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The First National Muslim Community Newspaper

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FREE Monthly - Independent N 8 June 2009 www.crescenttimes.com.au Crescent Times goes National: Coast to Coast - the first National Muslim Community Newspaper Above: Auburn Gallipoli Mosque. Photo:Crescent Times, 2009 HIJRAH efore you arrive in the crowded in English which you do not usually find in suburbs of western Sydney you Chinatowns or Vietnamese business quarters AUSTRALIAN have undoubtedly developed in Australian metropolitan cities - so why all Bstereotyped ideas about Lakemba. I the fuss about the “ghetto” of Lakemba? MUSLIM imagined the place as “dodgy” as the Certainly Australia is a real multicultural popular markets of Marrakesh in Morocco, society, with a real equal opportunity for every LIFE STYLE the Hamedia market of Damascus or even single culture and language to get on board – the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne. perhaps with the notable exception of the native MAGAZINE Indeed the main street in Lakemba was a Aboriginal cultures and languages. During my pleasant surprise in it’s small size, seasonable visit to Sydney I met the NSW community action and Lebanese presence. The Arabic minister, who is of indigenous background and signs for shops and businesses were obvious, she explained to me that her grandmother lost coming soon!! dominant and confident. Most of the signs in Arabic are accompanied with writing continued page 14 EDITORIAL: [email protected] GENERAL ENQUIRIES: MAIL ADDRESS: PO Box 628 Mirrabooka WA 6941 VIC BUREAU: [email protected] [email protected] PHONE 0414 155 366 NSW BUREAU: [email protected] ADVERTS: [email protected] Page 2 Bismi’ Allah Crescent Times No 8 June 2009 I used to pace the floor with them cuddled in my LETTERS TO THE EDITOR arms, singing to them. The lyrics may have been that A Little Bird of the salawaat on the Nabie (saw), or some thikr or refer to the exchange between the Crescent (saw) responded by asking her if she knew the other – or sometimes it just was “Rock a bye baby Told me.. Times and the DAWA Association in the enormity of what she had just said. Therefore we on the treetop”. Inevitably they fell asleep in my arms and I laid them down in their cots with a light kiss to Our Little Bird has taken to the issue of 7th May, your newspaper. know that gossip is one of the enormities, and to be nest with ill health over the last I would, at the outset, like to say that I have avoided. their foreheads. the utmost respect for the Brothers at the DAWA In my many readings I have come across two Thinking of music makes me remember the ripple few weeks but is hoping to fly into Association and know some of them personally. other hadiths concerning music. In the first one was of a brook, the whisper of the breeze, the wailing of action again next month. If you They are doing a wonderful job! when Rasullulah (saw) and Abu-Bakr Siddique (ra) the wind, the roar of thunder, the crashing of the have any birdy news, unofficial I consider myself to be a pious Muslim and were entering Madina. The locals were so ecstatic surf against rocks, the sound of a bell – and the song of a bird! It is all around in nature. statements or stories to tell, have scoured through the entire four Volumes with happiness and welcomed them amid songs please send it in to us on: news@ of Sahih Muslim to find any refences to music and the beating of drums. In the other, Aisha (ra) Finally Allah Subhanahu wa ta ‘ala has told us being specifically forbidden. I am well on the way went to a wedding of the Ansars. When she returned that He has perfected our faith and completed His crescenttimes.com.au or SMS on: through Sahih Bukhari too – still to no avail! In home, Rasullulah asked whether they had music, favour to us. He has expressly prohibited things like 0414 155 366 all my readings of the Qur’an, I have not come and added that he knew how much the Ansars loved alcohol and swine and a number of other things. My across single verse which informs me that music music. Since the Sunnah not only includes those reasoning suggests to me, that music was very much forbidden. I know many Imams have told us in matters which Rasullulah recommended we do, and present at the time when the Qur’an was revealed to The editor: Khutbas that music is not permissible in Islam. things which he, himself did, but also those actions us. Surely He would have made it expressly clear and ur editorial policy is to work To this end they inevitably quote Verse 3 of Surah which he saw we do and did not object to, one has included music if it was not permissible. Surely