(By JAMIATUL ULAMA OF SOUTH AFRICA) THIS IS NOT a riddle for Muslims who understand the meaning and purpose of Islam. It is a cut and dried issue devoid of ambiguity. The Qur'aan states with clarity and emphasis: "Those who do not govern according to that (Shariah) revealed by Allah, verily, they are the kaafiroon." Every secular system of governance is un-Islamic. It is in conflict with the Qur'aan and Sunnah, hence it is not permissible for Muslims to be participants in the law-making processes of governments even in Muslim countries. All the secular institutions of government in the Muslim lands are haraam structures of kufr in which participation is haraam. The permissibility of a system is measured on the Standard of the Shariah. If it is in conflict with the Immutable Shariah, it is a kufr system. Participation in such a law-making process effaces Imaan. When a Muslim becomes a member of parliament in a democratic or socialist system or any other secular system, it represents an implied acknowledgement that he has rejected the Shariah of the Qur'aan and has adopted laws which are in conflict with Allah's law. He thus casts off the Mantle of Imaan and Islam. In other words he becomes a murtad. His loose association with the Muslim community – his performance of Salaat, his fasting, his performance of hajj and his other acts of ritualism do not secure his Imaan as long as he indulges in the kufr-law making process. Besides the actual law-making process, a Muslim who participates actively in secular politics, even if in a Muslim country, has to ignominiously submit to many other haraam acts such as intermingling of sexes, picture-making, music, idolatry, e.g. worshipping a flag, standing for the national anthem, etc. Only men deficient in faith and virtuous deeds, and ignoramuses who lack a proper understanding of the Shariah venture into the unchartered waters of a kufr law-making system. Warning such culprits whose Imaan dangles on a flimsy thread, the Qur'aan Majeed says: "Then, We have established you on a Shariah with regard to affairs. Therefore follow it. And do not follow the desires of those who do not know." These restrictive confines of the Shariah stated in the Qur'aan do not permit Muslims to venture into a terrain where kufr, fisq and fujoor are considered respectable norms. If the present crowd of Muslim parliamentarians, ministers and others occupying prominent governmental positions is scrutinized, it will be seen that the whole miserable lot are hopeless drones who are incapable of opening their mouths to speak up for any concern of the Muslim community. On the contrary, their non-Muslim counterparts are more sympathetic towards Muslims then these miserable drones who have extinguished their Imaan by their adoption of kufr. MUSLIMS IN THE SECULAR STATE 1) Law-making This is taboo. It is never permissible for Muslims to be participants in the law-framing system. Since almost every law promulgated by a secular parliament or law system will necessarily be in conflict or at variance with the Shariah, it will be haraam and kufr for a Muslim parliamentarian to align himself with this process. If he does, he extinguishes his Imaan. It is therefore not permissible for a Muslim to become a member of parliament because it is the seat of the kufr law-making process. 2) Voting Normally voting is not permissible. Muslims should totally abstain from participation in politics and lead their lives as law-abiding citizens. As citizens of a state the Shariah does not permit them to commit acts of treachery and treason. They are not permitted to indulge in acts of subversion aimed against the rulers. There are, however, circumstances which may constrain Muslims to vote in a secular state. They may have to enter into an uncomfortable alliance with a non-Muslim political party for the sake of their safety and religious well-being. Consider the situation in India. The two main contenders are the generally secular congress party and the verkrampte Hindu BJ party whose stated objective is the elimination of Islam in India. These arch-enemies of Muslims have pledged to convert all Indian Muslims to Hinduism and all Musjids into temples of idolatry. In view of this danger it will be permissible, not incumbent, for Muslims to vote for the secular Congress party. But it is not permissible for Muslims to become members of parliament and participate in law-making. The permissibility to vote in certain situations is the consequence of deficient Imaan and lack of spiritual fibre (Roohaaniyat). The original and actual attitude of Muslims who are morally reformed and spiritually developed is to focus the gaze on Allah Ta'ala. Sabr and Dua are the way of the Mu'mineen. It is only Allah Ta'ala Who can aid and protect us, no one else. The Qur'aan states: "If Allah aids you, none can defeat you, and if He abandons you, then who is there besides Allah to help you?" In a situation where voting for a non-Muslim political party is permissible, it will not be permissible for Muslim females to emerge from their homes and proceed to polling booths to vote. If an arrangement could be made for them to vote in seclusion without violation of Hijaab in any way, only then will voting be allowed for them. Arrangements are made for even prisoners to vote in the seclusion of their prisons. If such arrangements are not made, then it will be haraam for Muslim women to leave the precincts of their homes to vote. "Verily, the earth belongs to only Allah. He bestows its sovereignty to whomever He wishes among His servants. And, the ultimate victory is for the Muttaqeen." (Qur'aan) IT APPEARS THAT the so -called Muslim Personal Law bill which deviates had several times tried in the past to have imposed on the Muslim community, but failed, has not yet perished a complete death of annihilation. Its votaries are plotting to resurrect this haraam corpse. A scheme is being plotted by the deviates to achieve their nefarious goal of modernzing, i.e. kufrizing, the Shariah. Some cosmetic changes are being designed for the very same kufr provision which the Muslims of South Africa had not so long ago rejected. Shaitaan has again infused afresh his spirit of fitnah in the authors of the MPL bill, promising them success in this round which they are contemplating. It is our sacred obligation to remind Muslims that besides the fourteen century old immutable Shariah of the Qur'aan and Sunnah, there is no other shariah for this Ummah. The vile fabricators of the haraam MPL bill appear to be hell bent on achieving their aim of imposing the kufr bill on the Muslim community. Those who are not satisfied with the Shariah, but masquerade as Muslims, should inform the Muslim community of their misgivings about Allah's Shariah. The viscosity of their brains prevent them from understanding that regardless of the form with which they adorn the provisions of their haraam MPL bill, any diversion from the Shariah and any conflict with the Shariah are kufr. For example, Allah Ta'ala has vested the right of Talaaq in only the husband. If from now until the Day of Qiyaamah ways and means of circumventing this law are fabricated and presented as part of a 'Muslim' personal law system, it will be kufr. Fanciful appellations will not change the reality. This right which the Shariah has bestowed to only the husband, may not be curtailed or fettered with conditions to satisfy the kufr secular constitution of the land. This is merely one example. The MPL versions presented in the past were cluttered with kufr – such kufr which effaces Imaan. The authors of the MPL bill despite sporting beards and donning kurtahs and despite being molvis and sheikhs, and pretending to be concerned with the Deen, extinguished their Imaan with their nefarious aim of abrogating provisions of the Shariah. They come within the full glare of the Qur'aanic declaration: "Those who do not govern according to that (Shariah) which Allah has revealed, verily, they are the kaafiroon." Muslims are not in need of any measure of law which is at variance with the Shariah handed to the Ummah by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). If even a single provision in the whole confounded bill is in conflict with the Shariah, it ceases to be 'Muslim'. It will be fraudulent to dub it 'Muslim" personal law. If the votaries of the haraam bill profess themselves to be Muslims, then what is the need for an MPL law? Why not simply petition the government to enact a law to impose on the Muslim community the Shariah as it stands – as we all know it – without the slightest change. But this is impossible because every facet of the Shariah is in diametric conflict with the constitution of the land. In order to make the bill palatable and acceptable to the authorities for acceptance and enactment as law, it is imperative to perpetrate wholesale mutilation of the laws of Allah's Shariah. In other words, the MPL measure will only be acceptable to the government if the Shariah is buffeted into subservience of the secular and kufr constitution of the country. Muslims should be diligent and vehemently oppose the kufr MPL bill which the modernist deviates are once again attempting to crank up. The agenda underlying this kufr bill is sinister. The Muslim community is under obligation of the Qur'aan to reject the bill out-rightly. Imaan cannot co-exist with acceptance of the kufr provisions of the proposed bill whose skeleton was lying in someone's cupboard in an advanced stage of decomposition. The surgery which will go into the attempt to resurrect the decomposed kufr bill will not succeed to hoodwink Muslims, Insha'Allah. We shall, Insha'Allah, keep the Ummah informed of developments in this regard. It will be imperative and Waajib for the Muslim community to declare its opposition to the kufr bill. It is nothing by an abrogation of the Shariah and fraudulently portrayed as the same immutable Shariah of the Qur'aan and Sunnah. The government should be told unequivocally that the MPL bill is unacceptable to the Muslim community. Q. A woman was impregnated by a rapist. Is it permissible for her to abort the foetus? A. The Rooh (soul) enters the foetus on the 120th day. From that day onwards abortion will be haraam, and not permissible under any circumstances whatsoever. In the circumstances, it will be permissible before the 120th day. Q. Does the Hadith prohibit oxymel (vinegar-honey tonic)? A. To the best of our knowledge there is no Hadith which prohibits oxymel (vinegar-honey tonic). If there was such a Hadith, it would surely have been known by this time. Numerous Muadditheen and Ulama have written on honey. Many of there names and comments are in the honey article which you have attached. Allaamah Aalusi (rahmatullah alayh) has mentioned one view of some physicians who believe that oxymel is harmful for people with certain types of sickness. One type is Safraawi (i.e. a person with yellow jaundice). Imaam Ghazaali (rahmatullah alayh) has also mentioned that honey (not oxymel) is harmful for people with certain types of sickness. This is not based on any Hadith. It is the conclusion of the research of some physicians. There is and will always be difference of opinion in every field of knowledge. Q. According to a Mufti it is permissible to sell over the counter birth control pills to just anyone. Does this not encourage zina? He bases his answer on a principle in Raddul Muhtaar. The Mufti says that the seller should assume that the pill will be used lawfully. A. The Mufti has erred. He has not applied his mind to the evils and moral dangers of selling the 'zina' pill over the counter. His argument that it is permissible to freely sell just everything which is permissible to use lacks wisdom. A Mufti is required to take into consideration the habits, practices, norms, attitudes of people. There are many circumstances which have to be considered before issuing a fatwa simply based on a dry juridical principle. While the principle mentioned in Raddul Muhtaar is 100% correct, the Mufti is required to have viewed it in the light of the Qur'aanic aayat: "Do not come near to zina", as well as other Fiqhi principles. To sell grapes is perfectly permissible. But to enter into a contract with a winery to sell grapes is haraam. He says that the seller should 'assume that the pill will be used lawfully'. In the present age of immorality the inference that young unmarried persons buying the pill require it for zina is valid. It is known that zina is practised on a massive scale in this immoral age. Hence, even if it is initially lawful to sell the pill for a valid reason, it is not permissible to sell it over the counter to just anyone, especially unmarried persons. When there are reasonable grounds for assuming that the pill will be put to evil use then it is haraam to sell it to all and sundry. Ifta' (issuing fatwas) is a deep and dangerous ocean. It is not for everyone who holds a 'mufti' certificate to dive into this ocean. Nowadays muftis lead the masses astray with their corrupt fatwas. Q. Which colours are forbidden for males? What about the bright-coloured robes which Muslim men wear in West Africa? A. All bright feminine colours such as red, yellow, pink, purple, saffron, etc. are prohibited for men. We have observed in West Africa, Muslim men wearing bright-coloured traditional garments. The colours are distinctly feminine, and this is not permissible. Q. I am a follower of the Maaliki Math-hab. How many Salaams are there in Salaat? A. According to the Maaliki Math-hab, the Imaam and the Munfarid make only one Salaam to the right. There is no left Salaam for them. However, the muqtadis (followers) should make three Salaams: One Salaam towards the right to end the Salaat; one Salaam in front as a response to the Imaam, and one Salaam to the left as a response to those on his left side. Q. In the third raka't of Fardh Salaat, if someone recites a Surah after Surah Faatihah, should Sajdah Sahw be made? A. If in the third raka't of Fardh even a Surah is recited, there is no need for Sajdah Sahw. However, in the third raka't of Fardh it is better to recite only Surah Faatihah. Q. According to the Hadith, food should be covered during the night. If food was left uncovered throughout the night, may it be eaten? A. Food left uncovered throughout the night remains halaal. However, there is a possibility of shaitaan having interfered with the open food. It is therefore best to feed it to the animals. But it remains permissible. However, caution demands that one abstains. It is mentioned in the Hadith that on a particular night during the year, a