Eid Mubarak!

PRAYER FOR PEACE

Taken from Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, MUIS

Oh Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful, grant us peace and Iman, safety and Islam, and guidance to perform all that you please.

Oh Allah, the Generous, the Gracious, grant all goodness to Muslims, and all blessings to the faithful, and all mercies to mankind.

Oh Allah, guide this Ummah to do the best, bless this Ummah to be loving and compassionate, help this Ummah to spread good and peace to all mankind.

Oh Allah, remove all conflicts and hatred that is happening. Grant peace and restore human dignity in this world. Safe this earth from destruction due to human ignorance, grant our country and the entire world with safety, peace, calmness, tranquillity, progress and development.

Oh Allah, may this day of ours be better than yesterday. May our tomorrow be better than today. Please grant us positive outcomes in all our endeavours. Save us from disappointment both in this world and in the hereafter.

Oh Allah, the Gentle, the Sustainer, may peace and calmness prevail in this world. Guide mankind to uphold justice and equality. Protect our young from misguidance. Give us the strength to spread your true message. Strengthen us to be a blessing to all mankind - Ameen.

I would like to wish Muslims all over the world happiness, prosperity and all things good; now and forever

Eid Mubarak everyone!

Mohammed is top boys' names in England

Taken from Daily Express, By Sarah O'Grady,
Thursday October 28,2010

MOHAMMED is now the most popular given name for newborn boys in England and Wales

The Muslim name – which means “one who is praise­worthy” in the Islamic religion – outnumbered traditional names like Jack and Harry for the first time last year.

The name, when 12 different spellings were included, was given to 7,549 youngsters in 2009, official statistics reveal.

Oliver was the second most popular and it was given to 7,364 boys in England and Wales. Jack – which had been the top name for baby boys for the previous 14 years – was third, Harry fourth and Alfie in fifth place.

Because official figures did not take into account the variations in the spelling of Mohammed, Oliver was officially named as the most popular boys’ name by the Office of National Statistics.

The official list put Mohammed in only 16th place. But when the other 11 different spellings of the same name are taken into account it is the most popular.

Mohammed was given to 3,300 boys, while Muhammad was given to 2,162 youngsters. There are in fact 14 recognised variations of the spelling – although only 12 of them were given to newborn British boys last year.

The most popular Muslim girls name is Aisha – and was given to 541 girls last year ranking it 101 on the list, up from 110 in 2006.

While Oliver was beaten to first place by Mohammed, in the girls list Olivia came out on top. Ruby, Chloe, Emily and Sophie made up the top five in the list of girls’ names in 2009.

Murtaza Shibli, of the Muslim Council of Britain, said he was not surprised Mohammed had become the most popular boys’ name.

He said: “Parents choose it because of their love of the prophet Mohammed and they believe the name will bring happiness and abundance. Also, there’s a belief they will follow the good example of the prophet.”

More generally, the trend of the past 10 years of the popularity of names common around the start of the 20th century like Evie and Lily continues.

And there were also 16 newborn Kings in 2009, three King Davids, 68 Princes, eight Dukes, 11 Earls, four Barons and four Lords. Amongst the girls, there were 12 Queenies, seven Queens, 109 Princesses and five Ladys.

Mothers of newborn and slightly older babies are urged by the ONS to include their babies’ details in the 2011 Census, taking place in March.

“Babies often go unrecorded in the census as new mothers sometimes don’t realise they need to enter the details of even the very newest member of the household,” ONS spokesman William Mach said yesterday.

“There is a strong link between filling in the census and the authorities being able to plan and provide public services in years to come – for example, in setting numbers of school places.”

What is Halloween and where did it come?

What is Halloween and where did it come from?
Taken from www.alhudapk.com

Halloween today is defined by children going house to house on the night of October 31st, dressed up in a variety of costumes collecting treats.

Although Halloween may seem like a time for children to have fun carving pumpkins and collecting candy, not many know the origins of this ‘festival’ and its traditions that date back centuries.

The origins of Halloween date back to the time of the Celtics or ‘Celts’. They were a group occupying the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Northern France about 2,000 years ago. This group celebrated their new year on November 1st. This day marked the end of the summer and was reflected upon as a time of darkness and cold as winter approached. The Celtics associated this dark time of year with death.

On October 31st (the Celtic new year’s eve) they celebrated a festival called Samhain. This celebration was supported by the belief that the ghosts of the dead roamed the earth. Priests (‘Druids’) were believed to be able to communicate with these ghostly spirits and tell the future by doing so; by telling the ‘future’ many were given hope for the long, dark winter ahead. The Priests built large fires on this night and the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities/gods. During the festival they wore animal heads and skins as costumes.

