Engageth You (Your) Vying In
Exuberance Until Ye Come To The Graves Thankfulness Al-Hamdullillah (Praise
be to Allah), the Lord of the World for of His blessings, that He enabled
all the Muslims to celebrate Eid Al-Adh'ah Al-Mubarak. At KCIK, Eid prayer
was held, and then breakfast and dinner were served.
KCIK received many greetings
on the occasion of Eid Al-Adh'ah from several Muslims. May Allah (Subhanhu
Wa Ta'ala) bless you all for your well wishes, as well as bless all Muslim
on this joyous occasion of Eid and always, Ameen.
Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge
P.O. Box 11771 Roanake, VA 24022-1771 USA
Tel/Fax (540) 563-8471
E-mail us For more information
There are twelve months in the Islamic year and are follows: Muharram, Safar, Rabi Al-Awwal, Rabi Al Thani, Rajab, Shaban, Ramadhan, Shawwal, Dhul Qadah, and Dhul Al Hijjah. The Glorious Qur'an says: "Verily the number of months with Allah, are twelve in Allah's Book, (since) the Day He created the heavens and the earth" 9:36 Four of these months are sacred months and these are: Muharram, Rabi, Dhul Qadah, and Dhul Al Hijjah. The Glorious Qur'an says: " Of these (months) four are sacred." 9:36 These four months were recognized before Islam also as sacred months and the heathens or pagans stopped all warfare in these months.
The Glorious Qur'an says: "That
is the established religion, so be ye not unjust therein unto yourselves,
and fight ye the polytheist all together, even as they fight you all together;
and know ye that Allah is with the pious ones." 9:36.
The Hijra to Medinah took
place in the month of Rabi Al-Awwal. After the Nabiy (Sallallahu
Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam)'s death, the companions named Muharram as the first
month of Islamic Calendar. The tenth of this month is called Azshoora.
Many events occurred on the day of Azshoora, including the fateful and
tragic event in 61 of Hijrah Year, when Hussein, the grandson of the Nabiy
(Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam), and 72 members of his family and friends
were killed. Hussein was the son of Ali Ibn Abu Talib and Fatima. Ali was
cousin of Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) and Fatima
was his daughter.Only one son of Hussein survived the killing because he
was gravely ill. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) declared
to his companions:
"O' Allah, I love them (Hasan and Hussein) and love those who love them
and he who detested them will have detested me."It is also reported that
he said: "Verily, Al Hasan and Al Hussein are each a forerunner of the
youthful in Heaven."
Hussein's eyes watered when
he camped at a place called Kabala in the Tigris-Euphrates Valley. He said:
"I seek refuge with Allah from Bar (grief) and Bala (tribulation). Here
is the place in which we will set out our camp, here is the place where
our blood will be shed. Here is the place where our graves will be. This
is what my grandfather has told me." It is also reported by one of the
Nabiy's wife that she saw her husband in dream. He was upset and dust was
on his head. When she asked him why he was so dusty, he replied,"My son
was killed and I was digging a grave for him." Hussein also said: "Indeed,
I do not see death (from freedom) as but happiness, and living with unjust
people as nothing but grief."
This Great sacrifice is also
reported in the old Testament where Jeremiah says: For this day of the
Lord God of Hosts, a day of Vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries
and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiated and made drunk with
their blood, for the Lord God of Hosts Hath a sacrifice in the north country
of the river Euphrates." 46:10
After Hussein's death, his
sister put her hand under his body and said,"O' Lord! Accept this sacrifice
from us. And the punishment of the hereafter is the worst punishment.
One of his daughters said,"Whatever reaches us from Allah is the best."
Ali, the only surviving male, was very weak and almost lifeless on that
day. He said,"No one was before Him and no one will be after Him, He is
the One Who will remain after the destruction of the whole world."
Ali is called Zainul Abideen and he was very forgiving and generous. He
empathized for the poor and needy. He used to carry sacks of flour and
other food material on his back every night for the poor. Many families
used to wait for him. They used to call him,"The man with the cover on
his face", and only his eyes would be showing. It was only after his death,
these families realized who their benefactor was.