calamity descends from the skies and settles on uncovered foodstuff. The effect is disease and other misfortunes. The specific night is not mentioned. For example, if one is told that someone may have added some poison to the food during the night time, we are sure no one will eat the food. Q. What is Takfeer? A. Takfeer in the terminology of the Shariah means to declare that a person is a kaafir. When a person denies an established teaching of Islam or he mocks it or he misinterprets it to change its meaning from the established meaning which has come down from the Sahaabah, or he commits an act of kufr, e.g. worships in a temple/ church, or he dresses like a Hindu pundit, or he approves of a kuffaar system thereby derogating and displacing the Islamic system then such a person becomes a 'kaafir'. Rejection of any established practice of Islam is kufr. The Fuqaha say, for example: "Miswaak is Sunnat, but its denial is kufr." Q. When a person committed kufr what are the consequences? A. When a person becomes a kaafir – Allah forbid – he loses his Imaan, and his nikah terminates forthwith. He has to repent, renew his Imaan and also his nikah. All his past deeds are obliterated by his kufr. Even if he had performed Hajj before, he will again have to perform Hajj if he is by the means. A Muslim who reneges from Islam is termed murtad. If he dies without having repented and renewing his Imaan, he will suffer everlasting damnation in the Hereafter. Q. Is it permissible for a Muslim to be a judge in a non-Muslim court? A. No, it is not permissible. The Qur'aan Majeed states explicitly: "Those who do not decide (govern/ rule) according to that (Law) which Allah has revealed, verily they are the kaafiroon." The details of Takfeer are to be found in the Books of Fiqh. Q. During Eid Salaat the Imaam had by mistake omitted the extra Takbeers in the second raka't. But he did not make Sajdah Sahw. Was the Salaat valid? A. The Salaat is valid even if the Imaam did not make Sajdah Sahw. Q. My wife does not allow our 5 year old daughter to play with family boys from above four years. Is she not too strict in imposing purdah on the small girl? A. Even three year old girls and boys should not play together. Girls should play with only girls. Brothers and sisters may play. But it is not permissible for a five year old girl to play with boys even if they are 4 or 5 years old. The parents who allow their little daughters to play with boys or boys with girls, are opening an avenue of fitnah. Your wife has better understanding than you despite you being the male. She is not 'too strict'. You should view the matter from the Shariat's angle, not from your customary lifestyle. Q. Is it permissible to kill a wounded animal which is suffering? A. If the animal is wounded and suffering, it is permissible to terminate its life. However, wherever possible, the method of termination according to the Fuqaha is Thabah, even if it is a dog. It has to be slaughtered and Tasmiah should be recited. Q. The imaam of our Musjid allows persons with short sleeves, without topi and wearing jeans and T-shirt to lead the Salaat. Sometimes the kurtah is below the ankles. Is the Imaam's action permissible? The fellow with jeans and T-shirt puts on a jubbah when he goes forward. A. It is Makrooh Tahrimi and not permissible to be dressed with short sleeves and without topi during Salaat. It is not permissible to appoint such a person to lead the Salaat. If the kurtah is below the ankles, then he is a faasiq. The faasiq should not be appointed to lead the Salaat even if he disguises himself with a jubbah. It is not permissible for the appointed Imaam to appoint the faasiq to lead the Salaat. It is haraam to allow a fellow wearing jeans and T-shirt to lead the Salaat. Q. On 9th Zil Hajj at Arafaat, is it permissible for people in their tents to combine Zuhr and Asr Salaat? Some persons have been performing their own Zuhr-Asr jamaa't in their tents. A. One of the conditions for the validity for combining Zuhr and Asr Salaat on the 9th Zil Hajj is that these two Salaat have to be performed behind the Imaam. The combination is not valid if performed by groups in their tents. Q. Is it permissible for Hanafis to follow a Shaafi' Imaam in Witr Salaat during Ramadhaan? If the Imaam is a Hanafi, can Shaafi's follow in the Witr? Is there any difference in the Musjids in Makkah and Madina (the Haramain)? A. It is not permissible for a Hanafi to follow a Shaafi' Imaam in Witr. The reason for the prohibition are: (a) The Shaafi makes niyyat of Sunnat whereas for the Hanafi it is Waajib. (b) The Shaafi performs two and one raka'ts separately, i.e. with two Salaams whereas this is not permissible for Hanafis. This ruling applies in all Musaajid, even in the Haramain Musjids. It is permissible for the Shaafi' to follow the Hanafi in Witr since three raka'ts performed by the Wasl method is valid. Q. When does Takbeer Tashreek commence for followers of the Maaliki Math-hab? A. According to the Maaliki Math-hab, Takbeer Tashreeq begins on the 10th after Zuhr Salaat and continues for a total of 15 Fardh Salaat, ending after the Fajr Salaat on the 13th. According to the Hanafi Math-hab, it is a total of 23 Salaat, from after Fajr of the 9th until after Asr of the 13th. Q. During the Gaza crisis people have been gathering in Musjids to recite khatam of Surah Yaaseen in congregation. Is this a Sunnat practice during calamities? A. The collective recitation of Yaaseen Shareef after Isha for the ostensible purpose of making dua for the afflicted Palestinian Muslims is another trick of the nafs to divert people from the Sunnah, to implicate them into bid'ah and to appease their taste for riya. There is no such practice in the Sunnah. Although Dua-e-Qunoot was recited by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), he did it only once in his lifetime. It was not a standard practice among the Sahaabah. Furthermore, due to the riya nowadays being dominant, especially in the imams who conduct the Dua-e-Qunoot, Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (rahmatullah alayh) discouraged even Dua-e-Qunoot. He was of the view – and that is our view too – that those who are genuinely concerned and sincere, should perform Salaat individually and make dua in silence for the removal of the calamity. Nowadays even ibaadat is transformed into a pantomime show. Q. In some Musajid, the imaam has a bayaan or tafseer programme immediately after the Fardh Salaat. Many musallis feel prevented from engaging in Sunnat and Nafl Salaat after the Fardh. The custom prevails on them to sit and listen to the talk. Please comment. A. The practice of having ta'leem immediately after Fardh thus delaying the Sunnatul Muakkadah, is another bid'ah. Musallis are under no obligation to sit and listen to the talk. After Fardh, they should become involved with their Sunnat and Nafl Salaat. So-called learned people are introducing one bid'ah after the other. It is indeed quite lamentable to observe that while the Ahl-e-Barelwi have put a hold on their bid'ah practices, that is, they do not create new ones, rather they adhere to their meelaad, urs, etc. our own molvis of Deoband are today in the forefront introducing one bid'ah after another. They are beginning to surpass the Barelwis in the profession of bid'ah. Q. My wife has custody of our minor children. Is it permissible for her to take the children for a holiday to another town without my consent? A. Although the mother has custody rights of the minor children until a certain age, the father remains the guardian. She may not decide any issue of the children without the father's knowledge. It is not permissible for the mother to take the children out of the town without their father's consent. All matters pertaining to the children have to be regulated by the father. The mother has custody of the boy child until the age of 7 years, and of the girl child until she reaches 10 years. After these ages the custody is the right of the father. Q. Which Surahs are described as the Musabbihaat? Is it Sunnat to recite these Surahs on Thursday night? A. The Musabbihaat are seven Surahs beginning with Tasbeeh: Bani Israaeel, Hadeed, Hashr, Saff, Jumuah, Taghaabun and A'la. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) would recite these Surahs at night time of any day, not specifically Thursday night. Q. Some people when going into Sajdah and when rising from Sajdah slide their hands on the floor. Is it proper? A. Sliding the hands on the ground is Makrooh. Q. When giving a poor person Zakaat, is it necessary to inform him that the money is Zakaat? A. It is not necessary to inform the poor Muslim of the kind of money. Only when giving the money to him make the intention that it is Zakaat or Sadqah of whatever type of money it happens to be. Q. Is it permissible for me, a prisoner, to recite silently in Fajr, Maghrib and Isha to avoid annoying my non-Muslim cellmate? A. When one is a munfarid (i.e. performing Salaat alone), then it is permissible to recite silently in even the Jahri Salaat. You may recite silently in the cell since you are not performing Salaat in jamaa't. Q. Instead of sitting in Tashahhud in the second raka't of the two raka'ts Sunnats of Maghrib, I went into Qiyaam and realized my error after completing the third raka't. Was I supposed to end the Salaat after the third raka't and make Sajdah Sahw or add another raka't to make it four? What should one do if one realizes the error before completing the third raka't? A. If you completed the third raka't of the two Sunnats of Maghrib with Sajdah, then you should have added another raka't to make it four, then make Sajdah Sahw. If while engaged in the third raka't the musalli remembers, then he should immediately sit down, recite Tashahhud, make Sajdah Sahw and complete the Salaat. Q. When I was about 12 years old I stole about R30 of items from Pick & Pay? How should I make amends to release me from this obligation? A. Buy a postal order of R30. Make it payable to Pick & Pay, then post it to them with a covering letter explaining that while you were still a minor you had stolen items worth R30. You being a Muslim are compelled by Islam to repay the owner for the stolen items, hence you are sending the R30. Don't provide your name and address. Q. If a R100 note is exchanged for 20 R5 coins, is it necessary for the transaction to be hand to hand? A. Yes, all transactions involving money have to be compulsorily cash – hand to hand. If it is not cash, it will be a riba deal. Q. Is there a basis in the Shariah for distributing popcorn and sweets to the poor on 13th Safar? Also, it is believed that on 13th Safar, charity should be given to menfolk. A. The beliefs/practices of giving charity specifically on 13th Safar and Sadqah 'on the menfolk', and the popcorn/sweet custom are all baseless acts of bid'ah. It is not permissible to uphold such baseless, un-Islamic practices. Charity should be given all year around, whatever one can afford and whatever one wishes. Q. A person owns a franchise business selling only halaal products. The franchisor demands 12% of turnover every month regardless of how high the other overheads are. When a franchise business is purchased, the franchise agreement is signed. This agreement stipulates the 12% franchise fee; that one will disclose all takings; certain items have to be purchased exclusively from them. Is it permissible to falsify the turnover to show a lower figure so that a lower amount be paid as the fee? Will it be permissible to buy stock from elsewhere despite the agreement? A. The whole agreement from beginning to end is baatil and haraam. The 12% franchise fee is haraam riba. The stock stipulation is haraam and invalid. The franchisor is not entitled to a cent. It is permissible to 'falsify' the figures. In terms of the Shariah it will not be falsification. On the contrary it will be concealing one's assets from a robber. It is permissible to purchase stock elsewhere. Q. My ex-wife and I own the marital house jointly. She had abandoned the marital home. After some months I gave her Talaaq. I continued living in the house. Now after two years she is demanding rental for her portion of the house which I had occupied. What is the Shariah's ruling? A. She has no claim for past rent since there was no rental agreement. An agreement has to be made. You will then be liable for rent from the time the agreement is made. After you divorced her, you had occupied her portion of the house unjustly. Your occupation is tantamount to usurpation. You should make a compromise settlement and pay her a sum for your wrongful occupation although according to the Shariah she has no legal right to claim monetary compensation for your occupation. Q. Is Zakaat payable on fixed property acquired for deriving an income by renting it out? A. Zakaat is not paid on fixed property which has been procured for rental income. Zakaat is paid on the income if it is intact or on whatever remains of it at the end of the Zakaat year. If the income has been used up, Zakaat is not payable on it. Q. Is Zakaat payable on fixed property which is bought for reselling at a profit? A. Zakaat is payable on fixed property purchased with the express intention of reselling it for profit. Q. A radio mufti once said over the air that it is permissible to fantasize about women. He sees nothing wrong with such lustful imagination. What is the Shariah's viewpoint? A. Fantasizing about women is described as zina of the mind and heart. It darkens the heart and ruins the good effect of ibaadat. One becomes guilty of the sin of zina by such haraam fantasizing. A Muslim should keep his mind and heart pure. Never should the mind and heart be corrupted with moral filth. Radio 'muftis' have to find justification for their daily philandering in their co-sex studios. They are first in the row of ulama-e-soo'. Q. Is it permissible to eat swiftlet nest? Swiftlet is a type of bird which lives in caves. It makes its nest from its own salivary secretion. The sticky secretion is made by the birds into a nest. In the West it is known as edible bird's nest. A. It is not permissible to eat this substance. Q. A Muslim lawyer promises his Muslim client that he will not charge him any fees. After some months he sends him an account which he pays. Later, after the court case, the lawyer sends another account reflecting an exorbitant amount. With great dissatisfaction the client settles this account. Should the lawyer refund all the fees? A. If the lawyer had agreed and promised not to charge fees, then it was not permissible for him to demand any