Isnin, 20 Rejab 1430 z Monday, July 13, 2009

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What is the position of music in so-called cultural colonisation? (page 5) Pictures of Uighur Muslims after the bloody riots. (page 7)

Islamia

Before Ramadhan Arrives

bless us in the months of Rejab and Syaban and bless us in the month of Ramadhan.
Vera Salim BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
he bank manager just called, informing us that they would write off all those thousands of dollars in debt that we have accumulated over years through our liberal use of the credit cards. Our hearts skipped with joy. Then the manager said, Conditions apply. You have to do a series of tasks all manageable over the course of one month. We didnt even bat an eye when we promised that, yes, of course, we would gladly carry out those tasks even if we have to forfeit several hours of sleep at night. Later in the day, the manager of the largest department store called to tell us they would soon be holding the largest sale ever in Brunei Darussalam. All the best goods would have to go at the cheapest price. Again our hearts skipped with joy. We began mentally preparing ourselves for an all-out jostling, even scuffling, with other people who would be rushing to the store for the giant discount session. Err, conditions apply. You will have to do a series of tasks for one month before you can join the discount session, the store manager said. Anything. Shoot, we replied, caring not whether those tasks would tire us out in the daytime and exhaust us at night time. All that we cared about was the promised discount! Well, twenty days ago there came to us an information about a scheme far better than those promised by the bank and store managers. The month of Rejab entered upon us twenty days ago, signifying that it would soon be Syaban followed by Ramadhan, the great month when sins will be written off and Paradise become so much more affordable. We may neglect Ramadhan, if we so wish, at our own peril. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, one day climbed up the steps toward his mimbar and said Amin thrice. One of those utterances, he explained later, was in response to the supplication of Jibril alayhis sallam who appeared before him, Destruction to him who found the blessed month of Ramadhan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness. (Hakim, Baihaqi) We still have some time before Ramadhan arrives to be as eager and prepared to carry out a series of tasks that will Insya Allah earn us Gods forgiveness for our sins and His blessings as the Prophet has prayed.
Islamia/The Brunei Times

O Allah,

to him who found the blessed month of Ramadhan and let it pass by without gaining forgiveness [from Allah].
AFP, Reuters

Destruction

Islamia/The Brunei Times

Islamia

Isnin, 20 Rejab 1430

AFP

Allah says..
And whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.
(translation of Allahs Words in Al-Quran surah Asy-Syura: 30)

Messenger of Allah said..

No hard travel to any masjid must be undertaken other than the three: my Masjid (Masjid An-Nabawi, Madinah), Al-Masjid Al-Haram (Mekah) and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (Jerusalem).
(narrated by Abu Hurarirah, reported in Sahih Muslim)

Salam

Reuters

Good Friends
ul liy man tusodiq aqul laka man anta. Katakan kepadaku siapa kawan Awda, maka akan aku katakan kepadamu, siapa diri Awda. Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are. Sag mir, wo sind deine Freunde, und dann kann Ich dir Sagen: wo bist Du. Regardless of the languages, this message stands true anywhere and at all times: A person is known by who their friends are. They shape one, or break one into ruins. If one digs deeper into the message, one realises that building and maintaining a good, Islamic biah (environs) is an important part of building and maintaining ones faith. Islam teaches us that companionship (suhba) should be chosen with an eye to the future: the Hereafter (Akhirah), that is when one shall be in the companionship of those that one loves the most Here (Dunya). Hina Khan-Mukhtar wrote in Raising Your Children with Din (Faith) and Dunya (2009) that suhba is of the utmost importance. If you sleep with the dogs, dont be surprised if you rise with the fleas, she said, quoting a scholar. The words that struck me the hardest with their wisdom? When you sit with People of the Dunya, you become a drop in their ocean, but when you sit with People of the Akhirah, the Dunya (world) becomes a drop in your ocean. Sometimes, that might mean sacrificing the companionship of friends who do not or refuse to help us toward finding the most comfortable place in the Hereafter. So be it..
Islamia/The Brunei Times

Say, there is no god but Allah. You will be successful.

