Egypt: Mamluks or Maliks

Al-Bukhaari, Book 41, Number 6902:

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) many ahadith and one of them was this: The last Hour will not come until the two parties (of Muslims) confront each other and there is a large-scale massacre amongst them and the claim of both of them is the same.

Al-Bukhaari, Book 41, Number 6898:

Ahnaf b. Qais reported: I set out with the intention of helping this person (Hadrat 'Ali) that Abu Bakra met me. He said: Ahnaf, where do you intend to go? I said: I intend to help the cousin of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), viz. 'Ali. Thereupon he said to me: Ahnaf, go back, for I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When two Muslims confront one another with swords (in hands) both the slayer and the slain would be in Fire. He (Ahnaf) said: I said, or it was said: Allah's Messenger, it may be the case of one who kills. but what about the slain (why he would be put in Hell-Fire)? Thereupon he said: He also intended to kill his companion.

Is the Arab Spring Turning into the Arab Fall?

 The Arab Spring began in Tunisia, but it was in Egypt that it showed its promise.  Where is that promise now?  What began as an amazing showing of brotherhood - Muslims, Christians, Secularists - standing together against a tyrant, has devolved into sectarian violence. We recall the scene of the Jumu'ah Prayer led by Imam al-Qaradawi in Tahrir Square.  It was truly a wonder and a hope.

What began as a proud moment has become a source of confusion and shame.  And the military, who initially showed amazing restraint and acted in a manner that no other military force has, by remaining out of the political fray, has now jumped in with a vengeance. 

Despite the sectarian bias of the hadith above of Ahnaf b. Qais, the basic message has been transmitted by others. 

al-Bukhaari, Book 41, Number 6904:

Thauban reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Allah drew the ends of the world near one another for my sake. And I have seen its eastern and western ends. And the dominion of my Unimah would reach those ends which have been drawn near me and I have been granted the red and the white treasure and I begged my Lord for my Ummah that it should not be destroyed because of famine, nor be dominated by an enemy who is not amongst them to take their lives and destroy them root and branch, and my Lord said: Muhammad, whenever I make a decision, there is none to change it. Well, I grant you for your Ummah that it would not be destroyed by famine and it would not be dominated by an enemy who would not be amongst it and would take their lives and destroy them root and branch even if all the people from the different parts of the world join hands together (for this purpose), but it would be from amongst them, viz. your Ummah, that some people would kill the others or imprison the others.

 As Muslims, we must beware of fitnah.  Fitnah Akbar Min al-Qatl.  Fitnah is worse than killing.  We are forbidden to allow strife and fitnah from destroying our basic unity.  Ikhtilaf is permissible (mubah) in Islam, but fitnah is not, it is haram.  And to kill another Muslim is the gravest of sins.  Allah SWT himself will punish this crime. 

Today, in Syria and Egypt, Muslims, or at least those who call themselves Muslims, are killing other Muslims.  How can anyone who calls themselves of those who have submitted to Allah possibly kill others who have done so.  We must consider who is really benefiting from this fitnah.

When we consider who is benefiting from the fighting, we have to realize that only our enemies are benefiting.  Our biggest enemy, Shaytan, is having a "field day."  He must be laughing at all this killing.  And those he inspires, no matter what their nationality or political affiliation, are laughing at us too. 

We have to consider who is benefiting.  Previously, the West did not want to get involved in Syria.  Now it does.  Why?  The fact that it is proven beyond a doubt that Bashaar al-Assad possesses chemical weapons worries a certain ally of the US, and that ally has a great deal of money with which to lobby the US government to act on its behalf.  When that ally was more worried about the rebels, the US did nothing, but when that ally began to fear that continued civil war would favor the Dawlat al Islami and that extremists might get the chemical weapons, the US decided to do something, which most likely will involve destroying chemical weapons stockpiles and little else. 

We have to consider who is benefiting.  In Egypt, we can also assume this same "ally" is benefiting the most from the strife.  They fear a united Egypt, especially if it has a government that is not thoroughly controlled by itself.  Obviously, an Islamic party would not be so controlled.  However, we have to acknowledge that the Muslim Brotherhood has little experience in statecraft.  How could they; they have been a banned party for most of their existence, and have not been able to gain such experience.  So they made a great many mistakes, did little, and did not clean up the corruption in Egyptian society. 

In fact, few in Egypt have administrative experience.  All but the old guard know little about statecraft, so any new party will fail, unless they are able to get the necessary experience.  The internet generation that led the Arab Spring needs to step up and learn how to serve, not just lead society.

Mamluks or Maliks

One important step is development of Islamic Shura Government.  Elsewhere, we have addressed the concept of Wilayat al Ummah - Islamic Democracy.  Some people think that Islam calls for some kind of dictatorship.  Even if they acknowledge Shura, they insist that there be one leader, and that that leader consult in shura.  But this is not the governance practiced by the Prophet SAW.  He practiced Wilayat Al Ummah.

Although Sayed Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr felt there was no evidence for the use of shura by the Prophet SAW, he has neglected certain clear events in the Seerah.  The first is the Shura at the time of the Battle of Uhud.  The Prophet SAW met with the Sahabi and discussed what to do about the army of Quraish marching toward Madina.  Some were eager to go out and meet it.  Some wanted to stay in Madina and defend it.  The Prophet SAW favored this view.  A third group suggested going out to Uhud.  This option was finally agreed upon because it satisfied the urge of those who wanted to go out, but it also satisfied those who wanted to prepare defenses for the battle and to remain near Madina to come to its defense, if necessary.  When asked later if they should have followed the Prophet's original opinion to stay in Madina, he said no.  Once a decision is made in Shura, we understand that Allah SWT will support us.  Allah SWT has said He will not allow us to agree on an error.

