In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

 

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

 

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

                       As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh

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1) The Genocide in Burma

The Muslim nation is one body. If one part suffers, the entire body cries out in agony. (Ibn Hibbaan)

Burma, the latest graveyard of the Muslims. How our hearts bleed to see your suffering, your cries, your pain.... cries that fall on deaf ears, tears that flow with no one to wipe them away. Your men are slaughtered, your children orphaned and the chastity of your women violently ripped away. O Allah, to You do we call, and in Your court do we place our pleas. Aid and assist them, for we live in a world of selective justice, a world that favours the strong and turns a blind eye on the weak, a world wherein slogans of justice and liberty are raised, not to support the oppressed, but to plunder the resources of a nation.

The West has long touted themselves as champions of human rights. Time has exposed their camouflage and shown them for what they truly are. For Iraq and Libya they leapt to the forefront, to liberate the oppressed under the rule of “dictators” and “tyrants”. But where are they now when the gleam of black gold cannot be seen? Where is their vigour for championing the cause of the weak?

As unfortunate as the situation is, it is to be expected. For Muslims to expect aid from the disbelieving nations is to be living in a fool's paradise. However, the truly lamentable situation is the response from the Muslim countries.

On the cry for help of one woman, the Khalifa Mutasim rallied the Muslim army and conquered one of the greatest Roman forts with much effort and sacrifice. When the battle was over, he summoned the woman and when she was brought, he said, “Labbaik, Labbaik, Here I am at your service. I have answered your cry with 40 000 horsemen.” Now it should be known that Mutasim was no saint, in fact he was far from it. But saint or not, the honour of a Muslim woman was inviolable. The Muslim rulers of today should bury their heads in shame at their impotence to avenge the suffering Ummah.

There was a time not very far back when such a situation was unimaginable. A time when the Islamic Khilafah, the Islamic empire existed. A severe reckoning awaits those hypocrites from the Ummah who aided the British and French governments in destroying the Islamic Khilafah and dividing the Muslim Ummah into countries where nationality takes precedence over Imaan. Truly our losses were incalculable when we lost the Islamic Khilafah. If there is such a thing as a Holocaust for the Muslim Ummah, then the 3rd of March 1924 was the day of the “Holocaust”, the day when the Islamic empire was lost, the day when the strength of the Ummah dissipated.

 

From that day onwards every atrocity that befell the Ummah, fell on a defenceless Ummah without the strength to retaliate, or avenge its fallen. Every atrocity was meted on an Ummah who were like lambs in a slaughterhouse. Every attack found its mark on the body of the Ummah.

However there was and will always remain one exception. When Muslims stood up to defend their Deen and their people, when they chose to leave behind their fear and feebleness and embrace the burning courage of Imaan, when they chose to embrace the spirit of the lions of Allah, Hamza, Ali, and Khalid bin Walid Radhiyallahu Anhum, then the helpless became able, the frail became mighty and the conquered became the conqueror.

 

For too long have we buried our Islamic spirit because of fraudulent labels of “fundamentalist”, “extremist” and “terrorist”, titles that belong to the oppressors but are branded on the oppressed to further demonise a disenfranchised nation. The time has come to throw this yoke off our shoulders, for men of courage to stand up once again, and for the flags of Islam to be held aloft in the world.

May Allah revive the spirit of the Ummah, restore its dignity, aid and assist the Ummah and may He seize the hand of brutality that is lifted against the Ummah, Aameen.

Courtesy:Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)Council of Muslim Theologians,223 Alpine Road, Overport, Durban

Tel : +27 (0) 31 2077099 Fax : +27(0) 31 2074163

2) Zakaat al-Fitr

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

The rate of zakaat al-fitr
What is the rate of zakaat al-Fitr? Is it permissible to give it after the Eid prayer? Is it permissible to give zakaat al-Fitr in cash?

Praise be to Allaah.

It was narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined zakaat al-fitr upon the Muslims at a rate of one saa' of dates or one saa' of barley, and he commanded that it should be given before the people went out to pray – i.e., the Eid prayers. In al-Saheehayn it is narrated that Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "At the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) we used to give it at a rate of one saa' of food, or one saa' of dates, or one saa' of barley, or one saa' of cheese, or one saa' of raisins…" A number of scholars interpreted the word ta'aam (food) in this hadeeth as referring to wheat, and others explained it as referring to the staple food of the local people, no matter what it is, whether it is wheat, corn or something else. This is the correct view, because the zakaah is a kind of help given by the rich to the poor, and the Muslim should not offer help with anything other than the staple food of his country. What must be given is a saa' of all kinds of food, which is four times the amount scooped up with two hands, which is approximately three kilograms. If the Muslim gives a saa' of rice or some other staple food of his country, that is fine.

It first becomes due on the night of the twenty-eighth of Ramadaan, because the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to give it one or two days before Eid, and the month lasts twenty-nine or thirty days.

The latest it may be given is at the Eid prayer, but it is not permissible to delay it until after the prayer, because of the report narrated by Ibn `Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever gives it before the prayer, it is accepted zakaah, and whoever gives it after the prayer, it is a kind of charity." (Narrated by Abu Dawood).

It is not permissible to pay the value in money, according to the majority of scholars, and the evidence for this view is more sound. Rather it should be given in the form of food, as was done by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them) and the majority of the ummah. We ask Allaah to help us and all the Muslims to understand His religion and adhere steadfastly to it. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him). Majallat al-Buhooth al-Islamiyyah, issue no. 17, pp. 79-80.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF SADAQATUL-FITR

Sadaqatul fitr is compulsory charity which becomes payable on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The Noble Messenger of Allah ( Sallallâhu 'alayhi wasallam) said:

"The fast remains suspended between Heaven and Earth until the fitrah is paid."

Rasulullâh Sallallâhu `alayhi wasallam made charity of Fitr compulsory as a purification of fasts from useless talks and vile discourses and also as food to the poor

(Hadith-Abû Dawûd).

Fitr means to break fast or to refrain from fasting. Hence the Eid after the fasts of Ramadhân is called Eid-ul-Fitr, as it is the day of rejoicing after the completion of fasting. On this occasion of happiness, as a sign of gratitude one has to give a specific amount in aims, which is called Sad'qatui-Fitr. To purify and obtain complete blessings for the fasts of Ramadhân Mubârak one has to give Sadaqatul-Fitr. Thus it is wâjib to give Sadaqatul-Fitr to purify one's fast. The true object in giving Sadqatul-fitr on this happy, occasion is also to assist the poor and needy, so that, they may rejoice with the more fortunate.

Sadaqatul Fitr (or fitrah) is wâjib upon all Muslims -male, female and children fitrah should preferably be paid before the Eid Salâh.

It is not permissible to delay the payment of fitrah later than the Day of Eid.

What amount Should be paid

The amount of Sadqatul Fitr is 1.633kg of wheat or 3.266kg of barley or the equivalent in cash. Please consult your local Islamic Scholars for exact amount.

It is highly recommended that this amount is paid in advance so that the contributions could be used for the benefit of the poor on Eid day.

 

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