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United Arab EmiratesGeneral Authority for Islamic Affairs & Awqaf(GAIAA)

Editor in Chief

Dr. Ahmed Al-Mousa

Editorial Board

Maisara Al-HibirHassan Ezat

Abdul Mu,en Da,as

Hajar Al-Awadhi

Naama Al Shaibani

Amna Al Mansori

Editing & Proof Reading

Mohammad Jamal Masri

Arabic into English

Translation

Rima Allaham, Ph.D.

Photographer

Ahmed Amin

Syed Bilal Ahmed

Opinions expressed in this

magazine are those of the

authors and do not necessarily

reect the views of the editors

and the publisher.

Established in 1394 Hihri (1974)

Issued on 1st day of every lunar monthBy the General the Authority for Islamic

Affairs & Endowments(GAIAE)

The United Arab Emirates

All correspondence to be addressed to:

Editor-in-Chief

Monthly Islamic & Cultural Magazine

Dear Reader, this magazine contains verses from theHoly Quran and the Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh). Kindlyhandle it with special care.

Manar-AL-Islam

Ongoing Evaluation and Training Courses

for UAE Khatteebs

07

P.O.Box 2922 Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.Tel. : +971 2 6143666

Fax.: +971 2 6212484

E-mail: manarislam@gmail.com

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Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad Al Qasimi,

Chairman of Sharjah Department of Islam-

ic Affairs, and Sheikh Abdullah Al Qasimi,

recently paid an official visit to the General

Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endow-

ments in Abu Dhabi. The visit aimed at

strengthening collaboration and coordina-

tion between both Islamic authorities in

the framework of UAE strategic goals and

the directives of the prudent leadership to

achieve excellence.

The guests were briefed on GAIAE latest

development and modernization in terms

of building and caring for mosques, Awqaf

(religious endowments) investment and

management, supporting charitable work,

and enhancing religious awareness based

on moderation and tolerance.

Sheikh Saqr conveyed the greetings of His

Highness Dr.Sheikh Sultan bin Moham-

med Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Mem-

ber, Ruler of Sharjah, , and His Highness

the Crown Prince. Dr.Hamdan AlMaz-

rouei, GAIAE Chairman, expressed GAI-

AE thanks and gratitude to His Highness

Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his

continuous valuable support.

The meeting highlighted GAIA mainachievements such as GAIAE website

earning full grade by international stan-

dard, using computer and other technolo-

gies to facilitate the memorization of the

Holy Quran, unifying and improving Friday

sermons as well as fulfilling all mosques

needs.

Sharjah Department of Islamic Affairs and

GAIAE to Strengthen Cooperation

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The General Authority for Islamic Affairs and

Endowments signed a contract with Wave In-

ternational General Contracting whereby thelatter will handle the construction and mainte-

nance of a 8.632 million dirham mosque in Al

Nahda Military area in Abu Dhabi. It is the sec-

ond mosque covered through contributions in

the Sandy Grove Nest Campaign. The first

mosque will be constructed in Ajman.

The new mosque has an area of 1725 square

meters, and can accommodate 940 worship-

pers. The total area of 3655.55 and it will have

housing for both the imam and the muezzin, in

addition to other facilities. Under the terms of

the contract, Wave International is to deliver

the mosque in 16 months from the construc-

tion approved start date. Wave International

will also be in charge of one year maintenance

until the final delivery of the mosque.

It is to be noted that the design of this mosquewill be the model for all mosques paid through

by the Sandy Grove Nest Campaign in Abu

Dhabi. Northern Emirates mosques paid

through the same campaign will also have a

unique and unified design.

Dr.Mohammad AlKaabi, GAIAE director gen-

eral, and Mr. Mohammad Mustafa, Wave ex-

ecutive director, signed the contract. Pres-

ent during the signing were Mr. Mohammad

Obeid AlMazrouei, GAIAE executive directorfor Islamic affairs, and Mr.Khaled Al Neyadi,

GAIAE executive director for Awqaf affairs.

Dr.Alkaabi conveyed his thanks and appre-

ciation to all who contributed in the Sandy

Grove Nest campaign for building mosques.

