Islamic

PERTUBUHAN KEBAJIKAN ISLAM MALAYSIA MUSLIM WELFARE ORGANISATION MALAYSIA Volume 30 • Number 3 • ISBN 012-826 • PP12022/02/2013(032148) The Reasons

IBU PEJABAT Headquaters Not to Honour

Tingkat 4 & 6, Bangunan PERKIM, 150, Jalan Ipoh, 51200 Kuala Lumpur. Tel : +603 4042 6224 / 4041 2482 Faks : +603 4042 7403 Email : [email protected] Web : www.perkim.net.my

Sumbangan/Zakat (Donation/Zakat) Mereka yang bersifat pemurah dan dermawan bukan sahaja disanjungi dan Sebarang bentuk sumbangan / zakat boleh disalurkan ke Ibu Pejabat PERKIM dikasihi oleh masyarakat, malah di akhirat Allah SWT menjanjikan ganjaran untuk membantu golongan: yang berlipat kali ganda. Allah SWT telah memberi jaminan bahawa sifat pemurah dan dermawan tidak akan mengurangkan harta malah rezekinya Any form of donation / zakat can be channel to PERKIM Headquarters to help: akan ditambah selain mendapat saham pahala akhirat yang berterusan. Mualaf / Converts Firman Allah SWT dalam surah al-Baqarah ayat 261: Fakir Miskin / Poors Ibu Tunggal / Single Parent “Bandingan (derma) orang-orang yang membelanjakan hartanya pada Anak Yatim / Orphans jalan Allah ialah sama seperti sebiji benih yang tumbuh menerbitkan Mangsa bencana / Disaster victims tujuh tangkai : tiap-tiap tangkai itu pula mengandungi seratus biji. Orang Kurang Upaya / Disabled people Dan (ingatlah) Allah akan melipatgandakan pahala bagi sesiapa yang dikehendakinya dan Allah Maha luas (rahmat) kurniaan-Nya lagi Sumbangan boleh diberi dalam bentuk : meliputi ilmu pengetahuan-Nya “ . Donations may be given in the form: Wang ringgit (tunai/cek) / Money (cash / check) Para Malaikat turut berdoa agar rezeki orang yang menderma makin Kerusi roda / Wheelchair bertambah dan orang yang bakhil itu kehancuran. Sabda Rasulullah SAW: Kenderaan (kereta/van/bas) / Vehicle (car / van / bus) Pakaian terpakai / Used clothes “ Tidak ada satu hari hamba Allah berpagi pada hari itu, selain ia Makanan/ Foods dihadiri dua Malaikat; kemudian salah seorang daripada keduanya mendoakan: “Wahai Tuhan, berilah si dermawan itu ganti; dan salah Kepakaran, kemahiran/Expertise satu malaikat lagi mendoakan : Wahai Tuhan, berilah orang yang bakhil itu kehancuran“. (Sahih al-Bukhari) Sumbangan yang berbentuk tunai / cek boleh dikreditkan ke : Donations in the form of cash or checks can be credited to : Sifat bakhil dan mementingkan diri sendiri menjejaskan imej Islam sebagai NAMA AKAUN / Acc Name : TABUNG KEBAJIKAN TUNKU agama yang membawa rahmat. Hal ini selaras dengan amaran Allah SWT NO. AKAUN / Acc No : 105020002899 (Affin Bank Berhad) dalam surah Ali-Imran ayat 180: Maksudnya: “Dan jangan sekali-sekali orang-orang yang bakhil Pihak PERKIM akan mengeluarkan resit pengurangan cukai dengan harta benda yang telah dikurniakan Allah kepada mereka dari kemurahan-Nya - meyangka keadaan bakhilnya itu baik bagi mereka. bagi setiap penderma dan penyumbang. Bahkan ia adalah buruk bagi mereka. Mereka akan dikalungkan PERKIM will issue a receipt for tax deductible for all donors (diseksa) dengan apa yang mereka bakhilkan itu pada hari kiamat kelak. Dan bagi Allah jualah hak milik segala warisan (isi) langit dan and contributors. bumi. Dan (ingatlah), Allah Maha Mengetahui dengan mendalam akan segala yang kamu kerjakan “. FREE DISTRIBUTION Obama recognizes Syria’s main opposition group 13-08-2012 be granted the elevated status, which paved the way for increasing the U.S. aid to the organization.

Obama added that, with the recognition of the council, Washington will take on new responsibilities to “make sure that they organize themselves effectively, that they are representative of all the parties, that they commit themselves to a political transition thatrespects women’s rights and minority rights.”

The U.S. move followed the similar steps taken by Britain, France and several Arab countries, which recognized the rebel council shortly after it was created at a meeting of opposition representatives held in Qatar last WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): US President Barack Obama month. on Tuesday recognized Syria’s main opposition group as the sole “legitimate representative” of Syrian people. The U.S. recognition of the Syrian Opposition Council also came before an upcoming international conference on Syria crisis scheduled to open on In an interview with the ABC News, Obama called the Wednesday in Marrakech, Morocco. recognition of the newly-formed Syrian Opposition Council as “a big step” in the so-called international U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will attend the conference efforts to unseat President Bashar al-Assad. after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton canceled her planned trip due to illness caused by a stomach virus. He said that the rebel group is now “inclusive enough” to http://news.xinhua net.com/english/world/2012-12/12/c_132034977.htm Palestine: Two injured as Israeli troops invade Ni’lin 12-12-2012 IMEMC News:

Two Palestinian youth were reported injured on Tuesday night when Israeli troops invaded the central West Bank village of Ni’lin and clashed with local youth.

Witnesses told IMEMC that two Israeli military vehicles invaded the village then local youth hurled stones and empty glass bottles at invading forces, troops then fired live rounds and rubber-coated steel bullets at unarmed youth injuring two.

The two injured were identified as Ibraheem Srour, hit with a live round in his leg, and Mohamed Al Khawaja, hit with a rubber- coated steel bullet in his head. Both were moved to the nearby Ramallah city hospital for treatment.

Ni’lin organizes a weekly protest against the Israeli wall built on lands taken by the military from local farmers. Every fired Israeli soldiers attack the peaceful protesters with tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and live rounds. The Crystal Masjid of Terengganu Contents 42 36 34 33 28 20 17 10 5 3 2 DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PALESTINIAN CITIZENSOFISRAEL BACKGROUND ONISRAEL AS A ‘JEWISH STATE’ AND THE ONGOING REASONS NOT TO HONORISRAEL FOCUS… EDITORIAL WHY I ACCEPTED ISLAM -MICHAEL WOLFE HEART TALK... ISLAM INBURMA RELATIONSHIP… THE GREAT MOSQUEOFPARIS TRAVEL... TAKE A BREAK.... HOW TO BE A GOODHUSBAND INISLAM FAMILY... THE LIFEOFSHEIKH ‘ABDUR RAHMAN AS-SUMAYT BIOGRAPHY RAIN BYDESIGN SCIENCE... ETHNIC CLEANSING Herald Islamic Islamic Herald

PATRON TUN DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD

ADVISOR Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Muhammad Rais Abdul Karim EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Editorial Dato’Dr. Ismail Ibrahim (Chairman) Datuk Hj. Hasbullah L. Isa Datuk Zainal Abidin Abd Kadir Prof. Dr. Idris Zakaria Hj. Abdul Hanif Harun En. Zulkefli Arifin En. Wan Abd Halim bin Wan Abd Majid Once En Mohd Zuber Zain

CHIEF EDITOR Ustaz Hj. Wan Abdul Hamid Wan Teh a EDITOR upon Firdaus Lokman Tah

DISTRIBUTOR: Ishak Othman ... PUBLISHER time The Muslim Welfare Organisation of Once upon a time there was a place called Palestine, Malaysia (PERKIM) 4th & 6th Floor, Bangunan PERKIM Jalan Ipoh, a land of anbia’ quoted in the Qur’an. This ended 51200 Kuala Lumpur. MALAYSIA in 1948 when Ben-Gurion declared the creation of Tel : 03-4426224 03-4412482 Fax : 03-4427403 the State of Israel. Palestine was then flooded with PRINTER Percetakan Bumi Restu Sdn Bhd. Jews from Europe, later USA and other countries. 32G, Blok C, Bistari De’Kota, Jalan Teknologi 3/9, PJU 5, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya. These immigrants kicked the Palestinians out of their Tel: 0.3-6148 1786 Fax:03-6148 4786 homes, off their farms and out of Palestine. Now DISCLAIMER the Palestinians are imprisoned in The Gaza Strip, The Islamic Herald is published by the Muslim Welfare Organisation of Malaysia (PERKIM). It contains articles addressing Muslim affairs in Malaysia, and throughout a foul strip of desert between Israel and Egypt, or the entire Muslim world. Through its presentation, it Endeavour’s to promote awareness and understanding of have been forced out to the west of The River Jordan. issues affecting the Muslim Ummah in all its geographic and cultural diversity. The Islamic Herald is also a magazine covering news and activities in the field of However even that is not enough for the Israelis, Da’wah, social, economic and political. The Islamic Herald welcomes relevant articles by authors wishing they keep expanding into the West Bank territory to publish their work. Articles and correspondence may be addressed to: The Editor, Islamic Herald, at the and creating settlements there and every couple of above address. The Editor reserves the right to edit any contribution without prior notice. Articles will not be returned. Views expressed in the Islamic Herald do not years the Israelis have a turkey shoot, except it’s not necessarily reflect those of PERKIM, the Editor or the Magazine. turkeys they’re shooting.

Islamic Herald 2 PERKIM The Reasons Not to Honour FOCUS

[ By Mahmoud El-Yousseph and Tammy Obeidallah ]

This list was compiled in order to dispel the hate as Van Buren Superintendent Tim Myers confided propaganda and blatant lays Christians United for he is considering distributing “educational material” Israel (CUFI) is being allowed to spew at Van Buren given to him by CUFI, to all students. CUFI is High School near Findlay, Ohio on October 27, 2011 charging USD15 per adult and USD10 per student where they will hold “A Night to Honour Israel.” to attend, therefore common sense would dictate This is being this event is being repeated at other promoted by the schools across school system. our country. There are people who believe this If CUFI was country is too simply having far gone to be a convention of salvaged and there their apocalyptic is certainly merit ignoramuses and blind bigots at a church or to that sentiment. But we are not ready to surrender synagogue, we would not waste our time trying to our children to a false prophet and be subjected to educate those determined to remain fools. If CUFI false teachings, both religious and historical. We were holding a meeting with our congressmen/ refuse to have them be converted into more mindless women or senators, we would not bother to counter, minions who would readily partake in genocide for as our representatives are already deep within the the Zionist entity which is their god. pockets of Israeli-interest lobbies. However, CUFI has crossed a red line when invading our public Here are just 10 out of the myriad reasons NOT school system to poison the minds of our innocent to honour Israel and why a “Christian” group in youth. support of such an immoral state is the epitome of hypocrisy: While this event is being held after school hours, it is still being promoted in among the student body, Islamic Herald 3 PERKIM Islamic Herald

Humanity, a ship carrying medical 8. Israel has for a long time engaged supplies, cement, olive trees and in espionage on the US and stolen children’s toys to Gaza after the our top secrets, selling them to our Israeli invasion in December enemies, thereby damaging our 2008-January 2009. Nearly 1,500 national security. people—mostly civilians—were killed with another 10,000 9 Israel has imposed collective wounded. Damaged or destroyed punishment against Palestinians by 10 Reasons Not To were 50,000 homes, 800 industrial kidnapping, maintaining a siege, properties, 200 schools, 39 land theft, home demolitions, Honour Israel mosques and two churches. The “target assassinations,” midnight supplies were confiscated by the raids, indefinite imprisonments 1. On June 8, 1967, Israeli air and Israeli navy. and uprooting olive trees. naval forces suddenly and brutally attacked the USS Liberty, a US 5. Out of over 700 GeneralAssembly naval intelligence ship flying a resolutions passed since the UN’s large Old Glory in international 1945 establishment, nearly 450 waters on a clear summer day. condemn Israel. None have been Thirty-four American sailors were passed against any Arab country. killed in the attack and another In other words, out of 193 nations 174 were wounded. in the UN, over 60% of all General Assembly resolutions condemned 2. In 2003 U.S. citizen and peace just ONE member: Israel! activist Rachel Corrie was run Cynthia McKinney down with a bulldozer by an 6. Israel recently shunned a US Israeli Occupation soldier while president by refusing a settlement- 10. It has been documented in both she was attempting to prevent a freeze offer on stolen Palestinian Palestinian and Israeli media and home demolition. The soldier was land in return for a 10 billion in court proceedings that Israeli never charged with her death. dollar incentive (bribe.) Occupation Forces are operating a Palestinian butchery at Abu 3. In 2010, Israeli commandos 7. Israel is the only Middle Kabir in Tel Aviv. Israeli forces kidnapped Ken O’Keefe, a former Eastern country where sodomy routinely kidnap Palestinians US Marine who survived the is not a crime nor punishable. Israeli attack on the Turkish aid at checkpoints, raids, hospital Israel also allows abortion has a wards or exhume them from ship, MV Mavi Marmara which “tramp tax” for prostitutes, an cemeteries in order to harvest was bound for Gaza and sailing in increasing rate of cohabitation their organs for profit inside international waters. It was during and premarital sex, acceptance this same attack that 19 year-old of party life and heavy drinking, and out Israel, all without the American citizen Furkhan Dogan immodest clothing, etc. Israeli family’s knowledge. was shot multiple times at close media portrays prophet Jesus - Mahmoud El-Yousseph is a retired range by Israeli forces. He was Christ (peace be upon him) as a killed. USAF veteran, and Tammy Obeidallah bastard and Mary as a whore. is a free lance writer. 4. In 2009 Israel kidnapped and Why does Christians United for jailed former US Congresswoman Israel prefer to be associated Courtesy : palestinechronicle.com Cynthia McKinney, along with 20 with a country whose hedonism other noted peace activists. They rivals Sodom and Gomorrah? were taken from aboard Spirit of Islamic Herald 4 PERKIM BACKGROUND ON ISRAEL AS A ‘JEWISH STATE’ AND THE ONGOING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PALESTINIAN CITIZENS OF ISRAEL

In recent months, Israeli and American officials have been increasingly vocal in demanding that the Palestinians must recognize Israel as a “Jewish state” as part of any peace agreement.

