... ... ... ... Islamic Focus Issue 83 Igniting the Spirit of Islam Nov 2010 Bukhara Publications/Tel: 078 672 7797/Fax: 086 651 2125 Email: [email protected]/Korsten/Port Elizabeth recorded especially in Uz- bekistan. SYRIA: Unarmed Islamist prisoners protesting torture were shot to death at Sed- naya Prison in 2008. The Syrian government has a long history of brutality against Islamists: In 1982 the army carried out the Hama Massacre to crack- down on the Muslim Broth- erhood. 40,000 were killed and the city destroyed. This is the tip of the ice- berg. Muslims wishing to live according to Islam are suffering in the jails of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Af- ghanistan, Yemen, Bangla- desh, Libya and nearly every Muslim country. Among the signs of the Last Day is that the man who re- mains steadfast on Islam will be like one who holds a burning coal in his hand, and there will be many po- lice to back the tyrants. While even the non-Muslim world acknowledges the tor- ture to which Muslims (termed Islamists) are be- ing subjected by the US es- pecially, largely ignored is the fact that Muslims who wish to live according to Is- lamic values are impris- oned, tortured and killed in other prisons run by gov- ernments claiming to be Muslim in Muslim lands. Here is a brief insight: EGYPT: By 1996 close to 20,000 Islamists were held in Egypt’s prisons. In 1996 alone 30 prisoners died from ill-treatment or tor- ture. The Egyptian Organi- sation of Human Rights pro- duced convincing evidence that whipping naked prison- ers is carried out routinely. Food is infested with insects and distributed in dirty buckets. For more than two years, inmates of the Tora complex were deprived of visits from relatives. At state security offices in Cairo Islamists are regularly tor- tured with electricity. (The Independent) TUNISIA: Government car- ries out regular arrests of Islamists and torture during interrogation is common ac- cording to Amnesty Interna- tional. Many are subjected to harsh prison conditions, in- cluding prolonged solitary confinement and ill- treatment. Among the tactics used by police to make life difficult for released prison- ers is intimidating prospec- tive employers to discourage them from hiring. (Human Rights Watch) CENTRAL ASIA: Countries like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan all have Islamists in their jails. Docu- mented cases of extreme torture and death have been P4 Hajj Reward P8 Jews in Turkey P9 Satay P10 Martial Arts P12 The Horse
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... ... ... ... Islamic Focus
Issue 83 Igniting the Spirit of Islam Nov 2010 Bukhara Publications/Tel: 078 672 7797/Fax: 086 651 2125 Email: [email protected]/Korsten/Port Elizabeth
recorded especially in Uz-
bekistan.
SYRIA: Unarmed Islamist prisoners protesting torture were shot to death at Sed-
naya Prison in 2008. The Syrian government has a
long history of brutality against Islamists: In 1982 the army carried out the
Hama Massacre to crack-down on the Muslim Broth-
erhood. 40,000 were killed and the city destroyed.
This is the tip of the ice-berg. Muslims wishing to
live according to Islam are suffering in the jails of
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Af-ghanistan, Yemen, Bangla-desh, Libya and nearly
every Muslim country.
Among the signs of the Last Day is that the man who re-mains steadfast on Islam
will be like one who holds a burning coal in his hand,
and there will be many po-lice to back the tyrants. �
While even the non-Muslim
world acknowledges the tor-ture to which Muslims
(termed Islamists) are be-ing subjected by the US es-pecially, largely ignored is
the fact that Muslims who wish to live according to Is-
lamic values are impris-oned, tortured and killed in other prisons run by gov-
ernments claiming to be Muslim in Muslim lands.
Here is a brief insight: EGYPT: By 1996 close to
20,000 Islamists were held in Egypt’s prisons. In 1996
alone 30 prisoners died from ill-treatment or tor-
ture. The Egyptian Organi-sation of Human Rights pro-duced convincing evidence
that whipping naked prison-ers is carried out routinely.