V
Muhammad Abdullah
llahs Messenger said, There has come to you Ramadhan, a blessed month, in which Allah has made it obligatory to fast. During it the gates of paradise are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed, and the rebellious devils are chained. In it is a night (Laylatul-Qadr) which is better than a thousand months. He who is deprived of its good has truly been deprived. (An-Nasai) Allah - the Most High - has favoured us with countless blessings, the greatest of them being Islam itself. Within the religion of Islam there are many favours; one is the month of Ramadhan. However, many of us overlook this bounty and are thus left with an incomplete depiction of Ramadhan, often viewing it as a month to get oneself into shape! Most importantly Ramadhan is an act of ibadah (worship), the fulfillment of Allahs commandments and one of the great mercies of Allah to His believers for both this world and the next. lbn al-Qayyim wrote in his famous book Zaadul-Maad, From the Mercy of the Mighty and Most Merciful is that He prescribed for them fasting which will cut off the excesses of eating and drinking and empties the hearts of its desires which divert it on its journey to Allah -the Most High. He prescribed it in due proportion as will be appropriate and will benefit the servant with regard to this world and to the Hereafter; and it will not harm him, nor damage what is beneficial for him. Hell is Locked, Paradise Opened. All praise is for Allah Who out of His infinite Mercy locks the gates of Hell, chains and shackles the devils and opens up the gates of Paradise in this month for His servants, making it easier for them to devote this special time to His worship. It makes it harder for the evil jinn to corrupt the people as they usually do, because Insha Allah the Muslims will be occupied with fasting, engaged in

s t i u r F n a h d a m a R g Reapin

A Shield. The Prophet said, Fasting is a shield with which a servant protects himself from the fire. (Ahmad) Fasting weakens and cuts off desires and since it is desires which

Virtues of Fasting

reading the Quran, busy with extra prayers and in doing other righteous actions which help clean and purify their hearts. Sins are Forgiven. The Prophet explained to his Ummah that Ramadhan has such a high station that even if a Muslims sins were as much as the foam upon the sea, they would be forgiven through fasting in this month. He said, He who fasts in Ramadhan due to iman and hoping for reward from Allah then his previous sins are forgiven. (Bukhari and Muslim) There are in the month of Ramadhan in every day and night, those whom Allah grants freedom from the Fire, and there is for every Muslim a supplication which he can make and it will be granted. (Ahmad and al-Bazzar) This supplication, which is never rejected occurs at the time of breaking the fast. (Sunan ibn Majah) Lailatul-Qadr. Another virtue of this blessed month is that in it falls the night that is better than a thousand months, in which descends the angels and the Ruh (Quran surah alQadr: 4) and in which if one is standing in prayer out of faith and seeking reward, then his previous sins are forgiven. This is the Night of Decree - Lailatul-Qadr.

Virtues of Ramadhan

Fasting and the Quran intercede for a servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, O my Lord I prevented him from food and desires, so accept my intercession for him and the Quran will say...

lead to the fire, it can be seen how fasting acts as a protection against them, as a barrier, a shield, between the fasting person and the fire. It safeguards one from indulging in foul speech, quarrels and fights. It also develops the habit of self-control and restraint. Key to Paradise. Since fasting distances one from the fire, it brings one closer to Paradise. The Messenger was asked by his Companion Abu Umamah,Tell me an action by which I may enter Paradise. The Messenger said, Take to fasting, there is nothing like it. (An-Nisai and Hakim) Immense Reward. Every action of the son of Adam is given manifold rewards, each good deed receiving ten times its like, up to seven hundred times. Allah the Most High has said, Except for fasting, for it is for Me and I will recompense it, he leaves of his desires and his food for Me. For the fasting person there are two times of joy; a time of joy when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets his Lord, the smell coming from the mouth of a fasting person is better with Allah than the smell of Musk.. (Muslim) The main virtue of fasting, as with any action, is that it is done purely for the sake of Allah. The difference with fasting is that it is an act completely hidden from others so it is done merely for the pleasure of Allah (unlike Solat, Haji etc.) and so Allah rewards His servant for it specially. An Intercession. Another great virtue of fasting is that it will act as an intercessor with Allah on the Day of Judgement - a day when we will be in need of intercession. The Prophet said, Fasting and the Quran intercede for a servant on the Day of Resurrection. Fasting will say, 0 my Lord I prevented him from food and desires so accept my intercession for him and the Quran will say, I prevented him from sleep at night, so accept my intercession for him. So their intercessions will be accepted. (Ahmad)
AHYA

Monday, July 13, 2009

Islamia

Islamia/The Brunei Times

After Neglecting Allah...