fees from the client. He is answerable to Allah Ta'ala for violating his promise. But when the client paid the account without even raising objections, he implied his agreement. He voluntarily paid the money which has now become the property of the lawyer. He may not now demand a refund. If the lawyer had indeed made the promise, then morally he should refund the money. But there is consensus of entire mankind – Muslim and non-Muslim – that the moral domain does not exist in the realm where lawyers operate. It is therefore futile to pursue the moral angle. Legally the lawyer does not have to refund the money since it was given to him by the client. Q. Muslim parents send their children – boys and girls – to so-called Islamic secular schools knowing well that there is the danger of dilution of Imaan. Please comment. A. Muslims nowadays are lost in their drunken stupor of worldly pursuits and are totally oblivious of life's purpose, of the imminent Maut and Aakhirah. Some of these lost and miserable parents find their eyes rudely opened only when their daughter runs off with some male animal or some creature of another species. But most parents are prepared for not only the dilution of Imaan, but for the total ruin of their children's morals and extermination of their Imaan as long as they achieve their ghastly worldly objectives. We are living in times about which Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that the concern will no longer be halaal and haraam. As long as the boodle and the dunya comes, people will be satisfied, be it via halaal or haraam avenues. They will just not be bothered. As long as their daughter becomes some type of weird 'professional', it is acceptable although in the run up to this satanic attainment she indulges in zina on a daily basis, year in and year out. May Allah Ta'ala save us from brains corrupted and destroyed by the touch of shaitaan. Q. A man settles his account in full to his creditors via his attorney. The attorney was instructed to pay the creditors immediately. However, this deceitful attorney keeps the money for 30 months earning interest on it for himself. He pays the creditors only after 30 months. Who is responsible for paying Zakaat on this amount? A. No one is responsible. There is no Zakaat payable on this amount since the outstanding debt offsets it. The attorney is guilty of a grave sin. The interest is haraam for him. Q. Are sexual relations with the wife permissible during pregnancy? If permissible, until when? A. It is permissible. There is no time limit specified. Q. A person said that he will give me $100. He deposits the money into my banking account. Will the hibah (gift) be valid? Is the money in my account a valid 'qabdhah' (possession)? A. The hibah is taam. The gift is valid. You have taken possession of it once its in your account. Q. A man 'married' (in court) his step-aunt. The step aunt is his mother's step-sister. His mother and the step-sister are of the same father. Is this marriage valid in Islam? A girl was born to this couple. What are the consequences if the marriage is not valid? A. The consequences of this haraam invalid adulterous relationship are horrible. This relationship is worse than an adulterous union of two strangers or between a Muslim and a non-Muslim. It is an absolutely revolting and repugnant relationship in which a man cohabits with his own 'mother' – his mother's sister. The step-aunt is exactly like a full-blooded aunt. The father of both is the same man. All legal consequences of an adulterous relationship are applicable to this relationship. Morally this relationship is worse than other adulterous relationships. The question of marriage simply does not arise. Nikah is not valid. Q. There appears to be a global trend of women clamouring to attend Musaajid for Salaat and other social activities. The new brand Molvis in our country are also encouraging this trend. They encourage women to emulate the example of the 'liberated' women of Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, etc. This growing trend is evidenced by the incremental process of Muslims in South Africa providing facilities to accommodate ladies when constructing Musaajid. Muslims no longer view this as a violation of the Shariah. Please comment on this state of affairs. A. The global trend of fisq and fujoor (vice and immorality) while distressing is not surprising. It is only to be expected. The predictions of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) have to materialize. Qiyaamah has to take place. The increase in fisq and fujoor is relative to the closeness of Qiyaamah. These trends of immorality in the Muslim community have not been introduced by modernists nor by the females. The evil which is wracking the Ummah is the machination of the ulama-e-soo' who are the propounders and fabricators of vice in our times. Hence Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) himself said that the time will dawn when the 'ulama will be the worst of mankind under the sky'. Thus, the closer we move towards the confines of Qiyaamah, the greater will be the increment in female exhibitionism, female lewdism, female emergence from the holy precincts of the home, female nudity, female participation in activities which Islam has demarcated for only males and female immodesty until the stage is reached when Arab women will be "gyrating with their buttocks around idols" – Hadith. An apt punishment for these ulama -e-soo' who entice and lure women from out of their homes to attend the Musaajid for Salaat, thikr and other haraam activities is to bury them alive, and the pits to be filled with stones, not sand. They have destroyed themselves and they have destroyed the Ummah. Q. Some people believe that if musallas are left open at home, jinn will use them. They therefore believe that the musalla after use should be folded up or at least one corner be folded. Is this a valid belief? A. This belief of folding the musalla to prevent jinns from using it is baseless. There is no reality for this belief. Q. People are increasingly coming to Musjid wearing Bermuda pants. They contend that the pants are well below the knees and high above the ankles. They therefore feel that it is proper to perform Salaat with this type of pants. Is it permissible? A. It is Makrooh Tahrimi (sinful and forbidden) to perform Salaat attired with this kuffaar dress style. Below the knees and above the ankles are to the only requisites of an Islamic dress. Firstly, it is haraam to adopt a non-Muslim fashion dress. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that he who emulates a nation is of them. This type of pants is a style of the non -Muslims. It is therefore not permissible to wear it even outside Salaat. Will a man wear his wife's pants and dress in Salaat and out of Salaat? If the argument in favour of Bermuda pants is valid, then to a greater extent will a Muslim female's dress be permissible for a Muslim man. After all, the common denominator between them is Imaan while there is no common factor between the Muslim and the non-Muslim. But Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that a woman who emulates the dress style of males is accursed and vice versa. The curse applies to a greater degree when the dress style is of aliens. Salaat performed with such Makrooh Tahrimi garments should be compulsorily repeated attired in descent Islamic dress. Q. Some years ago a man migrated from his home-country and settled in South Africa. In his country he left a wife and several children. In South Africa he married again and had children. Many years have passed since his death. The family in South Africa has had no contact whatsoever with the family in the other country. The South African family is selling the property of the deceased. Do they have to share the money with the family in the other country? A. Yes, they have to compulsorily share with them. The Shariah's Law of inheritance will apply. One eighth of the assets of the deceased has to be equally shared by the two wives. The remaining seven eighths have to be distributed among both sets of children. Each son shall receive twice the share of a daughter. If the deceased was survived by parents, then they too will inherit. Q. There is an organization, The Palestine Solidarity Alliance, which organized protest meetings and marches to express solidarity with the Palestinian Muslims. The organization consists of members of all religions. Ulama also participated. Is it permissible to join in the protest meetings of this organization? A. Every facet of the Muslim's life is regulated by the Shariah. Several haraam factors are the essential ingredients of these types of protest meetings. Total violation of Hijaab, photography, music, prancing, dancing and other acts of futility which are alien to and in conflict with Islam adorn this type of non-Muslim protest action. It suits non-Muslims, not Muslims. Our goals and paths are divergent. Molvis and sheikhs who participate in such haraam activities are in reality members of Jamiatul Juhala (Council of Ignoramuses). Our solidarity with our suffering brothers and sisters is expressed in silent dua in seclusion. Q. Zaid buys and sells cellphones. Bakr offers him a phone for R1,000. Zaid, before buying the phone, offers it to Amar for R2,000. Amar agrees to buy it. Zaid then purchases the phone from Bakr, and presents it to Amar who pays him (Zaid) for the phone. Is this sale permissible? A. The transaction is permissible. It should be noted that the sale transaction came into being and was effected at the time when Zaid handed the phone to Amar and he in turn paid Zaid the R2,000. The sale was not transacted at the time when Amar had agreed to buy the not-yet acquired phone. Therefore, if Amar refuses to buy the phone when Zaid presents it to him, Zaid will have no case against him. Amar cannot be compelled to buy the phone despite the initial agreement which was a promise, not a sale transaction. At that juncture, Zaid did not own the phone, hence the question of selling it did not develop. One may sell only items which one owns and which are in one's possession. Q. A baby died one hour after birth. Is Aqeeqah necessary? A. Aqeeqah is Masnoon on the seventh day. Since there was no baby on the seventh day, Aqeeqah will not be necessary. Q. Sausage casings from Australia are being used by butchers here in Johannesburg. The suppliers (in Johannesburg) are a Muslim company. Is it permissible to consume sausages in which these Australian casings are used? A. All imported sausage casings are haraam. In fact almost all local sausage casings are also haraam. In Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere, there exists the same problem which we are encountering here in South Africa. Sanha-type carrion-halaalizers in the other countries perform the same haraam function of certifying haraam meats. Abstain from consuming sausages having animal casings unless you are absolutely sure that the casings are halaal. Q. I am suffering from Erectile Dysfunction. Is it permissible to take medication to rectify the problem? A. We do not know what type of malady 'Erectile Dysfunction' is. If this is a sickness / disease, then obviously medication is permissible. What is your doubt? Q. A treatment to save my eyesight is manufactured from animal adrenal glands. Is it permissible to take this injection to help save my eyesight? A. If no halaal remedy / medication is available, then only will the haraam medication be permissible. Q. In a hadith it is mentioned that there are 8 Names of Allah Ta'ala on the surface of the sun. Are these Names known? A. While the Hadith mentions this fact, the 8 names are not mentioned. The Hadith refers to a supplication (dua) made for one's needs via the waseelah (medium/agency) of "Your eight names inscribed on the brim of the sun". The Names are not individually stated. Q. Is it true that a jinn can cohabit with a human being? A. Yes, this is true. It is possible. Q. Are jinn able to adopt human and animal forms? A. Yes, they are able to appear in the forms of human beings and animals. Q. There is a story about a jinn who had acquired the miraculous ring of Nabi Sulaimaan (alayhis salaam). He had assumed the appearance of Nabi Sulaimaan (alayhis salaam), then went to occupy the Nabi's throne. Is this story authentic? A. It is a baseless story fabricated by the Yahood. Q. Some people believe that after death the soul visits its earthly home. Is this an authentic belief of Islam? A. This belief is baseless. The abode of the pure souls during the stage of Barzakh is a place called Illiyeen, and the abode of the evil souls is Sijjeen. They do not visit the houses which were their homes on earth. (Barzakh is the life after death and before Qiyaamah.) Q. I stole a sum of money from my friend with whom I was living. He died a few years ago. I am very worried about this obligation. I tried to give the money to his wife and children and explained to his wife that I had borrowed the money from her husband. However, the wife refused to accept it because her husband had married another woman and had deserted her. Even the children refused to accept the money. I have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the second wife. Now how do I make amends? A. If you completely fail in persuading his family to accept the money, then give it as Sadqah on his behalf, and repent for your sin. Q. If no male is available at the time of birth to recite the Athaan in the baby's ear, what should be done? A. If a male is not available, then a female too may recite the Athaan and Takbeer in the baby's ears. Even the mother may recite it. Q. In Qiyaamah will people be called by the names of their fathers or mothers. I have heard conflicting versions. A. According to some Hadith narrations, they will be called by their mothers' names, e.g. Abdullah the son of Aaminah. The reason for this is to save illegitimate offspring from embarrassment. Q. The mayyit (deceased) was buried without ghusl. What is the Shariah's ruling? A. Janaazah Salaat should be performed at his graveside as long as decomposition of the body has not commenced. Experienced people will more or less know when this process begins. Q. When the Imaam is on the mimbar and the Muath-thin recites the Athaan (i.e. then second Athaan, should the musallis respond to the Azaan? A. They should not reply with lip-movement. They may reply without moving their lips and tongues. Q. A divorced woman is flagrantly involved in extra marital relationships. She observes no purdah whatsoever. She conducts herself like a