Customs
Dressing up in costumes: This was done so that the ‘spirits of the dead’ would not recognize people. It was also done by people imitating supernatural beings that were believed to roam the earth at that time.

Trick-or-treating: The Priests/Druids would go from house to house on October 31st and demand specific types of food (to offer to the spirits in order to calm them). If their demands were not met, it was believed the people and their homes would be cursed with trouble, sickness, and death. Prosperity was promised to those who generously donated (hence the phrase, ‘trick or treat’, implying a demand for treats or else a certain consequence would have to be given).

Jack-o'-lantern: This started off as a legend associated with a man of Irish origin named Jack who supposedly enjoyed playing pranks on the Devil. The legend states that after his death, Jack did not go to Heaven or Hell and therefore, had to wander the earth carrying a lantern, providing him with some light to see where he was going. Pumpkins that were hollowed out and had candles lit inside were representative of this legend. They were also supposed to scare evil spirits away (this is why odd looking faces are carved on the pumpkins).

Bats & Black cats: These animals were believed to communicate with the dead. It is also believed black cats were able to house the souls of witches.

How Halloween came into Christianity
By the 800s A.D., the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st as All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas, (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be known as All-hallows Eve or Holly Eve (because it was the eve of a holy celebration the next day) and eventually, Halloween.

Quick Fact: The word Halloween does not appear in the bible at all. Jeremiah 10:02 clearly warns: “Do not follow the ways of other heathens (pagans)”.

Halloween Today
Each year people spend billions of dollars on candy and costumes at this time of year. A survey conducted by BIGresearch found that an estimated $3.29 billion was spent on this holiday in 2005. In a world stricken with poverty and malnutrition in many underprivileged countries, this amount seems rather Ridiculous to be spent on candy and costumes.

Quick Facts: In 2003, the major pumpkin producing states in America produced an estimated 805 million pounds, valued at $81 million.

United Nations World Food Program
- more than 800 million people go to bed without food everyday
- one child dies every five seconds in the world form hunger and other related causes

Many devil worshippers and occult groups now ritualistically recognize Halloween as the Devil’s Day. Over 60% of costumes are sold to adults who become outrageous exhibitionists.

The Islamic Perspective
“We have sent them the truth, but they indeed practice falsehood” (Quran 23:10)

“You must keep to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for every new matter is an innovation, andevery innovation is misleading.” (Bukhari).

In order to save one self from falling into and following the practices of a society, one must have firm knowledge of the teachings and rulings of ones own religion and belief system. Clearly all that deviates from the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) and leads to wrong practices is contrary to the beliefs of Islam.

Halloween is a celebration that rejoices in all things magical and evil. In the Quran Allah says of magic that it only harms and brings no benefit (Surah Al-Baqarah, V.102).

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “The final hour will not come until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit” (Bukhari).

“Whoever imitates a nation is one of them” (Abu Dawud).

Islam propagates the idea of conscious living, and upon the advent of Islam, it served to cleanse ignorant and superstitious practices. Muslims have been ordered to work for a purposeful, beneficial cause for mankind. Indulging in prehistoric and ignorant practices can only lead to frittering away ones life and thus making one an ultimate loser in the Hereafter.

References:
http://www.agday.org/tc/tc-funfacts.html
http://islam.about.com/library/weekly/aa103098.htm
http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Articles/misc/halloween_an_islamic_perspective.htm


What we can do tonight when the children come for candy?
This is an extract of letter response to the above article sent to alhudapk.com

Alhamdulillah, my children never went trick or treating on halloween ever, instead we always tried to educate ourselves and others about this event. We tried different strategies every year.

Couple of times I gathered my children and invited their friends to share the reality of Halloween on that evening that helped them stay away from the influence of this event.

Alhamdulillah, children responded very well and they were shocked as well as disgusted when they found out the reality behind this tradition. They were so exited that they even wanted to tell all this information to the children that were coming to the door for candy.

About the candy giving issue we tried different strategies as well. One year we just went to the Masjid during that time and came home after it was over. One year my children made different signs and put them on the entrance door facing outside. They had different messages like “sorry! No candy, your dentist will be mad! Etc.

