Why Muslims should not celebrate birthdays?

ANSWER: Let us look at how birthdays started and where did this practice orginate? I took the following quotes from one website, but there are still many more which explain more or less the same theme. Please read and note the words we've highlighted in bold:

The German periodical "Schwäbische Zeitung" (magazine supplement Zeit und Welt) of April 3/4, 1981 on page 4 stated: "The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating - complete with lighted candles - in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year. . . . Down to the fourth century Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom."

The book The Lore of Birthdays (New York, 1952) by Ralph and Adelin Linton, on pages 8, 18-20 had this to say: "The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or demon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born.


The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . . This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint. . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune"


This same book, on page 20, also had this to say about the traditional greeting of 'Happy Birthday': "Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday. . . . originally the idea was rooted in magic. The working of spells for good and evil is the chief usage of witchcraft. One is especially susceptible to such spells on his birthday, as one's personal spirits are about at the time. . . . Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day."

And Horst Fuhrmann, professor of medieval history at the University of Regensburg, made this comment about birthdays: "The birthday celebration was in honor of one's guardian angel or god, whose altar was decorated with flowers and wreaths; sacrifices were offered to the god of festival, friends offered congratulations and brought gifts." Furthermore, he stated in the German newspaper "Süddeutschen Zeitung": "Great prominence was given to birthday parties held for the emperor, replete with parades, public banquets, circus plays, and the hunting of animals: spectacles disgusting to the [early] Christians."


Then where did birthday celebrations come from? The astonishing answer is from the pagan practice of astrology! Thousands of years ago, when men looked up into the night sky and charted the stars, they invented calendars and calculated the birth dates, to the very hour, of kings, rulers and their successors. These ancient pagan astrologers meticulously examined horoscopes and birthday omens because they believed that the fate of the rich and powerful might affect an entire society. Even to this day, men have been putting their trust in horoscopes instead of God.


In ancient Egypt, the pharaohs ordered businesses to close on their birthdays and gave enormous feasts for hundreds of servants. In ancient Greece, wealthy males joined birthday clubs composed exclusively of men who shared their birth date. Once a month, the club celebrated with a feast. When a member died, he left money to help pay for future parties. In Persia, noblemen observed their birthdays by barbecuing an ox, a camel and a donkey and serving hundreds of small cakes to the celebrants.


In ancient Rome, the emperor gave huge parties in honor of his own birthday, which included parades, circuses, and gladiatorial combat. The celebration of days was so important to the average Roman citizen that the Roman calendar designated a majority of days for some form of celebration—including many birthdays of gods and famous men.


The Roman calendar, with its emphasis on continual celebration, has had great influence on modern society. Consider the following quote about the origin of the Roman calendar:


“Our [Roman] calendar is not Christian in origin. It descends directly from the Egyptians, who originated the 12 month year, 365 day system. A pagan Egyptian scientist, Sosigenes, suggested this plan to the pagan Emperor Julius Caesar, who directed that it go into effect throughout the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. As adopted it indicated its pagan origin by the names of the months—called after Janus, Maia, Juno, etc. The days were not named but numbered on a complicated system involving Ides, Nones, and Calends. It was not until 321 A.D. that the seven-day week feature was added, when the Emperor Constantine (supposedly) adopted Christianity. Oddly enough for his weekdays he chose pagan names which are still used.” (Journal of Calendar Reform, Sept. 1953, p. 128.)


Modern birthday parties and celebrations by children take their form mainly from Germany, where the birthday child received gifts, chose a menu and received a candle-ringed butter or jam cake. The lighted candles for the cake may have originated from the birthday of the Greek moon goddess Artemis. Pagan worshippers honored her every month with moon-shaped honey cakes. Because the moon glows with light, the cakes were decorated with lighted candles.


Saying “happy birthday” to friends and loved ones was society’s superstitious way of protecting them from evil spirits. Birthday thumps, bumps, pinches, etc., were said to bring luck and send away evil spirits. Party snappers, horns and other noisemakers were also intended to scare off bad-luck spirits.

It should now be clear that birthdays are not only unbiblical, they are pagan!

The above proves that birthday parties represent a custom that came from the pagans of former times. It involves belief in demons, evil spirits, magical spells and so forth Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to indulge in such celebrations. The Holy Quran states: "What, do you seek the practice of the Days of Ignorance? Who can be better as regards religious law than Allah, for people who have faith?" (Surah Maa-idah)

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A New Crisis Confronts the Ummah

A recent phenomenon that has confronted the Muslim Ummah is cause for great alarm. It has been witnessed in several parts of South Africa that there is a rise in the number of Muslims become murtadd.

Though the ratio of non-Muslims reverting to Islam is far greater than that of people becoming Murtadd, and though such a phenomenon does not threaten Islam in the least, such is its power and might, yet it is cause for serious concern when people degenerate to the level of irtidaad (becoming murtadd). Just as it is a tribute to Islam’s dominance and independence that irtidaad does not constitute the least threat to its existence, in like manner it is a tribute to Islam’s ideological stability and intellectual might that people who abandon it never do so out of disillusion or lack of conviction in its teaching. When studying the causes of people becoming murtadd, it emerges that the chief reasons are financial, ignorance with regard to Islamic belief, succumbing to lust, marriage to a kaafier, disillusionment with family members, drugs, music, or a combination of all or some of these.

KUFR ASSOCIATION
One major factor that corrupts belief and action, and leads to apostasy, is evil company. There are known cases of teenagers losing their iemaan because they were influenced in this direction by corrupt people. Muslims get involved with atheistic groups who obviously do not believe in Allah. Others were discovered sharing sessions of meditation and forums of discussion with Hindu groups. These Muslims went on to adopt the kufr belief of re-incarnation.

KUFR OCCULT AND
RITUAL
Muslims should be wary of new forms of healing and exercise that actual stem from Hinduism or Paganism. They should avoid attending sessions of yoga, reiki, crystal healing, etc., for the ordinary Muslim will find it difficult to detect the kufr aspects of some of these rituals, as the example of re-incarnation illustrates. Muslims adopted this without even realizing that it is clear-cut kufr. Even if some of these practices appear harmless, it is best to exercise caution.

SECULAR INSTITUTES
The universities of today are ideal breeding grounds for atheism, agnosticism and similar heretical beliefs. Parents should be constantly and unrelentingly vigilant over their sons and daughters who attend varsities. It is already an established reality that our youth lose their Islamic identity and spiritual well-being in these secular institutes. The crisis we now face is loss of iemaan in its entirety.

THE HADITH ON EVIL
COMPANY
Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) made the following dua: “O Allah I seek your protection from an evil day, an evil night, an evil moment, and an evil friend.”
‘Ulema state that in this dua the consequences are mentioned before the actual cause, so as to impress the urgency of these matters on the mind of the listener. In other words, an evil day, an evil night and an evil moment are all consequences of an evil companion.
Evil company unconsciously induces evil thoughts and actions. Sometimes, these thoughts are so severe that they threaten the very roots of our iemaan. Many youth do not even know this, in spite of them being highly educated and intellectuals. Elders need to constantly advise the youth as to whose company they should keep. We have stated before and reiterate that even our adults become unwitting victims of bad company.

People who renegade on Islam have bartered away their Deen for the disillusionment of this Dunya. Allah Ta’ala says in the Holy Quran: “So let the world not deceive you, and let not the big deceiver (shaytaan) beguile you with regards to Allah!”

Notwithstanding all of this, our ieman demands that when one Muslim deviates from the straight path, we feel deeply hurt. The hadith describes the brotherhood and bond of this Ummat as the parts of one body. When a limb hurts, the rest of the body feels the effects and suffers accordingly. When even one member of the Ummat suffers spiritual damage (and there is no greater spiritual harm than irtidaad), the rest of the Ummah should feel it. Just as we cannot tolerate insensitivity towards the physical harm and hardship of a fellow Muslim, we, too, cannot tolerate complacency towards the spiritual disaster that befalls Muslims. When a Muslim becomes murtadd, we shall do everything in our power to bring that person back onto the Path of Deen. After having tried our best and failed, we resign ourselves to the Taqdeer of Allah The Almighty. It is then acknowledged that iemaan was not in the taqdeer of that Muslim. (May Allah grant all Muslims death on iemaan, aameen).