another. Mercy of Allah Taala. come in the Masjid and we face the We need a Ramadhan because A Ramadhan like (a place where) Qiblat and we say Allahu Akbar and of Zulm, injustice to one another. We we come in, like in a clinic or a hospi- we stand in Solat a long time until need a Ramadhan because there is tal, trying to solve our illnesses, try- those diseases, that filth, that sickbackbiting, there is envy, there is jeal- ing to come out of there without the ness, that hardness in the heart all go ousy, and there is slander. disease we came with, trying to be away. We need a Ramadhan because better than when we went in with. We need a Ramadhan that rewe are despicable, because we are We need a Ramadhan. Look minds us of the Hellfire. We need sick, because we are ill all these are around you, look to your right, look a Ramadhan that tells us that we diseases of the heart. to your left, look in front of you and havent been given a certificate that We need a Ramadhan because look behind you and youll say, We we are people of Jannah. we dont believe in the promise of need a Ramadhan. We need a Ramadhan that lets us Allah Taala, or if we do, we do not Our sisters arent covering prop- known that we are servants of Allah implement it. erly, we need a Ramadhan. Taala. And if we were to spend our We need a Ramadhan because it Brothers and sisters are mixing whole life, from the time we were is time for us to change and become freely. We need a Ramadhan. born until Qiyamah in prostration, it something better then we are now. Talking on phones and on the In- would not be enough to thank AlWe need a Ramadhan because ternet, we need a Ramadhan. This is a lah for His Mercy, His Grace and His that is the only thing that is going to mess, we are in a fix, we are in a bind, Blessings. get us together and this is a problem We need a We need a Ramadhan and it is We need a Ramadhan because Ramadhan. We need a Ramadhan to clear. If there is any fear of Allah left in we dont have unity, theres no broth- get ourselves together. the hearts of ours and if there is any erhood amongst us. We need a Ramadhan, that we hope of Jannah left in us, and if there We need a Ramadhan because is any desire to change and to be bettheres no respect for our elders. ter and to be righteous and to We need a Ramadhan come to the level of Ihsan, because theres no real to come to the level of love between us. a Mumin, to have We need a Taqwa, to fear Ramadhan, Allah we because it need a some hearts are sick, some hearts are stone-cold, is full of Ramadlove han. some hearts are black. Some hearts are so bad, and and so ill that they see a good as a Munkar the

Reuters

Abdullah Ali

fter neglecting Allah for the majority of the year, we are in need of Ramadhan to correct ourselves. We are in need of Ramadhan to correct ourselves for we have been neglectful, for we are not upon the remembrance of Allah, and because our hearts have gotten so hard. Some hearts are dead, some hearts are sick, some hearts are stonecold, some hearts are black. Some hearts are so bad, and so ill that they see a good as a Munkar (as an evil), and they see an evil as a good. These are not as they should be. We need a Ramadhan. We need a Ramadhan because our connection with Allah Taala is not correct. We need a Ramadhan because we do not have any Khusyu in our Solat. We need a Ramadhan because our Quran has gathered dust sitting on a shelf. We need a Ramadhan because we never read the books of Sunnah. We need a Ramadhan because we dont fast, and if we fast physically without food or drink, we dont fast with our eyes by lowering our gaze. We dont fast with our tongue by not slandering, by not lying and back-biting. We need a Ramadhan to get ourselves back in order, to work for the Hereafter, to connect ourselves to Allah Taala. We need a Ramadhan because relationships brother to brother and sister to sister is in a miserable condition. We need a Ramadhan because we have bad thoughts about one

Some hearts are dead,

(as an evil), and they see an evil as a good. These are not as they should be. We need a Ramadhan. We need a Ramadhan because our connection with Allah Taala is not correct.

We need a Ramadhan, a month of repentance. We need a Ramadhan, a month of Mercy. You know you need a Ramadhan. I know I need a Ramadhan. We know we need a Ramadhan. We are in severe need for Ramadhan, so that we come into Ramadhan with repentance, we come into it with regret. We need Allah Taala to correct us, realising that we are wrong and that we need Allah Taala to place upon us that which is right, realising that we are weak and that we need Allah Taala to grant us strength. We needs nights of Qiyam (Solat), we need dua and sujud, we need nights of Ramadhan to recite the Quran. We need to listen to Husri, or Sudays or Shuraim, or Hudhaifi. We need a Ramadhan to listen to the Quran. When was the last time that we listened to the Quran? When was the last time we recited Quran? We need a Ramadhan to study Quran, to implement the Quran, and this Ramadhan may be our final Ramadhan. Where is the guarantee that this is not our final Ramadhan? What is the guarantee that it is not our final Ramadhan? We want to come into it seriously. We want to come out of it much better than we came into it. We want to come out of Ramadhan with Taqwa, because that was the main reason that it was legislated. O you who believe, fasting has been written upon you as it was written for those before you, so that you may gain Taqwa. (Quran surah alBaqarah: 183)
Abdurrahman

Islamia/The Brunei Times

Soul
him, used to say, None of you will be saved because of his deeds. They asked, Not even you O Allahs Messenger? He said, No, not even me, except that Allah bestows me with His mercy. (Bukhari and Muslim) When one loses the fear of requital it becomes easy to forget about falling from the straight path. A sense of security in this aspect can be the first step towards falling victim to it. Would such an arrogant person continually beseech Allah for guidance and seek steadfastness on his path? Vanity leads to backbiting and rumour mongering. Moreover, whomever mocks his brother about a particular sin will not die till he himself succumbs to it.

