Key messages of Islam which we often forget in these troubled times
On January 15, 2021, br. Kaukab Siddique gave the jum'a
khutba at Masjid Jamaat al-Muslimeen in Baltimore in Maryland.
The worshippers were wearing masks and had agreed not to
come in if they had colds or coughs.
Here are the main points of the khutba:
Texts:
"You do we worship and Your aid do we seek. Show us the
straight way." (The Quran 1:5-6)
" This community [ummah] of yours is one community, and I am
your Lord and Cherisher, so fear Me alone and no other."
(23:52)
" ...No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another....
"(17:15)
We send salutations to all the prophets and messengers, be
it Noah or Jacob or Moses or Jesus or Muhammad, peace and
blessings be on all of them.
Muslims should be united in a blessed community. We seek
Allah's grace together, not separately.
Within this community or Ummah, each one is personally
responsible. If your spouse knows more about the Qur'an, you
must listen to her.
Similarly, we cannot leave it to the imam to study and
know Islam. We will be questioned for our efforts.
We should have the wisdom to know that America will not
be changed simply if we change one top leader and replace
him with another.
Look at USA's history of slavery and the destruction of
native American tribes. Now we see how badly the Mexican and
central American refugees are treated.
Then look at the US destruction of Muslim cities and the
drone strikes on Afghans, Pakistanis, Somalis and
Yemenis.
The pattern is the same and visible in the occupation of
Palestine.
Within the Ummah, the Prophet, pbuh, has taught us that
"each one of you is a ruler and each one of you is
answerable for those you rule." [Hadith, Sahih Muslim #
1824.]
Reliance on Allah does not mean that you do not take
common sense precautions against the Covid virus. Remember
the hadith about "tie your camel and then put your trust in
Allah." [Hadith in the Sunan of Tirmidhi."]
Pray for spouses and children who will stand with us for
Islam against the oppressors.
Pakistan
Maulana Fazalur Rahman spoke to two more large Gatherings.
[From Jamiate Ulama media.]
During the last week, Maulana
Fazalur Rahman addressed
big crowds in Malakand [January 11] [former frontier
province] and Loralai [January 13] [Baluchistan].
He blasted the Imran Khan regime for its inability to meet
even the basic needs of the people. He criticised Imran
Khan's subtle moves to link up with Israel and Qadianis via
re-linking with Saudi Arabia.
Maulana who heads Jamiat Ulama e Islam is trying to unite
the PDM factions opposing Imran Khan. He says he won't talk
to Imran because the real actors are the ones who brought up
Imran.
Several people have defected from Maulana's group and joined
Imran but he does not consider it important. He also wants
to support Kashmir and to rally against Israel.
Maulana hinted that he would hold a protest rally in front
of military headquarters in Rawalpindi. He received a
message from the army chief meant to ridicule him. He
answered in Pushtu to mean that the army chief will realize
that we are serious.
JI View
World Bank and IMF are Running Pakistan
by Qaiser Sharif
RAWALPINDI- January 14: The prime minister should first
explain his government's performance if there is any to the
nation instead of complaining against the non-payment of
taxes by the people and making other excuses, says
Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Senator Sirajul Haq.
"A common Pakistani pays multiple taxes but the basic
facilities of health and education are not available to him
and his kids," he regretted while addressing a ceremony here
on Thursday.
"The prime minister must review his statement that only two
million Pakistanis pay taxes. He is wrong as every Pakistani
pays taxes."
Senator Siraj said that ruler's claim to transform the
country into a Madina-like-state proved a pack of lies.
In-fact, he added, the government had not taken a single
step to achieve the objective in two and half years. It
failed to launch an across the board accountability and made
effective policies to strengthen the economy, he added. The
educated youth were feeling desperate and young people were
sitting in every chowk in wait of labor, he said.
The JI chief said that Pakistan was an agricultural economy
and the country produced enough wheat and sugar to meet the
demand of masses but the prices of both were touching the
skies and sometime the commodity vanished from the market
and it had to be imported from other countries. He said the
ruling elite destroyed every sector in past decades and did
nothing for the welfare of a common man. He said the IMF and
the World Bank were running the affairs of the country as
real masters. He said the prime minister himself admitted
that his government failed to meet the expectations of the
masses. He said the government must not waste more time of
the nation and country. He said the country could not make
progress in prevailing system which had nothing to do with
the problems of a common man.
War News
Syria
Artillery and Air strikes every day.
January 17. Three Assadi troops killed and several wounded
in machine gun attack in al-Quneitra countryside. Earlier in
the day a soldier linked to the Lebanese Hizbullah died if
his wounds.
