In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Weekly Classroom Themes – Secondary

The following series is designed for teachers to create a weekly theme in the classroom that will build Islamic worldviews and ethics. This is not a lesson substitute, rather it is a theme that the class adopts for a week. A teacher might introduce the topic on the first day of the week during a five-minute opening discussion. Then, throughout the week the students and teacher can refer back to the theme of the week with regards to other materials / lessons / units being studied. Since each class will have unique materials being taught, what follows is merely an outline with some suggestions for classroom discussions.

The teacher may decide to post a focal Prophetic narration, or even just have the theme of the week (for example: Generosity) on the board throughout the week. This exercise is aimed to get students thinking within an Islamic worldview and from Muslim ethics during all classes, not just the Islamic studies class. A teacher may decide to tie in the example (for example: generosity) into social studies, mathematics word problems, writing assignments and so forth. Having gone through many of the following weekly themes, inshaAllah, students will have been exposed to and been thinking about a variety of concepts targeted to their level.

Only three series were created: Elementary, Middle and Secondary. The topics were categorized in such a manner in order to target the level and abilities of the respective students, however some weekly topics introduced at the lower levels are again taught in higher levels. A 36-week schedule has been developed, based upon a typical school year.

Weekly Themes

Week Theme Week Theme1 Doing good deeds 19 Caring for orphans2 Bad conduct 20 Differences of opinion3 Arbitration 21 Jurayj4 Leadership 22 Kindness to parents5 Showing off 23 Marketplace6 Evils of debate 24 Wisdom7 Best time for du’a 25 Character8 Self admiration 26 The Last Day9 Ali ibn abi Talib 27 Earning Halal10 Communal responsibilities 28 Community Development11 Interacting with the Qur’an 29 International

Development12 Disputing 30 Rights13 Enduring good deeds 31 Tests of Allah14 Disobedience 32 Umar ibn al-Khattab15 Qur’an 33 Fiqh of Zakah16 Sleeping habits 34 Tazkiyah17 Chivalry 35 Balance & Ihsan18 Dawah 36 Going green

Week 1

Doing Good Deeds In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Good deeds are those which are in accordance with sharee’ah, and which are done sincerely for the sake of Allah (swt).

It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Make the orphan come close to you, and be nice to him, and wipe his head, and feed him from your food. That will cause your heart to be soft and your needs to be fulfilled” (recorded in al Tabarani).

Allah calls Muslims to all sorts of good deeds, and there is specific reward in doing those good deeds. A beautiful addition to that is the situation of the believer, in a general sense, which is made better when good deeds are done. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah have mercy upon him) was once asked by a person to make du’a (supplication) for him. He said: “Verily, du’a is raised by good deeds.” In saying this, he was directing the questioner to make better his situation by doing good deeds, if he wants his du’a to be accepted. Wahb ibn Munabbih (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “The example of the one who makes du’a without doing any good deeds is like the one who tries to shoot arrows without a bow.”

Muslims should persist in doing good deeds, even if they are little. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) loved actions that were done consistently, even if they were little. A small action done persistently is better than a greater action done intermittently.

In Islam, we learn that the good deeds remove or wipe out the bad deeds.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “If any one of you improve (follows strictly) his Islamic religion then his good deeds will be rewarded ten times to seven hundred times for each good deed and a bad deed will be recorded as it is.”

May Allah make us among those who constantly do good.

Ibn al Qayyim mentioned some reminders for us regarding the manners of making du’a: Our heart ought to be present and mind of full concentration, our heart meek and full of humbleness. One ought to face the qibla in a state of wudu’ raising their hands to Allah, beginning with praise of Him and salutations upon the Prophet (may Allah exalt his

mention and protect him from every evil). One should seek forgiveness and be persistent in asking Him and calling upon Him. All of which in a state of balance between fear, love and hope.

Questions: What is du’a and why do we make it?

Research one Sahabah who used to do many good deeds. Present it to the class.

What good deeds can we do every day?

Which kind of activities are available at the school and in the community that we can join that would be considered doing good deeds?

Which good deed would you give great importance to and why?

Name a good deed that someone has done for/towards you and write about how it impacted your life or inspired you to perform more good deeds.

Suggested Activity for the Week (Individual):

Write down at least 7 good deeds and try to do at least one good deed a day.

Some examples of good deeds:

- Feed a hungry animal. - Give good advice to a friend.- Help someone move their furniture.- Volunteer at a hospital or visit a sick person.- Donate at least $1 for a good cause.- Recycle and pick up trash.- Spend quality time with family.- Forgive someone who has hurt you in the past.- Avoid gossiping, backbiting and insulting others.- Greet those you know or do not know.- Smile- Observe a voluntary fast.

Suggested Activities for the Week (Group):

- The class picks up trash around the school or community.- The class makes sandwiches/lunches for the needy in the community.- Everyone in the class brings at least one canned food item for the community

food bank.

Week 2

Bad Conduct In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Dr. Ali Sallabi wrote: Some young people have resorted to bad conduct, namely seeking out the faults and mistakes of the scholars, looking for some odd views they may have, and misinterpreting their words in a way that is different from what they intended. They did that to justify their senseless campaign, the aim of which is to undermine scholars, both classical and contemporary, whose views differ from theirs and who do not approve of their way of thinking, which is not the way of moderation. This action of theirs has caused a great deal of harm to Islam and a great deal of joy to the enemies of Islam"

About this ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "No one should narrate such weak opinions from any of the imams of the Muslims, whether they be by way of condemning him or by way of following him in this view. That is a kind of undermining of the imams and seeking to follow weak views. By following this method, the ruling official of the Tatars created turmoil among the Sunnis, so that he could lead them to leave ahl al Sunnah wa al Jama'ah altogether."

Furthermore, Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do not think anything but good about the spoken word by your believing brother when there is a way to interpret it in a good manner."

Questions: What is Dr. Sallabi talking about?

Does this apply to us? Give some examples. Watch yourself today, see if you make this mistake and fix it.

What does believing good about others mean? How do we implement it?

Think of a time when you thought something bad about someone. Now consider the good qualities that they also have – is it possible that you misunderstood? Did you give them any excuses?

Who was ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him)?

Suggested Activity:

Name a time where someone made a mistake or said something inappropriate. Now write down ten possible excuses for them.

Have a classmate think of a possible mistake and then have the class discuss possible misunderstandings that may have occurred and excuses for the individual/individuals that made the mistake.

Week 3

Arbitration In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

During the Leadership of Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) there existed different groups of Muslims who engaged in fighting one another. During that time two groups sought arbitration in order to resolve the conflicts. Dr. Sallabi mentions some interesting points that we, in modern States, can benefit from, and in particular since we are witnessing groups of Muslims fighting one another. As was done during the time of Ali, each side can opt to send a representative to arbitrate in order to arrive at a mutually agreed upon position and path forward. This is a means in seeking conflict resolution.

Some of the verdicts that might be sought include: deciding the extent of authority, using Islamic sources as points of references in finding solutions, taking pledges from each side and issuing of rulings that are agreed upon by each side (and if one party does not agree to the agreed upon verdict, they are considered to be in the wrong).

Dr. Sallabi suggests that this methodology of solving conflicts between Muslim states will block the means for outside groups and States to interfere in the affairs of Muslim states - as was done in the Cold war and is still done currently. This process is based upon the consensus of the Companions, as was done during the Leadership of Ali ibn abi

Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).

Allah knows best.

Questions: What is arbitration? Does it apply to us?

How can you play a role in arbitration?

Do you think arbitration can work between countries?

Research two countries or groups that are fighting, how can they resolve it?

Group Assignment:

- Split the class into three different groups. Create a problem that needs to be solved with arbitration. Group 1 decides not to participate in the arbitration process. Groups 2 and 3 decide to participate in the arbitration process. Groups 2 and 3 then write about the arbitration process and the outcome. Group 1 writes about what they learned by watching the other two groups be involved in the arbitration process and how they could have benefitted from the arbitration process. The group leaders from each group then present relevant information to the rest of the class.

Week 4

Leadership

In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Umar ibn al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"The most blessed of people is the one whose subjects are blessed because of him, and the most wretched of people is the one whose subjects are wretched because of him. Beware of indulging in the people's wealth, lest the people working for you also indulge;

then your example would be like that of the animal that looks at the green land and starts grazing in order to grow fat, but its death will be caused by its fatness."

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The ruler is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of his family and is responsible for his flock. A woman is the shepherd of her husband’s household and is responsible for her flock. A servant is the shepherd of his master’s wealth and is responsible for his flock.” Muslims will be judged based on how they treated their flock.

Questions: What makes a leader? What are the qualities and characteristics of a leader?

Research one famous leader and write (2-3 pages) about that person as a leader.

What are the responsibilities of a leader?

Are you a leader? Where and how can you be a leader?

Week 5

Showing Off In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The Prophetic traditions explain that to do deeds for the purpose of showing off, or to please people, it is a form of lesser polytheism (shirk). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The thing I fear most for you is lesser polytheism.” They said: “What is lesser polytheism, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Showing off. Allah will say on the day of resurrection, when He will reward the people for their deeds: ‘Go to those whom you used to show off in the world, and see whether you find any reward with them’” (recorded in Ahmed).

Leader of the Believers Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Do not do any good deed to show off, and do not refrain from doing it out of shyness.” In order to help us understand what exactly showing off means, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) defined it in saying: “There are three signs of the show-off: he is lazy when he is alone and active when he is with other people; he does more if he is praised because of it; and

he does less if he is criticized because of it.”

The forms of showing off can take numerous types. It may be in actions, including acts of worship such as prayer. It may occur in speech. Or, it may involve appearance and the way one dresses. What separates showing off from worship in these cases is the intention. Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said regarding this: “No words are good unless accompanied by action, and no action is good unless accompanied by intention, and no intention is good unless it is in accordance with the Sunnah.”

And Allah knows best.

Questions: What is showing off? What are some examples?

Pay attention to yourself this week, do you show off?

Write a page about your experiences this week regarding showing off.

How can you improve yourself to stop any actions that lead to showing off?

Do you think that showing off can lead to making false claims or lying?

Week 6

Evils of Debate In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Imam al Ghazali writes in Ihya ulum al diin on the evils of debating and the negative impacts that debate can have on ones character.

