Personal About Maulana Maudoodi.
by Kaukab Siddique, PhD
Early in my teens, I was very secular. Once while visiting
my grandfather's house in Lahore, I saw he had a drawer
full of books. One which I pulled out was paper back,
raggedy and falling apart. I was astonished when I started
reading it. The book was titled SOOD in Urdu [interest on
loans].
Written by Maudoodi, the book claimed that SOOD is forbidden
to Muslims and is a serious violation of Islamic law. As
years passed, I wondered why he made such a claim when the
whole world practiced interest on loans,
A decade later, in Karachi. I heard government propaganda
that Maudoodi is against the rights of women. I was upset
because I loved my mother and was shocked that in the name
of religion someone could deny her rights.
Then the local news came that Maudoodi was going to address
a public gathering in Karachi. Full of indignation, I
decided to go to the meeting. As I sat there, on the ground,
people around me were cheering Maudoodi. I wondered why.
I listened, awe struck, when he explained, in classical
Urdu, that the rights of women were guaranteed by Allah
almighty himself in the Qur'an. It is not the right of a
secular government to decide what are the rights of
women.
Later I checked the Qur'an. He was right.
Now, living in America, we have an organization called
Jamaat al-Muslimeen, which is based on Islamic behavior, not
on gender.
Pakistan
JI Statement. 3.30.
Disasters Caused by Imran/PTI government which Most
Pakistanis Don't Know.
LAHORE: Jamaat Islami's ameer Sirajul Haq has strongly
condemned the PTI
government for giving the State Bank of Pakistan under total
control to IMF through Ordinance, saying it amounts to
choking the nuclear power of
Pakistan and denuding it of its financial autonomy.
Demanding immediate removal of Governor State Bank, Sirajul
Haq announced launching "Go IMF Go" campaign across the
country and holding national consultations with all
political and religious elements on the issue.
"All political and religious parties will have to adopt a
unanimous stance on this vital issue by rising above the
political differences and considerations," he said while
talking to media after addressing a gathering at Ulema
Academy on Tuesday evening.
Sirajul Haq demanded prime minister Imran Khan to
immediately reverse the decision of making the state bank
independent of Pakistan's control and directly controlled by
IMF through its employees acting as Governor
of State Bank. He said the situation is tantamount to making
the IMF agents as the financial viceroy of Pakistan who will
neither be answerable to the country's judiciary, law
enforcing agencies and parliament, nor his
actions will be liable to any audit or legal action under
the laws of the land. Siraj said this viceroy will also
control all financial institutions of the country. He warned
that JI will not tolerate such slavish laws and will launch
countrywide movement against it.
Siraj recalled that the current governor of state bank had
earlier served in other Muslim countries like Egypt where
his policies had left those countries' economies completely
paralysed and thus taken over by IMF in a similar manner
that was now being done in Pakistan.
Sirajul Haq said PTI government's Ordinance empowered IMF to
devise and manage country's financial policies
independently, thus allowing banks' shareholders to freely
transfer foreign exchange out of the country. He said it
would also empower IMF to decide if the government employees
or armed forces' personnel should be paid salaries or not, or
if budget for
defense and other vital needs should be released or not. He
said it would make it difficult for common man to get loans
for doing business and trade. He warned that such a
situation would amount to give our nuclear program and
assets up to IMF, and consequently shut it down. He
lamented that Imran Khan came to power raising slogans of
becoming Tipu Sultan but in fact he was selling the country
off to another East India Company. He said political
independence could never be maintained without financial
independence. He appealed to the nation to rise against the
agents of IMF and world bank for the sake of protecting
their freedom, sovereignty, national security, financial
autonomy and most importantly country's nuclear assets and
defense.
He also lashed out at the Prime Minister Imran Khan for
allowing China to establish wine brewing and exporting
factory in Pakistan, demanding
that PTI which came to power with the slogan of making
country Madinah-like state must immediately withdraw this
un-Islamic and unconstitutional permission. He reminded
Imran Khan that if his government had followed Allah
Almighty's commandment of statecraft, the country
would have got rid of seeking loans and extending beggar's
bowl to the whole world by now.
