Tuesday, 23 December 2008

Attending funeral of non-Muslim

Sunnipath

Treating Guests

Abu Hurairah, radiyallahu 'anhu, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, said:

"Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day either speak good or be silent. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his neighbour. Let whosoever believes in Allah and in the Last Day honour his guest."
[Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Friday, 19 December 2008

Don't run from battlefield

Surah 8 Verse 15 - 16

Only turn back as part of a strategy, as in the Battle of Mu'tah

Today, Mu'tah is in South Jordan and the site of a military facility. The Sahabahs(radhiallahu anhu) who passed away during the battle are buried there.

Saturday, 13 December 2008

How fleeting can wealth be....

Top investors 'hit by $50bn con'

Madoff millions vanish into thin air


Crunch Guide: Robert Peston explains what caused the crisis

Bishops attack 'immoral' Labour

Who is to blame?
It is really disturbing how Western economies depend on its people spending their money. If their people don't spend, then the economies are in trouble. This is why debt is actually encouraged.
So ideas like these are encouraged
buy new technology (cars, tvs, computers, ipods, etc) every few years or even every year
keep up with fashion - new clothes, jewelry, cars, perfumes, shoes
move house, redecorate house every few years
take loans so that can keep up - bank loans, credit cards, store cards, who cares as long as seen as modern, stick to minimum payments, paying loads of interest
be like celebrities - follow their fashion, styles, etc


Does make you wonder how much the countries really look after their citizens. It is only when cannot get loans that one can see, the strategy unravelling.
Someone once said 'Religion is the opium of the masses', yet Islam encourages living within your means, minimum debt, being content with one's fate. And Islam has Zakaat.

Can't get a house - get a mortage, just pay interest, property prices ALWAYS rise, so sell it off when you retire and move to a smaller place, pay off the loan
Can't get a car - get a loan
Can't get the clothes you like - get a credit card, don't worry just pay the minimum
Can't have a holiday - get another loan
Need to redecorate - get another loan
Oh now too many loans, no problem - consolidate them all into....another loan!
Worried about all your loans - don't be, take out a payment protection insurance, take out a life insurance, sickness insurance
So now you can be happy that you are covered, you can live the lifestyle YOU WANT!! (While enriching the bankers)
Or is it that you can live the lifestyle, they want you to think you want, so that you are constantly in debt, paying off interest!!! There is the OPIUM!
The rich get richer, the poorer, trying to look like the rich, get poorer!
What if did not take out loan at all - no need for consolidating loans, no need for insurance

Islam is for everyone - not just the rich

Monday, 1 December 2008

Surah Anfaal

The background to this is :
Muslims had been forced to leave their wealth when they emigrated to Medina. They were now very poor.
Caravans from Syria passed near Medina on the way to Makkah.
They got permission to recover their wealth from that caravan. The latter was headed by Abu Sufyan. He got intelligence of the plan to attack the caravan and changed course to avoid Medina. Also told people of Mecca of the plans of the Muslims.
The people of Makkah armed themselves and came.
I am not sure what happened next. But in the end even though there was no fight over the caravan, it seems that the people of Makkah still went ahead to attack, since they were already ready for a fight.

Here is a wikipedia link, not sure of the veracity of the account, but it gives an idea, but it also plays down the significant difference in numbers, and Allah's help

Why we should be silent when the Quran is read

Surah 7 Verse 204

Imam Abu Hanifa (rahmatullah alihe) quotes this verse as a proof of remaining silent on the recitation of Quran in Salat.

The fallacy of idolatry

The verses after Surah 7 verse 186 go into detail on how wrong idolatry is. This goes on until verse 199