All Praise Belongs to Allah (Azza wajl), and May the Salah and Salam of Allah (Azza wajl) be upon our beloved Messenger Peace and Blessings be upon him. Insha Allah you are all doing exceptionally well. Alhamdulillah we are in the month of Muharram, below is some information about this sacred month. May Allah accepts our deeds.
What Is Muharram?

Allah has made Muharram sacred, as it is a blessed and important month; because:

1) It is the first month of the Hijri calendar. 2) It is one of the four sacred months concerning which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the number of months with Allaah is twelve months (in a year), so it was ordained by Allaah 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]

3) Muharram itself also means sacred and confirms its sanctity. 4) The 10th of Muharram is the “Day of Ashura” 

History of The Day of Ashura

When the Prophet (s) arrived in Madinah in 622 CE, he found that the Jews there fasted on the 10th of Muharram and asked them the reason for their fasting on this day.

They said: “This is a blessed day. On this day Allah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy (in Egypt) and so Prophet Musa fasted on this day giving thanks to Allah.”

The Prophet (sa) said: ”We are closer to Musa than you are.” He fasted on that day and commanded Muslims to fast on this day. (Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet (sa) said: ”For fasting the day of ‘Ashura, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for (the sins committed in) the year that went before.” [Reported by Muslim, 1976]

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Fasting the day of ‘Arafaah expiates for all minor sins, in other words this brings forgiveness for all sins except for major sins. (As they need separate repentance)

A: It is ḥarām to disgrace the figures of our Sunni brothers, let alone charging the wife of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) with things that throw her chastity into question, rather, it is impossible for the wives of the prophets, especially those of the Master of the prophets, the great Messenger of Allah (S.W.A). *

Twin bombings killed more than 45 Shia pilgrims today, taking the number of suicide attacks across Iraq in the past four days to seven with a collective death toll of more than 110.

The blasts targeted pilgrims marking the annual Shia Muslim ceremony of Arbae’en near entrances to Karbala, a shrine city in central Iraq. Both bombs were packed into cars driven by suicide bombers.

Between 30 and 45 pilgrims were killed, and at least 100 injured. They were the sixth and seventh suicide attacks to have taken place since Monday – again undermining government claims that the towns and cities of Iraq are now safe and terrorists can no longer wreak havoc.

Car bombs driven by suicide attackers have this week caused carnage in Ramadi, Baquba and now Karbala. Another suicide bomber, on foot, killed around 60 police recruits in Tikrit.

The sharp upswing in violence has happened as Iraq remains without ministers to fill the posts of defence, national security and the interior.

They are regarded as the most critical positions in the government, yet the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, is reluctant to name names more than three weeks after he formed a government and almost 11 months since a national election was held.

Iraqi officials have pointed to the past two months of relative quiet – in which death tolls have been lower than at any time since the 2003 US-led invasion – as evidence that the Sunni insurgency has lost potency.

They have paraded in public more than 30 militants arrested after a massacre in a Baghdad cathedral in late October and claim to have killed several would be suicide bombers, including two men driving a car bomb near Mosul yesterday.

However, the militants have proven to be resilient and resourceful, able to strike at likely targets despite major security operations.

Groups affiliated to al-Qaida have been responsible for numerous attacks on Shia pilgrims in the past and were again prime suspects in today’s attack.

“You can’t fight them with tanks, or an army,” Hassan Jihad, from the Iraqi parliament’s defence and security committee, said. “We need to build a good intelligence system. We can only defeat them this way.

“They have sleeper cells, they know how to violate the gaps in security and they want to prove that they still control things by attacking first Tikrit in the north, then Baquba in the east and now Karbala in the south.”

Dr Imad Hussein, a member of Karbala local council, said: “We prepared for the pilgrims with three security barriers and 12,000 police officers.

“We had intelligence about potential attacks, so we increased the security measures. The explosions took place outside our barriers. It’s obvious that they are working again to hit the pilgrims and stoke the fires of sectarian war.”

But the head of Iraq’s anti-bomb squad, General Jihad al-Jabari, remained defiant. “The increase in explosions this week does not prove that the situation has deteriorated,” he said.

“These bombs are locally made, with local material. They are made in provinces very close to their targets. Focus instead on the plots we disrupted and the bombers we killed.

“Even with all our experience, it is difficult to control them because they are committed to killing themselves and others.”

