Perseverance and Prayer

“O you who believe, seek help with patient perseverance and prayer. For God is with those who patiently persevere.” - Noble Quran, 2:153


Image Source: Jobarracuda

Alcohol destroys!

A man called police in Jeffersonville, Ind., to say that there was a man sleeping on his property -- inside his overturned trash can. It was no street bum: it was his next-door neighbor, Larry Wilder, police say. Wilder was apparently intoxicated, they say, but said no crime had been committed, and officers walked him home. Wilder is a private attorney on contract to represent the city and the local school district at $100 an hour; he has resigned both positions. "I can't tell you what happened. I wish I could," Wilder said later -- the last thing he remembered was celebrating with a client. He thinks he only had "three or four" drinks, and "I take responsibility for my conduct." He is upset that photos of him in the trash can were leaked to the media, and accuses the police of doing it. "I think the police officer who leaked the photos should only apologize to my kids," Wilder said, but "I would defend that police officer if any effort is taken to discipline him." (Jeffersonville News and Tribune)
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"Addiction is a disease that affects your brain and your behavior. You have control over your choice to start using drugs, but once you start, their pleasurable effect makes you want to keep using them. When you become addicted to alcohol or other drugs, your brain actually changes in certain ways so that a powerful urge to use drugs controls your behavior. Someone who is addicted uses drugs without thinking of the consequences, such as problems with health, money, relationships, and performance at work or at school." (Substance Abuse: What It Is and How to Quit, last accessed 9 July, 2008)

According to these people, addiction is a disease. But note the second sentence above: "You have control over your choice to start using drugs, but once you start, their pleasurable effect makes you want to keep using them."

This means that if a particular person does not deliberately choose to use a drug or alcohol for the sake of pleasure, he or she will not become an addict. This means that the real cause of addiction is a personal choice by the addict. There is something called 'substance abuse'.

In fact, the difference between substance abuse and addiction is very thin. Substance abuse means the use of an illegal substance, or the use of a legal substance in the wrong way. Addiction begins as abuse, or the use of a substance like marijuana or cocaine. One can abuse a drug or alcohol, without having addiction.

For example, if a person drank alcohol a couple of times, it does not mean that he has an addiction, but it does mean that he is abusing a substance, and that could be the starting point of an addiction.

If a person has become an addict to a substance, his body becomes dependent on that particular substance. Even smoking is physically addictive. And if an addict stops using a substance like drugs or alcohol he may experience withdrawal symptoms, like shaking, diarrhea or feeling awful.

And psychologically he may develop a strong craving or desire for that substance, to such an extent that he would be ready to commit even crimes for the sake of getting it. That is to say, a severely addicted person may feel a terrible compulsion to get the substance by any means just to satisfy his craving.

What Islam does is to cut the roots of addiction by declaring that all the addictive substances prohibited in the first place. And anyone who goes for something prohibited commits a sin, and if he persists in committing the same sin, it becomes all the more compounded.

Remember the Quranic verses:

The Holy Quran, 2.219: They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." They ask thee how much they are to spend; Say: "What is beyond your needs." Thus doth Allah Make clear to you His Signs: In order that ye may consider.

The Holy Quran, 5.90: O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan's handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper.

The Holy Quran, 5.91: Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?

There shall be no compulsion in religion

(Quran 2:256) "There shall be no compulsion in religion: Truth has become distinct from error, and whoever rejects false deities and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold, which never dbreaks. And Allah is Hearing, Knowing."

The placement of this verse in the Quran remarkable. It immediately follows Ayatul Kursi, which is the most read, most widely memorized, and most prolifically displayed verse in the Quran. So, this statement regarding compulsion is imbedded within potent statements on creed. It may be the only verse of its kind, but clearly Allah intended it to be well known... and therefore well understood. The only published explanations of this verse that I can find are concerned entirely with prohibiting forced conversion. This is a reaction formation to attacks against Islam regarding how it spread historically. It is not an actionable interpretation by Muslims for Muslims. They do not discuss the implications of prohibiting coercion in other matters. So, I've done a little processing and I'd like to decompress the issue as I see it.

