THE MANNERS OF WELCOMING THE NEW-BORN CHILD IN ISLAM

Children are a source of delight and an adornment for the world granted by Allaah to their parents, they give vigour to the hearts, joy to the souls, pleasure to the eyes. They are the fruit from whom good is to be hoped for when they frequently supplicate: 

"Our Lord! Bestow on them your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small"

and they are the ones in every nation upon whom hope for the future lies, and they are the youth oftomorrow upon whose shoulders the call to Islaam is carried. Indeed Islaam has indeed elevated the status of children and has laid down manners for their treatment relating to all their affairs and each stage of their and from these are the manners for welcoming their arrival in this life.

Our Prophet (SAW) was a living example, educating, cultivating the Muslims upon the practices of Islaam, teaching them how to worship their Lord in the best of ways. But a number of Muslims have strayed from his pure teachings and have substituted that which is gold for 

that which worthless. 

So here are the manners the Prophet (SAW) taught us with regards our new-born.

Encouragement to have Children

Allaah says, "So now have sexual relations with them,, and seek that which Allaah has ordained for you."And the Prophet (SAW) said, "Marry the loving and fertile because through you, I will compete with the nations for superiority in numbers"(Abu Dawood)

And it is important that the Parents bring up their children upon righteousness, so that the Parents will benefit from them during their lives and after their death. Allaah's Messenger (SAW) said, 

"A servant will have his rank raised and will say, 'O my Lord how has seeking forgiveness for you'"(ibn Maajah)

Know that what has preceded applies equally to both boys and girls, and indeed Islaam has encouraged the bringing up of girls, and Allaah condemns those that are distressed at the birth of a girl, and the Messenger (SAW) came elevating the status of this gift from Allaah, 

"whoever takes care of two girls until they reach adulthood - he and I will come together on the Day of Resurrection (like this) - and he interlaced his two fingers"(Muslim)

Giving the good news of the Birth

The near of kin who are anxiously waiting should be informed so that they can stop worrying and congratulate the parents and supplicate for the baby. Allaah mentions this good news being conveyed to a number of His Prophets, from them Zakariyyah of his son Yahya,

"Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in a private room (saying), 'Allaah gives you glad tidings of Yahya'"

Giving the Adhaan in the ear of the newborn

The first practice to do is to make the adhaan in the ear of the baby, so that the first words that the baby hears is the name of Allaah, and the kalima. 

It is to be given straight after the birth, or very soon afterwards as he (SAW) did with his grandson al-Husayn, as is related by Abu Raafi' who said, 

"I saw the Prophet give the adhaan for prayer in the ear of al-Husayn ibn Alee when his mother Faatimah gave birth to him," (Tirmidhee)

It should be given with it's usual wording in a voice which is audible to the baby, not so loudly that it risks harm to the baby or alarms it.

Only the adhaan is to be given, not the iqaamah as well as there is no authentic evidence to support this. Giving the adhaan only is also the reported practice of the Khaleefah Umar bin Abdul Azeez. This is closer to the sunnah, and Allaah knows best.

The sunnah has not specified as to which ear it should be given, however the Messenger (SAW) used to love to do good actions starting from the right, so it would be more appropriate to give the adhaan in the right ear.

The Tahneek

This means to softening a date and then rubbing the palate of the new-born with it just after the birth or soon after. This is done by putting a piece of the softened date on the finger and rubbing it from left to right in the mouth of the baby.

Ibn Hajr said, "if one is not able to find a dry date, then a fresh date should be used, and if that is not available then anything sweet." (Fath 9/588)

It is not essential to chew the date rather it may be softened in any way. The action of chewing as reported in the sunnah was something specific to the Messenger (SAW) due to the blessings that Allaah had placed in his saliva.

It is done by the father or the mother or anyone from the People of Knowledge whose supplication is hoped would be accepted. So he should perform tahneek and supplicate for the child as was the practice of the Companions.

Imaam Nawawee says, " scholars are agreed upon the recommendation of performing tahneek upon the baby after it's birth." (Sharh Saheeh Muslim 4/122)

Aaishah (ra) reports, "new-born children used to be brought to the Messenger of Allaah and he would supplicate for blessings for them, and rub a chewed date upon their palate." (Muslim)

Naming the child

The baby may be named on the day of it's birth or later on the seventh day or past the seventh day, as this is what is clear after study of all the evidences from the sunnah.