Food is infested with insects and distributed in dirty buckets. For more than two
years, inmates of the Tora complex were deprived of
visits from relatives. At state
security offices in Cairo Islamists are regularly tor-
tured with electricity. (The Independent)
TUNISIA: Government car-ries out regular arrests of
Islamists and torture during interrogation is common ac-cording to Amnesty Interna-
tional. Many are subjected to harsh prison conditions, in-
cluding prolonged solitary conf inement and i l l -treatment. Among the tactics
used by police to make life difficult for released prison-
ers is intimidating prospec-tive employers to discourage
them from hiring. (Human Rights Watch)
CENTRAL ASIA: Countries like Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan all have Islamists in their jails. Docu-
mented cases of extreme torture and death have been
P4 Hajj Reward P8 Jews in Turkey
P9 Satay P10 Martial Arts P12 The Horse
... ... ... ... 2 Islamic Focus
WO
RLD
NEW
S
SOMALIA - Two women publicly executed by Islamist group al-Shabab, after being sentenced to death for spying. (BBC, 28 Oct) INDONESIA - More than 400 dead and more than 300 missing after a tsunami hit. (BBC, 29 Oct) TURKEY - The president will mount a symbolic chal-lenge to restrictions on wearing Islamic headscarves when he hosts the Republic Day reception. If hard-line secularists attend, they will have to meet his wife, in effect recognizing her right to attend an offi-cial function in a headscarf; if they stay away, they will be snubbing the most important national com-memoration of the year. (BBC, 29 Oct) UAE - The ruler of the UAE emirate of Ras al-Khaimah Sheikh Saqr, who was in his early 90s, died. He ruled Ras al-Khaimah since the 1940s, mak-ing him one of the world's longest reigning mon-archs. (BBC, 27 Oct) BAHRAIN - The trial of 25 Shias opened, on charges of plotting to overthrow the Sunni-led gov-ernment. (BBC, 28 Oct) PALESTINE - Israeli police clashed with Arab dem-onstrators in Umm al-Fahm, where Israeli right-wing activists staged a protest march. The Jewish activists are followers of a far-right movement, Kach, which believes Arabs should be expelled from Israel. Is-rael's 1.3 million Arabs are descended from families who remained in Palestine after 1948. They face widely documented discrimination. (BBC, 27 Oct) UK - Journalist Lauren Booth, Tony Blair's sister-in-law, converted to Islam and now wears a hijab and prays five times a day. (Guardian, 24 Oct)
UK - British film-maker Mike Leigh cancelled a visit to Israel in protest against plans to compel non-Jewish citizens to swear loyalty to Israel as a Jewish state. He said Israel's government had gone 'from bad to worse'. (BBC, 18 Oct) USA - EA’s decision to allow players to pose as Tali-ban fighters in the new Medal of Honour video game, drew US criticism causing EA to change the name of the foes to the 'opposing force,' rather than Taliban (android-phone-fans.info, 12 Oct) SOMALIA - Al-Shabab ordered mobile phone com-panies to stop money transfer services, saying they are unIslamic and mobile phone banking could ex-pose Somalia to Western interference. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis living abroad use hawala and mobile phone banking to send money to relatives in Somalia. This is one of the country's main sources of income, worth R8bn a year. (BBC, 18 Oct) INDONESIA - Haze from forest fires in Sumatra, forced schools in Singapore and Malaysia to close. The haze caused air pollution levels there to jump to their highest level in four years. (BBC, 21 Oct) CHECHNYA - Parliament in the Russian-occupied Muslim state of Chechnya came under attack by Islamist freedom fighters. (BBC, 19 Oct) AFGHANISTAN - Muslim prisoners are abused at a secret US jail in the main US military base, according to a report from US policy think tank, Open Society Foundations. (BBC, 15 Oct) SAUDI - US officials intend to sell $60bn (R480bn) of arms to Saudi in one of the most lucrative single arms deal in US history that could support 75,000 US jobs. (BBC, 20 Oct) �
... ... ... ... 3 Islamic Focus
MA
RR
IAG
E / H
ISTO
RY
Part one of simple tips to create a happy mar-
riage:
Faith: The most basic and essential attribute
of a Muslim marriage is the common faith that binds the couple. The frame of reference
shared by the couple eases communication and sharing of values which is not possible in an interfaith marriage.