The major dilemma that confronts us when a person becomes murtadd is how to deal with such a person. Should he or she be ostracized from the community, or should effort be made to try and bring the person back into the fold? In an Islamic state a murtadd will be given time to consider re-entry into the fold of Islam. If the apostate does not revert within a particular time frame, which depends on circumstances, then such a person shall be executed. In other words, irtidaad or recanting Islam is akin to treachery in an Islamic State, and the same punishment that will be meted out to a (political) traitor or rebel will be ministered to a murtadd.
However, in a non Muslim state, we should firstly try our utmost to bring the murtadd back into Islam. We have to use wisdom, tact, and logical arguments in an attempt to win back this lost soul. If all this fails, then such a person must be totally ostracized. We shall have no more contact with the murtadd, be it our own kith and kin. It will not be permissible to take the life of a murtadd in a non-Muslim country.

COMBATTING THE MENACE OF IRTIDAAD
In order to fight this fitnah and safeguard the iemaan of our Muslim brothers and sisters, we need to look into the causes mentioned earlier. Once we familiarize ourselves with the causes, we can effectively combat this danger.
One cause mentioned was lack of proper Islamic Aqaa-id or Beliefs. This is of extreme importance. Some Muslims exit the fold of Islam because they hold corrupt or concocted beliefs about Islam. We, therefore, need to ensure our children acquire proper Islamic Aqaaid. For this the madresa and maktab system of education is vital. It is deeply disappointing to witness the indifference of parents towards their children’s Deeni education during the early years of a child’s life. We hate to think that failure to equip our children with proper Islamic knowledge when they were small, will one day result in the misery and heartache of irtidaad. We ourselves need to become versed in proper Islamic Aqaaid. Al-Farouq will, insha Allah, carry articles on Aqaaid in a future publication.

Another cause for irtidaad is financial difficulty. How true were the words of our Rasool (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) when he remarked: “Poverty is close to becoming kufr.” It is common in parts of our country as well as the rest of the African continent for Christian Missionaries to exploit the financial woes of Muslims by luring them towards Christianity with monetary incentives. Sometimes this is done overtly, and sometimes covertly. Well-to-do Muslims should form a think-tank and establish ways of assisting these poor Muslims and thus save them from the Missionary onslaught. This will indeed be a major financial sacrifice but, in the end, well worth it.

Marrying across religious barriers is another factor that sometimes leads to kufr. Sadly, Muslim women exit the fold of Islam just to marry a non-Muslim man whom they claim they love. Falling in love with a member of the opposite sex who happens to belong to an opposing religion has been identified as a common cause for irtidaad. Several Muslim women end up marrying their Christian or Hindi boyfriends in the Church or Temple. Some of them openly denounce Islam. (Allah Forbid!) Here the parents have to share some of the blame, for it was their negligence in the first place that allowed their daughters to end up in the arms of a Hindu or Christian. For the future, we need to wake up from our slumber and begin exercising more responsible control over our children. Regardless of how old our son or daughter is, strict supervision and close monitoring should continue. don’t take your child for granted, and never become complacent.

SHUKR FOR IEMAAN
It is a famous teaching of Quran that making shukr for the Bounties of Allah is a cause of protection and enhancement for those bounties. In like manner, making daily shukr for our iemaan will undoubtedly ensure its protection and become a means of strengthening our Islamic Faith. !
May Allah Azza Wa Jall grant us all death with Iemaan — aameen

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The Need for Halaal Awareness

Every Believer who has some degree of iemaan knows the importance of consuming halaal. For those with stronger iemaan and intensified taqwa, the consumption of halaal is of primary importance, and for very good reason.

In a narrative delivered by Hazrat Abu Hureira (radhiyallahu anhu) Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) is reported to have said: “O People! Verily Allah is Pure and only accepts that which is pure. And verily Allah has commanded the Believers with that which He commanded the Messengers; He says (to the Messengers): “O Messengers! Eat from pure, wholesome foods and perform righteous deeds.” (Surah Muminoon, verse 51) And He says (to the Believers): “O Believers! Eat from the pure, wholesome foods that We have provided for you, and offer thanks to Allah if indeed it is He Whom you (truly) worship”. (Surah Baqara, verse 172 ).

Then Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) mentioned a man who travelled a far distance, was dishevelled, weary and tired. This weary traveller stretches out his hand to Allah in dua, and exclaims: “O My Lord! O My Lord!” Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) says: “But his food is from haraam, his drink is from haraam, and his clothes are from haraam, so how can his dua be accepted?

THE HALAAL CONNECTION
Aayat 51 of Surah Muminoon underscores the importance of eating halaal and pure foods and by following up the command to eat halaal with the command to do righteous deeds, there is a distinct connection between the two. Ulema of tafseer say that this verse (23:51) is clear proof that eating halaal is the catalyst for good deeds in the life of a Believer. This natural habit remarkably propels man towards piety. These Ulema then infer that since halaal food can produce good deeds in man, it logically follows that haraam food prevents good and induces the perpetration of haraam acts. The verse cited from Surah Baqarah makes reference to this very fact; that the command to eat halaal foods is followed by the instruction to make shukr and to offer true worship. There is, therefore, no room for doubt, that halaal food plays a huge role in the fulfilment of good and the shunning of evil. By the same token, haraam food stifles the predilection of man towards good, whilst creating an insatiable appetite for sin.

DUA AND HARAAM
The narrative of Abu Huraira mentioned previously highlights another calamitous consequence of consuming haraam, and that is the rejection of dua. Here, too, countless Auliyaa and Ulema have concluded beyond all shadow of doubt that the chief cause of our duas not being accepted is the consumption of haraam.

One the one hand, the Ummat-a-Muslima (Muslim Nation) has undergone an outward resurgence of iemaan, but on the other hand, inwardly they have either retrogressed or temporary stalled in spiritual achievement. We sometimes wonder why Muslims are so lethargic when it comes to performance of good deeds, just as we look on aghast at the numerous vices committed by Muslims. There appears to be an increase in the appetite of Muslims for evil and vice, and decline in their desire for good. One reason this retrogressive pattern of Muslim behaviour can be attributed to is the consumption of haraam. Haraam food has the capability of blackening the heart and eroding its (the hearts) iemaani lustre and glitter. With a heart filled with darkness, one loses the inclination for good and hankers after evil. Consuming haraam creates laziness in the rooh and disinclination towards good a’maal. This lethargy towards a’maal-e-saaliha (righteous deeds) then makes one predisposed towards evil and sin. The nafs of man, though ingestion of haraam food, develops an insatiable desire for sin and vice. When this spiritual cancer sets in, it becomes extremely difficult if nigh impossible, to reverse the process and make man more inclined to good than evil. The only way, really, to achieve this, is to wean off the nafs from haraam. It is with this motive and objective in mind that we perceived the need to highlight the importance of halaal consumption.

DECEPTION
At this juncture, let it be known that we are focussing on one aspect of haraam consumption, and that is haraam foods, particularly meat and poultry. Many Muslim families and individuals will consume meat and chicken served at non-Muslim restaurants or roadhouses without the least concern for haraam and halaal, just on the basis of a certificate.

It is important for the Muslim public to understand the nature of halaal certificates that non-Muslim outlets possess. A non-Muslim’s main concern is to rake in as much money as possible through his business. He has absolutely no concern for halaal and haraam. In reality a disbeliever could not care less whether a Muslims eats halaal or haraam; instead some of them are bitter opponents to the halaal and haraam industry. We thus discovered in the past that some non-Muslim food establishments produced faked certificates just to hoodwink Muslims and capture their business.

Recently, in Port Elizabeth a certain fast food outlet issued leaflets advertising their products. In one corner of the leaflet there appeared, in small print, the halaal logo of a famous national halaal certifying body. This obviously created the perception to Muslims that the products of this outlet were certified by a Muslim Body and were thus halaal. However, upon investigation it was revealed that this outlet was never ever certified by the Halaal Certifying Body. Somehow, this Port Elizabeth outlet managed to obtain leaflets that were distributed by its Johannesburg branch, which is managed by Muslims and certified halaal, and issued these to local consumers. Obviously, this created the impression that the PE branch was also halaal certified.

