The

Friday Bulletin
The Weekly Muslim News Update

Dhul Hajj 06 1431/November 12 2010

Issue No. 393

KNCHR to start rendition

case against state ofcials
The State funded rights watchdog has formally started the process
for the prosecution of those responsible for the illegal renditions of
Kenyans to Uganda. The Kenya National Commission on Human
Rights (KNCHR) has instructed its lawyers to pursue legal action
against persons and institutions which breached the law and illegally deported several Kenyans on the allegations that they were
involved in the Kampala bombings in July this year.
The rights body has also repeated its demands that the government
should return to the country all the individuals who were taken to
Uganda where they are facing charges of murder and terrorism.
The culpability of persons and ofces which participated in these
illegal transfers should be investigated and prosecuted, said the
commission in a correspondence to the Justice, Constitutional and
National Cohesion Minister Mutula Kilonzo.
The justice minister himself is on record for calling for the prosecution of state ofcials who were involved in the illegal transfer.

In the past, a KNHCR commissioner Hassan Omar has singled out

the Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and Anti Terrorist Police
commandant Nicholas Kamwende as among the senior ofcers
who should face the law for facilitating the illegal rendition of Kenyans. Police ofcers who were also involved in the transfer were
also put on notice that they will also face judicial proceedings.
The commissioner said the ofcials need to understand that the
country was under a new constitutional dispensation and they will
not be allowed to get away scot-free for violating the rights of citizens.
On various dates in August and September, security agencies made
several arrests and swiftly transferred the detainees to Uganda in
an exercise which met heavy criticism from Muslim leaders, human rights groups and churches. The government was censored
for openly violating the law only a few days after the new constitution was promulgated.
Story continued On Page 3

Eid ul Adha on Tuesday

Pilgrims in this 2009 photo on their way to throw pebbles at a

stone pillar representing the devil, during the Hajj pilgrim in
Mina near Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The symbolic stoning of the
devil is among the last stage of the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

This Week

Editorial
Da'wa

Women Issues

Kenyans will next week join the global Muslim community in celebrating the festive of sacrice Eid ul Adha which will take place on
Tuesday November 16. Eid ul-Adhha is marked during the annual
pilgrimage to Makkah which is one of the greatest religious observance in Islam. The event falls on the tenth day of Dhul Hijjah, the
last month in the Islamic calendar.
Story continued On Page 6

The cancer of domestic violence

P2

The purpose of Udh-hiyyah

No Marriage without a guardian

P3
P4

Youth and Children

Feature

www.islamkenya.com

Advice for students

P5

How the Prophet celebrated Eid

P6

This Newsletter contains some of Allahs names. Please do not throw in the trash. Either keep, circulate or shred

The Friday Bulletin

Dhul Hajj 06 1431/November 12 2010

EDITORIAL

Address the cancer of domestic violence

The problem of domestic violence has turned out to be a growing
social problem with its effects straddling tribal, social and religious
barriers. It is an endemic global problem which has got the attention of policy makers as it has devastating consequences that destroy families and communities in which women, girls and children
are the most adversely affected.
Tales of horror continue unabated about men battering their spouses even in some cases leaving them permanently maimed and to
extreme levels leading to their death. Children have also fallen
victim as those who are supposed to nurture and protect them abscond their roles and mete cruel and unbecoming treatment on
these young and tender souls.
In response to this social cancer, various organisations many of
them women based have come to the fore in an attempt to address
this challenge through awareness campaigns, legal support, setting up of counseling and recovery centres.
Realizing the grave repercussion domestic abuse has on the society, the government has also come in to support programmes
aimed at putting to an end this growing problem.
In the Muslim community, regrettably, this social cancer gets little
mention at public forums or even on the pulpit during the khutbah
(Friday sermon).
For some, domestic violence is taken as a taboo subject and is
often shrouded in silence within families because it is tantamount
to washing ones dirty linen, in public.
An erroneous belief exists that domestic abuse is a rare occurrence in the community but a closer look will reveal that this problem is prevalent just like in other communities.
As is always the case, Muslim women face the brunt of this vice
and many opt to suffer in silence in order to protect their marriages,
children, and public dignity in the process enduring long periods of
psychological and emotional duress.
For those with the courage to tackle this injustice, the easier avenue has been FIDA and other organisations as there is no systematic approach to handle the problem within the community. Organisations like Family Resource Centre at Jamia Mosque have to
a certain extent handled such problems bust still its scope does not
provide all round religious, social and legal assistance to victims of
domestic violence.