He expressed sorrow that Imran Khan who promised to make
country's defense invincible, actually connived with India
to make held
Kashmir annexed into Indian state. He said Imran also
initiated dialogue with India after that, taking U turn on
its promise to not hold talks with India unless Delhi
restored Kashmir's special status of disputed territory, and
later displayed the audacity to congratulate Indian PM Modi
while he visited Bangladesh to participate in its 50 years
independence celebrations.
The gathering was also addressed by JI naib ameer Liaqat
Baloch, Dr Farid Paracha, Secretary general Amirul Azeem,
Maulana Abdul Maalik, Allama Jawad Naqvi, Maulana Abdul Rauf
Farooqi, Dr Hussain Ahmad Paracha, Faisal Paracha, Dr Fayaz
Ranjha, Dr Anwaar Ahmad Bagvi, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Rashed,
Maula Abdul Rauf, Hafiz Sajid Anwar and others. Dr
Raghib Naeemi, Maulana Abdul Wahab Rupari, Mufti Ashiq
Hussain Bukhari,
Sheikh Naeem Badshah, Maulana Ataullah Hanif, Pir Akhtar
Rasool Qadri, Ji Deputy secretary general Mohammad Ashgar,
and Qaiser Sharif were also present.
War News
India
[April 2]
In the Bijapur area. Naxalite fighters ambushed Indian army
force, killing 22, injuring 31.
PM Modi is in mourning.
Kashmir
Indian occupation forces murdered three Muslim activists.
Large crowds turned out in various towns to denounce India
and caling for end of the occupation.
Mozambique
As Islamic State advances, BBC resorts to
vile propaganda.
Islamic groups lead by Islamic
State have advanced to Palma [a hundred mile advance].
Palma has multi billion dollar gas reserves controlled by
Fench company TOTAL.
Regime brought in Wagner military mercenaries from Russia.
They have been beaten back by Islamic fighters and many
died.
USA is reportedly sending in a small group of Green
Berets.
BBC in December started serious propaganda against IS,
claiming
50 beheadings. The regime itself said no such happened. BBC
recanted but started reporting the fake story again. [April
2]
Contractors are fleeing. BBC is reporting many killed but
regime reports 7 killed. Helicopters are attacking IS but
with no success.
Afghanistan
Large scale Taliban attacks.
April 2 and 3.
Powerful Taliban groups attacked Kabul regime forces
mobilized by USA in the provinces of Kunar and
Kandahar [Arghandab area]. Hundreds of Kabul regime
troops have been killed but Kabul says it is winning
and it has "massacred" the Taliban.
Bomb explosions are reported from various areas including
Kabul.
Western sources say Kabul is losing about 3000 troops a
month and could collapse. [New Trend notes that Kabul forces
are mainly Communists, Shias and
northern tribes.]
Westernized Afghan women are worried that USA will
leave.
Vast NATO weapon caches will have to be abandoned
if USA completes its withdrawal.
MALI [West Africa] [April 2]
A unit of military from Chad was attacked by al-Qaida
raiders on motor bikes. Al-Jazeera says 4 Chadians were
killed and more injured. Report indicates many more Chadians
may have been killed.
Last month 33 were killed in an al-Qaida attack.
Al-Jazeera calls these troops "peace keepers" but these are
troops mobilized by western powers to fight Islamic
groups.
France has more than 3000 troops in Mali but is now under
pressure to withdraw owing to lack of success.
Al-Qaida and IS are now operating as far down south as
Burkina Faso, trying to overthrow rulers installed by
western powers.
Syria
On April 4, regime forces attacked a Druze village and
fired machine guns in all directions, all on suspicion. Two
villagers killed. More deaths being counted.
Russian air strikes continued in the Deir ez Zor desert.
April 3 and 4. At least 15 IS fighters were killed,
according to SOHR.
Assad regime and mujahideen exchanged machine gun fire on
the border of southern Idlib province. [April 4]
Madison Cawthorn, Republican from NC, says the shooting in
Boulder, CO, by a man with a Muslim name was in retaliation
for US strikes in Syria.
