Did you know that in Arabic, there are 12 levels of friendship?
For every level of friendship, there is an Arabic word to describe it. From Siddique to Khaleel, it is rare to find all 12 levels of friendship in one person.
1. Siddique (صديق) – a true friend; someone who doesn’t befriend you for an ulterior motive. The word “Siddique” is commonly translated as truth, so honesty and loyalty is at the core of this friendship.
2. 𝘼𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙨 (أنيس) – someone with whom you’re really comfortable and familiar with.
3. 𝙕𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙡 (زميل) – someone you have a nodding acquaintance with.
4. 𝙅𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙨 (جليس) – someone you’re comfortable sitting with for a period of time.
5. 𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙧 (سمير) – someone you have good conversation with them.
6. 𝙎𝙖𝙝𝙞𝙗 (صاحب) – someone who’s concerned for your well-being.
7. 𝙍𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙦 (رفيق) – someone you can depend upon.
8. 𝙆𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙡 (خليل) – an intimate friend; someone whose presence makes you happy.
9. 𝙉𝙖𝙟𝙞 (نجي) – a confidant; someone you trust deeply.
10. 𝙉𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙢 (نديم) – a drinking companion (just tea) that you might call when you’re free.
11. 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙞 (صفي) – your best friend; someone you’ve chosen over other friends.
12. 𝙌𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 (قرين) – someone who’s inseparable from you; you know how they think (and vice versa).
27th November 2013 – Nazir Ahmed Satia (Allah drench him in his mercy)
Parents live forever. People say that when parents die, the world comes to an end. The house looks empty. But I feel that parents live forever and they stay with us. It’s us who forget them. The matter of fact is that a brother has the eyes of the beloved father, a sister has a pretty face like a compassionate mother, a sibling smiles like a dad, or a sister cooks like a mum.
Parents don’t die. They never leave us. They live among us. They live in us. We are the reflections of our parents. Despite their physical absence, they continue to live in us. When you want to remember your parents, when you want to see them, when you want to be with them, simply gather your siblings around you. You will find the mesmerising smile of the mother in one sibling, the soothing voice of the father in another. You will feel your parents very close to you. All around you. Deep inside you. The garden of love that parents cultivate and grow with love, from the time that you are born, with the hard work of their tears and blood; it will continue to bloom, unaffected by the cycles of tough weathers of life. They shelter us in tough times. But there are times, when we forget all their hard work and destroy the paradise that they built, with our selfishness, hatred, and opportunistic attitudes.
Parents don’t die. We put them to death. Love your parents. Love your siblings. Continue to feed the garden that parents cultivated with love and compassion so that it never stops blooming and blossoming. You will make your world a living paradise on Earth. A heaven that only knows love, compassion, care, respect and it has you with your loved ones around you.
Allah forgive our parents and have mercy on them, accept their good deed and grant them Jannah, Ameen
“We can only live in peace and harmony by talking to each other and learning about each other.”
The phenomenon of ‘Interfaith Dialogue’ has gained importance in the world for decades due to many reasons; therefore it is an urgent need of the time to scrutinise it under the lens of Islamic Shariah.
An essential principle that must be understood before understanding the reasoning here is that the concern of scholars when giving a verdict on something is the reality of the nature of that problem at hand; not what it is called. An example is Ginger Beer. It does not matter that it has the word ‘beer’ in its name. If it does not fulfill the conditions of a prohibited drink, then it is permissible. It would be a clear error if someone were to conclude that this drink is prohibited because its name resembles that of a prohibited drink. Similarly, an Islamic bank may call something ‘interest-free’. If the conditions of interest in Islām are fulfilled, then that transaction is prohibited, even if the company has used the term ‘interest-free’. So names and titles should not deceive us into rushing into decisions. This is a well-known fiqh principle agreed upon by the scholars. Similarly, is the word interfaith, before venturing into the topic, it would be better to first see how the concept of ‘Interfaith Dialogue’ is defined by scholars.