It is the father or the mother who chose the name for the baby. If they differ amongst themselves then it is the father who has the choice, he may name it himself or give his wife the right to choose. The fact that this is the right of the father is shown by the principle that the child is ascribed and attributed to the father, as Allaah says,

"Call them (adopted sons) by (the names of) their fathers, that is 

more just in the Sight of Allaah"

It is also allowed for the parents to allow others to name the child, since our Prophet (SAW) used to name some of the children of his Companions.The name should carry a good and praiseworthy meaning as the Messenger (SAW) said, 

"On the Day of Resurrection, you will be called by your names and 

your fathers names, so make your names good." (Abu Dawood) 

It is recommended to call oneself a servant of Allaah (Abdullaah) or the servant of any of the names of Allaah. Then it is recommended to name a child after a prophet, due to the hadeeth,

"call yourselves by the names of the Prophets" (Abu Dawood)

"a son was born to me this night and I called him after my forefather 

Ibraaheem" (Muslim)

Then it is recommended to name the child after any pious person in the hope that it will become like him/her. Then it is recommended to name by any name which has good meaning.

It is forbidden to name a child with a name that denote servitude to other than Allaah, for example Abd an-Nabi, Abd ar-Rasool etc, just as it is forbidden to name them with names that are particular to the Unbelievers like George, Michael, Susan etc. 

The names of tyrants and evil personalities should be avoided such as Fir'awn, Qaroon, Abu Lahab etc.. Likewise it is disliked to name with the names of the Surahs of the Qur'aan like 'Taa Haa' or 'Yaa Seen' as is reported from Imaam Maalik and others. There is no authentic hadeeth which ascribes the above two as being names of the Prophet (SAW). 

The Aqeeqah

After the seventh day of the arrival of the new-born, as a form of welcome for it and to give thanks to the One who gave the blessings, it is prescribed to slaughter a sheep. The Messenger (SAW) said, 

"Every child is in pledge for it's Aqeeqah which is sacrificed for it on its seventh day, and it is named on it, and its head is shaved" (Abu Dawood)

If the new-born is a boy then two sheep are to be sacrificed, and if it is a girl then one sheep. This is the position of the majority of the scholars and Companions. The Prophet (SAW) said, 

"for the boy two equal sheep, and for the girl, a single sheep." (Ibn Maajah)

So it is permissible to sacrifice the male or female sheep or goat, and this is best. As for sacrificing other animals then the scholars have differed over this.

The sacrifice should be done by the father or a close relative, for our Prophet (SAW) performed the Aqeeqah for his two grandsons. It is also obligatory to mention the name of Allaah over it while sacrificing, and if a close relative is performing the Aqeeqah then he should add, 'this aqeeqah is the Aqeeqah of so and so' mentioning the name of the person on whose behalf he is performing the aqeeqah, as is reported in the hadeeth related by al-Bayhaqee.

The meat of the sacrifice may be distributed cooked or uncooked,, but it is preferred that it should be cooked as this leads to greater blessing as mentioned by a group of the scholars.

Shaving the baby's head

On the seventh day after the birth the head of the baby should be shaved. So when al-Hasan was born the Prophet (SAW) told his daughter, Faatima (RA), 

"shave his head and give the weight of his hair in silver to the poor" (Ahmad)

The right side of the head should be shaved first, then the left as mentioned in the hadeeth,

"shave, and he indicated to the right side of his head, and then the left" (Muslim)

It is not permissible to shave a part of the head and leave a part, as this was prohibited by the Messenger (SAW) as reported by al-Bukhaaree. The strongest view seems to be that the head of the boy or the girl should be shaved, as is reported that Faatimah weighed the hair of her daughter (Muwatta) but the scholars differ on this, and Allaah knows best.

The shaving should be done after the sacrifice, and our pious predecessors liked to rub some perfume over the baby's head after the shaving.

Then it is prescribed to give the value of the baby's weight of hair in silver in charity, and it is recommended to give this charity on the seventh day also, but it is not necessary to do so, and may be delayed.