On another occasion, tenders were given out for halaal food to be supplied to a certain prison. One of the tenders came in from a non-Muslim food supplier who produced photo-copies of an original halaal certificate that they had managed to procure from a Johannesburg branch, yet the certificate clearly states: PHOTO-COPIES NOT VALID. These are just a few examples of how non-Muslim establishments will hoodwink Muslims just to win their patronage. Theses atrocities in the halaal industry will continue to plague our Muslims for they have become so accustomed to eating out and dining at non-Muslim restaurants and food establishments. Muslims will purchase meat and chicken from non-Muslim chain stores on the flimsy (and totally absurd) grounds that “the till slip says ‘halaal’!´ This is indeed atrocious, and laughable had it not been so serious.

Many Muslims are victims of consuming haraam unknowingly. But being unaware of the permissibility of a product is no excuse when strong grounds of doubt exist. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: “Halaal is clear and Haraam is clear. Between the two, there are doubtful items. He who avoids these doubtful items has purified his honour and his Deen. And he who indulges in items of doubt, will soon fall into haraam.” (Bukhari Shareef) This hadith shareef refers to those items or acts that have become doubtful on the basis of strong reasons. Can there be a stronger reason for doubt than the fact that kuffar are procuring, preparing, cooking and serving these meat and chicken products that we Muslims consume?

CERTIFICATES
Some may argue that these kuffar are in possession of halaal certificates. Well, we have answered this conclusively above, where it was established that reliance cannot be placed anymore on mere certificates when there is neither Muslim supervision nor thorough inspection by the halaal certifying body.
Muslim consumers must understand the halaal certifying process. The Jurists of Islam have laid down a strict principle for meat and poultry sold by kuffar to be considered halaal for Muslim consumption, viz., that there must be strict and continuous Muslim supervision of such products. Should this be lacking in any department, the hillat or lawfulness of such products become severely compromised and doubtful. It then becomes compulsory on Muslims to abstain from the consumption of such foods. We are aware that not all halaal certifying bodies maintain strict standards of inspection and monitoring. It is for this reason that we warn Muslim consumers to exercise extreme caution, for the sake of their iemaan and righteousness.

Today Muslims freely visit Nandos, Kentucky, Macdonalds, and a host of other non-Muslim owned franchises and consume the food manufactured by these establishments, with little or no concern for the halaal status of such food. It is ironical and deeply saddening to see Muslims piously offering their salah in a musjid, and soon thereafter end up at a non-Muslim restaurant to enjoy with relish the meat or chicken served there. Do they not realize that such injudicious behaviour puts their a’maal or good deeds at serious risk? The deeds of one who consumes non-halaal food are not accepted by Almighty Allah as long as the effect of that haraam remains in the body. In a hadith of Bukhari it appears that as long as one wears clothes earned through haraam, one’s salaah will not be accepted. It is high time we Muslims learnt self-discipline and control. Another hadith of Saheeh Al-Bukhari teaches that for a person to reach piety it is incumbent that he or she shuns that which is doubtful and opt for that which is doubt-free.

We once again, emphasize, that part of our spiritual retrogression must be attributed to the ingestion of foods that are either doubtful or clear-cut haraam. Once Muslims have cultivated the taste of fast-food outlets, and consume this without much conscience about halaal and haraam, it becomes an almost Herculean task to break the habit and abstain. Even now, we believe, there is still time for us wake up to this reality and begin developing a resistance to the fast-food eating style. “The fire is more deserving to flesh that was nurtured through haraam” was the stark warning issued by Our Beloved Master (Bukhari shareef). Let this hadith, as well as our God given iemaani conscience guide us to the right choice – Allahumma aameen.

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The Muslim Woman: Her Position in Society

With the swift advancement of life on earth and the wide-ranging changes that continue to envelope society, it was inevitable that the religious lives of Muslims were soon to be affected. The modernisation that permeated so many facets of our worldly lives ensured that our Islamic system of practice also underwent adjustments to suit present day trends.
This in itself is not a sin, for given the society we are living in, there are at times compelling reasons for Muslims to adjust and adapt to their circumstances. However, modernisation in any field of life must never occur at the expense of Quranic teaching and Islamic morals. It must never happen that in pursuit of modernity, we abandon the Sunnah of Our Beloved Rasool, or jettison the golden principles of Islam. Modernity that leads us away from the methods of Allah, His Rasool, and the Illustrious Companions of His Rasool (May Allah be pleased with them all) is unacceptable to any Muslim.

MODERN MEANS
Islam allows us to utilize all the modern means at our disposal for the fulfilment of worldly and religious needs, but we should, at the same time, adhere strictly to the orthodox mode of Islam practiced by our pious predecessors. Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas (Radhiyallahu anhu) used to say: “Barakat (Blessing) lies with your Akaabir” Combining the ‘best of both worlds’ in a Religious sense is indeed an arduous and daunting task, but with a little bit of guidance from the Ulema, it is quite possible. To remain an orthodox Muslim while still benefiting from modern-day inventions and facilities is an achievement made by many Muslims both past and present. It is a matter of knowing where to draw the line. Know your bounds, and confine your practice and belief to them.

LIMITS
It is essential for Muslims to realize the limits that Allah has laid down. Almighty Allah mentions at several places in the Quran-e-Kareem: “These are the limits of Allah, so do not transgress them” When the adaptation of modernity infringes on these limits, Muslims should know that it is time to draw the line and not venture any further.
As regards the Muslim woman’s role and status in society, for which this article is intended, here too, the quest for modernisation has brought in its wake diverse action and opinion. Here we are discussing modernisation in Deeni activities, for if this department of our lives is modernized beyond acceptable limits, then what can be said of our worldly lives.
In fact, modernisation in worldly matters is easily noticed and quickly condemned. Even the Muslims who do this will be the first to confess with a degree of shame that they are ‘modern Muslims’. However, in matters of Deen modernisation is sometimes never noticed, and if it is, then only after it has already succeeded in the adulteration of Deeni principles and belief.

IN ISLAM’S NAME
The interaction of females in our society is one such example. Today we are witnessing an alarming increase in promotion of women to the forefront in matters of Religion. What’s even more disturbing is that all this is perpetrated in the Name of Islam, or for the ostensible purpose of propagating Islam.
Consider the examples we furnish further on and readers will understand the point being made.
It must be well remembered that propagation of Islam is not something new. This was and will always remain an integral part of our Deen, and nothing can change that. While we fully agree that methods of propagation will and must change from time to time, it is our firm belief [based on proof from Quran and Hadith,] that none of the new methods should violate or conflict with original and orthodox principles of Islam. We Muslims must understand this well. The gradual and subtle shift in original Shar’ee values have brought in its wake the following modernisations to a woman’s role in society:

A) In Deeni Matters
Women participating in Qiraat competitions; Women singing qaseedas and producing their own “albums”; Women becoming Imams in Masaajid, delivering khutbas and lectures to menfolk; women emerging from their homes for purposes of tableegh and propagation of Deen; Women presenting and conducting Radio programs; Women appearing on stage in Jalsas and mass gatherings, and offering renditions of qiraat or naats, etc.; Women sitting in meetings with men on religious matters;

B) In Worldly Matters
Women entering the political field and becoming leaders of State; Women becoming pilots, bus drivers, truck drivers, train drivers; women being placed at the helm of businesses and companies; Women going to the forefront in business and high-profile corporates; the list goes on.

RELIGIOUS CIRCLES
Our major concern is the promotion of women in religious circles. A female who is profiled in the worldly sphere of business or politics, is frowned upon by most Muslims.
Women who display themselves or expose themselves in worldly matters are considered as weak Muslims by all, even on their own admission. Everyone knows that this is sinful and un-Islamic. But when a female discards hijaab under the guise of Islam, and under the pretext of doing “dawah’ or social work, there is the real danger of ordinary innocent Muslims considering her a figurehead to be looked up to, and subsequently losing the significance of hijaab.
Muslims might support her cause and use the actions of that woman to abandon true Hijaab. Hijaab is just not the covering of the body. Our sisters must understand this well. Hijaab is a perpetual condition affecting a Muslim female. It is an Islamic culture and mind-set, and is not confined to only a jilbaab or veil. There exists a major misconception among some females sectors, that once the outer hijaab has been adopted, then there are no holds barred.