Allah is not careless with words. This sentence is only four words. La Ikrah fi deen. "No compulsion in religion." Every scholar I've ever heard discuss the word deen says that "religion" is a poor translation, and that deen is a complete and comprehensive way of life. Why would Allah use a word that means a complete way of life to describe a truth that only applies to a very specific instance? Could He not have said, "No compulsion in dawah?Ó"

The verse is a logical syllogism. Statements of evidence that support a premise. The Quran is often constructed in this format, and this appeal to reason is what makes it distinct from other scriptures. Over and over Allah tells us, "Will you not use reason?" and that He despises those who don't. "The worst of creatures in the sight of Allah are the deaf and dumb who do not use their intellect to understand." (Quran 8:22) So, let's break down the syllogism. Given that Allah is omniscient, that tawhid is virtuous, and that Truth is distinct from error, therefore religion must be free from coercion.

Reason dictates that any instance where the evidence is true the conclusion must also be true, and the evidence presented is true in all instances, therefore the premise MUST be true in all instances. It cannot be true for conversion and false for other matters. How can the premise be abrogated when the supporting evidence remains? This is the principle of nonaggression. "Surely, Allah loves not the aggressors" (Quran 2:190) i.e. the initiators of coercion.

Continue reading here.

Wonders of Nature

The Quran instructs us to travel throughout the eart and see how Allah has created things in nature and take these things as signs from him and reflect upon his mercy.


28 Finalists have been named for the '7 wonders of Nature poll' and it is very interesting to see these Allah's creation. The Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef are competing with 26 other spectacular natural landmarks in the final phase of the global poll to choose the "New 7 Wonders of Nature," organisers said today.

The Amazon rain forest, the Dead Sea, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and Ecuador's Galapagos islands are also among the finalists, according to the organization New 7 Wonders led by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber.

People can vote by Internet or phone. The winners will be announced in 2011 and share in the glory already enjoyed by the seven man-made wonders chosen two years ago.

Y0u can see the photo of all these wonders here.

Should Muslim children receive sex education?

A big debate is going on in UK within the Muslim community regarding sex-education lessons to Muslim children. A lot pf people are opposed to their children receiving them. The problem is that there are so many sources of information nowadays that if its restricted from the official sources then they may learn misinformation from unofficial sources.

At the time of the prophet, muslims men and women were never too shy to ask the prophet about all affairs, including such private affairs as sexual life, so as to know the teachings and rulings of their religion concerning them. As Aisha, the wife of the prophet testified, "Blessed are the women of the Ansar (the citizens of Madina). Shyness did not stand in their way seeking knowledge about their religion." (All except Termizi).

The way the ladies asked the prophet-directly or through his wives is a proof that sexual matters were not taboo but were fully acknowldged and respected. "Shyness is part of the faith" as the prophet taught, but he also taught "There is no shyness in matters of religion" even entailing the delicate aspects of sexual life.

It is our firm belief that facts about sex should be taught to children in a way commensurate with their age as they grow up both by the family and the school. We emphasize that this should be done within the total context of Islamic ideology and Islamic teaching, so that the youth-beside getting the correct physiologic knowledge become fully aware on the sanctity of the sexual relation in Islam and the grave sin of blemishing such sanctity whether under Islamic law, or far more important in the sight of God. Provided the Islamic conscience is developed we see no reason to shun sex education (unfortunately the rule in many muslim countries), and we believe it is better to give the correct teaching rather than leave this to chance and to incorrect sources and to the concomitant feeling of guilt by the hush-hush atmosphere in which this is done.

However, sex education includes many things other than the simple sexual relationship between two married spouses. What children need to learn about sex in the early stages of their lives differs from what they need to learn when they are older. Young children are extremely curious, and they like to explore when they do not get plausible answers from their parents. They look for other alternatives.

We should not think that our children are far from such discoveries, because even if we have control on what they watch, hear, or say indoors, it is impossible that we control what they get across outdoors. Out there, children meet other children with different backgrounds and cultures. These children can share with them things that we do not like them to hear about, and as parents, we can imagine how messy it can be when sex topics are discussed among kids.