Iraq’s main roads are teeming with hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims, all on a choreographed journey to the scene of the site where Imam Hussein, who was revered in Shia Islam, was killed in the seventh century.

Source

Before we begin allow me to quickly speak on why I decided to write the response so long after the film’s original release date. Many, if not all, of the responses were from the various schools of thoughts within Islam. Though there responses were good and thorough, I thought it best that another addition, this time from the perspective of the Jaffari school of thought, be added.  Also much discussion has been surrounded about whether Islam does in fact preach intolerance and violence, so this article will also be used to address a more general claim.

The first verse presented in Fitna

The first verse posted in Fitna is Surah 8 Verse 60 which states:

[8:60] Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of God and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom God doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of God, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly.’’

Now Geert Wilders quotes the following verse while playing a video in the background of planes flying into the twin towers. Now for arguments sake does anyone see this verse commanding Muslims to kill civilians and to fly planes into civilian buildings? The verse in no way commands such a thing; it should be quite evident that Geert is only playing to emotions to prove his point.

Now when was this verse revealed? This verse was revealed during and about the battle of Badr, which is why many people call this chapter Surah Badr (Light of the Holy Quran exegeses). With that said in times of war, or for this case before war, what does one do?  Most people would prepare all of their weapons against the oncoming army. This verse in no way is commanding Muslims to go and slaughter non-Muslims and crash planes into buildings, rather it is telling the Muslims to ‘’ make ready your strength’’ in order to defend yourself against the oncoming attack.

Though that would suffice a response allow us to quote the verse right after verse 60, which Wilders does not do, and see what it says:

 [008:061] But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in God: for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things).

So as we can see if the enemy (during or before war) inclines toward peace than the Muslims are commanded to incline towards peace. As we have already noted the context of this Surah (most of it) is during the battle of Badr.

To further re-iterate my point, allow me quote the Pooya Ali Tafseer of this verse:

  ‘’ The preparation is to maintain peace by preventing the enemy to commit aggression against you. If you are fully ready to counter their attack they will think twice before launching an offensive adventure. If the enemy offers peace, rely on Allah and accept it.’’

 (Pooya Ali Tafseer)

Second Verse presented in Fitna

Irrelevant to whether Islam is a violent religion. Like Christianity, God will punish those who reject the message of Islam in the afterlife with a severe punishment.

Third verse presented in Fitna

[047:004] Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly (on them): thereafter (is the time for) either generosity or ransom: Until the war lays down its burdens. Thus (are ye commanded): but if it had been God’s Will, He could certainly have exacted retribution from them (Himself); but (He lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are slain in the Way of God,- He will never let their deeds be lost.

The third verse Geert quotes is from Surah 47 verse 4.

This is where the deception of Geert Wilders truly comes to surface. He quotes Surah 47 verse 4 as follows:

Surah 47 verse 4: ‘’ Therefore, when ye meet the unbelievers, smite at their necks and when ye have caused a bloodbath among them bind a bond firmly on them’’

The proper translators, in fact all the major translators, have translated the verse as:

Yusuf Ali ‘’Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers (in fight), smite at their necks…’’

Shakir ‘’so when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks…’’

Sher Ali ‘’ And when you meet in regular battle those who disbelieve, smite their necks…’’

Pickthall ‘’ Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the necks…’’

I can quote much more, but I think the above is sufficient enough.

So had Geert Wilders been more honest to his viewers he would of seen that this verse is only applicable to those you meet in battle.  

 Even though we have already exposed the deceptiveness of Geert and have actually understood what this verse says and when it was revealed let us just for the sake of knowledge examine this verse a little bit more using the Pooya/M.A. Ali commentary:

‘’ This verse commands every believer to kill or be killed when he fights disbelievers… The ordinance to kill the disbelievers is applicable when they launch an attack on the believers, not when they have surrendered. Islam prescribes effective defence in the event of an unprovoked aggression… When the enemy is brought under control, the release of prisoners with or without ransom is recommended. The slaughter of captives was never allowed by Islam. How a believer deals with the captives is a test. Some take ransom, some let them go for the sake of Allah; and some take care of them, shelter them and feed them with no strings attached’’

Fourth verse presented in Fitna

[004:089] They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they): But take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of God (From what is forbidden). But if they turn renegades, seize them and slay them wherever ye find them; and (in any case) take no friends or helpers from their ranks;-

One again Geert Wilders fails to quote the proceeding and preceding verses.