April 3. Syrians supporting Turkey and Kurdish Communists
exchanged heavy weapons fire near El Bab city [north central
Syria,]
Latest: Russia is bombing IS suspected areas in al-Raqqa
province. Large regime force and secular Palestinian group
has also arrived. IS is inflicting
daily losses on forces supporting Assad.
Somalia
April 3. Bloomberg News is reporting coordinated attacks by
al-Shabab Islamic group linked to al-Qaida
on two pro-West regime military bases in the Shabelle region
killing 47 regime troops and according to Abdul Aziz Abu
Musab, the leader of the group, confiscated equipment and
ammunition.
Regime is denying the report.
News Within the U.S.
Survivor of Domestic Violence Should not be Deported.
[Nadrat Siddique]
Gabriela Solano is an incarcerated immigrant and survivor of
domestic violence who will soon be released from prison
after unjustly serving time for actions of her abusive
boyfriend and his acquaintances. But on her first day of
freedom, she will face deportation to Mexico, a country she
left as a baby, and the dangerous conditions in ICE
detention during the COVID pandemic. Instead of receiving
healing and support services for her trauma, she was
criminalized, and now faces deportation from the only home
she's ever known.
Even though she took no actions and held no intent to end
anyone's life, Gabriela suffered from the connected
experiences of domestic violence and punitive measures like
the Felony Murder Rule, which allowed her to be sentenced to
Life Without Parole with an additional 25 years to life. In
December 2018, Governor Brown commuted Gabriela's sentence.
Sign this petition to urge Governor Newsom to stop the
transfer of Gabriela to ICE detention for deportation
proceedings and instead release her to the care of her
family and community.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
Gabriela came to California with her parents as a Lawful
Permanent Resident from Mexico when she was a two-year-old
child. Her parents worked full time raising Gabriela and her
two siblings in El Monte, California. Facing peer pressure,
she began sporadically using drugs and skipping school.
Eventually, she ran away from home and began experiencing
relationship violence. At 18 years old, she met someone who
would inflict extreme physical and emotional abuse for the
next 8 years.
By her 26th birthday, Gabriela tried to leave the
relationship but, like many survivors, felt afraid and
stuck. A few days later, Gabriela's boyfriend coerced her to
drive him and his friends to steal a car. Later that night,
the friend of Gabriela's boyfriend started an argument with
a pedestrian walking by that to Gabriela's horror quickly
escalated to a fight and a murder. Gabriela's boyfriend
threatened her with violence if she went to the police to
report. Although Gabriela did not kill anyone or have any
intent to harm or kill anyone, she was unfairly charged with
murder under the Felony Murder Rule. At trial, the jury was
blocked from hearing from domestic violence experts on how
years of abuse had prevented her from leaving. Gabriela was
sentenced to Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP)
and an additional 25 years to life.
Despite this devastating course of events, Gabriela spent
the last 20 years seeking positive change for herself and
for others. Gabriela worked hard to heal from the
longstanding effects of her own trauma. She took over 1,000
hours of rehabilitative classes and volunteered to support
fellow incarcerated survivors through the Walk of Love
project. She obtained an outside counselor for substance
abuse and is going on 21 years of sobriety. Using her
training in office services, she served as a clerk for over
12 years and earned a GED, an A.A. degree in Social and
Behavioral Sciences, and received her second A.A. in Liberal
Arts in December 2020. Gabriela wants to be a social worker
to help prevent kids from going down the road she did, and
serve as an interpreter to support limited English speakers
at the consulate or a courthouse.
In December of 2018, in recognition of her commitment to
service, mentorship, and rehabilitation, former Governor
Brown commuted Gabriela's sentence to 20 years to life.
However, due to Gabriela's immigration status and her
conviction, Gabriela will be automatically arrested by ICE
on her release date. Governor Newsom and CDCR have no legal
obligation to work with ICE, and yet California Governors
and CDCR have a history of cooperating with ICE. This
inhumane practice must end now. Urge Governor Newsom to
#StopICEtransfers and release Gabriela to the care of her
family and community. Gabriela loves languages, 90's music,
and sewing. She is a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and
valued community leader. Our communities in California have
so much to gain from her courageous empathy and
leadership.