It was reported that Israel and America’s insistence that a clause defining Israel as a Jewish state be included in the terms of reference scuttled efforts to restart negotiations and head off the Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN. Although presented by some as a longstanding requirement of the Palestinians, only recently have they been asked to formally recognize Israel as a Jewish state. To put this issue into context, the IMEU offers the following two fact sheets: Recognizing Israel as a Jewish State and Racism & Discrimination against Palestinian Citizens of Israel.

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• Recognizing Israel as a Jewish Between 1948 (when Israel declared state would mean renouncing independence) and 1966, Palestinians at the outset of negotiations the living in Israel were granted no internationally recognized right of political rights and were subject to Palestinian refugees to return to Israeli military rule. After 1966, they the land and homes that they were were granted the right to vote and expelled from during Israel’s creation. other civil rights, but to this day they continue to suffer from widespread, • Asking Palestinians to recognize systematic and institutionalized Israel as a “Jewish state” is akin to discrimination affecting everything asking American Jews and other from land ownership and employment non-Christians to officially recognize opportunities to family reunification 1. RECOGNIZING ISRAEL the United States as a “Christian rights. Today, there are approximately AS A JEWISH STATE state.” 1.2 million Palestinian citizens of Israel, about 20% of the population. • In 1988, the PLO recognized the state For more on this subject see: of Israel. This was considered a major HAARETZ: Institutionalized discrimination and historic compromise on the part Why Palestinians can’t recognize a • There are more than 30 laws that of the Palestinians, who effectively ‘Jewish state’, by Hassan Jabareen, discriminate against Palestinian renounced claim to 78% of historic founder and general director of Adalah citizens of Israel. Directly or Palestine. – The Legal Center for Arab Minority indirectly, based solely on their Rights in Israel. ethnicity, rendering them second • In 1993, the PLO and the government INSTITUTE FOR PALESTINE STUDIES: or third class citizens in their own of Israel exchanged official letters Why Can’t the Palestinians Recognize homeland. in which the Palestinians formally the Jewish State?, by Ahmad Samih recognized “the right of the State of Khalidi. • 93% of the land in Israel is owned Israel to exist in peace and security,” THE WASHINGTON POST: either by the state or by quasi- while in return Israel acknowledged Defining ‘Jewish state’: For many, governmental agencies, such as the PLO as the legitimate term has different meanings, by Glenn the Jewish National Fund, that representatives of the Palestinian Kessler. discriminate against non-Jews. people. Palestinian citizens of Israel face 2. RACISM & significant legal obstacles in • The demand that Palestinians DISCRIMINATION gaining access to this land for recognize Israel as a “Jewish state” AGAINST PALESTINIAN agriculture, residence, or commercial only appeared in 2001, when CITIZENS OF ISRAEL development. officials in the Bush administration began mentioning it. Prior to that, Palestinian citizens of Israel are those • More than seventy Palestinian Palestinians had only been asked to Palestinians who remained behind villages and communities in agree to Israel’s existence as a state. in what became the state of Israel Israel, some of which pre-date the following the Nakba (1947-1949), or establishment of the state, are • Recognizing Israel as a Jewish state “catastrophe,” when approximately unrecognized by the government, would mean acquiescing in the 725,000 Palestinians were expelled receive no services, and are not even permanent second-class status from their homes and land by Zionist listed on official maps. Many other of Palestinian citizens of Israel, forces in order to make way for a towns with a majority Palestinian who make up about 20% of the Jewish-majority state. population lack basic services and population. Islamic Herald 6 PERKIM Islamic Herald 7 PERKIM • The Nationality and Entry into Israel fundamental outlook”, based on Law prevents Palestinians from the sex, religion, and socioeconomic occupied territories who are married status. Critics slammed the move as to Palestinian citizens of Israel from an attempt to allow Jewish towns to gaining residency or citizenship keep Arabs and other non-Jews out. status. The law forces thousands of Palestinian citizens of Israel to either • The so-called “Nakba Bill” bans leave Israel or live apart from their state funding for groups that families. commemorate the tragedy that befell Palestinians during Israel’s • In October 2010, the Knesset creation in 1948, when approx. approved a bill allowing smaller 725,000 Palestinian Arabs were receive significantly less government Israeli towns to reject residents ethnically cleansed to make way for a funding than do majority-Jewish who do not suit “the community’s Jewish majority state. towns. • The British Mandate-era Land • Since Israel’s founding in 1948, more (Acquisition for Public Purposes) than 600 Jewish municipalities have Barak stated: Ordinance law allows the Finance been established, while not a single Minster to confiscate land for new Arab town or community has “As long as in “public purposes.” The state has been recognized by the state. this territory used this law extensively, in west of the conjunction with other laws such • Israeli government resources are as the Land Acquisition Law and disproportionately directed to Jews Jordan River the Absentees’ Property Law, to and not to Arabs, one factor in there is only confiscate Palestinian land in causing the Palestinians of Israel to one political Israel. A new amendment, which suffer the lowest living standards in was adopted in February 2010, Israeli society by all socio-economic entity called confirms state ownership of land indicators. Israel it is confiscated under this law, even where it has not been used to • Government funding for Arab going to be serve the original confiscation schools is far below that of Jewish either non- purpose. The amendment was schools. According to data published Jewish or non- designed to prevent Arab citizens in 2004, the government provides from submitting lawsuits to reclaim three times as much funding to democratic… confiscated land. Jewish students than it does to Arab If this bloc students. • Over the entirety of its 63-year of millions of existence, there has been a period of • According to the 2009 US State Palestinians only about one year (1966-1967) that Department International Religious cannot vote, Israel did not rule over large numbers Freedom Report, “Many of the of Palestinians to whom it granted national and municipal policies in that will be no political rights. Jerusalem were designed to limit or an apartheid diminish the non-Jewish population state.” • Former Israeli prime ministers of Jerusalem.” Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert have both warned that a continuation

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of the occupation will lead to Israel the state’s image, while 55% would bombing of Gaza, and hanging the becoming an “apartheid” state. Barak accept limits on the right to oppose children of terrorists. stated: “As long as in this territory the government’s “defence policy.” west of the Jordan River there is • In December 2010, dozens of only one political entity called Israel • A poll done by the Israel Democracy municipal chief rabbis on the it is going to be either non-Jewish Institute and released in January government payroll signed a letter or non-democratic… If this bloc of 2011 found that nearly half of Israeli supporting Eliyahu and his decree millions of Palestinians cannot vote, Jews don’t want to live next door to prohibiting Jews from renting that will be an apartheid state.” an Arab. property to non-Jews. One of the signatories, Rabbi Yosef Scheinen, • Archbishop Desmond Tutu and • In January 2011 the Yedioth head of the Ashdod Yeshiva (religious Nelson Mandela, heroes of the Ahronoth newspaper reported that school), stated, “Racism originated struggle against apartheid in civics teachers around the country in the Torah… The land of Israel is South Africa, have both compared were complaining of rampant, designated for the people of Israel.” Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to virulent anti-Arab racism amongst apartheid. their Jewish students. One teacher • In December 2010, the wives of 30 said, “When we have a discussion in prominent rabbis signed an open • Today, there is a virtual caste class about equal rights, the class letter calling on Jewish women not system within the territories that immediately gets out of control… to date or work with Arabs. The letter Israel controls between the Jordan The students attack us, the teachers, stated: “For your sake, for the sake River and Mediterranean Sea, with for being leftist and anti-Semitic, of future generations, and so you Israeli Jews at the top and Muslim and say that all the Arab citizens don’t undergo horrible suffering, and Christian Palestinians in the who want to destroy Israel should be we turn to you with a request, a occupied territories at the bottom. In transferred.” Another said: “We’re not plea, a prayer. Don’t date non-Jews, between are Palestinians with Israeli talking about a minority, or children don’t work at places that non-Jews citizenship and Palestinian residents from families that have extreme frequent, and don’t do national of occupied East Jerusalem. political views, but about normal service with non-Jews.” Increasing intolerance for dissent children who are afflicted with and diversity in Israel sub title ignorance… The political discourse • According to a September 2010 poll, in recent years has given them the half of Israeli Jewish students don’t • In September 2011 a survey found legitimacy to be prejudiced.” want Arabs in their classrooms, while that a third of Israeli Jews don’t an earlier found about the same consider Arab citizens to be real • In November 2010 the chief rabbi of number oppose equal rights for Israelis. the town of Safed, Shmuel Eliyahu, Arabs. issued a ruling forbidding Jews from • According to a February 2011 survey, renting property to Arabs. Eliyahu • In September 2010, the spiritual 52% of Israeli Jews would be willing had previously advocated the carpet leader of the Shas party (which sits in to limit press freedoms to protect

IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 88 PERKIMPERKIM PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition on god to make them “perish from government), Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, this world” by striking them with a religious school in the West Bank declared that non-Jews were created plague. settlement of Yitzhar, published a to “serve” Jews, stating that: “Goyim book that condoned the murder of [non-Jews] were born only to serve • In 2001, Yosef, delivered a sermon non-Jewish children on the grounds us. Without that, they have no place in which he stated: ”It is forbidden that they may grow up to pose in the world – only to serve the to be merciful to [Arabs]. You must a threat to the state, writing that People of Israel… Why are gentiles send missiles to them and annihilate non-Jews are “uncompassionate by needed? They will work, they will them. They are evil and damnable… nature” and attacks against them plow, they will reap. We will sit like an The Lord shall return the Arabs’ “curb their evil inclination.” Several effendi and eat. That is why gentiles deeds on their own heads, waste other prominent rabbis subsequently were created.” their seed and exterminate them, endorsed the book. devastate them and vanish them • In August 2010, on the eve of peace from this world.” • In July, 2009, Israel’s Housing talks in Washington, Yosef delivered Minister, Ariel Atlas, warned a sermon describing Palestinians • In August 2010, Rabbi Yitzhak against the “spread” of Israel’s Arab as “evil, bitter enemies” and calling Shapira, head of a state-funded population and said that Arabs and Jews shouldn’t live together, state: “if we go on like we have until now, we will lose the Galilee. Populations that should not mix are spreading there. I don’t think that it is appropriate for [Jews and Arabs] to live together.”

• In the aftermath of Operation Cast Lead, Israel’s devastating three-week military assault against Gaza that killed more than 1300 Palestinians in the winter of 2009, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Israeli army units had been printing t-shirts depicting disturbing, violent images such as dead Palestinian babies, Palestinian mothers weeping on their children’s graves, a gun aimed at a child, bombed-out mosques, and a pregnant Palestinian woman with a target superimposed on her belly and the caption, “1 shot, 2 kills”. Another showed a Palestinian baby, growing into a boy and then an armed adult, with the inscription, “No matter how it begins, we’ll put an end to it.”

Courtesy: Occupied Palastine.com IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 99 PERKIMPERKIM Islamic Herald

Due to increasing demolitions, ongoing ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem as well as increasing parts of the West Bank, evictions or even violent take-over of Palestinian’s homes by Settlers in the West Bank, this special topic about the facts of Colonialism and the ongoing Ethnic Cleansing Cleansing of Palestine. Below this article updates will be posted as published in media.