The first of the evils outlined is that of envy and he quotes the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who said that envy consumes good deeds like fire does wood. Envy is a result of debate as the process creates a victor and one who is overcome; naturally the process leads one away from seeking communal good and leads toward second evil: pride. The debater becomes haughty with regard to his opinions, ideas, ability and intellect. Debating leads people to view themselves as superior to others.

The text continues to outline the third evil of rancor, about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that the believer is free from. The next evil is that of backbiting and gossip, either during, about or caused by debate. Debaters often refer to the words of the other person or even attacking the honour of his opponent debater. In some cases this may even lead to deceit and lying. The Imam includes spying and prying into private affairs as an evil aspect to debate as debaters try to uncover the faults of each other.

Those who engage in debate may even rejoice at the injury of others and feel depressed when a topic is lost. Therein he has lost the pursuit of seeking Truth and has taken a path to proving himself correct. Thereby truth may even be resisted, and to such an extent that it may be detested – may Allah protect us from that. Likewise, debate may turn a person in the other direction, to extreme flattery and praise, in order to earn favour. This, Imam al Ghazali writes, leads to hypocrisy as the debater wants nothing but to put oneself forward before people to gain their approval and their praise.

May Allah guide us all and protect us from such evils.

Questions: Is all debate evil? Explain.

Who is Imam al Ghazali?

How can we learn from this?

Can we implement this in our lives today? How? Give examples.

Group Assignment:

- Split the class into two groups. Have one group write and perform a skit where a beneficial debate occurs. Have the other group write and perform a skit about a debate doesn’t accomplish anything, but leads only to feelings of pride for the winner and leads to backbiting/gossip or other evils for the loser of the debate.

Week 7

Best times for Du'a

In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The Qur’an and Prophetic Sunnah specify times within which it is recommended to make supplications, I will inshaAllah briefly summarize some of these times and additional details may be sought in the text: Du’a by Yasir Qadhi (p. 120-136).

1. The Last third of the night: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Our Lord – all Glory and Praise be to Him – comes in the last third of the night to the skies of this world, and He says: ‘Who is there that is making du’a, so that I can respond to him? Who is there that is asking Me, so that I can give him? Who is there that is seeking my forgiveness, so that I can forgive him?’” (Reported in al Bukhari #1145 and Muslim #758).

2. When the Adhan is called: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Two are never rejected, or rarely rejected: the du’a during the call for prayer and the du’a during the calamity, when the two armies attack each other” (reported in ibn Majah and al Hakim). Anas ibn Malik also narrates that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The du’a said between the adhan and the iqamah is not refused, therefore offer your du’as” (reported in Ahmad, abu Dawud and Tirmidhi).

3. In sujud: abu Hurayrah narrates that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The closest any worshipper can be to his Lord is while he is in prostration, so increase your du’as in it” (reported in Muslim, abu Dawud and al Nasa’i).

4. After salah: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) was asked by abu Umamah al Bahili “O Messenger of Allah. Which du’a is the most likely to be responded to?” He said: “In the last part of the night and after the obligatory prayers” (narrated in Tirmidhi).

5. An hour on Friday: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “On Friday, there is an hour during which, if any Muslim is standing in front of Allah in salat, and asking Allah for something good, he will be granted his request” (narrated in al Bukhari).

6. Before drinking Zam Zam water: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The water of Zam Zam is for whatever it

has been drunk for” (narrated in Ahmad and ibn Majah).

7. On the Day of Arafah: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “The best of all du’as is the one given on the Day of Arafah, and the best statement that I or any of the Prophets before me have said is: ‘There is no other deity worthy of worship, He is One, and He has no partners. To Him belongs the Dominion, to Him is given all Praise and He is aware of all things” (narrated in Tirmidhi).

8. When it rains: It is recorded that the Prophet (may Allah exalt his mention and protect him from every evil) said: “Two are the du’as that are never returned: the du’a made when prayer is being called and at the time of rainfall” (narrated in abu Dawud and al Hakim).

And Allah knows best.

Questions: Recall previous weeks, what prevents dua?

Do research and find out other times that are good to make du’a in?

Research and find a du’a of the Prophet, write one page about it.

What are the manners of making du’a?

Week 8

Self Admiration In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

“Self admiration is the most serious of problems”The quote mentioned above was said by the Leader of the Believers Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). Self admiration is seen as disastrous because it spoils good deeds as vinegar does to honey. And, it is contrary to being sincere. Abdullah ibn Mubarak (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Self admiration means thinking that you have something others do not have” and ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) explained that this is different from showing off in that self admiration is including oneself with Allah whereas showing off is including others in motivation in doing deeds.

Imam al Ghazali explains that self admiration leads to arrogance and an overlooking of one’s own faults and mistakes. Such a person begins to think she or he is doing Allah a favour by virtue of righteousness. May Allah protect us from that. This person becomes so deluded that she or he neglects to notice the blessings of Allah and the fact that such pious deeds are done only by the Will and permission of Allah.

As such, al Qurafi said: “The reason why self admiration is forbidden is that it is a bad attitude towards Allah, may He be exalted, because a slave should never think of as great the acts of worship by means of which he seeks to draw close to his Master. Rather, he should think of them as little in comparison to the greatness of his Master, especially the greatness of Allah. Hence Allah says: “They made not a just estimate of Allah such as is due to Him” (39:67). This means that they did not venerate Him as He deserves to be venerated. Whoever develops self admiration and admires his worship is doomed before his Lord, Who is aware of him. He has exposed himself to the wrath and anger of Allah.”

Imam al Shafa’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “If you fear that self admiration will affect your deeds, remember the One Whom you are trying to please, what blessings you are trying to seek and what kind of punishment you are seeking to escape. The one who thinks of that will see his deeds as insignificant.”

Imam al Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “The way to rid oneself of self admiration is to know that knowledge is a blessing from Allah and a complete favour.” Ibn al Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “It should be noted that when a person says or does something, seeking the pleasure of Allah, realizing the blessing that Allah has bestowed on him with regard to that, and he is doing it by the help of Allah and not by his own power, knowledge, thought and strength – rather it is Allah Who created for him his tongue, heart, eyes and ears – that He is the one who blessed him with what he said or did. When that becomes well entrenched in his mind, then self admiration will not develop in him, because self admiration results from focusing on one’s own self and not realizing the blessing and help of one’s Lord.”

May Allah protect us and guide us to what is best.

Questions: Write a reflection paper on a time you admired yourself.

How can we notice this in ourselves? And, how can we stop it?

How can we give advice to others about self-admiration?

What should you do if you fear that self admiration will affect your good deeds?

Who was Imam al Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him)?

Week 9

Speech of Ali ibn abi Talib In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The following is just one example of the beautiful speeches that Leaders of the Believers Ali ibn abi Talib gave:

"This world is coming to an end and will soon bid farewell, and the hereafter is coming and will soon begin. Today the horses are being kept in preparation, and tomorrow will be the race. Indeed you are living in the days of hope that will be interrupted by death. Whoever falls short during the days of hope before his death comes will be doomed. Strive hard for the sake of Allah in the hope of reward as you strive hard for His sake for fear of His punishment. I have never seen anything like paradise whose seekers could sleep, and I have never seen anything like hell, those who fear which can sleep. The one who does not benefit from the Truth will be harmed by falsehood, and whoever does not benefit from guidance will be lead astray by misguidance. You have been instructed to travel, and you have been told about your provision. O People, this world is a temporary convenience; the righteous and the immoral alike may enjoy its luxuries. But the hereafter is true, and it will be ruled by a powerful King. Satan threatens you with poverty and bids you to do evil, but Allah promises you forgiveness and bounty from Him, and Allah cares for all and knows all things. O people, do righteous deeds during your lifetime, and your offspring will be taken care of. Allah has promised His paradise to those who obey Him, and He has warned of His hell for those who disobey Him. Its fire will never be extinguished, its prisoners will never be ransomed, and the one who suffers therein will never be helped. Its heat is intense, its bottom is deep and its water is a boiling fetid liquid."

Originally recorded in ibn Kathir's al bidaynah wa al nihayah, and again in Ali ibn abi Talib (2010) by Dr. al Sallabi.

Questions: Who is Ali ibn abi Talib?

What can we learn from this speech?

Write a one-page reflection on how you can improve yourself from this.

Week 10

Communal Responsibilities (fard kifayah) In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Often times we may question ourselves: why am I studying this subject or doing this kind of work? Would it not be wiser for me to go somewhere overseas and learn the diin? First and foremost the pursuit of knowledge is an act of worship and when Allah wants good for a person He blesses that person with knowledge of the diin. An interesting point to consider here is what actually constitutes “knowledge.”

The seeking of knowledge in the Islamic Sciences is the most common thought we consider when thinking about what kind of knowledge is beneficial. However, that is not the complete answer: there is more to the story. Imam al Ghazali (may Allah have mercy upon him) gives an interesting discussion whereby this topic is addressed. Of course the time within which the Imam lived is much different than ours, however for those of reflection it will insha’Allah provide much food for thought. He explains that there exist towns wherein there are many scholars of jurisprudence, a great blessing. However, in such towns despite the abundance of knowledge in the field of fiqh there was no resident doctor. The latter of which he explains is a communal obligation (fard kifayah).

Communal obligations differ from personal obligations (fard ayn) in that personal obligations must be done by all people at all times. An example of a personal obligation is the prayer; everyone must do it at all times. Of course, a certain level of religious

knowledge is required upon every individual. Communal obligations, on the other hand, are requirements that the community as a collective must fulfill. And, when that community responsibility is not done then the entire group is in sin. A common example of this is religious leadership; this is needed and required to call the community to Islam and assist in the performance of communal religious obligations.

Allah, by His Knowledge and immense Mercy, did not create an Ummah of religious scholars. Rather, we are diverse in our skills, passions, abilities and knowledge. At this point we can return to the point made by Imam al Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him). Those communities with many religious scholars were not fulfilling the communal obligation of having a doctor for the people. This is not the fault of any single person, rather it is the community which must recognize the need of a certain knowledge and/or profession and ensure that it is available for the betterment of society. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, knowledge is the lost property of the believer and wherever he finds it he is more entitled to it so the community ought also seek to master such a knowledge.