Forgiving: When the Prophet � asked his Companions, ‘Do you wish that Allah should forgive you?' they said, ‘Of course O Prophet of Allah.’ He responded, ‘Then forgive each
other.’ One of the main components of a happy marriage is that spouses are able to
forgive, that they do not hold grudges or act judgmental towards each other.
Forbearance: Sabr (patience) is the most useful tool to have in managing a healthy life-
style. Being patient puts us in a proactive frame of mind it brings us closer to Allah through reliance. We develop an inner mecha-
nism that empowers us to handle life's diffi-cult moments.
Flexible: Many couples unnecessarily make
themselves miserable because they are un-willing to bend a little.
Faithful: It is commanded by Allah that we be faithful to our spouses. Adultery is a capi-
tal crime in Islam that is punishable by death. There are various forms of unfaithful behav-ior. The most common form is maintaining
friendship with the opposite sex. Once a sense of betrayal sets in, repairing that rela-
tionship is difficult. �
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Hedley Churchward, the British man who con-
verted to Islam, was the first to record an ac-count of his Hajj in English. Here is how the
Hajj of one hundred years ago from South Af-rica differed from today’s air-conditioned air-plane flight:
In 1910, Churchward left South Africa. He had
to travel via Bombay, where he spent weeks in negotiations until he found an elderly pilgrim ship, the SS Islamic, and this vessel chugged
slowly across the Indian Ocean, visiting the Arabian Gulf before wending its way up the
Red Sea. Halting at small ports to deliver sacks of mail, there was little to do except watch the dolphins, eat curry, and pray on deck with the
Indian pilgrims. In Jeddah, he contacted the local representative (wakil) of Sharifa Zain
Wali, a rich businesswoman of Makkah who ran a large organisation of pilgrim guides. She had
family connections in Cape Town. The Wakil took Churchward to his house, and explained how to don his Ihram clothing before letting
him settle down for the night. He telegraphed most of his money through to Makkah. The
road beyond Jeddah was little more than a camel track, but the Wakil led the small party on with donkeys. En route Ottoman police
chased off a band of robbers who attacked pil-grims. In the oven-like heat they made several
stops at roadside coffee-houses. After two days Churchward entered Makkah. The next day he was awoken before dawn by the
strange lilting sound of Ottoman bugles, and after prayers and a breakfast of melons he en-
tered the Kabah. The first stage of a five-month journey had fi-
nally come to an end. �
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... ... ... ... 4 Islamic Focus
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SU
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ATI
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The Messenger of Allah � used to make this dua: ‘Oh Allah! You have made my appearance beautiful so make
my conduct excellent.’
A Beauty Health Spa guaranteed to improve your
health, physical radiance and ensure a palatial
home in the gardens of Paradise:
Pedicure. ‘When a person performs Wudhu (ablution) correctly then says his Fardh
(obligatory) prayer, Allah forgives him all his sins committed that day by his feet in going towards evil…’ (Hadith)
Exfoliate. ‘Verily a Muslim, when he performs
Wudhu excellently then offers five times Sa-laah, his sins are shed off (his body) just as
these leaves fall off (this tree in autumn).’ Beautiful Eyelashes. ‘Apply kuhl (surma/
antimony) regularly as it clears the sight, makes the lashes grow and is the best of
things beautifying the eyes.’ General Hygiene. Cleanliness is half of faith.
(Hadith)
Hydrotherapy. ‘The jewellery of a Believer will cover the places where the water of Wudhu reaches.’
Exercise. The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sal-lam would go swimming.