Without support from the community, many victims tend to wrongly

believe that Islam has no solutions for their predicament and the
community is ineffective and unable to protect women and children
who suffer from domestic violence.
Islam abhor this practice and it appears that many have chosen
to disregard the prescribed Islamic teachings which emphasize
on protection of the woman and treating her honorably. Similarly,
Islam has also emphasized on treating children with dignity and
respect.
Under no circumstances is violence against women encouraged or
allowed. The Holy Qur'an contains tens of verses that make it clear
that the relationship between spouses is to be one of kindness,
mutual respect, and caring. The Quran unequivocally shows disapproval of oppression or ill treatment of women.
Further to this is the inescapable that the Prophet peace be upon
him vehemently disapproved of men hitting their wives, and that
he never in his entire life hit or harmed any woman or child. In the
Prophet's last sermon, he told men to "treat your women well, and
be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers."
The essence of marriage in Islam is articulated in terms of mercy,
tranquility and affection. Where there is violence, these qualities
automatically cease to exist.
To save the victims of domestic abuse, it therefore, becomes important for a systematic approach to address this problem. Victims
of domestic abuse need to have condence that there is a place
where they can turn and rest assured that their predicament can
efciently be handled in an Islamic perspective.
It is also imperative that Imams should be facilitated to get involved
in training programmes where they will develop professional expertise in handling counseling and matters related to domestic
violence. Networkings with existing non-Muslim agencies which
are involved in campaigns against domestic violence are also essential as their expertise will no doubt assist in addressing some
of these worrying problems.
While there is no excuse for domestic abuse, without adequate
mechanisms and strategies, the cancer of domestic violence will
continue to silently eat our community and we need not to wait till
it is left to reach unmanageable levels.

Imams urged to address domestic violence

Imams have been urged to address the growing problem of domestic violence in their localities.
The Imam of Jamia Mosque, Nairobi Sheikh Muhammad Swalihu
admitted that the problem does also exist within the Muslim community. He reminded the Imams of their responsibility and role in
addressing this problem which he added should never have existed
in the rst place as Islam is against such practices.
This is a growing problem and Imams as community leaders have
to a role to play in addressing this social vice, he told a forum of
Imams during a four day workshop which opened this week at Jamia Mosque, Nairobi.
The Sheikh said that many Imams did not understand the reality of
domestic violence adding that it was time they acquainted themselves with this problem which he added was also contributing to
the increase in divorce in the community.
He regretted that Muslim women were facing the brunt of this violence and appealed to husbands to treat their wives honourably as
mandated by the Quran and teachings inscribed in the Sunnah, the
traditions of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Recently I received a case where a husband beat up and broke
both arms of his wife. Islam has no religious justication for this kind
of behaviour, the Imam said.
Sheikh Swalihu attributed the problem to the disregard of Islamic
teachings and urged couples to imbibe the spirit of Islam as a way
of nurturing good relations in homes.
He added that the consequences of domestic violence permeate
to children leaving long term residual scars. Children witnessing

Sheikh Fathuddin Thangal the chairman of Majlis Ulamaa

Jamia Mosque hands over a certicate to Sheikh Ibrahim Ramadhan Omar of the Administration mosque Embakasi at the
end of the four day Imam training seminar

fathers battering their mothers will often imitate those roles in adulthood by becoming abusers themselves. For girls, they would not
wish to be married when they see their mothers being subjected to
violence, the Imam said.
Story continued On Page 8

Dhul Hajj 06 1431/November 12 2010

The Friday Bulletin

DA'WA

The meaning and purpose of sacrice of Udh-hiyyah

Linguistically, the term Udh-hiyyah refers to that animal that is
slaughtered on the days of 'Eedul-Adh-haa. In Shariah, divinely revealed Law, Udh-hiyyah means the ritual sacrice performed with
the intention of coming closer to Allah, the sole Creator of all beings,
on specic days and fullling explicit conditions. Hence, anything
slaughtered on other days for the sake of Allah is not an Udh-hiyyah, and what is slaughtered on the designated days of sacrice,
but not directly for the sake of Allah in fulllment of the ritual of that
day, such as a butcher slaughtering for sale, is not an Udh-hiyyah.
The prescription of Udh -hiyyah
The sacricial slaughter (al-udh-hiyyah) on the days of slaughter
(Ayyam an-Nahr, the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah, the
12th month of the lunar calendar) is prescribed in Islam as part
of the Hajj ritual. The Quran, the Sunnah and the consensus of
Muslim scholars (Ijmaa`) establish its practice. As for the Quran,
Allah states in verse two of Surah 108, AI-Kawthar (The Abundant
Goodness): So perform the Salah for your Lord and slaughter (an
animal)." This is a commandment to the Prophet, peace be upon
him, and therefore by extension a command to all the followers of
Prophet Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam. It is recorded that
it was the practice, Sunnah, of the Prophet as well as that of his
Companions and those who followed them in faith to slaughter an
animal (usually a sheep) on the Day of Eidul-Adh-haa. There are
numerous reports of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, making this sacrice on
'Eed and commanding others to likewise sacrice.
The wisdom behind Uhd-hiyyah
It is impossible for the human being to completely fathom the wisdom behind the Udh-hiyyah. We can, however, discern some of its
wisdoms:
a. It is an expression of gratefulness to Allah (s.w) for bringing one
into existence.
b. It is a revival of the primordial way of Ibrahim, Father of Prophets, may Allah exalt them.
When the believer slaughters an animal, he is reminded of how Ibrahim and Ismail patiently obeyed the commandment of Allah. The
believer therefore strives to follow in their footsteps.
c. AI-Udh-hiyyah is an open act of refutation against those who say
it is unlawful for human beings to slaughter animals and eat meat
due to the pain it causes them or on account of the sacredness of
their lives.
d. Al-Udh-hiyyah establishes that the most humane method of killing an animal is to slaughter it.
e. Al-Udh-hiyyah increases our gratitude to Allah as an overt demonstration of how He subjugated the earth to humankind and made
moral the taking of the life of these designated beings for the human
being's own needs.
The nature of the Udh-hiyyah prescription
The majority of scholars are of the opinion that the Udh-hiyyah
is an emphatically recommended action following the Prophet's,
(s.a.w.) way, Sunnah Muakkadah.
Conditions of Udh-hiyyah
a. That the one slaughtering is a Muslim. The Udh-hiyyah is not
stipulated from a non-Muslim because it is an action to get closer
to Allah and one must submit one's will freely to Allah's Will before
trying to come closer to Him.
b. That the one slaughtering be a resident, not a traveler. The
traveler is not obligated to perform the Udh-hiyyah since it must be
a sacrice of an animal and it is a burden to have to carry an animal
with one on a journey.
c. That the one slaughtering be in a state of nancial ease. The
proof of this is the statement of the Prophet (s.a.w.) connditioning
the Udh-hiyyah for One who has ample wealth
d. That the one slaughtering be an adult of sound mind. This is a
condition according to those who say the Udh-hiyyah is Sunnah.