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different faiths at both the individual and institutional levels.[1] It refers to a meeting of qualified members of different faiths in a formal setting to discuss religious opinions and practices they have in common, usually with the intention of expanding their common ground.[2]
Similarly, there is another term ‘Interreligious dialogue’ which is seen as a challenging process by which adherents of differing religious traditions encounter each other in order to break down the walls of division between themselves.[3]
In this way ‘interfaith dialogue’ is distinct from syncretism or alternative religion. But, this term is actually used by different people in different contexts as per their motives and vested interests. This is the reason that ‘Interfaith dialogue’ is criticised by some religious leaders as a conspiracy designed to merge all religions into one. Certain individuals and communities fear the loss or weakening of their religious identities as a result of engaging in dialogue and interacting with followers of other faiths.[4]
Background of Interfaith Dialogue
Understanding the people of other faiths around you has been a natural process of human life as no human society can live in peace until it behaves tolerantly with his neighbours. However, at some juncture of history, there have been organized efforts to bring different religions closer to each other or even to intermix them. The Emperor Akbar (1542-1605), for example, established Deen-e-Ilahi in Mughal India, a diverse nation with people of various faith backgrounds, including Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity.[5]
Muslims, throughout their history, have been living with peace, tolerance, and coexistence along with people of other faiths. The Muslim societies have always observed religious pluralism and the people of other faiths have always lived under their rule very peacefully and amicably. Right from the era of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) up to the Ottoman Caliphate and Mughal Empire in India Muslims provide historical examples of generally peaceful coexistence with peoples of different faiths. The Jews, Christians, and other non-Muslim communities enjoyed full rights and lived shoulder-to-shoulder with Muslims.[6]
The wave of religious hatred and intolerance erupted after the Western powers started occupying and colonising the Muslim lands. In order to establish their sovereignty they sowed the seeds of differences among the communities of different faiths and beliefs.[7]
It was the time when the need for interfaith dialogue was felt as the world was made so chaotic by the struggle for powers, domination of materialism, and lack of spirituality. Later after the colonial powers shrank to their holes and much later when the Cold War between the US and the USSR calmed down, Islam again emerged as the first enemy of the West. The situation reached its height on 9/11 when the US was attacked by so-called Muslim terrorists. This state of affairs led many to think that Muslim and Western civilizations were going to clash.
At this juncture in time, the need for interfaith dialogue resurfaced with even greater gravity as this was the only way to avoid civilization clashes and prevent the world from destruction.
Concerns about the Motive of Interfaith Dialogue
Dialogue between individuals and communities of different faiths is a natural phenomenon that takes place at stages of multi-faith communities. The process of dialogue forces people to examine and reconfirm their own religious identity and strengthen their own beliefs while respecting those of others with patience and dignity.
Globalisation and the invention of modern communication facilities have reduced the world to a village and the fastest transportation means provided an opportunity for people to interact with each other as never before. In this scenario, interfaith dialogue can provide a platform to understand and cooperate with each other and move forward peacefully.
The prevalent idea of interfaith dialogue is based upon the following principles: followers of all religions are free to lead lives in accordance with their own beliefs; and the moral values inherent in all religions — especially patience, tolerance, and coexistence – are respected.
And in order to cooperate with the idea, in July 2008, a historic interfaith dialogue conference was inaugurated by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Madrid, the capital of Spain, with the objective of solving world problems through concord instead of conflict. The conference was attended by religious leaders of different faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism.[8]
However, there are serious concerns about the motives and hidden agenda under the banner of ‘interfaith dialogue’. According to some, this might be a conspiracy of the enemies of Islam to weaken the attachment of Muslims to their religion as they see it as the biggest hurdle in the way of their imperialism expansions. Usually, such dialogues are arranged with so-called Muslim intellectuals who are not firm in their religious knowledge and belief and thus fall prey to the hidden agenda.[9]
These concerns are intensified by the dual policies of the Western powers and the contradictions between their words and deeds. On one side they supervise interfaith dialogue and on the other hand, they attack Islam and Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad and the Quran are blasphemed in their lands and they are not ready to punish the culprits. This has created doubts in Muslim minds that these ‘staged’ interfaith dialogues are not political strategies to serve their own ends.
Islam and Interfaith Dialogue
Nevertheless, the phenomenon of interfaith dialogue, whatever the motive behind may be, cannot be ignored by Muslims. If such dialogues will not be attended by proficient Muslim scholars it might be hijacked by incompetent persons who will consequently cause harm to Islam and Muslims. Therefore, it is the need of the hour for competent Ulama to take the lead and represent the true face of Islam. It is not only requirement of the time which cannot be overlooked; rather it poses great challenge that they have to face boldly.
