rationing of feed. Basically

two forms of feed exist that is the floating (usuallyimported) and non-floating feed (locally made).

Use of locally made feed help to reduce cost and

give liberty on desired feed formulation.

Water: This involves water pumping and draining.

Users of earthen pond do not change water

periodically due to the natural flow of water.

Users of other forms of ponds have to change

water intermittently and persistently. OTHER

DAY METHOD (a day between each draining)can be used depending on size of pond, stage of

fish and feed been used. Clean and oxygen rich

water encourages good feeding and growth.

Medication: sometimes, fishes fall sick due to

some infection. It is advisable to get some anti-

biotic like livstovite, vitamin C and tetracycline at

hand for immediate use if it is noticed that the fish

are not feeding well or they are hanging but care

should be exercised when medicating the fishes to

avoid further mortality.

Sorting: This is the grading of fish based on size

or weight into separate ponds. This should be

done intermittently and should not be done when

the sun is out.

POST-PRODUCTION

The post-production level involves marketing,harvesting and budgeting evaluation.

Marketing: The various buyers of catfish include

market women, hotels and stock fish producers.

Adequate marketing strategy should be employed

in other not to run into crisis of not getting buyers.

Harvesting/Sales: It is the sales of grow-out fishes

(table size) after a production period of 4 - 6

months. Materials involved include SCALE ANDHARVESTING NET. At least 70 % of your stock

should be weighing 1kg at end of production cycle

of 6 months.

5/19/2018 TMC Aguda_The Light They Followe

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TMC Aguda_The Light They Followed (Muharram 1436 AH)