As for those who hold that is an obligation, some say that the Udhhiyyah must be performed with the wealth of the insane, or the child
if he is wealthy, on their behalf.
Conditions for the validity of Al-Udh-hiyyah.
a. What is slaughtered must be of what is normally considered
livestock, namely cattle, sheep, goats, camels, water buffaloes and
the like. So slaughtering, for example, one or many chickens does
not count.
b. It matters not whether what is slaughtered is male or female.
c. A sheep or goat counts for one person, while a camel or cow can
be shared by up to seven people. Jaabir (r.a.) said: We slaughtered
with the Prophet (s.a.w.) in the Year of (the Truce) of Hudaybiyyah
seven to a camel and seven to a cow.
d. The animal slaughtered must be fully grown, about six months
for a goat, one year for a sheep, three years for a cow, and ve
years for a camel.
e. The sacrice should also be free from defects, especially those
which affect the meat.
The time of AI-Ud-hiyyah
The time of al-Udh-hiyyah begins after the 'Eed prayer. If one lives
in an area with a number of 'Eed prayers, it is sufcient for one of
them to complete its prayer. If one lives in a place where there is no
'Eed prayer, then one can slaughter any time after sunrise. According to the majority of scholars the time of sacrice ends on the 13th
of Dhul Hijjah. Their proof is the reliable statement of the Prophet
(s.a.w.): All the days of Tashreeq are days of sacrice. Any sacrice outside these times is not an Udh-hiyyah.
Distribution of the meat
The Sunnah of al-Udh-hiyyah is fullled by letting the blood of the
sacrice ow, that is, by performing the sacrice. Iit is preferable
that one distribute a third of the meat to the poor in charity, give a
third away as gifts to neighbors, relatives, and friends, and keep a
third of the meat for one's household. (islamweb.net)

KNHRC opens rendition case

From Page 1

The magistrate and High court also joined the criticism by accusing
the executive of breaching the law and shipping its citizens to other
countries without following the established extradition process.
Muslim Human Rights Forum executive director Al-Amin Kimathi
was also arrested together with lawyer Mbugua Mureithi after they
traveled to Uganda to represent the detainees. While Mbugua was
released, the Uganda police detained Al-Amin and charged him
alongside others for murder and terrorism.
The commission tore into arguments by government spokesman
Dr. Alfred Mutua that the transfers were within the scope of the law
as they were carried out inline with security agreements by East
African Community States to reduce and stop cross border crimes.
The rights body, however, said that while it recognized the importance of international and regional cooperation in the suppression
of crimes, the rights of citizens as enshrined in the constitution have
to be protected and the constitution being the supreme law overrides all other legislations.
It must always be remembered that the liberty of an individual is
an inalienable right. The rights of citizens not to be sent to a foreign
jurisdiction without strict compliance with laws relating to extradition must never be compromised under any circumstances, the
correspondence said.

Saturday Lecture
The danger of Polytheism (Shirk)
Sheikh Shaban Ismail
Sat. 13th November 2010 2.00 pm-4.00 pm
Jamia Multi Purpose Hall
3