In order to understand the view of Islamic Shariah about ‘interfaith dialogue’, it is imperative to learn the basic principles in this regard:
(1) Islam is the only Religion Acceptable to Allah: Though all religions of the world claim to be true, it is only Islam that stands as the final and perfect religion established on strong evidence and solid foundations. As Muslims, we must have a firm belief that Islam is the only religion acceptable to Allah and it is the only way of life that can guarantee the success of human beings in this world and their salvation in the hereafter. As the Quran says:
{إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الإِسْلامُ}
“Truly, the (recognised) religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” [3:19]
“Whoever seeks a faith other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” [3:85]
(2) Syncretism or unification of religions is absolutely unacceptable in Islam: The ridiculous theory of Syncretism or unification of religions is unacceptable in Islam for reasons. The foremost among them is that this is unnatural and at no time in the history of mankind have they been adhering to one set of beliefs. It is so destined by Allah that people will never be converted into a single community, as He says:
“Had your Lord willed, He would have made all the people a single community. But, they will continue in their differences.” [11:119]
(3) Coexistence but not Compromise: The interfaith dialogue should be free from any kind of compromise on the part of religious rulings even to minor issues. A tolerance that prevents from speaking the truth or favour un-Islamic thoughts cannot be allowed. The Quran describes that the disbelievers wish Muslims to be flexible, but it is unacceptable:
{ودوا لوتدھن فیدھنون}
“They wish that you become flexible (in your faith) so that they should become flexible.” [68:9]
{ولا تركنوا إلى الذين ظلموا فتمسكم النار} “And do not incline towards the wrongdoers, lest the Fire should catch you.” [11:113]
The chapter al-Kafiroon (109) from the Quran was revealed in response to the proposal of the disbelievers to strike a compromise deal seeking Muslims to worship their Gods and binding them to worship Allah in return, but the Quran very emphatically rejected it and said:
“Say, O disbelievers, I do not worship that which you worship, nor do you worship the One whom I worship. And neither I am going to worship that which you have worshipped, nor will you worship the One whom I worship. For you is your faith, and for me, my faith.” [109:2-6][10]
Common Grounds for Interfaith Dialogue
Dialogue, or peaceful negotiation, is the path prescribed by Islam. The Holy Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) set standards for dialogue with people of other faith. The Quran encouraged Muslims to talk to the Jews and Christian on matters which are common:
“Say, O people of the Book, come to a word common between us and between you, that we worship none but Allah, that we associate nothing with Him and that some of us do not take others as Lords instead of Allah. Then, should they turn back, say, .Bear witness that we are Muslims.” [3:65]
The Prophet Muhammad SAW advocated reconciliation with other religions. In Makkah in 615 CE, he sent Muslims fleeing persecution from the Meccans to find refuge with the Christian king of Abyssinia, current-day Ethiopia, as a signal of mutual trust with Christianity. Later when he migrated to Madinah, he signed a peace treaty with the Jewish tribes and later with the tribes of Makkah in 6th year of Hijra. He also had religious discussions with the Christians of Najran in his holy mosque. He also wrote letters to the rulers in and around Arabia in order to convey the message of Islam.
So, following the footsteps shown by the Quran and Hadith, Muslims can engage themselves in dialogue with the people of other faiths on the issues that form a common ground for them and which may help in promoting peace and enable Muslims to represent Islam to others.
(a) There is no Compulsion in Religion
First of all, Islam rejected forced conversion and gave people the full right to freely choose what they adhere to. Islam regarded freedom of expression as a birthright of human beings and termed force and oppression as unfair and forbidden. The Quran very clearly declares:
“There is no compulsion in Faith. The correct way has become distinct from the erroneous. Now, whoever rejects the Taghut (the Rebel, the Satan) and believes in Allah has a firm grasp on the strongest ring that never breaks. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [2:257]
(b) Tolerance Towards other Religions
People have differences in belief, religion, culture etc, but while following their religion, they have to have mutual respect for others and discover a common bond between them, which shows them all to be human beings. Islam did not create any ill will and hatred in its followers about other religions and their leaders; rather it pushed forth their love and strengthened their relationship with other religions by various means. Sometimes, it admitted the greatness of the leaders and prophets of other communities saying:
“We did raise a messenger among every people, with the message.” [16:36]
It also forbade Muslims to blaspheme the sacred personalities of other religions saying: “Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they should revile Allah in transgression in ignorance.” [6:109]
The Quran presented a model of high-grade tolerance that it regarded all the prophets and messengers of the Jews and the Christians as true prophets sent down by Allah. The Quran says:
“Surely, We have revealed to you as We have revealed to Noah and to the prophets after him.” [4:163]
And, it regarded the original books believed by the Jews and the Christians as divine revelation from Allah:
“Surely we have sent down the Torah, in which there was guidance and light.” (5:44) “We gave him the Injil (Gospel) having guidance and light therein, and confirming the Torah that was (revealed) before it; guidance and a lesson for the God-fearing.” (5:46)
Thus it extended the hand of friendship towards Judaism and Christianity which were the well-known and prominent religions of the age. As far as other religions and nations are concerned, it declared that there were prophets from Allah to other nations and communities:
“And there was no community without a Warner having passed among them.” (35:24)
Concisely, it secured the honour of the sacred figures of other religions in the eyes of Muslims forever and stopped Muslims absolutely from abusing any religious leader. Thus, it established the foundation of universal brotherhood, sympathy, and tolerance which was extinct before the advent of Islam.
(c) Moral and Ethical Values
The moral and ethical values like justice and fairness, tolerance and patience, and good conduct have been much emphasized by Islam. These values can form a common ground for interfaith dialogue.