He added the great interest in this campaign

reflects the eagerness of philanthropists to

do good deeds, and their strong belief in the

great reward which Almighty Allah will be-

stow upon those who contribute in mosque

building. The success of this campaign,

Dr.AlKaabi added, would not have been pos-

sible without the UAE prudent leadership

great interest in this endeavor. He also said

it is our hope that this successful campaign

will prompt other philanthropists to make

awqaf (religious endowments) dedicated tomosque building.

Dr.Alkaabi stressed that building mosques

and improving their services are the major

goals of the General Authority for Islamic Af-

fairs and Endowments. Mosques have be-

come significant landmarks in the UAE urban

planning design.

A Mosque for 1000 Wor-

shippers to be Built in Al

Nahda Area in Abu Dhabiunder the Sandy Grove

Nest Awareness Cam-

paign

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The General Authority for Islamic Affairs

and Endowments (GAIAE) held a meet-

ing for its office directors in the UAE. The

meeting, which took place at GAIAE prem-

ises in Abu Dhabi, discussed means to

activate partnership agreements with the

Ministry of Interior and the Armed Forc-

es. Both agreements relate to caring for

mosques and meeting its needs. Further,

suggestions and mechanism for Emirati-

zation of imams and increasing their finan-cial incentives were also tackled.

At the outset, Dr.Mohammad AlKaadi, GA-

IAE director general, extended his grati-

tude to UAE prudent leadership for the

support of development and moderniza-

tion in all emirates. He also conveyed the

greetings of Dr.Hamdan AlMazrouei, GA-

IAE chairman, to the directors of GAIAE

offices for attending the meetings and the

monthly workshops. This regular atten-

dance, Dr.AlKaabi added, helps GAIAE

meet its operational and executive plans.

Rules and regulations pertaining to alloca-

tion of endowment revenue for mosques

in a particular emirate were discussed.

Further, attendees overviewed GAIAE

endowment properties in Sharjah and itsmaintenance needs.

Speeding up procurement of mosque fur-

niture prior to the holy month of Ramadan,

providing mosques with needed copies of

the Holy Quran in addition to meeting oth-

er needs were part of the discussion.

GAIAE to Activate Partnership Agreements with

the Ministry of Interior and the Armed Forces

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The General Authority for Islamic Affairs and

endowments (GAIAE) is pursuing its plan to

improve Khatteebs performance (religious

figures delivering Friday sermons). In this re-

gard, a training course in public speaking was

conducted at Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed

Al Nahyan mosque in Abu Dhabi. The course

spanned two weeks and was attended by sixty

Khatteebs. More training courses are expect-

ed to be held across the UAE. The purpose

of these courses is to enhance proper recita-

tion by exposing Khatteebs to the latest trendsin public speaking and highlighting the pivotal

role they play in shaping the community.

Dr.Mohammed AlKaabi, GAIAE director gen-

eral, said evaluation of the khatteb is con-

ducted by a highly qualified committee, and in

accordance with very specific criteria. He also

noted that GAIAE organizes seminars and

training courses to enhance the knowledge

and performance of the khatteb. Training is

conducted throughout the year and in all UAE

mosques. Dr.AlKaabi added that GAIAE is

keen to honor and reward khatteebs who ex-

cel in their work performance.

According to Dr.AlKaabi, the training cours-

es offer lectures on different public speaking

topics, taking into consideration that it is both

an art and a science. Lectures address, the

history of public speaking, the importance

of educational and language abilities of thespeaker, and means ti improve this skill. It is

to be noted that the personality of the Khat-

teb, his body language and gestures, his

pace and tone are all important tips to learn

to deliver effective Friday sermons. The train-

ing courses also offer lectures on moderation

and tolerance in Islam.t

Ongoing Evaluation and Training Courses

for UAE Khatteebs

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The virtues of memorizing the Quran?

I have been trying to memorize the Quran

for several years. What are the virtues of

memorizing the Quran in this World and the

Hereafter?

We implore Allah to make the Quran the joy

of your heart and the relief of your sorrow. We

beseech Allah, the Exalted, to help you mem-

orize it: Verily this Quran does guide to that

which is the most right. (17:9)

In order to benefit from memorizing the Quran,

you have to memorize it for the sake of Allah.