For more updates on the fight to #FreeGabby and how you can
take action to support, follow us on Twitter
@survivepunish.
* Due to Gabriela's exemplary rehabilitative record and the
circumstances of her excessively harsh Life Without the
Possibility of Parole (LWOP) sentence, the Governor reduced
or granted her a parole eligible date so that she would have
a chance of earning parole through the parole board hearing
process.
Invitation to Think
Cannabis Legalized.
Opening the doors to Illusions and Delusions.
by Sis. Aisha
[Jamaat al-Muslimeen NY]
On Wednesday, March 31st, it was announced that New York
would become the 15th state to legalize cannabis
(marijuana). However, the cannabis profiteers will have to
wait until mid-2022 before it can be sold at retail outlets.
However, here is how a select few New Yorkers can reap the
benefits of this new law:
Old non-violent marijuana convictions will automatically
expunged from people's records.
People over 21 years old can legally possess up to 3
ounces of cannabis and will be allowed to grow up to 6
cannabis plants in their own homes.
New Yorkers can smoke cannabis wherever tobacco smoking is
allowed.
The medical marijuana program will expand the list of
illnesses that can be treated with cannabis.
This bill was sponsored by Zionist Senator Liz Krueger, a
democrat. She is also Chairwoman of the Senate Finance
Committee, one of the most powerful committees in the
Senate.
The new law creates the Office of Cannabis Management and a
Cannabis Control Board to regulate the cannabis industry in
New York. Axel Bernabe, assistant counsel to New York State
Gov. Cuomo, and Norman Birenbaum, director of New York's
cannabis programs, will play a major role in New York's
cannabis operations. They played a key role in helping get
cannabis legalized in New York.
Muslim leadership in New York is not happy about the
legalization of any narcotic. There are so many vices
associated with narcotics use and crime increases, not
decreases. Apparently, with the legalization of narcotics,
such as alcohol, the punishments become more lenient with
those crimes. It is very difficult to get a conviction
against drunk drivers.
There has been an increase in public marijuana use ever
since Governor Cuomo decriminalized it and made it an
offense that can only be fined, no jail time imposed. Many
activists harped on the fact that mostly whites were given
fines, while blacks and Latinos were given prison sentences
for marijuana possession. The profiteers saw this as their
opportunity to legalize and create a cannabis industry under
the guise of eliminating racist sentencing.
New York City, a mega crime center, is the last place to
legalize, yet another, narcotic. Drug use has destroyed
individuals, family relationships and friendships, while
promoting a dependence on that drug. No good can come from
legalizing such a potent tool for self-sabotage.
[Source: Yahoo.com]
Invitation to Think
April 1
Hate Crimes against all Asians?
Or all who are different?
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police asked for the
public's help Saturday in finding a man wanted for yelling
anti-Asian slurs at a 44-year-old woman and her three
children, spitting at her and kicking her cellphone off a
subway train.
Police are calling Tuesday's incident a hate crime.
Authorities described the suspect as a dark-skinned man who
is 50 to 55 years old, about 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and
about 150 pounds (68 kilograms). He was last seen wearing a
dark camouflage sweater, dark sweatpants and black sandals.
Police said he was wearing a black sock on his left foot and
a white sock on his right foot.
The woman was riding a southbound No. 5 train headed to
Times Square with her three children at about 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday when the man yelled anti-Asian slurs at them, spit
twice in her direction and knocked her cellphone out of her
hand, police said. The man then kicked the phone out the
train's back door and onto the tracks before fleeing on West
41st Street, authorities said.
The woman was taken to a hospital in stable condition for
observation, officers said.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call
New York City police.
The attack was among the latest in a national spike in
anti-Asian hate crimes. Also near Times Square last week, a
65-year-old Filipina American woman was viciously assaulted
while walking to church. A parolee convicted of killing his
mother nearly two decades ago was charged with assault and
attempted assault as hate crimes.
[Latest: A Jewish man has been attacked by a 13 year old
girl and her supporters.]