Let us read the entire section of Surah 4 verse 89 and expose deceitful tactics of Geert Wilders:

 [004:088] What is the matter with you, then, that you have become two parties about the hypocrites, while Allah has made them return (to unbelief) for what they have earned? Do you wish to guide him whom Allah has caused to err? And whomsoever Allah causes to err, you shall by no means find a way for him.

[004:089]  They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah’s way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper.

[004:090] Except those who reach a people between whom and you there is an alliance, or who come to you, their hearts shrinking from fighting you or fighting their own people; and if Allah had pleased, He would have given them power over you, so that they should have certainly fought you; therefore if they withdraw from you and do not fight you and offer you peace, then Allah has not given you a way against them.

Even though the deliberate cherry picking of Geert Wilders has been exposed let us analyze what the verses say in order to get a better understanding. The verse right before verse 89 is speaking about hypocrites who claimed to be Muslims in front of the Muslims and when they went to their pagan friends they then claimed to be with the pagans and not Muslims. As we all know Medina was not only a state governed by the law of Islam but was also a political and military state, and these pagans who were double faced, acted as spies on the Muslims. For that very reason (protection of the state against infiltrators) the Muslims were commanded to kill them. Though that would suffice a response allow us to continue on. Then verse 90 came down (verse 85-91 were all revealed together) and says do not fight those who ‘’offer you peace’’ and ‘’ do not fight you’’ or those who have joined a group in which you have already made an alliance with, or those who fear you.

So in the latter portion of the verses we see:

1)      The Muslims in this context cannot fight those who offer them peace

2)      Who do not fight them first

3)      Who make an alliance with a group whom the Muslims are already in an alliance with

4)      And who fear the Muslims

Fifth verse presented in Fitna

[008:039] And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in God altogether and everywhere; but if they cease, verily God doth see all that they do

Now this verse if anything proves that Islam is indeed a religion which advocates for the ending of oppression and tumult.  As the verse clearly states:

‘’And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression’’

Now the problem which I think Geert was trying to emphasize on, was the last section of the verse in question which states

‘’… and faith in God altogether’’

His suggestion is obvious: which is that he believes the religion of Islam forces its faith upon all. But is that really the case? Or has Geert Wilders painted a tainted picture?

Muslims in the verse are commanded to fight those who were oppressive not only to the Muslims but also to the citizens of the state. As we all know girls were buried alive (something which the Prophet Muhammad (saw) abolished), men and women were killed over water and so on.

In this verse the Muslims are not commanded to fight until the Pagans (whom this verse was referring to) converted to Islam, but were commanded to fight until there was no more oppression.

In fact Surah 2:191 is directly connected to this verse and it states:

[2:191] Turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter

This verse in its simplest terms refers to the oppression of the Pagans and the need to revolt against the tyranny.

In order to further prove that there is no compulsion in religion, or rather in Islam, all me to quote directly from the Holy Quran:

[002:256] Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand- that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.

Conclusion

As we have clearly seen, not only is the film fitna based upon lies, but the film director shows no shame in blatantly misquoting the verses he uses in his film. We hope in the near future that critics of Islam would show a bit more honesty and avoid the intellectually dishonest tactics of Geert Wilders.

Not only does the religion of Islam not endorse violence, hate, intolerance, genocide, and oppression, but the only way for a person to come up with that conclusion is for them to misquote, lie, or deceive their audience.

As-Sallamu-Alaykom

Chapter five verse 32 of the Holy Quran contains a beautiful moral passage, one which is clear in its message, and powerful with its delivery. But sadly, though not too surprisingly, critics of Islam love to make the claim that this verse is irrelevant to Muslims living today, and that the main moral is valid to only one specific nation.

In today’s article we will refute the already mentioned claim by appealing to commentators of the Holy Quran.

But before we get to the refutation I believe it best that we read the verse which has so much discussion surrounded around it and see what it says:

[005:032]  We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.

This verse should be irrefutable proof that not only does Islam condemn the killing of the innocent, but it makes a clear statement that killing one innocent person is like killing all of humanity.

Refuting the critics

Sadly, many people do not focus on the moral of the story, but rather on the words preceding the moral which states:

‘’ We ordained for the children of Israel that…’’

Many Christian apologists and other critics of Islam claim that those few words prove that this verse is specified only to a certain group of people, those being the children of Israel, and thus Muslims cannot claim that this verse is applicable to today, for the verse clearly speaks to the contrary.