Isnin, 20 Rejab 1430

Dahlia Iman Arrogance and Pride

Reuters

hese two attributes are among the worst for man to acquire especially when he wants to repent (repentance: Taubat). Arrogance and pride led Iblis (Syaitan) astray, although he was in the company of the angels. That happened because Allah tells us, I (Iblis says) am better than him (Adam). You created me from fire and him You created from clay. (translation of Al-Quran surah AlAraf: 12) If one does not rid himself of arrogance and pride, an end similar to that of Syaitan is a sure result. But even a little part of them specially if related to how one views ones worship - can be very devastating to ones iman. Predominance of Desires The following is among the comDeviation from the right path mon signs of arrogance and pride: is caused by one of the two factorsClaiming perfection leads one to either doubt which has mixed with not feel the need to improve him- clarity and truth, or desires which self through good deeds and other predominated a persons heart and means of nurturing his iman. hence, deviated and obstructed him But iman, as stated by scholars, from the truth and obeying Allah, a either increases or decreases. There- factor clearly noticed in our days. fore, it will certainly decrease when The ones who repent and turn one does not work hard to into Allah are just as human as crease it with a lot good any one else- they dedeeds. sire as others do. Admiring ones The problem own deeds of lustful desires results in the one be proud of his begins primargradual relinily with an evil deeds while Allahs quishment of look or idea worshipping Messenger, used to and ends Allah, because with flooded say, None of you worship is actions or an based on humwill be saved beerupted volbling oneself to cano-leading a cause of his deeds. Him and acknowlperson to perveredging that all the sion. gratefulness is to Allah You find a person and to Him alone. following the path which How could one be proud of pleases Allah but once he sights his deeds while Allahs Messenger, something forbidden (e.g., a beautimay peace and blessing be upon ful woman), a struggle in his heart

How could,

begins; the light of iman is kindled within him calling him to repent and turn to Allah. Eventually, the pitch of this call is reduced and the call of the desire rises. In this way, an immense struggle within begins. At one stage, the call of iman might predominate and he overcomes this hurdle, even if the dust of the sin might have touched him, which he immediately washes off with repentance and good deeds. On the other hand, he might respond due to a weakness in iman and the light of desire rises and predominates, ensnaring his heart and obstructing any chances of turning to Allah. As a result, he falls victim to the sin and can not turn to Allah in re-

What Against Taubat?

pentance, which would raise him from this downfall. At this moment, he would say to himself, You have already been affected by the dirt of sin, so you might as well keep on going. So many times you have tried to repent, but to no avail. You are weak, there remains no hope for you to repent, and your way is different from that of the pious!

Whenever Allah commands us to do something, Syaitan incites us to fall into either extreme-either exaggerating the act on one hand or be negligent and careless about it on the other. Even though the latter is a common phenomenon with many, Syai-

The Ugly Gut of Excessiveness

Islamia

tan chooses to incite one towards the opposite extreme of exaggeration and immoderation. Accordingly, we have been warned against taking such an approach as Allah says, Say, O people of the scripture, exceed not the units in your religion. (surah Al-Maidah: 77) And Allahs Messenger, said, Beware of ghuluw (excessiveness) in religion, for indeed, what devastated those before you was ghuluw in religion. (narrated by An-Nasai) Allahs Messenger clarified this by saying, Be moderate and practice the same in proportion and know that your deeds will not make you enter Jannah and the most beloved deeds to Allah are those which are regularly done even if they were little. Al-Jumuah

uiz

Books
n this book, Dr Ali As-Sallabi presents the life of the third caliph of Islam, Uthman ibn Affan, and highlights his great achievements, as well the issues and turmoil that he faced due to the hypocrisy movement that plagued the Muslim society. He also addresses the misrepresentations of Uthman, fabricated by his enemies and detractors and perpetuated, inadvertently or otherwise, by writers and historians, as well as the activities of the hypocrites and the effort they put into fabricating these lies and causing division in the Ummah, the effects of which Muslims are still suffering today.