Opinion
[Tongue in cheek.]
What do Brit. PM Johnson, ex-President Trump and
Pakistan's PM Imran Khan have in common?
[New Trend humorist reporter]
All three leaders claimed that they had caught Covid-19.
However
within a couple of days they had "recovered" and were back
in their "games."
Imran is notorious for being a hypocrite. He made a
trainload of
promises to gullible Pakistanis. They believed him and with
some
help from the army chief, he got "elected" [or as Pakistanis
say, selected].
Now that his promises have turned out to be a bad joke, he
needs
pity. So a few days back he announced that he had caught
Covid 19 and asked for du'as. [Pakistanis are experts in
making dua's.]
Lo and behiold, he has recovered! Only a matter of a few
days and no signs of after effects! His medicine remains a
secret. [Only Maulana Fazlur Rahman noted that this looks
like a fraud. The
Pakistani media quickly censored his comments.]
Also interesting is the case of the British Prime Minister.
He has a mistress. He had probably been having sex with her
for quite a while. When he became PM, the unmarried girl
moved in with him.
Probably Johnson thinks that he is continuing the example of
the
Roman empire when the emperor could take his floozy with
him.
Britain [no longer great] is supposedly a Christian country
but no
one complained about the mistress. The Israeli influence
has
squashed the values of Christianity.
However the rogue Brit ruler still wanted to show that he is
a popular leader. He pushes his hair over his forehead like
a play boy and then to cap it all he claimed he had Covid
19. He "recovered"
very soon and is bouncing around as before. [The deep racism
of the Brits was uncovered by Meghan who had been audacious
enough to try to join the royal family, It is a mongrel
nation but still think they are ruling the world. Every
other day the mongrel air
force bombs Islamic groups in Iraq and hide the fact that
the targets do not have anti aircraft guns.]
Last but not least is Trump. He had a "cause!" He caught
Covid 19
and quickly "recovered" in the hope that the economy too
would
recover and he would get elected. It didn't work. About
350,000
Americans died of Covid 19. They probably did not have the
magic
formula which allows ruiers to recover quickly with no after
effects.
Guidance by Sis. Yasmin.
Is this Culture Producing Criminals at an early Age?
Two teenage girls are facing felony murder charges after
carjacking an Uber Eats vehicle with the driver inside and
then crashing it & ending in the death of the Uber
driver.
Tuesday's incident was captured on video that is now
circulating. The girls, ages 13 and 15, targeted the
Washington D.C. car driven by Mohammad Anwar. They allegedly
tased the driver and then made their move to steal the
vehicle.
You hear Anwar scream, "This is my car!" as the engine begins to rev.
The teenagers floor it as horrified bystanders look on.
You see Anwar hanging out the front door of the vehicle
and then you hear the crash.
The car was on its side and the teenagers then get out of
the vehicle. Anwar is lying on the pavement, mortally
wounded.
Anwar, who immigrated from Pakistan back in 2014, was
pronounced dead.
And Uber spokesman said, "We are devastated by this
tragic
news and our hearts go out to Mohammad's family during this
difficult time. We're grateful the suspects have been
arrested and thank the Metropolitan Police Department for
their diligence with this investigation."
Anwar's family set up a GoFundMe account, saying, "[He] was
a beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend
who always provided a smile when you needed one. He leaves
behind a family, near and far, who cherish, love, and miss
him dearly,"
Help the Anwars Find Peace, organized b...
https://www.tmz.com/2021/03/28/teen-girls-kill-uber-eats-drier-in-car-jacking-washington-dc-mohammad-anwar/
~ Y a s m i n ~
~Say, 'Indeed, my Prayer, my Rites of Sacrifice,
my Living and my Dying are for ALLAH, Lord of the
Worlds'~
{'Qur'an'~Surat Al-'An'am -# 6-162.}
Hadith of the Week
Narrated by
Abu Huraira, r.a.:
The Prophet said,
"The poor person is not the one for whom a date or two or a
morsel or two of food is sufficient but the poor person is
he who does not (beg or) ask the people (for something) or
show his poverty at all.