Communities, wherever they may be, require knowledge in a variety of fields – not only because they are of benefit since they are a communal requirement of Allah. Thus, as a reminder to myself first and foremost, seek knowledge in the field of your passion, make your intention for the sake of Allah and do it with excellence. Our community needs social workers, psychologists, authors, construction workers, welders, teachers, scholars, mechanics and so forth and so on. In doing so, the individual believer is alleviating the communal obligation, which if left unfulfilled would leave everyone in sin. May Allah bless us with knowledge. May He guide us to best utilize the knowledge we’ve been blessed with.

And, Allah knows best.

Questions: What is fard kifayah? Give examples.

What do you want to do in the future?

Does this change how you see yourself benefiting others?

Reflect on how important knowledge is, based upon this reading.

Why is it so important that the individuals in a community specialize in a variety of different fields?

Assignment:

Design a poster outlining the different job occupations needed in a community and how they can work together in order to make the community function effectively.

Week 11

Interacting with the Qur’an In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Let us inshaAllah take an example of Amir al Mu’mineen (Leader of the Believers) Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) who interacted intimately with the Qur’an. On one occasion Hijr ibn Qays al-Madri spent a night with Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), and he noticed something while Ali was praying his night prayers. He was reciting Surah al Waqi’ah (56) and when he reached the verses that read:

“Have you seen that which you emit? Is it you who creates it, or are We the Creator?” (56:58-59)

Ali said: “No, rather it is You, O’ Lord,” three times. He continued reading until he reached the verses which read:

“And have you seen that [seed] which you sow? Is it you who makes it grow, or are We the grower?” (56:63-64)

Ali responded to these verses in saying: “No, rather it is You, O’ Lord,” three times. He continued his recitation until he reached the verses that read:

“And have you seen the water that you drink? Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down?” (56: 68-69)

Ali again said, three times: “No, rather is it You, O’ Lord.” And again when he reached the verses:

“And have you seen the fire that you ignite? Is it you who produced its tree, or are We the producer?” (56:71-72)

He said: “No, rather is it You, O’ Lord.”

May Allah be pleased with Ali ibn abi Talib.

Questions:

What everyday lessons do we gather from Surah al Waqi’ah (56)?

Reflect on the devotion and love that Ali ibn abi Talib has for the Qur’an.

What virtuous qualities/characteristics does Ali ibn abi Talib have and what can we learn from the incident described?

Describe a moment where you deeply reflected on a verse of the Qur’an in prayer.

Reflect on the properties of water, fire and trees and list some of the ways they benefit humans and animals.

Group Assignment:

- The class plants a seed (for example, from a tomato plant) and watches it grow. Reflect on its growth and development. How does this plant benefit humans?

Week 12

Disputing (jadal) In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

"And We have certainly diversified in this Qur'an for the people from every [kind of] example; but man has ever been, most of anything, [prone to] dispute." (18:54)

Scholars of Tafsir mention that this verse provides many benefits for the believers. The first and most clear of which is that Allah has diversified the information conveyed in the Qur'an (such as facts, stories, explanations, and mental illustrations) so that each and every person can relate and be called to the message of Allah in a unique way. Likewise, Allah says that the Qur'an was sent as a clarification, a guidance, mercy and a good tiding for believers (16:89). Following this, Allah directs us to the reasons why some reject His message. Humankind has a weakness for being boastful and proud and for following traditions blindly. As a result we may fall into is persistent argumentativeness.

Allah uses the word jadal in this verse having the meaning of disputing with stubborn adherence to one's own position, without regard for seeking Truth and/or using reason. This may be related to what was mentioned above, pride. Such a person, engaging in jadal, argues for the sake of argument. Differences of opinion are natural amongst humankind; a result of diversity in comprehension, capacity, education, insight, socio-cultural context and so on. Allah is warning us, however, not to become consistently argumentative. Rather, the believers must follow standards and ethics when expressing and sharing ideas and opinions.

In our modern times we see that jadal has become common place, be it on internet websites/forums or in masajid. However, the early scholars of Islam avoided such argumentation. Rather, they accepted what was based upon evidence, and divergent evidence-based ideas were considered an addition to the field of jurisprudence. As time progressed, such differences became a source of internal strife and preoccupying those without knowledge of the etiquettes of seeking and sharing of knowledge. The companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) listened attentively to other opinions and then investigated the matter with sincere and open mindedness. An evidence-based approach allowed for all opinions to be considered, even if it went against their own opinion and understanding.

A noble example of this is Leader of the Believers, Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). He held positions that differed from others on certain issues. For example, he made wudu' before every salaah based upon Allah's saying: "O you who believe! When

you intend to offer al-salaah, wash your faces..." (5:6). He also held that the traveler must fast based upon Allah's saying: "So whoever of you sights the month [Ramadan], he must observe sawm that month" (2:185). These were positions he held that were based upon evidence. The noble and honoured companions did not divide, consistently argue or hate one another for such positions. May Allah protect us from this. Let us take this example from the Leader of the Believers and avoid stubborn disputing without wisdom.

As Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Never do I debate a man with a desire to hear him err in his speech, or to expose the flaws in his argument, and thus vanquish him. Whenever I face an opponent in debate I silently supplicate, ‘O Lord, help him so that truth may manifest itself in his heart and on his tongue. If it be that the truth is on my side, may he follow me; and if the truth be on his side, may I follow him.’” Muslims, therefore, must speak with wisdom and use good instruction, as Allah says:

"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided." (16:125)

And Allah knows best.

Questions:

Why should following religious matters blindly be avoided?

What lesson do you take away from Surah 18 verse 54?

How does pride affect clear judgement?

Is blind following common in Muslim communities throughout the world?

Why should we follow an evidence-based approach?

What can be learned from Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him)?

What are some ways we can avoid arguing/disputing?

Week 13

Enduring Good Deeds

"Wealth and children are adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope." (18:46)

Surah al Kahf is a chapter which the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, recommended reading weekly, telling us that doing so will be a light and protection from one Friday to the next (recorded in Bayhaqi). In this verse Allah tells the believers that they ought to place their trust, hope and work in good deeds, not material or even familial wealth in this life. al baqiyat al salihat linguistically means: the enduring things, good deeds. Examples of this, as ibn Abbas, Uthman ibn Affan and Sa'eed ibn Jubayr (may Allah be pleased with them) have mentioned are saying: subhanAllah, alhamdulilah, la ilaha ill-Allah, Allahu akbar, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, and astaghfirullah as well as sending peace and blessings upon Allah's Messenger.

ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) also mentioned, when speaking about enduring good deeds, the actions of: daily prayers, hajj, sadaqah, freeing slaves, jihad, maintaining ties of kinship and all other good deeds. These same words (al baqiyat al salihat) are mentioned by Allah in Surah Maryam, which again is with regards to how people may be confused and overtaken by the love of worldly things. Allah says:

"And Allah increases those who were guided, in guidance, and the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for recourse." (19:76)

However, within the world view and perspective of the Muslim, wealth and benefits of this worldly life are not disliked or avoided. Rather, such goods can lead to attaining further goodness, or otherwise. As is recorded in al Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to make dua: "O' Allah, our Lord, give us in this world good and in the Hereafter good and protect us from the punishment of the fire." And similarly Allah says:

"And when you have completed your rites, remember Allah like your [previous] remembrance of your fathers or with [much] greater remembrance. And among the people is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world," and he will have in the Hereafter no share. But among them is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." Those will have a share of what they have earned, and Allah is swift in account." (2:200-202)

Thus the Muslim is in balance between his aspiration for the Hereafter while not renouncing the worldly life. He or she aims for success in both, while keeping in mind the temporary nature of this life and the eternal nature of the Hereafter. And, for the wise amongst us, it is clear that the things of this worldly life, such as wealth and family as Allah mentions, can be tools for success in the eternal realm.

And Allah knows best.

Questions:

List some enduring good deeds.

What are some of the benefits of reading Surah al Kahf?

How can wealth and children distract us from performing enduring good deeds? Should wealth and children be completely avoided in the worldly life? How can we benefit from wealth and children in the hereafter?

Who was ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him)?

Week 14

Disobedience During a certain campaign during which prisoners were taken, abu Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) witnessed them and wept. He said:

"How insignificant are the people to Allah if they disobey Him. Look at these people: they were powerful and prevailed over their enemies, but when they ignored the commands of Allah - may He be glorified and exalted - and disobeyed Him, they ended up as you see." (Tareekh al Islami)

And, in another report narrated by Jubayr ibn Nufayr he (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"Woe to you, this was a powerful nation that prevailed, but when they neglected the commands of Allah, they ended up as you see. Allah punished them by making them prisoners... How insignificant are the people to Allah if they disobey Him." (al Bidayah wal Nihayah)

Questions:

Research and write about at least one story mentioned in the Qur’an about a people that were powerful at one time, but were then reduced to nothing because they disobeyed Allah. What characteristics did these people have?

Reflect on the two narrations mentioned above and write about how the Ummah could benefit and learn from the people in the past.

Week 15

Qur'an In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

About the Qur'an, Allah says:

"Say: 'In the bounty of Allah and His Mercy, let them rejoice', thisis better than all the [wealth] they can amass" (10:58)

'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported (as is recorded in Sahih al Muslim) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah will raise (honor) people by this Book, and He will debase others by it."

Abu Malik al Ashari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates (recorded in Sahih al Muslim) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Qur'an is either an evidence for you, or against you."

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The person who reads the Qur'an fluently is with the honorable and obedient scribes (angels), and he who reads it with difficulty, he shall get a double reward." (abu Dawud)

Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever wishes to love Allah and His Messenger, let him read the mushaf." (recorded in ibn Nu'aym).

Ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It will be said to the companion of the Qur'an after he has entered Paradise, 'Recite, and rise!' For every verse he recites, he will rise one level, until he

recites the last verse with him." (abu Dawud)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Never do a group of people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the book of Allah and pondering over it, except that peace descends upon them, and Allah remembers them in His gathering." (abu Dawud).

May Allah make us among those who love the Qur'an, who learn the Qur'an, who recite the Qur'an, who enact and practice what it entails, and who are among those who are told: "Recite, and rise!" Amin.

Questions:

In what ways have you benefitted from reading Qur’an?

Reflect on the following prophetic narration: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others.”

Reflect on the following verse [Quran 2:2]: “This is the Book (the Quran), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqoon [the pious].”

Week 16

Sleeping Habits In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The sleeping patterns and habits of the Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him.