prostitute. Is it still the duty of her adult son to financially maintain her. The son is in a dilemma. She misuses the money he gives her. Due to her evil conduct, does the son have the right to sever ties with his mother? A. It is not permissible for him to sever ties with his mother regardless of her immorality. She is his mother. He may not disrespect her. It remains his Waajib obligation to maintain her. He should always give her naseehat with respect and humility, and make dua for her reformation. But he has to maintain good ties with her. Q. I have a franchise outlet for which I pay the franchisor 12% royalty on my turnover. I have been told that franchise fees are haraam. May I pay the haraam fees with interest money which I am receiving on my savings in the bank? A. Franchise fees are extortion and haraam. Such fees are in the category of riba. It is not permissible to enter into this type of haraam agreement. Since you are trapped in it, you may pay the 12% haraam royalty with the haraam interest. When the agreement expires, you should not renew it. Q. A woman found out that her husband had touched the breasts of her 12 year old daughter by a previous marriage. He would watch her taking a shower, and once he entered and touched her breasts. After these incidents he had divorced his wife. He is very remorseful and has repented. Both of them wish to reconcile. I have been told that marriage with him is no longer valid. However, a certain Mufti says that "this depends on the level of his sexual excitement (at the time when he had touched her breasts) as reflect by the extent of the erection………and also on whether he ejaculated." What is the proper ruling of the Shariah? A. The Mufti has erred. The 'level of sexual excitement' and 'ejaculation' are not conditions for the invalidity of marriage. Nikah of this couple will be invalid irrespective of level of sexual excitement and regardless of whether there was no ejaculation. Hurmat-e-Musaaharah was established when the man with his bare hands touched the bared breasts of his wife's daughter. We fail to understand where the Mufti acquired the ejaculation and level of sexual excitement conditions from. Nikah is never permissible in this case. The woman too is not thinking straight. She is overwhelmed by nafsaani emotion which blurs the intelligence. It is abhorrent for a woman to be the 'wife' of a man who has acted with such abomination towards her daughter. Anyhow, Nikah is just not valid any more. She has to banish the idea from her mind. In The Majlis, Vol.18 No.11 in the Questions & Answers section on page 4 in the fourth column was mentioned: Aayat 19 Surah Ash-Shuraa in the 20th Juz. Surah Ash-Shuraa is in the 25th Juz, not in the 20th Juz. SANHA'S PORK DEFENCE Q. SANHA explains its PORK saga as follows: An error in the labelling had occurred at the spice company certified by Sanha. The company which is certified by Sanha had 'formulated a pork spice blend for their customers'. Although it was a blend of 'pork spice', Sanha says that "the components did not contain any Haraam ingredients". Nevertheless, Sanha concedes that that "it was a breach of contract" because of the "pork connotation". Similarly, 'rum and raisin' ice-cream is also a breach of contract. "Corrective" action was instituted by Sanha and the company had apologized for the 'halaal' PORK. The 'halaal' PORK packaging was subsequently destroyed. The 'halaal' PORK was "a genuine error" A. An 'error' of this nature –'halaal' PORK – further exhibits the danger and evil of the 'halaal' certificate trade. There was no 'genuine error'. The company had by deliberate design guided by their policy of maximum profits, "formulated the PORK spice for their customers". It is not so simple to fob off this grave issue by claiming that "it was a genuine error"; the company had apologized and that the 'halaal' PORK packaging was destroyed. What is extremely disconcerting is that due to the confounded evil haraam 'halaal' certificate scam, Muslims, not only in South Africa, but all over the world have been fed 'halaal' PORK on the strength of the haraam 'halaal' certificates. Elsewhere in these pages you will read of the story of 'halaal' PORK kebabs. And, this haraam PORK kebab corruption was not discovered by Muslims. Non-Muslim food inspectors discovered it and brought it to the notice of the public. This type of 'genuine error' is an ever recurring process. Muslims have been fed PORK or Sanha-type 'halaal' PORK even in Saudi Arabia because of the existence of these shaitaani haraam 'halaal authorities' whose sole goal in life is the haraam riba boodle. This kind of "genuine error" is surfacing all over the world where kuffaar meat products are halaalized. "Halaal" PORK has been advertised in Malaysia. There was 'halaal' PORK in Jeddah last year. A couple of years ago Kuwait blocked a whole shipload of imported meat because it contained 'halaal' PORK. Several types of PORK kebab are presently marketed as 'halaal' in England. This is merely what has surfaced. What lies hidden is a dimension of profound proportions. It is humanly impossible to adequately police the thousands of kuffaar companies who market their meat products 'halaal'. Furthermore, the 'halaal authorities' while operating under religious guise are mercenaries in and out. Their brains are moulded by the haraam boodle extorted from reluctant businessmen. The irregularities and discrepancies are constantly occurring. Much of the malpractices and irregularities are concealed and buried under mountains of carrion chickens. SANHA is an expert at sweeping rotten information under the carpet or mountain of its carrion Rainbow-Carpet, Early Bird and other haraam carrion-chickens. Even when Ulama had informed Sanha that Rainbow Chickens are haraam – Ulama who were members of Sanha – then too this eternally miserable miscegnated hybrid haraam 'halaal authority' denied the truth with unprecedented arrogance. The company's apology serves no constructive purpose. It may soothe Sanha's badly jarred nerves caused by carrion-chicken paranoia. The only constructive action is to close the haraam 'halaal' certificate industry which has destroyed the inherent inhibition which Muslims once upon a time had for meat products stocked and sold by non-Muslims. Now pork and vark are all in the 'halaal' game. As long as the varkvleis has a confounded 'halaal' sticker, Muslims will consume it. Was the company not aware that it would be breaching its contract by advertising 'halaal' PORK? Remember, it had to specially "formulate" the VARK spice for its customers. It was no 'genuine error' as Sanha wishes the stupid laity to believe. The formulation of Sanha-approved 'halaal' PORK spice was a premeditated breach of contract which the company hoped would escape attention. It was not a case of an erroneous marking or labelling. Hundreds of thousands of PORK packets had to be printed. It was a long process. The fact that Sanha's phantom inspectors did not detect all the introductory steps leading up to the final PORK product speaks volumes for SANHA's lack of inspection and supervision of the plants and outlets it certifies for the riba boodle. If some member of the community did not discover this grave irregularity, it would simply have been swept under the mountain of rotten, diseased, haraam carrion chickens which Sanha halaalizes. Why could Sanha not discover the PORK PLOT prior to its materialization? If Sanha had an honest and diligent system of inspection and supervision, never would the company have had the time and opportunity to market VARK spice as 'halaal'. Sanha's 'carrionated' skin is not saved nor is Sanha absolved of blame with its averment of there being no haraam ingredients in the PORK spice. The name 'PORK' is sufficient to render it haraam. SANHA's defence is PORK nonsense. Its defence is rejected. Sanha is not exculpated from the charge of halaalizing PORK spice irrespective of there being no 'other haraam ingredients'. For the substance to be haraam. It is sufficient that it is dubbed PORK SPICE. The cogs in the axis of this vile 'halaal' certificate trade are PORK, VARK, CARRION AND LIQUOR. Q. According to the Hadith, children should be induced to perform Salaat from the age of seven years. How do we introduce them to Salaat. Should we tell them to perform one Namaaz daily and gradually increase till they perform all five by 10 years? A. A child in a Muslim home – in a home where parents perform Salaat punctually and regularly – is introduced to Salaat long before – years before he/she reaches seven years. When children are six years of age they are sent to secular school. How do you introduce them to this cold life outside the home where they are alienated from parental love and Deeni tarbiyat? Do you 'gradually' get them accustomed to leave home at 7 in the morning whether it is cold or hot or raining? Do they attend and absent themselves from secular school at whim and fancy and gradually get into the rut of regular school attendance? Six year old boys and girls are sent to secular school – many of them crying. They are rudely plucked out from their homes of affection and warmth and forcibly sent into cold schools into morally hostile and spiritually destructive environments where they are drilled in fisq and fujoor, and alienated from their parents. Parents, aiding in the moral and spiritual ruin of their six year old children, ensure that the kids settle immediately into the new rut which kufr society has ordained for them. The question of 'gradually' getting them accustomed to school and remaining in the secular prisons for six hours or more every day, does not develop in the minds of parents. They unquestionably submit to the commands and indoctrination of secularism. But when Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) ordered that the child be introduced to Salaat at the age of seven years, there develops a conundrum which shaitaan portrays as being insoluble. A variety of 'rational' arguments is presented to prevent the child from performing the 5 daily Salaat regularly and punctually. All of this rationalism is satanism. In the Muslim home, the three year old child of its own accord imitates his/her parents and playfully executes the postures of Salaat. By the time the Muslim child is five or six years old, he/she performs Salaat with reasonable aptitude. By the age of seven the child is a regular performer of the five daily Salaat. The question of introducing the child to Salaat, and that too once a day, at the age of seven does not arise at all. By the age of seven your school-going child dressed kufr-smartly in uniform and carrying 'academic' text books MUST be in the habit of performing the five daily Salaat. There is no excuse for any shortcoming in this regard. The moment the child returns home, it is the Waajib duty of the parents to ensure that the child first performs Zuhr Salaat, then do whatever has to be done. When the mother performs Salaat, she must ensure that her children are with her. Alternatively, after she has completed her Salaat, then more important than engagement in other household activity, is that she supervises her children's Salaat. She should instruct them to perform Salaat and keep them under observation for the duration of the Salaat, all the time correcting their errors. The age of ten years is the dangerous limit. If by this age the child does not voluntarily perform Salaat five times a day of his/her own accord, then he/she is under shaitaan's spell, hence Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) ordered beating to break the satanic spell. RASULULLAH (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) prohibited the infliction of slow agonizing killing of animal. Killing animals in this satanic manner was described by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) as Shareetatush Shaitaan. Hadhrat Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu anhu) said: "Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) forbade (the act of) shareetatush shaitaan." The narrator, Ibn Isaa explaining what this is, said: "It is to cut the skin without severing the (neck) vessels, then to leave the animal until it dies." This haraam satanic act of mutilation and slow-death is inflicted on countless, in fact millions of chickens. This is one of the prime reasons why the haraam 'halaal authorities' are so petrified for an independent, unannounced, sudden inspection which will reveal the malpractices attendant to the haraam slaughtering system. The satanic practice of Shareetatush Shaitaan is widely practised in all commercially chicken-killing factories. WHILE THE BRUTAL massacre of Muslims in Gaza continues unabated, while even the non-Muslim President of Venuzuella, Mr. Chavez has expelled the Israeli ambassador and roundly condemned the brutal aggression and genocide committed by Israel, there is a deafening and an ominous silence by all rulers, kings and governments of Muslim states. Muslims are wondering: "Where are the governments and armies of the Arab and other Muslim states in this dire hour of need?" While this deafening silence highlights the indefensible and humiliating incongruities of the governments of all Arab and Muslim states, the conundrum underlying this despicable, callous and treacherous attitude and obsequious submission to Israel's brutal massacre is that all rulers and governments of the Muslim countries are murtaddeen. They are not Muslims, hence even the kuffaar nationalist Arab states abhor Hamas which is fighting from an Islamic platform. Declaring the kufr of the rulers of Muslim states, the Qur'aan states: "Those who do not rule according to that (Shariah) which Allah has revealed, verily they are kaafiroon." The Shariah has been totally abolished by the governments of all Muslim countries. It is for this reason that the rulers of all Muslim states plot the destruction of Hamas, and with their silence they have disappeared from the scene. LIKE INSAAN (the human being), animals too have souls. They are sentient creatures, experiencing all the physical and emotional states and conditions of human beings. Pain, fear, grief, pleasure, etc., are common to man and animal. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has therefore commanded compassion when the need arises to slaughter an animal. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: * "He who shows mercy even if he slaughters a bird, Allah will be merciful to him on the Day of Qiyaamah."