The teaching of Islam urges
the support of justice and to struggle against injustice and corruption.
It is the first system in the world which laid down the rules of war. During
his lifetime, Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) strictly
forbade aggression. and fighting was permitted mainly in self-defense
and to stop oppression until it ceased. It is also encouraged to establish
a peace treaty in order to protect the life of the people and to establish
justice and equity between all the people. The message of Islam is for
all humanity.
Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu
Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam) said: "The fear of Allah is the beginning of wisdom."
It is noteworthy to report that during the Ignorance (Jahiliyya) time,
there were treaties between clans to stop oppression and to give back to
the weak and the oppressed individuals their right, but Jahiliyya continued
with rampant oppression and corruption. We are all brothers and sisters
in humanity and also brothers and sisters in faith. The unjust treatments
have continued in different forms, including harassment, abuses, torture
and murder. Moreover, the oppression takes other forms by preventing opportunities
for others and instilling suffering and hardships. This should be brought
to an end where such perversions prevail since this is without doubt Jahiliyya.
What must prevail is the supreme symbol of brotherhood, fraternity and
solidarity in the Islamic society and the world. Today, there are
many who lead, forget what happened in the past, and have changed the constitution
to suit their purposes, but the Almighty never changed His constitution,
it has always been the same, and shall remain the same until the end of
this world. The Glorious Qur'an says: "Verily, We have sent down the Reminder
(the Qur'an), and We (Ourselves) unto it will certainly be the Guardian."
15:9
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Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Ala) says in Surah Luqman (31:18-19), "And turn not thy face away from people with contempt, nor go about in the land exulting. Surely Allah loves not any self-conceited boaster. And pursue the right course in thy going about and lower thy voice. Surely the most hateful of voices is the braying of asses". The Nabiy [Sallallahu Alayhi (Waalihi) wa salam] said that neither the proud nor the violent speaker will enter paradise. Humility is a characteristic of all Anbiya and all whom Allah loves, and as Allah says in the Qur'an, He loves not those who are proud. Pride and the considering of oneself to be self-sufficient are akin to ascribing partners unto Allah - a transgression against one's soul that leads only to hell-fire. In fact, even with the start of creation, this was the first lesson taught to man when Iblis refused to bow down to man when commanded to do so, saying that "I am better than he; Thou haste created me of fire, while him Thou didst create of dust" (7:13). For this, Allah expelled Iblis from His grace for all times telling him, "Get forth from this state, for it is not for thee to behave proudly therein. Go forth, therefore, surely thou art of the abject ones". Indeed, the state of heaven is not for the proud ones. As Nabiy Muhammad [Sallallahu Alayhi (Waalihi) wa salam] said, "I looked into heaven, and it was filled with people who used to be poor". The Qur'an says (38:62) that the people in hell-fire will ask about the Muslims whom they considered to be among the low vicious ones and whom they expected to be the inmates of hell, "Why do our eyes miss them?" But then, the reality and truth will have dawned on them, unfortunately, much too late!
The characteristic of humility
is so important that through every Nabiy, Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Ala) has
designed circumstances to induce this property into mankind. In Surah Al-Anam
(6:42-43), He says, "And indeed We sent messengers to nations before thee,
then We seized them with distress and afflictions that they might humble
themselves. Yet why did they not, when our punishment came to them, humble
themselves? But their hearts hardened and the devil made all that they
did seem fair to them".
Elsewhere in the Qur'an, Allah
says (57:16), "Has not the time yet come for the believers that their hearts
should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and the Truth that is revealed?"
and in Surah Bakarah (2:45) He says, "And seek assistance through patience
and prayer, and this is hard except for the humble ones who know that they
will meet their Lord and to Him they will return". It is these humble ones
who will inherit heaven, and there, as Allah says in Surah Al-Insan (76:14),
they will be in shade and the fruits will hang low for them, just as they
bowed to the Creator when they lived on earth. But this grace is not for
the proud ones who considered themselves self-sufficient, except when they
were in hardships, and then they called out to Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Ala)
promising to sincerely obey Him, but when the hardship passed, they went
about as if nothing had happened to them. This is religion by desire and
need. We see this in the fabric of the civilization that the society has
constructed around itself. For example, chapels exist in every hospital
where man is in difficulty, but none in a mall, for example, where the
visitors are in joy, yet find it necessary to be thankful to their Creator!