PROMINENCE
When one studies the Quranic concept of a woman’s role, the matter is quite clear and concise. Allah Ta’ala states in Surah Ahzaab, verse 33: “And remain confined to your homes, and do not display yourselves like the display of former times of ignorance......” This verse clearly indicates that the role of a woman according to Quran is not one of prominence and profile. The words Qaraar fil buyout means to remain steadfastly confined to the house. Such steadfastness suggests that she is inside the home for the major part of her life, and emerges only when necessary.

FEMALE CELEBRITY
It has reached us that a certain Muslim female Radio presenter, who it appears has become something of a celebrity due to her involvement in radio, has been invited to conduct and host Islamic programs.
While we understand that the lady will travel with her husband as mehram, but the broader picture of this whole exercise is extremely disconcerting. In fact, for those who are conscientious about their Deeni sentiments, this is totally unacceptable. Such an exercise is in diametric conflict with the Quran role envisaged for females.
We quoted the relevant verse above, which emphatically indicates that the female profile is low-key and inconspicuous. There is nothing in Islam to suggest that a female cannot do work of Deen, or pursue a worldly career. In fact, females could and should do their share of da’wah and should interact with other females in the field of social and welfare work.
However our contention is that a Muslim female should not be given prominence and fame. Islam does not encourage catapulting a woman to the forefront, even in a great ibaadat as Jihad. Even in Jihaad, females played a background role. Rasoolullah (Sallallahua alayhi wasallam) said:
“Relegate them (females) to the back, where Allah has relegated them”
Let it be said at this juncture that any incident found in Muslim Historical works on the role and participation of females was purely incidental and unplanned. Muslims should understand well that Historical works do not represent Islamic Canon or Law. Our Law and Shariah is derived from Quran, Sunnah, and the Rulings of Sahaaba. We shall refer to this again later in this article.

NOTICES
It is absolutely the antithesis of Quran and Sunnah to promote the personality of a female, regardless of how learned she is, or to make her a celebrity irrespective of what she is capable of achieving. Muslim women in the past have achieved great things, but all this was done without conspicuity and publicity. Today, too, for greater reasons, the Muslim woman could and should continue Deeni work of whatever nature, under guidance from Ulema, but minus the fun-fare and fame.
Why should a particular female travel to another center in order to do work of Deen? Why can’t she accomplish that work in her own area locally. Travelling necessitates a lot of organization and hosting that invariably involves menfolk. That alone pushes her to the forefront. The organisers and hosts of her program will probably advertise the whole show via notices and announcements. This again brings the female ‘celebrity’ to public attention. It has also been rumored that a banquet will be held in honour of this female and to raise funds. This is indeed a flagrant violation of Islamic principle.
All this runs contrary to the command of Allah Ta’ala. This is typical westernisation of Islam. We are practicing modernity coached in Islamic appearance and terminology.

LICENCE
Islam has ordained an inconspicuous and concealed role for women. Some might argue that this particular female will be in the company of her husband and would be dressed in Hijaab. To this we firstly say that to believe a female may roam around all over the show just because she is in Hijaab is an indication that Muslims have failed to grasp the reality of Hijaab. Hijaab runs much deeper than outer dress. No doubt, Hijaab and Niqaab are compulsory for every adult female, but this is no license for females to take to the streets and gallivant with all and sundry. These are forms of dress born out of necessity.
Women are prohibited from emerging from their homes unless a need arises. When that need does arise, then they are commanded to adopt Hijaab when emerging. It is thus a necessary form of garb for the purpose of concealing herself when leaving the confines of her home. Islam does not advocate to women to emerge with Hijaab. Instead Islam teaches that they should don Hijaab when the need arises to emerge. There is a difference between the two that Muslims should endeavour to understand.
For example, Islam teaches that taubah or repentance is necessary after every sin. But that is no license to go out and commit sin. It is foolish for one to believe that because he is armed with the tool of taubah, he or she may commit any sin they feel like, just as it is foolish for a female to contend that since she is robed in her jilbaab, she may flit around wherever her heart desires.

CASINOS
We have dealt with cases of females, some married, who are in full Hijaab and still committed zina, females in hijaab and niqaab visiting cinemas and casinos, and parading along the Boardwalk. Some such ladies indulged in gambling at these casinos. Women in hijaab were seen standing in line to buy lotto tickets. How does one fathom this spiritually disruptive phenomenon?
Upon deeper reflection the reason becomes clear. These were females who failed to grasp the Islamic idea of Hijaab. They believed their Hijaab was an automatic insulation against evil, regardless of where and how they travelled. Alas, they discovered too late that this was not the case.
Today women think that since they are in full purdah, they can converse and interact with men freely. But they miss an important point. There are two aspects to Hijaab, one is dress, the other is segregation of male and female. Both are two separate injunctions that apply equally and must be fulfilled concurrently. She may be in full purdah, but the other injunction of avoiding interaction with men still has to be fulfilled.

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Today's Sport and its Effects

SPORT PLAYS A MAJOR role in the lives of people today. What once started off as a mere pastime and enjoyment activity has developed into a fully fledged profession and a huge money raking venture. Sport was initially designed for exercise and relaxation, but has since become an occupation of such intensity that it exhausts the energies of even the spectators, let alone the players. Sport stadiums are now referred to as ‘arenas of combat’ reminiscent of the days of Roman gladiators; players endure mental fatigue and emotional strain to the extent that they need professional and scientific help. Spectators become emotionally drained after watching an ‘exciting’ match, and in worst cases, become psychologically affected when their team loses. Cases of such people committing suicide or injuring others have also been reported.

Sport has also become a huge money spinner for sponsors and advertisers. So it’s not only the players who rake in millions, there are also the sponsors who earn huge sums in advertising liquor, cigarettes, soft-drinks and a host of other commodities. It is clear that what was formerly a means of entertainment has become an end in itself. When this happens, then surely people have their priorities hopelessly wrong.

ILL EFFECTS
At this juncture we wish to focus on the effects sports has on people, especially the youth.
Among these, one is Identifying certain players and developing admiration for them. This is followed by the obsession to emulate them in dress, action, and style. Then follows behaviour acceptance. The fan unwittingly accepts any form of behaviour of his hero, no matter how immoral, be it in language, appearance, attitude, or morality. Love for the sport being watched is also another socially and morally debilitating factor. Hours of quality time get squandered in watching sports.
Children become mesmerised with the imaginary skills being displayed by sportsmen, to the extent that these sports activists are glorified and idolised. Women nowadays feature prominently in many types of sports. This is an added spiritual harm, for the viewer (live or on TV) is exposed to a scantily dressed female, producing antics that articulate body parts akin to a ballet-dancer . There is hardly any difference between this sportswoman and the woman who dances on a stage.
Schools introduce sports activities to learners from a very young age. Today our Muslim children have developed ambitions of becoming sports stars and representing their country on the international scene. This has become such a riveting objective that young learners will sacrifice madresa classes for the sake of sports training. The developing and formative years of Muslim children are being wasted on participation in a sport, thus depriving that individual of crucial Islamic and spiritual education.

ISLAMIC SPORTS
It might come as a surprise to many to hear that Islam also encourages sport to a certain extent. However, Islamic sports differ vastly in nature and purpose to Western forms of sports. The hadith of Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam defined an important principle: A sport must have a real benefit that accrues to one’s spiritual or worldly life’. In Islam sport is not a past-time. In one hadith Rasoolullah r said: “The lahw (sport) of a Believer is futile except for three types: Horse-riding; archery; and amusing oneself with the wife.” Among these, the first two are of great benefit when it comes to Jihad or self-defence, whilst the third is purely a worldly benefit but extremely effective in creating love between husband and wife.
Ulema state that the scope of this hadith does not end with the abovementioned three acts. Instead, any sporting activity that provides valid benefit to one’s religion or mundane life, is permissible. It is established from several ahadeeth that Rasoolullah r raced with his wives, and swam. So the sports of racing and swimming also become lawful activites. The Sahaaba wrestled with each other in training for jihad, so wrestling becomes a valid sport in Islam. Sword fighting can also be added to this list because that too, is a valid practice.
Based on the above Muslim Jurists have given permission for any sport from which one derives benefit to Deen of dunya. However, the condition is that such play must not entail violation of other Islamic injunctions, such as intermingling of males and females (as in stadiums and sports meetings), exposing of one’s satar (as in the dress-code of most sports), the accompaniment of music (as in stadiums and gyms), betting and gambling, (as in horse-racing and other sports matches), advertising of haraam products (such as wine and beer).