Several soldiers from a secularist Palestinian group were
injured in an IS ied attack in al-Raqqa countryside.
An assadi soldier was killed in Ain Issa in northern
al-Raqqa.
January 15. Two NDF supporting Assad were killed in eastern
Deir ez Zor in mine explosion. Nearby an IS IED killed the
commander of the Palestinian secularists.
Mines planted by IS killed 9 secularist Palestinians working
for pro-Russian militia. Russian air strikes against IS
continued.
Artillery and mortar exchanges continued day after day
between Assad forces and Mujahideen groups on Irbid province
borders.
Rains have brought new misery to refugee camps in Irbid
province.
Pakistan
A series of Mujahideen raids.
On January 14, three Pakistani troops were killed in a
skirmish with Islamic fighters in North Waziristan. The two
attackers were also killed
On January 12, two Pakistani troops were killed and three
wounded in a gunfight with mujahideen in North
Waziristan.
On January 11, a Pakistani soldier was killed by a fighter
in north Waziristan. (Pakistani military earned hostility by
invading Waziristan at the behest of the United States. The
entire population was expelled and stayed for years without
shelter other than a few thousand who escaped into
Afghanistan.)
Over the years Pakistan has helped US air strikes to kill
three top leaders of the Mujahideen. The troops are told
that they are fighting supporters of India.
News Within the U.S.
False Accusations Connected to Racist Suspicion.
By Sis Aisha
[Jamaat al-Muslimeen]
New York City - On May 25, 2020, Amy Cooper, a white woman,
got into a verbal altercation with a black man, Christian
Cooper (no relation). It escalated when she made two calls
to 911 accusing Christian Cooper of assaulting her. She also
stressed that he was African-American in her calls.
Since then she has been arrested but her hearing has been
rescheduled for February 15, 2021. Amy Cooper's attorneys
are trying to reach a plea deal. More than likely, she will
be sentenced to community service.
On December 26, 2020, at the Arlo Hotel, a 22-year-old white
woman, Miya Ponsetto, assaulted a black 14-year-old boy,
Keyon Harrold Jr., accusing him of stealing her phone. Even
the Arlo staff asked the boy about the phone. Harrold Jr.
was staying at the hotel with his father, Keyon Harrold Sr.
Ponsetto was not a hotel guest at all.
Harrold Sr. took a video of this incident and did not seem
to do much else to help his son, who has been shaken by this
incident. Miya Ponsetto claims to be of Greek, Italian, and
Puerto Rican heritage and says that as a woman of color she
cannot be racist. White supremacy is the root of racism and
even if she is of Hispanic heritage she can be racist, too,
if she maintains the belief that whites are superior to
non-whites!
As this incident was unfolding in the Arlo Hotel lobby, an
Uber driver comes in to give Ponsetto her Smartphone, which
she just left in his car! She has had arrests for public
intoxication, in the past. She could have been intoxicated
during this confrontation. Miya Ponsetto was served with a
fugitive arrest warrant, in California, only after a public
outcry over this incident.
On Saturday, January 16th, there was a Sharpton-led protest
outside of the Arlo Hotel, in which protesters demanded a
boycott. Benjamin Crump is the attorney representing the
family. Miya Ponsetto has a March 29th hearing in New York
City.
There have been a few racial clashes recorded by either the
victim or a friend or relative of the victim. It is okay to
film these altercations but, white society has dictated that
it is not okay to defend oneself, which is a God-given
right.
In Washington, DC, a black woman, Ashanti Smith, punched a
white female Trump supporter (and U.S. Capitol rioter),
Therese Duke, in the face for trying to take her cell phone.
Ashanti Smith was fired from her job as a security guard.
The next day Duke was fired from her job at the UMASS
medical school, in Boston, Massachusetts, after her own
daughter, a BLM-er, posted a video criticizing her mother's
behavior. But, it is Ashanti Smith who faces assault
charges. Fortunately, she has been able to raise over
$160,000 for her legal defense on GoFundMe.
On December 9, 2020, Michigan Congresswoman C.A. Johnson's
privileges were taken from her after she responded to racist
voicemails, one calling for her lynching, in response to her
grilling of Trump attorney Rudolph Giuliani, during a
hearing. One of her punishments was her removal from the
Michigan House Oversight Committee. Her response was as
follows:
"For those of you who are soldiers, you know how to do it,
do it right. Be in order, make them pay."
Michigan Republicans accused Rep. Johnson of inciting
violence. Of course, less than a month later, it was Trump
supporters who attacked the Capitol. But, Rep. C.A. Johnson
stated that when she said, "soldiers" she meant soldiers in
Christ who are against racism and other forms of violence
and intimidation. She is still under investigation.