Today most of us are almost completely reliant upon alarm clocks. However, in the life of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) there was no such thing, rather they naturally woke up and/or were woken up. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that in the middle of the night the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would wake up naturally to pray in the night.

This is an important study for many reasons, it was these sleeping habits that even affected performance in battles. For example, when the Muslims were told: “Be patient. You will not sleep tonight” and a battle continued until the time of fajr. By the mercy of Allah the companions had become used to praying throughout the night and thus were able to continue until this time, and it was then that victory was granted.

In the ayat ul kursi (2:255) Allah says that no drowsiness overtakes Him – subhannahu wa ta’ala. Tiredness and sleepiness is a weakness and is a characteristic of humanness, and Allah is far removed from that; how Perfect is He. The true rest and relaxation is in the next life, so let us seek refuge with Allah from laziness. Let us strive with all our efforts to use all our time seeking the pleasure of Allah, striving in His cause and working to bring ourselves closer to our Lord. This Ummah has been blessed in the morning period, after fajr and onwards, by the supplication of Allah’s Messenger – peace and blessings be upon him.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) how to sleep, and how to adjust and perfect their sleeping habits. He (peace and blessings be upon him) instructed them to make wudu’ before sleep, to lie on the right side, to make du’a before sleeping, to make du’a upon waking, and to pray at home. And, Allah says:

“Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not beable to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the causeof Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (73:20)

Muhammad al Shareef (may Allah reward him) explains some basic tips so that we can improve our sleeping patterns and habits. He suggests:

(1) Sleep early, and based upon a natural cycle. This is difficult in our times as we mostly work 9-5, whereas the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions began at the time of fajr. Likewise we must reflect on our priorities as often our lives are busied with things of no benefit to us. Sleep after salaat ul isha. Avoid sleeping on the stomach. Don't sleep after asr.

(2) Avoid things that alter natural sleep patters: Caffeinated drinks, Coffee, sodas,

unhealthy foods, overeating, television, video games, over-use of computers.

(3) Don't sleep after fajr. Use the morning as this time is blessed, don’t let it pass by during your sleep.

(4) Praise Allah and seek Refuge with Him. Praise Allah and seek refuge with Him when you feel tiredness or are about to push the snooze button. Finally, force oneself to make wudu’. And lastly pray two rak’ah. The three knots of shaytan are undone and tiredness will be removed by Allah’s mercy.

(5) Pray at night. And, sleep before fajr after qiyyam.

(6) Stay away from the disobedience of Allah.

May Allah bless all of us in our time. And Allah knows best.

Questions:

What are some other ways we can improve our sleeping patterns and habits?

What steps should we take in order to better perform night prayers?

Week 17

Islamic Chivalry (Futuwwa) In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Chivalry could be defined in a multitude of ways; what follows in an attempt to describe chivalry from an Islamic perspective and with a few examples - as explained and taught by our scholars, may Allah preserve them.

Chivalry is an internalized power or strength possessing insight that reacts in order to give victory to Truth. Sincerity is its final goal, good character is its guide, mercy is its inward aspect and bringing about change is its outward manifestation. Anything that does not combine all of these attributes is not chivalry. It is the ability to differentiate intentions; to know when a decision is made for personal reasons and that which is done for the Truth. Chivalry is the ability to bring about positive change to the self and society based on truth and for the sake of truth.

Blind power is not chivalry; insight is required for self-correction, even in the case of mistakes. Demonstration of power is not its goal or method, except when used to uphold and give victory to the Truth. Responding to ones desires with a resounding ‘no’ is an aspect of internal chivalry, and that is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that the strong man is the one who can overcome his own self when he is angry.

The champion and leader of the people of chivalry is our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); he was never angry for himself but only became angry for the sake of Allah while upholding and protecting the Truth. When animal entrails were thrown on his back (peace and blessings be upon him) he did not take out personal vengeance. Today such a person is considered weak, however chivalry is based upon principles - principles which are not broken for bane or mundane challenges. When the religion of Islam was attacked and insulted Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) stood against that - strongly and firmly. He reacted to give victory to the Truth and this is chivalry. Transgression and oppression have nothing to do with chivalry. Taking another person's right is not chivalry. Rather, it is based upon principles. It is enacted through good conduct and mercy, it is built with insight and a struggle to give victory to Truth.

Having insight and wisdom allows for a person of chivalry to realize that power is to be used selectively and wisely. We can find endless examples in the Prophetic Biography and from the Companions. For example, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) in how he embraced Islam, how he made hijra in open daylight or how he walked the streets as leader of the Muslims to ensure their safety and satisfaction. Or, Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) who, as a young girl, stood up to remove the filth that was dumped on the Prophet (peace be upon him) by the enemies of Islam while he was praying.

May Allah build us in chivalry. May He bless us with its understanding and honour this Ummah with its implementation internally and externally.

Week 18

Dawah In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

“Who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah (swt), does righteous deeds and says indeed I am among the Muslims.” (Qur’an 41:33)

From conferences to street corners Muslims are engaging in Dawah (calling to Islam) in many unique and inspiring ways. InshaAllah what will follow is not a how-to on dawah in general, but a reminder regarding what the message and focus ought to be when giving dawah. Alhamdulilah the Prophetic Sera (Biography) gives us plenty of material we can benefit from in this regard.

Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) was sent to Yemen, as he was one of the most knowledgeable of the Prophet's companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). Herein lies the first point for us: dawah is to be based on knowledge and ought to be done by those who have knowledge. It also shows us the importance of calling others to Islam - that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent one of the most knowledgeable people from al-Madinah to Yemen.

He (may Allah be pleased with him) was not sent to Yemen solely to call people to Islam - in fact his was also allocated the responsibilities of zakaat collector, leader, judge and educator. Thus, we see a precedent that callers to Islam ought to have skills and abilities so as to benefit the community in other worldly ways as well as giving dawah. As Mu'aadh was preparing to leave (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave him advice - specifically regarding the manners and methods with which he ought to use when calling others to Islam. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Verily, you are going to a people who are from the People of the Book, so when you go to them, invite them to bear witness that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. If they obey you in that matter, then inform them that Allah has made obligatory upon them five prayers every day and night. If they obey you in that matter, then inform them that Allah has made charity compulsory upon them: wealth that is taken from the rich among them and that is given to the poor among them. And if they obey you regarding that matter, then beware of taking their best wealth. And, beware of the supplication of the person who is wronged, for between that supplication and Allah there is no veil." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

Thus the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clearly outlined priorities and stages of dawah - an essential tool for us today in our efforts to explain Islam and call others to this diin. Not only advice and methods, but also guidance for the person calling others to Islam - that he must be just, he must be fair and he must be easy and

cooperate with the people. Regarding these final matters, Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) gave advice to another companion (abu Musa al-Ash'ari - may Allah be pleased with him) along with Mu'aadh, in which he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Be easy [with people] and do not make matters difficult; give glad tidings and do not drive people away; cooperate with one another, and do not quarrel with one another." (Sahih al-Bukhari).

Questions:

With regard to dawah, what can be learned from the following verse, “If you were harsh and hard hearted, they would have fled from around you? (Qur’an 3:159)”

What is the main topic that the caller to Allah (swt) should focus on? Which aspects of this topic should the caller focus on?

What are some good questions to ask while giving dawah? Some questions include: What do you know or think about Islam? What does your religion say is the purpose of existence/creation? Write down 3 more possible questions to ask while giving dawah.

What might stop someone from giving dawah? What are some ways to overcome these issues? For some, shyness and feelings of inferiority stop them from dawah. What are some ways to overcome shyness and feelings of inferiority so that one can give dawah effectively?

What advice would you give to a caller who focuses on conversion to Islam rather than conveying the message of Islam? Reflect on the following verse, “Your responsibility is only to convey the message and the accounting is on Me (Qur’an 13:40).”

What are some characteristics that a caller to Islam should have?

Rate the following in order of importance while giving dawah and explain why they are important: location, timing, demographics, clearing misconceptions, visual aids, patience, short speech, wisdom, kindness/gentleness, listening before speaking.

What is agnosticism?

What does a deist believe?

Activities:

In the classroom, practice giving dawah to individuals, as well as groups of people.

Create a classroom magazine by having the whole class participate in writing essays or including articles and pictures related to Islam.

Invite lecturers in the community. Focus on open forums in which students are able to ask the questions that are most important to them.

Have the class design Islam themed pamphlets, posters, stickers, post cards and greeting cards.

Week 19

Caring for Orphans In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Previously I have written about the great rewards in caring for, raising and being kind toward orphans (here).

Let me briefly now provide an extraordinary example from the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) regarding how they acted upon this Prophetic guidance and displayed excellence in conduct and behavior. Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) was a brave and courageous sahaba who gave his life for the cause of Islam, being killed in the Battle of Uhud. With his death (may Allah be pleased with him) he left behind a daughter. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led a group of two-thousand Sahaba to make an Umrah, following the treaty of al-Hudaibiyyah, this young girl approached Allah's Messenger saying: "O my uncle, O my uncle!"

The response of the Sahaba when seeing the situation of this orphaned child, may Allah be pleased with her, is truly amazing. First, Ali ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his wife Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her), "Here is the daughter of your uncle", suggesting to her that their family ought to raise this child. Following that, Ja'far ibn abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "She is the daughter of my uncle, and her maternal aunt is under me [his wife]." Next, Zaid (may Allah be pleased

with him) said: "She is the daughter of my brother." SubhanAllah each of them was struggling and striving to be the one who would take in the responsibility of caring for this orphaned girl - may Allah be pleased with them all. In the end, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) decided the matter saying that the daughter of Hamzah ought to be raised in the household of Ja'far, with her maternal aunt. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) praised each of these honorable sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them) for their deeds and good intentions.

There are additional benefits we may take from this narration - briefly it was demonstrated that if both parents of a child have passed away, it is the maternal aunt who has the greatest right to care for that child - this became clear by the decision and explanation of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Furthermore we see the noble character of the Sahaba, and in particular Ali, Zaid and Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with them). They strove to support those in need, care for those who were facing difficult situations and support the Ummah in a general sense. Finally, we must reflect upon the situation of the Ummah today, wherein there are literally millions of orphans and so few Muslims stand up to bear the responsibilities that we ought to. May Allah have mercy on us and guide us to the straight path.