The second time shura was used was in the division of the booty/anfal from the Battle of Hunain.  Here, the booty was not divided until after the Seige of Taif, when the Hawazin Tribe had become Muslim.  So the Prophet SAW instructed the people to meet with their amirs and naibs and let them know if they preferred to keep either the captives or the property taken at the battle.  All but two groups said they would return the captives and keep the property.  When the two groups heard of this, one also decided to return the captives, but one held out and the Prophet SAW ransomed the captives himself. 

Finally, the Prophet SAW set up the community in Madina into Saqa'if or Saqifahs, each with an amir or naib.  This is similar to affinity groups in consensus governance.  In fact, Shura is consensus governance.  Some have translated Shura as consultation, but consensus is a better translation.  Consensus is not unanimity or ijma.  Consensus means that everyone 'can live with' the decision, even if they would prefer something else, just like the decision to go out to Uhud. 

It is clear this is the method of governance preferred by our Rasul.  Amirate is for ghazawat, not for the governance of the ummah.  We encourage our brothers in Egypt to adopt this Wilayat al Ummah.  One of the greatest strengths of shura government is that all voices get a seat at the table, and all parties have a stake.  Studies have shown that people are more likely to fulfill mediated agreements rather than obeying judicial decrees.  This is because they must work to come to mediated agreements, and so feel they have a stake in the outcome.  They take ownership of the agreement and want to fulfill it.  Shura government creates the same effect.  But it does require work.  The one problem with dictators is that it produces a lazy populace.  People cannot be lazy and depend on others to govern them. 

For too long, the Arabs have been ruled by "mamluks."  It's time to be "maliks" again.

We pray to Allah SWT to guide us all and to prevent us from fitnah and killing.  We pray to Allah SWT to guide us to the best




 

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Atheism: Is it a Rational Belief?

Allah SWT says in the Qur’an a;-Hakim

Allahu as-Samad  (Al-Ikhlas:2)

Allah is the Self-sufficient upon which all depends.

 

Francis Bacon said in his essay “Of Atheism.” 

  “I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind. And therefore, God never wrought miracle, to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it. It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth man's mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringeth men's minds about to religion. For while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them, confederate and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity... For it is a thousand times more credible, that four mutable elements, and one immutable fifth essence, duly and eternally placed, need no God, than that an army of infinite small portions, or seeds unplaced, should have produced this order and beauty, without a divine marshal.”

Rationales for not believing in any supernatural deity include the lack of empirical evidence, the problem of evil, the argument from inconsistent revelations, and the argument from nonbelief.

The Qur’an answers the first argument by saying: 

41:53. We will show them
Our Signs in the (furthest)
Regions (of the earth), and
In their own souls, until
It becomes manifest to them
That this is the Truth.
Is it not enough that
Thy Lord doth witness
All things?

He also says:

50: 6. Do they not look
At the sky above them?—
How We have made it
And adorned it,
And there are no
Flaws in it?

And in Surah al-Ghashiyah:

   

88:17 Will they not regard the camels, how they are created ?

18 And the heaven, how it is raised ?

19 And the hills, how they are set up ?

20 And the earth, how it is spread ?

So Allah SWT tells us that His signs are in his Creation.  His Creation is empirical evidence of His existence.  As Francis Bacon says, “God never wrought miracle, to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it.”  In other words, Allah does need to provide some amazing, miraculous proofs, His entire Creation and the existence of that Creation is miraculous enough, and is enough of an inductive proof.

Many may think there is no empirical evidence for the existence of Allah.  What are they looking for?  Do they expect some big guy on a throne who cooked up this universe on a stove?  The purveyors of the religion of science state that their view is superior to religion and that religion is mere superstition.  They base this stance on the concept of falsefiability – meaning that any theory must not only be provable, but also disprovable.  There must be a set of conditions that if present, would prove that the theory is not correct.  For example, the theory of gravity would be false is things did not fall down when dropped.

Sciencians – those that “believe” in science – claim that the belief in Allah held by religious people does not allow for falsefiability.  However, it does not detail what would be necessary to prove Allah’s existence either. 

Part of the problem is that religious people have generally used deductive proofs to prove Allah’s existence.  These proofs all have philosophical problems.  They are generally circular because the very definition of God assumes He exists.  So you end up proving Allah exists by assuming He exists. 

However Allah has used an inductive proof to prove His own Presence.  He calls upon us the look at His Ayaat or sign in the universe.  His evidence is everywhere around us. 

Francis Bacon remarks:  “For while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further; but when it beholdeth the chain of them, confederate and linked together, it must needs fly to Providence and Deity.”  What he is noting is that if we look at the things around us as individual objects in isolation, we might go no further and not notice the connections between things and between those things and their Creator.  But if we look at the whole picture, how can we miss the evidence of Allah?  We would have to be blind no to do so.

Consider fractal geometry – the amazing and repeated patterns created by non-linear equations and strange attractors in chaos theory.  Why would such patterns exist, if as Bacon notes, there was no mind behind, no source of those patterns.  How can whirling electrons and protons create such patterns?