(Kanzul Ummaal) * "If you have mercy on a goat when slaughtering it, Allah will have mercy on you." (Kanzul Ummaal) Shaddaad Bin Aus (radhiyallahu anhu) said: "I have remembered two things from Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). He said: 'Verily, Allah has ordained Ihsaan (kindness/mercy) for everything. Therefore when you kill, kill mercifully, and when you slaughter, slaughter mercifully, and the one who slaughters should sharpen his knife and deal humanely with the animal." – Al-Mabsoot Imaam Sarakhsi (Muslim, Ibn Majah, Nisaai') Hadhrat Shaddaad Bin Aus (radhiyallahu anhu) did not remember only these two commands of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). He mentioned these two acts by way of emphasis to highlight the importance of mercy when killing/slaughtering becomes necessary. Hadhrat Ibn Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) narrated that Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) commanded that the knife be sharpened and concealed from the animal, and that the slaughterer should make haste when slaughtering. (Ibn Majah). Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "He who is not merciful, mercy will not be shown to him." The Islamic system of Thabah is the most merciful system. There is no system of killing animals which could be compared with the system of Thabah. Every act, from the beginning, to the end of the process, is conditioned with mercy and Insaaniyat (Humanity). This essential requisite of Ihsaan (mercy/ kindness), observance of which is Waajib, is totally discarded from the kuffaar system which Muslims in this era have accepted, and which the haraam 'halaal authorities' have elevated above the Islamic system, and which even senior muftis have approved in direct conflict with the Command of Nabi-e-Kareem (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Every aspect of the Islamic system of Thabah is incumbent and non-negotiable. Not a single act of this Divine System may be compromised to accommodat e Rainbo w Chickens or any of the other myriad of chicken-torture facilities which SANHA has halaalized. SANHA officials should search for halaal avenues of employment for their food even if they have to cut grass and wash cars. But selling the Shariah so despicably and torturing Allah's creatures so horrendously are totally unacceptable and haraam. The haraam 'halaal' certificate industry must shut down. FOOD FOR THE HARAAM 'HALAAL AUTHORITIES' – IN PARTICULAR FOR THE FLAGSHIP 'SANHA' "Officers from 76 UK councils sampled 494 kebabs to test their nutritional value, during the Local Authority Cordinators of Regulatory Services (Lacors) study. Among the kebabs samples – without salad or sauces – the average doner contained 98% of an adult's recommended daily salt and 148% of their daily saturated fat allowance. Some 35% of the labels listed a different meat species than that actually found in the kebab. Six kebabs were even found to include pork when it had not been declared as an ingredient. Two of the six had the audacity to be described as Halaal. Mr. Theobald of Lacors, said it was "totally unacceptable" that people with certain faiths were unknowingly eating meats that were against their beliefs." The Star (January 29, 2008) reported: "Pork found in 'Halaal' kebabs: Some kebabs sold as Halaal – suitable for Muslims – were even found to contain pork, which is banned by the faith. …..Alarmingly, six kebabs tested positive for pork when it was not declared as an ingredient." While this report may be surprising and revolting to many Muslims, it is old hat – well known to the illegitimate Haraam 'halaal authorities', and well concealed under mountains of carrion which they market as 'halaal'. The ummah has been devouring haraam carrion, even pork, under the aegis of the haraam 'halaal' certificate industry which these miserable, treacherous, mercenary and shaytaani haraam 'halaal authorities' operate. SHARIAH. THESE HARAAM BROILER CARRION CHICKENS CAUSE LIVER CANCER, LUNG CANCER, SKIN CANCER AS WELL AS OTHER DISEASES. PROTECT YOUR IMAAN AND YOUR HEALTH BY ABSTAINING FROM THESE HARAAM BROILER CHICKEN CARRION CERTIFIED 'HALAAL' BY SANHA. YOGA IS HARAAM Yoga has been declared haraam by the Mujlisul Ulama of Indonesia (MUI). BBC NEWS reports: "The Council of Ulema (MUI) said exercises containing Hindu elements such as chanting were forbidden and could weaken the faith of Muslims. The move follows a similar ruling by the religious authorities in Malaysia." Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Verily, Allah has decreed mercy/kindness on everything. Therefore, when you kill, kill mercifully, and when you slaughter, then slaughter the animal merci- C fully." OMMENTING ON THIS Hadith, the following appears in Al-Furoo', Vol.6, page 285, as well as in other kutub of the Shariah: "Verily, according to this Hadith, Ihsaan (mercy/ kindness) is Waajib in all circumstances even at the time of taking the life of a human being or an animal. Ibn Hazam said: The Fuqaha unanimously say: 'Verily, mercy by the slaughterer with regard to the animal he slaughters is Waajib." Observance of Ihsaan (Kindness/Mercy) in the Islamic system of Thabah, is Waajib. Ihsaan is not 'mustahab' (optional and preferable) when slaughtering animals. Its importance could be gauged from Rasulullah's promise of Allah's mercy on the Day of Qiyaamah for the one who slaughtered a bird mercifully, and from the threat of the denial of Allah's mercy to the one who had not shown mercy, and from Hadhrat Umar's whipping a man who was sharpening the knife in the presence of the animal. This obligatory requisite has been totally abandoned. In fact, it is impossible to observe Ihsaan in the kuffaar system of killing. Every step in the non-Muslim process of slaughtering/murdering/torturing the animals is in conflict with Ihsaan. The chickens are subjected to cruel maltreatment from the very day they are hatched. The chickens are roughly handled. Suspended upside down, many by one leg, on a conveyor belt moving swiftly while the chickens are screaming and flapping in terror until all energy is drained from them, causing them to hang motionless in their pain. In this state of agitation, fear and terror an electrical shock is administered to subdue them. Then in this condition they move to the slaughter-pit at great speed – up to 180 chickens per minute. In this shocked state, the slaughterer slits the chicken's throat, and in numerous cases the required four neck vessels are not slit. Besides this improper slaughtering rendering the chickens haraam for consumption, only the chicken knows the pain it has to endure in consequence of this brutality and torture. When all the neck vessels commanded by the Shariah are not correctly severed, the pain impulses travel to the brain, defeating one of the most essential purposes of Shar'i Thabah. The haraam 'halaal authorities' assert that the electrical shocking process is reversible, and their senior mufti degenerated into ludicrousness by claiming that the electrical shots produce serenity, peace and calm in the chickens. In other words, the shocks do not kill the bird, and if slaughter does not take place quickly, the effect of the shock will disappear, restoring the full senses of the bird. On the basis of this assertion, the chicken which is improperly slaughtered, i.e. with one or two or three vessels remain uncut or only nipped, suffer immense pain as it is subjected to a death by slow-bleeding. If a human being is sentenced to death, will his execution by the chicken-killing method be 'humane'? Will it be a better system to execute the man by hoisting him on one leg, suspending him upside down in midair, administering an electrical shock to 'calm' and 'sedate' him, then move him swiftly on the conveyor belt to the slaughtering pit where a butcher will partially slit his throat in one second and immediately proceed to butcher the next man hanging on from a hook on the belt? There is a need to suspend these haraam organization officials upside down and shock them as they brutally do to the millions of Allah's makhlooq (creation). Whilst we know that this brutal treatment will not be meted out to them here on earth, they should understand that they will not escape this fate in Qiyaamah. Let them remember that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that Allah Ta'ala will reward with mercy on the Day of Qiyaamah a person who slaughtered even a bird mercifully. By the same token, these evil certifiers and approvers of haraam carrion will be hung upside down and be subjected to the horrendous torture which they have legalized for infliction on millions and millions of helpless creatures of Allah Ta'ala. A 'fatwa' of a senior mufti of SANHA, the haraam 'halaal' certifying body believes that shooting a 10 cm metal bolt into the skull of a cow and smashing its brains is a 'humane' act. This is the belief of the capitalist kuffaar whose motive in life is only money. Brains are not required to understand the horrific brutality of this cruel act. With such corrupt 'fatwas', SANHA seeks to outlaw the Islamic system of Thabah. With such bizarre 'fatwas' which are absolutely baseless and corrupt, SANHA dismisses Rasulullah's (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) command of Ihsaan as an order of no-significance. According to SANHA the methods of Thabah commanded by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) cannot be implemented in this modern age of money-making – haraam riba money-making in which the haraam 'halaal authorities' excel. Those who deny the Waajib command of Ihsaan and who believe that Ihsaan when slaughtering is impractical and that the divine command is redundant in this age lose their Imaan. Let them do some soul searching to understand the imperative need to repent and renew their Imaan. If decent Muslims should see with their own eyes the horrific cruelties which SANHA has halaalized' for perpetration on the chickens, we are sure no one will consume the haraam carrion chickens which are the products of horrendous cruelty. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Mercy will not be shown to those who are not merciful." Maut and Jahannum, are not far away. "Adopt your zeenat at the time of every musjid" (Surah A'raaf, aayat 31) IN THE context of this Qur'aanic verse, zeenat means garments of adornment (clothes) and musjid refers to Salaat. When the Muslim performs Salaat, he is in the presence of Allah Ta'ala more than what he is at other times. Hence according to the Hadith, one is closest to Allah Ta'ala when one is in the state of Sajdah (prostration). There a great variety of degrees – in fact limitless degrees – of Divine Proximity (Nearness to Allah). The Mu'min is closest to his Rabb during Salaat. Allah Ta'ala therefore has commanded that the musalli (the one performing Salaat) should be properly attired when he communes with his Rabb (Creator). While a Muslim has to be properly attired at all times, the emphasis is greater when he stands for Salaat. The Qur'aan and the Sunnah instruct the adoption of adornment for Salaat. Garments of adornment are such clothes which are regarded as Islamic dress. The garments should be loose-fitting so that the body's shape is not lewdly exhibited. It is incumbent to be dressed Islamically at all times, not only for Salaat purposes. This incumbency has greater emphasis with regard to Salaat. It is Makrooh Tahrimi (forbidden and sinful) to be dressed un-Islamically, i.e. with western or any other kuffaar garb. The Salaat performed while dressed un-Islamically is discharged defectively. It becomes obligatory to repeat the Salaat with Islamic attire. It is haraam to be dressed with jeans, T-shirt, bermuda pants, tight-fitting trousers, western shirt, garb with logos, and all types of non-Muslim dress when performing Salaat. There is no thawaab (reward) for Salaat performed with such haraam dress. Salaat performed in this disgraceful manner has to be compulsorily repeated. Although the Fardh obligation is discharged here on earth, the Salaat is rejected by Allah Ta'ala. Those who are not prepared to abandon their haraam dress styles should at least have mercy on themselves by saving their Salaat from ruin. At least when performing Salaat, ensure that you are dressed in a manner befitting the Divine Presence. "My suspicion, which is shared by others in my profession, is that the nearly 10,000 SIDS deaths that occur in the United States each year are related to one or more of the vaccines that are routinely given children. The pertussis vaccine is the most likely villain, but it could also be one or more of the others." Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, M. D. "Can you imagine the economic and political import of discovering that immunisations are killing thousands of babies." – Dr. Douglass M. D. "Only after realising that routine immunisations were dangerous did I achieve a substantial drop in infant death rates. The worst vaccine of all is the whooping cough vaccine. It is responsible for a lot of deaths and for a lot of infants suffering irreversible brain damage. In susceptible infants, it knocks their immune systems about, leading to irreparable brain damage, or severe attacks or even deaths from diseases like pneumonia or gastro -enteritis and so on." – Dr. Kalokerinos, M. D. "There is no evidence whatsoever of the ability of vaccines to prevent any diseases. To the contrary, there is a great wealth of evidence that they cause serious side effects. – Dr. Viera Scheibner "Jonas Salk, inventor of the IPV, testified before a Senate subcommittee that nearly all polio outbreaks since 1961 were caused by the oral polio vaccine." "Crib death" was so infrequent in the pre-vaccination era that it was not even mentioned in the statistics, but it started to climb in the 1950s with the spread of mass vaccination against diseases of childhood." --Harris L. Coulter, PhD "You cannot be in the presence of a profoundly vaccine damaged child and not know that child could be your own. And you cannot try to comfort a mother who has just buried a baby who has died from a vaccine or a disease and not know that you could be the one standing over the grave. When it happens to your child, the risks are 100 per cent. Vaccination is not necessary, not useful, does not protect. There are twice as many casualties from vaccination as from AIDS. " – Dr. Gerhard Buchwald, West Germany, specialist of internal diseases and participant in about 150 trials of vaccination victims. "Dr. Michael Odent has written a letter in the JAMA (1994) where his figures show a five times higher rate of asthma in pertussis immunised children compared to non-immunised children. He is also quoted in the International Vaccination Newsletter (Sept.1994): "Immunised children have more ear infections and spend more days in a hospital." "In the May 24, 1996, New Zealand Medical Journal, J. Barthelow Classen, MD, a former researcher at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the founder and CEO of Classen Immunotherapies in Baltimore, reported that juvenile diabetes increased 60 percent following a massive hepatitis B vaccination campaign for babies six weeks or older in New Zealand from 1988 to 1991. In the October 22, 1997, Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice, Classen showed that Finland's incidence of diabetes increased 147% in children under five after three new vaccines were introduced in the 1970s and that diabetes increased 40 % in children aged 5 to 9 after the addition of the MMR and Hib vaccines in the 1980s. He concluded that the rise in IDDM (juvenile onset diabetes) in the different age groups correlated with the number of vaccines given." THE FORDSBURG JAMIAT, calling itself 'Jamiatul Ulama', and labelled by us as THE NO NAME BRAND JAMIAT (NNB JAMIAT ) is by the day becoming incrementally dangerous for the Akhlaaq (Morals) and Imaan of the unsuspecting Muslim masses in the Gauteng area. This satanic body is headed by one Reverend Abraham Bham whose true identity has as yet not been exposed to all and sundry. This unfortunate soul has some sinister political agenda up his sleeve. His stupid and silly political activities which he attempts to conceal with a thin religious veneer smacks strongly of Nifaaq. His latest political stunt of jahaalat from which percolates Nifaaq is his 'Voter Registration' ruse and campaign which he is employing to ensare ignorant Muslims and to woo the authorities. This Reverend is hoping for some political gain, hence the munaafiq is deceitfully manipulating the name of the Jamiat to lure and entrap Muslims into kufr and haraam. Reverend Bham states in his pamphlet of khuraafaat that voting for a non-Muslim government is 'Wajib". He conveys the idea of Wujoob by producing a Qur'aanic aayat as his basis for exhorting Muslims to participate in a process of law-making which halaalizes abortion, same-sex 'marriages', gayism, homosexuality and a concoction of other kufr and evil. Just as his other surrogate brother, SANHA halaalizes haraam diseased carrion chickens, so too does this munaafiq 'christian' priest – the Reverend Abraham Bham – halaalize the kufr law-making system. While we all know that he has long ago sold his Imaan for his hidden political agenda, he is now attempting to create a community of murtaddeen to support him in his political pursuit. Allah Ta'ala declares in the Qur'aan Majeed: "Those who do not govern according to that (Shariah) which Allah has revealed, verily they are the kaafiroon." Since Reverend Bham has aligned himself with the 'kaafiroon', he is now determined to coerce ignorant and unwary Muslims to his religion of kufr. Thus he avers in his stupid pamphlet that it is the duty of Muslims to preserve democracy and that democracy is an investment for our future. He speaks stupidly of "our rainbow nation". He is plainly licking the toes of non-Muslim politicians to curry favour with them. He abortively tries to give Shar'i sanction for voting in the elections which have absolutely no truck with Islam. The Qur'aan Majeed does not accept the 'rainbow' concept of nations which this shaitaan in human form is propagating in his bid to achieve his sinister political goal. Allah Ta'ala says with great clarity in the Qur'aan: " We have created you. From you are Kaafir and from you are Mu'min." Allah Ta'ala has divided mankind into only two categories: Kaafir and Mu'min. There is no third category. There is no 'rainbow' nation in Islam. Muslims cannot be part of a system which advocates and promulgates immorality and kufr. Muslims cannot be associated with abortion, homosexuality, adultery, gay'ism and the host of other haraam legislation. While Muslims have to live as law-abiding citizens in the land, and refrain from treachery and treason, they are not permitted to become active participants in a process of haraam law-making. It is haraam for Muslims to answer the haraam call made by the Reverend Bham, the cross-worshipper who hides behind a Deeni façade like shaitaan lying in ambush to ensnare the unwary and the ignorant ones on whom his evil shadow falls. According to the Shariah there is no responsibility on Muslims to register as voters. The Reverend is guilty of trading a scandalous lie in the name of the Qur'aan. In diametric conflict and rejection of the Reverend's 'qur'anization' of participation in non-Muslim politics, the Qur'aan Majeed excommunicates such participants and brands them 'Kaafiroon' (Unbelievers), 'Faasiqoon' (Unbelieving Transgressors) and 'Zaalimoon' (Unbelieving Oppressors). Islam does not permit Muslims to become participants in any non-Muslim law-making process. All man-made systems of law are the antithesis of the divine Shariah which is the immutable Law of Allah Ta'ala. There appears to be something definitely sinister in Reverend Abraham Bham's political aspirations which he cunningly seeks to present to the Muslim community in the guise of the Shariah. He needs to be closely monitored. THE POLITICAL STUPIDITIES which Reverend Abraham Bham of the NNB Jamiat has been cunningly injecting into the Lenasia Muslim community by way of pamphlets of subtle kufr and by the pageantry of his church and interfaith participation display his esurience for aggrandizement and public acclaim. But his kufr political overtures which he cloaks with Qur'aanic aayaat indicate that this man, drunk with nafsaaniyat, is perhaps planning to participate in the coming elections as a candidate for parliament. If he has any such plot up his sleeve, Muslims should understand the Shar'i directive which they have to adopt. If circumstances do constrain Muslims to vote, it will not be permissible to vote for a Muslim candidate. The lesser of the two evils will be to vote for a non-Muslim candidate and for a political party who are sympathetic to Muslim causes and concerns. But to vote for a Muslim is not permissible. This prohibition is magnified when the candidate is a character of the Reverend's ilk who is capable of selling the community and Islam for 35 pieces of silver like the legendary or proverbial or bibilical Judas. The R35,000 'bribe' which the Reverend's NNB Jamiat (the Fordsburg Jamiat) accepted from Mr. Bush recently should not be forgotten. His operoseness in the exercise to show that voter registration in a non-Muslim political dispensation is a Qur'aanic obligation should induce in the Muslim community deep suspicion about his motives. We say to this Reverend: If you want to pursue a political agenda for the gratification of your political ambitions, then get out from the ulama fraternity; form or join some political party. Remove your mask of deception and nifaaq and just don't tamper with the Qur'aan, the Sunnah and the Shariah. Pursue the sinister designs of your political aspiration, but not at the expense of destroying the Imaan of unwary and unsuspecting Muslims. In your insane craving for political show you have misjudged the combustible combination of your nafsaani ambitions and the kufr you are extravasating from your gross mismanipulation and misinterpretation of the Qur'aan and Sunnah. The ultimate quotient of this dangerous combustion is Irtidaad. The path which the Reverend is offering Muslims is an exit from Islam. It is the road of everlasting damnation in the Aakhirah. Your extrapolation of Qur'aanic sanction for the attainment of your political ambitions is pure Satanism and Kufr which are concealed in the folds of nifaaq which is increasingly becoming apparent as the haze of your deception clears up. Rip of your mask of nifaaq and openly join a political party of your love. Then you can proceed with your political charade without any hiderance. Remember, Hadhrat Junaid Bagdhaadi (rahmatullah alayh) said: He who seeks izzat with baatil, Allah will impose zillat (disgrace) on him with the Haqq." Take heed of this naseehat. Don't wait for the time about which the Qur'aan states: "……..that Day when the hearts and eyes (of men) will be upturned." The reality of Maut, i.e. the Lesser Qiyaamah, is not a far off event. It stalks you every moment, and the Qabr calls you five times a day. Beware of your haraam nafsaani shenanigans with which you distort the Kalaam of Allah Azza Wa Jal. Allah Ta'ala warns you in His Kalaam: "What! Do they search for the law of Jaahiliyyah? And whose law is more beautiful than the Law of Allah for a people of Imaan?" In your mad desire for false glory and izzat which has constrained you to lick the boots of kufr, your have forgotten or perhaps you are ignorant of the Qur'aans declaration: "And, Izzat is only for Allah, for His Rasool and for the Mu'mineen. But the munaafiqeen do not know" (for they are stupid like the Reverend). "Garlic has been used traditionally as a natural antibiotic thought to protect against infection, to lower blood pressure, and to treat atherosclerosis, asthma, arthritis, cancer and circulatory problems. Allicin, SAC (S-Allyl-Cystine) and ajoene are the three active compounds found, in varying amounts, in fresh garlic…Ajoene appears to be an anti-blood clotting agent……. In this way garlic protects against heart disease and stroke. Other findings suggest that high levels of garlic may prevent development of cancer by stimulating the immune system and hindering growth of cancel cells." (Abdul Qayyum Chasmawala, Baroda, India) ABOUT TWO YEARS ago a very senior Maulana who is a senior official of the NNB Jamiat asked us to write an article on the Munaafiqeen (hypocrites) in our midst. At that time, we could not fathom the rationale for the request made by the respected Maulana Sahib. However, it transpired that since he was on the ground and was well-versed with the shaitaaniyat and nafsaaniyat of certain officials of the NNB Jamiat, there was much wisdom in his request. Since we could not at that stage understand the rationale for his request, we said: "Maulana Saheb, of what benefit will such an article be? The Munaafiqeen in our midst are cheap non-entities who are employed by some agencies and paid R2,000 a month for information about leaders of the Muslim community. We are aware that some of them are even drug addicts. Such morally depraved ignoramuses don't read The Majlis. The article would therefore be superfluous." The respected Maulana Saheb commented: "You will be surprised. I am not referring to the cheap informers who proliferate the community and who pass on misinformation for the bucks to support their drug addiction. I am speaking of "respectable" Maulanas who read your Majlis." Although the respectable Maulana Saheb's comment was full of ambiguity at that time, Alhamdulillah, the ambiguity has dissipated and the Munafiqeen are now silhouetted in stark relief in the background of their conspicuous kufr concepts painted with Qur'aanic hues. May Allah Ta'ala save the Ummah from these shayaateen in human form. Why is this body called NNB Jamiat? The 'Voter Registration' stunt pamphlet issued by Reverend Abraham Bham gives the name of his organization as 'Jamiatul Ulama' without any descriptive appellation. It is well-known that there are other Jamiat bodies such as Jamiatul Ulama KZN, Jamiatul Ulama Eastern Cape and Jamiatul Ulama of South Africa. There is no ambiguity surrounding these Jamiat organizations besides the NNB Jamiat, which is shrouded in confusion and deception. The confusion in the ranks of the NNB Jamiat regarding its name is tantalizing for even the Reverend, hence the name-process of this body has undergone a metamorphosis. Its evolutionary process is still in progress. This process was initiated after the 'Transvaal' appellation was ditched. Since then this group acted like a chameleon. At one stage it appropriated the name, Jamiatul Ulama Gauteng; then Jamiatul Ulama, then Jamiatul Ulama South Africa, then back to Jamiatul Ulama; then again Jamiatul Ulama S.A., and now it appears it has somewhat settled for the no name brand of plain 'Jamiatul Ulama'. Let's hope the chameleon does not again change colour. Today it is still unsure of its lineage. To convey to the public an image of respect and leadership, the 'Voter Registration' pamphlet describes the NNB Jamiat: "Est. in 1923 as Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal". This claim is a shameful and a disgraceful lie. The present NNB Jamiat has absolutely no relationship with the Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal which the Patriarch of the South African Ulama, Maulana Mia (rahmatullah alayh) had established. The Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal was a body of Ulama-e-Haqq who propagated pure Islam. The NNB Jamiat run by Reverend Abraham differs from the now defunct Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal as Hell differs from Paradise. The old, original Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal which was founded 25 years before Jamiatul Ulama Natal and more than half a century before the Jamiatul Ulama Eastern Cape and the Mujlisul Ulama of S.A., was a body who defended the Sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). It was the rightful Vicegerent of Allah Ta'ala in South Africa. It honestly acted the role of Warathatul Ambiya (Heirs of the Ambiya). It stood for and propagated all the Ahkaam of the Shariah. In direct contrast we have this vile NNB Jamiat headed by the vile Reverend Abraham flagrantly propagating by word and deed against everything which the Shariah commands and which the old Jamiatul Ulama Transvaal represented. This Reverend character now flagrantly in kufr style poses for photographs for newspapers in his insane craving for cheap publicity. He flagrantly allows himself to be interviewed by females. He engages in haraam philandering with females. He and his ilk are preparing the ground for the introduction of Television Shaitaan. He and his radio shaitaan gang of fussaaq and fujjaar have scuttled the Shariah's prohibition on female exhibition, both voice and body. He propagates kufr politics under Qur'aanic guise. He accepts 'bribes' from the enemies of Islam, notably Bush. He worships under a dozen crosses inside a church. He consorts with the interfaith mob whose fundamental belief is the rejection of Islam and the elevation of kufr to the pedestal of 'truth'. He has a penchant for participating in pantomime shows of 'protest' and other haraam