However, the connection between Ja'far (may Allah be pleased with him) does not end at this point. Some time later, when the Muslims sent an army north, Ja'far was selected as one of the leaders and while he was at the helm he was killed. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, knew through revelation what had happened and went to the family of Ja'far. He (peace be upon him) called upon the children of Ja'far one by one praised them; he had their heads shaved and made supplication for them. Asmaa bint Umais (may Allah be pleased with her) was Ja'far's wife, she cried upon hearing the news of her husband and mentioned the dire situation of the children. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is it poverty that you fear for them, when I am their guardian in this world and in the Hereafter?" (Imam Ahmed) Thus, the Prophet himself (peace and blessings be upon him) further established the honor and care that ought to be shown towards orphans.

For additional details refer to: The Noble Life of the Prophet, p. 1635-1637, 1661-1663.

Questions:

What lessons can we learn from Ja’far (may Allah be pleased with him)?

How can we help orphans in our community?

How can we help orphans around the world?

Activity:

Have the class hold a fundraiser to raise money to help sponsor an orphan.

Week 20

Differences of Opinion In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Far too often we become fixated upon the differences of opinion - between mathahib, between scholars, between various groups and so on. I'd like to inshaAllah quote something from the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) at length, which will inshaAllah give us much food for thought on this problem:

"As the Muslims were preparing to march towards the district of Banu Quraizah [after the Battle of the Trench, also know as the Battle of the Confederates], the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to them, "Let no one (among you) pray 'asr until (you reach) Banu Quraizah." The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) disagreed about the meaning of this command. Some of them felt that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was simply trying to encourage them to get to their destination as quickly as possible - before sunset, preferably - and that he (peace be upon him) did not literally mean that they should not pray 'asr on time. These Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) stopped and prayed 'asr on time before they reached Banu Quraizah. Others understood the Prophet's command literally: They were not to pray until they reached Banu Quraizah. The time for 'asr came and went, and they didn't pray it because they had not yet reached their destination. Only after they reached Banu Quraaizah did they pray 'asr.

"Once everyone reached Banu Quraizah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reproached neither of the two groups, which established an important precedent in Islamic legislation - the precedent of having disagreements about secondary issues in Islamic jurisprudence and of recognizing the fact that the proponents of each opinion (if they try their best to arrive at the truth) are rewarded.

"This incident is referred to during the discussion of a variety of issues in Islamic

jurisprudence. For one thing, it establishes the permissibility of deducing laws from the Qur'an and Sunnah. Also, it shows us that it is not possible for Muslim scholars to end their disagreements about secondary issues in jurisprudence - and there is nothing wrong in that. To try to end such disagreements is a foolish waste of time. For whenever there is a case in which scholars have to derive laws from their understanding of revealed texts, they will often disagree, an inevitable outcome given the disparity in understanding and intelligence among human beings. Had it been possible for the scholars of our generation to end such differences, the same would have been accomplished during the lifetime of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). But even they disagreed about a number of issues in jurisprudence. A scholar who judges by the literal meaning of a revealed text cannot be blamed, and the same goes for a scholar who derives a more specific and less literal ruling from a revealed text. Whoever is wrong in a given issue has no sin upon him for that, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

"If a judge rules, having tried his best (to arrive at the correct ruling), and is then correct, then he has two rewards. And if he judges having tried his best, but then is wrong, then he has one reward." [reported in Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih al-Muslim, Tirmidhi, ibn Majah, an-Nasai', and Musnad Imam Ahmed]

al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) commented on this story saying: The deduction from this story that every mujtahid (scholar giving ruling) is always correct is far from being plain. The story only proves that one who tries his best and works diligently to arrive at a correct ruling should not be scolded, blamed, or reproached; or in other words he has not sinned. In a nutshell, the story describes how some Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) took to a literal understanding of what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, not minding that the time for prayer was finished, because they gave precedence to a later prohibition over a previous prohibition - the prohibition of delaying prayer until after its timing had ended. Their opinion was also based on the idea that, if one is busy in a military matter, one may delay the prayer, which is exactly what they had to do during the days of the trenches. Other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not take to a literal understanding of the prohibition, rather, they felt that the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave that command simply to encourage them to hurry and to arrive at Banu Quraizah as soon as possible. The conclusion drawn from this story by the majority of scholars is that one does not sin when one tries one's best to arrive at the correct view in a given matter; this is because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reproached neither of the two groups. Had any of them sinned, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have reproached specifically those who had sinned.

[The Noble Life of the Prophet, Vol. 3, p. 1418-1420.]

Questions:

Why should we avoid fixating on differences of opinion?

How do communities benefit from differences of opinion?

Research a topic and all the different opinions associated with it. Which opinion did you find the best evidence for?

Week 21

Jurayj In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates a long hadeeth, which is also narrated in various chains other than the one listed here, and in longer versions, about a pious man named Jurayj. From this Prophetic narration we can take many benefits - let us begin with the hadeeth:

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'No human child has ever spoken in the cradle except for Isa ibn Maryam, peace be upon him, and the associate of Jurayj.' The Prophet of Allah was asked, 'Who was the associate of Jurayj?' The Prophet said: 'Jurayj was a monk who lived alone in his hermitage. There was a cow-herd who used to take shelter at the foot of his hermitage, and a woman from the village used to come to the cow-herd. One day his mother came and called, "Jurayj" while he was praying. He asked himself, "My mother or my prayer?" He thought that he should prefer the prayer. She shouted to him a second time and he asked himself, "My mother or my prayer?" He thought he should prefer the prayer. She shouted a third time and again he asked himself, "My mother or my prayer?" He thought he should prefer the prayer. When he did not answer her, she said: "Jurayj, may Allah not let you die until you have looked in the face of the prostitutes." Then she left.

Then the village woman was brought to the king after she had given birth to a child. He asked, 'Whose is it?' She replied, 'Jurayj's.' He asked, 'The man in the hermitage?' She

answered, 'Yes.' He ordered, 'Destroy his hermitage and fetch him to me.' His hermitage was hacked down with axes until it collapsed. Jurayj's hand was bound to his neck with a rope and he was dragged along and paraded through the district of the prostitutes. He saw them and smiled. They were staring at him along with the other people. The king said, 'Do you know what this woman claims?' He asked, 'What does she claim?' He said, 'She claims you are the father of her child.' He asked her, 'Is this what you claim?' 'Yes' she replied. Then he asked, 'Where is the child?' They replied, 'It is the one who is in her lap.' He turned to the child and asked, 'Who is your father?' He [the baby] said, 'The cow-herd.' The king said, 'Shall we build your hermitage out of gold?' He replied, 'No.' He asked, "Of silver?' He answered, 'No.' The king asked, 'Then of what shall we make it?' He said, 'Put it back the way it was.' The king then asked, 'What made you smile?' He said, 'Something that I knew. My mother's supplication overtook me.' Then he told him about it.

The above-mentioned version of this hadeeth is a shorter version, as narrated by Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) and was recorded by Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy upon him) in his text al-adab al-mufrad (narration 33). The story and narration are sahih, however the isnad used in the above-listed version of the hadeeth is not as strong as other narrations. Interesting in that Imam Bukhari has included this narration in more than one of his "books" (or sections) of Sahih al-Bukhari, which shows us the variety and plentifulness of beneficial information contained within.

First of all - who is Jurayj, the main actor in this narration? Our teachers explain to us that Jurayj was from Bani Israel, who was a monk and who was known for his lengthy prayer. We also assume that although he is from Bani Israel, that Jurayj lived after the time of Isa (peace be upon him) because monkhood was not common before his time. And Allah knows best. The narration begins by telling us about infants who speak, which in and of itself is a strange, uncommon and miraculous event. Our scholars tell us that even through the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said 'No human child has ever spoken in the cradle except...' it is understood that this was a part of his style of education and emphasis and in this case there are in fact other children who spoke while very young - as is narrated in other Sahih narrations. On occasion the Orientalist may use this as a means to attack Islam, saying it is not consistent. We respond however, in explaining that this is similar to other situations - such as when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is asked about 'the best...' or 'the worst' and in such cases advice is given specifically to that person in that time and in that context, rather than an ultimate best or worst. Here again, and Allah knows best, emphasis and context

are coming into play and it does not exclude other sahih narrations about children speaking.

Having established that such an event is miraculous and strange, one wonders the purpose of infants speaking - and this can be learned by evaluating the contexts of all the cases of children speaking. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that there are four babies who spoke, and there are other narrations which may lead us to believe that there are more, however many of these narrations are weak or fabricated. For example, Isa (peace be upon him) is mentioned in the narration and his speaking as an infant was proof of innocence for his mother, Maryam. Without going into detail of all the other existing narrations of children speaking, we can say that a commonality is the speaking of an infant acts as a miracle of proof - either against oppression or to uphold innocence, and Allah knows best. The case of Jurayj also fits this understanding and context.

Our scholars, in evaluating the Arabic language and other existing narrations add an interesting point of information: that the three times the mother of Jurayj called upon him were not moments apart, but rather extended periods, such as days. And, that the hermitage of Jurayj was in a difficult place to reach, upon a hilltop. Also, they tell us that this was likely a non-obligatory prayer. How powerful then, and how important is dutifulness to the mother, and parents in general. Imam Bukhari puts this hadeeth under the chapter (section) of 'The Supplication of Parents.' We also know from another hadeeth that the supplication of the mother against the child is accepted by Allah, and are answered without a doubt. May Allah guide us to be dutiful and good to our parents.

Finally Jurayj makes a recognition that it was in fact his sin and mistake that brought about this trial and test - a recognition that the greatest and most pious are able to do, they see that it is in fact their own weakness and mistakes that cause harm for themselves. As a result they seek forgiveness, mercy and contentment with Allah. The believers will always be put to trial and be tested - as it is the experience of the Prophets (peace be upon them all).

Questions:

Who was Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him)?

Who was Jurayj?

What lessons can we take away from the Prophetic narration mentioned?