This is an interesting question.  Sayid Muhammad Baqir al Sadr, in his book Falsafatuna, also notes this.  He holds, just as materialists and atheists, that there is one substance from which all things in this universe are formed, but if that is the case, then how can those things exhibit differences.  How can things made from the same clay exhibit the vast varieties of color, taste, texture, shape, movement, and every other attribute and characteristic we observe – empirically.  Have you ever molded clay?  We used to mold figures with "Playdough" when I was a kid.  If you took blue "Playdough" and molded into a cat or car, they might look a bit different as to shape, but both were blue, and had the same texture, smell, and every other quality.  In noting this problem of the underlying uniformity of the substance of the universe, Sayid al-Sadr has devised a wonderful proof for the actuality of Allah. Allah SWT must be actual because all of these diverse attributes are actual.  Again, Allah is proven by the signs of His presence in His Ayaat, found in our universe.

As for arguments that Allah does not exist due to inconsistencies in revelation or that non-belief is possible; these arguments are hardly to be taken serious upon reflection.  The Qur’an notes that inconsistencies might result in doubt about revelation:

4:82. Do they not consider
The Qur-ān (with care)?
Had it been from other
Than God, they would surely
Have found therein
Much discrepancy.

While discrepancies might call a so-called revelation into question in regards to it being a revelation, does it really call the existence of Allah into question?  Isn’t it more likely that it was not revelation to begin with, or that it was altered in some way, either mistakenly or intentionally?

The argument from unbelief holds that God does not exist because it is possible for people to believe that He does not exist.  I do not believe that unicorns exist, but it does not mean that it is impossible that they do exist.  Moreover, we have free will, so we are free to believe or not believe.  The argument simply fails.

Finally, we come to the philosophical problem of evil.  It is a question every religion must answer.  If Allah is good, why is there evil.  We have dealt with this issue in the past, but to remind ourselves; Allah actually answers this in Surah al-Qahf.  In that Surah, Allah SWT recounts the story of Musa and one of Allah’s servants, often referred to as Khidr.  Khidr scuttles a ship and kills a boy.  Musa is horrified.  From a legal standpoint, from Shariah, these are haram acts.  But later Khidr explains that he scuttled the ship to save the people from being captured by pirates.  The people in the ship survived and could swim to safety.  So an apparent evil is turned by Allah SWT into good.  The same is true of the boy.  His parents would have suffered if he had grown up and sinned.  Instead, they will have a new child, and the boy himself is saved from hell by dying before he ever sinned as an adult.  Musa AS was looking at the Shariah – the law and the rules of society that make life together possible, which Allah has revealed to us through revelation or wahy; Khidr was looking at the big picture – the ultimate result – which is always good because Allah is Good. 

Allah tells us in the Qur’an, that He controls the ultimate result.  His Qada and Qadar means He has the ultimate Dominion and Control and He can turn the evil deeds of rebellious men into vain acts, in the end, and the bad deeds of believers into good.

47:1 Those who disbelieve and turn (men) from the way of Allah, He rendereth their actions vain.

2 And those who believe and do good works and believe in that which is revealed unto Muhammad - and it is the truth from their Lord - He riddeth them of their ill-deeds and improveth their state.

May Allah SWT forgive us all our sins and turn them to good deeds in our account.

The Asl of Sawm Ramadan

Fasting is Prescribed for You

O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye obtain taqwa. Al-Baqara 2: 125

Imam Bukhaari has recorded:
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." (Imam Bukhari) ...

Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:"... whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Imam Bukhari).

[Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah]

The Messenger of Allah (saw) addressed his companions on the last day of Sha`ban, saying, "Oh people! A great month has come over you; a blessed month; a month in which is a night better than a thousand months; month in which Allah has made it compulsory upon you to fast by day, and voluntary to pray by night. Whoever draws nearer (to Allah) by performing any of the (optional) good deeds in (this month) shall receive the same reward as performing an obligatory deed at any other time, and whoever discharges an obligatory deed in (this month) shall receive the reward of performing seventy obligations at any other time. It is the month of patience, and the reward of patience is Heaven. It is the month of charity, and a month in which a believer's sustenance is increased. Whoever gives food to a fasting person to break his fast, shall have his sins forgiven, and he will be saved from the Fire of Hell, and he shall have the same reward as the fasting person, without his reward being diminished at all."

Ramadan Mubarak!!!!  We have entered the most blessed month, the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, the month with a night worth a thousand months.

"Indeed We have revealed it (Qur'an) in the night of Power. And what will explain to you what the night of Power is? The night of Power is better than a thousand months. Therein descends the Angels and the Spirit (Jibreel) by Allah's permission, on every errand: (they say) "Peace" (continuously) till the rise of Morning!" (Q 97:1-5)

The third pillar of this deen of Islam is fasting.  Why has Allah prescribed fasting for us?  He has done so consistantly.  All major religions prescribe fasting. 

Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many obtain taqwa" (Q 2:183)

Allah Himself tells us that He has prescribed fasting so that we may be of those with taqwa, so that we may acquire piety and an unshakable faith in Him.

Taqwa is an illusive word, difficult to translate. 

49:13 O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes that ye may know one another. Lo! the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in taqwa. Lo! Allah is Knower, Aware. Q 49:13)

Most scholars say taqwa comes from T-Q-W indicating to protect oneself.  Certain acquiring this trait will protect us from the Hell Fire.  Some have translated it as fear, but it is not fear of Allah as in Khashiyah Allah, nor is it the fear or apprehension we may have in hayyat al duniyah.  It is not like apprehension and nervousness we feel if we think the boss will fire us, for example.  And it is not the awe and quaking we might feel before a great personage or magnificent scene in nature.  That is more khashiyah.

Taqwa is more powerful.  It is that feeling in the pit of stomach, that catching in the throat, that utter sense of inevitability when we are faced with our death.  And at that moment, we cling, we grasp, as if we are grasping our mothers.  We hang on for dear life. 