Last year we tried a different approach as we are always apprehensive and skeptical whether to give candy or not because generally it is not a good manner to let someone go empty handed when they come to your door for whatever reason. So along side the candy we gave books. The book was “An illustrated guide to understanding Islam”, which we have been distributing in our community for some time now, Alhamdulillah. Tonight, Insha Allah we plan to give the book “One Message” along side the candy. Alhamdulillah, I believe this is a blessing from Allah SWT because the people are already coming to our door so we can do dawah work instead of letting this opportunity slip by or just get mad at them.

We are fortunate in this way that we have a facility here which provides us with books for dawah in large quantity, Alhamdulillah. People can look for similar options in their areas, e.g. masaajid, Islamic libraries or dawah centers to provide them with materials or just print out something good and relevant to the occasion from the internet if possible.

I hope that we can all learn and practice our beautiful Deen the way we are supposed to and help others do the same. I hope and pray that this can be beneficial for others as well. Any ideas or comments to improve our ways further will be greatly appreciated.

Makkah imam urges measures to protect environment

Taken from ARAB NEWS, Published: Sep 24, 2010 23:30
By P.K. Abdul Ghafour

JEDDAH: The imam of the grand mosque in Makkah on Friday made a strong appeal to governments and peoples to exert all-out effort to protect environment and make the life on earth safer.

“Nobody should ignore the health of people and safety of other living creatures in order to amass wealth,” said Sheikh Saleh Bin-Humaid while giving his Juma sermon to the thousands of faithful thronged the mosque.

The imam urged governments to prevent activities damaging environment: “The plans of governments should be aimed at ensuring people’s happiness, health and safety rather than making money or profit.”

People should not cause environment problems on the earth as it would endanger the life of humanity, the imam said, denouncing the move to spread diseases in targeted countries during wars.

He said people should have faith in God and the Day of Judgment in order to regulate their activities and make them responsible citizens. Closer relations with God makes people truthful and healthy.

Bin-Humaid stressed the responsibility of humans, being the representatives of God on the earth, in engaging in constructive activities, without causing problems for them or environment.
He said God has created the whole universe in a balanced manner and it is man’s duty to keep that balance.

“All creatures on the earth have a role to play on the earth in accordance with the God’s plan,” he said.

The imam said the material resources in the earth should be exploited in a proper manner without affecting its balance. Man’s move to tamper with global balance has been causing dangerous problems including environment pollution.

“The result of this corruption would have its dangerous consequences on men and other animals,” he said.

He denounced the move by some traders to market harmful products in attractive boxes and bottles. He also warned against destruction of rivers and forests and excessive hunting of animals and birds as well as against carbon-emissions from motor vehicles and massive use of insecticides and detergents.

He denounced the move by some traders to market harmful products in attractive boxes and bottles. He also warned against destruction of rivers and forests and excessive hunting of animals and birds as well as against carbon-emissions from motor vehicles and massive use of insecticides and detergents.

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Further Reading: Islam and the planet

Hajj pilgrims to ride first Makkah metro

Taken from emirates247.com
By Nadim Kawach, Sunday, October 10, 2010

Hundreds of thousands of Muslim pilgrims will ride a new railway metro transport system for the first time when they converge on the Saudi holy city of Makkah next month, according to the local media.

The Gulf Kingdom, where millions of Muslims from around the world gather every year for their annual haj (pilgrimage) season, has just completed the first stage of a train that will eventually transport nearly two million people.

Officials said around 170,000 pilgrims would be able to use the Chinese-built metro during this haj season, which is expected to start in mid November.

“The train will have a capacity to transport around 170,000 pilgrims this year, mostly from Saudi Arabia and nearby Gulf countries,” said Prince Mansour bin Mutab bin Abdul Aziz, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Municipal Affairs.

The Prince was speaking on Tuesday following a 10-minute test trip by the train through Makkah, Islam’s holiest shrine. His trip was apparently intended to refute claims by some Saudis that it was not up to international standards.

Pic Source: ArabNews

Pic Source: emirates247

Pic Source: emirates247

Pic Source: SaudiPressAgency

Pic Source: SaudiPressAgency

The remarks by Saudi businessmen, citizens and newspapers about the train’s risks followed reports that one of its cars fell off the rails during a trial drive in the holy city last week without causing any casualties.

Prince Mansour said his ministry has set up a committee to study transport fees for passengers using the train that will transport pilgrims through Makka’s holy sites during the four-day Haj season.

Saudi Arabia has allocated nearly SR6.7 billion (Dh6.6 billion) for Makkah’s first train project, which will eventually have the capacity to transport around two million Muslim pilgrims when it is completed within two years.

Newspapers said the train would launch services this year for the first time in Makkah’s history, adding that it would largely contribute to easing road congestions caused by the accumulation of thousands of cars near Makkah.