Week 22

Kindness to Parents In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

As we have each seen and/or experienced, the treatment of parents is sometimes abysmal, if not a form of oppression. Allah teaches Muslims, however, that goodness and dutifulness to the parents is of utmost importance - and leaving such is from the major sins. On many occasions, Allah the All-Knowing follows the command to practice of Tawhed and worship of One God with dutifulness and goodness to parents. On example of many verses if the following:

"And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word." (17:23)

To exemplify this importance of being good to parents, let us read a statement from ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). He said:

"Any Muslim who has parents and is dutiful to both of them seeking Allah's pleasure, Allah will open two gates of Jennah for him. If there is only one parent, then one gate will be opened. If he makes one of them angry, then Allah will not be pleased with him until that parent is pleased with him." Ibn Abbas was then asked: "Even if they treat him unjustly?" He said: "Even if they treat him unjustly."

This statement from ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was recorded in Imam Bukhari's al-Adab al-Mufrad and also in al-Bayhaqi. In the former collection the chain is of a weak status, however the meaning is correct (sahih). From this statement, not only do we gain the benificial knowledge about the rights of parents, but we learn about the importance for the believer - in other words the reward s/he may have after having done such a beautiful course of actions (serving the parents). Furthermore, we see that one must be good and dutiful toward a parent(s) even if they are unjust to them. And,

we know from other narrations that a person must not obey anyone in disobedience to Allah, however beyond that one is encouraged to be dutiful toward parents.

We have another statement from ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), which is sahih (correct) recorded in the above-mentioned text of Imam Bukhari that describes the major sins, within which one of the major sins listed is "to make one's parents weep through disobedience." May Allah protect us from that. In the same narration, ibn Umar explains the importance of the mother and says: "By Allah, if you speak kindly to her and feed her, then you will definitely enter the Garden as long as you avoid the major sins."

Questions:

Why is it of utmost importance that we treat our parents with respect?

Write about a time where you did not treat your parents with kindness. Do you regret it? Did you apologize? If you could go back in time, what would you have done differently?

Why must we be dutiful to our parents even if they are unjust towards us? What is the one exception?

What are some rights of the parents?What are some rights of the children?

Assignment:

Write a list of ways that you can show more kindness/respect towards your parents. Try out the things on your list. Write a paper explaining what this extra kindness has done for your relationship with your parents and how it makes you feel.

Week 23

Marketplace In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

The following are some the manners one should know about working in, and entering into, a marketplace. Some of the etiquettes include:

1) Dua upon entering: "There is none worthy of worship except Allah, alone, without any partner with Him. For Him is the Dominion and to Him is the praise. He gives life and He brings about death; He is living and does not die. In His hand is all good and He has power over all things." (al-Tirmidhi)

2) To avoid fighting and arguing. He or she must not take false oaths in sales and purchases.

3) Cleanliness: Particularly in the marketplace where there is dirt and filth and foul odors one should strive to be clean and to have a clean environment.

4) Fulfill all contracts and agreements that she or he agrees to. He should be clear and straight-forward.

5) A Muslim should be kind and forgiving in his or her business dealings. One should be generous, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah have mercy on a slave [of Allah] who is generous and good-hearted when he buys, generous and good-hearted when he sells, generous and good-hearted when he asks to be paid." (Malik's Muwatta)

Questions:

How do we benefit from marketplaces?

Why might it be a good idea to avoid the marketplaces if there is no need to be there?

Why should one make du’a when entering the marketplace?

What are some differences in marketplaces in different parts of the world? What are the main similarities?

Assignment:

Write a skit that focuses on the proper etiquette that should be observed while in the marketplace.

Week 24

Wisdom Bismillah. It is reported in Sahih al-Muslim that when sending out a mission, Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would say: "Give glad tidings to people, and do not alienate or repel them. Make matters easy, and do not make matters difficult."

As we have done ourselves or experienced; some of our brothers and sisters take a rough approach in dealing with others and in calling to Islam. However, this is not the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him.

Once Abu Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) passed a group of people crowding around a man. They began insulting and beating the man. He came up to them and said: "What's the matter?" "This is a man who has committed a grave sin," they replied. "What do you think you would do if he had fallen into a well?" asked Abu Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him). "Wouldn't you try to get him out?" "Certainly," they said. "Don't insult him and don't beat him. Instead admonish him and make him aware of the consequences of what he had done. Then give praise to God Who has preserved you from falling into such a sin." "Don't you hate him?" they asked Abu Darda'. "I only detest what he had done and if he abandons such practice, he is my brother." The man [one who had sinned] began to cry and publicly announced his repentance.

Allahu akbar. The wisdom and the beauty of the methodology is inspiring - something for each of us to reflect upon and enact within our lives. This is just one of the reasons the Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them all) used to refer to Abu Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) as the wise one. May Allah guide us with the wisdom to use knowledge in the best of ways. amin.

Questions:

Describe a time/situation in the past where someone did not use wisdom in conveying an Islamic message either towards you or someone else.

What are some consequences of being rough towards people when conveying the message of Islam?

Reflect on a time where you feel you made a mistake while trying to convey an Islam related message. What would you do differently if given the opportunity to do it again?

Who was Abu Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him)? What can we learn from him in regards to how he treated the man who sinned?

Discussion:

Think of an unpleasant situation that may have arisen between two parties in the classroom. Discuss how it could have been handled more wisely.

Week 25

Character Bismillah. InshaAllah today a reminder to engage in good deeds and be of noble character, not only are these traits taught and inculcated by Islam, in fact they are requirements of a Muslim. Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"He did not believe. He did not believe, the Prophet [peace and blessings be upon him] said, he did not believe, he who slept with a full stomach knowing his neighbor is hungry.” (al Hakim)

Furthermore, he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I was sent to accomplish excellent behavior" (Al Adab Al Mufrad, Imam Bukhari). And, he also said (peace and blessings be upon him): "The nearest of you to me on the Day of Judgment will be the one who is the best in character" (Al Adab Al Mufrad, Imam Bukhari)

The Messenger of Allah makes clear for us the importance of good behavior and noble character as well as being considerate and concerned for others sake, as he said (peace and blessings be upon him):

“None among you will believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” (Bukhari)

Let us not be caught up in our desires and yearning for possessions in this life. Let us strive to be content with what Allah has bestowed upon us; "Wealth does not mean having a lot of possessions. Wealth means self-contentment." (Al Adab Al Mufrad, Imam Bukhari). Changing the situation of our Ummah, our Community and our family begins with ourself – so let us inshaAllah take heed of these vital reminders of acting with the best of character, in doing the honourable deeds and supporting those who are in need.

Questions:

How does the way we treat our neighbours reflect on our character?

What are some characteristics of a person who has ‘good character’?

Why is it important for us to love for our brothers what we love for ourselves? How does everyone benefit from this?

What does self-contentment mean to you?

Reflect on the following verse, “Truly, God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Qur’an 13:11)

Week 26

The Last Day Bismillah.

Allah, All-Knowing and Most-Just, tells us that:

“Everyone shall taste death. And only on the day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the fire and admitted to Paradise he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception.” (3: 175)

As a result of this inevitable death, following which is undoubtedly (as Allah has made this clear our death is not the end) the Last Day, a Muslim's entire life and being is affected through knowledge of, and belief in, the Last Day. This is the Day when all will be held to account for everything that they have done within their life. Allah says:

“So by your Lord, We will surely question them all. About what they used to do.” (15: 92-93)

Reflection upon this alters the entire understanding of a believer. There does not exist a meaningless moment, rather every moment is meaningful and carries ever-lasting consequences. May Allah make us among those who are granted His Mercy upon that Day. For surely our deeds alone will not equate the reward of Paradise. May Allah forgive us our short-comings and mistakes and guide us. May He protect us from the results of those who are heedless. About those who are not successful on that Last Day Allah says they will say:

"My Lord! Send me back,... "So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected." (Surah Mu'minun 99-100)

And, further Allah tells us:

"But as for he who is given his record in his left hand, he will say, "Oh, I wish I had not been given my record. And had not known what is my account." (69:25-26)

Thus a Muslim's belief in the Last Day affects his or her entire being. It drives the Muslim away from evil and pushes a believer toward the good. It is not only the reward we seek and the punishment we want to avoid, but the One who Created everything, the One who we worship, Allah alone, we wish to draw near to.

And, Allah knows best.

A reminder for myself from the Words of Allah: "So hasten towards all that is good". (2:148)

Questions:

Reflect on the following verses, “That Day, the people will depart separated into categories to be shown the result of their deeds. So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” (Qur’an 99:6-8)

How is the life of this world only the enjoyment of deception?

Why is death described as the ‘destroyer of pleasures’?

How does reflecting on the Last Day help push us toward performing more good deeds?

Research/find a hadith that emphasizes Allah’s (swt) Mercy.

Week 27

Earning Halal

Bismillah. For a moment consider how important the earnings and income you have is: You feed, clothe and house your family with it. You pay for education and transportation with it. You use it to give in charity and zakat. How often do we reflect on the importance of pure earnings and clean income? InshaAllah a reminder for myself today regarding it. Allah says:

"And do not exchange bad things for good ones; and devor not their substance (by adding it) to your substance. Surely, this is a great sin.” (An-Nisaa 4:2).

Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, gave us a strong warning: “There are some men who take Allaah’s money unlawfully. Theirs will be Hell on the Day of Resurrection” (Bukhari). Further, he (peace be upon him) said very clearly for us that: “No prayer without purification will be accepted nor a charity from an ill-gotten wealth.” (Muslim)

Finally, Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A time will come upon people that a man will no longer care about whether he gets his money by halaal or haraam means.” (Bukhari).

In a Prophetic narration, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) cursed ten people: the one who consumes ribaa (interest), the one who pays ribaa, the one who writes it down, the two who witness it, the one who makes it lawful, the one for whom it is made lawful, the one who withholds sadaqah (charity)……(Narrated by Muslim)

“Allah has permitted trading and forbidden Ribaa” (Qur’an 2:275)

Questions:

What is interest (Ribaa)?

Explain how prominent interest is in society today.

What are some interest-free options available?

Say you work 8 hours/day with a 30 minute paid lunch, but you take 35 minutes for lunch each day instead, without making up the extra 5 minutes. Is this stealing from your employer? Is this an example of earning halaal?

Do you think we are living in times where a man no longer cares about whether he gets his money by halaal or haraam means?

What are some occupations/jobs that a person could have which may not be considered halaal work? Do you think that the earnings are halaal with this type of work?

Week 28

Community Development Bismillah. How many times have we heard the discussion within our communities: We need to expand the masjid. No, we need an Islamic School first. No, we need to do Dawah ... et cetera, et cetera.