Contained within this word is Q-W-Y – the root of strength, Al-Qawi is one of the Names of Allah.  We grasp al-Qawi with all of our might and main.

2:256 There is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is henceforth distinct from error. And he who rejecteth false deities and believeth in Allah hath grasped a firm handhold which will never break. Allah is Hearer, Knower.

How does fasting, sawm, increase our taqwa?

First, there are three levels of fasting;  physical fasting, mental fasting and spiritual fasting. 

Sawm al-Jismiyyah

Physical fasting – abstaining from food, drink and sex during the day light hours, increases taqwa by reminding us who is our Rabb – our Lord, our Benefactor, our Provider of all Provision and Sustainence – Allah SWT.

We become more grateful for all we have – our food, our drink, our families, our jobs.  Through understanding from whom our life stems, we can but cling closer to Him, fearing He will no longer support us, and hoping that He will.  Through our fear and hope, we cling ever tighter to our Allah.

Sawm al-Nafsiyyah

Mental fasting – abstaining from negative thoughts and especially, their expression in speech, refraining from backbiting, slander, complaining, and negativity increases our taqwa by reminding us Allah is Al-Rahman Al-Rahim.  Allah is so merciful to us, so not only should we be grateful to Him and not complain about the state He has put us in, but we should be merciful to others.  Backbiting, slander and complaining and blaming others reveal our own lack of mercy. 

Yes, Islam obligates us to strive against oppression and to be just.  However, Islam also prohibits us from fitnah in the community and among ourselves.  The Prophet SAW never would complain if others abused him.  In fact, Allah SWT had to step in in the Qur’an and prevent people from abusing him. 

al-Hujuraat 49:2 O ye who believe! Lift not up your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor shout when speaking to him as ye shout one to another, lest your works be rendered vain while ye perceive not.

Elsewhere, Allah instructs people how to act when eating at the Prophet’s house, and also how his wives should act.  But, the Prophet SAW never complained about how others treated him.  Too many of us scream for what we think are our rights, but we do not always treat others fairly ourselves.  

The problem is our ego, our nafs.  We cry "Nafsi, Nafsi," and we do not think about others.   While it is important to validate our own feelings, we also need to validate and not minimize those of others.  We need to inculcate respect for one another.  During Ramadan let us fast from our own nafs, our own egos, and think only of Allah SWT and His Creation, our fellow human beings.

Imam Malik narrates:   One day when Umar went in to visit AbuBakr as-Siddiq and found him pulling his tongue, he said, "Stop! Allah forgive you!" AbuBakr replied to him, "This has brought me down to dangerous places."

Imam al-Bukhaari narrates:   Some people asked Allah's Apostle (Sal-allahu-aleihi-wassallam), "Whose Islam is the best? i.e. (Who is a very good Muslim)?" He replied, "One who avoids harming the Muslims with his tongue and hands."

 Sawm Al-Ruhiyyah

Spiritual Fasting – abstaining from anything other than the dhikr of Allah SWT and seeking only His Pleasure increased our taqwa by pointing out to us how often we focus on things other than Allah, and reminding us that the only thing worthy of worship, of ulluhiyyah, is Allah. 

Tawhid is of three branches:  Tawhid al-Ulluhiyyah, Tawhid al-Ruboobiyyah, wa Tawhid al-Asma’ wa Sifaat.  Ulluhiyyah refers to the fact that Allah SWT alone is worthy of worship.  Ruboobiyyah refers to the fact that Allah SWT is the sole source of our support, He is our Creator and Preserver.  Asma’ wa Sifaat refers to His names and characteristics that He himself has mentioned to us.  When we fast from all but remembrance of Allah, we focus on Tawhid, and realize all that we do over the course of the year that violates this tawhid.  In doing so, we grasp tighter to that secure handhold to Allah, the only handhold that will not break. 

May Allah SWT give us the tawfiq to have a successful fast this year.  And may Allah SWT forgive all our sins.

The Fiqh of Ramadan

In Ramadan, we fast from just before the coming in of the time of Fajr until the adhaan of Maghrib. 
Fasting has several physical benefits including:

·  Purification of body from toxins

·  Reducing of weight

·  Purity of brain

·  Rejuvenation of body

·        Feeling of contentment

Just a few considerations to remember:

·        We should not injest anything by mouth or engage in any sexual activity during daylight hours

·        We should make sure to have some suhur before fasting in the morning and we should make sure to break the fast with something simple such as the Sunnah practice of eating an odd number of dates and drinking some water.

·        After Maghrib, we can then eat a bigger meal, or we can wait until after Tarawih.  However, we should remember not to overeat during Ramadan.  Some people gain weight during this month.  Does this gluttony during a time when we should be grateful to Allah and also remember those less fortunate really show that we are benefiting from Ramadan?

·        Those with medical conditions requiring taking something during the day have two options:  If the condition is acute and likely will be present for a short time, then it is best to make up missed days before the next Ramadan.  If the condition is likely to last the entire month, but should clear up by next year, then it is best to feed a person each night and then make up the fast later, when you are able.  If the condition is chronic and not likely to be cured, then feed a person each night in kafara.

·        The same applies for women who are pregnant or who are in post-partum bleeding or who are breast feeding.  Women should not risk the health of the child.

Any of the following invalidates the fast: eating or drinking, smoking, sexual intercourse, masturbating, taking injections whereby nourishing liquids reach the stomach, deliberate vomiting, intentionally passing an object through the throat or any other natural opening...

 Deliberately breaking the fast requires a kaffara (atonement) which is either the fasting for sixty consecutive days for each day missed or feeding of sixty poor persons.