UN: Israel’s demolitions of Palestinian homes hit reduced with each demolition.” record high Ethnic The UN agency urged peace makers to April 3, 2011 “I am not saying this is classic pressure Israel to end its discriminatory JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israel’s ethnic cleansing, but the UN High practices, noting that the culture demolitions of Palestinian homes and Commissioner for Human Rights has of impunity led to more abuses, buildings reached a record high in condemned this discrimination and stimulated anger and resentment on March for the third consecutive month, make no mistake, it is discrimination both sides and impeded the peace according to figures from the UN against one ethnic group.” process. “Homes, families, lives and the agency for Palestinian refugees. peace process are being demolished,” Demolition of the Gunness said. The UN Relief and Works Agency peace process recorded 76 demolitions of Palestinian [End of Article by Ma’an News Agencies] buildings in March, forcibly displacing The last round of talks collapsed over Israel’s refusal to extend a partial freeze History 158 Palestinians including 64 children. on illegal settlement building on So far this year, Israel has demolished occupied Palestinian land. Palestinian In 1947 the UN partitioned Palestine, the homes of 333 Palestinians, negotiators refused to engage in giving over half the land to one third of including 175 children, UNRWA talks while Israel built on land which the population —mostly recent Jewish reported. would be a Palestinian state if a peace immigrants — and allotting the rest to agreement was reached. the indigenous, Palestinian population. Meanwhile, Israel has built a record In 1948, when the British withdrew, the number of Jewish-only homes Gunness noted that by demolishing Zionist forces took 78% of Palestine, on occupied Palestinian land, in Palestinian homes, Israel was driving out most of the inhabitants contravention of international law. diminishing the possibility of a two- and razing to the ground about 500 state solution. Palestinian villages. Commenting on the unprecedented figures, UNRWA spokesman Chris “The West Bank is where the In 1967 Israel occupied the rest of Gunness told Ma’an that they revealed future Palestinian state is meant Palestine and set about colonising the ethnic discrimination. to be situated. Its viability is being West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem and Islamic Herald 10 PERKIM Map of Settlements in fact, no state recognises Israel’s right West Bank Palestine the Golan Heights. Many settlements to continue to hold these Occupied Cleansingare built on prime agricultural land. Territories. Rights & Liberties under Occupation The Israeli government claims that the status of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Even Israel’s own Supreme Court, in The rights of a people living under the Gaza Strip and the Syrian Golan 2002, recognised that the West Bank occupation are guaranteed under Heights is ‘disputed’. But this view and Gaza are “subject to a belligerent Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Ethnic flies in the face of international law. In occupation by the State of Israel.” Convention (to which Israel is a

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signatory), which states “the occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” To do so is a war crime, indictable under the International Criminal Court.

However, since 1967, successive Israeli governments have pursued a policy of building and expanding colonies (or ‘settlements’) in the Occupied Territories. Land is grabbed, driving out the Palestinian population, and huge numbers of soldiers and resources are employed to guard the newlycreated Ready to demolish a Palestinian home, Israeli soldiers and buldozers surround hostile colonies. The largest are Ariel (18,000 Samir Muhammad Hasan Younis home in the West Bank village of Azzun Atma near Qalqilia on January 11. (MaanImages/Khaleel Reash) inhabitants) and Maale Adumim (35,000 inhabitants).

The settlements policy constitutes an attempt to alter the final status of the land on which they stand. By implanting thousands of Israelis deep in occupied land, Israel hopes to expand its borders by annexing these settlement areas, including the Jordan Valley.

UN Security Council resolutions have ruled Israel’s settlements to be illegal and an obstruction to a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Middle East. Yet at the beginning of 2010 there were about 120 settlements, and dozens of unofficial ‘outposts’, with a population of about 300,000 in the West Bank and nearly 200,000 in and around East Jerusalem. About half the West Bank is now under the jurisdiction of settlements, either as built-up areas or future land reserves for settlement expansion. [1]

International law

All the above policies and actions are in contravention of international law, and have been condemned by dozens of UN resolutions — to no avail. The International Court of Justice ruling on 9 July 2004 declares the Wall illegal and instructs the International Community “not to render any aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by it.” • “The occupying power shall not deport or transfer drugs at the beginning of the (intoxicants). Normally in the brain drinking wine is prohibited, but parts of its civilian population into the territory school year). But, I guess the stage there is an inhibitory control which making it , selling it, keeping it, or it occupies.” Article 49, Paragraph 6 of the IVth tells us not to engage in shameful even growing grapes for the sole Geneva Convention or wrongful actYous. Any can downloadsuppressa a nt high-resolution purpose PDF ofof thisselling map it version to wine Febr,ry 2011, for • Drugs The Haguedid not Convention help- they on were Respecting just the Laws and showing West Bank and East Jerusalemmaking settlements wine is prohibited by the Customs of War on Land lays down that “thedrug lives including alcohol will Islamic Herald 12 PERKIM of persons, and private property “Much of Israeli security apparatus centuries it was home to a Muslim must be respected: private property is designed to ensure the protection majority, Christians of different cannot be confiscated”Section IV, of the settlers who are there illegally denominations, and a small Jewish Article 46, The Hague Convention anyway. And so it’s the protection of community, all living in harmony under • It is “forbidden for an occupying these illegal settlers that gives rise to a variety of regimes. state to destroy any movable this security situation in the West Bank or immovable private property and Gaza. So, if you are asking me what The seventh century Dome of the Rock, belonging to individuals, groups, the remedy is, in the first place, the next to the Al Aqsa Mosque, is the most states, public authorities, social settlements should be dismantled.”7 prominent building of the Old City, organisations or cooperatives and is sacred to Muslims as the place unless military operations require The colonisation and ethnic from which the prophet Mohammed such destruction.” Article 53 of th cleansing of Jerusalem ascended to heaven, to meet with God. IVth Geneva Convention Jews have always been allowed access “Israel’s main motivation is almost to pray at the Western Wall, bordering The Jordan Valley certainly demographic — to reduce the Dome of the Rock. The Church of the Palestinian population of the Holy Sepulchre is perhaps the most In colonising this area, Israel is seeking Jerusalem, while exerting efforts to sacred of the many churches in the to ensure that any future Palestinian boost the number of Jewish Israelis Old City. As an international place of ‘state’ would not have international living in the city — East and West” pilgrimage, Jerusalem was for centuries borders with any other country: Jerusalem and Ramallah Heads of EU the hub of the Palestinian economy. it completes the encirclement of Missions Report December 2005 Palestinian centres of population. The city is therefore of central Israelis are encouraged to settle here The Apartheid Wall is almost importance to both Muslim and with the gift offree land (expropriated completed in Jerusalem, snaking Christian Palestinians in political, from Palestinian farmers), free water for around communities and shutting economic, social and religious terms. irrigation and cash incentives. them out of the city. Settlements They regard East Jerusalem expand and new colonies emerge on as the capital of their future state. Much of the Israeli agricultural produce the Palestinian lands left isolated Under international law, Tel Aviv is in our shops is from this fertile area. behind the Wall. A 13.5 km railway in fact the capital of Israel, and that Grown illegally on confiscated land, it built by French multinationals will is where all foreign embassies are is often exported as ‘produce of Israel’ integrate the illegal settlements housed. However Israel has proclaimed and benefits from the preferential into the city while further isolating Jerusalem the “undivided” and “eternal tariffs with the EU. This produce is an Palestinians from their capital and their capital of Israel”. The beginnings of especial focus of the growing ‘Boycott, neighbours. As well as the fabric of the segregation and colonisation Divestment and Sanctions’ campaign city, the historic ethnic, cultural and (see below). religious diversity of Jerusalem is being When the United Nations voted in 1947 destroyed. to partition Palestine, Jerusalem was The settlements constitute a major designated an international zone, lying obstacle to a just peace in the Middle Find out more from Palestine Solidarity in the heart of what was intended as East; they prolong the conflict Campaign: www.palestinecampaign.org a Palestinian state. However, zionist and make the establishment of militias overran the designated an independent Palestinian state Jerusalem’s Heritage boundaries and occupied 78% of what impossible. John Dugard, the UN had been Palestine, including West Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in For over two millennia Jerusalem Jerusalem. The de facto borders they the Palestinian Territories, summarised has been a paradigm of religious, established (the ‘Green Line’) lay just to the impact of the settlements thus: social and cultural diversity. For many the west of the Old City. Islamic Herald 13 PERKIM Islamic Herald

In 1967 the Israeli army occupied the a blue ID card must be separated, or Jerusalem district were destroyed rest of Palestine — East Jerusalem, both live in the West Bank and lose all and depopulated. Thousands of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank — Jerusalemite status. Palestinians were ethnically cleansed including the Old City, populated from numerous neighbourhoods in largely by Palestinian Since 1967, Israel revoked residency of West Jerusalem. These included Baq’a Christians and Muslims. Israel then about 140.000 Palestinians: and Talbiya, al- Maliha, Lifta, Deir Yasin, started to implement plans for the Israel revokes residency of 140,000 Ein Karem. The Palestinian people were judaisation of the city, as well as the Palestinians living in West Bank replaced by new Israeli settlers. colonisation of other areas of the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinians have now Discriminatory policies Following the 1967 war, West been reduced to 30% of the population Jerusalem expanded even further. of East Jerusalem through methods of After 1967, in contravention Israel proceeded with the construction land confiscation and discriminatory of international law, the Israeli of huge blocks of settlements that laws. government created the Jerusalem form a ring around the city and isolate Municipality — a greatly enlarged it from its Arab neighbourhoods, and Apartheid residency laws Jerusalem to include all the illegal from the Palestinian cities of Ramallah settlement colonies in and around the and Bethlehem. The ‘transfer’ of the Palestinians from city, and land confiscated from the Jerusalem started with the creation of districts of Bethlehem and Ramallah. These continue to be built on land Israel in 1948 when 80,000 Palestinians Building permits for Palestinians confiscated from Palestinians around were expelled by force from West on their own land are all but Jerusalem and also from the districts Jerusalem. unobtainable and Palestinian homes of Ramallah and Bethlehem. They are built in the area without permits are Maale Adumim to the east, the Givon During the 1967 war, 125 houses of routinely demolished. The Palestinian Bloc to the northwest, Gush Etzion the Maghariba Quarter in the Old City Jerusalemites are subject to high to the southwest and the Benyamin were demolished and their residents taxation while expenditure on the Bloc to the north. More settlements were expelled to make way for the services and amenities given to them are being implanted into the hearts of plaza of the Western Wall. The identity is kept to a minimum. People have to Palestinian neighbourhoods. Examples and residency laws are continuously choose between this or exile abroad or include Nof Zahav in Mount Scopus, being tightened in order to reduce in what remains of the West Bank. If Kidmat Zion in Abu Dis, Almon in the number of Palestinians living in property is left empty (usually because Anata, and an industrial zone in Beit Jerusalem. Palestinian Jerusalemites Palestinians are not allowed to reach it) Surik, Al Walaja and Beit Safafa. are obliged to carry annually renewed it is seized by the Israeli government. The most ambitious settlement project blue Israeli ID cards, which give them underway is project E1 (see map). ‘the right’ to live in East Jerusalem, but Land confiscation and illegal not to vote in Israeli national elections settlements This is the expansion of Maale or take an Israeli passport. Adumim to form an enormous block Nowhere in occupied Palestine has comprising 4,000 housing units built The ID card can be revoked on a variety settlement building been more evident on 12,000 dunums of land stolen from of pretexts. Those studying or working than in the Jerusalem area. There are Palestinians. The overall plan will cover abroad temporarily have lost their ID currently 211,000 illegal Israeli settlers over 53 square kilometres, an area cards and their rights to return. Those living in and around Jerusalem on land larger than Tel Aviv, stretching from working or living in the West Bank, confiscated from Palestinians. Jerusalem to Jericho. It will completely because of economic problems in East encircle the city of Jerusalem by Jewish Jerusalem, face losing their rights if After the 1948 war and the Nakba, settlements and will divide the West caught. Couples where only one has 38 Palestinian villages in the Bank into two separate geographical Islamic Herald 14 PERKIM areas rendering a future Palestinian A light railway project financed by medical and education centres, and state a non-viable option. European companies including Connex severe disruptions to economic In the Old City, the ancient is also underway. It will serve settler activity. A steady exodus of Palestinian predominantly Muslim traffic around Jerusalem, integrating organisations and businesses from neighbourhoods are now a target. the settlements into the city and the centre of Jerusalem into outlying Pressure of every kind is being brought connecting them to those in the areas and to Ramallah has resulted. to bear on the Palestinian inhabitants Jordan Valley. In this way European These closures have also led to the to leave, and settlement is being money and knowhow condone and disintegration of cultural and social life, planned. Israeli policy is to bar non- support the illegal occupation and of which Jerusalem was the hub, for Jerusalem Palestinians from entering colonisation of Palestine. many generations. the city, as well as dispossessing them of their property in annexed Jerusalem. Checkpoints: Access Denied For a realistic view about checkpoints, Then under this pretext, settlers are watch the full Documentary: encouraged by government agencies The long-standing checkpoints Checkpoint | Documentary (8 Parts) to move to Palestinian homes declared controlling all movement in and out of as “state property”. the city have been ‘upgraded’ to what The Apartheid Wall the Israelis call “international terminals”, Palestinian homes in Silwan, just south causing even more harassment to The year 2006 witnessed the of the city walls, are continuously Palestinian Jerusalemites. The Israelis completion of the Apartheid Wall in seized by Jewish settlers. Plans for are in the process of setting up official Jerusalem — in clear violation of the new Jewish settlements in Palestinian international border crossings, manned International Court of Justice ruling neighbourhoods around the Old City, by border police, between Jerusalem in 2004, which called on Israel to such as in Silwan, Ras el-‘Amud and and the West Bank. dismantle the Wall and compensate Sheikh Jarrah, are under way. Eight of the twelve routes and the Palestinians. crossings to enter Jerusalem from the • Click here for a Live Map of the West Bank are closed to West Bank The 190,000 Palestinians still living Settlements Palestinians. Of the remaining four, two in and around Jerusalem can either major checkpoints at the entrances remain under siege in the city or Apartheid infrastructure to the city, Qalandiya towards go into exile into the West Bank or Ramallah and Qubbat Rahel (Rachel’s abroad, with a permanent loss of the Settler-only highways criss cross the Tomb) towards Bethlehem, render right to live in their homes. The Wall is entire West Bank, connecting the the movement in and out of the city designed to ensure the annexation of illegal settlements. West Bank residents extremely difficult. ID cards, automated all the settlement blocks around the are not allowed onto these roads turnstiles and metal detectors are the city and their expansion onto annexed despite the fact that they are built on order of the day. West Bank Palestinians Palestinian land. Palestinian land and that they pass are denied access into the city, unless in between Palestinian villages. Israel they obtain special permits from Israel. The Wall has had a hugely detrimental thus has complete control of the entire However carriers of these permits effect on the lives of the Palestinians area. Meanwhile, Israel is constructing can be banned from entering on the in Jerusalem and the surrounding tunnels and alternative road systems, slightest pretext. And Jerusalemites villages. It is depopulating villages and so they can claim that Palestinian areas can be banned from entering the West tearing communities apart. Villagers, have “transportational contiguity” – i.e. Bank at whim. dependent on Jerusalem for their that what will be left is in some way livelihood, must decide whether they viable. This has led to additional commuting move into the ghettos of Jerusalem or times and hardships, reduced access to stay locked up in their villages on the religious sites, to the major Palestinian other side of the Wall — where they Islamic Herald 15 PERKIM Islamic Herald