1. Who will be the first to be judged on the Day of Judgment? 2. Who were the first three persons to embrace Islam at the time of Messenger of Allah Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him? 1. The Prophets and the Martyrs in the Path of Allah (Syuhada) 2. Khadijah, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, Ali ibn Abi Talib

his book contains an informative discussion of the definition of fasting, its significance, and the wisdom behind fasting. It also explains some of the important elements of fasting, what is allowed and what is not allowed for the fasting person, as well as helpful issues related to making -up missed fasts. In addition, a number of issues related to the Night Prayer and Zakat-ul-Fitr are also included.

ANSWERS

Monday, July 13, 2009

Mind
and civilisational colonialism as well. Although political and military colonisation allegedly come to an end during the second half of twentieth century, these three forms of colonisation, namely intellectual, cultural and civilisational are still continuing. It is now evident that some western powers have the continuation of these forms of colonisation at the top of their agenda. The elimination of cultural identities of other civilisations, obliteration of distinct features of non-western cultures, rejection and condemnation of non-western legal systems and spurning oriental social patterns constitute the fundamental elements of this agenda. The media tirade against Islamic laws, targeting social habits in Muslim societies and caricaturing cultural patterns of Muslim societies has become the order of the day. In pursuance of this agenda, some orientalists undertook to portray Islamic culture and civilisation as representing some archaic, outmoded, inhuman, and barbaric remnants of the medieval ages. That is why Muslim aversion to carnal expressions of human sentiments in fine art was projected as a major handicap in the way of cultural sophistication. To deal with this malitive societies emphasised the physical aspect of life at the cost of its moral and spiritual aspects. To them, the sensual aspect of human existence outweighed the inner and higher human values. This primitiveness was reflected in worshipping physical phenomena believed to be representing the Reality. Music and dance thus became integral part of worship in many primitive religions. In fact, Islam declared the inauguration of a perfect religion, a final way of life, an accomplished legal and moral system and a panhuman culture and civilisation. The Islamic Syariah contemplates intellectual maturity of human beings and presumes the moral perfection of human life and behaviour. The laws of the Syariah are based on higher moral ideals and finer spiritual virtues. Islams approach to the reality of life is constructive and positive. It is forward-looking. It is morally motivated and spiritually oriented. To Islam, human physique is the vehicle of moral ideals; body is the locus of the spirit. This has given a new dimension to the idea of beauty and aesthetics in Islam. This morally rich and spiritually impregnated concept of aesthetics is reflected in Islamic fine arts,
McDaniel

Islamia/The Brunei Times

he dawn of the colonisation of Afro-Asian world in general and the Muslim world in particular brought in its wake efforts by the western academia to justify colonisation in a variety of ways. The so-called white mans burden to educate and civilise the barbaric, primitive and illiterate masses of Asia and Africa was based on the presumption of the total absence of all culture, civilisation, religious beliefs and knowledge in the countries occupied by the colonial powers, initially for commercial purposes under purely economic motives. The colonial powers of Britain and France particularly faced formidable resistance at the hands of Muslim freedom fighters almost everywhere in the colonised regions of Asia and Africa. With the passage of time, it was felt necessary that in order to ensure the protection of their interest on a long term basis, the colonial powers should create a generation within Muslim countries which would be western in their opinion and taste, but oriental in color and ethnic affiliation. Macaulay, the author of this idea, was perhaps the most successful colonial thinker who gave a new dimension to western colonialism which may be termed as intellectual colonialism. This new intellectual and academic policy soon resulted in cultural

Dr Mahmood Ahmed Ghazi

Cultural Colonialism and the Music Question (1)

ady they started efforts to popularise their social ethos and life styles in the Muslim world. Muslim concept of artistic performance and finer expression of their sense of aesthetics was different from the prevalent western styles. In fact, Islam represented a stage of perfection and maturity of the human mind. Most primitive religions and prim-

..in order to ensure the protection of their interest on a long term basis, the colonial powers should create a generation within Muslim countries which would be western in their opinion and taste, but oriental in color and ethnic affiliation.

Muslim poetry, architecture, calligraphy, book decoration, pottery, carpet-designing, and so on, which represent only the higher moral ideals and spiritual values. There is hardly anything in Islamic art which demonstrates any sensual motivation on the part of their respective authors. In this conception of society, of aesthetic and fine arts, music had little place, if at all. Muslim societies, by and large, have been averse to music and dancing. These two expressions of sensuality in the name of art have been extremely rare in Muslim societies and were always confined to a very limited and insignificant section of the society, mostly representing the periphery, despite involvement of and encouragement from the ruling class. Muslim history bears testimony that carnal and sensual expression of art and aesthetics have never occupied any respectable place in Muslim societies. Those who took interest in these expressions were always denied a central position in Muslim social hierarchy. This situation however underwent a change by the middle of twentieth century in general and by the introduction of powerful print and electronic media in particular. The result of this media crusade for the promotion of music and dance culture has been tremendous.