Dhul Hajj 06 1431/November 12 2010

The Friday Bulletin

WOMEN ISSUES

No Marriage Without a Guardian

TThe woman is not entitled to give herself in marriage without the
consent of her family. Similarly, her guardian is not entitled to conclude her marriage without consulting her. Islam takes a moderate course by insisting that there should be participation from the
woman, her guardian and family when it comes to her marriage.
The woman has the full right to express her wish, and no one has
the right to force her to marry. Her guardian is the one who should
conclude the marriage contract after her consent. In this way, neither the woman nor her guardian has the right to conclude the marriage contract without the consent of the other. Certainly, this does
not limit the freedom of the woman to choose her husband; rather,
this reects the interest of Islam in fullling complete tranquility in
marital life. It also indicates the keenness of Islam on guaranteeing
that there will be participation and marriage relationships between
two families that are attached to each other by strong and friendly
bonds witnessed and blessed by Allah The Almighty.
Marriage is not just a relation between a man and a woman that
emerges in a social vacuum; rather, it is a relationship between two
families that is based on affection, mercy and cooperation. Hence,
preventing the woman from concluding the marriage contract alone
is a consideration of her familys right to establish a strong friendly
relationship with the husbands family because of the marital relationship. Furthermore, the texts of the Quran and the Sunnah
unequivocally prove that the woman has no right to conclude the
marriage contract alone. Islam honored women and gave them the
right to choose their husbands, but not secretly or without informing
their families.
Prophetic Hadeeths show us how participation between the woman and her family in choosing her husband should be:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah May Allah have mercy on him
that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: The unmarried
woman should not be given in marriage until she is consulted, and
a virgin should not be given in marriage until her consent is sought.
He, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, was asked, O Messenger of Allaah, what is her consent? He replied: If she remains silent. [AlBukhari and Muslim]
If the woman refuses to marry a particular man, her guardian has
no right to force her to marry him. In this regard, the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: The unmarried woman has more
right concerning her marriage than her guardian, and the permission
of a virgin should be sought [regarding marriage], and her silence
is her permission.[Muslim] Nevertheless, this does not mean that a
woman has the right to give herself in marriage without the consent
of her guardian; however, she takes the precedence in case of a
disagreement.
On the authority of Ibn Abbaas that a virgin came to the Prophet,
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and mentioned that her father had
given her in marriage to a man against her will. Thus, the Prophet,
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, gave her the right to choose whether
to stay with her husband or to be separated from him. [Ahmad, Abu
Daawood and Ibn Maajah]
The Sunnah also asserted that any marriage contract that is concluded without the guardians consent is certainly invalid: On the authority of Abu Moosa May Allah have mercy on him that the Prophet,
sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: [There can be] no marriage
without a guardian.[Ibn Hibban and Al-Haakim - Saheeh]
Announcement and Witnesses
The purpose of having witnesses to the marriage is to announce
it. Hence, if the two spouses agreed with the witnesses that they
should keep their marriage secret, then the marriage contract would
be invalid because concealing the marriage is equal to the absence
of the witnesses or it annuls the purpose of their presence.
Islam made the announcement of marriage obligatory, and recommended us to celebrate marriage and announce it by playing the
duff and showing joy. Members of the two families should participate
in this celebration, as narrated on the authority of Aaishah radhi-

allahu anha that the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said:

Announce the marriage, make it in mosques and play the duff [to
announce it]. [At-Tirmithi]
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim differentiates between the Shareeah-approved marriage and the invalid marriage saying Islam added some
conditions to marriage in addition to the contract to eliminate any
resemblance between it and certain forms of prostitution and adultery. These conditions include:
Announcing the marriage, either by having witnesses, or by
avoiding secrecy, or both.
Permission of the womans guardian and preventing the woman from concluding the marriage contract.
Islam recommends celebrating marriage such that it even
recommends playing the duff, announcing it with a loud voice and
holding a banquet.
The dowry
Prohibiting the woman from giving herself to any man other
than the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. The rationale behind prohibiting this act is that it would be exploited in committing
adultery under the guise of marriage. It was narrated in a tradition
that, A woman must not conclude her own marriage contract, because only adulteress conclude their own marriage contract.
A Temporary Contract and Adultery in Disguise
The two parties of a secret marriage contract agree upon concluding it, that it is a temporary contract until the man can afford to go to
the womans family and propose to her ofcially.
Many malicious young men have exploited the girls ignorance
and naivet and convinced them of this marriage while they (those
young men) do not intend marriage in the rst place. They only want
Story Continues To Page 6

The Friday Bulletin Kitchen

GOAT BIRYANI
Ingredients
500g goat meat
1 small green pawpaw
8 cloves
10 cardamon
6 sticks of cinnamon
2 tsp garlic, crushed
2 tbsp cumin seeds
8 peppercorns
1 bunch dhania, chopped
1 tsp ginger, crushed

2 tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp paprika
250ml maziwa lala
250g tomatoes, chopped
3 tbsp tomato puree
Salt to taste
250g onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp turmeric
Vegetable oil for shallow frying
500g rice

Method
Grate the pawpaw and cut the meat into pieces. Set aside.
Pound the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, garlic, cumin, dhania,
ginger, peppercorns and chilli together.
Mix these spices together with the meat, pawpaw, lala, tomatoes,
paprika, tomato puree and salt.
Marinate for a few hours. Heat the oil and fry the onions until they are
brown and crisp. Remove them from the oil and set aside.
In the same pot, fry the meat mixture, simmering it until the meat
is done. In the meantime cook the rice as usual.
Place the meat mixture in an oven proof dish and spread the
fried onions over the meat.
Place the rice over the onion and meat and spread evenly.
Sprinkle some water into the dish and place in an oven at 200 degrees
centigrade for 10 minutes.
Share your favourite recipes with our readers. Send them to P. O. Box 10078600100 or email:[email protected] or [email protected]

Dhul Hajj 06 1431/November 12 2010

The Friday Bulletin

YOUTH AND CHILDREN

A Message to all Students

do good and guide them to be better people. Allah will make you a
person that will enlighten others if you have the right intention.

This message is to the students, whether in school, college or university.