Let us inshaAllah look at the methodology of the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him):

Upon arriving in Madinah he, peace and blessings be upon him, built a masjid. This set in motion the physical and spiritual development of the community, a place where congregational prayers as well as community meetings would be held. In fact there was no delay in the construction of the first masjid. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered Al Madinah and selected the location of the masjid right upon arrival. It is also important to note that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) took part in the building himself.

The second stage of community development in Madinah was the effort to ensure that

people attended the congregation prayer. The context of the Madinan situation was that not everyone was attending prayers at the same time. Thus the call to prayer was instituted. In our present context we see that people around the world face great difficulty in attending prayers (even Jum'ah) because of work. Thus let us reflect on how we, as a community, can help one another to ensure we are able, as a community, to attend the congregational prayer.

Following the call to prayer, the Messenger of Allah set out to support those in need in the community. The muhaajiroon were paired with ansar, who provided accommodations. In return the Muhaajir would teach Qur'an to his host, or vice versa. However, as more and more people embraced Islam and came to Madinah there were not sufficient available spaces within the houses of the ansar. Therefore the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, set aside the covered northern area of the masjid for those Muslims in need. Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) personally cared for these people, called the people of as-Suffah. Donations of money and food would be directed, by the Prophet, to the people of as-Suffah. Even gifts given to the Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he would direct them to the people of as-Saffah. He, peace and blessings be upon him, would invite the people of as-Saffah to eat with him, and within his dwellings. He spared no effort to purchase and provide for their needs - peace and blessings be upon him.

Now, I anticipate that there may be a response of: "But! Our children are going non-Muslim school. So, that should be the priority." My response is this: The Sahaba (may Allah be pleased with them all) had children. Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) first and foremost brought people to the Masjid, if we make this our goal our children will have role models and examples of piousness. Following that, in doing good and helping the poor our children will see, within the community and within the family, people who are implementing the message of Allah: Muslims who are engaged in making the community a better place. Don't get me wrong - I am not saying schools are not important, rather that we have the best model and there is wisdom in the methodology that Allah's Messenger took (peace and blessings be upon him).

And, Allah knows best.

In this there is wisdom for those who reflect. We can learn immensely from this model, for it speaks volumes and the wisdom it expounds is deep - however, for it to become internalized and implemented takes time, effort and commitment. May Allah guide us and make us among those who strive in His cause, working for His sake.

Questions:

How can we help the people in our communities to attend congregational prayer?

Who were the people of as-Suffah?

How do the children in a community benefit from a community that focuses on bringing the people to the masjid?

Assignment:

Make invitations or write letters inviting Muslims to come out to the masjid.

Week 29

International Development Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), the second leader of the Islamic State and companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), said: "How can I be concerned for the people if I do not suffer what they suffer?"

Umar said this during the time of famine in Madinah while he was ruler of the entire Islamic Empire. Herein lies a great truth of all development and community work: understand the situation of those whom you are working with.

From personal experience, I can attest that many people and charitable organizations are separated from the people who they have come to assist. Often their actions speak volumes, whereby they are far removed from those they came to help and only remotely aware of the daily struggles and situations faced by their clients. Certainly there are tools that are required for a person to do a more effective job, such as laptops, phones and SUVs - I am not here to speak about those useful tools, unless they are excessive and not required for the task at hand (by that I mean that we do not need the 2010 leather seated Land Rover with built in MP3 when we are driving out to do assessments).

Let us take a concrete example. There is a refugee camp in an East African country (purposely left unnamed) where large, well-known, organizations operate. Due to the severity of the environment in the location of this camp, the refugees are provided with limited daily water rations (which they must use for all washing, cooking, cleaning and drinking). A few meters away, over the high barb-wired wall, there is a swimming pool

for "aid" workers.

As good as the intentions may be of some of these workers, their actions nonetheless speak volumes to those, on the other side of the wall, struggle to have enough drinking water each day. How can such workers lavish in the depths of a pool while the people whom they claim to have come to help are parched in the hot desert rationing out their water? There are many such examples.

Let us inshaAllah return to the best of models, that of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those who learned from him and followed him (peace and blessings be upon them).

Questions:

Why is it important for us to understand the situation of the people whom we are working with?

Can you give some examples from your community where a charitable organization doesn’t fully seem to understand the situation of the people whom they are working with? How do you think this charitable organization can better understand the individuals that they are trying to help?

Assignment:

Visit a hospital and get to know a sick person. Try to understand what they are going through and put yourself in their shoes. Write a paper about your experiences at the hospital. What did you learn?

If it is safe to do so, visit a less economically developed part of town and observe the living conditions of the individuals living there. Try to understand how their days are spent by putting yourself in their shoes. Write a paper about your experiences. What did you learn?

Week 30

Rights Bismillah. Something for your consideration:

The Prophet of Allah said, “I witnessed a confederacy in the house of Abdullah bin Jad’an. It was more appealing to me than herds of cattle. Even now in the period of

Islam, I would respond positively to attending such a meeting if I were invited.” This confederacy was formed to suppress violence and injustice, and to protect the rights of the weak and the poor.

And:

“Soon after emigrating to Madinah and making sure that the pillars of the new Islamic community were well established on strong bases of administrative, political and ideological unity, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, started to establish regular and clearly-defined relations with non-Muslims. All of these efforts were exerted solely to provide peace, security, and prosperity to all mankind at large, and to bring about a spirit of understanding and harmony within his region, in particular.”

[Sealed Nectar (Biography of Prophet Muhammad), by Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri p.237]

Questions:

What can we do to protect the rights of the weak and the poor in our communities and around the world?

Week 31

Tests of Allah The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"Allah willed to test three Israelis who were a leper, a blind man and a bald headed man. So, He sent them an angel who came to the leper and said, 'What thing do you like most?' He replied, 'Good colour and good skin, for the people have a strong aversion to me.' The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given a good colour and beautiful skin. The angel asked him, 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Camels or cows'. So he (i.e. the leper) was given a pregnant she-camel, and the angel said (to him), 'May Allah bless you in it.'

The angel then went to the bald-headed man and said, 'What thing do you like most?' He said, 'I like good hair and wish to be cured of this disease, for the people feel repulsion for me.' The angel touched him and his illness was cured, and he was given

good hair. The angel asked (him), 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Cows or camels.' The angel gave him a pregnant cow and said, 'May Allah bless you in it.'

The angel went to the blind man and asked, 'What thing do you like best?' He said, '(I like) that Allah may restore my eyesight to me so that I may see the people.' The angel touched his eyes and Allah gave him back his eyesight. The angel asked him, 'What kind of property do you like best?' He replied, 'Sheep.' So he gave him a pregnant sheep. Afterwards, all the three pregnant animals gave birth to young ones, and multiplied and brought forth so much that one of the (three) men had a herd of camels filling a valley, and one had a herd of cows filling a valley, and one had a flock of sheep filling a valley.

Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a leper, went to the leper and said, 'I am a poor man, who has lost all means of livelihood while on a journey. So none will satisfy my need except Allah and then you. In the Name of Him Who has given you such nice colour and beautiful skin, and so much property, I ask you to give me a camel so that I may reach my destination'. The man replied, 'I have many obligations (so I cannot give you).' The angel said, 'I think I know you. Were you not a leper to whom the people had a strong aversion? Weren't you a poor man, and then Allah gave you (all this property).' He replied, 'I got this property through inheritance from my forefathers.' The angel said, 'If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.'

Then the angel, disguised in the shape and appearance of a bald man, went to the bald man and said to him the same as he told the first one, and he too answered the same as the first one did. The angel said, 'If you are telling a lie, then let Allah make you as you were before.'

The angel, disguised in the shape of a blind man, went to the blind man and said, 'I am a poor man and a traveler, whose means of livelihood have been exhausted while on a journey. I have nobody to help me except Allah, and after Him, you yourself. I ask you in the Name of Him Who has given you back your eyesight to give me a sheep, so that with its help, I may complete my journey'. The man said, 'No doubt, I was blind and Allah gave me back my eyesight; so take anything you wish from my property. By Allah, I will not stop you for taking anything (you need) of my property which you may take for Allah's sake.' The angel replied, 'Keep your property with you. You have been tested and Allah is pleased with you and is angry with your two companions.'"

(Related by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

Questions:

What are some important lessons that one can learn from the story above?

What are some other ways that individuals can be tested?

Imagine you are an employee with an unfriendly employer who does not respect you and even mistreats you. Then one day your employer moves onto another job and you get promoted within the company. You are now someone’s employer. How should you treat your employees? What have you learned from your past experiences?

Week 32

Umar's Speech While acting leader of the Muslims, Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote a letter to one of his commanders who was preparing for a battle with the Persian empire:

“I am ordering you and the troops who are with you to fear Allah in all circumstances, for fear of Allah is the best weapon against the enemy and the best enemy in war. I am commanding you and those who are with you to be more careful in avoiding sin than in avoiding your enemy, for sins of the army are to be feared more than their enemy. The Muslims are supported by their enemy’s disobedience to Allah; were it not for that, we would not have any strength, for our numbers are not like theirs and our weapons are not like theirs. If we are equally matched in sin, they would have an advantage over us in strength, and if we did not have an advantage over them by our virtue, we would not be able to defeat them by our strength. Remember that you have over you protectors from Allah who know what you are doing, so feel shy before them and do not do any act of disobedience towards Allah. You are striving for the sake of Allah; do not say that our enemy is worse than us and will never prevail over us even if we commit sin. A people may be defeated by others who are worse than them, just as the Children of Israel were defeated by the non-believing Magians when they did deeds that angered Allah, and:

“… They entered the very innermost parts of your homes. And if was a promise [completely] fulfilled.” (17:5)

Ask Allah for help against your evil whims and desires just as you ask Him for help against your enemies. I ask Allah for that, for us and for you. Be kind to the Muslims on their march. Do not exhaust them on their march, lest they reach their enemy weakened from their journey, for they are marching towards an enemy that has not been travelling, that has strong horses and riders. You and those who are with you should rest for one day and night every week …. "

Questions:

What can be learned about Umar’s (may Allah be pleased with him) character from his speech?

What virtuous qualities defeat numbers and weapons in battles?

Who are the protectors from Allah mentioned above?

Why is it important for us to ask Allah for help against our whims and desires just as we ask for help against our enemies?