will eventually be stripped of their will be the permanent eastern settlement construction | Ynet Nov Jerusalem IDs. border of the State of Israel. The 1, 2011 Kingdom of Jordan is a desirable • Likud MK: “Delete” Gaza The fate of Jerusalem hangs in the partner in the permanent status neighborhood for each rocket fired balance. Israel will soon have cleansed arrangement between Israel and – Nov 10, 2011 most of the Old City of its indigenous the Palestinians in matters that will • Israeli Jews brainwashed for final inhabitants, and annexed it, with be agreed upon. ethnic cleansing all of the surrounding area, to the and: state of Israel, in blatant violation of “The Government of Israel flatly Israel’s Jerusalem municipality international law and every notion of rejects the establishment of a plans to build more than 50,000 natural justice. The consequences of Palestinian Arab state west of the (updated Dec 3, 2011: 85.000) these actions will undoubtedly have Jordan river.“ new homes in the city’s occupied global repercussions affecting us all. Source: Likud platform eastern sector over two decades: For all facts, consequences, dramatic • Knesset to vote on full Israeli • 23,628 homes have already been impact on Palestinians, their economy annexation of the West Bank approved, 20,263 in East Jerusalem and daily life due to the Apartheid Wall • Read what Israel thinks about US: and 3,365 in the west. : Stop the Wall Factbook Netanyahu: ‘America is a thing you • 13,824 are pending review, 12,819 can move very easily in East Jerusalem and 1,005 in the Israel is not looking • Netanyahu: ‘We won’t renew west. for peace settlement freeze to lure PA to talks’ • 23,266 housing units are still in • Israel plans 1000′s more settlement planning stages, 19,281 in the east Related units as legislators call for FULL and 3,985 in the west. ANNEXATION of the WEST BANK o Israel is NOT looking for Peace but • Ayalon: Settlement in Jerusalem not Of these, the municipality plans: for this: “Greater Israel” Published by for discussion | October 16, 2011 • 10,366 homes in northern East Radical Settler Movement • Occupation planning to build Jerusalem, including illegal Israeli o On Aug 30,2010 Before previous 1.000.000 housing unites in next 10 settlement Pisgat Zeev and peacetalks Netanyahu VOWED years | October 26, 2011 Palestinian town Beit Hanina. NO CONCESSIONS: “Eretz Israel” • Read, what Leaders of Zionism • 5,239 homes in southern East stretches from the med 2 river spoke about the Endlösung for Jerusalem, including Gilo jordan INCL West Bank & Gaza Palestine settlement and Palestinian district o With his OP-ED in #NYT anny Danon • Israel’s Endlösung is going on for 63 Beit Safafa. confirmed Netanyahu as well: years. List of All massacres • 4,886 new units in central eastern “Making the Land of Israel Whole“ • The massacre which is NOT covered Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan o Recently: Knesset Speaker Reuven by your local media: 2011 and Jerusalem’s Old City. Rivlin said: “The land of Israel is ours • What is being ignored: Gaza Under in its entirety“ Attack – in pictures Courtesy : occupied palestine wordpress. The following are excerpts from the • Save yourself time, Forget all com ‘Peace & Security’ chapter of the details. It is only about this : Ethnic Likud Party platform. Cleansing Netanyahu’s Likud on it’s website: • MK Danon intros bill to annex West “The Jordan River as a Permanent Bank: “The tree that Abbas climbed Border” up cld produce the fruit of the The Jordan Valley and the territories Zionist endeavor”/a> that dominate it shall be under • Israeli cabinet may respond to Israeli sovereignty. The Jordan river UNESCO vote with ‘punitive’ Islamic Herald 16 PERKIM SCIENCE by design

Rain is indeed one of the most important factors for the permanence of life on earth. It is a pre- requisite for the continuation of activity in a region. Rain, which carries great importance for all living things, including human beings, is mentioned in various verses of the Qur’an, where sub- stantial information is given about the formation of rain, its proportion and effects. This informa- tion, which never could have been known by the people of the time, shows us that the Qur’an is the word of God.

IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 1717 PERKIMPERKIM Islamic Herald

Now, let us examine the information given in the Qur’an never turn into ice particles. (This would certainly mean a fatal about rain. threat to the living things on the earth.) The reason is that the water in the atmosphere is pure water. As is well-known, pure The Proportion of Rain water hardly freezes even at very low temperatures.

In the eleventh verse of Surat az-Zukhruf, rain is defined as The Formation of Rain water sent down in “due measure”. The verse is as follows:

He sends down (from time to time) water from the sky in due measure, and We raise to life therewith a land that is dead. Even so will you be raised (from the dead). (Surat az-Zukhruf, 11)

This “measure” mentioned in the verse has to do with a couple of characteristics of rain. First of all, the amount of rain that falls on the earth is always the same. It is estimated, that in one second, 16 million tones of water evaporate from the earth. This number is equal to the amount of water that drops on the earth in one second. This means that water continuously circulates in a balanced cycle according to a How rain forms remained a great mystery for people for a long “measure”. time. Only after weather radar was invented, was it possible to discover the stages by which rain is formed. Another measure related with rain is about its falling speed. The minimum altitude of rain clouds is 1,200 meters. When The formation of rain takes place in three stages. First, the “raw dropped from this height, an object having the same weight material” of rain rises up into the air. Later clouds are formed. and size as a rain drop, would continuously accelerate and Finally, rain drops appear. fall on the ground with a speed of 558 km/h. Certainly, any object that hits the ground with that speed would cause These stages are clearly defined in the Qur’an centuries ago great damage. If rain happened to fall in the same way, where precise information is given about the formation of all harvested lands would be destroyed, residential areas, rain: houses, and cars would be damaged, and people would not be able to walk around without taking extra precautions. It is God Who sends the Winds, and they raise the Clouds: What is more, these calculations are made just for clouds at a then does He spread them in the sky as He wills, and break height of 1,200 meters; there are also rain clouds at altitudes them into fragments, until you see rain-drops issue from of 10,000 meters. A rain drop falling from such a height could the midst thereof: then when He has made them reach normally reach a very destructive speed. such of his servants as He wills, behold, they do rejoice! (Surat ar-Room, 48) But this is not how it works; no matter from what height they fall, the average speed of rain drops is only 8-10 km/h when Now, let us look at the three stages mentioned in the verse; they reach the ground. The reason for this is the special form they take. This special form increases the friction effect of the 1ST STAGE: “It is God Who sends the winds...” atmosphere and prevents acceleration when the rain drops Countless air bubbles formed by the foaming in the oceans reach a certain speed “limit”. (Today parachutes are designed continuously burst and cause water particles to be ejected by using this technique.) towards the sky. These particles, which are rich in salt, are then carried away by winds and move upwards in the atmosphere. This is not all about the “measures” of rain. For instance, in the These particles, which are called aerosols, form clouds by atmospheric layers where it starts to rain, the temperature collecting around themselves the water vapor, which again may fall as low as 400 C below zero. Despite this, rain drops ascends from the seas, as tiny drops by a mechanism called “water trap” Islamic Herald 18 PERKIM 2ND STAGE: “ ...and they raise the Clouds: then does He dead land. These “life-giving” drops are called “surface tension spread them in the sky as He wills, and break them into drops”. Surface tension drops form on the top level of the sea fragments...” surface which is called the “micro layer” by biologists. In this layer, which is thinner than one tenth of a millimeter, there are The clouds form from the water vapor that condenses around many organic leftovers caused by the pollution of microscopic the salt crystals or the dust particles in the air. Because the algae and zooplankton. Some of these leftovers select and water drops in these are very small (with a diameter between collect within themselves some elements which are very rare 0.01 and 0.02 mm), the clouds are suspended in the air and in sea water, such as phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and they spread in the sky. Thus the sky is covered with clouds. some heavy metals like copper, zinc, cobalt and lead. These

3RD STAGE: “...until you see rain-drops issue from the “fertilizer”-laden drops are lifted up into the sky by the winds midst thereof.” and after a while they drop on the ground inside the rain Water particles that surround salt crystals and dust particles drops. Seeds and plants on the earth find numerous metallic thicken and form rain drops. So, the drops, which become salts and elements essential for their growth here in these rain heavier than air, depart from the clouds, and start to fall on drops. This event is revealed in another verse of the Qur’an: the ground as rain. And We send down from the sky rain laden with blessing, Every stage in the formation of rain is told in the verses of the and We produce therewith gardens and grain for harvests. Qur’an. Furthermore, these stages are explained in the right (Surah Qaf, 9) sequence. Just as with many other natural phenomena in the world, it is again the Qur’an that provides the most correct Salts that fall with rain are small examples of certain elements explanation about this phenomenon as well, and more, that (calcium, magnesium, potassium, etc.) used for increasing has announced these facts to people centuries before they fertility. The heavy metals found in these types of aerosols are were discovered by science other elements that increase fertility in the development and production of plants. Life Given to a Dead Land A barren land can be furnished with all the essential elements In the Qur’an, many verses call our attention to a particular for plants in a 100-year period just with these fertilizers function of rain, which is “giving life to a dead land”: dropped with the rain. Forests also develop and are fed with the help of these sea- We send down pure water from the sky. That with it We based aerosols. In this way, 150 million tons of fertilizer falls may give life to a dead land, and slake the thirst of many on the total land surface every year. If there were no natural beings We have created, beasts as well as humans. (Surat fertilization like this, there would be very little vegetation on al-Furqan, 48- 49) the earth, and the ecological balance would be impaired. In addition to furnishing the earth with water, which is an inevitable need of living beings, rain also has a fertilization What is more interesting is that this truth, which could only effect. be discovered by modern science, was revealed by God in the Qur’an centuries ago. Rain drops that reach the clouds after being evaporated from the seas, contain certain substances “that will give life” to a Courtesy : www.harunyahya.com Islamic Herald 19 PERKIM Islamic Herald

BIOGRAPHY The

Life of Sheikh ‘Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt

Throughout his life As-Sumayt was awarded a vast number of honours, awards, trophies and certificates, in acknowledgement of his efforts in charity work. This included one of the highest most prestigious awards, the King Faisal International Prize for Service to Islam...