Renew your intentions that you are studying for the sake of Allah. Allah says time and time again how important knowledge is in
Islam. Concentrate seriously to succeed. Even when you come out
of your house you should have the intention that you are going to
gain knowledge. There are hadiths that say when you take the path
to knowledge with the intention to learn for the sake of Allah, Allah
will make the path easy for you and the angels will be with you.
Dont listen to those who want you to fail. Look at them during the
exams, they will either be cheating or staring at the page. Dont
be like those who go to school everyday but dont learn anything.
Even when cheating, a person is writing blindly without understanding anything. They havent gained a thing! The Prophet(peace and
blessings be upon him) said, whoever has cheated is not from us.
Imagine that! Work hard! Dont just study for the sake of it; I want
you to be from the top students!
Respect your teachers. It is seen as cool to be rude to your
teachers. But the Prophet(peace and blessings be upon him) said
those who disrespect those who teach us are not from us. We have
to respect those who are passing knowledge onto us. They are giving you knowledge, so you have to respect them, not be rude to
them , or make them go crazy. Imagine if you became a teacher
after that? Would you like to someone to do that to you? Respect
people so they can respect you.
You have to respect your school. Dont vandalise it, why do you
not keep the school in good condition for those who will come after
you? Imagine if someone came to your house and started writing
things on your table, would you like that? So dont do the same at
school. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned
Muslims form damaging the properties of others.
Go to school early. If you are late as a student, when you get a
job what will you do? You have to respect appointments. Prepare
your things the night before. Be organised. Dont throw everything
on your mother. When you come home from school, put your bag
in your study area. Be organised, so that you can nd everything.
When you take off your clothes, hang your clothes in the wardrobe.
Be organised so that you can be an organised person. Organisation
means you wont waste your time looking for things.
Dont rely on your private tutor. Concentrate with your teacher at
school. Dont be quick to say to your father that you want a private
tutor because you dont concentrate at school. If you depended on
yourself and concentrated at school, you wont need to spend unnecessary money on a private tutor! Then you will get used to being
lazy, because you need someone to teach you.
Try to be presentable. Brush your hair, brush your teeth, cut your
nails. Keep your clothes neat and clean. The Prophet(peace and
blessings be upon him) said, Allah is beautiful and loves beauty.
Make sure your speech is respectable. When you wake up, greet
your parents and help with the house chores even if you have a
maid. Be an active person and give a helping hand at home.
This positive behavior is part of what is required for an Islamic
personality.
Try to be an active student. Join groups at university or school.
Join the Muslim association, poetry club or the sports club. Have
interests and hobbies and develop them. Contribute and create
awareness about religious, current affairs and societal issues in the
school newspaper or magazine.
Choose your friends carefully. You will be going to their houses
when you want to study together and they will be coming to your
house. If they have good manners, they will respect you and your
people. They will be decent because they have good manners, and
so will you. So look at your friends and be careful that they are not
of the wrong type. A good friend will want you to succeed and not
do anything that will harm you. He wont encourage you to smoke
or drink or go out with girls. Give these guys advice to help them to

Eid ul Adha
Eid-ul-Adha ('festival of Sacrice'), also known as the
Greater Eid, is the second most important festival in
the Muslim calendar. The festival remembers the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrice his son beloved and
only son Ismail when Allah ordered him to.
The story of Ibrahim's sacrice
Eid-ul-Adha celebrates the occasion when Allah appeared to Ibrahim in a dream and asked him to sacrice
his son Isma'il as an act of obedience to God.
The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey
Allah and spare his son. As Ibrahim was about to kill his
son, Allah stopped him and gave him a lamb to sacrice
instead.
Celebrations
Eid ul Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhul Hijja,
the last month in the Islamic calender.
Today Muslims all over the world who can afford it,
sacrice a sheep, goat, cow or camel as a reminder of
Ibrahim's obedience to Allah. They share out the meat
among family, friends and the poor, as a way of thanking
Allah for this great occasion.
Eid usually starts with Muslims going to the Mosque for
prayers, dressed in their best clothes, and thanking Allah for all the blessings they have received.
It is also a time when they visit family and friends as
well as offer presents. At Eid it is recommended to give
charity to be used to help poor people buy new clothes
and food so they too can celebrate.
During this time, millions of Muslims gather in Makkah,
Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage the hajj.
Hajj
It is the Fifth Pillar of Islam and therefore a very important part of the Islamic faith. All physically t Muslims who can afford it should make the visit to Makkah,
in Saudi Arabia, at least once in their lives.
Every year around 3 million Muslims from all over the
world converge on Makkah making it the the largest
gathering of people.
They stand before the Kaaba, the rst house of worship
built by Prophet Ibrahim praising Allah together.
The pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram
which promote the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and
sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the eyes
of Allah.

During the Hajj the Pilgrims perform acts of worship

and they renew their faith and sense of purpose in the
world.

Dhul Hajj 06 1431/November 12 2010

The Friday Bulletin

FEATURE

How did the Prophet and his companions celebrate Eid?