it is Owith the diversity of Islamic Mu’minuun, which reads,” And those who shun to wonder on what scriptural proof the prohibition not a matter for Ijtihaad, for Ijtihaad is reserved for thoughts and beliefs. We prefer to vain talk”. In some translations the “word “vain” is of music is based. those matters which were not known at that time, stay on the middle way, considering replaced by the word “idle” talk. Since I neither am To this end we should remember that Rasullah such as cloning, surrogacy, invitro fertilization, etc. all Islamic opinions and scholar’s Arabic speaking, nor do I pretend to be a scholar, choose Bilal (ra) as the muezzin because he had a My hope is that the good sheikhs at the DAWA writings as part of the richness of I have to depend upon the translations of which I beautiful melodious voice. When our qaris recite the Centre will help me, as well as all the readers of the Islamic jurisprudence. Scholars have at least three different versions. qur’an their proficiency is gauged on their intricate Crescent Times by teaching us exactly what is wrong agree that some elements of fiqh are I find it hard to reconcile the words “vain and intonations, rhythms and the different octaves in with music. uncertain and that we worship Allah “idle” with music. Idle talk is surely gossip and vain which they recite. Then the dreams of Editor, and owners of the using these uncertain elements and talk, boasting. Both practices are reprehensible. I Whatever harm there is in music, lies not in the “Times” will be realized because their newspaper opinions. The only facts are those have found a hadith in which Aisha (ra), prophet’s music itself, I believe, but in the manner in which it is would be fulfilling it’s purpose.! That is, after all, why we need this newspaper! which are mentioned clearly in the (pbuh) wife was standing at her door and saw produced. This is not a unique situation. Computers, Quraan and Sunnah or those related another of his (saw) wives in the distance, and Mobile phones and any number of other implements Jazakallah Adam Parker, Perth, WA to Aqeedah (Tawheed). We appeal remarked how small in stature she was. Rasullah suffer the same fate. When my children were babies, to members of our community to exercise some tolerance towards fellow Muslims when it comes to Ruling about music in Islam: such uncertain elements of Islamic law. Question about music in Islam: Given that your objection revolves mainly wearing of silk (clothes), the drinking of alcoholic around music and why it is permissible, here is the drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful.’ clarification for that in the light of fatwa issued by Although this hadith is in Sahih Al-Bukhari, its First: The Textual Proofs: As-Salamu `alaykum! In his fatwa “ Does Islam They base their argument on some authentic Go against Laughter? “, Sheikh Yusuf `Abdullah Al- Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi: chain of transmission is not connected to Prophet The whole issue of singing is controversial, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and hadiths of Prophet Muhammad (peace and Qaradawi stated that when Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq blessings be upon him). One of these hadiths is the (may Allah be pleased with him) tried to stop two whether it is with musical accompaniment or not. this invalidates its authenticity. Ibn Hazm rejects Some issues succeeded to gain the Muslim scholars’ it for that very reason. Moreover, the sub-narrator, following: young girls from singing in the Prophet’s house, the `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told agreement, while others failed. All scholars have Hisham Ibn `Ammar is declared ‘weak’ by many unanimous view on the prohibition of all forms scholars of the Science of Hadith Methodology. “Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him: ‘Let it be, for we are now in the feast.’ him, came to my house while two girls were singing However, Imam Qaradawi did not refer to the of singing and music that incites debauchery, Besides, this hadith does not clearly prohibit the indecency, or sin. As for musical instruments, use of musical instruments, for the phrase ‘consider beside me the songs of Bu`ath (a story about the following hadiths: Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pre-Islamic war between the two tribes of the Ansar, pleased with him) used to swear by Allah that the given the weakness of the evidence indicating that as lawful,’ according to Ibn Al-`Arabi, has two they are forbidden, the rule to be applied here is distinct meanings: the Khazraj and the Awus).
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