Scholars

Maliks Advice to Asy-Syafii

e have spoken of Imam Maliks courage, willingness to state the truth as he knew it, regardless of who may be offended, it also speaks of his sincerity and the value he attached to the position of a scholar in the Muslim community. Maliks sincerity aimed at arriving at the truth, regardless of who takes the credit for it. He would not give a ruling on any matter that had anything to do with judges and their verdicts. He would not criticise any verdict they might have issued. This is unlike Abu Hanifahs attitude who criticised any verdict if he felt that the judge was mistaken. However, both attitudes are motivated by sincerity. Abu Hanifahs attitude showed his great respect and sincerity in pursuing what was right, while Malik was sincere in avoiding anything that could cause trouble. He, however, would speak privately to judges, showing them any point of evidence that they might have overlooked. In his appearance, Malik was awe-inspiring. Many reports agree that Malik had a spiritual influence on people that made everyone look at him with great respect, love and awe. Furthermore, he was also a man of great insight, not only in knowl-


A

* The writer was the president of the International Islamic University, Islamabad Albalagh

(to be continued)

Islampaedia

The Gatherer

edge and scholarship, but in peoples characters and qualities. Asy-Syafii was still young when he went to Madinah. He reports, When I arrived in Madinah and met Malik, he listened to me and then looked at me for a while. He was a man of insight. He then asked me my name and said, Muhammad, maintain fear of God and avoid all sin. You are certain to have a position of distinction. Malik lived in poverty for a long time during his pursuit of knowledge. His main income was from a business with a small capital. When he was recognised as a scholar whose views were sought by rulers and khalifahs, he was in a much better situation. He accepted financial gifts only from khalifahs, but not from provincial rulers or governors. When he was asked about this, he gave a clear answer that the pursuit of knowledge should be supported by the state. But he never kept all that he received for himself or his family. He supported those of his students who needed support. Among these was Asy-Syafii who, like many other students, would not have been able to study without this support. Asy-Syafii lived in this status for nine years.
Adil Salahi/IMPACT

llah introduces Himself as Al-Jami, the Gatherer. Our Lord, You are the Gatherer of mankind to a Day of which there is no doubt. Allah will not break His promise. (translation of Al-Quran surah Al-Imran: 9) This attribute of Allah expresses His control over all systems in the universe. Allah, the Creator of all that exists, has the power to make all the living and non-living beings obey Him and so can gather them wherever He wishes. In the Quran, Allah promises that He will gather believers together in this world, Each person faces a particular direction, so race each other to the good. Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together. Truly, Allah has power over all things. (surah Al-Baqarah: 148) However, the actual gathering will take place on the Day of Judgment, when all believers will enter His presence. Allah, Who knows the unbelievers who reject Him and His messengers, as well as their actions, will collect everyone who has ever lived. In Paradise, Allah will reward His followers also in crowds. On that Day, He will gather His servants and their leaders to His presence. Meanwhile, He will keep the unbelievers in Hell together and let them argue with one another. Their impious idols will remain together and be repaid in a narrow corner of Hell. Allah says, It has been sent down to you in the Book that when you hear Allahs Signs being rejected and mocked at by people, you must not sit with them until they start talking of other things. If you do [remain seated], you are just the same as them. Allah will gather all the hypocrites and unbelievers into Hell. (surah An-Nisa:140) Harun Yahya

6 Islamia/The Brunei Times

Body

Isnin, 20 Rejab 1430

Spices: Powerful Healers

available as an essential oil, and because it is extracted from cloves, it is sometimes refered to as clove oil. Medicinally, eugenol can be used as an analgesic, and has antiseptic and antibacterial effects. A good way to obtain this active compound through the diet is by spicing up food by adding whole or ground cloves to dishes. Capsaicin is the active compound found in chili peppers, and is responsible for the intensity of the heat of the pepper. Much research has been carried out on this compound, and aside from reducing blood clotting, capsaicin has been found to fight cancer, provide pain relief, reduce inflammation, control diabetes and weight loss. Chili peppers are a main ingredient in hot sauce, which can be sprinkled on a whole variety of dishes. Alternatively, add fresh chili peppers to food when preparing them. Curcumin is one of the best known and researched natural healing spices. It is the active ingredient in turmeric, a spice that is regularly used in Asian cooking. Research has shown curcumin to have strong antioxidant, anti-inflammation, antifungal and antiviral properties. It is also