Therefore, we need to teach our children to return to us when they have dubious information or insistent questions that concern them, whether about sex or any other topic. If we make them feel that we are always there for them and that their continuous questions never bother us, they would not hesitate to ask their questions.

But, with the many burdens we face daily, we would never have time to answer all their questions. So, we should make a promise to get back to them when there is more time. In this way, they will not need to look for alternatives, and we can ensure correct and healthy sex education instead of leaving them exposed to misinformation from their siblings, peers, or friends.

It may also be helpful to remember that sex education is not forbidden even at younger ages. The Companions, including women, did not hesitate to learn about sex from Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). For example, the Prophet taught them to lower their gaze.

When a young Muslim asked the Prophet to allow him to commit adultery, the Prophet softly asked him if he accepted that his mother, sister, or aunt commit adultery. And when the man admitted that he did not accept it, the Prophet explained that people also do not accept that their daughters and sisters commit adultery. From the guidance of the Prophet, we can take note of the importance of providing our children and teens with logical answers.

Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi, Deputy Chairman of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, states:

“Sex education means informing a young man and woman about how to satisfy sexual desires innate in them according to the laws established by Almighty Allah.

It is natural that such kind of education must exist in the Muslim societies since it aims, originally, at teaching a Muslim the morals of Islam and its rulings.

Muslim Jurists were keen on disseminating such form of useful knowledge to the extent that they had a common dictum that reads: 'Shyness should not stand in your way to seek knowledge about (sensitive) matters of religion.'

Since the sex education known in the Western societies makes it lawful for any young man and woman to fall in the abyss of adultery, it becomes incumbent on Muslims to inculcate their sons and daughters with the true sex education as shown by Islam and the rulings of Allah regarding such very sensitive and delicate matters.

As we have known that sex education in Islam is a form of imparting religious knowledge to young men or women, for them to be aware of what is required of them in matters of deen and dunya it is not allowed under any pretext to use such sex education to sanction adultery or moral deviation by any means such as naked photos or direct description of sexual practices.

With this in mind, we can say that it is preferable to begin the process of sex education at the age of puberty, for carrying it before this age is not good. As for the Western countries where sex education is normally offered at an earlier age, it is good that the Islamic sex education be offered to children at the age of discretion i.e. about the age of seven.”

Stressing the Islamic stance on sex education and its significance, Sheikh `Abdul-Majeed Subh, a prominent Azharite scholar, states:

“Those who think that sex education is not allowed in Islam are completely wrong. The books of Islamic jurisprudence expose several topics promoting sexual awareness, including discussion of menstruation, childbirth bleeding, pregnancy, delivery, rules of sexual intercourse, rules of marriage, taking a bath (Ghusl) after sexual intercourse, rules related to ejaculation of sperm during intercourse and intercourse without ejaculation, and rules related to the punishment for committing adultery or fornication. All these rulings are dealt with in the books of Islamic jurisprudence in a moral and scientific manner.

In Surat an-Nur, Almighty Allah says, “The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge ye each one of them (with) a hundred stripes. And let not pity for the twain withhold you from obedience to Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let a party of believers witness their punishment.” (An-Nur: 2). Also the Qur’an counts among the attributes of the believer: “And those who preserve their chastity save with their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for thus they are not blameworthy.” (Al-Ma`arij: 29-30) It is natural that in the course of explaining these verses to people, we must explain what is meant by fornication and adultery.

Also at schools, children, males and females, study biology and the topics related to reproduction in plant, animal, and human lives. They even may happen to witness some scenes in which animals reproduce. These are natural phenomenon that is known to all.

Therefore, if we do not give our children proper education in this field, they will be liable to commit mistakes and deviate.

In his book al-Majmu`, Imam an-Nawawi mentions that Imam Ash-Shafi`i is of the opinion that parents are under obligation to give their children such kind of sex education.

As for the age, such kind of sex education is to be given at the age of discretion when a child can distinguish between a male and female. But from psychology we learn to start educating children gradually starting from reproduction in plant life, moving to animal life and finally in human life. Through proper sex education given by parents, they can protect their children against moral deviations and in consequence several fatal diseases.”