Circumcision

It is prescribed that the boy be circumcised, it is recommended that the circumcision take place on the seventh day, but it is obligatory to circumcise before the boy reaches puberty.

Welcoming the newborn child into the family and community is more than a celebration; the rights and rituals performed serve to remind believers that children in Islam have rights. Whether the parents are alive or deceased, present or absent, known or unknown the child is entitled to be cared for and raised in security, surrounded by God’s love and laws.

DISEASES OF THE SOUL: ENVY

This pain is not removed except as a result of the envier continuously monitoring the envied so that he would find relief when the blessing is removed, but it can become more severe, as is the case of the one who is suffering from a physical sickness, in that the blessing, or one similar to it, may return to the envied. 
This pain is not removed except as a result of the envier continuously monitoring the envied so that he would find relief when the blessing is removed, but it can become more severe, as is the case of the one who is suffering from a physical sickness, in that the blessing, or one similar to it, may return to the envied. 

Envy refers to the desire that a person feels for the destruction or removal of a blessing that another person has – a destruction which the bearer of this feeling would himself carry out if he had the power to. This is quite different to wanting such blessings for oneself while not wishing for them to be removed from others, for that is, indeed, a positive and commendable desire that leads to competition. Competition is not considered blameworthy in general, rather it is considered to be praiseworthy if it is in pursuit of righteousness; Allaah Says (what means):

"Indeed, the righteous will be in pleasure. On adorned couches, observing…You will recognise in their faces the radiance of pleasure. They will be given to drink [pure] wine [which was] sealed. The last of it is musk. So for this let the competitors compete.” [Quran 83:22-26]

Allaah mentions in the Quran the envy of the disbelievers, the hypocrites and people in general. Speaking about the disbelievers, Allaah Says (what means):

“Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy from themselves [even] after the truth has become clear to them…” [Quran 2:109]

Allaah also Says (what means): “Or do they envy people for what Allaah has given them of His bounty?” [Quran 4:54]

Envy is an evil disease of the heart that leads to foul conduct and bad behaviour. It leads to animosity, thinking evil of the intentions of others, backbiting, tale-bearing, lying, and the abandonment of other Muslims. It may lead its possessor to inflict physical harm on the person whom he envies and can even lead to murder. It is considered to be among the most dangerous and destructive of internal diseases and is the most destructive to a person's religion and worldly life.

The Messenger of Allaah  said: 

"Do not envy one another; do not hate one another; do not turn your back on one another (in discontent); (but) be slaves of Allaah as brothers." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]

Allaah orders the believers to seek refuge from the evil of the envious person and envy in general when He says (what means):

"And from the evil of the envier when he envies." [Quran 113:5]

The Messenger of Allaah  also said: “Indeed envy eats up good deeds just as fire consumes firewood.” [Ahmad]

There are many stories in the Quran that highlight the dangers and evils of envy. When we read the story of Prophet Yoosuf (Joseph)  and his brothers, we realise the danger of envy, how it blinds, how it snatches mercy away from the heart, and how it drives its possessor to inflict terrible physical pain on the envied person. Allaah Says (what means): 

"When they [i.e., the brothers of Yoosuf] said: 'Yoosuf and his brother are more beloved to our father than we, while we are a clan. Indeed, our father is in clear error. Kill Yoosuf or cast him out to [another] land; the countenance [i.e., attention] of your father will [then] be accessible to you, and you will be, after that, righteous people.'" [Quran 12:8-9]

Another story that shows the danger of envy is the story of Haabeel and Qaabeel: The Quran tells us about the first son of Aadam  who murdered his brother out of envy, which constituted the first crime ever in which blood was spilt. He envied him because Allaah accepted his brother's sacrifice but not his; Allaah says what means:

 "And recite to them the story of Aadam's two sons, in truth, when they both offered a sacrifice [to Allaah], and it was accepted from one of them but was not accepted from the other. Said [the latter]: 'I will surely kill you.' Said [the former]: 'Indeed, Allaah only accepts from the righteous [who fear him]. If you should raise your hand against me to kill me - I shall not raise my hand against you to kill you. Indeed, I fear Allaah, Lord of the worlds.'… And his soul permitted to him the murder of his brother, so he killed him and became among the losers." [Quran: 5:27-28 & 30]

The blameworthy type of envy is an unrestricted dislike of the blessings bestowed upon the envied. Therefore, when one despises something, he is hurt and grieved by its very existence, and this becomes a sickness in his heart, to the extent that he derives pleasure from the removal of the blessings from the envied - even if this does not result in any benefit to him except having the pain that was in his soul removed. 