Recite Allah's Statement if you wish: "They do not beg of
people at all." (2.273)
Bukhari Volumn 6, Book 60, # 63
[With thanks to Sis. Kristi]
Imam Badi Ali
Iftar Program and Qur'an Study
[Greensboro, NC]
April 1
Asalamu alaikum,
This Ramadan - we will host a *Drive-Thru Iftar* every
Thursday, Friday, Saturday InshaAllah! You can pick up to-go
boxes for your families @ ICT (1203 Frances Daily Ct).
In-shaa-Allah we will host taraweeh prayers for brothers (&
children 14yrs+) *only* to maximize space. We encourage you
to vaccinate. Masks and personal prayer rugs are
required.
This decision was thoroughly deliberated, with no intentions
to directly nor indirectly harm the sisters and/or the
children of our community.
Jazakum Allah Khayran
- ICT Management team
Dedicate time for the Quran.
Ramadan is the month of the Quran.
So recite properly and reflect on its meanings.
I know some sisters in town who completed reciting of the
Quran up to ten times!
Don't let the month of Ramadan expire without reciting the
Quran!
May Allah bless us with the reward of finishing the Quran.
Ameen.
Gaza Elections Threatened by Israel.
April 3, 2021 at 12:41 pm
Head of Coordinator of Government Activities in the
Territories Kamil Abu Rukun has warned that Israel "will
stop everything" if Hamas wins the upcoming parliamentary
elections, the Times of Israel reported.
In an interview with Israeli public broadcaster Kan, he
said: "That, at least, will be my recommendation, based on
things that happened in the past and on what I see in the
field."
Abu Rukun told Kan, according to the Times of Israel, that
he conveyed his stance to the Palestinians via indirect
channels.
He stressed: "It is a very big mistake to go to these
elections due to the high risk that Hamas will win, and
therefore anything that serves this [a Hamas victory]. My
recommendation is to not go along with it."
The Israeli official reiterated that Israel should prevent
carrying out the Palestinian elections in East
Jerusalem.
READ: Hamas ready to form coalition government
On Wednesday, Kan reported Shin Bet security agency Head
Nadav Argaman urging Palestinian Authority (PA) President
Mahmoud Abbas to scrap the Palestinian parliament's upcoming
elections if Hamas takes part.
Replying to Argaman, Abbas responded: "I do not work for
you. I will decide if there will be an election and with
whom. You built Hamas, not me."
Last week, Secretary of Fatah's Central Committee Jibril
Rajoub recognised that Abbas faced Israeli and international
pressure to cancel the election.
The last Palestinian parliamentary election was held in 2006
when Hamas achieved an overwhelming majority, while Fatah,
the PA, Israel, Western countries, the US and most Arab
countries did not recognise Hamas's transparent victory.
[Middle East Monitor]
Canadians Getting Irritated.
I don't understand why LGBTQ hold rallies and dramatize
their sexual activities. Listen to NPR always glorifying
them.
Now in Canada people are getting fed up and are abusing them
and even trying to hurt them. Many cases are being reported
by cbc.
All the comedy shows are full of their propaganda. All the
good guys are gay in these comedies. Sex is a very private
matter. Why go around proclaiming what you do privately.
Black people are brought in as good guys and gay. Very heavy
handed attempts to infiltrate the Black community.
More Pressure on Chinese Ruling Party Needed to Stop Genocide.
Uyghur Human Rights Project
April 1, 2021
UHRP applauds the statement made by Federal Communications
Commissioner Brendan Carr urging the removal of Huawei and
Hikvision products from U.S. communications networks.
"American carriers should not be using equipment from
Chinese companies that are complicit in the Chinese
government's human rights atrocities against Uyghurs. We
welcome Commissioner Carr's urgent call for these products
to be removed from U.S. networks," said UHRP Executive
Director Omer Kanat in a statement. "These companies are
making hundreds of millions of dollars building high-tech
totalitarian suveillance systems for the Chinese government,
using so-called 'Muslim-tracking' and 'Uyghur alarm'
software."