In view of the above readers will clearly understand that a Muslim will not be able to adapt to the sports codes and styles that are prevalent among non-Muslims today. A Muslim just cannot fit into their culture of sport and amusement, for every feature of non-Muslim sport conflicts with Islamic morality and teaching. In Islam sport is not entertainment that becomes a spectacle; it is rather a means of acquiring physical strength and benefit. A Muslim’s true relaxation comes through the thikr of Allah.

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Oral Sex: Unnatural Love-making

A very immoral act inherited from the West and practiced today in Muslim homes between husband and wife, is the oral manipulation of sexual organs. This is not permissible in Islam, as is stated in the famous Fatwaa Kitab, Al-Hindiyya. It must also be remembered that the prohibition in this act applies both ways: whether the husband does it to the wife or vice-versa, both acts are haraam.

PROHIBITION
The reasons for the prohibition of this lurid practice are:

1) Bringing the mouth, which is not the normal organ for sex, into contact with an organ of najaasat. This is the very reason why sexual intercourse during menstruation and anal sex are haraam; because of the impurity in those two areas.

2) Secondly, there will always be some discharge of mazi (the sticky, transparent liquid that emerges during an erection and prior to ejaculation). This liquid is impure, and it is not permissible to bring the mouth into contact with impurity.

3) Thirdly, sometimes this indecent act is maintained till ejaculation, which is worse than the above, for then there is full contact with najaasat. Even if it is not delayed for so long, there is always the danger of emission of semen and subsequent contamination of the mouth. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) commanded: Verily, your mouths are the pathways of the Quran, so cleanse it... (Faizul-Qadeer and Kanzul-Ummal) Contamination of the mouth in this vile way conflicts with this hadeeth shareef. It is most despicable for a Muslim, who uses his/her mouth to recite the Pure, Holy, and Revered Words of Allah, to bring that same mouth into contact, in a most unnatural way, with the private part of another. The mouth and tongue were created by Allah for the utterance of good words, zikrullah, recitation of the Quran and general noble speech. On the contrary the private organ was created to expel impurity, and it is an object in which impurity always remains. It, therefore, constitutes an abuse of this natural system of Allah. Shaytaan had promised: I shall assuredly command mankind and they shall certainly alter the (natural) creation of Allah” (Surah Nisaa, verse 119)

4) Fourthly, if semen is swallowed in this lewd manner, the sin will be compounded, for it is haraam to ingest najaasat.

5) Fifthly, this obscene act is clearly an imitation of Western kuffar. This method of love-making has come only from the kuffar; there is no trace of this in the Pure Shariah of Islam. Even if some contraption is used to avoid contact with najaasah, this one factor alone is enough for hurmat (prohibition). Consider the quotations from Islamic Scripture in the following paragraphs.

TASHABBUH OR IMITATION
Tashabbuh is an Arabic word meaning to imitate or emulate. The act of imitation or emulation which the Shariah has prohibited, applies to the emulating of fashions, trends, salient features, and religious practices of non-Muslims or evil-doers. There are several verses of the Holy Quran and ahadeeth of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) which prohibit the imitation and adoption of ways and fashions of evil people. We mention hereunder a few examples.

1) Almighty Allah states in Surah Hashr, verse 19:
And do not become like those people whom have forgotten Allah, so He caused them to become neglectful of themselves. Such people are evil transgressors.

2) In Surah Jaathiyah, verse 18, Allah states:
Then we established you on a Shariah of Deeni affairs, so follow it, and do not follow the desires of the ignorant ones.

3) In Surah Aala Imraan, verse 156, Almighty Allah commands:
O people of Iemaan! Do not become like the kuffaar......

a) Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar radhiyallahu anhu narrates that Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) prohibited the imitation of people foreign to Islam, and he said:
Whoever imitates a nation, is (like) one of them. (Abu Dawood)
b) Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:
He who practices on the customs of outsiders, is not of us. (Daylami)
c) Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) also said:
He who imitates others is not of us. Do not imitate the Jews and the Christians....
(Miskhkatul Masaabeeh)

These and many more Quranic verses and sayings of Nabi Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) warn us of the threat to our Iemaan in imitating and following practices, customs and styles foreign to Islam. Remember, Islam does not prohibit us from utilizing inventions of the kuffaar which are beneficial or necessary to our deeni or worldly life, such as means of transport, methods of communication and correspondence, modern-day technology such as telephones, computers, tape-recorders, etc. What Islam forbids is imitating their ways of dressing, eating, and sleeping, their styles and fashions, their laws and policies which conflict with Islam, and general un-Islamic behaviour. This is impermissible. Similarly, emulating practices which have religious or cultural significance among the kuffaar is completely haraam. Utilizing any invention which is the direct cause of us violating Allah’s Law is also haraam.

ALTERNATIVE
Also note that to adopt a practice of the kuffaar when there does exist an alternate Islamic practice is also imitation that is forbidden. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) taught us methods of dressing, combing and looking after hair, caring for the physical appearance of the body. To follow or emulate the non-Muslims in these areas of living means displacing the mubarak teachings of Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), which is intolerable to any believer.

For this reason, when Rasoolullah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw a Sahaabi (radhiallahu anhu) carrying a bow made by the Persians, he instructed him to use a bow of Arab origin. Since there was an alternative, the Muslim had to adopt it and shun the method or product of the kuffaar.

Today, there are no alternatives to most of the modern-day inventions of the kuffaar, inventions which we need to utilize for the function of our day-to-day lives and our income. So Islam allows us to use these, but under certain restrictions. This, however, is not the case with our physical appearance or dress. In this aspect, no one has power over our bodies and the way we dress. We are under no compulsion to adopt the dress and styles of the kuffar. We can easily don garb which is free from ostentation and fashions, and which preserves our modesty and honour.

KUFFAR AND FUSSAQ: THE TREND-SETTERS
The current fashions in dress and appearance that abound today have all been designed and invented by people who have neither iemaan, nor any conscience with regards to morality. This is not surprising. What really surprises, though, is that our Muslim brothers and sisters, especially the youth, are so quick to latch onto these fashions and adopt the same. Singers, actresses, TV and movie stars, sports stars, have become celebrities, whose every style and nuance are savored by their misguided fans, and not far behind are the Muslims. It is indeed a crying shame.

Here the discussion is not one of mere imitation. Instead, what we observe here, to our horror, is total obsession with the culture and trends of the enemies of Allah. We need some serious soul-searching to check the slide towards this abyss of spiritual destruction.

The Ahadith mentioned earlier implies, because of its general application, that imitating sinners will make one a sinner. Copying the acts of evil-doers means becoming like them, too. It is therefore also haraam to imitate or mimic the styles or habits of people who break the laws of Allah, even if they are Muslims. Our youth today have become so fascinated by evil actors and actresses, singers and entertainers, whom they see either on television or in live performances that they begin to imitate the styles and practices of these evil shaytaans. Let us free our bedrooms from this curse. May Allah save us and our youth!

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Investigating Matters

RASOOLULLAH’S ATTITUDE ON INVESTIGATING MATTERS
Once Hazm, the son of Ubay bin Ka’b attended the Maghrib salah in the Musjid of his locality (in Madinah). The Imam was Mu’aaz bin Jabal (radhiyallahu anhu) who was appointed by Rasoolullah for imamate duties in that particular musjid. Hazam entered the Musjid, but offered the Maghrib salaah on his own, and left thereafter. Mu’aaz bin Jabal came to know of this and lodged a complaint with Rasoolullah the next day. He said: “O Messenger of Allah, last night Hazam perpetrated an act of bid’ah (by reading salah on his own and not joining the jamaat); I do not know where he got this practice from.”