Islamic Herald 20 PERKIM The Life of Sheikh ‘Abdur in 1947, he was a qualified beneficiaries of which also Rahman As-Sumayt doctor specialising in internal donated 750 Thousand Saudi The Ummah may soon lose diseases and gastroenterology, Riyals as an endowment for one of it’s most eminent before becoming involved in the education of the children personalities with the illness of charity work; graduating from of Africa. The fruits of this Dr Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt. the University of Baghdad with endowment are visible today At almost sixty four years of a Bachelors degree in Medicine by way of a large number of age, he was a true luminary and Surgery then going on to Africans who received and who strove to uphold and make are continuing to receive the Word of Allah uppermost. education at various universities More than seven million throughout the continent. people are said to have accepted Islam through his The pursuit of his vision efforts in Africa. He spent however was not always more than twenty nine a smooth task, often he years of his life propagating was faced with dangerous Islam in the African and perilous situations. continent; participating As-Sumayt was the target in the construction of of several unsuccessful approximately 5,700 assassination attempts by mosques, provisioning care various armed militias for than 15,000 orphans, perturbed by his wide the drilling of around reaching and overwhelming 9,500 artesian wells and presence and influence the establishment of 860 amidst the poor and needy, schools, 4 universities and as well as a number of 204 Islamic centres. obtain a diploma in Tropical close calls with the deadly Diseases from the University cobra which almost took his of Liverpool in 1974 then life on more than one occasion Life and completing his postgraduate in Mozambique, Kenya and Upbringing studies specialising in internal Malawi, being saved by Allah diseases and the digestive each time. He was also subjected His full name is Abdur Rahman system at McGill University in to the hardship of imprisonment, bin Hamood As-Sumayt, a well- Montreal, Canada. the worst of which came at the known Kuwaiti Islamic daa’ee hands of Arab Ba’athists. (caller to Islam) and founder Throughout his life As-Sumayt of the Kuwait based charity, was awarded a vast number of A quarter of a century of his “Direct Aid Organization” honours, awards, trophies and life was spent in undertaking previously known as the Africa certificates, in acknowledgement his charitable works in Africa, Muslim Agency. He served of his efforts in charity work. returning to Kuwait only as its President of the Board This included one of the highest for short visits or to receive of Directors as well as the most prestigious awards, the medical treatment. He remained Chairman of Research and King Faisal International undeterred by obstacles and Islamic Studies. Born in Kuwait Prize for Service to Islam; the undertook a number of trips Islamic Herald 21 PERKIM IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald

deep into the African jungles and twice in the brain) as well as Physicians Society, United subjected himself to the dangers two bouts of Malaria. None of States of America and and terrors of travel through these affected his resolve as Canada 1976, East Canada its remote forests (in order to his spiritual armaments, the Branch. carry out his work). These were armament of faith with which · Founding member of the selfless actions which can be As-Sumayt drew upon to fight Montreal branch of the considered to be from the acts of his battles in the path of Allah Muslim Students Society, a living martyrdom frequently for the weak, destitute and needy 1974-1976. subjecting himself to danger in and to overcome his obstacles, · Founding member, Malawi his relentless efforts to bring remained strong, firmly lodged Muslims Committee - Kuwait peace, aid and relief to Africa; in his heart. 1980 be it with a loaf of bread in his · Founding member, Kuwaiti hand (food), or a lamp (essential His Work Relief Committee. supplies) or a book (education). · Founding member, Dr Sumayt helped establish International Islamic Charity As Dr Sumayt advanced in or participated in a plethora Authority – Kuwait age, his physical armaments of professional and charitable · Founding member, began to weaken; his body organisations throughout his International Islamic Council afflicted by high blood pressure, lifetime. These include: for Call & Relief – Kuwait. diabetes and a number of blood · Member of Charity Rescue clots (once in his heart and · Founder and chairman of Society – Kuwait. a branch of the Muslim IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 2222 PERKIMPERKIM · General Secretary of the an old car. From then on every He once received African Muslims Committee, single day, he would drive an academic 1981 - 1999. these workers for free; an act grant of forty · Chairman of Direct Aid, 1999 stemming from his mercy and - 2008. compassion for them. two dinars · Member of the Kuwaiti Red yet would not Crescent Society – Kuwait. At university he would set aside eat more than · Editor –in- chief of Al the majority of his monthly Kawther Magazine, 1984 stipend for the purchase of one meal a until his passing. Islamic books which he would day and would · Member of the council of then distribute at various not ‘indulge’ in trustees of Islamic Call mosques. He once received an sleeping on a bed, Organization- Sudan. academic grant of forty two · Member of the council dinars yet would not eat more even though the of trustees of Science & than one meal a day and would price of one was Technology University – not ‘indulge’ in sleeping on not more than Yemen. a bed, even though the price · Chairman of the board of of one was not more than two two dinars... Faculty of Education – dinars; considering it to be an Zangbar unnecessary luxury. During his · Chairman of the board of postgraduate studies in the West, face, hands and feet tore off, Faculty of Shari’ah and he would collect money every yet he remained steadfast and Islamic Studies- Kenya month from Muslim students to patient. Later in his life when · Chairman of Charity Work pay for the printing of Islamic looking back at this terrible Studies Center – Kuwait pamphlets and then would have ordeal he stated, “I had no doubt them distributed throughout whatsoever that I would not die South East Asia and Africa. except at the moment Allah had His Journey These are just a small number ordained for me”, demonstrating towards of examples of his earliest his unswerving reliance upon Compassion for righteous actions. His Lord. the Poor Detention and Imprisonment As-Sumayt’s keen interest and As-Sumayt twice was concern for Africa in particular Dr Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt’s imprisoned. The first time was in developed as a result of a journey towards his compassion Baghdad in 1970, almost being field study carried out by the for the poor and needy began executed. The second time was African Muslim Agency which during his days as a high school in 1990 when he was arrested by confirmed that millions in the student in Kuwait. He would Iraqi intelligence forces during continent knew nothing about observe poor workers waiting the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. He Islam except myths, legends without shade in the extreme was completely unaware of what and unfounded superstitions. heat for their transport to arrive. his fate would be at the time. As a result of this the people, Moved by this scene, together They shipped him to Baghdad and in particular their children, with some friends he collected where he faced severe torture became vulnerable to Christian some money and purchased to the extent that flesh from his evangelisation. This was IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 2323 PERKIMPERKIM IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald

already the case with tens of Upon his arrival he witnessed strategy by instead shifting thousands in countries such as first hand the scene of millions his attention from the rich and Tanzania, Malawi, Madagascar, of human beings slowly being upper class to the middle class South Sudan, Kenya, Niger killed by hunger, poverty, masses, in particular the female and others, who had converted ignorance, backwardness and demographic. He soon realised to Christianity, affiliating disease. He also witnessed that this was the great treasure themselves with this religion the literal fall of the Muslims of Abdur Rahman As-Sumayt even though their parents and under the influence of Christian that had been lost to him, and by forefathers were all Muslim. missionaries, who gave them the Grace of Allah it had been crumbs to eat and education unlocked and bestowed upon As-Sumayt firmly believed that for their children in their own him after three difficult and lean Islam precedes all theories, missionary schools. Hence months. all ideologies, all cultures and forthwith a deep love for this civilisations when it comes spot took root within him, With provision in hand he finally to social and humanitarian settling over his heart and set off vigorously in pursuit voluntary work (as well as conscience, taking control of his of his dream of uplifting and in every other sphere). His thinking and shaping his actions changing forever the African story dates back to his return for what was soon to come. continent; a place many would to Kuwait at the completion associate with desolation and of his post graduate studies. Humble barrenness. Yet it is only the It is here in his home country Beginnings eagerest souls, in love with that he witnessed an enormous challenge and adventure, who potential for charity that lay As-Sumayt began his foray actively seek out such trials. A dormant, a capacity he wished into charity and da’wah; challenge that would eventually to split asunder so that that it’s his efforts to raise up and result in a resounding success by benefits would pour forth and advance the poor and needy of any standard. rain help, aid and goodness Africa from the humblest of upon those most in need of beginnings while still in Kuwait, Commencement of it. Thus he proceeded to the completely enveloped by great the Islamic Call Ministry of Endowments and aspirations. This was during presented to the officials his the late 1970’s. He initially Amongst the things that affected desire to participate in charity spent three months toiling As-Sumayt the most, such work. However the immense wearily in earnest, networking that he would be frequently amount of beauracracy and red with many many people yet brought to tears, was something tape he was forced to deal with despite his arduous efforts and that occurred regularly in almost nullified his headstrong the sheer amount of wealth areas he would visit. Upon efforts and nearly killed off present in a rich nation such his arrival into a new area he his enthusiasm. Despite this as Kuwait, he was only able to would successfully convert eventually he was willed by collect the sum of a thousand a large number of the youth Allah to travel to Malawi to dollars. As disappointed as into Islam. Many of which help build and setup a mosque he was he refused to raise the would cry profusely, their on behalf of a charitable female white flag and give up just emotions overtaking them as Kuwaiti benefactor. yet. He decided to change his they reflected upon the passing

IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 2424 PERKIMPERKIM reach a village he would gather the people and say,

“My Lord is Allah, the One, the Absolute. He Created me, Sustains me and is the One who will cause me to die and once again, give me life.”

This statement is concise and powerful yet simple to understand and remember. Through the power of these of their parents who died as villages and forests, providing words and their deep meaning, a non-Muslims. They would often them with medical, social great number accepted Islam. ask the questions, “Where were and educational services. you O Muslims! What took you More importantly, As-Sumayt As-Sumayt’s methods of da’wah so long to finally reach us after implanted the love of bestowal were wide ranging and varied. all these years!” As-Sumayt and magnanimity and the One specific method he used would weep bitterly over these art of leadership to all those was to buy new clothing and words as he would feel a sense around him, becoming among present them as gifts to the of partial responsibility and the most distinguished in this heads and elders of any village accountability for those who methodology. A methodology he he entered, as a way of softening died upon disbelief. adopted from his wife; a woman their hearts towards Islam. who donated her entire wealth He would gift the children As-Sumayt left behind him a life and estate for the benefit of their with sweets hoping simply of ease, comfort and abundant humanitarian work. to bring them happiness. He wealth and moved to Africa fully involved himself with the with his wife, who was also a As-Sumayt vowed to himself people, becoming familiar with prominent figurehead in her that he would spend the rest of the life of African villages and field. They took residence in a his life here in Africa, calling the various tribes, the issues that very humble abode in the city to Allah. Frequently he would affected them as well as their of Manakara in Madagascar, travel long distances by road and customs and traditions. He was close to the indigenous sometimes would spend up to known to bring his workers to “Antaimoro” tribe. The two forty hours on a train journey, account with extreme precision of them alone began inviting eating nothing but bits of bread for each and every little thing to Islam, an invitation whose he had with him. He would even and was the most stringent with hallmark was humanitarian visit extremely remote areas, his own self, right down to the work with pure intentions, hours away from the nearest food of the orphans even. He enshrined in principles of mercy roads having to traverse forests, would say, “It is not possible for and compassion. As a result, thick dark frightening jungles, me to indulge in (or be negligent thousands accepted Islam. The desolate rivers in tiny boats and towards) a single riyal of the two of them continued to live unpleasant swamps, in order to money donated by the people for amongst different peoples in reach them. Whenever he would charity”. IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 2525 PERKIMPERKIM IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald

Whenever he was questioned Aid Organisation” which he had Every evening just after set up there, soon became the nightfall, As-Sumayt would about his extreme largest global organisation in all observe the various study dedication and of Africa. There are currently circles in which the orphan workmanship he more than half a million students children would be gathered to would say, studying in their educational study and recite the Qur’an, as institutes including four major a reassurance of the progress “My dear universities, as well as a large of their hifdh, smiling at them brother, we are number of broadcasts and proudly as he did so. After the not awaiting publications. They dug more ‘Isha prayer he would once than 8,600 wells and trained again check up on the children the reward or more than 4,000 Islamic callers, to make sure they were all approval of any teachers and academics in safely asleep. Whenever he was individual. We are this time period. He helped questioned about his extreme busy in fieldwork transform the lives of thousands dedication and workmanship he who were able to go from being would say, and are awaiting recipients of charity and Zakah nothing except the to fully able donators. Firmly “My dear brother, we are not acceptance of our keeping his faith at the root awaiting the reward or approval of his principles, he kept the of any individual. We are busy deeds by Allah” Islamic methodology as the in fieldwork and are awaiting backbone of his endeavours nothing except the acceptance of in creating sustainable our deeds by Allah” 10 million people including development of nations and tens of thousands from tribes peoples. Dr As-Sumayt mentioned once which became Muslim in their in a Kuwaiti newspaper, “We entirety, tribal leaders and even No Stranger to rarely offer cash to the poor. propagators of other religions Rather we offer development who in turn, themselves became Harm or Hardship projects such as opening a small callers to Islam. As well as He would take frequent long grocery store or the provision receiving deliverance from the journeys spending twenty or so of sewing machines or the good doctor, by the Grace of hours in a car in order to reach establishment of fish farms. This Allah, he contributed in helping extremely remote places and generates a regular income for them through the provision of sometimes would even travel on the people and helps lift them housing, employment, hospitals, foot through mud and wetlands. out of poverty. This kind of schools and the fulfilment of Dangers were always apparent help leaves the greatest impact many other needs. and he, his wife and his children upon them and as such is the More than seven million people many a time were exposed to most helpful in guiding them to in the African continent alone volatile and potentially harmful Islam.” accepted Islam through him. Some directly and others, situations. One time he passed by a large gathering of people The efforts of Abdul Rahman indirectly through his efforts (not knowing why they had al-Sumayt resulted in the and the hard work of his gathered) when he sat down conversion to Islam of at least ambitious team. The “Direct IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 2626 PERKIMPERKIM next to them out of fatigue after a long journey. Suddenly, one by one each member of the gathering came to him and began spitting on his face! Shocked, he later found out that indeed the gathering was a tribal ‘court hearing’ to which outsiders are strictly forbidden from entering!