Scholars differ over whether remaining in the state of janabah (uncleanliness due to seminal discharge) till dawn invalidates the fast, but most feel it does not.

Some scholars are also of the opinion that lying about Allah or the Prophet, or cursing any Sahaba, or anything which would break the mental fast, breaks the fast in general, and the day must be made up.  Allah ta’ala alim.

Imam Abu Ja'fer Muhammad al-Baqir (as) saying, "Telling lies breaks the fast, and so does a second look at another woman (other than your wife), in addition to oppression, be it little or much."

Most importantly, the fast is not accepted without the other pillars of Islam.  We must strive to live the Shahada, not just say it on our tongues, but we must strive to act upon it.  We must pray our fard salaat.  We should pay zakat, and many do during this month.  We must also at least intend to make Hajj when we are physically and financially able. 

The Prophet is reported to have said that there will some whose only reward for fasting will be hunger and thirst, because they will not have sincerely fasted.  Why deprive ourselves of food and drink, if not to seek the Pleasure of Allah and increase our taqwa?

In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (saw) says, "Ramadan has come to you. (It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down Mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted." [ImamTabarani]

May Allah SWT grant us all a blessed month of Ramadan!  Ramadan Kareem!

Ramadan Mubarak: Let Us Welcome This Blessed Month

Ramadan Kareem

On July 8th, 2013, the new moon was born at 7:14 UT.  However, as of this writing, the hilal has not been observed anywhere in the world.  According the both CrescentWatch.com and Moonsighting.com, it was not visible anywhere other than part of the Polynesian Islands.  No one located in any of these islands has reported sighting the hilal. However, the new crescent will be visible widely on July 9th, 2013.  Therefore, it is my humble opinion that fasting should begin on July 10th, 2013.

Sighting the New Moon for Beginning and Ending the Fast of Ramadan

 

The following are all from al-Muwatta' of Imam Malik:

1 Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi' from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once mentioned Ramadan and said, "Do not begin the fast until you see the new moon, and do not break the fast (at the end of Ramadan) until you see it. If the new moon is obscured from you, then calculate (when it should be)."
[cf Bukhari 1807]

2 Yahya related to me from Malik from 'Abdullah ibn Dinar from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The month has twenty-nine days in it. Do not start the fast or break it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is obscured from you, then calculate when it should be)."
[cf Bukhari 1807-1808]

3 Yahya related to me from Malik from Thawr ibn Zayd ad-Dili from 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, once mentioned Ramadan and said, "Do not start the fast or break it until you see the new moon. If the new moon is obscured from you, then complete a full thirty days."
[In Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah]

4 Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that once in the time of 'Uthman ibn 'Affan the new moon was seen in the afternoon but 'Uthman did not break his fast until evening had come and the sun had set.

Yahya said that he had heard Malik say that someone who sees the new moon of Ramadan when he is on his own should start the fast and not break it if he knows that that day is part of Ramadan.

The Translation of al-Muwatta'  is by Ustadha Aisha Bewley (May Allah SWT reward her for her efforts).

These hadith make is clear that we are commanded by Rasulallah SAW to attempt to observe the hilal on the night of the 29th of the month, and if we do not observe it, then we are to assume that that month consists of 30 days.  This is the manner for determining ALL Islamic months, not just Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhul-Hijjah.

Today, many argue we should adopt calculation as the method for determining the Islamic months. They state that sighting the hilal is not an act of ibadah, and that therefore, it is not necessary.  They also state that sighting was initial required because the Arabs were an "unlettered" people and had no other way to tell the months.  They also argue that the hadith above supports calculation because if the moon is not sighted then we should calculate 30 days for that month.  Finally, they argue that sighting the moon is not a sabab for the fast of Ramadan.  The sabab for the fast is the coming of the month.  Sighting the hilal is only a means to tell if the month has come and is not a hukm at-taklifi (it is not a fard).  Calculation could also be used to tell if the month of Ramadan is upon us.

Let us take a look at these arguments.

Many argue that the negative clause in the Ahadith “do not fast until you see the new Moon” is categorical in demanding that sighting and only sighting is the mean to ascertain the beginning of the month. According to Shaikh Maghraoui,  “Most significantly, the text, “Do not fast until you sight the crescent…,” uses the strongest, most unequivocal language that sighting and only sighting is the means of ascertaining the beginning of the month.” (Fiqh Council of North America,  http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/node/21).

The proponents of calculation counter by asking "why the Prophet (PBUH) would insist upon requiring the actual Moon sighting (as the condition for fasting) only on the 29th day’s evening and not on the 30th day’s evening? ... Had the physical moon sighting been intrinsically obligatory to start or end the month of Ramadan, it would have been required both on the 29th as well as 30th day of the month. A binding legal cause (sabab) of any act of worship cannot be established as a prerequisite exclusively for one day of the month and not for the other days. The cause and effect go hand in hand in all situations, as the encyclopedic jurist Imam Abu Isha’q al-Sha’tibi has stated.

ما أثبت سبباً، فهو سبب أبداً لا يرتفع...

“The established (legal) cause always remains the cause and never changes”."  (Fiqh Council of North America,  http://www.fiqhcouncil.org/node/21).

First of all, we agree that the sabab or cause of fasting during the month of Ramadan, is the coming of the month.  Physical moon sighting is not the sabab.  The hukm al-wadai is entering the month of Ramadan.

Therefore whoever of you who witnesses this month, should fast.  (Al-Baqara 2:185)

The important word here is "witnesses" or "shahida."  In this context, it means 'who ever from among you witnesses the month."  However the following sentence gives more clarification.