The Messenger of Allah summoned Hazam and asked for an explanation. Hazam responded: “O Messenger of Allah, when I entered the Musjid the Imam (Mu’aaz) had started Surah Baqarah in the Maghrib salah. I could not stand behind him for so long, so I read my Maghrib salah on my own but in a proper and good manner, then left.”
The Messenger of Allah turned to Mu’aaz and said: O Mu’aaz, do not be the creator of fitnah (by reading so long rakaats and causing people to shun the jamaat salah)”
(Kanzul-Ummal)
There are two important morals learnt from this incident: a) A person in position of authority such as Imam, father, principal, employer, etc, should always investigate a matter before passing judgment or taking punitive action. The way to investigate a complaint is to call up the person concerned and listen to his side of the story. Once that is done, one may execute an action accordingly. b) The second lesson is that propagation of Deen should be done in a manner that draws people towards Islam, not through actions that distance people even further. This is what Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) referred to as fitnah.

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Evil of TV: Fast Forward to Trouble

Four years ago, Bhutan became the last nation on earth to introduce television. Suddenly a culture, barely changed in centuries, was bombarded by 46 cable channels. Soon came Bhutan's first crime wave - murder, fraud, drug offences.

CRIME WAVE
April 2002 was a turbulent month in Bhutan. One of the remotest nations, perched high in the snowlines of the Himalayas, Bhutan suffered a crime wave. The 700,000 inhabitants had never experienced serious law-breaking before. Yet now there were reports from many towns and villages of fraud, violence and murder.


The Bhutanese had always been proud of their incorruptible officials - until Parop Tshering, chief accountant of the State Trading Corporation, was charged April 5 with embezzling 4.5m ngultrums. Every aspect of Bhutanese life is steeped in Buddhism, yet on April 13 police began searching for thieves who had vandalised and robbed three of the country's most ancient stupas. Three days later in Thimphu, Bhutan's capital, Dorje, a 37-year-old truck driver, bludgeoned his wife to death. In Bhutan, family welfare has always come first; then, on April 28, Sonam, a 42-year-old farmer, drove his in-laws off a cliff in a drunken rage, killing his niece and injuring his sister.

SATELLITE DISHES
Why was this kingdom falling victim to the kind of crime associated with urban life in America and Europe? For Bhutanese, the only explanation seemed to be five satellite dishes on the outskirts of Thimphu. In June 1999, Bhutan became the last nation in the world to turn on TV. The King lifted a ban on the small screen as part of a plan to modernise his country, and thousands signed up to a cable service that provided 46 channels of round-the-clock entertainment, much of it from Rupert Murdoch's Star TV network.
Four years on, those same subscribers are beginning to accuse television of smothering their culture, of promoting a world that is incompatible with their own, and of threatening to destroy an idyll where time has stood still for half a millennium.

SECRET VALLEY
A monk created this tiny country in 1616 as a Buddhist sanctuary. By the 1930s virtually all that was known of Bhutan in the west was James Hilton's novel, Lost Horizon. He called it Shangri-la, a secret Himalayan valley. In the real Bhutan, there were no public hospitals or schools until the 1950s, and no paper currency, roads or electricity until several years after that. Bhutan had no diplomatic relations with any country until 1961, and the first western visitors came only in 1974.
But none of these developments has made such a fundamental impact on Bhutanese life as TV. Since the April 2002 crime wave, the national newspaper, Kuensel, has called for censoring TV (some even suggested that foreign broadcasters be banned). An editorial warns: "We are seeing for the first time broken families, school dropouts and other youth crimes. We are beginning to see crime like shoplifting, burglary and violence." Every week, the letters page carries columns of correspondence: "Dear Editor, TV is very bad for our country... it controls our minds... and makes [us] crazy. The enemy is right here with us in our own living room. People behave like the actors, and are now anxious, greedy and discontent."
Can TV be accused of weakening spiritual values, of inciting fraud and murder among a peaceable people? In Bhutan, thanks to its isolation, and the abruptness with which its people embraced those 46 cable channels, the issue is clear-cut. How the kingdom is affected by TV may help to find an answer to the question that has evaded us: have we become the product of what we watch?
Sangay Ngedup, minister for health and education, concedes that there is a gulf opening up between old Bhutan and the new: "Until recently, we shied away from killing insects, and yet now we are asked to watch people on TV blowing heads off with shotguns. Will we now be blowing each other's heads off?" The small screen was prohibited in Bhutan. Faced by recriminations, government relented and Bhutan's Olympic Committee was permitted to erect a giant screen in Changlimithang stadium. A TV screen in the middle of Thimphu was a revolutionary sight.
The current king's father initiated a programme of modernisation that saw his people embrace material progress: education, modern medicine, transportation, currency, electricity. However, he attempted to inhibit conspicuous consumption. No Coca-Cola. No advertising hoardings. And no TV. On June 2 1999, Bhutan’s new king announced that now they could watch TV. Sigma Cable is the most successful of more than 30 cable operators. Together, they supply the entire country. Rinzy Dorje, Sigma's chief executive, defends cable TV: "Look, we can't pretend we're still a medieval, hermit nation."

EVIL INFLUENCE
Have Bhutan's values been corroded by TV? "We are entitled to watch what we want, when we want, if we want. And we are quite capable of weeding out the rubbish." he retorts.
Leki Dorji, deputy minister of communications, admits that, in its haste to introduce TV, the government failed to prepare legislation. There is no film classification board, no regulations about media ownership. Companies such as Star TV are free to broadcast whatever they want. Leki Dorji says his ministry is planning an impact study, but he does not believe cable TV is responsible for April's crime wave. Whether truck-driver Dorje was influenced by something he had watched on TV when he began smoking heroin or when he clubbed his wife to death has yet to be established. We will not know whether the death of Sonam's niece had anything to do with the impatient, selfish society promoted by TV until the study is completed. But a wealth of evidence points to TV being a critical factor.

MARIJUANA
The marijuana that flourishes like a weed in every Bhutanese hedgerow was only ever used to feed pigs before TV, but police have arrested hundreds for smoking it in recent years. During the Bishwa Karma Puja celebrations, a man was stabbed in the stomach in a fight over alcohol. A boy is serving a sentence after shooting up the ceiling of a local bar with his dad's gun. Police can barely control the fights at the new hip-hop night on Saturdays.
An independent group of Bhutanese academics carried out an impact study and found that cable TV has caused dramatic changes to society, being responsible for increasing crime, corruption, an uncontrolled desire for western products, and changing attitudes to love and relationships. Dorji Penjore, one of the researchers in the study, says: "My children are changing. They are fighting in the playground, imitating techniques they see on World Wrestling Federation."
Kinley Dorji, editor of Kuensel warns "The government underestimated how aggressively channels like Star market themselves, how little they seem to care about programming, how virulent the message of the advertisers is." Kinley Dorji believes Bhutanese society is in danger of being polarised by TV. "The ordinary people, the villagers, are confused about whether they should be ancient or modern, and the younger generation don't really care. They jettison traditional culture for whatever they are sold on TV."

CHILDREN
For the first time children are confiding in their teachers of feeling manic, envious and stressed. Boys have been caught mugging for cash. A girl was discovered prostituting herself for pocket money in a hotel.
What do you like about TV, we ask a school class. "Posh and Becks, Eminem, Linkin Park. We love The Rock," they chorus. "Aliens. Homer Simpson." No one saw BBS’s documentary on Buddhist festivals last night.
A new section entitled ‘controversies’ in the principal's annual report describes "marathon staff meetings that continue on a war footing to discuss student discipline, substance abuse, degradation of values in changing times". Violence, greed, pride, jealousy, spite - are some of the new subjects on the school curriculum, all of which teachers attribute to TV. The principal, Karma Yeshey, whose MA is from Leeds University, says, "Our children live in two different worlds, one created by the school and another by cable. Our challenge is to help them understand both, and we are afraid of failing."
Children by the dozen, abandoning their ghos (traditional robes) for jeans and T-shirts bearing US wrestling logos; on their heads Stars and Stripes bandannas. On the mud wall of the ancient crematorium, they crawled in charcoal a message in English with swear words.
In one village so many farmers were watching TV that an entire crop failed. There is something depressing about watching a society casting aside its unique character in favour of a Californian beach.