Another more dangerous encounter took place when As-Sumayt and his wife met a tribe for the very first time. These people were so shocked May Allah bestow His Infinite (for some strange reason) at the Mercy upon you and grant you site of a woman in hijab, they an abode in Al-Firdaus in the wanted to attack her and almost company of the prophets, the Another more killed her had they not sprinted steadfast affirmers of truth, dangerous back to the car (and gotten the martyrs and the truly encounter took away)! righteous. What an excellent companionship they are! place when As- Lessons from his Sumayt and his Legacy So who now will carry forth the life story of this man to every wife met a tribe It is worth mentioning that place? A beautiful biography for the very first when Steve Jobs was close to that will leave a person amazed, time. These his death, there was hardly an shocked even and questioning individual (in general) who did his own self. people were so not comment on it or searched shocked (for Google to learn more about Now the real question his life and achievements, or remains……what have we put some strange discussed his contributions to forth (for the life to come)? reason) at the culture and civilisation at large. site of a woman So here we are, having heard a Source: www.islam21c.com man who was both uncommon in hijab and unparalleled in this day and age (in his life and work) and thus it is his right upon us that we learn about him through his life story.

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FAMILY How to be a good husband in Islam

IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 2828 PERKIMPERKIM How to be a good husband in Islam Why has it always been that only women are instructed to sacrifice, to dedicate, to be patient etc when it comes to their husband? Why aren’t husbands instructed in the same way??

Assalamalaikum (Peace be upon you), Dear Readers,

How to be a good husband in Islam is something that every Muslim man should learn before entering into wedlock. For a long time now, I have been wondering why so much has been written about a woman being an “Ideal wife in Islam” as against writing about a man being an “Ideal Husband in Islam”. Allah says “And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable” [Al-Baqarah 2:228]“?

Aren’t men included in this command? If there are things that wife needs to do for husband, then there are things that husband also has to do for wife. The rulings on rights of Husband and wife on each other are very clear in Islam, which is not found in any other religion or its scriptures.

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know that his poem was written for you.” The Prophet Although awareness is needed to educate women (Pbuh) asked, “What did he say?” She replied, “Abu regarding their duties to their husband, it is equally Bukair said that if you looked to the majesty of the moon, important to stress the need to educate the men it twinkles and lights up the world for everybody to see.” regarding their duties to their wives. Why has it always So the Prophet (Pbuh) got up, walked to Aisha, kissed been that only women are instructed to sacrifice, to her between the eyes, and said, “Wallahi ya Aisha, you dedicate, to be patient etc when it comes to their are like that to me and more.” [Narrated in Dala’el Al- husband? Why aren’t husbands instructed in the same Nubuwa for Imam Abu Nu’aim with isnad including Imam way?? Bukhari and Imam Ibn Khuzaina.]

Such was the lovely relation between Prophet and his wives. There are many narrations in the books of Hadith which speak about how Prophet (Pbuh) used to treat his wives, that is, with great respect and love. He was very caring and always tried to keep them happy. He understood the nature of a woman well and hence dealth with them accordingly. The following are some of the quotes from Sahih Hadith regarding treatment of women:

Jabir (ra) narrates that Rasoolallah (Pbuh) also gave The Husband expects every good from his wife, but these instructions in his sermon during the Farewell when it is his turn to reciprocate, he ignores it. This is Pilgrimage. “Fear Allah regarding women; for you a common scenario worldwide, irrespective of which have taken them (in marriage) with the trust of community one belongs to. It is very important to Allah”. (Mishkat) reiterate this aspect of Islam so that husband-wife relation becomes stronger and pure. The Holy Prophet (Pbuh) has said during the farewell sermon: “O people, your wives have a certain right Woman was made from the rib of the man (as Qur’an over you and you have certain rights over them. confirms), She wasn’t created from his head to top him, Treat them well and be kind to them for they are your Nor from his feet to be stepped upon, She was made partners and committed helpers”. (Tirmidhi) from his side to be close to him, From beneath his arm to be protected by him, Near his heart to be loved by him. Abu Huraira (ra) reported Allah’s messenger as saying, Once the prophet (Pbuh) was sitting in a room with Aisha “The believers who show the most perfect faith are and fixing his shoes. It was very warm, and Aisha looked those who have the best disposition and the best of to his blessed forehead and noticed that there were you are those who are best to their wives “ (Tirmidhi) beads of sweat on it. She became overwhelmed by the majesty of that sight was staring at him long enough for Abu-Darda (ra) narrated that the Prophet (Pbuh) him to notice. He said, “What’s the matter?” She replied, instructed him: “Spend as much as possible upon “If Abu Bukair Al-Huthali, the poet, saw you, he would your family. . . “ Islamic Herald 30 PERKIM about breaking all the ribs? Well, you know the result. Therefore, woman has been made out of something close to the heart which means she needs to be cared, protected and loved.

Refrain from insulting your wife: Never insult your wife, degrade her or make fun of her in front of others. Nor should you ever tell about her weakness to others. She is not your slave or servant, rather she is The your partner of life. So treat her that way! Prophet (Pbuh) has said: “Helping Give time to your wife: Irrespective of how busy you wives (in their domestic work) earns (men) the are, take out time for your wife. Spend time with her, take reward of charity.” her out, talk to her and listen to her. Keep one day of the Al-Aswad (ra) Narrated: I asked A’isha (ra), “What did week dedicated to your wife, like Sunday, and let her Rasoolallah (Pbuh) do at home? ” She said, “He used know that you dedicated it specially for her. This makes to work for his family and when he heard the call for her feel special in your eyes. the prayer, he would go out.” (Sahih Bukhari)

Listen to her attentively: A good husband is always a During the farewell Pilgrimage the Prophet (Pbuh) said good listener. Listen to everything that your wife talks to the camel driver: “Anjasha, drive slowly; for you are about and try to indulge in the conversation. Don’t give carrying (on the camels, women, delicate like fine) a deaf ear to your wife. How would you feel if someone glassware.” (Sahih Muslim) gives deaf ear to you when you speak? Trust me, it is really annoying. So stop doing this to your wife and start Abu Qatadah (ra) Narrated that the Prophet (Pbuh) listening to her attentively. said: “When I stand for prayer, I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it short, as I Praise your wife’s beauty: Always praise your wife’s dislike to trouble the child’s mother.” (Sahih Bukhari) beauty in front of her, irrespective of how ugly she is in reality. Try to make her feel special. Use statements like Rasoolallah (Pbuh) has said: “O men. There is a “I have never seen a more beautiful woman than you” reward in your affinity with the wife.” (Ibn Hiban) or “You are the most beautiful woman in this world” or “I am so lucky to find such a beautiful woman” or “Even if Therefore, let me give you a the beauty of this entire universe comes together, it is no few pointers on How to be a match to your beauty” and so on…Praising the beauty good husband in Islam: of a woman gives her great happiness. So do it regularly and as often as you can. This will keep her happy. Treat her with respect & Care: Remember Allah said that your wife is made out of your rib, which is very Exchange gifts frequently: A’ishah reported, The close to the heart. This means that she is not meant Prophet (Pbuh) said: “Give gifts to one another, for gifts to be oppressed or subjugated or harassed. Have you take away rancour.” The gift may not be necessarily an ever tried to harass your organs closer to heart? How expensive one. Giving a simple “I love you” card also about cutting of an artery which is close to heart? How counts in gifts. Try to buy her a dress or something that Islamic Herald 31 PERKIM Islamic Herald

she wants. If you can’t afford it, then at least let her know Forbiddened to hate: It is Haraam (forbidden) to hate that you are eagerly collecting money to buy that thing your believing wife. Allah’s Messenger (Pbuh) said “A for her. Trust me, she will be flattered by this gesture and believing man must not hate a believing woman. If he finally you don’t really have to buy it! dislikes one of her characteristics he will be pleased with another (of her good qualities).” No human is perfect. Learn to give physical pleasure: It is a common Your wife might have some qualities that are displeasing complaint from married women that they are treated like to you, but there are surely some characteristics that are a Sex toy and that husbands satisfy themselves and very pleasing to you. Prophet commanded us to look for do not care for the satisfaction of the wives. Remember those good characteristics in her. that women are humans to and they too have physical needs. A good husband not only enjoys her wife, but also Give her freedom (shariah compliant): Your wife is reciprocates the same to his wife. This is called a healthy a human and requires freedom and space to breath. mutual sex life. Don’t push her too much that she breaks down. Give her freedom as far as she is within the limts that Allah has Consulting others on mutual consent: A good defined. The same goes for you as a man. Both men and husband always takes the permission of his wife before women can practice freedom within the limits defined by consulting on their marital problems with others. A Allah. Let your wife have freedom to think, to do what woman feels much more comfortable if it is discussed she wants and to decide in matters. Ask her to advice with someone she can trust. So make sure you take her you in your decisions for the family. This makes her feel consent. special.

Applaud your wife: A good husband always encourages Handle her with care: Woman is fragile both physically her wife in everything she does. Encouraging a woman and mentally, hence handle her with Care! in every task makes her perfect. For example, a wife might not cook well. But if she is trying hard to learn, a I hope these 2 cents from my side will help you improve good husband would praise her cooking and effort thus your marital life, inshallah! encouraging her to become perfect in it. Praise be to Allah.

Share the responsibility: Is there are rule that Courtesy : www.aliblogger.com husbands should not look after the kids or the household work? Absolutely No! Look at the example of our Prophet (Pbuh). The Prophet (Pbuh) said “Helping wives (in their domestic work) earns (men) the reward of charity.”

Narrated Al-Aswad (ra): I asked A’isha (ra), “What did the Prophet (Pbuh) do at home? ” She said, “He used to work for his family and when he heard the call for the prayer, he would go out.” (end quote). So start helping out your wife in washing clothes & dishes, cleaning the house, changing the diaper of your baby and all the related work when you are at home. Stop behaving like a NUT just because you earn for the family. You have no idea how hard it is for a woman to manage work! Get off that couch on holidays and help out your wife! Islamic Herald 32 PERKIM a Take Break

THERE

ARE TOO Two men were on a plane on a business trip when a Muslim couple boarded the plane and were seated right in front of them. The two men, eager to have some fun, started talking loudly. “My boss is sending me to Saudi Arabia”, the one said, “But I MANY don’t want to go...too many Muslims there!” The Muslim couple noticeably heard and grew uncomfortable. The other guy laughed, “Oh, yeah, my boss wanted to send me to Pakistan but I refused...WAY too many Muslims!” Smiling, the first man said, “One time I was in Iran but I HATED the fact that there were so many Muslims!” The MUSLIM ! couple fidgeted. The other guy responded, “Oh, yeah...you can’t go ANYWHERE to get away from them...the last time I was in FRANCE I ran into a bunch of them too!” The first guy was laughing hysterically as he added, “That is why you’ll never see me in Indonesia...WAY too many Muslims!” At this, the Muslim man turned around and responded politely, “Why don’t you go to Hell?”, he asked, “I hear there’s not very many Muslims THERE!”

ALHAMDULILLAH !

A young man in a village refused to believe that Allah has total control of everything. He An elderly lady was well-known for her Iman and for her confidence in talking about it. She would stand in front of her house and say Alhamdulilah “Allah be praised” to all those who passed by. Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, “There ain’t no Lord!!” Hard times came upon the elderly lady, and she prayed for Allah to send her some assistance. She would pray out loud in her night prayer” Oh Allah! I need food!! I am having a hard time, please Lord, PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!” The atheist happened to hear her as she was praying, and decided to play a prank on her. The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, “Alhamdulilah, Allah be praised!.” The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, “Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn’t.” The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, “ALHAMDULILAH WA SHUKRILLAH”. He not only sent me groceries, but he made the devil pay for them!”

IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 3333 PERKIMPERKIM IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald The Great Mosque of

TRAVEL Paris

The largest mosque in France and it was initially constructed in honor Getting There the third largest in Europe, the Great of the French Arab community that Mosque of Paris (Grande Mosquee fought in the World War I - especially The Great Mosque of Paris is located De Paris) is located in the Fifth those who perished at the Battle of at Place du Puits de l’Ermite, 5e, (5th Arrondissement, right in the heart of Verdun in 1916. With its pure white arrondissement of Paris is one of the Paris. In fact, it is just a little more walls and the green-blue roofs and 20 administrative districts) in the Latin than a mile from Notre Dame. The tiles on portions of the building like Quarter near Jardin des Plantes and Great Mosque of Paris was the very the minaret, the Great Mosque of the Institut de Monde Arabe. If you first mosque to be built in France, and Paris is a lovely sight to behold. need a hotel room near the Mosque, visit Paris Hotels

Guided tours are offered throughout the day without a prior reservation; however, the tours are in French. So, while they are quite informative, unless you speak French, you won’t get the full benefit of the guided tour. Saturdays tend to be the busiest so you might wish to avoid that day. If

IslamicIslamic HeraldHerald 3434 PERKIMPERKIM you go throughout the week, try and arrive exactly is a very small number when you consider when the doors open, which is usually 9:30 a.m. there are more than 4 million Muslims living in France. Many so-called mosques in France are no more than parking lots and Historical Significance empty buildings being used for prayer, so this grand Mosque in Paris with its rich history President Gaston Doumergue inaugurated the means quite a lot to Muslims in France and Mosque on July 15, 1926. Ahmad al-Alawi (1869- throughout Europe. 1934), an Algerian and founder of the modern Sufi order Darqawiyya Alawiyya, led the first communal Originally constructed in the 1920s, the prayer as part of the inauguration ceremonies. Mosque underwent an extensive renovation During World War II, the Mosque became a secret in 1992. It is made of reinforced concrete and hiding place for those persecuted by the Axis enhanced with marvelous mosaics, wonderful powers. Historic accounts show that the Mosque wood carvings and ravishing wrought iron provided shelter, safe passage and even fake from Morocco. While all of those intricacies Muslim birth certificates for Jewish children. are aesthetically pleasing, the main attraction Today, this Mosque plays an important social role during the winter months is the marble Turkish for Muslims in Europe. According to the Institute baths. Men can take advantage of the baths of the Arab World’s registry of Mosques, there are on Tuesdays and Sundays, while the rest of only about 121 mosques throughout France, which the week is reserved for women. No matter which day you choose to visit the Mosque, you’re sure to enjoy the unique architecture and learn more about Islam and its rich history in France.