‘A strong person is not he who wins in a wres-
tling match, but he who controls his anger.’ Good Health. ‘Make it a practice to fast; you
will always enjoy good health.’ (Tabraani) From: www.eislam.co.za
The following deeds, while not absolving one of the obli-
gation of Hajj, nevertheless bring the reward of a Hajj:
1. Umrah in Ramadaan. The Prophet � said: ‘An Umrah in Ramadaan equals the reward of Hajj with me.’ (Muslim)
2. Wudhu at home. ‘One who purifies him-
self (makes Wudhu) and leaves his home to attend the Fardh prayer in congregation re-ceives the reward of a Haji in the state of
Ihram.’ (Abu Dawood)
3. Ishraaq Prayer. ‘Whoever offers his Fajr
prayer in congregation, then remains seated in the Zikr (remembrance) of Allah until (approximately 15 minutes after) sunrise, af-
ter which he offers two Rakaats of (Ishraaq) Salaah, will receive the reward of one com-
plete Hajj and one complete Um-rah.’ (Tirmidhi)
4. Looking at parents. ‘Those pious children
who look at their parents with the gaze of mercy, Allah will write for them the reward of an accepted Hajj for every gaze.’ (Mishkaat)
5. Going to the Musjid for knowledge. ‘Whoever goes to the Musjid for the purpose
of learning or teaching knowledge, receives the reward of a Haji whose Hajj was per-fect.’ (Tabrani)
6. Serving parents. A man could not afford to participate in Jihad. The Prophet � told him to serve his mother properly. He would then be like a Haji, one doing Umrah and one par-ticipating in Jihad. (Targhib) �
Adapted from article in Islam, the Way of Life
... ... ... ... 5 Islamic Focus
QU
ESTIO
NS &
AN
SW
ER
S
Q: Can a woman pray sa-
laah without covering her feet or without wearing
socks? A: The woman’s Awrah (part that needs to be covered) is
all of her body besides her face and hands till the wrists.
(Sharh al-Muhadhdhab 2:121) The Shafis of Khurasan relate an opinion
from Imam Shafi that the in-ner portions of her feet are
not Awrah. Imam Muzani opined that her feet are not Awrah. However, a woman’s
feet are Awrah in and out of prayer according to the relied
upon view of the Madhhab. It is necessary that she cover
them. Sheikh Ahmad al-Saqqaf mentioned in his book Mukhtasar al-Fawaid
al-Makkiyyah the permissibil-ity of acting upon the opin-
ions of some of the scholars, like Muzani, etc. Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Answer by: Sidi Yaqub Abdul-Rahman
Q: If a person uses an anal or vaginal supposi-
tory, is ghusl (bath) wajib (necessary)?
A: An obligatory ghusl is ne-cessitated when one of the following occurs: 1. Death, 2.
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... ... ... ... 8 Islamic Focus
SO
CIA
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HIS
TOR
Y
By any standard of measure, the conduct of
Prophet Muhammad � was of the highest and best in human history.
A poor woman used to clean the Musjid and remove any dirt from it. The Prophet � missed her for a few days. On enquiring about the reason for her absence, he was informed that
she had died. He said: ‘Why have you not told me. I would have attended her funeral and prayed for her’. He then went to the graveyard
and offered the funeral prayer for her.
Needless to say, this was a poor woman with few relatives. Had she had any relative of a reasonably good position in society, she would
not have needed to work as a cleaner. We do not even know her name. She must have been
someone who would not be missed when ab-sent.
Yet the Prophet � missed her when a couple of days passed and he did not see her in the
Musjid. Her poverty and lack of status did not prevent him from enquiring after her.
He was unhappy to learn of her death so late that he could not attend her funeral and lead
the prayer. He then took the trouble of visiting her grave and praying for her. He could have
prayed for her soul where he was at the time, i.e. in the Musjid, and his prayer would have been certainly answered. He, however,
wanted to show us a higher level of social re-sponsibility.
This example should encourage us as the fol-lowers of the Prophet � to show concern and respect for all. �
While Muslims are portrayed as being anti-
Jewish, this is not the case. When Europe and the Christian world was constantly harassing
and persecuting the Jews, it was Muslim lands which offered them refuge and a place to practice Judaism in peace. Obviously, the Jew-
ish atrocities in Palestine has raised outrage in the Muslim world but this is due to the injus-
tice being perpetrated by Jews there. Jews thrived in significant numbers in Muslim
lands until fairly recently and enjoyed a status in countries like Muslim Spain which they
never enjoyed in Christian Europe. Here is one glimpse into the Muslim treatment of Jews:
A team was dispatched from the US State De-partment in 1877 to assess the treatment of
Jews in the Ottoman Caliphate (Turkey). Their findings that Jews were very well treated and
not persecuted were described in the New York Times of 23 August 1877: ‘The US Minis-ter says that justice to the Turk compels him
to admit that the Jews have been better treated by the Ottomans than by many of the
Western powers and that the impression pre-vails that they are better treated in the Empire than the Christians. They are recognized as
independent religious community with the privileges of their own ecclesiastical rule, their
chief Rabbi, Chacham Bashi, possessing, in consequence of his functions, great influence.’ The total number of Jews in the Ottoman Em-
pire was around 500,000 at that time.