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in his first ser-

mon in Medina said:Verily, the best discourseis the Book of Allah. One is truly successful

whose heart Allah has adorned with the love

of His Book.

Memorizing the Quran will open all the doors

of good for you.

The Quran is a healing for physical and psy-

chological diseases. If reading Al-Fatiha (The

Opening) may heal a patient, just imagine the

impact of memorizing the whole Quran.

The Quran includes all the sciences of this

world and the Hereafter. It unveils many of

the scientific, cosmic, legislative and medical

facts.

It also includes provisions, laws and legisla-

tions that regulate the life of the believer and

make him much happier.

When you decide to memorize the Quran,you wont have extra time, boredom, stress

and fear.

The Quran will make you feel peaceful and

will remove your concerns and grieves.

Merits in the Day of Judgment

The Quran will intercede for you with Allah,

the Exalted

It was narrated that abu Umamah al-Baahili

said:I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace

and blessings of Allah be upon him) say,

Recite the Quran, for it will come on the day

of Resurrection to intercede for its compan-ions.

The hafez will be rewarded with a crown of

honor.

Whoever memorizes the Quran and acts upon

it, Allah will reward him and honor him greatly,

so that he will rise in status in Paradise to a

level commensurate with what he memorized

of the Book of Allah. Prophet Muhammad

(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)said: It will be said to the companion of the

Quran: Recite and rise in status, recite as you

used to recite in the world, for your status will

be at the last verse that your recite. Prophet

Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be

upon him) also said:The Quran will come on

the Day of resurrection and will say, O lord,

adorn him. So he will be given a crown of hon-

or. Then it will say, O Lord, be pleased with

him. So Allah will be pleased with him. Then

it will be said to him, Recite and advance in

status, and for each verse will gain one more

hassanah (reward for good deed).

The reward for the parents of children who

memorize the Quran

With regard to his parents, there is evidence

that they will be clothed with garments whichfar surpass everything to be found in this

world, and that will only be because they took

care and taught their child. It was narrated

that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of

Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon

him) said: The Quran will come on the Day

of Resurrection like a pale man saying to its

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companion, Do you recognize me?... Then

he will be given dominion in his right hand and

eternity in his left, and a crown of dignity will

be placed upon his head, and his parents will

be clothed with garments which far surpasseverything to be found in this world. They will

say, O Lord, how did we earn this. It will be

said to them, Because you taught your child

the Quran.

Make us of the people of the Quran who are

Your specially favored people. O Allah, make

us of those who recite its words and apply its

rulings. Allah benefits us and raise us in ranks

by the Glorious Quran.Remember that the differentiation in status in

Paradise will depend on how much was mem-

orized in this world.

In summary, the Quran is a source of happi-

ness and peace as well as a healing of both

physical and psychological illnesses when

combined with conventional treatment. In the

Day of Judgment, the differentiation in status

in Paradise will depend on how many verses

of the Quran one has memorized in this world.

Allah Knows best.

Charity to non-Muslims

Is it permissible to give charity to non-

Muslims?

All praise is due to Allah. May the peace of

blessings of Allah be upon our Master Mu-hammad, his family, and his companions.

The concept of charity in Islam encompass-

es zakat (obligatory alms) al-fitr zakat and all

kinds of charitable work. There is scholarly

consensus that Zakat must only be given to

Muslims. Other charity may be given to both

Muslims and non-Muslims.

In summary, it is permissible to give charity

(other than zakat) to poor non-Muslims.

Severing family ties

I cut my relations with my parents after a strong

argument and the fact that my opinion is the

right one. Is it legally permissible to sever ties

with ones parents for a valid reason?

Dear brother,

It is illegal for the Muslim to break ties with any

Muslim, or to turn away from him. Indeed, if

misunderstanding happens between two Mus-

lims, they can set apart for three days after

which they have to reconcile.The prohibition of severing ties with family

members is even more illegal in the case of

blood relatives, especially parents. It is impor-

tant to maintain good ties with ones parents

regardless of any argument.

Bear in mind, dear brother, that the Quran

urges children to be soft-spoken towards par-

ents and show respect and kindness in their

behavior even if they believe they might be

wrong.

When you sever ties with your parents, your

penalty will be doubled; it is your duty to look

after their physical and financial needs.