Commissioner Carr forcefully condemns crimes against
humanity and genocide in the Uyghur Region in his March 30
statement. As legislation strengthening prohibitions on
forced labor is considered in Congress, he states that the
FCC should do its part by "launching a proceeding that would
update our equipment authorization rules to ensure that we
are not approving any devices that have been produced with
forced labor." He urges "requiring every company that
procures any devices or components from the XUAR to meet a
heightened burden to ensure that their supply chain does not
rely on any forced labor" and does not help them "profit
from their human rights abuses."
Commissioner Carr continues, "we must require companies to
be more vigilant and take additional actions to ensure that
their supply chains are not supporting Communist China's
human rights abuses."
Commissioner Carr rightly points to a "glaring loophole" in
current FCC rules. The rules prohibit purchases of equipment
made by Huawei, ZTE, Hytera Communications Corporation,
Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, and Dahua
Technology Company using federal funds, but private carriers
are still allowed to purchase them using private funds. Over
3,000 purchases of Huawei equipment have been approved since
2018, and last year the FCC approved purchases of Hikvision
and Dahua for video surveillance and facial recognition
equipment.
The role of these companies in the creation of the police
state in the Uyghur region is well documented. Huawei has a
partnership with the Xinjiang Bureau of Public Security to
run a "joint innovation laboratory," and has developed an AI
camera system designed to send automated "Uyghur alarms" to
the police, as has Dahua. Hikvision likewise has a research
partnership with the Xinjiang People's Armed police and
markets "Uyghur analytics."
Commissioner Carr made the remarks at a March 30 event
hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies
(CSIS). Carr was joined at the event by Nury Turkel, Board
Chair of the Uyghur Human Rights Project and Commissioner on
the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
(USCIRF).
The March 28 issue of New Trend reached 77175 Muslims via facebook.
Of these 7344 were women.
There were 5554 clicks.
Most went to Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, South Africa and Turkey.
The main items were:
Anti-India rallies in Bangladesh, [K. Siddique]
Imran has failed Kashmir. {JI]
Syria: Russian air strikes, ISIS attacks, rallies against Assad.[SOHR]
4 Pillars of Sustainability. [Ali Siddiqui]
Israel flooding Palestine.[Monitor]
Miracle with a cup of milk, [Sis. Yasmin.]
Aafia movement seeking Turkish help.[Pakistani group]
Jamaat Shoora coming up, inshaAllah.
Uighurs and Chinese Apple links, [Apple Insider]
Du'a
Hadith.
Oppression of Kashmiri women by India.[Dr. Shagufta Ashraf].
INJUNCTION
It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said:
"Remember! Zakat-ul-Fitr is Wajib (strongly recommended,
just short of obligatory) on every Muslim, man or woman,
free or in servitude, adult or child." (Hadith: Tirmidhi's
Sunan)
MEANING
Literal meaning of Zakat (or Zakah) is the process of
purification. Fitr is from the word Fitrah and its literal
meaning is (one's) nature or natural state. Hence the
meaning of Zakat-ul-Fitr is to purify one's nature.
PURPOSE
Ibn Abbas (ra) reported that the Prophet (saw) made the
Zakat-ul-Fitr obligatory for the purpose of: purifying our
fasting from vain talk and shameful mistakes, to make
arrangements for the poor and the needy for food and
clothing (for the festival of Eid). (Hadith: Abu Dawud, Ibn
Maja)
WHO SHOULD PAY?
Every adult Muslim, with sufficient food for the family for
a day, should pay Zakat-ul-Fitr for himself/herself and all
his/her dependents. Even those who did not fast should pay
it. Zakat-ul-Fitr should also be paid for the child born or
the person died before the Fajr (dawn) on the day of
Eid.
HOW MUCH SHOULD BE PAID?
At the time of the Prophet (saw), payment of Zakat-ul-Fitr
was made in terms of weight of grain. It is one Sa for each
person. One Sa approximately equals to 3.15 kg or 6.94 lbs.
The Muslim jurists agree that Zakat-ul-Fitr can also be paid
in cash equivalent to the cost of 3.15kg/6.94 lb. of grain
including rice, wheat, lentils, corn, and dry cheese.