Shedding more light on what kind of sex education to be given, we’d like to stress that “Islam is explicit about many aspects of human sexuality. Also, based on the numerous hadith showing the Prophet's willingness to discuss these matters openly, it should be obvious that education about matters related to sex is acceptable. Muslims may disagree about the age at which sex education begins; some don't discuss the subject at all. Explaining anatomy and the changes one's body experiences during puberty are essential for enabling young people to grow up with a healthy self-image. Also, in an age where sexual activity in many countries begins at an early age, Muslim adolescents must be informed to better enable them to deal with peer pressure.

Sex education can be taught in a way that informs young people about sexuality in scientific and moral terms. In countries with very diverse populations, such as the United States, the main limitation in developing sex education curricula, particularly in public schools, is the inability to select a universally acceptable moral position. Therefore, young people are given facts and information, and advised that if they choose to engage in sexual relationships, they should take measures to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The moral and religious aspects of sexuality can be incorporated either in schools of a particular religious denomination or in adjunctive coursework offered by religious institutions. Regardless of the challenges of each society, young people must be adequately informed. Also, in some Muslim communities, individuals are encouraged to marry at young ages. They need to be educated regarding sexuality prior to the marriage such that they know what to expect and can consider their options for birth control prior to consummating the marriage.”

So who killer Yasser Arafat?

Interesting analysis in IslamOnline By Ramzy Baroud


Who killed Yasser Arafat? When the Palestinian leader was declared dead in a French hospital, on November 11, 2004, there was no way of knowing how questions pertaining to his death should be phrased.

Was he killed, or did he die from old age? If he was killed, then who killed him and why? The "mysterious" nature of his symptoms — galvanized a dominant theory that the man was poisoned over a period of time — provided enough evidence that foul play was involved, even indicting some of those closest to him.

Although the man's story has been recorded in the ever-growing chronicle of the Palestinian struggle, and Palestinians have somehow moved on, recent breaking news has blown his story wide open once more, breeding new controversy and stories of conspiracy.

Nearly five years have passed since Arafat died. During those years, a number of high-ranking Palestinian leaders, especially from the Hamas movement were assassinated by Israel in various and consistently gory methods.

Among Palestinians, Arafat is referred to like all those killed by Israel, as a "martyr", an indication of the widespread belief that his death was hardly the result of natural causes.

If Arafat was indeed killed, and since his death was not caused by an Israeli air strike, or an assassin's bullet, a key question has been lingering, giving heed to all sorts of interpretations, who killed Arafat and how?

Israelis made little secret of their desire to see Arafat dead. Former Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon expressed regret in a newspaper interview on February 1, 2002 that he had not killed Arafat decades ago when he had the chance. Sharon told Israeli newspaper Maariv that he should have "eliminated" Arafat during Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982. "Do you regret it (not killing Arafat)?" he was asked. "Certainly, yes," he replied.

On the day of Arafat's death, BBC news carried comments by then Israeli opposition leader Shimon Peres, saying it is "good that the world got rid of him…The sun is shining in the Middle East."

Held hostage in his bullet-riddled West Bank office for years, Arafat represented an international embarrassment for Israel. He was not "moderate" enough to concede all Palestinian rights, but "moderate" enough to maintain an aura of international attention, and support among Arab, Muslim, European, and other nations.

Still, in the minds of some, Arafat was determined, and often declared to represent an "obstacle". The Palestinian Authority's (PA) truly "moderate" camp disliked him for his tireless compromises aimed at prevented factional infighting, thus blocking their attempts at dominating the Palestinian society.

Israel despised him for numerous reasons, notwithstanding his refusal to "concede" on issues of paramount importance, such as the issues of refugees and Jerusalem. The Bush administration took every opportunity to discredit, discount, and insult him, constantly propping up an "alternative" leadership, namely, Mahmoud Abbas, Mohammed Dahalan, and others.

Strangely enough, even Abbas and other high-ranking PA officials referred to Arafat as a "martyr", especially whenever they needed to capitalize on his legacy among low-ranking Fatah members and ordinary Palestinians.