But who is ill or on a journey shall fast to make up number of days later on. God intends your well-being, not your discomfort. He desires you to fast the whole month to glorify God and render thanks to Him for giving you His guidance.  (Al-Baqara 2:185)

 Because this sentence speaks of those traveling, we understand that "shahida" also refers to those who are present, at home, not traveling.  So, the sentence is often translated as, "Therefore, whoever of you is present in this month, should fast."

At any rate, it is clear, that hukm al-wadai is the coming in of the month of Ramadan.  So what is the significance of commanding us to look for the moon on the 29th?  Clearly, Allah SWT is instructing us how to tell when Ramadan comes, and how to do so with certainty.  And the wording of the hadith is such that one could reasonably assume that sighting the hilal is fard - not as a sabab of Ramadan, but as a means to determine that Ramadan has begun.

The Fiqh Council of North America has noted in its discussion of the hukm al-wadai that the sabab of dhur prayer is the coming in of its time - the specific time after noon.  In the past, this time would have been determined by using sun dials and other such instruments.  Some of these ancient sun dials are still as accurate as a quartz watch.  (Just check the one at the Jantar Mantar Observatory Delhi).  Today we use clocks; however, the sabab of dhur is not the big hand and little hand touching, but the actual position in the sky of the sun.  The clock may give us a reasonable degree of certainty, but the most certain way of determining dhur is by going out and looking up. Only if the day is cloudy would the clock become a more certain means.

Same is true of telling if it is Ramadan.  Calculations might lead to reasonable certainty on a cloudy day, but, if its not, then sighting would be far more certain. 

Moreover, Allah SWT has already provided us a way to deal with cloudy days - count one more day and end the month on the 30th.  Some seem to feel this justifies calculation.  Does it really?  It simply says, if you do see the hilal on the 29th, then fast the next day.  If you do not, for what ever reason, then do not fast the next day, fast the day after instead. It is a big step to go from this simple logical process to using the kind of complex mathematical calculation necessary to determine the hilal in astronomical terms.

As for the argument that if moon sighting on the 29th is required for fasting the next day, then it should be required on the 30th for fasting on its next day, it is not necessary that this is so.  First, we agree that the sabab of fasting is NOT sighting the moon, but the coming of the month.  Second, all we need to know is when the month starts.  All lunar months are either 29 or 30 days.  So logic dictates that if you do not see the moon on the 29th, then the month must be of 30 days.  Therefore, it is not necessary to sight the moon on the 30th. 

Finally, the argument that the Arabs were "unlettered," so now that we are not, we can use calculation.  This is not a strong argument.  In fact, it is a dangerous Islamically.  It opens the door to undermining any act of ibadah by saying we are not like the ones for whom that injunction was originally intended, so we do not have to do it that way. Some who call themselves Sufis do this when they say they have gnostic knowledge so they do not have to pray like those who do not.

Moreover, the Arabs were not that "unlettered" about astronomy.  They were well aware of the time it takes for the moon to go around the earth.  In the hadith from Malik from 'Abdullah ibn Dinar from 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, the Prophet SAW mentioned that the month is 29 days.

"The Moon appears to move completely around the celestial sphere once in about 27.3 days as observed from the Earth. This is called a sidereal month, and reflects the corresponding orbital period of 27.3 days The moon takes 29.5 days to return to the same point on the celestial sphere as referenced to the Sun because of the motion of the Earth around the Sun; this is called a synodic month." (Orbit and Phases of the Moon, http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/time/moonorbit.html)

Therefore, in my opinion, the evidence from the sources supports the position that in order to determine if the month of Ramadan has arrived, it is fard to observe the hilal moon on the night of the 29th, and if for any reason, we do not see it, we should assume that the month of Sha'ban is of 30 days, and fast the day after the next day.  This is in accordance with the position that the sabab of fasting during Ramadan is the beginning of the month of Ramadan, and that the beginning of the month is known by the fard means of determining it, which is observation of the hilal or lack thereof on the 29th of Sha'ban.

It is my opinion that calculation can be used to help us determine when the hilal might be observable, but it is not a valid means to determine if the month has arrived. No other means of determining the month is valid because the means, namely attempting to observe the hilal, is fard.  It is a fard kifayyah, obligatory on the community, and if one person in a community attempts to observe the moon, then this fard will be fulfilled.  (Here it is preferred to have one person in each region of the earth observe in order to fulfill this fard).

It is my opinion that observation of the hilal may be global, and this is preferred or mustahabb in order to inculcate unity. The month will begin the next day if the hilal is observed anywhere on the earth prior to midnight in the given location, otherwise, the month will begin the day after, if the hilal is not observed anywhere on earth prior to midnight in the given location. The reason for the cut off time of midnight, is that it is the end of the Ishaa period, and the beginning of the time for tahajjud.  By using that as a cut off point, the people are sure to have sufficient time to pray tarawih, and to eat suhur, and to prepare for fasting the next day, if the hilal is sighted.

However, it is equally acceptable to observe locally within a matlaa' if every community in the matlaa' agrees to that method.  A matlaa' is defined as an area or region wherein the people are reasonably expected to pray Eid prayers together.  Either way, every community in a matlaa' should agree to minhaj, either global or local.

It should be noted that in determining the entrance of the month of Dhul Hijjah, it is preferred or mustahabb to use a global observation over Makkah.  This is primarily because the timing of the Hajj depends on the coming in of the month over Makkah.  In fact, it may be viewed as fard considering that the Qur'an states that Hajj is on the known days.  (2:197)  Since the Hajj occurs in and around Makkah, the timing must be determined there, and no where else.