Week 33

Fiqh of Zakat InshaAllah a reminder about zakat, in very brief. I am only sharing what little I have been taught:

Zakat is to purify, and it is a purification of our wealth. It is obligatory upon all who meet the following conditions: (1) Muslim, (2) is free, (3) has the minimum amount (nisaab), (4) has complete ownership of the property/item, and (5) 1 year must pass in ownership. The one exception is agricultural products and the zakat for this is paid upon the harvest.

Zakat is obligatory on four categories of things: (1) livestock that are naturally fed (but livestock which are provided feed are not), such as cattle, sheep, camels, goats, et cetera (2) agricultural produce, to be paid upon harvest, (3) Money, gold, silver; the currency of the time, and (4) business products. Interesting also is what is not eligible, such as one's personal house, car, clothes, housewares et cetera, so long as they are not business products.

There is a minimum of money/gold/silver which one much have to qualify, called nisaab, after which zakat is 2.5% of wealth (taking into account all the above-mentioned

conditions). Even a child and an insane person must pay zakat upon their money, in these cases both are eligible to inherit and likewise must pay zakat (by a guardian typically in these cases). In these times, when an Islamic state is not operational, we ourselves must select a date within each Islamic Calendar Year to calculate our zakat (if you choose Ramadan you will have additional rewards of giving charity during that month). One note about business products, this includes everything related to business, that one once did or does intend to use in business.

It is discouraged to delay payment of zakat, however one can pay zakat early if a situation arises where a person is in need and fits the categories mentioned below. Now that we've brefily reminded ourselves about zakat in general, we need to keep in mind who can recieve zakat, the categories are clearly mentioned in the Qur'an in Surah Tawbah (ayah 60):

(1) Extremely poor person, (2) Poor person, (3) Collectors of Zakat, (4) One whose heart you wish to soften to Islam [usually done by Islamic State], (5) to free a slave, (6) to one who is in debt [for a halal reason] or to reconsile a conflict, (7) to the Mujahideen, and (8) to a wayfarer to return home.

There are people who specifically can not recieve Zakat and they include: non-Muslims (with the exception of category 4), a rich person (with the exception of category 8), a strong capable man, family of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him), and to one's own dependants.

I have purposely not mentioned any figures regarding the nisaab because values, prices and excahnge rates are always flucuating - speak with your local scholars for the specific amount the nisaab is in your area inshaAllah.

Questions:

How does zakat help everyone?

Do you think that the world would have the amount of poverty we see today if everyone paid their zakat?

What are some negative consequences in places/communities where most of the people do not pay zakat?

What is nisaab? Research the specific amount that nisaab is in your area.

Week 34

Tazkiyah Bismillah. A reminder today on purification inshaAllah:

Tazkiyah linguistically means (1) to grow and increase, (2) to be an object of praise, or (3) to cleanse. In the Prophetic tradition we have been taught that an aspect of tazkiyah is to know Allah is with you wherever you are. This process of purifying the soul sometimes needs to be done with force, such as pushing oneself to gain and seek knowledge, acting upon the good and avoiding the forbidden.

The importance of purification of the soul can be found in the Book of Allah as He Most High makes eleven oaths in Surah ash-Shems before telling us that he who has purified himself has succeeded. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came to purify and to cleanse as he recites Allah’s verses. And, the only means to self-purification is through the Qur’an and Sunnah, with a foundation of Tawheed. Allah is the One who purifies and thus we need to desperately seek guidance and purification in our du’a.

Questions:

Why should we strive each and every day to purify our souls?

How can we go about purifying our souls?

Week 35

Balance & Ihsan Bismillah. It was hard to find a term to describe the reminder I'd like to share: "moderation/moderate" have been associated with "liberal" Islam, which wants to change our religion to suit the "modern" context. I considered a few others. The best word I could find is "balance" and better we could use the term ihsan (sometimes translated as excellence).

On occasion I find myself unbalanced. By this I mean that my focus, my time, my thinking and so forth have become overly focused upon one issue. Some examples: We need to make dawah to non-Muslims, and let us not forget that many children born as

Muslims do not understand Islam either. We need to stand against injustice, and let us not forget that all our actions are also acts of dawah so let them be done with excellence. We dislike disbelief, and let us not forget the kindness we owe to our neighbors. We follow the straight-path and remind against bidah, and we give our brothers the benefit of the doubt while loving our brothers with ties stronger than blood.

I anticipate that this reminder might be viewed as "watering down" some of the passionate and driven efforts our brothers and sisters are making for various causes and challenges facing the Ummah. This is not the case and inshaAllah I'll offer a clarification: We are not an Ummah of doctors, nor are we an Ummah of scholars. Rather, our Ummah is a diverse group of people, with varying skills and talents. These skills and talents are all required and needed, and thus important. How quick we might be to say that a construction job is not as good as a teacher, but where would the teacher teach without the assistance of the construction worker?

Thus, by necessity we are an Ummah of diverse skills and talents. And, we embrace that diversity because it is for our betterment. This relates to my topic of Ihsan / balance in that I am not talking about balance of all worldly affairs. Instead, this reminder is referring to balance of the heart and balance of deed. For example, the Muslim is driven by the two wings of hope and fear. Without one wing, the bird would not fly. And what propels the bird forward is Love of Allah (this comes from Ibn Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him). Thus the balance between hope and fear moves the Muslim toward ihsan in heart and deed.

Questions:

In your own words, define Ihsan.

Why is it important to stay balanced?

How can we stay balanced?

Do you think that a community could function properly if everyone within that community was a doctor or a scholar?

Why do we need to live with a balance between hope and fear?

Week 36

Going Green In the Name of Allah; Most-Merciful, Most-Compassionate.

Alhamdulilah in recent months and years we have witnessed the Muslim community become more aware of environmental issues. At the outset, I should mention that it is not my goal here to describe the reasons why Muslims ought to be environmentally-conscious, as this has been dealt with in-depth elsewhere. I'll simply summarize a few points as a reminder: The Earth is a creation of Allah and we ought to respect it, damaging the environment can have detrimental health effects, we ought to conserve valuable resources and we should not be wasteful.

That being said, I need to mention some of the reasons why we should be thinking about the environment. Environmental Sustainability is Goal #7 on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MGDs for short). Despite efforts over the last few decades: forests continue to be cut down at alarming rates, climate change requires immediate action, record number of species face extinction, much of the world does not have safe drinking water and sadly the 2010 targets were missed. Most of us reading this, who have a computer and internet access, are included in the 20% of the world's population consuming 80% of its resources (Yes, that is not a typo: eighty percent). Is the way we live contributing to injustice?

Within the environmentalist and sustainable living movement there are many manifestations of lifestyle changes. On the one hand we have those who desire to disconnect completely and go "off the grid" (meaning they get all their own energy from solar and wind and water from wells or rain collection and completely disconnect previous supply). This is certainly a lifestyle more akin to living in a sustainable way, but it is not for everyone. There is another extreme: those who alter their lifestyle so insignificantly that their "green" shift is really not that much of a shift at all, it may just be trendy.

With those two poles laid out, and being an Ummah of the middle and moderate path, I am going to suggest some ideas that all of us can inshaAllah try to implement. I'd like to also add that these suggestions come from academic studies (mostly out of the UK) in striving to collect the most effective strategies in modifying the behavior of people so as to lessen negative impacts on the environment. For example: as we write about different environmentally-friendly lifestyle changes, how do we know which will be the most effective and have the greatest positive impact? That is what these studies aimed to do, and I will categorize their findings into overarching themes. Again, I am not

suggesting that we need to do all of them. I suggest starting with one or two. And inshaAllah over time you may slowly continue to make changes to lead a lifestyle that has a lesser negative impact on the Earth.

Housing

Within our homes there are many great and easy ways to reduce our energy consumption levels as well as our negative impacts on the environment. One of the simple things to do is to make sure that we dispose of toxic materials safely. Check with your local municipality for more details; almost all will have a free collection depot.

Some governments provide tax cuts for "retrofitting" your home to make it more energy-efficient, thus it might be cheaper than you think, some options for this include: double-glazing windows, improved insulation and the purchasing of more energy-efficient appliances (and your hydro bill will go down too).

And, for those really seeking a change: have a look into installing a solar panel or wind turbine - they are getting cheaper and more effective. You can set up a small one to charge up your iPad, iPod and cell phone. Or, pick a small solar powered flashlight / radio combination instead of the battery run ones. Why not?

Food & Water

There are some simple one-time installation changes you can do to reduce your consumption of water, such as: a toilet water-saving device and low flow taps and showers. And (or) just shorten your shower time every day. I know not everyone will enjoy this one: try to reduce the amount of meat you eat. The amount of grains and resources used to raise cattle, never mind the rain forests being burnt down in the Amazon to put them all on, are a serious drain of resources. I am not advocating that we all ought to be vegetarians, don't get me wrong. However, eating meat 4-5 times a week is not really a necessity with these points in mind. If you can, purchase locally-grown foods - this will reduce the amount of hydrocarbons that were required to transport it to your table. Also, try to avoid highly processed foods. Lastly, setting up a household or community compost reduces the amount of waste going to landfills and can be re-used in a home or community garden.

Travel

I am sure you've seen those new hybrid cars; using smaller and more fuel efficient cars are effective changes to make (and can save money too). Of course, public transport and car pooling are even better, however not everyone can make this shift. Something we

can all do is walk those short distances rather than driving, and it’s good for health as well. Have you ever done an ecological footprint test? If not, try one here. One of the major contributors to a massive "footprint" on the Earth is air travel, try to reduce if possible.

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Last, but not least, we really need to teach our children these lessons. The future consumer and lifestyle choices will largely be made by our children so let us inshaAllah start from today by changing ourselves and those around us. We need to be more conscious of the blessings of the environment all around us and how we ought to take care of it.

Allah knows best. Forgive me for my short-comings and faults and I welcome your comments, ideas and suggestions. You may comment here or contact me directly, I am happy to share further reading materials.

Questions:

What lifestyle changes can you make in order to make the world a greener place?

Research the difference that you would make on the environment if you switched to reusing a cloth bag instead of getting plastic bags every time you went shopping.

What are some things in your everyday life that you will start to reduce/reuse/recycle?

What was the result of your ecological footprint test?

Assignment:

Start a GREEN project in your classroom/school/community.