ROTTEN RESULTS
Bhutan's isolation has made the impact of television all the clearer. Consider the results of the impact study:
One third of girls now want to look more American (whiter skin, blond hair).
A similar proportion have new approaches to relationships (boyfriends not husbands, sex not marriage).
More than 35% of parents prefer to watch TV than talk to their children.
Almost 50% of children watch for up to 12 hours a day.
Is this how we came to live in our Big Brother society, mesmerised by the fate of minor celebrities fighting in the jungle?
The King underestimated the power of TV, perceiving it as a benign and controllable force, allowing it free rein, believing that his kingdom's culture was strong enough to resist its messages.
But TV is a portal, and in Bhutan it is systematically replacing one culture with another, persuading a nation of novice Buddhist consumers to become preoccupied with themselves, rather than searching for their self.

Guardian Unlimited 2006

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The Web has Netted our Marriages

There is an alarming increase in the number of marriages that have broken down or are on the verge of breaking down due to the husband’s involvement in internet dating and web pornography. This is a new form of sin involving modern-day technology. Here we have zinaa via the net. Young and old husbands are spending hours at odd times of the day and night chatting to women over the net.

With the cheap availability of laptops and notebook computers, we now have mobile zinaa. Wherever the intender of evil is, he can access the internet and pornographic websites and chat-rooms via his laptop. This is zinaa while on the move. Some ignorant men labour under the false notion that it is fine just chatting to women over the net, as long as there is no physical contact. This is how they soothe their conscience. But understand that Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) prohibited zinaa of the eyes (looking), zinaa of the ears (hearing), zinaa of the tongue (speaking) and zinaa of the hands (touching). On the basis of this hadith in Bukhari Shareef, how can we ignore the clear-as-daylight sin of the hands when that unfaithful husband sits at his keyboard and types in those haraam words and messages. The Holy Quran warns that even our fingers shall be resurrected and shall bear testimony for or against us! (Surah Qiyamah, verse 4, and Surah Yaseen)

It is despicable in the extreme to hear of outwardly pious people who dress Islamically and guard their eyes from looking at women in the street, indulging in this evil past time and satiating their eyes on haraam pictures over the net. They believe that no one sees them. Alas, such men are utter fools who have been duped by their lowly nafs and shaytaan. Allah says in The Holy Quran: “Does he not know that Allah is watching him?” (Surah Iqra’) “And Allah knows your movements (outside the home) and your living conditions (inside the home)” (Surah Muhammad). “Verily nothing in the heavens or in the earth remains hidden from Allah” (Surah Aala Imraan, verse 5)

One wise man states in prose: “O You who strives in sin behind locked doors, know that the Knower of the unseen and the present is ever present; He has the power to expose you, even in the darkest corner of the earth. Do not be deceived by concealment, for The Gaze of Allah penetrates all barriers.”

When the wife eventually discovers her husband’s naughty cyber escapades, then all hell breaks lose. It is then that all the months of internet pleasure is mercilessly expunged from the husband’s system through stress, depression, and marital misery. Well, he has to blame himself for falling to temptation in the very first instance. The Quran declares: “Whatever calamity befalls you is because of your own handiwork” (Surah Shoora)

The amazing part of this whole sordid scenario is that even after having to go through hell, with the wife threatening to expose him, demanding her talaaq, and eventually walking out on him with the kids, the blessed idiot still goes back to his depraved sexual mannerisms and internet romps. When, in the name of all that’s good, will this husband learn his lesson? Allah Ta’ala save us from addiction to sin, aameen. It appears that these poor souls, like alcoholics and drug addicts, drown their miseries by indulging in these filthy misdoings.
In the next edition of Al-Farouq, we will, Insha Allah, offer a cure to this malice that has ravaged homes of good Muslim couples.

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Circulation of Dubious Claims

Islam has placed great emphasis on authenticity and truthfulness. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam is reported to have said: It is sufficient for a man to be branded a liar by narrating everything he hears. Hearsay is not valid proof in Islam. Likewise when reporting an important event, one must provide authentic references and sources for the information thus circulated.


TREND
There is a trend among Muslims in recent times to circulate unsubstantiated findings that ostensibly support Muslims and the teachings and practices of Islam but are not based on any reliable reference or proof. This is deplorable, because our Islam is so mighty and dominating that we do not need to promote it through lies and lame reports.

Why stoop to the level of having to fabricate wonders and miracles, or invent scientific benefits for the practices of Islam? Our beautiful Deen does not need these feeble or dubious arguments to rationalize well-established doctrines that Muslims have been benefiting from for centuries. Instead of enhancing the reputation of our Deen by such attempts, we are in fact damaging its image in the eyes of our adversaries, for they will be led to believe that Muslims are so desperate to promote their Deen that they have resorted to falsifications and fabrications. They will also start believing that Islamic teaching lacks conviction and charisma to attract followers, a belief that is very, very far from the truth. Let us not be our own worst enemies by distorting the image of a Deen that we want the whole world to follow.

CASE HISTORIES
A few years ago, just after the Danish cartoon saga, reports were being circulated that the artist who drew these cartoons burnt to death. Later on this proved to be false. Then we heard of a small child somewhere in Africa who people claimed was a born hafiz of Quran, and was able to recite Quran from memory and able to give lectures to people. This report also turned out to be a hoax.

The same can be said for another report many years ago of a Muslim woman who claimed that the baby in her stomach could read Quran. Upon investigation it was learnt that she had tied to her stomach a hidden recorder that played verses of the Quran Shareef.

Then there was the email with complete images supposedly of a girl who turned into a lizard-like creature because she disrespected the Holy Quran and disobeyed her mother. This story, too, was proven to be a well orchestrated fraud.

Another incident was that of a young man who died, and when his grave was opened only a few hours after death, his body was found to be burnt and scalded, his hair grey, and the face contorted and shrivelled like an old man. People attributed this to his neglect of salaah. However, no references were furnished to establish this event.

Of late, an email is being circulated to prove the benefits of sujood. Apparently, research was done on the Muslim form of prostration by some unnamed ‘German scientist’ proving the health benefits of sujood. Again, this research could not be traced back to its origin, nor could the name of this scientist be verified. While we have no doubt that every act of salaah has great health benefits, why do we have to clutch at straws and fabricate evidence for this. Allah Ta’ala says in Surah Israa: And do not follow that which you have no (reliable) knowledge of; verily the ears, eyes: all of these will be questioned (for what they perpetrated).

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A Spiritual Malaise and its Cure

A human’s spiritual maladies are many, some worse than tothers. But one that ranks among the worst is the disease of lust and servitude to base desires. Our Beloved Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), whose life mission was to emancipate man from the slavery of lust and desire and deliver him to the servitude of One God and Supreme Creator, warned us in the following sombre but eloquent words: “I fear three things for my Ummat: The deviation of lowly desires, servitude to passions of the stomach and private parts, and negligence after Ma’rifat (recognition). “ (Kanzul Ummal). In another solemn warning, Our Beloved Rasool sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: “The destructive diseases are: Desires that are followed, niggardliness that is obeyed, and the satisfaction of each man with his opinion.” (Tabrani). It is thus clear that submission to lowly desires and lust is a deadly spiritual malady that requires urgent treatment.