stage tactics to focus public attention on him. He sets up street shows manned by Muslim women to smell the toes of males for the disease of Aids. He allows his assistant imaam to masquerade as a pundit. He encouraged musallis at his Musjid to dress up like Hindus and engage in Salaat right inside the Musjid with their Hindu attire. He has thus rightfully been branded the reverend-cum-pundit. He sits on a stage in close proximity with a Hindu woman to speak in honour of the mushrik, Ghandiji. Are we then not correct for branding him punditji, reverendji, etc.? The acts we have enumerated here are not private sins which are committed in dark alleyways and which a man of Imaan conceals. These are public activities – acts of kufr -- which he hoists as 'halaal' activities thus halaalizing the fatwa of kufr and excommunication. This man masquerading as a 'maulana' is a worse danger to the Imaan of Muslims than even the notorious Rushdi and other exposed Dajjaals. May Allah Ta'ala save the Imaan of the unwary, ignorant and gullible Muslims who today have become the slaves of the nafs and joined the ranks of the shayaateen due to characters of the reverend type. Undoubtedly, he requires the 'shoe-missile' treatment. It will be an act of thawaab if someone hurls some stinking shoes at him. People who are madly in love with the stage even at the price of selling their Imaan should expect the shoe-missile treatment. Anyway if he escapes this novel treatment here in this dunya, he will not escape when Allah Azza Wa Jal pulls the carpet from under his feet. THE MOST senior judge of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Saleh Al-Lehidan, 79, has issued a fatwa authorising the killing of owners of satellite television networks. The Shaikh quite rightly said that thousands of people are deviated into immorality by these haraam channels. The Shaikh issued this fatwa while answering questions during the daily radio programme. A caller asked the view of the Shariah on satellite TV channels which broadcast immorality during the Holy Month of Ramadhaan. The venerable Shaikh said that it is certainly permissible to kill the owners who seduce thousands of people with their evil and immoral networks. Several of these haraam television networks are owned by Saudi princes. COMMENT Undoubtedly, these immoral television networks are haraam. Their abhorrence cannever be emphasised sufficiently. They corrupt and destroy the morals and Imaan of viewers. Despite the abomination of these haraam channels, the fatwa of the Shaikh is erroneous. Firstly, according to the Shariah the public does not have the right to mete out punishment for sins. This is the Waajib obligation of the state. The duty of the Ulama is restricted to verbal Amr Bil Ma'roof Nahy Anil Munkar – to command virtue and forbid vice. It is not the function of the Ulama to inflict corporal punishment and to execute sinners. Only a ruler/ government has this right. If every zealous Muslim should take the law into his own hands, there will be anarchy in the land. Notwithstanding the villainy of the sins, the corruption of the government and the need to eliminate sin and crime, citizens are permitted by the Shariah to only defend themselves and to offer verbal admonition and counselling. In the matter of Amr Bil Ma'roof Nahy Anil Munkar we have two extremes, and both are unlawful in the Shariah. The one extreme is the silence of the Ulama for fear of criticism. The Deen is pillaged in front of their eyes and they maintain silence. Such dumb and deaf Ulama are described in the Hadith as "Dumb Devils". The other extreme is the way adopted by the Shaikh of Saudi Arabia. His fervour and proclamation of the Haq are commendable. But the error of his fatwa is not condonable. "To vilify fussaaq is the right and office of the Ulama. In fact, they also have the right to vilify pious people if this is necessary for maintaining the law and order of the Shariah. One Buzrug Aalim in his entire life branded Shaikh Akbar (rahmatullah alayh) as a 'zindeeq' (A zindeeq is a kaafir). When the news of Shaikh Akbar's demise was conveyed to the Buzrug, he cried and commented: "Alas! Today a great Siddique has passed away." Very much surprised, the people said: 'Your entire life you branded him a zindeeq, but today you say he was a great Siddique! If he had held such a lofty status, why did you vilify him in such a manner?" Why have you deprived us of his blessings?" The Buzrug replied: "Undoubtedly, he was a Siddique of lofty status. But you would not have derived any benefit from him. If you had cultivated his company, you would assuredly have become zindeeqs. His subtle knowledge was beyond your intellect. You would have misunderstood his discourses and would have become involved in zindaqah (a type of kufr)." The Ulama, for maintaining the order of the Shariah, sometimes are constrained to vilify even pious persons. This is the right of only the Ulama, not of the laeity. (Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi – rahmatullah alayh) SAUDI ARABIA has planned to construct five brand new cities at a cost of $150 billion. Work has already commenced on the first Washington-size city 100 km from Jeddah. King Abdullah is determined to surpass Dubai in the building race about which the Qur'aan Majeed says: "What! Do you erect palaces as if you are going to live forever (on earth)?" On the other end of this obscene extravagance is the heart-rending suffering of the brutalized Muslims of Gaza where an entire Muslim population of 1.5 million is languishing in an open air concentration camp without the very basic essentials of life. In an obscene gesture, the King of Saudi Arabia has offered Gaza a donation of $1 billion while all the other wealthy Arab oil states together made another obscene gesture of one and half billion dollars. This is their love for the Ummah – the suffering Ummah of Gaza who has been pillaged, plundered and murdered by the Yahood right in front of their eyes on their doorstep. And, even the $1 billion crumb has not yet been delivered to the suffering mothers and children in Gaza. What is the relationship of $1 billion contributed for the preservation of life with $150 billion satanically wasted for adorning the abode of Jahannum? Q. Why are Rainbow Chickens haraam? So much has been said and written on this issue that the facts have become blurred. Please briefly mention the reasons. A. 1) Tasmiyah (Bismillah) is discarded, neglected or abandoned on a massive scale. Millions of chickens are killed without Allah's Name being invoked at the time of slaughtering them. 2) A large percentage of the chickens are dead. These dead chickens are also slaughtered. 3) Innumerable chickens are improperly slaughtered. All the requisite neck vessels are not severed. 4) All the chickens are immersed in scalding water before their entrails have been removed. 5) There is absolutely NO Muslim supervision whatsoever from the time the killed chickens leave the slaughtermen. The entire process – cutting, packaging, storing and transporting – is in the control and supervision of only non-Muslims. 6) Broiler chickens are diseased. These carrion chickens cause diseases such as lung cancer, liver cancer, skin cancer as well as other diseases. 7) The entire killing system – every step in the system from the time the chickens are shackled upside down, is haraam. It is haraam to halaalize a haraam system. The evidence to substantiate these claims is irrefutable and overwhelming. HADHRAT Rabee' Bin Khaitham (rahmatullah alayh) was a renowned Taabi-ee. (A Taabi-ee is a Muslim who had enjoyed the company of the Sahaabah). Once when he was bedridden with severe illness, he developed an intense desire to eat chicken. He suppressed his desire for 40 days. After 40 days when the desire remained intense, he informed his wife. After preparing the chicken dish she presented it to Hadhrat Rabee'. As he was about to begin eating the chicken, a beggar appeared at the door and asked for some food. Hadhrat Rabee' (rahmatullah alayh) without even having tasted it, instructed his wife to give the whole chicken to the beggar. She remonstrated with him and said that he should eat the chicken. She would give the beggar something better and more useful than the chicken. When he asked her what that was, she said that she would give the beggar the value of the chicken in cash. The beggar will be happier with the money. Hadhrat Rabee' said: "Bring the money to me." When she brought the money, he told her: "Now give this chicken as well as the money to the beggar." Sh e co mp l ie d. H e 'deprived' himself of the chicken and neutralized the desire of his nafs by giving both the chicken and the money to the beggar. This was the way in which our illustrious predecessors trained and adorned their nafs with Taqwa. SANHA has a reputation of misleading the community with false assurances and lies. Sanha is at pains to portray to Muslims that it has surpassed Sherlock Homes in its science of detection, inspection and supervision of the 'millions' and 'trillions' of non-Muslim outlets and products it has certified 'halaal'. When an entrenched irregularity is discovered and brought to Sanha's notice, they sheepishly respond that it was a 'genuine error'. In this game of advertising haraam products as 'halaal', there is no 'genuine error'. The haraam products are labelled 'halaal' by deliberate design. When a product is labelled 'halaal' with Sanha's confounded haraam 'halaal' logo, thousands and tens of thousands of labels bearing the 'halaal' logo are printed. This is the first step which debunks Sanha's 'genuine error' claim. The second step which belies and refutes Sanha's LIE is the actual marketing of the product. If Sanha is truthful in its claim of inspection and supervision for which it charges exorbitant 'halaal' certificate fees, it would have discovered the irregularity immediately on the very first occasion the product is displayed on the supermarket's shelves for sale. But what happens? The haraam product is labelled with Sanha's 'halaal' logo for months and years, and it goes undetected until some concerned, vigilant Muslim notices the irregularity. Even then Sanha will not take 'corrective action', if the brother reporting the irregularity is an ordinary member of the public who could be easily fobbed off and the haraam matter swept under the carpet or mountain of rotten carrion chickens. Only when an organization kicks up a row, will Sanha rush to 'rectify' the irregularity with 'corrective action'. On 9 February 2009, a brother went to Pick & Pay Hypermarket. He noticed Nestle Country Fresh RUM & RAISIN ice cream bearing Sanha's haraam 'halaal' logo. Sanha was apprized of this 'error' thereafter. Why did Sanha's inspector not discover the irregularity? For how many months or years has Pick & Pay been advertising its Rum & Raisin ice cream with Sanha's logo? Sanha has highly salaried 'inspectors' who are required to make regular inspections. But it is always a member of the public who discovers the malpractice. Then when the evil is brought to Sanha's notice, its flummoxed officials react with some sort of stupidity to minimize and cover up the irregularity. In its defence of its 'halaal' PORK spice debacle, SANHA alleges regarding a 'labelling error' which had occurred in 2007: "When this was brought to our attention we took the necessary action which included an apology by the company, product recalled, and packaging destroyed. This was a genuine error in 2007…" Notwithstanding this, it was a breach of our contract whereby no products may carry our logo it had a Haraam connotation e.g. pork spice, rum and raisin ice cream etc." It is now 2009, and still Rum and Raisin ice cream is advertised 'halaal' with Sanha's logo. Why did your inspectors not discover this haraam malpractice? SANHA has to answer: • When did you issue a halaal certificate to Pick & Pay? • When last did your inspectors inspect the premises of Pick & Pay Hypermarket? • Why did your inspectors not pick up the irregularity? For how long has Pick & Pay been selling the haraam Rum and Raisin ice cream with your logo? Part 1 Commercial Hatchery Chickens waking up in a commercial hatchery have a totally different experience from chicks hatching under a mother hen. A former pharmaceutical company employee described her introduction to this world: My first hatchery tour came the next day. For the uninitiated, the hatchery is the place where chicken eggs are incubated in large walk-in incubators. Everything is timed so that on the prescribed day a particular incubator is opened and most of the eggs have hatched fluffy yellow chicks. The huge wheeled carts inside are rolled out and wheeled down the hall to the waiting window, much like the ones found in school cafeterias where students return their lunch trays. Next to the window were three workers. It was their job to remove each tray of newly hatched chicks from the cart, pick out the live chicks and toss them through the window onto a conveyer belt and then dump the discarded shells into the trash. They did this very quickly. In fact, so quickly that often the conveyer belt would get backed up with the chicks and they would have to stop cleaning off the trays and wait. The men used this time to puff on their cigarettes or just stand there. This would not have bothered me if I had not noticed an overly energetic chick hop onto the edge of the tray and fall onto the floor. The workers ignored the chick and continued smoking. As my eyes followed the chick's descent, I realized that he was but one of many to make that trip. Although they landed apparently unharmed, they did not stay that way. As soon as all the trays of chicks had been removed from the cart, it was wheeled away, smashing several escaped chicks as it went. The ones that managed to miss being run over by that cart were prime targets of the next cart's wheels. I looked around the floor-it was littered with smashed and half-smashed chicks. Some were trying to move, but couldn't overcome the glue-like hold of their smashed blood-soaked wings. I had to look away and pretend not to notice. I felt that in this situation there was nothing I could say or do that would make any difference. At the hatchery, male chicks and some female chicks to be used for breeding have their toes cut off at the outer joint of the back toe and inside toe of each foot with an electric toe clipper. The combs of the future male breeders are removed (dubbed) by running a pair of manicuring scissors or shears from the front to the back of the comb close to the head of the chick. Dubbing