The Prophet  said: "I swear by the One in whose Hands is my soul! none of you will believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]

He  also said: "There is to be no envy except in two cases: (towards) a person to whom Allaah has granted wisdom, and who rules by this and teaches it to the people, and (towards) a person to whom Allaah has granted wealth and property along with the power to spend it in the cause of the Truth." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]

Ibn `Umar  added to this from his own narration: 

"(And) a person to whom Allaah has given the Quran and who recites it night and day, and a person to whom Allaah has granted wealth and property from which he gives in charity by night and day."

Envy may occur as a result of enmity, pride, self-admiration, love of leadership or impurity of the soul. Of these, enmity is the most serious cause, as it leads to malevolence and this, in turn, causes man to thirst for revenge and drives him to gloat over any calamity that may afflict his enemy.

Imaam Al-Ghazzaali said in his book Al-Ihyaa':

"Be aware that envy is one of the deadliest diseases of the hearts, and there is no medicine for the diseases of the heart except through knowledge and deeds. The knowledge that will treat the disease of envy is to know, without any doubt, that envy is lethal for a person's worldly life as well as his religion, and that there is no danger from it to the envied person regarding his life or his religion; on the contrary, the envied person will actually benefit from it. The fact is that envy is actually dangerous for the envier's religion because it is through this envy that he hated Allaah's predestination and the blessings that He divided among his slaves; he also hated His justice that He established in His world due to His Wisdom; therefore, the envier contested that and objected to it. This is contrary to belief in the Oneness of Allaah. Additionally, the envier would share with Satan and the rest of the disbelievers a love for crises to befall the believers and for blessings to leave them. These are evils in the heart that devour good deeds and erase them like the night erases the day. The person who suffers from envy in his life is tortured by it, and will always be in sorrow every time he sees the blessings of Allaah upon the envied person."

FIVE BEFORE FIVE

Is it just me or does the time seem to be passing more quickly lately. One minute it is 2013 the next we are in the final half of 2013. No matter how badly we want the time to slow down it just moves forward, one second, one minute, and one hour at a time. Days go by and it feels like minutes. Before the day’s work even starts it is night time. God mentions this phenomenon in various places throughout the Quran.

They will say: “We stayed a day or part of a day. Ask of those who keep account.” (Quran 23:113) 

 …A speaker from among them said, “How long have you stayed (here)?” They said, “We have stayed (perhaps) a day or part of a day.” They said, “Your Lord (alone) knows best how long you have stayed (here)… (Quran 18:19) 

 Time passes swiftly, and when we stand before God on the Day of Judgement it will seem as if we have lived, dreamed and hoped for less than a day. It will seem as if we have worshipped our Creator for only the briefest of time and in only the most lackadaisical way. We know that many of us will beg God for more time, time to correct our actions and time to worship in a better way.

 Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with God), he says: “My Lord! send me back, (Quran 23:99) 

 Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, reiterated this for us. Time will not slow down and we cannot go back to fix the mistakes we make therefore he advised us to take advantage of five, before five. 

 “Take advantage of five matters before five other matters: your youth, before you become old; your health, before you fall sick; your wealth, before you become poor; your free time before you become busy; and your life, before your death.”

 We are advised to take advantage of what time we have. When we are young we take our youth and energy for granted. We feel as if we have all the time in the world, tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. But tomorrow creeps up on us slowly and one of the first things we lose is our youth. A grey hair appears, there is a niggling pain in our back, or our shoulder or a knee. As old age approaches people find it harder to fulfil even their obligatory acts of worship. When it is impossible to bend our knees and put our head on the ground in submission, we want only to be able to go back and pray one extra prayer, fast one extra day the way we did when we were young and full of energy. The young must take advantage of their youth before old age strips it away. Boundless energy should be used to help others, and to collect as many rewards as possible. 