Rahla Khan
Like other events, Eid celebrations too are changing with the times.
On the one hand there is ever-increasing ostentation, impermissible
celebrations and extravagance, on the other many Muslims may
experience loneliness within their communities or an unfortunate
lack of enthusiasm for Eid. We may wind up spending the rst part
of Eid catching up on lost sleep, the middle half, cooking elaborate
meals or overeating and later, cruising aimlessly through malls and
amusement centers late into the night, dressed to kill, vacant eyes
asking: Are we having fun yet?
I often wonder what Eid was like in the time of the Prophet (peace
be upon him) and his Companions. Its unthinkable that they would
have frittered away their time on frivolities and vanities, or felt bored
or indulged in impermissible acts on the day of Eid. How did they
celebrate?
In his book Al-Ayad Fil-Islam, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Jibaly denes Eid as any day of gathering, from `Aada (meaning returned),
because people return to it periodically. Some scholars say that it
comes from `Aadah (custom or practice; plural Ayaad) because
people are accustomed to celebrating it. According to Lisan-ulArab: It is called Eid because it returns every year with renewed
happiness.
We learn about the Sunan (traditions) of Eid from various narrations:
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite
Takbeer during the night of Eid from sunset until the Imam came to
lead the Eid prayer in the morning.
They raised their voices in supplication and remembrance of Allah
in the marketplaces, mosques and homes, but the women did so
inaudibly.
The Prophet peace be upon him would not go out on Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten an odd number of dates. (Ahmad and Al-Bukhari).
During Eid Al Adha, he would eat after the prayers.
They performed Ghusl (ritual bath) and wore their best clothes
and applied perfume. Ibn Al-Qayyim writes: The Prophet (peace be
upon him) had a special (Yemeni) cloak that he would wear on the
two Eids and Jumuah.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) would take his wives and daughters to the two Eids, and after he prayed and gave a Khutbah, he
went to the women and addressed them, reminding them of Allah,
and advising them to give charity. (Al-Bukhari) Umm Atiyah reports:
We were ordered to go out with the single and menstruating women
on the two Eids in order to witness the good and the supplications of
the Muslims. The menstruating women would be separate from the
others. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
After the Eid prayer, they dispersed by a route that was different
from the one they took to approach the Musalla.
The Islamic Tarbiyah (upbringing) imparted by the Prophetic traditions is not restricted to the outward aspects of worship, it goes
deeper and teaches us the correct spirit of celebration.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Jibaly writes: The major part of the celebration is not eating or drinking rather, it is a prayer that brings
Muslims together to remember Allahs bounties and celebrate His
glory and greatness. The Eids and their celebration in Islam carry
a distinctive meaning and spirit. They are completely different from
the celebrations in other nations and cultures. For other nations, a
holiday is a chance to immerse in worldly pleasures, or to involve
oneself in prohibited acts to the utmost.
Not so for Muslims! For Muslims, the Eid is an occasion to increase
in good deeds. Each Eid marks the conclusion of an important worship, and the determination to continue in obedience and submission to Allah. In moments of extreme pleasure or sadness, a Muslim
never forgets his Lords greatness, might, glory, and watchfulness.
A Muslims actions are always controlled by this continued remembrance and awareness.
Thus the Eid is not an occasion to take a vacation from Islamic

responsibilities and commitments, nor to waste time and money in

extravagance. It is not fun for the sake of fun. Rather, it is controlled and directed rejoicing that is of ultimate and denite benet for
the Muslim. The Eid is a chance to multiply good deeds by bringing
happiness and pleasure to the hearts of other Muslims, by helping
and supporting the poor and needy, and by getting involved in pastimes that emphasize the strong and serious Islamic character.
When the Prophet came to Madinah he found the people celebrating two days of sport and amusement. He then said: Allah, the
Exalted, has exchanged these days for two days better than them:
the day of breaking the fast and the day of sacrice. (Ahmad, Abu
Dawood)
There are several instances where the Prophet (peace be upon
him) permitted Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) to indulge in
suitable recreation on Eid.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allah, entered the house and I had two girls who were singing about
the battle of Buath The Prophet (peace be upon him) lay down on
the bed and turned his face to the other direction.
Abu Bakr entered and spoke harshly to me, Musical instruments of
the Satan in the presence of the Messenger of Allah! The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) turned his face to him and said:
Leave them. When Abu Bakr became inattentive I signaled to the
girls to leave. It was the day of Eid and the Africans were performing with their shields and spears. Either I asked him or the Prophet
(peace be upon him) asked if I would like to watch them [I dont
recall now]. I replied in the afrmative. At this the Prophet (peace be
upon him) made me stand behind him and my cheek was against
his. He was saying: Carry on, O tribe of Ardah, until I tired. The
Prophet asked: Is that enough for you? I replied: Yes, so he said:
Leave [then].
Ibn Hajar writes in Fath Al-Bari, It is related that the Prophet said
that day: Let the Jews of Madina know that our religion is spacious
[and has room for relaxation] and I have been sent with an easy
and straightforward religion. Perhaps its time to rediscover the
balance this Eid.

Eid ul Adha for Tuesday

From Page 1

Saudi authorities announced that the day of Arafah which forms the
pinnacle of the Hajj will be observed on the 9th day of the month of
Dhul Hijjah conciding with Monday Novem,ber 15.
In Nairobi, the main prayers will be held at the Sir Ali Muslim Club
grounds in Ngara. In the event of bad weather occasioned by rain,
the prayers will shift to Jamia Mosque in the central business district
with similar prayers being held at various mosques.
An important aspect of Eid ul-Adha is that it commemorates Prophet
Ibrahims readiness to obey Allah and sacrice his rst son Ismail.
On this day, Muslims sacrice animals as a way of commemorating
the unwavering obedience of Prophet Ibrahim, May Allahs mercy
be upon him to Allahs command.
More than 3 million Muslims from all over the world have descended
on Makkah this year to perform the annual pilgrimage.