More potent than aspirin in reducing blood clots

on ab nn Ci

al re Ce

Rijal Kamil

pices not only add flavor to food and help to liven it up, but research is now showing that spices have many health benefits. A new study has found that the active ingredients in several common spices prevent platelet aggregation and blood clot formation up to 29 times better than aspirin, and without the side effects. Scientists in India carried out extensive testing to determine the health benefits of spices traditionally used in Indian cuisine. They evaluated the effect of the principle spice active compounds eugenol, capsaicin, piperine, quercetin, curcumin, cinnamaldehyde, and allyl sulphide on human platelet aggregation. They demonstrated that each compound evaluated was able to significantly inhibit blood clotting. Eugenol and capsaicin, the active ingredients in commonly used spices, were found to be the most potent inhibitors of platelet aggregation, with eugenol found to be 29-times more potent than aspirin in inhibiting arachidonic acid induced human platelet aggregation. Arachidonic acid is an omega-6 unsaturated fat, found in high quantities in animal fats, such as red meat.

bioavailability of nutrients from food, and has a dual action in speeding toxins out of the body through sweat and urine.

Capsaicin

known to be a very effective pain reliever, aids digestion, fights infections and reduces heart attacks, as well as numerous other health benefits. Turmeric, with its deep yellow-orange color, is an ingredient in curry powders but is also available as turmeric powder on its own, and this form contains the most curcumin. Cinnamaldehyde is the chemical compound that gives cinnamon its flavor and aroma. Cinnamon is well known to be an effective and popular healer. It has been found to regulate blood sugar levels and have sedative and antibiotic properties, as well as regulate digestion and tackle bad breath. To include cinnamon in the diet, chew daily on a fresh cinnamon stick, or add fresh or ground cinnamon to food and drink.

Piperine is the active ingredient in black pepper and is what gives black pepper its kick. This compound provides an overall health boost, acts as a powerful antioxidant, reduces inflammation and pain, combating arthritis and fighting off colon cancer. Black pepper has also been shown to substantially increase the

Piperine

Allyl sulfide is found in the oil of garlic and is one of the compounds that gives garlic its unique odor. Garlic is a potent herb with well known anti-inflammatory and anti microbial properties, and research suggests that garlic is a powerful antioxidant that can help lower high blood pressure and control diabetes, as well as protect against cancer. Garlic is very versatile and can be added to almost any savory dish. Crushing garlic before using releases more of its beneficial compounds, and lightly cooking it also preserves much of its nutritional value.
Healthy Muslim

Allyl Sulfide

Cinnamaldehyde

Tips for Using Spices

Curcumin

Eugenol

Eugenol is found in cinnamon, lemon balm, bay leaves and gives cloves their distinct aroma. It is also

1 2 3 4

Buy fresh spices in their whole form, and grind them at home just before using, to get maximum health benefits and fuller flavour from them. Organic herbs and spices usually have a higher content of nutrients and are not irradiated or sprayed with pesticides. Store spices in an airtight glass container, in a cool, dry and dark place. As with all foods, spices should be eaten in moderation.

Which pair is yours?

Non-smokers lungs

Smokers lungs

This Public Service Advertisement is presented by Islamia/The Brunei Times Monday supplement. Pictures taken from Bodies The Exhibition in Arlington, Virginia, US (12 April 2007) by AFP.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Places

Islamia/The Brunei Times

Ethnic Uighur women grab at a riot policeman as they protest in rmqi in Chinas far west Xinjiang province on July 7, 2009. Protests have erupted in a number of places, two days after unrest left more than 150 people dead there, state media reported. International concern has mounted over the carnage in Xinjiang, which China said left at least 156 people dead and 1,080 injured. State media said the deaths occurred when Muslim Uighurs went on the rampage in some of the deadliest ethnic unrest in China in decades. But Uighur leaders said the riots started after Chinese police had attacked a peaceful protest. Picture: AFP

Innaa lillaahi Uighur...