However, as Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Ala) says, one way or another, they will
bow low. "Whoever is in the heavens and the earth makes obeisance to Allah
only, willingly or unwillingly, and their shadows too, at morn and eve"
(13:15). [To Be Continued Insha'Allah]
Thank you for sending me your
newsletter. Can you please read the enclosed
story and Insha'Allah help this sister?
Segments of a letter received
from sister Kathy in Wisconsin:
I am a Muslim sister incarcerated.
We, the Muslim sisters are not allowed
to hold Jum'a services. We are allowed to observe Ramadhan. At
the time I am trying through the
administration to obtain non-pork items.
Our diets are not substituted anymore from pork items. Only
followers of the Buddhist religion
are provided with a wholesome substitute
diet. During Ramadhan the sisters are given half-an-hour in
the visiting area to pray on camera.
Once a month for approximately nine months
out of the year, sister Maria and sister Shahadah come to this
institution for 90 minutes of
Islamic Studies. These sisters, who are considered
volunteers, are not allowed to write us, hug us in greeting,
or write for counseling and spiritual
support. The sincere Muslims would like
a place of worship but have not been given one. Christians are able
to worship in a congregation twice
on Sundays, and there are approximately
seven different study and support groups for Christians.
Because of the smallness of
the rooms, prostrating is impossible for us unless
we pray right near the toilet. The sisters are allowed to be
covered but not veiled. However,
most of the women are poor and cannot afford
covering, including myself. Our clothing, which is given by the
state, is not Islamic. The tops
have short sleeves and v-necks. We do not
have pajamas, so the gowns are short, and slit at the sides. This
goes for the gowns too. We do
not have privacy from being viewed from the
street undressing, using the bathroom area, and sleeping. Male
guards can view us from the outside.
Shower doors have large holes in them.
I pray that Allah (Subhanu wa Ta'Ala) will watch over us and
protect us spiritually, emotionally
and physically with each day. Thank you.
In Islam, Hijab means covering. The dress for women should cover
the whole body except the face
and hands and feet. The hair should not be
exposed because it is considered as a part of the beauty of women.
Hijab could be of any form
and color, one piece or more pieces, as long it
is not tight fitting and does not attract people's attention. May
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) ease
your hardship and protect all of you.
We
Need Your Support
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. 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 not receive the AL-KUFA Newsletter,
and if you received it, then please share it with brothers
and/or sisters. We included the
December issue of the AL-KUFA Newsletter with
our parcel to prison libraries.]
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}.
Copies of books in Arabic
and literature with English meaning were received
from the donation of two Islamic foundations, Islamic bookshop
and Islamic Network. These donations
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. Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Also, we are in need for several
items in order for you to receive this newsletter
in time, such as a copy-machine, a typewriter (particularly,
an Arabic typewriter), audiocassette
duplicator, and other items. Please donate
these or the costs of these items and the cost of the access to
the network. Also, we do not have
software to enable us to write in Arabic
as well as computer CDs of the Qur'an and Hadith. Insha'Allah,
you will be one of the (Mohsin)
who will donate for the cause of Islam and
humanity. Our thanks, appreciation, prayers and Dua'as to our
brother and his family, from Virginia,
for his donation to purchase software.
Insha'Allah this will be useful. 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 the word and thereafter.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan.
Insha'Allah, the AL-KUFA Newsletter
will be distributed on the Internet (please
see the editorial page for our e-mail and web page information).
Jazakum Allahu Khairan. The Glorious
Qur'an says: "That Allah may give them
the best recompense for what they have done and increase for them,
out of His grace; And Allah provideth
sustenance for whomsoever He willeth
without measure." 24:38
For the pleasure of Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala), we therefore request you
to assist us financially or materially (by donating money, books,
tapes, etc.). Islamic literature
with English meaning and Islamic books.
These donations 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.
Jazakum Allahu Khairan.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).