"Verily, Salat is imposed upon the believers as a timed ordinance." (4:103)
Intertwined with this instinct of survival is another attribute that Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Aala) speaks of in the Qur'an,"Surely, man was created of haste." Self-survival usually relates to here-and-now, and drives a person toward actions that might yield immediate temporal satisfaction. However, with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’Ala) , everything is a matter of time and measure. The right course of action in many cases might involve an apparent loss of comfort and gains in the present, but will always pay off for the better in the long run. And if not in this life, then in the Hereafter.
This self-survival instinct pervades even social relationships, such as blood relationships and marriage relationships. Allah says in the Qur'an (64:14) that of your wives and your children there are enemies to you, so beware of them. When a wife induces a man toward a wrong path, or when there is a conflict between performing a basic duty toward parents against the wishes of a wife, man will wrongly follow his wife because she is the one he has to live with on a day-to-day basis, and in his mind, she controls his state of well-being at home. Even love between a husband and a wife is confused with the self needs of security and inter-dependence. When a wife is concerned about her husband's well-being, or the other way around, how much of that is purely for the sake of the spouse, and how much of it is for the sake of one's own survival?
On the other hand, this same instinct of self-survival provides an opportunity for man to earn the true pleasure of Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Aala) when he performs an act of goodness in disregard of it, or even in spite of it. We know of the person who was forgiven past sins because of giving a thirsty dog a drink of water on a hot day, an act that was without self-motivation or self-needs. We are exhorted to do good toward parents, particularly in their old age when typically, the self-motivation of economic and life-dependence has passed. We can cite many such examples, but in general, when a person performs a duty or an act of goodness in a state where there is no survivalist agenda or self-motivation behind it, then he is doing something for what can truly be called the "pleasure of Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Aala) ".
It was with great sadness that the news of the sad and untimely demise of our brother Hajji Abdul Saheb Al Marhoom in March, 2000, after his return from Hajj with a severe pain in the stomach. In his life, he played an essential and vital role to open up opportunities for performing Islamic Dawah with great effectiveness. Mother, two children, brothers, sisters and former wife survive brother Abdul Saheb. The Glorious Qur'an says,“Every soul shall taste of death; Then unto Us (only) ye shall (all) be returned.” 29:57
The KCIK and the editors of AL-KUFA Newsletter send their deepest and most sincere heartfelt condolences, to his family, relatives and friends. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala), for sake of His chosen one, give them patience, courage, and strength to accept His Will. One friend wrote,“My heart is torn into small pieces. It's a disaster to loose such a good Muslim and a wonderful human being such as Hajji Abdul Saheb. He loved his field in Science and was fascinated by the solar system and how Allah Subhana perfected it. He was eager to go home and tell his people what he ha learned and discovered about this small part of Allah's creation. He was so great in relating what the Quran says about the solar system and the physics of astronomy.” The Glorious Qur'an says,“But those who believe and work deeds of righteousness – to them shall We give a home in heaven, - lofty mansions beneath which flow rivers, - to dwell therein for aye; an excellent reward for those who do (good)! “ 29:57-8
We pray to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) to comfort the deep sorrow for
his family, relatives, and friends. O' Lord, let me not forget to remember
them after my ritual prayers, and forgive them through my supplication,,
Ameen. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'Ala) bless his departed soul, shroud
him with mercy and forgiveness, and grant him company with the righteous,
and appoint for him one of the gardens of Paradise, and rest his soul in
peace, and join his soul with that of the true believers. The Glorious
Qur'an says,“And join me with the righteous.” We ask our readers to read
Soorat Fateha (The Opening the Glorious Qur'an) and pray for him and his
family. Jazakum Allahu Khairan. The Glorious Qur'an says,“Who when, misfortune
befalleth them, say, to Allah we belong and to Him is our return.” 2:156
O’ Lord, Let It Be One Of Thy Gates To Thy Forgiveness And One Of The Keys
To Thy Mercy And Let Them Abide In Thy Paradise, Ameen.
The Almighty, the Most High, says in the Glorious Qur'an, “Say thou (O' Our Apostle Muhammad!) unto the believing men that they cast down their gaze and guard their private parts; that is purer for them; Verily Allah is All-Aware of what (all) ye do. And say unto the believing women that they cast down their gaze and guard their private parts and they display not their adornment save what is apparent of it; and to draw their veils over their bosoms. And they display not their adornment save to their husbands, or their fathers, or the father of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands or their brothers, or their brother’s sons, or their sister’s sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants void of sexual stimulant, or the children who have not yet attained the carnal knowledge of women’s nakedness, and let them not strike their feet (in walking) so that what they hide of their adornment gets apparent; and turn ye (repentant) unto Allah all of you, O’ ye believers! That ye may be successful.” 24:30-31
Islam does not prohibit a woman to come out from the four walls of her home, but prohibits her to expose her ornaments or adorning parts of her body, to other than those mentioned above in the exceptional clause in the Glorious Qur'an. There is no question of the necessity of her covering her whole body. No doubt, the present fashion and mode adopted by women is not only against the tenets of the Glorious Qur'an, but against any sense of morality and human modesty. [To Be Continued Insha’Allah]
A large number of requests, through phone calls, letters, and in person, have been received from those who are interested in the AL-KUFA Newsletter, Dawah program, the Prayer Time-Table and also from those who filled the Free Subscription / Cancellation Form for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. Insha'Allah, the Center will continue the prayer time-table for each month in the KCIK’s website. If you receive more than one copy of this newsletter via a duplicate mailing, you can help us correct this by informing us and we thank you for that. Please share this newsletter as well as other material you receive from us, including the Glorious Qur'an with others, Jazakum Allah Khair.