is said to be best done when the chicks are a day old to avoid the severe hemorrhaging that is likely to occur after the first day. Producers are advised not to dub birds in warm climates, as the comb functions to eliminate excess body heat. Chicks are debeaked at the hatchery or shortly after being trucked to the growout facility. An undercover investigator employed by a company on the Eastern Shore said that after a few weeks, they let him debeak chickens. In the process of having their beaks burned off, the birds chirped loudly and defecated profusely. Many died within 24 hours of shock and blood loss. The stench was terrible. "Smoke rises from the place where the beak meets the machine as the bird loses at least an eighth of an inch of her beak. A few inches higher up, another part of the machine cauterizes her wound. Because of the speed at which the workers handle the chicks, 'hack jobs' result in massive beak loss to some chicks, leaving them unable to eat. Many birds are debeaked twice if the procedure is done wrong the first time. Improperly cauterized birds bleed from their wounds. "Bleeders are easy to recognize by the spots of red down their fronts or under their wings where the birds have tried to preen. In pain, these birds flap their wings, push against the machine, and often lose control of their bowels. Chicks are vaccinated at the hatchery against Marek's disease and other contagious diseases by a combination of mechanical injectors, vaccine sprays, and manual syringes. Manual vaccination is an ugly ordeal. Workers handling 7,000 to 8,000 birds a day— 2,500 to 3,500 chicks per hour per worker— grab baby chicks and hold them while an automated vaccination nee dle punctures the back of their necks. Vaccination is a primary cause of infection in the young birds. The puncture breaks and may even tear the skin during the rapid process, and the same needles are used over and over again, spreading contamination. Automated egg injection systems, designed to inoculate 20,000 fertile eggs an hour against Marek's disease on the 18th day of the 21-day incubation period, are increasingly favored by the big poultry companies to reduce manual labor and the stress of harsh handling that stunts the birds' growth rate. (By Karen Davis President United Poultry Concerns USA) (Continued from Vol. 18 No. 11) T HE TWO HIGHLY qualified expert magicians consulted with their aged mother who was also an expert magician. The two sorcerers requested their mother to accompany them to the grave of their father. When the three reached the grave, the mother, employing her magic, addressed her dead husband. When the inmate of the grave spoke, one of the sons explained the purpose of their mission. The father's voice from the grave informed them that all the magicians of the world would be defeated by Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam). His Staff changing into a deadly serpent was not an act of magic. Despite this message the two experts together with their 72 students who were all qualified sorcerers responded to the summons of Fir'oun. When they arrived at Fir'oun's palace, thousands of sorcerers from all over Egypt had already assembled. Four sorcerers who were the most famous and the best qualified were selected to lead the thousands of other magicians. The two brothers were included in the four who would be pitted against Nabi Musa (alayhis salaam). According to the Qur'aan, Fir'oun promised the sorcerers huge sums of wealth and high positions of proximity to him if they defeated Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam). Fear and shame for Fir'oun and the thousands of sorcerers had constrained the two brothers into the arena to confront Nabi Musa (alayhis salaam). The day for the confrontation was announced. It was the nations day of festival. According to some narrations it was the Day of Aashura (10th Muharram). Thousands of people from all parts of the country and from even beyond assembled to witness the event. It was a great and tumultuous occasion. A huge stadium had been erected. Fir'oun surrounded by his noblemen was seated on a throne on an elevated place. The thousands of sorcerers marched with great fanfare. They prostrated at the throne of Fir'oun. The awe-inspiring scene of the thousands of sorcerers adorned in their splendid and colourful robes had boosted the morale of Fir'oun. He and his men were in high spirits. They were convinced that Musa (alayhis salaam) would today be defeated and humiliated. When all the sorcerers were in the arena standing in ranks, the announcement was made for Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam) to present himself. Nabi Musa (alayhis salaam) donning a simple black woollen qamees (kurtah) appeared in the arena with his brother Haroon (alayhis salaam). The two mendicants were a pitiful sight in front of the thousands of sorcerers. When they faced the sorcerers, a group advanced from their ranks and exclaimed: "O Musa! Will you begin to cast (your staff) or shall we begin?" Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam), responded: "You begin the casting." The thousands of magicians, with signs of their fingers and eyes transformed their thousands of rods, staffs, wands, swords and spears into serpents and huge scorpions. An ocean of slithering serpents and scorpions had appeared. It was indeed a fearful sight. As far as the eyes could see, there were only serpents and scorpions. The thousands of spectators screamed in terror. Describing this event, the Qur'aan says: "Indeed they produced a mighty sihr (display of magic)." Even Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam) and Hadhrat Haroon (alayhis salaam) became fearful. Suddenly he heard the Divine Voice: "Don't fear! Most assuredly, I am with you. I hear and I see. Cast your Staff, O Musa! It will swallow what they have fabricated." Musa's heart was inspired with confidence. He threw down his Staff. Instantaneously there appeared such a gigantic serpent which no one had ever seen. The sight of Hadhrat Musa's serpent send chills of fear down Fir'oun's spine. According to the narrations, when the serpent opened its mouth, it was 40 metres wide. The huge fangs were several metres. Its eyes were like huge flames of fire. The first act of this miraculous monster was to raise its mouth towards the sky, then bring its head down in prostration. It made its Sajdah for Allah, The One, Who has no partner. After its prostration, the mighty serpent moved like a dark storm. It opens its mouth and with two or three gasps it swallowed the thousands of serpents and scorpions fabricated by the sorcerers. The field in front of it was bare. The magic of the sorcerers had disappeared. After eliminating the serpents and scorpions, the Serpent of Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam) turned its gaze towards Fir'oun and his army. There was panic and pandemonium. The panic-stricken Fir'oun screamed in terror and pleaded with Musa (alayhis salaam) to grab his Serpent. Hadhrat Musa's mission was only to defeat the sorcerers and to demonstrate the triumph of the Truth. His mission was not to take the lives of people. He therefore placed his hand on the serpent which instantaneously was once again transformed into the Staff. The sorcerers were the first to understand the manifestation of the Truth. They all fell down in prostration proclaiming their Imaan in Allah and Nabi Musa (alayhis salaam). It was a wonderful sight. Thousands of sorcerers prostrating to Allah Ta'ala, not to Fir'oun. They exclaimed: "We believe in the Rabb of Musa and Haroon." They specifically mentioned the names of the two Nabis to convey to Fir'oun that the prostration was not for him. Fir'oun in anger bellowed: "Do you believe in him before I have permitted you?" He accused them all of having learnt magic from Musa (alayhis salaam) and being in a conspiracy with him. He threatened to nail them to trees. According to tafseer narrations, 80,000 sorcerers had accepted Imaan on that day. All had prostrated to Allah Ta'ala in defiance of Fir'oun. When Fir'oun threatened to nail them to trees, they said in unison: "We shall surely be returning to our Rabb." The threats of Fir'oun had no effect on them. Allah Ta'ala had transformed all the sorcerers instantaneously into Aarifeen (Auliya of lofty status). Jannatul Firdous was shown to them. They said to Fir'oun: "Do as you please." Fir'oun issued orders for the execution of the sorcerers. Their hands and feet were cut off and they were nailed to trees. The grief-stricken Musa was shedding tears profusely when he beheld the scene of this brutality. But he was helpless. Without the command of Allah Ta'ala, he could not utilize the Staff at will. Mu'jizaat (Miracles) are rare exceptions. They are not the rule and the norm of earthly life. The celestial veils were removed and Hadhrat Musa (alayhis salaam) was shown the wonderful and lofty status of the souls of the sorcerers. The soul of every sorcerer who was killed had taken up its abode under the Divine Arsh in a wonderful celestial form of indescribable beauty. This wondrous celestial scene brought solace to the heart of Nabi Musa (alayhis salaam). Besides the sorcerers a group of others had also accepted Imaan. But they were very fearful of Fir'oun. Nevertheless, with the encouragement of Nabi Musa (alayhis salaam), they persevered and continued to worship Allah Ta'ala in their homes. Allah Ta'ala commanded that Bani Israaeel constructs places of worship in their homes. When Fir'oun was informed that the followers of Musa (alayhis salaam) had constructed prayer rooms and were worshipping Allah Ta'ala, he ordered the places of worship to be demolished. His persecution of Bani Israaeel increased while Nabi Musa (alayhis salaam) imparted the lesson of repentance and patience to his people. (To be continued, Insha'Allah) BAATIL FATWA The Mujlisul Ulama of S.A. has issued a written refutation in book form of Mufti Radhaul Haq's fatwa which is a baseless attempt A MAKTAB IS an Islamic school or class which caters for the elementary Deeni education of children from the age of 5 or 6 years. In our era, cause for great lament is the displacement and phasing out of this holy system of imparting Deeni education. The worst aspect of this unholy displacement is that the destruction of this 14 century system of Ta'leem is being effected by molvis who have betrayed Islam. Muslims are completely ignorant of the value of the Maktab system and the vital role it plays in the preservation of Imaan. Imaam Raazi (rahmatullah alayh) narrated the following wonderful episode which highlights the value and importance of the Maktab. Once Hadhrat Nabi Isaa (alayhis salaam) passed by a grave wherein the inmate was suffering severe punishment. After some time when he passed by the same grave, he observed Angels of Rahmat (Mercy) at the grave. The punishment had been lifted, and the Noor of Maghfirat (celestial light of forgiveness) had enshrouded the grave. Nabi Isaa (alayhis salaam) supplicated to Allah Ta'ala to unravel the mystery. Allah Ta'ala revealed to him: "O Isaa! This man was a great sinner, hence the punishment. When he had died he was survived by his pregnant wife. A boy was born. When the child was of Maktab age, his mother had him admitted to the Maktab. On the first day of the child's admission, the Ustaadh taught him to recite Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem. I could not tolerate punishing him under the ground when his child was taking My Name above the ground." It was the Maktab which was the medium for the cessation of the severe punishment. to vindicate SANHA'S haraam carrion-industry. The Mufti has rendered Islam and the Ummah a massive disservice by upholding every haraam and brutal malpractice of the haraam kufr system of killing chickens, the adoption of which Hakimul Ummat Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (rahmatullah alayh) declared to be 'akin to kufr'. Write for a copy to Mujlisul Ulama of S.A., P.O. Box 3393, Port Elizabeth 6056 South Africa SANHA'S ' RUM & RAISIN ' Q. Is "Nestle Rum & Raisin" flavoured ice cream certified by Sanha halaal? A. You should refer this query to the haraam 'halaal authority'. A Muslim is not reliant on brains to understand that it is not permissible to consume liquor-flavoured ice cream even if SANHA presents the 'synthetic' rubbish argument as it had done with the 'halaal' PORK spice. Q. Is the "Rum & Raisin" ice cream of Kulfi Ice Cream, also certified by Sanha halaal? A. A couple of months ago we dealt with this haraam issue in The Majlis. Obviously such ice cream is haraam. Direct your enquiry to Sanha to ascertain if they have instituted 'corrective action' to rectify the liquor flavour of their certified ice cream. RASULULLAH (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "The noblest Jihad is to proclaim the truth to a tyrannical ruler." The tyranny and cruelty of Hajjaaj Bin Yusuf are proverbial. He had put to death thousands of innocent Muslims, including many Sahaabah. He would have them summarily executed in his presence on the slightest pretext to gratiate his passion for killing. Hadhrat Abdur Rahmaan Bin Abi Na-eem (rahmatullah alayh) was among the very senior Taabi-een. His taqwa and ibaadat were of such a lofty status and so all-embracing that if he had to be informed that Malakul Maut (the Angel of Death) has arrived to take his soul, then too he would not have been able to improve his ibaadat. The news of Malakul Maut's arrival would not effect the slightest change in his attitude. His entire being was perpetually consumed with the remembrance of Allah Ta'ala. Once Hadhrat Abdur Rahmaan went to Hajjaaj and admonished him of the dire consequences of his cruelty and injustice. Hajjaaj was inflamed. He ordered that Hadhrat Abdur Rahmaan be enclosed in a windowless dungeon. The door was sealed. He was literally entombed in the intensely dark dungeon in which there was not even a crevice for any light or air to filter through. He remained in the dungeon for fifteen days without any food or water or any other facilities whatsoever. After fifteen days, Hajjaaj order that his body be buried. When the guards opened the door of the dungeon they found Hadhrat Abdur Rahmaan engaged in Salaat. He was in the same state as he was on the first day of his imprisonment. When Hajjaaj was informed, he ordered Hadhrat Abdur Rahmaan to be released. He realized that this was an act of Allah Ta'ala. No one can harm a person when Allah Ta'ala protects him.
Reproduced from https://themajlis.co.za/the-majlis-newsletter/majlis-vol-18-no-12/