“The train will have the capacity to transport 500,000 pilgrims when the second phase is completed next year and two million when the third and last phase is finished in 2012…its total cost will be around SR6.7 billion,” said Jamil Al Qirshi, Director of the Saudi Haj (pilgrimage) commission in Makkah.

Dubbed the “Holy Rituals Train”, the project is part of a costly programme by Saudi Arabia to tackle massive traffic congestions in and around the city and facilitate access to all sacred sites in Makkah.

The train project, initiated three years ago, followed a series of incidents that have killed thousands of pilgrims in stampedes, building collapses and other accidents during the few days of the Haj season.

More than two million Muslims from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Co-operation Council countries and other nations descend on Makkah every year to perform Haj.

China Railway Construction Corp, part of a Saudi-French-Chinese consortium which won the contract, is carrying out the project, involving nearly 5,000 workers. The train is the Gulf’s second metro system after the Dubai Metro.

"The train project is part of ongoing efforts under the directives of His Majesty the Monarch to alleviate the suffering of the pilgrims and facilitate their holy mission. Several projects have been implemented in this respect and more would be carried out in the future," Alriyadh newspaper said.

The government has spent more than SR20 billion on development projects in Makkah over the past few years following an increase in accidents and criticism over lack of proper services for pilgrims.

The projects involved the construction of buildings on top of a surrounding hill, expansion of the area on top of the holy Mount Arafat, development of the sewage and fire-fighting systems, upgrading health and transportation services and a SR4.2 billion expansion of the space and roads leading to where Muslims perform Ramyi Aljamarat (stoning of the devil), the scene of some deadly accidents over the past few years.

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It must be noted that the service will officially be open to all pilgrims next year inshallah. This Hajj it is speculated that the service will be trialed by Pilgrims from Saudi and other Gulf countries only.

Hajj in 1953

Snaps taken during Hajj in 1953
Taken from al-hajjumrahtours.co.uk

Please click on the images to make them bigger. More picture are avalable on the link above.

Pilgrims arriving by air

Pilgrims arriving for Hajj by sea

The Borders of Haram

Salaat at the holy Kaba

View of Mina

Pilgrims cooking in Mina

Stoning of Jamarat

Tawaaf around Holy Kabbah

Pilgrims choosing animals for sacrifice

Head shaving of pilgrim

Short History of Hajj

Short History of Hajj
Taken from Islamicity.com

Hajj literally means 'to set out for a place'. Islamically however it refers to the annual pilgrimage that Muslims make to Makkah with the intention of performing certain religious rites in accordance with the method prescribed by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)



Hajj and its rites were first ordained by Allah in the time of the Prophet lbrahim [Abraham] and he was the one who was entrusted by Allah to build the Kaba - the House of Allah - along with his son Ismail [Ishmael] at Makkah. Allah described the Kaba and its building as follows:

"And remember when We showed Ibrahim the site of the [Sacred] House [saying]: Associate not anything [in worship with Me and purify My House for those who circumambulate it [i.e. perform tawaaf] and those who stand up for prayer and those who bow down and make prostration [in prayer etc.]."[Surah Al-Hajj 22:26]

After building the Kaba, Prophet Ibrahim would come to Makkah to perform Hajj every year, and after his death, this practice was continued by his son. However, gradually with the passage of time, both the form and the goal of the Hajj rites were changed. As idolatry spread throughout Arabia, the Kaba lost its purity and idols were placed inside it. Its walls became covered with poems and paintings, including one of Jesus and his mother Maryam and eventually over 360 idols came to be placed around the Kaba.

During the Hajj period itself, the atmosphere around the sacred precincts of the Kaba was like a circus. Men and women would go round the Kaba naked, arguing that they should present themselves before Allah in the same condition they were born. Their prayer became devoid of all sincere remembrance of Allah and was instead reduced to a series of hand clapping, whistling and the blowing of horns. Even the talbiah [1] was distorted by them with the following additions: 'No one is Your partner except one who is permitted by you. You are his Master and the Master of what he possesses'.

Sacrifices were also made in the name of God. However, the blood of the sacrificed animals was poured onto the walls of the Kaba and the flesh was hung from pillars around the Kaba, in the belief that Allah demanded the flesh and blood of these animals.

Singing, drinking, adultery and other acts of immorality was rife amongst the pilgrims and the poetry competitions, which were held, were a major part of the whole Hajj event. In these competitions, poets would praise the bravery and splendor of their own tribesmen and tell exaggerated tales of the cowardice and miserliness of other tribes. Competitions in generosity were also staged where the chief of each tribe would set up huge cauldrons and feed the pilgrims, only so that they could become well-known for their extreme generosity.