Here are some references from the Quran:
Justice and transparency: “But if you judge, judge between them with justice. Surely, Allah loves those who do justice.” (5:42) At another place it says: “Allah does not forbid you as regards those who did not fight you on account of faith, and did not expel you from your homes, that you do good to them, and deal justly with them. Surely Allah loves those who maintain justice.” (60:8)
Fulfilling Promises: “And fulfil the covenant, surely the covenants shall be asked about (on the Day of Reckoning).” (17:34) It asserted: “So, fulfil the treaty with them up to their term, surely Allah loves the God-Fearing.” (9:4)
Good conduct: “Good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with what is best, and you will see that the one you had mutual enmity with him will turn as if he were a close friend.” (41:34)
“Allah does not forbid you as regards those who did not fight you on account of faith, and did not expel you from your homes, that you do good to them, and deal justly with them. Surely Allah loves those who maintain justice.” (60:8)
“The recompense of evil is evil like it. Then the one who forgives and opts for compromise has his reward undertaken by Allah. Surely, He does not like the unjust.” (42:40)
(d) Dialogue as a means of Dawah
Dialogue can be utilized as one of the best means to convey the message of Islam to people of other faiths. Nowadays, non-Muslims have many misconceptions about Islam and Muslims which are caused by their insufficient knowledge of Islam. So this opportunity can be utilized to remove the misconceptions and to transmit the true spirit of Islam to the world. Islam is based on the principle of dawah which is another name for peaceful negotiation. The Quran itself describes how to make this dialogue fruitful:
“Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel, and argue with them in the best of manners. Surely, your Lord knows best the one who deviates from His way, and He knows best the ones who are on the right path.” [16:125]
Islam asserts that our conversation with others should be carried out wisely and in the most gracious way. Listening to their objections, the point should be made in such a way that appeals to their minds.
Conclusion & Summary
To sum up, these are the main points which should be kept in mind in order to understand the concept of Islam about interfaith dialogue:
· Islam favours divine revolution by striving for a society in which spiritual, ethical, and human values are cherished. Islam advocates an atmosphere where peace, tolerance, and respect prevail. It wishes to create an atmosphere where disputes are resolved without the use of violence. This is the desired world of Islam and such a world can be established only through peaceful dialogue.
· The phenomenon of interfaith dialogue cannot be ignored and left for incompetent individuals and institutions to misrepresent Islam and Muslims; rather it should be headed by proficient Muslim scholars.
· Interfaith dialogue should be fitted in the framework of Islamic Shariah and no compromise should be made on the part of religious fundamentals and its teachings.
· Through interfaith dialogue, the common grounds of ethical and social values can be explored which help in promoting peace, harmony, and tolerance.
· Interfaith dialogue forums should be used by competent Muslim scholars to represent the true face of Islam and to remove the misconceptions spread against Islam.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfaith_dialog [2] What is Interfaith Dialogue? http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110315104231AAnMRJV [3] Sandi Fults, What is Interreligious Dialogue? http://globalfaithinaction.org/what-is-interreligious-dialogue [4] Qazi Abdul Qadeer Khamosh, Conspiracy or cure? An Islamic perspective on interfaith dialogue, 27 April 2010 http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=27696 [5] Shaikh Muhammad Ikram, Rood-e-Kausar, p 85-131, New Delhi 2003 [6] For details see Civilization of the Arabs by Gustav Le Bon [7] Maulana Hussain Ahamd Madani, Naqsh-e-Hayat, Deoband [8] Saudi Gazette, 17 July 2008, http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2008071712004 [9] Mufti Rasheed Ahmad Balakoti, Monthly Bayyinat, Sep 2008, Jamia Banuria Karachi [10] Muhammad bin Jareer Tabri, Jami’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran, 22/662
Presented in a seminar on “Shariah Methods of Interfaith Dialogue” dated April 22-24, 2013 at Seminar Hall, Dept of Arabic, University of Delhi, Delhi. The Seminar was Organized by: ISESCO, Rabat, Morocco In Collaboration & Coordination of: Islamic Fiqh Academy (INDIA), New Delhi Dept of Arabic, University of Delhi, Delhi
How many times have you heard within your family, something along the lines of ‘he’s really good looking and fair’ or ‘she’s so fair’ with their eyes lit up? How many times have you heard something like ‘it’s all good but he’s quite dark’ with a tinge of sympathy or ‘I hate getting tanned!’ In a tone that’s a little bit uncomfortable? This is colourism. Colourism is a form of heavy discrimination within the same race, it’s internal, it’s a ‘within your own people’ problem… and boy, don’t we all know about it. I still struggle to believe that in 2022, it is STILL an issue, still, a thing that’s got to be spoken about and still an innate disease stirring in and amongst us.
When the British ruled India, discrimination based on skin colour was most visible. The white British foreigners were symbols of power, authority and wealth and thus, light skin served as a signal of high status across the country. Those individuals with a lighter skin colour enjoyed more privileges from the British, were considered to have a more affluent status and gained preference in education and employment and darker-skinned individuals were socially and economically disadvantaged, and this disease continued…
This dangerous phenomenon of colourism passed on, to the extent that huge, ‘forward-thinking’ corporate brands such as L’Oreal have had no qualms in putting up gigantic billboards across the busy roads of India advertising their skin-lightening products with famous celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra (who, ironically, likes to push herself as a humanitarian) being the face of such companies. So, is it really any wonder that the power of colourism has crept into our South Asian psyche so silently and so dangerously, that today in 21st century Britain, we are still so wrapped up about the colour shade of our own people.