The Prophet (pbuh) asked a man who came

to him Are either of your parents alive? The

man said, Yes, both of them. The Prophet

asked, and do you wish to receive reward fromAllah? The man replied Yes. So the kind-

hearted and compassionate Prophet told him

Go back and keep them company in the best

possible way.

In summary, taking care of ones parents is

an Islamic obligation. It is strictly forbidden

to sever ties with them, especially if they are

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old.

Work termination and Islam

I am a department director. One of my

employees violates workplace regulations.

Her performance is so poor that every work

she does has to be either corrected or

redone. It impacts work efficiency and delays

submission of our monthly reports. In the past

one and a half years, I made all efforts to teach

her to no avail! Finally, I have been requested

by the higher management to terminate her. Is

this considered haram in Islam because she

will lose her income?

Dear sister,

May God bless you for this important ques-

tion. Employees must be treated fairly; those

who excel must be rewarded, and those who

perform poorly must be eitherrebuked, pun-

ished or terminated depending on the severity

of their cases. Islam is no different is in this

respect. In the Holy Quran, God emphasizes

equality in the workplace God commands

justice, the doing of good(16:90). In anoth-

er verse, Almighty God says:That man can

have nothing but he strives for; that (the fruit

of) his striving will soon come in sight. Then

he will be rewarded with a reward complete

(53:39-41).

Clearly, you did not pass wrong judgment on

your employee nor did you make harsh deci-sions except when you have been asked by

the higher authority to do so. Indeed, it would

be unfair to treat both diligent and careless

employees equally. Moreover, lazy employees

affect the companys overall performance.

Terminating an employee due to his/her poor

performance is fair and therefore you should

not feel guilty. Please be aware, dear sister,

that God bless us with sustenance. The Al-

mighty says in His Holy Book:And in heaven

is your sustenance, as (also) that which you

are promised. Then, by the Lord of heavenand earth, this is the very Truth. Rest assured

that she will find another job once shes termi-

nated. Allah knows best.

In summary, Muslim employee must perform

well in the workplace. Allah, Exalted be He, or-

dains us to perfect our work. It is perfectly fine

to fire a Muslim employee who is careless and

inefficient.

Treating non-Muslims

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:The Muslim is

the one from whose tongue and hand Muslims

are safe. Does this apply to non-Muslims as

well?

Please be advised, dear brother, that Islam

came as mercy to mankind. Unfortunately,

there is rampant misinterpretation of Islam by

non-Muslims and Muslims as well. Indeed,

many verses in the Quran instructs Muslims

to treat non-Muslims courteously in a spirit of

kindness and generosity.

One of the main teachings in Islam is to forgive

people in order to be forgiven by God. The

concepts of forgiveness and tolerance are fun-

damental in Islam. God describes whom He

loves Those who give in times of both easeand hardship, those who control their rage and

pardon other people God loves the good do-

ers. (3:134).

Muslims are commanded to commanded to

believe in all God prophets, Holy Books, reli-

gions, cultures and race.

The Prophet (pbuh) said:Whoever kills a non-

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Muslim shall not smell the fragrance of Par-

adise even though its fragrance can be dis-

cerned from a distance of forty years of travel-

ing.

In short, Islam calls for peace and love amongpeople regardless of their religions, cultures,

colors or genders. Muslim are ordained by Al-

mighty Allah to be kind, forgiving and tolerant

with non-Muslims. Muslim must believe in all

prophets and accept and respect all cultures.

It is strictly forbidden to kill non-Muslims.

Congregational prayer

Which is considered more virtuous congrega-tional prayer at home or in the mosque?

What is congregational prayer?

The least number required for congregational

prayer is two: the imam and another person.

Please note, dear Muslim, that there are

many authentic sayings of the Prophet (pbuh)

that highlight the superiority of congregational

prayer

Prayer in congregation is superior to a prayer

performed individually by twenty seven de-

grees.

The congregational prayer is better to be per-

formed in the mosque than at home. That is

not to say that congregational prayer at home

is not accepted by Almighty Allah.

The Prophet also said:The prayer of a man in

congregation is twenty something times moresuperior (in reward) to his prayer in his house

or market- and this is because he performs ab-

lution and perfects it and does to the mosque

with the sole purpose of performing prayer.