 A believer must also take advantage of health before being overcome by sickness, with or without old age. Even young people are affected by ill health and injuries that make it impossible to worship in the way that they would like. Both God and Prophet Muhammad have emphasised the benefits and rewards that come from a believer experiencing pain and suffering. However when a person suffers ill health, he realises just how fragile human beings are. Prophet Muhammad reminds us that we do not know when our health will be taken from us. One day we have all our strength and mental faculties, the next we might be relying on others for even the simplest things. 

 Wealth is another blessing that comes to us from God. A believer should give as much as possible in charity while there is still something to give. We tend to think of charity as money but it is not confined to monetary matters. We give with our hands, our time, our knowledge and our money. We even give with our smile. However, we should use our monetary wealth to worship and please God before it is taken from us. We have no way of knowing when God will see fit to remove our wealth from us. People are rich one day and homeless the next. We must spend our wealth for the sake of God before we do not have the means to do so. And this will not go unrewarded. 

 The likeness of those who spend their money for God’s sake, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn), it grows seven ears, every single ear has a hundred grains, and God multiplies (increases the reward) for whom He wills, and God is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All Knower. (Quran 2:261) 

 Free time is another great blessing from God that each of us possesses, regardless of how busy we think we are. Spending this time wisely means not wasting it in fruitless activities that have no benefit. Even the simplest of acts can become worthwhile by simply doing them for the sake of God. If we free ourselves from fruitless time wasting activities it is possible the time to increase our religious deeds. When a person chooses wisely, worldly deeds can also be done for the sake of God. Remember that time moves inexorably forward. Do it today because you may not have a tomorrow. Use your free time wisely today before life is filled with worldly obligations that contain no benefit whatsoever unless you live every moment to please God. 

 The final thing we have been advised to take advantage of is, life before death overtakes us. Every morning we should thank God for another day. Each day is a chance to do well; to spend in charity, to worship longer, harder, or in a better way. It is a chance to spread good cheer, smile, and pay that extra dollar or two in charity. It is a chance to perform countless random acts of kindness. We have become relaxed about the reality of death. At some point, perhaps in a matter of hours, minutes, or even seconds, our life will be taken away from us. Prophet Muhammad advises us to take advantage of the time we have. Do what you can now, not tomorrow, for tomorrow may never come.

 This reminder from the Prophet Muhammad deals with responsibility, wisdom, foresight and time management, but it is not the only time he reminded us of the importance of being aware of our blessings and using them to our own advantage. We are constantly reminded, throughout the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet, that time is fleeting and that every little thing we do is able to become a source of great reward. Prophet Muhammad also said, 

“Three things follow the deceased [to his grave], two of them return and one remains with him. His family, wealth and deeds follow him, while his family and wealth return, his deeds remain with him.”

ISLAMIC NEW YEAR "THE MONTH OF MUHARRAM"

New Islamic Year 1435 is starting within 4th, November 2013.Allah's sacred month of Muharram is a blessed and important month. It is the first month of the Hijri calendar and is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them, four are sacred. That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein." [al-Tawbah 9:36]

Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 

"The year is twelve months of which four are sacred, the three consecutive months of Dhu'l-Qa'dah, Dhu'l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha'baan." (Reported by al-Bukhari, 2958).

Muharram is so called because it is a sacred (Muharram) month and to confirm its sanctity.

Allah’s words (interpretation of the meaning): "so wrong not yourselves therein." mean do not wrong yourselves in these sacred months, because sin in these months is worse than in other months.

It was reported that Ibn 'Abbas said that this phrase (so wrong not yourselves therein.) referred to all the months, then these four were singled out and made sacred, so that sin in these months is more serious and good deeds bring a greater reward.

Qutaadah said concerning this phrase (so wrong not yourselves therein.) that wrongdoing during the sacred months is more serious and more sinful that wrongdoing at any other time. Wrongdoing at any time is a serious matter, but Allah gives more weight to whichever of His commands He will. Allah has chosen certain ones of His creation. He has chosen from among the angels Messengers and from among mankind Messengers. He chose from among speech the remembrance of Him (dhikr). He chose from among the earth the mosques, from among the months Ramadhan and the sacred months, from among the days Friday and from among the nights Laylat al-Qadr, so venerate that which Allah has told us to venerate. People of understanding and wisdom venerate the things that Allah has told us to venerate. 