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- BurmaIslam in The Rohingya are a Muslim people who live in the Arakan region in western Myanmar (Burma). As of 2012, 800,000 Rohingya live in Myanmar. According to the UN, they are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. Many Rohingya have fled to ghettos and refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, and to areas along the Thai-Myanmar border.

Etymology

The origin of the term “Rohingya” is disputed. Some Rohingya historians like Khalilur Rahman contend that the term Rohingya is derived from Arabic word ‘Rahma’ meaning ‘mercy’. They trace the term back to a ship wreck in the 8th century CE. According to them, after the Arab ship wrecked near Ramree Island, Arab traders were ordered to be executed by

Islamic Herald 36 PERKIM the Arakanese king. Then, they of Some of the Languages Spoken shouted in their language, ‘Rahma’. Burmese historians like Khin in the Burma Empire,” Buchanan- Hence, these people were called Maung Saw have claimed that the Hamilton stated: “I shall now add ‘Raham’. Gradually it changed from term Rohingya has never appeared three dialects, spoken in the Burma Raham to Rhohang and finally to in history before 1950s. According Empire, but evidently derived Rohingyas. However, the claim to another historian, Dr. Maung from the language of the Hindu was disputed by Jahiruddin Ahmed Maung, there is no such word as nation. The first is that spoken by and Nazir Ahmed, former president Rohingya in 1824 census survey the Mohammedans, who have long and Secretary of Arakan Muslim conducted by the British. Historian settled in Arakan, and who call Conference respectively. They Aye Chan from Kanda University themselves Rooinga, or natives of argued that ship wreck Muslims of International Studies noted that Arakan.” Leider also adds that the are currently called ‘Thambu Kya’ the term Rohingya was created by etymology of the word “does not Muslims, and currently reside descendants of Bengalis in 1950s say anything about politics.” He along the Arakan sea shore. If the that migrated into Arakan during adds that “You use this term for term Rohingya was indeed derived the Colonial Era. He further argued yourself as a political label to give because of that group of Muslims, that the term cannot be found yourself identity in the 20th century. “Thambu Kyas” would have been in any historical source in any Now how is this term used since the the first group to be known as language before 1950s. However, 1950s? It is clear that people who Rohingyas. According to them, he stated that it does not mean use it want to give this identity to Rohingyas were descendants of Muslim communities have not the community that live there.” inhabitants of Ruha in Afghanistan. existed in Arakan before 1824. Another historian, MA Chowdhury However, Arakan history expert argued that among the Muslim Dr. Jacques P. Leider points out Language populations in Myanmar, the that the term Rooinga was in fact term ‘Mrohaung’ (Old Arakanese used in a late 18th century report Kingdom) was corrupted to Rohang. published by the British Francis And thus inhabitants of the region Buchanan-Hamilton. In his 1799 Islam in are called Rohingya. article “A Comparative Vocabulary

A coin from Arakan used in Great Bengal minted 1554/5

The Rohingya language is the modern written language of Burma the Rohingya people of Arakan (Rakhine) State of Burma (Myanmar). It is an Indo-European language and it’s linguistically related to the Chittagonian language spoken in the southernmost part of Bangladesh bordering Burma. Rohingya scholars have successfully written the Rohingya language in different scripts such as Arabic, Hanifi, Urdu, Roman, and Burmese, where Hanifi is a newly developed alphabet derived from Arabic with the addition of four characters from Latin and Burmese.

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IN FACT, PART More recently, a Latin alphabet has Narameikhla ceded some territory to fashions from the neighbouring been developed, using all 26 English the Sultan of Bengal and recognized Sultanate of Bengal. The Kamein/ letters A to Z and two additional his sovereignty over the areas. In Kaman, who are regarded as one of Latin letters Ç (for retroflex R) and recognition of his kingdom’s vassal the official ethnic groups of Burma, Ñ (for nasal sound). To accurately status, the kings of Arakan received are descended from these Muslims. represent Rohingya phonology, Islamic titles and used the use of it also uses five accented vowels Bengali Islamic coinage within the (áéíóú). It has been recognized by kingdom. Narameikhla minted his Burmese conquest ISO with ISO 639-3 “rhg” code.[17] own coins with Burmese characters on one side and Persian characters Following the Burmese conquest on the other. Arakan’s vassalage of Arakan in 1785, as many as to the History to Bengal was brief. After Sultan neighbouring Chittagong

Kingdom of Mrauk U Jalaluddin Muhammad Shah’s death in 1433, Narameikhla’s successors Muslim settlements have existed in repaid Bengal by occupying Ramu Arakan since the arrival of Arabs in 1437 and Chittagong in 1459. there in the 8th century CE. The Arakan would hold Chittagong until direct descendants of Arab settlers 1666. are believed to live in central Arakan near Mrauk-U and Kyauktaw Even after gaining independence townships, rather than the Mayu from the Sultans of Bengal, the frontier area, the present day area Arakanese kings continued the where a majority of Rohingya custom of maintaining Muslim are populated, near Chittagong titles. The Buddhist kings compared Division, Bangladesh. themselves to Sultans and fashioned themselves after Mughal rulers. Early evidence of Bengali Muslim They also continued to employ settlements in Arakan date back Muslims in prestigious positions to the time of King Narameikhla within the royal administration. (1430–1434) of Kingdom of The Bengali Muslim population Mrauk U. After 24 years of exile increased in the 17th century, as in Bengal, he regained control they were employed in a variety of the Arakanese throne in 1430 of workforces in Arakan. Some of with military assistance from the them worked as Bengali, Persian Sultanate of Bengal. The Bengalis and Arabic scribes in the Arakanese Burmese conquest who came with him formed their courts, which, despite remaining own settlements in the region. mostly Buddhist, adopted Islamic Islamic Herald 38 PERKIM Islamic Herald

region of British Bengal in 1799 to avoid Burmese persecution and seek protection from British India. The Burmese rulers executed thousands of Arakanese men and deported a considerable portion of the Arakanese population to central Burma, leaving Arakan as a scarcely populated area by the time the British occupied it. According to an article on the “Burma Empire” published by the British Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in 1799, “the Mohammedans, who have long settled in Arakan,” “call themselves Rooinga, or natives of Arakan.” British colonial rule

Due to Arakan being scarcely World War II Japanese occupation populated by the time they occupied it, British policy encouraged Bengali Myint-U writes: “At the beginning James Ester and Tin Tut to study the inhabitants from adjacent regions of the 20th century, Indians were issue of Muslim immigration into to migrate into fertile valleys of arriving in Burma at the rate of no the Rakhine state. The commission Arakan as agriculturalists. The East less than a quarter million per year. recommended securing the border; India Company extended theBengal The numbers rose steadily until the however, with the onset of World administration to Arakan, thus there peak year of 1927, immigration War II, the British retreated from was no international boundary reached 480,000 people, with Arakan. between Bengal and Arakan, and no Rangoon exceeding New York City restrictions on migration between as the greatest immigration port in World War II the regions. In the early 19th the world. This was out of a total century, thousands of Bengalis from population of only 13 million; it was Japanese occupation the Chittagong region settled in equivalent to the United Kingdom Arakan seeking work opportunities. today taking 2 million people a On 28 March 1942, some thousands In addition, thousands of Rakhine year.” By then, in most of the largest of Muslims (about 5,000) in Minbya people from Arakan also settled in cities in Burma, Rangoon (Yangon), and Mrohaung Townships were Bengal. Akyab (Sittwe), Bassein (Pathein), killed by Rakhine nationalists and Moulmein, the Indian immigrants Karenni. On the other side, the The British census of 1891 reported formed a majority of the population. Muslims from Northern Rakhine 58,255 Muslims in Arakan. By The Burmese under the British rule State massacred around 20,000 1911, the Muslim population had felt helpless, and reacted with a Arakanese including the Deputy increased to 178,647. The waves “racism that combined feelings of Commissioner U Oo Kyaw Khaing of migration were primarily due to superiority and fear.” who was killed while trying to settle the requirement of cheap labor from the dispute. British India to work in the paddy The immigration’s impact was fields. Immigrants from Bengal, particularly acute in Arakan, one of During World War II, Japanese mainly from the Chittagong region, less populated regions. In 1939, the forces invaded Burma, then under “moved en masse into western British authorities, who were wary British colonial rule. The British townships of Arakan”. To be sure, of the long term animosity between forces retreated and in the power Indian immigration to Burma was the Rakhine Buddhists and the vacuum left behind, considerable a nationwide phenomenon, not just Rohingya Muslims, formed a special violence erupted. This included restricted to Arakan. Historian Thant Investigation Commission led by communal violence between Islamic Herald 39 PERKIM Islamic Herald

Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim significant, but they have extended of public buildings have been Rohingya villagers. The period their networks to the international razed. According to Tun Khin, the also witnessed violence between level and countries, during the President of the Burmese Rohingya groups loyal to the British and recent years. They collect donations, Organisation UK (BROUK, as of Burmese nationalists. The British and receive religious military 28 June, 650 Rohingyas have been armed Muslim groups in northern training outside of Burma. In killed, 1,200 are missing, and more Arakan to create a buffer zone addition to Bangladesh, a large than 80,000 have been displaced. from Japanese invasion when number of Rohingya have also According to the Myanmar they retreated. The Rohingya migrated to Karachi, Pakistan. authorities, the violence, between supported the Allies during the ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and war and opposed the Japanese Rohingya Muslims, left 78 people forces, assisting the Allies in Burmese Junta dead, 87 injured, and thousands of reconnaissance. homes destroyed. It also displaced The military Junta which ruled more than 52,000 people. The Japanese committed atrocities Burma for half a century, relied The government has responded by against thousands of Rohingya. heavily on Burmese nationalism imposing curfews and by deploying They engaged in an orgy of rape, and Theravada Buddhism to troops in the regions. On June 10, murder and torture. In this period, bolster its rule, and, in opinion of state of emergency was declared some 22,000 Rohingya are believed US government experts, heavily in Rakhine, allowing military to to have crossed the border into discriminated against minorities like participate in administration of Bengal, then part of British India, to the Rohingya, Chinese people like the region. The Burmese army escape the violence. the Kokang people, and Panthay and police have been accused 40,000 Rohingya eventually fled to (Chinese Muslims). But even of targeting Rohingya Muslims Chittagong after repeated massacres some pro-democracy dissidents through mass arrests and arbitrary by the Burmese and Japanese forces. from Burma’s ethnic Burman violence. A number of monks’ majority refuse to acknowledge the organizations that played vital role Rohingyas as compatriots. in Burma’s struggle for democracy Post-war Successive Burmese governments have taken measures to block any have been accused of provoking humanitarian assistance to the The Mujahid party was founded riots against ethnic minorities like Rohingya community. In July 2012, by Rohingya elders who supported the Rohingya and Chinese. the Myanmar Government asserted Jihad movement in northern Arakan that the Rohingya minority group, in 1947. The aim of the Mujahid 2012 Rakhine classified as stateless Bengali party was to create a Muslim Muslims from Bangladesh since Autonomous state in Arakan. They State riots 1982, are not included in their more were much more active before the than 130 ethnic races and have no 1962 coup d’etat by General Ne The 2012 Rakhine State riots claim to Myanmar citizenship. Win. Ne Win carried out some are a series of ongoing conflicts military operations targeting them between Rohingya Muslims and over a period of two decades. The ethnic Rakhine in northern Rakhine Religion prominent one was “Operation State, Myanmar. The riots came King Dragon” which took place in after weeks of sectarian disputes The Rohingya people practice 1978; as a result, many Muslims and have been condemned by most Sunni Islam with elements of Sufi in the region fled to neighboring people on both sides of the conflict. worship. Because the government country Bangladesh as refugees. The immediate cause of the riots is restricts educational opportunities Nevertheless, the Burmese unclear, with many commentators for them, many pursue fundamental mujahideen (Islamic militants) citing the killing of ten Burmese Islamic studies as their only are still active within the remote Muslims by ethnic Rakhine after educational option. The Rohingya areas of Arakan. The associations the rape and murder of a Rakhine of Myanmar Mosques and religious of Burmese mujahideen with woman as the main cause. Over schools are present in most Bangladeshi mujahideen were three hundred houses and a number villages. Traditionally, men pray in