However, the story was meant to end here, with Abbas and Dahlan, carrying the torch of Arafat the "martyr" continue with their rhetoric-based "revolution" to liberate Palestine.

That, until the second highest-ranking Fatah member and one of the PLO's most visible leaders Farouk Kaddumi broadcasted a document that contained some unanticipated indictment; that Abbas and Dahlan, along with Sharon, US Undersecretary of State William Burns, and others jointly plotted the assassination of Arafat. Kaddumi's document contained the minutes of that meeting in 2004.

Kaddumi broke the news in a press conference in Amman, Jordan on July 12, 2009, asserting that Arafat had entrusted him with the minutes of that secret meeting involving top Israeli, Palestinian, and American leaders and officials.

The plot, according to Kaddumi included the assassination of other Palestinian leaders, some of them have indeed been assassinated since then, while others are still alive, thanks to the failure of Israeli missiles and car bombs that failed to deliver.

Expectedly, the Ramallah-based Fatah leaders launched fierce verbal attacks against Kaddumi, questioning his objectives, timing, and even his sanity.

Abbas accused Kaddumi of wanting to torpedo the Fatah faction long-delayed congress, scheduled to convene in Bethlehem on August 4. "He (Kaddumi) knows full well that this information is false; he has released it to undermine the convention, but we are continuing with preparations," Abbas said.

Kaddumi had in fact criticized the convention of a supposedly "revolutionary" movement held with Israeli consent, if not support.

The fact is, we may never know the authenticity of Kaddumi's report without an independent investigation or irrefutable evidence. However, similar to Arafat's death, conclusive evidence is not always required for the public to formulate an opinion over such issues.

Considering Israel's threats to Arafat, Palestinians have no reason to believe that Israel did not kill him. Similarly, ordinary Palestinians, especially those in Gaza, have little reason to trust that corrupt Palestinians were not involved in Arafat's death.

A clique of Palestinian elite have made it clear that their personal interests surpass those of the Palestinian people; Dahlan openly advocated the toppling of an elected government in Gaza, as the Ramallah-based "revolutionary" movement is dispatching US-armed and US-trained Palestinian militants to crack down on Israel's enemies in various West Bank towns.

As bizarre as all of this may sound, it is at least enough to explain why Palestinians are willing to believe the recent statements made by Kaddumi, a respected figure among all Palestinian factions.

True, Kaddumi's accusations are yet to be authenticated by an independent investigation, but they are made in a fractious, if not peculiar, political context that makes them most plausible, and in a sense, that is the real tragedy.

Ramzy Baroud (www.ramzybaroud.net) is an author and editor of PalestineChronicle.com. His work has been published in many newspapers, journals, and anthologies around the world. His latest book is, "The Second Palestinian Intifada: A Chronicle of a People's Struggle" (Pluto Press, London), and his forthcoming book is, "My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza's Untold Story" (Pluto Press, London).

Han Chinese Attackers should be punished

Han Chinese who took part in violent riots in China's north-west region of Xinjiang should be punished, a senior official in Beijing said today.

While state media have extensively covered the events of 5 July, when Uighurs launched indiscriminate assaults on Han, they did not report Han revenge attacks on Uighurs two days later.

At least 197 people died in the inter-ethnic conflict – including 137 Han and 46 Uighurs – and 1,700 were injured.

"After the 5 July incident, some people in Urumqi, out of indignation over the crimes committed by rioters or sorrow for the loss of their families, did take to the streets," acknowledged Wu Shimin, vice-minister in charge of the state ethnic affairs commission, when asked about the events of 7 July at a press conference in Beijing.

"I believe all ethnic groups need to go through normal channels and adopt legal means to express their opinions; even opinions on unlawful incidents. All people are equal before the law; all ethnic groups are equal before the law. Anyone who has violated the law should be severely punished."

The government has warned it will execute those who used "cruel means" during the unrest. At least 1,400 people have been detained, of whom the majority are believed to be Uighurs.