Fasting during the month

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

 'The best of fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah’s month of Muharram.'" (reported by Muslim, 1982).

The phrase "Allah’s month", connecting the name of the month to the name of Allah in a genitive grammatical structure, signifies the importance of the month. Al-Qaari said: "The apparent meaning is all of the month of Muharram." But it was proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never fasted any whole month apart from Ramadan, so this hadeeth is probably meant to encourage increasing one's fasting during Muharram, without meaning that one should fast for the entire month.

It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast more in Sha'baan. It is likely that the virtue of Muharram was not revealed to him until the end of his life, before he was able to fast during this month. (Sharh al-Nawawi 'ala Sahih Muslim).

Although the month of Muharram is a sanctified month as a whole, yet, the 10th day of Muharram is the most sacred among all its days. The day is named Ashurah.

According to the Holy companion Ibn Abbas. The Holy Prophet , when migrated to Madinah, found that  the Jews of Madinah used to fast on the 10th day of Muharram. They said that it was the day on which the Holy Prophet Musa (Moses) and his followers crossed the Red Sea miraculously and the Pharaoh was drowned in its water.

On hearing this from the Jews, the Holy Prophet said, "We are more closely related to Musa than you" and directed the Muslims to fast on the day of Ashurah. (Abu Dawood)

It is also reported in a number of authentic traditions that in the beginning, fasting on the day of Ashurah was obligatory for the Muslims.

Kerbala & Imam Hussain (as) 

Imam Hussain was the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad , through his daughter, Lady Fatima and son-in-law, Imam Ali, peace be upon them all.  

In less than half a day on the 10th of Muharram ( Ashura)   in the year 680 A.D. (61 A.H.), on the hot desert sands of Karbala in Iraq, Imam Hussain(as), and 72 of his family members, friends and followers, including his 6 month old infant son, were martyred under most gruesome circumstances. These included His brother Hazrat Abbas (as)  the standard bearer, His young 18 yr old son Ali Akber & his 4 year old daughter Sakina who died while in prison in Damascus. The Oppressive ruler; Yazid son of Mu'awiya son of Abu Sufiyan & his very large army of over 30,000 men, committed these heinous crimes against the small group which included the household of the Prophet. Lady Zainub (sister of Imam Hussain)   also played a key role especially subsequent to the battle to inform people of the truth.

In the history of Islam, al‑Husayn ibn 'Ali, the martyr of Karbala, wrote one of the most brilliant chapters; a chapter which still and after more than fourteen centuries, echoes in the minds and hearts of Muslims everywhere. It is remarked by a modern Muslim writer that 'With every Karbala Islam is renewed'.

The event teaches us; not to waiver from the right path & not to panic while discharging obligations. One has to have conviction on the hereafter & focus ones mind on permanent consequences in the hereafter.

This has to be done irrespective of how big or strong the enemy is & irrespective of the consequences, but with the knowledge of what Shariat requires us to do under those circumstances.

One should never give up, for eg. despite strength of Media or other social widespread ills, we need to continue to believe that we can overcome & continue to fight ,rather than give up saying ,that the enemy is strong & we cannot achieve anything by ourselves. One can at least begin with ones own family & then the surrounding environment. Know & Discharge 

Events of Muharram

• Hadhrat Hussain was martyred in this month.

• Shaykhain Tirmizi & Haakim has narrated from Anas that the following verse:"Allah may forgive thee of thy sins that which is past and that which  is to come." (Al-Fath) was revealed on the 10th of Muharram.

• The Prophet Muhammed went to defeat Bani Muhaarin and Bani Tha'laba (Tribes of Bani Gatfan) in the year 4 A.H. (Asahhus-siyar)

Blessings of Muharram

• It is the first month of the Islamic Calendar.

• The meaning of the word:- The word "Muharram" means "Forbidden." Even before Islam, this month was always known as a scared month in which all unlawful acts were forbidden, prominently the shedding of blood.

• A blessing of Muharram:- There are many bounties of this month, especially the tenth of Muharram.

• Two of the many virtues of the 10th of Muharram:-

1. On this day he who spends more lavishly for the sake of his family members, Allah Taala will bestow blessing upon the sustenance of the following year.