Allah Ta'ala Alim

Benefits of Attempting to Observe the Hilal

Islamic days begin at maghrib, so the night of the 29th is the night BEFORE the day of the 29th - what in the West we would refer to as the night of the 28th. This fact points us to one of the most important benefits of Ruyyah or Attempting of Observe the Hilal.  In an era when we are so disconnected from nature, the nature that Allah SWT created, we are in dire need of reminders of His ayaat.  He has told us that the sun, moon and stars are among His ayaat in the universe, and that they enable us to be aware of His presence.  They provide "proof" of His existence.  So it is critical that we remember Him by observing His signs.

Observing the Hilal is one of the best ways for us to remember Allah and His creative power and dominion.  We should make it an event for the whole family.  Taking our children, going to a high place, telling them about the moon and stars and sky and reciting to them the ayaat of Surah al-Baqara regarding fasting (2:-183 et al), is a wonderful way to prepare for the blessed month, and for the happy day of Eid al-Fitr as well.  In an age when they spend so much time interacting with man-made things, it is essential to remind them of their connection to Allah SWT and the greater universe He created.

I understand that we all of us would love to have unity and have all Muslims fasting and breaking the fast at the same time.  Inshaa allah, if Allah SWT give us life, we will discuss the issue of unity in fasting in another post.

For now, the most important factor in a successful fast is our intention.  If our intention is the Pleasure of Allah, then know that Allah SWT has said that fasting is for Him alone, and He alone rewards it.  We hope that Allah SWT will reward us all for a successful fast of Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak!!!!

Open Letter to Sayyed Hassan Nasrullah

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

How Can We, the Heirs of Hussein (RAA), Support Yazid?

Dearest Sayyed Hassan Nasrullah,

Allahuma Salla llahu ala Muhammad wa Ahlihi.  May Allah SWT guide all of us in this time of fitnah.  

During the month of Muharram, we remember the sacrifices of Imam Hussein (RAA) and the family of Ali ibn Abi Talib (KW).  Many feel great remorse over the actions of some in abandoning the Imam and leaving him to be slaughtered by the forces of Yazid, the tyrant of his time. 

Just a few months ago, in April, we remembered the sacrifice of one of the sons of Hussein (RAA), Shaheed Sayyed Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr (QS).  Our Shaheed al-Khamis was brutally murdered at the hands of a tyrant of our time, Saddam Hussein. 

Let us review a little bit of the life of this great scholar, philosopher and shaheed. He grew up in an Iraq, ruled by a monarchy imposed by colonial powers.  In his youth, he strove tirelessly to ensure that the people would have a government in accordance with the teachings of Islam - Wilayat al-Ummah.  His vision of an Islamic Democracy has yet to come to fruition.  Instead, across the Middle East, we still have rule by tyrants.  

Finally the people of the Middle East have begun to speak out against this oppression.  The Arab Spring has brought hope to a whole generation of shabaab who are tired of all the "old" thinking.  They want a life without fear and fitnah. They have more in common with other youth around the globe, than with their elders, who are too bogged down in tribal thinking, sectarian boundaries, and egotistical maneuvers.  Our youth don't care about Sunni or Shia, Arab or non-Arab, thisy or thaty.  They are tired of the nonsense and immature, childish behavior.

Sayyed Al Sadr was one of the first voices in Islam to call for the use of aql or reason, and of rational, critical thinking about the issues of the day.  In Iqtisaduna, he also states that any solutions to current problems have to arise naturally from the soil of the Middle East, from the people themselves.  

In both Falsafatuna and Iqtisaduna, he embarks on the most vigorous and effective critique of the dogma and philosophy of socialism and communism.  His logical arguments against dialectic materialism and proofs of Islamic positions are unparalleled and no one has successfully countered them.

We should not need to point out to one who studied with Shaheed al-Sadr, that the Baath party of both Iraq and Syria adheres to socialist/communist dogma and dialectic materialism.  The party of Hafez al-Assad and his son, Bashaar, is a socialist party.  

Throughout the Cold War, the Soviet Union supported the Baath party in Syria, and Russia still supports al-Assad.  President Putin is now in talks with President Obama, and has expressed his continued support of al-Assad.

Need I remind you what fellow Baath party member, Saddam Hussein did to the founders of religious parties, especially the Da'wah party.  How many were killed?  What happened to Abdul Sahib Dekhail?  The Baath party killed him by slowly immersing his in acid.

And Shaheeduna?  And his beloved sister, Amina?  You knew them Sayyed Hassan...

Now this Yazid of our time is butchering his fellow Syrians.  He may have been a supporter of Hezbullah in the past, but that is not a reason to support one who is committing hiraba and evil against Muslims now.  He kills anyone, Sunni, Shia, non-religious people.  And now he is subjecting his own people to chemical weapons.

The people of Syria deserve to be able to participate in a free Islamic-compliant society.  Shaheed al Sadr put forth the concepts of Wilayat al-Ummah, with an independant judiciary of the scholars and fuqaha', and the ever-watchful witness of the Ahl al Bayt wa shi'atum.We have an opportunity to rebuild both Iraq and Syria upon this foundation.

We who have taken on the great weight of being a witness unto mankind, the mantle we put on when we accept Islam as our Deen, must speak out against any form of oppression and dhulm.  

No human is completely evil.  We are human.  The test is when we become aware that another path is preferable, what do we do?  Do we stubbornly refuse to change, and hence lose all guidance, or do we seek to be guided, show our submission to Allah SWT and turn toward the path to which he is guiding us?

How many Abdul Sahib Dekhails died today?  How many Shaheed al-Sadrs?  How many Amina bint al Hudas?  How many did you kill?