He does take a step without being raised a

degree and having one of his sins pardoned.

When he prays, as long as he does not lose

his ablution, the angels keep on praying (for

him): O Allah, bless him. O Allah, have mercy

on him.

In summary, congregational prayer in the

mosque is worth twenty-seven times the indi-vidual prayer. Congregational prayer in your

house is accepted by Allah, but is rewarded

less by Allah.

The Bonds of Brotherhood

What the Islamic interpretation of brotherhood

for the sake of God?

Most Muslims focus on the ritualistic worship

aspects of Islam i.e. the five pillars (the twoshahadas, prayers, fasting, zakat - obligatory

religious charity - and hajj). They forget about

one of the most important pillars of our deal-

ings with others, the concept of brotherhood

which is highlighted in the Quran and the

Sunnah. Allah, exalted be He, says in the Holy

Quran:Believers are indeed brothers.(49:10).

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:Dont hate

one another, dont envy one another, dont

dispute with one another, and dont back-bite

one another. The servants of Allah are breth-

ren to one another. Please note that the term

brotherhood is meant to encompass both

genders.

Brotherhood in Islam is a relation between

people of faith and ethics whose bond is

based on fairness, exchanging good advices,sincerity, kindness and mercy. Sharing good

deeds for the sake of Allah among brothers is

a great endeavor.

As Muslims, our faith is not complete, and our

worship is not sufficient, until we have brother-

hood amongst ourselves. Prophet Muhammad

(pbuh) said:You will not enter Paradise until

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you believe, and you will not believe until you

love one another.

Accepting gifts from clients

I am an engineer. Some clients offer me gifts(cash or in kind) upon completion of their proj-

ects. My companys owner and president ap-

proves of it. Is it legally permissible in Islam?

There are three kinds of gifts that may be giv-

en to employees:

Bribery which is totally forbidden in Islam and

a violation of professional ethics. It is a ma-

jor sin in Sharia. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

cursed the one who bribes and the one whotakes bribe.

Gifts offered by the clients as a gesture of

thanks and appreciation. They are usually

given after work completion. It is permissible

to accept it provided the boss or the compa-

nys owner is aware and approve of it.

Gifts given for personal reasons such as old

friendship between an employee and a client

provided it doesnt entail in return any illegal

act.

In summary, Islam does not tolerate bribery.

Thus, any gift in kind or cash given to a Mus-

lim employee in return for any favor is strictly

forbidden. Gifts for work appreciation or for

personal reasons may be accepted.

The merits of pursuing Islamic studies

I am eager to enhance my knowledge of

Islam, and I intend to change my major from

Business Administration to Islamic studies.

I would like to know whether my new major

has in a higher reward in the Hereafter, and

whether Muslims will be punished for not

seeking Islamic Knowledge and implementing

its teachings in real life.

Muslim is required to know basic Islamic

knowledge, such as the creed and some other

Sharia (legal) rules. It is mostly the duty of theparents to teach their children. Nevertheless,

It doesnt forfeit your duty to seek information

on Islam from trustworthy Islamic scholars. Al-

mighty Allah says in the Holy Quran: So ask

those who know the Scripture, if you know

not.(16:43).

We advise you to learn more performing the

five pillars of Islam and financial issues. You

are not required to have deep knowledge, andtherefore you dont have to change your major

to acquire this information.

Bear in mind, dear brother, that Allah will re-

ward you for studying Business Administra-

tion. This major is in need to manage estab-

lishments and improve services to the benefit

of your people and nation. We encourage you

to excel in your studies, while seeking Islamic

knowledge from religious scholars. New tech-

nologies have made it easier than ever to

communicate with eminent religious scholars

across the globe. We also encourage you to

attend religious lecture and seminars. Allah

knows best.

In summary, seeking basic religious knowl-

edge from reliable Islamic scholars is sufficient,

youre not expected to have deep informationon Islam. If you come across any problem or is-

sue, you may ask for a relevant fatwa (Islamic

ruling). It is not advisable to change your major

which is Business Administration. Upon grad-

uation, you will play a vital role in management

and improving services to the benefit of your

people and your country. Allah knows best.

13June 2011