Islamic Herald 40 PERKIM congregations and women pray at the law and taking actions against February 2009 there was evidence home. foreigners who have filtered into of the Thai army towing a boatload the country illegally.” This military of 190 Rohingya refugees out to campaign directly targeted civilians, sea. A group of refugees rescued Human rights and resulted in widespread killings, by Indonesian authorities also in violations & rape and destruction of mosques and February 2009 told harrowing further religious persecution.” stories of being captured and beaten refugees “During 1991-92 a new wave by the Thai military, and then of over a quarter of a million abandoned at open sea. By the end The Rohingya people have been Rohingyas fled to Bangladesh. They of February there were reports of a described as “among the world’s reported widespread forced labour, group of 5 boats were towed out to least wanted” and “one of the as well as summary executions, open sea, of which 4 boats sank in a world’s most persecuted minorities.” torture, and rape. Rohingyas were storm, and 1 boat washed up on the They have been stripped of their forced to work without pay by the shore. February 12, 2009 Thailand’s citizenship since a 1982 citizenship Burmese army on infrastructure prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva law. They are not allowed to travel and economic projects, often under said there were “some instances” in without official permission, are harsh conditions. Many other which Rohingya people were pushed banned from owning land and are human rights violations occurred out to sea. The prime minister said required to sign a commitment to in the context of forced labour of he regretted “any losses”, and was have not more than two children. Rohingya civilians by the security working on rectifying the problem. According to Amnesty International, forces.” Steps to repatriate Rohingya began the Muslim Rohingya people have in 2005. In 2009 Bangladesh continued to suffer from human As of 2005, the UNHCR had been announced it will repatriate around rights violations under the Burmese assisting with the repatriation 9,000 Rohingya living in refugee junta since 1978, and many have of Rohingya from Bangladesh, camps in the country back to Burma, fled to neighboring Bangladesh as a but allegations of human rights after a meeting with Burmese result:. abuses in the refugee camps have diplomats. threatened this effort. “The Rohingyas’ freedom of Despite earlier efforts by the UN, In October 16, 2011, the new movement is severely restricted the vast majority of Rohingya government of Burma agreed to take and the vast majority of them have refugees have remained in back registered Rohingya refugees. effectively been denied Burma Bangladesh, unable to return citizenship. They are also subjected because of the negative attitude to various forms of extortion and of the ruling regime in Myanmar. arbitrary taxation; land confiscation; Now they are facing problems in forced eviction and house Bangladesh as well where they destruction; and financial restrictions do not receive support from the on marriage. Rohingyas continue to government any longer. In February be used as forced labourers on roads 2009, many Rohingya refugees were and at military camps, although the rescued by Acehnese sailors in the amount of forced labour in northern Strait of Malacca, after 21 days at Rakhine State has decreased over sea. the last decade.” Over the years, thousands of “In 1978 over 200,000 Rohingyas Rohingya have fled to Thailand also. fled to Bangladesh, following There are roughly 111,000 refugees the ‘Nagamin’ (‘Dragon King’) housed in 9 camps along the Thai- operation of the Myanmar army. Myanmar border. There have been Officially this campaign aimed at charges that groups of them have “scrutinising each individual living been shipped and towed out to open in the state, designating citizens sea from Thailand, and left there. In and foreigners in accordance with Islamic Herald 41 PERKIM Islamic Herald

HEART TALK HEART Why I Accepted Islam - Michael Wolfe

After twenty-five years as a writer in America, I wanted something to soften my cynicism. I was searching for new terms by which to see.

The way one is raised establishes certain needs in this department.

From a pluralist background, I naturally placed great stress on the matters of racism and freedom. Then, in my early twenties, I had gone to live in Africa for three years. During this time, which was formative for me, I rubbed shoulders with blacks of many different tribes, with Arabs, Berbers, and even Europeans, who were Muslims. By and large these people did not share the Western obsession with race as a social category. In our encounters, being oddly colored, rarely mattered. I was welcomed first and judged on merit later. By contrast, Europeans and Americans, including many who are free of racist notions, automatically class people racially. Muslims classified people by their faith and their actions. I found this transcendent and refreshing. Malcolm X saw his nation’s salvation in it. “America needs

Islamic Herald 42 PERKIM Islamic Herald 43 PERKIM Islamic Herald

to understand Islam,”he wrote, work the handle. Stepping into the to practice good manners; and to “because this is the one religion aisle was out of the question. meet honorable men”. that erases from its society the race problem.” I could only stand with my head I could not have drawn up a list thrust into the hallway, staring at of demands, but I had a fair idea I was looking for an escape route, the congregation’s backs. Holding of what I was after. The religion I too, from the isolating terms of palm-size prayer books, they cut an wanted should be to metaphysics a materialistic culture. I wanted impressive figure, tapping the texts as metaphysics is to science. It access to a spiritual dimension, on their breastbones as they divined. would not be confined by a narrow but the conventional paths I had Little by little the movements grew rationalism or traffic in mystery to known as a boy were closed. My erratic, like a mild, bobbing form please its priests. There would be father had been a Jew; my mother of rock and roll. I watched from no priests, no separation between Christian. Because of my mongrel the bathroom door until they were nature and things sacred. There background, I had a foot in two finished, then slipped back down the would be no war with the flesh, if I religious camps. Both faiths were aisle to my seat. could help it. Sex would be natural, undoubtedly profound. Yet the one not the seat of a curse upon the that emphasizes a chosen people I We landed together later that night species. Finally, I did want a ritual found insupportable; while the other, in Brussels. Re-boarding, I found a component, daily routine to sharpen based in a mystery, repelled me. A discarded Yiddish newspaper on a the senses and discipline my mind. century before, my maternal great- food tray. When the plane took off Above all, I wanted clarity and great-grandmother’s name had been for Morocco, they were gone. freedom. I did not want to trade set in stained glass at the high street away reason simply to be saddled Church of Christ in Hamilton, Ohio. I do not mean to imply here that my with a dogma. life during this period conformed to By the time I was twenty, this meant any grand design. In the beginning, The more I learned about Islam, the nothing to me. around 1981, I was driven by more it appeared to conform to what curiosity and an appetite for travel. I was after. These were the terms my early life My favorite place to go, when I had provided. The more I th a ought the money, was Morocco. When I Most of the educated Westerners about it now, the more I returned to could not travel, there were books. I knew around this time regarded my experiences in Muslim Africa. any strong religious climate with After two return trips to Morocco, This fascination brought me into suspicion. They classified religion in 1981 and 1985, I came to feel that contact with a handful of writers as political manipulation, or they Africa, the continent, had little to do driven to the exotic, authors capable dismissed it as a medieval concept, with the balanced life I found there. of sentences like this, by Freya projecting upon it notions from their It was not, that is, a continent I was Stark: European past. after, nor an institution, either. I was looking for a framework I could “The perpetual charm of Arabia It was not hard to find a source for live with, a vocabulary of spiritual is that the traveler finds his level their opinions. A thousand years of concepts applicable to the life I was there simply as a human being; the Western history had left us plenty living now. I did not want to “trade people’s directness, deadly to the of fine reasons to regret a path that in” my culture. I wanted access to sentimental or the pedantic, like led through so much ignorance new meanings. the less complicated virtues; and and slaughter. From the Children’s Crusade and the Inquisition to the the pleasantness of being liked for After a mid-Atlantic dinner I went to transmogrified faiths of nazism wash up in the bathroom. During my oneself might, I think, be added to and communism during our absence a quorum of Hasidim lined the five reasons for travel given me century, whole countries have been up to pray outside the door. By the by Sayyid Abdulla, the watchmaker; exhausted by belief. Nietzsche’s time I had finished, they were too “to leave one’s troubles behind one; fear, that the modern nation-state immersed to notice me. Emerging to earn a living; to acquire learning; would become a substitute religion, from the bathroom, I could barely has proved tragically accurate. Islamic Herald 42 PERKIM Islamic Herald 43 PERKIM Islamic Herald

Our century, it seemed to me, was spiritual community. For a majority ending in an age beyond belief, of Muslims the Hajj is an ultimate which believers inhabited as much goal, the trip of a lifetime. as agnostics. As a convert, I felt obliged to Regardless of church affiliation, go to Makkah. As an addict to secular humanism is the air travel I could not imagine a more westerners breathe, the lens we compelling goal. gaze through. Like any world view, this outlook is pervasive and The annual, month-long fast of transparent. It forms the basis of our monotheistic as Judaism, Ramadan precedes the Hajj by broad identification with democracy whose major Prophets Islam about one hundred days. These two and with the pursuit of freedom reveres as links in a progressive rites form a period of intensified in all its countless and beguiling chain, culminating in Jesus and awareness in Muslim society. I forms. Immersed in our shared Muhammad (s), may God praise wanted to put this period to use. I preoccupations, one may easily them. Essentially a message had read about Islam; I [attended] forget that other ways of life exist of renewal, Islam has done its a Mosque near my home in on the same planet. part on the world stage to return California; I had started a practice. the forgotten taste of life’s lost Now I hoped to deepen what I was At the time of my trip, for instance, sweetness to millions of people. Its learning by submerging myself in a 650 million Muslims with a book, the Quran, caused Goethe religion where Islam infuses every majority representation in forty- to remark, “You see, this teaching aspect of existence. four countries adhered to the formal never fails; with all our systems, we teachings of Islam. In addition, cannot go, and generally speaking I planned to begin in Morocco, about 400 million more were living no man can go, further. because I knew that country well as minorities in Europe, Asia and the and because it followed traditional Americas. Assisted by postcolonial Traditional Islam is expressed Islam and was fairly stable. The economics, Islam has become in a through the practice of five pillars. last place I wanted to start was matter of thirty years a major faith Declaring one’s faith, prayer, in a backwater full of uproarious in Western Europe. Of the world’s charity, and fasting are activities sectarians. I wanted to paddle the great religions, Islam alone was pursued repeatedly throughout one’s mainstream, the broad, calm water. adding to its fold. life. Conditions permitting, each Muslim is additionally charged with Source: Muslim Observer - My politicized friends were undertaking a pilgrimage to Mecca Michael Wolfe dismayed by my new interest. They once in a lifetime. The Arabic term all but universally confused Islam for this fifth rite is Hajj. with the machinations of half a dozen middle eastern tyrants. The Scholars relate the word to the books they read, the new broadcasts concept of ‘qasd’, “aspiration,” and they viewed depicted the faith as to the notion of men and women a set of political functions. Almost as travelers on earth. In Western nothing was said of its spiritual religions, pilgrimage is a vestigial practice. I liked to quote Mae West tradition, a quaint, folkloric concept to them: commonly reduced to metaphor. Among Muslims, on the other hand, “Anytime you take religion for a the Hajj embodies a vital experience joke, the laugh’s on you.” for millions of new pilgrims every year. In spite of the modern content as the final, matured expression of their lives, it remains an act of of an original religion reaching obedience, a profession of belief, back to Adam. It is as resolutely and the visible expression of a Islamic Herald 44 PERKIM Obama recognizes Syria’s main opposition group 13-08-2012 be granted the elevated status, which paved the way for increasing the U.S. aid to the organization.

Obama added that, with the recognition of the council, Washington will take on new responsibilities to “make sure that they organize themselves effectively, that they are representative of all the parties, that they commit themselves to a political transition thatrespects women’s rights and minority rights.”

The U.S. move followed the similar steps taken by Britain, France and several Arab countries, which recognized the rebel council shortly after it was created at a meeting of opposition representatives held in Qatar last WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): US President Barack Obama month. on Tuesday recognized Syria’s main opposition group as the sole “legitimate representative” of Syrian people. The U.S. recognition of the Syrian Opposition Council also came before an upcoming international conference on Syria crisis scheduled to open on In an interview with the ABC News, Obama called the Wednesday in Marrakech, Morocco. recognition of the newly-formed Syrian Opposition Council as “a big step” in the so-called international U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will attend the conference efforts to unseat President Bashar al-Assad. after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton canceled her planned trip due to illness caused by a stomach virus. He said that the rebel group is now “inclusive enough” to http://news.xinhua net.com/english/world/2012-12/12/c_132034977.htm Palestine: Two injured as Israeli troops invade Ni’lin 12-12-2012 IMEMC News:

Two Palestinian youth were reported injured on Tuesday night when Israeli troops invaded the central West Bank village of Ni’lin and clashed with local youth.

Witnesses told IMEMC that two Israeli military vehicles invaded the village then local youth hurled stones and empty glass bottles at invading forces, troops then fired live rounds and rubber-coated steel bullets at unarmed youth injuring two.

The two injured were identified as Ibraheem Srour, hit with a live round in his leg, and Mohamed Al Khawaja, hit with a rubber- coated steel bullet in his head. Both were moved to the nearby Ramallah city hospital for treatment.

Ni’lin organizes a weekly protest against the Israeli wall built on lands taken by the military from local farmers. Every fired Israeli soldiers attack the peaceful protesters with tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets and live rounds. The Crystal Masjid of Terengganu Islamic

PERTUBUHAN KEBAJIKAN ISLAM MALAYSIA MUSLIM WELFARE ORGANISATION MALAYSIA Volume 30 • Number 3 • ISBN 012-826 • PP12022/02/2013(032148) The Reasons

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