With Urumqi under a heavy security presence by 7 July, paramilitary police used repeated bursts of teargas to disperse the Han crowd as it headed for a Uighur neighbourhood.

But witnesses reported attacks on Uighur businesses and Uighurs told the Guardian they believed at least four people had been killed in violence that day and the next.

Wu told reporters that increasing exchanges between ethnic groups with different customs, traditions and religious beliefs meant they "may run into conflicts and disputes from time to time".

He insisted all such problems had been handled "in a proper and timely way".

He said China's ethnic policy was "conducive to unity, equality and harmony" and had nothing to do with the riots, adding: "We know those behind the violence were ... seeking the independence of Xinjiang. To this, I can clearly tell them this will never happen."

Officials have accused Uighur exiles of orchestrating the violence.

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Han Chinese armed with iron bars and machetes roamed Urumqi city on Tuesday looking to wreak revenge on Uighurs for bloody ethnic clashes two days earlier which killed 156 and wounded more than 1,000.

Outnumbered riot police used tear gas to try to disperse the thousands of angry protesters who flooded the capital of the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

In a sign of government anxiety about the unrest, the city's Communist Party boss Li Zhi took to the streets to plead with protesters to return home, and overnight "traffic restrictions" -- originally announced as a curfew -- came into effect to halt the violence, in which many people were injured.

Security forces intervened to stop fighting, breaking up a battle between hundreds of rock-throwing Han and Uighurs and forcing a Han mob to leave a building they stormed in a Uighur area, a Reuters reporter said. There were no reports of deaths.

But riot police stood warily by as crowds vented their anger by throwing rocks at a mosque and smashing restaurants and shops owned by Uighurs, a Turkic people who are largely Muslim and share linguistic and cultural bonds with Central Asia.

A new wave of violence hit the capital of the Chinese region of Xinjiang today as thousands of angry Han Chinese rampaged through Urumqi, many smashing up Uighur stores and seeking vengeance for Han deaths at the weekend.

The authorities swiftly imposed a curfew on the restive city in an attempt to quell what the government has already described as the worst riots since the foundation of the People's Republic 60 years ago. Police attempted to disperse today's mob with teargas as they headed towards a predominantly Uighur area, but many were still on the streets armed with whatever came to hand: wooden staves, iron bars, metal chains, nunchuks, shovels and axes.

Rioters smashed Uighur restaurants, threw rocks at a mosque and threatened residents of Uighur areas, although moderates in the crowd attempted to restrain them.

West Bank village coming out of stone age

To the visitor it may seem picturesque. But when you've spent several hours a day for 20 years vigorously shaking a dead goat's stomach filled with milk to make butter, the novelty has long worn off. In the village of Susiya, not having electricity keeps them in their own dark age.

So for Samia Shineran, 30, who has been making goat's butter by hand since she was 10, the installation of a powered churn in the family tent this spring was an unalloyed delight, giving her that much more time for the many other tasks which fall to this Palestinian mother of 10.

"This is better," she says, beaming. It is easy work now. Women clean the dishes, deal with the sheep and goats, take care of the children. "I can do more things every day now and have social contact with other women." Her horizons now widened, she would ideally like an electric pump to ease the back-breaking task – mainly allotted to women – of bringing buckets up from the cistern holes that are her extended family's only water supply in a community without any of the utilities the Jewish settlers a few hundred metres away take for granted.

Mrs Shineran's wish may yet be fulfilled because Susiya, a beleaguered community in the arid, windswept South Hebron hills, now has electricity thanks to a unique renewable energy project. Pioneered by two physicists who have a strong interest in environmentalism and a close relationship with the villagers, the changes, in the words of 32-year-old farmer Hassan Shineran "have brought us from the Stone Age to modern life". Both Noam Dotan and Elad Orian, who came to help the Palestinian Arabs in this impoverished, conflict-scarred tract of the southern West Bank, happen to be Israeli Jews.

Although Palestinian shepherds and farmers first subsisted here in caves at least 200 years ago, the 14 extended families of Susiya came here as refugees, expelled from their Negev village in the war of 1948. While the 1967 Six-Day War brought their adopted home under Israeli military control, the real troubles of the Susiya families, like many others in the South Hebron hills, really began in the 1980s. That was when Jewish settlers – some notably hard-line – began to establish communities across the area.