(clock-wise from the left) A Uighur woman holds her child as she watches troops in riot gear drive past in trucks in a Uighur neighbourhood in Chinas Xinjiang Autonomous Regions capital city of rmqi July 9. (above left) A local man walks past a Chinese armoured personnel carrier (APC) as it patrols the streets of Urumqi, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in China July 6. (above right) An ethnic Uighur woman stands on the side of a road as Chinese army troops stand by on a truck in a main street of rmqi July 9. (right) A woman cries in front of Chinese soldiers in rmqi July 7. Pictures: Reuters

Islamia/The Brunei Times

People

Isnin, 20 Rejab 1430

A British Neo-Nazis Journey to Islam

Abdul Aziz Myatt

slam total submission to the will of Allah. I converted to Islam because there came a time when both my mind and my heart accepted that there was no god but Allah and that Muhammad was His Messenger. All that I had believed and upheld before this conversion is at worst wrong, and at best irrelevant. How was it that I, a Westerner with a history of political involvement in extreme right-wing organisations, came to be standing one Sunday outside a masjid with a sincere desire to go inside and convert to Islam? The simple answer is that it was the will of Allah He guided me there. One of the many wonderful things which occurred on the day I converted was when the Imam of the Masjid explained that by accepting Islam I had begun a new life Allah had forgiven me my sins, and it was as if I started my life again with my Book of Life, the record of my sins, empty. As Syeikh Muhammad Salih AlMunajjid a distinguished scholar has said, Asking for details of a persons past and wanting to know what sins they might have committed when they were ignorant about Islam is not right at all. Allah covers peoples sins and loves to see them covered (i.e. not dragged out into the open). So long as a person has repented, his sins have been wiped out. Islam deletes whatever came before, so why should we ask questions

that will only embarrass people? Allah accepts peoples repentance without their having to confess or expose their sins to any other person. A number of the Sahabah (companions of the Prophet) had committed adultery and murder repeatedly, or had buried infant girls alive, or stolen things, but when they entered Islam they were the best of people. No one needs to be reminded of a shameful past; it is over and done with, and Allah is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. In terms of the Western explanation that most Westerners will seek in order to try and understand my conversion, I suppose my journey toward Islam began when I first went to Egypt and, as a tourist, visited a masjid. The Azan the call to prayer had begun and I was struck by its beauty. It is fair to say my heart responded to it in a way that, at the time, I did

not understand. Then, I knew little about Islam, but each time I visited Egypt I learnt a little more. But I was still in thrall to my own ego, my own Western way of life, and by two other things which prevented me from fully appreciating Islam and investigating it further. First, my life-long belief in Nature: the belief that we somehow belong to Mother Earth in a special, almost pagan, way and that our own consciousness is the consciousness of Nature. Second, that it was our nation, our national culture, which defined us and which therefore, was of supreme importance. But, in my heart, I always felt a universal, honourable, compassion, as I always felt the need to be aware of the numinous, the sacred. Many times in my life I believed this numinosity derived from God, the Supreme Being while at other

times I believed it derived from Nature, from the cosmos itself: from what I often termed the gods. For decades, I wavered between these two versions regarding the origin of the sacred.

Conversion

My conversion really begins when I started a new job, working long hours on a farm, often by myself. The close contact with Nature, the toil of manual labour, really did restore my soul, my humanity, and I became really aware of the Oneness of the Cosmos. Then I realise that I was but part of this wonderful Order which God had created. In my heart and in my mind I was convinced that this Order had not arisen by chance it was created, as I myself was created for a purpose. For the first time in my life, I felt truly humble. Then, as if by chance (but

it was the guidance of Allah) I took from my bookcase one of the copies of the Quran I had bought after one of my visits to Egypt. I began to read it properly before, I had merely dipped into it, reading a few verses, here and there. In the next few days I found websites as I read all I could about Islamic beliefs. Stripped of my prejudices, my arrogance no longer deceived by syaitan here was everything that I felt, and always had felt to be true: dignity, honour, trust, justice, community, truth, an awareness of God on a daily basis, the need to be selfdisciplined, the spiritual way before materialism, and the recognition of how we, as individuals, are subservient to God. I became enthralled reading about the life of the Prophet Muhammad, for there was something remarkable here: he seemed to represent everything I felt in my heart and my mind to be noble and civilised. In fact, he seemed to me to be the perfect human being: the perfect example to follow. The more I discovered about Islam, the more it answered all the doubts, all the questions, of my past thirty years. It really did feel as if I had come home as if I had at last found myself. So it was that I came to enter a Masjid to say that I wished to convert to Islam. They were so pleased and so friendly so brotherly that it brings tears to my eyes now as I remember it, and I thank Allah that I found the true Way in the end.

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Reading Islam

24/7Prayers

Fearing Syirk
Allaahumma inniy auudzubika an usyrika bika wa ana alamu wa astaghfiruka li maa laa alamu.

Fortification of Muslim

Reuters

Allah, I take refuge in You lest I should commit syirk (ascribing partners to You) with You knowingly and I seek Your forgiveness for what I do unknowingly.