It has never been okay to use self-defense against white
people. Society will make an example out of those who do.
El-Hajj Malik Shabazz and Imam Luqman Abdullah were murdered
for preaching self-defense. Most news stories about racist
assaults against black people feign support for these black
victims, who did not defend themselves while condemning
those blacks who do defend themselves.
Defending yourself always gives you a fighting chance for
survival. Ashanti Smith was surrounded by a mob of racist
rioters, who attacked her. This mob was apart of the Capitol
rioters mob, who were armed and dangerous.
"Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against
you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not
aggressors." (2:190)
Isn't it interesting how the secret service was impotent
during this racist insurgence at the U.S. Capitol while a
mentally-ill black mother was needlessly murdered by them,
in front of her young daughter, for illegally driving on
White House grounds during Pres Obama's Administration?
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Tunisia
Rising Crescendo of Protests in Tunisia.
[al-Jazeera January 16]
Violent protests broke out in several Tunisian cities,
including the capital Tunis and the coastal city of Sousse,
as anger mounts over economic hardship.
The demonstrations on Saturday night come as Tunisia marks
the tenth anniversary of the revolution that toppled late
president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked the Arab
Spring uprisings.
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Tunisia interior minister named new PM, to form gov't in a
month
Demonstrations in Siliana and other cities began on Friday
after a video posted on social media showed a police officer
shouting and pushing a shepherd whose sheep entered the
local government headquarters.
Dozens of protesters built barricades and set fire to
objects to block the streets of the city, 130km (80 miles)
from Tunis.
The protests pose a challenge for the government of Hicham
Mechichi, who earlier reshuffled the cabinet with new
ministers including the ministries of interior, justice and
energy.
Witnesses in Sousse said security forces fired tear gas to
disperse hundreds of angry protesters who were blocking
roads and burning tyres.
Guidance by Sis. Yasmin.
What is faith?
'As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-RahmatullahiWa-Barakatuhu'.
Narrated Abu Huraira (Radi Allah Anhu)...
One day while the Prophet [Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam]
was sitting in the company of some people,
The Angel Gabriel (Alaihis Salam) came and asked him ...
'What is Faith' ?
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ answered...
Faith is to believe in Allah, His Angels, The meeting with
Him,
His Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection.'
Then he further asked...
'What is Islam ?'
PROPHET MUHAMMAD [Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam]
replied...
'To worship Allah Alone and none else, to offer prayers perfectly
(with 'Ihsan') to pay the compulsory charity ('Zakat')
and to observe Fasts during the month of Ramadan.'
Then he further asked... 'What is 'Ihsan' (Perfection)'
?
PROPHET MUHAMMAD (Sal Allahu'Alaihi Wasallam) replied...
'To worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot
achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that
He is looking at you.'
Then he further asked...
'When will the Hour be established'?
PROPHET MUHAMMAD (Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam)
replied...
'The answerer has no better knowledge than the
questioner'.
But I will inform you about its portents...
When a slave (lady) gives birth to her master.
When the shepherds of black camels start boasting and
competing with others in the construction of higher
buildings !
And the Hour is one of five (5) things which nobody
knows except Allah.
Prophet Muhammad(Sal-Allahu- Alaihi-Wasallam) then
recited...
'Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah alone'.
(Source: 'Qur'an'~ Surat LuqmÄn~31 A34)
Then that man Gabriel (Alaihis Salam) left and
Prophet Muhammad (Sal Allahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) asked his
companions to call him back, but they could not see him.
Then the Prophet (Sal-Allahu- Alaihi-Wasallam) said...
' That was Gabriel (Alaihis Salam) who came to
teach the people their Religion.'
[Source: Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 1 Book 2, #43]
~My 'Salaams' to All~
... Y a s m i n ...
"Never Despair Of The Mercy Of Allah"
Say, 'Indeed, my Prayer, my Rites of Sacrifice,
my Living and my Dying are for ALLAH, Lord of the
Worlds'.
{'Qur'an'~Surat Al-'An'am # 6-162}
Hadith of the Week
Avoid the Doubtful Matters.
If the Law is Unclear: Do Not Debate about it.
Al-Nauman-Ibn-Bashir, r.a. reported: The Messenger of
Allah (pbuh) said,
"Verily, the lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and
between the two of them are doubtful matters about which
many people do not know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful
matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his
honor, and he who falls into doubtful matters will fall into
the unlawful as the shepherd who pastures near a sanctuary,
all but grazing therein. Verily, every king has a
sanctum and the sanctum of
Allah is his prohibitions.