Thankfully we as Muslims can appeal to our most enlightened minds and see what they think. We can see whether they believe that this verse is applicable to today, or whether it had a specific context.

In Allamah Muhammad Hussain Tabatabai timeless master piece, Tafsir al Mizan, he speaks on whether the verse was reserved for a particular nation or for all of humanity:

‘’The principle that killing one man is tantamount to killing all men and keeping one person alive is like keeping all men alive, is applicable to all killings taking place in human species; it is not reserved to any particular killing; and innumerable murders had taken place before the era of Israelites and even in Israelites before the one mentioned in this verse.

Then why was this principle enunciated from this particular murder? And why was it confined to a particular nation?

The reply to original question is as follows: The words: whoever slays a soul… it is as though he slew all men; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept alive all men, do not enact a legislative order; they enunciate a deep principle. Therefore, the prescription to the Children of Israel denotes that this principle was explained to them, although its benefit was comprehensive and covered Israelites and non-Israelites both. It is not unlike the admonitions and wisdom the Qur’an explains to the ummah of Muhammad (s.a.w.) although their benefits are not confined to it.’’

Tafseer Al-Mizan (Tafseer on 5:32)

Important Note

Now I want to make something clear, I only relayed the main chunk of the tafseer, the commentator goes into much more detail and uses many hadith(s) from the Ahlul Bayt to prove his claims, and thus I hope the readers will take some time to read the rest of the tafseer, for I have only relayed the main chunk.

Conclusion

As we can clearly see, the deep moral principle of this verse is applicable to all nations, past and present, and indeed in the religion of Islam the murder of one innocent person is like the murder of all of humanity.

Important Note

In the introduction to the article I said that we would look at the words of commentator(S). I, as you can see, have only used one. And the reason being is that many of the tafseers which are widely available do not even validate the claims of the critics. They discuss the moral, and apply it to the many subsequent killings which took place after the children of Israel’s generation, showing that the verse is applicable to all nations, not only to the children of Israel.

As-Sallamu-Alaykom

As-Sallamu-Alaykom my dear brothers and sisters

As I am sure you are all aware of, one of our great leaders within the Islamic and Arab world Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlullah (May Allah grant him mercy) has passed away and returned unto his lord.

Undoubtedly this is a difficult time for many, for the Sayyed stood for many things, including his religion, courage, the defence of many and arguably the most important of all intellectual honesty.

His life truly has been an inspiration to many and though he has returned back to the Lord of the worlds, his works, which are ample, will still be of great use and relevance to the Muslims who are mourning the death of this irreplaceable man.

I hope that we all keep him in our prayers, and that we emulate him in his action of gaining and seeking knowledge.
We ask Allah (subhunu wa ta’la) to grant his mercy upon the Sayyed, and also to all of the faithful. And we also ask the Most Merciful to allow us to serve with the Imam of our time.

As-Sallamu-Alaykom my dear brothers and sisters

The status of Fatima al-Zahara within the religion of Islam has been documented thoroughly in both Sunni and Shia texts; with that said, it is still very sad to see Muslims until this very day elevating other female individuals over the status of Fatima al-Zahara. And it is for that very reason that I deem it necessary to write an article on her status, primarily from the texts of our Sunni brothers and sisters in order to prove once and for all that Fatima al-Zahara is indeed a shining light in Islam, and a role model for all to follow.

All references today will come from the two Sahih books of Sunni Islam, those being Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Fatima al-Zahara according to Sahih Muslim Book 31 and Hadith number 5955 has been purified by Allah (swt):

Aisha reported:

That Allah’s Apostle (May peace be upon him) went out one morning wearing a striped cloak of the black camel’s hair that there came Hassan b. ‘Ali. He wrapped him under it, then came Husain and he wrapped him under it along with the other one (Hassan). Then came Fatima and he took her under it, then came ‘Ali and he also took him under it and then said: Allah only desires to take away any uncleanilness from you, O people of the household, and purify you (thorough purifying).

So according to the above hadith, Fatima al-Zahara along with Imam Ali (as), Imam Hassan (as), and Imam Hussein (as), have been purified thoroughly by Allah (swt), this indeed is a very rare honour and no other individual has had such an occasion similar to this.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The relationship of the Prophet to his daughter Fatima al-Zahara is so great that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

“Fatima is a part of me, and whoever makes her angry, makes me angry.”