Our sincere thanks and appreciation to all of you. Because of the large numbers of letters that AL-KUFA has received, we will acknowledge and publish only some of these letters each time, and we are unable to include references due to space limitations. Our purpose of publishing these letters is to (a) make a certain plea known to the public in order that they might respond for the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), (b) make us all aware of certain circumstances, or (c) to share a joyous news as well as to make Dua'as and Prayers for those who are ill or have lost a loved one, and also for the one they have lost. NOTE: For those who are interested in announcing the birth of a child, sponsorship of orphan/child, graduation, wedding, death, or to publish matrimonial or employment interests, please contact the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge {you must include a telephone number for matrimonial advertisements}. Those who send letters and e-mails, please also provide the Center with your telephone numbers. In addition, brothers and sisters who are requesting of us various Islamic materials and messages, please provide us with a full name, postal address, telephone number, and e-mail address. If this is to be sent to an institution, please ensure that the institution will accept such material(s), even if it is just the AL-KUFA Newsletter (Please inform us in this case about the committed name and DC number for ID). Please type your request(s) and sign the paper. Insha'Allah, we will continue sending this newsletter to whoever wishes to receive it. Also, we request readers to let us know their new addresses when they relocate. Thank you brothers and sisters, and may Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) reward all of you. Jazakum Allah Khairan.
AL-KUFA received letters, e-mails faxes and telephone calls. Our special thanks and appreciation to all brothers and sisters who took the time to call the Center with their prayers, support and substance. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) reward them and shower His blessings on all with His protection, Ameen.
They started their letters with the Name of Allah,“BISM-ILLAH-IR-RAHMAN-lR-RAHIM” and their greetings,“Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh”, and they ended their letters with the greeting,“Wa Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh.”
Segments of a letter and articles received from sister Kathy, Voices
in the Wilderness, Illinois:
Greetings - All good wishes to you.
Thank you for sending us your newsletter. The insights, definitions, Praises and Sayings help us grow closer to your faith and prayer, and we feel blessed. A friend of ours pointed out that this year, on March 17, a major national news radio station covered celebrations of St. Patrick's Day yet never mentioned the enormously eventful Hajj gathering. We must really commit ourselves to overcome the sad narrowness that so limits our culture here.
There are verses and saying in the books of the Lord as well as His messengers that command the mankind to maintain justice, kindness, and proper relations with each other. Those who show patience and steadfastness when they meet hardships and misfortunes have a high reward from their Lord. We pray for an end to the materialism that misleads the world with corruption, and to have peace with respect and justice for all, Ameen. The Glorious Qur'an says: "Mankind was but one people." 2:213
Our thanks and appreciation to all brothers and sisters, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, who sent letters, faxes, e-mails, postcards, publications or phone calls, or came in person to the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge (KCIK), and for their support of the AL-KUFA Newsletter, the KUFA School, and the KUFA Public Library, from within the United States and abroad. The kind expressions of the readers, encouraging us to continue this Newsletter are especially appreciated. As for financial help, our thanks and appreciation to all brothers and sisters among our generous readers for their support. Please note: you may specify the purpose of your donations(s), unless you give us permission to use your donations(s) wherever they are needed most and where your donation(s) can most effectively assist, especially for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. All donation(s) and gifts are acknowledged with a tax-deductible receipt (unless otherwise requested) and we thank you for sharing your gifts from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) with us. As the fruit of this mission begins to blossom. Insha'Allah, large numbers will receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter.
We are very grateful to all sources that sent us publications, their
communications about Islam, Muslim community affairs, and educational articles,
and to many individuals and institutions in the United States and abroad.
Masha’Allah, these publications are all excellent and those who have borrowed
them have enjoyed reading them. These publications are inventoried in the
KUFA Public Library and some have been mailed to our brothers and sisters
in the prisons and other places.
In addition, our thanks to all brothers and sisters who took the time
to write or call KCIK, and informed us about the change of their addresses
or their desire to receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter. Remember, it costs us
to distribute this newsletter to thousands of readers, and only a few continue
their support of it. Please be aware of this and send your donations to
cover the cost for mailing, etc., to AL-KUFA.