It is a unique and amazing attribute of Our Beloved Messenger that he had his finger on the pulse of every human trait and behaviour. You would not find any other scripture highlighting man’s spiritual sicknesses as our Quran and Hadith does. Indeed, mankind has witnessed an unprecedented surge in passion and desire, a phenomenon that has engulfed the entire human race. The bane of all our woes has been and still is our subservience to lust and passions. It is this lust and passion that has broken up marriages, destroyed morality of both young and old, divested its victims of wealth, health, and wisdom, and has left many a reputation in tatters. Servitude to lust is like an addiction; nay, it is addiction itself. The difference between addiction to intoxicants and addiction to lust is that the first affects the physical body while the second affects man spiritually. A drug and alcohol addict needs physical help. He needs to have his system cleansed and detoxified. The lust addict, on the other hand, needs to have his rooh purged and flushed, for his illness does not directly attack the physical body. However, the effect lustful and passionate acts have on the physical side of man is disastrous to say the least.
A drug addict would have to attend a rehabilitation centre to quit the habit, while the alcoholic has to be placed in a similar environment to break out of alcoholism. Even psychologically affected people are placed in a centre to help them recover from their mental and emotional ills. But where does a lust-addict go to get himself cleansed and cured? Well, this problem was detected and deliberated over centuries ago by the doctors of Deen. It was for the purpose of treating spiritually ill patients that they established centres called Khanqah or Zaawiya (in Middle Eastern countries). The khanqah is an establishment comprising several rooms for single people. The seeker of spiritual reform will live in one of these rooms and under the guidance of the Shaikh who administers the Khanqah, will spend time in zikr, ibaadat, meditation, and attend discourses on Deeni matters. This is the spiritual rehab where seekers of islaah or moral regeneration come to cure themselves. Alas, this concept is slowly dying off in the Muslim world today.

Be that as it may, it remains a faradh obligation to seek cures for our spiritual maladies. Allah has commanded as follows: “He who has purified his soul has certainly achieved great success; and he who has polluted his soul has certainly suffered great loss.” (Surah Shams, verses 9 and 10) Lust in man is centred mainly around woman; hence the resultant sin is zinaa and related acts.

A man once wrote to Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi that he had fallen in love with a woman. He was extremely perplexed and feared that his obsession with this female would result in zinaa. All his thoughts, talks, and motives were pervaded by infatuation with this woman. The man was sick, so he turned to a spiritual doctor for treatment. We will reproduce the gist of the cure mentioned to this man by Hazrat Thanwi (RA), who the Muslim world unanimously acclaimed as the Reformer of the last century and one of the greatest doctors of Deen produced in the Indo-Pak subcontinent. Unlike physical medicine that works for some and not for others, the cures of Deen are beneficial to all who sincerely seek reformation. This wonderful cure, too, can cure anyone who suffers from the disgraceful and shameless sin of fornication. Hazrat Thanwi mentioned the following points as a cure for illicit love and resultant zinaa:

Have a bath, don clean clothes and offer two rakaats Tauba Salaah. Recite Surah Kaafiroon in the first rakaat and Surah Nasr in the second. Thereafter remain seated and make one tasbeeh of istighfaar. Then make a sincere dua of repentance. While crying before Allah, feel shame and remorse, beg Him for forgiveness, and promise Him that you will not repeat this sin. Recite as much istighfaar as possible.
Read the verses of the Holy Quran and the Ahadeeth of our Rasool sallallahu alaihi wa sallam that explain the punishment for zinaa. Contemplate daily over these punishments

Spend some time in seclusion and make the zikr of LAA ILAAHA ILLALLAH, adding the words MUHAMMADUR RASOOLULLAH every now and then. This zikr should be done loudly and for a short while, but it must be done consistently. As the days go by, gradually increase the time spent in this zikr. When uttering the words LAA ILAAHA imagine that you are expelling all thoughts and inclinations of the dunyaa from the heart; when saying ILLALLAH imagine that the Overwhelming Presence of Allah is filling this heart.

Break off all communications with the woman. Expel all thoughts of her from the mind. If her image or thought crosses the mind recite Laa howla wa laa quwwat illah billah in abundance.

If the thought of this woman persists then begin swearing her in your mind. Insult her with the worst swear words you can think of. Make her out for the worst human being on earth. But this must all be done in the mind. Such an approach will diminish love for her, which is the ultimate aim.

Make regular dua to Allah while shedding tears, that He cures you from the grip of this lust. Such duas of a desperate one never go unheeded by Allah The Almighty.
(Extracted from the book At Takash-shuf)

The aforementioned cures were also administered by Hazrat Thanwi (RA) to an adult male who had become attracted to a young lad and was in danger of committing the evil sin of homosexuality. When ministering the above, Hazrat Moulana Thanwi said: ‘I have no doubt that this remedy will cure him of the sickness, provided he is sincere and does what he is told.’ (Al-Ifaadaat)

A CURE FOR MARRIED MEN
Another evil that has smitten our society is the adulterous escapades of our married males. There are some poor souls who threw away their good wives for the sake of cheap, lurid women outside nikah. At the peril of their marriages, some of our brothers flit from one woman to another, without the least shame and regret. Every time the wife unearths an affair, the husband swears that he will not repeat the sin. The moment the dust settles and everything is back to normal, the man then strikes up another haraam relationship. Soon the wife finds out about this new adulterous liaison, and the whole process is repeated. This is repeated over and over, until eventually the marriage totally disintegrates.

The logic in this is quite simple. Any woman who is prepared to entertain a married man in an extra-marital relationship is wicked in the extreme. Had this woman any morals in the first place, she would not have allowed any contact between herself and the other man, married or single. The pure religion of Islam militates vehemently against such illicit love. There is absolutely no scope in Islam for illicit liaisons and extra-marital affairs. We now provide a form of contemplation for married men that will Insha Allah, cure them from zinaa.

Spend a few minutes daily, in seclusion to think of the consequences if people in the community found out about this haraam and evil relationship. Let your imagination run away with you for a while by pondering over the disgrace and humiliation that comes upon one whose love-affair is exposed to the community. Imagine what this will do to one’s reputation; what would friends and partners say? What juicy gossip this would be for the women of one’s community! What would my parents say, and what would my own children think of me? Indeed, I would have failed every person in my circle who held me in high esteem! I would become the laughing stock of the town” Just imagine: People who respected me for years would be disgusted to know that I, the ‘Mr. Pious’ in the eyes of the community, have been exposed as an adulterous leach! Just think: ‘How would I face people, and would I still be able to hold up my head and walk in society after this disaster?’
Almighty Allah has granted man a wonderful gift in the form of brains and contemplative powers. By using this mind to conjure up consequences for one’s sin, consequences that are not imaginary or far-fetched but happen daily before our eyes, one will soon develop a terrible fear of being exposed and will eventually eliminate all haraam love from the heart. The fear of one’s dirty linen being laid bare to the society would become so dominant that one would actually start detesting such illicit affairs. This cure can be used in addition to the others mentioned earlier, and Insha Allah, the results will be forthcoming.

A bit of good news for those of us involved in zinaa, as mentioned by the Auliyaa: one who has succeeded in cleansing himself from the sin of zinaa totally, will progress more rapidly than others in his spiritual life.

The late Shafeequl-Ummah Hazrat Moulana Muhammd Farouq Sahib (RA) says: At the precise moment when a sinner turns to Allah in repentance, the Special Mercy and Acceptance of Allah gushes forth in torrents. The sinner should then start ‘looting and plundering’ this abundant Goodness that Allah has let loose at the time of taubah.’

Subhanallah! How great was the vision of these Auliyaa! May Allah grant us all cure from our spiritual maladies through the blessings of these pious souls, aameen!

CURE FOR SECRET SINNERS
Man’s lust drives him to do the weirdest of things. A person under the seizure of lust is like a drunken individual. All sense of good becomes temporarily paralyzed. For this reason the hadith says that iemaan exits the heart of one involved in lustful acts. It is due to this dominance of lust that the individual goes on to pornography, chat-rooms, filthy websites, dirty magazines, MXit, cell-phone porn, and a host of other evils. All these evils that provide illicit sensation via modern-day technology were created by shaytaans (devils) who had sold their souls to the Big Iblees. In the privacy of the home, car, workplace or office, behind computer screens, and under the cover of darkness people perpetrate these evils to achieve carnal satisfaction. Some of the more shameless brand of humans do these things openly in front of others. These people are terribly sick and need desperate treatment. Well, here is a great cure:

Contemplate that Allah is always watching. He is aware of my every move and thought, be it in the privacy of my bedroom or basement, or the freedom of a holiday resort, or in the middle of an island. He sees every single act of my eyes and hands, and hears every sound that escapes from my lips. “My Allah is watching! How dare I behave so immorally!”

Do this continuosly at a fixed time of the day and, Insha Allah, the effect will be achieved.

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