(Sahih Bukhari: Volume 5, Book 57, Number 111)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

As we have seen according to the two hadiths we have posted, Fatima al-Zahara has been purified by Allah (swt), as well as having such a strong relationship with her dad, the Prophet of Islam, that he said whoever angers her, angers him as well. But that is not all, according to the Prophet of Islam in the afterlife; she (Fatima al-Zahara) will be the leader of all the women in heaven:

Sahih Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 56, Number 819:

Narrated ‘Aisha:

Once Fatima came walking and her gait resembled the gait of the Prophet. The Prophet said, “Welcome, O my daughter!” Then he made her sit on his right or on his left side, and then he told her a secret and she started weeping. I asked her, “Why are you weeping?” He again told her a secret and she started laughing. I said, “I never saw happiness so near to sadness as I saw today.” I asked her what the Prophet had told her. She said, “I would never disclose the secret of Allah’s Apostle.” When the Prophet died, I asked her about it. She replied. “The Prophet said.) ‘Every year Gabriel used to revise the Qur’an with me once only, but this year he has done so twice. I think this portends my death, and you will be the first of my family to follow me.’ So I started weeping. Then he said. ‘Don’t you like to be the mistress of all the ladies of Paradise or the mistress of all the lady believers? So I laughed for that.”

Conclusion

The status of Fatima al-Zahara within Islam is so great, that according to the hadiths of both Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, Fatima al-Zahara is a part of the purified member of the holy household, she is also so dear to the Prophet that whoever dares to anger her, also dares to anger him, and finally her status on this earth is so high that she has also been made the leader of all women in paradise.

CNN) — Hundreds of Egyptians took part Monday in the funeral of Marwa Sherbini, an Egyptian woman who was stabbed to death last week in the German city of Dresden in a crime believed to be racially motivated

        Sherbini, 33, was stabbed to death Wednesday in a courtroom </as she prepared to give testimony against a German man of Russian descent whom she had sued for insult and abuse.

        The man, identified in German media as Alex A., 28, was convicted of calling Sherbini, who wore a headscarf, “terrorist,” “bitch” and “Islamist” when she asked him to leave a swing for her 3-year-old son Mustafa during an August 2008 visit to a children’s park.

He was fined and appealed the ruling. The two were in court Wednesday for that appeal when Alex A. attacked, pulling out a knife and stabbing Sherbini 18 times. He also stabbed her husband three times and attacked another person.

According to Arab media, police officers tried to intervene to end the fight, and a number of shots were fired. One hit the husband, who fell unconscious and is currently in intensive care in the Hospital of Dresden University.

Sherbini was three months pregnant at the time of her death.

Hundreds attended Sherbini’s funeral in Alexandria, Egypt, her hometown, among them government officials, including Egyptian Manpower Minister Aisha Abdel Hadi and Telecommunications Minister Tariq Kamel, Egyptian media reported.

Many shouted hostile slogans against Germany and called for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to take a firm stand on the incident. Egypt’s grand mufti, Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, demanded the severest punishment to be issued against Alex A.

Berlin witnessed angry protests on Saturday, when hundreds of Arabs and Muslims demonstrated after a funeral prayer that called her killing an outrageous racist murder against Muslims.

In a phone call with Al Arabiya, Marwa’s brother, Tariq Sherbini, said, “Extremism has no religion. My sister was killed simply because she wore the veil. This incident clearly shows that extremism is not limited to one religion or another and it is not exclusively carried out by Muslims.”

“We are only asking for a fair punishment,” he said, adding that his sister was not a radical. “She was a religious woman who prayed and wore her headscarf, but she was killed because of her belief.”

Anger about Sherbini’s death smoldered online, as Twitterers and bloggers pushed the cause.

“She is a victim of hatred and racism,” tweeted Ghada Essawy, among many other Arab twitters and bloggers. Essawy called Sherbini “the martyr of the veil.”

Various videos circulated on YouTube calling on Egypt to take action and urging Germany to address what their makers saw as a new wave of hatred against Arabs and Muslims in its community.

One video showed various pictures of a young happy Marwa saying that “The woman stood up for her rights and she was killed. May God bless her.” The English font in the video presentation asked “when will Egypt cares for its citizens’ rights inside Egypt and abroad.”

Sherbini and her husband moved to Dresden in 2003, after the husband received a grant to study genetic engineering in the renowned Max Planck Institute. He was scheduled to present his Ph.D. thesis in the coming days.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/07/06/egypt.woman.killed/index.html

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