1. Abu Qataada has related that the Prophet(Sal) has reported to have said, It is my thought that by fasting  on the 10th of Muharram Allah Taala will pardon the sins of the past  year. (Tirmizi)

9 Scientific Methods To Locate Qibla Direction

The General Egyptian Authority for Survey officially authenticated his methods.

How can we locate the Qibla direction in any place of the world? This question raised strong furor among Muslims worldwide, especially in the American City of Seattle where Muslims differed over the Qibla location.

This issue was of concern to the Muslim Society for Survey that organized a symposium on this topic and invited Brigadier Abdel-Aziz Sallam, who conducted detailed research on this subject. He managed to reach nine scientific methods to locate the Qibla direction by using trigonometry and trigonometric tables.

The General Egyptian Authority for Survey officially authenticated his methods.

We all know that Qibla is to direct oneself to the Kaba in Mecca. Muslims need to know the Qibla direction wherever they are in order to direct themselves towards it at the time of prayers. This step comes in obedience of God's saying:

"We see the turning of your face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn you to a Qibla that shall please you. Turn, then your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever you are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is God unmindful of what they do."

The book of "Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) According to the Four Schools," issued by the Mosque Department at the Egyptian Ministry of Wakfs (religious endowments), identified the Qibla. According to this book, the Qibla for those who are in Mecca or near it lies in the middle of the Kaba, or its parallel sphere from above or below.

So, a Muslim living in this area should direct himself to the middle of the Kaba or at least try hard to do so. Regarding those who are away from Mecca, the Qibla for them lies in the direction of the Kaba. They may move a little to the right or left of the Kaba. If they are slightly deviant from this direction, they are not to blame as they are still directed to the Kaba.

As regards the nine methods of locating the Qibla direction, the first is arithmetic. It applies the laws of spherical triangle solution and "half sinus." It proves, for instance, that the Qibla direction for an observer in Alexandria, Egypt is 135.5 degrees to the direction of true north clockwise, in Seattle, Washington 17.5 degrees to the direction of true north clockwise, and in Hong Kong 285.1 degrees to the direction of true north clockwise.

Trigonometry and its tables are applied under the second and third methods. These two methods proved the above-mentioned degrees of Qibla direction in Alexandria, Seattle and Hong Kong.

As for the fourth method, the star sphere is used. During sailing, a navigator needs a quick method to locate the Qibla accurately. This method locates the Kaba by adjusting its latitude to the inclination parallels on the star sphere and the Kaba longitude.

The fifth method uses the star disc. The direction of Kaba is located on the star disc with the same method used on the star sphere. The latitude of the Kaba is matched with the inclination parallels of the celestial body and longitude of the Kaba from the observer's site.

The sixth method uses Weris' cone. The longitude of the Kaba is matched with the base line of gradation on the celestial body inclination.

The seventh method considers the site of the Kaba a point of reference on some navigational devices. Some of these devices, like the one that locates sites via satellites, can store points of reference and indicate the direction and distance of these points at any moment.

Thus, the site of Kaba is stored in the device memory as a point of reference. If the direction of the Kaba is needed at any time, the point of reference can be recalled.

Regarding the eighth method, it benefits from the perpendicularity of the sun on the Kaba. When the sun is perpendicular to Mecca, its direction at this very moment is the direction of the Qibla. The sun is perpendicular to the Kaba twice a year when the sun inclination equals the Kaba latitude and during the sun time. The sun height will be 90 degrees at this very moment for observers in Mecca.

This phenomenon happens on May 28 at seventeen minutes and 52.8 seconds past 12 p.m. local time of Saudi Arabia and Egypt (summer time) and on July 16 at twenty-six minutes and 40.8 seconds past 12 p.m. local time of Saudi Arabia and Egypt (summer time).

On these two days, the sun can be watched by all inhabitants of Africa, Europe, East Asia up to the Philippines and the northwest part of Australia.

Those who see the sun at the above-mentioned moment will be facing the Qibla, God willing. A streetlight, for instance, can be observed at this very moment to locate the direction of Qibla. Thus, each Muslim can be assured of his direction and stick to it the whole year round.

The ninth method is the prayer map drawn by the Islamic Center in the United States of America. It locates the Qibla direction by angles worldwide.