Thus the people had totally abandoned the teachings of their forefather and leader Prophet Ibrahim. The House that he had made pure for the worship of Allah alone, had been totally desecrated by the pagans and the rites which he had established were completely distorted by them. This sad state of affairs continued for nearly two and a half thousand years. But then after this long period, the time came for the supplication of Prophet Ibrahim to be answered:

"Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite unto them your aayaat (verses) and instruct them in the book and the Wisdom and sanctify them. Verily you are the 'Azeezul-Hakeem [the All-Mighty, the All-Wise]."[Surah Al-Baqarah 2:129]



Sure enough, a man by the name of Muhammad ibn 'Abdullaah (PBUH) was born in the very city that Prophet Ibrahim had made this supplication centuries earlier. For twenty-three years,

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spread the message of Tawheed [true monotheism] - the same message that Prophet Ibrahim and all the other Prophets came with - and established the law of Allah upon the land. He expended every effort into making the word of Allah supreme and his victory over falsehood culminated in the smashing of the idols inside the Kaba which once again became the universal center for the worshippers of the one True God.

Not only did the Prophet rid the Kaba of all its impurities, but he also reinstated all the rites of Hajj which were established by Allah's Permission, in the time of Prophet Ibrahim. Specific injunctions in the Quran were revealed in order to eliminate all the false rites which had become rampant in the pre-Islamic period. All indecent and shameful acts were strictly banned in Allah's statement:

"There is to be no lewdness nor wrangles during Hajj."[Surah al-Baqarah 2:197]

Competitions among poets in the exaltations of their forefathers and their tribesmen's achievements were all stopped. Instead, Allah told them:

"And when you have completed your rites [of Hajj] then remember Allah as you remember your forefathers; nay with a more vigorous remembrance."[Surah al-Baqarah 2:200]

Competitions in generosity were also prohibited. Of course, the feeding of the poor pilgrims was still encouraged as this was done during the time of Prophet Ibrahim but Allah commanded that the slaughtering of the animals which was done for this purpose should be done seeking the pleasure of Allah rather than fame and the praise of the people. He said:

"So mention the name of Allah over these animals when they are drawn up in lines. Then, when they are drawn on their sides [after the slaughter], eat thereof and feed the beggar who does not ask, and the beggar who asks."[Surah al-Hajj 22:36]

As for the deplorable practice of spattering blood of the sacrificed animals on the walls of the Kaba and hanging their flesh on alters, then Allah clearly informed them that:

"It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is Taqwaa (piety) from you that reaches Him."[Surah al-Hajj 22:37]


The Prophet (PBUH) also put a stop to the practice of circling the Kaba in a state of nudity and the argument that the pagans put forward to justify this ritual was sharply rebutted in Allah's question:

"Say: Who has forbidden the adornment [i.e. clothes] given by Allah which He has produced for His Slaves?"[Surah al-A'raaf 7:32]



Another custom which was prohibited through the Quran was that of setting off for Hajj without taking any provisions for the journey. In the pre-Islamic period, some people who claimed to be mutawakkiloon (those having complete trust in Allah) would travel to perform Hajj begging for food through the whole journey. They considered this form of behavior a sign of piety and an indication of how much faith they had in Allah. However Allah told mankind that to have sufficient provisions for the journey was one of the preconditions for making Hajj. He said:

"And take a provision [with you] for the journey, but the best provision is at-Taqwaa (piety)."[Surah al-Baqarah 2:197]

In this way, all the pre-Islamic practices, which were based on ignorance, were abolished and Hajj was once more made a model of piety, fear of Allah, purity, simplicity and austerity. Now, when the pilgrims reach the Kaba, they no longer find the carnivals and the frolic and frivolity that had once occupied the minds of the pilgrims there before. Now, there is the remembrance of Allah at every step and every action and every sacrifice was devoted to Him alone. It was this kind of Hajj that was worthy of the reward of paradise, as the Prophet (PBUH) said: "The reward for an accepted Hajj is nothing less than paradise."

May Allah grant us all the ability to visit His House and perform the Hajj in the manner of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) . Aameen.

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Footnotes
1 Labbaik Allahumma labbaik... (Here I am present, O' God, I am present...) This is the chant which the pilgrims say when they are traveling for pilgrimage.
Source: Invitation to Islam, Issue 1, May 1997