In a Hadeeth, it is narrated: ‘We passed by Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) in Rabadha. Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) said, “I had a quarrel with one of my brethren whose mother was of foreign descent, so I vilified him as ‘you son of a black mother’. He went to complain about me to the Prophet ﷺ. When the Prophet ﷺ met me (one day), he said, ‘Abu Dharr, you are someone who still displays Jahiliyyah (ignorance).’ Now, this Hadeeth might be focused on racism rather than colourism but the concept is the same. Discriminating and belittling because of the colour of the skin was deemed as ‘someone who still displays ignorance’ by our Prophet ﷺ. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ was a forward-thinking man, he was progressive in his ideologies and so for him, this was incredibly backwards. He remarked to Abu Dharr (Allah be pleased with him) that he ‘still’ displayed signs of ignorance so imagine if our Prophet ﷺ was to see that 1400 years later, we, the South Asian community, STILL have deeply entrenched traits of colourism within us. We still have marks of ignorance. We still haven’t progressed. We still think fair skin = excellence and dark skin = inferiority.
If we zoom in, we can observe that colourism has played a dark and ugly role in the field of matrimony. I use past tense, but a huge part of me says that should be corrected to the present tense and that colourism still rears its ugly head in marriages. It beggars disbelief when a mother refuses to accept a girl for her son because she’s ‘a bit on the dark side’. When asked for a potential spouse, ‘fair’ is a requirement. Yes, ‘fair’. They are flagrantly and unashamedly stating that a person with darker skin shade is not good enough for their family.
Colourism is heavily embedded throughout South Asian culture. The lack of melanin in your skin isn’t just used as a marking point of attractiveness, but the colour of your skin is frequently used to determine your self-worth. And this toxic rhetoric spills out of the household, out of our communities, and feeds into racism beyond our culture. If we don’t like dark-skinned Asians, we definitely don’t like the Black community – it’s an uncomfortable truth, isn’t it?
I’d like to think the tide is slowly turning. The international brand Unilever recently announced it would no longer use the word ‘fair’ in the name of its popular (in South Asian countries) skin-lightening cream Fair & Lovely. Johnson & Johnson has discontinued two skin care products that promote “fairness”. While, most recently, L’Oreal has stopped using the words “fair”, “fairness”, “light” and “lightening” on its products. So we have some progress. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Colourism is so deeply embedded in our communities from the top down and unfortunately, we still have a lot of work to do. We actively need to hold conversations around it to stamp it out properly. It’s a mindset that needs to be changed and reformulated. We have to be more alert to the micro aggressions that have become a part of our daily dialect, especially amongst the older generations (‘she’s so dark’ ‘you need to scrub your tan off’, ‘I wish I was fairer’…) and be brave enough to challenge them.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
Ali (Allah be pleased with him) once was asked: “How have you recognised your God?”
He (Allah be pleased with him) answered: “I recognised God through revoking the determinations and breaking the intentions. When I determined and I was prevented from achieving my determination, and when I intended and fate contradicted my intention, I realised that the Administrator was other than me.”
And so this uneventful year draws to a close and I find myself thinking how much history 2020 made. Be it the pandemic, racial tensions or presidential campaigns across the pond, 2020 has been one long rollercoaster.
Life is full of surprises and if anything, this year has shone a light on how amazingly resilient Allah has created us all. Just when we are about to put our feet up and become a little complacent with our routine in life, the setting suddenly changes and we’re forced to recompose, reshuffle the pieces and refocus the lens a little. And in the midst of this restructure, our unsteady walk exposes us, we trip, we fall and we fail…but we brush ourselves off and stand back up. A quote of JK Rowling comes to mind that ‘It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.’ This year has been a year of ‘falling’ for many of us but with the tradition of reflection (Muhasabah – account ourselves to ourselves) maybe we can transform the ‘falls’ into life-changing goals.
The biggest lesson that was manifested this year is that ‘Allah never tests a soul more than it can bear’ (Quran, 2:286). There are so many beautiful lessons to learn from this verse alone that could put this whole year into perspective for many of us. This world is a test and each and every one of us will be tested in various ways. A utopian society does not exist and 2020 has very clearly shown us that. Once we truly understand this, we can start to formulate that as Muslims, it is crucial we believe that Allah tests us to make us, not break us. When total fear ensued in March, Allah’s powerful promise in the Quran should have been our zen and reassurance amidst the chaos. Our goal for 2021 is to place our complete trust in Him SWT and His plan. He SWT doesn’t leave us, but we leave Him. He doesn’t move an inch away from us and is closer to us than our jugular vein.