May Allah SWT guide us all.

M Ali Sadiqi

The Plight of Ethiopian Muslims

The First Hijrah in Islam

Over fourteen hundred years ago, a just king took in a group of poor immigrants seeking asylum in his country.  They came seeking religious freedom.  And that just king, the Negasi, granted them a place of peace. 

Our beloved Prophet SAW prayed the janaza prayer, salat al-ghayb, over this just king.  We fondly remember that king and his people, who took in some of the greatest Sahabi -  Uthman, Jaafar, even the Prophet's daughter, Ruqayyah (RAA).  We remember the accusation of Amr ibn al-As regarding the poor asylum seekers.  He claimed they were the ones creating fitnah in society.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  They wanted nothing more than to freely worship the One God - Allah, and when that became impossible, instead of causing fitnah or tumult, they sought to reside somewhere else, where they could be free.  

Today, the current government has forgotten this legacy and is promoting a ideology of intolerance and fitnah.  A government, of a country once proudly committed to religious freedom and justice, is now compelling those it once sheltered to follow its handpicked ideology of hate and tumult.

The Ahbash movement was founded as the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects in the 1930's by Ahmad al-Ajuz, in Lebanon.  "According to Gary Gambill the AICP arrived in Lebanon in the 1950s, where he says "they blended Sunni and Shi'a theology with Sufi spiritualism into a doctrinal eclecticism that preached nonviolence and political quietism".^[1] The AICP remained without a leader until the 1980s when Abdullah al-Harari became the nominal head of the organization."  (Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ahbash, accessed 6/11/2013).  

Although the Ahbash claim they are tolerate and preach moderation, their actions reveal that they are takfiri.  

They accuse the group of an excessive use of Takfir - the act of declaring another Muslim an unbeliever - and thereby of the provocation of inner-Islamic tensions. According to Tariq Ramadan, Al-Ahbash "adherents carry on a permanent double discourse: to Western questioners, they claim to support the emancipation of women and laicism to oppose the "fundamentalists" (all the issues they know are sensitive and useful for getting them recognized). However, within Muslim communities, they carry on an extremely intransigent and closed discourse, usually treating most of the principal Muslim ulama as kuffar *by which they mean "unbeliever,' "impious people"). They base their teachings on interpretations recognized as deviant by all other schools of thought and all other scholars of note (for example, their singular understanding of the meaning of the name of God, or their assertion that the Qur'anic Text was interpreted by the angel Gabriel, or the practice of praying to the dead). Their approach on very specific points of doctrine (such as those we have referred to) is hostile and usually violent."^{[1][21]  (Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Ahbash Accessed 06/11/2013).}

Allah has made it clear that to create fitnah in the Muslim community is a grave sin.  Fitnah akbar min al qatl, fitnah is worse than killing.  If Allah SWT has reserved the punishment of one who kills a Muslim to Himself because it is such a grave matter, how much more so something greater than killing.  Fitnah is worse than killing.

As Muslims, we must support our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia.  Gangs of Ahbash are going house to house, forcibly converting people to their brand of religion.  They are fighting with well-respected leaders and Ulema.  The government has rounded up those that oppose this brand of hate-mongering and subjected them to torture and prison.  The situation is quickly deteriorating.
  

Any form of takfiri dogma is in opposition to the true teachings of Islam.  To label someone a kafir just because he or she holds a different minhaj or methodology in Islam is haram.  Ikhtilaf is permissible and even a blessing in this Deen of Islam.  Fitnah or tumult is not.  It is haram and it is one of the worst forms of dhulm or oppression.  Whether it is from the Ultra-Salafi position or from the Ahbash position, this takfiri attitude is not Islamic.

Allah SWT says:

La ikraha fi Deen.   There is no Compulsion in Religion!!

This Takfiri dogma can only benefit the enemies of Islam who seek to destroy it by creating divisions amongst us.  They rejoice when they see us fighting amongst ourselves and they seek to exploit every means possible to divide us.

They are the friends of Shaytan, and they spread their hate and poison everywhere.  Any position that seeks to divide Muslims and spread hate is from Shaytan, and any position that seeks to unify us, is from Allah SWT.

So whose side are you on?  The Party of Shaytan or the Party of Allah?  

If you are on the side of Allah, then Stop the Fitnah!!! Stop supporting these takfiri elements and support those who are seeking unity and peace.

Islam is not a pacifistic path.  We are called to strive against oppression and injustice.  Let's really do so, and instead of oppressing our fellow Muslims, let us really support one another in our freedom of belief.  We may not agree in everything, but let us respect one another as fellow Muslims and treat one another in the best of manners.  

When faced with a position on anything, consider who will benefit most for such a position.  if that position comes from Shaytan, you will know, inshaa llah, because you will be able to see how only Islam's enemies will benefit from it, and how that position will, in fact, make Muslims look bad somehow.  

Think before you react!! Allah SWT gave you a brain, an aql; use it.  Anyone that says you should just blindly follow anything is an enemy of yours, or humanity, and a friend of Shaytan, because Allah SWT tells you He wants you to think, and clearly Shaytan does not want you to do so.

Let us support our Ethiopian brothers and sisters by putting pressure on International trade bodies to investigate the human rights abuses occurring today.  Ethiopia is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is seeking admission to the WTO.  Write letters to these organizations asking them to investigate the allegations of human rights abuses.  And inform your friends, Muslim and non-Muslim alike about the lack of freedom of religion in Ethiopia today.  

This image says it all.  All people of faith are under attack today.  We ask Allah SWT to guide us all and give us victory against the forces of our old enemy, Shaytan.