Our thanks and appreciation to our brothers and sisters from Maryland and Michigan who respectively donated $10; and $25. For the Momineen and Mominaat who donated toward the purchase of land for the Center, and/or support the Center may Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) gift them houses in Heaven, Ameen. Insha’Allah, those who donated toward a place for Center, we will publish their donations in the future.
Any donation, small or large, will Insha’Allah be accounted in this life and in the Hereafter. If each Muslim would donate just ($1) a month, we would soon have one Islamic Institution in each city. This would help bring the Muslims together and spread the Word of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), as our brothers and sisters would find a place of worship whoever they travel. Just remember that any money you pay to support KCIK, KUFA School, KUFA Public Library and AL-KUFA Newsletter is paid to strengthen the word of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) and for the sake of spreading Islam. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) bless you all, give you courage and provide you with resources to continue your support.
We ask you to support this mission, even with your prayers. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) make the pure things of sustenance flow unto all, Ameen. Blessings of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) upon you all now and always. Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your donations and support. May the Almighty Lord reward all of you in this life and in the Hereafter. Jazakum Allah Khair (MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH GOODNESS).
The Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge is entirely dependent on your financial contributions. The AL-KUFA Newsletter especially needs your support to cover its monthly costs. So, please share with us a fair contribution for this newsletter to enable it to continue. In addition, we receive a large number of requests for the AL-KUFA Newsletter. Masha’Allah, many Islamic and human organizations as well as individuals from all around the world distribute the AL-KUFA Newsletter. May He reward them with His Blessings, Ameen.
In the past, when non-Muslims took the Shahadah and became Muslims, the Center gave them a copy of the Glorious Qur’an, a prayer rug, and a head cover for women (Hijab), if they didn’t already have it. We invite you to support this mission to continue.
If you don't receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter, it is only because we don't have enough funds to cover the costs, especially for overseas shipping including Canada. [Note to our brothers and sisters in prison: please check with your institutions if you did receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter, and if you received it, then please share it with other brothers and/or sisters. We included the previous issues of the AL-KUFA Newsletter with our parcel to prison libraries. Those in any prison who haven’t received their packages including a copy of the Glorious Qur’an, please request your chaplain and/or any representative of that facility to contact the Center, and Insha’Allah, we will be able to send it. Also, as part of Dawah program, brothers and sisters who would like to have someone visit them and/or call them on the telephone (for about 20 minutes) to talk about Islam, please request the chaplain/officer of that institution to contact the KCIK. We can arrange (at our expense) for people to call specific individuals, or to call a group of Muslims over a speaker phone, at an appointed time to provide lessons or answer questions on Islam, Insha’Allah. Our thanks to those who contact the Center in the behaves of Inmates or the Inmates. Please don’t call collect. Send us a written request from chaplain(s) or officers of that institution(s) with the telephone and/or fax number(s), e-mail addresses and the time, and Insha’Allah, the Center will contact you.
In addition, it is our responsibility to bring to your attention, our dear readers, that we are in desperate need for a place to teach and in need of resources {Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh, and other Islamic books}. Islamic newsletters, Bulletin of Affiliation, magazines, and newspapers, and other Islamic materials were received from many Islamic institutions. Copies of Islamic English books were received from the donations of Islamic Propagation Center International . Any donation(s) will aid us in our Dawah program as well as benefit the KUFA Public Library. Insha'Allah, many individuals and publishers will participate in this Dawah program. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) reward you for your efforts and enable you to do good deeds in this life and bless you and your family in this world and in the Hereafter.
Our special thanks to those who visited the Center and/or borrowed books and other material. O’ Lord increase our knowledge and guide all of us to the right path, Ameen. We request donation s to aid us in our Dawah program as well as for the KUFA Public Library. Thank you, and may Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) reward you with goodness. For the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), we therefore request you to assist us financially or materially in all of our programs. We particularly request you to bring this plea to the attention of your community, and encourage them to donate their Islamic charities to this cause. Jazakum Allah Khair (MAY ALLAH REWARD YOU WITH GOODNESS).
A genuine believer believes in the truth from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) and has no doubt therein. However learned and wise, he/she prays for the blessing of understanding from the all-Knowing and all-Wise Lord. The Glorious Qur'an says,“Guide us (O' Lord) on the Right Path.” 1:6
O’ Lord, enable the people to utilize this earth for the purpose for which it was created, and we ask You to stop the influence of the transgressing greedy ones who are never satiated, and because of whom the earth is in a great crisis. O’ Lord, accept our Dau’a , Ameen.
Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam),“Allah will put this light in the hearts of those He likes (wishes).”
The Almighty Lord has opened the hearts for those so that he is in a light from His Lord (like the hard-hearted).