It is to be mentioned that the Grand Sheikh of Al-Azhar has formed a committee to give a final fatwa (religious opinion) on the correctness of these nine methods that locate the Qibla direction.

By Hossam Abdel-Qader

Courtesy: OnIslam.net

DO NOT GIVE BAD HABITS THE UPPER HAND.

Habits are more coercive than laws. This is because our habits compel us from within ourselves to act in a certain way. Take the phenomenon of excessive irresponsible behavior at holiday times. A person might feel compelled to act in a certain way fearing the disapproval of others or in order to preserve his or her image. Beyond that, the person’s mindset might be conditioned into thinking that splurging money in a rash way will bring about a spirit of happiness and joy. 

Habits sometimes feel as if they are the very limbs of our bodies. They can neither be ignored nor departed from. 

 Descartes compared habits to physical phenomenon, like the way that when a shirt, a bed sheet, or piece of paper is folded, the point of the fold leaves a lasting impression. 

 Our conscious habits can be more closely compared with a clock. It is constructed by people to tell the time. Thereafter, people refer to it whenever the feel a need to and start relying upon it for everything. Habits are the same. They start as something we consciously and deliberately construct, then they start to reconstruct us. 

 Habits start off simply, but then they become deeply entrenched until they become part of our very makeup. Smoking or drug use starts off as something apparently harmless to the user, but this is deceptive. Soon, the habit has control of the addict’s life. Morphine is sometimes used as a pain killer, but if it is used repeatedly, the user becomes incapable of living without it, even after the pain has gone away. When the time for the regular dosage comes, the person suffers physical and psychological symptoms. 

 There is an old saying that goes: Pull the weeds from your garden as soon as they appear, or your whole garden will be ruined. A person might resort to theft out of dire need, but then the person becomes a compulsive thief, even if they become well-off and have no reason to steal. Stealing starts providing a sense of fulfillment, like the satisfaction a hunter feels when he aims and shoots a bird from the sky, though his refrigerator might be full of meat. 

 If you surrender to your habits, they become your master and they will lead you places you do not want to be. 

 Habits are a “second nature”, as Aristotle describes them. Habits are also a firmly rooted in a person’s nature. This is why it is often said that: “It’s easier to move a mountain than to change a habit.” This is not true, of course. It is possible to change one’s habits, but it is extremely difficult. It requires a lot of effort and determination, and the person who makes the attempt needs to be able to fight off feelings of despair.

   Bad habits cause a lot of pain and prevent a lot of good. People lose their reputations in society when they engage in demeaning and socially unacceptable habits. Those who repeatedly indulge in sinful habits might be seen by others to be hypocrites, though in truth they might be sincere religious people who are beset with weakness. 

 Persistent habits should not be confused with things people do on a sudden whim, though what might begin as a spontaneous act can certainly develop into a bad habit.

 Our bad habits take form us far more than what they give. That is, if they actually give us anything at all. 

 As for good habits… 

 A person comes to realize that human perfection lies in a sense of love for others, integrity, mercy, forgiveness, justice, and objectivity. Then, the actualization of these noble traits becomes a major part of that person’s life, and he or she begins to engaged in self-critique and puts these traits into practice. Intimately, practicing these noble qualities become a habit that is hard to break, even in the face of hardship and sacrifice. 

 Those who have become used to doing what is right find it difficult to do wrong. It is just like when people grow accustomed to speaking properly. It becomes difficult for them to use bad grammar.

 Friendship is a habit. Cultivate friendships with people who are simple-hearted, those who are weak, those who may not have prestige, so that you feel affinity for them. Look towards those who are less well-off and expel pride form your heart. You will love the people and they will love you. 

 At the same time, make it a habit to disdain the company of the ostentatious and haughty. Allah says: 

“And do not drive away those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, desiring only His favor; neither are you answerable for any reckoning of theirs, nor are they answerable for any reckoning of yours, that you should drive them away and thus be of the unjust.” [Sūrah al-An`ām: 52] 

 He also says: “And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey those whose hearts We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follow their desires and whose affairs are ever [in] neglect.” [Sūrah al-Kahf: 28] 

 Make the power of habit work for you. Do not let your habits be your master.