Abu Saeed (ra) said: "We used to give for Zakat al-Fitr on
behalf of every child, aged person, free man or slave during
the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (saw), one Sa'a of
food, or one Sa'a of dried yogurt, or one Sa'a of barley, or
one Sa'a of dates, or one Sa'a of raisins." (Hadith, Agreed
Upon)
WHEN TO PAY?
Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said, "Whoever paid it
(Zakat-ul-Fitr) before Salatul Eid, it is acceptable Zakat
before Al'lah. Whoever paid it after Salat-ul-Eid, it is
just a charity." The companion of the Prophet (ra) used to
pay it a few days earlier. (Hadith: Bukhari)
Imam Shafi'i held the opinion that Zakat-ul-Fitr can be paid
as early as the beginning of Ramadan. I suggest that
Zakat-ul-Fitr should be paid early enough so it will reach
the needy and the poor before the Eid day. It will enable
them to use it for food and clothes and give them the
opportunity to enjoy the happiness of Eid-ul-Fitr.
WHO SHOULD BE PAID?
Zakat-ul-Fitr should be paid directly to the needy and the
poor. However, you can also pay it to an organization, which
would distribute it in accordance with the teaching of
Islam. Remember! It is still your responsibility. So, make
sure before paying that the organization will distribute it
according to the teaching of Islam and before
Salat-ul-Eid.
There is a new concern in collection and distribution of
Zakat-ul-Fitr and Zakat-ul-Maal in the Western countries.
Millions of dollars have been confiscated by the government
agencies. This requires additional care on our part to
select an organization carefully and rationally so that
Zakat is delivered to the rightful person. Best method is
still the personal contact.
Year after year, Zakat is sent to deserving persons in the
Muslim World by the Muslims living in the Western countries.
Let's try to spend some of it in our own communities
including Moaliful Qoloob, non-Muslims to turn their hearts
and minds as friends of our communities. This will require
knowing our own communities and friendly and deserving
non-Muslims. It may be difficult at first but it will be
better for us.
One Masjid recently in Florida reached out to the community
to help in reaching out to those who may be in need to
receive Zakat-ul-Fitr, yet they don't ask for help.
How to Calculate Zakat-ul-Fitr?
I heard many amounts over the years. It is a tendency to fix
a higher amount by many organizations so that they may
collect sufficient amounts to distribute among the poor and
the needy. One year it even went up to $15 per person. When
specifying an amount it should be fixed at a minimum amount
in accordance with the teaching of Islam, so that every one
can pay it with ease; however, we should encourage Muslims
to pay a higher amount according to their life style.
Minimum Zakat-ul-Fitr is one Sa in weight of grain. One Sa
is approximately equal to 3.15 kg or 6.94 lbs. Every person
should look at the price of grain where they shop. One
either pays Zakat-ul-Fitr a weight of 6.94 lbs. or 3.15 kg
in grain or its cash equivalent. Additional point, if in
your life style you eat top-of-the-line fancy rice, then pay
in its cash equivalent
May Allah accept your fasting, Zakat-ul-Fitr, Salaatul
Taraweeh, recitation of Quran, Salaat and your struggle for
the pleasure of Allah (mirdadi(A)llah! Ameen!
(Minimum Zakatul Fitra is $8)
About the author:
Imam Ali Siddiqui with 40 years of service, is a Friday
Khatib, Islamic teacher, Muslim Chaplain, youth advisor,
family counselor, educator, poet, and writer with a vision
who has been involved in the teaching Islam, history,
comparative religion, contemporary issues to Muslims and
non-Muslims. He is also actively involved in community
service including spiritual/educational development, service
to the sick and the incarcerated; and the interfaith work.
His work has been successfully building bridges between
faiths and communities.
Muslim Institute - Interfaith Studies & Understanding,
Washington DC; alisiddiqui.imam@gmail.com; 707-534-0041
"Bridging the gap of understanding between Muslims and the
community through teaching about Islam, Muslims, and Islamic
Civilization and developing the understanding of other
religions, cultures, and civilizations through interfaith
engagement."