Verily, in the body there is a piece of flesh which if
upright then the entire body is upright, and if corrupt then
the entire body is corrupt. No doubt it is the heart."
Bukhari 52, Ṣaḥiḥ Muslim 1599
[With thanks to Sis. Kristi]
As-slamu alaikum,
Al-Hassan Al-Basri (RA)
used to say, "He who knows Allah, loves Him."
Knowledge is the path to true love. Love comes from
knowing;
The extent in which one strives to know the Might of Allah,
His Beauty & Perfection, His Excellence & gifts upon one, is
the extent to which one's faith & love of their Lord
increases.
O Allah, I ask you for your love and the love of those who
love you and the deeds that will bring me your love.
Ameen.
Palestinian Official: Jewish Settlers Call for Demolition of Dome of the Rock
Israeli occupation authorities have taken the measurements
of the Dome of the Rock while Jewish settlers are calling
for its demolition, Director of Al-Aqsa Mosque Sheikh Omar
Al-Kiswani announced on Friday.
Al-Kiswani described what is being done inside Al-Aqsa
Mosque and the Dome of the Rock as "a dangerous
measure".
Speaking with the local Palestinian Al-Quds Radio,
Al-Kiswani explained:
"We are looking seriously at the behavior of the Israeli
occupation inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. We believe it is taking
the measurements for a foreign firm and we do not know
what's behind it."
In addition, he indicated that the Israeli occupation is
working to revoke the sovereignty of the Awqaf Ministry in
Al-Aqsa Mosque, pointing out that the Israeli occupation is
imposing tight measures on the Palestinians under the
pretext of the coronavirus, while it is facilitating the
raids of the settlers.
"Al-Aqsa Mosque is not the responsibility for the
Palestinians or the Jordanians alone, but for all Muslims
around the world," according to Al-Kiswani, stressing that
all the Islamic countries should have a united decision to
stop the Judaization of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
China denies coercive birth control measures in Xinjiang
January 11, 2021
Xu Guixiang, a deputy spokesperson for the Xinjiang regional
government, looks up near a slide showing a photo of Uighur
infants during a press conference to refute accusations of
genocide in Beijing, China. The Chinese official on Monday
denied Beijing has imposed coercive birth control measures
among Muslim minority women, following an outcry over a
tweet by the Chinese Embassy in Washington claiming that
government polices had freed women of the Uighur ethnic
group from being "baby-making machines."
Xu Guixiang, a deputy spokesperson for the Xinjiang regional
government, told reporters Monday that birth control
decisions were made of the person's own free will and that
"no organization or individual can interfere."
"The growth rate of the Uighur population is not only higher
than that of the whole Xinjiang population, but also higher
than that of the minority population, and more significantly
higher than that of the (Chinese majority) Han population,"
Xu said. "As for the so-called forcing ethnic minority women
in Xinjiang to wear IUDs, or undergo tubal ligations or
abortions, it is even more malign."
An Associated Press investigation in June found that the
Chinese government was forcing draconian birth control
measures on Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic minorities in
Xinjiang, including IUD fittings, contraceptives, and even
abortions and sterilizations.
The measures are backed by the threat of detention, with
parents with three or more children swept into camps and
prisons if they're unable to pay massive fines. As a result,
the birth rate in Xinjiang's minority regions plummeted by
over 60% in just three years, even as Beijing eases birth
restrictions on the Han population ahead of a looming
demographic crisis.
Twitter took down the Chinese Embassy's Jan. 7 tweet
following protests by groups that accuse Beijing of seeking
to eradicate Uighur culture. Users complained the tweet was
a violation of rules set by Twitter, which is blocked in
China along with Facebook and other American social media
platforms.
The January 10 issue of New Trend reached 68,802 Muslims including 9,319 women.
There were 6,072 post engagements.
The issue included some of these contents:
Mass rally in Bannu addressed by Maulana Fazlur Rahman.
French air strike hit wedding.
Ethiopia: Oldes mosque hit.
Syria: ISIS in Homs, Hama and al-Raqqa hit by Russia.
IS Captured Town.
Troops Fled.
According to AFP, on January 15, Islamic State [ISIS]
fighters captured the town of Marte on Lake Chad and the
troops in the military base there fled. In its report, Amaq,
which is IS media wing, announced that the military barracks
in Marte had been burned down by the mujahideen after they
captured military supplies and weapons abandoned by the
fleeing troops.
The Nigerian government says, casualties may be high but the
details are not available. A counter offensive is being
prepared..