As Ramadhan drew closer and it dawned on us that the Masajid would remain closed and Taraweeh Salah will have to be performed in the homes, a heart-breaking sadness cloaked us. Who will be leading? What will be prayed? How much Qur’an do we know? Will it even feel like Ramadhan? As these questions were being discussed in every household up and down the country, a new lesson was emanating. Alhamdulillah, many homes echoed with the confident recitations of their Huffadh but the hard truth is that there still remained a huge number of us who hadn’t prioritised reading and learning the Quran enough to be able to stand up and confidently take on the musalla. We were always so reliant on the Ulama and the Huffadh that we had become complacent with our own learning journey. This reminded me of how I will be alone in my grave, just me and my deeds – no Hafidh to fall back on, no Alim to rely on, no one. The closure of the Masajid and the emptiness that came with it threw us into frantic jeopardy but ‘A believer is never stung from the same hole twice’ (Hadith) and so Ramadhan 2020 taught us to never stop learning. Know 10 Surahs from Juz Amma? Make it your goal to learn another 10 this year. Learn Surah Yaseen. Learn Surah Mulk. Learn Surah Rahman. Never stop learning. Create an insatiable hunger for learning. When you get to the end of your life, you want to be able to tell yourself that I spent every year of my life learning something new from the Qur’an and didn’t stay stuck on ‘Madrasah Mode’ from my teenage years.
2020 brought out some of the ugliest faces yet the most soul-soothing actions. Whilst on the one hand racism hit another high, unity in the face of tragedy outshone. The pandemic may have thrust us into isolation but it brought a sense of togetherness that was not seen before. Communities came together, putting aside creed, caste and religion, to help the elderly, vulnerable, isolated with food packages, medicines, shopping and that’s just the tangible needs. Neighbours checked in on one another, more phone calls were made to friends and family, messages dropped in asking how we’re doing. Let’s make it our mission to continue this fulfilling deed. Send that text message, make that two-minute phone call, and don’t just call someone when you need them. Mother Teresa once said, ‘Loneliness is a terrible poverty’ and there are millions of people suffering from that lack of friendship. In these difficult times, make someone feel heard. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ said, ‘You won’t be able to take care of everyone financially; instead, let your cheerful face and good manners take care of all of them’ (Musnad Bazzar).
Now we are at the suggestive, somewhat enticing, light at the end of the tunnel stage of the pandemic, we are tested once again. The vaccine is available and whatever side of the fence you sit on, remember that Allah is the Controller. Everything truly belongs to Him alone and he holds authority over everything and everyone. One Quran verse frequently came to mind at different times this year. Allah says, ‘لمن الملك اليوم، لله الواحد القهار ‘For whom is the dominion today? For Allah, the One, the Supreme’ (Quran, 40:16). Allah gives and Allah takes. Let’s not talk as if this year has been a year of just the revolutionising scientists against the evil virus, forgetting all along that Allah is the Master, the Withholder, and the Bestower of all things.
It has been a challenging year but for the intelligent believer, no challenge comes without changes. We may want to be quick to forget all that 2020 put on our plate but let’s remember the lessons it taught us and the goals it guided us to make.
Constantly ask Allah for ease
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
But the magicians will never be successful.” (10:77)
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
This is an open letter of warning to those who practise Black Magic, be it in the form of White Magic, under the guise of Taweez or that which is sold by the soothsayers and fortune tellers. Whoever you are wherever you are, if you are a so-called practising Muslim or non-practising. It doesn’t matter how black and long your beard is, how thick your niqab or hijab is, how loose your abayah is. I don’t care about your social-standing, if you are a peer or mawlana, or imam. Wrong is wrong! Let me remind you where you will stand in the Hereafter…
“And verily, they knew that whoever traffics in magic has no share in the Hereafter.” (Al-Baqarah 2:102)
He also stated: “They believed in Jibt and Tāghoot.” (An-Nisā: 51)
And the “buying, purchasing” mentioned in the verse, Shaykh Salih Aal ash-Shaykh says in explanation of the verse,
والساحر اشترى من تعلم السحر اشترى، اشترى أي شيء؟ اشترى السحر بدل أي شيء؟ بدل توحيده، فالثمن التوحيد، الثمن هو الإيمان بالله وحده، والمثمن هو السحر
And the magician he has purchased the learning of magic, he has purchased, purchased what thing? He has purchased magic in place of what thing? In place of Tawhid, so the price is Tawhid, the price is faith in Allah alone, and the object (being bought) is magic… so it means the one who gave his religion as consideration (something of value) for that thing which he took, which is magic…
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Jibt is magic and Tāghoot is the Shaytān (the Devil).” (Bukhari)
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The tāghoots are the soothsayers upon who the devils descend [with false information]. And in every district, there is one [of these soothsayers].” (Tafsir ibn Kathir)
Sihr: A Major Sin in Islam
Abu Hurayrah said that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ said: “Keep away from the seven destructive sins.” They asked him: “What are they, O Allah’s Messenger?”
He replied: “Associating partners with Allah, magic, killing a person whom Allah has made impermissible to kill, consuming usury (interest), taking the wealth of the orphan, to turn away on the day of battle, to falsely accuse the chaste believing woman (or man) of fornication.”