Because the new settlements were surrounded by closed military "security buffer zones" – often including Palestinian grazing land and key water sources – the settlers were able to exploit the old Ottoman law that land not worked for three years passed automatically from its previous owners. The problems were compounded by the discovery of the remains of an ancient Jewish town; today it is squeezed between an Israeli settlement, an archaeological park and a military base.

Read complete article here.

On Hajj Tourism...

Some people goto Hajj every year. Some do it because they think its their right to do so. Some do it for worldly name and fame, some do it because they have nothing better to do. Very few people do it out of fear of Allah and to gain mercy and forgiveness from him.

The following is an extract from Islam Online Fatwa bank.

Question

Some charities take donations, which they allot to those who have not performed Hajj before. But which is better for donors: to give money to those who want to perform Hajj for the first time, or to give money to the poor, the needy, the insolvent debtors, etc., all over the Islamic world?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear questioner, we are greatly pleased to receive your question. May Allah reward you abundantly for your interest in knowing the teachings of Islam! If a donor is capable of doing both—that is, giving money for Hajj to those who are financially incapable of performing it and giving money in charity to the poor, the needy, and the insolvent debtors—in this case providing the means for Hajj is better. However, if a person wants to do one of the two or if he or she is incapable of doing both, spending money in charity is worthier than facilitating Hajj for others. This is according to the jurisprudence of priority as regards the acts of worship. Responding to the question, Dr.`Ugail Jasem An-Nashmi, Professor of Shari`ah at the University of Kuwait, states the following: There are two aspects in this issue: the money giver and the money receiver for Hajj. One who is asked to accept a certain sum of money from a charity organization that acts on behalf of the donor does not have to take the money, as the Lawgiver (Allah) does not oblige one to do so. The Lawgiver does not ask Muslims to overexert themselves in order to have the means to perform Hajj. Moreover, the obligation to take the money might be considered a favor done for one, in which case one does not have to accept and is not considered financially able to perform Hajj. This is Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s opinion. As for Ash-Safi`i, he said, “If one is given what makes one able to perform Hajj, one must perform it, as one is then able to perform it financially without being regarded as accepting a favor of anybody, or being exposed to any harm. So Hajj has become incumbent upon one.” Thus, the preponderant view here is that one does not have to accept such money if there will be a kind of favor done for one, or the like. If not, which differs from one person to another, and one has received the money, one must perform Hajj. As for the person who gives money as charity for people to perform Hajj for themselves and not on his behalf, this is a good deed for which he will receive reward from Allah, in sha’ Allah.. But as regards preference, if the donor is able to combine giving money for others to perform Hajj and spending money in charity, doing both is the best. However, if the donor intends to do one of the two, or if he is incapable of doing both, then priorities should be considered: Spending money in charity ways is worthier than facilitating Hajj for others. The following accounts support this view: Abu An-Nasr At-Tammar narrated that a man came to say farewell to Bishr ibn Al-Harith before traveling for Hajj. He said, “I have decided to perform Hajj; what do you order me to do? Bishr asked, “How much money have you prepared for the expenses?” The man answered, “Two thousand dinars.” Bishr asked, “What do you seek with your Hajj? Is it for being ascetic or because of yearning for the House or seeking Allah’s pleasure?” The man answered, “Seeking Allah’s pleasure.” Bishr again asked, “If you are able to win Allah’s pleasure without leaving your country, spending the two thousand dinars and being sure of winning the pleasure of Allah Almighty, will you do so?” The man answered, “Yes.” On that Bishr said, “Go and give the money to ten people like an insolvent debtor to pay his debt, a poor man to improve his conditions, a breadwinner to support his dependents adequately, and one raising an orphan raiser to make the orphan happy. If you have a strong will to give all the money to only one person, do so, for bringing happiness to a Muslim’s heart, relieving the sufferer, doing away with harm and helping the weak is better than performing Hajj a thousand times after the obligatory Hajj of Islam. Get up and spend your money the way I told you” (Al-Ghazali in Ihya’ `Ulum Ad-Din, vol. 3, p. 397). It is also narrated that `Abdullah ibn Al-Mubarak set out for Hajj once and crossed a number of countries on his way. Then, one of their birds died, so he ordered that it be thrown in a garbage dump. After that, his companions preceded him. When he passed by the garbage dump, he saw a girl coming out from a nearby house, taking the dead bird and hurrying back to the house. Ibn Al-Mubarak approached her and asked about her condition and about her taking the dead bird. At first she was too shy to answer, then she said, “My mother and I do not have anything except this waist wrapper. We have no food except what is thrown in this garbage dump. I had a father who had great wealth but his wealth was taken and he was killed for some reason. We are left nothing to eat or sustain ourselves with.” On hearing this, Ibn Al-Mubarak’s eyes were filled with tears. He ordered that the loads and supplies of Hajj be returned, then he asked his deputy, “How much money do you have?” He answered, “A thousand dinars.” On that Ibn Al-Mubarak said, “Leave twenty dinars for our return and give the rest to this distressed woman for, by Allah, I was tormented to know her calamity. This is better to Allah than our performance of Hajj this year.” Then he went back and did not perform Hajj. You can also read: Do Hajj and `Umrah Expiate Major Sins? If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to write back! May Allah guide you to the straight path, and guide you to that which pleases Him, Amen. Allah Almighty knows best.