No Marriage Without a Guardian

From Page 4

to conclude a contract, which they do not actually intend, so as to

have sexual relationships with the girls without bearing the responsibilities of a Shareeah-approved marriage.
Such a marriage is not valid because it is not intended; thus, it
takes the ruling of the Muhallil marriage, which is prohibited because it is a marriage whose two parties conclude a contract that
they do not intend in reality, and that is why it is invalid under the
Shareeah.

Dhul Hajj 06 1431/November 12 2010

The Friday Bulletin

FEATURE

Eid Al-Adha: A Symbol 0f Obedience

Gyasi Abu Umar
Eid Al-Adha is preceded by the glorious day of `Arafah and is one
of the important days of Hajj. Among the main themes and messages of Hajj is submission and obedience to Allah. When we read
about the remarkable stories of Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Ismail
and Hajar, we witness extraordinary examples of obedience and
submission to Allah, which is the core meaning of Islam. Actually,
submission is the very meaning of the word "Islam". So the meaning and essence of Islam are manifested in Hajj, which reminds us
of our mission and purpose in life.
`Eid Al-Adha is a symbol of obedience. It signies submission to Allah. On this day, we commemorate together the acts of obedience
and submission performed by Prophet Ibrahim and his family when
he was commanded to take Hajar and their son Ismail to an uninhabited, barren, distant land and leave them there alone. He submitted and obeyed. When Hajar realized what was happening, she
cried out, "Ibrahim! Are you going to leave us in this valley where
no people live?" She repeated the question yet she received no
answer, so she asked him, "Did
Allah order you to do this?" He
replied, "Yes." So she said, "Then
Allah will not let us perish." Thus
she submitted.
Furthermore, when his son Ismail
became older, Ibrahim received
a command from his Lord to sacrice him. He submitted and so
did his son. The family of Ibrahim
was a family of obedience and
submission. They were tested
and tried again and again, but
the result was always submission and obedience.
Both `Eid Al-Adha and `Eid Al-Fitr
come after performing a pillar of
Islam and an act of obedience.
Hence `Eid Al-Adha and `Eid AlFitr are annual reminders that
this life is a test and we must be
obedient if we wish to be successful. Once a year, Muslims of
every ethnic group, social status,
and culture are reminded and
given the message: Surrender
to Allah, submit to Allah. Are we
hearing this message?
Just as Prophet Ibrahim was
tested throughout his life to see if
he would submit or not, so will we
be tested to see whether we submit to Allah's commands or refuse!
Know that toils, struggles, and hardships will accompany our quest
to obedience. But if we obey, we will be in the company of the likes
of Prophet Ibrahim and his family in Paradise, as Allah says:
All who obey Allah and the messenger shall dwell in the company
of those whom Allah has favored with His Grace: the Prophets,
the sincere lovers of Truth, the martyrs, and the Righteous who do
good. Ah! What a beautiful companionship!] (An-Nisaa' 4:69)
`Eid contains many wonderful messages among which is that `Eid
is an external expression of the testimony of faith "Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allah," which means to follow Muhammad in his
commandments, abstain from all that he has forbidden, believe in
all that he has informed us of, and worship Allah with only that which
he has prescribed. Allah says:
Say: Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away,
he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you for that
placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on the right guidance.
The Messenger's duty is only to convey (the message) in a clear
way. (An-Nur 24:54)

Consequently if we truly desire Paradise, all that is required is obedience, since the Prophet has guaranteed Paradise for whoever
follows him: "All of my nation will enter Paradise except those who
refuse." His Companions said, "Who would refuse?" He answered,
"Whoever obeys me enters Paradise and whoever disobeys me
has refused." (Al-Bukhari).
Likewise, Allah warns us throughout the Qur'an of the consequences of choosing to disobey Him. For example Allah says:And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, and transgresses His
limits, He will cast him into the Fire, to abide therein; and he shall
have a disgraceful torment. (An-Nisaa' 4:14)
And among the messages of `Eid is that all Muslims are one people
and one brotherhood; we gather together for the prayer and share
in the blessings of the `Eid. During these days we must try extra
hard to strengthen our brotherhood and mend our differences upon
the truth.
Muslim youth, take the opportunity of `Eid to be kind to your parents, and know that obedience to your parents is obedience to Allah provided that
it is free of disobedience to
Allah. Stay away from alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs,
for they destroy the heart,
the intellect, and the society.
Women, witness the `Eid
Prayer without displaying
and aunting your beauty or
wearing perfumes. Fear Allah in regards to your dress
code and know that the dress
code of the Muslim woman
is an honor, not an oppression. The dress code is that
your clothing should cover
your entire body apart from
the hands and face; it should
not be adorned and attractive in and of itself; it should
be loose and opaque. This
dress code is be observed in
the masjids as well as in all
public gathering places.
We Muslims should take
action now toward improving our obedience and submission to Allah, for time is
limited. Remember the ones
who prayed with us in the
last `Eid Prayer and who have now become the residents of the
graveyard. We will certainly join them one day. Do not therefore
be tricked by the life of this world in which happiness does not last.
Death spoils the people's pleasure. So look for pleasure in which
there is no death. Therefore, consider this world a place of work
toward the hereafter. As Allah says concerning the pursuit of Paradise: And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it as he
ought to strive and he is a believer; (as for) these, their striving shall
surely be accepted. (Al-Israa' 17:19)
And Allah says: And worship your Lord until there comes to you the
certainty. (Al-Hijr 15:99)
Allah is stating that our obedience and submission must be constant
and continuous. So hasten to do good deeds before you regret your
negligence and failure to act. No one has an agreement with the
Angel of Death to delay their death until the time they choose to
submit and obey Allah. Ibrahim submitted, Ismail submitted, Hajar
submitted, and now you must submit. What are you waiting for?
This is the message of Hajj; this is the message of `Eid. You have
heard the message. It's time to submit.