I swear by Allah! Have your fun in this temporary world, control who you can control, even if that means your own sons and daughters and your own husbands. You happily watch the breaking of families; a son hate his own father, even abuse him. A daughter abuse her own mother, and eventually leave her. You thrive over the breaking of marriages, divorce after divorce. You are delighted by people losing their jobs, their families struggle to put food on the table, all because of you. You are shaytan personified! Wolves in sheep’s clothing! Hell-mates living on Earth! You ruin people’s lives and destroy their personality and cause them destruction. This is why Allah SWT said, you will not have a share in the Hereafter.
You only have one way out… to repent. Repent today and get yourself out of Shaytan’s web, all he wants from you is Kufr – for you to disbelieve and join him for a hot seat in Hell. If you were living in Muslim countries this is what would and should happen to you:
Jundub (radiyallāhu ‘anhu) narrated what is ascribed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “The punishment of the magician is that [the judge rules] he struck with the sword.” Reported by Tirmidhi
It is reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhāri from Bajālah Ibn ‘Abdah who said: “[The Caliph] Umar Ibn Al-Khattāb (Radiyallāhu ‘Anhu) wrote: “Execute every male and female magician.” So we executed [upon his command] three magicians.”
It is reported authentically from the wife of the Prophet, Hafsah (Radiyallāhu ‘Anhā) that she commanded that a female servant of hers should be executed because she performed magic on Hafsah, so she was executed. Mālik in Al-Muwatta no. 14; Al-Bayhaqi in Al-Kubrā 8/136 no. 16941. Similar has been reported from Jundub (Radiyallāhu ‘Anhu) Bukhāri in At-Tāreekh Al-Kabeer 2/222.
Imām Ahmad (Allah have mercy upon him) stated: “This is reported from three Companions of the Prophet ﷺ.”
This is your final chance, stop what you are doing before your death comes and Izraeel takes your soul in the most painful and agonising manner. Think of your grave, your master Iblees will not help you there, nor will your filthy jinns. No magic will save you in the grave from the snakes and scorpions. On the day of Qiyamah, you will burn under the blazing sun, there will be nobody to shade you. If you die as a magician or a witch, Jahannam will be your final abode, you will suffer there forever as you made others suffer in this world… is it really worth it?
Read daily after Fajr (morning) and Asr (evening)Read daily after Fajr (morning) and Asr (evening)Read daily after Fajr (morning) and Asr (evening)
Listen to the Ruqya Daily at home, NOT when driving nor at work!
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Do not turn your houses into graves. Indeed Ash-Shaitan does not enter the house in which Surat Al-Baqarah is recited.” (Tirmidhi)
1) Know your audience and choose your style accordingly.
2) Read and practise! Read newspapers especially broadsheets, highlight words and remember them.
3) Listen and practise! Listen out for beautifully spoken English, find scholars online who speak well and use good terminology, write down the words they use and implement them into your own terminology.3) Use Apps such as Grammarly
4) Find your best ‘English’ person and ask them nicely to proofread and/or give feedback. Remember, this takes time so try not to become too reliant and learn from them so you can become confident yourself.
5) Use a dictionary NOT necessarily a thesaurus. It’s always cringingly obvious when someone has tried too hard; use sophisticated language but let it flow naturally. Like Orwell said, why use a long word when a short word will do.
6) Commas and apostrophes are cool. Teach yourself the rules regarding these.
7) Vary your sentence lengths so your writing sounds interesting/exciting/dramatic. Use conjunctions to create longer sentences but use short sentences too. A short sentence immediately after a long sentence always adds drama.
8) Keep it clean and simple. Don’t over complicate your writing in the attempt to impress. This will only discompose your reader and the main purpose of your writing will be lost.
9. Finally, start a blog. Writing will help you tremendously.
Ismail ibn Nazir Satia (one who is in dire need of Allah’s forgiveness, mercy and pleasure)
We will all be aware that every sect, race, and religion has corrupt and bad individuals. As Muslims, we believe Islam is perfect, but Muslims are not. In light of this, we will understand teachers are meant to educate our children but many abuse our children. Doctors are meant to cure the ill, there are doctors who have killed people. Police officers are meant to protect the people, we often hear of the police abusing their power and authority. This in no way or shape means we stop using the above services, which would be preposterous and outrageous for anyone to claim that. What we would advise is we be cautious and take preventive measures, as the rule is “prevention is better than cure.”
In recent times, there has been a lot of exposure to Black Magic, Taweez, Ruqya and Jinns etc. The aim of this article is to accurately, fairly and accurately clear some of the myths regarding this subject.
We will start by explaining and proving from Quran and
Hadith whether or not Black Magic exists, as well as Jinns and Jinn possession.
There are a lot of Muslims out there who deny one of these or ALL of these.