	Allah Almighty knows best.

Swine Flu can cause problems at Hajj

Arab health officials have agreed to restrict certain groups from performing the annual Muslim pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia this year amid growing concerns about the H1N1 flu pandemic.

Those considered high-risk such as the elderly, young children and the chronically ill have been advised to avoid making the hajj or the lesser umrah pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.

But Abdullah al-Rabeeah, the Saudi health minister, said on Wednesday the kingdom has no plans to restrict the number of visas it issues for pilgrims, though numbers are expected to be lower.

"We did not change the percentage of any country, we changed certain rules," he said after a meeting of Arab health ministers and representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"It's up to the country to replace [applicants who fall under the restrictions] with" other pilgrims.

The move to keep the vulnerable groups away from the pilgrimage is expected to be ratified by the respective Arab governments.

Hussein Gezairi, the WHO regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean region, said he expected Riyadh to ratify the recommendations, adding there was a "consensus" among the health ministers at the meeting.

"The Saudi government will make [these conditions] a requirement... No one will get their visa unless these requirements are fulfilled."

Gezairi said the Saudi government was well equipped to deal with communicable diseases among the large number of annual pilgrims.

"[Our] government has a very long experience now... because Saudi Arabia every year receives between 25 and 30 cases of cholera and no epidemics are happening."

Around three million Muslim pilgrims from over 160 countries head for the holy city of Mecca in western Saudi Arabia each year in one of the world's biggest religious gatherings.

In June, Saudi Arabia called on elderly, ill and other unfit Muslims - including pregnant women - to postpone their pilgrimages to Mecca because of the threat of H1N1.

Oman issued a similar warning on July 6.

This year the hajj will take place in November, while the umrah can be performed at any time but is popular during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts in August.

On Monday Egypt became the latest country to warn vulnerable Muslims against the pilgrimage to Mecca, after an Egyptian woman returning from Saudi Arabia succumbed to H1N1 - the first death in the Middle East and Africa.

Egyptian health officials have said all returning pilgrims will be quarantined.

"We are separating patients who are positive for avian flu in hospitals," said Hatem el-Gabali, the health minister in the most populous Arab country.

In Iran, a health ministry official repeated calls on Tuesday for elderly Iranians and children to avoid travelling to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage as the number of confirmed H1N1 cases in the Islamic republic rose to 16.

Tunisia earlier this month suspended umrah pilgrimages because of the virus, while reserving judgement on whether the main hajj pilgrimage should be undertaken in November.

The airborne H1N1 virus has now been diagnosed in tens of thousands of people worldwide, and has killed more than 430 people, according to the WHO.