Nyahururu Muslims appeal over land

Part of the land belonging to Nyahururu
Jamia Mosque in Nyandarua county is in
danger of being grabbed if urgent protection
measures are not taken.
The chairman of the Mosque Committee
Shaban Hassan said that attempts have
been made in the past to grab part of the 2
acre piece of land around the mosque and
without proper measures being into place,
the schemes might come to a reality.
He said the absence of development
projects on the land has made it vulnerable
to people with sinister motives adding that
a solution lies with putting up viable development projects which will benet the
community. We are appealing to Muslim
organisations and individuals to come and
develop the land which is for the benet of
all Muslims, he said.
Apart from the mosque, the land has largely
remained idle without any development
project and the chairman expressed fears
that with the new constitution which gives
powers to authorities to conscate idle land,
this may be used as an excuse to deny the
Muslim community the property which was
acquired during colonial times.
As a rst step we need to have a perimeter
wall around the land to protect it from land
grabbers who see it as a prime development
area as it sits in the centre of the town. said
Shaban who is also the SUPKEM chairman

for Nyandarua
He admitted that the local community does
not have the capacity to develop the land
and called on Muslims to use their resources in protecting the the mosqu an the land
which has for generations served as a symbol of the identity of the community.
The Nyahururu Jamia mosque with a capacity of over 500 worshippers was built
in 1982 under the facilitation of Yusuf Hajji,
who is presently the Defence minister.

Domestic violence
Story From Page 1
He told couples to seek counseling and
guidance from Imams and scholars as a
way of solving marital problems.
In his address, Sheikh Swalihu reminded
the Imams to take up their role as community leaders and address other issues of
concern which were affecting the community. The Ummah is looking at you and it
is important that you reinvigorate your role
to serve them and address pertinent issues
facing Muslims in your localities, he said.
The four day event was organized by Jamia
Mosque Committee and the Africa Muslim
Agency. More than 40 Imams from Nairobi
and surrounding areas attended the programme which was held under the theme,
Being an exemplary Daaiyah.

Members and Staff

of Jamia Mosque
Committee send
their hearfelt and
best wishes to all
Muslims during
the auspicious occasion of Eid ul
Adha.
Let us also take
this opportunity to
remember our renditioned brothers
in dua and pray
that Allah enable
them to join their
their famillies.
Kullu Aam wa antum Bikhayr Eid
Mubarak

It is time for the

Dhul Hijah Ibaadah
This week, over 3 million Muslims, including
3,000 Kenyans, are currently performing this
years Hajj, the worlds largest pilgrimage.
Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of
Muslims and a submission to The Almighty
ALLAH. A 2008 study on the long-term effect of participating in the Islamic pilgrimage
found that Muslim communities become
more committed to their religious obligations after the Hajj experience. Entitled
Estimating the Impact of the Hajj: Religion
and Tolerance in Islams Global Gathering,
a study conducted in conjunction with Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of
Government found that the Hajj experience
promotes peaceful coexistence, equality,
and harmony. It is an experience that is in
its own excellent class.
As for those who did not go for Hajj, there
are many forms of ibadaat to perform:
fasting as prescribed in Sunnah, udhiyahslaughtering of animals as prescribed in
Sunnah, praying Eid ul Adha, remembering
the less fortunate members of the society
indeed, ALLAH has given each and every
member of the community an opportunity to
win HIS favours. These are also excellent
things to do.
We in the Ummah Foundation would like to
urge you to take advantage of this season
to please ALLAH by planning and performing good deeds. In our endeavour to help
the less fortunate members of the society,
we distribute food and clothing to childrens
orphanages, elderly homes, madrasas,
schools, refugee centres, villages in the
slums, remote areas as well as the arid and
semi-arid lands (ASAL).
Ummah Foundation has an experience of
over 4 years dealing with relief, charity and
the masses. It has the staff that works with
religious dedication and has the expertise
in Muslim community affairs in Kenya and
beyond. It may be complicated, if not difcult for you or your organization to know
exactly where your Zakaat or Sadaqaat
should go in order for you to maximise your
chance for Thawab. Ummah Foundation will
do it for you upon request. We wish you Eid
Mubarak! Contact us through the following
address:
Contact us on the following address:
UmmahFoundation
Village Plaza,
Ngara Road
P.O. Box 58717-00200, Nairobi
Tel: 0717 613 333/ 0732 613 333
Email: ummahfoundation.net
www.ummahfoundation.net

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