The Evidence
BLACK MAGIC: Even the Prophet ﷺ had Sihr (black magic). His enemies got the most powerful sorcerer. The effect of it was He kept thinking he needed to do a ghusl. It was done by a Jewish man Labeed ibn A’sam, who took hair from the comb of the Prophet ﷺ and date skin from a tree. Eventually, they found the well which had date palms like the devil’s horns. The Hadith is in Bukhari.
JINN: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ
said, “There are Jinn in Madinah who have become Muslim. When you see one of
them, call out to it for three days. If it appears after that, then kill it,
for it is a Shaytan.” (Imam Malik)
EVIL EYE: Ibn ‘Abbas RA reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “The influence of an evil eye is a fact; if anything would precede the destiny it would be the influence of an evil eye, and when you are asked to take bath (as a cure) from the influence of an evil eye, you should take bath.” (Muslim)
Corrupt Practices
Whether you do down the Taweez route or the Ruqya route or any other route. It is YOUR job to ensure the person treating you or your family member is treating you according to Quran and Hadith. Allah has blessed everyone with Aqal and intellect. You don’t need to be a Mufti to know the difference between right and wrong, a lot of these things are basic common sense. For example, the Mawlana giving Taweez or the Raqi should not touch women, there is no reason for him to do this. It is not permissible for a man who believes in Allah and His Messenger to put his hand in the hand of a woman who is not permissible for him or who is not one of his mahrams. Whoever does that has wronged himself (i.e., sinned).
It was narrated that Ma’qil ibn Yassaar said: the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For one of
you to be stabbed in the head with an iron needle is better for him than that
he should touch a woman who is not permissible for him.”
Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer, 486
Extortionate Prices
Why do some Raqis charge extraordinary prices? One must understand the field of dealing with Black Magic and Jinn is not an easy one. They are risking their own lives and their wife’s and children’s. Raqis face a lot of backlashes and even face illnesses because of the work they do, most people don’t understand this. Unlike a doctor or a dentist or any profession really, they treat the patient and go home and switch off. Whereas most Raqis if not all get severe backlash which affects them and their families. Hence,they must do a LOT of protection and adhkar themselves. So the prices are justified, but I will add those who work from home should reduce the costs as they don’t have much expenditure compared to someone working in a clinic. Clinics have to pay rent, £40-£50 an hour is justified for the risk-taking a job they are doing.
Now, there is a rumour going around and apparently is started from an Alim in Yorkshire who goes around telling the masses, “If someone charges you for Ruqya or Taweez their work is not effective.” Subhan Allah! I have had people ring me with the same information. There is nothing wrong with receiving payment for reciting ruqya for one who is sick because it is proven in al-Saheehayn that a group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out on a journey and travelled until they made came near one of the Arab tribes. (These people were either kafirs or very stingy, (as Imam ibn al-Qayyim RH mentioned in al-Madaarij). They asked them for hospitality, but they refused to do so. Then the leader of that tribe was stung, and they tried everything but nothing helped him. Then some of them said, why don’t you go to those people who are staying (nearby)? Maybe some of them have something. So they went to them and said, O people, our leader has been stung and we have tried everything and nothing helped him. Do any of you have something? One of them said, yes, by Allah. I will perform ruqya for him, but by Allah, we asked you for hospitality and you did not give us anything, so we will not perform ruqya for you unless you give us something in return. So they agreed on a flock of sheep, then he started to blow on him and recite Al-hamdu Lillaahi Rabb il-‘Aalameen. Then he recovered quickly from his complaint and started walking, and there was nothing wrong with him. Then they have them what they had agreed to, and some of them (the Sahabah) said, Let us share it out. The one who had performed ruqya said, Do not do anything until we come to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and tell him what happened, and we will wait and see what he tells us to do. So they came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. He said, “How did you know that it is a ruqya?” Then he said, “You did the right thing.”
Narrated by al-Bukhari (2115) and Muslim (4080).
Self-Ruqya
What is the need to go to these people when the Hadith talks about self-ruqya and praying on yourself or a family member can pray manzilon you? This is correct, you can perform on yourself. Like the Prophet, ﷺ recited Surah Falaq and Surah Naas, cup his hands and blow into them, then rub all over his blessed body. At other times He ﷺ would pray Ruqya over his family members. But this is a bit like home remedies, when you have the flu or cold you can treat yourself. So, for certain minor cases, you can do self-ruqya. But nobody would disagree that if you have a major illness you need to see a doctor or even go to the hospital to seek professional advice and help. Likewise with certain cases, especially Jinn possession a person needs to see a Raqi to gain professional advice. Because what happens is when the family recite Ruqya or play it on YouTube the patient will react and the family are unaware of how to deal with the situation or they are too scared. Hence some Imams and Mawlanas need to be careful on the Mimbar before giving wrong advice like, “don’t go to raqis” “it’s all money-making” “ruqya is just a fashion” AstaghfirUllah!!! Ruqya is an authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, especially when these imams don’t do their homework.
Read daily after Fajr (morning) and Asr (evening)