The Prophet � said: ‘He who hurts a dhimmi (non Muslim citizen in a Muslim state) hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys Al-
lah.’ (Tabarani) �
... ... ... ... 9 Islamic Focus
BIO
GR
APH
Y / M
USLIM
INFLU
EN
CE
Satay or sate is a dish consisting of diced or
sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, fish or other meats. The more authentic version uses
skewers from the midrib of the coconut leaf, although bamboo skewers are often used. These are grilled or barbecued over a wood or
charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings.
Satay originated among the Muslims of Java, Indonesia most probably among street ven-
dors. It is popular in other Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand,
Philippines, and in Holland, due to Indonesia being a former Dutch colony. In Indonesia, satay can be obtained from a travelling satay
vendor to an upper-class restaurant and is the national dish. In Malaysia, satay is found
throughout the country. The Cape Malay sosa-tie from South Africa may have been influ-
enced by satay. Satay become popular after the influx of Arab immigrants in the early 19th century. In Malaysia Satay is associated with
Muslim Malays. In the Philippines one style, called Satti, is native to the Moro Muslim peo-
ples of the south, and is similar to traditional Malay and Indonesian satay recipes. Satti has not expanded into Christian areas outside the
region, apart from delis in the Muslim quarters of Manila. Satay has been associated with Sin-
gapore since the 1940s and Singapore Airlines serves it to its First and Raffles Class passen-gers as an appetizer.
Turmeric is a compulsory ingredient giving the
dish its characteristic yellow colour. Satay may be served with a spicy peanut sauce dip, or peanut gravy, slivers of onions and cucum-
bers, and rice cakes. �
Name: Abdurahman Bassier. Born: 1923, Port
Elizabeth. Died: 2004, Cape Town. Imam Bassier
was born when his father, Imam Abdul Bassier the
Imam at Boorhaanol Musjid in Cape Town, and his
Alawiyah Tariqah Jamaah traveled to recite all over
the country. His pregnant wife, Gadija, went along.
In 1930 the Bassier family went for Hajj. Abdurah-
man contracted smallpox and spent a month fight-
ing for his life. He started primary school in 1931
and completed Standard 6. At 14 he became a tai-
loring apprentice and a few years later started his
own tailoring business. He began Islamic studies
under Sheikh Ismail Edwards. Imam Bassier played
rugby and represented Western Province Rugby
Union in 1948. In 1949 he undertook his 2nd Hajj.
In 1953 he married Mareldia, who bore him 5 chil-
dren, including twins. In 1962 his father passed
away and he was elected Imam. From 1962-1977
he ministered to Muslim patients at Brooklyn Chest
Hospital. In 1964 he co-established the Boorhaanol
Recreational Movement to improve the quality of
life of the community through adult education, ac-
tivities for youth and student bursaries. In 1966
they published the first Boorhaanol Newsletter. In
1970 they established one of the first Muslim pre-
schools in the Cape. Imam served on the Muslim
Judicial Council for 40 years, being elected Chair-
man 1979-1981. He was involved in the establish-
ment of the first Musjid in Mitchells Plain. He also
served on the Imaarah, the highest decision-
making organ of the MJC. In 1978 he started mis-
sionary work at Robben Island and Pollsmoor pris-
ons. By 1980 he established the Muslim Board for
Prison Welfare and State Institutions. He served as
chairman from 1982-2002. He set up the National
Muslim Prison Board in 1988. In 1982 he estab-
lished the Committee for the Preservation of the
Tana Baru cemetery to prevent desecration of the
graves of the pioneers of Islam in SA.
Imam suffered a stroke in 2002 and passed away
in 2004 at the age of 81. �
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